Partnerships

SCDS

SPRING 2016

SEATTLE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE

Partnerships

DEAR SCDS FAMILIES AND FRIENDS, Everyone has experienced the delight and pleasure of an enjoyable book.

EDITOR Andrea Sanders DESIGN/PRODUCTION Christa Fleming Design CONTRIBUTORS Brenda Ajbour, Tamarin Camp, Brian Crawford, Thanh Dinh, Mark Holtzen, Sheena McFerran, Michael Murphy, Erin Perry, Sabina Petersen, Charlie White, and Marcella Wilson.

COVER SCDS grade 7 students Carter Vu, Anya Shukla, and Tamarin Camp work on their Kinyarwanda with their new classmates at GPS Nyamata EPR. Photo credit: Brian Crawford

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

I have always thought the reason a book is often better than its movie adaptation is because the reader construes the author’s story so personally. The book’s story, resolution, and message depend on the reader’s individual reception and interpretation. Someone else’s take on the book is often not as good because, perhaps, the reader and author have already created a unique partnership.

While reading is a personal and individual experience, one’s comprehension, understanding, and meaning is enlightened by sharing one’s thoughts. The sharing of insights, ideas, and interpretations with others—in a book club, in a classroom, or casually in conversation—often provides the individual reader with new perspectives, deeper questions, and a richer experience.

Such partnerships can improve the reader’s depth of understanding.

At Seattle Country Day School, we look to our mission, vision, and values to provide inspirational and aspirational guidance in what we do. Our core values include a student-centered approach, an emphasis on the whole child, a firm belief in the spirit of inquiry, a school where students can be their authentic selves, and healthy relationships.

This last value, relationships, is thus described: Our collaborative culture builds trusting relationships, embraces a wide diversity of backgrounds and perspectives, and fosters a spirit of group innovation. By encouraging others to contribute and exchange suggestions, ideas, questions, and experiences, everyone’s learning is improved—whether discussing a work of literature or exploring a creative solution to a math problem.

THE SCDS MISSION

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

In this issue of Kinetics, we hope you enjoy the latest news from SCDS, where our partnerships enhance meaning and outcomes. From sharing a book, to a service learning trip to Rwanda, we learn from—and grow with— others. There is power in partnerships.

Best,

Michael G. Murphy HEAD OF SCHOOL

a Thousand Hills The Land of

Five years of research and preparation culminated in an inaugural service learning trip to Rwanda in February 2016. Fifteen middle school students—alongside three teachers—spent a week bonding and interacting with Rwandan students, discovering the culture and history, and learning the language. SCDS grade 7 student, Tamarin Camp, shares her reflections on the experience and collective hope that the relationship with our Rwandan partner school will become a permanent part of the SCDS learning experience.

SCDS students and staff on safari in Akagera National Park along with 15 of their friends and two teachers from GS Nayamata EPR.

BY TAMARIN CAMP

If someone had told us in September, 2015, that six months later we would return from the most incredible experience of our lives, we would have been shocked. Visiting Rwanda (The Land of a Thousand Hills) completely changed how we perceive the world.

Kugenda cyane gutera kubona.

– Rwandan Proverb

Photo credit: Shelly Rosen

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Fun and games are had outside at GS Nyamata EPR.

“Childhood is universal no matter where in the world you find yourself.”

–SCDS GRADE 7 STUDENT, TAMARIN CAMP

Photo credits: Brian Crawford

“Going to Rwanda really helped me see how a country could grow. Watching people show no sign of the hardships they went through only 20 years ago...I feel that shows enormous versatility.

The rest of the world could learn a lesson from this country,” 7th grader Anya Shukla says. Throughout our time in Rwanda, we were greeted with smiles wherever we went. “It wasn’t just the place that made it amazing—it was all the people,” 8th grader Sasha Rothstein remembers. We saw people who were genuinely humbled when we mangled Kinyarwanda in an attempt to say “hello” or “good morning.” “In the U.S., if you give a gift, people will say thank you because it is what we’ve been taught.

In Rwanda, they thank you because they truly are grateful for your effort and time,” recalls 7th grader Carter Vu. In the U.S., we take for granted our right to an education. This became obvious while speaking with Rwandan children; we were often asked how old we were, and they would want to know if we went to school. Many children in Rwanda do not go to school for various reasons: they cannot afford the uniforms, the children are needed to look after their younger siblings, or they must work in order to support the family. This made me view my education in a different light—as a gift instead of a given.

