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I’ve been thinking lately about the rhythms of the school
year.
Have you seen the new copy of The New Yorker? The back page
is a Steinberg cartoon showing downtrodden people climbing
up from the basement of February and coming upon spring and
March. Though I love winter and snow, it’s always a
relief to emerge from February, that four-month stretch between
January and March. The daylight is already starting to stay
longer again, and the hope of an early and glorious spring
sustains us. Our moods lift with the longer days—or
will lift soon, we hope!
It’s curious to me, then, that Valentine’s Day
should fall in the middle of this moodiest of months. For
many of your children, Valentine’s Day is mostly an
abstraction, as this comment overheard in the Student Center
suggests: “It’s hard to get a girl by quoting
The Aeneid.” For others, it’s a chance to indulge
in crushes both mutual and unrequited. And for a very few,
it’s a time to celebrate young love.
[Read More]
Campus Favorites: the Student Art
Shows in the Nesto Gallery
By Gordon Chase, Chair, Visual Arts Department
The 2005 Mid-Year Show holds 300 works: drawings, mixed media
pieces, prints, sculptures in  clay
and metal, paintings, and photographs. Some exciting themes
are expressed, especially with the various exam projects.
They included nostalgia for childhood, reacting to troubles
in the world, and celebrating comic absurdity. Paul Menneg's
sculpture students were given generic cigar boxes and asked
to interpret "Fear" with a transformation of each
box. One holds the devastation of the recent tsunami (John
Lingos-Webb, I), another a scorched nuclear landscape (Nate
Danforth, II).
[Read More]
The Sins of Sor Juana Performed
by Milton Students
 Milton
Academy students performed Karen Zacarias' The Sins of
Sor Juana in Ruth King Theatre from February 10-12.
The Sins of Sor Juana is a dramatic speculation
upon this passionate poet's move from the Viceroy's court
to a nunnery from which she never emerged. The play blends
comedy, romance, tragedy and the triumph of the human spirit
in a tribute to a magnificent woman whose poetry sings with
the life of the body, the mind and the soul.
The play was directed by David Peck, performing arts faculty
and chair.
Milton students connect with people
of ideas, vision, accomplishment
 Numerous
endowed lectures at Milton bring renowned individuals to Milton
often. In addition, faculty invite accomplished academicians,
writers, and researchers to come; they enrich the exchange
of ideas among students and faculty. After speaking to large
groups in Kellner or the Fitzgibbons Convocation Center, the
guests mingle with students for more intimate and informal
conversation in the relaxed environment of Straus. Just this
year, for instance, students have been challenged, inspired
and entertained by the following visitors:
Jean Kilbourne is the Sam Talbot speaker. Jean Kilbourne is
a nationally acclaimed speaker on alcohol and tobacco advertising
and the image of women in advertising. She has published numerous
books and films and speaks both nationally and internationally.
February 2, Professor Fred Lawrence, B.U. School of Law and
parent of Miriam ’02 and Noah ’05, spoke with
students about hate crimes and the law.
[Read More]
What Set Sail in Straus?
From sushi to salad, fruit to chocolate, faculty and staff
partook of savory and sweet treats in a color-drenched, fanciful,
recreated Straus Library last Monday, Valentine’s Day.
The Parents’ Association's annual tribute to the people
who are deeply involved with their children’s lives
was a remarkable treat for the many who paused and relished
the gift. “There is something in the wind,” a
phrase from Shakespeare, inspired the theme, from the origami
invitations to the many kites, pennants and sails floating
in Straus. Not only did faculty and staff enjoy a far-from-everyday
luncheon and indulge in a Valentine’s Day splurge, they
happily redeemed the numerous plants and flowers that now
spruce up classrooms and offices. Ingrid Frank, mother of
Jacob in Class I, was the event chair, and she reported that
roughly 100 Upper School families helped make the thank you
possible. The Parents’ Association faculty staff recognition
brunch is quickly becoming the most widely anticipated celebration
in the Milton school year.
Can You Help Me Plan for Next Year?
Yes. Here's the 2005-2006
academic calendar, for your convenience (pdf).
The SAT IIs: What to Think About
When, A Parents' Guide
The College Counseling Office can help students think carefully
about how to approach the SAT IIs. To understand more about
their approach, download
these guidlines (pdf).
What
would you like to see in future issues of Centre Connection?
Use the feedback
form to tell us what you think.
 From
Winter to Spring: Making the Transition Great
Know someone who needs a pick-me-up?
Though February is a short month on the calendar, it can be
a long and gray month in New England. Julie Rinaldini, the
parent of a boarding student, has put together a list of Milton-area
establishments - and a few beyond - that might be helpful
to you if you're interested in sending a little bit of extra
support and TLC to a student at Milton. We hope you find it
useful for birthdays, holidays away from home, congratulations,
festive occasions, or just any old time. Click
here for the list of places near campus or that deliver
or mail items to school.
A place for parents at Milton
Everyone reading this newsletter today has at least one thing
in common: a child attending the Upper School at Milton Academy.
Though our students share the same environment, their challenges
are different. The same could easily be said of us, their
parents.
[Read More]
 December
2004
October
2004
August
2004
April
2004
January
2004
December
2003
October
2003
August
2003
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Meet Kereida Beadle,
Science Faculty
Kereida Beadle (science faculty) is a dorm parent in Centre
House, which opened in fall 2004.
