Stanwichspringnewsletter2015

The Stanwich Heart The Newsletter of The Stanwich School

Spring 2015

Senior Wins Outstanding Young Businessman Award Sophomores Perform at Shakespeare Competition Girls’ Basketball Team Celebrates Undefeated Season Students Raise Over $305,000 for St. Jude Math-A-Thon

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lC assroom “apps” Pg. 18 n in India to create re ild ch ith w te ra Students collabo

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Contents 18 Coding in the Classroom

Intermediate House students collaborate with children in India to create “Apps” and exchange cultural experiences

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From the Head of School

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Life at the Lower School

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Life at the Upper School

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Paul G. Geise

Meaghan Mallin, Associate Head of School and Head of Lower School

Jerome Murphy, Head of Upper School

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Lower School Physical Education Rob Higle, Director of Athletics

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Upper School Athletics

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News

Winter Season Wrap-up

Interesting items and current events

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Stanwich Traditions

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Math-A-Thon

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From the Parent Association

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The Back Page

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Charter Day & Sledding on the Hill

Over 9 years, Stanwich Raises $305,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Naomi Azrak, PA President

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From the Head of School

Pillars of Excellence

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hile the earth has been cloaked with snow and deeply frozen for all too long this winter, we know that the silent preparations for spring beneath the soil and within the lifeless branches have already begun. Longer, warmer sunlight hours and the nutrient rich soil provide the optimal environment for new and abundant life to return. The patient rhythms of nature provide such a splendid example and metaphor for schools.

An exemplary teacher: Has high expectations for oneself and others Works on the capacity to inspire and create “the want” in students Has substantial knowledge of the subject matter Possesses passion and enthusiasm Is supportive/affirming Balances patience and empathy with a demand for excellence Demonstrates connection to and chemistry with others Balances humor and levity with seriousness of purpose Spends requisite time to know each child and respect the uniqueness of the learner Is intentionally reflective of practice; employs a continuous growth mindset, is mindful, and is open to constructive criticism Communicates well among all involved in the learning process Demonstrates adaptability, adjustability, and flexibility Remains current with research, with a penchant for innovation Prepares thoroughly Stresses a sense of ethics (that is, professional moral courage)

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The foundation of any great community of learning lies in the silent preparations for that optimal environment. For schools, it is exemplary teaching. At the heart of Stanwich is a school culture and optimal environment in which we help learners be the best they can be as well as to help others to be their best. It is a key pillar of our excellence. To shine light on what makes great teaching is to deepen and thicken the roots of excellence, This past year the faculty engaged in open and healthy discussions on what it means to be exemplary within their profession. We reflected on the great teachers each of us had growing up and debated the common attributes that made them so meaningful and memorable. The result of those discussions was a generally agreed upon list of ideal qualities describing an exemplary teacher. I was quite pleased with the common list we assembled and believe it captures the essential elements of an exemplary teacher (see left sidebar).

Exemplary teaching is directional, dynamic, and aspirational. Even the very best teachers are not always exemplary; it is what we all strive to become. We know great teaching when we see it happening because it stands out. We also jointly ac-

knowledge that great teaching is not one model but a deeply personal and unique combination of qualities employed. Great teaching needs a proper context within which to best function.

This winter each head teacher developed a personal statement of belief on what great teaching meant to them and these statements are posted on their respective website listing: Click the “About” section, then “Administration & Faculty.” I invite you to read them. Know that our faculty are aligned in spirit to be the best they can be. One of our strategic initiatives is focused on how we can best assess and nourish great teaching, and an essential preparation for that optimal environment is to articulate and set the high bar to which we as professionals can aspire. Our ongoing work will be to assure that great teaching is a continual conversation within our professional Stanwich community. Your children are being inspired each day by great teaching, and we intend to keep shining the light on it so that great learning fully takes root and nourishes the mind, body and spirit of every Stanwich student.

Happy spring!

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Life at the Lower School as Stanwich School students. At the root of all of this though, is our values based curriculum and culture, which underlies everything else that we do.

Throughout its seventeen years, Stanwich’s emphasis on values and character has never wavered. We spend great time and energy teaching our students about the facets of our core values, including the Golden Rule, the Heart of Stanwich, and our Stanwich Seven. During the past months, we continued our focus on our Stanwich Seven during our weekly values classes. Students have been participating in discourse and listening to stories on compassion, and more recently, honesty. Though the lesson might look very different for a first grader than a fifth grader, the core messages remain the same. We define our Stanwich Seven value, then discuss its importance and how it applies to our lives. For example, during our recent study of honesty, our younger students listened to and discussed the book, The Empty Pot by Demi, while our older students tackled honesty dilemmas, discussing how to handle a challenging moral situation. Our

Meaghan Mallin

Associate Head of School Head of Lower School

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hough the winter weather has been bleak and weary, life inside the Lower School has remained vibrant and joyful throughout these past months. Our children have spent their days immersed in their learning, engaged in special activities, and enjoying the sheer zeal of sledding down our hill at recess. Our students enjoy full days here, packed with dynamic academic studies, lessons in art, music, drama, and PE, as well as their robust social worlds. These are all vital components of their experience

sixth graders, whose values program focuses on moral leadership, have been discussing how our Stanwich Seven informs the integrity of a person. Regardless of the lesson at hand, the impact remains the same. Our students understand that their character is the most important thing about them.

