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News from the Head of School
John D. Marshall
Head of School
I had the pleasure to spend part of last weekend attending an independent school conference with Holland Hall parent (of Charlie, Ellen and Jackson) and board chair Keith Goddard ’87. This annual conference is entitled Leadership Through Partnership , and it focuses on myriad strategic issues for independent schools as well as on the importance of the working relationship between the board chair and school head. Such a relationship of mutual trust, transparency and regular communication between chair and head is essential to produce a high performing board of trustees and well run school; and I am grateful to Keith for giving so much of himself to this key volunteer role. Keith also served last year (along with Liz Hagans) as co-chair of the search committee that hired me, so I am doubly grateful. Especially for a head new to Tulsa, Keith’s eagerness to provide a sounding board and offer advice and counsel can — and will — accelerate my learning about our school community and ability to make an impact. Both Keith and his wife Beth Lieser Goddard ’86 are selfless, gifted volunteers and I hope you will express your appreciation to them for their service to Holland Hall.
At the conference, Keith and I attended individual sessions on recent trends in independent education, school finances, legal issues, fund raising, admissions and financial aid, online learning, bullying and much more.
CLICK HERE to visit the Head of School's blog!
Weaving a Balanced Literacy Framework
Jo-An Vargo
Head of Primary School
I love to weave when I can find the time. It’s a wonderful form of self expression and gives me hours of enjoyment. Basket weaving can use many different types of materials. I’ve woven baskets using raffia, pine needles, bamboo reed, yarn, and even seaweed! There is a balance to using the right type(s) of fiber and also creating a form that is visually pleasing and communicates with the viewer. I can always find new ways to challenge myself in this art form.
Weaving meaning and skill into a child’s understanding and application of reading and writing is another type of art. It’s one that takes years to master all the nuances, and Primary School teachers are always seeking to improve their professional practice. Over the years, the faculty has understood the complexity of teaching reading and writing literacy. It needs to include word study (phonemic awareness, phonics, and spelling), story time, small group work (guided reading and strategy lessons), interactive read-aloud with accountable talk, interactive writing, shared reading, and independent reading and writing workshops.
Expecting Respect
Joel Bicknell
Head of Middle School
In The Quality School: Managing Students Without Coercion, William Glasser promotes tenets of Choice Theory. He recognizes, “we choose to do what we believe will best control the world around us so that it becomes closer to one or more of the pictures we select from our quality world…when we fail it is usually because we depend too much upon coercive methods…” This is true of all of us – students, parents, teachers, staff, and administrators. Our relationships at Holland Hall are guided by a respect for the individual with the expectation of being a positive influence on our community. With this understanding, we can identify intentional choices in the Middle School which encourage respectful behaviors.
What We Teach, How We Teach, How We Assess
Dennis L. Calkins
Head of Upper School
What could be more important to any school than trying to come to grips with the issues raised in the title of this article? In the Upper School this year, we are in the beginning stages of trying to tackle this monumental task. A committee of 11 faculty members has been formed to look at our curriculum and how we assess our students. With members from the departments of English, history, mathematics, science, foreign language, and fine arts, the committee has representation from a wide range of disciplines, curricular content, and methods of instruction and evaluation. As with any undertaking of this magnitude, our first few meetings have been filled with far more questions than answers. Most of our time has been spent in assessing where we are and trying to define what goals are reasonable to achieve.
State of the School Address
The Holland Hall Parents' Association invites all parents to the State of the School Address by Head of School John Marshall, Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at noon in the Holliman Gallery of the Walter Arts Center. Bring a brown bag lunch! Cookies and refreshments will be provided.
Holland Hall to Host Community-wide Speaker Series Featuring Dr. Robert Brooks
Holland Hall and the Kistler-Gilliland Center for the Advancement of Learning, will host a community-wide Speaker Series featuring author, speaker and faculty member of the Harvard Medical School Dr. Robert Brooks on Monday, October 10 on the Holland Hall campus from 7 to 8:30 p.m. In his presentation, Dr. Brooks will describe factors that help children and adolescents to deal more effectively with stress and pressure and become resilient. The event is free, open to the public and will take place in the Branch Theatre of the Walter Arts Center.
ARTworks 2011 Features Artist Romy Owens
Holland Hall's 2011 ARTworks program and art sale is scheduled for Oct. 17-Nov. 28 and features Romy Owens, a contemporary artist based in Oklahoma City. The Artist-in-Residency program will begin with a Gallery Talk and Opening Reception on October 16. Reservations required. The event will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the Walter Art Center on the Holland Hall campus. Owen's work will be on display and available for purchase through November 28.
