Those values upon which our success depends, honesty and hard work, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. (…) What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility.
- Barack Obama

This past week, the Stoneleigh-Burnham community came together nearly every day to think about our common humanity and our diversity of experience, what we have to share with others and what others can share with us, what we all can do to be part of the quiet force of progress. Monday, we celebrated Martin Luther King Day with a presentation from the Students of Color Club including a video compiling a range of voices from the community speaking on discrimination, inclusion, hopes and dreams. Tuesday, many of us assembled in the Red Room to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama. Wednesday, we celebrated International Week at the school with a Gallery Talk featuring international students talking about the educational system, art and culture of their home countries, and Thursday we again assembled in the gallery to watch international students present dances, poetry and other readings, and music

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus, and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth. (…) We cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
- Barack Obama

Discrimination, inclusion, hopes, dreams, and finding strength and unity in our diversity have been themes running through our recent work in the middle school, as they have every winter. Humanities 7 students discussed the subtle and overt racism experienced by a modern-day mixed-race couple in If You Come Softly. Humanities 8 students discussed the practices and effects of slavery as they read Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. ESL Humanities students watched and discussed the climactic trial in To Kill a Mockingbird. With the natural empathy that is a special strength of young adolescents, with their growing awareness, they expressed outrage, regret, sadness, and the deep need to do something about the continuing effects of racism.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

In her introduction to the Thursday program for International Week, Ornella Umubyeyi, the President of the Student Council, reminded us: “We should not only celebrate international day in one day but in our daily life, to take time to learn about other cultures, well, maybe not always understand everything, but respect others cultures and different point of views and that is what have always made this community special, the fact that we bring our differences together, to build a diverse and better community among us. So, remember this week, it’s all about learning and having fun and connecting.” Ornella has been recognized by “Teen Voices” magazine for her fund-raising for CHABHA, Children Affected By HIV/AIDS, an organization fighting the rise of HIV/AIDS in Ornella's native Rwanda. She is already living in a new era of responsibility, contributing her own empathy and strength, building hope as she works for her dreams.

All Americans have witnessed this idealism, and some for the first time. I ask our youngest citizens to believe the evidence of your eyes. (…) You have seen that life is fragile, and evil is real, and courage triumphs. Make the choice to serve in a cause larger than your wants, larger than yourself—and in your days you will add not just to the wealth of our country, but to its character.
- George W. Bush

So as we move forward as a school from a deeply moving week, let us work to be sure this positive energy is not lost, that we can be united in our diversity. Let us support these girls as they search for and find ways to make the world a better place, and let us find our own ways to join with and work alongside them. Let us mark and celebrate our progress, let us build hope, and let us not lose sight of the dream.

It has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom. (…) This is the journey we continue today.
- Barack Obama

Last Monday, the 8th grade humanities class took a close look at Martin Luther King Jr.'s role in the Montgomery Bus Boycotts. By taking a piece of the transcript from the "Eyes on the Prize" PBS documentary, the class prepared a mock TV report. Each student assumed a role as either an interviewer or a particpant, and it culimanted in a half hour television special. This complimented the Incidents in the "Life of a Slave Girl" unit well as race and civil rights are crucial elements of this study.
 

Last week's leaders were Lenna and Erin. Under their leadership, middle school students collected money for the United Way, brainstormed an idea to raise additional funds for the United Way, developed a list of items they wish to purchase for the Common Room with money they raised last December, and elected this week's leaders, Rose and Kethrellan. As of when this article was being written, the tasks for the week were to complete United Way collections and fund-raising, determine priorities for the Common Room and arrange for purchases to be made, and hopefully to begin to brainstorm ideas for follow-up to last week's successful MLK Day video and other activities. However, Eaglebrook's recent proposal to hold the postponed dance this weekend was accepted by the girls on Tuesday, and so this week's meetings were primarily used to firm up plans.
 

This week we began working with the coordinate plane. The introduction/review will prepare us to learn about tables, plotting points, and graphing linear equations. In this chapter we will cover how to interpret the graph and its use for science and plant growth (part of our next science unit). Additionally, we will compile an algebra lab about slope. The next few weeks will be busy with many new topics, preparing the girls for more in depth studies on the topic next year and in the upper school.
 

The class has wrapped up the study of "Romeo and Juliet" with lively discussions on Romeo as a romantic lead, Olivia Hussey as an actress, the strengths and weaknesses of Shakespeare's script, Franco Zeffirelli's decisions on abridging and staging the play, and love at first sight vs. genuine love. This provided a useful basis for discussing the goals the class has for the audience who will view their original play in late May. Among other goals, they agreed they wanted the audience to feel inspired, to have both cried and laughed to tears, and to want to recommend others see the play. Although the Tuesday (Jan. 20) discussion of ideas for the script became overly contentious, agreeing on these goals and listening to some well-thought-out compromises enabled the class to move beyond their differences and once again seek common ground as they move their project forward. There is much work left to do, and no doubt there will be sticky points along the way, but what the students learned that week should enable them to more quickly, more positively, and more inclusively find ways to work through their inevitable differences of opinion.

