Welcome to our St. Andrew's e-newsletter! Twice a month, you'll read exciting news about our scholars, artists, athletes, and servants--in and outside the classroom. You'll hear what inspires our teachers in the "Teacher's Corner," and you'll get wowed by what our graduates are doing these days in the "Alumni Spotlight." If you consider yourself a member of the St. Andrew's community, then this newsletter is for you.

Since we haven't yet mastered the ability to be in two places at once, we are relying on you to help us find these stories. We encourage you to contact us ([email protected]) with any exciting news you want to share. You don't have to be a great writer, you just need to have an idea.

9/11: Observing and Remembering

"14 Cows for America" was read in LS and MS chapel services today.

As many of us reflect on today's anniversary, St. Andrew's chaplains offer us words of comfort and encouragement. Upper School Chaplain, The Reverend Rob Leacock, offers us Psalms 4, 31, and 91 for consideration.  Lower & Middle School Chaplain Mrs. Ashley Brandon read the children's book "14 Cows for America" in her chapel services. The book, written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez, recounts the story of Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah, a Maassai warrior who returns to his village in Kenya after witnessing the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Upon hearing his story, his village is moved to an act of great compassion. The elders contact the American embassy in Nairobi and invite a diplomat to join them for a special ceremony in which they make a generous and symbolic gift.  After hearing the story, St. Andrew's students were asked to consider what it means to show love, kindness, and compassion toward neighbors near and far in times of great sadness and tragedy.

Sofia Wesbecher ('25) poses with a Teo treat.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the contest, and especially to Sofia for helping us find a name that fits!

Kama is also bringing a new philosophy on homework to the classroom this year. He points out, "Our students spend eight hours in class each day. That's a full 'work' day in adult terms. We need to consider why we are sending more work home. We need to be purposeful with our assignments: our primary focus (for the younger students) should be reading, and getting them to be able to read independently." While some parents may think that homework maintains the learning process, Kama insists that "It's a misnomer that 'no learning occurs at home without homework.' That doesn't give our students, and especially our parents, the credit they deserve." Kama wants to shift more towards "personalized" education, defining it as "a partnership between the student and teacher. Obviously, that partnership looks different at different ages of the student, but it begins the process of empowering our students to take ownership of their education. I want them to understand who they are as a learner, and know how to power their own learning momentum." Some of the Lower School teachers have already begun putting this philosophy to work in their classrooms: they are creating lists of "learning opportunities" (assignments) that students choose from and turn-in on a flexible schedule. Kama wants all the teachers to feel like they can try new things in a safe environment, remarking, "We so often tell our students 'It's ok to make mistakes' but we rarely tell ourselves that. We need to be vulnerable and be challenged as educators to change our own thinking. I want to create a safe and gracious space for our teachers to make the jump."

Our discussion with Kama will continue in the next e-newsletter, where we learn more about his goals for teachers and students this year, and his thoughts on the future of education in independent schools.

We know the St. Andrew's website is in need of a make-over, which is why we are proud to announce that a new school website is in the works for 2015. Stay tuned for updates as we finalize our timeline! 

Upper School students sign the Honor Code pledge.

Over the past few weeks, students in the Middle and Upper Schools have been participating in an Honor Code pledge ceremony in chapel. Alice Nezzer, Head of Middle School, explains "For years, the Middle School did not have an Honor Code. Honor Codes are tricky for Middle School students because we believe that kids learn from their mistakes and Honor Codes, to be taken seriously, have to have heft. But, a few years ago, we adopted an Honor Code in the Middle School." After the Middle School's Honor Code ceremony, the signature pages are hung in the Commons for the students to see throughout the year.  The students in the Middle School Honor Society help set the tone for the ceremony, but they do not oversee the disciplinary actions (a group of teachers deal with severe discipline cases in an Honor Council).

