THE Academic SPRING/SUMMER 2016 THE GROSSE POINTE ACADEMY Committed to community work WELLESLEY GRAD DISCUSSES GPA’S ‘WEALTH OF ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL LEARNING Moving GPA EXPERIENCES’ to ‘next level’ plus. IN-DEMAND MUSICIAN GOT HIS START AT THE ACADEMY HIGH STANDARDS, AMAZING STUDENTS and more, including reunion pics. NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL LOOKS TO BRIGHT, ACTIVE FUTURE AT THE ACADEMY; GETS TO WORK IMMEDIATELY Permit 2549 Permit Detroit, MI Detroit, PAID Grosse Pointe Farms, MI 48236 MI Farms, Pointe Grosse U.S. Postage U.S. 171 Lake Shore Road Shore Lake 171 Non Profit Non The Grosse Pointe Academy Pointe Grosse The THE ACADEMY FUND Why give… BECAUSE OF WHAT WE DO EVERY DAY! The Academy Fund is our annual appeal to support The Grosse Pointe Academy. It is the most important fundraising effort of the year in that it provides ongoing support to the operating budget, allowing The Grosse Pointe Academy to offer competitive salaries, professional development and unique educational experiences, while also keeping tuition as affordable as possible. YOUR GIFT WILL SUPPORT: n Continual enhancements to our Montessori n Unique professional development opportunities classroom materials to foster faculty growth, including a dedicated n Competitive athletic programs with travel Technology and Learning Specialist on staff opportunities throughout metropolitan Detroit n Full time school nurse to collaborate with school n Middle School Real-World Experiences and Applied staff members and parents, thereby keeping students Learning (R.E.A.L.) electives classes safe at school and healthy to learn n Dedicated reading and math specialist for all students in grade 1 through 3 Securing SUPPORT THE ACADEMY FUND WITH YOUR GIFT NOW! THE ADVANTAGE SECURE ONLINE GIVING IS AVAILABLE AT Together GPACADEMY.ORG. 2015 Magazine Appeal Page.indd 1 9/23/15 10:47 AM Contents Spring A BRIGHT FUTURE 2016 6 The Grosse Pointe Academy’s new head of school looks to Volume 2 bright, active future at the Academy. No.1 10 GPA NEWS pg. 6 News and information about The Grosse Pointe Academy. 28 SOLO IN FIRST-GRADE PLAY PART OF A LIFE OF MUSIC Academy alum is touring and making records. She says her time at GPA prepared her well for high school, college—and life. pg. 28 30 HIGH STANDARDS, AMAZING STUDENTS Fourth-grade teacher says students continue to amaze her even though her standards are set very high. HEAD OF SCHOOL 42 ‘PEACEFUL PLACE’ Tommy Adams Current Academy directress discovered DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR the advantage of Montessori and fully Kristen Van Pelt embraced it. EDITOR Mike Kelly SECOND ANNUAL CONTRIBUTORS 46 Lars Kuelling OKTOBERFEST, ACADEMY-STYLE THE ACADEMIC The Academic is a See photos from the October magazine devoted to the 15 alumni reunion held at students, alumni, parents Atwater in the Park. and friends of The Grosse Pointe Academy. It is published twice a year, in the spring and fall. pg. 46 CONTACT US The Grosse Pointe Academy 171 Lake Shore Rd. Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. 48236 313-886-1221 [email protected] pg. 30 pg. 44 HEAD OF SCHOOLMESSAGE our years ago, the Kuelling family gathered friends…and been blessed by wonderful teachers in on the Nuns’ Walk, the picturesque path the process. framed by century-old oaks that connects There is much that the faculty and The Grosse Pointe Academy to the outside administration accomplished in that same Fworld, for a family portrait that would be used to time—a Garden Classroom, the STEM Lab, Middle introduce us to the GPA community. Four years School REAL electives, a France & Spain Trip, later, as we prepare to move on to The Harley ISACS reaccreditation, a renewed emphasis on School of Rochester, NY, it seemed fitting that we GPA’s Montessori foundations, and a continued would take one last picture on the Nuns’ Walk, a commitment to Christian values—and I am thankful spot that came to anchor our family in place while to the faculty and staff for all the hard work that at GPA and framed our daily “commute” between they put into accomplishing those goals as we the Head’s house and school. looked to provide a top-notch, student-centered education. As well, the Board of Trustees deserves special recognition as we worked together to strengthen GPA’s financial position and chart a path forward with a robust strategic plan. Personally, my greatest professional joy has come from the rebirth of a strong community of professional learners. From Innovation Grants that incentivize innovation in the classroom to robust faculty-led Professional Development and Curriculum Review Committees to this year’s extremely successful Paddle Raise in support of faculty professional development and cutting edge programs, we have worked together as a