A MODERN
Middle School
A M O D E R N Middle School
WELCOME... to the newly designed Hun Middle School, a hub of activity with cozy spots and wide-open spaces, cutting-edge technology and caring faculty, and a warm and friendly environment in which students can explore boundless opportunities. They may learn about the chemistry of clay in a brand-new STEM lab before sculpting it in our visual arts studio. They can discuss the power plays in Julius Caesar around a Harkness table, or do algebraic equations on the erasable tops of standing desks in one of our math classrooms. (Yes, you can write on the desks here!) Students can perform plays, practice martial arts, or master dance moves in an expansive new multi-purpose room, complete with a wall that opens to a patio when inside and outside experiences are in order. And at the end of the day (and at times in-between), Hun Middle School students can relax in their very own student lounge. Come with us and explore a building, and a school community, made to bring out the best in middle school students.
A M O D E R N Middle School
THE HUN MIDDLE SCHOOL is a place where we focus on developing skills to help our students learn and lead, throughout their lives. In our newly designed, light-filled school, we prepare our students for an everchanging world. We know that 11- to 13-year olds learn best when they are moving and doing, and our new building provides the space to do just that. Opened as the Alexander K. Buck ’49 Building in 1974, this renovation modernizes the space for contemporary education. It now boasts twelve new spacious classrooms, two state-of-the-art STEM labs, a visual arts studio, a robotics lab, and various common areas. We’ve created a place in which middle schoolers can learn, grow, and enjoy one another. And while our building is new, our philosophy is not. As always, we support and guide our students’ academic, social, and emotional development. For us, knowing our students is a vital part of teaching them. We impart skills such as analytical thinking, creativity, collaborative problem solving, cultural competency, ethical decision making, and effective communication. We lay a firm foundation for the Upper School years ahead. Tools for learning have changed. Once upon a time, a classroom needed a chalkboard and few rows of desks. Now a flat-screen, Smart Board, lab equipment – all of our science classes are 100 percent lab-based – and standing desks are all part of the equation. It’s an equation that lets middle schoolers be themselves – intellectually curious, adventurous, active, and fun-loving. So come inside and let us show you around... Ken Weinstein, Head of School Jennifer Anderson, Assistant Head of School
A M O D E R N Middle School
H U N ’S M O D E R N M I D D L E S C H O O L … BY T H E N U M B E R S
19,000 square feet of space on three floors for learning and exploring
100% of MS students participate in Debate Program
1 10 Middle School students
12
is the average Middle School class size!
1 FULL TIME academic learning skills teacher
100%
of MS students lead a student-parentteacher conference
ADJUSTABLE
24 TABLES
Middle school math classes feature tables with white-board surfaces. They are height-adjustable to accommodate students who wish to sit or stand. They are also lightweight and mobile for collaboration or individual use.
One multi-purpose room with a P R O F E S S I O N A L- G R A D E
F LO O R ideal for dance and martial arts, and a R E T R AC TA B L E WA L L that allows air and light to stream in from the school’s patio.
STEM
A M O D E R N Middle School
FROM THE BIG B A N G t o ce l l s t r u c tu r e, from frog dissection to Newton’s laws, Hun Middle School science instills an understanding of the world around its students. Earth and life sciences, chemistry, and physics are taught in our state-of-the art labs, which are used at every grade level. They provide the perfect environment for active, hands-on, scientific endeavor with real-world implications. And our students graduate well prepared for future academic pursuits.
