Embedded Files
Photo credit: Loula Aycock
Mrs. Melissa Grubb Officially Installed as Head of School
Mrs. Melissa Grubb Officially Installed as Head of School
Loula Aycock
Loula Aycock
January 10, 2024
January 10, 2024
The sound of bagpipes echoed throughout the Southwest Parkway campus on the clear sky morning of November 28th, 2023. Buses full of Lower and Middle School faculty and staff arrived, and kindergarteners and first graders roamed throughout the campus, excited for a new and different day ahead of them. Upper School students navigated the overflowing parking lots. The sound of heels clicked along the sidewalks as people filed into the gym with their formal attire on, just in time for the service. St. Andrew’s Day 2023 was officially underway.
St. Andrew’s Day is an annual tradition at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, celebrating the patron Saint Andrew. The day originated in the small gym on the 31st Street campus in 1982; once the Upper School was built, the service was moved to the Southwest Parkway campus in 1999 upon completion of the new gym, where it still takes place today.
St. Andrew’s Day is the only day throughout the year that the entire school gathers in one place, attending a chapel service, followed by an all-school lunch on the Nazro green and service projects organized by grades consisting of different things each year. Upper School rock bands play for everyone to hear as people enjoy a special lunch, usually consisting of barbeque, sandwiches, and salad. The rock band's music flows throughout the green as people gather around them towards the end of lunch to cheer them on.
One special thing about St. Andrew’s Day is that traditions have been carried on from the past. Senior Madeline Marks says, “I have looked forward to being a senior and getting to walk in with the first graders since I was in first grade here walking in with the seniors. They felt so old to me then, but now I am one.” Seniors and first graders line up outside as everyone takes their seats for the service, a longstanding St. Andrew’s Day tradition. They then process in together and take their seats in the front. When Mother Whitney thinks about her favorite traditions, she agrees. “Senior- first-grade buddies is my favorite tradition. Getting to hear how much of a core St. Andrew’s memory it is for lifers is always so sweet.”
Although St. Andrew’s Day is similar year after year, this year, students, faculty, parents, and alumni got to experience something different amidst the service. Mrs. Melissa Grubb was officially installed as the Head of School. The Bishop was there to formally present her as Head of School, and different members from the 4 pillars and the board were asked to present Mrs. Grubb with gifts that represent what she brings to our community. A picture of the large oak tree on the 31st campus was given to Mrs. Grubb, symbolic of her open arms and heart to this school and community. “That day was an incredibly special day to me, because of the entire community being gathered together on what was already such a special day. Mrs. Grubb said. “It is very humbling to have that installation service be part of an already incredible day and have the entire community there and able to participate. Having the bishop and my own family there made it even more special. It was just a deeply important and meaningful day,” Mrs. Grubb said. “I loved that she had invited her friends and family to see this moment in her life, and that was a testament to how important this job is to her and how much this place means to her,” Ms. Kimberly Horne said when discussing the importance of this year's service. Each new Head of School is formally installed; however, this year, the installation was significantly more personal and thought out. Senior Walter Richard said, “It was really cool to see an installation like that. It was very nice how thoughtful each gift was and how they each represented what Mrs. Grubb provides to our community.” This St. Andrew’s Day will always be remembered. “It was just really incredible and amazing, so much so that it’s really difficult to capture in words exactly how it felt and what it meant.” Mrs. Grubb said. “It was that important.”
St. Andrew’s Day is an annual tradition at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, celebrating the patron Saint Andrew. The day originated in the small gym on the 31st Street campus in 1982; once the Upper School was built, the service was moved to the Southwest Parkway campus in 1999 upon completion of the new gym, where it still takes place today.
St. Andrew’s Day is the only day throughout the year that the entire school gathers in one place, attending a chapel service, followed by an all-school lunch on the Nazro green and service projects organized by grades consisting of different things each year. Upper School rock bands play for everyone to hear as people enjoy a special lunch, usually consisting of barbeque, sandwiches, and salad. The rock band's music flows throughout the green as people gather around them towards the end of lunch to cheer them on.
One special thing about St. Andrew’s Day is that traditions have been carried on from the past. Senior Madeline Marks says, “I have looked forward to being a senior and getting to walk in with the first graders since I was in first grade here walking in with the seniors. They felt so old to me then, but now I am one.” Seniors and first graders line up outside as everyone takes their seats for the service, a longstanding St. Andrew’s Day tradition. They then process in together and take their seats in the front. When Mother Whitney thinks about her favorite traditions, she agrees. “Senior- first-grade buddies is my favorite tradition. Getting to hear how much of a core St. Andrew’s memory it is for lifers is always so sweet.”