The most rewarding experience was the three days spent with students at GS Nyamata EPR, a K-12 school in Nyamata, a town near Rwanda’s capital, Kigali. All of their lessons (except Kinyarwanda) are taught in English, so the children we met spoke

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a fair amount. They were eager to practice their English with us, just as we were eager to greet them in Kinyarwanda. Sometimes we struggled to understand one another with words, but play deepened our connections. We brought Frisbees, which we used to teach them Ultimate while SCDS Grades 7-8 Social Studies Teacher, Mary Lowry, stunned everyone with her freestyle tricks. Then they crushed us in soccer. “Soccer is the world’s universal language,” reflects 7th grader Landon Pickett. We arrived on our second morning at the start of recess, and many of us were pulled into a large, spirited game. We didn’t understand the songs we were singing as we held hands and ran in a circle, but the Rwandan students showed us the movements. We discovered that the students were interested in American pop music, so groups of American students held several impromptu performances of songs such as “Uptown Funk,” and “Shake It Off.” Wednesday morning gave us the opportunity to attend classes with the students. I was placed in a Kinyarwanda class, where I met Grace and Pascaline, who shared their bench with me. As the class was taught in Kinyarwanda, I understood

Time is spent in the classroom learning about autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms with GS Nyamata EPR students.

SCDS grade 7 and 8 students visit Camp Kigali, where ten Belgian UN peacekeepers were killed on April 7, 1994, the second day of the genocide.

Seventh grader Gabe Rochefort explains rational numbers to fellow classmates and GS Nyamata EPR students.

Grades 7-8 Social Studies Teacher, Mary Lowry, shares her love of Ultimate [Frisbee] with students from GS Nyamata EPR.

little, but Grace and Pascaline were patient, showing me where in the book we were as Pascaline read aloud.

Afterwards, we copied down questions from the board and answered them. Pascaline and Grace corrected what I had written for spelling and grammar mistakes before helping me copy down their answers as well. Later, it became apparent that we had just taken a test—which was a surprise to me. I scored 8/10, thanks to the help of my new friends.

national anthem. That, to me, was such a powerful image of Rwanda’s future and perseverance. At present, 41% of Rwanda’s population is under 15, and while it would have been easy to turn their backs on Rwanda after times of hardship, they embraced it.

Later that day, I asked the students and teachers what their favorite part of Rwanda was, and their resounding answer was, “the peace.”

Wednesday afternoon we joined the several hundred students for an assembly in our honor. The assembly opened with a traditional Rwandan song and dance performed by students. After this, Grade 8 Language Arts Teacher Brian Crawford told us that “You have 90 seconds to plan a dance—go!” and we danced the Whip and Nae-Nae. We sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” and witnessed nearly 650 Rwandan students singing “Rwanda Nziza,” the Rwandan

Thursday was filled with learning, both in and out of the classroom. As Jules, the Headmaster, told us, “We can learn from each other, and come Friday, we will not be able to tell American from Rwandan.”

Before leaving for Rwanda, we had collected books from SCDS families to bring with us to Nyamata and members of the Middle School Inzozi z’uRwanda— Dreams of Rwanda—club wrote penpal letters to

“Wisdom comes through seeing a lot. By discovering other cultures, landscapes, and histories, we gain perspectives on ourselves we couldn’t have seen otherwise.”

–GRADES 7-8 LANGUAGE ARTS TEACHER, BRIAN CRAWFORD

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their new friends. We spent Friday morning reading the English books and penpal letters with the students and showing them pictures of our families, homes, and favorite activities. We played Hangman, Tic-Tac-Toe, and many more games. Friday afternoon was melancholy; we celebrated the beautiful days spent together, but we were reluctant to leave. We had grown close, and there was no way of knowing if those bonds would stretch across oceans and continents when we returned home. Only three days had passed, but we had learned so much. After we were dismissed, we gathered for pictures, hugs, and goodbyes.

Saying goodbye was difficult. Although we had known one another for less than a week, we had impacted each other in so many ways. To quote 7th grader Jack Potter, “I will never look at the world the same.”

