Norwood MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS, AND FRIENDS
{ IN THIS ISSUE }
Honoring Dick Ewing & His 35 Years of Exemplary Service Writing Workshop Method Intersession 2014 Gold Stars of Norwood Campus & Alumni News
SPRING 2014
FALL & WINTER in PHOTOS
TABLE OF CONTENTS SPRING 2014
2
LETTER FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL
3
LETTER FROM INCOMING HEAD OF SCHOOL
4-8
9-17
CAMPUS NEWS . Norwood Rocks the House . STEM Team Takes the Silver . A Trip to Outer Space . Second Annual SAYA Visit . Special Guests at Norwood . Special Performance Venues . Fall & Winter Sports Wrap-Up
20-23 INTERSESSION Each year, seventh and eighth graders take a break from the usual academic schedule to participate in a week-long showcase of interesting and exciting activities designed to open minds and hearts to possibilities. 24 THE GOLD STARS OF NORWOOD Three extraordinarily talented veteran teachers Nancy McGuire, Jay Roudebush, and Maureen Sievers join Dick Ewing in retirement. 25-27 TREASURED ALUMNI
HONORING DICK EWING After an extraordinary 35-year career at Norwood, Dick Ewing will retire as Head of School on June 30, 2014. Read an interview with Dick conducted by a group of sixth graders about important milestones and favorite memories.
18-19 IN THE CLASSROOM: WRITING WORKSHOP METHOD Read about how the Writing Workshop method uses authentic writing experiences to develop strong, confident, lifelong writers.
28 ART GALLERY After an inspirational presentation on model ship building by Mr. Ewing, third graders explored color, shading, proportion, and various illustration techniques to create a series of vibrant drawings featuring ships and sea creatures.
FEATURED
9
18
20
HONORING DICK EWING AND HIS REMARKABLE 35-YEAR CAREER AT NORWOOD
IN THE CLASSROOM: WORKSHOPS BRING EXCITING ENERGY TO THE WRITING PROGRAM
INTERSESSON 2014: 7TH AND 8TH GRADERS EXPAND LEARNING THROUGH NEW ACTIVITIES
Cover Photo: With nearly 150 combined years in the field of education (about 90 of them at Norwood), Nancy McGuire, Dick Ewing, Jay Roudebush, and Maureen Sievers will retire from Norwood at the end of June. Read more on page 24.
HEAD OF SCHOOL
DESIGN AND PRINTING
Richard T. Ewing, Jr.
Caskey Group
EDITOR
PHOTOGRAPHY
Leanne M. Gill
Norwood Faculty & Staff Norwood Parents Wendy Merriman
Norwood School’s mission is to ensure that each of its students grows intellectually, morally, physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually, while preparing to function productively and generously in our pluralistic society. Norwood’s challenging
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tyffany Mandov Sean Moore Barbara Vaughan
educational program and broad-based activities are designed to help students experience joy in learning, develop self-confidence, and learn respect for the rights and feelings of others. Embracing diversity is integral to the School’s tradition that both recognizes the worth of each member of the community and emphasizes the common values of academic achievement, mutual respect, cooperation, and personal responsibility.
NORWOOD SCHOOL . 8821 RIVER ROAD . BETHESDA, MD 20817 . 301.365.2595 . WWW.NORWOODSCHOOL.ORG
Letter from Head of School
Dear Parents, Alumni, and Friends, AS MOST OF YOU KNOW, I will retire as Head of Norwood School on June 30, 2014. After 35 years of service to this amazing school, I continue to marvel at the steadfast commitment to the principles set forth by Frances Marsh so many years ago. As I observe the students and teachers engaged in this challenging program and the graduates who move on to many impressive endeavors, I am reminded of the importance and the great value of our mission. Recently, a group of very poised and well-prepared sixth graders came to my office to ask some thoughtful questions about my time at Norwood. I appreciated the opportunity to gather around the table with these remarkable young people. As I spoke about the School’s growth, its accomplishments, changes, and challenges, I was reminded of what sits at the heart of this school: bright, curious, confident, and kind children who love to learn – just like the children who sat on either side of me. The students at Norwood inspired me to pursue the field of education when I became one of the School’s first sixth grade teachers back in 1977, and I am sure they will continue to inspire me in the future. An obvious highlight and pride point during my years at Norwood is the expansion to eighth grade in 1998, the construction of the new middle school building, athletic center, and playing fields, and working with a stellar group of teachers to create what I believe to be the finest middle school program in the area. With the addition of seventh and eighth grades came exciting new offerings, programs like Intersession, an experiential learning opportunity that takes students out of the traditional classroom setting to pursue new endeavors. Michele Claeys and her team did a fantastic job with this year’s Intersession program, which, thanks to the generosity of several parents, included exciting new venues like Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, the National Institutes of Health, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. I encourage you to read about this action-packed week of adventure, exploration, and collaboration in the pages that follow. Learning for the 21st century must include a focus on developing strong writers. While the ability to articulate effectively through written communication skills has always been valued, the digital age has opened up the floodgates to all kinds of written expression. Writers are everywhere these days – on blogs, chat rooms, and social media – and we certainly have a school filled with them here at Norwood. As you will read in this issue, one of the ways we develop and celebrate writing is through the Writing Workshop Method. This 2 .
school-wide initiative led by Tyffany Mandov and Barbara Vaughan, co-chairs of our Writing Curriculum Committee and excellent writers themselves, is the basis for a coordinated interdisciplinary writing program. Our teachers have been fully engaged and committed to this classroom initiative, resulting in a stimulating, creative, and collaborative environment that produces strong, confident, and skilled writers in all grade levels. My career at Norwood has been blessed with the opportunity to work with so many truly remarkable and gifted teachers who continually pursue mission-driven ways to enhance the educational experience for our students. I am honored to share the cover of this
First graders share their non-fiction books with Mr. Ewing at a Writing Celebration. Read about Norwood’s writing program on page 18.
