The Spartan Chronicle by Miami Country Day School

The official student newspaper of Miami Country Day Middle School

The Spartan Chronicle

TABLOID NEWS • SUNDAY • OCTOBER 11

VOL. 1, No. 1 ~ Miami Country Day School, 601 NE 107th Street ~ Miami, Florida 33161

CAMPUS CELEBRATIONS

ENTERTAINMENT PAGE 8

PAGE 7

MR. ROUHANIFARD’S JOURNEY TO SUCCESS

EDITORIALS PAGE 12

PAGE 10

Compassion in Action

MCDS celebrates learning differences and neurodiversity

Mrs. Brill believes that the Learning Resource Program helps students by empowering them. This is done through creating courses that allow accommodations for each student’s exceptionalities. “The Learning Resource Program helps make specialized lessons for each child to help them better themselves as students,” Mrs. Brill said. According to Mrs. Smith, the director of the Learning Resources Program, the program helps students to be advocates for themselves. It also helps students to develop those self advocacy skills so that they can be in control of their learning. “I think that that’s one of the main goals. It also helpsthem to learn about how they learn best,” Mrs. Smith said. The program provides students with the tools to help them succeed in life and to prosper. This pushes a sense of academic independence and the idea that students should learn to uphold themselves and be confident in their own abilities as students. continued on page 11

by ISABELLA LOVERDE The Learning Resources Program (also known as the LR program or LRP) is a cooperative unit built to support neurodiverse students with learning differences, and to assist them on their learning journeys at MCDS. This program embraces that there are all kinds of minds and that students all learn differently. The program services students with documented learning differences, believing in the potential of all students by recognizing and celebrating their learning intelligences.

The LR program was enacted for the purpose of “meeting the needs of students with average to superior intelligence and creativity that have learning differences.”.

gram provides students with flexible resources and guidance to help them become better students and be more confident and persistent in their learning.

Mrs. Brill, a STEM - Technology teacher believes that the Learning Resource Program should be emulated in every school.

Mrs. Hayes has taught at MCDS for several years and is one of the many teachers working to help students in the Learning Resources Program.

“I feel that each student is unique and this is celebrated. This program allows the teachers the privilege of teaching and learning from our kids.” Mrs. Brill said.

“In the Learing Resources Program we really try to understand each student, and more about their unique strengths and how to help students achieve their full potential,’’ Mrs. Hayes said.

The Learning Resources pro-

REMEMBERING 9-11 by ELOISE CHARALAMBIDES Schools all over the country commemorated the 20th anniversary of the tragic event, known as 9/11. Miami Country Day was no exception. The program for this historic day included many activiites

schoolwide. The day started with a message from our President and Head of School, Mariandl Hufford, then a flag raising to honor the lives that were lost. After the national anthem and a moment of silence, Mr. Turf gave a short speech on remembering, healing, and com-

passion. Middle school students then watched a five minute Gander documentary. The music students gave a moving performance of “38 Planes” from the Broadway musical hit, Come From Away. continued on page 2

CAMPUS CELEBRATIONS

9-11, FROM PAGE 1 Students also went on a walk of silent reflection to different places on campus and took a stone that had some meaning in the context of the day. “This event known as 9-11 and schools bringing awareness is extremely important because these stories deserve to be heard,’ Ms.Cabrera said. “It’s shocking what happened and many people used to think they lived in a safe, loving, vigilant, equal community. It left many people in pain. It left a sense of disbelief, grief, loss, and violation. In a way it ripped a bandaid off.” It’s important that we understand the importance of this historic event, the impact it had, and overall what happened. The 9-11 anniversay activities on campus helped us to do this. In memory of those we lost 20 years ago, we hug our families and we hold them close.

“

In memory of those we lost 20 years

ago, we hug our families and we hold them close. Eloise Charalambides

THE SPARTAN CHRONICLE Dec. 202111 TABLOID NEWS • SUNDAY •~OCTOBER

MCD MIDDLE TABLOID NEWSSCHOOL • SUNDAYNEWS • OCTOBER 11

CAMPUS CELEBRATIONS

RED RIBBON WEEK HISPANIC HERITAGE A COMMUNITY COMMEMORATION BY ISABELLA LOVERDE

“I saw that people were advocating for Hispanic people and were showing representation which I liked. I think that they should keep doing this every year because it celebrates different cultures.”

The MCDS community united to celebrate the Hispanic Heritage. From September 15th to October 15th Hispanic Heritage month recognised the contributions and achievements of Hispanic citizens, and we honored our Latin-American peers, friends, and mentors. by SOFIA NISTRATOVA Red Ribbon week is dedicated to promoting a drug and alcohol free life, and it happens every year from October 23-31st Throughout the week, students worked to help each other see the difference between good and bad choices. Ms. Kassewitz, the middle school counselor led this outstanding program. “My goal was to educate students on drug and alcohol use at a young age and its consequences,” Ms.Kassewitz said. Ms.Kassewitz’s favorite activity was the red post-it notes. On October 25, middle school students solved a word search filled with words that are related to bad choices, drugs, and alcohol. Tuesday was “One School Wear Red Day.” Students wore red to show their participation towards encouraging young minds to make better choices. On Wednesday, many continued to show their participation by wearing shaded glasses as well as joining the Red Ribbon assembly. The Red Ribbon assembly included games and historical information about the birth of Red Ribbon Week. Many students were impacted positively and enjoyed the activities.

