FEbruary 2006 (VOL. 12, NO. 5)
M O N T H L Y
inside
Teachers from Japan & Australia Visit ................. 7, 8 MS starts new wrestling program ............................. 8 Harker senior named Intel semifinalist ...................... 11 Student directors showcase plays – and talent ............ 11
harker.org NEW! Summer Camp online registration opens Jan. 30! Register early for best selection.
events 2006 Upper School Dance Production
Branching Out Fri. Feb. 10 & Sat., Feb. 11 7:30 p.m. Upper School Gym
Tickets Now On Sale! Buy tickets at US Bookstore or e-mail tickets@harker.org $12 Adults $10 Students/Seniors (See story page 2.)
Harker News — February 06
N E W S L E T T E R
F R O M
T H E
H A R K E R
S C H O O L
US Artists Explore Sculpting, Prepare for New AP Course Students in the US sculpting class of Fine Arts Department Chair Jaap Bongers completed the first semester by creating exquisite sculptures. The fine arts department is preparing for the new Advanced Placement Studio Art class, which will begin in fall 2006. “Because of the new AP class, we are getting a lot more students entering the program who are serious about art, industrial design or architecture,” said Bongers. In the new AP class, students will assemble a 29-piece art portfolio in 3-D design, 2-D design or drawing that they will submit to the College Board. Students will receive a score on their portfolio that will serve as the equivalent to an AP exam score. Bongers said, “It is important that we prepare the students for this new class.” Dean of Studies Heather Blair added, “(The AP class) will be a culminating experience for art students at Harker. It’s a studio art class in which young artists who have already begun to develop their talents through
coursework in art refine their work and create new work according to the guidelines established by the AP Studio Art program.”
about subtractive sculpting through the stone-carving; they learned about constructive methods through their architecture-inspired sculptures; and they learned about malleable sculpting through the bronze casting,” Bongers explained. Throughout the course of the semester, Bongers also gradually helped his students “develop an eye” for artistic designs in everyday life. “They’ve gained a much deeper understanding of constructive design and three-dimensional elements in the real world,” he said. “The sculptures help them learn about organizing volume in space.”
Last semester’s final projects served as part of the preparation for the AP course, providing students experience with different forms and methods of sculpting, including stone-carving, architecture and wax cast in bronze. “I wanted the students to gain knowledge of all aspects of sculpture, not just the traditional clay or stone sculptures,” Bongers said. Different materials and concepts are used in the various forms of sculpture. “The students learned
In addition to the architectural sculptures, the stone-carving method also draws elements from the natural world. “The assignment with the stone-carving was to create organic shapes, or forms from nature,” said Bongers, “Forms like the stone in the river that, over time, forms its shape by the way it rubs against other stones at the bottom.” Watch future editions for more updates on our K-12 art programs, and for reminders of upcoming art shows, including the US Art Show this spring where some of these sculptures will be displayed.
Employee Spends Six Weeks Helping Hurricane Victims George Monack has been helping students at Harker for 15 years, first as a bus driver and more recently by directing traffic in the school’s loading zones. But last fall Monack, 70, lent a hand to another group of people: Hurricane Katrina victims in Louisiana. Monack (pictured here, back row - center) went to the devastated region twice, each time for three weeks. Prior to his first deployment on Oct. 23, he participated in the American Red Cross’ Disaster Relief Boot camp and Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) Training. Monack was assigned to drive one of the Red Cross’ ERVs, trucks that
provide assistance and hot meals to disaster victims. “I, as so many, found myself drawn to the tragedy of (hurricanes) Katrina and Rita, which impacted so many people in the South,” Monack said. “At times it seems that my life has been mostly about me, and I thought I could turn that around
photo provided by George Monack
A
est. 1893 • K-12 college prep
a bit by helping out in some small, but meaningful, way.” Continued on pg. 12
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editor’s note As a member of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), Harker is undergoing its scheduled review, which culminates with a visit by an accreditation team this month. We’ll share their recommendations and commendations with you in future issues, so watch for them! Be sure to attend the “Yes, Your Teen is Crazy” event Harker is hosting this month (see details, right). If your children aren’t teens yet, they will be, so start training early! —Pam Dickinson, Director Office of Communications pamd@harker.org
quote “The teachers are not using these technologies just for the sake of using them. They’re using the technology because it works better.” —Dan Hudkins (p. 9)
corrections In last month’s issue we gave incorrect years for three Cantilena singers who performed solos in the US Conservatory’s annual fall concert. Apologies to Emily Isaacs, Gr. 11, Avanti Deshpande, Gr. 12 and Vani Pyda, Gr. 11. Apologies also to the LS Service Club, which entertained their campus with holiday songs last month. The HN mistakenly attributed the caroling to the Spirit Club. In the January article about the Quiz Bowl team’s recent success, we inadvertently sited the wrong team member and omitted the name of Arkajit Dey. We apologize for the omission.
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february dates
annual giving
■ Fri., Feb. 17, 2:30 p.m. — K-12 Early Dismissal for Teachers’ Retreat/Presidents’ Week
Heartfelt Thanks!
■ Mon.-Fri., Feb. 20-24 — No Classes - Presidents’ Week
The annual giving logo appearing at the end of some of our stories indicates those activities or programs funded by Annual Giving.
■ Mon., Feb. 27 — K-12 Classes Resume
Yes, Your Teen is Crazy! Mark your calendar for the next Common Ground Speaker Series event, which will be hosted by Harker at the MS campus: Wed. Feb. 8, 2006 • 7 p.m. • MS Multipurpose Room “Yes, Your Teen is Crazy” is a presentation by Michael J. Bradley, Ed.D. Free admission for Harker parents, faculty and staff. $20 for guests. Light refreshments will be served. Common Ground is a coalition of Bay Area schools that have joined together to provide opportunities for parents and educators to learn from experts in a variety of fields, to share ideas with others, and to support each other’s efforts to enrich our local communities. Since Harker is a member of this coalition, these events are free of charge to our parents, faculty and staff.
