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Christian Frederiksen, Dads' Club President; Dawn Savoie, Parents' Club President; Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School; Maria Cintron Magennis, Board of Trustees President; Niki and David Campisi, Annual Fund Chairs.

Alcuin School, a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate education, recently kicked off the 2016-2017 academic year at its General Parents' Meeting with more than 500 parents in attendance in the gymnasium.  Walter Sorensen, Head of School, welcomed the audience and shared his State of the School address which focused on many of the exciting curriculum highlights and unique learning opportunities that the students will experience this fall.

Special presenters included: Maria Cintron Magennis, Board President; Christian Frederiksen, Dads' Club President; Dawn Savoie, Parents' Club President; and Niki and David Campisi, Annual Fund Chairs.  Parents also learned more about Alcuin’s sports teams and athletic programs, as well as an array of opportunities in environmental education, foreign language, visual and performing arts, choir, building projects and so much more.

After the kick-off, which included a rousing welcome for the Alcuin faculty and staff, parents visited individual classrooms to learn more details from their children’s teachers firsthand.

The event was followed by a lovely open-air campus reception including food trucks hosted by the Alcuin Dads’ Club, which featured information booths for parent volunteer opportunities and the upcoming spring auction among others.

About Alcuin School

A vibrant, nurturing, coeducational academic community serving students from toddler to 12th grade, Alcuin School uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate program methods to foster critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning. With faculty support, students at Alcuin School are eager to embrace change, question the status quo, and prepare for their future as leaders in a global society. For more information, please visit www.alcuinschool.org.

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Alcuin names Margaret Davis as Head of Upper School.

Davis Leads Alcuin’s Upper School and IB Programs  

Alcuin School,  a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate Education, announced today that Margaret Davis, Alcuin’s IB Director, has been named Head of Upper School.  

Davis replaces Verna Salta, Head of Alcuin’s Middle School, who had also been serving as the Interim Head of the Upper School. 

“Margaret shares a mindset, a cultural commitment and optimism for the task ahead and she will be a great asset to our academic directors’ team,” says Walter Sorensen, Alcuin’s Head of School. “Margaret has already done a tremendous job as our IB Director as we have experienced extensive growth over the past few years.  She will now continue to play a role in the development of our Upper School.”

Davis will assume her new position with a wealth of experience.  In addition to her current role as Alcuin’s IB Director, she has also served as Head of an IB School and she is an active board member of the Texas IB Schools (TIBS). 

She has worked extensively with TIBS as a Director and Coordinator for IB Programs regionally as well as with independent school districts and schools. Davis has been a consultant in setting up the IB Diploma Programme, including admissions, application, college counseling and curriculum, prior to joining Alcuin School in 2013.  

As a member of Alcuin School’s leadership team, Davis works with Alcuin students from admission to college counseling.  She also assists with authorization of the Alcuin Upper School IB Diploma Programme. Alcuin School, which serves educational needs of students in early childhood through senior high, recently received IB Diploma authorization for the 11th and 12th grade.   

“There are few opportunities in life one cannot afford to miss, and being part of Alcuin Upper School during this exciting time is one of them,” says Davis.  “With an emphasis on learning and intellectual engagement, Alcuin Upper School offers highly-motivated students the opportunity to experience four years of truly inspiring intellectual and personal growth, setting them up for success in college and in life beyond.”   

Alcuin Upper School is among only eight schools in Texas providing both the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and the Diploma Programme. “Combining the excellence of Alcuin School with the world-renowned International Baccalaureate programs offers unprecedented opportunities for our Upper School students,” says Davis.

Davis credits her extensive experience in IB education to her valuable work with students and her participation with renowned professional organizations like TIBS.  

“I’m humbled and grateful for the opportunity to join the Alcuin academic team as the new Head of Upper School,” says Davis. “Given my prior experience with Alcuin, I hope to bring continuity and commitment to the standards of performance espoused by the International Baccalaureate Organization, as well as facilitate quality program development, curriculum enhancement and effective implementation to benefit all Alcuin students.”  

Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Science degrees from Baylor University.  She has also participated in the Doctor of Education program at Texas A&M University-Commerce. In addition, Davis has completed post-graduate work at the University of California, Berkley Lawrence Hall of Science Great Explorations in Science and Mathematics (GEMS) and at the Harvard Graduate School of Education under the Art of Leadership and Urban Leaders Institutes.    

She has been a contributor to several publications including 2003-04 Smart Teaching: Aligning Daily Curriculum and Instruction with TAKS.  Davis also created the concept and guided the development of the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile Book Series.  Davis has received numerous honors including 2010 International Best Practices Award for Administrators Working with At-Promise Youth 2008 Raise Your Hand Texas Harvard Principal and the National Phoebe Appears Hearst Outstanding Educator Award.

About Alcuin School

An enriched, nurturing, coeducational academic community, Alcuin School uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate program methods to foster critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning. With faculty support, students at Alcuin School are eager to embrace change, question the status quo, and prepare for their future as leaders in a global society. For more information, please visit www.alcuinschool.org.

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Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School, Chad Hennings and Christian Frederiksen, President of the Alcuin Dads’ Club

Alcuin fathers and their children enjoyed a special presentation by Chad Hennings, three-time Super Bowl Champion, College Football Hall of Famer and fighter pilot. The Alcuin School Dads' Club hosted the breakfast event. Hennings, a Dallas businessman and noted author, shared excerpts from his new book "Forces of Character: Conversations About Building a Life of Impact." 


Christian Frederiksen, Alcuin Dads' Club President and Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School, offered opening remarks and extended a warm welcome to Hennings at the gathering.   

During Hennings' presentation, he shared highlights from his book with the fathers and children in the audience. These included conversation Hennings had with extraordinary individuals who have lived a life of high moral and functional character; people who demonstrate habits of excellence consistently, who elevate their performance toward a noble purpose, and who begin lifting others to their highest potential.

About Alcuin School

A vibrant, nurturing, coeducational academic community serving students from toddler to 12th grade, Alcuin School uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate program methods to foster critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning. With faculty support, students at Alcuin School are eager to embrace change, question the status quo, and prepare for their future as leaders in a global society. For more information, please visit www.alcuinschool.org.

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Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School, (center) greets Ian Chambers, IB Global Head of Development (left), and Paul Chambers Head of Regional Development for IB Americas (right).

Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School, welcomed top education leaders from across Texas and abroad at a special Texas IB Schools (TIBS) conference held at the Dallas/FortWorth Airport Marriott on Feb. 11.  TIBS hosted distinguished leaders including board members, superintendents/heads of school, deputy superintendent, associate superintendents, assistant superintendents and directors from public and private education. Sorensen and Margaret Davis, Alcuin Director of the International Baccalaureate, participated in the planning of the event. 

The leaders learned about the impact of International Baccalaureate Organization® programs from Ian Chambers, Global Head of Development for the International Baccalaureate® Organization The Hague, Netherlands and Mr. Paul Campbell, Head of Regional Development Americas for the International Baccalaureate® Bethesda, Maryland. 

Leaders had an opportunity to explore why more than 4,000 schools across all regions of the world have chosen to teach International Baccalaureate® (IB) programmes, with their unique academic rigor and their emphasis on students’ personal development. Those schools employ over 70,000 educators, teaching more than one million students worldwide.

About Alcuin School

A vibrant, nurturing, coeducational academic community serving students from toddler to 12th grade, Alcuin School uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate program methods to foster critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning. With faculty support, students at Alcuin School are eager to embrace change, question the status quo, and prepare for their future as leaders in a global society. For more information, please visit www.alcuinschool.org.

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Dylan Owens won first place at the Alcuin Spelling Bee. He now advances to the Dallas Morning News Spelling Bee in March.

Alcuin School, a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate (IB) education, is pleased to announce that Dylan Owens won first place in the Alcuin Upper Elementary School Spelling Bee Jan. 15.  Gavin Bell was the runner up.

