The Future is Bright

Broadwater Insights
By Joseph Spagnolo
Head of School
The past is prologue and based on
that past the future is bright… FACT VS. FICTION
We are at the midpoint of the summer and I want to give you an update on all things Broadwater.
To begin, I want to tell you we are poised for a very exciting school year starting this fall.
This spring and summer have been very busy times for us. We are looking at the past, our
successes, and building for the future.
To that end, we appreciate that establishing and improving student skills start in the beginning –
the Lower School. As young children develop and grow, those skills become more complex. Most
importantly these skills must be built sequentially. All of our efforts must be coordinated.
By the time Middle school arrives, we must check to be sure we are on the right course for each
student. We must be sure, metaphorically, that the foundation is solid. Those middle years are
critical, for it is at this point that careful introspection and adjustment become the “jumping off
point” to integrated academic accomplishment and success at the Upper School and beyond.
In simple terms, the success we see on graduation night starts at the beginning in the Lower
School. It is nurtured in the Middle School, and brought to fruition at the Upper School. Teaching
and learning is not a single event or even series of loosely interrelated events, but a “gestalt” where
the whole is greater than sum of the parts. The curriculum is not a segmented and disjointed
thing, but it is seamless, and all the parts are connected.
With these thoughts in mind our work this spring and summer has been devoted to creating and
implementing a stronger and more “connected” curriculum across the board. We are filling holes
and managing detours. We are introducing state of the art materials and programs. Here is an
early look at just some of the things we are addressing:
Math, Science and Technology:
• In recent years our Lower and Middle School math has included the Go Math series. Go
Math integration was a great success, and this coming year we will add a challenging series
that builds on that achievement in a consistent manner.
• Across the board we are evaluating and enhancing our current math curriculum to coincide
the new SAT and AP requirements.
• In Upper School, we are offering a greater number of courses in applied mathematics and
science. We believe it is important to prepare students to make choices as they continue their
education beyond Broadwater. In this technological world, understanding and being able to
apply mathematics is vital.
• Throughout the Pre-K to Grade 12 continuum we emphasizing our unique location between
the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, instilling an appreciation of our heritage and
the world in which we live.
Robotics and Coding:
• The robotics initiative will be continuing in the Middle School but on an enhanced basis.
• The First Lego League teams will be participating in a robotics competition in November.
• At the Upper School level, we will be adding Computer Languages – including HTML
and JavaScript.
The Humanities:
• We consider the arts to be essential to providing a well-rounded education for children.
• We are continuing to offer vocal ensemble in the Upper School.
• We are strengthening our music offering to include a Broadwater Academy Band in
Middle School.
• We are introducing a new English and Language Arts curriculum that will provide for a full
and consistent Kindergarten through Grade 6 experience for all aspects of language arts and
will allow us to remediate and enrich in accordance with each student’s needs.
Broadwater is about to close. FALSE
The school is neither about to close nor will
it close in the foreseeable future. We are
celebrating our 50th Anniversary and are
looking forward to the next 50 years and
beyond.
Broadwater is having financial
difficulties. FALSE
We are in the final stages of sorting
out the financial mismanagement and
misappropriation of funds in recent years,
but thanks to various measures by the current
financial team, that has not had an impact on
the school’s overall fiscal health. We have a
balanced budget.
Broadwater is dropping out of the
Metro Conference. FALSE
Our sports program is at an all-time high.
Athletics are a vitally important part of who
we are, and the Metro Conference is clearly the
best option for us.
Broadwater will no longer have a
football team. FALSE
Athletics, and football in particular, have been
a solid tradition at Broadwater. We pride
ourselves on the access our students have to
play on all of our sports teams. We have broad
participation in all of our athletic programs,
and we are proud of how well our athletic
programs perform. We had no fewer than eight
students sign letters of intent to participate in
college athletics.
Broadwater is cutting its number of
school days. FALSE
Broadwater has actually added days to the
school year. This year there will be 180 days of
school, up 10 days from previous years.
Our academics are robust, challenging, and exciting but in the last few months we have also had to
put our financial house in order. We are moving from deficits to living within our means in order to
make Broadwater Academy effective, efficient, and fiscally responsible.
Needless to say making changes to fit the reality of shrinking number of students, not only at
Broadwater but on the entire Eastern Shore, has necessitated “right sizing” the staff. However,
unlike most businesses in our circumstance we did so through furloughing staff rather than
terminating personnel.
All of these decisions were difficult. The people affected are not only colleagues but friends. I know
some will disagree with my decisions, but they have been dominating my thoughts for many weeks
and months.
