Bay School Spring Newsletter 2017
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Thank you to families, friends and alumni who have committed to our monthly giving program: Lynn Boulger & Tim Garrity John Burns & Nancy White Mary Pat Champeau & George Russell Vesta Davis ‘06 Marcia & John Diamond Bill & Jenny Gray Betsy & Steve Lieser Holly & Matthew Murphy Jennifer Lapham & Paul Sacaridiz Evan Landon ‘11
Dear friends, Our 2016-2017 school year feels like it just started, and yet it is winding down in just a few short weeks. My first year as Director has been an amazing experience, one for which I am so grateful. I sincerely appreciate all directors, teachers and staff members past and present who have shaped our wonderful program’s structure and have made the Bay School experience so positive and rewarding for our students and their families. I love this job. My day starts every morning outside as I stand and greet the students coming into the building. I wish I had written down many of my conversations with students! Just this past week one told me about the fun she and a friend had exploring on the beach the previous day. Another student shared her excitement about acting in a local play. One boy told me about the different types of birds he had seen prior to school on an early morning bird-watching adventure two children explained their evening adventure of helping dozens of salamanders safely cross the road to reach a vernal pool! In my three decades as an educator, that was the first time I’d heard about the navigation challenges of salamanders! Along with great stories to start each day, I love the depth of our Main Lesson block. Whether the title of the block is the Renaissance, Physics, Norse Mythology, Geometry, Creative Writing, among many others, the students fully engage with the subject through an integrated approach. Our class teachers amaze me not only with their knowledge of their subject, but also with the way they draw students into the learning. I also listen to students recite beautiful poetry and verse. I watch them create main lesson pages that reflect their learning. I hear joyful singing throughout the day and observe and admire students’ sewing, knitting, pottery and metalsmithing projects. I smile and enjoy the vigor with which they enjoy the outdoors during games, agricultural arts and recess. Our curriculum is so rich and our children are flourishing; it warms my heart. After my morning conversations with students, I usually say, “Have a great day!” Recently one 2nd grader delightfully responded by saying, “I think pretty much every day is a great day at the Bay School!” I agree! Best, Marcia Diamond
Shakespeare Delivered By Scott Springer
There came a moment, among many: six of the twenty-one young actors were on stage, the figures of Lysander and Demetrius had declared their love and rivalry for the powerful Helena (who would have none of it), the Faerie figures Oberon and Robin Goodfellow pulled and provoked the youth as physical manifestations of fantastical confusion, and Hermia, the figure Shakespeare gives as the clear-eyed one, challenges all this dramatic swirl, and demands clarity and truth.
The audience, who had been exclaiming, condemning, moaning at the action, in hearing the line describing Hermia, “Though she be but little, she is fierce!” erupted into a standing ovation. The young actors held a dramatic tableau, and continued their work. How is it possible for 12, 13 and 14 year olds to deliver, with confidence and passion, such difficult work as Shakespeare? And do it in a way that lets the story itself be heard and experienced rather than the possible wincing appreciation for their middle school hard work— a that allowed an audience a moment of catharsis? This January, for three and a half weeks, the 7th and 8th Graders set off on a main lesson of adventure and exploration, as well as a joyous embodiment. Ours, this year, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, only slightly edited. The sacred value of theater is that it is an artifice and a romance with reality that seeks to enter and make visible human nature. The Play is a Mirror. Like the Rustic actors stumbling from city to forest, we were hard at work memorizing, understanding, and seeking to clarify our characters. Like the Faeries in their wooded realm, we actively dove into dreams, but also desires. Like the city-bound, noble lovers of Athens, we wrestled with rules, traditions and perception altering experiences, and we sought to penetrate the heart of true love.
The pedagogical value of theater is deeply rooted in the curriculum of the school.
