FEBRUARY 2005 (VOL. 11, NO. 5)
est. 1893 • K-12 college prep
needs N E W S L E T T E R
The day the news broke, Harker students began taking action to raise money in aid of the victims of the terrible tsunami that struck Southeast Asia on Dec. 26. The student councils from all three divisions are currently planning and developing various long-term relief efforts that you’ll hear about in the coming weeks.
Mid-year report from Diana Nichols ........................ 6 & 7 New Library column ............ 3 MS teacher returns from Tamagawa exchange ......... 11 Some US classrooms go paper-less ........................ 13
Meanwhile, activities aimed at yielding immediate donations are already underway. At the MS, first period teachers are asking students to donate their allowances, extra money they earned by doing chores, or even monetary gifts they received over the holidays to the relief fund. On the LS campus, parents have been asked to help their child pick a chore or task that can earn them a few dollars. Students will turn in their
online ■ Blackford update given at recent Gr. 5, 6 and 7 Q & A’s now posted on division Parent Home Pages ■ Summer@Harker offerings now posted - register today for best selection!
H A R K E R
S C H O O L
donations and receive a Bucknall Buck on which they can write how they earned the donation, and then hang their Bucknall Bucks on their grade level bulletin board. “We believe it is valuable for the students to actually do something to earn the money they will donate,” said LS dean Kelly Espinosa. At press time, the US student council was still busily working out details of their longterm support plan, while finishing up with finals.
donations from member schools to go directly to the Red Cross. While students organize their long-term efforts within academic divisions, the entire community is welcome to further support relief efforts already underway by contributing directly through their site, which is linked on the Parent Home Page.
American
Red Cross
Harker will join independent schools across the nation in supporting relief efforts through the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), which has established an account for
In a letter recently sent to parents by division heads, Harker administrators noted, “This crisis has served as a lesson in what global citizenship really means, and your children have eagerly and willingly stepped forward to help.” We commend the entire Harker student body for their compassion and resourcefulness in response to this tragedy.
Robotics Club Attends Live National Kick-off
events
Tired but excited members of Harker’s Robotics Club hopped on an early morning bus from the campus on Sat., Jan. 8 to attend the live national 7 a.m. telecast at San Jose State University and learn the details about this year’s robotics challenge.
SEE YOU THERE! See pgs. 4 & 5
T H E
Tsunami Relief Efforts Underway School-wide
inside
Fri., Feb. 4
F R O M
Robotics advisor Eric Nelson explained, “The international telecast can be seen on NASA TV, however there are a number of sites (such as SJSU) where a large number of teams gather together to see the presentation on a big
screen and then pick up the initial parts kit which weighs in at some 80 pounds. It’s basically a large tech rally,” he laughed. Up to this rally, the only information given to the teams was a list of parts to buy.
Now, the nearly 50-member Robotics team will spend countless hours building their robot to the specifications laid out at the kickoff. “After the kick-off we have six weeks to the day to have our robot built, tested, packed and shipped to the Sacramento Regional event. If we miss the deadline by even five minutes we are disqualified,” said Nelson. If you’d like to see the Kick-Off, go to http:// robotics.nasa.gov/first/2005/ kickoff.htm, and watch the next newsletter for an update on this exciting project.
This Month's Tribute to the Nichols
Harker Archives
M O N T H L Y
Mark Tantrum
A
Howard Nichols: Sets Standard with Superb Leadership, Family Atmosphere. See story back page.
important We salute our students and teachers, and look forward to supporting and celebrating continued successes at this month’s ROCK THE RUNWAY! fashion show - we hope to see you all there! —Pam Dickinson, Director Office of Communications pamd@harker.org
Ali Abdollahi Mark Tantrum
“My first year at Harker – sixth grade – I ran into Mr. Nichols in the lunch line. He looked at me and said, ‘Hello, Alexandra.’ I was blown away that after a month of being at the school the president knew who I was. His interest in every individual student at Harker was clear from the start.” —Alexandra Selbo-Bruns ’04
■
Fri., Feb. 11, 2:30 p.m. - K-12 Early Dismissal for Teachers’ Retreat/Presidents’ Week
■
Mon. – Fri., Feb.14-18 - No Classes – Presidents’ Week
■
Mon., Feb. 21 - Presidents’ Day - No classes
■
Tues., Feb. 22 - K-12 Classes Resume
Alumni Enjoy Holiday Reunions
quotes
“Thanks for providing a great, diverse learning environment for my children that challenges them AND helps them to become contributing, caring citizens!” —Brenda LaBruna (parent of Jennifer, Gr. 4 & Nicholas, Gr. 1)
Feb. Volunteer Needs
february dates
editor’s note
Here are some of the comments received via our Tribute to the Nichols Web link. Visit our Web site and share YOUR memories!
notes
Harker US alumni gathered Dec. 17 and Jan. 6 to visit with former teachers and our current seniors at the 3rd annual Home for the Holidays College Reception. This year the additional January reception was added to accommodate those students unable to make the December event due to differing college vacation schedules. Both receptions were a big success with 85 attending the first one and 47 in attendance at the new January event. Watch the next Alumni Update in the May edition of The Harker News for more photos and details from these events!
this month
New Water Polo Teams Forming
“Diana was my biology teacher. She was a cool teacher who captivated our attention.” —Mike Archer ’76
US athletes are welcome to join a new brand of aquatic competition this year at Harker. Due to growing interest from parents and students, US Athletics Director Jack Bither said Harker is planning to add both boys’ and girls’ water polo teams to The Harker School’s US athletic department. August 15 would mark the inception of both teams’ inaugural season, but voluntary training and workout sessions would begin this spring. Student meetings were being held at press time to ascertain interest in the sport. For more information, you may e-mail Jack Bither at jackb@harker.org.
Fri., May 6 - Grandparents’ Day For grandparents and special adult friends of Harker’s K-6 primary and elementary students (Lower School campus only). Guests to be invited MUST be registered before March 15 – watch for this online registration for Grandparents’ Day guests on the LS PHP in mid-February!
Quiz Bowl Airing Set your VCRs or TiVos! Sat., Feb. 19, 12:00 p.m. Harker’s Quiz Bowl team competed in Dec. and it’s airing this day on KRON Channel 4 - tune in!
Quiz Bowl Taping Cheer the Team! Sat., Feb. 12, 3:15 vs. San Carlos Plan to attend the next match at the Peninsula TV studio on the 2nd floor at 1250 San Carlos Blvd. in San Carlos. Fans are welcome to attend the taping. For more information on Bay Area Quiz Kids, go to http://www.pentv.org/ quizkids.html.
All events begin at 7 p.m. Locations vary, so visit the Academic Counseling page on our Web site. Kids, Parents and Power Struggles Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, M.A. Mon., Jan. 31; Tues., Feb. 1; Wed., Feb. 2
correction
2
Save the Date LS Families
Common Ground Speaker Series
“My memories include Howard meticulously walking from classroom to classroom counting the number of desks before the start of the school year.” —Mike Bassoni, Facilities Manager
Married with Children: Survival Techniques Julie Schwartz Gottman, Ph.D. Tues., Mar. 8; Wed., Mar. 9; Thurs., Mar. 10
Theresa Thomas, parent
In a Jan. '05 page 14 article, Shana Polzin was mistakenly identified as a grade 5 student (much to the teasing delight of her fellow grade 7 friends :-) Shana is most definitely in 7th grade this year, and our apologies for the error!
Fashion show volunteers are needed to help in lots of capacities: in preparation for the big day, on the actual day of the show, and post-event for dismantling and cleanup at the San Jose Fairmont. To volunteer, contact parent coordinator Tina Najibi at tmm@cadence.com. Check the FS Web site for job descriptions!
The US Junior Varsity Dance Troupe performed at Stanford Shopping Center during their annual holiday tour.
