News for Collegiate School Families and Friends
Spring 2012
Senior Projects … COMING SOON
S
pring at Collegiate is not only beautiful, as our park-like campus greens up and blooms, but busy with end-of-year concerts, plays and final class activities. AP exams at the beginning of May are the last academic effort our seniors will make as Cougars, and, after that week in early May, the 127 members of the Class of ’12 will be ready to roll. Not so fast—graduation is not until June 8. Created in 1997, the Senior Project program keeps seniors engaged during the last three weeks in May as they explore professional fields and personal passions. This year, the spirit of the program is stronger than ever as students have taken the initiative to create some interesting opportunities for their projects. According to Alice Massie, coordinator of Senior Projects, “There are two differences in this year’s program. Upper School Head Ben Rein has asked the senior faculty advisors to be more closely involved with each of their students, to guide them to make thoughtful choices. The projects have also benefited from the global connections made last fall during our International Emerging Leaders Conference. Some seniors have chosen to travel to schools in Morocco and Malaysia that participated in the conference and study with friends made during IELC.” To set up their projects, seniors must do some footwork—brainstorming, research, phone calls and emails—and some of that requires creative and bold steps. When Anthony Vita decided he wanted to work at CNN, he used contacts to get in touch with CEO Jim Walton’s son (via Facebook) who asked his dad if
Senior Project Sampler
A few of the places seniors will be in May … Sassafras River Keepers (Amanda Cole) Disney Studios (Corey Malone-Smolla) Richmond Circuit Court (Kate Murphy) Federal Reserve (Ted Fergusson) Big River Advertising (Caleb Wharton) Copenhagen International School (Anna Jones, Gianna Tondini) Hunton & Williams (Michael Howard)
Anthony could give him a call. “He told me I was clear to call so I called CNN’s main line and set up a conference call with him,” Anthony says. “Then I did a TON of research about multiple facets of the corporation to prepare. We talked for about five minutes, and he seemed to be satisfied because he got me in touch with the college internship program head. …I’ll be working in different departments at Turner Broadcasting in Atlanta. I’ll be in the control room for some time, probably on the international news floor a bit and do some exploring of live sets and seeing how all of the camera equipment works.” Anthony says he plans to double major in broadcast journalism and graphic design with a minor in entrepreneurial studies at High Point University. Other students are taking positive past experiences to a new level. “Last summer I shadowed Dr. Jeff Sommers, who is a psychiatrist (and Sally’s dad), and really enjoyed it,” says Caroline Cooke. “It made me interested in psychiatry as a possible major. So I picked MCV so I could test it out more and see if I want to study it in college.” “I used to go on hikes with my Boy Scout Troop and just this fall I decided that
it would be a good learning experience to do the same thing for two weeks for my Senior Project,” says Charlie Whitaker. Carolyn Mitchell will be at the Trapeze School of New York’s Washington, DC office. “I’ve had opportunities to ‘fly’ on family vacations, and was instantly addicted … I’ll be taking classes in flying trapeze, silks, lyra, a hoop hanging from the ceiling, and acrobatics, like partner balancing. If I don’t show up at college next year, I’ve run away to join the circus!” “I have always been interested in cinematography, and when the opportunity to go to the Middle East and work under George Azar presented itself, I was ecstatic,” says Anya Aboud. “I can’t wait to learn from such an accomplished documentarian in a place I’ve always wanted to visit.” Whatever their choices may be—from the office of the governor (Austin Palmore) to the Barksdale Theater (Drew Colletti)— there is no doubt that lessons will be learned. Some students will find they do want to investigate further and others will rule out areas of study. Either way, the success of a Senior Project lies in the new perspective gained.
