Husky Highlights FALL 2011
FUN AT THE LARCHMONT FAIR BY BROOKE EASTBURNE, MOTHER OF 1ST GRADER, AVA
“THE FAIR IS A GREAT WAY FOR THE SCHOOL TO BE A PRESENCE IN THE COMMUNITY,”
ABOVE: Moms Kimberly Rolfe and Marcy Pullard work the bake sale
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f your nose didn’t lead you straight to the source of the intoxicating scent of Korean BBQ, there was still no missing St. James’ eight booths that stretched along a prime location smack in the middle of the Boulevard for this year’s Larchmont Fair. Offering games, a bake sale and the BBQ, the booths, decorated with balloons, drew a hungry crowd. The price of the booths at the fair, has gone up a great deal over the 10 years that St. James’ has been present, making it much more of a marketing exercise than a fundraiser for the school. But no less important. “St. James’ was the first school to offer Korean BBQ at the fair and many other schools have copied us since. But everyone knows we have the best quality meat,” explained Julie Wagner, PSF co-chair and mother of 5th grader, Sarah. “It’s important to let the community see how vibrant and cohesive and
strong we are. We represent quality food and a quality school.” “The fair is a great way for the school to be a presence in the community,” agreed director of lower elementary, Adriane Rothstein. “And our 6th graders are the greatest ambassadors of the school,” she added, nodding toward the students offering free faux tattoos and selling baked goods. This year, for the first time, there was a hugely successful pre-sale of baked goods at the school the Friday before the fair, masterminded by Kimberly Rolfe, (mom of kindergartner Kristin). It raised an additional $450. “It was so successful, we had to ask people to go home and bake more for the fair,” exclaimed Marcy Pullard, (mom of 1st grader Kennedy) who was was helping. “It was supposed to be a pre-sale not a blow-out sale!” Insider tip: Marcy is already perfecting her
S T. J A M E S ’ E P I S C O PA L S C H O O L
German Chocolate Cake recipe for next year. There were also some generous donations. Three hundred and fifty pounds of beef were donated by an anonymous donor, while the chicken (150 pounds of it) came from Arado Restaurant on Wilshire and Wilton. And of course, there was the team of hardworking St. James’ parents and staff. Keith Wood (dad of 2nd grader Malcolm,) described the grilling effort as a well-oiled machine. “One person ending their shift trains the next person and we keep going. But I’ve cooked enough chicken today to definitely want the beef,” he added. ______________________________
ABOVE: St. James’ booth gathers a crowd
DOGS AND CATS AND TURTLES… OH MY! BY CLARE RICHARDSON, MOTHER OF 2ND GRADER LILY
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t was definitely not an ordinary Sunday. There was so much excitement and anticipation. The animals were coming for a blessing at the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi at St. James’ Church.
ABOVE: Ava Horowitz with Princey and Zoey, with Lily Richardson and Sprinkles.
Why I Give To St. James’ “Because we are so grateful for all that St. James’ has done for us.” —Anonymous “Because someone gave for me.” —Anonymous “We believe in the school. Love the school.” — Seth Horowitz & Bianca Simchowitz
“We give because education is the best inheritance we can give to our children.” —Calvin and Esther Lee “We give because the value of the education and the St. James’ Community far exceed our financial support.” —Anonymous
Mrs. David and her husband brought their six year old Labradoodle Kokie: “The animals bring such joy to the Sunday service,” said Mrs. David. “It always reminds me that ‘Dog’ is ‘God’ spelled backwards.”. The pets turned out to be mostly dogs, and that caused a few anxious moments. Princey, a 10 year old teacup poodle, belonging to 2nd grader Ava Horowitz, growled at the black lab in the next pew. “And if that wasn’t enough, he bit him on the nose,” she said. Lily Richardson was also a little worried about her one year old cockapoo. “I was a little nervous about what Sprinkles would do,” she said. “Imagine if she raced down the aisle, ran in circles around the altar and would not come when I called!”
When you give to the Annual Fund, no matter how big or small, you’ll feel good. You’ll feel part of the community. One hundred percent participation in the Annual fund is a show of school spirit.
