Commonwealth Academy: News December 2013

COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY NEWSDECEMBER 2013

2013–14, VOLUME I

INSIDE THIS ISSUE, PAGE 2:

College Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

C/A in the Community . . . . . . . . . 13

Support C/A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Fund the Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

PLUS:

In the Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Alumni News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Fall Sports Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Around C/A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

HOMEWORK?WHERE IS THE

EMPOWER THE CHILD. EMPOWER THE MIND.

The debate about the optimum amount of homework rages on in the D.C. metropolitan area. While both parents and students complain about escalating stress and lack of time to enjoy other pursuits, most Commonwealth Academy parents find that their students come home with time to spend with family and friends, ready to enjoy leisure activities of their choosing. In fact, the majority of Middle and High School students who take advantage of afterschool study hall at C/A—about one-third of total students—leave school with little or no additional work to be completed at home; the balance have typically completed most or half of their work. Just as important, students return to school the next day, excited about learning and engaged in their classes.

So, where is the homework?

Perhaps it should be called independent work at C/A because we don’t expect students to spend their entire evenings working a second shift. However, work outside the regular class period is essential in helping students learn to work independently, build executive functioning skills, understand and take ownership of how they best learn, reinforce concepts learned in the classroom, and assess how well they have incorporated the information into their knowledge base so that they are prepared for college.

WHERE IS THE HOMEWORK?

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Homework at C/A is carefully developed to help students reach these goals, with policies based on leading research. Where C/A’s homework policy departs from that of many other schools is that it is implemented system-wide, building upon itself from division to division; it works in tandem with built-in study halls; and most important, it was developed intentionally for students with learning differences.

Homework policy starts with an understanding of who our students are.“We understand and embrace the fact that our students have ADHD, dyslexia, and/or other mild to moderate learning differences,” says Head of School Susan Johnson. “This means they are exhausted after a day of school. So it’s critical that our overriding homework philosophy starts with understanding who our kids are.”

Learning differences—some form of interference to receive input or produce output—make the learning process longer or more difficult for C/A students. It takes more energy to do what typically developing students do in a school day and it takes our students longer to recoup from the day. A great deal of energy goes into paying attention, getting through class assignments, changing classes, dealing with social interactions, learning new and difficult concepts, adapting to different teaching styles, etc.

“Imagine, says Dr. Johnson, “how difficult it must be to do something hard all day long: read with dyslexia; follow directions with a working memory deficiency; focus with ADHD—all while trying to learn new or complicated concepts.”

Understanding who our students are informs every decision C/A makes about homework: how much and what kind is

assigned, creating opportunities during the day to complete it and to receive help from teachers, the weight it carries in a student’s grade, how and when students can turn it in, and the responsibility teachers have to ensure students understand their assignments, just to name a few examples.

Lower School homework: read, explore, and playIn “The Case For and Against Homework,” (Educational Leadership, March 2007)Robert Marzano and Debra Pickering report that although academic performance is correlated with homework in middle and high school, “research has produced no clear-cut consensus on the benefits of homework at the early elementary grade levels.” Citing Dr. Harris Cooper’s meta-analysis, Marzano states that the benefit during these early years may be to “develop good study habits, foster positive attitudes toward school, and communicate to students the idea that learning takes work at home as well as at school.”

Dr. Johnson agrees. Once Lower School students leave school, they are expected to

Our Lower School students are actively engaged all day long. They are tired after a day of school and at some point the day needs to stop for them. Children need to go home and relax, explore, and play.”

~Dr. Susan Johnson, Head of School

MEANINGFUL HOMEWORK SHOULD...

Provide a pathway for the student to:

• Review and reinforce OR preview academic concepts

• Practice executive functioning skills

• Evaluate if he/she understands the material.

• Work independently

The master notebook system helps students organize and manage their assignments.

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enjoy reading 20 minutes daily. Reading in any form—silently, aloud, taking turns with a partner, being read to, or listening to an audio book—helps children stay engaged in literacy and build essential vocabulary, background knowledge, and other skills. All Lower School students also have at least one study hall each week to review concepts and get additional help if needed.

During the second semester of fifth grade, students receive additional homework as part of a transitional plan to ensure the foundation is in place for a smooth transition to the demands of Middle School. Assignments help reinforce individual study habits and time management skills.

