A Simple Gift of Song for the New Year

During the months of November and December our Quakerism curriculum focused on the testimony of Simplicity. This testimony is deliberately chosen to counter-balance what can often become of the many holidays we celebrate at this time of year, and to help us be mindful of the simple meanings that are at the heart of these religious and secular celebrations.

The December query for our small Worship Sharing groups was, "Since gifts are not something that must be bought, can you think of a simple gift you can make or do for someone, or that you have given or done in the past?" The query made me think of Christmas caroling, and I explained to the students that this tradition is a very simple way of sharing a gift with others -- the gift of song. We practice this tradition when we carol for our neighbors at The Hickman every year. And, we share gifts among ourselves during Monday morning Gathering, the monthly Meeting for Singing, concerts . . . anytime we sing together.

With this in mind, I offer you all a simple gift of song and images from the past few months, with a wish for the New Year:

"When the lights all shine,
All around the world, they'll glow,
And all will know,
Our journey to peace has begun."

(You'll want to turn the volume up!)

Resilience

My wife, Melinda, gave a card to me about a year ago with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

“What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.”

The card sits on my desk and is a helpful reminder that, when faced with even the most difficult decisions, the answers – or at least the road map that leads to those answers – can be found within ourselves.

I thought of the Emerson quote again earlier this week when John Scardina was speaking at the PTO meeting about raising resilient children. In his usual thoughtful and caring way, John acknowledged the natural inclination that many of us have, when our children are faced with challenges, to tell them what to do or to fix the problem for them. Our actions may be well-intentioned. After all, we want our children to be happy, don’t we? However, our taking care of problems for them can actually have the opposite effect in the long-run, keeping our children from developing the resiliency and skills needed to handle difficult decisions as adults.

So, what should we parents do? John’s advice for raising resilient children has been published twice, first back in February by examiner.com. The December issue of Good Housekeeping magazine includes John’s “Resilience Rules” which can be found on his blog.

Helping students develop resiliency and problem solving skills is something our teachers do every day. At this fall’s Back to School Night I had the pleasure of sitting in T. Claire’s room as the parent of a fourth grader, listening to her speak about the importance of resiliency and describing how her routines and expectations serve to cultivate it in her students. I wasn’t watching the clock, but I believe Claire spent more time speaking about building this and other life skills than she did about math and reading – and that was just fine with me.

When I first came to West Chester Friends School ten years ago, one of the primary draws for me was the quality of the faculty and the strength of the academic program they create. Experiencing the school as a parent, as I have for the past six years, my appreciation continues to grow for the ways that our teachers nurture “what lies within.”

Questions & Answers

During a recent Chat I was asked, "When will Biddle Street be re-opened?" This one question really contains several sub-questions, because the closing of Biddle Street (for The Hickman's construction project) has led to limited parking around the block due to our bus area moving to High Street and construction workers parking on Walnut Street.

The latest word from The Hickman is that construction of their new building will be completed in mid-December, and that the street will remain closed until then. As you probably know, construction projects can run into delays, but we will hopefully see an easing of the parking limitations with the start of the new year.

I have also been asked a few times this fall, "How can we get the crosswalk back?" The crosswalk in question used to run across High Street in front of the meeting house to West Lafayette Street. It was removed at the time that we were building the new library and administration building. The widening of our driveway required approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (because High Street is a state road) and the PennDOT officials declared that a crosswalk could not exist at that spot. We have not pursued getting the crosswalk back since the folks who would give that approval are also the folks who took it away.

Students in third, fourth and fifth grades are wrapping up the annual ritual of Questions & Answers called the ERB's. In other words, they have been taking a series of standardized tests published by the Educational Records Bureau. We administer these tests in order to receive objective, third-party assessments of individual students and the effectiveness of our curriculum. The results of these tests are quite comprehensive and provide valuable insight. In this age when too much weight is often placed on single test scores, we keep the perspective that they are one piece of a much larger assessment picture. Individual results will be shared with parents and I look forward to sharing an overview with everyone as part of my annual "State of the School" meeting in January.

Summer Reading . . . of the Professional Variety

The school year is well under way and chilly fall weather is definitely here, so it may seem odd to be writing about “what I did last summer.” But I do want to share the three books that faculty members had as their summer reading assignments. While the reading happened over the summer, the impact of what we read together is ongoing.

