November 1791 Letter

November 2013

BERWICK A C A D E M Y

1791 L e t t e r

Berwick Academy Veterans Day Celebration

1791 Letter ~November 2013

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MESSAGE F R O M

Unrelated to my work at Berwick, I recently found myself in the unfortunate position of attending a tragic funeral. I was awestruck by the physical stature of the church in which we were asked to mourn. While the event itself felt surreal on account of the circumstances, the sheer size of the structure of the cathedral dwarfed every individual human being at the service.

Behind the alter, an intricate mosaic of rainbowed stained glass was ultimately overrun by the underlying dominance of cerulean blue, as sunlight streamed in amidst the rafters. I peered up at the ornate wooden beams, imagining myself perched like a gargoyle peering down at the crowd. Triggering my pre-existing penchant for vertigo, my eyes would then drift back down to the speaker at the lectern. Hundreds of hollow gazes such as mine searched for answers collectively. With little in the way of answers, I nevertheless left the service with an emotional understanding of how the structure of a cathedral can accentuate the presence of a higher being.

As challenging as these events can be, they always force one out of a particular reality into a realm that demands a sense of new perspective. I am quite sure this is part of what the architects of these great structures intended. And as we all continue to plow away at our relentless quest for virtue and useful knowledge, it is helpful to be forced into a new reality from time to time. For my part as Berwick’s leader, I am often exposed to the challenges and tragedies of life as the leader of a community that touches so many 2

Greg Schneider

Head of School

different constituents. This year we seem to have had our fair share of unexpected illnesses and other daunting events. Whenever I find myself searching for answers, I usually find them in our students, so I wanted to share some thoughts with you this month about my current eighth grade students who have, thus far, survived my ethics class.

A number of years ago, Berwick Academy sponsored Jeffrey Marx as part of our speaker series. He wrote a book entitled “Seasons of Life,” which essentially chronicled the story of a football program that used the platform of athletics to teach kids more essential life lessons. Much of the conversation in the book was about legacy – and so I asked my ethics students to tackle that question for me in their short essay this fall: How do you want to be remembered once you have moved on from this life? While admittedly a heavy question to sprinkle in between algebra and US history, I was not surprised to see that they were up to the task.

While I could grab a quote from any of the 36 papers to share with you in the spirit of gaining perspective on what matters, I will choose a few that struck a particular chord with me. I am obviously grateful for the wisdom in these words.

I want to be remembered not just as someone who is kind, compassionate, and helps others; I want to actually be someone who is kind, compassionate, and helps others – whether I am remembered for it or not. - 8th grade boy

I wonder how many of us could take a question of legacy and so deftly separate it from any sense of personal ego. This student reminds us that what 1791 Letter ~November 2013

people think about our actions – or remember about them – pales in comparison to what the actions actually are. Recently at a leadership conference of Heads of School, I heard such a great discussion about the tension between intent and impact as a school leader. What we intend by our actions can often be quite different from their impact on others, which it seems my students have already figured out.

I don’t want people I love to be sad – there should be nothing for them to cry about because I live my life every day with purpose, dignity, and passion for life. I hope they realize I have left a footprint of love, laughter, and memories that should last a lifetime for each of them to keep in their heart. – 8th grade girl

With this one, there was something about the image of the footprint that offered me great solace in the context of the aforementioned funeral experience. The image immediately suggests that we are each but a small speck on the timeline of human history, and yet our mark is no less impactful on account of this reality. This young lady’s depiction reminds us that our mark can be permanent in the realm of emotion and feeling. She has also apparently harnessed the inspiring power of living a life without regret.

BERWICK A C A D E M Y When I die, I don’t want black clothing and heads down; I want everyone dressed in bright colors thinking about the accomplishments I made…I want people to remember me in colors and as a leader who stands out among everything else. I hope that people will remember some of the courageous and adventurous acts I have done and challenge themselves the same way I did.

– 8th grade girl

If only this young lady could have been a part of the reception I attended after the services a few days ago. While everyone tried to put validation and meaning to a life unexpectedly lost, none could so compellingly turn the event on its head. The image of colors not only elicits an evolved emotional sense of joy for me but also one of courage and adventure. So many of my students spoke to their desire to stand out from the crowd in certain ways. They seem unwilling to let their lives bleed into the background. And this young woman puts a particular emphasis on risk-taking – one of the most highly held values of our school community.

Clearly there is any number of great authors that one could quote in a reflective piece that attempts to put either meaning or closure to challenging events. In fact, Heads of School are often called upon to do such pastoral work when the moment arises in the community. But when such a time arises for me personally, I find my sense of groundedness in your children. Perhaps you do as well. While they are clearly not perfect (neither is their writing, by the way), there is an honesty to their prose that offers a raw reminder of just how lucky we all are.

