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November/December GAM

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TheGAM GAM: a social meeting of whaleships…with all the sympathies of sailors [and] all the peculiar congenialities arising from a common pursuit. Volume XXVII, Number 2 November-December 2012 FA actors perform in last year’s Fall play, e King Stag . Join us on November 2 nd and 3 rd for this year’s Fall production, After Juliet.
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Page 1: November/December GAM

TheGAMGAM: a social meeting of whaleships…with all the sympathies of sailors [and] all the peculiar congenialities arising from a common pursuit.

Volume XXVII, Number 2 November-December 2012

FA actors perform in last year’s Fall play, The King Stag . Join us on November 2nd and 3rd for this year’s Fall production, After Juliet.

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From the Headmaster

The most successful learning is generated when motivated students work closely with great teachers. (That is why Falmouth Academy insists on an average class size of 12 students compared with an average of 18 to 25 students at other area schools.) The significance of student-teacher interactions is not a secret. In an article published recently in the Wall Street Journal, Adam Falk, the president of Williams College, wrote:

“…Sure, students graduate with plenty of facts in their heads. But the transmission of information is merely the starting point, a critical tool through which we engage the higher faculties of the mind. What really matters is the set of deeper abilities — to write effectively, argue persuasively, solve problems creatively, adapt and learn independently — that students develop while in college and use for the rest of their lives. At Williams College… we’ve analyzed which educational inputs best predict progress in these deeper aspects of student learning. The answer is unambiguous: By far, the factor that correlates most highly with gains in these skills is the amount of personal contact a student has with professors. Not virtual contact, but interaction with real, live human beings… Nothing else — not the details of the curriculum, not the choice of major, not the students’ GPA — predicts self-reported gains in these critical capacities nearly as well as how much time a student spent with professors.”

From “In Defense of the Living, Breathing Professor” by Adam F. Falk, President of Williams College, in the Wall Street Journal (August 28, 2012)

In fact, Falk has just described the reason for Falmouth Academy’s success — meaningful contact between students and teachers, colleagues, and peers. The results generate hundreds of stories that, together, are the natural voice of the school’s culture. Your stories might describe how you or your child or grandchild gained confidence when she discovered that with practice, practice, practice, and a dedicated teacher’s guidance and editing, she could write a clear and cohesive essay; or learn to play soccer on a competitive team lead by a teacher-coach who knows her well. Or they might explain how your child or grandchild discovered a love of acting in his drama class or developed his imagination while designing a science research project with creative teachers or world-renowned scientists. You might describe his pleasure when he worked with skilled teachers to develop a thoughtful presentation and his classmates applauded his success, or a new awareness when he overcame his nervousness, called a teacher for help on an evening or a weekend, and the teacher welcomed the call. I think stories are more compelling than hard data because they reflect the tone and culture of a school, but for those who want more quantifiable accomplishments, here are a few:

• Falmouth Academy has the smallest student-to-teacher ratio of any school in our area. We know this is essential for a personal education.

• Over the last three years, Falmouth Academy has had more National Merit Finalists than any school in the area, public or private.

• Every member of the Class of 2012 who applied to a college or university offering financial aid based on merit (as opposed to need-based aid) received it. Cont. on page 2

Headmaster, David C. Faus

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• The average SAT scores for the class of 2012 are more than 100 points higher than those at any of our competitor schools. (According to the College Board, which administers the SAT, only 43 % of the 1.66 million students who took the college-entrance exam posted scores showing they are prepared to do well in college. All FA students are prepared.)

• Falmouth Academy has the highest percentage of graduates who go to selective four-year colleges and universities of any other school in the area. Nationally, only 56 percent of students who enroll in a four-year college earn a B.A. in six years. Contrast that with FA where nearly all graduates earn their B.A. in four years.

• Although our teachers design our core curriculum rather than offering a set Advanced Placement curriculum, every year many of our students choose to sit for the AP exams. Last year 91% of those students scored high enough to be considered for college credit or to place out of entry-level courses. High AP scores are the norm for FA students.