The Boy on the Beach, by Vivian Gussin Paley

Through her career of more than 50 years, most of it as a kindergarten teacher at the University of Chicago’s Laboratory School, Vivian Paley has been an advocate for learning from the children we teach by truly listening to and observing them at play. In The Boy on the Beach, she follows two children through their kindergarten year. Through detailed descriptions, Paley demonstrates how the children in the class establish all-inclusive communities in which children listen to each others’ stories and find their roles- all through the magic of fantasy play.

The teachers who read this book had a rich discussion about the importance of play for all ages; the fact that there never seems to be enough time; and the balance between free play and setting boundaries. We enjoyed Paley’s observation that children can find the good in everyone: “When someone is growling and wolfish, you have to act nicer to that person.” And we came away affirmed in the importance that we place on play in our school day, especially in light of the reduction of time for play in other school settings.

The Homework Myth, by Alfie Kohn

The role of homework is an oft-debated topic, both in our schools and around our dinner tables. Advocates state that homework promotes academic achievement, reinforces learning, teaches time-management and study skills, and builds responsibility. Those who question the relative value of homework cite the stress, conflict and exhaustion that can result, as well as the limits it places on opportunities for free play (see above!). In The Homework Myth, Alfie Kohn examines the usual defenses of homework, concluding that none of them pass the test of research or experience. He then goes on to examine why, if this is true, homework plays such an important role, and then provides encouragement and guidance for changing the status quo.

The homework policy at WCFS is based upon principles that we have long held to be developmentally appropriate. No homework is given through first grade. Homework is introduced gradually in second grade with expectations growing each year through fifth. Our handbook emphasizes the development of responsibility, which is an important part of being prepared for middle school.

As we move forward in discussing this book, there is interest among the faculty in reviewing our homework policy and practices. I invite you to share your thoughts on the subject by replying to this post on the blog.

Schooled in Diversity: Readings on Racial Diversity in Friends Schools, edited by Pat Macpherson, Irene McHenry and Sarah Sweeney-Denham, published by Friends Council on Education

Many independent schools strive to be diverse learning communities, particularly in terms of the racial make-up of their student body and faculty, in order to enhance the educational experience. In Friends schools, this goal also has a spiritual basis in the Quaker belief that there is “that of God” in each individual. West Chester Friends School is a diverse community in several ways, with nearly a third of our students representing a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds, a socio-economic range among our families, and a mixture of experiences, points of view and learning styles. While we value the diversity that exists, we also know that diversity work in schools is an ongoing process.

For that reason, our faculty’s third summer reading option was Schooled in Diversity, a collection of essays, research examples, case studies, and queries, exploring and urging the continuing work toward multicultural change in Friends schools. Some of the most compelling pieces in this collection are the stories drawn from other schools’ experiences in becoming more diverse, including the issues they encountered along the way and the questions they continue to ask themselves.

Here at WCFS, we have some work to do in articulating our diversity goals, assessing how well we welcome and engage all students and their families, and identifying ways in which we need to improve our practices in order to be a truly inclusive community.

I welcome your thoughts on any or all of these topics either in person or by posting a reply to this post.

Fall Fair 2010

This past Saturday the WCFS community came together on campus for another successful Fall Fair and Alumni Day. Due to the forecast of strong winds, the children’s games and some of the booths moved indoors, but this didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits. As always, there was plenty of activity, fun, and food thanks to the leadership of the PTO chairs and many volunteers, including parents, teachers and alumni.

I am pleased each year to see so many of our young alumni return to their alma mater for the Fair. This year I was struck by how many volunteered to work at a game or booth in addition to catching up with their friends and former teachers. I also enjoyed speaking with parents of alumni (some of whom came back even though their children could not make it!) who still enjoy the strong friendships that they formed when they were parents here at WCFS.

Have You (drip) Heard the (drip) News?

Part of our school's mission is to "celebrate those talents that are within each of our students," and the recent Evening of the Arts was a perfect opportunity to do just that. The visual art displayed throughout the school and the performances of our chorus, band and orchestra were all outstanding. I was also impressed with the way that our students conducted themselves when viewing each others' artwork and being members of the audience. Congratulations to all!