Our emphasis on character starts in our values classes, but extends into all facets of our students’ lives. Our children hear positive messages about the importance of their character on a daily basis, through daily assemblies, discussions about characters in the literature that they read, expectations of sportsmanship on the playing field, and in the ongoing dialogue they have with their teachers throughout each and every day. It is more than a curriculum; it is a culture. And having our children immersed in this culture each day empowers them to make good choices, take healthy risks, develop leadership skills, and become their true selves. It is through our values culture that we enable our children to develop their Stanwich Heart, so that they can be their best, help others be their best, and make God’s world a better place.

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1 PreK art 2-3 K indergarten Nutcracker performance 4-5 G rade 1 mathematical snowflakes 6-8 Grade 4 Civil War Wax Museum 9 M athematical estimation stations in Grade 6 10-12 Grade 5 snow day 13 Animal Embassy visits Grade 2 14-15 R ecycled materials are made into instruments in Grade 3 4 Spring 2015

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Life at the Upper School basketball games, the Winter Formal and New Roc City, it is a joy to see how connected our students are to our school. Collectively, our students’ engagement in these programs serves to build a feeling of community and school pride: qualities that animate the Heart of Stanwich.

Exemplary Students

Jerome Murphy

Head of Upper School

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s I reflect on the stormy winter months, I can’t help but admire the resiliency and “can do” spirit our community has shown in ensuring that the integrity of our program and the plethora of opportunities afforded our students remained constant.

After successfully navigating through a rigorous first semester exam experience, our 7th and 8th graders continue to demonstrate their school spirit in so many ways. Beyond the commitment they continue to show in the classroom, our Junior House students have been active and engaged in other areas of school life. Mindful of the importance of service to the community, our students have shown their true Stanwich colors, as they continue to learn about the needs of others and act to address those needs. Whether it involves providing meals, collecting toys or clothes, or providing companionship for lonely senior citizens, our kids are always at their best when helping those in need.

Moreover, it has been great to see our JH students getting involved in school life in so many ways. Between the commitment they have shown to preparing for their musical performances every week, or the commitment shown in athletics — an undefeated girls’ basketball season! — or taking advantage of social opportunities like our student/faculty

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Our Senior House students have also continued to manifest their school spirit and commitment to being exemplary students. Triskelion Cup competitions, related to mind, body, and spirit, continue to be the buzz in the Senior House. Following a Quiz Bowl competition, the three houses (Hale, Twain, and Stowe) took to the big hill on campus for sledding contests, and all the students enjoyed some wild rides! Congratulations to Hale House for securing victory for the month of February as a result of their efforts, including earning the highest GPA at the interim. The overall yearto-date standings among the three Houses remain tight, and the trophy for the year end victor is still up for grabs.

Our 9th graders continue to focus on their development as leaders, learning about the skill sets associated with leadership and applying that awareness on their March journey to Costa Rica. Through their recent participation in the NASA experience (a half day activity which put the students in charge of a real time natural disaster on an island), students learned the importance of individual roles to a team’s success.

After Stanwich recently joined the English Speaking Union, our 10th graders spent time in English class selecting, memorizing, and preparing to recite a 20-line monologue from a Shakespeare play. During the inspiring and suspenseful competition that followed, students delivered their monologues in front of the US community, the 6th grade,

and a set of judges. The two students who won then went on to represent the school in a larger, regional competition.

College Admissions Our juniors have been focusing on the college admissions process. In addition to the commitment they have shown by engaging in SAT prep classes every Saturday morning at Stanwich, these students have also been meeting with our college counselors, Howard and Matthew Greene, to start formulating their college lists. Both parents and students have benefitted from the individual attention provided in our college counseling program, and we look forward to building on the successful college placements our students have enjoyed during the last two years.

Indeed, it has been an exciting time for all of us in the US community, as our seniors begin to receive letters of acceptance from the colleges to which they have applied. We are thrilled that all of the seniors have been accepted at one or more colleges; the success they have experienced is a testament to each student’s growth during the time he/she has been at Stanwich. Of equal importance, our college admissions process and its results also serve to remind us of the importance of securing the right fit for each student; a fit that allows each student to continue his/her growth in an environment that caters to his/ her interests, learning style, and personality.

In spite of a disruptive winter, I was impressed with how engaged and spirited our kids have been. Their commitment to being their best has manifested itself in so many ways, and it has been a joy to witness the growth and success they have experienced as a result — whether individually or as a contributing member of their class or the larger school community.

