Stanwichfall2013newsletter

The Stanwich Heart The Quarterly Newsletter of The Stanwich School

Inside This Issue Grade 4 students learn about wind power Pg. 5

Fall 2013

Project Blessing

Six years in the making, the Blessing School in rural Cyabatanzi, Rwanda is close to welcoming its first students Pg. 12

Upper School students explore Spain Pg. 7

Lower School students are off and running in PE class Pg. 8

+ PLUS so much more!

www.stanwichschool.org

Fall 2013 1

From the Head of School One Mind. One Body. One Spirit. One School.

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weet sixteen and a new year has begun! This is a momentous year filled with promise and positive energy. We opened the year with ceremonies and reaffirmed our mission that we are one mind, one body, one spirit, and one school. With the faculty band playing When The Saints Come Marching In at our Opening Ceremony, our senior class guided the class of 2026 into their seats. Imagine, the Stanwich graduating class of 2026 present to witness our school fully represented as a PreK-12 coeducational learning community! It is a true testament to the vision, tenacity, dedication, and resolve of those who established a firm foundation upon which to build.

This fall marked an important and continued step in advancing that vision.

Two new academic positions have been created this year, an educational technologist as well as an accelerated mathematics instructor. Both teachers stimulate the intellect within our students and staff, but are mindful of the deeper meanings and responsibilities of these 21st century literacies. These instructional additions are simply the latest examples of the on-going work of our exemplary faculty who have been focused on carrying out the school’s mission to be the best they can be as they help others be their best. A number of our faculty, in fact, will be showcased as Stanwich partners with the Connecticut Association for the Gifted to present a Minds in Motion workshop series. This community outreach event will follow our parent education evening as we welcome Dr. Eileen Kennedy-Moore, author of Smart Parenting for Smart Kids. Stanwich thrives on smart parents and smart kids, and we are eager to welcome more.

Our admissions office, with a new leadership team, a new location as well as a more strategic process, has been communicating the “Stanwich Story” effectively and all metrics to date are pleasingly positive. Prospective families are being drawn to the joyous and dynamic energy they sense during their visits, and they are 2 Fall 2013

excited to learn about how our campus will be consolidated next year. These families are impressed by our comprehensive academic program that is balanced and rigorous as well as our Upper School’s newly developed moral leadership program.

Mock Junior and Senior House classrooms and display boards of the new spaces of our Upper School as well as our Early Childhood Learning Center will provide visual illustrations of the good to come. I am edified by our consistent and authentic message conveyed, however, that the real Stanwich magic is created from the alchemy of talented students, terrific teachers, and a distinctive mission.

Remediation of the 40-acre parcel that Stanwich now calls home began last spring with a splendid community building weekend attended by a host of parents and faculty who extensively cut, cleared, and chipped our trails. With continued work over the summer and a wonderful student service effort in September, the Stanwich woodlands now have lovely trails for our classes to use and for our families to enjoy.

As we look ahead, our all-school book fair in December to be presented in the now complete gymnasium promises to be spectacular. How delightful our new gym is, and how grateful I am for the leadership of our trustees who generously and selflessly initiated our campus buildings development with this

Prospective families are being drawn to the joyous and dynamic energy they sense during their visits. gym renovation last year employing their time, talents and treasure.

The Stanwich spirit is alive and we are poised to continue advancing the school in measurable and substantive ways. Our new 5 year strategic plan will be presented in the new year as we continue to enhance our robust program and student experience, elevate our overall professional learning community, advance our position as an educational leader, and boldly develop our PreK—Grade 12 campus with the associated financial resources required for the effort. As Stanwich grows and advances, it will remain steadfast in carrying out its mission to help students be the best they can be, charge each with helping others to be their best, and thereby help to make God’s world a better place.

The Stanwich Heart

Profiles in Teaching Stanwich’s faculty is second-to-none. Find out about their hobbies, greatest accomplishments, and more.