Immediately following the choral performance, I announced next year's All-School Unit theme. And it is . . . "Water, Water Everywhere!" As you can tell from the photo, we had our usual fun with the announcement, complete with costumes and -- this year -- confetti!

The All-School Unit will also be great fun. As the teachers and I explained during the announcement, water truly flows through every aspect of our lives. We drink it and cook with it. We bathe, swim and play in it. Water figures prominently in our stories, poems, songs, and art. It is part of every science discipline and can be measured using mathematics. Water plays a leading role in history, as people throughout time have relied upon water for survival and travel, and established settlements near water. Water covers about 70% of Earth's surface. Indeed, we are awash with water (pun intended), so it is high time that we learned as much as we can about it!

Math Curriculum Revision

At last week's Chat I spoke about doing less, but doing it better. In this case, I was speaking about our math curriculum.

Let me say at the outset (and in case that word "less" causes concern) that our math program is very successful. We have had anecdotal "proof" of this for years when we hear that our graduates are very prepared for the math programs at the middle schools they attend. We also have objective third-party evidence through our students' excellent performance on the math sections of the ERB standardized tests (I've reported this at the annual "State of the School" meetings. If you'd like to learn more, please let me know.)

Our faculty revise at least one area of the curriculum each year. About five years ago, a review of our math curriculum led to the choice of a new text series published by Macmillan/McGraw Hill. We have been pleased with this choice in many ways, but find it very difficult to get through every chapter in a given year. As with most, the content of this series is based upon the Pennsylvania standards for mathematics. As such, it contains a vast amount of content and skills spread out, at most grade levels, over 28 chapters, each with five or six lessons.

When you "do the math" (pardon the pun), a teacher would need to cover a lesson per day in order to even come close to completing the program. This might sound reasonable on the surface, but it is not. Such a pace does not allow for testing days, snow days, field trips, or other special programs. Most importantly, keeping such a pace prevents the teacher from going in depth, utilizing other resources, exploring related topics, and taking the time to insure their students have mastered concepts and skills before moving on. To put it bluntly, if we were to strive to keep pace, we would short-change the learning experience.

And so, the review process this year is focusing on doing less, and doing it better. The teachers are taking a careful look at the scope and sequence at their grade level in conjunction with the grade levels that come before and after, and asking these critical questions: Which topics and skills are developmentally appropriate for this grade level? Which are inappropriate and, therefore, should not be covered in a given year? Which, while appropriate, are also covered in other years and therefore are not required in a given year?

Through this revision, our math curriculum will contain a scope and sequence that covers all of the same concepts and skills as before, but at a more reasonable pace that allows for depth -- a quality that has long been a hallmark of our program.

The Survey Says . . .

At the most recent Chat I shared some results of the parent survey that we conducted this winter. The survey was successful in several ways, not the least of which was the fact that more than half of our families completed the survey. I am not a statistician, but I do know that is an extremely high rate of response and speaks the sense of commitment our families have. The survey produced a wealth of information -- most of it affirming and all of it instructive -- and I am pleased to share some of the highlights with you here.

Parents were asked to consider a set of 14 characteristics and tell us how important each was to them when they made the decision to enroll their child(ren) in the school. It should not surprise you to see the characteristics that top the list (with the combined percentage of those rating it as “Very Important” or “Critically Important”): 1. Quality of the Teachers (98%), 2. Quality of the Academic Program (98%), and 3. School Environment (96%).

Next, we asked parents to rate the same set of characteristics now that their family is part of the school. While the same three rise to the top, School Environment received even more “Critically Important” responses. It is also interesting to note that the school’s relationship to the Hickman Home and West Chester Monthly Meeting becomes more important to parents after they have been in the school. Both of these trends make sense when you consider that they are qualities that need to be experienced in order to be truly appreciated.

Another characteristic that becomes more important to parents after they have been with the school is the level to which our students are being prepared for middle school. When asked to look ahead, 93% indicated that they are “Confident” or “Very Confident” that their child will be well prepared academically for middle school, and 86% gave the same responses for how well their child will be prepared socially and emotionally. These are the same kinds of responses we have received from a smaller survey conducted over the past two years of fifth grade parents as their children graduate.