Triskelion Cup participants Grade 9 NASA Mock Disaster Simulation Senior speeches U pper School art Winter Dance Grade 8 science lab litmus test French club Fête des Rois celebration 1

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Lower School Physical Education

Rob Higle

Director of Athletics

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ven though Mother Nature kept us inside all winter, PE class has not slowed down! The winter months are long and have us yearning for warmer weather and running around on the turf. There was a small change within the PE department at the beginning of 2015. We lost “Mr. T” to the Police Academy, but his replacement

has proved to be a top notch educator. Ali Steinberg, “Ms. S,” has made a seamless transition into her role here at Stanwich. She even led her Girls’ Basketball Navy team to an undefeated season!

Students in PreK through Grade 2 have participated in various cooperative learning activities that have concentrated on their ability to demonstrate personal and social responsibility. They have been introduced to and been asked to identify the three levels of activity: high, medium and low. Students explored hula hoops in un-traditional usage and participated in several class-wide competitions. Lastly, there has been a strong presence of throwing and rolling activities during the winter in physical education.

In Grades 3 through 6, students have displayed tremendous dedication and effort during all of our units and station work. We

have introduced a new game to the Stanwich School IH PE curriculum, Pickleball. This racquet sport is fast-paced and high-energy and it demands outstanding hand-eye coordination. Some other activities the IH students participated in were: badminton, volleyball, rock climbing, ladder golf, double dutch, watermelon and a fan favorite, GaGa ball.

As part of our station work, students are often asked to complete a W.O.D. or “Workout Of the Day.” Spartan WOD’s were created to target and push students’ healthrelated fitness components to the limit. The five health-related fitness components are: muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. The students and PE teachers cannot wait to get down to the turf, start our spring curriculum, and run around under the sun in the beautiful spring weather.

Equipment Update Take a look at some of the new exciting Physical Education equipment Frisbee golf target set, rainbow Frisbee set, PE bats, equipment cart, spike ball sets, iPad, wireless speaker, iTunes gift Card for PE apps, 1-year subscription to Pandora One, badminton racquets, fleece balls, and Pickleball sets.

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1-4 G rades 2 & 4 jump rope and Pickleball skills 5 Grade 4 double dutch thrills 6-10 G rades 4 & 6 basketball and Kindergarten rolling drills

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Upper School Athletics Winter Season Wrap-up Boys’ Basketball - Carolina

Girls’ Basketball - Navy

The Carolina Boys’ Basketball team won their last game versus French American, 37-32. The victory ended the season on a positive note and with a record of 6 wins and 1 loss. That one loss, by only 6 points, was the first game of season. While the coaches were extremely pleased with the team’s record, there were more important victories throughout the season. Wins are great, but being able to watch individuals and a team grow and mature over the course of a long winter season is what coaching at Stanwich is all about. The life lessons that were learned on the court will better prepare these young men for success with their future endeavors.

Undefe

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The Navy Girls’ Basketball team finished the season undefeated (6-0).

Throughout the season the girls displayed tremendous improvement not only as individual players, but as a team. The team worked on moving the ball, off ball movement, and playing as a cohesive unit. Each day the girls showed up willing to learn and work hard. They were consistently dedicated and composed and they put forth their best effort in each practice and game. Ultimately this dedication is what led the team to an incredible undefeated season.

Girls’ Basketball - White

Boys’ Basketball - Navy The Navy Boys’ Basketball team had a wonderful season which opened with a grudge-match against the Stanwich White Boys’ Basketball team. It was a nip and tuck affair the whole way through. The boys had a convincing win over Carmel Academy in the middle of the season, which ended on a positive note with a strong win over Whitby. Throughout the year, the boys played hard, never gave up, and continually showed their character and sportsmanship.

The White Girls’ Basketball season was been full of hard work, determination, and growth. The girls’ had a difficult schedule but never gave up and faced each challenge with their great Stanwich spirit. The team was made up of a diverse group of basketball players, which gave them the wonderful opportunity to learn from each other and grow not only individually, but as a team. Throughout the season the Spartans put forth their best effort and made improvements.

Squash

Boys’ Basketball - White The White Boys’ Basketball team had a very successful season with the boys demonstrating tremendous improvement. They were always smiling while remaining committed to getting better each day. The team had three victories, with their first win as a grudge match against the other Stanwich basketball team in our league. It was an exciting game that ultimately was decided by one point! The next victory against Carmel Academy was a great team effort, with the players getting everyone on the team involved in the game. Finally, the boys ended the season with an exciting victory over the Wooster School.

After being down at halftime, the boys fought back and won the game.

Boys’ Basketball - Senior House The Senior House Boys’ Basketball team put together a season to remember in 2014-15. Having mostly new players, and with a commitment to each other, the team believed in the philosophy of “precision” basketball and strove for greatness with each game. While not every game was a victory, the players held their heads high and celebrated proudly after their biggest triumph: a thrilling win against Stamford Youth. The exhibition game against the faculty put the finishing touch on a team-oriented culture that saw every player improve, every player score, and the team grow as a unit throughout the season. We were most proud of our growth as a basketball squad and the cheers we got from a full-house crowd of Spartans fans at our four home games. Senior captain Jose Maita deserves special recognition for his leadership and the mentoring he did of a team made up of mostly underclassmen as he took his final bow in a Stanwich uniform. The Senior House basketball program will continue to grow as the kids gain experience into 2015-16 and beyond!

