Quarry Lane SLATE

QLS Alumni…Where Are They Now?

The list below is a compilation of the nation’s tops schools that have accepted Quarry Lane alumni.Academy of Arts UniversityBrigham Young University Chapman University Clark UniversityColumbia UniversityCornell UniversityDartmouth College Drexel University Emory UniversityGeorgetown University Gonzaga University Harvard University Johns Hopkins UniversityLoyola Marymount University New York UniversityNortheastern UniversityNorthwestern UniversityRice University Saint Mary’s CollegeStanford University University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Los Angeles University of California, RiversideUniversity of California, San DiegoUniversity of California, Santa CruzUniversity of MarylandUniversity of North Carolina - Chapel Hill University of PortlandUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of RochesterUniversity of Southern California University of the PacificUniversity of TulsaVanderbilt University

Quarry Lane’s Road Map to Success

Harvard Model Congress

In January, fifteen Quarry Lane students attended the Harvard Model Congress (HMC) in San

Francisco. According to the HMC website, “It is the most dynamic model congress simulation available for high school students.” Chaperone Dr.

Kellough, who teaches English I, II, IV and IB English, spoke with SLATE about this memorable weekend. SLATE: Why were you interested in taking Quarry Lane students to HMC?Kellough: The Harvard Model Congress was brought to my attention by [Director of Student Affairs] Liz Paz-Rumore. I thought it was a unique opportunity for the students at Quarry Lane to learn more about U.S. government, as well as receive mentoring from Harvard undergraduates. Harvard also coordinates the largest Model Congress in the world, so it was a chance for our students to meet other high school students from California and the United States.SLATE: Were the students excited about participating in HMC? Kellough: We had more QLS students who wanted to participate than we had

choose the College Preparatory Track, which meets and exceeds University of California standards, the Science, Engineering and Technology Track, which is specially designed for the engineers and scientists of tomorrow, and the International Baccalaureate Programme, a pathway to top universities.

As part of our upper school speakers’ series, we’ve invited guest lecturers, each an expert in their field, to inspire students to consider a variety of career options. Dr. Jean Hayward, a pediatric neurology specialist, spoke to students about her career path. Prosthetics expert and mechanical engineer Maurice LeBlanc spoke to students about the importance of using science to improve the quality of human life. In the future, I hope to host guest speakers from the fields of politics, finance, technology, law and many others.

An important element of Quarry Lane’s mission is to help each student reach his or her fullest potential. To ensure the fulfillment of this

Summer is the perfect time for students to keep their minds and bodies active, prepare for the next

school year and have fun! Quarry Lane has expanded our summer offerings; we now have more classes and recreation opportunities than ever before.

Camp Quarry is a fun and active day camp at the Dublin Campus offering several options for students in elementary and middle school. The recreation element of Camp Quarry includes swimming, art, crafts, sports, games, excursions to local parks, off-site field trips and much more. We also offer two optional classes, for an additional fee: Adventures in Photography is open to students entering grades two through

Summer at Quarry Laneeight, and Computer “FUN”damentals is for students entering grades one through eight. Lower school students who wish to stay sharp in the areas of reading, language arts and mathematics can choose the academic enrichment option.

A c a d e m i c Summer Classes offer students entering grades six through twelve the chance to remediate or advance in Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II and Pre-calculus. In just six weeks, students can earn 10

What do you want to be when you grow up? We ask our children this question dozens of times

as they grow up. During their primary school years, they give us a variety of responses; they dream of becoming a football player, a princess, a police officer, a doctor, a cowboy and other professions. Sometimes the answer is unwavering. Other times, there is a new answer every week.

