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It’s tradition for us - when teachers return to school after the summer break they share with each other their summer professional development or simply what they’ve been learning as teachers. In the Portrait of a VCHS Teacher, we say it this way. We are lifelong learners and regularly evaluate and innovate our teaching. We hone our craft by being persistently curious, creative, and adaptive.
Summer is a great time for our teachers to do this but they’re actually doing it all the time. What follows are some of the recent activities showcasing how our teachers are continuous learners.
Since 2022 and with thanks to the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation we have provided Faculty Innovation Grants. Through them, Mrs. Baker was able to visit museums and historical sites in Atlanta and Montgomery to explore racial injustice and the Christian call for mercy and reconciliation. Mrs. Burner travelled to New York City to learn from leading experts on Using Evidence to Engage Learners, Transform Teaching, Innovate EdTech, and Empower Leaders.
Faculty are also working towards advanced degrees and certificates. Mrs. Irving is pursuing a MA in American History from Gettysburg College, a program that partners with The Gilder Lehman Institute of American History. Last summer, this included attending a week-long seminar called Statesmanship in American History held at Princeton. Mr. Mysnyk is participating in the Van Lunen Ascending Leaders program, a year-long program hosted by Calvin University. Mrs. Verratti is pursuing a EdD in Leadership for Educational Equity from University of Colorado, Denver.
Our Advanced Placement (AP) course teachers are continually refining their craft, fine-tuning their curriculum, instruction, and assessments. Dr. Van Beek (AP English Language) and Mrs. O’Neil (AP Chemistry) were chosen to be AP Readers. Last June, along with other AP teachers and college faculty, they scored AP Exam responses gaining a far deeper understanding of AP Exams to better assess their own students.
Our AP teachers also attended AP College Board summer workshops including Mrs. Siess (AP Precalculus at the University of San Diego), Mrs. Ward (AP Spanish Language and Culture in Madrid, Spain), and Mrs. Yarnell (AP Calculus AB/BC in Colorado).
Mr. Pyke is helping our teachers better understand and work with artificial intelligence and its role with today’s high school students. He recently attended Ai4 in Las Vegas, a 3-day event that ‘explored and accelerated the practical, real-world adoption of artificial intelligence across various industries focusing on providing actionable insights, fostering collaboration, and discussing the implementation of AI, from scaling generative AI and navigating ethical frameworks to developing enterprise-ready AI innovations.’
VCHS teachers are lifelong learners, not for themselves but for the students they teach and serve.
Steve O'Neil
Head of School
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