Danny Combatti Grade 3 Teacher M.A.T Manhattanville College B.A.S. Villanova University Where did you grow up?

Norwalk, CT Hobbies/Pets/I’d rather be ...: Racquetball, reading, playing golf What would be your second choice for a career?

Sky diving instructor Community organizations you’re involved with?

Appalachia Club – Habitat trip to Neon, Kentucky that I chaperone every summer leading 40 high school students What excites you the most about being a teacher?

That moment when the student says, “Oh, I get it!”

What is your greatest accomplishment in the classroom?

Teaching a 5-year-old how to read

What book do you currently have on your night stand?

Dance of Dragons on my Kindle Fire If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with the time?

I would golf every day and catch a game at every professional stadium What would people be surprised to find out about you?

I lived in New Zealand for 6 months and went skydiving twice while out there!

What unique strengths do you bring to the classroom?

My enthusiasm and sense of humor

Gary Dunn Upper School Math

What would be your second choice for a career?

Sports Marketing

B.A. University of Connecticut

Community organizations you’re involved with?

Provide private baseball instruction, Coach AAU Baseball (CT Tides)

Where did you grow up?

Wilton, CT Hobbies/Pets/I’d rather be ...

Coaching baseball and playing golf. I have a dog named Bosco, and I’d rather be on a beach in the tropics.

What excites you the most about being a teacher?

The students! They keep me engaged every single day.

What is your greatest accomplishment in the classroom?

It would have to be seeing the face of a struggling student who receives his or her first “A.” What unique strengths do you bring to the classroom?

I feel I’m able to connect with students of all levels and abilities in order to have them feel successful in math.

If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with the time?

Play golf and travel to the world’s most exotic beaches.

What would people be surprised to find out about you?

That I am dyslexic and working with numbers is at times difficult for me. It’s interesting to me that teaching math has been surprisingly helpful; where as learning math was extremely difficult.

www.stanwichschool.org

Caroline Worra IH & US Music/Voice/Drama D.M. Indiana University M.M. University of Missouri B.A. Luther College Where did you grow up?

Trempealeau and Onalaska, Wisconsin Hobbies/Pets/I’d rather be ...

I like to sing in operas, play card games, and watch movies.If my life wasn’t in music, I would have liked to have been a professional basketball or tennis player Is teaching your second career?

I am also a professional opera singer and have released 3 opera CDs. For one of them I received a Grammy nomination for The Best Opera Recording of the Year.

What is your greatest accomplishment in the classroom?

Providing our singers with a healthy vocal technique and the confidence to sing their hearts out. I don’t think anyone should ever think or be told that they cannot sing. I want all students to love singing and to sing for the rest of their lives.

If you had six months with no obligations or financial constraints, what would you do with the time?

Make a solo recording of opera arias and songs.

What would people be surprised to find out about you?

I was a 4-sport letter winner in high school. I ran the 400 and 400 relay on the track team, I was a pitcher on the softball team, and was the MVP of both my basketball and tennis teams. It’s probably also surprising to know that I was the first runnerup to Miss Wisconsin and won the Talent Competition playing the piano.

Fall 2013 3

Life at the Lower School

Meaghan Mallin

Head of Lower School

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hat a wonderful start to the school year! Both the Primary House and Intermediate House have had exciting and enriched beginnings of fall. The year was kicked off with our spirited Opening Ceremony, featuring our very own Stanwich faculty Dixieland band, and began with the symbolic gesture of our Upper School seniors walking our kindergartners to their seats. The Stanwich Heart was palpable throughout the gym!

The energy of that morning has carried on as the year has gotten underway.

HOLA!

From the laughter and smiles that fill the classroom of our Pre-Kers each day, to the excitement of our Grade 6 leadership class, the Lower School is abuzz with positivity and Stanwich Spirit. This spirit is alive and thriving in our daily assemblies, where our students of all grade levels sing with joy, speak with confidence, and pray together.

