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A Monthly Newsletter for Parents
DEBBIE’S NOTE
The MMFS 30th Anniversary Gala is fast
approaching! This special celebration
will be held on Thursday, May 7th from
6:30 to 9:30 at City Winery in Soho. The
gala will feature dinner, cocktails, and a
silent and live auction to benefit the students of MMFS.
M AY 2015
In This Issue
Debbie’s Note
1
Family/Faculty Civil Rights Trip
1
2015 Commencement Speaker
2
Alumni Spotlight
3
Student News
4
From the Development Director
5
All-school Arts Night
5
PA News
6
US Performing Arts Night
6
PA Grant Report
7
Gala Auction
8
Get to Know Our Faculty
9
Dear Myrtle Column
10
News From the Divisions
11
MMFS Carnival
15
Civil Rights Trip Information
16
Join us for our
30th Anniversary Gala
on May 9th!
MMFS News is published the
first Friday of each month
by Mary McDowell Friends
School, a K-12 college prep
Quaker school for students
with learning disabilities.
Mary McDowell Friends School
20 Bergen Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-625-3939
www.marymcdowell.org
We’re thrilled that Al Roker and
Deborah Roberts are hosting the gala.
Al and Deborah are the parents of
MMFS middle school student Nick
Roker. Al, as you probably know, is the
weather anchor on the Today show and
co-host of Wake Up with Al on the
Weather Channel. Deborah is a television journalist for ABC News and has
served as a correspondent for 20/20 and
Dateline NBC.
The Benefit Committee Honorary Chair
is Al Uzielli. Al is the head of Ford
Global Brand Entertainment, co-owner
of the famed Beverly Hills restaurant, La
Dolce Vita, and great-great-grandson of
Henry Ford.
This year we’re honoring Anne Ford
with Adam’s Prize, given to a person
whose exceptional work on behalf of
children with learning disabilities merits public recognition. Anne is one of
the country’s leading advocates for
children with learning disabilities. She
is the mother of a daughter with learning disabilities and has served as
Chairman of the Board of the National
Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD)
from 1989 to 2001. She is now the
Continued on page 2
Mary McDowell Friends School Family/Faculty Trip
A Civil Rights Journey:
Turning Points in the Civil Rights Movement
Atlanta, Montgomery, Selma and Birmingham
November 12th-15th, 2015
We are excited about our second Civil Rights Trip. There has been a lot of interest.
To reserve a space, please send
a nonrefundable deposit of
$250 per person to either Beth
Schneider or Debbie Zlotowitz.
Checks should be made out to
MMFS. We will be accepting
deposits, starting May 4th, on
a first come, first served, basis
until we are full and then we
will start a wait list. A preliminary itinerary and pricing can be
found on page 16.
Continued from page 1 (Debbie’s Note)
NCLD’s chairperson emerita. Anne has written three
books about learning disabilities, including the
acclaimed memoir Laughing Allegra, and has spoken at
numerous organizations around the country. The greatgranddaughter of Henry Ford (and mother of Al Uzielli),
she was appointed to the Department of Health and
Human Services Commission on Childhood Disabilities
and was a member of the New York State Board of
Regents Select Committee on Disabilities. Two years ago
she and Al spoke with the MMFS community about living with a family member who has learning disabilities.
The anniversary celebration will also recognize Fran
Yellen with the Violet Longobardi Award for
Extraordinary Dedication and Commitment to Mary
McDowell Friends School. Fran has been a member of
the community since 1997, when her daughter Sara
enrolled here. As a parent she served on the Gala
Committee and initiated the Book Fair program and
Faculty-Staff Appreciation Luncheons. After becoming a
full-time employee in 2003, she started MMFS’s popular
Afterschool program, which she now directs, and has
served as the Middle School Administrator since it
began in 2005. Her longstanding commitment and hard
work on behalf of the school are being honored with this
award.
We are also thriled that Julian Bond and his wife, Pam
Horowitz, will be joining us at the Gala. We look forward to welcoming them back to MMFS.
Later this month my son, Ethan Greenberg, will return
to MMFS at the request of the PA to repeat a presentation he made a couple of years ago. He will talk with us
about his experience as a student with ADHD on
Wednesday, May 27th at 7:00 pm at 20 Bergen Street. An
Indiana University graduate and admitted student at
Columbia School of Social Work, he is spending this
year working with 8th graders as an Academic
Readiness Fellow at Harlem RBI. Ethan will discuss his
experience with medication and the pros and cons of
how it helped him manage his ADHD and become a better student. There will be an opportunity for questions
and answers after his talk. We encourage any families
whose children take medication or are considering tak-
ing medication to attend this presentation. Finally, we will start accepting deposits for the Fall 2015
Civil Rights Trip this Monday, May 4th and will continue
accepting them until the trip is full. We will leave the
morning of Thursday, November 12th and return the
afternoon of Sunday, November 15th. Highlights of the
trip include Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, the 16th
Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, the Rosa Parks
Museum in Montgomery, and the AIDS Memorial Quilt
in Atlanta. We’ll also talk with a woman who marched
across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday and
a reverend who fought for civil rights in Birmingham.
