Check out ISW's newest master teachers!
ISW is thrilled to announce that the following master teachers have joined our faculty:
ISW Welcomes New Middle and High School Faculty!
ISW is thrilled to announce that we have hired the following faculty members for our Middle and High School programs. As always, ISW hires only master teachers who are committed to working with students in a progressive setting. Welcome, Dayle, Chris, and Jeffrey!
Dayle Disque: Dayle has been teaching mathematics in public schools for 30 years, and she is something of a local legend. Dayle’s positive, can-do attitude is infectious. She holds a BA in Secondary Math Education from Shepherd University, and she has a special interest in technology. Dayle will be teaching Middle and High School math and coaching our new high school STEM class.
Christine Hannaford: Christine is a highly experienced English teacher who is also a published author. She holds BA in English from Trinity College, an MEd in Education from St. Michael’s College, and an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. Christine has taught in many settings, from middle school to high school to community college. Most recently, she worked at the Bosque School, a progressive independent school in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Christine will be teaching 9th/10th grade English.
Jeff Bass, PhD: Jeff Bass brings a wealth of experience to ISW. A retired Lieutenant in the Navy, Dr. Bass has taught at the university level at the University of Connecticut, Quinnipiac University (where he earned the Outstanding Faculty Award), and Arizona State University. Locally, he taught high school courses at a home school organization while his son attended school there. Jeff holds a BA from the University of Virginia and an MA and PhD in History from the University of Connecticut. Jeff will be teaching High School history.
Middle School--from the students' perspective!
Middle School–from the students’ perspective!
ISW recently held Middle School Visiting Day. We invited our rising 6th graders to the Middle School Campus, and we treated them to a day of mini-classes, lunch, and a speaker. They also heard from our current Middle Schoolers, who wrote about their own experiences. As you can see from the following quotations, ISW’s students are our best advocates!
“The teachers and staff are loving, understanding, and are happy to help if you have any problems. The teachers make every student feel safe and comfortable when learning and make sure no one feels unchallenged while at school. Don’t be afraid of middle school!” –a 7th grader
“Personally I was so scared to go to middle school because of homework. I was scared I wasn’t going to get it done on time. I thought I would fail, but middle school is so amazing. If you are scared, don’t be. You know everyone in our class, and even if you don’t know some people, we have games at the beginning of the year. We do some games to get to know each other. Don’t worry, we are not mean and vicious. We won’t bite, just love. Also, you may not get to know some of us very well, but I promise you, you will get to know the best teacher on earth, and her name is Ms. Anne. In ways you can’t even imagine, she will make you more confident, if you are not already.” –a 6th grader
“Middle School will not be easy. I’ve already made some mistakes, although everyone is very supportive…Work becomes more challenging and more independent.” –a 6th grader
“I know I wasn’t confident, but look at me now. I came up here to talk about middle school, and Ms. Anne created a new [student]. She did not make me come up here and speak in front of all of you. I asked to come up here and speak, and I did that because I am confident (at least today). She will care for you so much and love you and give you hugs when you come in the door. She will welcome you to class every day.” –a 6th grader
“When you have great teachers like I have had, you go really far. All we have to do is keep our eyes, ears, mind, and heart open.” –a 6th grader
Ten Questions to Ask Schools about Kindergarten
Kindergarten sets the foundation for the entire elementary experience—which in turn determines, for many, their high school and college experiences as well as their trajectory as adults. Choosing the right Kindergarten class is, therefore, incredibly important.
- Who will your child’s Kindergarten teacher be?
Your child’s first academic teacher should be warm, loving, positive, and capable—someone who helps your child (and you!) embrace the classroom as a second home. We recommend that Kindergarten teachers have at least 5 years teaching experience and/or a master’s degree. Ideally, teachers have a major other than education for their BA and a master’s in an education-related field.
- What are the goals and strategies of the class?
The best Kindergarten classrooms focus on the development of social and emotional skills necessary for lifelong learning–patience, self-control, focus on task at hand, ability to follow directions.
- How many students are in the classroom?
Class size is very important! Studies show that classes with fewer than 20 students yield significantly better outcomes than classes with 20-plus and that fewer than 10 students is ideal.
- How much time do students spend sitting?
Five and six year olds can focus for 15 to 20 minutes maximum. The best Kindergarten programs avoid asking children to sit for more than 20-30 minutes.
- How much recess time is there?
