visionnews

The Newsletter of the Pegasus Vision Committee Spring, 2009

Pegasus Stays True to Its Roots

Vision Continues to Drive Progress

W
hen we look back on
the 2008-09 school year,
what will we remember?
Surely the passing of our founder
and head, Dr. Laura Hathaway,
will shape our memories of the
year. As will the deep economic
downturn that is impacting each
of us in one way or another.
Despite these unexpected
circumstances, The Pegasus
School hasn’t wavered in its
commitment to the goals and
principles of the Vision Plan,
which Dr. Hathaway guided from
its inception. (See page six for
a summary of the Vision Plan.)
Indeed, our resourceful faculty
continues to implement key
elements of the plan in ways that
require little more than innovative
thinking. The result: enriching
new programs that enhance our
children’s experience at Pegasus
without adding costs.
“The Vision Plan is so ingrained in
all of us now,” says John Sullivan,
Acting Head of School. “Even
small changes or decisions are
based on the set of 21st century
skills. We encourage our teachers
to take risks and try new things, but
they do so within the framework
of Vision.”
The Vision Plan can be viewed
as a blueprint for The Pegasus
School’s future—a blueprint that
reflects Dr. Hathaway’s wishes for
the evolution of our school. “We’re
all certain about the future of the
school due to that very critical
foundation that we created with
Dr. Hathaway,” Sullivan says.
Along with program changes,
the Vision Plan requires physical
changes on the Pegasus campus.
In good economic times, we
anticipated taking great strides
in the near future towards
developing the school’s master
plan. Our goal is to gradually
transform our 1950s campus to
a facility designed for learning,
technologically advanced and
environmentally sound, with an
infrastructure that will function
effectively for decades to come.
In light of the current economic
climate, we have modified the
pace for implementing the various
phases of the plan. Yet we remain
no less committed to seeing our
campus evolve into a true 21st
century learning facility.
Just like any business, Pegasus
must adjust its expectations in
difficult financial times. But we
refuse to adjust our expectations
as they pertain to the quality of our
children’s education. For 25 years
now, Pegasus has delivered on
Dr. Hathaway’s promise of giving
bright and gifted students a place
to flourish. Now, more than ever,
we all must remain committed
to Dr. Hathaway’s vision. In this
newsletter, you’ll read about
how we have demonstrated this
commitment during the 2008-09
school year.

Laura S. Hathaway, Ed. D.

