 | From the Director's Desk...
What our MLK Celebration Means to Me
Last week our Lower School students met Tasia Bromell. Tasia was invited to our assembly to share the “I Have a Dream” speech she wrote this past summer and delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with her Student U* classmates and teachers.
As Tasia approached the podium, there were a few things that we quickly noticed about her. She was 12 to 13 years old, she was African-American, she was beautifully dressed in a dress, tights and hair bow, and she was disabled. Tasia used forearm crutches to walk to the microphone. A hush came over the auditorium. As Tasia’s dad proudly filmed, Tasia delivered her address with the poise and grace of a princess. Her dream is that people with disabilities will always be treated with kindness and respect. Her story is that sometimes they are not.
Of course I knew that every adult in the building would be touched by Tasia’s speech, but I wondered about our children. Would they understand? Do the courageous stories of Ruby Bridges, Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott that we talk about during our MLK Celebrations reach their hearts? Did Tasia’s speech make an impression that would inspire our students to do things differently?
My answer came a few days later. A fourth-grade mom shared that her daughter got in the car the afternoon of our assembly and said, “Mom, you know how you and dad talk about ah-ha moments when something special takes place in your heart? Well, that happened to me for the first time today at our assembly.” She continued by telling her mom about Tasia and how her words inspired her to be courageous, to speak up for people who are wronged and to be a better person.
Yahoo!
We set aside this time every year at Durham Academy to celebrate the life and leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. From my perspective, this commemoration is not just about teaching black history or delivering important historical content. We do that diligently throughout the entire year. Our MLK Celebration is about the courageous stories of people who chose love over hate and peace over war — heroes like Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Cesar Chavez and Chief Joseph.
For children, it is hearing stories like Tasia’s that inspire them to have the courage to stand up for a classmate, to participate in a community service project, to express empathy toward another human being. Do our children get it? I believe they do.
Visit this link to hear our students’ ideas about important quotes by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This is an excerpt. The entire project will be posted soon.
*The mission of Student U is to empower students in the Durham Public Schools to take ownership of their education by developing the academic and personal skills they need to realize their full potential in school and beyond. Student U is a collaboration of Durham Public Schools, Durham Academy, Duke University, NCCU and UNC-Chapel Hill.
|
Lower School Announcements No Announcements to display
Re-enrollment contracts to be handled electronically;
contracts are due on Friday, Feb. 10
Durham Academy will be handling re-enrollment contracts electronically for the first time this year. Re-enrollment and tuition information for 2012-13 will be emailed to parents of current Durham Academy students on Jan. 24. Using the personalized Veracross link, families can re-enroll, submit tuition deposits via bank draft and update any medical information.
|
Lower School Family Night to be held Jan. 12
Durham Academy’s Lower School Family Night will be held Thursday, Jan. 12, at 6:30 p.m. in Kenan Auditorium and will feature a musical performance by Roger Day. Visit www.rogerday.com to learn more.
|
 | Third annual meal-packaging event set for Jan. 16 at DA
By Anne McNamara
Upper School Director of Community Service
The national holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. will be observed on Jan. 16. Congress designated the holiday as a national day of service in 1994, making it the only federal holiday observed as a national day of service. Durham Academy will observe this day by hosting the third annual meal-packaging event in conjunction with Stop Hunger Now.
|
Transition events help students, parents prepare for next grade level
Moving up to the next grade level can be nerve-wracking. At Durham Academy it means new teachers, unfamiliar classrooms, different expectations and maybe even a two-mile move to another campus. In order to help families with this transition, DA has planned a series of events geared toward both children and their parents.
|
Admissions Office schedules tour and information sessions
Are you interested in admission to Durham Academy for next year? The Admissions Office is already recruiting new students for fall 2012.
Tour and information sessions have been scheduled for families to visit and ask questions while school is in session, and also speak with the headmaster, school directors and Director of Admissions Victoria Muradi.
|
 | Lower School students combine volunteerism, learning
A group of Lower School students participated in the 2011 North Carolina Big Sweep program on the first Saturday in October. The annual Big Sweep involves cleaning up local land and waterways; it is the statewide component of the International Coastal Cleanup that takes place in approximately 90 countries worldwide.
|
 | Sixth annual Fiesta Latina celebrates traditional music and dance
Durham Academy hosted the sixth annual Fiesta Latina on Oct. 28 at the Brumley Performing Arts Building on the Lower School campus. The free community event featured Latin harpist Pavelid, the Charanga Carolina ensemble from UNC and a variety of entertainers from Latin America and South America performing traditional songs and dance routines.
|
Test of emergency notification system to take place Nov. 15
Durham Academy will test its emergency notification system on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 3 p.m. In the event of an emergency that requires parents to come to campus during the school day, an email and a text message would be sent out using the Veracross system.
|
Used Book Sale needs your help, both now and later
By Kim Leversedge and Caroline Rogers
Co-chairs, Used Book Sale
Now that fall is here, it’s time to clean off the bookshelves and dust off those books (and dust off the bookshelves for that matter). If you’re like us, your bookshelves are overflowing. So, why not free up some space and donate those books to the 2012 Used Book Sale? The sale will be held on March 29-April 1 in the Middle School gym.
|
Take a hard hat tour of the new US learning commons
Hard-hat tours of the Upper School construction site and new learning commons are conducted every Tuesday. Anyone interested in taking the tour should be in the Kenan Auditorium lobby at 11:45 a.m. Following a brief introduction, the tour will begin at noon and will last about 20 minutes. You don’t need to make a reservation, but please wear closed-toe shoes. Hard hats will be provided.
|
Students tap creative side in celebration of International Peace Day
Durham Academy third and fourth graders displayed their “Pinwheels for Peace” and sang songs as part of International Peace Day on Sept. 21. The students created the pinwheels, which featured words and symbols expressing their ideas about peace, in art class. Meanwhile, they learned about the concept of peace expressed in song during their music classes.
