February 2011 1791 Letter - Berwick Academy

F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 1B e r w i c k A c a d e m y1791 L e t t e rWinter Pep Rally1791 Letter ~ February 2011

m e s s a g e f r o mG r e g S c h n e i d e rH e a d o f S c h o o lEmbracing SupermanThroughout the course of thisparticular year, I have continuallyheard from other heads of school: haveyou seen Waiting for Superman yet? Lastweek I finally had the opportunity tobe able to say “yes” after a night at thePortsmouth Music Hall. I was so pleasedto notice that as I surveyed the restoredfrescos and beautiful intricacies of thisSeacoast treasure, I saw dozens ofBerwick faculty, trustees, and parents,reminding me of what an investedintellectual population we enjoy atour School. Even from a somewhatremote perch in the balcony, I enjoyeda conversation with an engaging newparent from the Hilltop. The realityis that I had heard such detail aboutthis documentary before seeing it,that I was fairly well prepared for itsdismal portrayal of the state of publiceducation in America. However, I wassurprisingly unprepared for the rangeof emotions and reflections I would feelas I walked through the slush-encrustedsidewalks of Portsmouth in the movie’srather depressing wake.Certainly as an educator – butnow far more so as a hopeful BA parent– I couldn’t help but be overwhelmedwith a sense of gratitude for a placesuch as Berwick Academy. To behonest, I began to wade into the watersof guilt just a bit, considering why Ihad been so lucky compared to someportrayed in the film. This had nothingto do with a distinction betweenpublic and private schools but ratheran awareness of how much we take forgranted as a community at Berwick.Watching parents in the film find theireducational fate be determined bythe random bouncing balls of charterschool lotteries made me appreciate acommunity where students earn theirentrance through age-appropriateassessments and track records ofachievement. Watching clips of tenuredteachers reading newspapers duringwasted class time made me appreciateour Lower School production just abit more this year, where one couldsee every teacher pitching in to helpstudents hold up just the right signat just the right moment. I can assureyou that nowhere is this kind of effortwritten into their contract.The data that is utilized inWaiting for Superman arrives at oneundeniable truth regarding the singularstrategy that can guarantee improvedresults for kids: great teachers. Whilethe title of the film suggests that perhapsthe country is hoping for someone toswoop in and simply rescue the entireeducational system, I ended up viewingthe phrase Waiting for Superman throughthe eyes of disappointed parents andstudents who crave a decent education.They are not so bold as to hope for asuperhero to fix the system – theysimply want a great teacher for theirchild this year. School reform hascome in so many shapes and sizes overthe years – big schools, small schools,and every curricular package knownto mankind is entirely irrelevant whenone focuses on the essential fact thata great teacher is the difference. Themovie points out that the gap betweenan exceptional teacher and a belowaverage teacher generally results in adifference of a full year of curriculumfor students: exceptional teachers candeliver 150% of what the programdemands while mediocre teachers onlyaccomplish 50% on average.The most compelling momentin the film is when one of the variousdefeated administrators is quotedas saying something like “the mostdepressing realization is this entireenterprise (education) is no longerabout the students; it is clearly onlyabout the adults.” As I am sure myadministrative team, faculty, andperhaps all of you have heard me say,there is no more important insightthan this one. When the hardest,most political, unsolvable, intractabledecisions are thrown my way the onlystrategy that allows me to break out ofparalysis is to ask myself: “What is inthe best interest of the students?” Myrecent trip to the Music Hall makes mereflect upon how lucky I am to workwith a group of people who know thisto be true.Berwick Academy exists for itsstudents, and the adults that deliver oureducation demonstrate time and againthat they live by this principle. WhenI see our teachers offering extra help,attending sports games, helping outwith a play, leading a new student club,chaperoning a coffee house, or gradingthe third draft of a paper until sunrise,I am reminded that none of that comesfrom a union contract or a directive fromabove. Our teachers demonstrate theirpassion and commitment at momentswhen no one is even watching: an extraconcerned conversation in a hallway, apat on the back after a tough loss, ora thoughtful question about a student’shomework load or recent illness.No one knows more than Ithat Berwick is not a utopia, and I amnot trying to convince all of you that 1791 Letter ~ February 2011

