HE OSTSCRIPT NovemberT 24, 2015 The Park SchoolP of BalTimore | 2425 old courT road, BalTimore, md 21208 Volume 73.1 Issue No.3 photo by M. Lipitz ’17 Dressed up for Halloween, recess supervisor Adam Rogers ’06 and extended day director Bart Cook cut the ribbon to the new Lower School playground Oct. 30. LS dedicates turf playground Lower School Principal Lisa Sun Cook said. by Cici Osias ’19 met with a team of faculty involved The School had hoped to replace with managing playground activity to the playground mat two years ago, And now there are two—turf decide what needed to be fixed. The but funds weren’t available at that fields, that is. After more than 10 team included Cook, Rogers, Direc- point. This year, administrators were years of children playing on the tor of Facilities Lorraine Breining, able to spend the $50,000 needed. Lower School playground’s rubber and Lower School Assistant Principal The turf was bought from a company mat surface, wearing it down, the Silvia Patterson. The team selected called Sparks at Play. school has replaced it with sand turf. and voted on playground material Lower School students and staff “It was definitely time for something samples and ultimately chose sand- are pleased with the results of the new,” Director of Extended Day Bart filled turf as the final material. playground renovation. The turf cov- Cook said. The new turf has a predicted life ers more area than the mat did, al- The old mat’s predicted lifetime expectancy of 15-20 years. “It looks lowing more activities to occur at the was 10 years. “It was really a deci- great; it’s a safe and soft cushiony same time. “We have our own little photo by N. Blau ’18 sion between continually repairing surface that supports lots of play and area where we can do what we want,” The new concession stand at Kelly Field, paid for by the class the old mat that we had and starting different activities. It looks like real Sofie Miller ’26 said. of 2015, will be open for the spring season. fresh,” recess supervisor Adam Rog- grass from a distance and comple- “I’m most looking forward to the ers ’06 said. ments our playground,” Sun said. enthusiasm for athletics in the youth The turf installation took approxi- The turf used on the playground is of our school,” Rogers said. Food stand opens in spring mately two weeks. After work was “It’s really soft and when we play different from the Kelly Field’s turf cocoa and pizza under a tent. completed last month, the school held soccer the ball doesn’t roll away so that opened last fall. The turf used on by Celka Rice ’19 Director of Athletics Robin Lowe a ribbon-cutting ceremony following fast,” Viviana Labellarte ’26 said. Kelly Field is filled with pellets made said that the stand will be student-run. the morning’s Halloween parade Oc- “Now the kids can do gymnastics of ground up tires, or crumb rubber. Artificial turf is not the only up- “The faculty is present in terms of tober 30. Teachers and children ap- and tumbling while sports like soc- The Lower School playground’s turf grade to Kelly Field. A new conces- helping to get all the supplies here,” plauded the upgrade. cer and football and other games are is filled with silica sand. “It’s softer sion stand, to be completed soon she said. At the beginning of the year, happening,” Cook said. than the old mat, more like grass,” and available for use by the spring Lowe believes that many students of 2016, will provide snacks and a will be able to use the stand by spring. chance for clubs to fundraise next to The stand is nearly complete, but Di- R. Loria redesigns service day Kelly Field. rector of Facilities Lorraine Breining The concessions stand will be said that the construction process has a half-day event. This proved to be a time on location, but it also did not by Aerin Abrams ’16 more than just a place for food. It been halted by a long wait for a cus- particularly big issue for groups seek- allow for student groups to have any will function as a place where ath- tom sliding door. Once finished, the In his second year as Director of ing a more substantial service activity sort of reflection or thought about letics can become a greater part of Dean of Students will decide which Civic Engagement, Rommel Loria off-campus. the context of their service work. “If school life. clubs use the new facilities for fun- has redesigned the annual Day of “If you’re lucky you went off you’re going to have that experience, “Upper School clubs will have the draising. Community Building, Service, and campus by 8:45,” Loria said. “It took let’s make the most of it,” Loria said. opportunity to use the new conces- Lowe said offerings that will be Reflection to become a full day. 20 to 30 minutes to get wherever you The redesigned day will most sion stand to sell treats to fans and sold will vary between clubs. But the Because the day has always taken were going, so at best you got there likely take place in the first week of raise money for their activities,” Up- options will be limited by the current place on the half-day before Thanks- at around 9:05,” he said. Loria noted April. The goal in restructuring the per School Dean of Students Traci lack of utilities within the stand. “As giving, a high percentage of students that since all buses have to be back day is to accommodate different stu- Wright said. far as I could see, there is no run- miss it due to travel plans. Last year on campus by 11:30, groups “had to dents’ areas of interest while ensuring Wright, who annually organizes ning water, and there is no electric- 33 percent of the Middle and Upper leave their activities by 11:00. That’s that whatever activity they choose to the Civil Rights Trip, was excited ity in there,” she said. Students could School was absent. Students have a best-case scenario of just less than pursue does not mark the end of their about the stand. It will be “a step up use an extension cord to connect to had minimal time to fully experience two hours.” day. from last year,” Wright said, when any type of work because it is only Not only did that mean minimal Day of Service, see p. 3 the Civil Rights Trip group sold hot Concession, see p. 3 INSIDE THE POSTSCRIPT NEWS COMMENTARY FEATURES ARTS & CULTURE SPORTS One Love Classic Literature ETHIC Addams Family Dan Lopez Seniors participated in a work- Should Park students be read- Rebecca Margolis ’17 started The gothic and comedic fall Trainer particpates in every shop on abusive relationships ing more traditional novels? an educational program to fos- musical ran from November 12 aspect of athletics department. run by the One Love Founda- ter interfaith dialogue. through November 14. tion. PAGE 3 PAGE 4 PAGE 6 PAGE 8 PAGE 11 EDITORIAL The Postscript NOVEMBER 24, 2015 2 Senior input overlooked mmersion Week is a great idea. It is Seniors led the push to have Immersion Iprogressive (we are a progressive Week again this year because we have only school, right?), and can be a fantastic expe- had one Immersion Week. What would have rience when well planned and fully funded. been our first Immersion Week in 2013 was It provides opportunities that are impossible replaced by a special program celebrating within a normal school day, like taking a trip the school’s Centennial. A number of stu- to Washington D.C., spending eight hours dents did not find those activities to be as creating theater, or learning to play bridge. valuable as they did last year’s Immersion But, only with meticulous planning can Week. graphic by N. Shtarkman ’16 the week be a success. The most fulfilling Much to our dismay, the faculty voted to n November 13, 2015, Paris suffered a direct surrender to the motives of the perpe- one of the most devastating terrorist trators of these attacks. Terrorism is an attempt projects require appropriate funding to get run the week during the beginning of senior O attacks on the western world. In nightmarish to create schisms between people in order to off-campus or purchase adequate supplies. projects. fashion 129 innocent people enjoying their Fri- spark more violence. These horrific actions are Additionally, the week works best with stu- At a school that prides itself on student day night out were slaughtered indiscriminately. attempts at division —calls for war. dents who are engaged not just in enjoying involvement, even creating a student com- Such senseless violence is unfortunately a This is not a time for separation, this is Immersion Week (and a break from home- mittee to help select a new Upper School part of life on this planet. On October 31, a a time for unity. We must not face this issue work), but also in organizing and leading principal, it is wrong that students were not Russian A321 airliner in Egypt was downed by split by national borders, religious differences, projects. involved in this scheduling decision. The an explosive device, killing all 224 passengers. and cultural conflicts: we must join as human This year, because students voted to faculty should have consulted with the se- On November 12, there were two suicide bomb- beings.