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SYCAMOREWINTER 2014

MAKING A DIFFERENCE8TH GRADE GIRLS FORM

PHILANTHROPIC GROUP

BHATIA TECH GIFTSFUELING SYCAMORE GROWTH

CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPSQ&A WITH SYCAMORE’S TOP RUNNER

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS

ALUMNI UPDATES

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Years ago—1990, in fact—when our oldest son started at Sycamore, I was surprised and just a little miffed when I received a call from a Sycamore representative asking me to make a donation to the Sycamore Fund. I grew up in public schools and was still working in a public school at the time, and I had no idea what this was about. No one had prepared me to receive such a call. After all, I’d just paid what seemed like a pretty hefty tuition bill. So I made some minimum contribution.

And here we are in 2013. I’ve been working in independent schools

for almost 20 years now, and I have a much better understanding

of the finances of independent schools. This issue of our magazine

focuses on philanthropy, a critical element in almost every

independent school’s budget. Because I don’t want anyone to react

as I did when I received that first phone call, I’d like to explain the

purpose of our Sycamore Fund.

Every year our administration and Board work hard to create a

budget that is prudent but will allow us to offer our students the

opportunities they need in order for us to fulfill our mission and for

them to fulfill the promise that lies within each one of them. While

tuition will inevitably rise every year, we attempt to make those

increases as manageable as possible. We understand that families

make Sycamore a priority and are working hard to be able to afford

a Sycamore education, so we take this responsibility very seriously.

We ask families to contribute to the Sycamore Fund because our

operating budget does not cover the full cost per student of a year

at Sycamore. This year the full cost is about $1300 higher than

the tuition we charge. By giving families the opportunity to make a

charitable donation, it enables us to hold tuition down as much as

possible, and it gives families the opportunity for a tax deduction.

The Sycamore Fund, then, is not just for “extras,” but for necessary

components of our program. This year, the Sycamore Fund was used

for facility renovations and enhancements, a variety of equipment

such as a new phone system and clocks, and the creation of the

Learning Resource Department.

The Sycamore community is establishing a pattern of generosity.

For the last few years, we have exceeded our Sycamore Fund goal.

This year our goal is $400,000, and we are off to a good start!

Not only do current Sycamore families contribute to the Sycamore

Fund, but also alumni and their parents, grandparents, faculty and

staff, Board of Trustees, and friends of the school contribute. 100%

of our faculty, staff, and board consistently participate by donating

to the Sycamore Fund. Our parent participation rate last year was

63%, and we’d love to see that participation rate increase this year.

We understand that each family has a different ability to give; we

just ask that you make Sycamore a priority in your giving. Thanks

so much for your generous responses!

As for me, now I try to be the first one to make my pledge, and

Sycamore is our family’s second highest priority in terms of our

giving. I’m convinced it’s a truly valuable investment of our

philanthropic dollars.

If you have questions about the Sycamore Fund, please contact me or

Holly Lee, Director of Advancement.

Onward and upward!

Best regards,

Diane

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL DEAR SYCAMORE FRIENDS,

TABLE OF CONTENTSFROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL 2

SYCAMORE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 4

GRANDPARENTS DAY 5

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS 6

SSA SUPPORTS SYCAMORE 6

MAKING A DIFFERENCE 8

SYCAMORE SUPPORT 7

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL RETURNS 7

MAKING A LASTING GIFT 10

INSIDE SYCAMORE 10

BHATIA TECHNOLOGY GIFTS 11

A COMMUNITY OF CARING 12

LOCAL LUNCH 12

FUND AN ITEM UPDATE 13

CROSS COUNTRY 14

NEWS AND NOTES 16

HEAD OF SCHOOLDiane Borgmann

BOARD OF TRUSTEESBob Brody - President

HEAD OF EARLY CHILDHOODFrancine Clayton

HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOLGlenna Lykens

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOLJamie MacDougall

DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONSDr. Susan Karpicke

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGYLarry Fletcher

DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENTHolly Lee

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERPatrick Juday

SYCAMORE SCHOOL ASSOCIATIONLori Fulk - President

Sycamore School1750 W. 64th St.Indianapolis, IN 46260317.202.2500www.sycamoreschool.org

VOLUME 7, No. 1

ON THE COVER: Sia Patel peers through a microscope in science class. ON THIS PAGE: Elizabeth Harlow inspects a project on display in Sycamore’s meeting center.

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It is my pleasure to have the role of President of Sycamore’s Board of Trustees and to work with such a strong group of committed trustees and administrators. The board’s role in an independent school is to hold the school in trust, to make sure that the future of the school is secure. To that end, the board focuses on long-term, strategic thinking, planning, and policy development. Trustees do not involve themselves in the day-to-day running of the school.

As trustees, we are busy with exciting work to advance Sycamore.

Currently our efforts include:

STRATEGIC PLANNING

We have substantially accomplished the goals, objectives,

and action steps that were identified in our 2009-2014 Strategic

Plan. We are working on refreshing that plan and setting our path

for the next few years. We have held two Board/Parent Exchanges

to discuss what we’ve accomplished and to raise ideas for

advancing Sycamore further. On February 8, we will hold a retreat

that includes trustees and representatives from a broad

constituent base. Before February 8, you will have the opportunity

for input through a survey, and you may also feel free to contact a

trustee or Diane Borgmann to share your ideas.

