Thistletalk Summer 2010
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TALK Winchester Nonprofit Org. Thurston U.S. Postage School PAID Pittsburgh, PA 555 Morewood Avenue Permit No. 145 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 www.winchesterthurston.org ThistleThistle SELF PORTRAIT Students in Mary Martin’s sixth grade visual arts course explored their unique identities while studying the work of Romare Bearden and other contemporary collage and photomontage artists. Exponential Through a self portrait project, each student interpreted his or her Equation personality, values, and aspirations. In this piece, Erin Frohlich ’16 expresses herself as a passionate learner through her use of various Taking Math Students in this issue: school references, while also emphasizing her love for the to New Heights Commencement 2010 outdoors by incorporating images MATHCOUNTS® Team Shakespeare Takes Center Stage and colors that relate to her environment. Wins State Championship, p. 4 Women’s History Month Winchester Thurston School Summer 2010 contents Rigor, Authenticity, Immersion: The New Meaning of Academic Excellence FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Gary J. Niels 2 Head’s Year in Review 3 COVER STORY: Exponential Equation: Problem-Centered Math Curriculum Takes WT Math Students to New Heights 4 15 DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNAE/I NEWS: Young Alum Scholarship Fund 21 21 Reunion All Year Long 22 State Champs 4 Beverlee Simboli McFadden ’55 and the Miss Mitchell Society 24 FEATURES: WT Celebrates Nancy Steigerwalt Dwyer ’37 Women’s History Month 8 In Memoriam 25 Commencement 2010 9 Class Notes 26 WT TODAY: SCHOOL NEWS WT Orchestra In Full Swing… Shakespeare Students Take Center Stage… North Newshounds…Winter/Spring Highlights… Sports Roundup…Parents Association… Faculty Highlights 12 www.winchesterthurston.org 1 Rigor, Authenticity, Immersion: The New Meaning of Academic Excellence inventively, communicate globally in the world: the Galapagos Islands. with confidence and ease, and work in One-third of the sixth grade and one- teams collaboratively. Consequently, third of the seventh grade classes will be the meaning of “academic excellence” is enrolled in Mandarin next year—they changing. Today schools must ensure that are preparing themselves to lead and they are preparing students for a world thrive in a global society by embracing that demands imaginative, innovative, this completely different language and and entrepreneurial minds. Young people culture. Finally, WT’s commitment to need the tools of research and analysis; innovation and a dynamic and rigorous they must know what it means to think learning environment can be seen in the Gary J. Niels here is a Rabbinical saying, “Don't “The meaning of ‘academic excellence’ is limit a child to your own learning, changing. Today schools must ensure that they Tfor he was born in another time." are preparing students for a world that demands When we first assembled WT’s imaginative, innovative, and entrepreneurial Advisory Board, a group of Pittsburgh luminaries, we were interested in learning minds....” from their futurist thinking. Yet, few of these bright, insightful, and informed critically, find creative solutions, and nearly 100 City as Our Campus programs leaders could be certain about what the apply knowledge. They need classrooms and initiatives under way or taking shape world or the region might look like in that open their imaginations, and to in the Upper School; approximately 40 in 2020. They were, however, certain about explore their own intellectual interests the Middle School; and nearly 100 in the one thing: At the end of their schooling, in depth and with discipline. two Lower Schools combined. the students at Winchester Thurston With its mission “to actively engage By marrying our mission of active will be entering a world that is complex students in a learning process that is engagement with the context of our and changing rapidly. “We are preparing challenging and inspiring,” Winchester unique locations, WT creates a learning students for an unscripted world,” was Thurston is graduating the kind of environment that is not only rigorous, the simple wisdom of our Advisory innovative thinkers who embody the but authentic, immersing students in Board. qualities that will enable them to be the the world around them, helping them Our nation’s K-12 school system entrepreneurs we so desperately need for to create knowledge as well as absorb it. is a highly scripted and “factory-like” our future. Over the last couple of years, WT institution with a prototype curriculum This year at WT one of our students has emerged as a leader in the national that arranges knowledge into neat did a senior project entitled “Placing a independent school landscape—as disciplinary packages, and orders Spotlight on Our Grid: The Importance a school that embraces the concept information for broad dissemination of a Smart Grid in the 21st Century.” of preparing its students for an and efficient digestion. The culmination His research culminated a multi-year unscripted future and for leading the of this system is the standardized