issue with three of those teachers – Nancy McGuire, Jay Roudebush, and Maureen Sievers – who will join me in retirement from Norwood at the end of June after exemplary careers in education During my interview with the sixth graders, I shared my experience with visiting alumni who have not seen the campus for many years. At first they are shocked by the physical growth and new buildings, but as soon as they observe the interaction between teachers and students, they say, “That’s the Norwood I remember.” I look forward to visiting in the years to come, perhaps a bit awe-struck by some exciting changes, and then saying those exact same words. With best wishes and gratitude,
Dick Ewing Head of School
Letter from Incoming Head of School
Dear Dick, P L E A S E AC C E P T M Y H E A R T F E L T congratulations on your remarkable 35-year career at Norwood and warmest wishes for a bright future. I have always admired your work and have held Norwood School in the highest regard as the model for K-8 excellence. In fact, when I was first approached about the headship at Norwood, I thought to myself, I know Norwood and I know Dick Ewing, so this has to be a special opportunity. I can think of just a handful of schools for which I would leave my current position. Norwood School is one of them because of your committed leadership and a mission that aligns perfectly with what I believe a school should endeavor to be. During each of my three visits to Norwood since I was hired last October, I was filled with excitement about joining this warm and welcoming school community where children are at the center of everything. I was struck by the art on the walls, the sound of music coming from all kinds of classrooms, the laughter emanating from students and teachers, and the high level of enthusiasm and engagement I saw in every classroom. What a pleasure to see so many students walking through the halls with smiles on their faces and skips in their steps! Kindness and respect are community norms at Norwood. The school motto, how you lead your life matters, is felt throughout the School. I am impressed with the enormous impact of those six little words. Everyone I met – from five-year-olds to those much older – was incredibly kind, respectful, warm, and helpful. It is abundantly clear that you lead by example and have served as a role model for the entire community. Your commitment to academic excellence is apparent throughout the curriculum. I am greatly impressed with the high standards and level of rigor at Norwood, and perhaps even more impressed not to see it on the faces of the students. You seem to have found that perfect balance where students are appropriately challenged and supported. I admire the interdisciplinary curriculum and broadbased activities that provide children with many exciting and diverse ways to shine. Clearly your reputation for hiring great teachers is well earned. During my visits, I met with many dedicated, enthusiastic, and talented teachers. I observed teachers who are deeply engaged in their work with students, teachers who value and respect their students while setting high standards and expectations, and teachers who just plain love what they do. How fortunate I am to be joining a strong professional community filled with educators who are passionate about their craft, collaborative, and always striving to adopt the best mission-aligned instructional practices to enhance student learning. As I learn more about Norwood’s history, I am becoming better acquainted with the work of the extraordinary educators who
have led this school during the past 62 years: Frances Marsh, Tom Hudnut, Weedie Block, and yourself. What a remarkable group of school leaders! I am deeply honored to be next in line, if not a bit daunted. It goes without saying that I have big shoes to fill and a tough act to follow. Your reputation brought me to Norwood; your legacy will inspire and fuel my work. Thank you. Sincerely,
Matthew A. Gould, Ph.D. Incoming Head of School
NORWOOD SCHOOL . 3
Norwood Rocks the House at this Year’s Scholarship Auction Movie stars may get the red-carpet treatment during awards season, but the Norwood community got something even more special during this time of year. On Saturday night, February 8, the Norwood blue carpet was rolled out at The Fillmore Silver Spring to welcome parents, faculty, and staff to the 2014 scholarship auction, NORWOOD ROCKS! Inside, the music of the Joy Bodycomb Band filled the two-story venue bearing the legendary Fillmore name, while guests perused and bid on a fantastic array of themed baskets. A sit-down dinner, live auction, and super silent auction followed. After all that bidding, guests were ready to hop up on stage and dance the night away. A highlight of the evening was the raise-the-paddle initiative in honor of Dick Ewing and his 35-year Norwood career, which raised more than $50,000 for financial aid. The shining stars of the evening were 2014 Scholarship Auction Co-Chairs, Heidi Bauer, Irene Pantelis, and Clelia Walters; Live Auction Chairs, Robin Belamaric and Kelly Gannon; Silent Auction Chair, Heather Tyrer; auction patrons; and everyone who donated, bid, and volunteered to help raise $225,000 for the Financial Aid Program.
Customized guitars created by each lower school grade were popular items at this year’s auction.
Kindergarten
First Grade
Dick Ewing is joined by 2014 Auction Co-Chairs Heidi Bauer, Irene Pantelis, and Clelia Walters.
Second Grade
Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Eighth Grade Girls STEM Team Takes the Silver at STEM Summit Eight seventh- and eighth-grade girls competed in this year’s Expedition K2M: The Stem Challenge hosted by Foxcroft School in Middleburg, Virginia on Saturday, February 8. They joined more than 40 teams from 22 public and independent schools in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC to tackle fun and challenging problems that draw on a variety of science, technology, engineering, and math skills. Norwood’s eighth-grade team won first place in one of their individual events and second place overall in the middle school division! 4 .
Eighth-grade girls’ STEM team celebrates their second-place finish at The STEM Challenge.
CAMPUS NEWS A Trip to Outer Space for the Class of 2020 The Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum may not be a long journey from Norwood, but it felt like a trip to outer space when Norwood’s second graders traveled there to be part of the “Meet the New Astronaut Class” program on January 30. In addition to meeting NASA’s new astronaut candidates, the students participated in a live, in-flight downlink with two crew members on board the International Space Station, Rick Mastracchio and Michael Hopkins, who at the time were traveling around the planet at 17,500 mph every 90 minutes! The astronaut candidates and Space Station astronauts talked to the children about the value of education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), what it is like to travel in space, and what inspired them when they were children to become astronauts. The discussion was moderated by NASA’s Associate Administrator for Education Leland Melvin, a former astronaut and veteran of two missions on board the Space Shuttle. We are most grateful to Norwood parent Tasha Kovacs, a communications specialist in NASA’s Office of Education, for making this incredible experience possible for the Class of 2020. Thank you to the moon and back!
Norwood second graders participate in a live, in-flight downlink with Rick Mastracchio and Michael Hopkins, two NASA astronauts on board the International Space Station.
Second Annual SAYA Visit Promotes Intercultural Awareness For the second consecutive year, Norwood hosted a group of students and teachers visiting from China as part of the Ameson Foundation’s Sino-American Youth Ambassadors program. SAYA was established five years ago to bring greater international awareness and cultural diversity to schools, with students serving as cultural ambassadors. From January 25 through February 1, seven students and two teachers from Foshan Huaying School and Shanghai No.2 Xingzhi Middle School spent a week attending Norwood classes and staying with Norwood host families. Not only did they immerse themselves in American culture, they shared information about Chinese 2014 SAYA students and teachers with their Norwood host students. schools, family life, and other aspects of their culture. With this year’s visit coinciding with the start of the Chinese New Year, the SAYA group led a special chapel presentation about this traditional Chinese holiday. The successful visit ended with a celebratory Chinese New Year party for the SAYA group, host families, and host students.
NORWOOD SCHOOL . 5
Special Guests at Norwood DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
COMPASSION & UNDERSTANDING
Dr. Steven Jones
Cultural Competency Consultant
An engaging and dynamic speaker, Dr. Steven Jones is one of the nation’s leading experts on diversity and inclusion. During his three visits to Norwood this year, Dr. Jones has worked closely with faculty, staff, parents, and trustees to understand and develop the cultural competency skills needed for success in the diverse global reality of the 21st century.
READING & WRITING
Faces of the Homeless: T. Sanders and John Harrison National Coalition of the Homeless
“Ending homelessness must begin with understanding that people who are or have been homeless are our neighbors and members of our community,” says the National Coalition of the Homeless. Its Faces of the Homeless program brings people who are or have been homeless to schools and groups to talk about homelessness and what can be done to end it. Norwood middle school students heard from T. Sanders and John Harrison who shared powerful stories about their personal experiences.
SINGING, PLAYING & PERFORMING
Laura Elliott
Visiting Writer
As eighth graders prepared to begin their history research papers, Laura Elliott, author of young adult fiction novels like Under a Word-torn Sky, A Troubled Peace, and Give Me Liberty, led a research and writing seminar in every eighth grade English class, providing guidance on research and helpful writing tips.
David Schoenbaum
Author, Historian, and Violinist
The author of The Violin: A Social History of the World’s Most Versatile Instrument, David Schoenbaum, visited with Norwood’s violinists to talk about his experience as a musician and share historical information about the violin. Students enjoyed playing for Mr. Schoenbaum and watching him play a song they would soon be learning with their violin teachers, Ms. Daley and Ms. Oviedo.