The assembly took place on Wednesday, September 15th in the Center For The Arts (C.F.A.). The school brought in a dance teacher named Vera Rowe from U.V. Latin Dance Academy. She selected 5-15 students to come up on stage and lead a traditional hispanic dance called Bachata. She explained the cultural significance of this dance and the music that went along with it. Together the whole of middle school sat up from their chairs and began dancing Bachata. “It was really fun!”, said Domira, a Venezuelan student. “I really liked the dance teacher and the dancing because it’s a really big part of our culture. I was really happy and now I feel represented. They should definitely do this every single year.”

Valeria, a Venezuelan student said, “I thought that what the school did was nice and it also pays tribute to Latin America. It

photos by isabella Loverde

was really fun and it was informative. I really liked the dancing . I think that they should keep doing this.” This year’s extravagant performance enthralled the community.

Mia, a student who is of German/Argentinian descent, said

The Chronicle looks forward to seeing how the school will celebrate Hispanic Heritage again next year.

SUICIDE PREVENTION by MICA GARCIA MURCIANO

“Being a part of this wonderful message encourages me to make good decisions and to encourage others to do the same,” said Simona.

good mental and emotional health. There is a supportive community to turn to on campus. Ms. Kassewitz, the middle school counselor and a strong advocate for well-being, shared some information on how Miami Country Day supports students with suicide prevention.

Everyone had fun while leaning about choices. “Overall the information was age appropriate and successfully given,” Ms.Kassewitz said.

“We discuss mental health topics and how to take away the stigma of mental health,” said Ms. Kassewitz. “I would say a lot of sucide prevention is being proactive and also On Wednesday, September 15th, the campus was decorated with purple ribbons, and students and staff wore purple to raise awareness for Suicide Prevention. MCDS is committed to reducing stigmas surrounding mental health issues. Identifying and talking about how we feel is important for

assessing students to have conversations with their parents.” “We talk to students who are in a bad place due to previous mental health issues and help thtem to get a therapist, or if it’s severe, a hospital,” Ms. Kassewitz said. This clearly shows how strong our support is within our community and campus.

CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS

THE SPARTAN CHRONICLE ~ December TABLOID NEWS • SUNDAY • OCTOBER2021 11

WHY DOES STUDENT JOURNALISM MATTER? BROADCAST STUDENTS SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS:

‘Studen journalism matters because it is important to hear what the younger generation has to say about current topics and events. It’s also importnat to give stduents a voice and opinion. Just because we are younger does not mean we have less significant things to say. ‘

BROADCAST STUDENTS FIND THEIR BEAT

Lea D.

Broadcast Journalism is more than a class, it’s a production by MOSHE FUJITA Step into Ms. St. Clair’s broadcasting classroom, and you will see a lot of activity going on. Students are planning, editing, filming, interviewing, and creating voice memos, making shot lists, and drawing storyboards. So far this year, students produced a 6 word video story, a 60 second news story, and a podcast. All of these assignments helped students to gain skills in broadcast journalism.

Students choose to work on a production team as news anchors, the equipment team, or the technical team. Students who are not assigned to a team in this rotation will produce public service announcements. “I think this compelling work, and it will be very interesting to see how this show turns out,” Maria said. While everyone has a different role, everyone is very excited to be working on their first broadcast news show.

Some students have even found their ‘beat’. This is a style and genre of reporting.

“I feel like we will do well in the production of the show and I know we will overcome the setbacks.” Jack B. said.

Ashton M. produced a news story on the topic of technology. His story asks whether technology is our ally or is it enemy?

Zayden, who will anchor sports news said he is “very excited to do the show because I am doing the sports topic and I play basketball for the school. I can’t wait to see how the show turns out because everyone worked very hard.’’

“It took very long but the end result was astonishing! ” Ashton said. Creating a podcast on pop culture was a favorite activity among many students this semester. “ I think it is very cool to have the chance to make a podcast,” Gabriel C. said. Students are currently working on their first production of broadcast news.

Maria B. is creating a public service announcement with Coco M. “I feel really great about this project because I love expressing myself through videos.” Coco said. The first broadcast show will air the week of December 15th.

“

I feel really great

about this project because I love expressing myself through videos. Coco M.

‘Student journalism inspires students to learn more about things happening in their school, and in the world, in a more productive way. Student journalists can serve as an inspiration to other students, which is important, considering that fake news can be more attractive than the truth.’ Gabriel C.