CAMPUS MASTER PLAN

The board has approved a Campus Master Plan that will guide the

development of our campus over the next decade. We will be

sharing more about this plan as we go forward.

FEASIBILITY STUDY

In order to gauge our ability to raise funds that will enable us

to implement the Campus Master Plan, we have engaged Johnson,

Grossnickle and Associates (JGA) to conduct a feasibility study.

JGA will conduct many interviews and advise us about our

capacity to raise funds to implement all or part of the Campus

Master Plan.

ACTIVE ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

One of our goals is to engage our alumni more fully. As a young

school, for many years Sycamore focused very little on its alumni.

Now our alumni base has grown, and we have created a task

force to work with Sycamore’s Advancement Office to

outline ways to create a more active and engaged alumni body.

LEADERSHIP IN GIFTED EDUCATION

Sycamore is already a leader in gifted education; however, we want

to increase our external focus to enhance Sycamore’s position and

visibility in the Indianapolis and professional education

communities in order to fulfill our vision: “Sycamore School will

be recognized as the premier resource in Indianapolis, and among

the best in the nation, for the education and development of the

academically gifted child.”

In this issue of the Sycamore Magazine, you will read a lot about

philanthropy and its important place at Sycamore. Our trustees are

also leading financial supporters of the school, and several, including

me, have joined the Sycamore Society by including Sycamore in our

estate planning.

There’s much positive momentum among trustees, and I look forward

to leading our board as we work to advance Sycamore and its mission.

Sincerely,

Bob Brody

SYCAMORE BOARD OF TRUSTEESA L E T T E R F R O M P R E S I D E N T B O B B R O D Y

DEAR SYCAMORE FRIENDS,

Grandparents and special friends showed up in record numbers this fall at the annual Grandparents Day event at Sycamore. We invited them to visit Sycamore in October and experience the magic of our school. Guests had a chance to see live performances, experience classroom life, meet Head of

School Diane Borgmann, join the Grandparents Club and munch on special breakfast goodies.

One of the most popular opportunities

available that day to Grandparents was the

ability to purchase a brand new book for the

Sycamore library and have it dedicated via

an inside cover permanent card. In all,158

families took advantage of the program. In

addition, 78 families have joined the Sycamore

Grandparents Club. Both totals more than

doubled the 2012 participation numbers.

After the morning program, organized

and executed by the SSA and committee

chairpersons Jane Crawford and Alyssa Wei,

the students were joined in classes by their

grandparents and participated together with

the teachers in a morning of lessons, activities,

reviews, and quizzes. n

GRANDPARENTS DAY

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As I sit in my favorite corner of the Meeting Center today, I hear the happy crinkling of paper at gift wrapping stations, which are spilling over with ribbons and bows. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see fairies spinning underneath twinkling lights, and a ceiling covered in falling snowflakes. I can hear the bright voices of students, happily browsing the Gifts Galore Shop. Our children put so much effort into choosing the perfect present for the people they love. Even the tiniest scholars take part in the joy of giving.

The heart of the Sycamore School Association is based

in giving. We can think of giving in a literal sense, and

reflect upon September’s food drive, which provided

almost 4000 food items to families in close proximity to

our school during our annual Spirit Week. The students

enjoyed taking part in the themed dress up days and

chanted their school allegiance at the Spirit Assembly.

But even more than our fun-filled week, they loved the

giving spirit Sycamore inspired within them. Our food

drive has now evolved into a year-around partnership

with the Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center,

in a program headed by Francine Clayton. Tammy

Wilkerson has done a beautiful job as President-Elect,

creating a system designed to make the food drive a

successful and sustainable part of our culture.

We can also think of our giving more abstractly, in

terms of the time and talents the parents put into the

SSA. I have been overwhelmed by the capable and

enthusiastic spirit shown by our Chairpersons and

Vice-Presidents. They have hosted very well-planned

and logistically complex events such as the All School

Social, the Middle School Pool Party and Hayride, our

Back-to-School Information Nights, Get Acquainted

Coffees, Coffee & Conversation Refreshment Tables,

Grandparents & Special Friends Day, the Conference

Day Teacher Luncheon, and Gifts Galore. It requires

large teams of volunteers for these events to be

worthwhile endeavors, and without fail, our requests

for assistance have been met with joyful responses.

This morning as I wished our spirited team of

volunteers a “Happy Gifts Galore,” my mind sang out

a familiar Sycamore feeling: “our cup runneth over.”

On my way to the supply closet, I witnessed our

International Festival Chairperson and her team

adding pieces to the Water Awareness Mural in the

cafeteria. This event

requires a tremendous

amount of thoughtful

planning and expertise.

From the stunning

food, to the colorful

array of performances,

to the engaging and

educational sessions,

the International Festival

is astounding. It’s

especially unique in

design, as everyone can own a piece of celebrating

the culturally rich fabric of Sycamore. Contact

Dheepa Maturi to learn how you can be add your

personal experiences to this event, and I sincerely

hope to see you on Sunday, February 23.

We will have the chance to thank the Sycamore

administration and staff for their tireless commitment

and expert instruction during the month of April.

Please contact Janet Fludzinski and Jennifer Cole,

and ask how you can be of assistance during our

time-honored Staff Appreciation Week. Thanking

Sycamore for all they give to our children is a

gorgeous way to invest in the spirit of giving.

