Campus News

Fall Fest 2022

THE PECK SCHOOL HOSTED THE Parents Associations’ (PA) inaugural Fall Fest on a beautiful fall day in October, welcoming our community to a campus filled with activities and games, a pumpkin patch, inflatables (including inflatable axe-throwing!), arts and crafts, music and field games, and delicious refreshments provided by Flik and Peck alumna and parent Brooke Worthington ’96; P’29, ’31. A new event this year, Fall Fest pairs the best of fall with the best of Peck— that is, fun seasonal activities that bring families and friends together for celebration and school spirit. The idea originated with last year’s PA Friends, Family, & Philanthropy event, which incorporated a similar theme while fundraising for Homeless Solutions, Inc. “Every detail of the event was thoughtfully planned by the amazing chairs and committee, which made for an amazing afternoon for Peck students, parents, alumni, and friends. The excitement and joy was palpable everywhere you turned! This might be the first Peck Fall Fest, but it certainly will not be the last,” said Director of Advancement Sarah Quinn Clausen.

A joyful, carnival-like atmosphere permeated campus as families mingled and enjoyed the activities. Students played across the entirety of Peck’s grounds, from the pumpkin patch on the quad, to games on the fields, to the GaGa pit at the playground. Between the turning leaves, fall-themed photo booths, sidewalk chalk and face paint—the event even looked as brightly colorful as it felt.

“We were so thankful for the opportunity to bring Peck students, families, alums, and prospective families together on a beautiful fall day, where lasting memories were created and the warmth and vibrancy of the Peck community was felt by all. Gatherings such as Fall Fest remind us how special it is to be part of the Peck community,” emphasized Fall Fest Co-Chairs Elizabeth Cox and Emily Dingle. We are grateful to the entire Fall Fest Committee, the dozens of parents and students who volunteered to help with set-up, activity stations, and clean-up, and participants that made the day so special!

Fall Fest PA Committee:

EVENT CHAIRS: Elizabeth Cox, Emily Dingle

MARKETING CHAIR: Melissa Sfarra

ACTIVITIES CHAIRS: Li Marone, Laura Sahazizian, Sarah Sakr

DECOR CHAIRS: Ashley Lan, Christina Tonzola

The Work of Deeply Rooted Begins with 10 Committee Launches

Peck officially launched its 2022 Strategic Plan, Deeply Rooted, on November 3. Ten committees begin the implementation of the school’s revised mission, vision, core principles, and strategic focus areas. Five of the ten committees are being overseen by the school’s Academic Council, the school’s primary vehicle for advancing academic initiatives. Composed of faculty and staff volunteers, the council serves as a flexible, inclusive arena for leadership, analysis, and perspective. These committees focus on the design of a Portrait of a Graduate, the importance of movement in the classroom, a renewed focus on the uniqueness of the seventh- and eighth-grade experience, and the purposeful integration of service into the Peck program. Additionally, four faculty members spanning both divisions are undergoing a deep dive (following Peck’s unique structure for this level of immersive professional development) into various aspects of child development, from sleep and nutrition to executive functioning and emotional regulation. Five other committees are engaging in a parallel process overseen by the administrative team and a Strategic Plan Implementation team composed of administrators and board members. These five committees focus on enhancing the culture of belonging at Peck, recruiting and retaining faculty and staff as well as students and families, re-engaging our alumni, and further strengthening the incredible parent-school partnership that is a hallmark of the Peck experience.

DEEPLY

Read more about Deeply Rooted at peckdeeplyrooted.org

Peck Welcomes New Board President Souren Ouzounian

Peck welcomed a new President of the Board of Trustees on July 1—current parent and longtime trustee Souren Ouzounian.

“I am most looking forward to supporting [Head of School] Andy Delinsky and his team, and working with all of the talented and committed trustees,” Ouzounian said.

One of the strengths Ouzounian said he feels he brings to the role is a deep understanding and appreciation for faculty as a result of being the son of a third- and fourth-grade teacher. “I am very in tune to how hard teachers work to give our children the best learning experiences possible,” he said. Other strengths he brings to the board are his skills as an active listener and a lifelong learner.

Following in the footsteps of Suba Shah and a legacy of outstanding board chairs, Ouzounian said one of his goals is to continue to foster a board environment where each member can use their voice and feel empowered to contribute meaningfully to each conversation.