It’s important that as our children move through their education and gain a greater sense of self-awareness, they continue to reflect on the questions, What do I want to be when I grow up? What are my unique talents, skills and personality traits and how can I use them to create a satisfying career? My hope is that Quarry Lane is a place where students can glimpse their future and dream about their careers. We encourage students to look ahead to their future in many ways. Our three specialized academic tracks give students the choice to focus on the subjects that interest them, helping launch their future career paths. Students can

Sincerely,

Sabri Arac, Ph.D.Head of School

units—the equivalent of two semesters of study. ESL English I will be offered

to all ESL students who have not yet completed their English I requirement. Students who wish to improve their writing skills can opt for the writing workshop that corresponds to their grade. “Dynamics of Critical Reading and Writing,” for students entering sixth through

ninth grades, focuses on developing reading comprehension. “Expository Writing and Critical Reading,” open to

mission, the Upper School Academic Director, Student Affairs Director, IB Coordinator and I personally meet with every upper school student twice each school year. We learn about their aspirations and construct a road map for success at Quarry Lane, their university of choice and beyond. Our administration, teaching faculty and staff strive to help students answer the challenging questions about their future and equip them to follow their dreams.

Students take a break from the sessions.

Bambos, Cooper and Colin make friends at Camp Quarry.

Spring 2011 K-12, College Preparatory Private School, Dublin, CA www.QuarryLane.org

expected. Fifteen students went on to represent Quarry Lane in the HMC. Some of the students were selected for roles in the U.S. Supreme Court and the National Economics Council. SLATE: How did the students prepare for the conference?Kellough: Students did background research on the congressmen and congresswomen they modeled. Sophomores Arnosh Keswani and Parker Newton were selected as Supreme Court Justices and spent free periods working with Paz-Rumore, who holds a juris doctorate, learning about the justice system and studying past cases. Other students wrote sample bills to begin learning about how they are written and to prepare for the topics that would be discussed at HMC.SLATE: How did students perform?Kellough: I was very proud of our students. They participated enthusiastically and were excellent representatives of Quarry Lane. The students authored several of the dozen bills that the Model Congress created over the weekend. Anushka Banerjee

Pencil Drawingby Amy Kim

Grade 10

received a Certificate of Excellence for her representation of Congressman John Larson in the House of Representative’s Committee on Energy and Commerce.SLATE: Were there any social aspects to the conference?Kellough: We took breaks from the intensity of the conference to participate in a scavenger hunt around the Embarcadero on Saturday afternoon, an excursion to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Company in Chinatown and a “Congressional Ball” on Sunday evening.SLATE: How was HMC valuable for the students? Kellough: The conference provided “real” experience in how U.S. government works, and exposed students to current domestic and international issues. Students were asked to assume various roles, debate with their peers, defend policies they might personally disagree with and reach a general consensus. Our students received valuable public speaking experience that will benefit them in other settings, whether inside or outside the classroom.

grades nine through twelve, will develop writing strategies for different types of assignments such as examinations, expository essays, research papers and personal essays for internships or college applications.

ESL Summer Camp is specially designed to provide full English immersion for international students. Students will improve conversational skills while being exposed to other cultures. The program also integrates social and recreational outings to local destinations.

To register for our summer programs, visit www.QuarryLane.org.

Junior Anushka Banerjee has attended Quarry Lane for over a decade. “I’ve been here since

kindergarten; it’s like a second home to me. The students and teachers have become part of my family,” she said.

Banerjee’s face is well-known around campus. She’s participated in almost every musical or arts showcase since middle school. Her love of all things theater inspired her to teach a summer drama class at Camp Quarry.

Besides being an entertainment “triple threat”—dancer, singer and actress—Banerjee is one of Quarry Lane’s most promising students. She is part of the second cohort of Quarry Lane students to pursue a full International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. Banerjee, now in her first year of the program, said, “IB goes into more depth than

TEACHER Spotlight

Student Spotlight

Dr. Gretchen Kellough joined Quarry Lane in 2010 as the instructor for English I,

English II, English IV and International Baccalaureate (IB) English. Her path to teaching came about through the influence of a high school teacher. She explained, “During my sophomore year, my AP French teacher Mme. Craft was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. I spent the remaining year of her life visiting with Mme. Craft after school.” The passion that Mme. Craft felt for teaching and the love she had for her students made a great impression on Dr. Kellough and inspired her to pursue a career in teaching.

