by James P. Clark and Susan Chartier, CHT House Co-ChairsIt’s official! The setting for our traditional Christmas House Tour this year is historic Cleveland Park. Facing the north side of the Cathedral, Cleveland Park is a close-knit community filled with families, friends and neighbors. Filled also with history, the neighborhood draws its name from President Grover Cleveland, who spent many years there in his Victorian farmhouse. Thus, it is the place to call “home for the holidays”!

Our own St. Albans community has been hard at work planning the Christmas House Tour (affectionately known as the “CHT”) since last December. The CHT is an event that is run entirely by St. Albans parents and requires the support of about 400 volunteers. To volunteer to help with the event, go to SignUpGenius at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090d48aeaf2e5-2014.

This year, the House Tour includes six fascinating homes spanning more than 110 years of residential architecture in Cleveland Park. There is a historic Colonial Georgian Revival home which will feature a huge Christmas tree in its reception room, two Victorian homes built between 1894 and 1901, and a 1913 home influenced by Spanish and Mediterranean regional architecture on the outside with a clean, white

modern interior. There is also one of Washington’s most beautiful examples of mid-century modern architecture, and a 21st-century home with breathtaking views of the National Cathedral.

And of course each house comes complete with its own stories, furnishings and art, including:

• a stunning collection of photography, including prints by renowned Brazilian photo-grapher, Sebastião Salgado;

• organic art pieces that have been custom-designed into a home by Margaret Boozer, the founder of the famous Red Dirt Studio;

• a family portrait created from a single piece of string by Cleveland Park artist, Brooke Bronner; and

•modern conveniences, such as a geothermal heating system, a swimming pool and a state-of-the-art kitchen, that have been integrated into these historic homes.

But that is not all! Our school will be decorated for Christmas during the Tour and will feature a holiday marketplace of approximately 50 boutiques. Shop for the gifts that will find their way under your family tree and into your family’s stockings!

NewsHoundTH

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THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ST. ALBANS PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

FALL 2014

Christmas House Tour 2014 Home for the Holidays: Cleveland Park

WHAT’S INSIDE?President’s Column 2

Why Support the Christmas House Tour? 3

Christmas House Tour: Dinner Dance Auction 4

New on the Close: Upper School Psychologist Carrie Grisham 5

The New Course Schedule 6

Renovation of the Athletic Fields 7

Upper School Musings 8-9

Lower School Musings 10-11

Writer-in-Residence Jordan Jacks 12

STA Logo Merchandise 13

Important Dates for this School Year Last page

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Welcome to the first edition of The Newshound for the 2014-15 school year. I hope the new year has gotten off to a great start for you and your family. This is a year when patience and understanding are in heavy demand, as many of our sons navigate the new seven-day block schedule and adjust to traveling farther afield in search of sporting facilities while our own athletic fields are under renovation. The word so far is that all is well, with faculty and students rising to meet these challenges.

While our boys, their teachers and coaches go about their daily business as a community of learners and educators, we as parents are going about our business as a community

of supporters of the school’s goals and activities. If you are a parent or guardian of a currently enrolled student at St. Albans, you are a member of the Parents’ Association (PA). Our members give most generously of their time and talents to lead and support the work and mission of the PA. It is through our coming together to volunteer that we ensure the continued success of this organization. Friendships are formed when we work together, and knowledge is shared that enhances our time at St. Albans. The STA family is sustained and strengthened by our shared experience.

Consider volunteering your time and talents with any of our many committees whose interests you share, attend our monthly meetings (which are generally held on the second Tuesday of each month) to learn more about the life of the school from our invited faculty speakers, answer the calls for volunteers as often as you can. Many parents have stepped up and assumed leadership roles in the PA, and to these dedicated volunteers, I thank you all most sincerely for your commitment. I am especially grateful to be guided by the collective wisdom of this year’s Executive Committee: Dave Schauer (Vice President, Upper School), Terrance King (Vice President, Lower School), Rosy Khanna (Treasurer) and Mary Jo Parrino (Secretary). Thank you!

Each morning, we support the work of the teachers by sending our sons to school ready to learn. It helps if they

can be there on time, a struggle that some of us have with our sons! But there is so much more that the parent body can do through the PA to provide meaningful support to our dedicated faculty and staff. In recent years, we have funded many requests from the faculty and staff for technology upgrades and other classroom materials. We work collaboratively with the school administrators, who help us process the applications to ensure the best use of funds. This year we will disburse over $99,000 in approved grants requested by the faculty and staff for equipment and materials that they will use in their classrooms to enhance our sons’ learning experience. The PA also supports the school’s vision of having a first-rate modern sports facility on campus for use by its students. To this end, the PA has pledged its support to the Str!ve Campaign with a $500,000

“Friendships are formed when we work together, and knowledge is shared that enhances our time at St. Albans. The STA family is

sustained and strengthened by our shared experience.” — June Das Gupta, President, STA Parents’ Association

Adrienne George, Managing Editor(adriennegeorge@me.com) Contributing Writers: Kathy Campanella,Susan Chartier, James P. Clark, June DasGupta, Claudia Dziobek, Heather Florance,John R. Garrett, Maria Rodrigues Grossman, Allison Jackson, Laura Jehl, Sheila Matini, Angela Mok, Robert Moore, Martha Webb