As we head into this Thanksgiving holiday, I hope it will not take some kind of shocking or tragic event to force you into a moment of appropriate reverie or enhanced perspective. If nothing else, I have always found Thanksgiving day to be magical in its temporary timelessness. The world grinds to a halt for 24 hours, and we all seem to make a new effort to take a walk or sit by a fire somewhere.

I certainly plan to do so with renewed appreciation this year.

A school is perhaps the most complicated of living organisms, filled with the ebbs and flows of hundreds of personal successes and failures each year. Our progress is often difficult to measure, and without question the pace can be overwhelming for each member of this community. Yet we know there is no more worthy cause than our work in trying to help your children form their own sense of judgment. Above all else, we work to catalyze (not simply give) the ability to discern what truly matters to them as they navigate their own journey through an unpredictable world. While there are moments when we all wonder if we are making progress, there are others – like this particular paper assignment – when I am fully resolved that our course is true.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. On behalf of all of the faculty and staff at Berwick Academy, we thank you for the gift of your children. It is quite an honor to let them show us the way.

1791 Letter

the EIL tournament championship.

Additionally, our Field Hockey team won the A bracket of the EIL tournament for the first time in school history.

I look forward to even more success throughout the year.

AIM Process continues: Just another reminder that every member of the community will be receiving an email link to complete a quantitative survey in early December regarding your perspective on issues of diversity, multiculturalism, and inclusion at Berwick Academy. Every voice is valued in this process, so we hope you will choose to participate.

Dates to Remember in December December is a very busy month for the community. While notable dates are on the school calendar, here is a quick list to keep in mind: December 5, 10, 11 - Winter Concerts (snow date December 17) December 6 – Barnes and Noble Book Fair December 13 – LS Winter Assembly December 19 – All School Language Day December 20 – All School Dress Up Day, Holiday Assembly and US Winter Semiformal December 21 through January 5 – Winter Break.

Notes: Congratulations: I wanted to offer a special word of congratulation to our Varsity Golf team for capturing its fifth straight EIL league title in addition to 1791 Letter ~November 2013

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Shiela Esten - Upper School Director

Upper School News As the fall trimester winds down there is so much to celebrate in the Upper School. This past weekend alone, our students had successes in every possible arena. Monday’s assembly was one filled with high energy and celebratory announcements of all varieties.

In areas of competition, several of our athletic teams clinched division titles – some for consecutive years like our golf team, and some for the very first time like our field hockey team. Many others finished with impressive records, or a meaningful sense of accomplishment.

Our Mock trial and Model UN groups traveled to area competitions and each came away having left their mark. The Mock Trial team continues advancing toward the final round, so stay tuned!

Our students had exciting opportunities to shine in other realms as well. The fall dramatic production of Arsenic and Old Lace was staged in the wonderful theatrical space that is provided by the third floor of Fogg. The show was incredibly engaging and the performances memorable. Auditions for the spring production of the musical Guys and Dolls have already begun!

Also this month, we had our first ever school-wide Veteran’s Day assembly thanks to the impressive dedication and efforts of senior Kevin O’Day, assisted by sophomore Abby Moore. Kevin’s Innovation Project from last year inspired what turned out to be an intricately planned and thoughtfully executed tribute to our nations’ service men and women, with a particular focus on those who have served over the years from the Berwick 4

community. This event was a wonderful reminder to all of our students of the power of a vision when there is also the will and the drive to bring it to fruition.

Each trimester we have our Departmental Recognition Awards when students from each grade level are recognized by the various disciplines for particularly noteworthy efforts.

These intimate ceremonies where faculty read tributes that they’ve written, provide a great reflection of how much our teachers really care about their students, and how the students provide a constant source of inspiration. This fall’s Departmental Recognition Award recipients include: English – senior Sammi Marden, junior Mei Salas, sophomore Sahana Heiderscheidt, and freshman Jack Byers Math – senior Kathleen Chauvin, junior Peter Shaw, sophomore Kailey Sonricker, and freshman Gil Hamel Science – senior Natalie Marin, junior Julia Mini, sophomore Siobhan McDermott, and freshman Maeve Brin History – senior Connell Altschiller, junior Hirsch Agarwal, sophomore Parker Sikora, and freshman Lily Reed Language – senior Dan Perreault, junior Patrick Robb, sophomore Christina Grassie, and freshman Emma Sattler Arts – senior Lucas Kaplan, junior Ashley Szczapa, sophomore Daniel Simmonds, and freshman Emma Stine 1791 Letter ~November 2013

Meanwhile, after all of the collective hard work and angst, we had our first college acceptance, confirming that contrary to what they might believe in moments of despair, a bright future filled with myriad opportunities awaits for each of our students, and the kinds of experiences and successes referenced above are just the beginning.