In college and graduate school, Dr. Kellough had the opportunity to work closely with some of the world’s most renowned figures in literature: Jacques Derrida, Hélène Cixous, Gayatri Spivak and Saul Morson. The enthusiasm and dedication these professors

Dr. Gretchen KelloughUpper School Teacher

Close Up

Lower School art teacher Louis Chinn joined Quarry Lane in 2010. Born in Seattle, Washington

and raised in Alaska, Chinn earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in interdisciplinary visual arts, with an emphasis on public art from the University of Washington. Chinn was interested in public art—murals and sculptures featured in parks and other public places—because he found it to be less exclusive than gallery art. Upon graduation, Chinn was commissioned by the City of Seattle for a mural project that featured over twenty artists and is still Seattle’s largest mural.

After college, Chinn created curriculum for and taught several after school art programs in elementary schools. He spent two years as an art educator and art studio manager for the Children’s Museum in Seattle before moving to San Francisco where he continues to pursue a path of

Louis Chinn Lower School teacher

had for philosophy and literature motivated her to pursue a Master’s Degree in francophone studies and a Ph.D. in comparative literature. Dr. Kellough has presented her research at conferences around the world, and

her third publication is currently under contract. Her classroom highlights this year have included leading her freshmen and sophomores in the “Crossing the Line” d i ve r s i t y / s e n s i t i v i t y awareness exercise, moderating classroom debates and watching QLS students present at the Harvard Model Congress.

When Dr. Kellough isn’t preparing for her English classes, you can find her training with her triathlon team, the NorCal Tri Geeks. This spring, she is training for the Wildflower Triathlon, known for its “fiendishly difficult” hills course, where she is hoping to improve her Olympic distance time from last year.

an average class and it’s not just about memorization. It’s about processing what you learn to be able to use it in real life. That’s what I love the most about IB.”

For college, Banerjee hopes to be East Coast-bound; her top choices are Yale, Cornell and Columbia. Although her dream is to eventually become a musical theater actress, she plans to study economics first. “There are two words in ‘show business’ and I want to be experienced in both,” she said. Her interest in business led her to co-found Quarry Lane’s Economics Club. She said,

“We started learning about the stock market and did some online, virtual stock simulations. Now that we’ve completed our Valentine’s Day candy-gram fundraiser, we plan to invest real money.”

Anushka Banerjee

Revan Florn Fourth grade student Revan Florn

isn’t the type of kid who avoids a challenge. While at a birthday

party, Florn tried rock-climbing for the first time and was hooked…literally. She has since joined Zero Gravity, a competitive rock climbing team, with whom she practices three times a week. Florn, who is nine years old, competes in the “top rope” style of climbing, where a climber is assisted by a rope and harness, and the “bouldering” method, a type of free-style climbing that does not involve a rope. Her adventurous spirit isn’t exclusive to the rock climbing gym—she also loves a challenge in the classroom. She said, “I really enjoy Quarry Lane because the academics are advanced. I like it because it’s challenging.” Lower School

Director Gabrielle Denton said, “Revan is a student that exudes confidence, is articulate, polite and has a wonderful sense of humor that allows her to adapt to all social situations. She is detailed

in her approach to school work and demonstrates great dedication and focus when it comes to her extra curricular activities. She always has a smile on her face and never passes up an opportunity to say hello when I pass her on the yard or in the hallway. She has been a wonderful addition to our community.”

Florn, who doesn’t have a TV, loves to read

and spend time outdoors camping and fishing. She’s also an animal enthusiast.

In the future, Florn would like to pursue a career as a veterinarian or a medical doctor, specifically in the area of orthopedics and sports medicine.