school community to recognize, affirm, and empower our excellent Photos above and lower right: The Kuellings, from left, Tate, Patty, faculty. A huge thank Sadie, Lars and Aiden. you to the faculty for As parents, it is amazing to look at the two making my job such a joy each pictures and to reflect upon how GPA has changed day; I will miss you one and all! our children’s lives while they have grown from Thank you to all of the pre-teens to teenagers. Patty and I are indebted to members of the GPA family for the faculty and staff for the care and support that welcoming the Kuelling family our children, Tate, Aiden, and Sadie, received while into the community and for at GPA. Here, the teachers embraced each one of giving us so much. We are ever them for who they are, nurturing their interests grateful. in academics, the arts, and athletics, challenging them to be their best selves, and inspiring a love of All the best, learning. While here, they have received the best of an Academy education as they have become artists, developed a love for acting and singing, Lars wrestled with complex academic problems, become accomplished speakers, grown as athletes on the court and in the field, rafted the New River, and traveled the world. And, they have made life-long 4 SPRING/SUMMER 2016 | THE ACADEMIC GPAAUCTION ACTION AUCTION 2016 PROVES TO BE BIG WINNER FOR GPA The 2016 edition of The Grosse Pointe Acad- emy’s Action Auction was an unqualified success, according to organizers of the annual fundraising event. More than $500,000 was raised this year at the Fête des Amis “Together We Flourish” auction, “I am truly amazed at how everything comes The Grosse Pointe which was held May 7 on GPA’s Grosse Pointe together so beautifully every year,” he said. “And Academy’s Action Auction Farms campus. this year’s auction was a testament to not only the in May raised more than The auction guests, comprised of Acade- many, many volunteers and staffers who worked $500,000 for the Grosse my families, community leaders and corporate on this event, but it showed once again how much Pointe Farms school. sponsors, enjoyed an evening of robust bidding our school community values the work our teach- on a selection of fabulous and unique items and ers do for the students. experiences in both silent and live auction for- “The success of the paddle-raise, in particular, mats. Of particular note, the $177,000 brought in is in so many ways a tribute to our faculty’s deep through the auction’s special “paddle-raise” was care for our students and a recognition by our com- the second highest amount raised in the history of munity of all that they do to provide a top-notch the auction’s paddle-raise. School officials said the experience for each child,” Kuelling said. paddle-raise dollars this year are exclusively going Van Pelt wanted to point out how especially for the benefit of Academy teachers’ professional grateful the Academy is for the amount of time and development, curriculum materials and learning energy exhibited by this year’s auction co-chairs. spaces. “A huge thank you goes to our honorary chairs, “The massive success of this year’s auction and Connie and Brian Demkowicz, and to our co-chairs, paddle-raise is a huge testament to the GPA com- Bill and Kelley Smith, and Robin and Kim Kend- munity’s appreciation of the work that our faculty rick, who put in a great deal of voluntary time and does every day with our students,” said Kristen Van energy in order to ensure the success of this year’s Pelt, the school’s development director. auction,” she said. GPA school head Lars Kuelling said this year’s Van Pelt also pointed out that while the Acade- auction exceeded all expectations. my has wrapped up the 2016 auction, another one awaits in 2017. In fact, 2017’s event will mark the 50th anniversary of Action Auction and work has already begun to help ensure next year’s Fête des Amis also proves successful. “Putting this event together is a year-round effort and a labor of love to support the mission of our school, and we are well on our way in planning for the 2017 auction, which is scheduled for May 13, 2017,” she said. “We are looking forward to Kim Kendrick, one of this year’s auction co-chairs, speaks celebrating 50 years of successful auctions at The to guests at the May 7 event, which also raised $177,000 Grosse Pointe Academy next spring.” through its “paddle-raise” for the benefit of Academy teachers’ professional development, curriculum materials and learning spaces. THE GROSSE POINTE ACADEMY | SPRING/SUMMER 2016 5 NEWHEAD OF SCHOOL A bright future NEW HEAD OF SCHOOL LOOKS TO BRIGHT, ACTIVE FUTURE AT THE GROSSE POINTE ACADEMY When Thomas “Tommy” Adams starts his tenure as The Grosse Pointe Academy’s new head of school this summer, he doesn’t plan to spend too much time sitting back and relaxing.