CORNUCOPIA AUCTION TO BENEFIT OUR SCHOOL!

Tomorrow, Saturday, November 12 is the 13th annual Cornucopia Auction! I look forward to seeing parents, friends, alumni, students, and community members at this special evening. Our Cornucopia Auction is the school’s largest fundraising event of the year. Money raised that evening supports our student programs as well as financial aid, which is provided to over 50% of our students, allowing more and more families access to an Academy education. From the earliest days our admissions ideal has been to ensure that deserving students would not be forestalled by financial limitations. Your support makes this ideal possible all these years later.

Cornucopia means “plenty,” and as I look over the catalogue of generous donations for this year’s auction I am overwhelmed by the splendid choices! Each donation is a reminder of how fortunate we are to be surrounded by such a giving, supportive community. You will see lovely paintings, photos, glass and ceramics, a variety of delicious food offerings from our parents, students, alumni/ae, and friends, family-friendly experiential outings, as well as a bountiful offering of gift certificates to our area’s best restaurants, theaters, shops and other  venues. You will see one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted furniture and utensils as well as trips to weekend destinations. Together, these items symbolize The Academy: traditional, personal, tasteful, and a bit eclectic.

Live music will add to the ambiance as delicious hors d’oeuvres and beverages are served during the silent auction. We are also honored to welcome back Ben Miller (’13) as our celebrity auctioneer for the live auction portion of the evening.

The Cornucopia Auction is put on entirely by the Academy Parents Council. Thank you to so many of you for volunteering your time to create this evening to celebrate the bounty of our community.

Please bid generously and often! You are supporting the very best of causes.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brian D. Bloomfield
Head of School

After months of planning, the weekend is finally here! Come join us tomorrow night (November 12) at the Academy from 5-9 pm for the annual Cornucopia Auction. We are so pleased that Tony Derricotte (P16) has donated one of his stunning and beautifully crafted chairs made from reclaimed white oak wine barrels.  Each chair is constructed using a single reclaimed barrel, and has generous dimensions and a naturally ergonomic shape. Subtle variations in the wood, the curve of the barrel, and the rich color of the barrel's interior give each chair its own unique appeal. These chairs are sealed only with the most durable eco-friendly finishes and are suitable for use indoors and out.  Made by Wood and Barrel in Greenfield, this chair is valued at $695, bidding will start at $395.

This year's Fall Exhibition will take place on November 14 at 6:15 PM and feature the work of Academy seniors, as well as 9th grade Biology projects and 8th grade Health projects. There will be a benefit dinner at 5:15 PM provided by the Class of 2018 to help defray the cost of this year's semi-formal. Your $6.00 meal will include pasta, garlic bread and salad. All entrees will be vegetarian, and there will be a gluten free option.

We invite all parents of 9th and 10th grade students to join our School Counselor and Psychological Consultant, Dr. Melissa Miller, along with Dean of Students Nora Bates Zale, for an open-ended discussion about the developmental stages of students at these grade levels. We will meet in the MacLeish Room in the Main Building on GCC's campus (3rd floor, room C307, right near the library). Melissa will touch upon several topics and frequently asked questions that pertain to adolescents of this age bracket, and also address any questions or concerns that parents may have about their child's social-emotional development.  

The 9th grade will be going to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston on Wednesday, November 16th. Students should remember to bring their lunch to school and dress for a field trip.

The Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at UCLA recently conducted a survey of college freshmen called The Freshman Survey. This national study revealed something we know to be true anecdotally: independent school children are more prepared for the kind of work colleges require of them than their public school counterparts.

I have spent the last five years as The Academy’s college counselor, and the HERI report acts as a rejuvenating elixir as I assist the Class of 2017 as they submit their first round of college applications. The process - and they can attest to this - is ongoing from August 1st until mid-October, from the time of the release of the Common Application to the final edits on essays and supplements. Thus, reflecting on the attributes of all Academy students is perpetual in my job. I see students ask questions of themselves, their peers, and their teachers. I observe students focused more on improving their work than climbing the rungs of a GPA ladder. I perceive students taking academic risks. Why do they do these things?  

When we ask a junior to complete a particularly difficult science lab, a freshman to write a five page paper comparing and contrasting two pieces of literature, or an 8th grader to declaim a speech in front of the entire school, we have their future in mind. When we spend a class period, two class periods, a week or more, having students conduct individual research or work on a group project, we have their future in mind. When one of those students doesn’t meet our expectations or their expectations, we encourage that student to seek our help outside of class. Even then, we have their future in mind.

Our students excel precisely because they are given the space to excel. Our school is not beholden to standardized tests or to curricula determined by an educational conglomerate that’s really a for-profit business masquerading as a college resource.

Here are some of the HERI findings:

I encourage Academy teachers and students to consider how frequently these things happen in their classrooms. I encourage our families and friends who are reading this to ask an Academy student what they think about their classroom experiences, and also to reflect on their own education.

I am now readying myself for the Class of 2018. They’ve been knocking on my door, already excited for what their future might hold. I have seen them come so far - they were 7th graders when I started working at The Academy - and as I look ahead, I see them, as I see the Class of 2017, representing well The Academy’s values and practices, at university and beyond.     

The people have spoken and the winning team of the first-ever Academy Cupcake Challege is Northern Hot Mess comprised of students Amun P., Jaromil T., Lila F. and Grayson R. 

A sampling of the winning cupcakes - Amy Winehouse, OxiClean pitchman Billy Mays, and Oscar the Grouch.

Two Academy teams competed in last night's annual Mary Lyon Foundation Spelling Bee, the "Safety Bees" and the "Bee-52s". They looked great and the Safety Bees were in it to the last of their rounds.  Congratulations to all participants!

The Academy offers several ski and snowboard options during the winter season. This letter provides details about all three. For further information please contact Athletic Director John Schatz.

We will have two new international students from China entering The Academy in January 2017 and are looking for host families for the spring semester. We are hoping to identify families who are interested in opening their homes and hearts for a rewarding cross-cultural experience. Both girls are sophisticated, sociable and speak good English, and both come with a sizable monthly host family stipend.

Lexi (17) is from Beijing and will be in Grade 11. She is thoughtful, smart and interesting. She loves running, playing the guitar, and photography, and has a special interest in fashion.

Sophie (16) is from Jinan and will be in Grade 10.  She is lively, fun and inquisitive. Her passion is debate. She loves Latin dance and will want to be involved in community service projects. She is curious about yoga.

Please contact Sabine Mauri to learn more, or stop by at our information table on Fall Exhibition night (11/14) to speak with Mme. Mauri personally about these opportunities.

Greetings, students and families from the Classes of 2018 and 2019! Students interested in pursuing pre-college academic programs during the summer of 2017 should see me so we can explore options together. Some pre-college programs give students the valuable opportunity to take college courses and to experience life on a college campus. Now is the time to start planning!