News
 
Gravatar
Pin on Pinterest

Parish Episcopal School student Zoe Castinerias, Class of 2016, has been awarded the grand prize in the annual Congressional High School Art Competition. The contest brings together the best student artwork fromacross the country, including the 32nd Congressional District, and is open to all high school students, with a winner from each Congressional district. 

Zoe's piece, an acrylic painting on board titled "Desert," was chosen during the judging panel on April 8, 2015 by several local artists and educators. 

As the winner, Zoe and a guest will travel to Washington, D.C. for an official awards ceremony and reception, and her artwork will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for the next year.

Gravatar

Continuing to establish powerful partnerships across the Metroplex, Parish Episcopal School announced today a key relationship with Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth that will serve students and faculty members as well as teachers from across the region. The pioneering relationships with organizations such as George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, Perot Museum of Nature and Science, and World Leadership School have already enriched student experiences on the Parish campus while contributing to the missions of these fine organizations, and the new relationship with TCU is shaping up to be just as promising.

“We are excited to add TCU to our family of partners,” said Dave Monaco, Allen Meyer Family Head of School at Parish. “I am especially anxious to see what we can build with TCU in a mutually beneficial relationship that supports students and educators, within our two institutions and in the greater DFW community.”

Kick starting the relationship, Parish and TCU will partner on two fronts, initially. The first is a leadership-focused collaboration between Parish’s Upper School Leadership Institute (a ParishLeads program) and two of TCU’s Neeley School of Business premier programs: Neeley Fellows and BNSF Next Generation Leadership Program. The second part of the partnership is between Parish’s STEM program (ParishSTEM) and TCU’s Extended Education department.      

ParishLeads Leadership Institute

Parish has been recognized for its comprehensive leadership framework and programming known as ParishLeads, which every student experiences as they journey across all three divisions (Lower, Middle and Upper Schools).  The Leadership Institute, a culminating component of ParishLeads for Upper School students wishing to learn more about leadership, began in 2013. The Leadership Institute accepts a cohort of 15-20 freshman applicants each February and offers them three years of coursework, mentoring and workshops during their time in the Upper School. In its scope and richness, the Institute rivals leadership programs found on college campuses. The Neeley School of Business recognizes the parallels as Neeley Fellows features similar elements. For the last several months Laura Barclay, Director of Neeley Fellows program, and Tracey Rockett, a Parish parent and Neeley Honors Faculty Associate Director and Associate Professor of Management Practice for Neeley, have been exploring ways that Parish and the Neeley School of Business can benefit one another.

“As a professor, I know the things that colleges and universities are looking for in students. As a Parish parent, I get to see the great things that the School is encouraging in my children on a daily basis,” said Rockett. “Since I am interested in the success of the programs at Parish and the Neeley premier programs, Neeley Fellows and BNSF Next Generation Leadership Program, I thought we could uncover some opportunities for a partnership that would allow students at both schools to share leadership experiences.“

“It’s encouraging to see a school like Parish Episcopal guiding its students to becoming leaders in today’s complex world,” said Barclay. “The Neeley School of Business shares many of the ideas of ParishLeads and subsequently the Leadership Institute, and recognizes the many opportunities that this alliance can bring about.”

As a first step in this emerging relationship, the members of the Leadership Institute Class of 2016 will travel to TCU in April for a “Leadership Day” with members of Neeley Fellows and BNSF Next Generation Leadership Program members. During the visit, Parish students will have the opportunity to observe college students from around the world who will be participating in a business plan competition, Values and Ventures® (http://neeley.tcu.edu/vandv/).This experience parallels the LEAD project Parish Leadership Institute students complete as the capstone to their experience in the Institute. The agenda for the day will also include a campus tour, lunch and a presentation hosted by Neeley Fellows and BNSF Next Generation Leadership students.

