The O’Neal Quarterly •
Elections are held for the executive board of the Upper School Student Forum, a new structure to Middle and Upper School student government for 2018-2019. Election results are President Bennett Moore, Vice President Sarah McInnis, Treasurer Ryan Ritter-Diosdado, and Secretary Stefan Woolley.
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O’Neal junior Jenna Burns is named winner of the annual Shakespeare competition hosted by the English Speaking Union (ESU), Sandhills Branch and competes in New York.
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O’Neal junior Alex Dymond wins the Earth Day Photography Contest. The Conserving Nature category is won by 2nd grade student Brynna Eklund. The Observing Nature category is won by junior Bryce Samples. The Interacting with Nature category is won by junior Nolan Meese.
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The Middle School Science Olympiad team wins 3rd place in the regionals qualifying the whole team to compete in state competition. The team ranks 39th at states out of more than 230 teams. For the first
time, O’Neal brought home individual medals in TWO events - “Road Scholar” -Timmy Edleman and Eland Miller AND “Roller Coaster” - Macy Cheek and Lauren Kuhn. •
O’Neal faculty members win the 2018 Moore Trivia night supporting the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Sandhills.
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O’Neal’s varsity girls track team competes in the Union Pines Viking Relays against 11 other (public) schools and wins the 800 meter Women’s Sprint Medley Relay.
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Seven students are welcomed from Les Chartreux, a prestigious private high school in Lyon. The students experience homestays with O’Neal families as well as classroom instruction.
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The Upper School Math Club organizes and hosts an all school Pi Day on – March 14th. Students from kindergarten through 12th grade participate in the math extravaganza by working across divisions to solve math problems.
SPRING 2018 •
The International Club holds an Oxfam Hunger Banquet raising $1700 for the Heifer Project to be allocated towards livestock and bees.
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The O’Neal Aquatics Program is announced. Director of Aquatics is Jen Schmitz and Aquatics Programs Director is Ashley Long.
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Upper and Middle School students represent seven placed winners and five honorable mentions at this year’s 22nd Annual Young People’s Arts Festival. O’Neal grabbed 1st place in the Drawing category for both High School and Middle School sections as well as Print making in the High School Section. In the Elementary School category, O’Neal wins “Best in Show” for the second time. Seventh Grade student Zoie Furie wins the “People’s Choice” award.
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O’Neal and College St. Michel in Bourgoin- Jallieu, France celebrate the fifth exchange this year. Sixteen French middle school students experience a two-week stay with host families and in O’Neal’s classrooms.
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Aquatics Program Offerings
’Neal’s newly formed aquatics program is ready to hit the water with summer and fall offerings. Registration is now open for summer swim lessons for youth of all ages as well as a seasonal swim team, called Falcon Discovery Swim League (FDSL). Swimming lessons will be taught in 35-minute classes, four days (Mon-Thurs) a week for two weeks. Four different skill levels will be offered. Swim lessons will be scheduled in micro-class sizes with a maximum of four students per instructor. The last 2-week session ends August 2nd. In FDSL, swimmers (rising 2nd – 6th grade) will become proficient at the four strokes, play aquatics games, and learn
starts and turns in a fun team environment. Swimmers compete at an end of the season inter-squad meet. Participants must be able to swim 25 yards. The summer FDSL lasts from June 4 - August 2nd, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Mondays-Thursdays. Later this summer, registration for fall aquatics programs will open. FDSL for 2nd-6th graders will be offered directly after school. For swimmers in the Lower School, coaches will escort them from the Lower School to the pool for practice. Parents can pick up swimmers from the pool at 4:30 p.m., or a coach will take those participating in after school care back to the Lower School.
Pre-K swimming lessons is an exciting new offering for O’Neal Pre-K families. Swimming lessons will be offered in the fall directly after pre-kindergarten just after noon. With a quick snack, parents can pick up their students and stroll over to the pool for a conveniently timed swim lesson or coaches may escort the extended day students to and from the pool. More information will be provided as this offering develops. These new swimming opportunities are just another way to make going to the O’Neal School a unique comprehensive and fun experience. For more information on the O’Neal Aquatics Program, please visit O’Neal’s website. www.ONealSchool.org.
Project Based Learning
Project Based Learning (PBL) remains at the forefront in schools. Considered more than just a teaching method, it allows for students to develop intellectually and emotionally. As students are presented complex questions or problems within a real-world scenario to answer or solve, they are learning by way of critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and self-management. In Katie Dickerson’s 5th grade class, students studied the American Revolution using project-based learning. The topics focused on “Perspectives of the American Revolution” that included areas such as privateers, prisoners of war, Marquis de Lafayette, signers of the Declaration of Independence from North Carolina, founding fathers, King George III, spies, war strategies from the patriots, the Hessians, the British, major battles, women’s roles, and medicine. All of this was presented as the students transformed the classroom into a museum and each area was an “exhibit”.
