September 2009 1791 Letter - Berwick Academy

September 2009
Tenth Day Assembly
1791 Letter ~ September 2009
1

I have discovered new empathy
for parents on the first day of school.
As educators, first days of school have
always signified energy, life, enthusiasm,
and meaning. We have chosen a life of
working with students because we love
the exquisite wackiness of kids of all
ages. Our students keep us challenged;
they keep us inspired. They keep us
young. This is the first year when my
own child, Kenna, headed off to her
fi rst school experience. It is a program
for two-year-olds for three half days,
but it is the fi rst time in our family
that she has been away from home in
a regular, structured way. Thus far she
has been raised in the Hayes House,
enveloped by the enriching umbrella
of Berwick Academy, but her world has
suddenly grown exponentially. In the
few weeks heading up to her fi rst day,
I found myself wondering about all of
the things I have experienced with her
in the past two years: What will she do
in school? Will she be scared? Lonely?
Will she act out when we are not there?
Have I been doing enough as a parent
to prepare her?
It has felt ironic acknowledging
these feelings, since for years as a
Director of Admission and Head of
School, I have encouraged people not
to worry, that their kids are resilient,
and that everything will be just fine. Of
course, I know intellectually that all of
that is true, but now I appreciate the
layer of emotion that is inextricably
woven between the professional
educator and the well meaning but, in
my case, slightly anxious parent. I get it
now. In the end, here is what ultimately
gave me the most confidence in my
own child’s situation on her fi rst day of
school: her teachers are exceptional.
They are professionals, and they have
dealt with thousands of children the
age of my daughter. I have come to
embrace the fact that they defi nitely
know more about children Kenna’s age
than I do. This is a good thing. While
I may know a bit more about running
a school, coaching a football team,
or playing the saxophone, I am fairly
safe in admitting that I may not be a
great toddler teacher at this moment.
Their expertise gives me a great sense
of confidence, anticipation, and joy
for my child’s experience at her new
school.
As our fi rst week of school
rolls on at Berwick, I share this little
confession with you to remind you
that Berwick teachers are extraordinary
people. Not only do they love your
children in their own ways, but they
have wisdom about children that
represents an incredible resource in
raising your own boy or girl into the
wonderful man or woman that they
will ultimately become. As parents,
we can’t do it alone, and I am grateful
to have a new resource to add to our
family as we work to raise the happiest
children we possibly can. Know that as
a Berwick parent, you draw upon the
strength of an entire community of
these exceptional educators who can
help you along a thirteen year journey
of preparing your child for a happy and
rewarding life.
While my sense of empathy
has clearly grown, my zeal for first days
of school remains unchanged. Bring on
the giggling, the creativity, and the
joy: the kids are back.
I have mercifully spared you a
longer entry this month, as I wanted to
include a message from the family of a
great mentor and wise friend. As many
of you know, Hap Ridgway suffered
a signifi cant fall from a horse at his
ranch this summer, which led to some
substantial injuries. I have learned a
great deal from my predecessor during
my fi rst two years at Berwick, but no
lessons have been more influential
than his model of integrity and his
various examples of courage. Hap
and Susan graciously wanted to offer
the following words of thanks to the
Berwick Community for all of the
collective support during the past few
months:
The caring of the Berwick community
had always been a thing of pride and wonder for
the Ridgway family. Time after time after time,
we saw the community rise to the occasion of a
person or family’s loss or challenge. As we retired
to Wyoming, we worried we were also leaving
behind that strong sense of community with its
tradition of support. The summer of 2009 has
taught us a remarkable lesson about the reach
and power of the Berwick Community.
Late in June, Hap was working with
a young horse when it reared up and went over
on him. Fractured pelvis and fractured jaw,
emergency room and life fl ight, surgery and
ICU were the reality of the next few days.
Family and friends “circled the wagons,” but our
numbers were small and the circumstances were
daunting.Then a remarkable thing happened. It
started at fi rst with a few cards and grew into
a deluge of cards and letters and gifts and calls
from members of the Berwick community. What
we had known objectively about the caring of
Berwick we now learned personally. All of the
expressions of concern and support, and even the
quips about the idea of “staying on the horse,”
were and continue to be a powerful balm.
The horse clearly won this round, but
Hap is recovering gradually. He has stashed
2 1791 Letter ~ September 2009

the crutches and is starting to get back into the
fi elds to work. His jaw, despite the good doctor’s
handiwork, is more problematic, but his family
still appreciates the enforced silence of his wired
jaw. He has had many good lessons in humility
such as fi guring out the crutches while Susan
kept a death grip on his belt and learning how to
drink without too much dribbling or slurping.
When this story is fi nally written, the
Berwick tradition of caring and its reach across
the country and back in time will have the place
of honor. The Ridgway family is incredibly
grateful for the support and all that it meant
during the travails of Hap’s recovery. In ways
hard to express, being Berwickians has never
meant more.
BAPA Projects Add New Life to Campus
I am so thrilled to thank our
Parents organization for the incredible
power of their gifts to the school last
year. In addition to funding a budget
fi lled with enriching activities for our
students, funding from the Auction
helped us fully repair the Commons
roof, which will certainly make me
sleep more easily this winter. In
addition, Auction beneficiary funds
have funded incredible new furniture
in the Upper School, literacy and
playground materials in the Lower
School, and wonderful new landscaping
for Clement Middle School. We are
so lucky to have such an incredibly
supportive group of parents partnering
with us at Berwick.
New Communication System
I am pleased to announce that
we were able to install a campus-wide
communication system this summer,
which represents a monumental step
in increasing our campus safety in the
event of an emergency. All classrooms
and common spaces are now equipped
with a speaker system that will allow
for emergency communication as
needed. This allows us to continue
the exceptional work of our Safety
Committee from the past two years, as
we work towards refining our Fire Drills
(evacuation), Safe in Place (lockdown),
and Reverse Evacuation (getting
students into the buildings quickly)
procedures. Given the complexity of
our campus, this tool truly helps make
our campus a safer place for children.
Blue and White Meets Alumni Weekend
We have combined our Alumni
Weekend gathering with Blue and
White weekend this fall. The festivities
will start with our annual Bulldog
Golf Tournament at The Ledges on
September 24, and events will fill up
the entire weekend. By moving these
alumni events to the fall, we hope to
drive better attendance (and hopefully
better weather). I hope that the entire
community will come out on the
weekend of September 26, fi lling the
weekend with many generations of
Bulldog passion and spirit.
H1N1 Update
As fl u season will be upon us
shortly, please know that the CDC is
recommending that all school-aged
children receive seasonal flu vaccines.
The fi rst generation of H1N1 vaccine
should be available in mid October,
but may require multiple visits. Please
check our new webpage regarding
H1N1 preventative measures at
Berwick at www.berwickacademy.
org, under Community. Information
regarding local vaccination locations
has also been included on this site.
Driving on Campus
With a sudden surge of cars
on campus, I wanted to remind the
community to please use extra caution
when driving on campus. Having so
many small children on this campus,
and being situated in a residential
neighborhood, makes this such a
critical issue for our parent and student
drivers.
1791 Letter ~ September 2009
BERWICK ACADEMY
CAMPUS STORE
SHOP
ONLINE!
Offering a selection of products
from the school store including
sweatshirts, hats, mugs, and more.
Log on to www.berwickacademy.
org and click on Community to fi nd
the Berwick Store
3