Founder and Head of The Pegasus School
In Loving Memory, May 18, 1941 - March 8, 2009
“The world awaits and we have a limited time to make a difference.
‘Building wings’ is more than just academics; it is how we define
ourselves as human beings. Let’s soar on this adventure together
and see the difference the Pegasus community can make.”
 Vision Inside the Classroom
What’s New This Year
I
t takes little more than a glimpse inside a classroom
to see the Vision Plan in action. You can see it in
second grade, where the Famous Americans
presentations have been expanded this year to
include famous people from around the world,
enhancing the students’ global awareness. And in first
grade, where a new unit on different cultural traditions
for marking the loss of a tooth teaches that the tooth
fairy doesn’t leave money under pillows in far reaches
of the world. And in middle school, where expanded
options for eighth grade Spanish will give students who
demonstrate a high level of proficiency the choice of
a course focusing on culture and conversation, or a
more traditional course focusing on vocabulary and
grammar. “The conversation class will be a wonderful
way to develop our students’ Spanish speaking skills
and foster their confidence to use the language,”
says Spanish teacher Charline Nakamura.
The impact of the Vision Plan can also be seen outside
the classroom, as far away as Sudan, where last year’s
coin collection at Pegasus raised enough funds to buy
two wells for an impoverished village. As a direct result
of Pegasus fundraising, girls from that village are now
able to spend their days in school instead of walking
nearly 10 miles round trip to collect water.
Pegasus Middle School students were deeply moved
by Lost Boy of Sudan, Benjamin Ajak, who spoke at
our school last year. Their connection with him was so
deep that they invited him back to Pegasus, where
he played soccer and joined in the middle school
field trip to Fountain Bowl for his first time bowling. An
inspirational international figure, Ajak was nonetheless
accessible to the students on a personal level.
2
Independent Study for Grades 4–5
Recognizing that many of our bright and gifted
students thrive on in-depth research, our fourth and
fifth grade teachers now give them a pretest on
each new social studies unit. Students who already
have a solid grasp of the material are encouraged to
select a more narrow area of study to enhance their
critical thinking. Oral presentations by these students
upon completion of their units not only build their own
communication and leadership skills, but also enrich
the entire class experience.
“With Independent Study I get to
pick a topic that interests me and
then learn a lot about it. It’s fun!”
~ Randon Davitt,
Fifth Grade Student
Technological Advancements
Enormous campus-wide benefits have been realized
this year under the leadership of our new Director
of Technology, Trish Paulson. We’ve upgraded our
computer network, making Internet access 20 times
faster and providing wireless access to 100% of the
school. It’s all part of our efforts to make our teachers
and students more technologically astute. Teachers
are better able to use technology in the classroom
when it runs quickly and efficiently. We’ve also
updated the middle school technology lab with over
20 new computers and acquired software programs,
such as Adobe Suite, Flash/Reason multimedia, and
animation software, all of which allow our students to
use technology like never before.
Interactive whiteboards are becoming ubiquitous in
our classrooms and teachers are growing more and
more adept at using this outstanding communication
tool, thanks in large part to training programs offered
during the February intersession.
In what many of our faculty called the best intersession
ever, multidimensional seminars were offered,
depending on the teachers’ skill level and interests.
Several of our teachers are now Promethean Masters,
a certification that qualifies them to lead other faculty
members in the use of the Promethean interactive
smartboard.
Spatial-Temporal Math for Grades 2–5
Pegasus has always embraced differences in learning
styles, and now we have a fun new program that
better accommodates spatial-temporal learners in
math. This year, roughly 80 students participated in the
computer-based Spatial-Temporal (ST) Math program
from the Mind Institute. The animated program
engages the students in visual interpretation of math
“My children and I spent an enjoyable hour
solving the challenging puzzles on the ST
math website. They’re a great way for adults
and kids to exercise their minds together.”
~ Nancy Fries, Parent
If you’d like to try the sample ST Math games, go
to www.mindresearch.net and click on demo.
concepts using no language at all. Our teachers
agree that even students who learn well in the more
traditional logical-sequential manner will benefit from
ST Math, because it enhances their critical thinking.
Thus, our teachers will be further trained in ST Math
over the summer, and it will augment our Saxon Math
program for all students in grades 2–5 next fall. Thanks
to a generous donation by a parent, we now have a
perpetual site license.
3
Moodle Merges Poetry and the Internet
Fourth graders have been flocking to the Internet
this year, but not just for Facebook or YouTube.
A program called Moodle allows our students (and
our students only) to publish their own poetry online
and then comment on each other’s work. In this
safe online haven, students enjoy writing, analyzing,
and sharing their thoughts—helping them become
technologically astute, excellent communicators,
creative and innovative.
Teachers to Tap Into Moodle, Too
A collaborative Moodle site for our teachers called
“Global Perspectives” is in the works, thanks to
middle school teachers Jim Conti and Vicki Schmitz.
The Global Perspectives Moodle site will allow our
teachers to share ideas and materials to enhance
learning and instruction. Teachers will post in an
open forum about topics on which they are working
and receive feedback and suggestions from their
colleagues. A searchable Resource Exchange
database will enable teachers, along with their
students, to easily find educational tools such as
videos and print materials. Teachers will also contribute
resources to the database.
Other Moodle sites for students and staff are in the
initial stages of development.
Middle School Rotation
All middle school students now participate in a rotation
that includes courses in global affairs, creative writing,
and technology every third day. These ungraded
courses develop students’ global awareness,
communication skills, creativity and technological
astuteness in a setting that encourages learning for
learning’s sake.
The rotation gives students the opportunity to be
exposed to more subject matter across the span of
the school year than if those courses were offered
only individually and without the pressure of grades.
 Vision Inside the Classroom
What’s New This Year Continued from page 3