Andrew Green Visiting Poet
An award-winning writer, poet, and teacher, Andrew Green visited Norwood for two days to lead poetry workshops with fifth and sixth graders. Students learned how to build rhythm, identify power words, and avoid using empty adjectives. They wrote their own poems to share with classmates. 6 .
Redhot & Blue
Yale University A Cappella Group
Yale University’s oldest a cappella group, Redhot & Blue, visited Norwood to perform at an all-school assembly and meet with the 7/8 Choir to talk about vocal jazz and scat singing. Norwood students had the opportunity to practice scatting by joining in a few songs with the college students.
CAMPUS NEWS Special Performance Venues Enhance Music Education at Norwood Performances have always been an important aspect of music education at Norwood. In addition to music classes and practicing at home, concerts and class programs give children the opportunity to share what they have learned with an audience and experience this important aspect of being a musician. This winter, violin students enjoyed performing at two special venues: the White House and the Comcast Center. On December 23, more than 30 violinists in grades 2-8 performed for two hours in the North Entrance Hall of the White House where hundreds of visitors passed through during their tour of the beautifully decorated East Wing rooms. The children were conducted and accompanied by violin teachers Moyna Daley, Ken Giles, and Norwood violinists perform at the White House during the holiday tour. Keri Tomenko. Norwood alumnus and Mrs. Daley’s son, Matt Daley ’05, accompanied the group on the piano and violin. Two months later, on February 9, the Norwood violinists traveled to the Comcast Center in College Park, Maryland to play the national anthem at the start of a University Maryland women’s basketball game against Clemson University. The children, in grades K-8, followed the Color Guard into the enormous arena and played flawlessly and with great poise. This marks the third consecutive year that the Norwood Strings group has been invited to play at a Lady Terps basketball game. “It is a testament to the strength and quality of the strings program at Norwood, and our amazing strings teachers, Moyna Daley, Victoria Students are conducted by Moyna Daley while playing the national anthem at the Comcast Center. Ellsworth, and Devon Oviedo, that Norwood students as young as six years old are able to play in these large public venues with great skill and confidence,” said Dick Ewing. “We are extremely proud of them and pleased that they have the opportunity to experience these special performance venues, and that people outside of the Norwood community are able to enjoy their music.”
NORWOOD SCHOOL . 7
FALL & WINTER SPORTS WRAP-UP By Sean Moore, Athletic Director
FALL SEASON: We began the year with a terrific fall season. The Summit team enjoyed six excursions, including rock climbing and kayaking, with many of our student-athletes exploring some of these outdoor activities for the first time. Cross country had two stellar performances: one at the CAC meet and another at the Norwood Halloween Invitational, which brought 11 teams to campus. Norwood runners showed tremendous dedication and hard work throughout the season. Congratulations to our boys’ team for bringing home the third-place banner for the season. Soccer teams were also tremendous competitors in a league that was loaded with talent this year. The varsity boys’ conference team brought home the third-place regular season banner and fourthplace tournament banner, while the junior varsity boys’ conference team brought home the first-place regular season banner and the second-place tournament banner. Varsity boys’ and girls’ independent teams battled in some incredibly competitive matches and showed growth in many areas. Varsity girls’ conference soccer also brought home the third-place regular season banner with an impressive season. The junior varsity girls rounded out the soccer season with a fourth-place banner – a huge accomplishment for this young team. Field hockey enjoyed its most productive offensive year with more goals scored than ever before in the program’s history. Veteran players led the way and created an unbelievable foundation for future teams. Lastly, the volleyball team continued to grow as they defeated numerous teams in their season and then wrapped things up with the first-ever interscholastic Norwood Volleyball Tournament. WINTER SEASON: Once the winter arrived, we quickly switched gears for the long and intense basketball season. Varsity boys’ and girls’ teams had positive seasons, showing tremendous growth from start to finish. Both teams were somewhat young and will look to build their teams next season. The varsity boys’ independent team was very successful, picking up numerous wins throughout the season. The varsity girls’ independent team also gave a terrific effort this winter. The junior varsity played at a high level with the conference girls’ and conference boys’ finishing third in the regular season and fourth in the tournaments. Both of the independent teams were highly competitive against schools with older and more experienced players. The strength and conditioning program continued to be our largest team with over 50 participants engaged in everything from cardiovascular conditioning to introductory weight room lessons. The Summit team continued their weekly trips which included winter survival skills, indoor climbing, and archery. The athletics program continues to be an integral piece of the educational experience at Norwood, and we are immensely proud of the effort displayed each and every day, especially by the eighth graders who lead our teams to success while displaying sportsmanship and effort at the highest level. We hope that the spring not only brings warm weather but many more successful matches for our dedicated student-athletes.
8 .
HONORING DICK EWING & HIS REMARKABLE 35-YEAR CAREER AT NORWOOD He arrived on the scene in 1977, a young graduate student looking to launch a career in education. And what a career it has been! Dick Ewing’s 35 years at Norwood have been marked by an unwavering commitment to the founding mission of the School and tireless work to uphold the excellence of the program during decades of evolution and growth.
Thank you, Mr. Ewing, for your tremendous dedication to Norwood School! NORWOOD SCHOOL . 9
During his last months as Head of School, Dick Ewing sat down with four sixth graders, Curran, Langley, Rhea, and Patrick, to talk about school history, proudest accomplishments, biggest challenges, and favorite memories during his distinguished 35-year career at Norwood.
Looking Back
with Appreciation & Gratitude
Curran: I would first like to thank you for being such a good Head of School. Mr. Ewing: Thank you for that. Thank you to you and your classmates for being such great students. Curran: You’ve been at Norwood for so many years. What is your proudest accomplishment here? Mr. Ewing: That’s a great question. I would say that the thing I am proudest of is not so much an accomplishment, it’s a direction. Norwood started as a wonderful school under the leadership of our founder, Frances Marsh, with an emphasis even then on art and music and on making sure that every student was valued and supported, and as a school of great teachers. It had all those things in place when I got here. But when the School started, it served a very homogeneous population. What I am most proud of is that during my tenure the School’s population has become much more diverse. We have also worked very hard at being an inclusive school. So the School, as 10 .
I think about the years that I have been the Head of School, has changed and grown in many ways but at its core is still that same wonderful school. I am struck by the number of times when graduates, who haven’t been to the School for a long time, come back and see the School. Just imagine yourselves if you have graduated and had not been back in 20 to 30 years. I have had that experience with many graduates. They come back, and at first they can’t recognize the School. It doesn’t look at all the way they remember. It has grown and changed. But then they start touring the School, and they look in the classes and they see what’s happening between students and teachers, and then they say, “Now I recognize the place.” That is something I am proud of: that special sense about the School and the relationship between the students and the teachers that has remained the same even though the School has changed in so many ways. Langley: When people ask you what makes Norwood special what do you say?
