Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (December 17, 2012)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

                As I sit here thinking about how to address the absolutely unthinkable tragedy that occurred on Friday in Connecticut, I find myself forgetting all that I had rehearsed over the weekend.  Like trying to understand exactly what a trillion dollars means, it is hard for all of us to comprehend the scope and impact of this horrible event.  Nevertheless, it is our responsibility as school staff and as parents to help our children and our school community feel safe and secure at GreenMount.      

We had our usual Monday Morning Meeting today, but only with our students in grades 4-8.  I had questioned the wisdom of speaking to the younger students, and Ms. Laura validated our decision with some research she did on the subject over the weekend.  Also, attached to the newsletter you will find two articles provided to us by AIMS this morning that may be helpful to all of us as we grapple with how to make our children feel safe.

                How safe is The GreenMount School?  The answer to that question is evolving.  We all fall into routines of trust and comfort as long as nothing happens.  Then when an event such as the one at Sandy Hook takes place, we are shocked into the realization that we need to do more to improve our security.  And so it will be that the staff will meet Wednesday to discuss how to improve our crisis plan and how to better train our children to handle any emergency.  As the President said last night, we haven’t done enough.  I am positive that school leaders and their staffs around the country, and even around the world, are questioning their security today and thinking of ways to improve it.  Discussions with parents this morning and with teachers have already resulted in some good ideas for improvement.  First and foremost, you may experience some delays in opening the front door.  If Jen or anyone manning the desk does not recognize you, you will be asked to identify yourself as you are spoken to on the buzzer. 

Because of fire escape regulations, we cannot lock the back gated area or the gate that leads from the parking lot to the learning cottage.  This is one of those issues that will require unique plans that all children and adults in the building understand.  Also, any parent who is in to substitute must see Jen in the morning to review the crisis plan (once revised).  I am sure that you are anxious to know that we are addressing any gaps in our security, and I can assure you that we are doing so immediately.  We will develop a new crisis plan and more drills will be carried out along with our monthly fire drills.

This morning, a few parents hugged me as I waited by the front door.  I think this meant that they trust us to take care of their children.  Indeed, this is our highest priority.  The students will remember that the first meeting we had in September was focused on the fact that safety comes first.  If children do not feel safe, it is much harder to focus on learning.  I spoke to the students this morning about how they can support each other and how they must consider how they treat each other.  I spoke briefly about being bullied, which seems to accompany the profile of many who perpetrate such acts.  Then, following our meeting, two students came to me to ask if they could conduct a peer mediation group in which students can discuss issues they may be having with each other.

This is the kind of student we have here.  You are the kind of parents who make them so thoughtful and caring.  This makes our job so much easier.  Thank you.

                Finally, the flag is appropriately at half-mast today and I am thinking of leaving it that way – lest we forget.

                Have a great holiday break, and hug ’em hard!

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (December 10, 2012)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

             Last week, I began my message by praising our eighth graders for the excellent test-taking behaviors they displayed, such as going back and carefully checking their work.  My friend at the assessment office was quick to grade our tests and returned them in one day.  The results are that our eighth graders scored an average of 88 percent on the reading portion of the test and an average of 87 percent on the math.  This is a little above the results we have seen over the years as our students consistently score in the 80s.

I believe that these scores also demonstrate the fine job that our teachers do in preparing our students for every situation.  Remember, most of the eighth grade students are taking a standardized test for the first time.  Also, the version of the test they took is meant to assess students at the end of grade eight.  Our students took the test only three months into the school year!  The reason they took the test so early is that the city-wide high schools need the results for admission to their programs, a process that begins this month.  So, congratulations to our students, their teachers and parents for doing such excellent work!

            One aspect of our Friday staff meetings is the focus on professional development.  I am a firm believer that teachers and administrators must always be learners, constantly improving their craft and the services that we provide for students.  Therefore, every staff meeting includes an aspect of this learning.  Other staff meetings, such as the one we had last Friday, focus specifically on the professional development of the staff.

