The Pelican Issue 2 2022-2023

The Pelican

St Paul's School

School Solidifies Texting Policy

While a prohibition on texting be tween faculty and students has been an of ficial policy since 2019, St. Paul’s School leaders have solidified this mandate in the 2022-23 school year. Administrators maintain that texting is an unprofessional form of communication that provides an unacceptable level of access to faculty.

chaperones are traveling and texting is the only available form of communication… texting is not allowed except in cases of emergency or while traveling.”

Gender-Inclusive Floor Moves to Warren House

The start of a new school year means housing changes for the entire student body, whether in house selection or room assign ments. Those living in the gender-inclusive Kittredge I house in 2021-22 faced more un certainty than some other students, however, as they did not know which house they would call home in the 2022-23 school year. School leaders initially informed students in Kitt I that they would move to gender-inclu sive “pods” within binary-gender dorms. Af ter a meeting between Kitt I residents and the Dean of Students team in spring 2022, the group decided that there would be one gender-inclusive space in Warren, which was selected due to its architecture. Warren resi dents who are not members of the Gender Inclusive Floor learned of this change at the start of the school year.

The Gender Inclusive Floor, located on the lower level of Warren, includes one dou ble and five single rooms, a common room, a bathroom, and access to the house study pod and a small kitchen. An entrance on the low er level faces Manville. Thirty Three total stu dents live in Warren; four of them are pre fects and none of them are new students to the school. Humanities teacher Chris Carter is the adviser to the seven residents of the Gender Inclusive Floor.

Anna Dowell, Head of House for War ren, explains that while she was not involved in the decision-making process, she is thrilled to welcome the Gender Inclusive Floor to the dorm. Dowell believes the move provides the chance for Warren residents

and advisers to “focus very clearly and explic itly on what it means to be a gender inclusive place,” she says. “Warren has the opportunity to be a dorm where people are intentional about being gender inclusive.”

The separation of floors, lower level en trance and additional kitchen on the lower level of Warren could have led to the separa tion of student culture within the dorm. The GIF, however, is not considered its own indi vidual unit, but a floor of Warren like any other. Raen Kao ‘24, who currently lives on Warren’s Gender Inclusive Floor, explains while there is some social separation between

In an email on Sept. 7, 2022 to the parents of St. Paul’s students, Rector Kathy Giles wrote that “school-related texts to a personal line, however, can quickly be come intermingled with personal com munications. When those messages come in at all hours, from many people, it can become confusing and hard to manage. This year we ask that parents and students do not text or use social media to connect with advisers and teachers…in the eve nings and on weekends when faculty members are not on duty, they need to step away from School-related email and texts to spend time with their families and on their personal lives.”

According to Vice Rector for School Life Theresa Ferns, one of the school’s goals this year is to foster healthy in-per son relationships between all members of the community. Rules around texting align with this goal and support more pro fessional relationships between faculty and students by using “proper modes of communication such as email,” according to Vice Rector for Faculty Michael Spen cer. “Texting is not a professional form of communication and therefore should not be used between faculty and students,” he says.

The SPS Employee Handbook under scores the importance of refraining from texting with students while also indicating that “an exception to this rule may be made while the students and employee

Some students believe that a level of informality in the relationship between stu dents and faculty is healthy, particularly between advisers and advisees. Eliza Tse ‘24 and Hadley Cepiel ‘24 agree that the infor mality of the adviser-advisee relationship “fosters support and comfort.” They suggest that living at boarding school away from

School leaders say rules around texting support more professional relationships

their parents is an unusual situation requir ing guidance from their faculty support system. Limits on texting an adviser for guidance, support or tasks like switching classes “creates a disconnect,” Tse says.

The St. Paul’s School website describes the adviser/student relationship as one “built on mutual trust.” Tse and Ceipel both wonder how that trust aligns with the re striction on texting.

The convenience of texting is a benefit, some students say. Skyler Sharfman ‘23 says it is “definitely not” easy to get in con tact with teachers or advisers through email. She describes the ease of texting her coaches about captain practices or fund raising events for games. “There should be an exception for texting advisors and coaches,” she says, because of the slowness that email can create in communication. Sharfman did concede that students should not be texting teachers about homework outside of class.

the floors, in terms of official activities such as house meetings and activities, the “the house is pretty connected.” Additionally, Kao attests to the improved quality of the Warren facilities compared to Kitt I and notes that their floormates appear to be overall more satisfied with dorm facilities than last year.