In our classroom, our curriculums are well underway, as our students are immersed in the learning process. As you walk through the halls you will see students engaged in all types of dynamic lesson plans, whether it be our Grade 5 students having a lively discussion about symbolism in literature, our Grade 3 students learning about simple machines through hands-on use of levers, or our Grade 1 students acting as science detectives using their five senses to solve mysteries, including analyzing fingerprints.

Learning has also extended beyond the walls of the classroom, as we have already

Intermediate House Spanish teacher Maria Paz Miranda visited the PreK students to teach them about a little bear that goes up and down, left and right, or “arriba y abajo.”

4 Fall 2013

had quite a few field trips. Our Primary House students have visited exciting places such as the Audubon, the New Canaan Nature Center, and staples of the local community, including the fire station and police station. In the IH, our sixth graders have already engaged in an overnight trip, as they embarked to the W. Alton Jones Environmental Center in Rhode Island in early September. Their three-day trip included night hiking, challenge ropes courses, and trust activities, all designed to help create a bonding and cohesive experience for our Lower School leaders.

The year has only begun, and we have already shared so many blessings as a division. We look forward to all of the learning, excitement, and opportunities that lay ahead for our Primary House and Intermediate House students throughout this school year. The Stanwich Heart is pulsing strong in the Lower School!

PUBLIC SAFETY During Fire Prevention Week, Grade 1 students visited the Cos Cob Fire House and the Greenwich Police Station. In class, students learned about “Community Helpers.”

The Stanwich Heart

A RAISIN IN THE GLASS SUPER ERUPTION Kindergarten students hollowed out apple cores and filled them with vinegar and baking soda to create exploding volcanoes.

As part of a lesson on the scientific method, students in Grade 2 studied how raisins react to different liquids.

TOUCHY SUBJECT

GONE WITH THE WIND

Twice each week, Grade 3 students use AlphaSmarts to practice touch typing.

While making their own pinwheels in science class, Grade 4 students learned about how the movement of air — or wind — affects their environment and the weather outside.

THE OCEAN STATE SWEET SALE Cupcakes and brownies were up for sale at the Grade 5 Bake Sale to benefit service learning efforts in Rwanda. www.stanwichschool.org

From working through a challenge course to learning to build a waterproof shelter, Grade 6 students spent three fun-filled days in picturesque Rhode Island.

Fall 2013 5

Life at the Upper School

Jerome Murphy

Head of Upper School

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s we arrive at the completion of the first quarter of the school year, I find myself surprised by how quickly time flies and how much has occurred at the Upper School since the beginning of September.

The palpable energy and excitement of the students during the first week of school has continued through the weeks that followed. This excitement can be attributed, in large part, to the growth of our program and all of the offerings — both in and out of the classroom — that come with it. Connecting our students to their

passions and interests is essential to their development as solid Stanwich citizens When I consider the enrichment of our diverse program and how it creates such wonderful opportunities for engagement between our faculty and the students, I realize that such a model cannot succeed without a devoted sense of commitment from all involved: faculty, students, and parents.

In the last eight weeks, when you consider the opportunities our students have been introduced to and engaged in — service learning commitments, athletics, student government elections, performing arts, curricular-based field trips, arts and enrichment, college admissions process, community building with the Lower School students, and social opportunities — it becomes clear how committed we are to facilitating the growth and development of each student’s mind, body, and spirit. Our diverse and well balanced program allows our students to learn about themselves and to develop their passions, a pursuit that helps bring out the best in every child.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT The newly elected student government board is planning a year full of special activities for Upper School students.

6 Fall 2013

Notwithstanding the host of these opportunities and the importance they play in each student’s development, we remain committed to providing a rigorous curriculum that appropriately challenges all of our students. Within this framework, we have cultivated in just a short time, an atmosphere of trust and care in each classroom, an environment that is fostered by a faculty who are invested in each student’s success.

