Spring Education

7/28/2019 Spring Education

1/12

by KARA MORGANSpecial to The Hour

Ridgeeld Academy, an independent day school

located in Ridgeeld, Conn., empowers every child to

realize his or her unique potential by bringing together

academic excellence, innovative programming, and a

diverse, supportive community.

Small Classes Make the Difference.Teachers and

administrators believe the key to future success is

empowering each and every student. The program,

which educates children from preschool (two-year-olds)

to eighth grade, provides students with daily

RIDGEFIELD ACADEMY:Empoweringeverystudent

RIDGEFIELD ACADEMY:

The Hour Pubishing Compan Thursda, Apri 11, 2013 1

RIDGEFIELD,contd. p.7

A special advertising supplement to The Hour, The Stamford Times and The Wilton Villager


2/12

by DEBBIE RUCCISpecial to The Hour

Pear Tree Point School (PTPS) is committed to helpingchildren develop a strong vocabulary, an essential skill

for thinking, understanding, and communicating. Researchshows that having a breadth of vocabulary is a key to

uture success in school and enhances relationships,reativity, careers, and more. Here are four ways PTPS

orks on this important life skill:

1. Children learn most of their vocabulary through

reading and listening, while expressing what they knowthrough writing and speaking. These language-basedskills are cornerstones of the PTPS curriculum.

2. Literature and non-ction reading allows childreno hear words more advanced than they can read andosters vocabulary development through enriching units

of study. Discussing these topics in class promotes un-derstanding and invites use of the new words. Vocabulary

is further acquired by teachers and parents working to-

gether to do read-alouds at school and at home.3. Children at Pear Tree Point School are exposed to

advanced language through the Core Knowledge cur-

riculum. The spiral and integrated design of the CoreKnowledge curriculum ensures that key words are reviewedand topics are coordinated in social studies, science, the

arts, and languages (Spanish and Mandarin) so that vo-cabulary is revisited and mastered.

4. Word choice is a hallmark of the writing programat PTPS. Student authors are encouraged, both byteachers and peer editors, to nd interesting, novel, and

well chosen words to make their writing vivid and en-gaging.

Pear Tree Point School monitors vocabulary devel-opment through classroom experiences as well as

informal and formal assessments with excellent results.Learn more about the PTPS programs at Open Housesin April and May information is listed at their website,

www.ptpschool.org. n

2 Thursda, Apri 11, 2013 The Hour Pubishing Compan

PEAR TREE POINT SCHOOL: Learningforthefuturethroughvocabularydevelopment

Contributed photo.

Pear Tree Point School monitors vocabulary development

through classroom experiences as well as informal and for-

mal assessments with excellent results.

PEAR TREE POINT SCHOOL:

Next Open House:May 11, 9:30am -11:00am

www.musicattess.com


3/12

by JOSEPH MUSANTESpecial to The Hour

NEW HAVENThe Southern Connecticut State Uni-

versity Computer Science Department has restructured

its Master of Science degree program in an effort to

better meet the needs of students and the demands of

the changing Connecticut workforce.

The department has replaced the two previous trackswith those having more relevance in todays ever-

evolving technological landscape network and in-

formation security (cybersecurity) and software devel-

opment.

Previously, the M.S. program was designed primarily

for students who had earned a bachelors degree in

computer science, said Lisa Lancor, graduate coordinator

for the SCSU Computer Science Department. But we

had been getting increased interest from individuals

who had bachelors degrees in other disciplines and

wanted to move into the computer eld. We have

students who majored in music, political science, and

other disciplines not closely related to computer science.

So, we revamped the program to make it more exible.

Among the changes enacted is the establishment of

a single prerequisite course, instead of three such courses.

The new prerequisite is a four-credit course on computerprogramming and data structures. Students then take

12 core credits, as well as 18 credits in either of the two

tracks. Students are then required to pass a capstone,

typically a six-credit thesis.

Among the new courses offered for those engaged

in the cybersecurity track is Ethical Hacking and Pene-

tration Testing. In this course, students learn how to

test whether networks are secure and how to enhance

that security.

There is a huge need for individuals who have an

expertise in this area, Lancor says. The number of com-

panies and organizations whose websites are hacked is

growing all the time. These companies want to hire in-

dividuals who can detect and x these security issues,

but there really is a shortage of such people.

