October 2009 1791 Letter - Berwick Academy
October 2009 1791 Letter - Berwick Academy
October 2009 1791 Letter - Berwick Academy
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<strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Arts Boosters Variety Show<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong>
These electric days of autumn<br />
on the seacoast continue to move<br />
my soul. The number of recent days<br />
infused by azure skies and vibrant<br />
foliage have been truly amazing. I have<br />
had the pleasure of spending two of<br />
these dazzling afternoons at one of my<br />
favorite places: walking the fairways of<br />
The Ledges Golf Club in York. Golf<br />
represents many things in my life; joy,<br />
perseverance, and escape might be the<br />
top three. My first trip to The Ledges<br />
was inspired by our incredible Athletics<br />
Boosters golf tourney, where many<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> friends enjoyed a perfect day<br />
filled with great laughs and perhaps just<br />
a few words that will not be repeated<br />
in this missive. We certainly left a few<br />
wayward shots in the woods. All of this<br />
went towards supporting our students in<br />
athletics, and I was so impressed by the<br />
efforts of the community as well as our<br />
amazing volunteers. One of the joys of<br />
working at a day school is the chance<br />
to partner with our parents, and events<br />
like the Bulldog Classic remind me just<br />
how lucky we are in this regard.<br />
My second trip to The Ledges<br />
was to get my annual fix. Every fall, I<br />
make sure to head over to see at least one<br />
of our varsity golf matches. I go mostly<br />
out of a genuine desire to support our<br />
boys, but I must confess that I go partly<br />
out of sheer and unbridled envy. Let’s<br />
just say that the quality of golf was a<br />
bit more impressive on my second trip<br />
to The Ledges this fall. We happen to<br />
have an exceptional golf team this year,<br />
and my jaw dropped as I watched the<br />
youthfully coiled shoulder turns and<br />
Tiger-esque short games unfold before<br />
me. I quickly realized that fatherhood<br />
and becoming a Head of School have<br />
certainly accelerated my decline in<br />
muscular flexibility.<br />
One of the greatest things<br />
about golf is that it is truly a game of<br />
integrity. Each time one decides to play,<br />
there are literally a limitless number of<br />
opportunities to take shortcuts without<br />
observable repercussions. As someone<br />
who loves the game, I often find myself<br />
embroiled in internal soliloquies<br />
about adjusting lies or whacking a<br />
quick mulligan for whatever reason or<br />
rationale. It is also hard to express to<br />
non-golfers the sense of sheer agony<br />
and frustration that the game can bring<br />
when things are not going well. Even<br />
the very best golfers seemingly lose<br />
their games for stretches of time for no<br />
apparent reason. When one competes<br />
on the <strong>Berwick</strong> Golf Team, one has to<br />
both play well, and manage emotion,<br />
frustration, and disappointment with<br />
dignity and grace.<br />
At the match I happened to<br />
watch a few weeks ago, I could sense<br />
the determination emanating from our<br />
squad- they believed this was a match<br />
they should win. Although I bounced<br />
around amidst the three foursomes,<br />
I quickly settled on watching our top<br />
two golfers in competition. One of<br />
our team leaders found himself in<br />
a surprising battle midway through<br />
his match. The score was even as we<br />
walked up to the sixth hole; one that I<br />
happen to think is among the hardest<br />
on the course. While his opponent<br />
striped a perfect tee shot, our <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
golfer watched as his ball hopped into<br />
a vicious hazard – a spot on the course<br />
that I know all too well. I slunk into<br />
the umbrella of technicolor trees to see<br />
what kind of drama would unfold from<br />
a distance.<br />
After a longish search, our<br />
player miraculously found his ball in<br />
the hazard; I was surprised that he was<br />
actually going to hit it. The ball was<br />
seemingly nestled between a bit of<br />
fescue and an outcrop of rocks. As he<br />
took a step towards the rocks, our player<br />
stumbled, and his club went into some<br />
neighboring weeds to brace a potential<br />
fall. An animated disagreement ensued,<br />
as the opponent argued that our player<br />
had grounded his club in the hazard<br />
and needed to take a penalty stroke.<br />
To be honest, I have no idea what the<br />
rules of golf suggest in this case, but it<br />
was obvious to me that our player fell<br />
inadvertently down this rocky path. At<br />
a minimum, this was an excruciatingly<br />
frustrating situation. I knew that the<br />
coaches were available to settle just<br />
this kind of rule dispute, which is what<br />
I assumed would have to happen given<br />
the intensity of the match and the<br />
emerging controversy. But I watched as<br />
our player literally bit his lip and made<br />
the internal decision to accept his<br />
fate and move forward. He absorbed<br />
the penalty stroke in question, even<br />
though I could tell it was eating him<br />
up below the surface. He proceeded<br />
to hack his ball further into the hazard<br />
but hit a miracle third shot onto the<br />
green. He ended up losing the hole by<br />
the one penalty stroke and walked off<br />
the green down one with only three<br />
holes remaining.<br />
As many of you may know, we<br />
spent our K-12 Tenth Day Assembly<br />
this fall exploring what a commitment<br />
to integrity means at <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>.<br />
We discussed what it means to be a<br />
person of character, and what it meants<br />
to do the right thing when no one is<br />
looking. Our young <strong>Berwick</strong>ian did<br />
not know that I was so engrossed with<br />
what was unfolding in this case, and I<br />
was amazed by what I had seen. What<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong>
I witnessed was someone who found<br />
a way to move past what he thought<br />
was right, or just, or even fair. In fact,<br />
he was able to moderate his emotional<br />
response to a degree that he did not even<br />
seek an adult to resolve his frustration;<br />
I took this to be a compelling example<br />
of resiliency: resolving his problem on<br />
his own. As I mentioned earlier, I still<br />
had no idea what the rules would have<br />
suggested; I only knew that I couldn’t<br />
help but smile as I walked towards the<br />
next tee.<br />
Of course I had to stay for the<br />
final three holes, even though dinner<br />
with the Schneider girls was simmering<br />
on the stove at the Hayes House. I<br />
actually made eye contact with our<br />
player as he headed for the next tee,<br />
and I simply said “hang in there.” A<br />
fantastic birdie, a gritty bogey, and a<br />
rock solid closing par emerged under<br />
my watch. Our leader had won the<br />
match by a full two strokes, rendering<br />
the rule dispute moot in the end. As<br />
the two competitors shook hands on<br />
that ninth green underneath a setting<br />
seacoast sun, I simply turned towards<br />
my car and headed home in silence. As<br />
parents, children can often challenge<br />
us and frustrate us. As teachers, they<br />
puzzle and confuse us. Children also<br />
remind us why we work so hard at<br />
being parents and teachers. <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
<strong>Academy</strong> assures me that students can<br />
exceed even the highest of standards,<br />
including the ones that only they<br />
themselves can measure and judge.<br />
Safe in Place<br />
I am happy to report that<br />
we completed our first ever Safe in<br />
Place lockdown drill for the entire<br />
campus K-12 with the help of our<br />
new communication system. This is<br />
the result of multiple years of working<br />
on safety planning, and we learned a<br />
great deal from the experience. I have<br />
appreciated all of the support of our<br />
parents as we have worked through<br />
important challenges with safety in<br />
age- appropriate ways.<br />
Admissions Open House<br />
We enjoyed a wonderful<br />
Lower School nature activity afternoon<br />
on Sunday, <strong>October</strong> 18, and now we<br />
are turning our focus to the extremely<br />
important Admissions Open House on<br />
Wednesday, November 11. I would<br />
encourage all <strong>Berwick</strong> families to<br />
consider reaching out to a friend or<br />
neighbor who might be interested in<br />
having a first glance at our community<br />
on this day. There is no better way that<br />
our families can further the mission of<br />
our School than by spreading the word<br />
about what the <strong>Berwick</strong> experience has<br />
meant to their children.<br />
Book Fair<br />
Our annual Lower School Book<br />
Fair and Bake Sale will take place during<br />
the first week of November. Please come<br />
and enjoy incredible baked goods, and<br />
browse through the wide assortment of<br />
books brought to us through the efforts<br />
of the many volunteers that make this<br />
event possible.<br />
Seacoast United Soccer Tournament<br />
A hearty thank you to Rob<br />
Quinn, the Athletic Department, and<br />
our Athletics Boosters for hosting<br />
an expansive Seacoast United<br />
Soccer Tournament on our campus<br />
during Columbus Day weekend.<br />
Congratulations to all who were<br />
involved in preparing for this wonderful<br />
event that brought families to campus<br />
from throughout New England.<br />
Burleigh-Davidson Reunion<br />
On the Saturday of Columbus<br />
Day weekend, we also hosted the<br />
