November 2012 Newsletter

A Newsletter for the families and friends of Westchester Country Day School

From the Head of SchoolWe are about a week into the second quarter of the 2012-13 academic year

here at WCDS, and though the school year is still relatively young, I stand in awe of the wonderful work that has been accomplished by our ever-growing and always generous cadre of parent volunteers. Since before the first day of school, the Westchester All Parents’ Association (WAPA), the Friends of the Fine Arts (FoFA), and the Booster Club have been meeting, organizing, and planning; even now, just a quarter of the way through the year, the accomplishments of these three groups are impressive indeed.

So this month, I want to share with you one quarter of the work that WAPA, FoFA, and the Booster Club will accomplish this year. The parents in these three organizations generously give of their expertise, time, leadership, and hard work to make incredible things happen here almost every day. Here’s a quick snapshot.

WAPA

Led by its President, Westchester parent Cindy Webb, WAPA has been hard at work this quarter. The Innisbrook fundraiser—organized and led entirely by WAPA parent volunteers—was a fantastic success; they increased their sales by seventeen percent over last year, netting $7,500 for the school. As they have for several years, WAPA also awarded $10,000 in grants to the members of our faculty and staff, funding technology improvements, innovative classroom projects, a virtual forensic science lab, and a mobile iPad cart for the Lower School. This year’s Blue-White Spirit Day, also organized, funded, and run by WAPA, was a fantastic success as well, bringing our school community together to celebrate the onset of fall as well as to cheer our Wildcats on to victory in volleyball, cross country, and soccer.

FoFA

The youngest of our three parent organizations, Friends of the Fine Arts is led this year by its second-ever President, Linda Forester. FoFA began its own grant program this year focused on funding arts activities, resources, and events here on campus. During the first couple of months of school, this program awarded $5,000 in grants to WCDS faculty, staff, and parents, including funds for new tools to help with set construction in the theater, money to bring the Piedmont Children’s Opera to campus and to send our Middle School students to the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, money for a portable sound system for use around campus, and funds to convert a space in the choral classroom into a recording booth. FoFA also played a key role in bringing master drummer Ahmed Mustapha Gbeku to campus for a three-day visiting artist program.

Booster Club

Emilee Brigman and Michelle Bruggeworth serve as co-presidents of the Booster Club this year, and their work to support our fall athletic teams has been stellar. Booster is responsible for all gate collection at our sporting events as well as all of our athletics concessions; this fall, Booster Club volunteers staffed nearly thirty-five separate sporting events on campus. In addition, in late October WCDS hosted both the conference and state varsity soccer tournaments,

November 2012 Newsletter

In This Issue...

Student Writing

Headlines

Upcoming Events

Meet Your Wildcats

Arts Update

Athletics Update

For the College Bound

Counselor’s Corner

Healthful Hints

WAPA Notes and News

and our Booster Club provided invaluable support as Westchester welcomed visitors to campus from our conference and state associations. Working alongside WAPA, the Booster Club also played a key role on Blue-White Spirit Day, coordinating all of our concessions and our cookout that evening. In addition to their ongoing support of our athletics program, the Booster Club took the lead in organizing this year’s Wildcat Cup, our annual golf tournament. In early October, around fifty golfers played a round of golf in support of WCDS at the Meadowlands Golf Club. Thanks to the passionate, tireless leadership of the Boosters, this year’s Wildcat Cup raised nearly $16,000 for our school.

As I hope you can see, we are very fortunate to have these three deeply committed and well-organized parent organizations working in support of our school and its students. All of us owe these volunteers our deepest thanks for the work that they have done so far this year to give our students nothing short of the very best academic, artistic, and athletic experiences here at WCDS.

As impressive as this quick snapshot is, all three of these organizations could use your help. Like other great independent schools around the country, Westchester Country Day thrives in large part due to the wonderful, tireless commitment of our parent volunteers. In many, many ways, we could not do what we do here without them.

So to all of you who are playing a part in WAPA, FoFA, and Booster, please accept my deepest thanks for all that you have given and will continue to give in service to WCDS. For those of you who have yet to take this step, I encourage you to reach out to one of these parent organizations and join them in their work.

Friends of the Fine Arts

WESTCHESTER

Mr. Lichorat By: Luca Lagemann

This summer WCDS hired a new Middle School science teacher and cross-country coach. His name is Alex Lichorat. He went to State University of New York for his B.A. and obtained his M.A. from Syracuse University.

Mr. Lichorat was looking for a school in this area because he really likes the weather here, but his main reason for becoming a teacher here is because he loves teaching Middle School students.