Kindergartners need two to three outdoor recesses—unstructured but supervised!–per day for many reasons. Physical exercise and fresh air dramatically improve brain function, and frequent breaks allow the consolidation of new lessons into long term memory. In other words, recess matters.
- How will my child’s reading level and skills be assessed and supported?
The best schools meet the individual needs of the children. If a child arrives in Kindergarten reading chapter books, the school should not require the child to sit through lessons learned long ago. However, it’s perfectly normal (and OK!) to arrive in Kindergarten not yet knowing how to read.
- Are there field trips and expert speakers?
As Benjamin Franklin said, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” Trips and speakers create hands-on opportunities to bring learning to life and to expand your child’s world!
- How much of the curriculum is hands-on? How much time will my five year old spend in front of a screen?
As enticing as technology is and as important as it will be later in their lives, five and six year olds need to: work with all their senses, put their hands on as many lessons as possible, spend time outside, and build their knowledge through projects, art, song, drama, and play. There will be time later for screens. And the foundational skills learned in a solid Kindergarten class will serve students well when they are developmentally ready for technology.
- How does the school handle discipline issues?
The very best schools are small schools where every child is known and understood by many adults on campus. The focus should be on highlighting the positive and training students to consider their alternatives and make good choices.
- Do Kindergartners interact with older students?
Multi-age classrooms have long been wonderful places for children to interact with students of a wider range of ages. Children in multi-age settings have opportunities to lead, to follow, and to develop crucial social and emotional skills.
The Arts Matter
The Arts Matter
At ISW, the Arts matter. When other schools are running away from the Arts—arguing that students need more time to prepare for and take multiple choice tests—ISW is running toward the Arts. Why? While some of our students may well go on to be professional artists, many (most) will not. That said, we value the Arts for every student for five reasons:
Reason #1: The Arts help us make sense of and give purpose to our lives. If you recall reading a book or poem or seeing a building or a movie or a television show that profoundly altered the course of your life, thank the Arts.
How many of you have a cell phone? We have these because science fiction screen writers dreamed them up as props. While the original Star Trek was campy and often silly, as a piece of art, it has had a serious impact on our culture. For me, growing up watching Star Trek meant that when Bob and I decided to build a family, adopting children who didn’t look like us seemed like a natural choice. As Pablo Picasso noted, “Art is the lie that enables us to realize the truth.”
Reason #2: Students who study the Arts develop better motor skills, language skills, critical thinking skills, visual learning skills, and creativity than students who do not. Bottom line: students who study the Arts make better students of everything else.
Reason #3: The Arts teach students how to present themselves in the world—in writing, in speaking, in telling a story, in communicating in every mode.
Reason #4: Students well-educated in the Arts make better professionals in every walk of life. As Clifford Smith, President of the General Electric Foundation notes, “GE hires a lot of engineers. We want young people who can do more than add up a string of numbers and write a coherent sentence. They must be able to solve problems, communicate ideas and be sensitive to the world around them. Participation in the Arts is one of the best ways to develop these abilities.” A recent article in the New York Times on high achievers in every field, from journalism to technology, noted that “music opened up pathways to creativity. And their experiences suggest that music training sharpens other qualities: Collaboration. The ability to listen. A way of thinking that weaves together disparate ideas. The power to focus on the present and future simultaneously…Look carefully and you will find musicians at the top of almost any industry.”
Reason #5: No one on their death bed ever thinks, “Gosh, I wish I had spent less time making the world a more beautiful, meaningful place.”
At ISW, we are undoubtedly shaping tomorrow’s engineers, writers, thought leaders, lawyers, doctors, programmers, and a host of job titles and careers we can’t even imagine. I am thrilled that, in addition to giving our future adults a rock solid academic foundation, we are giving them the tools to create moments of joy and connection as well as funny, intimate, grand, searing, soaring, lovely works of art.
The ABCs of ISW
Welcome to ISW’s closing ceremonies. It’s good to be together to call an official end to the school year.
As always, we have many people to thank tonight. First, many thanks to my wonderful husband, Bob McDonald. Therapist, pack mule, truck driver, and strategist, you are my rock.
Thank you to the ISW Board. No Head of School has ever been blessed with a harder working more supportive Board than I have. Boardies, your tireless work on behalf of the children in front of us today and those who haven’t yet been born yet is greatly appreciated.
Meghan, you have been our Director of Operations for two years, and we can’t wait to see what you do for your next act as Campus Dean and Director of Marketing and Development.