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collaborative, community-oriented artwork and teaching.

In the classroom, Chinn is guided by the teaching philosophy that every

child is born an artist. He believes art is a combination of a creative idea and the technical skills needed to portray the idea. Chinn explained, “I try to nurture the creative thinking and build the skill set. I think any student can be successful in art.”

Lower School Director Gabrielle Denton said, “Mr. Chinn combines a great love of art with a

strong professional background. His students absolutely love art class. He’s been a great addition to the lower school.”

Along with visual arts, Chinn loves music and is a skilled drummer and guitarist. He also loves to cook a variety of Asian dishes with his family’s wok, which has been passed down through three generations.

Alumna Letter – Laura Weber

College is a unique time in life that is full of newfound independence, new experiences, and new

opportunities. Every so often, I think about where I was less than a year ago and where I am now; when I realize how things have changed, it always comes as a surprise. Sure I’m still going to school, but here at Rice University I’m living away from home, have a schedule all my own, and am truly in charge of taking care of myself. It’s the beginning of the rest of my life, but the true beginning started during my years at QLS.

I attended the Quarry Lane School for 12 years (that’s 1st grade through high school). In that time, I had countless experiences that made me who I am now. One aspect that I’m always thankful for is the great bond I shared with my classmates, particularly in high school. My time with them gave me a chance to gain confidence and grow as a strong individual. I can’t imagine what college would be like for me now had those key years been much different.

I also marvel at the sheer diversity I was exposed to from a young age. Everyone had their own interests, their own origins, and their own ethnicities. The cultural exposure has proved invaluable at Rice. I’ve

heard from several of my friends here how unusual it seems coming to a place like this from a more uniform hometown; THEIR experience seems unusual to me since being

around people from so many places feels so natural.

Of course, I can’t forget about the amazing faculty who encouraged me and guided me in the right direction. From internships and summer courses to interviews and college applications…in the end it was all worth it. If I hadn’t given in and taken that pre-college course at Cal-Poly, I don’t know if I would have been ready to think about

or even known what to look for in campus life. Not only

that, but I’d still be chasing after a degree in architecture instead of pursuing computer science where I’ve found that my true interests lie. Most schools’ faculty wouldn’t have taken the same interest. I owe them all so much.

Finally, here I am. I made it to college, have already gotten through a whole semester, and am having the best experiences of my life. I’m taking great new classes, I’ve made loads of great friends, and I’m trying things I never new I would! (Parkour and K-pop dances? Awesome!) I doubt I could have made a better choice. Thanks QLS!

- Laura Weber, Class of 2010

Direct Savings:$10,650 x 4 yrs. = $42,600 Annual Cost

$40,000

$35,000

$30,000

$25,000

$20,000

$15,000

$10,000

The Quarry

Lane School

Average cost of

Top Bay Area

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Indirect Savings:International Baccalaureate High

School Diploma Programme •College Credit - Potentially save 1-2 years of college - Potentially advance career earlier = $$$

Acceptance to top colleges •Better job opportunities = top salaries & top positions

At the Quarry Lane School, there is no relationship between tuition spending and student achievement. QLS provides results for less.

Dr. Arac with Laura Weberat graduation in June 2010.

The Stanford Achievement Test

Each year, students in grades

k i n d e r g a r t e n t h r o u g h eight take the Stanford A c h i e ve m e n t Test, Tenth Edition (SAT10). This exam is a national

assessment that measures students’ abilities in the areas of mathematics, reading, listening, social sciences, language, spelling, study skills, science

Features

and critical thinking. SAT10 is a “norm reference test” or, an assessment in which an individual or group performance is compared to a larger group. Usually the larger group or “norm group” is a national sample representing a wide and diverse cross section of students.