Coaching Middle School cross-country is a first for him, but Mr. Lichorat decided to do this because he has always enjoyed running and because this is a sport in which everyone can get better and he likes to see the improvement.

Mr. Lichorat ran cross-country in middle and high school, and in college he played ice hockey. He still plays ice hockey at a local club. Also interesting to know about Mr. Lichorat is that “He is a really good dancer,” according to Miss Hardy!

Spotlight on Student WritingSecond Grade Teachers By: Laurin Hunnicutt

The Westchester community is pleased to welcome two new members into our family. Second grade teachers, Ms. Marla Seelig and Miss Erin Hamilton, are all the rage in the Lower School hallway.

Ms. Seelig came from a small private school in New Orleans just like Westchester. When interviewed she said, “I feel right at home at Westchester. Everyone made me feel like family!” Ms. Seelig has been teaching a total of 12 years. Her experience ranges from second grade to high school. Her passion for teaching is unmistakable, and you can see her students grow to love her more and more each day.

Miss Hamilton, who some of you may know as Ben and Baxter Bruggeworth’s cousin, came from Southwest Elementary School where she taught for one year. When asked about one main difference between public and private school, she answered, “When you teach at a public school, everything is by the book. There is hardly any time for creativity or fun. Here at Westchester I can teach the lesson my way so that it is more fun for the kids and they like learning it.” Miss Hamilton also loves the fact that she went from 23 students to 11. “Having a smaller class makes it easier for me to really connect with my students and create a personal relationship with them.”

Both teachers are very happy here at Westchester, and we as a community are so lucky to have them. Next time you are wandering the halls of the Lower School building, make sure to stop by and say hello to both of these amazing teachers!

Jan-Ole Luehr By: Luca Lagemann

Last year Jan-Ole Luehr joined the eleventh grade at Westchester Country Day School as an exchange student from Germany. This summer he came back for his senior year and to graduate.

After just one week into his first year at Westchester Jan already knew that he wanted to come back for his senior year. He liked the environment so much, especially the soccer team. When I asked him if it was hard for him to come back this year, he said that leaving his family and friends for the first year wasn’t that hard, but leaving them for the second year was harder for him because he knew that this time he would be gone for a longer time.

Another problem for him coming back was that his flight was delayed twice and then it got canceled. After rescheduling the flight for the next day and waiting 24 hours at the airport, the rescheduled flight was canceled too! So he rebooked again. Finally he was able to take this flight and come back to Westchester after a travel time of 40 hours.

After graduation Jan wants to go to college in the United States, major in athletic training, and become a physical therapist.

Sarah Morrow By: Julia Ormond

Along with a totally remodeled room in the Westchester Upper School comes a new senior English teacher! Sarah Morrow received her bachelor’s degree

in English at the University of Virginia and then went to Georgia State University for her Master’s. At the moment she’s studying for her Ph.D. in English literature at Florida State University! One can only imagine all the work she has to complete.

Something exciting happened to Miss Morrow just a few weeks ago! The lovely senior English teacher was officially engaged, and the wedding is set for next October! She seems to be glowing with happiness. Congratulations Miss Morrow!

An interesting fact about Miss Morrow is that our college preparatory school is not new for her! She grew up in Atlanta and there she went to a private school very similar to ours, “It’s nice to be around driven students again,” the young teacher commented. “I appreciate that they all set high expectations for themselves.”

When Miss Morrow found Westchester, she was looking specifically for independent high schools. “What’s different about your school is that you guys don’t wear uniforms!” At her school in Atlanta, they all wore strict Catholic school uniforms, but other than that, her old high school and ours are very similar!

Westchester is the ideal school she had in mind when choosing her job as a teacher. She’s very happy to be here with us, and we’re lucky to have her!

Yinfei Long By: Julia Ormond

Recently the world language department welcomed a brand new teacher! Miss Yinfei Long, the new Lower School Mandarin teacher, is both adorable and intelligent: a perfect combination.

Miss Long is originally from a small southern town in China called Chengdu. “It has lots of pandas and very spicy food,” she said. She went to college in Beijing and while there she had her first job as a tutor. “My career in teaching started by chance,” she said, “A friend asked me to teach… he needed some teachers, and I thought it would be a good job.” Soon after she graduated she moved to Philadelphia for graduate school where she obtained her degree in Chinese language.

After receiving her graduate degree, she came to work at Westchester! “Everyone here is so nice,” she commented. “It’s wonderful.” The biggest difference for her is the location. “I’ve never lived in the country, I saw my first deer on the campus, and I was shocked!” Because she lived in big cities most of her adult life, she’s never needed to drive. “I only got my license two months ago!”

