• Physics at Fun Town- Mr. Romac’s physics classes made their annual trek to Fun Town, an amusement park in Saco, ME for physics day.  In addition to getting to ride the roller coasters, the students actually apply what they have been learning in class to determine rates of speed, velocity and energy used.  “It was a beautiful day, we got to go on all of the rides, and reflect on physics.”- Alex Merkin ‘10
• Senior Exams and Evaluations- The seniors took a respite from evaluation process to finish the academic portion of their Hyde School careers.  Beginning Tuesday with Government and English tests, and ending with Language exams on Friday, the seniors exalted in the accomplishment of wrapping up their classroom expectations.  They will begin working on graduation speeches this afternoon, and meet with Joey Gauld on Sunday to talk about dreams and visions for their future.  It is an intense time for the seniors and is proving to be full of self-reflection, insights and recognition of their successes, strength, challenges and growth during their time at Hyde.
• Spring Athletic Awards- Congratulations to the men’s track team for their MAISAD championship season and to the women’s lacrosse team for their victory last Saturday to capture the league championship as well.  Below are the end of the season recognitions that were awarded earlier this week:
• Men’s Track:

MVP: Kenton Powell ‘10

MIP: Ryan Sunshine ‘12

New England Champions: Kenton Powell - shot put

MAISAD All-Star: Kenton Powell, Dexter Jenks ‘10, Wes Freston ‘11 and Chris   Moulton ‘12

• Women’s Track

MVP: Robin Platte ‘10

MIP: Emeline Ferguson ‘11

New England Champion: Robin Platte- high jump

MAISAD All-Star: Robin Platte & Caroline Jackson ‘10

• Tennis Team

MVP: Sage Harris ‘11

MIP: Tyrone Freston ‘11

MAISAD All-Star: Sage Harris

• Men’s Varsity Lacrosse

MVP: Tyler Works ‘10

MIP: Alex Needham ‘10

MASIAD All-Star: Connor Harbert ‘11 & Tyler Works

• Women’s Varsity Lacrosse

MVP’s: Scout Gauld ‘10 & Olivia Chance ‘10

MIP: Alyssa Thomas ‘11

MAISAD All-Star: Alyssa Thomas, Scout Gauld, Olivia Chance, Zoe Dorian ‘10

• Men’s Junior Varsity Lacrosse

MVP: Jon Levitt ‘11

MIP: Alec Randall ‘12

COOL LINKS: Graduation Release | According to Truluck | Cool Class Lesson | Meet the Summer Program Directors | Follow us on Twitter

Woodstock Highlights:

• Parent Academy continues - Rick Chesley, father of Nate Chesley ‘12, came and taught a class period to Bill Fabiano’s US History classes and Kevin Folan’s AP US History class on the Battle of Vicksburg. Rick was a history major in college and while he decided to go on to law school instead of teaching, he has always kept up a love for history. He brought in letters from Civil War soldiers to their family and friends as an example of how the Civil War was one of the first wars fought by literate soldiers. The students asked many questions and really appreciated Rick’s perspective on the Civil War. Faculty member Bill Fabiano stated, “It was so impressive that someone, not in the teaching field, has such a strong passion for history and is willing to share it with students.”
• Run Baby Run - This past weekend the Woodstock campus, students, and faculty geared up to host the Division III Track & Field New England Championship. With over twenty teams visiting, the campus was abuzz with activity from mid-morning through dinner time. Hyde Woodstock Track & Field athletes performed well, bringing home a few ribbons and medals. Many of them also set personal records. Nora Curran ‘10 set a new school record in the pole vault and won first in her event. Shawn Campbell (PG) earned three first places in the Long Jump, the 100 m dash, and the 200 m dash. Shawn’s effort in the Long Jump placed him in the New England record books with a whopping 23′ 2″. Senior Lexi Burke placed 4^th in the shot put and added two feet to her best discus throw. Senior Tim Hallenbeck put great heart into his 110 High Hurdles and dropped half a second from his race. Junior Mac McGuire placed 4^th in the pole vault. Overall, Hyde’s men’s team came in 7^th place and the women’s team came in 10^th overall. While each athlete’s success stands out, the overall effort from the entire team and community to make this event happen was very impressive.Assistant Head John Rigney led a great Hyde team of event coordinators that impressed everyone who attended!
• Ladies Luncheon - On Monday, the female seniors, faculty and staff donned spring finery and gathered at the Head’s house to have a power lunch and share wisdom. Each senior was presented with a bracelet made by Sue Schofield and Mamie Horstmann and then listened to “pearls of wisdom” from their elders. The group then gathered and shared these insights:

1. Be true to yourself and let go of people pleasing.

2. Stand for something and play big.

3. Say what you mean, but don’t say it in a mean way.

4. If you decide to get married, prepare for a lot of hard work.

5. Find female mentors on your life and ask for their guidance.

6. Live within your means and you will be happier.

7. Know when a relationship is holding you back.

8. Laugh at yourself frequently.

9. Manners and poise will take you a long way.

10. Never forget the power of a hand-written thank you note!

• Thank you seniors! - As the school prepared for commencement, we had our last school meeting with the seniors. Seniors stood and shared the lessons learned from the evaluation process. Then, the students and faculty shared thoughts and feelings about the seniors and their legacy to the school. It was both emotional and powerful. Some of the comments that seniors said to students and faculty: “You helped me become a man.” “I reconnected to my love of learning.” “You believed in me when others did not.” “I didn’t want to come and now I don’t want to leave.” LDG/DM

COOL LINKS: Graduation Release | Track Championships | Cavalli Chatter | Meet the Summer Program Directors | Follow us on Twitter