• Every year Falmouth Academy has more winners at the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Fair at MIT than any school our size — and more than most schools of any size — in Massachusetts. • In just the last three years, Falmouth Academy students have won 47 awards in The Boston Globe Scholastic Arts and Writing competition, including 20 Gold Keys.

All FA families have compelling stories. I encourage you to share them with your friends and neighbors who are trying to decide on the best school for their children. Or you can give them some hard data. Either way, you will be helping them as they make a serious choice.

In this Issue

At Falmouth Academy There’s No Substitute for Experience ~ 3 FA and the Arts ~ 5 Books and Bytes ~ 6

College Preparation at FA ~ 7 National Merit Scholarship Program Recognition / FA by the Numbers ~ 8

Refrigerator Calendar ~ 9 Alumni News ~ 11

Alumni Weddings ~ 13 A Note from the Director of Athletics ~ 15

From the Director of Admissions ~ 16 Grandparents Day Exemplifies FA Values ~ 17

The Falmouth Academy Annual Fund ~ 18

2

The GAM is published six times a year for the community of Falmouth Academy.

David C. Faus ~ Headmaster Michael J. Earley ~ Director of Admissions

Sarah Pring ~ Director of the Capital Campaign Barbara Campbell ~ Director of Parent and Alumni Relations

Tucker Clark ~ Assistant to the Headmaster Dave Ellis ~ Director of Communications

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At Falmouth Academy There’s No Substitute for Experience

From adventures in the city to dune walks on the outer Cape, Falmouth Academy puts a strong emphasis on experiential learning. Each grade participates in a class trip that focuses on team building, academics, and social bonding. “A lot of schools are moving away from this kind of learning, because they see it as a frill,” said Mr. Ben Parsons, dean of students and senior class advisor. “But we feel quite the contrary. We value community, respect for peers, discovery, and creativity and these class trips cultivate all of that. They complement our academics; they don’t replace them. The students are challenged to act or think outside of their comfort zone, and in that process, they coalesce around those FA ideals.” The trips also offer a welcome opportunity in the first busy months of school to pause and catch our collective breath. “Rather than being a distraction, they energize the students,” said Mr. Parsons. “The trips help integrate new students, form new friendships, and increase respect for each voice.”

Class advisors; Julie Swanbeck ‘18, Mike Earley ‘17, Liz Ledwell ‘16, Doug Jones ‘15, Peter Conzett ‘14, and Ben Parsons ‘13 put together an impressive set of adventures designed to benefit each class. Spearheaded by the Science Department, the seventh grade Watershed Project takes students from John’s Pond to Vineyard Sound, stopping along the way to collect water samples, study plants and animals, read poetry based on nature and reflect on the nature around them. When they return to campus, they create watercolor interpretations of the watershed with Arts-in-Humanities teacher, Mrs. Lucy Nelson. The eighth grade integrated history and English on a trip to Salem and Concord, where they visited the Peabody Essex Museum, and sites of the Salem witch trials, before touring Walden Pond to walk in Thoreau’s footsteps. Ninth graders continued the tradition of visiting the outer Cape, focusing on the geol-ogy and natural history of Cape Cod. Their trip included a geology scavenger hunt, an overnight at Cape Cod SEA camps, and a visit to Provincetown. Cont. on page 4

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Summer Science Internships

“Students in the tenth grade visit the city,” said Mr. Parsons. This year they headed to Boston where FA alumni, and other chaperones, toured the sophomores around several area colleges and universities. Thanks to Alyssa Gantz ‘03, who obtained reasonably priced group tickets, the students attended a performance by the Blue Man Group at the Charles Playhouse and met the actors after the show. The juniors spent four days in New Hampshire at the Sargent Center participating in outdoor activities that focused on team building. With college advisor, Julia Taylor, along, they also talked about the college admissions process. Their trip culminated with a hike up and down Mount Monadnock. These class events are opportunities for students to learn in the field, gain experience, and come together. Freshmen Sintra Reves-Sohn and Charlotte Van Voorhis spoke for many of their classmates when they said, “We came back with inside jokes, shared experiences, and a better ability to work together as a group.”

For more information on class trips contact Dean of Students, Ben Parsons at 508-457-9696.