B e r w i c k A c a d e m y1791 Letterour teachers are all superheroes. Theyare human, which I believe makes themmore worthy of my praise. I do thinkthey are supermen and superwomen inmany ways. They choose to work atBerwick for far less compensation thanwhat would be offered by the districtsrepresented in the documentary.Many have come here from otherenvironments where they felt theorganization had lost sight of thefundamental purpose of working withchildren. They certainly could developlives that have more predictableboundaries in other educationalenvironments – places where theteaching day would end at 3:00 andsnow days would be guaranteed eachyear within a collective bargainingagreement. Please know that this isnot my way of saying public schoolteachers are bad people; so manyof these teachers are incredibleheroes who are toiling in impossiblecircumstances. I certainly remembermy own supermen and women frommy seven years of public schooling.I do think, however, that a place likeBerwick Academy exists on account ofpeople who want to demonstrate thatthrough a shared mission, a love ofchildren, and a collective willingness toroll up our sleeves, we can do better.Now in my fourth year, I knowenough to realize that school yearshave predictable rhythms and cycles.In February, we often see communitymorale begin to dip a bit – partiallybecause of the weather and partiallybecause of the cumulative exhaustionof the work we all do as students,teachers, and parents. Students feelthe academic stress in a deeper way,and parents tend to have a morecritical eye than usual. If any of you, asparents, would love to know how youcan make a transformative contributionto Berwick Academy without spendinga nickel, reach out to your teacher orteachers and let them know somethingyou have appreciated about your child’sexperience this year. Doing so is not astatement that you think our School(or your teacher) is perfect or that youare always uniformly satisfied. Rather,you would be offering sustenance tothose that are toiling so hard, for alower salary and without the shield ofa union, on behalf of your children. Itshould not surprise you that the peoplewe have collected on this campus arenot here for the money nor the fame.They are here to do their very bestto improve the lives of your sons anddaughters. I know for a fact that it isthe smile of your child that catalyzestheir superhuman effort, and not therather anticlimactic inspiration thatcomes with the bi-weekly paycheck.I will close by saying thatWaiting for Superman also reminds me thatwe, myself included, often myopicallyfocus on the peaks and valleys of theBerwick Academy experience andforget that we are a part of a largermovement in this country – the missionof independent schools. While manychoose to see this movement as merelya haven for the wealthy, I would offerthat there are other elements that arefar more real. We take for granted,for example, that our independentgoverning structure allows us to set ourown curriculum, free from the abyssof legislation and assessment thatis so morosely depicted in the film.Our employees choose to work in anenvironment where their performanceis not unilaterally protected by theconcept of tenure. And while we haveour own barriers to access, primarilysurrounding costs and the limits of ourfinancial aid support, I would arguethat our students and our families donot arrive here by mere chance. Thisis a community that stands for creatingsomething better for their children,and I feel grateful for being a part ofthis lofty goal.Community BenefitI want to invite all of you toconsider attending our incredible BPCCommunity Benefit on April 30 atthe Red Barn at the Outlook in SouthBerwick. This is such an incrediblenight to enjoy our collective passion forBerwick by making a positive impacton the experience of our students. Ifyou are new to the community, pleaseknow that this is not a night to bemissed.Re-EnrollmentPlease be reminded that Re-Enrollment Contracts are due no laterthan February 25th. If for some reasonyou require an extension, please startby reaching out to Diane Field to seewhether or not this might be possiblegiven the constraints of our waitlist andoverall process.Second Trimester Drawing to a CloseRemember that our secondtrimester comes to a close just beforeSpring break, so this is a good momentto support and energize your childrento buckle down on their studies.Survey ResultsIf you have not already seenthe results of the January parent surveyregarding technology and other recentchanges at BA, please be sure to visitthe portal for access to the data.Spring VacationHave a wonderfully relaxingbreak with friends and family inthe coming weeks. This is such animportant time for our community torecharge for the exciting spring to thefinish in our third trimester. I can’t waitto be a part of the exciting ride.1791 Letter ~ February 2011

Peter Saliba - Upper School DirectorU p p e r S c h o o l N e w sDuring my time at Berwick, I havealways appreciated both the candorand approach of our students. It seemslike I get a chance to experience itevery day as they routinely drop by todiscuss how we may have differences inopinion. I’m sure you have experiencedthe same with your kids and while someof these conversations are difficult,many of them demonstrate how theculture of Berwick and our families ishealthy and respectful.During our parent forum, I tooktwo minutes to sketch out part of myvision for the Upper School. Simplystated, I hope that we will continue ourjourney in discovering that we are partof a larger local, national and globalcommunity. I wish to sustain theincreasing momentum in our OutreachProgram, led by Dean of Students JenOnken, that strengthens Berwick’srole in the larger communities aroundus. On the concrete level, this meansmore opportunities to support andserve others, but on the abstract levelit brings into focus the diversity of ourown community. While the Seacoast isnot as ethnically diverse as other partsof the country, we have an incrediblesocio-economic diversity that we needto fully understand and embrace.This vision is tough to execute,and recently it put me in a difficultposition. Historically, the UpperSchool has a very healthy fundraisingculture where we contribute funds to avariety of organizations. This cultureof philanthropy is important but ithas to be balanced with our both ourphysical and psychological capacity togive. It is possible to go too far andset our expectations too high for ourcommunity. Attending Berwick is anincredible financial sacrifice for many ofour families, and I try to guard againsta “nickel and diming” perception thatsome have expressed to me. Recently,I made a decision to curtail some ofour fundraising efforts because of myconcern about how much we wereasking from our students and families.This situation prompted twoof our seniors, Haley Salas and BrookeMoschetto to discuss with me whyI was curtailing efforts to supportothers. Haley and Brooke could havecome in my office and explained howmy decision was unjust (teenagers lovethis) and how I was being hypocritical(another favorite pursuit!) with theUpper School. Instead, they came inand asked me to simply explain why Ilanded where I did.If they didn’t see my side ofthe argument, they did a great jobpretending that they did. They listenedto my point of view, empathized, andthen together we worked on a way toprove that I had made a bad choice.Yes, they had me strategizing withthem on how to overturn my decision.It was a masterful moment for themand we left that meeting agreeingthat if they researched some otherindependent schools and presentedsome data on reaching out to others,I would reconsider the decision. Eventhough they were set on proving to methe error of my ways, I was incrediblyimpressed with these two students.Their precocious manner is indicativeof the majority of our seniors and itmade me again appreciate how ourseniors are ready for the next step.If you ask our alums what theyappreciate the most about Berwick,they say that it is the relationships withtheir peers and faculty. Although manypeople first assume that it is about thefriends and mentors, I believe it alsoencompasses the ability to navigatedifferent relationships. When weare presented with obstacles in ourlife, it takes personal fortitude andeffort to sustain sufficient momentumto overcome obstacles. However, italso requires that we engage thosearound us that are responsible for ourchallenges. While I can’t say yet thatI will change this particular decision,I can express that Haley and Brookemade me stop and think. When youcan convince someone to do that, youcan do anything. 1791 Letter ~ February 2011

