Vol. LXXII, No. 1
October 5, 2020
From The Editorial Board
What's in this issue: A Message from the Editors
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Meet our 2021 Sixth Form Officers p. 2 The Hungry Pelican
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On Summer Voluntourism
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A Guide on Zoom Etiquette
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Get to know the LinC Program
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Introduction to Ohrstrom Library p. 6-7 Welcoming New Faculty Members p. 6-7 for the 2020-2021 School Year Student Activities During COVID p. 7 More about Clark House
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The Pelican Goes Digital On Instagram @thepelicansps Online pelican.sps.edu
Interested in Joining the Pelican? Contact us: pelican@sps.edu The Welcome Issue
Surrounded by 2,000 acres of forest in rural New Hampshire, St. Paul’s School is often accurately described as a bubble. As we hurry around campus to our various activities, the physical distance we have from “the real world” seems small compared to the energy it takes to involve ourselves with issues outside our realm. The liberty to engage in issues that pique or interest is the greatest luxury of being an SPS student. But, it is a luxury and one that is not extended to all students. As this spring and summer have shown, and fall will undoubtedly continue to show, SPS is not removed from the rest of the world. Spring slipped into summer with no return to School, and just as students were getting over missing the long awaited Spring Term and unsaid goodbyes to the Sixth Form, our lives were once again rocked by the death of George Floyd. Stories like the ones shared on @BlackatSPS remind us that the SPS bubble does not exist. This is
the time for students to reach out into the world and confront the issues of our generation. It will be a busy year. We need to continue the conversation on how to mend the racial injustice that people of color face and take active steps to implement reform. We need to continue to reevaluate our duties as citizens as the coronavirus continues to change daily norms. Many of us will be able to vote or at least be involved in this election in other ways. In this politically fraught time, it is difficult to engage with each other on issues of politics. We will also celebrate the 100th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in the United States and the 50th anniversary of girls being admitted to SPS. We hope that this paper will be a platform for all to engage with the issues of our community. We cannot do this without your support. -The Editors of The Pelican
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October 5, 2020
Meet the Form of 2021 SFOs
The Vol. lxxii Editorial Board
From the Sixth Form Officers (SFOs)
Rishi Basu: My name is Rishi, and I’m from the town that began the Revolutionary War. As an offcampus student this fall, my aim is to represent all distance learners to the Student Council and the administration. My initiatives are focused on best integrating distance learners into the SPS social and academic communities. You won’t find me in the hallways, but you’ll see plenty of me this fall. As your Student Council vice president, I am dedicated to working for your needs.
Editor in Chief Isabel Maney '21 Layout & Design Editor Nikhil Vootkur '21 Editors Audrey Biles ' 22 Jackie Chen '22 Victoria Chen '21 Khuan-yu Hall '21 Ellie LaVoie '21 Alexander Rowley '21 Photo & Graphics Editor Isabella Pargiolas '21
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Faculty Advisers Ms. Elizabeth Engelhardt contact pelican@sps.edu for comments view the pelican online: pelican.sps.edu keep up with us on instagram: @thepelicansps
Margaret Pirozzolo: What is up everyone? It’s Margaret. Like Rishi, I am from Massachusetts. Unlike Rishi, I am going to be an on-campus student. I am passionate about maintaining
extra curriculars in a safe and fun way. For those of you both on and off campus, I cannot wait to see and meet you. Say hi to me; I’m the one in the yellow boots.
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Hannah Deng: My name is Hannah and just like Rishi and Margaret, I’m also from Massachusetts. Fun fact, the Boston Marathon starts right by my house! There are so many questions about what this school year is going to look like. Because of this, I also could not be more excited to see how our community will unite and grow from this. Just like the other SFOs said, if you see me on campus, say hi!
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Seth McKenzie: My name is Seth. Like Hannah, Margaret,
and Rishi, I too am from Massachusetts. For those of you who don’t know me, I am an outgoing person, so I strongly encourage you to come up to me and talk about anything! This year is going to look very different from years past, but our strong sense of community will bestow on us an unwavering resilience that no change can overcome. I look forward to getting to know all of you.
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We are so excited to get to know as many students as possible this year, and since we represent both the on- and off-campus students this fall, we will here to help and advocate for each and every one of you.