What is the optimum amount of homework?Although there is no clear-cut answer to this question, research does suggest three broad guidelines:

• regular homework has a positive impact on academic success beginning in middle school

• increased quantities are beneficial as a student matures and ages

• after a certain point, however, too much homework can negatively impact performance

According to Marzano, in 2007, Dr. Cooper “suggested that research findings support the common ‘10-minute rule,’ which states that all daily homework assignments combined should take about as long to complete as 10 minutes multiplied by the student’s grade level.” C/A homework policy reflects this research in both the increasing length of assignments and total quantity assigned to various grades. In addition to ensuring that the amount of homework is appropriate to a student’s grade level, Marzano also notes that teachers should “carefully monitor the amount of homework assigned so that it … does not take too much time away from other home activities.”

This is especially important for students with learning differences. Many families come to C/A from other schools complaining that homework has taken over their life as a family and nights are filled with tears, stress, and a sense of failure. This may be because of the amount of homework assigned, but is just as likely because of where the child is expected to do the work—and whether or not the child has learned the time management skills required to do the work.

That’s why a 45-minute study hall is an essential part of every student’s schedule beginning in 6th grade. High School students may request an additional period. Students are eager to use this time to

Grade Homework Study Halls3rd–4th 20 minutes reading

dailyTwo 45-minute periods/week

5th 20 minutes reading daily; transitional homework plan 2nd semester

One 45-minute period/week

6th–8th 1–1.25 hrs/night 45 mins/day; optional 40 mins after school9th–12th 2-2.5 hrs/night 45 mins/day; can request additional study

hall; optional 90-min directed study hall after-school (additional fee)

HOW MUCH HOMEWORK, WHERE, and WHEn?

complete their work and take advantage of help that teachers can offer. C/A has developed a culture that it is cool to complete homework in school. Just as important, says Admission Director Josh Gwilliam, “Students take responsibility for their homework…It is not the parent’s homework.”

“One reason why kids will get their work done after school during directed study hall is because they haven’t yet transitioned out of school mode. Staying in the building keeps them in an academic frame of mind,” comments Director of Afterschool Katie Theobald.

Dr. Johnson underscores this point, explaining that kids with learning differences often don’t do well at the end of a long day or in unstructured places. “We provide the structure with our afterschool directed study hall. We can get students to do things willingly here in study hall that parents cannot at home. It is a different environment, and the students are motivated to go home without any more work.”

Middle School study halls are serious business.As students transition to Middle School, they continue to build on the executive functioning skills learned in Lower School that are essential to managing homework during study hall. C/A faculty understand how the specific learning differences of their students can impact homework and collaborate with students to discover tools to aid in completion. For example, a teacher might suggest that a student with slower processing tackle a quick assignment first so that he or she can check off an assignment as complete and see that progress is being made. Other students might be taught to prioritize the assignments by personal difficulty and to do the most difficult before fatigue sets in. C/A hits homework organization hard in Middle School to help them learn lasting time management skills. True to C/A’s philosophy that every process must be taught, C/A teaches students how


HOMEWORK SKILLS ARE DIRECTLY TAUGHT IN GRADES 5–12

• Record assignments

• Estimate time and difficulty for each assignment

• Prioritize assignments (based on time, difficulty, or subject matter)

• Predict and gather needed tools

• Manage time while completing assignment

• Complete assignment

• Submit assignment on time

to logically estimate the length of each assignment and then plan strategies to complete all of them. The same skills are reinforced throughout High School.

“Homework is more than another step on the journey for mastery of what is learned in class,” says Mr. Gwilliam. “It is a tool for teaching executive functioning skills, specifically, time management.”

Dr. Johnson echoes these words noting, “The focus for Middle School is to develop underlying processes needed to achieve success in a college prep high school, including homework study skills. Students need to learn and own for themselves, ‘Where and under what conditions can I complete and submit my homework?’ They need to practice the processes that work for them so they become habits. These skills are taught daily in Middle School study hall, and reinforced during advisory and afterschool study hall. We do not assume that a student knows these skills. We teach them!”

Ramping up in High SchoolHigh School students are on their way to accepting who they are as learners; they use and refine the homework strategies learned in Middle School, and review them with their teachers as needed. Increased homework improves academic learning and retention and students can handle more complicated and longer work loads. In fact, on a graduated basis, they increase their workload from about an hour to two or 2.5 hours a day. It is also at the high school level that awareness and self acceptance heighten and students themselves decide to take advantage of daily study halls and/or afterschool directed study hall to get homework done.

As previously noted, about one-third of C/A’s High School students enroll in the 90-minute directed study hall after school. There, they enjoy a 1:8 teacher-student ratio, providing plenty of opportunity to seek assistance with difficult

EMPOWER THE MIND .