“The more inclusive the dialogue is, the more we learn from everyone’s perspective and achieve better outcomes,” he said.

Ouzounian has served on the Board of Trustees of his alma mater, Boston College High School, from 2015-2017 and is a member of the Steering Committee for their recently announced fundraising campaign. He is a Vice Chairman and Managing Director of UBS Investment Bank, where he has worked since April 2020. He has served on Peck’s board since 2014 and has been a member of the Advancement and Finance Committees. He is currently serving on the Committee on Governance.

Ouzounian obtained his BA in economics from Columbia College in New York City, and his MBA from the Sloan School of Management at MIT. He and his wife, Carol, live in Short Hills with their three children, Alexandra (’19), a senior at The Pingry School; and twins Souren (’23) and Annabelle (’23).

“We have appreciated everything Peck has done for our children,” he said. “Having the opportunity to assist in any way I can is a privilege.”

Tech Assistants Go Beyond the Camera at Assemblies

An exciting opportunity for our Upper School students transcends the classroom and allows them to get involved at weekly assemblies. Technology Associates Andy Cohen and Shawn Yao have spearheaded a leadership initiative for our students to get their hands on soundboards, content creation, and camera operation. Currently, we have several students assisting our tech team at Upper School and All-School assemblies. Responsibilities include leveling audio, ensuring all mics are functional, recording assembly footage, and so much more! “Students are taking real ownership of the space, equipment, sound design, and lighting,” said Cohen. “They are really taking this seriously, and the results show!”

School/Student Council Hosts Inaugural Homecoming

Our first homecoming was this year on September 28! Coordinated by our student council and Director of Athletics Jess McGinn this was a day that students will not soon forget. Our crosscountry team made an opening lap around the fields. Students ran a snack stand, came out to cheer on their classmates, and so much more! Even Pride the Lion came out for the fun, dancing along the sidelines. It was a great day of games, sportsmanship, teamwork, and fun! We can’t wait for the

next one.

New Upper School Assistants Program

Our eighth-graders were presented with a new leadership opportunity this year with the Upper School Assistants Program. Eighth-grade students had already been going above and beyond helping at the kindergarten as Kindergarten Helpers, and now they are lab assistants, tech assistants, and more throughout the Lower School. This program sparks joy in all, and perhaps especially the teachers who taught the older students so many years ago. Head of Upper School Sadie Albertyn notes, “It teaches our Upper School students about collaboration and responsibility, and provides them with the opportunity to live consideration of others.”

THE MAKING OF...

How the Kindergarten Created The Peck News Magazine Cover

Take one template, a few boxes of markers and crayons, plus 35 kindergartners and voila! You have the cover of this Peck News magazine. For this issue, the Class of 2031 drew selfportraits that illustrate their identity as a Peck student. In addition to 35 happy selfies, their drawings often included bright suns, colorful rainbows, green grass, and smiling lions— showing that, to a five- or six-year-old, Peck is a pretty idyllic place to be.

“I’m excited to see it,” exclaimed kindergartner Will Delinsky. His classmate Jack Christensen followed up with, “me too because I LIKE making drawings!”

Kids Column: A New Student Paper at Peck

Extra, extra, read all about it! While walking around campus, you may find one of our students on a mission to find the “scoop.” Fifth grader Lydia Pester reports on-campus happenings in a new publication, Peck School Kids Column. After reading The Candy Smash by Jacqueline Davies, Lydia was inspired to create a news column of her own.

“Sometimes I ask people to be interviewed, and sometimes people ask to be interviewed,” she said. Using her mom’s laptop, she pulls together her stories into an appealing and engaging format that highlights insider student and classroom news at Peck. The newsletter is distributed on Mondays in the Higgins Library.

for a new GaGa Pit This year, we had an exciting addition to our playground. The Peck School Parents Association Gaga! donated a Gaga pit to the school! Students are going “gaga” for Gaga, as each day during recess the octagonal ring is filled with students ready to play. The game is a form of dodgeball that originated in Israel in the 1970s, and is said to have spread when Israeli camp counselors brought the game to summer camps around the world. “Gaga” is actually translated from Hebrew as “touch-touch,” as players yell “GA!” when the ball first bounces and “GA-GA” when it is in play.

