The Heron Headmaster's Blog

An Honorable Gunston Graduate

2012-03-01T10:07:00.000-05:00

Several days ago in my Literature of Modern Asia course, our class Skyped with Adam Jacquet, a recent Gunston graduate who was severely wounded in an IED attack in Helmand province in Afghanistan.

It was great to speak with him, and after many months of rehab and recovery, his mood was buoyant and upbeat. In our class, we are reading Rory Stewart's book The Places in Between, a travelogue about a British diplomat who walked across the country in 2001. Our conversation with Adam brought the country of Afghanistan to life, and Adam helped all of us gain a deeper understand of the dynamics of the American involvement there.

As many of you know, Adam received his Purple Heart recently. The entire Gunston community is proud of his service and grateful that he is recovering.

Stay tuned later this spring for information about our "Run for Adam" 5K Fundraiser.

Chesapeake Bay Trust Grant

2012-02-20T12:24:00.000-05:00

Gunston is very excited to have received a $100,000 grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust to restore our waterfront, and the Chestertown Spy recently ran a great article about the upcoming major renovations that our community will soon see down at the waterfront. Here is the article: http://www.chestertownspy.com/gunston-awarded-100000-grant-from-cbt/

The Crash B's

2012-02-20T12:15:00.001-05:00

Our crew team travelled to Boston this weekend to participate in the "Crash B's": The World Indoor Rowing Championships. Our own Taylor Leverage not only broke the men's erg record for Gunston, but he won his heat at the event. Check out this very cool video: http://utilities.concept2.com/replays/crashb2012/AHeat17.

Congratulations to the rowers, the coaches, the parents, and Mrs. Gruss for helping to organize this event!

Taylor Leverage pulling away from the pack

Congratulations to the Gunston Players

2012-02-14T10:53:00.000-05:00

What a pleasure it was to see the Gunston Players light up the Church Hill Theater for three splendid performances of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Indeed, I was so inspired that I penned this sorry little doggerel in their honor:

A Poem for our Players
by John Lewis

After weeks of rehearsing day and night

Our Players delivered great delight

It’s hard to say what entertained more

Samantha’s slaps, or Blaise’s snore.

For three days upon a dusty stage,

They brought to life a bard and sage,

We saw men of wisdom and great buffoons,

And a most unforgettable popping of balloons.

And alas, we thank our directors three

For the hours spent in the pursuit of glee

(and let’s not forget, the talented Hongyi)

Our Wiening, our Catherine, our Robinson,

Gave hours of critique, and direction, and fun.

Three days and nights we laughed aloud

At our players as they wowed the crowd,

Our regal Daniel, and his Catherine queen,

The Brothers Walls, and Morgan’s scream.

Oberon’s tiptoes, the longest in the land,

Added to his appearance grand.

And Jackie Gross, whose poise and class,

Gave hope and light to her love, the ass.

We loved Johnson’s wall and Bannon’s light,

Quince’s humor, and Demetrius’ fight,

Wegner’s suspenders and his shoes,

The fairies giggles, Lysander’s swoons,

We loved the singing, and the harp

Which I must say Jack Wilson, was pretty sharp.

Thus, tis my duty as your head of school,

He that is mostly fool, but sometimes cool

To declare, in thanks for a play so gay

That Wednesday, for our players, is a dress down day.

A few more good reads

2012-02-12T20:54:00.000-05:00

Millie Eliza

Sorry for the long blog hiatus, but having a new baby girl has cut into my blogging time. Here's a photo as evidence:

In the meantime, here are links to three interesting recent articles:

Tom Friedman's article in the New York Times, Average is Over
Nan Keohane is the former President of Duke and Wellesley, and she makes a powerful argument for liberal arts education in her article, The Liberal Arts as Guideposts in the 21st Century
And, over the winter holidays, David Brooks awarded his annual Sidney awards for the best magazine articles in 2011. Here is Part I and Part II.

Now that Millie is sleeping through the night, you can expect more regular updates.

Off the bookshelf: "The Element" by Ken Robinson

2011-11-06T20:15:00.000-05:00

Last week at the AIMS conference, I had the opportunity to hear one of the world's experts on creativity, Sir Ken Robinson. Sir Ken is the author of the highly regarded Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative, and he lectures around the world spreading the idea that creativity can be cultivated, and that the range of human ability is extraordinarily rich and diverse.

His new book, The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything is "a hymn to the breathtaking diversity of human talent and passion and to the extraordinary potential for growth and development." Through dozens of vivid anecdotes, a review of the latest research on intelligence and creativity, and using his dry British wit, Robinson provides an inspiring roadmap for how individuals can cultivate and maximize their talents and passions.

The book resonated with me because it speaks to one of Gunston's core values: our desire to help each and every student discover, celebrate, and maximize their personal abilities and strengths.

Multim in Parvo

2011-11-06T19:55:00.000-05:00

Gunston's annual magazine "Multum in Parvo" has been published for 2011. It's a wonderful publication, and I encourage you to check it out!

Open publication - Free publishing - More alumni

Check out Gunston's new Admissions Viewbook

2011-10-07T13:36:00.000-04:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More admissions

Steve Jobs

2011-10-06T11:25:00.002-04:00

Here is a link to Steve Jobs' wonderful commencement address, "How to Live Before You Die", at Stanford in 2005: http://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html

Education 2020

2011-09-27T09:48:00.000-04:00

I follow the "Teach Paperless" blog, and in December of 2009, they published a post entitled "21 Things that will become obsolete in education by 2020." At Gunston, we will be using this as a reference point for our ongoing conversations about the evolution of education, and as part of a discussion about how Gunston can maximize our small size and committment to personalization.

Ernie's Army Goes on the Offensive!

2011-09-18T15:51:00.000-04:00

Brian Schlosser and Logan Leverage finishing the job!

On Saturday, September 17th, a group of students and parents, organized by the new Gunston Parents Association, came to school to help beautify our campus. After two hours of pulling vinca, raking leaves, and trimming hedges, everyone felt a sense of accomplishment, and it was a beautiful day to be outside. By the end of the event, the front of Middleton was vastly more attractive!

Of course, every hour volunteered by our students and parents not only makes our campus more beautiful and binds us together in fun and fellowship, but in this era of limited resources, it also allows us to direct our resources to the areas that we care most about: student programming and teacher development.

Alex Kukorowski and Blaise Dickinson

Susan and Lizzie Katz

My daughter Bea working hard!

Community Letter: School Opening

2011-09-18T15:33:00.000-04:00

As we begin the 2011-2012 school year, see my community letter that outlines the major initiatives for the year and introduces our new faculty: Community Letter

The Gunston School

2011-09-18T15:31:00.000-04:00

On August 11th, Gunston was formally reincorporated as The Gunston School. We are still in process of reworking our viewbooks, website, stationery, etc. Why did we decide to change our school's name? See my letter to our community: The Gunston School.

Nuestra Escuela Gunston

2011-09-06T17:15:00.000-04:00

Last year I promised Senor Angarita that the winner of his Gunston promotional video in-class assignment would be posted on this blog. Let me congratulate Tricia Athey, Jacqueline Gross, and Katherine Gross for their excellent work in capturing the essence of Gunston en espanol.

New Compost Bins

2011-09-06T09:22:00.000-04:00

Mr. Darling digging the holes

Alden lifting boards

Last year Gunston was certified as a Maryland Green School, and in August, Andrew Sindermann (TGS '11) installed compost bins on campus as part of his Boy Scout Eagle Project. With assistance from his parents, fellow troop members, Mr. Darling, and fellow Gunston graduate Alden Ruben (TGS '11), Andrew can proudly boast that his lasting legacy to Gunston is a site for decomposing food! All joking aside, composting reduces waste, and by consequence, makes Gunston a better steward of the earth. Well done, Andrew!

Andrew smiling as he builds the bins

Getting Ready to Launch!

2011-09-04T06:30:00.000-04:00

It has been a busy summer at Gunston, especially with the success of our new Summer Programs. Led by our own Amy Gross-Kehoe, we saw more than 200 students on campus for sports camps, technology camps, rowing camps, environmental camps, and more. We are already looking forward to next summer.

