Highlander Summer 2012

R E VO L U T I O N I Z I N G T H E C L A S S RO O M

Learning in the 21st Century

A D AY I N T H E L I F E O F T H E I C E L A B

summer 2012

K E E P I N G C L A S S I C S I N T H E C L A S S RO O M

departments

volume 24, number 1 summer 2012

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Guideposts Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut discusses

Open Spaces: Student Poem and Artwork

preparing St. Margaret’s students as 21st

Showcasing award-winning student writing

century learners

and visual arts talent

News & Notes

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Get the scoop on what’s been happening at

Acquaint yourself with two of St. Margaret’s

St. Margaret’s lately

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A Day in the Life Of . . .

ICE Lab

Faculty Profiles exceptional and gifted faculty members

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Class Notes Learn about the lives of your classmates

See the ICE Lab’s dynamic environment and state-of-the-art technologies afforded to students in all divisions

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Looking Back Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut addresses the Upper School student body with his

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Side by Side

retirement message

Student and teacher discuss the revolution of the Middle School classroom: one iPad at a time

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By the Numbers A glimpse at the new Performing Arts Center

features

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Promoting Computer Science and STEM Learning Through Robotics

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Highlights of St. Margaret’s students’ learning experiences with robotics and computer science in each division

St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Marcus D. Hurlbut, Headmaster Highlander magazine is published by the Communications Office as a St. Margaret’s Episcopal School community magazine.

Editorial Director

Anne Dahlem Managing Editor

Nicole Peddy

Keeping Classics in the Classroom: Why Students Need Literature Instruction Now More Than Ever

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English teachers demonstrate why classic literature is still an important cornerstone to critical thinking and communication skills

Copy Editor

Jennifer Perez Editorial Board

Jeannine Clarke, Anne Dahlem, Jeneen Graham, Marcus D. Hurlbut, Nicole Peddy Contributors

Roland Allen, Ingrid Andrews, David Boyle, Jamie Bunch, Charles Cox, Gavin Clarke, Dallas Clemmons, Anne Dahlem, Josh Friedman, Gracie Gordon, Natalie Hines, Marcus D. Hurlbut, Jack Li, Barbara McMurray, Emily Moore, Brett Nicholas, Dr. Todd Newman, Lynn Ozonian, Nicole Peddy, Jennifer Perez, Londa Posvistak, Blake Reemtsma, Dr. Jennifer Ross-Viola, Ian Tacquard, Dylan Wade Please send comments, questions, letters and submissions for “Open Spaces” to:

Highlander magazine St. Margaret’s Episcopal School 31641 La Novia San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675-2752 (949) 661-0108 communications@smes.org; www.smes.org

A Journey Home with My Son: Tartan Alumnus Michael Boyle

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Associate Headmaster David Boyle describes his week aboard an active US Navy aircraft carrier

Please include your name, address, e-mail address and phone number with your letter or submission.

Letters and “Open Spaces” may be edited for content and grammar.

St. Margaret’s publishes responsibly. Highlander magazine is printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper that contains 25 percent postconsumer recycled content, using soy-based inks made from renewable resources such as natural pigments and vegetable oils.

on a Tiger Cruise Highlander, Volume 24, Number 1. Summer 2012.

Thriving in College

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St. Margaret’s Episcopal School does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, sexual orientation or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational or hiring policies, admissions policies, financial aid, athletic or other school-administered programs.

Alumni from the Class of 2011 reflect on

their first year of college

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ON THE COVER

Middle School science teacher Dylan Wade helping students learn 21st century skills. Inside front: Student enjoying the Preschool playground.

Inside back: Middle School students performing in Seussical Jr.

G U I D E P O S T S

By Marcus D. Hurlbut, Headmaster s we prepare our students for living and learning in an ever-changing world, we integrate technology into our curriculum through classes in robotics, engineering and computer programming across all grades.

Our goal is to nurture students’ problem solving, critical thinking, organization, collaboration and creativity and ignite their interests in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Through the use of a variety of devices, in particular iPads, St. Margaret’s students engage in research, literacy instruction, science, math, world languages and arts instruction in dynamic ways, right at their fingertips.

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This Highlander will also illustrate the talent and accomplishments of our students through our “News & Notes” section and highlight two of our exceptionally gifted faculty members. In preparation for the official opening of our new Performing Arts Center, which will be the focus of the next issue of the Highlander magazine, we offer an interesting perspective in this issue’s “By the Numbers.”

We share a strong sense of community pride in what we stand for as a school and how we work together to make the St. Margaret’s experience the very best it can be for all our students. I have loved my years as a Tartan and look forward with great enthusiasms to the year ahead.

The articles in this publication illustrate the abundant opportunities available to our students, including a look at a day in the life of the ICE Lab, and how, throughout each division of the school, we promote computer science and STEM learning. Additionally, you will have the chance to read a teacher and student perspective about our Middle School iPad program.

While we must help our students stay current with the development of technology in our society, we also remain committed to one of our core values of balance and breadth by encouraging our students to balance their education with the fundamentals of humanities and arts. This publication’s article, “Keeping Classics in the Classroom: Why Students Need Literature Instruction Now More Than Ever,” reminds us that classic literature is an important cornerstone to critical thinking and communication skills.

“The articles in this publication illustrate the abundant opportunities available to our students, including a look at a day in the life of the ICE Lab, and how, throughout each division of the school, we promote computer science and STEM learning.”

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St. Margaret’s Tartan Tee-Off Raises $55,000 After a few years in hiatus, the Tartan Tee-Off golf tournament fundraiser benefiting financial aid returned in October.

Twenty-two teams competed at the Newport Beach Country Club and raised more than $55,000. “Since its inception in 1995, the Tartan Tee-Off supports our financial aid program and serves as a powerful reminder of our longstanding commitment to make a St. Margaret’s education accessible to qualified students regardless of financial resources,” said Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut.

Talented Tartan Tellers Tell Tales at Orange County Children’s Book Festival In October, five Tartan storytellers took the stage at the Eighth Annual Orange County Children’s Book Festival at Orange Coast College, where more than 40,000 people attended. The Tartan Tellers Club of Marek Magana, Izzy Morin, Jessica Pate, Noel Segerstrom and Shea Tomaselli took the PBS Storyteller’s Stage with St. Margaret’s Artist-in-Residence Victoria Burnett’s guidance.

Breakthrough Students Excel Breakthrough students worked hard last summer taking a daily 90-minute algebra class five days a week for six weeks.

As a result, seven out of the nine Breakthrough College Bound students met the 80 percent minimum score on the Capistrano Unified School District math exam that allows them to bypass Algebra IB and enter straight into geometry as freshman. Additionally Yesenia Garcia, a member of Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano’s second class, was named Capistrano Valley’s Youth of the Year by the Boys and Girls Club in February. According to club leaders, she was chosen for her commitment to community service.

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St. Margaret’s Alumni Return to Connect with Upper School Students More than 25 alumni returned to campus in January to impart their wisdom on Upper School students during the Alumni Career Forum. Alumni presented during two 30minute classroom sessions, which offered tips and suggestions to help students navigate their paths after St. Margaret’s through college and into a career field.

Students Get Up-Close and Personal with Landmark OC School Desegregation Case In November, students in Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut’s constitutional law classes and Krista Nava’s social justice literature class visited Chapman University to learn the historical significance of the landmark Orange County civil rights case Mendez v. Westminster. They had the privilege to spend the day with Mr. Gonzalo Mendez, Jr., who, with his two siblings, was a child plaintiff in the case brought by their parents after they were barred from enrolling in the public “whites-only” 17th Street Elementary School in Westminster, Calif. They won their case in the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which established California as the first state in the nation to end segregation in public education.

One-hundred percent of St. Margaret's Class of 2012 will matriculate to a four-year college or university this fall.

Students will attend 70 colleges and universities in 25 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, France and Scotland. A record number of graduating seniors, 84 percent, had already received acceptance to a four-year college or university of their choice as of February, the mid-point of the college admission process. The early acceptances was due in part to a college admission process called early action where a student has the opportunity to apply in an early admission round in the fall before the standard January application deadline.

From Styrofoam to Surfboards – Students Make a Difference One Board at a Time

To read more St. Margaret’s news, visit Tartan Today online at tartantoday.org.

San Juan Mayor Presents Certificate of Recognition to Lower School for Composting Efforts

Record Early College Acceptance for St. Margaret’s Class of 2012

Two teams in Mr. Eric Harrington’s Middle School science class worked on an ocean science project that focused on creating an environmentally-friendly surfboard. Students discovered that when surfboards are shaped, they release dangerous toxic fumes. After extensive research, the teams found that instead of using polyurethane, they could use polystyrene (EPS); also known as Styrofoam, which is not usually recycled. They collected and recycled more than 100 pounds of Styrofoam that was donated to build several eco-friendly surfboards.

San Juan Capistrano Mayor Larry Kramer presented St. Margaret’s Lower School Green Team with a Certificate of Recognition from the City of San Juan Capistrano in March, commending St. Margaret’s for composting food waste. Grade 4 and 5 students make up The Green Team, which was formed to further the goal of reducing the Lower School imprint on the Earth. summer 2012

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MIT Women’s Initiative Program Gets Students Excited About Engineering In February, St. Margaret’s hosted two Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) seniors who are part of the MIT Women’s Initiative Program. The program seeks to increase the number of women enrolled in engineering majors by educating middle and high school girls nationwide. The two young women participated in Upper School science teacher Joe Ingalls’ introduction to engineering class, which was followed by a presentation to the Upper School that gave students an overview of the various engineering fields available to high school students as they think about future careers.

Upper School Presents The Servant of Two Masters Performances of the fall Upper School drama, The Servant of Two Masters, featured two casts and a full student technical crew. The shows required a demanding Commedia Dell’Arte, which means stylized movement, specific mask work and highly physical comedic bits called lazzi. With the help of a commedia consultant and movement coach and Director Nathan Wheeler, The Servant of Two Masters was an ambitious undertaking. The play captured the 2012 CAPPIES Award for Best Play.

Middle Schoolers Make Seussical Jr. a Creative Tour de Force In November, Middle School students exemplified leadership and talent as they perfected their skills in Seussical Jr. Student interest in the Middle School production was so great that it was double cast, featuring 87 students and a full student technical crew for six performances.

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Coffee House Cabaret Showcased Three Sold-Out Shows More than 50 Middle and Upper School students displayed their talents to three sold-out shows at the Ninth Annual Coffee House Cabaret. The Coffee House Cabaret Band, under the leadership of Band Director Chris Carbajal, provided accompaniment to the vocal performers in pieces arranged by St. Margaret’s students and Accompanist Adam Bravo.

Performing Arts Center Featured in OC Register Year In Review St. Margaret's new Performing Arts Center received widespread interest from the local community and was featured in The Orange County Register’s Year in Review earlier this year. To view the article, visit www.tartantoday.org.

The Performing Arts Center will officially open on the first day of the 2012-2013 school year.

From the Tartan Field St. Margaret’s athletics received many accolades throughout the year. In March, junior Regan Anderson was named one of Orange County’s Top Multisport Athletes by OCVarsity.com after helping St. Margaret’s girls’ soccer team win the CIF-SS Division 6 title last season and the girls’ lacrosse team win the U.S. Lacrosse Division 2 Southern Section title last spring.

Senior Katie Donahue was the CIF-SS Division 6 Player of the Year and in March was named OCVarsity Girls ScholarAthlete of the Week after earning all-county honors in 2011.

American Tennis Champ Michael Chang Congratulates SMES Girls Tennis

Senior Billy Gaudreau Sets Unprecedented School Records

To read more St. Margaret’s news, visit Tartan Today online at tartantoday.org.

Senior Billy Gaudreau became the first Tartan runner to win the sweepstakes race and the boys’ cross country team finished fifth at the Orange County Championships in October. He had the fastest time of 14:26 among all county runners who competed in the Woodbridge Cross Country Classic where St. Margaret’s ranked third among all county teams, and he was named OC Varsity Cross Country Athlete of the Week twice in the fall. After finishing fifth in the West Regional qualifier, he finished December’s Footlocker Cross Country Nationals 3.1 mile race in 34th place in a time of 16:07. In March, history was made again at the Irvine Track & Field Invitation where Billy had the standout performance of the day— completing the 3200 meter race in 9:07.62, the number one time in United States Outdoor Track and Field and the fastest high school two-mile runner in the nation.

Wrestling Athlete Captures Prep League Championship

In November, the Tartan girls’ tennis team clinched its fourth straight CIF Championship and maintained its four-year undefeated record. To celebrate, American tennis great Michael Chang attended St. Margaret’s Upper and Middle School pep rally to congratulate the girls’ exceptional achievement in a highly competitive CIF southern section field.

Junior Andrew Torok captured the Prep League Championship and Tartan sophomores Trevor Jue and Jason Kim, seniors Arian Farji and Nic Toubia, and freshman Ryan O’Hare qualified for CIF competition in February.

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A DAY I N I C E L A B

T H E

L I F E

O F. . .

By Nicole Peddy

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magine. Create. Engineer. Since it opened in the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year, St. Margaret’s ICE Lab has introduced Preschool – grade 12 students to a dynamic environment with state-of-the-art technologies and resources for a new science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum. Students are equipped with endless possibilities for creative, cross-curricular projects and work, including the ability to design and develop interdisciplinary projects using an abundance of technology resources: design software, customizable workstations, PC and Mac platforms and iPads.

