In Memory of Dave Barker, President of the TES Board of Trustees from 2000-2003

In memory of:

DAVE VAN NESS BARKER

1. CELEBRATE AND GIVE THANKS FOR A LIFE WELL-LIVED

If I had to come up with one word to describe Dave Barker it would be “passion.”

A. “Passion” has multiple meanings…and in one sense, the intense desire and enthusiasm for something….one can’t miss that Dave loved architecture. Like his wife, and best friend, Carlotta, he was an artist. He could see order in chaos…and work to bring what was in his mind’s eye into reality….in Dave’s case using the tools of math, engineering, and design. I remember my first visit to one of their restored historic structures that was also their home, on 25th street, and being shown a copy of the Galveston Architectural Guidebook by Ellen Beasly and Stephen Fox. The way they talked about the images in that book... It was apparent right away that Carlotta and Dave shared a passion for the beauty of Galveston. Throughout his career, Dave earned various recognitions and awards for his work, but the best testaments to his vision are the existing restored homes and the structures of his design.

B. Thinking about Dave, the idea of “vocation” comes to mind. Frederick Buechner defines vocation as the place God calls you to, where your deep gladness (read “passion”) meets the world’s deep hunger. Dave’s work was a vocation… having studied with Howard Brownstone, author of “The Galveston that Was,” Dave already had a heart for historical preservation when both his and Carlotta’s passions eventually led them to Galveston. This island was a fabulous place for an architect-artist team and a young family. What Dave continued to develop as his work happened to be sorely needed as the historical preservation movement really took off here. You are truly blessed when what you love to do is relevant, and needed, and you can see the results of it…and people enjoying and appreciate it.

C. Dave had the gift, as does Carlotta, of seeing the potential in things…. Seeing things that many people can’t. I understand that their first family home, not far from here on Sealy was a real “diamond in the rough” at first. We’re talking there were chickens and rabbits living in the kitchen! Involving their family home in the work, Dave and Carlotta were fully invested…they were all in…put their entire lives into the restoration of historic Galveston. They weren’t the only ones…but certainly on the vanguard…and today, those of us who reside and visit here, get to enjoy a Galveston where the aesthetics of the past have been brought to life.

D. OK, so enough about work…. We can only scratch the surface in this celebration

E. Dave had a life other than his day job…he had other passions that he enjoyed with his family and friends. Dave loved to play…he played card games with friends and board games with the kids, he watched the University of Houston Sports teams, and even TV games… he could answer all the questions on jeopardy! He loved to cook and entertain…the Dave and Carlotta team would not just make a dish….but a beautiful dish…aesthetics was always celebrated. But, I will hazard to suggest that most of all, Dave loved to play outside. Dave’s daughters all reminisce about sailing and water skiing. He loved to bike and walk… one aside: Alice Ann O’Donell, a retired family medicine physician who is widely known for her work with Galveston’s Featherfest and passion for the great diversity of birds on the Island…credits Dave and Carlotta with fueling her own passion…. her interest in birding really came alive when she purchased a guided bike tour of Galveston that Carlotta and Dave offered to lead as an auction item gift for a Trinity Episcopal School fundraiser. This is a great example of how your passion can touch the lives of others.

F. As you may have noticed, I've found it hard to talk just about Dave without also talking about Carlotta. These two were a team…they had a passion for one another. These two met at 14. Carlotta asked him to marry her at 16, and they married each other as 20-somethings. They did everything together… important decisions were worked out on their frequent walks. In some ways, like two peas in a pod…but each brought different gifts to the table which allowed them to do amazing things… like building their house in Lake McQueeney!