From the Head of School
F
requent commerce with the world can be an astonishing source of light for a (person’s) judgment. We are all cramped and confined inside ourselves; we can see no further than the end of our noses... This great world of ours is the looking-glass in which we must gaze to come to know ourselves from the right slant. To sum up then, I want it to be the book which our pupil studies. Such a variety of humours, schools of thought, opinions, laws, and customs teach us to judge sanely of our own and teach our judgment to acknowledge its shortcomings and natural weakness.” – Michel de Montaigne, 1580 “
As a general rule, I have avoided quoting famous French Renaissance philosophers in my Paw Print columns. It runs the risk of triggering unhappy memories of late night Philosophy 101 cram sessions or, worse yet, provoking a reader who knows more about the topic than I do. It would not take much. But Montaigne’s quote both emerged from and affirmed my January sojourn in New York City at Columbia University. I attended a two-week-long program for an international group of 20 school heads thanks to a fellowship from the Klingenstein Foundation. My morning began before the city stirred to life outside my 75th Street hotel where I began a 45-block long walk to Columbia. The subway was readily available but it was far more interesting to watch the city come to life over the 45 minutes required
to reach the campus on the edge of Harlem. It is hard to feel “cramped and confined” inside oneself on the streets of Manhattan. The first two hours of the day were devoted to a seminar in philosophy led by a practitioner of the discipline from Columbia’s faculty. His first question— and Montaigne’s overarching theme: “What does it mean to be or become an educated person?” After a few days, I became convinced that we should all start off the day in a philosophy seminar. Our professor’s masterful facilitation trued up our thinking and exposed those places where years of relentless “to do” lists had worn the edges off our basic commitments and beliefs. Other parts of the program included a seminar in technology, sessions with master’s students wrangling over case studies, time spent in Columbia’s model school exploring the future of teaching and learning and a research project. This last item was a stretch as I had not produced a footnote since I completed grad school 20-something years ago. Nevertheless, the project was a chance to read and develop coherent ideas about issues that had flitted through my mind for years in between appointments and meetings. My research focused on leadership development among adults in schools and is connected to a program for Collegiate staff we have created with the Robins School of Business at UR. There is more to come for us in this arena. Of course, it is always the fascinating people that make an experience like this
worthwhile. One of my colleagues, the principal of a school in South Africa, wore an unusual wristband that became a topic of conversation over dinner one night. It turns out that every student and teacher in his school makes one out of three strands of leather and wears it all year. It is called a “truth bracelet” and serves as a reminder that “living the truth and speaking the truth should be foremost in our thinking as we grow up and develop character.” I could only imagine the power of this symbol to a racially diverse school in a country still finding its way in the post-Apartheid era. It demonstrated the way that the universal search for and commitment to Truth that is at the heart of being an educated person can have a unique flavor particular to a place and time. It was a wonderful, challenging and perfectly exhausting two weeks. The opportunity to be a student again and to sit at the feet of some world-class teachers was especially satisfying. Likewise, sharing the experience with colleagues from around the country and the world gave it an afterlife that has been enriching in some way almost every day since. Most of all, going “all in” for two weeks was a gift. Montaigne gets the last word: “...learning must not only lodge with us: we must marry her.”
Keith Evans Head of School
Staff and Faculty Visit Philly Several faculty and staff members traveled to Philadelphia recently to attend Educon, an annual innovation conference where educators meet to discuss the future of schools. While in Philly, they visited a few educational places of interest. A report from Lower School art teacher Holly Smith: “Steve Hart, Dana DuMont and I visited Moore College of Art and Design, the University of the Arts, The Art Institute and Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts. 2 | Paw Print
Taylor Dabney joined us on the last two, and Dana and I also visited The Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. Steve, Dana and I had a chance encounter with the founder of the Center for Wood Art, who spent a good hour with us at that fascinating place. Our goal was to research art programs and facilities (including those for woodworking) that will help inform our new spaces and offerings in our new buildings.”
Steve Hart, Holly Smith, Dana DuMont and Taylor Dabney visited the Art Institute of Philadelphia to scout for ideas for our new spaces on campus.
Campus Conversation Parents’ Association Officers Nominated
I am pleased to present the slate of officers nominated by the Parents’ Association Nominating Committee to serve on the PA Executive Committee for the 2012–13 school year. This slate will be voted on at the PA Spring Coffee, scheduled for Tuesday, May 15, 2012, in Memorial Hall (Upper/Middle School Cafeteria) at 8:15 a.m. All parents are invited to attend this meeting of the Parents’ Association for an overview of the year and to welcome new officers. Refreshments will be available at 8:00 a.m. Proposed Slate of Officers Vice President/President Elect - Susan Brizzolara Corresponding Secretary - Lynn Melnick Recording Secretary - Kathy Wright Upper School Coordinator - Julie Cole Middle School Coordinator - Renee Montague Lower School Coordinator - Kristen Hidell Treasurer - Elaine Sutton Officers Elected in May 2011 for Two-Year Terms Vice President/President Elect - Anne Weldon Griffin Upper School Coordinator - Sally Roddey Middle School Coordinator - Mary Kendall White Lower School Coordinator - Allie Oelhafen In addition to the above officers, the current Vice President/President Elect has appointed the following PA Coordinators to serve one-year terms on the PA Executive committee for the 2012-13 school year: Village Green Fair Co-Chairs - Maureen Stepanian & Beth Fallon Special Events Co-Chairs - Michelle Lewis & Callie Brackett Fine Arts Chair - Cathy Mitchell Cougar Connections Chair - Anne Hayes Bonnie Cricchi Immediate Past President, Parents’ Association Nominating Committee Chair
Outbound: Upcoming Trips
Several trips are scheduled for the coming months. The following is a brief summary of where our students are headed with school faculty: Turkey: Three students will attend a Model UN conference at Robert College (Istanbul) in April. Malaysia: Three seniors (for senior projects) will attend the International Students Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship at St. George’s School in May. Morocco: Eight seniors (for senior projects) will visit our partner school, George Washington Academy in Casablanca, in May. Spain: Twelve students will travel to Colegio Internacional Alminar in Seville this summer. France: Twelve students will travel to Paris and Provence for a French language immersion experience this summer. China: Four students will visit our partner school, Changzhou Senior High School, this summer. Ghana: Six students are going on a service trip to the village of Anloga, Ghana in June to work as volunteer teaching assistants in local schools.
you to match volunteer opportunities. Please respond no later than May 18, and limit responses to one Survey per family. Each family completing the Survey will be eligible to win a $25 Panera Bread gift card! Questions? Contact Catherine Macri (ckmacri@hotmail.com).
