Learning Landscapes

SCD

FALL 2013

SEATTLE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Learning Landscapes IN THIS ISSUE:

Journeys Beyond the Classroom

ideas in

motion

DEAR SCDS FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, Seattle Country Day School has always been an intensely child-centered learning environment. Our resourceful and creative students are busy daily constructing products, finding meaning, and discovering new applications as they explore ideas and concepts. The campus energy comes collectively from, and is sustained by, like-minded students collaborating with their teachers and peers.

EDITOR Andrea Sanders DESIGN/PRODUCTION Christa Fleming Design CONTRIBUTORS Jackie Bradley, Amy Colfelt, Michele Costanza, Brian Crawford, Kate Daugherty, Teri Esensten, Eddie Feeley, Robyn Filimaua, Gwen and Duncan Glew, Jan Kepher, Chuck Lintz, Mary Lowry, Denise Luenow, Kathy McCann, Michael Murphy, Jana Pasma, Erin Perry, Andrea Sanders, JoAnn Sims, James Spies, Dan Sweeney COVER Photograph taken by SCDS alumna, Amelia Henry.

KINETICS is produced by the SCDS Advancement Office for its current and former families and friends. Inquiries may be sent to: andreasanders@seattlecountryday.org THE SCDS MISSION

Inspiring gifted children to reach their potential through inquiry, curiosity, and wonder.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT

SCDS actively seeks to increase the breadth of our entire community: the gifted children at the center of a dynamic learning process, their families, and the school’s faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees. We aspire to include a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives; to foster an understanding and acceptance of differences; and to cultivate diverse thinking critical for creative problem solving.

NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

Seattle Country Day School strives to maintain a diverse school community. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admission, financial aid, or any other schooladministered programs.

seattlecountryday.org

The SCDS Board of Trustees, in a previous strategic plan, approved what is best described as the whole child initiative. Simply put, one of the school’s goals was to enhance the non-academic or affective growth of students. Presently, SCDS is now in its third full year of implementing the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum. Modeled in part from the research and work from early practitioners from the Nueva School (CA), a school with a similar mission to that of SCDS, SEL provides systematic lessons and experiences for students which nurture their inter- and intra-personal social awareness acumen.

By increasing self-awareness, relationship skills, and emotional literacy, we believe SEL will complement and enhance a student’s academic achievement.

SEL has been, and continues to be, a K-8 programmatic priority. We are delighted with the early results.

In this issue of Kinetics, some of our Middle School trips are highlighted. In particular, the 8th grade trip to Iceland this past May provided an extraordinary capstone experience for our students. Students spent considerable research and study time with their teachers in advance of their trip. Norse literature, legends, and geography were part of English and history classes, a geology unit in science was specifically arranged to include Iceland’s volcanos and landforms, pen pals were set up with a sister school in Reykjavik, and a former SCDS parent of Icelandic heritage provided some cultural background and idiomatic language lessons.

Next year, SCDS plans to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. While our fundamental mission has not changed, our school has grown and evolved over the decades.

Our plans are to reconnect with former students and families, share our passion for inquiry with the greater Seattle community, and strengthen the school’s foundation for the next fifty years. Please stay tuned for more information in the months ahead!

Whether building social-emotional skills, planning off-campus trips, or celebrating a milestone birthday, SCDS will continue to be a place where students are the center of a dynamic and collaborative learning process, centered on inquiry and discovery.

Sincerely,

Michael G. Murphy HEAD OF SCHOOL

Learning Landscapes Journeys Beyond the Classroom

This past spring, SCDS eighth graders took a ‘capstone’ trip to Iceland, while their seventh grade counterparts ventured south to Ashland. Two very diverse trips, varied cultures, and curricular objectives, but with one common goal — to extend learning beyond the classroom.

What follows are the reflections of both journeys from SCDS Intermediate and Middle School Head, Dan Sweeney, school counselor, Amy Colfelt, social studies teacher, Mary Lowry, science teacher, James Spies, and language arts instructor, Brian Crawford.

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SCDS students from the class of 2013 pose in Reykjavik by a modern sculpture of a viking boat.

There is something truly transformative about traveling with your classmates and teachers.”

JAMES SPIES

Learning Landscapes Journeys Beyond the Classroom Can you elaborate on the chosen destinations and correlations to curriculum?

ICELAND:

ASHLAND:

Spies: “Iceland was a natural choice. There is a lot of science and earth science to explore and an abundance of geothermal energy based on its global location. We visited a geothermal power plant and visited the oldest geothermal-powered public pool. It is English speaking, off the ‘beaten path,’ exciting, and also has the curricular ties.”

