June 2009 1791 Letter - Berwick Academy

June 2009
CLASS OF 2009 GRADUATION
1791 Letter ~ June 2009
1

Having now lost the obligatory
blue blazer and pastel tie, I make my
journey back and forth between BD
and the Hayes House each morning,
the echoes already beginning to sing.
I can wear sunglasses now, and I have
more time to glance up in directions
that I am too busy to acknowledge
during the regular year. Usually I
watch my shoes. After the whirlwind
climax of the end of year, one can’t
help but pause in the newfound quiet
and refl ect. Gazing across the empty
quad of Fogg Field, the campus has
never looked more impressive; it is the
crowning achievement of our grounds
crew to present this place so beautifully
for graduation. Sometimes I wished our
families truly knew how hard they must
work to pull this off. There is an irony
in it as well – the campus being at its
most pristine at a time when it becomes
suddenly dormant. It seems fi tting that
this occurs in June, as if our School has
been so enriched by a year of growth
and contribution that it is literally
bursting with aesthetic beauty.
The echoes as I walk are
the reverberations of learning and
improvement from a year at Berwick
Academy. The whispers are an
infi nite number of conversations and
interactions between peers and adults,
all geared toward becoming better
people, becoming a better school.
Sometimes I reflect on what a school
like ours really is – a campus? an
institution? a community? a religion?
Where, for example, does it actually
begin and end? One trusted colleague
and friend here has challenged this in
claiming that in fact institutions do not
even exist; only people do. Insights like
these appropriately shake the core of
favorite Head of School mantras like,
“We need to do what is best for the
institution.” What I know for sure is that
our school is alive, slightly dormant
at this particular moment in June, but
undeniably a living, breathing, cyclical
organism. Perhaps that is the true thrill
of trying to lead such a place: the
humbling realization that it cannot,
and should not, be fully controlled. It
can be nurtured and guided, but never
contained or limited. I would do well
to continue embracing this exquisite
spontaneity.
The deeper one thinks about
the connections and murky boundaries
between individual student growth,
faculty growth, and institutional
growth, the more one begins to spiral.
As I pass the Arts Center on this daily
walk home, I hear the voices of the
Baccalaureates, the concerts, and the
assemblies. These are moments of
risk taking, celebration, and growth.
Walking towards Fogg, suddenly the
sense of history cannot be ignored.
This is an institution that has been
long at work on a noble mission,
and yet the nature of education has
changed so dramatically in 200 years.
The people are different, and yet the
values feel unchanged. I have always
believed that schools like Berwick
teach character not only through our
programs, our ceremonies, and our
speeches, but through the hundreds of
unseen interactions between students
and adults every day. In fact, as Head
of School, an honest admission is that
I rarely observe the moments when
the school is at its best in this regard;
I merely trust these moments are
happening. The echoes assure me that
this is so. I hear ephemeral vibrations
of these moral conversations as I walk
homeward, paradoxically grateful
for the respite from school life but
keenly aware that our organism is in
hibernation. Soon it will stretch and
grow once again.
A lot has been made in recent
years, including during my search
process at Berwick, about how might
we package, market, and ultimately
sell this complex organism that we call
home. We celebrate its facilities, its
achievement, its history, its programs,
its accomplishments. In the maturing,
strangely quiet days of June on the
precipice of summer, I am more keenly
aware than ever that we are always
about our people. We are a giant
catalyst for human interactions, and
my fundamental job is to fi nd the best
people, the best spaces, and the best
umbrella of values and boundaries
within which those exquisite human
interactions can fl ourish.
As I turn the corner past Fogg,
my house comes into view. I glance out
into the expansive fi elds with which
we are blessed. Some of my favorite
Berwick moments have occurred when
each fi eld is fi lled with competition on
a beautiful fall or spring day. While the
competition is part of the thrill, a larger
part is the ability to walk between the
games and bump into parents who
have come together to celebrate their
children. Without fail, people ask me
about my life and my family. They
care. It is hard for me to find forums
in which I can truly say thank you.
Perhaps this is one.
Finally, on this beautiful June
afternoon, I make my way to “Ridgway
Ridge,” fabled to have been put in
place by my predecessor with ancient
pool stones. They mark the path of
2 1791 Letter ~ June 2009

connection between home and work
that he so ably etched for nearly twenty
years. I remember my walk through
this same tunnel earlier this winter
during the ice storm. With no power
in my house, complete darkness at 4:00
in the morning, I felt like an explorer
on a quest to BD, with the grail being
some functional technology that might
enable me to cancel school. Limbs
snapped like shotguns in the darkness,
but the path, trodden so many times
before, steered me well. Soon the
campus became a refuge of sorts for
our families, where kids could study or
shower. Other seasons on the path this
year involved navigating hauntingly
muddy waters. In complete isolation
on a raw morning in late March, you
might have found me leaping from
stone to stone amidst the mud in my
dress shoes of the day, doing my best
impersonation of a hyperactive frog.
In June, however, the ridge
is easy now, lined with greenery and
birds that announce my arrival home.
Opening the door to the mudroom – a
full two years later from the first time
I entered this space – I no longer have
to announce my arrival. The dog barks,
and my oldest daughter begins to
squeal. As I step out into the kitchen,
my youngest daughter snuggles against
my wife’s chest. The squealing elder
is now in full view, running down
the hallway with open arms that will
soon consummate in what she likes to
announce as “the biggest hug in the
world.” Maybe my friend was right in
saying that in the end there are only
people. And yet there is something
reassuring about my family living
attached to a larger being – a living,
breathing, growing spirit – that is
committed to doing such good work
for its people.
Thank you, Berwick, for
making this a wonderful year.
Congratulations Class of 2009
We celebrated a glorious
graduation weekend on the Hilltop
this year, with an exceptional address
from Dr. Dora Mills. I would like to
congratulate our graduates one last
time on all they have achieved. We
hope that they will not be strangers to
the Hilltop in the future.
Health Form Reminder
Please remember that all health
forms are due by July 13 this year. We
are working hard to become more
timely and efficient in our medical
protocols for next year. Thank you for
making your best effort to meet this
new deadline.
Dogs on Campus
If you come to campus this
summer, you will notice new signage
clarifying our policy that all dogs need
to be on leashes while on campus.
Our families are generally very good
about this practice, but we need to
enforce this more consistently next
year as an important safety measure for
everyone.
1791 Letter is Going Paperless
I am pleased to announce that
as a cost saving measure and in an
attempt to be more environmentally
friendly, the 1791 will be available
online (on the School Portal) next year
and will also be sent via email each
month. We estimate that by going
fully online, this switch could save the
Academy as much as $4,000 annually.
The new version will be formatted for
easy printing from your computer if you
prefer to read in hard copy. However,
we will happily mail a printed copy
to any family who is still interested in
receiving the 1791 by traditional mail
for the 2009-2010 academic year as we
make this transition. If you would like
to receive a hard copy, please contact
Sondra Farrell in the front offi ce.
1791 Letter ~ June 2009
Have fun
I want to be sure and wish each
and every family a restful and relaxing
summer this year. I truly look forward to
seeing you once again in September.
ARE YOU LOGGED ON?
Berwick Academy’s online community is
known as a ‘portal.’ The portal is your
door....your point of entry to
all things Berwick!
You reach the portal from
www.berwickacademy.org, click on
Current Parents and log in with your
username and password. Mark this
page in your Favorites. Once logged in,
you will be taken directly to the Parent
Portal for all your Berwick Academy
information.
YOU MUST LOGIN TO THE
PORTAL FOR IT TO
BE OF USE TO YOU.
TO LOGIN the first time: Use your full
name, no spaces, as your username. For
your password, use your zip code. You
will then be required to set your own
password for future logins. If you happen
to be an alumni of Berwick Academy, use
your full name + 4 digit graduation year.
Use your zip code as your password.
Once you login, browse through the blue
bar buttons on the left. Go to your Profile
and update your information, including
your e-mail address. Click on the word
Parents, and see your links and
downloads.
Trouble? E-mail Tracey Kelly at
tkelly@berwickacademy.org
3