ParishSTEM

Parish will further partner with the University through the TCU Extended Education department to offer STEM-based summer training programs for area public and private school teachers. Working with Susan Harris, Director of the Advanced Placement Summer Institute at TCU Extended Education (http://www.advancedplacement.tcu.edu/), Jenn Makins, Director of STEM Education at Parish, will oversee a three-day teacher professional development workshop on the Parish campus July 13-15, 2015. 

When identifying satellite locations for their leading teacher development programs, TCU officials recognized the strong ParishSTEM programming and the School’s leading facilities for its maker and design spaces. The Parish STEM facilities will be instrumental in The LIFTS Institute: TCU and Parish Supporting Science Teachers programming,which is formulated around specific feedback from middle school science teachers and district coordinators.

“We will focus on the pedagogy of middle school science, as well as the personal enrichment of middle school science teachers. The inquiry approach will be modeled both in the instruction method and content of the science workshops.” said Harris. “With Parish Episcopal’s strong STEM programming, we will be able to address content and have workshop leaders use an integrated approach combining math, engineering, and technology concepts, as well foundational principles of writing.”

“If the expectation is that our students excel in a rigorous academic environment that focuses on process and thinking skills, then professional development opportunities should provide teachers similar experiences,” said Makins. “We are honored to be working with TCU Extended Education on this endeavor and are eager to launch this inaugural LIFTS program for fellow educators.”

The three-day institute will be divided into grade level groups (5th/6th, 7th and 8th) each with their own content topic: earth science, biomechanics/forces of motion in sports, and circuits respectively. Workshops will focus on teaching strategies as well as hands on activities. Time each afternoon will be dedicated to discussion, application of content learned, and how the day’s content could be utilized when crafting lesson plans.

Registration for The LIFTS Institute workshop will open on April 2, 2015. Visit www.ap.tcu.edu for a complete training schedule and to register.

Gravatar

For high school students at Parish Episcopal School, their participation in the school’s Leadership Institute isn’t just for credit; it’s a potential career and life changing experience.

The Parish Leadership Institute was developed as an Upper School component of ParishLeads, the School’s embedded leadership programming aimed at creating young people of impact at every grade level, PreK-12. Each year approximately 20 Parish freshman, who have a deeper interest in and wish to elevate their study and application of leadership to a higher level, are invited to participate in the Institute with the intent of building a deeper self-awareness of their talents and passions. The students are taught to sharpen their skills for inspiring and enabling themselves and others to think bigger and act bolder, while identifying how they can use their talents, passions and leadership skills to achieve lasting results.

Students accepted into the Leadership Institute commit to three years of leadership coursework, experiential activities and workshops, and a culminating LEAD project. Likewise, a key component of the three year program is each student being matched with a Professional Mentor, providing the opportunity to be exposed and learn from respected and accomplished leaders throughout the Dallas community.

The select group of successful professional mentors (executives, business owners, board members, community leaders, etc.) are prepared to help students learn how to foster meaningful, long-term relationships in the community, as well help guide them through the activities and LEAD projects along the way. The learning experience that students gain from their “real world” sponsor and the access and understanding of how a network of support can make a broader impact is invaluable, as is the lasting relationships built between the student and mentor. 

We got to catch up with several current Leadership Institute juniors and their mentors at a recent LEAD project showcase presented to Institute members, mentors and Head of School, Dave Monaco.

Maxwell Zucker, a Parish tennis player who has a vision for Parish tennis facilities, was partnered with Dan Collins, a Dallas business executive and Parish parent. 

“Maxwell is fearless, and has the same sense of the possible that I do,” said Collins. “There are no limits to what he sees and I am thrilled to walk him through this process.”

Maxwell said having Collins as a mentor was an inspiration, and they had a connection right away at the mentor mixer. “He has given me such great advice, and his career and leadership helped me so much,” said Maxwell.

M204201_Mentor2Title.gifThomas “TC” Monaco, who was presenting a plan to develop a leadership academy for KIPP students (Knowledge is Power Program for underserved communities) implemented through a basketball workshop to promote interest, is partnered with Parish parent and board member Bud Applebaum of Wingate Partners. Applebaum said he was honored to be TC’s mentor, and would love to see TC use everything he learns from this project to impact others in a positive way.

