Calvert's Got Talent!

We had our "best ever" Middle School Talent Show last night--18 strong and varied acts--singing, dancing, piano, ukulele, cello, rap, hard rock, classical, pop, guitar, and drums. The Talent Show has gotten so big that some students (in additional to the 18 acts from last night) are performing in two Middle School assemblies this week. Moreover, we have not one, not two, but THREE 8th graders who were accepted to Baltimore School for the Arts for next year! This is all exciting news and proof that the fine arts program at Calvert is growing and thriving.

A Big Day for Calvert

March 9 was a big day for Calvert School. First, it was the day that prospective families had to inform Calvert if they were going to enroll. I am very pleased to report that we have a large, wonderful group of new children and families joining us in the fall! We will again be "full" in both the Lower and Middle Schools; in fact, our enrollment this year of 612 students represents the fourth consecutive year of an all-time high enrollment at Calvert. Also, March 9 was the day by which our 8th graders had to choose their high school. They will be headed to at least 14 different schools next year, and our first choice placement rate will be at least 98%! The Calvert 8th graders are just so strong, and they have had tremendous success over the years with secondary school admission as well as great achievements at those schools once enrolled. Go Calvert!

Spring Sports

On Monday, March 5, our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders begin their Spring interscholastic sports practices. Some years, we do not start Spring sports until after Spring vacation, but with break being later this year (it starts on March 17), we decided to get going sooner. In the two weeks since winter sports wrapped up, it has been strangely quiet in and around the Middle School between 3:15 and 4:30 PM! Under the skillful and dedicated guidance of Director of Athletics and Physical Education Mary Alice Lears, our interscholastic athletics program is a vital component of the Middle School curriculum. Although optional because they occur after the official end of the school day, the sports program is highly subscribed: each year, approximately 95% of the students play at least one sport, and about 75% play at least two. The offerings? Football, cross country, boys' soccer, girls' soccer, field hockey, squash, wrestling, boys' basketball, girls' basketball, track and field, softball, baseball, girls' lacrosse, and boys' lacrosse! In several sports, we offer an "A" and a "B" team based on number of participants and developmental level. Annually, we have a high winning percentage, but that is not a direct goal of the athletic program. We aim to promote teamwork, skill development, sportsmanship, (life-long) physical fitness, and the enjoyment of sports. I strongly encourage you to come by campus to see a Spring sporting event. Please click on "Athletic Schedule" on our home page for the most up-to-date schedule.

Corks for Calvert

Our annual parent social event, called Corks for Calvert, was held on Saturday night in the France-Merrick Atrium in the Middle School. It was a huge success! Some highlights: record ticket sales of approximately 280, delicious food (crab dip, tenderloin, sushi), terrific silent auction items, grade-level auction items (art projects made by the class) that get better each year, and a spirited tuition raffle (winner received a $5,000 credit for next year’s tuition!). It is wonderful to see so many happy attendees each year. If you are a current Calvert parent who has not yet attended Corks, then you should really mark your calendar now for next year's party! Tentative date: February 23, 2013.

New Teacher Mentoring

This weekend, I power read (meaning "read for essence," a phrase I learned in graduate school) through a very valuable booked entitled New Teacher Mentoring: Hopes and Promise for Improving Teacher Effectiveness. Although the authors (Moir, Barlin, Gless, and Miles) refer to successful mentoring programs in urban public schools, they outline principles that should be guidelines for all mentoring programs, regardless of a school's classification, including "recruit and select the best mentors" and "ensure that teachers have sufficient time for interacting." We are very proud of our new teacher orientation and mentoring program at Calvert, which flourishes under the skillful guidance of veteran faculty member Peggy Szczerbicki. New teachers are assigned a carefully-chosen mentor and then attend the following events and activities, among others: shadow day in the Spring, after they are hired; half-day orientation in June; summer meetings, as needed, with mentor and academic division head; four-day orientation in August, before the veteran teachers return, then five-days of faculty meetings as a "full" faculty before school begins; new teacher group meetings about once every six weeks during the school year, focusing on a topic, such as parent-teacher conferences and technology. New teachers at Calvert are under our watchful eye, for sure! We all know that teachers make the Calvert experience special for students and parents. Our new faculty orientation and mentoring program is the first step along the path of a long and successful Calvert teaching career!

Middle School Art!

Both the quality and volume of art currently on display in the Middle School are truly impressive. The following eleven (yes, eleven!) projects presently adorn the walls and shelves of the building: ceramic coil pots, Wayne Thiebaud-inspired acrylic on canvas paintings, self-portraits in pencil, observational hand drawings, warm and cool portraits with tessalations (using acrylic paint), relief sculptures, ceramic teapots, Aztec sun prints, Islamic-inspired clay slab boxes, painted foam guitars, and a ceramic "dinner party" that includes a cheeseburger and fries, hot dogs, blueberry pancakes, spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, shish kabobs, bacon and eggs, and fruit. Kudos to Mrs. Kamp and her students for their significant accomplishments thus far this school year! Why am I not including any pictures with this post? I want you to come see these outstanding projects up close and in person! If you are interested in perusing this diverse array of artwork, e-mail me directly at amartire@calvertschoolmd.org and I will give you a personal tour. If we time the tour correctly, we can also visit an art class in progress and see students creating their next set of masterpieces.

Our Oldest Alumnus

Our oldest living alumnus is a member of the Class of 1924. She is a remarkable woman who lives in Naples, Florida, and I have had the great pleasure of meeting with her on three separate occasions over the past few years. Last week, we wished her a slightly-early birthday at our Calvert alumni event in Naples. In three weeks, this special alumnus will be 100 years old! She was a member of the last class to graduate from the Calvert building at 10 West Chase Street. (In the fall of 1924, Calvert moved to Tuscany Road, and we have been here ever since). With a clear memory and a sparkle in her eye, she told me of being sent to the Head Master's office in 1922: "I was sent to Mr. Hillyer's office for bursting into a classroom and shouting 'I have a baby sister. I have a baby sister!' I was just so excited I could not contain myself. Mr. Hillyer was very kind and said, 'It is fine to be excited about your sister, but you should not interrupt class.'" By the way, the baby sister she mentioned? She was a member of the Class of 1934, is now 90 years old, and attended the same Naples alumni event last week! I now have a picture of me with the two sisters, and I will sure to treasure that image for years to come.

A Prediction

This is a non-Calvert post, but tomorrow IS Super Bowl Sunday. Everyone makes predictions about the game, but are they courageous enough to put it in writing for the world to see? Well, I am courageous--or foolhardy--enough to do so: Patriots 24, Giants 20. Happy football and commercial watching to all my readers!