May 27, 2016
Dear Parents of Upper Learning Students,
The month of May is coming to a close, and with it comes my last letter to you as the principal of Upper Learning. Early May was punctuated with many activities which heralded the end of the school year.
One hundred and four students (about a third of the student body) took 141 Advanced Placement exams in 19 subjects during the first two weeks of May. Again I thank the Rev. Patricia Templeton, rector of St. Dunstan Episcopal Church, for allowing Galloway students to take their national tests at the church's facilities. Prom was successful; parents and students alike enjoyed the photo session in the Courtyard. I thank Felicia McCrary and Lisa Lindgren for organizing and planning the dance and for recruiting faculty chaperones who ensured a safe environment at the dance venue and at the school-sponsored post-prom party until 6:00 am. We celebrated academic achievement at the Honors Assembly. And the athletics department presented a spirited Sports Banquet.
In early May four students participated in the state meet for track and field, Samantha Krinsky in the 1600, Luke Murray in both 1600 and the 3200, Charlie Pike in the 800, and Meredith Potts in the Long Jump. All of these student athletes will return to compete for The Galloway School next year.
Last night we celebrated Graduation. Sixty-three seniors will progress to fifty-three different colleges and universities in twenty-two states, DC, Canada, and Israel. Many thanks to Robert Zapotocky and Ann Fountain, the college guidance counselors, for helping the seniors proceed to the world beyond The Galloway School.
The Graduation ceremony was moving, as always. Thanks go to everyone who assured the success of Graduation, chief among them the parent chairs of the Graduation Committee, Julia Mahood and Penina Richards, and the army of junior parents who planned, organized, decorated, baked, served, chauffeured, and (as I write) cleaned up the Green; thanks to all.
Upper Learning students have completed a week of exams. We call the last day of school, "Celebrate Galloway!" The students spent some time in advisory, cleaned out their lockers, helped their teachers prepare their classrooms in the Gresham Building for summer projects, signed yearbooks, and enjoyed each other's company before leaving for the summer vacation.
Dr. Lois Hertz has worked on students' schedules for next year. She will email them during the week of June 13. She will be on campus through June 24 to adjust schedules, when necessary; after that date, your students will need to contact her via the school's gmail.
Eight teachers will leave Upper Learning at the end of the school year. After one year at Galloway, Dr. Nadja Aquino, the Pre-Calculus teacher, will continue her teaching career at Holy Innocents Episcopal School. After fourteen years at Galloway, Mark Gerl will serve as the Innovation Director in the first year of the Fulton Academy of Science and Technology. After eighteen years of teaching Spanish, Maria Gonzalez will teach at Mill Springs Academy next year. J Scott McNair, after eight years as theater director, has moved to Colorado where she will enact the role of grandmother for twins. Isaac Ramsey, for six years the technical theater director, will become a professor in a tenure-track position at Georgia College. After a total of ten years at Galloway, seven as a Middle Learning English teacher and three years as the Upper Learning Assistant Principal, Judd Redmond will serve as the Middle School Principal at Westminster School in Oklahoma City. And after two years in Upper Learning, Rosie Shields will teach Spanish in Early Learning.
One teacher will formally retire, Howell Kiser. He has taught at Galloway for thirty-seven years. Mr. Kiser has taught English and Photography, sponsored the yearbook, and coached the tennis team during his tenure at the school. We wish him a fond farewell as he plans to retire to a cabin in the north Georgia mountains.
The school has hired seven new teachers; we are still interviewing for the technology position.
Megan Cramer, an undergraduate theater major at Wake Forest University, will join the faculty as the new theater director. For more than the past decade, Ms. Cramer has worked at the Alliance Theater and the Grady Playmakers Workshop, both in Atlanta; and as a drama teacher at Avenues: the World School and as Associate Artistic Director at the 52nd Street Project, both in New York City.
Sr. Jesus Martinez-Saldana will be one of two new Spanish teachers. A native of Cuba, Sr. Martinez-Saldana graduated from the University of Havana and earned a graduate degree from the University of Salamanca. Since 2004 he has taught at Clarkston High School, Sprayberry High School, and Decatur High School, with extensive experience in all levels of high school Spanish and the International Baccalaureate curriculum.