‘Student journalism matters because it is a fun way for kids and teens to express themselves in their work. We find fun ways to write or create a video explaining something they care about in a way that other people may understand. I believe that student journalism is a good way to read about the truth, and I love how I get to make and edit videos. Micah R.

If you would like to share highlights from your class to be featured in the next publication of the Spartan Chronicle, reach us at spartacus@miamicountryday.org

MIAMI COUNTRY DAY MIDDLE SCHOOL TABLOID NEWS • SUNDAY • OCTOBER 11 NEWS

SPORTS

BYE BYE VOLLEYBALL

HELLO BASKETBALL 2021-2022 season begins

by SOFIA NISTRATOVA As fall begins, volleyball comes to an end. The middle school junior varsity had their last game on October 11th. Varsity volleyball ended a little later on Friday, October 15. After six hard weeks of training and twelve games played, the season ended with ten wins and two losses. Carina L., the Junior Varsity Volleyball Captain. played as the setter and led her team with incredible leadership. “The team played well and won a lot which made the season more interesting,” Carina said. “I also liked making friends from my team.” Many players on the team made connections with their peers. “I liked Mr. Finny’s and the team’s spirit and enthusiasm, it really brought the game to life,” said Mica M., a strong supporter for the Spartan players. Mica attended games for both varsity and junior varsity, and she was especially impressed with the games against Riviera Prep on September 29th. “You guys did really well. The passes were all clean and made it a great game.” Mica said. “I’m planning on watching next season when you guys are in highschool.” The Miami Country Day School community is very proud of their middle school volleyball girls and can not wait till next season. As of next year, our 8th graders, graduating in 2026, will move on to highschool. To the left is Dani G., the Middle School Varsity Volleyball Libero.

Basketball season began in November, and although the girls were excited to play again, the start of the year was a struggle. The Upper School Varsity team started this season with a low number of girls. This made it a challenging start for the girls, but it was a very good opportunity for everyone on the team to show what skills they have and what they can do. “This is a great year for all girls to show that they have improved what they know and have learned”, Coach Slim said. The coaches on the team have decided to move one of the middle school players up to play with Varsity so they are able to play until they have their team back. “Arianna will be joining us for these first few games to allow us to be able to play and start the season,” Coach O said. Some of the injuries that the girls had

“

can be very dangerous if they cameback too early.

This is a great year

for all girls to show they have

improved

what

they know and learned. Coach Slim

We want everyone to take their time to recover and get healthy again. Everyone will still be at practices to get ready for the season. “Everyone will get the treatment they need to get back in shape to be able to play”, Tonni said. The MCDS community is looking forward to seeing how each of the girls will perform in this year’s upcoming season.

If you have a sports story to share, get in touch with The Spartan Chronicle at spartacus.miamicountryday.org

THE SPARTAN ~ December 2021 TABLOID CHRONICLE NEWS • SUNDAY • OCTOBER 11

THE HOLIDAY BAZAAR BLAST! One of MCDS’ most popular fund raising events each year is the Parents’ Association HOLIDAY BAZAAR.

by SIMONA STORM

The bazaar was a tremendous success on so many levels!

The 26th Annual Parents’ Association Holiday Bazaar was held November 8th and 9th on campus.

~Melissa Netkin, President Parents’ Association

Melissa Netkin, PA president, commented that the bazaar “was a tremendous success on so many levels!” Items for sale were food, candy, clothes, candles/soaps, toys, jewelry handbags, Zoes’ Dolls, and much more. Alexandra Bergman, Bazaar Co-chair, commented on the bazaar’s incredible success this year. “We had less vendors, brought in food from many different restaurants and offered great raffle prizes.” The bazaar was a hit for the students and staff. Jalynn B. said, “I thought the bazaar was super fun this year, it was huge!” However, some students arugued that the bazaar is getting more expensive. It is clear that the PA is dedicated to raising money for the school every year. “We raised over $70,000.00 for the school,” Bergman said. We are thankful for the contributions of the PA towards the school, and look forward to next year’s Holiday Bazaar!

photo by Simona Storm

FROM TO TURKEY TO TRIBAL CELEBRA by ISABELLA LOVERDE

MCDS honors Native American Indians During the month of November, MCDS honored American Indian Heritage Month. Many who are used to their turkey dinners and family reunions are making changes to celebrate the indigenous people of our community. Teachers are making an effort to celebrate all members of the community. The school held an assembly on the 15th of November in the Center For the Arts to commemorate the contributions of our nation’s indigenous people. The school graciously welcomed three speakers to the stage. The speakers were Houston, Ian, and Cheyenne. This was the first time our campus hosted prominent tribe representatives. Cheyenne is a Native American woman from the panther clan who dropped out of school and became the champion of a series of beauty pageants. They battled mental illness and racial

discrimination. Houston is a Native American man from the bird clan. Houston has a strong relationship with his surroundings and the earth’s natural elements. Ian is a humorous, charismatic, historian. They all share a strong passion for the advocacy of indigenous people and the protection of national parks and the sacred lands nurtured by those who walk them. On the following day during Community Time, students joined a zoom meeting hosted by Joseph Illagau (Joey) and Eiden of the Panther clan. Joey and Eiden discussed the inappropriate media portrayal of Native American culture and personal interactions between themselves and strangers who make assumptions about them regularly based on their culture and appearance. They brought to light the blatant racism seen across popular disney films such as Peter Pan and Pocahontas as well.

