Our Mission
The Heights Forum is a department of The Heights School. We assist parents, school leaders, and teachers in their own efforts to educate boys into men fully alive. Through in-person and digital resources we share our experience in forming the hearts and minds of boys, and invite you to join the conversation.
Professional Development on the Road
Andrew Reed, Middle School Head and Leaders Initiative Director, recently led a day-long workshop for teachers at Summit Academy, focusing on the vocation and mission of teachers. In his first session, Andy outlined three levels of a teacher’s vocation: forming the mind in the context of a single class, forming the person in the context of a school, and forming the whole person in the context of a family. He encouraged teachers to widen the scope of how they see their work, to understand that they are called to not...
The Idea of a Catholic University
All the first universities were—St. Thomas Aquinas would tell us—Catholic ones. But in this modern day, it takes intentionality to maintain the rich tradition of Catholic education. In a talk recorded for HeightsCast, Dr. Peter Kilpatrick, president of The Catholic University of America, spoke to families at The Heights about what it means to be a Catholic university. He first consults the experts: Thomas Aquinas, John Henry Newman, John Paul the Great, and Pope Benedict XVI. He then offers examples from his own career in school leadership, and how to...
Socialism in the Classroom
By Mark Grannis
Forcing the worst ideas of history on the next generation . . . for their own good From 1961 to 1989, a wall famously encircled what was then known as West Berlin. West Germans called it the “Wall of Shame” (Mauer der Schande), a phrase coined by then-Mayor Willy Brandt. In the U.S., we called it simply “the Berlin Wall,” and though the term is neutral we all knew the wall was there to keep the residents of East Germany from escaping to the West—in other words, to keep them...
A Doctor, a Lawyer, and a Cop Walk Into a Boys School
In this episode of the Forum Faculty Podcast, middle school teacher Rob Liotta, upper school teacher Mark Grannis, and lower school teacher Josue Zelaya—discuss their transitions from careers in policing, law, and medicine, respectively, to teaching. They share their backstories, motivations for changing careers, and how their previous experiences shape their approach in the classroom. The discussion also dives into the skills they bring into teaching and advice for those considering a similar career switch. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Teacher Podcast 00:10 Meet the Guests: Transitioning to Teaching 01:11 Josue Zelaya: From...