CDS Spring 2022 Talon

A NOTE FROM THE

HEAD OF SCHOOL SARA RUBINSTEIN

This was a year for building bridges.

Of course, there is one significant and literal bridge that we built this year--the bridge connecting our refurbished MS and US building to our brand new Center for Innovation. With its opening in September, we celebrated not just the chance to learn in spaces designed to accommodate the active, student-centered curriculum at the core of what we do, but also the unique CDS spirit that allowed us to get the project done in the first place.

When we say we are entrepreneurial thinkers for a global society, we mean it. We proved as a community of students, families, faculty, administration, and staff that we are ready to face challenges of global proportions with creativity, resourcefulness, adaptability, and resiliency That building will stand forever as a testament to that CDS spirit, our unwillingness to give up in the face of challenge and our ability to find new paths forward even in the most difficult of times.

That bridge really is a bridge to our future. CDS has stepped into a brand new era. This year brought record enrollment, with over 1100 Patriots learning, growing, and laughing together every day It brought new leadership with the arrival of three new division heads, ready to celebrate our history and traditions and bring some innovations of their own to Patriot Nation. It brought new programming and opportunities in everything from design technology to honor societies, the performing arts to science. Most of all it brought more well-deserved attention to our amazing students, who enjoyed unprecedented success in college admissions to some of the most selective schools in the country CDS has taken its place as a destination school for an authentic and relevant independent education, recognized locally and nationally for our unique blend of internationalism, meaningful academic rigor, and entrepreneurial mindset, all grounded in a welcoming community dedicated to real and authentic character development.

"Let’s build bridges, not walls." Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the end, this year and every year, the most important bridge we build is the bridge between people. If you’ve heard me speak, you’ve probably heard me reference the IB principle that people with their differences can also be right. At CDS, we can have different perspectives and opinions, different ideas on how to approach a problem, and still work together towards our bigger and more important goal to support our children into their best possible individual and collective future.

This year has shown us that when the world presents obstacles and divisiveness, the way through is by working together to protect the integrity of our values and community. It is an important model for our kids, the path to the future we all want for them, one filled with less conflict and more problem solving, fewer walls and more bridges. As we end this year, I look towards a bright future, excited to build on the strong foundation we have all created. I am profoundly grateful to our Patriot Nation for all you have done to support each other and our school this year

We proved as a community of students, families, faculty, administration, and staff that we are ready to face challenges of global proportions with creativity, resourcefulness, adaptability, and resiliency.

PATRIOT SCHOLARS

CDS Supports Deserving Students With Two Annual Scholarships.

In 2008 - 2009, the year before the first senior graduates of CDS donned their caps and gowns and a year after being authorized by the IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization) to offer the full continuum of IB Curriculum with MYP and DP, one of the questions that kept coming up as CDS grew was, "How do we retain these amazing middle school students?" With the inclusion of the MYP and DP programs, CDS was quickly making a name for itself as a school of character and rigorous global education.

The students advancing through our middle school were some of the best and brightest in the Tampa Bay area and that nagging question of how to keep them as Patriots for the new upper school was finally answered...a merit scholarship program.

The first scholarship program was established in 2009 for CDS 8th graders who would become the Class of 2013 The original merit awards were partial scholarships known as the Robin Moir Vanguard Award and the Patriot Scholarship The Robin Moir Vanguard Award is named for the late Robin Moir, a beloved and devoted teacher who enriched the lives of hundreds of Carrollwood Day School students throughout the years. Both awards recognize, reward, and encourage further development of select students who exemplify CDS’ commitment to academic excellence, work, service, leadership, and learning

In 2019, CDS announced the expansion of our merit scholarship program for entering 9th graders with the creation of the Patriot Eagle Scholarship – covering the full cost of tuition for one current CDS 8th grader rising into 9th and one incoming 9th grade student The growth of the merit scholarships for deserving students was a positive step forward and showed the community our commitment to support our top academic performers and reward them for their efforts.

ROBIN MOIR VANGUARD AWARD

Robin Moir Vanguard Award, in the amount of $5,000, annually, will be offered to up to five qualified internal candidates. These awards are renewable annually for the three years following each recipient’s freshman year, if certain criteria are met

PATRIOT EAGLE SCHOLARSHIP

The Patriot Eagle Scholarship is the highest academic scholarship available at Carrollwood Day School. The Patriot Eagle Scholarship is awarded annually to one new and one returning CDS student entering the 9th grade It covers the full cost of tuition for four years, with renewal contingent on continued academic success and an exemplary behavioral record. (The Student Services Fee and Security Fee will be waived each year the scholarship is renewed.)

CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE

Patriot Eagle Scholarship and Robin Moir Vanguard Award recipients must demonstrate exemplary scholarship, leadership, and community service to be eligible for these awards. Candidates must excel academically and have a strong track record of achievement, as reflected in grades, test scores, and other recognitions of above average commitment to academics, such as membership in Honor Societies and receipt of academic awards.

Since the inception of the merit scholarship program Robin Moir and Patriot Scholarships, CDS is proud to share that more than $856,000 has been awarded to over 77 individual students over the years. These students have gone on to be National Merit SemiFinalists, National Honor Society members, student government leaders, and most recently the highly regarded Cum Laude Society members.

With the Class of 2022 seniors just months away from graduation, we thought it would be fitting to highlight the recipients in this Talon issue that were selected for these accolades when they were graduating from middle school. With the help and support of CDS and their families, these fine students have accomplished so much in their four-year high school careers.