International Peace Day started in 2005 and has grown to include more than 3,500 school locations and 3.5 million pinwheels spinning worldwide.
|
 | All-School Picnic delights kids, parents alike
The threat of rain did not discourage members of the Durham Academy community from attending the annual All-School Picnic on Sept. 25. Approximately 800 people from all of the school's divisions came to the picnic, which featured food trucks; a giant inflatable obstacle course and screamer slide; carnival games and prizes; sports competitions; face painting; crafting with the Scrap Exchange; and temporary tattoos.
|
First parent coffees of the year to be held in October
The first parent coffees of the 2011-2012 school year will be held in October. Parents will receive an overview of how to access their child’s student information online and hear comments from their division director as well as Headmaster Ed Costello. All coffees begin at 8:15 a.m.
Dates and locations:
Oct. 4 – Upper School Coffee, Room 225
Oct. 6 – Middle School Coffee, Board Room
Oct. 13 – Lower School Coffee, First Floor Commons
Oct. 20 – Preschool Coffee, Preschool Great Room
|
 | Best-selling author shares her journey with sixth graders
“Do you know what you want to do when you grow up?” Frances O’Roark Dowell asked Durham Academy sixth graders on Sept. 19. Hands shot up. There were aspirations expressed of being a teacher, a forensic scientist, a doctor, a professional athlete, a lawyer and a writer.
|
DA's updated strategic plan is now available on da.org
The Durham Academy Board of Trustees approved an updated version of the school's strategic plan at its May meeting. Beyond Excellence, Durham Academy Strategic Plan 2.0 builds on the work accomplished towards many of the goals identified in DA's 2006 strategic plan. Much of that plan is still relevant today, and this latest version also includes an emphasis on the integration of technology into the educational program.
|
Headmaster search committee appointed
The second-longest tenure of any Durham Academy headmaster will conclude at the end of the 2012-2013 school year when Ed Costello leaves after 14 years of service. Only Bess Pickard Boone, headmistress from 1938 to 1957, served longer. In preparation for Costello’s departure, DA has formed a search committee with the goal of having his successor in place by Dec. 2012.
Brendan Moylan ’85, a member of the board of trustees, will chair the search committee. Also serving on the committee will be David Beischer ’85, chair of the board of trustees; Liz Gustafson, immediate past chair of the board; Anne Murray Lloyd ’82, vice chair of the board; Kip Frey, secretary of the board; trustees Jim Coleman and Laura Horton Virkler ’91; Margaret Jones, president-elect of Parents Association; Jamie Krzyzewski Spatola ’00, vice president of the DA Alumni Association; and faculty members Tim Dahlgren and Karen Lovelace.
|
 | DA matches largest-ever enrollment
By Victoria Muradi
Director of Admissions
The Admissions Office had reason to celebrate on the first day of school. With an enrollment of 1,145 students, Durham Academy was tied for the largest enrollment in the school's history.
DA continues to buck national trends in enrollment. Independent schools around the country are reporting enrollments down three percent from last year and four percent from the year before. Statewide, enrollments are down eight percent from just two years ago.
|
 | Nineteen new faculty and staff members join DA
Welcome to the 13 new faculty members and six staffers who joined Durham Academy.
Preschool and Lower School
Elizabeth Lyle is teaching Preschool art and cooking. She is a graduate of Grove City College in Pennsylvania and has done graduate work at Greensboro College. She taught art at Haw River Elementary for four years.
John Bacsik is teaching second grade. He earned a B.A. magna cum laude and a M.Ed. from the University of Notre Dame. He worked at St. James Catholic School in Savannah, Ga., for seven years, teaching second grade and seventh grade.
Jeff Burch is teaching third grade. He earned a B.S. from Indiana University and a B.T.N.D. from West Cheshire College in England. He taught at Duke School for Children since 2001 and also has taught in public schools.
|
 | Summer Programs provided
125 sessions for campers
By Mike Ronco
Director of Summer Programs
Campers came from far and wide this summer to attend our summer programs. The longest commute award goes to a family from Wilmington who felt it worth the trip to have Bonnie Boaz as a math teacher. I agree.