Finally on long list of things to celebrate this November, we are thrilled to congratulate Darcy Coffta and Kyle and Andrew Bishop on the arrival of their beautiful babies – Benjamin Coffta and Carter Bishop.

Ryan Feeley - Middle School Director

Middle School News Each week in the Middle School, our teachers gather in grade-level groups to discuss our students. The focus of those meetings falls, not only on academic progress, but also on social-emotional adjustment and on ensuring that our students are happy, comfortable, and having a positive school experience.

Recently in one of these meetings, a question emerged as to whether or not a student was happy. “He seems so quiet,” one teacher remarked. “He doesn’t like to speak up in class. I worry that he isn’t making connections.” A colleague responded that she had seen the student very much in the “social mix” and noted that she felt confident that he did have friends and was happy despite his reserved demeanor. Several other teachers in the room agreed that the student seemed to them to be quite comfortable socially and one teacher shared that one of the student in question’s parents had recently told her how much the boy has been enjoying the school year.

I have deep appreciation for the fact that my colleagues maintain such vigilance when it comes to all aspects of our students’ experience. I believe it is a feature of Berwick that distinguishes us from many other schools. This exchange, however, has remained with me for several weeks because I believe it is emblematic of a larger perspective that we may want to reconsider as a society. The student who was being discussed that day is indeed happy and performing well in all aspects of school life. He just happens to be an introvert.

Psychologist Carl Jung describes introverts as individuals “characterized by an inward flowing of personal energy,” who possess “a rich imagination” and strong capacity for “reflection.” In our contemporary culture, however, it appears that we have the tendency to value extroverts over introverts. Our society embraces people who have confidence engaging socially, speaking in front of audiences, performing before a crowd. We tend to view introverts as “shy,” “aloof” or, even-worse, “cold.” It is important to note, however, that nowhere in his theories, does Jung cast any judgments about either temperament. To the contrary, Jung articulates strengths and weakness for both introverts and extroverts. When we consider the attributes he offers for each, it becomes abundantly clear that there are pros and cons to both temperaments. Yet, very few parents would be likely to hold up their newborn and announce, “I hope she grows up to be socially reserved” or “Please, let him lack confidence in front of an audience.” Of course, our culture places value on certain personality traits and, for better or worse, the flash of possessing charm and social confidence outdistances quiet reflection and introspection.

work force in the future. One of the mainstays on this list, and a skill that is widely emphasized in nearly all school settings is collaboration. At first glance, collaboration would appear to be firmly in the wheelhouse of the extrovert. I would venture a guess that the vast majority of people, when imagining a strong collaborator, would envision someone who is gregarious, outgoing, and vocal. Surely, a person who is at ease with others, comfortable sharing his or her ideas in front of a group, enthusiastic in his or her presentation skills must be better equipped for collaboration than a reserved individual who prefers reflection to interaction.

When I consider what this might mean for schools, I think about the soon-to-be-if-not-already clichéd term 21st century skills. Although there are some variations out there, 21st century skills are a generally agreed upon list of competencies which experts believe will be necessary for students when they enter the

As much as it requires the capacity to establish and maintain positive relationships, collaboration also demands strong listening skills, a willingness to put aside one’s own vision, and the ability to maintain an open mind. The truth is, a group consisting solely of extroverts would not

1791 Letter ~November 2013

Yet I wonder if we are taking a narrow-minded view of what collaboration truly requires. According to a Psychology Today article from 2012, researchers estimate that extroverts comprise somewhere between 50 to 74 percent of the population. Regardless of how you slice it, that leaves a significant number of introverts out there.

The very nature of collaboration requires inclusion of multiple individuals and perspectives. So it follows that in order to have good collaboration both extroverts and introverts must be seated at the table.

continued on pg. 10...

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Joel Hawes - Lower School Director

As I have written in several November Lower School Weeklies, I recently chaired a New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) reaccreditation process for a local NEASC-member school. During the visiting committee’s four-day school review, my six-member group focused heavily on NEASC’s fifteen reaccrediation standards (which range from Mission of the School to Governance to Experience of the Student). While all of the standards hold merit, the Mission of the School carries special significance because it becomes the primary lens through which the school is measured.

In each of the other fourteen standards, the visiting committee is continually assessing whether the school under review is living up to its stated mission during their students’ daily and yearly school experiences.

So it was that I returned home with an in-depth professional experience and a great appreciation for Berwick Academy’s mission-related approach. When reviewing Berwick’s mission statement in public forums, the first line typically gets quoted most often: Berwick Academy was founded in 1791 to promote “Virtue and useful knowledge among the rising generations.” While that sentence sets the tone for Berwick program initiatives, there is a final mission statement line that likewise holds significance in our program—one that impressively spans fourteen grades: The Academy is one school with three divisions each designed to broaden and deepen the foundations of virtue and knowledge for the continuing development of each student’s potential.