Although the other classes leave town, our seniors, who already know each other quite well, pull together on their college workday in September, when they have mock college interviews with faculty and staff, and work on their college applications. Then in mid-October, they gather at an FA home to read their Peer References, personal and specific descriptions of their classmates that they have worked on -- writing, editing, rewriting, and re-editing -- since early September.

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FA and the Arts

What happened after Romeo and Juliet died? This is the question FA’s fall play will seek to answer. After Juliet by Sharman Macdonald focuses on Rosaline, Romeo’s first love interest. A Capulet like Juliet, Rosaline is so consumed by grief that she strives to continue the feud with the Montagues, Romeo’s family, despite the prince’s edict that the feud must end. Much of the performance is focused on Rosaline’s relationship with Benvolio, also a Montague, and the election of a new Prince of Cats to lead the Capulets. “A curious and deliberate mix of modern and historical elements, we were inspired in our design meetings to concentrate on the strong emotions involved; the desire for revenge, the angst of teenage love (all of the characters, save the nurse, are between the ages of 14 and 17), and their dream world inhabited by shadow people and the ghosts of Romeo and Juliet,” said Liz Ledwell, English Teacher and director of the play. Set in the outskirts of Verona in the Capulet gypsy encampment, the production is ensconced in gypsy culture, which in many time periods would arrange marriages, and chafe against the established rules of society.

The play is one of the most popular in the Connections series of the British National Theatre, which solicits plays for young people from established playwrights.

After Juliet By Sharman Macdonald

November 2nd and 3rd

7 pm at Falmouth Academy

There is no cost to

attend. (but please bring a canned food item for

the Falmouth Service Center) Doors open at 6:30 pm

“This feud began not in our father’s time, but in our father’s father’s.” - Petruchio

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It has been a busy summer and early fall for Information Technology (IT) at FA. We continue to train faculty and staff in best uses for technology within our unique curriculum. A main goal is to teach our students how to navigate the Internet effectively and responsibly and make best use of our overall ever-changing technological world, which will set them up for success in college and beyond. IT is a continual and collaborative process with input from all faculty and staff. We systematically update/upgrade/tune-up all computers in the building throughout the year — a necessary process to keep the computers running well and up-to-date with constantly changing versions/patches of new software. We are working to integrate appropriate technology into our classrooms to enhance learning. For example, the laptops used for science-related classes at FA have recently been updated with a new USB microscope attachment and accompanying software. This allows for the sharing of amazing still photos and/or video of projects in the classroom with fellow classmates and faculty that can be saved for future use. Even though these installations are recent, the reception and feedback from both faculty and students have been tremendous. We plan to build on this enthusiasm and continue to work collaboratively as we shape the future IT landscape here at Falmouth Academy!

Jason Weinstein Director of Technology

Books and Bytes

Jennifer Naro Librarian

This year, we are finding new ways of extending the library beyond its physical space to reach students and faculty anywhere they have Internet access. Through the library’s web page, our researchers can discover a wealth of information. To get to our web page, visit www.falmouthacademy.org, then follow this path: Academics > Library. From there, you will find the following links:

The library’s catalog. The entire catalog is now searchable from school or home with a more intuitive and attractive interface that allows our students to easily find the resources they need in our collection. Catalog results provide images, summaries, reviews, tables of contents, and more.

Research guides. These guides, which we will be creating and updating throughout the year, join together resources within our library and outside of it, providing information about our collection as well as links to vetted and respected online resources.

Online Databases. We now have 24-hour access to 29 online databases, where students can research thousands of journals, newspapers, books, images, videos, and more. Recent Additions. Updated regularly, these pages list all of the new titles we are adding to the library’s collection.

Please visit our web site (www.falmouthacademy.org/index.php/aca-demics/library) and see the variety of resources our library has to offer.