Whether it is the study skills program in the Junior House, the availability of our teachers to provide extra help or take time out of their personal lives to support a social event, the hands-on guidance of our college admissions support, the extra time devoted by advisors, coaches, or performing arts instructors, all of the students in the Upper School know we are there to support their development and success.

Following such a busy 1st quarter, we look forward to continuing to engage the Upper School students with mission related opportunities to help each be the best they can be.

SERVICE LEARNING As part of the values curriculum, Junior House students participated in a number of service learning opportunities for organizations including Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities, and the Stamford Museum & Nature Center.

The Stanwich Heart

DOWN ON THE FARM Upper School students spent a night at Overlook Farm in Rutland, Mass., volunteering on Heifer International’s working farm. After plenty of team-building activities and learning about world food supplies and distribution, the students rolled up their sleeves and worked the farm.

Chores included feeding chickens, sheep, goats, lamas, alpacas and guinea pigs, plus milking goats. After a lesson on population distribution vs. resource consumption world-wide, students toured the ¾ acre garden.

Students split up into 3 groups and were assigned a location in the Global Village – Ghana, Tibet, and a part of Mexico called Colonias. After building a fire from scratch, students cooked a meal with vegetables harvested on the farm.

MADRID AND MORE In June of 2013, a group of 18 excited and adventurous Stanwich sophomores and juniors traveled to Spain alongside chaperones Mrs. Graham, Mr. Katona, and the organizer of the trip, Señora Nacher.

The students landed in Madrid, spending spending three days there, and then traveled to Cadiz by train, the city where they met their host families. The students were able to practice their Spanish, as they had to communicate with their families one-on-one for 5 days and nights.

The students also visited many museums and galleries in order to learn more about the history of Spain. Besides learning about the Spanish culture, students also learned how to surf with instructors and even had time to explore cities on their own – from Madrid to Alicante.

www.stanwichschool.org

Fall 2013 7

Lower School Physical Education

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e are off and “running� this school year with lots of aerobic exercise, team-building, skill work and games. We have an action packed school year planned once again where we will be learning a variety of sport skills and rules, along with learning about the types of exercise that will keep us healthy throughout the school year.

Students in PreK through Grade 2 have been working on their rolling technique, throwing and catching skills, fleeing and dodging skills, and their locomotor movements. Students enjoyed playing bocce where they practiced their rolling technique in a team setting.

In grades 3 through 6, students recently wrapped up their endurance training in preparation for the mile run. The children ran a total of 2,021 miles since the start of the program in September. Great heart, determination and camaraderie were displayed throughout the training. Many Chantal Angelis Director of Athletics students improved their mile times in just three short weeks.

Students in grades three through six are deep into their soccer unit and look forward to the upcoming tournament play and the Stanwich World Cup Tournament.

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The Stanwich Heart

Upper School Athletics Upper School Fall Wrap-up Stanwich athletes enjoyed a successful 10-week fall season of sports. Each individual season was filled with highs and lows but most importantly, each team improved as the season progressed.

The teams as a whole continued to protect their home turf collectively going 6-4 at home.

Girls’ Soccer

Field Hockey

Great leadership and a strong work ethic demonstrated by Stanwich’s 9th grade veterans set the tone for the season early on. Both offensive and defensive lines shined for the Cougars. For the second consecutive season, the Cougars scored more goals (22) than they allowed (11).

Stanwich’s unselfish play and balanced offensive attack enabled eight different members to score at least one goal during the season.

Boys’ Soccer The boys’ soccer team had a solid season this fall. They started off strong with a 2-1 victory over Unquowa at Stanwich Road. After a few tough losses, the Cougars bounced back and came together to play their best soccer of the year to close out the season. The strong stretch of play included back to back wins over New Canaan Country School and Wilton Montessori. All in all, the boys played hard and displayed outstanding sportsmanship throughout the year.