Across the grades, study halls afford students the time to individually discuss ideas and understandings with a teacher, as well as get guidance about specific homework problems.


assignments or with time-management or organizational skills. They also have full access to iPads, laptops, and desktops loaded with educational software, digital content from C/A’s online subscription services, data storage on our network, science equipment, math manipulatives, art supplies, and reference books providing an abundance of additional resources to help support the students’ learning needs.

While homework at any age should be meaningful and lucid, the amount and purpose of homework in high school should be especially clear. Director of Faculty Education and Curriculum Development Tara Nappi explains, “Homework should be independent and about something students already have learned or a preview of a concept about which they have background knowledge. It needs to be an independent continuation of content or skills presented or discussed in class. To learn, we must make cognitive information meaningful. The process starts in class and is continued while doing homework outside of class. It is during this time that self-assessment begins. Do I understand the material? Do I own it?”

Ms. Theobald emphasizes that “homework can be a valuable learning tool and it should be assessed by both student and teacher. What did the student take away from the lesson and what is the next step for the student to be provided by the teacher? What is the next step for the student after self assessment?”

In addition to ongoing student-teacher evaluation, teachers meet weekly by division and troubleshoot as a team. They discuss any individual who is struggling to complete homework in typical time with anticipated accuracy.

“Teachers are very aware of their students’ learning styles and accommodations,” says Ms. Nappi. “The majority of the students can do homework in the time approximated by the teacher. If a child cannot finish it in the approximated time, teachers help the student discover what is difficult . . . what are the barriers standing

in his or her way. Then teachers strategize with the students to resolve issues and remove barriers to clear the pathway to success.”

It isn’t complete until it’s turned in.Submitting homework on time is often one of the most difficult executive functioning skills for our students. And there is nothing so discouraging as working hard on an assignment, only to leave it at home. C/A makes it as easy as possible to turn in homework. It can be submitted via email or in person. Students can share homework with teachers on Google Drive, store it on a C/A server, and print it at one of the numerous printers located throughout the school. Generous time in between classes gives students the opportunity to go back to their locker and retrieve homework if it was left in the wrong notebook or in their backpack. And, while full credit can only be earned when homework is turned in on time, partial credit is given up until the final unit or chapter test has been given.

Systemwide policy and expectationsStudents are also supported by the knowledge that the guidelines, systems, and expectations about homework are the same, whether they are in history class or math; whether they are in 6th grade or 10th, with more responsibility shifting to the student in the upper grades.

Planners are just one example. At the beginning of the academic year, Middle and High School students are provided with custom C/A assignment planners. In each class, 6–10th grade students record their assignment into the planner, teachers check and initial the record, and during study hall, the teacher will stamp it once it’s completed. Juniors and Seniors continue to use their planners but are expected to independently make sure they have recorded and completed their work, and seek help if needed. Ms. Theobald laughs, noting that the older students still ask their teachers to stamp their planners so “they can show their parents their homework is finished. They want to remove the parent involvement in their homework.”

In addition to one-on-one time with teachers during study hall, students have access to iPads, laptops, and desktops loaded with educational software, digital content from C/A’s online subscription services, data storage on our network, science equipment, math manipulatives, art supplies, and reference books providing an abundance of additional resources to help support the students’ learning needs.


Similarly, at the end of the school day, students in grades 6–8 return to their advisors who check to see what homework is completed (or not) and if students have packed the correct books, notebooks, and supplies needed to complete any remaining tasks. High School students do not have a daily check, but continue to strengthen study habits and time management skills in daily advisory mid-morning.

Other consistent, system wide homework policies include:

• All homework is posted on a board in the classroom before the period begins.

• All teachers post their homework on Edline, along with homework resources.

• The amount of homework assigned consistently follows guidelines.

• Homework is accepted for up-to full credit any time before or on the due date; deductions for late homework are consistent across grade and course level

• Homework counts as 20% of a final grade across areas of study and grade level, with the exception of 11th and 12th

grades when tests and quizzes receive more weight to begin to align more closely with typical college grading.

• The minimum number of homework assignments per quarter is 15 for each class in grades 6–10 and is reduced to 10 for grades 11 and 12, again to help transition to college expectations.

• Every teacher updates grades weekly on Edline and indicates any missing homework.

“We have an in-house calendar for tests, projects, and field trips,” says Ms. Nappi. Our teachers are mindful of these dates and plan accordingly so that students can meet deadlines without being overwhelmed.”

At the end of the dayOf course it isn’t smooth sailing for 100% of our students 100% of the time. But the clear and consistent homework policies at C/A, the mechanisms and procedures supporting them, and the commitment to productive and ample study halls have made a huge difference in the family life of numerous C/A students, while

preparing them well for the next grade, and ultimately, for college.

