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Priorities of the
Upper Elementary Division
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Appreciation of Individual Excellence
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Philosophy of Gentle Guidance
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Creation of “Communities of Excellence”
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Strengthening of foundation built during primary years
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Fostering exploration of individual talents
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Every Decision with the Child in Mind
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Contact Information
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Dr. Lynda Csaszar
Head of Upper Elementary School Division
Parish Episcopal School
4101 Sigma Road
Dallas, Texas 75244
(972) 852-8778
email
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Message from Dr. Csaszar
September 2007
The only way to live is to accept each minute as an unrepeatable miracle, which is exactly what it is: a miracle and unrepeatable. - Storm Jameson
Dear Parents of Students in Grades Three and Four,
Of all of my newsletters, this writing is probably the most significant because it presents concepts about our vision in the Upper Elementary Division. For that reason, I plan to update and provide this information to parents on a yearly basis. The points written about, herein, are the over-arching concepts that inspire us, and we hope you will share our enthusiasm.
Mike Connor, an expert in education marketing and owner of Connor Associates, made a presentation to faculty and staff members last year that I think was significant. I, personally, was greatly moved when he spoke about the importance of communicating our vision on behalf of Parish. He went to great lengths to enlighten us in how influential we can be in that communication. He emphasized that spreading our vision can strengthen the bonds we all share while raising our presence in the community. This newsletter is a contribution to that communication process, and it is my hope that it will serve as a step toward encouraging the furtherance of the mission of both the Upper Elementary Division and Parish Episcopal School.
Three points of emphasis:
1) Who we are
2) What we stand for
3) Why it matters
Who are we?
The essence of who we are can be found in the School’s philosophy and mission as stated below.
Philosophy: We are “a school community rooted in the Episcopal Tradition.”
Mission: “The mission of Parish Episcopal School is to provide an enriching and challenging educational experience within a Christian community of service and worship.”
You may be asking yourself the question, “What is the Episcopal Tradition?” Our own Upper School faculty member, Dr. Frederick Hotz, describes it eloquently as “the handing over of the search for truth.” He states that “education becomes the process of realizing the potential within each student that God has ordained.” Isn’t that wonderful? When I read that in our Strategic Plan, I could not help but feel charged to promote the furtherance of God’s unique purpose for each individual. It is a good purpose to have while we continue to strive to fulfill Parish’s longstanding mission. I am proud of the fact that we have a philosophy that is welcoming, and it is easy to see that it sets us apart!
So when I talk about who we are, I like to make a point of including our philosophy, our mission, and the added fact that we strive to be a community of excellence emphasizing the balanced development of the whole child. All of these points can be found in Parish’s Strategic Plan.
What do we stand for?
Below are some of the significant concepts that we stand for in the Upper Elementary Division and, of course, much of this applies across divisions at Parish. We have developed action steps centered on each of the points mentioned, and I look forward to sharing those steps at my next Coffee in September.
The Episcopal Tradition – We strive to strengthen our own faith and to learn about faiths around the world.
Superior and competitive academics – We strive to challenge our students to “reach” for their potential.
Effective communication – We do our best to provide communication that is effective via multiple avenues.
Excellence in Action – We encourage excellence in leadership, community service, and personal responsibility via our Excellence in Action program.
Exploration of individual talent and leadership abilities – We endeavor to help students discover their God given talents and leadership abilities via events and activities that are both fun and meaningful.
Visual & Performing Arts – We strive to enrich students’ lives via our programs in art and music.
Foreign language and culture – We strive to strengthen students’ abilities to utilize Spanish in the upper elementary division, and we strive to increase their awareness and appreciation of diverse cultures in the world.
Technology – We strive to provide the experiences students need to develop a high level of expertise with technology.
Study Skills – We make every effort to provide students with the tools they will need to study effectively.
Manners – We strive to encourage good manners in all students and to provide lessons that build both character and integrity.
Responsibility – We endeavor to teach students about the outcomes that result from both effective and ineffective choices so that they can internalize the desire to make good choices.
Smooth transitions – We endeavor to provide smoother transitions across grades, campuses, and divisions.
Team building – We strive to build communities of excellence that function as cooperative and effective teams.
Success experiences – We strive to create experiences that lead to success for students and to make them feel like winners!
Balanced development – We strive for balance as we create and implement programs to develop the mind, body, and spirit.
Why does it matter?
Mike Connor states that “students need to succeed in the world they will inherit,” and that statement is the essence of “why it matters.” The skills students need to function in the future places new demands upon all of us, and the responsibility of preparing them is truly awesome! The points mentioned above represent a focus toward that end for all of us in the Upper Elementary Division, and we are constantly updating our actions designed to prepare students to function in a world that is connected, collaborative, innovative, and globalized.
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