Football Although this season’s team was young, the squad came together well and competed strongly against many bigger opponents. The team’s success was aided by a robust group of 8th graders who anchored the offensive and defensive lines and dominated opponents consistently all season. Following a scrimmage against Hackley which resulted in a tie, the Cougars opened the season with an impressive victory at home against the King School. The coaches were proud of the sportsmanship displayed by the players during each game, and it was clear, by season’s end, that they had developed a respect for the game of football and the commitment required to play it well.

The Stanwich field hockey team had a successful season, finishing the year with their best record in two years. After experiencing a few, tough, losses on grass fields on the road, Stanwich realized that their fast style of play was much better suited for a turf field.

Stanwich’s best game came late in the season against GCDS where Stanwich clicked on all cylinders beating the Tigers 2-0 to protect their home turf.

Cross Country The Stanwich cross country team experienced one of their most successful seasons in recent years. Stanwich runners consistently improved their times over the course of the season and all of their runners finished in the top 50% every race. Stanwich looks ahead to the MSFAA Cross Country Championship Meet this week where Stanwich’s top runners look to place in the top three in the 7th, 8th and 9th grade divisions.

Sailing

Stanwich’s instructional sailing program, housed at the Riverside Yacht Club, enjoyed one of their most successful seasons on the water to date. The instructional program which uses Stanwich’s very own fleet of six 420’s enjoyed one of warmest falls on record.

The group of ten sailors brought a great deal of previous sailing knowledge and experience to the program. As a result, the instructor was able to teach advanced skills and challenge our sailors in both individual and in team race settings.

Meet Stanwich’s Athletics Faculty

Stanwich’s first ever fall fitness program was a huge success. Housed at the LA Fitness Club in Stamford, the program was filled to capacity. While using the many amenities of the club, student’s increased their strength and improved their endurance over the course of the 10 week program.

Chantal Angelis Director of Athletics While a student at Lehigh, Chantal played Division 1 basketball. She was also all-state in high school in soccer, basketball and tennis. Chantal takes great pride in leading’s the school’s stellar Athletics program and faculty.

Chris Cardarelli Physical Education Instructor & Coach

Rob Higle Physical Education Instructor & Coach

Chris was a baseball player at Williams College, and played football and baseball in high school, where he was an MVP baseball player.

Rob was a 4-year starting quarterback at Salve Regina University and played football, basketball and baseball in high school. Rob also was an all-state quarterback in 2002.

Merilyn Stephens

Will Colombo

Physical Education Instructor & Coach Merilyn is a tennis teaching professional. Previously she played on the Australian Field Hockey Championship team.

www.stanwichschool.org

Fitness

Physical Education Associate Will, a Stanwich Alumnus, played baseball at Franklin & Marshall College. He also played baseball, basketball and football in high school.

Upper School Sports Photos The Stanwich School works with a freelance sports photographer to take pictures of each competitive athletics team. You can access all of the photos online and order copies of the pictures.

Go to www.ryesportsphotos.com and click on “Preview Games/Event Photos” on the upper right side, then “Click here to see photos.”

All teams are categorized in folders for easy viewing. The password is “courage.”

Fall 2013 9

Parent Association Dear Stanwich Community,

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hile only two months into the school year, the year ahead is already filled with amazing events thanks to our dedicated Parent Board and the many parents who assist tirelessly with these activities. It is through parent participation that we are able to offer a vibrant program and if you have not already found a way to volunteer at Stanwich, please use the volunteer tab in the PA section of the website or contact me or the organizers of any event.

We would love to hear from you.

The class coffees were well attended and informational. The House Heads were available to describe the programs and objectives for the year ahead and it was a wonderful opportunity to meet and integrate the new families into the Stanwich Community. Thank you to Paul and Robin Geise for sharing their home with us.

