Volume 25, Issue 1
2021-2022
About U.S.
A Publishing Tradition of The Unquowa School
A Message From the Head of School
T
he two-year anniversary of our global pandemic has been
know we possessed to just keep going. Countless articles also
marked with a sense of relief by the gradual reopening of
abound about how children have fared globally and what they’ve
many countries. Sadly, at the same time, racial and environmental
lost over these two long years, especially if they have not been
reckoning and now unimaginable warfare in Eastern Europe
fortunate enough to have been in school for a large part of that time.
vie for our attention and action, challenging that relief. In trying to reconcile this reality, I am simultaneously haunted and emboldened by the question posed by Salman Rushdie in his
Fortunately, however, what you will see in the pages of this issue of About U.S. is a testament to the fact that our children here at Unquowa and their teachers who work alongside them
spring 2021 essay on
every day, have found
the history and impact
the resources within
of the wonder tale.
themselves not just to
The fables and fairy
keep going but to do
tales we tell our young
so with remarkable
children are filled with
enthusiasm and
monsters and magic,
accomplishment. Pre-
villains and heroes.
schoolers imitating
In his essay, Rushdie
the heroes of fairy
reminds us that at their
tales, Lower Schoolers
base, these tales share
following the examples
truthful messages
of heroes in history,
about human nature:
and Upper Schoolers,
bravery and cowardice,
inspired by the powerful
honesty and trickery.
protagonists in both
Implanted in their
fiction and non-fiction,
messages are the basic
have carried on
enduring questions of
school life with joy and
modern literature that are also the basic enduring questions about human life. One of the enduring questions that Rushdie poses in his essay
success. In his newest collection of poems, Time is a Mother, Asian American poet Ocean Vuong poignantly asks, “How else do we
addresses the impact of the pandemic specifically. ”How,” he
return to ourselves but to fold the page so it points to the good
asks, “do ordinary people respond to the arrival in their lives of
part.” As we adults feel ourselves running out of energy for “doing
the extraordinary?” He suggests that, as we see in the ancient
hard things,” as we whisper a wish for everything to suddenly
wonder tales, fairy tales and subsequent centuries of fictional
resolve itself because our inner resources are running low, let’s
characters that have followed them, sometimes we don’t do so
look to our children, the believers of the enduring messages
well, but at others we find resources within ourselves that we did
from fairytales, fiction and historical heroes. Let’s also look back
not know we possessed.
through the pages of these past two years that are “folded down
Articles and books about how adults have fared over these
to point to the good parts” of our children’s lives and of our own.
past two years of global pandemic are abundant. No one dared
In doing so, may we all find the spirit and strength to proceed
to imagine how long we would have to pace ourselves, but here
until life returns to what we recall as normal. I suspect that we
we are - people in all walks of work and parents with children of
will find that the new normal will prove to be even better than the
all ages. Most of us have found the endless resources we did not
pages our memories have folded down as the good parts.
Sharon Lauer, Head of School
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Exploring Our Backyard Brook! Backyard exploration on The Unquowa School campus is a daily occurrence, and in our own Horse Tavern Brook our seventh grade science adventurers spent a lesson investigating the biotic index of water quality. Our students took to the brook in an effort to explore good indicators of water quality first hand and to observe the plants and animals that inhabit our local waterway. Students worked to collect macroinvertebrate species to later analyze in the science lab exploring the species diversity and to see if their presence represented poor, good, or exceptional water quality. Great news! We found three crayfish on our outdoor excursions, which was an indication of minimal pollution in Horse Tavern Brook. We look forward to getting back to further exploration of our outdoor classroom. Students in the sixth grade also walked their science lesson outside to the brook to come up with a definition of erosion without researching it through a textbook! They investigated evidence of erosion, sketched what they saw, then investigated the areas they had drawn. Unquowa lessons in the brook encourage students to just be kids - to discover, to ask why and how! Quite often here at Unquowa, a science lesson can purely just be about exploring!!!
Craig Knebel and Chandler Wiegand Upper School Science Teachers
Sense of Touch & Messy Fun! Armed with trowels, a wheelbarrow and water, Kindergarten students headed out to the Unquowa Woods. While studying the five senses in science, we decided to take the sense of touch lesson outside to make “Mud Faces”. Digging up the dirt wasn’t always easy. The children searched for places to find ”soft” dirt and announced it to the class. After we had enough dirt in the wheelbarrow, water was added to make mud and the Kindergartners were now ready to make “Mud Faces” on the Unquowa trees. Taking a handful of mud and slapping it on the tree was the first step. Sometimes it would fall off but we didn’t give up! Another handful of mud was soon added. Next Kindergarteners looked for nature’s objects to make facial features. Leaves, stones, sticks and nuts were just some of their creative ideas. At the end of our lesson we were dirty but really proud of our creations! How could it be that learning about the sense of touch could be so messy and so much fun?