Rosemary Zurawel - Middle School DirectorM i d d l e S c h o o l N e w sThe month of February promptsus as a nation to celebrate Black HistoryMonth. This month, the White Houseblog has posted a reflection by CharlesBolden, who writes, “It’s a long wayfrom the segregated south to low Earthorbit. But I am fortunate to have madethe journey and to have had manyopportunities to serve my nation in a34-year career with the U.S. MarineCorps and in many roles at NASA,currently as head of the nation’s spaceprogram.” As I read this blog, Imarveled at how many obstacles Boldenhad conquered, not to mention that oforbiting around the earth. I wonderto myself, are his parents alive, and ifso, what was their journey? What werethe obstacles they faced, and what giftdid they share with their son so thathe found both the opportunity and thefortitude to reach his current position?He writes that his father was a teacherand his mother a librarian. Both werecommitted to a life of possibility fortheir son.As parents, we all want ourchildren to suffer less and to achievemore than we have. It is this desire thatmoved a generation out of the GreatDepression and to become the mothersand fathers of the “Baby Boomers” whoreach the age of 65 this year. Today’sparents are not so very different in theirhopes that their children will have asecure future and a satisfying life ofwork and family.This month provides us withtime to reflect upon obstacles. Whilethere exists in this country any numberof –isms that make life, work, andsocial interactions difficult for women,children, and men, the generationof new Charles Boldens needs morefrom education than assurances thattradition is the right and the only wayfor a nation and its citizens to prosper.When I think of the many children Ihave known as middle schoolers, Ithink of those who begin their yearswith trepidation and uncertainty. Manyhave been taught to believe that theyare competent. Others have learnedto look upon that label as a challengeto demonstrate new levels of creativityand inquiry. The strongest and themost tenacious question every idea andask why. Our teachers are committedto helping them uncover answers. Rotelearning plays a minor role in theireducational experience. While we donot deliberately place opportunities tofrustrate our students, we are deliberatein our efforts to help them build theirown understanding through active andsometimes tough engagement. ‘Virtueand useful knowledge’ change overtime, but our mission persists.In my generation, theexhortation to “Question authority” wasconsidered a threat to American values.Our students are being prepared for aworld that has no assurances of businessas usual. In order for them to createa better future, they will need to firsteliminate the many -isms that persist.They will need to become color-blind,gender-blind, age-blind, and blindto what we call disabilities today.Our mission is to provide them withintellectual fortitude and skills alongwith the emotional and ethical strengthto save our climate and the people wholive in a global community.It is my hope that your childrenwill one day tell their grandchildrenthat this country’s history needed aBlack History Month and a Women’sHistory Month in order to callattention to the racism and sexism thatwere dark chapters of our history. Yourchildren are poised to join CharlesBolden who concluded his statementthis month with words from a sermonby Dr. Benjamin E. Mays (a mentorto Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) titled“What Man Lives By”: “Man mustbelieve that however hard the road,however difficult today, tomorrowthings will be better. Tomorrow maynot be better, but we must believe thatit will be. Wars may never cease, butwe must continue to strive to eliminatethem. We may not abolish poverty, butwe must believe that we can providebread enough to spare for every livingcreature and that we can find the meansto distribute it…”I hope you will encourage yourchildren to believe that their journeyin school matters; that you supporttheir struggles. That you will wipetheir tears of frustration but will notmake the challenge go away. Most ofall, that you will provide them with thescaffolding of love that will keep themsafe and confident as they grow.1791 Letter ~ February 2011

Joel Hawes - Lower School DirectorL o w e r S c h o o l N e w sBerwick Academy was founded in 1791to promote “Virtue and useful knowledgeamong the rising generations.” Thatappropriately bold mission statemententry point has consistently beenreferenced during recent Mission andCulture Committee reviews of thisliving document. From my vantagepoint, the Lower School facultyappreciates the mission’s challenge:How are we preparing our studentsfor a lifetime of learning? Granted,the term community may be overused,but our efforts are often orientedaround community support of studentgoodness and student knowledge.Think about a recent week inthe Lower School and the intersectionof community and the missionstatement’s opening line. Let’s use theweek of February 14—the due date forthis entry.The Lower School Forum—the highlight of the week—addressedwide-ranging areas within the LowerSchool program including After-SchoolOfferings, Responsive Classroom, theMath Program, Divisional/All-SchoolEvents, the Science Program, andthe Pre-Kindergarten Program. Foreach topic, I gave a brief powerpointoverview and then opened the Forum toa productive admin-parent discussion.I appreciated the constructive feedbackthroughout the meeting.I have realized over the yearsthat communication updates arelacking from winter Forum to winterForum. This year, I hope to keep thetopics closer to our collective radarby following this schedule: 1) writingLower School Forum overview minutesin a late-February Weekly; 2) updatingparents as to progress within theaforementioned agenda items throughJune and September mailings; 3) andreviewing the year-long Forum agendastatus in next January’s 1791 entry.Faculty meetings representanother important form of collectivestudent focus. This week’s facultymeeting combined a wide range ofagenda items, including support ofspecific student needs, a review ofForum themes, a plan for an upcomingLower School-sponsored open housegathering for school-wide employeesand a debrief of this year’s LowerSchool production.The annual (and muchanticipated)Lower School ChineseNew Year Parade welcomed thestudents at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday ofthe week in review—just prior to ourfour-day winter break. With thanks toMs. Minihan, the first grade studentsand that mysterious six-legged dragon,students and faculty enjoyed a livelyparade through the second floorhallway in celebration of the ChineseNew Year! As I told Ms. Minihanand the first grade students, everyschool day should have such a grandbeginning! What a wonderful form ofgroup learning.We saw the continuation ofsuccessful after-school offerings thisweek beginning with our first evermartial arts karate program. We alsocontinued the Artworks programoffered by some talented Upper Schoolvolunteers, while Ms. Minihan led ourKids Club students in their Beautyand the Beast rehearsals. Finally, oursolid aftercare program, directed byMrs. Foster, continued its successfulroutines.One quickly notices threenew interactive whiteboards whenwalking through our building. Anotherexample of Berwick Parent Communitysupport, the Promethean whiteboardshave been installed in the fourth andfirst grade classrooms. Thank you toWendy Harrington, the faculty andBPC for embracing this interactivetechnology that supports another levelof student learning in connection withour timeless mission statement.In the end, our curriculumrepresents the foundation of studentsocial-emotional and academic learningoutcomes. Through careful planning,we have agreed upon a well-roundedcurriculum consisting of homeroomand unified arts subject areas. Althougha four-day school week, there was anappreciative rhythm to the Mondaythrough Thursday school days—something that often comes during thecolder winter weeks. In my dual rolesof Lower School Director and ScienceTeacher, I am an advocate of ourcurriculum and of the ultimate learningbehaviors exhibited by our students.That is why, this week, I was soimpressed with the volume of studentswho were interested in skipping anoutdoor recess experience (I know…itwas cold out!) to venture downstairs tothe science room to continue progresson a project, model or experiment.continued on page 14... 1791 Letter ~ February 2011