Thank You, Volunteers!
Our Parents’ Association volunteers make all the difference! Thank you to the volunteers who made our fall special events such a success. Cougar Pause, Concessions, Book Fairs, Tea Towel sales, and ’Tis the Season … would not have been possible without you. We look forward to working with you during our Spring Concessions, Book Fairs and the Village Green Fair!
Parent Volunteer Survey
The 2012-13 Parent Volunteer Survey will be available on the Collegiate website April 30-May 18. Be on the lookout for a link to the Survey in the Monday Message. The Parent Volunteer Survey describes over 100 diverse and meaningful opportunities to assist with Parents’ Association events and activities. Kindly review the Survey and consider your areas of interest. Committee chairs will contact
Summer at Collegiate
continued on page 5
NEW... ONliNE REgiStRatiON
Collegiate Summer Quest offers over 100 programs for pre-schoolers through adults. For more information or to register, visit www.collegiate-va.org and click on “Summer Quest”, call 804.741.9714 or email summerquest@collegiate-va.org.
Spring 2012 | 3
Here are a few of the many highlights which can be fo Wear the ULTIMATE T-shirt. This year’s VGF T-shirt shows off the winning designs of Julia Mitchell and Jane Fergusson (both class of 2017), available in short or long sleeve options. Order by April 6 so your kids (and you!) can wear your T’s on Fair Day.
Get ready for the
ULTIMATE PLAYLIST at the
2012 Village Green Fair! Spring is coming, which means the 2012 Village Green Fair is only a few weeks away. VGF Co-Chairs Haley Ottley & Ann Stoever and this year’s VGF committee have created the ULTIMATE PLAYLIST of events and activities for you! We hope you’ll join us Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21 for fabulous food, awesome games & rides, super shopping, and great camaraderie with your Cougar family. After all, VGF is the ULTIMATE way to spend a weekend! Since 1968, VGF has been one of the largest fundraisers produced by Collegiate’s Parents Association. Proceeds from the event have contributed to Smart Boards in the classroom, a school-wide emergency notification system, the Capital Campaign, and, most recently, equipment for the new Lower School science building. Your 2012 Village Green Fair packet—on paper or online (http://www.collegiate-va.org/ vgf)—can help you and your family create your own, personal ULTIMATE PLAYLIST for fair weekend. We want you to share the fun and excitement with your non-Cougar friends too! Invite your neighbors, your book club buddies, and your work friends, too. Together WE can make this the most successful VGF ever! 4 | Paw Print
Order the ULTIMATE pizza and raise money for Collegiate. VGF food vendor Papa John’s is providing Cougar families with the ULTIMATE opportunity to raise money for Collegiate. Order Papa John’s pizza online for delivery March 27, 28, or 29; insert ‘COLLEGIATE’ as your promo code; and 20% of the proceeds will go to Collegiate! Feed your family, feed your friends, feed your employees … and Papa John’s helps Collegiate! More details at www.collegiate-va.org/vgf, click on ‘Food & Fun.’ Find the ULTIMATE selection of plants at The Garden Shoppe. The VGF plant sale is now the ‘The Garden Shoppe’ where you’ll find fresh ideas for your terrace, yard, patio, and gardens this season. Pre-order your favorite flowers and greens to plant yourself, or choose a ‘Garden to Go’ with a ready-made pot, preplanted with herbs, flowers, and more. The Garden Shoppe team will even create a custom planting in your own pot just for you. Details in your VGF packet or on the VGF website. Order deadline is March 30. Make some ULTIMATE memories with friends. Attending the Village Green Fair with friends is fun all by itself. Take that experience into a photo booth and start smiling and laughing for the camera, and it gets even better! Thank you to Superstars Pizza for sponsoring our awesome photo booth for fair day! Say cheese! Honor your ULTIMATE Cougars. Tell your favorite Cougar student, friend, and teacher how awesome they are with Honor Signs. Their personalized Cougar Paws will be displayed prominently at the Fair for everyone to see that you think they are super special. Enjoy the ULTIMATE shopping experience. Pick up some deals at the ULTIMATE yard sale: VGF’s own Cougar Market and Cougar Closet where 100% of your purchase goes back to Collegiate. Then explore the array of unique & original vendors selling jewelry, clothing, gift items and more – 15% of your purchase in the Shops on the Green helps our school! Be the ULTIMATE competitor: active, engaged, and a good sport too! This year’s Fun Run offers a ½ mile race for K through 2nd Grade and a 1-mile race for 3rd Grade & up. New sponsors Disco Sports & Sweet Frog are providing pre-registrants with AWESOME gift certificates as part of their ‘swag’. Next, get your lines and moves down for the Lip Sync contest. Whether you’re performing your best Katy Perry or Adele, or you’re a fantastic fan, this is one event you won’t want to miss! If you prefer more throwing & ducking in your events, be sure to sign up for the Dodgeball tournament. Gather your team of 8 and get ready to move!