This week, we focused on several articles that the teachers read concerning how we meet the needs of students who challenge us academically, socially and behaviorally.  The four articles we read were titled, “First Discover Their Strengths”; “How Other Countries Do Discipline”; “Cracking the Behavior Code”; and “Ferrari Engines, Bicycle Brakes”.  Each of the articles provided us with good insight and stimulated great discussion, and we certainly learned a lot from the articles and each other.

You can probably guess the content of the articles by the titles, but the last one may puzzle you.  The author of “Ferrari Engines, Bicycle Brakes” makes the case that students with ADHD have brains that run like a race car engine, but are governed by a weak ability to slow down and stop the impulsivity that accompanies such a racing train of thought.  The author makes a good case for being positive about ADHD because he feels that all a student needs is better “brakes” – a set of strategies to slow down.  In fact, he feels that the impulsivity that accompanies ADHD is a sure sign of creativity.  Distractibility is a sign of curiosity, and hyperactivity is a sign of energy.  So, those of you who may have thought you were ADHD or were diagnosed as such when you were students, congratulations! Your creativity, curiosity and energy have probably served you well.  And while you may have not had teachers who were so positive about the abilities you have, we are embracing any of your children who may be in the same race. At GreenMount we do provide the opportunities for Ferrari brains to thrive. Our program welcomes the curious, the creative and the energetic.  We celebrate the different ways children learn and we give the drummer drums to drum; the talker times to debate; and the ponderer things to ponder.  We are still working on those brakes.

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (December 3, 2012)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

                I would like to start today with singing the praises of our eighth grade students.  On Thursday and Friday, they took the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS), which is required as part of the admissions process to high school.  Our students know the importance of this test for them, and I must say how well they “tested”.  I’ll have the results in a week or so, but the one thing I can guarantee is that they did their very best.  Their test-taking behaviors were excellent.  For most, a standardized test is something new and could be intimidating, but I am proud to say that our eighth graders focused, persisted, and used every minute allotted to stay on task and perform at their best.

The test consisted of two parts.  The first part, the reading and language arts section, involved 100 minutes of responding to passages for comprehension and language skills.  Each section was divided into 50-minute tests, and every student finished with time to spare - some with as much as 20 minutes left.  But did they stop to rest?  Did they put their tired heads down for a nap?  No, they immediately went back to check their work and persisted in that effort until time was called.  The next day, during their math test, I saw the same behaviors.  This kind of dedication and attention to task is typical of our eighth graders and I marvel at how they “attack” the challenges that come before them.  These students are our end product, so-to-speak, and are proof of the work that our teachers do at every level to come to this place in the learning process.  And it’s only December 3!

                Last week, I also had the privilege of working with the 7/8 homeroom as we discussed some of the workings of their brains.  That’s right, we were discussing the adolescent brain!  I know that many of you would consider this very scary territory, but actually, it was great fun.  Kids at this age are especially amazing.  Their brains have great plasticity and are capable of many surprising feats.

Just for fun, I introduced them to a mental exercise of memorization and some strategies for memorizing a long passage, most of which was nonsense.  I was very surprised when, after only 20 minutes or so, nearly every student could recite the passage.  I have used this passage many times in the past, but never have so many been able to memorize it so quickly.

Afterwards, we analyzed why they had been so successful with this new learning.  Basically, it boiled down to the fact that the learning was unique and challenging.  The passage had a rhythm, which is something that the brain - especially the adolescent brain - likes.  Also, these students have been taught to persist, to accomplish seemingly difficult tasks. Finally, the new learning was fun!

Yes, learning can be fun. And when it is fun, challenging, and interesting, students like ours will gobble it up.  This somewhat silly exercise is a lesson for all of us who are learners and teachers.  Make learning fun and students will accept any challenge that goes along with it.

