Journeys Beyond the Classroom

SCD
FALL
2013
SEATTLE
COUNTRY DAY
SCHOOL
MAGAZINE
Learning
Landscapes
IN THIS ISSUE:
Journeys Beyond the Classroom
ideas in
motion
DEAR SCDS FAMILIES AND FRIENDS,
Seattle Country Day School has always been an intensely
child-centered learning environment. Our resourceful and
creative students are busy daily constructing products, finding
meaning, and discovering new applications as they explore
ideas and concepts. The campus energy comes collectively
from, and is sustained by, like-minded students collaborating
with their teachers and peers.
EDITOR
Andrea Sanders
DESIGN/PRODUCTION
Christa Fleming Design
CONTRIBUTORS
Jackie Bradley, Amy Colfelt,
Michele Costanza, Brian Crawford,
Kate Daugherty, Teri Esensten,
Eddie Feeley, Robyn Filimaua,
Gwen and Duncan Glew, Jan
Kepher, Chuck Lintz, Mary Lowry,
Denise Luenow, Kathy McCann,
Michael Murphy, Jana Pasma, Erin
Perry, Andrea Sanders, JoAnn
Sims, James Spies, Dan Sweeney
COVER
Photograph taken by SCDS
alumna, Amelia Henry.
KINETICS is produced by the
SCDS Advancement Office for its
current and former families and
friends. Inquiries may be sent to:
andreasanders@seattlecountryday.org
THE SCDS MISSION
Inspiring gifted children to reach
their potential through inquiry,
curiosity, and wonder.
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
SCDS actively seeks to increase the
breadth of our entire community:
the gifted children at the center of
a dynamic learning process, their
families, and the school’s faculty,
staff, and Board of Trustees. We
aspire to include a wide variety of
backgrounds and perspectives;
to foster an understanding and
acceptance of differences; and to
cultivate diverse thinking critical for
creative problem solving.
NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT
Seattle Country Day School strives
to maintain a diverse school
community. The school does not
discriminate on the basis of race,
religion, color, creed, national or ethnic
origin, gender, sexual orientation,
or disability in administration of its
educational policies, admission,
financial aid, or any other schooladministered programs.
seattlecountryday.org
The SCDS Board of Trustees, in a previous strategic plan, approved what is best
described as the whole child initiative. Simply put, one of the school’s goals was
to enhance the non-academic or affective growth of students. Presently, SCDS is
now in its third full year of implementing the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
curriculum. Modeled in part from the research and work from early practitioners
from the Nueva School (CA), a school with a similar mission to that of SCDS, SEL
provides systematic lessons and experiences for students which nurture their
inter- and intra-personal social awareness acumen.
By increasing self-awareness, relationship skills, and emotional literacy, we
believe SEL will complement and enhance a student’s academic achievement.
SEL has been, and continues to be, a K-8 programmatic priority. We are
delighted with the early results.
In this issue of Kinetics, some of our Middle School trips are highlighted. In
particular, the 8th grade trip to Iceland this past May provided an extraordinary
capstone experience for our students. Students spent considerable research
and study time with their teachers in advance of their trip. Norse literature,
legends, and geography were part of English and history classes, a geology
unit in science was specifically arranged to include Iceland’s volcanos and
landforms, pen pals were set up with a sister school in Reykjavik, and a former
SCDS parent of Icelandic heritage provided some cultural background and
idiomatic language lessons.
Next year, SCDS plans to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. While our fundamental
mission has not changed, our school has grown and evolved over the decades.
Our plans are to reconnect with former students and families, share our passion
for inquiry with the greater Seattle community, and strengthen the school’s
foundation for the next fifty years. Please stay tuned for more information in the
months ahead!
Whether building social-emotional skills, planning off-campus trips, or
celebrating a milestone birthday, SCDS will continue to be a place where
students are the center of a dynamic and collaborative learning process,
centered on inquiry and discovery.
Sincerely,
Michael G. Murphy
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Learning Landscapes
Journeys Beyond the Classroom
This past spring, SCDS eighth graders took a ‘capstone’ trip
to Iceland, while their seventh grade counterparts ventured
south to Ashland. Two very diverse trips, varied cultures, and
curricular objectives, but with one common goal — to
extend learning beyond the classroom.
What follows are the reflections of both journeys from SCDS
Intermediate and Middle School Head, Dan Sweeney, school
counselor, Amy Colfelt, social studies teacher, Mary Lowry, science
teacher, James Spies, and language arts instructor, Brian Crawford.
KINETICS | FALL 2013
1
SCDS students
from the class
of 2013 pose in
Reykjavik by a
modern sculpture
of a viking boat.
There is something truly transformative
about traveling with your classmates
and teachers.”
JAMES SPIES
Learning Landscapes Journeys Beyond the Classroom
Can you elaborate on the chosen destinations and correlations to curriculum?