Row by row everyone approached the altar when the time came, and the pets fell into the welcome arms of the clergy who knelt before them. All the pets received their blessings from the clergy with joy and calm as if given by St. Francis himself. “It was a little hard for me,” said 2nd grader Thea Davidson, “because my dog was so excited and was pulling her leash when we went for the blessing. But I am glad the pets were blessed.” The Reverend Kowalewski told the congregation: “We have so much to learn from the animals we welcome and bless on this day... but maybe it is the other way around—maybe the animals are actually blessing us.” By the end of the service, there were a few sighs of relief. No one had chased anyone around the church. The dogs were still safely on their leashes. The orange cat stayed in his basket. And some imaginary mice danced a jig in the pews—but no-one seemed to notice. ______________________________
Many who have donated, filled in the small cards sent to them at the beginning of the school year, telling us why they gave. Here are what some of them have said…
“To help maintain an economically diverse student population and ensure academic competitiveness.” —Anonymous
“We believe in the mission and vision of St. James’ and everyday see its value to our children and our family.” —The Cohen Family
“Because we feel St. James’ was a Godsend to our family. It has become our second home.” —Anonymous
“Why? I am excited about the energy surrounding Debbi David, our new Head of School.” —Ken Robbins
“This is to honor my grandson, Sam, who is having a great experience at St. James’.” —Anonymous “I believe in St. James’! I want St. James’ to be the best. The children deserve the best.” —Anonymous
Polar Rap BY W. RICHTER, L. DRAUTZ, J. RILEY AND PALS No more oil spills Bring back the Arctic chills We’ll collect your dollar bills And your piggy bank fills We need snow on the hills The world is melting! Cheap thrills! No more polar bear kills Or human made drills Save the Arctic Don’t break the ice! Save the Arctic Make the world really nice!
THE WOLF-IT-DOWN BAKERY BY LUCY NORLAND, MOTHER OF 2ND GRADER JACK
I “THEY REALLY KNUCKLED DOWN TO MAKE OUR BAKE SALE WORK”
t all began with the polar bears. The polar ice cap is melting, the polar bears are being threatened and the subject came up in Mrs. Castañares classroom one day last year. “The students wanted to do something,” explains Mrs. Castañares, talking about those students who are now in 5th grade. “Saving the environment is a subject that often comes up in my class, and the kids were worried. So they decided to act.” First they built and painted a playhouse size bakery. Next they took a trip to Ralphs, bought some ingredients, baked 1500 cookies and brownies, and held a bake sale. “They really knuckled down to make our bake sale work,” she explains. “They put up notices, stuck a can outside our classroom asking for donations. They pub-
lished their own booklet about how we can all save the polar bears, and they even wrote their own rap song, the Polar Rap.” “They were very committed to this. And money came from really unexpected places. They found that everyone was concerned about the polar bears and wanted to help.” The students made $1000. At the final hour a quarter of the money was sent to St. James’ sister school in Haiti, because Ms. Brown had highlighted the need there. But the rest was sent to the Center for Biological Diversity, who are actively helping the polar bears. “The center were really, really grateful. They sent us such a sincere thank you. And we now we are going to be featured in their activist spotlight on their website.” You can keep an eye out for it on http://www.biologicaldiversity.org
You see the ice there, now it’s gone away You saw it right there, now it’s gone the next day We need to save the Arctic so the polar bears can play So we present to you in a very special way A place where you can donate your monay! Save the Arctic! Save the ice! Save the Arctic! Make the world really nice! We need to cut the bears some slack Because we got their back Don’t drill for black It’ll make the ice crack! Save the Arctic! Save it all! We should decide! It’s our call!
WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR? BY VANESSA HERMAN, MOTHER OF 1ST GRADER SIMONE
To celebrate the arrival of Thanksgiving, we asked some St. James’ students what they liked about thanksgiving and what they were grateful for. I am thankful that my mom and dad carry me nicely. Also, my mom buys me pretty Hello Kitty things. — Jackie Lee, Kindergarten
I am thankful for the new art room. Before it was really messy and had “twisty” chairs. — Stella Kazanjian, 1st grade
I am thankful for being able to jump in leaves at Thanksgiving time. — Lily Juda, 1st grade
I celebrate Thanksgiving in the biggest building in New York, the Empire State Building. We say prayers, and eat a fancy meal with cake and wine. — Patrick Hindman, 1st grade
I am thankful that God made the Earth. I am thankful God made the school because I like homework and spelling tests. — June Chon, 1st grade
I like to help my grandma make sweet potato pie and walnut pie. While we are cooking, I like to talk to her about how it is going to taste. It makes me want to eat it. — Bellamy Ware, 2nd grade CARTOON BY MALCOLM WOOD, 2ND GRADE
I like to play hide-andseek with my family on Thanksgiving. My dad hides in the closet and my mom hides under the bed. My brother is easy to find because he always leaves out an arm or a leg. — Shine Park, 2nd grade Payne
I am thankful for the nice teachers at school. I really like Mr. Dar because he is so funny. When he reads books to us he makes good expressions. — Elia Min, 2nd grade
On Thanksgiving my family eats a big meal with macaroni and greens. My family is so big that I am still trying to figure out who everyone is. — Amaya Scott, 2nd grade
I am thankful for the food my parents supply me. My favorite is Korean BBQ. On special days my mom surprises me when she picks me up from school by telling me that is what she is making for dinner. — Jonathan Chong, 5th grade
On Thanksgiving I am in charge of making the pies. Now that I am older my mom just tells me what to make and doesn’t have to help me. I like to be alone when I cook so my little brother Glen doesn’t interrupt me. — Cami March, 6th grade
I am thankful that I got a new puppy for my birthday. My mom wrapped up the collar as a present and made me guess what it was for. Then I got to go choose my dog. Cooper, a Chihuahua-terrier, always is crazy. — Jordan Trester, 6th grade
For Thanksgiving I go with my mom and dad to a buffet restaurant that serves turkey and mashed potatoes and pie. That is the only day when I get to eat as much as I want so I love it. — Joe Koo, 5th grade Jeffries
Every Thanksgiving I go to my uncle and his partner’s house. One of them does all the decorating, like with turkey and pilgrim candles. It looks beautiful. The other one cooks really delicious turkeys, a different kind each year. — Addie Graszynski, 6th grade
I am thankful for really good food on Thanksgiving. My mom’s friend serves cranberry sauce in scooped out grapefruits. I always make asparagus wrapped in prosciutto. They used to make a big deal out of my asparagus but now it is just a given. — Tommy Lee, 6th grade
I am thankful to go to a safe school. No one brings guns to school. — Joseph Lee, 5th grade
Interview with
Debbi David INTERVIEWS BY BRITTANY HONG, 6TH GRADE Where are you from? I was born in Buffalo, New York. What was your first impression of this school when you first came? My first impression of this school was that all of the kids had lots of energy and a great desire to learn. What was your previous job before you came here? I was the Head of School at Marymount of Santa Barbara. If there was any way to improve this school, what would it be? I wish there was a strong performing arts program after school.
Interview with
Adriane Rothstein Director of Lower Elementary Where are you from? I am from Los Angeles, California. I am a second generation Angeleno. What was your first impression of this school when you first came? All I could say was, “Wow! This is an amazing school with wonderful teachers, students and parents.” What was your previous job before you came here? I was an educational consultant. That’s a fancy title for helping principals and teachers achieve their goals. If there was any way to improve this school, what would it be? I would love to see a conflict resolution program for K-6th graders where students learn to “talk it out” What was your favorite subject in school?
My favorite subjects in school were English and Social Studies. I still love to read and to learn about new places and people. If you could give a message to the whole elementary school, what would you say? “Never, no never, be afraid to make a mistake! Take a risk and raise your hand!” Why did you decide to be a teacher? I became a teacher to share my love of learning and to leave the world a better place. What is your future dream? My dream is to travel to as many countries in the world as possible, love my family and friends as fully as possible, and find as much joy as possible in every experience (oops— that’s more than one)
What was your favorite subject in school? My favorite subject in school was English and Music. If you could give a message to the whole elementary school, what would you say? I would say “Embrace life with your whole being.” “Love as much and learn as much as you can” Why did you decide to be a Head of School? I wanted to change the world for the better and I believed that the place to begin was education. What is your future dream? That God will give me the strength to keep being a Head of School and to write a book.
The exterior storage is a game-changer because it allows us to move most of our art materials and projects out of the art room when we’re not using them. The handsomely crafted wooden shelving units inside the Art Room are not only functional, but seriously beautiful. Why do you think art is important in education? Because making art and the creative problem-solving that goes with it encourages students to be innovative, resourceful and think outside the box. A recent poll of 1500 CEOs identified creativity as the No. 1 “leadership competancy” of the future. While many wonderful kids’ drawings and paintings live happily under magnets on the fridge, art has a function that goes well beyond decorating walls and making parents smile. Future business people, doctors, engineers, scientists, etc. who do not have creative skills may find it difficult to compete with those who do.