We offered a record number of enrichment, sports and academic camps during the 2011 summer program, a total of 125 sessions for campers ages three to 18. Additionally, we lengthened our hours of extended care to meets the needs of all our working parents.
|
 | DA welcomes 1,145 students, a near-record enrollment
Durham Academy welcomed 1,145 students to the first day of school on Tuesday, Aug. 23, a number that equals DA’s largest-ever enrollment! Preschool and Lower School teachers welcomed nervous newcomers and cool-as-a-cucumber returning students. At the Middle School, students met Jon Meredith, their new MS director. Upper School students came back to a campus that’s a construction site until the new learning commons open this spring, bought lunch from food trucks and enjoyed a concert by Delta Rae.
|
 | Jump Rope for Heart
raises over $8,000
Lower School’s Jump Rope for Heart event was held on February 11, raising $8,015.75 for the American Heart Association. Students in grades two through four had a great time jumping and dancing to music provided by fourth graders. “Congratulations to everyone for making this year’s event such a complete success,” said physical education teacher and Jump Rope for Heart organizer Judy Chandler.
|
 | Lower School logs 2,749 hours
of reading during READ DA
Who says kids don’t read anymore? During the Lower School’s 2011 READ DA, the LS community logged 164,960 minutes of reading, which equals 2,749 hours, which translates to 115 days! Congratulations to Lower School students and teachers, and to Mary Kendall, LS reading teacher and organizer of READ DA.
|
 | DA chess brings home
four state championships
Durham Academy chess finished first in four of the five divisions DA entered at the N.C. State Chess Championships on February 19, 20. DA chess took 49 players from kindergarten through 12th grade to the competition.
The most dominating/impressive performance was by DA’s youngest crew. The K-1 team put on an extraordinary show, winning the K-1 division by four points. “This team ranks among DA’s best ever and is a national level team,” said chess coach Craig Jones. Top individual performances were second place, Pete Crowley; fourth place, Ian Evans; fifth place, Reed Burkert; 10th place, Nathan Wang; and 12th place, Tate Staples. Also competing for the K-1 team were Matthew Krieger, Aaron Caveney, Mark Caveney, Ben Tarpey, Nicole Romach, Sky Oh, Jillian Strebel, Simon Fortner, Hannah Midha, Ceci Moore and Perry Tseng.
|
 | Second graders buy pajamas for Native Americans
The second graders at the Lower School have been learning about the lives and culture of the Native American people. They are studying how the different landforms of the United States affect the culture and lives of the tribes. In a season of caring and sharing, the children wanted to give back to a Native American community.
Each child worked at home to earn money. They used their money to buy pajamas for the children of the Lakota Oyate Wakanyeja Owicakiyapi organization in Pine Ridge, S.D. Then on December 10, the children celebrated their hard work by wearing pajamas to school and enjoying breakfast for lunch. What a great day for the second graders!
|
 | Fourth graders “sweep”
78 pounds of trash
from DA environs
By Michelle Rosen
Lower School Librarian
What do a toothbrush, jump rope, sunglasses and a plastic shovel have in common? Ask any Durham Academy fourth grade student and they will tell you that these items are part of the 78 pounds of trash that fourth grade classes picked up recently as part of the North Carolina Big Sweep.
On October 8, fourth graders scoured the edges of Sandy Creek, Pickett Road and the DA campus and athletic fields to recover litter, which was later inventoried, weighed and recorded. The statistics were reported to the Big Sweep Statewide Headquarters in Zebulon. The event also was included a discussion about plastic awareness facilitated by Jennifer Brooks of the Durham County Soil and Water Conservation. She explained to students how animals become trapped in plastic products when they mistake them for food.
|
 | Coming in October: parent coffees for each school division
Headmaster Ed Costello and each respective school director will be on hand for a parent coffee at the Preschool, Lower School, Middle School and Upper School. Each coffee will begin at 8:15 a.m. with a short talk by Ed Costello and the school director, followed by a question and answer session.
-
Preschool Coffee, Oct. 14 in the PS great room
-
Lower School Coffee, Oct. 7 in the LS first floor commons
-
Middle School Coffee, Oct. 21 in the MS board room
-
Upper School Coffee, Oct. 26 in the US conference room
|
 | DA’s Katie Concannon creates winning design for NC Zoo’s Endangered Species Poster Contest
Thanks to a poster created by Durham Academy fifth grader Katie Concannon, students across North Carolina and Virginia have become aware of the Rockhopper penguin, an endangered series. Katie’s colorful and informative poster won the NC Zoo Endangered Species Poster Contest for her age group.
Lower School art teacher Fran Savarin sponsored Katie in the poster contest. In addition to her artwork, Katie had to submit written information about the Rockhopper penguin and why the species is endangered.
|
Parent Coffees will focus on DA’s next strategic plan
All Durham Academy parents are invited to a discussion about the school’s next strategic plan. Board of Trustees Chair Liz Gustafson, Trustee Sara Pottenger and Headmaster Ed Costello will present and answer questions at each school division coffee. School directors also will attend.
• Upper School Parent Coffee – Tuesday, May 4, at 8:15 a.m. (US Student Commons, next to bookstore)
• Lower School Parent Coffee – Wednesday, May 5, at 8:15 a.m. (First Floor Commons)
• Preschool Parent Coffee – Tuesday, May 11, at 8:15 a.m. (PS Great Room)
• Middle School Parent Coffee – Tuesday, May 18, at 8:15 a.m. (MS Board Room)
|
 | Lower School gym was jumpin’
The Lower School’s annual Jump Rope for Heart for grades two through four is a mix of health education, physical activity and fund raising. The Lower School gym was filled with noise and activity on February 12 as students, teachers and parents jumped rope to raise awareness and money for the American Heart Association.
