65 years

36 Pages·2015·1.71 MB·English

!nsights
Fall 2015
Magazine of The Howard School
An extraordinary
65 years
Mission Statement
The Howard School educates
students with language-based
learning disabilities and learning
differences through instruction
designed to complement and
address each student’s individual
needs, and to help each student
understand and advocate for his
or her own learning process. The
curriculum focuses on depth of
understanding to make learning
meaningful and therefore,
maximize educational success.
Board of Trustees
Elizabeth V. Tanis,Chair
Susan V. Booth
Zoe Campbell
Gerry Hull
G. Roth Kehoe II
Jenny Ling
Rhonda Matheison
Thomas P. McGahan, M.D.
William McGahan
Kip Plowman
John Seeds
David Thurston
Isaac Washington
Stephen Young
Emeritus Trustees
Thomas J. Asher
David S. Baker
J. Frazer Durrett
Louis J. Elsas II, MD*
John A. Helms*
Beth C. Jones
Sally P. Lawton
F. David Leiter, Jr.
Manning Pattillo
Cecil M. Phillips
Curtis Reding, D.D.S.*
Teresa Wynn Roseborough
Shayla Keough Rumely
Guy W. Rutland III
Eunice Watkins Smith
*Deceased
Writer
Janet Reed
Design
Claire Newbury
Newbury Design
Artwork and fine art
photography by
Howard School students
!nsights
Fall 2015
contents
Magazine of The Howard School
02 Head of School and Board Chair Introduction
10 howinnovative! Genius Hour
& All About Astronomy
11 howare we impacting students globally?
04
13 Spark Program & Create Your Dreams
14 howencouraging! Eye to Eye Program
comes to Howard
Celebrating 65 years...
19 Class of 2015
Ready for the Future 20 Environmental Education at Howard
21 Howard News
The Howard School revisits its rich
history and shares its remarkable 22 Division Highlights
accomplishments 28 Class Notes
30 howgenerous! Annual Giving
12
how impressive!
Howard student art hangs at Atlanta’s
High Museum
15
how athletic!
Howard Hawks teams take multiple
back-to-back championships
18
how inspiring
Class of 2015's Connor King is
reaching new heights
The Howard School (cid:2)! 01
An extraordinary
ABOUT THE HOWARD SCHOOL
In 1950, Marian Howard — a visionary I
t’s not often that a Head of School Today The Howard School serves
advocate for children with learning
differences — started The Howard gets to celebrate her school’s 65th approximately 260 students who struggle
School with three students in her
anniversary. New schools begin with to learn because their brains learn
home. Today, The Howard School is
one of the oldest in Atlanta that great enthusiasm for worthy missions, differently. With the help of bright and
provides an education that helps
but the support for sustaining the dedicated teachers, children for whom
students discover their unique
potential, celebrates their strengths school through challenging times, academic success seems unattainable,
and guides them in accommodating economic or otherwise, is not always find the path and learn the strategies
their challenges.
there, causing the school to falter, and that will make it possible for them to be
(cid:2)In 2014-2015, The Howard School then close. successful learners. The process to reach
served 257 students from age 5
that “Eureka” moment when the key to
through 12th grade from more than
60 zip codes in metro Atlanta and The Howard School was founded in learning is found takes time and
beyond. Offering the City of
1950 by a woman who was accustomed requires patience, but finding the key
Atlanta’s only LD high school, our
11 graduates in the Class of 2015 to challenges because of her own that unlocks learning for the student is
were accepted into 25 different
physical disability, and had learned to rewarding and incredibly thrilling.
colleges and universities.
persevere despite barriers. The Howard
(cid:2)The Howard School serves average School began because Marian Howard It’s not often that a Head of School
to above average students with
diagnosed language-based learning believed that several young children, gets to celebrate her school’s 65th
disabilities and/or learning differ- who were struggling learners, were anniversary. I am lucky to be that Head
ences in areas including expressive
much smarter than their school work that gets to say, “Thank you, Marian
and/or receptive language, reading,
writing, math, attention, executive indicated. She realized that these Howard. You have changed lives for
function, working memory and
children were “different” learners, and generations to come.” Happy
processing speed.
so they needed a “different approach” Anniversary to The Howard School!