Teachers, please stand and receive our well-earned applause. You are the heart of ISW. Thank you for your dedication and tireless work on behalf of our wonderful students!
Parents, on behalf of the staff at ISW, we thank you for trusting us with your children and supporting everything our community sets out to accomplish. Without your endless support, from teaching to driving, from arranging for amazing speakers to standing on the playground during recess, we couldn’t function.
And finally, students, it’s really all about you! Thank you for a lovely year! Thank you for making it a pleasure to come to work every day. Thank you for teaching everyone in our community and for staying so engaged in the learning process.
As you students know, we have a closing tradition: the ABCs of ISW. Here is this year’s version. And I must say, this is always a bit of a Dr. Seuss-ish tongue twister.
A is for Azzy, Avery, Anna, Andrew, and the Ames kids (two of them, a Kate and a Ryan), Ms. Angie, Ms. Alisa, Annie Jr., Art, American Sign Language, and awards—which are plentiful here despite the small size of our school.
B is for Mr. Ben, Mr. Bob, Mr. Brendan, Dr. Bryan, Ms. Becky, Ms. Brigitte, and our favorite food, Bacon.
C is for Charlotte, CeCee, Ms. Christy, Ms. Christina, Ms. Carmen, Ms. Claire, Camping with the High Schoolers, CATs, Clues and Blues, and Caught Ya’.
D is for Mr. Dave, Ms. Donna Day, Ms. Devon, Ms. Dunia, Ms. Dee, Ms. Diana, Disaster Man, and Destination Imagination.
E is for Eli, Emma, two Elizabeth Graces, an Elizabeth Loring, and an Elizabeth Williams, and of course, oh Middle Schoolers, Evita.
F is for Ms. Faith, 44 field trips, free dress days, 4H Ropes Course, Footloose, and FAME.
G is for Garrison.
H is for the High School, tiny but mighty (like its students), Huzzah! (our new student-run production company), and Hamilton—the student-kind, named Isaac, AND the musical.
I is for Ms. Ingrid, the Independent in ISW and the Imagination in DI.
J is for Jordan, James, Jake, Joe, Josh, and Jack, and Ms. Jessica, Mr. John, and Mr. Jeremiah.
K is for Katrin and Katherine, and two Khans—one large, one medium--Ms. Katie, two Ms. Kerrys, Ms. Kristin, and Ms. Kate.
L is for Lia, Liana, Lucas, Ms. Lenore, Ms. Lisa, Ms. Lorna, Ms. Liz, Laptops, Leif Ericson, Lords and Ladies, long division, and Landers—small, medium and large.
M is for two MJs (a McGowan and a McDonald), two Mayas, a Maddex, a Mason, and a Miranda, and a Madison, Ms. Meredith, Mr. Matt, Mr. Mark, Mr. Mike, Michele Elliott, our dear Ms. Michelle, Monday Morning Meetings, and Milestone Projects.
N is for Nicholas, Nature, Ms. Noelle, Ms. Nichole, and the National Mythology Exam (and let me just say that every Middle Schooler who took it medaled!)
O is for Open Mic Nights and “Oh, Ms. Katie, Ms. Becky, Ms. LaTasha, I can’t find my homework!”
P is for Ms. Pam, Pajama Day, planners, Performing Arts, Phantom of the Opera, and Poetry Panels—three of them.
R is for Rena, Rita, Ms. Rebecca, and rehearsals, rehearsals, rehearsals.
Q is for quiet, which is in short supply at ISW.
S is for two Sadies (a T and a W), Skyler, Sofia, Sydney, Ms. Sarah, Ms. Saba, Ms. Susan, Spanish, the Smithsonian, snow, and summer.
T is for Thatcher, Ms. Theresa, Ms. Trish, Mr. Tim, Ms. Tasha and Ms. Tosha, Thanksgiving, and Thriller flash mobs.
Uh-oh, school is cancelled again.
V is for Valentine’s Day and two Viners, or four Viners, or six.
W is for Warren and one Watterworth who became a Whitlock.
X is for xenocryst, a crystal foreign to the igneous rock in which it occurs. There's a sneak peek at Geology for you rising juniors!
Y is for our beautiful yearbook, the YDC, and four letter words the start with Y and end with A, like yoga and Yona.
Z is for Zarak, ziplines, and my wish that throughout the summer, you all know when to zig and when to zag.
