"Why choose an independent education?"
As many of you know, I grew up in the suburbs of Rochester, New York. While I began my own education at an area Montessori school, I switched in my elementary school years to my town's local public school system. It was a fine system, and I enjoyed a solid elementary, middle, and high school education. However, I have spent my entire adult life working in independent schools, be they boarding or day, urban or suburban, single-sex or co-educational. Why the discrepancy between my own education and my professional choices? Or, as I now find myself being asked as a parent of three small children, why choose an independent school for your kids?
Earlier this winter, Patrick Bassett (the executive director of the National Association of Independent Schools) created a video to help describe the importance of having your child attend an NAIS independent school. The video basically details several criteria for families to consider in making this pivotal decision of where to send their children–great teachers, a focused mission, demonstrable successes, and strong values. In short, as I watched the short clip, I thought about these things in the context of our own Upland community and I felt a swelling of pride within me.
Great teachers provide inspiration, challenge, support, and a positive model for their students. As William Arthur Ward once wrote, "The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." When our recent parent satisfaction survey returned with 94% positive response to the quality of teaching assessment, it affirmed that we are providing/delivering this service each and every day through great teaching. Countless qualitative comments about our students being engaged, nurtured, and inspired supported these comments, as well. Teaching kids to love learning is a pivotal part of our goal at Upland during these formative years, and I am proud of our success in this area.
Mr. Bassett paraphrases a famous New England head of school when he promises that at a small independent school like Upland, "We will know your child. We will love your child. And we will help your child be successful." It is not easy to be a child growing up in the early 21st century; they encounter a very different world, in many ways, from the world you and I faced as kids. But Upland's focus on each child as a student, artist, athlete, and citizen is what distinguishes us from other educational opportunities. The "4A's" of Upland is not a marketing gimmick, but a genuine way of educating each student. It is not just a different option; we believe it is a better option, developing the whole child, providing unique opportunities, and concentrating upon important social, civic, and personal responsibilities as a key aspect of our program. We also know our current families appreciate this approach, as measured by their 90% satisfaction rating on how well the Upland experience is positively impacting their children.
And for those looking solely at the bottom line, Mr. Bassett acknowledges the "return on investment." We all know the incredible sacrifice families make to provide an independent school education for their kids. However, nationwide studies have borne out the increased likelihood for success (in academic achievement, civic participation, etc.) for students attending and graduating from independent schools. At Upland, we are extremely proud of our students' successes before and after their 9th grade graduation; this spring we look forward to releasing a study that supports the notion of Upland graduates having disproportionately large numbers of leadership roles at secondary school and in college. Why is this true? Because our school culture and program provide active opportunities for students to learn leadership skills, safely 'test the waters' in educational areas they might not otherwise encounter, and manage success and failure throughout their lives.
So to answer my initial questions, hopefully you will now know why I believe so strongly in independent education, and Upland, in particular. I think it is one of the best decisions parents could ever make for their children.
November 14, 2009
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Last night, our eighth and ninth graders performed "Fiddler on the Roof, Jr." for the third and final time. All three were spirited performances and there were lively audiences for each, all appreciative of how each show improved upon the one preceding, and all thankful for the dedication of our students, faculty and parents in readying the show. As I watched our students with pride again last night, one line from the first scene stood out for me in thinking about what makes Upland special for its students: when Tevye remarks, "Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions our lives would be as shaky as, as... as a fiddler on the roof!"
One of the great traditions at Upland is Monday/Friday morning Assembly. (ed. note: I choose to call them Assembly to title them, to distinguish them from our other, irregular opportunities throughout the year to have a special assembly.) On these mornings, students from pre-kindergarten through ninth grade walk with their teachers to the Barn as a class, and sit on the floor in pre-arranged spots. Assembly usually lasts about twenty minutes, and the topics covered can range from Mrs. Humphrey and Mrs. Anderson announcing the Artists of the Week to ninth grader Ben DiFilippo updating the community on how the Phillies and Eagles are coming with their championship quests. It is the place where we recognize each student's birthday and announce the results from our soccer, field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse games. Assembly is also the time to have a moment of silence in preparation for the week or talk to the community about a burning issue. And regularly, ninth graders use Assembly to give a formal speech to the entire student body; this capstone event requires their reflection, speech writing and public speaking, presentation skills and consultation with Miss Ralston.
