October 1791 Letter

OCTOBER 2012

BERWICK A C A D E M Y

1791 L e t t e r

BLUE & WHITE DAY 2012

1791 Letter ~ October 2012

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MESSAGE F R O M

Greg Schneider

Head of School

As the fiery foliage begins to show, I am reminded that October 2012 constitutes a special month for Berwick Academy, as we will be welcoming a team of twelve educators from across New England for the purpose of re-accrediting our school. While this process is widely known and understood by educators, I thought it might be helpful to offer the parent community a bit of context for this project so that you might understand and appreciate the significance of the event for the employee community of the Hilltop.

Fundamentally, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) exists to promote two key initiatives within Independent Schools: 1) Quality Control, and 2) School Improvement. I believe that I speak with confidence in saying Berwick Academy will pass the quality control aspect of their charge with flying colors. Our school is among the strongest in New England, and I feel quite sure that we will emerge with the requisite seal of approval (famous last words). To me, the more valuable and important aspect of the process for all us is the catalyst for reflection upon the key initiatives for school improvement in the next ten years.

The most labor intensive part of the process is the ninety-page self-study report that our community was required to produce. For the past two years, each member of this community has been assigned to one of the fifteen standards committees upon which we will be judged.

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Within each standard, about a dozen indicators guide the self-examination of the committee. Ultimately each committee then rates our school on a six point scale regarding our performance in each standard. In addition to employees, input from trustees, parents, and students has been integrated either through direct committee work or survey input.

Once the major selfstudy document is completed, the community is then asked to reflect upon the findings in full to articulate to the Visiting Committee key areas of focus for the next ten years. After an exhaustive and reflective exercise in this arena, Berwick concluded that Financial Durability, Diversity Initiatives, Investing in Faculty, and using data to inform practice emerged as the key areas of importance moving forward. I was proud to see our institution coalesce around these concepts, as they speak to areas of tremendous opportunity for Berwick Academy in the near future.

The visiting team arrives here on October 21 and stays through October 24 with a charge that is quite clearly NOT to tell us what kind of school we need to become. Their job is to determine whether or not Berwick Academy is actually what it says it is. Using the omnipresent guide of mission and core values, they will analyze every area of our programs and operations.

Rather than prescribing solutions or offering direct marching orders, the tone of their report will encourage us to consider a number areas and initiatives in new ways. One could 1791 Letter ~ October 2012

argue that this is the most valuable form of free consulting a school community could garner, as a set of fresh eyes offers such thoughtprovoking analysis. Most likely part of the Visiting Committee report will be validating what we have discovered about ourselves, but they will undoubtedly offer us insight on a number of as yet undiscovered areas as well.

Our self-study co-chairs, Andrew Kasprzak and Rosemary Zurawel, deserve immense kudos for their work in leading us to this point. Colleen Meader’s work in preparing for the visit has been legendary, as has been the work of our steering committee team. In addition to the self-study work, we are required to provide extensive supplemental materials for analysis by the committee on each and every standard. It should also be said that Berwick Academy’s underlying principle for this endeavor has been all about collaboration and transparency. You will probably not be surprised to learn that our faculty has tended to be very hard on itself when considering areas where we might improve. I hope the employee community will emerge from this experience with a deep sense of pride of all that they have accomplished in recent years.

Parents might wonder what their role will be in this process.

While there will be scheduled meetings with selected groups of parents for the visiting team, I think all parents should expect to see these visitors on campus next week. Don’t

BERWICK A C A D E M Y

be surprised if you are asked a few questions off the cuff about your experience at Berwick Academy to date. While positive comments are always appreciated, honesty is certainly the most important thrust in this effort. In terms of the results, I think you can expect to hear the thematic findings of the experience in future communications.

1791 Letter

your own children.

Halloween Parade All I can say is watch out for Mr. Schneider’s Halloween costume this year. I am not quite sure how my daughters were able to talk me into it.

Many school communities look to the actual visit with a great deal of anxiety and worry. Some scramble to accomplish all of the writing, reflection, and preparation in one year. While any head of school might have some concern about how the visit might go, I simply feel excited to showcase Berwick Academy on a slightly bigger stage.

We hope that our visiting team will leave us with a special place in their heart for the oldest school in Maine that we all love so deeply. Thank you for all of your support and input in this remarkable school process.

Admission Open House

Halloween

This year we will be undertaking a slightly different Open House model for PK-PG on Sunday, October 28 at 1:00. Our goal at this event is to offer people an easy first glance at the campus and our amazing community so that they might return for a more personal and intimate visit with our admissions office. There is no greater gift that you can give to Berwick Academy than recommending to a friend or neighbor that they come get a taste of the Berwick experience at our open house. Our ability to bring the most talented students in the Seacoast to Berwick improves the experience for everyone, including

on the Hilltop

Don’t miss the parade!

