Faculty and Staff Professional Development Continues through Summer Months

School may not have been in session this summer, but the learning didn’t stop for the faculty and staff at Foxcroft. Several faculty and staff members attended institutes, conferences, and workshops; continued their pursuit of a higher degree; or dug deeper into independent projects. A few highlights are listed below.
Kenan Grants
Endowed in 1979 by the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust to support professional development, Foxcroft was the first girls’ school to award “Kenan Grants” to faculty for summer research, scholarship, and creativity that will enhance teaching and learning at the School. 

The 2021 Kenan Grant recipients are Katie Hergenreder (STEM teacher and Animal Science Concentration Coordinator), Anne Mueller, Ph.D. (World Languages Department Chair and French teacher), and Lindsay O’Connor, Ph.D. (English teacher).
  • Ms. Hergenreder will work with faculty and student leaders to coordinate internships and mission-aligned Wintermission classes, prioritizing experiential learning, place-based learning, and student leadership. 
  • Dr. Mueller has worked to bolster the advisor program by reassessing and editing our description of advisory in both the Student and Parent Handbook and Faculty Handbook, creating month-by-month programming for advisors to help them foresee the ebbs and flows of the work, and instructing faculty on incorporating community building techniques in their advisories as part of her ongoing efforts to support the incorporation of Restorative Practices in advising.  
  • Dr. O’Connor will work on the alignment of research and inquiry with the Information Fluency pillars by gathering information about research and inquiry at Foxcroft and working with the library to better plan research and inquiry for English teaching and assessment for next year. She’ll then share her work with the community to offer a model of collaboration and to move us toward shared definitions of research and inquiry and shared ways of teaching these skills. 
Advanced Degrees and Certifications
Not only did Ms. Hergenreder receive a Kenan Grant, but just this month she also received an M.Ed in Independent School Leadership from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. Erin Abbott, Director of Student Services, received Specialist Certification in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion from the American School Counselor Association, and Lynnette Saunders, Human Resources & Payroll Manager, earned Professional Certification from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Kristine Varney, Director of STEM Education, and Whittney Preston, Dean of Inclusive Excellence, continued work toward their respective doctoral degrees.  

Institutes, Conferences, and Workshops
Multiple staff and faculty members attended various institutes, conferences, and workshops to enhance their skills and understanding of a variety of topics, from strengthening departmental curriculum and pedagogy to supporting the School’s efforts in diversity, equity, and inclusion. Following is a sample of events, workshops, or courses attended: 
  • International Institute for Restorative Practices: Restorative Practices for Educators
  • Dignity for All Students Act Workshop offered by Teachers College, Columbia University
  • PBS Learning Series: Tools for Anti-Racist Teaching
  • National Museum of Women in the Arts Educator Workshop
  • Geoconvergence Workshop, American Geographical Society
  • National Coalition of Girls Schools (NCGS) Virtual Conference 2021
  • Belfer Conference for Educators (US Holocaust Memorial Museum)
  • National Consortium for Teaching About Asia: Reading Contemporary Beijing Lives
  • AP Computer Science A Summer Institute
Sharing Expertise
Some of our faculty and staff members shared their expertise to aid colleagues in their professional development. Barbara Conner, Director of College Counseling, was a panelist for a session on the American college admission process at the Girls' Day School Trust virtual summer conference in the UK. History Department Chair and Director of the Innovation Lab Alex Northrup served as a Mentor Teacher for the National Endowment for the Humanities workshop “Long Road from Brown: School Desegregation in Virginia.” Fine Arts Department Chair Julie Fisher was asked by the Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS) coordinator at Purdue University to share her teaching experience in a training workshop with new teachers that will be implementing the program at their respective schools.

Faculty are lifelong learners and will continue their professional development even as the school year gets underway. Watch for more reports throughout the year!
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An all-girls boarding and day school in Northern Virginia, Foxcroft prepares young women in grades 9-12 for success in college and in life. Our outstanding academic program offers challenging courses, including Advanced Placement classes and an innovative STEM program. Our premiere equestrian program is nationally recognized, and our athletic teams have won conference and state championships. Experience the best in girls' boarding schools: visit Foxcroft.