connections - Mid-Peninsula High School

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
1340 Willow Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025-1516
(650) 321-1991
www.mid-pen.com
Mid-Peninsula Education Center, Inc.
-Peninsula
Midigh
H School
A community for learning,
offering students a
stimulating, nurturing,
safe environment
that empowers them
to reach their full academic
and social potential.
We work to strengthen the
relationships between the
students, their families,
and the community.
connections
newsletter - spring 2010
2010 Board of Trustees
Bethany St. Clair – Board Chair
a letter from our head of school
Gary Bechtel - Board Vice Chair
Douglas C. Thompson, PhD
Cathie Foster
Charles Golden
A
s you will see just by perusing this latest edition of
Connections, we have been busy here at Mid-Peninsula
High School. DragonFest was another success, selling out this
year for the first time and setting a new record in funds raised
to support school functions, including the Fund-A-Need of two
desktop computers in each classroom. I am also thrilled to announce that our
Annual Giving Campaign is also thriving but please keep in mind, the year is
not over and we appreciate any donations made to the school.
Community Service Day once again saw the
whole community, parents, staff, and students,
out in service of the outside community. I am
happy to say that once again our students shone.
Other events you will read about include the
second Art Class trip to New York and the annual
Valentine’s Day luncheon, complete with wonderful
student performances. I am personally delighted
that this has become a tradition—the range and
quality of talent here is indeed impressive.
The Open House on 24 April welcomed 28 potential
families, who were shown around by enthusiastic
student guides. The energy was very positive, and I
am beginning to become excited about next year!
Speaking of excitement, we are very proud of Dean
of Students and Varsity Basketball coach Curtis
Haggins, who has been honored twice this year for
his outstanding dedication in service of youth in this
area. As you will read, Curtis was honored both by the
Mid-Peninsula Community Media Center and the Positive
Coaching Alliance. Congratulations, Curtis!
Finally, I conclude on a sad note: As many of you may
Richard Hof
Kirk Law
Elad Levinson
John Northway
Larry O’Rourke
already know, Nancy Brown, who taught at
Mid-Pen for almost 30 years, passed away on
Saturday 10 April after a three and a half year
battle with cancer. Nancy was instrumental
in guiding me through the intricacies of MidPen culture when I first arrived. As recently
as last February I received an e-mail with the
subject “Musings” and the following opening
sentence:
“Dear Doug--this is a random muse--sparked
by a discussion I heard on the radio the other
night about a district in Utah contemplating
doing away with the senior year of high
school-so bear with me as I ramble on--”
Melissa Powar
Tim Reichert
Jackie Schmidt-Posner
Nancy Shepherd
Rick Stultz
Dee Ann Suppes
Doug Thompson - Head of School
2010 Parents Association
Anne Lynde, Co-President
Lisa Braun, Co-President
Jennifer Matthews, Secretary; Mid-Pen Wear
Laurel Woods, Treasurer; Community Building Liaison
Cammie Vail, Community Service Chair
Kelly Knabe, Community Service Chair
Leslie Maier, Hospitality Co-Chair
Eleanor Howe, Hospitality Co-Chair
Shirleen Nunn, Web Page Coordinator
She loved the school; we were never far from
her thoughts. I will miss her musings.
So, as you can see, it has been a bit of
everything at Mid-Pen. Life being lived, as I
like to point out to visitors. This sometimes
means some sorrow, but it also means joy,
excitement, and the laughter of community.
Diane Rapley, Parent Ed. Coordinator
Darshana Greenfield, Parents Press Coordinator
Cheryl Van, eScrip Coordinator
Class Representatives:
Sarah Rivers, Senior Class
Joan Dentler, Senior Class
Alicia Hildreth, Junior Class
Michael Hildreth, Junior Class
Wendy Burger, Junior Class
Janet Lee, Sophomore Class
Anne Anderson, Sophomore Class
Gloria Principe, Freshman Class
Laura Arciniega, Freshman Class
Mid-Pen in the Community
By Jon Austin, Spanish Instructor
O
n April 7th the Mid-Pen community once again took part in our Spring Community
Service Day. We were graced with great weather and an excellent turnout of parent
support to help make the day a great success. Cammie Vail once again spearheaded the
effort to recruit parent drivers for the day and a special thank you should be given to her for
her drive, generosity and hard work.