Form Reporters: Chad McGinnis (Form VI), Cindy Boyle Naatz (Form V), Lori Lefkowitz (Form IV), Elizabeth Bausch (Form III), Khaled el-Shami (Forms II and A), Diana Reynolds (Form B), Michael A.F. Johnson (Form C)

School Liaison: Molly Meinhardt

Layout and Design: Jessica Sypolt(jsypolt@gmail.com)

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ST. ALBANS PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

NewsHoundTH

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President’s Column

June Das Gupta

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by Kathy Campanella, Heather Florance and Martha Webb, CHT Co-ChairsThe Christmas House Tour (CHT), a St. Albans tradition since 1983, together with the Dinner Dance Auction which precedes it, is the Parents’ Association’s premier fundraising event to benefit the work and development of the beloved faculty and staff of St. Albans.

All funds are used by the Parents’ Association to directly support the faculty and staff in their work with our sons, thereby enhancing their educational experience through our gifts.

Two teachers and the three Co-Chairs of the Str!ve Campaign attest to the good works funded by the CHT as follows:

“ The Parents’ Association grants have allowed me to completely restructure the science curriculum to meet the needs of our 21st century learners. From LEGO robotics to handheld digital microscopes to launching experiments to space via weather balloons, the Parents’ Association grants awarded to the CBA science classroom have given our students opportunities in science that would not be possible otherwise.” — Mr. J.T. Miller, Lower

School Science Teacher

“ The physics students and I are SO grateful for the PA grant that allowed the purchase of seven new MacBook Airs and 12 Chromebooks. The new computers replaced a set of desktop “eMacs” from the year 2002 and a set of very slow PC laptops. The fast startup time, the portability, and the upgraded aesthetics have led to more productivity and enjoyment whenever we use the computers, which is almost daily! Funds from this grant have a

deep and sustained impact on many students. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Parents’ Association!” — Mr. Will Segal (’00), Upper

School Physics Teacher

“ Because of the generosity of the community of parents of St. Albans students — via the Parents’ Association gift to the Str!ve Campaign last spring — the fields renovation project will include a “third” practice field which will be turfed. This means that the boys — of both Upper and Lower schools — will have another place to practice year-round no matter what is happening on the other fields.“ — Rob Carter (’80), Ben Guill

(’69) and Anne Large, Co-Chairs of the Str!ve Campaign

Find out more about how you can support this year’s Christmas House Tour by going to www.stalbansschool.org/CHT.

Why Support the Christmas House Tour?

commitment over five years for the building of a practice field, an out-of-doors classroom where our teacher-coaches can work with our sons.

The sole source of funding for faculty and staff grants, and our contribution to Str!ve comes from our most important fundraiser of the school year, the 2014 Christmas House Tour (CHT) and Holiday Boutiques on December 5 and December 6. My heartfelt thanks to the CHT Co-Chairs, Kathy Campanella, Susan Chartier, Jim Clark, Heather Florance,

Allison Jackson, Sheila Matini, Angela Mok, Mike Mullen, Nell Shapiro and Martha Webb, all of whom are giving generously of their time and talents to this cause. They have been working tirelessly since last spring on preparations for this wonderful holiday tradition at St. Albans.

I hope that you will show your support for their efforts, by joining us at the kick-off Dinner Dance Auction on Saturday, November 15, and by attending the Christmas House Tour on December 5 and 6. Information on sponsorship packages for all your ticket needs, and on how to volunteer for these events, can be found on the CHT page on the STA website. Mark

your calendar, dust off your dancing shoes and let us all come together to celebrate our wonderful STA community! I look forward to seeing you on the Close, and I especially look forward to getting to know you better as we work alongside each other.

June Das Gupta President, STA Parents’ Association

You will find information about the Parents’ Association, its leadership, calendar of meetings and events for this year, volunteer opportunities and much more, on the STA website at http://www.stalbansschool.org/page.aspx?pid=415.

President’s Column continued from page 2

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by Allison Jackson, Sheila Matini and Angela Mok, Dinner Dance Auction Co-Chairs This year’s Dinner Dance Auction, which kicks off the Christmas House Tour season, will be a night to remember! The St. Albans community will come together for a “Soirée at STA” on Saturday, November 15, from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. in the St. Albans Refectory. Please join us and celebrate a fun and fabulous evening with live music, amazing food and a chance to win sensational items at the Silent Auction.

Our band, Moonshine Society, will deliver roots rock, blues and old-school R&B in a style guaranteed to keep the audience dancing. The band has made their way around the world, landing them titles such as “#1 Blues/Jazz Band in Shanghai” in TimeOut Magazine, and “Top Don’t Miss Show” from Delta Airlines Sky Magazine. Three members of the band were inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2012. Occasions, our award-winning caterer, will provide a fantastic buffet dinner, celebrating all the flavors of the fall season. And the night would not be complete without wonderful cupcake treats courtesy of Sweetbites and Form V mom, Sandra Panetta.

