1791 Letter - Berwick Academy
1791 Letter - Berwick Academy
1791 Letter - Berwick Academy
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
F EBRUARY 2010<br />
BERWICK A C A D E M Y<br />
<strong>1791</strong> L e t t e r<br />
<strong>Letter</strong><br />
W I N T E R P E P R A L L Y<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ February 2010<br />
1
MESSAGE F R O M<br />
Greg Schneider<br />
Head of School<br />
ON BEING SMALL…<br />
As we are now a few weeks<br />
removed from the strategic decision<br />
by our Board of Trustees to restructure<br />
our Lower School, I thought it might<br />
be a timely moment for some direct<br />
commentary on school size and what<br />
makes <strong>Berwick</strong> special. One goal of<br />
this missive will be to make sure our<br />
Lower School families, in particular,<br />
have a clear sense of our K-12 vision<br />
moving forward. More broadly and<br />
perhaps more importantly, I want<br />
these thoughts to encapsulate not only<br />
the context of our Lower School but<br />
also some refl ections on the essential<br />
qualities that make the <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
community so special and so strong.<br />
I am looking forward to<br />
speaking with our Lower School<br />
parents in person at our upcoming<br />
Lower School Parent Forum on the<br />
evening of February 18, but I thought<br />
I would address a few concerns I have<br />
heard at this time. First and foremost,<br />
our community should fully grasp the<br />
depth of the Board commitment to our<br />
Lower School philosophically. Separate<br />
from the fact that we have many<br />
trustees with Lower School children<br />
and a Head of School with two young<br />
children, there is no question that the<br />
Lower School represents an essential<br />
aspect of our <strong>Berwick</strong> mission. When<br />
we look at <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> as a<br />
whole, I believe that we are becoming<br />
a beacon of exceptional education<br />
and growth for young people in the<br />
Seacoast area and New England, and<br />
we see that impact having a K-12<br />
spectrum by defi nition. Internally,<br />
our community thrives on the crosspollination<br />
between the students and<br />
adults in all three divisions. There is<br />
a cyclical, connected, family element<br />
to the presence of our Lower School<br />
that provides an incredible grounding<br />
to all that we do here. Our youngest<br />
students offer the perspective and joy<br />
of learning that afford the foundation<br />
the concept of balance that drives our<br />
entire institution.<br />
As we look towards the new<br />
model with fewer sections, concerns<br />
have been heard about whether we<br />
are reducing the program in the<br />
Lower School. This is not true in any<br />
form. Although we will experience<br />
some staffing changes in French and<br />
science, for example, we expect those<br />
programs to be as strong as ever for<br />
our youngest students. In fact, we are<br />
planning to make some additional<br />
investments in the Lower School<br />
next year by expanding the scope of<br />
our successful literacy program as<br />
well as some possible additions to the<br />
math program. Separate from these<br />
programmatic augmentations, the<br />
Board is in the final stages of approving<br />
some upgrades to the physical plant<br />
as we look to improve the entryway<br />
between Kendall and the Commons<br />
for our prospective and current families<br />
alike.<br />
Separate from any thoughts<br />
about the Lower School, I also want to<br />
offer an insight regarding our identity.<br />
In my estimation, being small is one of<br />
the essential qualities of the <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
experience. Beyond our commitment<br />
to small class size characterized by<br />
exceptional teaching catalyzed through<br />
personal attention, being small means<br />
being a personal and intimate culture. It<br />
means that we have a community that<br />
is closely knit, drawing strength in its<br />
inherent flexibility, and being nimble<br />
enough to adapt to certain needs in<br />
ways that allow us to grow stronger.<br />
When I consider our high school,<br />
for example, it is clear that a student<br />
body numbering under 300 allows for<br />
a depth of connection that differs from<br />
an independent high school that houses<br />
over 500 students, of which there are<br />
many in New England. Our model<br />
allows for participation in athletics, arts,<br />
and service in ways that are inspiring<br />
to our students. This is not to suggest<br />
that appropriate growth would not be<br />
exciting for <strong>Berwick</strong> in the long-term.<br />
Certainly as interest in our high school<br />
continues to sky-rocket with extremely<br />
strong candidates, I would fully expect<br />
that our high school will modestly<br />
grow in the coming years, offering<br />
a bit more depth and strength to the<br />
programs that we offer. It may also be<br />
true in five years that our Board decides<br />
to grow the Lower School once again<br />
if the demographics suggest this might<br />
make the school stronger. One key<br />
strategic principle for our community<br />
in these times is a willingness to be<br />
fl exible.<br />
Although it is true that our<br />
kindergarten program has been more<br />
selective than ever this year, people<br />
should not wonder if we plan to bounce<br />
back to multiple sections in the Lower<br />
School very quickly. One critical piece<br />
of the vision for <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong><br />
in the next five years is to build our<br />
selectivity in admissions throughout<br />
the institution. Even as our enrollment<br />
has shrunk in the last two years, we<br />
have become substantially more<br />
2 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~February 2010
BERWICK A C A D E M Y<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong><br />
selective in our admissions process.<br />
This may seem counterintuitive to<br />
some families, particularly those who<br />
might end up on one of our wait lists<br />
in the future. However, we want to be<br />
in a position throughout the school to<br />
admit the finest students in the Seacoast<br />
area– students and families that we are<br />
fully confident are mission appropriate<br />
for <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>. Our admission<br />
process will continue to view this<br />
endeavor in a holistic way: our mission<br />
speaks to the primacy of a whole child<br />
approach, and therefore the admission<br />
offi ce appropriately continues to<br />
consider all of the talents and qualities<br />
a student might offer our school. This<br />
kind of process makes the classroom<br />
experience stronger for every student<br />
and family in the school now and in<br />
the future. Stronger selectivity in our<br />
admissions process over time will lead<br />
to stronger performance from our<br />
students - from the Lower School all<br />
the way to our college results in grade<br />
twelve.<br />
One concern of mine, however,<br />
is that our parents associate the word<br />
selectivity with either elitism or a<br />
decreased valuation of diversity. The<br />
Board of Trustees remains steadfast<br />
in its support of maintaining a strong<br />
commitment to financial aid in the<br />
Lower School and throughout the<br />
institution. The goal is to be able to<br />
admit the absolute strongest applicants<br />
to the institution, regardless of their<br />
ability to pay, whenever possible. At<br />
the same time, as financial aid continues<br />
to grow within our budget, I am also<br />
committed to ensuring that our financial<br />
aid program is supporting students<br />
who are truly mission appropriate.<br />
This commitment is important for all<br />
families at the school, whether or not<br />
they currently receive fi nancial aid.<br />
In many ways, I feel our culture<br />
is obsessed with the notion of growth<br />
in general. Growth is good for the<br />
economy, good for business, good for<br />
towns and communities. I am here to<br />
say that I believe our quest for quality<br />
– our quest for excellence at <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
– has to trump any quest for growth in<br />
the abstract. Having said that, I know<br />
that moderate, strategic, measured<br />
growth will help make our community<br />
stronger over time. Our decision to<br />
become smaller in our Lower School<br />
will clearly make us stronger in the<br />
short term. John F. Kennedy once said,<br />
“Change is the law of life. And those<br />
who look only to the past or present<br />
are certain to miss the future.” While<br />
I fully recognize that change always<br />
creates an amount of uncertainty and<br />
anxiety, I also know that courageous<br />
leadership embraces change with open<br />
arms. When decisions are based on<br />
data, reason, strategy, and the collective<br />
wisdom of a highly intelligent group of<br />
trustees, we should move forward with<br />
reassurance and confi dence.<br />
I will close by saying that all<br />
great things in education are about<br />
balance – the central core value of<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>. School size is simply<br />
