When you toured St James’ remarkable Annual Art Show this year, did you happen to notice a small collage of a cat? Or a dancing lion?

They were significant - not only for how cute they were - but because they were the results of a cognitive exercise that all the faculty took part in. The cat was Mrs. David’s work; the lion was Ms. Arrington’s.

The project, called ‘Quilt Pattern Animals and Vehicles’, comes under the banner of “whole brain learning”. Participants were challenged to create animals and forms of transportation out of exactly 25 quilt pattern squares, triangles, buttons and googly eyes.

This meant they had to use both left and right sides of their brains – left brain controlling counting, right brain tapping the imagination. Whole Brain Learning is still new, but researchers have found

that making analytical tasks more engaging and creative increases the ability to learn and remember. Music, art and theatre not only make for a richer educational experience - but also bring right-brained imagination and synthesis to left brained logic and sequence.

And of course, St. James’ is forward-thinking enough to embrace these ideas. The exercise began as a Kindergarten project that was repeated during a faculty workshop.

“I see the Quilt Pattern project as something that echoes the importance of using both sides of the brain as our school moves very deliberately towards marrying creativity, imagination and synthesis to our strong academics,” says Mr. Danenberg.

Anchoring the expansion of the arts at St. James’ is the bedrock art program overseen by Mr. Danenberg. If you had a personalized tour of the art

show, you would see that his insight into art, and the work he does with our students, is extraordinary.

To walk through the art show is to walk through a spectacular array art styles and techniques. A child at St. James’ who begins in Kindergarten and finishes in

6th grade does more than simply create art, he or she experiences art history and the progression of ideas that have changed the world. In each grade, there are studies of artistic movements and an opportunity to experiment with these styles.

“Case in point is the 3rd grade Cubist Guitar Sculpture project,” explains. Mr. Danenberg. “It not only explored the work of artists like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, but also explained what Cubism was and where it came from.

“Cubism was the first abstract style of modern art. It was influenced by the primal geometric shapes of African masks and probably got the idea of multiple viewpoints from double exposure photography, which was wildly popular in the 1890’s. Being able to teach kids this kind of history is very exciting to me because I want them to understand how new ideas are generated. This lesson isn’t just about the rules of Cubism, it’s about how we create innovation.”

S T . J A M E S E P I S C O P A L S C H O O L

Husky HighlightsSUMMER 2013

MORE THAN ART

BY LUCY NORLAND

MOM OF 3RD GRADER JACK

Ms. Arrington’s Lion

See over leaf for Mr. Danenburg’s Art History Tour

Mrs. David’s Cat

From Kindergartners studying impressionism to Sixth graders focusing on the work of iconic New York art director George Lois, a walk through the St James’ Art Show is a tour in art history.

IMPRESSIONISM

Focusing on such paintings as Renoir’s 1876 “Woman with a Parasol in a Garden” and Monet’s 1900 “The Artist’s Garden at Giverny,” Kindergarten students identified the dots, dabs, dashes and strokes used to

create the Impressionist style - and then did it themselves using their fingers as paintbrushes. Painting by Megan Kim

GEORGIA O’KEEFFE INSPIRED WATERCOLORS

The Second Grade Floral Watercolor project used an observation-based watercolor/pastel resist technique to create floral paintings, inspired by the American artist. Painting by Simone Herman

FRIDA KAHLO LIZARD PASTELS

Mexico’s most famous female artist made many autobiographical, diary-like paintings about her feelings and worries. Third Graders drew lizard pictures and added personal information such as favorite things, meaningful souvenirs, and symbols from travels, sports or activities. Drawing by Haley Colorado

FAUVIST SELF-PORTRAIT COLLAGES

Inspired by French Fauvists Henri Matisse, Andre Derain, Raoul Dufy and Maurice de Vlaminck, Fifth Grade students studied the use of vivid and non-naturalistic color in portraits, landscapes and still-

lifes to express mood and stir emotion. Then they used mirrors to draw self-portraits, and rendered collages in construction paper with evocative colors. Painting by Lily Nelson

VAN GOGH-INSPIRED SUNFLOWER COLLAGES

After learning the basic conventions of still-lifes and sunflower anatomy, Second Graders used scrapbook paper and block print paper to create their own sunflower-themed collages. Picture by Willa Jackson