Every class, every day, works with speech and verse, poetry and song. As teachers, we do our best to immerse the students in the clear, articulate sound of words, and language that is expressive and rich. Every class, every day, is brought a lesson in the morning that contains a story. Our curriculum emerges out of a told story. Every class, every year, has a drama block. The choice of play grows out of the teacher’s sense for what a story might do for the class as a social whole, and what is happening in the developmental arc of the main lesson curriculum. The doing of a play for Main Lesson offers so many opportunities for speech work, movement, ensemble work, singing, group challenge, and individual development. In the younger grades, there is an emphasis on choral work, the movement and flow of the whole. As the students get older, more individual parts emerge; individual voices gather in strength and dynamic; and the community can begin to see each student uniquely courageous and striving for identity. The homeopathic value of theater is that we can use it to allow students to ‘try on’ some new hats. A shy child might be given a bold, outgoing part; or a boisterous, choleric student given a sensitive, compassionate role. Or a child might take on a part that utilizes a particular character trait to the extreme. Characterization becomes a way to help strengthen character. And perhaps most importantly, the communal value of theater is that each class has a chance to offer something to our community through our own effort to embody a story that may be entertaining, thought provoking, and a glimpse toward human nature.
Like baking Kindergarten bread, or completing animal reports, or throwing the javelin in the Olympiad, or emerging from the woods for a final May Fest dance, performing Shakespeare is a Bay School right-of-passage. When first given the play and their parts, the ensemble of 7th and 8th graders dive with uncertain excitement into it. Everything is unknown and strange like walking into a dense wood in moonlight. As memorized lines become more organic, something begins to transform. The language itself becomes clearer; we go over word meaning and situational meaning. We work to connect the drama with our own life moments. And it works every time. It is a touchstone moment that each young child knows is coming their way... eventually. As the first graders watch their eighth grade partners perform, I can clearly see admiration in their eyes. Can they yet imagine that one day they will be able to stand with such confidence and ease, speaking language both dense and expressive? Possibly they will be helped by the knowledge that it has been done. And done well. Oh, and we had a rousing good time. We hoped to have pointed a finger toward the Moon, and that the audience turned, for themselves, to look at her shining Light.
Mano en Mano
in Downeast Maine By Bethany Woods, 2nd Grade Teacher
Drive just fifty miles east of Blue Hill on Rt. 1 and you’ll enter Washington County, a swath of rural coastal land at the most northeastern point of the United States that stretches up to the Canadian border. Travel a few more miles inland, and you’ll encounter thousands of acres of wild blueberry lands and barrens that come alive in the height of August during the blueberry harvest. Hundreds of migrant farmworkers from outside of Maine and workers from local towns work four to five weeks raking, harvesting, and staffing factories that run day and night to process all the blueberries. While many farmworkers travel without their families, a large number of migrants still travel to Maine in family units, and move on to other harvests in New England after the blueberry harvest is completed. A number of agencies work together during the blueberry harvest to offer health services, educational support, and legal advice to farmworkers. One of these is Mano en Mano | Hand in Hand, where I was employed the last seven years, a local non-profit in Milbridge that focuses on community development, advocacy, and educational programming with the local Latino farmworker community year-round. As one of its largest summer programs, Mano en Mano has run the Blueberry Harvest School (BHS) on behalf of the Maine Migrant Education Program for four years, and I have had the privilege of teaching the 5-6-year -old group for the past two summers. The BHS has been operating for over 30 years, ever since there was a large influx of migrant workers in Maine’s blueberry harvest in the 1970s. In recent years, the BHS has served around 100 students within the school each summer. The student body is a real cultural mix of largely First Nation students, Latino students, and some Haitian Creole students.