Peter Saliba
Dear Parents;
Getting off on the right foot
at the beginning of the school year
is one of the toughest tasks I face as
the Upper School Director. Since
we are an academic institution, I
could probably get away with our
Mission (promoting virtue and useful
knowledge); our Core Values (balance,
integrity, engagement, excellence);
or even our Latin motto (Humility is
the Beginning of Wisdom); however,
knowing teenagers, I am convinced
that should I take any of these options,
their eyes would glaze over in a matter
of seconds. Instead, I settled on a more
practical approach. This year, we will
work hard, play hard and have fun.
Berwick is not an easy place,
especially if you are new to our school.
These challenges can be academic,
social, athletic, and artistic. They
may come in the form of learning the
periodic table for chemistry, mastering
derivatives in calculus, or understanding
the nuances of the Constitutional
Convention. No matter the challenge,
we expect everyone to work hard and
to meet challenges head-on. This
is easier said than done, and it is the
efforts of our students that enable them
to ultimately succeed in their work
and life. In a high school, everybody
experiences frustrations and obstacles,
and overcoming these challenges
defi nes our success. Examples abound
in our culture of people overcoming
signifi cant roadblocks, including
the Beatles who could not get a gig
in Liverpool. They had to travel
to Hamburg, Germany, to get the
opportunity to play. They eventually
worked through their challenge in
Germany by playing 106 consecutive
nights, for more than six hours a
night.
Playing hard is just as important
as working hard. Some may interpret
this as fostering a competitive, driven
spirit on the athletic field or stage. I
interpret this as knowing how to
play. We should know when to be
competitive, and when to relax and
enjoy the moment. When I get on the
rink with my team at practice, I go into
the corners pretty hard, and move the
puck with a snap of the stick. But I also
know how to enjoy the game and the
camaraderie of being on a team. Most
successful people have mastered the
art of playing not only because it is
enjoyable, but because it keeps them
balanced.
Finally, having fun is about
experiencing unfiltered joy. Sometimes
it comes with success, or humor, but
often it is simply recognizing the
beauty of the events unfolding around
us. This can be a quiet moment in a
practice room or art studio, a reaction
to a friend’s comment, or a discovery
that Latin can actually be entertaining
(seriously, it is!) No matter the cause,
we should let that fun out and share it.
Working with high school
students requires a lot of work, but we
also play and have fun. It’s my hope
that all of us can experience these
things together as we navigate through
the year.
Warmly,
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4 1791 Letter ~ September 2009

This academic year closes
the fi rst decade of the twenty-first
century, and everywhere I look in
professional groups and their postings,
there is discussion of the skills our
students need in order to create
meaningful lives and work in the next
nine decades. We may take time to
refl ect upon our experiences, but quite
honestly, just a few of the skills that
were critical in our lives as students are
needed in the future. The corpus of
knowledge alone demands more skill
than memorization; more judgment
than ownership of ideas. Yes, the three
R’s of our twentieth century education
will be essential, but to them we must
add new R’s such as resourcefulness,
research, and resilience.
I come from a generation of
folks who were told, “Children should
be seen and not heard.” That adage
worked at a time when extended families
came together for Sunday dinners, for
holidays, and for those rare occasions
when a family member who “moved
away” was returning for a rare visit. We
had a “kids’ table” in each home’s dining
room. We minded our table manners
and asked permission to be excused
from the table. Misbehaviors were
quelled by a look from one of the adults,
and each of us longed for the day when
we could sit at the grown-ups’ table,
even though we cousins shared much
hilarity amongst ourselves. Today, we
bring our children into the world of
adult conversation and comportment
from the earliest years, and we expect
our children to engage in weighty
topics of current events, social reforms,
and politics. Better still, we educate
our children to bring information
they have acquired at school to the
discussions. Today’s adolescents think
in grown-up ways that I only imagined
when I was an early teen.
Another limit placed upon
many of my generation was, “When I
want you to have an opinion, I’ll give
it to you.” As a child, as an adolescent,
and later as a young adult, I chafed
against this imposition of authority
more than any other restriction. I
held forth with passionate arguments
in front of the bathroom mirror, or
in the privacy of my room after I had
read every bit of news I could locate in
our public library. While my parents
were from the “Greatest Generation,”
my generation was unwilling to swear
blind faith to policies and canons. Our
children need to be better informed
than we former campus radicals ever
were. Here is where our jobs as
educators will find the finest hours - in
the guiding of minds that will critically
evaluate the challenges facing our
changing planet.
Perhaps the single most
important skill our children will
develop is that of critical thinking.
They will fi nd ample opportunities this
year to investigate, to weigh ideas, and
to suspend judgment until they have
fi nished their investigations. With
access that far exceeds the physical
walls of a library, today’s students
may learn about global crises and the
histories that connect them. They
will bring a wealth of home values
to their discussions, and will build
informed opinions that may wend
their way to the dinner table. We walk
a delicate path with the students as
we examine the differences between
ideas and ideologies. As educators,
we are committed to creating a neutral
environment in the classroom, fully
1791 Letter ~ September 2009
aware that the world beyond our
doors is marked by increasing polarity
and propaganda. Immediate access
to sources of information helps our
students to distill ideas with increasing
awareness of the spin the media use to
distribute the news.
Our best efforts, then, are
aimed to open the doors to the
investigation of ideas. We will hold
our students to high standards of logic,
of informed decision making, and of
documentation to support their theses.
We will probe, suggest alternatives,
and praise. All this will be done with a
dedication to provide them with access
to trustworthy data. These future
thinkers, policy makers, and innovators
will face the next several decades
armed with experiences that will guide
them in making choices and decisions
about their global neighborhood. By
then, I hope that each of us, educator
and parent alike, will be proud of the
ways in which our hands and minds
and hearts created opportunities for
critical thinking to rise to an apex in
the halls of educational institutions like
ours at Berwick Academy.
5