Ann Palm, Kindergarten Teacher
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Exploring The Planets Up Close! …and they’re off to space! Fifth grade students recently investigated the eight planets and other bodies in our solar system. Students read articles, watched videos and observed NASA’s beautiful and colorful Astronomical Photo of the Day. After forming detailed diagrams and taking careful notes, students were tasked with working together to create an accurate model solar system. Our fifth graders determined the relative sizes of planets and the sun and then blew up balloons to a mostly accurate relative size. Next, it was time to get messy with paper mâché! Time was spent in the makerspace covering the balloons in a flour and water mixture. A fews days later, the paper mâché celestial bodies were dry and ready to paint. Students used the NASA photos along with their notes on mineral content to closely match the colors and patterns of each planet and the sun. Finally our model was complete. A job well done by Unquowa fifth grade astronomers! Our fourth graders were inspired to get into the fun too and created their own models of the solar system using foam balls and markers. Fourth graders started by selecting appropriate sized foam balls and then colored each to represent the planets and the sun. They placed their sun in the middle of black foam board and worked together to decide where to place each planet in relation. Students used their creativity and found other items in the makerspace to represent the asteroid belt, moons and distant stars. A terrific exploration of space by our fourth and fifth graders at Unquowa School.
Carlene Gordon & Craig Knebel, Science Department Chairs
Problem Solving Through Robotics After a year-long hiatus, robotics returned to the tech lab at Unquowa! Robotics is a core component of our tech curriculum and students are provided the opportunity to work through real world problems, applying both their coding and math skills with practical application. Some of the robotic projects required a lot of code or learning to apply logic coding and since this also involved working as a team, it was a great opportunity to gain positive results not only in the given assignment but also in completing the task. This year was a tremendous success which culminated with students programming their robots to function autonomously.
Lloyd Mitchell, Technology Teacher
Five Pitch Perfect! Eighth grade students recently studied physical waves and their properties. With a plan in mind, over a four-day period in the makerspace, students used their knowledge of frequency to create and build instruments that could make different pitch sounds. Full academic credit for the Stem lab was only given if the instrument could make five different pitches and could also play a song. Changing vibrations, the students have learned, is the key to changing pitches and making notes in a song.
Craig Knebel, Upper School Science Teacher
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Impactful Portraits! The Memory Project is one of the most impactful and important projects that eigth graders do in visual arts. This year, our fifth participating in the project, we were given photos of twenty-five children from Cameroon who are living with the violence that has erupted in their country because of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis or Cameroonian Civil War. In addition to their portraits, this year the children also were asked to describe themselves in three words and what they wanted to be in the future. The qualities they chose were things such as “intelligent, hardworking, and determined,” and many dreamed of a future in healthcare or teaching. This information added to our understanding of these children and helped us paint a rich picture of their lives, both actually and theoretically. The Memory Project asks students to paint portraits of children who are living in challenging situations around the world as a way to spread kindness through art. Painting a portrait is an intimate process, and my students cultivate a connection to their subject over a period of several weeks of deep observation. It is a gift for the recipients, but also for my students to feel empathy and learn how to humanize communities that are frequently reduced to a news story or an unimaginable number. We take the time to learn about their struggles, but also the richness of their culture. It is truly an authentic learning experience for everyone. After the portraits are delivered to the children in Cameroon, The Memory Project sends us a video compilation of the children’s reactions to these personal gifts. The huge smiles on their faces makes the challenge of portrait painting worth it. We look forward to seeing this year’s video and participating in the project again next year.
Krissy Ponden, Art Department Chair
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Antiracism - IDEA Unquowa’s IDEA committee - Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Anti-racism - continues to make strides at Unquowa in its effort to be intentional about highlighting all cultures and offering educational experiences connected to them. During Black History Month, we held three events that offered educational enrichment and we also made weekly presentations to the students at our assemblies. At our first event: Voices From The Past we listened to records from Civil Rights leaders discussing the social strife of the time. Current families along with prospective families and students were able to engage in vibrant conversations regarding the content of the recordings. Recordings included “Malcom X Talks to Young People”, which was released in 1968. This was at the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. We also listened to Martin Luther King’s “A Knock at Midnight” from August 16, 1967. The second event occurred in the fifth grade classroom. Students were intrigued to hear Nina Sells, grandmother of Bryan ‘22 and Jordan ‘23 Wilson, share her personal story of growing up in Virginia in the 1960’s. During her time at Maryland State College she was introduced to the methods of nonviolent resistance by the late comedian and civil rights activist Richard Claxton Gregory, who visited the college to organize a group of student activists, including Nina, to participate in a sit-in during the Civil Rights Movement. Our fifth grade students had many thoughtful questions to ask Ms. Sells about her experiences growing up and about her experience participating in a college sit-in during the movement. The final event: Racial Trauma & Young People, a virtual discussion by Dr. Hawthorne Smith, PhD., licensed psychologist and the Clinical Director of the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture, was open to all. Dr. Smith offered us insight into trauma, healing, and how to move forward following the challenges of the pandemic for both children and adults. As IDEA co-coordinators, myself and Krissy Ponden have worked with our colleagues throughout the year to impressively create programming to promote inclusion, equity, diversity and anti-racism.
