Tools for Success

The road from childhood to adulthood can be filled with bumps and hazards. How can parents help their tweens and teens navigate their social and emotional lives? Upper School Dean of Students Dave Urban and our expert panel will unpack why parenting is so challenging. Join us to learn how to unlock effective communication, nurture emotional resilience, and help your child build a strong social foundation. Intended audience: parents with students in grades 5 through 12 and educators (1.0 clock hours offered). 

Thursday, October 10  
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Upper School's Diamond Performing Arts Center

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Dave Urban serves as Upper School Dean of Students and is part of the grade 12 Capstone teaching team. Mr. Urban is passionate about helping students grow in their faith, wrestle with the nature of truth, examine our ever-changing culture, and build meaningful community with one another. Most importantly, he loves and is devoted to Jesus, his wife, and their two children (Bear Creek classes of 2024 and 2026). He also enjoys serving at church, traveling, reading, taking walks with his family, and watching sports (especially if they involve his children). Dave holds a B.A. Business Administration from Pacific Lutheran University and an M.A. Theology from Bakke Graduate University of Ministry. 

Panel members include K – 8 School Counselor Kelsey Bolton, Middle School Dean of Students Daniel Bates, and Upper School English teacher Amy Burns. 

What is a “best-fit” college? Dean of College and Academic Advising Katie Gomulkiewicz will review the different types of colleges, including highly selective colleges, provide insights on the college search process, and help you assess your best-fit programs. She will draw on her research in higher education admissions and her career background in both the high school and college sides of the application process. Intended for parents and their students in grades 7 – 12. 

Tuesday, November 12  
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Upper School's Diamond Performing Arts Center

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Katie Gomulkiewicz '13 returned to Washington in 2017 and began her next Bear Creek chapter as the Assistant Director of Admissions for Middle School and Upper School. In 2022, Katie completed her master’s thesis, “An Exploration of Standardized Psychosocial Measures Within the College Admissions Process,” and began her new role as the Dean of College and Academic Advising. Katie also serves as a head coach of the Upper School forensics team and led the Speech and Rhetoric summer camp for seven years. She is passionate about higher education and cherishes the opportunity to mentor students throughout the college search journey. She holds a B.S. Psychology and English from Davidson College and an M.P.S. in Higher Education Administration from Georgetown University.

Do you want to raise confident, kind, responsible, and resilient kids? Lower School Division Head Kristen Gephart will help you discover a parenting approach that supports mental strength and self-efficacy in our children. Attendees will leave with applicable tools that will help children thrive and succeed in life. Intended audience: parents with students in preschool through grade 6 and educators (1.0 clock hours offered). 

Tuesday, January 14  
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Upper School's Diamond Performing Arts Center

RSVP

Kristen Gephart serves as our Lower School Division Head. She is passionate about the mission of The Bear Creek School and loves the intersection of faith and learning that is pursued here. She is an observer of people and loves to help others discover how they are created and the gifts and strengths they have. Kristen loves to read, walk, and enjoy the outdoors. She and her husband Jeff have two grown boys. Kristen believes the impact of a community of adults invested in students' lives at a young age can impact them forever! Kristen holds a B.A. Speech Communication from University of Washington and an M.A. Teaching from Seattle University.