BRUNSWICK SCHOOL
JANUARY 2012
MONTHLY MAILING A MESSAGE FROM THE HEADMASTER To Sleep, Perchance To Dream It is clear from an ever-growing body of knowledge that adequate sleep is a critically important factor in the health of all human beings. In fact, as important as regular and sound sleep is to adults, it is even more critically important to developing children. Children with inadequate sleep: ‐ learn less ‐ participate less ‐ remember less ‐ are grumpier ‐ are more susceptible to illness ‐ have unhealthy growth patterns According the National Sleep Foundation, Pre Schoolers should get 11-13 hours of sleep for every 24 hour period. Lower and Middle Schoolers should get 10-11 hours and Upper Schoolers should get 8-9 hours. According to a recent article in The New York Times by Jane E. Brody entitled “Zombie Prevention: Your Child’s Sleep” there is some measure of debate about these hourly requirements. For example, a Stanford University study says that Middle Schoolers need only about 8 hours a night. What no one seems to debate, however, is that developing children need more sleep than adults and, especially for Upper Schoolers, sleep patterns of teen agers don’t easily mesh with the norms of society. The author of the article points out that “the typical teenager does not fall asleep readily before 11pm or later, yet many have to get up by 6am or earlier to get to school . . . in one study, more than 90 percent of teenagers reported sleeping less than nine hours a night and 10 percent said they slept less than six hours.” If you do the math, if the average Brunswick student needs 45 minutes to get up, shower and get dressed, grab something to eat and get to school (depending, of course, on relative distance to school), that means he has to be awake no later than 7am each morning. If he is getting nine hours of sleep, then he would have to be in bed, asleep no later than 10pm the night before. The key here is acknowledging the importance of sleep and putting in place some guidelines both at home and at school that can help to make the achieving of a full night’s rest possible. Consider the following: At home: ‐ set a regular bedtime and stick to it with rare exceptions ‐ for Middle and Upper School students, urge your son to turn off any/all laptops and Blackberry/iPhones at least 30 minutes before bedtime ‐ limit late night activities (out of school athletic practices/games, concerts, etc.) At school: ‐ we encourage boys to make use of portions of the school day to get homework done so that they don’t have it all to do when they get home ‐ we start our Pre, Lower and Middle School days as late as possible so that our boys can get a full night’s rest ‐ we limit after school/early evening events so that students can return home after sports ‐ in the Upper School (where the day starts earlier), we provide morning snacks so that boys can get breakfast at school if they missed it at home ‐ during the winter in the Upper School, we have “sleep-in” Thursdays which allow students to catch some extra sleep. So, as we start the first month of 2012, maybe more than any New Year’s resolution we can make to support our sons and ensure their success in school and their health and happiness throughout the year, the best thing we can do is ensure that they get their sleep. Here’s to our well-rested Bruins.
Upper school
JANUARY 2012
From the Deans’ Office: We hope that all members of our community enjoyed a restful and rejuvenating holiday vacation with family and friends. As with any new year, much important work for 2012 will get going immediately upon our return to school on Wednesday, January 4th. One of the main reasons for this swift shift into high gear is due to the fact that our first day back leaves students with only 8 school days prior to the end of the 2nd Quarter and the start of Semester Exams. Those few days, then, take on a heightened sense of import as they will be filled with some measure of new material as well as the review that will be critical to success on the upcoming exams. Therefore, although we know we run the risk of seeming repetitive, allow us to once again dedicate the rest of this page to some important points (and, we hope, worthwhile reminders) regarding exams, why we give them, what they are and are not and, most important, how best to approach them from a student and parental viewpoint. First: Brunswick sees exams as an extremely valuable and time-honored method of assessing a given student’s ability to consolidate large amounts of material taught over an extended period of time. Dates to Remember in January: Such a skill is both important for success in college as well as in 1/4 Classes Resume life. In the Upper School, exams encourage students to carefully 1/8 Peer Disorientation Games 4:30-6pm review and re-analyze material so as to draw worthwhile 1/12&13 Exam Review Days comparisons/contrasts and conclusions. Simply put, exams are an 1/13 End of the 2nd Quarter effective method of determining how much and how well a 1/16 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – NO SCHOOL student has learned over the course of the first semester. 