Janella Brand - Holy Innocents' Episcopal School

Chris DURST Upper School Principal
School Principal Theresa Jespersen
I had the great
privilege of
addressing
several of our
current board
members about
the qualities and
characteristics
that make our
Upper School
a compelling
choice for families in the Atlanta area.
There’s so much more to a quality
education than grades and scores; the
competitive aspect of education—‘btw,
what college did you get into’—seems to
permeate most discussions about school
quality. It’s such a shame that these limited
benchmarks (not necessarily of success
or excellence) are dominating the airways.
As Principal I feel the need to re-center
the debate about what makes a quality
school, not necessarily sounding defensive
or masking deficiencies, but to articulate
what’s really important—or should be
important—to the families at the school.
The following are qualities I believe are
found at great schools, and hopefully you’ll
find them in the HI Upper School:
• Schools must be soulful. Every great
school has a certain ‘something’, that
consciousness that transcends buildings
and rooms and lockers. It’s what you feel
when you come onto campus. Soulful
schools are about partnerships with
families, students and teachers. Soulful
schools care for students in extraordinary
ways, for schools know that if children don’t
feel connected, they run the risk of falling
prey to society’s worst nightmares. Soulful
schools are tearful, joyous, thoughtful,
inspiring—all of which reflect a singular
purpose towards helping and educating
children.
• There is no greater benefit to student
learning than selfless teachers.
Selflessness is absolutely crucial. “But
I’ve always taught this way,” is a sure
sign that someone has lost his way. We
know more about student learning and
brain function than we ever have, and it
is time to demand that teachers search
outside teacher-centered models to engage
students. Students are savvy: they know
exactly which teachers have been doing
the same tired lessons for years and which
ones constantly try to provide that magic
moment of learning. Selfless teachers
are the professionals willing to try new
techniques, are not afraid to be vulnerable,
teach both skills and curriculum and go to
great lengths to model the most appropriate
behaviors for children.
• Every school has a portrait of excellence.
Too often school improvement discussions
center on what children are not doing, or
how curriculum is flawed or how parents
are making a mess of things. Great schools
refocus the discussion by framing the
picture in the community of what the school
looks like when it is outstanding. Inevitably,
that picture becomes a beautiful portrait of
what the children can make of their lives if
we just will allow ourselves to see it.
• The more we give of ourselves, the more
we will love what is left. Independent
schools, and HI in particular, have a
greater obligation and responsibility to the
community to produce individuals who
appreciate service and recognize the value
of diversity. Students who share in these
values and are competent and comfortable
engaging in a fluid and diverse society
will ultimately be the leaders of the next
generation.
Principal’s corner
Middle School is an awesome time in a
young person’s life. They are beginning to
feel their power a little, to be a little more
independent and self-reliant. It’s time to
discover where they fit in, to start figuring
out where - and who - they want to
be. Middle School at Holy Innocents’ is
a place where kids learn to make things
happen, and not just allow things to happen
to them. Our kids feel empowered and
supported, whether it’s to make a movie
about changing the world or simply learning
to avoid the belligerent geese on the ball
fields. I want them to try, so that they
learn they can do. Our faculty and staff are
enthusiastic supporters of the kids and
have worked very hard this year to make
this, the Best Middle School in the World.
In math, the department chair and
faculty have coordinated their efforts to
make their teaching more effective, the
kids’ efforts more directed, and the results
more positive. The process began by
identifying objectives for each level of math,
and examining the rationales for inclusion
in the curriculum. They have examined
the time allotments for each section, and
have created new timelines. This should
make the transition from arithmetic to
mathematics and Upper School courses
much smoother.
We’re adding a few courses for next year.
In Fine Arts, we are offering an Advanced
Art class for eighth graders who are serious
about pursuing art in Upper School. It will
allow the students to spend more time
developing their skills using clay, drawing,
painting, and making photographs. Recent
economic events have shown us all that we
need to make sure our kids understand the
value of a dollar and have the wherewithal
to spend it wisely. All of our eighth grade
students will take a Personal Finance
course where they will “get jobs,” and learn
how to survive on an hourly wage. They
will learn how to use a checking account
and a credit card, fill out a tax return, and,
hopefully, understand the importance of
maintaining good credit.
This year we marked the transition
from first to second semester by having a
Focus Week of experiential learning. Rather
than jump right into the new semester,
we took the first five days after Christmas
break and spent the week engaging in
new and different adventures, and, for
the younger grades, performing some
community service. The kids had fun,
they learned a little about themselves
and their schoolmates, and they enjoyed
the transition
back into hardcore
academics.
We’ll keep this
experience as a
tradition, but we’ll
make changes from
year to year.