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Lower School News

I respect the meaning inherent in that final sentence as it supports the developmental differences between and within divisions. Whether at administrative meetings, admissions events, faculty meetings or elsewhere, the similarities and differences between the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools is an important point of discussion and distinction.

As a relevant example, report cards will be delivered electronically to families in all three divisions just after the Thanksgiving Break. While all three division-level reporting systems speak to Berwick’s whole child philosophy, there is an important distinction between these report cards in that the Lower School does not assign letter grades for student achievement.

Our intent in the Lower School is to give detailed narrative descriptions of students’ progress and gains within the academic and social-emotional program objectives. It is our belief that Lower School students, at their developmental level, benefit more from the guidance of teachers and parents working together towards the meaning behind the reports’ narrative detail rather than assigning a specific achievement grade to their efforts.

Our recent Veteran’s Day assembly provides another opportunity for review. In this case, Berwick Academy has benefitted from the dedicated work of Upper School senior Kevin O’Day and the administrative team working together to hold this special event. It is worthy to note that in planning the assembly, Kevin and

1791 Letter ~November 2013

the advisory group actually formed two assemblies. The first portion consisted of a twenty-minute assembly held by the hillside flagpole and actively involved all three divisions with age-appropriate presentations, the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem. The second component of the assembly—an hour-long assembly in the wood gym—involved the Middle and Upper Schools with greater length and detail of presentation. I appreciate the awareness and consideration of each division’s developmental levels when designing the agenda for such an important event.

Our upcoming winter solstice assembly offers a final example of a differentiated approach, this time within our Lower School Division itself. I look forward to welcoming our Lower School families to this December 13 event. Besides the seasonal timing of the performance, what makes this event significant for me is Mrs. Isaak’s inclusion of all one hundred-plus Lower School students in the assembly. There is something special about the interactions of all of our Lower School students getting on stage as grade-level groups, as a second through fourth grade choral group, and perhaps most impressively as a pre-kindergarten through fourth grade group.

A school’s mission should drive program decisions at all levels. As described in the examples above, I am grateful for the manner in which the Lower School fits appropriately within the Lower to Upper School sequence continued on pg 10...

Rob Quinn - Athletic Director

An athlete of character understands and models integrity

Integrity is a choice of behaviors displayed in small daily decisions. Athletes have actions that follow their words and beliefs. Their core covenants and behavior align. Their yes means yes and no means no. Athletes of integrity say what they mean and follow that exact path. Their word is good, their handshake confirms the deal, and their signature is worth something. They are worthy of respect. The first step to building a successful team is surrounding yourself with people of integrity.

Integrity is a simple concept. For the person of integrity life may not be any easier, but simpler. It’s not always easy to do what is ethically correct, but it is simple to know which path is most ethical and then exercise that option. A great example of integrity was at West Point during a men’s lacrosse game. A cadet was recognized for a choice he made during a game. While playing goalie, the official ruled that a shot did not cross the line. The cadet who had clearly seen the ball cross the line, called the official over and said that the goal should have counted. The appreciative official signaled the goal and the game continued. Integrity is a simple concept that never changes.

Golf Wins Fifth Straight Championship The dynasty continues on the Hilltop as the Berwick Golf team reeled in yet another championship, marking their fifth title in a row. This motivated group steamed through the regular season going undefeated and put on

Athletics News

a dominating performance in the EIL championship tournament. The team was led by junior Luc Linemayr, sophomore Sam Zimmerman, junior Brennan Santaniello, and senior Alex Hopkins.

Congratulations to Coach Downey and his team!

Field Hockey wins EIL Open Championship “A” Bracket It was a historic day at Pingree as the Varsity Field Hockey team came into the day as the 3rd seed and beat the 2nd seed Pingree in overtime to advance to the finals of the EIL Open Tournament “A” bracket. They left no doubt in the final game, soundly beating the Concord squad 3-0 for the championship. Equally impressive is that this program is just in their fourth year of existence, and only their third year as a varsity program. Congratulations to Tracey Boucher and Lucy Pollard and their team!

