Bulletin
November 25, 2017 Volume 37, #14
| |
|
Calendar RemindersNovember 27 - Winter sports and drama begin - Buses resume late departure
December 5 - 11th and 12th grade parents round table discussion at GCC, 7:00 PM
December 1 - Social Justice screening of Who is Dayani Cristal, 7:00 PM
December 3 - Hot Chocolate Run, Northampton
December 10 - Admissions Open House, 1-3 PM The Academy will be closed November 20-24. We wish all of our families a restful and relaxing vacation.
| |
| "Playing Indian":
Thinking About Cultural Myths and Cultural Appropriation
In their English class, and in conjunction with their study of human geography, the 7th grade is reading Sherman Alexie's "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian". As we contemplate Thanksgiving and the myths surrounding it, Kara Fagan and parent Mike Grinley have mounted an exhibit of old photos which asks us to consider those myths in the context of how cultural appropriation has perpetuated racial and cultural stereotypes about Native Americans. Mr. Grinley has been collecting old images - tintypes, daguerreotypes, and snapshots - for a long time, and is fascinated by the personal stories and histories represented in each. Dr. Fagan is passionate about acknowledging the hypocrisy of the practice of "playing Indian" in a country that has forcibly removed, killed, and treated Native Americans as a "vanishing race". She urges us to examine these images to help us understand who and what they actually erase and render invisible, along with larger practices of cultural appropriation.
The exhibit will be up until the winter break and families are welcome to stop in to see it during school hours.
| |
| Moonlight Magic in Shelburne Falls, November 24, 4-9 PM
If you're looking for a fun family event check out Moonlight Magic in Shelburne Falls, Friday, November 24th. It's a wonderful way to start the holiday season. Make sure you check out The Academy's tent. Students will be facepainting all sorts of fun designs for free!
Students, if you're free, please consider a one hour commitment to help between the hours of 4-9pm. It will be a great way to spend time with friends, support your school and start the holiday season off with a bang. Even if you're not a face painting pro, sign up. Feel free to hang out and if you should spontaneously burst into song, an epic ukulele solo or interpretive dance, even better!
Please contact Ms. Powers with any questions or click here to sign up for a one hour slot.
| |
Winter Sports and Drama
The winter after school program is around the corner. Buses will return to late departure on Monday, November 27. Students can also be picked up at 3:15 PM or stay after school in a study hall until buses leave at 5:15 PM. For information about drama, please contact Kimberly Overtree. Planning on skiing this winter with The Academy at Charlemont? Please take a look at the options in this letter or contact Mr. Schatz.
| |
JOIN OUR SOCIAL JUSTICE COUNCIL on 12/1 for a FILM SCREENING to HIGHLIGHT IMMIGRATION ISSUES
| |
On December 1st, the Academy's Social Justice Council will be hosting a screening of Who Is Dayani Cristal at 7:00 PM. The film tells the story of a migrant who finds himself in the stretch of desert along the U.S.-Mexico border known as “the corridor of death” and shows how one life becomes testimony to the tragic results of the U.S. war on immigration. A guided discussion on the related issues will take place following the film. Admission is free, with popcorn and beverages provided and snacks for sale by donation. All proceeds from this event will be donated to United We Dream, an organization dedicated to youth immigration empowerment and preserving Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). You can see a trailer for this film here. We hope you will join us!
| |
| OPEN HOUSE for GRADES 6 - PG, December 10, 1 PM
Please help us spread the word about our upcoming admissions open house. Friends, family members and colleagues with students entering grades 6 - PG in the fall of 2018 are encouraged to attend to learn about The Academy's programs. For more information, contact Martha Tirk.
| |
| SHORT-TERM HOSTS NEEDED for NETWORK of COMPLEMENTARY SCHOOLS VISITOR
As part of membership in the Network of Complementary Schools, we at times are treated to visitors from other member schools. We are currently seeking a host family for January 14-26 for a 10th grade girl from Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia, PA.
Ava Sinai lives in a suburb west of Philadelphia with her parents, and has an older brother who is a freshman in college. Ava writes for her school's magazine and competes in their mock trial. She likes all of her classes, but especially Science, English and Math. She also pitches for her school's softball team in the spring, and plays on a travel softball team year-round. She looks forward to bringing her urban perspective to the Academy community, and is excited to experience a more rural setting.
| |
| In order to commemorate completion of the short story collection begun last year, students of Spanish V read a poem by Bécquer describing the unification of disparate entities (symbolizing the works and the students) into a warm, single flame, then wrote personal memories of those stories. We then gathered at the circular benches, spoke of our memories and, finally, burned them to remind us that literature will continue to warm us. | | As a capstone to our unit on Belgium, French IV students Nat and Liam N are joined in the kitchen by French student Julen and German students Vroni and Hanna, as they all prepared and shared delicious Belgian waffles, with a touch of New England maple syrup. Unfortunately, our resident Belgian, Hendrik could not attend, but we saved some for him. | |
| | |
Algebra I students use practical applications to determine whether or not there are mathematical relationships in the world around us. In particular, is there a relationship between the weights of nickels and pennies? They've already drawn scale diagrams of their houses. After Thanksgiving Break, they will create scale models of everyday objects.
| |
|
GO TEAM AARDVARK!
A group of Academy parents and students have formed Team Aardvark and will race in Northampton's Hot Chocolate Run on December 3rd. We are raising funds to benefit Safe Passage. Please support Safe Passage by donating to our team here. Thank you!
| |
COMMUNITY SERVICE COUNCIL NEWS
| |
Continuing their efforts to support the Puerto Rican community post-Maria, warm clothing collected during the Council's annual Coat Drive and Mitten Tree projects will be donated to local agencies working with families who are resettling in the area. Coat Drive and Mitten Tree donations should include clean (with no stains, holes, or rips) coats, jackets, and snow pants (for children and adults), and mittens, gloves, hats and scarves. Please continue to send in these items though December 15.
| |
|
|
|
|