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In This Issue Fall 2009 K-12, College Preparatory Private School, Dublin, CA www.QuarryLane.org rather than waiting for the problems to subside. This is an incredible project!” “This project gives us the sense that peace is very important. Everyone should join us,” said Wanyun Fu, a junior. Students have reached out to the world-wide network of International Baccalaureate schools (a distinction that Quarry Lane earned in 2009) and use Skype, a video conferencing website, to communicate with project supporters in Colombia. Peace messages, including one from President Uribe of Colombia, have poured in from all over the world. QLS Alumni University Acceptances The list below is a compilation of some of the nation’s top schools. It also contains all the universities where Quarry Lane alumni were accepted for the 2009-2010 school year. Carnegie Mellon University Columbia University Cornell University Emory University Gonzaga University Harvard University Johns Hopkins University MIT New York University Northwestern University UC Berkeley UC Los Angeles UC San Diego USC University of the Pacific Vanderbilt University Headmaster’s Note Students Promote Peace in Colombia Quarry Lane Student Places Third Internationally Shauheen Ladjevardi - Sophomore S hauheen Ladjevardi, a sophomore at The Quarry Lane School, placed third in the 16 th annual Anthem Essay Contest, sponsored by The Ayn Rand Institute. The international essay competition included over 16,000 entries from throughout America and the world. The prompt for the contest was: Anthem is a story of hope and liberation, not despair. Discuss.” Ladjevardi said, “For my essay, I focused on the idea of freeing the individual from his collective society.” Ladjevardi first became interested in the contest aſter reading other works by Rand, including The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Ladjevardi’s interest in literature is not his only academic strength. In his applied science class, he is working on an insulin delivery system for patients with type 1 diabetes. When asked why this project appealed to him he said, “I have two family members with type 1 diabetes. I see how inconvenient and painful it is to have daily injections, so I wanted to design a beer method.” Ladjevardi is designing an insulin pill as an alternative to the common injectable form of insulin delivery. Traditional tablets cannot deliver insulin effectively because the hormone is destroyed by stomach acid. Ladjevardi’s design involves a tablet with a protective coating and a release activation mechanism to disperse the medication inside the intestines. “Based on the achievements Shauheen has already achieved, we know he has a bright future ahead of him,” said Upper School Director Suzanne Miskel. Ladjevardi is still unsure about his future career, but he knows he wants to aend a top college. “I’m interested in the Ivy League and Stanford, along with some of the great UC schools,” he said. With items like “essay contest winner” and “diabetes treatment inventor” on his college applications, Ladjevardi is sure to catch the eye of many university admissions officers. H igh school Spanish teacher, Ilva Salamanca, gave students at The Quarry Lane School the biggest homework assignment of their lives when she asked them to compile one million messages of peace for her home country of Colombia. Salamanca, her four adult children and the Spanish students started the project in 2009 to bring much-needed peace to a country plagued by drug trafficking, kidnappings and rebel factions. By raising awareness about drug-related violence, Salamanca and her team hope Colombia, which will celebrate its bicentennial in 2010, can become a country of peace, safety and freedom. The students, from three high school Spanish classes, have urged Quarry Lane faculty, parents and classmates to write personalized notes on index cards with the goal of publishing one million messages in a book and sending the compilation to Colombia. The project entitled Colombia: El Mundo Desea Tu Paz, (Colombia: The World Wishes You Peace ) has inspired students to believe they can make a positive impact on the world. Sophomore Anushka Banerjee said, “It’s really amazing that Mrs. Salamanca and our Spanish classes are actively pursuing peace for Colombia, Ilva Salamanca and her students raise awareness about issues in Colombia. I ’m thrilled to present the fall issue of SLATE, a publication from The Quarry Lane School. In this issue, I would like to share several of the exciting programs we have to offer here at Quarry Lane and present some of our students’ outstanding achievements from the first quarter. I’m so proud of our students and I want to formally recognize them for the effort they make each day. SLATE could not come at a beer time as we are celebrating our first year as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. The IB High School Diploma Programme aims to build inquisitive, caring, internationally-minded students with the goal of making the world a beer place. IB presents the opportunity to engage in an academic path that is both holistic and rigorous. This prestigious accreditation opens doors to top colleges unlike any other pre-college course of study. Along with IB, we have expanded the Science, Engineering and Technology program. By offering students the opportunity to experience applied science, Java, advanced mathematics classes and more, Quarry Lane is especially appealing to students who wish to pursue science or engineering as a future career. It’s a perfect choice for students who wish to study at the country’s top technical universities. The College Preparatory Track, with many Advanced Placement (AP) offerings, continues to prepare students for top colleges by offering standards that meet and exceed University of California admissions requirements. Students have the flexibility to choose those AP courses that best fit their interests and areas of strength. Along with the expansion of our tracks, I want to highlight some of our students who have gone above and beyond in the areas of academics, community service and competitions. My congratulations go out to National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists, Laura Weber and Christopher Hair, and National Achievement Scholarship Program “outstanding entrant,” Krista White. I’m thrilled that, out of thousands of international entrants, our very own Shauheen Ladjevardi won third place in The Ayn Rand Institute Anthem Essay Contest. I could not be more proud of our Spanish students who initiated a peace project last year and have gained international support for Colombia: El Mundo Desea Tu Paz. Continue reading this edition and I’m confident you’ll be as impressed by our students as I am. I anticipate that SLATE will be a wonderful forum for communicating the achievements of our students and the spirit of Quarry Lane. I hope you enjoy reading it! Sincerely, Sabri Arac, Ph.D. Headmaster – The Quarry Lane School Faculty Spotlight .............. p. 2 Student Spotlight ............. p. 2 SAT/ACT 2008 scores ....... p. 3 Global Education .............. p. 3 Student Essay .................... p. 3 Applied Science ................ p. 3 Upcoming Events.............. p. 4 Student Life ....................... p. 4
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Page 1: The Quarry Lane School SLATE - November 2009