Rob Quinn - Athletic DirectorA t h l e t i c s N e w sAthletic Booster NewsThank you to everyone whovolunteered in the Courtside Cafeduring the basketball season. Becauseof the great response from both theMiddle and Upper School parents, wewere able to open the Cafe for 99%of the scheduled games. A specialthank you to Erin Brin for setting upthe webpage that enabled parents tovolunteer, and for her regular emailsencouraging them to do so.Looking forward, the Boostersare in need of volunteers to help withsome events and ongoing projects wehave slated for the spring and movinginto next fall. This is a great groupof people to work with and volunteeropportunities come in all shapes andcommitment levels. If you would liketo join us, please contact Paula Reid atpaula@reidnco.com. We would love tohave your help, energy and ideas onsome of the future projects.Winter GrindOf all the sports seasons, thewinter is the most demanding anddisjointed season of all because of thelong winter break, Martin Luther KingWeekend, Presidents Weekend, lateaway games due to facility crunchesat other schools, and seasonal illness.Players and coaches find it difficultto get in a rhythm and consistency.Weather causing cancellations andpostponements cause more disarray inthe programs and schedule changes.The Athletic Department appreciatesthe sacrifices and conviction of players,families, coaches, and athletic trainersduring this long season.Winter Sports AwardsThe Upper School and MiddleSchool winter sports awards events arequickly approaching: The US awardsnight is Thursday, March 3. Theparent/team gatherings start at 5:30p.m. at various locations on campusfollowed by everyone meeting in theWhipple theater by 7 p.m. for theawards portion of the evening. The MSawards will be held during the academicday on Tuesday, March 8 from 1:30-3p.m.Members of the Swim Team Qualify for NewEngland’sEight members of the BerwickAcademy Swim team are heading tothe New England Prep School AthleticAssociation Swimming and DivingChampionships next month. SeniorAndrew Briggs, and sophomore s JamesDavis, William Reis, and Quinn Wilcoxhave all qualified on the boys side andsenior Allee Lizama, junior CarolineSeekins, sophomore Kelsey Hayden,and freshmen Hannah Seekins andJenna Hayden have qualified on thegirls side for this annual event whichtakes place at Phillips Exeter Academyon March 5 and 6. Congratulations tothese athletes and Coach Preister andCoach Hoyt!Spring Sports Start UpWe will begin our spring sportsin the Upper and Middle schools inMarch. The start date for the US Varsityteams only will be on Wednesday,March 2. The Upper School JV teamswill begin their practices on Monday,March 7. The Middle School teamswill begin their practices on Thursday,March 10. Please note: seniors will betaking exams during the week of March7 -11 and will not be attending springpractices during that week. Coachesshould be meeting with their playerssoon.Uniform ReturnWe are requesting that all ofour Middle and Upper School studentsreturn their uniforms to their coaches,preferably on their last scheduledcontest. This is an important requestthat will help our Athletic Departmentcollect and inventory all winter sportuniforms. Thanks for your cooperationon this important detail.Spring Game SchedulesWill soon be available on theportal. We are finalizing schedules andwill be inputting in the next week.Equipment for SpringLacrosse helmets should beinspected yearly and must stampedand meet NOCSE approved standards.Helmet life is three to four years. Girls’lacrosse players must wear goggles.These goggles need to be ATSMapproved for lacrosse. Various typesof goggles can be found in sportinggood stores. The Berwick AthleticDepartment and Bookstore will havea small supply for sale. Colored mouthguards are required for both girls’ andboys’ lacrosse. Varsity baseball hasmade a major change in their gamethis spring. The EIL has chosen to usealuminum bats this spring, and we areno longer a wooden bat league.1791 Letter ~ February 2011