Christopher Shia ‘23, one of the Warren prefects, has been pleased with the move so

Contents

Student Life 4

New Student Transitions

Debate Moves to the Afternoon Features 5-7

Boat Docks Policy Change Gallery Show

Acapella is back

SPS Book Review

Upcoming Weekend Events

NEW! SPS Crossword

Warren has the opportunity to be a dorm where people are intentional about being gender inclusive. -Dr. Anna Dowell

Sofia Mancino '23 reports on the school's policy on communication between teachers, parents, and students

Eden Knight '24 and Kelly Sung '25

Photo by Gabby Purivs '24

Covid-19 at SPS Fall 2022

Masking, testing and booster clinic updates

Glory Stephen-Wangboje

Since opening day at St. Paul’s School, a few Covid-19 cases have sprouted up in the community. This year, St. Paul’s policy re quires students to be fully vaccinated and boosted in order to return to school, but masking remains optional.

For the first two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, school leaders enforced strict health precautions. Requirements for stu dents during this period included wearing face masks, checking temperatures in the evenings, and staying six feet apart. In line with new Center for Disease Control guide lines, SPS is now mask-optional and stu dents were not required to wear face masks for the first two weeks of school. Faculty no longer conduct symptom screenings or tem perature checks in the evenings, and pooled testing is no longer in practice.

Since opening days, twenty students have officially contracted Covid-19. During pre-arrival antigen testing, two students test ed positive while at home and did not return until they were safely out of isolation.

Medical Director Dr. John Bassi ex plains that his office is trying to slow the

spread of Covid-19 through the power of vaccines and by testing symptomatic stu dents. While some community members be lieve that SPS students should have masked for the first two weeks of school, Bassi dis agrees. “Masks work – mask mandates don’t work. If we incorporate masks, it's only good if you use it 100% of the time,” he says. In addition, Bassi believes that masks can nega tively affect students’ mental health. “Behind the mask, there might be a smile you don’t see and a hello you might not hear,” he says.

Paul Murray, a teacher of Chinese and the boys cross country coach, needed to iso late at home for five days when he contracted Covid-19. Upon finding out that he had test ed positive, he recalls feeling fearful about the health of his wife and son, and frustrated by the need to step away from his teaching. Jenny Li, chair of the language department, filled in for Murray, who also needed to pause his coaching during isolation.

Murray believes that students should have masked upon return, at least for the first two weeks of school: “If students had a mask on the way in for the first two weeks of school then there would be a fewer number of Covid cases on campus,” he says.

Bassi and the rest of the Clark House staff continue to identify strategies for en suring the St. Paul’s campus is safe and Cov id-free. The new booster shot will be offered on Sunday, Oct. 16th. As of now, the shot will be voluntary and the school will highly encourage students to receive it.

Third Formers Get Mindful

William Mao '23

Once a week during a free block, third formers meet in a lower level classroom of Ohrstrom Library to learn mindfulness as part of an eight-week pilot program imple mented this year. Twenty-seven students take the class in the fall term, and most third formers will have the opportunity to take the course by the end of the year.

Jen Zehler, an educator from Inward Bound Mindfulness Education, or iBme, teaches the course. iBme provides teen mind fulness retreats and education across the United States, Canada, and the United King dom, and doesn’t turn away teens for lack of funds. St. Paul’s School alumna Jessica Morey ‘97 co-founded iBme in 2010, inspired by her experience at a mindfulness retreat she at tended while a student at SPS..

In the course, students focus on a new theme during each of the eight weeks of mindfulness education. Themes include eat

ing mindfully, paying attention to the body, using technology mindfully, and moving mindfully.

Generally speaking, mindfulness is “in tentionally paying attention to the present moment without any judgment,” according to Dean of Student Support Kate Daniels, who also serves as the faculty adviser for the Mindfulness Society alongside physics and astronomy teacher Rick Pacelli. The specific practices Zehler teaches are strategically ap proachable, incorporating short daily jour nals, audio clips and other guided medita tions to spark student reflection.

“Many people are intimidated by prac ticing mindfulness because they have an in accurate perception of what a mindfulness practice is. Some people do meditate for long periods of time, but this is not the only way to practice mindfulness,” Daniels ex plains. “We’re introducing these short guid ed meditations so that anyone can feel the benefits of mindfulness immediately.”