This Community Service Day we worked with eight different organizations in the
Mid-Peninsula area. While we are always looking for new and exciting placements, we’ve
been fortunate to have developed some great long term relationships with agencies such
as the Tule Ponds in Fremont, Hidden Villa in Los Altos, La Comida in Palo Alto, RAFT in
Sunnyvale and Our Daily Bread also in Sunnyvale. New community partners include Acterra,
an environmental stewardship group in Palo Alto and Square Peg Ranch in Half Moon Bay.
Square Peg works with youth of all backgrounds teaching them to ride and care for horses. It’s
also worth noting that all of the animals at Square Peg Ranch are rescue animals.
As we continue to expand the community service program at Mid-Pen we are always looking
for new agencies who share our goals of education, social justice and civic responsibility. If
you know of an organization that may want to partner with the school please let us know by
contacting Jon Austin, Director of Community Service, at jon@mid-pen.com.
Thanks again to everyone who participated or helped out with the
Spring Community Service Day!
Mid-Pen Celebrates Mardi Gras at DragonFest
By Lauren Newby, Development Assistant
C
elebrating the fun and vivacious spirit of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, DragonFest 2010
was Mid Pen’s most successful fundraiser ever!! Thank you to all who helped us
raise over $104,000!
This year’s DragonFest returned to the Hotel Sofitel in Redwood Shores where guests
enjoyed a spectacular night and raised money for Mid-Pen’s programs. For the first time
ever, tickets to DragonFest were SOLD OUT and record numbers of Mid-Pen supporters
showed up in their glitz and glam to help support our school! Guests were greeted
with colorful Mardi Gras beads, a glass of wine, passed hors d’oeuvres and
proceeded to check out the silent auction items on Mid-Pen’s very own
Bourbon Street. This year’s silent auction offered over 100 items,
including jewelry, signed artwork, sports memorabilia, weekend
getaways and even a beautiful guitar hand-tiled by Mid-Pen
students.
Upon entering the ballroom, guests were greeted with the true
spirit of Mardi Gras. Tables were decorated with sparkling
centerpieces made of feathered masks and beads. The
event showcased art done by Mid-Pen students and the
remarkable work was admired by all. The night was
kicked off with amazing musical performances
by Mid-Pen students, Matt Sowiski, Laura
Tuthall, Chris Vail, and Marina Lopez. After
enjoying a lovely three-course meal, guests were
greeted by emcee Renee Richardson from the
KFOG Morning Show who began the live auction.
There were amazing items such as an all-inclusive
Hawaiian vacation package, a week’s stay at a
private Hawaiian estate, a barbeque with musician
Philip Claypool, a trip to NASCAR, and a private tour
of the Littlefield Tank Collection. The auction closed
with this year’s Fund-A-Need to purchase two desktop
computers for each classroom at Mid-Pen. The great news is
that we met our Fund-A-Need goal of $25,000 and the staff
at Mid-Pen are already enjoying the new computers!
There was dancing through the night and a cake, which was
an exact replica of the school, tasted as good as it looked.
Kathy’s Kreative Kakes did an amazing job.
Mid-Peninsula High School would like to give a special thank you to
the sponsors of DragonFest 2010. We couldn’t have done it without you!
Big Easy Sponsor:
Mardi Gras Sponsor:
Carnival Sponsor:
555 Airport Boulevard, Suite 100
Burlingame, CA 94010-2002
Phone: 650.762.0400 • Fax: 650.762.0490
We had a wonderful time celebrating with you
and hope to see you next year!
Annual Giving and Financial Aid
Curtis Haggins is Honored
By Rachel Packer, Director of Development
By Heidi Schiessler, Assistant Head of School
After 2 years of working at Mid-Peninsula High School, I can happily announce
that our Annual Giving and Financial Aid campaigns have become more and more
successful each year. The participation from parents, alumni parents, and friends
of the school has continued to expand. More and more people understand the
unbelievable importance of supporting this amazing educational institution.
A big thank you to all of our donors; your generosity is
Annual Giving
critical to the growth and survival of our school.
