Happy Spring Term! This special edition newsletter serves to clarify some questions about our calendar and various upcoming events. Next week, we will return to the biweekly format including information about your daughters' courses.

I do want to say that it was an exceptional, wonderful first day back. Everyone looked happy to see each other, and the buzz of conversation coming from Pete's and Catherine's classrooms, the voiced excitement over starting a new Art, Health or Theatre elective and getting back to work in Vocal Music, Linda Mahoney and Kim Mancuso expressing their delight to be starting in with another great group of students, and the general good spirits made it easy to forget how enjoyable vacation had been. In Humanities 7, we were talking about the poetry unit and how in the past, schools had sometimes requested us as partners for the Online Poetry Slam because our comments tend to be exceptionally insightful and helpful. "I wonder why that is?" mused one of the students, and as I began to weigh various responses, other students jumped in with their own ideas, saying they believe it's because they don't just learn information here, they learn creativity and imagination, how to think about things and how to express themselves. Is it any wonder we love working with these students?!

The girls use the white board outside the classrooms as a sort of graffiti space, with various drawings and sayings that change day to day. I noticed that below the phrase "Welcome back" in decorated letters seven inches high, someone had begun a countdown to summer. While I love the carefree timelessness of summer as much as anyone, earlier in the day, I had pointed out to one of my classes that 65 days to summer also means 65 more days together, and that we needed to make the most of every single day. With that in mind, I erased the countdown from the graffiti board, and wrote "Let's focus on our time together." We have accomplished so much, and yet there is so much more to accomplish, so much more to learn, and so much more fun to be had. Happy Spring Term indeed!

Students viewed their winter term progress reports on Thursday, and copies will be mailed home by next Monday. These include comments and grades from all middle school courses, grades from all upper school courses, and an advisor comment. If you have any questions about progress reports, please contact either the teacher or your daughter's advisor.
 

Spring Family Weekend will take place on Friday and Saturday, April 24-25. You and your families are welcome to attend classes during the day on Friday and to meet with your daughter's advisor some time during the weekend. You are also invited to attend the Friday evening performance (required of all students) as well as Saturday athletic and equestrian events. Additionally, we are planning a meeting with parents on Friday afternoon after classes to get your input on the newsletter and communications from the school. We will be in touch with more information in the future; in the meantime, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Bill Ivey .
 

As spring progresses, you will probably begin to hear about two traditional events that take place in May, Founders' Day and Spearth Day. Founders' Day was originally proposed by the founding students of the middle school, and is a day off from classes planned by MOCA. Often, it includes a late breakfast and a movie in the morning, followed by tie-dying t-shirts, having a barbecue lunch, and playing various outdoor games through the afternoon. Spearth Day is an all-school tradition that includes a morning of community service and an afternoon that includes a talent show, various carnival-style booths and activities put on by different student and faculty groups, and the much-awaited distribution of yearbooks. These events help us take time during the increasingly accelerating pace toward the end of the year to simply relax and enjoy being together.

On Friday, May 22 from 7:00-8:40 P.M. in the gym, the middle school will present its annual spring performance. The seventh graders will present their original play and perform a dance developed during their spring class with Ann Sorvino. The seventh and eighth graders will join together for a concert by the Vocal Music and Instrumental Music groups as well as the newly-formed Select Chorus and Rock Band. This event is open to family and friends.

The school does observe the Memorial Day holiday, so students are dismissed following the performance and, if they choose to leave campus for the weekend, do not need to return until Monday evening, May 25.

The last two days of classes will be Tuesday and Wednesday, May 26-27. Students may expect homework through the very last Study Hall!

On Thursday, May 28, we will have our traditional Moving Up Ceremony at 8:00 A.M. in the middle school classrooms. This ceremony is designed to honor the 8th graders, both individually and as a group, as they move on to the high school. It is open to family and friends.

Following the Moving Up Ceremony, the entire middle school will depart for a day together at Six Flags, departing at 9:00 A.M. and returning at 4:00 P.M. This trip is always a highlight of the year for students, and something they've been talking about since the very first days of school.

Thursday evening, May 28 at 7:00 P.M., the school's dance department will present a performance required of students and open to the public.

Graduation ceremonies take place on Friday, May 29 at 10:30 A.M. and mark the students' final commitment. Dorms close at 4:00 P.M. on that day and summer vacation begins.

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

Fri., Apr. 24 Spring Family Weekend.

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.

Thu., May 14 Spearth Day

Fri., May 22 Performing Arts Presentation. 7:00 P.M.

Mon, May 25 No classes. Students return by 7:00 P.M.

Wed., May 27 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. 7:00 P.M.

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

Dismissal at 4:00 P.M.

Summer vacation begins.