Notably, though, these Assemblies–these traditions–keep us focused and prevent us from getting "shaky" as a community, while simultaneously demonstrating some of the wonderful learning that goes on at Upland.
Take this Monday, for instance: Mrs. Perkins' third graders are showing an iMovie they created which highlights their trip to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire as a part of their Elizabethan Era and Shakespearean studies.
Similarly, four upper school students in the sixth and seventh grade will be presenting a slide show about a mural they are creating for the Kennett Food Cupboard, a place where Upland students often serve as part of their community service efforts. These four girls recently spent an afternoon in town with Mrs. Barreiro and Mrs. Anderson researching art murals in Kennett and sampling Mexican bread at Alondra's.
In short, our Assemblies on Monday and Friday mornings may be relatively brief, but the breadth of topics covered and value to our community is far ranging. Perhaps most importantly, Assemblies are student-centered (if not student-driven!) and they represent one of the most important, but timeless, traditions at Upland. I welcome current parents to attend any and all throughout the year, for one never knows what special moment you might miss by not attending. To paraphrase Tevye one more time, Upland "is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: Tradition!"
David M. Suter
Head of School
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Musings for September
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My own little symbolic rebellion against the structure of the school year—or worded more positively, my own little celebration of summer's freedom—is when I do not wear a wrist watch from the day after graduation until the first day of faculty meetings. Somehow, it allows me to wake up naturally, feel as if I am enjoying a leisurely pace, and not seem so constrained by the sounds and sights of the moving hands. Such an act is silly, I know, and far more symbolic than anything else, but it tells me "school's out for summer!" With the added time and peace of mind for which summer allows, I find my mind contemplating "the big picture" more regularly and searching for connections in the things I read and experience throughout the year.
Last summer, I was captivated by Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University professor who, according to the CMU website, "delivered a one-of-a-kind last lecture that made the world stop and pay attention. The lecture became an internet sensation viewed by millions (just search 'Randy Pausch, last lecture' on YouTube.com), an international media story, and a best selling book" for its incredibly inspirational and positive message for us all to live each day as if it were our last, and for its powerful teaching lessons and advice for young people on how to achieve their personal goals.
For me, seeing the inner strength of Pausch and the amazing emotional impact his story has had on viewers and readers across the world is instructive. Sometimes the natural challenges of growing up, living in a fast-paced and complex modern world, or feeling the stress and strains of the world around us, can make us lose sight of what is truly important. I am thankful for the natural blessings we have at Upland in our beautiful country campus, caring and dedicated faculty and staff, and mission driven program. We strive to provide our young students with a balanced program of academics, arts, athletics, and personal development in a setting that allows for challenge, exploration, rewards, setbacks, and more. And though it is not always easy to focus on the journey in a world obsessed by outcome, we provide this program—laden with its rich traditions--in an environment geared to teach not just about test scores, winning games, and the individual accolades, but about community connectedness, fulfilling potential, and teamwork, too.
While visiting a few other PK-9th grade schools in New England this summer, I had an interesting conversation with a school head about a book we were both reading entitled A Nation of Wimps, written by Hara Estroff Marano. Marano, the editor-at-large and former editor-in-chief of Psychology Today, laments the lack of resiliency America's youth seem to develop today. This other school head astutely pointed out how independent schools are in the unique position of overcoming this obstacle because of our missions, independent nature, and ability to partner with parents. And he is right! We at Upland have a strong set of values, beliefs, and experiences in educating young people through the school's mission and guiding principles; we're all here because we subscribe to these ideas, too, and want our children to receive an Upland education and all that it entails. While Marano's book is not for the meek or mild, it is an eye-opener and it does cut to the core of many disturbing trends in the country. I would really recommend the book both as a social commentary and countercultural teaching tool. Similarly, Dr. Carol Dweck's Mindset (www.mindsetonline.com), the summer reading for Upland faculty and staff this year, argues how decades of research on achievement and success is confirming the notion that motivation and effort are at least as important as abilities and talent for our students' futures. Teaching a love of learning and resilience, she opines, is the most critical thing we can do with our kids; rigid thinking about success, accomplishment, and goals can be counterproductive in the face of developing minds and a changing world. I strongly recommend both books and look forward to keeping their core messages, especially in the context of Pausch's emphasis on positivity and what really matters, in the forefront of this school year.
