Upper School Update - March 2019

Greetings from the Upper School! 

Thankfully the snow finally melted in our parking lots, and we are beginning to see signs of spring! This past month we worked hard to accommodate our snow days, and Mid-Winter Break gave our community a time for rejuvenation and rest. I invite you to read below to get a recap of some of the great things happening in our community as well as read about our upcoming events. I look forward to seeing you around campus!

Professional Development

High-quality faculty professional development is a priority at The Bear Creek School. Please join me in celebrating this desire for excellence and culture of “kaizen,” or continuous improvement. This includes Jacqueline Probst, who is defending her dissertation next month as a final requirement for her Ed.D. in curriculum and instruction with a research focus in secondary math instruction. This is an incredible accomplishment! Joel Visker traveled to Kansas City for a national choral convention, and Linda Graham, Kenny Norris, Kevin Davison, and Celeste Hug attended Northwest Council for Computer Education’s (NCCE) conference here in Seattle last month. Please read some of their reflections below to get a glimpse into what they learned!

Jacqueline Probst: “As part of my doctoral research, I recently measured the mathematics self-efficacy of our Algebra 2 and Precalculus students using a validated instrument that has been used with secondary and post-secondary students for decades. Mathematics self-efficacy refers to an individual’s perception of his or her own abilities to be successful in mathematics and has been shown in recent research to significantly and positively affect not only mathematics achievement but also the decision of whether or not to pursue math-related majors and careers. While the full results are still being analyzed, one of the most exciting findings from my research is that the average score for female students at The Bear Creek School is above the 70th percentile when compared to scores for all female students in the United States.”

Joel Visker: “I had the privilege of attending the American Choral Directors Association National Convention in Kansas City, MO. This event is the ‘Super Bowl’ of choral music. I was able to hear almost 30 different choirs present the finest choral singing in the world at every age level from middle school to professional choral ensembles, and I attended professional development sessions led by some of the brightest minds in choral music education. I’ve been inspired, refreshed, and challenged with new ideas on how I can better serve my choirs as I plan rehearsals and develop a program that is pursuing excellence for the glory of God. I’ve come away with many new teaching strategies, but more importantly, I’ve been inspired by the importance of choral music for its potential to impact student lives and bring a message of hope and joy to a world facing challenging times. What a blessing to work at a school which values my own personal professional development and provides opportunities for me to be inspired in my love for teaching.”

Kenny Norris: “The 2019 NCCE Conference was one of the best conferences I have attended in terms of the quality and relevance of each session. As a whole, the conference filled in gaps I had in my understanding of how other schools are using technology, which made the idea much less intimidating. Speakers also presented practical ways to use technology, from broadcasting a lecture via Loom to using technology for authentic warm-ups. One session on project-based learning prompted me to open up the brainstorm packet for the Junior Project in order to immediately apply one of the speaker’s concepts.”

Linda Graham: “I attended NCCE and really enjoyed hearing Gerry Brooks’ keynote. I liked hearing what he had to say on the serious side of building culture in our schools and why it’s important—interspersed with his videos to keep it fun. It’s great for teachers to have an opportunity to hear how school culture is shaped intentionally, and it’s possible for the principal to confront the difficult people and situations we all encounter by using humor.

I attended a session on ways three teachers (different schools, different age-groups) are using Flip-Grid in the classroom. I just need to get brave and try it out! It’s always inspiring to hear a classroom teacher talking up technology or pedagogy and make me want to try it in my class. I went to a session where more than 30 apps were previewed/demonstrated in 50 minutes! I really appreciate that Bear Creek encourages teachers to attend professional development and supports our efforts by providing substitutes and funding to attend conferences and workshops. We want to grow and become the best teachers we can in order to prepare our students to lead lives of wisdom, compassion, and courage in all areas of their lives—including the digital space.”

Upper School Events

Upper School Class Picture Day: Tomorrow, March 20, each grade level will have a class picture taken during the morning. Order forms must be submitted to the photographer on picture day; print a picture form or pick one up the Upper School front office.

Choir Festival: On Wednesday, March 20, Upper School Concert Choir will participate in the Northlake Music Region Choir Festival at Inglemoor High School.

Parent/Teacher Conferences: Upper School parent/teacher conferences will take place this Friday, March 22 from 8:00 a.m. – noon and 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. in the Marilyn R. Nagel Commons. If you are unable to meet with one or any your child’s teachers during this time, please contact them via email to set an appointment(s).

Annual Auction: We are looking forward to our Monopoly-themed school auction on Saturday, March 30 at the Westin Bellevue. This event is a special time for our parent community to gather for fellowship and celebrate our academic, fine arts, and athletics programs. Register online by March 22.

Parenting Under Pressure: Dr. Rob McKenna will speak at Bear Creek on Tuesday, April 2 from 7:00 p.m. You'll take away tools that will help you when parenting produces those high pressure moments that test our composure and resilience. Bring your friends, this event is open to the community. Tickets ($10) may be purchased online.

NHS Induction Ceremony: Bear Creek's chapter of the National Honor Society will induct new members on Wednesday, April 10 in the Nagel Commons at 7:00 p.m. New members will be notified on March 27. All current members are invited; seniors will be honored.

Upper School Division Head Connection: Please join me on Thursday, April 11, in the Andrea Lairson Library at 8:15 a.m. This is our last meeting of the year, so please come and participate in the Upper School conversation. I will offer some of my reflections from my first year working in the Upper School, and Dr. Gephart will give an update on House activities and student life. Ms. Carhart will also give us some great information about summer opportunities for students.

An Evening of Honors: We look forward to this year-end event held each year on the Friday evening prior to Commencement. At this ceremony, seniors reflect on their years at The Bear Creek School and receive commendations for their many accomplishments. Seniors also each have time to express appreciation to their parents.

Because of seating limitations and to preserve the intimacy of the occasion, this event is just for parents and siblings of graduating seniors. Please RSVP online by May 17. An Evening of Honors will be held in the Cornerstone Theater in the Main Building on June 14, 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and dessert is served.

Upcoming Spring Semester Dates:

• March 27: Withdrawal deadline
• April 15-19: No School – Spring Break
• April 22: No School – Easter Monday
• May 20: Last day for students to reschedule final exam
• May 27: No School – Memorial Day
• May 28: Last day for students to schedule make-up work in class
• May 7-17: AP Exams administered

All's joy,

Karen Wright, Ph.D.
kwright@tbcs.org