September 2019
DONOR
DIGEST
As we embark on the JOURNEY of a new school year, we want to show you some of the ways that your annual giving has already made a difference at KCD!
Campus Improvements:
Larger Student Support Spaces
While students were out this summer, our maintenance crew was busy improving the spaces for school nurse Jill Owen and lower school counselor Julie Smith. Both of the previous rooms were small and lacked a waiting space, which meant that students sometimes had to wait in the hallway to be seen. Thanks to your annual fund donations, the school was able to reconfigure both offices to create a shared private waiting room. In addition, Ms. Smith’s room more than doubled in size, giving students more room to play and move around. Your donation has already made these spaces even more welcoming this year. Thank you!
Professional Development:
Teachers for Teachers Award
Lower school Spanish teacher Lindsay Jennings received a Teachers for Teachers Award this summer to practice her conversational Spanish skills at Pura Buena Onda School in San Diego, California. Annual giving from one KCD teacher funds the Teachers for Teachers Awards. Señora Jennings worked with different teachers each day to enhance her conversational Spanish. The immersion program enabled her to speak with adult native speakers (something she isn’t able to do often in a lower school setting). Señora Jennings also formed lasting relationships there; she is planning to Skype with her teacher, Adri, to continue practicing throughout the year!
Athletics:
Michael Field Updates
Although several of our athletic spaces received updates this summer, Michael Field -- home to the varsity soccer and lacrosse teams -- underwent some particularly exciting changes. Generous donors supplied the funds needed to add irrigated Bermuda grass to the field and to install new goals. Donations from a private donor and the Booster Club also funded the construction of new bleachers, doubling the seating capacity for fans. The newly improved Michael Field is an impressive reflection of our commitment to athletic success.
Fine Arts:
Georgia Coats '20 Studies Feminist Art in NYC
Senior Georgia Coats received a Fine Arts Guild grant to study feminist art in New York City as part of the Barnard College Summer in the City Program. During the week-long residential program, Georgia explored the intersections of race, class, sex, gender, and history in NYC’s feminist arts scene. Georgia’s studies culminated in two capstone assignments: a paper she wrote on the differences between intersectionality and inclusion in feminist art and a zine on the concept of the glass ceiling. These hands-on experiences make a profound impact on our students and are all thanks to your donations!
"I had an amazing time....I went everywhere from the Brooklyn Art Museum, which houses The Dinner Table (one of the holy grails of feminist art), to the famous Apollo Theater, where stars throughout the ages have performed and left their mark. My class also managed to get lost on the subway, which I can definitely say is a one-of-a-kind New York experience!”
Professional Development:
Summer Grants Enable Collaborative Curriculum
"“We’re trying to get students to think outside of ‘here’s my math; here’s my Spanish; here’s my English’ and to see that these things actually overlap in
AP statistics teacher Rachel Mansilla and AP Spanish V teacher Graciela Ensenat received a summer grant to design an interdisciplinary project for their classes. Both teachers were excited about collaborating but found it difficult to plan something during the school year because of their busy teaching schedules. These grants, which are supported by the One Fund, compensate teachers for their work redesigning curriculum during the summer months. Summer grants are one of the many ways our faculty are encouraged to pursue their passions at KCD!
the real world.” -Ms. Mansilla
Supporting the Journey:
100% of our Faculty Participated in the One Fund Our alumni cite relationships with faculty (including teachers, support staff, administrators, and coaches) as the most enduring legacy of their KCD journey. Our faculty have already demonstrated their commitment to our students by achieving 100% participation in the 2019-2020 One Fund! We celebrated with coffee from Blackbeard Espresso Truck last Friday! We’re so thankful for our faculty's devotion to KCD. You'll have an opportunity to join them in supporting KCD during our parent and alumni One Fund campaigns. Stay tuned for more information about our parent campaign which begins on October 20th!