We as an Upland community should have these explicit conversations with each other--our teachers, parents, and students--in regards to our ultimate goals as a school, how we must work in concert to achieve these goals, and why our mission and program benefit young people. Our efforts to educate folks on how we are different, why the "hothouse" style is undesirable, and how we crave the opposite of some of these negative national trends all aid in the push back against pressure from the larger world. It isn't easy— or even popular sometimes—but it is necessary in the best interests of the kids. Like Marano, I worry about some of the trends I see across certain subsets of the American student population, but I also feel supremely confident in our ability to best serve Upland students—and counteract some of these disturbing trends--through a balanced program of academics, arts, athletics and attitude. I love the connections our teachers make between our small school and the local resources at our disposal, and I appreciate the innovative efforts on the part of this community to continually improve our school for our kids.
In a few short days, I will strap on my wristwatch again and proudly begin my third year at Upland. More than two hundred faculty, staff, and students will return to campus, too, and together we will navigate the waters of learning and growing—informed by thinkers like Pausch, Marano, and Dweck--together.
Have a great year, everyone!
David M. Suter
Head of School
The Important Thing is the Important Thing
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At a recent family gathering I attended, the focus of conversation understandably centered upon the precipitous decline in the Dow this fall. As folks worried about the 15-25% decline of their investments within a few short weeks and speculated about how long it might take to recover from this "downturn," the mood in the room became somber.
My own mind jumped to Upland families, sacrificing to make tuition payments and helping to support the school in so many ways. There is no denying or ignoring the reality of the economic situation surrounding us at this point in time; to do so would be naive, foolish, and done at our own peril. For these very reasons, we are looking at our own tuition, expenses, and tuition assistance in earnest. Despite the ubiquitous doom and gloom media coverage, though, history tells us we will recover as a nation and economy despite these very real circumstances.
While the outside world may be tumultuous right now, as I enter my second year at Upland, I try to remain focused on our people and not just our savings accounts; now, more than ever, "The important thing is the important thing." For us, that means fulfilling our mission and providing a unique, balanced, life-altering set of experiences for our pre-k through ninth grade students.
This year, it means partnering our science curriculum with Stroud Water Research Center, our art curriculum with Longwood Gardens, and focusing our community service efforts on Pennies for Peace in an attempt to teach our kids a very powerful lesson about enacting real change on the world, one school at a time. It means that by the time our ninth graders graduate in June, they will have been a part of several drama productions, athletic teams and traveled internationally, in addition to completing a challenging academic program that allows for matriculation, like last year's graduating class, into secondary schools like St. Andrews, Westtown, Madeira, Loomis Chaffee, and each of the Wilmington independent schools.
In addition, after reflecting upon a few of the most memorable moments of my first year, I think Upland's focus on nurturing good people should be at the top of the list of our "most important thing(s)" we do. Whether it is the 9th graders who, without prodding, individually lined up to thank me for taking them out to lunch one day last year, or the upper school students who shake hands with faculty dance chaperones to show appreciation for teachers giving of their weekend night time, learning civility and manners are a critical part of the Upland experience.
Spending time in Upland classrooms, on our field trips, and at our student activities reminds me daily that life is good, even if the economy is not. In such an environment, I can think of no better investment than in our kids.
Another Leg in the Journey
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Each summer, after enjoying the rest and reflection summer vacations bring, we start looking forward, with increasing anticipation, to the coming school year because each September begins a new chapter in Upland's story. It is exciting and intriguing to look forward to welcoming new families and faculty members to the school, and wondering about the new ways this fresh mix of personality, talent and point of view will enrich the Upland community. This year is particularly special for Liza and me as our sons, Billy and Chris, begin their own Upland journeys. And this year, as we look forward to observing Upland's 60th Anniversary and to sharing the new Strategic Plan, it will be especially meaningful to reflect on the School's story as we look toward the future.