(cid:2)Our students gain empowering
to their learning. “The rest,” as they say, May you have many more happy years
skills, academic knowledge, confi-
dence and self-awareness while “is history.” as you help Atlanta’s children.
preparing for higher education and
professional opportunities.
Marifred Cilella
(cid:2)Our student-to-teacher ratio is Head of School
approximately 6:1 for Lower
School and Middle School and 9:1
for High School.
(cid:2)The current Howard School
campus was completed in 2006,
and opened in January 2007.
The School is situated on 15.25
acres on Atlanta’s burgeoning
Westside.
(cid:2)The Howard School is accredited
by the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools
(AdvancED/SACS) and the
Southern Association of
Independent Schools (SAIS).
02 (cid:2)! !nsights
65 years . . .
W
elcome to an exciting new school Our already terrific faculty and staff
year! Having wrapped up my have managed to get even better with
first year as Chair of The Howard the addition of 18 faculty and staff
School Board of Trustees I am pleased members. And our Howard Institute,
to report that the school is financially through which our faculty teaches
healthy, extraordinarily well-run, and educators all over the Atlanta area,
excited about kicking off a capital just completed its third summer
campaign that will allow us to provide offering and will continue its mission
an even better environment and of reaching children way beyond our
learning experience for our kids. walls by offering programs to teachers
and parents throughout the year.
Our 2015 school year was successful in
every way. Our Annual Fund yet again I have been a Howard
exceeded its goal, raising $305,586 School trustee for more
with 81% family participation. School than 10 years, and I have
enrollment was up to 257, an all-time never seen the school in
high for our Foster Street campus, and better shape. I am proud
we had 11 students graduate from the to be affiliated with this
High School. great place, and I look
forward to meeting many
We start the 2015-2016 school year of you this year.
with great energy and optimism. We
have approximately 260 students
currently enrolled for our opening day.
Beth Tanis
Chair, Board of Trustees
2014–2015
The Howard School (cid:2)! 03
1974 1976 1976 1979
First high school students enrolled First summer program Camp Howard begins First yearbook
Back in 1950 –
the year Stevie Wonder was born,
“Cinderella” premiered in movie theaters and Joe DiMaggio got his 2,000th hit —
Marian Howard had a bold idea. She started a class for three children with
learning disabilities in a Decatur church.
04 (cid:2)! !nsights
1979 1979 1988
First graduation ceremony Howard purchased first building Howard School named National School of Excellence
Celebrating
65 Years . . .
Ready for the Future
S oon after, she poured her life savings She has been a part of The Howard School family
into purchasing a home for her for 42 years and still serves as a substitute.
burgeoning school on North Decatur “Our goal for each child was not just to present
Road — soon to be known as the Marian Howard the material, but to teach in a way each child
School. Many years and six locations later, The could learn — and teach them how they learned,”
Howard School is a vibrant and growing insti- she said. “That was very important.”
tution focused on utilizing the latest educational
research and best practices for children with Today, 65 years after its founding, The Howard
learning differences. School continues to build on a legacy of bold
ideas, ingenuity and dedication to helping
“Marian was a genius,” said teacher Charlotte students achieve their potential. The spirit of
Webb, who retired from Howard in 1997 after Marian Howard is ever present in the creative
36 years, “a very dynamic but down-to-earth and innovative ideas that arise from the Howard
person. She loved everybody, especially kids.” faculty, staff and students. Marian Howard was
Webb began her 55th year at Howard in ready for the future in 1950 and The Howard
August — serving as a substitute teacher for School remains ready for the future today. Read
the Lower School since retirement. on to see what we’ve been doing in this year
to fulfill our mission of addressing students’
Betty Lockett, former teacher and assistant head individual needs and helping them understand
of school, started Howard’s High School in 1974. and advocate for their own learning.