Consistently, Quarry Lane School students perform above average on the SAT10. In every grade that’s represented, Quarry Lane students demonstrate a grade level equivalent that exceeds the actual grade level by more than two years in most subject areas. For instance, students in kindergarten are proficient in science

Carbon Footprint Essay Contest

This winter, three middle school students entered an international essay contest for the chance to

win a trip to Beijing, China. The subject of the essays was “How can we reduce our carbon footprint?” In honor of Earth Day on April 22, we’ve compiled some simple and effective tips from Quarry Lane’s three entrants.

Annalise Stevenson, in eighth grade, gave some excellent advice for reducing our carbon footprint. In her essay, Stevenson states, “Whenever my family and I go out of the house, instead of bringing disposable plastic water bottles, we use stainless steel reusable bottles. We do this to create less waste in our landfills.” Also,

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gardening can be a fun and eco-friendly way to positively impact the environment. Stevenson said, “My family has recently created our own large vegetable garden in our backyard. We grow our own fruits and vegetables every spring and summer.”

Samantha Schwartz, also in eighth grade, explained the importance of switching from incandescent light bulbs to widely available, more energy efficient models like compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs). This is a simple change that only needs to take place a few times a year or less. Schwartz said, “Transportation of goods is another major contributor to carbon emissions, but there is a simple solution. If people

Applied Science Update

Guest Speaker Series

Quarry Lane students have a passion for solving problems, whether silly or serious.

Here are some of the exciting things happening in the middle school and high school applied science classes. Middle School Applied Science:Construct an elevator that can transport a mechanical hamster from the floor of the classroom to the ceiling using only duct tape and cardboard. This was the challenge middle school students recently faced in Dr. Taylor’s applied science class. Each group’s design was completely unique. One team designed a weighted pulley system to hoist the hamster from floor to ceiling. Another created a hamster wheel that resembled a gear and could align with teeth along the inside of the elevator shaft. Taylor said, “Even though the project might seem silly, students are required to use critical thinking skills, ingenuity, time management and teamwork to accomplish the goal.”High School Applied Science:Junior Alex Milinkovich, who is designing a portable, temporary

housing device, plans to bring his ideas to several local homeless outreach organizations to learn the needs of his target users. Senior James Jackson is close to bringing his dyslexia aid iPhone application to market on the Apple App Store and potentially helping thousands of people who struggle with reading.

Applied science newcomers have also created some fascinating and useful inventions. Sophomore Vivien Fekete found inspiration for her project from a video she saw in class. She explained, “The movie was about children with cerebral palsy. It really touched me because I have a niece who is about the same age as some of the kids. I decided to create a specially-designed skateboard to give better mobility to children with cerebral palsy.” Senior Jae Sung was inspired to help people with his invention—a tiny alarm system that can be installed on a pill bottle. The alarm would use sound and vibration to remind the patient to take medication at specific times. Sung said, “This system could synch with e-mail and text to not only remind the person taking the medicine, but also notify the loved ones of the patient.”

Many of the projects listed above have been entered into the upcoming Tri-Valley Science and Engineering Fair. We wish the best of luck to all the Quarry Lane entrants!

and math at a second grade level. Third graders have reading and math skills that mirror those of the average fifth grade student. Students in grades six through eight perform at a high school level in most areas. These results are reflective

of the accelerated math and language arts programs that Quarry Lane offers. This advanced curriculum, in conjunction with the individualized

attention that our experienced and dedicated faculty provides, contribute to our students’ success.

To ensure that our parent community is informed of their child’s SAT10 results, as well as our school-wide performance on the exam, we invite parents to a SAT10

information night each year. At this meeting, parents learn the background of the SAT10 assessment, the curricular areas covered, the schedule for the exams and how to interpret student scores. We will walk parents through the home reports, Lexile measures (reading level) and student score sheets to provide insight into how their students rank in comparison to others of their age throughout the country.

This year, SAT10 exams will take place May 16-20. Parents can help by making sure that students get plenty of sleep all week and a healthy breakfast every morning. Also, parents can volunteer to bring in healthy snacks for their child’s classroom. Contact me at [email protected] for more information.

buy locally grown vegetables or locally made items, we cut back on the need to transport these items and therefore reduce pollution.”