ICELAND:
ASHLAND:
Spies: “Iceland was a natural choice. There is a lot of
science and earth science to explore and an abundance
of geothermal energy based on its global location. We
visited a geothermal power plant and visited the oldest
geothermal-powered public pool. It is English speaking, off
the ‘beaten path,’ exciting, and also has the curricular ties.”
Crawford: “Ashland’s programming around Shakespeare,
theater, and work with the kids is of exceptional high
quality. We were able to connect it directly with reading
and performing Love’s Labour’s Lost, under the umbrella
of a Shakespeare unit. The students came up with their
own costumes, memorized lines, and were able to draw on
what they saw in Ashland. To add to this experience, we
also had a visitor, Tames Alan, who conducted a program
called Living History. In costume she made theater and
Elizabethan England truly come alive. Globally, we were
able to connect the era to the reading of theater, embrace
the art of theater, and learn about performance art.”
Lowry: “In my history classes with 8th graders, we
studied Norse mythology and viking exploration of the
North Atlantic, highlighting Erik the Red, his family, and
in particular, Leif Ericson. We also studied ship-building
and why the vikings were so successful in their raids. This
tied in nicely with a museum visit where a viking ship had
been reconstructed. Among other highlights, we learned
about the sagas of the 1300s and visited the historic home
of Snorri Sturluson — an Icelandic poet, politician, and
historian. He was most famous for the Prose Edda which
served as a textbook for writers of skaldic poetry and
preserved the tradition of the viking era. The students were
familiar with Sturluson because we do a mythology unit
where they re-enact his work.”
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FALL 2013 | KINETICS
How do both trips span across the
various curricular areas?
How was the knowledge shared with
fellow SCDS students, parents, and staff?
ICELAND & ASHLAND:
ICELAND:
Spies: “Both trips provided connections to science, social
studies, language arts, SEL, art, and music. Furthermore,
in Iceland, Crystal Aspen’s input and interactions with the
students at the museums was invaluable.”
Lowry: “When we came back to school, the kids were
responsible for participating in an Icelandic Fair. This
entailed taking a topic of interest, researching it pretrip and post-trip, and then creating a presentation.
My fondest memory is when one of the students did a
project on Icelandic horses. The kindergartners were
enraptured by her presentation and what made these
horses unique. The entire experience placed students in
leadership roles where they disseminated information to
their peers.”
Speak more to the Salaskoli penpals and
the traditions exchanged in Iceland?
ICELAND:
Colfelt: “In Seattle, there is a rather substantial
Scandinavian community. I thought it would be exciting
for our students to exchange ideas and information with
their Icelandic peers. We were able to tap into a contact
within the local Icelandic community to connect us with
Icelandic children and their school in Reykjavik. The
children wrote to each other several times before the trip,
and we were able to meet them at the end of our journey.
After days of learning and seeing amazing scientific
phenomena, visiting viking museums, and studying Norse
myths, it was so refreshing to see the children become
children again and connect with their Icelandic peers.
They played for three hours straight in the amazing
Icelandic gym and wore themselves out before our flight
home. Communication, through play, trumps all language
barriers; hopefully the connections they made with their
peers in Iceland will open their minds to the fun and
power of travel.”
Lowry: “We had a few opportunities to have the SCDS
and Salaskoli students exchange emails prior to going.
One of the parents at Salaskoli arranged a pool party. We
also visited their school and got to see what their classes
were like. It was fascinating to talk to other teachers.
While away, the eighth graders also kept in touch with
their SCDS kindergarten buddies, many of them writing
postcards and bringing back gifts.”
Sweeney: “We got a window into the Icelandic education
system. One of our chessmasters, Noah Franklin, also
faced theirs. It was nice to see them bond over a common
extracurricular activity.”
ASHLAND:
Crawford: “The seventh grade students had the
opportunity to culminate their Ashland travels with
their own Love’s Labour’s Lost performance. This was
performed for the seventh grade families to enjoy.”
What plays were viewed in Ashland?
Crawford: “In an effort to provide a range of theatrical
experiences, students viewed King Lear, My Fair
Lady, and Two Trains Running. We could have stuck
with Shakespeare, but I felt it was important to see a
spectrum. Specifically, I was attracted to King Lear and
wanted them to see a tragedy because we were reading
a comedy in class. Shakespeare really covers the gamut
of human emotions. Students also had the opportunity
to experience intimate theater in-the-round. We watched
My Fair Lady because I wanted them to see that you
can tackle serious themes in a light-hearted way. Lastly,
Two Trains Running broaches heavy issues related to
the civil rights era. This gave students a chance to see
how impressive the set changes were. We also partook
in a number of workshops related to theatrical design
elements. There was a professional makeup artist who
demonstrated scars, bite marks and other artistic tricks
on one of our students, Duncan McKee. A subsequent
workshop exhibited staged combat where students
learned more about the careful choreography behind it.”
Communication, through play,
trumps all language barriers.”
AMY COLFELT
KINETICS | FALL 2013
3
As this year’s seventh graders journey to
Washington, D.C., and eighth graders head
to Costa Rica, what are the next steps for
taking learning outside the classroom?