This year the squash program was a great success for both the novice players and for those boys that had previous experience. The coaching from the professionals at Chelsea Piers, headed by Natalie Grainger, was outstanding. The professionals were encouraging and excited to see all our players improve during the season. The competitive team finished with a record of two wins, one tie and four losses. We began the season with only six boys playing matches, and because of the improvement made, we ended with ten. This was a wonderful testament to their improvement.

Volleyball - Senior House It was an exciting inaugural season of volleyball for the lady Spartans! Envisioned and executed by team-leaders Samantha Erfe and Michele Wakim, the team had a great start to developing an exciting future. The team called the Greenwich YMCA home and worked out on the court two days a week.

In that little time, they developed crucial skills of bumping, setting and spiking. Most of the ladies started as beginners and have already began to master the footwork and show great signs of teamwork. The lady Spartans are looking forward to a competitive season next fall.

Fitness This season in fitness, the group worked extremely hard. During late fall, students were able to take advantage of the mild weather and do our circuit training outside. After moving inside everyone continued with circuit training while also working out individual muscle groups. Each student worked hard every single day.

Welcome to Stanwich’s Athletics Faculty Ali Steinberg Physical Education Instructor & Coach Ali played five years of both varsity tennis and lacrosse, and was three time lacrosse High School All American.

She went to Rutgers University where she played 4 years of lacrosse at the Division I level and captained her senior year as well as received the MVP award her junior and senior season. Ali also holds the record at Rutgers for most draw controls won in a single game (10). After college Ali continued to pursue her passion for sports and teaching. She and her twin sister created a club lacrosse program (JSA Elite) to continue to spread their love of the game. Ali is now looking forward to doing the same within the Stanwich Community.

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Upper School Teams Boys’ Basketball - Carolina — Coaches Higle & Colombo Rye Sports Photos • www.ryesportsphotos.com

Boys’ Basketball - Navy — Coach Cardarelli Boys’ Basketball - White — Coach Milostan Boys’ Basketball - Senior House — Coach Katona Girls’ Basketball - Navy — Coach Steinberg Girls’ Basketball - White — Coach Houlihan Squash — Coaches Stephens & Hendricks

Additional Upper School Sports Offerings Volleyball - Senior House — Coaches Gotschall & Nacher Fitness — Coach Dunn

www.stanwichschool.org

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News

Junior Achievement Honors Two Stanwich Seniors

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tanwich seniors José Maita and Victoria Slater were honored with awards for their hard work and effort in their “businesses” through the Junior Achievement organization. Seventy-five volunteer consultants from area corporations guided the student participants in organizing and operating six small businesses. During the 12-week period of student company meetings, students raised capital, produced and marketed products, held Board of Directors’ meetings, prepared annual reports, paid dividends to stockholders, and finally liquidated their companies.

Senior José Maita won the Outstanding Young Business Man honor, was runner up for President of the Year, and was also the recipient of a $2,500 Junior Achievement Scholarship.

Maita’s company, Concordia – which was sponsored by GE Capital – also went on to win Company of the Year. He won this award for the third year in a row and is again presented with the opportunity to travel to Canada this summer for an all-expense-paid trip to a convention where he will have the opportunity to meet with many different business owners/executives.

“I put a lot of dedication, time and effort into my role as president,” said José. “I directed the entire company and took accountability for all of the good and the bad. That’s what you have to do as president. You also have to be the face of the company as much as possible.”

Fellow senior Victoria Slater was named runner up Vice President of Public Relations for her company, SBU — or Students.Business.United — which was sponsored by UBS. Other Stanwich students involved were Michael McKelvie, Niaomi King, Ian Davis, Shelby Crimmins, Helen Wang, Alex Touzot, Isabel Vigale and Valerie Romo.

Junior Achievement, an educational program that allows dedicated students from various schools to practice practical and realistic economic business tactics, was established in 1975 and since then has served more than 200,000 students from elementary through high school. Young people from Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk, Westport and Weston have benefited from Junior Achievement programs.

Jose Maita (far left) with officers, employees and consultants of Junior Achievement’s winning company of the year, Concordia.

Art Exhibit For the month of February, Cos Cob Library hosted an exhibit of selected artworks from The Stanwich School. The exhibit featured artwork from a talented group of student artists from both Lower and Upper School in a wide array of mediums.

The vibrant exhibit included the following work: PreK: Caterpillars in the style of Eric Carle K: Faces in the style of Picasso Grade 1: Penguins Grade 2: Blue dog paintings Grade 3: Cherry blossom trees Grade 5: Chuck Close/cupcakes Grade 7: E xpressionist animals in the style of Franz Marc Grade 8: Portraits of famous Americans Senior House: Studio art profiles and hands

Triskelion Cup Update With the inaugural year of the Triskelion Cup underway, Senior House students are leading a new tradition that includes year-long tournaments that challenge the mind, body and spirit.