FOR ART’S SAKE!
ST. JAMES’ ART ROOM GETS A MAKE-OVER
Who are the parents who you would like to thank for their help? This is a complicated question given the many parents, donors and creative contributors. The Art Room renovation probably began when I approached Kim Swann from the PSF for help with our sad, broken cabinet doors which could not be repaired by in-school maintenance. When renovating the entire art room became a possibility, I quickly turned to my art room parent volunteers for their ideas. Clare Sebenius-Cohen and Meara Daly, had a number of amazing suggestions – many of which are now a reality. Even students got into the act. Many parents became involved including Nora Hondulas, Bianca Simchowitz, Lauren Zuckerman, Lynn Leipzig, Amy Knoll Fraser, Jenny Hager, Rhea Rachevsky, and Seth Horowitz who helped plan the fundraiser. Special gratitude goes to architect and St. James’ parent Tom
INTERVIEW WITH MR. DANENBERG
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r. Danenberg has been busy all summer, making his dream art room come true. Here he tells us what’s been going on.
used thoughtfully and creatively. Debbi David, our new Head of School, has been a strong and consistent supporter of this effort—her role in this and in managing the overall renovation deserves huge appreciation.
What has happened to the St. James’ art room? It’s now cutting edge—with custom designed cabinets, computer stations, increased work space, storage, and a retractable electric patio awning that not only protects exterior stored art supplies from being damaged by heat and weather, but will cut electricity costs by 20% (by blocking sunlight and reducing patio temperatures).
What will the new technology enable children to do? Students will use our new computers as in-class tools to support traditional art media by finding source material for drawings, paintings and web research to study artists. Also, in consultation with our technical advisors, we hope to explore and develop computer art projects via new programs that include Graffiti Creator, Blender and ArtRage. We plan to continue working with Ms. Cefaly and build on the wonderful work she’s been doing. We’re very excited by the possibilities, but we never want to forget that technology is the means, not the end. Computer art, like all the art created at St. James’ must first and foremost exercise creativity and stir the imagination.
Why was it important to include new technology in the art room? Last year’s Interim Head of School, Mr. Wooden, felt that technology was both inescapable and essential for embracing the future. Computer art, graphics and digital literacy need to be part of any forward-thinking art program. Computers, just like pencils, brushes or any art tool, can indeed be imagination amplifiers if
What are the features that you love the most about this space?
ABOVE: D ebbi David and Mr Danenberg cut the ribbon to open the new art room
Why Support The Arts?
There are many parents within the St. James’ community who work in the arts. Husky Highlights asked them why we need to support the arts… What starts today as a love of drawing, painting, acting, making music and dancing becomes the essential tools of creative thinking and problem solving that will enable our children to do well in today’s world. Children innately think this way, and it is through arts education that we can foster this ability joyfully, in counterbalance to the rigors of testing and academic achievement. —Jenny Hager, Artist Art is fun. That’s why little kids do it. Little kids know a thing or two about having fun. When you get older and life gets more complicated most people stop making art and start saying things like “Having fun isn’t a good enough reason to do something.” Try not to listen to those people, they have boring parties. —Dallas Clayton, Children’s Author
ABOVE: Students making collages
Perkins, who early on created an amazing architectural drawing to collect all the great ideas and help us visualize the possibilities. Other parents like Jeff Lane provided behind-the-scenes input about zoning, building issues and financing. Karen Cowan and the PSF continues help. The parent I worked with the most during the renovation and who deserves tremendous appreciation is Gretchen Kasai. Gretchen was our “parent project manager,” and helped supervise the whole construction. More than once, Gretchen and I were kneeling on the art room floor looking at samples, stretching out a tape measure and figuring out what color, size
and material something in the art room needed to be. Her resourceful determination is one of the main reasons the art room has been transformed into what it is today. What are the features that you love the most about this space? The exterior storage is a game-changer because it allows us to move most of our art materials and projects out of the art room when we’re not using them. The handsomely crafted wooden shelving units inside the Art Room are not only functional, but seriously beautiful. ______________________________
The Arts At St. James’ I
t’s not just the art room that’s been given a face-lift. The whole St. James’ arts
program has been polished, enhanced and enriched. The Los Angeles Academy for the Performing Arts are running an after school enrichment class bringing Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream to life, and every afternoon on professional development days, a series of performing arts assemblies will be laid on for the children. “I honestly believe that as a culture, we are heavily dependent on art to maintain our civilization,” explains our new Head of School, Debbi David. “Art makes our spirits soar, it relieves us of the tension that is created by our fast paced society. It gives depth, and breadth and spiritual meaning to the rest of the work that we do. The series of performing arts assembles include classical piano performances, dance and drums. “We have nine assemblies planned,” says Mrs. David. “We’re working with the LA Philharmonic, and plan to do a trip to meet them. And we have John Staley, a director with the Los Angeles Academy for the Performing Arts on campus His company will be directing a musical with our children in the winter and spring. “We had no budget for the assemblies,” says Mrs. David. “But all the performers are donating their time. And that’s a tribute to the commitment of the artists in our community who really believe that children should be exposed to beauty and art and dance.”
