Summer '26 at ESD: Learning, Leading, and Supporting Our Community
September 30, 2026
While our students were enjoying a well-earned summer break, ESD faculty and staff were busy learning, leading, mentoring, and preparing for another year of meaningful experiences across campus.
This summer brought opportunities for professional development, academic exploration, student mentorship, and community engagement. Faculty and staff traveled across the country for conferences and courses, led students through unique learning experiences, and helped make Summer at ESD and our many camps possible. Together, these experiences reflect the curiosity, commitment, and continued learning that our faculty and staff bring to their work throughout the year.
For Tanya Snook, Upper School Engineering Teacher and ESDistinction Engineering, Architecture, and Real Estate Network Coordinator, the summer included a first for ESD’s Technology Student Association (TSA). Tanya accompanied five Upper School students to the TSA National Conference in Washington, D.C., marking ESD’s inaugural appearance at the national event alongside nearly 6,000 middle and high school STEM students from around the world. ESD students competed in events including Tech Bowl, TEAMS, Structural Engineering, and CO2 Dragsters, with Harrison Adams, Leo Chang, and Jeffrey Fu advancing to the Tech Bowl semifinals. The experience also gave students opportunities to connect with peers from across the country and participate in Texas delegation and TSA leadership activities.
Professional learning also took faculty and staff to some memorable destinations. Melissa Campbell, a Primer Teacher, spent three days at Walt Disney World for the Disney Institute's course, “Disney's Approach to Leadership Excellence,” exploring how shared values, clear vision, and attention to detail shape leadership and daily operations. The experience offered plenty of connections to ESD’s own story, values, and mission, while giving Melissa the chance to learn alongside leaders from a range of industries. And yes, there were Mickey ice cream bars and a surprise appearance by Mickey Mouse to cap off the experience!
In Salt Lake City, Jonathan Chein, Waddell Family Head of Middle School; Allison Darnell, Associate Head of Middle School; and Sarah Havins, Assistant Head of Middle School for Academics, joined educators from across the independent school community for the Independent School Management (ISM) Summer Institute. The week offered specialized workshops focused on the challenges facing schools today, including role-specific leadership, teaching and learning, student support, advisory programs, pedagogy, financial strategy, and school operations. Participants represented a wide range of independent school roles and perspectives, creating opportunities to bring new ideas and approaches back to ESD.
Summer learning also happened right here on campus. Dr. Charles Lena, Upper School Computer Science Teacher and ESDistinction Data, Systems, and Society Network Coordinator, worked with three Upper School students on an unconventional exploration of an analog quantum computer. Using materials including maple syrup and agave syrup, the students investigated how light interacts with different materials while building an analog qubit. The two-day project gave students an opportunity to explore an emerging area of science, troubleshoot unexpected challenges, and collaborate on creative solutions. At one point, a salt shaker became part of the solution!
Meanwhile, Natalie Webb, Upper School English Teacher and Sophomore Dean; Harry Ruedi, Lamont English Department Chair and Upper School English Teacher; and Heather Cernoch, Upper School English Teacher and Freshman Class Dean, traveled to St. John’s College in Santa Fe for a weeklong course, “Hannah Arendt on the American Experiment.” The course complemented their work teaching American Literature and Literature and Philosophy at ESD while challenging them to explore political philosophy and Arendt’s perspectives on America. Outside the classroom, they took in Santa Fe’s museums, trails, and cultural offerings, including a performance of Madama Butterfly at the Santa Fe Opera and a hike in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
And professional development was only one part of the summer story:
Behind the scenes and across campus, numerous faculty and staff members helped make Summer at ESD possible. From leading camps and programs to welcoming students back to campus, supporting logistics, and creating opportunities for students to learn, play, and connect, their work kept ESD active throughout the summer months. Their contributions, along with the many other ways faculty and staff prepared for the school year, are an important part of the work that happens before our students return.
Not every summer project, course, conference, or contribution made it into this roundup, but each one is part of the larger story. Whether faculty and staff were pursuing new ideas, supporting students, collaborating with colleagues, preparing classrooms, leading summer programs, or simply getting ready for another year at ESD, their work helped set the stage for the year ahead.