Working with a co-teacher from a Mi’kmaq community in New Brunswick, the three weeks with students flew by. We sang songs and read bilingual stories from First Nation and Latino authors while also bringing in popular seasonal children’s songs in English. Because I was also working on my Waldorf teacher training for parts of the last two summers, I was able to integrate some movement and activities from my training as well. While the curriculum between the summer program and our Waldorf schools is quite different, I found there are always places where activities could cross over. Though the program is short, the children very quickly make imprints on our hearts, and luckily we see many returning students from year to year. While my career has shifted away from non-profit work, staying connected with the Latino and migrant farmworker community is still very important to me. I’m looking forward to another summer session at the BHS this year when August comes and the blueberries are ripe again. If you are interested in learning more about the important work of Mano en Mano, visit their website at http://www.manomaine.org/
Photos Courtesy of Mano en Mano
3rd & 4th Grade Animal Block
On this particular morning when the 3rd and 4th grade class arrive with their projects, the room is full of excitement. As each project is placed on the display tables, we all marvel at the wide array of ideas and animals. The children had been studying animals for several weeks in Main Lesson. They worked on writing poems, descriptions, and reports on specific animals in class, while projects were completed at home. Together we look at every project— some are painted, some modeled, some drawn. Many include animals in their habitat.They were all so well done! After the fun of sharing the projects, we settle in to hear what interesting stories and facts had been gleaned from our studies. Every child stands up before their classmates to read the animal reports in turn. Each child stands tall and speaks clearly. Those who are seated listen with quiet attention, offering their presence as an audience. What is it to stand before others, to share what has been so thoughtfully prepared? And what is it that we offer, when we are present, listening, and receiving this work? There is something powerful that happens when we rise to share what we have done, when we are seen and heard, when what we have to say is valued by a community of listeners. It is always difficult to stand up and present in front of a group, yet our 8th grade students seem to do this with ease, sometimes presenting their projects to 200 people or more. Each year I hear audience members who are astonished by the poise and confidence evident in each student. In each presentation lies a strength that has been nurtured over time. If its thread could be followed backward in time, one might trace its beginning back to this moment in 3rd and 4th grade. Someday these children will stand before their community as 8th graders to present a project. They will stand tall and speak clearly about something they have dedicated time and thought toward. This is where the practice begins. -Kristy Cunnane, 3rd/4th Grade Class Teacher
The success of the projects in the past 25 years has relied on several points. First, the relationship and work with the mentor. Second, the support, ecouragement and drive of parents. Third, the capacities developed, gradually, in each grade of speech, confidence, performance on stage, the careful sustained study of one topic and the value given to collective work. And fourth, the anticipation of their schoolmates. The Eighth Grade is preparing a main lesson feast for us all. They are a gift to the community.
Sylvia Burns Making a Mandolin Mentor: Geoff Neal
My project explores the fine details and delicacies of wood, the physics of how air moves inside an air pump instrument, and the resonance of different vibrations. It also tests patience and hones fine motor skills!
Ezra Bramblett-Williams Exploring Street Art through Murals, Tags, and Graffiti Mentor: Julie Jo Ferhle
I have learned some different tagging styles, which led me to discovering my own tag. I am developing skills and designs for graffiti and murals through sketching, as well as learning different painting techniques. I will also be exploring some of the history behind street art and how it began. I’ll end by completing and presenting one large finished piece along with some smaller work.
Amara Birdsall Art of Farriery
Mentor: Andrew Birdsall
As a third generation farmer on Horsepower Farm, I have always had horses in my life. Knowing the structure of a horse’s hoof, how to properly pull shoes and trim the hooves will further my understanding of how to care for our horses.
Holly Ibarguen Exploring the Medical Profession Mentor: Lucille Poulin
After spending a week in the Dominican Republic on a Medical Mission, I decided that work in the medical field was something I would like to continue. I am shadowing Lucille who works in rehabilitation and end-of-life care units.
Oceanna Gagne Photography & Documentary Mentor: Amelia Forman-Stiles
I am exploring the mediums of film and photography in both a short story about an abandoned house and a short documentary piece on the women’s movement and civil rights.
Theo Lesko Boat Modeling
Mentor: Robert Duhaime
Robert Duhaime, a boat builder from Brooklin Boat Yard, and I, are building a radio controlled model boat.
Ellis Murnik Fly Tying
Mentor: Jeff Scheff
Learning to tie flies has expanded my understanding of fly pattern types and what different flies represent from nature. Through workshops and time with my mentor, I am tying flies and improving my fishing skills. I will also study, draw, and paint the connection between fish and flies.
August Reader Time Lapse Photography Mentor: Jim Picariello
I have been taking pictures over a long period of time and then compiling them together to make a time-lapsed video of a designated area.