Elisabeth Cáceres

The Carrollwood Day School Early Childhood Campus serves students ages 2 through Kindergarten and utilizes the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) inquiry-based, transdisciplinary curriculum. This approach to learning at such a young age allows the students to gain a conceptual understanding of various subjects and teachers are able to use a student-centered approach to education. At its core, the ECC fosters an environment that encourages curiosity, enables students to use their voice and to contribute to the collaborative environment

The programme of Inquiry for the PYP level is organized and framed by six themes: Who We Are, Where We Are In Place and Time, How We Express Ourselves, How The World Works, How We Organize Ourselves and Sharing the Planet. With each age and grade level, these themes get more in-depth and challenging.

TODDLERS

The 2021-2022 school year has been full of exploration and wonder with our youngest bunch at the ECC. From learning their schedule and routines to recognizing their shapes and colors, our Toddlers are learning the skills and concepts to build a solid foundation. Social emotional learning is vital at this stage, as they develop strategies for self regulation and effective conflict resolution. Through their current Unit of Inquiry, Exploring We Will Go, the students engage in learning activities which help to foster critical thinking skills such as, how to ask questions and how objects and people work together.

PREK 3

In the PreK 3 classrooms, the children are practicing independence as they develop their executive functioning skills in preparation for the next step in their educational journey The teachers have been facilitating daily small group sessions through their Units of Inquiry, to focus on communication and language skills, collaboration with peers, and encouraging student agency. The students demonstrate their readiness through open-ended learning opportunities during their Work Time in the Big Room.

PREK 4

Our PreK 4 Patriots are busy being inquirers as they dive into their current Unit of Inquiry, I Wonder Why. During this unit, the children become knowledgeable about different life cycles, the systems and functions of the human body, and their wonders about the world around them They continue to engage in daily activities that encourage students to be respectful, caring, and principled.

Respect Kindergarten Units of Inquiry

Houses,

Homes

KINDERGARTEN

TRIBUTE TO A PATRIOT

And so began each and every introduction to Miss Cindy at the ECC Whether it was a new family entering CDS on the first day of school, or parents touring the campus for the first time, Miss Cindy couldn’t wait to share her love for her grandchildren and children, and how that love extended to Carrollwood Day School, an integral part of her family’s life for nearly 30 years. Small in stature, but huge in personality, Miss Cindy would leap out of her seat at the front desk to regale captive audiences about her five grandchildren (Jonathan, Alex, Max, Stevie and Annie Bee), all of whom graduated from CDS, and all of whom were, to her, brilliant, beautiful, athletic, and perfect. She would then brag on her daughters, Stacey and Dawn, who worked at CDS in administration, or Buzzie, the youngest with whom Cindy worked for years in real estate. And, if you knew her well enough, she may even tell a joke or two about John, her husband of 56 years Even her sons-in-law, Paul and Todd, were included in her longtime family lore, truly serving as the sons she never had.

Miss Cindy loved her family, loved her friends, loved life – and she wasn’t afraid to share that complete affection with anyone in her circle. And everyone was in her circle. Cindy embraced, literally and figurately, every person she met, from the friends of her children and grandchildren who, by extension, became her family; to her co-workers who supported her online shopping habits and laughed at her distaste for the bathroom located right next to her desk; to parents tearing up as they dropped their child off at school. Cindy spoke her mind and shared her emotions without apology, and it was this authenticity and warmth that made people fall in love with her and feel that she was their best friend … or their mom … or maybe even their grandmother

When Miss Cindy left us on January 26, 2022, all of CDS lost its breath for a moment. She was a force of nature in the best possible way and her physical absence as part of the CDS community will always be felt. But her spirit remains, in her family members, in her friends, and in her silly sayings (“See you round like a donut!”). Miss Cindy was, and is, one of the eternal heartbeats of Carrollwood Day School.

Thank you to CDS Assistant Director of Admissions, Michelle Cáceres, for writing this beautiful article.

See you around, like a donut.

“Well, let me tell you about my grandchildren.”

ALWAYS A SMILE

Words of love from the Patriot Nation

Cindy always had a smile and welcome ready for anyone as they walked into the ECC No matter who you were, you felt cared about We always had fun talking about our own kids and especially our grandkids!! I loved watching her excitement as she talked about family trips or days with her girls

Always encouraging, endlessly funny, ready with a hug or a "you got this!" I loved how she treated my son Sam with such kindness, she always had time to chat with him and make him feel awesome. We were surely blessed for this short time we had with a wonderful lady! She will be missed every day and will forever remain in my heart. "See you round like a donut," Cindy.

A FIRECRACKER WHO LIT UP A ROOM

Any room Cindy entered was enveloped in belly aching from laughter, face hurting from grinning, tears being wiped from conversations So many times, later in the day you would think back to an earlier interaction and just chuckle. Cindy Hittle- joy bringer.

I cannot imagine a more influential person, or one who has contributed more to the wellbeing of the world Her legacy, through her daughters, her grandchildren, and their children to come has absolutely no limit and will, absolutely make the world a better place.

SUCH A SPECIAL PERSON

Cindy was all of our Mom, grandmother, and friend. She had a way of making people feel more than just welcome.. she made everyone feel “invited " Even though we are an Alumni family for several years, she always had a way of making time stand still. She would always leave the nicest comments on my posts about my kiddos on social media, so proud like they were her own She was that person that watched every video of a kid singing, dancing, etc and comment on their talent. She always made us feel so loved Rest In Peace Cindy, you will always be remembered for the joy and love you gave to so many.

