April Around the Academy

APRIL 2012

Lee and Tambling Receive National Art Awards and the Clutter Creature.

This piece was also a favorite at the MMFA juried corridor show celebrating illustration.

Both students have been recognized for their inventive, original work in their four years at the Academy and both plan to pursue art on the collegiate level.

As members of Camilla Armstrong's AP Studio Art Class, their work and that of their fellow classmates, Rosalind O'Connor, Sophie Odom, Hannah Trachy, and Ryan Zeinert will be Addison Tambling received a gold medal for his abstract painting on cardboard, Collision. Gibbs Lee’s exhibited in the first watercolor and wax resist piece Max and the Clutter Creature earned a silver medal.

Montgomery Academy AP Seniors Gibbs Lee and Addison Tambling are among 1500 Studio Art Exhibition at Stonehenge Gallery on Fairview, opening students whose art work has been recognized on the national level Tuesday, April 23, with a reception on Thursday, April 26. by the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. They will be honored in a ceremony at Carnegie The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have an impressive legacy Hall on May 31. Gibbs and Addison were among 13 Academy dating back to 1923 and a noteworthy roster of past winners Upper School art students who received gold, silver and honorable including Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard mention awards on the regional level in this year's award, making Avedon, Robert Redford and Joyce Carol Oates. The Awards are their work eligible for national adjudication. From these 13,000 an important opportunity for students to be recognized for their gold key recipients, only 1500 were chosen to receive national creative talents. To date, the Awards have encouraged over 13 medals. million students, recognized more than 9 million young artists Addison received a national gold medal for an abstract painting on cardboard entitled, Collision. Addison's painting is part of his 12 piece AP Studio concentration series. Gibbs received a national silver medal for his watercolor and wax resist piece entitled, Max

and writers, and made available more than $25 million in awards and scholarships. They continue to be the nation's longestrunning, most prestigious recognition program for creative teens in the U.S., and the largest source of scholarships for young artists and writers.

PRINGLE’S PAGES Harmony High, the third grade play in March was excellent. Special thanks go to the third grade teachers and Cliff Huckabee for an outstanding play and to Natalie Pirnie and the moms that helped her create a wonderful set. The play put us all in good spirits for the holidays.

We had a very successful spring sharing project. During the “Helping Hands for a Healthy Heart” campaign, the gym teachers emphasized during their classes the importance of diet and exercise in preventing heart disease. At the culmination of the project, exercise stations were set up in the gym for the children to enjoy during gym class. The children were so excited about helping with chores to earn their $5 to give to the American Heart Association. It was such fun to see them when they brought in their money and were allowed to trace their hand for the display in the commons area. Not only did the children help the Heart Association, they also gained valuable information and really felt a part of the project. Thanks goes out to Katie Bradshaw for a great job in planning and implementing this project.

Royal Superbaby, Animal Crackers Fly the Coop, and the New York Times bestseller, Gimme Cracked Corn and I Will Share. His books are full of wacky images and kidfriendly jokes, and his wild sense of humor was evident through his presentations!

As spring settles in and our days are longer, I want to remind you of the importance of a healthy diet and proper rest for your children. Children tend to stay up later during the spring and often come to school a bit sluggish. Some do not eat breakfast due to a slow start in the morning. These habits do not support a strong school day.

Please be intentional about bed time and breakfast as we move toward the end of school. It truly makes a difference in your child’s performance at school.

On April 11, we will have another Family Night. This time is set aside so that you can enjoy being together as a family with no competing events, activities, or homework. The feedback on Family Nights has been quite positive and we plan to set aside more of these next year. All of us need to stop periodically to enjoy our families and these designated nights serve as good reminders to do so.

Our visiting author, Kevin O’Malley, came to the Lower The Third grade play Harmony High was a hit!