Sports teams like th RedSkins use a stereo of culture to perpetua about native americans

Middle school teache descendant of the Moh mented, “Media and h en a more sympathet plight. But disturbing is Canada this past year located near Indegio schools where studen taught and forcibly assi ciety. More needs to b what has happened on and around the world people.”

Mr. Hayes believes tha the heritage, custom plight of many of our i ple is extremely impo from the past and oth makes us wiser,” Hayes

Mr. Hayes emphatical indigenous communit

TABLOID NEWS • SUNDAY • OCTOBER 11 NEWS MIAMI COUNTRY DAY MIDDLE SCHOOL

THANKSGIVING CELEBRATIONS by JALYNN BELTON

Teachers and students love traditions, and celebrated Thanksgiving in various ways. “My son is coming to visit me, also my husband’s family that we haven’t seen in a while are coming for a visit”, Mrs. Cabrera said. Ms.St Clair celebrated with her son and daughter who came to visit her from Tampa and Asheville, North Carolina. “I’ve been overseas for many years, so this was the first time I’ve been able to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family in a very long time. We do enjoy a Thanksgiving feast,” Ms.St Clair said. Eloise C. also celebrated Thanksgiving with a family meal. “I ate a lot of pumpkin pie with ice cream because it is my favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving”,

ATIONS

he Washington otypical version ate false ideals s.

er Mr. Hayes, a hawk tribe comhistory have taktic view of their s the news from of mass graves onus boarding nts were being imilated into sobe done to teach n this continent d to indigenous

at learning about ms, history, and indigenous peoortant. “Learning her cultures only s said.

lly supports the ty of our nation.

In his opinion, the commemoration of American Indians was extremely well presented. “I think it was done very well and taught about what makes Native Americans proud of their culture and heritage. It was executed very well. The speakers all did a great job in telling us about the pride and love of their cultures.” Hayes said. When it comes to stories about the founding of the Americas with stories of the pilgrims regarding Native Americans, there tends to be a lot of important historical information that is left out to paint the pilgrims in a different light. “Learning how many of our First Peoples feel about the holiday is important. They don’t see Thanksgiving in the same light historically as many of us do, “ Mr. Hayes said. “The true history of the first Thanksgiving is often not taught in schools.” Many MCDS elementary school stu-

dents are first taught about the idealized history of Thanksgiving and then are taught about Native Americans later on with little accurate insight on what really happened between them. “Everyone and every culture has a story to tell and those stories only add to the fabric that makes us as humans truly remarkable. Learning from those stories can only make us better as human beings!” Mr. Hayes said. We as students of Miami Country Day School have a responsibility. We are responsible for raising awareness of issues like these within our community to advance as a nation and as a global community. Speak up, for we speak together. Take a stand for we stand together. Be a voice for the voiceless. Be a pillar for others to support all others. Be a friend. Be an ally.

“

Everyone and every culture has a story to tell, and those stories only add to the fabric that makes us as humans truly remarkable. Learning from those stories can only make us better as human beings! Mr. Hayes

ENTERTAINMENT

THE SPARTAN ~ December 2021 TABLOID CHRONICLE NEWS • SUNDAY • OCTOBER 11

Local events

SUPERCON COMES TO MIAMI!

FESTIVE HOLIDAY EVENTS IN MIAMI

Supercon allows people of all ages to be a different person just for a day by ISABELLA LOVERDE rom September 11th to 12th comic fans, cosplayers, anime fans, and movie fans came together for Supercon. Famous Celebrities like John Cena, Anjali Bhimani, Chad Hardin, Jimmy Palmiotti, Amanda Conner, and several other famous authors, actors, actresses, and artists came to Supercon as well! A select few students from Miami Country Day School went to Supercon and had the rare opportunity to observe the many wonders of Supercon and to meet famous international celebrities.

DEC. 15 HISTORIC HOLIDAYS EVENING STROLLS Enjoy a family friendly holiday evening. Stroll the main grounds and the Historic Holiday Decor featuring the Gilded Age at the Deeting Estate. The historic homes will be open during this event. Also enjoy a campfire, and a bedtime story read to children by Mrs. Claus.

th grader Bruno K. went to Supercon with a few friends from our school. Bruno went to Supercon cosplaying as The Joker. According to Bruno there were multiple celebrities there, John Cena being the most famous among them. He said that there was also a large number of celebrities from a variety of T.V. shows and popular films.