Our final act of giving will be the Jog-A-Thon, which

provides the students a chance to support the school

they love so very much. Good old-fashioned fun will

bring us together one final time to participate in this

inspirational year. It’s a school-wide event, and I hope

to see each and every one of you on Friday, May 9.

There is no better time to don our philanthropic hats

than the day we support the mission of the school

that has taught our children to fly, or in this case, run.

I can promise you twists and turns and unexpected

additions to this year’s primary fundraiser!

Not a day goes by that I don’t receive an offer of

assistance from members of our community, and my

answer is this: come along with me. The generous

spirit of Sycamore invites us to witness the journey of

these beautifully intriguing children. Our community is

so grateful for the time, talents, ideas, and donations to

the Sycamore School Association. I am sure you have

discovered, just as I have, when you give to Sycamore,

you will be amazed at what it will give back to you.

Lori Fulk is a featured blogger with Indy’s Child Magazine. She will have original work published there, in addition to writing her own blog, “Wisdom Comes Suddenly.” n

S S A S U P P O R T S S Y C A M O R EF U L L S C H E D U L E F O R 2 0 1 4

SSA President Lori Fulk

For nearly 20 years, the partnership between The National Bank of Indianapolis and Sycamore has greatly helped the school to develop and implement new projects and enhance the school’s ability to attract other corporate donors.

Having a key, signature sponsor is an act of

balance and communication. A good partnership

allows the contributor – in this case The National

Bank of Indianapolis – to remain highly visible, yet

the partnership exists in a way that never takes

the focus away from Sycamore School. These

two partners certainly understand the sensitive

dynamic of corporate support in an age of nearly

unfiltered messaging and advertisements.

We talked with Ann Merkel, who deftly handles

the bank’s Nonprofit Services division, including

partnerships like ours. We wanted to know how

the bank shares its support among many not-

for-profit groups, and what the relationship with

Sycamore means to Ann.

SYCAMORE MAGAZINE: First, talk a little about

your background for the profile we are putting

together about the partnership between the

bank and our school. Where did you grow up and

when did you come to Indianapolis?

ANN MERKEL: I grew up in Crown Point, Indiana, and

moved to Indianapolis after graduating from Purdue

University in 1983 to begin my career in banking. I

was one of the founding members of The National

Bank of Indianapolis twenty years ago (1993).

SM: What you are you responsible for on a daily basis?

ANN: I lead the bank’s Nonprofit Services division,

which provides a full range of depository, loan and

investment services to nonprofit organizations within

our community. My banking career has included

officer and manager positions in Commercial and

Private Banking, as well as in Nonprofit.

SM: Do you have children?

ANN: My husband and I have three adult children.

Our youngest daughter is a junior at Indiana

University, our son is currently pursuing a master’s

degree at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University,

and our eldest daughter is a dentist in private

practice here in Indianapolis.

SM: How does supporting an independent school for

gifted children fit into the overall goals of the bank?

ANN: As our city’s largest, locally-owned national

bank, The National Bank of Indianapolis is

committed to strengthening our community in many

different ways. By supporting Sycamore’s mission

to develop academically gifted children to reach

their potential and to lead responsible, constructive

and fulfilling lives, our bank is participating in

building a stronger future for our city.

SM: What other organizations does the bank support

on an ongoing basis?

ANN: The National Bank of Indianapolis has

developed relationships with nearly one-third of

the nonprofit organizations in our community.

Our clients represent the areas of Arts and

Culture, Educational Services, Healthcare,

Social Services, Religion, Government, Civic,

and Professional Organizations.

SM: From a personal perspective, are there ideas

and experiences that you can take away from

these partnerships that make you a better person,

or enrich your knowledge of Indianapolis?

ANN: Absolutely! My position gives me the

opportunity to experience so many of the

wonderful people and organizations that make

our community strong. It is very rewarding to

be able to use those experiences to share “best

practices” and to make introductions that lead to

new, or enhanced, partnerships.

SYCAMORE: What philanthropic causes are close

to your heart?

ANN: Because I have had the opportunity to learn

about so many wonderful organizations doing

so much good work, it’s difficult to identify those

“closest to my heart.” As a result, my husband and

I share our time and treasure with quite a few! n

S Y C A M O R E S U P P O R TQ & A W I T H A N N M E R K E L O F T H E N AT I O N A L B A N K O F I N D I A N A P O L I S

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL RETURNS IN 2014

Proving to be one of last year’s most popular events, the Sycamore International Festival is back in 2014. A showcase for cultures, food and entertainment from many different countries, International Festival will be held February 23, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Sycamore.

Among the highlights include

parents sponsoring countries

for the International Festival,

including China, Italy, Israel,

Australia, Britain, Ireland, and

Canada. Each country will have

a display in the gym on the day of

the festival. Sponsors share their

backgrounds and cultures and

help visitors explore a country

and answer questions. Students

are also creating a mural for the

2014 event and have been adding

to it in the months leading up to

the festival. In addition, a fashion

show, featuring cultural clothing,

is part of the this year’s event.