Through art, we begin to understand, absorb and appreciate the intangible world. Art is the science of intangibility, invention and improvisation. Art is abstract Math. Art is visual poetry. Art is a test where you invent the questions as well as the answers. —Geoff McFetridge, Graphic Artist Art gives us a language to speak to each other and to the universe of our true selves, our hopes, our fears, our woes, of what it is to be truly human. Art makes us feel less alone in the world. It starts where our daily language ends, and gives voice to the vast and powerful non-physical moving parts inside all of us. —David Norland, Composer Art has many functions and forms: it’s a form of social criticism, can express the underlying social currents of the time, show historical value. It can sway people’s opinions, create desire, amuse, agitate, and shock. Art makes up everything we see and a large part of what we think and how we respond to the world. It is all around and all pervasive—it’s how we see the world. —Soo Kim, Artist The future holds only one thing for certain: change. At the center, navigating that change will be our children. Art and design technologies will shape our world, in how we live, how we relate to each other, and how we carry forth our values. Artists and designers will determine what our world will become. The ability to think and act creatively is critical for every child to participate in the creative economy of the future. —Michael Riley, Designer Science, math, and art are often treated as separate domains in education—either you are interested at math or interested at art. But what happens if you are interested in both? When these domains overlap unexpected things occur. Many of our most groundbreaking contributions to the world have incorporated a delicate balance of science, mathematics, design and art. Innovation in the 21st century will demand this balance. For our children arts education is not only an important counterbalance to math and science but an essential component. —Tom Perkins, Architect The arts need to be a central part of any education program. In addition to developing critical thought, it helps students become creative thinkers, which is a necessity for a rich and successful life. —Joe Davidson, Artist
Husky Books
Reviews of some of
St. James’ Favorite Books
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
I So Don’t Do Famous by Barrie Summy
One Crazy Summer is about three girls that were abandoned by their mother. The story begins when they take a plane from New York to visit her in Oakland, California. Their mother is not too loving. She sends them to a summer camp sponsored by a revolutionary group called the Black Panthers. Slowly, we learn about the mother, how she had her own calamitous childhood, how she writes poetry. They come to be friends. I favored this book because of its unique writing style. It was extremely humorous and quite heartbreaking at the same time. • Review by Sora Lee, 6th grade
Are you into ghost mysteries, and high school dramas? Then read this story about a young girl who talks to ghosts and solves mysteries. When Sherry Baldwin wins a magazine love essay contest, she wins a trip to Hollywood and goes to a Hollywood diner. She picks her friend June and her dad to go with her. At the dinner, Sherry sits next to Dear Elle, a famous writer from the magazine, but tragically, Dear Elle’s purse is stolen. Can Sherry figure out who is the thief? Read this book to find out. • Review by Nicole Klar, 4th grade