DETERMINATION: This Year’s Sixth Core Value

“Determination, to me, means you have to stick with it,” says Patrick Machir ‘26. This year’s core value, determination, shows the perseverance of our students, faculty and staff, and greater community. The sixth core value changes annually, and is voted upon the year prior by the rising class of eighth graders. To hear from Peck students about what determination means to them, check out our Instagram @thepeckschool.

Biomimicry With Fifth Grade

When you think of windscreens and windmills you may not think of dragonfly wings and whale fins—but that does not mean that these man-made inventions weren’t inspired by the things we see in nature.

Biomimicry, or the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes, is, essentially, creations and inventions inspired by nature. From the shinkansen (Japan’s bullet train) with its nose design resembling the kingfisher’s beak, to hydrophobic materials inspired by the lotus leaf, many things we use and see every day are inspired by the world around us. Our fifth-graders have been learning all about this in the Osborn Idea & Design Lab.

Students were tasked with creating a robot that emulates an animal’s digging style. They were given a hypothetical scenario: a company named The Helping Hands Robotics Company is looking for prototypes of robots that will dig under rubble after natural disasters to search for any missing persons. Students modeled their robots after aardvarks, pangolins, naked mole rats, gophers, and more. Each robot has motors, and some have sensors. At the end of this project, robots had to make their way into a box with packing peanuts, moving the peanuts a specific distance to qualify as functional prototypes. Keep an eye out on our social media for some fun reels of these robots in action!

Introducing Pride Podcasts

The Pride Podcast was an exciting special feature hosted on Peck’s podcast, The Peck Pawscast. After an adventure into the tech office’s supply closet, Technology Associate Andy Cohen discovered audio recording equipment which had been gifted from the Class of ‘21. “The idea of The Pride Podcast is simply to give another avenue of public speaking and expression to the students of Peck. Each five-minute episode focuses on learning about our community one person—and one story—at a time.” said Cohen. Students have been getting involved, with the first podcast hosted by fourth graders. “The intention is for students to be involved in all aspects of the production and learn through doing!”

Uniform Donation to Haiti

This year’s uniform update resulted in old uniforms that we knew could be put to good use. So, the Parents Association organized a uniform donation drive in collaboration with Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth in Morris to send gently-used uniforms to children in need in Haiti.

A Fun Visit from Morristown Fire!

Peck had a very special visit from the firefighters in Morristown. Our kindergarteners and first graders learned about fire safety, what it means to be a firefighter, how quickly our firefighters get to the scene, and more. Did you know firefighters must get dressed in their gear in 90 seconds or less? That’s less time than it takes to walk to music class! Before fire engines and firetrucks, firefighters rode on horse-drawn carriages with dalmatians! Dalmatians are good at calming horses, incredibly loyal, and have high endurance and extremely loud barks. The dogs would charge ahead of the horsedrawn carriage, barking to clear the way so firefighters could get to the scene more quickly, similar to the sirens we use today!

HUNGER WALK 2022 HAD ITS HIGHEST NUMBER OF SUPPORTERS: Each year, the student council coordinates and organizes a team to participate in nourish.NJ’s Hunger Walk in Morristown. Students, families, and even pets come together to walk laps around the school, enjoying each other’s company and the weather while walking for a good cause. This year, Peck was proud to have the highest number of Hunger Walk supporters out of all teams participating!

Inuksuit Statues in Second Grade

Second-grade students learned about Inuksuit statues in the Osborn Idea & Design Lab this year, and were tasked with building some of their own with long wooden blocks. Inuksuit, or Inukshuk (singular) statues are man-made stone structures and landmarks built by the Inuit, Iñupiat, Kalaallit, Yupik, and other native peoples of the Arctic region of North America. These structures can also be found in northern Canada, Greenland, and Alaska. Inuksuit statues have been used for navigation, as markers for travel routes, fishing spots, camps, hunting grounds, veneration, in drift fences for hunting, or to mark a food cache.

Lunch From Around The World

As part of an ongoing partnership with FLIK Dining to celebrate cultures around the world, we’ve been enjoying regular meals inspired by heritage and cultural recognitions and holidays. In September we celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with delicious meals from Argentina, Columbia, Cuba, and Spain. In November we celebrated Native American Heritage Month with food from the Chickasaw Nation and Wampanoag Peoples. We’ve also had special meals for Diwali, German-American Heritage Day, ItalianAmerican Heritage Month, and Rosh Hashanah.