The committee seeks involvement

from the Sycamore community

to support this event. For more

information or to volunteer, contact

Dheepa Maturi at 317-313-3704 or

dmaturi@gmail.com. n

Ten 2010 Sycamore graduates were named National Merit Semifinalists, ranking in the 99th percentile on the 2013 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

CONGRATULATIONS

TO THE FOLLOWING

NATIONAL MERIT

SEMIFINALISTS:

Claudia Benz

Ann Duffield

Lillian Egloff

Yushi Homma

Claudia Huang

Anthony Ko

Noah Lybik

Brian Mickel

Thomas Myers

From the Semifinalist group,

some 15,000 will meet Finalist

requirements. By the conclusion

of the competition, a select

group of Finalists are chosen to

receive prestigious National Merit

Scholarships totaling nearly $35

million. Winners are judged to

have the strongest combination of

academic skills and achievements,

extracurricular accomplishments,

and potential for success in

rigorous university studies.

Scholarship winners represent

less than 1% of the initial pool of

student entrants, based on official

statistics released by the National

Merit Scholarship Corporation. n

NAT IONAL MER IT SCHOLARS

8 9

CANDI: I spoke with (Head of Middle School)

Ms. MacDougall to see if it was ok for me to

offer my classroom as a spot for the girls to

gather after school on Mondays. She approved.

I also approached (MS Language Arts Teacher)

Mary O’Malley about helping with the group.

We have been friends since my first year at

Sycamore, and she thought it sounded like a

great idea and agreed to help.

SM: Although you just started the group this

year, have there been opportunities to help that

you have enjoyed more than others?

ELISE: My favorite project was the drive for the

Julian Center. I volunteer a lot, but mostly in the

summer. I have volunteered at the Julian Center

before and really enjoyed it.

RENI OSUNTOKUN: I like all the projects we do

because they help others and are also fun for us to

just spend time with the girls and have fun together.

JORDAN: I enjoy helping out other people. It’s

exciting to help people who need it.

SM: What have you learned as a result of working

together on the different projects?

JORDAN: Well, some people don’t help others

because either they don’t realize that there is a

need or are unable to. I think becoming more

aware of centers or programs that need help

makes me want to help more.

RENI: I would like to be a doctor and help others

who are in worse conditions.

ELISE: I intend to keep volunteering as an adult.

SM: Any particular challenges?

CANDI: Because our students do not come

from one particular geographic area it can be

a challenge as a parent sometimes to schedule

parties or sleepovers, and I thought it might be

fun to offer some after school time for the girls to

just gather together and have fun.

SM: Anything else you want to share?

JORDAN: I do want everyone to know that we

can use all the donations possible and if we work

together than we can definitely make an impact

on the organizations we aspire to help.

ELISE: This project has helped me see a different

side of lots of my classmates, not just the 8th grade

girls, but also some of the boys as well. When we

did the veteran’s card project, we had a very good

response from the boys, showing a side of them

that I had never seen in most of them.

CANDI: I hope that they find that even as a 13 or

14 year old, they are able to make a difference in

our world. n

8TH GRADE G IRLS MAK ING A D IFFERENCEC L A S S F O R M S P H I L A N T H R O P I C G R O U P

It began with a conversation that turned into an idea that became a whole lot more. In the end, it’s a lesson in how we can effect change, simply by deciding to do something that feels right.

Some Sycamore 8th Grade girls were talking

this fall, not long before the cross country,

volleyball, and soccer seasons ended, and they

were lamenting the time off before basketball

would start. More importantly, they were in

their final year of school at a place that had

been “their school” for a long time – 12 years

for some. They talked about how fast the year

would go by. They talked about how they could

make their time together meaningful. Together,

they turned to philanthropy. How could they do

good things for others.

Simple but heartfelt.

The group baked cookies for families staying

at Ronald McDonald House at Riley Chidren’s

Hospital. They made holiday cards for active military

personnel stationed overseas. And that project

even led to making additional holiday cards for

Indianapolis vets living in a local Veteran’s Hospital.

Now, it has morphed into a year-long project.

We talked to some of the girls involved, and to

Candi Grandlund, Sycamore’s Music teacher and

Band Director, who helped organize the group.

SYCAMORE MAGAZINE: Tell us how the project

came together.

ELISE GRANLUND: Some of my friends and

I were disappointed because we didn’t have

anything to look forward to after the school day

was over. My mom came up with an idea. I asked

a few people if they would be interested and

most said they would be.

JORDAN SMITH: She left it up to us to decide

what we would be doing. Elise had mentioned that

they might have an after school group, but nothing

was definite until an email was sent to everyone

CANDI GRANLUND : (The girls) were disappointed

because they didn’t know what they were going

to do after school. They mentioned how they

were sad that it was their last year at Sycamore

and they wished that they could just have some

time to get together. I asked if any of them would

be interested in doing a service project as a part

of a group. They all responded with a yes. At our

first meeting I asked them to come up with some

ideas of types of service projects they would like to

plan and implement. I was hoping that maybe four

or five students might be interested in organizing

something as a part of our time and was amazed

that 14 girls wanted to do a service project.

SM: Who else is working behind-the-scenes?

OPPOSITE PAGE: (from left to right) Allison Gerecke, Allison Earnhardt, Jordan Smith and Destiny White bake cookies for patients at Riley Hospital for Children. ABOVE: Maya Mishra helps arrange the cookie dough on baking sheets.

