voyager 2008

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“A different language is a different vision of life.”– Federico Fellini, Italian film director

The Language of Global CitizenshipPreparing students to engage as citizens of the world might seem like a daunting task. Encouraging them to examine their own language and culture more deeply as part of this process might seem equally challenging. Fortunately, Kent Place School’s World Language programand re-accreditation process, one that takes place every seven years, are in place to assist us in meeting these goals.

Teachers in the school’s World Language program begin to address these goals as early as Pre-Kindergarten. Not only is there a curriculumin place to meet students’ needs at this early age, but this curriculum builds through fifth grade and is staffed by two Primary School languagespecialists. Students gain exposure to both Spanish and French in the Primary School and then choose one of the two languages for studyin the upper grades of this division. As students enter the Middle School, they often remain with the language they studied as fifth graders.Once in seventh grade, all students gain exposure to one trimester of Latin. Students then decide if they would like to study Latin in theyears that follow. As they enter the Upper School, students continue their language study, generally opting to extend language pursuitsbeyond the language requirements set for the Upper School. During their high school experience, students who qualify can also pursueadvanced placement work in their chosen language.

Indeed, Kent Place is on the leading edge of a wide and growing movement toward internationalism in education, which is quicklybecoming the national standard. During International Education Week 2007, U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings remarked:

Any students with access to a computer have the ability to be diplomats from their nation and researchers about events unfolding in everycorner of the globe. More than ever, being prepared to contribute to a better world is about what you know, not where you live. Teachingstudents about international issues today will make us better equipped to tackle global challenges in the future.

Two experts in particular highlight a worldview much like the one Kent Place has adopted for its students. Nancy Carlsson-Paige is aprofessor of education at Lesley University, and Linda Lantieri is a former university professor and administrator and expert in social andemotional learning and conflict resolution. They echo Spellings’s sentiments:

Young people are growing up in an increasingly interdependent world. News from around the globe is available in an instant; the Internet andmass communications give young people instant access to ideas and people from all over the world.… There is, therefore, an increasing

awareness among students that a great many issues – the environment, health, the economy,nuclear weapons, international conflict – are intertwined at a global level.

Technology is shrinking (or, in the words of Thomas Friedman, “flattening”) the world in which we live. Internet access allows young people to tap into the ideas and images sharedonline by others around the world at a moment’s notice. Young people can just as readilyemploy online technologies to publish their own communications. Spellings reflects, however,that these exciting opportunities require a great deal of responsibility.Young people need toserve as both “diplomats” and “researchers.” In other words, schools have an obligation toteach, and students have a duty to learn, the culture, history, politics and language of peoplearound the globe. Respectful dialogue and an eagerness to understand the lives of others must stand at the center of the immediate access we now have to others’ lives and to ourown ability to use our voices suddenly amplified by the miracle of the Internet.

Internet access and an informed attitude toward people of other cultures now makesgeography only a minor hindrance to communication. Technology can take us anywhere at any time. The old obstacles of time and travel are easily overcome. The only thing standing in our way today is what we know.

As our ability to communicate and travel becomes easier, faster and more readily expected, so grows the essential importance of learning a second and third language and understandingworld cultures. Dan Davidson, current president of the American Councils on InternationalEducation, describes the types of knowledge and skills we need to operate as global citizens inthe workplace, no matter the profession.

Effective communication and successful negotiations with a foreign partner – whether apartner in peacekeeping, a strategic economic partner, a political adversary or a non-Englishspeaking contact in a critical law enforcement action – requires strong comprehension of the underlying cultural values and belief structures that are a part of the life experience of the foreign partner.

The study of world languages engages learners in the values and beliefs of other cultures. In New Jersey alone, according to a 2004 New Jersey Department of Education survey, there are over 100 ethnic groups and more than 150 different languages spoken in the state.

VoyagerVoyagerKENT PLACE SCHOOL

WINTER 2008

World Languages, Globally Speaking By Gayle Allen, Director of Studies and Assistant Head

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Embedded within the study and use of a language are opportunities tolearn various cultural priorities such as how dominant vocabulary ispronounced, how word endings reflect attitudes toward gender and thecultural significance of body language. Kent Place School’s World Languageprogram offers just such opportunities.

Gaining Perspective While world language study offers students the means to understandanother culture’s values and beliefs, it also leads them to understand their own language and culture in greater depth. Learning how anotherlanguage is structured begs comparison with one’s native language. Theact of comparing another language to one’s own allows the learner toexamine her native language by stepping outside of it. It is difficult toimagine how one might learn another language without considering howall of the rules that indicate how to form plurals, change verb tenses,structure a sentence or formulate a question compare to the rules fordoing the same in one’s native language. The act of comparing andcontrasting takes the learner to another level of understanding the waysin which her own language operates.

At the same time, learning a second language opens up a student’s mindto developing patterns of thinking. According to Vistawide.com, an onlineresource for studying world languages and cultures, “Foreign languagelearners have stronger vocabulary skills in English, a better understandingof the language and improved literacy, in general.” As might be expected,the cognitive skills required for learning another language reinforce thecognitive skills required for mastering one’s native language.

The benefits of learning another language and culture extend beyond learn-ing how to follow another set of grammar rules. Vistawide.com asserts:

There are aspects of your language, yourself and your own culture thatyou accept as absolute and universal or that you have never evenconsidered until you encounter a culture and people who do things in a much different way than you’re used to.… Intercultural experiences

have a monumental influence on shaping your identity, heightening yourself-awareness and giving you a full appreciation of your life situation.

Indeed, learning another language and gaining insights into another culture can trigger a change in consciousness. Although it is challenging to rethink ideas and practices that have become habitual, the benefits of such changes in perspective include, according to Margaret Spellings,opportunities to “gain access to exciting new ideas, rich cultures andtraditions and innovative ways of thinking.”

On a more practical note, there are many concrete and readily recog-nizable benefits to studying a world language and culture. Competitivecollege and graduate schools value the cognitive skills and commitmentreflected in world language study. Our current program encouragesstudents to engage deeply in the study of a language and in the culture in which the language is embedded. If a student remains at Kent Placefrom Pre-Kindergarten through twelfth grade, she can study a language for a total of 14 years. The potential she has to gain an in-depthunderstanding of a language is tremendous.

While world language study helps students prepare for college, gainingcultural understanding through exposure to native music, film, food,politics, history, geography and literature also has an impact. KPS studentsgain an appreciation for another culture’s artifacts in great depth. Asstudents learn more about the artifacts of another culture, they gaininsights they never had before. They begin to crack the code that allowssomeone who has been standing outside of the language and culture to enter into it.

Yes, teachers are asked to meet great goals: to fully prepare our youngwomen for a world so interconnected that we can hardly fathom it. Asthey examine their own language and culture more deeply as part of this process, Kent Place students deepen as human beings and as critical,independent thinkers. As an institution, the school has put global learningat the forefront, as demonstrated in the school’s re-accreditation goal.

By the year 2011, students will demonstrate a deeper commitment to global thinking skills and a broader awareness of global knowledge,specifically with regard to the finite nature of the earth’s resources, themultitude of cultural perspectives, and the interconnectedness of ourpolitical and social actions, as evidenced by information provided by the Kent Place School global thinking inventory.

Clearly, the study of world languages and cultures supports this goal.

In the articles that follow, you’ll read more about Kent Place School’scommitment to the study of world languages and the education of our students as global citizens. Members of the World Languagesdepartment will reflect on their approaches in and out of the classroom.You’ll also learn more about how teachers are using technology as a tool in their instruction and as a means for students to communicate their understanding. Enjoy!

How does Kent Place brighten up the dreary winter months? World Language Week! Over 20 years ago, the World Language department was asked to create an activity to celebrate the many cultures and traditions inour society. The department planned an on-campus Carnaval, an old springtime festival that is still celebratedin many countries. Over the years, the annual activity for Upper School students has morphed into a full week’sworth of events, guest speakers, movies, competitions and special classes not only for the Upper School but for the Primary and Middle Schools, as well.