School on April 4. Mr. O’Malley Lower School visiting author Kevin O’Malley had is based in Baltimore and is an a great time with the students! author and illustrator. He began There are lots of special events drawing as a child after being inspired by Maurice Sendak’s taking place in April with Eagle Day being the main event. classic children’s book, Where the Wild Things Are. Kevin More information about Eagle Day will be sent at a later O’Malley experiments with a variety of mediums and time but go ahead and mark your calendars. styles in his illustrations and has contributed artwork to numerous books by authors such as Judy Fincher, Michael Jan Pringle O. Tunnell, and David A. Adler. Additionally, Mr. Lower School Director O’Malley has created original titles such as Once Upon a

MCWILLIAMS IN THE MIDDLE The Positive Side of Disruption In our society, “disruption” is a word that we are not particularly excited about. Generally, we don’t like for our lives to be disrupted. Human beings become comfortable with routines, and we don’t like it when those routines are marred in any way. School cultures are especially disinclined to enjoy disruption. Overall, I think that we do a good job of handling disruption, but we don’t necessarily like it or feel comfortable in that position. Teachers do not enjoy working with students who are disruptive to class routines. We are not pleased when weather emergencies or other unexpected events disrupt our schedules. Administrators are not excited when our plans are disrupted. (As a side note, I have to point out that I’ve been interrupted about six or seven times when trying to write this paragraph. I guess “disruption” just comes with the territory.)

However, a recent analysis of the concept “disruption” in schools suggests that some “disruptions” may not be as bad as we might think. Before I write about the positive side of disruption, let me be very clear about what I’m not writing about. I’m not going to suggest to you that we should tolerate student behavior that is disruptive in a negative way. We can’t tolerate meanspirited attitudes or behavior that disrespects the productive atmosphere that the teachers are trying to create. Furthermore, I am not suggesting that we completely alter time-tested methods of teaching that have been successful in the past and can continue to be successful in the future.

What I am suggesting is that schools need to embrace certain “disruptions” that can revolutionize how learning can occur in a school environment. In Disrupting Class: How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns, Harvard Professor Clayton Christensen argues the we need to recognize the power of positive disruption to serve as the basis for innovation. He writes, “The principal message is that disruption -- a powerful body of theory that describes how people interact and react, how behavior is shaped... -- can usefully frame why our schools have struggled to improve and how to

solve these problems. We hope that our readers will come to see through what we present here that disruption is a necessary and overdue chapter.” Rather than seeing disruption as a negative force, Christensen sees disruption as “productive” and “necessary.”

For Christensen, technology is one area that can be a source of positive disruption in a school community.

Although it can often create frustration and we have to make sure that it is used productively, technology has the power to take us out of our comfort zone and expose us to new opportunities for engagement. Additionally, Christensen sees 1:1 technology in schools as a “promising path” for schools in developing more student-centric models of learning. Technology -- when employed productively -- can aid in the creation of a student-focused educational environment that can end up creating more intrinsically motivated students.

I’m particularly excited that our new iPad initiative is going to provide one way in which positive “disruption” will occur in the MA community. While, in many ways, the iPad is going to be just another tool to accomplish some of the same outstanding educational goals that we’ve always had as an institution, we have to admit that the iPads are going to challenge us, push us, and yes...even disrupt us at times. It will force teachers to think about how to use technology productively and how they can migrate their old techniques into a 21st century learning tool. The iPad will also force students to learn how to handle the responsibility of having such a powerful device and using it in a productive manner as well. In the years ahead, the iPad will be a powerful source for creative innovation at The Montgomery Academy. Yes, it may be “disruptive,” but in this case, the disruption will be a good thing.

This spring, teachers in the Middle School will receive iPads and will begin to train for using the iPads in the 5th grade next year and ALL grades in the 2013-2014 year. We are excited for the disruptions on the horizon.

John McWilliams Middle School Director

FROM THE UPPER SCHOOL Making a list, checking it twice--that’s what your family is doing if you have a student registering for courses in the Upper School. Online registration is scheduled for the week of April 16; as you and your child work through course lists and descriptions, please read the material carefully and consult teachers to be sure that you’re making wise, informed choices.

The 2012-2013 slate of classes that a student chooses is not only significant for the coming year. It establishes and maintains sequences that define that student’s path through four years of high school. Several factors should enter into deliberations about which classes to select: • a student’s interests and abilities • prerequisites for AP or honors courses in a discipline • requirements for admission to colleges of interest to the student • a student’s track record: what sort of course brings out the best in him or her?