2006 Dance Production This Month The US Conservatory’s dance production is an annual extravaganza much looked forward to by the Harker community. This year’s show, “Branching Out,” explores the sounds and rhythms that remind us of the four seasons. For the first time, the show has a student director, Naeha Bhambhra, a senior Certificate Candidate in Dance, who is working with dance directors Laura Rae and Adrian Bermudez. Rae and Bermudez choreographed the show, as did favorite guest choreographers Lisa Navarro and Amberlyn Wu. Emily Chow, Gr. 10, is also choreographing a piece, and the varsity Dance Troupe is collaborating on a seven-minute dance for thirty dancers! Jazz, modern, ballet and hip hop will all be integrated into the show, as well as dances from all over the world. Playing to the theme of the show, a Russian dance commemorates winter, and a Latin dance describes summer. Other dances will be Chinese, Argentinian, African and Celtic. Don’t miss this annual dance spectacular! The production is on Feb. 10 & 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Saratoga Gym.
US Alumni and Current Parents Reconnect
REMINDER It’s not too late to support our students and teachers and participate in the 2005-06 Annual Giving Campaign, which ends May 31, 2006. Gifts received from this point until the end of the Campaign will count toward the 2006 tax year. You can donate online (see the Giving @ Harker section of our Web site) or mail donations to: Advancement Office, 3800 Blackford Ave., San Jose, CA 95117. For questions on annual giving, contact Melinda Gonzales at MelindaG@harker.org; 408.345.0111.
summer Summer materials have been mailed, and new online registration option available now.
Visit the Web site!
Many US alumni and current parents started the New Year by attending “Joint Venture,” a social event held in early January. Attendees enjoyed appetizers, desserts and wine in the Dobbins Hall Gallery while they visited with long-time and new Harker friends. There was no formal presentation, but alumni parents’ nametags listed the colleges their children are attending to encourage current parents to ask questions. The current parents were thrilled with this “ice breaker” and most left the check-in table in search of an alumni parent whose nametag listed a college of interest for their own children. Check next month’s HN for information about the next joint US alumni and current parent event, which will be held in the spring. Harker News — February 06
schoolwide LS Sports ■ Boys Basketball The Gr. 4 boys basketball team continues to work hard during the last two weeks of the season, as the boys begin their intramural league play. The Heat, Pistons, Suns and Tar Heels received a taste of competition and will be eager to play at the Gr. 5 level in the next school year! —Coach Jim McGovern The D2 boys basketball team had a fun and productive season and played a handful of games against the D3 team, Carden and St. Chris. A strong effort was put in by all, but the team was anchored by captains Bobby Kahlon, Cameron Walker, and Michael Chen, all Gr. 5. Strong play by Neel Bhoopalam, Karan Das-Grande and Andre Tran, also all Gr. 5, helped our team finish off a fun season! —Coach Jason Pergament ■ Girls Soccer The Gr. 5 soccer team worked hard on improving their skills, working as a team to implement offensive and defensive strategies. The highlight of their season was traveling to the Blackford campus for a scrimmage against the MS “B” team. The fifth graders were victorious, winning 1-0. Helping the “D” team to victory with outstanding performances were Jacqueline Jordan, Sondra Costa, Adrienne Mendel, Indica Sur and Wendy Shwe. —Coach Paula Bither
MS Sports ■ Boys Basketball The A1 boys basketball team is currently 10-4. The team took 2nd in the Kings Academy Tournament and had two 3rd place finishes in the Harker and Queens Tournaments. Led by Ryan Cali, Gr. 8, and Lung-Ying Yu, Gr. 8, the team hopes to finish strong in the elite Mayor’s Tournament coming up in early February. —Coach Pete Anderson The B2 boys basketball team reHarker News — February 06
news
cently completed their season with two very narrow losses, 22-20 to West Valley and 22-17 to Apostles Lutheran. Seventh graders Nick Kehriotis and Zach Mank continued to be strong forces down low, grabbing a number of key rebounds and playing hard-nosed defense. Guards Kevin Chen and Brennan Kee, both Gr. 7, were solid running the offense and Gabby Yanovsky, Gr. 7, shot well in both games. The B2 Eagles showed remarkable improvement from the beginning of the season until the end. This improvement was due purely to the dedication and hard work turned in by the entire team. We all are looking forward to next year. —Coach Mike Delfino The B1 boys basketball team was lead by team MVP Timothy Lin, Gr.7, and Eagle Award winner Howard Lio, Gr. 7. Sev-
enth graders Rex Chen (Coaches Award winner), Rishi Sharma, Partha Mahajani and Spencer Jordan also made strong contributions. Kevin Kai, Gautam Krishnamurthy, Kenny Wong, Adam Tong, Nirjhar Mundkur and Guillaume Delapine (all Gr. 7) were also solid during the season. The team competed hard all season, winning four and losing six in very close games. I am pleased with their all-around efforts and hard work and am confident they’ll perform well next season. —Coach Richard Amarillas Stephen Hughes, Ananth Subramaniam, Nikhil Narayen, Saagar Sarin, all Gr. 6, and the rest of the C1 boys basketball team have been impressive so far this season. With improved outside shooting and ball movement, the boys have been able to mark a few notches in their win column. Even more impressive than the 30-point victory margins against Los Altos Christian, Foothill
and Almaden Country have been their battles against Valley Christian. The sixth graders from Valley Christian have been outscoring opponents by at least 25 points each game, but against Harker were held to under 40 points twice and won by slim six or eight point margins. Undeniably one of the hardest working teams in their league, the C1 boys look forward to competing and playing hard in this year’s Harker Gr. 6 grade basketball tournament. —Coach Nick Gassmann ■ Girls Soccer The varsity girls A soccer team had a fantastic season. The team finished with a 2-2 record with wins over Saint Joe’s and Menlo, both by a score of 3-2. The team was lead by the strong play of Alysia Patel, Kristen Santora, Amy Rorabaugh, all Gr. 8, Ava Rezvani, Gr. 7, and Veronica Bither, Gr. 6. Outstanding effort and teamwork came from eighth graders Sarah Teplitsky, Katherine Harris, Kacie Kaneyuki and Esther Belagolovsky. Chrissy Chang, C.J. Cali and I would like to thank all the players for an exciting and outstanding season. —Coach Justin Sullivan Although the B girls soccer team didn’t win any games this year, they received a great compliment from an opposing coach after Harker’s team scored against his team. He said that he was impressed with the combination of passes and tenacity of our offense, especially since his team was mostly Gr. 7 & 8, while Harker’s team is mostly Gr. 6 & 7. They learned to talk to one another, play balls back for a drop pass and develop a nice wide attack down the field. Especially impressive was the blending of three different ages of players. They were willing to work with one another and support each other on the field. —Coach Cyrus Merrill and Coach Melissa Gavron