Mr. Ewing: First and foremost, I talk about the special things that are happening between students and teachers. We have a wonderful group of students at this school and just a great group of teachers. When you put talented students together with dedicated and talented teachers, then great things happen. There are so many other special qualities: certainly the emphasis on art and music, which has been at the School since its founding. That was not a part of my own
educational background, but I believe very much in the importance of art education and music education. I think it helps shape the culture of the School and the special experience of the students. I also talk about the emphasis on providing as broad and enriched a program as we can, how we want to help students develop and find their own interests, but also make sure they get a broad exposure to so many different areas of learning and experiences. The other thing that stands out, and this has also been true of the School since its founding, is its emphasis not just on encouraging and developing students in their abilities and talents, but also on the kind of people they become – the emphasis on character education and having the kind of community that supports that and believes in it. Langley: What do you think are Norwood’s biggest challenges in the future? Mr. Ewing: All schools have challenges. For Norwood and schools like Norwood, one of the biggest challenges is how to continue to offer the kinds of programs that we do and continue the excellence of the teachers that we have, but at a cost that families can afford. Providing all of this is expensive, and one of things we worry a lot about at
“ When you put talented students together with dedicated and talented teachers, then great things happen.”
Norwood is how do we put all this together, but not at tuition costs that families just can’t afford. And also, how do we support families through financial aid? That’s been a challenge for the School; I think it’s going to remain a challenge.
I think there are also challenges in regard to the shaping and design of the program. We want to have a program that is interesting to you and your schoolmates, one that is challenging but not overwhelming. So that’s something we – and when I say we, I mean the faculty at the School and the administrators – talk a lot about: how do we find the right balance so that students are challenged, excited about learning, and understand the value of working hard to learn and to master a topic, but not feeling overwhelmed? I think that’s going to continue to be a challenge: what’s the right balance that allows young people to have time for themselves and not be busy all the time?
memories were when she would come out to the School for a special presentation and to be with students. She loved being with students. And when those students heard her speak, they immediately got a sense that this was a very special person. They could tell her love for young people and her commitment to their education. She was just a very warm person that way. She was also a very strong person, and it was her ideas about education that set the School up on the path that it’s been going down for more than 60 years.
I also believe that this school and schools like Norwood across the country need to continue to work to ensure that they are places where students feel safe and included. I think that’s very important, not just in the sense of being physically safe but also in terms of being socially and emotionally safe. One of the great things you want to be able to experience as a young person is to take risks and to try new things. You’re not always going to be successful when you take on new challenges, but that’s okay. In fact it’s more than okay. It’s important that people, particularly young people, take those risks and experience failure not because I think failure is a good thing, but because you can learn from failure. It’s important to create an environment where people feel comfortable doing that.
continued
Patrick: Mrs. Marsh brought you to Norwood. What are some favorite memories of her? Mr. Ewing: Mrs. Marsh was really quite an amazing person and educator. There’s a very famous writer about education who has written over the last three decades, Howard Gardner. Many people consider him a genius. I always believed that Mrs. Marsh had these ideas about multiple intelligences before Howard Gardner made them famous. This is what she put in place at Norwood – a school that would speak to the different abilities and intelligences of young people. I met her right before her retirement. I taught here for three years, and then I left and came back. During the years that I was Head, she would still come out and visit the School. She was very connected and involved; she was an honorary trustee. Most of my
One of my most vivid memories of Mrs. Marsh was when she was dying. The chair of the board and I went out to visit her. This
Custom-Designed Birdhouse for a Special Blue Hawk
Dick shows off his Norwood birdhouse, custom-designed and built by Bob Sievers.
The first grade woodworking project has been a beloved Norwood tradition for the past 16 years. “Every year, I am impressed with the great display of creativity, enthusiasm, and pride at the showcase,” says Dick. “This project is a great example of how the School encourages students to try something new and express their individual creativity. It is one I will remember with great fondness and, of course, with great gratitude to Bob Sievers, who has dedicated countless hours to make this project possible for hundreds of first graders for nearly two decades.” This year, Mr. Sievers was busier than usual. After preparing birdhouse kits for the entire first grade class, he custom-designed and built a beautiful Norwood birdhouse for a special Blue Hawk. The one-ofa-kind birdhouse was unveiled and presented to Dick at an all-school chapel prior to the first grade showcase. “I am deeply touched and will always treasure this incredible gift.”
NORWOOD SCHOOL . 11
was the time when the School went just to the sixth grade. It didn’t have a middle school, and it also didn’t have the property that was then known as the Hyde property – where the baseball field is and the drive and the head of school’s house and some of the other fields. We didn’t have all of that, and she wanted the School to get that property. When the board chair and I were meeting with her, she talked with us about the importance of that, but then she reached over and grabbed the board chair’s hand and she said, “Be bold.” She wanted the School to be bold, and that’s the way she was. Think about it, here she was this person who started this small school at St. John’s Church with very limited space and very few students and helped grow it and then was bold enough to move the School to where it stands today. She was in many ways a humble person, but a very strong person. She showed that as a leader you can both have humility and great gratitude. She always spoke about appreciation, but she could also be someone who was very strong and also willing to be bold and to take risks – not foolish risks, but risks that you knew were of value. Patrick: What are three of the biggest challenges that you have had to face during your tenure as Head of School? Mr. Ewing: The one that I would say comes most to mind I have spoken about already and that’s helping the School grow from being a fairly homogeneous 12 .
school to being one that’s more diverse and inclusive, while retaining the special qualities that make the School a family school. I think that has been one of the most important things that have happened during my tenure here. But it has also involved hard work by many people in the community, and we have all been inspired in this work by students and their taking the lead in helping us become a more inclusive community. I also think it has been a great challenge to manage the economics of independent school education. How do we provide all the programs we want to provide? How do we keep the best faculty we can get and yet not let tuitions become out of reach for many of our families? One of the biggest challenges we had, of course, and a great opportunity, was growing the School from being a small K-6 school to being a much larger K-8 school. There were those of us at the School, particularly our longtime Lower School Head Mrs. Block and myself, who for many years felt that although Norwood was a wonderful K-6 school, our students would be best served by staying in an environment like Norwood through middle school, even though they were leaving to attend many very fine schools. We talked about that for a long time. We finally got to the point where we said we need to see if we can plan this and grow the School. It was about the same time that the property next door became available. We worked together
“ One of the great things you want to be able to experience as a young person is to take risks and to try new things. You’re not always going to be successful when you take on new challenges, but that’s okay” as a school community – members of the board, parents, faculty, and staff – to figure out how could we acquire the property and at the same time plan a middle school that we thought would both build on what Norwood was all about, the special qualities of the School, yet also serve seventh and eighth graders, young adolescents who were just in a different place in their lives than students in kindergarten through sixth grade. So we went through two years of planning in putting together those programs. It was a big challenge and very exciting. We were grateful to have had that opportunity. Rhea: Since we have added the Middle School, there has been talk of Norwood going through twelfth grade. Do you think that will ever happen? Mr. Ewing: Thinking long-term, I honestly don’t know. During the time after we added the Middle School, we actually conducted a study to see if we should add
a high school. We determined that adding a high school could be consistent with our mission as a school. Certainly the Norwood philosophy of education could be applied to high school. But we decided that it would not be a good idea to proceed with that at the time and that we should focus on being a K-8 school and serving those students as best we could. One other thing we decided, something I feel strongly about, is that if the School ever did come back and revisit this and decided to add a high school that it be done on a different campus. Having this campus serving K-8 and a focus on students in that age group is very important. Over the years since we expanded, I’ve come to feel that
going to be the next Head of School – also a great school leader, Tom Hudnut. He was the Head of School when I was here as a teacher. I got the chance to tour the School, and I got to visit in particular a fourth grade classroom led by a great teacher, Mickey Martin. I can remember my days in elementary school, and I didn’t remember them being this way at all. I was just so struck by the students. They were so engaged in the class, and they were just so smart and interested. From that first day, I was so impressed. Over the years, we have been really blessed to have the kind of students we do at this school, students like yourselves with so many different interests, so talented and involved in
Community Celebration to Say THANK YOU The Norwood community will gather in the Steuart Courtyard on the evening of Saturday, April 26 to honor Dick and his remarkable leadership. The community is also invited to post a message of appreciation to the Ewings at www.norwoodschool.org/Ewing.