another one of these issues that requires<br />
thought and judgment. Fundamentally,<br />
however, we should all draw great<br />
strength from the established intimacy<br />
of our community. Many elements<br />
of this place remain extraordinarily<br />
expansive: our physical campus, the<br />
talents of our students, the breadth<br />
of our programs, and our ambitious<br />
mission all come to mind. But at the<br />
core of this experience is an intimacy<br />
and closeness that allows another<br />
central core value, a community of<br />
excellence, to continue blossoming<br />
towards its full potential for each and<br />
every student on this campus.<br />
I am deeply grateful to our<br />
parents and families during this period<br />
of transition, and my door is always<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ February 2010<br />
open to those who might require any<br />
further conversations.<br />
Incredible Achievements<br />
Senior Sam Winters was<br />
recently nominated for a prestigious<br />
Presidential Scholar Award. He now<br />
moves forward in the multiple layers of<br />
this application process. Recently, Lee<br />
Tsairis recorded save number 3,000 as<br />
the goalie for the <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong><br />
Varsity Girls Hockey team. Her talents<br />
as a goalie are only surpassed by her<br />
qualities as a person. We honored Lee’s<br />
achievements at a recent assembly.<br />
Haiti Response<br />
Although more information<br />
will be forthcoming from our<br />
communications office, the <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
community was inspirational in its<br />
response to the tragedy in Haiti. All<br />
three divisions participated, and I want<br />
to thank our parents for their collective<br />
role in supporting these initiatives.<br />
Pep Rally<br />
I would like to thank our<br />
seniors, our faculty, and our parents for<br />
their vision and flexibility as we created<br />
a new model for our Pep Rally that was<br />
characterized by unparalleled school<br />
spirit. It feels as if the energy from<br />
this event has translated into higher<br />
attendance recently from students at<br />
athletic events, which has been great<br />
to see. Although we need to make<br />
some adjustments to the logistical<br />
details next year – particularly in the<br />
Lower School – we are excited about<br />
the future of this event.<br />
Re-enrollment<br />
In a year when we are<br />
experiencing unprecedented<br />
admissions interest and demand for<br />
fi nancial aid in certain grades, it will<br />
continued on pg. 11...<br />
3
Peter Saliba - Upper School Director<br />
Upper School News<br />
A few weeks ago, I had the<br />
opportunity to tell our students about<br />
the shift to trimesters for the next<br />
academic year. I know that the vast<br />
majority of students are enthusiastic<br />
for a variety of reasons. First on the list<br />
is moving to one formal exam period,<br />
followed closely by the possibility of<br />
enrolling in more electives, and finally<br />
there is change to the stress levels<br />
between Thanksgiving and holiday<br />
breaks. Whatever the reason, students<br />
appear to have embraced the news of<br />
this change. These are all good reasons<br />
to be excited and they represent<br />
tangible improvements in the lives of<br />
our students, which was the impetus<br />
for this shift. However, what I am most<br />
excited about is the fact that we (the<br />
<strong>Academy</strong>) completed this process.<br />
From my vantage point, I<br />
hear about two or three really good<br />
ideas every week from either students<br />
or faculty. The range of these ideas<br />
is pretty dramatic. Sometimes, it is<br />
about a menu item for the Pit Stop, a<br />
potential assembly, or a new course in<br />
our language department. Honestly,<br />
the majority of these ideas are viable,<br />
but very few actually come to fruition.<br />
This happens for two primary reasons.<br />
First and foremost, most ideas fade<br />
because their advocates lose enthusiasm<br />
and/or interest. Individuals become<br />
discouraged by obstacles or distracted<br />
by their routines or other factors in<br />
their lives. The second reason has to<br />
do with timing. Sometimes the timing<br />
is just not right for a new idea either for<br />
philosophical or logistical reasons. A<br />
great example of this is a recent student<br />
proposal for an assembly to celebrate<br />
the holiday season. A good idea, but<br />
not when it is suggested a week before<br />
the end of the semester. These two<br />
impediments (loss of momentum and<br />
timing) probably act as safety valves,<br />
for I would assert that our lives as<br />
educators, parents, and students would<br />
become very complicated if we were<br />
constantly jumping at every new idea<br />
that came into our lives.<br />
This move to trimesters,<br />
however, is an idea that just would not<br />
go away. Upper School faculty have<br />
been talking about transitioning to<br />
this model for many years (more than<br />
fi ve) and it finally came to fruition<br />
through the collective efforts of all<br />
three divisions. I have spent some<br />
time trying to figure out why now, and<br />
I have landed squarely on the fact that<br />
the timing was perfect. Simply stated,<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> is ready for this change.<br />
This time around, the Upper<br />
School reached a tipping point (yes,<br />
that is borrowed from Malcolm<br />
Gladwell!) where factors produced a<br />
nearly unanimous vote for this new<br />
system. How we got to this point is<br />
the subject of great speculation. Is<br />
it related to faculty, our students or<br />
perhaps the lack of snow? A colleague<br />
of mine even told me that it might have<br />
to do with Scott Brown’s campaign in<br />
Massachusetts. I’m not quite ready to<br />
chalk it up to our political process, nor<br />
can I possibly identify all the possible<br />
factors. What I do know is that the<br />
timing was perfect, and this has made<br />
the Upper School an exciting place to<br />
be!<br />
FAN, FOLLOW<br />
CONNECT!<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> is on Facebook!<br />
Become a fan to see daily updates,<br />
photos, videos, and more.<br />
www.facebook.com/<br />
berwickacademy<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> is using<br />
Twitter! Create a profi le and<br />
choose to “follow” <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
<strong>Academy</strong>. Opt to receive updates<br />
via phone and you will receive a<br />
text message every time we post<br />
something new!<br />
www.twitter.com/<br />
berwickacademy<br />
Connect, reconnect, and<br />
engage with <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong><br />
alumni, parents, and friends.<br />
www.linkedin.com<br />
Search for <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong><br />
under Groups<br />
4 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~February 2010
Rosemary Zurawel - Middle School Director<br />
Middle School News<br />
The recent death of J. D.<br />
Salinger brought back memories from<br />
my rebellious youth of wanting to<br />
read “The Catcher in the Rye” simply<br />
because it was banned. I am afraid to<br />
admit, I have delicious memories of my<br />
hometown library where, for months I<br />
was able to get away with taking out<br />
books reserved for adults by “helping”<br />
the librarian and opening the book for<br />
stamping without allowing her to see<br />
the color code on the spine. When I<br />
was caught trying to pass as an adult,<br />
I did not feel shame, only anger. I<br />
longed for a fight to earn my right to<br />
read.<br />
We adults try to protect<br />
our children and young teens from<br />
all manners of perceived evil in the<br />
world. Most of the time, we are<br />
successful and in agreement. We fi lter<br />
out pornographic websites. We set<br />
reasonable bedtimes, and we work hard<br />
to keep them safe from the realities of<br />
an adult world as long as possible.<br />
Books present an interesting<br />
dilemma, for it is impossible to have<br />
complete knowledge of all printed or<br />
electronic materials. Instead, we rely<br />
upon other professionals to vet the<br />
books for us. The American Library<br />
Association has identified Salinger’s<br />
book as one that has weathered the<br />
storms of banning movements since<br />
its publication, along with “The Great<br />
Gatsby,” “The Grapes of Wrath,” “To<br />
Kill a Mockingbird,” and “The Color<br />
Purple.” How interesting it is to think<br />
that a <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> graduate will<br />
likely have read all of these before<br />
graduation. How then, does an<br />
educational institution decide which<br />
books to introduce to say, eighth<br />
graders, and which to save for later?<br />
The answer is that we are committed<br />
to guiding students in the reading of<br />
fi ne literature that will challenge the<br />
mind of the reader. It is not that a<br />
teacher selects a book with salacious<br />
content, but, that he or she selects a<br />
book whose ideas force the reader to<br />
examine his own life through the lens<br />
of the characters in the story. One<br />