A M O D E R N Middle School
A M O D E R N Middle School
A P L AC E FOR STUDENTS, A N D T E AC H E R S , to Learn For math teacher Megan Skelly, Hun Middle School is about growth for all. “When I came to Hun for the first time, I felt like I was on the grounds of an institute,” says Ms. Skelly, who teaches algebra and pre-algebra. “It’s a place that fosters learning among students and teachers, where we are constantly encouraged to learn and innovate. Our teachers are as cutting edge as the technology.” For Ms. Skelly, the new Hun Middle School building is the perfect place for that. STEM classrooms are equipped with modular standing desks with whiteboard tops. These allow students to stand or sit, and to work on problems right on their desktops, or on paper. Each room has touch-screen-activated white boards that can be written on and can run software that syncs with students’ iPads. Science classes take place in two newly equipped STEM labs, while robotics and technology have their own classroom as well. “These features let the students personalize their learning, try new techniques, and get creative in the classroom,” said Ms. Skelly “I walk into school every day excited about my job, and kids come in early to be in this amazing new space. It puts them in a great mindset for learning.”
A M O D E R N Middle School
HUMANITIES
A M O D E R N Middle School
D R . TA L B OY BRINGS an Ancient Language to Life In Dr. Thomas Talboy’s Latin classroom at Hun Middle School, you may find students cleaning ancient Roman coins and using their iPads to research their origins. “They can use all sorts of clues to date them,” said Dr. Talboy, who has a Ph.D. in Classics from Nottingham University in England and 25 years of teaching experience. “For example, the presence of a Christian symbol, who is on the coin, and what it is made of are all important clues. I then ask the students to tell the story of the coin, in Latin.” Dr. Talboy’s methods represent the creative, hands-on approach Hun takes when teaching the humanities. He believes in marrying technology with traditional knowledge, as during his Latin cookbook project, in which students are given ancient Roman recipes, translate them, and modify them with modern food products. They then write and collaboratively publish a cookbook, in Latin, culminating in a classroom feast. “I try to make Latin relevant to today,” said Dr. Talboy. “The language will help students on their SATs and with being a scientist or a doctor. But Latin-based words are all around us, even in technology, as found in computer programming languages. It’s really a subject that is alive in so many ways.”
A M O D E R N Middle School
W E L L SA I D : Hu n M S Te a ch e s Eve r y S tu d e n t th e Fine Art of Debate All middle schoolers are unique, but at the Hun Middle School, all share something in common: they learn and practice the art of debate. All-School Debate, one of our signature programs, develops effective communication, collaboration, and leadership in students. For three weeks spread across the year, every student in grades 6 though 8 learns about and participates in team debate during an end-of-day period. In the first week, students learn the rules and elements of debate, and how to evaluate information sources. The School’s Garden State Debate (GSD) Team members, who compete outside of school, demonstrate team debate to their fellow students. During one week in the winter, GSD students lead discussions critiquing persuasive videos and commercials, and all students learn about arguments based on logic, emotion, and ethics. In the spring, students are assigned to three-person teams, formulate arguments on an assigned topic, and deliver them in a debate judged by GSD members. “Students must exercise everything from recall of facts to evaluation, which is the highest form of learning,” says teacher Madeline Jones, a faculty advisor. “Debate requires recall, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation all in one activity. “We want our students to take away the ability to collect valid research and formulate an argument,” Ms. Jones said. “And All-School Debate accomplishes that.”