Through collaborative planning, instruction and implementation, students in Kindergarten–grade 4 are learning to solve physical challenges with mathematic concepts, programming skills and machines. More specifically, Kindergarten and grade 1 students exhibit the sequencing, strategizing and problem

solving techniques acquired through the use of Bee-Bots, a programmable floor robot. The simple design of the Bee-Bot provides students with the chance to begin their robotic journey with very basic programming; using forward, backward, and left and right turn arrows. Students navigate the Bee Bot around mats designed specifically for the grade’s curriculum allowing students to visualize what is being taught.

After the mastery of basic robotics, students in grades 2-4 move on to more advanced LEGO® Robotics. With the partnership of LEGO® and learning.com students receive step by step build instructions in a platform that they are familiar with, creating a seamless transition into new curriculum.

Students begin with the basics learning about the benefits of such machines as levers, pulleys, and wheels and axles.

Aligning with the California state science standards, grade 5 students work in the LEGO® Space pilot program. LEGO®

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ICE Lab opens

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Grade 5 Robotics. Through interaction with the International Space Station and curriculum provided by LEGO®, students are able to explore concepts such as force, equilibrium, mass, weight and more.

10:15-11:15 a.m.

Grades 2, 3 or 4 Robotics. Simple machines and motorized mechanisms from LEGO® Education enables children to work as young scientists, engineers and designers providing them with settings, tools and tasks that promote design technology, science and mathematics.

and NASA have teamed up to develop an opportunity for students to explore space. Students build and complete activities and compare their results to that from the International Space Station. Moving into the 2012-13 school year, grade 3 students will work with renewable energy and investigate energy supply and data analysis. The grade 4 students will work with motorized mechanisms, and students will complete various tasks with machines that they build themselves.

“There is a new language in the ICE Lab,” said Instructional Technology Specialist Londa Posvistak. “Students are building robots with several types and sizes of LEGO® pieces referred to as bricks. When students are predicting what size piece

they need for their creation, they refer to the size by the number of bumps on the top, the width and the length. For example, a student may ask for a 2x2, 2x4, etc. They might also add the word flat or brick, meaning skinny or standard.

When I tell a student a 2x8 is not available, I ask them what they could use instead. The student will calculate the math, and request two 1x8’s, or maybe two 2x4’s. Through this process, students don’t only practice math, but also learn to predict measurement. The evolution of this new language is amazing.”

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Lower School yearbook and Lower School robotics club participants have an option to work on their projects.

11:20 a.m.-12:10 p.m.

1:30-2:05 p.m.

Advanced Placement music theory prepares students for the AP examination in music. The course emphasizes part writing, sight singing, scale and chord construction, and dictation of played or recorded musical passages.

Mrs. Diane Hawkins’ grade 5 Christian life skills class works in groups utilizing a Web 2.0 application called Glogster to research world religions in preparation for an end of the school year presentation.

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The newest development in the Lower School robotics curriculum is the start of the St. Margaret’s chapter of the Junior FIRST® LEGO® League, a nationally recognized organization that is a sport of the mind. Using kids’ inherent desire for exploration, students participate in competitions based on the current year’s “challenge,” for the betterment of the community. (See Promoting Computer Science and STEM Learning Through Robotics on page 11 for more information.)

Lower School students are provided further exploration into the robotic world with afterschool clubs. The clubs allow students to explore, as well as construct and program their own LEGO® creations with the use of Mindstorms, WeDo’s and Pico Crickets.

Middle and Upper School enrichment and elective courses are also held in the ICE Lab including programming, robotics and Advanced Placement music. In addition, the space is available to all teachers and classes who want to make use of its resources. ●

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Grade 6 Technology. Students explore Web 2.0 applications, including an assessment in atomic learning, and Scratch, a programming language developed by MIT for education, to emphasize logic and problem solving.

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Either Lower School after school robotics clubs or the Jr. FIRST LEGO® League meet.

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Promoting Computer Science and STEM Learning Through Robotics B y L y n n O z o n i a n , D i r e c t o r o f A c a d e m i c a n d I n f o r m a t i o n Te c h n o l o g y Students are fascinated with robots. Since the advent of the Jetsons, Wall-E, and of course Star Wars C-3PO and R2D2, the futuristic possibilities of robots and computers inspire and excite the future generations of researchers, engineers and scientists. They are just cool and kids think so too. As a result, teaching robotics provides a way to bring topics in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) together.

Robotics is an excellent tool for stimulating imaginative thinking and providing real world meaning to otherwise abstract concepts thru hands-on learning. Constructing and programming robots requires logical thinking, persistence and teamwork – and fosters the “I can do it!” spirit. The last issue of the Highlander talked about the Culture of Thinking – and how St. Margaret’s teachers emphasize the use of “expert thinking skills” such as problem solving, synthesis, evaluation, and self-reflection in its curriculum. The inclusion of robotics and expanded computer science topics in St. Margaret’s curriculum is another pedagogical extension of developing these skills to prepare students for leadership roles in the future.

Technology is all around us today – most of us use technology in some aspect of our lives and many of the products we use today have some type of technology or robotics component involved. However, not many of us really understand the processes involved in developing these technologies. Most people simply do not understand the engineering process and what engineers do. Engineers and computer professionals are largely stereotyped as geeks, who love math, lack social skills and wear pocket protectors. This is all spurred by misconceptions of popular culture and as a result is a contributing factor to why students pursue other career

choices. In reality, engineers and computer professionals have really cool jobs – they are directly involved in the creation of new technologies and the design of solutions. The “E” in STEM – engineering – involves the application of not only math, science and technology, but requires creativity and blends other subject areas such as art and storytelling – in the development of solutions to problems that face our society or new technologies. The building, programming and testing of robots teaches computational thinking skills, collaboration with other students, persistence, and provides students with the ability to think creatively to solve problems through the application of the engineering process. This algorithmic multi-step, iterative process consists of identifying the problem, brainstorming solutions, developing a prototype, testing, and improving the design until satisfied with the end product.

Many universities and colleges are beginning to include courses that embody computational thinking as part of their general education requirements. In this emerging highly technical society it is important to instill the desire to question a process or procedure – to be curious and not only ask “why,” but “how” can it be done better or differently using technology. “While the human mind is by far the most powerful problem solving tool we have, the ability to extend the power of human thought with computers and other digital tools has become an essential part of our everyday lives and work.” (David Barr, John Harrison, and Leslie Conery. “Computational Thinking: A Digital Age Skill for Everyone.” Learning & Leading with Technology March/April 2011: 20-23.)

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Teaching robotics is a natural way to introduce computational thinking and engage students. In St. Margaret’s Lower School, the curriculum uses LEGO® robotics focusing on the engineering process. In Middle School, the technology curriculum incorporates computer science concepts – programming LEGO® Mindstorm robots, using Scratch programming, and video game programming. And, in the Upper School, students are learning a programming language to communicate with a robot. The following highlights St. Margaret’s students learning experiences with robotics and computer science in each division.

By Anne Dahlem

STEM in the Upper School STEM coursework and programs intensifies in the Upper School. Students are expected to hone their academic interests in college-prep and college-level coursework in a variety of core, honors, Advanced Placement and elective science, computer science and math.

program different robot behaviors. Robotics students develop behaviors for NAO combining gesture, movement, sound, music and speech. When programmed by students to do so, the 22-inch-tall robot can see, hear, speak, move, walk, dance, play soccer, recognize faces and objects, understand what is said to him, localize sound, and speak seven languages.

Recently, Upper School robotics students programmed NAO to present to more than 400 parents, faculty and guests at the St. Margaret’s 2012 Spring Gala.

Lara Ohanesian, rising grade 11 student, said, “We learned the basics of computer programming. I really enjoyed NAO and learning how to program him. It was cool to see what you programmed in real life. I enjoyed making games and playing them. My favorite part was making NAO go through the maze. I learned the print statement the most. In the beginning it was difficult to learn some of the things like functions, but after needing to use it a lot, I figured it out.”

Lauren Golledge, rising grade 11 student, added, “We learned many different aspects of programming and the computer programming language Python. When the class first started out, truly, I was not 100 percent excited to take the class, I did not know what to expect from knowing absolutely nothing about robotics and computer programming. But now, looking back, I am so happy that I took this class. As my mother says, ‘Computer language is the language of the future.’ Even though I do not see myself doing computer software or robotics for my career, this class also taught me problem solving skills, which you can apply to a large majority of your classes and to almost anything in the future. I really feel that I benefited from this class.”

ROBOTICS

By Nicole Peddy

The curriculum offers unique classes in computer programming for robotics, computer programming for Java, AP computer science, and software engineering in which advanced students can build their own applications and software.

The robotics course allows students to build, design, and program their own robots through NAO Robot Academic Edition, fostering collaboration, teamwork and problem solving. Additionally, students gain an advanced understanding of computer language, operations and systems.

Director of St. Margaret’s Academic and Information Technology Lynn Ozonian, who also teaches Upper School robotics said, “We know that these skills and knowledge base are in great demand in today’s marketplace, yet it’s truly impossible to imagine the vast possibilities and applications for our students’ futures. It’s unlimited and robotics is an exciting and fun way to engage our students.”

NAO is a small humanoid robot equipped with a simple, visual programming tool that allows students to create and

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STEM in the Middle School

In the Middle School, grades 6-7 attend a quarter-long technology class which includes topics on Internet safety, computer science using Scratch programming, digital media Web 2.0, and prescriptive review of technology skills related to document creation, spreadsheets and presentations.

Grade 8 students are offered electives in video programming, introduction to robotics and digital media and animation.

Developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab, with financial support from the National Science Foundation, Microsoft, Intel Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Google, Iomega and MIT Media Lab research consortia, Scratch is a visual programming language that assists students in creating their own interactive stories, animations, games, music and art so they can share their creations on the Web. Utilizing one of three training mats, grade 8 students are first introduced to robotics through the exploration of basic programming maneuvers. Each training activity focuses on one of four main LEGO® sensors – light, ultrasonic, touch and sound – and enables students to explore and enhance their programming and sensor knowledge. After the training phase and students are able to show their mastery of robotic building and programming skills, they are presented with the Green City Challenge. The challenge simulates real-life engineering problems and consists of a number of missions each environmentally focused and conducted on the Green City Competition Mat.

“So much of what we do today has to do with computers.

I think computer programming is a good skill to have,” said Zach. “It’s a lot of fun, and I like it being hands on instead of just sitting through a class and listening to a teacher talk.”

By Nicole Peddy

STEM in the Lower School As students complete each challenge mission, they are awarded an energy brick. When all of the missions are complete, students use their collected energy bricks to power the “Green City.”

“The class begins by introducing computation thinking and engineering skills by building and programming a MINDSTORM® robot by LEGO®,” said Instructional Technology Specialist Londa Posvistak. “As the class progresses through basic moves, the LEGO® Green City Challenge allows each student to appreciate the need for renewable energy while experiencing real-life engineering problems.”

Each of the Green City Challenge missions are designed with three skill levels in mind: basic, moderate and high giving teachers the ability to select an appropriate level for each student based on class progress or individual understanding of robotics.

“We worked on one mission where you had to put solar panels on top of a house and you had to do different challenges to receive power bricks,” said rising grade 9 student Zach Shor. “At the end of the challenge, you need all seven power bricks to turn on the Green City. I enjoyed working with LEGOs® and computer programming. I would like to do more of it. I’m planning on helping out in the ICE Lab this coming school year.”

The curriculum allows students to learn about STEM concepts and how each relates to the field of robotics while enhancing their teamwork and critical thinking skills, unlocking new and exciting experiences and showing them how robotics is used in real-world scenarios to solve modern-day problems.

STEM through robotics was added to St. Margaret’s Lower School curriculum at the start of the 2011-2012 school year to introduce computer science concepts to promote critical thinking skills, problem solving, and engineering habits of mind including systems thinking, collaboration, creativity and persistence. Beginning with Bee-Bots, students progress by grade to LEGO® robots and Pico Crickets.

When asked what he likes most about robotics, Espen Garner, rising grade 4 student, said, “You don’t really have a specific thing to build. You can experiment. If something goes wrong you can fix it. If you had a toy that was already programmed, then you couldn’t program it. If I didn’t know how to program, I would have to stick with the program that the toy already had and it could not work and I wouldn’t be able to fix it. Robots can help you out so much. It’s good to know robotics because then you can build something that can help you out at home.”

A highlight of the Lower School program is St. Margaret’s chapter of the Junior FIRST® LEGO® League, which started in January 2012.

Junior FIRST® LEGO® League is a nationally recognized organization designed to peak students’ interest in the wonders of science and engineering. Using kids’ inherent desire for exploration, students participate in competitions based on the current year’s challenge—a real-world scientific concept for the teams to explore through research, collaboration, construction and imagination. For competition, teams are guided by adult coaches and use LEGO® bricks to build a model that moves. Additionally, each team develops a Show-Me poster to illustrate their journey.

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“We began by asking for students who were interested in the group to fill out an application,” said Instructional Technology Specialist and Junior FIRST® LEGO® League Coach Londa Posvistak. “We received 39 applications for a team of six.”