Burleigh and Davidson families as they<br />
celebrated their first family reunion.<br />
Family members clearly enjoyed the<br />
opportunity to view the Burleigh-<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Davidson Building throughout and<br />
thanks to the efforts of Patricia<br />
McManus and Rachel Saliba, were<br />
able to have their many questions<br />
answered. Thanks also to Seth Hurd<br />
for his extra efforts in making visitors<br />
feel welcome.<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong><br />
Campus Store<br />
SHOP<br />
Online!<br />
Offering a selection of products<br />
from the school store including<br />
sweatshirts, hats, mugs, and more.<br />
Log on to www.berwickacademy.<br />
org and click on Community to find<br />
the <strong>Berwick</strong> Store
Peter Saliba<br />
The most important asset of<br />
any educational institution is its people.<br />
In my role, I get the chance to see each<br />
one of our teachers in action, mostly<br />
in their classrooms. Most of the time,<br />
these are glimpses, but at other times it<br />
is part of our formal evaluation system.<br />
Everyday I’m reminded how lucky we<br />
are to have our faculty, and the skills<br />
they bring to our campus. I know all<br />
of you appreciate the complexity of<br />
human relationships, and while good<br />
teaching navigates this fact with a<br />
great deal of difficulty, our jobs are also<br />
helped immensely by this reality. Yes,<br />
teaching is a tough job, but it’s made<br />
easier by the complexity of the task.<br />
The volume of research on<br />
good teaching is staggering. A student<br />
of pedagogy could spend an entire<br />
career simply reviewing all that has<br />
been written. From my perspective,<br />
there are three generally accepted truths<br />
of exceptional teacher performance<br />
in the classroom: Good teaching<br />
is whenever students are learning;<br />
excellent teachers reflect regularly on<br />
their practice; and the best teachers are<br />
acutely aware of how their students are<br />
experiencing their learning. Although<br />
these tenets of teaching sound simple,<br />
their execution is complex. For<br />
example, if you happen to be teaching<br />
Western Civilization, how important is<br />
it that your students know the location<br />
of the Sea of Tranquility It’s probably<br />
not that essential if you are focused<br />
on how the Hebrew vision of God<br />
provided the basis for monotheism, and<br />
its role as an essential building block<br />
for both Christianity and Islam. But,<br />
students were learning in this exercise<br />
of geography. Is that good teaching<br />
Of course, the answer is “it depends.”<br />
If a student happens to be a geography<br />
nut or someone passionate about<br />
exploration, you’ve hooked them<br />
into your class, at least temporarily.<br />
The permutations of “it depends” are<br />
infinite, and highlights the fact that<br />
one exercise or approach that might<br />
work really well for one student many<br />
not work for others in the classroom.<br />
I’m sure some of us think that this<br />
geography exercise in a Western Civ<br />
class is useless or unfair. I’m not going<br />
to try and tackle that issue here, but I<br />
will use it as a foil to highlight why the<br />
complexity of the situation helps us at<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong>.<br />
The complexity of teaching<br />
means that no matter what you do,<br />
some students will struggle with the<br />
goals of a lesson. This is because we<br />
often have multitudes of learning styles<br />
in the classroom. This in turn makes<br />
faculty think about adjustments because<br />
ultimately, we have the students at<br />
the center of our focus. Adjusting<br />
approaches, trying new things, learning<br />
from our experiences all describe a<br />
faculty member’s experience on a daily<br />
basis. We try to encompass everyone<br />
in the class. This situation, although<br />
difficult, also empowers the students<br />
because they know that they are not<br />
alone in grappling with challenges.<br />
They see us, like their peers, wrestle<br />
with our approaches and experiments,<br />
and witness our successes and failures.<br />
Empathy is a powerful tool<br />
in the world of teaching, and the<br />
recognition that all of us experience<br />
joy and frustration in our complex<br />
relationships makes our job as<br />
educators easier. Of course there are<br />
differences in how we (faculty and<br />
students) express our highs and lows,<br />
but the message is the same- we are all<br />
in this together.<br />
If teaching was simply about<br />
retaining content, then the Internet<br />
would have put schools out of business.<br />
What keeps us going is the fact that<br />
human beings need more care, support<br />
and nurturing than the LCD screen<br />
in a vacuum can provide. By making<br />
this journey together, the bonds of the<br />
complex relationship are strong and<br />
meaningful, and define our school.<br />
And, if you happen to know where the<br />
Sea of Tranquility is, give yourself a<br />
point of extra credit on your next test.<br />
Warmly,<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong>
Several years ago, Hap<br />
Ridgway remarked upon what he called<br />
my “Mother Bear” responses when<br />
students or teachers needed protection<br />
of some sort. I am still unsure, given his<br />
experiences with grizzlies in Wyoming,<br />
if I was really quite that scary. I imagine<br />
that each parent among us can recall<br />
moments when we have felt that our<br />
children have been unfairly treated<br />
and we have raised ourselves up in high<br />
dudgeon against those who posed the<br />
threat.<br />
Protecting our children from<br />
danger is probably one of the hardwired<br />
responses in our brains that has<br />
continued to promote our successful<br />
evolution as a species. And while the<br />
world is a safer place in many respects<br />
than it was 400,000 years ago, the<br />
wiring remains the same. And so it<br />
seems that we parents see threats to<br />
safety even when there are none to the<br />
physical well-being at all. We can focus<br />
upon challenges, insults, exclusions,<br />
gossip, and even grades.<br />
Somehow, we read a threat<br />
when our children might be better<br />
served by having to struggle without<br />
our hovering. For example, a low<br />
performance on a test might be<br />
expressed as a matter of, “Mom, the<br />
teacher doesn’t like me.” While we may<br />
know better on an intellectual level, it<br />
can be all too easy to head down the<br />
road of blame. That road is perilous<br />
and frequently finds young adults who<br />
blame their bosses, the faulty radar gun<br />
of a police officer, or an unfair justice<br />
system. Moreover, the blaming pattern<br />
interrupts the development of honest<br />
self-reflection and mature acceptance of<br />
responsibility. I often tell students about<br />
the fine I once deserved (and paid) for<br />
driving 67 miles per hour on Route 95.<br />
I was angry for having been caught by<br />
a state police officer, but I paid the fine<br />
because I had been driving above the<br />
speed limit. The responsibility and not<br />
the blame belonged on my shoulders,<br />
and only mine.<br />
Another threat that certainly<br />
raised my hackles were mean, heartless,<br />
cutting words; the social cruelty that<br />
tends to diminish if not disappear in<br />
the young adult years. How often<br />
I was tempted to pick up the phone<br />
and demand a apology and a promise<br />
to “keep your distance.” Instead, I<br />
permitted the struggle with the words<br />
to happen. Asking, “Do you know<br />
those words to be true” about a rumor<br />
has been a reliable starting point.<br />
Statements may be unfair, untrue, and<br />
unkind. The world is all of those.<br />
Developing resilience is perhaps our<br />
best defense. Analyzing the other’s<br />
motivations is also an exercise in<br />
empathy.<br />
Ultimately, the development<br />
of good character is the job of one’s<br />
entire community. At the micro level,<br />
the early years at home are times when<br />
the foundation is established and<br />
set. School years are the times when<br />
the foundation is tested. The adults<br />
in one’s community model, foster,<br />
and celebrate the integrity of the<br />
individuals. More is gained through<br />
those three behaviors than through<br />
approbation. The community at large,<br />
local or global, still presents threats.<br />
Some of these are frighteningly real.<br />
Others demand the protection of thick<br />
skin and a clear-eyed view of making<br />
right choices.<br />
As we embark upon a year that<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
explores our core value of integrity, the<br />
Middle School students and faculty<br />
will be busy. We shall be self-reflective<br />
and sometimes struggle with choices.<br />
I recommend Leo Tolstoy’s story, “The<br />
Three Questions,” as a place to start.<br />
The story can be read by children or<br />
adults, for its message is timeless. Here<br />
are the three questions asked by a king<br />
of a very old hermit: “How can I learn<br />
to do the right thing at the right time<br />
Who are the people I most need, and<br />
to whom should I, therefore, pay more<br />
attention than to the rest And, what<br />
affairs are the most important, and<br />
need my first attention” The hermit<br />
permits the king to answer his own<br />
questions, just as we each must, in<br />
our time. I hope that our year allows<br />
for some enlightenment and brings us<br />
further away from taking the stance of<br />
the mother grizzly bear. Governing<br />
through size and fear is a hard way to<br />
live, and there are no truly easy roads<br />
to integrity.