In This Issue

Fall 2009 K-12, College Preparatory Private School, Dublin, CA www.QuarryLane.org

rather than waiting for the problems to subside. This is an incredible project!”

“This project gives us the sense that peace is very important. Everyone should join us,” said Wanyun Fu, a junior.

Students have reached out to the world-wide network of International Baccalaureate schools (a distinction that Quarry Lane earned in 2009) and use Skype, a video conferencing website, to communicate with project supporters in Colombia. Peace messages, including one from President Uribe of Colombia, have poured in from all over the world.

QLS AlumniUniversity

AcceptancesThe list below is a compilation of

some of the nation’s top schools. It also contains all the universities where Quarry Lane alumni were accepted for the 2009-2010 school year.

Carnegie Mellon University Columbia UniversityCornell UniversityEmory UniversityGonzaga University Harvard University Johns Hopkins UniversityMITNew York UniversityNorthwestern UniversityUC BerkeleyUC Los Angeles UC San DiegoUSCUniversity of the PacificVanderbilt University

Headmaster’s Note

Students Promote Peace in Colombia

Quarry Lane Student Places Third Internationally

Shauheen Ladjevardi - Sophomore

Shauheen Ladjevardi, a sophomore at The Quarry Lane School, placed third in the 16th annual Anthem

Essay Contest, sponsored by The Ayn Rand Institute. The international essay competition included over 16,000 entries from throughout America and the world.

The prompt for the contest was: “Anthem is a story of hope and liberation, not despair. Discuss.” Ladjevardi said, “For my essay, I focused on the idea of freeing the individual from his collective society.” Ladjevardi first became interested in the contest after reading other works by Rand, including The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged.

Ladjevardi’s interest in literature is not his only academic strength. In his applied science class, he is working on an insulin delivery system for patients with type 1 diabetes. When asked why this project appealed to him he said, “I have two family members with type 1

diabetes. I see how inconvenient and painful it is to have daily injections, so I wanted to design a better method.” Ladjevardi is designing an insulin pill as an alternative to the common injectable form of insulin delivery. Traditional tablets cannot deliver insulin effectively because the hormone is destroyed by stomach acid. Ladjevardi’s design involves a tablet with a protective coating and a release activation mechanism to disperse the medication inside the intestines. “Based on the achievements Shauheen has already achieved, we know he has a bright future ahead of him,” said Upper School Director Suzanne Miskel. Ladjevardi is still unsure about his future career, but he knows he wants to attend a top college. “I’m interested in the Ivy League and Stanford, along with

some of the great UC schools,” he said. With items like “essay contest winner” and “diabetes treatment inventor” on his college applications, Ladjevardi is sure to catch the eye of many university admissions officers.