Crawford: “Ashland’s programming around Shakespeare, theater, and work with the kids is of exceptional high quality. We were able to connect it directly with reading and performing Love’s Labour’s Lost, under the umbrella of a Shakespeare unit. The students came up with their own costumes, memorized lines, and were able to draw on what they saw in Ashland. To add to this experience, we also had a visitor, Tames Alan, who conducted a program called Living History. In costume she made theater and Elizabethan England truly come alive. Globally, we were able to connect the era to the reading of theater, embrace the art of theater, and learn about performance art.”

Lowry: “In my history classes with 8th graders, we studied Norse mythology and viking exploration of the North Atlantic, highlighting Erik the Red, his family, and in particular, Leif Ericson. We also studied ship-building and why the vikings were so successful in their raids. This tied in nicely with a museum visit where a viking ship had been reconstructed. Among other highlights, we learned about the sagas of the 1300s and visited the historic home of Snorri Sturluson — an Icelandic poet, politician, and historian. He was most famous for the Prose Edda which served as a textbook for writers of skaldic poetry and preserved the tradition of the viking era. The students were familiar with Sturluson because we do a mythology unit where they re-enact his work.”

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How do both trips span across the various curricular areas?

How was the knowledge shared with fellow SCDS students, parents, and staff?

ICELAND & ASHLAND:

ICELAND:

Spies: “Both trips provided connections to science, social studies, language arts, SEL, art, and music. Furthermore, in Iceland, Crystal Aspen’s input and interactions with the students at the museums was invaluable.”

Lowry: “When we came back to school, the kids were responsible for participating in an Icelandic Fair. This entailed taking a topic of interest, researching it pretrip and post-trip, and then creating a presentation.

My fondest memory is when one of the students did a project on Icelandic horses. The kindergartners were enraptured by her presentation and what made these horses unique. The entire experience placed students in leadership roles where they disseminated information to their peers.”

Speak more to the Salaskoli penpals and the traditions exchanged in Iceland?

ICELAND: Colfelt: “In Seattle, there is a rather substantial Scandinavian community. I thought it would be exciting for our students to exchange ideas and information with their Icelandic peers. We were able to tap into a contact within the local Icelandic community to connect us with Icelandic children and their school in Reykjavik. The children wrote to each other several times before the trip, and we were able to meet them at the end of our journey.

After days of learning and seeing amazing scientific phenomena, visiting viking museums, and studying Norse myths, it was so refreshing to see the children become children again and connect with their Icelandic peers.

They played for three hours straight in the amazing Icelandic gym and wore themselves out before our flight home. Communication, through play, trumps all language barriers; hopefully the connections they made with their peers in Iceland will open their minds to the fun and power of travel.”

Lowry: “We had a few opportunities to have the SCDS and Salaskoli students exchange emails prior to going.

One of the parents at Salaskoli arranged a pool party. We also visited their school and got to see what their classes were like. It was fascinating to talk to other teachers.

While away, the eighth graders also kept in touch with their SCDS kindergarten buddies, many of them writing postcards and bringing back gifts.”

Sweeney: “We got a window into the Icelandic education system. One of our chessmasters, Noah Franklin, also faced theirs. It was nice to see them bond over a common extracurricular activity.”

ASHLAND: Crawford: “The seventh grade students had the opportunity to culminate their Ashland travels with their own Love’s Labour’s Lost performance. This was performed for the seventh grade families to enjoy.”

What plays were viewed in Ashland?

Crawford: “In an effort to provide a range of theatrical experiences, students viewed King Lear, My Fair Lady, and Two Trains Running. We could have stuck with Shakespeare, but I felt it was important to see a spectrum. Specifically, I was attracted to King Lear and wanted them to see a tragedy because we were reading a comedy in class. Shakespeare really covers the gamut of human emotions. Students also had the opportunity to experience intimate theater in-the-round. We watched My Fair Lady because I wanted them to see that you can tackle serious themes in a light-hearted way. Lastly, Two Trains Running broaches heavy issues related to the civil rights era. This gave students a chance to see how impressive the set changes were. We also partook in a number of workshops related to theatrical design elements. There was a professional makeup artist who demonstrated scars, bite marks and other artistic tricks on one of our students, Duncan McKee. A subsequent workshop exhibited staged combat where students learned more about the careful choreography behind it.”

Communication, through play, trumps all language barriers.”

AMY COLFELT

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As this year’s seventh graders journey to Washington, D.C., and eighth graders head to Costa Rica, what are the next steps for taking learning outside the classroom?