Miss Long is excited about her teaching career. Eventually she’d like to teach additional subjects, not just Mandarin. She loves math as well as other languages. Westchester is lucky to have such a multi-talented teacher!

Above and Beyond By: Laurin Hunnicutt

Going above and beyond what is expected of you can be challenging sometimes, especially when you spend a month out of your summer being a camp counselor. Junior Anna Hood was a C.I.L.T, a Counselor In Leadership Training, this summer at Camp Seafarer and was named the “Most Outstanding C.I.L.T.”

Anna has been going to Camp Seafarer for four weeks every summer for the past 10 years and was competing with 30 other counselors for this award. She said she was taken by complete surprise when her CILT

director announced her name at the ending ceremonies. She told me,“It was so unexpected but was one of the happiest moments of my life! Seafarer is my favorite place in the world, and I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything. For them to tell me that I would make a good counselor and hand me my staff shirt, it was indescribable.”

Anna received this award because she went above and beyond the call of duty as a counselor and really made an incredible impact on all of the campers that were lucky enough to be with her. It truly is amazing what Anna has done at Camp Seafarer, and they are very lucky that she is coming back next year as a full time counselor.

Mr. Martin: Workaholic and Work-Out-Aholic By: Nicole Danch

GTL, gym-tanning-laundry, is a common routine for characters on the reality television show “Jersey Shore.” However, a new Westchester teacher, Mr. Justin Martin, also practices GTL, except it has a different meaning. For Mr. Martin it means gym, teaching, and laundry. Mr. Martin claims that almost all the time he is not teaching or preparing for a class, he is at the gym. His dedication to a fit physique, however, does not match his dedication to academics.

Mr. Martin has wanted to be everything from president of the United States to a psychiatrist. After he had a job in a leadership organization working with high school kids, he realized how much he valued the influence he could have on them and loved their appreciation of his knowledge. He gave up his dreams of politics and psychology and became a high school teacher. Because of Mr. Martin’s perfectionist nature, the hardest part of teaching for him is the preparation he puts into his classes.

Mr. Martin said he was drawn to Westchester from New York. He enjoys the balanced environment of the strong academics in addition to the good school spirit. Mr. Martin looks forward to becoming a more integrated part of the Westchester community throughout the year.

Top Three Rules of Cooking By: Ava Tuggle

“Ava!” Mom shouted, alarmed. I had forgotten one of the most important rules of cooking: eggs roll, half a dozen of them in fact. I had been craving brownies, so I had rummaged around in the fridge to see if we had eggs. We did! I had put them on the counter, not thinking, forgetting that eggs roll. While scavenging through the pantry, I had found a box mix and the rest of the ingredients to make the brownies, but when I turned back around, the eggs were all over the floor. The broken eggs looked like large yellow globs of jiggling Jello on the floor. I was heartbroken because we were now out of eggs, and so I couldn’t make the brownies. I learned the hard way; eggs roll.

Another cooking rule that had to be established for my benefit is “Read directions carefully.” There are multiple stories behind the formation of this rule, but one stands out the most. It was a Saturday morning, and I was trying to be quiet so I wouldn’t wake anyone else up. I became hungry and decided to make myself breakfast. It all went downhill from there. My plan was to make oatmeal; that seemed easy enough. Boy, was I wrong! There are only three steps to make oatmeal. The first step you must do is pour the oats into a bowl, easy enough. Step number two is to pour the water into the bowl. That seems like a simple step, but somewhere along the way it was forgotten. The third and final step is to put the bowl in the microwave for a minute and a half. Unfortunately, without step number two, my inedible breakfast looked like a bowl of ashes, and the microwave was almost in flames. As you can see, reading directions is a must.

Because baking is my favorite form of cooking, I have had to learn a third rule: when turned on, electric beaters must remain in the bowl. My family went through a phase where we were making muffins weekly. At the time my favorite type of muffin was pumpkin chocolate chip. One particular week I was helping make the muffins. Everything was going smoothly: I hadn’t dropped the eggs on the floor, and I was following the directions carefully. The box instructed me to beat the mix with an electric beater. It was going well until I lifted the beaters to check my progress. Little did I know that when taking beaters out of a bowl, they need to be turned off. The result of not doing so was muffin batter splattered everywhere. The kitchen looked as if a bomb full of muffin batter went off. Unfortunately I was responsible for cleaning it up.

With all of these rules in place, my cooking has improved. However, I sometimes forget to follow them and the kitchen looks as if a tornado hit. I hope to continue to cook, but without as much trouble.

