News Detail

Pictures Say it Best

12/3/2015

Head of School, Dr. Mike Davis

One of the best parts of my job is to simply walk throughout campus. Whether it is connecting with a colleague over an issue or wanting to visit a class or game, I like to roam. When I do, I nearly always seeing something notable.

In the dining hall just the other day, I saw two Middle School students helping a friend get her lunch tray because she had sprained her ankle and is temporarily in a wheelchair. In Diane Simmons’ Lower School Science Lab on Woody’s Pond, I got to see students take swabs of bacteria off of various surfaces as one student exclaimed, “This is gross, but awesome!”

From the Pre-K building to the halls of the Upper School, you can see CA’s mission in action every day. This month, I thought I would put together a photo essay of images that capture who we are as a community. It’s a community that is indeed special and one that we have intentionally created through our programming and work with students.

Kindness and Happiness

When you walk around campus, often you will hear laughter somewhere in the background. I can’t imagine living in the 19th century when school children were often punished for laughing. We attempt to have a joyful campus. Encouraging kindness and a sense of perspective helps students bring joy into their lives. In the previous photo are Alegria Monterroso, Heidi Sohn, and Mckenna Farrell on their way to P.E. Friendships form because of the kinds of activities that we encourage at CA. The Lower School faculty took part in specialized training this past summer to build “Responsive Classrooms.” Part of the message of the program is to, “Be Safe, Be Kind, and Be Respectful.” With new protocols for morning meetings in which students share with one another, we are working to develop fundamental skills in students to support one another. As students move through our program, we see their evolution and growth. Teachers at all levels are just as focused on helping students develop important social/emotional skills as they are at helping their intellectual growth.

Eureka Moments!

I just love this photo! Look at the enthusiasm. Look at this reaction that only a small child could have. In this photo, Edie Esposito is reacting to a story Pre-K teacher Roy Mills is reading. As teachers, we live for these “ah-ha” moments. No matter what the age, we can see the wheels turning in a student’s brain. At CA, we are all about encouraging critical and creative thinking. This forces students to get out of their comfort zones at times.

As they get older, they often have to grapple with facts and knowledge that can be contradictory and learn to process that information.

Great Teachers

Great teaching makes these moments happen. Here is our new Eighth Grade Science Teacher Thanh Luong, who has brought robotics and engineering to our MS Science program. Like so many of our teachers, Mr. Luong challenges students to experiment to think more expansively. In a recent unit on aerodynamics, he has students building rockets and experimenting with different designs. Students learned through success and failure. Creating a space for failure is actually a critical task of any teacher. My son’s rocket exploded because of a faulty design, but he didn’t get down about it and went back to the drawing board and redesigned a rocket that would actually work. When you visit Mr. Luong’s class, like all of his colleagues throughout the school, you see a teacher who finds that equilibrium between supporting students and pushing them to new heights (literally).

Hands-On Learning

From a young age, we like to tinker at CA. Our emphasis on STEM or STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math), has resulted in a growth in exciting programming. But, there is an experiential tradition that is at the core of what we do at CA. From Primary Lab and the iLab in the Lower School, to Science class throughout the curriculum, and to Innovations courses in the Upper School, CA students are doing more “building” than ever. This is a shot of Steven Mitchell and Spencer Bittman working in the Tiny Houses course. This is a course team taught by Innovations Teacher Chris Roads and Arts Teacher Katy Hills. Students are re-building an old CA school bus from the inside out. They have created an interior design for the bus to be retrofitted to serve the outdoor education program, as they are working on rebuilding the mechanical systems of the bus. It is quite simply one of the coolest things happening on campus right now, and there is much excitement and enthusiasm about where we can take our Innovation curriculum. But, it all starts at a young age when we have students play with “manipulatables” and learn in an environment in which intellectual curiosity and a sense of wonder is encouraged.

The Visual and Performing Arts

A pillar of the CA experience is participation in the Visual and Performing Arts. This is a shot of Jordan McLeod and cast members in last year’s performance of the Upper School’s production of Sondheim’s Into the Woods. Like so many CA artistic performances, be it in the visual arts, music and recital programs, choir, or drama productions, it was impressive to see our students put on such first-rate shows. What is more amazing is to consider is how our students are able to attain such a high level of achievement on top of everything they do in the classroom and in other facets of campus life. From a young age, students see their peers perform. Every student is required to dive deeply into the arts, and many, many students go beyond our core requirements. In the process, they put themselves out there in front of their friends and families.

They learn the value of hard work and dedication. And, they learn what they can achieve.

Athletics: Lessons Beyond Victories

This shot from the sidelines (of Rebecca Kite, Sage Lochhead, Jacqueline Melberg, and others) is in the closing minutes of the Girls Field Hockey Team’s fourth consecutive state championship victory. It captures their intensity and joy and a key moment. It is stunning to the think of this team’s achievements – four years of winning a state title with an unbeaten record of some 70 games It’s a historical run.

This year’s team built upon successive teams of the past. Like so many athletic teams at CA, they demonstrate grit and courage. They work together and, as one can see in this picture as they hold hands, they support one another. We have had some wonderful successes in our sports program with state titles in multiple team and individual sports. When I consider these successes, it comes from setting goals, working collaboratively, rallying together, and giving our best. I think our teams do well because we are more process oriented than outcome oriented. The outcomes are something to celebrate, but the students who have achieved such high levels of success are present in the moment and are able to keep a healthy perspective. We also encourage students to model sportsmanship and be positive on the field.

Taking Risks

Any school has to be focused on safety and security, but we also need to encourage students to take risks. In the classroom, this can come in many forms. For some, it can mean simply speaking up in class. For others, it is reaching out to sit with someone new in the Dining Hall. Some students take risks by trying to new sports or new arts activities. An underlying part of our school DNA is our experiential and outdoor education program. It was part of the late headmaster Chuck Froelicher’s founding vision. In this photo, we see Middle School student Renna Allan on one of the many outdoor education trips we lead as a school. Rock climbing, river rafting, mountain biking, and hiking not only connects students with the outdoors, but also helps them better understand themselves as they face different types of challenges. The goal is to build self-confidence and resilience. Our students will need it when they leave CA to face a world that is full of challenges.

Tradition

There are so many traditions that bring us together as a school. Whether it is the all-school assembly program, the Homecoming Pep Rally, or Giant Relay Day, our traditions reinforce our sense of identity and community. One of the most special is our Senior-Kindergarten buddy program. Here we see seniors Christina Bear, Finn Mahoney, and Julia Kelly meet their buddy, Kindergarten student Kieralyn Cone. They will spend the year in various activities, from attending assemblies to going to the zoo. The sense of history at CA is important. We all know that we are part of something bigger, and this helps all of us be better people.

Community Always

Last, there is not a thing in the world that can match the homecoming enthusiasm and excitement of Jack Younger. School spirit at CA is just one of the many ways we work to build community at our school. Thanks to all of you for being a part of it.

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