Last winter, Lucy Singleton and Donna Melton attended a conference where Greg Mortenson was a keynote speaker. They came away very impressed by his presentation, his story and his spirit as they relate to our mission at Upland. Mortenson's narrative is also about a journey, across continents and cultures, to discover that no matter how different our customs and culture, at our core we are bound by a common humanity and can therefore find common ground to work for a common good. In the last decade, Mortenson has built almost five-dozen schools across Pakistan and Afghanistan and co-authored Three Cups of Tea, a book that details his humanitarian efforts. While reading his book this summer, I was struck by a lesson Mortenson learned along the way:
"(It was) the most important lesson I've ever learned in my life. We Americans think you have to accomplish everything quickly. We're the country of thirty-minute power lunches and two-minute football drills...(he) taught me to share three cups of tea, to slow down and make building relationships as important as building projects. He taught me that I had more to learn from the people I work with than I could ever hope to teach them. (150)"
Though there is so much to gain from reading the entire book, this passage and its emphasis upon patience and humility, people and relationships are all of great significance to what we do here at Upland. In our ever-complex times, these values sometimes stand in opposition to American cultural norms and pop culture. (See the daily newspapers for all the proof you need to verify my allegation!) However, Upland's mission and culture, as envisioned by its founders 60 years ago, continue to sustain our efforts to best serve students each year. And now that the school year has begun, we will have more than two hundred students back on campus, thirsting for the help, guidance and tutelage of our talented faculty.
I want you to know how much I look forward to my second year at Upland and the opportunity of collaborating with the faculty, staff, students, parents and dedicated volunteers who make up the Upland community and furthering the important work we do on behalf of Upland kids. Like Mortenson, I have learned, and will continue to learn, important lessons through my work and time spent with this community. Thank you for what you teach me--and each and every one of Upland's students -as we celebrate our past and look forward to fulfilling our collective goals for the future.
First year impressions about an Upland education
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May 1, 2008
A little over a month ago, I received an email from an Upland alumnus who was forwarding on a video he had seen online at a popular website featuring talks by well-known speakers on matters pertaining to technology, entertainment and design (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/66). The speaker is Sir Ken Robinson, author of Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative, who uses his wonderful sense of humor to make a moving case for creating schools that nurture creativity rather than undermine it.
In his speech, Robinson references how skewed the dominant sense of academic success is toward a particular—and outdated—view of intelligence. He argues for schools’ recognition of a more balanced sense in helping to develop young minds, curriculum, assessment, and values. “Our task is to educate their whole being,” he says in the last minute of the edited online speech.
This past February, the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) held its annual conference in New York City. The theme of the conference was “Schools of the Future” and I was fortunate enough to attend keynote presentations by Sir Ken Robinson and Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future. Pink, like Robinson, argues that the age of “left-brain” dominance is ending because of technological advances, globalization, and a changing landscape in the advanced world. Instead, Pink suggests that schools should emphasize six essential abilities—he terms them design, storytelling, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning before going on to describe each in greater depth—in order to best prepare young minds for the years ahead. Like Robinson, Pink decries a singular and fixed notion of intelligence while simultaneously advocating a balanced approach to education.
It is refreshing to listen to these forward-thinking writers, who were both immensely significant in helping shape the landscape at the NAIS conference, and to see some of their recommendations already at work here at Upland. Take, for instance, the school wide Power Up Gambia work this academic year; led by science teacher Cindy Hiles, integrated work has covered everything from solar panels and alternative sources of energy in science to creating beads and necklaces in art to visiting musicians and an Upland-Power Up Gambia theme song in music. In addition to raising funds and awareness for the energy needs of hospitals in the Gambia, Upland’s lower and upper school students were front and center at the Hagley Museum this month, where their singing, art, and technological acumen were on display for all to see.
Similarly, anyone who has been at school this winter has witnessed Julie Wells and Marcy Mehdizadeh’s fourth grade popcorn project and its ability to cross disciplines and capture the community. From math to marketing, music to history, and community service to environmental studies, these fourth graders have taken a service project idea and launched it into a mini-business that would make any entrepreneur proud!
I see the connections between Sir Ted Robinson, Daniel Pink, and these wonderful exhibitions of teaching-learning. Most importantly, our students are leading the way—Student Council even led a Power Down Day to show what life is like in the Gambia on days when electricity is not available!—and demonstrating how creativity, interconnectedness, empathy, fun, real-life application, experiential learning, challenge, and discovery are all part of an Upland education.
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