• Season Championships- It is a busy time for our athletic teams as they all participate in end of the season championships.  The men’s track team won the MAISAD championship last Tuesday.  The team bested the second place finisher 140 to 127.  The team was led by Chris Moulton ‘12 (1^st javelin), Justin Castor ‘11 (2^nd javelin; 3^rd 300m IH), Dexter Jenks ‘10 (1^st pole vault), Jonah Alexander ‘12 (2^nd high jump) Kenton Powell ‘10 (1^st shot put; 1^st long jump; 3^rd discus), Wes Freston ‘11 (1^st 200m; 3^rd 100m), Ryan Sunshine ‘12 (2^nd 3000m) Zach Pfosi ‘10 (3^rd 1500m ).
• The women’s track team also competed and took home a fourth place finish, after recording many personal bests in their events.  Robin Platte ‘10 won the pole vault, and took second in both the high jump and the triple jump. In discus,  Lily Smith ‘11 (2^nd) and Jheanelle Duhaney ‘10 (3^rd)  both scored points. Other top finishers were Tierra Williams ‘10 (3^rd 300 IH; 3^rd shot put) CeCe Jackson ‘10 (1^st 1500m; 4^th 800 m), Emma Falkinburg ‘13 (2^nd 400m) and Emeline Ferguson ‘11 (3^rd 400m).
• The tennis team had their singles championship on Wednesday with the doubles tournament set for Saturday.  Although none of the players advanced to the finals, Sage Harris ‘11, was able to advance to the quarterfinals before falling to Kents Hill School’s Nico Sarcher in a tightly contested match.
• In lacrosse, the men’s varsity lost in the opening round 10 - 3 to Hebron after playing some of its best lacrosse of the season in the first half. Connor Harbert ‘11, and Curt Chessman ‘10 paced the offense, while standouts defensively for the team were Mike Ingalls ‘10, Tyler Works ‘10, Alex Needham ‘10 and Max Warchol ‘10.  Likewise, the men’s jv lacrosse team fell in the first round after earning a number two seed.  Alex Armstead ‘11 and Matan Peletier ‘11 led the offense from their attack positions while Wonseo Huh ‘11 and Jon Levitt ‘11 played well, controlling the midfield action.  The women’s lacrosse team triumphed in their initial playoff game and will be vying for the championship this Saturday at Hebron Academy.  Olivia Chance ‘10 (5 goals 1 assist), Scout Gauld ‘10 (4g) and Zoe Dorian ‘10 (1g 4a) provided the spark offensively while Alyssa Thomas ‘11 (22 saves) backstopped the defense.
• Student to Student- On Monday, a group of Hyde international students representing Rwanda, Haiti, China, Korea, Spain and England were interviewed by the Bath Middle School students about their culture and customs.  On Thursday, 40 students traveled to Camden, Maine to present a Know Yourself/Be Yourself workshop with the entire sixth grade.  These opportunities always seem to bring out the best in both the Hyde students and the middle schoolers.  Maria Libby, the principal at Camden, said the visits by the Hyde students are “far and away, the best thing our  kids do all year.”
• Senior Soliloquies, Part II-  As a culmination to their year in English, the seniors wrote soliloquies and performed them under the Chandelier on Friday. During the winter, their soliloquies focused on moments of challenge and struggle.  This spring, the seniors focused on their moments of enlightenment during the year.  The seniors addressed topics such as moments from the athletic fields, leading the Spirit/Fun committee for weekend events, learning to listen and the excitement and anxiety of stepping fully into adulthood.

COOL LINKS: New Podcast | According to Truluck | Hoffman Update | Meet the Summer Program Directors | Follow us on Twitter

Woodstock Highlights:

• Power of Grandparents - On Friday, we welcomed over thirty grandparents to the Woodstock campus for a wonderful day. The group met with Hyde’s Founder Joey Gauld to hear about the founding of the school and thoughts on the importance of grandparents. After a tour of the school, the students and their grandparents sat down to a fabulous lunch prepared by Chef Mo and Annhurst lounge was filled with discussion and laughter. Grandparents of Sarah DeNunzio ‘11 and Jackson Bender ‘11 realized they knew each other from their Princeton days. Many other grandparents traveled long distances to visit the school and learn more about Hyde. At the school meeting, the students performed numbers from the school show and then talked about life lessons learned from their grandparents. Comments included:

“I learned manners, character and dignity from my grandparents.”

“My grandmother taught me that family comes first.”

“I learned from my grandfather the value of hard work.”

At the end of the day, each student wrote a statement to their grandparents about their gifts and this was read to the whole group.  Associate Head Bob Felt said, “We all elevated today with our grandparents here.” The line of the day for me was George Hammond’s grandfather, Jim Hammond, who was a long-time Holderness faculty and coach. As he shook my hand, he said with a twinkle in his eye, “I used to coach with Joey Gauld back when he was still Joe!”

• Song of Myself - As part of their final exam and final projects, the seniors created personal expressions of themselves in conjunction with textual analyses of Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself. The final projects incorporated artistic presentations with video, photography, and three- dimensional arts. Seniors shared these on Thursday evening with peers and some faculty as part of the evaluation and academic process. Assistant Head John Rigney commented, “I am proud of the way the senior class has integrated insightful and powerful statements of self-discovery and academic achievement.”
• Explorations in Science - A week and a half ago, eight students from the Explorations in the Sciences class took a trip to the Boston Museum of Science, to take pictures, experience science hands-on, and learn more about their topic. Tuesday these students stood in front of an all-school assembly to give their final presentations. Explorations is a project-based course that allows students to pursue their individual interests in science and technology, and each student had researched a particular topic, from solar power to nanotechnology to dinosaur evolution. The presentations as a whole were well-received by the school, even those who identified themselves as “non-science types,” and helped to spark curiosity in these final days of the spring term. LDG/DM

COOL LINKS: College Tee Day | SFW VID | Hoffman Update | Meet the Summer Program Directors | Follow us on Twitter

• Track Triumphs - The men’s and women’s track teams competed in their second track meet of the season at Hebron Academy on Saturday.  The competition included all MAISAD track schools: Hebron, NYA, Elan, Seacoast, and Gould.  It was a good day for Hyde as both our men’s and women’s teams won!   Standouts were many, including senior Robin Platte ‘10 who won the pole vault (7′0″), Lily Smith ‘11 winning in the discus throw with a personal best of 79′2″, Emeline Ferguson ‘11 who surprised herself and placed first in the 100m high hurdles (21.7), CeCe Jackson ‘10 was the winner of the 1500m with a season best 6:01.21. A new addition to our team, Ashley Hellstrom ‘11 grabbed a second place in the 300 hurdles (59.21) and Tierra Williams ‘10 took third in the shot put (24′7″).  Men’s highlights included Kenton Powell ‘10, winning the men’s shot put (45′8″) and the long jump (18′8½”). Chris Moulton ‘12 who set another personal record of 153′6″ as winner of the javelin. Teammate Justin Castor ‘11 took second in the javelin with a throw of 129′3″. Dexter Jenks ‘10 took second in the pole vault (8′ 0″),  Wes Freston ‘11 grabbed points for us in the 100m, placing second (11.57). Jonah Alexander ‘12 placed second with a high jump of 5′4″.  In a very competitive distance event, Ryan Sunshine ‘12 took second place in the 3000m with a personal best time of 10:31.21.  It truly was a super day for our track team.
• Strengths and Challenges - Faculty evaluations were held on Wednesday.  Contrary to what one may think, this is not an opportunity for our faculty to evaluate students, but rather an open forum for students to evaluate their teachers.  Each spring students have the opportunity to speak candidly, giving teachers positive feedback as well as constructive ideas on what they may do differently in their teaching.  This provides teachers with extremely valuable insights into ways to change, improve or remain consistent in their teaching. The face-to-face feedback also helps the students in their own development and self image as young adults who can communicate respectively and constructively to other adults.
• The Last Honors and Warnings of the Year - The Academic Honor Guard was named this week, based on Honors/ Warnings evaluations done with students in each of their classes.  The following are students who have earned the privilege to study in the Mansion or library during study hall based on consistent exemplary class work.  Students who received five honors and no warnings this period are Ryan Braun ‘12, Theodore Cercos ‘11, Olivia Chance ‘10, Yan Chen ‘12, Sung Yun Chung ‘13, Ryan Connolly ‘11, Erin Fonseca ‘10, Barry Gao ‘11, Scout Gauld ‘10, Paxton Hansard ‘12, Brittany Hardin ‘10, Brittney Harris ‘10, Alexander Hays ‘11, Alex Needham ‘10, Hailun Ni ‘10, Maeve O’Sullivan ‘10, Catherine Vidal Bouret ‘11 and Shannon Vize ‘10. Students who received four honors, one transition and no warnings are James Allen ‘10, Aneth Batamuliza ‘11, Kurt Chessman ‘10, Jheanelle Duhaney ‘10, James Frazier ‘11, Johnny Fu ‘12, Nic Hartley ‘10, Julia Herman ‘10, Wonseo Huh ‘11, Ross Klumac ‘12 and Hannah MacMillan ‘10.