High school Spanish teacher, Ilva Salamanca, gave students at The Quarry Lane School

the biggest homework assignment of their lives when she asked them to compile one million messages of peace for her home country of Colombia.

Salamanca, her four adult children and the Spanish students started the project in 2009 to bring much-needed peace to a country plagued by drug trafficking, kidnappings and rebel factions. By raising awareness about drug-related violence, Salamanca and her team hope Colombia, which will celebrate its bicentennial in 2010, can become a

country of peace, safety and freedom. The students, from three high school

Spanish classes, have urged Quarry Lane faculty, parents and classmates to write personalized notes on index cards with the goal of publishing one million messages in a book and sending the compilation to Colombia.

The project entitled Colombia: El Mundo Desea Tu Paz, (Colombia: The World Wishes You Peace) has inspired students to believe they can make a positive impact on the world. Sophomore Anushka Banerjee said, “It’s really amazing that Mrs. Salamanca and our Spanish classes are actively pursuing peace for Colombia,

Ilva Salamanca and her students raise awareness about issues in Colombia.

I’m thrilled to present the fall issue of SLATE, a publication from The Quarry Lane School. In this issue,

I would like to share several of the exciting programs we have to offer here at Quarry Lane and present some of our students’ outstanding achievements from the first quarter. I’m so proud of our students and I want to formally recognize them for the effort they make each day.

SLATE could not come at a better time as we are celebrating our first year as an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. The IB High School Diploma Programme aims to build inquisitive, caring, internationally-minded students with the goal of making the world a better place. IB presents the opportunity to engage in an academic path that is both holistic and rigorous. This prestigious accreditation opens doors to top colleges unlike any other pre-college course of study. Along with IB, we have expanded the Science, Engineering and Technology program. By offering students the opportunity to experience applied science, Java, advanced mathematics classes and more, Quarry Lane is especially appealing to students who wish to pursue science or engineering

as a future career. It’s a perfect choice for students who wish to study at the country’s top technical universities. The College Preparatory Track, with many Advanced Placement (AP) offerings, continues to prepare students for top colleges by offering standards that meet and exceed University of California admissions requirements. Students have the flexibility to choose those AP courses that best fit their interests and areas of strength.

Along with the expansion of our tracks, I want to highlight some of our students who have gone above and beyond in the areas of academics, community service and competitions. My congratulations go out to National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists, Laura Weber and Christopher Hair, and National Achievement Scholarship Program “outstanding entrant,” Krista White. I’m thrilled that, out of thousands of international entrants, our very own Shauheen Ladjevardi won third place in The Ayn Rand Institute Anthem Essay Contest. I could not be more proud of our Spanish students who initiated a peace project last year and have gained international support for Colombia: El

Mundo Desea Tu Paz. Continue reading this edition and

I’m confident you’ll be as impressed by our students as I am. I anticipate that SLATE will be a wonderful forum for communicating the achievements of our students and the spirit of Quarry Lane. I hope you enjoy reading it!

Sincerely,

Sabri Arac, Ph.D.Headmaster – The Quarry Lane School

Faculty Spotlight .............. p. 2

Student Spotlight ............. p. 2

SAT/ACT 2008 scores ....... p. 3

Global Education .............. p. 3

Student Essay .................... p. 3

Applied Science ................ p. 3

Upcoming Events .............. p. 4

Student Life ....................... p. 4

Page 2: The Quarry Lane School SLATE - November 2009

Ricardo Andrade works on the electric car project in Applied Science Class.