US Sports Mark Your Calendars Aside from the many athletic contests on the February calendar
there are two dates of particular importance. Any student-athlete at all interested in participating in a spring sport must attend the mandatory parent/athlete meeting on the Feb. 8, at 6:00 p.m. in the MS Cafetorium. The meeting will start with each sport’s preseason meeting with the individual coaches, followed by important information from the athletic director. The sports of choice are: boys baseball, boys volleyball, boys golf, boys tennis, girls softball, girls lacrosse, coed swimming and coed track & field. The athletic department wishes to recognize senior athletes in a new way. On Fri., Feb. 17 we will host our first-ever winter sports senior recognition event immediately following the boys basketball game (approximately 8:30 p.m.) at the Blackford Gym. All senior athletes from girls soccer, boys & girls basketball and wrestling will be acknowledged in a brief ceremony. So come cheer on the hoopsters and show your appreciation for our hard-working seniors following the game. —Dan Molin, US Athletic Director danm@harker.org ■ Boys Wrestling The US wrestling season is under way, and the Harker team is already making a splash! David Woolsey, Gr. 12, earned third place at the James Lick High School Tournament. At the Cupertino High Tournament, Michael Hammersley, Gr. 12, and Mark Ollila, Gr. 11, both took third place in their respective weight classes. A great start to what promises to be a great season! —Coach Kariem Stinson ■ Boys Basketball The boys varsity basketball team currently stands at 8-4 overall and 1-1 in league play. The 05-06 Eagles worked very hard over the winter break and are looking forward to getting off to a good start in league play. The junior varsity team has been playing well and is 2-0 in the league and 7-4 overall. Ankur Sharma, Gr. 10, was selected to all-tournament team status during the Del Mar JV tourney. Kyle Kitasoe, Gr. 10, earned that honor during the Crystal Springs Varsity Tournament. The next goal for the season is to again reach first place in the league and earn a spot in the Continued on pg. 12
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Fairmont Hotel, San Jose Friday, March 3 FRI., MARCH 3 TWO EVENTS 11 a.m.
Proceeds from Cruisin’ California benefit the Harker Scholarship Fund, professional training and continued education for faculty, and the new Science and Technology Center at the US campus – so when you support Cruisin’ California, you support the school!
Luncheon and Fashion Show
5:30 p.m. Dinner Gala with Fashion Show emceed by Pat Walsh, Showcase Drawings, Live Auction and Dancing to the sounds of David Martin’s House Party
ALL TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! Invitations were mailed mid-January, but even if you have not received yours in the mail, you can still join the fun! We do expect this event to sell out and Presidents’ Week Break is the week before the show, so avoid disappointment and reserve your seats now!
CONTACTS
Visit the Cruisin’ California Web site link from the Harker home page to learn about credit card, student account and online purchase details.
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■ Better than Julie & Gopher from the Love Boat The first Harker faces you’ll see at the show will be those of our intrepid MS Greeters: Alison Axelrad, Niva Bigler, Jose Costa, Cole Davis, Emily Moore, Shanna Polzin, Priya Sathaye, Patrick Smith, Scott Underwood and Anne West. Look for them to direct you to the Imperial Ballroom as you begin your Cruisin’ California adventure.
■ Hosts and Hostesses with the Mostest At both the luncheon and dinner gala, these friendly Harker US students will escort you to your table, assist you with your last-minute Showcase Drawing ticket purchases, or help out in any way they can. Hats off to our 2006 Fashion Show Hosts and Hostesses: Shivani Bhargava, Rupan Bose, Liz Burstein, Albert Chen, Anjali Gill, Naushad Godrej, Ankur Gupta, Shawn Huda, Danyal Kothari, Tiffany Liou, Ira Patniak, Amanda Polzin, Sylvia Schmidt, Harish Venkatesan and Jamie Wei.
■ Late-breaking Additions to the Cruisin’ Entertainment The luncheon and dinner gala shows will both feature our own talented Harker performing arts students. In addition to the student performers listed in last month’s newsletter, which include varsity Dance Troupe directed by Laura Rae and Adrian Bermudez, Jazz Band directed by Chris Florio, Dance Ensemble directed by Gail Palmer and Downbeat directed by Catherine Snider and Laura Lang-Ree, you will also enjoy the beautiful music of the String Quartet: Joseph Chen, Janet Jun, Audrey Kwong and Jonathan Wang, and Piano Trio: Denaly Chen, Kristie Cu and Stephanie Kim. Arrive early to enjoy every bit of the entertainment!
■ Cruisin’ Showcase Prizes! Each Showcase is a wonderfully themed collection of goodies that will provide hours, days, maybe even weeks of fun and excitement! Please see the Cruisin’ News flier that came with your newsletter for more details about the contents of each Showcase. • Cruisin’ the Coast, celebrating magnificent Morro Bay and Camarillo • Headin’ for the Hills, a host of Sierra- and Yosemite-based activities for the outdoor enthusiast • Northern Nirvana, with a focus on San Francisco and the beautiful Sonoma wine region • Soakin’ up the Sun, highlighting the fun and excitement of San Diego
Please join us on our journey to make Cruisin’ California a fun and successful fundraising event for our school!
Event Co-chairs: Mary Malysz, Sarah Pennell and Carol Underwood See inserts in this month’s mailing or visit the Cruisin’ California Web site for more information about event ticket purchases, Carousel of Showcases contents and ticket purchases, and volunteer opportunities.