Rather than sleeping in on
my fi rst Saturday morning of the new
school year, I awoke early and drove to
Spring Hill to watch the Pumpkinman
Sprint Triathlon. With cool weather
and rain holding off for the moment,
the conditions supported the swim,
bike and run stages of this annual
South Berwick event. While not
considered the optimal spectator sport
for logistical reasons, I enjoy watching
the challenge inherent in this sport
(and I stress watching, as I have not yet
reached my goal of participating in a
triathlon.)
While the triathlon’s challenges
are still unknown to me, I have run
a number of marathons and half
marathons and therefore appreciate
the support one can receive from fans
along the course as they greet the
competition. And so it was that during
the race, I lined up at strategic points
to support my wife, friends, colleagues
and many unknown participants as they
pushed through the triathlon’s stages.
Early in the race, such as the
transition from the swim to the bike, I
found myself giving basic cheers, such
as “come on, you can do it.” (Okay,
you knew it was coming; please bear
with me as I attempt to connect my
spectator experience at the triathlon to
the beginning of the school year.) In a
sense, it reminded me of the month of
September with our students—a time
when I am just beginning to get to
know or reconnect with them through
introductory forms of encouragement.
As the school year moves into full form,
I pick up the pace with the students—
understanding them (and cheering
them on) at a deeper level. As a faculty,
we appreciate our students’ strengths
and weaknesses; what they do well
and what they are working to improve
upon. I essentially experienced that
same connection during the successive
stages of the triathlon, as I cheered on
the participants at a more intimate and
personal level as the race progressed
and as their training and willpower
sustained them through their final
strides.
I occasionally joke that a
school year feels like a marathon race
or even a marathon in which we run at
a sprinters’ pace. Regardless of distance
or timing, I take on many roles as Lower
School Director. One that I find both
rewarding and intriguing is the support
I give to our students—supporting
them throughout their Lower School
experience.
As we are currently in the
opening stage of the new school year,
the faculty and I are working actively to
get to know our students. Whether it
be the student-focus meetings we hold
prior to the opening of school, the
reading fluency monitor measures that
we administer in the first few weeks of
school or our new student introductions
at our fi rst morning assembly, we take
this phase of the school year seriously.
At the time of publication for this
September 1791 Letter, our fi rst, second,
and third graders will have completed
their first fi eld trip—one that brought
them to Strawbery Banke to build fairy
houses for the Portsmouth Fairy House
Tour. In planning this trip with Lower
School faculty and the Strawbery Banke
staff, I felt it important to capture the
moment inherent in participating in this
creative event. The field trip involved
students collecting natural materials
and then using their imaginations
while working collaboratively to create
houses made of materials such as wood,
grass and leaves. Besides an enjoyable
learning experience, we also saw this
as an opportunity to be of service
and support to this family-oriented
venture.
While the first through third
graders were hard at work at Strawbery
Banke, we felt it important to leave
our kindergarten students at school to
continue their fine work in establishing
their own learning community with
Ms. Williams and Mrs. Lynch. What
a great start to the school year our
kindergarten class has enjoyed!
Finally, on the day that many
of our Lower School students were off
campus, the fourth graders remained at
school to participate in their Leadership
Day. They worked with the Sweetser
staff and with our own faculty on
various initiatives which would support
their role as informal Lower School
leaders throughout the year and more
specifi cally as formal Lower School
leaders in the Ambassadors Program
(helping out at recess and other
organized activities).
I trust that the events of the
fi rst few weeks of school—including
those on September 17, have helped
our students successfully begin the
new year. I look forward to supporting
them through this period and other
phases in the months ahead!
6 1791 Letter ~ September 2009

Rob Quinn
SOCCER JAMBOREE
The weather was not on
our side on Saturday, September 12
during our annual Soccer Jamboree
as it rained most of the day. Both the
boys’ and girls’ varsity teams competed
against Lexington Christian Academy,
Proctor Academy, and Hyde School in
the preseason scrimmage. The event
was well attended by parents, families
and friends. Following the games, we
were treated to an impressive barbeque
sponsored by the Berwick Academy
Athletic Boosters. A special thank you
Kim and Tom Mills, Steve Grenier, Jim
and Diane Wheeler, Paula and Sam
Reid, Andy Lathrop, Marilena Canuto,
and Holly Bennett (I apologize if I
have failed to mention others). Your
work and dedication made the event
a success. I also want to thank SAGE
Dining Services for providing the food
and Facilities for the set-up and breakdown.
A special thank you to Paul
Calo of Buildings and Grounds for his
assistance on Saturday.
SPORTS MEDICINE
CONCUSSION PROGRAM
We are continuing our Impact Testing
Program which we have successfully
used with our contact sport athletes.
This computer program is designed
to address the seriousness and dangers
of returning to play too quickly after
a concussion. This year we will test
all freshmen, new students and other
students not previously tested. At
the start of the season, athletes will
complete a computerized baseline test
of the brain. If an athlete receives a brain
injury, he or she is retested to see how
their brain function compares to the
stored baseline test. Test results allow
a medical practitioner to determine if
the brain is recovering from an injury
and dictate if the student is ready to
return to play. If you have questions
please contact Holly Bennett, LATC or
Rob Quinn.
EEE VIRUS
Each year this mosquito born
virus is a concern in the Seacoast area.
The woods surrounding the fields have
been professionally sprayed using a safe
“green” solution in order to minimize
the mosquitoes. Teams will be supplied
with a mosquito repellent and athletes
are encouraged to use a repellent for
practices and games.
AED AUTOMATIC EXTERNAL
DEFIBRILLATORS
AED’s are located in the
basement of Fogg, near the mailboxes
in Burleigh Davidson, and in the back
hallway of the athletic center. Holly
Bennet, LATC also carries a unit at all
games. All faculty coaches are currently
certifi ed in CPR and AED.
ATHLETIC TRAINING INTERNS
BA continues its relationship with
UNH and UNE as a clinical athletic
training site for undergraduate students.
You will see Jennifer and Becky
alongside Certified Athletic Trainer
Holly Bennett at games and practices
this semester. Jennifer and Becky
will assist in providing first-aid care
and will oversee injury rehabilitation
programs. Both have experience in
covering collegiate and high school
sports and are welcome additions to
the department.
OFF THE HILLTOP
We received some exciting
athletic achievement news from the
summer we wanted to share with
everyone. Our very own Chris Atwood,
grade 12, a standout three-sport athlete
for BA, where he plays golf, ice hockey
and lacrosse for the Bulldogs. During
the summers, Chris works at the
Rochester Country Club helping with
the daily operations of the golf course.
He is a junior member at the club and
plays often between shifts at work.
Chris was also very active this summer
playing in various golf tournaments
working on his game. He thought he
would try his luck in the Rochester
Club Championship. The Tournament
kicked off in late July with a 2-day
stroke play qualifier. For the next three
weeks Chris managed to knock off one
veteran member after another until
he was facing the #2 seed in the fi nal
championship match. His opponent
had multiple club championships to
his name and the cards were stacked
against our guy. Chris went on to win
the Club Championship on the 36th
hole of the match; he had a stellar
performance that included an eagle
down the stretch. Chris became the
youngest winner in Rochester Club
Championship history. He was back
at the club the next day cleaning golf
carts and savoring the victory among
the club members.
We had more impressive news
coming from senior Melissa Beckett,
who has started a very successful show
continued on pg. 14...
1791 Letter ~ September 2009
7