Books and

Bytes

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November 2012

“One is financial. We make a concerted effort here to make sure that our students will not face a crippling financial situation. So far we’ve been able to avoid it, and our students are not going deeply in debt.” This year, for instance all of our students who applied to colleges offering merit-based aid received it. The second barrier that keeps students from finishing college is lack of academic preparation. A recent nationwide survey found that four out of five students in remedial college courses had a high school GPA of 3.0 or higher. “That lack of preparation never happens with FA students,” says Mrs. Taylor. “If students can earn B’s or C’s at Falmouth Academy, then they will be prepared in college and won’t struggle with the work.” All FA students will finish high school having taken challenging classes in math and science as a junior or senior, and will have had four or more years of a foreign language as well as modern European history. A Harvard University study found that this high school academic preparation predicted greater success in college than either test scores or grades. Cont. on page 8

“We hear from our students that they are teaching their college friends how to write,” says Julia Taylor, FA College Advisor and founding faculty member. FA prepares students for college at all levels: from mak-ing sure that each student has the type of challenging academic experience that readies them for college-level work to the details of the college application. Because FA is a deliberately small school, students have access to unlimited personal attention and guidance in deciding which schools to apply to and how to present their most desirable qualities and best selves in their application. (This help continues for alumni thinking about college transfers or graduate school as well.) The benefits of small class size also play out in college admissions. “Our teachers write very strong letters of recommendation because not only are they good writers themselves, but they also know the students so well. It is a very persuasive combination,” says Mrs. Taylor. FA’s commitment to ensuring that students have the best college preparation goes beyond their acceptance to making sure they earn their degrees with good grades. “There are two main reasons that students don’t finish college,” says Mrs. Taylor.

When it Comes to College, FA Students Benefit from a Combination of Personal Attention and Preparation

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“This combination of courses is rare in independent schools where most students take only four academic subjects a year,” says Mrs.Taylor. “ We are one of the few schools offering that curriculum.” FA students have the benefit of preparation that allows them to look at the college admissions process a little differently. Confident that they can do the work, they can base their decision on the type of college setting that will best help them develop their academic skills, broader talents, and personal qualities. “If they can figure out the type of setting they want and need, then we can find many colleges that provide a good fit with a range of admissibility,” says Mrs.Taylor.

“Making this choice requires students to go beyond the superficial because they have to seriously consider who they are and then decide what colleges provide the best match.” The rare combination of Falmouth Academy’s challenging core curriculum and the ability of teachers and advisors to build relationships with students is the cornerstone for students to succeed, not only by being accepted to colleges but by thriving over the course of their college careers and becoming responsible citizens. “Our students are in a position to take advantage of all that college has to offer. They’ve already mastered the skills that will make them successful,” said Mrs. Taylor.

FA by the Numbers

Seven Falmouth Academy students were recognized by the 2013 National Merit Scholarship Program as Commended Scholars. They earned the honor because of their high scores on the preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test they took in October, 2011. Those students, who were juniors last fall, are Ryan Ackell, East Falmouth; Hannah Davenport, Wareham; Alexandra Friedman, East Sandwich; Jessica O’Malley, North Falmouth; Emily Skehill, East Falmouth; Ronna ten Brink, Falmouth; and Caitlin Walsh, North Falmouth. Over 1.5 million students took the PSAT/NMSQT last fall and entered the National Merit Program, a nationwide competition for recognition and awards conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Commended scholars scored among the top five percent of U.S. high school seniors. In the past four years, 29 FA students have been recognized by the National Merit Program. Each Commended Student will receive a letter of commendation and will have the opportunity to take advantage of the NMSC College Plans Reporting Service. This allows each student to choose two colleges or universities to which they would like to be referred by the NMSC.

• FA doesn’t offer AP courses but our students still score higher than all peer schools with 40% scoring at the highest levels, and 9 out of 10 scoring at college levels.

• FA ranks in the top 10 schools in the state with SAT scores averaging more than 100 points higher than peer schools, 387 points higher than the state average, and 436 points higher than the national average.

• FA faculty hold 32 advanced degrees and 5 Ph.Ds. • 2 FA alumni have been named Rhodes Scholars, one as a student at Princeton University and the other at Wellesley College. • FA students have earned a staggering 131 top prizes at the state science & engineering Fair at MIT. • FA offers the best teacher/student ratio among our peers with an average class size of 12.

