A Busy, Final Week!

This is the final academic week of the 2009 calendar year. We will certainly take advantage of all five days (actually four and half since Friday is a 12:15 dismissal) to pack in a variety of activities and events: the Head Master's Inn on Monday (holiday party for employees in my office); folder paper readings in many Lower School homerooms; Middle School exams on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday; Baltimore City H1N1 vaccine clinic on Thursday; 9th Age Hopper-Cricket flag football game on Thursday; Lower School Holiday sing-a-long and class parties on Friday! I even had the pleasure of being serenaded by a 7th Age Spanish class on Monday! (See picture below). The offices will be open Monday, 12/21, through Wednesday, 12/23, and then the buildings are closed for a week and a half. School reopens on Monday, January 4, 2010. It will take a few weeks to get used to writing and saying "2010"! Best wishes for a wonderful, safe, joyous holiday season!

Distance Learning Day a Big Success!

The Distance Learning Day on December 4 proved to be a big success. Five teachers--Mr. Ewen, Mr. McLaughlin, Mr. Rossi, Mr. Little, and Ms. Summers--instructed 45 Sixth Graders who took math, science, English, and history classes from the comfort of the their own home. (See two pictures below). The teachers used a variety of different technologies, including Google docs, powerpoint, Adobe Connect, break out groups, online quizzes, and chat over the four and half hours of instruction. The all-digital format included technologies to let the students speak to each other and the teachers in real time. The initial feedback from the students was very positive. In fact, one asked, "Can we do this every week?" While the effort involved makes a weekly distance day unlikely, we certainly learned a great deal about a variety of educational technologies. Many thanks to the students, teachers, and Mrs. Frederick, Mr. Bethea, and Mr. Clapp for a job well done!

Devoted Calvert Alumni

On Wednesday night, December 2, I had the special opportunity to attend a Christmas Tree Lighting Party hosted by a Calvert alumnus. His office overlooks Rockefeller Plaza in New York City and thus offers the ideal spot for a holiday party for employees and friends. At the party, I saw numerous Calvert alumni, and whether they graduated 70 years ago or 15 years ago, they remain passionate and devoted to Calvert School. In early 2010, we are going on the road for several Calvert alumni and friends events: January 6 in Palm Beach, Florida; January 7 in Naples, Florida; and January 25 in New York City. If you live in those areas, please be on the lookout for an invitation. Please note that not just alumni are invited; we encourage grandparents and past Calvert parents to attend as well. You should contact Elisa Chelius, Director of Alumni Relations, at 410-243-6054 x. 142 (or echelius@calvertschool.org) if you have any questions.

Indoor Soccer A Blast!

Rain has been tough on the athletic schedules this fall, including on the Hopper-Cricket and Crow-Canary games in the Lower School. The soaked fields forced last week's 9th Age Hopper-Cricket soccer game inside, to the Middle School Gym. The boys played two games simultaneously, and I must admit I found the games to be more exciting than the outdoor versions. Balls were flying around the gym and, because of the walls and center dividing curtain, there was rarely a stoppage in play. The crowd was really into the action, and it was just an action-packed afternoon for all involved. The setting reminded me of watching a Baltimore Blast game! The somewhat fuzzy picture below (taken by my Blackberry) gives you a sense of the environment. I was standing on the bleachers at a point where I could see both games at the same time.

Distance Learning Day on December 4!

On Friday, December 4, we are having a distance learning day for our 6th graders. The students will stay at home that day but will have class with their teachers through a variety of interactive, online technologies. Our hope is that this "test run" will help the School prepare for an unlikely closure because of public health issues and to test technologies that may be of benefit to our teachers and students in the short-term. Our home-schooling division, Calvert Education Services, is partnering with us in this effort. Check back for more details after December 4! The picture below is of a few 6th graders in Mr. Ewen's science class learning some of the technology they will need to use on December 4.

Spotlight on "Pirate" Mike Paul

Eighth Age teacher Mike Paul has been a member of the Calvert School faculty since 1976, making this school year his 34th at Calvert. In fact, Mr. Paul taught me in 9th Age in the 1979-1980 school year! At Graduation in June 2009, he won the Deborah Dorsey Albert Award for outstanding contributions to the life and mission of Calvert School. Mr. Paul and his wife live on a boat in the Baltimore Harbor, and, as you might have discerned from the title of this post, he uses a "pirate" theme in his classroom. In addition to his many wonderful attributes, Mr. Paul is now a published author! His recently released children's book, The Adventures of Tiller and Turnbuckle: Adventure One St. Simon's Island, can be found on amazon.com or in local Baltimore bookstores like The Ivy on Falls Road and Greetings and Readings at Hunt Valley Town Center. On Saturday, Mr. Paul had a book signing event at Greetings and Readings and drew a big crowd of both Calvert and non-Calvert families. The picture below shows Mr. and Mrs. Paul, in their pirate regalia, and some of the Calvert students who were there.

Calvert's Kitchen a Huge Hit!

This evening, we invited Pilot, 6th Age, and 7th Age families to "Calvert's Kitchen," a new event sponsored by the Diversity Council. Families were encouraged to bring a food dish that represented their cultural heritage. We had such a wonderful evening of fellowship and food! Approximately 125 parents, students, siblings, and faculty filled the Lower School cafeteria from 5:30 to 7:00 P.M. The food was so plentiful and delicious! The picture below shows the buffet line. We are planning a similar evening for 8th, 9th, and 10th Age families sometime later this school year.

Conference Day Thoughts and 2010-11 Calendar

The full day of conferences proved, in fact, to be a huge hit for all involved. The atmosphere of the day was significantly different and improved as compared to the old, half-day format. Everyone was focused--yet in a relaxed way--on a day of substantive, meaningful meetings. We are retaining the full day of fall conferences in 2010-11, but we are wrestling with whether to keep the day on the Friday before the AIMS Conference. Some parents took advantage of the four-day weekend to travel, thereby eliminating the possibility of having their conference on the designated day. We may put the Conference Day on the Friday after AIMS Day.

As for the rest of the 2010-11 calendar, we will have the required (by the State) 170 days of school, plus a few extra days scheduled for inclement weather closings. (Not that Calvert EVER closes for snow!). We generally like to "start early and end early," under the philosophy that a day in early September is worth more than a day in early/mid June. By basically rolling over the 2009-10 calendar into 2010-11 (same length of vacations, professional development days, etc.), it looks like we may start on Tuesday, August 31, and finish with Graduation on Friday, June 3. That is not official yet, however. More details to follow!