A Lasting Legacy
more strongly. At the time, I remember thinking that adding a high school would be an interesting project, just as it was to add seventh and eighth grades, but we felt strongly that this was something that we needed to do in the best interest of the students. In fact, we think that students being here in an environment serving K-8 is the best experience for them. I think the focus of this campus should remain on being a K-8 school. Curran: How have the students at Norwood influenced your life? Mr. Ewing: I’ll never forget the day I first came to Norwood, and I got to meet Frances Marsh, the founder. She was retiring that year. It was in the spring, and I also got to meet the person who was
so many amazing activities. And they are genuinely good people, and that‘s so important. The other thing that sticks in my mind in particular is the appreciation the students have for the School. One of the things I do every year in the spring is to meet with each eighth grader to talk with them about their experiences at Norwood, and they share with me what stands out in their minds. In almost every case, what comes out in those meetings is their sense of appreciation and of gratitude. That has impressed me and has been a lesson for me as well about the importance of appreciation and gratitude. I have always appreciated and been grateful for the opportunity to serve and lead this remarkable school.
Dick has always cared deeply about sustaining the School’s ability to recruit, retain, and support the highest quality faculty and staff. The Jacquelyn R. and Richard T. Ewing, Sr. Scholarship Fund, created and named for their parents by Dick and his siblings, supports tuition remission for Norwood’s dedicated and talented faculty and staff, enabling the School to maintain its proud tradition of great teaching. If you would like to honor Dick with a gift to this important fund, you may do so online at www.norwoodschool.org or by mail at: Ewing Sr. Scholarship Fund Norwood School 8821 River Road Bethesda, MD 20817
NORWOOD SCHOOL . 13
THE EWING YEARS 1977-1980 Sixth Grade Teacher
1982-1983
Administrative Director
1977
1983-2014 Head of School
1980 Dick leaves Norwood to attend the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s doctoral program. Full-day kindergarten is offered for the first time.
Dick’s first sixth grade class, co-taught with Georgie Mundell.
Frances Marsh, founder of Norwood School, hires Dick Ewing as a sixth grade teacher. After school, Dick was coaching crew at W&L High School in Virginia and taking graduate courses at the University of Virginia’s Northern Campus, earning a master’s degree in education.
Frances Marsh during her final years as Norwood’s Headmistress.
Kindergartners in the early eighties were the first to enjoy full-day kindergarten at Norwood.
1982 Tom Hudnut leaves Norwood for a headship on the West Coast. Dick returns to Norwood, having completed his course work for his doctorate, and teams up with Acting Head of School Weedie Block to serve in the newly created position of Administrative Director. The Board of Trustees launches a search for a permanent Head.
The hiring of a new sixth grade teacher is announced in the fall 1977 issue of the Norwood Newsletter.
Frances Marsh retires and Tom Hudnut is named Norwood’s second Head of School.
Mrs. Marsh shows Norwood’s new crest.
A new Norwood crest is designed by a parent; it features the oak tree and open book for the first time. Two Norwood mothers transferred the new crest onto the large wall hanging that adorns the Marsh Gym to this day.
Dick applies for the position, and after a nationwide search, the Board of Trustees appoints Dick Ewing as Norwood’s fourth Head of School.
Having recently added sixth grade in 1976, the first sixth grade graduation is held.
The Murray Arts Building was added in 1982.
Tom Hudnut was named Head of School when Frances Marsh retired.
14 .
The Class of 1977 is the first class of graduating sixth graders.
The Amanda Murray Arts Building is added. The award-winning building, honoring a first grader who died of leukemia in 1981, provides bright and spacious rooms for music, drama, and art.
1984 The first Norwood Field Day is held.
The first auction dinner-dance is held to raise funds for the Assistant Teacher Program.
Early 1990s
Teamwork, physical fitness, and sportsmanship is celebrated at the first Field Day in 1984.
1985 Norwood begins its first accreditation process with the Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) and the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. Dick establishes the first Curriculum Committee for ongoing curricular review and development, leading to improvements and enrichment in all program areas. Grandparents Day became a favorite Norwood tradition in 1982.
The Assistant Teacher Program is launched.
The first educational technology strategic plan is developed and launched, committing substantial resources towards the most current hardware, software, and staff training to expand and enhance learning in all subjects and disciplines.
1990 At the completion of a $2.5 million capital campaign, the Ewing Building is added, named for the family by Norwood grandparent and benefactor Frank M. Ewing; both the Marsh and Steuart buildings are renovated.
The first Grandparents Day is held.
1983 Dick begins his first year as Head of School.
The Ewing Building under construction. Dick and the Board of Trustees celebrate a successful accreditation process.
1986 The Family Life curriculum is launched.
1987 The Board develops and completes the first strategic plan.
Late 1980s Foreign language instruction is added to the curriculum for the first time.
Frances Marsh, Dick Ewing, and Board Chair Marty West at the dedication of the Ewing Building.
NORWOOD SCHOOL . 15
1991 For the first time, the Auction Benefit raises money for financial aid.
1994
Dick leads the faculty committee dedicated to designing a seventh- and eighth-grade curriculum focused on an in-depth study of the 20th century. The Blue Hawk is named Norwood’s first official mascot.
The Board adopts a separate Diversity Mission Statement to accompany the Norwood School Mission Statement: “Norwood School is committed to the principle that diversity within its community and educational program is a desirable and necessary objective…. Embracing diversity is consonant with the School’s tradition of recognizing the worth of every member of the community while emphasizing our common values of academic achievement, mutual respect, cooperation and personal responsibility.”
1995 Norwood purchases the adjoining Hyde property, adding 16.7 acres to the 23-acre campus.
Construction on the new middle school building and athletic center is well underway.
Norwood joins the Capital Athletic Conference, providing competitive interscholastic sports opportunities for middle school students.
Work continues on the middle school building.
Each seventh grader is provided with a laptop, marking the School’s first one-to-one computer program.
The community service program is expanded to include off-campus work.
1997 The Building Futures Campaign, the School’s most ambitious fundraising effort to date, is launched with a goal of raising $10 million to build a new middle school building, athletic center, athletic fields, and incorporate leading-edge educational technology.
Dick presents the new campus map as the Building Futures Campaign is launched.
16 .
1998 Ground breaks on the middle school buildings, and Norwood welcomes its first class of seventh graders, the Class of 2000, who fill temporary classrooms in modular units behind the Marsh Building. These 32 “pioneers” were the first students to experience the new curriculum and educational technology, as well as to participate in advisories, interscholastic athletics, Summit, expanded music and drama opportunities, Intersession, community service, and other new middle school programs.
