Category Archives: Uncategorized

In this final episode drop in our Parent Teacher Conference season, we feature a conversation about the oh-so-fraught topic of academic performance, facilitated by Rachel Scott, our new Lower School Technology Integration Specialist.  Tune in to get some perspective-shifting wisdom from Rachel Rice (mom of five young saints spanning Foundations to fifth grade), real talkContinue reading “Final Episode of the Season: Parent Teacher Conference, Lower School Edition, Academic Performance”

Authored by Marty Kelly After falling down a rabbit hole of teacher memes, I saw this post on Instagram (I’m not cool enough for TikTok or savvy enough for Snapchat and certainly not young enough for either). This particular post was a picture someone offered of Work/Life Boundaries for teachers. “I will only enter gradesContinue reading “A Time to Be Tired”

Authored by Marty Kelly Matt with Middle Schoolers on Free Choice Friday Please don’t judge me, but I didn’t pick up a pandemic hobby. I mean, if gluttony counts, then absolutely I did. And, sure, I dyed my hair hot pink at one point, but other than that, I was quite the pandemic let down.Continue reading “Welcome to the Crossworld: Meet Your Guide, Dr. Matt Luter”

Fostering independence in three, four, and five year olds may sound like a paradox, but in this episode of Parent Teacher Conference, Kim Sewell (PK4 faculty member and mom of three not-so-tiny young adults) and Leslie Hambrick (parent to Jimbo, kindergarten, and Charlie, PK4) discuss the successes and challenges they have had both at homeContinue reading “(Ep. 3) Parent Teacher Conference, Early Childhood Edition: Fostering Independence at Home & School”

 This episode of “Parent Teacher Conference” takes us to the Upper School, where Emmi Sprayberry (chair of our arts department) facilitates a conversation with Raymond Huang, current senior; Tangela Chambers, mother to two upper school students (a senior and sophomore); and Dawn Denham, senior seminar English teacher.   High school is full of challenges…and for manyContinue reading “Inspire & Innovate’s “Parent Teacher Conference” Episode 2 Launch: The Power of a Story”

Wouldn’t it be nice to be a 2-year-old? Not having a worry in the world, being hilariously honest, and most importantly getting to be your true authentic self every day. Here at Foundations, no two days are ever alike and our students are full of surprises always keeping us on our toes. We wanted toContinue reading “Interviews with 2 Year-Olds”

Well, we just made it through parent teacher conference season here at St. Andrew’s. From all accounts, they were generative and collaborative conversations in which it was clear that parents, teachers, and admin are all part of the same team dedicated to supporting youth in their growth and abilities. In the spirit of those dialogues,Continue reading “Launch of Next Podcast Series: “Parent Teacher Conference” (Episode 1, Middle School & Positive Classroom Environments)”

“The 4th grade retreat is one of my favorite Lower School traditions each year because of the way it fosters teamwork, collaboration, communication skills, and self-awareness in our oldest lower school students. We’ve watched many of them grow through the years, and at the retreat, they have the time together to reflect on what itContinue reading “Fourth Grade Retreat Recap & Reflections”

Something I have always appreciated—and continue to hold dear about St. Andrew’s—is how much my colleagues and the students show gratitude and support for one another in various ways, from observing and learning from one another’s teaching, to little comments students make to show their appreciation for those who teach them.  To highlight these littleContinue reading “5th Grade Attitudes of Gratitude”

Sometimes, in the thick of things, we have to come up with innovative ideas to get students wrapped up in the lessons we teach or the books we’re reading. And as the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention, and coincidentally, invention and innovation both begin with the letter I and they’re synonymous, accordingContinue reading “Collaboration & Innovation with Mrs. King”

Authored by Marty Kelly Claire at work “Those who can, do; those who can’t, teach” is a laughable sentiment for most St. Andrew’s faculty, particularly for Claire Whitehurst, one of our Upper School art teachers and an artist herself. This SA alum (‘09) gets her artist blood honest–and got it early too. When a youngContinue reading “She Contains Multitudes: Meet Claire Whitehurst”

I don’t know about you, but when I used to teach middle and high school English, I felt the visceral weight of all that I wanted students to accomplish as a result of my class: vocabulary, speaking/listening, comprehension, literary devices, love for reading/writing, basic knowledge of literary canon, openness to diverse perspectives, writing, multimodal design,Continue reading “It Takes a Village: Resources on North Campus to Support Your Learning Goals”

I’ve heard it again and again from faculty. Different words, sure. Different tones, different rifts on the same melody. But the gist is the same: “Julie, I know you mean well, but I don’t have time to read those emails you send out.” “This year is somehow much more stressful than last year.” “Anytime youContinue reading “Let’s Be Real: What Teachers Need”

Contributed by Jessica Farris Meetings, meetings, meetings. Perhaps you, like early childhood music teacher Susan Lawler, are a natural at note-taking. Any time I see Suan jotting away on her yellow legal pad, I am intensely jealous – her notes thorough, her penmanship pristine. Her green Ward planners are just as thorough and perfectly catalogedContinue reading “The Art of Visual Note-taking”

So what exactly is going on with the lower school Makerspace and Tech lab? The newly reimagined Makerspace at the lower school is not just a place that houses a bunch of equipment (really cool equipment, no less), but a way for students to get hands-on and bring their learning to life. Makerspaces are beingContinue reading “Making Maker”

Some of you might be wondering, what is going on in Foundations? What type of learning takes place for the youngest members of the Saints Community? We are an Early Education program for infants to 2-year-olds and are bringing innovations to the way our students learn every day. We have been growing as a programContinue reading “Meet the Faculty in Foundations”

Posted by Marty Kelly Teacher, writer, singer, cyclist, traveler, and newest addition to St. Andrew’s Upper School English department, Dawn Denham is, above all, a storyteller. And an honest one at that. Despite the fact that she had been coming to Mississippi since she was 16, “I didn’t like Mississippi,” she told me. “I hadContinue reading “Meet and Greet (the) Dawn”

Posted by Marty Kelly Hi. I’m Marty. And I’m a hater of change. Like the U.S. Treasury. Okay so not that kind of change (but can’t we all agree that pennies are so over?). No, I’m talking about change change–of the sea variety. Like the time we moved houses in second grade right before ChristmasContinue reading “Room(s) for Improvement”

We end our mini-series, “Living it: Stories from the Teaching Life” with a laughter and truth-packed episode featuring two of my favorite humans (not to mention educators) in the Jackson Metro Area: Shamia Hopper & Lucy Kaplan.  I had the pleasure of working with both of them while at Millsaps College, and I can quiteContinue reading ““Do it Anyway”: Stories from two third year teachers”

This post was contributed by Emmi Sprayberry. This week’s podcast features Tonja Murphy, Community Engagement Coordinator for the Mississippi Book Festival. Tonja is an amazingly passionate and talented woman who uses her skills as author, consultant, and motivational speaker to give back and invest in the community of Jackson, MS. I first met Tonja atContinue reading ““Meeting Students Where They Are: Mentoring as Teaching” featuring Tonja Murphy”