Middle School Fall Sports Award Winners • Abigail Case - Coach’s Award Tennis • Asa Muthig - Coach’s Award XC • Emma Whall - Coach’s Award XC • Kelsey Walker - Coach’s Award Girls White Soccer • Tess Varley - Coach’s Award Girls Blue Soccer • Livia Ginchereau - Coach’s Award Field Hockey • Max Gassner- Coach’s Award Boys White Soccer • Michael DiModica - Coach’s Award Tennis • Zach Trotzky- Coach’s Award Boys Blue Soccer 1791 Letter ~November 2013

• Ryan Sullivan - Spirit Award • Laura Hoy - Spirit Award Winter Sports Hockey Bag Routine There is always the issue of hockey bags in the winter months that are sometimes left in the lobby of the theater during the academic day. We have a routine for our students to make it easier for these bags to be stored in the field house. We have a trailer that will come through campus and pick up hockey bags. Students can leave their bags outside Fogg or the theater and the athletic department staff will bring the bags over to the storage areas in the field house. We ask our students to cooperate with this routine.

Facility Use As the winter seasons are upon us, more students will be using the athletic facility more than in recent months.

In order to maximize the usage of the facility we are encouraging students to utilize the locker rooms and lockers that are provided. Often students leave belongings scattered throughout the locker rooms instead of storing their clothes and belongings inside the lockers during practice. By utilizing these lockers, it will be much easier for students to keep track of their belongings, and hopefully they will be less likely to contribute to the ever growing heap of lost and found items that are collected daily throughout the facility.

Please remember that food and drinks (water is the only exception) continued on pg 10...

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Seth A. Hurd ‘90 - Visual and Performing Arts Director

Visual Arts This fall, Berwick Academy students, in all three divisions were given the chance to submit art works for a school-wide exhibition of artwork that deals with the theme of identity. “Who Am I?” is an exhibit that proudly displays this work that ranges from three dimensional self-portraits from several fourth graders to personal name designs from Middle Schoolers to a range of works in all media from Upper School students which raise the question of what is our authentic self, and what are qualities that we choose to reveal to others?

We are happy to have such a great range of artists, all of whom have included beautiful and personal work in this show. Included are ceramic and metals works–– the metals art works are symbolic name plates, many of which combine soldered and riveted found objects or pierced metal overlays.

There is also a plethora of fine digital photography and digital images, as well as printmaking, and finely crafted drawing and painting. The exhibition will be on display at the Jackson Library through the end of December 2013.

Performing Arts Winterfest 2014 is a celebration of the Performing Arts at Berwick Academy and will be presented on January 31, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. for approximately 85 minutes. The presentation is located at the Patricia Baldwin Whipple Arts Center Theater. Faculty and instructors nominate students who

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Arts News

demonstrate a high proficiency in their area of performance and demonstrate preparation and appropriateness for exhibition. Performing Arts includes m us i c , d a n ce, a n d t h ea t er. A l l nominations for Winterfest shall submit to an adjudication process which is for scheduled December 17 and 19, 2013.

A schedule will be posted in advance of auditions. Participants who are selected for Winterfest 2014 will include (but not be limited to) those with strong adjudicator feedback, a balance of grade levels, variety of disciplines (music, dance, theater, etc), and those whose performances contribute to an exhibition which demonstrates the scope and sequence of the Performing Arts at Berwick Academy. Nomination forms are available online or from the Performing Arts faculty. The deadline to return nomination forms has been extended from December 2 to December 9. Completed forms should be given to Seth Hurd, Director of Visual and Performing Arts.

Winter Concerts are scheduled in December and will take place in the theater of the Patricia Baldwin Whipple Arts Center.

• Thursday, December 5 Concert I: Upper School 7:00 p.m.

• Tuesday, December 10 Concert II: Grades 7 & 8 7:00 p.m.

• Wednesday, December 11 Concert III: Grades 5 & 6 7:00 p.m.

1791 Letter ~November 2013

• Friday, December 13 Lower School Winter Assembly 8:45 a.m.

• Tuesday, December 17 Winter Concerts Snow Date 7:00 p.m.

BPC Notes - from the BPC Board Members

The Archives Many thanks to Alice Lynch who spoke at our recent BPC general meeting, providing lots of historical information about the Academy. She brought show-and-tell too – complete with white gloves so we could look through the antique books/bible/paperwork that she brought to show us. Especially intriguing is the way the school seal has changed and been used over the years.

If you missed the meeting but would like the information, please contact Alice at alynch@berwickacademy.org anytime to set up an appointment to visit her in the Archives, which are located on the 2nd floor of the Jackson Library.

Here come the Holidays!

Thanksgiving and Hanukkah are right around the corner. That holiday week brings an Upper School service day, Middle School field trips to Boston area museums, and Lower School Fall/ Thanksgiving-themed projects.

Then kick off December with a BPC-hosted coffee. All parents are invited to join us in the Commons Lounge on Friday, December 6 at 8:15 a.m. for coffee, conversation, and a chance to enjoy baked goods provided by the BPC Board.

Parent Community News

with a flair for performing. Or perhaps it was because the basis of his performance was a “twist” on the usual, reminding me of the way our teachers encourage their students to stretch their boundaries and explore their potential.