With the heightened interested in the group, Londa decided to expand from one to two teams of six and add Assistant Coach Stefani Baker, ICE Lab instructional assistant. A total of 22 grade 1-3 students were interviewed and seven were selected for each team. Grade 5 student Declan Landeau, who has been involved and won several competitions with the FIRST® LEGO® League, is serving as the mentor to both teams. “His expertise and experience has proven invaluable to the teams,” said Londa.

Led by Londa, the students started meeting every Monday from 3-4 p.m. starting in February. “Junior FIRST® LEGO® League provides an opportunity for students to learn realworld math and science while exploring challenges facing today’s scientists,” said Londa.

“You can program a MINDSTORM® to do anything. You program everything on the computer and then take a USB port to transfer the information to the robot’s brain,” said Alex. He went on to say that MINDSTORMS® can connect to one another so you can have multiple brains. “At the LEGO® education booth at the ISTE conference they had this HUGE robot and it had 12 bricks on it, and like 35 motors and so many sensors!”

Alex knows exactly what he wants to be when he grows up.

He grabbed a magazine that was nearby, opened it and pointed to a picture of a LEGO® factory. “What I want to be when I grow up is a designer for LEGOs®. You don’t have just a limited set of LEGOs® to work with; you get all the LEGO® pieces you want. If you’re a designer you get to work at the LEGO® factory…next to the LEGO® making machine! You get all the pieces, all the computers and all the motors you want!”

By Ingrid Andrews Director of Early Childhood Development Center and Wee Tartan Center

STEM in the Preschool Londa, grade 3 teacher Tess Posvistak, along with Lower School students Espen Garner, Alex Georgiades, Alexis Kieckhafer attended the 2012 International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in June to demonstrate the benefits of robotics in the classroom. Beginning with Bee-Bots, students showed the programming and strategizing techniques of LEGO® robots and Pico Crickets.

In Kindergarten and grade 1, St. Margaret’s students exhibit the sequencing, strategizing and problem solving techniques acquired through the use of Bee-Bots. Bee-Bots lets teachers introduce technology into math and reading standards while allowing students to visualize what is being taught, and eventually work independently. After the mastery of basic robotics students move on to more advanced Pico Crickets, and LEGO® robotics, including WeDos, simple machines, motorized mechanisms and MINDSTORMS®. Pico Crickets showcase artistic ability and programming skills while the various LEGO® robots display the advancement made from novice to budding engineer.

Rising grade 3 student Alex Georgiades, who has built a LEGO® structure with more than 4,000 pieces said, “If you have enough [LEGOs®] you can basically build anything.”

When asked what he enjoys most about robotics, Alex pointed to a robot in the back of the room and enthusiastically said, “MINDSTORMS®!”

LEGO® MINDSTORMS® allow students to build robots and use software to plan, test and modify a series of instructions from a variety of real-life robotic behaviors.

MINDSTORMS® gather and analyze data from sensors using data logging functionalities such as graph view.

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Many might think that STEM is merely a gardening term for preschoolers, but far from it—St. Margaret’s Preschool curriculum sets the foundation for learning in science, technology, engineering and math.

Science is discovering the world around us – plants, animals, air, water, earth. Children observe, discuss and ‘experience’ earth, physical and life sciences. Students explore geology (sand, rocks, water), noticing properties and natural phenomenon such as how a puddle disappears; as well as astronomy (sky, wind, weather, day/night). Preschoolers eagerly investigate physics (creating ramps or dropping objects) and chemistry concepts (observing chemical transformations with cooking experiences). Students watch the life cycle of plants (botany) and insects (entomology) and take note of body parts including their own (physiology).

They practice recycling (ecology) and caring for the earth by tending the garden and keeping their classroom and playground clean.

Three and four-year-olds are curious about how things are made and how they work (engineering and technology) and ‘play at’ their inventions and investigations. Through the cycle of observation and inquiry, the students construct their understanding of the scientific method that will stay with them throughout their academic career.

Preschoolers naturally want to sort and count things in their environment, and math experiences from simple arithmetic to geometry and algebra are planned and happen spontaneously daily.

So when you think “preschool is all about play”—you’re right! But, it is purposeful play with academic goals and outcomes as much as it is fun! ●

S I D E

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Revolutionizing the Classroom: One iPad at a Time B y D y l a n W a d e , M i d d l e S c h o o l S c i e n c e Te a c h e r

I

n the late fall/early winter of 2009 I discovered the iPod Touch and was amazed at the versatility of something originally designed for music. I immediately saw the potential for use of the device in the classroom and read about schools and universities that had already started using the device. The only drawback that I could see was the size. If only it were bigger!

Later that winter, as I prepared to approach Middle School Principal Jeannine Clarke and Director of Academic and Informational Technology Lynn Ozonian about a potential pilot program with the iPod Touch, rumors in the technology world started to swirl about Apple launching a tablet. I put the meeting on hold and a few weeks later, in early spring of 2010, iPad was unveiled. My wish had been granted.

The Parent Teacher Fellowship and the technology department approved a grant to start a pilot program with the first

generation iPads in my classroom later that spring. There was so much potential in iPad for use in the classroom, especially as a tool to gather information. If a student wanted to search for information on a volcano, not only could he/she access the Internet on an iPad, but he/she could also use the eReader application iBooks to read a book on volcanoes, or better yet, use the volcano application. But, what I was most excited about was the potential the iPad had for meeting the needs of kinesthetic (hands-on) learners. Traditional keyboard computers cater mostly to the auditory and visual learners, making things more difficult for kinesthetic learners. With the multi-touch technology, iPad now allowed the kinesthetic learners (a high percentage of grade 6 students) a better chance to grasp concepts and to think more critically by using fingers and hands.

>>

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The first year of the pilot program, the iPads were a hit among the students. Students could easily navigate and manipulate the programs with their hands. I used the iPads alongside the laptop computers, and it did not take long for students to ask to use the iPads more and the laptops less.

In many ways the iPads exceeded my expectations. The applications were wonderful; most catered to the iPad’s multitouch abilities and allowed students to manipulate and see things in a much more intimate way. I found an interactive Earth science textbook on iBooks, and not once did I have to teach the students how to use it. In fact, the students taught me much more about the device than I taught them.

To my delight, I was surprised at how mobile and accessible the iPads were. The battery life lasted 10 times that of the class set of computers and did not need to be shut down between each use. I also found applications that helped reinforce learning and process information that students had gathered. Best of all, we used applications that helped students use the information they had gathered to create story books, comic strips, podcasts, and animations in a very kid friendly way. Students became excited to use these applications to share their understanding of the concepts covered in class.

As a teacher, this device revolutionized my classroom.

This year my classroom iPads were upgraded to the second generation iPad 2. There are hundreds of age appropriate applications on any subject. Currently, a student favorite is

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the Puzzling Plates application by Tasa Graphic Arts, Inc. During a free moment in class, any number of students will ask to “play” on it. With the addition of the camera in the iPad 2, we were able to film a commercial for the toothpaste project and take pictures of rocks for the rock project.

Another hit is the application ToonTastic, which allowed students to make a cartoon about a rock going through the rock cycle and later used it to describe the three types of faults that cause earthquakes. Recently, we looked up the epicenter to the 3.9 earthquake in Orange County, minutes after we felt it, on the Quake Watch application. Every day more and more dynamic applications used for education can be found on the Apple application store.

Finally, in the age of information, where content is available in no time, anywhere, by anyone, those who are successful will be able to accurately analyze and use that information in a creative and meaningful way. iPads are wonderful tools that allow students to learn how to do just that. Interestingly, the potential for use in the classroom has not declined over the past two years. In fact, I feel it continues to grow exponentially. Just this past February, iBooks Author was launched allowing teachers to create their own interactive textbooks catered to their classes, once again revolutionizing how students learn. With iPads, students are learning 21st century skills that will help them flourish in an everchanging environment. ●

Learning and Class Time Saved

By Gavin Clarke, Grade 6

A

ll of my sixth grade career computers have been a daily tool. Get to school, get out a computer, log on, write down homework, take a test, type an essay, shut down, put away computer (times that by five classes), go home, get a computer, log on, finish essay, and for the last time that day, shut down again. Just to tell you if you weren’t counting, that is six times shutting down (properly, of course) and six times logging on which, in total, is equal to about 14 minutes and 42 seconds per day.

Multiply that by the number of days in the school year and you spend about six school days (based on a seven-hour school day), or about 42 hours just logging on and off.

Imagine how much learning time you are missing. Now indeed, there is a solution: iPads. It takes 0.85 seconds to log on (two seconds if you have a passcode), and 0.38 seconds to shut down. Now, that is a lot of learning time saved. iPads are more effective in the classroom and they make learning much more fun and interesting. Over the course of the year in Earth science class we have used the iPads on numerous occasions; the most recent being making cartoons about the different kinds of faults and folds in the Earth and what they do. My activity partner and I made a story about an orange tree named Lil’ Timmy who had the worst luck when it came to earthquakes. He was always found on a strike-slip, normal, or reverse fault and always got sent to the

hospital because of it. When it came time to share our project all we did was plug a tiny little cord into the iPad and BOOM! Our project was up on the screen, ready for the whole class to watch. But, it gets even better when Mr. Wade surprised us with an Apple TV device that can receive the signal wirelessly, so now we don’t even have to plug in that tiny little cord and even more class time is being saved! We can play our movie wirelessly and share our work more efficiently. Isn’t that amazing? iPads don’t just show a good project, they allow students to communicate in more ways than a computer ever could.

One of the coolest applications to communicate with is called E-clicker. E-clicker is an application made for questioning and answering. A teacher can type in a question, send it to the class, students can answer it, see if they got it wrong, see if other people got it wrong, and see the percentages of the answers people also chose. I usually get more out of learning with the iPads because they are just plain fun. Instead of taking a quiz or test to enhance your learning, you can play the games on the Puzzling Plate application. The very fact that I am sitting here on the couch with an iPad sending this very article to my teacher, with no cords and no hassle, is technology at its best. I can't wait to explore the iPad’s endless possibilities next year in each of my classes. ●

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Classics Keeping

Classics

in the Classroom:

Why Students Need Literature Instruction Now More Than Ever B y J a m i e B u n c h , U p p e r S c h o o l E n g l i s h Te a c h e r

Every year I look forward to teaching Herman Melville’s epic American novel, Moby-dick, but even I begin to lose momentum around page 349 when our ever-curious narrator, Ishmael, interrupts the story once again, this time to describe the measurements of various whale skeletons. Reading along with my students, I can imagine their reactions: “What’s the point of reading a 19th century novel about whaling? Who cares how long the average gray whale is? How will knowing this help me in the real world?” While I sympathize with my students’ frustration at such moments, as an English teacher I know better. I know that the close study of challenging texts disciplines the mind, and that classics not only prepare students for their future academic and professional careers, they equip students for the challenges of the 21st century.

The Partnership for 21st Century Skills defines education as “the attempt to convey from one generation to the next” the skills and knowledge needed for a successful life. It argues that in order to accomplish this goal, 21st century schools must focus on “rigorous content” and skills that have “real world relevance.” Challenging classics more than qualify as rigorous content, of course, but they also underpin the real world skills at the very heart of 21st century learning, such as critical thinking, self-direction and collaboration.

St. Margaret’s English department believes it is important not to view content and skills as separate, but rather as intimately intertwined. For example, in order for my students to critically analyze Moby-dick they must engage with the content of the novel, but they must also be given knowledge, in this case a historical framework of the 19th century, within which to

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place that content. Content and critical thinking are not discreet categories; nor are they opposed to one another. The more challenging the content, the stronger the degree of thinking skills required to analyze and synthesize that content.

Thus, the study of challenging literature is, by its very nature, an activity that necessitates critical thinking. For instance, when assigning students a critical thinking quiz on several chapters in Moby-dick, I am essentially asking the following questions: what does the text say? What is its meaning?

What is its value? According to Sheridan Blau, in The Literature Workshop: Teaching Texts and Their Readers, “…while reading, interpretation, and criticism define the overt focus of instruction in the academic discipline of literature, they also analogously describe the sort of critical thinking that is required for responsible intellectual participation in most civic, economic, and moral transactions and in virtually every academic discipline and learned profession” (204). Blau illustrates how critical thinking skills practiced in English transfer to other areas of one’s life, especially other professions and disciplines. He argues that science teachers train their students to ask and respond to similar questions to those used

by English teachers, such as: “What are the facts? What inferences may be drawn from them? And, of what value are these findings? Or, how may we apply them?” (204). The skill set required in English and science is largely the same.

In addition, if my students can think critically about a text as challenging as Moby-dick, they can certainly analyze a political speech, an exposé of a media conglomerate or a company memo. More importantly, they will be better equipped to

understand notoriously complex types of writing they encounter in their future academic and professional careers, such as a legal document full of confusing jargon, a dense philosophical treatise full of unfamiliar vocabulary or a scientific paper communicating new research. The critical thinking skills St. Margaret’s students learn through the sustained study of challenging texts such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (grade 6), Julius Caesar (grade 7), The Merchant of Venice (grade 8), The Canterbury Tales (grade 9), The Odyssey (grade 10), Song of Solomon (grade 11) and To the Lighthouse (grade 12) transfer to many other kinds of reading experiences.