The Hungry Pelican Audrey Biles '22 • The Hungry Pelican
Banana "Nice" Cream Recipe Hi, it’s the Hungry Pelican here. A new column sharing dorm-friendly recipes that require fewer than five ingredients. Cooking is one of my favorite past times, and it is a great way to unwind from our busy lives here on campus. All of my recipes are quick, simple, and require no cooking experience. Are you a stir fry station whiz? Barely able to make a piece of toast? Sick of Grab and Go? Look no further!
Banana “Nice” Cream Nice cream... the delicious treat that loves you back! I love it for so many reasons: 1) It can be made vegan and refined sugar free, and is ready in minutes. 2) Use this recipe as a base, but you can throw in whatever you have on hand. 3) Even non-nice cream believers will love it... I promise! This is Chunky Monkey, my personal favorite...
Recipe: (Yield 2 servings) Ingredients: 1.5 frozen ripe bananas 2 tbsp peanut butter/nut butter (more for topping if you know what’s up!) Chocolate chips (you could also drizzle in some chocolate sauce, such as Hershey’s). Optional: Milk, additional toppings In a high powered blender, combine all ingredients together. Blend on high until the mixture resembles a soft-serve consitency, about one minute. Patience is key. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of your blender a few times. The less liquid you use, the better, but a splash or two of milk will help to keep things moving if your blender gets stuck. Once the texture is creamy spoon nice cream into a bowl. Top with more chocolate chips, some crumbled cookie dough, whipped cream, or any other toppings of choice.
Photo by Audrey Biles '22
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Frustrated Third Former Can’t End Poverty in Tanzania Rishi Basu '21 • Yada Yada (Humor) NEW YORK, NY-- Third Former Chase Abbott extends a gloomy gaze over Manhattan Island from the bay windows of his penthouse apartment. “I can almost see Africa from here,” he murmurs, heartbroken and in disarray. In his hand lies an unused first class boarding pass, evidence of unfulfilled wishes to save the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unparalleled misfortune for wealthy high schoolers across the nation. This summer, like many others, Chase was eagerly looking forward to a life-changing, eye-opening, perspectivebroadening, photogenic, twoweek service trip to a third world country desperate for his help. Now, hopelessly stuck to the confines of his 6,000 sq ft Upper East Side pad, Chase spends all day thinking about those whom he was unable to serve.
Alright, I’m being sarcastic. Still, service trips are worth discussing. Youth volunteer-abroad programs are controversial for a few reasons. Critics question the motivations students have for participating, point out how they ultimately don’t accomplish all that much for local communities, and raise concerns of negative psychological effects for everyone involved. However, there is some inherent value in intending to serve others, as well as in allowing oneself to get outside one’s comfort zone.
That alone makes it hard to deem participation in these programs morally wrong. Though in reality, there’s not much practical use in deliberating over whether service trips are wrong or right. They’ll exist in popularity regardless. It would be more productive to think about the underlying issues highlighted by the debate over service trips. From what I can tell, that means discussing privilege. Last summer, SPS students posting pictures of their service trips were accused by their peers of carelessly displaying their privilege and showing little awareness of the impacts they were causing. But what does it mean to have privilege, and how does this relate to us at SPS? Privilege means having access to exclusive opportunities, treatments, and rights. In this country, privilege can mean getting healthcare by being profitable to insurance companies, or the police looking away from your domestic terrorism, while others’ mere existence can appear a threat. While going to SPS cannot change our skin color or guarantee our financial stability, it does give us advantages in other significant ways. As sociologist Shamus Khan writes in Privilege: The Making of an Adolescent Elite at St. Paul’s School:
“In today’s age of free, accessible information, knowledge about the world is not a particularly easy
resource to protect… ...knowledge of how to carry oneself within the world is a much more challenging resource to acquire.” Dr. Khan goes on to assert that the value of SPS education, and thereby the privileges we students gain from it, is not only in the coursework, but largely outside of it. It is through our cumulative experience in Millville that we gain exclusive tools for success in future life. Rector Kathy Giles has said that the goal of SPS is to provide students with the ability to “do difficult things well.” Doing difficult things well involves knowledge (our studies), empathy (our engagement with others and exposure to their diversities), and the ability to successfully navigate a range of different relationships (our interactions with faculty, peers, and staff). Thus, each moment at SPS truly is a valuable learning experience. The questions we ask ourselves tend to reveal greater reflections than the accusations we make of others. And there is one central question we may want to ask ourselves, as it pertains to our privilege, affirmative action, race relations, and so much more. With privilege comes responsibility. What have you done with what you have been given?