For the past eight years, Alcuin has hosted the event for students in 4-6th grades as part of the school’s association with the Spelling Bees for Private Schools and Catholic Dioceses. Following eight rounds of competition Owens, a 5th grader, spelled “odious” correctly to win. 

Owens was awarded a certificate and will advance to the Dallas Morning News Spelling Bee with students from across the state on March 26.  The winner of that competition will advance to the National Spelling Bee in late May.

"Preparing for the spelling bee helps the students in their ability to communicate throughout their lives," said Carolyn Sells, Alcuin Director of Elementary School and Spelling Bee Coordinator.  "Spelling enhances a student's ability to communicate, whether it is in writing, speaking or listening. These skills are used in every area of a person's life, whether in school or in their career."

 About Alcuin School

A vibrant, nurturing, coeducational academic community serving students from toddler to 12th grade, Alcuin School uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate program methods to foster critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning. With faculty support, students at Alcuin School are eager to embrace change, question the status quo, and prepare for their future as leaders in a global society. For more information, please visit www.alcuinschool.org.

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Alcuin 9th grader Cole Murphy and Amanda Day, Alcuin project advisor, help collect donations for the local tornado victims during morning carpool.

Students Organize Donations and Join Relief Workers to Help Victims       

Upper School students from Alcuin, a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate (IB) education, recently organized a community outreach initiative  to support the local tornado recovery efforts in Garland, Texas.

Students were struck by the devastation seen on TV left in the wake of the North Texas tornadoes in late December.  After returning to school from winter break, the students quickly decided to take action by organizing efforts to collect donations from the Alcuin community during morning carpool to help those affected by the storms.   

The youngsters gathered a variety of household items including cleaning products, blankets, pillows, canned food, and storage bins.  Thanks to the generosity of the Alcuin School community, the students collected enough items over a week’s time to fill an entire bus with donated goods.  

Once the items were loaded onto the bus, the students and teachers delivered the donations to local relief organizations including Joseph House and Oasis Church, which served on the front lines of recovery efforts.  

The students joined forces with local relief workers to sort items and organize a donation room where victims in the neighborhood could come collect what they needed.

“It was a humbling experience for our students to participate in a community service activity that was part of a critical effort to help those facing tremendous loss,” said Amanda Day, Alcuin Upper School project advisor.  “This valuable experience demonstrated that we can all contribute to our community and answer the call to help support our neighbors in need.”

 About Alcuin School

A vibrant, nurturing, coeducational academic community serving students from toddler to 12th grade, Alcuin School uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate program methods to foster critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning. With faculty support, students at Alcuin School are eager to embrace change, question the status quo, and prepare for their future as leaders in a global society. For more information, please visit www.alcuinschool.org.

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(Rear from left): Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings, Maria Cintron Magennis, Alcuin Board President, and Karen Phillips, Texas IB Director join Alcuin students during the IB Diploma signing ceremony.

Dallas Mayor and Dignitaries Join Alcuin at Commemorative Letter Signing Event    

 Alcuin School, a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate (IB) education, today announced it has been officially accepted as an IB World School by the Director General of the International Baccalaureate® Organization (IBO), of Geneva, Switzerland, thereby authorizing the school to offer the Grade 11-12 IB Diploma Programme beginning in the fall of 2016.

Alcuin Upper School students will now complete all Diploma Programme requirements and be able to earn the IB Diploma in addition to earning the Alcuin high school diploma.

Alcuin commemorated the school’s historic event with a special letter signing ceremony that finalized the official IB Diploma Programme authorization.  

Several dignitaries and constituents joined the ceremony to mark Alcuin’s important milestone including: Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings; Karen Phillips, Executive Director, Texas IB Schools; Maria Cintron Magennis, President, Alcuin Board of Trustees; and Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School.    

“We are honored to be authorized to offer our Upper School students the IB Diploma Programme,” said Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School. “We prepare students for success in higher education and for life in a global society. Alcuin’s program is academically challenging and has now gained recognition from universities around the world.”

Alcuin’s IB Diploma Programme will also offer Upper School students a variety of advantages as they prepare for college.