Today, I remain in contact with Vedaste, a 15-year-old student from GS Nyamata EPR. When asked about our trip to Rwanda, he said, “From American students I see the good lessons you teach us.” We have exchanged many emails like this, and he one day wishes to visit the U.S. Although his English may not be perfect, we are always learning from one another, and his heart shines through. The students and teachers of GS Nyamata EPR want the world to know that “Rwanda is here to help.

We want to help the world.”

(L to R): Carter Vu, Ethan Huey, Elliott Frink, Henry Means, and Zachary Paul enjoy time spent with their new friends at GS Nyamata EPR.

Time with our new friends came to an end on Friday.

We went on a safari in Akagera National Park, and were fortunate to bring 15 Rwandan students and two teachers along. None of these children had ever left their village prior to that morning, and they had never seen many of the animals that shared their country. Witnessing giraffe, elephant, zebra, and impala in the wild was powerful, but it was even more touching to witness the reactions of our Rwandan counterparts. They had spent their entire lives in their beautiful country, but even they had not been able to witness all of Rwanda’s magic.

(L to R): Catherine Tingstad, Gabe Rochefort, Ethan Huey, Zachary Paul, Greta Laesch, and Jack Potter learn to hoe at Azizi Life, a rural Rwandan cultural center.

“In the U.S., if you give a gift, people will say thank you because it is what we’ve been taught. In Rwanda, they thank you because they truly are grateful for your effort and time.”

–SCDS GRADE 7 STUDENT, CARTER VU

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Photo credits: Brian Crawford

Grade 5 students Lily Barto and Siena Verprauskus display pencils received recently due to a sincere thank you given to their Eastside bus driver.

Photo credit: SCDS Advancement Office

The Pencil

BY MARK HOLTZEN

“ Be Kind; Everyone You Meet is Fighting a Hard Battle.”

Was it Plato who said these words?

Philo of Alexandria? Ian Maclaren?

John Watson? Who knows. Search the Internet and you still won’t know. But whoever said it, knew what they were talking about. A small act of kindness can make someone’s day.

When Head of School Michael Murphy arrived at SCDS almost twelve years ago, he decided to search for a way to accentuate positive behavior on campus, rather than wait to react to the negative. He wondered how he might create a culture of kindness where virtue was its own reward. Of course, recognizing virtue can be tricky. Eventually he settled onto an idea.

In order to publicly recognize “going the extra mile,” teachers were, and are, urged to recommend a child they’ve witnessed performing an act of kindness without expecting to be recognized.

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The idea is that kind acts can be infectious. When a thoughtful act is genuine, the doer feels good, the receiver feels good, and any witnesses ideally absorb and are inspired by all that goodness.

Everyone wins and the doer is recognized with a pencil.

The ceremony of handing out pencils has, traditionally, been held at all-school assemblies and it goes something like this. Mr. Murphy will introduce his part of the program and begin this playful interaction:

“Now boys and girls, if you expect a pencil for doing the right thing…”

And everyone else will answer with, “ You’re probably not going to get one.”

It’s now part of our school culture.

Receiving a pencil can mean different things to different people.

Watch Mr. Murphy hand out pencils and you might see a variety of reactions around the room.

For some kids, accolades are unnecessary. Helpful acts are in their DNA. Those who are so naturally thoughtful don’t always see the need for reward. They might even shy away from the public recognition.

“ The small act can lift someone up on a very hard day. We all have hard days.

We all need compassion.”

For others it’s more complicated. When a child who has a hard time socially is acknowledged for a good deed amidst an ocean of scolding and awkward interactions, the pencil might serve as a positive memory for life.

Others might roll their eyes at the whole idea of the pencils, but when their name is called they’ll still walk to the front and retrieve their pencil, high-fiving friends on the way back to their seat.

You might see a couple of responses on a teacher’s face—a stab of guilt for not remembering to report any kind acts, but you also might see emotion rising up like a bubble in their throat. This because they’re watching a child they didn’t think would ever earn a pencil do just that—and how important was it that their peers, teachers, and parents witness it too.

An 8th grader recently chose the pencil as the topic of his graduation speech. His words were acerbic, full of dry humor and wit. He demonstrated the independence that he should for his age. We all laughed—a form of a pencil in its own right.

Of course, the pencil is not the point (yes, I see it).

When one does something thoughtful—holds the door, compliments an outfit, sends a thoughtful email—it makes another feel good. The small act can lift someone up on a very hard day. We all have hard days. We all need compassion.

