July archive
Montverde's Academy's Headmaster's Mid-summer Report
July 27, 2008
Dear Parents and Friends of the Academy:
It is hard to believe that we are already nearing the end of July. Next month we will be preparing to see our students return to the Academy for the 2008 -2009 school year and the beginning of the Academy’s 96th year!
The summer months have been busy at the Academy. In addition to our traditional summer school program of approximately 55 students, we have also been host to some 140 students in our summer day camp and our new enrichment camp for the lower school has gone wonderfully in its first year.
As we do in most summers, we have focused a great deal of time and energy on the physical plant. The following projects have been completed:
- The installation of multimedia projectors and interactive whiteboards in every teacher classroom at every division.
- New computers and desks in each lower school classroom.
- New desks and computers in the lower school computer lab.
- New desks and computers in the new middle school computer lab.
- New flooring and an additional science laboratory in the upper school science building.
- New roof on the rear of the Conrad-Lehman building
- The completion of new windows in all campus buildings.
- Remodeling of the admission office and conference room in the administration building.
- New desks in the library classroom.
- New painting and flooring in various buildings as needed.
In addition to these projects, the Academy continues to work on the athletic complex expansion. To date, we have secured the funding to proceed with a mass grading of the property, sodding of water retention areas and seeding of remaining ground space. At completion this should give us adequate space for athletic practices and activities while funding is sought for the installation of specific fields. We have been blessed to have the assistance and support of Ted DeWitt and DeWitt Excavating and John Schmid of Schmid Construction in the implementation and planning of the facility. I very much appreciate the time and effort these gentlemen have lent to this project.
Our ailing local economy, largely due to the condition of the housing and real estate market, has brought unwanted financial changes to a number of our local families. In many cases, the Academy’s need based financial aid program has greatly assisted these families to allow them to keep their children enrolled. Sadly, in some cases, families have been forced from the area for new employment opportunities or have opted for public education. We have seen this most noticeably at the lower school division. Our middle school and upper school enrollments have increased and the overall enrollment trend has been ahead of where the school was last year at this time. We project our final enrollment to exceed last year. The diversity in the composition of our student body has been a welcomed factor in our economic development and the value of the dollar abroad has been a positive marketing catalyst for our international community.
Shortly you will receive the schedule for orientation and registration. We will look forward to seeing you on campus soon. In the meantime, enjoy the remainder of the summer break with your children!
Sincerely, Kasey C. Kesselring - Headmaster
To learn more about Monteverde Academy, click here.
Colorado Springs School hosts concert
July 27, 2008
Concert on the Quad - Sunday, August 17, 2008
This is the one! The only event all summer to put it all together: a beautiful outdoor setting, great food and drink for those who choose to indulge and spectacular music and dancing – jazz and classical styles that will delight the tastes of audience members of all ages and… It’s all to benefit the continued restoration of one Colorado Springs’ magnificent architectural structures- The Historic Trianon on the campus of The Colorado Springs School.
Who: The Colorado Springs School; pianist, composer and arranger Ken Miller and the Ken Miller Band: Brad Eastin, saxophone; Wayne Wilkinson, guitar; Scott Webring, bass and George Thompson, drums; and Laurie Gabrial and the Aspen Strings… also --- special guest vocalist Amy Sue Hardy.
What: The 2nd Annual Concert on the Quad! An outdoor concert (and dinner for those who choose) held as a fundraiser to assist in the restoration of the Historic Trianon.
When: Sunday, August 17, 4:30 pm – 8:30 pm (grounds open at 4:30; Dinner begins at 5; concert starts at 5:30)
- Aspen Strings: 5:30 go to 6:30 - concert
- Ken Miller Band: 6:30 to 7:30 - concert
- 10 minute break
Ken Miller Band, Aspen Strings, and Amy Sue Hardy: 7:40 to 8:30 - concert/dance
Where: On the outdoor quad of the The Colorado Springs School (21 Broadmoor Avenue) with the Jazz and String ensembles performing off the terrace of the Historic Trianon.
To learn more about Colorado Springs School and its private day school program with host family, click here.