The total cost of the trip, including flight, hotels, meals,
sightseeing, and all transportation costs, is as follows:
$1,375 per person for 1 person in a room, $1,245 per person for 2 people in a room, $1,200 per person for 3 people in a room, and $1,175 for 4 people in a room.
To reserve a space for the trip, please send a nonrefundable deposit of $250 per person. Checks should be made
out to MMFS and sent to either Beth Schneider or me at
20 Bergen Street. Registration is on a first come, first
served basis. Far more people have expressed an interest
in attending than we have room for, so please send your
registration form and payment in as soon as possible to
reserve your space before it’s too late!!!
On another note, I am excited to announce this year’s
commencement speaker. Thanks to Andrea Pinkney, we
have a fabulous graduation speaker. Kwame Alexander
is a poet and writer of children’s fiction for 12-17 year
olds. His book The Crossover is this year’s Newberry
Medal winner which is given for the most distinguished
contribution to American literature for children. The
book is written in verse so that “kids can see that poetry
can be cool.” I read the book while on the subway and
cried throughout, couldn’t put it down and had to finish
the last page in Starbucks this morning. It is a wonderfully moving and heartwarming story about brothers,
family, school, first love, and basketball. You don’t have
to be a child to love it. I highly recommend it.
In Friendship,
2015 Commencement Speaker:
Newberry Medal Award Winner Kwame Alexander
Commencement Exercises, June 9th at the Brooklyn Museum
Kwame Alexander is a poet and writer of children’s fiction for 12-17 year olds. His book The Crossover is this
year’s Newberry Medal winner which is given for the
most distinguished contribution to American literature
for children. He has written 18 books, owned several
publishing companies, written for the stage and television
(TLC’s “Hip Hop Harry”), recorded a CD, performed at
schools and conferences around the world, produced jazz
and book festivals, hosted a weekly radio show, worked
for the U.S. Government, and taught in a high school.
Recently, he led a delegation of writers and artists to Italy
(Tuscany), Brazil (Bahia), and Africa (Ghana). Each year,
Kwame visits hundreds of schools sharing poetry, conducting workshops, and reading his books.
2
NICK SHANLEY
Nick Shanley moved on from Mary McDowell Friends
School in 2004 for Winston Preparatory School where he
graduated from high school in 2011. He is currently in
his fourth year at Parsons School of Design, where he is
majoring in photography. As with so many Mary
McDowell alumni, Nick will take an extra year to complete his bachelor’s degree, but, as his father is happy to
report, he is on track to graduate next year as a photojournalist.
Nick came to MMFS from the Little Red School House
when he was seven years old with a learning disability
that encompasses information retrieval, speech, and
reading issues. According to his father, John Patrick
Shanley, Nick’s biggest struggle came early on – just
accepting “what he had been given in the wiring of his
brain.”
Coming to MMFS definitely helped in that process.
“There was a very basic message – that there’s a place
for everybody,” Nick’s dad recalled, adding that they
had the same feeling when they toured Parsons. “We
got that message again at our first meeting – there’s
always a place for you here.”
Parsons was Nick’s first choice and, according to his
dad, he got exactly what he wanted. So, apart from the
usual freshman drama, the transition was relatively
easy. “College was a great liberating experience for
Nick, even though his first dorm was only two blocks
from my apartment!”
Nick is all about photography. His dad reports that he
has made some compelling videos and taken road trips
to Santa Fe and Ireland. The Ireland trip resulted in a
photo essay. Nick says that right now he enjoys taking
pictures of just about anything, “I haven’t really gotten
to that part of my life yet where I’m choosing a type of
photography.”
College is moving along. Nick has a friend who reads
to him when he needs the assistance and helps review
instructions and checks to make sure that everything is
done when it needs to be done. “Sometimes I dictate my
homework to a friend, sometimes we discuss the assignment so I understand what the words mean, and sometimes I just need extra time to understand what’s being
asked of me,” Nick commented.
don’t always understand what dyslexia is … that it’s a
lot more than just backwards letters. Sometimes it feels
like they don’t want to know or don’t want to be bothered.”
Nick allows that this lack of understanding in the arts
community can be frustrating – those in the arts should
understand since learning disabilities are more common
among artistic (and creative) people. But he’s optimistic
that (hopefully) “it will be easier for the next generation.”
In the meantime, Nick is handling whatever needs to be
handled from day to day. “Nick understands that his
learning disability is a going to be a life-long challenge,” his dad says, adding that Nick is bullish about
his future. “Nick is a great kid. He’s confident and deeply grounded, which I attribute to Mary McDowell. It’s a
beautiful place.”
Kris Hallam
Mother of Andrew Corby, Alumnus 1999
It’s a process. “It took me a long time to want to learn,”
Nick said, adding that he finds that most people are
understanding about learning disabilities. “The profs
3
MMFS SENIOR
APRIL SIMMONS IS
2015 ANNE FORD
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT
The award letter is reprinted below.
