Canterbury Communique October 2014

Canterbury Communiqué A monthly online newsletter for the friends of Canterbury School

October 2014

Canterbury Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Founders’ Day

Canterbury School kicked off its year-long 50th anniversary celebration on Thursday, October 9, with Founders’ Day. Current and former parents, faculty and staff, as well as trustees, alumni and students joined in on the festivities as Head of School Tony Paulus welcomed everyone in celebrating the momentous occasion. The speakers of the day included Tony Paulus; Canterbury History Project coordinator Marnie Paulus; and Canterbury alumna Lea Pascotto.

“Welcome to all of you who have meant so much to Canterbury School…From day one, my focus has been on strengthening the 3 A’s: academics, athletics and the arts and extracurricular activities…As we look to the future, Canterbury School is well-positioned for the next 50 years,” he said.

Paulus’ wife, Marnie, spoke about the numerous interviews performed with those close to Canterbury.

From faculty to alumni, Mrs. Paulus has worked with various members of the Canterbury community to compile stories for what will become a full-length e-book, which is planned for release at the end of the 2014-15 school year.

Closing the morning presentation with an exciting and spirited “GO COUGARS,” was alumna and Canterbury School Alumni Association board president Lea Pascotto.

Graduating from Canterbury in 1995, Pascotto remains an integral part of the Canterbury community.

“I am proud to say I am a Canterbury Lifer through and through. Even from a young age, our teachers were our mentors. We learned perseverance and I gained great confidence because of the teachers here at Canterbury,” she said.

Attendees enjoyed tours of the school before witnessing a special ceremony at Harper Field. Four seniors from the class of 2015 participated in the burial of Canterbury’s 2014 time capsule. Filled with various items including a current About Canterbury magazine, a newspaper, Time magazine, letters from the Lower School students, a flash drive, House t-shirts and Canterbury memorabilia, the time capsule will remain sealed until Canterbury’s 100th anniversary celebration.

The day ended with attendees gathering in the Performing Arts Center, enjoying lunch and reminiscing over old photos and yearbooks. Laughter and comments could be heard from those who spent many years at Canterbury, each with a gleaming smile.

Head’s Up Whether it is in our own lives, marriages or in a school’s life, 50th anniversaries are a very big deal. On October 9, 2014, Canterbury School celebrated Founders’ Day with a brief gathering in our dining hall, the burying of a time capsule to be opened at our 100th Anniversary, and a special luncheon.

Throughout this school year we will have various 50th Anniversary celebrations culminating with our annual Extravaganza on April 25, 2015.

Though various people have had the best of intentions to write the history of Canterbury School, it is not until its 50th year that this will actually happen. Following six years of intensive research including 125+ interviews, Marnie Paulus’ The Canterbury School History: 1964-2014, will be completed and made available as an e-book by the time of our Extravaganza. Our history will tell stories of our past successes providing a firm foundation upon which to build our future, and it will also provide us with some examples of past mistakes that we can learn from so as not to repeat them.

For this article, I was asked to comment on where I believe Canterbury School is headed, which is a bittersweet question. I am looking forward to my/our next “chapter,” retirement, but I do so as the pace of educating our children and students is accelerating, becoming increasingly complex and thus more and more interesting. Technology and an increasingly global world have had a lot to do with this. So, too, has the depth of quality of teaching and learning. Based on the tenets of our Mission, academic excellence, character, leadership and service, our students possess integrity and a drive for excellence as they enter the world. At some point in the not-too-distant future, we will name a new Head of School, Canterbury’s 14th, and I look forward to handing off the baton to my successor, who, it is my fervent hope will remain for many years to come.

Canterbury in Pictures

This month’s photo gallery features pictures from our Founders’ Day event!

To submit your photos, please send them to socialmedia@canterburyfortmyers.org.

Alumni Spotlight: Christopher Dudley ‘89 Christopher Dudley ’89 currently works as a managing partner with Southern Strategy Group and lives in Tallahassee, FL with his wife, Susanne, and their two sons.

Tell us a favorite story that, in your opinion, captures an essential ingredient of the school.

I will always remember amazing teachers like Mrs. Blue, Mrs. Gluhm, Mrs. Hatcher, Señora Tolp, Mr. McMurrin, Ms. Bacon, Mrs. Glass and Coach Peters. They were amazing professionals who cared about the students both inside and outside the classroom. Each one has a special place in my heart and has taught me lessons that are with me every day.