SO FULL OF LIFE, FUN, & SHENANIGANS

This is how I will remember her. It seems too soon to say goodbye to such a gift. She positively impacted everyone she met I especially loved her because she was my eye-to-eye partner. :) Because we were the same height it always made for fantastic hugs - which she was famous for. She had a way of making you feel like you were her family and she certainly never met a stranger. Cindy, thank you for the impact you have made on COUNTLESS lives including mine Because of you we are better, we have laughed more and we have felt loved. Your family will carry on your legacy.

Ifyou'dliketoreadorleaveamessageasa tributetoCindy,scanthecodetotheleft.

LIFE OF THE PARTY

Always cracking “inappropriate” jokes that could make you blush and laugh until your face hurt. She knew how to brighten a dim room with her sense of humor and love for people She loved her family with all of her heart and made it known to all how proud she was of them. She had a huge, sensitive heart and she will be greatly missed at the ECC She was a very special lady See you round like a donut Miss Cindy!

D I V E S I N T O D E S I G N T E C H E L E M E N T A R Y

The Maker Lab in the elementary school at Carrollwood Day School is a very special place. It's a place where students can take their ideas and cultivate them into reality. At the helm of that creative space is Maker Lab and Science Specialist, Jenny Gochoco. Jenny has leapt into the design tech arena with excitement and gusto offering curriculum to our 1st through 5th graders that satisfies students' creativity but also challenges their critical thinking.

To Dream is to Create. To Create is to Learn

As part of the Design Tech team, Jenny is joined by Elementary Computer Teacher extraordinaire, Bryan McGrath, and Media Specialist, Connie Hollin. Together they work to create STEEM curriculum for our lower school students that inspires creativity and fosters a love for understanding how things work

1st Grade - Balloon Cars

As part of their study on matter, 1st graders used balloons to study the concepts of kinetic energy, potential energy, and Newton's laws of motion.

With the goal of using the power of air to move the balloon car, students had to figure out the best design of the car, how much to inflate the balloon, and how to release the air to convert energy

With various materials to choose from, students designed, created, and tested their balloon cars to see what worked the best for the farthest ride.

3rd Grade - Balloons Over Broadway

As the first project that had students collaborating with the media center, technology, and the Maker Lab, 3rd graders started with Ms Hollin and read the book "Balloons Over Broadway," which tells the history of the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade. Once the students understood that through dedication and imagination your dreams could become a reality, they headed over to see Mr McGrath in Technology and learned how to drive the Dash robots, as well as how to record and take photos With the Dash robots, students are able to explore loops, events, conditions, and sequences to see how they result in real-life movements.

2nd Grade - Lego Spike Robotics

Using Legos, 2nd graders explored textbased coding to design, build, and start a ferris wheel. They then interpreted data to describe the relationships between types of energy.

With the opportunity to upgrade their model and modify code, they answered questions like "How did you make the Ferris Wheel stop?" and "How did you upgrade the Ferris Wheel?"

We may just have the next George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. in the bunch!

Armed with the story of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the careful skills of a balloon handler through robotics, CDS students then started to design and construct the balloons in the Maker Lab.

This partnership between story-telling, technology, and physical creation is a perfect example of IB (International Baccalaureate)

HOW FAR CAN YOUR IMAGINATION TAKE YOU?

4th Grade - Water

As part of their exploration with water, fourth graders used the FOSS (Full Option Science System) science investigations to explore water properties The students experimented with how water reacts to different surfaces, made thermometers to study hot and cold water, studied surface tension, animals that walk on water, and finished by creating water wheels that were strong enough to move a load

5th Grade - Food Trucks

As an extension of their Unit of Inquiry, "From Head to Toe," which focuses on health, nutrition, and the human body, CDS 5th graders designed, created, and launched their own food truck businesses in elementary Maker Lab with Mrs Gochoco

They started off by studying nutrition and learned how to read nutrition labels on food In groups, they formed food truck businesses and created menus, logos, and food truck models. The students were allowed to choose how they created and displayed their models. Some were designed digitally using various apps, or made out of paper, clay, or recyclables

The students had to collaborate in order to bring their food trucks to life As a celebration of all their hard work, each class hosted another 5th-grade class who could shop at their food trucks The visiting class had an imaginary $20 budget to spend during their visit. The hosting class took orders and was able to calculate their profits after the event. This connects to their current "Dollars and Sense" unit of inquiry, which leads up to Young Entrepreneur's Day!

M I D D L E S C H O O L

R U L E S

HONOR ABOVE ALL

CDS H C d

The middle school years are full of In October, all middle school students

Our Jr. Beta Club and Senior Beta Club members represented CDS well at the Florida Junior Beta Club Convention and Florida Senior Beta Club Convention which were both held at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando

This was the first time for our Jr. Beta Club to compete and they were amazing! Congratulations to these 8th graders for taking home a number of awards from their competition on February 2-4, 2022

Poetry, 1st Place: Paula S

Creative Writing, 1st Place: Ella M

Drawing, 3rd Place: Caroline C.

Robotics, 3rd Place: Sam Z., Aryan M., Riley H., & Finn S.

All of these members have qualified for the National Convention in Nashville in July!

FORENSICS FIRST!

Nine middle school students represented Carrollwood Day School at the forensics meet on February 9th at Berkeley Preparatory School bringing home a 1st place honor! All of the students worked very hard to research and present their competition pieces in the following categories, demonstrating that they are talented communicators and true risk-takers!

For Original Oratory students perform a speech that he/she wrote

1st Place: Nishant S (’27)

Vishi K ('28)

Declamation is where students perform a previously published speech.