The Upper School Honor Council, however, is comprised of elected students who are involved in the full scope of the review and disciplinary processes. Jenny Kroncke, Upper School Dean of Students, explained this further in their Honor Code signing ceremony, saying, "In my role as dean, I often have to talk with students about mistakes they have made that don't fit with our Honor Code. I then have the honor (pun intended) of observing this council of students whom you have entrusted to represent you as they seek the truth of each situation and the motivation and experience of the student or students involved. Each hearing, even though it may be centered on a violation of our code, serves as a reminder for me of the way that the members of this community seek to support those around them and think critically about the best way for a student appearing before them to move forward successfully."

Senior Jackson Hughes, in his second year on the Honor Council, explains "Although a punishment is given, the Honor Council is also responsible for coming up with methods to help the student rebuild relationships and remain successful in the St. Andrew's community after their violation." Senior Marina Smalling adds, "During my sophomore year, I had the opportunity to attend a conference in Dallas where Honor Council student representatives from around Texas came together to share ideas and discuss their school's honor system. What struck me most.. is while other schools' Honor Councils give out punishments, few also offer opportunities for restitution or rebuilding. While other schools' codes define what an individual is allowed or is not allowed to do on a certain assignment, few emphasize the impact of honor code violations on the community. Community is one of the things we all value most about St. Andrews'. Our Honor System is unique because it recognizes the importance of this community and is specifically designed around it."

Over the past week, members of the 6th Grade class have participated in a democratic process to articulate their ideal learning environment. After discussing their visions in small groups, students voted on the most important values to uphold in our community. The next step--which will take place in a few days--is that a group of students will write a shared statement of belief. All the 6th Graders will, finally, sign the statement and we'll use it as a guiding principle for the year. 

Some students have also been working on a documentary about this process, taking footage of the process as well as interviewing their peers about the experience. Once the documentary unfolds into a final product, we will look forward to sharing it with the St. Andrew's community.

Thank you Grace Ortman (6th Grade Language Arts teacher) for contributing this article.

"House System" Embraced at Middle School

The first-ever MS house captains pose together.

The Middle School's Dean of Students, Tim Moore, has brought a new community organization tool he calls a "house system" to St. Andrew's. Tim has taken a moment to describe how our 7th and 8th Grade students have embraced his new idea:

During my first week of school at St. Andrew's, I was given the opportunity to introduce the inaugural "house system" to the SAS Middle School students and teachers. Before introducing this new idea to the Middle School, I was nervous whether or not it would catch on with our students. After our first couple of weeks, these feelings are gone, and the house system is off to a fantastic start.

The main purpose of a house system is to bridge the gap between grades and make the Middle School a more inclusive community. The idea for a house system comes from the English school system, as many schools throughout England have the same structure. Most students are able to connect their understanding of a house system to Harry Potter's Hogwarts School, as they are very similar.

Each of St. Andrew's four houses contains roughly 40 students, made up of four advisories- a male and female advisory from both the 7th and 8th Grades. The advisors also belong to the house along with their advisees. In each house there is a lead teacher, known as a "house keeper," and two 8th Grade "house captains." One of the benefits of the house system is that it gives 8th Grade students an opportunity to take ownership of their school and become leaders on campus. One 8th Grader, who was recently named one of the new house captains, told me he applied because he wanted "to make the Middle School more inclusive and a fun place to go to school, so all of the Lower School kids have something to really look forward to when they get to 7th Grade."  

In the next few days, the house captains will be in charge of coming up with names for each of the four houses. The name of each house will relate to some aspect of the mission or history of St. Andrew's School. The hope is that these names will be part of the house system for many years to come.

Throughout the year, the houses will participate in activities together to get to know one another and form relationships that extend beyond the classroom walls. In addition, the houses will compete against one another for house points. The year-long competition will end in late May, when one house will win the first-ever house trophy. Houses can earn points in a variety of ways: fun competitions like our "House Smart Are You?" trivia challenges; bringing in canned food during the food drive; earning AoK points for random acts of kindness; or attending classmates' athletic games or concerts. The houses have already begun earning points: last Friday the Middle School kicked-off the house system with a fun afternoon of bowling at Highland Lanes. It was a great way to begin the year, as I watched 7th and 8th Grade students and teachers cheering one another on. The highlight of the afternoon occured when Nathan, a new 8th Grade student, bowled a spare in his final frame to clinch the highest score in the Middle School. He was mobbed by his fellow advisees and house members.