you gotta have Arts
ARTS BOOSTERS
Arts Boosters Variety Show
Please mark your calendars
for Friday, October 16, for the eighth
annual Arts Boosters Variety Show.
The proceeds from this event will
benefi t the visual and performing arts
at Berwick Academy. Faculty and
staff members representing all three
divisions will present their performance
piece in the theater beginning at 7
p.m. Please come and enjoy a night
fi lled with song, laughter, comedy
and maybe a little magic in the fall air.
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for
students or $25 for families. There are
no reservations, and admission is on a
fi rst-come-fi rst-served basis. We hope
to see you there.
DANCE
Let the Dance Begin
The Berwick Academy dance
program is starting the year off with
a bang! Classes have started and the
dancers are feeling the challenge and
excitement of a new year. Steady growth
in enrollment has allowed us to add
a third level of ballet to the program,
so we can better suit our increasingly
more advanced dancers. We are pleased
to welcome back returning members of
the faculty: Christine Bessette, Tina
Cassidy, Gina Hesse, Joy Turner and
Sasha Randall. All faculty members
are working professionals in their
disciplines and we are honored to have
such an esteemed group leading our
young movers. Classes began September
14, and the dancers have a fantastic,
enthusiastic energy. If you have not yet
registered for classes and are interested
in observing or experiencing a class on
a trial basis, please feel free to come by
and see all of the wonderful classes that
are offered.
The summer was an eventful
one in the world of dance for BA
Dance Director, Sasha Randall. In
continuing her efforts to bring dance
to New England communities in a
manner that is both accessible and
innovative, she found herself working
with a number of powerhouses in
government and the fi eld of dance.
After completing two very enjoyable
weeks of camp here on the Hilltop,
Ms. Randall found herself immediately
immersed in consultation and technical
direction of Live and Dance Strong, a
benefi t concert in honor of, Richard
Randall, past President of University of
Maine, Augusta who died last year of
esophageal cancer. The benefit raised
an astounding $10,000 for the Harold
Alfond Cancer Care Center in Augusta
and the performance was a deeply
moving success.
Ms. Randall’s efforts to expand
the dance initiative throughout New
England continued with discussions
and planning conferences with the
Maine Department of Education,
the Maine Arts Commission and the
Maine Alliance for Arts Education.
Goals for integrating dance residencies
into 300 public schools were discussed
and timelines for implementation
were confirmed, with 2010 as the
start-up year for this ground-breaking
program. Conversations continued
throughout the summer, culminating
with a luncheon meeting at Bearnstow
on Parker Pond in Mt. Vernon, Maine.
Bearnstow is a 65-acre dance artist
retreat directed by internationally
acclaimed choreographer Bebe Miller.
Ms. Randall had the opportunity
during this time to work closely with
many forces of nature in the dance
fi eld, including Bebe Miller, Laura Faure
(Bates Dance Festival Founder and
director) and Pilobolus Founder Alison
Chase. If you are interested in learning
more about the initiative to expand
the dance map in New England, please
contact Sasha Randall.
For more information on the dance
program contact Sasha Randall at
srandall@berwickacademy.org
MUSIC
After School Opportunity
Band Director Stephanie
Sanders is offering Musicianship as
one way to fulfill the Upper School
seasonal after-school requirement.
This activity is open to all Upper
School students in grades 9 - 12 and
meets three afternoons each week by
the athletic season schedule.
Please remember that a music
student must be a member of one
of Berwick’s performing groups to
audition for District I or All State music
festivals. If they cannot fit a traditional
music course into their course schedule
during the school day, Musicianship
would satisfy this festival requirement.
This opportunity in the performing arts
is not for academic credit, however,
membership in this activity will appear
on each student’s individual activity
sheet.
Stephanie Sanders will also
continue to teach the Middle School
Jazz Band after school on Tuesday
afternoon. Anyone interested in
participating in any of these ensembles
continued on pg 14...
8 1791 Letter ~ September 2009

PRESIDENT’S NOTES
We want to welcome everyone
back to the Hill and thank all the
parents who were able to attend the
parent coffee on the porch the first
day of school. It was great to see so
many new and familiar faces. I want to
inform new parents that there are many
ways to keep up with school and BAPA
events and information. Remember to
look in the division weeklies, the 1791
letter, the Berwick Academy portal, and
your very important school calendar.
All BAPA events are on the calendar
and will be updated on the portal. Also
we want all new parents to feel free to
ask any questions they may have. This
is a busy time of year and we know
navigating the fi rst weeks of school can
be tricky and we are here to help make
this time easier.
Volunteering
The many terrific events at
Berwick require parents to help make
them happen. Volunteering can be
such a rewarding experience. Parents
not only get the benefit of meeting
other parents they may otherwise
not get a chance to meet, they
also know they have helped their
children’s school. Feel free to talk to
your division coordinators to find out
where there are volunteering needs.
Class representatives are needed in all
grades K-12, so please consider the
position. A description of class rep
duties is listed in the BAPA section on
the portal. To fi nd them, log on to the
website and click on “Parent Portal”
in the left hand column. Scroll down
until you see BAPA Downloads. Click
on the + and in the resulting list you
will see a document entitled: BAPA
Class Representative Duties.” Click on
that link and the document will open
for you.
September 28 at 8:15 a.m. BAPA
will hold a General Meeting in the
Commons Lounge with class rep
meetings to follow
Please join us Monday morning on
September 28 for our first BAPA meeting
of the year. We will start off with
refreshments and then Jedd Whitlock,
our new Director of Advancement, will
be on-hand to introduce himself and let
us know what is going on in the Alumni
and Development Office. We will also
have updates from Board members
and sign-ups for various volunteer
positions. Following the meeting we
will break into divisions for class rep
meetings. This is a great opportunity
to sit in on a meeting to see if being
a class rep may interest you. During
the meeting, please feel free to ask any
questions regarding the position. We
look forward to seeing you there.
Questions or Suggestions?
We are always looking for
new ideas and suggestions, so please
feel free to contact us. Talk to a BAPA
Board member or class rep while on
campus or send us an email. We would
love feedback from our members.
Jean K. Jarvis
BAPA President
LOWER SCHOOL NEWS
A warm welcome or welcome back to
all Berwick families! Hopefully you had
a wonderful, relaxing summer! Thank
you to all of the families who hosted
back-to-school socials; they were a
1791 Letter ~ September 2009
huge hit and helped kids and parents
reconnect and get ready to start the
new school year.
It has been a great fi rst week
watching the Lower School students
explore their new classrooms and
eagerly meet up with teachers and
friends. Looks like we are off to a great
school year!
Please check out the BAPA
bulletin board to the left of the stairway
as you enter the Lower School. We will
be keeping this bulletin board updated
with contact information, upcoming
events, and volunteer opportunities.
We will also be posting a copy of the
information on the bulletin board to
the portal.
The fi rst BAPA meeting is on
Monday September 28th at 8:15 AM
in the Commons. If you are interested
in volunteering in some way, becoming
a class representative, or learning about
BAPA, please attend this meeting! We
would love to see you there and can
always use more helping hands!
September is a busy month! Here are
some dates to keep in mind:
Thursday, September 24, is the Lower
School Back-to-School Night for
grades 1-4. It starts at 7 p.m.
September 21-26 is Blue & White week.
This week celebrates school spirit. It
begins on Monday with a dress-up day
and Tenth Day Assembly; and ends on
Saturday with the Lower School fi eld
day.
October and November are also very
busy. Please keep these events in
mind:
continued...
9