10 11

BHAT IA TECHNOLOGY G IFTS FUEL GROWTHAll gifts to Sycamore make a difference. Some gifts allow teachers the flexibility to purchase items for their students to better learn a concept. Other gifts allow Diane Borgmann the opportunity to increase the salary of an exceptional teacher. And sometimes a gift to Sycamore helps the school transform instruction. This is a story of such a gift.

Three years ago, Sycamore decided to

introduce iPads in each classroom in the

school. The personal nature of the technology

along with the vast amount of educational

apps seemed like a perfect fit for the school,

but we were not sure how each grade would

use iPads. The school planned to test the

technology in a few grades for one year. Then

the Bhatia family’s generosity allowed the

school to move forward with our plan faster

than we had dreamed.

The Bhatias understood how quickly learning

was changing because of technology. “Over

the last few years, technology has changed

how kids learn,” Sumeeta Bhatia says. “When

Janvi (5th grade) and Rhea (4th grade) joined

Sycamore eight years ago, most of the learning

was by books.” On the other hand, their

youngest, Aditya started using an iPad when

he was less than two years old. Technology

had become personal and educational.

“It seems that the advent of the iPad has

changed the operating system of our children

and how they interact with the world,” Bhatia

continues. “Eventually, the classrooms will be

dominated by e-books and apps for learning.

When the school suggested that more iPads

would help advance Sycamore, it seemed the

right thing to do.”

The Bhatia’s realize that education in a private

school is not completely covered by tuition.

“Any special projects need help,” Sumeeta says.

“Contributions to education seems to us to be

the best way to further the interest of our children

and community.” The Bhatias understand the

big picture. “As parents of Sycamore students,

for our school to progress and thrive, we have

to invest with financial resources or time,” she

says. “Contributions of either kind are valuable

and have a place in establishing a successful

student body. Sycamore is a special school,

which provides a unique environment for our

children to thrive.”

As a result of the generosity of the Bhatias,

more classrooms received the iPad technology

faster. Sycamore began to observe the many

ways in which iPads could assist with learning.

Teachers were using iPads to assist with

differentiated reading groups. Middle School

teacher, David Schuth, began to record his

science lessons as homework so that more

classroom time could be dedicated to hands-

on experiments. Math applications were

discovered and used to reinforce concepts

taught in class.

In the spring of 2011, the Auction for

Advancement Fund-An-Item further expanded

the use of iPads in the school. Through the

generosity of more donors, an iPad cart was

purchased to be used in the Middle School,

and each Sycamore teacher received an iPad

and began to discover even more ways that

they could expand learning in the classroom.

This year, all seventh grade students carry

iPads to class and next year, each Middle

School student will have a school iPad.

iPads have truly changed the way Sycamore

students learn. And it all began with a simple

desire from a Sycamore family to assist the

school with a vision. n

The Bhatia Family: (from left to right) Sumeet, Rhea, Sumeeta, Aditya, Janvi. 

I NS IDE SYCAMORE

MAKING A LAST ING G IFT TO SYCAMOREThe Legacy Giving program at Sycamore has been established to help individuals designate a future gift to the school through a variety of tax-deductible provisions. The best part of Legacy Giving is that it does not impose an immediate financial burden to you and has virtually no cost during your lifetime. Legacy Gifts result from thoughtful consideration that incorporates a donor’s charitable gift into his or her overall tax and estate planning objectives, with the outcomes being maximum benefits for both the donor and Sycamore School. Donors assets, rather than income, are typically used to make legacy gifts.

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO MAKE A LEGACY GIFT. THE MOST COMMON ARE:

- A gift in your will

- A gift of life insurance

- A gift of retirement funds

- A gift of real estate

Donors who choose to make planned gifts to Sycamore School will become

members of the Sycamore Society. This society enables Sycamore to

recognize and extend our gratitude to donors who provide for the school’s

future and inform us of their thoughtful intentions while they are living.

Donors who make their intentions known to the school by December 31,

2014, will be included as charter members of the Sycamore Society. For

more information on Legacy Giving, to discuss your intentions, or of you

are ready to make a gift, please contact Holly Lee in the Advancement

Office at 317-202-2504 or at hlee@sycamoreschool.org. n

12 13

Francine Clayton not only leads the Early Childhood division at Sycamore School, but she also is at the front of staff and student efforts to help local nonprofit organizations.

Clayton coordinates Sycamore Cares, a faculty,

staff and Sycamore family philanthropic program,

and she solicits ideas from faculty and staff for

selecting community charities to support. She,

with the help of Sissy Engle in the Business

Office, manages the details of putting together

ways for the staff to make a difference.

This year Sycamore is supporting the Fay Biccard

Glick Neighborhood Center, which is located near

the school, at 71st and Michigan Road. Sycamore’s

SSA organizes Spirit Week each fall which

culminates with a food drive for the food pantry

at Glick Neighborhood Center. Some students

asked Clayton about the center, and how we could

support it throughout the year. As a result of that

conversation, Sycamore’s support of the Glick

Center and a food drive will continue year-round.

“We want to support the Glick pantry project

every month,” Clayton says, “in the hope that

they will never have to close their doors. We will

continue to look at more ways that we could be

a support to them.”

Other charities change each trimester, as Clayton

takes suggestions and a charity is announced.

