| PARENT OPEN HOUSE
Parents, it is your turn to go to school! Parent Open House is Saturday, September 27th at 8:45 a.m. Plan to meet on the Upper School Quad for coffee and pastries, to receive your child’s schedule, and head off to class. After classes end at 12:00 p.m., the Parents’ Association will host lunch in the Dining Hall. Then join us for our Sun Mountain Field Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 12:45 p.m. followed by Boys Varsity Soccer vs Monte del Sol at 1:00 p.m.
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MIDDLE SCHOOL ORIENTATION
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We're back from orientation and closer to one another than ever! The Middle School recently returned from orientation trips to Corkin's Lodge and 100 Elk. We had three goals for these trips: 1) to build strong and positive bonds within each class among students and teachers in a retreat setting, 2) to introduce the themes of each grade level and challenge each other with activities that tie these themes into the school year, and 3) to step outside of individual comfort zones and create a culture of growth and inclusion.
We believe the trips were successful in all three pursuits. Credit goes to former MS Head Erika Penczer for introducing these trips to the Middle School. We can already see an enhanced safe space for learning in our classrooms and an even more positive social climate among our students. If you have a moment, check out Mr. Reich's Flying Cupcake Acrobatic Act on the high ropes course at 100 Elk, recorded by our very own Director of Admissions, Mike Multari.
- Chris Chakeres, Head of Middle School
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PARENTS' ASSOCIATION NEWS
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No Gala This Year And Why
You may have heard chatter that Santa Fe Prep is not holding a gala this year and it's true! We had a phenomenal event last year under Christine Lehman's leadership, and, after talking with a number of other schools, we decided to give our auction donors and attendees a rest this year, and have a bigger gala every other year. We will have a smaller fundraiser this year--stay tuned for what that is and when. In the meantime, thank you for your past support of the gala and for any support you provide next year.
PA Meetings
Thanks to parents who attended our standing-room-only PA meeting on September 3rd. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday, October 1st at 5:30 p.m. in the library (we are alternating morning and evening meetings this year). If the weather is good, we will enjoy our meeting in the garden outside the library--dibs on one of the Adirondack chairs!
Look for emails from our stellar crew of Parent Reps, who are putting together some fun get-togethers and will be communicating school news throughout the year with their grade-level parent communities. Also, please remember to turn in the form indicating your interest in volunteer opportunities. Parent volunteers are enormously important to the success of our school. We have opportunities to help that work with any schedule!
- Margaret Hennessey, PA President
- Julie Murray, PA Vice President
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Each year, Breakthrough Santa Fe serves over 150 7th-12th graders who will be the first in their families to go to college. We invite you to get to know a few of them this year in a monthly profile we will begin featuring in our e-news.
This month, allow us to introduce 8th grader Emily Hilla from Monte del Sol, who has been a part of the program for two summers. She has always had a wonderfully creative side, but at Breakthrough, Emily has grown to openly express herself. “You can explore your mind, learn new things, and be creative,” Emily noted. “If pretending to be a dinosaur is how you be yourself, then be a dinosaur!” In high school and college, Emily hopes to pursue her passion for all things artistic, while taking rigorous classes as well.
Emily credits Breakthrough's environment with this new desire to be challenged. “The only way to show you are smart is for someone to give you the opportunity. Breakthrough gives you that chance, and we all rise to the occasion.”
- Talia Winokur, Executive Director, Breakthrough Santa Fe
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Rob Weiner ’12, an archaeology and anthropology student at Brown University, began his summer conducting research on the paleoclimatic conditions that accompanied the development of the six archaic states of the ancient world as a Visiting Undergraduate Fellow at the Santa Fe Institute--a collaboration he began at Prep as part of his Senior Internship Project.
Rob then traveled to the ancient sanctuary of Labraunda in southwestern Turkey to excavate and document a monumental fountain of the Hellenistic Period as part of a collaborative project between Brown and an international team of scholars. After the dig, Rob set out on his own solo expeditions to visit archaeological sites further afield in Turkey and Greece, including Troy, Mycenae, Delphi, Epidaurus, and Vergina, and he also summited the infamous Mount Olympus, Greece’s highest mountain and mythological home of Zeus and the gods.
In early August, Rob met up with Prep faculty members Coco Rae, Melissa Carl, and Austin Reilly in Macedonia to participate in a stimulating seminar discussion on the life of Alexander the Great. After returning from the Mediterranean, he participated in a seminar at SFI titled "The Principles of Complexity: Life, Scale and Civilization III" as part of the early states research project. Rob brought the summer to an end by returning to his beloved hometown of Santa Fe for a few weeks of relaxation in the high desert sun and aspen meadows before resuming his study of human societies past and present.
