Volume III; Issue 2
March 2010
The fiinals for the first annual Declamations contest were held on January 25th, 2010. Faisal Al-Husry ‘10 (pictured) took the prize in the English category, where Noor El-Din Amer ‘12 won the Arabic portion.
King’s Academy, Manja - Madaba, Jordan
Board Appoints New Headmaster Dr. John Austin to succeed founding headmaster, Dr. Eric Widmer By ZAID AL-NASSIR, ’10 STAFF WRITER
COURTESY OF MS. VERA AZAR
Military No Longer Required for Graduates Military service exemption implemented at King’s Academy By RAFAT NESHEIWAT ’13 STAFF WRITER
Zaid Al-Nassir ’10 was uncertain about what to do after high school as he knew that he had to enroll in military service, and did not know what to do about it. In Jordan, it is mandatory to serve 6 months or more in the military after graduation. However, King’s Academy has recently implemented a Military Exemption Policy in the month of February, 2010, for graduating seniors, allowing them to go to university directly after high school. Normally students are not excused from this service under any circumstances. However, military service is not required for a few people with special cases, such as children, people with mental or physical difficulties, or American passport carriers. It can also be exempted for a temporary period through an application process. As a Jordanian citizen in any high school, being excused from military ser-
vice is only permitted when the person proves that he is a student and cannot participate in military service for a period of time, he is then granted a temporary exemption, so that he can resume his studies. In the United States, however, students can choose to serve in the military then go to college and vice versa. It is completely optional, and not a requirement on any basis. The government also offers programs to provide students with money for future education if they consider going through military service. There are also different branches of military service (ROTC, for example) that come along with different outcomes, service styles, and advantages. One’s race, gender, or bloodline doesn’t affect what military services he or she can participate in. When graduating from a high school in the States, one may choose the type of military service to enroll in, or not enroll at all. This is true for most schools in the states and in other regions too, such as Canada, Europe, and Russia.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Students Host Coffee House Fundraiser for Haiti by Rafat Nesheiwat ‘13
According to the students who participated and attended on February 15th at the “Coffee House Night”, organized by seniors Nairuz Ajlouni ‘10, Zaid Al-Nassir ’10 and Fadi Hamati ’10, the event was an outstanding event. More than 200 members of the faculty and student body attended the event to watch acts that
ranged from acting to singing and dancing. This was the second event of its type to be organized by the same Senior trio. “We believe that this event makes a community such as ours smaller and brings its members together, and we are planning on selecting 3 juniors this term to carry on this event as a legacy” said Zaid AlNassir ’10. The event made 1030 JDS by selling donuts and drinks, and all profits went to the Haiti Relief Drive.
On February 3rd, 2010, King’s Academy Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr. Safwan Al-Masri announced the appointment of Dr. John P. N. Austin of St. Andrew’s School in Delaware, USA, as the school’s headmaster, replacing Dr. Eric Widmer who will step down at the end of this school year. Dr. Austin, who has traveled in and is familiar with the Middle Eastern region, currently resides in Middletown, Delaware, where he is the Academic Dean at St. Andrew’s, his alma mater. In addition, he teaches history and coaches the varsity soccer team. Having received his education at prestigious institutions such as St. Andrews school, Williams College, Middlebury College, Exeter College of Oxford University and Columbia University, Dr. Austin is extensively experienced in secondary education management and has been teaching for about two decades. He has also been a dorm parent and a coach since 1987. During his high-school years at St. Andrew’s, he captained the varsity soccer team and was the leading scorer in the 1981 State Champion team. Dr. Austin will be living at King’s Academy with his wife, Ms. Monica Matouk, who is from Lebanon and has taught at St. Andrew’s. The Austins have three children, Isabel [10], Alexander [7] and Maia [5]. The search for Dr. Eric’s successor began six months ago with the formation of a search committee, tasked with the job of electing a worthy candidate from a worldwide pool. The committee’s job was to sift through nominees and select a single person to become King’s Academy’s next headmaster. This committee was chaired by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr. Safwan Al-Masri and included faculty and staff such as, Ms. Vera Azar, Ms. Sheena Nabholz and Mr. Mark Payton. The committee worked intensively to
BY ROBERT BAHOU ‘11
COURTESY OF TONY RINALDO, ST. ANDREW’S SCHOOL
select a future headmaster who would suit King’s Academy and the way it operates, and hired an international search firm to assist in the process. Representatives from the firm, Howe-Lewis International, visited campus to interview faculty, and understand what kind of school King’s Academy is and what type of headmaster it requires. They then provided the school with a list of three finalists that they saw fit for the job, Dr. Austin, Birch Tracy Ford, who is currently Head of School at Ms. Porter’s School in Farmington, CT, and Matthew Miller who currently resides in New Orleans, working as Assistant Head of school at Isidore Newman School. The school then welcomed the three finalists onto campus for an intensive three-day job interview, where the candidates lunched with students, met with faculty, visited classes, and attended many other events. The Chairman of the Search Committee then contacted former employers of the candidates to evaluate their performance in past positions, and to see how they are viewed by co-workers. After prolonged hours of debate, the commitsee HEADMASTER on page 2
Table of Contents Page 2 -3
Day Student Concerns
SAT Stress
OPINION
Is Arabic Education Successful?
Film Review: Avatar
Healing the Health Center
Senioritis
A Letter to the Seniors Identity and School Newspapers Page 4-5 LIFE
Walking the Road: A Semester in Washington Undercover Agents of Trouble
A rainbow on campus!
The BlackBerry Obsession
Page 6
Horoscopes
FUN PAGE
Match the Senior to their Jacket
Page 7
What Should Senior Privileges Be?
OUT TAKE Page 8 SPORTS
Sports Achievements Intramural Competitions