Six-year-old S h r i n i d h y Srinivas, a

self-proclaimed “book worm,” was recognized for her literary efforts on September 14 at a meeting of the Livermore City

Council. Srinivas, a second grade student, was awarded a medal for earning 100 points during the summer in the Livermore Library summer reading program. Each participant earned 1 point for completing books less than 50 pages in length and 2 points for every book over 50 pages.

Supervising librarian, Gary Myer said, “The goal of the program is to encourage children, from pre-school through grade 6, to read over the summer and to improve their reading skills.” Srinivas, who began reading at age four, said the highlight of the whole experience was meeting Mayor Marshall Kamena. “I even got to shake his hand,” said Srinivas. She was also excited to have her photograph on display in the Livermore Library. Of the dozens of books Srinivas read this summer, she identified Joy: The Summer Vacation Fairy, by Daisy Meadows, as her absolute favorite.

Faculty Spotlight

Student Spotlight

With a new school, three middle school science classes, high school biology,

applied science and a 7-month-old son, Dr. Taylor doesn’t have much down time. In her own words, “I’m swamped, but I’m having a lot of fun.”

Although Dr. Taylor has a background in radiology, she’s unfazed by the transition from the lab to the classroom. As an undergraduate, she studied mathematics and physics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-

Carmen Taylor, Ph.D.Upper School Science Teacher

Close Up

Mien Le’s philosophy of teaching involves a dynamic approach. “I believe that

children learn best through real-world experiences which are meaningful to them, so I plan on integrating many hands-on lessons in mathematics, science, and language arts.” Ms. Le, who is a native of Southern California, attended the University of California, San Diego and received her Bachelor of

Arts in Psychology with a minor in Education Studies. After graduation, she continued at UCSD and obtained a Masters in Education and a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential

with emphases in elementary and secondary mathematics.

Ms. Le says she enjoys teaching at Quarry Lane because “it’s not only a school; it is a community with teachers, students, and parents all working closely together to achieveacademic success.” One of the major benefits is having small classroom sizes, which

Mien LeSecond Grade Teacher

From business to music to politics, the growing trend of globalization is making the world a smaller place. Technology has fueled this

change by allowing for greater interconnections between countries, organizations and individuals thousands of miles apart and has provided a forum for the exchange of ideas, philosophies and techniques as they relate to education. The Quarry Lane School has witnessed this trend first-hand with the inception of the International Baccalaureate (IB) High School Diploma Programme. Global education is the term used to describe this development and can be summed up by the IB mission to “encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.” (ibo.org) Within this philosophy of thinking, IB places an emphasis on developing students who are caring, reflective and open-minded. Guided by their “learner profile,” IB aims “to develop internationally-minded people who, recognizing our common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better, more peaceful world.” (ibo.org)

IB is not merely a system of curriculum, assessments and accreditation, but rather, a network of students, educators and schools joined by the common goal of

Local Students, Global Educationfacilitating global education. IB provides an unparalleled pre-college educational experience by observing the changes in the international educational landscape and equipping students accordingly. At a recent Global Education Retreat for the University of Virginia, guest speaker and higher education expert Sir Christopher Ball captured the expansive nature of the global education movement by describing it as “an unbounded concept that can never be fully mapped.” (http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=9906)

Quarry Lane students have used the principles of global education to guide numerous projects and events. Sophomore Shauheen Ladjevardi was interested in measuring himself against the best and brightest high school students from across the world and ranked third internationally in The Ayn Rand Institute Anthem essay contest. (Full story on cover page.) In the high school Spanish classes, students correspond via e-mail and Skype video conferencing software to promote peace in Colombia. (Full story on cover page.) Quarry Lane students of all ages have joined with the local branch of Mission Essential Personnel (named Entrepreneur of the Year by

Features

Ernst and Young) to provide clothing for children and adults in Afghanistan for the upcoming winter months. Each year, Quarry Lane staff members, families and students gather at the International Potluck to celebrate food, music, dance and language from all over the world. These examples of international competitions, extracurricular events and philanthropic opportunities supplement classroom material and help students become active participants in their education and the world around them. As a result, learning is not only motivated by personal benefit but the improvement of the world as a whole.