Lancor said that many companies actually hire indi-viduals to try to break into their network system (without

causing any damage). The idea is that if they can hack

into it, the system needs to be upgraded and xed. If it

cant be hacked, it indicates the system is probably

secure, at least at that time.

For further information about the new program,

please contact Lisa Lancor at (203) 392-5890.n

SCSU: ComputersciencedepartmentrevampsMSprogramtoreflectlatest

technologicaltrends


SCSU:


4/12

by MAXENE MULFORDSpecial to The Hour

Five all-new essay questions are coming to the 201314

Common Application used by 527 colleges, and, though

he new application itself will not be available online

until August 1st, the questions, which all carry a 650-

ord limit, are now available:

n Some students have a background or story that is

so central to their identity that they believe their appli-

ation would be incomplete without it. If this soundslike you, then please share your story.

n Recount an incident or time when you experienced

failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did youlearn?

n Reect on a time when you challenged a belief or

idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the

same decision again?

n Describe a place or environment where you are

perfectly content. What do you do or experience there,

and why is it meaningful to you?

n Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or in-

formal, that marked your transition from childhood to

adulthood within your culture, community, or family.While many educational consultants are in a state of

shock because of the elimi-

nation of everyones former

favorite, Topic of your

choice, Maxene Fabe Mul-

ford ofUniquely U. College

Essay Consultants is not

one of them.For more than 15 years, says Mulford, Ive always

told students to ignore the exact wording of the questions

when theyre rst starting out. Zeroing in on one too

soon shuts down the creative process. Instead, I ask,

Whats in your room and whats the story behind each

treasure?

As you can readily see, any one of those objects

could easily lead someone to naturally select Topic of

your choice as a subject for the resulting essay. But the

prompt is really only the beginning of our exploration.That is because, if we keep digging, we invariably hit

upon a previous situation that often took place back in

middle school, when the student was able to nd unex-

pected strength in a unique aspect of him/herself. Its

that self-dening moment when, for the rst time, you

are able to say, This is who I

am. Take it or leave it.

CollegeessaychangescominginAugust?

Uniquely U. says,Getstartednow!Uniquely U.


UNIQUE, contd. p.9


5/12

WHY MATHNASIUM WORKS . . . The time-proven Mathnasiumconcept, which teaches students from elementary school through high school, focuses

on understanding how numbers work. The instructors know that children learn

differently and, after an assessment of their math skills, provide a tailored program to

help them fill in the gaps in their learning, and even help them get ahead in math. Forgetthe math textbooks you had when you were in school. Mathnasium uses recognized

proprietary materials to help kids understand and master math. There are more than

10,000 pages of lessons that are updated and customized for each student. There is no

grilling or drilling, and it is not overwhelming for the kids. Students get new material only

once they understand the earlier concepts. They are not retaught what they already

know, so they dont get bored. Students and their parents can see visual progress after

each lesson. Students are taught to use mental, verbal, visual, tactical, and written

(MVVTW) approaches to understanding math. Tests before and after each section help

refine what kids are learning and prevents gaps in understanding.

With the Common Core State Standards Initiative set to kick in during the 20142015

school year, it is imperative that students master math as well as other disciplines. The

goal of the state-led initiative is to improve student achievement throughout the country

with standardized learning and to help students become university and career ready.

The future is in technology and innovation, and the foundation for that is math.

by GRETCHEN SCHWARZBAUERSpecial to The Hour

Children at Landmark Preschool enjoy a variety of

activities each day. This year, teachers are nding that

the children really look forward to their yoga time. Yoga

for children is not like yoga for adults, explained Westport

director Siobhan Powers. The approach is playful, but

the children really benet from learning about how

their bodies move, and how they can breathe in different

ways.

Teachers at Landmark Preschools are so interested in

using yoga to help their students that the school had a

professional development day focused specically on

yoga for young children. We love the yoga stories, says

Redding director Ann Hirsch. Young children need to

move to learn, and telling stories with our bodies is a

great way to build our language skills as well as our

motor skills. Children in Kerrie Cortigianos Fours class

were eager to demonstrate: They love yoga, said Corti-

giano. We have a yoga alphabet, and learn a new pose

each week. It is a great way for them to calm themselves

when they get upset too. We do some deep breaths.

Powers agrees: Learning a technique to manage stress

when you are still in preschool is a very empowering life

skill.

