24 minute read
On Campus
Reflections from the Dorms
By Sonya Evans, Resident Faculty and Upper School Faculty Member
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SEPTEMBER
As summer began to wane, Director of Residential Life, Kali Baird, and Residential Faculty all worked diligently together to prepare for the new school year. With each arrival, faculty discussed new health and safety measures with students, while creating fun and safe introduction activities. The Resident Faculty welcomed each student, and in true Super Hero fashion, dedicated countless hours and days to making new students arriving from all parts of the globe feel “at home”.
OCTOBER
One of our oldest and dearest traditions in the dorms, the Candy Run was a success. I have yet to meet a former San Domenico boarding student who doesn’t fondly remember running up and down the halls collecting candy, in a high-speed version of trickor-treating! In addition to carving pumpkins, we also enjoyed a wonderful day at Stinson Beach - complete with swimming (brrrr), games, and relaxing. In-person classes also resumed on campus toward the end of October, and the day and boarding students were glad to see each other and their teachers!
While nothing can ever take the place of the familiar traditions with family, it is heartwarming to see students blossom under the care of their “family” on campus. Thank you to all our Dorm Superheroes!
SD Dorm Life
NOVEMBER
As fall arrived, we continued to explore both our beautiful campus and the surrounding area. Resident Faculty Chad Sigler, working with Director of Sustainability Shelley Flint, helped to create our own boarding community garden plot where students can plant, cultivate, and harvest vegetables. During one weekend, we took advantage of a break in the rain to walk the 1.7 miles across the Golden Gate Bridge! And while Thanksgiving required flexibility and shifting of gears, like so many things this year, we enjoyed a delicious meal together, including turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pies.
DECEMBER
Resident Faculty made it a priority to create new and meaningful traditions together, including for Rosh Hashanah, a student- led meal and celebration, and for the holiday season, decorating for both Christmas and Hanukkah! With our beautiful holiday-trimmed tree in Mercedes, menorah on the table, lights hanging outside, a chill in the air, and lots of fun weekend plans, we together celebrated many of the joys of the season.
“Kali is an inspiration to the entire Boarding Program! Her leadership during a very difficult time is motivational and she is loving and caring to every student in our community.”
- COACH MIKE FULTON
ON CAMPUS
Kindergarten students kicked off a new reading unit that taught them they are not just readers - but SUPER READERS! Super Readers have special reading powers that help them read different level books. The masks and capes were a big hit with the kids - witness the grins and confidence 16 SCHOOL TIES on display!
Kindergarten
ON CAMPUS
- STEFANO F. ’32
- DAHLIA H. ’32 AND MOLLY P. ’32
- SYDNEY Q. ’31
SD in Quotes
- IRENE N., AND SAHITYA R., CLASS OF ’28
- THIRA H. ’26
- CONOR G. ’32
ON CAMPUS
- SIERRA P. ’22
- JONAH R. ’21
- CHARLOTTE S.’31
- ANYA S.’24
SD in Quotes
- VERONICA M. ’25
very superhero has an origin story - an explanation of how their powers came to be, and the events that motivated them to do good in the world. At the heart of almost every origin story is one unifying theme - loss. Family tragedy struck a young Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker. Wonder Woman sacrificed her safety and anonymity, entering into the fray of the troubled world of man. But these traumas and challenges are not where their stories end - it is what they did afterward that led to their strengths.
This year, at San Domenico, I feel as though I am witnessing hundreds of origin stories - a student body full of
superheroes in the making. We cannot minimize the loss inherent in our current reality. Beyond the specific celebrations, events, and experiences cancelled or postponed, we have all simply had to let go of what we thought this year was supposed to be. But every day, I am seeing students turn this loss into a reason to do good. Superpowers are developing before our eyes. No I don’t mean flight, invis-
ibility, or brute strength, but rather gratitude, resourcefulness, perspective, and thoughtfulness.
I have seen a Freshman reach out for a Senior’s email address to ask for support while distance learning from the same home country. I have heard a Sophomore invite a transfer student to “sit” together at lunch, acknowledging how hard it must be to join a school virtually. I have had students reach out for guidance on time management, sharing that school has never been this hard before, but it’s time to ask for help. And I have heard mentees share that while their family is driving them crazy, they can’t imagine getting through this year without them.