Drugs & Alcohol: What Parents Need to Know Lea Goldstein, Ph.D. Thurs., Apr. 28; Tues., May 3; Tues., May 10 Harker News — February 05
LIBRARY New Blackford Campus Update The MS move to the new Blackford campus in the fall will provide the school with an additional gym to accommodate our robust athletic programs. The MS and US will share this new facility, which will undergo renovations this summer in preparation for the start of school. “We will be
notes
Beginning this month, our talented library staff will provide advice, tips and recommendations from their wealth of online and on-shelf resources. Enjoy! Dear Librarian: My family is crazy about animals. My children range from five to seventeen, but even my wife and I enjoy learning about the hearts and minds of animals. What do you have for us? —Zoologically Grateful at Harker Dear Grateful, You are barking up the right tree! Firstly, we own ten digitalized reference books available to your family 24/7. Two of them concern animals: (1) “Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia,” 16 volumes, c. 2004; (2) “Beecham’s Guide to Endangered Species of North America,” 6 volumes, 2000. How to get to E Books: Start at the Library Web site Click on Subscription Databases Click on Gale Scroll down to the last module: Gale Virtual Reference Library. Click open. On the search screen, click on “Show all” and a list of titles will appear. • Click on the title you are interested in. You can search for an article from this book, take a look at the e-table of contents and glance at a list of illustrations.
Mark Tantrum
• • • •
resurfacing the gymnasium floor, reconfiguring the locker room areas and adding 400 lockers, installing a new heating system and giving all of it a fresh coat of paint,” said Mike Bassoni, facilities director. Theresa “Smitty” Smith, Gr. 4-8 athletics director, is excited about how this additional gym will affect our programs. “Not only will our MS and US athletes get to enjoy this huge, expansive, wonderful facility, but this frees up the LS gym for those students to have more regular practices and games. Adding athletic facilities has been a long time in coming,” Smith said. “Words cannot express how happy I am about the addition of the two gyms at Blackford, and I’m thrilled to be a part of the athletic program we’ve worked so hard to establish.”
Mark Tantrum - both photos
Current US Athletics Director Jack Bither, who will become the MS academic dean next year on the new campus, agreed. “I’m not sure there were any happier people at Harker than Smitty and myself when the acquisition of this new campus was announced,” he laughed. “Facilities have been the biggest obstacle to building our sports program and with the additional gyms at this new MS campus our basketball, volleyball, and wrestling programs will benefit immensely. The sound of hardwood underneath our players’ feet – rather than concrete – will indeed be a welcome sound!”
Associate head of school Chris Nikoloff answers questions about the upcoming move to the Blackford campus at an informational meeting held for Gr. 7 parents in the Saratoga campus library on Mon., Jan. 10. Harker News — February 05
On the new campus, the 11, 000 sq. ft. gymnasium seats 1,500 for athletic events, and the smaller gymnasium - 4,000 sq. ft. will be used for US wrestling, yoga, fencing and tumbling activities. “Having improved facility usage will allow for a much more proactive and for wardthinking athletic program, and that’s very exciting!” added Bither.
Secondly, our library catalog holds many fiction and nonfiction animal books. Library Assistant Maureen Lennon recommends “The Grannyman” by Judith Byron Schachner (New York: Dutton, 30 p. Ages K to adult for cat lovers). Simon is a “senior-citizen” cat who fortunately lives with a loving family who does all they can to keep him comfortable. He remembers how life used to be, but feels useless. Simon is ready to pass on until his family brings him a surprise that gives Simon a new lease on life and a name change. E SCH (Lower School Campus)
LS Readers Our lower school librarian, Naama Tal, recommends the Kidsplanet Web site for youngsters in grades 2-6 at the following URL: http:// www.kidsplanet.org/. Learn facts about endangered animals, print lots of coloring pages of animals, solve puzzles and quizzes, read about the web of life, and more – it also includes a shopping area.
MS Readers MS Librarian Donna Ward recommends: “Not Just a Witch” by Eva Ibbotson; illustrated by Kevin Hawkes. (New York: Dutton, 2003. 185 p. Grades 6-8) Heckie, a graduate of one of the finest witch schools, settles in the town of Wellbridge where she makes it her mission to discover evildoers and turn them into animals. She turns the nasty owner of a nursing home into a warthog, a bank robber into a mouse, and a cruel chicken farmer into a fish. But Heckie’s good deeds are about to land her and some of her young friends in a big heap of trouble! FIC IBB (STG Campus)
US Readers Ward recommends this title for upper school readers: “Ordinary Wolves” by Seth Kantner (Minn.:Milkweed, 2004, 320 p.) is a brilliant debut novel by an author with a distinctive voice and fascinating perspective into life in the Alaskan Wilderness. Kantner’s realistic look into the rugged and impoverished lives of native Alaskans is moving yet not sentimental. This book delves into conservation, racism, preservation of native culture, and American imperialism with clarity, all the while capturing the essence of life in rural Alaska. I could not put this book down. Grades 8 – Adult. Lastly, have fun exploring the world of animals through your favorite Web site: http://harker.library.org! —Enid Davis, Library Director Questions? Requests? Contact Davis at enidd@harker.org
3
FASHION FRIDAY Feb. 4, 2005 Fairmont Hotel San Jose 11:00 a.m. Luncheon Fashion Show
show ’05 Hurry! Last Chance to Reserve Seats! Join your friends for a FUN time! Your attendance at this show will directly benefit the children of the Harker School and the Harker School Scholarship Fund, Teachers’ Fund and the new Math, Science and Technology Center. Don’t miss this chance to treat yourself to a fun time with your Harker friends and other Harker families. There are over 250 Harker students participating in the show – so c’mon, all you Harker parents, grandparents, friends and alumni – support the performers and show your school spirit by helping us sell out BOTH shows!
Please join us for this special event. Together, we will rock the town!
$80 per person 5:30 p.m. Dinner Gala Fashion Show, Live Auction & Dancing to Wayne Foster Entertainment of Beverly Hills $150 per person
—Event Co-chairs: Shyamoli Banerjee, Reshma Dave, and Greta Jackson
Hurry - Deadline for Reservations is Fri., Jan. 28! Friends and family can request seating together, even if you don’t need an entire table – simply indicate your seating preference when you make your reservation. Reserve quickly and easily online – just select the Fashion Show link at the Harker home page, or go directly to http://tech.harker.org/fashionshow Don’t miss this chance to support your child’s school and enjoy: ■ Famed Fairmont hospitality with fanciful cuisine in beautiful surroundings ■ Electrifying entertainment featuring student hosts, hostesses and Harker’s premier performing arts groups ■ Fabulous fashions modeled by Harker students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff PLUS a chance to view the wonderful Showcases and Auction items! At the dinner gala, you’ll also be treated to: ■ Dancing with Wayne Foster Entertainment Dance the night away and see why the Wayne Foster phenomenon commands rave reviews! ■ Lively Live Auction (see facing page)
Don’t forget to purchase tickets for our rockin’ Showcases! Your purchase of Showcase donation drawing tickets gives you the chance to win these rockin’ good Showcases, each offering a wonder ful array of fun for all ages:
Rock & Roll Showcase
Rock Down to Electric Avenue
Latin & Salsa Showcase
Hot Latin Nights on the Beach
Jazz & Blues Showcase
Escape with the Blues on the Bayou
Country Rock Showcase
Where We All Have a License to Chill
Classics Showcase
Let the Music Soothe the Soul & Spark the Imagination
Broadway Showcase
Where There’s Always Magic in the Air Detailed information about each Showcase can be found at the Fashion Show Web site. Call the Fashion Show hotline at 345.0115 to purchase tickets – you need not be present to be a winner!
Thanks to our Rockin’ Partners! A special thanks goes out to our Santana Row fashion partner stores for providing clothing and accessories for our models, and thanks as well to San Jose Magazine, our official media partner, for providing magazine pages to promote the show. The February issue highlighting Rock the Runway! will be on newsstands at the end of January – be sure to get a copy!
4
Harker News — February 05
Last Chance to Win One Year’s Tuition! Only 500 Grand Prize tickets will be sold, and they are going fast. Don’t miss your chance to win a year’s tuition at Harker, or $15,000 cash in lieu of tuition. Tickets are $100 and you need not be present to win. Contact the Fashion Show hotline at 345.0115 or go to www.harker.org and click on the Rock the Runway! link to make your purchase. There is a limited supply so buy your Grand Prize ticket today!