acquires a worldview through reading<br />
about the experiences of others.<br />
At times, we adults are moved<br />
to pick up a book that may hold only<br />
slim interest for us, but that we think<br />
might be “good” for us. The text may<br />
be dense, the introduction may be<br />
lengthy, but upon perseverance, there<br />
comes that moment of satisfaction<br />
when we close the book at its final<br />
page and think about how our ideas<br />
have been challenged by what we read.<br />
My personal thrill is when I come<br />
across a word that propels me to my<br />
dictionary. In December, that word<br />
was ‘incunabula.’ Last weekend, I came<br />
across it again in the New York Times,<br />
and felt a surge of excitement. For our<br />
children, instilling the joy of satisfying<br />
a moment of curiosity might take them<br />
to ideas they have not yet tested on the<br />
trusted adults in their lives. My hope<br />
is that we can invite the discussion<br />
of morals, ethics, and social mores<br />
through the reading of books that push<br />
our children a little further out into<br />
the world. By that, I mean examining<br />
the values of other religions, looking<br />
at different political perspectives, and<br />
even examining history through a new<br />
lens.<br />
This month, Education Update<br />
(a publication by the Association<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ February 2010<br />
of Supervision and Curriculum<br />
Development) offered one of the best<br />
rationales I have seen for promoting the<br />
intellectual freedom of students. “When<br />
we model the belief that education is a<br />
process for learning about truth- which<br />
means considering all kinds of ideas,<br />
and not indoctrination- I think we reap<br />
the benefit with students who are true<br />
thinkers and who are going to be better<br />
citizens in the long run (Deborah<br />
Caldwell-Stone).”<br />
Educators’ first job is not to<br />
foment insurrections, but to encourage<br />
a full examination of ideas. Curbing<br />
those by limiting access to literature<br />
tends more often to fuel the curiosity<br />
and to encourage a natural push back.<br />
At times in my teaching career, I have<br />
encountered students who have said,<br />
“Oh, I read that book when I was eight.”<br />
The challenge of every teacher at such<br />
moments is to see whether she might<br />
nurture a new view of the character<br />
or theme. Surely, I protested when<br />
forced to read Ethan Frome as a ninthgrade<br />
student. I hated that book most<br />
thoroughly. Thirty years later, I reread<br />
it and felt my heart rent in two by<br />
the story. That sent me chasing after<br />
Gatsby, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll, and<br />
Mr. Rochester. What more had been<br />
woven into those men that I had missed<br />
at the age when I “knew everything?”<br />
The selection of books for our students<br />
is purposeful and deliberate. Our<br />
teachers and librarians will guide and<br />
redirect with the commitment to spark<br />
a new view or understanding. In the<br />
years ahead, I wish each of you the joy<br />
of having your adult child hand you a<br />
book, and say, “I thought you might like<br />
this. I found it changed my thinking.”<br />
5
Joel Hawes - Lower School Director<br />
Lower School News<br />
With all due respect to our<br />
varied Lower School programs, the<br />
point that brings me greatest divisional<br />
pride is our yearly consistency with<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> mission and philosophy. With<br />
our tight focus on elementary-level<br />
student needs, we promote a powerful<br />
blend of social, emotional and cognitive<br />
growth. Whether we experience real or<br />
perceived change in the years to come,<br />
this consistent focus on Lower School<br />
student-centered values remains my<br />
greatest commitment and promise to<br />
our community of parents, faculty/staff,<br />
and of course, children. As potentially<br />
challenging as recently circulated<br />
messages and information have been,<br />
the Lower School’s status remains<br />
bright on the Hilltop; I am excited<br />
about leading our division into a future<br />
based squarely on superior learning<br />
experiences across the curriculum.<br />
I am writing my <strong>1791</strong> entry<br />
approximately one week before our<br />
Lower School Forum. As you know,<br />
we moved the Forum’s date forward<br />
to February 18, to allow for greater<br />
refl ection on issues surrounding the<br />
future of the Lower School. The past<br />
weeks have involved the continuation<br />
of another productive semester, while<br />
also turning our thoughts to next year.<br />
At the Forum, I look forward to the<br />
presentation of information explaining<br />
how the French and science schedules<br />
will continue next year without<br />
deviation from our current structure. I<br />
will also explain how we will maintain<br />
quality instruction and learning in<br />
these two critical content areas.<br />
We will also focus on aftercare.<br />
While the faculty has done an amazing<br />
job with the aftercare program this<br />
year, we intend to hire a regular<br />
aftercare coordinator for next year. As<br />
an added afterschool component, we<br />
are working on an Innovation Program<br />
where students will receive Lower<br />
School supervision while working on<br />
special projects of their choosing and<br />
design.<br />
We will maintain our strong<br />
literacy program next year; in fact, we<br />
are looking at areas where we might<br />
increase levels of literacy instruction.<br />
Likewise, we are working on a schedule<br />
that will allow daily hour-long math<br />
classes in grades one through four<br />
and daily regular and fl exible math<br />
experiences at the kindergarten level.<br />
Whether it is literacy, math or other<br />
content areas, we hope to increase our<br />
efforts and commitment to instructional<br />
differentiation across the curriculum.<br />
As in the past, the sense of<br />
Lower School community remains<br />
one of our greatest strengths—in<br />
the classroom, at recess, and during<br />
afterschool and weekend events.<br />
Regardless of faculty number and<br />
aftercare coverage, we have not, and<br />
will not sacrifice community-oriented<br />
experiences because of the important<br />
social connections made by our<br />
students and families at these events.<br />
Recently, I held an optional Lower<br />
School faculty meeting with the<br />
intention of addressing both current<br />
issues and goals in our division. I was so<br />
pleased with the high level of positive<br />
energy, kindness and support expressed<br />
by all as we discussed, brainstormed<br />
and considered various Lower School<br />
program needs. In closing, I expressed<br />
my sincere gratitude to the Lower<br />
School faculty for the important role<br />
models and leaders they had become<br />
in the face of Lower School structural<br />
moves.<br />
Midway through my seventh<br />
year as Lower School Director, I<br />
continue to be humbled by that same<br />
sense of commitment and passion within<br />
our entire Lower School community.<br />
From Board of Trustee oversight, to<br />
administrative leadership, to faculty<br />
and staff program implementation,<br />
to parent involvement and support,<br />
I thrive on Lower School energy. I<br />
value everyone’s support in using our<br />
calculated changes for the greatest good<br />
of our students. We have a productive<br />
remainder of the school year ahead as<br />
we maintain current momentum, while<br />
preparing for the future.<br />
6 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~February 2010
Rob Quinn - Athletic Director<br />
Athletics News<br />
THE ROLE OF PARENTS IN ATHLETICS<br />
I recently attended a coaching<br />
conference that featured a guest<br />
speaker named Bruce Brown. Bruce is<br />
the Director of Proactive Coaching and<br />
speaks around the country to athletes,<br />
coaches, parents and businesses on the<br />
subject of character-based coaching<br />
and teamwork. He has worked for over<br />
35 years as a teacher, coach and athletic<br />
administrator at the junior high, high<br />
school, junior college, and college<br />
levels. Coach Brown had an interesting<br />
and insightful talk about “The Role<br />
of Parents in Athletics” and I wanted<br />
to share some of his thoughts: The<br />
involvement of parents in the athletic<br />
experience of their children is a given.<br />
Without question, all parents should<br />
be part of this area of their children’s<br />
growth. Their involvement affects their<br />
own child, the coach, the rest of the<br />
team, the other parents and the officials.<br />
How they choose to be involved is a<br />
choice they have. When parents stop<br />
and analyze the athletic experience<br />
for their children, the reason they<br />
want their kid to play sports involves<br />
providing an opportunity to develop<br />
physically and emotionally, and for<br />
the enjoyment. The side benefits of<br />
playing sports include: learning how to<br />
work with and get along with others;<br />
learning how to take good risks in a<br />
public arena and survive; learning to<br />
set and achieve goals by developing<br />