VOLUNTEERING: Tina Najibi - tmm@cadence.com PROGRAM AD SALES: Ernaz Irani - ernaz.irani@hp.com SPONSORSHIPS: Archana Sathaye - archana@sathaye.com • Janet Smith - janets@harker.org DONATIONS: Showcases - Cynthia D’Agosta - Gdblick@aol.com • Live Auction - David Heslop - David.Heslop@prestonpipelines.com RESERVATIONS: Jeannine Hammersley - jhammersley@comcast.net • Violet Boyle - boylfam99@sbcglobal.net WEB SITE: www.harker.org/news.htm - click on Fashion Show link • HOTLINE: 408.345.0115 • E-MAIL: fashionshow@harker.org Harker News — February 06 Harker News — February 06
sponsors Cruisin’ for Adventure – Live Auction Don’t miss the action-packed live auction led by Damon Casatico, founder and president of Charity Benefits Auctions. Serving many different types of nonprofit organizations as well as the private education market sector, Charity Benefits Auctions has emerged as America’s premier benefit auction company. Their positive, high energy live auction method makes this an auction like no other! Come enjoy the auction and bid on fabulous items including:
Partyin’ with Mr. Nikoloff Let our head of school host your child’s birthday party. Your LS student and 11 friends can celebrate in unique style at Mr. and Mrs. Nikoloff’s house. They’ll play in a bouncy castle, enjoy party games and snacks, cake and ice cream with the head of school on a mutually agreed-upon date. Mr. Nikoloff (seen here as a penguin at the annual picnic) will work with you to plan games and entertainment your child particularly enjoys.
VIP Graduation Package
Carmel Sunset Dinner
Air Systems, Inc. • Banerjee Chopra Family • Communicart • Davé Family Trust • Davis Family • Diamond Quality Printing • Kris & Nina Panu • Morgan Stanley, San Francisco • Pennell Family • Sathaye Family Foundation
Diana and Howard Nichols invite you and up to nine of your friends to an unforgettable dinner experience. Enjoy the Nichols’ warm hospitality, admire the spectacular ocean views, and watch the Carmel sunset from their new Carmel Highlands home – then continue the evening with fine foods and wines. It is sure to be an unforgettable experience!
Dinner a Week by Chef Steve Talon Staff
Give yourself an evening off from the kitchen once every week during the 2006-07 school year. Let Harker’s very own Chef Steve Martin take care of your supper - all you do is choose from the weekly menu by 5 p.m. the day before you want the meal and specify a campus location for pickup. It’s that easy. A pretty mouth-watering deal!
Treat your family and guests to a graduation experience in style - complete with preferred parking and front-row seating for six, and a brick in the Graduate Garden on the Saratoga campus. Relax and enjoy your child’s special day, and conclude the event with an unforgettable family picture taken by photographer Chris Daren.
Evening with the Stars Join the stars at the 2006 Emmy Awards! Four tickets get you and your friends the star treatment, with VIP red carpet arrival by limo, exactly the same as nominees and celebrities. This could be your once-ina-lifetime opportunity to walk the path of current and past stars, and pass by photographers, fans and a global TV audience ... very possibly your 15 seconds of fame on TV! Enjoy the awards ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium seated amidst the rich and famous.
Last but not least … a Puppy! These guys are stand-ins who agreed to display the level of cuteness and adorability which will be on sale. Actual puppy will be announced (and on display!) at the auction.
Look for more detailed information in this month’s fashion show flier, the Cruisin’ News, included with this newsletter packet. Harker News — February 06
Barry Swenson Builder Santana Row Swanson & Jackson Families
Alex Alonzo Accountancy Corp. • C. Denise Brodersen CFP, V.P. - Investments, UBS Financial Services, Inc. • Citti’s Florist • Connell Family • Courtesy Chevrolet • Heritage Bank of Commerce • Linear Technology • Malysz Family • Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw LLP • Meiying & Steve Shatas • Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe • Riedel Family • Santora Family • Sequoia Capital • Smith Barney, the Hall Walsworth Group • Stevens Creek BMW • XL Construction Corp. NEWEST PROGRAM ADVERTISERS: We want to recognize and thank this month’s new program advertisers: Academic Expeditions, Age Defying Dermatology, Bains Development, Bay Sport, Susanne Bohl - Realtor, Class of 2008, Class of 2013, Dr. David Constant, DDS, Coldwell Banker, Courtside Club, Craig Creasman MD, RJ Dailey Construction Co, Dalmatech LLC, Deja & Co., Pam Dickinson & John Near, Future Families, Goldman, Sachs & Co/Nicholas Eaton, Gr. 5 Flag Football, Hall & Rambo, Harker Harmonics, High Tech Passport, Interior Plant Design, Jespersen & Jespersen DDS, JR Fitness, Koch & Associates, McPharlin, Sprinkles & Thomas LLP, Dr. Tina McGinnis, Mission Electric Company, Odwalla, Parents & Families of K-5 Models, Past Fashion Show Chairs, Alain Pinel Realtors, Preston Wynne, San Jose Grand Prix, Senior Conservatory Certificate Students, Lynette Stapleton, Los Esposos de las Tres Amigas, Tuxedo Wearhouse, Frederick Wardenburg, Sr. VP & CFM – Merrill Lynch, Wine & Roses Limousine Service, Carol Underwood and Zip Realty.
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Harker Parents Share Russian History and Culture Harker parents Irina and Sergey Petrova (Svetlana, Gr. 5) visited LS teacher Jason Pergament’s science class to discuss Russian culture and histor y as part of the class’ study of world geography.
Special Gr. 1 Activities Gr. 1 students in Cindy Proctor’s and Diann Chung’s classes enjoyed a mountain-climbing lecture from Facilities Manager Mike Bassoni, an avid mountain climber. “We recently read a story called ‘Cliff Hanger,’ so it was great to have Mr. Bassoni show the children his climbing gear, tell us about his mountain climbing adventures and explain some techniques used to keep climbers safe,” Proctor said. Students in Proctor’s homeroom also wrote New Year’s resolutions that will help them to improve either their citizenship or their effort in school. “The resolutions are now displayed in our room so we can work together as a class to help each other keep our resolutions,” Proctor said.
To build a sense of community among the Gr. 1 families, grade level coordinator Trish Tobin reported that a series of monthly family events have been planned. January’s activity was bowling, and 29 families attended. “The kids had a blast...and were adorable, although I think some of them confused bowling with shot-putting,” Tobin laughed. She added that several of the parents mentioned they were glad to have such “a fun, physical activity lined up on such a dreary, rainy day. February’s activity is glow-in-the-dark miniature golf, which should be a hoot!”