The basis of his presentation was telling his audience to meet challenges with the question “What if?” as in “What if this impossible suggestion were to be possible?” I like to think that we in the BPC have already been thinking in this way, such as, “What if we were to eliminate the live auction from the spring Gala?” and “What if we decided to plan a fall social clambake at the last minute?”

But sitting through the parents’ AIM meeting I began to think that we might be able to ask this question more. For example “What if…there was a way to make new parents feel more welcome?” and “ What if we were to include more multicultural parents in our volunteer base?”

Problem is…we thought we were already including new parents and we certainly have not been turning away anyone who has indicated that they would like to volunteer. So I have a request this month for all parents. Please reach out to the BPC and tell us how we can make you feel more welcome and what we can do to encourage you to volunteer. Simply send your suggestions to bpc@ berwickacademy.org or directly to me at dianewalker@metrocast.net. We will set aside time at our December BPC Board meeting to discuss the suggestions that we receive and plan how to implement them.

We thank you in advance for your comments and suggestions and look forward to seeing you at our BPC Holiday Coffee in December!

Diane Walker BPC President

What if….

The keynote speaker at the hotel conference I attended last week reminded me very much of our students here at Berwick. Perhaps it was because he was a classically trained guitarist 1791 Letter ~November 2013

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Middle School News...cont. from pg 5

Athletics News...cont. from pg 7

be productive. Introverts bring just as much value to the collaborative process.

are prohibited in the Wood Gym, the Blue Gym, and the Fitness Center.

Restricting food and drinks allows us to keep our facility cleaner and in great working order by eliminating spills.

When you use Jung’s lens to consider other 21st century skills (critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving to name a few), it becomes clear that introverts can be just as capable, if not more so than their counterparts.

So why do we worry so much when a student chooses to spend time alone or isn’t at the center of the crowd during recess? I don’t mean to suggest that we shouldn’t be on the watch for students who feel alienated or unhappy; it is part of our duty as educators to ensure that our students feel comfortable and safe in our school environment. I do believe, however, that we should be careful not to assume that happiness and introversion are mutually exclusive. Our quiet, reflective and sensitive students have so much to offer and it is our responsibility as educators to identify ways to recognize and celebrate their contributions, helping them understand that they are just as valued as their outgoing peers. We just need to be careful to do so with a quiet pat on the back rather than a spotlight and lots of fanfare.

Driving Permission Slips Please remember that Driving Permission Slips for Ice Hockey and Swim Teams must be completed properly and returned to your coach as soon as possible. If you have questions regarding the form or the policy please contact the Athletic Director, Rob Quinn.

myB E RW I C K We are pleased to announce that we will be launching a brand new website for Berwick Academy on MONDAY, DECEMBER 2.

Lower School News...cont. from pg 6

of program efforts. I look forward to these and other mission-appropriate examples playing out over the course of the current school year.

Along with the new site will come a new online community called myBerwick for parents, students, faculty, and staff. myBerwick will have a new look and feel but much of the same functionality as the existing portal. Parents will continue to have access to their children’s class pages, homework assignments, sports schedules, and other important school information. A training video and howto guide will be sent to parents prior to the launch of myBerwick and in-person trainings will be offered in the month of December.

We are very excited about launching our new site as well as myBerwick, please do not hesitate to contact Director of Communications, Tracey Boucher at tracey.boucher@berwickacademy.org with questions or suggestions.

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1791 Letter ~November 2013

High School Musical Jr.

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Cindy Briggs - Assistant Head of School

A Message from Kim Kryder and Sarah Ross: Technological Wellness Over the summer some of the faculty (including the two of us) read Sherry Turkle’s Alone Together: Why We Expect More From Technology and Less from Each Other. The cover of the book depicts adults, adolescents, and young children on smart phones, some alongside one another, seemingly “connecting”— via social media, via text, by catching up on the news or on the latest viral video on YouTube—but clearly at a remove from other people. In many ways it’s easy to view our devices— smartphones, laptops, iPads, with all of the social applications included (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.)— as tools for connecting easily, for staying constantly in touch and possibly in authentic, meaningful ways.

But are we really “connecting” with one another in these ways, or are we simply creating situations where we’re increasingly more socially isolated?

As two professionals geared toward promoting wellness efforts in schools, we have often looked toward helping students make authentic, inperson connections—with friends and teachers—with the feeling that sharing and giving of ourselves with others demands empathy and compassion, active expressions of our interests in groups, and our participation in a community. While Berwick Academy provides many opportunities for students to engage in authentic, in-person community activities, we also recognize that most of us (including most adults) 12

We l l n e s s N e w s

are challenged daily by how to use our devices appropriately and responsibly– as, perhaps, valid tools for enhancing our relationships and not detracting from them, or, even (especially) for elevating our own lives. With the knowledge that interacting in person is only one mode of communication for us, and also that we place high value on technology as a communication tool, we’re challenged to consider possible rules, or etiquette, surrounding technology use that we might help students to devise for themselves.