1:00 p.m. October 31 1791 Letter ~ October 2012

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Shiela Esten - Upper School Director

Upper School News BALANCE Berwick Academy constituents participate in a quest for balance that fundamentally defines our sense of community. We exist in a spiraling cycle of discovery, self-reflection, and growth. While each community member’s individualized journey toward this value is a personal work in progress, we share a common appreciation of the tensions that exist within our definition of this ideal: t $IBMMFOHJOH PVSTFMWFT XJUI BNCJUJPVT goals while nurturing each other with kindness, joy, and humor; t &YDFMMJOH UISPVHI SJTL UBLJOH XIJMF honoring safety and wellness; t 7BMVJOH BOE FYQMPSJOH BDBEFNJDT arts, athletics, and service; t "QQSFDJBUJOH USBEJUJPO BOE JOOPWBUJPO with both pride and humility; and t &NCSBDJOH TFSWJDF BOE TUFXBSETIJQ not only on our campus but in the communities in which we live.

All schools have mission statements which serve to shape the culture of the community and guide the work of helping young people to learn and grow, try things out, find their strengths, learn from mistakes, and start forging their paths for the future. After having lived a number of mission statements over the years, the piece of the Berwick’s that initially attracted my attention and continues to intrigue me is the clear delineation of core values, with balance being first 4

on the list. In this crazy competitive world that seems so uncertain and fastpaced on so many fronts, what could be more important than deliberately making a statement about the fundamental importance of balance in our lives? Discovering that Berwick actually strives to live its mission has been refreshing.

There is no clearer example of the importance and delicate nature of this work than the college process.

October is the month in the lives of seniors and their families when the realization of years of hard work and focus comes to the fore. What’s the next step? What is that next setting that will provide a range of opportunities to build on the foundation that’s been set and set the stage for future pursuits?

These are daunting questions to be sure, but keeping the importance of balance in mind helps in maintaining valuable perspective along the way.

On the heels of College Counselors Moira McKinnon and Brian Sweeney’s college meeting for seniors and their parents, the seniors recently had two days off from school to finish their college visits, or to spend time organizing and honing applications.

The buzz upon their return was exciting. While some students finalized their visits at either the schools at the top of their lists or at ones they still wanted to explore, others spent the time working on essays and thinking about their application strategy. The overall impression I got in talking with many of them was one of thoughtful consideration. Berwick seniors feel the 1791 Letter ~ October 2012

same pressure as many of their peers as they enter an admissions process that is more competitive than ever, but at the same time they exude a confidence that their preparation has served them well, and that they are ready to let their experience tell the story.

What is that story? It is one that exemplifies the spirit of a core value which encourages challenging oneself with ambitious goals, while not losing sight of the importance of risk taking and exploration, pride and humility. While the size and weight of the typical Berwick backpack might lead you to believe otherwise, the attitude and confidence of the seniors who carry them and the faculty and parents who support them is one that clearly embraces a knowledge that they possess what they need to excel with kindness, joy and humor in this rapidly changing world whose course they will undoubtedly help shape.

That is the embodiment of balance, and it is sure to serve them well in this college journey and beyond. I can’t wait to see where it takes them.

Rosemary Zurawel - Middle School Director

Middle School News I learned about the Sufi Gates of Speech decades ago. They were part of the tradition of Sufism that recommended that before one speaks there are four important questions to ask: t t t t

*T JU USVF *T JU OFDFTTBSZ *T JU CFOFmDJBM *T JU LJOE

If the answer to any question is, “No,” then the words should not pass the speaker’s lips. Having long ago thrown away the tattered paper on which I had written the questions, they remain indelibly in my mind. Often, the fourth question is the hardest for me. I struggle to think of the kindness aspect in both short term and long term ways. For example, when working with a child, I might see a behavior that is troubling and unacceptable.

Correcting that behavior with words can pass the three gates easily. The final gate of kindness can hold me back a moment until I decide if the kindness must be directed to the child who may have been hurt in the struggle, or if it would be a kindness to a group to have a child who pushes constantly corrected and receive a consequence. Then, I think of the child who originally did the pushing. Would it be a kindness to correct the behavior so that others in the future will not be pushed? When I arrive at the last question, I finally have passed through the fourth and final gate, and I use the words.

In late August, while reading a column written by Ed Collins for the Ethics Newsline, I was struck by what

he called the “ethical sniff test.” He was suggesting that adults who find themselves in a position of wondering about what action to take should apply a four-pronged test to know if their intended actions would be ethical. His four questions were: t t t t

*T JU SFTQFDUGVM *T JU SFTQPOTJCMF *T JU GBJS *T JU DPNQBTTJPOBUF

When I considered how close these were to the ancient Sufi wisdom, I thought about the upcoming elections, the heated debates, the half-truths in television advertising, and I felt saddened at the absence of application of either the Sufi gates or the “ethical sniff tests.” We have a period of several weeks ahead to practice these at home with our families and at school with our students. The choices can include total avoidance (My husband has begun to watch the BBC World News each night.), or digging down into the ethical fiber of our children with some questions. What would you do if you were running for office? What would you say if someone wrote an untruth about you? To whom would you turn if that untruth were repeated? Would you repeat the untruth? What steps should you take? What should these candidates do?

only make for a better world for us to leave to our children.

As I write this on a bright October afternoon, I think of how wonderfully a recent assembly concluded with students applauding one another, listening respectfully to peers and to adults, and eating lunch at a ‘family’ table. The students played hard and fairly at afternoon games.