As you can see from this issue of Connections,
Mid-Pen continues to support its students through
amazing and unique programs such as the Art trip to NYC,
the Valentine’s Day luncheon, and one of my favorites,
Community Service Day, where every member of the
faculty joins students for a philanthropic day in the Bay
Area. When we say that we value community in this
student-centered school, we mean it. Donating to Mid-Pen
is not just supporting a high school but it is supporting
the values that we uphold of community responsibility,
respect, acceptance, and kindness. Our students and staff
live by these principles daily, and our strong, supportive
community reflects that.
Total Goal
$350,000
Total Raised
as of 5/7/10
$266,000
The fiscal year ends June 30, 2010, and I ask that if
you have not yet made a contribution this year, please
donate to our Annual Fund. If interested, you can make
a designated gift to our Financial Aid Campaign. 34% of
our students receive some amount of financial aid, and the
requests for next year are even higher. It is with your help
that students who may not otherwise be fortunate to attend
this school are able to benefit greatly from the individualized
attention that Mid-Pen provides to each student.
I am happy to announce that we do have 100% participation
from staff and the Board of Trustees toward the Annual Giving Fund and we are
eager to add 100% parent participation to that list!
EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS!!
No amount is too small. You can donate by sending a check, cash, using a credit card,
stock transfers, or make an online donation at www.mid-pen.com. Thank you to all for
your ongoing support of this amazing school!
M
id-Peninsula’s Basketball
Coach, Curtis Haggins
was honored with the Positive
Coaching Alliance’s DoubleGoal Coach Award at the 9th
annual National Youth Sports
Awards Dinner. This event was
held at Stanford University’s
Maples Pavilion on Saturday,
April 17th. The Double-Goal
Coach recognizes coaches whose
first goal is winning, and whose
second, more important goal
is teaching life lessons through
sports. Curtis was one of 20
recipients selected this year from
over 200 outstanding coaches
nominated from across the
country.
The Positive Coaching Alliance
is a nonprofit organization that
was started in Stanford’s athletic
department in 1998 with the
mission of transforming the culture
of youth sports so that every child has a positive, character-building experience participating in
sports. PCA partners with schools and youth sports organizations across the country and has
conducted more than 6,100 training workshops for more than 433,000 coaches, parents, youth
sports organization leaders, and student-athletes.
Jim Thompson, PCA’s founder, said, “Curtis wins on the scoreboard; more importantly, he wins
by creating a positive character-building sports experience for young athletes. Ultimately, the
athletes Curtis coaches are the real winners, and as those athletes become tomorrow’s leaders,
our society as a whole wins.”
An additional quote by one of Coach Haggins player’s parent said, “No one plays for Curtis
and leaves without higher levels of accountability and even higher levels of self esteem.”
We are all so proud of Curtis and thankful that he is a member of our Mid-Peninsula High
School Community.
Congratulations Coach Haggins!
Studio Art Class Visits New York City
By Anna Wronsky, Art Instructor
F
or the second year in a row, students from Mid-Pen’s Studio Art Class embarked on a trip
to experience the unique and artistic spirit of New York City. For three days, the students
visited numerous museums, took in a couple Broadway shows and perused the wonderful
displays of street art. This is a wonderful trip that provides students the opportunity to interact
with some of the world’s greatest collections. To allow all members of the Mid-Pen community
to enjoy a firsthand experience of this fabulous trip, please read my journal below.
Wednesday, March 9,2010
After arriving late on Tuesday night, we got the kids up early and met
for breakfast in my and Heidi’s room. We headed out of our hotel and
the kids got their first look at the Lower East Side. The students enjoyed
graffiti and street art! During our short walk to the subway Nisha spotted
an original piece of art by Space Invader – a Parisian street artist who puts
his small tiled “invaders” up all over the world. We spent the morning at
the Whitney Biennial. Several of the highlights from the Whitney were a
huge tapestry of smoke and a photo collage incorporating bleach. From
the Whitney we headed across the Brooklyn Bridge and later to the New
Museum of Contemporary Art. There was a fantastic exhibit on the body.
Some students got to see their first Kiki Smith sculptures. The highlight of
the day (if not the week!), was seeing Hair on Broadway.
Everyone danced and sang along to the music…and insisted on
buying love beads at the end of the show!