positive work habits; learning how<br />
to succeed and fail with dignity; and,<br />
developing friendships outside the<br />
family unit that can last for a lifetime.<br />
Even today, most parents mean well,<br />
but many may not be aware of how they<br />
can meaningfully help the athlete reach<br />
their goals and improve performance.<br />
If handled correctly, with both parent<br />
and coach working together for the<br />
benefi t of the athlete, the athletic<br />
experience can provide a tremendous<br />
positive development encounter for the<br />
participants. In order to ensure that the<br />
athletic experience is, indeed, positive,<br />
everyone in the process (coaches and<br />
parents alike) must always remember<br />
that the kids need to come fi rst.<br />
Parents Role:<br />
• Attend as many games as<br />
possible.<br />
• Do everything possible to make the<br />
athletic experience positive for your<br />
child and others.<br />
• View the game with team goals in<br />
mind.<br />
• Attempt to relieve competitive<br />
pressure, not increase it.<br />
• Encourage multiple-sport<br />
participation.<br />
• Release your children to the coach<br />
and the team.<br />
• Look upon opponents as friends<br />
involved in the same experience.<br />
• Accept the judgment of the offi cials<br />
and coaches; remain in control.<br />
• Accept the results of each game; do<br />
not make excuses.<br />
• Demonstrate winning and losing<br />
with dignity.<br />
• Dignify mistakes made by athletes<br />
who are giving their best effort and<br />
concentration.<br />
• Be an encourager – encourage<br />
athletes to keep their perspective in<br />
both victory and defeat.<br />
• Be a good listener.<br />
• Accept the goals, roles and<br />
achievements of your child.<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ February 2010<br />
Winter Sports<br />
Of all the sports seasons<br />
(because of semester exams, the long<br />
winter break, Martin Luther King<br />
weekend, Presidents weekend, late<br />
away games, and seasonal illness)<br />
the winter is the most demanding<br />
and disjointed season of all. Players<br />
and coaches find it diffi cult to get<br />
into a consistent rhythm. Weather<br />
has been the cause of more disarray<br />
in the programs, with cancellations,<br />
postponements and schedule changes.<br />
The Athletic Department appreciates<br />
the sacrifices and conviction of players,<br />
families, coaches and athletic trainers<br />
during this long season.<br />
Members of the Swim Team Qualify for New<br />
England Championships<br />
Six members of the <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
<strong>Academy</strong> Swim Team are heading to<br />
the New England Prep School Athletic<br />
Association Swimming and Diving<br />
Championships on March 6 and 7 at<br />
Hotchkiss School. Senior Sam Winters,<br />
junior Andrew Briggs, and freshman<br />
James Davis have all qualified on the<br />
boys’ side; and, junior Allee Lizama,<br />
sophomore Caroline Seekins, and<br />
freshman Kelsey Hayden have qualifi ed<br />
on the girls’ side for this annual event.<br />
Congratulations to these athletes, and<br />
to Coach Priester and Coach Hoyt!<br />
Off the Hilltop<br />
Junior Jordan Sanford<br />
competed in halfpipe on Thursday<br />
January 14 and placed second.<br />
The U.S. Snowboarding Revolution<br />
Tour is the top junior event tour in the<br />
country. The event brings together<br />
athletes from across the country to<br />
identify the top juniors. Halfpipe and<br />
continued on pg. 11...<br />
7
you gotta have Arts<br />
Deloris White - Fine Arts Director<br />
Arts News<br />
VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS<br />
The Becky Davie Grant for the Arts<br />
This opportunity is open to<br />
students in kindergarten through grade<br />
12 who are interested in pursuing a<br />
project in the visual or performing<br />
arts that will result in a presentation,<br />
performance or exhibit at <strong>Berwick</strong>. The<br />
fi nal project or presentation should<br />
illustrate a sense of joy or enhance<br />
the school. The final product may be<br />
completed by one <strong>Berwick</strong> student or<br />
more than one, working as a team as<br />
described in the proposal.<br />
Interested students must<br />
complete a written proposal that<br />
will be reviewed by the committee<br />
representing the visual and performing<br />
arts. Final candidates will then meet<br />
with the committee for an interview.<br />
One individual will be selected to<br />
pursue their project and will receive<br />
funding of up to $200 - $300. However,<br />
in any given year, if the funds allow,<br />
the grant may provide funding for two<br />
people based on the estimated costs.<br />
This program is funded by Becky’s<br />
family as a living tribute to her life and<br />
love of the arts. Please contact Deloris<br />
White for an application at dewhite@<br />
berwickacademy.org.<br />
Winterfest 2010<br />
Twenty-two students<br />
representing all three divisions as<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> graced the stage on<br />
Friday, January 22, making their own<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> history. Performing as soloists,<br />
in duets, or ensembles, students from<br />
grades one to twelve danced, sang<br />
or played an instrument, sharing<br />
their passion for the performing<br />
arts. The evening performance was<br />
the culmination of many months of<br />
practice, anticipation and excitement<br />
for the student performers. The theater<br />
was fi lled with a responsive audience,<br />
acknowledging each performer with<br />
exuberant applause. Through their<br />
performances, our performing artists<br />
evoked many emotions illustrating<br />
the human experience. It was not<br />
only a wonderful event, showcasing<br />
our students, but also an evening of<br />
mentoring or modeling by all students.<br />
Thank you and congratulations to one<br />
and all.<br />
Winterfest Art Exhibit<br />
The Winterfest 2010 Art<br />
Exhibit includes work by students<br />
in grade three through twelve.<br />
This exhibit will remain on display<br />
throughout the month of February<br />
in the Patricia Baldwin Whipple Arts<br />
Center lobby gallery. Please stop by<br />
and enjoy this thought- provoking<br />
show.<br />
DRAMA<br />
Upper School Winter Musical<br />
The King and I will run Friday<br />
and Saturday, February 26 and 27,<br />
at <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>. More than<br />
one hundred members of the school<br />
community, including students, faculty<br />
and staff from all three divisions have<br />
been hard at work on stage, in the<br />
orchestra, and behind the scenes, since<br />
late November to stage this spectacular<br />
Rodgers and Hammerstein classic.<br />
The cast is led by Jo Fletcher as<br />
Anna Leonowens; Frederick Diengott,<br />
as the King, Cristina Salvador as<br />
Lady Thiang, Tyler McFarland as the<br />
Kralahome, Elizabeth Hopkins as<br />
Tuptim, Connor Haley as Lun Tha,<br />
Henry Young as Prince Chululongkorn,<br />
Austin Fishbaugh, as Louis Leonowens,<br />
Nate Winters as Sir Edward Ramsay,<br />
Jane Merrow as Eliza, and Breandàn<br />
Haley as Captain Orton.<br />
This classic tale of East meets<br />
West is under the artistic direction of<br />
Liz-Anne Platt, with music direction<br />
from Brenda LaForce, and assistant<br />
music director Seth Hurd ’90. Terry<br />
Minihan directs the Lower School<br />
Ensemble. Fellow faculty members<br />
Raegan Russell, Polly Davie, Sasha<br />
Randall and Brad Fletcher have<br />
assembled a large technical staff to meet<br />
the myriad challenges of designing<br />
and constructing the elaborate<br />
scenery, costumes, lighting and props<br />
required for this production. Seniors<br />
Jim Maddock and Chelsea Johnson<br />
will design and supervise lighting and<br />
make-up, respectively. Sasha Randall is<br />
also joined by her colleague, Christine<br />
Bessette, as they choreograph the many<br />
dances, including the “Small House of<br />
Uncle Thomas Ballet,” inspired by the<br />
original Broadway staging, but with a<br />
unique and fresh BA interpretation.<br />
“I Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Getting to<br />
Know You,” “Something Wonderful,”<br />
“Hello, Young Lovers,” “I Have<br />
Dreamed,” and “Shall We Dance,” are<br />
but a few of the musical numbers from<br />
this beloved classic of the American<br />
Musical stage. Tickets for The King and<br />
I are still available and may be ordered<br />
by calling Louise Rouleau, Registrar, at<br />
207-384-2164, ext. 2500. Curtain time<br />
continued on pg 14...<br />
8 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~February 2010
BAPA Notes - from the BAPA Board Members<br />
Parents Association News<br />
PRESIDENT’S NOTES<br />
The BAPA offi ce is starting<br />
to receive donations for this year’s<br />
Community Benefit, scheduled to take<br />
place on April 24, 2010. Our theme<br />
this year is Community. We want this<br />
auction to celebrate the community<br />
that is <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> and also<br />
celebrate the communities that help us<br />
every year by supporting this wonderful<br />
event. The annual auction is BAPA’s sole<br />