Jump Rope for Heart has been a fixture at Durham Academy for more than 20 years. Students learn how a healthy lifestyle can have a positive impact, and jumping rope is an excellent cardiovascular exercise.
|
Lower School shines a spotlight on reading
Reading is always important at Durham Academy and reading will be “front and center” March 1-5 when the Lower School celebrates Read Across America. DA’s week-long event is an expansion of a nation-wide celebration on March 2, the official day of Dr. Seuss’s birthday, when children all over America will be encouraged to read with a family member.
|
 | Coming in April: DA’s used sports equipment sale
Spring cleaning? Save your used sports equipment for Parents Association’s sale April 23-25 at the Middle School gym. Collection bins will be located on all three campuses April 12-22. We will accept equipment donations for lacrosse, tennis, field hockey, baseball and golf, as well as inline skates, scooters, pogo sticks and stacking cup sets.
Want to help? Volunteer opportunities are available to sort donations and/or work during the sale days. Please contact Jeanne White or Chesley Sneed for more information.
|
Durham Academy invites parents to learn more about your child's next school division
Getting to Know the Lower School
Thursday, February 4, at 7 p.m. (Lower School Library) *
Getting to Know the Middle School
Wednesday, February 10, at 7 p.m. (Middle School Library)*
Getting to Know the Upper School
Wednesday, February 3, at 7 p.m. (Kenan Auditorium)
Please join us for dessert as school directors introduce current DA parents to the divisions.
Learn about programs, curricula and opportunities for the next year (and years to come) from faculty as well as current parents and students.
To RSVP, please contact admissions@da.org or call 493-5787.
*Note: Childcare will be provided by DA Rent-A-Juniors.
|
 | DA chess teams sweep regional K-5 tournament
Members of the Durham Academy chess team participated in a k-5 (U1100) regional tournament on December 13 and won first, second and third places! This was a “Heads Up” tournament meaning that the players are seeded according to team rank, much like tennis matches.
Team A, placing first, consisted of fifth grader John Heaney, fourth graders Robert Hellinga and Elias Tymas and second grader Christopher Chaves. Team B, placing second, was comprised of fifth grader Nijel Hunt, fourth graders Ian Layzer and Scott Hallyburton and second grader Will Staples. Finishing up in third place was Team C, whose members are fourth grader Eric Bradford, fifth grader Xavier Nonez, third graders Sheridan Kum and Jesse Tymas and second grader Leo Strebel. Congratulations to all of the team members!
|
 | Second graders buy PJs for Native Americans
The second graders at the Lower School have been learning about the lives and culture of the Native American people. They are studying how the different landforms of the United States affect the culture and lives of the tribes. In a season of caring and sharing, the children wanted to give back to a Native American community.
Each child worked at home to raise extra money. They used their money to buy pajamas for the children of the Lakota Oyate Wakanyeja Owicakiyapi organization in Pine Ridge, S.D. Then on December 11, the children celebrated their hard work by wearing pajamas to school and enjoying breakfast for lunch. What a great day for the second graders!
|
 | First grade celebrates early
with Thanksgiving feast
The aroma of turkey and dressing was enticing enough to make a “grown up” second grader want to return to first grade! The annual Thanksgiving feast enjoyed by Durham Academy first graders the Friday before break was the culmination of their study of the first Thanksgiving.
In preparation for the feast, first grade students decorated t-shirts and made necklaces and headbands with Native American symbols. They snapped green beans, chopped onions and celery for stuffing, zested orange rinds for cranberry relish and made butter from cream.
On the day of the feast, first graders choose whether to be Indians or Pilgrims, and many Indians were seated at the long row of tables that stretched through the first grade pod. The abundance of Indians was true to history according to first grade teacher Debbie Suggs, who said there were 90 Wampanoag Indians and 50 Pilgrims (including 30 children) at that first Thanksgiving feast.
Want to learn more about Plymouth Colony, Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians? Check out this link from Scholastic.com.
|
 | A Day in a Spanish class! ¡Un Día en la clase de Español!
By Mercedes Almodóvar
Lower School Spanish
DA students are fortunate in all areas of instruction. The opportunity to be exposed to the variety of enrichment classes offered at DA is enviable! The Preschool and Lower School added Spanish to the list of enrichments offered over the course of the past four years. Fabiola Salas teaches Spanish in Pre-K, Kindergarten, and first grade and Mercedes Almodóvar teaches Spanish in second through fourth grade.
|
 | Third grade teacher participates in sea turtle release
by Candice Gabrielli
Third grade teacher
As a third grade teacher, I have the privilege of teaching my students about sea turtles, ocean conservation and protecting endangered species during our sea turtle unit. For a field trip, the third grade takes a three-hour bus ride to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center on Topsail Island, NC. This trip really brings to life all of the things that we’ve been teaching the students.
During the first week of June, the sea turtle hospital releases any of the sea turtles that are recovered and ready to go back to their home, the ocean. I have always wanted to make the trip to see this amazing event, but unfortunately, the release is usually on the last day of school.
|
 | China study comes alive for fourth graders
Classrooms were filled with books, photos and items from China as fourth graders prepared for a week-long China study. Cong Yuan, a visiting artist from the Durham Arts Council and a native of Beijing, gave students a hands-on experience with Chinese culture. Fourth graders practiced the ancient art of Chinese calligraphy and brush painting, experimented with tai chi and took turns wearing a colorful dragon head. This is the sixth year that Mr. Yuan has visited Durham Academy. He comes to us as an artist in residence through the Durham Arts Council CAPS program (Creative Arts in the Public/Private Schools). The China study is part of the social studies curriculum. First graders have an in-depth study of Africa, second grade focuses on Greece and third grade concentrates on Mexico.
|
 | LS’s Mary Kendall, Debbie Suggs publish A Giving Garden
First grade teacher Debbie Suggs and Lower School reading teacher Mary Kendall have published A Giving Garden, a truly beautiful book about Durham Academy’s Lower School Garden. The book features a poem by Mary Kendall and photos by Debbie Suggs.