CUBIST GUITAR SCULPTURES

Third Graders studied Cubism and the work of artists Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque. After absorbing the Cubist lessons, they also studied the changing portrayal of guitars in art, referencing such iconic paintings as Frans Hal the Elder’s 1620 “Jester with a lute,” and Picasso’s 1903 Blue Period exemplar, “The Old Guitarist.” Sculpture by Thea Davidson

It’s not just the art show that showcases the talents of our students. There is the S.T.E.M fair d e m o n s t r a t i n g unique, inquisitive minds; and let’s not forget the talent shows and the new St James’ fixture, the Spring concert. Here our glorious leaders of both events, explain why these events are so important in a school.

Mr. CaseyIn a wonderful evening of songs, the collective musical talents of St. James’ students were celebrated in bona fide concerts! While the pageant and all school chapels provide a meaningful setting for music-making, the spring concert provided a different experience for the kids: performing and receiving well-earned applause.

The talent show performances give purpose to hours of practice and provide a vehicle for individual expression. Since the performers choose their own songs or write their own skits, they are fully invested in their acts and are eager for a chance to shine.

It takes a great deal of courage for our students to perform in front of

their peers. It is one of those rites of passage that builds both resilience and confidence. Each participant comes away with the sense of “that was scary, but I did it!” For the lower grade students, not yet old enough to qualify, they see their older peers and already begin to plan their big moment.

The talent show is a tradition much loved by the students at St. James’. It is a chance for them to celebrate each other within their own community, and it provides them with early performing experiences on safe ground.

Mrs. Rodrigues

The STEM fair is a really exciting event that celebrates all of the fun and wonder of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It’s important because it provides students with an opportunity to pursue a topic that they are

genuinely interested in and show off their knowledge to the entire St. James’ Community.

It’s also a great interdisciplinary learning experience as working on a project involves so much more than just science; students illustrate research, planning, and presentation skills in addition to collaborative work and project design.

Opportunities such as these are at the heart of the science literacy movement as they help to foster student confidence, skill and curiosity in the STEM fields. Some of this year’s projects included a go kart made from scratch, bridge engineering and solar powered cars.

A WALK THROUGH ART HISTORY

ST. JAMES’ HAS GOT Talent

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H O W W E B E C A M ETalent The St. James’ community took Hollywood by storm for the BECOME Spring Event. Parents and staff strutted down the red carpet in support of our school and raised over a quarter of a million dollars for our arts, technology, and academic enrichment programs. Here’s what a few of us had to say about it.

Jeff Hall The place had a great, cool vibe. You walked up and it felt like you were walking into a real Hollywood event, complete with gawkers and on-lookers. The room was elegant and festive with performers and music…the curtain was pulled back, and this luxurious white room was revealed. The crowd mingled, everyone was dressed to the nines - it was a fun night on the town!

Jennifer Kim The “Cirque Du St. James’” was a smashing event; the acrobatics and venue under the Big Tent were amazing!

Kara Bustos My husband and I had a wonderful time away from our kids, enjoying adult company, and lounging on the white beds while being dazzled by the acrobat performers!

Michele Sanchez It was a great night spending time with our friends at a hip venue where we have never been. (We are just not that cool!) The atmosphere, the entertainment and Kelley Nelson doing the live auction was so fun!

Mr. Pappas It was great to see everyone all dressed up in a more formal setting. I even wore a sports coat.

Olivia Kazanjian It was so nice to see our community come together and be so supportive and encouraging of the bright future of Saint James’.

Elizabeth White When I walked into the club, I was immediately struck by how chic and sleek the place was. And I have to say that Deborah David looked FABULOUS in that great short dress she wore! She is a fire cracker that one!

Hyacinth Leus Since the 4th graders (which include my daughter) had just returned from their field trip to Sacramento, I caught up with a bunch of parent chaperones and got their version of events while enjoying the fantastic air show!

As an anxious prospective student, I remember touring St James’ with my mother twenty-nine years ago. We walked through the classrooms and the yard and I looked up at the apartments across the street, which felt like skyscrapers. I can still recall the relief of hearing some familiar voices, calling my name and asking if I would be joining

them. Many of my neighborhood friends attended St James’.

