FROM THE HEAD& the Heart

Nat Wilburn, Head of Schools

INSIDE: FOCUS ON FACULTY - read about our faculty stars!

Sacred Heart Schools

FROM THE HEADand the Heart

Nat WilburnHead of Schools

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Sacred Heart teachers are the heart and soul of our educational mission. The theme of this issue of From the Head and the Heart is “Focus on Faculty.” What better way to reveal the quality and dedication that

goes into each student’s experience within our walls, than to take a closer look at their teachers? While we feature three, they embody the wealth of talent, learning and nurturing love of our entire faculty. As I walk the halls each day, I am humbled by the lessons I see being learned in each room…some academic, some lessons for life.

Farewell, my sister, fare thee well.The elements be kind to thee, and makeThy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well. ~William Shakespeare

These words of the immortal bard are an appropriate sendoff to Wenche Haverkamp, one of the Schools longest-tenured teachers who is retiring at the end of this year. She has inspired a love of the classics and an affinity for litera-ture in her students over her 23 years here. Read about her and her legendary classroom swordfights in the center spread of this issue! As we bid adieu to this much-loved retiring teacher, we continue to add talented, dedicated faculty to our classrooms. One such first-year teacher, Nick Murawski, is using his improv talents to keep the second grade boys on their toes. His profile on the next page reveals the close collaboration between new and experienced teachers which benefits all of our students. Finally, on the back page, we get a glimpse of the Learning Assistance Program through the eyes of its LS Coordinator, Karen Uselmann. In her 15 years at the Schools, she has seen the tremendous growth of our student sup-port services. While we are proud of the fact that 75% of our faculty have advanced degrees, with four holding doctorates, what really impresses are the intan-gibles… the belief by each and every one of our teachers that we would do it all, in the words of our foundress St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, “for the sake of one child.”

Nat WilburnHead of Schools

Focus on faculty

FEBRUARY 2013

FOCUS ON FACULTY...

What makes a 1st-year

teacher tick?

‘I had the ability to

learn from amazing

teachers.’

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Nick Murawski has been at SHS in various capacities for the past five years, but became a 2nd grade Hardey lead teacher this fall. His serendipitous journey from a bud-ding career in improv to the classroom reveals much about his success with the boys.

Nick Murawski was not new to Sacred Heart when he took the helm of the Hardey 2nd grade this fall. He had been a coach, substitute teacher, kindergarten

and first grade assistant and a summer camp counselor. His road to teaching was paved with twists of fate. When he moved to Edgewater in 2008, he ran into an old friend at a wedding who happened to teach at Sacred Heart. He was subbing two weeks later and eventually became the Kindergarten assistant teacher. “I fell in love with teaching and everything that Sacred Heart embodied,” he said. So much so, that he enrolled in DePaul’s graduate teaching pro-gram. As they say, the rest is history. Before these opportune events, Murawski stud-ied acting and improvisation in Chicago and performed throughout the country. He was a member of the improv house ensemble at The Second City, while writing sketch comedy material. He also performed in improv groups at iO Chicago and the Annoyance Theater. “I guess like most comedic actors in Chicago, I had quiet aspirations of becoming a cast member on ‘Saturday Night.” But after six years of immersion in Chicago’s im-prov scene, he stopped. “I had a feeling that there was more to my life. That’s when I found Sacred Heart, or maybe it found me.” This theater experience has served him well in the classroom. “Teaching is essentially a production,” he ex-plains. “Lesson plans can be viewed as the script, the stu-dents are the audience, and the stage is the classroom.” He believes in any play, consistency is crucial. “Students thrive for consistency in their teachers... especially at the primary level. No matter how I’m feeling... the show must go on. Also, if I am not excited about what I’m teaching... how can I ask for the same in return?” He has no trouble generating that excitement and is

ready for the unexpected. “Kids will always surprise you and that’s where training in improvisation can be useful. I ac-cept the fact that my agenda for the day will ALWAYS be altered.” He finds there are many challenges unique to teach-ing boys. “To say, ‘they explore their space’, is an under-statement. They need room to stand, tap, talk, sing, stretch, lean, flick, and run... and that’s just inside the classroom!” He observes that they always enjoy a challenge and are con-stantly competing. Murawski speaks from experience. He grew up with two younger brothers who are twins. “We were very close and were each other’s built in playmates, which meant we were at each other’s throats most of time.” He can relate to what 7- and 8-year-old boys are going through because he has lived it. He makes it a point to share some of his experi-ences growing up with his class. “I want them to know that I understand what it’s like. I get it.” What does he enjoy most about teaching boys? Well, the sport-oriented atmosphere gives him a chance to talk about wise choices on the playing field, good sportsmanship and the importance of following the rules. “Boys also keep me moving constantly, which has al-lowed me to cancel my gym membership!” he adds. “I enjoy creating an environment that is student directed but teacher facilitated.” He also believes it is crucial that boys see a reflection of themselves in the primary grades. “They do not necessar-ily need to be the next Brian Urlacher or Derrick Rose.... there are other amazing options for boys.”