Although St. Andrew’s Day is similar year after year, this year, students, faculty, parents, and alumni got to experience something different amidst the service. Mrs. Melissa Grubb was officially installed as the Head of School. The Bishop was there to formally present her as Head of School, and different members from the 4 pillars and the board were asked to present Mrs. Grubb with gifts that represent what she brings to our community. A picture of the large oak tree on the 31st campus was given to Mrs. Grubb, symbolic of her open arms and heart to this school and community. “That day was an incredibly special day to me, because of the entire community being gathered together on what was already such a special day. Mrs. Grubb said. “It is very humbling to have that installation service be part of an already incredible day and have the entire community there and able to participate. Having the bishop and my own family there made it even more special. It was just a deeply important and meaningful day,” Mrs. Grubb said. “I loved that she had invited her friends and family to see this moment in her life, and that was a testament to how important this job is to her and how much this place means to her,” Ms. Kimberly Horne said when discussing the importance of this year's service. Each new Head of School is formally installed; however, this year, the installation was significantly more personal and thought out. Senior Walter Richard said, “It was really cool to see an installation like that. It was very nice how thoughtful each gift was and how they each represented what Mrs. Grubb provides to our community.” This St. Andrew’s Day will always be remembered. “It was just really incredible and amazing, so much so that it’s really difficult to capture in words exactly how it felt and what it meant.” Mrs. Grubb said. “It was that important.”
Education and Community Are the Key to Preventing Underage Drunk Driving
Sloan Golson
January 14, 2024
January 14, 2024
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, 32 people die every day due to driving under the influence. This number amounts to over 11,000 preventable deaths each year. In Texas, 1,162 DUI-related crashes resulted in fatalities in 2022. Driving under the influence (DUI) is a persistent and prevalent problem all over the country, including Austin, where just last year 31 people lost their lives due to this problem. The reason someone would get a DUI is if they were to drive with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.08 or higher for people over 21 years old and any amount of detectable alcohol for people under the age of 21, as stated by The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Your old friend Ace, a commonly used online license and certification/education platform’s robot avatar, warns you of the physical impairments of driving intoxicated: blurred vision, slow reaction time, and lack of concentration are just a few of the many impairments that can occur. Drinking and driving is very serious - even for teenagers - because of the immense and uncertain consequences that can occur. People, especially teens, may think that they won't get caught and as Ms. Heather Latreille, St. Andrew’s Upper School Counselor puts it, “Teenagers often believe they are invincible.” When interviewed, Ms. Latreille spoke about impulsivity teenagers have as “not particularly helpful to the situation.” At 16, one's brain is not fully developed, and that doesn't suggest incompetence, but it does suggest that talking about this issue and proposing preventative steps will help teenagers make the right choices. This is a part of the reason why Ms. Alex Hunt, the counselor at Mount Tampalais High School in Marin, California (and a family friend) believes that while “you're never going to fully be able to prevent teenage drunk driving, education actually is the key.” Tam High School uses its strong wellness program to make sure everyone is on board for ending teenage driving under the influence and that it is talked about. Through counseling programs, school courses, and open-invite parent meetings, Tam promotes a culture of communication with safety as a top priority for all connected to the school. Ms. Hunt says, “We do create a culture where there is no reason to ever think that you should be okay to get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.” Tam High School’s wellness program is just one example of exceptional work being done to end this issue. So how is St. Andrew’s combating this challenge? One person that comes to mind for all current St. Andrew’s students is Mr. Glen Hall, commonly known as Mr. G. At the Upper School, Mr. G - the Freedom from Chemical Dependency specialist (FCD) - comes once a year to talk to each grade about the dangers of chemical dependency. While his story is inspiring and has a lasting impact, one talk once a year is not a big enough effort to end the issue of underage drinking and driving. Education about drinking and drugs is also embedded in Freshman Seminar and during the 10th and 11th-grade retreats in a broader sense. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives hinges on whether students are truly engaged and if parents are aware of the ongoing efforts.While schools can only do so much, it is up to the community to set the precedent that underage drinking and driving is not just bad, but a current issue that needs to be talked about. Ms. Latreille says that “it's important that there are no mixed messages being sent.” Parents, teachers, and the student body all need to be on board. Safety is the top priority and that should be communicated. Ms. Hunt explains, “If kids are afraid to call parents for fear that they're going to get in trouble, they're going to make a bad decision and maybe get behind the wheel. So parents not saying that it's okay to drink but rather having conversations with their student about no questions asked if they are ever in a position where you're not okay to drive.” Parental involvement is extremely important as well as peer involvement. There can be this undertone of fear that interfering and/or stopping someone from making a bad choice could lead to them thinking you’re not cool or anger them, but it's better to say something and do something and have that person be mad at you, but alive, then not mad at you, but dead. While the simple solution to deaths due to drinking and driving is to just not do it, it's much more complicated than that. This issue is prevalent and persistent and everybody has to be on board and willing to speak out and up to combat it. When I asked Ms. Hunt for words of wisdom to our student body she said that “the feeling of guilt and pain, of losing a friend who died in a drunk driving car accident is way worse than them being mad at you for preventing them from driving home. So do the right thing and use your brain.”
Photo Credit: ATX Bail Bonds
Page updated
Report abuse