R O B OT I C S + E N G I N E E R I N G
A M O D E R N Middle School
H U N M . S . R O B OT I C S : W h e r e Te ch n o l o g y a n d Te a mwo rk M e e t The Hun Middle School’s STEM program is thriving, including its First Lego League Robotics Team. Since starting four years ago, the Middle School team annually takes part in a competition in which they build a robot the size of a toaster and program it to perform tasks on a game board. Last year, in the research component of the competition, the team studied the endangered honey bee as part of a broader theme, Animal Allies. The Raiders have improved their performance steadily. “Robotics gives students the opportunity to apply their technology interests to a competitive arena,” said Hun’s Director of Technology Jim Huffaker. He says the activity fuses technological innovation with collaboration. “They compete against other students, relying on their teammates for success. No individual necessarily shines in this format; it is a team effort.” He added: “From computer programmers, to engineers, writers, photographers, web designers, and builders, there are so many parts to this project that everybody brings something to the table, and puts it together in a single effort. It’s a great experience.“
A M O D E R N Middle School
I T ’S A L L H A N D S O N D E C K i n M i d d l e S ch o o l D e s i g n C l a s s In a digital age, Hun Fine Arts Department Chair Allan Arp believes in giving middle schoolers something tangible to work with. “Kids live in an increasingly digital world, and they’ve gotten away from working with their hands,” said Mr. Arp, whose Art in Design class is one of the Middle School’s most popular courses. “In this class, they learn to work with materials, and overcome design challenges.” Teams of students design and create functional boats, chairs, and airplanes, made mostly out of paper. The boats they make have become a beloved Hun School tradition. After learning about dimensions, design, and materials, the students build substantial vessels made of four layers of heavy duty cardboard, a skin of marine-grade fabric, paint, and resin epoxy. The students then navigate their boats on the Stony Brook, using homemade paddles. Next, students make chairs out of cardboard, without using any glue, tape, or fasteners. They then learn the properties of flight, such as lift and aerodynamics, before making oversized paper airplanes. (Mr. Arp is a licensed pilot.) “The students come up with ideas, and problem-solve as a team as they execute them,” Mr. Arp said of the boat project. “Then they create a final product that results in a really fun day. It’s joyful learning.”
A R T S + AT H L E T I C S
ARTS AND AT H L E T I C S a r e Pa r t o f Eve r y D ay At Hun, athletics and arts are an integral part of a Middle School education. Athletics teach students teamwork, leadership, and the art of winning, and losing, gracefully. Practices take place last period of each day, with games after school. Students choose from team sports as well as dance, strength and conditioning, and competitive robotics. Arts and electives take place during class time, from chorus and band classes, to sculpture, global web design, and photography. Students have plenty of opportunities to pursue their passions, or find new ones that may last a semester, or a lifetime.
A M O D E R N Middle School
HUN MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULUM 2017 English 6, 7 & 8 P re A l g e b ra 1 & 2 A l g e b ra 1 & 2 Geometry S c i e n ce 6 , 7 & 8 Ancient Studies A m e r i ca n H i s t o r y G e o g ra p hy/A n t h ro p o l o g y Fre n c h A , B & C Spanish A, B & C Latin A & B Study Skills Health
ELECTIVES + ARTS Chorus Instrumental Music D ra m a Journalism A r t & T h e D e s i g n P ro ce s s Co d i n g / Ro b o t i c s Hun TV S c u l p t u re D ra w i n g Pa i n t i n g G l o b a l We b D e s i g n e rs M u s i c I n n ova t i o n s P h o t o g ra p hy
DEAR FRIENDS, I wish you could join me in walking the halls of our Middle School during a typical class day. You might see students seated around a Harkness table, collaborating to dissect complex topics with perceptiveness beyond their years. Or building and programming robots capable of playing fetch or dunking a ball in a statewide competition. Or thinking on their feet in the spirited give-and-take of our school-wide debate program. Everywhere, you would sense the exceptional growth that results from dynamic learning in a caring and joyful community – a true hallmark of Hun and a matchless academic and personal foundation for our youngest students. The beautifully renovated Alexander K. Buck Building will be an important part of this foundation for many generations to come. Beyond its striking aesthetic appeal, it offers powerful tools for learning in its expanded, state-of-the-art classrooms, labs, and specialized spaces. This milestone is owed entirely to the foresight of our Board of Trustees and the following donors, who generously embraced and supported it. On behalf of our entire community: Thank You! I would also like to thank our professional partners, Clarke Caton Hintz Architects and Scozzari Builders, whose ingenuity and skill delivered this amazing building to us in under eighteen months, without displacing our students and faculty. Because of these remarkable contributions, the future of Hun’s Middle School – like its sparkling new facility – has never been brighter. Sincerely yours, Jonathan G. Brougham Headmaster
A M O D E R N Middle School
TWO YEARS of thought and planning, $5.5 million in funding, and a year of careful
P R OJ E C T D O N O R S
F O R M E R FAC I L I T I E S
Mr. Lawrence T. Babbio Jr.