continued on next page

After 23 years nurturing an appre-ciation of literacy and literature in her students, Wenche Haverkamp is retiring at the end of this school year. When Wenche Haverkamp first stepped onto the SHS campus in the fall of 1989, things looked very different. There were mobile trailer units where the South Wing now stands; there were cars parked where the MS basketball hoops now reside; and there was a steady stream of children walking outside to get from their classrooms to the gym. But some things never change, and one is Mrs. Haverkamp’s dedication to, and popularity with, her students –and those students have run the gamut in her 23 years of teaching on Sheridan Road. “I began as a French teacher to 7th and 8th grade Academy girls,” she ex-plained. Hardey was a separate entity in those years, with its own administration and faculty. She moved from teaching French to language arts when, she said, “I found that teaching beginning French year after year, with no chance to teach advanced language skills, was not to my liking.” So in the mid 1990s, she began teaching 5th and 6th grade language arts first in the Academy, and then to both Hardey and the Academy when they joined to form one middle school. She still teaches 6th grade language arts to both Academy and Hardey today. A passion for the classics Mrs. Haverkamp’s passion for the classics has infected more than two decades of students. “I love teaching classical literature which has endured for thousands of years,” she explains. “I also enjoy teaching Shakespeare, since his work has so many elements that still

amuse us and stir our hearts, even after 400 years.” But, how does she stir the hearts of her classes? Performances are the key. “Students love our reenactments of the Trojan War, as we fight the battles and say the lines that these ancient characters might have spoken,” she says. “They also love performing Shakespeare in costume with props.” These “hands on” activities seem to be what students re-member most fondly about her classes. Many alums return every year to visit Mrs. Haverkamp. What do they reminisce about the most? “I think they remember the Iliad and the Odyssey most often and talk affectionately about sword fights, wearing costumes and using armor and helmets,” she says. She treasures these visits. “It is always such a joy to see how much they have changed and grown up. All of them have become interesting, vital adults.” Her favorite SHS memory revolves around those reminiscences. “I love it when students talk about the characters in the Iliad and Odyssey as though they

Wenche Haverkamp shares her love of all things literary with generations of students

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A loving presence for 23 years

The Trojan War, revisited. Jackson Kyhl H6 and Mason Wicklander H6 do battle in the Iliad.

‘we reap the benefits of teaching children who like books, music, theater

and learning about other cultures’

Nick Murawski Continued from page 3

As a first year teacher, Mu-rawski leans heavily on the experi-ence of the other faculty. He ob-serves classrooms when possible and bounces ideas off of his col-leagues. “I find that my most suc-cessful moments occur after I have had the opportunity to confer with other teachers….what works, what doesn’t, and what can be done dif-ferently.” While collaboration is the key to ongoing success, finding the time to do so is a challenge. He is grateful for his years as an assistant teacher. “I had the abil-ity to learn from amazing teachers. They are people who care deeply about Sacred Heart and the en-compassing community. I was for-tunate enough to be blessed with their inspiration and patience.” Becoming a lead teacher had its initial stressful moments for Nick, but he learned from the mantra “Follow the Fear.” “What if I screw up? What if I am the worst teacher ever? What if I for-get to let the kids eat their snack? I had to embrace the unknown.” As the second graders will at-test, he is a success! In Murawski’s free time, he enjoys running, beach volleyball, the Rolling Stones, painting and reading about anything historical, especially the Presidents. He is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan and is fascinated by ‘Finding Big-foot’ on the Animal Planet. “I’m serious,” he says. “It’s going to hap-pen one of these days.”

Mr. Murawski holds an M.Ed. from DePaul University; B.A. University of St. Francis in Illinois.

lived next door to them or as though they played together on the playground,” she said. Students seem to find it dis-appointing that they are fictional, not historically real, characters. Of course,” she points out, “we know people even today who resemble Achilles, Hector, Agamemnon, Odys-seus, so, in a sense, they are real. I keep reminding my students that this story is

fiction but they find that hard to accept …and, I think in the long run, they don’t really accept it. That makes me very happy!”What has changed?What change has impacted her the most over the past 23 years? “Our increase in size is the biggest change for me. When I came there were about 340 students in the building. Now, we have 700! I am delighted that so many parents want to send their children to us. However, I sometimes miss the closeness of knowing all of my colleagues well and seeing them every day.”