You’ll also have access to many stunning Silent Auction offerings, including spectacular trips, rare items, exclusive experiences and fine spirits. Preview a sampling at http://stalbans.maestroweb.com.

And, new to the Auction this year, is the exciting Golden Ticket Raffle. Purchase a Golden Ticket for $100 and you may win your choice of any item from the Silent Auction. Golden Tickets will be on sale from your Form representative to the Christmas House Tour. Only 200 Golden Tickets will be printed, so buy one soon. You don’t need to be present at the Raffle to win, as you will have an opportunity to preselect from the Auction Catalogue, which is available online, at the link given directly above.

The Wine Grab provides another new exciting twist to this year’s Auction. Buy a numbered cork for $20 and, upon checkout, discover which identically numbered bottle awaits you. All bottles will be worth between $15 and $40 — you might be lucky and walk away with a $40 bottle, or discover a new favorite! Donations of wine will be accepted until the evening of the Auction, and do not require completion of any donation forms. Just drop off your bottle(s), worth

between $15 and $40 (and bagged to prevent breakage), at Mrs. Murphy’s desk in the front office of the Lower School. If you wish, you can also attach a note to your bottle describing your selection’s many virtues.

The wine discoveries do not end with the Wine Grab — the evening will also bring many opportunities to sample wonderful varieties from Mira Winery, widely known for some of the highest quality wines from Napa Valley. Mira Winery’s winemaker was awarded a 100-point rating from Wine Spectator for his 2001 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Masseto, which was described as “possibly the best Tuscan red ever.” With production in Stag’s Leap, Los Carneros and Rutherford, Mira Winery’s boutique selections will be sure to please.

Tickets to the Dinner Dance Auction can be purchased individually, or as part of Patron Family Sponsorships. Please visit www.stalbansschool.org/CHT to purchase your tickets today!

DINNER DANCE AUCTION“Soirée at STA”

Then pause for a delicious lunch served by the boys of Forms III and IV in a festively decorated Refectory.

The Christmas House Tour will be held on Friday, December 5 and Saturday, December 6, with a kick-off

Dinner Dance Auction on Saturday, November 15. Patron Family Sponsorships (which include tickets to the Dinner Dance Auction and House Tour) and individual tickets to each of these events may be purchased on-line at www.stalbansschool.org/CHT. The funds raised from the Christmas House Tour directly benefit the St. Albans faculty and staff, supporting grants for professional development,

year-end bonuses, state-of-the-art classroom equipment, the renovation of the athletic fields, and many other worthwhile projects.

The Christmas House Tour is a fabulous community event that celebrates the spirit of giving. Come home to Cleveland Park with us for Christmas!

Christmas House Tour continued from page 1

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by Robert MooreAre your sons in need of a safe place where they will be listened to with respect and in confidence, but never judged?

That place exists... and it’s closer than you think.

Simply head to Marriott Hall, Room 207, just beyond the freshmen lockers on the second floor, and you’ll find a remarkable Upper School resource in the form of a wonderful and caring counselor, Carrie Grisham.

Carrie is new to the school, having just completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at George Washington University. She holds a Master’s degree from GWU as well.

Beyond her academic qualifications, Carrie has worked in community mental health programs here in Washington, DC, college counseling centers here and in Rochester, New York, and has used “wilderness therapy” as a tool to help troubled adolescents in Utah.

Even though St. Albans has a deserved reputation for academic excellence and high achievement, there is still the need for a helping hand in tough times. In fact, precisely because STA is such a competitive, high-energy community, there is a particular need for a safety net.

Our community is no different from any other. Many families will encounter stress and illness. Others must deal with divorce or a death in the family. And all of our sons must navigate the challenges and inevitable turbulence of adolescence.

Carrie makes clear that helping our boys is a team effort. She works with the Head of Upper School, the Chaplain, the School Nurse, and sometimes with a consulting psychiatrist.

“Adolescents don’t always feel comfortable dealing with their emotions, they are better at talking about academics and sports,” says Carrie. “St Albans is a very warm and welcoming place but everyone is so busy, and it’s not always easy to process feelings. Everyone needs a safe space to do that.”

Carrie knows that there is a key to her success — conversations with the boys themselves. She needs to meet as many as possible, and get to know them.

Her policy is to keep her door wide open, to attend chapel and assemblies, and to interact

with them over lunch. She would also love to hear from parents about what’s going on in the lives of individual STA families.

“It’s helpful to have a heads-up. If there’s a death in the family, an illness, a close sibling moving away to college — even something we might not think of, like a lost dog — all this can have an impact on a boy’s performance and happiness.”

“I will never be spying,” says Carrie, “but observing, trying to see norms and notice if something shifts. My aim is simple: to pay attention.”

But this talented and creative counselor — photography is also a passion — says she does not want to be there just when things go wrong.

“Yes, I’m here when things are rocky, but also here to celebrate when things are going really well.”

Carrie is already immersing herself in the STA community. Her advice to us all?

“Remember to take stock. It’s easy to race through the day and not realize the anxiety that can be slowly building up. We need to take the time to ask how our sons are really doing.”

Carrie Grisham can be reached in her office (Marriott Hall, #207), at (202)-537-5590 orat cgrisham@cathedral.org.