I enjoyed hosting the Lower<br />
School Curriculum Night on Tuesday,<br />
<strong>October</strong> 6. The presentation combined<br />
aspects of a Lower School Coffee and<br />
a Lower School Forum as we discussed<br />
segments of our division’s curriculum<br />
on the heels of our Back-to-School<br />
Night. During the evening, I presented<br />
and led a discussion on the math and<br />
health/wellness programs; Maria Isaak<br />
did the same for the music program.<br />
Certainly, a division’s<br />
curriculum is a regular and essential<br />
school focus. In the Lower School and<br />
across campus, it has taken on greater<br />
importance this year with our efforts in<br />
curriculum mapping and instructional<br />
differentiation. As I mentioned<br />
during the presentation, curriculum<br />
mapping is a process by which the<br />
faculty is reviewing the daily, weekly<br />
and year-long curriculum by entering<br />
critical information into an electronic<br />
database. We are using templates that<br />
display key curriculum components<br />
including units of study, essential<br />
questions, student skills proficiencies,<br />
student knowledge proficiencies and<br />
assessment. The curriculum mapping<br />
approach uses real-time curricular data<br />
about what is taught over the course<br />
of the year in order to promote further<br />
scope and sequence decision making.<br />
We are using the Atlas curriculum<br />
mapping program, which is supported<br />
by Rubicon (educational services).<br />
This Internet-based program will allow<br />
for greater faculty review of curricular<br />
goals at specific grade levels, within<br />
divisions and across our kindergarten<br />
through grade twelve spectrum.<br />
I also defined and reviewed our<br />
approach to differentiation which is<br />
one of the primary Academic Affairs<br />
Committee agenda topics this year, with<br />
important implications at the division<br />
level as well. In brief, differentiation<br />
involves adapting teaching and<br />
learning materials to account for<br />
individual differences in learning style<br />
amongst a given group of students. At<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong>, as with any other school, it<br />
is important to identify areas in which<br />
we can successfully differentiate within<br />
the instructional realm in a manner<br />
that promotes greater levels of student<br />
achievement.<br />
In the remainder of this<br />
column, I hope to give greater focus to<br />
the math program by using Curriculum<br />
Night talking points. As I work<br />
with the faculty—and ultimately the<br />
students—my overall Lower School<br />
math goals are threefold: to develop<br />
a meaningful network of skills and<br />
subject knowledge; to develop number<br />
sense and mathematical thinking and<br />
to develop awareness that math makes<br />
sense as a specific subject area, across<br />
the curriculum and in “real life.”<br />
We use the second edition<br />
of the Investigations math program<br />
as a foundation for our instruction.<br />
Investigations is based on the national<br />
math standards developed by the<br />
National Council of Teachers of<br />
Mathematics. Through a nine-unit<br />
per grade level focus (seven units at<br />
kindergarten), the skills and objectives<br />
spiral coherently across and within<br />
grade levels in relation to number sense,<br />
algorithms and problem solving. It is<br />
crucial to have a program that promotes<br />
consistent language, activities, scope<br />
and sequence and assessment, while<br />
allowing for teacher flexibility in<br />
tailoring lessons to specific classroom<br />
needs.<br />
During the evening, we looked<br />
at Lower School examples of math<br />
curricula and curriculum mapping<br />
approaches. I am eager to help<br />
facilitate the merger of these two areas<br />
over the course of the year. As we<br />
progress, we will also continue to make<br />
natural integrations between the math<br />
program and technology, science and<br />
special projects across the curriculum.<br />
As we look to the future of<br />
math education in the Lower School,<br />
I am working actively to ensure that<br />
our grade-level schedules allow for<br />
one hour of math instruction per day.<br />
We are also increasing our assessment<br />
focus by adding the Terra Nova test<br />
at the third grade level, so that we<br />
have standardized test scores across<br />
the second, third and fourth grade<br />
continuum. Another important goal<br />
this year involves looking at ways<br />
in which we can offer more depth<br />
and possibilities to summer math<br />
experiences. Finally, we are addressing<br />
the manner in which we can connect<br />
and integrate math skills and objectives<br />
across the curriculum into other subject<br />
areas.<br />
Curriculum mapping,<br />
instructional differentiation and the<br />
math program have connected in<br />
important ways at the beginning of<br />
this academic year. I was pleased to<br />
lead the math presentation during<br />
our Curriculum Night, and I welcome<br />
any related thoughts from the Lower<br />
School community related to the math<br />
program.<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong>
Rob Quinn<br />
<strong>Letter</strong> to the <strong>Berwick</strong> Community<br />
Dear <strong>Berwick</strong> Community,<br />
Columbus Day weekend in <strong>October</strong><br />
always proves to be a very busy time in New<br />
England with leaf peepers traveling north to get<br />
a glimpse of the natural beauty of all the fall<br />
foliage in our area. However this particular<br />
weekend is also quite popular for soccer<br />
tournaments being hosted in the local area,<br />
which also draw large crowds of visitors. At<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> this held true and Seacoast<br />
United Soccer Club held its tournament for the<br />
very first time at BA with 35 teams visiting our<br />
beautiful campus over the long weekend.<br />
A soccer tournament being held<br />
at our campus gave the BA community an<br />
opportunity to showcase our school, students,<br />
parents and all the beautiful facilities we have.<br />
Also, this was an opportunity for our Athletics<br />
Boosters to use their time and talents to raise<br />
funds in a concessions tent. With the help of<br />
many, many parent and student volunteers,<br />
the Athletics Boosters were successful in their<br />
quest for fundraising. It is with great pleasure<br />
that I recognize those BA student-athletes who<br />
gave their time to BA on a very breezy, brisk<br />
fall weekend to work on the Hilltop for the<br />
greater good of all our BA athletes and athletic<br />
programs.<br />
Andrew Hawkins, Leigh Chilton,<br />
Kyle Mullaney, Jim Sherbahn, Max Werman,<br />
Ethan Hawes, Skyler Stern, Parker Woolley,<br />
John Reinhardt, Blake Downey, Jamie Meader,<br />
Katy Davis, Will Reis, Lydia Waldo, Alex<br />
Devine, Win Hahn, Michael Keefe, Gabbie<br />
Wiggin, Averill Daly, Kelsey Hayden, Alex<br />
Wood, Rachel Ikegami, Patrick Nichols, Simon<br />
Corson, Jamie Wilson, Chelsea Vanderlinde,<br />
Elias Thayer, Abby Thayer, Jordan Katz, Lee<br />
Tsairis, Alicia Springer, Julia Kokernak, Nate<br />
Potter, Samantha Sullivan, Sarah Murray, Jess<br />
Murray, Erica van Dissel, Abby Martinen,<br />
Cora Ordway, Ellie Penati and Mike Henry.<br />
Please forgive me if I’ve missed<br />
recognizing any student. All of your efforts<br />
are greatly appreciated by many. For all the<br />
parents who drove our volunteer athletes to<br />
campus and for those parents who gave of their<br />
time to work in the concession tent; THANK<br />
YOU!!<br />
It is for these reasons that I am so<br />
proud to serve as the President of BA Athletics<br />
Boosters. Enjoy the remainder of our teams’<br />
games, matches and meets and we look forward<br />
to joining in the fun of Winter Sports.<br />
Warm regards and many thanks,<br />
Kim Mills and the BA Athletics Boosters<br />
Bulldog Classic<br />
The weather was spectacular<br />
for the 19th Annual Bulldog Golf<br />
Classic that featured the participation of<br />
nearly 95 golfers, including 11 alumni;<br />
everyone enjoyed the opportunity<br />
to gather, golf, and meet new people<br />
and/or reconnect with classmates. A<br />
special thank you to so many people<br />
who made this event successful. Golf<br />
Committtee adviser Cider Berry;<br />
Boosters members Terri Atwood, Lisa<br />
Harris, Jim and Diane Wheeler, Steve<br />
Grenier, Chris Nichols, Joyce O’Day,<br />
Paula Reid, Stephanie Lawrence, Andy<br />
Lathrop and Marilena Canuto. Your<br />
work is truly the backbone that makes<br />
this event a reality.<br />
We would also like to recognize<br />
the parents that participated in this<br />
event by coming out to play golf and<br />
support our athletic programs. Upper<br />
School parents: James Dolan, John<br />
MacFarlane, Kevin Reinhardt, Ron<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Siegal, Jay McFarland, Neal Wittet,<br />
John Zannos, Mike Claire, Jimmy<br />
Wheeler, Steve Grenier and Middle<br />
School parents: John MacFarlane,<br />
Andrew Siegal, Jay McFarland, Mike<br />
Claire, Chris Grassie and Richard<br />
Salvati. Lower School parents: Vic<br />
Sunshine, Brooke Storey, Thomas<br />
Hourihan, Chip Gaudette, Nickie<br />
Gaudette, Scott Knightly.<br />
Special thanks to our student<br />
athletes who came to the course<br />
early in the morning before school to<br />
welcome our guests and carry their<br />
golf bags to the assigned carts. John<br />
Reinhardt, Mike Grenier, Jamie Wilson<br />
and Derek Lavigne- Job well done!<br />
Finally, a tremendous thank you to<br />
our sponsors and prize donors who we<br />
would like to recognize below:<br />
Tournament Sponsor<br />
Head & Neck Specialty Group of<br />
N.H.<br />
Tournament Sponsor – UBS Wealth<br />
Management<br />
Cart Sponsor – Atlantic Sportswear<br />
Putting Green Sponsor – The Benson<br />
Family<br />
Beverage Cart Sponsors – Atwood<br />
Carpentry<br />
Breakfast Sponsors – Sports Medicine<br />
Atlantic Orthopaedics<br />
Master’s Sponsor – Eastern Propane<br />
and Oil<br />
PGA Sponsor – Budel<br />
PGA Sponsor – Emerson Technologies<br />
Lunch Sponsor – Muddy River<br />
Marketplace<br />
U.S. Open Sponsors<br />
George Blaisdell Insurance<br />
Brock’s Building Materials<br />
continued on pg. 15...
