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Summer Adventures Open House
Sat (3/1)
10AM -12PM
Lower School
Spring Sports Begins
Mon (3/3)
Spring Break
School Closed
Mon - Fri
(3/10 - 3/14)
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UPPER SCHOOL
SSAT Test Date
Sat (3/1)
First Robotics FTC Challenge
Syosset High School
Exchange Students Depart for France
Sat (3/8)
SAT Test Date
Sat (3/8)
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MIDDLE SCHOOL
ISE 6th Grade Community Service Dance
Fri (2/28) 7-9 PM
Green Vale School
Winter Sports Awards
Wed (3/5)
2:10 PM
Atrium
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LOWER SCHOOL
World Day Assembly
Wed (2/5)
World Day
Thurs (2/6)
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Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories announces
Great Moments in DNA Science
Honors Seminar
Thursdays in March: 3/6, 3/18, 3/27
Topics include:
"The Search for New Drug Targets in Breast Cancer" "Mitochondrial DNA" and
"Using Sugars to Detect Pancreatic Cancer"
click here for full program descriptions
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PORTLEDGE PARENTS: DO YOU OWN A BUSINESS?
Why not advertise in the Auction Gala Journal?
Get great exposure and support our programs at the same time.
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A few of the Journal Ads bought this week:
Mr. Chris Davis
Mr. and Mrs. Joel Friedman
Mr. and Mrs. James Buzzetta
Mr. and Mrs. Chris Penn
Mr. and Mrs. Reid Certilman
Mr. and Mrs. John Dole
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Ferrante
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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NO SNOW MAKE-UP DAYS JUST YET
After Hurricane Sandy last year Portledge administration wisely built in eight extra school days to our calendar. We've used five. Here's hoping Punxsutawney Phil was wrong and we won't have to schedule make-up days.
history of groundhog day
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PORTLEDGE CLOSES HOCKEY SEASON WITH SENIOR GOODBYES
Varsity Girls Hockey had a spectacular year, finishing the season with a 17-3 record, but despite a victory over Pingry School, Senior Night was bittersweet as we said goodbye to seniors graduating from both girls and boys hockey teams: Christina Cahill, Alex Horton, Tim Barbaro, Patrick Cavanaugh, Andy De Angelis and Joe Maguire.
Senior Night hockey photos
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GIRLS VARSITY BASKETBALL:
IPPSAL CHAMPS
# 7 seed in NYSAISAA
18-5 record
IPPSAL Championship Highlights:
Portledge 43, Waldorf 37: Tamara Simpson scored 26 points, including the 2,000th of her career, to lead No. 1 Portledge (16-4) over No. 2 Waldorf in the IPPSAL final. The Panthers captured a fifth consecutive league championship. Simpson, a senior guard, reached the milestone on a three-pointer in the third quarter and now has 2,007 career points. She also had 10 steals, six rebounds and four assists. With the win, Porledge qualified for the NYSAIS Class C tournament, which begins on Feb. 25. "It's a huge accomplishment," coach Walter Amadio said of Simpson, who is headed to Yale. "She came here with some goals and I don't know if reaching 2,000 was one of those, but she did it. She worked well within our system, made everyone around her better, and still managed to achieve a great personal goal. She's been an exceptional player who has meant a lot to this program. She allowed our team to compete at a level that we hadn't before."
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THE 41ST ANNUAL AUCTION GALA UPDATE
Good news for wine/liquor connoisseurs!
Gala festivities will include a "Liquor Toss!"  Fifty dollars buys three rings - and three chances to win! So pick your poison: Dom Perignon, Johhny Walker Blue Label, or a 25 year old Macallan Single
Malt Highland Scotch perhaps? But...
You must attend for a chance to play!
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Valentine's created by Olga Florentino's Spanish students.
PORTLEDGE STUDENTS EMBRACE MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES This month students across the divisions celebrate a diversity of perspectives in the science, creative art, foreign exchange and social action arenas and share their experience with each other through collaborative projects. Read on. |
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SUKHOV ON MISSION TO SOCHI
Kamila Sukhov '18 will travel to Sochi, Russia on March 13th to participate in the closing ceremonies of the Paralympic Games. She will be part of a delegation certified to participate on behalf of Preodoleika, a Russian private non-profit foundation which serves children with disabilities. The performance will partner able-bodied and wheelchair-bound children in a dance performance which demonstrates the theatrical rehabilitation work done at Preodoleika (in English, "Overcoming").