Besides critical thinking, self-direction is a 21st century skill deeply valued by the St. Margaret’s English department.

The English department is trained by its discipline to resist the temptation students present when they ask for answers; instead, faculty teaches students to discover answers and pose questions that originate with themselves. It is the department’s goal that students come to view questions as just as valuable as answers. Indeed, having questions about a challenging text often represents a greater understanding of that text. It is not the student who reads several chapters of Moby-dick and comes to class confused who worries me. It is the student who comes to class and claims she “got it” who worries me.

To ensure that such a situation is less likely to arise, English teachers use a variety of strategies. In English III Honors, for example, my students use their own questions and insights to lead the class in a series of discussions about Moby-dick. These student-generated, student-led discussions not only allow students self-direction, they allow students to practice other invaluable life skills such as taking responsibility and initiative, as well as being adaptable and flexible.

When it comes to developing students’ 21st century interpersonal skills, English departments shine. In class settings, students can be reluctant to offer opinions on complicated subjects, but the study of challenging literature encourages lively, open discussions where students grapple with difficult concepts together. Such classroom discussions expose students to diverse views, pushing them to respond to and build upon the ideas of others. One of the discussion strategies English teachers use in order to develop students’ collaborative skills is Socratic circles. While there are numerous variations, typically Socratic circles contain two components: a particularly complex text that students have read critically, and two concentric circles of students focused on different portions of that text. After the first circle finishes discussing the text, the second circle comments on the first circle’s discussion, asking additional questions, adding ideas, and noting areas of disagreement. The two circles then change places and roles, and the process repeats itself. The point of this activity, as Matt Copeland explains in Socratic Circles: Fostering Critical and Creative Thinking in Middle and High School, is to turn “the vast majority of the guidance of the conversation and the ownership of the material over to students. Because of this ownership students are more motivated and involved in the learning that takes place within the classroom…” (9). Because Socratic circles grant ownership of the most confusing aspects of the text to

students, I find that my students listen intently to what their peers have to say, working collaboratively as a team to solve problems and determine meaning.

Like my colleagues, I count myself lucky to teach at a school that is fully committed to the future success of its students.

In a time when many schools overwhelm their students with standardized tests that demand “correct” answers and formulaic, simplistic responses, I am asked to challenge my students to, in Jago’s words, “look closely into what they read and express clearly and powerfully what they find there” (1). Jago—a former National Council of Teachers of English president and a passionate proponent for keeping challenging literature in the classroom—further argues in “Crash! The Currency Crisis in American Culture,” that “to thrive in the real world students need to be able to do more than Twitter. They need to be able to develop extended arguments that demonstrate a careful analysis of complex ideas. They need to be able to critique a brave new world in which reading is reduced to skimming and scanning websites, in which templates replace writing, in which arts are extracurricular” (4-5). Thankfully, at St. Margaret’s arts are anything but extracurricular and humanities are valued every bit as much as science and math.

St. Margaret’s is committed to preparing students for the 21st century, and the humanities play a huge role in this endeavor, especially when it comes to developing independent critical thinkers and skilled communicators and collaborators.

Jamie Bunch has taught English since 2002. After teaching composition and rhetoric at the college level for five years, she joined the St. Margaret’s faculty in 2007. She currently teaches English III Honors and is the junior-senior girls’ dean starting the 2012-2013 school year.

She holds a Master of Arts in English from California State University, Sacramento.

Works Cited Blau, Sheridan D. The Literature Workshop: Teaching Texts and Their Readers.

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2003.

Copeland, Matt. Socratic Circles: Fostering Critical and Creative Thinking in Middle and High School. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers, 2005.

Jago, Carol. “Crash! The Currency Crisis in American Culture: A Perspective from NCTE President-Elect Carol Jago.” A Report from the NCTE. Urbana, IL: NCTE, 2009.

Jago, Carol. Classics in the Classroom: Designing Accessible Literature Lessons.

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2004.

“The Intellectual and Policy Foundations of the 21st Century Skills Framework.” Partnership for 21st Century Skills. 2007. www.21stcenturyskills.org.

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But I Don’t Like This Book

By Blake Reemtsma, English Department Chair and Upper School English Teacher It is great to enjoy reading what you like on the beach, but in the classroom it is different. It is more important to be challenged by difficult reading if, that is, you want to become a better, smarter reader. This sounds strange on the surface—as in, who doesn’t want children and students to enjoy reading? Isn’t being a happy, willing reader what liking English is all about? Well, yes, and no. It is one thing to like reading, but it is another, very different thing to be a good reader of what you don’t like, what you don’t understand or what frustrates you. Players play games against far better opponents; actors act in roles completely opposite their personalities; travelers immersed in a language learn it quickly out of necessity. Reading a challenging text is a similar kind of practice at being in somewhat over your head.

There is a strange irony that is essential to studying literature (or art or science or life, for that matter): we become better at finding our way by getting lost—at times really lost—first. As Sheridan Blau mentions, “The texts most worth reading and teaching are those we don’t understand precisely because they are the texts that have the most to teach us” (The Literature Workshop 209). Problems, of which there are more in challenging texts, are potential places for learning, and the better, smarter reader is more comfortable with these problems. Difficult texts force readers, for example, to risk uncertain interpretations, confront important ambiguities, identify specific confusions and ask tough questions.

What do good readers of difficult texts do? Readers, for example, often read Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,” a deceptively simple poem, and quickly migrate toward the final lines of the poem where the speaker says, “I— / I took the road less travelled by/And that has made all the difference.” So obviously do something different with your life. The road symbolizes life, of course. Case closed. Poem solved. Gimme an “A.” Better readers, however, are skeptical, ask questions and go looking for trouble in the poem: But, wait a minute, aren’t the roads “worn . . . really about the same?” Doesn’t the speaker keep “the first [road] for another day?” And why does he— or she—hesitate? Is there more to the story of this poem? Of course there is, and the story’s much more complicated, and these complications show the difference of being a perceptive, questioning reader. “All the difference” in fact.

Our challenge as English teachers is to encourage this exact kind of interpretive mischief, and challenging texts allow for more of this kind of troublemaking. Challenging texts teach students most effectively how to deal with the complications, misunderstandings and ambiguities that life is full of.

Reading challenging texts is somewhat like hanging out with your super-smart, super-creative, super-successful friends, hoping some of it, or any of it will rub off on you. Except that reading well is more smart practice than hope. Reading smartly is even, we think, practice for living smartly: As Sheridan Blau writes, “The world is a difficult text and we are reading it all the time” (The Literature Workshop 204-5). Our assumption is that smart reading of challenging texts prepares students for what they might not completely understand about the difficulties of life. And, that a smart reader equals a smart person more prepared for an uncertain world, a person who is ready to rethink, clarify and question and to be genuinely thoughtful when it really matters.

Starting the 2012-2013 school year, Blake Reemtsma will be St. Margaret’s new English department chair. This is his 17th year of teaching and his 12th at St. Margaret's. He earned a liberal arts degrees from Columbia University and a degree in classics from the University of Texas.

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The Journal

By Dallas Clemmons, Upper School English Teacher Probably the first thing that comes to mind when current and former St. Margaret’s students think of their English classes is “journal.” The cornerstone of the St. Margaret’s Episcopal School English experience, the reading journal is the place where critical thinking begins. Students are asked to read their literature actively, underlining or highlighting passages, and then to pause at regular intervals to record their opinions, ideas and questions. Although journals are not graded for grammar, most students begin to imitate the diction, sentence forms, and paragraph development that we eventually want them to acquire: the more one writes, the more one learns to write clearly, and students write a lot in their journals. Since the students are wrestling with the complex and ambiguous language, plots, characters, themes, allusions, histories, and so forth that all difficult literature contains, these journal entries force them to think critically as they analyze what they’ve read. Frequently teachers will ask students to write a “re-journal” too, which is basically a journal entry on their own journal entries—a type of metacognitive activity where students reflect on their own reading and thought processes as they progressed through the text. The class discussions which follow the initial journaling thus begin from a position where much critical thinking has already taken place; as students share their thoughts and questions—sometimes reading aloud from their journals—they modify and deepen their ideas and understandings, leading them finally, often after a period of several weeks, to a formal essay topic for further exploration.

As Sheridan Blau explains, “teacher-assigned topics for writing…invite students to see the activity of writing about literature as more of a test of whether they can produce what their teachers ask for than an occasion for engaging in any sort of independent exploration of textual meaning or literary response” (123). The St. Margaret’s English department recognizes the wisdom in this statement, and wherever possible students are given complete freedom to choose their own topics: the formal essays then highlight the student’s own critical thinking, which has evolved from the earliest encounter with the literary text, through the journal and re-journal process, and culminates in extended periods of class discussion with peers and the teacher.

Now the student can focus on one particular question or idea and, over the space of multiple pages, and in language that must be correct, clear and concise, with strong backing evidence, produce a document that demonstrates strong and effective communication skills. Although some may feel that students read literature only for the sake of learning to read literature, the St Margaret’s English department—as much as we would love for all our students to continue to read literature skillfully all their lives—knows better. The writing skills that essays on complex literature require transfer to all classrooms and to all workplaces; our concentration on literary study is the best possible college and career preparation we could offer our students.

Dallas Clemmons joined St. Margaret’s in 1997 and served as chair of the English department from 1999-2009.

He has taught English since 1986. He has degrees in English from Yale and Columbia and a Master of Arts in American Studies from the University of Iowa.

B Y

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The doors of St. Margaret’s new Performing Arts Center will open bringing a plethora of new opportunities to our students, along with the deepening and continued growth of our robust arts program already in existence. We take a look at this new building and its impact on our existing instrumental music, choral music, dance and theater classes and programs‌by the numbers.

45,000 11 36 28 6 7 450 128 80% 17 30 27

square-foot facility

sound-proof private practice rooms

Lower, Middle and Upper School performing arts classes

co-curricular performing arts activities

drama productions

music and dance productions

seat theatre/concert hall

seats in the black box theater

of demolished materials were recycled

large-screen televisions have live feed to the stage

make-up mirrors in dressing rooms

sound panels decorate the choir room

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O P E N

S PA C E S

Renee, Remember Us if You Survive

By Jack Li, Grade 7

Who are these people?

In Block 12 Breathing tank exhausts and fear Lips silenced, Then – but not forever Hollow eyes look But cannot see Well-worn ears warmed by years of whispers, confessions, even gossip – here and there Renee, what was the last thing they heard?

The stench cut through the silence through the unbreathable air you heard people suffocating I hear you – as you were then Young, optimistic, starry-eyed Radiating warmth over the old woman Who gave away her locket and her tears Only asking: Renee, remember us if you survive You tell of all kinds of things In your unwavering voice you speak directly to me Don’t ever forget - I’m asking you – you’re still young Please don’t When I listen I hear you, Renee When I write others will, too.

After listening to Holocaust survivor Renee Firestone’s testimony, Jack Li, grade 7, wrote this poem for the 13th Annual Holocaust Art and Writing Contest, presented by Chapman University and The “1939 Club,” one of the largest and most active Holocaust survivor organizations in the United States. The writing contest engages and mentors middle and high school students in studying the Holocaust and in grappling with its meaning and lessons.

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“Teardrop” by Emily Moore, Grade 12 “Teardrop” was juried into Color It Orange, Orange County's most extensive youth art exhibition, this year and was the work for which Emily won a full scholarship to Laguna College of Art + Design’s 10-week summer portfolio preparation course. This artwork was also awarded a California State Gold Key in this year’s Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

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FA C U LT Y

P R O F I L E S

Josh Friedman

By Barbara McMurray “I am an artist who teaches art.

There is not a big distinction for me between art-making and life. One flows into the other.”

He spent three years in Japan, exploring objects of antiquity and working in his personal sculpture studio. His ceramic sculptures and drawings were in a group museum show, and he had a one-man exhibition in Tokyo.

Born in New England in 1970 to parents who met in art school, Upper and Middle School visual arts teacher Josh Friedman was surrounded and enthralled by art and nature from a young age.

Josh returned to the U.S. and after two years of making and showing art independently, he applied for and won a spot at Michigan’s prestigious Cranbrook Academy of Art, the only U.S. school that exclusively grants graduate degrees in art, design and architecture. Although Josh’s focus there was on ceramics, he noted that Cranbrook taught him “art can take form in many different materials. It is about exploring and learning.”

Josh’s father, who restored the 1805 Federal-style house where his family lived, worked for a time as a designer at Dartmouth College’s Hopkins Center for the Arts. “We had a lot of famous artists come through our house. I met the avant-garde dance troupe Pilobolus, Dust Bowl Photographer Walker Evans and children’s book Author and Illustrator Ashley Bryan.”

Later, the family moved to Pittsburgh, where his father was an art director at the local PBS TV station for the iconic children’s show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, among other projects. “I loved Fred Rogers – he taught me so much about empathy and caring for children,” notes Josh.

While in high school, Josh took pre-college art classes at Carnegie Mellon University. He was among the first men to attend the formerly all-women’s Goucher College in Towson, Maryland. He studied language and independent art at the Sorbonne for a semester, graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts in studio arts with honors, and general honors.

While in college, Josh had an “aha” moment. He saw a picture of the beautiful handmade coil ceramics of Japan’s Neolithic Jomon period, and immediately knew: “I needed to find a way to get to Japan to see these.”