COOL LINKS: HBC Family Weekend Episode | Pat Damon Forum | Summer Plans? Summer X | Open House is Around The Corner

Woodstock Highlights:

• We are family! - Over the weekend, Hyde Woodstock brought together students, faculty and families to participate in that special brand of Hyde magic known as “Family Weekend.” The student body set the tone for a weekend filled with class rotations, athletic contests, family seminars, workshops and powerful community meetings. The major struggle of the weekend was negotiating the poor sound quality in the theater. Again, parents stepped up to help with that. Students shared some of the “take home” of the weekend:

“I learned that my Mom has faced many of the same challenges in her life that I am going through and she helped me move forward.”

“I was able to start talking to my older sister in a new way.”

“My parents came together for the first time since their divorce. I was thrilled with their ever-growing progress.”

“My Dad came up and we reinforced our relationship. We also laid out what we expected of each other over the summer and we had a great weekend overall.”

“I learned that our family can all come together and face the challenges as they come.”

• Junior to Junior - This week, our sister school in Washington, DC came for a junior exchange where the focus was on leadership development and preparation for the Hyde senior year. Some of the activities that we did together included: team building, trust walks, story telling, performing arts, a confrontation workshop, public speaking and ethics class. At the final debrief, everyone spoke about what we learned from each other and how we can take our new view of self back to both DC and to the Woodstock campus. Friendships were formed and a stronger commitment developed to continue our partnership with Hyde-DC. As one student said, “I came expecting that I would be an outsider but I felt welcomed and we are more alike than we are different.” Hyde is an organization that has both a private and a public vision of education and this week showed us all why that is so important.
• May I have this dance? - On Thursday night, seniors and their dates loaded the infamous Woodstock bus to travel to Lord Thompson Manor for the prom. Limos and exclusive groupings were replaced with a beautiful mansion setting where the students and faculty dined on amazing food and danced the night away, along with some renditions of the school song and favorite Hyde sayings. Earlier that afternoon, there was some activity in the Dean’s area and several students were suddenly left without escorts. In true Hyde fashion, tuxedos were borrowed and we turned an obstacle into an opportunity. Prom organizers Susie Racine and Sue Schofield commented that this was the best prom atmosphere that they have seen in many years. The conversation of the week for me was a discussion with Jasmine Staley ‘10 upon her return to campus a few days ago regarding her new hairdo. “Is that real?” I asked. “It’s human,” she replied. “Is it yours?” She didn’t miss a beat. “I paid for it. It’s mine now.” LDG/DM

COOL LINKS: Spring Sports Pics | Share the NBC-CT Segment | Summer Plans? Summer X | Open House is Around The Corner

• The One Thing- This week in Discovery Groups, students and faculty discussed the concept of committing to ‘one thing’ that they can do every day for the spring term.  Introduced by Hyde president Malcolm Gauld many years ago, the ‘one thing’ is something a student, teacher (or parent) will do each day, not try to do.  The ‘one thing’ activity both encourages the community to work together toward positive outcomes and creates a sense of personal rigor.  All ‘one thing’ statements were written on note cards, and will be posted in the academic wing. Examples of student and faculty ‘one things’ include picking up three pieces of trash, having a conversation with someone new and journaling before bed every night.
• Tennis Team Kicks off Spring Competitions- The wet spring hasn’t stopped our athletes.  Though the turf field is still under construction, the lacrosse and track teams have been working outdoors to prepare for competitions beginning this weekend.  Leading the way, the tennis team had their first match on Wednesday, getting nudged out by Berwick Academy 3-2.  Ryan Connolly ‘11 made a lot of great shots, but missed many key points that could have resulted in won games. With his competitive attitude and willingness to work hard, we can expect great things this season.  Jun Ho Ra’s ‘11 young opponent often had trouble with Jun Ho’s strong serve, but made some adjustments and was able to capitalize on Jun Ho’s rusty backhand.  Sage Harris ‘11 won her match.  She did a nice job of keeping the ball in play and as a result, won many points from unforced errors by her opponent.  Ted Cercos ‘11 and Kayla Sheldon ‘11 played an eight game pro-set due to time constraints and worked well together for their first win.  Luke Locatell and Alex Merkin battled through the first set of their match, going to deuce frequently, but ultimately lost.
• More College Acceptances- It is that time of year, when the hard work that many seniors have undertaken-starting last spring with the creation of their college list, then essay writing, college visits and editing of resumes in the summer, followed by more essay writing, studying for SAT and subject tests in the fall, and finally sending off the applications-is rewarded with college acceptances.  Members of this year’s senior class have so far been accepted to many outstanding institutions including smaller New England liberal arts schools such as Bates College, Bowdoin College and Mount Holyoke College as well as mid-Atlantic schools including George Mason University, George Washington University and Gettysburg College. Our large university choices include University of California-San Diego, University of Colorado-Boulder, University of South Carolina, University of Vermont and University of New Hampshire.  Congratulations seniors!
• On Friday, Mr. Levesque’s AP U.S. History class competed in Presidential Madness.  Students were each assigned a president and spoke from that person’s viewpoint on issues relevant to his term in office.  This debate style tournament matched presidents against one another in four rounds of single elimination debating.  Debates are wrapping up today, with the final champion to be determined on Monday.