G. The girls, Vanessa, Danielle, and Joellan each commented on what Dave has passed on to them. Each of their personalities has been informed in different ways by their dad’s passions. Vanessa credits her love of architecture and old things, Danielle credits her devotion to Trinity Episcopal Church and the Galveston community, and Joellan credits her love of sports…football and basketball. All three girls were raised in a family that allowed their dreams and passions to develop uniquely. They have great memories of Dave’s strengths and even some areas where he was a little sketchy… it seems that automobile maintenance was not Dave’s passion, for example! Ice Cream is a repeated theme…but I just couldn't figure out how to include that in this sermon…. Well, there, I guess I did. Dave had a sweet tooth. His sense of humor showed…I loved Joellan mentioning her dad trying to make her laugh as they walked down the aisle at her wedding!

H. Another passion Dave and Carlotta shared was their church. Dave held every position imaginable for a lay person at this church. .. senior warden, junior warden, Sunday school teacher, usher, chairman of the building committee. One member of the building committee told me that the unglamorous work authorized by the building committee in Dave’s day (shoring up the bell tower and adding a new roof, literally saved the building during Hurricane Ike! ….he even designed the columbarium where he was interred earlier today. Dave served as president of Trinity Episcopal School’s board of trustees and the chair of the search committee that called me here in 2002. It’s an understatement to say that I am deeply indebted to him! Here is another aside…outside, near the bell towers; there is a statue of a little girl seated and holding a flower. One of the girls, Joellan, was the model for that beautiful statue. The statue will always remind me that we are called to seek and discover order and goodness in this world.

2. OK, NOW FOR THE FINAL WORD
At a memorial service, those of us who stand in the circle of Christian faith know that we must proclaim the Resurrection. Fittingly, the family chose a reading from the Gospel According to John with an architectural reference. In this reading Jesus tells us that there are many structures, or dwellings places, in which we may abide in his Father’s house. He reminds us that he has prepared a such place for each of us. Danielle shared with me something from Dave’s final hours that I think Dave would want us to know. At one point near the end, Dave was following something in the room with his eyes….but Daniele could not see what he was looking at and Dave wouldn't say what it was. Whatever it was, he broke out into a deep peaceful smile. We don’t like to talk about the end, when we cross over to the other side, so these kind of things don’t get shared much…but priests do hear of these visions. (If you are interested in learning more, I refer you to the published work of the Rev. John Price, a priest in the Diocese of Texas.) So I’m kind of left wondering what Dave was seeing… perhaps, it was the city of God, or Dave’s own promised abiding place in Heaven. What Dave saw is a reminder to us that death is not the final word. Passion is also the term used for Christ’s suffering and reminds me that Dave had his own share of physical suffering. But he endured with character, perseverance, and faith. With the help of God’s Holy Spirit, might we all give thanks for the life of this wonderful passionate man…this architect, best friend, dad, lover of the outdoors and person of faith… and might we all learn something from his deep gladness that will enable us to live more passionately in our own lives. In the name of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN.

The Rev. David C. Dearman
March 21, 2015

Spring 2015: Standardized Tests in Perspective

Creating a colored pencil masterpiece
in art class at TES.

Trinity Episcopal School administers norm-referenced standardized tests to our students in Kindergarten through 8th Grade each spring; this has been a part of the Trinity experience for generations.  We use these tests to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of individual students and to give our parents some idea of how their children are progressing compared to other students at the same grade level nationally.  The tests we use are “high ceiling” norm-referenced tests (think of the bell curve or a normal distribution); attempting to “teach” to these tests would be a Sisyphean task (think fool's errand).  These tests are but one tool among many that we use in the pursuit of education.

I think public education in Texas, as of late, focuses too much on test scores. While, the “high-stakes” tests we hear so much about are helping to hold accountable poorly functioning districts and schools, I worry that the process may leave students with the highest academic potential at risk.  As I understand it, the tests are criterion-referenced (think of a test for which you are given all the answers beforehand...like a spelling test).  The ceiling is low enough that one could presumably “teach” specifically to the test and make a difference.  With anxiety in the system, teachers are tempted and even encouraged to over-review material in order to raise scores on an aggregate level.  One complaint is that the most academically-oriented students find constant reviewing for "the tests" excruciatingly boring, while at the same time they miss out on pursuing more challenging and meaningful material.