Zeke Sacaridiz Vocal Recording, Composition, Arranging Mentor: Meg Chittenden
With my mentor I have been improving my sight reading and working collaboratively on writing, recording, and covering songs.
Siri Smith Jewelry Smith
Mentors: Cara Romano & Nanette Ruppert
I am learning the art of jewelry smithing and how one is to turn this into a business endeavor.
Anna Trowbridge A Study of Illustrative Painting Mentor: Annie Poole
Learning the techniques of painting in gouache has been an interesting challenge. I will then create four themed, in depth, illustrative pieces of art representing the seasons.
Magnolia Rose Vandiver Fire and Ice: A collection of jewelry pieces and techniques. Mentor: Nisa Smiley
Nisa is guiding me in the art of jewelry-making. Pictured is a pierced brooch in sterling silver with complex cut-outs, based on a Japanese design.
Learning to play with each other before learning to play against each other
By Bob Slayton, Games and Movement Teacher
The Bay School has a long history of offering afterschool sports to its students. Organized sports begin in fifth grade with soccer and cross-country and sixth grade for basketball. We hold off on participation in competitive activities and sports for students in the earlier grades as part of a purposeful philosophy. Childhood is the time to be immersed in the world of play and games before encountering the specialized and competitive demands of sports. In the Movement and Games Program, activities and games are chosen to match the children’s developmental needs. The goal for our students is to learn while they play, and, to learn to play with each other before playing against each other. The concept of play is the cornerstone of the program. By middle school, children reach an important threshold between the world of games and the world of sports. In Waldorf schools, this transition from a world permeated by grace, beauty and games to more skill based activities, competition and sports begins with the Olympiad, which is offered to all fifth graders. The Olympiad training provides challenges that emphasize form, freedom and beauty in a context of guided ceremonial competition. By the time the children reach the field or the court and must participate in a competitive way with their opponents, these goals and habits are held within them throughout their future competitive endeavors. Sports provide many physical, social, individual, and group lessons that can be an avenue for creative expression and passion. They offer children opportunities to grow with each challenge and reveal the beauty of striving and the grace in movement. A goal for the sports program at the Bay School is to provide an opportunity for every child to participate while emphasizing fair play and effort. Coaches are charged with guiding and directing the children with care for each player and with providing unconditional positive motivation and encouragement. With that, learning the skills of a sport is a building and honoring of the human being. At the Bay School, it is all about how we play the game, not really whether we win or lose.
Within such a program, our students learn to work hard during practice and games and yet play with a joyful enthusiasm. Competition in this setting provides an opportunity to be challenged and to grow from adversity and opposition. The goal of winning is not to dominate, or overpower, and certainly not to embarrass an opponent, but to strive for personal best. That is what it means to win with grace, and lose with dignity. This is a more fulfilling and meaningful picture of what sports can offer than is often found in the culture of sports in our contemporary society. The emphasis on winning and individual accomplishments and “showmanship� take away so much of what can be revealed and experienced in sports. The strength, beauty and grace we see in the Olympiad shines through as these athletes engage in competitive sports. As such, our sports program supports the mission of the school as our children grow and emerge as full and vibrant individuals. Below: 2016-17 Bay School Basketball League Girls Champions
BAY SCHOOL
1993
ALUMNI
CLASS NOTES
Kate Tomkins ’93, her husband Fred Viennot and their two sons, Olivier and Tom are living on Bainbridge Island, WA. The boys attend the Madrona Waldorf School!
Christine Fletcher ’92 with daughters Hannah and Phoebe
1992 Christine Fletcher I currently juggle working full-time as a family nurse practitioner and along with my husband Rich Nagle, parenting our two kids, Hannah age 3 and Phoebe age 1. We also tend our gardens, orchard and bees in Litchfield, Maine.