you gotta have ArtsDeloris White - Fine Arts DirectorA r t s N e w sDanceCongratulations to all performers inWinterfest and the Berwick Academypep rally. The pep rally dancersbrought audience members to theirfeet with performances by Hip-HopFusion, Company Corps, and MiddleSchool Dance Intramurals. Thechoreographers included studentsMeira Ruben, Ellen Lynch, PageWaldo, Maddie Quinlon, MaddyJohnson and dance faculty Gina Hesse.The Middle School dancers plus a fewfaculty guests brought the pride withBerwick’s very first flash mob to “ForgetYou” conceived and choreographed byIndigo Milne with Meira Ruben. Themob was a delightful surprise duringthe Middle School lunch!Berwick Academy’s Companydancers have been busy performingon and off campus. Most recently, ourCompany Blue dancers performed thepiece “Alliance” as part of ThorntonAcademy’s Dancelebration and at an allUpper School GSA assembly. This workwas developed to support the efforts ofthe hilltop’s GSA group and has helpedbring awareness and advocacy for theLGBT community. For those of youinterested in seeing dance off campus,there will be another event, Saturday,March 26th presented by RochesterOpera House and Sole City Dance.The weekend of “Dance Rochester!”will include an afternoon and eveningperformance with workshops thefollowing day. For more informationplease visit www.rochesteroperahouse.com/upcomingevents.Finally, ‘tis the season tostart focusing on the Berwick danceproduction! This year’s performanceContinuum is in its developing stages andlooks like it will be another breathtakingshow. This all-division extravaganzadepends on the many graciousvolunteers to make it a seamless anddelightful experience. Students, faculty,staff and parents alike are welcome tojoin the ranks for the dance departmentin order to help with tickets, posters,costumes, make-up and much more.Please contact Sasha Randall Maloneat srandall@berwickacademy.org if youare interested in assisting this year.Music and Visual ArtsWinterfest 2011Twenty-one studentsrepresenting all three divisions atBerwick Academy graced the stageon our snow date Sunday, January 23,making their own Berwick history.Performing as soloists, in duets, orensembles, students from grades 1-12danced, sang or played an instrument,sharing their passion for the performingarts. The evening performance wasthe culmination of many months ofpractice, anticipation and excitementfor the student performers. The theaterwas filled with a responsive audienceof families, friends and students,acknowledging each performer withexuberant applause. Through theirperformances, our performing artistsevoked many emotions illustratingthe human experience. We greatlyappreciate the time and commitmentdemonstrated by each of theseperforming arts students. Thank youand congratulations to one and all.MusicApril Recitals - Berwick’s musicrecitals will take place during the weekof April 11. All students who takelessons on campus are encouraged toperform. Applied lesson teachers andparents should arrange a recital timefor each private lesson student duringthis specific recital week.Summer Programs—Eachsummer, several Berwick Academystudents attend performing arts campsand visual arts programs. StephanieSanders and Raegan Russell haveinformation available if you areinterested in learning more aboutsummer music or visual art opportunitiesfor your child.Visual ArtsScholastic Art Competition—This year, 18 Upper School studentssubmitted work to the Annual ScholasticArt and Writing Competition. Fivestudents received regional recognitionwith a total of nine awards. A totalof 486 electronic submissions fromstudents in the State of Maine weresent to Hartwick College of Art, theregional affiliate for this competition,for consideration in the jury process todetermine award winners. The awardceremony for the Maine RegionalScholastic Art Awards, will take placeon Saturday, March 19 at 12 p.m. atthe Coastal House in Wells. Berwick’saward winners will be presented theirawards during this ceremony.Samantha Auty ’11 received aSilver Key in Fashion for her gown,“Fragile Bride.” Brian Rwan ’11 receivedcontinued on page 14... 1791 Letter ~ February 2011

BPC Notes - from the BPC Board MembersParent Community NewsPresident’s NotesAs most of you know by now, BPC isgearing up for their primary fundraiserfor the year, the Berwick AcademyCommunity Benefit. Aside from beinga fun-filled evening full of good food,great friends and the celebration ofBA, the evening allows BPC to fundmany non-curricula based enrichmentinitiatives such as a Digital Lab in theUS, HD cameras for the MS, a studiopiano in the Arts building and campusbeautification.We hope you can join us onthe evening of April 30 at The Red Barnat Outlook Farm in South Berwick forthe live auction event. Prior to that,be sure to check out all the wonderfulitems we are offering through our onlineauction at www.biddingforgood.com/bpccommunitybenefit. Theonline portion of our event will runfrom March 27 through April 15.There is sure to be something foreveryone, ranging from gift certificatesto area restaurants, ski passes, art work,jewelry and accessories, to fantasticget-aways.There are so many ways for youto become involved with the planningof this event. We welcome any andall volunteers. More importantly, wehope you will purchase a ticket to joinus on the evening of April 30. Feel freeto contact Andrea Bristol (malted92@comcast.net) or Jean Jarvis (jean.jarvis1@myfairpoint.net) if you wouldlike to get involved, and we hope tosee you at the Community Benefit!Sincerely,Lesli FrielPresidentBerwick Parent CommunityBPC Community Benefit UpdateThe BPC Community BenefitCommittee is hard at work coordinatinga spectacular celebration for theBerwick Academy Community! Weare receiving fantastic donations forboth our online and live auctions everyday and it looks like Napa Valley in ouroffice...the wine for our Wine CellarRaffle is pouring in!! This event is onlyas good as we make it...so let’s make itthe best yet!We welcome your participationand have made it easy for everyone tojoin in on the fun: Sponsor-a-Teacher,purchase a Tuition Raffle ticket (worth$12,000 in tuition for 2011-2012),donate a bottle of wine to our WineCellar Raffle and purchase a ticket(tickets will go on sale starting March1 - please look for the ticket order formin this edition of 1791), donate an itemto either our online or live auction,volunteer your time with the BPCCommunity Benefit Committee, planto attend our Benefit on April 30th atthe Red Barn at Outlook Farm. Everydonation, every minute of time, everyeffort makes a difference in the BAexperience for our kids - be a part ofit!If you have questions, want tohelp out, would like to donate or haveideas or suggestions, please contact us- we would love to hear from you.Wishing you the very best and lookingforward to seeing you at The RedBarn!Andrea Bristolmalted92@comcast.netJean Jarvisjean.jarvis1@myfairpoint.netBerwick AcademyCampus StoreSHOPOnline!Featured product: VineyardVines custom BA tote.Perfect for spring!Visit www.berwickacademy.org and findthe Berwick Store under Community1791 Letter ~ February 2011