One field hockey player telling me, “We lost, but we did great!” reminded me of how much that honest message says about a team culture built upon character. Those words were a gift and a testimony to goodness. I think I am seeing it in abundance this fall. Thank you for all that you have done to make this so.

None of us has a perfectly clean ethical past. The best we can hope for is to avoid falling into the same traps and ending up with the same outcomes.

The character education that we share as teachers and parents is a job that is never done and our collaboration can 1791 Letter ~ October 2012

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Joel Hawes - Lower School Director

Lower School News Realizing that not all of our Lower School families were able to attend our recent Back to School Night, I have used this 1791 space to reprint (in condensed form) my opening remarks to the Lower School parent body.

We have experienced an exciting and focused start to the school year, and I hope the following thoughts further support our Division’s efforts.

Welcome to our back to school night and to a Lower School community consisting of students from three New England states and a number of towns and cities, consisting of six grade levels, consisting of inspirational faculty/staff, and consisting of a dedicated parent body.

Our well-rounded group is focused on a common goal: guiding, experiencing and supporting optimal elementarylevel learning through a blend of nurturing and challenging experiences.

We relish the task ahead.

How else to explain the varied forms of summer preparation for the current school year, the excitement and promise of our opening day and most importantly, the roll-up-your-sleeves approach of moving into a school week like this one…a combination of homeroom, unified arts, and social thinking instruction coupled with special events such as Tuesday’s Community Circles Remembrance and Tenth Day Assembly.

Speaking of the Tenth Day Assembly, it was an amazing event highlighted by Greg Schneider’s opening remarks, a moving Lower 6

School chorus performance, a thoughtful Upper School presentation, a faculty/staff West African dance, and a closing Upper School duet. In addressing the assembly group, Greg unveiled our year-long theme of balance—our central core value.

Recently, I also presented thoughts on balance to the Lower School faculty during our backto-school meetings. For whatever reason, a school year often gets compared to a running race: It’s a marathon, or it’s a sprint, or my favorite … it’s a marathon in which we sprint the duration…to the June finish line.

As I told the faculty during the back to school meetings, the year will inevitably be a full one, and I have decided to hike (rather than run or sprint) through this year in a balanced manner. Perhaps I gained that understanding this summer through more trail hiking than I typically do while on vacation.

Hiking supports reflective thought which was an important component of my summer experience in an effort to ponder the state of the Lower School.

Some have questioned how and why our division has changed over the past several years. With all due respect to those changes and the care and concern that I have given to them, I have equally focused on how we have remained the same, and, in fact, continued to grow in our honest efforts at delivering optimal learning 1791 Letter ~ October 2012

experiences to Lower School-ers. The core value of balance has supported us in this process. To that end, I would like to present three of my hiking experiences from this past summer.

Hike Number One (Heights): My wife and I hiked a number of White Mountain trails in late June with two other couples. Over the course of a week we progressed to taking on a number of 4,000 footers including a rugged and circular Cannon Mountain trail. Descending Cannon, we took a side trail that had at one point required a built-in wooden ladder to continue a rock-face descent.

One of our members had slowed the pace of our group at times because of his concern for heights— especially at this steeper downhill section. I was trailing in back of the group and supporting him along the way…kind of a peculiar job for me because I am also not much of a fan of heights. Long story short, we successfully made it down the ladder.

And you get the picture, whether it be concern for heights, rugged terrain or inclement weather, there is something special about a hiking group’s ability to overcome such obstacles as a team though a balanced group effort.

Within a division that has recently changed size and structure, the faculty and I have approached this year without hesitation, without fear.

In fact, we have decided to counter the grade- and division-level size concern by increasing the opportunities for continued on page 10...

Rob Quinn - Athletic Director

Athletics News 2012 Bulldog Golf Classic Thank you to all those who participated in the 2012 Bulldog Classic Golf Tournament. A special word of thanks to our Tournament Sponsors, UBS Wealth Management and The Hoy Family. Through their support we were able to make this event very successful, with a great day of golf enjoyed by nearly 80 golfers. This year’s event included a great showing of alumni, current and past parents, and many friends of the Academy.

This would not have been possible without the time and commitment of many. Thank you to everyone who helped pull this event together including Andrea Bristol, Amy Gaynor, Paula Reid, Jeff Palleiko, Paula Hoy, Judith Trotsky, Sue Downey, Marilena Sanborn, Travis Derr, Joyce O’Day, Katharine Kaplan, Jane Meyer, John Barbour, Darlene Saltz, Anne Crotty, and Jane OldfieldSpearman. All of your efforts were greatly appreciated.