• understanding of the nature and content of MA courses, especially electives • Realize that some considerations do not make the list because they shouldn’t: number of friends taking a class; reputation of the class for being easy; the person teaching the class.

Too many kids choose electives casually in the spring and in August are amazed that they are enrolled in a class they picked on the fly and chagrined at its content and intent. Getting out of a course chosen hastily isn't easy: the master schedule is a complicated engine, carrying a freight of 247 students, 34 teachers and scores of courses. Changing on a whim or to rectify a whim may not be possible. Paying close attention at the front end, here and now in mid-April, is the best way for a student to find himself at the correct level of a core course and in a comfortable, stimulating elective.

Please sit down with your Upper Schooler and peruse

the course descriptions with him. Listen to his thoughts about the pros and cons of specific classes and help him imagine how they might suit him and his talents. As the two of you craft a solid and interesting combination of courses and do the practical work of making sure graduation requirements are met, there will be an added benefit: you'll gain a finer appreciation of your child's life as a student. That life is rich, complex, challenging and fulfilling--and not even the bothersome bureaucracy of registration can disguise how much it matters.

Cheryl McKiearnan Upper School Director

Junior Class Career Day On February 23, juniors participated in Career Day where they shadowed a professional in a line of work that interests them. The brainchild of Upper School Guidance Counselor Alexis Wakefield, Career Day was first implemented in the 2010-11 school year and was received with enthusiasm from faculty, students and employers. “This experience is so critical for students because they are getting a chance to experience firsthand the profession they are interested in and also to really get a chance to talk with a professional about a career they may want to spend the rest of their life doing,” said Mrs. Wakefield. The students visited a wide variety of different professionals including veterinarians, photographers, teachers, writers, doctors, architects and many more.

Savannah Bullard got the opportunity to shadow several of the employees at Seay, Seay and Litchfield Architecture. “It was really appealing to me because I have always been really interested in art and I got to see how much art is involved in being an architect and everything that goes along with it. I got to learn about all the different aspects of architecture and design, and that was really cool,” she said about her experience.

Drew Patterson had the exciting day of shadowing homicide investigators. He spent time with both Lieutenant Kinney and Sergeant Myrick at the Montgomery Criminal Investigation Division. Drew’s interest in crime scene investigation was sparked at a young age when he became interested in television shows like America’s Most Wanted. He got to see all the different jobs that go into solving a crime, and it’s only fueled his desire to get into this field in some capacity in the future. “I really hope that in the future I can be like Lieutenant Kinney and Sergeant Myrick.” said Drew.

Garrett Laurie and Lucy Hobbs shadowed Judge Truman Hobbs. They got to meet with Judge Hobbs and the trial lawyers before sitting in on half a day of court. The two got to witness a plethora of different cases. “We saw everything from the possession of a controlled substance to murder,” said Garrett. “It was very interesting, I really enjoyed my day.” After a morning of court, Judge Hobbs took the two students to lunch where they discussed what they had seen.

Students appreciated the opportunity to shadow someone in a profession of interest. “Choosing this job from my Interest Inventory test helped reaffirm my passion for writing. I really appreciate this opportunity and I hope Career Day is on its way to becoming an MA tradition,” said April Shambo when reflecting on her experience shadowing Bill Rice, editor for the Montgomery Independent.

Junior class students enjoy Career Day

Eighth Graders Go to Washington

Students visited with Congresswomen Martha Roby and Terri Sewell while visiting Washington, D.C. The Montgomery Academy eighth grade students had an exciting week visiting our nation's capitol. The group spent the week of March 5-9 exploring the great resources Washington, D.C. area has to offer including landmarks such as Arlington National Cemetery, the Jefferson Memorial, Ford's Theatre, the White House and Mount Vernon. Students also visited several museums including the Smithsonian, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.

The trip was highlighted by a visit with Alabama Senators Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions as well as Alabama Congresswomen Martha Roby and Terri Eighth Graders met with Alabama Senators Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby after they Sewell. toured the U.S. Capitol building.