“

There were a lot of celebrities and voice actors. There were mainly shops but there were also panels where comic book raters, and movie producers. Also, there were autograph signings and photo sessions and you could get their autograph or get a photo with them. It was so cool! I met John Cena. It was very fun!” Bruno said.

upercon is also the home to some of the most elaborate, intricate, and astonishing cosplays! Some people spend months working on their specialized costumes for such occasions. According to Bruno, “there were different types of costumes. Some pretty cool stuff!”

his grand convention hosted people from all parts of the country, as far away as LA. People come to sell original comic books from authors long gone. Others come to display their artworks, to show off their

Cost is $15 for adults, and $7 for children (4-14). Tickets can be purchased online. Go to deeringestate.org for more information.

fascinating attire, and to meet famous celebrities. A legion of fans and supporters attend such events.

shton M. went to Supercon with Bruno K. He cosplayed as Miles Morales from the 2018 film Spiderman Into The Spiderverse. Ashton said that, “There were stores to buy props, you could buy paintings, and different collectables too. There were a lot of spider men including me, lots of Wandas, some D.C. characters like Harley Quinn, and some people as characters from Suicide Squad. I really liked a lot of the Spider men and I feel like many people put a lot of detail in their costumes. It’s hard to pick a certain favorite.”

upercon truly was an amazing experience for those who went. Ashton said, “I met John Cena and I took a picture with him. I got his autograph. I walked around, bought stuff, took pictures with some other spider people, and hung out with my friends. I liked the detailed costumes and a lot of the stuff they had for sale was really cool, like the light sabers. The best thing was probably that I got to hang out with my friends and we could basically be superheroes. It was amazing and I want to do it again,”

upercon allows people of all ages to be a different person just for a day. People

can meet new people, see new people, and be new people. You can wield a lightsaber like Anikin Skywalker and you can wield Mjolnjir like Thor. You can meet your idols and find something amongst the treasures found within Supercon.

essantino, otherwise known by his peers as Malik, also attended Supercon. He went to Supercon cosplaying as the Marvel version of Thor, god of thunder.

“

There were comic books, art, and people in cosplay. I’d say the best costumes were the Deadpool costumes, or Spiderman costumes”, said Malik. “I didn’t have the opportunity to meet any celebrities. I went around and bought funko pops mostly. It was very fun. I’d say the most interesting things were the cosplays and art. The best part about it was being with my friends and seeing cool cosplays,” Malik said.

upercon is an amazing gathering for people interested in fantasy and comic culture. The event draws artists, merchandise, and fans for several days of sharing their passion for these stories.

nity comes in all shapes and forms and community can come from anywhere. Anyone can be a part of it, even you!

DEC. 16 WINTER WONDERLAND Join the City of Miami and Miami Kids Magazine for holiday cheer and to see Santa’s elves! When: Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 5:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m Where: 3500 Pan American Dr, Miami, FL 33133

DEC. 17 NIGHT OF LIGHTS Pinecrest Gardens transforms into a winter wonderland dotted by thousands of twinkling lights that go up, through and around the whimsical botanical landscape. This year the botanical garden is adding more sections of sparkling holiday lights and a bigger than last year’s holiday-themed maze in the gardens. When: Friday, Dec. 17, 2021 from 5:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m Where: Pinecrest Gardens 11000 SW 57th Ave, Pinecrest, FL

TABLOID NEWS • SUNDAY • OCTOBER 11 NEWS MIAMI COUNTRY DAY MIDDLE SCHOOL

LIFESTYLE

WHO IS SOFIA NISTRATOVA? Sofia Nistratova is an actress known for The Man who drew near God (2021), Paper Empire (2021) and The Lurking Fear. Her most recent work is The Devil’s Trap, directed by Mike Mendez.

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH SOFIA Balancing school and acting is a lesson in multitasking

Returning to school was challenging, all my focus and attention going to school and grades for the rest of the semester. After two months, my grades went back up and I was back on track. Sadly, this caring family lasted for only three weeks. However, I made such a strong connection with my co-star, Nick Davi (who played my brother) and he is still someone I stay in touch with. I was lucky to work with great actors. Many of the actors, and people on the production team were focused on building good relationships with all of the co-workers; everyone was very social and I learned so much about team work. Overall I can say it was one of the craziest weeks of my life, but also the most exciting. While it was hard, I would do it again.