The Island on Bird Street by Uri Orlev The Island on Bird Street takes place in Poland during World War II. Alex is a young Jewish boy living in Poland with his father. But the Germans separate them. Alex and his father always had a plan that if they were separated, Alex should hide in the bombed out house on Bird Street. Alex hides in the loft for more than five months with his father’s gun. During his time in hiding, he befriends two other polish jews and a girl named Stashya. I liked this book because I am Jewish and if I lived back then it describes what it could have been like for me. How the author describes it, seems so real to me. • Review by Hazel Berger, 6th grade Big Nate On A Roll by Lincoln Pierce This story is about a boy named Nate who is a Timer Scout. Nate is trying to win the grand prize of the competition for whoever sells the most wall hangings. The grand prize is a skateboard. But Nate’s competing against Arthur, a.k.a. Mr. Perfect. Detention always gets in the way for Nate. Will Nate beat Arthur once and for all? Read the book to find out. • Review by Chris Song, 4th grade
The View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg This is the best book I have read in a while. It teaches people to be kinder to everyone. The story is about four students and Mrs Olinksi, a teacher who was paralyzed following a car crash. Mrs. Olinksi had to find four students to be on her team for the academic competition. Noah, Nadia, Ethan and Julian were close friends and called themselves The Souls. The group decided to help Mrs. Olinski because she was a paraplegic. And she decided to choose them because she could see they worked well together. • Review by Stephenie Cho, 5th grade A Week In The Woods by Andrew Clements Mark is moving away from his home in Scarsdale, New York and he is not feeling that great about it. He’s already missing his friends. He has to go on his new school’s camping trip— a week in the woods. At the campsite Mark gets into trouble with his teacher, and runs away. It’s dark and scary, and he ends up having an adventure. Overall this is a very exciting and well-written book. I especially liked the mild suspense of the camping part of the story. • Review by Will Richter, 5th grade
Husky Health
St. James’ Rubble BY IDA PETERS, MOTHER OF 3RD GRADER ELIAS AND 6TH GRADE GABRIEL Oh Boy, I am in trouble. All over the house, Is St. James’ rubble. I’ve left spillage from my shoes, All over the floor, With an especially large pile, Right near the door. Over by the sofa, Under the rugs, I can hear my Mom screaming, She thought we had bugs.
CARTOON BY JACK NORLAND, 2ND GRADE
THE IMPORTANCE OF SLEEP E
very living thing sleeps, from the smallest insect to the largest whale. Some animals spend as many as twenty hours a day sleeping. Children don’t need quite as much as that.
“A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP WILL HELP YOU PAY ATTENTION IN SCHOOL”
“But they do need at least ten hours,” says Nurse Basham, St. James’ own nurse who takes care of us when we’re not feeling well. “Whilst you’re asleep your body and brain are recharging for the next day. Without enough sleep, you can more easily forget what you’ve just learned, you can be grumpy, and have trouble listening. It’s also much harder to get out of bed in the morning. “But a good night’s sleep will help you pay attention in school, be creative, fight sickness so you stay healthy, and you’ll also be in a really good mood.” So be sensible. If you want to have a really great day, go to bed on time and enjoy some extra zzzzzzz’s.
Throughout each room, You can follow my path, Yes it’s under the table, Where I do my math. It can also be found, Next to my bed, That’s where I enjoy, All the books I have read. Someday the debris, Will no longer be here, And any left over remnants, Will be held with thoughts most dear. Perhaps I should save them, Place them in a jar, Remembering the days, That helped me come so far.
For further information on the importance of sleep for kids: http://www.sleepforkids.org
FALL AND CHRISTMAS IS GERM SEASON, WITH LOTS OF SNEEZLES AND WHEEZLES GOING ROUND. • Remember to wash your hands often. • Cough into your arm and sleeve—not your hands. • Stay home if you have a fever. • Don’t sneeze on anyone. CARTOON BY CHAERIM KIM-WORTHINGTON, 2ND GRADE
ASTROCAMP: 6TH GRADE’S STAR TURN BY HANA TAKEI
E
very October, St. James’ 6th grade goes to Astrocamp, which is an educational camp where you learn about astronomy and other related subjects, such as rocket building and rock climbing. The past 6th graders always said that they liked the sky coaster the best.
