News at Foote

Foote News in Brief

Our New Head of School, Aléwa Cooper!

On February 25, the Board of Directors announced the appointment of Aléwa Cooper as The Foote School’s next Head of School. Aléwa is a dynamic independentschool leader whose values and vision align closely with those of the Foote School community. Her tenure will begin July 1, 2020, when Carol Maoz departs after 11 years of strong, steady leadership at Foote.

Our Head of School Search Committee selected Aléwa from among a pool of highly qualified candidates from leading independent schools as part of a nationwide search. The Search Committee was unanimous in recommending Aléwa to the full Board of Directors at its meeting on February 11, which approved her appointment with enthusiasm. Aléwa brings to Foote two decades of experience as a leader and teacher in independent schools. For the past five years, she has served as Head of Lower School (grades Pre-K to 4) at Greens Farms Academy, an independent school in Westport, Connecticut, that serves 715 students in grades Pre-K to 12. At Greens Farms, Aléwa oversaw curricular initiatives in literacy, math and social-emotional learning; led diversity, equity and social justice work; and served on a schoolwide marketing committee to better understand the changing school landscape and develop enrollment management strategies. Aléwa’s colleagues describe her as dependable, calm, caring, loyal and authentic. She brings firsthand experience with many of Foote’s curricular initiatives, including Fundations and RULER; is attentive to differentiation and developmental approaches across grades K–9; has training in many facets of headship, including the accreditation process and trustee and governance relationships; and is multilingual proficient in Portuguese and Spanish. Aléwa earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wesleyan University and a Master of Science in Education from Bank Street College of Education. Earlier in her career, she served with distinction as a teacher and leader at two New York City independent schools: 12 years as a Grade 2 teacher and Diversity Practitioner at The Nightingale-Bamford School, followed by three years as Lower School Assistant Director at Trevor Day School. For the past six years, Aléwa has served as a core faculty member of the Interschool Leadership Institute, mentoring and coaching aspiring leaders of color.

Aléwa is excited to join with faculty and parents who share her commitment to promoting the development of character and academic success in the next generation. “I am honored to be the next Head of The Foote School,” she says. “Spending time on campus with students, parents and faculty convinced me that Foote is a place where everyone teaches and everyone learns; I am eager to do both. I look forward to joining this special community and to writing Foote’s next chapter together.” The depth and quality of the applicant pool for this critical position reflect the outstanding reputation that The Foote School enjoys in the world of independent schools. We can all feel proud of that. Please join us in welcoming Aléwa and her partner, Markell, to the Foote School community and New Haven!

With gratitude, Rebecca Good & Rich Lee Co-Chairs, Head of School Search Committee

A fifth grade student is helped across a stream by her father on a nature walk.

An eighth grade student used his cat as inspiration for an algebra class assignment!

A beautiful mandala of spring flowers and feathers assembled by a second grade student. A first grade student reads with her younger sister.

A third grade student made a colorful sign to encourage neighbors and passers-by.

More than 200 students and teachers gathered online for a virtual morning meeting on April 3.

Distance Learning Through the Pandemic

THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL found Foote conducting school in a way it never has in its 104-year history: students learning at home, connected through the internet, as a pandemic forced the world to rethink every aspect of our daily lives. When Foote “returned” from spring vacation on March 30, students opened their inboxes to find greetings from teachers and links to “Google classrooms” that would temporarily take the place of our light-filled campus classrooms. While less than ideal, the Foote community has risen to the occasion, with teachers and parents juggling incredible demands of home and work to provide the best educational experience they can for their children. Parents have provided photos of “distance learning” to help us document this unusual chapter in Foote’s history. Here are a few snapshots.

> Find more photos on our website at www.footeschool.org/distance-learning.

Foote News in Brief

Mural Art for Columbus House

SECOND GRADERS CREATED two murals to brighten the dining room at Columbus House homeless shelter in New Haven. For the first one, Second graders with their woodland mural scene made for Columbus Houseeach second grader drew a section of “window pane” looking out onto a woodland scene filled with owl, deer, foxes and other species the students were studying. For the second mural, teacher Susie Grimes drew inspiration from the Nature’s Gallery Court at the UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden; each second grader used trash and repurposed materials to create a different flower species for a mural that was practically exploding with bright colors. On its Facebook page, Columbus House praised the Foote students for doing an “amazing” job. “The Foote School’s long-term commitment to our mission has made an impact on the lives of so many—through financial contributions, gift cards, in-kind donations, cheerful artwork, advocacy and more. We are so grateful for your partnership!”