Lauren A. ('28)

Ahroosh V ('28)

Owen P ('28)

Swara P ('27)

Duo Interpretation of Drama is when pairs of students read from a script.

Amara M ('27) and Sahana A ('27)

In Oral Interpretation of Poetry students read a poem

Zayaan M. ('27)

CONGRATULATIONS DR. SANDOVAL

Scott Sandoval, 8th grade Language and Literature teacher, is a model life-long learner. While assisting his students to prepare for their upcoming midterm exams, Scott was also preparing for a high-stakes examination of his own in his quest to earn a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership and Administration. On Tuesday, December 7, 2021, Scott successfully defended h Experience of IB Teachers with Gamification to earn University

Scott's research focused on teachers within our MYP program learning about, implementing, and reflecting on using the gamification program, Classcraft, over several weeks The system was used to reinforce our ATL skills with our 6th through 10th graders Always open to innovative ideas, CDS MYP faculty were glad to have the opportunity to participate in this research. Scott shares, "I could not have done it without the support from our community at all levels I really appreciate the flexibility from everyone and the encouragement It really means a lot to me "

Scott serves as chair of the MS Language and Literature department at CDS. He will formally receive his Ed.D. degree at a ceremony in a few months It will be added to his Ed S in Educational Leadership & Administration from St Leo University, an Ed S in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Florida, and his M A T in English Education and B.A. in Literature from the University of South Florida. Congratulations, Dr. Sandoval!

WHAT'S UP WITH UPPER SCHOOL

When it comes to being an upper school student at CDS, the options are endless to show your academic, athletic, artistic, or technological prowess This year our upper school students are setting the bar higher than ever before They are bringing home awards in everything from digital video production and business calculations In FBLA, to heading to state competitions for HOSA in clinical speciality and extemporaneous writing Read on for stories about how these accomplished upper school students are continuing to shine.

HOSA: With the goal of promoting career opportunities in the healthcare industry, CDS' young chapter brought the largest contingent of members to compete at this year's Region 4 Winter Competitive Events Conference, with the largest group heading to states in CDS history

COMPETITION SEASON

BETA CLUB: With 12 students competing at this year's Senior Beta Club State Convention it was quite an accomplishment to bring home five top finishers

Aarnav C - 1st Place, 9th Gr Social Studies

Aayush P - 1st Place, 10th Gr Math

Samantha H - 2nd Place, Creative Writing Division I

Hailee S. - 3rd Place, Creative Writing Division II

Morgan A. - 1st Place, Color Photography Division I

y , g Angelina B. & Chloe T. - 3rd, Forensic Science Evan H., Jason G., Nathan F. & Mahir S. - 2nd, HOSA Bowl Asher G., Keira M., Hailee S., & Maddie M. - 2nd, Public Service Announcement

FBLA: The Future Business Leaders of America took both middle and upper school students to the District competition placements this year and came away with a record amount of state qualifiers

Business Calculations: Aidan R - 1st place

Business Law: Courtney T - 2nd place

Computer Problem Solving: Matthew D - 1st place

Digital Video Production: Morgan A - 1st place

E-Business: Laney H - 1st place

Impromptu Speaking: Aarnav C. - 2nd place

Journalism: Lillie S. - 2nd place

Political Science: Gabe S. - 2nd place

Public Service Announcement: JD B. & Ethan E. - 1st place

Public Service Announcement: Carter C. & Vikram B. - 2nd place

Sales Presentation: Rohan K., Andrew F., & Dhillon P. - 1st place

Sports and Entertainment Management: Jacob F. & Brooks P - 2nd place

A HISTORIC HONOR

We are so excited to share that CDS now has a Rho Kappa chapter. Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society is the only national organization for high school juniors and seniors that recognizes excellence in the field of Social Studies. With a vision of, "A world in which all students are educated and inspired for lifelong inquiry and informed civic action," the National Council for the Social Studies and Carrollwood Day School could not be more aligned

On the morning of November 9th, CDS Upper School Humanities teacher, Natalie Contreras, initiated seven seniors and one junior into the inaugural Rho Kappa chapter class at CDS

The requirement for initiation is 2 years in a humanities course and currently enrolled in a third, 4.2 overall GPA, and a member of a social studies club that has a competition level (Model UN or History Club)

Congratulations Patriots

We are so proud to watch you continue to raise the bar for our school

CDS students strive to fulfill the duties of citizenship in a participatory democracy

LOWER SCHOOL

CDS

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is at the heart of Character Education at Carrollwood Day School. SEL is defined by leading experts at the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) as:

The process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.

At CDS, we provide opportunities at every level for students to focus on character development through SEL. We use a tiered approach, aligning at each developmental level with both the core CASEL competencies and the IB Approaches to Learning

The SEL Leads in upper school are Shelly Hollingsworth (9th), Natalie Contreras (10th), Colin DeHate (11th), and Danielle Cohen (12th).

MIDDLE SCHOOL

UPPER SCHOOL

PUTTING KNOWLEDGE INTO PRACTICE

GUIDED LESSONS

Lower School

Mindfulness and breathing at the ECC "I Feel" and "I May" exercise for conflict resolution

Empathy lessons

SMALL GROUP INTERVENTION

At each divisional level, our team of counselors uses small groups to connect to CDS students on a personal level Lower school counselor, Malu Molano, has created a tradition of having "Lunch Bunch" with all new students every year This, coupled with her friendship and social skills group for 1st through 3rd graders, lets them know there is a safe place for them to go when they need someone to talk to

During the pivotal years of middle school, our new middle school counselor, Sara Key, provides opportunities for in-depth conversations about friendships, stress, and how their personality types can impact them in everything they do

By the time CDS students get to upper school age, the conversations about leadership, empathy, and global perspective with upper school counselor, Pedro Miller, go deeper and provide life skills that will carry them through 12th grade and on into college.