Tré Kayumba, IDEA Co-Coordinator
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Pen & Paper Publication We are almost through another school year, and the Pen & Paper staff is hard at work on our twelfth issue. For those who are unaware, Pen & Paper is the Upper School literary magazine here at Unquowa. It is an incredible and important publication at our school that is entirely student-generated. Students in fifth through eighth grade work tirelessly throughout the year on their own time to produce poignant poems, insightful short stories, breathtaking art, and incredible photography that they then submit for review by the student staff and possible publication in that year’s issue of the magazine. Each year, the seventh and eighth grade staff, led by the Editor-in-Chief (currently, Isabel Alfageme ‘22), meets weekly to produce their own creative content as well as come up with (and judge) submission contests to incentivize students to submit work to this illustrious magazine. It isn’t an overreach to describe Pen & Paper as illustrious. Every year for the past eleven years, we have been fortunate to have our students’ efforts recognized by the largest school awards organization: the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. The CSPA reviews thousands of submissions from middle and high schools across the country, and grants awards to those who they believe deserve recognition for excellent student-led magazines. Almost every year, we have won Silver or Gold Crown awards, and we have occasionally been awarded higher honors as well. This past year was no exception, as we were pleased to receive, in addition to other awards, two incredibly important ones: “First Place with Special Merit” and “Most Outstanding Middle School Literary-Art Magazine for 2021.” Last year’s edition was an exceptional achievement, and the CSPA congratulated us in their notes. They reminded us that we have created something truly exceptional: Pen & Paper is an amazing publication! Not only have you mastered the basic elements
of a good magazine, but you have also published excellent works from your school
population. Pen & Paper is a model for those up-and-coming magazines and an inspiration for those that haven’t quite aced the necessary skills. Once again, congratulations on your
First Place with Special Merit award. Every member of your staff should be commended for
contributions and dedication in producing this traditional publication during such a stressful period of time.
This was overwhelmingly wonderful to hear from CSPA, and these awards have helped this year’s staff. While repeating past successes would be wonderful, what the Pen & Paper staff is focused on right now is producing the best writing, photography, and art that we possibly can. And we are off to an amazing start! To view the latest edition go to - https://unquowa.org/pp-vol-11/
Eric Snow, Pen & Paper Advisor
Indigenous Peoples’ Day In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, students and teachers spent time watching and listening to Native American history, culture and songs performed by Cheenulka Pocknett from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the Red Hawk Collective Singers and Dancers. To celebrate, our amazing chefs made a special lunch of roasted chicken, squash, beans and cornbread. Later in the day students were able to view and touch Native American items and ask the many questions they had been saving for Cheenulka and the dancers. It was a wonderful and informative cultural day, enjoyed by all of the students and faculty.
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Back to Founders’ Day! It was with great anticipation that our school planned for this past fall’s Founders’ Day, and the day did not disappoint. Students, families and faculty - both present and past - showed up to celebrate our school community and to simply experience the joy of finally being together again for a beautiful fall day of great food, great music and serious fun. Many thanks to our eighth graders for hosting activities for our younger students, to our UPA for selling Gator Goods and gently-used uniforms, and to Unquowa Board members who staffed our Fund for Unquowa table. Many hands made for light work of hosting a fabulous day. Huge thanks to families and alums who joined our faculty and staff to give the 2021-22 school year a proper start!
Sharon Lauer, Head of School
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Fifth Grade Poets Impress Family and Friends Our fifth graders celebrated the culmination of a five-week poetry unit by sharing their original work on the Unquowa Stage. Over the course of our poetry study, each student crafted between 15-18 unique pieces in a variety of forms. At the heart of this unit was an essential question: Why do we write poetry? Is it to entertain? To reflect? To educate? To empower? In short - yes! Our fifth graders played with rhythm, rhyme, and whimsy in their limericks, imagery and word choice in their haikus and acrostics, and the parts of speech in their cinquains and diamantes. After analyzing a compilation of Dr. Martin Luther King’s speeches, these writers identified powerful and inspiring terminology and turned those into passionate found poems. We explored the power of self-reflection, reading Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” along with a number of other exemplary autobiographical poems. Our poets then looked within to consider what makes them unique, special, and perfectly imperfect, and then used figurative language to illustrate their complexity. Those “I Am” poems will serve as artist statements for their self portraits that grace our halls. The students worked in teams to play with language and their own creativity by building Book Spine Poetry - they stacked books to allow the titles to form unique poems. We also considered how poetry can serve as a call to action. These students’ powerful protest poems will inform the arpilleras they are creating in Visual Arts, inspired by the bold and empowered female poets and artists of Pinochet’s Chile. In total, these writers penned over 390 original poems during this unit! While poetry is a truly personal exploration, it gains power when shared and read aloud amongst friends. To this end, we spent time focusing on PVLEGS - poise, voice, life, eye contact, gestures, and speed - in order to fully convey the intentions behind their words. Our Poetry Night served as the perfect end to a special unit, where the students found their voices in front of family and friends. It was a truly special evening, where our fifth graders courageously warmed souls and inspired minds with their reflective and moving poetry.