ound at Collegiate’s 2012 Village Green Fair: Have some ULTIMATE fun – throw a pie at a teacher, win a cake, pull the ultimate prize from the Pocket Lady, experience CHAOS, check out the Kiddy Carousel, and more… and you can do all of this for 20% less when you buy your VGF ticket books before April 13! And, of course, there is always the ULTIMATE assortment of FOOD! Order in … with your favorites from Franco’s Gourmet Dinners. Fill your freezer with Penne Alla Vodka, Chicken Parmigiana, and more (not to mention a few of the fabulous Franco’s sauces). You’ll be ready for those last minute dinner guests, late night practices, or when you just don’t feel like cooking.
Eat at the Fair …
Planning to come shop during Friday Frolic on April 20? Don’t let a little hunger distract you. Pre-order a delicious lunch from Cuisine a La Carte. $10 gets you a gourmet sandwich, chips, and a drink. On Fair Day, along with the burgers, dogs, and pizza, you’ll find the traditionally popular Grover C. Jones Oyster Company, offering fabulous po’boys, oysters on the half shell, and more. Proceeds support the scholarship fund set up in memory of Coach Jones and his wife, Anne, a much-beloved Upper School Receptionist for many years. Or both… The Bake Sale is one of the most popular stands at the Fair. Whether you devour your goodies on the spot, or you take them home to enjoy later, you know what you’ve bought was baked with love. We can’t do it without YOUR help: be sure to submit your Bake Sale contribution form so we’ll have enough to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth! There you have it: the ULTIMATE PLAYLIST for Village Green Fair 2012—favorite oldies, remixes, and new releases—ready for you to enjoy! We think it’s a great way to raise money for the ULTIMATE school: Collegiate. We look forward to seeing you on April 20 & 21. Rock on!
Campus Conversation (cont.)
Guests from Maasai Visit
On March 14 three visitors from Kenya spoke to Lower School and Upper School students. Chief Joseph Tipanko along with John and Sarah Parsitau come from
Clare Sisisky’s Senior Seminar class (focused this semester on International Development) with Maasai Chief Joseph Tipanko and Maasai community organizers John and Sarah Parsitau.
a traditional Maasai community in the Ngong Hills in Southern Kenya. The visitors spoke to Lower School students about Maasai culture and school life in rural Kenya. Then they spoke to Upper School students in Senior Seminar about communitybased development, maintaining traditional culture while working for positive change, and the work of their non-governmental organization MAGSA-Outreach. Upper School students from the Interact club made a donation to give a scholarship to one Maasai girl to attend school for a year in Chief Joseph’s community. Chief Joseph came to Collegiate two years ago and returned to the U.S. this year to speak at the United Nations in New York at the end of March.
Understanding the Teen Brain Dr. Tony Vitiello recently presented a Parent Academy program “Why Good Kids Do Dumb Things: Understanding the Teen Brain” to parents of 9th-12th Graders. Parents were informed about the vast developmental and neurological changes that teens go through, including how parents can help their children manage these changes. His lecture was followed by a small group break-out session on relevant topics to our Collegiate community. Spring 2012 | 5
What’s New in the Lower School?
Lower School Dates
H
3/26/12 Chat ’n Chew Session
3/27/12 Parent Education Program Change: Life’s Given
3/29/12 Conference Day
4/2/12 Chat ’n Chew Session
4/6/12
Fall 2011 | 97
SCHOOL HOLIDAY
4/9/12 Chat ’n Chew Session
4/13/12 1st Grade Play
4/16/12 ARTWALK
4/26/12 4th Grade Science Festival
ow do we help our children in the Lower School understand the enduring qualities of character? How does character look when you are a 6 or perhaps a 10-yearold? Of course the conversations are different, but the qualities are timeless. Faculty look for that teachable moment. Time is given to conversations and discussions with a whole class or even an entire grade level. We are mindful of the messages we send and more importantly the take away for our students in examples that are concrete and appropriate for elementary students. One of my favorite ways to watch this character develop is our Campus Cubs program. 4th Graders proudly wear their green neon belts as they help children out of cars in the mornings and make sure they are safely delivered to parents at the end of each day as well. When I am on duty, I watch them closely. Each week I have two different Cubs with me at Area A. They quickly move to the car doors, pull out the cello case, assist that 1st Grade child and share a “have a nice day” with the parent behind the wheel. They work together, boldly moving the cars forward and making sure that they don’t miss a thing! Each Town Meeting, Laura Fields announces recipients of the Order of the
Golden Paw. These buttons go to the Cubs who have gone above and beyond in their jobs. Recently, a Cub was recognized because “he saw a Kindergartner fall at the end of the line. He helped her gather her spilled tote bag, gave her a hug, and told her that he had done the same thing in Kindergarten so not to worry.” When a 4th Grade child’s name is announced, the clapping erupts and the Cub comes forward with high fives along the path. Those honored stand together in front of the entire Lower School community. It is a lovely moment and you can almost feel the awe in how the other students watch this unfold. I know, too, that these students wear the buttons proudly throughout the entire day—truly a badge of honor. This is a very tangible way that, as a community, we all learn about character and what it really means. So the next time you pull into carpool, take a moment to watch these Cubs in action. They are doing much more than just opening your door!