you gotta have Arts<br />
Art Society Inductions<br />
A number of serious Upper<br />
School visual artists and musicians<br />
will be inducted into the National Art<br />
Honor Society and the Tri-M Music<br />
Honor Society during a reception in<br />
the Commons Dining Hall at 5:30<br />
p.m. on Thursday, November 5. Light<br />
refreshments will be available for the<br />
inductees and their guests during the<br />
ceremony.<br />
Dance<br />
The dance program is pleased<br />
to announce the captains for the <strong>2009</strong>-<br />
2010 academic year. From a unanimous<br />
vote of the Upper School dance<br />
company members, Chelsea Johnson<br />
and Mollie Stolzer emerged as the<br />
student leaders of the <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong><br />
Dance Program. As captains, Mollie<br />
and Chelsea will assist the faculty in<br />
preparations for the dance performance<br />
in May, as well as act as student liaisons,<br />
promote the presence of dance in our<br />
community, look for opportunities for<br />
outreach, and contribute choreography<br />
to the Company Blue repertory.<br />
Congratulations, Chelsea and Mollie!<br />
Director of Dance Sasha<br />
Randall has continued her work with<br />
the Maine Arts Commission and Maine<br />
Alliance of Arts Education by working<br />
closely with the groups at their recent<br />
conference in Northport, Maine. The<br />
Arts Connect conference brought<br />
three hundred arts educators from<br />
the state of Maine together to discuss<br />
advocacy, adversity, opportunities,<br />
connections and pedagogical tools.<br />
During this conference, Sasha was<br />
introduced to blogging and has<br />
started a blog discussing the state<br />
of dance throughout New England,<br />
primarily focusing on dance education<br />
in the private school sector. You can<br />
contribute to the conversation at www.<br />
nedance.wordpress.com<br />
Drama<br />
Fall Drama Production-- The<br />
Upper School Drama Department will<br />
kick off the performing arts season with<br />
The Perfect Alibi, a detective mystery<br />
in three acts, by A.A. Milne. This<br />
production will be staged by the Upper<br />
School Drama Department on Friday<br />
and Saturday, <strong>October</strong> 30-31, in Fogg<br />
Memorial. Admission is $5 Adults, $3<br />
Students, at the door, no reservations<br />
required.<br />
Visual Arts<br />
Five Artists Who Teach—<br />
Melissa Hannon, Teaya Fitzgerald,<br />
Raegan Russell, Deloris White and<br />
Lynn Wildnauer are in the process of<br />
hanging and presenting works that<br />
represent them as visual artists. The<br />
exhibit will be in the Jackson Library<br />
Gallery through December.<br />
These artist/teachers recently<br />
attended the annual Maine Art<br />
Educators Conference at Haystack<br />
Mountain School of Crafts on Deer Isle.<br />
This year’s emphasis was on art and the<br />
environment and the keynote address<br />
as well as the workshops reflected this<br />
theme, utilizing recycled and natural<br />
materials in the creation process.<br />
Winterfest<br />
Winterfest Auditions—January<br />
7, 12, and 14, 2010-- It is not too early<br />
to begin thinking about Winterfest<br />
2010. The auditions will take place<br />
the first two weeks after we return<br />
from the winter holiday break. We<br />
continue to look upon the auditions<br />
as an educational experience. Last<br />
year, seventy-six individual performers<br />
or groups auditioned. The final<br />
selection of twenty-two performers<br />
was very difficult. Winterfest 2010<br />
will represent our “One School”<br />
philosophy. Therefore, <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
students in kindergarten through grade<br />
twelve who excel in their performing<br />
arts concentration must submit a<br />
Recommendation for Audition Form,<br />
signed by their performing arts<br />
instructor in early December to sign<br />
up for a five-minute audition time slot.<br />
Students will be informed of their<br />
assigned audition time the first week<br />
in January. Auditioning before a jury<br />
is a competitive process, therefore,<br />
performing arts students are encouraged<br />
to prepare early and thoroughly for the<br />
Winterfest audition days in January.<br />
Because of the numerous students<br />
auditioning, each student may audition<br />
only once, either as a solo performer<br />
OR part of a group. If selected,<br />
each student may perform ONLY<br />
as accepted by audition. Everyone<br />
must decide exactly what they will<br />
be performing prior to the audition.<br />
Please note that Winterfest 2010 will<br />
take place on Friday, January 22, at<br />
7:00 p.m., with a snow date planned for<br />
Sunday, January 24, at 2:30 p.m. Any<br />
student interested in signing up for an<br />
audition should check with parents and<br />
coaches to determine if they have any<br />
conflict with the performance date or<br />
the snow date. Please contact Deloris<br />
White dewhite@berwickacademy.org<br />
if you have any questions regarding<br />
this process.<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong>
President’s Notes<br />
Thanks to the many volunteers<br />
who helped make the busy first 6 weeks<br />
of school a little easier for everyone.<br />
BAPA has already supported many<br />
events and activities: parent coffees,<br />
Picture day, team building trips and<br />
socials, Upper School wilderness trips,<br />
fourth Grade Seacoast Science Center<br />
trip, Upper School magazine sale, and<br />
more. We want to thank everyone who<br />
helped, whether it was by supporting<br />
our fundraisers or by volunteering their<br />
time; we can’t do what we do without<br />
you. Everyone makes a difference<br />
when they volunteer, so thank you<br />
very much.<br />
There are more events coming<br />
up so please look at the NEW BAPA<br />
portal for BAPA updates and news, and<br />
also look in the weeklies for volunteer<br />
opportunities and events in your<br />
children’s divisions.<br />
BAPA Social at the Redhook Brewery<br />
We’re trying something totally<br />
new for this year’s BAPA Parent’s Fall<br />
Social and we are having a casual event<br />
at Redhook Brewery. Join us for beer,<br />
wine, and hot and cold hors d’oeuvres.<br />
A one-hour brewery tour will be offered<br />
if there is enough interest. The tour<br />
will include tasting several beers and<br />
a complimentary tasting glass to take<br />
home.<br />
Date: Tuesday, November 10, <strong>2009</strong><br />
Time: 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.<br />
Place: Redhook Brewery, 35 Corporate<br />
Drive, Portsmouth, NH (Pease<br />
Tradeport) There is no charge to<br />
attend this event. BAPA is sponsoring<br />
the hors d’oeuvres and brewery tour.<br />
There will be a cash bar. Watch your<br />
email for your invitation!<br />
Magazine Sale<br />
Please remember to support the<br />
magazine sale still going on to benefit<br />
the Junior and Senior Prom. This is the<br />
only fundraiser for the prom so please<br />
help support it by buying or renewing<br />
a magazine subscription. Thanks so<br />
much for your support.<br />
Lost and Found<br />
Have you checked out the Lost<br />
and Found lately By this time of the<br />
year our precious children have usually<br />
lost something. If you can not find a<br />
raincoat or that favorite sweatshirt,<br />
look in the Commons (bottom floor).<br />
Please remember to label your children’s<br />
clothes to help identify items.<br />
BAPA Board Opening for <strong>2009</strong>-2010<br />
The BAPA Board is looking<br />
ahead to next year. If you are<br />
interested in becoming 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 or<br />
positions you are interested in, to my<br />
attention, via e-mail or letter (Mail to<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>, Attention BAPA.)<br />
by February 2010.<br />
BAPA Gardens<br />
I want to thank Kristin Wiese<br />
Adelman for taking care of the BAPA<br />
gardens. They look great. We really<br />
appreciate your time and energy.<br />
Jean Jarvis<br />
BAPA President<br />
Jean.jarvis1@myfairpoint.net<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Treasurer’s Report<br />
September 30, <strong>2009</strong><br />
Gr. 8 BBQ Income $2755.96<br />
Expenses:<br />
Middle School<br />
Gr. 5 Team Building $300<br />
Gr. 6 Team Building Workshop $1,200<br />
Enrichment – River as a Classroom $560<br />
Enrichment – Bale to Bolt $390<br />
Enrichment – Midsummer Night’s Dream<br />
at UNH Gr. 8 $504<br />
Total MS $2,954<br />
Upper School<br />
Clubs/Extracurricular -<br />
Lassiter Buddy Supplies $60.48<br />
Junior Magazine Drive Lunch $51.90<br />
Enrichment -Isles of Shoals trip $1,800<br />
Freshman Orientation Pizza $467<br />
Total US $2,379.38<br />
Total BAPA Expenses 9/1/09 – 9/30/09<br />
$5,333.38<br />
Net BAPA support 9/1/09 – 9/30/09<br />
$2,577.42<br />
Nancy Noyes<br />
nnoyes@comcast.net<br />
Schools Treasurer<br />
Lower School News<br />
The school year has gotten off<br />
to a wonderful start! The leaves are<br />
falling, the weather is turning colder,<br />
and that means that we are gearing<br />
up for the annual Lower School Book<br />
Fair and Bake Sale. The event will take<br />
place November 2 through November<br />
6 in the Commons Lounge. We will<br />
feature books from both Scholastic and<br />
Usborne aimed at a wide range of ages<br />
continued...