Trish Tobin
Jason Pergament
Gr. 1 Families Have a “Bowl” on Jan. Outing
The topics covered by the Petrovas included the rise and fall of communism, and how it impacted people’s personal lives and traditions. “The kids were enthused to learn from (the Petrovas) first-hand experience,” Pergament said. “It has been a springboard from which we have had many in-class discussions during our Russia unit the past few weeks!”
Gr. 3 Students Enjoy Private Screening
New online registration begins Jan. 30 - visit Web site for information and forms! Register early for best selection! Grades K-4
4-WEEK SESSIONS
(LS Campus)
June 26 - July 21 • July 24 - August 18 2-WEEK SESSIONS - Project Zoom! New! July 10 - July 21 • July 24 - August 4 August 7 - August 18
See MS section for details about Gr. 5-8 Summer Program.
Visit Web site, call 408.871.4600 or contact campinfo@harker.org for more information.
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Gr. 3 students enjoyed a special treat on Dec. 12, when they traveled to the Century Theatres at Oakridge Mall in San Jose for a private screening of “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” The students recently read C.S. Lewis’ book “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” as part of their curriculum. Gr. 3 teacher Elise Schwartz said, “It was fabulous. The kids absolutely loved the movie.” Parents of the third graders also supplied some delicious “Turkish Delight,” the favorite candy of the film’s main characters. Schwartz said that the film’s strict adherence to the book helped capture the children’s attention. “The movie was phenomenal, and the kids were completely engrossed in the film,” Schwartz said.
Holiday Homeroom Tradition Continues In December, students and parents in Nancy Curran’s kindergarten class decorated gingerbread houses together in an event that has become a holiday tradition in Curran’s homeroom. “Each creation was unique and there was lots of creativity,” Curran said. “I think the parents had as much fun as the children!”
Nancy Curran
new! register online!
Harker News — February 06
Visiting Tamagawa Kindergarten Teacher Brings Culture - and Fun! Keiichi Sato, a teacher from Harker’s sister school in Tokyo, the Tamagawa Gakuen School, spent eight days at Harker in early January. “Mr. Sato, a kindergar ten teacher at Tamagawa, was ver y interested in obser ving how our kindergar ten and first grade classes operate,” said Director of International Programs Bill Bost prior to Sato’s visit. During his visit, Sato obser ved several kindergar ten and Gr. 1 classrooms in action. “Each child in my class received cards addressed to them by Tamagawa students that included photos of the Tamagawa children and pictures they had drawn of things they liked,” said Gr. 1 teacher Cindy Proctor. “My class realized they have lots in common with children in Japan, as they like many of the same things!” After receiving tours of all three campuses, Sato enjoyed some diverse cultural activities, includ-
and Gr. 1 classes. Sato led the students in a game of “spinning tops,” teaching the students different spinning techniques and assisting them in coloring and designing their tops. Kindergar ten teacher Colleen Lindsay said, “Mr. Sato explained that top activities can become quite competitive in Japan and that they also
use them to celebrate special occasions like New Year’s. The kids loved it!” Sato was also on hand for the test runs of Harker’s new videoconferencing technology. The equipment was used later in the month for the videoconferencing activity between Harker and Tamagawa kindergar tners, as well as for a new Gr. 6 videoconferencing activity between the two schools. Said Lindsay, “It was great to have him come and share. The children, and their teachers, enjoyed learning and visiting cross-culturally!”
Frisbee Champion Visits Bucknall World Champion freestyle Frisbee player Tom Leitner – the uncle of Harker student David Lindars, Gr. 5 – gave a Frisbee demonstration for the class of LS physical education teacher Paula Bither. After performing some jawdropping moves, Leitner taught the students some tricks, held some impromptu contests and gave away Frisbees to the winners. “The kids were in awe of the amazing tricks he was performing,” Bither said. “Everyone had a fantastic time!”
ing a tour of the Apple Computer headquar ters in Cuper tino, a San Jose Sharks hockey game and visits to picturesque locations in San Francisco and Monterey. After acclimating himself to the Harker environment, Sato had the oppor tunity to lead fun activities in several Harker kindergar ten Harker News — February 06
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Harker Students, Parent Discuss Effects of Styrofoam at Assembly
Australian Teacher Visits Harker to Explore Exchange Opportunities
As a follow-up to their efforts to reduce the use of Styrofoam cups on the Blackford campus, one of Harker’s eCybermission teams – “Team Styros” – presented the results of their extensive research on the health and environmental effects of Styrofoam at the MS assembly on Jan. 6.
Anne Trethewey, a teacher from St. Stephen’s College in Queensland, Australia, traveled to Harker in January for a two-week exploratory visit. “The headmaster of St. Stephen’s selected Anne as his representative to visit Harker and make a report back to him on possibly working with Harker in a sister-school relationship,” said Director of International Programs Bill Bost.
Guillaume Delepine, Appu Bhaskar, Shreya Nathan and Santosh Swaminathan, all Gr. 7, presented slides and information on topics such as the harmful ingredients used to make Styrofoam and alternatives to Styrofoam. They also weighed the issue of convenience against the importance of maintaining a healthy planet.
Inspired by the students’ presentation, Jack Bither announced that any student who catches him with a Styrofoam cup in the future will be awarded a free dress day! The presentation included a guest lecture by Harker parent Roopal Mayor (Alisha, Gr. 6, and Natasha, Gr. 2), an environmental consultant for the city of Fremont, on the positive and negative effects of Styrofoam use. The presentation concluded with a “Jeopardy”-style quiz game using questions about Styrofoam. Inspired by the students’ presentation, MS Dean Jack Bither announced that any student who catches him with a Styrofoam cup in the future will be awarded a free dress day! Bither also said that he would set up meetings with the kitchen staff to find an alternative to Styrofoam.
St. Stephen’s serves students from pre-school through high school. When asked to share her impressions of Harker, Trethewey said, “It is very impressive. The teachers are extremely dedicated, and the love they have for their work clearly comes out through their teaching. (Harker is) very lucky to have these types of individuals.”
“Team Styro” researched, conducted interviews and held meetings during the holiday recess and their free periods in preparation for the presentation. “They put in a lot of work and the presentation was really wonderful,” said eCybermission adviser Raji Swaminathan. Congratulations to “Team Styros” for their diligent research and environmental awareness!