For more information, visit www.landmarkpre

school.org. n

Landmark Academy: YogagoestopreschoolLandmark Academy:


Contributed photo.

This year, Landmark Preschools have brought yoga into the

classroom to teach children to move, breathe, and learn to

calm themselves when they get upset as well.

Darien 203.655.MATH (6284) www.mathnasium.com/darien

Fairfield 203.259.MATH (6284) www.mathnasium.com/fairfield

Stamford 203.881.MATH (6284) www.mathnasium.com/stamford

6 h d i 20 3 h bi hi C


6/12


by NANCY TROEGERSpecial to The Hour

I have no special talents.

I am only passionately curi-

ous.Albert Einstein

Curious things happen at

St. Lukes School. Eighthgraders attempt to drop eggs

off great heights withoutbreaking them. Twenty-fourteams of middle schoolers

design, build, and launch air-craft of all shapes and sizes

off a 30-foot high ramp.Artists create bright, beautiful,and functional ceramic bird-

houses. Another young teamtakes apart a remote control

car and uses the parts, a mi-

croprocessor, and traditionalcode to build a robot.

In another curious case,a young girl invents a broth-

er-proof door that buzzesat sibling intruders. Then we

have the senior who usesmodeling software and theschools MakerBot 3-D printer

to design and produce fullyfunctional objects, including

a two-sided peanut butterjar (one side for jelly we pre-sume). Close by, a fth grade

class works in pairs to design,build, redesign, and rebuild

simple machines out of Le-gos.

Why all the tinkering? Wewant to encourage criticalthinking and curiosity across

the curriculum and through-out our culture, says Head

of School Mark Davis. Wevestarted our own Maker Move-

ment right here on the Hill-top, and its ourishing. Wesee teamwork, leadership,

and communication skills in

action. Its also and this is

key fun. This kind of learn-ing is relevant to our kids,and you cant nd it in a

book.In an era when technolo-

gy has created a hands-off,button-pushing, screen-star-ing society St. Lukes en-

courages kids to be hands-on. We want them to make,

break, and x things. We wantthem to wonder and dare

them to try. As Science chairMichael Mitchell says: A cul-

ture of inquiry, regardless ofthe academic subject, saysits good to be curious, its

good to try, and its okay tomess up so long as you learn

from it.St. Lukes is a place to bring

your curiosity the more

you have, the better. Fromarts programs to the rapidly

growing STEM Scholars pro-

gram, students enjoy thefreedom to explore ideas and

determine how things work.Teachers report amazement

at what students will create,given the chance, using their

knowledge and imagination.This spring, St. Lukes hosts

its second annual Rube Gold-

berg Challenge. The RubeGoldberg Challenge requiresteams of four (any mix of

students, teachers, parents,grandparents, alumni) to

build an intentionally evencomically complex con-traption to perform a simple

task. This years teams mustll a glass of water. According

to Jim Foley, director of St.Lukes Center for Leadership:

This is experiential learningat its best. We take lessons

out of the classroom and intothe real world. Its a fantasticway to ignite our students

imaginations. The challengewill kick off St. Lukes April

26th SpringFest weekend, anevent celebrating academic,athletics, arts, and invention!

Curiosity is the enginethat drives a lifetime of learn-

ing, says Head of School

Davis. At St. Lukes, the curi-ous minds of our students

and faculty are the Schoolsmost precious resources.

For more informationabout St. Lukes School, visit

www.stlukesct.org.n

St. LukesMakerMovement

St. Lukes

Contributed photo.

St. Lukes Rube Goldberg Challenge requires teams of four

(any mix of students, teachers, parents, grandparents,

alumni) to build an intentionally even comically com-

plex contraption to perform a simple task.

The Ho r P bishing Compan Th rsda Apri 11 2013 7


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opportunities to build condence, use their creativity,

work collaboratively, and learn how to problem solve.

Through small classes and individualized teaching

instruction, children develop the skills to be critical

thinkers, public speakers, and self-advocates.

A Cmprehensive and Innvative Curriculum

RAs curriculum combines the traditional core subject

areas of language arts, mathematics, science, history,

world language, and social studies with a rich program

of music, art, and drama designed to inspire students

and spark their creativity. Thanks to talented teachers

and small class sizes, Ridgeeld Academy can take teach-

ing out of the textbooks and bring lessons to life with

memorable experiences. When children learn by doing,

they care more, remember more, and are empowered

to achieve more.