Influenced by the British house system that was popularized by the Harry Potter series, Stanwich has added a new twist to its academic structure. The Triskelion Cup consists of three houses of students in grades 9 through 12 who are separated into, and are named after, famous Connecticut historical figures: Nathan Hale, Mark Twain, and Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Throughout the year the three teams compete to win the silver Triskelion Cup.

Current Standings (as of print time) HALE 855 Points TWAIN 780 Points STOWE 740 Points

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Sophomores Compete at Annual Shakespeare Competition

Smooth Sailing Stanwich fifth grader and sailing enthusiast Griffin Gigliotti was invited to be a member of the US Sailing Team racing Optimist in Braassemermeer, Holland in April 2015. He qualified for this honor as one of 243 sailors from around the country competing to be selected for the US teams that travel internationally.

According to Griffin, “This has been a 4-year process of trying to do well enough in a regatta to qualify. This will be my first time going this far out of the country for sailing, and I can’t wait to compete!”

Echoing his enthusiasm, Griffin’s father, Greg, said, “We as a family – and Griffin, most of all – appreciate that this wouldn’t have been possible without the school’s enthusiastic support.”

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always thought Hamlet was an interesting character,” said Stanwich sophomore Matt Shindel when talking about why he chose to portray the character for the National Shakespeare Competition of the English Speaking Union. “He’s fallen apart and into himself,” said Matt who walked away as the winner of Stanwich’s monologue contest.

Under the guidance of Upper School English teacher Bruce Mandia, the school’s sophomores each memorized a 20-line monologue from one of Shakespeare’s works and performed in front of a three judge panel, fellow upper classmates, faculty and parents.

Finishing second in Stanwich’s match was Aidan Sebold for his portrayal of Prince Hal from Henry IV Part I, and taking third place was Yona Dervishi as Marc Anthony from Julius Caesar. Talking about why he chose to portray Hal, Aidan said, “Hal was more relatable than other Shakespeare characters. Hal seems casual and laid back, more like someone you would meet today.”

Both Matt and Aidan were chosen to represent The Stanwich School at the next level of competition at the Cole Auditorium of Greenwich Library for the 31st annual Shakespeare Competition.

Sponsored by the Greenwich branch of the English-Speaking Union, the competition was part of a national competition that gets 15,000 students from around the country to brush up on their Shakespeare.

The local event was co-sponsored by Friends of the Greenwich Library and the Smith College Club of Greenwich and Stamford.

Twenty-three young players from across the state performed Shakespeare’s sonnets and monologues with their personal interpretations, each performer doing one of each. Now members of the English Speaking Union, Stanwich Senior House students can look forward to displaying their thespian aptitude each year at the regional competition.

Maverick MVP Run, Stanwich, Run! Each fall, Stanwich School’s Physical Education staff spearheads an effort to encourage students to run, and then tracks how many miles the students complete. This year, students in grades 3 through 6 ran 1,274 miles, and Stanwich’s PE staff and parents donated just under of $2,000 in honor of the students’ efforts.

The funds raised were used to purchase sporting equipment for the school’s physical education program.

www.stanwichschool.org

In December, Henry Goldberg was awarded the Bantam Mavericks Football Barradas MVP award. An outstanding accomplishment, it is the first time a front lineman has received the honor.

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News Lots of Locks of Love

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hree kind-hearted members of the Stanwich community have recently made the selfless decision to have their long locks chopped for charity. Lower School art teacher Leanne (LeBlanc) Bloom, and fourth graders Sydney Gigliotti and Abby Ortiz recently donated their hair to Locks of Love to help aid financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss.

“My mom said I should wait to donate my hair until after Christmas, but I wanted a girl to get a (natural hairpiece) before Christmas. I wanted to make a difference,” said Sydney.

In agreement with her classmate, Abby said, “I was happy to help someone. I had the idea in first grade, so I grew my hair long so I could give it to someone who would find it important.”

“I’ve donated my hair twice, and when my hair is long enough I plan on doing it again,” said Mrs. Bloom. “Cancer hits pretty close to home with me, with it being in my family and my father having kidney cancer years ago, so donating my hair is just small way to help.”

Congratulations to the

122 students in

Grades 3 through 7 who were recognized

by Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth!

To qualify for CTY, students must place in the

95th percentile - or higher -

in math and/or verbal testing.

Chess Masters Stanwich National Scholastic Chess Tournament chess players: Sean Collins, Jake Edward, Jackson Gerardi, Rami Khan, Margaret Lange, Benjamin Sanders, Oliver Servedio, Harrison Servedio, Benjamin Stein, Gilad Wiegenfeld, Claire Yu. Coach: Alan Abrams.