Sugar Shack built by Thomas Fletcher ’96
1996 Thomas Fletcher My wife and I have two children and live in Pomfret, CT. where I run a hardwood flooring manufacturing facility. Since buying our house (built in 1790) we have made countless improvements! I have also built a sugar shack (photo opposite page) and have produced maple syrup for five years now. My passion for maple production could be traced back to the “old” Bay school in maybe 2nd Grade (circa 1990?) when we made enough syrup for a pancake breakfast. My wife is a high school science teacher and we also operate a certified organic fruit and vegetable farm with her family. This year we are adding beekeeping to our many hobbies.
Dustin Urban ’98 with his wife and two children
I remember fondly Jane Clifton on recess duty and applying band aids in the office.
Peter Tomkins ’96 and his fiancé Andrea Menezes are to be married this September in San Francisco.
1998
Bags Brokaw was a treasured role model and mentor for me, and I’ll never forget our 7th/8th backpacking trip to Grand Gulch in southern Utah. It was my first introduction to a region that is now near and dear to me. Catherine Razi was the most influential teacher of my childhood years, and I still feel very fortunate to have had her in 4th, 7th and 8th grade. To this day, I know all of the Maine tree species and many of the night constellations thanks to her.
Dustin Urban As I watch my own children beginning their journey in Waldorf education, I have reflected much on my fond Kathie Burnett in handworks, Sarah Stevens’ wonderful memories of the Bay School and the teachers and staff music class, the list goes on, and I have left out many. It who helped make those years so rich. Here are a few was sweet to visit campus recently and see that the spirit memories of those years. lives on and a new generation is being held warmly by the Bay School’s wonderful faculty and staff. I extend my My teacher Judy Chittenden warmly welcomed me to the heartfelt thanks to the Bay School community for helping Bay School midway through second grade, and I can still to make my childhood so sweet. remember my satisfaction in painting a watercolor sunset in our barn classroom at the original campus.
their career goals. I now live with my partner Dave in Easthampton, MA. In May I will graduate from a yearlong Masters of Arts in Teaching program at Smith College, and will hopefully begin my first elementary teaching position in Fall 2017! Many of my experiences at the Bay School have contributed to my desire to pursue teaching, and I’m especially grateful to my fabulous elementary school teachers, Judy Chittenden and Isabel Karl, for the love of learning they helped inspire in me.
2005
2003
Abbey Dunham ’03
Abbey Dunham I’m living in my hometown of Castine, where I work as the Collections Manager at the Wilson Museum. In this role, I care for the artifacts and archives in the Museum’s collection and help plan exhibits and related programs. I’ve recently joined the Board of Directors at the Bay School and am so grateful to be reconnecting with the school in this new capacity. It’s wonderful to be going to the festivals and celebrations, meeting up with familiar faces, and seeing all the great work that is done by the students and our community.
Melody Brink ’05 , Scott Springer, and Zeya Lorio ’14 at the Bay School XC meet with Mr. Springer.
Hannah Elliot ’03
Hannah Elliot I have lived in Western Massachusetts since attending Hampshire College, where I have been working in a range of social service organizations for the past several years, including running a free community meal program, and coaching formerly incarcerated youth in
Coral O’Brian ’07
2007 Coral O’Brian I am currently enrolled in a Masters degree program in Heidelberg, Germany where I am studying Medical Anthropology. Specifically, I am enrolled in courses revolving around the fusion of biomedicine and healing systems in South Asia, such as cultural theory and anthropological research methods. I plan to conduct my own research in India next year for my Masters Thesis before graduating in 2018.
2014
Calling all
BAY SCHOOL
ALUMNI We want to hear from you! Send us your news! Recently Married? New Job? New Baby? New Pet? Just returned from an adventure? Memories you would like to share of your time at the Bay School? Please
Apple Lieser Apple is attending High Mountain Institute (HMI) this semester. HMI is an outdoor leadership and sustainability program based in Leaville, Colorado. When they are not in class, 38 students venture out on two week expeditions in the Rocky Mountains and the canyons of Utah. Small World Fun Fact: Apple’s Spanish teacher (Clara, pictured with Apple, above) was Bethany Woods’ (Bay School 2nd Grade Class teacher) intern at Mano en Mano (see article in this issue).
send updates to alumninews@bayschool. org. Send in a picture (or not!) and let us know what you are doing!
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