From left, Rev. Ranjit Mathews, Imam Omer Bajwa, Rabbi Stacy Offner Second graders with their botanical mural inspired by a similar mural at UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden

Three Religions, One Unifying Message

AN IMAM, A RABBI AND A PRIEST

walk into a school. … That isn’t the setup to a joke. It was the title of the fall speaker event sponsored by MOSAIC (Multicultural, Open-Minded, Supportive, Accepting, Inclusive Community). The evening talk for parents, students and faculty was held on November 20 in the Hosley Gym, and featured three guest speakers leading a fascinating conversation about three major world religions. The guest speakers were: Imam Omer Bajwa, Director of Muslim Life at Yale; Rabbi Stacy Offner of Temple Beth Tikvah in Madison, Connecticut; and Rev. Ranjit Mathews of St. James Episcopal Church in New London, Connecticut. The three spoke with humor and grace about their personal faith journeys and about finding similarities and embracing differences across Islam, Judaism and Christianity. The crowd of 70 listened with great interest and participated in a wide-ranging questionand-answer session that capped off an inspiring and enlightening evening.

> Listen to a podcast of the talk at www.footeschool.org/podcast.

Poetry, Activism, Justice & Rights

FOOTE WAS FORTUNATE to welcome two renowned guests in December. On December 5, Foote’s Amnesty International club hosted a talk for middle school students by Iranian feminist and activist Masih Alinejad. A journalist and author, Masih gained prominence for her campaign challenging Iran’s strict law requiring women to wear hijabs—and for rallying others to her cause—and she now lives in exile in New York City. She was introduced by Foote parent and author Roya Hakakian. Amnesty later held a bake sale to benefit Masih’s cause.

On December 12, Foote welcomed poet and lawyer R. Dwayne Betts, who spoke to eighth and ninth graders in the Twichell Room. An award-winning poet who served eight years in prison as a young man, Dwayne read his poems to students, spoke about his journey as a poet, and offered enlightened perspectives on race and the criminal justice system.

Iranian activist Masih Alinejad speaks to eighth graders R. Dwayne Betts reads from his book of poetry Felon: Poems.

Robbi Behr and Matthew Swanson speaking to students as part of Book Fest

Book Fest Debuts

THIS YEAR, the annual Book Fair got a reboot. “Book Fest” was a three-day celebration of literature in November that featured a pop-up bookstore in the Sturley Room with titles curated by Foote’s librarians and R.J. Julia Booksellers. The event also featured a new release from Foote fifth grade teacher Jake Burt, who signed copies of his latest middle-grade fiction book, The Tornado. Capping off the event was an exciting visit from Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr, the author and illustrator team behind The Real McCoys series, who shared wisdom and stories in workshops with students during the school day and held an afternoon book signing for the wider community. Many thanks to the Foote PTC and the many parent volunteers for organizing this new and fun community event!

Foote News in Brief

A Week in the Life

EVERY WEEK OR SO, Foote’s communications specialist, Joe Charles, wanders campus with his camera, documenting the range of learning taking place in classrooms. The resulting photographs, shared with parents in the weekly e-newsletter, reveal deep and authentic teacher-student connections; the joy of storytelling; music making and dancing; a desire to learn about others; and, in one instance, a most unusual expression of punctuation! Here is a week in the life of Foote last November.

Alison Moncrief Bromage tasked her eighth grade English students with finding creative ways to demonstrate their understanding of punctuation as part of a writing unit. One group of girls used aerial silks to form their bodies into quotation marks, exclamation points and other punctuation.

Latin teacher Tina Hansen discusses correct tense usage with ninth graders. Chinese guest teacher Zhao Yu (Vincent) teaches Kindergartners a traditional Chinese children’s song about a boy and his pet donkey.

Fifth graders visited the Yale University Art Gallery to view artifacts and art as part of their study of Mayan culture.

First graders in Tina Cunningham’s music class hop and jump while singing “Shoo Turkey,” a call-and-response song by gospel and folk singer Bessie Jones. Third graders learn cross-stitch during Early Connecticut Day.

Sixth graders load reusable bags in support of St. Ann’s Soup Kitchen. Each bag was filled with food donated by the community and provides a full holiday meal for a person in need.

Giving Day

ON FEBRUARY 20, Foote held its second annual Giving Day, a 24-hour celebration of giving and spirit at the school. Students and Foote’s mascot, Falco, greeted parents on Loomis Place at morning drop-off with colorful signs and high spirits. A wall in the main hallway was covered with paper so students could write messages and notes of gratitude to their teachers and one another. Students enjoyed colorful Giving Day stickers, hypercolor pencils and temporary tattoos, as well as beautiful (and delicious!) foot-shaped cookies baked by receptionist Tristen Giovanelli. Online donors were treated to funny videos as donation milestones were reached, including a faculty four-square match that would rival anything on ESPN! Financially the day was a huge success, raising $58,000 for the Foote Fund from 350 individual donors (a 17 percent increase over last year) in just a single day!

> Watch the videos at www.footeschool.org/giving-day. Kindergartners in Susan Keegan’s class show off Giving Day tattoos.