Avid Reader Honored by Livermore City Council

When middle school student Michael Myers chose applied science as his 8th

grade elective, he didn’t anticipate that it would become one of his favorite classes. Myers describes what makes applied science different from his other courses, “You’re not just doing what the teachers tell you to do. You have to be self-motivated. You get to use your imagination to design projects and apply principles you’ve learned in other classes. It’s really fun!”

The middle school and high school applied science classes model real-world design and research labs and are a fundamental component of the Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Track, one of three distinct high school curriculum tracks offered at Quarry Lane. SET is specially designed for students who want to focus on these areas as a future career. Students engage in empirical and

Applied Science: Student Imagination Takes the Leadtheoretical research projects with the mentorship of Dr. Eugene Mizusawa and Dr. Carmen Taylor. These projects create opportunities for students to work alongside industry professionals at top universities and research labs. SET is not only focused on academics, but challenges students to solve real problems using the disciplines of science and engineering.

Dr. Taylor said she enjoys working with the middle school applied science class because “it requires the students to use creativity, critical thinking, problem solving skills, and the principles of engineering and design to solve design challenges.” In these challenges, students are given a set of materials and a desired outcome but getting from point A to point B is up to them.

This concept is expanded in the high school applied science class. Dr. Taylor said, “Students aren’t just memorizing materials from a book.” Students pick

Champaign. From there, she earned her doctorate degree in bioengineering at the University of California, Berkeley. Most recently, she spent an additional year at the University of California, San Francisco as a postdoctoral scholar in radiology. “It’s great when industry expertise translates to success in the classroom. That’s what Dr. Taylor has,” said Suzanne Miskel, Upper School Director.

When asked what drew her to radiology, Dr. Taylor replied, “I was attracted to the combination of physics and biology.” Her specializations fit perfectly into her position at Quarry Lane, as she teaches middle school life science, earth science, physical science, and high school biology. She also mentors some of the students in the applied science classes. So which class is her favorite? “Although I enjoy all of my classes, I have to admit, I love the eighth grade students! They have great energy and are very enthusiastic about science.”

really helps in individualizing lessons to fit the needs of every student.”

Ms. Le stays active outside of the classroom by participating in half-marathons, spending time with friends and reading.

What do you get when you mix together outdoor enthusiast, Eagle Scout, scientist, artist,

athlete, scholar, Senior Class President and engineer? Christopher Hair. As if that list wasn’t enough, Hair, a senior at Quarry Lane, spent his summer at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Hair explains how he got the internship. “Well, one of my teachers connected me with a Quarry Lane parent who works at the labs. She interviewed me and I got the job.” But Chris, everyone knows that summer internships are nothing more than photocopying and coffee runs…right? “Nope,” says Hair, “I actually did real work.” To be more specific, Hair worked as a member of the Counter Proliferation and Operational Support Group, which is a part of the Z Division

under the greater umbrella of Global Security. Hair’s task was to research hazardous material production on a global scale, a far cry from the typical high school summer job.

So, Hair must be one of those socially awkward, overachieving teens with no interpersonal skills. Wrong. Hair has organized community marrow drives and initiated service projects to benefit elderly congregants from his church. He’s an Eagle Scout who has hiked Half Dome. He referees youth soccer for the city of Dublin and competes in the 50 meter breast stoke event for the Briarhill Swim Team. Hair is also an artist, having won first place at the Alameda County fair for his electric car logo. Plus, he is currently working under the guidance of Quarry Lane science teacher, Dr. Carmen Taylor, to

develop multi-touch screen technology for a desktop computer.

With so many skills and experiences under his belt, Hair is a shoo-in for a top university. “Stanford, MIT, UCLA, Carnegie Mellon, and BYU are on my list,” says Hair, who will complete his college applications within the next few weeks.

Christopher Hair

Sophie Morgan

Senior Krista White has been named an “Outstanding Participant” in the annual

National Achievement Scholarship Program. Conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, this program honors academically promising Black American high school students.

White scored in the top 3 percent of over 160,000 applicants on the

Award-Winning Student Shares Her College Application ExperiencePreliminary SAT. In light of this achievement, White’s name and tentative college major choices will be sent to 1,500 colleges and universities across the country.