Today, World Language Week is held in February. Walk the campus during World Language Week and you may see ballroom dance instructors teaching students the tango or merengue and students writing poetry in the Commons Room. You will see yoga being taught in Spanish in the Annex, mask-making in art class, flagrecognition competitions and Primary School students performing in French and Spanish for one another. And let’s not forget the most highly anticipated Upper School tradition of the week: Mardi Gras.

Mardi Gras, held in the Field House, is a spirit competition in which each grade dresses in a specific color andperforms challenges and contests. And, yes, lots of beads are handed out! Mardi Gras is organized by Student Affairs and moderatedby the student president of Student Affairs. Enter the Field House during this time and your ear drums will ache from the girls cheeringeach other on!

“Mardi Gras,” exclaims senior and president of Student Affairs Kaitlin Weinman, “is one of the most anticipated school events becauseeveryone can get involved.” After the games, students eat authentic Mardi Gras king cakes baked with a plastic baby toy inside. Astradition, the girls that select the cake with the toy become princesses or the queen of next year’s Mardi Gras. A male staff memberis chosen by Student Affairs to be king and to rule over the games with the queen. “It is one of the funniest, most spirited days at KentPlace,” said Kaitlin, “and we all get really into it!”

While the school officially has a week-long celebration, however, world languages are celebrated every day in our classrooms.

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World Language Week

WHAT

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primary schoolBuilding a Global Student: Nurturing Enthusiasm for Learning a Second Language

By Dora Gragg, Primary School Spanish Teacher, and Barbara S. Tejerina, Primary School French Teacher

When students enter the Primary School building and proceed down the hall, they will walk by laescalera/l’escalier, el elevador/l’ascenseur and la oficinade idiomas/le bureau des langues étrangères. They will then come upon a floor-to-ceiling bulletin board that says, “Welcome to the World of Languages,”assuring them that aquí se habla español/ici on parlefrançais. Spanish and French are spoken here!”

Language learning is a regular part of the day forPrimary School students, Pre-Kindergarten throughfifth grade. Just as they update the calendar and talkabout the weather in English with their classroomteacher, they will also complete these routines withtheir Spanish or French teacher. Asking to get a drinkof water, singing “Happy Birthday” to a classmate,greeting friends and naming the colors of the rainbow come as easily to them in Spanish or Frenchas in English. That’s how it is in the Primary School.

We believe that successful teaching of worldlanguages to young learners requires using age-appropriate techniques in classes that meet frequently for a time period consistent with theattention span of the age group. We don’t teach about the language, we teach while using thelanguage. And we especially want the students to have fun! First and foremost, we create a relaxed,encouraging atmosphere where the target language is spoken almost exclusively, adding lots of animatedgestures to facilitate comprehension. Students areencouraged to express themselves verbally or withbody language, depending upon their age and level. A generous helping of positive reinforcement is used to build confidence and encourage growth.Corrections should not inhibit communication andlearning should be active.

A Primary School world language classroom is a busyand often noisy place. Lessons are enhanced withvideos and computers, books and pictures, toys andstuffed animals, and songs and games. We dance andact out scenes. We manipulate objects and pass themin a circle. A quieter session might includestories or coloring. In third through fifth grades, wealso read, write, perform skits and make posters. And at every grade level,we do it all in Spanish or French! By the time our girls enter Middle School,they have strong listening skills, good accents, an extensive vocabulary and a high level of comfort with their chosen language.

An important part of our philosophy is to eliminate any competitionbetween the Spanish and French classes. We plan our lessons, Pre-Kindergarten through second grade, to cover the same topics, using the same techniques and materials, on the same day. In third, fourth and fifth grades, at least one unit will be covered in both Spanish andFrench at the same time. These features make our program unique.Furthermore, at all grade levels, Spanish and French students presentwork to each other, perform for each other and share special events. Kent Place emphasizes an appreciation of both languages and relatedcultures, evoking an enthusiastic response from the students. It is alsonoteworthy that the girls retain much vocabulary from the “otherlanguage” over the years.

The Primary School World Language program has a strong presenceand many connections within the Kent Place community. In our building,items in the classrooms and hallways are labeled in Spanish and French.Concerts often include songs in Spanish and French, and books in Spanishand French are available in our library. Topics discussed in MorningMeeting often tie in Spanish and French vocabulary. During physicaleducation class, the students count off repetitions of exercises in Spanishand French and learn games and dances from Spanish- and French-speaking countries. They count in Spanish in dance class and learn balletterms in French. First graders study Mexico and second graders learnabout Provence. Making piñatas and dancing Sur le pont d’Avignon havebecome a regular part of the social studies curricula. Learning the French names of art terms and being greeted in both languages arefrequent happenings in the art room. During our World Language Week, the whole Primary School is treated to special performances, films and snacks. We also receive visits from the Middle and Upper School language classes, and our girls love speaking Spanish or French with their older “sisters.”

An important goal of Kent Place School is to prepare girls for life in the global community. Starting language learning at a young age, withcontinued and consistent reinforcement throughout their years in thePrimary School, opens the world to our students. They come away withan eagerness to find out more about other people and their cultures.They have a different perspective about their own environment. Thepositive feelings and increased self-esteem that our girls gain from theirnew language skills will serve them well and give them an edge as theycontinue their education both inside and outside of the classroom. ¡Viva el español! Vive le français! Hurray for World Languages!

DID YOU KNOW......in the Primary School, the Spanish girls greet the French teacher in French andthe French girls greet the Spanish teacher in Spanish?

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Sue Bosland, Head of SchoolOur World Language department guides students on an exciting pathway towards language fluency,

beginning with the Pre-Kindergarten students and continuing through the highest levels in the Upper

School program. We also value teaching languages to students in the context of their responsibilities

as citizens of our global community.

World languages have always been an integral part of Kent Place School’s academic program. Alumnae

often speak of their appreciation of the thorough preparation they received in languages while at Kent

Place and their interest in continuing their expertise in languages - both in fluency and in the pursuit

of learning additional languages - in college and beyond. We must continue to anticipate the evolving

needs of the greater international community in which our graduates will live and lead. Our strong and

dedicated World Language department will lead us into the future.

The Middle School world language classrooms are alive with multimediaactivities that both delight and instruct students. From podcasts to iMovies,technology supports our programs in a variety of creative ways. On a dailybasis, teachers and students use voice e-mails, podcasts, iMovies, DVDs, CDs,the Internet and blogs to communicate globally in different languages.

In my seventh grade French class, the girls made digital movies of Frenchperfume commercials to use during a multimedia fashion show. With videoand audio editing software applications such as iMovie and Garage Band,

they created their movies by writing scripts, producing podcasts for thesound portion of their project and crafting images for their film. Theirmovies were then projected onto a large screen during the fashion showfor all to see. And what did they wear? Les t-shirts of course! The girlsbegan with a simple white t-shirt that they transformed into a work of art in Mrs. Crater’s art class. While capturing one of the best-known andmost sophisticated parts of French culture, fashion, the girls learned to use language, art and technology to make their project memorable andmeaningful. Watch out, Chanel!

Art and world languages are often paired as interdisci-plinary subjects in the Middle School. During a study of the Impressionist movement, a period that changedthe way we look at landscapes by taking artists out oftheir studios and into plein air, Mademoiselle Loko hadher seventh grade class produce iMovies about thatinfluential time. This allowed her students to discoverperspectives on human nature. Combining history, artand language, her class gained important insights intoFrench language and culture supported by technology.