2013 National Merit Scholarship Program Recognition

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Falmouth Academy Refrigerator CalendarNovember 2012

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1

Dress Rehearsal for Fall Play 7 pm

2 Fall Play “After Juliet” 7 pm

3 Fall Play “After Juliet” 7pm SAT I and II

4

5 Auditions for Middle School Play (grades 7-9) 2:30 pm

6 Registration Deadline for December 1 SATs

7 School Picture Retake Day 9:45 am

8 Dress Rehearsal for Fall Concert 3 pm

9 Fall Concert 7 pm

10 SSAT Admissions Test 9 am – 12:15 pm

11

12 Lily Patterson and Este Perry Photography Exhibit through Dec. 3

13 Early Buses 2:30 pm

14 Cape and Islands Music Festival Auditions at Mashpee HS 3:45 pm

15

16

17 Senior Southeast Music Festival Auditions at King Philip HS, Wrentham

18

19

20 Thanksgiving Break begins at 2:30 pm

21

22 Chase the Turkey Race Thanksgiving

23 Alumni/Varsity Soccer Game 1 pm Rain or Shine

24

25

26

27

28 Committee on Trustees Mtg. 5 pm Finance Committee Mtg. 6 pm Executive Committee Mtg. 7 pm

29 Early Buses 2:30 pm Development Committee Mtg. 5 pm

30 Advisor meetings to distribute report cards

 

Honor Society sponsored Can Drive All Week !

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Falmouth Academy Refrigerator CalendarDecember 2012

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1

Final tuition and book payments due SAT I and II

2 Alumni Event in Washington D.C.

3

4

5 Board of Trustees mtg. 6 pm

6

7 Dance 7 – 10 pm

8 SSAT Admissions Test 9 am – 12:15

9

10

11

12

13

14

15 All State Music Festival Auditions Jr. SE Music Fest. Auditions 9 am – 12:15

16

17 Carlo Bocconcelli Solo Photography Exhibit, Through Jan. 7

18

19

20

21 Alumni Day Hugs & Kisses Distribution Winter Vacation Begins

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 Registration Deadline for Jan. 26 SATs

29

30

31

Don’t forget the Hugs & Kisses Sorting Party at Mrs. Swanbeck’s on Saturday, December 15

from 9 am – 1 pm!

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Alumni News

• Catch Brian Miskell ’06 (far left in the picture above) as he reprises his role of hapless barista Evan Shelmerdine in Annie Baker’s Aliens at the Studio Theatre in Washington DC. The play runs November 14 through Christmas. Purchase tickets at http://www.studiothe-atre.org/tickets/. ( Join Mrs. Melillo and Washington D.C. alumni for the December 2, 2 p.m. performance. Contact [email protected] to purchase your ticket.)

• Congratulations to Aiyana Bailin ’99, who graduated summa cum laude from UCSD. She is currently working as a research assistant in a neuropsychology lab.

• Lizzie Cookson ’08 is working as an assistant at Seyfarth Shaw in Washington DC. Lizzie received her BA this spring in Psychology and Criminal Justice from George Washington University and interned at Hilton and Bishop in Falmouth over the summer.

• Eliza McDermott ‘08 is an administrative and development assistant at The Public Justice Center in Baltimore following her graduation from St. Olaf College with a degree in Political Science and a concentration in Middle Eastern Studies. At St. Olaf, Eliza was a member of the student-run Political Awareness Committee and worked as a Congressional intern for Representative Bill Keating.

• Tony Bowen ’05 was elected to the Board of Directors of Equality Maryland, a statewide LGBT organization. After graduating first in his class with a master of arts in philanthropic studies from Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy and summa cum laude from William Jewell College with a bachelor of arts in Nonprofit Leadership and Business Administration. Tony now works as a grants analyst with the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

• The Mask of Inanna, an audio drama written by Alicia Goranson ’92, won the 2012 Parsec Award for the Best Speculative Fiction Audio Drama (Long Form) category. The Parsec Awards are some of the most prestigious audio drama awards in the United States. “I am very proud that my show has won this award. I have spent over four years on writing, directing, producing, and editing this show, and I am humbled that my show has received this praise,” said Alicia. The Mask of Inanna is a bi-monthly podcast serial, consisting of two seasons. To listen, visit: http://www.themaskofinanna.com/category/episodes/

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News from the FA Alumni Council• Don’t miss the Alumni vs. Varsity soccer game the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 23. It’s at 1:00, rain or shine. Notify Barbara Campbell if you can play, or plan to be on the sidelines to visit with FA friends and cheer on the alumni! The current record is Alumni 8, Varsity 1.