New on the Close: Upper School Psychologist Carrie Grisham

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by Claudia Dziobek and John R. Garrett Suppose you live on a planet where, although your sons go to school five days a week, their schedule of classes follows a seven-day cycle (let’s call these days A through G). A student enrolled in six classes (not counting Chorale), will have only four or five of his classes on a given day because only two days (A and D) have five academic periods. The other days have four. On three days per cycle (B, E and G), Chapel and the adjoining ensemble period create a break of approximately eighty minutes in the flow of morning classes. Upper School assemblies, advisory periods and faculty meetings occur once per cycle.

So, are we living on Mars? No, just Planet Earth, and our sons are attending St. Albans School under the new Block Schedule.

Mr. Peter Kelley, one of the creators of the schedule, offered to explain its rationale:

“The new schedule was designed to accomplish a variety of objectives, including longer class periods, dedicated ensemble rehearsals within the school day, and an earlier Upper School lunch. In order to achieve these, it was necessary to place an academic period after lunch, which had the added benefit of bringing us into greater coordination with NCS in the afternoon. The length of the school day was not increased, so we had to introduce rotation in the schedule so that students would still be able to carry six academic courses if they so desired. This rotation produced the twin effects of a given

course not meeting every day and not having all of its meetings at the same time of day. Although rotation affords students a slightly different experience on each day of the cycle, a measure of consistency comes from the fact that the order of the periods (i.e., what follows what) remains constant.”

During a recent school event, the Chorale Dinner, we conducted a poll of 103 students and 50 parents from both schools. An overwhelming majority — 90 % of the respondents — said that the new schedule was better than the old one (75 %) or the same (15 %). Only 6 percent of students (and 18 % of parents) were critical of the new schedule. There is a small chance that the results are a bit biased in favor of the new schedule because Chorale is one of the “winners” in the new scheme. Mr. Hutto, for example, said, “We love it!”, noting that Chorale is now much better integrated into the curriculum.

We asked everyone to provide a short explanation for his vote. Those in favor of the new schedule provided the following reasons: more time for each class; can sleep a bit longer one day in the seven-day cycle; homework is more manageable because there are fewer classes to prepare for (this reason recurred especially in the NCS comments); it breaks the monotony; it’s nice to have more free periods; more variety; more time to see teachers during office hours; you can learn more in longer classes; it’s nice to do labs and other subjects in a longer class; you can get home earlier.

Those not in favor of the schedule change voiced the following opinions: Chorale first thing in the morning is

sometimes tough – you just don’t sing well at 8:00 a.m. (but Mr. Hutto disagreed); there are fewer free periods, and fewer hours of science and math; it’s confusing to have different classes every day; prefer to have the same routine every day; a class after lunch is rough; some bugs need to be worked out, for example, problems with the scheduling of co-ed clubs.

Parents said they need to get used to arranging after-school events in a different way because the seven-day cycle is not completely in synch with the five-day cycle of extracurricular activities.

We also asked Mr. Kelley whether consideration was given to coordinating with NCS. “An overarching goal of the schedule change,” he replied, “was promoting coordination between St. Albans and NCS.”

The New Course Schedule – For Most, A Welcome Change If it’s F Day,

I’m definitely going

back to bed!

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by Laura JehlIt’s been an exciting — and logistically challenging — fall at STA as the new fields begin to take shape, and the boys and their sports teams temporarily adjust to life without home field games and practices.

Last spring, after installing sediment and erosion control measures, our contractor began clearing the site and demolishing existing structures. Throughout the summer, workers gained 1.5 acres for our fields by cutting into the wooded hillside adjoining them. They also excavated the existing fields to create terraced levels, with the stadium field on the highest level and the tennis courts on the lower levels. The contractor poured concrete for the tennis pavilion, baseball storage area, the concession stand and the new Beauvoir Pool, and constructed the retaining wall for the football-lacrosse-soccer-track stadium. In early October, they began removing excess dirt from what will be the baseball field.

“We’ve made great progress on the athletic fields since last spring. The time-lapse photos on the website (stalbansschool.org/construction) give a good sense of how the fields are shaping up,” says Michael Carline, the school’s Director of Capital Projects. “Right now, the one-year project is on schedule. Remaining on schedule depends heavily on good weather, so let’s hope for an easy winter.”

The field reconstruction project has meant that a total of 590 practices and games must be relocated, a daunting logistical task for the St. Albans coaches and athletic staff. While Lower School boys in Forms C and B remain on campus for

sports (which take place during the school day), many of the older boys are boarding buses to practice at fields around the area, including West Potomac Park, Duke Ellington School and Anacostia Park. Other teams have stayed closer to home, borrowing fields generously shared by NCS, or working out in the St. Albans weight room, the Prison Yard, Little Field, Martin Gym or Activities Gym. Upper School Cross Country can be found running in the neighborhoods surrounding the school, or putting in track workouts at American University.