In fact, technology is a part of everyday life in Mlle. Loko’s classes. Voice e-mails allow the girls to commu-nicate and practice with both their teacher andclassmates. CDs, DVDs and the Internet bring theFrancophone world to Kent Place. As French is spoken all over the world, it is essential that the girls have access to websites from France, Haiti, Tahiti, Senegaland so many other places to understand the breadth of their study. During last year’s World Language Week, Mlle. Loko created an interactive website withnumerous links to global sites, in addition to personalwork from Middle School students.

In keeping with Kent Place’s commitment to sustainabilityand teaching the girls to be aware of our preciousresources, the Middle School Spanish program haselected to use an online textbook for a portion of their studies. The girls access their text online – they won’t have to carry their heavy books home! Theonline textbook also provides puzzles, games, practicetests, videos and downloadable audio files for their MP3 players and computers. They can listen to Spanisheverywhere they go! Our multimedia approach bringsresources closer to the students while teaching them the invaluable tools of navigating the Internet andconducting WebQuests, an inquiry-oriented lessonformat in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the Web. Their classwebsites link to numerous Spanish websites to broadentheir knowledge of other cultures or to simply findinformation written in the native language.

middle schoolFrom Blogs to iMovies: Integrating Technology into World Language Study

By Katharine G. MacCornack, PhD, Chair of the World Languages Department and Middle and Upper School French Teacher

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In a world where national boundaries were once an obstacle, theglobalization of our world through Internet technology has broadened our communication and work arenas. No longer isolated, we are nowpart of a global community. Today’s global workplace, with increasingrequirements of international travel and interactions with people from all around the world, is only the most obvious evidence that success now demands an international perspective. The study of a foreignlanguage is more than an academic advantage; it has become necessary.Students already travel the globe with the help of the Internet, but thisyear, the World Language department is thrilled to offer them, with theplanning assistance of outside tour companies, the opportunity to practicetheir language skills beyond the classroom with two international trips toQuebec and Mexico.

The teaching of foreign languages has varied in many ways in the pastdecades, from a traditional to a communicative approach. Yet, whateverpedagogical school of thought teachers abide by, we all agree that thebest way to promote the study of a language is to organize an interna-tional trip to the country where the target language is spoken. Thedestinations were selected for their relative ease of travel, the excitingscheduled tour activities and the reasonable cost. These educational toursnot only enhance the Middle School world language curriculum but alsosupport the school’s Accreditation for Growth (AFG) goal of increasingstudents’ global awareness while making interdisciplinary connections with history and the arts.

Voyageons à Quebec! The week-long trip to Quebec City is organized by French teacher Mlle. Loko. The students will spend seven days practicing what they havebeen learning in class during an excursion that offers a unique andinteractive approach to emphasize the French language on-site. In a verydirect way, this immersion approach allows the students to nurture theirinterest in the French language and Francophone culture. The itineraries,activities and challenging games and exercises are designed to engage thestudents and to help reinforce students’ desire and ability to communicatein a French-speaking environment.

Upon arrival, students will acquaint themselves with new surroundingsduring an orientation tour of the Old City of Quebec. The students willtake a fascinating walking tour of the fortified city, the Château Frontenac, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica and a visit of the Place Royale, along withother cultural excursions. The students will visit the Ice Hotel, one of two hotels of its kind in the world, and they will cross-country ski in the Duchesnay Forest. The group will learn about the natives’ way of life through visits, games and legends when, finally, the students willexperience the joys of winter at the Village des Sports, a special wintersports theme park.

¡Vamos a México! Organized by Spanish teacher Dr. Demo, the one-week tour of Mexicohas the theme of “Aztec and Mayan Treasures” and will provide studentsthe opportunity to learn more about Spanish language, Aztec and Mayanhistory and Mexican culture and ecology. The students will spend the first few days in Mexico City on guided tours of historic places such as theZócalo, the National Palace, the Templo Mayor, the National Museum of Anthropology, the shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Aztecpyramids at Teotihuacán. Then they will fly to the Yucatán Peninsula, where they will tour the colonial city of Mérida and try their hand atmaking tortillas with a Mayan family in Santa Elena. While on the YucatánPeninsula, the students will also visit the Mayan ruins at Uxmal and attend a light and sound show. Later they will have the opportunity to explore the ancient Mayan city of Chichén Itzá. On the last day, the students will experience a unique adventure at Xcaret, an eco-archeo-logical park, where they will explore regional wildlife and bewitness to the excitement of an ancient Mayan ball game and aperformance of the Ballet Folklórico.

Returning students are invited to share their photos, souvenirs and adventuresin their Spanish and French classes so that their fellow classmates can share in the travel-abroad experience. As part of these international trips, the students will gain a more global perspective and return home with agreater appreciation of their own culture as they explore new traditions and customs.

Dr. Demo’s Spanish classes use Quia, a Web-based tool that allowsteachers to create educational games, quizzes, surveys and class pages.Students design class websites and Spanish blogs that allow the girls to become leaders as they master the tools of technology and how to use them to be better learners. Dr. Demo also uses traditional gamessuch as Battleship and Concentration to exercise their speaking skills. This past summer, Dr. Demo received a Halsey grant to work on sixthgrade Spanish and differentiated learning. The results of his research have brought new uses of technological support to all of our MiddleSchool classrooms.

Mrs. Doyle’s Latin classes have found all sorts of innovative ways to use technology to support learning ancient languages. So much of Romehas remained secluded in the minds and speculations of scholars forcenturies. The Web has brought Rome to life with scientific discoveries in archaeology revealed through virtual tours, architectural models andstreaming movies. A new eighth grade elective on ancient mythologiesbrings the past to the present in part through technology. On one siteused in Latin class, students can see ruins as they are now and as theywere in Roman times. Perspectives were never clearer. The girls enjoyonline games to practice vocabulary. They listen to podcasts of readings to learn proper pronunciation. While the main communication in Latin isreading, speaking gives fluidity to both reading and translation. Alreadyproficient in PowerPoint, the girls give presentations to enhance theirlearning and practice public speaking and leadership skills. It may seemamazing that so modern a tool as computer technology brings us

the furthest back unraveling the mysteries of the past. The most excitingaspect of these phenomena is that the girls can be part of the process.

Our Middle School girls, in all three grades, are motivated, active learners.The state-of-the-art technology that our students are provided gives them every resource they need to discover, learn and be inspired. Theseare the qualities of an outstanding education that produces confident,capable leaders who can communicate globally.

Passports Please: Experiential Learning in the Middle SchoolBy Dr. Douglas Demo, Middle School Spanish Teacher, and Annabelle Loko, Middle School French Teacher

DID YOU KNOW......Señora Citarella has lived in Spain, Puerto Rico, the United States,Venezuela, England and Libya?

...Ms. Farshtey (Latin), Señora Senesky (Spanish) and Dr. MacCornack(French) are all AP graders for ETS (Educational Testing Service)?

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Dr. Ana-Maria AndradeMiddle & Upper School FrenchYears at KPS: 5

Josefina I. CitarellaUpper School SpanishYears at KPS: 22

Dr. Douglas DemoMiddle School SpanishYears at KPS: 2

Holly DoyleMiddle School LatinYears at KPS: 1

Elizabeth FarshteyUpper School LatinYears at KPS: 2

Dora GraggPrimary School SpanishYears at KPS: 10

Annabelle LokoMiddle & Upper SchoolFrenchYears at KPS: 4

Dr. Katharine G. MacCornackMiddle & Upper School FrenchDepartment ChairYears at KPS: 2

Francoise MoreauUpper School FrenchYears at KPS: 21

Linda SeneskyMiddle & Upper SchoolSpanishYears at KPS: 7

Barbara S. TejerinaPrimary School FrenchYears at KPS: 9

World Language Department

laptops for listening and speaking exercises as well as for writingcomponents of their courses. The ancient world is enhanced by technologythrough pertinent websites as students translate under the beloved andexpert guidance of Ms. Farshtey. Across the hallway, Señora Senesky has the AP Spanish class blogging about the authentic texts they are reading,thus engaging in the Hispanic world through technology. Dr. MacCornack’s

French class is reading a novel online using Project Gutenberg, an onlineproducer of free electronic books, which allows paperless capabilities and access to more resources. Mlle. Loko, who hails from both Benin and France, is teaching a variety of African, Creole, Canadian and othertexts in the Francophone literature and culture course.