Tuesday, October 6 is the Lower
School Curriculum Night, which
will feature information about the LS
Music Program, Health and Wellness
Program, and the Math Program.
Friday, October 16 at 5:30 p.m. is the
BAPA sponsored Lower School Potluck
Dinner and Variety Show.
Thursday, October 29 at 2 p.m. is the
Lower School concert for grades K-
2 and the grade 3 and 4 Mini Blues
concert.
Friday, October 30 at 2 p.m. is the
Halloween parade.
Monday, November 2 through Friday
November 6 is the BAPA sponsored
Lower School Book Fair. We will be
featuring books from Usborne, Borders
and Scholastic. This event is a huge
fundraiser for the Lower School, please
come out and find some good reading
materials!
BAPA has many volunteer
opportunities! Helping with the Lower
School Potluck, the Lower School Book
Fair, or becoming a class representative
are just a few ways to help out. We
are also looking for a coordinator for
the Box Top for Education Program
and for the Lower School Book Club.
If you are interested, please contact the
Lower School coordinators.
Pamela Oberg
pamela@hike-nh.com
Beth Tykodi
bptykodi@comcast.net
Lower School Coordinators
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
The summer seemed to fly by
after a very wet beginning; but now
we would like to welcome everyone
back to school. Before we began our
fi rst day we had some back-to-school
gatherings to kick off the beginning
of the school year. We would like to
thank the Barbour’s for the grade 5,
Deborah Walden for the grade 7 and
Linda Fishbaugh for the grade 8 socials.
It was nice to see everyone and catch
up after a three-month hiatus.
Grade 8 BBQ to benefi t June Baccalaureate
Where: Berwick Academy
When: Blue & White Weekend...
Saturday, September 26, 11:30-2:00
What: A fabulous BBQ! Your choice
of hamburger, hotdog, veggie burger,
salads, drinks and desserts!! We’ll also
be selling coffee and donuts in the
morning!
Price: $6 per person, additional drinks
are $1 and desserts are $1.
Please support our eighth Graders in
their fundraising efforts!!
There are still several openings
for class reps in the Middle School so if
you would like to be involved and help
with some volunteer opportunities
please contact Andrea Bristol or Joanne
Meyer at malted92@comcast.net or
jomeyer777@aol.com.
UPPER SCHOOL NEWS
As I sit to write this piece, the
sun is shining brightly yet there is a
chill to the air, which for me always
signifi es soccer season. It was great
to see all the students walking across
Fogg Field, fi lling the halls with chatter
and laughter. The parents were not
far behind in the noise category with
a large turnout on the BD porch for
the BAPA Coffee. As you read this, the
Upper School will have already had play
auditions, a Varsity Soccer Jamboree,
school pictures, the sophomore class
trip, Back-to-School Night, curriculum
with the parents and a special trip out
to the Shoals. The junior class will have
started their magazine drive, their one
fundraiser for their Prom in the spring.
The end of September brings
the golf tournament and Blue and
White Week beginning Monday
September 21, and coming to a close
on Saturday September 27, with soccer
games played at home and a barbeque
sponsored by the eighth grade.
Berwick parent GOLFERS WANTED
for the Bulldog Golf Classic, Thursday,
Sept 24 at The Ledges in York, Maine.
This tournament is hosted by the BA
Athletics Boosters and all proceeds
benefi t the BA student athletes and
facilities. This year the Boosters have
pledged funds for the start-up costs
for the Girls Field Hockey Program
and they would like to add more
scoreboards on the playing fi elds for
Softball and Baseball teams.
Golfer registration and Sponsor forms
are on the school website, at
www.berwickacademy.org/athletics
The fi rst US Coffeehouse will
be hosted on Friday, September 25
from 7-10 p.m. This event is a fun time
for our musically talented students
and those who enjoy sitting around
listening to good music and hanging
out with friends. There are snacks
and drinks provided by parents, each
class sponsors one coffee house a year.
The event is always chaperoned by
US faculty, some of whom share their
musical talents with the crowd.
October brings Convocation,
a variety show, a dance and the play.
Please remember to look at the school
calendar and read the US Weekly with
BAPA link. Updates from BAPA and
student activities are listed on this link
and many parents fi nd it helpful.
Enjoy!
Suzanne McFarland,
suzannerye@comcast.net
Mary Pat Dolan
Marypat.dolan@comcast.net
Upper School Coordinators
NEW FAMILY NEWS
10 1791 Letter ~ September 2009

