Weekly News
5/31/2016
* Head’s Note
As people at Crossroads know, I keep my door open most of the day. There are many practical reasons to do so. For one, I enjoy staying connected to all of the activities occurring down the hall and throughout the building. But an equally important rationale, of course, is to be available as issues arise. If a colleague or parent walks by with a quick question, it’s often more helpful to have a conversation rather than communicate via email or over the phone. But perhaps the best reason is to hear the continuous stream of children’s and teachers’ voices. The desire to keep my door wide does make for days that are often hard to predict, but to me, it’s a decision that allows me to experience one of the things I love most about schools: being part of a kind of symphony of interactions and learning. At Crossroads, I find this experience uplifting every day.
Occasionally, I also receive student visitors, too. Crossroads students carry a very different association for “going to the principal’s office” than I did as a student—a change I welcome. In fact, when I mentioned to a local principal that I don’t generally see disciplinary problems, he was quite envious! There are likely many factors that help our students be such great community members: faculty who set and communicate high expectations; consistently nurturing positive relationships with peers and teachers; and dedication from the community to provide a high level of student support when the occasional difficulties arise.
While keeping an open door may support some of these features of our school, there’s no magic formula for shaping this part of the Crossroads culture. But the benefits are tangible. Each of these elements weaves together to help create our school’s atmosphere, an openness that leaves a positive influence on our students’ emotional well-being and capacity to learn.
—Yours truly, Brad
Follow me on Twitter @CrossroadsHead
* To read Brad’s recent Valley News article “Wonder Drives Learning For All,” please click here.
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* Head’s Note
* Virtues for this Month: Forgiveness, Graciousness, and Humility
* Admissions Office News
* Parent Association News
– Lunch Program (week B)
– Clothing Swap Donations
* School News
– Lower School Spanish for school year ’16-‘17
– Welcome Scotty Harris for school year ’16-‘17
– National French Contest Results
– Move-Up and Graduation Ceremony (6/14)
– Summer Camps
– Classroom Clips
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* Virtues for this Month
* May: Forgiveness, Graciousness, and Humility
Forgiveness is having enough heart to let go of hurt.
Graciousness is acting kindly, courteously, and making another feel special.
Humility is knowing that I am definitely not perfect.
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* Admissions Office News
Greetings from the Admissions Office! Here are a couple reminders as we wind down the admissions season for this year. First, I want to invite you to the New Parent Welcome that will be held on Wednesday, June 8. It would be wonderful if you could join us in the library from 8:30-9:30 am for a time to meet and greet new families. This will be an informal gathering for new families to meet members of the administration, Board, Parent Association…and you. Let me know if you can make it!
Second, we continue to need Host Families for new students and their families. Here’s your chance to connect in a personal and fun way with incoming families. Get to know them this summer and take them under your wing as the school year begins to help them navigate all that a new school brings. Please let me know if you’re interested in helping with this important job. I feel confident that you will enjoy learning to know the new families as much as I have!
Have a wonderful week! —Warmly, Marilyn
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* Parent Association News
* Lunch Program
This week follows the “Week B” menu. Please be sure you are following the correct week. In addition, please consider sending in a set of silverware for your child to keep in his/her cubby; we are trying to avoid the waste of disposable silverware.
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* Clothing Swap Donations
Are you doing your spring cleaning? Pulling all sorts of outgrown clothing from your kids’ closets? Please consider donating school-appropriate clothing to the PA for the Fall Dress Code Clothing Sale! As you may remember, every year at the Family Picnic, the PA sells dress-code appropriate clothing donated by our community members. It’s a great way to find wonderful quality clothing, and it is a great fundraiser for the PA at the same time. So, all week this week, there will be a large tub outside at drop-off where you can leave any clothing you’d like to donate. Thanks very much!
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* School News
* Lower School Spanish for the ’16-‘17 School Year
As some of you may have heard, Silvia Holman will be leaving Crossroads at the end of this year after teaching our Lower School Spanish classes for the previous three months. We thank Silvia for her energy and enthusiasm for beginning our Spanish language program for our youngest students. Next fall, Scotty Harris will be our new Spanish teacher for grades K-4.