Although I was a student at St. James’ for only the 5th and 6th grades, it felt like home. I fondly recall reciting “The Tyger” by William Blake for my 6th grade poetry reading and wearing the distinguished 6th grade vest.

Now my eldest son, Miles is in Mrs. Kuramoto’s class and Mae is in Mrs. Kammula’s. They have immersed themselves in many of the activities I enjoyed so much and are also participating in many new forms of enrichment.

St. James has grown in many ways since I graduated 25 years ago, with new additions to existing buildings, more state-of-the-art classrooms and other facility enhancements while retaining a strong commitment to its core values. The school continues to place an emphasis on strong

academics, is very committed to diversity of student body and faculty while continuing to care about the character development of the individual students.

The presence of my 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Dummett speaks to all of these virtues. 6th grade was a formative year for me, and Mrs. Dummett played a large part in that. She prepared me for the rigor of 7th grade academics at Harvard (pre-Westlake merger) by demanding that I work to the best of my abilities. I am truly thankful for that. I also learned an invaluable lesson in personal integrity. I used that lesson as the focus of my college application essay for Vanderbilt University which I later graduated from.

It is because of Mrs. Dummett and the other wonderful teachers at St. James’ that I feel my own children are in good hands which will help shape them into young people with confidence and character.

BY TED FOURTICQ, CLASS OF ‘86

DAD OF 3RD GRADER MILES & 1ST GRADER MAEWhy I Came Back to St. James

ST. JAMES’ GOES ADVENTURING...

At Riley’s Apple Farm, near San Bernadino, California, our class learned what it would be like for us to live in the Pilgrim days. We learned archery, built a cabin, fetched water, wrote with feather pens, and washed clothes. The girls made corn husk dolls and the boys learned how to make rope. This is probably something pilgrims did during their free time.

The Pilgrims got up at 4 o’clock in the morning and their biggest meal was lunch. One hardship that we take for granted today, is how long it took to boil water. First, the Pilgrims would get water from the creek. Then, they would have it sit on the fire until it boiled. That took a very long time.

We also got to see how Indians made cornmeal. They would have to mash dried corn to make it. The dried corn was very tough, but the new improved way was much faster and easier. They invented a machine that allowed you to put corn in while turning a wheel to grind it. This was much faster than doing it by hand which made it easier to make the cornmeal.

We ended our outing with a hay ride across the field. When we got back to school, we got our bonnets, coonskin hats and caramel apples. It was one of the best field trips ever!

By Elia Shim, 3rd Grade

DAY 1 by Fleurette Juda, 4th grade

First, we stopped by Sutter’s Fort, and then we were off to Gold Bug Mine. It was so cold inside – maybe 40 degrees! COLD!!!! In the mine I saw rusted quartz that was a sign of gold. In the second mine, we saw an arched ceiling that helped keep the tunnel from caving in. We also went into a blacksmith’s shop where we saw the spoons, forks, and more that they had made there. They even made a hook for Mr. Duggan.

DAY 2 by Gustavo Chavez, 4th grade

After checking out of the hotel, we went to the Capitol building, where we saw the Senate Chamber. Next, we traveled to Coloma Outdoor Discovery School where we built a shelter and made cornbread. We even learned how to pan for gold. Later we unpacked and danced at a hoe-down.

DAY 3 by Luke Riley, 4th grade

Thursday was a full day at Camp Coloma. We visited a Chinese store that was over a hundred years old. We also went to a blacksmith’s shop and to a replica of Sutter’s Mill, the place where James Marshall found the gold that started the Gold Rush. After that, we went to the Marshall Monument where we went for a hike. After the hike, we had dinner and some free time. Finally, we went to our bunkhouse and got ready for bed.

DAY 4 by Matt Yoder-Hall, 4th grade

On our last day we listened to a Native American musician and left camp. We were headed to the Railroad Museum in Sacramento, where we saw the famous Engine #1. We also saw a large-scale version of the famous photograph commemorating the joining of the Transcontinental Railroad and the Golden Spike that linked the two rails together. Then, it was off to the airport for the flight home to our parents.