The Library, in process of renovation

Thanks to the funds raised in honor of the Everdells at Stop the Auction, one of the other major initiatives this summer has been the renovation of the Duffey-Blackwood Library. We began by "weeding" the collection of un- or under-utilized books and we reworked the furniture layout in order to make the library more student friendly. Over the next few months, we will see improvements in signage, layout, information access, and general resources. Students will also have around 24 different periodicals to peruse. The effort to convert the library will be guided by our own Ms. Wheatley.

The Junior-Senior Center, painted Gunston green!

Finally, the Junior-Senior Center is nearly ready to launch. Two of our student leaders, Charlie Fichtner and Tricia Athey, have done a great job to create a floor plan and thanks to Ernie Darling, the walls have been painted Gunston green. The only thing left to do is get the furniture inside, decorate the walls, and for our own Seniors to "earn the keys" in a newly created ceremony. Both the library and the lounge will be great student spaces!

A spectacular commencement weekend

2011-06-26T16:47:00.000-04:00

Aunt Mary grinned during commencement weekend as the school held our annual Green and White Awards ceremony, Graduation, and on Sunday, the Everdell Farewell. With the high spirits of our community, the breathtaking weather, the hundreds of alumni and friends who returned to our campus, it was a weekend of good feelings. By request, I have attached links to the three major addresses given during the weekend:

Sarah Everdell's graduation remarks: click here
Stella Lin's Samuel A. Middleton Award remarks: click here
My Green and White Awards address: click here

Senior Internships

2011-05-24T20:10:00.000-04:00

Each Spring, our Seniors finish their Gunston career by engaging in a two-week internship, and right now our Seniors are involved in productive activities all over the state. Just today, I received an e-mail from Katie Eales, whose internship is focused on horses:

Katie and Puff!

Hey Guys!

Just wanted to show you what shenanigans I have had the opportunity to get up to on my internship thus far. This is Puff and her new born foal. She gave birth this morning at around four o' clock and it has been my job and pleasure to be doing check ups, blood work, and shots for them all day. I am extremely excited and just wanted to share. I hope all is well at school. I miss it already

Sincerely
Katie

Spring Events

2011-05-24T20:05:00.000-04:00

It has been several weeks since I have posted anything to the blog, and this has much to do with the incredible amount of activity happening on campus over the past few weeks.

Last week, I had the opportunity to go on my first Bay Studies excursion--The Potomac Odyssey. During our four days in Western Maryland, we rafted on the Youghiogheny River, biked 25 miles down the C&O Canal, mountain biked in Green Ridge State Forest, and cycled around the entirety of the Antietam Battlefield. Although the weather transcended miserable, it was experiential learning at its best.

The past few weeks have also seen our Disembarkation Ceremony, championships won by our Girls Lacrosse and Tennis teams, a banner-raising sports banquet, and the delivery of the yearbook via 1911 Model T. It was a classic way to cap our Centennial Year!

To read my May community letter, click on this link: letter

Earth Day!

2011-04-21T18:14:00.000-04:00

Gunston celebrates Earth Day on April 29th, and we have an extraordinary array of workshops for our students to choose from:

1. Birds of the Eastern Shore: Dr. Wayne H. Bell

Maryland Ornithological Society, Inc., retired founding director of the Center for Environment and Society at Washington College, board member and past president of the Adkins Arboretum Board of Directors, president of the Maryland Ornithological Society.

Dr. Bell will be discussing birds of the Eastern Shore and how bird species diversity relates to the working landscape of the Eastern Shore past, present, and future, as well as ecological succession, historical aspects of land use, and how these relate to bird species diversity on today's working landscape.

2. Bees! Bill Hings

This is a widely respected apiculturist who teaches beekeeping both locally and all over the world, empowering people in third world countries with an income-producing skill. He will also be giving a workshop activity in the afternoon on native bees.  

3. Compost Happens: Mike Hardesty, Washington College ‘05 Biology and Environmental Studies, author "Compost as Bioremediation Technology: Economic and Environmental Considerations."

As Post grad Washington College Sustainability Intern, Bill worked on developing a composting program for the college dining hall, and he worked as a farm worker locally and as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi, Africa, working with farmers on improving their farming practices which included increasing the use of compost as a soil amendment. Currently Mr. Hardesty is back at W.C. working as Program Manager for the Center for Environment and Society.

Mr. Hardesty will make a presentation on the why and how to compost. He will explain the environmental advantages to the process both from the individual and the institutional vantage point.

4. Recycling Matters: Mr. James Wood, Regional Director of Midshore Recycling.

Mr. Wood, also a Gunston parent, will be discussing the practical and ethical concerns and realities of waste management and recycling on the Eastern Shore. He requests that you go online and watch “The Story of Stuff,” a 20 minute free movie, beforehand in order to get a jump on the discussion.  

5. Oyster Workshop: Steve Sharkey, Corsica River Conservancy.

Mr. Sharkey moved to Centreville, MD in 1997, became involved with environmental issues with the Chester River Association and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and has been running programs to raise submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV)  for the past five years, as well as installing rain gardens in the Corsica River watershed and working on Oyster programs. He will be explaining the problems of the different parts of the river system and the importance of fixing runoff problems. He will review how CRC’s present Oyster Recovery Program got started and what they had to do to make it work. He will also be conducting a hands-on oyster lab on the dock as an afternoon activity.  

6. Another look at oyster restoration

Alumni Doug Staurulakis will share information about an independent oyster growing project with which he is involved.        

7. Fascinating Mushrooms and the importance of Decay: Susan Dabney , former teacher, Gunston Day School

Miss Dabney has studied and collected mushrooms since childhood and will be discussing the role of mushrooms in the ecosystem, the mechanisms of mushroom growth, edible mushroom propagation, mushrooms in permaculture, and the medicinal virtues of some mushrooms in cultivation.    

8. Windy Hill Farm

Our neighbor, Mr. Matt Miller will host a full tour of their farm during which they will demonstrate and discuss the environmental initiatives that they have undertaken. Wind energy, a Living Shorline project, (etc. from full list) This is one single session and can accommodate up to 15 students.    

9. Sustainable Energy

AP Environmental students will present a lesson on sustainable and renewable energy. They will incorporate information on alternative fuels.  

10. Colchester Farms – Community Supported Agriculture

Learn about the return of the neighborhood farm. Community members and local farmers partner to produce high quality fruits and vegetables that are grown without the use of commercial pesticides, fertilizers, or herbicides.  

11. Kudzu and Ivy WORK shop

Help rid the Gunston ravines of these invasive species. Many hands and few minutes can help make space for indigenous species to thrive.    

12. Sustainable Living

Emily Ross will discuss lifestyle choices that each of us can make to lead a healthier, more environmentally friendly life. Participants will learn both how to reduce their footprint and how have a positive impact on the environment.  

13. Hope Road Cleanup – (If you sign up for this workshop, you cannot sign up for a second workshop) Clean our “adopted” road in Centreville. Gloves and safety vests will be provided.

14. All About Chickens

Alumni, Bennett Price, will discuss chicken farming and reveal the many challenges that chicken waste poses for the poultry industry and the Chesapeake watershed.

April Community Letter

2011-04-20T12:44:00.000-04:00

This month's community letter focuses on Gunston's approach to global studies, and I have included a bibliography of important and relevant works to understand a number of global trends:

April Community Letter: click here

10 Great Books for Illuminating your Global Perspective: click here

Bay Studies

2011-04-10T19:58:00.000-04:00

As a school located on a river leading into the Chesapeake Bay, we are deeply connected to the Bay region, and there is probably no program more distinctive at Gunston than our Bay Studies program. We have just finalized this year's offerings, and from May 16^th to May 20th, our students spread out across the region to pursue a series of extraordinary experiential learning opportunities:
The Bay and its History – The Chesapeake Bay is heart to most of early American history. We will explore colonial times by visiting cities and plantations examining culture, slavery, and military strategy and then explore the Civil War with visits to Gettysburg, Antietam, and Harper’s Ferry.