These are the words of Upper School world language students makingconnections and using their knowledge gained at Kent Place outside theclassroom. Whether at a cultural event, at college or abroad traveling orstudying, our students find ways to use their linguistic skills and culturaland literary knowledge to enrich their lives intellectually.

Kent Place is indeed a multilingual community. Ourstudents of AP French and Spanish graduate withcollege-level fluency and the ability to communicateeffectively in the target language about currentevents, literature, culture, history, technology andmany other topics. Our Latin students can translateVergil and are ready to move on to advanced Latinclasses in college. A new course this year, Spanish V,teaches Hispanic culture, raising the students’ aware-ness and knowledge of the Hispanic world. Taught byDoctora Andrade, this course introduces students tofilm, literature and ideas from the Hispanic worldwith an emphasis on how different cultures affect ourNorth American location. A dynamic bulletin boardmade by this class provides discussion material forpassers-by every day, reminding us how our world,like language, evolves constantly. Students and facultyare often heard speaking in Spanish or French orquoting Cicero in the hallways. This multilingualismfosters an intellectual curiosity and maintains animpressive level of dialogue at Kent Place. As leadersin the school’s commitment to promote globalismon our campus, the World Language departmentsets the tone, raises the bar and “lights the way” inthe spirit of our maxim.

Our path begins, of course, with an innovativeprogram of study. In our modern language classes,students speak only the target language. Authenticmaterials such as newspaper articles, websites on the Internet, short stories, television and interviewswith native speakers from around the world chal-lenge the students to think in the target language, enrich their vocabulary and use their linguistic skills to discuss, analyze and understand other cultures. All our modern language courses havecompanion websites or e-texts that allow the girls to download audiofiles to their MP3 players or to their laptops. Our ninth and tenth graders enjoy projects on their tablet PCs, screen-sensitive computersdesigned to interact with a special pen, and all of our girls use their

upper schoolThe Wisdom of Language in the Upper SchoolBy Josefina I. Citarella, Upper School Spanish Teacher, and Katharine G. MacCornack, PhD, Chair of the World LanguagesDepartment and Middle and Upper School French Teacher

¡Este año estoy tomando un curso de literatura hispanoamericana en la universidad!Cet été j’étais l’interprète pour ma famille lors de notre voyage en France!I went to a play last night and there was Latin in it I could translate!

…MEET THE

(standing, l to r) Josefina Citarella, Ana-Maria Andrade, Francoise Moreau, Elizabeth Farshtey, HollyDoyle, Annabelle Loko, Linda Senesky, Douglas Demo; (seated, l to r) Dora Gragg, Barbara Tejerina and Katharine MacCornack

continued on page 7

Certifications, colleges, degrees: BA, French and political science (double major), Middlebury College,1982; MA, French studies, Brown University, 1984; PhD, French studies,Brown University, 1988; KPS since 2006.

What is your background? I began my career as a college professor for 10 years. I taught Frenchliterature and several world literature courses in English that werepart of a university-wide writing requirement. After that, I was theFrench team leader for Berlitz GlobalNet, where I was responsible for translations from English to French in the automotive division. We had four full-time translator/editors and 40 freelance editors.When the classroom called me back with a loud voice, I decided togo back to boarding school to teach, coach and live in a stronglearning community. While most of my background is in education, Imaintain a strong interest in translation. I’ve always been a reader,writer and translator.

What is your primary responsibility as the chair of the WorldLanguage department? The World Language department is somewhat unique in that it hasfaculty in Pre-Kindergarten through 12 who work closely together to foster a community of global awareness and language proficiencyat KPS. My primary responsibility is to ensure that faculty memberscontinue to maintain high standards and serve as leaders who intro-duce, guide and inspire our students through the cultures of the world.Since we live in a global community, our girls need to emerge fromtheir KPS experience as leaders already bilingual or even trilingual.

What classes do you teach? I teach two US French classes, one US Spanish class and one MSSpanish class this year. Last year, I taught French in both divisions and one MS Latin class on a temporary basis.

Why did you choose to work at Kent Place? Although new to KPS, I am not new to girls’ schools. I came to KPS for the opportunity to work with outstanding students in an ideal academic environment. The benefits of an all-girls’ school areimmeasurable, and I find that teaching girls is particularly rewardingfor teachers, as well. I was attracted to the challenge of leading theWorld Language department from the very early stages of languageacquisition to more advanced levels.

What do you enjoy most about your role? The combination of an all-girls’ school, exceptional students and acommitment to ethical behavior makes KPS an ideal place to learn. As a teacher, it is a privilege to be a part of a school whose studentsare poised to achieve lofty goals. No challenge is too great for a KPS girl! That makes the teacher’s task of passing on knowledge andguiding students to discovery easy to fulfill.

What has impressed you most about world language students? Our students are extremely motivated, are never afraid to make amistake (which is essential in learning a world language) and are eagerto obtain knowledge of other cultures and languages.

What is your favorite place to visit? That’s a very difficult question because I have traveled all over theworld and seen many beautiful places. Of course, I have to say thatmy heart is in Paris or maybe on the coast of Brittany or maybe inNew Zealand.

What’s an interesting fact or story about you that your studentswouldn’t know? When I was in high school, I spent my junior year in France.

Q&A

Opportunities throughout our program lead students in a variety ofdirections for further study. Many girls study abroad in the summer tohone their language skills and experience another culture first hand. Field trips take the girls to some of the many multicultural venues ourmetropolitan area has to offer. Last spring, Madame Moreau took her class to an authentic French café to enjoy a fine meal, speak the languageand experience the importance and thrill of la gastronomie française. Allworld language students have visited museums in New York to learnabout the arts of the ancient world, as well as modern Francophone and Hispanic worlds. Last winter, some Spanish students participated inthe Desfile del Día de los Reyes, a parade in New York City organized bythe Museo del Barrio for the public school children of Harlem. Musicianshave come to us to perform and meet with the girls during WorldLanguage Week in the spring. Last year, we had a griot from Senegal whoperformed native songs in French and Wolof accompanied by the cora, a stringed instrument made from a gourd. The Spanish students sang anddanced to traditional and popular songs from Latin America with a Cuban musical group discovered by Señora Citarella. The department’sphilosophy of using the target language as much as possible is based on

the theory that progress can best be made when girls speak and think in that language rather than try to translate.

As current brain research shows, girls all learn differently. The WorldLanguage department strives to meet the needs of all types of learners inthe classroom by using TPR (total physical response), visual learning, storytelling, pair and group activities for cooperative learning and all the toolstechnology has to offer for assessment, such as PowerPoint presentations,podcasts, voice e-mails, blogs, films and so much more. Our faculty sets a fine example for the girls by giving presentations at conferences andattending workshops in the field of world language instruction.

The most exciting aspect of the World Language department is that weare a learning community growing with the world around us. In keepingwith Kent Place School’s AFG goal of encouraging a global perspective,our students and faculty engage in dialogue in multiple languages, acrossmany cultures, in the spirit of ethical leadership through understanding,tolerance and knowledge. We believe that enlightened sapientia – orwisdom – begins with education without borders.

DID YOU KNOW......last year, 36 students achieved State or National Recognition on the National Latin, National Spanish and National French exams?

...8 out of 18 songs were sung in French, German, Latin and Hebrewat this year’s STAR holiday concert?

with Katharine G. MacCornackPhD, Chair of the World Language Department and Middle and Upper School French Teacher

Voya

gerLatin is a language,

as dead as dead can be. It killed off all the Romans, and now it’s killing me.– traditional student poem

Why study a dead language? After all, while you can go to Rome, youaren’t likely to meet too many Latin speakers there.You can’t find anygood TV programs in Latin, no matter how many cable stations you get.Aside from a professor in Finland recording Elvis songs in Latin and theoccasional Gregorian chant, there isn’t much in the area of music. Andwhile there are some people out there blogging in Latin, they aren’t really saying anything worth reading. So, why do students study Latin?