A student thanked me for a science lesson once. “Thanks, Mr. Holtzen, that was fun.” It came from his heart, not from beneath a glaring parent. It had been a spectacularly hard week and if I bumped into him on the street today, I’d probably still wrap him up in an eye-popping hug of gratitude.

So get out there. Do something nice for someone for no reason at all. You might get a pencil. Or you may not. Either way, you better not expect one. Pretty good chance you’ll make someone’s day though.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mark Holtzen lives in Seattle with his family and loves to ride bicycles, read books, listen to great music, and play with his kids, Alice ‘23 and Luke ‘21. He is a current SCDS parent, former SCDS grade 3 teacher, and the author of The Pig War, a Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2012 selection. Holtzen’s most recent publication—A Ticket to the Pennant: A Tale of Baseball in Seattle—was released in April 2016. The picture book is set in 1955 and follows a sweet young boy named Huey, who loses his ticket to the minor league Rainiers pennant-decision game. The nostalgic illustrations and well-crafted text vividly capture Huey’s race to find his missing ticket and make it to the game. Learn more on his website: markholtzen.com

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“ I feel that some lessons I learn don’t really stick that well, but when I can teach someone what I learned, it helps reinforce the skill.”

—Ella Allgor, grade 6

A Creative Approach to

Collaboration

Sixth grade students read their vignettes to Ms. Wilson’s class.

Photo credit: SCDS Advancement Office

Each year, per tradition, SCDS 6th graders publish From Our Doorsteps: Neighborhood Stories. Their creative collection of vignettes—memories that are brief, episodic, and fall somewhere between prose and poetry—are about ostensibly simple life moments. Similarly, 2nd graders craft “Small Moments”—personal narratives about meaningful times in their lives.

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A Creative Approach to

Collaboration

Students collaborate in writing pairs.

Photo credit: Marcella Wilson

“ I liked how I was able to help modify and shape an already good story.”

When SCDS Grade 6 Humanities Teacher Brenda Ajbour and Grade 2 Teacher Marcella Wilson met at the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Conference in Chicago during the summer of 2015, they decided to partner their students for a collaborative piece of personal writing.

In January, their vision came to fruition in a series of cross-division collaborative sessions. Sixth graders modeled vignettes by reading their own published pieces to the 2nd graders; afterwards, the 2nd graders had three one-on-one sessions with their 6th grade “coaches.” The 6th graders proceeded to guide their young pupils by asking inquiry-based questions to help them develop sensory details and figurative language.

According to Ms. Wilson, “They were using what they had learned [from Brenda] to ask questions and gently, but firmly, nudge the younger students to add, stretch, and embellish their writing.”

Collabo —Emerson Weiss, grade 6

The 6th graders also served as the 2nd graders’ scribes. According to 2nd grader Maxine Liao, “It was fun and good because we didn’t have to write anything; they typed it up for us and we just talked.”

Not only did the collaboration serve as an organic bridge between divisions, but the intellectual and social-emotional learning benefits were numerous. Author, Molly Jackel would most likely agree.

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Second graders listen to Eli Colton’s vignette, Ice and Hot Cocoa.

Photo credit: SCDS Advancement Office

Second grade student Maxine Liao edits her narrative piece with her “writing coach,” Amelia Rowe-Bardeen.

Photo credit: Marcella Wilson

According to Jackel’s article in Edutopia, “Older students model good behavior and, through continual peer mentoring, stretch their teaching muscles and solidify their own knowledge. And the younger students learn that teachers aren't the only ones who know a thing or two.” This symbiotic partnership is further explained by Robert Zajonc, a Stanford University psychologist who states that teaching someone younger, “solidifies your knowledge and allows you to grow more extensively…The younger one is asking questions and challenging meanings and explanations, and that will contribute to the intellectual maturity of the older one.” By designing a situation that benefits all students, their mentoring experience isn’t contrived.

“ I thought it was really good because you had someone to help you with your vignette and they could be your own Ms. Wilson.”

—Kate Fitzpatrick, grade 2

“ It was fun to see what it was like to walk around in a 2nd grader’s life.”

oration There is no question that the collaboration was beneficial for all: for the 6th graders, the lessons they had learned were reinforced; for the 2nd graders, they received constructive one-on-one instruction.