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The Dos and Don'ts of Distance Learning Anne Mester '21
As much as I detest this word and its recent emergence in the world vernacular, it is truly the only adjective that can describe the pandemic: unprecedented. A global pandemic and consequent worldwide shutdown were certainly not what I, or anyone I know, envisioned as the world rang in the new year. As is true with all drastic changes, some people have adapted to the new virtual world better than others. I believed that the students of the world, many of whom cannot remember a time without smartphones, were poised to thrive in this new landscape, having lived a majority of our lives with a virtual existence via social media. But alas, the cookie does not always crumble in the way it’s expected to; many of the worst faux pas I have witnessed in this time of virtual learning have been committed by my fellow students. The people on your Zoom calls may have been forgiving in March and April when the territory was uncharted, but that may no longer be the case. You deserve to have the best chance at success, no matter what your situation may be. Even though St. Paul’s School may be having in-person classes, I can assure you that virtual meetings will still be a part of your life. So, without further ado, here are the rules of Zoom (or any other video-call platform): Rule One: Mute your audio if there is significant background noise in your house/wherever you are working. Sometimes you just can’t get away from your barking dog or crying sibling, and
that’s why muting your audio is an option. Rule Two: Make sure you have the most recent version of Zoom. Connectivity issues, on either side of the meeting, are often magnified by an old zoom application. Rule Three: Please do not lay down during classes or meetings. The angle is unflattering and, more importantly, it’s disrespectful. Rule Four: Show up to class. Your wifi can only be down so many times. Rule Five: If your room is messy, use a green screen. This is more for your own benefit than it is for the benefit of others. Rule Six: Be engaged. Show the teachers you care by speaking up in class and making sure you are participating to the best of your ability. Rule Seven: Know your schedule and arrive to class on time. You can’t use the “I lost my key card and couldn’t get in” excuse in your room. Lastly, but most importantly... Rule Eight: Try to get the most out of this year Whether you are a Sixth Former in your final year at SPS, or a new student just starting out, do your best to make this year count regardless of the unique challenges that it presents. Here’s to hoping that this year is somewhat normal, and, even if it is not, we manage to have at least a little fun.
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October 5, 2020
Introduction to LinC Anna Solzhenitsyn '21
LinC
LivinginCommunityat St. Paul's School
LinC? What does that mean? Newcomers to St. Paul’s School may have seen the word “LinC” pop up in the time leading up to their arrival on campus and even more since moving in. LinC stands for Living in Community, and the program was created to help shape a school culture that is inclusive, healthy, and fun, where students live in alignment with the school’s values. As LinC Leader Emmaline Ekstrand ‘21 explains, LinC “mold[s] our school’s culture to be authentic to our school values, which are to be kind and live honorably. Additionally, LinC aims to aid students in developing the five social and emotional competencies: self -awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills and responsible decision making.” The LinC program includes LinC classes for Third Formers (once a week for the whole year) and Fourth Formers (three times a week for one term), seminars for Fifth and Sixth Formers (three or four per term), and three full days each year dedicated to LinC programming. LinC leaders—students in the
Fourth and Fifth Forms who facilitate LinC classes—are also available to answer any questions new students may have about the school and to help plan LinC days. Students may choose to become LinC leaders for a number of reasons. In general, the role of LinC leader is an opportunity for older students to show younger students the ropes of the school, answer any and all questions they may have, and continue to foster a welcoming SPS experience for all. Ekstrand recalls, “As a [Third] Former, I was incredibly fortunate to be paired with a LinC leader who was willing to invest in me as a new student. Through her, I experienced firsthand the impact a LinC leader could have on younger students and how the St. Paul’s culture is taught, passed down, and thrives.” Katie Beran ‘21 explains, “I chose to become a LinC leader because I really wanted to help younger students through their SPS journey and be a shoulder to lean on for anyone that needs it. I also wanted to be able to have a say in what is being taught to the entire school