Middle School

How do our brains process emotions and how can we be aware and more in control?

Conversations about how friendships change in middle school

Perspective-taking exercises

Identifying stress signs and creating stress management plans

Upper School

Reflecting on the importance of healthy friendships

Leadership and empathy summit (10th)

Conversations about mental health and overall wellness (11th)

Senior Safety Series including financial planning, crowd safety, and selfadvocacy

SCHOOL-WIDE

This year CDS welcomed back Lori Smith, a shareholder in the Orlando law firm of Zimmerman, Kiser, and Sutcliffe, where she has practiced law since graduating from the University of Florida School of Law in 1995. She is a frequent lecturer around the state on social media usage by teens and tweens, and parents of teens. It's Lori's goal to give teens straightforward, timely, real-world examples of how social media mistakes can impact their future Lori also speaks to parents of teens and tweens educating them on the social media habits of teens and the social media violations that can most often impact school enrollment and limit future opportunities.

As a follow-up to the presentation, upper school students visited student advisory groups and led more in-depth discussions on how social media has impacted them personally and strategies they have learned to set themselves up for success

ADDITIONAL SEL & DIVERSITY & INCLUSION PROGRAMS AT CDS

Bullying Awareness Month

programs

Red Ribbon Week

Hispanic Heritage Celebrations

30 Days of Gratitude Challenge

Black History Month

Guest speakers

Creation of Advisory Newsletters highlighting pioneers of Black History throughout time

Clash of the Classes Spirit Week & Olympic field day

SLAPT Initiatives

Book Share in Lower School Advisory Activities with Middle School

Dialogue across Differences: A Series of Uncomfortable Conversations Has Culture Shifted?

Confirmation Bias Mixed Race Relations

It doesn't always matter what the topic of discussion is, but rather if you felt safe having it.

G L O B A L

CDS GOES GLOBAL

At CDS our mission is to create entrepreneurial thinkers for a global society The IBO (International Baccalaureate Program) partners with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment

Our recent partnership with the IVECA program is an excellent example of thinking bigger IVECA is the Intercultural Virtual Exchange of Classroom Activities.

This year our 8th graders have been working with a school in South Korea, utilizing message boards, and integrating this exchange into their Humanities class.

The culmination of this cultural endeavor was a live class where Mrs Ruth's 8th graders were able to finally meet the students of Hanil High School in South Korea. Both schools made presentations on historic events from their own nations, with our CDS students presenting on early American History. CDS musicians even shared solo performances over Zoom.

This collaboration with IVECA and Hanil High School celebrated the global friendship between the two schools and showed the students how connected we all really are This global connection has become an excellent part of the CDS curriculum and the IB mission.

At the time of this publication, CDS is currently in the process of becoming a Round Square school, a global network of schools that shares a commitment to character education and experiential learning. Stay tuned for exciting information about this very exclusive program coming to CDS.

LE HAVRE COMES TO CDS

After years of middle and upper school students being pen pals In Mrs Olson's French class, she was delighted to welcome Hélène Bernard from Le Havre for a visit.

Discover Infinite Potential

That is exactly what the first cohort of The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award seekers at CDS is doing, mentored by their two inspiring Program Coordinators, Pedro Miller, US school counselor, and Jess Garcia, MS language and literature teacher Jaime Melton, US language and literature teacher, serves as the Award Leader at CDS

The core of The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award is to raise young people's aspirations, to help them build confidence, resilience, communication, and team-working skills, and to give them experiences that will help them navigate the challenges in life Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Holders are #WORLDREADY

The program is designed to have students contribute to society and build character through four key elements: physical activity, learning new skills, volunteering service, and developing navigational and survival skills. Congratulations to our first cohort of 20 students The students have been divided into four multi-grade teams Ms Melton visualizes this program "as a chance for CDS students to build leadership and life skills they can rely on It affords students the opportunity to grow as people who can impact our community in positive ways and most definitely will help them develop bonds they can value for life."

This founding group of intrepid CDS students from grades 9 – 12 have embarked on a six-month mission to achieve the Bronze level of The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Each will follow a personalized path to progress through the sections of physical recreation, skill-building, and voluntary service. For their adventurous journey, the participants will be taken out of their comfort zone, but kept in a safe and secure setting, with suitable training and supervision

The entire group is scheduled to participate in an overnight training activity at Jay B Starkey Wilderness Park in New Port Richey the first weekend in March before undertaking their 3-day adventurous journey along the Florida Trail in May. The aim of this final challenge is to provide the adventurers with the opportunity to learn more about the wider environment, as well as to develop their self-confidence, facilitate teamwork, and optimize their health

Mr. Miller shares his inspiration for helping to bring this program to CDS, “As a young adult, I was exposed to the outdoors and have not been the same since. A program such as DofE will give students the opportunity to learn about, plan for and practice outdoor ethics and skills, team building, and conflict resolution They will be pushed, physically and emotionally, and as a team, they will have to find solutions to various problems I am looking forward to seeing our students grow from this program and feel very honored to be sharing my passion for the outdoors with our students and staff.”