Thursday, March 10, 2010
Up early we headed to the MOMA. The kids quickly agreed that we
could have spent at least 3 days there. The William Kentridge exhibit
was stunning but the real highlight was the Tim Burton show. From the
MOMA we went to PS1. The architecture of the museum is so interesting
(it is housed in an old public school). The swimming pool installation was
still there and I think the students could have spent the day in it. On our
way out of the museum we found a breathtaking back alley covered in
graffiti and spent some time taking pictures. For dinner we went back up
to Times Square and then took in another show, Chicago on Broadway.
Friday, March 11, 2010
We had a surprise visitor for the morning – Meredith (who worked
in admissions for two years) came and joined us for breakfast and
the Met. For many students in was their first time to see Van Gogh’s
work in person – we were all captivated by the texture and colors.
We entertained ourselves by dancing on the sidewalk next to Central
Park. After the Met we went to the Guggenheim – the students loved
the architecture of the building. By the time we got on the
airplane that evening we were all exhausted and happy from
a great three days together.
Next year we hope to go for a week!
A Love Celebration
Remembering Nancy Brown
By Ben Griggs, English and Music Instructor
By Laurie Miller, English Instructor
T
I
his year’s Valentine’s Day Luncheon took place
on February 10th. This annual event provides an
opportunity for the entire school community to come
together to share delicious food, brain-teasing trivia,
and amazing performances by talented students. The
proceedings commenced with a scrumptious Italian lunch,
during which students and staff members attempted trivia
questions ranging from the fun (“How many James Bond
movies have one-word titles?”) to the mind-bendingly
difficult (“Which Mid-Pen staffer has worked at school
the longest?”). As always, Mid-Pen folk proved their trivia
mettle across the board, and a near-perfect score was
once again required to win the competition. In addition
to the coveted satisfaction of trivia triumph, the winners
took home gift cards from Borders. Enjoy those books (or
possibly Blu-Ray DVDs), young scholars!
With the crucial task of eating complete, the crowd turned
its attention to Mid-Pen’s array of talented performers.
Laura Tuthall, a regular at this event and the Fall Talent
Show, captivated listeners with her brooding and soulful
original song. Nisha Husain had much the same effect
on the crowd as she strummed and sang an upbeat rock
song that she penned herself. Catherine O’Farrell also
got into the musical mix with a lovely vocal rendition of
“Love Story” by Taylor Swift. Jared Van showed off his
witty wordplay by dazzling the audience with his spokenword rhymes. On the lighter side, Campbell Winslow had
the crowd in stitches with his comedic insights into life’s
absurdities--clearly we have a budding comedian on our
hands. To round out the show, a rock ensemble calling
themselves “The Procrastinators” (a knowing nod to their
last-minute practice schedule) wowed the audience with
their rendition of “Blue Flower/Blue Flame” by Destroyer.
Finally, as performers and audience members alike dove
into the traditional Cupid chocolate fountain with fistfuls
of cookies and strawberries, satisfied smiles told the whole
story: another year, another successful Valentine’s Day
Luncheon.
t It is September 1981, and I am introduced to Nancy Brown. I have just moved from New York; Nancy
is from Mississippi. I have a Long Island accent; she has a southern drawl. I am loud; she has a soft
voice. I am grating; she is calming. I am direct and blunt; she likes to get her point across in a round
about way, is gentle mannered and is never rude. I am the Nike girl: “Just do it!”; She is tupelo honey,
and works with a kid glove. North meets South. How can these two people, so very different, work
together? Turns out, I have just met the other half of the English Department at Mid-Peninsula High
School who I would work with for over twenty-seven years.
What I found out, fairly early in our professional relationship was that the same student who would
storm out of my classroom, slamming doors and yelling obscenities, would sprout Jell-o legs under the
tutelage of Nancy Brown. Students who threw pens across my room and refused to write, sat like docile
cuddly puppies next to her side, while she coaxed them through five paragraph essays. When she spoke
to them she made them think, “Wow, I am loveable!“ and brought a shine to their eyes. I don’t know
how she did it; like I say, it wasn’t my style. But I was glad it was Nancy’s style, because she and I, as a
team, were able to “cover” just about every student who entered our school.
Nancy was a teacher, social worker, and mother hen, all rolled into one. She made students feel safe.