because I was super captivated by many of the LinC days that were done my first year at SPS.” LinC leaders are enthusiastic when explaining the purpose of the LinC program. They are also passionate about bringing awareness to their peers and spurring much-needed change within the community. Jane Pratt ‘21 feels positively about the purpose and goals of the LinC program. “St. Paul’s definitely prides itself on providing a multi-faceted education for its students,” she says, “with a particular emphasis on instilling our values that aren’t necessarily academic, like kindness, compassion and inclusivity. Through those values, the LinC program should aim to promote community and the development of greater character — principles that both have ever-evolving definitions.” Beran appreciates the program’s ability to “create space for specific conversations about various topics for the student body and also to educate. For LinC days, we try to focus on a topic that is very relevant for the student body whereas the LinC classes cover many topics that help students navigate their identity at boarding school.” Kashetu Oseni ‘21 loves that LinC helps with “tackling issues within our community and having uncomfortable conversations.” In fact, the reason Oseni became a LinC leader was “to help educate students (including myself) on issues and topics that might not directly affect them, because it's hard not to be oblivious to
something that isn't in your face directly impacting you.” Oseni, along with many other students, is passionate about discussing issues and learning ways to go about fixing them, starting right here within the SPS community. The LinC experience can be rewarding for students and leaders alike. Beran has fond memories of leading a workshop on the mental-health-themed LinC day last year. “I was incredibly impressed by the level of conversation that my group generated,” she says. “We had really great discussions where we went over some specific scenarios, and it was nice to have kids expressing how willing they would be to help one another out if they were ever in a sticky situation.” Ekstrand loves the chance to get to know others: “The most rewarding LinC moments, for me, are in the relationships I have forged with other LinC leaders and LinC students. It is the best feeling in the world when you are able to connect with a younger student and help them acclimate to SPS.” Pratt appreciates that she has the chance to share her own experiences being queer from a leadership position. In her Fourth Form LinC class, she often had to explain LGBTQ+ issues to her peers. “I often felt uncomfortable acting as the representative of an entire population — the queer experience is by no means universal, and limiting it to only my life felt wrong to me. As a student, it wasn’t my role to teach the
class — as a LinC leader, however, that would quite literally be exactlymy role.” But the program is not perfect, and Pratt has in fact been working with the deans to revise the curriculum. “We believe that the [current] curriculum… isn't effective in creating an environment where all students feel included, respected, and represented. The work that we’re doing to change that… has been one of the most important experiences of my time at SPS. I think standing up to make change for what you believe in is what LinC is all about, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made,” she says. So what will LinC look like this year? There is a general consensus among current LinC leaders that one of the focuses should be race, since that topic had to be postponed when Spring Term was moved online last year. Oseni thinks now is “a perfect time to talk about race and educate people on what Black Lives Matter actually means.” Pratt also hopes for a social justice focus, noting that “race, active anti-racism, and systemic inequity are all topics that I think are incredibly relevant and necessary to be kind people and effective leaders in today’s world.” Ekstrand agrees, also hoping that in general “we focus on topics that the LinC leaders and student body are passionate about. LinC is best when students and leaders come to a conversation with enthusiasm.”
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Finding Home Away From Home at Ohrstrom Library Henry Kim '22 The Ohrstrom Library is home to 75,000 printed books, half a million eBooks, countless eReferences sources, an ever-growing database, and an archive of St. Paul's School’s history to be used by both students and faculty. Built by award-winning architect Robert A.M. Stern, the library spreads students across three separate levels and offers them copious amounts of space, quietness, and comfort. But what makes the Ohrstrom Library so important to student life are the librarians who help facilitate the student experience. Under the direction of Ms. Sarah Ludwig, the Ohrstrom Library is a place where librarians dedicate their time and knowledge to help students reach their full potential.
Ms. Sarah Ludwig:
Ms. Christie Cho:
Raised in Woodstock, Vermont, Ms. Ludwig moved to New York City and returned to New England to become a librarian. Ms. Ludwig has two children and two dogs and has worked in boarding schools for most of her career. The library director, she strives to make the library as best it can be. The Ohrstrom Library, she says, is a first-class library because of the people she works with. During the pandemic, she “tried (and failed) to become good at baking bread.”