������
�����������������������������������������
������
�������
��������������������������������������
Have a Rockin’ Night with Celebrity MC Raj Mathai! Come enjoy a rockin’ evening of fashions, dancing, entertainment and the live auction of fabulous one-of-a-kind items! The night will be hosted by celebrity MC Raj Mathai, a two-time Emmy award winner and sports anchor at NBC11. Mathai attracts the Bay Area’s highest-profile sports figures with his nightly sportscasts, top-rated weekly Sports Sunday program and mornings on NBC11 Today. Mathai’s unique style has been praised by viewers, critics and colleagues. And don’t miss the action-packed live auction led by Damon Casatico,
founder and president of Charity Benefits Auctions. Serving many different types of non-profit organizations as well as the private education market sector, Charity Benefits Auctions has emerged as America’s premier benefit auction company. Using their high energy, live auction method of marketing they have completely revolutionized successful benefit auctions conducted today. Come enjoy the auction and bid on fabulous items including: ■ Escape to the Tropics! This tropical getaway to the Manele Bay Hotel includes a luxurious
Order Centerpiece & Spa Gift for Your Valentine Beautiful white orchids in an elegant blue glass vase, plus a $50 gift certificate to Yelka Day Spa, can be yours for only $50! Visit the Fashion Show website for ordering details, or see and order the centerpieces at the Saratoga and Bucknall front offices.
suite for two, massages, golf at the Jack Nicklaus designed course The Challenge and two first class tickets. ■ Take Me Out to the Ballgame! Enjoy a San Francisco Giants game in a luxury, catered skybox for 12 at SBC Park at a date to be arranged. ■ Viva Las Vegas! You and seven guests will depart San Jose Private Jet Center in a Cessna Citation X direct to Las Vegas to enjoy a weekend in a luxurious hotel on the world-famous Strip. ■ Kid’s Night Out! It’s a kid’s night out on the town with LS teachers Kate Shanahan and Pat Walsh. Includes a gourmet dinner and beverages, choice of event to attend, and sundaes of their choice! ■ Firehouse Feast! The San Tomas Aquino Fire Station invites you to enjoy a home cooked dinner for four, served by our
friendly neighborhood firefighters. Includes a full tour of the station! ■ La VIda Loca! Relax for a glorious week in Cabo San Lucas at Villa La Estancia, a 5star resort. Includes a 3-bedroom, 4-bath villa with views of El Medano Beach and the Sea of Cortez. Check the Web site for full details!
Get Your Tickets Today! Now available online:
CONTACTS
• • • •
Luncheon tickets - $80 per person Dinner tickets - $150 per person Grand Prize tickets - only 500 will be sold! - $100 Showcase tickets - 10 tickets for $20
VOLUNTEERING: Tina Najibi: tmm@cadence.com ADVERTISING: Mary Malysz: mmalysz@mstpartners.com • Ernaz Irani: ernaz.irani@hp.com SPONSORSHIPS: Archana Sathaye: archana@sathaye.com • Barbara Drummer: barbara.drummer@intel.com DONATIONS - Live Auction & Showcases: Angela Heslop: a.heslop@att.net • David Heslop: david.heslop@prestonpipelines.com RESERVATIONS: Jeannine Hammersley: jhammersley@comcast.net • Violet Boyle: boylfam99@sbcglobal.net GENERAL: Hotline 408.345.0115; E-mail fashionshow@harker.org Click on Rock the Runway! link on the Harker Web site for all the most up-to-date information!
Harker News — February 05
5
UPDATE
head of school
Mid-Year Report of US Student Achievements At this time of year I like to pass along to our families the good news we have received thus far regarding some of the outstanding accomplishments of our students and faculty. While you will find good news throughout each edition of The Harker News each month, here are a few particularly noteworthy updates regarding our upper school accomplishments to date. We are particularly honored to have received notification from the College Board that Harker has been identified as as having some of the strongest AP courses in the world (see this page).
We continually marvel at the dedication of our teachers and the passion of our students. We congratulate our entire K-12 academic community for their hard work, and our parents for raising such outstanding children!
Diana Nichols, Head of School
Outstanding AP Results Including World Distinction from College Board The College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program certifies collegelevel work undertaken by students in high school through examinations in a variety of subjects. Students who do well on these exams may receive college credit, advanced placement, or both. Students who perform well on a number of exams are also honored as AP Scholars by the College Board. ■ One hundred eight-two Harker students were recently named AP Scholars by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional performances on the exams through May 2004. ■ Thirty-eight students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams. Thirtysix of the National Scholars are members of the class of 2004 (27%). Two are members of the class of 2005. ■ One hundred seven students, including the 38 mentioned above, qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. ■ An additional 29 students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. ■ Finally, 46 students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher. ■ In total, 57% of all the Harker students who took an AP exam last May received an AP Scholar award; nationally, about 17% of the high school students who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to merit the recognition of AP Scholar.
Your school has been identified as having the strongest AP Chemistry and AP Computer Science course(s) in the world among schools in your size range (500-999 High School Students). We identify such schools by comparing the number of students who scored 3 or higher on the AP Chemistry and AP Computer Science exam(s) to the total high school enrollment; no other school had a greater proportion of its student body succeed in AP Chemistry and AP Computer Science last year.
“Your school has been identified as having the strongest AP Chemistry and AP Computer Science course(s) in the world among schools in your size range (500-999 High School Students).” On January 25, 2005, we will be releasing to the national media our first “Advanced Placement Report to the Nation.” This Report will include much state-level data about AP participation and performance, and will also name for each AP subject the school in which the greatest segment of its students succeed on the AP Exam. We will cite Harker School as having the highest-performing AP Chemistry and AP Computer Science course(s) among all schools worldwide in its size range. Congratulations on this truly impressive achievement; the work you’re doing of preparing so many students for success in such rigorous curricula is a model for schools worldwide. Best wishes, Trevor Packer, Executive Director Advanced Placement Program
■ In January Harker received a letter from the College Board designating our AP Computer Science and AP Chemistry courses as the strongest in the world for our school size, based on our student scores (see letter this page).
“
In total, 57% of all the Harker students who took an AP exam last May received an AP
National Merit Scholarship Program As noted in the October edition of the HN, Harker is proud to report that in the 50th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, 35 seniors (28% of the graduating class) were named as Semifinalists and an additional 34 seniors named as Commended Students in this prestigious National Merit Scholarship program.
performed at a sufficiently high level to merit
More than 1.3 million juniors in nearly 21,000 high schools entered the 2005 National Merit Program by taking the 2003 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT). The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, which represents less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, is made up of the highest scoring entrants in each state. Finalists will be announced in February.
the recognition of AP Scholar.
Congratulations to our students and our outstanding faculty for another year of exemplary achievement!
Scholar award; nationally, about 17% of the high school students who took AP Exams
6
Dear Ms. Nichols,
”
Harker News — February 05
UPDATE
head of school
Mid-Year Report of US Student Achievements (Cont.) College Acceptance News Begins!
PSAT Results Once again our students have demonstrated great success in taking their practice SAT tests. The results are shown below: 2004
Critical Reading
Math
Writing
Sophomores
58.9
64.6
64.7
Juniors
64.1
68.7
70.1
Each year a small group of seniors decide what their first choice college is and make early applications to these colleges. Results of their applications to date are noted below. The bulk of college acceptances will come in the spring, so watch future issues for further college acceptance news! 1 to California Institute Of Technology
Recent SAT Success The Class of 2005 continued to improve its already outstanding SAT and SAT II scores during the October and November tests. To date, the Class of 2005 has earned over 100 individual perfect scores on a variety of SAT and SAT II tests. Here’s the latest round of increased scores (the numbers indicate the average score of a Harker student, Class of 2005):
3 to University of Chicago 1 to Claremont McKenna College 1 to Columbia University 1 to Georgetown University 1 to Harvard 6 to MIT
SAT I - Math: 715
SAT II - Math 1c: 654
1 to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
SAT I - Verbal: 695
SAT II - Math 2c: 749
3 to University of Pennsylvania
SAT II - Literature: 628
SAT II - Writing: 713
1 to University of Wisconsin
“
1 to Princeton
To date, the Class of 2005 has earned over
100 individual perfect scores on a variety of SAT and SAT II tests.
