| 
 Musing
on Mentoring
Last weekend my eyes fell on an article in the Boston Globe about
mentoring and the power of mentors in the lives of young people.
Jay Leno talked about a favorite English teacher, and a Boston meteorologist
talked about a great graduate school professor. The article led
me to think about my own children and their mentors, your children
and their mentors here and at home, and my own mentors both in school
and in work. [Read
More]
Upcoming Information
Sessions About
Off-campus Study Programs:
The Mountain School Program of Milton Academy
CityTerm at the Masters School
The Maine Coast Semester of the Chewonki Foundation
In order to stimulate thinking about possibilities for Class III
students for the 2003-2004 academic year, the Academy will host
information sessions about off-campus programs in January at the
following times:
Thursday, January 8: The Mountain School Program of Milton Academy
(3:00 PM) (Required for all Class III students)
Monday, January 12: CityTerm at the Masters School (6:45 PM)
Tuesday, January 13: The Maine Coast Semester of the Chewonki Foundation
(6:45 PM)
All of the presentations will take place in Greeley Auditorium,
in the basement of the Science Building, and will include a slide
show and an opportunity for questions. Parents are most welcome
to attend. [Read
More]
Lessons
Learned From Nemo
 Last
Friday night, 7th and 8th grade students congregated in Ware Hall
for a beach party with Beach Boys’ music, wading pools, and
pizza. The animated movie chosen by the students was “Finding
Nemo”, the recent smash from Disney and Pixar, which tells
the story of a clown fish named Nemo. At the beginning of the movie,
Nemo’s father, Marlin, demonstrates all of the signs of an
overprotective parent. For example, Nemo is excited to explore the
sea on his first day of school while his father is worried and anxious
about letting him go. The theme of this movie turns out to be “letting
go” and how it is important for parents to remain ever watchful
while giving their children room to swim on their own (even if it
means some bumps and scrapes along the way.)
During adolescence, students experience tremendous change—
emotional, social, cognitive and physical. They want to form their
own identities and spend more time reflecting on daily interactions
they have with peers and adults. As your son or daughter experiences
these changes, redefining your role is important. [Read
More]
Bach, Handel
and Zulu songs performed by Classes V and VI
On November 12, 2003, Middle School students performed a concert
for local senior citizens. In Greenleaf’s Thacher Room, Class
V students performed pieces including Bach’s “Grant
Me True Courage” and “Sansa Kroma,” a Zulu song.
Class V solists were Lily Kaiser, vocalist; Will English, drummer;
Steve Wagner, violinist; Allan Jean-Baptiste, violist; and Samantha
Bondaryk, oboe player. Class VI students performed pieces such as
Handel’s “Art Thou Troubled?” and C. Fayolle’s
“Le Billot.” Featured performers for the Class VI portion
of the program were Sarah Loucks, Alec Seymor, vocalists; Alisha
Magnus-Louis, Angelica Cristello, (Class V) cellists; and Drew Douglas-Steele,
harpist. The concert was directed by Louise Mundinger; Ted Whalen
accompanied students on piano.
Q: I’ve heard that many airlines have regulations requiring
many 14-year-olds (Class IV students) to fly as unaccompanied minors.
What do I need to know?
A: The frequency of children traveling by themselves has led airlines
to set up programs that address the specific needs of children traveling
alone. While most airlines require these programs for children under
12, there are a some airlines that require students 14 and younger
to take part in their unaccompanied minor program. [Read
More]
Important
Date Changes to the
Milton Academy Parents' Association Calendar of Events
Please make the following changes on your calendars.
The January 13 speaker will now address parents on January
28, 2004:
January 28
7:00 pm
Straus Library
Speaker: Attorney Richard P. Campbell
"Social Host Liability: Be a Parent-Not a Pal"
The May 4 speaker will be author Barbara Strauch:
May 4
7:00 pm
Straus Library
Speaker: Barbara Strauch
Author, The Primal Teen
More information will follow in an early January mailing. We are
excited about the addition of Barbara Strauch. Robin Robertson highly
recommends her book, The Primal Teen, and if you are looking for
an interesting read during the wintery days coming our way, add
this to your list. We hope everyone enjoys the upcoming
holidays and we look forward to seeing you on January 28.