Ms. Cho is a West Coast-transplant, musician-turned-information-professional with a passion for life-long learning, the written word, and overlooked histories. She serves as the public services coordinator and believes though there are many types of librarians at SPS, the collective responsibilities of librarians are to ensure a safe, supportive space to pursue learning and strengthen engagement, kindle social curiosity, and continuously build on the SPS collections with an eye toward equity and inclusivity.
Mrs. Karla Kittler:
Ms. Lisa Laughy:
As the Ohrstrom Library’s head of programming and user experience, Mrs. Kittler oversees public services, including programming, outreach, customer service, and community engagement. She is the mastermind behind the library programs for all members of the SPS community. She enjoys creating interactive and welcoming displays that facilitate active learning, promote participation, and support reading. Her background in education brings an interesting perspective to the role of a librarian. She takes planning and hosting library events as an opportunity to educate as well as entertain. Having raised both an avid reader and a reluctant reader, Mrs. Kittler prides herself on finding the right reading material for everyone.
As the systems librarian, Ms. Laughy administers library systems (catalog, JSTOR Forum, archives, etc.). She is also involved with digitizing photographs from the SPS archives, and she creates online exhibitions detailing the history of the school on the Ohrstrom Library Digital Archives website. When not at work, she is a woodcarver and illustrator. She has carved form plaques for SPS since 2010 and carved over 28 plaques for the school in total which are in the Middle Dining Hall, the Lower, Coit Cluster, and Friedman.
Mrs. Patricia Lynn: An economist by training, but a librarian at heart, Mrs. Lynn is a proud parent of a member of the Form of 2010 and a graduate of the ASP program. She lives with a Welsh Corgi named Harry, who has become the official therapy dog for the library staff while the librarians worked remotely this spring. As the access services coordinator, Mrs. Lynn is responsible for fiscal management of the library budget. She encourages students to reach out to librarians as they provide academic support with regards to research projects.
Ms. Lura Sanborn: Ms. Sanborn is a Mom and cat owner who enjoys gardening, reading, going to barre classes, and drinking peppermint tea. Her role focuses on teaching research skills, finding sources of information, and using the selection of the library’s digital collections. She believes that the best qualities of the Ohrstrom Library are the phenomenal collections and sheer beauty of the library itself. Her favorite part of Ohrstrom is the library’s philosophy: "This is your library and we want to make it work for you."
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October 5, 2020
Meet New Faculty
by Ashley Zhou '23, Alexander Rowley '21, Ella-Victoria Richard '23, Annette Chun '22 Mr. Christopher Odom decided to stop researching to teach.
Christopher Odom is a new robotics teacher at St. Paul’s School. Mr. Odom was born and raised in Mississippi, where he attended Millsaps College, a small liberal arts school. He continued his education at Clemson University in South Carolina. While at Clemson, he worked as a rocket scientist, building radars and launching rockets. He ultimately launched ten different rockets on four continents. Despite his accomplishment in the research field, he
Ms. Fawn Boone
Ms. Fawn Boone is a new faculty member joining the Admission Office this year as an associate dean of admissions. She will be traveling and working remotely. Ms. Boone earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University. She then went on to serve as a library trustee and president for the Scotch Plains Public Library.
Growing up, Mr. Odom was the oldest of seven children, so he has been teaching since a young age. In his free time, Mr. Odom likes to be outside. He is a certified scuba instructor, and he also enjoys hiking, canoeing, sailing, and biking. In 2012, he even hiked the Appalachian Trail in five months and 16 days. Mr. Odom also enjoys watching movies and reading books. His favorite movies are Twelve Angry Man, Cannery Row, and Little Women. His favorite books are the Foundation series, Lord of the Rings, Shadow Divers, and Longitude. When asked about his vision of robotics at SPS, Mr. Odom says that he doesn’t want to come in with too many preconMost recently, she worked as a mentor and teaching coordinator at Union County Educational Services Commission in New Jersey, which serves students with special needs and autism.
ceived notions, given the maturity of the robotics program. However, he does have some ideas in mind. He says, “What I think is important is understanding the coding behind robotics but also really understanding the physical computing part of robotics. I’m a big believer in the basics, because once you know that, you can do anything you want.” Mr. Odom also wants to eliminate the stereotypes in robotics. He says, “When you think of someone who is good at robotics, you typically think of a nerd. I want that to disappear at St. Paul’s. I want artists. I want poets. I want people who you won’t normally think would be in a robotics class.”
sense of responsibility amid the challenges that they also experience during this time.” She believes teens have the ability to change the future. “If I can have the opportunity to have a positive impact on guiding a young person along the way, then I feel I have done my part to add to our society,” says Ms. Boone.