• You are invited to Alumni College & Career Networking Day on December 21. Do you have a topic regarding your college experience or your career path that you’d like to share with juniors and seniors? We will have roundtables with specific topics 8:45-10:30 a.m. We’ll follow that up with a less-structured conversation after All-School Meeting (and the 12 Days of Christmas dance) in the gym. Our students are eager to learn of your experiences. Please contact Barbara Campbell ([email protected]) if you are free that day and would like to participate.

• January 5 is the next date for our Alumni Play Group. We will meet at the Cape Cod Children’s Museum at 10:00 a.m. admission will be $5 for all attendees (if we have a group of ten or more). Register with Barbara in advance and bring your non-FA friends too!

• Save the date of January 11 for our Alumni vs. Varsity Basketball Game. Let Barbara know if you will be able to play. The girls’ game will be at 4:30 and the boys’ game will be at 5:30. We will get together afterward at the Captain Kidd in Woods Hole.

• The next Alumni Council meeting takes place Saturday, January 12, 10:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m.

• Costia Karolinski ’07 is currently living in Washington DC. He arrived as a City Year corps member (Americorps), dedicating 60 hours a week to one of DC’s elementary/middle schools where he was a teaching assistant and also created afterschool programming. He also served as advisor to their Student Government Association and helped coordinate their Johns Hopkins Talent Development program. He then took a position at Excel Academy Public Charter School, an all-girls charter school, as part of its operations/administrative team. He runs the early morning care, is a receptionist, communications assistant, data-entry inputter, dismissal/arrivals facilitator, and emergency behavior support person. On Saturday mornings, Costia teaches French to 4-7 year olds in a full immersion class at the Alliance Française de Washington. He hopes to return to Massachusetts next year, and become a teaching resident/fellow or take on an administrative role at an elementary or middle school (either of Falmouth Academy’s style or a charter school that serves an underprivileged community).

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Alumni WeddingsLove is in the air for several Falmouth Academy alumni. Over the past few months, we’ve received notice of many weddings. Congratulations and best wishes to all!

Classmates Heather Kelleher and Ryan Remillard ‘00 were married in October. Helping to celebrate were Julia Wald ’00, Ben Houghton ’00, Jake Harding ’00, Colin Remillard ’02, Michele Chapdelaine ’03, Ian Remillard ’11, Erin Remillard ’06, Rachel Billings ’00, Darryn Remillard ’00, Megan Remillard ’17, and Nathan Remillard ’18.

Dove Pedlosky ’97 and Philippe Sakaian were married in September at City Hall in Manhattan. According to her father, Joseph Pedlosky, “The ceremony was dignified, sweet and secular. New York was at its best. The marriage office was filled with many couples of every conceivable human combination and there were smiles everywhere. In spite of the large numbers of people, each mar-riage occurred with an officer of the city doing the ceremony in a private chapel with complete privacy and only the bride, groom, and the small wedding party.” Dove is Communications Manager at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Philippe is from Paris and is a visual artist.

Katka Scamborova ’98 was married to Michael Zeltkevic on July 14 in Slovakia at Bojnice Castle, a beautiful, historical place, many centuries old. Attending the wedding were her sister Petra ’93 and Johnathan Cook, brother of Liz ’92, whose family hosted Petra when she was an exchange student at FA. Although Katka lives in New York, she works for a Boston consulting firm, McKinsey and Co., and has recently been working out of its Dallas office!