Public Speaking

An important part of becoming a condent learner is

learning the tools to effectively communicate your ideas.

Seven years ago Ridgeeld Academy implemented a

public speaking program. The school recognized that ifchildren are taught the tools for effective communication

and given ample opportunity to practice, they could

effectively learn written and verbal communication at a

young age. RA students learn the strategies for successful

written and oral communication and through practice,

develop into condent writers and public speakers.

Service Learning and Character Develpment

The RA school community is a caring community built

on a foundation of shared values. In all areas of school

life, students model and reinforce the principles of

respect, responsibility, fairness, and service to others.Service learning is incorporated into the curriculum to

engage children in meaningful activities that reinforce

the importance of service to others.

Innvative Media Arts Curriculum

RAs 5,800 square foot state-of-the-art media arts center

and sound room allows students to use the latest tech-

nology to develop their writing skills, learn the current

methods of research, and explore the digital arts through

classes such as animation, digital storytelling, lm, andsound editing.

New Preschl Wing

In September the Academy opened a renovated preschool

wing designed specically for students aged two to

ve. The facility will feature

areas for cooking, technol-

ogy, and a small amphithe-

ater for performances. The

Academys preschool pro-gram offers children pur-

poseful learning experi-

ences to support social,

emotional, cognitive, and

physiological development

through science, art, math,

foreign language, pre-reading exercises, and movement

activities.

The Right Secndary Placement

Ridgeeld Academy dedicates itself to helping each stu-dent nd the right secondary school for the next step of

his or her educational journey.

As students enter grade six, the Head of School and

the Head of Upper School lead each student through a

sequence of steps designed to help prepare, plan, in-

vestigate, and consider a wide range of high school op-

tions. Throughout the process, students and families

are guided and supported.

The RA DifferenceMany families have discovered what a difference the

Ridgeeld Academy experience can make for their child.

For more information about Ridgeeld Academy, visit

www.ridgeeldacademy.org, and/or call Julie Crane at

(203) 894-1800 x112. n


Our Lady of Fatima School (OLF) is a Roman Catholic

o-educational school offering full-day pre-school and

kindergarten programs, Lower School (grades one

hrough ve), and Middle School (grades six through

ight). Recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School,

ur Lady of Fatima is proudly celebrating its 50th year of

atholic education and academic excellence.

For the 20132014 academic year, Our Lady of Fatima

ill offer a ve-day, full-day pre-school program for chil-

ren ages three and four. Parents have been requesting

ve-day program and we are thrilled to be able toffer this option, said principal Dina Monti. In addition

o the new ve-day program, OLF will also continue to

ffer other half-day or full-day pre-school options for

children ages three and four.

In preparation for the ve-day program launch, the

OLF pre-school facilities will undergo a major exterior

and interior renovation prior to the 20132014 academic

year.

Parents choose an OLF education because of the

nurturing environment. OLF students ourish in an at-

mosphere that emphasizes strong moral values and re-

spect.

Exceptional academics are delivered by an experienced

and highly qualied teaching staff. Classroom instructionbenets from computing and technology tools, including

iPads and smart boards.

In addition to traditional curriculum, students weekly

schedules from pre-K through Middle School include

enrichment classes in art and music. Lower and Middle

School students also receive classes in technology/key-

boarding and either Spanish or French.

A myriad of after-school activities are offered including

award-winning sports programs, after-school clubs, and

community service projects. And to meet the needs of

working parents, a supportive after-school program op-

erates daily until 6:00 p.m.

For admission information, please contact Dina Monti,principal at (203) 762-8100 or visit www.olfcatholic.org.

Our Lady of Fatima School is located at 225 Danbury

Road, Wilton, Conn. n

WiltonsOur Lady of Fatima announcesfive-day,fulldaypreschoolprogram

Our Lady of Fatima

RIDGEFIELD, from p.1

8 Thursda Apri 11 2013 The Hour Pubishing Compan


8/12


HOLY SPIRIT SCHOOL is a PreK3 to gradefive elementary school committed to providing

a Catholic foundation upon which academicexcellence and Christian values are nurtured.

Our mission is to instill a lifelong desire forlearning, and a genuine love of God and

God's people, inspiring our students to become

faith-filled Christians serving in their com-munity.

Our goals at Holy Spirit School are to:EDUCATE each of our students on every

level mind, body, spirit, and heart.