“In the past,” says Dr. Johnson, “student days were never over. They went to school, they went home, and they worked diligently in the evening for many hours. The burden of school never stopped. Relieving the burden on both the student and the home has reshaped the relationship back to the natural nurturing state of parent to child.”

At directed study hall, students report that it lessens their personal stress to turn in homework before they leave and to have access to teachers if they get stuck or need guidance. They enjoy the separation of homework and home. As do parents. It’s no wonder that dozens of times, parents have expressed appreciation to Dr. Johnson and individual teachers thanking them for “giving my child and my family back to me.”


Lower School lead teacher MARIA BRINZA was awarded a postgraduate professional license in special education—general curriculum, K–12

from the Commonwealth of Virginia for completing the certification program at UVA. Ms. Brinza holds a B.A. in psychology from Brown University and an MSW from Catholic University. She is pursuing a master’s in special education.

Lower School teacher ROSE MARIE PARKER is working on Level I Certification of the Wilson Reading System which she will complete next fall.

RICARDO PONTES’S work was displayed in the fall at Vis Arts in Rockville as part of the “Best of our Best” exhibit. Mr. Pontes teachers

New Media at C/A and also teaches at VisArts. Over 20 of his original drawings, completed this summer in Portugal, are part of a December exhibit at Artworks Fine Art Studio in Bethesda.

High School science and math teacher WILL ROBERTSON was awarded a postgraduate professional license in chemistry from

the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mr. Robertson holds a B.A. in ecology and evolutionary science from the University of Colorado and an M.Sc. in chemistry from The Scripps Research Institute.

PRESENTATIONS & CONfERENCESDirector of College Counseling Services STEVE MACZYNSKI presented at the

2013 69th National Conference of the National Association for College

...IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Admission Counseling, held in Toronto. Mr. Maczynski’s topic, “Power Up Your Counselees: Building and Sustaining Self-Esteem during the College Counseling Process,” was attended by over 250 admission counseling colleagues from around the world.

Mr. Maczynski was also part of a panel at George Mason High School, along with representatives of George Mason University, where he spoke on the topic of “Colleges and Universities and Support Services.”

High School and Middle School English and writing teacher MATT BRIGGS presented on a panel at the National Council of Teachers of

English (NCTE) Conference in Boston about his experience using Rap Genius, a popular website that enables users to read and write line-by-line explanations of lyrics in the classroom. The session was titled “Close Reading 2.0: Genius Media and Social Annotation in the Classroom.”

Director of Faculty Education and Curriculum Development TARA NAPPI also presented at the NCTE Conference

in November. Her panel explored critical literacies and critical multicultural analysis through an overview of theoretical frameworks and application to local bilingual and international social- activism-themed children’s literature.

C/A faculty also attended several conferences this semester as part of their Professional Development Plans:

• ELLEN FYE attended the 2013 ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association) Convention

• BILL VANDER CLUTE and MARY CHAMBERLAIN attended the Learning and the Brain workshop: Memory and the Classroom; Applying Memory Research to Student Learning.

Teachers who received grants at the 2013 CARE dinner gave presentations about their work at the annual donor dinner in October.

SUMMER WEDDINGSHigh School English and writing teacher ERIC ADAMS was married to Alexandra Buss at The Greenbrier, West Virginia and High School humanities teacher BEN TRESS was married to Megan Cairns in Cleveland, Ohio. Both couples were married on July 27.

fIRST QUARTER HONOR ROLLHIGH HONOR ROLL (all A’s) High School: Jakob Coray ’16, Colin McDonald ’17, Samuel Newby ’15 Middle School: Noelle Crump ’19, Jack Dougherty ’19, Gabriel Sutton ’18

HONOR ROLL WITH MERIT (A’s and A-’s) High School: Jason Hammerman ’16, Gabriel Norris ’16, Jacob Selmonosky ’17, Christopher Wong ’16 Middle School: Reagan Feld ’20, Hazel Feldstein ’20, Joshua Nathan ’20