I fully expect that these challenges, whether athletic-, academic- or volunteer-based, will generate excitement, cooperation, and camaraderie within each house. In the end, competition is not the primary focus of the house system. Instead, it is all about fostering relationships between teachers and students, as well as across Grade levels to help make the Middle School a more inclusive community...and most importantly, a fun place to go to school!

Thank you Tim Moore for contributing this article. 

The "Sweeney Todd" cast takes a break from rehearsals to take a quick group shot.

"Sweeney Todd" is this year's Upper School musical: it would be an understatement to say it's a departure from last year's "Beauty and the Beast." When the musical production team took some time one night to talk to parents about their artistic vision, the room filled with excitement and anticipation for the October 30 debut.

Director Rick Garcia explains that, though he's been directing for 30 years, this production is by far the hardest thing he has done. The themes are dark and difficult, and the story is bizarre. But Rick clarifies that selecting Sweeney Todd was not a random act: "We pick the musical based on the students we have to work with. We know what their strengths are, we know they can do it. But this is a learning tool too, so we want to make them stretch artistically and grow as well." Rick approaches every production with three goals: tell a story; be entertaining; and show intellect (i.e., investigate the lessons). In Rick's view, the Sweeney Todd lessons are geopolitical and moral: the impact of Britain's Industrial Revolution on its working class, and the impact of vengeance on the human soul. Rick continually asks his artists "Is revenge justified? Is Sweeney Todd's reaction appropriate?" Rick also gives parents fair warning: this is not Broadway's Sweeney Todd. He says, "We teach kids to 'make their own discoveries' and we as adults should do the same. I have not seen, and will not see, a Broadway production of Sweeney Todd. I don't want to be influenced by other people. So I sat alone in the dark in my 19th-century farm house one night and intentionally scared myself just listening to the Sweeney Todd music." Rick's interpretation results in machine-like dancing, slow-motion actions, and nightmarish images. He admits, "This is an experiment for all of us. It might not work, but when you fail you learn too. I just thank God I have a platform to take these risks." Rick also quipped "I'm successful when I surround myself with people who have the skills I don't possess." Hearing from the rest of his team, it's clear he abides by this rule.

Music Director Michael Rosensteel expresses his wonder in Sondheim's "brilliant ability to marry lyric and melody in a cohesive way amongst chaos." Michael and his singers together are "experiencing Sondheim's moments of pure lyrical beauty amidst the darkness." Above all, Michael says "I cannot stress how impressed I am with these kids. They take notes and apply it immediately. But they aren't just phenomenal artists, they're great people to be around. We work hard and have fun."

Though the Sweeney Todd cast is small, don't expect the production to be any less robust. Rick says "The Dell Fine Arts Center is a gift to us, so we should use the facility as it's meant to be used." Set Designer Scott Schumann says, "What's on the stage is mind blowing." A scaled model of the full set design was on-hand for parents to admire, and Scott emphasizes that "The kids are doing all of it. I trust them. We are pushing the envelope this year, and I am always on-hand to help them." He laughs, adding "I just hope it's done when the show opens."

Other highlights from the evening included Costume Designer Celia Kilgore's vow to "teach everyone how to sew on a button," to Prop Designer Jane Howard's problem of getting outbid on eBay for vintage 19th-century knives ("Who are these people?!" she exclaimed). Hair and Makeup Artist Amy Rudy warned that "the girls won't look pretty with nicotine-stained teeth." Sound Technician (and DFAC's new full-time manager) Milton Zoth remarked that ambient noise will play a key role in this atmospheric production. He says, "In today's world of 'white noise' where you don't listen to anything, this production will make you listen."

An added reminder of the St. Andrew's extended family came when Rick announced the poster design by a St. Andrew's alumnus, Taylor Smith, whose art will also be exhibited in DFAC lobby during the musical's run. Rick notes, "I want our artists to have a home at St. Andrew's, to be able to come back and workshop their ideas in a safe environment."

We can't wait to reserve our tickets when they go on sale October 1!