An open-ended question about the strengths of our academic program produced a very clear message. Parents value the teachers and their approach to teaching, specific curricular areas, small class sizes and the personalization of the program (which goes hand-in-hand with the teaching methods and small classes). When offered the opportunity to suggest improvements to the academic program, the word “more” appeared frequently, particularly in calls for more time spent on certain subjects. This speaks to a persistent challenge that we face in organizing our school: making all of the valuable pieces of our program fit into the school day and finding a good balance. One parent made a suggestion that we often hear, especially as a child is approaching graduation: “Add a secondary school :-)”

In describing the strengths of our school community, many parents feel a sense being welcome, included and involved. Several special events were heralded with a general sense that there is a good number and variety of events and that they are well-run. In terms of desired improvements, some survey results encourage us to hold more smaller events such as shared suppers; to keep in mind the availability of events to working parents and those with very young children; and to consider the timing of events, especially in the busy fall season.

Finally, in an effort to assess the effectiveness of our marketing and outreach, parents were asked how they had first heard of WCFS. Clearly, word of mouth is the best advertisement. We have known this anecdotally, and now the numbers prove it: 40% of the respondents first hear of the school through a recommendation, be it from a current family, alumnus, friend, neighbor, or other educational professional. One family even heard of us while attending an open house at another school! The second most frequent mode of learning about the school is through online searches (19%), which confirms what experts say about how people get information these days. Only one respondent indicated that they first learned of us through a newspaper or magazine ad. This will inform our marketing efforts moving forward.

So, keep spreading the good word! If you know of a family that might value a WCFS education for their child as much as you do, please let us know (admissions@wcfriends.org).

And thank you to all of the families that completed the survey. There is much more to learn as we continue to dig down into the valuable feedback.

DayS of Service

Last Friday we held our annual Day of Service. It was a time of busy hands, happy activity, lifted spirits, and joining together to do good work for truly meaningful causes . . . our school at its best!

The Day of Service is held in conjunction with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a way of emphasizing for our students the lessons learned from Dr. King's life-long commitment to bringing about positive change through peaceful means in the face of injustice. For this year's project, we chose to support ConKerr Cancer, an organization founded by a mother in Wayne with the mission "To make life brighter for children with life changing illnesses and injuries." Our children spent the afternoon making more than 80 colorful pillow cases that will help to brighten the hospital stays of children in our area.

A spirit-filled energy was evident throughout the school as small hands knotted fleece and fed sewing machines (with no pricked fingers!). Children partnered with classmates and Meeting Buddies and were assisted by teachers, parents, grandparents, alumni and board members. We gathered in the gym at the end of the day for everyone to see the collective results of their hard work. As we stood in a circle holding hands, Teacher John Scardina led us in singing "Circle of Friends" and "The Turning of the World." The pillowcases were placed in the middle of our circle and, as we headed home for the holiday weekend, they were taken to be washed, bagged, and distributed to the hospitals. Our light going out into the world.

Service is one of the Friends testimonies upon which our school's philosophy is based. For service to have meaning for young children, it should be tangible -- an opportunity for children to both learn about the needs of others and have a real understanding of how their act of service will make a difference. The pillowcase project met these goals in ways that simply collecting and giving money cannot.

That being said, sometimes giving money is exactly the help that is needed. When disaster strikes, as it has now in Haiti, organizations do not need us to send things -- they need cash to support immediate relief work. I am very proud of our Student Council who chose to donate the proceeds of their very successful bake sale toward relief work in Haiti rather than pursue their original plan of purchasing new playground equipment.

Your family may have already contributed to relief work in Haiti. If not, I strongly urge you to consider supporting the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Quaker organization with a long and successful history of providing both immediate relief and longer-term recovery.

Members of our faculty are already exploring ways that our school can engage in service work for the people of Haiti that is, as I mentioned above, tangible. In the past, we have participated in drives that AFSC has organized to collect hygiene kit materials. I expect a plan to develop over the next few weeks.

From the Day of Service to days of service . . . I am confident that our students will go on to lead lives of service . . . making our world better through their good work.