Kamila, who has studied ballet for four years, was asked to participate in the performance when a Russian dancer fell ill. She had never danced with a wheelchair-bound partner before, and initially she worried about her performance.
But overcoming uncertainty and fearfulness is exactly the point of the all-inclusive movement therapy work which is done at Preodoleika. Founded in 2010 to help children with mobility challenges, Preodoleika successfully serves children and teens, nurturing their creative and intellectual potential to aid in the recovery of their physical ability, so they can lead a self-dependent life.
As Kamila contemplates her part at the Paralympic Games in Sochi, she recognizes the benefits of challenging long-held misperceptions about the disabled and explores issues of barrier- free access at the paralympics venues. Kamila along with her new friends from Preodoleyka will share her experiences in Sochi through photos and reflections that we'll post on our facebook page and other media.
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(Submit Portledge School news or photos to: ebarcellos@portledge.org)
Thanks to: Sonna Allen, Nancy Aranda, Elizabeth Atkins, Reed Barcellos, Kevin Coleman, Susan Edwards-Bourdrez, Aggie Fiore, Olga Florentino, Pat Myers, and Pat Rooney.
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BREAKFAST AND ART
Portledge families came together on February 20th for the Lower School art exhibition. Breakfast was punctuated by musical performances and students enjoyed decorating paper tablecloths. Acknowledging a child's creative effort and unique style has multiple benefits for social development, like building self-esteem and increasing tolerance for diversity, not to mention the art!
SPACE CAMP
On February 19th science classes explored outer space together by exchanging knowledge with their fellow Panthers.
Fifth graders shared "Sphero Olympics" - a physics project in which they designed Olympic courses for robots. Fourth graders shared their exploration of the solar system, gravity and weight, and demonstrated how rockets work. Third graders focused on the moon with buggy races and homemade craters. Second grade demonstrated their work with "bristlebots" and puzzle assembly with gloves, replicating conditions in space. First grade assembled a space station and tested sock snowballs for distance and accuracy.
It was an uber-collaborative, project-based hands-on learning exercise, which makes learning visible to keep busy minds engaged.
NAI NI CHEN IN RESIDENCE
The Nai Ni Chen Dance Company visited Portledge to work with Pre-k, Kindergarten and 2nd and 3rd grade students on a traditional Chinese dance. As part of an emphasis on international perspectives in the run up to World Day, this exercise, which Andres DeGrasse '23 described as "painting the air," was an authentic learning experience provided by experts- exactly the type of learning Portledge fosters. Noah Capps '23 called it, "exciting." Sebastian Tate '23 said it made him feel as though he were in China.
We look forward to a return visit and performance from Nai Ni Chen on March 20th at 10 am - parents welcome!
FIFTH GRADE TACKLES LACTOSE INTOLERANCE
As part of their program at the Dolan DNA Learning Center, Fifth graders made lactose-free milk by using a process of gelification. Rather than turn you off milk entirely, suffices to say that 33% of people are lactose intolerant - so we're glad our students are on the case!
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MIDDLE SCHOOL:
LESSONS IN SOCIAL JUSTICE
Mrs. Woll's eighth grade American History class has a thematic curriculum centered around civil rights, as examined through the lens of three basic questions: who has civil rights, what are those rights and who has been denied civil rights. Students answered the third question this week with a collaborative assignment on social justice which required them to focus on an area of injustice in the wider world, to research causes and examples, and then to prepare a report, a speech and a Power Point to convince others to fight against this injustice. Student generated topics included
Untouchables in India, Womens Rights in the Middle East
and Child Soldiers.
As a backdrop to this assignment, students welcomed Mrs. Dorthe Tate, mom of Annika '18 and Sebastian '23, who spoke to the class about her work with "Restore NYC" a Christian organization that rehabilitates victims of human trafficking. Students were surprised to learn that it is estimated that between 15 and 18 thousand humans are trafficked into the US each year.