In your opinion, who or what is at the heart of Canterbury School?

Canterbury is all about great kids who feel it is a privilege to attend this school, dedicated and talented profesional educators who push for excellence, and amazing parents who dedicate their time, passion and energy to the school to make it a little bit better than it was the year before.

In the context of the history of the school, how do you assess your impact on the school? What has brought you the greatest joy and what has been your greatest challenge?

I think what sets Canterbury apart is the fact that every student leaves their mark in some small way. The greatest joy for me was learning from Betsy Glass the importance of public speaking and prepared debate.

The greatest challenge is living far enough away that I miss how the school has grown.

Why did you choose to study at Canterbury School?

My brother and I never wanted to attend another school. Canterbury was our family and today, I think we both instill those values of education and excellence in our children.

What unique approaches to the learning process did Canterbury provide to you as a student? What projects, teams and clubs on campus gave you the opportunity to explore uncharted waters?

For me, it was the ability to be engaged in so many activities within the school. From being able to play so many different varsity-level sports, to being captain of the debate team, Canterbury offered such an amazing array of opportunities to grow personally and academically.

Describe what you think Canterbury School will look like in 2064, the centennial year.

I think Canterbury will continue to be one of the premier college prep schools in the state and country. Canterbury has shown that it can adapt its teachings, technologies and focus to truly prepare students for an ever-changing economic world.

Why I Teach... Mrs. Debbie Blue Teaching Background I fully intended to become a medical technologist when I graduated from college. My first summer break, I was home early and news of that got around quickly.

I was asked to substitute in a third grade classroom.

All I remember at this point is how quickly I fell in love with the children and totally loved being the teacher. I relocated to Florida Atlantic and graduated in March ’71 with a Bachelor of Arts in education. In the meantime, I learned about Canterbury from my dentist’s receptionist, who was close friends of Señora Tolp. I called the number I was given and got an interview right away. While I had been very excited and eager to answer their questions, I left Canterbury telling my sister that is the perfect place for me. I received a call from Don Bartels, the Headmaster of Canterbury, telling me that I was just the person they were looking for and they would like for me to teach kindergarten.

Of course, I said I’d love to, but that was only half-day kindergarten. In the afternoons, I taught first grade math and third grade science. So, my amazing Canterbury journey began.

Why I Teach I love children. I love their laughter, their inquisitive minds and their love of life. It fuels my soul to watch these young ones give their all as they get to know the world around them. Being with four and five year olds for so many years has truly been a blessing. There’s no better way to look at life than through a child’s eyes!

If only we could keep this innocent, positive outlook on life. I think the world would be a better place. All I need is a few minutes with the children and it’s as if they’re the sunny start to a new day. Their happiness is contagious.

Uniqueness of Canterbury I love the comradery of the teachers at Canterbury.

I am still learning from the expert faculty I have the privilege to be a part of. Being able to come in and see a classroom filled with four and five year old children excites me most. I can feel their excitement. It’s a real joy to help guide these four and five year olds in their first steps toward the great learning journey.

Outside of the Classroom Outside the classroom, I enjoy nature! I love sunrise and sunset walks on the beach. I enjoy gardening and dabbling in crafts and photography. These experiences are even more exciting because I am fortunate to be with my family and friends.

How has Canterbury Changed over the Years?

So much about Canterbury has changed in 40 years.

What was one cross-shaped building has grown to four separate buildings. I remember all the teachers helped paint the gym. The PAC was so needed and meets all of those needs by being a top-notch place for grades Pre-K through 12 to perform and to hold special events. Back in the day, our place to perform was in the present day Lower School art room. Going through Canterbury’s growing pains over the years gives me such pride in our state of the art classrooms and technology. It may have taken years to achieve but we are now reaping the benefits of dreams we had at one time.

Character of Canterbury As far as Canterbury’s character, I believe it’s nicely summarized in our mission statement. Those that are carrying out the school’s mission are the students, parents, teachers and our administration. Canterbury has spirit and our academic excellence is demonstrated in the various awards that our students have earned for Canterbury. Our athletes have also put Canterbury on the map many times over the years. I’ve always been proud to say that I teach at Canterbury School.

