December 2010/January 2011 Doane Academy eNewsletter "Write Onward"

The Upper School is excited to announce this year's Spring Musical selection: Bugsy Malone. In this adaptation of the hit film that catapulted a young Jodie Foster into stardom, the Upper School cast will play Prohibition-era mobsters in this tongue-in-cheek tribute to the 1920's gangster flick.

The school is also excited to welcome newly appointed Producing and Artistic Director and Doane Parent Christine Peltz. Mrs. Peltz brings 20 years of community and semi-professional theater experience in both acting and directing to our program. She is also a founding and active member of the Collaborative Act Studio out of the Ritz Theater in Haddon Township. With tryouts complete and the cast selected, the cast and crew have settled into a rigorous rehearsal schedule. We look forward to the March performance and know that Mrs. Peltz, the cast and crew will deliver an unforgettable Spring Musical.

Math, Science and Engineering Fair

April 7

All of Lower School will be participating and Upper School student participation is voluntary. Don't think Upper School will go home early though. One-third of Upper School students are members of the Engineering Club, a sign that Doane is well on its way to achieving its goal of increasing enthusiasm and interest in math and science.

Service Trip to Guatemala

April 16-23

Spanish teacher, Ms. Alyssa Jerdon, will guide a group of 10 Junior and Senior Spartans on a Service Trip to Guatemala this spring break. Ms.Jerdon has taken seven trips herself through the Chicago-based non-profit Hearts in Motion. The students will carry out service projects at orphanages, nutrition centers and day cares in the city of Zacapa, two hours south of the border with Honduras. Zacapa still suffers from the after effects of Guatemala's civil war (1960-1996) and poverty is common. The total cost of the trip is expected to be approximately $1,700 all-inclusive and only students ages 16 and up who are currently studying Spanish were eligible to participate.

"The life changing aspect of the service project is as important as the language part of it," Ms. Jerdon said.

HIGHLIGHTED UPCOMING EVENT

MLK Day of Serivce

January 17

Martin Luther King Day is Monday, January 17 but once again it is no day off for Doane Academy. Groups of students and faculty will deploy to clean-up operations and volunteer at soup kitchens. Sites and partners for 2011 include the Palmyra Nature Cove, the Masonic Home in Burlington Township and the Easter Seals. Though the day of service is voluntary, faculty organizers, Mrs. Ginny Miller (Kindergarten) and Mr. John Corra (Computers), are hoping to get even better participation than in 2010 when about 75 percent of Upper School students and a handful of hearty Lower Schoolers went to work.

"The Goal is to get everyone to do at least one community service activity per year," Mr. Corra said. Most students participate in more than one event. If not the MLK Day of Service there are numerous blood drives (one in the fall collected 40 pints, the Doane record is 80) and opportunities to help Special Olympics, including an event on January 31^st. "We've got it going pretty well so far," Mr. Corra said.

The MLK Day of Service begins with an 8:30am service in the Chapel. Everyone is welcome to attend.

DOANE ANNOUNCES THE REFURBISHMENT OF THE CHAPEL ORGAN

The grand pipe organ in the Chapel of the Holy Innocents will be leaving its perch soon for a long overdue clearing and restoration. Moving the organ will allow for a wider cleaning and renovation of the chapel itself. Jack Collins, brother of Trustee Alice Fisk '61, has committed half of the $102,000 cost for the project. With previous donations taken into account, there is another 40 percent yet to be raised. The chapel restorations will be conducted by existing Doane Academy staff as much as possible.

CLASS OF 2011 COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES

(as January 7, 2011)

Albright College

Alvernia University

Baylor University

Caldwell College

Castleton College

College of MountSaint Vincent

DeSales University (4)

Drexel University (2)

East Stroudsburg University

Felician College

Hofstra University

Holy Family University

Immaculata University (4)

Juniata College

LaSalle University

McDaniel College

Moravian College (2)

Quinnipac University

Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design

Rowan University

Rutgers University

Saint Joseph's University (2)

Saint Peter's College

Seton Hall University

Susquehanna University

The Catholic University

of America

Tyler School of Art/

Temple University

United States

Air Force Academy

West Virginia University Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Students in the News

Second Grader Aidan McManus '21 and his family put their winter break to good use. Their Family Movie Night at Doane Academy raised over $200 for the Ladle of Love Soup Kitchen offered by St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Burlington City. The event officially organized by "Aidan's Helping Hands" included a screening of Toy Story 3, pizza, beverages and all-you-can-eat popcorn for $5 a person or $10 per family.

Check out the BCT article highlighting Aidan and his selection for Making a Difference Honors.

ATTENTION GRADUATES OF THE CLASS 1998 and PRIOR

Take back your permanent record .

Were you ever told that something was going in your PERMANENT RECORD and wondered if there really was such a thing? Well, there was. Dozens of files stretching back decades were uncovered in offices adjoined to the Annex and Nelson Corridor before they were demolished.

If you want to take your permanent record back, call Kathleen Keays at (609) 386-3500 x66.

DOANE ACADEMY

WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THIS EDITION'S GUEST

WRITER, GEORGE MESTHOS '05.