Mary and Debbie received a standing ovation when they presented the book at the opening meeting of DA’s faculty and staff on August 19. Debbie put together a slide show of the book, and Mary read it aloud to the audience.
|
 | N.C. coastal trip gives third graders an opportunity
to experience what they’ve been studying
By Becky Green
Teaching Assistant, Lower School science
At 6 a.m. on May 15, two charter buses filled with third grade students, teachers and parent chaperones pulled out of the Durham Academy Lower School parking lot on their way to Topsail Island. This marked the fifth year the third graders have made the trip to the N.C. barrier island to conclude their ocean studies unit in science and classroom study of sea turtles. Science teacher Lyn Streck organized the trip and created an itinerary which took the students on an educational journey from sound to ocean, and many places in between, in five short hours.
|
 | Yoga comes to PS, LS
The controlled movement of yoga isn’t the sort of activity that comes to mind when you think of physical education for rambunctious Preschool and Lower School students. Yet yoga is so popular that nearly every LS student wanted to demonstrate yoga at a recent assembly.
Pre-K through fourth graders learned yoga in March, with each student getting at least six classes that advanced in difficulty. Physical education teacher Eric Block has taught the classes for three years. The program was begun by former p.e. teacher Taylor Poitras. Lower School Art teacher Fran Savarin leads an after school yoga club.
At a Lower School assembly, 32 students from first through fourth grade demonstrated a variety of poses that demonstrated focus, concentration, strength, balance and flexibility. Be sure to ask a Lower Schooler about plank, cobra, warrior two, tree, bow and downward facing dog!
|
 | Pass it on: Science is fun!
Members of the Upper School’s Science Olympiad team think science is fun, and they want Lower School students to feel that way, too.
Team members held a “science fun day” for Durham Academy first graders on March 25. The first graders learned about physics by creating structures with Legos, about chemistry by experimenting with water and Alka Seltzer tablets and about biology by discovering how the shape of an animal's foot reflects its habitat.
Good luck to the Upper School’s varsity Science Olympiad team and Middle School team as they prepare for the state Science Olympiad competition April 24, 25 at N.C. State University.
|
 | Families, fun and food fill LS on March 19
Nearly 800 Lower School students, their families and faculty turned out March 19 for an evening of fun and food. Parents and students were treated to a spaghetti supper at Lower School Family Night before heading to the classrooms for a variety of activities.
Each grade level hosted a different type of game: fourth grade explored math manipulatives; third grade challenged with games about the United States; second grade hosted old-fashioned card games; and first grade activities included chess and checkers.
|
 | DA chess teams win first and second at states
Durham Academy chess teams came home from the 37th North Carolina State Chess Championships with first place finishes for the K-1 and K-12 U1300 teams, and second place finishes for the K-3, K-12 and K-8 U1000 teams.
DA’s 37 chess players represented their school and themselves in outstanding fashion. “All of our teams were in contention to win state titles right until the end and we finished no worse than second place in any division we competed in,” said DA chess coach Craig Jones. “Many players beat, or in several cases crushed, their all time personal best ratings as the players continued to develop and improve!”
|
 | In unity these LS students made a difference
As part of this year's "Look Back, But March Forward" celebration for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, students at the Lower School were challenged to do a simple act of kindness in their community. They were to record their activities on leaf templates with writing, drawings and photos. The colorful leaves were attached to the Giving Trees (with a nod to Shel Silverstein) and are on display in the Lower School lobby. Michele Gutierrez, Lower School computer teacher and diversity coordinator, compiled these snapshots into a testimony of their service. Click here to watch a movie of the children's activities.
|
 | Lyn Streck is NC Conservation Education Teacher of the Year
The Durham Academy community knows her as the driving force behind the Lower School garden, and now her dedication to environmental education has been recognized with a statewide award. Lower School science teacher Lyn Streck is the 2008 NC Conservation Education Teacher of the Year for the K-6 grade level. On Jan. 5, she received a plaque and an honorarium at the annual meeting of the NC Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts.
“Lyn goes above and beyond in her teaching style, engaging her students in hands-on experiences and experiments,” said Jennifer Brooks, environmental education coordinator for the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District. Lyn was the 2007 Durham District Teacher of the Year, which put her in consideration for the statewide award.
|
 | MLK celebration focuses on human rights, leadership, service
By Carolyn Ronco
Lower School Director
Three years ago, Durham Academy's Diversity Committee initiated a five-day, school wide celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. that includes special presentations at assemblies, classroom activities and discussions about civil rights, and the introduction of a community service project. The Lower School also includes a home/school connection – an activity that requires parent guidance in hopes of fostering conversations between parents and their children about this important topic. One of the five days is a day off from school, a national holiday in recognition of Dr. King.