1964 vs. 2014 In 1964…

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Average cost of a new car: $3,500 Movie tickets: $1.25 World population: 3.276 billion Average cost of gasoline: $.30/gallon The Beatles make their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show and Beatlemania sweeps through the U.S. Tom Jones wins Best Picture at the Oscars The first Ford Mustang is manufactured Color TV makes its debut at New York World’s Fair The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. receives the Nobel Peace Prize Muhammad Ali beat Sonny Liston for World Heavyweight Championship St. Louis Cardinals win World Series

In 2014…

• • • • • • • • • •

Average cost of a new car: more than $32,000 Movie tickets: an estimated $7.96 World population: more than 7 billion Average cost of gasoline: $3.10/gallon 12 Years a Slave wins Best Picture at the Oscars The trend of the year is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Apple launches iPhone 6 The XXII Olympic Winter Games are held in Sochi, Russia The Northern American polar vortex hits the U.S. Seattle Seahawks win the Super Bowl

Did you Know?

In celebration of Canterbury’s 50th anniversary, each month, Canterbury Communiqué will feature a “Did you Know?” section, providing an interesting, historical fact about the school.

Did you Know? In 1970, Canterbury opened its doors on sparsely populated College Parkway – land donated by the John O. Zipperer family. The building cost $350,000 and had 17 carpeted and air conditioned rooms.

Today, Canterbury provides nearly 80 classrooms for students.

Why I Give to the Canterbury Fund This month, members of Canterbury’s Alumni Board offered their insight as to why they give to the Canterbury Fund.

“I give to the Canterbury Fund because of what Canterbury gave to ME. It gave me a great start to my life in America.” – Elaine Sherer ‘88 “I give so that others can have the same opportunities that I was given.” – Janet Wilson ‘86 “I give to the Canterbury Fund so people can have the friendships, leadership skills and education that Canterbury gave to me.” – Kara Sweet ‘99 “It’s important to give to the Canterbury Fund because of what Canterbury provided to me which was friendships and relationships that last forever.” – Thomas Quigley ‘13 “I look forward to giving to the Canterbury Fund because of the second home Canterbury has given to me.” – Darby P. ‘15 “I give as a thank you for the opportunities and memories the school gave to me.” – Rebecca French ‘13 “I give to the Canterbury Fund because Canterbury is my community.” – Lea Pascotto ‘95 Want to make a difference in your child’s education? You can with a donation to the Canterbury Fund! Every gift turns possibilities into realities, so donate to the Canterbury Fund today!

Stay Connected As students, parents, faculty, staff and alumni, we know it is important for you to stay connected to Canterbury. From class projects to sporting events, to science experiments and theater plays, our students are always on the move and you want to know about it! Whether you “Like” us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, watch us on Instagram or connect with us on LinkedIn, we’ve got you covered when it comes to Canterbury news, contests, events and much more!

Upcoming Events Fall Play – November 7 and 8 Lights, camera, action! You’re invited to attend Canterbury’s Fall Play on Friday, November 7 and Saturday, November 8. There will be two showings on Saturday.

When: Friday, November 7 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, November 8 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Where: Performing Arts Center (PAC) Dads’ Club Car Clinic – November 8 The Dads’ Club will host a car clinic at Val Ward Cadillac on Saturday, November 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Please RSVP your attendance by Tuesday, November 4 to Trae Zipperer at tzipperer@comcast.net or Richard Stensrud at rstensrud61@comcast.net.

When: Saturday, November 8 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Where: Val Ward Cadillac RSVP: Tuesday, November 4 Admission Open House – November 10 Invite your friends and neighbors to get to know Canterbury at our Admission Open House. RSVP to the Admission Office at (239) 415-8945 or online at www.canterburyfortmyers.org.

When: Monday, November 10 at 9:30 a.m.

Where: Lower School Main Office Fall Sports Recognition Night – November 12 Join us as we honor our extraordinary Canterbury athletes at this special event!

When: Wednesday, November 12 from 7-9 p.m.

Where: Performing Arts Center (PAC) Carnival – November 14 It will be an evening full of excitement as parents, students, alumni, faculty, staff and trustees come together for a night of fun! There will be games and prizes!

When: Friday, November 14 at 6 p.m.

Where: Canterbury School Alumni Reunion – December 19 Join us as we invite alumni of all ages to come together and celebrate all things Canterbury! This year’s reunion will be held at Cru in Bell Tower Shops. To RSVP, please email alumni@canterburyfortmyers.org.

When: Friday, December 19 from 6-9 p.m.

Where: Cru in Bell Tower Shops