With the reward of wearing jeans to work for one

day each month, staff members generously donate

a collective $500-$600 to each cause. About 90%

of staff members participate in this tri-annual

donation drive, called “Denim Days.” In the past,

organizations that staff members have supported

include the Gleaner’s Food Bank’s BackSacks

program, Camp Kesam, Meals on Wheels, and the

Heifer Project. This fall, Sycamore Cares mailed

checks to the American Cancer Society and to

the Mozel Sanders Foundation. Between the

two organizations, Sycamore’s teachers and staff

contributed $650 during the first trimester. Denim

Days have also supported relief efforts for natural

disasters, both locally and globally.

In addition to supporting community causes, for

five consecutive years, 100% of faculty and staff

have donated to the Sycamore Fund.

If you’d like to contribute to the Glick

Neighborhood Center food pantry, or any of

the Sycamore Cares projects, donation boxes

for food and non-food items are located at

the front entrance of Sycamore School. For

more information, contact Francine Clayton at

fclayton@sycamoreschool.org n

A COMMUN ITY OF CAR ING

Sycamore’s food drive continues throughout the school year.

“Is that real?” is one of the most common responses a student elicits after getting a look at the sun through the Coronado Solar Max II for the first time. The view of the closest star to earth is simply overwhelming.

“While it is one thing to talk about science, it is certainly another to do and

experience it,” says Middle School science teacher David Schuth.

Thanks to generous donors at Sycamore’s Auction for Advancement in

February 2013, Sycamore students are experiencing science in brand new

ways. Tools added to the science labs in 2013 across the school include:

Microscopes

Wireless Dynamics Sensor System

Graphical Analysis for iPad app

LabQuest 2 Lab Armour

LabQuest 2 Charging Stations

Carbon Dioxide Sensor

Light Sensors

Digital Radiation Monitor

Lockout Buzzer Systems

Two Stage Vacuum Pump

Straw Rocket Launch

Hot Air Balloon Launch

KaZoon Kites and Model Airplanes

Coronado Solar Max II

Tripod and Case for Solarscope

Anatomy in Clay Student Mannequins

Finn Comprehensive Biotechnology Laboratory System

Raised Garden Beds built in Outdoor Lab

Dual Range Force Sensor

Salinity Sensor

Conductivity Sensor

Dissolved Oxygen Sensor

Pergola in the Outdoor lab

Schuth has incorporated many of the items listed above into his curriculum,

and he has a deep appreciation for the sensors that wirelessly send data to

classroom iPads. “As a teacher, I can do so much more with examples, displays,

and laboratory activities that most science teachers would envy,” said Schuth.

Christine Schwab, a Pre-Kindergarten teacher, has transformed

several of the classroom units of study by incorporating use of the new

digital microscopes. Previously, Early Childhood students had access

to an analog microscope, which created a frustrating experience for

teachers and students alike when it came to focusing the microscope.

“Now, our classroom students can easily be ‘scientists’ with any unit,

using this new digital microscope,” Schwab says. “It absolutely opens

pathways to the unseen world for children, in an easy and clear display

right before a child’s eyes.”

The science tools implemented in the classroom have expanded the

enriching education environment available to Sycamore students.

While the learning experience in classroom has certainly been enhanced,

Fund-An-Item made an impact on Sycamore’s outside spaces as well.

Judith Mills, Science and Event Coordinator, is most excited about the

addition of the eight raised garden beds.

In the spring, grade levels will have the opportunity to plant a garden bed

that reflects some aspect of the curriculum. The raised garden beds create

a new way for teachers to create interdisciplinary learning by tying food

and plant study to new topics.

The Fund-An-Item gift of science has created a wraparound learning

experience for students at Sycamore School. On behalf of the students

and educators at Sycamore, thank you for supporting Fund-An-Item. n

FUND AN ITEM UPDATEAndrew Wu and Adhi Ramkumar perform experiments, while T.J. Cole uses the new Sycamore Solarscope.

As part of an Aladdin Food Management initiative highlighting locally-grown food, Phyllis Miller and the cafeteria team created a “Local Lunch” in September for the Sycamore students. The menu on the all-locally grown lunch included rosemary chicken, green beans, and corn on the cob.

The food came from the Sycamore Outdoor Science Lab Garden and from

a local farmer’s market. “I went to the Greenwood Farmer’s Market to pick

up some fresh goodies. With the help of Judith Mills (Sycamore Science

Coordinator), I was also able to utilize some of the local freshness from

Sycamore’s own garden.”

Miller had some students involved in the process as well, picking rosemary

and a number of fresh herbs and peppers from Sycamore’s garden.

LOCAL LUNCH

14 15

This fall, the Sycamore Girls Cross Country team used a slow-to-peak plan to allow them to run their best race when it counted – in the final, championship-determining race of the season, as the Eagles captured the Indianapolis Independent School League Championship, beating a field of seven teams. Though the Eagles also won the IISL Championship in 2011along with Alissa Pearson’s (’11) individual title, this year was just the third title since 2001.

In the final race, run at the North Central High School course, Sycamore

was led by Julia Mann, who won the individual title. The team used a

tight pack of runners to win the team title, placing three among the

top seven finishers.

“Julia entered the season with specific goals,” cross country coach

Jamie MacDougall says. “Knowing where you are going is the key

to doing great things - for while the path may lead you somewhere

slightly different than where you’d planned, you have a point of

reference for measure.”