and interests. Books for children of<br />
preschool age through grade 8, as well<br />
as adult best-sellers and cookbooks<br />
(Think Rachel Ray!) will be available.<br />
We will also feature autographed copies<br />
(and possibly a live signing or two)<br />
of books by local authors, including:<br />
Michele Werwein Albion, Jeannie<br />
Brett, Jane Cowen Fletcher, and Tracy<br />
Kane.<br />
Lower School classroom<br />
teachers, unified arts teachers, and<br />
the Middle School librarian will be<br />
filling out wish lists. Please stop by the<br />
Teacher Wish List Booth at the book<br />
fair and purchase a book for your child’s<br />
teacher. You and your child can fill out<br />
a bookplate sticker indicating the book<br />
is a gift from your child.Lower school<br />
children will be going over to the Book<br />
Fair with their teachers and filling out<br />
wish lists of their own. Your child’s<br />
wish list will be sent home the week of<br />
the Book Fair and can be used to help<br />
you shop.<br />
BA is again participating in One<br />
for Books, a charitable giving program<br />
aimed at donating one million books<br />
to schools in disadvantaged areas.<br />
Drop your spare change in the box<br />
or let your children do so. Look for<br />
more details on the portal and in the<br />
LS Weekly.<br />
Please stop by and support the<br />
Book Fair and Bake Sale! All proceeds<br />
benefit the Lower School and the<br />
Lower School Library.<br />
In addition to the Book Fair<br />
and Bake Sale, we have a few other<br />
upcoming activities:<br />
<strong>October</strong> 29, 2:00 p.m.: Lower School<br />
concert for grades K-2 and grades 3-4<br />
Mini Blues concert.<br />
<strong>October</strong> 30, 2:00 p.m.: Halloween<br />
parade.<br />
November 10, 5:30-8:00 p.m.: BAPA<br />
Parents’ Fall Social. Join us for beer,<br />
wine, and hot and cold hors d’oeuvres.<br />
A one-hour brewery tour will be<br />
offered if there is enough interest. The<br />
tour includes tasting several beers and<br />
a complimentary tasting glass to take<br />
home.<br />
BAPA is looking for volunteers<br />
to help with the Lower School Book<br />
Fair and Bake Sale. We are also looking<br />
for a coordinator for the Lower School<br />
Book Club. If you are interested,<br />
please contact the Lower School<br />
coordinators.<br />
Pamela Oberg<br />
pamela@hike-nh.com<br />
Beth Tykodi<br />
bptykodi@comcast.net<br />
Lower School Coordinators<br />
Middle School News<br />
The crisp and cool air of Fall has<br />
hit New England once again. We have<br />
jumped back into the school year with<br />
many activities underway. The buzz<br />
of learning and happenings is clearly<br />
underway when you step beyond the<br />
doors of the Middle School.<br />
The Eighth Grade BBQ was<br />
quite a success. Thank you to all the<br />
parents and students who came out to<br />
support our eighth graders during Blue<br />
and White week.<br />
Grade 5 students enjoyed<br />
a class trip to Lowell on <strong>October</strong> 1.<br />
They learned about the Merrimack<br />
River and performed some interesting<br />
experiments. Our fifth and sixth graders<br />
had a wonderful first social of the year<br />
at Skate Newington, zipping around in<br />
their skates and roller blades.<br />
Be sure to mark your calendars for the<br />
following upcoming Parents Night<br />
Out:<br />
On <strong>October</strong> 22 the seventh grade will<br />
have a Parent Night Out at Rudi’s in<br />
Portsmouth.<br />
On November 5 all fifth grade parents<br />
can enjoy a night out at The Shipyard<br />
Brew Pub in Eliot.<br />
The grade 6 Parents Night Out has<br />
been rescheduled. We will notify you<br />
when a new date has been set.<br />
We are still hoping to organize a Grade<br />
8 Parents Night Out. Any volunteers<br />
to assist in this would be greatly<br />
appreciated.<br />
Our next Middle School Coffee will<br />
be on <strong>October</strong> 28 at 8:30 in the<br />
Commons Lounge. This meeting will<br />
be followed by a class rep meeting.<br />
Come have some coffee and goodies<br />
while we gain more knowledge about<br />
all that is going on in the Middle<br />
School.<br />
On November 5, BAPA will sponsor the<br />
eighth grade class to see a production<br />
of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at UNH.<br />
This will be a wonderful trip for the<br />
students and an opportunity to tie into<br />
their reading of this classic story.<br />
Come join us on November 10 for<br />
the Parents Fall Social that BAPA will<br />
host at the Redhook Brewery (Pease<br />
Tradeport) in Portsmouth from 5:30 to<br />
8:00 p.m. It is a great way to catch up<br />
with old friends and meet new ones.<br />
This will be a casual get together at the<br />
Brewery and there will be a cash bar, hot<br />
and cold hors d’oeuvres and a tour of<br />
the Brewery for all who are interested.<br />
We hope that you can attend!<br />
On November 20 and 21 the Middle<br />
School will be performing the musical<br />
“You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown!”<br />
The play will be a fun night out and<br />
a venue to see our children become<br />
rising stars as actors and singers.<br />
There are still volunteer<br />
positions available whether you<br />
want to help out with the auction,<br />
the upcoming Middle School Play, a<br />
Parents Night Out or in joining some<br />
10 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong>
of our Middle School reps. There is<br />
something for everyone. Just let us know<br />
your preference and we will point you<br />
in the right direction. Please contact<br />
Andrea Bristol at malted 92@comcast.<br />
net or Joanne Meyer at jomeyer777@<br />
aol.com.<br />
Upper School News<br />
First, I would like to thank<br />
Kim Mills the past Upper School<br />
Coordinator for leaving the books<br />
in such good order so that when the<br />
school year began we hit the ground<br />
running. For those parents who are not<br />
aware, the BAPA US parents support<br />
quite a bit for the school. So far, we have<br />
supported the Freshmen Wilderness<br />
Trip (including the pizza and t-shirts<br />
upon their return), and the ninth grade<br />
parent gathering on the BD porch. We<br />
helped support the Upper School trip<br />
out to the Isles of Shoals and the senior<br />
parents were in charge of all the food<br />
at the first coffeehouse. Many thanks<br />
to all who contributed as the kids were<br />
impressed by your generosity. We<br />
provided the juniors with a lunch while<br />
they helped organize the magazine<br />
drive and we will provide the DJ and<br />
some fundraising for the US dance on<br />
<strong>October</strong> 23. We contribute to the fall<br />
play with lighting, costume or other<br />
requested needs. Come see the play on<br />
the third floor of Fogg on the evenings<br />
of <strong>October</strong> 30 and 31. For November,<br />
the sophomore parents will be in<br />
charge of the food for the November<br />
20 coffeehouse. Please save the date for<br />
an informal, BAPA sponsored Parents<br />
Fall Social at the Redhook Brewery in<br />
Portsmouth on Tuesday, November 10<br />
from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.<br />
So, please take the time to enjoy<br />
the fall season because before we know<br />
it we will be sending out semiformal<br />
invitations, putting together the ninth<br />
graders special exam packets and<br />
picking up the Upper School’s exam<br />
snacks!<br />
Email either of us with any questions<br />
or comments.<br />
Suzanne McFarland<br />
suzannerye@comcast.net<br />
Mary Pat Dolan<br />
Marypat.dolan@comcast.net<br />
New Family News<br />
So how’s it going Are you<br />
overwhelmed or in the groove The<br />
good news is you made it through to<br />
Columbus Day weekend, the first major<br />
milestone in the school year! If you are<br />
in the MS or US, you know that the<br />
first term has just ended and the first<br />
grades of the year will be out soon. If<br />
you are in LS, you are half way through<br />
the first semester. Next stop, the winter<br />
break! However, let’s not wish the time<br />
away. There is so much to enjoy in the<br />
next month…<br />
For all <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> parents, there<br />
are the following events:<br />
Tuesday, Oct. 21 – Picture Retake<br />
Day. If you would like your child’s<br />