Small as these acts may seem, they are pervasive in our student body right now, and these
are the kind of powers that will carry students through any challenge the universe throws at
them down the line. The superheroes we know and love, like us, experience hardship and pain. It is the resilience and kindness shown during those moments of hardship that matter most. And, as always, with great power comes great responsibility, and I have zero doubt that our students will continue their efforts to come to the rescue, using the perspective they are gaining to tackle any nemesis that comes their way.
n every good comic, there is a superhero and a villain. It is always a battle between good and evil, where strength, trust and perseverance are tested to their limits. However, without a doubt, virtue always prevails. While 2020 has
unveiled one villain after the next, San Domenico has risen up to the chal-
lenge. Every community member has acted as a superhero, tackling 2020’s face of evil: COVID-19. Ironically, in this
story, the villain is not masked, but the superheroes are.
San Domenico is known as a place that strives to create a strong and welcoming community for all. The year of 2020 began with unprecedented achievements, such as the men’s Varsity Basketball team making it to the state championship, new members being welcomed to the Panther family as seniors prepared for graduation, and various other positive aspects. Who knew that March 11th, 2020, would be the start of an alternate reality, around the world and here at San Domenico? As COVID-19 slowly but inexorably came to touch everyone’s lives, our daily lives became almost unrecognizable. Nevertheless, the San Domenico community was able to put on their best capes, and confront this monstrous villain.
The teachers worked tirelessly over the summer to learn the new Canvas module pattern, while preparing themselves for the influx of student and parent questions and concerns. The maintenance team have kept our campus looking picture perfect, while transforming each space with air filtration systems and cleaning stations, as well as creating new outdoor classroom spaces for safe student learning. Students transitioned from running to get to class, to waking up on time for Zoom, and from teachers telling students to put their devices away, to reminding them to keep their cameras on; this was the new definition of ‘normal.’ The bus drivers prepare themselves every day to tackle the infuriating morning/ afternoon traffic, while safely transporting students to and from school. The Administrators are constantly putting their heads together (from a distance!) to come up with new methods and ways they can continue to improve the learning experiences for students, while keeping everyone safe, as well as looking out for their new and returning faculty members.
While teenagers are reputed to be irresponsible and inflexible at times, San Domenico students have embraced this new normal, as they continue to exhibit hard work and effort, whether they are distant
learning, or present on campus. In this new alternate reality, additional, minor villains have emerged–distraction, boredom, too much screen time–but we have managed to come to terms with - if not vanquish each of them. While we may not possess superpowers like teleportation or invisibility, each and every member of our community have used their real, authentic powers to facilitate the needs of this community, and foster safety for those around us.
This pandemic has undoubtedly placed us all in a world we may have never imagined, however, there is a valuable lesson to consider. While many may look up to Spiderman, Superman and all those cool figures, not everyone has to have a colorful costume or snazzy powers to be a hero. We are all heroes amongst ourselves. Running a School in the Midst of a Deadly Pandemic may not make a good title for a comic book, but the reality is that everyone in our community has made it possible to do so. We must continue to learn, and perhaps the biggest lesson is about the power of community to come together in the worst of times. Without the immense strength and determination from each and every person, it would not be feasible to be where we are today.
Coming out of the gym after playing badminton, four students strolled the trail along the tennis court, the still icy wind of the April night gusting through the branches of the trees alongside the road. “Look!” a boy exclaimed,
breaking the silence and skipping comically next to the three girls while pointing at the vast darkness above, “That brightest and biggest star is the Planet of Jack. It is the brightest because I, Jack…”
Despite my speechlessness at his childish antics, I raised my head to look. Silent and scared, the night encompassed me, as if a net of boundless blackness caught me. Then, I spotted the brightest “Planet of Jack.” Such a lively gleam in the blackness! Alone, there she was, vigorously yet tenaciously shining in the corner of the sky. Was she having a battle with the darkness? The supposition thrilled me. We were the stars, weren’t we? During the pandemic, we faced illness and fear and loneliness, and a massive change in life Learning to reach out was my fight against my mental turbulence magnified by the pandemic. Distance learning was a schools’ fight against the loss of
educational experience triggered by the pandemic. Healthcare workers and scientists also have their battles. All of
us were fighting. All of us were our own
superheroes, wrestling with the wicked pandemic in our own ways.