Berwick AcademypresentsBeauty and the BeastFriday March 4 and Saturday March 57:00 p.m.Whipple Arts CenterTicket Order Form• Reservations required – seats are assigned on a first-come basis.• Tickets must be pre-paid - please include cash or check payable to Berwick Academy.• Tickets are NOT mailed. Tickets will be held at the theater and may be picked up one hourprior to the performance.Friday, March 4, 2011Name:__________________________________________________Number of student tickets at $4.00 each _____ Cost ______Number of adult tickets at $7.00 each _____ Cost ______Total number of tickets_____ Total ______Saturday, March 5, 2011Name:___________________________________________________Number of student tickets at $4.00 each _____ Cost ______Number of adult tickets at $7.00 each _____ Cost ______Total number of tickets_____ Total ______Please return to: Louise Rouleau, RegistrarBerwick Academy31 Academy Streetsouth Berwick, ME 03908Please call Ms. Rouleau at 207-384-2164 ext. 2500 with any questions.10 1791 Letter ~ February 2011

Thank you from the Zeff FamilyAs many of you know Alden Zeff (2013)headed a drive in December requestingdonations of toys for the students of the EbenEzer School in Milot, Haiti. As expected, theoutpouring of generosity was remarkable.Our family of five, including Alden’s sisters,Sydney (2008), Olivia (2010) was able tofill 10 suitcases with close to 500 pounds ofgifts and school supplies! Accompanied byLucia Anglade, the founder of the Eben EzerSchool and the Life and Hope Haiti (www.lifeandhopehaiti.org) and a small groupof local philanthropists, arrived in Port auPrince on December 26, connected to CapeHaitien and were trucked to the more ruralcommunity of Milot and the home of theEben Ezer School.Lucia grew up in Milot. Nowliving in New York, she returns regularlywith small groups of supporters. She started the school in 2001 on a small plotof her family’s land. Through years of hard work and fund raising she has builtclassrooms one cinder block at a time. Until recently, most of the classrooms havehad no roofs. Through Life and Hope Haiti donors can sponsor a child for a fullyear of education for $220. We have pictures and names of our sponsored childrenand were excited to meet them in person.It was through Alden andOlivia and their participation inBerwick Academy’s Outreach Programthat we were first made aware of theEben Ezer School. Berwick is one ofa small number of organizations thathas embraced the school by raisingawareness and sponsoring fundraisers.The family of supporters and visitorsfrom southern Maine alone continuesto grow. Our family was excited to seeone of the school’s regular employeeswearing a Berwick Academy tee shirt!In summary, thank youBerwick Academy for raising ourawareness. Thank you for your ongoinggenerosity and support. Thank you forrecognizing that the education of thechildren of Haiti is the only beacon ofhope for a country that seems to havenone.With sincere appreciation,The Zeff familyRichard, Reenie, Sydney, Olivia, and AldenThe Berwick Academy Drama DepartmentBeautyproudly andpresents:the BeastFriday, March 4, 2011& Saturday, March 5, 2011at 7 p.m. in the Whipple Arts Center1791 Letter ~ February 201111

Cindy Briggs - School CounselorW e l l n e s s N e w sSleepy AdolescentsI don’t know about you, but I’ve beenrunning into a lot of bleary eyed UpperSchool students lately. The reportedreason for this sleep deprivation is toomuch homework. I’m not sure if this isentirely true, and have a tendency tobelieve that social-networking (e.g.Facebook), as well as other distractiblebehaviors may also be playing a role.Whatever the reason(s), I know thissame issue exists in my house.My son who is a senior thisyear averages about six hours of sleepa night during the week. By the endof a school week this mild-mannered,easy-going young man is a total wreck.He looks awful, feels terrible, and isn’tvery pleasant to be around. I am surethere are many other Upper and a fewMiddle School students and parentsexperiencing this same phenomenon.The other issue this weekday sleepdeprivation creates for my son is hisdesire to catch up on missed sleep onthe weekend. It is not uncommon forhim to sleep until 10:00 a.m. on Sundaymorning and then start the wholecycle over again on Sunday night. This“catching up on sleep” on weekends hasalso proven to have its disadvantages.According to researchers, studentswith a discrepancy of two or morehours of sleep on weekends are morelikely to earn lower grades in schoolthan students who keep their sleeppatterns consistent (Bergin and Bergin2009). Even without knowing muchabout the sleep, I can conclude that thesleep cycle that my son has adoptedisn’t healthy.The common belief hasalways been that the need for sleep byadolescents declines during puberty.However, recent research indicates thatadolescents require the same amount, ifnot more sleep than younger children.According to sleep researcher, MaryCarskadon (1999) teenagers need 9hours and 15 minutes of sleep a nightto function well and remain alert duringthe day. A quick calculation tells methat by the end of a school week, myson is between 12 and 15 hours behindon sleep.The second issue that hasconfused the adolescent sleep issuefor years is the shift in the sleep-wakecycle. Like many parents I noticed myson’s desire to stay up later and sleep inlater as he entered his teenage years.This shift in the adolescent sleep cyclewas once believed to be the result fromthe psychological and social needsduring adolescents, such as increasedhomework load, sports, after-schooljobs or extracurricular activities, andthe adolescents’ desire to assert his/herautonomy. Scientific research nowbelieves that this shift in bedtime isnot a result of these social forces, butinstead internal biological changes inthe adolescent brain.Carskadon’s research (1999)investigated adolescent “circadianrhythms”, the biological clock thatregulates certain physiological cyclessuch as the sleep-wake cycle, bodytemperature and hormonal secretion.Melatonin is the hormone associatedwith sleep. Analysis of melatoninlevels show that it is sharply elevatedduring sleeping hours. Carskadon’sresearch on melatonin productionobserved a sharp spike in melatoninlevels beginning at about 10:00 p.m.in adolescents, increasing from 2picograms to nearly 20 picograms bymidnight. Melatonin levels peak atabout 35 picograms at 3:00 a.m. andremain high until about 7:00 a.m. inthe morning. Melatonin level do notdrop to there daytime levels until 8:00a.m. in adolescents. It is no wonderthat adolescents struggle to get out ofbed in the morning for school. Thisstruggle is only further exacerbated bysleep deprivation. Many high schoolsacross the United States have tried toaccommodate the needs of adolescentcircadian rhythms by starting schoollater in the morning. Berwick’s starttime of 8:15 a.m. would be seen as amore appropriate and helpful start timefor the adolescent sleeper.The struggle to get out ofbed is one of the milder consequencesof sleep deprivation. More seriousconsequences include absencesfrom school, decreased motivation,inattention, and difficulty controllingemotions and behavior. It appears thatthe more sleep deprived the adolescentis, the greater the harm. RonaldDahl, in his article entitled “TheConsequences of Insufficient Sleepfor Adolescents: Links Between Sleepand Emotional Regulation” discussesthe major effects of acute sleep loss.According to Dahl, motivation isdirectly linked to the level of adolescenttiredness. Simply stated, the moretired the adolescent is, the lower theirmotivation level, particularly withtasks that are less exciting or engaging.continued on pg 14...12 1791 Letter ~ February 2011

