Debuts
As we turned the page to a new trimester just a week and a half ago, we also marked the start of several new programs and classes. On February 27, the REDI Lab officially opened. Nine juniors, under the guidance of program co-directors Tom Thorpe and Paul Kim, entered a brave new world where the usual constraints of time and space will be overturned. Working primarily in the new Design Hub space in the Ponzio Arts Center, the students work both independently and collaboratively. Already they have been writing and reflecting daily on their educational goals, and have taken a field trip to the Museum of Nature and Science where they were tasked with re-imagining a certain space to enhance the visitor's experience. They are building towards a final multidisciplinary project in May. Most of them are still attending two or more of their academic classes, then spend the remaining time in the Lab. We will be chronicling their experience regularly in our various publications and social media.
Several new classes debuted in the history department's curriculum as well. Just as we have done to support our Haiti program, we have added a course on Cuba which leads up to and complements our travel experiences in that country. Jane Kelly and Daniel Lopez have worked hard to make this a true interdiscipinary course (taught in English), in which the culture and history of this island nation comes into focus. Meanwhile, Luis Terrazas is offering a new Urban Studies elective, Mike Davis is teaching a contemporary history course on The Rise of Isis, and we have another new social studies elective called History Through Photography, co-taught by Miten Patel and Jesse Myers.
In the arts, the new Consevratory of Dance debuted its first full-length program on March 9. "In Concert '17" was a seamless mixture of dance styles and skillfully choreographed pieces. The nine Upper School girls in the Conservatory were joined on the program by six 8th graders and an alumna, Christina Bargelt (2015), who has gone on to major in dance in college. Under the direction of Jan De Sal and Cynthia Gottlob, the new conservatory will be a signature feature in CA's Fine and Performing Arts for years to come.
Many exciting new ventures! I look forward to seeing what develops in all these areas.
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Several new classes debuted in the history department's curriculum as well. Just as we have done to support our Haiti program, we have added a course on Cuba which leads up to and complements our travel experiences in that country. Jane Kelly and Daniel Lopez have worked hard to make this a true interdiscipinary course (taught in English), in which the culture and history of this island nation comes into focus. Meanwhile, Luis Terrazas is offering a new Urban Studies elective, Mike Davis is teaching a contemporary history course on The Rise of Isis, and we have another new social studies elective called History Through Photography, co-taught by Miten Patel and Jesse Myers.
In the arts, the new Consevratory of Dance debuted its first full-length program on March 9. "In Concert '17" was a seamless mixture of dance styles and skillfully choreographed pieces. The nine Upper School girls in the Conservatory were joined on the program by six 8th graders and an alumna, Christina Bargelt (2015), who has gone on to major in dance in college. Under the direction of Jan De Sal and Cynthia Gottlob, the new conservatory will be a signature feature in CA's Fine and Performing Arts for years to come.
Many exciting new ventures! I look forward to seeing what develops in all these areas.
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