Dear April:
The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) is delighted to inform you that you have been
awarded an Honorable Mention for the 2015 Anne Ford Scholarship Award! This honor recognizes your
remarkable academic achievements and meaningful contributions to your community. Your success in
college will no doubt be an inspiration for other young people struggling with learning disabilities, and
we hope that you will stay close to NCLD and share your successes with members of our online
community.
We received close to 400 applications combined for this year’s competition and the quality of the
submissions was truly outstanding. A review committee comprised of members of NCLD’s Board of
Directors, Professional Advisory Board, and staff reviewed each application and conducted phone
interviews with selected candidates. After much deliberation, the committee made its selection. One
winner, one runner-up, and eight honorable mentions make up the Anne Ford Class of 2015.
NCLD wishes you every success as you begin your journey from high school to college. We’ll be in touch
throughout the year as we add your story to our website. In the meantime, we urge you to get involved
in the NCLD community online by visitingwww.ncld.org website, “liking” us and joining the conversation
on our Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/NCLD.org), and if you use Twitter, following us @
LDadvocate. We are building an online community of people whose lives have been affected by LD, and
your voice would be an inspiration to many.
We will be sending your award certificate and a $100 gift card to Barnes and Noble. We ask that you keep
us informed of any changes in phone, email, and mailing address so we can stay in touch. Congratulations
and we look forward to working with you in the months to come.
Sincerely,
James H. Wendorf
Executive Director
Sheldon H. Horowitz, Ed.D
Director, LD Resources
We love to hear about what our students are up to outside of school
hours. If you have student news that you would like to share with
the school community in this column, please contact Orla Dunstan,
orlad@mmfsnyc.org or 718-855-0141, ext. 4104.
4
From the Development Director
Mary McDowell Friends School at 30
“People live in the present. They plan for and worry
about the future. History, however, is the study of
the past. Given all the demands that press in from
living in the present and anticipating what is yet to
come, why bother with what has been?”
Peter N. Stearns
American Historian
As we celebrate 30 years of transforming the lives of
MMFS students and their families, it is important to take
note of our school’s history. “What has been” helps to
provide us with our identity. Where we came from and
how we have evolved as an organization tells the story
that informs who we are and where we might be going.
Thirty years – depending on where you stand – is either
a very long (if you are a student in the Krisberg Room,
for example) or a very short (if you are a student of ancient history) period of time.
Thirty IS a significant number, no matter how you look
at it. As MMFS alumni parent and Board member Sharon Inkeles put it:
30 is the number of years MMFS has been
revealing brilliance in every student in the
heart of Brooklyn.
It also is . . .
• The sum of the first four squares, which makes it a
square pyramidal number.
•
•
•
•
The atomic number of zinc
The title of the Food Network show 30 Minute Meals
The minimum age for United States senators
The number of tracks on The Beatles’ eponymous
album, usually known as The White Album.
• One of the rallying cries of the 1960s student/youth
protest movement, “Don’t trust anyone over thirty.”
• Under NCAA rules for women’s basketball, the
number of seconds that an offensive team has to attempt a shot.
Happy 30th Anniversary, Mary McDowell Friends
School!
Mary McDowell Friends School
Annual All-Student Art Exhibit
Thursday, May 28, 2015
MMFS Middle School 133-135 Summit Street
6:00-7:30 pm
You are invited to our annual exhibition of student art
work. The show will be representing every MMFS student
in the elementary, middle and upper school art programs!
We hope to see you there!
5
PA News
Hello Mary McDowell Friends School Families! We
warmly welcome Spring with open arms!
Recent Hapenings From the PA Council
CARNIVAL!!!!- The PA is excitedly preparing for the annual MMFS Spring Carnival on Saturday May 9th. The
Carnival committee is underway
and many volunteers have been recruited. It will be very easy to sign
up to volunteer through SignUpGenius. Tickets are on sale now! For
admission prices, see page 15.
MMFS merchandise, such as tee
shirts, baseball caps, mugs, beach
towels, hoodies and new water
bottles will be for sale. Stay tuned
for details this fun-filled indoor and outdoor all-school
MMFS tradition held at the middle school!
Other Exciting Happenings at MMFS
Carol Dweck, author of Mindset, spoke at Packer Collegiate on April 15th. The MMFS PA, along with several
local independent schools, sponsored the very well attended evening. Dr. Dweck spoke about how everyone,
but particularly children, can benefit greatly from adopting a Growth Mindset.
Quaker Cemetery Clean-up was held on Saturday, April
25th.
Other PA-sponsored events
PA Spring Speaker Series
Psychopharmacology 101: Tuesday, May 12th, please
join Natalie Weder, MD, pediatric psychopharamcologist
at the Child Mind Institute, for a lecture and discussion
outlining the basics of pediatric psychopharmacology,
including an overview of the most common medications
used with children and adolescents and their potential
impact on school functioning. Dr. Weder reviews diagnostic evaluations and interviews, the general process of
determining a diagnosis, ongoing treatment, and medication management.
