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All-School eNews | March 8, 2019

FEATURED STORY:

The Challenges of Adolescence
By Damian Hermann, Head of School

 
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I have two children, an almost 19-year-old son, who is in his second semester at Drexel University, and a 17-year-old daughter, who is completing her senior year and will be off to college next year. I often tell parents of young children that parenting is fun, parenting is hard, and, for me, it has yet to get any easier.


I often bemoan how difficult it is to parent through pre-adolescence (11-12 years old) to late adolescence (18-20 years old). Emotional swings, self-centeredness, and irrational thinking illuminate the biological, social, and emotional developmental tasks that we as parents are challenged to support. Well, if you think they are difficult to support as parents, imagine how tough it is for our adolescent children.


I'm not a perfect parent. Sometimes I respond to my children with frustration and anger and sometimes I am much more understanding and responsive. I do know that when I allow myself to stay detached from his or her emotion, I'm able to be more responsive. To do so, I've been imagining myself as the receptacle for his or her positive and negative energy. The negative energy is difficult to detach from; I just have to keep my mouth shut and listen, which is not always as easy as it sounds. If the opportunity arises at the end, I might say, "That sounds really hard. Is there anything I can do to help?" Giving him or her a chance to vent is often all it takes, and when my offer of help is accepted, I know he or she is really listening.


Adolescence is filled with so many challenges, and when our children are living and experiencing these challenges, it is hard to stay positive. I've started asking my daughter to give me five positives before she gives me a negative. This has been hard, but it is starting to work, and I'm encouraged by the power of this simple and intentional edit to our daily talks. At the DASH breakfast Wednesday (pictured above), I talked to a dad that says he is in charge of wake-up every morning, and he is focused on waking up his children every day with great love. I was struck again by the impact of the simple and intentional ways we can lovingly communicate to our children to cultivate meaningful connection amidst the ups and downs of daily life. Speaking for myself, I can tell you that I love my children infinitely, but my daily grind often gets in the way of this kind of intentionality.


Parenting is difficult and taking advantage of every available resource is key. Please consider joining us for the film, Angst, on Tuesday, March 12 at 7 p.m. After the evening viewing, we have an panel of experts who will lead an audience discussion and answer questions. The middle school and Upper School students will view the film during the school day, and will have the opportunity to process their reactions in small groups afterward.  


Finally, here is a New York Times article that offers a great tool for understanding and supporting your child through the emotional storms of the adolescent brain. Have a great weekend - I hope to see many of you at The Secret Garden Gala tomorrow night!

 
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Poetry Out Loud Tournament
By Patricia Kearney, Upper School educator

 
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Congratulations to Sofia DeSanto '20, who represented our school at the 2019 Poetry Out Loud Tournament in Lasing this past weekend. It was a fabulous experience of meeting students from all over Michigan, even as far away as Houghton and Traverse City! With six judges, including professors from U of M and Michigan State and the Poet Laureate, Sofia competed in two rounds, reciting selected poetry that she memorized and interpreted. At dinner, we were treated to words of wisdom from our Poet Laureate and the reading of some of his poetry, and then both students and teachers engaged in poetry classes given by college professors and published poets. There can't be a better way to spend a cold, Michigan, winter weekend than basking in the warmth of poetry!

From the Formation to Mission Team

 
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The holy season of Lent began on Ash Wednesday, March 6. As this season continues, we have the opportunity to recall the great truth of the Christian faith: Jesus saved us through His death on the cross. 
 
Throughout Lent, the school community will be renewing our emphasis on espacio. Espacio is a Spanish word meaning space, and the practice of pausing for a few minutes of silent reflection each day is particularly appropriate given our Lenten theme: "Quiet Our Hearts." We hope you will join us - wherever you are - in quieting your heart and mind daily from 1:35-1:40 p.m.
 
Additionally, we invite you to join us for mass on Wednesday, March 20 at 9:30. The Archbishop will be visiting Academy of the Sacred Heart; his visit was rescheduled due to a snow day, and we are delighted he is able to join us. Please plan to attend! Following the liturgy, he will tour the school and meet with groups of students. 

Teaching & Learning Across the Curriculum
By Greg Palmer, Upper School science educator

 
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Imagine a class where there are students and teachers sharing ideas on a single topic from multiple disciplinary areas. Imagine a class where the schedule provides for extended class periods (80-minute blocks) within which students and teachers are able to delve into discussions, fully experience hands-on learning without interruption, and engage in inquiry-based learning. Although this seems Utopian, here in the Upper School, the faculty and staff are a community of learners in relationship and partnership with one another. We are always looking for opportunities to partner with one another in order to design meaningful learning experiences. This cross-curricular learning opportunity deepens learning for each individual.