I’d also like to thank the wonderful hosts of our grade cocktail parties which ended in November. There will be many more exciting parent events coming up, so be sure to look out for the details in your weekly newsletter. The very popular trivia night is scheduled for November 22nd, don’t forget to sign up for that.

We all recognize that the Stanwich Faculty is our biggest asset. While Faculty appreciation week is only in May, we wanted to highlight their efforts and recognize their contribution in some form throughout the year. Please consider signing up for our sweet Wednesday tradition and contribute to our faculty raffle. A note of thanks and an encouraging message to our teachers is also always appreciated.

Looking ahead in anticipation of a one campus facility, the school administration and the Board of Trustees are spending a vast amount of time in ensuring that we are all kept updated and informed about the practical details of the Upper School merger in September 2014. If you are not sure of the details of the facilities plan, please reach out to one of the Trustees or to Paul Geise or our House Heads. There will also be opportunities for you to view one of the model 7th to 12th grade classrooms in the main building this month.

The Parent Association wants to help you be informed and be involved at Stanwich.

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful festive season ahead.

­—Ingrid Winn, Parent Association President, 2013-2014

*

Announcements from the PA All parents are welcome to join the Parent Association for an open PA meeting on December 11 at 8:30am on the main campus. All are welcome!

Ways & Means Update!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by the Spirit Store tent during the Family Festival. Thank you to all who participated in our Innisbrook Fundraiser. Go online and check out our new Stanwich yoga pants and our cozy sweatshirts.

We have a couple of events coming up ... our annual Thanksgiving Pie Sale and Gingerbread House Day! We will also be at the December Book Fair. Spirit Store items make great holiday gifts!

The Parent Association greatly appreciates your support!

If you would like to volunteer please contact Stephani Nedzamar nedzamar@yahoo.com or Gretchen Foran gretchenforan@msn.com for more information.

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Community Building at Stanwich DOG WALK Wednesday Parents met in the Stanwich car park and walked their pooches on the trails behind Stanwich School. This was such fun that we decided that this should be a monthly event.

We will keep you posted on our next pooch walk which will be held on a Wednesday at 8am. Please feel free to join us even if you don’t have a dog.

TRIVIA NIGHT – NOVEMBER 22 - SOLD OUT! Join us for an evening of unforgettable revelry! It’s back! And it’s going to be better than last year! Enjoy a delicious dinner followed by a hilarious team trivia contest. Laugh and cheer as your team works together to answer questions and compete for fabulous (sort of) prizes. To be put on the waiting list, please email janinekennedyusa@gmail.com.

THE FIRST EVER FAMILY HOEDOWN FOR CHARTER DAY JANUARY 24 This year in place of the Charter Day cocktail party, parents, children and faculty are invited to a family Hoedown. Get ready for a boot knockin’ time!

The Stanwich Heart

Save the Date for the Book Fair!

The Gift of Reading Stanwich Book Fair Family Class

Day: D

Visits: D

ec. 8

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Family Day: Sunday, December 8 • 11:00am - 4:00pm Class Visits: Monday, December 9 • 8:30am - 3:30pm Join us on Sunday, December 8 for a day of great books and lively entertainment!

We have a host of fun activities in store for the whole family, including performances by some of our favorite Stanwich musicians, holiday crafts, & delicious treats at our Cougar Café. Let us help you fulfill your holiday shopping needs. Beautiful gift wrapping available. All proceeds go to support the Stanwich Parent Association.

The book fair committee needs extra hands on deck for set-up, during the fair and break-down. Stay tuned for shift sign up details. Please email Jenn Frascella frascellafive@gmail.com with any ideas, questions or to join the committee.

ARTS & ENRICHMENT HIGHLIGHTS

All Good Uniforms Deserve A Second Life!

This Fall at Stanwich the Friday Arts and Enrichment assemblies were a great success. The always popular Casey Carle was a huge hit with the kids combining science, art and a great sense of humor to teach them the science behind bubbles. We also welcomed a new and exciting improv group from New York City, Improv4Kids. They encouraged children to participate through their wonderfully imaginative and entertaining performances that were all completely improvised. The kids had an opportunity to be creative and act freely, which generated tears of laughter from their peers and teachers.