Peter Saliba
If I combine my own schooling
with my career, I have endured
approximately thirty commencement
exercises. When I use the word
endure, I’m referring to the ordeal of
the commencement address. Usually,
these things are pretty dry affairs, and
I fi nd myself counting the caps of the
graduates to make sure they are not
lying down and napping. This year,
Dr. Dora Mills set a new standard
for our future speakers at Berwick.
Her talk was relevant, connected,
and meaningful. I’ve included some
excerpts for those of you who did not
get a chance to hear her speak. Enjoy!
Today, I thought I would share with
you three ingredients that I wish I had more of
in1978. First, is the ingredient of gratitude. Each
and every one of you stands on the shoulders of
your parents and/or other adults who played
a signifi cant role in your life. Today is a day
that we also reach out and thank them – for
giving you their patience, their promotion, and
much of your potential. As you venture off to
college or other such adventures, you’ll learn
that it’s not always easy to be thankful for all
these gifts. You’ll learn that some of what you
grew up with are idiosyncrasies that seem not
to be shared by many other families, sometimes
hurtful and at the best sometimes embarrassing.
The second ingredient is that of
wearing a wide angle lens, that is, seeing the
connectivity that exists in the world, and acting
with that realization.
Berwick Academy has already given
you a wide angle lens. Although I was not
fortunate enough to attend school at this hilltop,
I was fortunate to learn about connectivity from
a year living and working in the mid-1980s in
a small village named Shirati, in Tanzania,
East Africa in a Mennonite hospital. Actually,
it was the time I returned to visit Shirati years
later while practicing medicine in Maine that
taught me the most about connectivity. Upon
returning there, I was shocked to see so many
changes. 10 years after my time there the
schools were nearly empty – because the HIV/
AIDS epidemic had stolen their parents, and
many children now needed to work in the fi elds.
But, the hospital’s pediatric ward was also
gladly nearly empty – and had been so ever
since the local water tower had been completed,
allowing for water to be pumped from nearby
Lake Victoria and used for drinking water. As
a result, the leading cause of hospitalization
of young children, diarrhea, was almost
eliminated.
When I returned from my trip
to practice medicine in my hometown in
Maine, I then started seeing the community
differently. I saw the connections between the
built environment, the natural environment,
the economy, education, and health. I started
seeing that sidewalks, clean water, poverty, and
educational opportunities all had a stronger
effect on the health of my patients than most
medicines I could dispense. Seeing these
connections in East Africa and then in my
own community in Maine is why I stepped into
public health. I realized that public health gave
me the opportunity to work on the interconnected
factors affecting health – the environment, the
effects of poverty and education.
While walking down life’s path with
gratitude and with a wide angle lens is important,
the third ingredient of passion is the most critical.
And, I will tell you how I stumbled across this
one. After living out of state for a number of
years, I was drawn to moving back to Maine.
Before coming home, I took a few months off,
hiking in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal
and India, then spending a month working in
Calcutta with the Missionaries of Charity and
Mother Teresa
On my last day, as was the custom,
I spoke to Mother Teresa, as was the custom
when you were leaving, to thank her for the
experience of working there. She asked how
it had been. I shared with her my gratitude.
And, I also shared with her my guilt. I told her
that while other volunteers were staying on or
talking about returning, my heart was in my
home state of Maine. My dreams were about
returning to my family and to my roots and to
work in Maine after being absent for so long.
Yet, I felt guilty, as clearly the abject need was
much greater in Calcutta.
She then grasped my hands and made
the connection for me I had not seen. She said,
“if where you are going you will work with
love and love your work, then that is where you
are called to be.” If you are going you will
work with love and love your work, then that is
where you are called to be. I am indeed grateful
to love what I am doing. It took a trip half way
around the world and a little old lady to teach
me the importance of walking life’s path with
passion.
So, I wish for you to walk with these
ingredients, these lessons that took me so many
years to accumulate and to learn – to walk with
gratitude in your heart, to walk wearing a wide
angle lens of the world, and to walk with your
passion. I know you will do so, as the hilltops
and hallways of Berwick Academy have, in the
words of your 218 year old charter, promoted
“true piety and virtue and useful knowledge
among” you – the rising generation of today.
It has been a great honor to share
with you most wonderful day. Thank you.
Go Bulldogs!
4 1791 Letter ~ June 2009

As I write this month’s
contribution to the 1791 Letter, I am
torn between the opposite poles of
thinking ahead and looking backwards.
June is like that; a pivotal month for
those of us who work year round, and
build our lives upon the rhythms of an
academic calendar. Having no luck
at deciding, I will do what I do when
faced with two equally appealing pairs
of shoes: I’ll take them both.
The hindsight that June offers
me is clear. I believe that we have
done our best work as a community
to work together and to have fun
together. While the students have
shouldered the academic burdens of
a new grade, they have also navigated
the social waters of early adolescence.
There have been days of cooperation
and ones of tension. Through the
intervention of committed adults,
students may have found consequences
for careless and unkind behaviors.
Equally, they have been applauded for
their academic, athletic, musical, and
artistic productions. We adults have
worked tirelessly to promote individual
growth.
As a faculty, we have worked
together this month to examine the
year and all of those moments that we
wish to recreate for the future. We
want to explore the integration of
our core values into the fabric of the
school year, and so we shall select
one value each quarter to be the focus
of our planning for assemblies and
for discussions. We will continue to
address the social development of
our students through the deliberate
teaching of character education and
social skills. Some of these activities
will take place during specific time set
aside each week. Others will be woven
into our subject area lessons.
Among the changes we expect
will be the shift to a homeroom model
for all grades. The homeroom teacher
or teachers will start each day with
announcements, topics for quick
discussion, a “morning meeting,”
check-ins with students, and then
will begin the first period with that
same class. While we have much
to do to prepare for this shift, it was
the thinking among the teachers that
a consistent five-day approach to
advising would benefit our students in
numerous ways, including providing
them with more consistent time. Each
week we plan to use one block of time
for assemblies, and another for special
projects including wellness programs,
service activities, and Options For Fun
(O.F.F.). The fl exibility we will have
throughout the year will diminish
some of the unequal approaches to
advisory time that parents had noted
this year at the February Parent Forum.
More specific descriptions will come in
the letter mailed in August along with
schedules.
The next big shift for the
2009-2010 school year will be in
eighth grade. We will build individual
schedules for our eighth grade students
that will allow for a change in student
groups each period. The homeroom,
then, will become an important part of
each child’s day, as they will no longer
be going to classes with the same group
of students for an entire day. We hope
that having this experience will better
prepare students for the transition to
high school.
Fifth and sixth grade students
will fi nd a class on their schedules that
will be called “Fifth Grade Seminar,”
or “Sixth Grade Seminar.” This course
will be taught by our Academic Support
Coordinator, Stacey Sevelowitz,
1791 Letter ~ June 2009
who has mapped out topics such a
organization and study skills, learning
strategies, time management, social
skills, and who will collaborate with
our Counselor, Cindy Briggs on specifi c
wellness topics. Both will be aided by
Holly Bennett, our Health Educator.
The students will receive an effort
grade and a participation grade for
their work in these seminars. Stacey
Sevelowitz and Cindy Briggs will take
up residence two days each week in
our Clement Middle School Building.
It is our shared hope that students will
fi nd accessing these critical support
people will be far easier through their
scheduled presence.
The school has begun to
undertake a review of the entire yearly
and daily schedules. Some of our Middle
School plans will go far to support any
future changes. We hope to test the
waters with our homeroom program,
and to build a stronger community by
committing ourselves to purposeful
integration of our core values each
quarter. Finally, all educators on this
campus will begin using new software
to map curriculum starting this month.
The training and the mapping work will
be part of a campus-wide professional
develop across all disciplines and
grades. We hope that through this
work we will find gaps in instruction
that we may begin to fi ll and places
where unnecessary redundancy can be
eliminated. The maps will be rich in
resources, will have links to national
educational standards, and will provide
us with reference materials to help us
improve instruction.
Recently, we have welcomed a
group of seven new interns into our
Teaching Institute. You may expect a
letter from the mentor teacher in the
continued on pg. 11...
5