                So, I guess you now want to know what the passage is.  Okay, but remember, your brains lack the plasticity of an adolescent.  It is just the simple act of counting to ten:

1 hen

2 ducks

3 squawking geese

4 limerick oysters

5 corpulent porpoises

6 pairs of Donald L. Verzo’s tweezers

7 thousand Macedonians in full battle array

8 brass monkeys from the ancient, sacred crypts of Egypt

9 sympathetic, apathetic, diabetic professors on roller skates with a marked propensity toward procrastination and sloth

10 jolly blue denizens of the deep who haul and stall around the corner of 5^th and Main quibblying and quabbling all at the same time

                Try to memorize this in 20 minutes.  By the way, the record for reciting this stands at 16 seconds!

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (November 26, 2012)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

             Okay, check me on this: December starts on Saturday and we only have 24 days until we close for the winter break.  Is that right?!  Didn’t we just return from the summer break?  Something must be wrong with my biological clock.  These things keep sneaking up on me.  I guess it’s an age thing and probably most of the kids think that we have been in school forever.  It would make me feel better if I knew that some of you are also surprised by how quickly the year is flying by.  But then again, it’s always the same story.  We’re very busy and we are all working hard.  The days trip over one another to end and, before you know it, another year has passed.

            However, in the spirit of the season I can say that I am very thankful for every day that I have to spend here at GreenMount.  Maybe that’s why the days go by so quickly.  Maybe it’s the trick that nature plays on us: when you’re having fun, the time flies; when you are not, time stands still.  So, I guess I am thankful that time is flying by.  I am certainly having fun.

            Today, in our Morning Meeting, I told the students that I had a gift for all of them – a full week of school! No one cheered. November has been peppered with days off, and this is actually the first week that we have the students every day.  But I guess I don’t have to tell you that!

            As mentioned above, I am indeed thankful for each day at GMS.  In particular, I am thankful for:

• Parents who donate their time and expertise to further the goals of our school.  For most, the 40 hours of required service seems to be secondary to the desire to make meaningful contributions;
• Parents who model learning for their children and whose presence at theme events and other school activities describes the volume of our community and how together we are growing exceptional students;
• Grandparents who support the school and lavish us with compliments (a great turnout last week, by the way);
• Students who come to school each morning with a smile on their faces, well-prepared for the day and eager to learn;
• Students who greet me and each other as the day begins with a handshake and a cheerful “Good morning, Mr. Steve” (the best part of my day!);
• Teachers who bring to their job a genuine love for their craft;
• And teachers who work tirelessly to provide meaningful, experiential learning experiences for children. 

Finally, I am thankful for my wife who, while dealing with a school of 700+ students and 67 staff members in grades K-5 herself, listens patiently to my stories of the pure joy that results from working in a school with 100 students, 17 staff members and parents who contribute so significantly to our success.

            So, go ahead, 2012-2013 - fly by.  I already know that 2013-2014 is going to be another great year at GreenMount.

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (November 19, 2012)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

Thank you all for attending and participating in the year’s first theme event. Also, special thanks for those who cooked and prepared the food. All the students’ work was also excellent, from the costumes and accents to the essays and the classwork, and not just in Theme Studies; students have also moved up to higher levels in math and the other classes. The parents who helped set-up the school for the event (and the subsequent clean-up) are much appreciated, as are the teachers for teaching this theme.

Another thing to note…Grandparent’s Day! Lots of special fun for students, friends, grandparents, and other family members.

We also give a special thanks to everyone – students, teachers, and parents – for all their hard work during this year’s theme and hope you will participate as much as you have in the past.

As for Thanksgiving, we hope you have a good time together, enjoy yourselves, and eat lots of good food. And to those who are traveling: don’t rush, and be safe while driving there.

"Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence." - Erma Bombeck

Cheers,

Mr. Angus (Head of School for the day)

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (November 12, 2012)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            On Thursday evening, we will present our first theme event for the year, We All Come from Somewhere.  The purpose of this theme has been for students to investigate and understand that our country - or any country, for that matter - is made up of people from many different backgrounds.  Consequently, we feel that our students now have a greater appreciation for the valuable role that diversity plays in the success of a country, a state, and even a small organization like The GreenMount School.  We feel that it is important for students to have a global view of the world and to value the contributions of each individual or group.  This is part of who we are as stated in our philosophy: “Students develop academic, behavioral, and personal skills that enable them to thrive in different environments.”   

            At the AIMS conference last week, heads of school listened to Ron Goldblatt, Executive Director, as he presented data that shows the decline in enrollment in independent schools since 2006 (a dilemma that we are not experiencing).  His point was to connect the economic downturn to this change in families choosing an independent school education.  He and his audience discussed ways to create a resurgence of enrollment in spite of the economic woes that will be with us for some time, it seems.

I spoke with him later and offered a different perspective – the GreenMount perspective.  I told him about Grandparents and Special Friends’ Day.  When I meet with the grandparents that morning, I will be focused on the difference between the education they received and that which is needed today.  The teachers those grandparents had probably had some idea of what their future might look like in 15 or even 20 years.  Indeed, when I was in high school, it was common for kids in Baltimore to go to work at Beth Steel right after graduation (or before), and have a good paying job, a pension and a small, paid-for house with a front porch on which we could rock away in retirement.  This is not the case with our kids today.  The fact is, we have no idea what 20, 15, or even five years from now will look like.  Paradigm shifts are occurring so quickly now that to predict the future our kids will face is nearly impossible.  Scary, isn’t it?

So, I told Ron that the draw that independent schools could have is that we allow students the “time and space to learn,” to delve deeply into subjects that increase our understandings.  A school like GreenMount prepares students for that uncertain future by making them independent learners who are creative, confident and capable.  All those projects, experiments, discussions and debates prepare our kids to be able to adapt to any situation.  This has been proven true on many occasions as our students are hailed as leaders and learners by the high schools they attend.  A phrase we have heard many times is, “Oh, you’re from GreenMount?  We love your kids!”

So, let’s celebrate the fact that our students are finding ways to “survive” in this unknown world we face.  They will be the leaders, the inventors, and the solution.

Happy Veterans’ Day             

Cheers, 

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (November 7, 2012)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            The election is finally over!  I never thought I would look forward to seeing commercials for free carpeting and deals on cars for which Jack says, “Yes!”.  Well, maybe that’s going too far. 

This has indeed been a season of information, and just maybe some misinformation, through which we all had to sift before ultimately making our decisions at the polls.  My voting experience was punctuated by comments I heard while waiting in line.  I vote at a senior center (appropriately) and the best comment I heard came from one of the residents.  A frail lady shuffling by noted the line and remarked, “This is terrible!” (referring to the long line).  “No, this is wonderful,” said one of her friends. “I haven’t seen this much enthusiasm since I was a younger woman.”  Indeed, the turnout at my polling place was exceptional and in a state where many people feel that the results are a foregone conclusion, I think we should be happy that we had the turnout that we did.  I was also impressed with the enthusiasm of voters.  People were friendly, talking about issues and expressing their points of view.  Now, if only the Congress can get together and follow their constituents’ example!

At today’s Morning Meeting, we discussed the expectation of treating others appropriately as listed under “Civility” as one of our Pillars.  I talked to the students about how all of us sometimes will gossip about someone who is not present because we might feel safe from a confrontation that would otherwise result from talking to the person directly.  I gave the example of how adults will sometimes do things while driving a car that they would not think of doing in person.  For example, adults sometimes cut in front of each other in their cars, but would be less likely to do the same while waiting in a line of people.  The car becomes our cocoon that protects us from the confrontation of person-to-person interactions.  Likewise, Facebook, tweeting and other cyber-communications protect us from that direct confrontation.  We discussed this idea and focused on how treating others appropriately include how we speak of them, even when they are not there.  The best GreenMount citizens do the right thing, even when no one is watching!

Cheers,

Steve