Am I OK? by Becky Lloyd
Every year, our 8th graders select an adult speaker. This year, our students chose Becky Lloyd, their Middle School Science teacher.
So, I struggled a bit with what to say to y’all. You two, who can be sooo different, yet are such soulmates. What should I tell you about your future, where I see you going, who I see you becoming?
I took me a long leisurely stroll down memory lane. It struck me that in my time with y’all I’ve been asked the same question at least a hundred times. But it hasn’t always come out the same. It’s come out as “what will the quiz look like tomorrow”, or “what will the judges think of my science fair board”, or “are you mad at me for not finishing this question on the homework”, or “what will high school be like”. But really, I think, they are always the same question. “Am I going to be OK?”
So I try my best to answer you. “Get the work done and show me tomorrow, and it’ll be fine” or “You’ve already proven to me that you got this stuff down, the quiz is just another way to show me.”
But I know I wasn’t always the best at answering your deeper question. So, let me try now.
You’re going to be OK.
And I’m not speaking with bravado when I say that I KNOW that you’re going to be OK. I’m speaking from years of delightful experience with two extraordinary young ladies. Two ladies who have the BEST ability to see the joyful in the world around them.
However, let me be clear about “OK”. OK can look like a failed test with the assurance that you have still mastered most of the concepts, OK can look like tripping over your own tongue while talking to Mr. John, but in the end earning a chance to go to the JMU regional science fair. It can look like my stern face when you haven’t done what I asked, or my grateful face the very next day when you are the only one who completed the task correctly. And it can look like standing beside my car in the rain, pulled off of Route 66, with a flat tire, after having walked in that same rain five blocks in the WRONG DIRECTION before making it to the cathedral where we never DID get to climb the bell tower… then being able to laugh as we talk about the angel who saved our lives and helped us get home so that we could share our heartbreaking story.
It’s all OK.
Because OK can be hard, and OK can be scary, but OK means that you’ve survived, and you’ve learned and perhaps you’ve even laughed about it. The truth is…we all have a chicken-duck-woman thing waiting for us. Even if every day you worry all day about what’s waiting in the bushes of love…
You both are gifted with an arms wide open, running full-throttle, probably singing or laughing approach to this life. You embrace the absurd, you embrace the people around you (sometimes aggressively so) and, most crucial to your success, you embrace the chance to learn and grow.
When George Lucas was making the original Star Wars trilogy, he said, "You simply have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Put blinders on and plough right ahead." And really, I don’t think that applies to you. I threw it in there because it’s George Lucas, and you know, Star Wars. My perception of y’all, though, is that you keep your eyes wide open. Taking in so many potential roadblocks and terrifying possibilities. In a lot of ways you refuse to put on blinders. But, you do put one foot in front of the other and keep going. Probably laughing or singing or being dragged along by someone who you are snuggling or hugging. And maybe not as gracefully as you always hope, you keep plowing right ahead. That, my loves, is why I know that you’re going to be OK.
I would go so far as to say that odds are you’ll be fabulous, but I never tell anyone the odds. I am giddy with excitement for you in this next leg of your epic adventure. OK or not, know that at least you have this one old princess rooting for you. Love you guys.
--Becky Lloyd
Leaving Middle School
Welcome to the Independent School of Winchester’s third annual luncheon honoring students completing Middle School. Welcome, teachers—who have worked so hard to prepare our 8th graders for high school and for life! Welcome, 6th and 7th graders—in whose honor this event will be in just a year or two. Welcome to our rising 6th graders—who begin Middle School in the fall--and to our high school students, who are here to see their dear friends through this important milestone. And welcome especially to Azrael, to Grace, and to their parents. We are here to honor you!
Over the past few years, this event has evolved. Far from being the traditional Girls in White Dresses and Boys in Blazers Faux Commencement, this is a much more personal celebration. We avoided the White Dress approach because though they are supposed to symbolize innocence, my feminist heart is always left wondering why the young men aren’t also in white. It’s not a graduation because, as you know, your education is far from complete.
Nonetheless, you have reached an important milestone, and we want to recognize that achievement. ISW’s Middle School is demanding. The good news is that your classes are small so you get lots of attention. The bad news is your classes are small so you get lots of attention. If you don’t know how to do a math problem, Mr. Jay or Mr. Jeremiah WILL know because there are only two or three of you. There’s literally nowhere to hide! If you didn’t complete your homework, Ms. Katie WILL know. On the other hand, if you have struggled mightily to master a counter-intuitive scientific concept, Ms. Becky will know. If you have finally started to dream in Spanish from time to time, Ms. Christy will hear the improvement in the fluidity of your speech. If you are taking a risk on stage or on a canvas, Tasha or Kerry will know it—even if no one else has any idea.