She calls the boarding students of Norris and Centre house—who
enjoyed a dodge ball tournament on campus February 13—“zealous.”
In several heated matches, the boys’ house squared off
against the girls, then Classes IV and I students rivaled
Classes II and III. The boys, she says, win marks for their
matching dodge ball jerseys, inspired by the recent Ben Stiller
comedy, Dodge Ball.
As the new houses establish traditions and their place within
the community, Kereida—as a first-year teacher—is
likewise distinguishing herself among Milton’s outstanding
science faculty.
[Read More]
Speech Team Offers Competitive, Rewarding
Experience
Milton Academy’s Speech team has earned recognition
as one of the best in the country. Over 60 students participate,
competing in state and national contests. The team has earned
awards ranging from individual state and national championships
to team honors including the Massachusetts Forensic League
Grand Champions, the National Catholic League’s Masterson
and Founder’s Championships, and the National Forensic
League’s Bruno Jacob Championship. The dedicated group
has set a standard of excellence throughout the years that
few programs in the country can match.
[Read More]
CultureFest '05
CultureFest 2005 is slated for Saturday, March 5, from 4 p.m.
to 7 p.m., in the Athletic and Convocation Center on the Milton
campus. The multicultural festival is an all-school (K-12)
event that is held every other year.
CultureFest is a celebration of diversity and an opportunity
to share about ourselves and to appreciate each other. "We
think of 'multicultural' in a very broad sense. We celebrate
international culture but also regional diversity," says
Heather Flewelling, director of student multicultural programs
and event organizer.
[Read More]
Martha Pitt
Pick your weapon: Stick, ball or boat?
Stand by the incoming traffic on a Monday morning and one
will find most students rolling through the Milton campus
with their speakers pulsating with the latest pop. However,
there is one young lady who may be seen pulling into the Athletic
and Convocation Center (ACC) lot weekday mornings with good
old 92.9 WBOS playing softly on the radio. Usually she has
a busy day planned and BOS represents a nice way to transition
into a hectic day at Milton Academy which often lasts beyond
dinner time. Once the trunk pops open it, the season will
dicate what sports equipment may accompany this student’s
standard book bag.
Folks, meet Milton Academy senior athletic sensation Martha
Pitt.
[Read More]
Parents’ Fund Update
The 2004-2005 Parents’ Fund (Parent Giving to the Annual
Fund) is off to a fantastic start, thanks to the help of parent
volunteers, donors and the success of two fall phonathons.
The Annual Fund has passed its mid-year point, and as of January
31, 2004, the Parents’ Fund has raised $595,000 in gifts
and pledges from 271 families.
Thank you to those 271 families who have already made a gift
to the Annual Fund. If you have not yet made a gift, please
visit https://secure.milton.edu/gift.asp
to make your gift online via Visa, MasterCard or American
Express, or contact Hilary Wirtz, associate director of parent
giving, at (617) 898-2386 or hilary_wirtz@milton.edu. Annual
Fund gifts must be received by May 31, 2005.
Why must money be raised each year
in addition to tuition?
Tuition covers 65 percent of the annual operating costs of
Milton Academy. Voluntary contributions to the Annual Fund
make up the difference between tuition revenues and the true
cost of a Milton education. Unrestricted gifts from parents,
graduates, faculty, staff and friends, along with income from
the endowment and revenue from tuition, support the School’s
day-to-day operating expenses and ensure a balanced budget.
Spring Phonathons: Get Involved!
Become a Parents’ Fund volunteer. This is a great way
to get involved in the Milton Community and to meet fellow
parents. Come join the fun! Help represent the Milton Academy
Annual Fund by participating in phonathons and contacting
fellow parents throughout the year.
UPCOMING DATES:
February 15
March 8
April 27
6:30 p.m. Dinner and Welcome
7:00 p.m. Calling
Development Office, Caroline Saltonstall Building, 2nd Floor
Please respond to Jess Feingold, assistant director of annual
giving, at (617) 898-2113 or Jessica_feingold@milton.edu.
Thank you to the following parents who attended the Fall Phonathons:
Dinah Bodkin P’07
Anne Columbia P’06 ’11
Pam Coravos P ’06
Jean Fecheimer P’06
Jodi Feeney P’17
Laura Jeppesen P’06
Mark Kaplan P’10
Ned Pride ’76 P’08 ’13
Sharon Russell-Mack P’07
Jane Sadler P’06
Maria Sebastian P’06
Stephanie St. Laurence P’07
Lynne Taylor P’17
Charlie Wagner P’08
Class
Statistics as of January 31, 2005 (pdf)
Parent Gift
The Class I 2005 Parent Gift drive is well on the way to raising
$1 million, and over 30 percent of Class I families have participated
to date. Our goal is 100 percent participation, so please
consider making your gift today. Visit https://secure.milton.edu/gift.asp
to make your gift online via Visa, MasterCard or American
Express, or contact Hilary Wirtz, associate director of parent
giving, at (617) 898-2386 or hilary_wirtz@milton.edu. More
information about the Science Building and fundraising efforts
will be sent to Class I families in the coming weeks. Committee
members will also be working to reach families who have not
yet made a contribution. Class I gifts and pledges must be
received by June 30, 2005.
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