REGULAR HONOR ROLL (A’s and B’s) High School: Adam Dertzbaugh ’15 , Alison Rowan ’15 , Andrew Setchell ’14 , Christopher Neureiter ’17 , Colette Deller ’17 , Forest Ellis ’16 , Hilary Kraus ’15 , Juliet Landeck ’15 , Lee Keller ’16 , Libby Cohen ’15 , Rachel Skopp-Cardillo ’16 , Robert Bork ’16 , Samuel Gotter ’16 , Simon Brooke ’15 , Stephen Kellogg ’14 , Susannah Laane ’17 , Tunc Edmonds ’14 Middle School: My-Linh Aslanian ’20, Reed Beggs ’19, Mattias Camacho ’20, William Crawley-Fye ’20, Brian Des Roches ’20, Daniel Garcia ’19, Alexander Grant ’18, Daniel Grossman ’20, Maximus Halim ’18, Seth Harding ’19, Priscilla Houck ’19, Talia Jackson ’19, John Jex ’18, Michael Laemmle, Jr. ’18, Andrew Lee ’20, Aidan Moser ’20, Sarah Mullins ’18, Ewan O’Donnell ’20, Gabriel Richards ’18, Santos Rios ’18, William Roellke ’19, Josh Tannenbaum ’19, Samuel Topol ’19, Max Zawitoski ’20


JOHN SALMONS ’09 and REMY LAVELLE ’09 (front row, left) were among three students to speak at the “College Planning & Preparation for the Special Needs Student” presentation hosted by C/A and sponsored by the DC Capital Area Branch of the International Dyslexia Association.

The presentation was very well attended, with parents from throughout the DC metro area, equally representing students in middle school, 9th and 10th grades, and upperclassmen. They were particularly interested in talking to students with learning differences and hearing about how they had prepared for college and their experiences in college. John and Remy talked at length about the organizational and writing skills they had learned at C/A.

John received his BA in architecture from The Catholic University of America and is currently working on his masters in architecture at Virginia Tech at the Washington Alexandria Architecture Campus. Remy transferred from Mount St. Mary’s University to the Corcoran College of Art and Design where she is a fine arts major. Her interests are painting and sculpture in wood and metal.

BERTRAM NICHOLLS ’09 earned a bachelor of arts in liberal studies, with a concentration in information technology and graphic design, from Marymount University. As part of his curriculum, he completed a 120-hour internship with DAB Network Consulting, the firm that provides our IT support at school. Bertram updated system software, performed maintenance, and helped troubleshoot various devices. Information technology wasn’t the only thing he learned about during his return to C/A. He realized how much he had grown and enjoyed the shift from being a student at C/A to working with his former teachers as a colleague to solve their technical problems, and serving as a mentor for current students.

Director of College Counseling Services Steve Maczynski recently visited ETHAN ABBE ’13 while on a college tour of Juniata College in Pennsylvania. Parent Rich Abbe wrote a note of thanks after receiving a photo of the two of them, noting that the visit “affirmed for Ethan that he attended a great HS that prepared him for the next step...” and that it “...really impressed me that my son may be gone, but not forgotten.”

To all of our ALUMNI: we think of you often. Please keep in touch and let us know what you are doing! Email [email protected].

VARSITy COED SOCCER Cougars finished their best season to-date with a 3-3-1 record, ranking 5th place out of eight teams in the ISSAC league. The season was highlighted by a tie with the defending league champions, Lab School. Three players were nominated to the all league team as voted on by league coaches. Robby West ’15 received 1st Team honors, while Andy Setchell ’14 and Ben VanHook ’17 received 2nd Team honors. “The team was truly a pleasure to coach, reported Coach Brown, “as each player put forth his or her best effort during each game regardless of the score. The sportsmanship was incredible; players respected both each other as teammates and their opponents throughout each contest. Overall, an amazing season.”

CROSS COUNTRyCougars competed in three league meets this season, steadily climbing in number. Our runners were committed and ran in each race. Wazi Rennert ’16 had the best finish on our team and placed 5th in the Varsity division of one of the meets. Seth Harding ’19 and Miles Kolmstetter ’18 logged in very respectable “middle of the pack” finishes for their respective Middle School divisions. All three runners expressed that they had a wonderful experience and we applaud them in helping grow our still-young cross country team.

WELCOME COUGAR MASCOT!The official C/A Cougar mascot made a debut appearance at the first pep rally in November. Welcome!!

fALL SPORTS ROUND UPALUMNI NEWS


SPEAKERS & ASSEMbLIES

WHAT’S UP WITH ROCKETS? Lower Schoolers launched into the science curriculum with a two-week unit on rockets, taken from NASA’s Beginner’s Guide to Rockets. Students engaged in fun experiments to study

aerodynamics, fin design, and rocket stability. For example, they used handmade rockets to test how different fin sizes and shapes affected aerodynamics. The unit of study included an enthralling presentation about rockets and what it’s like to work at NASA, delivered by special guest, Mr. James Mason-Foley, Optical Systems Group Supervisor at NASA Wallops Flight Facility.

