9th and 10th Grade Class Coffee
Thursday, January 16, 2020
Welcome – Nissa O’Mara, Parents’ Council Upper School Coordinator
Wendy Hill, Ph.D., Head of School
Fall started the regional 150th events for alumnae. Wendy attended one in New York City, about 100 alums that came. Young alumnae and alumnae from 70’s and all the years in between were present. This shows that you and your daughter will still have the spirit and love of the Agnes Irwin community even after you leave the campus.
In December the Board of Trustees announced the next head of school, Sally Keidel. Some of you may remember her from when she was here as director of enrollment. Looking forward to working with her over the next few months working on transition, but still being mindful of her current responsibilities as the head of the Montgomery School. Currently talking with her and will have her up to speed for take over in July. The Board ofTrustees is looking to schedule a meet and greet for parents with Sally for people to meet or reconnect with her.
Lisa Webster, Director of Upper School
December started out with French week. Had an alumna come back and talk about how she used French in college, in her Masters program, and in her career. Lovely to hear about languages, we do talk a lot about sciences, so it was nice to shine a light on languages. We brought in croissants for the entire middle and upper school.
First week of December, we sent the 10th grade on their first overnight trip that wasn’t at a camp. It went well. Tricia Colclaser will elaborate.
Finished first round of seminars in December.
Not interrupting academic classes for Community In Action. Instead of dedicating a full day to it, we worked it into the Wednesday block, over the span to two Wednesday afternoons.
Ugly sweaters week before break. Then the holiday assembly with the balloons by class color with inspirational messages on them. Big success with all divisions.
Academic seminars will start up again spring. Now we have SSPs on the Wednesday blocks. SSP topics cover civil rights, forensics, cognitive neuroscience of memory, and the groups heading out on trips also meeting during the Wednesday block to prep for their journeys.
Flag football competition is coming up, this started when Eagles were in the playoffs, and now it has become a tradition. Once this is done, Upper School moves on to the hallway competition.
Seniors about to get senior privileges. These consist of things like no longer having to wear the uniform (though most girls still do because it is easy), and being able to leave campus during free periods. Senior privileges changes the tone of the Upper School. It creates more space, so then the freshmen can have free periods like the rest of the school. Please check in with your daughter if she is a freshman to make sure they’re using their free period wisely.
Academics – end of semester is on Friday. Teachers are getting some extra time to write comments, grades and comments will be out 1/27, this gives the teachers 10 days to take their time and be thoughtful in their comments and grading.
Sarah Leonard, 9th grade Dean and Dean of Students
This time of year, we try to make it fun for the girls to have good bonding time with friends. Flag football tournament is coming up, Sarah is working with students about what we can do in conjunction, perhaps tying a fundraiser to the tournament. The girls have a lot of fun with the flag football, they choose a walk on song, the grades choose outfits, etc. The flag football is one of three events amongst the Upper School wide class competition, which results with winning the Triple Crown Trophy.
9th graders are halfway though their year. It is a great class; eager, rule following, present… wonderful model citizens for the school. They do have to go through the process for freshman privileges (free period) but they’ve earned it for sure. Would like to start pushing the 9th graders to get involved in the school instead of observing. Parents: please talk to your daughter about what they want to get involved in.
Semi-formal with Haverford on March 6th, at Haverford. $10 cover charge. Baldwin is also invited. 7-10pm. If you have any questions, please reach out to Sarah.
Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. day, and there are service opportunities at the school. In order to graduate each girl needs 40 hours of service, and this is a great way to get credit for service. A few programs happening, making sandwiches and toiletry kits.
Course selection is coming up soon for next year. The process is that your daughter has time with current advisor and time with their future advisor. They switch advisors in 10th grade, and this is the advisor they will have for the rest of their time in the Upper School. The future advisor helps out with course selection, and this happens early spring. Start to talk to your daughter about what the choices are, and what they are interested in. Start at the end result – classes they want to take Senior year, and then work backwards to make sure they can get to where they want to be. The school makes their best effort to put the girls with advisors that will best meet their needs. If there is a problem with the match, the girls can come to Lisa Webster to present their reasons for change.
Trish Coclaser, 10th grade Dean, US Math teacher
We had a successful 10th grade overnight trip to Washington D.C. The girls spent time in their advisory groups, and as a class as a whole. Museums, monuments, etc. they got to pick what they saw.
First semester about to wrap up. She is starting to think about how the 10th graders can start to be come leaders in the school, encouraging the 10th graders about how to leave their mark and what to be a part of.
Sophomore day is coming up where they receive their class rings. For 10th grade only. On February 7th, in class meeting, they will do ring sizing. You will receive order form after that, and have a week to get it back. May 13th is the ring ceremony. Begins with lunch in advisories, then on to the ceremony. They will do activities to bond as a class that day. Student leaders will plan that. Parents are not expected, it is just for the class.