Continued on p. 4

Gender Inclusive Floor

Continued from p. 1

far despite some early trepidation. “Before coming in this year, I had thought a lot about how the GIF would interact with the rest of Warren, and I was a bit nervous,” explains Shia. “But so far this year, everything has been going well and there have been no conflicts regarding the GIF.”

Some students still express the desire for a more permanent solution for gender-inclu sive housing. “Given the numbers, I can un derstand why the school doesn’t have the space to accommodate a gender-inclusive

house,” says Kao. “I wish we had an ability to broadcast what the gender inclusive space is, the ability to get it really up and running.”

Despite some initial uncertainty, Shia be lieves there is hope for the future of gender inclusive housing. “I hope that Warren can be a great place to live for the rest of the year,” he says, “and that for the years to come we can explore what a permanent setup for genderinclusive living should look like.” Kao con curs: “If we had an existing house, it could grow.”

Handbook Policy on Texting

sponse. If that faculty member doesn’t see the text right away, students are left without the appropriate supports. “We want students to use our emergency resources so that we can ensure they receive the help they need,” she says.

Continued from p. 1

School leaders feel that access to faculty at all hours is problematic. In building this policy, administrators considered how mem bers of the St. Paul’s community communi cate and for what purpose. “The primary rea son [for the restriction] is because having 24/7 access to faculty makes them feel obli gated to respond, which is unrealistic,” Ferns says. She stresses that students and their par ents must respect teachers’ personal lives while they are not on duty.

Ferns also raises concerns about students using texting in emergencies. Students who text a faculty member are expecting a re

Spencer believes the best form of com munication between faculty and students is face-to-face. These direct conversations “un derscore the relational nature that lies at the heart of the St. Paul’s School education,” he says. “In a world where transactional meth ods of communication predominate, we en deavor to speak with each other, to hear each other, and to lift up the relational connec tions that weave the fabric of our communi ty,” he says.

Instead of texting, Ferns and Spencer suggest that students develop a system to use regular communication through email as well as Hudl for athletic teams, or using other resources in emergency situations such as Clark House, the Dean on Duty phone, Safe ty, or 911.

Graphic by Sam Seeley '23

Photo by Gabby Purivs '24

e diTorials

Scooters Take Over

With the community at St. Paul’s just getting into the swing of things, students and faculty have noticed that many students have taken to using a new and exciting method of transportation: scooters.

It started with just one scooter, and the trend caught on within weeks. For anyone who spent last year here at SPS, you know that scooters have never been deemed “trendy,” which leaves everyone asking the question: who or what brought “the scooter phenomenon” to the SPS campus?

Students are not the only ones noticing the recent uptick in scooters. Teachers have also been caught by surprise. “I remember when scooters were super popular back when I was younger, and then they kind of disap peared for a little bit. All of a sudden I feel like they are just everywhere again,” says science teacher Erin Ruane. While the reason for this new insurgence of riders may be unclear, it has definitely sparked controversy.

Although some, like Ruane, think “scooters are awesome,” others express con cern about the fact that people are taking scooters to a whole new level. “I’ve seen two kids crash in the last 24 hours,” a teacher who wished to remain anonymous says. “One of whom rode two scooters at the same time [one foot on one scooter and one foot on the other], fell head first and rolled down the Rectory Road hill.” This sounds like a terrible idea to us and we advise against this.

Brooks Fisher ‘25 has especially strong views on the current situation. Although he has had a few scrapes on his scooter, he is still an avid supporter of this mode of transporta tion and continues to use his, though he re

flects that he may try to be more careful go ing forward.

Some of us are left wondering when we will have a respite from all the scooters.

While some speculate that winter is the an swer to this question, some proud scooter owners have other ideas. “I plan on equip ping the scooter with a ski,” says Fisher. Not only does this sound dangerous, but also im practical.

Graphic by Julia

For some, scooters certainly provide a faster and more efficient way to get to classes and commitments. “I can get to the AFC in three minutes” from Armour, says Fisher. But given some of the negativity these transpor tation devices provoke, is this really the di rection we want to take the SPS community?