“I have known Mr. Applebaum for many years, and it was an easy choice and great fit to have him as my mentor,” said TC.

Mei Lynn Colby, who developed a Day Camp leadership program for Family Gateway is matched with Parish parent and executive coach Danya Casey. According to Mei Lynn, she not only gained a business advisor, but a friendship she is honored to have.

“There is just this great connection with us,” Mei Lynn said of Casey. “We are so much alike and she has made this an absolutely unforgettable experience.”

“I hope she takes so much from this experience, but most importantly to never give up,” said Casey. “She has had such a tough time reaching the right people to help with her initiative, and I’ve told her to be persistent, keep looking for alternate access points when one doesn’t work.”

The goal behind this mentoring program at Parish is to create possibilities for Parish students, provide role models, spark the confidence needed to be in a position of leadership and show them how to plan and implement complex project plans and strategies at a young age. In their mentor meetings and workshops, students are given advice, guidance and encouraged to develop independent responsibility for overall leadership success.

Students also play an active role in the mentor selection process by suggesting potential mentors who they feel would have an interest and be strong contributors. Head of School Dave Monaco, who teaches a course in the Parish Leadership Institute, is proud of this class and the results of their hard work as well as for the dedication from the mentors themselves.

“All but two of this year’s mentors are Parish parents,” said Monaco. “It’s encouraging to both program administrators and the students to see such passion from our parents and friends of Parish to support our students in such a meaningful and life changing way.” 

Gravatar

For high school students at Parish Episcopal School, their participation in the school’s Leadership Institute isn’t just for credit; it’s a potential career and life changing experience.

The Parish Leadership Institute was developed as an Upper School component of ParishLeads, the School’s embedded leadership programming aimed at creating young people of impact at every grade level, PreK-12. Each year approximately 20 Parish freshman, who have a deeper interest in and wish to elevate their study and application of leadership to a higher level, are invited to participate in the Institute with the intent of building a deeper self-awareness of their talents and passions. The students are taught to sharpen their skills for inspiring and enabling themselves and others to think bigger and act bolder, while identifying how they can use their talents, passions and leadership skills to achieve lasting results.

Students accepted into the Leadership Institute commit to three years of leadership coursework, experiential activities and workshops, and a culminating LEAD project. Likewise, a key component of the three year program is each student being matched with a Professional Mentor, providing the opportunity to be exposed and learn from respected and accomplished leaders throughout the Dallas community.

The select group of successful professional mentors (executives, business owners, board members, community leaders, etc.) are prepared to help students learn how to foster meaningful, long-term relationships in the community, as well help guide them through the activities and LEAD projects along the way. The learning experience that students gain from their “real world” sponsor and the access and understanding of how a network of support can make a broader impact is invaluable, as is the lasting relationships built between the student and mentor. 

We got to catch up with several current Leadership Institute juniors and their mentors at a recent LEAD project showcase presented to Institute members, mentors and Head of School, Dave Monaco.

Maxwell Zucker, a Parish tennis player who has a vision for Parish tennis facilities, was partnered with Dan Collins, a Dallas business executive and Parish parent. 

“Maxwell is fearless, and has the same sense of the possible that I do,” said Collins. “There are no limits to what he sees and I am thrilled to walk him through this process.”

Maxwell said having Collins as a mentor was an inspiration, and they had a connection right away at the mentor mixer. “He has given me such great advice, and his career and leadership helped me so much,” said Maxwell.

M204201_Mentor2Title.gifThomas “TC” Monaco, who was presenting a plan to develop a leadership academy for KIPP students (Knowledge is Power Program for underserved communities) implemented through a basketball workshop to promote interest, is partnered with Parish parent and board member Bud Applebaum of Wingate Partners. Applebaum said he was honored to be TC’s mentor, and would love to see TC use everything he learns from this project to impact others in a positive way.