Recent Tournaments: Cottle School Tournament (Eastchester, NY) • Oliver Servedio 1st place in Primary division • Sean Collins tied 3rd place in Primary novice division • 2nd place team in Primary novice section GCDS Tournament • Sean Collins 2nd place • 2nd place team in Primary novice section Bronxville, NY Tournament • Jackson Gerardi 1st place Greenwich City Championship • Oliver Servedio tied 3rd place Church St. Tournament (White Plains, NY) • Oliver Servedio 1st place Columbus School Tournament (New Rochelle, NY) • Jake Edward 2nd place K/1 division

Parenting: The Biggest Job We’ll Ever Have According to author Laura Gauld, true education springs not just from seeking good grades and achievements but from reestablishing a commitment to character, attitude and purpose. Talking to Stanwich parents about her book, Parenting: The Biggest Job We’ll Ever Have, Laura Gauld highlighted a new paradigm for reconnecting education with values, and the focus is not on the child, but on the parents.

Advising Stanwich parents to inspire their children to be “good” people, Gauld said, “If your child does good things, she will feel good about herself … A true test of character is how you treat the people who can do nothing for you.”

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“The workshop was fantastic, and she is the best speaker I have seen. I could have enjoyed her for even a longer time,” said Stanwich parent Kristen Beckman.

Laura Gauld, who previously served on The Stanwich School’s advisory board, was instrumental in working with our founder, Pat Young, to form the Stanwich seven values.

This summer’s required reading for Stanwich parents will be Gauld’s book, Parenting: The Biggest Job We’ll Ever Have.

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(MATHCOUNTS<Competition)

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art of a group of 160 student “mathletes,” five Stanwich School students recently competed in the regional MATHCOUNTS competition at Fairfield University. The annual regional MATHCOUNTS competition brought together students from 27 schools throughout Southwest Connecticut to test their math skills on Saturday, February 14. Sixth graders Margaux Barthelemy, Ashley Hatstadt and Oliver Kennon, seventh grader David Wood, and eighth grader Matthias Otto recently formed the school’s math team, meeting weekly during lunch time with advisors Nikki Miller, Grade 6 math teacher, and Craig Colavito, Lower School math enrichment teacher.

Finishing in the top quarter of participants, Matthias Otto said, “Our math team leaders, Mrs. Miller and Mr. Colavito, told us about the competition and it sounded really interesting, and they were great mentors.” Giving advice to future Stanwich mathletes, Matthias advised, “There is a really high level of skills from all of the schools involved, but don’t be nervous. You have to think clearly to be successful.”

“This was an exciting opportunity to represent Stanwich at this level of competition,” said Mrs. Miller. “It speaks volumes for our math enrichment program that our students placed so well at their first competitive event. I think it demonstrates that our kids are doing great things academically.”

MATHCOUNTS aims to boost student interest in mathematics by making the subject challenging and entertaining, to help students build a foundation for success in science, technology,

Top Spellers Compete Intermediate House students competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Fifth grader William Plummer won Stanwich’s competition by correctly spelling the word, largesses.

(Left to right) Sophie Jayaweera, Ellie Clark, Madeleine Vitanza, Giselle Messina, Rebecca Boolbol, Sydney Goldstein, William Plummer, Max Leininger, Oliver Kennon, Reis Halpin, Ben Heike, and Lochlan Laitala. Not pictured: Carson Miles, Robbie Moro, Ben Seaman, Kurt Stuebe, and Edward Weld.

www.stanwichschool.org

Stanwich’s Math Team: Nikki Miller (Grade 6 Math Teacher), Ashley Hatstadt (Grade 6), Margaux Barthelemy (Grade 6), Matthias Otto (Grade 8), Craig Colavito (Math Enrichment Teacher), David Wood (Grade 7), and Oliver Kennon (Grade 6) and engineering. Each year, more than 500 regional competitions are held in middle schools across the country, with winners advancing to state competitions and then to the national competition. The competition is a three-hour event with a series of rounds featuring mathematics problems to challenge students one-on-one and as teams. First is the sprint round, a 30-question test that students complete individually. The competitors go next to the target round, where they have four sets of math problems and six minutes to complete each set of two questions.

Our Newest American:

Congratulations, Señora Nacher!

Recently, Upper School Spanish teacher Señora Nacher finalized the long process of becoming an American citizen, by taking the U.S. Citizenship test.

They were “basic questions about the federal government, constitution, and the state of New York,” she said. Señora lives with her family in New York State and now holds dual citizenship with Spain.

Señora Nacher was overjoyed when talking about how it feels to be an American citizen. She said the best part about her new citizenship was that, “[I] feel really happy to know that I am a part of the group just like everybody else.”

The entire Stanwich community is very proud of Señora Nacher, and we congratulate her on her dedication to becoming a citizen of the United States!

—Cami Lavoie ‘17, Reporter, Stanwich Post Spring 2015 15

Stanwich Traditions

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Charter Day

CHARTER DAY is the day the state of Connecticut recognized The Stanwich School as a new school by signing our charter certificate. Classes commenced the following September. Â This January, we marked our 17th year!

16 Spring 2015

The Stanwich Heart

SNOW MUCH FUN! Sledding on the Hill

WINTER DAYS at recess mean hats, gloves, snow pants and sledding for Lower School students.