Ariel Warshaw, Fifth Grade Teacher
Our Weekly Assemblies! One of the most wonderful things about Unquowa is our weekly assemblies! We were happy to return from our virtual assembly platform to our typical in-person Wednesday morning gatherings earlier this year and to finally invite all of our parents to attend again just after Spring Break. Upper School students formally dress in their school blazers and set a fine example for the younger grades. We all join together to sing, celebrate birthdays, listen to traditional eigth grade capstone speeches and watch or even participate in amazing performances by our students. Spirited student and parent announcements are followed by Ms. Lauer’s poem of the week, our school song and a final moment of silence where we all reflect upon the week we’ve just had and set our intentions for the week to come. Assemblies give us all time to come together to share and reset for another week.
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100 Days! Recently both the eighth grade and the Lower School students shared a day in common celebrating all things 100! On the hundredth day of school the younger students had all kinds of fun in their classrooms with the number one hundred, meanwhile in Upper School Ms. Lauer and the eighth grade advisors surprised this year’s Class of 2022 with a pizza and cake party to mark only 100 days left until graduation!
Traditional Preparations in Place before Winterfest In true Unquowa tradition, last year’s student royalty crowned the new Kings and Queens and they were ready to rule! Our first graders were knighted by our new royalty and they were then ready to protect! The 2022 Winterfest Banner designed by Krissy Ponden was given a sneak peek to our eighth grade graduating class for the traditional first look. The banner was revealed to the rest of the kingdom in the Winterfest procession and it will now hold a place in time with each new year of Winterfest performances.
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Welcome Back Winterfest! It was so amazing to have our Winterfest back in person this year! Winterfest is such an exciting time for our little school by the brook and there is just something so much more magical about performing for a live audience! Every year it is amazing to see how a new script can be written to include our traditional medieval roles of knights, jesters, wizards, star dancers, and stick dancers, all performed by our younger grades. This year’s Winterfest, The Kingdom, The Witch & The Wardrobe, took us to the land of Unquowa through a story of twin sisters who find a magical wardrobe in their uncle’s house in the woods. Once they were able to convince the rest of their family that this wardrobe and the magical land of Unquowa was real, they were on a mission to help save the medieval Kingdom from the White Witch who had taken complete control of the land! It is always a sight to see our gym transform into the traditional Winterfest Unquowa Castle! Colorful banners are hung from the ceiling, stained glass panels adorn the windows, the King and Queen thrones await royalty and painted backdrops set the stage. Towering walls of the Unquowa Castle entryway greet the audience as they arrive to watch the show. When we began rehearsals for Winterfest this year, the joy and excitement felt by both the students and staff was incredible. Each and every student at Unquowa is involved in Winterfest. All the students from Pre-K through fifth grade are the traditional performers in the show and they use vocal techniques, stage presence and dancing skills that they have studied in class. Upper School, sixth through eighth graders are involved in the show in many ways! Some students are performers, many are instrumental musicians and others are on tech crew, running lights, sound, moving set pieces and helping the show to run smoothly. It takes each and every student to make our show to be the best it can be! This year, when it was finally time for our performances the students were more than ready to show everything they had been working so hard on and it was an incredible success! Welcome back, Winterfest!
Megan Kirk Performing Arts Teacher
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Kitchen News! This will come as no surprise, but exploring another culture through food is my favorite way to learn about that culture. When the IDEA committee reached out to see how the kitchen could participate in Hispanic Heritage Month, we jumped at the opportunity! Over one
Alfajor Recipe Ingredients:
week and spanning two continents, the kitchen created lunches with flavors like bright mojo and rich yucca to celebrate several countries.
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup all purpose flour 1 cup corn starch 1 tsp baking powder ¼ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt ½ cup sugar 10 tbsp butter, at room temperature 2 large egg yolks 1 cup dulce de leche 1 cup finely ground,dried coconut
Some kids found the flavors familiar, while others were pleasantly surprised. We also explored the Mexican roots of a beloved Unquowa classic: burritos! It was a tasty time for all, but nothing was more celebrated than the alfajor. This cookie with a long history, dating back to the 8th century and making its way to South America via Spanish colonization, is a beloved treat by many South American countries and was no less adored by the students. This is the recipe we used, if you would like to make it at home!