To Medicate or Not to Medicate; Ethan Greenberg
speaks on his experience living with ADHD: Wednesday, May 27th. Ethan Greenberg (son of Debbie Zlotowitz) is returning by popular demand. His talk a few years
ago about growing up with ADHD, medication and
college experiences was enlightening.
Faculty Party: The PA will provide a fun Photo Booth
for the Faculty Party.
The PA Grants Committee is gearing up to review grant
applications from the teachers. Teachers are invited to
apply for assistance with their professional development
courses during the upcoming summer.
The PA Council met on Friday, May 1st. The next PA
Council Meeting will be held on Friday, June 5th. at
8:30 am at Bergen Street. We welcome all MMFS parents!
Warm regards,
Danielle Caminiti
PA Council Co-Secretary
dannieesq@gmail.com
Holly Kilpatrick
PA Council Co-Secretary
hollyjanekilpatrick@gmail.com
Upper School Performing Arts Night
7 pm, May 4, 2015
You are invited to an exciting evening of dance,
music, and theater presented by our upper school
performing arts classes. Please join us at 7:00 pm on
Monday, May 4th at our upper school, 23 Sidney
Place. The evening will feature presentations by the
Instrumental Music, Foundations of Theater, Foundations of Dance, Comedy Workshop, and SING classes.
We hope you will be able to attend. Our students
have worked very hard and they are eager to share
what they have learned. It is sure to be a wonderful
evening of entertainment!
Please RSVP to Kelsey Mahone in the upper school
office at kelseym@mmfsnyc.org or 718-855-0141
with your name and the number of people attending.
6
PA Grant Report
Rebecca Barnett
Elementary School Science Teacher
Teaching Lessons From
the US National Parks
This past summer, I spent several weeks visiting national
parks in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. As one
of the elementary science teachers at MMFS, my goals for
this trip were to deepen my own understanding of geological processes and to develop a new geology curriculum for our students at MMFS. Through exploring the
parks on foot, reading about the geological history of
each park, and conversing with experts on-site (including
rangers and resident scientists), I worked on these goals.
these photographs into teaching tools by laminating them
and challenging students to use wet-erase markers to
trace the path of the water’s movement. The students
then built their own ridges out of sand and gravel and
eroded their landforms by pipetting water to create rivulets, using the photographs from the Petrified Forest as a
I began my journey in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In New
Mexico, I visited El Morro National Monument. In
Arizona, I explored Petrified Forest National Park,
Meteor Crater, Grand Canyon National Park, and Glen
Canyon Dam. I spent the majority of my trip in Utah,
where I explored Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon
National Park, Escalante-Grand Staircase National
Monument, Capitol Reef National Park, and Arches
National Park. I also visited Mesa Verde National Park in
Colorado before finishing my trip in Sante Fe, New
Mexico.
I was fortunate enough to witness and photograph evidence of geological change at each of these parks. This
was a great help as I created teaching tools for use in the
geology curricula I developed, one on rivers and how they
change the land over time, and one on craters and the different ways they are formed. For example, at Petrified
Forest National Park, I photographed beautiful ridges
with numerous grooves, formed by rivulets. The ridges
were completely devoid of vegetation, making them a
visually clear example of both water erosion, and the progression from rivulets into streams into rivers. I made
model. On my trip, I also collected samples of sediment
from nine different locations, and then created laminated
sediment sample cards. Paired with photographs of the
surrounding land, I used these cards to reinforce the idea
that sand is formed through the weathering and erosion
of the rocks and landforms in the area. My visit to Meteor
Crater was quite useful in planning demonstrations for
the craters unit. Among other activities, the students
simulated crater formation by dropping impactors (small
spheres of different materials including wood and metal)
into target material (containers of flour). After forming
their own small craters in the flour, students were challenged to measure crater diameter and depth, and to analyze the travel of ejecta. I also found I was able to make
use of my conversations with park rangers, many of
whom were particularly engaging teachers; observing
their approach to explaining geological processes allowed
me to more effectively present this information to our
students at MMFS.
This trip was a great privilege. I am immensely grateful
to the Parents Association for supporting my project. The
process of planning and implementing the new geology
curriculums that grew out of my experience has been fascinating for me and beneficial to our students.
7
Imagine you and your family spending a fun-filled week in your suite at the
Fiesta Americana resort in Cabo San Lucas. Or using your new Go-Pro to capture
your family’s latest action adventure. Replenish your wine cellar with vintage port
. . . spend a week at summer camp with Everyday Athlete . . . own the latest collection of Chanel make-up and nail colors. Private basketball clinic with Justin and
Earl? How about the quintessential NY experience – your seat in the grandstand
at the 2015 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade?
All these and many more fabulous items and packages can be yours if you are a winning
bidder at our 30th Anniversary Gala’s silent and live auctions. May 7th at City Winery.