While working at the Maryland Institute of Art, he leaped at an opportunity to participate in a teaching exchange in Japan. There, he taught English in junior high schools during the week, and on weekends, he toured the countryside, visiting the historically significant traditional ceramic villages of Arita, Mashiko and Bizen, marveling at their ancient kilns.

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During and after graduate school, Josh taught at the university level. He lectured on his work and critiqued the work of graduate students at colleges and universities. He met St. Margaret’s art teacher Barbara Nelson at a week-long training session for teachers selected by the College Board to be Advanced Placement readers, grading AP studio art portfolios.

Five years after they met, she contacted him for a teaching position at St. Margaret’s. In fall 2007, Josh was hired as a Middle and Upper School art teacher. He now also teaches a kindergarten art club and has Middle School yearbook responsibilities. He revels in teaching all age groups, combining Middle School students in studio sessions with kindergartners.

“I don’t look at my students as being in a given grade. I see it as having a dialogue with a unique individual about art,” he said.

Barbara Nelson said of her colleague, “In Josh’s first year here, we essentially team-taught the clay hand-building class that I had been happily teaching for a number of years. Early on it became obvious that Josh was more than ready and qualified to take the class over. He then started teaching all of the 3-D art courses in the Upper School, as well as in grade 8. With the support of the PTF and Arts Alliance, Josh was able to get professional-level equipment for the clay studio and two new large kilns. This allowed Josh to teach the students more about the engineering and the necessary structural integrity for working large scale. With Josh here, the program continued to grow. Intermediate and advanced clay classes were added to the curriculum. Josh eventually also took over teaching the 3-D portfolio for the AP classes.”

collapse, but he encouraged me to take a risk. It turned out to be one of my best pieces – it won a Silver Key.” (The Silver Key is an award given by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, a prestigious recognition program for creative teens in grades 7-12.)

Outside the classroom, Josh pursues his creative art practice, enjoys watching the parade of treasures on PBS’s Antiques Roadshow and explores Los Angeles art galleries and local organic farmer’s markets.

Josh explained, “In my classroom, students learn about working in a group, using materials efficiently, managing one’s time. They gain an appreciation for the world around us, respect for multiple points of view and that there are many ways to solve a problem. They learn to be confident and independent so they can articulate ideas. They learn to make mistakes. The most valuable learning opportunities occur within mishaps, failures – what I call happy accidents.”

“Mr. Friedman saves you from disaster,” said grade 9 student Debbie Zamarripa. “He lets you take risks so you can learn.

On a ceramic piece I was making, he said it was going to

“I owe my excitement about my job to my students – their wonderment, curiosity, willingness to explore and experiment.

I love seeing them develop a discerning eye, think critically and ask questions. It’s marvelous to observe the increasing depth and quality of their questions.”

For him, the most meaningful part of his job at St. Margaret’s is its mission of helping others. “Being an artist, you gain a sense of the commonality of the human experience, and it becomes clear that we each have a moral and ethical responsibility to each other. We must cross barriers of economics, generations, faith, race. We learn to be respectful and appreciative. At St. Margaret’s, I value taking part in fostering these values in the next generation of good citizens.” ●

Dr. Jennifer Ross-Viola

By Barbara McMurray Dr. Jennifer Ross-Voila, Upper School science teacher and St. Margaret’s science department chair always knew she wanted to teach – that it would be science, did not become clear to her until later in high school. She delights in the fact that of the six students to whom she was an advisor until their graduation last year, five have chosen to study science in college. She can instantly name all of their college majors: “Forensic, pre-med, pre-vet, biology, math/engineering, and one business major.”

Karly Thomas, grade 11, said, “I was a lost soul in Middle School. I hated science. I heard about how difficult physics was, how horrible the concepts were. But I was assigned to Dr. Viola’s class, and she was so calming. She presented the material in such a way that it wasn’t overwhelming.”

Upper School Principal Tony Jordan commented, “Jen is a strong teacher who’s passionate about science and has an outstanding knowledge of all scientific areas - chemistry, biology, physics and environmental. She has advanced the science department with her leadership as department chair, expanding course offerings and increasing female enrollment in physics, chemistry and engineering.”

She was promoted to science department chair four years ago, with a goal to offer more elective science classes so students could take science all four years, even if honors or Advanced Placement classes weren’t an option. Now, many students are doubling up and taking more than one science class.

Marine science and introduction to engineering are also RossViola innovations at St. Margaret’s. “Many students say they want to go into engineering, but it’s not typically offered at the high school level,” she noted.

Of her teaching style, she said, “I want my students to be able to analyze a topic, especially a controversial one, and make an

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Francis Parker School in San Diego as a science teacher. “A student I taught came back and told me that she is now a biology teacher because of the experience she had in my biology class at Francis Parker,” she added. “It strikes me that this is one of the most gratifying things that can occur for a teacher.”

Jen also holds a Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Notre Dame. Her doctoral work was in cellular and physiological dynamics focused on nutrition. She recalls sleeping on an air mattress in the lab while conducting experiments that had to be tended every three hours.

informed decision by being able to articulate the pros and cons of each side of the issue. There are many hot topics around science these days that involve making choices in our everyday lives. It is vital to be informed on all aspects of a topic.

“In whatever they read, regardless of its source, students must be able to pick out and be aware of any underlying agenda.

This is an important skill given since there is so much emotion on both sides of science-related topics these days.”

Her inspiration? “My students are bright and interested in what’s going on. They ask about current events and studies.

I feel compelled to keep my knowledge base fresh.

“I am so gratified when students realize that science is not scary. You use it daily – it’s not obscure, random facts and figures. Science explains how our world works.”

Academic and athletic excellence are part of Jen’s identity.

She was a high school valedictorian. The daughter of a nurse and a banker, she grew up in tiny Newcastle (pop. 975) in California’s Gold Country, and is the youngest of four siblings who remain close. In her youth, she performed in jazz, tap and acrobatic dance companies. She skied at Lake Tahoe four days a week, and was a state-ranked downhill giant slalom racer.

Leaving home for the University of San Diego, her confidence faltered for a time.

“I had difficulty adjusting to USD – it was such a wellmanicured place. High school friends went to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which was much more casual. I considered a transfer, but I had an academic scholarship to think about, so I toughed it out and gave it one more semester.”

By the end of her second semester, she made long-term friends and felt more at ease. By senior year, she helped run freshman orientation. She majored in biology and earned a teaching credential.

At USD, she met Michael Viola, an accounting major. They married in August 2001 and she found work at private

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“When I heard about the job opening at St. Margaret’s, I knew nothing about the school. We packed up our 6-monthold son, drove down and checked it out. I met (Director of the Early Childhood Development Center and Wee Tartan Center) Ingrid Andrews. We talked about the school’s philosophy and the Wee Tartan Center. I didn’t reveal until well into the conversation that I was here to apply for a job.

“When I learned that this school had a daycare facility on campus for the children of faculty and staff, I knew they must really value their employees. What better way to build a true community than to welcome all family members?”

Jen is proud of balancing her duties as a teacher, department chair and mother. She is one of a handful of teachers who are also St. Margaret’s parents. Five-year-old Will starts Kindergarten in the fall, and Ben, almost 3, has been a Wee Tartan since he was 11 months old.

Additionally, noted Upper School Principal Tony Jordan, “Jen has contributed significantly to establishing a conservation and sustainability program school-wide with associated curriculum in the Lower School. She has been part of the design and execution team for the highly successful St. Margaret’s garden.”

The garden was the brainchild of Jen, along with Community Life Director Lora Allison and ECDC Motor Development Specialist Shelley Harmon. Lora and Jen wrote the Lower School ecology curriculum and organized the SEEDs project – Upper School students who go through training at a retreat in Julian, Calif. and learn to facilitate Lower School ecology classes.

In her precious free time, Jen is an artist, athlete, cook and gardener. She relaxes through jewelry-making and papercraft like scrapbooking and making cards. Her passion for skiing remains strong – on both water and snow.

Off-campus, Jen enjoys the camaraderie of friends who are teachers and staffers at St. Margaret’s. She appreciates the close-knit family feeling she has discovered here.

“Since joining the faculty five years ago, I have seen the ‘community’ aspect of St. Margaret’s embrace its members when they needed it most. It truly incorporates the sense of community. A lot of schools use that term, but St. Margaret’s lives it.” ●

A Journey Home with my Son: Tartan Alumnus Michael Boyle ★

★

★

★

★

★

By David Boyle, Associate Headmaster

“We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” ~ The words of Winston Churchill during World War II. Marilynn and I never dreamed we would spend a week aboard an active United States Navy aircraft carrier on a Tiger Cruise. It’s one of the most unusual family reunions related to American military service: a long standing Navy tradition that provides an opportunity for family and friends to see and participate in daily shipboard routine aboard a warship on its last leg home.

When this rare chance presented itself, we considered it a once-in-a-lifetime event. Unless you join the US Navy and find yourself assigned to an aircraft carrier, the rest of the world can only imagine what it's like to hear the roar of an

F/A-18 Hornet as it is catapulted off the deck of the carrier at speeds of 160 mph in less than a few seconds, or feel the nervousness as a E2- C Hawkeye attempts to snag a wire only a few inches thick with a hook on a pitching runway not much wider than a few tennis courts.

This unique opportunity fell into our laps because of our son, Lieutenant Michael Boyle, St. Margaret’s Episcopal School lifer, Class of 2002, who is assigned to the USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) aircraft carrier as a naval flight officer.

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★ ★

deck under our feet: our stateroom, the squadron’s ready room, the officer’s ward room and the hanger deck. Upon seeing the carrier for the first time, we were amazed at the sheer number of F-18s sitting on the flight deck. It must have been odd for these sailors to be swamped by 1,100 civilians after being out at sea for so long, but we were greeted with genuine warmth and an easy courtesy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ In late February, Marilynn and I arrived in Oahu, Hawaii just as approximately 7,000 sailors pulled into Pearl Harbor for leave from the Stennis strike group following a more than seven-month-deployment to the Middle East and Western Pacific. Our son’s ship, the 1,092-foot-long Stennis left Bremerton, Wash., on July 25 for a deployment that saw it launch fighter sorties in support of ground troops in Afghanistan. It also operated in the Persian Gulf. The nuclear aircraft carrier returned to United States waters after more than seven months at sea, during which its aircraft flew the final Navy flight in the long war in Iraq, more than 1,000 combat sorties over Afghanistan and high-seas counter-piracy patrols in the North Arabian Sea. The Stennis wrapped up its tour in the Middle East and the Arabian Sea and handed off responsibility for providing air support in Afghanistan to another carrier group, the USS Abraham Lincoln.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

CVN-74 Nearly 1,100 civilian relatives waited for the sailors streaming off the Stennis at a pier in Pearl Harbor for the few days of liberty or shore leave. We waited a long time for our son to appear on the gangway off the ship since more than 4,000 men and women serve on the Stennis. We met a young family anxiously waiting for their husband and father.

“They’ve been gone a long time,” the mother said to us in a way that conveyed her longing and hardship. We watched tearful family reunions and the sense of a connection being restored. Mostly there was a quiet calm and scenes of parent-child reverie. Finally, we were reunited with our son.

★ ★ ★ ★

A few days later, it was time for us to get onboard and check in as honorary citizens of this military city. We were warned to pack lightly for a variety of reasons and this good advice became immediately clear as we were shown our respective staterooms. We threaded in single file through a very long and bewildering path toward the bow of the ship. I was to share a small stateroom with six Tigers and four officers. Although many sailors were allowed to fly home early from Hawaii to make room for the Tigers, we were still packed in tightly. I memorized the confusing path to the head (restroom), which I shared with dozens of officers. Marilynn’s stateroom was on a different deck but similar circumstances. As we oriented ourselves to the layout of the ship we had to negotiate steep ladders and many hatches called “knee-knockers.” In the days ahead we slowly learned to find our way to the four areas where we were allowed to be while dealing with the pitching

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

As the Stennis left its berth and inched out into Pearl Harbor, hundreds of sailors in dress white uniforms lined the edge of the flight deck in a Navy tradition called “Manning the Rails.” They stood at respectful attention for more than an hour as the carrier slowly processed by the memorials to sunken battleships from World War II. Over the public address system, an historian presented a detailed account of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. From our vantage point high on the flight deck, we could see the silhouette of the USS Arizona on the harbor’s bottom. As parents of a sailor, it was an unsettling experience. We looked out to the open sea and we wondered and worried about sea-sickness and what we had gotten ourselves into.

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That night we began to feel the rhythmic pulse of the Pacific Ocean through the decks we navigated. Luckily, neither of us succumbed to motion sickness although we were prepared for the worst. As we transversed the lower deck in single file in search of the head or officer’s ward room we were often thrown into the walls of the passageway by the ship’s vigorous rocking. Later that night we were relieved to experience the rocking motion in our bunks as something actually comforting. I discovered my bunk was directly under the tailhook wires, which during flight operations produce a frightful sound and fury. I could feel the tailhook wire snap back into place after each incredibly noisy aircraft’s landing.