Editorial Staff

Editors in Chief

Maddie Rosato '23

Ashley Zhou '23

Managing Editors

Lidia Zur Muhlen

Skylar Christoffersen

Photo Editor

William Mao '23 Art Editor Sam Seeley '23 Adviser Ms. Sarah Ludwig

Seated Meals Return

Seated meals have always existed to cul tivate a sense of community at St. Paul’s School. They offer one night where everyone at school is randomly assigned to a seat at a table in the Upper Dining Hall with seven other students, gathered from all forms, and a faculty member to dine together family-style. Seated meals provide a chance to get to know other members of the community. During the "Covid years," SPS was forced to take a hiatus from seated meals, but they are finally making a return this month. Here is every thing you need to know, from the history of seated meals to what to wear.

“There is a long tradition of seated meals at St. Paul’s,” says Suzanne Ellinwood, Dean of Students. “It started as an opportunity for students to get to know faculty who were not in their dorm or did not teach them in any classes, and it had a major focus on conversa tions and good table manners.” Ellinwood recalls having seated meals every Tuesday

and Thursday when she first joined the school. School leaders have since made adjustments to update these traditional dinners.

For example, the frequency of seated meals has decreased drastically, and dinner now starts at 6:15 p.m. as opposed to 6 p.m. to provide time for student athletes to shower and change after practice. In addition, the dress code has been relaxed from strict “seat ed meal attire” to “formal attire” in order to improve outdated binary requirements, where boys wore a coat and tie and girls wore a dress with heels.

Some traditions regarding seated meals endure. During the next seated meal, every one will have an assigned seat, with a combi nation of faculty members and student lead ers scattered throughout the dining hall to help staff tables. Fourth Formers from each table will be required to go early and bring salad, bread and entrees to the tables at the beginning of the meal, while plates will be cleared in a methodical manner at the end. “We’re really trying to ease back into seated meals,” Ellinwood notes, saying that the first dinners will likely require informal attire.

Katherine Lam ’25, a new Fourth For mer, is looking forward to seated meals. “I’m really excited to get to know different people,” she says. “My mum always said that seated meals are dinners where people get close to those from different forms, so that’s exciting. I’m also looking forward to dressing up and getting the chance to hang out with friends after a long day of classes.”

The first seated meal will be held on Fri day, Oct. 14. Look forward to it, and don’t for get to thank the Upper staff on your way in and out!

Aedyn Kourakos '26 and Lulu Mangriotis '25 examine the rise of the "scooter phenomenon" on the campus of St. Paul's School

Assistant Editor

Photo

sT uden T l ife Debate Moves to the Afternoon

Student feedback in recent years has paved the way for various non-athletic en deavors to be held during the afternoon activ ity block. Students are increasingly able to ex plore their passions to a greater capacity in theater, music, and now debate. Debaters now practice up to four times per week in the after noon activity block. Last year, the group met three times a week in the evenings.

Due to the removal of a shared lunch and more frequent music rehearsals, debate was no longer practical during the evening block. Da vid Camden, Faculty Adviser of the Debate Team, believes debate “needed somewhat of a more devoted, structured time.” Students do not have adequate time in the evening to de vote to extracurricular activities, and instead “should be trying to get their homework done and getting to bed,” says Camden.

Co-head of the debate team Jacob Kwon ‘23, a repeated debate medalist, is pleased with the change. “I feel like it is a better al location of my time than a physical sport, simply because there are no sports in the fall that I would like to do," says Kwon. He no longer has to fight to make time in his sched ule for debate, music rehearsals, and study ing; instead, he has a dedicated time where he can focus purely on debate and hone his skills.

Graphic by Alex Park '26

Graphic by Alex Park '26

New Student Transitions

Simona Mesgina '23 portunities to bond with formmates in the Upper, their houses, and Friedman Community Center. Mackenzie Bar rette ‘26 has enjoyed getting to know people in classes. “My favorite class is ceramics, because it’s such an interest ing group of people,” they say.

On Sept. 4, new students from all over the world arrived at St. Paul’s School to start their year. The commu nity welcomed students from Jamaica to New Zealand. Over the following days, these students began getting to know their new formmates and learn ing about life at SPS.

In contrast to years past, new stu dents did not get much time on cam pus before classes started. “From the moment they got here, we tried to give new students a lot to do,” says Thomas Gregston, Associate Dean of Students.

Orientation covered topics such as major school rules, advice and exam ples of a day in the life of a St. Paul’s student. Gregston explains that orien tation is a way “to help students feel less overwhelmed, because it can be very intimidating.”