Sweeney: “The middle school faculty and I evaluated the purpose of middle school trips and intend to continue to shift the focus so the trips are deeply connected to curriculum. We also aim to have co-curricular alignment that allows for a deeper, richer experience for students, provides time for reflection, and enables students and staff to give back to the SCDS community through sharing their knowledge and experiences.”

The middle school faculty and I evaluated the purpose of middle school trips and intend to continue to shift the focus so the trips are deeply connected to curriculum.

We also aim to have co-curricular alignment that allows for a deeper, richer experience ...”

DAN SWEENEY

Crawford: “One of my primary goals and focus for the seventh graders and their trip to Washington, D.C. this year will include a visit to the Holocaust Museum. This particular museum has a direct bearing on Anne Frank’s diary, which they will delve into during eighth grade. Their trip will ‘prime the pump’ and give us a frame of reference. As for the eighth graders, last year they wrote a collaborative novel.

This year, the novel itself will be compiled when they return, but has to be written while they are in Costa Rica. When they go, they will have to look for details and artifacts to include in the book. I am also going to encourage them to mix in Spanish words here and there.”

Lowry: “One of the things we did was to start thinking about curricular objectives across grades and encourage faculty to teach around new units inspired by the travel programs. Going to Washington, D.C., for me, is living social studies. It’s being able to go to the places that are famous in America’s history. My curricular objective will help to augment later units — this year’s seventh graders will have a jump start on topics in American history class next year. In regards to Costa Rica, I have been there three times.

All three trips were uniquely amazing and every time we did something new.”

Spies: “There is something truly transformative about traveling with your classmates and your teachers. When you trust the people around you, and feel the safety and security of your friends and instructors, there is more transformation that can happen. Having the eighth grade trip be international allows for special opportunities to arise. Iceland provided different things for different people, such as practicing a foreign language and spending quality time with people from that country. As Mary said it’s living science.

The science I teach focuses on how we see the world around us through the eyes of a scientist. That’s what we do when we see the volcanoes, the rainforest, etc ... the same thing.”

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SCDS students, Natalie White and Walker Frankenberg, performed in Love’s Labour’s Lost.

The seventh grade students had the opportunity to culminate their Ashland travels with their own Love’s Labour’s Lost performance.”

BRIAN CRAWFORD

Learning Landscapes Journeys Beyond the Classroom

Iceland Itinerary TUESDAY, MAY 14: Fly to Iceland.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15: Arrive in Keflavik. Tour Reykjavik: Perlan (water tank viewing deck and museum), National Museum, Culture House, Harpa Opera House, Hamburger Factory.

THURSDAY, MAY 16: South Shore Tour: Eyjafjallajokull Volcano Museum, Skogarfoss (waterfall), Skogar Folk Museum, Vik, Seljalandsfoss (waterfall). Dinner at hotel.

Laugardalslaug (swimming pool).

FRIDAY, MAY 17: Hellisheidi Geothermal Power Plant Tour, Blue Lagoon, Viking Ship Museum.

SATURDAY, MAY 18: Hverageroi (earthquake museum), Gullfoss, Geysir, Thingvellir.

Rossopomodoro (Italian) dinner.

SUNDAY, MAY 19: Saga Tour: Settlement Tour in Borgarnes, Snorrastofa (Snorri's house at Reykholt), Hraunfossar (children's waterfall).

Subway dinner, Laugardalslaug.

MONDAY, MAY 20: Tour Reykjavik: Hallgrimskirkja Church, shopping, Harpa Tour, hot dogs, flea market, Puffin Tour, fancy dinner.

TUESDAY, MAY 21: Visit Salaskoli and fly home.

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CLIMB CONQUER

CURE!

In March 2013, SCDS Middle School students, staff, siblings, and parents came together for a single cause – The Big Climb. Set in Columbia Tower, in the heart of downtown Seattle, the Big Climb challenges 6,000 participants each year to climb 69 flights of stairs to combat Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkins Disease and Myeloma.

SCDS Wildcat Climbers congregated for the Big Climb, 2013.

To prepare for the big ascent, math teacher, Jana Pasma, assisted with the organization and training of the SCDS Wildcat Climbers.

SCDS student, Krista Taylor, and her parents, Mark and Liza Taylor, spearheaded the communication and fundraising efforts. Having raised over $24,000 in 2012 and taken 2nd place as a fundraising team, the Wildcats were looking to make their mark in a BIG way in 2013.

What began as a fun idea to give back to the community and get friends involved, turned into something greater. When SCDS student, Duncan Glew, left in the middle of his 6th grade year to fight Leukemia, the Big Climb tradition became more personal. According to Pasma, “The students really wanted to rally and support Duncan.”