Lori Hetherington will teach upper level mathematics. She earned an undergraduate degree in Mathematics from Oglethorpe University and a graduate degree in Economics from Clemson University. She has taught upper level mathematics courses at Marietta High School and Alpharetta High School, spending the past year working as an individual math instructor for patients at Children's Health Care of Atlanta.
Roberta Osorio will serve as the new Assistant Principal. Her undergraduate degree is from Columbia University; she has earned the Ed.M. from Harvard University. Mrs. Osario has worked at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York, one of the great progressive schools in the country. Most recently Mrs. Osorio has worked at the Swift School in Roswell.
Dr. Rosie Seagraves, another Spanish teacher, earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware and both her MA and PhD from Vanderbilt University. For five years she has taught Spanish classes at Vanderbilt University, Emory University, and Tougaloo College; her students have included undergraduates and high school students taking college enrichment courses.
Dr. John Steen earned his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill and his PhD at Emory University. He has taught undergraduate composition and literature courses at Emory, Oklahoma State University, and East Carolina University. He will join the faculty as an English teacher.
Robert Upton earned an undergraduate degree in drama from Jacksonville State University; he will join Galloway as the new technical theater director. He has worked in schools in Cumming, Georgia, as well as at the Georgia Shakespeare Festival, the Alliance Theater, and the Gainesville Theater Alliance.
Galloway students will be active during the summer. Dr. Matt Vieron, the Latin teacher, and LaRita Williams, a science teacher, will take a group of students to Greece this summer; most of the trip will be on a cruise exploring the Greek islands. Mme. Scottie Belfie, the French teacher, and Devin Allen, the visual arts teacher, will chaperone students on a visit to France. Galloway has two students going to the Governor's Honors Program, Samantha Hartz in French and Saachi Datta in Science. When Ms. Williams returns from Europe, she will work as Chemistry instructor in the Governor's Honors program.
The following sports camps take place during the summer; call Josh Burr or Kiesha Brown in the athletics department for more information:
May 31-June 3 Galloway basketball camp, 9a-12p
June 9- 13 Galloway Volleyball camp, 9a-12p
June 20-23 BankShot basketball camp (headed by Coach Kiesha Brown),
9a-12:30p
June 27-July 1 Soccer camp, 9a-12p
August 1-5 Ultimate Frisbee camp, 9a-12p
I wish to thank three parents who have served as the liaisons between Upper Learning and the Parents' Association this year, Kelly Norris Bouska, Susan Lisenby, and Joye Solomon. I meet with them and the contact parents each quarter; they have been instrumental in planning UL activities throughout the year.
Thirty years ago Elliott Galloway hired me to teach history at The Galloway School. I have often said that I was seduced by his vision of a school where all students can learn and progress at their own speed. Thirty years ago I was impressed by the focus on each individual student at Galloway; during my tenure of twenty-two years as principal of Upper Learning I have tried to sustain that vision. I have worked under each head of the school. From Dr. Joe Richardson I learned the phrase, "High expectations, low anxiety." Dr. Linda Martinson taught me that The Galloway School is a trust-based community. Tom Brereton was the first head to emphasize that fifty percent of each graduating class attended a first- or second-tier college; his observation gave confidence to the greater Galloway community about the effectiveness of the school's approach to learning. Dr. Beth Farokhi told me, "Plan for success;" Upper Learning has witnessed that success in the increased number of applications into the high school, more than 120 this year. I say, "We must be doing something right!" Suzanna Jemsby has brought clarity to "the Galloway Way" by instituting the language of "4D" – "Daring, Deliberate, Dynamic, Discovery." I have enjoyed working under all of the leaders of The Galloway School.
I also have enjoyed serving the Galloway community as principal of Upper Learning. I look forward to working with many of you in my new role as Head of Community Engagement. I wish you all a relaxing summer vacation; see you in the fall.
Sincerely,
Gordon Mathis
Principal, Upper Learning