The Howard School (cid:2)! 05
Celebrating 65 Years . . . Ready for the Future
Velcro Vocabulary Makes Words Stick Some teachers and students have written
songs and enacted plays, while others have
Fact: There are about 88,500 word families in staged mock debates in order to promote
the English language. The vast majority of vocabulary word usage. Middle School
them are too technical, literary or antiquated students who master words wear a “Word
to be used much. Of the 15,000 left, about Wizard” hat to encourage others to ask
8,000 recur so frequently that they don’t need them a word’s meaning.
to be taught. But that still leaves 7,000+ words
that define us as educated people — and that’s “A good vocabulary is a hallmark of an
a lot to learn! educated person,” said Papastavridis. “Our
students could easily miss acquiring words
For this reason, Howard’s Director of Language because they don’t catch them in the same
and Literacy Kim Papastavridis launched a ways that people without language-based
schoolwide vocabulary program, called “Velcro learning disabilities do. Plus, our students’
Vocabulary.” As its name implies, it’s designed reading levels are often not at the level of
to make words “stick.” their intellect, so they might not encounter
“
these words in their reading. Yet they deserve
“Children who start third grade with fewer to hear and use sophisticated words.”
than the typical 6,000 words seldom catch up
“A good vocabulary
to their peers,” Papastavridis said. “And for “This is a very concerted effort toward
is a hallmark of an children who have language-learning problems getting children interested in higher level
from a young age, not knowing enough words words and getting them into their vocabulary,”
educated person.” can be a lifelong hindrance because vocabulary she added.
is tightly linked to reading comprehension.”
–Kim Papastavridis Papastavridis concluded with this thought.
Director of Language and Literacy Papastavridis’ methodology involves choosing “Remember, vocabulary is under construction
words that are relevant and that children will at all times. Word knowledge progresses from
encounter and use regularly, either in curriculum mere recognition, to common usage, to
or in everyday life. Each class has a “word wall” erudite applications and explanations. We all
featuring five new words every week, chosen need to capitalize on vocabulary throughout
by the teacher in collaboration with a speech- the day: in school, at home, everywhere!”
language pathologist.
For information on sources for this article, go to
Teachers have a nine-point routine to teach www.howardschool.org/programs/language
each word. Techniques include giving the
students multiple opportunities to say each
word, including the word in phrases, adding a
gesture to reinforce the word, and using other
recurrent methodologies to encourage the
words to stick.
School settles into
Cator Woolford Jean Abt succeeds
mansion on Ponce Marian Howard as
The
de Leon Avenue. head of school.
Howard
1950 1952 1960 1962 1966
School
Timeline Howard School’s first logo.
The Howard School Housed in Marian
is founded by Marian Howard's home, the
Howard. school is incorporated
as a non-profit in
DeKalb County.
1951 “I Love Lucy” airs on television. 1962 John Glenn orbits the earth. 1969 Neil Armstrong walks on the moon. 1975 Disposable
06 (cid:2)! !nsights
1989 1994
First athletic championship — boys’ basketball First SACS accreditation — first accredited special purpose school in GA
STEAM Gains Steam with $450,000 Grant from The Goizueta Foundation
Have you heard of STEAM? It’s an acronym for science, technology, engineering, the arts
and mathematics. It’s also the subject of the new initiative at The Howard School, led by
Bryan Schomaker, formerly a math and science teacher in the High School, and now the
new STEAM Coordinator.
Funded by a three-year grant of $250,000 “The STEAM curriculum frames learning as
from The Goizueta Foundation, Howard’s connections between content areas, which
comprehensive STEAM Initiative will promote is particularly beneficial for Howard students
a STEAM focus in the classroom, integrate because they don’t automatically create
STEAM subjects more closely into the overall those connections for themselves due to
curriculum, and include STEAM focused their learning differences,” observed
professional development for teachers. Schomaker. “The idea is to break down the
artificial barriers between these subjects.”
“The STEAM grant will bring our students
to a place where they’re approaching
curriculum content in a way that brings all of
the parts of the brain together,” Schomaker
Middle School and Transition students enjoy the
continued. “STEAM allows for more creative “Art Cart Challenge.”
expression of knowledge through art and
engineering, which plays to Howard
students’ strengths. We want to make it a
cultural movement throughout the school.”
In addition to the $250,000 grant, $200,000
was awarded to establish The Goizueta
Foundation Endowed Fund for STEAM
Initiatives. “STEAM is often reserved for a
gifted student population, and LD students
don’t get a lot of exposure to this type of
curriculum,” Schomaker noted. “This grant
recognizes Howard’s leadership in the LD
community. It underscores the fact that we
Jack Whitaker, one of the students featured in the
know what we’re doing and we know how to
article on page 8.
handle this challenge in an LD population.
It’s a real feather in our cap.”
Coach Mike Hamilton
Howard boasts a starts the Atlanta Athletic
record number of 51 Conference so smaller
students, ages 5 to 16. independent schools can
The school employs compete in their own
six teachers, three The Howard School league. Howard wins first
support teachers and North Campus opens athletic championship —
one PE coordinator. in Roswell. boy’s basketball.