We put our heads together and created a lesson in our Freshmen Foundations class that would address this issue, first by helping students to be critical of their own technology use. After all, as critical consumers ourselves, we’ve been haunted by (although in complete agreement with) Dr. Turkle’s thought that in this age of increased technology use, “we seem determined to give human qualities to objects and to treat each other as things.” What does it say about us, for instance, when we’re scrolling through our smartphones while a friend or parent is speaking with us? Is it truly easier to text than call, easier to “Like” a comment or photo on Facebook than express interest in person, easier to catch up on a friend’s weekend by seeing the pictures he’s posted online (which, by the way, are usually purposefully selected to evoke a particular response) than to talk about the weekend over a cup of coffee or on a walk?

Easier to apologize via text message than it is by phone call or face-to-face, with eye contact? “Human relationships are rich and they’re messy and 1791 Letter ~November 2013

they’re demanding,” says Turkle. “And we clean them up with technology.

Texting, email, posting, all of these things let us present the self as we want to be. We get to edit, and that means we get to delete, and that means we get to retouch, the face, the voice, the flesh, the body –– not too little, not too much, just right.” How, then, do we use our devices appropriately so that they’re not interfering with our in-person connections with one another, so that they perhaps enhance them, and so that we learn important lessons from the rich, demanding messiness of life?

We posed these questions to freshmen this fall and asked them to consider the social etiquette surrounding appropriate technology use. We started the class asking students what “alone together” might mean if it was the title of a book about technology.

Every class was able to articulate a clear understanding of the balance between being connected all the time via social media and smartphones, but also the feeling of being alone. It is also interesting to point out that “alone” is not a good feeling in the eyes of a teenager and so it was expressed that being connected, even if it was only through technology, was almost as good as being physically present with each other.

We then moved on to introduce the idea that being connected all the time might be taking us away from practicing (and for younger kids, learning) basic social skills. We showed them the video titled, “I Forgot My Phone,” which shows a woman continued on pg 15...

Alice Lynch ‘88 - School Archivist

Archives News

From A Fitting School for Both Sexes to National Excellence and Seacoast Values The Berwick Academy Office of Admission is a bustling place during the late autumn and winter months. Each week the admission staff along with parent and student volunteers welcome prospective families to our gorgeous campus.

But how do these families hear about Berwick Academy? Has Berwick Academy used slogans to attract interested candidates to the Hilltop? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines slogan as a word or phrase that is easy to remember and is used by a group or business to attract attention. Many of us instantly recognize the phrase ‘Melts in your mouth, not in your hands’, as being M&Ms dominant slogan since the 1950’s. For this article I looked at student published newspapers and Berwick Academy admission materials in order to determine if any prominent slogans appeared throughout the Academy’s history.

In the late 1880’s and early 1890’s newspaper advertisements emphasized that both boys and girls could attend the school, with phrases such as “A School for Both Sexes.”

Donated by Peter Arakelian, BA Class of 1965

1892 – Berwick Scholar Newspaper

By the beginning of the 20th century, girls and boys thrived in Berwick Academy’s classrooms.

Starting in the late 1950’s, changing economics and other key factors led the school into a short boarding school era. During these years, our admission staff recruited boys from around the world. One way the admission department spread the word about Berwick’s unique boarding program was by placing print advertisements in prominent U.S. newspapers. Peter Arakelian, BA Class of 1965, recently donated the following New York Times advertisement that his father had saved. This advertisement contains no slogan, just a collection of simple statements about the school.

1791 Letter ~November 2013

As the school evolved during the later part of the twentieth century, the admission materials adapted once again. Many of the admission brochures from the 1970’s through the 1990’s carry the phrase, “a Coeducational Country Day School.” Another key phrase that appeared during this phase of the Academy’s history is “The Best Kept Secret in the Seacoast” as the following picture depicts.

Today Berwick Academy’s prekindergarten through twelve grade programs are stronger than ever. We are no longer “The Best Kept Secret in the Seacoast Area.” Today Berwick Academy’s vision statement reflects that we are a school of “National Excellence and Seacoast Values.”

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Arsenic and Old Lace

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1791 Letter ~November 2013

continued on pg 15...

Wellness News...cont. from pg 12

going through her day without being connected to her mobile device. The video presents social situations where she is completely surrounded physically by friends, but is the only one not looking at their smartphone to check out their Twitter feed or to take photos/videos to capture what they are doing. What students noticed right away was the fact that many of these people were more concerned with capturing the moment than they were with experiencing the moment. One class in particular was struck by the image of a young child sitting on a playground swing, not swinging because she is looking at a smartphone.