Headlines

Chamber Singers Take Voices on the Road

Fourteen of our 17 Chamber Singers participated in the Independent Schools Choral Festival in Winston-Salem the weekend of October 20 with singers from Charlotte Latin, St. Mary’s, Ravenscroft, and Forsyth Country Day School.

Jessica Barker, Charlie Branson, Lizzy Lawrence, and Patrick Williford sang the national anthem at DogFest in Randleman on October 14.

SAVE THE DATE- Fall Open Houses We will be holding a PK - 1st grade Open House on November 7, beginning at 9:15 a.m. and a PK - 5th grade Open House on November 15 from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. Prospective parents are encouraged to attend this event as we will have a program which includes a time for questions and answers, and a tour of the campus. Childcare will also be provided. Please contact us if you are interested in helping or attending. Formal invitations to prospective families have been sent. If you know of a family that is interested in attending, please let us know. Thanks!Kerie Beth and Ashley

Message from the Middle School

Fall has arrived, and the activity in the Middle School is as colorful as the trees! We began October with a festive Blue-White Spirit Day celebration. Middle School students were thrilled to have an opportunity to enjoy the events first before other divisions arrived. The cake walk, tricycles, and climbing wall were favorite events. Once the Lower School students arrived, Middle School students enjoyed taking on the role of buddy as they led the younger children through the events and activities.

We enjoyed taking a lead in the Innisbrook sales with top seller status going to our very own Gelila Seyoum. The grade with the most sales was our enthusiastic 6th grade; they were thrilled to have a dress-down day to celebrate their efforts.

We painted the town blue as we dove into our first service learning endeavor this year. Students and faculty alike served the following Triad schools and agencies: Fairview Elementary, Hasty Elementary, Newcomer’s School, and Open Door Ministries.

All the colors of Olympic rings were celebrated after the service learning activity when students returned to school to participate in our first Advisor Olympics. Planned and prepared by our Middle School

student government, the games ranged from the traditional egg toss to more strenuous hurdles and soccer shoot-out. Mr. Lichorat’s advisor group took the gold! Student government vice-president Jane Nunn commented, “It was hard work and took a long time for us to plan all of that, but it was worth it to see everyone having fun and playing together. It was interesting for me to see that it went even better than we had planned.”

Senior is Rotary Student of the Month

Senior Oby Nwamu is the Rotary Student of the Month for November for the Willow Creek Rotary Club. The Rotary Student of the Month program recognizes outstanding students who excel in both school performance and community volunteer activity. Oby is a member of the National Honor Society, Human Relations, Art, and Spanish Clubs, and SADD. She is a volunteer with the Boys and Girls Club and a Young Life participant. She has been a member of the Varsity Soccer and Volleyball teams, and the Varsity Cheerleading squad.

Welcome to Westchester!

Grade 1*Mr. Samuel Hoskins

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Hoskins“Ryan and Jenny”

Grade 6

*Miss Elizabeth HoskinsMr. and Mrs. Ryan Hoskins

“Ryan and Jenny”

Grade 9*Miss Emily Hoskins

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Hoskins“Ryan and Jenny”

Grade 10Miss Karin Gomez

Mr. Luis Gomez and Mrs. Rubby Valasquez Valdez

Host Family – Grace and AB Henley

We are excited to welcome Karin here for

eight weeks through the Guatemalan

Experiencias Interculturales program

*Denotes new family to WCDS.

For address information, visit the Student

Directory on WestNet Community.

Wake Forest Student Visits Campus

Below is a note from a master’s degree candidate at Wake Forest University who visited campus recently.

Mr. Burns,

Thank you again for the opportunity to shadow you and several of your colleagues at Westchester Country Day School this past Friday. I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in on the various courses and experiencing the different levels of learning throughout the Middle School. I was very impressed by the intellectual capacity and interpersonal skills of the students. If you could, please also send my thanks to Mrs. Keever, Mr. Adams, Mrs. Fisher, and Mr. Atkinson.

Best Regards,Greg WhiteheadWake Forest University M.A. in Management Candidate 2013

Election Party November 6 Features Food, Fun

Join the history department on November 6 as we watch the election returns on the big screens in the cafeteria. This event is open to all ages and features:

Delicious FREE spaghetti dinner•Bluegrass fiddling by Andrew Foreman•Patriotic singing by Debby Noyes•Electoral pools (big bucks to winners)•Photo op with the candidates (cardboard, that is)•Dessert competition•Drums from West Africa •

Please RSVP to Cheryl Cunningham.

Seniors Recognized for Performance on PSAT

Two Westchester Country Day School seniors are being recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their performance on the 2011 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®)

Senior Claire Councill (at left) has been named a National Merit Semifinalist. She is one of approximately 16,000 students nationwide being recognized for their high scores, and she is now in the process of applying for status as a National Merit Finalist.