Ms. Boone has two daughters that are students at St. Paul’s School. Having gone through the admissions process twice, In her first year working at SPS, she says it is “apparent that Ms. Boone says she is most Admission is the first face of looking forward to learning and St. Paul’s,” and after four years growing in addition to meeting of dropping her children off at some exceptional young peoMillville, she was excited to ap- ple who can join and add value ply for a position at the school. to the SPS Community. Ms. Boone’s favorite part of working with teenagers starts with her love of people. “The teenage years are a time when teens should be developing their self-confidence and a
Mrs. Bethany Dickerson Wynder
Mrs. Bethany Dickerson Wynder joined the St. Paul’s School community this year as the new director of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Hailing from Basking Ridge, NJ, Mrs. Dickerson Wynder arrives at SPS with a background in government and public policy, related specifically to education. She describes herself as an “education equity advocate.” To her, that entails creating opportunities for students, especially those from marginalized communities. Mrs. Dickerson Wynder highlights her work at three places as being the most formative in her time prior to SPS. First, she served as director of diversity recruitment and strategic partnerships at City Year, a national education non-profit. She helped “build up the institution’s diversity, equity and inclusion work,” and formed relationships with young people to improve education access in the lowest-performing public schools. Mrs. Dickerson Wynder then took an admissions role at the Trinity Episcopal School in Charlotte, NC, which she credits as having “reinforced
my desire to stay in independent schools … to provide an exceptional education for students.” Finally, she served as the director of outplacement and community outreach at the Beauvoir School in Washington, D.C., before moving into a role as coordinator of special events and programs. All of this work, she says, is “related in the sense that it’s all in service to our students.” This work led her to SPS, a natural next step for her. At SPS, Mrs. Dickerson Wynder is aiming to support the work of the newly-formed DEI councils, as well as the school’s affinity and interfaith groups. Success in her work, she believes, can be measured partially quantitatively in the “recruitment … as well as retention of students from marginalized communities,” but also qualitatively in how students feel at SPS: creating spaces where students feel comfortable voicing concerns, instead of resorting to online mediums like @ Blackatsps. DEI work, she notes, “is more than just numbers.” Her main goal? “To be able to share my knowledge with the SPS community in ways that will help the community find the courage to keep fighting and keep going when outrage fades.” You may see Mrs. Dickerson Wynder, an advisor in Center, around campus with her husband, Rev. Charles Wynder, as well as their five-year-old son, Chase. "MEET NEW FACULTY" CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
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New UPenn Teaching Fellows CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 "MEET NEW FACULTY"
As the school year takes off, new students and faculty members find themselves settling into an era at SPS like none other. Amidst the new social distancing policies and masks, St. Paul’s welcomes three new Penn fellows onto campus for the 2020-2021 school year. Ms. Nicole Petherbridge, the new Penn fellow for the Math-
ematics Department, fondly remembers when she first became interested in math as well as how she first became interested in teaching.
Ms. Kelli Mackey, a new member of the Humanities Department, first became involved with SPS through the ASP program. “I taught at ASP two summers ago. I fell in love with the SPS campus and facilities."
By Chris Shia '23
Mr. Bernier is originally from Manchester, NH. Before coming to St. Paul’s School, he worked in various positions in independent schools around the country. At St. Michael’s Catholic Academy (a school in Austin, Texas) he was the lacrosse coach. He also worked in schools in Maine, Maryland, and Massachusetts as the assistant head of school for student life and athletic director. Mr. Bernier came to SPS “knowing the school’s history.” He says, “It was the number one on my list for about a decade.” More planning will have to go into events this year. The first step is identifying the safest space to meet. According to Mr. Bernier, “We need good circulation, and outdoors is always a plus...We need to look at
SPS campus, and to become official members of the St. Paul’s community. But with the chaos of the ongoing pandemic and new rules in place, many things about life at SPS have changed.