Rachel Saliba - School ArchivistA r c h i v e s N e w sWelcome to the Berwick AcademyHistoric DistrictBerwick Academy has been listed on theNational Register of Historic Places asa Historic District since 1978 “as partof the national and cultural heritage ofour nation.” The following is a photoof each of the buildings included in theBerwick Academy Historic District anda brief summary of their historic and/orarchitectural significance:1791 House (1793) being moved back tocampus in 1965.Berwick Academy’s originalschool building, the 1791 House, is aPost-Colonial building that was built in1793 on the same location where FoggMemorial sits today. The 1791 Houseis considered to be the oldest frameschoolhouse still in use in the UnitedStates. It is believed to have containedone main classroom downstairs andliving quarters for the preceptor (headof school) upstairs.The 1791 House was sold in1830 and moved downtown whenthe school’s enrollment exceeded thebuilding’s 40-student capacity. The1791 House was used as a privateresidence until it was repurchased andmoved back to campus by the Board ofTrustees in celebration of the school’s175th Anniversary in 1966.Hayes House (1811) (photo c. 1930)The Hayes House was builtin 1811 and is noted for its Federalarchitectural style and exceptionalpictorial hand-painted wallpaper fromc. 1830 (this paper has since beenremoved). Judge William Allen Hayesbought the estate from its originalowner in 1816 and increased its sizeto accommodate his 13 children. Theestate stayed in the Hayes family for130 years. Berwick purchased theHayes home and its 64 acres from its4th owners in 1967. It was initiallyused as a dormitory, but thenbecame the head of school’shome in 1973.The Hayes family was avery important family in Berwick’shistory. Three generations ofHayes men were presidents ofthe School’s Board of Trusteesand each was influentialduring pivotal moments inBerwick’s history including thereplacement of the 1791 House,the rebuilding of the Academy after itsdestruction in the 1851 fire, and theconstructionof FoggMemorial.Even theS c h o o l ’ sm o s tr e n o w n e dbenefactor,W i l l i a mHayes FoggOakes House (1859)(photo c. 1959)was related to the Hayes family and wasnamed after the Honorable William A.Hayes!The Oakes House is a GreekRevival home built in 1859 by JudgeAbner Oakes. BA purchased the OakesHouse in 1956 and turned it into adormitory. The barn was turned intothe Sarah Orne Jewett Creative ArtsCenter in 1966.Judge Oakes’ daughter, MarciaOakes Woodbury (BA class of 1882)and son-in-law Charles H. Woodburyfounded the first art school in Ogunquitin 1898. The Woodbury School iscredited with establishing Ogunquitas the center of fine art in Maine andBurleigh-Davidson House (1893)continued on pg 15...1791 Letter ~ February 201113

Lower School News...cont. from pg 6Interactive technology, faculty andparent gatherings, special studentevents, time on task learning…it wasanother productive week in the LowerSchool as we continue our mission ofpromoting requisite student knowledgefor our student body.Arts News...cont. from pg 8a Silver Key in Sculpture for his“Masking Tape Laptop” and a secondSilver Key for his drawing “Speed.”Tucker Trimble ’11 received a SilverKey for her photograph “Floating City.”Andrew Waterhouse ’13 received aSilver Key for his photograph “Vertigo.”Junior Ellie Penati, and seniors BrianRawn and Tucker Trimble also receivedHonorable Mention Recognition fortheir work in mixed media, drawing,sculpture and photography. Awardwinning work from BA will be postedon the portal for all to see!Youth Art Month 2011 at the PortlandMuseum of ArtMarch is Youth Art Month.Deloris White, Melissa Hannon, andK. Lynn Wildnauer recently selectedthe work of Chloe Jackson (3), ZoeSpearman (6), and Abby Scanlon (11)to represent Berwick Academy at thisannual art exhibit sponsored by theMaine Art Education Association andthe Portland Museum of Art. Theexhibit will open at the PortlandMuseum of Art on Tuesday, March 1and will be on display through Sunday,April 3, 2011. The opening receptionand awards ceremony will take placeon Saturday, March 5, from 5:00 – 7:30p.m. Certificates will be awarded to K– 5 artists at the 5:30 ceremony and thegrade 6 – 12 certificates will be given atthe 6:30 ceremony.Wellness News...cont. from pg 12Dahl states that the effects of tirednessare most pronounced when tasksrequire planning, strategy or complexsequences. Ironically, these are someof the primary tasks required of bothMiddle and Upper School students.Inattention is another area ofconcern when examining adolescentsleep deprivation. It is well known thatsleep lose is associated with brief mentallapses in attention during simple tasks.Fortunately, these mental lapses canbe offset by an adolescent’s increasedeffort and motivation while performingthe task. This compensatory behaviordoes not hold true for complex tasks ortasks that require attention in two ormore areas.The potential link betweeninattention due to sleep deprivationand the diagnosis of ADD/ADHDhas become an area of discussion overthe past decade. Each diagnosis isassociated with difficulty of self controlbehavior, attention and impulse, andboth respond favorably to stimulantmedication. The other interesting factis that symptoms of ADHD are morefrequent in children/adolescents withsleep disorders. The link between thesetwo diagnoses is complex puzzle, andwill no doubt continue to be examinedby researchers.Adolescent mood or emotionshas become another area of researchin the field of sleep deprivation. Theconnection between acute sleep loss inadolescents and mood variability is welldocumented. I frequently see greatervariability in my son’s mood by theend of the school week. He becomesfrustrated and angry more easily orcan appear overly silly in responseto something humorous. A majorconcern of researchers in this area isthe potential connection between sleepdeprivation and emotional disordersin adolescents. Research studies arecontinuing to examine this link.It is already known thatsleep complaints are very common inchildren and adolescents who havebeen diagnosed with Major DepressiveDisorder.So what can a parent do toassist your child/adolescent with sleepat night?• Discourage caffeinated drinksafter dinner.• Encourage major studying inthe early evening as opposed to later.• Encourage consistent (early)bedtimes during the school week.• Discourage sleeping longerthan two hours later on weekends.• Encourage time limited socialnetworking and other distractiblebehaviors on school nights.• Discourage multi-tasking suchas having multiple computer screens upwhile working.• Discourage leaving a computeror TV on at night.• Discourage bright lights in theevening.• Encourage bright light in thea.m. to start the body’s wake cycle.Good luck! I hope you can help youradolescent establish healthier sleepinghabits.Cindy Briggs14 1791 Letter ~ February 2011