On the day of the event, SCDS Wildcats showed up in ‘Climbing for Duncan’ shirts. Needless to say, Duncan was with them every step of the way. According to Duncan’s mother, Gwen Glew, Duncan had just been discharged from the hospital but arrived home just in time to see the SCDS climbers on TV. “The smile on his face was priceless,” Gwen said. “I’ll always be incredibly grateful to everyone at SCDS for doing the climb for Duncan. It was emblematic of the true love and concern the entire school community has shown for him from the beginning.”

The Wildcats went on to break all previous records with a remarkable 145 individuals participating, raising close to $80,000. Their efforts, and their newly achieved first place fundraising team status, were further highlighted by Jim Dever on Evening Magazine.

Pasma summed up her experience by saying, “For me, the biggest achievement was seeing the community, and Duncan’s peers, rally around him. That support speaks volumes of the SCDS community and what we are really made of.”

The next Big Climb is set to take place March 23, 2014. SCDS Wildcats invite all alumni, families, and community members to join them in their 1,311-step journey to climb, conquer, and cure!

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Students displayed their ‘Climbing for Duncan’ t-shirts.

“ I was really touched by the effort my friends, their families, and my teachers put into this event. I had just had a rough hospital stay, I could barely walk, and it was a real boost to my psyche. Seeing people saying kind words about me, showing they cared on TV was a fun, surreal opportunity most people never experience. I can’t express how thankful I am.”

DUNCAN GLEW

For information on the Big Climb, visit: www.bigclimb.org

Budding RELATIONSHIPS

“ As the years go by, it becomes increasingly difficult to remember the person you were in kindergarten. My buddy refreshed many of those memories, as well as gave me an appreciation for the excitement and curiosity that 5- and 6-year-olds possess.”

KATE DAUGHERTY, SCDS CLASS OF 2013

A COLLABORATIVE CULTURE AT SCDS BUILDS TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS FROM DAY ONE.

SCDS Buddies, Brady Tessin and Hiro Schmidt, enjoyed the annual pumpkin patch trip.

In keeping with tradition, thirty-two kindergarten students were paired with their eighth grade buddies this past September.

Greeted with a balloon and a comforting smile, the duos congregated at the first all-school assembly.

What do the students think?!

Although the ‘buddy’ tradition spans many years, kindergarten teacher, Denise Luenow, believes that “Intermediate and Middle School Head, Dan Sweeney, has done a phenomenal job ensuring it has been a more deliberate partnership.”

Partial credit for these matches-made-in-heaven must also be given to SCDS counselor, Amy Colfelt’s thoughtful observation of each student prior to pairing. Feedback from the teachers and students also play a part in the magic friendship formula.

According to Colfelt, “One thing that surprised me the most was seeing who could rise to the occasion and be a responsible buddy — not only responsible but genuinely caring and affectionate towards their little charges. It was fun to see the older kids get goofy and sweet, and enjoy the moment as much as their kindergarten buddy. For a few moments, you could see them as they were or who they will become.”

It is also a long-standing tradition that buddies engage in joint seasonal activities. In addition to the first and last assembly balloon ceremonies, they have traveled to the pumpkin patch, concocted gingerbread houses, enjoyed Valentine exchanges and ventured to the zoo. Last year, when the eighth graders were preparing to travel to Iceland, their kindergarten buddies sent them off with a tasty goodbye which included traditional Icelandic Kyriaki yogurt and berries. While there, the eighth graders penned postcards to keep the kindergartners informed of their travels.

A goal this year for middle school math teacher, Eddie Feeley, will be to conduct at least one buddy-related activity each month. In kindergarten teacher Robyn Filimaua’s words, “This will help them develop more communicable bonds.”

One merely has to visit the playground or hop on the bus at Winterim to see the budding friendships in full force. Eighth graders tend to keep an eye on their buddies, and now, when they walk through the hallway outside the kindergarten classrooms, they actually stop to look for their buddies’ artwork hanging on the walls. “Eighth graders are much quieter in the halls now than they were last year. They just realized there are younger children in here,” Lower School Head, Jackie Bradley, stated.

“I have seen much more playground and hall interaction.” Denise Luenow concurs and feels that when the eighth graders are near their buddies, they are much more aware of their behavior.

Curriculum and SEL ties?

Of course the ties to Social Emotional Learning are more organic in form, however, the goal is to add a purposeful SEL activity this year.

When it comes to the activities and adventures the buddies can engage in together, the sky is the limit. Dan Sweeney feels that, “For the eighth graders, it is a leadership opportunity and an opportunity to give back to the SCDS community.”

At the end of the day, one thing is certain ... the eighth graders aren’t worried about looking cool in front of their friends — they are having just as much fun as the kindergartners!