“While few of my friends and peers shared this mathematical appreciation back in middle "As a teacher, I want to help school and high school, they figure out how best each stu- Mr. David Mollenkamp, the welcomed my assistance in dent learns. I am dedicated to new Humanities Penn fellow, class and on homework. Back achieving an inclusive, diverse expresses how much his life then and now, I continue to classroom where everyone at UPenn has been affected by this situation. fall in love with the ‘light bulb’ learns and succeeds.” moments as I see them spread The Penn fellows are more than “ I think the pandemic has affectacross students’ faces. ” excited to begin their lives on ed many of us fellows in a simi-
Rethinking Student Activities School events and student activities this year will be different from past, non-pandemic years. Mr. Joseph Bernier, the new student activities coordinator in the Dean of Students office, will help facilitate and plan them.
October 5, 2020
what our max capacities are in our spaces.” The School has set up tents outside and reduced furniture in indoor spaces. It also purchased lawn games for dorms, such as portable table tennis tables. A new thirtythree foot inflatable movie screen can be used for outdoor movies or game show type games.
er groups will be able to meet outside for things like performances. Mr. Bernier says that they hope to “expand a little more freedom for students in this zone.” Instead of splitting up students by form or club to certain activities, students will be able to choose different activities to go to after signing up on a form.
SPS will work in a ‘zone’ system in the new school year, with movement between each zone dependent on the health of the School. In the Red Zone, Mr. Benier says that most events will be held virtually, as “it’s difficult to let you all just go when certain health boxes have not been checked.”
The School has already started planning how events will be held this winter. There could be a couple of outdoor spaces with propane heaters and the cage could be used for lawn games or movie nights. “We have a rain plan for every event, so we have an indoor space for every event,” explained Mr. Bernier.
In the Yellow Zone, some virtual activities will move outdoors. However, everyone will be in small groups by dorm, athletic club, or other groupings. At this point, the disc golf course, footgolf course, outdoor basketball hoops, and outdoor volleyball net could be used.
Even as situations change around the country, Mr. Bernier, the faculty, and staff at SPS have created events where students can be together, either online or in person, while staying safe. Still, plans surrounding student activities will continue to change as the situation develops, so keep an eye out for alterations made to rules and events.
Finally, in the Green Zone, larg-
lar way. Namely, the pandemic encouraged Penn to move all of our degree work online. While we generally meet in Pennsylvania for the summer preceding the first year of teaching, this year our entire curriculum was done via Zoom.” However, he also adds on a more positive note, “Of course, this I think presented us with a good opportunity, seeing as digital tools are becoming ever more fundamental to the craft of teaching.”
Meet Clark House Staff By Linda Pang '21
Graphic by Nikhil Vootkur '21 *Interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity.* Ms. Katherine Rork, APRN Q: When and how did you arrive at SPS? A: I began working at SPS during the 2016/2017 academic year. While I grew up in southern NH, I spent most of my academic and professional life in the Boston area. In 2015, my husband and I decided to return to our New Hampshire roots and raise our family in Concord, NH.
Q: What is your role at SPS? A: I am a pediatric nurse practitioner at the Clark House Health Center. I have a lot of experience with providing a full range of skilled health care services to young men and women alike, including: routine primary care, acute illness and injuries, prescription and medication management, emergency medical evaluation and triage, minor procedures, sports injury, concussion and head injury support, sexual and CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
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reproductive health, as well as health and wellness education. Beyond my duties at Clark House, I have had a few opportunities to assist with being a Fifth and Sixth Form seminar instructor for the Living in Community (“LinC”) curriculum. I enjoy this role very much and I love having the opportunity to be with students in the classroom. In a past life of mine, I was a teacher in Gwangyang, South Korea as a Fulbright Teaching Scholar, and I feel very comfortable in the classroom setting. Q: When and how should students reach out to you? A: Students may call Clark House at (603)-229-4850, email anurse@sps.edu, or email me directly at krork@sps. edu to set up an appointment. Walk-ins (with proper precautions due to COVID-19) are also welcome. I currently work three days a week (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday) at the Clark House Health Center.
