SHELTON HOSTS FREE GAP YEAR FAIR JANUARY 30

The newer notion of a high school graduate's waiting a year before entering college is of growing interest and appeal to many.  Come explore the concept of taking "time out" from traditional education and "time on" for experiential learning.  Opportunities include travel, cultural immersion, service, work experience, and mentorship. Shelton School, located at 15720 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, TX 75248, will have some 50 organizations on its campus Wed., Jan. 30, 6:00 - 8:30 pm.  Representatives will be available for face-to-face conversation with parents and students.

Program begins at 6:00 pm with a speaker, followed by the fair at 6:45. Come explore the many options.

Debbie Knox, Shelton's Director of College and Career Advising, is the liaison for the event. Contact Debbie Knox for more information.  Here's the registration link for the free event. 

Three sixth-graders from Shelton School attended a meeting of the Dallas Fort Worth World Affairs Council November 1 at the Hotel Crescent Court in Dallas.  The threesome - Charlie Raynaud, Jackson Galbraith and Ford Myers – accompanied by their world geography teacher, Alisa LeBlanc, were on hand to meet with His Excellency Daniel Mulhall, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States.  Ambassador Mulhall spoke on issues surrounding Brexit and the developing trade relationship between Texas and Ireland.  Ms. LeBlanc, a member of the Council, was pleased that the students could continue their study of Europe and Brexit through such a meaningful activity.  

Says LeBlanc, “Being able to relate their learning to real world examples, solidifies the students' understanding. These types of events allow for experiences that are incredibly valuable both in and out of the classroom.  I'm just thrilled to have had the opportunity to watch, first hand, how these students were making such profound connections to their world.”

            Summertime.  The school is closed, right?  Dead wrong. 

            At Shelton School and Evaluation Center, there’s plenty of summer action. Some 720 students (Early Childhood through grade 12) are enrolled for a variety of classes – some for academic credit, others for enrichment. An additional 129 are signed up for athletic camps.  This involves 83 teachers and 12 assistants for classes and six coaches for sports camps.  Says Patricia Gallaher, summer school coordinator, “From robotics to reading, basketball or Broadway music, we have learning taking place all over our campus.”

            In addition, many adults are expanding their educational skills.  Shelton offers professional training courses to teachers during the summer.  Class offerings include Montessori Applied to Children at Risk, Testing and Referral, and numerous academic language therapy programs.   Several of the courses may be taken for college credit through a cohort program with Dallas Baptist University.  Instructors come from throughout the United States and even abroad to participate in the courses, and Shelton’s outreach and training personnel take their training on the road. Says Chris Bedenbaugh, director of Shelton’s Outreach / Training Program, “Shelton’s Outreach Department was thrilled to provide 19 teacher training opportunities that offer certification as well as credit toward a master’s degree. These trainings offer a ripple effect for many teachers and the students they serve.” 

            Other offerings include speech therapy.  Shelton’s Speech / Language / Hearing Program has 13 children involved in its summer Language Adventures program.  Four college graduate and undergraduate interns are also spending their time learning the program.

            “Shelton is a learning organization, year-round,” says Head of School Linda Kneese.  “Whether it’s to hone a skill, remediate a gap, learn something new,  gain a credit, or just have fun, summer is a great time for learning.”

Shelton’s Leaders for Life program continued this spring with a scintillating presentation by best-selling author Julie Lythcott-Haims.  Ms. Lythcott-Haims visited Shelton’s campus April 12^th and spoke with the entire Upper School body on the topic Throw Out the Checklisted Childhood.  The speaking opportunity was made possible through funding by Alliance Data and through the author’s connection with Shelton parent Debbie Mitchell, a former college classmate.

The New York Times best-selling author, who currently resides in Silicon Valley, spoke to Shelton students about countering the environment where grades and scores and other external and even fake indicastors of achievement appear to be the primary measures of a human’s worth. Julie took the audience through an alternative set of goals, all of which enhance the path to real success:

1)    Be kind.
2)    Try hard.
3)    Learn to think and do for yourself
4)    Widen your blinders.  Open your mind to other possibilities. Have a wider mindset about colleges.  Does the plan / place FIT you, and do you get a sense of BELONGING there?
5)    Study what you love. Have the courage to do what you love.

Julie shared tales from her own upbringing, education, marriage, parenting and career.  The real or perceived expectations of a Stanford and Harvard graduate – some self-imposed – weighed heavily on Julie at one point in her life, and she shared candidly about coming to personal terms regarding external vs. intrinsic rewards for her career.  Several Shelton seniors, themselves involved in deliberation concerning colleges, asked pointed questions, and Julie answered with tactics of measuring the trade-offs of various options.