ABOVE: 6th Graders shoot for the stars, away from home
I wondered what a sky coaster was, so I asked one of them. He told me it was a ride where you swing on a long piece of rope. I had always loved swing sets as a little girl, so I couldn’t wait to go on the sky coaster. Soon, it was time for my classmates and me to go. The bus rambled over nauseatingly curvy roads which made almost everyone sick. Then we were there breathing the fresh air. After lunch in a big meadow, we met our camp counselor. He told us that our first event was going to be the sky coaster! We couldn’t wait to go. Our counsellor took us to a barn where there was a neat row of harnesses. We buckled ourselves into them carefully, and then walked over to a cleared space surrounded by trees. In the middle, were two great trees with a pulley system and a long rope attached. We watched as our counsellor buckled the first person in, and then told us to start pulling on the rope. We pulled as fast as we could, and slowly, the first person began to go up. Soon he was at the top, more than forty feet up in the air. We heard a faint click, and let go of the rope. He screamed as he came down and then swung on the end of the rope. I was beginning to have second thoughts. When it was my turn, I walked onto the platform where they buckled me in. Everyone started pulling me up. I took a deep breath, said my prayers, and pulled on the string releasing me from the top. I came tumbling down forty feet in a second, getting that flipped-stomach feeling you get when you plunge downhill on a roller coaster. Then I swung in an arch, which was like being on the world’s largest swing set. It was the best ride I have ever been on. The rest of the trip was fun, but nothing could compare to the sky coaster. ______________________________
“I SWUNG IN AN ARCH, WHICH WAS LIKE BEING ON THE WORLD’S LARGEST SWING SET”
St. James’ Blossoms It’s all coming up roses at St. James’… or rather, broccoli, carrots and parsley. Ever taken a stroll around the back of the restrooms in the courtyard? You should. For there, the St. James’ Garden planted last year, is flourishing, under the green fingers and watchful guidance of parents Rosie Juda, Paul Robbins and Byron Zapata. “The project began by taking the dirt out of the garden and the planters,” explains Mr. Z. “The next step was putting down a
FAMILY WEEKEND BY LUCY NORLAND, MOTHER OF 2ND GRADER JACK
I
f you’re a parent raising children in a city, you’ve probably got a conscience about it.
Or perhaps a twinge of envy when you visit those who offer their children a rural existence with the freedom to ride their bike wherever they want to go. For us city-dwellers, sometimes there doesn’t seem like there’s enough space for children. Family Weekend goes a long way to appeasing that conscience. For the children at St. James’, Family Weekend is perhaps even better than living in the country-side, because all their friends just happen to be there too. Children weave between cabins and tents in gangs, they whiz to the canyon store on bikes, they go adventuring in the creek and all the time, they’re exploring nature. It’s literally a breath of fresh air. And not just for them. This year the Reverend Dr. Ron David held the Sunday morning service in the open air, and expressed gratitude for the joy all around us. No one could argue with that.
layer of alfalfa and then a layer of hay which was followed by a layer of organic soil. “Actually the soil was half soil and half compost, which will not allow the dirt to settle to an impacted brick. “The plants are a mixture of flowers and vegetables that are now in season”. The following children also committed time to the garden: Harry Robbins, Myles George-Ghobrial, Lilly and Fleurette Juda, and Leyla Zapata.
LEFT: S’mores and more at El Capitan Canyon near Santa Barbara
St. James’ Crossword Puzzle ACROSS 3. A language that we study 4. He sings loudly 7. Where 5th graders go on a sleepaway trip 9. The color of our uniform 11. Mr. Z has planted it 13. Our new director of lower elementary DOWN 1. Our school mascot 2. Where 6th graders go on a sleepaway trip 5. We do it in a lab 6. Where we play 8. Where we go for all school chapel 10. Our new school head 12. Religious father
French Lessons
St. James' Infant & Toddler Development Center
(First-Sixth Grade) Taught by St. James' Alumna AjaBleu Oldham who is here on a break from her studies in Paris.
A safe and nurturing place for children ages six weeks to two years of age
AjaBleu@europe.com
213-388-2350
Music for Promotions, Advertising,TV & Film. Library, Custom Music and Scoring.
Doña Oxford
Call Ed @ 323-253-8533
Fabulous Nanny and Babysitter
BRITISH EXECUTIVE/ PERSONAL ASSISTANT
seeking full or part time work
seeking full or part time work
(Recommended by Norland family)
Experienced and qualified
Call Delia 213-247-9088
lorraindear@yahoo.com
If you have a story to share, or a poem, or a cartoon, Husky Highlights would love it. That’s moms and dads, and teachers, as well as students.
Please send all submissions to Lucy Norland: lucybroad@mac.com