As Ms. Jessica Garcia explains, "The DofE Award Program gives students the space and time they need to make their own decisions Unlike some traditional classroom settings, this program empowers students to think and reflect on their individual passions I visualize this program being highly dependent on the student's voice and decision-making skills, and I believe students will love this program for that exact reason."

Carrollwood Day School is proud to deliver The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Challenging young people to find their purpose, passion, and place in the world

For more than 20 years, I've worked with students who participated in The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Each of our students interested in a challenge, no matter their familiarity with the outdoors or camping, should consider joining For many, it is a life changing experience that pushes the boundaries of what they think they can accomplish They leave with new leadership skills feeling an increased sense of self confidence, and camaraderie with their fellow participants. The bonds formed by Duke of Edinburgh participants remain strong long after they receive their award ”

"Participation in the Award USA program aligns perfectly with what Carrollwood Day School aims to provide for its students: education with character. In this program, I have been able to work on improving my guitar and hiking skills as well as strengthening my connections to my community through community service. In addition to expanding our skill sets, my peers and I are learning about camping and surviving in the outdoors with only what we carry on our backs. By stepping out of my comfort zone and striving to meet my ambitious goals, I am becoming more selfreliant, and a stronger community builder."

Tim Walsh, Head of Upper School

Samantha H. (’23)

DREW GUARINO

94% of all admission decisions thus far have been an offer of acceptance for the class of 2022.

CLASS OF '22

On behalf of the college counseling department at Carrollwood Day School, it has been our pleasure to work with the talented, dynamic, and dedicated students from the class of 2022 Personally, this is the class that I started with at CDS, joining the school just prior to the start of their freshman year In this time, I have witnessed incredible growth both personally and academically from members of this class. Their commitment and enthusiasm in respect to the college search and selection process has been most impressive I constantly see students looking up at our TVs in the hallway cheering on their peers when another acceptance pennant is posted, offering encouragement to their friends as they navigate the complex admission process, and radiating spirit as they celebrate their collective achievements From this vantage point, I can say with confidence that the class of 2022 is truly unique and is a group that I will never forget.

As we inch past the midway point of the academic year and maneuver closer to the end of the college admission process, thus far we have received approximately 45% of all the admission decisions (at the time of writing) for the

over 850 total applications that have been submitted by the class of 2022, which encompasses 92 seniors. With multiple decisions pending and forthcoming, we wanted to provide an update on how our CDS students are faring thus far in the admission process

94% of all admission decisions thus far have been an offer of acceptance for the class of 2022. In addition, we are climbing in our merit scholarship totals, with over $8 million received by students at this point in the process, with several lucrative amounts to follow later this school year While both our students and college counselors are eagerly anticipating more impressive results, here is a further breakdown of our application variance.

RESTRICTIVE EARLY ACTION

Two students were admitted utilizing the restrictive early action option Similar to early decision, restrictive early action provides students to hear back from their selected school earlier in the process while emphasizing a strong interest in attending an institution. Unlike early decision, restrictive early action is non-binding, therefore students are welcome to apply to other schools through regular decision and are not forced to commit to their admitted school We offer our sincerest congratulations to the following students who have been accepted using this admission option:

IVY LEAGUE SUCCESS

Since 2019, Carrollwood Day School students have succeeded in the admission process at the Ivy League level, representing the most competitive application pool in the country Beginning with the class of 2019, CDS has seen eight students receive an acceptance to the following schools:

Brown University (three students) Cornell University (three students) Dartmouth College Princeton University

EARLY DECISION

Approximately 15% of the senior class selected early decision as their application category, representing a binding agreement made by the student, family, and their college counselor that states the student would enroll at their selected institution if afforded the opportunity to attend. This application category is an effective tool for students to demonstrate their strong interest in their number one choice school 93% of the students that utilized the early decision option applied to schools that were outside of the state of Florida.

We are incredibly proud of our seniors who have been admitted to their early decision schools to the following institutions:

Julian Aguinaga - University of Miami

Abigail Alexander - Emory University

Jonathan Conrad - Brown University

Camila Garanton - University of Chicago

Jessica Golden - Brown University

Andrew Grisack - Washington University in St. Louis

Clayton Kohler - Lehigh University

Ashna Patel - Northwestern University

Nicholas Rizzo - Drexel University

Lauren Tripp - College of William and Mary

INTERIM DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE COUNSELING

Suhani Shah - Princeton University

Gabriel Slater - University of Notre Dame

EARLY APPLICATION ROUND RESULTS

Additionally, the class of 2022 has received multiple stellar decisions throughout the early portion of the admission process. Many of the institutions our students have been accepted to thus far fall in the US News and World Report top 100 national universities category. A sampling of these schools includes:

University of Michigan- Ann Arbor

University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill (two students)

University of Virginia (three students)

University of Florida (seventeen students)

Tulane University

University of Georgia (five students)

Northeastern University (two students)

Florida State University (twenty-three students)

The Ohio State University

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (two students)

Purdue University (four students)

Villanova University

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

University of Miami (four students)

University of Maryland- College Park (five students)

University of Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania State University (three students)

Fordham University (three students)

Indiana University (two students)

Southern Methodist University (three students)

Baylor University (four students)

Clemson University (eight students)

Loyola Marymount University

North Carolina State University (five students)

Elon University (six students)

Texas Christian University University of Denver (three students)

Auburn University (six students)

University of Colorado- Boulder (five students)

Clark University

Drexel University (six students)

Loyola University- Chicago (six students)

University of Arizona (two students) University of Richmond (two students)

United States Military Academy (West Point)

United States Air Force Academy Union College

Furman University

Hampton University (four students)