New MS Wrestling Program Under the leadership of US wrestling coach Kariem Stinson, the MS introduced a wrestling program of its own this year. “It took a lot of pleading,” said Stinson. “But with the new campus, I really pushed for it.” With the assistance of MS athletic director Theresa Smith, Stinson has the program up and running, with an impressive roster of 31 MS wrestlers. “My goal for the team is to feed them right into our
Harker students and students at St. Stephen’s with Harker faculty and administrators. “I’m ver y interested in involving St. Stephen’s in the Gr. 6 ‘Our Trees Project’ and the Gr. 8 ‘Population Project,’” Trethewey said. While she noted some differences between the methods and students at Harker and St. Stephen’s, Trethewey said, “Our motivations and what we’re tr ying to achieve are exactly the same. I think this will be a ver y nice fit, and I’m ver y excited about a future partnership.”
Trethewey was introduced to some of the educational exchange programs in which Harker currently participates, and discussed possible interactions between
high school program, and have some CCS (Central Coast Section) champs,” Stinson said. The team will compete in the freestyle-wrestling season this winter. Check future issues for updates on this exciting new program.
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Harker News — February 06
Editor’s Note: The following article is the second installment in a continuing series on the use of technology to enhance learning on the new Blackford campus. The use of technology as an educational tool – already an emphasis at Harker – was greatly increased when the MS moved to the new Blackford campus. “Technology is being utilized broadly at Blackford,” said Director of Instructional Technology Dan Hudkins. “The impact of technology in the classroom shows up across the curriculum.” For example, Unitedstreaming, an award-winning educational video streaming service, has enhanced learning in MS health, social studies and science classes. Also helping to improve learning at the MS was the purchase of 17 new LCD projectors, made possible through donations by Harker parents to the Annual Giving campaign and matching donations by the parents’ employer, Hewlett Packard. “Due to the increased availability of LCD projectors, teachers are using them on a substantially wider scale,” Hudkins said. Another addition to the technological offerings at the MS is the availability of interactive programs through Explorelearning.com that increase students’ understanding of mathematical concepts such as algebra and geometry. MS teachers have also been offered special training sessions, called “Lunch & Learns,” where they are taught how to use the new technology, as well as “the care and feeding of laptop carts,” joked Hudkins. However, one of the greatest uses of technology, according to Hudkins, is as a “research extender,” allowing entire classes to delve deeper into research projects. As part of the environmental sciences unit in his Gr. 6 science class, teacher Ben Morgensen uses the laptops available in the Blackford library as a supplement to the library’s computer lab, allowing all of his students to simultaneously use the academic databases to research renewable energy sources. “It allows us to go way beyond what I could teach in a classroom,” Morgensen said. “The students are each able to research different energy sources, such as geothermal or solar power.” After completing their research and write-up, Morgensen’s students will present their findings to one another, contributing knowledge on various energy sources. “The use of this technology allows us to cover much more material than we could without it,” Morgensen said. Hudkins added, “The teachers are not using these technologies just for the sake of using them. They’re using the technology because it works better.”
summer programs - register now! New online registration begins Jan. 30 - visit Web site for information and forms! Register early for best selection! Grades 5-8 (US Campus)
4-WEEK SESSION June 26 - July 21
2-WEEK SESSIONS New! Project Zoom! July 10 - July 21 July 24 - August 4 August 7 - August 18
See US section for details about the MS Summer Institute. Visit Web site, call 408.871.4600 or contact campinfo@harker.org for more information.
Harker News — February 06
Harker Students Participate in Young Writers Program On Jan. 6, Harker made its first entry into the Promising Young Writers Program, an event sponsored by the National Association of Teachers of English (NATE) to encourage the development of young writers. Eleven MS students contributed items to the program, in both the Best Writing Sample and Impromptu Essay categories. For the Best Writing Sample category, some students polished poems, stories and essays they had written in their English or expository writing classes, while others submitted new pieces written specifically for the program. For the Impromptu Writing category, students were allotted 75 minutes to write a personal response to the program prompt, which read, “Everyone has an opinion about growing up. Write about what it means to be an adult and how you feel about becoming one.” MS English teacher Patricia Lai was impressed with how the Harker entrants harnessed their nervous energy. “As soon as the prompts were distributed, the candidates channeled their own nervousness into their writing,” Lai said. “This program is an excellent opportunity for Harker students to showcase their writing and thinking talents.” The MS English department will select two student portfolios, comprising the Best Writing and Impromptu entries, to be sent to the statewide competition. Congratulations to all the Harker participants: Patrick Campbell, Nalini Jain, Carissa Jansen, Curran Kaushik, Sohini Khan, Matthew Park, Alysia Patel, Priya Sathaye, Jane Thomas, Christine Trinh and Srikrishna Seeni, all Gr. 8.
Physics Has Its Ups and Downs MS science teacher Raji Swaminathan had her students build miniature working roller coasters and analyze their movements. This fun interactive project was part of the curriculum for Swaminathan’s Gr. 7 physical science courses.
Raji Swaminathan
Use of Technology Increasing
Delicious French Holiday Parties Carol Parris’ MS French classes enjoyed two delicious class parties during the holiday season. In December, Parris’ classes held a French food-tasting party, with parents and students supplying scrumptious items including quiche, French pastries and French cheeses. On Jan. 6, Parris’ classes celebrated King’s Day, which commemorates the 12th day of Christmas. Parent volunteers helped prepare “galettes,” a flaky almond pastry traditional to this holiday. Each class had two galettes, divided between the boys and girls, and the students who found the hidden charms baked into each pastry were crowned “roi” and “reine,” or king and queen. This celebration is an annual event in Parris’ classes, and is no doubt much looked forward to by her students! Thanks to all of the parent volunteers who helped prepare the galettes: Heather Blair (Andrew Cutler, Gr. 7), Alexandra Swafford (Alex, Gr. 7), Kimberly Stewart (Kristina Little, Gr. 7), Rita Kablanian (Alex, Gr. 7) and Brett Herscher (Sebastian, Gr. 6).