Sweeney: “The middle school faculty and I evaluated the
purpose of middle school trips and intend to continue
to shift the focus so the trips are deeply connected to
curriculum. We also aim to have co-curricular alignment
that allows for a deeper, richer experience for students,
provides time for reflection, and enables students and staff
to give back to the SCDS community through sharing their
knowledge and experiences.”
The middle school faculty and I
evaluated the purpose of middle
school trips and intend to continue
to shift the focus so the trips are
deeply connected to curriculum.
We also aim to have co-curricular
alignment that allows for a
deeper, richer experience ...”
DAN SWEENEY
Crawford: “One of my primary goals and focus for the
seventh graders and their trip to Washington, D.C. this year
will include a visit to the Holocaust Museum. This particular
museum has a direct bearing on Anne Frank’s diary, which
they will delve into during eighth grade. Their trip will ‘prime
the pump’ and give us a frame of reference. As for the
eighth graders, last year they wrote a collaborative novel.
This year, the novel itself will be compiled when they return,
but has to be written while they are in Costa Rica. When they
go, they will have to look for details and artifacts to include
in the book. I am also going to encourage them to mix in
Spanish words here and there.”
Lowry: “One of the things we did was to start thinking
about curricular objectives across grades and encourage
faculty to teach around new units inspired by the travel
programs. Going to Washington, D.C., for me, is living
social studies. It’s being able to go to the places that are
famous in America’s history. My curricular objective will help
to augment later units — this year’s seventh graders will
have a jump start on topics in American history class next
year. In regards to Costa Rica, I have been there three times.
All three trips were uniquely amazing and every time we did
something new.”
Spies: “There is something truly transformative about
traveling with your classmates and your teachers. When you
trust the people around you, and feel the safety and security
of your friends and instructors, there is more transformation
that can happen. Having the eighth grade trip be
international allows for special opportunities to arise. Iceland
provided different things for different people, such as
practicing a foreign language and spending quality time with
people from that country. As Mary said it’s living science.
The science I teach focuses on how we see the world around
us through the eyes of a scientist. That’s what we do when
we see the volcanoes, the rainforest, etc ... the same thing.”
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FALL 2013 | KINETICS
SCDS students, Natalie White and
Walker Frankenberg, performed
in Love’s Labour’s Lost.
The seventh grade students
had the opportunity to
culminate their Ashland
travels with their own Love’s
Labour’s Lost performance.”
BRIAN CRAWFORD
Learning Landscapes Journeys Beyond the Classroom
Iceland Itinerary
TUESDAY, MAY 14: Fly to Iceland.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 15: Arrive in Keflavik. Tour
Reykjavik: Perlan (water tank viewing deck
and museum), National Museum, Culture House,
Harpa Opera House, Hamburger Factory.
THURSDAY, MAY 16: South Shore Tour:
Eyjafjallajokull Volcano Museum, Skogarfoss
(waterfall), Skogar Folk Museum, Vik,
Seljalandsfoss (waterfall). Dinner at hotel.
Laugardalslaug (swimming pool).
FRIDAY, MAY 17: Hellisheidi Geothermal Power
Plant Tour, Blue Lagoon, Viking Ship Museum.
SATURDAY, MAY 18: Hverageroi (earthquake
museum), Gullfoss, Geysir, Thingvellir.
Rossopomodoro (Italian) dinner.
SUNDAY, MAY 19: Saga Tour: Settlement Tour
in Borgarnes, Snorrastofa (Snorri's house at
Reykholt), Hraunfossar (children's waterfall).
Subway dinner, Laugardalslaug.
MONDAY, MAY 20: Tour Reykjavik:
Hallgrimskirkja Church, shopping, Harpa Tour,
hot dogs, flea market, Puffin Tour, fancy dinner.
TUESDAY, MAY 21: Visit Salaskoli and fly home.
KINETICS | FALL 2013
5
CLIMB CONQUER
CURE!
In March 2013, SCDS Middle School
students, staff, siblings, and parents
came together for a single cause – The
Big Climb. Set in Columbia Tower, in the
heart of downtown Seattle, the Big Climb
challenges 6,000 participants each year to
climb 69 flights of stairs to combat Leukemia,
Lymphoma, Hodgkins Disease and Myeloma.
SCDS Wildcat Climbers congregated for the Big Climb, 2013.
To prepare for the big ascent, math teacher, Jana Pasma, assisted
with the organization and training of the SCDS Wildcat Climbers.
SCDS student, Krista Taylor, and her parents, Mark and Liza Taylor,
spearheaded the communication and fundraising efforts. Having raised
over $24,000 in 2012 and taken 2nd place as a fundraising team, the
Wildcats were looking to make their mark in a BIG way in 2013.
What began as a fun idea to give back to the community and
get friends involved, turned into something greater. When SCDS
student, Duncan Glew, left in the middle of his 6th grade year to fight
Leukemia, the Big Climb tradition became more personal. According
to Pasma, “The students really wanted to rally and support Duncan.”