In response to the announcement of the award Upper School Director Suzanne Miskel said, “This honor is indicative of the excellent effort that Krista consistently puts forth in every area of her academic life. We know that Krista will succeed at the college of her choice.” Speaking of higher education, here’s a piece from White about the stress and excitement of applying to college.

Your Most Important Year EVER (but no pressure)

By Krista WhiteI woke up on the morning of September 1st

and realized I had made it. After 13 years of school, senior year was finally here. My last year of high school would be a year of celebrating achievements, finally being able to drive and getting into college. Then it hit me: getting into college. This means retaking the SAT, writing tons of essays and filling out application after application. Perhaps this year would be harder than I expected.

The easy part was deciding where I want to attend college. Two years ago, when my

dad and I visited several colleges on the East Coast, I absolutely fell in love with Yale. From the cobblestones to the three-hundred-year-old traditions to the epic rivalry with that one school in Cambridge – I was hooked. Ever since that cold March day in New Haven, I have been committed to getting into Yale. I have my whole plan set: graduate with bachelors’ degrees in theater and linguistics in the spring of 2014, at the top of my class of course, and get more job offers than I can count. I will be student body president, an active member of the Yale theater community and I will have studied abroad in Spain for a semester. My time at Yale would be the best four years ever!

The only issue with my grand scheme is that Yale accepts about 1,900 students of its 26,000 applicants. Oy vey. So, the hardest parts of the application process would be presenting myself in the most competitive light possible and finding other fantastic colleges to apply to. The simple act of making my college list was difficult because it required me to imagine myself somewhere other than Yale. So, I formed a list of 13 other schools that I could see myself attending. Some, like Harvard, Columbia and Stanford, could not be considered “back-up” schools at all. Though I hold myself to very high standards, it seemed sensible to add some slightly less “nail-bittingly”

competitive schools to the mix, like LMU and UC Davis. I am also applying to a few conservatories where I would study theater exclusively. Though I am still convinced that I will be a Yalie in the fall of 2010, it is reassuring to have so many options. Applying to college has taught me valuable lessons that I will use throughout my life, the most important being “plan ahead.” The old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure holds true; poor planning and procrastination would have caused far more pain than the discipline required to stay on schedule.

I just sent my Yale single choice early action application and am now having mixed feelings of extreme relief and extreme panic. On one hand, the deed is done and my application is at Yale’s admission office. On the other hand, my future lies in the carefully crafted words of my application. Maybe that’s a dramatic way of putting it, but it’s true. This process is the most important step I have made in my life thus far and I do not want to make any mistakes. I don’t know what the outcome will be but I do know that I can hardly wait until December 15th when I will be notified of my Yale admission results. My part of the application process is done and I only have one thing left to say… Bulldogs, Bulldogs, Ra, Ra, Ra!

it is a community ...working closely together

to achieve the same goal of helping our

students succeed.

Sophie Morgan is currently in 5th grade, and has attended Quarry Lane since she was in

Kindergarten. Her brother Andrew also attends Quarry Lane and is in 7th grade. Morgan is a great student and excels in math and writing. Her teacher Mrs. Liebman said, “Sophie is a hard working student who always has a smile on her face. She is enthusiast ic a b o u t her learning and applies herself while in the classroom. She is a great example of a QLS citizen who demonstrates her ability to be compassionate, honest, responsible and respectful on a daily basis.”

Morgan’s extracurricular interests

include dance, music and theater. She has been dancing with the McGrath School of Irish Dance in Dublin, California since age 4. Every year she performs at the Dublin St. Patrick’s Day Festival. This year, the North American Irish Dance

C h a m p i o n s h i p s was held at the San Francisco Hilton and Sophie competed in several events. Morgan was excited to perform Demi Lovato’s hit single “This Is Me” on piano and vocals

last spring at the Quarry Lane “Evening of the Arts.” This winter, Morgan will have her first role in a professional theater performance as part of the “princess chorus” in the California Shakespeare Theater version of Cinderella.

the topics they want to investigate and develop long term projects under the guidance of mentor teachers. “Dr. Mizusawa and I have complimentary backgrounds, so we are able to mentor students in a broad range of topics,” said Dr. Taylor. The projects have ranged from a multi-touch desktop screen to an oral insulin delivery system. Senior Christopher Hair said, “In applied science, you can choose whatever type of project you want. It gives me the opportunity to explore future career options in engineering.”

