Happy Holidays!

It has been quite a week of activity on campus! On Monday, I hosted the 8th Annual Head Master's Inn in my office, which is our equivalent of a holiday party for employees. During the course of the day, close to 100 employees stopped by my office for fellowship, food, and cheer. The Middle School held a day of holiday festivities last Friday (December 9) before returning to exam review on Monday and Tuesday and then three days of exams to conclude the week and the calendar year. The Middle School students can now head into winter break with exams behind them. Their teachers, however, have some grading to do! On the Lower School side of campus, I remained very impressed with the focus of the students during the course of the week. Monday through Wednesday were essentially normal days, with some class parties beginning yesterday. Today, the Lower Schoolers are dressed in red and green holiday attire, and they will gather for a sing-a-long later this morning before heading home at 12:15 P.M. for a two-week vacation. School resumes on Tuesday, January 3. Best wishes to my readers for a joyous, safe, and blessed holiday season! This will likely be my final posting until 2012, so let me also wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Back in Philly at Grad School

The title of this post is technically correct, but it is slightly misleading. Yes, I was back at the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday, but this time it was as a teacher, not as a student. I must admit that it felt odd driving into West Philadelphia and onto campus. Did I owe any work? Were there any dissertation revisions to do? Alas, those fears were unfounded; my diploma was still valid! I was asked to present a case study to the third-year students in the program I completed in 2010--the Mid-Career Doctorate in Educational Leadership at the Penn Graduate School of Education (GSE). The class was called "Advanced Issues in Educational Leadership." I decided to discuss Calvert's one-to-one laptop program for Middle School students, which has been in place since 1999. Our technology committee has been reviewing the program for a year, and we are considering some alterations in the future. The class and I discussed successes, challenges, options, curriculum, vision, leadership, hardware, "apps," and communication. I found the 90 minutes to be very beneficial, as I gained valuable insights from over twenty sets of experienced and intelligent "fresh eyes." Yes, truth be told, on the way out of town, I did stop at Sarcone's Bakery in South Philly for a loaf of their incredibly delicious Italian bread. Without exaggeration, it is the best bread in the world!

Steve Broy Tree Dedication

This afternoon, we held a tree dedication in memory of faculty member Steve Broy, who died suddenly last winter. The tree and accompanying plaque are located on the "island" of grass just below the Middle School parking lot. The idea for the tree came directly from the members of the Class of 2011. My comments at the dedication are below.

Welcome everyone on this Sunday afternoon to this tree dedication ceremony here at Calvert School in memory of our beloved friend, colleague, and teacher Steve Broy, whose life was taken far too suddenly and far too short last winter. The turnout here is a testament to the power and influence Steve had over so many people—from all ages and all walks of life. And the fact that this event immediately precedes a Ravens young alumni event is perfect because of Steve’s affinity of sports. I am sure he is smiling down on as us and very happy that we are together and about to stay and see a game.

To be very honest, I am just getting to grips with the fact that Steve is not coming back. For months, I expected to see him in the gym, to bump into him in the hallway, or to see him in the Atrium having lunch. Although we do not have Steve with us anymore in body, we do have him in spirit, and we do have his memory and his legacy. And that legacy was of a man who valued simplicity and I say that in the most complimentary way. Steve knew what was important, and he focused on those things. First and foremost, he was a great father, husband, son, and brother. Family meant everything to him and guided his actions and words. He always bragged about his wonderful daughters and told the latest stories and showed the latest pictures. Second, Steve loved his students. He was so happy teaching at Calvert and forged genuine, meaningful relationships with his advisees, players, and students. And finally, Steve loved sports. He valued teamwork, competitiveness, effort, and physical fitness. Those three things—family, students, and sports—made Steve who he was, and I think we can all learn from that—to do a few things—a few very important things—very very well and to do them with joy, passion, and love.

Considering Calvert?

If you are, in fact, considering Calvert as a school for your child, I strongly encourage you to contact the Admission Office at 410-243-6054 x. 148. Our evaluation slots are rapidly filling up as we approach the application deadline of Friday, January 13, so I advise "not waiting" if you are thinking of us as a possible school for your son or daughter. This morning, we held our third "Considering Calvert" admission event of the season, and approximately 70 prospective parents attended. Our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Admission Ambassadors continued to do a wonderful job speaking about their Calvert experiences and helping to tour the families around the campus. In my brief opening comments, I stressed Calvert's pre-K to 8th grade structure (affording our Middle School students greater leadership opportunities, among other advantages); the rigorous, challenging academic program; and the caring, nurturing community. In addition, I touched on "value" (our "bundled" tuition includes books, field trips, snack, and lunch, with no additional fees) and "values"--our four character "pillars" of respect, honor, compassion, and responsibility. Manning one of the tour stops, I had the chance to talk about extracurricular activities, interscholastic sports, fine and performing arts, clubs, as well as Calvert's "best of both worlds" gender approach that includes strong single-sex elements within an overall coeducational framework. Many thanks to the prospective parents for their time and interest!

Toy Drive

I hope that my readers had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Last Wednesday morning, we enjoyed a terrific Grandparents' Day (highlighted by the 10th Age Plays and the Pilot/6th Age Pilgrims and Native Americans "show") before recessing for Thanksgiving break. This week, Calvert will participate in a Community Outreach Toy Drive. We will collect new and gently used toys to donate to our outreach partners--The Hampden Family Center and Paul's Place--as well as other local organizations that serve the less fortunate. If Calvert parents would like to participate in this all-school drive, please have your son or daughter bring in a donation any day this week. Gifts should be wrapped and marked with a tag denoting the age, gender, and if the gift is new or gently used. We will provide gift tags for the students. Thank you in advance for your support!

Hopper-Cricket Football

The 10th Age held its annual Hopper-Cricket flag football game on Friday afternoon on the Middle School's Krongard Field. It was exciting for these Lower School boys to play on the "big" football field. PE teacher Brett Porter and our Grounds crew did a great job dividing the full field into three width-wise smaller fields. Thus, we had three action-packed games going on simultaneously, allowing all the boys to play the entire time. Several members of the Middle School football team gave up their club period to help referee the games, which was very thoughtful. As some of my readers know, we divide the Lower Schoolers into Hopper and Crickets (boys) and Crow and Canaries (girls). Throughout the year and on Track and Field Day, there are athletic competitions with the winning teams for the year being announced during the last week of school at our Lower School Awards Assembly.

Amazing Sunrise

Being a campus resident, I have the unique opportunity to see Calvert's beautiful fifteen acres at all times of day. This morning at approximately 6:45 A.M., while walking my faithful watchdog, Percy, I caught sight of a stunning reddish-orange sunrise over the Middle School. The picture below, taken with my BlackBerry, does not do the scene justice, but hopefully you can "get the picture" (pun intended).

Football Team Wins Final Game

The Middle School football team won its final game of the season this afternoon, beating a tough Friends School opponent by a score of 34-16. Both teams played hard until the final whistle as the sunlight faded behind the trees at Friends. Four different players scored for Calvert, including a 6th grade running back who scampered around the left end to reach the end zone on the game's final play. I heartily commend the team members and wish them good luck in their winter sports. Congrats and thanks are also extended to coaches Bennett, Mascuch, Murphy, and Hagel. The future looks bright for the football team, as just four players are currently in the 8th grade. Below, please enjoy three pictures: the whole team after the game, the four 8th graders with Head Coach Bennett, and a bonus picture of Assistant Head Master David Clapp in festive attire during a football and soccer "tailgate" last week at Calvert!