school picture retaken, please bring<br />
in the photo packet you received to<br />
school, and the pictures will be retaken<br />
on that day. Please retain class photos<br />
as they will not be returned.<br />
Thursday, Oct. 23 – Susan G. Komen<br />
Fundraiser for breast cancer awareness.<br />
Each student wishing to participate in<br />
this event is recommended to bring in<br />
$1 and enjoy a dress down day.<br />
Friday, Oct. 30 – Lower School<br />
Halloween Parade at 2 p.m. For Lower<br />
School parents, this is a must-see event.<br />
The children all look so fantastic in<br />
their costumes and the teachers go all<br />
out to make it a great day. At 2 p.m.<br />
the Lower School children will parade<br />
through the quad. If you are on campus<br />
that day, please steal a look. It’s too<br />
cute!<br />
Week of Nov. 2 – Lower School Book<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
Fair and Bake Sale. Even if you are not<br />
in the Lower School, this is a great<br />
opportunity to buy books and get a<br />
jump on your Christmas shopping.<br />
Books will be on sale for all reading<br />
levels – even adults! You can donate<br />
books in your child’s name to the<br />
library, and there will be sweet treats<br />
to keep you motivated as you shop.<br />
Please don’t miss it. Proceeds go to buy<br />
books for the Lower School library.<br />
Tuesday, Nov. 10 – BAPA Social 5:30-<br />
7:30 p.m. at the Redhook Brewery in<br />
Portsmouth. As a parent at <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
<strong>Academy</strong>, you are automatically a<br />
member of BAPA. This event is for you!<br />
It is a great casual affair, and everyone<br />
is invited. We hope you will stop by<br />
and check it out. In addition to drinks<br />
and food, there will be an opportunity<br />
to take the Brewery tour!<br />
Just a few other things going on at<br />
school you should know about…<br />
The Middle School will<br />
present a musical production,<br />
“You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown”<br />
on November 20 and 21. If you would<br />
like to help out and volunteer with this<br />
theater production, your help would<br />
be most appreciated. Your child need<br />
not be in MS to help! Please contact<br />
lwagner@berwickacademy.org or call<br />
207-384-2164, ext. 2911.<br />
BAPA Auction – BAPA is looking for<br />
auction volunteers at all levels. Please<br />
consider putting your hand up for any<br />
spare time you have. It’s a great event,<br />
and so important to making <strong>Berwick</strong><br />
<strong>Academy</strong> the great school it is. Please<br />
contact Lesli Friel mfriel@comcast.net,<br />
Jean Jarvis jean.jarvis1@myfairpoint.<br />
net or Mary Towey marytowey@<br />
comcast.net.<br />
Integrity Theme – If you never<br />
go to the Middle School, you really<br />
should take a look. Don’t be scared.<br />
You’re allowed. On the wall as you<br />
continued on pg 14...<br />
11
Understanding Friendships<br />
Student friendships are usually<br />
a primary focus of my work at the<br />
beginning of each school year. Parents<br />
of many new (and returning) students<br />
are as concerned about this aspect of<br />
their child’s school experience, as they<br />
are about their academics. Division<br />
directors, deans, advisors and teachers<br />
are not only tracking their students’<br />
academic progress at the beginning<br />
of the school year, but they are also<br />
keeping a watchful eye on the formation<br />
of friendships.<br />
Friendships or peer<br />
relationships between children are more<br />
than just fun; they are an important<br />
part of a child’s social and emotional<br />
development. In fact, the single best<br />
predictor of adult adaptation is not<br />
school grades, classroom behavior, or<br />
popularity, but rather, the adequacy<br />
with which a child gets along with other<br />
children. Like adults, children need<br />
positive friendships. These childhood<br />
friendships lay the foundation for future<br />
same-gender and opposite-gender<br />
relationships. Research shows that<br />
children with friends have a greater<br />
sense of well-being, self-esteem and<br />
fewer social problems as they move<br />
through life and into adulthood.<br />
The characteristics of<br />
friendships, or how friends are described,<br />
changes dramatically as a child moves<br />
through childhood, early adolescence,<br />
and finally late adolescence. There<br />
are even differences seen with gender.<br />
The way a male adolescent describes<br />
a friend is very different than the<br />
way a female adolescent describes<br />
one. These differences do narrow as<br />
adolescents become older and approach<br />
adulthood, but even in adulthood some<br />
gender differences are seen. Another<br />
interesting finding is that parental<br />
influence on friendships doesn’t stop at<br />
the “play date” stage. It is important<br />
for parents to provide encouragement,<br />
support, direction and modeling for<br />
their children’s friendships throughout<br />
childhood, adolescence and into<br />
adulthood. But before highlighting<br />
more of these important findings, let<br />
me break down “friendships through<br />
the ages.”<br />
According to Michael<br />
Thompson, Psychologist and School<br />
Consultant, a mother is usually a<br />
child’s first friend. A baby who feels<br />
securely attached to their primary<br />
caregiver develops an “internal model<br />
of relationship” which includes<br />
intimacy, security, safety and the<br />
pleasure of interacting with another<br />
human being. This first friendship<br />
becomes the child’s template for future<br />
friendships. Thompson believes<br />
that children develop friendships at<br />
different rates. In his book, Best Friends,<br />
Worst Enemies~Understanding the Social<br />
Lives of Children, Thompson describes a<br />
unique friendship between an eightmonth-old<br />
boy and a ten-month-old<br />
girl. Of course this friendship looks<br />
dramatically different than one we<br />
might see in preschool or in high<br />
school, but the qualities of warm<br />
interactions and smiles of pleasure are<br />
common links.<br />
During elementary school<br />
years children generally choose friends<br />
who are similar to themselves and<br />
share their interests. The accounts of<br />
first and second graders of the children<br />
they like, reflect the concrete and the<br />
here-and-now. A friend is a playmate,<br />
or someone who is fun to do things<br />
with; “nonfriends” are those who are<br />
different or not fun to be around.<br />
The most important factor in defining<br />
a relationship at this point is how<br />
satisfying the relationship is personally.<br />
Friendships become increasingly group<br />
oriented as a child grows older and<br />
moves through elementary school. The<br />
most well-liked children are those who<br />
can manage social relations and think<br />
of activities that are fun. It is during<br />
the latter part of elementary school<br />
that teachers and parents get their first<br />
glimpse of some of the social problems<br />
that exist in all relationships - inclusion/<br />
exclusion, conformity, independence,<br />
fear of rejection and popularity.<br />
Starting around age ten or<br />
eleven, more abstract notions begin to<br />
emerge about friendships. An individual<br />
is defined as a friend “because he sticks<br />
up for me,” or “because we share values”<br />
or “because we think the same things<br />
are important.” Later still, on the verge<br />
of adolescence, friendships include<br />
elements of empathy. Some adolescents<br />
begin to develop what is called “a best<br />
friend” - an individual with whom he/<br />
she enjoys a kind of relationship not<br />
previously experienced, not even with<br />
a parent. But like everything in life, we<br />
must take the good with the bad. At<br />
the same time these wonderful bonds<br />
begin to emerge between adolescents,<br />
cliques begin to form. Cliques can be<br />
based on appearance, athletic ability,<br />
academic achievement, talent, ability<br />
to attract the opposite sex, or seeming<br />
sophistication. Cliques peak in middle<br />
continued on pg. 14...<br />
12 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong>
Rachel Saliba<br />
Over 100 Burleigh-Davidson<br />
family members visited campus for<br />