At game time, our fellow IAC schools and our neighbors, Wilson High School and Sidwell Friends, have been especially generous with their facilities. While St. Albans has not hosted any Lower School football and soccer games this fall, Upper School teams have played “home away from home” soccer and football games at NCS, Wilson, Sidwell, Episcopal, Landon, Bullis, Eastern High School, Duke Ellington, St. Andrew’s School and even the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Maryland. Wootton High School’s football field was blanketed in STA blue and white as Wootton hosted this year’s “Home Away From Homecoming” varsity football game on October 18. A huge thank you to all those schools and fields for their hospitality!

Finally, special thanks is due to the “unsung heroes” of STA’s athletic department who have risen to meet many transportation and scheduling challenges presented by the field reconstruction project. Our athletic trainers, Matt Virtue and Deanna Smith, have covered every game and practice, no matter where they were held, to ensure the health and safety of our athletes. Doug Boswell has managed to get all our teams to the right field at the right time, which has required an average of eight buses per day, many of them leased. And Dan Ryan has worked tirelessly to secure the many practice and game fields that STA athletes need. A great team effort to support our teams!

ATHLETIC FIELDS FOREVER

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Form VIby Chad McGinnis They’re “top dogs” now, literally and figuratively. That means even when dwarfed by the occasional 6’5” junior with rumored pituitary issues, the boys of STA’s Class of 2015 tend to carry themselves with the casual self-assurance of combat vets who’ve seen it all and aren’t easily impressed.

In the athletic arena, one can’t help but feel for this group. Senior footballers of both varieties face a bus ride to and from practice. The homecoming football game is set at a neutral site in Rockville, for crying out loud. Here’s a question: if it’s not at home, and nobody’s coming, is it really a “Homecoming” game? Let’s start calling it “Awaycoming.”

“I realize the fields are going to be great and STA really needs them,” said a Sixth- Former, “but it kinda (stinks) for us, huh?” Kind of does, unfortunately.

“OK, I’m not totally hating it.” That was another Form VI student’s opinion of the much dreaded and widely maligned new schedule. While some parents are contemplating a call to Nate Silver for a custom algorithm to make sense of it, the additional class time and occasional “late start” mornings seem to be growing on the

boys. “Anything that keeps me in bed longer can’t be all bad,” was anotherringing endorsement.

That strange cone-of-silence has descended over most college-related conversations. Given this is presumably the culmination of their years on the Close, it’s a bit odd to hear so little specific “non-official” information, but altogether understandable given the unbearable weight of expectations and over-the-top competitiveness that has kidnapped the college process. For most boys, however, the faint outlines of a college choice are visible. “Really want West Coast… Definitely D1 sports… Someplace with warm weather… Schools with smaller class sizes… “ etc., etc.

Fall play auditions are on the books, and performing arts groups are ramping up for seasonal performances. It’s still too early to think in terms of “this is your final fill-in-the-blank, so enjoy it,” but most of us can see that on the far horizon. Better make sure to get those extra minutes of video and additional set of photos.

Speaking of photos, with senior portraits on the horizon, those parents who came of age in the late ’70s and ’80s can reflect on the bad hairstyles and heavy-handed airbrushing immortalized in our own “senior pictures.” No doubt our boys will look suitably distinguished, but it sure would be fun to get some “prisoner of the era” imagery to embarrass them later in life. Does anybody really think those pulled-up dark socks with Sperry’s and shorts won’t look ridiculous in 2025?

Form Vby Cindy Boyle NaatzOne teen blogger has referred to it as “the nationally feared junior year,” and another has called 11th grade “a teenager’s equivalent to Judgment Day.” Although overstatement might

be a characteristic shared by most teenagers (bloggers or not), the lexicon that comes along with junior year can be daunting. Standardized testing. College counseling. Prom-posals. Pre-calculus. Co-ed classes. But our Form V boys are up to the challenge!

The Class of 2016 returned to STA ready to take on junior year and a new schedule. Armed with an app designed by two Form V students that helps the boys navigate their seven-day block schedule, students quickly figured out where they needed to be when. They also learned that the real-world practice of actually having to work after lunch isn’t quite as difficult as anticipated.

The block schedule wasn’t the only new feature awaiting our boys on the Close this year. They were also greeted by a large hole in the ground at the end of Pilgrim Road that will be transformed into STA’s highly anticipated home field advantage by the start of the boys’ final year in the Upper School. So, without a true home field this fall season, the soccer and football teams have hit the road. Another challenge presented, another challenge met as both teams took it in stride, getting off to a spirited start to the season regardless of the venue. The cross country team is used to hitting the road, literally and figuratively, and the Bulldog runners enjoyed their usual strong start.

When they’re not dreaming about victories on fields and courses across the DC area, setting rosters for their fantasy football teams (sans RGIII for a while, sadly), getting excited about post-season baseball in the nation’s capital or agonizing (or not) over Homecoming plans, the boys are busy engaging in a myriad of clubs ranging from the Comedy Club, which currently includes significant Form V membership, to the traveling BEEF Club to Model UN/Princeton Model Congress.U

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And because this is, after all, the “nationally feared” junior year, the boys are keeping busy on the academic front. Whether contemplating the plight of Hester Prynne and Pearl in The Scarlet Letter, wondering who invented pre-calculus (and why) or considering the origins of the American Revolution, the boys are taking it all in stride, confident in Nikki Magaziner Mills’s assurances that, as far as getting into college goes, “it will all work out.”