“In spite of what some may think,” says AP Latin student and juniorKatharine Cummins. “Latin is not a dead language. It is very much alive in many words used daily around the world.” Since Latin is the basis forthe Romance languages (including French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese),knowing Latin can help learn other languages. A large percentage ofEnglish words are based on Latin, not to mention the many words andphrases used in English that are taken straight from Latin. “I find itexciting when I come across a Latin phrase during a regular day, especiallywhen I am the only person who can understand its meaning,” says seniorAllison Oberlander, an AP Latin student.

At Kent Place, all students take a semester of Latin in seventh grade andthen can opt to take Latin I in the eighth grade or start it in the UpperSchool. The courses go up to Latin V, with two AP courses offered inalternating years. By the end of Latin II, students are already reading worksby ancient authors. Because Latin is not a spoken language, we have moretime to focus on literature and history, even in the lower levels of thelanguage. We read great literary works, written by people who helpedshape the Western world, including authors such as Cicero, Vergil andOvid, upon whose works much of European and American literature isbased. In a world where things change so quickly, it is heartening to beable to study ideas and beliefs that have stood the test of time. It’s also a little surprising to realize how little people have really changed in the last 2,000 years.

What actually goes on in a Latin class? Reading, vocabulary games, story-writing, the occasional puppet show and discussion. “I enjoy Latin classbecause it is truly discussion based,” says senior Kaitlin Weinman. “Thecasual learning environment makes it much easier for me to ask questionsand really learn the material. I also love learning about the people andculture of the times when the language was spoken.” And we dotranslating, of course. Lots of translating.

So, why do students study Latin? While the language might be dead, the love for Latin is alive and well!

Latin Lives On at Kent PlaceBy Elizabeth Farshtey, Upper School Latin Teacher

Keep Up Your W

orld Language

Skills

Language skills hel

p keep the brain in

shape.

Here are some tips!

� 1. Travel abroad. U

se your next famil

y vacation to

brush up on your

language skills.

� 2. Watch TV pro

grams in the targ

et language (soap

operas, news broa

dcasts, commercia

ls, etc.).

� 3. Watch foreign

films (or turn on

foreign language

captions on your

TV or DVDs).

� 4. Read magazin

es, newspapers o

r websites in the

target language.

� 5. Borrow audiot

apes, instructional

or books on

tape from your loc

al library.

� 6. Take a refresh

er course at your

local college,

language institute

or adult school.

� 7. Listen to mus

ic and attend the

ater performance

s,

poetry readings,

etc.

� 8. Contact the e

mbassy/consulate

and see what

cultural events the

y are sponsoring.

� 9. Get a languag

e partner and pra

ctice together.

�10. Welcome a

study abroad/exc

hange student

into your home.

My experience in Segovia, Spain, with the El Instituto San Pedro program, was so differentfrom anything else I have ever done. Though I had been far away from home before, I now had to adapt to the constraints of speaking in a language that I was still in the midst of learning. Being in an environment with very restricted use of English made me open up and take chances with the language, which, as a result, greatly improved my Spanish. — Jacqueline O’Neill ’09

90

90

This summer I was fortunate en

ough to go to France for a month with

The Experiment in Internationa

l Living on their Capturing Fran

ce on Film

program. We spent three days in Paris for o

rientation, two weeks in a

little town near Marseilles for the home stay, and

then about another

week and a half in Paris for the

photography class. It was a ph

enomenal

experience and I am a much more confident Fr

ench speaker because of it.

I felt more comfortable with the language than many people in my group

because of the small size of my own French classes

at Kent Place and the

very strict French-only policy t

hat is enforced in them. My host family

was wonderful and very welcom

ing. The parents had emigrated from Tog

o

to Southern France, which gave me the

opportunity to observe not only

French but also African culture.

After two weeks I returned to P

aris with

my group for the photo class. At f

irst it was challenging because o

ur

photography instructor spoke ve

ry little English but as we got in

to our

projects it became easier. At the e

nd of the class we were expected

to

creatively display our work on s

pace allotted to us in a gallery a

nd

present it to other French photo

graphers. I volunteered to write the

presentation and say it in Frenc

h. I was extremely nervous but t

he

Experiment’s correspondent in P

aris happened by and helped que

ll my

fears. I gave the presentation in

front of five other photo group

s and

their teachers with what I hope was g

race.

– Jessica Myers ’09Segovia, Spain

Jacqueline outside her “home” in Segovia, Spain

My heart belongs to France, where I was born, and to the United States,where I have spent most of my adult life. I miss France, but I feel luckybecause I can transport myself back to France every time I teach. I lovesharing everything I know and feel about my beloved country. Since my first day teaching French at Kent Place, 21 years ago, my French family and friends have helped me collect little bits of French culture to share with my students: miniature houses, monuments, Notre Dame gargoyles,cheese boxes, posters of Francophone countries and even a can full of Paris air. Bringing the Francophone culture to life makes learning Frenchmeaningful. Accordingly, my classroom is a microcosm of France, repletewith eye-catching pictures of Paris and three-dimensional Eiffel Towersranging in size from a three-inch pencil sharpener to a five-foot blue replica. During the last grey month of winter, hundreds of pink and redhearts cover the walls. Each student cuts, decorates and writes messages on scores of hearts celebrating la fête de l’amour, Valentine’s Day.

But teaching French requires special methods for immersing students in the culture. We, of course, accomplish this through readings, movies andprojects on the numerous countries using la langue de Molière. However,accentuating the “smaller things” on a daily basis is what makes teaching the French culture unique, for example, writing French numbers differentlywith a horizontal bar through the 7– and using a period, not a comma, to show decimals. Also, dates are written with the day followed by themonth as 12/9/07 (September 12, not December 9).

Vive la différence! By Francoise Moreau, Upper School French Teacher

continued on page 10

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SAVE THE DATE

SpeakersSeries

THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 20087:30 P.M.

Actress and Emmy Award-winning Writer

Sonia ManzanoA pioneer in the breakthrough of Latinas into the

growing field of children’s television, Sonia has played “Maria” on Sesame Street for over 30 years.

More significantly, the French language is rife with sexism, reflecting the fact that France remains a patriarchal society. Nouns have a masculine or a feminine gender, but many professions only have a masculine form(un auteur = a writer). Like the rest of society, however, the Frenchlanguage is fluid and ever-changing, albeit slowly. Professions increasinglyhave a feminine form, but the grammar itself is another matter, remainingmore change-resistant. To refer to a thousand women and a single man,we are grammatically obliged to use ils, the masculine pronoun, ratherthan the feminine pronoun, elles. I tell my students that they can rebeland use elles in that case; after all, this is Kent Place, a women’s institution,and a little dose of feminism will do no harm. When I taught French I, one of my students’ first tasks was to put blue ribbons on masculineobjects and pink ribbons on feminine objects in the classroom to learnthat a chair was a “she-chair” in French and a desk a “he-desk.” Also, inFrench, there is no Ms.: a woman has to be a Mademoiselle (Miss) orMadame (Mrs.). No escaping gender inequality in France – everybodyknows a woman’s marital status! But not the French man, who is always a Monsieur (Mr.), single or married.

And how does Madame enjoy Monsieur’s company? They share a goodmeal, of course. Since food is woven into the fabric of French society, it figures prominently in my class. We eat the traditional Epiphany cake in January and crêpes for Mardi Gras. At a picnic, we eat one course at a time, starting with an appetizer, then the main course followed by aselection of cheeses and desserts. There are at least 365 kinds of cheese in France, one for each day of the year, and cheese has to be cutappropriately according to its shape.