”
summer
3 to Purdue 5 to Stanford University 1 to St. Andrews (Scotland) 1 to Tulane University 1 to Xavier University
update
Registration for Summer@Harker is underway! • New this year to the K-8 program are six and four-week sessions (see info at right). • The US Institute will continue to have some great academic and enrichment offerings in math, sciences, English and debate. • The Harker Tennis Camp is a great way to work on your court skills over the summer months! Visit the Harker Web site for extensive information on all programs, as well as applications and updates. Plan a Harker summer - it’s the best! Harker News — February 05
Visit Web site, call 408.871.4600 or contact campinfo@harker.org for more information.
7
school babies to apply their newly acquired knowledge of how chromosomes, genes, and alleles pass information on generation after generation. Students randomly selected dominant and recessive alleles
On the heels of Gr. 1 students in Diane Chung and Cindy Proctor’s language art classes reading the book “Cliff Hanger” about a boy who goes rock climbing to save his dog, teacher’s aide Tracey Clifford, who knew our facilities manager Mike Bassoni had over 30 years of climbing experience, invited him to share his experiences with the students. Bassoni brought along pictures of Yosemite’s El Capitain, along with the gear needed for climbing which included a climbing rope, carabiners and different sized climbing nuts. “Climbing can be like being in a bowl of spaghetti because of all the different ropes that can be hanging around you,” Bassoni explained to the students. “Climbers need good memories to remember what rope is connected to what place on the rock,” he added. Student Lauren Speckman said, “I learned that when you climb up a mountain you sleep in a hammock, and my favorite thing was holding the tools.”
Another student, Suraj Jagadeesh said, “I liked touching the tools and I never knew climbing nuts could hold over 1,000 pounds!” Proctor added that, “The students were fascinated by how long and light the ropes were, that people have been rock climbing for hundreds of years, and that the Native Americans climbed too.” In addition, Gr. 3 teacher Jason Pergament lent the class a climbing harness that the children tried on later in the day.
■ S-Club Grams a Success Teacher and club advisor Jason Oncay reported that the S-Club sold 1,472 Snowman Grams this past holiday season. “The support for our project was outstanding,” said Oncay. The profits will be used to buy club t-shirts. ■ Math Contest In January Gr. 3 students in Stephanie Woolsey’s G++ math classes entered a Continental Mathematics League (CML) contest, a series of meets to further students’ progress in the art of problem solving. The monthly
8
meets take place during regular class time, and in preparation Woolsey incorporated practice questions into their weekly problem solving time. The January results for the 46 students included five perfect scores and 20 with only one error. The students will participate again in February and March, then those with the highest cumulative scores from the three meets will receive medals and certificates from CML.
Dylan Qian
Mark Tantrum - all photos
Bassoni Shares Climbing Experiences
from both Ma and Pa Potato that gave them the genetic information needed to decide if their veggie babies had carrot or turnip feet, brown or blue eyes, long or short celery arms, and pink or blue hair. “Squeals of delight could be heard as students put together the Xs and the Ys to proclaim, ‘I have a girl!’ or ‘It’s a boy,’ laughed Blanquies. She added, “The variation that chromosomes give us, in inheritance, was quite evident as every student’s newly ‘born’ veggie baby was unique and special.” ■ Holiday Book Giving Gr. 4 students have traditionally
enjoyed a book exchange between classmates at their annual holiday room parties, however this year the class opted not to exchange with each other and use their book exchange to give to those who truly have a need for books in their lives. Students made personal holiday cards to insert in the books. “This was a very worthwhile project which reinforced the idea that the holidays are a time of giving, not just receiving,” said Danny Sommer, Gr. 4 teacher. The books were distributed by the community coordinator at Bookshop Santa Cruz. “The class received a nice thank you card from the bookstore,” added Sommer. ■ Ohlone History Explored Gr. 3 students visited Deer Hollow Farm earlier this year to learn more about the Ohlone Indians, a California native tribe they study in class. Students explored a replica of an Indian village and learned, through hands-on activities, how to do some of the daily activities of the Ohlone regarding food gathering and preparation, and tool making. “We all enjoyed walking to and from the village along beautiful nature trails, seeing deer and rabbits in their natural habitat, along with
Toys for Tots Students in Gr. 3 presented the collected toys & books to representatives from the U. S. Marines at an assembly in Dec. for Harker’s 6th Annual Toys for Tots Collection.
Mark Tantrum - all photos
lower
■ Potato Babies Born Gr. 5 students in Janet Blanquies’s science classes made veggie Harker News — February 05
school
learning about the trees and plants in the area,” said teacher Howard Saltzman.
Campbell hosted by Mike and Trish Tobin (Sheridan, Gr. 2, Brendan, KDG). Visit the LS PHP to find out more about grade level coffees and events.”
■ Iraq Letters Gr. 5 English teacher Tammy Coia started a project of reaching out to some of the overseas marines in Iraq by having her students write letters to Robbie, a friend of Carol Sosnowski, LS shipping and receiving manager. As letters and donations were sent to Robbie, the project grew to include the rest of his unit. Students have started to hear back from the Marines who express how much it means to them to receive the letters and who have included personal bits about their background, hobbies, daily responsibilities or even the weather conditions in Iraq. “The kids are
Trish Tobin, parent - both photos
■ Holiday Parent Social Gr. 2 parents connected with each other during the holiday season at a grade level parent social of wine tasting at the Tannins Wine Bar in
Coat (OWC) that helps individuals, groups and companies across the country collect coats for local agencies that distribute them free to people in need. The organization’s mission is to ensure that anyone who needs a coat has one. They provide a simple, yet vital, service that helps people live productive lives year round. The recipient of Harker’s coat drive will be the San Jose Family Shelter.
■ Character Always Counts The students in Gr. 6 are focusing on helping the homeless this year, and are currently working on a January coat drive with the national non-profit organization One Warm
very excited about this project,” said Coia, who said the correspondence will continue throughout the school year. ■ Student Places 20th in Nation Congratulations to Harker Chess Club member Rahul Desirazu, Gr. 4, who was awarded a trophy for 20th place in the Grade Level 2004 National K12 Collegiate Chess Championship held in Florida in December. Over 1,600 children from all over the country participated in this intense national tournament. Over 200 of the attendants competed in the 4th grade division and Desirazu won five games out of seven to win his grade level standing as 20th in the U.S. – a hearty congratulations to Rahul! ■ Ice Cream in a Bag Kindergarten students had fun wearing mittens during class time while they made Ice Cream in a Bag. Nancy Curran’s language arts class took on this fun activity after reading several stories in their new
readers on ice cream shops and making ice cream. ■ Tae Kwon Do Demo Nancy Curran’s kindergarten class enjoyed a visit from Larry Lam, a world class martial arts champion,
Tamami Aoshima, parent
lower
who gave a performance of his martial arts skills which included a series of studio kicks, a Tae Kwon Do demonstration and various weapon forms. Yoshiaki and Tamami Aoshima (parents of Kengo), made the arrangements for this cultural experience to share with the students. Lam teaches at his own studio and has also done work as a movie stunt double in movies that include “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and “The Last Samurai.
Holiday Shows Delight Crowds The Gr. 1 Winter Holiday Concert was a seasonal delight with students dressed in holiday dresses or sports jackets and ties as they belted out the songs with happy faces. The performance had many beaming parents singing along, most of them with cameras in hand! The Gr. 2 and 3 show, “Our Favorite Things,” was presented on two evenings, and included “The Muppet Theme Song” and “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing,” along with lots of holiday favorites and a sing-a-long. They also wore their colorful holiday clothes, and the performances were fun and cute with wonderful singing.
Mark Tantrum - all photos
“The shows were fabulous, so many parents stopped by to express their delight,” said Sarah Leonard, primary division head. Thanks to Michael Pease and Roxann Hagemeyer for their direction of these performances.
Harker News — February 05
9
The C1 boys lost a tough season opener in overtime to rival Hillbrook. A last second, winningbuzzer shot marked the end of the 31-32 game, but the Harker athletes continued to be impressive as they endured the extra time to keep the game close. At press time C1 girls and the rest of the Bucknall C2 and D athletes had yet to play a game, but they are all working hard in practice to get ready for their upcoming games. The Gr. 4 boys and girls have been enjoying their first season of intramural soccer. Both teams are showing much improvement on the field, and are beginning to exhibit more advanced teamwork skills and knowledge of the game of soccer!