On the day of the event, SCDS Wildcats showed up in ‘Climbing for
Duncan’ shirts. Needless to say, Duncan was with them every step of
the way. According to Duncan’s mother, Gwen Glew, Duncan had just
been discharged from the hospital but arrived home just in time to see
the SCDS climbers on TV. “The smile on his face was priceless,” Gwen
said. “I’ll always be incredibly grateful to everyone at SCDS for doing
the climb for Duncan. It was emblematic of the true love and concern
the entire school community has shown for him from the beginning.”
The Wildcats went on to break all previous records with a remarkable
145 individuals participating, raising close to $80,000. Their efforts, and
their newly achieved first place fundraising team status, were further
highlighted by Jim Dever on Evening Magazine.
Pasma summed up her experience by saying, “For me, the biggest
achievement was seeing the community, and Duncan’s peers, rally
around him. That support speaks volumes of the SCDS community and
what we are really made of.”
The next Big Climb is set to take place March 23, 2014. SCDS Wildcats
invite all alumni, families, and community members to join them in
their 1,311-step journey to climb, conquer, and cure!
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FALL 2013 | KINETICS
Students displayed their ‘Climbing for Duncan’ t-shirts.
“I was really touched by the effort my
friends, their families, and my teachers
put into this event. I had just had a rough
hospital stay, I could barely walk, and it was
a real boost to my psyche. Seeing people
saying kind words about me, showing they
cared on TV was a fun, surreal opportunity
most people never experience. I can’t
express how thankful I am.”
DUNCAN GLEW
For information on
the Big Climb, visit:
www.bigclimb.org
Budding
RELATIONSHIPS
“As the years go by, it
becomes increasingly
difficult to remember
the person you were in
kindergarten. My buddy
refreshed many of those
memories, as well as
gave me an appreciation
for the excitement and
curiosity that 5- and
6-year-olds possess.”
KATE DAUGHERTY,
SCDS CLASS OF 2013
A COLLABORATIVE CULTURE AT SCDS BUILDS
TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS FROM DAY ONE.
SCDS Buddies, Brady Tessin and Hiro Schmidt,
enjoyed the annual pumpkin patch trip.
In keeping with tradition, thirty-two kindergarten students were
paired with their eighth grade buddies this past September.
Greeted with a balloon and a comforting smile, the duos
congregated at the first all-school assembly.
What do the students think?!
Although the ‘buddy’ tradition spans many years, kindergarten
teacher, Denise Luenow, believes that “Intermediate and Middle
School Head, Dan Sweeney, has done a phenomenal job ensuring
it has been a more deliberate partnership.”
Partial credit for these matches-made-in-heaven must also be
given to SCDS counselor, Amy Colfelt’s thoughtful observation
of each student prior to pairing. Feedback from the teachers
and students also play a part in the magic friendship formula.
According to Colfelt, “One thing that surprised me the most was
seeing who could rise to the occasion and be a responsible buddy
— not only responsible but genuinely caring and affectionate
towards their little charges. It was fun to see the older kids
get goofy and sweet, and enjoy the moment as much as their
kindergarten buddy. For a few moments, you could see them as
they were or who they will become.”
It is also a long-standing tradition that buddies engage in joint
seasonal activities. In addition to the first and last assembly balloon
ceremonies, they have traveled to the pumpkin patch, concocted
gingerbread houses, enjoyed Valentine exchanges and ventured
to the zoo. Last year, when the eighth graders were preparing to
travel to Iceland, their kindergarten buddies sent them off with a
tasty goodbye which included traditional Icelandic Kyriaki yogurt
and berries. While there, the eighth graders penned postcards to
keep the kindergartners informed of their travels.
A goal this year for middle school math teacher, Eddie Feeley, will
be to conduct at least one buddy-related activity each month. In
kindergarten teacher Robyn Filimaua’s words, “This will help them
develop more communicable bonds.”
One merely has to visit the playground or hop
on the bus at Winterim to see the budding
friendships in full force. Eighth graders tend to
keep an eye on their buddies, and now, when
they walk through the hallway outside the
kindergarten classrooms, they actually stop to
look for their buddies’ artwork hanging on the
walls. “Eighth graders are much quieter in the
halls now than they were last year. They just
realized there are younger children in here,”
Lower School Head, Jackie Bradley, stated.
“I have seen much more playground and hall
interaction.” Denise Luenow concurs and feels
that when the eighth graders are near their
buddies, they are much more aware of their
behavior.
Curriculum and SEL ties?
Of course the ties to Social Emotional Learning
are more organic in form, however, the goal
is to add a purposeful SEL activity this year.
When it comes to the activities and adventures
the buddies can engage in together, the sky
is the limit. Dan Sweeney feels that, “For the
eighth graders, it is a leadership opportunity
and an opportunity to give back to the SCDS
community.”
At the end of the day, one thing is certain ...
the eighth graders aren’t worried about looking
cool in front of their friends — they are having
just as much fun as the kindergartners!