Romy Owens spends most of her time taking photographs and sewing them together by hand. “My art lives in the details,” says Romy Owens. “From the beginning when I am photographing blemished surfaces to the tiny sutures that hold my photographs together. I create these constructions by hand, using a needle and thread to secure the photographs together ... small, carefully measured stitches provide a permanence to my constructions that adhesives could never guarantee while conjuring a meditative rhythm much like a metronome.” Romy’s collection for ARTworks features elements of the Holland Hall campus.
To visit the ARTworks website, CLICK HERE >>
To RSVP or to become a patron, CLICK HERE >>
Remember October Book Drive
Don't forget October is the all month book drive! Support the Holland Hall annual Book Fair (Saturday, February 25, 2012) by donating your books, toys, games, puzzles, music, videos, computer media and stuffed animals. Earn points for your grade.
Middle and Upper Divisions: Win an iPad 2 or iPod Nano or iTunes Gift Cards!
- For every 50 points the student brings in books, they will receive a raffle ticket
- For every volunteer hour the student works either in the book room or at the event, the student will receive an additional raffle ticket
- (Raffle winners determined at the end of the Book Fair event for both divisions - Middle and Upper)
Parents — earn points for your kids by volunteering in the Book Room during the month of October. Every one hour of work equal five points.
- Monday 8 am - 4 pm
- Tuesday/Wednesday 8 am - 3 pm
- Thursday/Friday 8 am - 4 pm
The Book Room is located on the first floor behind the Middle School Gym.
Download a Point Slip CLICK HERE >>
DreamBIG Annual Fund - A Giving Story
“I give to the Holland Hall Annual Fund because I can't imagine not giving. For me, it's an expression of giving back to the very thing that enriches my own life in so many ways. At the core, we're here for the students. We're here because of the students. If you agree, please consider giving -- even a small donation. It's our way of letting the students know, ‘Hey, I believe in you!.”
– Brent Casey, College Counselor & 11th Grade Dean
To share your giving story, CLICK HERE >>.
2011 Alumni Homecoming Weekend & Awards Ceremony Kicks Off Oct. 28
There will be plenty of reasons to celebrate during Holland Hall's 2011 Homecoming Weekend and Awards Ceremony. The fun-filled weekend begins with the Alumni Awards Ceremony held at 6:00 p.m. in the Holliman Gallery of the Walter Arts Center where we will recognize and honor the Young Alumni Achievement Award recipient Justin Thompson '98 and the Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Ken Busby '85.
Immediately following the ceremony, catch the game day spirit at the Alumni Cookout where alumni can enjoy food and fellowship under the alumni tent. There will also be a jupiter jump and other fun games for children of alumni. Then cheer on the Dutch as the football team takes on Casady School with kick off at 7 p.m.
The festivities continue on Saturday, Oct. 29 with the traditional Alumni Brunch in the Upper School Commons from 10:30 a.m. to noon, with special recognition of alumni celebrating 50 years or more.
For more information, contact Judy Warren, Director of Alumni Relations at jwarren@hollandhall.org or (918) 879-4745.
Holland Hall Seventh Graders Qualify for the Duke Talent Identification Program
Sixty-seven percent of Holland Hall seventh graders qualified for the Duke Talent Identification Program. Duke recognizes students who achieve at the 95 percent or greater in one of several qualifying tests on the ERB exams that are given each year in January.
“These results are another reason for us to be proud of our student body in the Middle School,” said Joel Bicknell, Head of Middle School. ”This high number of qualifying Duke TIP seventh grade students highlights the strength of our students’ abilities, the depth and balance of our academic program, and the excellence of our faculty.”
Duke TIP’s Seventh Grade Talent Search is the largest program of its kind in the nation. Since its inception in 1980, over 2 million students have participated. The Seventh Grade Talent Search identifies academically talented seventh graders based on standardized test scores achieved while attending elementary or middle school. Candidates are invited to take the ACT or the SAT college entrance exam as seventh graders, which allows them greater insight into their academic abilities. Participants also gain valuable benefits and have access to unique resources for gifted students.
Eight Holland Hall Seniors Semifinalists in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program
Eight Holland Hall seniors have qualified as National Merit Semifinalists in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program: Nahrie Chung, Jennifer Carmichael, Jennifer Moffett, Pauline (Farley) White, Harrison Evert, William Harrison, Peter Jones and Michael Winkler. More than 1.5 million high school juniors nationwide took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) in October 2010. Of this number, the top one half of one percent qualify to become semifinalists. Approximately 15,000 Semifinalists are expected to advance to the Finalist level and it is from this group that all National Merit Scholarship winners will be chosen.
Lighting in the Walter Arts Center Featured in The Journal Record
The school is saving money and energy with the installation of 20-watt retrofit LED interior/exterior white light kits in the Walter Arts Center. The LED retrofit units replace the 65-watt incandescent
and fluorescent can lights.
CLICK HERE to read the article >>