Inevitably, some new students struggled to find their way around campus and learn St. Paul’s lingo. “I still find myself checking the directory often to know who my friends are talk ing about, but I know at some point I’ll know all the names of the people in my form,” says Allison Matias ‘26.

Outside of orientation and other planned events, new students have op

This year, the Dean of Students scheduled Playfair, which involves bonding games and team bonding ac tivities, in the second week of school, while in the past it has occurred earlier in the term. According to Gregston, the goal of this schedule change was to give new students a chance to settle in first.

Some new students have already made an impact on the St. Paul’s com munity. One of the ways they have done so is through joining teams and clubs. New student Sofia Pace ‘24 describes the process of starting her new Golf Club as “stressful, but Mr. Ardnt was my club adviser and he helped me out. I had to send a lot of emails. It was similar to starting a business.” The golf club at tracted seventy members and had a suc cessful first meeting on Sept. 18 at Bea ver Meadow Golf Course in Concord. Pace created the club in the hope of sharing her passions with the St. Paul’s community and bringing students to gether in a new way.

In recent years, debate approached a high level of commitment and needed a more structured time to meet. Camden believes the transition into the afternoon block is a healthy one. “I think it is wonderful that we now have an opportunity for students to participate and pursue debate in real depth and with the struc ture that you get with an afternoon program,” he says.

Although afternoon debate is held during the same time as sports practices, "we do not consider it to be an active commitment, so people still have to meet the active require ment," explains Richard Muther, Director of Athletics. Therefore, underform students can participate in afternoon debate for one term, after which they must partake in a physical sport to fulfill the school’s requirements. Up performers, however, can participate in after noon debate for two terms as they only require one active term of engagement.

While current members of the debate team prefer this change, one prospective member identified some of its challenges. Glory Stephen-Wangboje ‘23, a member of the SPS football team, "likes to explore many opportunities." Stephen-Wangboje was in terested in participating in debate this year, but is unable to commit his time in the fall. Stephen-Wangboje believes the move “dis advantages people who play a sport and also want to participate in debate.”

Afternoon debate is offered for all three terms, but many St. Paul’s students partici pate in athletics year-round For these ath letes, evening debate practice would make it possible for them to do both.

The team participated in their first competition on Sept. 25, placing third out of twelve competitive teams. The next competi tion is on Sunday, Oct. 9.

Mindfulness Program

Continued from pg. 2

An increasing number of studies find that the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted students’ mental health significantly. A Center for Disease Control study in 2021 found that 37% of high school students nationally experi enced poor mental health during the pan demic, and another CDC study discovered a 40% rise in persistent feelings of sadness and hopelessness amongst high school students from 2009 to 2019. The SPS mindfulness pro gram attempts to get ahead of this nationwide wave of deteriorating mental health.

Students are in their sixth week of the program, and so far they seem to enjoy it. Ae dyn Kourakos ‘26 says she has been using some of the meditation techniques outside of

class, including a pre-sleep meditation where she breathes in for the count of seven seconds and breathes out for the count of 11 seconds. “Mindfulness definitely helps me not have my brain thinking 40 different things,” Kourakos says. “It helps me focus.”

Students using mindfulness through out their lives is exactly what Daniels says she hoped for with this program. “You nev er know when you're going to be experienc ing periods of stress and anxiety and crisis,” Daniels explains. “Hopefully students will be able to apply the lessons they learn in this class going forward.”

Hudson Stovall '24

Graphic by Sam Seeley '23

f eaT ures

A Capella Program Strengthened

The St. Paul’s School a cappella program is now affiliated with the Music Department in efforts to strengthen the ensemble. In contrast to previous years, one singular a cappella group is directed by Mellissa Hughes, a professional singer who joined the SPS Music Department last year as a singing coach. Orlando Pandolfi, Director of Music, assists the group. The 12 person ensemble was finalized on Sept. 14.

This year’s ensemble, A Treble Group, is composed of female-identifying students. Members of the group represent all forms, with three members from each. The group is currently rehearsing three pieces to perform during family weekend on Oct. 22: “A Mil lion Dreams” from The Greatest Showman and “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus.