You won’t want to miss it!
Can’t make it to the Gala? You can still help MMFS with a Buy-it-Now purchase. Click
here. Other questions? Visit marymcdowell.org/gala2015.
8
GET TO KNOW OUR FACULTY
As MMFS celebrates it 30th anniversary, we
thought you would like to get to know more
about our extraordinary faculty members. Over
20 staff members have been at the school for 10
or more years! This month’s interview is with Earl
Hall, PE teacher and coach in the middle school.
EARL HALL
What attracted you to working at MMFS? I was
introduced to the school by Mark Doty. I met Mark through
a program that Mayor Dinkins put in place called Safe
Streets. We both worked in Red Hook, and he told me
about an opening for a PE teacher at Mary McDowell.
How many years have you been at MMFS? Fifteen.
What has surprized you? How quickly the school has
grown.
used to work with who I don’t see very often anymore.
What talent would you like to have? I would like to be a
writer. With my perspective and experience, I can tell fascinating stories. My life could be a model for young men who
may fall through the cracks. There are thousands of young
men who could benefit from hearing my story. They need
to know that despite the struggles they have been through,
they can still contribute and be a valuable resource for their
community.
What is your proudest accomplishment? Staying in school
and completing my education. When I was growing up it
was a difficult time for young men in my neighborhood.
There were lots of distractions, and there wasn’t a lot of
support available. I was committed to staying focused and
staying the course. I learned from my mother that if you
start something you should finish it.
Which living person do you admire most? My mom. She
raised three sons on her own after my father passed. It
was a struggle to keep three brothers together and to
keep us on the right path, moving forward, and doing the
right thing. Her persistence inspired me to get involved
with the community and give back. (My brother, Ray Hall,
and I created and run Red Hook Rise, a non-profit program
for youngsters in Red Hook, that combines literacy and
sports.)
Who was your greatest influence growing up? My uncles
– my mother’s brothers. My mom was a single parent and
they stepped up to take on the father/big brother role.
They took us out of our neighborhood and provided
different experiences of the city. They were positive voices
in our heads and lives and encouraged us to make
something of ourselves. I think I got my sense of humor
from them. My family was and still is a very close-knit
family that gets along well and enjoys spending time
together.
What do you do to treat yourself? I go out and dance. It’s
how I release everything and celebrate. Sometimes my
wife joins me. It’s actually how we met.
If you had a superpower, what would it be? I would create
one building for MMFS so that all three schools could be
together in one building. We have such dedicated,
committed faculty. Everyone is working hard to serve the
students, but I think we could strengthen our connection if
we were under one roof. I miss all the teachers and staff I
Do you have any words that you live by? To strive to be the
best. Believe in yourself and push yourself to do better. I
always encourage the children at MMFS and in Red Hook,
and I have seen the rewards in both groups of children.
For example, look at how far our sports teams have come!
Believing in yourself goes a long way. That’s how I got here,
and that’s all I want for kids everywhere.
9
For more than two decades, Myrtle the Turtle has been a part
of the MMFS community. By the way, Myrtle is actually a male.
He is now a 24-hour resident in the elementary school, where
his lobby aquarium allows him to observe the excitement of
education in action. Myrtle is also quite pleased to have the new
lobby video screen over his tank, and has requested that we
livestream “Animal Planet” whenever possible.
A Column for Our Students
Dear Myrtle,
I have been loyally reading your column for months now!
I look forward to it every single month. One thing I notice
is that you commonly refer to turtles, tortoises and terrapins. What is the difference between these three animals?
Signed,
Zoological Zachary (not real name)
Dear Z,
That is an amazing question! All three are part of the same
order known as Testudines. But there are some differences between them. Most turtles spend most if not all
of their lives in water (kinda like me!) Turtles also have
webbed feet or flippers that can be adapted to living near
water. We can also live in many different types of water,
fresh, brackish, or salt!
Tortoises live exclusively on land. Their feet are adapted
to walking long distances in hot environments. They use
these strong, land based feet to dig burrows into the
earth when they get too hot.
Terrapins are actually a lot like turtles but they have more
of diamond shapes on their shells. Some people call them
diamondbacks! But one difference is that terrapins only
can live in brackish water which is a mixture between, salt
and fresh water!
Your Friend,
Myrtle the Turtle
Dear Myrtle,
I keep overhearing people talking about a fun event coming up on May 9th. I just can’t figure out what they are
saying. Can you help me out?
Signed,
Confused on Court Street
Dear Confused,
That super fun event on Saturday, May 9th that you are
hearing about is the annual Mary McDowell Friends School
Carnival! It is going to be held at the Middle School building on 135 Summit Street from 12:00 to 3:30. There will be
food and games and just a whole lot of fun! Leslyn told me
that the price is $25 per person ($20 in advance), or $60 for
a family of 3 or more ($50 in advance). So come on out! It
should be really fun, and please tell me about it after you
go.
