S Current SCDS Students This Way: and Former Families and Friends
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s » fall 2008 Inquire. Create. Nurture. c seattle country day school magazine d s after school at scds: it’s the from the head of school Kinetics dear friends, editor as each school year begins, our teachers, Joan Hudson administrators, and trustees ponder their contributors own goals, charges, and objectives which Allison (Doyle) Bass ‘91 Traci Walker Blair will guide their work and thinking in the Joan Hudson months ahead. With role clarity, everyone Mary Lowry works toward the same end: making seattle Susan Mise Michael Murphy country day school the best place it can be. design/Production Contemplating my role for the coming year, and informed by the Christa Fleming Design school’s strategic planning initiatives and input from the Board of on the cover Trustees, I always start with the school’s mission. All schools want their SCDS Ultimate team member students to reach their potential. At SCDS, our mission is to serve the unique educational needs of gifted children. The needs of SCDS students are no greater or less important than Kinetics is produced by Seattle other students; they are just different. A graduate of SCDS described Country Day School for its current SCDS students this way: and former families and friends. Inquiries may be sent to Seattle “They are highly inquisitive, and rarely satisfied with information. They Country Day School, 2619 4th are often more interested in theory (why) than knowledge (what). They Avenue N, Seattle, WA, 98109. may prefer to develop their own processes for problem-solving… through reasoning and developing their own algorithms instead of just applying given solutions. They can be socially ostracized from the scds mission their typical age-peers, regardless of their actual social ability.” Seattle Country Day School is an independent kindergarten through At SCDS we respond to these needs through inquiry-based teaching, 8th grade school committed to problem-solving, an appreciation for complexity, and a differentiated developing the abilities of children of high intellectual and creative curriculum which offers depth over breadth. Learning happens at a promise. Using inquiry-based pace which allows for discovery, exploration, and creative application teaching strategies, SCDS pro- of skills and ideas. Such an approach helps students reach their full motes academic excellence and potential and—particularly in our K-8 model—establishes an intrinsic, enthusiasm for learning. Within a nurturing environment, the school lifelong love of learning. cultivates responsible behavior In this issue of Kinetics, we share an additional side of SCDS, one and honors each child. that provides our students with challenges beyond the classroom. As non-discrimination Patrick Bassett, President of the National Association of Independent statement Schools, says, “Exceptional schools prepare people not only for this Seattle Country Day School year’s tests, but for all of life’s tests.” Since we teach the child as well strives to maintain a diverse school community. The school as the subject, after-school activities are so important, because they does not discriminate on the help to round-out our children. basis of race, religion, color, Thank you for your continued interest in and support of SCDS, its creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, or mission, and its people. disability in administration of its educational policies, admission, Best, financial aid, or any other school-administered programs. Michael G. Murphy, head of school after school at scds: it’s the “‘Back to the country!’ is the cry of the advocates of one of our sanest philanthropic movements,” exclaimed William Starr Myers in his 1912 paper, Country Schools for City Boys, describing the nascent Country Day School Movement. “To free thousands of our best citizens from the unwholesome and harmful influences of crowded houses, poor light, and bad air, and to restore them to the open field, free from unnatural restraints, and the blessing of sunshine, are objects worthy of the best efforts of the American people.” Though today, the scores of “Country Day” schools in America vary widely, this movement, which began in the late 19th century, sought to recreate the best of college prep boarding schools, while allowing students to return to their families at the end of the day. Avoiding the pollution, crime, and health problems of the 1900’s industrial city, Country Day Schools were located in what we now consider suburbs. Rather than “dawdling or loafing” said Mr. Myers, boys could “devote their afternoons to vigorous play” in a variety of activities. Ironically, Seattle Country Day School has one of the most urban campuses in Seattle. And at SCDS, the boys Mr. Meyers describes with “good red blood in their veins” have always been joined