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CAMPUS PROJECTS

MADE TO MEET PROGRAM NEEDS

Two recent improvements have further modernized the school grounds, the first major changes since SCDS’s comprehensive campus renovations in 2007.

Photo of the renovated SCDS playground, fall, 2013.

“ The new playground is a big hit with our students. The design really maximizes our space and engages the children at play.”

JACKIE BRADLEY

Last September, a new gym was completed. Due to permit and property issues, the footprint of the old building remained. The down-to-the-studs construction project took place over two summers and transformed the space with a new floor, energy-efficient lighting and ventilation, renovated classrooms, improved seating, new bathrooms, and an inviting vestibule which connects to the Lower School building.

“The new gym is used by almost every SCDS student every day,” said Athletic Director and Lower School physical education teacher, Chuck Lintz. “With higher enrollment and more students participating in sports and activities, the gym fills an important program need. We appreciate our new facilities.”

One interesting feature of the new gym is the re-use of the old floor, now repurposed as an attractive wall which surrounds the entire gym. For school assemblies and other events in the gym, a mobile carpet is used to cover and safeguard the new maple floor.

The second project, a reconstructed playground, was completed just in time for the 2013-14 school year. The new and improved playground has better drainage, a new rubber sports court surface, better space allocation of defined play areas, and new play and climbing equipment, the latter complete with an artificial turf to improve safety.

“The new playground is a big hit with our students,” said Lower School Head, Jackie Bradley. “The design really maximizes our space and engages the children at play.”

Both projects represent substantial investments in the SCDS campus, approximately $2.1 million total, made possible thanks to individual donations, funds from three SCDS auctions (including Raise-the-Paddle/Fund-a-Need initiatives), and the school’s capital reserves.

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SCDS LUNCH PROGRAM:

A Closer Look at This past fall, SCDS launched a new hot lunch program. Founder, Teri Esensten, gives us a sneak peek behind the scenes ...

How did you come up with the name NEST? “Nest stands for Nutritional Excellence for Students and Teachers. It is a branch of Cafe Stellina Catering. The catering came first and we say that the lunch program is a sort of division of the catering company. It is fun to do ‘grown up’ events, but to see the lunch program grow and develop is really exciting.”

Can you speak more to your early beginnings and how your vision for the catering company manifested?

“Initially we had a restaurant and catered from there.

Ultimately, the fluctuating business of being in a restaurant made it difficult to run a family. I took a job at Giddens Preschool overhauling their food program and thought this concept would do really well at other schools. Last year we had a lot of interest and we continue to add more schools.

SCDS is the first ‘satellite’ kitchen (aside from Giddens) where NEST is cooking on-site. For us this is an exciting opportunity to grow the program in a different way and customize to the school.”

Will there be a specific chef? “Nora Gause from Bright Horizons will be manning the SCDS NEST kitchen. Barbara Bullatt will also be here every day serving. Both have early teen children and have worked with kids — there are no novices here!”

How do you manage to keep lunches healthy and diverse? “We use the food processer — which we jokingly refer to as our ‘employee of the month’ — in every sauce, with freshly ground vegetables. Even if it looks like the students are having spaghetti and meatballs they are still getting kale, carrots, celery, etc. We use a lot of dark, leafy greens in the sauces. You can taste them and not see them, and our dream is they develop a taste for that. Spice things up with cumin and go in a route that is unfamiliar but familiar at the same time.”

Is there a structure or pattern in the meal types each week or month? “We have a different entrée every day of the month. We try to globe trot and hit a lot of areas of the world (Latin, Asian, European-inspired dishes, etc.).

Students typically decide whether they are going to eat it or not before they taste it.”

NEST Lead Chef, Nora Gause (L) & Teri Esensten, NEST Founder.

How do you manage to satisfy the sweet tooth and are dietary restrictions accommodated? “Yes! We bake treats every day and everybody receives a mini dessert of some kind. For the entrée, or vegetable on the side, there will be enough for them to have seconds if they are still hungry.

If you’re not crazy about the entrée, you can have another salad or more fruit. We are using the old school lunch trays with divided compartments and aim for segmented sides.”

Can I sign up mid-year? “You can sign up each month.

From a purchasing and preparation standpoint, it is helpful to know ahead of time how many are signed up. A week-inadvance notice for the following month is fantastic. Go to the website to sign up: www.cafestellinacatering.com.”

Do meals in your household take on a Nest-quality?

“They do because my daughter is a vegetarian. In my house they fight over brussels sprouts and green beans.

We are veggie happy! There is always a veggie option for those who are not meat eaters but also a few entrées each week are highlighting veggies anyhow.”