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December 2010/ January 2011

December to Remember, January in the Community

Doane Academy's vibrant tradition of holiday pageantry and charitable work closed out 2010. The Spartans have hit the ground running in 2011 with college acceptances pouring in, all the basketball teams building momentum, science fairs on the horizon and Martin Luther King Day service projects right around the corner. Lest we forget, Doane family and friends have been generous to the school and the community.

December: Celebration and Service

George Washington Doane, our founder, used to have the boarding school girls stay at the Hall through the winter holidays, forming a family away from their families. That tradition has slipped into history but the family feel remained as 2010 drew to a close and 2011 swung into gear with the Heathside Gathering, Christmas Mystery, and the season's charitable collection drives.

The 2010 Hearthside Gathering, on December 12, was a family affair. In 2009, the gathering was an "adults only" wine and cheese affair held in the evening. This year, our "family friendly" event was held on a Sunday afternoon. Delicious desserts and hot chocolate were enjoyed by all who attend. Craft tables and photos with Santa were available for the little elves in lower school, while upper school classes sold holiday items such as wreaths and poinsettias. Unfortunately, horse carriage rides had to be canceled due to inclement weather. Mrs. Kathleen Keays, director of development and an organizer of the gathering, expects to try the carriage rides again in 2011 and add some auction items that were part of the Hearthside Gathering's predecessors, the Holiday Dinner and the Christmas Bazaar. "I feel like we almost have the new event to the point where it is a perfect combination of the dinner and the bazaar," Mrs. Keays said.

6th grade Eliana Harrison and 4th grade Rose Van Sciver

Upper and Lower School Holiday Concerts, December 7 and 14 respectively, featured a wide range of Doane Academy's musical offerings. The Upper School show featured the concert band, choir and jazz band. Not to be outdone, Lower School's concert featured a string performance, and singing by the lower (pre k - second grade) and upper (third - sixth grade) halves of lower school. The Lower School concert also featured First Grade's waltz and a ballet performed and choreographed by Rose Van Sciver '19 and Eliana Harrison '17. The next set of concerts is slated for May with performances at Teen Arts, International Day and in the spring musical Bugsy Malone in the meantime.

Mary.... Kelsey Markowitz '11

Joseph...Eric Blow '11

Angel Gabriel...Gareth Haynes '14

Kings .... Stephanie Piscitelli '11, Joanna Jacoby '11, Annalisa Shanks '12

The 2010 Christmas Mystery on December 17, had a different look this year even though the script hasn't changed in eight decades. The demolition of Nelson Corridor cut off the side entrance of the chapel and required a number of technical changes such as the angelic hosts entering from the main entrance, for a longer procession than in year's past. Following the performance, over 120 students, faculty, trustees, alumni and friends enjoyed a delicious dinner together provided by the Town and Country Diner in Bordentown, NJ courtesy of the Manetas Family. Brian Strauss '12 carried the lucky Yule Log. Parents pitched in on the clean-up effort with the help of Doane's new industrial strength dishwasher cleaning up the china plates and glass stemware.

mitten tree No holiday season is complete without charitable giving. Students, families, faculty and staff donated over 130 items to the Annual Doane Academy Mitten, Hat, Scarf and Glove Drive. Many of the items were handmade. The Lower School started a new tradition of a "family contribution." In lieu of classroom Pollyannas and presents for teachers, families sent donations to over 30 charities including Toys for Tots, The United Way, the Burlington County Times Give-A-Christmas Fund and numerous pet shelters and hospitals.

Rowan Family Foundation Gift

The Rowan Family Foundation announced a $1 million, unrestricted gift to Doane Academy in December. This latest donation brings the total direct and indirect contributions of friend and benefactor, Mr. Henry Rowan, to $3.55 million in the last 13 months, including another $1.0 million gift from the Susquehanna Foundation (a portion of which has been applied to capital improvements) and last year's $1.55 million gift from the Rowan Family Foundation, which was paid off a line of credit and strengthened the school's position with other donors. In addition to improvements at school, Mr. Rowan's support has allowed Doane to create a $1.5 million endowment.

Doane Circle: A School Community Organization

Sometimes organizations give birth to ideas and sometimes ideas give birth to organizations. The Doane Circle originated as a way to describe our School's community outreach: a) What can Doane do for you? b) What can you do for Doane? c) What can you do with Doane to enhance our community?

We are pleased to announce that this idea is now an organization. We are launching The Doane Circle this spring as an organization of volunteers who are committed to our school and the communities served by the school. Everyone is welcome to participate and/or help lead this effort to add value and build community. We're starting off with 6 areas of school activity. The founding leadership and staff commitments have been recruited to see us through the startup and all of next year. There will be big projects and small projects requiring the full range of time and talent commitments.

Each group will have a focus and a commitment to less talk and more action. Having fun and including the whole family will be a fringe benefit, if not a priority in everything we do.

The next constant contact will include more details about upcoming activities and specific contacts. The basic organization includes:

Institutional Advancement

Fine & Performing Arts

Spartan Sports Club

Green Team

Upper School

Lower School

Give some thought to where you and your family would have fun adding value. If you have initial questions or wish to sign on, contact Kathleen Keays at x66 or kkeays@doaneacademy.org. She has accepted responsibility for the overall coordination of The Doane Circle.