Jill Hunter Lower School Head
5/3/12 3rd Grade Colonial Day
5/5/12 Dance Concert (grades 3-12)
5/9/12 LS Piano Recitals
5/10/12 LS Spring Concert
5/15/12 Parents’ Association Spring Coffee
5/24/12 Field Day
6/1/12 4th Grade Graduation 86 | Paw Print
What’s New at Fort Cougar?
A rubberized ground surface, landscaping, seating and equipment tweaks that were made to make it as safe as possible. The newly refurbished playground re-opened on March 13 with help from 4th Graders George Ahearn, who gave a short speech, and Katie Scher, Head of School Keith Evans and Board Chair Mark Hourigan.
Parent Emphasis: Life’s Given Marella Gregory, Lower School Guidance Counselor, and Alyson Drake, Executive Director of Full Circle Grief Center, will discuss the effect of change on the lives of our children and how we can help them cope with it. The discussion will include issues such as transitions at the beginning and ending of the school year, re-entry after a long break, death, grief, and loss. 8:15-9:15am, Tuesday, March 27, Luck Hall, Room 113.
Zach Jecklin and Holden Seward work on the components of an original story each will write.
10th Graders and 3rd Graders Team Up Sophomores in Cindy Douglass’ and Bart Thornton’s English classes have paired up with 3rd Graders in Ann Staples’ and Katie Musick’s classrooms to collaborate on writing a story. Explains Dr. Thornton, “Our sophomores went to the class of 3rd Graders to read a children’s book (of each
sophomore’s selection); then, they brainstormed the plot elements, setting, and characters for an original story. The sophomores are writing up their rendition, which they will then read to the 3rd Graders; and the 3rd Graders will also share a version that they wrote.”
Brownies Work to Stop Hunger
Brownie Troop 201 (all Cougar 3rd Graders, seen here with troop leaders Mary Harrison and Dr. Carolyn Port) helped package 100,000 meals in about two hours one Saturday in January at Third Presbyterian Church.
The Collegiate Players present
Two Gentlemen of Verona
Kindergarten Classes Visit the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Art teacher Holly Smith accompanied Molly Revere’s and Robby Turner’s kindergarten classes to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts on Jan. 17. They viewed Mocha Dick and the Southeast Asia collection (the latter in connection with kindergarten’s cultural study of India) as well as the “Leaping Hare.”
March 28-30 • Oates Theater Tickets are $10, available in Hershey Center Box Office Monday-Friday 7:30-9:30am and Monday-Thursday 2:30-4:30pm. Spring 2012 | 7
Middle School Dates 3/29/12 Conference Day 5th Grade Time Out: SkateNation 7th Grade Time Out: Bowl America
4/5/12 6th Grade Time Out: AMF Sunset Lanes
4/6/12 SCHOOL HOLIDAY
4/11/12 US/MS Spring Jazz Concert
4/12/12 8th Grade Parent Education Program Transition to Upper School Social Life presented by Brenda Conlan
4/16/12 ARTWALK
4/18/12 6th Grade Parent Education Program Cub Sports Overview
4/19/12 MS/US Choral Concert
4/25/12 MS/US Instrumental Concert
5/1/12 – 5/3/12 MS Spring Book Fair
5/5/12 Dance Concert (Grades 3-12)
5/15/12 Parents’ Association Spring Coffee 7th/8th Piano Recital
5/17/12 MS Guitar Concert
6/7/12 8th Grade Graduation 8 | Paw Print
In the Middle School
I
have long been a fan of Will Rogers, one of our most remarkable and enduring characters. Cowboy, humorist, actor, and social commentator, he was especially adept at the last where his witticisms would often be layered in meanings. The other day, a friend sent me a list of social quotes, non-attributed, but it was not difficult to determine that Rogers was the origin of several. The one that grabbed my attention the most read, “Always drink upstream from the herd.” Having spent a fair amount of time around horses and enough around cattle, it was easy to picture a vast herd of animals wading into a knee deep river, churning up the bottom, fouling it, and in no time tuning a clear, tranquil stretch of water into something that more closely resembled a muddy dirt road. I laughed at the image as I considered the downstream part and agreed that there was wisdom in the advice. Who could possibly want to drink downstream from a polluted mess like that? But with Rogers, you cannot stop with the obvious. Sure, the practical application smacks you in the face, yet the quip can also be
seen as a metaphor of how one should conduct his or her self on a daily basis— don’t get caught up in the detritus of life. This is particularly true for our impressionable students who are trying to figure out a whole lot of things about growing up. Friendships, issues of integrity, and decisions around the use of substances are a few examples of where it is pretty important to “stay upstream from the herd” and make the kinds of choices that will allow one to develop into a first rate citizen. Through our advisory programs, assemblies, classroom curriculum, service programs, and on the athletic field we seek to help our students develop enduring qualities of character that promote good choices for oneself and the mindset that they can lead others to the same end. Aspirational no doubt, but worthy of our greatest efforts. The imagery should lead us to no other conclusion. Charlie Blair Middle School Head