The Lower School held its
Closing Recognition Assembly on June
3. We said good-bye to a remarkable
group of people during the ceremony,
while reflecting on an exciting year in
our division. The event began with
Mrs. Wituszynski skillfully leading the
third grade violinists as they played to
an appreciative audience and ended
with a school-year slide show compiled
by Ms. Martin. This final 1791 entry
allows me to reflect on the events
found between the violin performance
and the slide show.
After the musicians left the
stage, I thanked the parents of the fourth
graders for their attendance and for
their tremendous support of the Lower
School. Then, I expressed appreciation
for Mr. Greg Schneider’s school-wide
leadership and Lower School focus.
From reading stories to the kindergarten
students to eating lunch with the fourth
grade ambassadors, we have enjoyed
Mr. Schneider’s presence within our
division. I welcomed Mr. Schneider to
the podium, and we enjoyed his kind
words for the Lower School students.
We have also appreciated strong
assistance from BAPA during the yearfrom
the book fair to pizza bingo night
to numerous enrichment experiences.
I thanked Mrs. Nancy Noyes and Mrs.
Julie Russell for their leadership as
BAPA coordinators.
The Teaching Institute—a
collaborative Master’s degree teaching
program between Berwick and UNE—
also has enjoyed another successful
year. In our division, we have been
fortunate to work with Ms. Kate
Brown, Ms. Amanda Clements, Ms.
Alicia Eisnor, Ms. Gennie Olbres,
Ms. Danielle Sipplak, and Ms. Andrea
Smith. I enjoyed the opportunity to
thank each of them for their creativity,
for their love of learning and for their
overfl owing enthusiasm.
We have also been aided by
two wonderful music teachers who will
not be working with us in the Lower
School next year. Mrs. Tina Murphy
and Mrs. Stephanie Sanders are both
talented musicians and instructors and
more importantly, teachers who really
care about their students. I wished
them well next year—knowing that we
will see them teaching private lessons
and working with the other divisions,
respectively. Thank you, Mrs. Murphy
and Mrs. Sanders!
I then thanked Mrs. Jenn
Hedges for joining the third grade
program in the spring—taking Mr.
Norcross’s place during his medical
leave. Mrs. Hedges has made many
friends at the third grade level and has
carried out a number of interesting
teaching activities from The Cricket
in Times Square to the artists/
musicians project to some special
writing assignments. Thank you, Mrs.
Hedges!
Finally, I acknowledged the
wonderful work of Mrs. Suzanne
Nixon and Mrs. Nancy Hathaway.
Mrs. Nixon has been a special friend
in our kindergarten program. She
has taught the students to read, to be
friends, and to love learning. She has
supported our community in a number
of different ways. She is often one
of the first Lower School teachers to
arrive in the morning—helping to set
up the kindergarten classroom for a
wonderful day of learning. She has
helped our students enjoy a number of
extra activities—often organizing our
fi eld trips and doing extra work for the
Lower School Production each year.
We will miss you next year, Mrs. Nixon,
and we wish you the best—thank you!
Mrs. Hathaway has been a wonderful
friend to students and faculty in our
division and across the Berwick campus.
She has worked both as an academic
support coordinator and, of course,
as a wonderful kindergarten teacher.
Over the years, she has brought
together a wonderful spirit of learning
and discovery to the kindergarten
classroom—developing creative
learning activities for the students. I
have appreciated the many ways in
which Mrs. Hathaway has enriched our
school—from creative teaching lessons
to her friendly support of all of her
teaching colleagues to enthusiastically
discussing the learning process with
Lower School parents. We will miss
you next year, Mrs. Hathaway, and we
wish you the best—thank you!
Next, I turned the spotlight
on our students. In September, we
welcomed our new kindergarten
friends. They learned about monarch
butterfl ies, they learned how to play on
our playground, they learned how to
get their own lunch in the Commons,
they went on some interesting field
trips, and they read books with their
friends in the Lower and Upper School
divisions. They even organized a
hat and mitten service project. They
learned about so many things—
from reading and writing to art and
physical education to speaking French.
Congratulations to our kindergarten
students on a wonderful year!
Our first grade students have
also had a spectacular year. They read
and read in their literacy groups and
they wrote wonderful stories as well.
Early in the year, they began learning
continued on page 15...
6 1791 Letter ~ June 2009