Form IVby Lori LefkowitzNo longer neophytes, our boys returned to school with confidence and eagerness to succeed. They like the new seven-day class rotation – giving them more flexibility, longer classes and built-in study time to work on homework. Their required reading this quarter is quite impressive, including Beowulf, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, The Canterbury Tales and Grendel. The curriculum is harder but our Form IV boys are up to the challenge.

With Satterlee-Henderson Field covered in huge mounds of dirt and construction equipment, sports programs have been relocated to fields throughout DC and Maryland. Unfortunately, the boys are logging long hours in buses to commute to borrowed fields. That said – the new class schedule allows more time during the school day to crack the books.

Severe thunderstorms in October prevented students from crossing the Close and forced them to take cover on lower-level floors. The Cathedral also participated in The Great Shakeout earthquake drill. Recalling that 2011’s earthquake had caused $26 million in damages to the Cathedral, the boys watched transfixed as news crews covered the new earthquake preparedness on the Close.

Homecoming weekend was fun-filled with several sporting events and a dance. The varsity soccer team tied Bullis at Landon’s soccer field, varsity football was defeated by Bullis at the Wootton High School field, and the varsity cross country team came in 3rd at Georgetown Prep. Form IV celebrated in style with pre-parties and lots of dancing to great music at the Homecoming Dance! Go Bulldogs!

Form IIIby Elizabeth Bausch The newest members of the Upper School community welcomed 20 new boys into their class – by all accounts with enthusiasm and respect for their academic, athletic and artistic talents. Together, as the fully formed Class of 2018, these young men have successfully navigated the first month of everything being new and unfamiliar.

But at least they weren’t alone in feeling this way, with the new schedule and fields project making the first weeks a bit of an experiment for upperclassmen and faculty alike. One boy remarked that he felt the new schedule gave him and his Form III classmates some “cover” saying, “The upperclassmen and the teachers are just as confused as I am!” Many boys have commented on how much more physical territory they have to cover getting from classroom to classroom in the Upper School. One boy had such a hard time finding his language classroom that he dubbed it the Room of Requirement, the room in Harry Potter’s Hogwarts that only appears when one is in very great need of it.

But most boys report really liking the new schedule and the Upper School in general. They appreciate the time they now have during the day to work on homework, meet with teachers, and participate in musical ensembles or clubs. And, as many parents already know, F Day is a sacred day on the calendar – that day when most boys, with the exception of those who take

part in ensembles, don’t have to report to school until 8:55 a.m., and so, can sleep in.

The area in Marriott Hall that Form IIIhas appropriated as its own is known as “the swamp” – most likely because it is the least desirable open space and, therefore, given to the Form III’ers. There is enthusiasm for their coursework and their teachers, especially those that give them some freedom to snack in class or take a quick peek at their phones. Memorizing the opening lines of The Odyssey in Homer’s ancient Greek was a challenge for many but not nearly as daunting as asking a girl to the upcoming Homecoming Dance. One boy Googled “how to ask a girl to a dance.” Others wanted to do something other than texting an invitation… but what?

They have all handled the transition to the Upper School with vigor and good humor. However, as they settle into their new routines, some St. Albans habits are hard to break: one Form III boy asked his mother to bring his forgotten sports equipment to Mrs. Murphy’s office. How long will it take him to figure out that there is indeed an Upper School equivalent?

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Form IIby Khaled el-ShamiWelcome back to the final year in the cozy confines of the Lower School.

The year started out with a relaxing pool party at the Congressional Country Club. The boys towel-dried themselves, then wasted no time getting used to the new schedule whose basic tenets are longer, 60-minute classes, earlier lunch and fewer classes per day, which the boys like a lot as it means more time to complete their assignments.

In math, Form II students welcome the arrival of Ms. Meunier, the new math teacher who has been hard at work teaching the boys axioms, literal equations and factoring polynomials, whatever those are. In science, Mr. O’Malley is leading the boys in their first encounter with environmental science, with emphasis on risk assessment and cost-versus-benefit analysis in terms of interacting with the environment. The boys have also learned to classify species using the dichotomous key. In history, taught by Mr. Miles, himself an STA graduate, the boys focused on WWI, which took place exactly a century ago and served as a prelude to WWII. In English, Dr. Lewis supervised Form II boys dabbling for the first time in modern literature through reading Orwell’s Animal Farm and Golding’s Lord of the

Flies. They will then close the year with Shakespeare’s darkest and most powerful tragedy, Macbeth. The boys also have a choice of elective courses, including drama, studio art and ethics.

In sports, the menu this fall includes soccer, cross country, football and Voyageur. Thus, the boys manage to maintain an active athletic program while eagerly awaiting the completion of the athletic fields.

Form II boys are doing all that while navigating a new phase of their lives as teenagers. New challenges are upon them and others are lurking around the corner. They are gaining an increasing and well-earned independence. Their final year at the Lower School is marching to a fast yet self-assured beat, and so are the Form II boys.