1999 The first seventh grade class now becomes the first eighth grade class, making Norwood officially a K-8 school.
origin, religion or creed, gender, sexual orientation, family composition, economic status, age, learning styles or physical ability. This commitment extends across all areas of school life and work. We believe that education is broadened and strengthened by the inclusion of people of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.”
Dick joins trustees Joe Moravec, Steve Klebanoff, and Mitch Rales to cut the ribbon at the opening of the new Rales Athletic Center.
Construction is completed. Students in grades 5-8 fill the new middle school classrooms, library, music rooms, art studios, and spacious double gymnasium. The Building Futures Campaign is completed, raising just under $12.5 million in support of the middle school dream.
2006 After a comprehensive 18-month review of the role of religion and spirituality at the School, the Board resolves that Norwood is not, and has not been for more than 30 years, a religious school. The Board modifies the Statement of Philosophy to make clear that Norwood is a nonsectarian school committed to the spiritual and ethical development of all its students.
Dick poses with the first cohort of MATI teacher-apprentices and MATI mentor teachers.
The Murray Arts Building is renovated and the Gosnell Courtyard, Modin Amphitheater, and Linke Garden are added, creating lovely new outdoor spaces.
The first middle school spring musical is held.
Construction in progress outside the Murray Arts Building.
A new logo is introduced featuring the Norwood Oak and an open book displaying the school’s motto, how you lead your life matters, in six world languages, reflecting the blending of tradition and innovation at Norwood.
2000
The renovation of Murray results in new outdoor spaces for teaching and learning.
Norwood graduates its first class of eighth graders, the Class of 2000.
2009 Norwood is one of six schools in the nation to receive a Character Education Award from the Center for Spiritual and Ethical Education.
Tablet computers, which had been piloted since 2004, are rolled out for students in grades 6-8, replacing laptops.
2005
2007
A sixth pillar is added to the Five Pillars of Educational Philosophy underscoring Norwood’s continued commitment to diversity and inclusivity: “We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive school. We respect and protect the dignity and worth of all members of our community without regard to race, color or national
The Assistant Teacher Program evolves into the Mid-Atlantic Teacher Institute (MATI), a joint-venture graduate program with George Washington University. MATI opens its doors at Norwood in June of 2007 to its first cohort of teacher-apprentices. Many veteran Norwood teachers serve as mentors and adjunct professors.
2012 After 35 years of dedicated service to Norwood, Dick Ewing announces his retirement as Head of School, effective June 30, 2014.
NORWOOD SCHOOL . 17
In the
CLASSROOM Writing Workshop Method Sharpens Writing Skills in All Grades By Tyffany Mandov, Lower School Reading Specialist, and Barbara Vaughan, Sixth Grade Homeroom Teacher, Co-Chairs of the Writing Curriculum Committee Developing strong, confident writers has always been an important objective of Norwood’s writing curriculum. Recently, as a result of work and research completed by the Writing Curriculum Committee, Norwood adopted the Writing Workshop method, an instructional model pioneered by Lucy Calkins, Nancie Atwell, and other educators and literacy experts, as the K-8 framework for teaching writing at Norwood School. The Writing Workshop method is not completely new at Norwood. Many teachers have incorporated elements of Writing Workshop in their lessons for years. The difference with this school-wide initiative is the focus on in-house training and collaboration for a stronger, more consistent writing experience for our students. During the past 18 months, Norwood’s writing teachers in grades K-8 have received professional development designed to teach and model workshop strategies. Several teachers have attended the Summer Writing Institute at Columbia University; others have participated in one-day workshops. All writing teachers have been involved in on-campus training by consultants. Teachers have welcomed the opportunity to take new ideas back to their classrooms and collaborate within and across grade levels on a variety of writing projects.
What Does a Writing Workshop Look Like? Most workshops begin with a mini-lesson from the teacher, who serves in the role of writing coach or mentor. During this short lesson, the teacher focuses on a specific aspect of writing, shares examples of good writing, makes connections with previous lessons, and sets writing goals. The mini-lesson is brief and focused, leaving most of the classroom time for student writing and individual conferencing with the teacher. The teacher may interrupt students mid-workshop to make an additional teaching point based on student work or share examples of student writing that exemplify the goals of the lesson. After studying samples of effective writing and brainstorming for topics, students are eager to get started. Writing Workshop taps into children’s enthusiasm for creating. Students frequently have the opportunity to choose their topics within the genre they are studying. So if a student is writing an opinion piece, they may select a subject, such as Why We Should Get a Dog or Schools Should Not Require Uniforms. That freedom of choice, within the structure of the lesson or genre, is incredibly motivating for student writers. When students feel passionate about their topics, rarely do teachers hear, “I don’t know what to write about!” Revision is the next step in the writing process. This is when individual conferences with the teacher are essential. A writing 18 .
conference provides an opportunity for students to ask questions, receive specific feedback, and get assistance in organizing ideas. Teachers can also use these brief conference times to reinforce mini-lessons, emphasize genre format requirements, and help students focus on parts of their writing that need elaboration or “major surgery.” Revising requires students to look at their writing through the eyes of the reader and be willing to eliminate unnecessary words, rearrange confusing sections, and add more detail to paint a clearer picture. Revision can be a labor-intensive process for students and teachers, but it is also when some of the best writing happens. One sixth grader describes revision this way: “To make your writing better you need to revise. At first I didn’t want to revise, but I soon learned that you need to think more about your writing and then you can revise; it will help your writing become better…. You should have seen my first draft compared to my tenth draft.” At the other
end of the building, kindergartners describe revision this way: “When you think you are done, you’ve just begun!” Grammar and writing mechanics are taught within the context of Writing Workshop. Sometimes a teacher gives a mini-lesson to the entire class, such as how to punctuate dialogue. Other times, teachers give specific grammar instruction during individual conferences or to small pull-out groups. The editing phase of the writing process is a time for writers to examine their pieces again, focusing specifically on grammar, spelling, and punctuation. This step is important to properly showcase the students’ ideas and prepare each piece for publication. The spelling and punctuation expectations build as a student progresses through the grades. For example, in kindergarten and first grade, invented spelling is developmentally appropriate. In subsequent grades, expectations for a final draft become more rigorous. When students know their writing is going to be read by a wider audience, not just their teacher, it raises the stakes. Revising and editing take on greater importance as writers focus on the best way to communicate their ideas to others. Finally, after reading, brainstorming, drafting, revising, and editing, it is time to publish, because students are writing to be read. Often students read each other’s work, and sometimes special guests such as Mr. Ewing, Ms. Claeys, Ms. Bridgewater, and other teachers are invited to come and read what has been written. In many classrooms, published pieces are displayed on bulletin boards for all to read and enjoy.