At ISW we ask you to read and write far more than most Middle School programs. We don’t use traditional grades for many reasons, perhaps the most important of which is that we want you to aspire to mastery as opposed to the bare minimum and we want you to pursue your education because you value it. Anyone who wonders if a school that doesn’t use traditional grades can possibly succeed in motivating anyone need only look at our 8th graders to see that it’s entirely possible and wildly successful.
The bottom line is that ISW’s program asks much of our students, and you two have many accomplishments to point to with pride. To paraphrase Darth Vader’s comments upon encountering Obi Wan, “The circle is now complete. When I met you, you were but the learners; now you are the masters.” We want to honor both your achievements and the fact that you are passing out of childhood and into young adult years. And so we settled on “themed” celebrations. Our first year, the theme was The Wizard of Oz. Last year, the theme was Little Women. This year, Azzy and Grace have chosen Star Wars. I love the fact that a school that nurtures creativity in all its forms has created its own signature event to honor its students.
Azzy, you joined us in the 4th grade and you have come so very, very far. Remember the bouncy ball? Remember your delight in learning that you wouldn’t have to wait 2-3 more years before you would be allowed to sing in performing arts? Grace, you attended ISW from Day One as a first grader. You have come a long way from telling Ms. Emery that you couldn’t read and then getting tricked into revealing that you had read many chapter books.
Yes, you have both grown up, and now you are sitting here…dressed as Chewbacca and Queen Amidala. What that tells me is that while are well on your way to mastering the art of "adulting," you haven’t lost, and hopefully will never lose, the art of "childing." Congratulations, 8th graders.
And now it’s time to enjoy a feast! To paraphrase C3PO, “I’m rather embarrassed, Azzy and Grace, but it appears that you are to be the main course at a banquet in your own honor.”
Photo by M. McDonald
Huzzah and the Alamo team up in June!
During the month of June, the Alamo has very kindly chosen Huzzah as the beneficiary of their KIDS CAMP movie program--which shows a movie every day at 10:30 AM. Tickets are a deal at $1 to $3. Please come see one of the excellent movies and support your community's theater students! Check it out:
https://drafthouse.com/winchester/news/announcing-alamo-drafthouse-winchester-kids-camp-programming-2016
Huzzah! We are small but we are mighty. Made up of 16 middle and high school students from all over the Northern Shenandoah Valley, Huzzah is one of the only youth-run theater boards in all of America! Together we perform all the functions of a performance company: we determine our productions, we engage sponsors and venues from around the area, and we create our own budgets and goals!
Due to our youth run style, Huzzah’s shows won’t be your typical, cut-and-dried teacher run artistic environment. Instead, we want to grow our artists as both performers and innovators; they will have great input into the interpretation and presentation of every show. As we develop, Huzzah hopes to bring all these growing artists together and begin an artistic outreach program--performing for schools and teaching student master classes.
Huzzah is in the process of securing the rights to “Beauty and the Beast, Jr.” for our Fall 2016 show.
Huzzah's mission is to be an accepting, positive, enjoyable environment that grows disciplined and educated performers and artists. With a commitment to the arts, we will promote a professional balance between personal artistic growth and quality productions. We strive to take any text laid before us to discover depth that moves both our audience and our ensemble through challenge and support.
Huzzah is part of the community outreach program of the Independent School of Winchester, Inc.
--Rebecca Balcom, President of Huzzah!
Welcome, Tosha Tillman!
ISW is thrilled to welcome Tosha Tillman to our teaching staff for the 2016-17 school year! A passionate advocate for progressive education, Tosha will teach High School Humanities classes and serve as our campus dean on the Middle and High School campus.
Tosha earned a Masters Certification for Teaching in English and Language Arts, grades 6 through 12, from Shenandoah University and graduated cum laude from Hollins University with a BA in Dance. Over the last eight years, she has taught English, writing, and language arts at many levels and served as both a classroom teacher and a coach for teachers. She has also danced professionally, taught dance, choreographed many shows, and worked with a wider variety of performing arts programs. Tosha and her husband Matt live in a multi-generational home in Winchester with their two children and Matt's mother.