Foote skaters at Ralph Walker rink for ‘Foote on Ice’ Fourth graders enjoy foot-shaped Giving Day cookies. Second graders proudly display their Foote spirit gear.

Foote on Ice

FOOTE ON ICE brought skaters young and old(er) to Ralph Walker rink in New Haven on February 26 for a fun evening of fundraising and friendraising. Footies at the PTC-sponsored event twirled with friends; slipped and got back up; and devoured endless pieces of pizza from Big Green Truck Pizza. For dessert, everyone enjoyed home-baked goodies from Foote parents. All in all, it was a joyous way to spend a winter evening in New Haven.

Foote News in Brief

Students act out a comedic scene in Harvey.

Comedy Takes Center Stage

THIS YEAR’S student plays served up a lot of laughs— and timeless messages about love, greed and the need to believe in goodness and the intangible qualities that make for a meaningful life. In December, seventh and eighth graders performed Mary Chase’s Pulitzer Prizewinning play, Harvey, about the tribulations of Elwood P. Dowd, who claims to have an invisible friend A ninth grader in The Miser named Harvey (who takes the form of a 6-foot-tall rabbit!). In February, ninth graders performed Molière’s The Miser, one of the playwright’s most popular works. The plot centers on the stinginess of a miser, Harpagon, which sets off a chain reaction of hysterical situations, mistaken identities and all-around great theatrical fun. “The plays presented students with major challenges in both the performance and technical components, as all good plays should!” says Drama Chair Julian Schlusberg. “The characters and plots forced our student actors to experiment, take risks and think boldly. Technically, the productions had to evoke the life of each play through lighting, sound, costumes, props, make-up and hairstyles. Our students exceeded these challenges to create two really enjoyable pieces of theater!”

The technical crew for Harvey

Books We Love

Recommendations from Foote’s librarians

PET BY AKWAEKE EMEZI

Shortlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, Pet is a jaw-dropping, completely original debut novel by Akwaeke Emezi. From the very first sentence, “There shouldn’t be any monsters left in Lucille,” the reader is hooked. Jam, a transgender teenager, lives in a world where evil had been defeated, but then a creature named Pet emerges and it slowly becomes clear that heroes may be villains and fact may be fiction. Emezi beautifully sets up a story that appears to be a classic tale of good vs. evil. This young adult novel does not fit neatly into one genre. It feels so much like realistic fiction, but then, there is that monster. Pet is an extraordinary, layered, honest read that is just right for these times. The audiobook, read by Christopher Myers, is also wonderful. —Jennifer Friedman

THE GIRL WHO SAILED THE STARS BY MATILDA WOODS ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANUSKA ALLEPUZ

In a village made of sunken ships, a fortune teller prophesizes that a sea captain will have a “brave and bold son” who will sail the seas. Instead, to the captain’s dismay, the captain’s wife gives birth to Oona, another daughter. When the captain orders Oona and her sisters to travel south with their mother, escaping a bitter winter, Oona sneaks aboard his ship instead. Brave and bold indeed! Marvels abound in this whimsical tale printed in blue type, with illustrations drifting across the pages to echo the magic of the text.

—Anna Stover

KITTY AND THE MOONLIGHT RESCUE BY PAULA HARRISON ILLUSTRATIONS BY JENNY LØVLIE

Searching for a new superhero? Look no further than Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue! In this fabulous new series for young readers, a girl named Kitty discovers that, much like her superhero family, she too has extraordinary powers. With newfound bravery she conquers her fears and sets off on nightly adventures to help felines in need! An exciting read for all! —Katie Santomasso

Digital Foote Prints

ARE YOU GETTING our new alumni e-newsletter, ‘Life on Loomis?’ Our debut issue last fall featured an interview with former Foote Latin teacher Carol Ross, as well as news about classmates and the latest happenings on Loomis Place. Below are headlines from the first edition. If you have suggestions for interview subjects or article topics, or didn’t receive the fall newsletter and would like to, email Amy Caplan ’88 at acaplan@footeschool.org.

FORMER LATIN TEACHER CAROL ROSS: WHERE IS SHE NOW?

CROSSING BORDERS THAT DIVIDE: SEVENTH GRADERS EXPLORE THE ART OF SANCTUARY CITIES

LEARNING ABOUT PLANT ADAPTATION WITH MRS. TOTMAN AT EDGERTON PARK GREENHOUSE

The 2019–2020 school year kicked off with a community-wide art project called “Suspended Moods.” Designed by artist and Foote parent Megan Craig, the installation features more than 600 hanging bamboo sticks painted in colors that correspond to the moods of the students, parents, faculty and grandparents who participated. The project connects to Foote’s work with RULER, the program created by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence to develop children’s emotional literacy and wellbeing. The sticks now hang in the Sacred Woods, a beautiful and thought-provoking symbol of the collective mood at Foote School at the start of the school year. Watch a video about the project at www.footeschool.org/moods.