From Sacramento!

From Ri ley ’s Apple Farm!

ST. JAMES’ GOES ADVENTURING...

Most people start small with their first flight ever, but I went in at the deep end with a 15 hours flight to Sydney, the capital city of Australia. My uncle, aunt and cousins, who live in New York, were going for a vacation and invited me to travel with them.

First stop was Bondi Beach, known for blue waves and surfing. I got dumped by a wave. That means that a wave crashed over me. I also went to The Sydney Opera House. We saw La Boheme. It was very sad.

After Sydney I went to Cairns and a tour of the rainforest with Tony's Tropical Tours and a visit to the wildlife habitat where you can feed the animals. I fed a wallaby, a kangaroo, and a pelican (accidentally) . I also held a koala. His name was Kody. He stunk a lot and is claws dug into my arms. It really hurt!

We also went to the Great Barrier Reef, which is coral that spans 2,576 miles. I saw many fish and coral. My favorite piece of coral was like a sponge.

Ayers Rock was another flight - this time to central Australia. Ayers Rock is a large sand stone rock formation. It is very important to the Anangu, the aboriginal people of the area. First, we went spear and boomerang throwing. It’s the boomerang’s leaning edge makes it come back.

Next, we went on a sunset camel tour. The camel I rode on was named Stirling. He was so cute. He had a sock over his nose. That was because he chewed the backs of the saddles.

Final stop was Melbourne, the 2nd most populous city in Australia - and then we got on the plane to Los Angeles. 15 hours later: HOME!!!

As my friend Ethan and I were paddling on our yellow Maui 2 kayak, a strange black figure swam under our boat in the somewhat murky water. We thought it was a shark.

Several seconds later I felt the boat rocking. I turned to Ethan and watched him use his paddle to hit the mysterious black object. Suddenly, Ethan slipped and fell into the water.

While I thought of a plan to get Ethan out of the water and onto the kayak, Ethan was splashing like a maniac shooting water 30 feet into the air while trying to get onto the kayak. I was scared that his splashing would attract the beast.

I extended my arm as far as I could to try to reach for him, but one arm wasn’t strong enough to pull him up. Ethan then yanked me into the water while trying to climb up the side of my arm.

As I fell, everything started to slow down-- seconds felt like minutes. I thought it was the end, but somehow I managed to get back into the kayak. Then, a second later, when I reached with both of my hands to pull Ethan up into the boat, I saw it. The creature, whatever it was, was right under Ethan, so I pulled him harder than I ever had before. I pulled so hard that Ethan flew onto the kayak with a thud. He was so relived to be in the boat, he didn’t care.

As I grabbed my paddle to paddle away with Ethan, a shiny brown head popped out of the water. Turns out it was a curious sea lion.

From Sacramento!

From Catal ina!

Fr om Austral i a!

By Dominic Esposito, 5th grade By Lily Richardson, 3rd grade

Husky HowlersHA HA!

In a Korean BBQ restaurant, you get to play with fire and cook your own

meat right at your table. There are hundreds of these places in Koreatown,

but I think that Park’s Barbecue is the best.

Unlike most other places that use gas grills, Park’s uses real wood charcoal.

This makes the meat taste especially good, and I like to watch the little

pieces of soot fly up into the giant silver fan that is above each table. Also,

my mom says that they serve very high quality prime beef. Their galbi short

ribs and bulgogi seasoned sliced beef are delicious and taste heavenly. The

waiters are very nice to people who do not speak Korean and will tell you all

about the side dishes, if you ask. The crispy seaweed is so delicious I usually

eat almost the whole bowl before anyone else gets a chance!

PARK’S KOREAN BARBECUE 955 S. VERMONT AVE.PARKSBBQ.COM

RESTAURANT REVIEW BY

SIMONE HERMAN, 2ND GRADE

Husky Restaurants

A piece of string walks into a bar. The bartender says....we don't serve

string in here. Dejected, the string walks out. He twists himself up and

pulls apart his top. He goes back into the bar. The bartender says, aren't

you that piece of string I just kicked out of here?

The string says, nope. I'm afraid not!

(frayed knot. get it?)