Alumni v. Varsity Soccer Game

Friday, November 23, 1:00 p.m.

rain or shine

Come to watch. Come to play. Register:

[email protected]

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Alumni Weddings

Crissy Brown ‘96 and Ryan Carr

14

Kristin Jochems ’05 married Ed Montville on August 11 at China Lake, Maine, on a property owned by the parents of her cousin Alex Meade ’05. “It was a very small, intimate wedding - only 44 guests. We had a wonderful time celebrating with our friends and family (despite off-and-on rain all day),” said Kristin. She and Ed are stationed at Scott AFB, Illinois where she is the senior intelligence officer for her flying wing. “The job is a little less exciting than my last one in Germany, but I finally get to lead some of our younger enlisted members and, most importantly, be with my family.”

Jeremiah Atwood ‘03 and Elizabeth Neiderman

Jamie Herook and Matt Maggiore ‘97We’d also like to congratulate the three couples pictured at right.

As well as Nichole Tennant ‘00 on her marriage to Brandon Kettelland Hollis Marek ‘95 on his marriage to Michelle Scott

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The first week of October finds the FA Girls’ Soccer team undefeated with a record of 4-0-3. As I write, the team and the school community are eagerly anticipating an important match versus Marianapolis Prep., whose teams have been strong in the S.E.N.E.I.S.A.A. conference over the past few seasons. I can’t resist pointing out that with a female enrollment in grades 9-12 of 130, Marianapolis is about twice our size. Competing quite successfully with much larger schools is nothing unusual for Coach Don Swanbeck and the FA girls. Eighty percent of our league opponents are larger than FA and the girls have already earned a hard-fought draw on the road against the Lincoln School, enrollment 160! FA athletes have a long history of playing David to our opponents’ Goliath. Just as FA’s academic excellence starts with an amazing group of talented and dedicated teachers, so the long-standing success of our athletic teams reflects the labor and guidance of talented and inspiring coaches. There is no program at FA more storied than our girls’ soccer teams, and few schools anywhere can lay claim to better coaches than Peter Conzett and Don Swanbeck, one or the other of whom have helmed FA’s varsity soccer team for all but two of the last 24 years! The early success of this year’s team, led by seven seniors, harkens back to the incredible run of seasons that

For the Love of the Game: A Note from the Director of Athletics

Visit the Athletics section offalmouthacademy.org

to check out the Mariners’ fall sports schedule!

Coach Conzett‘s teams experienced between 1997 and 2003. Over the span of those seven seasons, the Falmouth Academy girls captured six consecutive New England Class D Cham-pionships, and reached the championship game in the seventh year with a banged-up team missing key players. Though I do not know this to be true, I strongly suspect that no independent school in New England, of any size, playing at any class level, or in any sport, has ever enjoyed such a remarkable run of achievement. Could another run at a New England championship be in the cards this year? It may be too early to tell, but I confess to having such hopes, and such memories, in my mind as I look forward to watching the afternoon’s big match!

A Note From Director of Athletics, Rob Wells: “David vs. Goliath”

P.S. The girls kept their undefeated streak alive with a 2-2 tie!

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From Director of Admissions, Mike Earley

Each Visitor to FA is a Star, not a Shadow

We invite every student who considers enrolling at Falmouth Academy to spend a full school day with us. Our visitors attend academic and elective classes with student guides, interview with a member of the admissions staff, and reflect in writing on their visit. We introduce our visitors at All-School Meeting, and welcome them with applause. Their parents also meet with us to learn more about the school, to ask questions, and to tell us about their child and their hopes for his or her education. The parents then tour the school, meet students and teachers, and observe classes. Our goal for this day is to assure that both the family and the school understand the other’s hopes and expecta-tions. Because choosing a school is a serious decision, this knowledge is important for families and for Falmouth Academy. The visit day is far and away the most important step in our application process, for the school and for interested families. No web site, open house, or view book can com-municate the school’s unique community and culture as well. To understand the culture of any school — how people treat each other, their conversations, expectations, and quirky traditions — you have to spend time in the building when school is in session.