A weeklong crossing of the Pacific to San Diego through rough seas and stiff winds seemed like a long time for us and we approached the experience with some uncertainty. After it was all over, we could only imagine what seven months was like for these sailors. We were warned that there would be some downtime during a Tiger Cruise. There were times where not much is going on above on the flight decks, but down in the various lower decks there would be a buzz of activity as some of the Tigers would be going around with their sponsors and completing a educational packet known as a ‘Tiger Qualification Standard’ (TQS) where Tigers visit various parts of the ship and listen to crew members, pilots and others discuss their role in keeping the massive buildingsized ship operating. Of course, the highlight of Tiger Cruises on aircraft carriers is the flight operations by the air wing that is aboard, from the catapult launches to the tailhook trap landings. The USS John C. Stennis is more than 1,090 feet long in size and 20 stories tall containing thousands of Navy crewmen including the air wing. It’s powered by a nuclear reactor and can carry more than 80 aircraft ranging from F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets to SH-60 Seahawk helicopters. Capable of displacing 100,000 tons of water, the Stennis can travel at speeds over 30 knots (about 35mph) and has four steam powered aircraft catapults on its 4.5 acres of flight deck. Just one of the 21-foot propellers, called screws, can weigh 24 thousand pounds!

★ ★

In the days aboard, we witnessed the daily operations of a carrier but were also treated to some very special events, which vary for each ship sponsoring Tigers. For us, the events contained everything from an air show at sea, to the firing of the deck cannons of our escorts to various night entertainment, ice cream socials and other food specials, and even an at sea refueling demonstration.

★ ★

During the air show, we stood on the flight deck as an F-18 flew at supersonic speeds overhead at very low altitude. It was one of the most startling experiences ever and it drove home the meaning of “shock and awe.”

In addition to these huge events, we were treated to many smaller educational presentations about the complex shipboard operations. We viewed many catapult launches standing on an outside balcony called Vulture’s Row. We huddled together under the fantail for astonishing tailhook captures or landings.

The men and women on the incoming aircraft performed the task with unfathomable accuracy and at very high speeds.

The sailors on the flight deck demonstrated remarkable precision in their jobs as well since each aircraft that landed was immediately moved away from the landing area where moments later another aircraft hooked onto one of the four wires stretched across the deck. Everyone’s safety was of paramount importance for all involved. Simply watching air operations, we were required to wear two forms of ear protection, which made for some comical conversations.

Touring the bridge we got to sit in the admiral’s chair. We studied the many navigational screens and computerized equipment used to keep track of all the aircraft and the position of all the ships in the strike group. Another tour included the brig (a shipboard detention center) where a few weeks earlier the Somali pirates who were captured by the strike group had been guests. Where ever we went, young sailors described their demanding roles to us with obvious pride; it was heartwarming. We learned that the USS John C. Stennis is a force to be reckoned with; capable of striking targets anywhere in the world.

★ ★ ★ ★

Depending on who describes it, a nuclear aircraft carrier can be any number of things: an instrument of national will, a nemesis to be threatened and watched, a fast-moving and wide-ranging city at sea. When you are aboard one, though, a carrier is an immense warren of spaces and passageways between bulkheads, each with a purpose. There are galleys and offices, stores and workshops, clinics and weight rooms, a barber shop, a recycling center, machine rooms, nuclear reactors and more. For the thousands of Navy sailors on board, the Stennis is home for months on end, and more than just a ship; it's a small city to them. With everything from ice cream machines, barber shop, and even a general store onboard, the Stennis provides everything the sailors will need on their seven-month deployment. Another example of the sheer size of the carrier is that on a given day more than 15,000 meals are served onboard of which more than 800 pounds of vegetables are consumed, 180 dozen eggs eaten, and about 650 gallons of milk served.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

While it takes a lot to keep this carrier going, what the Stennis provides for the US Navy is beyond measure, being able to multi task its operational purpose from a striking force to medical and supply relief during natural disasters.

Most of the air wing is made up of Boeing F/A-18C Hornets and the new E and F model Super Hornets. The Stennis' onboard air wing actually rivals many countries entire Air Forces! Along with the Hornets, support aircraft including Electronic Warfare EA-6B Prowlers, C- 2A Greyhound transport and cargo aircraft, our son’s E-2C Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, and a host of Sikorsky SH-60 and MH-60 Seahawk helicopters.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Prior to Mike’s decision to go into the Navy’s Officer Candidate School (OCS); we had very little interest or understanding about military life, its culture, and its unique language. As Mike successfully completed OCS in Rhode Island, learned to fly in Pensacola, Florida and then learned his role on an E-2 in Norfolk, Virginia, we slowly learned what was in store for him in the years ahead, usually over long-distance phone lines or through short emails. While he is precise and patient with us, his jargon filled language required careful listening. We often finished phone conversations with Mike as confused and uncertain as before the call. One thing was certain, his training was complex, demanding, and full of

★ ★ ★ ★

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★

★ ★

experienced 3.5 Gs, and they were flying, just above the waves. Mike is in the CICO seat, Combat Information Control Officer. Mike’s E-2 would soon be joined by eight jets. The nine aircrafts would then proceed over Pakistan in a carefully delineated corridor called The Boulevard, connecting the Arabian Sea to the combat zones of Afghanistan. These sorties (air combat missions) were in support not just of US ground troops, but all NATO troops. Mike’s role in the E-2 involved helping each pilot with his/her situational awareness as well as acting as a relay back to the Stennis. After many hours, they would fly back to their ship and usually land after dark. Mike’s E-2 would be the last aircraft to land.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

acronyms and initials and he loved it all. His training also winnowed out many uncommitted or less determined fellow officers. The men and women we met on the Stennis were outstanding examples of high-functioning young adults. The average age of the enlisted sailors was 19 years old.

★ ★

It is difficult to understand what military life is like until you see it firsthand. Nor do you understand what politeness and respect are until you experience sailors in close quarters. All of this proper decorum despite the sacrifices they make to serve their country in this manner is huge. Being away from home for so long weighs on all of them, but some more than others. We spent time with one of Mike’s fellow officers who had a 4-month-old son at home whom he had not yet held in his arms. Skype is a poor substitute for such an important relationship.

★ ★ ★ ★

In the ready room and ward room Marilynn and I pieced together a more complete understanding of our son’s role on board during the carrier’s months in the Arabian Sea. Steaming in international waters over the horizon from the Persian Gulf, the Stennis spent nearly every day and the early hours of the night launching and recovering aircraft for its mission — supporting ground troops in Afghanistan. Mike’s workday would begin before dawn, when he woke and readied for a long sortie. At 5:30 a.m. he would gather for his preflight briefing. Each pilot and weapons-systems officer, who flies in the rear seat of an F/A-18F, was assigned a mission supporting a different ground unit. At 7:15 a.m., after donning torso harnesses and survival vests and collecting their pistols, they would climb into their aircraft, which waited on the flight deck. The carrier sailed into the wind in the North Arabian Sea. Shortly before 8 a.m., after preflight checks, Mike’s E-2 Hawkeye would taxi to one of the ship’s four catapults, where sailors attached a hold-back bar to the jet’s nose wheel. His pilot would push dual engines to full power.

The engines would roar and the aircraft would shake. The five officers aboard would press the back of their helmets against the seat and flex their muscles as they braced for the rush. The bar would release and the steam-driven catapult would slam forward. The E-2 would accelerate to 180 miles an hour in about 200 feet and would vault off the carrier’s bow. Perhaps three seconds would have passed. They had just

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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Most of these missions provided what is called close air support, a maneuver that is a “show of presence”— a midaltitude, nonlethal display intended to reassure ground troops and signal to the Taliban that the soldiers were not alone. It reflected a sharp shift in the application of American air power, deemphasizing overpowering violence in favor of sorties that often end without munitions being dropped. In fact, of the nearly 1,000 close-air support sorties by the 44 Hornets aboard the Stennis, aircraft struck using munitions only 17 times. They flew low- or mid-elevation passes 115 times.

These days, striving for certitude in target selection and minimizing civilian casualties have become standard practice.

Projecting power non-lethally is routine, dropping bombs is not. The shifts in missions and tactics partly reflect adaptations by the Taliban but they are also guided by complex rules of engagement and by doctrine emphasizing proportionality and restraint. Marilynn and I were relieved to hear this.

As exciting as all of this sounds, our days and nights moved much more slowly. Occasionally the bridge was swept by winds blowing across the bow at 46 knots. Some days the seas were gray and lumpy, and they surged with bright white spray. The ship steamed on, beneath our feet, its bow crashing through the seas.

The carrier vibrated as its four screws cut through the dark sea in the mid-Pacific. Through two nights we experienced very high seas, which pitched us around in our bunks. Waves crashed over the enormously high bow and the whole ship creaked as noises came from every direction.

Finally, we awoke one morning in San Diego. We got to see our son’s reunion with his bride, Rebecca, at North Island where the Stennis docked. He brought her a string of pearls from Dubai as a deployment gift.

The eight days we spent with our son were a profoundly moving introduction to what he does “at work,” and will be a help to us during his future deployments. It was an incredible adventure that will be remembered for decades.

Our son is certainly living a life of learning, leadership and service. ● After 32 years with St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, Associate Headmaster David Boyle retired at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. Please look for an in-depth article about his legacy in the next issue of the Highlander magazine.

Thriving in College Class of 2011 Alumni Share Reflections on Their Freshman Year

I asked four alumni in the Class of 2011 to share their first year college experiences for this article. These students represent the rich diversity of college choices that are typical for St. Margaret’s alumni. Our philosophy of college counseling encourages students to research colleges and universities that will fit their interests and personalities. Charles Cox, Gracie Gordon, Natalie Hiles and Brett Nicholas exemplify the thoughtful college process of graduates in the Class of 2011, who enrolled in 67 different colleges and universities. We know that St. Margaret’s alumni are risk-takers and adventurers. It’s common for us to hear that St. Margaret’s graduates are actively involved as leaders on their college campuses. I hope that you enjoy hearing the first year stories of these four alumni whose college choices led them to colleges and universities that circle North America – from Quebec Province in Canada; to Hanover, New Hampshire; Davidson, North Carolina; and Palo Alto, California. > >

By Roland Allen, Director of College Counseling

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McGill University

Natalie Hines, McGill University I’m two months into my second semester of university and doing really well! McGill University, located in the heart of Montréal, has been a dream—although not without inevitable challenges. Montréal is the perfect blend of French and North American culture, with great museums and incredible restaurants. I am currently enrolled in the faculty of science and I am working towards a Bachelor of Science in nursing.

“Parlez-vous français?” I hear this phrase often in reaction to the blank expression I assume when locals speak French.

Moving to a new country, a big city, and a province where French is the dominant language has been quite the transition from St. Margaret’s in San Juan Capistrano.

Since McGill is a large, program-specific school, it has been challenging to solely focus on math and science classes.

Lectures filled with 750 students and final exams worth 80 percent of a classes’ overall mark were initially overwhelming.

Sometimes I think it would be easier to get a meeting with the prime minister than with a student advisor.

However, McGill and especially Montréal is a great place to be. My perspective on the world has changed so much since moving here. With so many people from all over the world, global borders and cultural barriers seem non-existent. I’ve made friends with people from places like South Africa, France and Syria. The social scene occurs mostly off campus, since much of the city is geared toward students and has great energy. There are endless options for things to do on any given day. The whole city is abuzz when the beloved Habs (the Montréal Canadians hockey team) are playing.

Gracie Gordon, Davidson College in North Carolina After spending 15 years of my life at St. Margaret’s, I cannot believe that I have already completed my first semester at Davidson College, a small liberal arts school in North Carolina. I was so excited to go to college for a change of scenery that I failed to realize that I was going to be on my own until my mom drove away. The last time I had been the new kid was when I was 3 years old, so I was very nervous about making new friends. I really had nothing to fear; even 3,000 miles away from home, the transition was easy.

The tight knit community of Davidson has been the perfect fit. All of my professors know my name, since my classes are small. They vary from 20 to 30 students, so everyone gets personal attention. I am constantly meeting new people, but always seeing familiar faces. It is common for me to see four or five friends on the three-minute walk from my dorm to Chambers, the main academic building. The students are supportive of each other, as well. The basketball games in Belk Arena are always packed and the a capella groups always have an audience. One very unique thing about Davidson is its honor code. While this allows for self-scheduled final exams and take-home tests, the biggest perk is that students can leave out their belongings and not worry about them being stolen. Most students do not even lock their dorm rooms. Another plus is Lula Bell, our laundry service.

Students simply drop off their laundry and pick it up in a day or two, washed and folded.

Davidson College

McGill is full of people who are passionate, full of ambition, skill and talent, and very involved in school politics, making the university an energetic and exciting place to be. Students at McGill are competitive, ambitious, and academically driven, which creates an intellectually stimulating environment.

My time at Davidson has been packed. I am currently on the Division I varsity track team and taking voice lessons.

The time I am not spending running or singing, I am studying. Davidson’s academics are extremely rigorous. Most students were near the top of their class in high school and we all work very hard to make the grade here. Everything at Davidson has intensity to it. I expected this from the track program and academics, but I was surprised when my voice teacher told me that I was supposed to practice for eight extra hours a week. Since I plan to major in biology, I have been thinking about getting involved in a lab. At most schools this would be near impossible as a freshman, but after casually mentioning my interest in lab work, my biology teacher offered to let me work in his herpetology lab.

Davidson is ripe with opportunity; my biggest challenge has been not getting involved in too much. I am truly enjoying my time at Davidson College.