KINETICS | FALL 2013
7
CAMPUS PROJECTS
MADE
TO MEET
PROGRAM
NEEDS
Two recent improvements
have further modernized
the school grounds, the first
major changes since SCDS’s
comprehensive campus
renovations in 2007.
Photo of the renovated SCDS playground, fall, 2013.
“The new playground
is a big hit with our
students. The design
really maximizes our
space and engages
the children at play.”
JACKIE BRADLEY
Last September, a new gym was completed. Due to permit
and property issues, the footprint of the old building
remained. The down-to-the-studs construction project took
place over two summers and transformed the space with a
new floor, energy-efficient lighting and ventilation, renovated
classrooms, improved seating, new bathrooms, and an inviting
vestibule which connects to the Lower School building.
“The new gym is used by almost every SCDS student every
day,” said Athletic Director and Lower School physical
education teacher, Chuck Lintz. “With higher enrollment
and more students participating in sports and activities,
the gym fills an important program need. We appreciate
our new facilities.”
One interesting feature of the new gym is the re-use of
the old floor, now repurposed as an attractive wall which
surrounds the entire gym. For school assemblies and other
events in the gym, a mobile carpet is used to cover and
safeguard the new maple floor.
The second project, a reconstructed playground, was
completed just in time for the 2013-14 school year. The new
and improved playground has better drainage, a new rubber
sports court surface, better space allocation of defined play
areas, and new play and climbing equipment, the latter
complete with an artificial turf to improve safety.
“The new playground is a big hit with our students,” said
Lower School Head, Jackie Bradley. “The design really
maximizes our space and engages the children at play.”
Both projects represent substantial investments in the SCDS
campus, approximately $2.1 million total, made possible
thanks to individual donations, funds from three SCDS
auctions (including Raise-the-Paddle/Fund-a-Need initiatives),
and the school’s capital reserves.
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FALL 2013 | KINETICS
SCDS LUNCH PROGRAM:
A Closer Look at
This past fall, SCDS launched a new hot lunch
program. Founder, Teri Esensten, gives us a sneak
peek behind the scenes ...
How did you come up with the name NEST? “Nest
stands for Nutritional Excellence for Students and
Teachers. It is a branch of Cafe Stellina Catering. The
catering came first and we say that the lunch program is
a sort of division of the catering company. It is fun to do
‘grown up’ events, but to see the lunch program grow and
develop is really exciting.”
Can you speak more to your early beginnings and
how your vision for the catering company manifested?
“Initially we had a restaurant and catered from there.
Ultimately, the fluctuating business of being in a restaurant
made it difficult to run a family. I took a job at Giddens
Preschool overhauling their food program and thought this
concept would do really well at other schools. Last year we
had a lot of interest and we continue to add more schools.
SCDS is the first ‘satellite’ kitchen (aside from Giddens)
where NEST is cooking on-site. For us this is an exciting
opportunity to grow the program in a different way and
customize to the school.”
Will there be a specific chef? “Nora Gause from Bright
Horizons will be manning the SCDS NEST kitchen. Barbara
Bullatt will also be here every day serving. Both have early
teen children and have worked with kids — there are no
novices here!”
How do you manage to keep lunches healthy and
diverse? “We use the food processer — which we jokingly
refer to as our ‘employee of the month’ — in every sauce,
with freshly ground vegetables. Even if it looks like the
students are having spaghetti and meatballs they are still
getting kale, carrots, celery, etc. We use a lot of dark, leafy
greens in the sauces. You can taste them and not see
them, and our dream is they develop a taste for that. Spice
things up with cumin and go in a route that is unfamiliar
but familiar at the same time.”
Is there a structure or pattern in the meal types each
week or month? “We have a different entrée every day
of the month. We try to globe trot and hit a lot of areas
of the world (Latin, Asian, European-inspired dishes, etc.).
Students typically decide whether they are going to eat it
or not before they taste it.”
NEST
Lead Chef,
Nora Gause (L)
& Teri Esensten,
NEST Founder.
How do you manage to satisfy the sweet tooth and are
dietary restrictions accommodated? “Yes! We bake treats
every day and everybody receives a mini dessert of some
kind. For the entrée, or vegetable on the side, there will be
enough for them to have seconds if they are still hungry.
If you’re not crazy about the entrée, you can have another
salad or more fruit. We are using the old school lunch trays
with divided compartments and aim for segmented sides.”
Can I sign up mid-year? “You can sign up each month.
From a purchasing and preparation standpoint, it is helpful
to know ahead of time how many are signed up. A week-inadvance notice for the following month is fantastic. Go to
the website to sign up: www.cafestellinacatering.com.”
Do meals in your household take on a Nest-quality?
“They do because my daughter is a vegetarian. In my
house they fight over brussels sprouts and green beans.
We are veggie happy! There is always a veggie option for
those who are not meat eaters but also a few entrées each
week are highlighting veggies anyhow.”