During the first semester, Mr. Larry Kearney (social studies) and I teamed up during a two-week cat dissection in Honors Anatomy and Physiology. By having two teachers from different disciplines in the lab at the same time, both with a great depth of knowledge in their respective topics, students were given the opportunity to point out more detail during the dissection, ask more questions, and receive more direct one-on-one instruction. Before the dissection began, Mr. Kearney and I embarked on a deep philosophical discussion with students regarding where the animals are sourced from and how we as anatomists must ethically treat the specimen. The discussion centered around the idea that the animal's body was a gift that allowed the student to learn.


At the beginning of the second semester, Mr. Greg Nickel (math) and I brought the Probability and Statistics class and Advanced Biology class (seniors, pictured above) together for a Hardy-Weinberg lab on two different occasions. The purpose of this lab was to calculate the frequency of alleles (genes) in a population and how they present themselves as traits or autosomal disorders within a given population. It required some hands-on gene exchange and the use of two different equilibriums to calculate the results.


Finally, Mr. Kearney, Mr. Nickel and I came together in Economics to discuss the topic of "inequality" from multiple vantage points. Mr. Kearney had a prior discussion in his economics class about types of inequalities. In this seminar-style session, Mr. Nickel presented the idea of the GINI Index, which helps to create a score of inequality in the distribution of income for a specific society. The GINI Index is only a score or a way of evaluating inequality, not a policy position. I presented my thesis on inequality through a scientific perspective, with a discussion about geographic luck, disease, and technological development. Students asked questions across the curriculum which fostered deeper understandings on all of the subjects.


Cross-curricular teaching allows for deeper learning, requires enthusiastic teaching partners, intense preparation, an assessment that mirrors learning, and collaboration. (Ben Johnson, Edutopia, 2014). This type of learning and teaching is something some dream about; however, here at ASH, we implement it through the enthusiasm of faculty who are highly engaged in student learning and outcomes.

 

NURSE'S NOTES

Fiber Facts

One of the most common complaints in the nurse's office is a tummy ache. I ask students, "Do you feel like you are going to vomit or does your stomach hurt?" Most often, their tummies hurt. My most common recommendation is to drink some water and to try to use the restroom.

 

Many children will report stomachaches if they don't have enough fiber in their diet. Most Americans don't eat enough fiber. According to an article written by the University of California - San Francisco, the average American only consumes 15 grams of fiber a day. The recommended daily amount for adults is 25-30 grams. Children should consume 14-31 grams of fiber a day. Let's be honest … children can be picky eaters. They tend to choose low-fiber foods and starches, such as crackers, pasta, breads and cookies.

 

Fiber and water are necessary for good digestive health. They keep the digestive tract moving and prevent constipation. Fiber is a material from plant cells that cannot be broken down by enzymes in the human digestive tract. It fills you up and promotes normal movement of intestinal contents. It also nurtures the good bacteria in our intestinal tract.

 

Having a fiber-rich diet not only aids in regularity and preventing tummy aches, but the long-term benefits of eating adequate amounts of fiber lowers the risk of major diseases as an adult. Eating a fiber-rich diet from an early age can decrease the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and colon cancer.

 

Some high-fiber foods that your child might enjoy are:

  • Apples and pears (with the peel)
  • Oatmeal
  • Beans
  • Whole grain bread, pasta and English muffins
  • Berries (raspberries are believed to have the most fiber)
  • Yogurt

 

Click here for an article regarding the importance of fiber in a child's diet with some recipes that are child-friendly.

ENRICHMENT UPDATE

Conference Play Days & Kids' Night Out

 
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Don't forget school will not be in session during conferences for Primary, Lower School, KH and MSG on Thursday and Friday, March 14 and 15. Register for full-day Play Days here!

 

Cache-Cache Mania! Register now for this student-favorite group hide-and-seek game. Primary cache-cache is today, Friday, March 8. LS/KH/MSG cache-cache is on Friday, March 22. Click here to register for Cache-Cache.

 

Kids' Night Out – Parents get a night OFF when kids get a night OUT. Kids' Night Out runs from 6:30-10:30 p.m. on Friday, March 22, with dinner provided. It is an all-encompassing evening of age-appropriate activities designed to keep kids active and busy while having FUN! We go outside if possible, so dress appropriately. Registration is online, but walk-ins are welcome at the Circle Drive beginning at 6:30 p.m. Register here for Kids' Night Out.

 

Summer at Sacred Heart – Registration for the 2019 summer camp season has started and many sessions are full. Themes and activities have been posted on the camp webpage, www.ashmi.org/summer. NEW this year, lunch is included in the cost of tuition!  You can reach out to Mr. Bob if you have any questions. Click here to register for summer camp.