Bike Trails of the Chesapeake - For the hale and hearty who have a good mountain bike, we will bike some of the great locations on the Bay. These include White Clay Creek State Park, Fair Hill Natural Resources Management Area, Schaeffer Farm Trail, Cosca Regional Park, and Tuckahoe State Park. Come prepared for a real workout and see some of the wonderful natural sites of the area.

Canoeing River Habitats – What is the diversity of habitats and species in and along the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay? How does the ever changing physical environment impact what lives and grows in the region? Students will explore and identify different habitats of the Bay region mostly by canoe, including trips on rivers such as the Gunpowder Falls, Tuckahoe, Pocomoke, and Sinepuxent Bay.
Chesapeake Bay Outward Bound Canoeing – Are you ready to explore the backcountry as an early settler might have without modern conveniences? Your course will begin and end in Leakin Park, one of the nation’s largest urban parks located in Baltimore, and then you will quickly journey out into the wilderness where the real magic takes place. You will be taught everything you will need to know. You should come to your course emotionally prepared for and excited about devoting all of your time and energy to your expedition, your group, and your Outward Bound experience. Rugged and challenging, this popular course will canoe in the backcountry of Maryland with a day for rock climbing. This program is part of Outward Bound’s Peer Leadership Program and has been successfully offered every year since Gunston started its modern Bay Studies program fifteen years ago.

Chesapeake Bay Pastimes –Rich in heritage and cultural activities, the Chesapeake area has many venues for cultural enrichment. We will sample some of these including an Orioles game, the theatre, Ladew Topiary Gardens, and a few art museums.

Chesapeake Treasures: Sea Glass, Shore Life, Shorebirds, and Service – During the week we will explore area beaches and wildlife refuges to gain a deeper understanding of their role in the protection and sustainability of the Chesapeake watershed. We will investigate habitats and species of shore life and seabirds, and along the way we will uncover the beauty and secrets of sea glass. Some of our time will be given to the refuges cleaning beaches and repairing pathways. Our final day will be spent aboard a skipjack hearing tales of yore.

Exploring the Upper Chesapeake on the Buy Boat Annie D. and the Skipjack Elsworth –What is the state of the Chester River watershed and its environs? How were these old boats used to travel and fish the bay? With the past as perspective, students will explore Chesapeake’s natural history, human history, lore and culture and determine the future of the Chesapeake as a valuable resource. Echo Hill Outdoor School offers Gunston a special program using the “buy” boat Annie D. and the skipjack Elsworth for a five-day overnight experience.

Fox Island and Bay Seafood - We will travel to Crisfield, formerly the world center for crabs, and go by boat six miles out to stay at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation lodge on Fox Island to study the environment of the Chesapeake Bay for three days with a focus on seafood. When we return we will learn about advanced seafood preparation techniques.
Islands of the Bay – Travel to places that have a connection with the past. We will visit the most famous islands including Smith, Hooper’s, and Tilghman to take photos and also explore the culture of a world a part. We will then develop short You Tube type videos, a DVD of still photos, and a display of still photos, using Friday as needed to complete the total projects. Some start and end times may be altered to get the best photos.

Karen Noonan Center – From the Marshes and Islands of Tangier Bay to the City –This is an overview of the Chesapeake Bay, beginning with a stay at Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s premier center at Bishop’s Head on Monday through Wednesday to study the environment and then a trip to Baltimore to visit the aquarium and harbor and explore the changes that occurred when man moved in.
Mission to Planet Earth - This program will focus on the study of the Chesapeake Bay environment from space. This will include field trips to Goddard Space Center and the Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Students will spend at least two days building and launching rockets, first from kits, and later from their own designs. They will also learn how images taken from satellites are used to monitor the health of the Bay.
Potomac Odyssey – This is the fifth year of this successful offering which will involve exploration of “the nation’s river” and the area around Harper’s Ferry using bikes and rafts. Students will bike the C&O Canal trail, whitewater raft the Youghiogheny River, taking in the rich history of the area, and explore places like Berkley Spring State Park, Fort Frederick State Park, and the Paw Paw Tunnel. You will camp along the banks of the Potomac in some beautiful and surprisingly wild campsites, visit Cushwa Basin, and participate in a presentation on otters. With the outfitting help of Wilderness Voyageurs of Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania, all gear, bikes and camping equipment will be provided along with an interesting and enlightening background into the human and natural history of the area.

YSOP - Youth Service Opportunities Project is a weeklong work camp where students help the homeless and hungry in Washington, D.C. This is the best of Bay Studies. Volunteers will prepare and serve meals at soup kitchens, distribute food and supplies at food pantries, and help elderly tenants who no longer can do for themselves. A Quaker-founded non-profit organization established in 1983, YSOP is well organized and safe. Their website is http://www.ysop.org/.

100 Wins!

2011-04-10T19:37:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to our Girls Lacrosse coach, Mr. Robert Fredland, for getting his 100th career coaching win on Friday in the pouring rain against Calverton. Coach Fredland has built a dominating girls' lacrosse program, and the team's play reflects the personality of their coach: hardworking, selfless, tough, and passionate. Our parents generously hosted a victory tailgate party in honor of Coach Fredland's win, and the team put together the largest banner I've ever seen. If you see Coach Fredland around campus, give him a high five!

Here's a link to the photo gallery celebrating the team's recent tournament victory: http://www.gunstondayschool.org/cf_media2/index.cfm?obj=1968

Hoops for Heifers

2011-03-28T12:31:00.000-04:00

Last Friday was a great day at Gunston. After watching both of our lacrosse teams score victories against their opponents, nearly sixty students, faculty, and friends went to the gymnasium and spent a good part of the evening playing 3-on-3 basketball in order to raise funds for Heifer International. The student-organized tournament raised over $600--enough to purchase an actual heifer for a family in need.

Heifer's mission statement is:

Heifer's mission is to work with communities to end hunger and poverty and care for the earth. By giving families a hand-up, not just a hand-out, we empower them to turn lives of hunger and poverty into self-reliance and hope. With gifts of livestock and training, we help families improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways. We refer to the animals as "living loans" because in exchange for their livestock and training, families agree to give one of its animal's offspring to another family in need. It's called Passing on the Gift – a cornerstone of our mission that creates an ever-expanding network of hope and peace.

Congratulations to our students for putting together such a successful event, and congratulations to both the boys and girls teams who won the tournament.

Off the Bookshelf: The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother

2011-03-21T17:10:00.002-04:00

Amy Chua's Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is one of the most widely-reviewed and controversial books of the year, and some of its anecdotes--Chua calling her daughter "garbage", making her three-year-old stand in the cold until she agreed to practice the piano, and not allowing her daughters to attend playdates and sleepovers, or watch TV and play video games--have been widely cited in newspapers, magazines, and on talk shows. Chua's stated aim is to explain the style of "Chinese Parenting", which she sets in contrast to "Western Parenting". In the book, she explains the controversial nature of these terms, as well as their limitations.

With my interest piqued, I downloaded the "sample" of the book on my Kindle, and I soon found myself engrossed by an extraordinarily vivid tale of alpha parenting. Indeed, I finished the book in just over a day, mainly because Chua's writing style is as hard-charging as her parenting style, and when I put the book down, I needed to catch my breath. While it might be easy to dismiss Chua's parenting style as "over the top" (and yes, I think she's not just over the top, but WAY over the top), I think her book provides some extraordinary insights about parenting. In The Atlantic Magazine, reviewer Caitlin Flanagan captures the essence of Chua's arguments and philosophy:

Kids are inherently strong, not weak; self-esteem derives from accomplishing difficult and worthwhile pursuits; adults are better than children at judging what does and does not constitute a valuable or enriching experience; the better you get at something, the more you will enjoy doing it; and a great deal of what is on offer to American teenagers these days is not only coarsening but downright dangerous.

While I am certainly not advocating some of the extreme parenting measures employed by Chua, her book speaks to the power of high standards and the value of pursuing excellence in a worthwhile activity. A few years ago, I did an exercise with a group of faculty members, asking them to describe the "best" teacher they ever had, and what quality it was about the teacher that made them so great. In a room of fifteen teachers, every single person shared essentially the same response: the best teacher they ever had was the most demanding teacher they ever had; someone who pushed them beyond their own perceived limits.