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Burgeoning Robotics Club Prepares for Another Exciting Season The Harker Robotics Team’s 2006 campaign, which began in January, is already in full swing. The season officially began with the internationally broadcast FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition Kickoff on Jan. 7.
to track the position of the goal and aim the ball accordingly. As it is the toughest challenge our team has faced in both hardware and software, a lot of thought has to go into the design.”
This year’s competition, titled “Aim High,” challenges teams to create a robot that can shoot small foam balls into goals on either end of a field. Harker Robotics president Vijay Umapathy, Gr. 12, said, “To successfully score, we have to create a robot that can use a camera
The size of the Harker Robotics team has grown tremendously since last year’s successful campaign. “After doubling in size since last year, we are facing a variety of
Update Debate The work didn’t end after final exams for members of the Debate Team, who spent their holiday weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., participating in the Crestian Classic, hosted by Pine Crest High School. Harker advanced three students to the elimination rounds from an initial field of 102 competitors in Lincoln-Douglas debate, and one advanced far enough to make it to the Tournament of Champions. Here’s how the final rounds played out: In the double octafinals, Siddarth Satish, Gr. 12, Alisha Tolani, Gr. 12, and Deepa Ramakrishnan, Gr. 10, each won on a 2-1 decision. In the octafinals, Satish won on a 3-0 decision and advanced to the Tournament of Champions. Tolani and Ramakrishnan dropped on a 2-1 decision. Satish dropped on a 2-1 decision in the quarterfinals.
challenges, such as giving everyone a chance to participate and finding important jobs for all of our members,” Umapathy said. While the team only has until Feb. 21 to complete its robot and ship it off for the competition, Umapathy thinks they are on the right track. “We hit the 2005-2006 season running, training our new
members in mechanical, electrical and software design,” Umapathy said. “I feel very confident that we will be a force to reckon with in the upcoming season.”
First Coffee House Event Had a Nostalgic Twist The Harker Improv Troupe (HIT) held its first Coffee House of the school year on Jan. 6 in the FDR. As a special surprise, Harker alumni Boris Federov and Genna Erlikhman (both ’05), fanfavorites at past Coffee House events, made guest appearances to help add to the hilarity!
Harker Summer Institute 2006 for US and MS Students
In addition, of the 102 competitors, Tolani was awarded 2nd speaker honors and was Top Seed after the preliminaries. Satish was named 4th speaker, and Nikita Jeswani, Gr. 10, was ranked 16th speaker.
Registration packets are now available for the 2006 Summer Institute for US and MS students! Offerings this summer include:
Congratulations to Director of Forensics Matthew Brandstetter and all the debaters.
Visit Web site for more information and online forms - www.harker.org
■ Debate Camp ■ PSAT/SAT Course
Chris Daren
■ Computing Across the Curriculum ■ Video Game Production
Fourty-nine students and ten faculty attended the 6th Annual Harker Ski & Snowboard Trip Jan. 16-18, the largest group in the trip’s history. Everyone enjoyed the blizzard conditions at Squaw Valley, the sunny conditions at Sierra and the fireplaces in their rooms. “The ski trip was one of the funnest trips I’ve been on. I made a lot of new friends, including underclassmen,” said Candace Chang, Gr. 12. Thanks to all for making this a memorable trip!
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Harker News — February 06
kudos Final Exam Comes Early for Student Directors us to Mississippi in the 1970s with Beth Henley’s “Crimes of the Heart,” and Harries explored relationships in Pierre de Marivaux’s “La Dispute.” Working with technical director Paul Vallerga were stage manager Ben Carpenter, Gr. 10, and light board operator Kit Schimandle, Gr. 11.
Will Courchesne & Will Waggoner, Talon Staff - all photos
The US Conservatory’s most selective class is Student Directed Showcase, taught by performing arts department chair Laura Lang-Ree. This semester-long course allows four specially chosen students the opportunity to select, interpret, cast, direct and produce a one-act play. On Dec. 15-16, seniors Casey Blair, Steve Boyle, Lauren Harries and Andrew Nasser put their plays to the test, performing them in the Blackford cafetorium to packed houses. Boyle chose the ambitious tale of Oedipus, while Nasser produced a spoof of the same story with Rich Orloff’s “Oedi.” Blair took
■ Ireland, Here They Come! Tommy Holford, Gr. 12, earned first place in his age group in the Western Regional Irish Dance Championships, held in November. His sister, Laura Holford, Gr.10, finished fourth in her age group. These impressive rankings qualified the siblings to compete as soloists in the World Championships in Belfast, Ireland in April. Congratulations Tommy and Laura and best of luck in Ireland!
Many thanks to Lang-Ree for providing the Harker community with such a unique class, which entertains us for its final exam!
Quiz Bowl Team Prepares to Take Next Step The Harker Quiz Bowl team of Arkajit Dey, Gr. 11, Yi Sun, Gr. 12 and Hann-Shuin Yew, Gr. 12, rebounded from a narrow opening defeat to earn a resounding victory over the team from Albany High School in the televised Quiz Kids competition. In the January article about the Quiz Bowl team’s recent success, we inadvertently sited the wrong team member and omitted the name of Arkajit Dey. We apologize for the omission. Harker’s next Quiz Kids competition will be on Sat., Feb. 4 at 12:15 p.m. against Crystal Springs High School. The contest will take place at the Peninsula TV studios at 1250 San Carlos Ave. in San Carlos. Come out and support our outstanding Quiz Bowl team!
■ Harker Student Organizes Community Blood Drive Vijay Swamy, Gr. 11, organized a blood drive in December to support the American Red Cross’ efforts to overcome blood bank shortages caused by the recent hurricanes. The successful drive brought in 72 donors. Swamy, who is a decorated member of the Boy Scouts of America, was able to get sponsorship for the facilities, food and other expenses from the First Baptist Church, Trader Joe’s and Safeway. He coordinated the event with the help of some of his Harker friends and fellow Boy Scouts from the South Bay and the Peninsula. The blood drive also helped Swamy fulfill his community service requirement necessary to become an Eagle Scout. Congratulations to Swamy for his dedication to helping those in need!