A 2011 study of almost 25,000 IB Diploma and certificate students found IB students were more likely than the national average to attend college full-time, with nearly 70% attending selective or more selected colleges.

IB students tend to fare well during the overall application process at many prestigious institutions of higher learning. The acceptance rate of IB students into Ivy League schools (Princeton, Yale, Brown, Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, and the University of Pennsylvania) is between 3% and 13% higher compared to the total population rate.

The IB Diploma Programme is a rigorous, pre-university course of studies that meets the needs of highly motivatedsecondary students in the 11th and 12th grades.

The goals of IB are to ensure intellectual rigor and high academic standards, to teach young people to relate the experiences of the classroom to the outside world, and to assist students in becoming critical thinkers, lifelong learners, and informed participants in their communities and in the world. The program also fosters an international perspective by encouraging students to understand and to value others’ cultural perspectives.

Through successful completion of an IB program at an authorized IB World School, like Alcuin, students earn the prestigious International Baccalaureate® Diploma. The requirements of the program include successful completion of IB courses in literature, a foreign language, history, science, mathematics, and an IB elective.

Students must take three or four of these subjects at what IB refers to as the “higher level” and two or three at what is called the “standard level.” This is similar to having majors and minors. In each of the six IB courses, the student must complete required internal assessments and sit for an external examination.

The exams, written and scored by the International Baccalaureate Organization, measure student performance according to established international standards for excellence. In addition to the course work and satisfactory performance on all assessments, students must also take the Theory of Knowledge seminar class, submit a 3,000 to 4000-word Extended Essay, and complete 150 hours in Creativity, Action, and Service activities in order to be eligible to earn the IB Diploma.

 “The IB Diploma Programme is renowned for providing a broad and well-rounded international education,” said Sorensen.  “This will only enhance the many authentic learning experiences available through an Alcuin education, which encourages collaboration and inspires passionate learners and innovative thinkers.”

About Alcuin School

A vibrant, nurturing, coeducational academic community serving students from toddler to 12th grade, Alcuin School uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate program methods to foster critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning. With faculty support, students at Alcuin School are eager to embrace change, question the status quo, and prepare for their future as leaders in a global society. For more information, please visit www.alcuinschool.org.

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Alcuin Chess Coach Quaitemes Williams and Head of School Walter Sorensen congratulate the chess team on their winning season.

The Alcuin School Chess Team recently celebrated their winning season by finishing as the 1st place team in three separate local tournaments.  The team also won a second place title this fall.

Several schools competed in the tournaments and Alcuin went up against multiple teams in its division with over 100 students. 

Highlights included a first-place win in the 6th Annual Scott Watson Memorial Chess Classic K-6th Grade Elementary Division.  The Alcuin team also honed their skills and successfully collaborated to top the leader board at the 2015 Universal Academy K-12 Fall Fun Classic.  

Alcuin 3rd grader, Rocco Renda, has been playing since he was 5-years-old and he is now among the topped ranked players in his age group at many local competitions.  “I like chess because it teaches you strategy and how to think through problems,” Renda says.

Quaitemes Williams, Alcuin’s Chess Coach, agrees that chess helps children learn many valuable life skills. Williams, a seasoned chess expert with an international chess ranking of 2105, says that the game teaches discipline, calculation, patience, time management, and how to think for yourself.

“Chess also helps students understand to never underestimate an opponent, while showing them how to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat,” Williams says.  “Best of all, chess is very fun and something that you can enjoy your entire life from age 5 to 105.  Although I have been exposed to many facets of chess, my highest professional aspiration is that someday my students’ skills will surpass my own.”   

Alcuin’s Chess Team also featured remarkable individual performances this fall including:

Rocco Renda, 3rd grade USCF rating: 717

1st place at American Heritage K-12 Championship Nov. 14

2nd place at Universal Academy Fall Classic Oct. 25

3rd place at Carrolton K-4 Championship Oct. 18

 

Nick Peddle, 6th grade USCF rating 551

1st place American heritage K-12 U500 section Nov. 14

 

Austin Lee, 4th grade, USCF rating 692

3rd place at American Heritage K-12 Championship Nov 14

3rd place at Scott Watson Memorial Oct. 10

 

Ishan Das 3rd grade USCF rating 450

2nd place 2015 DFM Thanksgiving Classic K-3 section. 