Middle School
Mark Tantrum
This year’s crop of A1 boys basketball players has exponentially improved since their single loss to Valley, boasting a current 6-1 record for the season. The team impressed the crowds with strong wins over Peter Burnett, Castillero and rival Hillbrook, and the boys are ready to take trophies home with them from the upcoming Queen of Apostles, Mayors, Harker and League tournaments. The A1 girls have shown improvement from
10
Upper School
their 1-3 start to the season. Since then, the team has taken 2nd place at the Kings Tournament and gone 2-1 in regular season play. Although the boys A2 and girls A2 teams have yet to post a win, both teams have elevated defensively and adjusted their offenses to pose a greater threat to other competitors.
Mark Tantrum
Lower School
briefs
The B1 boys basketball team has done everything needed to give their Harker fans something to cheer about at every game: the team has been undefeated in seven games and won each game by at least a 14-point margin. The biggest win was against Hillbrook with a final score of 52-10, and big contributions from team members Ryan Cali and Lung Ying-Yu. The B1 girls basketball team racked up their first win of the season versus the ladies from Hillbrook early in January. They continue to develop their on-the-court prowess, and are looking to be successful against future opponent St. Victor’s, as well as a rematch meeting versus Hillbrook. The B2 girls are posting stronger scores as the season progresses. While they continue to improve an already determined defense, they are also working on effective offensive fundamentals to help carry them throughout the rest of the season. Coach Aaron Firth and the B2 boys were able to bounce back after losing a heart-breaker to Apostles by going on to defeat them in a rematch a week later, 29-19. They hope to ride this wave of energy through the rest of the season. —Compiled by Theresa “Smitty” Smith, Gr. 4-8 Athletic Director, and Nick Gassmann, coach
In between celebrating holidays with family and friends, and preparing for the dreaded final exams, over 75 athletes have been busy playing basketball, soccer, and wrestling. The teams are all doing a great job thus far. Wrestling was especially exciting in early January prior to finals when the team captured 3rd place in the Cupertino HS wrestling tournament. This is the highest tournament finish the team has ever accomplished, as six Harker grapplers finished in the medal rounds! Leading the way was junior David Woolsey, who won his weight class by pinning two opponents on his way to the final match. Not to be outdone, senior John Ollila also won his weight class with four grueling victories!
Steven Wong, parent
SPORTS
Contributing to the team’s success were seniors Brian Thurgate and Solomon Awe who finished 3rd and 5th respectively. Junior wrestler Michael Hammersley brought home a 4th place finish in his best effort to date, and finally sophomore Mark Ollila finished 5th in his weight class. Coach Karriem Stinson was ecstatic about the team’s success and was delighted with their tough and gutsy performances. Also achieving an historic first for their program was the girls’ basketball team, currently possessing an 8-4 overall record after placing 3rd in the Cupertino HS tournament. The balanced squad also won the consolation championship in an earlier tournament at Crystal Springs Upland before the holidays. With only eight players on the roster, Coach John Near’s team is playing exciting up-tempo ball this season. Freshman Taylor Alexander and junior transfer Sylvia Schmidt have joined returning varsity members, Casey Near, Jamie Trinh, Faustine Liao and Mariah Bush as well as
first-year varsity players Amanda Polzin and Natasha Sarin in the exciting season. The team is looking to secure its first ever CCS post-season playoff bid! Boys basketball is once again playing exciting and fast-paced hoops. Playing in the Prospect Christmas tournament in late December, the Eagles earned 3rd place in the eight-team tournament when junior guard Harish Venkatesan connected on a 25-footer desperation heave at the final buzzer to give Harker a 55-54 victory! This came right on the heels of their opponent having just hit a shot of their own to take the one point lead, but the never-saydie team roared down the floor with only seconds remaining and took home the victory. The team is led by senior post-player Adhir Ravipati. The girls soccer team got off to a strong start with several lopsided victories including a 9-0 pasting of an opponent as well as a 7-1 victory over a former league rival. A recent match saw the Eagles drop a tough 1-0 loss at Woodside Priory. Girls’ soccer has entered WBAL play behind the defense and leadership of four-year varsity starter Sara Laymoun. Sara, who begins play at the collegiate level next season at Whitman College in Washington state, will join several former volleyball, football, soccer, and basketball players who have combined the excellent Harker education with their passion for sports and parlayed these into opportunities to continue playing at elite colleges and universities. Institutions where Harker athletes have or are currently playing sports include: Harvard, Penn, Columbia, Claremont McKenna, MIT, and Colby College. It’s interesting to note that with each passing year, more and more of the top academic schools have made their way to Harker to speak to our student athletes. To excel in both the classroom and the fields at Harker is an incredible accomplishment that is starting to be recognized! See you at the games! —Jack Bither, US Athletics Director Harker News — February 05
school ■ Kings’ Day in French Classes Carol Parris’s French classes got a taste of France in January – literally. Her students baked galettes, a traditional flaky almond pastry used to celebrate Kings’ Day, the twelfth day of Christmas.
Teaching in Japan Tremendous Professional and Personal Experience
I had no idea what to expect while heading to Japan as a visiting teacher. In the end, my two-week visit was a series of professional and personal experiences that I will never forget. My introduction to Japan was an adventure in itself. Trying to make my way through Tokyo’s huge airport and into the nearest train station was like being caught in the middle of a Star Wars movie. I am certain I would still be wandering aimlessly through terminal 96 today if my hosts had not arrived!
Photos provided by John Zetterquist
Tamagawa’s elementar y, middle, high school and university campuses are beautifully situated on serene, wooded hilltops, seemingly isolated from the surrounding urban areas. During my stay I visited classes on each campus, spoke at student assemblies, taught in the elementary school, and met with administrators, teachers and student groups. The students were incredibly bright, friendly, enthusiastic and eager to learn about the United States. They especially wanted to learn how being a student at Harker differed from being a student in Japan; most were surprised to learn how much they had in common with American kids. The language barrier brought special challenges and opportunities, but the cooperative nature of both students and staff helped to make my visit a most important professional experience. With the help of interpreters we devised methods of team-teaching that both entertained and educated students. One such method was to use timelines to match events in American history to those that took place at the same time in Japan.
Carol Paris
Editor’s Note: John Zetterquist, Harker’s MS world history teacher, recaps his impressions as this year’s participant in the annual faculty exchange with the Tamagawa school. Watch next month for a report on the February visit of Tamagawa’s Keichi Watase.
Each class had two galettes, one to be divided up by the boys and one by the girls. The students who found the hidden charm baked into each pastry were crowned “roi” and “reine,” or king and queen. Their classmates shouted the traditional “vive le roi!” and “vive la reine!”, the cakes were eaten, and the classes had a nice ending to the semester. Many thanks to the parents in each period who baked the galettes: Nivedita Mathur (Abhinav, Gr. 8), Bret Herscher (Melanie, Gr. 7), and Anne Clark (Madeline Gr. 7). ■ Shanghai Visitors As was reported in the Jan. edition, Harker students and chaperones enjoyed a fascinating two-week exchange to Shanghai in Nov. as part of our first-ever exchange with the Shanghai World Foreign Language Middle School (SWFLMS).
This month Harker will be reciprocating by hosting a group of 12 Gr. 8 students from this People’s Republic of China sister-school in Shanghai. Watch the March edition for a recap of this exciting visit. ■ Genetic Engineering Lab MS science teacher Simon Keilty’s Gr. 8 science honors class conducted a pGLO Bacterial Transformation Laboratory during the first week of January. “The students examined some aspects of genetic engineering by transforming E. coli bacteria with a fluorescent protein isolated from jellyfish,” said Keilty. As part of the lab, students examined the tools utilized in genetic engineering, examined and practiced sterile technique, and transformed an E. coli strain with a bacterial plasmid containing the pGLO gene that produces Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP). In addition, the class discussed the moral, ethical, biological, economic and societal
Simon Keilty
MIDDLE
implications of transgenic organisms, and examined and discussed gene regulation as part of the lab activity.
Busload of Gifts Delivered to Shelter The MS Adopt-a-Family program that was reported on in the Jan. issue yielded a huge bounty of gifts that were delivered to the San Martin Family Shelter on Thurs., Dec. 16. “When we loaded up the bus, the gifts took up so much space that we had room for only about eight people,” said MS Division Head Cindy Kerr. The 18 adopted families each received a large package filled with numerous gifts for each family member.