by SOFIA NISTRATOVA As a new member to the eighth grade in Miami Country Day School. Therefore I have my duties as a student and member of a community. Assignments, making friends, and adjusting to the campus are some basic tasks I need to have. As well as my passion for school, I love to act. I was recently asked to take on the role of Abigail in The Devil’s Trap, a horror movie directed by Mike Mendez. It was an opportunity I could not pass up. The film took up to 3 weeks to film, and is currently in production. Taking on this role also meant taking risks, and although it was difficult at time, I can say it was very much worth it. Missing school made it challenging to keep up with my school work. I learned online and all of my courses were on the school website (such as the topic pages and assignments). There were days when it felt like

my brain was going to explode, but with time it got better. By the third week I learned to constantly multitask between my school work and acting. Social life was another challenge that I learned to manage. Although I missed my school friends, a family was built within the cast members. My schedule for three weeks was rigourous. The cast worked hard, and we often filmed for 12 hours a day. Every morning I woke up at 8:009:00am, had breakfast, and did some homework. Then I went to work somewhere around 1pm. Almost every work day we left around 1-5 am. Infact the earliest I remember ending was 9:00 or 10:00pm. I was very lucky to have met some wonderful and well-known people in the film industory I had always wondered how they behave outside of movies, as well as their techniques, which I had learned a lot from.

This time I would learn from my mistakes and know how to manage my time better. For now, however, I am excited to get back to the ordinary life of waking up at six in the morning for school and coming home to family and friends.

THE SPARTAN ~ December 2021 TABLOID CHRONICLE NEWS • SUNDAY • OCTOBER 11

NIMA ROUHANIFARD’S INCREDIBLE JOURNEY TO SUCCESS by THALIA NAZARI Nima Rouhanifard, the principal for the middle school students at Miami Country Day School has a very intriguing past. Rouhanifaurd was born in Iran and lived there until he was about four years old. Like many others, he left Iran with his family around the time of the Iranian Revolution. Since Rouhanifard left at such a young age, his parents often remind him of why they all moved to America. The move gave Rouhanifard and his family a blessed opportunity to have access for an excellent education and a wide range of freedom in the United States. Rouhanifard mentioned that he vividly remembered seeing a few things from back home when he lived in Iran, such as his swing set, and the beautiful garden he had at home. One unfortunate thing he remembered was seeing the revolutionary guards around his beauEach day is a tiful home town of Tehran. journey, and

the journey itself, home.

Rouhanifard said that he was scared of the guards and -Zen Poet seeing their uniforms. Imagine seeing those guards at such a young age with the thought of something terrible happening to you, your family, and many others living around you.

career. The program he first got involved in was “Teach for America” which was a two year commitment. After Rouhanifard’s first experience with teaching, a passion for teaching was born. Instead of going into finance (his original career choice), Rouhanifard and a group of others opened a middle school in New Jersey. He remained there for about 10 years. Rouhanifard first made the decision to move to Miami when he got engaged to his fiance who was living and working in Miami. During this time, Rouhanifard still remained in New York. He and his fiance had to make the decision to remain in either New York or Miami. After sorting things out, Rouhanifard’s school in New York City created a job so that he could move to Miami. He quickly realized that he didn’t feel like being in a “virtual space” because he was never able to see people nor was he able to see different forms of sports, community, assemblies, or opportunities where a big group of people could be together. Rouhanifard was then introduced to the head of MCDS, Mariandl Hufford, who showed Rouhanifard around the campus of our school. After touring the school, Rouhanifard was fascinated with the sense of community here at MCDS and made the quick decision to switch from his spot at his school in NY

Nima Rouhanifard has changes in mind to expand opportunities for students

to become MCD’s middle school principal. When asked if there would be any changes in the middle school, Rouhanifard shared that he has been working with the staff to make improvements. He wants to offer students opportunities to grow and expand with electives and academic opportunities. He also wants to offer high school credits to middle school students. Rouhanifard explained that the upper school currently runs an X-term program in which classes are shut down for a week, and students have a chance to travel around the world, meet professionals in the industry, and participate in different gateway programs. The middle school board is also making plans to change yearly electives to semesterly electives. This will provide students with more choices and will help them to expand their education. Rouhanifard remarked that there are many families who have immigrated to the United States to escape governments who don’t allow them to have the same opportunities in their countries. Having an education that nobody can take from you is a very powerful thing to have in the USA.

Since many families in the country had their rights taken away from them during the revolution, Rouhanifard and his family knew when it was time to immigrate from to the United States. Rouhanifard’s family moved to Tennessee where he learned his native language, Farsi, and pursued his education.

Rouhanifard is grateful to be able to share his story and his family’s journey; not many others have had this opportunity.

He went to the University School of Nashville for high school, then attended Vanderbilt University and graduated in 2004. After finishin g his education, Rouhanifard began his teaching

It truly does emphasize the importance of having a solid education!

Standout Spartan: Isabella Loverde Iby JALYNN BELTON Isabella Loverde, a sixth grade MCDS student, is paving a financial path with the arts with a shop on Etsy. “ I really love art so I decided to make a shop to show people what I have made and what I can do”, Isabella said. “If anyone did not buy my art that would not stop me from making it because I love doing it and I enjoy it.” Isabella works very hard on her shop everyday because loves doing it. She started thinking about this shop last year with a couple of paintings she started with, but she

has improved a lot.

abella said.