“I have known Mr. Applebaum for many years, and it was an easy choice and great fit to have him as my mentor,” said TC.

Mei Lynn Colby, who developed a Day Camp leadership program for Family Gateway is matched with Parish parent and executive coach Danya Casey. According to Mei Lynn, she not only gained a business advisor, but a friendship she is honored to have.

“There is just this great connection with us,” Mei Lynn said of Casey. “We are so much alike and she has made this an absolutely unforgettable experience.”

“I hope she takes so much from this experience, but most importantly to never give up,” said Casey. “She has had such a tough time reaching the right people to help with her initiative, and I’ve told her to be persistent, keep looking for alternate access points when one doesn’t work.”

The goal behind this mentoring program at Parish is to create possibilities for Parish students, provide role models, spark the confidence needed to be in a position of leadership and show them how to plan and implement complex project plans and strategies at a young age. In their mentor meetings and workshops, students are given advice, guidance and encouraged to develop independent responsibility for overall leadership success.

Students also play an active role in the mentor selection process by suggesting potential mentors who they feel would have an interest and be strong contributors. Head of School Dave Monaco, who teaches a course in the Parish Leadership Institute, is proud of this class and the results of their hard work as well as for the dedication from the mentors themselves.

“All but two of this year’s mentors are Parish parents,” said Monaco. “It’s encouraging to both program administrators and the students to see such passion from our parents and friends of Parish to support our students in such a meaningful and life changing way.” 

Gravatar
Pin on Pinterest

The Parish Rosettes Drill Team presented their annual Rosettes Winter Show at the historic Majestic Theater in downtown Dallas. Photographed by Wiley Williams and choreographed by Dru Stine, the show featured several numbers by the Rosettes with special appearances from the Parish Drum Line, Upper School Choir, Upper School Musical SPELLING BEE, Upper School dance classes, 7th and 8th grade dance classes and more. To view the full photo gallery, click here.

Gravatar
Pin on Pinterest

M203373_Washington_DC_2015_Trip_Photo_1.JPG.jpg

The Parish Episcopal 8th grade class had an experience filled  four day trip to the Washington, D.C. area. While in the District, the students saw the Hope Diamond and other natural wonders at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. They also explored the history of journalism at the Newseum and stood toe to nose with Discovery space shuttle and the Enola Gay at the Udvar-Hazy National Air & Space Museum at Dulles Airport. The 8th grade class visited Washington National Cathedral and toured the United States Capitol. Students paid their respects to our nation’s soldiers with visits to the Korean War Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial and Iwo Jima memorials. During their visit they walked the hallowed grounds of the Gettysburg Battlefield and Arlington National Cemetery. Four students from the class (pictured right) represented Parish as the official student honor guard and presented a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier following the Changing of the Guard ceremony. The action packed week was made interesting by the ever present winter weather, but all returned home safely with fun memories and an appreciation for all of those who have given much in service to our country.

Gravatar
Pin on Pinterest
 
Parish Episcopal School is proud to be a sponsor of the DFW South Asian Film Festival (SAFF), held February 27-March 1, 2015 at the Angelika Theater in Plano. 

Head of School Dave Monaco will speak during the introduction of the closing night feature film "Rough Book." This movie takes a hard look at the education system in India in 2014, and is told through the eyes of a teacher who rallies through a divorce with a corrupt income tax officer to become a Physics teacher. Her pupils are in the D division - "D" sarcastically referred to as 'duffers' within the school by both the students and other teachers. Find out how the teacher rebels against the system to fight for her students so they can pass the entrance examinations into the Indian Institute of Technology. 

Parish is excited about this partnership, and would like to thank current parent Ami Doshi for making this connection. The DFW SAFF will showcase Texas premieres of features, shorts and documentaries, all chosen to engage, educate and inspire audiences. They have chosen a wide range of films exploring issues that affect South Asians living and working in America, as well as in South Asia. 