Your Friend,
Myrtle the Turtle
Dear Myrtle,
I am a student in the 6th grade and I was told the other
day that next year I will be able to join the interscholastic
sports teams. That sounds super exciting! But I’m not
sure if I should do it. What should I do?
Signed,
Excited for 7th Grade!
Dear Excited,
Playing sports is one of the many ways our school can
come together as a community! Its also great for many
different reasons. First of all, it’s important to keep ourselves in shape; playing on a sports team is a great way to
do so! Secondly, it helps everyone learn one of the most
important skills, and that is teamwork. I would definitely
recommend joining one of the sports teams next year and
the years to follow. Go Lightning!
Your Friend,
Myrtle the Turtle
P.S. I am a participant in an individual sport – swimming.
Myrtle is ready to answer YOUR question next month. Please send or give questions
to either Andy (andrewy@mmfsnyc.org) or Leslyn (leslynr@mmfsnyc.org).
Either one will be happy to deliver your inquiry to Myrtle.
10
News From the Divisions
Compiled from posts on the Mary McDowell Friends School website
Elementary School
Museums
It is incredible to imagine how quickly the year has flown
by with less than two months left of school! Despite the
quickly approaching summer break, our students in the
elementary school are hard at work. At a recent faculty
meeting we took a moment to reflect on how much work
our students have put towards their classroom museum.
Each year the classrooms work to create museums for
friends and families to view as a display of their learning
and many talents. The faculty all agreed our students did
a wonderful job this year developing ideas for projects,
writing endless paragraphs, and rehearsing for live theater and movies. Each classroom took its own approach in
deciding what to present and how to engage the students
in the process of many hours of preparation.
Anderson Room students analyzed jobs and created
props and costumes to become, for example; a toy maker,
tap dancer, or police officer. The Chapman and Krisberg
Rooms, both exploring neighborhoods, worked collaboratively with the art teachers to develop buildings and
small props in order to design their own neighborhoods.
Students took many neighborhood walks and learned
how to identify the difference between a commercial or
residential building. The Emily and Longobardi Rooms
studied the Brooklyn Bridge and all of its majestic history.
While one class decided to build an extra large model of a
bridge, the other developed a play about the history of its
development and completion. The Mott and Whittier
Rooms provided scenes of life in an Iroquois longhouse
and offered different perspectives on what life was like
for Native Americans. The Cuffe, Fox, and Fell Rooms
have been heavily involved in their study of Immigration
and took their guests on a journey to distant lands with
digital stories of immigrants, created a news story, and
proudly displayed their writing. Classes on the fifth floor
spent months learning about exploration, with a focus on
Marco Polo and Columbus. The Penn and Levi Rooms decided to focus on the similarities and differences between
the Taino culture and Spaniards. The students demonstrated stark differences between the cultural groups and
shared their learning of the unfortunate violent history
between these different worlds. The Fry Room decided to
re-enact the trial of Columbus upon his return to Europe.
The trial was well rehearsed and truly convincing!
This year, with the help of Scott, our Education and
Technology Coordinator, there was a digital component
for most museums. Scott worked closely with the teachers
and students to record, re-record, edit and capture with
photography each museum. Scott is creating a website
for you to browse at your leisure. We will send you the
link next week, where you will find videos, digital stories,
photos and much more. Thank you to all of our families
who came to honor the work of our students. We hope
you are as proud of your children as we are!
Franziska Laskaris
Elementary School Assistant Director
Middle School
Our Curious Adventure to Broadway
(Spoiler Alert: This review contains details and surprises
from the Broadway Production)
On April 1st, two middle school literacy groups travelled
to the Barrymore Theatre on Broadway to view A Curious
Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. Both literacy groups
finished the book and all appreciated the story about
Christopher, a boy with autism, who attempts to solve
the murder of his neighbor’s dog. The adaptation of Mark
Haddon’s awe inspiring novel contains a high tech, visually stunning set which perfectly captures Christopher’s
world. The massive array of blinking lights works in perfect harmony with the story, revealing how Christopher
experiences the world. The stage itself is an intricate grid
of surprises that moves and changes according to what
Christopher is thinking. Hidden compartments containing a variety of boxes line the walls and Christopher has
to grab the correct one and assemble its contents properly
around the stage. The way the characters interact with
the props throughout the play is mesmerizing, switching
objects left and right in the blink of an eye with astounding precision.
The students and teachers had numerous favorite scenes,
many of which were connected to the impressive set and
props. Throughout the first act the audience watches
as Christopher interacts with characters while playing
with a toy train set. As the intensity of events mounts
he begins working more and more feverishly and frantically, leading to the point when Christopher decides he
must travel to London to find his mother. It is only then
that we realize that all the tracks he’s been creating during the first act connect and symbolize the journey he is
about to take. As the curtain falls on the first act the toy
train comes to life and begins to travel along the tracks
of Christopher’s creation. Other special effects that the
group appreciated were the appearance of an escalator
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which grew out of the wall and the dramatic scene where
Christopher searches the train tracks for his pet rat as the
tube is entering the station. Many of us felt our favorite
part was the cameo by the adorable puppy late in the
show.