Woodstock Highlights:

• Passover at Hyde - On Monday night, fourteen students, faculty and staff gathered at the Head of School’s house to share in the preparation and traditional Seder. Faculty member Meara Palmer-Young did most of the delicious cooking and seniors Erica Fagien, Simi DeAngelis, Maddy Schley, Nora Curran and Craig Levine took the lead in the evening. Freshman Evan Berger got his grandmother on the phone and sang a Yiddish song to the group. Assistant Dean Linda McGuire said, “The meal is filled with ritual and tradition and we were able to bring that here along with new traditions.” The nurse Cheryl Champ sent an email, “I have always been so very proud of all that we do in regards to the “Character Education” that Hyde is known for. Last night I attended my first ever “student conducted Seder,” and all I can say is that it was outstanding.  The spirit of Passover was very much conveyed, further filling my heart with affection for the students who are entrusted to us.”
• Know Yourself/Be Yourself - This week, we worked with 130 seventh graders from the Woodstock Middle School to participate in our fourth annual Know Yourself/Be Yourself program. Forty Hyde students and several faculty members put the students through team building, skits, discussions on bullying and sharing each other’s highest vision. The campus was alive with shouts, laughter, high fives and serious faces huddled in small groups to share inner thoughts. Family Education Director Donna Dubinsky told the Hyde students, “I couldn’t have been more proud of you all today. You really made a difference in those kids in a very short time.” The seventh graders stood and expressed their excitement about the new relationships that they had formed.  Jill Walter, Guidance Counselor for WMS said in an email, “Please let your students and staff know how much we appreciate all their hard work and effort with the program.”  Another teacher spoke to me after the workshop and said, “Your students were able to get kids to talk about things in two hours that we have tried all year to achieve!”

• Say it loud and Say it Proud! - This week’s meeting began with students and faculty sharing thoughts from three areas: Where are we struggling? Where are we on top of our game? Where are we finding pure joy? We then went to our annual class mottos, a Woodstock ritual where each group takes a few minutes to capture their class’ essence through a phrase. Some favorites from the past were “Save the drama for your mama!” and “You’ll thank us later!” This year’s mottos are:

Freshmen -  ”The future of Hyde!”

Sophomore - “Life- Bring it!”

Juniors - “Working hard 24/7; watch out we’re taking over; Class of  2011″

Seniors- “Our legacy will be left behind; take these words as a sign!”

Faculty - “Come on Baby!”   (Ode to Tom Bragg)

• Winter Term Academic Awards

Math - Most Valuable Learner - Erin Fonseca (Honorable mentions:  Nic Hartley, Julia Herman, James Frazier); Most Improved Learner - Barbie Gimbel (Honorable mentions:  Alex Needham, Barry Gao)

Language - Most Valuable Learner - Ted Cercos (Honorable mentions:  Jon Levitt, Jan-Christian Damon); Most Improved Learner - Alex Hays (Honorable mentions:  Cece Jackson, Gabi Harvie)

English - Most Valuable Learner - Olivia Chance (Honorable mentions:  Jun Ho Ra, Alex Hays); Most Improved Learner - Cody Vickery (Honorable mentions:  Mali Perry, Robbie Palmer, John Garvey)

Science - Most Valuable Learner - Hannah MacMillan (Honorable mentions:  Kurt Chessman, Rachel de Molina); Most Improved Learner - Dexter Jenks (Honorable mentions:  Luke Locatell, Athena Liao, Courtney Durepo)

History - Most Valuable Learner - Scout Gauld (Honorable mentions:  Ryan Connolly, Yunni Chung); Most Improved Learner - Cole Shapiro (Honorable mentions:  Adair Dickerson, Alyssa Thomas, Grace Richards)

Arts - Most Valuable Learner - Tyler Works (Honorable mentions:  Zach Pfosi, Emilie Rose, Jane Miller); Most Improved Learner - Jessica Smith (Honorable mentions:  Adair Dickerson, Max Warchol, Jesse Briata)

• Hyde-DC visits- The senior class from the Hyde Leadership Public Charter School arrived on Tuesday morning ready to make new friendships and experience Hyde from a different perspective.  The Bath and DC seniors participated in a retreat experience centered on leadership; they attended classes together and the DC contingents watched and helped critique a run through of our upcoming performing arts show.  D’Eric Robinson ‘10 from Hyde-DC said of the experience, “People here are really welcoming.  It’s relaxing and fun!”  His mentor, Mike Ingalls ‘10, said in the final meeting, “It was great to get to know you, D’Eric, and hear you share your life experiences.  I learned a lot.”
• Lax pre-season- A group of men’s lacrosse players returned to campus early to get a jump on the upcoming season.  Following a couple of days of drills and conditioning inside the Bath field house, coaches and players headed to the Woodstock campus to join their counterparts who were also back early for pre-season.  The effort and dedication of the players is showing early returns as enthusiasm and optimism are running high.

COOL LINKS >> Bath Alum Junior Bernal Honored | Nic Figueroa Shouts | New Show in Town | Tell Your Neighbor About Hyde’s Summer Programs | A New Hyde School

Woodstock Highlights:

• We’re Back! - Bath athletes joined the Woodstock men’s lacrosse team and the track & field team for a pre-season that felt more like summer.  Hitting the track and turf for double sessions and evening team building helped start the teams off on a productive and fun foundation.  Athletes will meet for competition in a few short weeks when the teams come head-to-head during Spring Family Weekend.

• Hyde-DC - Woodstock students Sarah Kesselbrenner ‘10, Nasir Ibrahim ‘12, and Dan Swanson ‘11 joined Head of School Laura Gauld for a three-day visit with the Hyde Leadership Public Charter School where the students participated in classes, student meetings and a parent night. As Laura Gauld said, “Talking with the parents brought me back to eleven years ago when the school was first started. It was so great to connect with old and new Hyde folks.” Nasir shared his thoughts back at the Woodstock morning meeting, “Going to the DC school was the highlight of my year. I got so much out of it and learned a lot about myself.” The group was also hosted by the Kakouris family, whose son Stephen graduated from Bath last year, at the Cyprus Embassy. Thanks to Admissions consultant Peter Mason who helped set up the trip. Woodstock looks forward to hosting the junior class from DC this spring.
• Classroom Training - Faculty took Monday to focus on best practices of teaching in our on-going development process.  Teachers tested and modeled both the attitudes and skills needed in diverse experiences.  Believing that we are educators in all parts of the daily schedule, workshop activities included the traditional classroom, dorm life, performing arts, athletics and family education.   We’re looking ahead to Spring Family Weekend to highlight our Performing Arts Show.  Students worked hard all winter and resumed the effort this week in three separate sessions of song and dance.  LDG/DM

COOL LINKS >> Laura Gauld Talks with Doug  Cope of WBZ Radio | Pirate Gallery | Tell Your Neighbor About Hyde’s Summer Programs | A New Hyde School

• Effort in the Classroom- Hyde English teacher Kirstie Truluck will be a presenter this weekend at the national conference for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) in San Antonio, TX.  Truluck, and collaborator Susan Young, will share Hyde’s understanding about the implications of assessing attitude in their presentation titled Measuring What Matters Most: Learning Dispositions for Student Success.  “There is research out there to support what Hyde intuitively understands, so we will fuse our experiential knowledge with current educational research,” says Truluck.
• Senior Authors- Each of the senior English classes presented an anthology of their collective written work this week.  Complete with an original cover design, biographical information on each author, and reflections on their views on the writing process, each anthology includes an essay written by each senior.  The essays cover topics such as “Airport Customs” by Robert Outerbridge to the “Magic of Movies” by Idaho Ketcham to “Beautiful Brown” by Tierra Williams.
• Winter Athletic Recognition- As a community, we took time after exams had been completed to honor our efforts this winter on the court, the track, the mat, the dance floor and in the pool.  The dance team was showcased Thursday night as they performed fourteen original pieces for the school community.  While all of the dancers worked hard during the winter months, Erin Fonseca ‘10 received special recognition as the MVP of the dance team while Eddie Brewer ‘12, was honored as the MIP of the team.  The following is the list of the rest of the MIP and MVP honorees as well as notable accomplishments from post-season contests:

Swimming:

MVP - Won Ho Chang ‘10; MIP - Sophia Raftopoulos ‘12

The men’s swim team capped an outstanding season at the New England Championships last weekend.  Erik Peterson’11, James Frazier ‘11, Kevin Ou ‘11 and Won Ho Chang ‘10 took first place in the 200 yard freestyle relay with an outstanding time of 1:34.06.  Won Ho also set a meet and pool record in winning the 100 yard Butterfly with a time of 49.92.  The women’s swim team was led by Mariel Frost ‘10 who was the lone qualifier for the Class B Women’s State Swim Meet.  At the meet, Mariel lowered her seed time by 1.6 seconds in the 200 freestyle and had a personal best for the season in the event.

Wrestling:

Varsity                                                                        

MIP - Alex DeMarco ‘12

MVP - Nico Eceizabarrena Figueroa ‘10

Goodrich Award- Zoë Dorian ‘10

Junior Varsity

MIP - Barry Gao ‘11

MVP - Sol Melendy ‘10

A long wrestling season ended for most of the varsity wrestlers at the New England Championships.  In the end, Mike Ingalls ‘10 walked away with a hard fought 2^nd place in the 189 weight class.  At the All State Tournament for women wrestlers, Zoë Dorian ‘10 won her weight class, becoming a two-time state champion.

Another group of wrestlers wrapped up their season last weekend at the Junior Varsity New England Tournament.  Cody Vickery ‘10 came home a champion!  Other standouts at the tournament included Wonseo Huh ‘11 (2^nd place), Alex DeMarco ‘12 (2^nd place), Chip Wohlstetter ‘11 (2^nd place) as well as Barry Gao ‘11, Nat Abernethy ‘11, Ryan Sunshine ‘12, Richard Stites ‘11, Adair Dickerson ‘11 and Alex Biedermann ‘11, all of whom earned third place finishes.

Basketball:

Women’s Varsity:

MIP- Scout Gauld ‘10

MVP- Alyssa Thomas ‘11

Women’s JV:

MIP - Jane Miller ‘11

MVP- Aneth Batamuliza ‘11

While there was not any post-season action for the women’s varsity team, their late season win against Old Orchard Beach was, in the words of Athletic Director Peter Gregory, “The most inspirational contest I have seen all year.”

Men’s Varsity

MIP- Alex Needham ‘10

MVP- Ted Cercos ‘11

Men’s JV

MIP- Nero Chai ‘11

MVP-Ryan Connolly ‘11

The men’s varsity team made it to the state tournament in Augusta, winning their first round game, but not being able to get by top-seeded Richmond in the semifinals.  Their effort, composure, and teamwork on the court during those games inspired the entire school.

Indoor Track:

MVP - Hannah MacMillan ‘10; MIP - Robin Platte ‘10

While there is no league or regional championship to attend, the indoor track athletes can be proud with the many personal records attained by each of them during the course of the season, including Robin Platte ‘10 with a high jump best of 4 feet 8 inches and Kenton Powell ‘10, putting the shot a distance of forty-four feet.

Woodstock Highlights:

• Wolf Pack Blue Man Group - For years, Hyde Bath has been known for their outstanding fans at basketball games. This week, the Wolf Pack marked a new level of excellence in that category. A hearty band of brothers on the JV basketball team played an outstanding game against Deerfield Academy where they started off the contest down by 14 points and were 8 points ahead at the buzzer. It was one of the most exciting contests seen this year in the Hyde gym. After the JV game, that core group painted themselves blue and ran back into the gym to cheer on the varsity. It provided the inspiration to ignite the Wolf Pack and soon Will Sobo ‘10 created a drum out of an upside down bucket. Not to be outdone by the men, Ally Dubinsky ‘10 and Sarah Hafey ‘11 joined in to rally the troops. On Monday, the cheering continued as the varsity men took the SENE championships against St. Andrews. The Blue Man Group’s charter members include: Brian Sanz ‘11, Ben Lieber ‘12, Alex Pepino ‘11, Rudwan Bakhsh ‘11, Scott McNeil ‘11 and Mac McGuire ‘11. Go Wolf Pack!
• Hyde moment - Character has been defined as the actions one takes when no one is looking. This week, we were reminded of that and inspired by learning of one student’s actions when no one was watching. John Masland ‘10 was working hard to come back from some earlier struggles. At the JV New England wrestling tournament, he was in the final match to determine third place and was losing by one point. Events took a turn when his opponent was injured and unable to compete. Because of this, John won by default and John received the third place medal. Unbeknownst to any adults, John went up to his opponent and handed him his medal, acknowledging that it belonged to the other wrestler. Another senior witnessed this and shared it with the school saying, “I think this is the definition of a class act.”
• Term wrap-up - We have all worked hard this winter but this last week was all about the final push. Finals turned the campus into a beehive of study groups, papers and last minute project completions. Thursday night, the school gathered to share athletic awards for the semester. Athletic Director Sean Saucier congratulated the school on earning back the President’s Cup and developing a learning attitude which came from each obstacle. The following were the individual awards.

Basketball:

Women’s Varsity:

MVP - Haruka Koda ‘10

MVP - Margaret Ann Regnery ‘10

Women’s JV:

MIP - Caitlin Barrett ‘10

MIP - Laura Dosch ‘11

Men’s Varsity:

MVP - Dion Richardson ‘10

MIP - Michael Cannon ‘11

MIP - Jumah Sutton ‘11

Men’s JV:

MVP - Kyle Freitag ‘10

MVP - Noah Bell ‘11

Men’s 3rds

MVP - Scott Connolly ‘11

MIP - Matthew Williams ‘11

Wrestling:

Varsity:

MIP - Marcos Mercado ‘13

MIP - Jake Schuster ‘10

Junior Varsity:

MIP - Matthew Wysocki ‘13

MIP - Addison Wheat ‘11

Equestrian:

MVP - Katie Smith ‘12

MIP - Allie Budd ‘10

Drama:

MVP - Zach Rosenbaum ‘10

MVP - Nora Curran ‘10

• Preparation for becoming a senior - On Saturday the junior class met with Hyde President Malcolm Gauld who spoke to the group about delayed gratification, choosing to do what you need to do versus what you want to do, and the concept of being a “big fish in a little pond.”  The meeting was part of the Senior Prep Process in which all juniors are engaged to become members of the Class of 2011.  Students also began defining their standards of personal excellence, evaluating their commitment to graduating from Hyde, and deliberating on their choice of a faculty or senior sponsor to support them through the Senior Prep Process.
• Public speaking in practice - The first of a two-part exam began yesterday with self- chosen soliloquies, in which bits of Shakespeare’s Othello, Shaw’s Pygmalion and an original piece by Cody Vickery ‘10 were among the works presented in the Mansion.  On Friday night, these same students will perform at the Cultural Heritage Performance.  Students and faculty will sing, dance and perform pieces that reflect their cultural heritage.  A special guest performance will be provided by the Lotus Dance Troupe, from The Chinese American Friendship Association of Maine, as part of the grand finale.
• Highlights and big dreams - The school meeting this week began with a focus on personal highlights we have had this term, some of which included doing well on an Advanced Biology test, productive FLC weekends with parents and peak performances in an athletic event.  Next we moved to our biggest dreams for our lives.  Students talked about wanting to run a green company to help save the planet, become an elementary school teacher, a National Geographic photographer, work with animals in Africa, and become a mother.  We wrapped up the meeting with a discussion about the tension between the energy and enthusiasm we can feel about our dreams and visions and the smaller steps and daily work it takes to make progress towards those dreams.

COOL LINKS: Malcolm’s Trip to Asia | Hyde-Woodstock on NBC CT | PSSST…Spread the Word About Hyde | Junior Bernal Gets Props | Family Weekend X for Siblings

Woodstock Highlights:

• Bravo! - The Hyde Varsity Drama Team capped off another excellent winter with their production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance led by Director Meara Palmer-Young. With a packed house of students and FLC goers on Friday and a new crop of family members on Saturday, the squad was able to delight all who came with outstanding vocal numbers, well choreographed dance pieces, and exceptional acting. The cast, guided by leads Zach Rosenbaum ‘10, Nora Curran ‘10, Gage Verronneau ‘10, Madeline Moritz ‘10, Adam Ben-Hanania ‘11, and Tim Hallenbeck ‘10 did a phenomenal job as the leaders of softhearted pirates, cowardly police officers, and upstanding citizens of the British higher class. Great job to the rest of the cast and crew and a special thanks to Will Cutrer.
• Hyde seniors - The last few weeks have been important for the seniors who have struggled with courage and integrity. This week, five seniors from Bath came for a visit to share strengths and challenges with the leadership process. Thanks to Scout Gauld, Maeve O’Sullivan, Dexter Jenks, Kurt Chessman and Robin Platte for taking a huge step to unify the Hyde senior year.
• Wish upon a Star - In the school meeting, faculty members dressed up in outfits and props to symbolize a childhood dream, goal, significant failure and life lessons. Many stood and shared their deep feelings about each outfit. As senior Dan Drayton said, “This has been an important meeting. We all have a purpose on this earth and the faculty has inspired us with what they shared.”
• Don’t count Hyde out - Two examples happened this week to highlight the Hyde toughness. The men’s varsity basketball team found themselves down in the second half of tournament play and fought their way back. Mike Cannon ‘11 had 19 points while Chris Velez ‘10, Dion Richardson ‘10 and Ewart Guinier ‘10 played instrumental roles as senior leaders and made big plays down the stretch. Assistant coach Sean Kelly said, “It was one of the best high school games I’ve seen in a long time.” Varsity wrestlers showed similar grit at the SENE Tournament where they almost beat two tough opponents in two nail-biting matches. Coach Jenkins said, “It comes down to those moments when you know deep down that you didn’t quit and these guys never quit.” LDG/DM

COOL LINKS: Malcolm’s Trip to Asia | Hyde-Woodstock on NBC CT | PSSST…Spread the Word About Hyde | Nora Curran Flexes Her Pipes | Family Weekend X for Siblings

• Parent Academy Returns- Parents of current students came to Hyde this week to teach in the annual Parent Academy.  The offerings for this year’s Parent Academy included “Independent and Documentary Film Making” with Richard Searls (Maeve O’Sullivan ‘10), “Breast Cancer Awareness” with Gina Castronovo (Nic Hartley ‘10), “Stock Market Boot Camp” with Bill Smith (Harry Smith ‘10),  and “Careers: Art Major to Airline Pilot” with Dan Beishline (Sofia Beishline ‘12).
• Winter Athletics Winds Down- Hyde’s five male swimmers Kevin Ou ‘11, Dexter Jenks ‘10, Won Ho Chang ‘10, Erik Peterson ‘11 and James Frazier ‘11, headed to Orono on Saturday for the Class B Men’s State Swim Meet.  With twenty-nine teams competing, the powerful Hyde five came in sixth place overall.  For a team as small as ours to compete and place as well as we did is truly outstanding!  In the end, Won Ho Chang ‘10 won the award for the “Swimmer of the Meet” after taking home two first place finishes in the 100 Butterfly and the 500 Freestyle, combining with Peterson, Ou and Frazier in the 200 Freestyle Relay.

Also on Saturday, the varsity wrestling team traveled to Wallingford, Connecticut to compete in the 2010 Class “A” League Tournament, hosted by Choate-Rosemary Hall.  Solid performances, committed attitudes, and tough wrestling propelled Hyde into 6th place overall at the start of the championship round.  At the conclusion of the finals, Hyde stood in a tie with Worcester Academy for 7th place, just one point behind Phillips Exeter Academy.  Standouts for the day were Zoe Dorian ‘10, taking 6^th place, Luke Locatell ‘10, earning a 5^th place finish, Nico Figueroa ‘10,  wrestling up a weight class and taking 3^rd, and finally Mike Ingalls ‘10, finishing in 2^nd place.

Indoor Track finished its season on Sunday by running in the Love ME 5K Road Race in Rockport, ME.  Alumni Lucas Brower ‘08 and his father Reade Brower joined the team where all athletes placed thirty-ninth or better, and all improved significantly since a similar run completed in December.  Notable performances included Hannah MacMillan ‘10, who won her age group with a time of 23:53 (a 2+ minute improvement over her last 5K).  She was also the second woman overall. Faculty member Mukhaye Muchimuti won her age group, while faculty member James Redstone placed second in his age group and placed 6^th overall in the race. Juno Ra ‘11 and CeCe Jackson ‘10 placed third in their respective age groups.

Finally, the entire school went to Augusta to cheer on the Men’s Basketball team in the Class D Western Maine Semi-Final contest.  The Phoenix played an outstanding game against the undefeated Richmond Bobcats, leading for most of the game. The Phoenix came out focused, determined and proud and played with heart the entire game.  The score remained close until the final minutes, when Richmond’s relentless defense turned the tide, sending Hyde home with the loss.  Ted Cercos ‘11, led the team with 22 points, and Harry Smith ‘10, Alex Needham ‘10 and Jonah Alexander ‘12 played well on both ends of the court all game.