Past a cappella groups have been entire ly student-run and functioned more as clubs than ensembles. Due to their lack of training,

Pelicans Read: Sleepless Nights by Elizabeth Hardwick

these groups have not been included in the Music Department performances; however, about two years ago, Rector Kathy Giles sug gested revitalizing the program. Pandolfi explains the goal was to “have a group that’s good enough to be in a music program con cert.” Pandolfi is highly qualified to support the program: he is entering his eleventh year as the Director of Music, and as the Director of Music at Deerfield, he ran an award-win ning a cappella program for several years.

Alongside Pandolfi, Hughes is the group’s adviser. Her direction has contribut ed to smooth sailing thus far, along with the student section leaders. “Fortunately, we have great student leaders such as Cat Es teves and Liv Connolly, who really believe it’s in the school’s best interest to have the best and most consistent groups possible. They are very willing to lend their experience to this group,” says Pandolfi.

Connolly, a senior and the alto section leader, has been a part of the a cappella pro gram since her third form year. She explains that “there are pros and cons to both studentrun and adult-supervised groups.” Com pared to years past, “it's nice to have more consistent attendance,” she says. “With the

help of the Music Department, the quality of sound will be better than it’s been” since practices are a “more serious requirement.”

First-year member CC Cassidy ‘24 says that being a part of the group has been “su per fun.” Cassidy’s only prior singing experi ence has been with the SPS Chapel Choir,

which she took part in for two years. Cassidy explains that compared to the choir of about 40 singers, “you can make so much progress because you can find the errors and quickly correct them in the intimate a cappella group of 12.”

“Sleepless Nights” by Elizabeth Hard wick is a complicated novel. Published in 1979 as a work of fiction, today we’d call it autofiction: an autobiography of Hardwick's life. The narrator’s name, in fact, is Elizabeth. Told in the form of disjointed vignettes, let ters and essays, the novel is a phantasmago ria of memories steeped in melancholy—a truly plotless novel. Hardwick was a pioneer of this genre of plotless fiction, especially among women writers. Her influence is seen today in the works of Maggie Nelson, Rachel Cusk, Otessa Moshfeg and countless others.

While the book is a mere 128 pages, the dense prose and lack of narrative might leave the reader confused and disoriented. How ever, these challenges should not dissuade anyone from Hardwick’s work. Her eidetic descriptions of time, place, and memory are stunning. Scholars could study Hardwick’s sentences outside their context in the novel; their unadorned, sublime intellect and brunt

force lies in their simplicity. Deciphering and seeking understanding of her complicated language is a stimulating experience in itself.

“Sleepless Nights” could be read purely for the beauty of Hardwick’s writing, but the slight narrative thread the author offers up is worth the read as well. Her descriptions of the group of New York intellectuals she ran about with in her youth are particularly en joyable.

As a southerner, this reviewer loved the author’s examinations of the age-old North vs. South dichotomy (Hardwick hailed from

throughout this short book that even the most astute reader might not understand them all.

Those who enjoy plotless novels or stream-of-consciousness writing will love this book. “Sleepless Nights” is at times a dif ficult read that may leave the reader confused more often than not. Those who are willing to commit to the experience of stepping out side of their comfort zone, however, will find the reward most satisfactory.

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Kentucky but lived throughout New Eng land, New York, and Europe). Her theme of women in relationships with subpar men is fascinating when placed in the context of Hardwick's failed marriage to the acclaimed poet Robert Lowell. In fact, Hardwick incor porates so many themes and symbols

To read this issue online, visit our archives or access digital-only content, go to pelican.sps.edu

The Pelican is always looking to share new voices! If you have an article ideas or would like to be published in a print newspaper, come to our next meeting or contact one of our editors.

A Treble Group rehearsing in the music building // Photo by Blue Han '24

Graphic by Sam Seeley '23

Changes to Dock Life

For many students at St. Paul’s School, one place on the grounds exemplifies fun on campus like no other, synonymous with warm days, sunshine and old-fashioned fun: the docks. Whether it’s the Turkey Pond boat docks or the Lower School docks, spending time together on these planks of wood, jumping into the cool water and making memories are a staple in the lives of students.

In a recent Pelican poll, 16.9 percent of stu dents reported that the Turkey Pond docks were their favorite place on campus. But “dock life” changed this year, with new rules restricting the days and hours students can swim causing confusion and frustration for some.

