ST. PIUS X HIGH SCHOOL | WINTER/SPRING 2014

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inside this issueLEARNING FOR SUCCESS: Welcome letter

FEATURED: Still Rising: Alumni Stories — Grant Gealy

STAY CONNECTED with St. Pius X High School

PARENT TIPS from Dr. Charlis Powell

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!JOIN US FOR OUR LEARNING FOR SUCCESS OPEN HOUSE

SATURDAY | MARCH

8 @10 AM

Learning for Success — From the very beginningLearning for Success started back in 1956, when the first student entered the doors of St. Pius X High School. It didn’t have a name; there was no Learning Center; no budget dedicated to the program. In fact, there was no “program”. So, how did Learning for Success start way back then? It started in the hearts and minds of the great educators, the Dominican Sisters.

It has been said that if you have met one Dominican then you have met one Dominican. Each is different and unique in her own way. However despite these differences, these Dominican Sisters all had one common goal—to teach. Not just to teach but to teach so each child was able to learn. If you know anything about the Dominican Sisters then you know this: They never give up. If a student didn’t learn it one way, the teacher simply tried another. They kept trying until the student not only grasped the material but also understood how he or she learned.

Through the years the “never give up” attitude has remained intact. Learning for Success is at the core of the learning environment at St. Pius X. It is in the classrooms. For over fifty years, St. Pius X has provided an environment where all students can learn and make a positive difference in society. Seven years ago the program finally received a name reflecting the accomplishments of its students and their teachers, Learning for Success.

Prayer, Study, Community, Preaching — this is Dominican education at St. Pius X High School. Inspired

by Veritas, young men and women embrace academic excellence and

integrity, celebrate the community’s diverse gifts and heritage, and embody

social justice and service.St. Pius X High School | 811 W. Donovan St., Houston, TX 77091 | 713.692.3581

Get more details and RSVP online at

SPXLearningCenter.org

Learn, Lift & Launch Newsletter

Learning ForSuccess

Learning For Success

Why do families decide to come to St. Pius X High School? For many it is the School’s reputation for excellent academics and college acceptances, while for others it could be for reasons as varied as its Dominican identity or diverse student body. For many parents of students with learning differences, it is the tradition of embracing children with differences and treating them equally as students with none. And so it was for Grant M. Gealy ’12 and his family.

Beverly Mason, Grant’s mother recalled that it was difficult to find a school in Houston that was deeply committed to finding innate talents and educating a disabled student like Grant. “St. Pius X supported our academic plan for Grant, which has always been to educate him at the highest level consistent with his ability to learn, despite his differences,” she said.

Diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Grant arrived at SPX in the fall of 2008 in a power chair. While his academic abilities placed him in the upper percentiles of the college preparatory program, his physical condition required that he receive accommodations for his studies. At St. Pius X, Grant’s family found that he could learn in one-on-one settings and that his tutors would be allowed to attend his classes. He received a full set of academic accommodations, including extended time and separate testing, and was allowed to use electronic devices in his classwork.

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Grant benefitted from a strong network of support from his family, tutors, the Learning Center staff, and the SPX faculty and administrators. In addition, he learned to advocate for himself. Students in the Learning for Success Program at SPX are treated equally and trained to be self-confident and secure in their knowledge despite their differences.

Grant enjoyed a traditional high school experience at SPX. He was a member of Student Council, of the National Honor Society, and President of the Economics Club. He attended dances—notably dancing with the Homecoming Queen in his power chair, and was voted “Most Athletic Guy in a Wheelchair” by the Class of 2012 in recognition of the wheelies he regularly performed in the hallways.

Outside the customary adolescent interests, Grant consistently displayed a deep concern for others—his teachers and his friends—always seeking to find ways to help those he perceived to be hurting or in need.

Above all, Grant was determined and focused. Beyond college acceptances and GPA’s, he had an overarching goal, which he shared with LC Director Dr. Charlis Powell and Admissions Director Susie Kramer on the day he was admitted: he would walk unassisted across the stage at graduation.