—Nina Maxin, grade 6

It also became clear that the exercise offered an opportunity to alter one’s perspective. According to 6th grader Katie Drais, “I thought it was going to be really hard, but then I learned that being a teacher is rewarding on many levels and not as hard as I thought.” Brenda was delighted to hear her students using the phrasing that she uses when teaching about vignette writing. It validated for her that they are retaining the lessons.

From the 6th graders’ Doorsteps to the 2nd graders’ “Small Moments,” personal narrative collaboration is sure to stand the test of time.

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A Creative Approach to

Collaboration

Sunsets at Midnight

–Sabina Petersen, grade 6

“So-So, I can’t sleep; the ghost is scaring me again,” I complain to my big sister.

“Ugh, Sabina. For the last time, it’s a tree not a ghost. Why do you always have to bother me?” my sister, Sophia, asks.

“Because you’re my sister. I want to watch the sunset with you.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sabina Petersen has recently moved to Paris, France where she designs one-of-a-kind outfits. If you need a new dress you can contact her at ILoveFashion@gmail.com

“Well there’re no sunsets at midnight.”

“Can we imagine one?”

“Fine, Sabina, but just this once.”

As we lie down on her fluffy, grey bed, I think about how she addressed me—Sabina. Why that name? Why didn’t she use one of my hundreds of nicknames like Jelly Bean or Sabs? But she called me Sabina, which is perfect for me. Sabina is a gentle rain or a soft pink sunset with just a tint of yellow. Sabina can be gentle and kind or bubbly and crazy.

My name doesn’t mean anything, a fun fact that I like; I never have to live up to anything. Even though my name doesn’t mean anything, there is a great story behind it. When my parents lived in Italy, they learned about a tribe who lived in Rome called the Sabines. The women in that tribe were called Sabinas; they were supposed to be very beautiful and that’s how my parents got inspired to name me. Other names they considered are Gemma or Flavia. Gemma is too quiet and Flavia is too loud. Sabina is just right—the mezzo to Gemma’s pianissimo and Flavia’s fortissimo. As I think about all of this I get sleepy so I close my eyes.

“Sabina are you awake?” Sophia asks.

I don’t reply.

“I guess I do like watching sunsets at midnight with you,” she confesses.

“Thanks, Sophia. I like to watch them too.” I smile and turn onto my back.

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The House on Woodlawn Avenue North

–Charlie White, grade 2

“Whoa!” I exclaim as I tumble onto the smooth kitchen floor dizzily. The aroma of my nanny’s stir-fry wafts into my nose. Everything is tilting and spinning around me. I look up at my nanny and mom with a mischievous grin, getting ready to get up and start spinning again.

“Are you ever going to stop spinning?” my mom asks questioningly.

“I don’t know,” I say casually before resuming my spinning momentarily.

“Why don’t you go up to your room and spin some more there?” my mom gently asks.

“Okay!” I reply, already walking into the cozy living room.

My eyes are drawn to the claw marks on the musty, beige couch. I jog up the thickly carpeted stairs and into the dim hallway. The soft pounding of rain on the shingles coating my roof comforts me. The pictures of my family along the hall seem to gaze at me as I look at them. I remember when my sister, Lauren, knocked one off the wall and it rolled down the hall. I remember times spent at my uncle’s house.

I remember my grandfather. Chuckling to myself, the sweet memories come flooding back to me.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Charlie White is a marine biologist working out of Seattle, Washington. He enjoys snorkeling in Hawaii and studies sea turtles there. Charlie spends his down time playing the banjo; he likes growing crops on his 15-acre farm in Spokane, Washington, where he also has a shelter for stray cats in need.

I step onto the mint, plush carpet of my room and eye the cats snuggled on my bed. I sit on my warm, homey bed and stroke my cats, Daisy and Mittens.

Daisy is a black and grey tabby with a grey ring on her left side; she’s a skittish kitten with a rambunctious attitude. Her grey fur is like the storm clouds swirling above our house. Mittens is the calmer of the two, always found sleeping on our leather chairs. She is a mix between a tabby and a calico with brown, grey, and black fur.

I look over at where my Lego B-wing used to be on my smooth brown dresser, until the cats knocked it off. That was a funny time, and I remember late at night I heard a crash, but I already knew what had happened. My mom and I shoved it in a box and planned to rebuild it, but we never really have. Sitting down at the cozy, wooden desk in the corner of my room, I begin to draw my cats. The sunlight shining through the curtains in my room illuminates the dark pencil lines that have begun to take shape on my paper.