The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother is a deeply engaging book; it's worth reading.

March Community Letter

2011-03-03T12:38:00.000-05:00

Dear Gunston Community:

To read the March Community Letter, please click on this link: community letter
Regards,

John

Off the Bookshelf: The View from Lazy Point

2011-03-02T21:22:00.001-05:00

The View from Lazy Point is one of the best books about nature and the environment that I have ever read. The Barnes and Noble review captures the book well:

Beginning in his kayak in his home waters of eastern Long Island, Carl Safina's The View from Lazy Point takes us through the four seasons to the four points of the compass, from the high Arctic south to Antarctica, across the warm belly of the tropics from the Caribbean to the west Pacific, then home again. We meet Eskimos whose way of life is melting away, explore a secret global seed vault hidden above the Arctic Circle, investigate dilemmas facing foraging bears and breeding penguins, and sail to formerly devastated reefs that are resurrecting as fish graze the corals algae-free.

"Each time science tightens a coil in the slack of our understanding," Safina writes, "it elaborates its fundamental discovery: connection." He shows how problems of the environment drive very real matters of human justice, well-being, and our prospects for peace. In Safina's hands, nature's continuous renewal points toward our future. His lively stories grant new insights into how our world is changing, and what our response ought to be.

In addition to his brilliant ability to show the interconnectedness of humans, animals, and the environment, Safina's true gift is his ability to show how seemingly benign changes in the environment at Lazy Point (in a climate similar to the Eastern Shore) actually represents significant larger scale changes occurring on our planet today.

Advancing Gunston's Public Purpose

2011-02-27T20:00:00.001-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to attend the National Association of Independent Schools conference in Washington, DC, where the theme was "Advancing our Public Purpose." The aim was to think about the ways that independent schools can work together with public schools, local municipalities, foundations, states, counties, and our our case, regions, to promote the public good.

At Gunston, we see ourselves as an important institution in the development of our larger Eastern Shore community, and we are striving to expand our partnerships within the community. For instance, we partnered with several schools to sponsor a showing of "The Race to Nowhere" several weeks ago, where almost 300 people came to see the film and participate in the discussion. In addition, our GIVE club (Gunston Initiates Volunteer Efforts) has been involved in dozens of local service projects over the course of its existence. Currently, among other efforts, we are working with a group of students from Kenard Elementary in Centreville on an oyster restoration project where the aim is to rehabilitate the decimated population of a creature essential to the health of our watershed.

I also had the opportunity to see presentations by a series of gifted speakers and presenters. Here are some links to some of the speakers' presentations in other contexts:

Sheena Igyenar: The Art of Choosing--this is a compelling engaging and funny presentation at a TED Conference about the role of choice in our lives. Dr. Igyenar is a professor at Columbia Business School.
Geoffrey Canada: Mr. Canada is the founder of the Harlem Children's Zone, and one of the most gifted educators of our time. Here is the link: 60 Minutes, Geoffrey Canada
Dan Heath: Mr. Heath is one of the world's leading thinkers on communication. Here is a short clip about how to make an effective presentation. He is the author of two best-selling books, Made to Stick and Switch.
Salman Khan: If you want to glimpse the future of the role of technology in education, it's worth watching this video on the Khan Academy. Sal Khan's website can be found at http://www.khanacademy.org/. It is the largest open courseware site in the world.
Anya Kamentz: She is a journalist who is following innovations in open learning platforms. Here is her Ted Conference presentation.

Summer Opportunities

2011-02-15T20:07:00.000-05:00

This year Gunston is starting a summer camp, as well as a summer academic Honors Academy. Beyond our program, however, summer opportunities abound for our students, and I wanted to share some resources for finding a great program:

http://www.usummer.com/

http://www.enrichmentalley.com/programs/alphabetical

www.teenlife.com/2011SummerGuide.

http://www.andover.edu/StudentLife/SummerOpportunities/Documents/Alphabetical%20Summer%20Ops.pdf

Powers of Ten: A Video

2011-02-06T15:40:00.001-05:00

Several years ago I taught the Theory of Knowledge course in the International Baccalaureate program. For one of the lessons, we watched the video "Powers of Ten" to trigger a discussion about mathematics, perspective, and the universe. As a way to understand the relative size of our universe, it is unmatched. Here it is: Powers of Ten.

As the website notes: "In 1998, 'Powers of Ten' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being 'culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant'."

Headmaster's Holiday

2011-02-06T14:49:00.000-05:00

A ski lesson for some of our international students

My first Headmaster’s Holiday was great fun, and although the 10-hour bus ride up to Seven Springs (normally 4 ½) made the first leg of the trip arduous, it was certainly a ride to remember. Throughout the trip, there were many wonderful moments: the first-night pizza party (though the pizza was lukewarm due to our lengthy bus ride up), the feeling of warmth and camaraderie in our common room where we kept the TV locked on the Weather Channel as Snowmageddon ripped through the Eastern Seaboard, and of course, hours and hours of skiing in almost perfect conditions. On Thursday night, Mr. Southworth and I even braved the bracing water of the swimming pool and Andy Doucet’s sharp elbows to participate in a high-energy contest of pool basketball. I’m still shaking the water out of my ears!

Bea on skis!

Personally, I had the opportunity to see my daughter take her first-ever ski lesson (though she kept falling on purpose in order to eat snow), and a group of Gunston Seniors allowed me to chase them down the slopes on Friday morning. In the final few hours of the final day of the trip, the students piled their bags and their bodies into the Wintergreen Room where they rested exhausted muscles, listened to iPods, and prepared for the journey home.

The school year is always long, and it’s always hard work. The Headmaster’s Holiday allows us to step away for a few days to enjoy each other’s company and to recharge our batteries for the final few months of the academic year.

Relaxing after a long bus ride up!

Teen of the Week: Ethan Goodman

2011-01-23T14:29:00.000-05:00

Our own Ethan Goodman (right) was named "Teen of the Week" by the Annapolis Capital newspaper. He is well-deserving, and you can find the link here: Goodman article.

25 Classes or Bust: Wood Sculpture

2011-01-23T14:23:00.000-05:00

"Hunter" Smith sharpens his blade

Notice the leather thumb guard

While in some high schools, a classroom full of adolescent boys wielding knives might incite a level of fear, at Gunston we call it “art class”. A talented artist himself, Mr. Dize is the Chair of our Art Department, and one of our most popular offerings is his Wood Sculpture course. This course is designed to teach the fundamentals of wood sculpture including low relief, 3-D carving, waterfowl, and other wildlife sculpture. Basic concepts such as aesthetic value, historical and cultural influences, critique methods, as well as the use of tools and sharpening, are part of the course.

A miniature project taking shape

During my visit, some students were practicing technique (by making a cylinder), and others were completing sculpture projects of various shapes and sizes. It was one of the quieter classes I've visited at Gunston--funny how the presence of a sharp blade promotes focus!

December/January Community Letter

2011-01-10T14:43:00.000-05:00

Dear Gunston Community:

To read the December/January Community Letter, please click on this link: community letter

Regards,

John

The Race to Nowhere: Film Screening

2011-01-10T14:41:00.001-05:00

Gunston Day School, in partnership with the Wye River Upper School, Saints Peter and Paul High School, and Chesapeake College, will host a screening of the critically acclaimed documentary, Race to Nowhere, on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 at 7:00 pm at the Todd Performing Arts Center, Chesapeake College, Wye Mills, MD.

Part of a nationwide campaign to prompt change at the national, state, local and individual levels, this documentary is considered a “call to mobilize families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens”. Focusing on the increasing impact that the culture of achievement holds on our youth, the film examines the growing incidence of related cheating, stress-related illness, depression and burnout from which middle and high school aged children increasingly suffer.

While Gunston Day School fully recognizes the impact of this worrisome trend amidst our own students, it remains a growing challenge for the community at large. The four sponsoring institutions of learning are proud to be providing a platform for an increased community-wide awareness and discussion as we screen the film and host a post-film audience participation event.