Benefits of Writing Workshop In Writing Workshop students follow a process that authors in the real world use; these steps and skills can be applied to all types of writing. Choosing their own topics is motivating to students, giving them a sense of ownership and enthusiasm for their writing that teacher-provided prompts do not always inspire. Writing Workshop, with its emphasis on reader feedback and creating a community of writers, provides opportunities for both independent and collaborative work. Students build endurance and independence as writers. Not only is this independence a desirable goal for developing writers, it also allows teachers to meet one-on-one with each student to give them specific feedback. School-wide Writing Workshop training and across-grades collaboration has provided teachers with consistent terminology to talk about writing. The progression of writing units throughout the year gives students experience with a variety of genres, which may include memoir, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and persuasive writing. Writing Workshop asks students to look at the world through the eyes of writers. With each piece they publish, Norwood students view themselves as authors. In Norwood classrooms, students focus on authentic writing experiences. By the end of the year, students will have a collection of writing that shows their progress from September to June. The students are energized about writing, eager to share their thoughts on paper. Norwood students have a lot to say, and in Writing Workshop they develop the skills to communicate their stories and ideas to readers. NORWOOD SCHOOL . 19
1
2 BETHESDA 1 | Norwood School 2 | Walter Reed National Military Medical Center 3 | National Institutes of Health 4 | Black’s Bar & Kitchen
3
4
Intersession 2014 F
rom sea (Potomac River) to shining sea (Atlantic Ocean), seventh and eighth graders, accompanied and guided by their teachers, took a break from the typical academic schedule and left their mark all over Maryland, Virginia, DC, and even Delaware, expanding their learning environment, pursuing new interests, and exploring possible careers. Year after year, students cite Intersession as one of the highlights of the Norwood middle school experience. While it may be just one short week out of the year, Intersession is a powerful way to enhance relationships with teachers, deepen friendships with peers, and expand the joyful learning that is central Norwood’s mission and educational philosophy. From observing open-heart surgery to learning about the intricacies of cake decorating (and many things in between), this year’s Intersession program featured a diverse and exciting line-up of experiential learning opportunities, both on- and off-campus, designed to open minds and hearts to possibilities.
One-Day Courses Air & Space Udvar-Hazy Center Animals in Man-Made Habitats Behind the Scenes at the National Gallery Behind the Scenes at Nationals Park Essentials of Cake Decorating Caring Crafts Italian Cooking Mosaic Creations National Security and the FBI Scary Funny Monsters Secret Museums in Your Backyard Smithsonian Scavenger Hunt
What are seventh and eighth graders saying about Intersession? “Dissecting the sheep and calf heart was extremely exciting…. Before this class, I have been really grossed out by blood, but now I realize how vital it is to have in a human body and understand that it is nothing to be afraid of.”
5
William ’14
Two-Day Courses Serving Others Chance: Math in Action Medical Mysteries Cultural Exploration: Central & South America Wild Delaware Overnight Heart Surgery Hiking Creating a Superhero It’s Game Time
20 .
POTOMAC 5 | Glenstone Museum 6 | Great Falls/Billy Goat Trail
6
“As a Norwood student there are trademark events that everyone knows of for each grade. For seventh and eighth grade Intersession is one of them. It is something to look forward to, something to look back on, and a great time to take a break in the middle of the year. During Intersession I had unique experiences I would never have had and am glad that at Norwood I could have this opportunity that I couldn’t have had at another school.”
Harrison ’14
ROCKVILLE
7
7 | Fallsgrove Village Center 8 | G Street Fabrics 9 | Consumer Products Safety Commission
“Intersession is a great opportunity to learn with your teachers and classmates in a different environment. Being in a more relaxed environment is exciting and different – it isn’t every day that you get to decorate a cake with your science teacher, but it allows for you to see a different side of your peers and teachers. It is something to look forward to and a nice break from school after exams.”
Julia ’14
8
9
“We get to learn about things that will make us smarter in a different way than the usual way.”
10
William ’15
NORTHERN VIRGINIA 10 | Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center 11 | Inova Fairfax Hospital
11
NORWOOD SCHOOL . 21
“I think my favorite Intersession activity had to be the Air and Space Museum. Not only is it a massive area with tons, literally, of planes, we got to do a scavenger hunt in the entire building. It gave you a sense of freedom to be able to roam the huge hangar with your friends.” Matthew ’15
“My favorite Intersession activity was ‘Serving Others’ because it gave me an opportunity to experience what it is like to run a business which may be helpful in my future.”
Amanda ’15
12
WASHINGTON, DC
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12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
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Kreeger Museum National Zoological Park Ben’s Chili Bowl Smithsonian American Art Museum Julia’s Empanadas Spy Museum Federal Bureau of Investigation Chinatown DC Central Kitchen Union Station
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22 | National Museum of Natural History 23 | National Gallery of Art 24 | National Gallery of Art Ice Rink 25 | National Museum of the American Indian 26 | Eastern Market 27 | The Pretzel Bakery 28 | Nationals Park
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“I would tell younger kids that it is really fun and sometimes what you expect you won’t like, you end up liking.”
Rose ’15
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BALTIMORE 29 | Geppi’s Entertainment Museum
“During Intersession I decided I really do love cooking.”
John ’15
“I discovered talents, like cake decorating, that I did not know I had. I got to see things I wouldn’t have gotten to see if Norwood didn’t provide this experience, like the FBI headquarters. Best of all I got to know my classmates in a different way outside of the classroom, learn or help others, and have a good time all at the same time.” Katherine ’14
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EASTERN SHORE 30 31 32 33 34
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Kent Island Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge Cape Henlopen Indian River Inlet
32 33 34
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NORWOOD SCHOOL . 23
TREASURED FACULTY Gold Stars of Norwood Teachers give out gold stars all the time for a job well done. It is time to turn the table and hand out a galaxy of gold stars to a group of extraordinarily talented veteran teachers who will join Dick Ewing in retirement at the end of June: Nancy McGuire, Jay Roudebush, and Maureen Sievers. With nearly 150 years in combined service in the field of education, Dick, Nancy, Jay, and Maureen have touched thousands of young lives with their caring, nurturing, and engaging approach to education that reinforces the core values of the community. Norwood won’t be the same without them, but it will continue to be the exceptional school it is because of their amazing legacies.
BY THE NUMBERS TOTAL YEARS IN EDUCATION
TOTAL YEARS AT NORWOOD
Dick Jay
40
35
42
12
Nancy
36
25
Maureen
30
17
Maureen Sievers, Jay Roudebush, Dick Ewing, and Nancy McGuire to retire.
Nancy McGuire
Jay Roudebush
Maureen Sievers
Since coming to Norwood in 1989, Nancy has been an adored teacher for hundreds of first grade students and their parents. Completely devoted to her students in a loving and caring way, she truly understands each individual student and works to help each child shine in their own unique way. One of the challenges of first grade is how to take so many children at different levels of readiness and maturity, meet them where they are, and move them forward in a positive and exciting way. Nancy is a pro at creating a happy place of learning where each child is appropriately challenged to be their personal best. We have been so fortunate to have Nancy at Norwood for the past 25 years, as well as two of her 12 grandchildren, Kevin Keegan ‘07 and Matthew Keegan ‘12, daughter Sharon, and son-in-law Vince.
Jay first came to Norwood in 1990 and served for three years as a sixth grade teacher. He then became Division Head of Grades 4-6, and later Director of Academic Affairs. In 1997, Jay left to become Headmaster at National Presbyterian School in Washington, DC, a position he held for 10 years. We were thrilled when he returned to Norwood in 2006 for a second tour of duty, teaching sixth grade until 2010, when he tried to retire for the first time. Two years later, we lured him back as a long-term substitute in sixth grade. We are enormously grateful for Jay’s willingness to teach another two homerooms of “Rowdies,” and we promise to let him retire “for real” this time. Look for Jay on the silver screen and on television. He enjoys success as a background actor and has been spotted in Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” and the popular Netflix series, “House of Cards.”