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AROUND

CAMPUS

Katie Chao ‘17 placed 15th at the OUTDOOR ARCHERY NATIONALS in Decatur, Alabama. This past December 2015, Chao was featured on King 5 News.

Chao has her eyes on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

This past November 2015, Lower School students made crafting kits as part of their COMMUNITY SERVICE. The kits were delivered to Seattle Children’s Hospital early in the new year by Lower School Head Tom Darlow and grade 3 students Serafina Shin-von Nordenflycht and Elsa Arone.

Duncan Frisbie-Smith ’21, ran with the Rain City Flyers at the USATF JUNIOR OLYMPICS NATIONAL QUALIFIERS, December 2015, in Albuquerque, NM. Frisbie-Smith qualified individually in the 3K race.

A sampling of recent PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES for faculty and staff include: The

Please join us in WELCOMING OUR NEWEST WILDCATS to SCDS. Theodore Bernard Perry (left), son of Assistant Director of Advancement Erin Perry and her husband Jonathan, was born December 6, 2015. Aeshel Quinn (right), daughter of Assistant to the Intermediate and Middle School Head Adam Elder and his wife Shamra, was born on April 19, 2016.

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National Association for Gifted Children Convention (NAGC); The Northwest Association of Independent Schools (NWAIS) Institutional Leadership Conference; Wired for Reading Linguistics Workshops; The Marcy Cook Math Workshop; The Washington Library Media Association Conference; and The Nonprofit Storytelling Conference. Ten 6th and 7th grade students also attended the NWAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference at University Prep in February 2016.

SCDS is happy to WELCOME NEW FACES TO CAMPUS. Pictured top row (L to R):

Administrative Assistant Allison Freel, Teaching Assistant Sean Hutton, Day Porter Alejandro Lucatero, and Teaching Assistant Matt Raymond. Bottom row (L to R): Extended Day Staffers Clare Cooper and Maika Ortiz.

Not pictured: Communications Coordinator Sheena McFerran.

SCDS SAID FAREWELL to Administrative Assistant Angela Karschney, AllSchool Substitute Colton Vander Vliet, Communications Coordinator Nichole Wendling, and Facilities Assistant Thanh Dinh.

SCDS—in partnership with Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences (SAAS)—invited renowned clinical psychologist and author, CATHERINE STEINER-ADAIR, EdD, to campus March 2016 to speak to parents about how technology and media change the way kids learn and grow. Author of The Big Disconnect, Dr. Steiner-Adair shared her research on how access to technology has erased boundaries that protect children from damaging exposure to excessive marketing.

Mehr Grewal ‘21 (second from the left) won first prize in the

REGIONAL POETRY CONTEST OF THE WASHINGTON GAVEL CLUBS

(under 12) in March 2016. She recited a poem she had written herself entitled Let’s Stop Stereotypes.

Sarah Alexander ‘16 won first place in NORWESCON’S EMERGING ARTISTS COMPETITION.

Dylan Chalcraft ‘16 was the winner of one of the 2016 KARINA EIDE YOUNG WRITERS AWARDS. He was selected from a national pool of competitors.

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Colman Bashore ‘16 advanced to the statewide competition for the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC GEOGRAPHY BEE. He competed in April 2016.

Kimberly ‘21 and Rebecca ‘19 Yeung were nominated for the 6th and final WHITE HOUSE SCIENCE FAIR hosted by President Barack Obama April 13, 2016. The Yeung sisters were among 100 science, technology, engineering, and math students from across the country in attendance aiming to “change the future of America.” They shared how they built a homemade “spacecraft” (Loki Lego Launcher) and sent it into the stratosphere via a helium balloon this past September 2015.

Former Grade 3 Teacher Mark Holtzen’s book—A TICKET TO THE PENNANT—has been published! Tour the Seattle of 1955 with Huey, as he and his neighborhood cheer for the Seattle Rainiers: markholtzen.com

SCDS students spanning 1st to 7th grades competed in a flurry of DESTINATION IMAGINATION tournaments this spring. The Obstreperous Binturongs, American DInamite Ninjas of Camouflage, and Decaf Hippies competed at the state tournament in Wenatchee in April 2016. The Obstreperous Binturongs are competing at the Global Finals this May. Forty-four SCDS K-8 students attended the WASHINGTON

STATE ELEMENTARY CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT in Tacoma

on April 16, 2016. The SCDS grades 4-6 team was awarded the 1st place team trophy and the grades 1-3 team was awarded the 4th place team trophy.