Form Iby Kristie HassettForm I has brought significant changes for our boys. They certainly miss recess on these beautiful fall days, but have had the pleasure of becoming friends with thirteen new students entering Form I this year. Occasional advisory parties – complete with student-supplied sodas and goodies – may also help to make up for the absence of daily recess.

Our Form I sons are to be congratulated on learning the intricacies of the “middle school shuffle” (i.e., changing classes) while at the same time mastering a complex daily rotation of classes. When the first seven letters of the alphabet are insufficient to label the daily schedules, there is an “X” day thrown in for good measure at random intervals – every day is an adventure!

Sling bags help the boys tote their ever-changing combination of binders, textbooks, Chromebooks and school supplies from class to class. A sling bag certainly has its advantages. In fact, the sling bag may ultimately replace the backpack as the black hole responsible for swallowing important

assignments and countless writing implements.

The boys are challenged this year not only by the new block schedule, but also by the increased academic demands. For example, Mr. Drewry’s WOW words (for the uninitiated, that’s Words of the Week) offer an opportunity to greatly expand their vocabulary. The boys can now define “antidisestablishmentarianism,” instead of simply rattling off the term as one of the longest words in the dictionary. Other WOW words will be even more useful to this “gregarious” and “loquacious” Form I class as the boys continue their education. (Yes, parents, thanks to Mr. Drewry, your boys will understand this apt description!)

Our Form I boys also attended their first dance at NCS. The boys ate a pizza dinner at the Refectory, then departed en masse for NCS. Perhaps this served not only to fortify their stomachs, but also their courage, because not one of them actually died of embarrassment. In fact, rumor has it that some boys even danced, and that a good time was had by all.

Form A by Khaled el-ShamiFirst of all, a warm welcome to the five new members of our Form and to their families. We’re so glad you’re here with us!

The year began with a “welcome back” pool party at the Congressional Country Club. The boys spent a very happy afternoon swimming, diving, playing ping-pong and devouring tons of pizza.

The festivities blended swiftly and seamlessly with a packed school year that made the A-Formers busy early on. In math, the boys have been honing their skills in fractions, decimals and mixed numbers. One floor up in science, Mr. Miller led the boys in exploring LEGO robotics. In the lab, they build their robots and program them to do specific tasks. In L

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history, the A-Formers are studying Mesoamerica, including the Olmecs, the Aztecs and the Mayans. The main focus for the rest of the year, however, will be on medieval European history. In art, Ms. Tharp is guiding the boys in their effort to make their drawings look more realistic by using contours and shadows. In English, the A-Formers finished reading The Captive, the first part of Scott O’Dell’s trilogy, The Seven Serpents, which gives them a rare glimpse into the lives, history and geography of the Mayans and Spaniards in the late 1400’s to early 1500’s. In music, Mrs. Moore has the A-Formers studying different composers, their lives, their music, and the salient features of their artistic productions. In sports, the A-Formers have a busy fall. Their choices include soccer, cross country and football, with soccer being the most popular, attracting more than half the A-Formers.

Here’s to a great year for everyone – with lots of opportunities ahead to enjoy watching our boys learn and grow.

Form Bby Diana ReynoldsOur boys are off to the races! Form B has started the year strong, and the boys are hitting the ground with both feet firmly in stride. The tentative first steps of last year’s opening days were replaced this year by leaps and shouts of joy and excitement. Mr. Herman greeted each boy by his correct name, and smiles mixed with the slight disappointment of no longer being eligible to receive a $2 bill.

What a treat it is for parents to see their child so happy to return to school! This year has an ease that is both familiar and full of anticipation for the year ahead. However, our boys are still boys – many of whom are still learning organization skills and trying to remember what homework is due when and what books need to come home. A highlight was using the new digital microscopes in science. The boys loved analyzing every minute detail of their hands, dirt under their nails and blood on their scabs. It was thrilling for them, and for parents brought back memories of those long-ago sonogram pictures which were both familiar and yet strangely foreign.

As one boy exclaimed on the Beauvoir playground, “Form B rocks!” The year ahead will surely present challenges as the boys grow and learn and keep reaching for the high bar. The bonds they are forming with their friends and teachers will help guide them as they proceed through their second year at St. Albans. I for one am thankful that my son has figured out Google.docs for his lab reports so that now I don’t have to.

Form Cby Michael A.F. JohnsonNo time like fall for a change of colors, and the C-Formers transitioned smoothly into blue and white as their St. Albans careers began with a bang. C-Form homeroom teacher Ms. Kristin Elliott says that “C Form has gotten off to a rousing start,” noting that “the boys are curious, energetic and excited about being the newest Bulldogs.”

Among the many highlights of the new school year, the visit of Japanese astronaut, Dr. Koichi Wakata, stands out as especially exciting. C-Former Niall Fergus, intrigued by the rigors of space travel, wishes he had had an opportunity to ask what astronauts “do for entertainment.”

C-Formers also adjusted admirably to their homework duties. Sascha Hume describes it as having been “hard at the beginning because we weren’t used to it, but now it’s fine.” Tariq Ali similarly explains that “there’s a lot but it’s OK because I work hard on it.” Niall notes that Mr. R.J. Johnsen’s class is using fantasy football to study math, and says, “I especially like tracking the points and statistics.”