Cranbrook Kingswood coach wins "National Coach of the Year" award
July 15, 2008
Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School hockey coach Andy Weidenbach was selected "National Coach of the Year" recently in the Special Sports category by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) for his longevity, outstanding accomplishments and service to the sport of hockey.
Weidenbach has been hockey coach at Cranbrook Kingswood for the past 14 years. Overall his teams have won 10 regional titles, been state runner-up twice and have won six state titles. He has received the prestigious Pete Dawkins Award from his school, been named Coach of the Year by his school, and State Coach of the Year for Hockey on four occasions. He was National Coach of the Year for the Federation in 1998. Prior to getting into high school coaching he was involved with the Compuware Hockey Instructional Program and with USA Hockey as a coach at different age groups and different levels of competition. Andy has further served his sport as an officer in the Michigan High School Hockey Coaches Association, including the president and on numerous committees of that group.
Additionally, Weidenbach was recently hired by the Detroit Red Wings to run a skating program for their Rookie/Prospects camp held at Joe Louis Arena. The camp included Red Wings drafted players, minor league players and prospects playing in Europe.
To learn more about Cranbrook Kingswood and its athletics, click here.
Foxcroft Students Travel to France
July 15, 2008
A group of 12 students and two faculty members from Foxcroft Academy spent their April vacations this spring far from the Academy’s quiet campus: they travelled abroad to France on this year’s International Club trip. Mrs. Teresa Farrar advised the club this year, and in 26 years of teaching, she said this was her first trip abroad with students. She was joined by chaperone Beth Postlewaite, and with the help and guidance of a quirky yet charming Irish tour guide, the group visited such famed destinations as Paris, the Beaches of Normandy, the chapel where Leonardo da Vinci is buried, and the Palace of Versailles.
The International Club has a different advisor every year, and as the Academy’s resident French expert, Mrs. Farrar volunteered to advise this year’s trip. In addition to the previously mentioned stops, students also had the opportunity to visit three castles in the Loire Valley, Bayeux Tapestry, and Mont Saint Michel, among others. Foxcroft Academy students joined with a group of high school students from Vermont on the trip, and Mrs. Farrar said “The kids were great representatives of Foxcroft and the U.S. I was very proud of them.” Before this trip, many students had never left the United States, and some had never even flown before. “I just think giving them the wider world view is so important,” Ms. Farrar said of the trip.
This trip also enabled students to interact not only with the landmarks, but to engage with the culture and people of both the French countryside and cities. Lindsey Hewett, a student who participated in the trip, said, “I noticed that a couple of the students and I started speaking French to one another. When we would see people on the street, we would want to say ‘Bonjour’ and ‘Merci’ instead of ‘Hello’ or ‘Thank you.’” Hewett also said that she thought the trip enabled students to learn a great deal more about the culture of France than could ever be learned in the classroom.
To learn more about Foxcroft Academy and its foreign language department och student clubs, click here.
Marvelwood School and Panama Science Exchange Program
July 14, 2008
Marvelwood School has deepened its connection with and commitment to its annual Panama Science Exchange program, conducted in association with the Panamanian organization Conservation through Research, Education and Action (CREA), by establishing a scholarship which has enabled three young girls from the remote Panamanian village of Las Zahinas to attend secondary school for one year.
According to CREA, the scholarship is the first of its kind to be given in the area. In rural villages, most young girls would leave school at age 12 and would often be married with a first child by 14. Science department chair Laurie Doss, who created the exchange program, is personally sponsoring one child for the duration of her high school experience; Marvelwood students have committed to sponsoring a second girl throughout her high school years. In addition to their high-school studies, these students will participate in scientific field research and community service projects with the Marvelwood group next winter. The school is also raising money to bring the girls to Marvelwood's Summer School next summer, where they will participate in summer bird banding.