Nicole Sinitsa, in sixth grade, uses fans in her home during the summer, instead of running the air conditioning and has planted ten trees in the backyard. “Another thing kids can do is watch less TV and play less video games, which use fair amounts of energy. If kids were to play outside more, not only could they get fit,

but they could conserve electricity,” suggested Sinitsa.

Director of Student Affairs Liz Paz-Rumore feels that the essay contest had many positive outcomes. She said, “Through this contest, students practiced their writing skills and their public speaking skills. They competed on an international level and researched a topic with timely significance

We wish all of the entrants luck as they await the results of the

essay contest. Happy Earth Day!

A Thousand Paper Cranes

Keegan Garlic alters his Zhu Zhu pet.

Consistently, Quarry Lane students perform

above average...

If you’ve walked through the upper school lately, you’ve probably noticed a colorful, new art

installation hanging from the foyer ceiling. A flock of hundreds of multicolored paper cranes strung up with fishing line seems to float in thin air over the lunch area. An ancient Japanese legend states that anyone who folds one thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish. For Spanish teacher Ilva Salamanca, the tiny birds have a special significance; the wish is for her health.

One of her International Baccalaureate (IB) Spanish students, senior Alexis Church, initiated the crane project to demonstrate her support for Salamanca, who is recovering from breast cancer. Church enlisted the help of dozens of students and staff members to fold brightly colored paper squares into the delicate, bird-like figures.

Church was able to use the crane project to meet one of her IB requirements. A non-academic portion of the IB program is creativity, action and service (CAS). Under this requirement, all IB

diploma candidates are required to complete 50 hours in each of the three areas. The crane project was especially

fitting for IB because of it’s multicultural significance. Church said, “We were able to incorporate i n t e r n a t i o n a l i s m — a concept that’s central to IB—by using a legend from a different culture.”

The foyer installation and a smaller installation in Salamanca’s classroom now hang as cheerful reminders of the power of community. Church said, “This was something I, and a lot of the students,

wanted to do to give a message of love to Professora Salamanca, but it also really brought the school community together. The art and leadership classes folded cranes, high school students were helping middle school students,

even teachers and staff members got involved.”

Liz Paz-Rumore, Director of Student Affairs and CAS coordinator, said, “I was so inspired that the upper school community came together to show

support for a well-loved teacher. The solidarity they displayed is one of Quarry Lane’s greatest strengths.”

By Gabrielle DentonLower School Director

Church and Salamanca

Sinitsa, Schwartz and Stevenson

This year, Quarry Lane launched an upper school speaker series. In December, we welcomed

mechanical engineer and prosthetics expert Maurice LeBlanc, who is currently a professor of Biomechanical Engineering at Stanford University. LeBlanc discussed with TOK (Theory of Knowledge) and Applied Science students the significance of science

and engineering in the advancement of health care. In January, Dr. Jean Hayward, chief of the Northern California Kaiser Child Neurology Group, gave students a brief overview of the functions of each region in the brain and discussed her personal career path. Hayward also explained the way a neurologist might approach a case of severe brain trauma, using the

example of Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford’s injury.

Initially, the target audience for these talks was the Applied Science and TOK classes but due to student interest, the talks are now open to the entire upper school. Dr. Montgomery, who teaches TOK and history, explained, “The speaker series is a way to introduce students to careers in various fields. It provides an opportunity for students to see

examples of how different disciplines formulate questions and solutions. It also affords the students the chance to learn about the career path involved in entering these disciplines.”

In the coming months, Quarry Lane will host professionals from a variety of fields, including former Dublin Mayor and Assemblyman Guy Houston. We look forward to hearing from experts in the areas of politics, law, business and more.