RAP GENIUS Chief of Education Dr. Jeremy Dean spoke to C/A’s English department about incorporating Rap Genius’s revolutionary annotation technology in the classroom. One of the top 100 websites in the

world, Rap Genius enables students to collaborate virtually as they build their own interpretations on text; they can highlight and annotate texts online as well as comment on each other’s annotations. Rap Genius is used in dozens of schools, including Harvard and Stanford University. You’ll find Commonwealth Academy alongside these schools at: poetry.rapgenius.com/Genius-educators-classroom-projects-lyrics.

Currently, Mr. Briggs and his 9th grade English students have collaboratively annotated works such as Animal Farm and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings on Poetry Genius. The youngest class in history to use Rap Genius? Our very own Mr. Gill’s 8th grade civics class.

AROUND C/A

ARTIST WEB BRyANTArtist and illustrator WEB BRYANT spoke to Middle and High School students enrolled in New Media in October. Mr. Bryant presented some of his work which

spans digital and traditional media and discussed some of the creative processes he follows. In addition to talking about his craft, Mr. Bryant delivered an inspiring story about his son, Ben, who has ADHD and is living his dream as an artist. Ben creates 2-D and 3-D assets for video games, movies, and television and is doing animation cinematography for George Lucas. Mr. Bryant’s daughter is also a successful artist, studying fashion design in Italy.

POLyGLOT jIM COATESPhotographer, retired economist, and polyglot Jim Coates spoke to Spanish 3 students this fall about an adventure he has wanted to cross off his bucket list: a motorcycle trip to Uruguay. He showed the class his trip map and equipment, including his motorcycle, a BMW R 1200 GS; talked about his plans for riding across countries; and quizzed students on their knowledge of Central and South American geography. Students have enjoyed following Coates’s travel blog, which he started when he left on his journey in mid-November.

INTERACT STORy THEATERThe performance company Interact Story Theater performed the children’s play Not My Monkey for 4th–7th graders on December 19. After the play, they conducted a workshop about the process of putting together a production and opened the floor to a Q&A. The play and workshop enhanced the Middle School’s exposure to theater and drama and complemented Mr. Gropper’s Writing class during which students are writing plays that were inspired by popular fairy tales that they know (Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, The Tinder Box, etc.). Once complete, the plays will be submitted to Writopia’s worldwide playwriting competition (www.writopialab.org/worldwide-plays-festival.html).


IN THE CLASSROOM

VISUAL THINKING AND THE COUGAR GAME DESIGN STUDIO GALLERyIn late November, Lower School students shared their hybrid creatures, self-portraits and 3–D creatures with parents at The Cougar Game Design Studio Gallery Opening.

Students created hybrid creatures by morphing different animals together, and later wrote about them in class. The self portraits mimic Van Gogh’s abstract work using different brush and color techniques to change a base picture. Students used several digital programs including Photoshop and 3-D software such as Scuptris and Zbrush.

LOWER SCHOOL READING & WRITINGLower School lead teacher Jane Furey reported that students completed reading and spelling assessments to obtain fall benchmarks and practiced the writing process through a variety of Halloween fiction writing which was shared at the Halloween Café.

Mr. Gropper’s class used the site littlebirdtales.com to write and illustrate Halloween stories. Ms. Furey’s class used the writing process and Kidspiration to write Mystery Candy paragraphs and Halloween stories.

Also during the fall, students learned the format for writing friendly letters and, to celebrate Veteran’s Day, wrote letters to veterans, including C/A’s Mr. Pignone.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sere’s reading class is using Literature Circles to analyze and discuss novels.

STUDy TOOLS: MIDDLE SCHOOL fOLDABLESMiddle School students have many study tools in their arsenol such as quizzing each other, playing Edline games, drawing pictures, retelling stories, and acting out ideas without using any words. One favorite are “foldable notes,” introduced to them by Middle School science teacher Case Mason-Foley. “My foldable note system,” says Ms. Mason-Foley, “is based on research that colors and pictures with definitions increase retention.” To make a foldable note, students fold a piece of paper, write the vocabulary word on the outside and the definition on the inside. They then color each word a different color and either draw a picture of the word, or download one and paste it on the note.

Students enjoy making these notes and have adopted the system to other subjects that use vocabulary, such as history. Student involvement in studying is higher than plain written notes with this system and elevates their confidence in knowing how to study.

NINTH GRADERS ATTEND EVENING WITH AMy TANAfter reading the short story “Rules of the Game,” an excerpt from Amy Tan’s novel The Joy Luck Club, ninth graders attended “An Evening with Amy Tan” at Strathmore. The award winning author talked about her life, her writing, and her newest novel. Following the talk, C/A students joined the rest of the audience in a Q&A.