At Trinity Episcopal School we value many things that are not measured on achievement tests.  Fine arts, for example, form a critical part of Trinity’s approach to educating the whole child: mind, body, and spirit.  Helping students “find” their creative selves builds resilience in the face of a constantly changing future and contributes to self-understanding.  From the standpoint of our school’s mission, it is unfathomable that we would ever reduce fine arts in order to replace the time with over-reviewing a narrow band of cognitive skills.  Studio art, music, Spanish, physical education, chapel, field trips, character education, community building events…these all need time at school, as does the rigorous pursuit of core academics.  Without any one of these, our students would be greatly diminished.

Faithfully,

The Rev. David C. Dearman

TES Testing Dates:
April 8, 2015 - OLSAT (Grades 1,3,5, &7)
April 13-17, 2015 - Stanford Achievement Tests (K-8)

Ash Wednesday & Lent 2015

It came to my attention that some students thought the ashes used on Ash Wednesday were derived from cremated remains.  Wow, I’ve not heard that one before, but I can see how a child might come to this conclusion.  We do sometimes use the term “ashes” in that way.  But, the ashes used in school Chapel are actually derived from the palm branches used at Trinity Church on Palm Sunday from the previous year.  Trinity parishioner and former Trinity Episcopal School teacher Jacque Ellis prepares the ashes by burning the palms.  The ashes are a symbol reminding us of our mortality…it is only by God’s gracious gift that we have the hope of life eternal in the communion of saints.

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Last week I returned from Camp Allen where I attended an intensive week-long program on The Daring Way™.  This program is based on the research and writings of Brené Brown.  Bishop Doyle strongly encouraged the clergy of the Diocese of Texas to participate in this program, and I’m very grateful to all the folks around here who allowed me to do so.  Going forward, I will be integrating the learning into my work by looking for points of intersection between Brown’s theoretical framework and generally accepted best practices of teaching and learning.   As my attention has turned to Ash Wednesday and to Lent, one such intersection comes quickly to mind: Shame is a spiritual problem.  It is correlated with counterproductive, self-destructive behaviors and is ineffective for behavioral change.  From an educational standpoint, shame has no place in the classroom.

Lent is not about shame.  Shame is the painful feeling that we are not worthy of love and connection.  The Gospel message is that God loves us unconditionally.  All children are God’s children, created in God’s image and worthy of love.  Shame tells us a lie…that we are a lost cause, flawed and without hope of redemption.  Lent, however, does involve guilt.  Guilt tells us the truth that we are people who are worthy of love and connection who have done things we should not have done.  Effective teachers (and parents) know in their bones to focus on the behavior, not on the person.  Guilt tells me I made a mistake; shame tells me I am a mistake.  There is a big difference!

Lent is a time in particular when we acknowledge our guilt…that we have made mistakes and intend to lead a new life.  We are called to live always in the knowledge that God is compassionate and forgiving and has made this known most clearly in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Faithfully,

David C. Dearman

Epiphany 2015

Our "3 Kings" at the Festival of Lessons and Carols held December 19, 2014

The current season of the Church Year is entitled Epiphany.  The term epiphany literally means manifestation.  The season begins with the story of the Three Kings who visit the baby Jesus in Bethlehem.  In this visit, the wise ones who journeyed from afar were successful in their quest to see the newborn King.  From the standpoint of Christian faith, God’s Son was manifested to these seekers who, in turn, presented the well-known gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  Christians refer to this story as the Epiphany because God was revealed (in an epiphany) to the Three Kings in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. The season of Epiphany, then in a more personal sense, asks us to consider how it is that the Holy is made known to us in our own experiences.
  
The story of the Wise Men from the East takes on a more immediate relevance for our own lives when we ask about our own journeys.  Where are we looking for meaning and purpose?  How do we know when we have found these things?  What is our authority?  The Episcopal Church counts Richard Hooker among its great theologians.  Hooker wrote, in the 16th Century, that authority in faith should be based on scripture, tradition, and reason.  This has become known as the “three-legged stool.”  The inclusion of reason means that faith for Hooker was not an irrational clinging to something.  Put simply, being faithful means to trust….it does involve reason but does not claim certainty.  Epiphany Season is a good time to be reminded that theology is not an exact science, and this should lead us to appreciate those who have differing paths.