|
 | Third grade visits residents at nearby Emerald Pond
It was indeed a “Happy Holiday” for residents at the Emerald Pond Retirement Community as third grade students from the Lower School visited residents. Armed with hand-made holiday cards, the students walked to the community and shared their works of art with the residents. This project is part of an ongoing initiative for students to give back to the community in an age-appropriate manner. As she held her stack of cards, one resident exclaimed, “You just don’t know what this means to us…”
|
 | Kathy Pause and DA students perform at national Orff conference
Fourth and fifth grade students from Durham Academy performed in front of 2,000 music teachers and parents at the American Orff-Schulwerk Association national conference in Charlotte on November 13. DA Lower School music teacher Kathy Pause was cool and collected as she led students from the three participating schools in providing the creative backdrop of music and movement for nationally renowned storyteller David Holt. Durham Academy’s 47 performers (21 fourth graders and 26 fifth graders) were joined by students from Cannon School in Concord and Rashkis Elementary in Chapel Hill. The culmination of nearly a year of work, the students were at ease with their parts and enthusiastic in their performance.
As part of her continuing effort to provide students with a joyful music experience, Kathy Pause created "A Patschwerk of Stories, Music and Song." The stories that made up Kathy's musical extravaganza were written by storyteller David Holt, who joined the students at the convention to narrate the tales.
|
 | DA Cares: Feed the Need Campaign provides 1,993 meals for NC Food Bank
Lower School students, families and faculty answered the call when they were asked to donate to a pre-Thanksgiving drive for the North Carolina Food Bank, which is located in Durham. Here are the results from the Lower School’s “DA Cares: Feed the Need Campaign:”
293 grocery bags sent home
216 grocery bags returned
74% participation
3 cars loaded up
4 loading bins filled at the Food Bank
2,367 pounds of food
1,993 meals provided
34 counties helped
Thanks go to Jenni Thornton, third grade teaching assistant, and the LS Community Service faculty committee for organizing such a successful project, and to students, families and faculty for such a generous response!
|
 | ASK–that’s the mantra in Lower School library
The Kirby-Horton Preschool/Lower School Library kicked off the year with a new theme that’s short and sweet, but designed to get students thinking deeply about the world around them. “ASK. every day.” is the mantra LS librarians are chanting this year. While the word “ask” prompts students to question, it also serves as an acronym, standing for "Always Seeking Knowledge."
All Lower School students received bookmarks with the new slogan, complete with a logo designed by librarians. The phrase and logo also appear at the three entrances to the LS library and on the library pencils that all children use. Finally, a large triangular sign hangs near the entrance that repeats the phrase on all three sides. By bombarding students with the new theme, librarians hope that these little Cavaliers will ultimately realize that the road to knowledge is littered with one essential element — questions!
So when your Lower Schoolers come home with lots of inquiries for you, remember they are only doing what their librarians have taught them. They are “Always Seeking Knowledge. every day!”
|
 | Beijing native brings Chinese art to DA’s fourth grade
By Trena Griffith-Hawkins
Fourth grade teacher
For five years now during the month of September, the Lower School has had the pleasure of having Mr. Cong Yuan introduce the history and culture of China for a whole week to our fourth grade students. Mr. Yuan comes to us as an artist in residence through the Durham Arts Council CAPS program (Creative Arts in the Public/Private Schools).
|
 | Teamwork is key in the Lower School
The first Lower School assembly of the school year kicked off with a new theme song written by music teacher Kathy Pause. “A Caring Community” is a simple song about working together as a team and respecting each other. A brief video of this song may be downloaded from the downloads section on the left.
Carolyn Ronco, Lower School Director, encouraged students to think of their class as a team. Using the Olympic teams as an example, she reminded students of the qualities that a team shares, such as working together, helping one another, encouraging each other and enjoying special events.
Then she shared with the students that they are part of several teams: the Durham Academy team, the Lower School team and their individual classroom team. Then, amid much clapping and cheering, she introduced each “team” from the Lower School. A slideshow of the pictures is available in the media gallery. Click here to access this show.
|
Mayor, city council honor DA artists
Mayor Bill Bell and the Durham City Council honored 11 student-artists, including three from Durham Academy, for their winning interpretations in the city’s 2008 Water Conservation Poster Contest. The poster contest is a part of the city's annual celebration of Drinking Water Month.
|
 | Lower School says goodbye to 72 fourth graders
Lower School bid farewell to 72 fourth graders at June 3 closing exercises, presenting each a certificate as they head to fifth grade and Middle School. The fourth graders heard remarks from Headmaster Ed Costello, who donned a tall, red and white “Cat in the Hat” hat and sent them off with advice from the beloved Dr. Seuss!
|
 | LS science teacher Lyn Streck recognized by conservation group
Lower School Science teacher Lyn Streck has been named Teacher of the Year by the Durham Soil and Water Conservation District. Lyn was presented a plaque and an honorarium at an awards ceremony on May 16 in recognition of her work to incorporate conservation into her curriculum.
|
 | Third grade, grandfriends celebrate “Fifty Nifty United States”
On April 18, third grade students and their “grandfriends” celebrated the United States. The morning began with a stirring musical performance directed by Kathy Pause, Lower School music teacher. Each of the third grade classes accompanied the grade-level chorus as they sang folk songs and danced. Then students and their guests rotated through three activities: square dancing, students' multimedia presentations in the computer lab and watching commercials which students created for each of the states.
|
Lower Schoolers use iPods to learn math skills
Think iPods are only for music? Then think again! Lower School technology coordinator Michele Gutierrez has partnered with a Durham-based software company to help students use iPods to learn math.