Rob Quinn
SPRING SPORTS
SUCCESS ON THE HILLTOP
Varsity baseball and varsity
boys lacrosse both qualifed for N.E.
Tournaments and advanced to the
semi-fi nal rounds. Girls’ Lacrosse made
it to EIL Tournament, winning the first
round in B bracket – varsity softball
qualifi ed for the EIL Tournament and
had two very close games.
SUMMER AND PRESEASON SPORTS
This summer, Berwick has
joined forces with the Seacoast United
Soccer Club to offer a Training Academy
for experienced travel and club players
to be held at Berwick Academy. This
camp will run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and
will include lunch and dinner in the
Berwick Academy Commons dining
hall. SUSC coaches, comprised of full
time staff, international coaches, and
current college players, will focus on
individual skills and tactics building up
to game play in the evenings. SUSC
will mix top level skill development
with fun and challenging games.
There will be two sessions offered this
summer; July 13-16 and July 20-23.
If you are interested in
attending either session, there is
more information and a sign-up form
available at www.berwickacademy.org
under Summer Programs.
Boys Soccer
Coach Patrick Connolly
pconnolly@berwickacademy.org
Summer: They will begin Tuesday
night sessions on July 28 from 6:15
to 7:45. These sessions will continue
through August 18.
Preseason: Varsity candidates will be
leaving for the Team Prep trip at noon
time on Tuesday, August 25 and return
on Saturday, August 29 at noon. Those
who have not signed up must contact
Coach Connolly as soon as possible.
There is a cost to the trip. Preseason
will run from Monday August 31 until
Thursday September 3, 5:30 - 7:30.
These sessions are for anyone looking
to tryout for the varsity team. Tryouts
will continue during the first week of
school.
Girls Soccer
Head Coach Kyle Ridgway
kridgway@berwickacademy.org
Summer: The girls are invited to
participate with the boys on Tuesday
evenings. See details above.
Preseason: Coach Ridgway will take a
group of soccer athletes to camp. The
group will attend the “All Out Team”
Soccer Camp from August 24 -27.
This preseason camp is optional and
open to any interested soccer athlete.
They will attend the camp as a team
from Berwick Academy. The camp
includes skills sessions, practices,
and scrimmages against other soccer
programs. While returning members of
the team and current Berwick students
have already signed up, the hope is to
bring an excited and energetic group of
soccer athletes. This includes anyone
who is motivated and interested in
having a little extra preseason time!
We are very hopeful that some of our
incoming students will be able to join
us. We think it could be a fun and
possibly less intimidating transition
1791 Letter ~ June 2009
into the school and into preseason!
Field Hockey
Co-Head Coaches Tracey Kelly
tkelly@berwickacademy.org and
Stacey Sevelowitz
ssevelowitz@berwickacademy.org
Summer: There will be an introductory
clinic on August 26 from 4-7 p.m. at
Berwick Academy. The team will work
on basic field hockey skills and drills
and fi nish up with a scrimmage and
pizza. Students who are interested in
playing fi eld hockey next year should
contact make an effort to attend this
clinic, regardless of skill level.
Also, a reminder that Seacoast
United is holding a 4-day camp here
on campus August 3-6 from 1-4 p.m.
(Lacrosse is from 9-12 and field hockey
from 1-4) The following link has more
detailed info http://seacoastunited.
org/Camps/FHCamps/index_E.html
For more information please contact
Britt Schneider at bschneider@
seacoastunited.org or call 603-926-
8444 x 216.
The team will be looking for at
least 2 goalies! If you decide to attend
a camp and are interested in being a
goalie, please contact Coach Kelly or
Rob Quinn, they might be able to help
you with equipment.
Preseason: Will be here on campus
from August 31 - September 4 from
3 - 5:30 p.m. Although this is not
mandatory, as this is a junior varsity
team, it is highly encouraged that
you attend some or all of this week.
It will be your fi rst opportunity to get
acquainted with your teammates, learn
continued on pg. 14...
7

you gotta have Arts
ARTS BOOSTERS
Looking for Volunteers
The Berwick Academy Arts
Boosters is looking to increase volunteer
involvement during the 2009- 2010
school year. This group was established
a few years ago to sponsor fine arts
events at Berwick along with creating
events with the goal of generating
funding to help support artists in
residence and/or capital equipment
items for the visual and performing
arts. The two major events approved
by the Development Committee are
the Arts Boosters Variety Show in
October and the Silent Art Auction in
May. This year, these two events and
proceeds from the Arts Boosters Snack
Shack grossed over $2000.
Arts Boosters Variety Show
This annual event will take
place Friday, October 16, at 7:00 p.m.
Please mark your calendars and plan to
join us on this one-of-a-kind evening.
We would love to perform to a full
house with standing room only. Watch
for more information in the August and
September 1791 Letters and have a
great summer.
DANCE
Shaping the Future
The dancers’ spring
performances of Shaping the Future and
AMPED made for an exciting artistic
weekend on the Hilltop in May. There
are many amazing images posted on the
Berwick Academy online media gallery
where you can view and download
them to your own image library. If you
are interested in purchasing a DVD
of either performance you can do so
through Video Creations’ online store
at www.videocreations.tv. Previously ordered DVDs are complete and are in the
process of being packaged and mailed. Please feel free to contact Sasha Randall
at srandall@berwickacademy.org with any questions pertaining to the dance
program.
MUSIC
Festival Information
Upper School students who are interested in auditioning for the Maine
Allstate Music Festival next year can go to this site to check the audition requirements
for their instruments:
http://allstateauditions.com/mmea/auditions/InstrumentRequirements.pdf
We recommend that they start working on the music during the summer. Auditions
will be November 13 and 14. The district and jazz festival audition information
for the fall has not been published yet. Please remember that you must be enrolled
in a music class in order to audition or participate in a music festival in the Upper
School.
Off the Hilltop
Congratulations to Freddy Diengott for his participation in the Maine
Allstate Chorus, and to Dan Kleinmann for his role as Hamlet in the NH Theater
project and for his upcoming lead in “Grease” at Prescott Park. Please let us know
about additional summer performance experiences so that we may recognize those
performers in August or September.
THE 1791 Letter IS
GOING PAPERLESS
In an effort to save money while going green,
Berwick Academy is pleased to announce that
the 1791 Letter will be paperless beginning in
September of this year. If you wish to continue
to receive a hard copy, please contact Sondra
Farrell in the main offi ce of BD.
The electronic version will be sent via email
to you each month, and will also be available on the School Portal of
the BA website. It will be in pdf format and easily printable from your
home or offi ce.
Happy reading!
8 1791 Letter ~ June 2009