Download
and watch the November 13, 2003 Parents' Association meeting
On November 13, John R. Knight MD , founder and director of the
Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research (CeASAR) at Children's
Hospital Boston, spoke to parents about the adolescent brain and
recognizing the signs of substance abuse. Download
a video of the speech.
Milton Mix-Up
Answers to
frequently asked questions
What is the Milton Mix-Up?
The Milton Mix-Up is an evening of dinner parties hosted by parents
of Milton students. It is an opportunity for parents to meet each
other in an informal setting. The evening takes place in homes in
the Greater-Boston area.
When is the dinner?
This year's date is Saturday, February 7, and coincides with the
Parents’ Weekend for Class II. All of the dinners are on this
date.
What does being a host mean?
Hosts are Milton parents who offer the use of their home as the
venue for a casual evening of dining and conversation. They decide
on the menu, the number of people and whether to have buffet or
table seating. Most people choose to serve a pot luck dinner to
which all guests contribute. [Read
More]
Summer
Opportunities Fair
Is Your Child Ready For Camp?
How can you know in January whether or not your child will be ready
for overnight camp next summer? Although summer seems a long way
off, January is the time to start the decision making process by
discussing, suggesting and most importantly, listening to your child.
Decisions based on knowledge will always be the best ones. Present
your child with lots of information and always include them in discussions
about camp. As a parent there are prime questions to ask to determine
“camp readiness.”
- Does my child sleep over at friend’s homes comfortably?
- When staying at a friend’s house do they need to call
home often?
- Have you discussed the different aspects of the camp experience?
Things to consider are:
- They will eat meals in a dining hall with 200 to 300 campers.
- They will see parents on visiting day and speak with them occasionally
by phone.
- They will sleep in a bunk, with or without bathroom facilities
in the cabin.
- There will be 6 to 10 other campers and 2 counselors in the
cabin.
The Summer Opportunities Fair at Milton Academy on Sunday, January
11 is a wonderful chance to meet with the camp directors. Representatives
of Student Camp & Trip Advisors will be there to answer your
questions and to steer you in the right direction.
Join us at the 12th annual
Milton Academy Summer Opportunities Fair
Sponsored by Milton Academy Parents’ Association &
Student Camp & Trip Advisors
Sunday, January 11, 2004
1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
STUDENT CAMP & TRIP ADVISORS
Beverly Shiffman, President
Diane Borodkin, Vice President
617-558-7005 800-542-1233
www.campadvisors.com
Share-A-Ride
The Parents' Association is happy to announce the launch
of its share-a-ride program. Some parents find it hard to pick
up and drop off for all holidays or long weekends; the share-a-ride
program will match up boarding families that would like to car pool
at the start and end of school vacations. Those interested
should email the following information to Susan
Littlefield.
Name
Student's name and grade
Address
Phone number
Dates you are available to drive students to and from Milton and
/or the dates on which your child needs a ride to or from Milton.
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Faculty profile:
Shimin Zhou
 In
1986, Shimin Zhou came to Milton Academy as an exchange teacher
from the Experimental High School affiliated with Beijing Normal
University, China’s most competitive teacher-training university.
“I was the first exchange teacher to come here from my school.
Leaving my small son back home was very hard, but my mother said
‘Go. Go, I will take good care of him.’
“Everyone said I had to come here – it was such a good
opportunity. I had studied English only in China from Chinese instructors
and had begun to feel like no one actually spoke the language,”
Shimin says.[Read
More]
Snack Bar
Spurs ‘Smoothie’ Rage
 Icy
December winds haven’t yet cooled the call for the new snack
bar’s hottest item: all-natural fruit smoothies. When students
are asked to name a favorite flavor, a cacophony of “strawberry-banana
yogurt” – “no, cappuccino.” - “I love
mango!” is the reply.
In an informal survey of smoothie-crazed students, chicken fingers
came in a close second.
“I like chicken fingers,” says Steve Wagner ’08.
“If you don’t have time for lunch, you can get it here,”
he says. [Read
More]
Online Conferences
Showcase Student Interests and Passions
You might think that all the student conversation
in the classroom, the hallways, the dining hall and their houses
might leave them speechless. Not so. [Read
More]
Winter Concerts:
December 12-14, 2003
On December 12 and 14 the music department will present its annual
Winter Concerts. A tradition in the school for many years, these
concerts are always given the last weekend prior to the holiday
break.