Please be sure to thank and support the businesses and families who provided sponsorships: Head & Neck Specialty Group, The Cain Family, Eastern Propane, The Levy Family, The Spearman Family, Sundance Signs, Collins Sports Center, The Twombly Family, Scoreboard Enterprises, Reid & Company, Sundance Signs, The Meat House, Springer Law Offices, The Bradley Family, Diverse Networks LLC, Amy, Bill & Colin Gaynor, Carol & William Dawe, The Bristol Family, Bauer Hockey, Keith Babcock, Beacon Business Advantage of Dover, Callaway

Golf, Carrot and Company, Clearly Botanical Designs, Cocheco Country Club, Daisy Jane’s / Daisy Trading Co., Demeter’s Steakhouse, Dover Cyclery, Earcraft Music, Enterprise Rent a Car, Garrison Players, Geno’s Plumbing, Golf & Ski Warehouse, Anneke Jans, The Kaplan Family, La Festa Brick & Brew Pizzeria, Loco Coco’s Tacos, Mojo’s BBQ Grill & Tavern, Port City Touchless Car Wash, SagamoreHampton Golf Club, Team Titleist, Titleist, Upper Crust Pizzeria, Village Motors, Weathervane Seafood Restaurant, Wentworth Country Club, and The Woodstock Inn & Resort.

Please join us for the next Athletic Boosters meeting in November.

coaches and athletes, but also the parents and fans.

Character Development

Courtside Café

The primary goal of Middle and Upper School athletics is to build lifetime character traits in the young people who are in our care.

We must never lose sight of the big picture – that our athletic programs are primarily for the benefit of the students who participate in them.

Without question, teachable moments in athletics prepare students for life when the whole community supports and reinforces those life lessons. Our vision is to develop, implement, and maintain a character-based athletic program creating an environment in which every student-athlete, coach, parent, and spectator is committed to the true spirit of competition. As we approach the halfway mark of our fall season we need to remind ourselves of these values we hold in high regard here on the Hilltop. A positive athletic experience involves not only the

As we head into the winter season we are looking for help from parents who have students playing basketball. We have an outstanding concessions area in the Athletic Center that we use to raise money for our athletic programs. The Courtside Café is run by our Athletic Boosters group and they are currently looking for parents to donate their time and help with concession sales. You can sign up for a game or two during the season to help support your teams.

Please contact Paula Reid for more information.

1791 Letter ~ October 2012

The College-Bound Athlete Please join us on Monday, October 29 from 6 – 7 p.m. in the Baldwin Whipple Arts Center for an information session regarding the college-bound athlete. This presentation will help our studentathletes who are thinking about playing college athletics navigate the college search process. The program will include evaluation opportunities, contacting college coaches, citizenship and the college visit process. All athletes and parents are welcome.

Upcoming events Sunday, October 28 Admissions Open House continued on page 11...

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you gotta have Arts

Deloris White - Fine Arts Director

Arts News THE ARTS ARE FOR A LIFETIME Honor Society Inductions Selected by their GPA, fine arts courses taken, commitment to their art form, and contributions to Berwick, a number of serious Upper School visual artists and musicians will be inducted into the National Art Honor Society and the Tri-M Music Honor Society during a reception in the Commons Dining Hall at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 1.

Drama Charley’s Aunt, the comedy classic by Brandon Thomas, will open BA’s 2012-2013 Upper School performing arts season on Friday and Saturday, November 9 and 10. The show will be staged in Fogg Memorial.

Curtain time is 7 p.m. both nights.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students. The theater will open at 6:30 p.m. with seats available on a first come, first served basis.

This world famous farce takes place in and around Oxford University in the late 19th century. Jack Chesney and Charley Wykeham are madly in love with Kitty Verdun and Amy Spettigue. The young men are anxious to propose to their sweethearts before the girls’ scheming guardian whisks them off to the wilds of Scotland for the summer. Jack and Charley engineer the brilliant plan of having Charley’s visiting aunt (a wealthy millionaire from Brazil) act as a chaperone while they profess their intentions over a luncheon. Their plans unravel when 8

the aunt sends word that she has been detained in London. The problem is solved when their friend and fellow undergraduate, Lord Fancourt Babberley unwittingly proves himself to be an effective stand-in for the missing aunt.

Featured in the cast are Matt Butcher and Liam Bristol as Jack and Charley, the two love-struck young men, Sandy Mait and Carly Gill as Kitty and Amy, Freeman Fletcher as Stephen Spettigue, the girls’ avaricious guardian, George Henkel, as the sorely put upon Lord Babberley, Skyler Gailing, as Donna Lucia D’Alvadorez, the real Charley’s aunt, Jane Merrow as Ela Delahay, her ward, Breandán Haley as Sir Francis Chesney, Jack’s father, and Will Platt as Brassett, the unflappable butler. James Davis serves as assistant director. Noah Landis, Henry Henkel, James Hamel, Stephanie Storey, Nina Dashti-Gibson, Haley Dixon and Jillian Clark are understudies. Noah Landis is also designing programs and posters.

Costumes are under the direction of Mrs. Polly Davie, with additional help from Ms. Marielle Johnson and Persephone Bennett. Mr. Brad Fletcher is overseeing props with assistance from Rachael McManus. Ms. Sasha Malone supervises the technical design efforts of Maddy Keefe, Benn Clapp and Dan Perreault. Mr. Seth Hurd is providing production design and logistical support. Madame Clinton manages the box office. “Charley’s Aunt” is under the direction of Mrs. Liz-Anne Platt and is produced through special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., New York.

Winter Musical

1791 Letter ~ October 2012

Auditions for Les Mis, the Upper School winter musical, are set for Monday and Tuesday, November 12 and 13 and Monday, November 19.