Jess Toebe, Head Chef
Directions: 1. In a stand mixer beat sugar and butter on medium speed, until light and fluffy. About three minutes. 2. Scrape the sides, add in the yolks, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix again for an additional three minutes. 3. Meanwhile whisk together the dry ingredients excluding the coconut.Turn the mixer on low and slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just until combined. 4. Divide the dough in half and place each half in plastic wrap, rolling them into equally sized logs about 1 ½” thick. Chill for at least two hours. 5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and slice cookies from the logs at about 1/4” thick. 6. Place on the baking sheets and bake for about seven minutes, until just begin to turn golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack. 7. Put dulce de leche into a plastic sandwich bag and cut a small hole in one corner or pastry bag with a fine tip. 8. Flip half the cookies over and pipe a thick layer over the cookie. Top with the other half of cookies and roll the sides in the coconut. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving. Enjoy!
Taking Our Composting Program to the Next Level With the garden being dormant for winter, one exciting addition we now have is our improved composting system. Last fall, the Unquowa Kitchen added a 3x3x3 bay composter to our garden. It has three separate areas for all stages of food decomposition. Since its creation, all clean food waste products and kitchen scraps have been added throughout the year. This spring, it will be used to nourish our garden beds with clean, nutritious, microbe-full soil. We are very excited about this because it reduces the amount of waste added to the garbage and landfill by an average of 10-15 pounds a day. This also means that we have full control of what goes into the process and thus what goes into our garden, plants, and bodies. It will also produce a wonderfully nutrient-dense compost for our plants to thrive in. This spring and summer we plan on having a very thorough and comprehensive garden rotation and growing schedule. This will also include lesson plans so the students at Unquowa can be involved with the whole process as well.
Will Heyne, Assistant Chef
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Everyone Celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month! Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history, culture, and contributions of the Hispanic people in the United States. The event takes place from September through October, and commemorates the influence of the Hispanic community in American society. The dates of celebration coincides with the Independence Day celebration of some Latin American countries such as Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Mexico. Everyone at Unquowa enjoyed learning about Hispanic cultures in a collaborative celebration during this special month. As a school, we respect the customs, traditions, and perspectives of individuals of different cultures and ethnicities. For this reason, teachers and staff incorporated this celebration into their lessons. In art, social studies, writing, language, and performing arts, teachers and students highlighted the presence, contributions, language, and histories of Hispanics in the United States. Also, during the week, our talented chefs served special lunches from Spain, Peru, Cuba and Mexican-American communities, celebrating the rich influences of Hispanic American cuisine. To decorate the Dining Room, Upper School art students made decorative Papel Picado banners by cutting elaborate designs into sheets of tissue paper and stringing them together. The colorful banners gave the dining experience an extra authentic feel. Voice and drama students were introduced to many different songs that have been composed and performed by those of Hispanic heritage. It was so interesting to see how many of the pop songs students know and love are created by those of Hispanic Heritage! As part of their movement lessons, students were also introduced to the flamenco style of dance! They learned how their bodies could tell a story through this amazing type of dance. Students in fifth grade learned the song La Bamba. La Bamba is a Mexican folk song that was given a driving rock beat by Ritchie Valens, who learned the song from his grandmother. The students helped to choreograph a great dance and performed it at assembly during Hispanic Heritage month. In fourth grade, Spanish class students worked on projects based on a Hispanic person of their choice. They enjoyed researching that person and their culture and then presenting in front of the class! This was a wonderful opportunity for students to work independently and use their research and presentation skills. ¡Buen trabajo, clase!
Rebeca Espinosa, Upper School Spanish Teacher
Chinese New Year! This year we are celebrating the Year of The Tiger. In February on the first day of Chinese New Year our students came to school all dressed in red or gold and opened a traditional Red Envelope, which symbolizes wealth and luck. Some students spent time crafting tigers and others decorated the Mandarin classroom and Dining Room. Our third through sixth graders loved making wontons with our chefs to put in a delicious soup for everyone to enjoy at school lunch, and in assembly our Kindergarteners boldly took to the stage to perform a song in Mandarin for the entire school. We are grateful to share this culture within our community and we wish everyone a healthy and prosperous 2022!