An Alumni Highlight will appear monthly in the Santa Fe Prep enews.
Photo credit: Rob at the fountain he was excavating at the site of Labraunda, a Hellensitic era sanctuary to Zeus of the Double Axe located in southwestern Turkey.
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First Fencing Tournament Of The Season
Wow! The first tournament of the season was a great success for Prep fencers, especially considering how little time they've actually had on the fencing strip. Sophomore Annie Schulz won the junior women's event and seniors Alexandria Viszolay and Eliza Harrison tied for third place. For the boys, senior Jeremiah O'Mahony finished in third place.
Coach Rob Madril shares, "I was proud of the performance of all the fencers as well as their sportsmanship and comradeship. Many of our fencers took much more experienced fencers to 'la belle,' meaning they were tied 4-4 or 14-14 in a 5 or 15 touch bout."
The team will be back at the New Mexico Fencing Foundation in two weeks for a senior open event.
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Speech & Debate
A huge shout-out is due to the seven new team members who attended the Los Alamos Atomic Novice Tournament this past Saturday. The team members were: Pema Baldwin '18, Ian Canfield '17, Ben Ciener '17, Noah Duran '18, Benton Lehman '18, Wyatt Merians '18, and Annie Wu '16.
Noah and Benton were trying out some events for the first time, and they received great comments on their work! Several judges really enjoyed the logical flow of Noah's Affirmative Case, and Benton had one Extemp Speech that was universally declared among the best in the round.
Annie was the only novice in all of New Mexico who braved Original Oratory, a memorized, pre-written, ten-minute speech. Not only did she get first place as the sole competitor, but she also got a "Good Sport" award for succeeding in this difficult event!
The new Policy Teams (Wyatt & Pema and Ben & Ian) tied for second place in the Novice Policy bracket, and in Extemporaneous Speaking, the team represented a large part of the room and did very well: Ian won first place in the event, followed by Wyatt in second place and Pema tied for third place.
This is a great start to the season. Congratulations all!
- Tom Cork, Speech & Debate Coach
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Chess Club
The Santa Fe Prep Chess Club is getting started with a bang this year. A group of twenty students of varying experience levels attended the interest meeting at the beginning of September, and chess players have already been gathering at lunch and after school to play pickup games and learn new strategies and tactics.
The team will be participating in the Northern Schools Chess League this year on October 18th in Española, on November 22nd at Prep, and on January 19th at St. Mikes High School. Our students are very excited to host chess players from all over New Mexico on our campus for the second meet. The team will also participate in the Mayors Cup Tournament every other Wednesday until the end of the year. This is an individual tournament where our students will train with the Prep Chess Club and proudly represent our school.
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Why The Skip In Everyone’s Step?
Because our technology had a monumental overhaul this summer thanks to a donation we received from a generous parent.This gift enabled Director of Technology John Utsey and Associate Director James Taylor to transform our cyber world. Now every student, faculty and staff member is benefitting--parents should feel the glow soon, too. Among the advances are:
- A transition from Groupwise email system to Google
- Embracing the opportunity for collaboration through Google Docs
- A complete renovation of the language lab, including new laptops, software, and headsets
- New iMacs for students in the Library
- 62 new computers for staff and faculty for their classrooms; all were offered a choice of PC or Mac platform
- Associate Director of the Library Catherine McKenzie trained faculty and staff in making the most of the transition and how best to use technology in their lessons
- An immeasurable improvement in efficiency, effectiveness, and overall technological satisfaction.
And still to come…by the end of September we will have:
- New laptops for the network classroom
- 29 more laptops to upgrade the computer lab and the library
- New AIO Desktops for the library and classrooms
- Upgrades to the WiFi.
These significant upgrades come with an understanding of the impact achieved through a healthy combination of technology and humanity and the critical balance of virtual and verbal discourse.
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| GRANDPARENTS' DAY
NOVEMBER 25TH
Every year we welcome our grandparents to a special day on campus. Prep grandparents join us to visit their grandchild’s classes, attend a school performance, and have a special lunch in the dining hall. If you have not done so, please drop off your Grandparents' Mailing Information in the Advancement Office so grandparents will receive their personal invitation. Ask them to mark their calendars now for Tuesday, November 25th.