Performances are Friday and Saturday, March 1 and 2, 2013. For more information please be in touch with either Mr. Hurd or Mrs. Platt.

Music Let the voices ring! During the evening of October 16, students who are auditioning for admission into this year’s Organization of Kodaly Educators’ National Choir recorded music based on the guidelines from the competition with the assistance of Chip Harding. Maria Isaak has been leading students through the audition process since 2004.This is Berwick’s third year participating.

Isaak says, “The taping process is invaluable. Students work hard to prepare and there is something really unique about making a recording. The retake process, instant feedback from hearing their voice: it really develops kids’ thinking about how they make music. Recording with Mr. Harding is worth the audition process. Then if they are selected, their skills develop at the conference to a much higher level. During the three-day festival, students who participate in the festival develop their musical skills that in turn uplift their own school’s program, and they become more demanding artists in their own right.”

Visual Arts Artist Residency: Shiao-Ping Wang — During October continued on page 11

BPC Notes - from the BPC Board Members

Parent Community News Auction Ahh, yes it is already time for us to start talking about the auction! We do have a significant change to announce this year. We realize that producing an annual live auction asks a lot of our very dedicated volunteers so we have decided to alleviate that burden and change to an “every other year” model for the live auction. This means that on April 27, 2013 we will not have a live auction but instead we will have a different type of social event. Details on that event will be forthcoming - in early 2013.

Many hands make light work and we plan to start immediately to get an early start on the auction setup.

Welcome Lower School parents, you once again have a colleague who represents you on our BPC board.

Jessica Hersey has joined the board as the Lower School Coordinator. Her term will run until June 2013 and we welcome once again having a board member dedicated to Lower School issues and events.

Book Fair

What will we do with all of those really cool auction items that you usually look forward to bidding on at the live auction? Well we thought we’d give you a bit more competition for them and on the “non-live auction” years you will find those high demand items in the online auction.

The annual on-campus book fair is just around the corner. It will be held November 7-9 in the Commons Lounge. Please plan to visit the book fair where you will find books for Pre-K through early middle school readers. Proceeds from this book fair will benefit the Lower School library.

This does mean that our online auction will need to really be stepped up to cover our BPC operating budget (just under $30,000) and put as much as possible toward our annual grant allocations. While we realize that our “off” years will not have as many funds available for our grants, we hope to breathe new life into the live auction by scheduling it on alternate years.

In conjunction with the Book Fair is the ever popular (well at least popular with the students) bake sale.

Those parents who have volunteered to bake for this event will be contacted by their class reps in the near future.

The Upper School will be providing bake sale items for Wednesday, the Middle School for Thursday, and the Lower School for Friday of that week.

Each division’s library will receive the proceeds from their day’s bake sale.

Please plan to join us at the first Community Benefit planning meeting on Friday, October 19 at 8:15 a.m. in the Commons Lounge. At that meeting you will learn about the plans for the online auction and the many different areas in which we need help.

!!! New Event !!! HOLIDAY BAZAAR I am thrilled to announce a new community event that is being organized by the BPC. We will be 1791 Letter ~ October 2012

holding our first ever holiday bazaar in the Commons dining hall from 2 – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 9 in conjunction with the closing day of the book fair.

Entrepreneurs - watch the weeklies for your opportunity (parents, staff, faculty, students) to reserve a table from which you may sell your crafts and confections. There will be a nominal charge to reserve your table and you may keep all of the proceeds from your sales.

Those not having a table at the bazaar, please plan to come and shop at both the bazaar and the book fair, and then attend the Upper School play which begins at 7:00 p.m. in the third floor of Fogg.

Positions Available Want to become more involved in your child’s school? Or perhaps know more about what’s going on? Come join the BPC Board. We are an energetic group of moms and dads who would love to have you join us.

We currently have two openings on the BPC Board: t .JEEMF 4DIPPM $PPSEJOBUPS t -PXFS 4DIPPM $PPSEJOBUPS In both of these positions you will organize events for your respective division. Parents new to BA as well as veteran parents are most welcome to join us in these positions. If you are interested in any of these positions please contact me at DianeWalker@ metrocast.net or 603-969-0577 for more information.

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LOWER SCHOOL NEWS...cont. from pg 6

faculty and students from different grades to interact. For example, we have altered our Friday Community meetings to include greater intergrade interactions, not just at ACES or at Sing-alongs, but when discussing recess rules as a full group or when implementing cross-grade learning activities.

Our collective focus on Responsive Classroom and social thinking has also supported us in growing as a division – with a unified focus on the social-emotional message recently referenced during the first Lower School coffee, in the recent Weekly, in the September 1791 Letter and throughout classroom approaches. The power of consistent and positive teacher language when working with students, the importance of having logical consequences for student actions, the support found in a “social skill of the week” through common grade-level efforts all support this focus. And, in the end, we work passionately and confidently together in supporting student growth.

changes within the Bay of Fundy--an area so (relatively speaking) close to home, but yet so distant in previous travel plans. When returning home from this pleasant trip, I knew that I would someday return to this beautiful segment of Atlantic Canada.

then returned to our car.