Mark Tantrum - both photos
I also had the opportunity to travel to Tokyo, Yokohama, Kyoto and Hiroshima, visiting temples, castles, and historical sites and adding personal perspective to topics I have taught about in class. I know that my teaching of dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima will never be the same. Exposure to everyday life in Japan was a highlight. I loved the food, became a fan of the tremendously efficient train system, and appreciated the ever tolerant and accommodating citizens. Most important are the friends I have made. I can’t wait to go back! —John Zetterquist, MS World History
Harker News — February 05
11
school
Winged Post Editors Participate in National Press Conference The editors-in-chief of Harker’s US newspaper, the Winged Post – Shephalie Lahri and Roberta Wolfson, both Gr. 12 – participated in a national press conference meant to educate teens about the increasing number of discrimination and harassment lawsuits involving young workers. “We were excited to do it because it’s something that kids should know about,” said Lahri. “I feel like it’s our duty to make kids our age more aware of cases like these.” Students from 60 high schools spanning 16 different states and the District of Columbia participated in this Dec. 14 event in-person or via teleconference. Held exclusively for high school journalists, it was organized by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal government’s civil rights agency that enforces the nation’s employment anti-discrimination laws. “It was cool to be a part of a first-of-its-kind event,” added Wolfson, “especially one that allows us to let other students know what’s going on in our nation.” Winged Post advisor Chris Daren noted the significance of this learning opportunity. “It was exciting to see our paper’s editors interacting with others across the country on such an important topic,” he said. Prior to the conference, high school journalists from around the country were presented press packets providing background on the EEOC and its “Youth@Work” initiative, a year-long national outreach and public education campaign to raise awareness about and prevent discrimination against teenage workers. During the press conference, students had a rare opportunity to interview and ask questions of high-ranking government officials. Speakers at the press conference included EEOC Chair Cari Dominguez, Vice Chair and event moderator Naomi Earp, and a current teen litigant in a workplace discrimination lawsuit. “Discrimination happens to employees of all ages, but offenders sometimes single out teen workers because they think they won’t know any better,” noted Dominguez. Lahri added, “The entire process was just an awesome learning experience.” ■ US Club Raises Funds to Sponsor Child The US Amnesty International club raised over $350 selling holiday candygrams (messages with treats delivered to friends on campus), which they plan to use to sponsor a child in the developing world through the World Vision organization. Said club advisor Jennifer Owen, “The sponsorship will hopefully enable a child to have access to clean water, nutritious food and an education.” ■ New Photo Club Forms The new US photo club, which became an official Harker student organization this academic year with the help of US biology teacher and photo club advisor Gary Blickenstaff, provides a setting where amateur photographers can meet to exchange pictures and ideas on the art of photography. The inspiration for this club came when Amit Jain, Gr. 12, went on a vacation during the summer of 2004. “I went to Yellowstone
12
national park and took a lot of pictures, and the pictures I took came out really well,” said Jain. Upon his return, Jain recruited other Harker students with a similar interest in photography and began holding unofficial meetings. “We’re not experts,” said Jain, “we’re just a group that meets to share a love of photographs.” Students interested in joining can find Jain on campus or e-mail Blickenstaff at garyb@harker.org. ■ Organic Chemistry Class Gets Real World Exhibition US chemistry teacher Jennifer Owen’s organic chemistry class recently received a practical demonstration at Nanosyn, a biotechnology company in San Mateo. Students participated in discussions about the application of chemistry in the biotech industry, toured the chemistry labs, and were introduced to various spectroscopic techniques by Dr. Nikolai Sepetov, father of Anton Sepetov, Gr. 10.
■ ACSL – Programming Contest Last fall more than 20 Harker MS and US students took part in the first of four quarterly qualifying exams that will eventually cast five members to the Harker Senior Division American Computer Science League (ACSL) team. In each of the exams, the next of which will be held this month, individual participants are given 72 hours to write the code for a program that solves the problem presented. The students can choose the language they feel most comfortable using, as long as it runs properly when using the test data given. The second part of the test is then given after their solution is turned in to the ACSL team moderator. This year’s moderator, US Computer Science teacher Fred Triefenbach, said he has seen some talented codes come from the MS students that took the test this year. Students will gain cumulative points based on their test scores throughout the year, and at the end of the season the five that make the final team
will be invited to go on a trip to the National ACSL All-Star Contest. The ACSL was formed in 1978 to promote the computer sciences in junior high and high schools nationwide, and also to showcase the talents of promising young programmers. For more information, visit the ACSL home page (http://www. acsl.org) or Triefenbach’s home page on the Harker Web site. ■ Tamagawa Exchange Expands For the first time during the ten-year partnership between Harker and its sister school in Japan, The Tamagawa Gakuen School, the two institutions will participate in an Upper School exchange. The family of Harker student Jessica Lee, Gr. 10, is currently hosting Tamagawa student Tomoko Andoh, who will be part of the Tamagawa high school’s graduating class of 2005. Lee will then travel to Japan in June where she will stay with Andoh’s family while attending Tamagawa’s high school. Check the March edition for a full recap of Andoh’s visit.
US Moms Jam Up a Storm on a Stormy January Night! About 35 US moms – and a handful of dads – braved blustery winds and drizzling rain for an evening get-together on Fri., Jan. 7 in the Gallery of Dobbins Hall. There were delicious potluck appetizers, wines of different varieties brought to share, and some bubbly to herald the New Year. “With no particular agenda other than to swap tales of outstanding teenagers and enjoy some adult company in mellow candlelight and soothing strains of mellow jazz, all appeared to have a most enjoyable time, and enthusiasm runs high for another such gathering in the near future,” commented Nancy Reiley, community relations director. Check the PHP for news on the next gathering, and mark your calendars now for the 3rd annual Senior Moms’ Tribute Luncheon on Mon., May 16, chaired by underclassmen parents, Kathy Polzin and Carol Underwood, assisted by Cherrie Blair and a committee of volunteer moms from grades 9, 10 and 11.
Mark Tantrum - all photos
UPPER
Harker News — February 05
school
Harker Summer Institute 2005 Registration packets are now available for the 2005 Summer Institute! Offerings this summer include: ■ Policy Debate Camp ■ Economics ■ PSAT/SAT Course Check the Web site for more details - www.harker.org
String Orchestra Invited to Saratoga Library for a Winter Concert Thanks to a very special invitation from a former Harker parent, Julia Sullivan (Angela Esquivel, MS’99), the Harker String Orchestra was invited to perform a concert for the Friends of the Saratoga Library on Dec. 15. After performers and audience were treated to a pot luck dinner in the library’s Community Room, the orchestra was introduced by Sharon Pearce, program chair for the Friends of the Saratoga Library. Highlighting the program’s contemporary American theme, sophomore violinist Audrey Kwong performed a jazzy reading of the Prelude No. 1 by George Gershwin; on a more traditional note, a chamber ensemble played “Winter” from The
Four Seasons by Antonio Vivaldi. Advancement Director Joe Rosenthal spoke briefly about The Harker School and answered many questions during the post-concert visiting time. The concert was a preview of the repertoire that will be played this month in Vienna, Prague and Budapest when the Harker String Orchestra and Cantilena, Susan Nace’s women’s chorus, embark on a ten-day concert tour of those cities. Watch The Harker News for a recap on this exciting inaugural tour!
Michael Leonard, ʼ04 - all photos
UPPER
Some Harker Classrooms Become Paper-less With Use of New Technology Some Harker teachers are beginning to see the stacks of student papers on their desks dwindle – and students are turning assignments from the comfort of their homes – as they move into a new paper-less classroom era that has already been embraced by most universities across the United States. By implementing userfriendly interfaces from any remote location connected to the Internet, here’s how a few of our teachers are becoming more accessible to their students, and how the students are finding it is easier to turn in their assignments: Richard Page, US AP Computer Science and Scripting Languages instructor, has found that by taking advantage of open source software (free software distributed amongst users of the Internet) like Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Distance Learning Environment - http:// moodle.org) he has the ability to transform his classroom into a monitored exchange of information across open forums and online communities. Page referred to Moodle as “a device that allows instructors to make content available 24/7, accept student Harker News — February 05
assignments any time, comment and grade assignments using tools provided by Moodle, communicate with students individually and run forum discussions.” This service also offers the option to monitor student activity on the site by the instructor whenever and from wherever they choose. In 2003, Page wrote a research paper that presented Moodle as a “complete online course delivery and content management system…[that] encourages critical thinking [amongst students].”