Because we are committed to your engagement in this dialogue, the three partnering high schools will provide our respective school families with complimentary tickets to the screening. Normally, these tickets are available to the general public at a price of $10 per ticket in advance ($15 at the door). We encourage you and any appropriate member of your immediate family to be our guests for this event. It is necessary that you reserve your tickets in advance. Please click here to register and reserve your tickets. They will be held for you at the door. Race to Nowhere is rated PG13.

I encourage you to visit www.racetonowhere.com to learn more about this thought provoking and timely film. More importantly, I encourage you to join us, and members of the public and private school communities, as we gather together for this unique opportunity to impact the future of education for our young people in our homes, counties, state and country.

25 Classes or Bust: Honors Physics

2011-01-09T16:35:00.000-05:00

Mass, Newtons, Force, Acceleration, Friction, Joules, Units of Work, Power, Kilograms, Time, Rest, Gravity, Normal Force, Distance, Miles per Second, Kilowatts, Kinetic Energy, Momentum. Such is the vocabulary in a forty-five minute class with Dr. Wilson and his brainy Honors Physics students.

A grainy picture of Dr. Wilson!

As an English major by training and temperament, I had the humbling experience of sitting in a classroom of highly engaged Gunston students who clearly understood what Dr. Wilson was talking about while I struggled mightily to keep up!

Happy 2011: Some Notable articles

2011-01-05T10:59:00.000-05:00

Over the Winter Holiday, I had an opportunity to catch up on some reading. Here are a few notable and recommended articles:

Delivered to the plebe class at West Point last year, William Deresiewicz's article "Solitude and Leadership" has been republished in both The American Scholar and Independent School Magazine: http://www.theamericanscholar.org/solitude-and-leadership/

An interesting article called "A's for Effort" talks about the importance of separating achievement and effort grades--something Gunston already does: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/weekinreview/28tyre.html?_r=1&emc=eta1
Here is a powerful and parent-centered New York Times article on the growing and difficult to manage trend of "cyberbullying": http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/us/05bully.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=homepage
Many colleges are cutting majors, especially in languages: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/05/education/05languages.html?src=me&ref=homepage
I just love Hans Rosling, whose claim to fame is creating visual representations of data: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbkSRLYSojo
I had a parent ask me about the cognitive impact of video games. Here is an article called "Video Games Boost Brain Power, Multitasking Skills" that his son will probably like: http://www.npr.org/132077565
I heard this interesting "When To Guide, When To Let Go Of Teenagers?" story on NPR during one of my holiday drives: http://www.npr.org/132142172
Finally, each year, the New York Times columnist David Brooks gives the "Sidney" award to the best magazine articles of the year. The links are below to articles on topics ranging from demographics, income inequality, and Winston Churchill, to Greek bonds, the decline of the autopsy, and the inside-scoop on the grocery chain, Trader Joe's:

Happy 2011!!!

Twenty Five Classes or Bust: AP Latin

2010-12-17T13:36:00.000-05:00

During my visit with Mrs. Cunningham's AP Latin class, consisting of four elite Vergil-translating 12th grade scholars and their sage-like instructor, there was an extensive pre-exam review of literary terms, verb tenses, and translations.

It was a joy to watch the four young men in the class--all of whom are some of Gunston's best athletes--compete with each other to identify the meanings of terms like metonymy, pleonasm, and polysyndeton. Of course in AP Latin, the laws of Latin and the laws of Mrs. Cunningham are learned hand-in-hand.

Freedom from Chemical Dependency

2010-12-16T09:13:00.000-05:00

A core element of Gunston's educational philosophy is a belief in the importance of developing healthy habits and maintaining a healthy body. This includes assisting our students in making responsible choices in regard to drugs and alcohol, and we are committed to maintaining a substance-free educational environment.

To this end, last week our community was visited by Dr. James Lingo, a counselor from the organization Freedom from Chemical Dependency. During his four days on campus, James provided our entire community with a comprehensive and dynamic educational experience. His visit began with an opening address to the community where he shared his own struggles with alcohol, and over a four day time span, each grade level met with James for a full period each day. There were also opportunities for students to speak with James through informal drop-in sessions, and he provided two workshops for the adults on campus: one for faculty, and one for parents. Overall, it was an excellent program, and I wanted to provide some follow-up links and resources for our students and families:

Several years ago, I wrote an extended essay on the issue of substance use and abuse which I have updated with the most recent research: "Reflections on Substance Use and Abuse"
FCD's web resources for students: http://www.fcd.org/content/resources/students.asp
FCD's website for Parents/Guardians: http://www.fcd.org/content/resources/parents.asp
The University of Michigan completes a comprehensive annual study of adolescent substance use: www.monitoringthefuture.org

FCD's Mission is to:

Provide educational communities with the guidance and training necessary to implement comprehensive, effective approaches to substance abuse prevention
Educate students, parents, teachers and school administrators on the physiological and psychological effects of alcohol and other drugs
Promote awareness of alcoholism and other drug addictions as a progressive, chronic, and often fatal disease
Teach children and adults how to recognize the early warning signs of substance abuse and to intervene appropriately
Empower young people to make healthy, responsible choices regarding alcohol and other drug use
Encourage and support the non-use of alcohol and other illegal or illicit drugs during the growing years.

Twenty Five Classes or Bust: History of Ideas

2010-12-09T18:07:00.000-05:00

I had the great pleasure of visiting Mrs. Everdell's 10th grade History of Ideas course on Wednesday. The course is designed to introduce Gunston students to the key intellectual movements and concepts that inform our personal, national, and global worldviews. I happened to be visiting on a day when the class was wrapping up their discussion on Taoism, and beginning a unit on Confucianism.

Using Huston Smith's The World Religions text, Mrs. Everdell guided the students through an introduction to the concept of "The Deliberate Tradition": the five precepts that guide Confucian philosophy. Throughout, the discussion was focused on the issues of morality, conduct, and virtue. At the end of the lesson, in addition to assigning additional reading, Mrs. Everdell gave her students a unique homework assignment related to Confucian principles: she asked them to spend an entire day acting as polite as humanly possible. She is truly a master teacher.

Twenty Five Classes or Bust: Honors English 9

2010-12-04T12:50:00.000-05:00

I visited the 9th grade Honors English class of Mrs. Newell as they were discussing George Bernard Shaw's famous play, Pygmalion, based on the famous myth where the sculptor Galatea falls in love with his own creation. In Shaw's very funny play--the inspiration for the musical My Fair Lady--the protagonist Henry Higgins, a phonetics professor, wagers that he can teach a Cockney girl, Eliza Doolittle, to speak like a duchess at a garden party.

The famous painting:
Pygmalion and Galatea
by Jean Leon Gerome

I sat in on a fascinating seminar discussion that revolved around the nature of idealism, the power of language, an analysis of the psychology of each character, and the oedipal nature of the relationship between Henry and his mother. Mrs. Newell and the students were nice enough to let me read the parts of Henry Higgins and Nepommuck!

Twenty Five Classes or Bust: Biology

2010-12-02T20:13:00.002-05:00

My second stop was to Mr. Everdell's 9th grade Biology class. Mr. Everdell occupies a spectacular classroom in which to teach Biology--there are windows on two walls that provide a 180-degree view of the natural splendor of the Gunston campus, and now that the leaves have fallen, you can see the river from his classroom. On this particular day, there was a torrential downpour outside, with forty-five mph gusts of wind. His classroom includes an aquarium, shelves and shelves of biology books, and nets and buckets for his Corsica River experiments.

The Aquarium

In the class I observed, Mr. Everdell was conducting a review of recently studied material, and he was using his projector and the online resources from the textbook to display an interactive jeopardy-type review game. He broke the class into two (highly competitive) teams that battled over the categories of Cells, Membranes, Energizers, Product Production, and of course, Grab Bag. The students engaged in an intense yet collaborative exercise to reinforce their understanding of terms and concepts. At all times, Mr. Everdell was there to clarify questions and extend student understanding about cilia, flagella, cell walls, mitochondria, etc.