To return to an earlier theme, I feel fortunate to have a profession thatdraws on knowledge and memories of the country and people I love. I love the United States, where I have been living most of my adult life,but I will always treasure my French roots. My friends tease me, sayingthat I will never lose my strong accent because I want people to knowthat I am French! Each morning, as I enter my classroom, my eyes fix on a special poster of Auxerre, in northern Burgundy, where I was born.That sight inspires me to share with my students everything that makesmy culture so special and dear to my heart.

The following student pieces are reprinted from the 2007 issue of Dichos, the Upper School World Language literary magazine.

Quand pendant la nuit j’ai peur, Je rêve, je rêve des fleurs. Ils brillent dans le champs,

Je danse dans les champs avec un amour, Pour tous les jours.

Soudainement, je suis dans ma vrai vie, Je dois lever de mon litre

Je ne peux pas vive sans mes rêves.

When during the night, I am scared, I dream, I dream of flowers. The shine in the field, Too many to count.

I dance in the field with a love, For all the days.

Suddenly, I am in my real life, I must get up from my bed

I cannot live without my dreams.

– Hallie Mitnick ’08

✻✻✻✻✻

Gelidum Caelum Liquefacit ad atrum Orbum Terrarum

The icy sky Liquifies the dark

Earth

– Nicole Coscolluela ’09

✻✻✻✻✻

Un Dragón No Podía Parar el AmorEráse una vez había una muchacha que se llamaba María. María estabaenamorada de su novio que se llamaba Pablo. Un día, María y Pablo

decidieron a pasear en bote. Ellos querían ir de pesca porque necesitabancoger un pez para la cena. María y Pablo pescaron muchas horas y nocogieron nada. Ellos se pusieron deslentados pero de repente Pablo sentíaque el poste de pesca se movía. Pablo agarró un pecito. Ellos estaban muyfelices y querían llegar a su casa. De repente, un dragón saltó del agua y leagarró a María. Pablo se puso enojado y le golpeó al dragón con el pecito.El pez estorbó la visión del dragón y él se cayó al agua. Pablo le salvó a

María y perdió la cena en vez de preparar la cena.

A Dragon Could Not Stop Love There once was a girl who was named Maria. Maria was in love with herboyfriend Pablo. One day Maria and Pablo decided to go sailing. Theywanted to go fishing because they needed fish for dinner. They fished forhours but did not catch anything. They were disappointed, but suddenly feltsomething. The fishing pole was moving. Pablo caught a little fish. They werevery happy and wanted to get home. All of a sudden, a dragon jumped outof the water and grabbed Maria. Pablo became angry and hit the dragonwith the fish. The fish blocked the dragon’s vision and he fell into the water.

Pablo saved Maria but lost his dinner.

– Hillary Penek ’08

DID YOU KNOW......Dichos, the Upper School WorldLanguage literary magazine, was originally called Mirabile Dictu?

...the World Language SpecialAchievement Award is given to astudent who excels in two languages?

...during Class Night, the Beverly JeanneWelsh Prize in French is awarded to a student in recognition of herachievements in French?

Professional Development & Discovery

Monday, June 18, 2007Sun Village

A Journey to ChinaExcerpted Blog by Susan Crater, Middle School Art and Women’s Life Studies Teacher

On June 14, 2007, a delegation of faculty representatives from NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) girls’ schools traveled to Chinato participate in a conference on establishing school partnerships and identifying curricular themes. Our Kent Place Middle School art and women’slife studies teacher Sue Crater took part in this special voyage.

Mrs. Crater set up a blog so that the Kent Place community could participate in her journey. The following are trip highlights from her humorous, yetinformative, China blog.

Mao said that the children are China’s future. Madame Zhang, who began Sun Village 13 years ago, firmly believesthis. The Sun Village houses about 150 children ranging from 4 weeks old to 18. These children are brought to thevillage because one of their parents is incarcerated and the other is either not living or not able to take care of the child. Sun Village is composed of several dormitory-style buildings, classrooms, a cafeteria and a multi-purposeroom. It reminded us of a boarding school. Mother Zhang, as the little ones call her, or Grandmother Zhang, asshe’s known to her graduates, is a 59-year-old powerhouse. I don’t doubt for a minute that this woman canaccomplish anything.

The kids are educated in the local village, so they must go offsite for their education. Mme. Zhang believes thatthese kids are going to have a hard life, so she says they are not spoiled. However, you’d never guess that by theway the little ones are coddled and attended to by volunteers and older children. They were adorable, loved the attention and loved the Kent Place bracelets I handed out. I signed an official book and listed the rest of the donations I brought from KPS.

A child from Sun Village wearing a KPSbracelet.


Thursday, June 21, 2007Shanghai

We arrived in Shanghai and went directly to Aurora High School. Olivia and Catherine, two amazing 17-year-oldgirls, treated me to a guided tour. After the tour, we drove to the hotel, checked in and went to dinner. So, youhave to imagine, 15 people + 4 taxis + no ability to communicate in Chinese = a potentially unpredictableoutcome. But the doorman gave the taxi driver instructions for how to get to the destination, so we felt fairly surethat we’d all meet at the restaurant.

The views from our private dining room were astounding. Shanghai is the most incredible city I’ve ever visited.Imagine Times Square. Imagine a river. Imagine colonial (European) architecture from the turn of the century.Imagine modern asymmetrical skyscrapers. Imagine a floating movie screen. The view rivaled the food (which wasbeautiful and delicious). After dinner we walked along the river. The sides of the building were composed of giantTV screens showing scenes from nature and reproductions of old masters’ paintings! People were everywhere –selling things, advertising attractions along the river or just people watching.

Mrs. Crater’s tour guides, Catherine and Olivia, from Aurora High School inShanghai.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007The Hu Tong

Today’s visits were clear examples of how similar and how different kids are around the world. Pre-conceivednotions were shattered, faith in humanity was restored and I was treated to an amazing experience.

Middle school students escorted us through the Hu Tong district. They were from a level one English class at the Deng Xiaopin Middle School. This correlates to eighth grade in the United States, as the students were all about 13 years old. The morning began with introductions and demonstrations. Some of the girls were dressed in regional costumes and presented examples of Chinese art and culture. We participated in a tea ceremony, were given goodies and taught how to make a special kind of origami wishing star. Theysuggested that I write a wish on the inside of my paper. Perhaps a wish for my students?

After the demonstrations, it was time for a tour of the Hu Tong district. Four boys escorted me as I walked around the district for about an hour. The buildings date back several hundred years – the area is very old and very crowded. The neighborhood is busy and thriving. Little shops and restaurants line the streets.”Hu tong” is a Mongolian word meaning water well. We visited the imperial seal maker and his wife, daughter and granddaughter. The boys giggled and laughed. I asked questions about their favorite movies, what they do after school, if they playsports - all the usual questions. The boys watch Friends, loved Ocean’s Eleven and wanted to know if I “knew” Prison Break. After school they have snacks, watch TV, play video games and go on the Internet. Sound familiar? In many ways, these kids were just like any other adolescent boys. The striking difference between these boys and our students is that none of these kids have siblings. China’s one-child policy has created an entire generationof children without siblings.

Two middle school girls from the DengXizoping School.

Mrs. Crater was presented with a bannerthat states, “beautiful flying bird.”

Mrs. Crater and NAIS members with the imperial seal carver and their middle school guides in the Hu Tong.

continued on page 12

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News & Views

Kent Place School has recently chosen AVI Fresh to be its new diningservices partner. It is our goal at AVI Fresh to continually strive for the health,education and well-being of every one of Kent Place School’s students. Weprovide a variety of freshly prepared selections so that students have healthy,well-rounded options for their meals. We also aim to educate students onthe choices they make when it comes to what they eat.