I am gratified to tell you that we have a balanced budget for the coming year. Historically, we have
operated at a deficit by spending next year’s money this year. This is no longer the case. We have
made great strides in collecting from those who had not paid what they owed to the school, and
that effort continues. We have made adjustments in staff consistent with enrollment. Lest these
words ring hollow, those two adjustments alone have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars.
I now want to respond to some specific questions about staff changes. These are as follows:
•
Were administrative and staff positions affected? Yes. Administrative and staff positions
have been eliminated and reduced in time. The administrative payroll when compared to last
year has decreased by a little over 20 percent.
•
In reality, do furlough and termination mean the same thing? No. Furloughed personnel
have some benefits and could be recalled. Persons terminated have neither.
•
Why did this problem happen suddenly? It didn’t. Very little was done for years to adjust
the size of the staff and deal with budget deficits.
FACT VS. FICTION
Broadwater is losing kids to other
schools. FALSE
We are losing some kids to other schools
and we are gaining kids from other schools.
The net gain and loss is probably a wash. In
addition, there are some kids whose parents
have difficulty paying the tuition and are
choosing less expensive options. Our niche
is high quality and with that comes a higher
cost. Lastly, there are a few people who owe
school significant amounts of money. Those
parents will not be permitted to re-enroll their
children unless and until they pay their past
due balance.
The data clearly and unequivocally show that.
We have been and continue to be successful in
getting kids into great colleges and universities.
Our acceptance rate at the University of
Virginia, for example, is nothing short of
phenomenal. The same can be said for Virginia
Tech and other state and national colleges.
Broadwater will not be offering
AP courses or Dual Enrollment
in the future. FALSE
Will those persons who have been at the school for a long period of time and may
be approaching retirement be recognized? Yes, absolutely. Keep in mind that most, if
not all, could remain on furlough status if they so choose, and therefore will be recognized at
the appropriate time.
Broadwater is committed to the AP and the
Dual Enrollment programs going forward, and
in fact will potentially expand offerings in these
areas – stay tuned.
•
Will programs be eliminated? No. All programs will continue and may infact be improved
upon, including extracurricular activities.
Our competition results have been
fantastic. TRUE
If you have further questions or comments, I will be happy to talk with you.
I thank you for your help and support.
Sincerely,
As the 2015-16 school year has come to an end, Broadwater would like to remember some of the top achievements, activities, and
milestones the school, its students, faculty, and alumni accomplished over the past nine months. We planned a top ten list, but it was
impossible to limit it to just ten accomplishments, so we have twelve.
12
Cross-Grade Experiences
11
Middle School Sports
Broadwater is the preeminent college
preparatory school in the area. TRUE
•
We have faced many challenges, but we have been successful in dealing with them. My
commitment is not only to maintain Broadwater Academy but to make it stronger.
2015 - 2016 Broadwater Academy
Top XXXXX
Ten Twelve List!
Our inaugural Marine Robotics team went to
the national SeaPerch championship sponsored
by the Unites States Navy, our Blue Crab Bowl
teams placed second and third at the regional
National Ocean Science Bowl competition, and
this year’s statewide Model General Assembly
voted one of our students to be Attorney
General.
10
9
This year saw many fabulous cross-grade experiences. Graduation Walk, Field Day,
peer-mentoring opportunities, and blended field trips give young and old students a
chance to make lasting impressions and build strong bonds. As just one example, this
spring Grade 4 students joined Grade 10 students on a trip to the Mariners Museum.
Engagement reaches an all-time high when you can walk through the Age of Discovery
exhibit hand-in-hand with your favorite Viking scholar-athlete!
Broadwater’s Middle School girls volleyball team finished first in the regular season, the
Middle School boys football team finished at .500 for the first time in anyone’s memory,
and Grade 8 student Sophie Watson earned All-State in Cross Country and in three
events in Track and Field. Based on these Viking achievements, the future looks bright
for Broadwater sports!
Teacher Selected for “Teacher at Sea” Arctic Research
Upper School Science Teacher Sandra Thornton is one of eight teachers across
the United States selected by the National Science Foundation to participate in the
PolarTREC Arctic research program. This summer she is spending spend five weeks
aboard the US Coast Guard ship Healy in the Chukchi Sea off the coast of Alaska. She is
an active member of a research team engaging in state-of-the-art photographic mapping
using remote operated vehicles. “I want our students to be agents of change in our world, fearless
explorers, and lovers of science,” she said. Last summer Mrs. Thornton traveled to India
through the U.S. Department of State Teachers for Global Classrooms fellowship.