source of funding for over 50 studentenrichment<br />
and social activities. BAPA<br />
also provides support to community<br />
building with contributions to faculty<br />
and staff appreciation, parent socials,<br />
campus historical preservation and<br />
fi nancial aid. This year is the first year<br />
we have taken the event off campus. So,<br />
be sure to be a part of this terrific party<br />
with great company, fi ne food and a<br />
warm and entertaining atmosphere.<br />
There will be items of every description<br />
on which to bid including a green<br />
section with many environmentally<br />
friendly offerings. In addition to the<br />
live event, BAPA will host an online<br />
auction which will open for bidding<br />
the last week March. Check it out at<br />
www.bapaauction.cmarket.com, tell<br />
your friends and family and place it<br />
on your Favorites list! There are also<br />
volunteer opportunities still available if<br />
you would like to join us. The more<br />
the merrier!<br />
Head of School Lunch<br />
Our thanks to the class<br />
representatives who attended the<br />
January luncheon. It was a great<br />
morning with our division directors<br />
discussing the topics for the forums.<br />
Thanks to Diane Walker for organizing<br />
a wonderful lunch at which Jennifer<br />
Brewer received a check for $3500 for<br />
the Katz Lower School Library. Thanks<br />
so much to Pamela Oberg and Beth<br />
Tykodi, our Book Fair Co-chairs who<br />
made it all happen. Congratulations!<br />
Lost and Found Clean-Out<br />
Please check the Lost and<br />
Found in the Commons, lower level,<br />
for items your children may have lost.<br />
Since organizing it I am amazed at<br />
the items left by our children. Spyder<br />
ski coats, Ugg boots, and North Face<br />
fl eeces are just some of the items I have<br />
found. I will clean out the clothes and<br />
bring them to a local charity on March<br />
4, so please claim your belongings<br />
before this date.<br />
BAPA Coffee on March 29 in Commons<br />
Dining Room at 8:15 a.m.<br />
Please join us for a BAPA<br />
Coffee at 8:15 in the Commons Dining<br />
Room. Catch up with friends after<br />
the break and hear updates from each<br />
division. Class rep meetings to follow<br />
with locations to be announced. We<br />
look forward to seeing you.<br />
BAPA Board Openings for 2010-2011<br />
The BAPA Board is looking<br />
ahead to next year! If you are<br />
interested in getting involved in the<br />
BAPA leadership, and would like to be<br />
considered for a position, please submit<br />
your name along with the position(s)<br />
you are interested in, to my attention,<br />
via e-mail or letter (mail to the<br />
<strong>Academy</strong>, Attention BAPA), by March<br />
1, 2010. The openings for next year<br />
are: one Middle School Coordinator,<br />
one Upper School Coordinator, and<br />
Auction Chair(s). Like to learn more?<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ February 2010<br />
Check out the job descriptions in the<br />
Downloads section of the portal or<br />
contact me and I’ll put you in touch with<br />
the person currently in the position in<br />
which you are interested.<br />
Jean Jarvis<br />
Jean.jarvis1@myfairpoint.net<br />
BAPA President<br />
January 31, 2010<br />
Income:<br />
TREASURER’S REPORT<br />
$264.23 : Net LS Book Fair and<br />
Bake Sale income this month (More<br />
expenses have yet to be booked.)<br />
($252.84) Net US MagazineSale<br />
(Upper School Prom) this month<br />
$193.80 : William Arthur card sale<br />
Total BAPA Income<br />
12/31/09– 1/31/10 $205.19<br />
BAPA Expenses:<br />
Middle School<br />
$165 : Social at Dover Bowl for grades<br />
5 and 6<br />
$524.40 : Winter Social for grades 7<br />
and 8, music, pizza and snacks<br />
$1800: Grade 8 team building,<br />
American Youth Foundation Camp<br />
Total MS $2489.40<br />
Upper School<br />
$137.43 : Clubs/Extracurricular<br />
– Lassiter buddy care packages<br />
$140.09 : Clubs/Extracurricular<br />
– Advisory Cranium competition<br />
continued...<br />
9
$198.91 Clubs/Extracurricular<br />
– Literary magazine<br />
$15.98: Clubs/Extracurricular<br />
– Midterm exam snacks<br />
$65.65: Socials and Dances – October<br />
dance food and supplies<br />
$23.98: Socials and Dances – DJ for<br />
Valentine’s Day dance<br />
$99.14: Winter semiformal – Lindt<br />
chocolates<br />
Total US $907.20<br />
Total BAPA Expenses<br />
12/31/09– 1/31/10 $3396.60<br />
Net BAPA Expenses 12/31/09<br />
– 1/31/10 $3191.41<br />
Nancy Noyes<br />
nnoyes@comcast.net<br />
Schools Treasurer<br />
UPPER SCHOOL NEWS<br />
February is a busy and<br />
demanding month for our US students.<br />
Sports are in full swing, the play is<br />
counting down the days to the final<br />
performance and papers, exams and<br />
project deadlines are in full gear before<br />
our March break.<br />
This past month, US BAPA<br />
parents have supported an Advisory<br />
Cranium Competition, the DJ and<br />
decorations for the Valentines Dance<br />
and a hypnotist performance. There<br />
are some funny stories coming from the<br />
latter. Ask your child about some of the<br />
student performances under hypnosis.<br />
Thank you to those parents<br />
who participated in Language Day.<br />
Tthis year was a great success and<br />
the breakfast was delicious. Mark<br />
your calendars for next year for all<br />
those parents who did not have the<br />
opportunity to participate this year.<br />
It is an easy and convenient way to<br />
participate right before work.<br />
IMPORTANT Please consider<br />
joining us for a BAPA meeting designed<br />
for busy US parents with agenda topics<br />
and discussion focused specifi cally on<br />
your requests for information. We<br />
have scheduled the meeting at 6 p.m.<br />
in the Pit/Café before the US Forum<br />
on Tuesday February 23. Food and a<br />
tour of the Fogg improvements that<br />
you voted for over the last two years<br />
included.<br />
And lastly, thanks to all who<br />
supported the library’s Cookie Day on<br />
February 9.<br />
Warm Regards,<br />
Suzanne McFarland<br />
suzannerye@comcast.net<br />
Mary Pat Dolan<br />
Marypat.dolan@comcast.net<br />
Upper School Coordinators<br />
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS<br />
What fun it was to see our<br />
Middle Schoolers dress up in different<br />
themes during Blue and White Week.<br />
Capped off by a Pep Rally and basketball<br />
games, we showed our true school<br />
spirit! Then on the following week<br />
our children and some parents went<br />
to Gunstock and partook in tubing,<br />
snowboarding and skiing. We actually<br />
had the whole tubing mountain to<br />
ourselves for 4 hours! What a nice way<br />
to spend some time with our friends<br />
outside the classroom.<br />
We hope you were able to<br />
attend the Middle School Parent<br />
Wine & Cheese Reception and Forum<br />
on Tuesday, February 9. Thank you<br />
to Dr. Rosemary Zurawel and Greg<br />
Schneider for meeting with our parents<br />
and discussing some important topics.<br />
These forums offer our parents a chance<br />
to provide valuable feedback and input<br />
regarding the successes and challenges<br />
of the Middle School.<br />
The Library hosted a “We Love<br />
You Cookie Day” On February 9. The<br />
students were able to enjoy books and<br />
cookies all in the same space. Speaking<br />
of cookies, we had a Valentine’s Day<br />
party for fi fth graders on February 11!<br />
They enjoyed cookies and other special<br />
treats for the day.<br />
February 12 - 15 gave us a<br />
long weekend to recover from all the<br />
festivities that February brought our<br />
way. Fifth grade parents don’t forget<br />
to mark your calendar for February 18.<br />
We look forward to hearing about the<br />
biographical presentations our children<br />
have chosen and see the creativity of<br />
their performances.<br />
Support our Upper School and<br />
see the production of “The King and I”<br />
on February 26 and 27. Our children<br />
always provide us with enjoyment<br />
through their entertainment and<br />
performances.<br />
The Auction is fast approaching.<br />
Volunteers are still needed to coordinate<br />
the Middle School class gifts this year.<br />
This is a simple and fun project and a<br />
great opportunity to work with your<br />
child and his/her classmates. Class<br />
gifts have already been purchased, they<br />
now need to be spruced up! If you are<br />
interested in coordinating this portion<br />
of the Auction, please contact Andrea<br />
(malted92@comcast.net ) or Joanne<br />
(jomeyer777@aol.com ).<br />
LOWER SCHOOL NEWS<br />
A big thank you to all of the<br />
volunteers who helped make this year’s<br />
Pizza Bingo night a huge success!<br />
Everyone enjoyed the wonderful<br />
salads, desserts, water, and of course,<br />
the pizza!<br />
The date for the Lower School<br />
skating party will be moving. We have<br />
decided to go ice skating this year<br />
and cannot get ice time until after the<br />
end of the hockey season. Please stay<br />
tuned to the Lower School weekly for<br />
the new date announcement.<br />
10 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~February 2010
We will be meeting with<br />
Mrs. Issak in mid-February to discuss<br />
the costumes for the Lower School<br />
Production. More information will be<br />