The student “museum experts” made minipresentations of their findings to parents and Lower School classes. Students researched their topic of choice and applied the new information into their exhibits. The regularly scheduled reading and writing workshops assisted in the preparation. Their reading workshop consisted of historical fiction novels that gave them a different perspective of what it was like during that time. A book tasting was held for the students to pick which historical fiction novel they were most interested in. The writer’s workshop consisted of applying their knowledge to essential questions regarding leadership and problemsolving. The class was given 3 essential questions. The first focused on leadership. After discussing George Washington’s leadership traits and why he ended up being successful, the kids wrote about a time they took a leadership role and how they
managed a group of people. What qualities did they need to possess and did they ever fail? Essential question #2 had the kids responding and relating to a time that they came across a problem and had to solve it themselves. How did they do it and were they successful? The third essential question focused on a narrative read from the Dear America series. The students had to pretend they were in the American Revolution time period and what it may have looked like in a child’s eyes and focusing on detail. This PBL experience helped students to use communication, collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, creativity, and innovation.
The Arts
SPORTS
The varsity girls basketball team completed one of the most successful seasons in program history. The girls tallied a 20-5 record, going a perfect 14-0 against EPIC conference opponents. Leaving their mark as both EPIC Regular Season Champions and EPIC Tournament Champions! Furthermore, Toyin Koleoso ’18 was voted EPIC Player of the year and Lulu Brase was voted EPIC Coach of the Year for varsity girls basketball. In varsity swimming, Ellie Henry ’18 and Hannah Burns ’19 demonstrated dominant displays at the EPIC Championships finishing as joint equal point scorers for the Championships. Chase Osorio won the 50 Freestyle (Fr). Burns, won both the 50 Fr and 100 Fr, and Henry ‘18 won the girls 200 Fr and 100 Breaststroke. Our girls 200 Freestyle relay came in first, as well (Henry, Natalie Williams ‘20, Molly Kuzma ‘21 and Burns). The Falcons enjoyed a strong showing at the state championships in Greensboro. Ellie Henry now holds the state championship record for the 200 IM. Chase Osorio ‘19, broke former teammate and alum Kyle McClelland’s 50 Freestyle record. The Lady Falcons finished 2nd overall out of 29 teams and the boys finished 17th out of 30 teams. Our top 2 high point scorers were Hannah Burns ‘19 and Chase Osorio ‘19. Congratulations to our swimmers on another great season! The varsity cheerleaders enjoyed a stellar season. A major signifier of success came while competing and earning 1st Place in School Division category at the Spirit Solutions Cheer Competition in Fayetteville. The Lady Falcons were also crowned GRAND CHAMPION over eleven schools. The ladies and gentleman of middle school cheer/yell leader improved each month, gaining confidence, strength and determination in stunting, cheers and dances. A sign of the team’s true quality and future potential came when the team competed and won an award at the Spirit Solutions Cheer Competition in Fayetteville. The middle school boys basketball team completed a very successful season and were crowned both The Elite Exposure Holiday Tournament winners and the SEMSAC Conference Champions. The boys enjoyed numerous highlights during the season, including commanding wins against last year’s Conference Champions and perennial power Village Christian Academy. The varsity boys basketball team competed all year against some great competition. They were led by All-Conference players Andy Jenkins and Bennett Moore along with the seniors Brandon Birdsall and Team Captain Joseph Tozzi. The future is bright with a hungry group of rising 9th graders and JV guys joining the Varsity team next season The middle school girls basketball completed their season with a fabulous performance and win against Liberty Christian Academy. The girls fought hard all year and had demonstrated tremendous heart and leadership.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
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hat is usually considered the MS/US musical expanded this year to included the O’Nealers from the Lower School. An almost full house for both nights, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” was a hit for all ages.
Upcoming Events May 21 JV/Varsity Sports Recognition Ceremony May 23rd Upper School Awards Ceremony May 24th Baccalaureate May 25th 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony Lower School Certificate Awards & 4th Grade Promotion Ceremony Commencement June 1st Middle School Awards Ceremony 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony Last Day of School!
The O’Neal Quarterly P.O. Box 290 Southern Pines, NC 28388
O’NEAL SUMMER FUN Summer enrichment programs for youth age 3 through high school. Swimming Lessons too! Camps are priced at a $10 discount through May 31st.
Camp offerings from June 4th Aug. 3rd Register online at
ONealSchool.org (910) 692-6920