While she admits she now has more papers to correct, she finds delight in teaching the boys. “I love the contrasts between teaching the two genders. It keeps my school life varied and interesting.” This school life has provided her much joy. “I have never worked with such dedicated and intelligent colleagues anywhere else. They are a joy and I look forward to each day so I can be with them. Equally rewarding is the time I spend with our amazing students. There are no students like ours anywhere.”Parents make the difference What makes our students unique? She cites their intelligence, eagerness to learn, diligence and the fact that “they are polite and cooperative 99.9% of the time.” But what really sets them apart, she believes, is the influence of their parents. “Their parents have raised them well, and we reap the benefits of teaching children who like books, music, theater and learning about other cultures.” She adds, “Parents are their original teachers, and they have exposed our students to so many varied experiences even before they walk through our doors.” Mrs. Haverkamp herself is a Sa-cred Heart parent. Her daughter, Heidi,

attended SHS until the high school closed in 1993, finishing her senior year at Woodlands Academy, and according to her, gained an apprecia-tion for “doing things right” or in the Sacred Heart way. “Whenever I tell her about incidents at school, special events, etc. she always says, ‘That is so Sacred Heart!’ The Five Goals perme-ate our lives more than we realize sometimes.” She will be missed by all. Stephen Puricelli, MS Head, affirms, “Mrs.Haverkamp has a warm heart, loving

presence and passion for teaching. She has been a caring mentor to me since my first day at SHS!” He adds, “She is irreplaceable and will be missed by all of us!” While Mrs. Haverkamp will miss sharing her love of the Iliad, the Odyssey and Shakespeare with her enthusiastic students, she is looking forward to a full retirement. In addition to traveling to visit family in Vancouver, Oakland and in Norway, she is going to study Italian, read, and exercise each day instead of three times a week! “Most importantly,” she says, “I am going to play with my grandson, Harry Haverkamp, age 2, who calls me ‘g’andma.”

Mrs. Haverkamp holds a B.A. from Hope College; Grad.Work: Kent State University.

Wenche Haverkamp shares her love of all things literary with generations of students

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Wenche Haverkamp

A loving presence for 23 years

Hector & Achilles: Christian Coletta H6 and Zach Sessions H6 square off on the fields of Troy.

‘we reap the benefits of teaching children who like books, music, theater

and learning about other cultures’

FACULTY FOCUSBy the Numbers

78... Teaching faculty

13... Teaching assistants

13... Male faculty

75%.. Faculty with advanced degrees 4..... Faculty with doctorates

FROM THE HEAD& the Heart

Nat Wilburn, Head of Schools

Special help is her specialty! In Ms. Uselmann’s 15 years at SHS,

LAP has expanded dramatically.

Karen Uselmann, the Lower School Learning Assis-tance Program (LAP) Coordinator, was a trail-blazer when she started at Sacred Heart Schools

15 years ago. In those days, the enrollment was less than 400 students, and formal programs for those needing special help were in their infancy. Ms. Uselmann was hired for the nascent Learning Assistance Program, a position she initially did part time while teaching in the reading lab. The program has evolved as the student population has changed and grown. In fact, in the past 10 years, the entire student support area has expanded, with the addition of another full time LAP teacher, two counselors, an en-richment coordinator and a reading teacher. Ms. Uselmann appreciates its tremendous progress over the years. “The formation of the Student Support Team (SST) this year and the additions to the student support fac-ulty have been positive changes in our ability to aid a variety of students,” Karen said. (see more on SST below) On an average day, Ms. Usel-mann sees four or five groups of students, and some individually. “I also collaborate with the classroom teachers and lend support in their general education areas,” she notes. What was Ms. Uselmann’s original impetus to enter the learning assistance field? “While growing up, my dad was involved with an organization that provided services to boys and girls with developmental delay,” she said. “ I volunteered there as a teen and found it very gratifying.”

She also has a personal parallel to her school career, one which gives her empathy with her students and their families. “I have a daughter with some unique challenges so I have a lot of hands-on experience as a parent as well.” She especially enjoys the fact that she gets to work with a variety of students and their curriculum while collaborat-ing with their parents and teachers. There are unique chal-lenges inherent in working in the LAP. “Collaborating with faculty and parents who have a wide range of beliefs and understandings about learning and social/emotional issues can be both a challenge and a joy,” she said. Working closely with the classroom teacher is the key. “We problem solve about student needs, the classroom units and different strategies to support students,” she ex-plains. For instance, during the 2nd grade penguin project, she collaborated with the teachers on a note taking and a paragraph template that added more scaffolding, or frame-work, for those students who needed additional support. Ms. Uselmann’s mantra is, “With the proper support and environment, all kids can be successful.” In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to movies and trying new restaurants. But her favorite guilty pleasure is “being alone in my house.”

Ms. Uselmann holds an M.A. from National-Louis University; B.A. Lawrence University.

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What is LAP?This publication is emailed and posted online, saving trees and following Goal 3, Criterion 5: The school teaches respect for creation and prepares students to be stewards of the earth’s resources.

Editor: Diane Fallon

6250 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL www.shschicago.org

The Learning Assistance Program (LAP) is a service for students in K-8 diagnosed with mild to moderate learning disabilities. The program serves approximately 10% of the student body and is staffed by three full time learning specialists. Students are taught in small groups of 2-4 students and are seen approximately 2-4 times per week, depending on grade level. Students are identified by the Student Service Team (SST), which meets weekly. The SST determines the best steps to further those students’ needs. The SST process can include completion of checklists by faculty and counselors, recommendations for a screening or a full evaluation, and for internal and external support services. Students who can benefit from remedia-tion in the lower grades or from curricular support in the upper grades are then selected into LAP.

‘With the proper

support and environment,

all kids can be

successful.’

Karen Uselmann