The funds for the one-year scholarships were raised through a variety of on-campus efforts, including food concessions, redemption of aluminum cans, and the sale of prom CDs. During their visit to Las Zahinas in February, the Marvelwood group contributed $200 toward the purchase of paint and painting supplies, which were used to paint the exterior of the village schoolhouse. They also donated a variety of school supplies contributed by Marvelwood's students, faculty and staff. Other projects in the works include a pen pal program, creation of field guides in English and Spanish, a drive to stock the village's new health center with over-the-counter supplies, and the involvement of the Women of Marvelwood group in both fundraising and educational efforts.
“Aside from giving these girls a variety of educational opportunities,” says Ms. Doss, “the goal is to empower them and to help them to become environmental ambassadors for their communities.”
To learn more about the Marvelwood School, please click here.
St. Bernard Students competed in the Fourth Congressional District Art Competion.
July 14, 2008
St. Bernard Preparatory School students were honored with two first place and a second place finish at the Fourth Congressional District Art Competition recently held in Decatur, Alabama. Brigid Russell, a senior, won first place in drawing. Noah Osman, a junior, won first place in print while Thomas Schneider, a senior, placed second in print.
St. Bernard Art is taught by Ms. Mona Ivey who represented Cullman County's only participants. Ivey teaches at St. Bernard Prep and West Point High School.
To learn more about St. Bernard Preparatory School and its art program, click here.
Phelps School Senior builds a windmill.
July 14, 2008
Noah Harris, Class of 2008
Why would anybody want to build a windmill? The question is simple enough, if not a little obscure. The truth is, windmills are popping up across the globe to help cover the costs of skyrocketing electric bills. They are giving energy to villages in Africa and powering cities and towns in America and Europe. Most of these windmills power part of the electric grid, but it is also economically viable to have one for your personal energy needs. Personal windmills can power anything from a cell phone to an entire house. U.S. electric companies are also required to buy any excess energy from you (if the windmill is tied into the electric grid).
I'm not quite sure what possessed me, but once I thought of making a windmill, there was hardly anything else I could think of doing. I was in the Bahamas over spring break, and after hearing about the costs of energy, I started thinking of ways that could reduce the living costs down there. Solar panels would work, but the initial cost versus the energy savings would take a long time to balance out. Geothermal might work, but is not something just anybody could do since specialized machines are required to install it. The only viable option left was windmills. I figured if I could design and make one myself, almost anybody could.
My original design was extremely detailed and larger than the one I built at Phelps. It might seem to defeat my original purpose since the one I built cannot power a house, but I still have plans for the original blueprints. The new, smaller model charges a boat battery (there are tons of these in the Bahamas) that could be tapped for power later, so you are not depending on the wind speed to have lighting in your house. For me, this was the best part of the whole thing.
Designing this was an amazing experience; I finally got to apply some of the math I had learned over the years. I also had a great time learning new things, such as some basic principals of electro-magnetics and some of Betz's equations when it came to designing the blades (unfortunately, I was not able to shape them out of wood the way I wanted, I ended up using cut-out sections of PVC).
The final product was easy enough to build, but time consuming, especially when you have just revised your blueprints and have to get your supplies on other people's schedules. All of the materials the windmill consists of is steel pipe, steel cable, some scrap metal welded together, some PVC pipe and a pre-made alternator, charge controller and battery (the alternator and charge controller are possible, and preferable, to build by yourself). Oh, and don't forget the nearly 800 pounds of cement I used! This part was very fun, also. I went from using my knowledge to design it, to actually seeing the knowledge take action in the 'real' world. It worked beautifully.
To learn more about the boys at the Phelps School and what the school has to offer them, click here.
Montverde Hosts College Admissions Symposium
July 9, 2008
On May 19, 2008, the entire junior class at Montverde Academy attended the Second Annual College Admissions Symposium, a workshop designed by Felecia Williams, Director of College Counseling at Montverde Academy. Selected seniors sat on a panel along with Wendy Geer, Senior Assistant Director of Admission at St. Leo University, Marcus Cotton, Admissions Counselor and Regional Recruiter from University of Alabama and Jordan Foley, Montverde Academy Alum (07) and current student at Stetson University. Each participant described in detail a piece of the college admissions process. The topics included; Finding the Right School, Resume Writing, Visiting Colleges, Essay Writing 101, Understanding Grades and Transcripts, Teacher Recommendations and Extra-curricular Activities. Juniors in attendance thought that the information they received was well worth their time and effort and many have already started to research schools that they plan to apply to next year.