state intellectual journey that emerged from way in redefining academic excellence. test, which forms the ultimate measure his personal interest in environmental In doing so we are not limiting our of educational success or failure. Today issues. His passion led to in-depth pursuit students’ learning to the world that we the quality of a public school system is of a topic that few have studied, and he adults understand and encounter, but measured largely by the performance of is now engaged in sharing his research expanding their potential to learn and its students on these state tests. and learning with others outside of our contribute to a world of the future time. As we look to the future, experts community. This summer 10 Middle say, today’s students will need to School students are doing scientific be able to solve complex problems research in one of the richest ecosystems 2 Thistletalk Summer 2010 October 2009....Travels to Boston for an May 2010....Cheers on the Varsity Boys Head’s alum gathering at the home of Kathy Zilweger Lacrosse team in the league playoffs, and Putnam ’71 and her husband, George… attends many Varsity Girls Lacrosse games to Year in Review Participates in Young Alumnae/i Leadership cheer on his wife, Elizabeth, the team coach. Council meeting, gathering input on ways Celebrates the many accomplishments of 2009-2010 to communicate the good news about WT students and faculty at Upper School Class in the broader community of Pittsburgh’s Day, Middle School Awards Ceremony, Lower young professionals…Mingles with parents, School Evenings of the Arts, Middle and Gary Niels’s eighth year as faculty, and students at Applefest at North… Upper School Dance Show. At Reunion, celebrates the Class of 1959 as Winchester Thurston’s Head of June 2010....Welcomes another class of WT they observe their 50th reunion, welcomes all School was marked by celebration of students into the alumnae/i community at at the annual cocktail party and student/alum national recognition, reaching out to the 123rd Commencement exercises. alums and parents, and continuing field hockey game…Cheers on the Varsity Field Hockey team as they enter the WPIAL to pursue innovation and excellence. playoffs for the first time since 2006. A few highlights… November 2009....Joins proud parents and Winchester Thurston School faculty members for the captivating Middle July 2009....Installed as President of School production of HONK: The Musical. BOARD OF Pittsburgh Consortium of Independent Schools (PCIS), works to develop closer collab- December 2009....Enthusiastically accepts TRUSTEES oration between PCIS and Pittsburgh Area one of the most coveted invitations at WT: 2010-2011 Independent School Teachers Association to read to the Pre-K class!...Convenes the WT (PAISTA) as well as PCIS and Pennsylvania Advisory Board in an intensive session about Henry Posner III, President Association of Independent Schools (PAIS); City as Our Campus opportunities. Ralph L. Bangs, Vice President convenes discussions on PCIS’s potential January 2010....Along with faculty and Kathleen W. Buechel, Vice President leadership in promoting diversity awareness in students, participates in production of a video Pittsburgh; and facilitates strategic leadership on City as Our Campus for the Edward E. Ford Stephen G. Robinson, Vice President discussions among PCIS school Heads. Foundation website…Working with Board Douglas A. Campbell, Treasurer President Henry Posner III, , convenes the annual Board Elizabeth S. Hurtt 74, Assistant Treasurer of Trustees Retreat. Dusty Elias Kirk, Secretary February 2010 .... Gary J. Niels, Head of School Presents a workshop for other independent school Deborah L. Acklin ’80 Ronald J. Bartlett leaders at the National Barbara Abney Bolger ’52 Association of Independent John B. Christie-Searles Schools conference in San Simin Yazdgerdi Curtis Francisco, joined by heads Ilana Diamond of three other 2009 E.E. Ford Robert I. Glimcher Leadership Grant schools: Rosanne Isay Harrison ’56 ◊ William Clarkson of The Diane P. Holder Westminster Schools, James Ian James Kapae’alii Scott of Punahou Deepak Kotwal School, and Tom Gilder Elsa Limbach August 2009....Welcomes back faculty, of Windward School. Visits with alums at a Steve Loevner students, and parents and shares the news of Carole Oswald Markus ’57 ◊ reception in San Francisco…Cheers on the WT’s national recognition as one of only four Linnea Pearson McQuiston ’69 Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball teams as recipients of a 2009 E.E. Ford Educational Kathleen L. Metinko ’91 both enter league playoffs. Leadership Grant. Enthusiastically shares Douglas H. Ostrow WT’s distinguished history with new faculty. March 2010....Congratulates newly accepted Deesha Philyaw families at an accepted students reception, David L. Porges September 2009....With Parents Association and shares the latest good news at WT. Martin E. Powell President Deesha Philyaw and Director Susan Santa Cruz ’60 of Annual Giving Dionne Brelsford, forms April 2010....Joins in a pep rally to congratulate Nancy T. Scott Parents Advisory Council, parent leaders the Middle School MATHCOUNTS® team on Stephen B.