“There was a real blue jay mama outside of the studio giving flight lessons to her young. I couldn’t even get my head out the door, that’s how protective she was. A few of us watched the little bird hop, unable to fly while the mom flew in a circle. Eventually, it did make it…
Read More from Art Mimics Life Through Visual Representation of Belonging
How might we develop community and belonging in Middle School? Community time in Middle School is an opportunity for students to hear their peers’ stories and lean into each other’s knowledge and backgrounds. It’s also a time to reinforce Mount Vernon’s mindsets and values as part of a collective commitment to meeting the mission. To…
Read More from Fostering Cultural Awareness and Understanding
iProject Mini is off to an impressive start. Since the last update, Grades 3 – 5 students have formed groups based on their expressed interests and have progressed into the individual steps in completing their group objectives. On Thursday, topic teams chatted with an MVXpert – parent, grandparent, alum, or other connection brought in to…
Read More from Bringing Real-World Experiences to iProject Mini
This year’s theater debut, MV Studios’ take on Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility was a rousing success! This adaptation had dozens of small Mount Vernon-ized facets like music selection and color design that without being pointed out, an audience member might not recognize as deviations from the original play. Since the beginning of the school…
How might we foster student storytelling? Truth is always more interesting than fiction, at least this was the case for three Upper School students in Marie Graham’s The Secrets of the CIA & FBI, a humanities course combining a study of history with modern American challenges around intelligence collection. The course focuses on increasing writing,…
How Might We Foster Connection Across Campuses? For many years Mount Vernon has had an end-of-year tradition known as the Senior Salute, where on the eve of baccalaureate, graduating seniors dressed in their caps and gowns parade through the Lower Campus to cheers and high fives from younger Mustangs. Starting in August, as a way…
Read More from Fostering Meaningful Connections Across Campuses
Mount Vernon is committed to fostering student-led change by creating an environment where students can make a significant impact on the learning experience. Through the Upper School Prefect System, students have been serving the School since 2009. This unique form of student leadership empowers juniors and seniors chosen for their high character, exceptional integrity and…
Sarah Royal joined Mount Vernon in June with a dual role, she acts as the School’s in-house Director of Web Development and Digital Experience and is an Upper School faculty member teaching User Experience (UX) Strategy Design in Mod 1 and 3. With a master’s degree in Business and Technology from The University of Georgia…
National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15 in the United States and recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of our country. At Mount Vernon, we celebrated in a variety of ways. Spanish language teachers designed specific projects focusing on Hispanic culture, while…
What if students could choose what they learned about? What if students could explore their passions and curiosities at school? What if students could be in collaborative groups with teachers and students with similar interests? What if we entrusted them to befriend how they learn, to navigate certain questions on their own, and to find…
Read More from iProject Mini Makes Its Debut On Lower Campus