• Artists in the Woods- Six Hyde art students have been invited to participate in a Women’s Art Retreat weekend in Eustis.  Hannah Rhea ‘10, Jane Miller ‘11, Lily Smith ‘11, Jessica Smith ‘10, Olivia Chance ‘10 and Erin Fonseca ‘10 will leave Friday afternoon for the Hyde Wilderness Lodge in Eustis.  Their hosts, Ms. Muchimuti and Mrs. Newberg, have prepared a guided retreat experience that will include:  art projects of the students’ choice, snowshoeing, morning meditation and yoga, a movie about women artists, Ms. Muchimuti’s famous cooking and fun!  “This is an opportunity to do something out of the ordinary, offer new experiences to students and deepen our connection to each other around our common interest of Art,” said Mrs. Newberg. “What better time than the middle of winter!”
• Special Note: This season, Hyde School brought in a professional photography company to do individual photos of your athletes as well as team photos.  The photos were completed and ready for purchase as of Monday, President’s Day. (February 15^th).  The company is offering package pricing for a limited time.  Packages begin at $22 for an 8×10 team photo, one 5×7 and two 3×5 individual photos.  Packages will be available until February 28^th only.  If you wish to take advantage of the package pricing please order by the 28^th.

Please use the following links and password to view photos.

www.NortheastProPhoto.com > View Photos  >  enter Hyde in the search box  >  Select Hyde              >  Password is  BIGH

COOL LINKS: Won Ho Can Swim | Bath Students Get Props for Haiti Effort | Got Summer Plans? | The Hyde Athlete Video | Share Hyde

Woodstock Highlights:

• Jam packed - As the term comes into the final stretch, our days this week have been full. Highlights include the following: The freshmen class has been working on personal autobiographies. The other English classes have been working on a Hyde tradition which is a mid-term reflection paper which is a powerful insight into students’ visions. The women’s varsity basketball team has found a new drive which has resulted in avenging some earlier losses and surprising their opponents. Men’s thirds basketball has inspired the school with their guts and tenacity and the equestrian team prepared for their show. A morning meeting highlight was a traditional Chinese dance performed with grace and elegance by Alice Guo ‘12. She wowed the crowd and inspired us all. The senior class took a step to take the Brother’s Keeper ethic to another level by finding the courage to address some peers who were struggling. Finally, the commitment board by my office was a daily hot spot for juniors who declared their intentions to lead the school next year.
• Parent Academy - For the fourth year in a row, Hyde Woodstock welcomed parents and grandparents to spend a few days sharing their passions, wisdom and insight with the school community. This year, we had perennial favorites like knitting along with some great new offerings. Classes included: Knitting, painting, assault training, business and money management, ceramics, sewing, SAT prep and ESL training. Thanks to veteran staff member Judy Hendrickson who organized the program and had this to say, “It is so amazing to watch the students engage with parents during these workshops! I truly appreciate the parents who are willing to give of their time and energy to come and share their passion at Hyde Parent Academy.” Much thanks to Ronnie and Karen McNeil, Sharon DeNunzio, Pam Racicot, Julie Kent, Carol Numrich, Deb Carreau, Corrine Beane and Kevin Budd, Richard Curran, Sue Schofield, Kerri Walsh, Irene Boudreau, Sue Nowak and Barbara Hackett for your contributions. We all learned a lot! Comments included: “I took the painting class and really learned how to paint in two classes!” “The money management class was interesting and I need to learn more so I can be better at handling my finances.” “I got signed up for the SAT class and didn’t really want to go, but I learned that there is some method to the madness.” “I took the sewing class because I will be going to college and my mom won’t be there!” “I chose the business class because I was to pursue a career in this area.” DM/LDG

COOL LINKS: Rigney’s Latest Rant | Winter Sports Gallery | Got Summer Plans? | The Hyde Athlete Video | Share Hyde

Parent Survey - Assistant Head of School, John Rigney, sent out a “Parent Questionnaire” last weekend to all parents.  If you have not responded, please take a moment to visit the link below.  Please be sure to let us know at which campus your son or daughter is enrolled.  Thank you for your assistance in completing this survey.  To take the survey, please go to this link:  http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/DDJBKRW

Hyde Offers Family Weekend for Siblings

• Do you want your other child ages 12-15 to get a “taste of Hyde?”
• Are you concerned your child isn’t quite ready for an entire Family Weekend?
• Would you like your child to spend some time with other Hyde siblings and Hyde faculty and staff?

If you answered yes to any of the above visit www.hyde.edu/family-education/current-families/siblingx/ to learn more and to register your child for a meaningful Family Weekend Hyde experience.

• A Mighty Performance by the Phoenix Wrestling Team: The Hyde Phoenix Varsity Wrestlers travelled to Woodstock, CT for the Northern New England Invitational on Saturday and closed out the 2009 - 2010 regular season in grand style.  The team wrestled with an unbelievable intensity and fire which propelled them through the tournament.  Standouts of the day were many, including a thirteen second victory by Luke Locatell ‘10, Jon Levitt ‘11 who scored a takedown and a pin as time expired, Mike Ingalls ‘10 who finished in first place in his weight class, Zoe Dorian ‘10 who won in a first period pin for a 2^nd place overall finish and Nico Figueroa ‘10 who finished as a runner up in the finals. Every one of the Phoenix made a tremendous contribution in the tournament and when the dust settled, Hyde School finished in 5th place overall. To see a glimpse of Hyde’s Zoe Dorian in action, follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqAsbF40PFw

• Speaking with Conviction: To culminate their English unit on writing with personal voice, the seniors wrote “This I Believe” essays in the style made popular by the 1950’s National Public Radio series by that name.  After writing and revising, the seniors had an opportunity to read their essays in a public setting under the Mansion chandelier.  Essay topics varied, from a belief in the possibility of talking to strangers, to beliefs in laughter and truth.  Each essay was consistent in showcasing the core values of the reader and expressing his/her unique personal voice.
• Celebrate the Chinese New Year!  Our eight students from China have been busy in the Hyde School kitchen preparing traditional Chinese dishes for today’s lunch.  The primary language being spoken is Mandarin, as the students mix beef, cut vegetables and pour sesame oil for this special celebration.  The Lunar New Year is a very important holiday in China, where families celebrate their good fortune, play games and eat together to ring in the New Year.  Johnny Fu ‘12, Barry Gao ‘11 and Leo Shan ‘11 agree that fried tomato with eggs is the dish they are most looking forward to, while Yingying Tan ‘11 and Nero Chai ‘11 can’t wait for the fried beef with peppers.  Thank you all for sharing your culture with our community.
• Athletics photos are on line. This season Hyde School brought in a professional photography company to do individual photos of your athletes as well as team photos.  The photos will be available to view and/or purchase by noon on Monday February 15, Presidents Day. Please use the following links and password to view photos: www.NortheastProPhoto.com >  View Photos  >  enter Hyde in the search box  >  Select Hyde  >  Password is  BIGH.