“When I found out that my grandma was sick I decided to paint something for her with her favorite color”, Isabella said.

Isabella’s shop will be opening soon on ETSY!

Isabella sketches a lot but most of the time she does abstract painting using acrylic paint or pour. “All of my paintings I made have been getting better and better by the time”, Isabella said. “For recreation I usually prefer sketching stylized realism or digital art. When it comes to what I sell I prefer to stick with a more abstract concept. For the paintings that I put on the market I tend to use acrylic paints and pour paints”, Is-

We wish her the best of luck!

MIAMI COUNTRY DAY MIDDLE SCHOOL TABLOID NEWS • SUNDAY • OCTOBER 11 NEWS

COMPASSION, FROM PAGE 1 How LR Encourages Student Growth Students are expanding their horizons through resources provided by the L.R. program. Mrs. Hayes commented that “In the learning resources program we used a multi sensory approach to learning (refers to visual auditory) with the understanding that students learn in different ways. Many programs are online based and provide a customized learning experience for each student. Lessons are formulated with student neurodiversity in mind so that strengths are nurtured and areas for growth are supported. These resources include websites such as Thrively, Lexia, MaxScholar, and more. By using such a wide variety of techniques students can have lessons tailored to their own learning styles which help them develop academically and emotionally in a way that is right for them. Mrs. Brill said “I believe that the L.R. program helps students grow by allowing them to engage in their education based on their abilities, and set high standards for each individual student.” With these practices, each child can develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their own personal learning, and general neurodiversity. By showing how each individual may interpret different situations in different ways, students can develop a sense of empathy towards others through teacher examples. How Is Compassion Being Practiced In Class? The L.R. program is founded on compassion. This is expressed by recognizing and valuing the neurodiversity and learning strengths of each individual student. Teachers and students reinforce this compassion by working together to match the lessons to each student’s learning. “We work closely with students to understand their unique needs and how we as teachers can best support their learning styles. A socioemotional learning approach is used in the classroom. Students complete learning styles inventories and learn more about strengths, habits of mind, multiple intelligences, and the brain’s role in learning. The smaller class sizes help to foster a sense of community as well,” said Mrs. Hayes. “We show compassion by modeling it in the classroom. We model compassion by understanding each student’s way and pace

“The faculty and staff hope that each student is accepted for who they are and how they learn,” ~ Mrs. Brill. of learning (and when I mean way I mean sometimes students need to see the directions sometimes they need to hear the directions and sometimes both, sometimes feel). The students are able to experience learning in a kinesthetic way so they are able to use all their senses learning experience.” What Do Teachers Hope For Their L.R. Students? Teachers want their students to gain a sense of self empowerment so that they can learn to have faith in their abilities and be self-reliant and self-sufficient. “The faculty and staff hope that each student is accepted for who they are and how they learn,” said Mrs. Brill. Mrs. Hayes stated that, “One of the things is to develop a sense of agency and independence, to be able to advocate for themselves, and to accomplish with confidence what makes them happy and to draw upon their strengths to achieve their personal success in and out of the classroom.” Even though each teacher has a different level of experience in the program bothcame out with similar answers in terms of their aspirations for their students. How Is The New L.R. Director Encouraging Understanding & Compassion? The Director of The Learning Resources Program, Mrs. Smith is raising awareness of theprogram and normalizing neurodiversity by educating all of middle school about learning

differences. Mrs. Smith described this as,“One thing that we’re really working towards in the middle school is that we are going to do some programming to help all students in the middle school understand what neurodiverse and neurotypical profiles of students look like and whatthey might experience. Not just those students in particular but students that just have a learning difference and how that might come across in a classroom and why The Learning Resources Program is helping them.” Mrs. Smith also stated that one of her goals is to “de-mystify whatLearning Resources is for all those students.” According to that statement, Mrs. Smith is making an attempt to spread awareness to the community in regards to neurodiversity and how theschool is helping neurodiverse children through programming. If you are a student or teacher within the L.R. community and have any suggestions for how to improve the L.R. community Mrs. Smith’s office is found in the breezeway next to the Franco Center. How Can We Show Compassion To Each Other? Tomorrow as you step onto school grounds, think about what you can do to show compassion tothe people in your community. It could be as simple as saying hi. As said by Achyuta Samanta,“It takes one minute to make someone’s day, and one word to destroy someone’s life.” What willyou choose today? Will you be compassionate and take that 1minute to try?