available shortly.<br />
Beth Tykodi bptykodi@comcast.net<br />
Lower School Coordinator<br />
AUCTION NEWS<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> Parents Association<br />
Community Benefi t<br />
As you know, the Auction<br />
information packets were sent this<br />
week. Enclosed you will fi nd many<br />
relevant pieces of information<br />
regarding the event that will take place<br />
on April 24, 2010, at the Red Barn at<br />
the Links at Outlook. We hope you<br />
will consider contributing to this<br />
exciting event – most importantly<br />
by attending. Formal invitations will<br />
follow shortly, and we hope to see on<br />
April 24th. If you have any questions<br />
regarding any of the information,<br />
feel free to e-mail the Auction at<br />
bapaauction@berwickacademy.org, or<br />
call Lesli Friel at (603)379-2104.<br />
Did you know, you can<br />
sponsor a teacher by purchasing them<br />
a ticket to the BAPA Auction? Tickets<br />
for a teacher (and their guest) can be<br />
purchased for $50.00 per person, and<br />
can be presented to the teacher as a<br />
gift from you or your child. What a<br />
nice way to show your appreciation!<br />
Lastly, we would love your<br />
help in bringing the Auction to life!<br />
If you would like to discuss volunteer<br />
opportunities, please contact Heather<br />
Kodzis by email at h.kodzis@getxsi.<br />
com<br />
MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF<br />
SCHOOL...cont. from pg. 3<br />
be important for current families to<br />
adhere to the late February response<br />
date for re-enrollment next year. If you<br />
require an extension for some reason,<br />
please be in touch with Diane Field to<br />
see if that may be possible in your case,<br />
as we need to be able to balance the<br />
needs of our current families with the<br />
excitement we have for new students<br />
that are applying for admission next<br />
year.<br />
Spring Break<br />
I can’t believe that this is the<br />
last <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> before spring break! I<br />
want to be sure to wish our families<br />
a wonderful period of relaxation with<br />
their children. It seems as if this year<br />
has fl own by, but we have so many<br />
exciting events to look forward to this<br />
spring. I hope that you all share my<br />
enthusiasm for what lies ahead.<br />
ATHLETICS NEWS...cont. from pg. 7<br />
slopestyle athletes 13 and older (SBX<br />
15 and older) compete together in<br />
an open-class event. The Revolution<br />
Tour is also used to qualify athletes for<br />
World Juniors, U.S. Open, U.S. World<br />
Cup, USASA Nationals and Project<br />
Gold camps.<br />
Spring Sports<br />
Spring presents the challenge<br />
of getting onto fields and being able to<br />
scrimmage before the first games. To<br />
get a jump on this year’s season, baseball<br />
will be headed to Connecticut to play<br />
three games in two days and boys’ and<br />
girls’ lacrosse teams are headed to play<br />
on turf fi elds at Harvard University on<br />
Saturday, March 27. Both teams will<br />
participate in the Turf War sponsored<br />
by Metro Lacrosse, a Boston-based<br />
inner city lacrosse development<br />
program for boys and girls.<br />
Uniform Return<br />
Middle School collection<br />
will take place at practice Tuesday,<br />
February 23. Upper School collection<br />
will be done by Upper School coaches<br />
the week of March 1.<br />
Sports Awards<br />
Middle School Awards<br />
Presentations will take place on March<br />
4 at 1:30 p.m. in the theater; and, Upper<br />
School will meet on campus at 6:00<br />
p.m. on March 4 for team gatherings<br />
and 7:00 p.m. for awards presentations<br />
in the theater.<br />
Spring Practices<br />
All varsity spring practices will<br />
begin on Wednesday March 3. The JV<br />
teams will begin practices after spring<br />
break on Monday March 22. Coaches<br />
will be meeting with players soon.<br />
Spring game schedules<br />
Schedules are being fi nalized<br />
and will appear on the portal next<br />
week.<br />
Equipment for Spring<br />
Lacrosse helmets should be<br />
inspected yearly and must be stamped<br />
and meet NOCSE approved standards.<br />
Helmet life is three to four years. Girls’<br />
lacrosse players must wear goggles.<br />
These goggles need to be ATSM<br />
approved for lacrosse. Various types<br />
of goggles are available in sporting<br />
goods stores. The <strong>Berwick</strong> Athletic<br />
Department and Bookstore will have<br />
a small supply for sale. Colored mouth<br />
guards are required for both girls’ and<br />
boys’ lacrosse. Varsity baseball teams<br />
play with wooden bats. Composite<br />
wood is not allowed.<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ February 2010<br />
11
Cindy Briggs - School Counselor<br />
Wellness News<br />
WINTER DOLDRUMS OR ADOLESCENT<br />
DEPRESSION?<br />
We all know about winter<br />
doldrums-the blah feelings that we<br />
experience this time of year due to<br />
freezing temperatures, lack of sunlight,<br />
ice, snow and winter in general. Most<br />
of us muddle through these days often<br />
feeling a bit crabby. Others cope by<br />
complaining about the extra layers<br />
of clothing to stay warm, frozen<br />
extremities, and the overwhelming<br />
inertia that the weather causes.<br />
Inwardly, the majority of us know that<br />
life is still okay and that the snow will<br />
melt away (hopefully by March) along<br />
with the doldrums.<br />
Over the past two weeks,<br />
I have been involved in a number<br />
of conversations where the topic<br />
of adolescent depression has come<br />
up. Just last Thursday, I, along with<br />
two senior SWAT members did a<br />
mini-presentation on this topic in<br />
Jen Onken’s ninth grade English<br />
class. Her freshmen had just fi nished<br />
reading “The Catcher in the Rye” and<br />
she felt it was an opportune moment<br />
to discuss adolescent depression. For<br />
those of you who may not be familiar<br />
with the book, the main character,<br />
Holden Caulfield provides an excellent<br />
example of an adolescent who struggles<br />
with this serious illness. I am happy<br />
to report that the freshmen did an<br />
excellent job of identifying Holden’s<br />
signs/symptoms and were able to have<br />
a thoughtful discussion about both<br />
adolescent depression and suicide. It<br />
is heartening as the school counselor,<br />
to know that our faculty is willing to<br />
integrate these tough, but important<br />
issues into their curriculum.<br />
Another arena in which this<br />
topic has come up was our Upper<br />
School Student Support meetings.<br />
Mr. Smith, Mr. Saliba, Ms. Onken, Ms.<br />
Sevelowitz and I try to keep a close<br />
watch on our students during these<br />
cold winter months. The time when<br />
we return from winter break until we<br />
depart again for spring break is probably<br />
the toughest for our oldest students on<br />
campus. Long-term projects are the<br />
norm during this stretch. I recently<br />
did a survey for the Restroom Reader<br />
(our student health newspaper) and<br />
found that over 190 Upper School<br />
students are presently researching and<br />
writing a history research paper. This<br />
statistic does not include the huge<br />
Chemistry Periodic Table Project that<br />
the sophomores are also doing this<br />
quarter, or the college applications<br />
over which some of our seniors are still<br />
laboring. It is during this time that<br />
students (and some faculty) wish for<br />
that random snow day to catch up on<br />
their work or much needed sleep.<br />
I know one thing as I write this<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> article, the “winter doldrums”<br />
have taken hold in the Upper School.<br />
I see it on the faces of the students<br />
and in their posture. Many of them<br />
look tired and stressed, and not nearly<br />
as cheerful as they were just a few<br />
months ago, before the temperature<br />
begun dipping. I try to ease my worry<br />
by saying to myself, “March break is<br />
less than a month away and that will<br />
surely rejuvenate them.” However,<br />
my worry always circles back to the<br />
same question... Is this just the winter<br />
doldrums or is it something far more<br />
serious for some of these students?<br />
I would assume for the majority<br />
of our students, it is just the doldrums,<br />
and they will be lifted as soon as the<br />
temperature hits fifty and the Frisbee<br />
starts flying again on Fogg Field; but for<br />
a few, it may be more serious and may<br />
need to be addressed. The following<br />
information on adolescent depression<br />
and a list of warning signs may help<br />
you determine if your child is just in<br />
the midst of the doldrums, or has issues<br />
that may need immediate professional<br />
attention.<br />
The Federal Drug<br />
Administration defines depression<br />
as, an illness where the feelings of<br />
sadness, hopelessness and despair<br />
persist and interfere with a child<br />
or adolescent’s ability to function.<br />
Unfortunately, depression is one of<br />
the most overlooked and undertreated<br />
psychological disorders in adolescents.<br />
This missed diagnosis is often due to<br />
the confusion surrounding what is to<br />
be determined as normal or abnormal<br />