The faculty and I appreciate our own potential backyard discoveries--balancing what is familiar with what is new to the educational front. So, for example, we have increasingly blurred the lines between enrichment and traditional instruction through technology, through leveled literacy groups, through differentiated math activities, through project-based unified arts classes, and through a number of after-school activities ranging from nature club to Innovation Jr.

Our greatest gift in the Lower School is that we do not take a student, a school day, or an academic year for granted. We have an amazing faculty here tonight—some who are beginning their careers with us, some who are returning to their original home division at Berwick, some who are continuing multiple years of service, some who are sharing their growing expertise as interns. At whatever point in their careers, I am constantly humbled by their concern, their care, their sense of purpose. We are aware of the strengths of coming to a school like this, and also the challenges.

We are in greater balance when we respect past precedent while remaining open to new educational opportunities.

We are in greater balance when we openly face our concerns (heights or otherwise).

Hike Number Three (EverPresent): Hiking trails include the easy to moderate variety on which you can mindlessly meander without much thought of path route or terrain. These are, perhaps, the trails that one too easily takes for granted.

Hike Number Two (Backyard Discoveries): My daughter and I found ourselves leaving the country on July 4. Setting out on a college road trip through the province of New Brunswick via the border towns of Houlton, Maine and Woodstock, New Brunswick on our way to eastern New Brunswick, we drove to the province’s coastline. While we have driven through New Brunswick many times on our way to various Maritime locations, we have never stopped at Fundy National Park until this trip. Staying in a quaint chalet, we toured the park and enjoyed some breathtaking coastal hikes…observing the dramatic tidal

My wife, daughter and I drove to Rocky Mountain National Park via Estes Park in mid-July. A day trip in the middle of a work and pleasure vacation to Colorado, we reached the visitor center and requested an easy day hike.

Having been sent in the direction of Deer Mountain, we parked in the last available trailhead parking spot and were off…enjoying the views along a smooth, gradual trail without any traces of rugged New England granite to hop-scotch over. Early into the hike, we somehow missed an important turn (and come-to-find out later, a pretty obvious turn). Backtracking to the original trail, we easily summited and

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1791 Letter ~ October 2012

The message was not lost on me…be present, be aware…do not take a path in Rocky Mountain National Park or within the school year for granted.

As current examples, we understand the challenges of your morning schedules and thus offer the early bird club – now open at 7:30.

We have numerous conversations to support student growth in various mixes of faculty, parent, and student alignments. Accordingly, we look forward to our revised approach to parent-teacher conferences on October 4 and 10. We also have great appreciation for your individual involvement and for your collective BPC involvement.

In the end, our goal is not to have a series of isolated classroom events across campus but rather to promote the gestalt of working and learning together—as grade level teachers, as literacy teams, as unified arts teams, as a combined and unified group. The Lower School faculty, staff, and I thank you sincerely for taking part in the journey that lies ahead. Now let’s get on with the hike!

ATHLETICS NEWS...cont. from pg 7

her about her process.

Tuesday, November 6 Middle School Fall Sports Awards 1:30 p. m.

Funding for this residency is provided by the Christopher Linney Memorial Fund which was established to enrich Berwick’s programs in the arts and sciences.

Thursday, November 8 Middle School sports begin

College Representatives Wednesday, November 14 US Varsity winter sports begin

Reminder: 5:30 p.m. late bus schedule begins Monday, November 26.

Admissions representatives from various art schools and colleges will be visiting art classes to talk about portfolio development and the importance a portfolio to illustrate student interest/diversity in the college admissions process.

ARTS NEWS...cont. from pg 8

The College-bound Artists

Monday, November 26 US JV sports begin

9-15, Berwick’s students in the Lower School, grade five, and Upper School art students spent time with Somersworth artist Shiao-Ping Wang learning about Chinese calligraphy, painting, and the Chinese culture.

Shiao-Ping has been exhibiting her work at the state, national, and international level for 20 years. ShiaoPing stated, “Chinese characters are used as a jumping board to show how meaning and picturing are interconnected in the language.”

Berwick’s artists will practice drawing Chinese characters and symbols and encouraged to integrate the new characters into their art in a variety of media, enhancing the work with deeper symbolic meaning related to their visual imagery. Student work in response to the residency and their workshops will be on exhibit in the art center’s lobby/gallery.

An exhibit by Shiao-Ping Wang is currently on display in the Jackson Library Gallery from October 9 through the first week in November.

There will be a reception for the artist on Thursday, October 25, from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. for interested students, faculty, parents, and friends of the artist to view her work and speak with

Visual and performing arts students in grades eight through eleven who are interested in learning more about fine arts course selections, expectations and recommendations in order to prepare for college level work in visual art, music, dance, and theater should plan to attend The College-bound Artists event on Monday, October 29, at 6:00 p.m.. in the Jeppesen Science Center. This hour-long event will be held prior to the Grade 9/10 College Night and is for parents and students.

must submit a recommendation for audition form signed by their performing arts instructor by Friday, November 30 to sign up for a fiveminute audition time slot. Students will be informed of their assigned audition time in early December. Auditioning before a jury is a competitive process, therefore, performing arts students are encouraged to prepare early and thoroughly for the Winterfest audition days in December. Because of the numerous students auditioning, each student may audition only once, either as a solo performer OR as part of a group. If selected, each student may perform ONLY as accepted by audition. Everyone must decide exactly what they will be performing prior to the audition. Please note that Winterfest 2013 will take place on Friday, February 1, at 7:00 p.m. with a snow date planned for Sunday, February 3, at 3:00 p.m. Any student interested in signing up for an audition should check with parents and coaches to determine if they have any conflict with the performance date or the snow date. Please contact Deloris White dewhite@berwickacademy.org if you have any questions regarding this process.