How many are signed up now? “Over 200 students were signed up as of fall, 2013. We are also opening NEST up to the teachers. The cost per-month varies, however it all boils down to $4.50/day.”

What most excites you about catering to the SCDS community this year? “The reputation of your school is amazing and the kids here seem to be very open to learning – learning is GREAT for them. Having new things in their life is exciting for them which also can translate into trying new foods.”

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AROUND THE

SCHOOL AIMING HIGH

This past August, nearly 500 of the top youth climbers, from 34 countries around the globe, competed in the Climbing World Youth Championships in Central Saanich, BC, Canada. Eighth grader, Melina Costanza, represented the USA in the Female, U-15 Sport Climbing category, with a 12th place finish overall. Keep up the wonderful work Melina and go Wildcats!

Congratulations to 8TH GRADER, JESSICA CHIN, named one of America’s most outstanding youth volunteers by the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards this past winter, 2013. Jessica was recognized for her service in helping homeless families and our local Humane Society chapter. Congratulations are also in store for 4TH GRADER, CHIRAG VERMA, recipient of a National level bronze medal in Kangaroo Math Competitions this past year.

Jeff Santangelo Award for Excellence in Sportsmanship: John Randolph

The Doug Glenn Memorial Award: Ellie Beshlian and Molly McCammon Library Services Award: Joëlle Dong Heller Gary Kohlwes Community Service Award: The SCDS Wildcat Climbers The Linda Murray Focus Choir Award: Max Rogers and Charlotte Seaver The Larry Guldberg Inquiring Mind Award: Jack Melin and Madison Onsager

SCDS RECOGNITION CEREMONY

Students receiving special recognition from teachers this past spring include:

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This past summer, the following SCDS teachers attended a 4-day summer Social Emotional Learning training program: Eddie Feeley (grade 6 & 8 math), Ellie Peterson (grade 6 science), Crystal Aspen (grade 4-8 art), and Julia Correll (grade 3). Also in attendance was SCDS Intermediate and Middle School Head, Dan Sweeney, and kindergarten teacher, Robyn Filimaua.

They shared their experiences with SCDS colleagues during faculty in-service.

The Award for Excellence in Technology: Ryan Ressmeyer Community Caretaker Award: Vanessa Lincoln and Asta Wylie Dedicated Scholar Award: Noah White and Claire Trop Creative Expression Award: Emily Guinee and Samantha Seaver WELCOME NEW SCDS STAFF

SCDS is excited to welcome new staff for the 2013-14 school year. Pictured are: Colton Vander Vliet (Teacher’s Aide), Joseph Tchen (Teacher’s Aide), Brian Dwinelle (Director of Technology), Andrea Sanders (Director of Advancement), Erin Perry (Development Coordinator), and Julia Correll (grade 3 teacher). In addition, SCDS has also recently welcomed Admissions Assistant, Olivia Ruggieri!

WALKING SCHOOL BUS

Eddie Feeley, John Randolph, and former SCDS faculty member, Jeff Santangelo.

SEL SUMMER TRAINING

As part of the Healthy Transportation Initiative, launched by SCDS parents, Elta Ratliff and Jean Lee, students walk to school. Healthy transportation trends continued every Wednesday throughout October!

“IT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU. IT’S WHAT YOU DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU.”

This is the message Chris Waddell communicated to SCDS 3-8th graders.

During an assembly, Waddell shared stories, including his life-changing accident experienced while competing

as a skier at Middlebury College.

Enduring a fall which severed two vertebrae, Waddell went on to join the U.S. Disabled Ski Team, win 12 medals as a monoskier, and become the most decorated male skier in Paralympic history. Waddell’s fearless and bold message set the perfect tone, paving the way for SCDS Social Emotional Learning growth and discussion this year.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

SCDS art teacher, Winnie Chapin Young, along with her husband, Professor John T. Young, recently published Guns for Judea under the pen name J.W. Yanowitz. Also, SCDS language arts teacher, Brian Crawford, published The Weaver’s Scar: For Our Rwanda. These two books serve a common purpose to inspire and educate readers.

2013-14 BOARD OF TRUSTEES In June, the SCDS Board of Trustees said good-

bye to retiring trustees, Nancy Senseney and Mike Nesteroff. During their years of service and leadership, SCDS improved its governance, upgraded campus facilities, and added sustainability as part of the school’s operations.

The Board also welcomed three new trustees: Kristina Belfiore, Ken Hunt, and Tsering Short. SCDS is thankful for the experience, expertise, and vision they will bring to the Board. According to Board President, Anne Schaefer, “The Board is focused on continuing to work toward achieving strategic plan goals, especially related to equity, inclusion, and preparation for SCDS’s 50th Anniversary during the 2014-15 school year.”