EDITORIAL

HOW TO CHANGE THE MILLION WORD GAP The Pros, Cons, and Possibilities by ISABELLA LOVERDE Stumbling into literary lands are required excursions each and every student must make at Miami Country Day School over the summer and throughout the school year. Reading is a form of recreation for some, but many find reading difficult to pick up. Reading, without a doubt, has its pros and cons. Why should it be a common practice and why should children should start developing a passion for reading early on in life?

books out there, some of which you may love, and some of which you may hold a strong disdain for. When reading is required it’s not too likely that a student will immediately love the book that has been pre-selected for them. In fact, it is even more likely that they will not find interest in the book or at least the same interest that their teacher may see in it. Opinion In my opinion, reading is a great source of recreation. It is a very enjoyable pastime and a reliable source of information. The earlier in life you start reading the better because depending on when you start, it will give you a head start academically. Once you begin reading a book you enjoy, it can trigger something that makes you want to explore and read even more. Last year, during the 2nd semester, I set a goal for myself to read an abundance of chapters of as many books as I pleased within the year. I counted each and every chapter of each and every book (and e-book) And I achieved my goal in the second semester!

Pros Many of you fellow readers may already know reading has its perks! You’re reading the words on this page right now! Reading has the ability to improve imagination and creativity because of the way that reading affects the right side of the brain. Reading can help improve brain function and connectivity with the brain. A study done in 2019 shows that 24% of Americans haven’t read a single book in the past year. That means1/4 of the American population is missing an opportunity to expand on their vocabulary, imagination, intellect, and the way they process information.

My friends tell me that I now speak differently and they sometimes asked why I used such extravagant language. Not only did I speak differently, but my writing changed too. I believe this may be a result of my reading. Possibilities If parents read to their children on a regular basis, they will have already been exposed to several books by the time they get in school. Teaching a child to love reading early in life means they will have stronger engagement for reading. Let’s work together to close the million word gap among children’s vocabulary. Children can learn millions more if we are willing to share our love of literature. We can literally help

A child who has been actively reading for several years compared to a child who rarely reads can have a vocabulary difference ranging from 100,000 words to 1,000,000 words by the time they are 5 years old.

MCDS students can now decide if they want to wear a mask or not. This decision is all up to the students and their families because some may still want to continue wearing the mask. “This decision is completely up to you. You decide what you wear on your face, and how you are aware of your surroundings”, said Mrs.Cabrera.

by ELOISE CHARALAMBIDES It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Miami Country Day School. With Christmas right around the corner teachers are decorating and kids are getting into the holiday spirit. “One way to get ahead of the game is shopping early or after Christmas when things go on sale for the next year,” Jaylnn Belton said. When shopping, plan ahead and be quick before things run out and prices go up. The best places to shop are at Target, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, online shops/stores, Bath and Body Works, Barnes and Noble, Nordstrom, and malls. “Some of my favorite stores to shop at are Micheals and Target because they have good materials and great prices to create your own projects,” said Simona Storm. If you and your family plan to eat out, make reservations in advance. Great restaurants to visit during the holidays are Palat, Makoto, Pinched, Noveciento, Marcielo, Andiamos, Cream parlor, Blue collar, Starbucks, and Sagra. “ Cream Parlor is my favorite place to eat during the holidays because they have seasonal things, the workers are nice, the names are creative, and the food and ice cream is good,” Sofia Nistratova said. Places to enjoy the holiday spirit are the Nutcracker show, Santa’s Enchanted Forest, local parades, Jungle Island, light festivals, and the movie theatre. “I love to go to the movie theatre to watch Christmas movies, it really gets me into the holiday spirit.” Sofia said.

MICA’S HEALTH TIPS by MICA GARCIA MURCIANO We all know it’s important to be mentally healthy, but this can be a challenge during the holdiays. You can maintain well-being by practicing self care. This might mean different things to different people. Personally I practice well-being through regular skin care. I believe that being around people you like and staying social also helps a lot. It can prevent lonliness and alienation.

them to learn millions more.

I WON’T MISS THE MASKS! by JALYNN BELTON

GET READY FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Reading can reduce stress when it is for recreational purposes. It helps you to process information at a faster rate and expands vocabulary on an exponential level. Cons When a student who hasn’t developed as much of a hunger for reading is required to read certain books for classes, reading can induce stress and anxiety. Some students find it difficult to focus when reading for classes and/ or in general. When a person isn’t introduced to reading at an early age they lack the desire to read more. Finding a good book is a long process as there are millions upon millions of

THE TABLOID SPARTAN NEWS CHRONICLE ~ December 2021 • SUNDAY • OCTOBER 11

This may be a difficult decision to make because other people need to be conisdered too. People need to be aware of their surroundings. They also need to be respectful of other students choices. In my opinion, I am happy to be able to see people’s faces. I miss seeing smiles, but I won’t miss the mask. “I will still be wearing my mask around the campus just to be safe,” Eloise said.

Reducing screen time is also helpful. Social media can cause anxiety because people constantly compare themselves to what they see online. Screens are also very harmful to the eyes because of the bluelight. You’ll find it easier to sleep without screens around you. Sleeping can improve mental health tremendously. Maintaining mental health doesn’t have to be a challenge if you follow these tips!