Finally, we welcomed the Wolf Conservation Center. The organization explained to our children the importance of wolves in our landscapes. They even had a chance to meet Atka, a gray arctic wolf, whose beauty and majestic presence helped encourage the kids to preserve and protect this beautiful species. A visit from the Dirtmeister at the end of October had the children engaged with cool scientific experiments.

Do you have gently used uniforms your child no longer needs? Please consider bringing them to the PH or IH office: there are uniform storage areas in both the PH and IH. Need to fill out your child’s wardrobe?

Please remember to remove any “name” labels, and please help yourself.

Thank you for participating!

—The Uniform Sustainability Drive

www.stanwichschool.org

Fall 2013 11

Service Learning

Project Blessing

Six years in the making, the Blessing School in rural Cyabatanzi, Rwanda is close to welcoming its first students

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n a warm fall afternoon, members of the Stanwich community came together at the school’s Upper School campus in Stamford to participate in carnival games for the Family Festival, a fundraiser for Project Blessing. Proceeds from the festival’s ticket sales totalled $3,682 that will go toward this year’s fundraising effort, according to Upper School science teacher, Shaun Fletcher.

A 10-year project in a rural Rwandan village, Project Blessing is the main community service fundraising effort of the Stanwich’s upper grades. For the past six years, Stanwich students have raised funds for the local villagers to purchase the mountain the village sits upon “so it can never be taken away from them,” according to Fletcher. Also in that time, the local villagers have built a freshwater well at the top of the peak to make water more easily accessible for residents, created waste management and irrigation systems and built three classrooms.

Fletcher began Project Blessing after spending three weeks in Cyabatanzi, a place where villagers had to walk more than an hour down a mountain to a well before carrying a bucket of water back to their home and children had to walk two hours to school. Fletcher met with the leaders of the village on his maiden voyage, and

12 Fall 2013

discussed plans to create a 10-year project to improve conditions within the village.

“The ultimate goal is to influence positive change through education. Being an educator, a father, and a member of my community helps me define what matters.”

Fletcher has engaged the entire Stanwich community in the initiative, and brings a group of Stanwich students and alumni with him on a two-week journey to Cyabatanzi each summer.

With hopes to officially open the “Blessing School” in the beginning of 2014, Fletcher hopes to raise additional funds to complete the school’s three kindergarten classrooms.

Blessing School, which will be a valuesbased, English-speaking primary school, will have morning and afternoon sessions for three, four, and five-year-olds, with 30 children in each session.

“This is the first opportunity for these children to have any form of structured education,” said Fletcher. “We wanted to be in it for the long haul, we mapped out a 10-year plan that would benefit the village long-term.”

gray room into a colorful learning space for children.

Garsy Presumey-Leblanc, Stanwich senior and member of Rwanda Team 2012, shared her experience. “It was actually really fun; I got to work with everyone on the trip. I was on the decorating committee (for the schoolrooms) so I got to make the design. It was awesome to see the change from grey and empty to vivacious.”

Victoria Slater, Stanwich Junior and reporter for The Stanwich Post, contributed to this story.

From Empty to Vivacious When Stanwich students travel to Cyabatanzi, they paint the most recent room that was built during the school year. They create a design and carefully transform the

The Stanwich Heart

www.stanwichschool.org

Fall 2013 13

Senior Class

Keeping It Classy From a vision to a reality, Stanwich will be graduating its first senior class this spring! Meet our inaugural graduates, and learn about their varied interests outside the classroom.