ENGAGE our students in ways that helpthem reach new heights in learning.

ENCOURAGE our students and families tobuild a rewarding relationship with God and

our community.

Holy Spirit School has an advanced pre-Kand kindergarten program that challenges ourearly learners with social interaction, reading

readiness, mathematics skills, and a clearand focused foundation of the basic skills

that develop in each child an enthusiasm forknowledge. In grades one through five, our

students achieve a high academic standard

with continued emphasis on the core curriculum

of reading, mathematics, religion, art, science,

social studies, music, physical education,

computers, library skills, and a high priority

for STEM-focused projects and programs.

Our school provides each student with access

to a diverse set of academic, athletic, and ex-

tracurricular resources including a fully-

equipped gym to support in-school and af-

ter-school programs.

Holy Spirit School has a strong belief in

family. Together, we are dedicated to involving

our students, family, and friends in ways that

enhance our school, parish, and community.

We empower our students to define initiatives

that make a difference and together we celebrate

their success. We also value the wisdom andcontributions of alumni and family generations

and wrap them into fun-filled activities through-

out the year. Holy Spirit School continues to

excel and innovate as a result of the strong

fabric of our families and a dedicated faculty.

Explore Holy Spirit School on our website

www/holyspiritschool.info.

The Hour Pubishing Compan Thursda Apri 11 2013 9


9/12

by NATASA POPOVICSpecial to The Hour

Unique Learning at Villa MariaAn observer walking through the hallways of our 40

year-old school can be lured by the smell of pancakes

into a classroom using a non-traditional, creative and

hands-on instructional approach. Students are making

pancakes while rewriting a pancake recipe using word

sequence/time-order. Lower grade students are practicing

handwriting by moving their ngers through shaving

cream. Classrooms with no more than 4 students per

teacher buzz with a noise of a roller coaster made out of

toilet-paper rolls to demonstrate motion and velocity.Other classrooms radiate with peacefulness while working

on a reading activity. Villas passionate teachers are in-

troducing learning through iPad Minis. And there is

also a quiet but very visible lesson being taught: con-

dence. It is the admirable condence installed by the

nurturing and supportive environment of the school

that leaves an observer speechless.

There is a learning opportunity around every cornerat Villa Maria School. Students at Villa Maria are encouraged

to think outside the box while teachers present lesson

plans individualized according to each students academic

goals.

Villa Maria School is a private day school (K-9) serving

students with learning differences. The main focus of

Villa Maria School is to allow a child to learn in a way

that brings out his or her best. The teachers and staffwork together with parents and professionals in order

to meet each childs academic goal.

To learn more about the school visit www.villamari-

aedu.org or call the Admissions Director at (203) 322-

5886.n


UniquelearningatVilla MariaVilla Maria

Identifying this moment is incredibly

empowering to the student. More im-

portantly, its something he/she has un-

covered for and by him/herself, not to

please an admissions officer.

Now, when they go to look at the ac-

tual Common App prompts, they nd

that whats really been at stake for the

student naturally constitutes a risk, a

challenge, or a turning point. As a result,

none of my students has ever selected

topic of your choice, even though thats

the unspoken premise with which we be-

gan.

In addition, because Uniquely U.s writ-

ing process is completely inner directed,

there is no need for families to wait until

August to begin. As always, whether its

June, July, or August, summertime is still

the right time to write your college es-

say!

To reach Maxene Mulford: call toll-free:1.866.UUESSAY uuessay.com unique-

[email protected]

UNIQUE, from p.4

Where children and grown-ups learnand play together

FOR 8 MONTHS TO 3 1/2 YEARS

Call Us At (800) 404-2204Visit our website @ www.justweetwo.com

Register Now forn Spring Programsn

at ourNorth Stamford andGreenwich Locations

nARTS & CRAFTS nMUSICnSTORIESn PLAYTIME n CREATIVE MOVEMENT

nNARROW AGE SPANSn1 1/2 HOUR CLASSESnMAXIMUM 10 CHILDREN PER CLASS

n PROFESSIONAL STAFF

A Fun Time with Your Child

Classes in Music, Art & DramaMommy & Me, Partial Separationand Separation Classes Available

ABC Enrichment Classfor 3-5 years

(Separation Class)



10/12

by Beth Skudder

SPECIAL TO THE HOUR

For more than 300 years,

Friends schools have been

recognized for excellent

academics as well as a

whole-child approach to

intellectual and moral de-

velopment.