The rule, added to the 2022-23 Student Handbook, employs clear language when it comes to swimming at Turkey Pond, the Lower School docks, or the shore area adja cent to Gordon Rink: “Adult supervision is required. Do not swim alone.” Students who break this rule could be subject to a Student

Art and the Definition of Home Thaddeus Lucentini

As students walk into Crumpacker Gal lery on a brisk October morning, they are greeted by vivid blue hues that pop from the walls, displaying the new show: “I’m Every where If I Want to Be.”

The current exhibition features selected works from three visiting artists: Olivia Fred ericks, Andrew McIlvane, and Carlos Don juan, all centered around themes of borders and belonging.

Bold paintings and prints are displayed around the gallery. From a large cloth mail box and two digital displays devised by Fred ericks to a series of photographs depicting people wearing colorful masks by Donjuan, viewers will be pleasantly surprised when visiting the collection.

In order to put together the show, art department head and gallery director Leigh Kaulbach explains that the process started by

f eaT ures

Standard violation, but Associate Dean of Students Robb Arndt explains that “the rule comes strictly from a place of safety and pro tection of students. We do not have any other motive and are not looking to get anyone in trouble.” Swimming hours are announced in SPS Connected, and this schedule depends on whether the deans or other adults are able to supervise that day.

Some students report feeling confused about the need for a rule that didn't exist un til last spring.“The ponds have been on the ground for 175 years and have never had su pervised swimming hours,” says Anna

schedule is very vague,” says Caroline High ‘23. Because the hours are not regular and depend on adult availability, students can’t predict when they are allowed to swim. “I have no clue where the swimming hours are,” says Nathan Rosenzweig ‘24. Zoltowski feels that “the hours are inconsistent. Some days don’t even have supervised swimming.”

Arndt maintains that the rules are nec essary and only exist to keep students safe. “After many conversations, we realized that the docks have to be treated more like a pool,” he explains. “The pool is small, you can see the bottom, but we always have a

lifeguard on duty. The pond, on the other hand, is large and murky, and there are more opportunities for students to make mistakes.”

To the deans, supervised swimming is a no-brainer. “As adults, we are responsible for the students here,” Arndt says. “We can’t have students relying solely on other students.”

Supervised swimming rules seem like they are here to stay, though it may take a while for community members to adjust to them. For more information on swimming and pond rules, visit the 2022-23 Student Handbook under “Official Handbook Rules for Swimming” on page 46.

Zoltowski ‘23. Ryan Bollimpalli ‘23 raises an other question: “We all take a swim test that proves we can be safe around water, so why do we need to be supervised?”

Students have expressed frustration over hard-to-find swimming hours. “The

reaching out to Olivia Fredricks, an artist who works with some of the same mediums that St. Paul’s fine arts students are exploring this fall. Fredricks taught these students when she visited the school in September.

“We knew we wanted to do a three-per son show,” Kaulbach continues, explaining how the rest of the exhibition was based on the work of Fredricks. The school had already been in contact with the other two artists, which made the process of putting together the show very simple.

“I’m Everywhere if I Want to Be” is de signed to be viewed as a complete experience. Each piece of art complements the other. “It’s not random,” Kaulbach stresses, adding that students are encouraged to visit and connect with the art, or just relax in the space. “The

gallery is a space to work and hang out with friends,” as well as a place to connect with and enjoy art.

Not only is the gallery “for everyone,” says Kaulbach, the current exhibition is spe cifically geared toward the experiences of SPS

students by reflecting on “the definition of home.”

“I’m Everywhere If I Want to Be” will be on display in Crumpacker Gallery through Nov. 11. The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.

Matthew Letourneau

Dock life changed this year, with new rules restricting the days and hours students can swim

"I’m Everywhere if I Want to Be" is designed to be viewed as a complete experience

Graphic by Ava Price '24

The work of Andrew McIlvane and Olivia Fredericks on display in Crumpacker Gallery

Photo by Pierre Lokhandwala '25

f eaT ures

Upcoming Weekend Events: October 15 & 16

Sarah Ernst '24

Saturday Night Life is a committee of stu dents who are responsible for organizing week end activities and who play a prominent role in the student community. Senior member Liz Es teves enjoys “having an influence on the SPS community in regards to planning out the only day we are free.” Esteves believes SNL plays an important role in campus life. “It is important for students to connect when they are free!”

At SNL’s first committee meeting on Wednesday Sept. 21st, the team “threw things on the table and discussed what works and what doesn’t work,” says Esteves. This group of stu dents will design and facilitate Saturday night events for the 2022-23 school year, and the stu dent body is looking forward to the events to come!