Senior Avery Goho (at right) will also be recognized for her performance on the same PSAT and will receive a Letter of Commendation from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as one of approximately 34,000 students throughout the nation recognized for their exceptional academic promise.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) is a non-profit organization established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

Junior Nominated for Governor’s School

Eleventh grader Jessica Barker has been nominated by the faculty for Governor’s School 2012-2013. She has been nominated in Choral Music, Soprano 1. The Governor’s School of North Carolina is a highly selective, six-week summer residential program for intellectually gifted high school students. The program integrates academic disciplines, the arts, and unique courses on each of the two campuses: Governor’s School West at Salem College in Winston-Salem, and Governor’s School East at Meredith College in Raleigh.

Meet Your Wildcats

Name: Victoria Nixon

Title: Art Teacher

Family: Fiancé: Ben Bailess, Father: Phillip Nixon, Mother: Zoe Nixon, Brothers: Spiro and Alexander

What was your favorite subject in school? My favorite subject in school was art, of course!

What book are you reading? The Art Teacher’s Survival Guide

Name of the last movie you watched: The Curse of Frankenstein

Favorite Restaurant: Saffron Indian Cuisine

Dream Vacation: My dream vacation would be spent immersed in the culture, beauty, and art of India.

Something most people don’t know about you: I’m Greek. I grew up attending Greek School and I’m currently planning my very own “Big Fat Greek Wedding.”

Favorite thing about Westchester: My most favorite thing about Westchester is that I’m allowed the freedom in my art curriculum to encourage students to experiment and not be afraid of trial and error.

Upcoming EventsElection CelebrationTuesday, November 6, 6 p.m. in Rives Hall

Open HousesGrades PK, K, and 19:15 a.m. Wednesday, November 7, beginning in the LibraryGrades PK - 55:00 p.m. Thursday, November 15, beginning in the Library

K-12 C.A.R.E.S. Crews EventFriday, November 16We will be wrapping books for Fairview Elementary students. Please send in new and gently used books for students in Grades K - 2. Thank you!

The Little Mermaid, Jr.7 p.m. Friday, November 167 p.m. Saturday, November 172 p.m. Sunday, November 18Click here to reserve your tickets!

Thanksgiving HolidayWednesday, November 21 - Friday, November 23No school.

Arts Update from Ann ParksAll fall more than 50 students have been singing, dancing, learning their blocking, and remembering

their lines in preparation for our K-12 musical The Little Mermaid, Jr. Parents and students have spent their weekends creating scenery and costumes, while volunteers from our community have designed hair and make-up. Soon Rives Hall will be transformed into an undersea world of mermaids and seagulls, noblemen and sailors—all to keep you entertained. Opening night, Friday, November 16, will be our first school performance utilizing our newly renovated stage. For the first time there won’t be a bad seat in the house! Be sure to order your tickets online to be assured a seat in what will certainly be sold-out shows.

Several of the performers in the musical also honed their musical skills at the Independent Schools Choral Festival held earlier in October. Even though Westchester was the smallest school represented, our fourteen singers representing Chamber Singers were among the best, winning praise for their complex vocalizations. Check the calendar for other dates our students are performing throughout the Triad this month.

November will also offer an opportunity for our Upper School visual artists to display their artwork at the Theatre Art Gallery in High Point. Westchester will be one of six area schools represented. The Upper School Art Exhibition will run from November 14 through January 3, with the opening reception Friday, November 16, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

THANKS to all of you who selflessly give your precious time, energy and resources to make our Arts programs second to none. It is the commitment of our volunteers that makes it all possible.

Performance Dates: Friday, November 16 - 7:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 17 - 7:00 p.m.Sunday, November 18 - 2:00 p.m.

Rives HallClick here to order your tickets!

These works were created by senior Lizzy Lawrence for her AP Studio Art class with Mrs. Parks.

Athletics Update from Coach Schwartz

The 2012 Westchester fall athletics wrapped up this past weekend, and the Wildcats performed at a very high level across the board. The Varsity Girls Tennis team came in 4th at the State Championship in Rocky Mount. Erica Sawyer and Lea Rasenberger won the State Championship in #1 doubles and led the Wildcats to a great finish to end their season. The Varsity Boys Soccer team also had a tremendous season with a record of 13-5-1. Nobody will ever forget the 4-3 victory over Caldwell on Blue-White Senior Night! The Varsity Volleyball team also improved in 2012 and had an equally monster win against Caldwell on Blue-White Senior Night. The Varsity Cross Country team had a great season with the boys finishing 3rd, and the girls 8th at the State Championship in Cary, after the boys won and the girls came in runner-up at the Conference Championship in Clemmons.