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Stanford University

Charles Cox, Stanford University

TOUCHDOWN! With the team ranked in the top ten all season and a quarterback headed to the NFL as the first pick in the draft, the football season this year was one of the defining parts of my freshmen year at Stanford. Saturdays first quarter were more or less entirely consumed by the watching and discussing of football, along with the requisite body painting and football-related festivities. This left Sundays for eight, nine, and ten hour days at the library to stay on top of the week’s assignments and exams.

As a freshmen coming into college relatively unversed in the realities of student life, Stanford’s enthusiasm and engagement in athletics has been one of the most grounding facets of my time here. One of the most important things I’ve learned is that the academic side is only one, albeit important, part of college. Those long hours at the library, countless exams (thanks to the quarter system) and weekly problem sets have been a huge and necessary piece of my time here, but they’re far from being the only component of day-to-day life.

Athletics has been one of those balancing factors that makes the academic stress a whole lot easier to handle. Whether it’s cheering for Stanford at varsity games, hitting the field with club baseball, or just going for a run in the (usually) shining California sun, sports here are woven into my life and that of the vast majority of the student body. Combined with the intellectual passion that virtually everyone shares in, and a community that’s surprisingly tight-knit for a school of just over 7,000 undergrads, this year so far has been an incredibly rewarding time.

Jumping into my pursuit of a mechanical engineering degree has also been very exciting. After taking so many years of math and science classes that often seemed to build upon themselves with little apparent end or purpose, it’s incredibly refreshing to have the full picture and the end goal within sight. Fortunately, some of my best friends here are also headed down the same path, and I’m looking forward to sharing the journey with them.

Brett Nicholas, Dartmouth College With less than two weeks remaining in my winter term here at Dartmouth College, I cannot believe how fast time has gone by. It seems that only yesterday I excitedly stepped off the Dartmouth Coach after a three and a half hour journey from Boston. Arriving in Hanover, the contrast between it and the environment in which I had grown up were immediately apparent. Hanover is a quaint New England town nestled in the gorgeous granite hills of western New Hampshire. Upon looking out at the picturesque green, flanked on one side by the idyllic Connecticut River and on the other by the massive colonial clock tower of Baker Library, I knew I had landed somewhere special.

While adapting to a completely foreign environment always poses a challenge, the transition to college life was easy, thanks to the tight nature of the Dartmouth community.

Because Dartmouth is a rural and relatively isolated environment, something I have learned to love, campus life largely revolves around on-campus groups, the Greek system and the outdoors. While freshmen are not permitted to be involved in the Greek system, I wasted no time immersing myself in the other two facets of Dartmouth campus life. I am currently rowing on the varsity heavyweight crew team, working as a ski patroller at the local skiway, am involved in various humanitarian groups like Dartmouth Humanitarian Engineering and Globe Med, as well as pursuing a major in engineering with a double minor in international studies and music.

Dartmouth College

Freshmen year has been one filled with changes in almost every way possible—a lot of them great, and others not so much. Nevertheless, while trying at times, it’s been an overwhelmingly positive experience on the whole. Though I’m looking forward to the coming summer, I know I’ll definitely look back and miss so many of the good friends and good times had in this place.

What I find amazing about Dartmouth is that it has given me the opportunity to not only participate in all of these things, but that it has pushed me to fully immerse and commit myself to each one. While doing all of this keeps me busier than I could have ever imagined, I would not trade my experience so far for anything. I feel that at many other schools I would have to choose just one or two of these things to focus on, but at Dartmouth I can be defined by all of them.

Dartmouth is a rigorous and competitive environment that has challenged me more than I ever could have known.

But, it is my home and I love it; because when work and responsibilities grow too daunting, I can just jump on the shuttle to the skiway after my morning classes. And the best part is, on the walk back to my dorm, I can look across the green and see five people with skis slung over their shoulders, most likely all familiar faces, who just did the same thing. summer 2012

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C L A S S

N OT E S

Class of

1987

................................

Kerry Parker Burnight Kerry’s son Beau will start St. Margaret's Upper School in the fall.

Vaughan "Trip" Moore Vaughan lives in Fairfax, Va. with Michele, his bride of 14 years, and their five children, ages 1 to 13. Vaughan is a financial planner with a specialty in helping families in the mid- to late-stage of college planning. Michele keeps her hands full homeschooling the kids.

Class of

1988

................................

Ryan Hanau Ryan is back in the San Francisco Bay area after six and a half years in New York City and would love to catch up with any classmates in the area. He can be reached at ryan@ryanhanau.com.

N OTA B L E

Class of

1991

................................

Todd Newman On August 29, 2011 St. Margaret’s held its first, elective daylong event to detect potential heart abnormalities in conjunction with the beginning of the fall sports season. The effort was spearheaded by alumni siblings Dr. Todd Newman (Class of 1991) and Erin Newman Armstrong (Class of 1998). Todd has been the team physician for St. Margaret’s varsity football team for five years and is a

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board-certified anesthesiologist and partner with Newport Harbor Anesthesia Consultants in Newport Beach. Erin is a cardiac intensive care unit nurse at Mission Hospital, and wife of a survivor of sudden cardiac arrest; her husband Chris narrowly survived an arrest in 2008.

With the support of Director of Athletics Susie Maga, Head Football Coach Rod Baltau, Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut and other school leaders, this unique program was made available to Upper School students, parents and staff. More than 150 people took advantage of a screening program modeled on an Italian procedure which has, for the last 20 years, reduced the incidence of death in young athletes by 90 percent. In conjunction with the non-profit organization Heartfelt Cardiac Projects, the St. Margaret’s community was able to receive a level of screening and prevention that has previously been reserved for professional or Olympic-level athletes.

Every three days in the United States, a young athlete dies from Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA). Tragedy can be avoided through preventive screenings for cardiac problems such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a condition that claimed the life of a 16-year-old Orange County student in 2008. One in 500 Americans, according to the Mayo Clinic, is living with this disorder without knowing it.

Cardiac arrest is caused when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions, according to the American Heart Association.

There are many reasons this can occur, including problems with the heart’s electrical circuits, an inherited condition or an inflammation. It is different from a heart attack, where heart muscle dies because of lack of blood. While heart attacks are not always fatal, SCA victims have only an 8 percent survival rate.

Class of

................................

Kristin Helms-McDaniel Evan, Kristin and big brother Jack welcomed Kate Denise McDaniel into their family August 7, 2011. Kristin is teaching first grade at St. Margaret’s and her son Jack enrolled in Preschool. Kate is also at St. Margaret’s as a Wee Tartan.

As a result of the August screening, a total of 15 people were referred to a physician for further evaluation, and two young, otherwise healthy students eventually underwent life-saving procedures. These students have returned to their normal lives, including athletics, without the fear of sudden cardiac arrest. These results motivated Todd, Erin and school leaders to repeat the screening, this time open to the entire St. Margaret’s community, on April 21, 2012. The turnout in April was outstanding – more than 200 people participated, including students as young as 5 years old (the youngest recommended age for screening). As before, several individuals were identified for follow up evaluation and treatment.

Phaedra Nevitt Widney Phaedra and her husband Shaun are pleased to announce the birth of their second child, Van Atticus Widney, on June 14, 2011. Van joins his sister, Athena Lark, who currently attends Preschool at St. Margaret’s.

Athena and Van’s step-brother, Austin, age 13, live in Oregon, but visit regularly.

Todd and Erin hope to incorporate screening into the annual physical for Upper School student athletes, their families and particularly for incoming students who might not have been screened previously. It is their hope that the importance of cardiac prevention, screening and education can be embedded into the St. Margaret’s community over time.

“We wanted to find a way to give back to St. Margaret’s and improve the health and safety of our community. Given the increased focus on the health of young athletes and our own family’s experience with cardiac arrest, we knew there was something that we could do. We felt that if we could bring Heartfelt Cardiac Projects to St. Margaret’s that we could potentially save lives and prevent a tragedy….and we might have done just that,” said Todd.

Class of

1993

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Susie Teitsworth Comisar Susie and her husband Peter welcomed a baby boy, Blake Robert Comisar, in March 2011. Susie continues to live in Pacific Palisades, Calif., and over the summer saw Greg Danz and Mike and Ryan Brown, and stayed with Jay Cecil and his family in Connecticut.

1995

Class of

1996

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Mahdis Hakimi Bormand On May, 16, 2011, Mahdis married Amir Bormand. They live in their happy home in the city of Aliso Viejo, Calif. Mahdis recently graduated with her master’s degree in counseling and marriage and family therapy. She works at a women’s shelter counseling domestically violated and exploited women.

Lisa Bevill Lisa has taken on a new role as director of business development for a boutique consulting firm, Psicosoft International, based in Madrid, Spain. After earning her Masters in Business Administration at IE Business School in Madrid and spending seven years there, with her final role being director of admissions, Lisa now calls Madrid home.

Visitors welcome!

summer 2012

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Class of

2002

................................

Michael Boyle Lieutenant Michael Boyle completed a seven-month deployment to the Middle East in February 2012 aboard the USS John C. Stennis. As a Naval Flight Officer Michael helped to fly the E-2C Hawkeye, a surveillance and battle management aircraft. Michael met Rebecca Thornton in Virginia and they were married June 18, 2011.

Katia Bucklin (Stanford) Katia married Tim Bucklin of Castro Valley, Calif. on June 18, 2011 at the Bernardo Winery in San Diego. Her maid of honor was Kara Hayzer (Class of 2002) and her bridesmaids included Taylore McClurg (Class of 2002) and Krystalle Glosser (Class of 2002). Joint masters of ceremony were Aaron Courdy (Class of 2002) and Adam Lupinacci (Class of 2002). Katia and Tim met in 2003 while they were both undergrads at University of California, San Diego.

Megan Cayler Megan lives in San Francisco where she manages individual giving at the Exploratorium, an interactive science and art museum. She serves on the Board of Directors of Spark, a group dedicated to building a community of young, global citizens who are invested in changing patterns of inequality that impact women throughout the world. In April 2012, Megan traveled with the Spark board to Istanbul to visit potential grantees, meet with local women leaders and participate in an international conference of young activists working to secure women’s human rights.

Class of

2004

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Shireen Heidari Shireen recently moved back to Southern California in May 2012 after finishing medical school at Boston University. She started her residency at University of California, San Diego in June 2012. Shireen received her undergraduate degree from University of California, Los Angeles in 2008 and her Doctor of Medicine from Boston University. She is thrilled to be moving back home to pursue her calling closer to family and friends.

Meagan Brown Kraszewski On April 2, 2011, the Brown and Kraszewski families came together to celebrate the marriage of Meagan Brown to Kyle Kraszewski at a ceremony held at Hotel Laguna in Laguna Beach, Calif. Meagan and Kyle are graduates of Purdue University and both are employed by Bank of America. They currently reside in Chicago, Illinois.

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Class of

2005

get in contact with alumna Kelly Dooley who hired her as her only intern/marketing assistant for her start-up luxury label BodyRock Sport.

................................

David Reese David completed his Bachelor of Science in astronautical engineering at the University of Southern California in 2009. David and his former St. Margaret’s teacher, Mr. Robert Ause, are mentioned in the article, “Rocketeers of Troy: Undergraduates set their sights on the thermosphere as they prepare to launch the world’s first student-made rocket into space,” in the spring 2012 Edition of USC’s Trojan Family Magazine. You can read the article in its entirety at http://tfm.usc.edu/spring-2012/rocketeers-of-troy/.

Class of

2008

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Jessica Zavalza On May 11, 2012 Jessica graduated from the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science in biology. For four years Jessica was a full-time student and member of the women’s soccer team. During her freshman year she was selected as a member of the All-Conference USA squad and player of the week. During her senior year Jessica was listed as one of the top 10 best offensive players in the second team. Additionally, her team awarded her as most valuable offensive player, gracing her with a plaque, recognition and great memories. As a member of a traveling team, academics can be extremely difficult, but Jessica maintained great grades and was awarded the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Class of

2010

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Sim Virk In the spring of 2011, when Sim Virk’s peers at Wellesley College were lining up their summer plans, Sim sought out the St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Alumni Office to find any alumni involved in her potential career fields. She was able to

“I happily booked my flights and set up housing in New York City, and set off for a great experience in learning and understanding the behindthe-scenes of marketing and branding for an up-and-coming fashion company. Kelly and I were able to bond through our shared Orange County and Tartan experiences, and I was able to receive invaluable career advice and experience.”

This summer, Sim is in New York City again working as an equity research intern at an investment bank.

“I hope to still pursue experiences in marketing and fashion, and look forward to tapping into, and eventually contributing to the Tartan community.”

Class of

2011

................................

Tory Davidson While attending Whitman College, Tory acted the part of Elma Duckworth in “Bus Stop” and was in the ensemble of “The Skin of Our Teeth,” achieving the 2012 Outstanding Freshman/Sophomore Actress Award for these main stage productions. She is also a Whitman College tour guide and on the executive boards of the Drama Club and the GlobeMed Club. She is thoroughly enjoying college and having an active role in the Whitman community.