She was a nurturer by nature, and many of our students came to see her as a second mother who took
them under her wings, and did not merely teach them English, but got them to understand who they
were as human beings. Not only that--she wasn’t interested in changing them; she liked them for who
they were.
Nancy had an inner strength that didn’t seem immediately apparent to
many of us until she was diagnosed with cancer 2 ½ years ago. Over
those years I came to truly understand the southern saying, “Steel
Magnolia.” She had one of the most grueling regimens of
chemotherapy and radiation I could imagine, and yet she never
once complained. She managed to get to France, New York,
Oregon and Austria, where she got to see the Lipizzaner
Stallions. I would drive by her house every day on my
way home from work, and I would monitor her health by
whether her truck was in the driveway or not; if not, I knew
she had dragged herself out to visit her horse. At the end
of March she wrote me an email, because she could no
longer speak. She said: “Please pass this on if anyone
asks…..
“I have good days
I have bad days
Ride to live---Live to ride!”
On April 10, Nancy left us. I have been struggling, since
her leaving Mid-Peninsula two years ago, with how to fill
the gap left by the other half of the English Department. I
do not have a coaxing voice, nor a soft glove…and even if I
did, it would never be as soft as hers. The glove just doesn’t
fit. There is only one glove like that; and it belongs to Nancy.
congratulations
class of 2010
Genyana August
Thomas Brannan
Joshua Braun
Hanne Clarke
Kevin Deasy
Charlie Dentler
Daniel Diaz
Brendan Downing
Tomio Endo
Nisha Husain
Jason Leiter
Jack Lynde
Vincent Maier
Dennis McDonald
Eros Miron
Chandler Nielsen
Sarah Percell
Alexander Polishuk
George Rapley
Anna Rivers
Alexandra Roth
Anton Skhirtladze
Jillian Sullivan
Kevin Tucker
Jared Van
Campbell Winslow
Spring Open House Event
By Justin Ryder, Admissions Assistant
O
n Saturday April 24, 2010 Mid-Peninsula welcomed prospective students, their families and other
community members to our Spring Open House. The bi-annual event enables us to showcase our
beautiful campus, engaging instructors and caring philosophy.
The Spring Open House was a Mid-Pen team effort in the truest sense of the word. The day began as
student and parent volunteers got to school early on a Saturday morning to help staff members with
set up duties, from bagels and coffee to nametags and balloons. As prospective students and families
arrived they were greeted by our Director of Admissions, Barbara Brown, and guided to our registration
table. After enjoying some refreshments and being chatted up by an enthusiastic mix of parents, staff
and students, visitors were organized into small groups and taken on campus-wide tours led by parents
or even students. It was special to tag along on Kendall and Kelsey’s tour and hear them share their
pride and passion for a place they look forward to coming to each day (even when that day’s a Saturday).
On their tours, Open House guests experienced student life in the classroom, as Mid-Pen instructors not
only discussed their individual curricula, but also demonstrated how some of them worked with the help
of student volunteers, including live music performances and in-progress art projects.
After the campus tours, visitors gathered in the Student Center for a series of presentations. Barbara
Brown talked about the basics of the admissions process and Doug Thompson, Head of School, spoke
on the commonalities of choosing the right school, and how it’s the little things that can make the
biggest difference in a family’s decision. Parents Association Co-Presidents, Lisa and Anne, vocalized
the joy that accompanies being an active Mid-Pen parent, especially when you get to announce where
your senior son is going to college (congrats Josh and Jack). Then came the highlight of the afternoon,
the Student Q & A Panel, consisting of 10 students who requested specifically to be on the panel from
a range of grades and interests. The kids fielded questions about what they liked most about Mid-Pen
(freedom to be themselves, a supportive environment and a late start time quickly came to mind) and
what extracurricular activities and clubs are available to students (Peer Counseling and The Gay and
Straight Alliance just to name a few). Families were also given application packets and Mid-Pen goodie
bags, encouraged to attend our upcoming Night of the Arts, and several even signed up for shadow
days to get an even better understanding of the Mid-Pen experience.
In the end, students, staff and parents came together for the chance to represent the Mid-Pen
community and help make a memorable first impression for many new families. From the Admissions
Office, a big thanks to everyone involved!
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