Twenty Five Classes or Bust: Chemistry

2010-12-02T20:00:00.001-05:00

My first full-class stop was to the spacious Chemistry classroom on the first floor of AB, where I saw Mr. Rose teach his tenth grade Chemistry class. He was preparing his students for an upcoming lab on determining the density/specific heat of a metal. At first, he demonstrated the complex workings of a vernier caliper as a tool to measure thickness and the diameters of various beakers. However, the magic of this particular lesson was the way Mr. Rose placed the students into the role of working scientists, and asking them to solve the logistical challenges of measuring the temperature of a solid (where a thermometer cannot actually be "stuck" inside the solid to measure the temperature.) There were a number of creative and innovative guesses, and when Mr. Rose finally revealed the secret of measuring the specific heat--by taking the solid out of boiling water, depositing it into tepid water, and then measuring the rise in temperature of the water--there was a collective AHA! moment in the classroom.

Perhaps most significantly, during the lesson Mr. Rose destroyed my long-held and erroneous belief that adding salt to water makes it boil faster. In fact, salt makes water boil at a higher temperature, which makes food cook faster. Alas, for the last thirty years, I've been throwing salt into the water to make it boil faster--to no avail!

Twenty Five Classes or Bust!

2010-12-02T19:58:00.000-05:00

Let me first acknowledge my personal friend and Headmaster of the Calvert School, Dr. Andrew Martire, for inspiring the "Twenty-Five Classes or Bust!" concept. Over the next few weeks, my goal is to visit at least one class of every Gunston teacher, and report back from the front lines about the doings of our extraordinarily talented students and faculty.

As a warm-up, my visitations began on Wednesday with a brief, twenty-minute stop in Mr. Robinson's AP European History course, where in his map-filled and history book-lined classroom, the students were highly engaged in a discussion focused on the reasons King Louis XVI of France lost his head.

Thanksgiving Holiday

2010-11-30T09:36:00.000-05:00

Everyone returned to school today after what I hope was a peaceful and restful Thanksgiving Holiday. During this season of thanks and giving, I wanted to mention a few notable things happening on campus:

1. Jackie, Carly, and Katherine Gross organized a letter-writing drive to provide comfort to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital. Over a hundred letters were sent on behalf of the Gunston community to honor their service.

2. G.I.V.E. (Gunston Initiates Volunteer Efforts) is currently conducting a canned food drive to benefit a local food pantry. Please bring your canned food items to school.

3. One of our Gunston alums, Emily Puddester ('04) is currently working in an underprivileged school in the Bahamas. With the help of Mike Clemens, we have collected a large amount of school supplies to provide the school with pencils, paper, calculators, etc.

4. It is worth being thankful for grandparents. On the Tuesday before the holiday, we were blessed to be joined by nearly three dozen grandparents. After a welcome reception, grandparents visited classes, heard some Thanksgiving remarks, and attended a vocal recital.

Again, Happy Thanksgiving!

National Honor Society

2010-11-21T09:15:00.000-05:00

Last Tuesday saw a moving National Honor Society Induction ceremony where seven of our students were welcomed into an organization that prizes the qualities of scholarship, character, service, and leadership. In my remarks to the students, I shared a favorite poem by Marge Piercy that speaks to the hard work and earnest effort it takes to become a member of this prestigious and selective society:

To Be of Use, by Marge Piercy

The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half-submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.

November Community Letter

2010-11-12T08:59:00.000-05:00

Dear Gunston Community:

To read the November Community Letter (and don't neglect to scroll down to see the photos from Centennial), please click on this link: November Letter

Regards,

John

Some recent articles on education in the news

2010-11-11T20:40:00.000-05:00

Every once in awhile, I will seek to share relevant articles about education, learning, student health, college preparation, etc.. Here are a few items recently in the news:

An interesting article on the relationship between exercise and intelligence: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/15/phys-ed-can-exercise-make-kids-smarter/?scp=9&sq=Gretchen%20Reynolds&st=cse
Every quarter, the New York Times publishes a special section called "Education Life." In the most recent section, the Times has teamed up with the Chronicle of Higher Education to explore issues related to the transition between high school and college. This article discusses the current landscape of college admissions: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/education/edlife/07HOOVER-t.html?ref=education
Speaking of college admissions, perhaps the most well-known blog about college admissions is the Jacques Steinberg-inspired blog called "The Choice." Steinberg is the NY Times correspondent who wrote the book “The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College."
Although this is not an article, a few months ago I came across one of the most extraordinary mathematics websites I've ever seen: http://www.wolframalpha.com/. Enjoy!

Fall Sports Awards Dinner

2010-11-07T13:22:00.000-05:00

A view from the recently repainted boathouse

It was a packed and energetic Field House at the Fall Sports Awards Dinner on Thursday night, and the evening was a powerful testament to the skill, effort, and sacrifice of our student-athletes this season. Before each team hosted its own awards celebration in various locations around our campus, each coach came to the podium to summarize the highlights of their team's season. While there were mentions of all-conference, all-star, and ESIAC sportsmanship awards, I was most impressed with the way that our coaches, almost without exception, focused the majority of their remarks on the positive and enduring values of athletics: teamwork, self-sacrifice, focus, and effort. This ability to "live" to the school's values is what makes our coaching staff so exceptional.

The exciting fall season concludes this weekend, with our sailing team heading to Toms River, New Jersey for the Mid-Atlantic Scholastic Sailing Association's Atlantic Coast Championships, where they qualified to race against the top twenty sailing teams in our region. At the same time, our crew team heads to Virginia for the Head of the Occoquan regatta.

In Celebration of Books: 2010

2010-11-02T08:48:00.000-04:00

This was my first ICB, and it truly was a unique and extraordinary event. From the opening keynote speech by David Haward Bain, to the multiple workshops led by our renowned invited authors (twelve of them, including the director of the Breadloaf Writers Conference, as well as the former Poet Laureate of Maryland!), to the engrossing poetry reading at the end of the day, ICB celebrated the magic of reading and writing, and it is a reflection of Gunston's commitment to ensuring that all of our students develop both sophisticated writing skills and their own personal writing "voice." Here is a copy of my opening remarks at the morning assembly: In Celebration of Books 2010.

Nancy Taylor Robson tells the story of how she secured an interview with Russell Banks.

David Haward Bain speaks about the use of "artifacts" as an impetus for powerful writing.

"What are you going to do," asks Michael Glaser, "with your one wild and only life!?"

Mark Plotkin: A Hero for our Planet

2010-11-01T20:25:00.002-04:00

Today was the annual Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) Conference in Baltimore, and many of our faculty attended this dynamic professional development event while others chaperoned our student body on a school-wide trip to Washington, DC.

This year's keynote speaker was a Time magazine "Hero for the Planet", Dr. Mark Plotkin, the Harvard ethnobotanist who has spent his career working in the Amazon rainforest studying the relationship between indigenious people and medicinal plants. His work has led to numerous important medical discoveries, and he couples his scholarly interests with an activist's passion for conserving both the indigenous culture and biodiversity of the Amazon region. He is the founder of the Amazon Conservation Team, whose mission is "to work in partnership with indigenous people to conserve biodiversity, improve human health, and fortify traditional culture in greater Amazonia." His most famous book, Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice, was turned into an award-winning documentary.

Plotkin challenged all AIMS educators to consider the various human benefits of conservation and biodiversity, and he implored us to teach our students about the powerful relationship between our natural environment and human healing. At Gunston, this year we are pursuing Green School certification from the state of Maryland, and this will serve as the beginning of an expanded school-wide committment to creating an academic program and a physical campus focused on environmental sustainability.

Here is a brief video I found that features Plotkin talking about the work of the Amazon Conservation Team: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxBb2FOj9x4

Homecoming

2010-10-25T21:09:00.001-04:00

By all measures, it was a great Homecoming Weekend. On Friday, both the Boys Soccer and Girls Field Hockey teams dominated their opponents; we had a successful tailgate party; and the bonfire burned brightly before the students went into the gym to watch a film. At Saturday night's dance, the students looked great in their homecoming outfits (lots of matching corsages and boutonnieres), and they arrived early and stayed late. And of course, we crowned our annual Homecoming King and Queen. This year's royalty were Andy Doucet and Charlotte Lippincott, shown here in their royal headwear!