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First thing back at school from the Christmas holiday, I learned that Trinity Third Grade teacher Stacy Wisner earned the top spot as best teacher in the 2014 Best of Galveston Awards.  The top three vote recipients in each category have been published on Galveston.Com.  Well over 100,000 votes were cast overall in what the Houston Chronicle referred to as "The Oscars of The Gulf Coast."  Congratulations, Stacy!

Please note: TES will be closed on Monday, January 19, as we observe the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, and  on Monday, February 16, as we observe Presidents’ Day.

Faithfully,

The Rev. David C. Dearman, Head of School

Line drawing by TES 5th Grader Ryan Dorado

Thanksgiving 2014

TES Archive Image: Thanksgiving In-Gathering 2005

Trinity Episcopal School students mark the Tuesday before Thanksgiving with an in-gathering of foodstuffs and other supplies for those in need.  The collection occurs in classrooms in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.  Then, on the Tuesday morning of Thanksgiving week, students from each homeroom bring these gifts en masse to Chapel.  Members of Student Council meet them at the altar rail and arrange everything at the base of the altar.  The sight of all of these gifts gathered is inspiring and a metaphor of the great good that can happen when people work together toward a common goal.  Following worship, members of Student Council accompany these supplies to St. Vincent’s pantry.  St. Vincent’s helps folks with basic necessities like food, hygiene products, and diapers.  Helping this outreach ministry reminds our students that love of neighbor requires thinking of the needs of others.  It also is a way of gaining perspective as we take stock of the blessings in our own lives.
  
As of this writing, workers have begun tearing out the old curb cuts along the perimeter of the School’s soon-to-be playing field.  Please join me in giving thanks for the Galveston Foundation which is funding the new sidewalk and curb improvements, fill dirt, and landscaping, for the Sealy & Smith Foundation which sold the property to the Diocese of Texas, and, most of all, for the Moody Foundation which funded the purchase of the property and demolition as well as the fencing and other amenities still to come.  Of course, the project is taking longer than anticipated.  Ready or not, please plan on joining other members of the Trinity Church and School family on Sunday, December 14, at 2:00 PM, to witness Bishop Dena Harrison dedicate the property for the purpose of educating mind, body, and spirit!

By the time you receive this, basketball season will have begun at Trinity.  Please note the published schedule under the Athletics Tab of the school website (www.tesgalv.org).  I hope you will experience the Charger spirit by joining us for home games at the Robert L. and Ann Moody Activity Center.

An angel from TES Lessons & Carols 2013

Finally, please note for your calendars, the annual Festival of Lessons and Carols: Friday, December 19 in Trinity Episcopal Church beginning at 10:30 AM.  For many, this is the most sublime moment of the school year!

Faithfully,

David C. Dearman +
Head of School

Start of School 2014

A group of TES 8th Graders peruse the new Trinity Charger Yearbook.

School opened smoothly on Tuesday, August 19, and by the end of the first week 228 students were enrolled….marking the third consecutive year of growth.  Enrollment has yet to reach the pre-Ike number of 242, but that’s only part of the story.  Compared to six years ago, Trinity Episcopal School has moved forward by leaps and bounds.  With the addition of the Robert L. and Ann Moody Activity Center and the soon-to-be-completed athletic practice field, the campus has a more significant visual impact on Galveston’s downtown.  The recent 10-year re-accreditation by the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools and the Independent Schools Association of the Southwest has reaffirmed Trinity’s mission and quality.  I can’t help but think these are significant factors in the school’s enrollment recovery.

