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McGillis Teachers Are Lifelong Learners 

McGillis Teachers Are Lifelong Learners 

 

by Jim Brewer, Head of School


Our teachers are models of Limud L’shma: learning for the sake of learning. They continuously seek ways to improve in the art and science of teaching. Being teachers, they find the joy in learning and remaining a student whenever possible.

 

Professional learning is a crucial element of the work of our teachers throughout their entire careers. Teachers have pursued learning locally, such as partnerships with the University of Utah, Utah Council of Social Studies, Utah School Counselor Association, and Utah Environmental Educators Conference, as well as national, through organizations like Learning & the Brain, Leadership & Design, Teachers College at Columbia University, the National Association of Independent Schools, and more.  

 

I am proud to highlight some of the learning our teachers have engaged in during the 2021/2022 school year including:

 

Amberly Miller & Sarah White
Learning & The Brain Conference
Apr 2022, virtual

 

Mike DiBiasio
Leadership Lab, Leadership+Design
Lovett School, Atlanta, GA
Spring 2022

 

Ben Anisman, Matt Blake, Stacey Collett, Monica Gomez, Emmy Lowe, & Liz Paige
Equity Institute’s Elementary Teaching for Equity and Social Justice
Mar-Apr 2022 (3-week course)

 

Matt Blake, Monica GomezMelinda Kaufman, & Peng Yang
NAIS People of Color Conference Dec 2021, virtual

 

Steve Capone
NWAIS Conference Committee Member

 

Annika Torkelson
ACDA Children Youth Choir Conductors' Retreat
Jan 2022

 

Annika Torkelson
ORFF Utah Board

 

Tim Campbell & Heather Novotny
National American Association of School Librarian (AASL) Conference
Salt Lake City, UT
Oct 2021

 

Heidi MacNaughton & Matt Schrier
iSEEN Institute for Experiential Education
Jan 2022

 

Ben Anisman, Emmy Lowe, & Cathleen Wilkes
Bureau Of Education & Research Conference: Guided Reading – Strategies to Differentiate Using Small Group Instruction
Winter 2021

 

Zoe Calahorra
Masters from Middlebury
May 2022

 

Steve Capone
Novel writing workshop
University of Chicago

 

Steve Capone
presented at the Utah Council of Social Studies
Fall 2021

 

Heather Novotny & Jayde Prudden
presented at the Utah Environmental Educators Conference
Nov 2021

 

Jayde Prudden
Nature Education Course, Cornell University
Virtual

 

Jayde Prudden
Mindfulness Foundations, Mindful Schools
Virtual

 

Kelsey Hutten
Utah School Counselor Association (USCA) Conference

 

We all benefit by surrounding ourselves with motivated learners. For innovation to thrive in school, the act of “learning for the sake of learning” is an attitude as well as an activity. Building a culture of Limud L’shma begins with providing opportunities for support, reflection, and growth among our students, as well as our faculty.

 

Learn More about our Faculty & Staff