1/17-20 Mid-Term Exams (see enclosed schedule) Second: Exams (and exam week) should, as with all things, 1/23 Faculty Reading Day – NO SCHOOL always be kept in perspective. Much as it would be a mistake to 1/24 Exam Return Day – all classes meet assume that exams are unimportant, easy, or worthy of little College Night 7pm effort, it would also be an error to conclude that exams are the Baker Theater – Mandatory for all juniors most important event of your son’s entire school year. We 1/25 Martin Luther King, Jr. Assembly 8:10am hesitate to provide a purely numerical evaluation of just how at King Street important we feel exams to be, yet it might be helpful to remind 1/28 Brown & White Formal 8-11pm parents and students alike that exams count as 28% of the semester Hyatt Regency, Old Greenwich grades for students in all classes. Third: Exams are most successful when studying is approached thoughtfully and in a measured and orderly fashion. To this end, we reserve much of the last week prior to exams for review. Specific review sessions are offered before as well as during exam week and, as always, Departmental Offices are open to any student seeking help. Parents remain, of course, a key ingredient to a successful exam experience by encouraging their sons to review in accordance with their teachers’ directions and by providing a quiet and supportive home environment for study and preparation. Finally: Be certain to familiarize yourself with the Upper School exam schedule. Students with conflicts should speak immediately with both the teacher of those courses as well as with their appropriate Grade Dean to work out an accommodating schedule. If necessary, exams can be administered on the afternoons of Friday, January 20th and Monday, January 23rd, as regular classes will not resume until Tuesday, January 24th (due to Faculty Reading Day). Finally, as is a tradition of long standing at Brunswick, students may dress casually (but neatly!) during exam week. Brunswick College Night: Tuesday evening, January 24th, at 7:00pm (in Baker Theater), we look forward to seeing all Juniors and their parents at College Night. The evening is traditionally an informative introduction to the college process. We would like to emphasize here that attendance at College Night is a requirement for all Juniors. Brown and White Formal: You will shortly receive a letter regarding the upcoming Brown and White dance which will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Old Greenwich on the evening of Saturday, January 28th from 8:00pm to 11:00pm. An annual event, we hope that your son will attend and, of course, encourage all parents to take the time to sit down with your son(s) to discuss appropriate behavior and overall expectations for such an event well in advance of the evening.
MIDDLE school
JANUARY 2012
From Sarah Burdett: Welcome to 2012! We hope that all enjoyed a peaceful break with family and friends. The Middle School students and teachers certainly earned their holiday vacation this year. December was filled with Fifth Grade crawfish presentations, Sixth Graders studying the world’s volcanoes and fault lines, Seventh Graders exploring the text and controversy of Fahrenheit 451, and Eighth Grade history students participating in a Native American poetry slam. In addition, we were treated to a fabulous production of Suessical, a winter choral concert which put us all in the holiday mood, as well as a “Holiday Singing Bee” produced by our own Middle School Assembly Club. A visit from favorite author, Yoko Kawashima Watkins, was an added treat for our sixth grade readers. We look forward to an equally busy and exciting January! Instrumental Concert: The Middle School Instrumental Concert for Grades 6-8 has been scheduled for Thursday, January 12th at 6:00pm. Boys should wear their school uniforms and report for warm-up at 5:40pm. Dates to Remember in January: 1/4 1/7 1/12 1/13 1/16 1/20 1/20
Classes resume 7th Grade Wickends-Skate/Sport Party at Sampson Fieldhouse Holiday Instrumental Concert 6:00pm nd 2 Trimester Midpoint Martin Luther King, Jr. Day NO SCHOOL 7th/8th BW/GA Dance at GA 7:00-9:00pm 6th Grade Hockey & Hoops 1:00-3:00pm
MS Parent/Son Book Club: You and your sons are invited to attend the second meeting of our Middle School Parent/Son Book Club, “Pageturners,” on January 18th at 6:30pm in the Lehrman Library. For more information: wickreads.brunswickschool.org. Please RSVP by January 13 to mmcshane@brunswickschool.org.