“...teachers may soon never hear the old excuse, “My dog ate my homework.” Honors Physics instructor Dan Matthews has also taken advantage of the ability to use the Internet as a resource that helps make his classroom paperless. He has been able to transform his own Web page into a virtual teacher’s desk with the help of
MyEdesk (http:// myedesk.org). Through this service instructors can create, manage, and distribute lesson plans, presentations, study guides, portfolios, and more. US freshman Jason Lau referred to MyEdesk as an opportunity for “teachers to know whether or not homework has been turned in late,” adding, “the threads allow students to ask questions [anonymously] while at home and receive [responses] before we go to sleep.” Matthews still allows his students to physically hand in their assignments during class time, but he also gives his students the option of turning in their assignments by digital submission, which in most cases is more convenient to his students. Other teachers who have taken advantage of online capabilities are US instructors Dan Hudkins and Fred Triefenbach, who are using the Harker Forum and online drop folders to collect and return assignments and hold open discussions on varying topics in the Computing Across the Curriculum classes. Hudkins said that student reports have been positive. “Most of them prefer the convenience,
and they don’t have to worry about forgetting their work at home.” Triefenbach noted that he is now able to assign projects to his students that not only can be submitted to him, but to another teacher whose class corresponds to that assignment. For instance, a student can finish and submit a project for a Computer Science grade as well as a Physics grade if the project was a Web site dedicated to a specific physics theory. “Students can use the Harker intranet to hand in an assignment that can then be evaluated by multiple teachers and given separate grades based on different aspects of the project,” he explained. So in some classes, turning in a Harker paper - say on Galileo’s understanding of motion and falling - has become even easier with this new online homework submission method. By cutting out the hassle of physically turning in assignments, teachers may soon never hear the old excuse, “My dog ate my homework.” —Nick Gassmann, Writer - Office of Communications
13
UPPER
school
UPDATE DEBATE!
■ Other Debate News Director of Forensics Matthew Brandstetter reports that seven Harker Lincoln-Douglas Debaters ventured to the Twin Cities at the beginning of the winter break, braving Minnesota temperatures below 0 degrees, to participate in the Blake Tournament, one of this year’s largest LD debate tournaments yet. Schools from 13 states gathered to debate the new Jan./Feb. LD topic on the subject of whether democracy is best served by the strict separation of church and state.
Victory Briefs is a national speech and debate organization; they host this tour in order to give debaters a convenient opportunity to explore upcoming topics in depth. This was the first time a Victory Briefs Tour stop was made at Harker. ■ Harker debaters entered in this year’s Santa Clara mock trial competition are working hard to put the finishing touches on their arguments before this month’s competition at the Santa Clara County Court House, Feb. 1, 2, 3, and 8. Students engaged the team from Pioneer High School in a scrimmage on recently in order to hone their skills of persuasion and advocacy. We wish them well in their upcoming competition.
Takiar advanced to the field of 32 debaters, losing to the 2nd seed of the tournament from Greenhill; Satish lost a close 2-1 decision to the competitor who won the UKY tournament two weeks earlier; Tolani’s opponent from Highland Park felt Tolani had won the round before the judges’ decisions were announced. Juniors Jaya Pareek and Shilpa Vadodaria each achieved a 3-3 record, missing the cut by only one decision. Their records helped Harker achieve a tournament highlight: no Harker student had a losing record at tournament’s end! Harker LD debaters have been steadily improving this year and are on the verge of achieving bids to the Tournament of Champions in April. With continued focus and more tournament rounds under their belts, they should be able to achieve this prestigious and university-lauded honor, qualifying to participate among the 72 best LD students in the nation for national recognition and championship status.
■ Harker will be participating in tournaments at Pepperdine, Stanford and UC Berkeley during the month of February. As reported in the Jan. HN, mock trial students Arjun Naskar, Nilay Gandhi, Sean Turner and Meghana Dhar will also travel to Duke University to compete in the 4th Annual Duke University Supreme Court Mock Trial Competition, Feb. 25-27. We wish them luck!
Congratulations to sophomores Nicholas Tan and Tatsu Hashimoto who achieved a 5-2 preliminary round record at the University of Redlands National Debate Tournament in Redlands, California. Tan and Hashimoto faced Glenbrook North High School in the double octafinal round (32 teams participate) and lost on a close 2-1 decision.
with helmets, shields and armor,” said Meyer. True to form, the young gladiators put on a good show, and concluded by asking the class to decide the fate of the fallen gladiator by using the traditional Roman “thumbs-up” or “thumbs-down” symbol. ■ Nominees for National Service Awards Each year, the Harker faculty nominates one student each for two prestigious national service awards. Jamie Trinh, Gr. 12, has
been nominated as the Harker representative for the Prudential Spirit of Community Award for her service to families in rural areas of Vietnam this past summer. Nina Joshi, Gr. 12, has been nominated as the Harker representative for the Toyota Community Scholars Award for her leadership and dedication to several local organizations. We congratulate both students and wish them the best of luck as their applications are forwarded on to the state and national level.
Nick Gassmann
■ Five Harker debaters are preparing to travel to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, to participate in the 50th Annual Barkley Forum High School Speech and Debate Tournament Jan. 28-30. Students Jessica Lee and Rose Kirby will represent Harker in the Varsity Policy debate division, while students Alex Hsu, Alisha Tolani and Siddarth Satish will compete in the Varsity Lincoln-Douglas debate division.
■ Do As Romans Do As part of their studies on the Roman Empire, US world history teacher Ruth Meyer’s period 5 students were asked to “come to class as Romans” on Fri., Dec. 10. Students were asked to research the life of a slave, cook, soldier or gladiator, and then bring symbols connected with their lives. “The two boys who came as gladiators, freshmen Cayden Berkmoyer and Colin Daw, went one step further and dressed up as gladiators complete
14
Harker advanced the most students into elimination rounds from any one school. The following seedings were earned at the end of six preliminary rounds of competition: Juniors Priya Takiar - 31st; Siddarth Satish - 41st; Amulya Mandava - 50th; and Alisha Tolani - 57th; senior Alex Hsu - 64th.
Nick Gassmann - all photos
■ Harker Hosts Victory Briefs Approximately 90 area high school students along with 10 Harker LD debaters gathered at Saratoga on Dec. 27-28, from 10 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., for intense topic discussions regarding the new Jan./Feb. LD topic (incidentally, the same topic that had been previewed in the Blake tournament): Resolved: That democracy is best served by the strict separation of church and state. Two groups were identified: Novice and Advanced.