Senior Yi Sun Named Semifinalist in Intel Science Talent Search Yi Sun, Gr. 12, was recently named as a semifinalist in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search (STS), one of the nation’s oldest and most highly regarded pre-college science competitions. Sun is one of only nine semifinalists from the Bay Area, and 300 nationwide. Sun was awarded $1,000 from the Intel Foundation, with a matching amount awarded to Harker. Sun received the award in a surprise presentation in front of his classmates on the Saratoga campus, with his parents on-hand to witness the special occasion. Sun’s project, titled, “On the Expected Winding Number of a Harker News — February 06
Random Walk on the Unit Lattice,” looks at the mathematical discipline of the random sequence of steps known as winding numbers. This year’s semifinalists were selected from more than 1,500 entrants nationwide.
Winners are selected by a panel of more than 100 top scientists from a variety of disciplines, who examine each entrant’s research ability, scientific originality and creative thinking. During the 65 years of the competition, STS alumni have received
more than 100 of the world’s most coveted math and science honors, including six Nobel Prizes, three National Medals of Science and two Field Medals. US math teachers Misael Fisico and Bradley Stoll were Sun’s project advisers. One of the other Bay Area semifinalists – Mahncy Mehrotra of Gunn High School in Palo Alto – is a K-8 graduate of Harker. From the 300 semifinalists, 40 finalists will be chosen and announced at the end of January to attend the Science Talent Institute in Washington, D.C., in March. Congratulations to Sun and all the other semifinalists for this incredible accomplishment!
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Sports - Cont. from pg. 3
Greetings from Chile
CCS Tournament. Congratulations to all the Eagles, and good luck this season. —Coach Jeremiah Brewer
Spanish teacher Diana Moss continues her year teaching in Chile as a Fulbright scholar. She recently reunited with the other American Fulbright teachers in Chile and led a week of professional development workshops for Chilean teachers of English. Her colleagues in the photo hail from Minnesota, Florida, Arizona and Illinois.
On a recent vaction, Moss climbed El Volcán Villarica with her daughter Kendra, Gr. 8. Villarrica is a beautiful, coneshaped and very active volcano located at the northern end of Chile’s “Lakes Region.”
■ Girls JV Basketball The girls JV basketball team is making steady improvement, as this all-freshman team gamely competes against mostly sophomore competition. Co-captains Roshmi Bhattacharya and Ananya Anand lead the Eagles in scoring, assists and rebounds. Minaz Laiwalla and Ida Gorshteyn have made significant contributions on offense and defense. Ten different players have already appeared in the starting lineup, as the Eagles look forward to rematches in the second half of the season. —Coach Michael Smith ■ Girls Basketball The varsity and junior varsity girls basketball teams have passed the halfway point in their seasons and are currently in league play. Both teams finished their non-league games in December. The varsity had a fine showing in both the Crystal Springs tournament, where they won the consolation final, and in the Cupertino tournament, where
Hurricane Helper - Cont. from pg. 1
older players has been a challenge, but behind the outside play of Roshmi Bhattacharya and the inside play of Ananya Anand, the young Eagles continue to progress. The varsity is currently 2-3 in league play, having just lost a close game to arch rival Castilleja. They are already looking forward to the rematch, where third place in the league will probably be at stake. Sylvia Schmidt, Gr. 12, leads the entire CCS in rebounding, while Amanda Polzin, Gr. 12, and Faustine Liao, Gr. 11, give the team solid guard play, both offensively and defensively. The girls are looking for a strong second half of the season and are trying once again to qualify for the CCS tournament in February. —Coach John Near
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 (PHP) on the Harker Web site at www.harker.org. Editor: Pam Dickinson; Asst. Editor: Catherine Snider; Copy Editor: Jennifer Maragoni, Production: Crystal Boyd, Blue Heron Design Group; Photos: Mark Tantrum, unless noted; Lead Writer: Ali Abdollahi; Printing: Carol Sosnowski; Mailing Coordinator: Maria Nguyen.
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The Mosses Climb a Volcano
both photos provided by Diana Moss
they made it to the championship finals only to lose a close game to Lynbrook. Casey Near, Gr. 12, was named to the all-tournament team in both tournaments. The junior varsity (which consists entirely of freshmen) continues to improve. Having to consistently play against
Moss noted, “This workshop is also being sponsored by the Australian, New Zealand, British, American and Canadian embassies, which will put on events for the Chilean English teachers each night, including a softball game in which the U.S. ambassador will be playing!”
Monack said he was unprepared for the magnitude of the devastation and desperation he encountered – the many lives lost and countless others torn apart. “For many, the entire collection of a lifetime to this point lies in a great pile of rubble,” he remarked after returning home from his second deployment on Dec. 22. Monack spent much of his time in Louisiana talking with and comforting victims. “Some cannot speak of their hardship. Some … say they are blessed. So many have little more than the faith that keeps them afloat,” he wrote in a journal while there. “What a joy The Harker School is a K-12 independent, co-ed, college-prep school.
today giving toys to children who seemed to glow, while mothers smiled for their little ones.” Despite the devastation, Monack remains hopeful that New Orleans and the surrounding area will rise again. And he praises the relief agencies – including the Red Cross, FEMA, Salvation Army and Southern Baptist Church – for their efforts thus far. Although Monack is happy to be home, he is thankful that he had the opportunity to serve “the good people of New Orleans.” photo provided by George Monack
■ Girls Soccer The girls soccer team is strengthening its defense and working towards that elusive first league victory. Co-captain Julia Price-Madison, Gr. 11, returned to action after a leg injury in November and scored in her first game back against Notre DameSan Jose. We look forward to more goals from her. Kristina Bither, Gr. 9, continues to find the back of the net with three goals in league play, and when not scoring, she does a great job setting up her teammates, with two assists so far. —Coach Evan Barth
Moss Meets With Other Fulbright Scholars US
“The Red Cross provided opportunity for change and I am now a much better person for it,” he wrote in his journal. “I am indebted to the Red Cross.”
Grades K-5: 4600 Bucknall Rd., San Jose CA 95130 Grades 6-8: 3800 Blackford Ave., San Jose CA 95117 Grades 9-12: 500 Saratoga Ave., San Jose CA 95129
Harker believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate against its employees or applicants because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), national origin, ancestry, age (over 40), marital status, political affiliations, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, or any other basis protected by state or federal laws, local law or ordinance. Harker News — February 06