Carina Blackwell, Mandarin Teacher
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Activities, Clubs & Adventuring! With the ability to hold activities again this year, students were straight back into it! Kicking off in the very first week of school, Upper School students were excited to leave the Unquowa campus and venture off to team building activities such as white water rafting and equally empowering day experiences clamoring around in the tree tops. Students were able to enjoy after school activities again such as Thursday Yoga for the younger students, Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) Club and even a virtual family book club - The Book Club for Everyone. During the chilly months, the very popular Friday Ski Club took students from the classroom to nearby slopes to end out each week. UPA sponsored Socials such as a Grit Ninja course for fifth & sixth graders and the tree Adventure Park for the seventh & eighth graders continued to instill the “Unafraid Spirit” fun!
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Unquowa Fall Athletics - We’re back In Play! In Soccer News - Our soccer athletes were extremely excited to get back on the field after a swift
end to the 2020 season. Due to this sudden halt in athletics, Unquowa decided to run its first ever soccer preseason clinic in late August. The preseason clinic was a week long and consisted of drills, activities and game play to help build our athletes’ confidence and allow them the opportunity for more practice time. The clinic was a great success and we look forward to making this a new tradition here at Unquowa. When the season finally did begin all of our athletes felt the overwhelming urge just to get out there and play again. Our teams consistently showed so much heart, grit and determination over the course of the season that we could not be prouder! The 6th/7th/8th grade team finished their season with a 7-2 record and really excelled in teamwork and dedication. Even though our 5th grade team did not get the record they aimed for, the players had an amazing time working together and for some of them, simply learning the sport. We also welcomed back our 3rd & 4th grade JV soccer team! Every Friday afternoon our JV players came to practice with amazing attitudes, ready to work hard and get better! Our main goal for the JV team was to provide an opportunity for every athlete to have fun, learn the sport and develop life skills. Competition is a natural part of the sport, but it is not the primary objective of our JV team. Even though they were unable to compete against other schools, their season was a huge success! All of our soccer teams seemed to really enjoy this season as did the coaches. It was a pleasure to see how resilient our athletes were and we are already looking forward to the next season!
Abby Cerone & Ryan Taylor, Soccer Coaches
In Cross Country News - When you look at the results of our fall 2021 cross country season, you wouldn’t think we had just returned from a 2-year pandemic break. You’ve heard the cliché phrase “hit the ground running” but that’s exactly what we did! We simply picked up where we left off. The veterans of this team were only 6th graders the last time we trained and competed together but they stepped up to reinvigorate this team and its traditions. Each week at practice and meets, our amazing runners made an impact both individually and as a team. At every race we had a significant percentage of runners place in the top 5. In fact, at all of our meets over the course of the season, nearly one-third of our roster placed in the top 5! For the overall season standings, among 5th grade girls, Dahlia tied for first and Sierra tied for third. Oscar placed first among 5th grade boys. He won every race he participated in, including the championship meet! Emily and James tied for fifth place among 6th grade girls and 6th grade boys, respectively. Jordan tied for fifth among the 7th grade boys and Bryan placed third among 8th grade boys. Our stats may fool you but it’s not easy to place in the top 5. Our team knows that the most important goal is to achieve a best time. And we did that. We celebrated personal best times, sometimes taking off not just seconds but minutes. Each of our runners were fun to watch and they exhibited the character of support and sharing that makes a group a team. Congratulations to all of our runners on such an amazing comeback season.
Sarah Pollex, Cross Country Coach To end such a fantastic fall season - all of our athletes attended our traditional Fall Athletics Ceremony. This was an incredibly special night for all of our fall athletes because they were recognized for the consistent hard work they put in throughout the season. This event consisted of coaches speaking about both the season and each individual player. It was wonderful to see the joy in our athletes’ faces as they were being talked about and praised for their contributions to the team and season. Every athlete received a sports patch to remember their season and some even received trophies from their coaches! To end the night, students were given treats from our chefs to take home and enjoy. It was truly a wonderful way to end such a fantastic season.
Go Gators!
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Beating To A Different Drum! African drumming instructor Kwame Henry Jones has joined our Upper School Performing Arts faculty this year. Henry has been teaching percussion students about the traditions and culture of West African countries, as well as the instruments and rhythms associated with each region. There is an emphasis on cooperation and individual responsibility in each lesson. In that way students are able to perform music on their own by following the cues of the eigth grade “elders”. Their self-directed debut performance of “Funga Alafia” in Winterfest received an enthusiastic response from the audience! “Funga Alafia” is a welcome song from Nigeria and the class is currently learning “Mendiani”, a mask dance from the tradition of Guinea, West Africa. The energy and excitement from the students as they play their instruments is remarkable!
David Coe, Performing Arts Teacher
Composing Across The Classrooms! All of the students at Unquowa have spent some time working on their musical composition skills! In music theory, one of the best ways to test your knowledge is by composing your own rhythms or melodies! Students from PreK all the way to eighth grade recently worked on these skills. In Early Childhood classes, students used popsicle sticks to compose rhythms in 4/4 time. In Lower School classes, students used staff paper to create short melodies that were then played on the piano. In Upper School, students used downloaded staff paper on their chromebooks to write their short compositions. Students were excited to hear what they had written! I was very impressed with all of their work!