Science Night for 3rd and 4th Grade Girls
Studies have shown girls’ interest and performance in
science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)
drops off dramatically in the late elementary years.
We consider confidence in these areas to be a critical
factor in the emotional well-being of our bright and
gifted girls. To that end, we are implementing some
special STEM events for our third and fourth grade girls.
The first such event will be a Science Night in April with
a CSI theme. The girls will collaborate in an exciting,
educational investigation while their parents listen to
speakers on the importance of keeping girls interested
in STEM. We anticipate this will be the first in a series
of similar events designed to foster leadership and
excellence in the sciences.
Earth Day Goes Global
To promote more global awareness, we shifted our
entire observation of Earth Day from the national date
in April to the international date, which falls on the
Spring Equinox. In the middle school, students learned
about their eco-footprints and completed surveys to
determine their own environmental impact on the
world. Based on their survey results, students worked
with their advisory groups to develop fun and creative
presentations for the rest of the middle school on ways
to reduce their eco-footprints.
Entrepreneur Day Goes Eco-Friendly
Entrepreneur Day this year was expanded to include
all grades in this event that promotes economic
literacy. But we took it one step further by tying it in
with International Earth Day and calling it Entrepreneur
World Market. Roughly half of the 28 businesses
reflected environmental consciousness, among them
an organic produce stand and a booth selling green
cleaning supplies.

Middle School Curriculum Integration

A key step in enhancing curriculum integration in
the middle school was the designation of grade
level English teachers. In the past, teachers shared
responsibility for sixth through eighth grade English,
Environmental Consciousness Expands
but now those grades each have their own teacher.
Additional programs to make our students
This allows for a distinct, well-orchestrated progression
environmentally conscious include our Tanaka Farms
of skill sets throughout the middle school years.
program, which brings a selection of fresh produce
Additionally, it facilitates curriculum integration
directly from farm to school each week. Students
between English and other subjects. For example,
in grades K-4 continue to complete the cycle of
the term paper for social studies is also graded by
soil to table to soil, by planting, harvesting and
the English teacher; the book jacket design for English
composting. Third graders this year cleared an area
becomes a technology project, too. Not only do
for planting a native, drought-resistant garden. Many
teachers work collaboratively, but students do as
of our children have become more eco-conscious as
well, with an increasing number of group projects
their parents!
specifically designed to develop this key skill.

4
 Increased Programs for Emotional
and Physical Well-Being
We aim to keep our students not only academically
challenged but also emotionally and physically
balanced. To further that goal, we have expanded
our human development program in grades 4–8 and
added new units on health and nutrition. In middle
school, we’ve changed the advisory program so that
groups are smaller, averaging around 12 students.
The advisory groups meet for weekly tutorials and
participate in various middle school activities that
build school spirit and enhance the students’ sense
of belonging.
After-School Options Increase
Our new Assistant Director of Special Programs,
Terry Link, has introduced roughly a dozen new after
school activities for our students, ranging from sports
to music to technology. The options are as diverse
as our students’ interests and offer the opportunity
to try new things on our own campus. Depending
on the programs they choose, students can develop
their physical, technological, artistic, creative, and
communication skills.

Growth in our Programs for the Arts

The collaboration between our music teacher Cheryl
Wilson and our new drama teacher, Janice Krell-Coyle,
has enabled our entire K-8 arts program to take on a
new dimension. For the first time, our Winter Concert
included middle school and lower school students
together on stage. In the middle school, overall time
spent on the arts has increased 50% and all electives
fall into the categories of fine or performing arts. As a
result, all of our students are becoming well versed in “This has got to be a place
the arts.
where bright and talented
students feel safe to be who
they are.”
~ Dr. Laura Hathaway
Founder and Head

5
 Summing it up: The Vision Plan
The Vision Plan, in case you are not familiar with it, helps our children see the world more clearly, today and for
the future. Dr. Laura Hathaway was truly visionary when she started Pegasus 25 years ago. From its humble
beginnings with a tiny student body of 40 in two Fountain Valley classrooms, Pegasus has grown to a community
of 565 students on a 14-acre campus that we now own. Its reputation has grown within Southern California and
beyond, drawing students from a wide radius whose parents know they can receive no finer preschool through
grade eight education anywhere.

But Dr. Hathaway’s vision didn’t stop there. A few years ago, she formed the Vision Committee—a collaborative
group of faculty, administrators, and parents who aimed to identify the key skills 21st century Pegasus students
would need to succeed in life. Committee members visited 40 top-tier schools around the nation and identified
eleven core skills, outlined below. Based on that research, Pegasus faculty members have implemented myriad new
programs that help build those skills in our children.