Winterfest The Winterfest auditions have been scheduled earlier this year so it is not too early to begin thinking about Winterfest 2013. The auditions will take place the week prior to our winter holiday break (December 18 and 20). We continue to look upon the auditions as an educational experience.

Last year, 76 individual performers or groups auditioned. The final selection of 22 performers was very difficult.

Winterfest 2013 will represent our “One School” philosophy. Therefore, Berwick students in kindergarten through grade twelve who excel in their performing arts concentration 1791 Letter ~ October 2012

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Cindy Briggs - Assistant Head of School

We l l n e s s N e w s Where did the summer go? This is the question I continue to hear from colleagues, parents and many students, as we transition back to the structure of the school day. While I love hearing the stories of the children’s summer adventures, I am even more gratified at their excitement about returning to school. Seeing familiar faces, making new friends, greeting new teachers, and acclimating to new classrooms are adventures that our students seem eager to embark upon.

Over the summer, my colleagues and I had the opportunity to engage in readings and discussions, attend workshops, and hear an inspiring presentation given by Dr. Sugata Mitra, all with a focus on creativity and innovation. As we collectively investigated and brainstormed new and exciting ways to prepare our students to be academically and socially successful, I was inspired at our sense of community and dedication to the optimal education of our students.

As we strive to develop and nurture our students’ creativity and specific strengths, I am especially excited about the expansion of the Social Thinking Program implemented last year, as part of the Wellness component at Berwick Academy. In the Lower School, we have fully adopted the Responsive Classroom model, as morning meetings, greetings, and messages set the tone for the students’ day. Additionally, we have added another component entitled “Stop and Think,” which is part of the Project Achieve series of structured, research12

based social emotional learning programs. This curriculum has been endorsed by the Collaborative for Academic Social Emotional Learning (CASEL), and works effectively in conjunction with the Responsive Classroom model. “Stop and Think” has also been implemented in the 5th, 6th and 7th Grades, where I teach the 5th Grade and Holly Bennett and Jennifer Hill teach 6th and 7th respectively.

In all grades, students are initially taught the basic rules around listening, following directions, and asking for help. As these are internalized, lessons progressively focus on the application of these rules in more complex situations, including how to walk away from an argument, handle peer pressure, or deal with teasing.

These are taught and role-played in developmentally appropriate ways and are specific to student situations.

But the most important aspect of this model is the generalization of these skills to other environments both in and out of school (e.g., at home, during sports events, and in the community).

The Stop and Think model is metacognitive, in that it encourages students to think about the choices they make throughout the day, as well as the consequences of their choices.

After considering alternatives, they are encouraged to make the best choice and then reinforce themselves for doing so. A designated “Stop and Think” area is also available to students who may need to reconsider a choice or behavior which is unproductive.

Students often appreciate the opportunity to reflect with the option 1791 Letter ~ October 2012

to rejoin when ready. This can be applied not only to behavior choices, but often when a student needs a separate space to work through an academic assignment quietly, such as a writing or math assignment. This gives the student the opportunity to take responsibility for decisions made, as well as the opportunity to reflect in an environment that is nurturing and comfortable.

I hope that this program will augment the whole child approach we foster, as our students progress through the school year. They have many challenges ahead and we have the unique responsibility and privilege of assuring them a safe and joyful place to learn. I believe that this program is highly consistent with our mission statement and the core values of balance, stretching through engagement, commitment to integrity, and a community of excellence. As the year progresses, I will welcome input from colleagues and parents as consultants to make “Stop and Think” and the “Responsive Classroom” approaches as meaningful and successful as envisioned.

Marguerite Genest, Ed.D. Lower School Academic Support Coordinator and Counselor

Alice Lynch ‘88 - School Archivist

Archives News FOOTBALL For many people fall is synonymous with the great American game of football. Football was part of Berwick Academy’s culture for nearly 100 years. In 1893, Berwick Academy fielded its initial football team. It was the first school in Maine to have such a team on the schoolboy level, so the squad played against Lowell Textile Institute, Portsmouth High School, and the New Hampshire Agricultural College at Durham, now UNH. This team played during the golden era of the ‘flying wedge,’ as the introduction of the forward pass was not until after 1900.

In 1925, the student written paper, The Hilltop Breeze, reported “the real football fans will appreciate the improvements made on the field this fall. The gridiron had been moved about ten yards back and the field roped off. One section of the Bleachershas been placed mid-field on each side. Numbers have been placed to each ten yard line.” The article also says “each class president is trying to sell tickets.

Buy one and help Berwick Academy football. Most people want the school to have a team but do not realize it costs money to support and equip a team.” The financial burden of supporting a football program would continue to challenge the Academy for years to come.