Maureen joined our faculty in 1997 as a kindergarten teacher. After one year, she moved to first grade, where she has been ever since, providing an exceptional educational experience for hundreds of children. Having taught several other grades during the first half of her career (nursery school, kindergarten, fifth and sixth grades), Maureen found her niche in Norwood’s first grade, where she delights in the students’ sense of wonder, their excitement to soak up knowledge, and watching them experience such tremendous growth in one year. We are grateful to the entire Sievers family for their dedication to Norwood – to daughter Jennifer Sievers ‘97 and to husband Bob, who brought the now famous and beloved woodworking project to Norwood 16 years ago. Maureen is a talented, caring teacher, and accomplished educator, and we have been blessed to have her at Norwood all these years.
24 .
TREASURED ALUMNI Welcoming the Class of 2013 Back to The Nest!
While only a few months had passed since these Blue Hawks had flown from The Nest, we were delighted to welcome them back for their first official reunion on September 27, 2013. More than 40 members of the Class of 2013 took a break from their already busy high school schedules to socialize and reminisce. We hope they will continue to remember their Blue Hawk roots and share their news at alumnioffice@norwoodschool.org.
NORWOOD SCHOOL . 25
Class Notes CLASS OF 1992 Anne Nicolaysen Bubb and husband Dan welcomed their son, Andrew Francis Bubb, on November 19, 2013.
CLASS OF 1995 Emily Uhre was married to Thomas Robertson on January 21, 2014 in Nosara, Costa Rica.
Susan Dove (left) and Emily Uhre, both from the Class of 1995, at Emily’s wedding in Nosara, Costa Rica on January 21, 2014.
CLASS OF 2005 Matt Daley accompanied Norwood students on the violin and piano during
their two-hour performance at the White House in December. The special performance was part of the holiday tour of the East Wing rooms. Matt is currently pursuing his master’s degree in music at the University of Maryland.
CLASS OF 2006 Olivia Cannon, who attended Durham University, is now an elementary school English teacher in Pontoise, France.
Make a connection! Facebook 46 0 100 0
20 0 50 0
84 13 100 2
SmugMug Vimeo Norwood is there and looking for you!
CLASS OF 2010 Christina Sturgeon, a senior at National Cathedral School, was awarded a grant from Youth Service America’s National Child Awareness Ambassador program to create a documentary about the benefits of volunteering with people who have special needs. As part of this work, she hosted a dance on April 12, Global Youth Service Day, for high school students with disabilities and volunteers. In the fall, Christina served as a page for the Maryland General Assembly: “It was a phenomenal handson learning experience considering when the delegates/senators aren’t in session, we’re allowed to drop in on hearings and caucus meetings!” Christina also serves as a VolunTEEN Nation Ambassador. Noa West ’11 served as a student ambassador for St. Andrew’s Episcopal School during a school trip to Civoli, Haiti.
CLASS OF 2011
Matt Daley ’05 accompanies Norwood violinists at a special holiday performance at the White House on December 23.
Share with us! 26 .
Send news about whatever you’re up to – school, career, relocation, marriage, babies, travels, and adventures – to alumnioffice@norwoodschool.org or Norwood School, Alumni Office, 8821 River Road, Bethesda, MD 20817. We love hearing from you!
Noa West was a finalist in the Congressional Art Competition last spring. Her drawing, Halcyon, was juried into the exhibition on display for one year at the U.S. Capitol. Recently, Noa, a junior at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, was selected to serve as a student ambassador on a trip to Civol, Haiti to visit St. Andrew’s partner school, Christ Roi School. She will be leading a community art project there that will connect Christ Roi and St. Andrew’s. In addition, Noa was awarded a Derek Park Fund Grant from St. Andrew’s to create a large permanent mural for the school’s Postoak campus. Working with the head of the art department, Noa will take the lead in designing and painting the colorful narrative mural.
TREASURED ALUMNI CLASS OF 2012 Frances Gichner won second place in the “Natural World” category for grades 9-12 in the FotoWeekDC Youth Contest, sponsored by PNC, National Geographic and The Washington Post. Frances was honored at a special reception held at the National Geographic Society headquarters in DC, and her photo was displayed at FotoWeekDC’s exhibit in the courtyard of National Geographic, November 1-10. Frances is a sophomore at Holton-Arms School. Sarah Naatz was selected as one of 20 sophomore and junior peer leaders at Georgetown Day School in connection with the school’s Peer Leadership Program. Tom Naatz helped earn the St. Albans It’s Academic team a win on the March 1 airing of the popular quiz show. His team participated in the play-off round on April 12, to be aired on May 17. Leila Youssef sent this nice note about her experience performing in Oklahoma at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School: “In reality it was a reunion of a bunch of Norwood alum! So many Norwoodians from all grades came to support us actors, band members, and tech crew. It was really touching to have everyone together again. Norwood will forever be a home in our eyes.”
Norwood friends gather at the spring performance of “Oklahoma” at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. Back row: Elizabeth Holland ‘11, Leila Youssef ‘12, Amelia Heesen ’12, Brian Bies ’10; middle row: Rhys Steuart ‘10, Rory Frydman ’12, Russell Brunner ‘10; front row: Marcel Wiedmaier ’13.
Frances Gichner ’12 stands next to her award-winning photo at the National Geographic Society headquarters. Frances won second place in the FotoWeekDC Youth Contest.
Tom Naatz ’12 and his team from St. Albans enjoyed a win on “It’s Academic.” Photo courtesy of “It’s Academic.” NORWOOD SCHOOL . 27
Mr. Ewing Prepares Third Graders for their As third graders prepared to begin a new unit on illustrating ships, Mr. Ewing visited their art class to share his experience as a model shipbuilder. He brought in some of his models, explained the intricate process, and talked about the importance of patience, the value of the month. “Each model may not be perfect,” he said, “but I learn from my mistakes and apply that knowledge to my next project.” Third graders kept this great advice in mind as they worked with their art teacher, Jorge Somarriba, to create this wonderful gallery of seafaring adventures.
Alexander
Annika
Dominic
28 . Hannah
Helen
Julian
Kate
Shelby
Quintin
Noore
Lawrence
Lena
Lucas
Nathan
8821 RIVER ROAD BETHESDA, MD 20817 T 301.365.2595 NORWOODSCHOOL.ORG
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MAJOR EVENTS FOR SPRING 2014 Spring Musical: Once Upon a Mattress May 9 7:00 p.m. May 10 3:00 & 7:00 p.m. Spirit Day May 12 7/8 Spring Concert May 15 7:00 p.m. Spring Book Fair May 15-17 Founder’s Day Chapel May 16 8:15 a.m. Spring Picnic May 17 4:00 p.m. 5/6 Spring Concert May 30 8:30 a.m. Blue/White Day & Faculty Tributes June 2 8:15 a.m. Isabelle ’14
Recognition Day June 6 8:15 a.m. Class Day June 9 8:15 a.m.
Please remember the Norwood Annual Fund This spring, renew your commitment to the exceptional K-8 program at Norwood School with a gift to the Annual Fund. Every gift makes a difference and is greatly appreciated. norwoodschool.org/giving
Commencement June 10 8:30 a.m.
Grandparents, alumni, past parents, new families for 2014-2015, and friends are invited to join us for any of these events. We hope to see you on campus!