The student exploration has been bracing: Chris Buzzetta, Flip Kirikian and Josh Yoder said that their study of Hispanic Immigration actually changed their attitudes about the immigration debate.
A PORTLEDGE FIRST: LEGO ROBOTICS
On Saturday February 1st eighth graders Marco Pagliara, Josh Yoder and Ke Cheng Yu represented Portledge at the First Lego League (FLL) Lego Robotics Competition. Led by Coach Joe Ronde the boys did well in all fazes of the competition which required them not only to maneuver their robot but to explain their research and objectives.
Can you say 21st century skills?
First Lego League
STATES OF MATTER
Agnieszka Fiore's seventh graders took visible learning to a whole new level when they visited Lower School this week. Students prepared a skit to explain the three states of matter to their younger brethren and
became
solid, liquid and gas particles (much to the amusement of their audience) in order to to illustrate the various states. They also prepared a "States of Matter" booklet with real-life examples and made sure children understood the concepts by challenging them to come up with examples of their own.
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UPPER SCHOOL:
MATH CIRCLE DOES US PROUD
Portledge School's Math Circle Club competed against 118 schools from 37 states across the country in the the Nassau Math Tournament on February 7th. The team, guided by coach Helen Oehrlein, delivered an excellent performance in the Lower Division competition placing fifth ahead of 45 other teams.
Freshman Ruiwen (Doris) Fu placed 4th among 9th graders, and sophomore Yichen (Tony) Jiang placed 9th among 10th graders. Zhiwei (Cindy) Liu, Chuqi (Scout) Jiang and Serra Sozen also had very strong performance, contributing to the overall success of the team.
EXCHANGE STUDENTS PREPARE FOR FRANCE
Sixteen Upper School students are headed to France on March 8th as part of our international exchange program. Their first task was becoming acquainted with their French counterparts via e-mail, who may have different hobbies and traditions. The value of the program - gaining awareness and acceptance of differences - ultimately leads to self-awarenss and can even yield life-long friendships. Bon voyage to Antonia Bentel, Jordan DeCade, Nathanial Duanshi, Victorien Jakobsen, Delilah Leibowitz, Patrice Narasimhan, Maddy Prince, Jonathan Reisman, Electra Roll, Haya Sheeline, Adele Sukhov, Maddy Murray, Samatha Murray, Kristina Wirkowski, Kelsie Worth and Leah Zafra.
MOCK TRIAL WINS FIRST CASE
The Mock Trial Club enjoyed their first round victory over Lawrence Woodmere on February 11th. According to faculty coach Trish Rigg it was a hard fought, satisfying victory. Congratulations to the team and their attorney coaches Christina Villecco '00 and Al Constants. Attorneys on this case were Mira Lerner, Sam Lobley and Sarah Sklar. Witnesses were Conor Antoniou, Michael Londenquai and Andrew Palacios. The defense side prepped the prosecution and were also key to the victory. They were Morgane Bensadoun, Harrison Graham, Ashley Herzig, Shelby Lewis, Connor Miller, Andrea Palacios, Ally Weber and Kristina Wirkowski. The team advances to the intermediate round against Our Lady of Mercy on Monday, March 3rd at the Supreme Court in Mineola.
FIRST ROBOTICS FTC CHALLENGE
On Saturday March 1st, the robotics class taught by Kevin Coleman and Danny Nelson will compete in the First Robotics FTC Challenge at Syosset High School. The robotics class is an Upper School elective. Ten students have designed, built and programmed a robot to move forwards and back, scoop and dump a block with a robotic arm and even operate a flag raiser field element on a specially designed course. A last minute design change - from one remote operator to two - has put the team in good shape for the contest. This is the first year Portledge has competed in the FTC tournament and represents months of effort for the class.
Best of luck to Jonathan Aigen, Patrick Cavanaugh, Reid Certilman, Ryan Farahmand, Kyle Flowers, Eric Ghaly, Andrew Ioannou, Koorosh Leibowitz, Jake Levy, AnAn Yu and mentors Kevin Coleman and Danny Nelson!
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CONGRATULATIONS!