When the show ended we were in for another surprise.
Jeremiah, who also attended the trip, had arranged for us
to go backstage and meet the stage manager and the lead
actor who played the role of Christopher! We were very
excited, patiently waiting next to the stage door when
Geena Davis strolled in to meet the cast. Mark was very
excited to see her. (Most of us did not know who she was
until we Googled her the next day). The stage manager
then brought us on the magnificent stage and answered
the myriad of questions we had about the production.
While we were talking, Taylor Trensch, the actor who
played Christopher, joined us and we all took pictures
with him.
A Curious Incident of The Dog in the Nighttime was an
amazing production, and highly recommended by MMFS
students. We all enjoyed the play immensely. There was
a lot to take away from it, and we all left pondering the
implications of the last scene. After Christopher aces his
math exam he is infused with a huge sense of accomplishment and says to his teacher, “I can do anything ... Can’t
I?” The stage dramatically goes dark, leaving the audience to answer the question for themselves.
This was an experience we won’t soon forget and we
recommend the book and the play A Curious Incident of the
Dog in the Nighttime to all.
Sincerely,
Scott, Nicky, Oliver, Zach, Charlie, Emma, Augie, Ayanbi,
Alex, Bear, and Russell
Upper School
In addition to monthly department-by-department curricular updates for the newsletter and website, spring in
the upper school has been marked by travel. This month,
the upper school News from the Divisions includes a look
at the sciences as well as division trips to Europe and
Vietnam.
Sciences
Conceptual Physics
Ninth grade physics students have been learning about
the evolution of the model of the atom. Each successive
model did a better job of explaining experimental evidence. The cause of emission spectra could not be
explained until Niels Bohr proposed his model of the
atom. In order to understand the Bohr model of the atom
the students used spectroscopes to observe the spectra of
light emitted from various glowing gases. This led to a
discussion about how astronomers have used the spectra
of starlight to learn about the composition, movement,
and lifetimes of stars.
Toby Orenbuch and Rebecca Pryor, 9th Grade
Conceptual Physics and 12th Grade Astronomy
Chemistry
Sophomores have been very busy in Chemistry. They
wrote an essay on a covalent compound of their choice
and they just completed a unit of study on weather. In
weather, the students have explored the relationships
between temperature, pressure, and volume. The students used temperature, pressure, and volume to predict
weather patterns and decide if it will rain or not. In this
very hands-on unit, there have been many demonstrations
with crushing cans, exploding marshmallows, and using
bathroom scales to measure pressure. In one demo, we realized that it is a lot easier to blow up a balloon outside of
a bottle than inside a bottle (see pictures of Max). One lab
that every student completed was getting hard boiled eggs
inside Snapple bottles. You too can try this at home with
adult supervision. If you’d like a copy of the lab please
email Seth at Sethk@mmgsnyc.org.
Seth Kahn
10th Grade Chemistry and 12th Grade Forensic Science
Biology
In Biology, we study life on all scales: from the inner
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Continued from page 12 News From the Divisions)
colonial cities. It was only fitting that we commenced
our visit to the city with a visit to the ancient national
university, heavily influenced by Chinese Confucianism
and its reverence for education and order. We concluded
our visit to Hanoi with a warm welcome by the students,
faculty, and administration of a local school. We then
travelled south to the smaller cities of Hoi An and Hue,
each of which played important roles in the history and
culture of Vietnam. We ultimately ended our trip to Ho
Chi Minh City. Moving south brought us closer to the
preponderance/predominance of Buddhism, a series of
looks at the terrible conflict from 1955 to 1975 that caused
the suffering, and anguish of soldiers and civilians
across the region and the Pacific. At each step of the way,
students impressed us with their maturity, eagerness to
learn, and resilience as travelers. The intrepid fourteen
travelled farther than any MMFS group ever had before,
on what was one of the most remarkable experiences of
their education to date. They were outstanding ambassadors for their school, city, and nation.
Kirk Smothers, Upper School Director
workings of a cell to the relationships between members of an ecosystem. This year
students have studied the nature of science,
the scientific method, living and nonliving
things, homeostasis, feedback mechanisms,
and the biochemistry of living organisms.
We explored cells at work. Each cell is like
a microscopic factory that provides magnificent processes needed for life, such as
releasing energy from food, removing waste
materials, and growth. Students recently
finished studying cellular transport, osmosis,
and diffusion. Looking ahead, we will study
genetics and end the year with anatomy and
physiology.