PRESIDENT’S NOTES
It is hard to believe the summer
is already here! BAPA had another great
year and I was so honored to work with
such wonderful committed women. I
want to thank the parents, faculty,
staff, and administration for supporting
BAPA efforts throughout the year. We
could not do what we do without you!
I look forward to another exciting year
with a new Board and I hope everyone
has a great summer. Any comments,
suggestions, or ideas for next year are
always welcome so please send us an
email. See you in the fall.
Thank you to Board Members
I want to thank Marla Katz,
Mona Smith, Amy Gaynor, Mary Beth
Herbert, Eliza Peter, Piper Allison
Bennett, Kim Mills, Julie Russell, Jane
Hourihan, and Elsa Koallick. These
women were amazing to work with
and we will miss them next year. The
amount of time and energy these
women dedicated to Berwick Academy
is remarkable and we could not have
had such a successful year without
them.
BAPA Gardens
A huge thank you to Kristin
Wiese-Adelman who did such a great
job with our BAPA garden outside of
BD. She is kind enough to stay on and
tend them next year. Thank you so
much for you energy and time.
2009-2010 BAPA Board
With over 200 votes of
approval of the slate of nominees for
next year’s Board, it is our pleasure to
introduce the BAPA Board members for
2009-2010!
President
Jean Jarvis
Vice President
Diane Walker
General Treasurer Tracy Howe
Schools Treasurer Nancy Noyes
Secretary
Nickie Gaudette
US Coordinator Suzanne McFarland
US Coordinator Mary Pat Dolan
MS Coordinator Andrea Bristol
MS Coordinator Joanne Meyer
LS Coordinator
Pamela Oberg
LS Coordinator
Beth Tykodi
Communications Coord. Sarah Hebert
New Family Coordinator Katie Clark
Auction Co-Chair
Jean Jarvis
Auction Co-Chair
Lesli Friel
Auction Co-Chair Mary Towey
Jean Jarvis, jean.jarvis1@verizon.net
BAPA President
TREASURER’S REPORT
Monthly BAPA Support
5/1/09-6/14/09
Lower School
Enrichment
Grade 1 fi eld trip Children’s Museum $182.00
Grade 3 trip to Central School $110.50
Kindergarten pizza party $59.00
Third Grade binders $56.55
Classroom pizza party $56.00
Literacy book and lesson plan $120.45
Printing BA Bell $288.43
Bus to Plimoth Plantation $200.00
Total Enrichment $1, 072.93
Fourth Grade Memory Book $1,134.12
Family Fun Day $2,651.50
Revels production CD’s $300.00
Total Lower School $5,158.55
Middle School
Grade 8 Baccalaureate $1,000.00
Grade 6 fi eld trip MFA $362.50
U-haul for Ski trip $153.66
Grade 6/7 Social
Prizes $50.00
DJ $350.00
1791 Letter ~ June 2009
Pizza $65.99
Total $465.99
Grade 5/6/7 Spring Social
Pizza $170.00
Grade 5 Hilltop Fun Center $550.00
Total $720.00
Grade 7 Team Building
Snacks $143.65
Browne Center $1,300.00
Total $1,443.63
Grade 7/8 Dance
Snacks & pizza $208.31
Canobie Lake Park
Admission $3,860.00
Bus to Canobie $2,476.00
Total $6,336.00
Total Middle School $10,690.09
Upper School
Winter Social Invitations $66.54
Senior Activities
Boxes & Ribbons for Mugs $42.75
Senior Banquet $47.54
Senior Banquet $79.67
Senior Dance $48.01
Senior Dance $60.00
Total $277.97
Community Service
Service Day Snacks $181.46
Sundaes for Service Day $212.76
Bus $1,289.25
Total $1,683.47
Enrichment
Lassiter program $1,000.00
Clubs
Pizza Advisory Group $38.00
Chemistry Periodic Table $194.04
Exam Snacks $197.81
Literary Magazine Printing $114.00
Yearbook $21.29
Blue & White Prizes $37.00
Total $602.14
continued...
9

Socials
Charity ball food $690.19
DJ $225.00
Food $69.00
Total $984.19
Post Prom $1,000.00
Wilderness Trip $4,200.00
Freshman Big &Little Buddy Treats $85.79
Total Upper School $9,900.10
Total BAPA Support $25,748.74
Amy Gaynor, agaynor@roadrunner.net
Schools Treasurer
LOWER SCHOOL NEWS
The Lower School concluded a
year of learning with the annual Young
Authors Day, which was celebrated on
Thursday, May 28. According to Mr.
Hawes it was the first “rainy” young
authors day ever! Despite the clouds,
rain, and cool weather, there was 100%
attendance in the Lower School. It was
a morning filled with wonderful stories
and poetry. We learned many new and
interesting facts about subjects ranging
from animals that live in Africa to our
solar system from the kindergartners. It
was especially heartwarming to listen
to the stories of the children who
refl ected upon a memory or a time
that helped to make their year at BA
special.
The beginning of June was
celebrated with the annual Lower
School Family Fun Day. It was an
absolutely beautiful day. Everyone had
a great time.
The end of summer parties
have already been planned by all grades!
Please watch your mail boxes over the
summer for a special invitation to one
of these great parties. Thank you to all
of the families who have so graciously
offered to host these events.
Enjoy the summer break with
your family and friends!
Nancy Noyes,
nnoyes@comcast.net
Julie Russell,
juliep.russell@adelphia.net
Lower School Coordinators
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
It’s hard to believe that the
school year is already behind us...
what a year it’s been! The kids have
enjoyed so many activities in the last
month of school: Grade 6 field trip to
the Museum of Fine Arts, Grade 7 team
building trip to the Browne Center,
Grade 5 social at Hilltop Fun Center,
Grade 6/7 social, the Middle School’s
annual trip to Canobie Lake Park,
Grade 8 Baccalaureate...what a fun and
busy time!
Congratulations to all of
the Middle School students whose
impressive scores on National and
International Language Examinations
earned recognition - what a talented
group of students! Congratulations,
also, to the seventh graders who raised
over $2,700 for “Pennies for Peace,”
an organization which builds schools
in war-torn Pakistan and Afghanistan.
In addition, we would like to wish the
new ninth grade students much luck
and success in the Upper School next
year!
Volunteer opportunities during
the summer months are slim, but that’s
not to say that there aren’t any! If you
are interested in coordinating a “Back
to School” event for your child’s class,
please let Andrea know (malted92@
comcast.net) so that she can get the
date on the calendar! This is an easy
event to coordinate and it’s a great way
for the kids to get together again, meet
their new classmates and get excited
about the new school year! In years
past, events have been held at beaches,
parks, pools, houses...the sky’s the
limit! These events are usually held in
the last few weeks of summer before
the start of the school year.
Many thanks to the wonderful
parent volunteers who have given time
and talent to our efforts throughout
the year! We are looking forward
to another great year in the Middle
School! In the meantime, have a safe,
fun, and relaxing summer!
Andrea Bristol, malted92@verizon.net
Mary Beth Herbert,
mbherbert@msn.com
Middle School Coordinators
UPPER SCHOOL NEWS
It’s that time again to bid
farewell to our graduates, friends, and
colleagues on the Hilltop. I’m not sure
if I should be happiest about my son
moving up to senior status or my term
as US Coordinator ending. Both bring
a mixed bag of emotions my way.
I have truly enjoyed the
opportunity to serve as your US
Coordinator for the past two years.
Spending time on the campus during
school hours, having the chance to
say hello to so many students, faculty
and staff, and ensuring that our student
body had the resources to make all of
their events successful has been the
most rewarding experience for me.
Even though at times, I must have
seemed so crazily busy setting up
activities for the students to enjoy with
their friends and teachers, the students
would always greet me with a smile and
a helping hand. Countless volunteer
hours and endless donations from all of
the Berwick families have never gone
unnoticed or unappreciated. Our US
students have enjoyed every event on
the Hilltop and beyond knowing that
they have been supported by their
families and BA teachers.
There are so many countless
people that I need to thank for
supporting me but just a few stand out
to me at this time. Those people are
senior parents Kitty Cornwell, Lisa
Kleinmann, Vickie Jenkinson, Lisa
Harris, and Linda Fishbaugh. Terri
Atwood, Diane Wheeler, Stephanie
Lawrence, Anne Fetters, Marie
Winters, Suzanne McFarland, Debra
Lizama, Jodi Scharff, and Karin Wittet,
our BA moms who never said no and
were at the ready all the time. I would
like to send out a huge and heartfelt
10 1791 Letter ~ June 2009