Even Senior House students get in on the fun for Triskelion Cup competitions!

www.stanwichschool.org

Spring 2015 17

Innovation

Coding in the Classroom I

Intermediate House students collaborate with children in India to create “Apps” and exchange cultural experiences

n this age of social media, smart phones, tablets, Scratch and MOOCs, software applications play a larger role than ever in the learning environment. In fact, apps have reached such a level of ubiquity that students not old enough to remember original broadcasts of the TV sitcom Friends, are creating apps of their own.

A group of about 20 Intermediate House students are fully engaged in a weekly Afters class, Programming & Mobile Application Design, offered through the non-profit organization Level Up Villages. A Greenwich-based company, Level Up connects American students with kids in other parts of the world through STEM (science, technology, engineering

Getting Appy Here’s a look at what apps students are creating: “What’s For You?” Best Books, TV Shows & Movies “Destiny” Interactive Space Game “Number Shuffle” Math Game Sport of “Cheese Rolling” “Food Calories” Tracker “Easy Translation” “Minecraft” Player Tips

18 Spring 2015

and math) projects. Two instructors from Level Up, Ian Weatherseed and Rebecca Koval, help the Stanwich students with their programming.

Its focus is learning about programming, but that’s just part of the mission.

Teachers also want the kids to expand their perspectives. That is why they are exchanging videos with students at the Gyan Bharati Hindi Night School in Mumbai.

“Technology is one of the ways they’re going to be able to make an impact and make the world a better place,” said Craig Bolotin, Stanwich’s educational technologist. “The technology also gives them the chance to connect and get to know students in another part of the world. I think it’s a very powerful experience.”

There is equal enthusiasm in Mumbai about the partnership. It is the Gyan Bharati students’ first time working with American counterparts.

Talking to the Greenwich Time about the international partnership, Girija Tulpule, program head at Masoom, a Mumbai nonprofit that supports the school, said, “For our students, the fact that Stanwich students are interested in knowing them and forming a relationship is a big deal. The mobile apps that they are working on become a common thread for their bonding.”

The two groups exchange videos, rather than talk directly, as live chats would be difficult with a 10.5-hour time difference. In the videos, students talk about their projects and ask questions about their counterparts’ apps. They also discuss daily routines such

as schoolwork and chores. The Mumbai students, who are 12-14, go to school at night because they work during the day.

“I think the best thing about this class is it exposes kids to what other children in other parts of the world are going through,” Koval said. “It exposes them to the disadvantages that a lot of people face.”

George Drennen, a sixth grader who is working on a “best books, TV shows and movies” app said, “It’s been fun being introduced to kids in India. We’ve learned that their lives are a lot different than ours. They do a lot more work than us, working during the day, and going to school at night.”

Most of the students at both schools are programming novices. At Stanwich, the students are working on Chromebook laptops with a graphics-based program that allows them to build their apps by dragging and dropping elements. But the apps are definitely their own, as they do all the designing and developing.

“There’s a freedom and choice when you program,” said sixth-grader Margaux Barthelemy. “It’s your design and creativity.”

Margaux is making a “Numbers Shuffle” game with her partner, fellow sixthgrader Ellie Clark. Other groups also have video game themes to their apps.

The Gyan Bharati students are working on apps that focus on cricket, music, shoemaking and quizzes.

“It’s not too hard,” said fifth-grader Jameson Gerson. “You kind of have to know how to use a computer to do it. We’re getting the hang of it. We’re doing pretty well.”

The Stanwich Heart

www.stanwichschool.org

Spring 2015 19

Service Learning

Over 9 years, Stanwich raises $305,970 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

F

or the ninth year in a row, Stanwich students helped to save lives by participating in the St. Jude Math-A-Thon to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Students asked their friends and family to pledge a specific amount of money for every math problem they solved. The event, which ran for a month this winter, had an impressive number of students participating.

In Grades K, 2 and 5, 100 percent of students raised funds. Students in the remaining Lower School had more than a 96 percent participation rate. Junior House students in Grades 7 and 8 also rose to the occasion and gained 100% participation.

Over the past nine years, Stanwich students have raised more than $305,970 for the world’s premiere pediatric cancer research center. These funds will help St. Jude in its ongoing fight against childhood catastrophic diseases. So far this year, Stanwich’s Math-A-Thon raised $21,470 for St. Jude’s (final donations were still being collected at press time).

“Our goal in holding this event is to help children who are stricken with diseases like cancer, AIDS, sickle cell disease and other illnesses. We always hold this event in January to link with the Stanwich value of Wisdom, demonstrating how children can use their minds to help others,” said Laurel Peterson, coordinator of the event.

When talking about his motivation to participate in the Math-A-Thon, Grade 3 student Sol Hochman said, “I have always wanted to help people and stop disease. I was able to donate money and do math, which I love. I hope I helped kids for the better.”

Echoing her classmate, Evelyn Fitts said, “The Math-A-Thon was fun and it helps kids, so I’ll do it again next year. My grandparents and my mom and dad said I did a good thing for a good cause.”

Students in grades K through 8 worked diligently to raise the funds. “Our students have a wonderful time participating in the Math-A-Thon. Talk about a win/win situation: generating donations for such a wonderful charity, empowering our children with the knowledge they can make a difference, and getting our kids to do additional math problems,” said Meaghan Mallin, Associate Head of School.