... Ms. Lisa Eberhart Q: What has been your favorite memory or favorite aspect of being part of the SPS community? A: Boarding school was very new to me. I love learning about these very young people living so independently. I also really love getting to know people from all over the world because New Hampshire is not a particularly diverse state. I have to say, I love meeting kids
when they are Third Formers, knowing them for four years, and seeing them change and grow to become these amazing young adults. Q: When and how should students reach out to you? A: They can reach out anytime. Sometimes I would get an email from a student at one in the morning saying they think it would be helpful to talk to a counselor. The counselors are Mr. Ryan Shirilla, Dr. Amy Blanchard, Dr. Natasha Haughton and myself. Students can email any of us at any point and we will respond usually within hours the morning of getting an email. We pass on the email to Ms. Jorgensen who does the scheduling, and she finds a spot that fits with the students and our schedules. If a student is having an emergency situation, then we will see them right away. Even if it is in the middle of the night, if a student is feeling unsafe in any way, or feeling very worried about a friend, then they can call me or the counselor on call so that we can make sure that everybody is safe. We will talk with the student through the phone and come in if necessary. With COVID, we are at a very special time, and we are still trying to figure out how we are going to do this. If a student says that they need to talk to a counselor, then the nurses will contact me, and we will start the process. We might schedule an appointment that day or within a few days. In the dorm, there should be posters with the phone number that students can reach Clark House and the counselors’ emails.
October 5, 2020 Clark House?
Students can also talk to their close advisers, and the advisers would reach out to me, saying that this student would benefit from talking with a counselor. Then, I will reach out to the student through email. Many times students are more comfortable reaching out through email, and kids have been emailing me even now to schedule meetings in the fall. Q: How is counseling going to be going forward as we know of right now? A: Right now the plan is to be the same. The students can email me or come into Clark House having been cleared ahead of time, specifying if they are here for something emotional or physical. If the students are going to Clark for something physical, then they would need to be seen at a different part of the health center because of the pandemic. If the student wants to speak with a counselor at Clark, then they will have a designated space to wait and come upstairs as usual. My office now has more space between our chairs and we might be masked or shielded. We are trying to work out if there’s a way of connecting with students who are unwell through a Zoom session if they need support. The whole purpose is to provide a student the support they need. If we can’t be in the same room then we would do something like a Zoom.
... Dr. John Bassi Q: What has been your favorite memory or favorite aspect of being part of the SPS community?
A: Being out on the fields, watching ballet, musical, acting and choir performances, and seeing students in all aspects of their lives has really been tremendous. In my office based practice, I really only had the chance to see people when they came in, but here, I have the opportunity to take a more holistic approach to caring for patients and students. Q: What are your roles at SPS? A: I am moving into my thirteenth year as the Medical Director at St. Paul’s. I am tasked with making sure people are seen and cared for appropriately, we are staffed appropriately, and in this pandemic era, making sure that we have everything we need to test students and care for them as far as COVID goes. In addition to coordinating and running the health center, I am on the Administrative Team and the Student Support Committee, which includes: myself, the deans, and other folks from Clark House. It is really to help students who may be having some difficulties. I am also on the Health and Safety Team and have been involved in Pandemic Planning and running our Quality Assurance meetings. Anything having to do with the health realm on campus, whether it be mental health or physical health, I am typically involved on some level to really make sure that students are given the care they need and is appropriate. Q: How would you describe
A: Clark House is a place that holistically cares for the students. From bumps and bruises to significant mental health issues, we have professionals in the health center that can address most needs of students.
... Ms. Erica Mumford Q: What has been your favorite memory or favorite aspect of being part of the SPS community? A: I have enjoyed the way Food Service has always been open and receptive to my input. The first year I was here, we made many significant changes. I remember a student in the common room yelling at me "Ms. Mumford, you rock!" I didn't make the changes, Food Service and I work together as a team, but that sure felt good! Q: What are your roles at SPS? A: My roles include nutritional counselor, working with Food Service to help ensure healthy food options, educator via email and team or dorm talks, and yoga and group fitness teacher. Q: When and how should students reach out to you? A: Students may reach me directly at emumford@sps.edu, or email or visit the health center to make a nutrition appointment, usually during a free block.
