UNIVERSITY SCHOOL JOURNAL SPRING 2019 From Cleveland to Cairo A Journey through Themes UNIVERSITY SCHOOL www.us.edu LETTER FROM THE EDITOR The University School Journal is I was fortunate to have the chance to interview three retired lower school teachers a few published two times a year by University weeks ago. We gathered around the dining room table at the home of one of the teachers A Teacher’s Legacy School and its Alumni Association for to talk about their experiences creating the theme-based curriculum at US in the early Head of School Patrick Gallagher reflects about the important work that the alumni, parents and friends of 1980s. I was struck at how much energy was in that room around that table — and they the School. Letters and suggestions 4 happens during a student’s formative years and writes about the influence were only talking about those days. for future articles are welcomed. of good teachers in creating eager learners. Correspondence should be addressed to The teachers talked about the joy and freedom in being tasked with creating their own the editor via email at [email protected] curriculum specifically for their students. They talked of the camaraderie among their or by mail to: The University School colleagues as they began a challenging journey toward the same goal: getting to the Journal, 2785 SOM Center Road, Hunting heart of good teaching. Today, almost 40 years later, the excitement about “The Primary US Celebrates Installation Valley, Ohio 44022. Project” is still evident in their conversations! University School celebrated Head of School Patrick Gallagher’s installation EDITOR: 6 in December. This section includes Mr. Gallagher’s address to the assembled, That same excitement and energy are echoed in the lower school halls and classrooms Susan Schervish today. University School boys can’t wait to come to school every morning. They eagerly and photos of the ceremony and reception. Director of Communications greet their teachers and classmates and prepare for a busy and active day of learning. They work in teams and on their own, taking ownership of their work, and driving their CONTRIBUTORS: educational journeys under the guidance of their energetic teachers who have created Jonathan Bridge a curriculum just for them. As a result, University School boys love learning. This is a A Journey through Themes Assistant Head of School for lesson that reverberates years later, attested by those former students – now alumni – Follow a US fourth grader’s educational journey through his study of his Advancement who have benefited from a continued curiosity to grow and discover. 18 classroom theme, China. Read stories from alumni who tell about the impact Rob Pesicka This Journal contains those stories about the teachers, alumni, and students who were their early education had in their lives. Discover how the curriculum came Director of Marketing influenced by what those teachers in the 1980s began and what our current teachers about and its relevance today, through interviews with former Director of continue today. There is nothing ordinary about what happens when boys are purposefully Studies Dr. Ginny Lindseth and current Lower School Director Gail Stein. Lorie Hollington Smith engaged in their learning. As Christine Sumner, one of the crafters of the curriculum Associate Director of Advancement stated that recent afternoon, “We really did something truly historic and it’s still going on. It makes me proud to have been a part of it.” Jay Pease ‘86 Director of Alumni Engagement Lead the Change Sue Schervish US students are taking a leadership role in promoting social change. Learn Editor Meg Bell 34 about a junior who designed a program to help Cleveland refugee teens, Leadership Center Assistant a group of upper school students who are leading peer discussions about Sue Slovich Lower school art teacher equity and inclusion, and two sophomores who saw a need to help young Pam Spremulli created Annual Fund Consultant children without homes learn to read by building them a literacy center. banners for each of the curriculum themes taught in PHOTOGRAPHY : the lower school. Pictured: Joseph W. Darwal Grade 1 themes Fairy Tales Rob Pesicka and the Changing World, Susan Schervish Inventions, Exploring Christopher Seaman Cleveland; Grade 2 themes Traveling the Forty-First DESIGN: Parallel, Westward Ho!, 38 From the Valley to the Heights On the Cover: Thea Kennedy Creations; Grade 3 themes also Graphic Designer Native Americans, Ancient 50 Photo Galleries Cover painting depicting the Egypt, Australia; Grade 4 lower school educational theme, themes China, Whaling; in this 58 Class Notes University School does not discriminate Exploring Cleveland, by Pam Grade 5 themes Ancient on the basis of race, color, religion, Greece, Mexico, The 64 We Remember Spremulli: www.pamspremulli.com national and ethnic origin in issue: American Revolution. administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship, and