COOL LINKS: Championship Weekend | New Podcast | Got Summer Plans? | Open House Dates (spread the word) | The Hoffman Transformation

Woodstock Highlights:

• Together we stand - On Saturday, Hyde-Woodstock hosted the Northern New England Invitational, a large tournament with 13 other New England prep schools. This is a tournament shared between Tilton, Hyde-Maine, and Hyde-Connecticut and is held annually. The entire community pulled together, as they have done in the past, to make this a special day for the participants in this tournament.Marcos Mercado ‘13 had a spectacular day and finished at 4^th place after going 4-2 in the tournament. He has a bright future in wrestling and has consistently improved throughout the season.Matt Wysocki ‘13 won a match at the varsity level and showed some impressive drive on the mat. Zayd Atkinson ‘11 worked hard as a non-scoring wrestler and went 3-2 for the day, scoring some very swift pins. Team captain Jake Schuster ‘10 wrestled his best this season and had some impressive victories and heartbreaking defeats, finishing the day at 4^th place with a 2-2 record. Brian Fegan ‘10 also had a great day and even worked the new throw, the lateral drop, on his opponents. He finished 4^th in the tournament with a 3-2 record. Something could be said about every participant of the day. Addison Wheat ‘11 showed toughness in consistently working harder than his opponents, and Mac McGuire ‘11 wrestled hard against some very tough opponents. Hats off to the Bath squad for an exciting display of courage! Athletic Director Sean Saucier said, “It was great to see our students and faculty doing everything from run concessions and t-shirt sales, scoring and working the mat tables, and of course, clean-up. I heard compliments all day. It was a glimpse of what our community is capable of when we work together in partnership. It was a great day for Hyde.”
• Mandatory Fun - After a long day on Saturday with the tournament and an Open House, the school dialed it down for some Super Bowl bonding and a free day on Monday. Buses rolled out to the ski slopes, malls and Bean town and a good time was had by both students and faculty. Thanks to Dean Wes Jenkins who did a fantastic job organizing the day. A personal highlight for me was the outcome of the big football game. For the last three years, Addison Wheat ‘11 and I have made a wager on the game with some high stake outcomes. I was given the underdog team, (and told that my chances were slim and none). As we all know, the Saints came marching home, and as a result, Addison will be working in the Dean’s area for a week. Don’t tell him, but I think he is secretly excited! LDG/DM

COOL LINKS: Guest Blog Post by Terry Walsh | Wrestling Pics | Got Summer Plans? | Open House Dates (spread the word) | The Hoffman Transformation

• The Tradition of Headmaster’s Holiday Continues- Students kicked off Headmaster’s Holiday with a Tuesday night “Sock Hop” dinner, served by the faculty.  Following the 50’s style fun, “Dorm Olympics” ensued, with events such as a Three Legged Race, a Pie Eating Contest and a Dorm Dance-Off.  Though the gold metal winners have yet to be named, much fun was had by all.  On Wednesday morning, students headed out on a variety of trips and excursions- the city slickers headed to Boston, skiers to Sunday River and shoppers to the Maine Mall.
• Thursday Night Hoops Action- During the final contest of their season, against all odds and with very little fanfare, the Hyde Lady Phoenix lived out one of the principles of the Hyde School, turning challenge into opportunity. Newly-appointed Senior Captains Scout Gauld ‘10, Hailun Ni ‘10 and Brittney Harris ‘10 led the Phoenix to the strongest and most impressive victory of their 2009-2010 season, beating the Old Orchard Beach Seagulls 48-37.  JV Players Aneth Batamuliza ‘11, Liberty Alfredsen ‘13 and Emily Rose ‘11 joined the varsity team and gave it their best shot. Sage Harris ‘11 led the team with a career-high 19 points. Junior Captain Alyssa Thomas ‘11 chalked up a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Scout Gauld ‘10 had 8 points and 3 rebounds, and Brittney Harris ‘10 had 9 points, 2 steals and 2 rebounds. One of the highlights of the evening was a basket, her first of the season, from Hailun Ni ‘10, who as a senior has shown dedication, defensive leadership and consistency all season long.

Woodstock Highlights:

• Bronx FLC - 21 families, four faculty and two student interns travelled to our campus from Bronx, NY to participate in a three-day Family Learning Center. The families completed a trust walk and several seminars where family principles, hopes and fears were shared. Marcos Mercado ‘13 and Woodstock faculty member Ian Matthew Harrington served as interpreters for those families with limited English skills.It was humbling to see what these families wrote on their Family Timelines as they have faced real tragedy and hardships while turning obstacles into opportunities. A mom who has been at the Bronx school for four years and now has two students attending said, “I never want to miss the opportunity to come here and really focus on myself and what I can learn about my children.”

Woodstock students Jabon Chubbuck ‘11, Marcos Mercado ‘13, Maddy Schley ‘10 and Jasmine Staley ‘10 all gave up their weekend to facilitate the FLC.  Also hosting this weekend were Chris Velez ‘10, Adam Carreau ‘11, Nas Ibrahim ‘12, Allie Dubinsky ‘10, Jenna Dubinsky ‘15, Mike Cannon ‘11, Mari Barnett ‘11, Lisa Bertschy ‘10, Cassis Hoering ‘12 and Tom Tarricone ‘10. As Mike Cannon said, “It was great to see the kids. They remembered my name and it made me feel like I had an impact on them.”

• Camera crew on campus! - On Wednesday, the local NBC affiliate came to the campus to film a segment on schools that work. The anchor Brad Drazen sat in on the morning meeting, viewed classes and even saw a wrestling session. Seniors Will Sobo and Simi DeAngelis along with Will’s Dad, Bill Sobo shared their perspectives on the Hyde experience. The show will probably air in two weeks, but we will keep you posted. Also highlighted on Wednesday, was the involvement of senior Shawn Campbell, who participated in National Letter of Intent signing day. Shawn stood with his mother to receive a full scholarship to play division one football at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. We are so proud of you Sean and all that you have accomplished with a great attitude!
• Time with the Founder - Joey Gauld traveled down to the campus this week to meet with the students. He shared the founding story of the school along with some of his defining moments as a teacher. Students asked questions and shared some of the challenges of being at Hyde such as understanding and practicing the Brother’s Keeper ethic. Joey emphasized the importance of commitment in one’s life. As he said, “Commitment is a powerful thing. When you really commit to something, amazing things can happen.” Some of the comments from the students included:

“You helped me understand brother’s keeper in a new way.”

“Thanks for starting a school that really believes in the potential of kids.”

LDG/DM

COOL LINKS: PG Shawn Campbell Receives Full Boat to UMass | Summer Challenge brochure (share with families that are looking for an exciting summer opportunity for their teen) | Got Drama - Woodstock PA Gallery | Spread the word about out upcoming open houses