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: THANH DINH FAREWELL On December 17, 2015, SCDS SAID A HEARTFELT FAREWELL to Facilities Assistant Thanh Dinh who retired after 32 years of service. Prior to coming to SCDS, Dinh was a law professor and officer in the South Vietnamese government during the Vietnam War. After the war, Dinh was sent to a reeducation camp before eventually immigrating to France—where he was reunited with his girlfriend [now wife]—then to the United States, where SCDS’s First Head of School Lucile Beckman offered him a job.

Dinh was recognized with a reception and an all-school assembly. Prior to leaving, we sat down with Dinh to ask him about his service to the school.

How did you come to work at Seattle Country Day School?

“I started in 1984. Only two weeks after I came from Vietnam, I got a job from Sally Jewell to take care of her son. She recommended me to Lucile Beckman. I don’t know why, but she took a chance on me.”

“It was hard. When I got home my whole body hurt. I wasn’t used to the labor. Before coming to the United States, I was a teacher.”

What will you miss the most?

“I will miss everyone, all the children—they are so nice—and the faculty.

I have been here so long it feels like my house—I will miss everything.”

What are you most grateful for?

“When I got this job they offered me a house with everything—furniture, a TV—everything. I lived on campus for 17 years. We didn’t have to pay rent. We were able to save and buy a house.”

What is your favorite place on campus?

“The playground has to be my favorite place—my children played there after school for 17 years.”

What will you do next?

“I will go back to Vietnam—Saigon—for a few months and do some charity work and visit my family.”

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CLASS

NOTES ZAHLEN TITCOMB ’96

along with his siblings— Rohre ’01, Qxhna, Xtehn ’98, and Vehro ’99, launched a content platform called TheUltimateProject.org to bridge the gap between Ultimate Frisbee and the general public, and to educate athletes, parents, and the community on the social and societal benefits of Ultimate as a sport and a teaching tool: guru@theultimateproject.com SARAH (GOLDBLATT) EMERSON ’00 and her

husband, Chris, welcomed Oliver Levi in November 2015.

Sarah is a Product Manager at Amazon; Chris is a fulltime dad and food blogger: mremersoncooks.com BEN FORMAN ’00 is living in

San Francisco and was recently engaged this past fall. He is working in finance at a large credit hedge fund covering investments in the energy and industrial sectors.

HANNAH NIEBULSKI ’04,

Vanderbilt University ’12, will be graduating from the University of Rochester Medical School (May 2016) to pursue a career as an Obstetrician/Gynecologist. This past winter, she did a surgical rotation on the Navajo Reservation in the Four Corners region of New Mexico.

While there, she enjoyed spending time outside of the hospital reliving her SCDS Winterim years!

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SPRING 2016 | KINETICS

ABBY ANASTASIO ’10, a fifthsemester songwriting major at Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, released a 4-song extended play with her band in October 2015. The EP is entitled “Lest We Forget,” and is available on Bandcamp.

CONNOR HANIFY ‘10 is a computer science major at Middlebury College and a member of the men’s varsity Ultimate Frisbee. Middlebury competes primarily with schools in the New England region, but has made it to Regionals and the National Championships twice in the past three years. Hanify enjoys seeing SCDS Ultimate alumni at these events (Go Wildcats—Go Panthers—Go Ms. Lowry!). In other news, Hanify and Grant Price ‘10 travelled to Australia and Japan last fall.

LUCAS CHEN ’12 and JOHN RANDOLPH ’13

(left) were selected as members of the Junior Boys National Team for the 2016 World Junior Ultimate Championships (WJUC).

Chen and Randolph will be competing this summer at the WJUC in Wroclaw, Poland. Pictured L to R: Emma Gautier ‘12, Claire Trop ‘13, Kate Daugherty ‘13, John Randolph ‘13, Derek Mourad ’12, and Lucas Chen ‘12.

STAY CONNECTED!