George Ko George is working on a new start-up company called Politoscape (www.politoscape.com) at the Harvard Innovation Lab.

summer 2012

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A L U M N I

U P DAT E S

Tartan Alumni Association President Todd Newman (Class of 1991) welcomes four new members to the Alumni Council: Mark Risner (Class of 1986), John Glosser (Class of 1997), Rachael Stoddard (Class of 2002) and Umar Bajwa (Class of 2005). Each council member is volunteering for a three-year term to help build and shape the Tartan Alumni Association.

For more information please log on to www.smes.org/alumni.

Mark Risner

Alumni Christmas Party In December, the Tartan Alumni Association hosted its second annual Alumni Christmas Party at Marbella Country Club. If you were unable to join us this year, we hope to see you at the next alumni gathering.

John Glosser

Alumni Career Forum January marked a first for St. Margaret’s with more than 25 alumni returning to campus to impart their wisdom on the entire Upper School student body during the Alumni Career Forum.

Rachael Stoddard

Umar Bajwa

Alumni Events 2011 Tartan Tee-Off Many St. Margaret’s alumni participated in the 2011 Tartan Tee-Off golf Tournament held in October at Newport Beach Country Club to raise money for St. Margaret’s financial aid programs. We hope more alumni golfers will join us for the 2012 Tartan Tee-Off golf tournament on Monday, October 1, 2012. Sign-up online at www.smes.org/teeoff.

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Alumni presented during two, small, 30-minute classroom sessions. They began each session talking about their path from St. Margaret’s through college and onto their current careers. Students were able to connect with alumni from a multitude of backgrounds. Tips and suggestions were offered to help students navigate their own paths after St. Margaret’s through college and into a career field. Each session ended with more than ten minutes of questions and answers.

Any St. Margaret’s Episcopal School alumni interested in speaking at next year’s Alumni Career Forum, please contact Ian Tacquard in the Alumni Relations Office at 949.661.0108, ext. 247.

Thank you to the following Tartan Alumni for volunteering their time to give back wisdom and experience to our Upper School students:

Boys Varsity Soccer

Kristin Ahmer (Class of 1998), Chris Allen (Class of 1989), Erin Newman Armstrong (Class of 1998), Jessica Pakzad Bennett (Class of 2002), Dr. Jeremy Blumberg (Class of 1996), Dann Campaigne (Class of 1990), Megan Canright (Class of 1999), Kelly Dooley (Class of 2001), John Glosser (Class of 1997), Nicole Hughes (Class of 2005), Valerie Kileen (Class of 1997), Taylore McClurg (Class of 2002), Dr. Todd Newman (Class of 1991), Dr. Shannon Hilgers Nissen (Class of 1993), Justin Phan (Class of 2004), Scott Tranter (Class of 2002), Eric Westendorf (Class of 1988), Kim Westendorf (Class of 1991), Dr. Cory Yeh (Class of 1994), Brooke Ziccardi (Class of 1996), Taylor Chase-Wagniere (Class of 2005), Robert Little (Class of 1986), Mark Risner (Class of 1986), David Sire (Class of 1995), Andrew Wood (Class of 2003) For a complete summary and speaker bios from the Upper School Alumni Career Forum visit, http://tartantoday.org/2012/02/03/smes-alumni-return-toconnect-with-upper-school-students/

Alumni Holiday Classics Boys Varsity Basketball

Parents of Alumni (PAL) Events PAL Coffee The Parents of Alumni Association gathered at the home of Lulu and Chris Hallenbeck for its second PAL Coffee in November.

Spring Mingle In April, the Parents of Alumni Association and the Tartan Alumni Association joined forces to host the Spring Mingle.

Co-Chairs Vicki Sutro and Jacqueline Sutro (Class of 2003) created a wonderful evening for parents and alumni to gather in the Fountain Courtyard to reconnect with St. Margaret’s families. Guests enjoyed tray passed hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and a signature punch. Afterwards, many guests chose to enjoy dinner at nearby restaurants with family and friends.

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L O O K I N G

B A C K

In March, Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut announced that he would retire as the third Headmaster of St. Margaret’s Episcopal School. In the St. Margaret’s Chapel, Headmaster Hurlbut addressed the Upper School student body with the speech below on March 22: “Good Morning: “The readings this morning in this Lenten season remind us that this is a time for reflection and renewal and possibly even to do some things that are a little out of our comfort zone.

“I want to take a few minutes today to talk to you about a choice I have made and how this choice has caused me to reflect on the times we have spent together and the joy you have brought to my life.

“By now you have probably read or heard about my letter announcing my decision to retire at the end of next school year in June 2013. The timing of this may seem a little strange to you as it seems far in the future, but this is the way good schools that plan ahead make important decisions. On Monday, I shared my decision with the faculty and staff and I must confess, it was pretty emotional for me.

“Since then, I have begun to adopt a somewhat more balanced and hopefully mature approach as I have come to realize that the timing here affords me a priceless opportunity to savor these next 15 months.

“I liken it a little to a practice I used to employ some years ago when I would purposely set my alarm clock for a half

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hour or so before I really needed to get up, just so I could cherish the warmth and comfort of my bed and truly enjoy the last part of my sleep. So this is my plan, and I intend to stick to it!

“This notion of retirement is a tough concept and I have spent a significant amount of time weighing various options and thinking through the best course of action for my family, the school, and for me personally.

“In order to illustrate some of the points I want to make today, I have imported a few props from Boston over here on my left - my daughter, Kate, and her family.

“As I say in my letter, I have always thought that the proverbial R-Word was a not-for-me concept, reserved for people far older and grayer than I. And yet, the passage of time has also reemphasized to me that nothing lasts forever (seniors – I know you can relate), and that there are the inevitable rites of passage we all experience that signal the end of one phase in our lives and the beginning of another.

“I began my career at St. Margaret’s Episcopal School when the Class of 2012 was in the fourth grade and yesterday, in Lower School Chapel, I asked the kids if they could offer

some ideas on what they thought the word retirement meant.

Their definitions were helpful – sort of: “It’s • when you have enough money so you can do nothing • when you stop doing something and you don’t go back to it • when you’re tired • like you’re fired, but you’re really not.You kind of fire yourself!

“From these answers, I wasn’t entirely clear of the concept so I asked a group of first graders if they knew people who were retired and if so, what these people did when they reached this stage of having enough money to do nothing.

• • • •

“They cook and eat a lot.”

“They sleep and want to spend time with me.”

“They find a new job they like better.”

“They go to the grocery store in the morning and lay on the couch ALL day!”

“When we were walking out of Chapel, one of the second graders told me that he was pretty sure he knew what I was going to do when I retired because I had given him a hint.

I did?

‘Yup! You said that at the end of next school year you were going to join the current fourth graders and leave the Lower School.’

Correct.

‘I knew it. You’re going to be the Middle School principal when you retire!’

“This decision to retire and be the Middle School principal when I have enough money to do nothing has caused me to reflect on my time here and the many events and experiences that have meant the most to me and will leave me with lasting memories. This is tough and with each passing day, more memories are made.

“There are of course the obvious: “The campus has definitely changed: Pasternack Field House DeYoung Math and Science Center Upper School Courtyard Tartan Field Demolition of Highland Hall A beautiful garden on what once was an eroded hillside A new Performing Arts Center soon to be opened

personally and great honor to our school. There are so many lasting memories - it’s very difficult to even know where to begin. Once again, some are more obvious than others: “We have gone from competing for league championships to capturing numerous and many consecutive CIF Championships and four State Championships in a relatively brief period of time. We are a force to be reckoned with whenever we put on the Tartan uniform. And, just in case you didn’t know it – I love that!

“Within all those honors are many special memories for me that I will always cherish inducing: • The drama of a missed extra point in the rain in Pasadena.

• A gut wrenching final girls’ doubles match to win it all a few years ago only to be capped off by an even more amazing singles match this past year.

• A human chain around the school as we sent our football team off to our first ever FOOTBALL State Championship game at the Home Depot Center.

• A storybook ending penalty kick a few weeks ago.

• A boys’ volleyball team that went from 0-99 to a CIF Championship in a very short period of time.

“The growth in the Arts has been equally significant as our lives have been immensely enriched by: • A growing number of student honors in the visual arts.

• Superb choral, band and orchestra concerts (we once had just 10 in our band where today we have more than 100).

• The Middle School Marching Band • Stunning theater performances in our tired but beloved Sillers Hall: Les Mis Children of a Lesser God Children of Eden Beauty and the Beast Grease Annie Coffee House Cabarets

“Yes, we do look different than we did in 2003, but I deeply hope that these changes have been made with a careful eye toward maintaining continuity and a sense of history, and in this case the traditional architecture that is so emblematic of St. Margaret’s. Change is inevitable in schools but preserving the essence of the school is essential if these changes are to endure and be embraced by the school culture.

“Brilliant Commencement speeches by graduating seniors

“Over the past nine years I have been afforded a truly wonderful vantage point from which to watch Tartans of all ages go about their lives and bring unending joy to me

“Controversial speeches in the Campaigne Center– Maximum what?

“Ground breaking ceremonies and site blessings “Awards ceremonies, memorable honors assemblies, all-school gatherings, closing ceremonies, Tartan Trots, welcome back barbeques, Tartan Faires…

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“Priceless personal moments: • Time spent with my two predecessors Ern Sillers and Mark Campaigne and our joining together on St. Margaret’s Day. • The mom in the Lower School parking lot who called out to her son as he was dashing away – “I love you - make good choices.”

• The kindergartener who some years ago stared relentlessly at me in Chapel one morning, eyes seemingly boring into the side of my head until at last I turned and she asked in no uncertain terms - Is your name really HurlBUT????

(My daughter had the answer – she got married and changed her name!).

• Many lively debates on a wide variety of topics in con law “When I interviewed back in late 2002 and early 2003, I had noticed that St. Margaret’s had an alma mater and during the interview I asked if the song was ever sung. There was a reason for this question as I had been part of several schools where the alma mater was never sung and if it was, it was pretty pathetic.

“I received a very strong YES to my question and I recall thinking to myself – we’ll see!

“I realize that this is a seemingly insignificant topic but I feel it says so much about school pride, spirit and soul.

“And, oh yes, we sing the alma mater - sometimes a little differently than others, but we sing it and it matters. I have never ceased to marvel at the discrepancy between those bruised and battered boys who so passionately sing the chorus at the end of football games and the same, blue-blazered students who can’t muster much more than a mumble in Chapel.

“NO matter – they know it and they will always remember those moments when it mattered more than others and so will I. “We have even poked some fun at it from time to time, with the drawn out sss’s in Cross and the somewhat irreverent version created by the Class of 2009: SO, GIVE US THE SCHOOL WHERE THE MASCOT WEARS A SKIRT, BUT THE GIRLS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO “For me, these are meaningful and tangible signs of the way this school gets into the very marrow of our bones. We are strong enough to withstand some good natured kidding from within. This is what happens in solid, cohesive, healthy families.

“In the fall of 2003, when I was installed (that’s what it’s called in Episcopal schools) as the third headmaster of St. Margaret’s Episcopal School, I made a few remarks, some of which I would like to share with you today.

‘While there is much for me to learn about St. Margaret’s, I can say with a high level of confidence that I have a pretty good idea of what the school is all about even now – and it is not from reading the mission statement (with which, by the way, I completely agree), and it is not from reviewing the qualifications of our faculty (which are, by the way, very impressive), and it is not from assessing the many, many accomplishments of our students, or the college acceptance record of our seniors, or from learning of the school’s ambitious plans for the future, or hearing of the enormous generosity of members of our school community, witness the impressive.

‘All of these benchmarks matter – a lot – but in the short time that I have been here at St. Margaret’s I have learned, above all, that we are a school community with HEART. ‘I suspect that for some of you, perhaps many of you, the cheerful smiles and the ready “good mornings” are common place, but I can say with absolute certainty that for someone coming new to a school community, one true measure of a school’s character is the genuine caring with which new people, or as they say in my beloved State of Maine, people “from away” are welcomed.

‘From the littlest (I think you are the Class of 2019) to the biggest (I know you are the Class of 2004), you have been truly remarkable in making me feel at home in your school, my new school- the school of the Tartan and the Cross!

‘You have not erected walls of defense nor held your cards or your agendas close. You have been open and honest, warm and friendly - you have in short, let me in and for that I am more grateful than I could ever express here this morning.

‘There is much work that lies ahead and I look forward to working, learning and playing with you as we move together into our 25th year and this new chapter in the history of our school.’

“So here we are this morning approaching the 35th anniversary of St. Margaret’s and while much has changed, from my perspective at least, much has stayed the same. The same warmth and kindness that I felt so palpably nine years ago feels even more prominent today and it is my everlasting hope that this notion of letting new comers in will always be an essential part of the culture of our school.

“A long time ago when I was just 21 years old, I stood at the fork of the road and in the words of Robert Frost, looked down one as far as I could. In the spirit of that admonition to “make good choices,” I really can’t imagine making a better one. I made the choice to spend a lifetime teaching and being with young people and the joy this decision has brought me is impossible to quantify. I have had the honor of serving six schools each with its own special character and lasting memories, but there is utterly no doubt that I have saved the best for last.

“Thank you all for the people you are, the way you care and the gifts you have given me.” ● To view a video of Headmaster Marcus D. Hurlbut’s Chapel address, please visit the “Headmaster” page on the school website under the “About” tab.

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“. . . to educate the hearts and minds of young people for lives of learning, leadership and service.”

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