Niall says his “favorite subject is religion, because I’ve never studied it before.” Sascha says his is “either literature, because I love to read, or science, because we get to do experiments.” Tariq says he enjoys “art, because we get to use a lot of color.”

And speaking of a lot of color, there is nothing like science teacher J.T. Miller’s wardrobe to get the boys thinking about the entire spectrum! Niall “loves” the outfits and says he even has “some like them.” Tariq says they are “very colorful,” and notes that “I like them.”

The C-Formers enjoy the opportunity to sit with boys from other forms at lunch and make new friends, with favorite conversation topics including “superheroes” according to Niall, “movies” according to Tariq, and “sports” according to Theo Johnson.

It’s not all fun and games, though, as the boys have already begun to appreciate the organizational skills they’re developing. Sascha says, “I have started to get work done faster so I have more free time,” and Niall notes that “I’ve become a better student — I’m getting my homework done as soon as I get home now.”

All of the boys reported that Head of Lower School Paul Herman did an excellent job learning their names. “He has NEVER given me $2!” exclaims Sascha. “Never, ever, ever!” And while “it would have been nice to win a $2 bill,” says Niall, “Mr. Herman remembered my name by calling me ‘Fergus.’”

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by Maria Rodrigues GrossmanThis year, St. Albans welcomes itsnew writer-in-residence, Jordan Jacks. Continuing the program’s tradition, Jordan is living in rooms in the Lane-Johnson Building and teaching a Creative Writing class for Form VI students each semester. He is also working on his first novel, which he hopes to have completed by the spring.

Jordan was born and raised in New Braunfels, Texas. Always an avid reader, at the age of 14 he won a Merit Scholarship to St. Mary’s Hall in San Antonio, Texas, the oldest boarding school in the state. It was there that Jordan’s passion for writing was forged, with the encouragement of his English teacher, Amy Williams-Eddy. He wrote for the literary magazine at school and took Creative Writing every semester. He knew he wanted to pursue Creative Writing and English at Yale University.

It was at Yale that Jordan was influenced by Louis Glück, a teacher and major poet. He also includes

Alice Munro, James Salter and William Maxwell among those whose works inspired him. After graduation, Jordan taught Creative Writing for three years at Washington University in St. Louis, where he received his M.F.A. in Fiction. He learned much from his students and developed different writing techniques and topics to engage them in the creative writing process, thus expanding his own.

Every year Jordan begins his Creative Writing class with two works: Araby by James Joyce and Right & Wrong by Lydia Davis. His mantra is “description is a gateway to analysis.” This year he has both Form VI students and a few NCS students. He is very impressed with their intellect and creativity thus far.

While Jordan writes both fiction and poetry, he is currently interested in fictional personal essays. He cited Renata Adler, Robert Lowell and Elizabeth Hardwick as inspirations for this genre. His current project is a novel about a ghost-writer for someone else’s memoirs.

The milieu of the National Cathedral and the St. Albans campus provide a tranquil setting in which to write. Jordan has also received tremendous support from everyone and is looking forward to engaging his students in the intricacies of the creative process.

For Upper Schoolers:Stoner by John WilliamsThe Palm at the End of the Mind: Selected Poems and a Play by Wallace Stevens The Necessary Angel by Wallace Stevens

For Middle Schoolers:Cat’s Cradle by Kurt VonnegutThe Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz

For Lower Schoolers:A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le GuinGrimm’s Tales for Young and Old by the Brothers Grimm, translated by Ralph Manheim

Two often overlooked books for adults:The Mountain Lion by Jean StaffordGood Morning, Midnight by Jean Rhys

Jordan Jacks: Writer-in-Residence

Jordan recommends the following books to St. Albans students and their parents:

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BUY AN STA GIFT – HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR THE PROMby Sheila MatiniLike many Junior parents before them, this year’s Junior parents are working hard to raise funds for the Senior/Junior Prom.

In addition to selling pizzas and drinks at Sam’s Bar, they offer STA logo sales items like the ones below at the Christmas House Tour and other STA community events. Or you can purchase these items by contacting Sheila Matini, sheila.matini@verizon.net, or Patricia Howell, psglam@aol.com. Please note that all items can be charged to your son’s student account.

Bleacher Seats $60 each

Winter Hats $40 each

STA Logo Ties$68 each Large Bulldog Medallions

(blue or white) $75

Small STA Crest Medallions (red or gold) $65

16” Silver Chain$25

18” Silver Chain$35

(chains are available in both bead and link styles)

The Newsletter Of The St. Albans Parents’ AssociationSt. Albans SchoolMount St. AlbanWashington DC 20016-5095

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WITH THESE IMPORTANT DATES FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR!

CHRISTMAS HOUSE TOUR DINNER DANCE & AUCTION: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2014

CHRISTMAS HOUSE TOUR & BOUTIQUES: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 AND SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2014

BULLDOG CAFÉ AT THE ANNUAL WRESTLING TOURNAMENT: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6 AND SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2015

STA CAFÉ AT THE FLOWER MART: FRIDAY, MAY 1 AND SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2015

MARK YOUR CALENDARS