Hoping to reconnect or network with a former SCDS classmate? Have address updates? Visit the SCDS Alumni Directory: seattlecountryday.org/AlumniDirectory NATHANIEL ERREZ ’12

has been a member of the U.S. Junior National Canoe and Kayak Team since his sophomore year at Roosevelt High School and has represented the United States at two Junior World Championships (2014 in Hungary and 2015 in Portugal) as well as two Olympic Hopes Regattas (2014 in Slovakia and 2015 in Poland). He has also competed in four U.S. National Championships earning a total of 14 medals. He is planning to continue to compete internationally in college.

Congratulations to ERIKA KIEM ’12, ANNIKA KOUHIA ‘12, and MARIA MUELLER ’12 for making the Holy Names Class of 2016 Top Scholar Valedictorians list.

KATE DAUGHERTY ’13 and CLAIRE TROP ’13

(left) were selected as members of the U20 Women’s Team for the 2016 World Junior Ultimate Championships (WJUC). Daugherty and Trop will be competing this summer at the WJUC in Wroclaw, Poland.

PLUG IN WITH FELLOW ALUMNI

MAINTAINING THE MOMENTUM: SCDS ALUMNI EVENTS An inaugural SCDS TURKEY SCRAMBLE took place this

past November 27, 2015.

Over 30 SCDS alumni and friends gathered to play Ultimate at the Lower Woodland playfields. A special thanks to Xtehn Titcomb ’98, Zahlen Titcomb ’96, and Five Ultimate for coordinating day-of logistics and providing the ultimate Ultimate giveaways.

Approximately 40 alumni students, alumni parents, and current families gathered at the summit of Crystal Mountain this past January 29, 2016 for an ALUMNI WINTERIM DAY lunch. The event was sponsored by the SCDS Alumni Council. SCDS spirit wear—yowies— were donned by all students and community members on the mountain that day.

JESSICA CHIN ’14 was chosen to serve as a Washington State Legislative Page in Olympia this past February. Chin served in the State House of Representatives, where she was sponsored by State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos of Seattle.

THE SCDS ALUMNI COUNCIL NEEDS YOUR HELP! Interested in reconnecting with former classmates? Receiving news on the next campus event? Contact SCDS Class Agents via the connect tab of the SCDS website. Don’t see your class year listed? Email us for more information on becoming a Class Agent: alumni@seattlecountryday.org 1981: 1983: 1985: 1988: 1989:

Anastacia Dillon Rudy Gadre & Jason Froggatt Karim Lessard & Wendy McDermott Carolyn Holtzen Lisa Narodick Colton

1990: 1991: 1993: 2000: 2001:

Sarah Leung Catherine Burns Humbert Josh Donion Sam Fisher & Emily Hamilton Laurel Stewart

2012: 2013: 2014: 2015:

Emma Gautier Emily Jordan & Emma Engle Cole Graham & Emmy Hunt Emme McMullen

KINETICS | SPRING 2016

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Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 6244 Seattle, WA

2619 4th Avenue N Seattle, WA 98109 206-284-6220 seattlecountryday.org

is DIGITAL! Read the latest issue of Kinetics on your iPhone, iPad, or tablet: seattlecountryday.org/Kinetics

Read All About It: K-5 Book Swap Success ...

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.

1,015 books collected 240 students shopped the Swap 940 books found new homes 75 books donated to local shelters and food banks

DIVERSITY STATEMENT SCDS actively seeks to increase the

breadth of diversity and inclusion in our entire community: the gifted children at the center of a dynamic learning process, their families, and our faculty, staff, and Board of Trustees. We aspire to include a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives; to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of differences; and to cultivate diverse thinking essential for creative problem solving.

We recognize that diversity encompasses all socioeconomic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, family structures, gender and sexual identifications, and religious communities. In the spirit of true inquiry, we embrace this journey as an essential learning opportunity.

We affirm our belief that increasing and sustaining diversity and inclusiveness helps us to fulfill our mission of inspiring gifted children to reach their potential through inquiry, curiosity and wonder. We believe in continually examining all aspects of our school including our own curriculum, hiring practices, admissions procedures, communications, outreach, and professional development, in support of our mission.

We pledge to attract, embrace, and support a diverse community; to foster an environment of authenticity and inclusion; to empower compassionate problem solvers and risk takers; and to inspire one another to better the world for all.

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, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability in administration of its educational policies, admission, financial aid, or any other school-administered programs.

Many thanks to our parent volunteers and our voracious readers for recycling old treasures and selecting new ones on April 7, 2016!