thank you to Peter Saliba, Ted Smith,
Jen Onken, Chris Mansfield, Lynne
Gass, Gray Cornwell, John Skafidas,
Rob Quinn and his incredible Athletics
staff and Pat McManus and all of her
facilities crew. All of you made my
job easier and much more successful by
your helping hands, brilliant minds and
sound advice. You are all the reasons
why Berwick Academy continues to be
the BEST!!
And fi nally, thank you to the
US students. I will miss my time with
all of you, but don’t worry I’ll be on the
sidelines and in the audience to cheer
you on for another year of wonderful,
fun fi lled BA times.
In closing I would like to
acknowledge the coordinators for next
year Suzanne McFarland and Mary Pat
Dolan. I wish you both great success.
Have a great summer and
enjoy the times you have with family
and friends. GO BULLDOGS!
Kim Mills, 603-742-1124,
tkkmills@aol.com
Suzanne McFarland,
suzannerye@comcast.net
Upper School Coordinators
NEW FAMILIES
The fi rst words out of my
daughter’s mouth after coming home
from the last day of school were “This
is going to be the longest summer
ever!” And, due to the way Memorial
and Labor Days fell this year, she
wasn’t just speaking a bunch of wishful
hyperbole. Welcome to the longest
summer! There is no need for an
orientation to the easier pace, the soft,
warm wind and the lazy, hot afternoons
in the hammock by the pool. We all
know what these days are for.
Last year at this time, I invited
all ‘08-‘09 ‘New Berwick Parents’
to offi cially change their identities
to ‘Berwick Parents.’ The school’s
routines and traditions have mostly
been revealed to you, and now you
can enter your next year with a greater
sense of knowing. I invite you to gift
that confidence. Please tell any ’09-
’10 New Berwick Parents about your
experiences. I have always maintained
that my job has been done by others,
as I see parents lift and hold each other
with helpful advice and kind guidance.
This will be my fi nal column for the
1791. My term ends in a few days and
Lower School mom Katie Clark will be
stepping in to help welcome our new
families. I wish her the same happy
and meaning-fi lled journey I have
known during my two years as your
‘welcomer-in-chief.’ Thank you all for
your wonderful support…see you on
the Hilltop in September.
Piper Allison Bennett,
piper924@comcast.net
New Family Coordinator
BAPA COMMUNICATIONS
Thank you to Judith Trotsky,
Kit McCormick, Diane Walker, Joanne
Meyer, Nickie Gaudette, Suzanne
Richardson, and Kim Levy who helped
out with the May mailing of the 1791.
As usual, it was a breeze. I’d also like to
thank all of the many loyal volunteers
over the past two years. It has been
wonderful getting to know you all and
without you, my job wouldn’t have
been as much fun or have been as
easy!
Finally, I’d like to welcome
Sarah Hebert as the new BAPA
Communications Coordinator and
to wish everyone a happy and safe
summer. Thanks.
Eliza Peter, elizapeter@yahoo.com
Communications Coordinator
1791 Letter ~ June 2009
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS...cont. from pg.5
fall who will introduce his/her new
intern for the first semester. Our interns
have certainly given us a professional
opportunity to reflect upon our
classroom practices and to become
stronger in our work as teachers. We
welcome this annual opportunity to
renew ourselves.
As the summer stretches
almost infinitely ahead, please know
that I will be here at work and welcome
your phone calls or emails. We may
arrange for meetings, as well. If I
can help your child enter the Middle
School in September with confidence
and a feeling of eagerness, please let
me know. I would be happy to assist.
On behalf of the entire Middle
School faculty, please accept our best
wishes for a safe and relaxing summer.
FAN OR FOLLOW!
Berwick Academy is on Facebook!
Become a fan to see daily updates,
photos, videos, and more.
www.facebook.com
Search “Berwick Academy”
Berwick Academy is using
Twitter! Create a profi le and
choose to “follow” Berwick
Academy. Opt to receive updates
via phone and you will receive a
text message every time we post
something new!
www.twitter.com/
berwickacademy
11

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
OVER THE SUMMER
I thought it would be fun to
end the school year by hearing from
someone other than me, so I invited the
members of the “new” Support Services
Department at Berwick Academy to
assist with the writing of my June 1791
Letter. The department was created this
year and is headed up by yours truly.
Its members include Ben Hillyard,
Lower School Academic Support
Coordinator; Stacey Sevelowitz,
Middle and Upper School Academic
Support Coordinator; and Linda Gill,
School Nurse. It is my hope that by
bringing these professionals together
and creating this new department,
Berwick Academy can provide more
coordinated and comprehensive
medical, academic, and psychological
support for your child during the
school year. We know through years
of experience that a happy, healthy
child thrives academically. So, for my
fi nal 1791 of the academic year, I posed
the following question to each of the
members, “What is one thing that you
want Berwick parents to remember
while enjoying summer vacation with
their children?” As you will see, our
responses are specific to our particular
area of expertise. I hope you find the
advice helpful!
Ben Hillyard - Lower School Academic
Support Coordinator
Something to Think About Over the
Summer – SUMMER LEARNING IS
ESSENTIAL AND CAN BE FUN!
First, let me congratulate the
Lower School students on a wonderful
year. This school year was packed
full of opportunities for learning,
development and growth from the first
days of Kindergarten to the excitement
and fear of moving up to the Middle
School.
The Lower School strives
to develop an education foundation.
Elementary School could be
considered the mortar that connects
future academic building blocks. It is
the task of both the home and school
environments to develop a foundation
which is strong, adaptive and rewarding.
So where does summer vacation fit into
this complex formula? Should summer
learning opportunities mirror the rigors
of a day of school or should summer be
about rest and relaxation?
Let’s look at the research for a
defi nitive answer. After a brief survey
I found that some research states that
only math computation regresses over
the summer months. Unfortunately,
other research states that summer
regression is rampant and one of the
main reasons for our diminishing
United States achievement scores
as compared to other industrialized
countries. Still other research states that
summer school is crucial to long term
retention, fluency, and comprehension.
To complicate things still further,
there are theoretical grounds (Dewey,
1956) for supposing that children learn
academic skills effectively outside
school. If so, far from there being
summer losses, there may even be
summer gains (Wintre, 1986).
It is unquestioned that children
can grow emotionally, physically and
academically in the summer.
Well, this leads us back to
the needs of the individual. I would
argue that adapting the research to the
individual needs is the art of teaching,
but should be in collaboration with
parents. Maintaining motivation is a
fl uid dynamic and every technique
does not help every child.
I would conclude with these
basic recommendations:
• Ask your child’s teacher for
recommendations. In the Lower School
our homeroom teachers understand
your child’s strengths, learning style,
and specifi c challenges.
• Break it down to its simplest form
- require some but make it fun. The
relaxed exploration of a beach or tide
pool can lead to new discoveries and
certainly learning. Learning happens in
all aspect of their lives.
Stacey Sevelowitz - Middle & Upper
School Academic Support Services
Something to Think About Over the
Summer – AVOID BRAIN DRAIN!
As the lazy days of summer
approach, try to remember the old
saying, “Use it or lose it!” Indulging
in the temptation to do nothing over
the summer to boost your brain power
is a wasted opportunity! According to
www.sharpbrains.com (a leading market
research company focused on the brain
fi tness and cognitive health market), a
very repetitive and routine-driven life,
lacking in novelty and stimulation,
can lead to brain drain. Brain research
shows that intelligence is not fixed as
previously thought; rather, the brain
continued on pg 16..
12 1791 Letter ~ June 2009