Megan Kirk, Performing Arts Teacher
We’re back at it again! We have a fantastic new lineup of programs for your children and are so excited to welcome seasoned participants as well as newcomers. The program has been updated to a half-day, 9am-12pm schedule to allow for more in-depth exploration of a single topic each week, while still retaining the hallmarks of an Unquowa day - dedicated and excited faculty, physical movement, a connection to nature, and the beautiful Unquowa campus. Programs will be taught by Unquowa faculty and seasoned Unquowa summer staff, with daily time for outdoor activities for each group. We are very much looking forward to welcoming families back to another Summer at Unquowa! Registrations are now open at unquowa.org/a-summer-at-unquowa
Joey Casey, Summer At Unquowa Director
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Halloween Takes to the Field! One of our favorite traditions here at Unquowa is our Halloween parade. This year we moved the festivities outside so that all students, faculty and even parents were able to join in the fun once more. With spooky dance music setting the scene, Lower School students proudly paraded around our playing field, showing off their costumes, and Upper Schoolers surprised us all by storming the field to perform a choreographed Flash Mob Dance. A total surprise to all was when our kitchen staff showed up dressed in Ghostbuster costumes and everyone on the field burst into singing the Ghostbusters theme song as it played in the background. Students were so excited to participate in the parade and to finally get back to doing the joyful things that make our Unquowa community so special and fun!
Art Educator of the year! Applause goes out to our very own Visual Arts teacher and department chair Krissy Ponden on being named the 2021 Connecticut Art Educator Of The Year! Each year the Connecticut Arts Education Association recognizes those who create a lasting impression on students through Visual Arts Education and recognize exemplary Art Educators and Administrators throughout CT. We are honored and proud to congratulate Krissy on this well-deserved achievement.
Faculty & Staff Development Dr. Jennifer Bryan, Founder of Re-Set School, led this year’s winter professional development day for faculty and staff which took place on the Thursday of Presidents’ Day weekend. Dr. Bryan has over forty years of experience as an independent school educator and counselor, and while her consulting firm has always relied on that experience to help independent schools to focus on their own school’s mission and core values to build community resilience, it now also helps them to take advantage of the remarkable and unexpected opportunities born of the COVID 19 pandemic. As a thought partner to independent schools, Jennifer prioritizes curiosity, welcomes divergent thinking and cultivates compassion. In February, our day together was spent specifically discussing thoughts on gender identity and diversity as it applies to the whole child at various ages and as it applies to our school’s mission and core values. A unique aspect of Dr. Bryan’s visit to Unquowa was that she happens to be the daughter of an Unquowa alumnae, Margaret (Marny) Ruhm Smith, Class of ‘45.
Sharon Lauer, Head Of School
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Notes From the UPA Back in September, Missy Howe, mom of Nolan ‘22, Nathan ‘23, and Owen ‘29 joined Heather Winkelmann as Co-Chair of the UPA for the 2021-2022 school year. While still unable to gather indoors, we held our first UPA meeting of the year at Owen Fish Park. It was great to be together again, and to welcome new families to our community. After months of meeting in the park and via Zoom, we are now operating under the new COVID normal, and delighted to be holding our UPA meetings inside the school once again. With COVID restrictions easing, we have been excited to bring back most of the UPA’s traditional events and committee activities. We kicked off the year with the Upper School Socials—the students loved the team building and time together outside of school. We held the Fall Athletic Dessert Award Ceremony in person, acknowledging both our athletes and coaches for their hard work and dedication. For the Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, the UPA arranged for a food truck from The Granola Bar to be stationed in front of the school—it was a lovely way for our faculty and staff to begin their day. And as the year went on, the UPA continued to express our appreciation by providing treats in the faculty lounge, along with other acts of kindness to show how much we care. The fall adult Social and Wine Tasting event has been one of the high points of the year so far. The Social Committee did an outstanding job organizing a tailgate-themed evening in front of the school. There was an impressive turnout, and attendees sampled delicious food and wine from the catering trucks and vendors. Most importantly we were all able to be together again at Unquowa in a celebratory and safe way. In true Unquowa spirit, the UPA works to support those in need. Our families were so generous donating non-perishable food items to our yearly Food Drive, many coats to our annual Coat Drive, as well as gently-used clothing, to support Mercy Learning Center. And the Holiday Gift Card Drive garnered close to $4k in donated gift cards to benefit families in need through Fairfield Social Services during the holiday season. We are currently planning a Book Drive for later in the spring. The Green Committee continues to come up with ways for our school and families to embrace a more sustainable existence. As part of this effort, the committee is now participating in a Sustainable Fairfield Group, to share ideas with other schools and community organizations. As we move into spring, the UPA is busy planning the Teacher Appreciation Lunch, the Spring Athletic Dessert Award Ceremony, the fifth through eighth Grade Socials, and of course the Spring Gala—our main fundraiser of the year. This year’s theme will be the Roaring Twenties: Cloak & Gator Club. The Gala will be an in-person extravaganza held at the school on May 21st, with both a live and silent auction. We are so looking forward to having this event in person this year, bigger and better than ever! With appreciation and gratitude, we thank Heather Winkelmann for her outstanding dedication and support of the Unquowa community—she will be completing her third and final year as UPA Co-Chair, at the end of this school year, and the UPA is currently determining our new co-chair for next year. We continue to encourage all parents, new and old, to come to our monthly meetings, and to participate in our Unquowa Parents Association in any way they can. And as always, thank you to our wonderful Unquowa community!
