Window Into Wakefield April 2012

Window Into Wakefield Issue No. 4

April 10, 2012

Window into Wakefield is designed to help better acquaint you with life at Wakefield School. please enjoy learning about the activities in which our students take part as well as the accomplishments of our community.

a message from the director of admission

T

he spring months of the school year always feel like the busiest of the year. As you will read below, spring came early to Wakefield, and not only in the form of the warmest March ever!

Our community has been busy traveling around the country, nation, and globe in pursuit of new knowledge and experience; preparing for the short and intense spring athletic season; and rehearsing for the spring theater production. Needless to say no moss is growing under our feet!

I hope that you will be able to attend the Open House on April 15 at 2 p.m. if you have not yet had the chance to come to one.

Open houses are a wonderful time to see our campus, meet our students, and talk with our teachers and school leaders. Please RSVP to admissions@wakefieldschool.org.

You may also enjoy attending the Wakefield Gala Auction, A Night in Havana, which is scheduled for April 21. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Ezie Junkala at ejunkala@wakefieldschool.org. The Gala is a wonderful night filled with great food, music, and fun.

I hope to see you soon and as always please be in touch any time with questions.

Sincerely, Sarah McDonough Director of Admission & Financial Aid

Please join us for an upcoming event:

--Admissions Open House, April 15, 2 p.m.

--Wakefield Gala Auction, April 21, 6:30 p.m.

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MARCH 2012 at wakefield

y D r a e y v s o 2 c 012 s i D

During this year’s Discovery Days, Wakefield’s middle and upper school students had the chance to travel to Africa, France, Chicago or New York; learn song-writing, culinary arts, or baking skills; visit the FBI Academy or college campuses; or even build a collection of bat houses to be sold to benefit our local Habitat for Humanity Chapter!

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Announcing the newly developed Early Childhood Center

Wakefield School is excited to announce the newly developed Early Childhood Center with enhanced programming for our pre-school, junior kindergarten, and kindergarten classes.

Current kindergarten teacher Kathryn Mullett (at right) has been named the Coordinator of the Early Childhood Program.

The Early Childhood Center will feature an Outdoor Classroom and Discovery Room.

The Outdoor Classroom’s purpose will be to encourage the students to investigate their surroundings, utilize their natural curiosity, and make predictions and observations. In the Discovery Room, various centers — like home living, cooking, arts and crafts, etc. — will be set up

and inspire a love of learning and school.

Mullett said she loves teaching the young students because they provide such instant feedback.

“The kids are so open and spontaneous, and they don’t hide anything from you. I love the way they look at the world,” she said.

“It’s very important for schools to always be evaluating their programs for use by the students in to make sure the proall three levels. grams are aligned with the

The program is school’s mission,” said Digrounded in the construcrector of Admission Sarah tivist philosophy and McDonough. “Education guided by the research of is always changing, and noted child psychologists good programs are always Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, evaluating their current apand Arnold Gesell. It aims proaches and incorporatto teach students how to self-regulate; foster curios- ing new philosophies.”

For more informaity and creativity; develop the social skills to be active tion, visit www.wakefieldschool.org. members of a community;

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How does your garden grow?

Wakefield parent and professional gardening advocate Rebecca Cohen shared some gardening wisdom and know-how this month with the Pre-K and Kindergarten students through her “Rebecca Plants” presentation. Right, the students plant pea seeds.

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In Owls Sports

Spring at Wakefield brings with it a whole new slate of exciting sports.

Varsity Girls Soccer, led by Coach Dan Beaver, is anchored by standout senior Isabelle Byers (both at right).

The girls have started off their season with decisive shutout victories against Shenandoah Valley Academy, Fredericksburg Christian School, and Middleburg Academy. Their record stands at 3-1-2 as of press time.

Varsity Boys Lacrosse has also had a strong start, led by seven seniors (including Sean Plummer at left) and Coach Tim Mahoney. Their current record as of press time was 4-1, with victories over Seton, Trinity School, and Trinity Christian School.

Varsity Girls Lacrosse, a very young team, is still winless but has high hopes for the season and the upcoming years.

Boys’ Varsity Tennis, with seniors Carter Dale, Felix Hechl, and Cyrus Fenwick, has a current record of 2-2 as of press time.

Co-ed Varsity Golf also plays in the spring, with Coach Dave Bryan.

Starting in the spring as well are middle school girls soccer, boys and girls lacrosse, co-ed golf and boys tennis.

Want up-to-the-minute news on your favorite Wakefield sports team?

Follow us on Twitter @WakefieldSchool.

For the post-game pics and stats, check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WakefieldOwls. For current schedules, rosters, and more info, visit www.wakefieldschool.org.

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nd a l r e d n o Alice in W

Wakefield Drama presents...

Wakefield’s Theatre Department will present Alice in Wonderland, opening May 2 at 7 p.m., with additional performances May 3 and 4 also at 7 p.m.

Both Middle School and Upper School students are filling roles under Director Tom Bazar.

Rehearsals are underway. At left, students in the production take some notes from Bazar.

Upper School Science Fair

If you drop food on the floor, does the fivesecond rule really matter?

What makes that particular someone’s eyes so attractive? What happens if you magnetize a radish plant?

These are just some of the questions Wakefield School students tried to answer in their projects for this year’s Upper School Science Fair held March 26.

Congratulations

to Rachel Tyeryar for her Grand Prize win!

In the behavioral and social science category, Sydney Lee and Logan Floyd took first. In medicine and health, Ali Russell and Candace Craig took top prize. First place in chemistry went to James Wroe.

Cathy Kim won first place in biochemistry. In the ani-

mal and environmental science category, Ellie Ligon placed first. Tish Johnston and Ian Gumbin won the plant science category; Nick Young (pictured above) won the physics and engineering category; Hastings Williamson took first in applied science; and Rachel Tyeryar won the mathemat5 ics category.

Fiona’s Day at the Pentagon Wakefield third-grader Fiona Evans-Wells had a big adventure in February when she visited and toured The Pentagon with her class.

Her account of the day was published in the News of Note section of the latest Middleburg Eccentric!

“My most favorite part was seeing the 9-11 Memorial Chapel and Navy Reflection Room,” she said of the trip.

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.