May 2021 Volume 21 Issue 5
Harvey’s Super Spring Sports: COVID-19 Edition By Amanda Mohamad
After the cancellation of afterschool programs since Spring Term 2020, Harvey is finally able to extend its day for its notable after-school programs. As of Monday, March 29, 2021, Harvey incorporated after-school sports and arts into the daily schedule. The after-school options are as follows: Baseball, Blacktop Basketball, Boys and Girls Lacrosse, Boys and Girls Rugby, Boys and Girls Tennis, Golf, One-Act Plays, Outdoor Exploration, Softball, and a musical performance of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
Featured in this issue: l Reports l Sports News l Reviews
The Harvey community has greeted the return of all of the programs with loads of excitement, and a significant amount of the student body is participating in sports. While the sports seasons are a bit different this year, many student athletes will be playing against other schools. However, the number of games and matches will be limited, as not all of the schools that are part of Housatonic Valley Athletic League (HVAL) have chosen to incorporate an after-school program due to the pandemic. In regards to pandemic protocols, practices have been a large adjust-
ment for both athletes and coaches. The Pulse interviewed Mr. Gary Dunn, Upper School dean of students and assistant boys varsity baseball coach, who shared his thoughts about the return to sports at Harvey. Mr. Dunn said, “I love it! I wish we could do more, and I wish we could’ve done it sooner. But I’m glad we are out there now.” He continued by describing new protocols on the field, saying, “We are masked and mainGirls Varsity Lacrosse Player, junior Ella Cohn (#11), with Coach Jataining social distancing, nos’ son, Chase, on the field. Photo courtesy of the Harvey Instagram. which is difficult in a team setting, but we’re making it work. We have excited for it. It’s nice to get outside, various stations, so not everybody is see the field alive, and see everybody doing the same thing at the same time, playing their sports. Exercise is always crowded around each other.” healthy, but mentally, it’s nice to get out there and just be doing something Mr. Greg Janos, longtime again.” Harvey girls varsity lacrosse head coach, was also eager to express his enthusiSpring Sports cont. on page 6. asm about being back on the field. “I’m
Meet Mr. Mena By Lauren Grauer
responsibility of admitting students during a pandemic, all while being a new staff member.
Mr. Willam Mena. Photo courtesy of The Harvey School website.
For the past school year, Mr. Mena served the Harvey community as the Director of Admissions and Financial Aid.
The Harvey School 260 Jay Street Katonah, NY 10536
Mr. Mena started his position at Harvey during a global pandemic, and he has done a fabulous job of understanding the culture at Harvey. “My favorite part of Harvey so far is the unconditional support teachers give their students. Even during these times, teachers are going above and beyond to care for their students.” Admitting students to Independent Schools is always a challenging process. But now, Mr. Mena has the
When Mr. Mena accepted his position at Harvey, he hoped to make some changes in Harvey Admissions. One of the big challenges he comes across in Harvey Admissions is portraying Harvey as a more “balanced” school. He would like prospective Harvey families to understand the opportunities Harvey students are given academically and artistically, while highlighting Harvey’s teachers. With the pandemic, admissions look different. The primary way families are looking at Harvey is through Zoom webinars. On these webinars, prospective students and their families are given the chance to connect with current Harvey students and faculty while also learning what Harvey has to offer. Mr. Mena had a tremendous amount of valuable experience before coming to Harvey. He previously worked at Sandy Spring Friends School in Ashton-Sandy Spring, Maryland. At Sandy Spring Friends School, Mr. Mena
was the Director of Auxiliary Programs and the Director of Boarding Admissions. The Harvey admissions office plans to host events at Harvey over the summer so that touring families have the opportunity to physically walk on the Harvey campus. To try and get a grasp on what life is like at Harvey, Mr. Mena has started doing lunch duty to help him build relationships with students. Mr. Mena is excited to see what Harvey is like without a pandemic, which will hopefully be soon. Mr. Mena started his career at Harvey along with his daughter Jennifer. Jennifer is a current ninth grader. The Pulse asked Mr. Mena what it was like to work at the same school where his daughter attends. He said, “I try to stay out of the way and let my wife get involved with things regarding school for Jennifer.” Mr. Mena also has an older daughter, named Erin, who is working in Meet Mr. Mena cont. on inside cover.