Connecticut Friends

School (CFS) is the rst and

only Quaker elementary/

middle school in Connecti-

cut. Having approximately

70 students in ve multi-

age classrooms allows for

a remarkable student

teacher ratio.

Emphasis n ValuesCFS combines outstanding

academics, arts, and out-

door leadership programs

with the Quaker values ofsimplicity, peaceful prob-

lem-solving, and mutual

respect. School-wide ac-

tivities foster collaboration

and respect. The curriculum

promotes teaching every

subject in a way that en-

hances student under-

standing of justice and ba-sic human and civil rights.

Intellectual & PersnalGrwth

Connecticut Friends School

believes that education is

preparation for life, includ-

ing the lively development

of intellectual, physical, and

social-emotional capacities

as well as those of the spirit.

Teachers at CFS are facili-

tators of the learning

process, using dialogue, in-

quiry, and reection as

tools for learning.

The school is accredited

by both the Connecticut

Association of Independent

Schools, and Friends Coun-

cil on Education. At CFS,

students engage in serious

work in a joyous atmos-

phere, and hail from Wilton,

Westport, New Canaan,Ridgeeld, Redding, West-

on, Darien, and Norwalk,

among others.

Attend an Admissions

Open House, at 1:00 p.m.

on November 9, 2012, Feb-

ruary 1, 2013 (snowdate:

February 8) and April 5,

2013.

Connecticut Friends

School and Connecticut

Friends Nursery School are

located in Wilton, Conn.

Contact Beth Skudder at

CFS for more information

is needed BethSkud-

[email protected],

or call (203) 762-9860. Visit

www.CTFriendsSchool.org.

n


Connecticut Friends School &

Friends Nursery School Master teachers lead small groups within multi-age classesthrough a rigorous, engaging program of hands-on, experientialand thematic studies Inclusive Quaker values of simplicity, peace, integrity, community,

equality and stewardship of the earth Rich, varied arts classes including theater, drumming, music,art, storytelling, fiber arts, and dance Outdoor education and leadership programs for grades fivethrough eight every other week Field trips, enhancing the curriculum, as a regular part of theprogram Service learning as an introduction to changing the worldthrough organized action Main campus on five wooded acres; a second, 15-acre campusused as a living classroom for nature studies and activities

Contributed photos.

Students at Connecticut Friends School enjoy a low student to

teacher ratio and learn the Quaker values of simplicity, peace, in-

tegirty, equality, stewardship of the earth, and community

Connecticut Friends School & NurserySchool: AQuakereducationteachesacademics

alongwithfosteringintegrity&mutualrespect

Connecticut Friends School & NurserySchool:

www.thehour.com www.thestamfordtimes.com

www.wiltonvillager.com

Friends Nursery School Campfor ages 3 - 5

Summer Campfor ages 5 - 10

Adventure campfor ages 10 - 13

More information at www.CTFriendsSchool.org

203 762 9860 [email protected]

CONNECTICUT FRIENDS SCHOOL317 New Canaan Road, Wilton

(0n Route 106 in Silvermine)



11/12

g p p

by JOANNE M.COSTELLO

Special to The Hour

All the worlds a stage.

These familiar words come

from As You Like It, The

Mead Schools seventh and

eighth grade biannual

Shakespearian production

performed for our commu-

nity in 2009. The Shake-

speare production has

been a long-standing tra-dition at The Mead School,

and other plays that have

been produced include The

Tempest, Macbeth, The Tam-

ing of the Shrew, and Romeo

and Juliet. This year, the

students tackledA Midsum-

mer Nights Dream with

great success, laughter, and

standing ovations.The quote from As You

Like Itcarries a certain truth

for Mead students. If we

want to prepare our eldest

students for the world out

there, and, if the world is,

in fact, a stage, we do not

want our students to be

merely players, as Shake-

speare calls them. We want

our students to be at the

forefront of their learning.

To accomplish this level of

independence and self-suf-

ciency, our teens must

practice being at the fore-

front of certain experiencesin order to become skilled

at being autonomous

learners.

Middle schoolers begin

to acquire a wonderful, new

brain at this age; its their

higher order thinking brain,

the executive function

brain, also called neo-cor-

tical thinking. It is new to

them, however, and it

needs some test runs.