Congratulations to the following seniors for their acceptances to date.*
Jonathan Aigen
Syracuse University, Whitman School of Business - ED
Julia Auriemma
Fairfield Unversity, High Point University,University of Miami, Villanova University
Adam Brown
American University, School of Public Affairs - ED
Patrick Cavanaugh
Mercyhurst University
Reid Certilman
Arizona State University, University of Arizona
Devin Cooper-Vastola
Hobart & William Smith Colleges - ED
Brendan D'Loren
Trinity College -ED
Cameron Daniels
Wesleyan University - ED
Ryan Farahmandpour
Lynn University
Kyle Flowers
Clemson University, Stony Brook University
Eric Ghaly
Arcadia University, Loyola University Maryland, University of Scranton, Siena College, Saint Joseph's University, Quinnipiac University
Alexandra Horton
Wesleyan University - ED
Andrew Ioannou
Ithaca College
Helen Karabatos
University of Vermont, Susquehanna
Hussain Khalfan
Fairfield University,Hofstra University
Ryan Krown
University of New Hampshire, Quinnipiac University
Sophie Levitan
Long Island University Post Campus, University of Rhode Island
Jake Levy
Lafayette College - ED
Alexander Meshel
Columbia University - ED
Madeline Murray
College of Charleston, High Point University, Indiana University, Pennsylvania State University, University Park
Allison Perlman
Binghamton University, University of Miami, University of Michigan, The Ohio State University, Tulane University
Alisa Shvartsbart
Binghamton University,University of Wisconsin, Madison
Tamara Simpson
Yale University - ED
Alexander Snow
Haverford College - ED
Wyatt Todd
Rhodes College, Tulane University
Carley Tsiames
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
*ED designates early decision and is binding
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A SINGULAR OPPORTUNITY FOR JUNIORS
Sonna Allen, Head of the Science Department, is looking for students interested in applying for
Cold Spring Laboratory's Partners For the Future Program.
Those who are accepted into the program will schedule lab time with the scientists and will need their own transportation to the labs. This is a full year commitment (September - or even as early as June 2014, through May 2015) open to the class of 2015. See Mrs. Allen ASAP for more information.
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GRAFFITI NOW
Graffiti today is an international art form that finds expression through adherents as far away as Africa and Australia. NYC is the epicenter of the "aerosol art," which has gained acceptance as a part of the uniquely American cultural phenomenon of "hip-hop." It is celebrated in museums as well as in children's coloring books and on Madison Avenue, but remains largely illegal, and it is the topic of a fascinating Upper School elective art course led by Patrick Myers, Middle and Upper School art teacher.
"The notion that it is acceptable in the 21st century for an educated person to be artistically illiterate is a misconception," he says. Rather than attempting to turn out artists, however, Myers wants to inspire his students by showing them what is possible. "Concept beats craft," he says, meaning that the best art by definition is the work that moves and provokes a response - even an unfavorable one - in the viewer. In many ways the emergence of graffiti, like so many controversial art forms developed by youth on the streets, is evidence of man's irrepressible and primal need to create. Graffiti students were asked to consider the historical, social and cultural history and the overall impact of graffiti, which they encountered at the Museum of the City of New York on February 25th in a show entitled, "City As Canvas." SiYu (Chris) Wang agreed with the show's title saying, "graffiti belongs to the city and is part of the city." Ethan Sheinker however, summed it up best: "It has style, meaning and looks awesome."
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SUPPLEMENTAL
PROGRAMS:
AFTER SCHOOL ARCHERS
DOMINATE
Congratulations to Reed Barcellos and Zachary Qureshi who placed first and second in the Battle of the Boroughs Archery Competition in Brooklyn on February 15th. They outscored all of the elementary age archers in Brooklyn and the Bronx! The time the boys have spent in After School Adventures Archery with Coach Larry Brown has certainly paid off!