JOKE SUBMITTED BY

ALEX RICE, 3RD GRADE

Lemony Snicket rarely appears in public - that’s because he’s not real.

It’s a pen name. But the person behind the name is Daniel Handler and

St James’ was truly privileged when he visited our school together with

illustrator Jon Klassen.

You may have heard of Lemony Snicket before. He wrote the books “A

Series of Unfortunate Events”, which everyone loves. Jon Klassen is famous

for illustrating “This Is Not My Hat”.

The two came to the school to talk to First and

Second graders about their new book collaboration

called “The Dark”.

The book is about Laszlo, who is afraid of the dark.

The dark lives in the same house as Laszlo. Mostly,

though, the dark stays in the basement and doesn't

come into Lazslo's room. But one night, it does!

This is the story of how Laszlo stops being afraid of the dark.

Author Visit {by Lemony Snickett}

Ms. Arrington has been a steadying presence at St. James’ for the past ten years, so it is with great sadness that we say goodbye to her at the end of this school year. We wish her well as she heads off to start her own business and will carry with us fond and funny memories of her sharing her warmth and enthusiasm with all of the students. Here’s how we’ll remember her.

Whenever I see her she always has a cheery voice. She is always nice to kids. I think she likes kids. Aiden Park, 2nd Grade

I will remember her as the most creative Assistant Head of School. She brings all of the cultures of the school together. Mira Marlink, 6th Grade

Ms. Arrington is so happy and funny- in a humorous way, not in a weird way. Once she even wore an Angry Birds costume to school. Kelly Patino, 6th Grade

I will always remember the time that she put on a St. James’ uniform and used a silly accent to show us how to dress properly. Ashley Garibay, 6th Grade

Ms. Arrington is always smiling and makes people happy. She always asks what she can do to help you. Ashley Biggs, 6th Grade

Ms. Arrington always makes class fun for us. When she taught our religion class, she taught us all how to work together to make a wallet. Irene Park, 5th Grade

She does things to make people laugh and smile. When she taught us how to do the Gangnam Style dance, she showed us that even an Assistant Head of School can be funny and outgoing. Nicole Klar, 5th Grade

For Mrs. David’s installation, she surprised us with a cultural dance in front of all of the priests. I thought that was pretty cool and fun. Malcolm Wood, 3rd Grade

Mrs. Arrington is a great dancer. When she taught us how to do a dance for Around the World, we really bonded. George Phillips, 5th Grade

From the very first time I met her she was so kind and loving. She made a really good first impression on me. Kahlil Dodson, 5th Grade

BY VANESSA HERMAN

MOM OF 2ND GRADER SIMONE

Good byeMs. Arrington!

“

“

ANGELINAWe call you Angelina

You have soul and grace,

Your heart and character

Is from a higher place.

You are an Angel

So talented and wise,

We can see the beauty

That comes from your eyes.

You are an angel

With grace and flair,

Your smile and charm

Can be seen everywhere.

Your love for the children

And all that you do,

Is a blessing in disguise

For them and for you.

You are an Angel

So natural and true,

And the truth of the matter is,

We will really miss you.

You are an Angel in a Wonderful way,ANGELINA

MAY PEACE AND LOVE GUIDE YOU EVERYDAY!!!

By Abdul-Salaam Muhammad

Good bye

“

Poetry CompetitionHUSKY HIGHLIGHTS PRESENTS.....

THE WINNERS OF ITS POETRY COMPETITION!THANK YOU TO OUR TALENTED 6TH GRADERS FOR YOUR POETRY

Golfing and Gulping

By Elexis Kelly-Patino

Golfing and gulping great grape Gatorade

is absolutely gratifying.

I give my strength to my glove covered hand

and strike the golf ball.

Then I put the grape Gatorade to

my gravel feeling lips

and gulp.

Golfing and gulping grape

Gatorade makes me glad.

Slurping Smoothesby Mira Marlink

I slurp and sip my strawberry smoothie,

While sitting in the sun.

Enjoying every sweet, icy gulp,

Until...

BURP...

I’m Done!

Chocolateby Sarah Wagner

The plastic peels off with a crackle

Revealing my precious chocolate.