Headmaster Dr. Arac, who has a background in engineering, believes that applied science at Quarry Lane is a point of differentiation from other schools. “No other school is offering this type of curriculum. The projects that students develop at Quarry Lane not only help them get noticed by admissions officers, but help prepare them for some of the best universities in the country,” said Dr. Arac.

Sophie is a hard working student, who always has a smile on her face. She

is great example of a QLS citizen...

To find out more about our students and their outstanding achievements,

please visit our websitewww.QuarryLane.org/CougarNews.

23

College Entrance Test Results

2008 Quarry Lane Students’ average ACT national rank composite score is 94% (top 6% nationally). This means that the Quarry Lane average ACT composite score is

better than 94% of students nationally.

(information received from College Board SAT website: www.collegeboard.com)

2008 Quarry Lane 11th Grade Students’ Average SAT Scores

2008 College-Bound Seniors’ Average SAT Scores Nationwide

622662

502 515 494

696

Critical Reading Math Writing

Page 3: The Quarry Lane School SLATE - November 2009

Student Life

Christopher Hair, a senior at The Quarry Lane School, won a first place award at the

Alameda County fair for his electric car logo. The design was created as part of Hair’s “art in design” class and took about a month to complete. The inspiration for the logo, the electric car Hair named “Impulse,” is under construction in the applied science class at Quarry Lane. Hair’s objective was to create a logo that captured the essence of the vehicle. “I wanted a name and design that conveyed the electrical potential of the car, something that was fast and sleek,” said Hair.

Students Win Top Art Prizes

Staff Writer Kelley FoulkGraphic Designer Natalia KimPhotos Casey Johnston, Jackie Flynn

SLATE is published by The Quarry Lane School. Dublin Campus - K-126363 Tassajara Rd., Dublin, CA 94568(925)829-8000Pleasanton East Campus - Preschool3750 Boulder St., Pleasanton, CA 94566(925)846-9400Pleasanton West Campus - Preschool4444B Black Ave., Pleasanton, CA 94566(925)462-63000www.QuarryLane.org

Printed on 100% recycled paper.

Don’t Miss Spirit week! Monday December 7 Pajama Day

Tuesday December 8 Sports Day

Wednesday December 9 Decorate a Wall Day

Thursday December 10 Cultural Day

Friday December 11 Pep Rally!

Basketball ScheduleDate Time Opponent Location

12/01/09 5:00 p.m. Leadership Public School Away

12/03/09 4:30 p.m. Redwood Christian School Home

12/08/09 4:30 p.m. Chinese Christian School Home

12/11/09 5:00 p.m. Harker School Home

12/17/09 5:30 p.m. Oakland High School Away

01/05/10 4:30 p.m. Head-Royce School Home

01/07/10 4:00 p.m. California School for the Deaf Away

01/14/10 5:00 p.m. Head-Royce School Home

01/21/10 5:00 p.m. Leadership Public School Home

01/26/10 TBD California School for the Deaf Home

02/02/10 4:30 p.m. Harker School Away

Upcoming Events

Students, families and teachers from The Quarry Lane School took steps toward a cure for

blood cancer when they joined the Light the Night Walk for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on Saturday. Toting illuminated balloons in three different colors - gold in honor of lost loved ones, white for survivors and red in support of those currently battling blood cancers - Team Quarry Lane and hundreds of local supporters walked the streets of Walnut Creek to raise awareness help and find a cure.

Quarry Lane Students Light the Way to A Cure

Quarry Lane first became involved with the walk in 2006 when Alexis Church brought the philanthropy to the attention of students and teachers. “My grandmother passed away of leukemia when I was in 6th grade,” recalls Church, now a junior and Associated Student Body president. “In 8th grade, I learned about Light the Night and wanted to get involved.” With the support of her fellow students, Alexis and others have been walking every year since. “I’m honored that the other students walk for the memory of my grandmother and for those who are still fighting blood cancer.”