Reflecting on Grant’s years at SPX, Ms. Mason notes, “St. Pius embraced Grant and looked for his best abilities. They demanded more of him and required him to see his

weaknesses and work to improve them.” And so, after four years of hard work and determination, Grant walked unassisted across stages not once, but twice—at Awards Day and at Graduation—to the thunderous ovations from his peers to accept his many awards and his diploma.

Today, Grant is a sophomore at the University of California, Berkeley, where he is majoring in Economics. During the 2014 spring semester, among other courses, he will take an economics course on Wealth and Poverty taught by noted Economist, Robert Reich. After three semesters, he has a 3.8/4.0 GPA. He is a member of the Economics Student Union, has published an article for the Berkeley Democrats Student organization on California Proposition 30, regarding funding for education, and he has joined a social fraternity.

“St. Pius is progressive and unique among private schools in Houston in its approach and attitude toward students with physical and academic challenges. We are very fortunate to have a school like this in Houston,” concludes Ms. Mason.

“St. Pius embraced Grant and looked

for his best abilities. They demanded more of him and

required him to see his weaknesses and

work to improve them.”

Learning ForSuccess

Learning For Success

GET CONNECTED WITH ST. PIUS X!Find out more about the Learning for Success Program online at SPXLearningCenter.org

/SPXHS /STPIUSXHOUSTON

/SPXHIGHSCHOOL@STPIUSX

Still Rising: Alumni Stories (continued)

Learning ForSuccess

Learning For Success4PAGEParent Tips from Dr. Powell

Parental Involvement: The What, Why, and How To’s

• Parenting

• Collaborating with the community

• Communicating

• Volunteering

• Learning at home

• Decision making

Charlis E. Powell, Ph.D., Director of the St. Pius X Learning for Success ProgramDr. Charlis E. Powell is the Director of the Learning for Success Program at St. Pius X High School. She completed her Bachelor’s degree from the University of LA-Monroe, her Master’s degree from Louisiana Tech University, her Doctorate from Louisiana Baptist University, and post-doctoral work at the University of Houston. Dr. Powell has been a featured speaker, both locally and nationally, including the NCEA, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and the Louisiana Super Conference for Special Education Providers. She is a recipient of Strathmore’s Who’s Who honoring her leadership and achievement in educational services to individuals with learning differences.

WHY IS PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IMPORTANT?

In study after study, researchers discover how important it is for parents to be actively involved in their child’s education.

• When parents are involved in their children’s education at home, they do better in school.

• When parents are involved in school, children go farther in school.

• The family makes critical contributions to student achievement from preschool through high school.

• A home environment that encourages learning is more important to student achievement than income, education level or cultural background.

• When children and parents talk regularly about school, children perform better academically.

• The earlier the parent involvement begins in a child’s educational process, the more powerful the effects. But it’s never too later to get involved!

The positive results of parental involvement include improved student achievement, reduced absenteeism, improved behavior and restored confidence among parents in their children’s schooling.

HOW CAN PARENTS GET INVOLVED?

• Read with your child – like a book-club. Reading the same books at the same time and discussing the books with your child proves very effective.

• Check homework every night.

• Discuss your child’s progress with teachers.

• Participate in school events, activities, and parent groups.

• Work with your child to set challenging academic personal standards.

• Asking about specific subjects, projects, activities, etc. is more effective than the general question, “How was school today?”

• Volunteer at school and attend school events.

• Look over the homework & Time Tracker daily.

• Check the school website regularly.

• Get to know your student’s teachers and stay in frequent contact. Ask the teachers if there is something you can do to help.

• Provide space for homework with supplies handy.

WHAT IS PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT?

Parental involvement is defined as having an awareness of and involvement in schoolwork, understanding of the interaction between parenting skills and student success in school, and a commitment to consistent communication with educators about student progress. There are 6 different types of parental involvement:

BUT DON’T FORGET....

You’re still the parent—which means you are the boss and get to set the rules. It also also means that you are to be respected by your child. Staying involved will take some effort and take up more of your time, but it will definitely pay off in the end.