Upper School Student Places Second at Tri-State Math Competition
In November, Grade Eleven student Winnie Wei placed second at Salisbury University’s
32nd annual Eastern Shore Mathematics Competition. The highly competitive contest
attracts the best schools and students from the Delmarva region. This year’s competition
hosted more than 80 top math students from more than 20 high schools in Delaware,
Maryland, and Virginia. “Broadwater Academy delivers the very best science and math
curricula to students from a wide area. It is an honor to work with motivated students
in their academic endeavors,” said Winnie’s mathematics teacher, Dr. Mark Mentzer.
“Winnie and I talk about math every day. She is a diligent, extremely bright student and
I am very proud of her.”
8
Performing Arts Shine!
7
Two Broadwater Teams Place at National Ocean Science Blue Crab Bowl
jspagnolo@broadwateracademy.org
757.442.9041 x111
Broadwater students continued to excel in the performing arts with five Vikings being
named to the District Chorus, having competed against 800 choir students in Norfolk,
Virginia Beach, and the Eastern Shore; 23 students making All Shore Chorus, the most
from any ESVA school; and two very talented students being accepted to college band
programs. Bravo!
Broadwater had its best performance ever at the regional National Ocean Science
Bowl competition in February, placing its teams third and fourth, defeating teams from
across the state. The contest tested students’ knowledge of oceanography, geology,
biology, maritime history and policy. The theme of the 2016 National Ocean Sciences
Bowl and its local competitions was “Our Changing Ocean: Science for Strong Coastal
Communities,” a natural for the Eastern Shore of Virginia.
6
Expanded Lower School Extracurriculars
5
Regional Fine Arts Awards
4
Girls and Boys Track and Field State Champions
3
SeaPerch Robotics National Championships
2
Outstanding Year in College Admissions
The Lower School enhanced its extra-curricular opportunities by adding Destination
Imagination in Kindergarten through Grade 4, intramural sports in Grades 1 through
Grade 4, Junior Beta Club in Grade 4, and Student Council in Grades 1 through Grade
4. High quality early education is critical to future success, and Broadwater is committed
to advancing children academically, socially, and emotionally and to instilling leadership,
resilience, and critical thinking skills from an early age.
Not to be outdone by the performing arts, our students continue to place in local and
regional fine arts competitions, as well. Grade 7 student Miles McIntyre placed 1st in
the International Migratory Bird Day Art Contest hosted by the Chincoteague National
Wildlife Refuge. In addition, Grade 12 student, Sarah Cashwell, won the Eastern Shore
Birding and Wildlife Festival Art Contest for the second time.
Coming into the state Track and Field meet as underdogs, both the girls and boys teams
emerged as state champions. This is the first time in history boys and girls teams from
the same independent school have won the track and field championship in the same
year. It is also the first ever state title in any sport for Broadwater’s girls.
Broadwater’s Upper School students proved that they are among the top marine robotics
students in the United States. Broadwater Academy swept the top categories and
was named “1st Place Overall High School” at the regional SeaPerch marine robotics
competition held in Salisbury, Maryland this spring. Broadwater’s team of Jimmy Lord,
Elijah Turner, and Coach Dr. Mark Mentzer traveled to the national championships at
Louisiana State University. Although the national championship eluded the team this
year, we learned a great deal and will be back again in 2017!
Broadwater continued its tradition of 100% college acceptance for the class of 2016.
The 30 members of the Class of 2016 were accepted to 50 colleges/universities (24 in
Virginia, 26 out-of-state) and were offered $3,161,680.00 in scholarships. Students will
attend colleges in Virginia, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Vermont, Tennessee, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
And the Number One event at
Broadwater Academy
in the 2015-2016 school year is . . .
drum roll please!
1
Broadwater turns fifty years old!
From humble beginnings in 1966 in a house in Belle Haven, Broadwater today is the Eastern Shore’s preeminent independent college
preparatory school. The school has come a long way and today offers top-quality education to students in Pre-K through Grade Twelve
with an emphasis on science, engineering, and math and strong curriculum in the humanities. The Broadwater community celebrated the
50th anniversary with a “Groovy Gala” that highlighted a 1960’s theme. It was far out!
If you have items that you think should have been included on the list (and there are many!) please e-mail them to
Airlia Gustafson at agustafson@broadwateracademy.org. Help us publish a second list!
3 5 0 0 B r o a d w a t e r R o a d • E x m o r e , V i r g i n i a • 2 3 3 5 0 • 7 5 7 . 4 4 2 . 9 0 4 1 • w w w. b r o a d w a t e r a c a d e m y. o r g