FROM THE HEAD of SCHOOL A Tragic Lesson from Rutgers University Ask any MA teacher why they teach and the number one reason they offer, without any hesitation, is their relationship with students. I believe the passage below resonates with any adult who has the privilege to work directly with young people: We are thankful for the blessings that children bring into this world: for their energy and spontaneity, for their giggles and laughter, for their creative imagination, for their sense of freedom and playfulness, for their love so openly given, for their ability to make us feel needed, for their gift of hope for the future.

Amen to that! But we also know that working with young people can be, in rare cases, heart-breaking and devastating. We’ve all followed the webcam spying case at Rutgers University that led to the suicide of Tyler Clementi. We recently learned that the defendant, Dharrun Ravi, was found guilty of all 15 charges against him and now faces the possibility of up to 10 years in prison and deportation to his native India.

Mr. Ravi’s lawyers believed that this was a case of youthful indiscretion. They argued that Mr. Ravi was an immature 18-year-old boy who was uncomfortable with his roommate’s sexual orientation and didn’t quite know how to deal with it. So the jury was faced with the question: was this a stupid adolescent prank or a crime?

The jurors gave a clear answer by concluding that “young people who are sophisticated enough to spy on, insult and embarrass one another electronically are sophisticated enough to be held accountable.”

(Associated Press) The final result: one 18-year-old boy dead, another who will spend much of his adult life in prison, and two devastated families.

As a head of school and educator, this case was particularly painful for me to follow and made me thankful that we have a healthy student culture at the Academy. I’m in the midst of meeting with small groups of seniors where I ask them to reflect on their MA

experience. When I ask them what they love most about the Academy, they all talk about the strong sense of community and the importance of relationships with each other and their teachers.

While these student reflections are affirming, I realize that no community is perfect and that our faculty must be purposeful in cultivating and educating ethical, kind, and humble young adults. I shared the points below with all of our students on the first day of school and thought it was appropriate to dust them off as we finish up the last two months of school.

1. Students—know that you are loved. Our teachers thrive on your energy, your enthusiasm and your appetite for learning. You are the reason they teach.

You need to know that you are loved.

2. Tied to my first point, is a word of advice: Never worry alone. As you navigate the choppy waters of your social life and school life, know that you can turn to your advisor, teacher, coach, administrator and me for counsel. As I just said, we care deeply about you as students and people so share your burdens with us.

3. My final point is very simple. Be kind to each other. William James, a brilliant American psychologist and philosopher was a prolific writer during his lifetime but offered the following on his deathbed: “There are only three important things in life: kindness, kindness, kindness.”

Whether you have a Kindergartner or Senior or some combination thereof in your home, I ask that you share with them the following at dinner tonight: Know that you are loved, never worry alone, and be kind.

Dave Farace Head of School

Middle School Students Place in National Literature Competition Congratulations to fifth graders Hannah Soloff, who won second place, and Francie Hill, who won third place, in the state level of the Letters About Literature program. In addition, fifth graders Tara Katz, Mary Jane McConnell, Sujin Lee, Bisola Adediji, and Catherine Updegraff were semi-finalists for these awards. MA had 7 of the 13 semi-finalists in the Level 1 competition.

from left to right: Bisola Adediji, Catherine Updegraff, Sujin Lee, Francie Hill, Tara Katz, Mary Jane McConnell, and Hannah Soloff

Letters About Literature is a national reading promotion program of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, presented in partnership with Target that challenges students to write a reflective, personal letter to an author telling how their work changed their view of the world or themselves.

Spanish Honor Society On March 13, the Marcelino Chapter of the Spanish Honor Society inducted eleven new members. The inductees are selected according the guidelines established by the National Chapter. They must have maintained an “A” average in their Spanish courses for three consecutive semesters, are chosen from the sophomore and junior classes and are expected to continue their Spanish studies the following year. Candidates should also demonstrate a strong set of personal values and admirable conduct. This year’s inductees are: Jeong Hyun Ahn, Garrett Alexandra Barnes, Lee Ellen Bryan, Madeleine Harwood Flemming, William Braswell Haynes, Ann Mathews Hester, Elizabeth Nichole Kelly, Rachel Harrison Lee, Sarah Paige Massey, Rachel Ashlyn Warwick and Rachel María Yearwood.