behavior during this particular life<br />
stage. Those of you who have the<br />
experience of living with an individual<br />
between the ages of 12 and 18 can<br />
most likely relate to this statement. In<br />
my household, it is common for us to<br />
witness anger, joy, sullenness, elation,<br />
tears, and laughter all in one day. A<br />
common trademark of adolescence<br />
is moodiness, making it diffi cult to<br />
distinguish between teen temperament<br />
and depression. When considering<br />
the FDA’s defi nition of adolescent<br />
depression, two major components<br />
continued on pg 14...<br />
12 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~February 2010
Rachel Saliba - School Archivist<br />
Archives News<br />
FROM RUMMAGE SALE TO AUCTION:<br />
THE FOUNDING OF THE BERWICK ACADEMY<br />
PARENTS ASSOCIATION<br />
Ever since the founding of<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>, parents have played<br />
a key role in its success and survival as<br />
fundraisers, trustees, student recruiters,<br />
volunteers, and program organizers.<br />
During World War II, <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong><br />
parents even volunteered as drivers for<br />
the athletic teams to save precious<br />
money and gas for the school.<br />
However, not until the late<br />
1970’s did the need for a formal<br />
parent organization become apparent.<br />
Within a few years, the Board of<br />
Trustees had decided to end the postgraduate<br />
boarding program, open a<br />
lower school and embark on the first<br />
major capital campaign in the school’s<br />
history. Not surprisingly, Headmaster<br />
Andrew Holmes turned to the parents<br />
for support and made the following<br />
plea to parents in his January 1977<br />
“Since <strong>1791</strong>” letter:<br />
“The Headmaster is extremely<br />
anxious to get started a Mothers<br />
Association and a Fathers Association<br />
for the <strong>Academy</strong>. Such groups are<br />
most successful in other schools in<br />
undertaking projects on behalf of the<br />
<strong>Academy</strong> and students and providing<br />
vital contact between the parents,<br />
administration, and faculty concerning<br />
desires and comments on operation<br />
of the school. To these ends, on<br />
Thursday, February 17th, Mr. and Mrs.<br />
Holmes will host a coffee for mothers<br />
interested in forming a Mothers<br />
Association. This will begin at 1:30<br />
p.m. in the Commons lounge and will<br />
be over in time for parents to take<br />
home any students leaving normally<br />
on the early bus at 2:40 p.m.<br />
On Monday, February 21st,<br />
at 7:30 p.m. a similar meeting will be<br />
held for fathers interested in helping to<br />
organize a Fathers Association.”<br />
While it is difficult to<br />
determine what happened at the Father’s<br />
Association meeting, the mothers<br />
responded quickly and the <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
<strong>Academy</strong> Mother’s Association was<br />
started, with the election of Jane Hall<br />
as the first president and three other<br />
offi cers in April 1977 (Class Parents<br />
and Area Representatives weren’t<br />
selected until 1979).<br />
The Mother’s Association<br />
sponsored annual events including a<br />
Pot Luck Supper and a Candlelight<br />
Dinner Dance for faculty, parents<br />
and prospective parents, but the<br />
most important fundraiser was the<br />
Rummage/Yard/Barn sale. The fi rst<br />
one raised $500 for the (new) Lower<br />
School Library in May 1977.<br />
The Yard Sale was the fi rst Mother’s Association<br />
fundraiser and was an annual event until the auction<br />
replaced it by 1984.<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ February 2010<br />
Eventually, the <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> Yard<br />
Sale became one of the biggest in the<br />
Seacoast region. While the reasons<br />
are unclear, in 1983, the Mother’s<br />
Association sponsored the first auction<br />
and a yard sale in the same year. The<br />
auction was considered a big success<br />
raising $5,000 to support the school<br />
and the yard sale era was over.<br />
After four years of successful<br />
auctions, and with Headmaster<br />
Vince Durnan’s support, the Mother’s<br />
Association changed its name to the<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> Parents Association<br />
(BAPA) and became incorporated as<br />
a nonprofit corporation on January<br />
14, 1987. The purpose of BAPA was<br />
stated:<br />
“To foster parental support for<br />
the philosophy of education at<br />
the <strong>Academy</strong>; to bring the parent<br />
community of <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> closer<br />
together by sponsoring educational<br />
and social events; to listen to parent<br />
recommendations and concerns;<br />
to formulate appropriate ways to<br />
help enhance student life at <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
<strong>Academy</strong> through fundraising efforts<br />
for school necessities; to provide<br />
volunteer assistance in needed areas.<br />
(Articles of Incorporation, Jan 14,<br />
1987).”<br />
While the structure and<br />
programs of BAPA have changed since<br />
its beginning in 1977, it is still true<br />
to its core mission and has become a<br />
fundraising powerhouse that empowers<br />
the school to provide many important<br />
programs and activities that would<br />
otherwise be impossible to offer.<br />
13
ARTS NEWS...cont. from pg 8<br />
is 7 p.m. for both performances.<br />
MUSIC<br />
Music and Technology<br />
Enhancing Music Performance<br />
and Assessment by Stephanie Sanders:<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> students are<br />
combining technology and music in a<br />
variety of ways in music classes. MIDI<br />
controllers, electronic instruments,<br />
music software, the iPhone/iPod<br />
Touch, recording software, and small<br />
video recorders are changing the face<br />
of music education and performance.<br />
Symphonic Band and Middle<br />
School Jazz Band students are using<br />
music technology to compose and<br />
arrange music to be performed at the<br />
spring concerts. Students in the Upper<br />
School Symphonic Band, who do not<br />
participate in jazz band, have selected<br />
fi ve popular songs in a variety of styles<br />
to create a mash-up. Students are<br />
using music theory and composition<br />
skills to determine the appropriate<br />
keys for which the music can be<br />
played by a combination of electronic<br />
instruments, computer generated<br />
music, and acoustic instruments such<br />
as trumpet, trombone and saxophone.<br />
Students in both the Upper School<br />
and Middle School groups have been<br />
working with the Korg NanoKey, and<br />
Korg NanoPad connected to Mixcraft<br />
software on a tablet computer, and<br />
GarageBand on a Mac to create original<br />
soundtracks and loops. The Yamaha<br />
WX5 wind controller connected to<br />
a sound module, allows students who<br />
play clarinet, flute, and saxophone to<br />
assimilate a variety of acoustic and<br />
electronic sounds, commonly heard<br />
in popular music today. The Korg<br />
Kaossilator and iPod Touch are used<br />
to add interesting and creative affects<br />
to the music. Students have also taken<br />
the challenge of learning Logic Pro 8<br />
composition software. This software<br />
allows students to connect the computer<br />
directly to an electric piano, and create<br />
multi-track compositions and see the<br />
notated score as they compose each<br />
track. In Logic Pro, students can mix<br />
live recordings with prerecorded<br />
audio and MIDI loops, along with<br />
student-created audio and MIDI<br />
tracks. Music copyright of the songs<br />
used in the mash-up will be addressed<br />
with students learning the process of<br />
procuring the appropriate copyright<br />
license to perform, record and arrange<br />
their music. The fi nished works will<br />
be showcased in a live performance of<br />
electronic, computer generated music,<br />
and acoustic instruments.<br />
The challenge for our student<br />
composer-songwriters is keeping<br />
their daily work in an organized,<br />
documented format. Student musical<br />
works are being documented and<br />
stored in a digital portfolio, using a Flip<br />
camera, M-Audio Microtrak II, digital<br />
recorder, and recording with free<br />
Audacity software, found on all student<br />
tablet computers. A digital portfolio is<br />
similar to a visual artist keeping their<br />
paintings, drawings, and rough sketches<br />
in a sketchbook or paper document<br />
fi le. The digital portfolio is not only a<br />
record of student work for assessment<br />
purposes, but is also a recorded and<br />
dated, simple copyright of their<br />
original music. The digital portfolio<br />
is a documented resource for students<br />
to present in the college application<br />
process for music studies. Students in<br />
composition and songwriting will be<br />
creating a class Podcast, which will<br />
include their original work along with<br />
discussion on a variety of topics related<br />
to songwriting and popular music<br />
reviews.<br />
Audacity is a free multi-track<br />
recording software that students in<br />
the grade 7/8 band and the symphonic<br />