Look who we found at the World Gelato Tour in Rimini, Italy! St. Andrew's alumnae and "lifers" Jade Ross ('12) and Ali Campion ('12) came to support fellow Austinite Matthew Lee, owner of Teo, who is putting his tasty gelato flavors to the ultimate test.   

Holly Melear poses with her original artwork.

Lower School Art teacher Holly Melear's chalk board poses this question: "If gravity did not exist, the world would look like..." It's a perfect reflection of Holly's goal to incorporate science into her art classes this year. We talked to Holly about her interests in and outside the art classroom, and discovered that science and art are both sources of inspiration for her.  

Both of Holly's parents are artists. Her mother is a sculptor who works with plexiglass and metal. Her mother was a student of Umlauf's, and Holly was able to attend a few of his classes. She laughs, remembering "He was a hard teacher, but when he complimented you, wow!" Holly's dad was a lawyer and mathematician by trade, and loved creating historical miniatures (like samurai warriors) and collecting ancient weaponry. Holly says her dad's love for ancient artifacts is what got her interested in ancient and far east art.  

Even with all this artistic influence in her blood, Holly exclaims, "I did everything I could to not be an Art major!" She studied anthropology, but the artistic expressions of human progress she studied made her yearn to return to her art. During her time as a UT student, she managed a private art gallery, performed restoration on artifacts for private restorers, and managed the Michener collection at UT. After college she moved to Seattle to work as a graphic artist, but quickly realized "Graphic art was too clean. I missed being messy with my materials." When she returned to Austin, she began working at St. Andrew's teaching summer camp art classes and 1st Grade Art, while also balancing the demands of motherhood and graduate work at St. Edwards, where she received a master's in Ancient & Near Eastern Art.

Holly loves working with acrylics and chalk pastels to create ancient iconic imagery and explore spiritual themes. She says, "It's easy to focus on our differences, but so many things connect us through time and space." She is currently working on colored pencil illustrations for two books. She will also be featuring her own artwork this November in the Gypsy Art Fair, which she created and now manages as well. The Gypsy Art Fair includes 15 local visual artists and 15 local performers who collaborate and share their work. This year's Fair will take place at Spider House, where Holly says "You can hear percussion, harp, poetry, and watch ballet all in one sitting."  

Holly spent her summer reading about neuroscience in the book "Learning and the Brain" and re-evaluating her curriculum. For one week, she attended a STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art Math) conference in NY, where she says she "learned to be more thoughtful in integrating science into art classes." As a result, she will frame her class on Kandinsky around the mathematics of pattern, and work with 4th Grade teacher Donna Hunt to teach aerodynamics by building gliders. Holly's lifelong dream to fly took off this year as she began flight school to earn her pilot's license.  

Chloe Melear is a junior at St. Andrew's this year, and Holly beams with pride when she notes her daughter was selected for Upper School's Select Choir. Her husband and best friend from high school, Shane, is a massage therapist, and will be teaching a Dissection class in Beyond-the-Classroom this year as well. 

Remembering Dolly Evans, beloved art and third grade teacher at St. Andrew's

Hallie Stayton Evans (Dolly) was born in Corpus Christi on Aug. 2, 1918, and died in Comfort, Texas on Aug. 30, 2014, at 96 years of age. Dolly was the sister of Eleanor Gammon, who helped found St. Andrew's Episcopal School.  Dolly began teaching art at St. Andrew's Episcopal School in 1956, and soon began teaching third grade, which she did for many years. Dolly lived a long and productive life, with many, many friends who enjoyed her wonderful sense of humor, her genuine warmth, and her generosity.  

In the words of alumna Kathryn Miller Anderson ('65), "Mrs. Evans was one of the sweetest teachers ever. I so remember loving when she read to us every afternoon right before carpool. She would let us pack up our things and rest our heads on our desks while she read to us. How very lucky we were to have such a kind teacher."

More about Mrs. Evans' life can be found at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/statesman/obituary.aspx?n=hallie-strayton-evans-dolly&pid=172414836&fhid=6303#sthash.IKjzPYjS.dpuf