QUANTUM MECHANICS Chemistry students participated in a flame spectroscopy lab to illustrate the principle and applications of emission spectroscopy and elemental identification during their unit on quantum mechanics. Students placed the chloride salts of eight different elements in a Bunsen burner for approximately 10 seconds and observed the change in color. Each element produces a unique set of atomic spectral wavelengths that combine to give the observed color. Students then tested three unknown substances and used their prior observations for comparison and identification of the unknown substances.

SUMMER COURSE fOR GLOBAL HUMANITIES ENDORSEMENTEight C/A students completed either a one- or three-week course this summer which helps fulfill the requirements for the Global Humanities Endorsement. The course, entitled, U.S. Foreign Policy: Focus on Brazil, was held at Georgetown Preparatory School. Classmates represented several schools in the Washington DC metropolitan area, as well as schools from across the globe. International students stayed on campus and studied English in addition to foreign policy. Students visited the Brazilian Embassy and the Organization of American States as part of their research in the areas of politics, economics, and the environment.


MODEL OAS Eighteen students represented C/A—and the member state of Panama—at this year’s Model Organization of American States (MOAS), held at OAS in Washington, DC, from December 4–6. Students began preparing for MOAS in September, when they researched economic, political, and social policies, and met with embassy officials from the Government of Panama, Political Counselor Ms. Carmen Mora and Scientific and Counselor Attaché Ms. Gina Della Togna.

During the months leading up to the simulation, the group wrote position papers and drafted resolutions on such topics as the enhancement of cyber-security, the reduction of inequality, and the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities. Youth from the United States and Latin America gathered at the conference in order to share ideas and to draft joint proposals. The culminating event was the formal debate on all of the proposals following rules of parliamentary procedure. Hilary Kraus ’15 and Jacob Coray ’16 contributed heavily to the Declaration to Eradicate Inequality and addressed the entire General Assembly of students.

Participants included: Robert Bork ’16, Colin Brooke ’15, Jacob Coray ’16, Adam Dertzbaugh ’15, Tunc Edmonds ’14, Luke Ellis ’16, Jason Hammerman ’16, Jared Kleiman ’15, Hilary Kraus ’15, Juliet Landeck ’15, Gabe Norris ’16, Wazi Rennert ’16, Jacob Selmonosky ’17, Rachel Skopp-Cardillo ’16, Gabby Stevenson ’17, Jordan Suber ’16, Peter Szymanoski ’14, and Chris Wong ’16.

Over 70 colleges visited C/A this fall including Columbia University, Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Georgia Tech, NC State, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Representatives from Cleveland Institute of Art and SCAD gave special presentations to our Visual Arts students. Students also attend numerous college nights held throughout the metro area and continue to branch out as they look for the right fit. Some schools being considered that are new to C/A students include Southern Methodist, Ole Miss, Arizona State, and UC Boulder.

In between visits at C/A, Director of College Counseling Service Steve Maczynkski hits the road to meet with admissions officers at various colleges, learn more about the schools, and any special support programs they may offer. During first semester, Mr. Maczynski visited the University of Toronto, Brock, Ryerson, Juniata (where he connected with Ethan Abbe ’13), Elizabethtown, Albight, Lycoming, Lebanon Valley, and Messiah.

COLLEGE KICK Off MEETING fOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS Of jUNIORSThe college kick-off process for the Class of 2015 will officially begin on January 7, 2014. Students will have a meeting during the school day. Parents and guardians are invited to a meeting at 6:30 PM in the Multipurpose Room. No matter what your student’s plan might be—four-year college, community college, or gap year—please attend!

SNOW DAYS!Snow days came early this year and we believe notification was distributed smoothly. Remember, we follow Fairfax County Public Schools for full day closings and opening delays. Shortly after Fairfax County posts its decision online or announces it to the news, we post the

information on our website, Edline, and Facebook, and send out phone, email, and/or text alerts via Blackboard Connect. In the event that Fairfax County Public Schools have a scheduled day off during inclement weather, we follow Alexandria City Schools.

Ordinarily, we do not close early due to weather, regardless of FCPS, and staff will

supervise students until the end of the regularly scheduled day. A Blackboard Connect message will be sent if afterschool activities or study halls are cancelled. Of course, parents are always welcome to pick up their child early if they feel it is necessary during bad weather.