Student Life

Staff Writer Kelley Foulk | Graphic Designer Nathan Baird | Marketing Supervisor Casey Johnston SLATE is published by The Quarry Lane School.

Dublin Campus - K-12 6363 Tassajara Rd., Dublin, CA 94568 (925)829-8000Pleasanton East Campus - Preschool 3750 Boulder St., Pleasanton, CA 94566 (925)846-9400Pleasanton West Campus - Preschool 4444B Black Ave., Pleasanton, CA 94566 (925)462-6300

www.QuarryLane.org

UPCOMING EVENTSHERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR

March 20 – Open House (Dublin - 1-4 p.m., Pleasanton - 3-5 p.m. )

April 1 – End of Third Quarter April 4 – Spring Picture Day

April 25-29 – Spring Break May 2-6 – Teacher Appreciation Week

May 2-13 – AP Testing May 16-20 – SAT10 Testing

May 23-27 – Ocean Week May 30 – No School, Memorial Day

June 17 – High School Graduation

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The Scholastic Artand Writing Awards

Megan Bindra, “Piece of Life”

In January, Quarry Lane students in kindergarten through eighth grade participated in the

National Geographic Geography Bee. Each class competed in this nationwide contest which is designed “to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark student interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography.” The winners of each grade were determined based on an in-class, written exam. Then, the grade-level winners faced off in a live, on-campus competition. Quarry Lane’s school-wide champion was fifth grade student Eugene Ahn. Her teacher Mrs. Liebman said, “Eugene is a very hard-working and conscientious student with a positive competitive spirit. She studied well and used her critical thinking skills to determine the correct answers. Plus, the game-winning question was about Central America—the unit we just completed in class. I’m really proud of Eugene!” Ahn will take a written exam in March to determine her eligibility to move on to the next level of competition.

In February, kindergarten teacher Mrs. Dabke coached a team of lower school students in the Odyssey of the Mind Tournament. According to the program’s website, “Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that

Two Quarry Lane students were recently recognized at the state level of The Scholastic Art and

Writing Awards—a national contest with dozens of competition categories including film, architecture, sculpture, jewelry, poetry, short story and journalism to name a few. Junior Amanda Kershaw received an honorable mention, one of less than 200 awarded in California, for her depiction of butterflies. Kershaw said, “For this piece, I wanted to use the art deco style, which is characterized by bright colors, geometric shapes and symmetry. I used Prismacolor colored pencils.”

Eighth grade student Megan Bindra was awarded a “Silver Key,” the second highest honor available, for her drawing called “Piece of Life.” Art teacher Jackie Flynn explained,

“The class was studying the surrealism movement and was given the assignment of creating a world of surrealism. Megan’s piece depicts a world of hope inside a world that appears to be dying.” She went on to say, “For Quarry Lane to have two winners in the first year we’ve entered this contest is significant. I’m very proud of Megan and Amanda. Their awards are well-deserved.”

Amanda Kershaw“Deco-Butterflies”

Lower School Students Win in Geography and Problem-Solving Competitions

range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own

interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and world level. Thousands of teams from throughout the United States and from approximately 25 other countries participate in the program.”

Second graders Christianna Hadsell and Eeshi Uppalapati and kindergarteners Avani Uppalapati,

Kush Aurora and Ira Dabke formed the Quarry Lane team. The students competed against 195 teams from the Bay Area and won the “Omer” award for excellent problem-solving skills. Lower school director Gabrielle Denton said, “I’m so proud of the creativity and teamwork put forth by our students.”

At the awards presentation ceremony, a local representative from

Odyssey of the Mind called Quarry Lane “an extra special primary team” and said, “They were an exemplary team, made all the more impressive by the fact that they are in kindergarten and second grade. They

were very focused, they listened carefully and asked good clarifying questions. At all times, they were polite and respectful to their teammates and judges. We were really impressed by their out-of-the-box thinking and by the manner with which they conducted themselves.” Team Quarry Lane advanced to the state level of the competition, which will take place in March at Heritage High School in Brentwood, California.