Many schools do not host prospective students for an entire school day. We cherish the chance to get to know each other and are committed to a full-day visit. A few years ago, the term “shadowing” became popular to describe school visits. This term did not come from Falmouth Academy, and we do not use it. When you come to FA for your visit and interview, you are part of our active community. We are excited to get to know you, and we hope that you are excited to get to know us. If you were just a passive observer, how would you find out if FA were a good match for you? How would we learn about your interests, how you think or act or speak? How would we hear your voice? During your day at Falmouth Academy, you are a star, not a shadow. On October 1, we began visits for students and their parents interested in admission next year. If you have not scheduled your interview and visit day yet, please call the Admissions Office soon.Visits run from 7:55 a.m. to 2:25 p.m. on school days. Just remember, at Falmouth Academy, it’s not a “shadow day!”

For admissions information contact Director of Admissions, Mike Earley at 508-457-9696 x224

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Smiling, they parade into the gym and look for familiar faces and a place to sit. Some talk quietly with their peers, others scan the space, taking in athletics banners and that freshly varnished smell that’s universal to gym floors. Eventually they’re sitting comfortably glancing at each other with anticipation. Some crane their necks for a better view of the door. And finally, in an excited flood of chatter and giggles, the students arrive. The ring of seated grandparents and other guests begins at half-court and circles the floor to the baseline. The gym becomes a scene of knowing smiles, winks and nods, excited hugs, and those silent but powerful gestures that define the bond between grandparent and grandchild. The introductions begin with students standing behind their seated grandparents, “This is my nana and she is from…”. Chests rise with pride; and older hands reach back to cover youthful ones resting on shoulders. It is emotional, it is funny, and it is distinctly FA. Other schools may offer Grandparents Day events, but at FA the respect and appreciation shown by the students and the genuine excitement of the staff sets it apart. This year more than 120 grandparents and other guests visited the school, and attended classes, had lunch with their students, and shared the FA experience, getting a feel for what their students are learning and for our unique small-school culture and atmosphere.

Many took advantage of the offer to take a “generational photo.” Photographer and FA parent Meredith Hunnibell P’15 took upwards of 85 pictures of students and their guests. Diane Reves, grandmother of Cassidy ‘14 and Sintra Reves-Sohn ‘16, called the photos “a priceless gift” and a “lovely reminder” of the day. Those pictures tell the story of the day.

Grandparents Day in a Community that Values Close Relationships

More photos on page 18

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October marked the kickoff of FA’s 2012-2013 Annual Fund. Like most independent schools, we rely on the Annual Fund to bridge the gap between tuition revenues and the full cost of educating our students. Approximately $2,300 of each child’s learning experience comes directly from the Annual Fund. Annual Fund gifts provide 10 percent of our school’s operating costs each year. The impact of these gifts is immediate, allowing us to offer creative programs, technology upgrades, and sports programs all while maintaining the challenging college preparatory curriculum that sets FA apart. The Annual Fund is integral to supporting our outstanding faculty and facilities, our uniquely educational class trips and experiential learning opportunities. It ensures that FA can consistently offer the highest quality educational experience in an encouraging environment that cultivates a life-long love of learning.

Making a difference in the lives of FA students is easy. The Annual Fund offers a variety of ways to show your support:

• Mail a check made payable to Falmouth Academy to:

Falmouth Academy7 Highfield DriveFalmouth, MA 02540

• Give by credit card either over the phone at 508-457-9696 x.242 or online by using the “Donate Here” button on the Falmouth Academy homepage.

• You can also enroll in our monthly giv-ing program. Show your support through automatic monthly installments via credit card or bank debit.

• Make a gift of stock. You can donate appreciated stocks and avoid the capital gains tax that would be incurred by selling the securities. For account details contact: 508-457-9696 x.242

The Falmouth Academy Annual Fund

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Show Your School Spirit!Ward off the cold with your own hooded sweatshirt or sweatpants in FA colors. Many styles and sizes are available. Get a comfy long or short-sleeved T-shirt for gym or sports practice. Need a gift for mom or dad? A stocking stuffer or birthday gift? New this year: Grab your morning cup of joe or hot tea and show your pride with an FA insulated coffee mug. Order forms for merchandise are available at school or on the Parents page of the FA Web site.


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