CO M M I T T E E M E M B E R S
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander K. Buck Jr. ’74
W H O CO N T R I B U T E D
Mr. and Mrs. N. Harrison Buck
TO T H I S P R OJ E C T
Dr. Anthony Chiurco and Mrs.
John Keffer ’60 (Trustee Emeritus)
Kimberly Jingoli Chiurco
served on the Committee from 2006-2015
construction went
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Corcoran III
into transforming The
Maine Community Foundation
served on the Committee
Mr. and Mrs. John D. Michel
from 2010-2016
Hun Middle School. The generous Hun
Horizon Foundation, Inc.
The Parents’ Association of The Hun School of Princeton
Scott Landis ’92 (Current Trustee)
Nicholas Scozzari ’77 (Former Trustee) served on the Committee
community gave its
Mr. Drew Patel ’17
talent, treasure, and
Mr. and Mrs. Niraj Patel
served on the Committee
Princeton Area Community
from 2008-2017
time to the project and demonstrated, once again, the
Ms. Hailey Patel ’20
from 2008-May 2016 Barry Sussman ’72 (Former Trustee)
Foundation The Punia Family
THE HUN SCHOOL
The Ross Foundation
B OA R D O F T R U S T E E S
qualities that make
Mr. David Ross IV ’88 and
Hugh Hurley, Chair
Hun a special place.
The Graff Family
Edward D. Breen
United Charitable Programs
Jonathan Brougham, Headmaster
Mr. and Mrs. Arnoldo Wald
Ryan Brown, Faculty Representative
Mr. and Mrs. Conan M. Ward
Giovanni Caforio
Many, many thanks to our donors, our Board of Trustees, our Real Estate and Facilities Committee members, past and present, and the dedicated staff and faculty
Dr. Krista R. Ross ’88
Peter Black ’78, Vice Chair
Marianne Deane C U R R E N T R E A L E S TAT E
Johnny T.Y. Fung ’77
A N D FAC I L I T I E S
Thomas Horwich ’59
CO M M I T T E E M E M B E R S
Eric Hutcherson
Eric Rosenblum, Chair
Sanjay Kannambadi
Jonathan Brougham, Headmaster
Robert Kuchar ’01, President,
Laura Carlson ’84, Volunteer J. Michael Chaykowsky ’80,
Director of Facilities
Alumni Association Scott Landis ’92 Alfred Leach II ’78
Stefanie Connell, CFO
Allan Levine
Donna Globus ’82, Volunteer
Brian Logue ’75
building into a modern
Andrew Hamlin, Assistant
Regina Massad, Chair,
Middle School.
Thomas Horwich ’59, Trustee
Susan McGlory Michel
Jim Werosta, Volunteer
Andrew Monfried ’87
who transformed our
Headmaster for Advancement
Parents’ Association
Herman Penner ’64 MIDDLE SCHOOL
Michael J. Renna
A D M I N I S T R AT I O N
Leah T. Ricci ’96
Ken Weinstein,
Danner Riebe ’79
Head of Middle School Jennifer Anderson,
Assistant Head of Middle School
Eric P. Rosenblum Mordechai Rozanski John Tugwell Orin Wilf ’92 Stephen T. Wills
NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
THE HUN SCHOOL OF PRINCETON
PAID
176 Edgerstoune Road Princeton, NJ 08540
176 Edgerstou ne Road | Pri n ceto n , N J 08 5 4 0
DATED MATERIAL
AT T H E H U N M I D D L E S C H O O L ,
PRINCETON, NJ PERMIT NO. 235
student-led conferences supplement the traditional parent-teacher
conferences that are held each November. How it works: each winter, students reflect and prepare during advisory periods, with the help of their advisors. They collect tests, essays, and projects, and use them as tools in their own selfassessment to determine where they need to improve, and their plan for this improvement. The exercise empowers the students to take ownership of their experience and goals.