The discussion took a turn toward the annoyances of technology, allowing us to express the frustrations that we maybe had never voiced out loud. Students brought up times when they with a friend who was texting with multiple people while hanging out at their house. Or a time when everyone is looking at a mobile device and not talking while eating out together.

Students also pointed out that sometimes it’s even hard sitting down to watch a movie or TV show with family or friends and not pulling out their smartphone to also look through social media. Many of the situations students presented were ones we have found ourselves in too. Though this is not a teenager issue alone, we do believe it is this generation who will be writing the social etiquette books surrounding technology use.

The class ended with asking students to work together in groups and identify social norms surrounding technology use...the do’s and don’ts.

We asked them to focus on four settings: social, school, home, and in the car. Here are a few examples.

Social Settings:

• Focus more on friends than your phone • Only respond to texts if it’s your parents • Don’t talk on your phone in quiet public places • Don’t just pull out your phone, let friends know what you need to do School: • Keep your phone on silent, not vibrate • Ask a teacher if you can use your phone during the school day for emergency purposes only • Only use your computer for taking notes in class • Do not text during the school day Home: • Avoid using technology when doing homework because it is distracting • Don’t pull out your phone at the dinner table • Avoid technology when having quality family time Car: • Never text and drive • Avoid phone calls while driving • Do not use your phone when talking to parents in the car

While these suggestions from students don’t surprise us, we’d like to continue to work with students and families to identify ways that technology is both helpful and harmful within our own individual lives and within our relationships with others. We’ve only just started this conversation about technology use at Berwick and for our work to be effective, we believe conversations at home must also occur, however challenging.

As Kristen Chase, a mom of four kids and publisher of parenting blogs, suggests in a recent article on technology use among young children: “We call the tech talk the new sex talk. It’s uncomfortable; it can be very scary. It is a conversation that needs to keep happening. We need to keep checking in.”

1791 Letter ~November 2013

Additionally, Dr. Turkle’s urging that we ought to focus on our productive use of technology––and not simply setting boundaries around technology use––reinforces for us the importance of a community’s responsibility in encouraging children who are critical technology users, skilled communicators, and authentic, wellbalanced human beings. We hope you will contact us any time––via e-mail, phone, or even, yes, in person––to talk more about this important topic.

Sincerely, Kim Kryder, School Counselor and Sarah Ross, Academic Support Coordinator Sources and Suggested Readings: Turkle, S. (2011) Alone Together. New York: Basic Books.

Sherry Turkle: Connected, but alone?

TED Talk http://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_ turkle_alone_together.html “I Forgot My Phone” Written by Charlene deGuzman & Miles Crawford (2013) h t t p : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=OINa46HeWg8 Hanes, S. (2013, October). Toddlers on Touch Screens. The Christian Science Monitor Weekly, 26-31.

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Amy Smucker - Director of Advancement

Alumni and Development News Dear Parents, There are so many moments in a school year when you realize that one of the best things about education is that sometimes the students are doing the teaching. During Berwick’s first Veterans Day celebration I had such a moment and remembered how incredibly fortunate I am to be an educator. During a luncheon for veterans, many of whom were Berwick alumni, senior Kevin O’Day explained the reason for his initiation of this celebration was simply to say “thank you.” He gathered the entire Academy to take a moment to be grateful for so many who have done so much. No one required Kevin to plan this event, he did it because it was the right thing to do.

The month of November is full of reasons to thank one another. Not only do we take the time to thank our veterans on November 11, but Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to be grateful for all the good things in our lives.

November 15 was National Philanthropy Day, which encourages us all to reflect on the profound impact that altruistic giving has on our society.

I have seen many instances of philanthropy within our student body already this year. Fundraisers, community service, and outreach are all part of the Berwick curriculum. It is not surprising that our students have such a strong desire to give back as their parents model this behavior on a regular basis. Almost 80 percent of our parent body participates in giving to the Berwick Annual Fund each year. This generosity is a strong testament to the feeling of pride that we all have in Berwick and the students and teachers who do amazing things in the classrooms here everyday. Giving in this way not only makes a statement of support for Berwick, but it truly transforms the student experience. Professional development, art supplies, technology hardware, athletic equipment, and financial aid are all funded in part by the Annual Fund.

I know that I am joined by the faculty, staff, administration, and students at Berwick when I say “thank you” for the philanthropic spirit that exists here. I am certainly proud to be part of a community that is willing to roll up its sleeves and make a difference, simply because it is the right thing to do.

All the best,

Amy Smucker

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1791 Letter ~November 2013