Unquowa Parents Association
Thank you to everyone who has donated to the 2021-2022 Fund For Unquowa The Fund for Unquowa is a vital part of our financial health, enabling our school to provide the academic excellence and innovation that empowers each child to develop an “unafraid spirit … in a changing world.” Your thoughtful generosity continues to enrich the lives of our students and community.
We have almost reached our goal and there is still time to make a gift to this year’s campaign. The deadline is June 30th! To give to the Fund For Unquowa 2021-2022 go online at unquowa.org/giving, use the enclosed green envelope or scan the QR code
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Alumni News Condolences Annie Louise Furrer (Waldo), Unquowa class of ‘44, was a benefactor of the arts, proud conservationist, and wildlife advocate. She died peacefully at her home in Vero Beach, Fla., on January 6th, surrounded by family. Born February 20, 1929, Annie grew up in Fairfield, attending and graduating from The Unquowa School. During her time at Unquowa she was known as Annie Lou Waldo and her written stories are recorded in the 1942 editions of The Unquowan. Later Annie attended Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina and after graduating from Briarcliff Junior College, she pursued a teaching career. Annie Louise Furrer is remembered for her hearty laugh, radiant smile, and sharp wit, in addition to her beloved dogs and Himalayan cats that were always present in her home.
Fredrica Baldwin Smith (Dica), Unquowa class of ‘50 died peacefully at her Southport home on November 30th. She was born on April 29, 1936 in New York City. Dica graduated from The Unquowa School in 1950, attended Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, and received her B.A. from Wheaton College in Massachusetts. Dica was a volunteer at the Fairfield Women’s Exchange in Southport and was engaged in a variety of other charitable activities. She was also a member of the Fairfield Garden Club. Dica was a friend to all, a proverbial mother and grandmother to many, a confidant, a counselor, a beacon in a storm and offered a friendly and sincere smile and a greeting of “hello darling” to friends and strangers alike.
Kelly Jones, Unquowa Class of ‘19, has continued to be the standout runner she began as when here at Unquowa. This year as a Lauralton Junior Kelly won the 1600-meter run in 5:13:30 at the Class M indoor track and field championships in New Haven, allowing her to not only come in first place but also to break her own school record and be the second ever All-State track and field runner from Lauralton. Kelly then came back later in the meet to take second in the 3200-meter run in a personal best time of 11:34.6 to qualify for nationals in a second event. Kelly’s mom, Gina, says that Kelly’s running career all began
We are proud to announce that Sasha Mack Class of ‘05 has joined the Unquowa Board of Governors. Sasha is a graduate of Cornell University and the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. She currently works in the Global Marketing Solutions division at Facebook & Instagram. Sasha served as a Board member of Off-Beat Players, a non-profit theatre company in Greenwich. She also serves on the leadership council of Lawyers for Children, a New York based law firm advocating for children and foster youth. Sasha most recently returned to Unquowa in 2015 as its keynote graduation speaker. We are thrilled that she is donating her time and talent to the important work of trusteeship here at Unquowa.
with the support and confidence she gained here at Unquowa
Faculty News
with Mrs. Pollex, who will
Last October, Unquowa’s
confirm that Kelly’s natural talent
Advancement Assistant Fiona
was obvious to all from the moment she stepped foot on a cross-country course. We thank Mrs. Pollex for serving as Kelly’s first running coach, and we will be keeping a close eye on Kelly, whose understated talent we know has yet to reach its peak. We wish her all the very best at the NSAF Nationals meet.
Hanrahan married Phelan McCormack at Our Lady of The Rosary Chapel in Poughkeepsie, NY. Our very best wishes and congratulations to newlyweds Phelan and Fiona McCormack!
THE UNQUOWA SCHOOL 981 Stratfield Road, Fairfield, CT 06825-1697
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www.unquowa.org
~ obis N i r tu Care u r F u a O Cur re is in Futu The
Unquowa Culture: Unafraid Spirits!