At the Middle School level, the Wildcats proved why

the future looks so bright! Although the MS Soccer team was sometimes undersized, they had hearts of lions and really came on at the end of the season. The MS Volleyball team also fought really hard this fall and had some huge wins throughout a very fun season. The Middle School Cross Country team had an exceptional “run,” and will only get stronger under the guidance of new Head Coach Alex Lichorat. To all of our great fans who came out at home and traveled to support our Wildcats all fall – thank you!

Here is a look at all of the individual awards: Tennis:All-Conference: Erica Sawyer, Olivia Greeson, Lea

Rasenberger

NCISAA 2A State Champions (#1- Doubles): Erica Sawyer, Lea Rasenberger

Soccer:All-Conference: Tyler Fairly, Will Thomas, Ryeong

Choi, Angel Valencia, Sam Argo NCISAA 2A All-State: Will Thomas, Angel Valencia Volleyball:All-Conference: Oby Nwamu, Kayla Watson Cross Country:Boys All-Conference: Abraham Hernandez, Patrick

Williford, Walker RoseGirls All-Conference: Avery Goho

NCISAA 2A All-State: Abraham Hernandez, Walker Rose

Winter Season Sports: Varsity Boys Basketball – Coach Dagan Nelson

JV Boys Basketball – Coach Chris Fellos

Varsity Girls Basketball – Coach Kat Lyons

MS “A” Boys Basketball – Coach Rustin Thomas

MS Girls Basketball – Coach Mario Watson

MS “B” Boys Basketball – Coach Russ Palmer

Varsity Swimming – Coach Blair Hawley

MS Swimming – Coach Mary Ann Smith

Varsity Cheerleading – Coach Margee Bauer (Erin Hamilton – assistant)

MS Cheerleading – Coach Jenny Boyette The Athletic Department is very excited about the 2012-13 coaching staff, and all of our teams will compete with integrity, produce in the classroom, and have more FUN together as Wildcats than ever before… hope to see you at the games and meets this winter!

For the College BoundMuch has been written about the changing face of the college application and admissions process,

but another vein of conversation involves speculation about what the shape of higher education will, or should, take over the next several years. Recently Newsweek went so far as to suggest that college is not necessarily a good investment, and people nationwide are questioning the inefficiency, ineffectiveness, and expense of a college education. In response to these conversations, reporters for The Chronicle of Higher Education, in its October 19 edition, explored some suggestions for changes in post-secondary education that could potentially change the experience at some point. While I certainly can’t predict the future, I did find several of the fifteen proposals to be particularly interesting, and I share those with you in this article.

Chronicle reporter Dan Berrett suggests that writing requirements be ramped up across the college curriculum. According to Duke professor Julie A. Reynolds, writing and writing alone is able to “make thinking visible.” Paul V. Anderson, Elon University professor, sees the need to raise the priority of writing at the college level, suggesting that students who write well leave college with more acute thinking skills. Professor Anderson is a member of a team of educators who have studied student engagement at the collegiate level. The group found that students who were required to explain in writing the meaning of what they read and studied experienced a deeper and more sustained retention of that information. Increasingly, employers are complaining that recent college graduates are unprepared for the workplace, and Berrett believes making writing a higher priority will better prepare college students for life after college.

Grades, or the notion of awarding grades, have long been a point of contention. Chronicle staff writer Jeff Young suggests that grades are not an accurate mark of learning. According to Young, grades cause a student to focus less on learning and more on the reward earned on a limited number of assessments. Rather than award grades, colleges might follow the scouting model of awarding badges to acknowledge skills mastered. For instance, a student might earn a badge for demonstrating good teamwork, asking good questions, or class participation. Young goes so far as to suggest that badges could replace the need for degrees: students would simply amass credentials that substantiate skill acquisition. If employers are trying to assess an applicant’s qualifications for a certain job, they might be more interested in specific skills rather than a diploma listing coursework completed for a particular degree.

College and financial aid calculations are limited to projecting costs for the upcoming year, rather than presenting the big picture revealing the four-year price tag of a college education. This practice results in parents and students focusing on only one year at a time, sometimes disguising the total amount of debt that might be incurred by the family or the student. Sundar Kumarasamy, vice president for enrollment at the University of Dayton, believes misunderstandings and confusion about the total cost of a four-year college degree can be avoided if colleges are forthcoming about exactly how much an education will really cost. Ultimately, Kumarasamy believes, this knowledge will inspire students to graduate on time and consequently save money in the long run. Some colleges already guarantee prices for four or five years, but Kumarasamy goes a step farther by suggesting that the state and federal governments make their aid more predictable, guaranteeing students the same amount over four years.