This weekend looks especially exciting with many activities planned:

On Saturday, Oct.15th, St. Paul’s School will be transported back to the 1970s for a discothemed Fall Ball. Get ready to deck yourself out in all your 70s clothes and dance the night away! SNL adviser Amanda Tapparo explains that the dance will be in the AFC and that all students will have an 11 p.m. check.

If dances are not your perfect Saturday night activity, check out the Rectory Open House or the final three performances for the Fiske Cup.

The following morning, on Oct. 16th, Sun day brunch in the Upper will be followed by ba gels and coffee at 1 pm from the Works in Con cord. Find these breakfast essentials on the upper level of Friedman Community Center.

Also on Sunday, whip out your favorite flannel and jeans for Eco-Fest, which will feature music, food, animals, and more fun activities on Chapel Lawn.

Stay tuned for more great events this year!

NEW! Pelican Crossword

Graphic by Ava Price '24

sPorTs

Saturday Night Lights Are Back

seal the game 20-12.

Starting linebacker Carson Daniell ’25 not ed that trusting in his teammates was key to the team’s success. “We have a talented group this year with a lot of experience and great leader ship,” Daniell said. “So we need to have confi dence in our preparation and abilities for results to come on gameday.”

St. Paul’s School Varsity Football held their official home opener of the 2022 season with an exciting matchup under the lights on Saturday night against the Hamden Hall Hornets. Stu dents gathered in droves at Guzzo Family Field to cheer on their formmates. Coming off a deci sive win against Worcester Academy the previ ous week, the Big Red looked to continue their streak against a strong Hamden Hall squad.

By the end of the first half, St. Paul’s found themselves at a twelve-point deficit, but they ral lied together in the second half to gain the lead. The defensive effort played a huge role in keep ing the team in the game, giving time for the of fense to settle in and get on the board. Three forced turnovers by the Big Red defense, as well as all-around sound play from the special teams unit gave the team the momentum it needed to

Since his debut as head coach in 2008, Craig Vandersea has built a football dynasty with a winning tradition. Over the past five sea sons, Vandersea’s squad has posted an impres sive record of twenty-five wins to only two loss es. St. Paul’s football continued their streak on Oct. 7th against a well-run Dexter Southfield team at home with a score of 21-14.

Team Highlight: Girls Varsity Volleyball

Morgan Boone '23

The St. Paul’s School Pelicans are several weeks into the fall season, and competitions are well underway. Amassing wins, losses, and ties all across the board, all teams are back in action.

Girls Varsity Volleyball started their season strong, going 6-0. On Saturday, Oct 1st, the team earned a 3-1 set win against a tough Northfield Mount Hermon squad, reversing their previous loss to the same team last year.

CC Cassidy ‘24, a captain, shares that vol leyball is her release from rigorous school days. “For two hours, I just get to think about nothing but volleyball,” she says. Cassidy is excited about the season, thanks to this year’s team of hard workers and talented players. She has been on the team since her third form year at St. Paul’s and hopes to uphold team traditions like team dinners, team study, and their ongoing game of tag as they walk to class.

“Volleyball is a sport where one person can’t just be amazing, you have to work together to win,” says libero Kennedy Hinojosa ‘24. Cas sidy agrees, saying that she feels like playing on the team not only improves her own perfor mance but the team overall. In this spirit, this

year’s team motto is “We Over Me.” The whole of the team makes the season better and their game stronger, not just the sum of the parts.

The team continues to increase their strength as players, as well as their bonds as friends. “The friendships exceed the court,” says Isa Martinez ‘24, another libero. “The group is built on heart and grit, which shows through on our performance on the court.”

Georgia Cooper ‘24 explains how grateful she is to have learned from players before her. Bestowing that wisdom to younger players feels “very full circle,” she says. New players and old players alike voice how their team has grown so far and how excited they are to see everyone progress throughout the season.

On Saturday, Oct. 15, the team will travel to battle it out against Phillips Andover. Their next home game is Saturday, Oct. 22 against Loomis Chaffee.

The Big Red looked to continue their streak against a strong Hamden Hall squad.

The group is built on heart and grit. -Isa Martinez '24

Girls' Varsity Volleyball captains CC Cassidy '24 and Sarah Hu

Photo by Liz

Graphic by Sam Seeley '23

Graphic by Skylar Christoffersen '24