An Important Announcement: Tony and Sarah Everdell

2010-10-19T09:37:00.000-04:00

This letter was read to the students in today's morning meeting, is being sent by e-mail and hard copy to parents, and will be sent to all of our constituent groups today:

Dear Gunston Community:

I need to share with you some important and significant news that touches the entire Gunston community. Tony and Sarah Everdell have informed me of their intention to retire at the conclusion of the academic year. No combination of words can express the depth of gratitude the Gunston community owes to this special couple, and their retirement will not only be the end of their career at Gunston, but also the end of an era for our school.

Regarding their decision, they write:

We love Gunston, and will miss teaching wonderful students and working with a first-rate faculty. Maine beckons however. We depart knowing that the school is strong, and is moving into an exciting future. We will cheer from the sidelines. (Every corner is a goal!)

Tony and Sarah’s retirement is a moment of significant transition for them as a couple, and it is an equally significant transition for Gunston as a school. While both of them have signaled to me that they don’t want any “fuss” or “hoopla” associated with their departure, I was sorry to inform them that we will indeed be making an appropriate amount of fuss and hoopla as we celebrate their lifetime of service to generations of Gunston students.

I have long believed that it takes only one teacher to change the course of a person’s life. The voice of a great teacher becomes part of our own voice, and as Henry Adams once said: “A teacher effects eternity, he can never tell where his influence stops.” For generations of Gunston students, Tony and Sarah have been that great teacher, and both before and during our Centennial Weekend, I encountered student after student who shared with me the profound impact that Tony and Sarah’s loving guidance has had on their lives.

As the year progresses, I will keep you updated about the ways the Gunston community will be celebrating and commemorating Tony and Sarah’s combined seven decades of teaching at Gunston. In the meantime, let us send our blessings to them as they begin the process of transitioning into what promises to be a dynamic and joyful retirement.

Sincerely,

John A. Lewis, IV

Headmaster

jlewis @gunstondayschool .org

Spirit Week: Harvest Day

2010-10-18T09:08:00.000-04:00


Mr. Mark Wiening, Dean of Students (Is this the man in charge of the dress code?)

Spirit Week and Homecoming: A Good Start

2010-10-16T15:54:00.000-04:00

It was great to keep my tie on the rack and wear my Gunston sweatshirt on Friday as the entire school was outfitted in Gunston apparel to kick off Spirit Week--the buildup to next Friday's Homecoming Festivities. Kudos go to Victoria Prince for suggesting the "Gunston Spirit Day".

In the afternoon, we sent a caravan of Gunston teams down to Worcester Prep, and our Field Hockey team defeated Worcester Prep in a battle of top ESIAC teams, with Eleanora Keene putting in the winning goal on strokes after a protracted double-overtime battle.

Each day during the upcoming week is a dress-up day, and Friday includes multiple games, a tailgate party, bonfire, and a movie. Saturday night, of course, is the Homecoming Dance. It should be a great week!

The Social Network, "Socialnomics", and the technological revolution

2010-10-11T22:02:00.001-04:00

I have not yet seen the film "The Social Network", which traces the development of Facebook, but both my current and former students have noted how much the film "speaks" to them. In the same vein, several years ago I had the privilege of hearing Sir Ken Robinson, a media theorist, address the issue of emerging technologies in our culture. His conclusion: if you are under the age of 38, you are a "digital native" and if you are over the age of 38, you are a "digital immigrant."

To understand this distinction as it relates to digital technology, one that I believe will bring about the kinds of social, economic, and political change equivalent to the invention of the printing press, the industrial revolution, and the advent of telecommuncations, I wanted to share a provocative article by author Mark Prensky and a recent YouTube video entitled "Socialnomics" (it's focused on businesses, but some of the statistics and images strike me as extremely relevant to schools, especially independent schools):

Prensky's article: http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf

Socialnomics: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZ0z5Fm-Ng

As the years progress, various schools will respond to these phenomena in a variety of ways. In the short term, Gunston will be communicating with our families in the next few weeks about how we will be addressing the issue of social networking as it relates to the values of our community. Stay tuned.

Off the Bookshelf: "Lives We Carry With Us" by Robert Coles

2010-10-05T18:52:00.000-04:00

I have always admired Dr. Robert Coles. His work first became well-known in the 1960's when he profiled a young woman named Ruby Bridges, a young African-American girl who was part of the first wave of school desegregation, and whose psychological strength in the face of hatred and terror became a classic case study in childhood resilience. As a longtime professor of Psychiatry at Harvard, the central focus of Coles' work is moral reasoning, especially in children. Indeed, I read his Moral Life of Children and The Moral Intelligence of Children when I was in graduate school, and this led me to pick up his most recent work, Lives We Carry With Us: Profiles of Moral Courage (New Press, 2010, 210 pp.)

In Lives, Coles profiles a series of individuals whose "moral voices" he has internalized, either through his personal contact with them, his experience with their writing, and/or his admiration of their lives' work. Each "life" is a separate chapter, and he illustrates a cast of characters as diverse as Anna Freud, Erik Erikson, and Dorothy Day, to artists like James Agee, Bruce Springsteen, and Flannery O'Connor, to moral giants like Dietrich Bonhoffer and Simone Weil. His final chapter highlights his most enduring character: the six-year-old Ruby Bridges. About this little girl who endured "murderously heckling mobs," he writes:

A well-developed conscience does not translate, necessarily into a morally courageous life. Nor do well-developed powers of philosophical thinking and moral analysis necessarily translate into an everyday willingness to face down the various evils of this world. I was once helped in this effort at clarification by a black woman (Ruby Bridges' mother) whom I suppose I'd have to call illiterate. She pointed out that "there's a lot of people who talk about doing good, and a lot of people who argue about what's good and what's not good." Then she added that "there are a lot of people who always worry about whether they're doing right or wrong." Finally, there are some other folks: "They just put their lives on the line for what's right, and they may not be the ones who talk a lot or argue a lot or worry a lot; they just do a lot."

Twenty Memorable Moments from Centennial

2010-10-03T12:51:00.005-04:00

Our extraordinary Centennial Weekend has drawn to a close. Here are twenty personal reflections/observations from this once-in-a-century weekend:

Following the weather report beginning ten days before Centennial Weekend, and then tracking the slow pace of Tropical Storm Nicole as she dumped 7 inches of rain on the region, forcing us to postpone our golf tournament.
Seeing the Skipjack Elsworth pull into the Gunston waterfront on Friday afternoon after a majestic sail down the Chester River from Echo Hill.
Watching the Gunston girls thump Worcester Prep, 3-0, in field hockey.
Standing in the long food line of the Friday afternoon tailgate party, and chatting with parents, students, faculty, and alumni as they enjoyed the feast organized by the Keene's and the McCown's.
Welcoming nearly 100 alumni into our home, and seeing the hugs and tears as alums from multiple decades and generations rediscovered old friends, teachers, and acquaintances.
Digesting some of the desserts cooked up by my wife Laurie at this same alumni reception.
Chatting with 70's alumna Debra Kaden, who travelled back to Gunston all the way from San Diego, and hearing about how her life has gone from success-to-success.
Waking up to a spectacular autumn Saturday, and thanking Aunt Mary for providing us a perfect day to celebrate.
Finishing the 5K, though well behind both Laurie and Mrs. Grabis!
Admiring the intensity with which our current students and alums engaged in the Green and White games, and seeing the occasional "bending" of the rules to ensure victory!
Purchasing a brick for Heron Walkway, in honor of my parents' contribution to my education.
Perusing the stories and photos in the Gunston Archive, located in our library, and learning interesting facts about the hundred-year history of our school.
Touring the campus with former Headmaster Peter "Stick" Sturtevant, and welcoming former Headmaster Paul Long and his wife Dickie to the alumni dinner.
Hearing current 12th grader Taylor Maykranz say in the Headmaster's Panel discussion, "When I arrived at Gunston, teachers cared about me so much that I learned to care about myself."
In the same panel, listening to Joan Ellingston Marshall's reflections on the Victorian tone of Gunston life in the 1940's.
Also in the panel discussion, hearing our Gunston School for Girls alumnae speak emotionally about how the school "saved their lives" and how Gunston became "home" and their "family."
Going from room-to-room during the alumni receptions in the Academic Building, and when asking the lively group of alumnae from the 1980's how the school might better connect with our former students, receiving the suggestion, "Have a sleepover!"
Reading Ishtar Abell's letter about Mary Middleton to the audience at the Alumni Dinner.
Presenting the Middleton Cup to Sarah and Tony Everdell.
Eating pancakes and omelets (per tradition, brown on the outside with American cheese on the inside) on Sunday morning with our soon-to-depart alums.