When I went back to my dorm room that night, a slice of the night entered my eyesight through the window, that brightest star still gleaming. Yet, this time, I also espied other stars around the “Planet of Jack,” each star lightyears away from others, but all of them captured by a 36-inch window. And each glimmer of light seemed to kindle another. In this ordinary piece of 36-inch glass and in that limitless universe, they illuminated each other; warmed each other. And they also profoundly moved me.
The scene of me walking back to the dorm with my friends after we played badminton came back to me. So did images and memories of lighthearted times with my friends during the quarantine. One by one, the montage of quarantine time unfolded: We would pack our backpacks, walking away from dorm rooms to the library together as if we were going to real classes, and then, setting up our devices as if we were in an actual classroom. Occasionally, we cooked, scavenging for ingredients from fridges on different dorm floors and looking for recipes that meet the available ingredients, sometimes proud of and sometimes laughing at our cooking talent. But more often, we ate in the dining hall, appreciating delectable desserts while chatting about nothing serious. During this supposedly boring and isolated pandemic, I was never lonely, just as the stars, hanging in the sky independently but never feeling lonesome.
My friends were my superheroes. Did they have superpowers? Did they save the world? Neither of my friends could fly, nor did they have super strength or invisibility or telepathy, but what was more powerful than these conventional superpowers was their sincere support and company, which lit up our vulnerable hearts and connected unrelated individuals. They were the power of growth and creation, the
exquisite force that defeated the evil without destruction. They were the latent strength in the simplest actions – a genuine smile, a thoughtfull “I’ll wait for you guys,” an exciting proposal of a hot pot dinner together. They provided caring, company, and credence. We all have superpowers, and we all can save the world because the world is us, seven billion interconnected individuals, and each could influence another.
We could always be superheroes for others, fighting for others’ health, education, and well-being. Reflecting upon this unique year, I realized that in addition to my friends as superheroes there were also the Residential Faculty who did everything they could to build a sense of community despite the hard times, my teachers who worked particularly hard to offer engaging classes, and the security and dining hall staff who guarded our safety and health – they all were my superheroes. Maybe, I could also be their superhero.
Under the starry night, my heart teemed with warmth and happiness, for I realized how lucky I was to be protected by a myriad of superheroes in my life and how impactful we could be to each other’s lives.
That night, I lay on my bed and closed my eyes, a band of Milky Way into my eyes.
’ve always believed in the quote by author Doe Zantamata: “It is only in our darkest hours that we may discover the true strength of the brilliant light within ourselves that can never, ever, be dimmed.” During this unprecedented global pandemic, despite the turmoils and unrest in all aspects of our society, SD indeed demonstrated our belief in the community through great togetherness and supportiveness.
As an international student, at the beginning of our unanticipated separations, I was shut into the bubble of our campus, like many others. The residential life staff put in extraordinary effort to maintain calm and prosperity within the dorm through day-to-day caring for the students, such as outdoor activities and milkshakes, transforming what is supposed to be a dull, heavy quarantine into a large sleepover. I was truly struck by the SD community’s incredible level of empathy it has shown. While I was learning the news of other international students around the country being kicked out of their school and even the country, I saw that SD, on the other hand, continued to put in heartening support for the boarding students.
This year, as I began distance learning abroad, I am still welcomed with wholehearted concern and good thoughts from the teacher every single day as I enter the class. Unlike any other school, all teachers also demonstrat-
ed unparalleled understanding, staying in close contact with us, taking their own free time to host special lessons, and having Z BLOCKS designated to sustain international students’ academic experi-
ence. Most importantly, it is through these past months of separations and isolations, I felt, more than anything, it is the presence of SD as a community and a family that will nurture the indispensable quality of empathy and love for my lifetime.”
recently challenged students in my Critical Thinking and Composition class to identify the true characteristics of a hero, separate from the action/ violence-associated models of film and television, and separate from the fantasy super-powers. Using the concept of heroes and heroism in Homer's The Odyssey, and other Greek myths, students analyzed how these epic classics served to shape western constructs of heroism, and how those constructs are still very influential today. Observe the extremely popular Marvel Universe, and other perpetuations of heroes and superheroes. However, Odysseus himself is a flawed hero. He creates havoc for himself and those around him through his hubris—excessive pride— and eagerness to have his name "echo down through the ages"(the beginning of modern “celebrity”).