After a summer of emails, it
was great to put faces to names during
the new families coffee morning on
the porch of the Burleigh Davidson
building this first day of school. I know
it’s still early days, but hopefully you
are fi nding your BA groove and getting
into a sustainable routine for the school
year.
If you haven’t already, please take a
good long look at your BA calendar
(hopefully you have the printed
version at home, but the online version
is on the portal). The next month is
packed with events all over campus.
Very little will miss your radar if you
check the school calendar regularly.
Please feel free to email me with any
specifi c questions you have about any
event or if you need another calendar
sent to you.
I’d like to draw your attention to the
BAPA General Meeting on Monday,
Sept 28, at 8.15 a.m., in the Commons
lounge.
Berwick Academy Parents Association
Benefi t Auction. Preliminary plans
are underway for this event, which is
scheduled for Saturday, April 24, 2010,
and we have a host of exciting ideas
this year. As always, we welcome your
support in planning this wonderful
evening. Join us for our fi rst meeting
– a great way to connect with the BA
community - scheduled for Thursday,
September 17 at 8:30 a.m. in the
Commons. At this meeting we will
begin to share our vision for the
evening, and look to fi nd parents who
are excited to join us as we plan this
event. We are looking for help in all
aspects of preparing for the Auction
– marketing, solicitation, advertising,
logistics, decorations and set-up, to
name just a few. We hope to see you
at our fi rst meeting. Coffee and baked
goods will be served! If you have any
questions regarding how you can help,
feel free to contact Jean, Mary or
Lesli.
Jean Jarvis
jean.jarvis1@myfairpoint.net
Lesli Friel
m.friel@comcast.net
Mary Towey
marytowey@comcast.net
Auction Co-Chairs
BAPA COMMUNICATIONS
Thank you to Eliza Peter and
Holly Grimes for all their help with
the August 1791 letter. And a special
thank you to new parents Richard
Fay and Margaret Borkowski for their
willingness and efforts to help!
The 1791 Letter will now be
mailed via email each month. If you
would like to receive a paper copy,
please contact Sondra Farrell sfarrell@
berwickacademy.org.Please remember
to keep checking the portal for the
latest BAPA news and announcements!
Sarah Hebert
hebertsh@comcast.net
BAPA Communications Coordinator
If you are interested in becoming
involved this year with the parent’s
association and volunteering in school
activities, then please try to make
this meeting. Don’t be intimidated by
the idea of BAPA. It’s just a group of
friendly parents who desperately need
your help and welcome your ideas.
Sometimes there’s even coffee! And
muffi ns! BAPA does so much, there is
bound to be an opportunity that suits
your interests and available time. Come
check it out!
Katie Clark
BAPA New Family Coordinator
(207) 384-0019
Kclark_uk@hotmail.com
AUCTION NEWS
With the first week of school complete,
we are looking ahead to many exciting
events that occur on the Berwick
campus. One of these events is the
2009-2010 BAPA BOARD DIRECTORY
PRESIDENT
Jean Jarvis (603) 332-0164 jean.jarvis1@myfairpoint.net
VICE PRESIDENT
Diane Walker (603) 942-5667 DianeWalker@metrocast.net
SECRETARY
Nickie Gaudette (207) 651-3083 fl ysolo@metrocast.net
GENERALTREASURER
Tracy Howe (603) 692-4631 s-t-howe@comcast.net
SCHOOL’S TREASURER
Nancy Noyes (207) 439-8761 nnoyes@comcast.net
LOWER SCHOOL COORDINATORS
Pamela Oberg (603) 742-6630 pamela@hike-nh.com
Beth Tykodi (603) 749-5050 bptykodi@comcast.net
MIDDLE SCHOOL COORDINATORS
Andrea Bristol (207) 439-0880 malted92@comcast.net
Joanne Meyer (603) 964-1331 jomeyer777@aol.com
UPPER SCHOOL COORDINATORS
Suzanne McFarland (603) 436-2994 suzannerye@comcast.net
Mary Pat Dolan (603) 964-1827 mpatdolan@comcast.net
NEW FAMILY COORDINATOR
Katie Clark (207) 384-0019 kclark_uk@hotmail.com
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Sarah Hebert (207) 384-3366 hebertsh@comcast.net
AUCTION COORDINATORS
Jean Jarvis (603) 332-0164 Jean.Jarvis1@myfairpoint.net
Lesli Friel (603) 379-2104 m.friel@comcast.net
Mary Towey (603) 379-2658 marytowey@comcast.net
1791 Letter ~ September 2009
11

STUDENT WELLNESS ADVISAORY TEAM
S.W.A.T.
I am excited to announce a new
Upper School Leadership Program for
the 2009-10 school year. This new
program was developed by Alysa
Morse and Kolbie McCabe, Class of
2009. Alysa and Kolbie approached
me last spring and asked if I would be
willing to supervise their senior project.
These two young women worked
around the clock over the next two
weeks, contacting other independent
school prgorams, researching student
leadership, and designing program
materials. They ended up creating an
awesome new leadership program for
Berwick Academy. Ted Smith and I have
the distinct honor of co-facilitating
S.W.A.T.
The Student Wellness
Advisory Team (S.W.A.T.) is a group of
ten students, consisting of six seniors
and four juniors. It is gender balanced
and was chosen by the freshman class
advisors, Upper School administration,
and a group of ten senior leaders from
the Class of 2009. S.W.A.T.’s primary
goal is to assist the new freshmen in
adjusting to the Upper School culture.
Each S.W.A.T. mentor is assigned seven
or eight freshmen. Simply stated, a
S.W.A.T. mentor is to “be there” for
the freshmen throughout their first
year of Upper School. Their duties
may include assisting a freshman by
simply being kind and saying “hi”, to
making sure they have someone to sit
with at lunch, to helping them with the
typical stress and anxiety during midterm
exams. Nine of the ten S.W.A.T.
mentors accompanied the freshmen
class to Camp Winona the Wednesday
before school started. This trip was an
absolute blast! We couldn’t have asked
for better weather and the S.W.A.T.
mentors “stepped up” in ways that we
never thought possible. They, along
with Sam Winters, the Student Body
President, made this trip very special
not only for the freshmen, but also the
faculty. They made the faculty’s job so
much easier because they did almost
all of the work! More importantly, they
made the trip truly enjoyable for the
freshmen because they got to interact
with them (older peers) instead of
us (the adults.) There were so many
incredible moments on the trip, but
one that I will always remember is
when we realized that we were missing
one of the S.W.A.T. groups during an
evening activity in the Junior Wiggy. I
was assigned to “search and rescue”, e.g
fi nd them. Fortunately, I didn’t have
to look hard or go far. I just traveled
downstairs and found them “holding
court” with their eight freshmen. The
group was laughing histerically when I
opened the door to let them know that
they were a half hour late for the large
group activity.
One S.W.A.T. mentor kindly
volunteered to stay behind to assist
Ms. Onken with the fourteen new
upperclassmen who came to Berwick
this fall.. He, along with other Upper
School student leaders showed the
new students around the campus before
heading to York Beach for some fun in
the sun!
Needless to say, this
new leadership group has
been very busy welcoming
the newest members of
the Berwick community.
But their job doesn’t
stop here. S.W.A.T. has
numerous responsibilities
ahead of them this school
year, including assisting
with various Wellness
activities. But, their
primary responsiblility
this year is simply to “be
there” for the freshmen and new upper
classmen.
I am pleased to introduce the 2009-
10 Student Wellness Advisory Team
(S.W.A.T.):
Chris Atwood
Molly Towey
Eliza Jacobs
Max Werman
Derek Lavigne
Maggie Southerland
Connor Haley
Dylan Martini
Chelsea Vanderlinde
Cristina Salvador
Sincerely,
Cindy Briggs
12 1791 Letter ~ September 2009