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services, estimates that a new case of blood cancer is diagnosed every 4 minutes. One of the most prevalent blood cancers, leukemia, causes more deaths of children and adults under the age of 20 than any other cancer. (www.leukemia-lymphoma.org)

Despite these somber statistics, the atmosphere at Civic Park was upbeat and optimistic. With live music, fun and food, the event focused on the positive memory of lost loved ones and the anticipation of a cure.

Nicole Arnaout - 8th Grade Student

The Quarry Lane School’s 6th grade class traveled to Catalina, an island off the coast of

Southern California, to experience science first-hand. The trip began with a quick flight to Long Beach and a ferry ride, accompanied by a whale, to Catalina. The rest of the week was filled with hands-on learning and fun.

Students observed constellations during the astronomy night hike and snorkeled with a variety of colorful fish through the Forest of Giant Kelp. At the tide pools, instructors explained the lunar cycle, tides, currents, and the interaction between land and water. Ocean ecology made up a large part of the program’s curriculum as students experienced the various ocean habitats and learned about the animal and plant life that make each one special. After a long day of learning, kayaking and snorkeling, students enjoyed s’mores around the campfire.

According to teacher and chaperone, Jackie Flynn, the students were well prepared for the academic aspect of the trip. “When the camp leaders did the lesson on invertebrates, every student had their hand up to answer the questions. Dr. Taylor has done a great job of giving the students the academic

Diving Into Naturefoundation they needed to really enjoy this trip and engage in the material,” said Flynn.

So, what did the students think? Many students, including Rachel Bonner, said the all-day kayak outing was the highlight of the trip. Bonner, whose Catalina experience was her first trip away from home for an entire week, said, “It was really fun and I learned a lot! I don’t think I’ll ever forget that trip.” She added, “The kayaking was my favorite but I also like the touch

tanks, where we got to touch sea urchins, crabs, kelp, sea cucumbers and bat rays – which have really soft skin!”

Upper School Director Suzanne Miskel fully supports these types of trips. “Not everything can be learned from a book,” she says. “These opportunities enhance our curriculum and give

students a broader understanding of the subject matter.” Quarry Lane offers various experiential learning opportunities besides Catalina, including Coloma Outdoor Education School, Semper Virens Outdoor Education School, Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center, Life Lab in Santa Cruz, Pigeon Point Environmental Education Program and the Boston, New York and Washington DC trips for 8th grade students.

Sixth Grade students learn to snorkel in Catalina.

“The Door”By Laura Weber

Electric Car Logo “Impulse”By Christopher Hair

We’ll have a week of fun-filled events, culminating with a pep rally, to kick-off the basketball season.

Laura Weber, also a senior, took home a first place award and “judge’s choice award” for her sketch of an antique door.

Jackie Flynn, who teaches the advanced studio art class and submitted the piece to the Alameda County Fair, described Weber’s process. “Laura cropped a photograph of a Tuscan garden door. She recreated the image using Prismacolor pencils to produce a highly realistic drawing. This type of art is called photorealism, as it closely mimics a photograph.” Weber, who has a natural talent for art, wants to pursue digital design in college.

2009-2010 Admissions EventsDate Time Event Location of EventNovember 3 7:00 p.m. Information Night The Marriott Hotel, FremontNovember 5 7:00 p.m. Information Night The Marriott Hotel, Walnut CreekNovember 17 8:30 a.m. Kindergarten Open House The Dublin CampusNovember 18 8:30 a.m. Lower School Open House The Dublin CampusNovember 19 8:30 a.m. Upper School Open House The Dublin CampusDecember 1 6:30 p.m. Kindergarten Registration Night The Dublin CampusDecember 2 6:30 p.m. Grade 1-12 Registration Night The Dublin CampusDecember 2-18 All Campus/All Grades Priority Registration Period for Returning Families.January 10 1-4 p.m. Open House The Dublin Campus 3-5 p.m. Open House The Pleasanton East and West CampusesMarch 21 1-4 p.m. Open House The Dublin Campus 3-5 p.m. Open House The Pleasanton East and West Campuses

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