We also had
our first-ever
Middle School Film
Festival this year. Students in grades six
through eight were invited to form teams
and make two-minute films about Making
the World a Better Place. The movies dealt
with serious issues such as drunk driving,
global warming, and the seamy underside
of the fast food industry along with an
exposition of the first-response lifesavers
in the police and fire departments. We
have already started planning for next
year’s event and have even brought the
current fifth graders over to find out about
what awaits them when they cross the
mystic traffic circle and come to the Middle
School.
As I said, this is a terrific time to be in the
Middle School. This year has been terrific,
and next year looks even better.
One of my greatest joys and biggest
responsibilities as principal of the Alan
A. Lewis Pre-School has been guiding
the young children in my care toward the
development of a spiritual foundation upon
which to build as they grow older. The
process here at Holy Innocents’ is greatly
enhanced through the students’ opportunity
to participate in weekly chapel services.
During these services the children learn
about God’s world through stories, song,
and prayers.
Basic concepts and understandings are
taught in the
classroom. First
we learn that
God loves us
all and that we
are to love each
other. There is
an emphasis
here given to
family, friends,
and community
and the parts
JANELLA Brand
they play in our lives. A daily reminder
of the Golden Rule sets the tone during
morning devotions that are heard by way of
the school intercom. Teachable moments,
which present themselves during the day,
are used to emphasize these principles.
Through the use of age-appropriate Bible
stories, the students learn that God cares
for each of us in a special way. Building
upon His love for us, God’s care, guidance,
and protection are highlighted as a part
of this study. Tolerance and respect along
with lessons of diversity and acceptance
support the theme as well. Regular service
projects are introduced and implemented
in an effort to help the students develop an
understanding of the importance of sharing
and reaching out to others.
We also learn that God is dependable.
There is evidence of His dependability
as we witness the predictability of the
changing seasons as well as other visible
reminders in the world around us. Children
can relate to the rising and ebbing of the
tides when they visit the beach and they
Pre-School Principal
Middle
experience light and darkness through the
day and night routinely.
We further emphasize the fact that we
can talk to God by praying to Him. Prayer is
a part of each day. Children learn to recite
chapel prayers including the Lord’s Prayer
and they are taught blessings that are used
before snack time and at Kindergarten
lunch. During the year each class is given
the opportunity to write a joint prayer, which
is learned and shared during morning
devotional time. We know that we can pray
anytime and anywhere. Recently, a Pre-K
student reflected, “God must have really
big ears!”
As our students mature, they are given
an opportunity to build on these basic
understandings and to learn about their
individual family’s religious traditions
and beliefs. Hopefully, we are laying a
foundation that our students will use to
build a spiritual reservoir from which they
can draw strength for the rest of their lives.
On July 1, 2007, I began my first year as
the Principal of the Lower School following
Rick Betts who was named our Associate
Head. Rick had done a remarkable
job as Dorothy Sullivan’s successor as
principal. Upon her retirement in 2007, Holy
Innocents’ honored Dorothy for her thirty
years of distinguished service by naming
the Lower School the Dorothy Sullivan
Lower School. So you see, all of this was
a bit intimidating. How does one follow in
these footsteps
The foundation of the Lower School is
built on determining what is best for our
students and ensuring that they receive
what is needed. The faculty and staff
treat the students with respect and set
boundaries. Children as learners need to
be aware of the academic and behavioral
expectations. Each day, I see students
holding doors open for one other, smiling
and laughing, and being active participants
in their studies and activities.
Service projects are an important part
of our studies. Students in all grades are
involved with activities that serve others.
From helping with dogs that have been
neglected to entertaining folks at the
Benson Center, our students plan and
participate in these events which benefit the
community beyond Holy Innocents’.
Our Fine Arts Department affords the
students an opportunity to explore and
discover their abilities in the visual and
performing arts. Through our programs,
students develop a love for painting or
printmaking or a deep appreciation for
acting, singing, or playing an instrument.
Many programs stress the concept of
students’ wellness. The physical education
classes, health classes, and guidance
services from our counselor place great
emphasis on being a healthy person in both
mind and body.
It is imperative that we prepare
our students for the 21st century and
the demands of technology. The fifth
grade laptop program has provided our
teachers with the ability to reach each
student’s learning style and increase their
comprehension and understanding of
the material. It is amazing to witness the
teachers and students learning from one
another and exhibiting a true authentic
learning environment.
All of these areas are integrated with
our strong academics to give our students
a solid foundation that will support them
as they enter the Middle School years. So
what have I learned this year in regards
to following in footsteps I am following
the footsteps of those who have seen
future needs and implemented a vision.
The route forward may not be plotted in
details, but with
this clear vision,
the direction
will always be
known.
Lower School Principal
TERRI POTTER
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