Each year, we announce those 7th graders who are eligible for participation in the Duke University Talent Identification program.  These students earn eligibility based on their exceptional performance on nationally-normed standardized tests taken the year before. The 8 students so honored this year are Kelly Carmichael, Noah Elzner, Christof Gault, Logan Kelly, Christian Quinn, Nicholas Sutton, Courtney Whittaker, and Nick Zompa.

Please join me in welcoming our new faculty: Francie Buergler continues the family tradition of teaching at Trinity; Francie’s mother, Sissy Howell, taught here for many years.  An experienced teacher and graduate of Texas State University, Francie will be teaching Kindergarten at Trinity.  Russell Johns is our new athletic director and physical education teacher.  He is a graduate of Concordia University where he majored in Kinesiology.  He recently served as baseball coach at O’Connell College Preparatory.  Brook Miller will be teaching 5th Grade; she earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Houston, Clear Lake.  Brook will be away on maternity leave soon after the start of the school year; during that time her teaching duties will be assumed by Anna Vandiver, an experienced teacher and cum laude graduate of Augusta State University, Augusta, Georgia.  Our other 5th Grade teacher will be Kelly Shaffner who graduated from Texas State University and comes to us most recently from Parker Elementary.  Kelly’s solid references included Stacy Wisner who is also joining our faculty (teaching 3rd Grade).  A graduate of University of Houston, Stacy was recognized as elementary teacher of the year for GISD in 2011-2012.  These talented folks are rounding out an already strong teaching staff at Trinity Episcopal School!  Finally, help me welcome Amy Gaido to her new role as Lower School Coordinator and Assistant Head of School.

From Left to Right: Russell Johns, Francie Buergler, Kelly Shaffner, Brook Miller, Anna Vandiver, & Stacy Wisner

Faithfully,

The Rev. David C. Dearman
Head of School

Summer Begins 2014

TES Class of 2014

The 17 students who graduated on May 29 are shown here on the Garth just before their Commencement.  These latest graduates are Libbie Lee Ansell, Hunter Thomas Blackwell, Kelli Michele Blackwell, Charles Bush Cragar, Santiago Tobias Faus, Barrett Charles Gaertner, John-Austin Gaertner, Amanda Grace Shallenberger Galan, Joseph Bentley Jaworski, Nayarith Jimenez, Frances Clair McBride, Emily Marie Metyko, Gabrielle Alyse Prets, Seth Michael Ricks, Zane Campbell Seigel, Kelley Jane Shepherd, and Sarah Faye Tillman. These kiddos will be sorely missed, but we look forward to hearing great things about them in the future!

By early summer, activity should begin on the new property at the north end of the campus.  The extraction of a gas tank and the demolition of the old drive-through banking operation will precede work to create a fenced playing field.  Using a phrase from our past, signage at the construction site will highlight the double entendre: "Trinity is a Good Place to Grow."

Thanks to solid support for the Annual Fund, various maintenance projects will take place including painting overhead ceilings and replacing the worn deck at Hollamon Hall as well as resurfacing the outdoor sports court.  

Trinity BOT Vice-President Meg Walker announced recently that the first round of engraved pavers will be placed at the entrance to the Robert L. and Ann Moody Activity Center as part of the Building Our Future: Paving the Way Campaign to help sustain the maintenance and programs of our new building over a multi-year period.  The deadline for orders on this first round of pavers is June 16.  Please see www.tesgalv.org for details.  This is a great way to celebrate loved-ones and to remember those who have come before us.

I am pleased to report that  longtime Trinity benefactors Dr. and Mrs. Robert Eanes have made a substantial gift to help the school acquire and implement software from Senior Systems 
including Admissions, Enrollment Management, Business Office, and Development Modules.  This upgrade to an integrated data management system will help us address a recommendation from the ISAS/SAES Visiting Committee.

The first-ever Camp Charger will be held on weekdays from July 7-18.  This program is open to students in rising grades 3-8 and is not to be confused with our Summer-long Camp for the younger ones!  Please see www.tesgalv.org for more details or contact Camp Director Anna Hyatt: ahyatt@tesgalv.org.

David C. Dearman, Head of School