Trinity University University of Toronto (Canada)

With Sincere Anticipation and Gratitude

Our seniors and college counseling department eagerly await further results from the regular decision application pool this spring and look forward to the opportunity to share additional successes and the stories behind their acceptances in the near future

I would like to offer my most wholehearted thank you to the many individuals behind the incredible early round results as well as the anticipated positive news that we expect to receive as the year unfolds We truly appreciate the support of our CDS students and families who have been a constant presence in our multitude of college counseling programming over the past four years including individual meetings, grade level presentations, our college counseling coffee series, and our college counseling advisory classes. It is your commitment and effort in the admission process that inspire us on a daily basis and it is our honor to partner with you

To our talented CDS faculty, your instruction has paved the way for such impressive results for our students The deep relationships you have formed with your students are most evident and your dedication to providing a worldclass education will serve as a precursor for our students’ continued successes in higher education. Our teachers were quick to provide meaningful contributions to our

PHI BETA KAPPA

Phi Beta Kappa schools represent the top 290 colleges and universities in the country This honor society is the highest degree of distinction a post-secondary school can receive as a rigorous accreditation process focuses primarily on student outcomes (job placement and internship/co-op opportunities) In addition, for a school to receive Phi Beta Kappa designation, the institution must possess faculty with terminal degrees (the highest degree they can receive in their field of study/instruction), robust student support, and strong campus facilities 98% of seniors applied to at least one Phi Beta Kappa school

GEOGRAPHIC STATISTICS

Carrollwood Day School students have shown incredible willingness to submit their applications to a variety of geographic regions throughout the country as well as internationally. Here is a snapshot of where our seniors are submitting applications from a location standpoint:

94% of seniors applied to at least one out of state school 61% of seniors applied to at least one school in the Northeast 45% of seniors applied to at least one school in the Midwest 36% of seniors applied to at least one school in the West 79% of seniors applied to at least one school in the South (outside of the state of Florida)

88% of seniors applied to at least one school in Florida 4% of seniors applied to at least one international school (outside of the United States)

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP FINALISTS

National Merit Scholarship Finalists

We are pleased to announce that six CDS seniors were selected among 16,000 students from across the United States for National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist status. These academically talented high school seniors have all elected to continue in the competition for some 7,5000 National Merit Scholarships that will be awarded in the spring Students qualified for this designation by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state Congratulations to our six seniors: Samantha Asmar Aryan Banerjee

National Merit Scholarship Commended Student Additionally, one CDS senior was named a National Merit Scholarship Commended Student in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2022 competition by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®) Congratulations to our senior: Alexandra Gross

Finally, three CDS seniors were named to College Board National Recognition Programs These three students have achieved a 3 5 grade point average or higher, have excelled in the 2020 Preliminary SAT exam, and are African American or Black, Hispanic American or Latinx, Indigineous, and/or attend school in a rural area or small town Congratulations to our three seniors:

students’ application process, evidenced by the fact that approximately 185 teacher letters of recommendation were submitted for the class of 2022 Thank you for your willingness to assist our students in their pursuit of college acceptance.

Finally, I would like to offer a debt of gratitude to my fellow members of the college counseling department, Mrs. Danielle Cohen, Associate Director of College Counseling, and Mrs. Corie DiPhilippo, Associate Director of College Counseling, whose behind the scenes work often flies under the radar but never goes unnoticed Our students are fortunate to have such caring and compassionate advocates throughout their college search and selection process. Your effort and commitment to our school and our CDS families are apparent in each of our admission decisions, and I am fortunate to call you colleagues Thank you for your steadfast effort!

Sincerely,

Drew Guarino Interim Director of College Counseling

Justin DeBoskey Ashna Patel Suhani Shah Gabriel Slater

James Colston National African American Scholar

Julian Aguinaga National Hispanic Scholar

Samantha Asmar National Hispanic Scholar

FROM THE ATHLETIC

DEPARTMENT

CDS Athletics had yet another successful fall semester, which was highlighted by our boys swim team winning their first ever district championship. Senior Jacob Ball, 8th grader Wyatt B., and Sophomore Adele Sands advanced to the state championship as individuals This is Adele’s second trip to the state meet, where she finished 3rd in the 100 meter freestyle and 4th in the 200 meter freestyle Adele was also an All-American consideration this season in the 100 freestyle and was named to the USA Swimming Scholastic AllAmerican team She was one of only 120 freshmen in the country to achieve this recognition.

STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

SOCCER NEWS

Senior girls soccer player, Camila Garanton, was selected to play in the Hillsborough vs. Pinellas All Star Game.

BASKETBALL NEWS

Boys basketball senior Matthew Webster was the third basketball player in the history of the program to record 1,000 points in a career

Scholar Scholar Athlete Athlete

Congratulations to senior, AJ Grisack for being named a Hillsborough County Annual Scholar Athlete. AJ will be continuing his football career in the fall at Washington University in St. Louis.

GOLF NEWS

Girls golf finished as district runners-up and advanced to the regional championship Middle Schooler, Elyse M., qualified as an individual for the state championship.

NEW COACHES

CDS Athletics also added a pair of great coaches to our coaching staff!

TONY BREWINGTON BASEBALL JARRETT HARVEY BASKETBALL

ATHELTIC NEWS

Jojo Chames has assumed the role of middle school athletic director

Longtime middle school athletic director Nayda Hawkins has transitioned to teach elementary PE and to become the lower school athletic director, which allowed elementary to start a three-season athletic program.