their family reunion last weekend.<br />
Their visit included tours of BD as well<br />
as lunch in the Commons and a tour<br />
of South <strong>Berwick</strong>. Pat McManus and<br />
I were on hand to answer questions<br />
about the Burleigh-Davidson Building,<br />
but quickly realized that the family<br />
knew a lot more than we did – even if<br />
some of them asked us if we were still<br />
a boarding school. The following is a<br />
brief history of the Burleigh-Davidson<br />
family and their splendid home.<br />
John Holmes Burleigh 1822-1877<br />
Captain John Holmes Burleigh<br />
attended <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>, but left<br />
in 1837 to work on a clipper ship at<br />
the age of 16. He became a captain<br />
by 21 and even took his bride, Matilda<br />
Buffum Burleigh to sea with him for a<br />
few years.<br />
When the couple returned to<br />
South <strong>Berwick</strong>, John purchased the<br />
Newichawannock Woolen Mills (the<br />
old mill on the river on Brattle Street)<br />
and renamed it Burleigh Mills. Burleigh<br />
Mills made woolen blankets for the<br />
Union soldiers during the Civil War<br />
and then became famous for producing<br />
auto robes and blankets. Captain<br />
Burleigh became one of the wealthiest<br />
men in Maine and he had a home to<br />
reflect his success. Below is a sketch<br />
of the Burleigh Mansion located on the<br />
site where BD currently sits<br />
The First Burleigh Mansion –<br />
built c. 1864 and destroyed by fire in 1892<br />
Captain Burleigh, like three of<br />
his descendants, was a member of the<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> Board of Trustees.<br />
He was also the President of the<br />
National and Savings Banks, served four<br />
terms in the state legislature and served<br />
two terms as a U.S. Congressman until<br />
his untimely death when his horse and<br />
carriage bolted off the bridge between<br />
South <strong>Berwick</strong> and Salmon Falls in<br />
1878.<br />
Captain Burleigh was survived<br />
by his wife Matilda Buffum Burleigh<br />
and their five children, all of whom<br />
graduated from <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>.<br />
After their mansion was destroyed in<br />
1892, Matilda built the current Burleigh<br />
Davidson building. The bannisters<br />
went all the way to the third floor. One<br />
could stand at the bottom and look all<br />
the way up to a stained glass sky light.<br />
Matilda’s youngest daughter,<br />
Elizabeth Burleigh Davidson, and her<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
six children came to live with her after<br />
Elizabeth was also widowed in 1901.<br />
Eventually, all of Elizabeth’s children<br />
graduated from <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> and<br />
two served on the <strong>Academy</strong>’s Board<br />
of Trustees. A portrait of Thomas<br />
Davidson (Class of 1915) is hanging in<br />
the BD Conference Room.<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> purchased<br />
the Burleigh-Davidson Estate in 1945<br />
from the family to prevent it from<br />
being turned into a turkey farm. The<br />
estate included a tennis court, a pool<br />
and a coach house. It has gone through<br />
many transformations since then, but<br />
that is another story.<br />
As always, please contact me<br />
at rsaliba@berwickacademy.org if you<br />
have any questions or if I have made an<br />
error. You can also visit the archives on<br />
Mondays and Fridays from 8:30 – 2:30<br />
each week.<br />
Library Volunteer Opportunities<br />
All Middle School students<br />
are invited to volunteer in the library<br />
and the archives after school on<br />
Wednesdays from 2:15 – 3:15 p.m.<br />
Eighth grade students are also invited<br />
to volunteer during their study hall on<br />
Fridays. A volunteer sign-up sheet is<br />
located at the front desk of the library.<br />
If you are an adult, and you’d also like<br />
to volunteer your time in the library<br />
or archives, please contact Rachel<br />
Saliba at rsaliba@berwickacademy.<br />
org or Jennifer Brewer at jbrewer@<br />
berwickacademy.org. We’d appreciate<br />
your help.<br />
13
BAPA News...cont. from pg 11 Wellness News...cont. from pg 12<br />
walk in is a huge banner with the word,<br />
“INTEGRITY”. The students have been<br />
encouraged to write on the banner<br />
their personal definition of the word<br />
“integrity”. The writing is inspiring,<br />
humbling and very interesting.<br />
Make time to see it. You won’t be<br />
disappointed. As always, if you need<br />
help or have a question with anything<br />
at all, please contact me. I’m happy to<br />
help you.<br />
Katie Clark Kclark_uk@hotmail.com<br />
BAPA New Families Coordinator<br />
(207) 698-0080<br />
Auction News<br />
WE’RE MOVING! The BAPA Benefit<br />
Auction is moving to a new venue.<br />
Join us April 24, 2010, at the Links at<br />
Outlook (www.outlookweddings.com).<br />
There are lots of ways to volunteer for<br />
this exciting event. Please contact<br />
Lesli or Mary if you would like to get<br />
involved.<br />
Lesli Friel m.friel@comcast.net.<br />
Mary Towey marytowey@comcast.net<br />
Auction Co Chairs<br />
BAPA Communications<br />
Check out BAPA on the Portal!<br />
We have a new ‘BAPA Portal View’<br />
where you can find all the latest BAPA<br />
news, announcements, events and<br />
volunteer opportunities. Thank you<br />
to volunteers Linda Lyon, Paula Hoy<br />
and Mary Towey for their help with<br />
an admissions mailing in September.<br />
More great volunteers helped stuff<br />
packets in <strong>October</strong>. Thank you to new<br />
parents Emily Urquhart and Kate Thut<br />
and to Kim Levy and Diane Walker.<br />
If you would like to join the fun and<br />
volunteer an hour or two please contact<br />
me.<br />
school as peer relationships and acceptance augment family relationships and (the<br />
good news) then decrease in high school. Cliques are a common phenomenon<br />
during adolescence; many of us were part of one during our middle or early high<br />
school years. It is important for a parent to remember that the best defense to<br />
the rejection or aggression that sometimes negatively erupts from cliques is a<br />
“good quality” friendship. Thompson reminds us in his book that when it comes to<br />
friendship, quality is much more important than quantity.<br />
The amount of time spent with friends is greatest during adolescence. High<br />
school students spend more than twice as much time with their friends as they do<br />
their parents. The bottom line is that teenagers want to be with other teenagers.<br />
They depend on each other to lend a sympathetic ear and offer emotional support<br />
when they are faced with dilemmas about relationships, school, siblings, parents,<br />
or life in general. But contrary to psychoanalytic theory, adolescents do not have<br />
to “turn against their family” as they move toward their friends. Contemporary,<br />
nonpsychoanalytically- oriented thinking suggests that transition to adolescence is<br />
nowhere near as problematic for parents or for adolescents. Even though teens may<br />
see a lot less of their parents, they continue to rely on them, not only for guidance,<br />
but also for support in friendships and activities. In fact, when real hardships arise;<br />
most teens turn to their parents. In his book, Michael Thompson describes the<br />
importance of connecting with your child’s friends particularly during adolescence.<br />
This does not mean carrying on an hour conversation with them, but what it does<br />
mean is that you acknowledge their presence and make them feel welcomed in<br />
your home. Friendships in later adolescence are described as strong, stable and<br />
intimate bonds that last over time. These friendships, along with healthy parental<br />
relationships lead to social competence in adulthood.<br />
From playing peek-a-boo with your infant to the planning of a surprise<br />
eighteenth-birthday party, parents are a key component. Michael Thompson, as<br />
well as other researchers suggests that a parent’s role in helping to develop and refine<br />
their child’s friendship-making skills may be greater than we once thought. Not<br />
only do children need a safe and secure environment, and loving and encouraging<br />
parents to develop social competencies, they also need “friendship” role models.<br />