The chocolate covers many things,

Like crunching candied apples

Yet instead I receive it in

The form that I find best.

A simple bar of chocolate

That I find better than the rest.

This plain chocolate bar

Breaks with a soft snap

The chocolate crumbs

Fall soundlessly into my lap.

I savor it until all the chocolate is gone

And then I go back for another one.

The plastic peels of with a crackle...

MinecraftBy Joseph Koo

Creepy crawlers creep

up to my cool house

that I constructed

in the crazy game called Minecraft.

I communicate with my companions

to kill the creepers.

I craft a sword with a cutting edge

constructed from diamonds.

S T . J A M E S E P I S C O P A L S C H O O L

The SJS Parent Association is proud to have been able to

contribute $17,500 towards the school’s Spring Event

wish list, sponsoring the differentiated instruction initiative

and additional iPads at the elementary school, as well as

the yoga program at the preschool. We are grateful for

the financial support of the families who paid their Parent

Association dues and for the success of our events over

this past school year. Together, we make a difference in

so many ways!

Many thanks to Ariana Smeraldo and Marina Black, who

chaired a wonderful Mom’s Night Out this year and to

Lisa Hutchin's who shared her beautiful home with us.

We were treated to a wine tasting with wine donated by

Tantara Winery and K & L Wines, thanks to Challen Cates

and Kirsten Beffa.

We held our annual volunteer appreciation luncheon on

Friday, May 17 at the Los Angeles Tennis Club celebrating

all the great work done by our Parent Association

committees, chairs and volunteers this school year. Thank

you to Dina Phillips and Karen Cowan for organizing this

event!

We want to acknowledge Karen Cowan, who has been the

Treasurer of the Parent Association for many years, and

whose daughter Roxanne is graduating this year. Thank

you, Karen, for all that you have done for our school

community and for being the heart and soul of the Parent

Association! We will miss you!

Parents will have the opportunity to sign up for committees

and events for the 2013-2014 school year in materials the

school will distribute over the summer. We encourage you

to sign up and participate.

THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate

My son, Jack, was given book this as a birthday present (thank you Malcolm Wood), and I am not sure I have ever read a more beautiful book. It was so moving, that I found myself reading it through tears.... which Jack thought was very silly.

It is the story of a gorilla who lives at Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. He has grown accustomed to humans watching him through glass walls. He has lived alone for a decade, without any companions.

Silverback gorillas, like Ivan, are responsible for protecting their familes. But Ivan has none until a baby elephant arrives..... then see where this book takes your heart. I recommend it to adults and children alike.

THE AMAZING STORY OF ADOLPHUS TIPS By Michael Morpurgo

Some books in our house get read more than once, because we love them so much. My children never seem to tire of some books, no matter how often we read them, and “The Amazing story of Adolphus Tips” is one of them.

Lily is a little girl who was living on a farm in Britain during the second world war but has to move out of her home when the area is taken over by the allied forces in preparation for their invasion of France.

Tips, Lily’s adored cat, goes missing. Frantic to find her, Lily has to slip back under the barbed wire to look for her..... the

book has a plot twist than even a cynical old grown up could never have seen coming.

THE FAMOUS FIVE By Enid Blyton

I grew up reading this series of books in Britain, when Enid Blyton was the J.K. Rowling of the day.

They are page-turning adventures about four children and their dog, who discover dungeons in ancient castles, secret underground passages, and villains all the way. They’re the kind of adventures that children dream about. The stories remind me a little of The Hardy Boys series, but they’re even more exciting.

Sometimes, the stories are so gripping that Jack and I cannot put them down, and before we know it, it’s way past bedtime. There are 21 books in the series. The first is “Five on a Treasure Island”.

REVIEWS FROM THE HUSKY HIGHLIGHTS EDITOR, LUCY NORLAND, WHO HAPPENS TO LOVE CHILDREN’S BOOKS MORE THAN ANYTHING.

Husky BooksPARENT ASSOCIATION

BY CLARA MARTIN

MOM OF KINDERGARTENER BENNETT

& PRESCHOOLER NATHANIEL

News

If any parent or student has a favorite children’s book that they would like to share with Husky Highlights, we’d love to hear from you!