Window Into Wakefield Issue No. 1
January 12, 2012
Window into Wakefield is designed to help better acquaint you with life at Wakefield School. I hope you enjoy learning about the activities in which our students take part as well as the accomplishments of our students, athletes, artists, actors, and teachers.
a message from the director of admission
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appy New Year! I hope that you all enjoyed a wonderful holiday season with your families and that you were able to take advantage of a somewhat relaxed pace for a few days. In the Admission Office at Wakefield we hit the ground running in the new year, scheduling interviews, admission screenings, and tours in advance of the January 31 deadline. You can read about all the wonderful Wakefield School happenings below…and don’t forget to get those applications in. Please don’t hesitate to be in touch with me to ask any questions or to schedule an appointment. I can be reached at 540253-7501 or smcdonough@wakefieldschool.org. Sarah McDonough, Director of Admission and Financial Aid
Please join us for an upcoming event: ~~ Admission Open House: Monday, January 16, 9 a.m. RSVP to www.wakefieldschool.org/openhouse or 540-253-7600. ~~ First Consideration Admission Application Deadline: Tuesday, January 31. ~~ The Wizard of Oz: Wednesday, February 29, March 1, 2, and 3. ~~ Accepted Student Day: Thursday, March 22.
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December 2011 at wakefield Eighth Grade Parent Dinner
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or 8th grade parents, the big question is not where the best college is for my child, but where the best school is to PREPARE my child for college. The Head of Upper School, Brian Oliver, provided many of these answers in an evening dedicated to giving 8th grade parents the tools and knowledge they need to understand the best that Wakefield has to offer. Parents of prospective and current eighth grade students enjoyed an evening of dinner and school on December 7. This casual setting allowed each family to be paired with current US students as well as parents and hear about their experiences and ask questions of any kind. But the most intriguing part of the evening were the testimonials when several students spoke about what they love most about Wakefield. We heard about their admiration for teachers, about relationships with their close friends and teammates, but especially how the Upper School is considered one big family and not a division of classes. During the second half of the evening, it was the parent’s turn to be the student! Upper School teachers were on hand in their classrooms to give a 15-minute sampling of what your child will learn as they climb the ranks of the Upper School. Believe me, it was quite a humbling experience! The night capped off with the opportunity to talk with the College Counselor, the Athletic Director, or other staff members that hopefully made decisions easier. -- A synopsis of the evening contributed by a current parent of middle and upper school students
Making Holiday Ornaments for Veterans
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uring the lower school assembly on December 7, students made holiday ornaments to send to the veterans at the VA Hospital in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Ornaments included paint-filled glass balls, hand-painted wooden ornaments, glitter-speckled pine cones, stars, and Christmas trees. The students enjoyed preparing the ornaments knowing they were helping to make Christmas more joyous for others.
College Counseling News
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eniors have completed the college application process under the guidance and tutelage of Mr. Matt McDonough, our Director of College Counseling. Of the 40 members of the Class of ’12, seventy-five percent have been accepted to at least one college or university. Still very early in the college acceptance process, Mr. McDonough relates that 2
(continued from Page 2) there is much more news to come regarding our senior class. Early decision acceptances or matriculations include American University, Georgetown University, High Point University, New York University, Princeton University, Syracuse University, and the University of North Dakota.
Middle School Snow Ball
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ho doesn’t look forward to dressing up, having a gourmet meal, and dancing the night away? For the last eight years, middle school students look forward to the Snow Ball, a semi-formal dinner and dance that kicks off the holiday season as well as provides an opportunity to make new friendships across grades. Click here to read more about this year’s outing, held at the Piedmont Club.
Warrenton and Middleburg Christmas Parades
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e hope you got a chance to see our Wakefield School reindeer truck and our holiday float in the Warrenton and Middleburg Christmas parades. Members of the school’s Service Club decorated and rode in the reindeer truck, while the Wakefield community pulled together and decorated this float.
All School Holiday Assembly
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ou haven’t witnessed such fun until you’ve experienced the Wakefield School holiday assembly. Always held the last Friday before the holiday break, all students gather together to perform holiday songs in French, Latin, and Spanish with the climax being the singing of The Twelve Days of Christmas led by the current senior class. To view a video of The Twelve Days of Christmas, click here. 3
Middle School Holiday Concert
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s part of the middle school curriculum, all students participate in a music option (chorus, hand bells, orchestra, guitar, or strings). For students new to middle school, the preparation for a concert early in the school year is exciting. Click here to hear the performances and read about the concert. The Arts Department began rehearsals for its next play, The Wizard of Oz, to be performed February 29 – March 3. To read more about the Arts at Wakefield, please click here.
History Day
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akefield held its 2012 National History Day competition on Thursday, December 1. Middle and Upper School students prepared their projects (individual and group in a variety of formats from websites to documentaries to trifolds). Click here to read the story about our students’ interpretations of Revolution, Reaction, Reform.
Talent Show and Lasagna Dinner
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ach year the junior class hosts a lasagna dinner and talent show with proceeds used to fund the junior/ senior prom. Friday evening, December 16, brought out Wakefield’s finest. Check out some of the student and faculty performances by clicking here. 4
Athletics
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inter sports are fully underway. The boys’ basketball team has only one loss in a challenging season, and the girls’ basketball team continues to excel in regional tournaments as well as Delaney Athletic Conference games with a season record at press time of 8-3. The squash team continues to excel in its conference. Click on the team name to follow your favorite team: Boys’ Basketball, Girls’ Basketball, Swimming, Squash.
Life and Breath Basketball Tournament
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eams traveled from as far away as Australia to compete in the largest basketball tournament in the area, the Life and Breath Basketball Tournament, on December 6 and 7. More than 15 teams participated in the tournament. Proceeds raised support The Life and Breath Foundation.
Thank you for your interest in Wakefield School. We are an independent, college-preparatory school whose primary goal is to provide a rigorous, liberal arts education. We believe that a challenging, content-based curriculum trains the intellect while fostering self-discipline, independence, creativity, and curiosity. At the same time, we encourage students at every level to think about and with the knowledge they are working to master. Finally we aim to cultivate strong and ethical character through guidance in and out of the classroom from teachers committed to training the spirit as well as the mind. The mission of the School is to provide students with the fundamental knowledge, the critical thinking skills and the strength of character to distinguish that which is true from that which is not, and to use that wisdom in positive ways. This concept is embodied in the School’s motto, Virtus et Sapientia, or “Virtue and Wisdom.”
Find Us On:
Wakefield School 4439 Old Tavern Road P.O. Box 107 The Plains, VA 20198 Phone: 540-253-7600 Fax: 540-253-5492 admissions@wakefieldschool.org www.wakefieldschool.org Seek the challenge, make a difference, live an extraordinary life.