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As fall approaches, homework, school projects, studying, and extracurriculars begin to fill time and take a prominent role in students' lives. A little time management goes a long way this time of year. Here are some tips on how to help:
Make A Plan
1. Use a daily planner for homework.
2. Keep a visual weekly or monthly calendar hanging in a prominent place at home with family and school activities, including scheduled homework time.
3. Have small daily goals
(to-do lists) and check them off as they get accomplished.
Give It Structure
1. Keep school supplies (books, pens, calculator) in one place and gather needed supplies before you get started.
2. Have a well lit, upright location to work (working in tandem with a parent or sibling can keep up motivation).
3. Reduce electronic and other distractions. If you are arguing about whether music helps or hinders, your family can set up an experiment to test the different theories. (Note: text messages are disruptive to concentration and memory during study time).
Build A Support Team
1. Parents are teammates and can go over completed homework, edit papers, or check in on daily goals. Resist giving answers or letting your student sink or swim.
2. Teachers are teammates. When parents notice students procrastinating or feeling stuck, suggest they email or ask a teacher directly for more specific guidance. Encourage students to engage in this process so they can build confidence and self-advocacy skills.
3. Use school resources. Connect with an advisor, learning specialist, or school counselor if you notice regular patterns of difficulty.
Look for our monthly tips from Wellness Watch to help your child have a successful school experience.
- Mikahla Beutler,
School Counselor
- Claire Romero,
Learning Specialist
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- That our students and alumni have provided more than 250,000 hours of TAP community service since its inception 26 years ago?
- That the Santa Fe Prep library, built in 2006, is the first Gold LEED certified building in New Mexico? LEED--Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design--is a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high-performance green buildings.
- That the Elrington Bell in the Upper School Quad is rung only on the first and the last day of school? The bell, originally called La Doña de México, was bought in Mexico and given to the school by WWII’s Brigadier General Mordaunt Elrington and his wife Peggy. The General was a long-time and beloved administrator and teacher at Prep.
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| SUN MOUNTAIN FIELD LOGISTICS
As we bring Sun Mountain Field into the fold of the school, we'd like to remind parents and students of a few items that will really help make that beautiful field function as well as it can.
1.) Athletes and spectators should park at school or at the IHM and walk up to SMF on the south side of the road. We've cleared a walking path along the side to keep people safely out of the road.
2.) Parking at SMF is reserved for coaches, the visiting team bus, referees, and those with handicap parking stickers. Please do not park along Cruz Blanca, as that is a clearly-marked No Parking Zone and your car may be ticketed and towed by the City.
3.) Use of the field is exclusively for Santa Fe Prep athletes. Any other use of the field must be coordinated through Director of Athletics Todd Kurth.
4.) As with Brennand Field on the Prep campus, please do not bring dogs to games on Sun Mountain Field.
We'll be installing a scoreboard in the coming weeks and look forward to the "official" ribbon cutting for SMF on Saturday, September 27th at Parent Open House!
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| PREP SPORTS
ON TWITTER
Calling all sports fans…Prep is on Twitter so you can follow Prep varsity sports if you can’t make it to the game.
Simply go on-line to Twitter (it just takes a minute to create an account), or go to the Prep website and search "sfprep sports" to follow all sports at the @sfprep profile.
Prefer to follow one sport at a time? Simply search for the appropriate #hashtag, i.e., #sfpgirlssoccer,
#sfpcrosscountry,etc.
We will add sports as the year goes on. Thank you to our hard-working fall tweeters, parents Bob Borden, Carol Laposata, Marti Newman, and Jim Weyhrauch!
Call Marcia Lenihan at 505.795.7516 or email her at mlenihan@sfprep.org, with questions, suggestions, or to volunteer to tweet for us.
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| ATHLETIC ACCOLADES
A big shout out to our Athletic Coach and Trainer Tove Shere who represented USA in the 60-64 age group at the World Championships in Edmonton, Alberta. Tove competed in two events: the Sprint Championship (750m swim, 26k bike, 5k run) and the Olympic Distance (1500m swim, 40k bike, and 10k run).
How'd she do? Tove finished 8th overall in the sprint and was the 3rd American finisher, and in the olympic she finished 12th overall. Awesome!
Equally awesome...Trustee and Prep grandparent Hunter Temple competed in the World Half Ironman Triathlon Championships. in Mont Blanc, Canada. The race covered 1.2 mi swim, 56mi bike and a 13.1 mi run. In his 80-plus age group, Hunter finished second, losing to the winner by only 20 minutes! Fun fact: Hunter's daughter Elizabeth Temple Kollar also competed in the race.
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