AVI Foodsystems, Inc., headquartered in Warren, OH, is a Women’s BusinessEnterprise-certified and family-owned and -operated company. AVI ispresently the largest family-owned dining services company in the country.We proudly serve many premier institutions, such as the Cleveland ClinicHealth System, Kenyon College, Mount Union College and 14 other colleges and universities, as well as private prep schools and public schooldistricts in nine states.

At Kent Place School, you can already see the transformation that AVI Fresh,a division of AVI Foodsystems, has implemented over the past few months.The newly renovated servery that features AVI’s food-focused Galleriaprogram and a new management team are just some of the changes thathave already taken place. As we proceed, we hope to bring sustainability to campus by focusing on providing food produced by local farmers,instituting a composting program, but most importantly maintaining a freshfood focus at Kent Place School.

At AVI Fresh, we create our menus based on seasonal and regional harvests.In choosing to buy the freshest foods available from local farmers and

producers, we provide sup-port for the local economywhile reducing the pollutioncaused by trucking productslong distances.

Good, healthful nutrition is key to our program and because of itsimportance, we have developed a nutritional program called “nutriSOURCE”that has been implemented at Kent Place School. It consists of many facets,such as “nutriDATA” – a recipe book that contains nutritional informationaccessible to every AVI servery; “nutriFACTS” – the basic nutritionalinformation of the daily menu that is readily made available for every students access; “nutriBITS” – fun facts that are displayed throughout theservery; “nutriHEALTH” – a series of information-oriented nutritional posters to help educated students on healthier ways of eating.

Be sure to visit our website for more information on this program atwww.avifresh.com and select NutriSOURCE.

When it comes to serving fresh food to our family of customers, we never compromise. We pride ourselves in giving our managers and culinarians total flexibility and autonomy to do what is best for the Kent Place School campus community. We would like to warmly introduce Tom Ferrara as your general manager of culinary operations. AVI Fresh looks forward to celebrating the “Art of Culinary” at Kent Place School for many years to come.

A Perfect Pair:New Food Service Arrives at Kent Place

By Danielle Martin, AVI Foodsystems, Inc.

Spring Fling • Saturday, April 26, 2008A huge wave of fun is about to hit the Kent Place campus as theentire community gathers in the Field House to be entertainedby “The Party Dolls” and savor wonderful food served byLaurence Craig Catering. What a great way to celebrate ourcommitment and ongoing support of Kent Place School. Welook forward to seeing you there!

Jean Frankel, Chair • [email protected]


We took a calligraphy class to learn how to write some characters, and we practiced writing our names and theword teacher. Often, one of our guide’s assistants would ask, “What is this?” When we’d try to explain, they wouldchide us gently and tell us that our mark was not a Chinese character.

Bike Ride In the afternoon, we took a bike ride around the city’s old wall. Built during the Ming Dynasty, it’s 10 miles fromstart to finish. We rented bikes and rode all around the perimeter. At one point we sang songs from The Sound of Music as we rode. Just imagine my group biking on no-speed clunkers singing at the top of our lungs. I had ablast! From the top of the wall, we were able to see groups of people outside the wall, in the shade (it was 95degrees) eating, playing mah-jongg, chatting and watching something we thought looked a lot like Shakespeare in the Park. We were able to see into some old Xian neighborhoods. We watched a woman water her plants in the window of her apartment, watched people hanging laundry and cooking dinner and finally saw some childrenout and about.

Want to read more? Visit Mrs. Crater’s blog at http://suecraterchina.blogspot.com.

An opportunity to learn calligraphy.

Saturday, June 23, 2007XIAN Stone Tablet Museum

A bike ride on the ancient wall of Xian.

KPS:A Green-Minded School

by James Palmieri, Assistant to Operations & AthleticsFall Season HighlightsUpper School AcademicAchievements

2007-2008 Advanced Placement ScholarsNational Scholar Ilya Sabnani ’07

AP Scholar with Distinction Nida Abdulla ’07, Linda Chang ’08, Shamayne Cumberbatch ’07,Isabelle Fabian ’07, Maria Feitel ’07, Rebecca Fish ’07, Emily Gadsden ’07, Alexandra Gakos ’07, Amanda Klinger ’07,Laura Lane ’07, Stephanie Liff ’07, Emily McCormick ’07, Atlee Melillo ’07, Mary Moseley ’07, Laura Newcomb ’07, Marian O’Neill ’07,Victoria Rolandelli ’07, Ilya Sabnani ’07, Devin Walsh ’07, Bethany Warshaw ’07 and Lauren Zajac ’07

AP Scholar with HonorAdrienne Cohen ’08, Emily Doto ’07, Eliza Haburay-Herrling ’08,Leah Haynesworth ’07, Meredith LaRose ’08, Ellen McMahon ’08,Hallie Mitnick ’08, Veena Putcha ’07, Sonia Saenz ’08, Sara Santos’07,Anna Simpson ’07 and Alexandra Stathis ’07

AP ScholarsAlexa Biale ’08, Caitlin Black ’07, Lauren Brown ’08, KhemiCooper ’07, Kerry Criss ’08, Erica Cullum ’07, Katherine Gagnon ’07, Christin Hanley ’07, Rachel Harrison-Gordon ’08, Nadia James ’07,Elizabeth Kennedy ’08, Cynthia McKelvey ’07, Kyla McMillan ’07,Molly Jean Molendyke ’07, Catherine Newcomb ’08, Allison Oberlander ’08, Christine Odenath ’08, Lauren Ortner ’08,Francesca Pazniokas ’07, Kendall Peck ’08, Helen Roll ’08, Jillian Sauchelli ’07, Pauline Shypula ’08, Olivia Smith ’08, Lia Trangucci ’08, Jachelé Velez ’07 and Katherine Woodall ’08

2008 National Merit Scholarship Program Commended StudentsPaige Beaumont ’08, Lauren Brown ’08, Linda Chang ’08, KerryCriss ’08, Eliza Haburay-Herrling ’08, Meredith LaRose ’08, PetraLesser ’08, Hallie Mitnick ’08, Helen Roll ’08, Olivia Smith ’08 andKatherine Woodall ’08

2008 National Achievement Scholarship CompetitionSemi-FinalistsCassandra Chang ’08, Kristina Felder ’08 and Olivia Smith ’08

Participants Referred to Colleges and UniversitiesRachel Harrison-Gordon ’08, Kesi Irvin ’08 and Ashley Jobe ’08

2008 Edward J. Bloustein ScholarsLinda Chang ’08, Adrienne Cohen ’08, Kerry Criss ’08, MeredithLaRose ’08 and Hallie Mitnick ’08

“We are so proud of the accomplishments ofthese scholars and the hard work it takes

to attain such honor. All of our girls are committed to being strong students.

Getting recognition from national organizationsvalidates their commitment to learning

and inspires continued learning,”

– Elizabeth Woodall, Director of the Upper School

Kent Place School has contracted with wind energy marketer and developer Community Energy Inc. (CEI) to purchase enough wind energy to offset 100 percent of the school’s electric usage. This is the most recent development in Kent Place’s initiative to become a greener school community. With no fuel costs and no pollution, wind energytechnology is the fastest-growing electric generation source

CEI’s innovative business model will put our energy dollars to work,stimulating new markets and supplying new wind power generation ahead of the rapidly growing demand. As more wind energy is added to the electric grid, fewer conventional forms of energy are used, resulting in cleaner air and a healthier environment.

In doing this, Kent Place has gone above and beyond the necessarypercentage of renewable energy that is required of organizations toreceive points towards LEED (Leadership in Energy and EnvironmentalDesign) certification for the new Academic Center.

“The Kent Place School community is proud to help lead the way towards sustainable energy sources,” said Head of School Sue Bosland. “We recognize the importance and value of a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and are pleased that our day-to-dayoperations are now being powered by clean, renewable energy.”