How many are signed up now? “Over 200 students were
signed up as of fall, 2013. We are also opening NEST up to
the teachers. The cost per-month varies, however it all boils
down to $4.50/day.”
What most excites you about catering to the SCDS
community this year? “The reputation of your school
is amazing and the kids here seem to be very open to
learning – learning is GREAT for them. Having new things
in their life is exciting for them which also can translate into
trying new foods.”
KINETICS | FALL 2013
9
AROUND THE
SCHOOL
AIMING HIGH This past August,
nearly 500 of the
top youth climbers,
from 34 countries
around the globe,
competed in
the Climbing
World Youth
Championships in
Central Saanich,
BC, Canada. Eighth grader, Melina
Costanza, represented the USA in
the Female, U-15 Sport Climbing
category, with a 12th place finish
overall. Keep up the wonderful work
Melina and go Wildcats!
Congratulations to 8TH GRADER,
JESSICA CHIN, named one of
America’s most outstanding youth
volunteers by the Prudential Spirit
of Community Awards this past
winter, 2013. Jessica was recognized
for her service in helping homeless
families and our local Humane Society
chapter. Congratulations are also
in store for 4TH GRADER, CHIRAG
VERMA, recipient of a National level
bronze medal in Kangaroo Math
Competitions this past year.
Jeff Santangelo Award for
Excellence in Sportsmanship:
John Randolph
The Doug Glenn Memorial Award:
Ellie Beshlian and Molly McCammon
Library Services Award:
Joëlle Dong Heller
Gary Kohlwes Community Service
Award: The SCDS Wildcat Climbers
The Linda Murray Focus Choir
Award: Max Rogers and
Charlotte Seaver
The Larry Guldberg Inquiring
Mind Award: Jack Melin and
Madison Onsager
SCDS RECOGNITION CEREMONY
Students receiving special recognition
from teachers this past spring include:
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FALL 2013 | KINETICS
This past summer, the following SCDS
teachers attended a 4-day summer
Social Emotional Learning training
program: Eddie Feeley (grade 6 & 8
math), Ellie Peterson (grade 6 science),
Crystal Aspen (grade 4-8 art), and Julia
Correll (grade 3). Also in attendance
was SCDS Intermediate and Middle
School Head, Dan Sweeney, and
kindergarten teacher, Robyn Filimaua.
They shared their experiences with
SCDS colleagues during faculty
in-service.
The Award for Excellence in
Technology: Ryan Ressmeyer
Community Caretaker Award:
Vanessa Lincoln and Asta Wylie
Dedicated Scholar Award:
Noah White and Claire Trop
Creative Expression Award:
Emily Guinee and Samantha Seaver
WELCOME NEW SCDS STAFF
SCDS is excited to welcome new staff
for the 2013-14 school year. Pictured
are: Colton Vander Vliet (Teacher’s
Aide), Joseph Tchen (Teacher’s
Aide), Brian Dwinelle (Director
of Technology), Andrea Sanders
(Director of Advancement), Erin Perry
(Development Coordinator), and Julia
Correll (grade 3 teacher). In addition,
SCDS has also recently welcomed
Admissions Assistant, Olivia Ruggieri!
WALKING SCHOOL BUS
Eddie Feeley, John Randolph, and former
SCDS faculty member, Jeff Santangelo.
SEL SUMMER TRAINING
As part of the Healthy Transportation
Initiative, launched by SCDS parents,
Elta Ratliff and Jean Lee, students
walk to school. Healthy transportation
trends continued every Wednesday
throughout October!
“IT’S NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO
YOU. IT’S WHAT YOU DO WITH
WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU.”
This is the message Chris Waddell
communicated to SCDS 3-8th graders.
During an assembly, Waddell shared
stories, including his life-changing
accident experienced while competing
as a skier at
Middlebury
College.
Enduring a fall
which severed
two vertebrae,
Waddell went
on to join the
U.S. Disabled Ski
Team, win 12 medals as a monoskier,
and become the most decorated male
skier in Paralympic history. Waddell’s
fearless and bold message set the
perfect tone, paving the way for SCDS
Social Emotional Learning growth and
discussion this year.
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
SCDS art teacher, Winnie
Chapin Young, along with
her husband, Professor
John T. Young, recently
published Guns for Judea
under the pen name
J.W. Yanowitz. Also, SCDS language
arts teacher, Brian
Crawford, published
The Weaver’s Scar: For
Our Rwanda. These two
books serve a common
purpose to inspire and
educate readers.
2013-14 BOARD OF TRUSTEES In June, the SCDS Board of Trustees said good-
bye to retiring trustees, Nancy Senseney and Mike Nesteroff. During their years
of service and leadership, SCDS improved its governance, upgraded campus
facilities, and added sustainability as part of the school’s operations.
The Board also welcomed three new trustees: Kristina Belfiore, Ken Hunt,
and Tsering Short. SCDS is thankful for the experience, expertise, and vision
they will bring to the Board. According to Board President, Anne Schaefer,
“The Board is focused on continuing to work toward achieving strategic plan
goals, especially related to equity, inclusion, and preparation for SCDS’s 50th
Anniversary during the 2014-15 school year.”