1974 1975 1979 1986 1988 1989
Mary Ben McDorman
Howard named
named third head of
Howard becomes a National School of
school.
“homeowner” at 1246 Excellence by U.S.
Betty Lockett launches Ponce de Leon Avenue. Department of
Howard’s High School. Education.
razors are introduced. 1979 Bill Gates creates Microsoft. 1984Steve Jobs introduces the Macintosh computer.
The Howard School (cid:2)! 07
Celebrating 65 Years . . . Ready for the Future
Encouraging the Love of Reading In 2005, Howard’s Assistive Software users have shown great
Technology Department emerged improvement in their reading
Perhaps Dr. Seuss said it best: “The more through the research and determi- fluency and enjoyment of the
nation of Topple, then a Speech- written word. Hope Tubesing, 10,
that you read, the more things you will
Language Pathologist. After 10 struggled to read and tried many
know. The more that you learn, the more
years and financial support from The different strategies over the years.
places you’ll go.”
Fraser-Parker Foundation, the Sara Thanks to the assistive technology
Giles Moore Foundation, and The offered at Howard, she just finished
Avid readers appreciate where books can
Ware Foundation, Howard’s Assistive the fourth Harry Potter book. “I
take them, but for children with dyslexia
Technology Department is now love reading now,” she said. “I read
or decoding challenges, reading can take
viewed as a pioneer in the field and all the time.”
them down a road of frustration and self- provides state-of-the-art software
doubt. At The Howard School, Director and equipment for student use. Jack Whitaker, 11, has also had great
of Assistive Technology Jennifer Topple success with assistive technology.
works to make reading easier for students “Many of our students are diagnosed “The computer programs have been
by offering the latest in assistive with dyslexia, but understand auditory helping me so much,” Whitaker
technology, designed to help students information at age level or higher,” said. “Last year I didn’t read at all,
read and encourage reading for pleasure. explained Topple. “In other words, and this year I’ve made a big jump.”
they can understand what’s He has particularly enjoyed Henry
presented, but just can’t read it off Winkler’s Hank Zipzer series about
the page.” a boy with dyslexia. “He reminds me
of me,” Whitaker noted.
To help with this problem, many
Howard students use software Whitaker and his family saw Winkler
called Read&Write Gold, which has a speak at a benefit for the Georgia
floating toolbar that reads text aloud Branch of the International Dyslexia
and highlights each word as it is read, Association. “During the Q&A
creating a connection between the session, Jack popped right up and
printed word and its pronunciation. asked him a question,” remembered
Students can use similar technology Whitaker’s mother, Page Anderson.
on an iPad through the Read2Go “A lot of that confidence has to do
and Voice Dream apps. Topple works with Howard.”
Hope Tubesing
with identified assistive technology
students to find the right combination Stories like these underscore
of software and technology tools to Topple’s feeling that she has the
use in class and at home for most rewarding job in the school.
homework support. “The magical part of my job is
getting to explain to kids that their
“The text-to-speech software is ability to read has nothing to do
able to provide our students with with their intelligence,” she said.
increased exposures to the written “Some brains are just wired differ-
word, which helps them connect ently. Fortunately, there are new
the sounds, symbols and meaning,” technologies coming out every day
Topple maintained. “While it doesn’t to level the playing field for children
help them with decoding — breaking with dyslexia. And once children
words into parts — it does seem to discover that they enjoy reading,
Director of Assistive Technology Jennifer Topple help them recognize the patterns of they’ll be readers for life.”
works with student Colin Benecki on computer words, which improves reading
software that improves reading comprehension skills. fluency over time for some students.”
Howard
Hawks
Howard earns SACS
logo for
accreditation, the first Sandra Kleinman
Marifred Cilella named athletics
The accredited special-purpose named fourth head fifth head of school. unveiled.
school in Georgia. of school.
Howard 1992 1996 2003 2005 2006
School
Construction underway
Timeline Howard unveils new logo for new central campus.
and tagline, “A different
continued approach makes all the
difference.”
1990 Nelson Mandela released from prison. 2004 Facebook is launched. 2007 First iPhone unveiled. 2008 Barack Obama elected
08 (cid:2)! !nsights