 

Enzo Renda, Kindergarten, USCF rating: 357

3rd Place K-1 at Universal Academy Fall Classic

The current roster of the Alcuin Chess Team includes: Parker Bullock; Will Chadwick; Ishan Das; Chazz Frederiksen; Savannah Frederiksen; Austin Lee; Nick Peddle; Enzo Renda; Rocco Renda; Erik Spafford; Spencer Smith; and Stella Smith.  

About Alcuin School

A vibrant, nurturing, coeducational academic community serving students from toddler to 12th grade, Alcuin School uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate program methods to foster critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning. With faculty support, students at Alcuin School are eager to embrace change, question the status quo, and prepare for their future as leaders in a global society. For more information, please visit www.alcuinschool.org.

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Co-presenters Berry Cox and Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School, with honoree Forrest Hoglund.

Philanthropist Receives Ann R. Cox Innovation in Education Award   

Alcuin School, a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate® education, hosted its inaugural scholarship luncheon and honored Dallas philanthropist Forrest Hoglund for his commitment and contributions to academic youth achievement.  Yesterday’s event drew a near capacity crowd of Alcuin School parents, supporters and constituents at the Hilton Anatole Hotel.

During the luncheon, Walter Sorensen, Head of School, presented Hogland with Alcuin’s first Ann R. Cox Innovation in Education Award.  The award was co-presented by her son Berry Cox in honor of Mrs.  Edwin L. Cox’s support of Alcuin School during its early years.

Working in tandem with the school’s founder Father Albert A. Taliaferro, Cox not only gave generously herself, but inspired many others in the wider Dallas community to step up so that the dream of an educational environment producing “innovative thinkers and passionate learners” would become a reality.  Without her financial and emotional support, Alcuin’s Churchill Campus on which thousands of children have been educated and nurtured would not have been realized.  

Alcuin’s 2015 Scholarship Luncheon also benefited students in need of financial assistance via the Alex Podeszwa Legacy Fund.  The fund was established in October 2014 in memory of an inspiring Alcuin student who lost his battle against cancer.

“Alex will always embody Alcuin School’s spirit and mission,” said Sorensen. “His legacy as a compassionate global citizen and big thinker is far-reaching and will provide scholarship assistance and other endowment funding to enrich and enhance the programs that he loved so well during his time at Alcuin.”    

To learn more about the Alex Podeszwa Legacy Fund contact Luanne Samuel, Alcuin School Director of Development, at 972.239.1745; or email Luanne.Samuel@AlcuinSchool.org.

About Alcuin School

A vibrant, nurturing, coeducational academic community serving students from toddler to 12th grade, Alcuin School uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate program methods to foster critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning. With faculty support, students at Alcuin School are eager to embrace change, question the status quo, and prepare for their future as leaders in a global society. For more information, please visit www.alcuinschool.org.

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John Paul Ortiz, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Colgate University (center) recently met with Alcuin high school students about the college experience at Colgate.

John Paul Ortiz, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Colgate University recently visited with Alcuin Upper School students and talked with them about preparing for college.  While on campus, Ortiz met with Walter Sorensen, Head of School; Verna Salta, Director of Middle School and Interim Director of Upper School;  and Margaret Davis, Director of IB.   During his visit, Ortiz expressed his support of International Baccalaureate (IB) education. “IB students are the best.  They are incredibly well prepared,” he said.

About Alcuin School

A vibrant, nurturing, coeducational academic community serving students from toddler to 12th grade, Alcuin School uses the Montessori and International Baccalaureate program methods to foster critical thinking and a lifelong passion for learning. With faculty support, students at Alcuin School are eager to embrace change, question the status quo, and prepare for their future as leaders in a global society. For more information, please visit www.alcuinschool.org.