Durham Academy has purchased a site license for Raybook Math Facts to outfit first and second grade students with Math Facts: Addition and Subtraction and third and fourth grade students with Math Facts: Multiplication and Division. The programs provide simple flash cards and study guides to help students learn fundamental math skills. In addition to having them in the classroom, students and parents will be able to download these Raybooks for home use.
|
 | Lower School gym was jumpin’
The Lower School’s annual Jump Rope for Heart for grades two through four is a mix of health education, physical activity and fundraising. The Lower School gym was filled with noise and activity as students, teachers and parents jumped rope to raise awareness and $5,545.25 for the American Heart Association.
|
 | Second graders experience a taste of Colonial school
Second grade students have been reading and studying about Colonial times since mid January, and their class work culminated last week with a two-day Colonial immersion experience. On March 27, students and teachers alike dressed in period costumes. The students rotated through activities simulating schools in the 1800s (with quill pens but sans the corporal punishment, of course). On March 28, Camp Flintlock visited Durham Academy, complete with a tent encampment on the front lawn of the Lower School, a fife and drum corps, candle-making, games and other period activities.
|
 | DA donates 4,104 pounds of food
Durham Academy wrapped up a week-long celebration of the life of Martin Luther King Jr. with a tremendously successful food drive for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.
DA’s Freedom Bus was loaded Tuesday with food from each campus: a total of 4,104 pounds of food! That represents 3,456 meals, based on a formula provided by the Food Bank.
Congratulations to the DA community for this very generous response to the perishable food drive. Special thanks to DA parent Jennifer Crawford, Diversity Coordinator Torsie Judkins and maintenance staff Pete Blackwell, Big Mac McDonald and Charlie Piekaar for helping unload the 4,104 lbs of food at the Food Bank.
|
 | Third graders experience what it was like
to arrive in America via Ellis Island
By Michelle Rosen
Lower School Librarian
The line of weary souls moved slowly through the hallway, looking at the photographs of those who walked this path before them. Anxious and scared, they jumped as the baggage official barked at them to put down their bags in a language they could not understand. Then it was on to the documentation desk where they would wait in another line for their name to be called.
|
 | Second graders send pajamas to needy children
Second graders recently participated in a service project to benefit Native American children who are in need. Throughout December, Durham Academy second grade students helped with household chores to earn extra spending money. This money was used to purchase pajamas for children who receive support from the Oglala Lakota Integrated Tribal Child and Family Services Agency on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
The students’ hard work and efforts were celebrated at the second annual Very Beary Bedtime Bash. The second graders wore pajamas to school, helped wrap pajamas to be sent to South Dakota and enjoyed a mid-day menu of “Breakfast for Lunch.”
|
LS donates sports equipment to Special Olympics
Boxes and bags full of sports equipment have been donated to North Carolina Special Olympics by Durham Academy’s Lower School. The sports equipment drive, a community service project of LS Unity Day, also picked up generous support from Eurosport and Duke University.
|
Fourth graders make a "clean sweep"
Have you noticed anything missing from the Durham Academy campus? Take a look around the Pickett Road athletic fields and what you won’t see is 70 pounds of trash collected by DA fourth grade students.
DA fourth graders are participating in the North Carolina Big Sweep for Litter-Free Watersheds. This statewide program is a component of the International Coastal Cleanup where volunteers from all 100 counties in the state come together to clean up our watersheds.
|
Illustrator Jerry Pinkney “wows” and is “wowed” by DA PS, LS
By Michelle Rosen
PS and LS Librarian
Do you know what famous children’s illustrator got his start by sketching while he sold newspapers at a Philadelphia newsstand? Jerry Pinkney, that’s who! Pinkney delighted students with this story and many others while visiting the Preschool and Lower School on October 25. Pinkney read from many of his works, including Julius Lester’s Sam and the Tigers, a new telling of the controversial Little Black Sambo. He also shared The Little Red Hen and Pretend You’re a Cat by Jean Marzollo.
|
LS Real Time Radio Show debuts
With inspiration from Garrison Keillor, students in the Lower School have created their own radio show. Under the direction of their music, library and computer teachers (Kathy Pause, Michelle Rosen and Michele Gutierrez, respectively) students will highlight events at the Lower School, share parts of their cultures and perform their music.
|
Important Lower School Documents | | Upcoming Lower School Events  Raising Cyber-Smart Kids
2/7/2012
8:15 AM to 9:30 AM
Location: Lower School 1st Floor Commons
In case you could not make the November workshop, we are pleased to offer this valuable presentation again. These will be the final workshops in a series of five parent workshops on Cyber-Safety. These sessions will be on February 7, 2012, in the Lower School 1st floor commons. In an attempt to accommodate busy schedules, the workshop will be offered at 8:15-9:30 am and 7:00-8:15 pm. Lower School Technology Coordinator, Michele Gutierrez, will present information on the changing digital landscape, the challenges and opportunities it presents for today’s kids, and what parents can do to raise children who are prepared to use digital tools safely and responsibly. Think you have a few years before you need to worry about this? Guess again, raising a cyber-smart child starts early. There is much to consider when raising children who live in our 24/7 media world and/or have access to the Internet. Discussion will focus on how to prepare your children for living their "digital lives" in a safe and positive manner. The focus will be on education and discussion rather than blocking and forbidding. Participants will also learn about a valuable resource for parents that will help you keep up with the changes to the Internet and media that your children are exposed to.