Attendance: Please remember to make note of the bottom of your son’s trimester report card to check his attendance for the year. We ask that you make every effort to get your sons to school by 8:00am so that they can use their homeroom period to get organized for the day. Also, please schedule any non-emergency appointments outside of school hours so that the rhythm of your son’s school day is not affected. M.L.K., Jr. Assembly: On Wednesday, January 25th, there will be an all-school assembly at 8:10am to honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Middle School will run a one-hour delay schedule following this event. The Second Trimester Mid-Point: On Friday, January 13th, we reach the mid-point of the Second Trimester. Teachers will assess the progress of each boy at this point and, as in the First Trimester, write comments discussing both strengths and weaknesses. Your son’s advisor will call if your son is experiencing difficulty (“C-” average or below, or “1” Effort grades), or if they have any other information they would like to share. As at the end of the first trimester, these comments will be emailed home. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to call. Note: 5th graders do not receive comments until the end of the trimester because parents and teachers just conferenced in December. 7th & 8th Grade Dance at Greenwich Academy: As they are every January, our boys have been invited to a mid-winter dance at GA. The dance will take place in the GA Dining Hall, on Friday, January 20th, and will begin at 7:00pm and end promptly at 9:00pm. Please make arrangements to pick up the boys on time.
PRE
and
LOWER school
JANUARY 2012
From Katie Signer and Gina Hurd: Welcome back and Happy New Year! We are hopeful our students will return after a joyful holiday season, feeling rested, rejuvenated, and ready to put their full energy and effort into their schoolwork. We also extend best wishes to our families for a happy and healthy year ahead. On behalf of the Pre and Lower School faculty, we would like to offer our thanks and appreciation to the BPA for the wonderful holiday baskets filled with treats! They were wonderful! We would also like to take a moment to express our gratitude to everyone who contributed to our community service efforts at the Pre and Lower School before the Holiday Break. Under the leadership of our Lower School Student Council, we were able to deliver a significant collection of gifts and gift cards to Kids in Crisis. The Pre School Mitten Tree allowed us to share warm mittens, gloves and hats with these children as well. The warmth and generosity of our families is much appreciated. Thanks to second grade parent, Michele Wolfram, for helping us make this connection and for delivering the donations. Dates to Remember in January: 1/4 Classes resume 1/5 BPA LS sponsored presentation Poet in Residence, Ted Scheu 1/10 BPA PS sponsored presentation, Animal Embassy 1/13 PK Teddy Bear Breakfast 1/16 No School – Martin Luther King Jr. Day 1/19 PS International Celebrations 1/25 All School MLK 1/27 Kdg. Father Son/Breakfast 7:30am 1/27 BPA LS sponsored presentation, Animal Embassy 1/27 Skate Party Pre School 3:30-4:30pm Lower School 4:30-6:00pm 1/28 LS Civies Day 1/31 Central Park Zoo visits First Grade
Upon return from our December Break and thanks to our BPA Assemblies committee, the Lower School will welcome Poet-in-Residence, Ted Scheu. A dynamic presenter and an accomplished poet in his own right, Mr. Scheu will be meeting and working with our boys in grades 1 through 4, helping them develop their poetic voices and revel in the joy of writing. We are excited to see what he pulls out of our students and are grateful for this special opportunity to further enhance our schoolwide theme of communication. Along those lines, as of the writing of this Newsletter, the Pre School is one postcard away from having communicated with all 50 of our states! Thank you for
all of your efforts in reaching this goal. Our first semester officially concludes on Friday, January 13th. Teachers will be working hard to complete report cards evaluating your son’s academic and social growth thus far. Please note report cards will be mailed at the end of this month and you should receive them the first week of February. If you have any questions after reading your son’s report, please do not hesitate to call your son’s teacher. Winter Encore Clubs will begin the week we return from break and will continue through Thursday, March 8th. Boys have signed up for a wide variety of offerings and this winter’s session is sure to be great. The Pre and Lower School Skate Party will take place on Friday, January 27th and should be great fun. Thanks in advance go to our Skate Party Coordinators, Heather Anderson and Martine Vuursteen, for coordinating this event. After the initial hour devoted specifically to Pre School aged children, Lower School boys will be invited to join in. T-shirt orders have been sent home in Friday Folders. Be sure to return your form if you would like to purchase one. Sharpen those skates and we’ll see you at the Hartong Rink! As the temperatures drop and the potential for snow arises, we want to remind you to please send your sons with warm clothing for recess. On days when there is snow on the ground, Pre School boys are asked to remember their “Fab Five”-- snowpants, winter coat, snow boots, hat and gloves. Despite colder temperatures, the boys need fresh air and will continue to go outdoors. Be sure to label all items as well. Looking ahead, please note the Fourth Grade Play date change. The Fourth Grade Play has been moved from February to the spring. The boys will now present to their parents on Wednesday, April 11th at 6:30 pm. Please be sure to mark your calendars.