We hope you can join Parish at the Film Festival in support of the DFW SAFF vision – “to promote the perspectives and voices of the South Asian community by serving, organizing and advocating South Asian culture in the Greater Dallas Metroplex area through cinema.” 

Rough Book (Closing Night Feature Film) 
Sunday, March 1, 2015
4:30 p.m. - 6:45 p.m. 
Tickets are now available HERE.

A complete list of films being shown can be found at http://www.dfwsaff.com/films/

Gravatar
Pin on Pinterest

Parish Episcopal 5th grade student Abby J. donated a very special painting, 18 months in the works, to Medical City Children's Hospital. Abby began the concept of the piece in 1st grade when she was taking art from Ruth Keefer, Lower School Art teacher at Parish. Recently Ruth helped her to transfer the image to a larger 20 x 30 canvas so that it could hang prominently in the Hospital.

The project dates back to 2013, when Abby hoped to expand her artistic abilities and her mother looked to Keefer, her first Parish art teacher, for guidance. During her years on the Hillcrest Campus, Abby developed a connection with Mrs. Keefer that culminated in a trip to New York City to view Abby's Panda Bear ink illustration briefly on display at The Big Screen Plaza.

Abby's exceptional relationship with Mrs. Keefer was quickly rekindled as they began a series of private lessons through the ParishEXTEND program to expand Abby’s passion for art and her artistic sensibilities. After working with Abby for several weeks on the Midway campus, Mrs. Keefer presented a community service opportunity to Mrs. Jackson and Abby immediately accepted. Mrs. Keefer proposed that Abby recreate a prior, original work into a large canvas painting to be donated to a local hospital for permanent display. 

This inspiring goal came to fruition over the next 18 months as Mrs. Keefer volunteered her time and Abby applied new capabilities and skill refinement from her prior work to her large-scale painting. Her new color palette is more sophisticated, and her depiction of  animals, objects and girl have advanced due to years of instruction. Mrs. Keefer feels honored to have had an opportunity to mentor Abby during this community service project, not only because of Abby’s obvious talent, but because of her dedication to her craft.

Nicole and Sheryl Jutras, regular art volunteers at our Hillcrest campus, facilitated the placement of this large canvas work at Medical City Children's Hospital. In the past, the Jutras family had identified an opportunity to host a collection of ceramic L.O.V.E. tiles (first grade work, class of 2025) at the hospital and they were again quick to support a young Parish Arts project when Mrs. Keefer approached them with plans for placement of this community service painting.

Mrs. Keefer has been documenting student works on Artsonia, an electronic kid’s museum, since 2010. Each second grade student's masterpiece from the 2011 second grade ‘Imaginary Pet' works, may be viewed here:

http://www.artsonia.com/museum/gallery.asp?exhibit=419418

Gravatar
Pin on Pinterest

Parish Robotics competed in the FIRST Tech Challenge competition on Saturday, January 17th at The University of Texas at Dallas. Thirty-two teams of high school students from all over the metroplex competed in the tournament, and Parish won the Rockwell Collins Innovate award for their creative robot design. the team also placed as the 3rd ranked team coming out of the qualification rounds. The students advanced all the way to the finals and pushed the winning team to a 3rd winner take all match before being eliminated. In recognition of their performance in the judged awards and the robot competition, Parish earned the right to advance to the Southwest Regional Championship Tournament to be held at UT Arlington in February. To watch a video of one of their matches, click here.

Pictured: Coach Dave Cribbs, team members Drew Rusten (10), Bailey Robinson(9) and Armon Naeini (12), Coach Kat Baker.

Gravatar
Pin on Pinterest
As a part of their community service focus on Elders and Veterans, the 8th grade students from Parish Episcopal visited Highland Springs Retirement Community on January 7th. Each 8th grade advisory visits and brings an activity to do together with the residents. Some of the activities include memory collages, a kerplunk game and creating advent calendars. In these photos from the advisory group that visited this week, students helped make horoscopes to hang on the resident's bedroom doors to start off the new year.

Click here to view the photo gallery.