For 30 years, the St. Jude Math-A-Thon program has successfully helped children improve their math skills and helped raise millions of dollars in the fight against childhood cancer. More than 10,000 schools across the country take part in the Math-A-Thon program.

In 2009, Stanwich raised the most amount of funds for the Math-A-Thon out of any participating school in the country. In recognition of this accomplishment, St. Jude, in partnership with PlayCore, rewarded Stanwich with $50,000 worth of playground equipment. Stanwich repeated the accomplishment the following year and was awarded an additional $50,000 worth of equipment. “We never told our students that winning a new playground was even a possibility. At Stanwich, we emphasize to the children that, ‘the gift is in the giving,’ ” said Mrs. Mallin.

St. Jude is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Founded by the late entertainer Danny Thomas, and based in Memphis, Tenn., St. Jude freely shares its discoveries with scientific and medical communities around the world. No family ever pays for treatments not covered by insurance, and families without insurance are never asked to pay.

20 Spring 2015

The Stanwich Heart

By The Numbers +

Math-A-Thon Donations Raised

2006-2007 ..... $39,392

2011-2012 ..... $36,750

2007-2008 ..... $42,315

2012-2013 ..... $31,405

2008-2009 ..... $35,890

2013-2014 ..... $30,021

2009-2010 ..... $33,971

2014-2015 ..... $21,470*

2010-2011 ..... $34,756

Total raised ........ $305,970

Source: St. Jude Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Research Hospital

www.stanwichschool.org

* Total as of press time

Spring 2015 21

From the Parent Association

Naomi Azrak

President, Parent Association

T

he Parent Association had a busy start to 2015. We began the year with our annual Charter Day celebrations on January 30th — the student celebration during the day, followed by a redux of the Charter Day Hoedown family celebration that evening. Thanks to both Janine Kennedy and Amy Andrews for their help in making this

celebration of Stanwich’s 17 years a success.

An active month of February continued the momentum with two Lower School student events coordinated by the PA — Movie Night and the IH Trivia Bowl. Thanks especially to Michael Clark and Maureen Vitanza for coordinating the Trivia Bowl, and many PA volunteers who helped at both events. “The Biggest Job” parent education workshop with Laura Gauld was a highly relevant and productive talk, as Ms. Gauld was involved in the creation of our Stanwich 7 values. We hope to continue the discussion of this book’s topics so that the messages our kids receive surrounding the importance of character are consistent at Stanwich and in our homes. Thanks to Kristen Beckman and Laurel Peterson for

their help in coordinating this talk.

The Faculty Appreciation lunch is around the corner on April 17th. Please help Helen Servick show our outstanding faculty how much we appreciate them by bringing in a dish for the lunch and/or helping at the event. Sign up information is available through the Parent Association section on the website.

Finally, please join us on Friday, April 24th for our Annual Benefit — “A Night at the Casino” at a fresh new venue, the Belle Haven Club. Co-chairs Kara Gerardi and Kristine Gigliotti and a dedicated Benefit committee have been hard at work on an event that you will not want to miss. If you have not already done so, buy your tickets today via the school website. See you at the Casino!

Announcements from the PA

Save the date

PA Spring Luncheon May 14

Faculty

Appreciation

Lunch ~April 17 Look for volunteer sign-up after spring break 22 Spring 2015

Save the Date

Grandparents Day Thursday, May 7 12:00-1:00pm • Wildwood Cottage (PreK & K) 1:00-3:00pm • Primary House (1 – 3) Classroom Visits, Concert and Art Exhibits

Honoring all Grandparents and Special Friends The Stanwich Heart

Rye Sports Photos â&#x20AC;¢ www.ryesportsphotos.com

A good time was had by all at the Charter Day Family Hoedown

www.stanwichschool.org

Spring 2015 23

The Stanwich School 257 Stanwich Road Greenwich, CT 06830

The Back Page Second Annual Commencement

Spring Admissions Open House

Save the Date

Grades PreK – 12 • Invite a friend

Thursday, May 28 at 4:00pm

Wednesday, May 6 • 9:00am

Reception to follow

A Night at The Casino Graduation Speaker Announced For Commencement The Stanwich School is pleased to announce that CBS television news producer Draggan Mihailovich has accepted the school’s invitation to serve as keynote speaker at Stanwich’s second annual commencement ceremony on May 28, 2015.

Mr. Mihailovich, a Stanwich School parent, was invited by the Class of 2015, and we are delighted he was able to accept. A producer and writer, Mr. Mihailovich is widely recognized for his work on 60 Minutes and the Olympic Winter Games.

All members of The Stanwich School class of 2015 have been accepted to 4-year colleges or universities.

24 Spring 2015

Join us for the Stanwich School Annual Benefit Friday, April 24th 6:00 to 11:00pm The Belle Haven Club (known in the 1920’s as “The Casino”), Greenwich Tickets can be purchased at www.stanwichschool.org Benefitting the student experience with athletic and extracurricular enhancements!

The Stanwich Heart