Shakespeare is one of those

test runs.

Middle schoolers also

crave challenges that feel

risky, and we all worryabout those! Mounting a

production of their own in-

terpretation of a Shakes-

pearian play where each

student not only has an

acting role but is also re-

sponsible for a production

job meets the requirement

of both challenge and high

risk for them.

It is not the destination,

it is the journey. Guaran-

teed, this production jour-

ney will change our sev-

enth and eighth graders

forever. Somewhere in the

p r o c e s s ,

every single

one of themwill have to

accomplish

something

that they

n e v e r

t h o u g h t

they could

do. Each stu-

dent will

overcome at

least one

i m m e n s e

fear by the

end of this

experience.

And every

student will

have more

endurance, stamina, and

plain old guts because of

this journey.The root of this phe-

nomenon lies in placing

the productions ownership

and the responsibility for

the productions achieve-

ments on the students

themselves. This does not

mean sink or swim. It

means that the students

ideas, designs, interpreta-tion, and vision guide all

the decisions, and the fac-

ulty is in service to manifest

those ideas into a produc-

tion. Some of the executive

functions include a pro-

duction schedule with

deadlines for every aspect

of the experience. The stu-

dent production coordina-

tor, supported by faculty,creates this. Those dead-

lines have to be met or

they hold up the produc-

tion. Students must brain-

storm, deconstruct, organ-

ize, research, and build

whatever the production

demands. This, too, is all

part of executive function.

But the largest risk of

all is tackling Shakespeare,

live, on stage, which we

witnessed the students do

brilliantly in early March.

Quite an accomplishment

for 12-, 13-, and 14-year

olds! n

The Mead School: AlltheworldsastageThe Mead School:

Contributed photos.

The All the Worlds a Stage quote fromAs You Like Itcarries a certain truth for

Mead students. If we want to prepare our eldest students for the world out

there, and, if the world is, in fact, a stage, we do not want our students to be

merely players, as Shakespeare calls them.

Upcoming 2013 EDUCATIoN sectins

JUly | FALL EDUCATIoNOCTOBER | oPENING DooRS

To advertise in the upcoming sections, please contactyour media consultant or call 203.354.1012.



12/12

by KATHLEEN OROURKESpecial to The Hour

Kings Summer Institute

2013 is open to all students

from any school. In years

past, students from more

than 20 different schools

attended Summer Institute.

Children from as far away

as Colorado and Italy par-

ticipated in either an aca-demic class or camp.

Academics, performing

arts, and sports are avail-

able for grades six through

12, while grades one

through ve can experi-

ence "Fun Camp." The Up-

per School and Middle

School programs allow stu-dents to take courses to

enrich their academic ex-

periences or to accelerate

their programs in the next

academic year.

The Institutes director,

Brian Coughlan, oversees

course selection, collabo-

rating with King divisionheads and department

chairs on the needs and

requests of students who

are enrolled in Summer In-

stitute. With dozens of

classes to choose from, the

Summer Institute offers

something to suit the in-dividual strengths and tal-

ents of each student. The

large variety of classes al-

lows students to make se-

lections that match their

interests instead of opting

for a one-size-ts-all pro-

gram, Coughlan said.Fun Camp introduces a

new summer specialty

each week and the Sports

Camps offer baseball,

lacrosse, soccer, volleyball,

eld hockey, basketball,

golf, and softball programs.

This year will also feature

a Performing Arts Camp,utilizing Kings spectacular

new Performing Arts Cen-

ter. Offerings include Act-

ing Improvisation, Begin-

ning Guitar, Beginning and

Intermediate Band Camp,

and Shakespeare Stage

Combat.

Members of Kings out-standing faculty teach the

majority of programs. Small

class size ensures that your

child will receive the kind

of personalized attention

King delivers year round.

Summer Institute 2013 at

King runs June 10th to Au-

gust 2nd and is located on

Kings 34-acre North Stam-

ford campus. The school is

easily accessible from both

the Merritt Parkway and I-

95.

The registration dead-line is June 1st. For further

information visit

www.klht.org/summerinsti-

tute or call (203) 322-3496,

Ext. 500. n

DiscoverSummerInstitute2013atKingKing

Make this summer a time fordiscovering new skills while

having loads of fun, by regis-

tering your son or daughter for

Summer Institute 2013 at King.

Spring Education

Documents

Transcript of Spring Education