| | Dear Bancroft Friends:
 This is the time I’ve waited for since taking over as the Head of School in July—the time when the students return. Students who are new this year to Bancroft, including my two daughters, had their orientation yesterday. The campus is in full bloom. The fall Varsity and JV teams have been practicing and scrimmaging. The excitement on campus is palpable.
As I told the faculty and staff when we assembled the other day, prior to their divisional planning retreats, it’s important that we retain a little of the summertime mindset as we get back into the school year. While we’re returning to schedules and structure, we need to hang on to the sense of freedom that summer affords. Even if we have to force ourselves, it’s beneficial to take the time to think, relax, recharge. At the assembly, I gave each new teacher a “smencil.” Roses seemed impractical, so I provided a scented pencil to remind them to every so often stop, breathe, and smell the smencils. We must encourage the students, too, to keep a touch of summer.
As you might imagine, I have several goals in mind for my first year as the Head of School. The first is relationship building. Throughout the year, as I have opportunities to get to know more of the good people in the Bancroft, Worcester, and Central Massachusetts communities, my goal is to create and foster positive working relationships that strengthen the position of the School. And I will encourage all these constituencies to connect with the School, share their time, expertise, resources, or ideas to enhance the learning experience for all of our students.
My wife Bonnie and I, and our daughters, Page and Bridgette, are thrilled to join you as members of this vibrant community. Together, we’ll all make this an extraordinary year.
Best,
Trey Cassidy
Head of School
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| | In This Issue: Campus Improvements
New Leadership, Faculty & Staff, 2014–2015
US Student Leaders Set Goals
& Strengthen Bonds
Varsity & JV Athletes Pre-Season
Scrimmage Games
MS Diversity Committee Brings Accessible Parking Icons to Campus
Foreign Language Lab Goes Digital
Important Dates
Donor Spotlight
For 43 years, Miss Elinor Pike, or “Pikie” as she was fondly known, was a member of the Bancroft community. She is best remembered as the girls’ physical education teacher, but also managed the bookstore, and
taught typing.
“Pikie” will continue to be a part
of Bancroft, even after her passing this summer at the age of 101, through a generous bequest
made to Bancroft School. Her estate planning contained provisions to support girls’ and boys’ physical education.
We are grateful for her foresight and support.
Gifts such as Miss Pike’s earn
one membership in the George Bancroft Society. For more information about how you might include Bancroft in your estate planning, please visit our website
at bancroftschool.org/giftplanning
to learn more.
Summer on Campus
A Look Back ... 
     
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| | Campus Improvements
 The facilities team has worked diligently all summer long to make many wonderful improvements on campus. Peter McKone, Director of Operations, reports that his six-man team did an amazing job at transforming the campus and making improvements to best serve the needs of our community.
One of the most visible projects completed this summer is the installation of the large, eye-catching Bancroft Bulldogs mesh windscreen gracing the tennis courts. This huge statement of school spirit is an awesome addition to our athletic fields. Here are some of the other facilities projects completed this summer:
- Moving of offices including the Head of School Office, Business Office, and Admission Office.
- Completion of the portico outside the Athletic Center
- Tennis court resurfacing
- McDonough Family Tennis Courtyard renovations
- Accessible Icons installed in parking lot (see story below)
- Remodeling, painting, and carpeting in Gauthier Dining Room, US classrooms, Athletic Center hallway
- And lots more!
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New Faces at Bancroft
Leadership Team
Dr. David Cyganski, President, Board of Trustees
A Bancroft trustee since 2007 and recent vice-president, David begins his tenure as Board president this year. He is currently the Dean of Engineering and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), where he has held a variety of prominent roles in teaching, research, and administration. He earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. at WPI. David is also a former Bancroft parent whose son Nicholas graduated in 2013.
Robert F. Rooney, Jr., Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Bob comes to Bancroft with 26 years of experience in finance and accounting, and nine years’ experience as a CFO in education. He received his B.S. B.S. in Business Administration from Suffolk University and is a member of the National Business Officers Association.
Tobey Fossey, Chief Advancement Officer (CAO)
Tobey leads our Advancement team, which comprises alumni, development, and marketing & communications. Prior to joining Bancroft, she was the Associate Director of Development and Capital Campaign Director at Belmont Day School. Tobey holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Stonehill College. Faculty, Administration, and Staff
We are delighted to welcome the new faculty, administrators, and staff who have recently joined the Bancroft community! Lower School:
Shannon Arsenault, Hope Graham Program Teacher, Grades 4 & 5
Kevin Briggs, Computer Skills Teacher and Technology Integration Specialist
Kaitlyn Conor, Kindergarten Assistant Teacher
Middle School:
Brian Crawford, Science Teacher Substitute
Angela Sigismondi, Humanities Teacher
Lyssa Steponaitis, Math Teacher
Upper School:
Flavien Collet, French Teacher
Administrative Staff:
Stephanie Des Chenes, Admission Assistant Back to Top
US Student Leaders Set Goals & Strengthen Bonds
Written by Sarah N., Class of 2017
 On Tuesday, August 26th, Bancroft’s student leaders met up before the school year started, as a kick off to the new year. The day was structured as “work in the morning” and “play in the afternoon.” The Student Council, Activities Board, and Disciplinary Committee met in the morning to discuss their goals for the upcoming year. The leadership teams then went out to West End Creamery to play mini golf together and have ice cream, accomplishing our goal to not only have fun, but also to get to know each other better and build cohesion between the representatives in each team. Everyone enjoyed the afternoon and our goal of becoming closer as leadership teams was definitely achieved.