SUMMER ADVENTURES: NOT JUST FOR KIDS ANYMORE
Summer Adventures is unveiling a unique Summer Academic Institute program for students in Middle and Upper school that takes students off-campus for hands-on learning. Advanced classes will be offered in collaboration with local partners like
Winthrop-University Hospital, the New York Institute of Technology and the Waterfront Center for real-world experiences. Offerings include language immersion classes in Mandarin; science studies in gross anatomy & physiology, neuroscience, nanotechnology, marine life discovery and art and design workshop. For those who want classroom time, course selections in the languages and math are available, as well as an Online Learning Program that offers supervised instruction in classes on everything from journalism to Japanese. For more information contact Melissa Worth.
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ATHLETICS:
WINTER SEASON WRAP UP
Despite a season in which many games were scuttled due to poor weather, Portledge Athletics boasted three teams who reached the
championship game of their respective leagues. The Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball teams reached the IPPSAL Championship where the girls were victorious and qualified for the NYSAISAA State tournament. In the tournament The Panthers defeated York Prep in the round of 16 but fell to #2 ranked Hackley School in the quarter finals. This will be the last season in which Portledge competes in IPPSAL competition as our athletic program has grown in stature and will now compete in the Private School Athletic Association (PSAA). The Varsity Girls Hockey team had a tremendous season and reached the WIHLMA Championship game. Meanwhile our middle school teams are learning to handle competition while students in the lower grades continue to learn the fundamentals of each sport.
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photo by Olga Florentino
ATTENTION ARTISTS WITHIN THE PORTLEDGE COMMUNITY (PARENTS INCLUDED)
Submissions are wanted for "Xanadu"
the Portledge Literary Magazine.
photo by Nancy Aranda
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COMMUNITY:
SPONSORS STEP UP
Thanks to Auction Gala sponsors Mr. and Mrs. Jim Guarino, Mr. Rich Kirikian, Mr. Jake Levy, Mr. and Mrs. Vincent Linell, and Mrs. Bettyann McConaghy-Roel. It's going to be a great night!
ONCE A PORTLEDGE MOM, ALWAYS A PORTLEDGE MOM!
Simon Owen Williams received the following note from Grace Kelly (mom of Monique '10 and Kristie '13.):
Hi All,
We are missing Portledge as our two girls are happily attending their respective colleges -- Colby (Monique is a senior now) and St. Lawrence University (Kristie a freshman). I look forward to Shawn's years after he graduates EWS. I get a warm feeling when I see the Portledge girls playing on the fields when I am watching Shawn's games. Those athletic moments are lasting memories for me, but perhaps the best gift is the ongoing relationships my daughters have with their teachers and coaches. I was amazed when Kristie told me she had trouble with a calculus problem at SLU and called Mrs. Sillat, who helped her get through it in an exchange of emails/phone calls -- a remarkable testament to your dedicated faculty.
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FACULTY:
LOWER SCHOOL EDUCATORS RETURN
TRIUMPHANT FROM DOWN SOUTH (Y'ALL)
While in Tennessee presenting at the Project Zero Conference, our faculty met up with alumna Joy Clarke '07 who is now a teacher herself outside Memphis. Also pictured is Project Zero's Dr. Daniel Wilson who is all smiles because the Portledge presentations drew rave reviews at the Project Zero International Conference - presentations which we hope they will reprise for the folks at home this spring. Of note: our teachers also have perfect timing. They were able to fly between two major snow storms and even got to Graceland!
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ALUMNI:
SCHNEIDER RETURNS TO PORTLEDGE
Spencer Schneider '13, founder of the Portledge Business Club, and currently a student at Pace University,
is back at Portledge to lend a hand with the upcoming Business Club Dinner on April 30th. The guest speaker will be Lawrence Reed.
EVERTRUE APP A WINNER
Portledge School has launched a new mobile alumni app! Connect with classmates, network towards a new job, and get Portledge School news, all on your Apple or Android smartphone. Download it today!
MATHIEU MIRANO: BACK IN THE NEWS AND STILL PLUGGING PORTLEDGE
We are so grateful for our unofficial alumni ambassador, Mathieu Mirano '09, whose continued success is a testament to the Portledge experience.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SEEKING NOMINATIONS
The Portledge School Alumni Association is seeking new council members. This is a great way to remain active in our school. If you are interested in serving on the Alumni Council, please contact Keith Merkler '87.
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Copyright © 2013. Portledge School. All Rights Reserved.
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