BRUNSWICK PARENTS ASSOCIATION NEWS
JANUARY 2012
President’s Letter Happy New Year and welcome back! I hope all of you had a wonderful vacation. I would like to start the year by thanking our Teacher Appreciation and Hospitality committees for all of their hard work in December. Rene Chronert and Robin Sherwood created beautiful gift baskets for all our teachers and staff that were truly appreciated by all. Shelby Saer and Tracy Yort decorated each of our campuses, putting all of us in a festive mood to end the year. Committing the time to volunteer in December deserves a BIG thank you!! Another big thank you goes out to our Mayfair Chairs, Catherine Cone and Tracy Grossman, for organizing our 5th & 6th Grade dancing series. We appreciate all of your hard work and smiles throughout the fall. As a supplement to Mayfair we are kicking off 2012 with a new series of etiquette classes called "Lovely Manners," hosted by Jill Ciporin. "Lovely Manners" will meet on Friday January 6th & 27th as well as February 3rd and should be a wonderful addition! Christina Kazazes, President, Brunswick Parents Association Mayfair/ Lovely Manners: A big thank you to all the boys and girls who participated in Mayfair this year. You are what made Mayfair a success! Even though Mayfair has come to an end for this year, there is still a lot of fun to be had. Brunswick is now offering a set of three manners classes. Lovely Manners, led by Jill Ciporin, is a cool twist on courtesy. Classes include manners at home, at the table, and out in the real world. The three sessions are held on Friday, January 6th, 27th and February 3rd. All classes take place in the Pre School gym. Fifth grade is from 4-5pm and sixth grade is from 5:30-6:30pm. Please contact Catherine Cone (catherinecone@earthlink.net) or Tracy Grossman (tracygrossman@optonline.net) to enroll. Upper School Performing Arts: December at Brunswick was a very busy month filled with festive Holiday celebrations. The Latin Carol Concert at Christ Church once again was a highlight to kick off the holiday concert season. The Upper School concert equally memorable. Our hats go off to Paul Raaen, Shane Kirsch and Alexander Constantine for all their hard work. Rehearsals are now under way for "Guys and Dolls," this year's Upper school musical. Performances will be March 1st and 2nd at 7pm and Saturday, March 3rd at 2pm and 7pm. Please look out for an email from the school with ticket information. Upper School Athletics: Many thanks to all the team parent volunteers this fall. Please look at the Brunswick website for the athletic schedules and come cheer on the Bruins! If you would like to volunteer as a non-varsity team parent for spring sports, please email Patty Dudzik (Dudz5@aol.com) and indicate the sport your son will be playing. Go ‘WICK! Teacher Appreciation: The BPA showed its appreciation for our faculty with holiday gift baskets in December filled with sweets, cookies, cider mix, tea and honey. We are continuing with our monthly raffle drawings for our wonderful teachers. Gift cards, sporting tickets, theater tickets, etc., are all things a deserving teacher would appreciate. We try to have eight to twelve teachers win each month, so donations from our parent body are welcome and necessary to keep this program going strong. Please send gift cards or other donations to Rene Chronert, 10 Marlow Court, Riverside, CT 06878 or email RChronert@aol.com with last minutes ticket donations. Our December raffle winners: Mary Alice Ackley (PS), Samantha Heller (LS), Marianne McShane (MS), Sonia Schott (MS), Elizabeth Baker (US), and Poonam Gupta (US). We had some very special raffle donations this month: Derek Hruska (US) won a week stay in a home in Nantucket, Johnny Montanez (MS) and Andrew Hall (US) each won a week stay in a Scottsdale condo, and Paul Withstandley won Spider-Man theater tickets. Thanks to all of our very generous parents who donated raffle prizes this month! Bearly Used Closet: January is a great time to clean out your closets and the Bearly Used Closet would love any items you no longer need! Please donate your holiday sweaters, dress clothing, uniforms and gently used sports equipment. Please come visit for some New Year's shopping! The Bearly Used Closet is located in the lower lobby of the Lower School and is open whenever school's open. Pick up the key in the binder under the lobby bulletin board. Your donations and purchases will benefit BPA projects.