Winter has been an exciting season for Quarry Lane sports! With all the fun of

basketball, futsal and badminton, it’s great to be a Cougar sports fan. Here are some of the season highlights.

The JV boys’ basketball team faced some challenges early in the season, but finished with an impressive 10-1 record. Athletic director Phillip Harr said, “Each player has grown and matured as an individual, but more importantly, they have gelled as a team.” At the end of the JV season, Harr surprised the students by planning a special exhibition game between the high school boys and the Dublin All Stars —a team comprised of Quarry Lane faculty and administrators. The All Stars narrowly defeated the Cougars by taking the lead in the fourth quarter after trailing for a majority of the game.

For the middle school basketball team, it’s all about introducing students to organized sports and building foundational skills. Harr said, “For many players, this is the first experience with being a part of a team. I’ve seen them all develop confidence as they

learn basic strategies and techniques. I’m very proud of the team.”

Quarry Lane entered two futsal teams in the league this year—one of which is in first place. This is Quarry Lane’s second year in the Tri-Valley Futsal League. In it’s debut year, the high school team took home the gold medal and middle school—the only co-ed under 14 team in the league—won bronze. Art teacher and futsal coach Jackie Flynn said, “In just two years, futsal has become one of the most popular sports at school. We’re very excited for the week that the two Quarry Lane teams face each other in our home gym.”

Birdies have been flying around the gym! Quarry Lane has seen a huge turn-out for badminton in its first year to offer this fast-paced sport. Harr said, “I’m really excited that we’re offering badminton. Several students who have never shown an interest in sports have found their niche.” Coach Li Lu, who also teaches Mandarin, is focusing on building skills and strategies in preparation for an upcoming tournament against Athenian.

Visit the Athletics page at www.QuarryLane.org for sports calendars, team sign-ups and more. GO Cougars!

Cougar Spirit

Sixth grade students were recently given a fun challenge which required them to combine

their science skills and artistic talents. In this collaboration with art teacher Mrs. Flynn and earth science teacher Mr. Hua, students had to design and construct paper hats and paper airplanes to meet certain specifications. Flynn, who proposed the project to Dr. Keating and Hua, was inspired by an article she read about the Institute of Design at Stanford, or as it’s commonly referred to, the d.school. According to the d.school website, “d.school courses and curriculum are based on the design thinking process. It draws on methods from engineering and design, and combines them with ideas from the arts.” Flynn said, “I was so inspired by how Stanford is implementing cross-curricular education. I spoke with Dr. Keating and Mr. Hua to see if they thought we could incorporate the d.school philosophy into a project for sixth graders.” The project that emerged required students to create either a paper plane or a paper hat, each with specific goals. First, the students were broken

Cleared For Takeoffup into groups for a brainstorming session. Next, students designed prototypes and refined their ideas. Flynn said, “For the hats, there were four deliverables; the hats had to fit, have a secondary creative function, be visually appealing and have accompanying written procedures so another group could assemble the hat. The paper plane project was similar except the planes were also

judged on how far and how fast they flew.” Hua acknowledge the amount of scientific thinking required to complete the projects. He said, “For this project, students needed to use the principles of the scientific method by setting up an experiment and testing their hypotheses. Also, they had to pay attention to detail and be precise in their measurements.”

Keating believes these types of projects have an important place

in the upper school curriculum. He said, “Science and the arts fit together well and can inform each other, especially when you’re trying to solve practical problems for human beings. This assignment was a great way to introduce students to the potential of combining scientific principles and art.”

2010-2011 Admissions EventsDate Time Event Location of EventMarch 20 1-4 p.m. Open House The Dublin Campus 3-5 p.m. Open House The Pleasanton East & West Campuses

PJ Kalcic models his work.

The Odyssey winners celebrate.

Eugene Ahn