We all have a part in moving and being moved by Doane Academy. It's a circle! Get in!

Spartan Sports: Basketball Teams Get on a Roll

All four Spartan squads weathered tough schedules in 2010 and head into 2011 with some momentum.

Junior Stephen Marshall.

The Varsity Boys (4-3) have played better than their record with tough losses to Pine Forge (50-53) and Mercy Vo Tech (62-63). The Spartans turned the tables on Mercy at home with a convincing 66-48 victory and had their way at NJUCA (77-21). Sophomore Davis Graham '13 is pacing the squad, averaging over 20 points through the first seven games. "The way they play is beautiful," said coach Mr. Dan Williamson (Physical Education). "I've never had a team play together like this. Peoples' jaws hit the floor when they see how we play for a small school."

On January 5, Chris Scott's '12 lay-up at the buzzer to beat Kohelet Yeshive High School, 42-40. "Definitely worth the price of admission," Mr. Williamson said.

Congratulations to the Varsity Boys on their weekend win (January 7-8) in the Ranney Tournament. To see more, visit the BCT coverage.

Senior Kelsey Markowitz

The Varsity Girls have jumped out to a winning record at 5-3. "We're really young and inexperienced this year," said coach Sean Yackel, who also coaches Boys Varsity Soccer and the reigning, four-time Penn- Jersey champion Softball team. Guards Kelsey Markowitz '11 and Elena Zangerle '12 anchor a starting line-up that is otherwise all-freshmen.

The Middle School Boys have evened their record at 2-2 after a difficult opening schedule. "We had some really tough opponents the first two games," said Mr. Justin Cooper, the team's coach and Doane's Athletic Director. "Riverton was a much larger team and we played extremely well just falling short by 2 points (32-34)." Since then, the Middle School Boys have come out strong against New Hanover (24-17) and Faith Christian (41-28). "We're getting good leadership out of our eighth graders and we have a sixth grader running point guard, Kevin Johnson '17," Mr. Cooper said. "We're trying to get on a roll."

The Middle School girls (1-3) have gotten off to an encouraging start and are learning quickly, led by Leah Simpson '16 and Kelsey Doell '15. "The girls have a young team so they're learning the game and trying to translate practice onto the court," Mr. Cooper said, speaking for Coach Babbs.*

Lower School: A Busy Fall and an Exciting Spring

6th grade students elves (from l to r: Rebecca Patterson, Dana Fine, Janna McRae, Dominca Colavito, Eliana Harrison and Maddie Miller) accompany "Train Engineer" Mr. Cooper into the dining hall.

Hardly a does goes by in Doane's Lower School without a club meeting, special academic program, event or community service project. This fall alone featured things old (Halloween parade, the "Mad Science" Program, book fairs, Thanksgiving feasts) and as many things new (Lego Duplo Club, Veterans Day Parade and free music lessons to name a few) with more on the way.

"These activities broaden, enlighten and enrich the curriculum in the classroom," said Mrs. Christine Harris (First Grade).

Some of Ms. Wootton's second grade class during the Halloween Parade.

The Burlington City Halloween Parade brought out Doane's Lower School ghosts, witches and super heroes, on October 29. They marched - in full costume - alongside students and marching bands from our neighbor schools. Doane trick-or-treaters also had another successful year raising money for UNICEF. Burlington City invited Doane back for the Veterans Day parade on November 11, this time sans costume.

The Pre K and Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast was not only a fun time for turkey, it also marked the end of a successful canned food drive gathered up by the school families. "It was phenomenal how much we collected," said Mrs. Ginny Miller (kindergarten). "The back of my SUV was filled to the roof!" All foodstuffs collected were given to the Methodist Food Bank of the Triboro Area, which helps members of Burlington County in need.

After school continues to add to what goes on during school. The Mad

Art Teacher, Ms. Smith assists the Mad Scientist during his demostration.

Science After School Program, gives 20 students in grades pre-k to 2, the chance to learn more about fun topics like slime, sonic sounds and "magnetic magic." Mad Science of West New Jersey offers the program usually held on Tuesdays 3:30-4:30 pm. Two Doane Academy teachers provide assistance. After a break for the winter, they will resume again in February for grades 3-6.

In the meantime, the The Lego Duplo Club has put the pieces together with its first after school session on January 3. Pre k - second grade students meet on Tuesdays and third - sixth grade students meet on Thursday. Both sessions take place 3:30-4:30pm on the third floor of Scarboroughnear the Lower School art and Spanish classrooms. Students get to play with one of their favorite toys and learn math and science from their teachers at the same time!

Fourth Graders Dana Fine, Mikayla Minton and Eli Biso Werner try out seats in a fire truck during Fire Prevention Week.

Other fun and educational events this fall included, a Fire Prevention Assembly (October 7), a trip to Shady Brook Farm (October 21), cards sent to American Troops serving overseas, a Scholastic Book Fair and Build-A-Book Party (December 1) and a Polar Express pajama reading day(December 16).