COLLEGE CORNER


PERKINS + WILL CLIENT CELEBRATIONC/A Board Member and Principal at Perkins + Will Diana Horvat has been the primary architect for C/A since we began renovations of our current building in 2002. Her vision and understanding of how space and learning work together are evident in the many design details that enhance our learning environment, such as natural lighting, wide hallways, locker bays and so much more. Over the years, she has designed our science labs, the Lower School addition, and now the new Gym & Performing Arts Center.

Her firm recently held its annual client celebration which featured Commonwealth Academy and four other local organizations. The event gave C/A attendees the chance to network with 400 of their clients and friends. Ms. Horvat also took the opportunity to brag about our school (her name tag exclaimed, “Ask me about Commonwealth Academy!”). In attendance were Head of School Dr. Susan Johnson, Business Manager Cherie Carroll, Director of Marketing Cathy Feehan, Director of Admissions Josh Gwilliam, and Board members Cathy Pharis and Rich Abbe.

Thank you, Ms. Horvat, for a wonderful evening and your years of dedication to the school! We look forward to the opening of the new Gym & Performing Arts Center and so appreciate all your expertise in developing the plans.

TOyS fOR TOTSGySgt John Kilby, USMC, stopped by C/A on December 11 to pick up toys donated to the Toys for Tots drive. Kilby, who served in Ramadi, Iraq with C/A Dean of Students John Pignone, thanked the community for their generous donations.

fIELD TRIPSHere are just some of the local museums, organizations, and other destinations our students visited during first semester:

Cows-N-Corn (5th grade)

Cox Farm (3rd and 4th grades)

La Tasca, Old Town Alexandria (Spanish students)

National Archives (MS)

Native American Museum (MS History students)

Natural History Museum (MS)

Newseum (LS and MS)

Phillips Collection (HS Art and New Media students)

Sculpture Garden (MS)

Sherwood Regional Library (Writing 11 students)

St. Mary’s City, MD (MS)

United States Holocaust Museum (9th grade)

U.S. Capitol Building (8th grade)

Zoo Lights (MS)

CAfÉ NIGHTCAPA’s CAFÉ Ooh La La provided a wonderful evening of community and fundraising in support of C/A. In addition to a French buffet, the evening featured a live and silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, and a raffle for a teacher parking space which collectively raised over $20,000. A special thank-you goes out to Auction Co-Chairs Sue Mamber and Stacey Topol for all of their hard work, and to all who supported the event. The evening would not have been possible without their leadership, the dedication of all the committee members, and the many members of the C/A community who generously donated auction items—and generously bid on them! Proceeds from CAFÉ Night will go towards outfitting the new Gym & Performing Arts Center.

C/A IN THE COMMUNITy SUPPORT C/A

Head of School Dr. Susan johnson at Perkins + Will event.


2013–2014 Board of TrusTees

Cathy Pharis, Chair

Richmond Abbe, Vice Chair

Rebecca McDonald, Treasurer

Ira Hammerman, Secretary

Susan J . Johnson, Ph .D ., Head of School

Walter R . “Trip” Howell III Chair Emeritus

Gena Fitzgerald

Karen Foley

Jodie Kelley

John W . Hazard, Jr .

Diana A . Horvat

Christian J . Spitz

Tom Suber

To arraNGe a sCHooL VIsIT,

PLease CaLL 703.548.6912

or emaIL:

Josh Gwilliam, M .A ., Director of Admissions

Josh_Gwilliam@ CommonwealthAcademy .org

Cathy Feehan, M .Ed ., Director of Marketing

Cathy_Feehan@ CommonwealthAcademy .org

LIKE us on Facebook

facebook .com/Commonwealth-Academy

FOLLOW us on Twitter

twitter .com/CACougars

Tune into YouTube

youtube .com/Commonwealthcougars

COMMONWEALTHACADEMy.ORG

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15 new parking spaces

Collapsible stage

Gym floor accommodates half-court basketball and full-court volleyball

Kiln Room

Kitchenette

Seats audience of 190 for performances and speakers or 80 people at tables for dining or workshops

at C/a’s new Gym & Performing arts Center

Support the fun and send in your tax-deductible contribution to Fund the Fun today. Your donation will help us purchase sports equipment for P.E. and Clubs, stage lighting for theater productions, and furnishings for community events. You can donate online (www.CommonwealthAcademy.org/giving/fund-the-fun) or by mail. If you have any questions or would like to arrange a named gift, please contact Associate Director of Development Meagan Hawkins.

We need every family’s help to meet our goal of $70,000!

COMMONWEALTH ACADEMy

Documents

Commonwealth Academy: News December 2013