MacDougall says the transformation from thinking individually to

thinking as a team was important.

“The other girls learned to look for one another on the course and

surge whenever possible to position themselves closer to one another,”

MacDougall says. “This strategy was formidable, because cross country

truly is a team sport. Anyone who tells you differently doesn’t understand

it. There were several close meets where the team scores came down to

the 5th and 6th runners on each team.”

We talked to Mann, a Sycamore 7th Grade student/athlete who will

return in 2014 to lead the team, and she shares some of her thoughts

on the season, what made them a good team, and when she knew

they were going to be tough for other teams to beat.

JULIA MANN: I think what made the cross country team successful

this year was the way the team was bonded together and supported

each other. My teammates always helped push me and everyone else.

The older classes included everyone and always supported people if

they were struggling.

SYCAMORE MAGAZINE: What made the work and the practice

worthwhile?

JULIA: I always wanted to come to practice because every practice we

did something new and I always enjoyed being with my teammates. I

loved having Coach MacDougall and Coach Singer. They helped us all

to achieve many of our goals. We had a lot of strengths on our team too.

Fast, strong, experienced runners, and also, determined new runners.

SM: What were a couple of the more memorable moments of the

2013 season?

JULIA: The most memorable meet for me was the hokum karem race

(at Sycamore) because it was the first time Sycamore had had a home

cross country meet. It was really fun for me to run the 3K with my partner,

Cory, because we made a really good team and we pushed each other

throughout the entire meet. I also won’t ever forget the championship

meets at North Central. It was so neat for our team to work together to

win the conference! I will never forget that day.

SM: Was there a point in the season when you knew the team was going

to be good enough to compete for the IISL title?

JULIA: After the second Orchard meet, the whole team was starting

to gain more confidence in themselves and started to see their hard

work pay off. I think many of us were beginning to see the results of the

CROSS COUNTRYA LESSON IN HOW TO COMPETE

training we had been doing. It was also really great that the girls would

cheer on the boys and then the boys would stay to cheer on the girls.

SM: One of the big reason for the team’s success was how tightly packed

the team ran, with the top five runners separated by seconds, not minutes.

JULIA: The top five runners became really close throughout the entire

season because they were always pushing each other and supporting

someone if they were not having a very good day. Everybody realized their

importance on the team because they knew the points each person scores.

With everyone’s help scoring points, we could win the championship meet.

SM: Whether it is middle school, high school or college, there is always a

wide range of ages and experiences on a cross country team. How did the

youngest runners contribute to the team?

JULIA: I started running cross country at Sycamore in 4th grade

and it always made a big impact on me if an older student took any

interest in me or was just nice to me. These younger runners are very

important because they are the future runners that will keep the cross

country team going. We had several younger runners on the team this

year and they made every practice exciting and fun. They were always

happy and always cheered for everyone. They helped our team come

together because they would always make people feel welcome and

happy. Hopefully, we set a good example for them to work hard and

keep pushing themselves to become better runners.

According to MacDougall, who took on the cross country position this

year in addition being the Head of Middle School at Sycamore, one of

most gratifying parts of the year was watching the team work together

and mature as people.

“The kids were quick to understand that when they weren’t running

they needed to be cheering one another on. The focus on personal

bests made for a strong team. This group of runners also was not

afraid to have fun. They laughed every day at practice, finding humor in

team cheers, running outfits, and the quirks each one of us possesses.

They crossed team lines to form friendships with runners from other

teams at races and were always first to thank course officials and

other teams’ coaches.

“Our team could not have had the success we did without the support

of the parents on the team,” MacDougall added.”From helping at the

finish chute at home meets to driving kids to races to making sure

those stinky socks and jerseys were clean, they provided a base of

positivity and support that enabled us to reach great heights.”

ED. NOTE: Sycamore 8th grader Alex Pirkle finished second in Boys

Cross Country race, locked in a fantastic duel for the win, ultimately

finishing less than 0.2 seconds behind the race winner. n

The Sycamore cross country team (left) accepts the IISL trophy.  Cory Steele, Rachael Tan and Julia Mann (right) run at the front of the field.

16 17

INDIANAPOLIS MAYOR BALLARD

SPEAKS TO SYCAMORE

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS:

Indy Mayor Greg Ballard visited Sycamore

in October and spoke to our entire Middle

School about community development and

involvement, especially in relation to our

core character values. He also participated

in a Q&A session with the students.

SYCAMORE SPONSORS

TEDX INDIANAPOLIS:

Sycamore School was one the “Thinker”

sponsors of the TEDx event, held at the Hilbert

Circle Theater in downtown Indianapolis. The

full day of speakers and performers attracted

more than 1,200 people. Sycamore had new

“12 Signs of a Gifted Child” bookmarks for the

attendees and was mentioned from stage and

as a presenting sponsor on the video screen.

FINDING FORMER SYCAMORE

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL AT NAGC:

Middle School Language Arts Teacher Mary

O’Malley and current 6th Grade student Madalyn

Sailors visited Michael Clay Thompson at the

NAGC convention, held this fall in Indianapolis.

Thompson is the author of the highly acclaimed

vocabulary series The Word Within the Word,

which Sycamore Middle School students use in

Language Arts classes. He was the Head of

Middle School at Sycamore from 1997-2000.