[Read More]
Winter Athletic
Season: A Preview
With temperatures in the Boston-area at a chilly 30 degrees in early
December, the ski team hopes that their dry-land practices will
soon be a thing of the past. With no snow on the ground, the ski
team will make use of the weight rooms and frosty fields to get
in shape for the ski season. Led by captains Emily Oatis and Scott
Motejunas the ski team looks forward to a stellar season on the
slopes. [Read
More]
Click here
for a list of fall athletic awards and pictures form the "M"
Club Dinner
What would you
like to see in future issues of Centre Connection?
Use the feedback form
to tell us what you think.
 |
| Annual Fund
Chair, Dottie Weber ’60, P’04 and Parents’
Fund Chairs, Jeff ’70 and Cecilia Garrity P’05 officially
kick-off the 2003-2004 Annual Fund Year with noisemakers at
the Annual Fund Kick-Off event |
….and
we’re off!
The Parents’ Fund is off to a strong start thanks to the support
of Milton parents and volunteers. The first phonathon on November
4, 2003 was very successful – a very special thank you to
those who called. Calls made by 15 parents that evening raised more
than $17,000 from 54 pledges and gifts. This success is a direct
result of the enthusiasm and dedication of the following parents.
Meaghan Barrett P’08
Jackie Bechek P’06 ’07 ’10
Nancy Dougherty P’07
Victoria Florea P’07
Jeff ’70 and Cecilia Garrity P’05
Mark Kaplan P’10
Linda Kay P’05
Laura Jeppesen P’06
Ned Pride ’76 P’08 ’13
Jane Sadler P’06
Maria and Rich Sebastian P’06
Roberta Williamson Seymour P’05 ’09
Nancy Skinner P’05
The next parent phonathon is Tuesday, December 9 at 7:00p.m. (dinner
at 6:30 p.m.) in the Caroline Saltonstall Building, 2nd floor. RSVP
to Hilary Smyth (617) 898-2386 or hilary_smyth@milton.edu.
As of November
24, 2003 the Parents’ Fund has raised $52,130 and reached
14 percent participation.
There is still time to get involved.
We are still looking for more parents to become Parents’ Fund
representatives. This is a great way to get involved in the Milton
Community. A component of the Annual Fund, the Parents’ Fund
generates almost 25 percent of the total unrestricted dollars raised
each year and helps to make possible competitive faculty salaries,
extensive extracurricular activities, scholarship support, and much
more. As tuition does not cover the full cost of a Milton education,
the Annual Fund provides a hidden scholarship to each and every
student.
If you would like to become a Parents’ Fund representative
for the Annual Fund, please contact Hilary Smyth, assistant director
of annual giving, at hilary_smyth@milton.edu
or (617) 898-2386.
The Class
I 2004 Parent Gift
The focus of the Class I 2004 Parent Gift will be the renovation
of the science building – a component of the School’s
long range master plan The first solicitation along with Issue I
of the Class I 2004 Parent Gift Newsletter
will be mailed in early December. We hope to have 100 percent parent
participation for this effort. All Class I 2004 Parent gifts and
pledges must be received by June 30, 2004.
Committee Members
Sally Abrahms
Cheryl Berry
Zoe Billman
Charlotte Brody
Marc and Laurie Brown
Tom and Judy Bullitt (Chairs)
Elizabeth Cooke-King
David and Vicky Croll
David Dudley
Andreas Evriviades
Peter ’77 and Bonnie Gregory
Jeff ’74 and Roxanna Hurst
Seth Klarman
Kathryn Knight-Wise
Nancy Krieger
Nick and Pam Lazares
Louis Miller
Ruth Onwuka
Diane Patrick
Kate Rodda
Susan and William Samuelson
Beverly Savage
Kathrin Seitz
Helen Hobbs and Dennis Stone
Dottie Weber ’60
The first Class I 2004 Parent Gift phonathon is on Wednesday, December
3 at 7 p.m. (Dinner at 6:30 p.m.) in the Caroline Saltonstall Building,
2nd floor. If you have questions or would like to make your family’s
contribution to the Class I 2004 Parent Gift, please contact Perry
Buroker, director of annual giving, at (617) 898-2375 or perry_buroker@milton.edu.
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