Spring Break Offers Language Immersion The perfect spring break you might ask? Croissants, baguette, escargots etc. We had it all on our March 1-10 trip to France. Air France was a wonderful way to embark on our experience. From Charles de Gaulle airport, tired but excited, we took the TGV to Lyon and changed trains for Grenoble. Beautiful sunny, warm weather greeted us as we lunched at the home of a French family … all against a background of the Alps, the Vercors (where the Resistance hid during WWII) and Chamrousse. Our host families picked us up, and we spent the next five nights with them. During the weekend some of us skied, hiked and went to the movies … all while practicing our français. We shadowed students at their M.S. for two days and then took the TGV back to Paris. Our hotel was in the Marais section and we were able to walk a lot. Lots of oohs and ahs to see the view at night from the top of the Tour Eiffel. We managed to see all the main sites in Paris and even do a little shopping. We are grateful to the generosity of our
host families in Grenoble, and we plan to continue our friendship connection with them. Maria Benson Middle School French teacher
On the trip were Elise Dalton, Catherine Foster, Elizabeth Hayes, Sarah Whitaker, Harris White and Murphy Zaun with chaperones Maria Benson and Monica Johnston.
Cub Sports Overview
Co-Athletic Directors Karen Doxey and Charlie McFall will present on Wednesday, April 18 (8am, SAC) an overview of the process for the Cub Sports program for which rising 7th Graders are eligible. QUESTIONS? Contact Mary Marshall Graeber at m.graeber@comcast.net or Eleanor Angle at eleanor.angle@verizon.net.
Science Club Installs Solar Panel The Upper School Science Club has been working on a project involving a solar panel they purchased. The following is information from senior Ted Fergusson:
What is your goal for this project? Our goals are 1. To complete a hands-on project that requires creative problem solving. 2. To learn about the practicality of a photovoltaic system by constructing a system that involves the generation, storage, and distribution of electricity from a solar panel. 3. To promote awareness of green energy to the general student body by being a frontrunner in what we hope will become bigger solar projects for Collegiate in the future.
When did the Science Club get the idea of purchasing a solar panel? We chose the project at the beginning of last school year. The idea came from an article in an American Institute of Physics magazine in which a professor from the University of California talked about building a photovoltaic system for his home.
How was the purchase funded? The Darr-Davis fund was a major contributor to this project. The remainder of the needed funds has been promised from other sources.
What is your next step? The Physical Plant is consulting with Mr. Pagel and working on the mounting scheme for the panel. Conduit and pull wires are installed to the display case in North Science, and a display case is on order. The internal workings of our system will be as visible as possible so that it can be used as a teaching tool for any classes K-12 and for the occasional passer-by. How many kids are in the club? 13 What are the specs of the panel? The panel is about three by four feet. It is capable of generating 100 Watts of electricity.
Condolences Dr. Walter Copley McLean, father Andy McLean and grandfather of Olivia ’13 and Mary Blair McLean ’20, died on Nov. 11, 2011. James E. C. Leavitt, Jr., father of Jim Leavitt and grandfather of Kathleen Leavitt ’14, died on Nov. 15, 2011. Alice Mary O’Keefe Sebastian, mother of Beth Condyles and grandmother of Sebastian Condyles ’22, died Nov. 22, 2011. Harold Phillip Alexander, father of Darrell Alexander and grandfather of Catherine ’18, Libbie ’18, and Heth Alexander ’21, died Nov. 24, 2011. William Churchill Garter, Jr., husband of Trygve Garter ’66 (Middle School secretary), died Dec. 29, 2011. Lt. Col. Thomas L. Goodbody, Jr., father of Dee Goodbody and grandfather of Ella Goodbody ’24, died Jan. 2, 2012. Thomas Alva Pearson, father of Mary Stuart Gremer and Katherine Gould and grandfather of Jane Carlton Gremer ’18 and Anne Pearson Gremer ’23 and Dunning Gould ’23, died Jan. 3, 2012. Dr. Wasfi Anton “Wes” Atiyeh, father of Benita Atiyeh Miller ’76 and Wes Atiyeh ’84 and grandfather of Anne Miller ’16 and Drew Atiyeh ’23, died on Jan. 5, 2012. Dorothy Allman Eubank, mother of Clay Eubank and grandmother of Carson Eubank ’13, died Jan. 12, 2012. Nancy Ward Goldbarth Glaser, grandmother of Todd Morchower ’89, and greatgrandmother of Malone Morchower ’23, died on Jan. 16, 2012. William M. Davenport, Sr., father of Martin Davenport and grandfather of Will ’16 and Annie Davenport ’19, died Jan. 23, 2012. Marjorie Ann Babcock Stanwood, mother of Laurie Stettinius ’79 and grandmother of Annie Stettinius ’12, died Jan. 24, 2012. Harry Holland Foster, Jr., father of Eileen Beane (Kindergarten teacher), died Jan. 25, 2012. Mary Jeanne Walsh Mason, mother of Jamie Mason and grandmother of Jay Mason ’16, died Feb. 1, 2012. Edgar Clarence Eck, Jr., father of E.C. Eck and grandfather of Claudia ’15 and Cole Eck ’17, died Feb. 