SCDS ALUMNA, PAST
BOARD MEMBER,
PARENT, AND
FORMER CEO OF REI,
SALLY JEWELL, was
nominated (and later
confirmed) Secretary,
U.S. Department of
Interior, by President
Barack Obama this past
February, 2013.
2012-13 FUNDRAISING SUCCESS
Much gratitude is due to our fabulous
2012-13 Annual Fund Chairs, Elta
and Warren Ratliff, who raised
over $363,000 for SCDS with 93%
participation from families. We are
also grateful to our 2013 Auction
Chairs, Teri Franklin and Courtney
Witter. Their leadership in ‘Under
the Big Top’ raised over $426,000
for SCDS. Without our dedicated
Chairs, Leadership Team, volunteers,
and community, none of these fundand friend-raisers would have been
possible.
Mark your
calendars for
this year’s
auction,
Come
Together,
March 29th,
2014.
THE ROSE BOYLE HOUSE
Seattle Country Day School is forever indebted to
Rose Boyle, long-time parent, volunteer, board
chair, auction chair, and visionary. In appreciation
of her time and talents, the SCDS Yellow House
was renamed in her honor. We invite you to stop by
the Rose Boyle House to view the beautiful plaque
dedicated in her memory.
SCDS also said farewell to two former SCDS parents,
Philip Johnson and Lee Trousdale. Both passed
away earlier this year and will be missed by family
and the extended SCDS community.
Many thanks to SCDS TEACHER, SUSAN MISE, for twelve years of
dedicated service. Susan retired from SCDS this past June, 2013.
A beloved member of the SCDS community, and devoted second grade
teacher, Susan will be sorely missed!
KINETICS | FALL 2013
11
CLASS
NOTES
ROBIN SALANT ’85 is living in
Memphis, TN with husband Erik
Jambor. They welcomed daughter,
Simone, to the world last October.
Salant is working in art and film.
She visits Seattle most summers and
loves catching up with SCDS friends.
KATHERINE (RAFF) COLE ’86 completed
her second book, Complete Wine Selector:
How to Choose the Right Wine Every Time.
Cole is the wine columnist for The Oregonian
newspaper and contributes to Wine Spectator.
JEFF JORGENSON
‘86 recently started Seattle’s first green
funeral home — Elemental Cremation
& Burial — and is getting married this
September to his beautiful bride,
Dr. Alicia Grattan!
SUSANNA ‘MATSEN’ NAZARIAN
’89 is thrilled to have joined the
faculty as Assistant Professor at
the University of Washington
in Transplant Surgery. Susanna
traveled to Italy this past summer
with her husband, Saman and
daughter, Madeline.
MAX WAUGH ’90 After closing his marketing company in 2008,
Max chose to pursue his passion for wildlife photography fulltime. He enjoys exploring and documenting wildlife hotspots,
both locally and overseas. Next year’s travels will include
Yellowstone, Costa Rica, and South Africa. Follow his work at
MaxWaugh.com.
CATHERINE BURNS HUMBERT ‘91 is very excited to return to
the SCDS family. Her son Théo is starting kindergarten with the
class of 2022! Dad, Olivier and little sister, Camille (age 1.5), are
also looking forward to Wildcat adventures. BEN AHRONI ’96 released an app for iOS that
is available in Apple’s App Store. It is called
SideCast, and enables you to use your iOS
device to communicate with others nearby in a
whole new way. Ben’s app was featured on the
Belus Capital Advisors site.
12
FALL 2013 | KINETICS
KEEP US POSTED!
Have news or stories to share about
yourself or a former SCDS student?
Email or address changes? Contact:
alumni@seattlecountryday.org.
ALEXANDRA VON DER
EMBSE ’97 graduated
from the Curtis Institute
of Music in 2012 in Oboe
Performance, and is currently
pursuing a career in chamber
music in Philadelphia. She
performs with a quintet she
founded, E39, and has worked with Emmy-winning ensemble
eighth blackbird and performed as the Ensemble-In-Residence
at the Lake George Music Festival. Alexandra also participated
in Music from Angel Fire’s prestigious Young Artist Program.
PAIGE PAULI ‘00 works in Seattle
as an independent UX/UI designer
and front-end developer, helping
technology startups create products
that are at the same time beautiful,
usable, and useful. She lives with her
husband, Trevor, on Queen Anne
and is currently absorbed by the
remodel of their 1910 duplex.
PETER KIRK ’03 started medical school at
the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor
this August. He graduated from the
Northwest School in 2007, and from Colby
College in 2011, where he majored in cell
and molecular biology/biochemistry and
graduated Summa Cum Laude and Phi
Beta Kappa.
KARLIN KRISHNASWAMI ‘04 graduated
in May, and went to Austin, TX to race
a solar car. Afterwards, she completed
a solo road trip from St. Louis to Santa
Cruz. She’s currently in Boston, and will
soon be heading back to St. Louis where
she will be teaching college students
how to be more effective learners.