by girls. But more than 100 years after the movement’s beginnings, he would have delighted in the palette of after-school activities provided to our students. In our own modern way, we are keeping alive the best traditions of Country Day Schools by giving kids a variety of opportunities to run, sing, act, study, and develop a wide range of skills beyond the classroom. After school at SCDS: It’s the ultimate! fall 2008 page 1 after school at scds: it’s the Don’t call it Extended Day. That would not be cool. What happens at SCDS after school is known by students as X-Day. On any given day, almost half of the student body is involved in after-school programs. Out of that number, 50 to 75 kids attend X-Day. ”The key to this program is flexibility,” says Extended Day director Traci Blair. “We offer free time for class projects, computer games, library, arts and crafts, board games, gym time, reading, and various teacher- designed activities.” In addition to X-Day activities, SCDS clubs exist to meet a wide range of student interests: Chess, Clay Animation, Destination Imagination, Drama, Focus Choir, Jewelry-Making, and Math. For those who want a physical challenge, sports teams abound through the Athletics Department, that include soccer, cross-country, basketball, tennis, volleyball and ultimate. Clearly, there is a lot for eager kids to learn and do at SCDS after the regular school day is over! To parents everywhere: if you are dismayed by the Youth Ultimate for 16 years, and is an SCDS ultimate antics and poor sportsmanship of the pro-sports Coach, “That’s actually a great answer. Ultimate has world, be very glad if your child plays ultimate. This a quick learning curve. It’s easy like soccer, but less fast-moving game (formerly called ultimate frisbee) time consuming. When kids are little, it’s random that resembles soccer with a flying disc instead wild fun. As they progress they build endurance of a ball, has captured the interest of American because ultimate has even more running than kids, particularly on the east and west coasts. And soccer. Kids eventually develop what I call ‘field nowhere more than in Seattle. At SCDS, almost awareness’ and they learn how to think strategically. 100 Grade 4-8 students turn out for Ultimate in the The fact that they self-referee is incredible for ltimate? Spring—nearly a third of the student body! building sportsmanship, judgment, and maturity.” u Ultimate began in 1968 in Maplewood, New Jersey, nearly a It was over twenty years ago that when a group of students first played on an asphalt third of Mary began ultimate at SCDS. parking lot at their high school. As those students It was an elective played during graduated from high school, the game spread to the the scds lunchtime. She says, “I had to college level. Ultimate is unique among competitive student scrounge to find other teams for team sports because there are no referees. The body turns our students to play.” In 1984, she honor system prevails, guided by the “Spirit of out for was a founding member of Disc the Game.” An excerpt from ultimate rules states: ultimate! NW. “That first year, we had a total “Ultimate relies upon a spirit of sportsmanship that of 6 teams!” Today, that’s hard places the responsibility for fair play on the player. to believe given the turnout at Spring Reign, the Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at largest Youth Ultimate tournament in the nation. the expense of mutual respect among competitors, Held in Burlington, Washington, there are 70 teams adherence to the agreed upon rules, or the basic joy participating from elementary through high school. of play.” “SCDS has never focused on being a ‘sports school’ per se,” says Mary, “but it’s amazing to see the huge When asked why they like ultimate so much, kids involvement and bonding between our classes at will often respond, “Because I’m good at it!” Says Spring Reign. And most importantly, we are frequent grades 7-8 social studies teacher Mary Lowry, who winners of the Spirit of the Game Award, something What is it about has played ultimate at the highest levels, coached that has huge meaning for our students.” page 2 Kinetics chess club goes national Last spring, six grade 4-5 members of the 40-member SCDS Chess Club competed in the 2008 National Scholastic Chess Championship, as shown below from L to R: Zeb Burke-Conte, Mac Mowat, Will Howie, Austin Li, Noah Franklin, and Cameron Cummings. The tournament was held at the Pittsburgh Convention Center, which according to Cameron Cummings is a “really, really, really big place.” Each chess club member played seven long, formal chess games of up to four hours each “in an über-huge room that housed the 2,500 competitors” noted Cameron. He added, “my most exhilarating game was a loss against a player who used a super-sophisticated opening trap that I had never seen before.” The SCDS team was small but mighty.