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* Welcome Scotty Harris
Rachel Scott Harris (Scotty) earned her BA in history and Spanish from Trinity College (Hartford, CT). She earned her MA in curriculum and teaching from Teachers College, Columbia University. Scotty has fourteen years of experience as a teacher, mentor, tutor, and admissions officer (Dartmouth). She has taught throughout New York (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Saratoga Springs) and in Vermont, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. Her work spans public, independent, and non-profit institutions. Scotty is dedicated to bringing positivity and creativity to her students.
Scotty grew up in Washington, D.C. and will be relocating to the Upper Valley after seven years in Saratoga Springs, NY. She will move with her husband (Chris), two young children (Eliza and James), and golden retriever (Rugby). Scotty enjoys travel, hiking, photography, and anything outdoors. She will bring many years of Spanish practice/study to the Crossroads community and is thrilled to join our team.
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* National French Contest Results
Le Grand Concours is the annual national French contest sponsored by the American Association of Teachers of French. This year marked the eighty-first year in which the contest was held, and over 85,000 students, in first through twelfth grades worldwide participated in the contest. Crossroads Academy students in French 7 and 8 participate in the contest; the former at the middle school level and the latter at the high school level.
Of the twenty-four Crossroads students who participated in the contest this year, twenty-one placed in the 85th percentile or higher of all those participating in the contest at their division and level. Crossroads Academy had thirteen silver medalists (85th–90th percentile), six gold medalists (95th percentile) and two platinum medalists. The platinum award is given to those who achieve the highest score in their division. The two Crossroads platinum medalists, Shira Hoffer and Katherine Duan, competed in the high school division, and they were two of only nineteen platinum medalists awarded in the entire contest at this level!
Félicitations/Congratulations to all the students who participated in Le Grand Concours 2016.
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* Move-Up and Graduation Ceremony
Although it is difficult to believe, the Move-Up and graduation ceremony are just around the corner. This year both events are being held on the same day.
Move-Up will begin promptly at 8:15 am, at the Bancroft Campus Center Tuesday, June 14.
The dress requirements for the Lower School students and Middle School students for Move-Up are as follows:
Boys: Dress shirt and pants or shorts
Girls: Skirts or dressy pants with a nice top, or dresses
The graduation ceremony will begin promptly at 4:00 pm at the Bancroft Campus Center on Tuesday, June 14. Dismissal for eighth graders will be immediately following the Move-Up Ceremony. They should return to Crossroads for graduation no later than 3:45 pm.
All sixth and seventh grade Middle School students will be part of the musical presentation during the graduation ceremony. They should all plan to be in attendance. Dismissal for sixth and seventh graders will also be at noon that day. They should also return to Crossroads for the graduation ceremony no later than 3:45 pm. Middle School students should be picked up immediately following the ceremony at 5:00 pm.
The dress requirements for the graduates are as follows:
Boys: Dress shirt, khaki colored pants, navy blazer, and tie
Girls: Dresses (preferably not strapless) or dressy pants and a nice blouse
The dress requirements for the remainder of the Middle School students are as follows:
Boys: Light-colored dress shirt and tan pants, tie optional
Girls: Pastel-colored blouses and skirts or dresses or dressy pants
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* Summer is Almost Here…Please Join Us for a Great Summer at Crossroads!
Signs of spring have us looking forward to summer! Any given week this summer, we can expect to see kids exploring the stream, scaling the climbing wall, conducting scientific research, or producing art in the outdoors. We have nearly 200 total enrollments and at least ten different programs will be offered. Though many programs are full, we still have spaces available in late July and August and in select programs in June. If you haven’t enrolled yet, join us! A full calendar and links to register are available here. Any questions? Contact Clare Smith, Summer Program Coordinator at summer@crossroadsacademy.org.
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* Classroom Clips
Classroom Clips is a weekly space for students and teachers to share their writing with the Crossroads community. Today’s entry is written by third grader Laura Schaner. Each third grade student read a biography, wrote a report, and created a poster for the annual Wax Museum held last Monday, May 23. Laura researched Nancy Wake (1912-2011), the most decorated woman in World War II. Please click here to read her response to the Wax Museum experience.
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