How It WorksImagine the electric grid as a giant bathtub being filled with electricity from many different faucets. Each faucet is a different generation source, such as nuclear, coal and wind. Every time you turn on a lightswitch, you drain a little electricity from the tub.

Although buying wind does not mean that electricity is being deliveredstraight from the windmill to our school, it does mean that more electricity being put into the grid comes from wind rather than othergeneration sources. By purchasing wind energy, Kent Place School isreducing the need to generate electricity from other fossil fuel sources like oil and coal. The wind energy we support is delivered directly into the electric grid, and as more customers sign up for wind energy, morewind farms will be built.

The Recognition Certificate from Community Energy reads: Kent Place School has purchased enough wind energy to offset 100 percent of its electric usage. 1,100,000 kilowatt-hours of wind-generated electricity will enter the regional and national grids on behalf of Kent Place School.

This purchase makes a difference for the environment and promotes our nation’s energy independence. The estimated environmental benefit is equivalent to planting over 600 acres of trees or not driving over 101 million miles.

Wind energy is clean, safe and pollution-free and is supplied by leadingwind energy marketer & developer, Community Energy, Inc.

Congratulations to the entire KPS Community!

In keeping with Kent Place’s desire to become moresustainable, Voyager is printed with 100% renewable energy.

Our printing company is also certified by Green-e and FSC organizations.

printed with 100% renewable energy

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Early Childhood Education:We Take Playtime Seriously

By Kassandra Hayes, Director of Early Childhood

For more than 20 years, Kent Place School has welcomed children at the early ageof 3 into its rich learning environment. Today, Kent Place School remains one of thefew independent schools leading innovative early childhood programs for childrenin Nursery, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten.

The early childhood curriculum balances the teaching of social skills and academicreadiness. We are just as intentional in teaching the three R’s as we are in teachingchildren problem-solving skills. Boys and girls, for example, learn to trust people, liketeachers, outside of their homes. They also learn how to share and take turns, howto enter play with a group of friends and how to express themselves in small andlarge groups. We believe these foundational skills contribute to the development of students who are confident and able to think critically.

How does this work? We believe play is the canvas upon which young childrenconstruct meaning. David Elkind, author of The Power of Play: How SpontaneousImaginative Activities Lead to Happier and Healthier Children, says, “Children’squestions are a form of mastery play. In asking questions, children are creatingtheir own learning experiences.” In the Kent Place Early Childhood program,children get ample time for discovery and outdoor playtime. During choice time,children explore materials in various centers. Nearby, you’ll also find a team ofobservant teachers providing guidance to these young learners to help themthink critically and make sense of the world around them. While it may look likemere play, a closer look reveals rich learning taking place.You’ll find students inthe math center sorting and counting teddy bears. In the dramatic play center,children build language skills and use their imaginations.You’ll also find children inthe science center classifying objects. Children learn to use their five sensesthrough observations and experimentations. Throughout the day, children makeinferences and draw conclusions.

We believe the push to provide more academics in the early years should notcome at the expense of teaching foundational skills such as problem solving andself-reliance.

Additional resources that provide more insight on balancing social and academic skillsin early childhood include:

• Einstein Never Used Flashcards: How Our Children Really Learn - And Why TheyNeed to Play More and Memorize Less by Roberta Michnick Golinkoff, KathyHirsch-Pasek and Diane Eyer.

• Play = Learning: How Play Motivates and Enhances Children’s Cognitive and Social-Emotional Growth by Dorothy G. Singer, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff and KathyHirsch-Pasek.

• The Power of Play: How Spontaneous Imaginative Activities Lead to Happier andHealthier Children by David Elkind

• Playing to Get Smart by Elizabeth Jones and Renatta Cooper

13TH ANNUAL

Girls’ Leadership Institute

OPEN HOUSE • THURSDAY APRIL 3, 2008

JULY 27-31, 2008

KENT PLACE SCHOOL SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY

HAVE A V I S ION TAKE R I SKS MAKE DEC I S IONS GET ORGANIZED RE SOLVE CONFL ICTS S ET GOALS

For more information visit www.kentplace.org or call (908) 273-0900, ext. 266

Upper School Fall Play: Anton in Show Business By Jane Martin

Pauline Shypula ’08, Rebecca McCarthy ’10, Emily Ciavarella ’09, Olivia Norrmen-Smith ’09, Elizabeth Ziebarth ’10, Emily Balzano ’08, Chelsea Frankel ’10 and Emily Sannini ’10

Julia Sann ’09 and Chelsea Frankel ’10 Emily Balzano ’08

Olivia Smith ’08 Rebecca McCarthy ’10 Pauline Shypula ’08 with full cast

Jessica Myers ’09

Emily Ciavarella ’09Julia Sann ’09 and Claire Austin ’08

Seventh Grade Fall Play: Sleepaway By Robert Pridham

Cast

Kristen Cotter

Kai Holder Amanda Greenberg Kristen Cannon and cast

Gabriela Arias, Kai Holder, Rebecca Flitcroft andCaroline McDermott

Jordan CobbCarter Meyer and Shayna Gleason

Voya

ger

Grandparents and Special Friends Day & Primary Book Fair

Special friends Jan Kowalski and Helena Kowalska with fourthgrader Karolina Shepanzyk

Kindergartener Alice Adams shows grandmother ShirleyAdams her drawings from class.

Fourth grader Olivia Reiter withgrandfather Stanley Moore

Kindergartener Zoe Ralph and herspecial friend Carol London pick out abook at the Primary School Book Fair.

Second grader Tess Ostroff with grandparents Esti Rosenblum and Myra and Stanley Ostroff

Fifth grader Alexa Corey and grandfather Robert Christian

Fourth grader Alyssa Hwang with special friendAngela Lee

Second grader Caroline Shea with grandparentsThomas and Sheila Labrecque

Nursery student Kendall Blundin with grandparents Dick and Sallie Strouce

Special friends Mukesh Kumar and Jing Xie with second grader Veda Kumar

First grader Colleen McAloon with grandmotherEileen Hughes

The Kindergarten “butterfly” class shows off its work to grandparentsand special friends.

Fifth grader Katherine Steffens shares time withclassmate Campbell Holman’s special friend, Marcia Britton.

The Primary School Book Fair celebrates thetheme “Neighborhoods Rule.”

Kindergartener Catherine Pothier with specialfriend Cheryl Harpel

Guest author DyAnne DiSalvo signs books for students and grandparents at the Primary School Book Fair.

The Chamber Dancers perform for students, faculty, grand-parents and specials friends at the Thanksgiving Assembly.

Fifth grader Charlotte Cook with grandmotherLydia Vergara

For more information visit www.kentplace.org or call (908) 273-0900, ext. 272

The Star 2007

Seniors Kendall Peck, Katherine Woodall, Danielle Graddick andJustine Kay perform in their final STAR as students.

Lauren Brown ’08

Helen Roll ’08 and Paige Franklin ’08 check over the program whilegetting ready.

Suzanne Brown ’10 and Callie Deddens ’10

The STAR Maya Smith ’10 and Megan Malloy ’10

summer explorations

2008 AT KENT PLACE

June 16 through August 15OPEN HOUSE: Saturday • March 29, 2008 • 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

June Fun Summer Express Summer Start-up Pre-K Camp Junior Camp Day CampSports Camps Passport Program Creative Arts Workshop Afternoon Sports Excel Success for Girls Extended Care

summer explorations

Chair of the Music Department Warren Brown speaks to the audienceat the end of the performance.

Kent Place School42 Norwood AvenueSummit, NJ 07902-0308www.kentplace.org

VoyagerWINTER 2008

Voyager CreditsEditorRachel Naggar, Director of Communications

Professional Photography Alex Cena

ContributorsGayle AllenRyan LaMountain

DesignAbbie Moore Design

PrintingGraphic Concepts

Comments about Voyager should be directed to the editor at (908) 273-0900, ext. 217 or [email protected]

voyager 2008

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