Harker News — February 05
Community
Jaja Hsuan - both photos
■ Family Giving Tree The US Key Club and National Honor Society came together once again for the annual Family Giving Tree holiday sort. The Giving Tree began as a school project developed by a group of graduate students. Over the years, it has grown to become one of the largest gift-giving programs with over 800 Bay Area companies and schools participating. Each year, 200 social service agencies supply the Giving Tree with names and wishes of the children they serve year-round, and wish cards are then printed and used to decorate Christmas trees. This year, over 55,000 children were served. Thank you to the following students who offered a few hours of their vacation time to help sort and wrap hundreds of gifts: Cooper Sivara, Yi Sun, Emily Isaacs, Christine Yeh, Ashley Dang, Rachel Bareiss, Robyn Chan, Jessica Wu, Justin Wu, Kimberly Wong,
ANNUAL
service
Anjali Joy, Alex Chen, Catherine Liaw, Jason Han, Karen Chiu, Joel Wright, Vedang Kothari, Ayumi Funaki, Nina Joshi, Albert Wang, Timothy Ho, Hailey Lam, Serafine Chen, Shivani Bhargava, Michael Lee, Tara Chandra, Nina Duong, Swathi Bhuma, Shruthi Bhuma, Anshu Das, Sherwin Jiang, Ruchi Jhaveri, Shilpam Singh, Richard Kwant, Shannon Tan, Sam Singh, Dena Chen and Jessie Li. ■ Key Club Unlocks the Holiday Spirit Members of the Key Club dedicated additional vacation days for the following projects: • Terreno Gardens Escorting – Students spent the day with nursing home residents at Christmas In the Park, and the following comment was received from Carl DiLeonardo, the volunteer director: “This was one of the best Christmas In the Park outings we have ever had and one of the most relaxed ones for me. The student volunteers were
just wonderful. They responded well and quickly to directions and they had a good rapport with the residents they were escorting in wheelchairs. I was impressed by each and every one of the students. They are welcome to volunteer at our facility any time.” Student volunteers were: Joe Chen, Shannon Tan, Jennifer Whang, Andrea Kablanian, Jayasree Sundaram and Ashley Dang. • Sacred Heart Community Services – With all the generous donations of clothing, food, and toys pouring in, students were asked to help sort and reorganize the pantry and storage areas. Aline Zorian, Gr. 10, found it to be a fulfilling project. “It was so much fun! It was way more enjoyable than any of us expected and the time went by really fast. Most of us ended up cleaning a storage room in the back and organizing all of the clothing, toys, and books inside. It ended up looking really amazing!” Other team members
included: Julia Havard, Anjali Joy, Robyn Chen and Shannon Tan. • Emergency Housing Consortium – As always, students had a great time volunteering at the shelter, where they helped prepare and serve a warm holiday meal for shelter residents. The opportunity offered students a chance to learn more about some of the individuals and families in transitional housing. Volunteers included: Jason Han, Jocelyn Ko, Gloria Kwan, Ayumi Funaki, Christina Yee, Colleen Lee, Cheryl Chiu, Jennifer Whang, Shruthi Bhuma, Swathi Bhuma and Ashley Yang. • Christmas Giving Delivery Elves - Special thanks to the following students who helped deliver a bus load of gifts collected for the US Christmas Giving Project: Rachel Hammersley, Tanya Schmidt, Jason Han, Shruthi Bhuma, Swathi Bhuma and Jayasree Sundaram. —Jaja Hsuan, US Community Service Director
giving
Harker Faculty Shows Suppport With 100% Participation in AG Campaign ■ Faculty reaches 100% participation in this year’s Annual Giving campaign! Every teacher at Harker has made a gift or pledge and this speaks volumes to the community as we target grants and corporate funding opportunities for our student programs. Many thanks to all of the teachers and administrators for their financial contributions which will benefit every student this year.
THANKS
■ Two anonymous gifts were received with credit card
information for gifts of $50 and $250 in October. If you have not received a letter from Harker acknowledging your contribution, please contact the development office at 408.345.0111. ■ Your 2004 Charitable Giving Summary: Tax time is here and for your convenience, we will provide a year-end tax contribution summary confirming your cumulative charitable gifts made to Harker for the 2004 calendar year. If you have any questions or do not receive this
Your Generous Annual Giving Dollars at Work in 2005! In this issue, we are proud to showcase the following student programs which are made possible in part by your continued support through charitable giving: ■ Robotics, page 1 ■ New Water Polo Teams, page 2 ■ Extensive Library Offerings, page 3
Harker News — February 05
via mail by January 31, contact the development office. ■ National Honor Society students continue their quest to personally thank members of the community for their generous support of student programs this month. Students reported appreciative responses and sophomore Ashley Morishige used this opportunity to explain exactly what gifts fund and how essential it is for our students. ■ Save the Dates! The exclusive annual President’s Circle Reception for annual giving donors will be held Fri., April 22 and the 2006 Fashion Show will be at the Fairmont on Fri., March 3. Thank you for continuing to provide our students with the ver y best academic and extracurricular programs in 2005! With your tremendous suppor t, we are on the way to funding 100% of student programs budgeted this
school year. —Bran-Dee Torres, Director of Annual Giving and Jennifer Helmonds, Director of The Harker Fund 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10%
15
from
the archives
Howard Nichols: Sets Standard with Superb Leadership, Family Atmosphere
educational programs that might sound astonishing to others can be explained by the fact that he has been associated with Harker Academy for his whole life.” From the beginning, Nichols was involved in all aspects of the school – even driving the bus! Alumnus Albert Zecher ‘79 recalled, “I suppose back then I had no appreciation for the blueribbon level of teaching at Harker. Now I realize that Harker teachers all largely represented, in some manner or another, Captain Nichols’ ideals of intellectual pursuit, hard work and good citizenship. All of these remarkable men and women shaped the character and intellect of thousands of Silicon Valley students, many of whom went on to build the information and technology revolutions.”
area, and the decade brought many changes at the Academy. Although the Saratoga campus was modern compared to the Palo Alto facilities, it still needed some costly renovations to meet the school’s needs for a boys’ dormitory, gymnasium, and recreation facilities. Howard and his father, Donald Nichols, worked tirelessly with local companies and parent volunteers to locate funding for these important improvements. In the wake of the Vietnam War, interest in military academies was waning across the country. Under Howard’s direction, the Academy’s Cadet Program was de-emphasized, in favor of leadership and self-discipline. Howard felt those character-building skills were (and are) very important in shaping the lives of the Harker students. Howard hand-picked a team to totally rewrite the school discipline plan, replacing the old demerit system. The plan is essentially the same plan used today as we continue to recognize our current students at award ceremonies for their citizenship and effort. Howard also did much to instill a sense of family within the Harker community. A late 70s Harker school bulletin reported that,
In the 1970s Harker was the oldest private elementary school in the The Harker News is published nine times per year by the Harker Office of Communications. Current and archived issues are also available on the Parent Home Page on the Harker Web site at www.harker.org. Editor: Pam Dickinson; Asst. Editors: Terry Walsh, Crystal Boyd; Photography: Mark Tantrum; Contributors: Ali Abdollahi, Cathy Snider, Jaja Hsuan, Laura van den Dries, Chris Daren, Nick Gassmann; Printing: Communicart; Mailing Coordinators: Ashley Sukovez, Jerusha Hew Len
16
“Management by walking around typifies Howard’s style. He always took pride in the family atmosphere at Harker, and felt that was what allowed the students to reach their full potential.” One of the Harker programs that helped create that family atmosphere was the boarding program (see Dec. 2004 HN Tribute article for more information). Although most of the boarders made the move from Palo Alto, in the late 70s the future of the boarding program was uncertain given changing demographics, so Harker developed a unique boarding program for foreign students. Students enrolled from all over the world to hone their English language skills so they could continue their secondary education in the United States. That astute change in the boarding program allowed it to flourish for another 25 years. Howard served his last overnight shift as dutymaster in the dorms in Feb. 1977, but continued his involvement with the boarders through occasional visits, surprise inspections, meetings with dorm staff, and attendance at the annual Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and the end-of-the-year Boarding Awards Banquet. The annual Christmas dinner began with Howard reading “The Night Before Christmas” to the boarding students, and after dinner ended with one of his favorite traditions the singing of Christmas carols. All boarding events always concluded with a few sentimental words from The Harker School is a K-12 independent, co-ed, college-prep school.
Howard, and the sharing of some personal memories of his time as a boarding student. The words were always a perfect send-off as the boarders and staff realized that Howard truly understood what it meant to be a boarding student. Aside from the fundraising and program improvements, Howard is perhaps best remembered for his willingness to have fun - even at his own expense. Whether it meant testing out the games the night before the picnic, performing in
Harker Archives - all photos
From the time Howard Nichols assumed the position of headmaster of Harker Academy in 1973, he has demonstrated his commitment to quality education. Passionate about education and about a school he himself attended, Howard used his business acumen to expand the school to meet the needs of a changing student population. Bay Area Parent wrote about Howard in 1991, “His unassuming attitude about
Harker faculty productions, jumping in the pool to deliver on a wager with students to raise money for the “Our City Forest,” or playing in a faculty/student basketball game, Howard will always be remembered for “being there for Harker.” We salute him! —Sue Smith and Terry Walsh, history committee members
Grades K-6: 4600 Bucknall Rd., San Jose CA 95130 Phone 408.871.4600 • Fax 408.871.4320 Grades 7-12: 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose CA 95129 Phone 408.249.2510 • Fax 408.984.2325
The Harker School does not discriminate in the administration of its educational policies, athletics or other school-administered programs, or in the administration of its hiring and employment practices on the basis of age, sex, race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or nonjob-related handicap.
Harker News — February 05