SCDS ALUMNA, PAST BOARD MEMBER, PARENT, AND FORMER CEO OF REI, SALLY JEWELL, was

nominated (and later confirmed) Secretary, U.S. Department of Interior, by President Barack Obama this past February, 2013.

2012-13 FUNDRAISING SUCCESS

Much gratitude is due to our fabulous 2012-13 Annual Fund Chairs, Elta and Warren Ratliff, who raised over $363,000 for SCDS with 93% participation from families. We are also grateful to our 2013 Auction Chairs, Teri Franklin and Courtney Witter. Their leadership in ‘Under the Big Top’ raised over $426,000 for SCDS. Without our dedicated Chairs, Leadership Team, volunteers, and community, none of these fundand friend-raisers would have been possible.

Mark your calendars for this year’s auction, Come Together, March 29th, 2014.

THE ROSE BOYLE HOUSE

Seattle Country Day School is forever indebted to Rose Boyle, long-time parent, volunteer, board chair, auction chair, and visionary. In appreciation of her time and talents, the SCDS Yellow House was renamed in her honor. We invite you to stop by the Rose Boyle House to view the beautiful plaque dedicated in her memory.

SCDS also said farewell to two former SCDS parents, Philip Johnson and Lee Trousdale. Both passed away earlier this year and will be missed by family and the extended SCDS community.

Many thanks to SCDS TEACHER, SUSAN MISE, for twelve years of dedicated service. Susan retired from SCDS this past June, 2013.

A beloved member of the SCDS community, and devoted second grade teacher, Susan will be sorely missed!

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CLASS

NOTES ROBIN SALANT ’85 is living in

Memphis, TN with husband Erik Jambor. They welcomed daughter, Simone, to the world last October.

Salant is working in art and film.

She visits Seattle most summers and loves catching up with SCDS friends.

KATHERINE (RAFF) COLE ’86 completed her second book, Complete Wine Selector: How to Choose the Right Wine Every Time.

Cole is the wine columnist for The Oregonian newspaper and contributes to Wine Spectator.

JEFF JORGENSON ‘86 recently started Seattle’s first green

funeral home — Elemental Cremation & Burial — and is getting married this September to his beautiful bride, Dr. Alicia Grattan!

SUSANNA ‘MATSEN’ NAZARIAN ’89 is thrilled to have joined the

faculty as Assistant Professor at the University of Washington in Transplant Surgery. Susanna traveled to Italy this past summer with her husband, Saman and daughter, Madeline.

MAX WAUGH ’90 After closing his marketing company in 2008, Max chose to pursue his passion for wildlife photography fulltime. He enjoys exploring and documenting wildlife hotspots, both locally and overseas. Next year’s travels will include Yellowstone, Costa Rica, and South Africa. Follow his work at MaxWaugh.com.

CATHERINE BURNS HUMBERT ‘91 is very excited to return to

the SCDS family. Her son Théo is starting kindergarten with the class of 2022! Dad, Olivier and little sister, Camille (age 1.5), are also looking forward to Wildcat adventures.

BEN AHRONI ’96 released an app for iOS that

is available in Apple’s App Store. It is called SideCast, and enables you to use your iOS device to communicate with others nearby in a whole new way. Ben’s app was featured on the Belus Capital Advisors site.

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FALL 2013 | KINETICS

KEEP US POSTED! Have news or stories to share about yourself or a former SCDS student?

Email or address changes? Contact: alumni@seattlecountryday.org.

ALEXANDRA VON DER EMBSE ’97 graduated

from the Curtis Institute of Music in 2012 in Oboe Performance, and is currently pursuing a career in chamber music in Philadelphia. She performs with a quintet she founded, E39, and has worked with Emmy-winning ensemble eighth blackbird and performed as the Ensemble-In-Residence at the Lake George Music Festival. Alexandra also participated in Music from Angel Fire’s prestigious Young Artist Program.

PAIGE PAULI ‘00 works in Seattle

as an independent UX/UI designer and front-end developer, helping technology startups create products that are at the same time beautiful, usable, and useful. She lives with her husband, Trevor, on Queen Anne and is currently absorbed by the remodel of their 1910 duplex.

PETER KIRK ’03 started medical school at

the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor this August. He graduated from the Northwest School in 2007, and from Colby College in 2011, where he majored in cell and molecular biology/biochemistry and graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa.

KARLIN KRISHNASWAMI ‘04 graduated

in May, and went to Austin, TX to race a solar car. Afterwards, she completed a solo road trip from St. Louis to Santa Cruz. She’s currently in Boston, and will soon be heading back to St. Louis where she will be teaching college students how to be more effective learners.