In addition to several great CDS team accomplishments, the semester featured the college signing of seven Patriot Student-Athletes:

Brandon Cleveland-NC State University (football)

TEAMACCOMPLISHMENTS

BOYS SOCCER

Boys soccer finished as district runner-up and advanced to the regional tournament for the seventh time in eight years.

GIRLS SOCCER

Girls soccer earned a spot in the regional tournament for the eighth straight year.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Girls basketball made it to the district finals and the regional tournament for the sixth consecutive year.

Camila Garanton- University of Chicago (track and field)

Jessie Golden-Brown University (volleyball)

AJ Grisack-Washington University (football)

Laney Higgins-Oglethorpe University (volleyball)

Trent Ramsey-University of California at Berkeley (football)

Jasmine Welton-University of Arkansas-Monticello (volleyball)

WRESTLING

CDS Wrestling has a District Champion! Senior Ryan Kissel is heading to Regionals, along with seniors, Miguel Romero, Ash Irvine, Julian Aguinaga, and Liam Stevenson.

Jonathan Conrad-Brown University (wrestling)

Matthew Webster-Florida A&M University (basketball)

We can’t wait to watch each of these Patriots at the next level!

We also have two senior student-athletes who are committed to play in college:

THE ARTS AT CDS

Music students were happy to fully return to music-making this school year. After many years of sharing the single music room, middle and upper school classes were elated to finally have dedicated spaces. As a result, the classrooms are alive with the sounds of musicians practicing and learning through ensemble collaborations.

With our drumline and middle school musicians at the Center for Innovation ribbon cutting, upper school pep band at pep rallies and in the stands at football games, it has been wonderful to see the music program, which had been stifled during the pandemic, coming back full force In October, a new afterschool beginning band program opened up to all fifth and sixth graders and filled up quickly

Music has been incorporated into the classroom with several eighthgraders participating in the IVECA program which included presenting solo musical performances online with a partner school located In South Korea.

December featured a 4th and 5th-grade performance, "Paint the Town December," which showcased holidays throughout the month from around the world, and the middle and upper school Winter Performances. Audiences were delighted to hear the student's musical progress in programs of traditional and holiday songs.

As we look to the spring semester, music students are engaged and excited. Music is coming back strong at CDS.

STAGE LIGHTS ARE UP!

It was a different year at CDS during 2020-2021 and theater looked different as well. Performances were filmed and only family members were invited to attend live performances The CDS community was definitely missing the large theatrical events Thankfully, with the start of the 20212022 school year, the theater department was ready to go

In the fall, the Diploma Programme theater students put on the show "The Miracle Worker," a family drama based on the true story of a young deaf and blind girl, Helen Keller, and her dedicated teacher, Annie Sullivan, who struggles to reach into Helen's isolation and bring her into contact with the outside world. Needless to say, it was touching and amazing and so good to have live theater back at CDS.

February brought the long-awaited "Matilda" back to CDS After a two-year wait, anticipation was at a fever pitch until the curtain went up the last weekend of the month Audiences finally got to enjoy the magic that our upper school theater department consistently creates. The show brought rave reviews and solidified the fact that CDS theater is back, better than ever.

This spring CDS is excited to present inaugural middle and elementary school musical theater productions to the community. Middle school will Good Man Charlie Brown" to the stage and "Junie B Jones " We can't wait!

SAVETHE DATES

1st Grade Program "Bugz" - March 31st ECC Art Show - April 6th Festival of the Arts - April 7th 3rd Grade Program "Character Street" - April 14th Elementary Musical - April 29th and 30th Elementary Spring Fling - May 6th Middle School Musical - May 6th & 7th Middle & Upper School Spring Concert - May 12th 2nd Grade Program - May 19th

CDS ALUMNI

E V A N B L A Z O W S K I

UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Evan has been having a blast at the Georgia Bulldogs football games!

P A R T H M A D A B H U S H I

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

Congrats to Parth on making it in the Top 10 of the World Karate and Kickbox Virtual Competition!

S I M R A N S A X E N A

BROWN UNIVERSITY

Simran getting creative! She has been working hard at Brown University and was just named Captain of Brown's Bhangra dance team

R E G G I E J O H N S O N

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA

You'll find Reggie on the football field at USF with his famous smile

BOSTON COLLEGE

Katie has made herself right at home at Boston College, joining the cheerleading team and becoming the Class of 25 Representative for Freshman Student Assembly

L I B B Y M C C A F F R E Y

NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY

The other half of the McCaffrey duo, Libby, has been enjoying life at Northeastern and has continued exploring her passion for art in her spare time

K A T I E M C C A F F R E Y

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI

Friends of the Performing Arts is an organization of parents, alumni, and friends who are dedicated to strengthening the Performing Arts program at Carrollwood Day School. In cooperation with the Performing Arts Directors, the Friends provide support for all performing arts productions produced at CDS throughout the year.

The Elliott Family

The Gonzalez Family Meg and Kevin Hardy Matthew McNamara Rima and Manesh Shah

The Watson-Canning Family The Wood Family $200

Tsasha Facteau Rebecca Griffin

Christa McNamara

Blythe Marulanda

The Wass Family Susan and Rick Wilde

Kristi Davis

The Hsu Family Mindi Powers

The Ragan Family Sara Rubinstein & Adam Rifenberick The Ruffkess Family Maria Thiel $45 Guest Role

(CDS Staff Member)

The Cáceres Family Simone Ferdinand Shelly Hollingsworth The Nolen Family

There's somethingfor There's somethingfor There's somethingfor everyone! everyone! everyone!