She’s headed to New Zealand for a
backpacking trip in December.
OWEN WURZBACHER ‘05 graduated in May, 2013
from Harvard University with a concentration in Human
Evolutionary Biology.
AND THEY’RE OFF!
Visit ‘Stay Connected’ in the Alumni
section of the SCDS website for access
to Facebook & LinkedIn and stay
tuned for updates on SCDS’s 50th
Anniversary Alumni Reunion Weekend
set for spring of 2015!
SCDS CLASS OF 2013 IS OFF TO HIGH SCHOOL:
Aviation High School, Ballard High School,
Eastside Catholic, Eastside Prep, Holy Names,
Ingraham APP Program, Kent High School,
Lakeside School, National Cathedral School (D.C.),
Palo Alto Center High School (CA), SAAS, Seattle
Prep, The Bush School, The Northwest School, and
Transitional Program at UW
CHARLIE MOTZER ‘06 is studying at
Cornell University where he plays rugby
and is the Battalion Commander of the
Naval ROTC Unit. TOM MOTZER ‘07
is studying at Whitman College where
he plays for the varsity soccer team.
CAROLINE MOTZER ‘11 attends Seattle
Prep and rows for the Pocock Rowing
Center. Her team just returned from
Nationals.
SCDS CLASS OF 2009 IS HEADING TO COLLEGE:
Brown University, Carleton College, Carnegie
Mellon, Claremont McKenna College, Dartmouth
College, Emory University, Furman University,
George Washington University, Grinnell College,
Kenyon College, Lewis & Clark College, Macalester
College, Northwestern University, Oregon State
University – Honors College, Pomona College,
Rhode Island School of Design, Santa Clara
University, Skidmore College, Stanford University,
University of Oregon – Clark Honors College,
University of Southern California, University of
Washington, Washington University – St. Louis,
Willamette University, and Williams College
SCDS Class of 2013.
SAM HOPKINS ‘07
graduated from
the University of
Washington in June
with a degree in
Mathematics and
Computer Science
and a minor in Philosophy. He was UW’s
2013 Natural Sciences Dean’s Medalist.
He spent the summer backpacking
through Vietnam and Japan, and this
fall will join Cornell University as a Ph.D.
student and NSF Graduate Research
Fellow. Sam was recently featured in
Perspectives, the newsletter of the
University of Washington College of
Arts and Sciences.
FIONA BUCK ‘09
graduated from Cate
School (CA) this past
May. She was one
of sixty members of
the Class of 2013.
Buck was awarded
the Joseph Bradley
Art Prize. She will
attend Rhode Island School of Design in
Providence, RI in the fall. After completing their sophomore years
in High School, KAJ BOSTROM ‘11 and
JAMES SENSENEY ‘11 will be attending
the University of Washington this fall
through the UW early entrance program.
Kaj was also named a National Merit
Scholarship Semi-Finalist this fall.
A few members of SCDS Class of
2009 gathered this past May, 2013.
SCDS CLASS OF 2010: Congratulations to
the following for attaining National Merit
Scholarship Semi-Finalist Awards this fall: Nathan
Cummings, John Daugherty, Vikram Dhawan,
Max Hopkins, Brice Hulse, Richard ‘Trey’ Leigh,
Grant Price, Tim Randolph, Sebastian Schneider,
Alex Wade, and Fletcher Woodruff
ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT: “Yes, I can come visit you in
Hiroshima,” Matthew Bateman, a Willamette University
student, wrote in his email. Matthew was a former third
grade student of Dr. JoAnn Sims, prior to her retirement
from SCDS in 2007. In 2011, Dr. Sims and her husband
became co-directors of a peace organization named World
Friendship Center (WFC), in Hiroshima.
Upon visiting Hiroshima, Matthew listened to a
“Hibakusha” (atomic bomb survivor) and was led around
Peace Memorial Park. He learned of WFC’s motto: To
foster peace, one friend at a time. This concept was applied when Matthew brought
14 international Rotarians back to WFC to discuss the importance of peace. His
visit was capped off with other sight-seeing
adventures such as: Mitaki Temple, Mitsumien,
the retirement home for survivors, and breakfast
with international guests.
Matthew’s experience helped him realign
personal goals and, perhaps, his professional
goals as well. In Dr. Sim’s words, “It was a
privilege to meet a former student as an adult
with an inquiring mind and compassionate spirit.”
KINETICS | FALL 2013
13
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SCDS students got
creative this past
summer in their Pursuit
of the Perfect Place
to Read. Librarian,
Debbie Pearson,
organized the annual
summer reading
promotion to prepare
for a school year full of
great books and great
reading spaces!
Kinesis comes from the Greek word for motion,
and “kinetics” is used in the vernacular to
describe mechanics associated with the forces
that cause motions of bodies. At SCDS, we’re
all about energy and active learning. Every day,
SCDS teachers engage students’ minds and
bodies through inquiry-based teaching.