When you hear teachers mention that a program has stemmed from the Vision Plan, you will know that it is a
program that enhances one of these eleven core skills.

The Pegasus 21st Century Student Will Be:

Emotionally and Physically
Well-Balanced
Part of being successful is being healthy in
one’s physical and personal life. We aim to
teach our students how to care for themselves
and for one another, for personal success in
school and beyond.
A Good Citizen
Good citizenship starts from within, with
strength of character and belief in oneself.
It extends to the community with a sense of
personal responsibility and an awareness of
how your own actions impact others. Pegasus
students understand their role and welcome
the responsibilities and the potentials that full
citizenship represents.
A Critical Thinker
In an increasingly complex world, students
need the ability to analyze, synthesize and
evaluate vast amounts of information.
While concrete thinking will continue to
be essential, critical thinking will help our
children use problem-solving skills and pure
intuition to decipher complex information.
It will also help them gauge the credibility of
information, whether on the Internet, in a text
message, or in old-fashioned face-to-face
communication.
Technologically Astute
Proficiency in key technological tools is clearly
essential to today’s students. But proficiency
isn’t enough. They need to understand the
risks inherent in our technological world.
Technologically savvy students will know how to
protect their own identities and cultivate their
reputations while using the power of technology
to gather information and communicate more
efficiently and effectively than ever before.

6
 Creative and Innovative
We cannot even conceive of the new issues
our children will confront as adults. Those who
succeed will have the courage to think beyond
the status quo to find exciting new solutions. The
founders of Apple, eBay and Google are good
examples of creative and innovative thinkers
in the first phase of the Technology Age. The
trendsetters of the next phase will be equally
adept at envisioning a possibility—some might
say a wild idea—and making it a reality.
Economically Literate
Our local and national economies are
inextricably intertwined with those around
the globe. While it is essential for our students
to understand the world economic market,
economic literacy goes well beyond
financial concerns. Our students need to
grasp how the economic forces of supply
and demand drive virtually everything
in the world—time, resources, money,
and more.
Well Versed in the Arts
It’s more than being well-rounded; the arts
help enhance many of our students’ other skill
sets, from creativity and communications skills
to global awareness and physical well-being.
The arts are an essential part of the human
experience, steeped in history and evoking
the range of human emotions.
An Excellent Communicator
Written and verbal skills have always been
important, but our children will need to be able
to communicate appropriately in a vast range
of formats. Texting, e-mailing, and blogging
use different writing formats than traditional
communications, and our students must master
both old and new styles. Persuasive verbal skills
will always be essential, whether for landing a
job, pitching an idea, contributing to a group
effort, or managing personnel.
“The Vision Plan updates our program with skills that are essential for
21st century citizens; it has changed the way we prepare our kids for the
future and enhanced the relevancy of our program. Despite Dr. Hathaway’s
passing, the Vision Plan will ensure that our school continues to evolve the
way she anticipated.”
7
A Collaborative Worker with
Leadership Skills
Employers cite the ability to work collaboratively
as one of the key skills they look for in hiring.
Professionals at every level will have to work
together to help navigate the mazes of
technology, bureaucracy, and our innate
resistance to change. Few big ideas come
to fruition without teamwork. Leadership is
required to unite the team and make those big
ideas happen.
Environmentally Conscious
Our students must understand their role in
managing our planet’s resources. They need
to be aware of their interaction with physical,
biological and chemical properties of
our world, so they can develop innovative
solutions to problems like global warming,
diminishing fossil fuel supplies, overpopulation,
and much more.
Equipped with a Global Perspective
Messages travel around the globe in
milliseconds; people do so in mere hours.
Although our students may have lived their
entire lives in Southern California and perhaps
never attended a school other than Pegasus,
they need to consider themselves members
of a global community. Understanding
different cultures, viewing the world from the
perspective of those with lives different than
our own, speaking at least one additional
language—all are essential to success in our
shrinking world.
~ John Sullivan
Acting Head of School
The Pegasus Vision Committee
19692 Lexington Lane
Huntington Beach, CA 92646