To learn more about Montverde Academy and what it offers to its students, click here.
Miss Hall's School's Student receive merit aid!
July 9, 2008
Members of the Miss Hall's School Class of 2008 have received approximately $1.3 million this year in merit aid from colleges and universities across the United States and beyond.
“That is a significant number, and it reflects on the competitive nature of the college application process today,” says Sarah Virden, MHS Director of College Counseling. All fifty-one members of the Class of 2008 were accepted to four-year colleges, both in the United States and abroad. Class of 2008 College Acceptance List More than half of those students received offers of merit aid toward their continued education.
“Merit aid is generally given to students at the time of their acceptance and usually before financial aid decisions are made. It really is given regardless of what a student’s financial situation is,” says Ms. Virden. “Generally, it is in recognition of accomplishments in school, such as achieving a certain grade point average. or earning high SAT scores.”
Often, students will also be recognized for their work outside of the academic program. “In our case, it tends to be the Horizons program that earns them that community service distinction,” says Ms. Virden. The Horizons program is the School’s off-campus, experiential learning program, in which all MHS students participate and collectively contribute more than 8,400 hours annually to the local Berkshire region. “When I write student recommendations for college, that’s a significant part of the package, their involvement and dedication to that program,” Ms. Virden said.
The awards, which range from partial scholarships to full, four-year scholarships, come not only as the college application process has gotten increasingly competitive, but as colleges and universities increasingly compete for accomplished students.
“Colleges and universities don’t lack for a candidate pool,” says Ms. Virden. “There are so many people applying to college-and there are spaces-but they want the best students they can get. Merit aid is a way for them to compete for-and attract-those students.”
To learn more about what Miss Hall's School has to offer girls, click here.
Lyndon Institute's Softball Team Wins Again!
July 6, 2008
Lyndon Institute's Lady Vikings Win Fourth Straight Division II Softball Title The Lady Vikings won their fourth straight Division II softball championship at Poultney on Friday afternoon defeating Harwood by a score of 2-1. And their streak is at 73 games.
To learn more about Lyndon Institute, please click here.
Cheshire Academy students attend 2008 Apple Worldwide Developer Conference
July 6, 2008
The Cheshire Academy students who teamed up to create tooble recently attended the 2008 Apple Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco, CA – June 9 – 13. For (see photo, l to r) Forest Fang ’10, Steven Abbagnaro ’08, Praveen Savalgi ’06 and Jesse Youngblood ’08, it was the thrill of a lifetime.
The WWDC is an annual educational conference of technical workshops with Macintosh software developers where the latest Apple technology from Mac designers is showcased. It also includes sessions where attendees get to test drive state-of-the-art programs.
“The amount of experience and education was outstanding,” said Steven. Forest was excited to learn more about the Mac since he will spend his summer at home in Shanghai, China creating an Asian version of tooble. “It’s unavoidable that this conference will change the way you think,” said Praveen.
Jesse, who wrote over 10,000 lines of code to produce tooble, entered his program in the prestigious Apple Design Awards in the Best Mac Student Product. This award is usually given to college students so the competition is top-level and tough. Although he didn’t win, he was delighted to meet so many talented professionals under one roof.
This summer, Steven, Praveen and Jesse will be working for tooble, llc where they expect to develop more features and develop marketing plans to reach even more users in both PC and Mac platforms.
To learn more about Cheshire Academy and its students, click here.
Ben Lippen Falcons Win Baseball States
July 6, 2008
Coach Brent Walsh said the smartest move he made all year was to move third baseman Kyle Williamson to the top of the batting order. It may not have been the only smart move, but it paid off with a state championship Tuesday night. The Falcons, needing a win to close out sweep the best-of-three SCISA 3A championship series against Northwood Academy, earned a drama-filled 5-4 victory at Ben Lippen.
To learn more about Ben Lippen School as well as its athletics, click here.