band are using to complete playing<br />
assessments. The playing assessment in<br />
front of peers can be an intimidating<br />
process for many students and it is<br />
also time consuming when performed<br />
in class. Using Audacity, students can<br />
record themselves at home, having<br />
the opportunity to do as many takes<br />
as necessary, until they are happy with<br />
their recorded performance. Once<br />
the recording is completed and saved,<br />
students export their performance as a<br />
compressed MP3 file, which can easily<br />
be sent by e-mail or dropped in the<br />
homework box on the school server.<br />
These recorded assessments will also<br />
create a digital portfolio of individual<br />
student achievement in a given year or<br />
across several years of musicianship.<br />
Family and friends cannot attend the<br />
concert? An added bonus of this process<br />
is that students can send Grandma in<br />
California a recording of their playing<br />
that opens directly in iTunes.<br />
Students are bombarded with<br />
music and technology every day.<br />
Research suggests technology is an<br />
important new element in education<br />
and in music curriculum. It is important<br />
to remember, as we embark on a path<br />
of technology, that technology is an<br />
enhancement to learning and should<br />
enrich the musical experience being<br />
delivered in the music classroom.<br />
April Recitals<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong>’s music recitals will<br />
take place during the week of April<br />
5. All students who take lessons on<br />
campus are encouraged to perform.<br />
Applied lesson teachers and parents<br />
should arrange a recital date for each<br />
private lesson student.<br />
VISUAL ARTS<br />
Scholastic Arts Exhibition<br />
This is a reminder that the<br />
Scholastics Regional Awards Exhibition<br />
at Heartwood College of Art, 4 East<br />
Avenue, Kennebunkport, Maine, is<br />
open to the public. The award-winning<br />
work of Derek Lavigne, Whitney<br />
Pasternak and Olivia Waterhouse will<br />
be on exhibit from March 8 through<br />
March 17, 2010.<br />
14 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~February 2010
Youth Art Month 2010<br />
March is Youth Art Month.<br />
Visual art teachers recently selected<br />
the work of Ben Joslin (3), Colby<br />
Wood (8), and Hannah Unger (9) to<br />
represent <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> at this<br />
annual exhibit sponsored by the Maine<br />
Art Education Association and the<br />
Portland Museum of Art. The exhibit<br />
will open at the Portland Museum of<br />
Art on Saturday, February 27, and will<br />
be on display through Sunday, April<br />
4. The opening reception and awards<br />
ceremony will take place on Saturday,<br />
March 6, 2010, from 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.<br />
Summer Intensives in the Arts<br />
Upper School students<br />
interested in attending summer camp<br />
or art programs with intensive study in<br />
the visual arts should see Ms. Russell.<br />
She has familiarity with a number of<br />
programs attended by previous students<br />
and has an extensive file of summer art<br />
opportunities.<br />
WELLNESS NEWS...cont. from pg 12<br />
resonate for me: persistent symptoms<br />
and interference in normal functioning.<br />
An adolescent whose depressed mood<br />
continues for an extended period<br />
and/or an adolescent whose mood or<br />
behavior are causing an inability to<br />
function are adolescents about whom<br />
I begin to worry. A “marker” used by<br />
the Upper School Academic Support<br />
Team at <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> is a change<br />
in grades or performance in class. If we<br />
see a student who experiences a sharp<br />
drop in grades, or if we have a teacher<br />
who expresses concern about a change<br />
in a student’s class performance, we<br />
take notice.<br />
According to the National<br />
Mental Health Association, adolescent<br />
depression is increasing at an alarming<br />
rate. Recent surveys indicate that<br />
as many as one in five teens suffer<br />
from clinical depression. Adolescent<br />
depression appears to have two big<br />
peaks, the fi rst around the ages of 13<br />
or 14; and, the second between ages<br />
18 to 22. A clear link exists between<br />
depression and developmental changes.<br />
These changes include puberty, the<br />
development of a social network<br />
(friends), sexuality and sexual identity,<br />
academic or vocational achievement<br />
and goals, and separation from adults.<br />
These are all the normal tasks that our<br />
middle and high school students are<br />
presently undertaking. Adolescents<br />
who are under a large amount of stress,<br />
who may experience some type of loss<br />
(such as a boyfriend/girlfriend), or,<br />
who have learning or behavioral issues<br />
are also at a higher risk of depression.<br />
Adolescent females, as well as minority<br />
populations such as homosexuals are at<br />
more risk for developing depression.<br />
This is not to say that males are free<br />
from this illness. In fact, over the<br />
past few years, we have seen a rapid<br />
increase in the diagnosis of depression<br />
in adolescent males.<br />
This may startle you, but<br />
parents can sometimes be a roadblock<br />
to professional help. Our reluctance<br />
to seek help appears to be related to<br />
self-blame and minimization of the<br />
symptoms. Many parents become<br />
convinced that their teenager is simply<br />
moody by nature, therefore missing the<br />
fact that a majority of them have a very<br />
serious and sometimes lethal disease.<br />
We, the parents know our children<br />
the best! We know their eating and<br />
sleeping habits as well as how they<br />
socialize with their friends. If one of<br />
these daily habits changes, we should<br />
consider it a red fl ag. According to<br />
the American <strong>Academy</strong> of Child and<br />
Adolescent Psychiatry, if one or more<br />
of the following warning signs persist,<br />
parents should seek professional help<br />
for their adolescent:<br />
• Frequent sadness, tearfulness, crying<br />
• A sense of hopelessness<br />
• Decreased interest in activities; or, an<br />
inability to enjoy previously favorite<br />
activities<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ February 2010<br />
• Persistent boredom; low energy<br />
•Social isolation; poor communication<br />
• Low self-esteem and guilt<br />
• Extreme sensitivity to rejection or<br />
failure<br />
• Increased irritability, anger, hostility<br />
• Diffi culty with relationships<br />
• Frequent complaints of physical<br />
illnesses such as headaches or<br />
stomachaches<br />
• Poor concentration<br />
• A major change in eating/sleeping<br />
habits<br />
• Talk of, or efforts to run away from<br />
home<br />
• Thoughts or expressions of suicide or<br />
self-destructive behavior<br />
If you are worried about a<br />
change in your adolescent’s mood<br />
or behavior, fi nd the help you need<br />
immediately. Even though talking<br />
with a professional may not be an<br />
adolescent’s idea of a good time, it may<br />
change or even save their life.<br />
The following are other<br />
valuable resources available to parents<br />
of adolescents: a book entitled,<br />
“Adolescent Depression: A Guide for<br />
Parents” by Mark Mondimore and the<br />
following websites: www.ascap.org,<br />
www.drada.org and www.namh.org.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Cindy Briggs<br />
15
Jedd Whitlock - Director of Advancement<br />
Alumni and Development News<br />
Dear <strong>Berwick</strong> Community,<br />
On January 28, Janet Stevens graciously hosted an evening gathering to thank our Annual Fund parent volunteers.<br />
Thank you, Janet, and thank you to the 50+ volunteers who have given and continue to give their time and<br />
energy on behalf of <strong>Berwick</strong>. We have created great momentum and hope to carry this through to June 30,<br />
2010, when the 2009 – 2010 Annual Fund closes.<br />
Although we remain optimistic about reaching our goals, we still have some work to do, and need your help<br />
to make our goals a reality. As a reminder, our participation goal this year is 65%. To date, 42% of <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
parents have made a gift or pledge to this year’s Annual Fund. Thank you again! Online giving continues to be<br />
an extremely popular way to make a donation. We have already received 50 online gifts compared to just 4 at<br />
this same time last year.<br />
Second appeal letters have been sent out, and new parents will receive their fi rst Annual Fund appeals this<br />
month. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the <strong>Berwick</strong> Annual Fund. I have<br />
enclosed two helpful links:<br />
To learn more about the importance of the Annual Fund, visit<br />
www.berwickacademy.org/annualfund<br />
To view last year’s report on annual giving, Celebrating Philanthropy, visit<br />
www.berwickacademy.org/thankyou<br />
As always, thank you for your support and consideration.<br />
Best,<br />
Jedd Whitlock<br />
Director of Advancement<br />
jwhitlock@berwickacademy.org<br />
16 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~February 2010