Together, students created a list of characteristics and associated actions they resolved were truly heroic. They were then tasked with selecting someone they admired, from personal or public life, whose characteristics and actions were heroic by our class-articulated standards. Students selected their family members, including siblings, as well as politicians, game-creators, artists, inventors, scientists and many more. It was key that students identified the ACTIONS of their hero, since simply possessing the characteristic is without impact in the absence of action.
W
hen the world took shelter this past spring, performance venues were among the first to close their doors. Even those without direct orders knew that putting patrons at risk in crowded auditoriums was not acceptable, and so concerts were postponed and shows were cancelled in waves. In New York City alone, forty-two Broadway shows were put on hold, and at least five of those will not be able to reopen post-shutdown because of a lack of funds. Most theatres have announced they plan to remain dark until at least May of 2021, so more shows could follow that path. With the shuttering of venues around the world, one and a half million performing artists in the United States lost their jobs, and not just the actors you see on stage, but the choreographers and costumers; lighting designers and dialect coaches; stage hands and artistic directors. It is only through the heroic drive of artists and technicians to adapt, and the
generosity of the communities that support them, that the performing arts will survive.
T
hanks to the dedication of everyone involved in the Upper School Theatre Arts production of “The Woman in White”, we were able to achieve what many professional theatre troupes are striving for worldwide, yet few are able to accomplish with resources far beyond those of a school.
Our goal with all San Domenico productions is to build an environment in which our student performers and technicians can not only succeed in the moment, but also gain knowledge that will further their understanding and appreciation of the performing arts as a whole. So while pre-recording the play and editing the best bits like a film would’ve surely produced a lovely end product, it was important to us to retain the feel and experience of true live theatre. We agreed this was essential for our students to gain the full experience and confidence that comes with such a process. For veteran Theatre Arts teacher Jennifer Grimes, this meant creating an entirely new way of directing and blocking scenes, and for me it meant reconfiguring
the way that streaming technology had been used on campus in the past and adapting our existing technical theatre procedures to fit the new medium.
Having all of our cast and crew socially isolated presented a significant challenge. While systems to capture multiple live camera feeds do exist in the world of professional broadcasting, they all far exceed a school theatre budget, and the technology to do so wirelessly is still in development. Using the equipment and applications available to us, we mapped out a few possible paths to success. I prepared the technical needs for the show while Jen worked with the actors via Zoom meetings. With the assistance of SD senior Frances Dieterich, I researched the setting of the show and analyzed the script. This led to the creation of 34 different background images; 16 title cards; 5 audio effects; and the editing of Jen’s ten transition music selections. Frances created 37 new paper props, including one parchment letter and envelope that required four identical copies as it was “passed” from character to character throughout the show.
Once the physical items and digital assets were complete we had to make a final decision. A new video switching program I had been testing didn’t meet our requirements, and so we decided to use Zoom’s Webinar platform as our actors’ video feed. This meant that actors had to turn their own video and audio on and off for each scene, as well as use the proper virtual background – another layer of responsibility on top of remembering their lines and blocking. Zoom, however, is not ideal for visual effects and would not have allowed the easy audience access we were hoping for. By running the Zoom Webinar and audio on one computer and sending it to a second computer running a livestream switcher loaded with all of the title cards and additional music, I was able to create a more polished end product. The decision was made to live stream each of the three performances and we spent two full weeks in technical rehearsals, testing transitions and practicing cues. In the end, to successfully produce this live
In Shakespeare's time, “ real fire was used to light up stages and that had to be reimagined. Today, we are being asked to once again reimagine what live theatre is and looks like.