College counseling parents’ night February 20th at 7pm. This is specifically for 10th grade parents.
The girls have asked for, and are planning, a class bonding night. This is on Friday, February 21st from 7-9pm. Laser tag, snacks in SLC, etc.
Wellness update: we have a new instructor this year, Laura Sherbondy. Wanted to tell you a bit about her program, she couldn’t be here. She teaches the girls that wellness, currently and life-long wellness, is a choice. Not just the opposite of sickness. Curriculum changes with challenges girls face; bullying, vaping, etc.
Roseann Westmeyer, 9th grade class Dean, Science Department chair, US Chemistry and Engineering Teacher
Has taken on the role of the Wednesday afternoon block curriculum coordinator. Great opportunity to dive into the school’s mission statement, empower the girls, stretch them beyond what we do on a regular daily basis. The History department did the first curriculum block on Wednesday afternoons in September, it was a 9/11 symposium, pre-9/11 historical background and context, documentaries on 9/11 were also shown. Keeping in mind that 9/11 happened prior to a lot of these girls being born. The girls then returned to their advisories, where the teachers shared their personal experiences.
After that block we jumped to physics for the 9th grade, looked at war machines; catapults, etc. 10th grade had a focus on Chemistry. Roseann and the Chemistry department designed a 2 ½ hour experimental unit that every 10th grader participated in. Other classes got creative and extended the context of their classes. Calculus hit the streets and went to Bryn Mawr college and talked to a professor about math in real world application. Mental health did painting and study of artists and mental health and how that has and can limit their artistry.
Community In Action happened over two Wednesday afternoon blocks in December. Teachers on panel shared diversity stories. Showing we have all been affected by discrimination in various forms.
SSPs started last week. SSP is something the students do each of their 4 years here.
In March the blocks will become more academic, each girl will have another 2 ½ hours with their classes. Great for collaboration, both on the student side and the teacher side.
Spring programming still being sorted out. Keep an eye on newsletters, but still ask your daughter what they’re doing, it will be something that they wouldn’t have been able to do sitting in a regular classroom.
Naveen Mahmoud, 150th Anniversary committee
She is an alum, class of 2007, and was brought back on board 1 ½ years ago for the 150th anniversary celebration planning. There are 20 events in 9 cities across the country throughout this year. We are currently at the halfway point. This is a special community to be a part of in any capacity. Upcoming events:
- All school act of kindness.The school put forth a challenge to the entire school community at the beginning of the academic year.It was to do 150 acts of kindness over the course of the year.We have looped in a service-learning opportunity in conjunction with this.All classes will be asked to participate in a drive between now and March 13th, collecting items for Cradles to Crayons.On March 14th we are doing a final event for Cradles to Crayons, unfortunately it is the same day as the SAT, which we know will create some conflict for some student.
- Final event for the 150th Anniversary is over the course of the first weekend in May.On May 1st Tory Burch will interview Billy Jean King.This is a free event for our community, any person in our community can reserve up to 4 tickets. Every single individual, current students included, will need a ticket for admission to this event.Students are highly encouraged to attend.Not required, but really encouraged.The students have not been counted in the seats, so please reserve for them.Parents, students, faculty, and staff will be able to reserve their tickets a week in advance of the public.There are some sporting events same time that we are trying to work around.Please email Ais150@agnesirwin.org with any questions.
- Saturday, May 2nd, is a large tent party on the Lower School field. This event is $50 per person, but that is all inclusive, there will be food and an open bar.21 years of age and up.Faculty and staff, past and present, will be there.
- There will be a party for faculty and staff, exclusively, in April.We are asking you to write letters to faculty and staff, which will be hung as decorations for everyone to see at the event.More information to come on this.
Erin Hinckle, Parents’ Council Events
- Middle School/ Upper School staff appreciation lunch is coming up on February 12th.Lunch for the staff, parents volunteer to set up serve and cleanup.Keep an eye out for signup genius.If you can’t come there are other opportunities on sign up genius to help out.
Spring Market is on April 15th and 16th.On the 15th it opens at noon and runs to 9pm.At 6pm students are asked to leave and the event turns into a cocktail party.On the 16th it opens at 10am and runs to 3pm.Open to the public.Great opportunity for graduation gifts, Mother’s Day gifts, things for summer.
Alison Hastings – Chair of rAISe on the Road
Invitation went out already electronically. This is a party that is usually here but due the change of the date/time of year, and lack of ability to have the tent like in years past, we are moving off campus to Terrain in Devon. Beautiful but smaller, so we have a limited number of tickets that we can sell, please get tickets soon since it will sell out. Not a sit down dinner this year, there will be food stations, passed hors d’oeurves, an open bar, a special tweak to the auction, and of course – the paddle raise. This year’s paddle raise is the 2nd of a 3 year STEAM initiative. Working towards making the STEAM program a part of a greater design concept for the school. The girls will have the opportunity to design in a different way than coding or using a 3d printer.
