Alcuin School, a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate education, is pleased to announce that it has been accepted as a member of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS).  Alcuin’s membership will open up new opportunities for its Upper School students in grades 9-12 to compete in a variety of sports, fine arts, and academic activities at the local, regional, and state level.  

The purpose of TAPPS is to organize, stimulate, encourage, and promote academic, athletic and fine arts programs in an effort to foster a spirit of fair play, good fellowship true sportsmanship, and wholesome competition for boys and girls.

Alcuin’s track and field and tennis teams will be among the first groups to participate in TAPPS competitions in the 1A Division this spring. 

“We are delighted to join TAPPS because of the tremendous opportunities and exposure it will give our students,” said Kay Herndon, Alcuin School Director of Athletics.  “TAPPS firmly believes that competition among students from its diverse member schools promotes understanding, fellowship, and excellence.”

 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.

About TAPPS

Chartered in 1978, the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) serves to organize, stimulate, encourage and promote the academic, athletic and fine arts programs in an effort to foster a spirit of fair play, good fellowship, true sportsmanship and wholesome competition for boys and girls.

From a humble beginning of 20 member schools in 1978, twelve of which remain members, TAPPS has grown to a membership of 230 schools with a combined enrollment of over 40,000 students. Schools are presently aligned in five classifications with districts across the state of Texas.

Alcuin School, a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate education, hosted a successful turnout at its recent Open House on Sunday, Jan. 11.  During the event, prospetive parents got an opportunity to learn how Alcuin inspires "Passonite Learners and Innovative Thinkers"  to excel. Highlights included remarks from Walter Sorensen, Head of School, campus tours, and classroom visits with faculty.  For more info visit www.alcuinschool.org.

Alcuin School provides a proven effective, progressive education for its students which begins in the Toddler program and extends into the high school years with the acclaimed IB Programme.

The IB Diploma Programme is an integrated curriculum with study in six subject areas, compared to a single-subject focus of other programs and assessments. Students must use their content knowledge to solve problems, make conjectures and inferences, and think deeply about the big questions of the disciplines.

In recent years, Texas has experienced tremendous growth in IB curriculum within the state.  According to Texas IB Schools (TIBS), Texas has one of the highest concentrations of IB World Schools in the world. TIBS suggests that if Texas were a country, it would be ranked five out of 144 in total IB World Schools, behind the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

Studies show that students who participated in the IB are better prepared for university studies, perform better when they are there, are more likely to graduate (and graduate sooner) than other students. In addition, they are also more likely to enroll in selective institutions.

In addition to hearing more about how IB gives students an academic advantage, guests learned how Montessori education serves as an excellent transition to the IB curriculum.  Although there are more than 1,119,000 IB students enrolled at 3,747 schools in 146 countries, fewer than 10 schools combine the advantages of Montessori and IB in the way the programs are implemented at Alcuin.  

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.

U.S. Olympian Johnny Quinn makes special appearance and challenges students to indoor bobsledding competition  

Alcuin School, a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate® education, will celebrate 50 years of empowering students to thrive during its year-long golden anniversary celebration.  To mark one of the significant milestones of this special anniversary year, Alcuin hosted a school-wide festivity to mark the 50^th Day of the 50^th Year on Nov. 4.  Visit: www.alcuinschool.org.

U.S. Olympic Bobsledder Johnny Quinn returned to Alcuin School to help kick off the celebration during an all school assembly in the gym.  Quinn has served on the Alcuin School coaching staff for the past four years and he is well known for motivating and inspiring youngsters to do their personal best on and off the field.

The students were delighted to have Quinn back on campus to challenge them to a friendly indoor bobsledding competition.  Following Quinn’s lead, the crowd rallied and cheered on fellow students, parents, faculty, and staff to participate in the fun.

“Shiloh,” Alcuin’s live hawk mascot, also paid a special visit to the students during the 50^th Day of the 50^th Year Celebration.  Alcuin adopted Shiloh through a donation to Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, a highly regarded organization that helps local injured birds and animals.

Their goal is to rehabilitate the bird or animal so that they can return to the wild. However, in some cases like Shiloh, they are unable to return to their natural habitat so they live at the center as part of their educational program. Aside from the students being proud of the fact that Alcuin is supporting the center, they were excited to have their beautiful mascot visit the school during the special anniversary festivities.   

In addition to the surprise campus visitors, students enjoyed a variety of indoor relays, inflatable bounce houses, classroom treats and a magic show for the younger children. The 50^th Day of the 50^th Year Celebration is one of several activities planned to commemorate Alcuin’s anniversary throughout the 2014-2015 school year.  

“As we commemorate 50 years of inspiring passionate learners and innovative thinkers, we want to celebrate the contributions of our entire school community,” said Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School. “As we move forward, we are opening doors to the future with bold initiatives that appeal to generations of bright, ambitious students, insightful parents and dedicated educators.”  

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.