SYCAMORE HOSTS

NAGC GROUP AT SCHOOL:

Sycamore School hosted nearly 50 teachers and

administrators who were in Indianapolis for the

National Association for Gifted Children national

convention in November. In our Action Lab,

Sycamore teachers and staff presented sessions

that included Admissions Process (Identification

& Placement) 3 years old and Beyond; Humanities

Curriculum; Science Curriculum; Field Trips &

Resource Speakers; and Math Curriculum. The

same evening, Sycamore hosted more than 100

convention visitors for a reception at the school.

SYCAMORE PARENT NAMED

NEW WRITER FOR INDY’S CHILD:

Sycamore parent and SSA President Lori Fulk is

now a featured blogger with Indy’s Child Magazine.

She will have original work published online She

also writes “Wisdom Comes Suddenly”, her own

blog. “A huge thank you,” Lori says, “to Melissa

Kendall Gray, who led me to this opportunity.”

STUDENT VIDEO IN COMPETITION:

A video directed by 7th grade Sycamore

student Arunabh Sinha was part of a Rockwell

corporate grant challenge in November. The

product highlighted was one that 5th grader

Owen Wright came up with for the Lego League

Team research project on natural disasters; it

warns homeowners of a possible tornado via a

small addition to the home’s fire alarm. The team

competed for two weeks in the video voting.

ARI AUBUCHON WINS 2014 SYCAMORE

JOG-A-THON LOGO CONTEST:

The 6th grader’s artwork was chosen by judges

to represent the spring Sycamore fundraising

event and will be seen on t-shirts, invitations

and numerous other printed materials.

MATH INVITATIONAL ATTRACTS

150 MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

TO SYCAMORE:

Sycamore School hosted its 3rd annual Sycamore

Math Invitational, with over 150 students from

across Indiana participating. The contest is

modeled after the popular middle school math

contest, MATHCOUNTS, and is designed to

help prepare students for the Chapter and State

MATHCOUNTS contests in the spring.

As has been the case each of the last three years,

some of the top middle school math students in

the state participated. Among the top finishers

were Alex Gu of Sycamore School (second place

in the 8th Grade division) and Michelle Shen of

Sycamore (fourth in the 8th Grade division).

2E PARENT SUPPORT GROUP:

The Twice Exceptional (2E) Parent Support Group

meets once a month. In November, they examined

difficulties with organization, planning, emotional

control, working memory, time management, and

goal-directed persistence. Using the book, Smart

but Scattered as a guide, the group examined how

to assess, target, and improve executive skills in

children and adults. Handouts are available on

the 2E Insider page. For more information on

upcoming meetings, contact Lori Henderson,

Sycamore’s Learning Resource Specialist, at

lhenderson@sycamoreschool.org.

NORTH CENTRAL MUSICIANS

AT SYCAMORE:

The NCHS Wind Ensemble and Jazz

Band performed for all of our students on

Wednesday, Nov. 6 in the gym at 9:30 a.m.

The concert featured a number of Sycamore

alumni playing in the band.

SYCAMORE/INDIANA PACERS NIGHT

TICKET SALES COMPLETED:

Sycamore sold 263 tickets to see the Indiana

Pacers on Sycamore School Night on January

10, 2014. It is the first partnership between the

Pacers and Sycamore, and it includes being

highlighted from the court, and having graphics

displayed for the crowd to see on the NBA’s

largest video screen.

STAR AWARDS:

Sycamore Athletics presented the first winners

of the STAR Award (Sportsmanship, Teamwork,

Attitude, Respect) for the fall season. Winners

included Jennifer Oberthur, Sarah Robertson,

Graham Helft, Jack Branigan, Michelle Hong,

Rachel Moore, Ethan Piper and Max Mukhin.

5TH GRADE PROJECT GALLERY:

MS teacher Beth Simpson coordinated

a showing of 5th graders’ god/goddess

projects. A gallery-style exhibition, guests

and students had the opportunity to walk

around and interact with the 5th graders as

they shared what they learned.

MORE THAN 3,000 CANS OF FOOD

DONATED FOR FOOD DRIVE:

Sycamore’s Spirit Week concluded with a food

drive for the Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood

Center at Crooked Creek. Receiving more than

3,000 cans of food and non-perishable items, a

representative from the Fay Biccard Glick Center

thanked the students at a Spirit Day assembly

and said the food we contribute allowed them to

serve families until the end of 2013!

FORMER TEACHERS,

ADMINISTRATORS RETURN:

Retired First Grade teacher Elaine Sandy

dropped in to join us at the Spirit Day

assembly! We will also welcomed back Nancy

Farrar, the former Head of EC, who is back

with us temporarily to help in the Admissions

Office while Erica Harrison is on maternity

leave in January.

.

NEW CONCESSION STAND COUNTER:

The “Eagles Nest” snack bar/concessions

area near the gym received a new blue

counter top, in time for the first basketball

game of the season. Big thanks to Leroy

Richins and Jeff Eastman for the huge effort

to remove the old counter and fit the new

one in place. n

NEWS AND NOTESDECEMBER 2013

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard addresses Sycamore students during his October visit.

TOP: Many Sycamore School graduates returned as part of the annual North Central High School band performance for Sycamore students.BOTTOM: Cory Steele and Alex Johnson speak to teachers visiting Sycamore as part of the National Association for Gifted Children convention.

18 19

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