Rachel Saliba
SANDERS TO MAKE HISTORY
Like music teacher Ms. Goyette
who is credited for reinvigorating the
Berwick Academy Orchestra in 1923,
Stephanie Sanders will be establishing
the fi rst Upper School Symphonic
Band in 40 years. Following is a brief
summary of the history of the Berwick
Academy band up until the early
1970’s:
1833 – Music lessons, language,
and calisthenics were “available at
extra charge” for interested girls
(only) who were enrolled at the South
Berwick Female Seminary (the boys
attended Berwick Academy in the same
building).
1853 – The Mozart Sextet
was started at Berwick and modern
languages, music, drawing, painting
and telegraphy were offered to girls
and boys. It appears to be the first
band at Berwick Academy.
1853 - 1921 – While it is
diffi cult to determine the exact date
the fi rst orchestra was formed, we
know when it disbanded. According
to the April 1923 edition of the student
newspaper, The Hilltop Breeze, the first
orchestra “dwindled down in members
and spirit and disbanded in 1921.”
1922 – The BA Orchestra
reorganized under Ms. Goyette with 9
students and 5 instruments – “cornet,”
mandolin, violin, piano, drums. It played
for assemblies, prize speaking contests,
the senior play, commencement week,
the Alumni Banquet and “all other
public entertainments at the school.”
1923 Band in the Fogg Memorial Library - Ms. Goyette
is the 2nd from the left in the second row.
1927 – The Mandolin Club was
formed.
1927 in front of Fogg
1931 – The BA Orchestra started to
play for events outside of BA including
playing at the Odd Fellows Hall for
the Women’s Club in South Berwick.
The BA Marching Band became an
important part of holiday parades in
South Berwick.
1956 – The Last Berwick Academy
Band disbanded.
Photo from 1956 yearbook, The Quamphegan. Taken in
the Fogg Memorial Library.
1791 Letter ~ June 2009
1957-1960’s – A Pep Band was started
and mainly used for football games and
pep rallies around a bonfire on the eve
of important football games.
Berwick Academy Pep Band at football bon fi re c1965
1965 Berwick Academy Pep Band
13

ATHLETICS NEWS...cont. from pg 7
basic and intermediate skills, work on
conditioning, and show a commitment
to the team and the new program.
The purpose of pre-season is to start
the team off with a competitive edge,
as the 2010 season will likely have a
varsity squad in addition to JV. Please
let us know if you will be unable to
attend pre-season.
Boys and Girls Cross Country
Coaches: Jon Davie jdavie@
berwickacademy.org and Raegan
Russell rrussell@berwickacademy.org
Preseason: Practices begin on Monday,
August 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
and on Tuesday and Wednesday from
9:00 to 10:30.
Golf:
Coach John Downey
jdowney@berwickacademy.org
Practices will begin the first day of
classes. More information will be in the
August 1791 Letter.
Boys Basketball
Coach Patrick Quinn
pqbasketball@comcast.net
Summer: Boys basketball team will
hold an open gym for all Upper
School members during June and July
on Monday and Wednesday evenings
from 6 - 8 p.m.
Girls Basketball
Coach Brian Sanborn at
bsanborn@berwickacademy.org
Summer: Girls Basketball will be
holding open gym on the following
dates: June 18, June 23, June 25, July
31, Aug 4 - all from 6 - 8 p.m., and on
Aug 7 from 2 - 4 p.m.
Preseason: They will travel to two
events this summer: June 26-28 at
Colby College in Waterville, ME, and
August 7-9 at Assumption College in
Worcester, MA.
Fall Sports
Middle School and junior varsity sports begin on the first day of school.
Varsity sports begin on Monday, August 31, for most teams. Athletes trying out
for varsity teams should make every effort to attend these practices. This is an
important conditioning and learning period. Those athletes who cannot attend
should contact the coach. Regular season practice for all teams will begin on the
fi rst day of classes.
Important change in Emergency Permission form and Physicals
All health forms must be completed and filed with the school nurse no
later than July 13 of the upcoming school year in order for a student to begin
school. A student will not be allowed to participate in preseason sports or to attend
orientation programs if the necessary medical forms are not completed and on fi le.
Forms are mailed at the end of the preceding school year, are posted on the portal,
and may be picked up in the front office of the Burleigh Davidson Building.
A complete physical examination, including vision and hearing testing, is
required for all new students entering Berwick Academy; and thereafter, updated
every other year. A physical exam is an assessment of your child’s health status.
Berwick Academy recommends a more recent physical examination be submitted
if there are changes in your child’s health. The Physical Examination Form must be
completed and signed by the medical practitioner; and, the section on immunizations
must be reviewed and completed in order to comply with Maine state law.
The signed and completed Emergency Permission Form is used for students
during school, sports and fi eld trips when immediate medical attention is needed..
The school nurse needs to be updated on medical changes throughout the year.
Medical information pertinent to the student may be confidentially shared with the
applicable teacher(s), staff, and/or athletic coach. Parents are also encouraged to
inform appropriate personnel about important medical information.
Fall Schedule
The fall sports schedule is now posted on the Berwick Academy Portal. The
schedule is subject to change.
Bulldog Golf Classic
The Athletics Boosters are hosting their Annual Bulldog Golf Classic at the
Ledges Golf Club in York, Maine, Thursday, September 24, 2009. Save the date,
and plan to join in the fun with the many members of our Berwick community.
Annual proceeds from this tournament have benefited Berwick athletes
and the Athletic Department, including improvements to our athletic fields, new
scoreboards, construction of the girls softball field, fencing around the baseball
fi eld and dug outs, and netting on the soccer and lacrosse fields. We’ve even built a
storage shed and purchased a portable defi brillator and an all-terrain Gator vehicle
for the athletic trainers.
For more information go to www.berwickacademy.org or contact Rob
Quinn at 207-384-2164 ext. 2800 or email rquinn@berwickacademy.org
SPRING SPORTS AWARDS
SPORT MVP COACH’S
Var. Baseball Alex Tobey Shaun Millerick
JV Baseball Alex Hoyt Ben Siegel
Var. Softball Allana Sanborn Emily Keech
14 1791 Letter ~ June 2009