Panelists Agree that the International Baccalaureate Diploma offers an educational advantage for Alcuin students as they prepare for college 

Alcuin School, a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate® education, hosted a prominent panel of IB educators and subject matter experts during a special campus visit on Tuesday, Sept. 30.  A capacity crowd of nearly 150 parents, faculty, staff and Alcuin School supporters gathered in the Wyly Performing Arts Center on campus for the presentation titled “The International Baccalaureate Edge.”  

Walter Sorensen, Alcuin Head of School, welcomed the distinguished guests including: Paul Sanders, Global Head of Recognition, International Baccalaureate® Organization; Wes Waggoner, Dean of Undergraduate Admission and Executive Director of Enrollment Services at Southern Methodist University; Bill Shell, IB Consultant at the University of Colorado, and Karen Phillips, Executive Director of Texas IB Schools.

Alcuin School provides a proven effective, progressive education for its students which begins in the Toddler program and extends into the high school years with the acclaimed IB Programme. This made Tuesday evening’s presentation particularly timely because Alcuin School was recently designated by the International Baccalaureate® Organization as a Candidate School for the IB Diploma Programme for its Upper School. 

Featured presenter Paul Sanders explained that the IB Diploma Programme emphasizes international-mindedness and academic preparedness that makes IB students among the most sought after by colleges and universities across the U.S. and around the world.

 “Today, more than 2,000 global universities recognize the IB diploma,” said Sanders.  “It offers academic breadth and depth and it is truly an international qualification which encourages critical thinking and creates independent learners who are superbly prepared for college and beyond.” 

The IB Diploma Programme is an integrated curriculum with study in six subject areas, compared to a single-subject focus of other programs and assessments. Students must use their content knowledge to solve problems, make conjectures and inferences, and think deeply about the big questions of the disciplines.

In recent years, Texas has experienced tremendous growth in IB curriculum within the state.  According to Texas IB Schools (TIBS), Texas has one of the highest concentrations of IB World Schools in the world. TIBS suggests that if Texas were a country, it would be ranked five out of 144 in total IB World Schools, behind the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.

Studies show that students who participated in the IB are better prepared for university studies, perform better when they are there, are more likely to graduate (and graduate sooner) than other students. In addition, they are also more likely to enroll in selective institutions.

“We were honored to host both Mr. Sanders and this esteemed group of thought leaders at Alcuin School this week,” said Mr. Sorensen. “This was a tremendous opportunity for our parents, faculty and staff, as well as other education proponents, to hear from an impressive group of today’s leading experts,” he said. 

In addition to hearing more about how IB gives students an academic advantage, guests learned how Montessori education serves as an excellent transition to the IB curriculum.  Although there are more than 1,119,000 IB students enrolled at 3,747 schools in 146 countries, fewer than 10 schools combine the advantages of Montessori and IB in the way the programs are implemented at Alcuin.  

“From the time they were toddlers, we have opened the minds of our students through the brilliance of the Montessori program,” said Mr. Sorensen.  “We have taught them to be inquirers and we have enabled them to be responsible for their own learning.  As we have nurtured their independence in Middle School and now in Upper School, our students are extending their Montessori training into IB.”  

With the opening of Alcuin Upper School this fall, students have the opportunity to continue learning through inquiry and independence.  Because IB is becoming an increasingly popular qualification for young people wishing to go on college, Alcuin School will be uniquely positioned to serve its students by giving them an educational edge today as they face the challenges of tomorrow. 

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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Ken Hersh, Co-Founder and CEO of NGP Energy Capital Management, Serves as Guest Speaker During Studio’s Inaugural Celebration

Today, Alcuin School, a leader in Montessori and International Baccalaureate® education, held a special ribbon cutting ceremony to launch its new Innovation Studio.   This high-tech, state-of-the-art facility is open to first grade to Upper School students and is designed to promote educational success through a high-tech interactive learning environment that stimulates imagination, creativity, innovation, and leadership exploration. Visit: www.alcuinschool.org.

The contemporary studio is equipped with a variety of the latest technological supplies and tools including a 3-D printer, All-In-One Learning boards, SMART Table®, and a presentation theater among many other cutting-edge amenities. These tools give students access to advance resources in a collaborative environment that allow them to innovate in new ways and develop fascinating projects that extend beyond the classroom.   

Ken Hersh, Co-Founder and the Chief Executive Officer of NGP Energy Capital Management, served as guest speaker at the Alcuin Innovation Studio’s inaugural celebration. His inspirational address was part of the Alcuin Innovative and Entrepreneurial Leadership Speaker Series which will give  students an opportunity to interact with today’s business and community leaders who offer hands-on, real world and relevant learning experiences.

“The Alcuin Innovation Studio will enhance imaginative thinking and teach students the frameworks for problem solving by extending the tools and skills learned in the Montessori and IB curricula,” said Jenn Hampton, Alcuin Innovation Facilitator.  “Today’s official opening of the Alcuin Innovation Studio is a commitment to providing our students with experiential education that helps them become future thought leaders and insightful contributors to the community and the world.”    

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.