The Student Council met in the morning to go over ideas discussed in previous meetings last school year. Among all the topics we covered, the main ideas Student Council focused on included having a heightened focus on more student-driven assemblies and expanding our role as Student Council by thinking of new activities to reinforce school spirit. Activities Board met in the morning and made the new club bulletin boards, wrote the Homecoming dance skit, and began planning for Bancroft’s Homecoming Spirit Week. The Disciplinary Committee met in the morning and laid out the foundations for the year ahead; their primary goals being gaining more transparency in the Disciplinary Committee as well as improving the Code of Conduct with a specific focus on the dress code. Overall the day was a success, filled with productive meetings and lots of fun!
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Varsity & JV Athletes Work Hard in Pre-Season
 On Monday, August 25th, Athletic Director Steve Kelley welcomed back the 2014 Fall Varsity and Junior Varsity teams and coaches for the opening day of pre-season practices. The teams practiced Monday through Thursday, working on conditioning, team and individual skills, offense and defense strategies, and team bonding. On Thursday afternoon, the Field Hockey and Boys Soccer teams put their skills to the test in scrimmage games (CLICK HERE FOR SLIDE SHOW). Bancroft’s new tennis court windscreen, which tells the world this is “Bancroft School, Home of the Bulldogs,” kept our athletes pumped and our opponents on their toes.
We are pleased to have a strong group of coaches leading each program. They’ve been meeting with the team captains to plan and set goals for the upcoming season. Kevin Spreadbury and Phil Anas will again lead the Boys Soccer program. Varsity Volleyball coach Randle Stock will be joined by first-year JV coach Kristine Ketsenbaum.
Merl Norcross has returned to our Cross Country program and will be assisted by Jill Watkins. Fredi Stefo and Hampton Perkins return to coach our Girls Soccer program. Kelley is excited to have Jane Gerhardt return to lead the Field Hockey program. Maura Dawson will assist Jane this season. And Mark O’Brien continues to lead our Golf program. This season the Golf team will practice and play at Stow Acres Country Club. Stow is one of the best golf courses in the area and will provide our golfers with a tremendous experience.
The highlight of the pre-season will be the annual Bancroft Soccer, Field Hockey, and Volleyball Play Day on Saturday, September 6th. Bancroft has invited varsity teams from Worcester Doherty, St. Peter-Marian, Advanced Math and Science Academy, Marianapolis Prep, Wilbraham-Monson Academy and Worcester Academy to scrimmage with our teams. The games start at 9:00 and continue till about 1:00. The players and coaches are excited to start the regular season, and Play Day is a great way to prepare and come together as a team. Come on out and support them. Let’s make this the most spirited Bulldog season yet!
DON’T MISS PRE-SEASON PLAY DAY for Soccer, Field Hockey, and Volleyball!
 Saturday, September 6th @ Bancroft School
. Games start at 9:00 a.m. and end around 1:00 p.m. Back to Top
MS Diversity Committee Brings Accessible Parking Icons to Campus
 This past winter, students on the MS Student Council Diversity Committee learned about the new Accessible Icon Project, which is a growing movement to replace outdated handicap parking symbols with a more active, empowering image of a person in a wheelchair. The old icons show a stationary figure in a wheelchair. The new Accessible Icon was thoughtfully designed to portray the person as moving forward, a small but symbolic difference that implies mobility and strength of the differently abled person. The students got approval from all the necessary channels, and then raised money to purchase the new Accessible Icon stencils for the parking lot. This summer, our Facilities team updated the icons on campus. Plans are underway to try and expand the program to our neighboring buildings at the YMCA and the Unitarian Church. And Worcester’s Director of Human Rights & Disabilities, Jayna Turchek, Esq., has even suggested that the students present what they are doing on campus to the City’s Commission on Disability! Watch for more exciting developments on this great story.
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Foreign Language Lab Goes Digital
 Exciting news in the Foreign Language Department! All French, Spanish, Latin, and Mandarin classrooms, Grades 7 through 12, will now be using the SmartClass+ Language Learning Platform. This innovative digital program promotes foreign language acquisition through technology. The teacher’s desktop computer serves as the traditional console station, and the program runs on the students' iPads. Students use specialized headsets designed for noise cancellation and optimal recording, and the SmartClass+ literally brings multimedia language lab capabilities to their fingertips. “The software gives us the full range of traditional language lab activities, including listening, recording, speaking, and pairing activities,” explains Foreign Language Department Chair Karen Fuller. “But it also has integrated visual and video components. In essence, it gives us more time and more flexibility to teach and learn.” All teachers in the department were trained in new program before the start of school.
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Upcoming Important Dates
Dates and times may be subject to change. Please verify.
US Athletics Pre-Season Play Day – Saturday, Sept. 6, 9am–1pm
Coffee Meet & Greet with Trey Cassidy – Monday, Sept. 8, 7:30am All-School Opening Assembly – Monday, Sept. 8, 8:15am PFA Welcome Back Social – Friday, Sept. 12, 7:30pm–8:30pm School Photo Day – Monday, Sept. 15 LS Parents' Night – Thursday, Sept. 18, 6:30pm Family Festival and Homecoming – Saturday, Sept. 27
MS Parents' Night – Thursday, October 2, 6:30pm
US Parents' Night – Thursday, October 9, 6:30pm Fall Admission Open House – Sunday, October 19, 1:30–3:30pm
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