She’s headed to New Zealand for a backpacking trip in December.

OWEN WURZBACHER ‘05 graduated in May, 2013

from Harvard University with a concentration in Human Evolutionary Biology.

AND THEY’RE OFF!

Visit ‘Stay Connected’ in the Alumni section of the SCDS website for access to Facebook & LinkedIn and stay tuned for updates on SCDS’s 50th Anniversary Alumni Reunion Weekend set for spring of 2015!

SCDS CLASS OF 2013 IS OFF TO HIGH SCHOOL:

Aviation High School, Ballard High School, Eastside Catholic, Eastside Prep, Holy Names, Ingraham APP Program, Kent High School, Lakeside School, National Cathedral School (D.C.), Palo Alto Center High School (CA), SAAS, Seattle Prep, The Bush School, The Northwest School, and Transitional Program at UW

CHARLIE MOTZER ‘06 is studying at

Cornell University where he plays rugby and is the Battalion Commander of the Naval ROTC Unit. TOM MOTZER ‘07 is studying at Whitman College where he plays for the varsity soccer team.

CAROLINE MOTZER ‘11 attends Seattle Prep and rows for the Pocock Rowing Center. Her team just returned from Nationals.

SCDS CLASS OF 2009 IS HEADING TO COLLEGE:

Brown University, Carleton College, Carnegie Mellon, Claremont McKenna College, Dartmouth College, Emory University, Furman University, George Washington University, Grinnell College, Kenyon College, Lewis & Clark College, Macalester College, Northwestern University, Oregon State University – Honors College, Pomona College, Rhode Island School of Design, Santa Clara University, Skidmore College, Stanford University, University of Oregon – Clark Honors College, University of Southern California, University of Washington, Washington University – St. Louis, Willamette University, and Williams College

SCDS Class of 2013.

SAM HOPKINS ‘07

graduated from the University of Washington in June with a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science and a minor in Philosophy. He was UW’s 2013 Natural Sciences Dean’s Medalist.

He spent the summer backpacking through Vietnam and Japan, and this fall will join Cornell University as a Ph.D. student and NSF Graduate Research Fellow. Sam was recently featured in Perspectives, the newsletter of the University of Washington College of Arts and Sciences.

FIONA BUCK ‘09

graduated from Cate School (CA) this past May. She was one of sixty members of the Class of 2013.

Buck was awarded the Joseph Bradley Art Prize. She will attend Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, RI in the fall.

After completing their sophomore years in High School, KAJ BOSTROM ‘11 and JAMES SENSENEY ‘11 will be attending the University of Washington this fall through the UW early entrance program.

Kaj was also named a National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist this fall.

A few members of SCDS Class of 2009 gathered this past May, 2013.

SCDS CLASS OF 2010: Congratulations to the following for attaining National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist Awards this fall: Nathan Cummings, John Daugherty, Vikram Dhawan, Brice Hulse, Richard ‘Trey’ Leigh, Grant Price, Tim Randolph, Sebastian Schneider, Alex Wade, and Fletcher Woodruff

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: “Yes, I can come visit you in Hiroshima,” Matthew Bateman, a Willamette University student, wrote in his email. Matthew was a former third grade student of Dr. JoAnn Sims, prior to her retirement from SCDS in 2007. In 2011, Dr. Sims and her husband became co-directors of a peace organization named World Friendship Center (WFC), in Hiroshima.

Upon visiting Hiroshima, Matthew listened to a “Hibakusha” (atomic bomb survivor) and was led around Peace Memorial Park. He learned of WFC’s motto: To foster peace, one friend at a time. This concept was applied when Matthew brought 14 international Rotarians back to WFC to discuss the importance of peace. His visit was capped off with other sight-seeing adventures such as: Mitaki Temple, Mitsumien, the retirement home for survivors, and breakfast with international guests.

Matthew’s experience helped him realign personal goals and, perhaps, his professional goals as well. In Dr. Sim’s words, “It was a privilege to meet a former student as an adult with an inquiring mind and compassionate spirit.”

KINETICS | FALL 2013

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SCDS students got creative this past summer in their Pursuit of the Perfect Place to Read. Librarian, Debbie Pearson, organized the annual summer reading promotion to prepare for a school year full of great books and great reading spaces!

Kinesis comes from the Greek word for motion, and “kinetics” is used in the vernacular to describe mechanics associated with the forces that cause motions of bodies. At SCDS, we’re all about energy and active learning. Every day, SCDS teachers engage students’ minds and bodies through inquiry-based teaching.