What does a student learn in a middle school music vocal music class?

We look to answer questions like:

1. What does it mean to sing in tune?
How do I sing in tune? What does it mean to sing from the diaphragm? How do I know if I am singing flat or sharp? What does sharp or flat mean? What does the teacher mean when she says, “Breathe here, Don’t breathe here!” How do I control my breathing? What does it mean when she says, “You have good ears!”

2. What are the basic signs and terms used in singing?
How do I explain rests, notes, and duration and rhythm? What is a tone center? What is solfeggio? How do I read the music? “Hey, I’m an alto. What staff do I follow?”

3. How do I apply the music knowledge I have to choral singing?
How do I blend my voice? How do I listen to every voice and try to keep my part? What do I need to do when the Director makes special hand movements with her hands? How do I know if I am doing the correct thing with so many others making sound at the same time?

4. What does it mean to identify music from different periods and cultures?
How do I identify the origins, development, and special traits of a piece of music? Can I recognize some famous composers and when they composed their music just by listening? What do I listen for?

These are just a few of the questions the music students ask about and learn the answers to in the vocal music class.

I hope you have an answer to our first question.

- Cyndee

We have now fully move" into our study of physics. The girls are learning the terminology for and the math behind the motion they encounter in their daily lives. As we prepare for our first physics lab, the class has been practicing using the formulas and graphs they will need. This has provided the opportunity to use the algebra skills on solving linear equations from earlier this year. This unit allows the students to fully realize the important connection between math and science.

Besides watching and discussing the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird," the class has also been learning about racism in the South during the early 20th century through listening to the book The Well by Mildred D. Taylor. This story is based on a real-life event told to Ms. Taylor by family members while she was growing up. It reveals the imbalance in power between whites and African-Americans in part through an examination of events and feelings surrounding an African-American family sharing water from their well with any and all people including a mean and arrogant white family. Meanwhile, the class has begun to work on staging selected scenes from "Inherit the Wind," also set in the South during the early 20th century. It is a challenge both linguistically and theatrically which the students are working hard to meet.

In the past couple of weeks, the students in Health class have been scouring papers (yes, actual newspapers) and news websites to find interesting, health-related current events. This project is two-fold. One, the kids are learning a good deal about what is happening in the world health-wise (for example the recent salmonella outbreak) and two, they are honing their public speaking skills. After each presentation, the class gives constructive feedback on what went well and what the presenter could work on for the next time.

Winter midterm progress reports will be mailed home on Monday, Feb 2. These will include a course description as well as a written narrative on your daughter's progress and performance, plus letter and effort grades. We hope these will be helpful as you monitor your daughter's work here, and encourage you to contact her advisor if you have any questions or comments.
 

Sat., Jan. 31 Dance with Eaglebrook School. 7:15-9:00 P.M.

Thu., Feb. 5 Dismissal at 4:00 P.M. for Long Winter Weekend.

Mon., Feb. 9 Dorms open at 12:00 P.M.

Tue., Feb. 10 Classes resume.

Mon., Feb. 16 Parents' Association Meeting. 5:00 P.M.

Fri., Mar. 6 Students dismissed for Spring Break at 3:30 P.M.

Sat., Mar. 7 Dorms close at 12:00 P.M.

Mon., Mar. 23 Dorms open at 12:00 P.M.

Parents' Association meeting. 5:00 P.M.

Tue., Mar. 24 Spring trimester classes begin.

Thu., Apr. 23 Formal dinner. 6:.00 P.M. Little "d" dress day. Pick up at 6:45.

Fri., Apr. 24 Spring Family Weekend.

Parents' Association meeting 5:00 P.M.

Sat., Apr. 25 Spring Family Weekend (continued).

Mon., Apr. 27 No classes.

Tue., May 5 Middle School Founders' Day

Mon., May 11 Parents' Association meeting. 7.30 A.M.

Wed., May 13 Last day of classes.

Thu., May 28 8th Grade Moving Up Ceremony. 8:00 A.M.

Middle School Six Flags trip. 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Spring Dance Performance. Time T.B.A.

Fri., May 29 Commencement of the Class of 2009. 10:30 A.M.

Summer vacation begins.

For additional events, please go to http://www.sbschool.org/home/calendar.asp.