What is your education?  

I hold a Bachelor's in Music Education from the University of Denver.

How many years have you been at SMA?  

This is my 8th year.

What is your working/teaching experience beyond SMA?   

I taught in the Denver Public Schools; Edmond Oklahoma Public Schools; and Oklahoma City Public Schools. I am currently performing with the Arapahoe Philharmonic and have been doing so for 20 years (Come hear a concert!). In the past, I have performed with the Oklahoma Symphony, Denver Chamber Orchestra, Breckenridge Music Institute Chamber Orchestra, Flagstaff Festival Orchestra, Eisenstadt Festival Orchestra and other orchestras over the course of my (almost) 45 years of playing cello. I began playing cello in 6th grade. Today, I teach private lessons in violin, viola, cello and bass to students ranging from six years old to adult. Additionally, I regularly attend the Colorado Music Educators Conference.  

What would you name as a memorable classroom/curriculum experience you have experienced?  

I am enjoying the musicals we are doing with the first and second grade students. Come See Bugz! on the morning of May 10 at 8:05 in the LS gym.

What is something about yourself to share with the SMA community that we might not already know?  

I love to zip line!

News:                

Events:

• March 15, 8:10 - 9:10 AM, Assembly, Science  

• March 22 - April 1, Spring Break, classes resume April 2

• April 4, 3:00 PM, Cub Scout Pack Meeting, LS Room 5

• April 5, 8:10 - 9:10 AM, Assembly, 4th Grade Colorado History & Challenger Soccer

• April 9, 9:00 - 11:30 AM, 1st/2nd Grade Arapahoe Philharmonic Children's Concert Field Trip

• April 16 - 17, TerraNova Testing

News:

• The MS Peru Service Trip is getting geared up for departure this Friday! The World Leadership School has set up a blog for the students, which we encourage parents and friends to check every few days at http://stmarys-peru-2013.blogspot.com/. Posts to the blog will be made once the group has arrived in country, and will be updated every few days with pictures and text. The blog supports the philosophy of an "unplugged" experience while allowing for regular updates.      

• Thank you to MS parents Todd and Heather Bondy for bringing Joe King from the band The Fray to speak to the 7th grade class this week!   

• SMA is offering the Get It In Writing Essay Booster Course this summer for 7th & 8th graders.  Please click here for more information and to register.

Events:

• March 15 - 28 - Peru Service Trip  

• March 22 - April 1, Spring Break, classes resume April 2

• April 5, 6:00 - 8:00 PM, Social, HS Forum

News:    

• The SMA Mock Trial Team"A" competed at the Mock Trial State Tournament March 8-9 in Fort Collins, where they received the Professionalism Award. Coach Maureen Witt said that the recipient of the Professionalism Award is selected by the other teams for the team that conducts themselves honorably, with courtesy, fairness and professionalism.  Congratulations!   

• For the fourth consecutive year a group of juniors attended the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) in New York. The theme of the weekend was, "The Eradication of Violence Against Women and Girls."  The eight juniors attended this conference with enthusiasm and open minds to hear the many stories of the struggles of women and girls all around the world and the work that is being done to change attitudes and institutional practices that are oppressive. Click here to read more.

• Come study in Spain this summer with SMA.  Applications are currently being accepted for the trip to Cádiz, Spain.  The trip runs from June 29 to July 13.  During their stay students will live with families, study three hours a day at a language school, have afternoon cultural classes and will take a weekend trip to Sevilla.  If you are interested please contact Ms. Ehrlich at nehrlich@smanet.org or Ms. Pfeifer at epfeifer@smanet.org.  To view a short video about the high school program click here.  To visit the school website click here.   

• The Junior Class heads off on their annual class retreat this week. The focus of the retreat is "Building Bridges to Understanding and Acceptance," with senior mentors there to facilitate small group exercises and serve as leaders. 

• This summer SMA is offering the Get It In Writing Essay Booster Course to all 9th through 12th graders.  Please click here for more information and to register.

• Presentations of Learning are scheduled for March 15.  If you would like to be a panelist for this outstanding experience in the ninth and tenth grade, please contact Don Nelson, dnelson@smanet.org, for the tenth grade project Understanding 21st Century Problems; and Kristen Ferguson, kferguson@smanet.org for the ninth grade project: What Does it Mean to be Human?  These are year-long projects that culminate with a presentation to a panel of "judges." The presentations are on March 15 in the High School.   

Events:

• March 15, Presentations of Learning

• March 15, Juniors' Retreat

• March 16, Prom & After Prom 

• March 19, 7:00 PM, College Night for Juniors, HS Forum

• March 20, 9:55 AM, HS Concert, HS Forum

• March 22 - April1, Spring Break, classes resume April 2 

Alumnae on Campus:

• Jane Nady Sigmon '66, a Senior Advisor to the Director in the Office to Combat Trafficking in Persons at the  U.S. Department of State, spoke to juniors and seniors last week about her work in combating modern slavery.

• Six SMA alumnae came back to campus to speak to the Senior Class for the 2013 Senior Seminar. Cathy Bell Darnell '67 spoke about the Alumnae Board and the Alumnae Community; Amber Grisley McGown '06, Alix Pavek '08 and Molly Guerin '12 gave the Seniors advice on the transition from SMA to college; Monica Tovar '96 had everyone rolling with laughter as she discussed life as a personal chef and following your passion; and finally, Lucy Roucis '77 spoke frankly about life with Parkinson's Disease and being a working actor with a disability. We are so lucky to call such wonderful women SMA alumnae!

Alumnae News:

• SMA alumna Daniella Avila '10 has been elected to Escuela de Guadalupe's Board of Trustees as the first alumna trustee.  Daniella, who is currently a nursing student at Regis University, was in Escuela's first graduating class, before attending SMA.  Escuela de Guadalupe is a Catholic, dual-language K through 5 school of excellence that serves a diverse student body - ethnically, economically and linguistically - from across the metropolitan Denver area.   

• For our newly accepted students remember: Lower School contracts are due back March 18, 2013

• If you lost your re-enrollment or didn't receive it in the mail, please call admissions and ask for a new one. We need all re-enrollments turned in as soon as possible. On-line credit card deposits are still available for your convenience. If you have paid on-line please remember to send in your contract to the Admission office.

• "Caught in the Act"  Thanks to our wonderful parents and teachers who are in the community promoting SMA. We cannot do our work without you! This week we wish to thank:  Todd and Heather Bondy and Greta Glugoski-Sharp.

• SMA 2013 Gala - A Night at the Derby 
  Friday, April 26, 2013 
  An event benefiting the SMA Tuition Assistance Fund   
• Online Ticket Purchase
  You don't have to wait for your invitation to arrive to purchase your Gala tickets. Click here to purchase them online! The Early Bird ticket price of $125 per person will last until April 8; after that, the price will be $150 per person. Remember, the event will sell out at 450 people so make sure to purchase your tickets today!  
• Instant Wine Cellar
  Be a part of creating one of the Gala's most unique auction items! The Gala Committee is now accepting donations for wine for the wine cellar auction item. You can bring your wine along with the following information to the receptionist in the Sanders House anytime before Friday, March 8.
  ·         Your name
  ·         Your phone number
  ·         A description of the wine
  ·         The value of the wine
  Click here for the Instant Wine Cellar donation form. 
• THANK YOU for supporting the Gala!