SPORT MVP COACH’S
JV Softball Monique Gagne Amy Stedman
Girls Var.Tennis Ann Harrington Clare Lloyd Owen
Girls JV Tennis Sydney Katz Maddie Kinzly
Boys Var. Tennis Bill Leach Zach Balomenos
Boys JV Tennis Danny Bottino Chad Cole
Boys Var. Lacrosse Peter Jenkinson Cam Cain
Boys J.V. Lacrosse Ian Wright Joseph Reid
Girls Var. Lacrosse Ashley Grenier Alysa Morse
Girls JV Lacrosse Leah Tzizik Caroline Seekins
Middle School Coach’s Awards
MS Baseball Blue
MS Baseball White
MS Boys Lacrosse Blue
MS Boys Lacrosse White
MS Girls Lacrosse Blue
MS Girls Lacrosse White
MS Softball
Blake Downey
Guerric Matel
Will Reis
Austin Fishbaugh
Eliza Hazen
Catherine Connors
Rachel Hawes
Middle School Spirit Girls: Carly Gill
Middle School Spirit Boys Award: Breandan Haley
Bulldog Award: Monique Gagne, Aaron Harris, Maddie
Kinzly, Phil Ramunno, Allana Sanborn
Hilltop Award (US): Allana Sanborn – Aaron Harris
Hilltop Award (MS): Anna Wright – Blake Downey
All League
Baseball: First Team - Alex Tobey, Kyle Lajeunesse, Kurtis
McCabe, Honorable Mention Ethan Hawes
Softball: First Team - Catie Wheeler, Honorable Mention
- Allana Sanborn
Boys Lacrosse: First Team - Peter Jenkinson, Tom Hay,
Attack, Jordan Sanford, Midfi eld, Chris Atwood and Aaron
Harris, Defense
Boys Tennis: Bill Leach
Girls Tennis: Annie Harrington, Sarah Koallick
Boston Globe All Scholastic
Aaron Harris – Boys Lacrosse
All New England
Aaron Harris, Peter Jenkinson, Tom Hay - Lacrosse
LOWER SCHOOL NEWS...cont. from pg 6
about the continents and have enjoyed a wonderful world
tour ever since! They helped us celebrate the Chinese New
Year and they contributed to the Heifer Project. They also
learned about musical instruments and they performed some
fascinating science experiments. And who can forget their
wonderful singing and acting in the Lower School Production
this year. Congratulations to our fi rst grade students on a
super year.
Our second graders ended the year with a thoughtful
service project—a lemonade stand fund-raiser! In the fall,
they visited the Charmingfare Farm. They also learned about
predator-prey relationships and then taught us all that they
had learned when we visited their classrooms. They performed
computer activities and practiced beautiful French songs.
They were always busy with clever math workshop activities
on Friday mornings. In the middle of the school year, they
made the Lower School come alive by creating a museum
about their ancestry—including delicious ethnic foods that
they served to their hungry visitors and guests. They were
such wonderful friends to each other. Congratulations to the
second grade students for completing a fantastic year.
Our third grade students enjoyed checking out
interesting library books, especially books about states that
they had studied in social studies. Their interest in social
studies, history, and the arts led them to some interesting
library and classroom projects about the state of Maine and
about artists and musicians. They also hiked through history
with their new friends from the Central School in South
Berwick. They helped with the morning sing-alongs and
with a collaborative used-book drive for the Passamaquoddy
Schools in Eastport and Perry, Maine. They even learned
to play the violin and completed some interesting computer
math projects. And their enthusiasm for learning grew and
grew—which is a good thing because soon they will be…next
year’s fourth grade class. Congratulations to the third grade
students on an excellent year!
From there, I turned the stage over to the Mr. Summers
and Mrs. Witherbee so that they could appropriately
recognize our departing fourth grade students. Each student
received a fitting tribute from their homeroom teacher. I also
had the opportunity to collectively congratulate the fourth
grade students for being such a spirited and supportive class.
With their friendships and their enthusiasm for learning, they
have set a wonderful standard in the Lower School.
We have been blessed with a dedicated and caring
group of teachers and staff members in the Lower School—
who care about the progress and success of each and every
Lower School child. I enjoyed concluding the recognition
assembly by asking the faculty to stand so that the audience
could recognize their efforts throughout the school year.
And, in turn, I wish to thank all of our readers for their support
of the Lower School throughout the 2008-2009 school year.
Best wishes for a rewarding summer!
1791 Letter ~ June 2009
15

WELLNESS NEWS...cont. from pg.12
is like plastic and can be strengthened
through mental exercise. Our brains
are complex and have many areas and
functions, and without daily practice,
they can atrophy. With some summer
cognitive training, you can improve
specifi c cognitive processes, like
concentration, processing speed and
memory, and this can be generalized to
a broader range of skills. These days,
neuropsychologists don’t recommend
paper-based activities (like Sudoku
and crossword puzzles), but computerbased
brain exercise software programs,
since they can provide a variety of new
activities all the time, always tailored
with a proper increasing level of
challenge. When seeking out a brain
training program, use research-based
criteria to evaluate them. The Sharp
brains Checklist can help: http://www.
sharpbrains.com/blog/2007/08/16/
brain-training-games-and-games/
In the meantime, here are three quick
and easy mental exercises, taken from
the sharpbrains website, that everyone
should be doing every day (you can find
lots of neat brainteasers and puzzles
there too!):
- For stress management: a 5-minute
visualization, combining deep and
regular breathings with seeing in our
mind’s eye beautiful landscapes and/ or
remembering times in our past when we
have been successful at a tough task
- For short-term memory: try a series
subtracting 7 from 200 (200 193
186 179...), or a series involving
multiplication (2, 3 4, 6 6, 9 8, 12...)
or exponential series (2 4 8 16 32 64...)
the goal is not to be a math genius,
simply to train and improve our shortterm
memory. Another way is to try
and remember our friends’ telephone
numbers.
- In general: try something different
every day, no matter how little. Take
a different route to work. Talk to a
different colleague. Ask an unexpected
question. Remember to approach
every day as a living experiment and a
learning opportunity.
Linda Gill - School Nurse
Something to Think About Over the
Summer – GET YOUR MEDICAL
FORMS IN ON TIME!
All Berwick families should
have received a mailing from the nurse’s
offi ce in late May. Enclosed you should
have found a cover letter indicating
what forms I need from you for the
2009-10 school year. We are doing
things a little differently this year, so
that is why I was excited to write this
entry for the June 1791 Letter. ALL
MEDICAL FORMS ARE DUE ON
JULY 13, 2009.
Parents, please be aware of
the following: Upper School parents,
if your forms are not in, your child’s
course schedule will not be mailed out
to you in August. Middle and Lower
School parents, if your forms are not
in, your child may not attend the fi rst
day of school.
If you have misplaced the
information, please call and I will either
mail out copies or instruct you where
to fi nd them on the school portal.
We are asking all parents to
fi ll out an Emergency Permission Form
this year so we can appropriately update
your child’s emergency contacts,
as well as any medical or insurance
changes. Also, if your child is taking
medication during the school hours
(including overnight field trips) or
carries medication for allergies, I
must have a Physician’s School Order
for Medication signed by both the
physician and the parent for the 2009-
10 school year.
Parents, please remember it is
important for your child’s safety and
academic success that I have all of the
necessary medical information prior to
your child’s return to school next fall.
Again, if you have any questions please
contact my offi ce at extension 2204.
Cindy Briggs – School Counselor
Something to Think About Over the
Summer – STRETCH AND TRY
SOMETHING NEW!
I think summertime is a perfect
time to STRETCH and try something
new. Just think about it, all year the
Berwick Academy faculty have been
challenging your children, be it in the
Lower, Middle, or Upper Divisions.
These challenging may have been
learning to read and write for the first
time in kindergarten all the way to
mastering public speaking in the Upper
School. In Alice Cooper’s famous
anthem, “School’s Out for Summer,”
he proclaims the joys of summer “no
more pencils, no more books, no
more teacher’s dirty looks….” For
many kids, this truly is what summer
is all about. I also believe that summer
can be a great time to stretch and try
new things. This stretching may mean
having a successful overnight with a
friend, surviving your fi rst summer job,
surfi ng in the ocean or even sky diving.
Whatever it is, it is an opportunity for
your child to stretch and do something
new. Remember, even though “School’s
Out for Summer,” our kids don’t have
to stop growing. In fact, I might go so
far as to say that summer is one of the
best times for our kids to step out their
comfort zones and try something new!
Enjoy your summer!
Cindy Briggs
16 1791 Letter ~ June 2009