Rachel Saliba
In honor of the Lower School’s
fi eld trip to build fairy houses for the
Tour of Fairy Houses in Portsmouth
last week, I have reprinted a story about
fairies written by Berwick Academy
alumna, Elizabeth Lord Chase (Class
of 1841). Her collection of poems,
Gleanings: Girlhood and Womanhood, under
her married name Elizabeth C. Hill, is
considered to be the first published
works by an alumna.
The Adopted of the Fairies
By Elizabeth Lord Chase
Berwick Academy Class of 1841
One bright summer’s morn, a fair
child about three years of age, strayed to the side
of a bubbling fountain in one of the magnifi cent
gardens of the East. And there she stood, her tiny
foot half buried in a bed of blushing fl owers, her
bright blue eye upraised, watching the gorgeous
yet varying tints of the sunbeams which played
over the surface of the clear waters; and eve and
anon laughing merrily at her vain attempts to
catch the feathery spray which fell around like
showers of pearls.
She threw her golden ringlets
carelessly aside as they fl oated in the breeze,
and her eyes sparkled with unwonted delight as
a youthful fairy tripped lightly from the bosom
of a rose, which she had chosen for her bower,
and had there laid concealed to guard her little
favorite from harm. She lifted the child from
the earth and lightly throwing her gossamer
wings around her, seated her in the corolla of a
snowy lily, whose waxen leaves seemed meet to
be the abode of childhood’s purity. After resting
awhile, ‘did the blossoms and leaves, she again
enfolded her youthful protégé and bore her far
away into the regions of fairyland.
The palace of the fairies, called
“Beautiful,” was framed of the most delicate
gems and shells which the depths of the sea
could afford. The roofi ng, inlaid with purest
gold and the fi nest spun glass inwoven with
the colors of the rainbow, formed an exquisite
drapery for these apartments. It was when she
was admiring the palace that the child was
reminded of some verses which she had heard an
elder sister often recite, and she repeated them to
the Queen. They run thus:
“In bowers of odorous amber made,
The sea sprites love to dwell;
The fl oor with mother-of-pearl inlaid,
And gleams of the bright pink shell:
There the sea-fern waves above their heads,
With many a gorgeous gem,
And the glorious things ‘neath the ocean spread
Are known to only them.
“In the mountain cave where diamonds burn,
The fairies’ home is made;
They bathe themselves in the fl o’rets’ urn,
In the still, lone forest shade;
Wherever her spell hath Beauty wove,
The fairy is sure to be;
In the silent cave, in the palmy grove,
In the deep, blue, boundless sea.”
The Queen was so pleased with the child that
1791 Letter ~ September 2009
she resolved to adopt her, and accordingly she
gave her the appellation of “The Fairy of the
Fountain,” because it was there she fi rst had
seen her.
It was “Rosalie,” the queen of fairies,
who had thus captured the little maiden, and
she cherished her with more than a mother’s
love and care. From infancy she had secretly
guarded her with the protection and bestowed
those favors which a fairy only can command.
Need I say she was supremely happy; for
everyone is so who is loving and beloved. She
was taught many and varied accomplishments
and often she would while away the hours by
playing the harp and lute to “Rosalie.”
She would stitch violet leaves together,
To make a fragrant gown;
And wad her cloak to keep her warm,
With fl ying thistle-down.
But the fairies loved their little prize
so swell that they gave her not back again
to Earth; for they deemed her too fragile to
contend with life’s vicissitudes and to dwell
with the cold-hearted ones here below, with no
spirit congenial with her own. So they lived
many years in the palace “Beautiful,” until a
tribe of powerful genii sought to despoil them of
their gardens and drive them from their homes;
then in alarm, spreading their wings for fl ight,
they melted away in to the dim regions of the
clouds.
Reprinted from the student newspaper
“The Berwick Scholar” October 1890,
Volume IV.
13

ARTS NEWS...cont. from pg 8
or would like more information should
contact Ms. Sanders directly.
Fall 2009 Music Festival Auditions
Many of Berwick’s music
students participate in several
auditions and/or festivals each year.
Middle School students in chorus,
band, or orchestra, selected through
a nomination process, perform in the
York County Music Festival. Dedicated
Upper School music students may
choose to audition for the Maine
District I High School Honors Festival,
Jazz All State or Maine All State.
If selected by audition, they would
perform at prestigious music festivals
in large ensembles. Please check the
Berwick online calendar or the Berwick
website for dates and information.
VISUAL ARTS
Arts Center Gallery
Over the past few years we
have exhibited recent alumni art
works in the Arts Center to welcome
our community back to school and to
show what some of our student-artists
are creating in college and beyond.
We welcome any recent alumni who
might have work from art classes, or
work that they have done on their
own to email Ms. Russell at Rrussell@
berwickacademy.org.
Work by Beth Gerreald ‘08, now a
sophomore at RISD is currently on
exhibit in the Arts Center Gallery.
Also on exhibit in the display cases are
pieces by Rachael Powell ‘06, Dianna
Batt ‘08, and Monique Gagne ’09.
Please stop by to view the works by
these accomplished young artists.
THEATER
The Upper School Drama Department
will kick-off the performing arts season
this fall with The Perfect Alibi, a detective
mystery in three acts, by A.A. Milne,
which will be staged on Friday and
Saturday, October 30-31, in Fogg
Memorial. The cast features Henry
Young, Jane Merrow, Nell Simon, James
Davis, Jibran Malek, Breandán Haley,
Cristina Salvador, Molly Mugford, Ian
Wright, Tyler McFarland, and Nate
Winters, with Hannah Sattler and
George Henkel as understudies. The
action of the play takes place in the
drawing room of Arthur Ludgrove,
Heron Place, Sussex, England.
The Perfect Alibi was written in
1928 and hails from the “golden era”
of British murder mysteries. The play,
also known in the U.K. as The Fourth
Wall, was subsequently adapted from
the stage into a movie of the same title.
Howard Haycraft, the well-known
mystery scholar, calls The Perfect Alibi an
“ingenious affair in which the audience
watched both the commission of the
crime and the steps leading up to its
detection,” making it somewhat unusual
as mystery plays go.
Many will recognize the author
as the creator of the beloved children’s
classic, “Winnie-the-Pooh.” Long
before his acclaim as a children’s writer,
Milne achieved literary and artistic
success as a playwright and humorist.
Milne wrote plays, several novels, and
contributed numerous pieces to Punch,
the British humor magazine. The Perfect
Alibi will be staged in the third floor of
Fogg. Curtain time is 7 p.m. for both
performances, Friday and Saturday,
October 30-31.
The King and I, Rodgers and
Hammerstein’s spectacular musical,
based on the story, Anna and the King
of Siam, by Margaret Landon, will be
staged February 26-27 in the Patricia
Baldwin Whipple Arts Center.
Auditions will take place in mid-
November. For further details about
these upcoming shows, please be in
touch with Liz-Anne Platt, Director,
lplatt@berwickacademy.org.
ATHLETICS NEWS...cont. from pg. 7
season with her new horse, 6-year old
American Saddlebred, Revelation’s
Brave Heart. The three categories she
is concentrating on this show season
are Saddlebred Country Hunter,
Junior Exhibiter Hack Horse and
Youth Activity Pleasure Horse. At the
AHAME Spring Classic Horse Show in
May, she finished fi rst in the qualifying
classes and the Championships. Her
next successful endeavor was the Hi
View Horse Show in Cumberland,
Maine where she won the qualifiers
for Youth Activity and Junior Exhibiter
Hack along with the Championships
and fi nishing second in the qualifier
and Reserve Champion for Saddlebred
Country Hunter. Her next show was
the American Saddlebred Association
of Maine show in July in Skowhegan,
Maine. There she placed first in the
qualifi ers for Country Hunter and
Junior Exhibitor Hack with a second
in Youth Activity and winning the
Championships in the fi rst two qualifi ers
and Reserve Championship in Youth
Activity. She looks forward to two
more Maine shows and fi nishing the
season in October at The Exposition
Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Congratulations Melissa!
SEACOAST UNITED JUNIOR ACADEMY
Berwick Academy and Seacoast
United are pleased to announce our
next step in the new partnership with
the expansion of the Club’s highly
regarded Junior Academy Program.
The developmental program for boys
and girls ages 7 and 8 and 9 and10 will
begin in the first week of November in
the Berwick Academy Field House.
TRYOUT DATES: Thursday, October
8 and Wednesday, October 14, 5:30-
7:15 p.m. (Registration begins at 5
p.m.) the start date for the Junior
Academy is Tuesday, November 3
14 1791 Letter ~ September 2009