loan programs and athletic and other school administered programs. A Teacher’s Legacy by Patrick Gallagher Head of School Whenever I receive old-fashioned paper envelopes While there, the dean of the School of Engineering from colleges and universities, I grow excited. Of remarked to Mr. Aliazzi that no college professor, but course, I am not an eighteen-year-old hoping to rather teachers like him, actually did all the heavy learn of an admission offer. Rather, I am a school lifting: “You send us great kids; our job is just not to administrator about to learn which of our incredible screw them up.” faculty have been recognized by undergraduates as uniquely impactful on their lives and learning. I recall the story often, and not only when I am tearing open one of those envelopes. I recall the story often As part of a wonderful tradition, many colleges and when speaking with any of our impressive seniors who Andrew Mayer ’28 shows his classmates’ work to Head of School Patrick Gallagher. universities ask their new students which teachers also happen to be US “lifers,” boys who have attended from their past have helped get them where they University School since kindergarten. administrator had quipped to my colleague, they are. A student shares the name, then, of the Latin basically arrive that way in August of their twelfth-grade teacher who helped him to truly understand and I have long taught an AP English Literature & year. My experience as an upper school teacher is so appreciate language; the coach who helped instill Composition elective to seniors, and my time with consistently fulfilling because, by the time they arrive Their studies as in him discipline and reliance he never knew he those students has been invariably and richly at the Hunting Valley campus, our boys are equipped had; or the robotics instructor who propped him up rewarding. They read with discernment, write with and positioned to take full advantage of the immersive young students through challenge, and even failure, to identify a precision, and think with imagination. Yet they are and interdisciplinary experiences awaiting them. novel solution. I am lucky to learn of these generous more than just excellent students of English. As our encouraged them acknowledgments, too, usually copied on the very topics shift, for example, from the Battle of Agincourt The testimonials included in this issue from US alumni same letters of recognition my colleagues receive. in Shakespeare’s Henry V to the Battle of Gettysburg speak powerfully of the foundational work of our lower in their learning in Shaara’s The Killer Angels, they are not only flexible school teachers in launching them successfully on to read, write, More than a letter, a number of years ago our own Mr. in their focus but also capable of making crucial their journeys. Henry Shapard’s note that US shaped Pat Aliazzi, Reid Chairholder in Western Civilization, was connections between and among our readings. Most him so dramatically before he “turned 10 years old,” think, perform, invited by Stanford University as one of our and their important of all, students are “all in” – ready and eager for example, reflects the all-important work of US in own – Anuraag Chigurupati ‘05 – was honored with the to do whatever is asked of them, including delivering these hugely formative years. Their studies as young tinker, compete, Frederick Emmons Terman Engineering Scholastic challenging monologues aloud for their classmates students encouraged them in their learning to read, Award. Anuraag had earned his spot among the top and decoding complex scholarly criticism on our write, think, perform, tinker, compete, problem-solve, problem-solve, five percent of their undergraduate senior engineering course texts. and experiment. Most important of all, though, their class that year, and he requested that Stanford invite Mr. studies helped them to care about their learning. and experiment. Aliazzi as “the most influential secondary school or pre- I am under no illusion that I alone have imparted to college teacher who guided him during the formative my students all these wonderful qualities, nor do I My colleagues and I will continue to look forward to stages of his academic career.” ever want to take them for granted. Like the college those envelopes. 4 UNIVERSITY SCHOOL JOURNAL 5 HEAD OF SCHOOLCelebration! THE INSTALLATION OF DECEMBER 7, 2018 Patrick T. Gallagher The University School community gathered to celebrate the installation of Patrick Gallagher as tenth Head of School on Friday, December 7. With all of the boys in grades 3-12 in attendance and Featured performances were given by Henry with the Jr. K - grade 2 boys watching via live-stream, Shapard '16 on the cello, and by the Junior Choir, the installation began with a procession into the gym to High Tops Choral Ensemble, and University Singers the music of the US Singers, Glee Club and Chamber and Glee Club.