Studies have shown that parents, who have good friends themselves, raise kids<br />
who make good friends. There is ample reason to believe that the reactions of<br />
parents with their own friends provide children and adolescents with models and<br />
cues about the social skills involved in making friends. Children who see their<br />
parents respecting each other, and valuing their own friends have an easier time<br />
establishing friendships.<br />
If you haven’t already, I would highly suggest that you read Michael<br />
Thompson’s book Best Friends, Worst Enemies~Understanding the Social Lives of<br />
Children.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
Cindy Briggs<br />
Sarah Hebert hebertsh@comcast.net<br />
BAPA Communications Coordinator<br />
14 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong>
Athletics News...cont. from pg. 7<br />
The Bunny Clark<br />
Charter Oak Capital Management<br />
Diverse Networks LLC<br />
Ironman Fitness<br />
Lago’s Ice Cream<br />
Holly Malloy<br />
Jay McFarland<br />
The Millerick Family<br />
The Mills Family<br />
Reid & Company<br />
Ronn Woolley<br />
Somersworth Nissan<br />
The Springer Family<br />
Stage Neck Inn<br />
Strogen’s HVAC, LLC<br />
Summit Land Development<br />
Dr. Richard Zeff, Cosmetic and Plastic<br />
Surgery<br />
Prize Donors<br />
Abby Chic Florist<br />
Bauer Hockey<br />
Heidi & John Bement<br />
Blackman Chiropractic<br />
Bob’s Clam Hut<br />
Celebrity Marketing<br />
Chuck Clement IV<br />
Cinnamon Rainbow<br />
Cumberland Farms<br />
Dick’s Sporting Goods<br />
Dover Wine<br />
Dunkin Donuts<br />
Eastern Propane & Oil<br />
Eight Winds Hair Salon<br />
Fischer Cats<br />
Kathy Ford<br />
Granite Steak & Grill<br />
Great Bay Pottery<br />
Steve Grenier<br />
Gustafson’s Gallery<br />
Hampton Airfield<br />
Hillcrest 3 Par<br />
Holy Rosary Credit Union<br />
Honore LaFlamme<br />
Kennebooks<br />
Lego Systems, Inc.<br />
Lindt Chocolates<br />
Mac Ford Custom Building<br />
Marriott Cambridge<br />
Dr. McQueeney<br />
The Music Hall<br />
My Liege Salon<br />
NE Creations<br />
New England Skydive<br />
North Hampton Recreation<br />
The Old Salt<br />
Dr. Amy Pruszemski<br />
Ragged Mountain, Danbury, NH<br />
Red Sox<br />
Riptide Charters<br />
Robert Ryder Bulk Hauling<br />
Smuttynose Brewery<br />
The Wheeler Family<br />
Top Shelf Cigar, Dover<br />
USS Dallas Gifts<br />
Windjammers Seafood Restaurant<br />
York Harbor Inn<br />
The College Bound Athlete<br />
Please join us on Tuesday,<br />
<strong>October</strong> 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the<br />
Patricia Baldwin Whipple Arts Center<br />
for an information session regarding<br />
the college-bound athlete. This<br />
presentation will help our studentathletes<br />
who are thinking about<br />
playing college athletics navigate the<br />
college search process. The program<br />
will include evaluation opportunities,<br />
contacting college coaches, citizenship<br />
and the college visit process. All<br />
athletes and parents are welcome.<br />
Courtside Café<br />
As we head into the winter<br />
season we are looking for help from<br />
parents who have students playing<br />
basketball. We have an oustanding<br />
concession area in the Athletic Center<br />
that we use to raise money for our<br />
athletic programs. The Courtside Café<br />
is run by our Athletics Boosters group<br />
and they are currently looking for<br />
parents to donate their time and help<br />
with concession sales. You can sign up<br />
for a game or two during the season to<br />
help support your teams. Please contact<br />
Rob Quinn for more information.<br />
Off the Hilltop<br />
<strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong> Junior<br />
Zac Lawrence competed in the <strong>2009</strong><br />
USATF National Junior Olympic<br />
Track & Field Championships held<br />
in Greensboro, North Carolina.<br />
<strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />
The USATF Junior Olympic Track<br />
& Field Championships is the most<br />
visible youth athletic development<br />
program in the world. Over 7,000<br />
athletes competed in the event held<br />
July 27 through August 2 at the Irwin<br />
Belk Field at North Carolina A & T<br />
University. Entry for this championship<br />
is based on athlete performances at<br />
preliminary, Association and Regional<br />
levels of competition. Zac finished<br />
an impressive 18th out of a field of 45<br />
competitors.<br />
Upcoming events<br />
Thursday, November 5, Middle<br />
School Fall Sports Awards at 1:30 p.m.<br />
Reminder - 5:30 p.m. late bus schedule<br />
begins Monday, November 16.<br />
15
Dear <strong>Berwick</strong> Community,<br />
<strong>October</strong> has been an energizing month! By now the Annual Fund has officially kicked off, and we are fortunate to have<br />
so many dedicated Annual Fund volunteers raising awareness of the importance of participating in the Annual Fund. I<br />
want to thank the over 50 parents and past parents who have volunteered to be a part of the <strong>2009</strong> - 2010 Annual Fund<br />
team! They are:<br />
Annual Fund Chair<br />
Holly Malloy, Trustee<br />
Annual Fund Team<br />
Lower School<br />
Holly Grimes,<br />
LS Division Leader<br />
Grade 1<br />
Beth Lowenstein, Grade Leader<br />
Michelle Albion<br />
Michelle Hanson<br />
Grade 2<br />
Michelle Soares, Grade Leader<br />
Tom Parrott<br />
Heather Kodzis<br />
Betsy Rawlings<br />
Grade 3<br />
Kristin Morales, Grade Leader<br />
Vic Sunshine<br />
Grade 4<br />
Costikyan Jarvis, Grade Leader<br />
Dee Whall<br />
Suzanne Richardson<br />
Middle School<br />
Margaret Talcott, Trustee<br />
MS Division Leader<br />
Grade 5<br />
Janet Stevens, Grade Leader<br />
John Barbour<br />
Grade 6<br />
Lisa Anderson, Grade Leader<br />
Amy Criswell<br />
Paula Reid<br />
Laura Smith<br />
Grade 7<br />
Betsy Coughlan, Grade Leader<br />
Stephen Young<br />
Jane Hourihan<br />
Deborah Walden<br />
Kendall Montouri<br />
Grade 8<br />
Holly Malloy, Grade Leader<br />
Nina Maurer<br />
Carol Welsh<br />
Tim Platt<br />
Adriana Cunha-Salomon<br />
Upper School<br />
Leigh Ann MacFarlane,<br />
US Division Leader<br />
Grade 9<br />
Eliza Peter, Grade Leader<br />
Mary Boswell<br />
Molly Samson<br />
Gloria Legere<br />
Sue Downey<br />
Mary Connors<br />
Grade 10<br />
Sheila Woolley, Grade Leader<br />
Jennifer Saulnier<br />
Mary Reinhardt<br />
Carolyn Woodward<br />
Grade 11<br />
Laurie Hair, Grade Leader<br />
Maria Moschetto<br />
Diane Mugford<br />
Susan Stedman<br />
Leadership Chair<br />
Debbie Bauder, Trustee<br />
Leadership Team<br />
Mark Tay, Chair, Board of Trustees<br />
Jamey French, Trustee<br />
Holly Malloy, Trustee<br />
Margaret Talcott, Trustee<br />
Lesli Friel<br />
Meg Cavanaugh<br />
Thomas Hourihan<br />
Jedd Whitlock,<br />
Director of Advancement<br />
Kathryn Strand, Development Office<br />
By now, you should have received your Annual Fund appeal letter. Annual Fund volunteers will be contacting parents from<br />
<strong>October</strong> 19 through November 20, to ask them to participate in this year’s Annual Fund. As in past years, parents of the<br />
Class of 2010 will be asked to support an endowed fund in honor of the graduating class. Parents new to <strong>Berwick</strong> this year<br />
will be formally asked for their support in February of 2010.<br />
The Annual Fund is <strong>Berwick</strong>’s number one fundraising priority. To learn more about the Annual Fund and how it directly<br />
impacts our most important resources – exceptional teachers, talented students, and a campus well-equipped for learning,<br />
please visit www.berwickacademy.org > Support BA > Annual Fund. Please note that secure online giving is available for<br />
your convenience at www.berwickacademy.org/giving.<br />
Thank you again to all our Annual Fund volunteers for your time and effort on behalf of <strong>Berwick</strong> <strong>Academy</strong>, and thank you in<br />
advance to the entire <strong>Berwick</strong> community for considering participation in the <strong>2009</strong> – 2010 Annual Fund drive. If you have<br />
any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or feel free to stop by the <strong>1791</strong> House when you are on campus.<br />
Best,<br />
Jedd Whitlock<br />
Director of Advancement<br />
jwhitlock@berwickacademy.org<br />
16 <strong>1791</strong> <strong>Letter</strong> ~ <strong>October</strong> <strong>2009</strong>