We wish all of our alumni a safe journey home!

Comptroller Peter Franchot

2010-09-30T14:45:00.003-04:00

Gunston was visited today by our state Comptroller, Mr. Peter Franchot, who spoke with our students about the duties of the comptroller's office, the importance of financial literacy, and his own background and entry into politics. He also provided us a proclamation that honored our 100-years of existence. Here are some excerpts from my introduction of him:

"Sixteen billion dollars. This is how much Maryland collects each year in state and local tax revenue, and it is the amount of money that our speaker today oversees: sixteen billion dollars. The role of Comptroller is one of the four statewide elected offices in Maryland, the other three being Governor/Lt. Governor, U.S. Senator, and Attorney General, so it is one of the most important positions in our state.

In addition to overseeing the collection of taxes, auditing taxpayers for compliance, handling delinquent tax collection, and enforcing license and unclaimed property laws, the Comptroller also oversees the information technology services that are critical to the daily operation of most state agencies. Acting as Maryland's chief accountant, the Comptroller pays the state's bills, maintains its books, prepares financial reports, and pays state employees. It is a an enormous job of extraordinary complexity and responsibility.

Our Speaker today, Mr. Peter Franchot, was elected Maryland's 33rd Comptroller in 2006. Throughout his career, he has been a strong advocate for education, health care, transportation and environmental protection initiatives. As a member of the powerful Board of Public Works and Vice-Chair of the State Retirement and Pension System of Maryland, Franchot has worked tirelessly to keep Maryland competitive in the knowledge-based economy, create a climate of economic equality and opportunity, and protect Maryland's parks, waterways and open spaces.

As a generation, you are living through the worst financial crisis in nearly eighty years, and there is little indication that the crisis will be resolved quickly. A few days ago, in honor of 40 years of its Op-Ed page, the New York Times published some of the most important editorials written over the past four decades. In an editorial from last year written by the famous financial journalist Michael Lewis, he wrote:

Americans enter the New Year in a strange new role: financial lunatics. We’ve been viewed by the wider world with mistrust and suspicion on other matters, but on the subject of money even our harshest critics have been inclined to believe that we knew what we were doing.

In the editorial, Lewis goes on to explain the full extent of the Bernard Madoff scandal, which many of you know was the Ponzi scheme that robbed thousands of people of their life savings, and which has served as the symbol of the financial recklessness which precipitated this scandal. About that scandal, Lewis writes:

The Madoff scandal echoes a deeper absence inside our financial system, which has been undermined not merely by bad behavior but by the lack of checks and balances to discourage it. “Greed” doesn’t cut it as a satisfying explanation for the current financial crisis. Greed was necessary but insufficient; in any case, we are as likely to eliminate greed from our national character as we are lust and envy.

Many of you in this audience today will someday enter the noble calling of public service, where you will be responsible for maintaining these checks and balances. Now more than ever, we need public servants who will be responsible and ethical stewards of the public welfare, especially our financial welfare. Today we have the honor of welcoming one such public servant: Mr. Peter Franchot."

September Community Letter

2010-09-28T15:41:00.001-04:00

Dear Gunston Community:

To read the September Community Letter, please click on this link: community letter.

Regards,

John

Off the bookshelf: "NurtureShock" by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman

2010-09-25T06:24:00.003-04:00

Don't ever tell your kids that they're smart. Certain types of praise can be damaging. Modern young people sleep almost an hour less than their peers did thirty years ago, and their IQ's are suffering for it. 96% of high school students lie to their parents, regularly. Trying to make your child "colorblind" can actually make them less racially tolerant. Watching Sesame Street can make a child more aggressive than if they watched Power Rangers.

Above are some of the conclusions in "NurtureShock: New Thinking About Children", an engaging work of non-fiction that seeks to summarize some of the counter-intuitive research on child-rearing that has emerged from the fields of psychology, sociology, and anthropology. I was particularly struck by the chapter on praise and labelling students with the tag of "smart". In the book, they show compelling examples of how this label can create a psychologically crippling response when the child is faced with challenges that seem initially to be beyond their capacities. The authors' conclusion is that parents should focus their praise much more on effort and determination, and that this praise should be specific to processes rather than general. Thus, instead of saying "You played a great game," a child is more likely to have positive efforts reinforced by a comment like: "I like the way you shared the ball, and played aggressively on defense."

Overall, it was a fascinating and interesting read, and I recommend it.

An update on our rowing program

2010-09-22T08:25:00.002-04:00

This year we have nearly thirty students on our rowing team, and this week we secured the services of two additional crew coaches. The simple result is that, instead of an intermittent rotation, every student can now spend time on the water every day, and I have attached the letter explaining the changes:

The Gunston Faculty: Episode I

2010-09-19T19:05:00.004-04:00

Early Saturday morning on my way to the gym, I stopped in the front of the Academic Building to check on the progress of the new water well that is being drilled on our campus. Who did I find there? Mr. Everdell. As the drill progressed into ever-deeper layers of earth, Mr. Everdell was gleefully collecting samples to share with his science classes on Monday.

Also, congratulations to the Gunston girls soccer team for their big 1-0 win against Salisbury School on Friday. With less than five minutes to play, Senior Laura Wood juked the defender and bent a twelve yarder to the high left corner of the net.

Gunston and Technology: A New Frontier

2010-09-13T20:24:00.001-04:00

During the final two days of faculty meetings, the entire Gunston faculty worked with an educational technology consultant who began the process of training us to use our new Macintosh computers. In this most recent technological upgrade, Macs have been installed in each teacher's classroom, as well as in our student computer lab. We have completed a major upgrade of our technology infrastructure, and the next few months will see the deployment of a laptop cart for classroom use, additional SmartBoards, and the expansion of the school's wireless capacity.

It's important to note that as Gunston begins to significantly enhance its technological capacity, we will not be pursuing technology simply for its own sake, but rather as a tool to powerfully enhance the learning process. Several weeks ago, I heard an interview on NPR's program Fresh Air with Matt Richtel, who covers technology and telecommunications for the New York Times, and he used a powerful metaphor to describe the role of technology in our lives:

"Just as food nourishes us and we need it for life, so too — in the 21st century and the modern age — we need technology. You cannot survive without the communication tools; the productivity tools are essential," he says. "And yet, food has pros and cons to it. We know that some food is Twinkies and some food is Brussels sprouts. And we know that if we overeat, it causes problems. Similarly, after 20 years of glorifying technology as if all computers were good and all use of it was good, science is beginning to embrace the idea that some technology is Twinkies and some technology is Brussels sprouts."

I won't be using the "sprouts" image too often with our students, but we will be moving ahead in a steady and thoughtful manner as we seek to incorporate some of the extraordinary tools, programs, and solutions that significantly enhance the learning experience, making it much more interactive and multi-modal. One of my favorite programs is called "Inspiration", a mind-mapping and outlining program that allows the user to develop ideas in a non-linear fashion, and to convert them into clear and concise arguments.

The school year is upon us!

2010-09-01T08:32:00.001-04:00

Although school has not officially started, Tuesday afternoon felt like the first "real" day of the school year. The campus was buzzing with students and parents in the afternoon as our boys' soccer team and girls field hockey teams took on Holly Grove in the opening game of the year. The athletic fields looked great, but the day was hot and steamy--to the point where the referees made the teams take mandatory water breaks--and both teams fought hard against tough opponents.

What made the afternoon truly special, however, was the "tailgate" party after the games held on the lawn next to the Middleton building, organized by our families. Our ravenous student-athletes made quick work of the subs, drinks, and desserts, and it was wonderful to see both students and parents began the process of getting reconnected after this particularly hot summer.