Julie’s take-home to students:  “This is your one, precious life.  You don’t need a career that brings ALL the money; you just need ENOUGH money. Don’t just do what you’re good at – do what you love.”

The author’s book, How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success, is a current hit with many parents.  Her next book will concern race.   

“What a great opportunity for our students,” said Shelton Executive Director Suzanne Stell.  “Julie was a real inspiration – she offered sage advice on how to get comfortable with those dimensions that will fulfill for a lifetime.”

Shelton School Parents’ Association (SPA) held its annual Stampede benefit auction Saturday, March 24th at the Bomb Factory in downtown Dallas.  Attendees rocked and rolled the night away with Shelton’s Rock-Solid Education as a theme. The evening included cocktail reception, seated dinner, live and big board auctions, and musical entertainment by Broadway’s Rock of Ages Band.

Honorary event chairs were a group called Shelton World Tour Families comprising 16 couples, all of whom moved to Dallas expressly for their children to attend Shelton.  Stampede benefit co-chairs were Shelly Lloyd and Tracy Fletcher.  Jennifer Dix and Andrea Nayfa are 2017-18 co-presidents of SPA, which sponsored the event.  All are parents of Shelton students.

Live auction highlights included the following:

• Ultimate Super Fan Eagles Package – Tickets for four to hear legendary Eagles, along with James Taylor, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C, plus guitar signed by Don Henley, gift card toward airfare and hotel
• Dinner Like No Other for 10 at renowned Chef Kent Rathbun’s home – premium wine pairings included
• Four Nights at Five-Star Villa Punto de Vista in Costa Rica – 10 luxury bedrooms, fully staffed, four beaches, a tropical paradise of sapphire and aquamarine
• Custom Texas Exotic Game Hunt for Four – Rugged, serene, breathtaking H5 Trophy Ranch for two nights, guides, lodging, meals
• Luxury Villa in St. Lucia – Six glorious nights in five-bedroom villa (sleeps 10) located above Laborie on Mount de Blanc, majestic Caribbean scenery at its best
• Tropical Paradise for Twelve in Roatán – seven days in two ocean-view penthouses in Roatán Bay, off the dazzling coast of Honduras
• Dinner for Ten prepared by Jeffrey Kollinger, owner Tillman’s Roadhouse and Spice of Life Catering – wine pairings and martini-making challenge included
• JD Miller Art Piece and Reception for 100 – original creation, gallery reception includes wine, bites, and art galore for viewing
• Your Season at Four Seasons Scottsdale, AZ – Retreat for a week with two-bedroom accommodations, Western lore with cosmopolitan culture
• Dallas Cowboys Fan Get-away - exclusive package for three to a Cowboys away game for 2018 season. Includes a ride with the team on the Cowboys charter plane, overnight stay at their hotel, and premier game seats
• Big Tex, You and Ultimate State Fair Experience – be grand master for parade with four on the float, private dinner for 10 at Magnolia Beer Garden, VIP parking spaces, brick with winner’s name at State Fair of Texas entrance

Big board auction items included custom jewelry, home décor, sports tickets and autographed sports memorabilia.

Shelton gratefully acknowledges the event underwriters:

Entertainment ($20,000)
Angela Wommack and Ted Casey

Live Auction ($10,000)
Laura and Tommy Gilbreath

Online Auction ($10,000)
Paulos Foundation
Kim and Jay Brigham

Big Board ($10,000)
Jennifer and Thomas Greenlee

Bar ($10,000)
Ben E. Keith Beverages

Valet ($7,500)
Park Place Lexus of Plano

Decorations ($5,000)
Michaels

Invitation ($5,000)
Frost Bank

Program ($5,000)
Hollman Inc.

Photo Booth ($5,000)
Screenmobile of Dallas

Raffle ($5,000)
Devra and David Helffrich, Jr.

Wine Pull ($5,000)
Pioneer Wine

Shelton Selfie ($5,000)
Seale Wealth Management

Red Carpet ($5,000)
CD Wealth Management

Mystery Boxes ($5,000)
Moody Foundation

Priority Table ($5,000)
Anonymous
Boulder Creek Development
Mickie and Jeff Bragalone
Jennifer and Richard Dix
Mary Jane and William Holmes
Melinda and Jeffrey Kollinger
Holly and Brad Reeves
Rachel and Jason Schmidt

Heads and Tails ($3,500)
Pediatric Associates of Dallas

Net proceeds for the event were $420,000. Auction proceeds go toward enhanced curriculum programs and improved facilities, financial aid, and professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. 

"Thanks to all who made our evening so fun, festive and successful," says Executive Director Suzannne Stell.  "Our event was supported by parents, alumni, board members, faculty and staff, grandparents, sponsors and other friends."