Archives News...cont. from pg 13the Ogunquit Museum of AmericanArt is located on land donated by theWoodbury family in Ogunquit.The Burleigh-Davidson Houseis a Colonial Revival home designedby Kendall and Stevens Architects forWidow Matilda Buffum Burleigh in1893 and, according to local alumni,was considered to be the finest homein South Berwick. It was decoratedwith imported marble fireplaces,stained class windows and ceiling, andhand crafted woodworking by Italiancraftsmen, to name just a few of theattributes. Five generations of Burleigh-Davidsons have attended Berwick anda few served on the Board of Trustees,including Thomas Davidson who wasPresident of the Board for five years inthe 1970’s.The School purchased theBurleigh-Davidson mansion in 1945 toprevent it from being sold and turnedCourthouse in Boston. The interiorof the building and the stained glasswindows in the library were designedby Boston’s first professional femaleartist, Sarah Wyman Whitman. SarahWyman Whitman also designed manyof the covers of Sarah Orne Jewett’sbooks and stained glass in Boston’sTrinity Church and Harvard’s MemorialHall. Fogg Memorial Building servedas the main school building untilBurleigh-Davidson was purchased in1945.William Hayes Fogg did notattend BA, but was a Berwick native anda descendent of BA co-founder Judgeconstruction of the Minuteman Statuein Lexington and establishing the FoggMuseum at Harvard University.The grounds in front of Foggwere designed by Frederick LawOlmsted Sr.’s firm, Olmsted, Olmsted,and Eliot Landscape Architects in 1894.Olmsted’s firm also designed CentralPark in New York City, the grounds ofthe US Capitol, and Boston’s EmeraldNecklace.The Olmsted design improvedupon an existing oval drive fromAcademy Street that had served asthe main entry to campus for over 100years. The lowretaining wallalong the street,two arcing walks,and the entranceswere constructedaccording to theOlmsted plan,but it appearsthat the upperretaining walls inthe plan were notcompleted.In the interestof space, I haveleft out a lot ofdetails aboutBerwick’s oldestbuildings.Fogg Memorial Building (1894)into a turkey farm. It has served manyuses for BA, including home economicsclassrooms, an infirmary, a cafeteria (inthe basement), an art room, a studentcenter, a dormitory, the Middle Schooland administrative offices.Fogg Memorial is aRomanesque Revival stone buildingdesigned by Boston’s first City ArchitectGeorge A. Clough who was renownedfor his design of the Suffolk CountyDraft by Olmsted, Olmsted, and Eliot Landscape Architects (1894)Benjamin Chadbourne. He made hisfortune running the China and JapanTrading Company and is rememberedfor starting the MassachusettsHorticultural Society, sponsoring theat 207-384-6330.If you haveany questions orwould like to learnmore about any ofthe buildings andtheir occupants,please contactme at rsaliba@berwickacademy.org or by phone1791 Letter ~ February 201115

Jedd Whitlock - Director of AdvancementAlumni and Development NewsDear Berwick Community,The Annual Fund continues to track well and currently stands at just over $506,000 with a goal of $600,000. We have createdsolid momentum and hope to carry this through to June 30, 2011. Thank you to those of you who have already made a giftor a pledge to this year’s campaign. With 50% of Berwick parents having made a gift or pledge to this year’s Annual Fund, weremain optimistic about reaching our goal of 70%. However, we still have some work to do, and need your help to make ourgoals a reality.Second appeal letters have been sent out, and as always please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions aboutthe Annual Fund.I have enclosed two helpful links for more information:To learn more about the importance of the Annual Fund, visit www.berwickacademy.org/annualfundTo view last year’s report on annual giving, Celebrating Philanthropy, visit www.berwickacademy.org/thankyouAs always, thank you for contributing to the betterment of the Berwick experience.Best,Jedd WhitlockDirector of Advancementjwhitlock@berwickacademy.orgAddendumGrade 6 (New Student)Caple, Julia 603-659-9818Brian and Jocelyn Caple43 Spencer Lane, Lee, NH 03861Grade 7 (New Student)Linde, Jack 603-580-1600Arthur and Jean Linde3 Barter Lane, Stratham, NH 03885Grade 11 (New Student)Thayer, Abby 603-742-7978Benjamin Thayer and Linda McGivern121 Roberts Road, Rollinsford, NH 0386916 1791 Letter ~ February 2011