|
Raising Cyber-Smart Kids
2/7/2012
7:00 PM to 8:15 PM
Location: Lower School 1st Floor Commons
In case you could not make the November workshop, we are pleased to offer this valuable presentation again. These will be the final workshops in a series of five parent workshops on Cyber-Safety. These sessions will be on February 7, 2012, in the Lower School 1st floor commons. In an attempt to accommodate busy schedules, the workshop will be offered at 8:15-9:30 am and 7:00-8:15 pm. Lower School Technology Coordinator, Michele Gutierrez, will present information on the changing digital landscape, the challenges and opportunities it presents for today’s kids, and what parents can do to raise children who are prepared to use digital tools safely and responsibly. Think you have a few years before you need to worry about this? Guess again, raising a cyber-smart child starts early. There is much to consider when raising children who live in our 24/7 media world and/or have access to the Internet. Discussion will focus on how to prepare your children for living their "digital lives" in a safe and positive manner. The focus will be on education and discussion rather than blocking and forbidding. Participants will also learn about a valuable resource for parents that will help you keep up with the changes to the Internet and media that your children are exposed to.
|
Grade 1 - 100th Day of School Celebration
2/10/2012
|
Jump Rope for Heart - LS
2/10/2012
Location: LS Gym
|
Lower School Night at the CavDome
2/10/2012
Location: Upper School Gym
|
Visiting Author - LS
2/13/2012
|
Headmaster Search - Parent Information Meeting
2/16/2012
8:15 AM
Location: Upper School conference room - Learning Commons
All parents are invited to a meeting with the consultants Thursday, Feb. 16, at 8:15 a.m. in the Upper School conference room, located in the new Learning Commons. Brigham Hill also will conduct a web-based survey following their visit that will be open to the entire DA community. |
Early dismissal LS/MS/US-Faculty workday
2/17/2012
|
8am-5pm - All Day Care for LS and MS
2/17/2012
8:00 AM
Location: Lower School Campus
|
No School - Parent Conferences
2/22/2012
|
Spring Break
3/5/2012
to 3/9/2012
|
Classes resume after Spring Break
3/12/2012
|
No School - Faculty work day
3/23/2012
|
8am-5pm - All Day Care Available
3/23/2012
8:00 AM
Location: Lower School Campus
|
ERBs for Grades 2 - 4
3/26/2012
to 3/30/2012
|
No school - Good Friday
4/6/2012
|
No School - Professional Development Day
4/9/2012
|
8am-5pm - All Day Care Available
4/9/2012
8:00 AM
Location: Lower School Campus
|
3rd Grade Grandfriends Day
4/13/2012
Location: Brumley Performing Arts Building
|
4th Grade Visit to Middle School
4/16/2012
to 4/20/2012
Each 4th Grade class will be shadowing current 5th Graders for a morning.
|
4th - 5th Grade Transition Meeting
4/25/2012
7:30 PM
Location: Middle School Library
4th Grade Parents are invited to learn more about the transition to Middle School by meeting the 5thGrade Teachers. Middle School Library
|
Kindergarten - 1st Grade Transition Meeting
4/30/2012
7:00 PM
Join Lower School Director Carolyn Ronco and 1st Grade Teachers to learn more about the transition from Kindergarten to 1st Grade.
|
5th Grade Parent-to-Parent Coffee
5/2/2012
8:15 AM
Location: Brumley Performing Arts Building, Lower School Campus
Parents of Rising 5th Graders are invited to a coffee hosted by the Parents Council and current 5th Grade parents to talk about the transition to Middle School. Brumley Performing Arts Building
|
3rd Grade Sea Turtle Gift Shop
5/8/2012
|
3rd Grade Ocean Studies Trip to Topsail Island
5/11/2012
|
4th Grade Play Assembly
5/16/2012
8:30 AM
Location: Brumley Performing Arts Building
|
4th Grade Play
5/16/2012
7:00 PM
Location: Brumley Performing Arts Building
|
LS early dismissal 11:45 am-Field Day
5/25/2012
|
No School - Memorial Day
5/28/2012
|
Early Dismissal for Lower School (11:45 am)
6/4/2012
11:45 AM
|
Early Dismissal for Lower School (11:45 am)
6/5/2012
11:45 AM
|
Lower School Closing Exercises
6/6/2012
10:00 AM
Location: Brumley Performing Arts Building
|
First Day of School
8/21/2012
|
LS Parents Night
8/30/2012
7:00 PM
Location: Performing Arts Building
|
No School - Fall Break
10/8/2012
|
Early dismissal for winter break (All Divisions)
12/19/2012
12:00 PM
|
Classes resume after winter break
1/3/2013
|
No School - Spring Break
3/11/2013
to 3/15/2013
|
PS/LS early dismissal 11:45 am-LS Field Day
5/24/2013
11:45 AM
|
10am - LS closing exercises
6/5/2013
10:00 AM
|
Please use the menu below to go to a teacher's website. | | | | | | Mrs. Lovelace - 2nd Grade | | | | | | | | | | | | Block, Chandler, Irons - PE | Mrs. Gutierrez - Computer | | | | | | | |
|