As most athletes aspiring to play their sport at the college level know, the NCAA, or National Collegiate Athletic Association, governs the world of college sports. Brad Wolverton writes about the need to refocus college athletics away from financial gains and more on what is best for the college athlete. Through the years independent coaches have replaced teacher-coaches, resulting in winning taking precedence over the welfare of the student-athlete. Wolverton’s article suggests that coaches be put back in the classroom where they can be encouraged to build stronger relationships with their players. He also writes of reducing athletic commitments so players can have a more balanced college experience, increasing the chance of them studying abroad, volunteering in their communities, or considering life after college sports.

Other recommendations offered in this article include imposing a tax on citizens for high education, allowing the public to decide who receives funding for proposed science ventures, and having colleges put a price tag on facility use by departments. Some of these suggestions sound far-fetched, extreme, or impractical, but many experts argue that a college education as we now know it needs to change. It will be interesting to see if the coming years bring some of these changes and what shape post-high school education of the future takes.

Betty Flythe, College Placement Advisor

Counselor’s CornerIt has been very busy in the counselor’s office over the past month. Students are settled in and are

understanding their responsibilities in and out of the classroom. Many students have been stopping by to gain study tips, work on their organizational skills, and to learn time management skills as well. If your student is also struggling in any of these areas, please encourage him or her to come see me during study hall, break, or tutorial periods. The first quarter has now ended, and as we kick off the second quarter, it is imperative that our students have the skills needed in order to be successful in their academic endeavors – don’t forget that I am here to empower them to do so!

We had a very busy week during Red Ribbon Week and I would like to say thank you to our SADD organization! I would like to also congratulate SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) for the hard work they put into making Red Ribbon Week such a huge success! In addition, I would like to congratulate the winners of the Lower School Poster and Coloring Contest. They each won a gift card to Feeney’s Yogurt which was sponsored by SADD:

Pre-K: James FosterK: Drew Lindsay1st Grade: Max Verellen2nd Grade: Sadie Sharpe3rd Grade: Charlotte Martin4th Grade: Safa Tonuzi5th Grade: Georgia Anne Brumfield

I also have an update on the Middle School group that we started for students with single parents, separated parents, or divorced parents. We started this on Thursday afternoons, but it has now been moved to Thursdays during DEAR (12:25). The after school time was not working well due to sport commitments. Again, there has been a great deal of interest in a group like this, and I am glad that students will have an opportunity to receive support from their peers going through similar circumstances. We will be following the “Banana Splits” curriculum which has been proven to be most successful. Please contact Mrs. Singer to sign up to attend. We would love to have you!

Looking forward to a great second quarter!Mrs. Singer

Fall at WCDS is beautiful! We are so fortunate to have our 53-acre campus on which to learn every day. Did you know that our school was originally slated to be on Westchester Drive in High Point (which is where the name comes from) until we received a generous donation of the land we are on today?

Healthful Hints from the School NurseMornings are rushed. I completely understand. But please try to take just a little extra time to prepare a

healthy breakfast for your little scholar. Encourage your children to eat breakfast each morning even if it’s just a whole wheat muffin or cereal bar with juice or milk.

Breakfast is so important! Teachers can easily identify the student who did not have breakfast. He or she is slow to get started, difficult to motivate, and often shows up in the Health Office with complaints of stomachache or headache before lunchtime. Eating breakfast will help your child to learn… isn’t learning what school is all about?

Don’t have time for eggs or oatmeal? Then try some easily prepared items like:

Yogurt•Fruit•Juice•Granola nut bar•Oat bran muffin•Frozen frittata*•

*Frozen frittatas are really a time saver! Make your favorite frittata with some hidden vegetables in muffin tins. Bake and then individually wrap each one and place in your freezer. On a school morning just reach in the freezer, pop a mini-frittata in the microwave for a minute or so, and voila! You’ve got a warm breakfast which provides nice protein and lasts well into the morning.

We’ve all heard about the evils of refined sugar over the years. You and I know that a candy bar would not be a good choice for breakfast, but I see some Middle School students coming in to school holding a frappucino or latte. In a 2010 study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, 75 percent of children surveyed consumed caffeine on a daily basis, and the more caffeine the children consumed, the less they slept.

Caffeine, when consumed by adults or children, blocks a chemical that is responsible for calming the brain. When this chemical is blocked, stress hormones increase. This is not going down the right path to set our students up for success.