Naomi Tam, Head Teacher
11th Grade Biology and 12th Grade Ecology and Evolution and Human Society and
Climate Change
Travel
VIETNAM
Over spring break, fourteen MMFS students
and five chaperones travelled to the other
side of the globe to experience a nation
whose recent history is intimately intertwined with that of our own. Vietnam is a
dynamic, multifaceted country that is undergoing rapid change. After more than 20 hours
of flights and layovers, our group began our
journey in Hanoi. While the capital is becoming increasingly modern and congested with
mopeds, it retains the charm and romantic feel that could once be felt in any number of post-
Eleventh Grade Students in Vietnam
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Continued from page 13 News From the Divisions)
EUROPE
We had the opportunity to travel to Germany and France
with most of the 9th grade. Travelling through the
countryside on a bus between Berlin and Paris, we
stopped in Weimar for a few hours and spent a night in
Heidelberg. These midpoints were real highlights for all
of us. Students spent time recording their thoughts and
reactions to the places we visited. These responses were
posted on the Lightpost, the upper school online
newspaper. Link: http://lightpost.marymcdowell.net/
You can also find great photos of the trip on the Light
post. Many students showed their curiosity and interest
in learning and practiced speaking German and French.
The bravery, growth, and resilience that each student
demonstrated on our travels was impressive. As
educators, we were able to capitalize on countless
opportunities for curricular connections. For example,
we spent an afternoon in Sachsenhausen, a concentration
camp north of Berlin. Having just finished our study of
the Holocaust and our reading of Night by Elie Wiesel,
students and adults had intense, profound experiences
walking those grounds. We finished our trip to
Sachsenhausen by having a Quaker Meeting outside the
wall. The messages people shared illustrated the depth
and enormity of our shared experience. It is a day that
we will remember. Those students who stayed back from
the trip had a wonderful time filling their week with an
exploration of all New York
City has to offer. They were
eager to share with us their
adventures and some of them
seemed reluctant to have us
come home, since they were
having so much fun. We hope
you take the opportunity to
read what students had to say
on the Lightpost. We had
laughs and we had tears,
sometimes at the same time.
The trip was a truly
remarkable chance to learn
and explore together.
Barbara von Salis
Upper School Teacher, 20th
Century World History, and
Quaker Faith and Practice
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MMFS
CARNIVAL
G E T Y OU R T I C K E T S H E R E !
Saturday, May 9, 12-3:30pm
RAIN or SHINE
Summit Street Campus
135 Summit Street
(between Henry and Hicks)
For families and friends of the MMFS community
Fun for all ages!
Inflatable obstacle course ♦ bounce house ♦ skee ball
Sit & Spin ♦ caricature artists ♦ face painting ♦ spin art
sand art ♦ photo booth ♦ Mother’s Day crafts
cotton candy ♦ popcorn ♦ hotdogs ♦ lemonade
pizza from Sal’s Pizzeria courtesy of The Esposito Family
FUN PRIZES! Cool MMFS merch! (sweatshirts! beach towels!!)
$20 pre-pay admission* per person
$50 for families of 3 or more
$25 at the door per person
$60 for families of 3 or more
* Financial support available. We want everyone to be
able to come. Contact carnival chair.
Please return your RSVP as soon as possible to the receptionist desk.
CARNIVAL RSVP
Family Name:
Yes, our family would like to come. Number of people:
I have included our admission fee of $
Checks are payable to MMFS Parents Association.
Parent Council Carnival Committee ♦ Carnival Chair, Gigi Sharp: gigisharp@mac.com
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MARY MCDOWELL FRIENDS SCHOOL
CIVIL RIGHTS JOURNEY
The total pricing for the trip, which includes flight, hotels, meals, sightseeing, and all transportation costs,
is as follows:.
 1 in a room = $1375
 2 in a room = $1245 per person
 3 in a room = $1200 per person
 4 in a room = $1175 per person
PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12
 Depart LGA via to Atlanta, Georgia
 Arrive in Atlanta, Georgia
 Visit sites in Atlanta, Georgia- Childhood Home of MLK, Jr., Old Ebenezar Baptist Church or King Center
 Depart for Montgomery, Alabama
 Visit Southern Poverty Law Center
 Dinner
 Swimming at the indoor pool at the hotel
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13
 Breakfast at hotel
 Dexter Ave Baptist Church & Parsonage
 Lunch
 Rosa Park Museum
 Freedom Riders exhibit
 Pizza party & Swimming at indoor pool at hotel
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14
 Breakfast in the hotel
 Depart for Selma, Alabama
 Tour Selma & The Edmund Pettus Bridge
Meet a marcher from “Bloody Sunday”
 Lunch and depart for Birmingham
 Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
 Walking tour of Freedom Park & 16th
Get a walking tour by a reverend who was a Civil Rights worker in Birmingham in the 50s & 60s and was
arrested and had the dogs & hoses turned on him.
 16th Street Baptist Church
 Dinner
 Depart for Atlanta
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15
 Breakfast in the hotel
 Arrive at The King Center and wrap up journey at Dr. King’s tomb
 Silence
 Sunday morning services at Ebenezer Baptist Chruch
 Lunch
 Names Project/AIDS Quilt
See the AIDS Quilt and hear the story of the quilt and the politics of AIDS in America. Understand the
fight for rights of the gay community in the 1980s.
 Depart Atlanta for LGA
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