- Erica Smith, Director of Theatre Arts
theatrical event, our cast of 15 and technical crew of three were using a total of seven MacBooks and 18 iPads.
I also used two external video monitors to keep an eye on the actors’ video feeds, and a USB audio interface to control the sound running from the Webinar into the livestream switcher. Sitting on the floor of the Upper School hallway, surrounded by screens, was certainly an odd way to put on a show.
With our three performances completed we have done what very few schools, and even professional companies, have accomplished – a live, full length, dramatic performance produced virtually with a substantial cast. I am incredibly proud of our students for taking on this challenge and Jen Grimes for having the vision and will to make it happen. Together, we were able to take what we had, and create an engaging and professional virtual production. I am honored to be part of the SD theatre community, and can't wait to work on our next show. -Hannah Ozeran Working on “The Woman in White” “ was like all shows and like no show. Working with Hannah Ozeran on Design and Tech, and the actors in auditions, on characterization, charater relationships, and building the tempo and style of the play, drew upon my Stanislavski and Classical backgrounds and the creative relationship directors always build with actors and designers as we bring the show to life. Working with the isolation of remote auditions, rehearsals, and performances, coupled with temperamental internet, brought “unique” communication challenges - all of which were overcome by our belief in our creative process and our show. As always.
-Jen Grimes, Theatre Arts teacher and Director of “The Woman In White”
PlayOn
This past spring,
San Domenico senior
Vincenzo Calcagno was one of three new students accepted nationwide to study at the Perlman
Music Program (PMP), a seven-week intensive summer program where world-class faculty, led by acclaimed violinist
Itzhak Perlman, oversee a curriculum of solo, chamber music, and orchestral repertoire at the highest level. Vincenzo was scheduled to study at the institute in Shelter Island. The pandemic however, had other plans. If there is one good thing to say about lockdown, it’s that it provides more time for practice. So Vincenzo headed into the virtual
PMP summer school well prepared. During the Perlman Music Program,
TO STUDY WITH A MASTER
Vincenzo took virtual lessons twice a week with teachers from Juilliard and Oberlin, attended a weekly virtual viola studio class and a Beethoven Survey with faculty from Juilliard and the New England Conservatory. He also prepared excerpts from Beethoven and Mozart which he played with the PMP virtual orchestra for their Summer Gala, and joined the PMP community in weekly "Works in Progress" virtual recitals.
Perhaps most thrillingly, two to three times a week, Vincenzo had Zoom meetings with Mr. and Mrs. Perlman, affectionately called Mr. and Mrs. P. by
the students, who would share fun stories and play games, and sometimes invite special guests, such as staff from Juilliard admissions to talk about the conservatory application process and members of the Juilliard Quartet, who shared their experiences as professional musicians, which would then open up to a Q & A session. And of course, he practiced the mandatory four hours per day . . . every day!
While disappointed not to get to travel to Shelter Island and experience the program in person, thanks to the creative and devoted staff and artist faculty at PMP, Vincenzo still had an unforgettable and fulfilling summer making beautiful music and lifetime memories! - Carina Ybarra, Art Department Chair, and Vincenzo’s Mentor
Grimani’s “Sinfonia”
The Language of Music
“Our 22 Virtuoso Program students continue to amaze us, even in distance learning, with their resilience and ability to excel, and even thrive, under challenging circumstances. Music is often referred to as a universal language, and in the bittersweet, nostalgic second movement a melody floats over a march (in) a song of sorrow and a song of hope.” - Ann Krinitsky, Virtuoso Program Director
In light of the stressors of COVID-19, SD counselors Kathleen Laughlin, MFT (Upper School), Christina Klein ’03, MFT, PPS (Middle School), and Lisa Richter, LCSW (Lower School), created a support hub for our entire community.
Designed for all ages, here you will find resources for:
• Yoga • Soundscapes • Guided Meditations/
Breathing Exercises • Mindfulness • Coloring and Creativity • Animal Webcams • Stories for Young Children • Puzzles and Games • Support Smartphone Apps • Journaling
We invite you to visit the SD Calming Lounge at www.sandomenico.org/ CalmingLounge.