Caffeine also causes the body to eliminate water, and children who drink a lot of caffeinated beverages often drink less water. Less water is not a good thing for our athletes and actors who are sweating on the sports fields and/or the stage.

Caffeine takes three to seven hours to get out of the body, so the 4 o’clock after school, sugared caffeinated soft drink might not clear the system until 10 or 11 p.m.

The next time your child needs a burst of energy on the go, try fresh fruit or a smoothie. Teach your child to drink water, eat well, and sleep for their energy. We might just sleep better ourselves if we reduced the amount of caffeine and sugary foods we ingest.

Beth Kennedy, RN, Director of Health Services

WAPA Notes and News

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Hubs Peanut Fundraiser“Who can? You can! When you purchase two cans!!”

You guessed it, it’s peanut time! Whether it is one can or one hundred, every can counts! This year the Hubs committee is asking for every one of us to purchase at least two cans! “Who can? You can! When you purchase two cans!!” Just two cans can mean the difference in the WAPA-provided teacher mini-grants. These grants, supported directly from fundraisers like Hubs, go a long way in providing classroom equipment, electronics, and many other

wonderful additions that help make amazing things happen in our classrooms. So WHO can help? YOU CAN!! YOU make the difference!

*Kick off date: Packets will go out first week of November *Order deadline: Wednesday, November 28 *Order delivery: Thursday, December 6, 3 -6 p.m. (Finch Center)

Whether you give individually boxed Hubs Salted as a gift, keep a can of Sweet Heat for yourself, or simply stock up on Choco-Covered Peanuts for the year (as an anonymous guitar instructor at WCDS claims to do) remember, “Who can? You can! When you purchase two cans!!”

Ashton Blackman, Co-Chair – 336-847-7115Jenny Boyette, Co-Chair – [email protected] Erikson, Assisting Co-ChairLeslie Culp, Assisting Co-Chair

Innisbrook Goal Met!Thank you to everyone who supported our Innisbrook fundraiser! Our total sales of $17,500 were up 20%

from last year, and we met our profit goal of $7,500. This money will go back to the classrooms in the upcoming year through WAPA’s teacher mini-grant program.

Congratulations and thanks to our top sellers:

Lower School: Top seller Adam Elsayed (3rd) led Ms. Robinson’s class to win the pizza and ice cream party and also won a “Zoe the Crocodile” large plush toy.

Middle School: Top seller (whole school) Gelila Seyoum led the 6th grade to win a “Dress-Down Day.” She also won iTunes and Feeney’s gift cards. Other top sellers were Davis Privette (7th), T.J. Webb (8th), Luke Ledford (8th), and Spencer Sherrill (6th). All top sellers won a “Go to the Head of the Lunch Line” pass.

Upper School: Top seller Alexis King led the 12th grade to win a “Dress-Down Day.” She also won a pair of earrings from Innisbrook. Other top sellers were Laura Folk (9th), Catherine York (11th), Sam Argo (11th), and Daphne Foster (11th). All top sellers won a “Go to the Head of the Lunch Line” pass. The Junior class earned $222 to use towards prom.

Remember that our school can continue to earn money year-round. Just visit www.innisbrook.com and place your direct order (school code 102665). The items ship directly to you and Westchester benefits!

Orders are here! Please pick up your orders as follows:Lower School: Boxes will be placed outside students’ homeroom doors. Please pick up your orders when

you come to your teacher conferences on Thursday, November 1. Middle School and Upper School: Boxes are on the side risers, by grade, in the Cafetorium. Please ask

your student to pick up his or her box(es) as soon as possible.

Please note that small orders will be in bags, instead of boxes. Large orders will be in more than one box.

WAPA Book ClubThe WAPA Book Club upcoming books are: •November7The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot •December5A Christmas Memory by Truman CapoteAll parents are welcome!

Fall Book Fair

Thank you to all the WCDS Super Stars for making the Fall Book Fair a shining success! Your support has provided new books for the library and the classrooms.

A special thank you also to the following volunteers who gave their valuable time to make the Book Fair possible: Kim Foster, Maria Puschinsky, Mary Niner, Amy O’Keeffe, Roza Hall, Ayesha Haque, Lee Bass Nunn, Trang Martin, and Belinda Brown.

Westchester Country Day is a college preparatory school that seeks to educate each child toward moral, academic, artistic, and athletic excellence in a nurturing, family environment where students, teachers, and parents support one another. By respecting the student and honoring learning, Westchester aims to cultivate informed citizens who are ready for a rapidly changing world and to graduate students who view the pursuit and wise use of knowledge as a lifelong joy.