2, 2012. Virginia Richardson Parker, grandmother of Trip Featherston ’87 (Middle School teacher), and great-grandmother of Ginnie Featherston ’21, died Feb. 3, 2012. Helen (Lenny) Stokes Morris Blackwood, mother of Terry Blackwood ’82 and grandmother of Emma Blackwood ’20, died Feb. 7, 2012. Charles Lathrop Blair, father of Charles L. Blair, Jr. (Head of the Middle School), died Feb. 12, 2012. William Howard Dabney, Colonel USMC, father of Keane Kauders, and grandfather of Virginia ’19 and Andrew Kauders ’20, died Feb. 15, 2012. John W. Robinson, father of Cindy Clisham and grandfather of Britney Clisham ’06 and Leah Clisham ’12, died March 2, 2012. Joan Lee Fulton, mother of Otis Fulton and grandmother of Drew Fulton ’13 and Jack Fulton ’16, died March 15, 2012. Spring 2012 | 9
From the Upper School
I
recently travelled to Boston for a hiring conference. For those unfamiliar, an independent school hiring conference has a Roman Coliseum-esque feel. Approximately 300-400 independent schools from around the world gather at small tables in the fourth-floor ballroom of the Westin Copley Plaza Hotel. The candidates, approximately 1,500-2,000 in number, gather in the holding pit— commonly known as the third-floor ballroom—hoping and waiting for their chance to be invited up to the main floor to compete. The atmosphere can be intense. Each school’s table has a numbered card marking their territory, and for two days from 8am-6pm candidates can meet with representatives from a school in 30-minute blocks with a chance to make their case. We were booked solid from the get go. We met with folks young and old, from North to South and East to West, from England to South Africa and even one woman who was an illiterate yak herder in the mountains of Tibet until the age of 12 when she escaped with her family to Manhattan, eventually learning English and making her way to Middlebury College. Simply, an amazing variety of folks.
Maybe even more gratifying, people were lining up to teach at Collegiate. Invariably, the moment someone would get up from our table, an unscheduled yet hopeful candidate would swoop in quickly to say hello, offer a resume, and plead for a chance to talk with us about coming to Collegiate. It was both overwhelming and flattering and speaks amazingly well of the reputation of our school. You should all be proud. You should also be aware of the world your children will soon enter and the skills they will need to succeed. Because we look every year to fill our E.E. Ford teaching fellow position, many of my meetings were with seniors in college. All of the people I spent time with had impressive resumes, wonderful letters of recommendation, and lists of accomplishments including international travel, community service or athletic leadership. Glaringly, few had the ability to present themselves well. I found myself thinking about our kids, and I couldn’t help but wonder how they would fare down the road in this environment outside the comfortable confines of Mooreland Road. It reminded me again of the incredible value behind our consistent and time-tested
ability to produce good people, young men and women of intellectual depth, deep character and compassion. It also reminded me of the great value behind our global initiatives and our new advisor conference format—offering our students opportunities to stretch and define themselves in ways that pay dividends down the road. Struggling to stay attentive during one interview, I found myself thinking about the larger purpose of our advisor conferences — teaching our students to lead and present clear, professional, intelligent and thoughtful representations of who they are, what they care about, and how they plan to attain their goals—all while sitting in a potentially uncomfortable situation. While they might think they are merely talking about course registration, they may, in fact, be developing something more significant, the skills to set themselves apart in this busy, fast-paced, competitive world waiting for them down the road.
Kelsey Johnson, Caroline Goode, Ben Spalding, Michael Perel, Carter Allen,
Channing Spencer, Abigail Glasgow and Mary Weston.
Ben Rein Upper School Head
Model UN Club Travels to Duke The Collegiate Model UN Club traveled to Duke University to participate in DUMUNC XXXI (Duke University Model United Nations Conference) February 16-19 accompanied by MUN advisors Brian Ross and Kathy Vlieger. After several weeks of preparation, the 23 Collegiate delegates worked diligently over the four days in their committees, representing countries such as Iran, North Korea, Cameroon, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan and Mauritania. The students very much enjoyed the experience, and learned a great deal about important global issues. Delegates Matthew Disler, Timmy McGraw, Lillian Fu and Phillip Colón won awards for their contributions to their committees. Other students who participated are: Nicole Christian, Isabella Yang, Camille Boler, Hunt Dalton, Ben Buell, John Lim, Julia Messer, Meriwether Roberts, William Andrews, Becca Naureth, Hans Prakash, 10 | Paw Print
Collegiate’s Model UN team takes center court at the home of the Blue Devils while at Duke’s MUN conference.
