Last night, the St. Francis Drama Project wrapped up our highly successful four show run of our fall play Harvey. One of the interesting aspects of this show was that seven of the 11 actors were double cast. This was due to the number of students who auditioned to be a part of this comedy that most of them had never heard of. As a result, we did four performances (instead of the traditional two in the fall) so each could perform twice. Thus, it was almost like two different shows depending on which performance one happened to see! And while most schools would pick the best actor or actress for a particular role, our philosophy is to give more kids the experience of being in a drama production rather than produce the most showy product.  

This was a difficult show for middle school kids! It is very heavy on dialogue, and from an era with which they have little connection. I think this is why I am so proud of them. They took this challenge head on, and learned to love the characters, the music, and the gentle (at times!) humor.

And as the Director of our Drama Project (and this production), I don't want to sing our praises myself, I decided to let the students involved share about their experiences. I asked them to write on what they learned about the dramatic process or what they will take away from Harvey. Here is what some of them said (and a complete version is available if you are interested by clicking here):

Thomas Simpson (Dr. Chumley): I've learned from drama that it is not something you can slack off on (much like Algebra!). It takes concentration and dedication. What I'll take away from Harvey is it is important to be polite and "Oh so pleasant"...           

Sean Sullivan (Dr. Sanderson): The St. Francis Drama program is the best drama/theater program I've ever known. The experience prepares students for high school acting and even acting in professional theater! I've learned that it takes determination, a LOT of rehearsals, a good memory, and most importantly, not being shy...                               

Lucy Biberman (Betty Chumley): I learned that on stage, things can go wrong! Props can go missing, sound cues can come late, and purses with a hinge can fall over (many, many times!).
                                                                    
Arabella Maki (Mrs. Chauvenet): I have learned many different things from drama. I have learned to use expression not only in drama, but in everyday life. I have also made friends older and younger than me that I will remember forever, and who I will come see in later plays....

Sydney Lattis (Stage Manager): In the play Harvey, I was in the crew, and I was one of two assistants to the directors. I have learned that it is a lot more complicated to change a set than I thought! What I will take away from this experience is that there is a lot more work put into a play than I ever thought. And I would definitely help with another play in the future...                                                                                                                                
Jennifer Johnson (Myrtle Mae Simmons): It was such a great experience being in the play Harvey. This play has really taught me about friendship and the meaning of loyalty. Elwood stuck by Harvey the entire play, even though everyone was pressuring him to get rid of Harvey.  The St. Francis drama program has such great opportunities, and prepares students for higher level theatre...                   

Lilly Kass (Myrtle Mae Simmons): I've learned that you really need to know all of your scenes well so you can "save" someone if needed, and also to understand the concept of the play (and don't be afraid to ask questions!).
                                                             
Abby Waggener (Nurse Kelly): I believe the most important thing I have learned in drama is understanding the character I play, their emotions, and then portraying that to the audience. I will take away everything I have learned about drama, and I am so glad I tried it because I had no idea how awesome it was!                                  
                                                                 
Hannah Jones (Veta Simmons): Harvey is a heartwarming play that has a wonderful message. I played Veta Simmons (Elwood's sister). I struggled at first because my lines were difficult and hard to memorize. The thing I was doing wrong was the way I was trying to memorize them. I was not thinking about the meaning...I was not focusing on the message behind it all... 
                                                                 
Theo Taylor (Elwood P. Dowd): During Harvey, I've learned a lot about embodying another character. I have also definitely learned about the teamwork that needs to take place in order to have a good show. There are so many that contribute to make a show successful. Doing the performances, I've learned a lot about the crowd and how important they are. A big difference in our performances was the energy we were getting from the crowds. Last but not least, I have learned how important a good director is. Mr. Gabhart is the glue of it all...                                  
                                                              
Later this year, the SFS Drama Project will present the 4th Grade Play, The Jungle Book, and tackle Mr. Shakespeare yet again in the spring! 

Please join Head of School Alexandra Thurstone and me on Friday, November 22nd in the Multi-Purpose Room from 8:10-9:30 a.m. for the first installment of our Parent Education Series.  

We will be discussing the topic of progressive education and how these principles can translate to parenting.  

Click here for an article by James H. Nehring on progressive education that can be read to prior to our discussion. [Nehring, J. (2006) Progressive vs. Traditional: Reframing an Old Debate. Education Week].  

We hope to see many of you there! 

Please join us Tuesday, Nov. 12th at Langsford Learning Center-Highlands office @ 2520 Bardstown Road for a presentation on "What Parents Should Know About Reading Development".

Click here for the flyer.

If you have any questions, please email me.

Join us at our Goshen Campus Open House on Tuesday, November 19 at 9:00-10:30 am.

There will be a panel comprised of current students and parents to introduce you to the Preschool (PS), Lower School (LS), and Middle School (MS), explain why they chose St. Francis School, and to answer any questions you many have.

After the panel, we will be conducting PS, LS, and MS- specific tours so that you may see the facilities (including the cafeteria and PS natural playground), visit classrooms, and meet our teachers and coaches. We hope to see you there! 

6th Grade Boys' Basketball
The 6th grade boys had a good week with two games. The Wyverns did secure a victory against the Shelby Orange. Being a head taller than the opposition at every position was admittedly quite a help, but the boys did a lot of other things correctly too. 5th grader Michael Patterson helped the team out for this contest and chipped in with 18 points. Many players cracked the scoring column last weekend, so hopefully this will be a trend that will continue. Coach Tyson Gorman has had many talks with the team about achieving better scoring balance as a group and they responded well.  

SFS Highlands Latin              L    27-46
SFS 32 - Shelby Orange        W    32-15 

4th-5th Grade Boys' Basketball
The 4th and 5th boys' teams won a couple of games and had a few challenges as well. Coach Tony Butler was pleasantly surprised by the offensive production from Isaiah Robles and 3rd grader Tyler King in the 4th game Saturday in the Whitefield League. In  the 4th/5th grade game, Michael Patterson and Lake Mackin heavily contributed with their scoring. The two games the teams played on Sunday signified that the boys are coming along nicely, but still need more work and development, which will come. 

SFS (4-5) - Sayers                 W    26-19 

SFS (4) - Portland Christian    W    23-19
SFS (4-5) - Shelby Orange      L    39-28
SFS (4) - Shelby Orange         L    22-3 

3rd-6th Grade Girls' Basketball
In what was their very first game of the season, after only a few practices, the girls competed against a more mature KCD team that consisted of 5th and 6th graders. The younger Wyverns were not intimidated and gave their best effort. 6th grader Sydney Ragland made the play of the day for St. Francis, as she scored on a jump shot. Coach Teresa Saborsky can't wait until the team gets more practices underneath their belt, as she feels confident that they will improve.  

SFS-KCD   L  2-22

If you have any questions, please contact Shavar Cowherd.