UPCOMING EVENTS
19th Annual Bulldog Classic
The Athletics Boosters is again
sponsoring this major fundraising event
scheduled for Thursday, September 24
at The Ledges Golf Course with an
8:30 a.m. start. This popular event is
an opportunity to meet new people
and reconnect with old friends. Please
refer to the registration forms included
in this mailing.
Seacoast United Girls Soccer Tournament
Seacoast United will host the
all girls Columbus Day Invitational
on our campus over the weekend of
October 10-12. Berwick Academy
will provide concessions for the teams
and their families. Traditionally, this is
a quiet weekend on the Hilltop, but
we will have 30 teams competing on
Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. This
is yet another step in our ongoing
partnership with Seacoast United in
addition to our summer camps and
winter junior academy.
Team Pictures
N.E.A.T. is scheduled to
photograph fall teams on October 13
at Berwick. Team pictures are $8 and
will be charged on the bookstore bill.
Please have your son or daughter notify
the photographer on picture day if you
are not interested in purchasing a team
photo. The photographs will be used
for the yearbook, website, and keepsake
for the players; if you do not want your
son or daughter to be included in the
picture please advise me.
Upper School Field Trip
There will be no Upper
School practices or games scheduled
for Tuesday, September 22 in the lieu
of an exciting field trip planned for
the Upper School as they travel to
Smuttynose Island to explore the area
of their summer reading “Cold Water
Crossing.”
19TH ANNUAL BULLDOG GOLF CLASSIC
Thursday, September 24, 2009
at the Ledges Golf Club in York, Maine
You are cordially invited to participate in the
19th Annual Bulldog Golf Classic!
The proceeds from our annual golf tournament continue to fund many
improvements to Berwick Academy’s athletic facilities. In the past, proceeds
have benefi ted the athletic fi elds with the addition of scoreboards
and fi eld netting, fencing around the baseball field, dug outs, and the
construction of the girls’ softball field. In addition, our athletic training
staff received an all-terrain gator vehicle to transport injured players from
the playing fi elds and a storage shed was built for equipment storage.
With continued support from generous BA families and alumni, the Athletics
Boosters will be assured funds to update and improve our athletic
facilities.
Date: Thursday, September 24, 2009
Time: 8:30 a.m. Shotgun–Registration/Continental Breakfast
opens at 7 a.m.
Place: The Ledges - York, Maine
Format: Scramble
Fee: $125.00 per person (includes greens fee, cart, tournament gift,
continental breakfast, and luncheon to follow)
Four players per team—singles are welcome and will be placed on a team.
For questions regarding the event, please email Rob Quinn at rquinn@
berwickacademy.org or call 207-384-2164 ext.2800.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Highlights:
Excellent day of golf
Alumni class challenge
Great raffl e prizes!
1791 Letter ~ September 2009
15

Dear Berwick Community,
The return of students and faculty bring a welcome buzz and energy to campus, reinforcing the importance of our work
here in the Development Office. As a new member to the community, the start of the school year has been particularly
exciting for me. My family and I have enjoyed attending athletic contests such as the soccer jamboree and witnessing
the first fi eld hockey game here on the Hilltop in 57 years. I also continue to appreciate the opportunity to learn more
about the community and history of BA through my interactions with parents, faculty, alumni and students. It has indeed
been a great start to the school year.
On the development front, we are busy preparing for the launch of the 2009 - 2010 Annual Fund drive. As you know, the
Annual Fund is Berwick’s yearly fundraising effort that raises unrestricted money for our operating budget. The three major
sources of income for the school are 1) tuition, 2) income from investments, and 3) the Annual Fund, which provides 5%
of our operating income. Like all independent schools, Berwick relies on charitable donations (which are tax-deductible)
to help support operating expenditures including but not limited to academic and athletic programs, new technology and
laptops, energy costs, and financial aid that tuition alone cannot cover. The Annual Fund directly supports our most
important resources – exceptional teachers, talented students, and a campus well-equipped for learning.
The 2009-2010 Annual Fund appeal letters will be sent out in mid-October. In lieu of the Annual Fund, parents of the
class of 2010 will be asked to support an endowed fund in honor of the graduating Class of 2010. Please remember
that participation is paramount to the success of the Annual Fund. Last year, in spite of difficult economic times, 60%
of our parents contributed to the Annual Fund. When we include our senior giving program, over 70% of families made
a charitable gift to Berwick last year! This commitment of support continues to enable the Academy to provide our
students with the quality education for which it has earned its excellent reputation. Thank you again for your support
and generosity.
If you have any questions about the Annual Fund, please do not hesitate to contact me or stop by the 1791 House anytime
you are on campus.
Best,
Jedd Whitlock
Director of Advancement
jwhitlock@berwickacademy.org
16 1791 Letter ~ September 2009