Upper School Dates
Collegiate Aquatics Center Opens!
3/29/12 Conference Day
4/3/12 US Guitar Ensemble Concert
4/6/12
Many records have been set in our new 50-meter pool…perhaps more in the future!
SCHOOL HOLIDAY
4/11/12 US/MS Spring Jazz Concert
4/16/12 ARTWALK
The Collegiate School Swim Team
4/17/12 Bagels with Ben
4/19/12 MS/US Choral Concert
4/25/12 MS/US Instrumental Concert
4/27/12 Special Olympics
Members of the 2012 State Championship Collegiate girls swim team check out the warm water pool.
5/5/12
Fun Facts
Dance Concert (grades 3-12)
Location: Ukrop Park, at Iron Bridge Road and Chippenham Parkway
5/14/12
GRAP (Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership) includes Collegiate School, Poseidon Swimming, Trinity Episcopal School, Richmond Kickers and the Sports Backers
Senior Projects begin
5/15/12
Facility size: 54,000+ square foot
Parents’ Association Spring Coffee
5/21/12-5/22/12
Families enjoyed a cookout at the new facility.
Upper School Book Fair
5/23/12 Spring Varsity Awards
A community room and locker facilities are available. In the future, a 5,000-square-foot space is planned for physical therapy and rehabilitation services.
Senior Softball Game & Supper Choral Pops Concert
Commencement
Three pools within the building include: • 50-meter, eight lane Myrtha Pool from the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, • a therapy pool with two underwater treadmills and diagnostic video equipment • 25-yard, warm water pool for lessons A mezzanine grandstand: 7,000 square feet holding up to 700 spectators
5/24/12
6/8/12
On Friday, March 16, many Cougars attended an open house at our new swimming complex, developed in collaboration with the Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership (GRAP). Burgers, dogs and fish tacos were enjoyed by more than 300 Collegiate family and friends as they got their first glimpse of the pools. The Aquatics Center will be home to our swim teams, including our girls’ State Championship team, starting next year.
Head of School Keith Evans and Board Chair Mark Hourigan present a card signed by Collegiate students to Bobby Ukrop, head of the Greater Richmond Aquatics Partnership.
What it means for Collegiate? Afternoon practice time, more lanes available, and community outreach and service opportunities! Spring 2012 | 11
103 North Mooreland Road • Richmond, Virginia 23229 (804) 740-7077 Fax (804) 741-9797 www.collegiate-va.org
103 North Mooreland Road Richmond, Virginia 23229 www.collegiate-va.org
Keith A. Evans, Head of School Alex Smith ’65, Vice President-Development Phyllis Palmiero, Vice President-Finance Lindy M. Williams, Associate Head of School Ben Rein, Head of Upper School Charles L. Blair, Jr., Head of Middle School Dr. Jill Hunter, Head of Lower School David Colón, Academic Dean Amanda Little Surgner ’83, Director of Admission Charles L. McFall and Karen Doxey, Co-Directors of Athletics PAW PRINT is published multiple times throughout the year. Elizabeth Cogar Batty ’77, editor phone : 741-9781 e-mail : ecogar@collegiate-va.org Beth Flippo Hutchins ’88 and Marguerite Bostic, Parents’ Association Correspondents PAW PRINT may be read online at www.collegiate-va.org Collegiate School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin in the administration of its educational, admission, scholarship or employment policies, or any other programs administered by the school.
New Mountain Biking Club Rolls On The woods surrounding the fields at the Robin’s Campus got a little bit busier this winter as the inaugural 7th and 8th Grade Mountain Biking Club hit the trails. Almost 30 riders have been developing and honing their skills and increasing their fitness as they ride the approximately 2.5 miles of trails that have been constructed thus far. The plans for the trails began last spring when a survey of students eligible for cub sports indicated enthusiastic support for the idea. An endowed fund provided the
Catherine Pommersheim takes to the trails at Robins Campus.
financial support to get the area mapped using GPS technology in order to determine the best way for plan out the trail system. Nationally recognized trail builders, known for their work with the James River Park System, carefully flagged the routes and volunteers have spent over 250 hours working to craft the singletrack trails. Four days a week, the riders retrieve their bikes from the sheds near the trails and they ride until darkness falls, led by experienced mountain bikers Mary Margaret Ryan, Bill Rider, Brad Cooke and Phil Hunnicutt.
About half of the potential trail system has been developed, so much work remains. But for now, deer and turkey have some excited company. These trails will also serve as a great resource for cross country in the fall as well as a place for families to enjoy.