During the first half of the twentieth century Berwick’s football players were known as The Hilltoppers. In 1944, BA alumnus Freddie Catalfo, returned to the hilltop to coach a small squad of boys averaging 146 pounds. On November 19, 1944, The Portland Sunday Telegram reported “unbeaten, untied, and scored-upon-but-once Berwick Academy has closed its season with seven victories in the institution’s most successful gridiron campaign in 35 years.” On display in the archives is one of the football jerseys worn by a member of this winning team. The jersey was donated by Tom Gordon, who scored the fifth touchdown against Eliot High by running 43 yards to score.

The Hilltoppers went undefeated in 1955 and 1956 to win two class “F” championships in a row. The program then gained further momentum when Berwick Academy entered its Boarding School Era. By the early 1960’s the School had a varsity and a junior varsity football team. The 1965 yearbook reads, “for the second year in a row, Berwick’s Varsity Football Team, under the direction of Mr. Paul, won the trophy of the Lakes Region Preparatory School League.” Each member of the outstanding team was presented with a dark navy wool jacket. Please stop by the archive room on the second floor of the Jackson Library to see one of the 1963 Lakes Region Football Champs jackets.

Coach Staples was named Berwick Academy’s head coach in the summer of 1973. He successfully led the 1974 team to an undefeated season and in the archives you can see a ceramic trophy honoring this event. Around this time, Berwick Academy was phasing out the boarding and post-graduate students. Soccer was also increasing in popularity and ultimately there were fewer players interested in football. In 1979, Coach Staples brought “six-man football, a sport which hadn’t been played in Maine since before World War II” to BA and “the experiment proved a big success.”

That year the small team won all four of its games.

1791 Letter ~ October 2012

Football practice on Fogg field, 1961 continued on pg 14...

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ARCHIVES NEWS...cont. from pg 13

However, the success was short-lived as the football program came to an end after the fall of 1981. Trustees’ minutes from 1981 and 1982 reveal that the Long Range Committee was raising several questions. One was “Should we consider reducing the number of varsity and junior varsity athletic sports?”

Further investigation reveals that the football program continued to be the most expensive athletic program, yet had the fewest number of players and the shortest game schedule. Although football came to an end at Berwick Academy, it continues to be a game that many families faithfully watch during the fall season.

FAN, FOLLOW CONNECT! Berwick Academy is on Facebook!

Become a fan to see daily updates, photos, videos, and more. www.facebook.com/ berwickacademy

Berwick Academy is using Twitter! Create a profile and choose to “follow” Berwick Academy. Opt to receive updates via phone and you will receive a text message every time we post something new! www.twitter.com/ berwickacademy

Connect, reconnect, and engage with Berwick Academy alumni, parents, and friends. www.linkedin.com Search for Berwick Academy under Groups

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1791 Letter ~ October 2012

LOWER SCHOOL UNIFIED ARTS GLOBAL STUDIES DAY!

1791 Letter ~ October 2012

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Jedd Whitlock - Director of Advancement

Alumni and Development News Dear Berwick Community, October has been an exciting month!

The Annual Fund has officially kicked off, and we are fortunate to have so many dedicated Annual Fund volunteers raising awareness about the importance of participating in the Annual Fund. I want to thank all of our current and past parents who have volunteered to be a part of the 2012 – 2013 Annual Fund team!

They are: Annual Fund Chair Holly Malloy, Trustee Division Leaders Sue Downey, US Leader Lisa Anderson, MS Leader Laura Smith, LS Leader Callers Ann Reis Nina Felvinci Molly Samson Laurie Potter Elaine Hayden Deanna Grammenos Adriana Cunha-Solomon Nina Maurer Jennifer Wiggin Jim Lawson Linda Plaza Betsy Coughlan Susan Noerdlinger, Trustee Lucas Merrow Janet Stevens EJ Hetz, Trustee

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Katherine Kaplan Bernadette Randle Dee Whall Jamie James Jenni Franco Leadership Chair EJ Hetz, Trustee Leadership Committee Jamie James Holly Malloy, Trustee Mark Tay, Board President Alex Auty, Trustee Jedd Whitlock Kathryn Strand Jenni Franco

Parents will be receiving Annual Fund appeal letters in the coming week. Annual Fund volunteers will be contacting parents from October 26 to December 2, to ask them to participate in this year’s effort. This year’s Annual Fund goal is $750,000 and 85% participation. I hope to keep the momentum going, and with your support, I know we can reach these critical goals.

The Annual Fund is Berwick’s number one fundraising priority. To learn more about the Annual Fund and how it directly impacts our most important resources - exceptional teachers, talented students, and a campus well-equipped for learning - please visit www.berwickacademy. org/annualfund.

1791 Letter ~ October 2012

I want to again extend my sincere gratitude to all of our Annual Fund volunteers for your time and effort on behalf of Berwick Academy, and thank you in advance to the entire Berwick community for considering participating in the 2012 – 2013 Annual Fund campaign. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or feel free to stop by the 1791 House when you are on campus.

Best, Jedd U. Whitlock Director of Advancement jwhitlock@berwickacademy.org Direct: 207 384 6304