Reflecting back to the first publication almost twenty-five years ago, the Spirit magazine’s intention was to capture those important and meaningful moments of school life with images and stories of PDS boys and our alums. As you would expect, you will find more of those special moments of PDS traditions as well as our alums in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the school.

Every Spirit magazine typically reflects highlights of past semesters and showcases what’s next on the horizon. This year’s only difference is that we’re looking much further back in time, celebrating our past. Of course, a single magazine cannot properly capture 75 years of PDS history. We have a special publication titled ‘PDS at 75’ coming in spring 2024. It will walk us down memory lane, commemorate this historical milestone by revisiting our history and traditions, and celebrate our alums who made PDS what it is today. We look forward to sharing this with you soon!

Secondly, we have exciting news about additional security enhancements planned for our campus. In the following pages, you will see new renderings of our main parking lot along Poplar Avenue with added fencing and a designated security entrance.

You may recall the announcement in the Spirit magazine last year that PDS would have a more defined entrance, marking and illuminating the school’s presence along Poplar Avenue with branded entry signage. Those plans are still moving forward as part of these security enhancements being made in conjunction with Second Presbyterian Church (2PC). We are incredibly grateful to 2PC for their partnership and collaboration as we join hands in this intentional project.

Lastly, in each Spirit magazine, we highlight and hear from PDS faculty regarding strategic initiatives, the latest findings in boy education, and reflections on the PDS classroom experience. In this edition, I encourage you to read three articles by our faculty. Emily Lequerica, Director of Research and Innovation, shares in her article, ‘PDS Champions Boys’ Education,’reflections about PDS recently hosting the International Boys’ School Coalition Conference for elementary independent schools across North America.

We all know the importance of being outdoors; however, the importance of outdoor learning to overall well-being and performance for boys is critical to their education. To understand this from a PDS perspective, please read Jackson Boyd’s piece on ‘Harnessing the Power of Outdoor Learning to Booster Performance and Well-Being at PDS.’ Mr. Boyd is PDS’ fifth and sixth grade science teacher and serves as a member of the Research & Development team.

From the beginning until the end of a PDS education, ten years spent with PDS faculty and the shaping of a boy’s academic foundation and future, our Head of Elementary, Laura Glenn, gives us a snapshot into the exceptional learning our boys receive that is reflected in independent school data through ERB scores.

We hope you enjoy this installment of PDS Spirit. Happy reading!​

Brad Sewell
Head of School