BRUNSWICK PARENTS ASSOCIATION NEWS
JANUARY 2012
Save the Dates: 7th grade ‘Wickends January 7th, Skate/Sport party at the Sampson Athletic Center from 7-9pm *Bring your own skates Please contact Lisa Magliocco (LCMAGS@optonline.net) if you would like to sign up and have not done so already. 2012 Skate Party: Friday, January 27th 3:30-4:30 Pre School Only 4:30-6:00 Pre School and Lower School Everyone is invited to the 2012 Skate Party! Pre School will skate by themselves from 3:30-4:30 and then both PS and LS will have the ice from 4:30-6:00pm. Hot chocolate and goodies will be served. A flyer for the Skate Party T-Shirt went home in a recent Friday folder. Please return your form to the drop boxes in the PS or LS lobbies by Monday, January 9th to make sure you don't miss out on this one-of-a-kind collectible! If you would like to help out the day of or do a little baking ahead of time, please email Martine Vuursteen (vuursteen@gmail.com) or Heather Anderson (heatheranderson@optonline). Finally, please note: kids need to wear helmets and gloves. Thank you! Pre/Lower School Family Bingo Night: Calling all Bingo players!!! The Brunswick Family Bingo registration and volunteer sign-up forms are now available on the website at brunswickschool.org/parents/programs-events/bingo-night-2012/. We look forward to seeing you on Friday, February 10, 2012 from 6-8pm at Burke Field House. There will be a few grade-wide prizes awarded, plus every child leaves with one individual prize! Come enjoy an evening of fun with your friends and family! Contact Jill Raker (jraker@greenbriarequity.com) or Christine Fouts (christinefouts01@yahoo.com) if you have any questions. Middle School Musical Recap: In December, “Suessical, Jr.” showcased the talent of our seventh and eighth graders from both Brunswick and Greenwich Academy. These gifted performers were supported by the creative abilities of our Arts Team (thank you, Abby Redmond and Matthew Kirby-Smith) to produce an hour of pure magic. A special thank you goes to Andrew Hall, Visual and Performing Arts Chair, and to Elizabeth Darling, MS BPA Arts Chair, and all the parent volunteers for their help making our show the success that we all enjoyed and will remember for years to come. Mr. Constantine, Director
From Johnny Montanez: Thanks to Sue Das, Brian Coughlin, Jimmy Manyuru for giving updates, listed below, on what our younger Bruins are doing in their communities. Division Reports: • Lower School Community Service: Some of the youngest Bruins were spreading the joy of the holiday season by bringing in gift certificates or unwrapped toys to donate to “Kids in Crisis.” Students brought in new toys for kids their own age in situations not as promising as their own. The giving season was a huge success because of the thoughtful and selfless acts of the students in our Lower School. • Middle School Community Service: The Middle School partnered up with the Don Bosco center of Port Chester over the holiday season to complete family wish list. Each advisory paired with a family and each advisee decided what gift to get for a family member on the lists including coats, hats, sweaters, gloves and other items each person should have for the winter season. After assembling the items in homeroom students wrapped and packed their donations with their advisories to complete the family wish list. On December 16, the Middle School Student Council was able to deliver these necessities to Don Bosco. • Upper School Community Service: The Upper School launched their Christmas drive after an impressive Thanksgiving holiday drive. Students and faculty were asked to bring in a donation to help support these seven worthy organizations listed below. In combination with the funds raised in the Turkey Bowl, the Brunswick Upper School raised over $9,000 to support our ongoing outreach programs: 1. Friends of Karen (assists families who have children with cancer) 2. Guiding Eyes for the Blind (breed & train dogs for the blind at no charge to the individual in need) 3. Waterside School (completing holiday wish lists of gifts and clothing) 4. Thomas Edison School (completing holiday coat drive) 5. Adopt-A-Dog (A no-kill shelter and rescue organization for dogs and cats) 6. Support for our Troops (an organization that provides assistance to our troops stationed in Afghanistan) 7. Join Hands (A program to help inner city kids get the education and assistance they need to be successful) a Ongoing projects: Community Service Trip to India (Summer 2012): Next June, we are planning a trip to Kolkata (Calcutta) in India with the help of Promise Worldwide, a non-profit organization serving 200 children from impoverished conditions. Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) is the capital of West Bengal and one of the largest cities in India. Students will spend ten days working with young people, teaching English, sports, and helping to build an addition on their schoolhouse. For more information, please see the Brunswick Community Service website: community.brunswickschool.org Neighbor to Neighbor Food Drive:On the last Thursday of each month, non-perishable food donations will be collected and delivered to the pantry in the Christ Church annex in Greenwich.
Think Pink!! In order to show support in the fight against Breast Cancer, Brunswick Upper School faculty members Johnny Montanez and Stephen Duennebier donned pink shirts and ties to show their support!