The induction ceremony was conducted by the following officers of The Montgomery Academy Marcelino Chapter: Julian O’Neal Freeman, President; Wylie Melton Hayes, Vice-President and Nini Rabsatt-Smith, Secretary-Treasurer.

Congratulations to all inductees and their families!

Latin Honor Society and Awards LATIN HONOR SOCIETY The following students have earned membership in the Latin Honor Society, an organization sponsored by the National Junior Classical League: Morgan Heumann, John Thomas Monroe, Corrie Tankersley, Jillian Tinglin, and Hayden Walcott.

NATIONAL LATIN EXAM Recently, the Latin students at the Academy, together with over 148,000 from all fifty states and thirteen foreign countries, participated in the 2012 National Latin Exam. These students will receive their awards and medals at an assembly in May. INTRODUCTION TO LATIN Outstanding special certificate: Anna Kate Lindsey, Dora Eskridge Achievement certificate: Graham Waldo, Laurel Buettner, Elizabeth Robertson, Lindsey Ferraro LATIN I Summa Cum Laude: William Moore, Gracie Trulove Maxima Cum Laude: Henry Hamlett, Ellie Herron Magna Cum Laude: Ann Hunter Tankersley, Nora Newcomb Cum Laude: Mary Braden Hendon, Jay Back

LATIN II Summa Cum Laude: Jillian Tinglin Maxima Cum Laude: John Thomas Monroe Magna Cum Laude: Michael Philhower Cum Laude: Layne Williams, Jake Chesnutt LATIN III Maxima Cum Laude: Hayden Walcott LATIN IV Magna Cum Laude: Corrie Tankersley Cum Laude: Morgan Heumann

Middle School Students Donate $1,000 to Brantwood Fifth and sixth grade students raised $1000 for Brantwood Children's Home during their annual "Pi" Day celebration. Students bought raffle tickets for a chance to throw a pie at selected faculty members and administrators. The students presented Kim Herbert, the director at Brantwood, the money at a special ceremony. Kim Herbert told the MA students about the excited reactions of the Brantwood kids who received Christmas presents from MA earlier in the school year. Brantwood Fifth grade students presented Kim Herbert, Director of Brantwood, Children's Home plans to use the money to purchase with $1000 to use towards the purchase of a soft-serve ice cream a soft-serve ice cream machine for their dining hall. machine.

Seventh Grade Travels to Chattanooga

Last month, the seventh grade class spent an exciting and educational two days in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The trip began with a picnic lunch at Cloudland Canyon State Park, followed by a hike to a waterfall. After that it was on to the Hunter Museum of American Art where docents taught students about perspective. The day ended with dinner and music on the lovely Southern Belle riverboat, where the students got the opportunity to sit with the captain.

Day two was just as eventful for the students. It began with a river gorge cruise where the captain and crew told the students about Chattanooga history and pointed out interesting nature, spotting wildlife from bald eagles to deer. Next it was on to the top of Lookout Mountain where the students visited Rock City, with its massive ancient rock formations, gardens with over 400 native plants and breathtaking views. They then descended into the caverns to see Ruby Falls, a massive underground waterfall. Finally, the group headed to the Tennessee Aquarium where they had the whole place to themselves and enjoyed a “sleep in the deep”–actually spending the night in the aquarium. What an exciting trip filled with geology, history, biology and other enriching learning experiences!

MA Artists Featured in Festival Four Montgomery Academy Upper School students will have their work featured in the American Red Cross 2012 fourth annual Paint the Town Red Festival! Julian Freeman, Layne Doctson, Rosalind O’Connor, and Bentley Hudson all had pieces were selected. A total of 26 artists from throughout the state of Alabama have been selected for this year’s Paint the Town Red Festival. The works will be projected onto the sides of downtown Birmingham buildings on April 14 during the evening. If you happen to be in Birmingham on Saturday, April 14 check out our work!

At right: Julian Freeman’s Abstract Perception.