Sarah Alva

At Stanwich Since: Grade 6 Interests: Science, laughing, food,

friends and family

Chantal Benavidez

At Stanwich Since: Grade 9 Interests: Dancing, drawing, karate

David Lau

David Rivera

John Lombardo

good), baseball, basketball, working at the Greenwich Spanish School, going to FOCUS

At Stanwich Since: Grade 10 Interests: Soccer, electronic music

At Stanwich Since: Grade 9 Interests: Basketball, baseball, music,

At Stanwich Since: Grade 7 Interests: Music(anything that sounds

traveling, family, cars, Italy, Peru, America, sneakers

Garssandra Presumey-Leblanc

At Stanwich Since: Grade 10 Interests: Reading, singing, writing

Randy Maldonado

drama, musical theater, violin

Caroline Drennen

guitar, French, friends

Katrina Black

At Stanwich Since: Kindergarten Interests: Dance, fashion

Gregg Febbraio

At Stanwich Since: Grade 4 Interests: Basketball, guitar

Esther Hoekstra

At Stanwich Since: Grade 5 Interests: Photography, art, soccer

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At Stanwich Since: Grade 5 Interests: Dance, piano, reading

At Stanwich Since: Grade 10 Interests: Soccer, basketball, traveling,

Allyson Tracey

Katherine Medina

writing for school paper, family

At Stanwich Since: Grade 5 Interests: Acting, singing

RJ Mullins

At Stanwich Since: Grade 9 Interests: Basketball, football,

writing music

At Stanwich Since: Grade 10 Interests: Irish Dance, teaching dance,

Gordon Ziegler

At Stanwich Since: Grade 10 Interests: Music, acting, video games

Juan Zumaeta

At Stanwich Since: Grade 10 Interests: Soccer, fitness, music,

acting, traveling

The Stanwich Heart

Stanwich Snapshot What did you do this summer?

We asked and you answered with photos from

AROUND THE GLOBE! Third grader Charlie Benincasa at Camp Seton

Teacher Christi Wong with her twin sister in New Hampshire

Eighth grader Annie Bharucha on vacation in Venice

Paul and Robin Geise with alumni James Grasso at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming Teachers Jo and Seb Mineo on Mount Etna in Sicily

Sixth grader Niklas Simonsen in Hawaii

Ainsley and Anders Hoemann in Equador Ainsley is in the northern hemisphere, while Anders is in the southern

www.stanwichschool.org

The Grady girls in sunny Florida

Fall 2013 15

The Back Page

JOY

Join us to celebrate the

Parent Literature Forum with Mr. Mandia

of the season!

January 16, 2014 • 7:00pm Head of School’s Home • 235 Stanwich Rd.

Upper School Concert and Art Show Thursday, December 12 at 6:30pm Stanwich East

PreK Holiday Performance Friday, December 13 at 8:00am Primary House Assembly Room

Intermediate House Concert

Coming in mid-January, the Parent Literature Forum, led by Upper School English teacher Bruce Mandia, presents an opportunity for Stanwich parents to read and discuss some of the same literature Upper School students are studying in English class. Join us!

The Merchant of Venice will be the subject of discussion.

Lower School parents are welcome to attend, as well. Come with comments, questions, and an inquisitive mind.

Wednesday, December 18 at 5:30pm Main campus gym

Primary House Holiday Performance Friday, December 20 at 10:30am Main campus gym PH dismissal to follow

Family Skating at Chelsea Piers!

All-School Open Skate Stanwich will be having an “open skate” for Stanwich families at Chelsea Piers during the winter on Friday afternoons. The open skate is open to all members of the Stanwich community. There will be no cost to attend the skate, but donations to the Stanwich Physical Education department are welcome. The skate sessions will be from 2:00-3:00pm, and parents are asked to stay to supervise their children.

The open skate sessions will be on the following dates:

November 15, 22 • December 6, 13 • January 10, 17, 24, 31 • February 7

16 Fall 2013

The Stanwich School • 257 Stanwich Road • Greenwich, CT 06830 • www.stanwichschool.org

The Stanwich Heart