| | In This Issue: Playathon 2016 Chinese New Year Celebrations Bancroft to Host SISAL Art Show
US Biology Students Test Effect
of Ethyl Alcohol on Worms French Immersion Day
Gr. 7 Student-Driven Drama Speech Team Accomplishments Gr. 9 & Gr. 2 LLM Project Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners Spring Season Coaching Opportunities
Tattoo Artist Visits US Anatomy & Physiology Class
Upcoming Important Dates
ASK THE PFA
Angela Cheng-Cimini, PFA President
Q: Can my friends and neighbors outside the Bancroft community come to the yard sale?
A: YES! The PFA's giant indoor yard sale is absolutely open to the public. This is our big fundraiser of the year and we need lots of buyers (and volunteers), especially this year, with the dollar-for-dollar MATCH on all profits from a generous Bancroft family! The Yard Sale is February 20, 2016, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 100 Shore Drive, Worcester, MA. Please share this information on your Facebook or other social media accounts, and with all the clubs and groups you belong to! We really appreciate your help spreading the word. Click HERE to visit the Yard Sale web page. And click HERE to visit the Yard Sale Facebook page. Submit a Question!
We invite you to email your
PFA questions to Angela at pfapres@bancroftschool.org
Student Gallery
                    
Bancroft Summer Programs ♦ K-8 Day Camps ♦ Specialty Programs ♦ Teen Enrichment 
| | Playathon 2016
 The PFA Cultural Series presented the annual Playathon on Jan 28th. Each year this wonderful program captures the Bancroft spirit. Students and faculty from PreK through Upper School displayed their musical and dance talents to their peers, friends, and families. Click on the photo collage above to watch the video.
Chinese New Year Celebrations
 新年快乐 ! Our Monday snow day postponed but didn’t dampen our Chinese New Year celebrations. On Tuesday Feb. 9, we welcomed the Year of the Monkey and enjoyed the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of China all over campus. From the kindergartners’ annual dragon parade, to the sweets table compliments of the Asian Culture Club, to the Mandarin students making traditional dumplings, it was a happy day of good omens and glad tidings. Click photo above to watch a slide show.
Bancroft to Host SISAL Art Show
 Art Department Chair Bob Dec is pleased to announce that, for the first time in more than 15 years, Bancroft School is hosting the Small Independent Schools Art League (SISAL) juried art exhibit. The SISAL competition features MS and US student work from 17 independent schools. The art will be on display in the MPR, Rice Room, and Upper School hallway from Feb 29 through March 6, with a reception and awards ceremony on the final day. Watch your inbox for more details!
US Biology Students Test Effect of Ethyl Alcohol on Worms
 In Mrs. Pearson's US Biology class last week, students conducted a first-time study on the effect of ethyl alcohol on C. elegans nematode worms. Each lab group exposed the worms to different concentrations of ethyl alcohol while observing changes in their mobility. The class data revealed that the worms went from 58 body thrashes per minute in water, to 38 in 0.5-molar ethyl alcohol, to 5 in 1-molar ethyl alcohol. The students concluded that more alcohol appears to reduce normal muscular activity in the worm. The next step for each lab group is to choose a new independent variable to use on the worms.
 Click the green photo to watch a video by 11th grader Sarah N., which shows the C. elegans nematode worms moving on the agar medium that they are living on. (Mrs. Pearson added a thank you to Mrs. DeMaria for helping to set up this lab!)
French Immersion Day 
Sandwiched between two snowstorms, Bancroft’s 2nd annual French Immersion Day on Saturday, February 6th was un succès magnifique. Twenty students joined French teachers Flavien Collet and Shari Belanger on campus to spend the day speaking French while participating in a series of interactive activities led by native French speakers. The day included:
- A songwriting workshop with acclaimed musician Bertrand Laurence;
- A cooking workshop with former French teacher Laure Hallworth;
- A cultural presentation with Magali Boutiot, Deputy Cultural Attaché at the French Consulate in Boston, along with special guest Captain Yann Cariou, who last year gained international acclaim by navigating a replica of the Hermione frigate and following the footsteps of Lafayette;
- A wooden shingle-painting workshop with artist Philippe Lejeune; and
- Plenty of social time involving croissants, baguettes, and macarons!
Click the slideshow above to see a few images from the day, and watch for the full story in M. Collet’s words and pictures on the Global Studies in Action blog on the Bancroft website!
Gr. 7 Student-Driven Drama Performances  The 7th grade drama classes worked hard creating student-run productions of Little Red Riding Hood and The Trial of the Murder of Humpty Dumpty, which they presented to an audience in the theatre at the end of the quarter. “From choosing the type of production to blocking, set design, and assembling costumes and props, the students did it all,” said MS drama teacher Rachel Wagner. A nice example of project-based learning!
Speech Team Accomplishments  Pictured here with former Head of LS Jyoti Datta are sophomore Colton C. and junior Lydia C., members of Bancroft’s Speech team who performed for the students at Worcester’s Jacob Hiatt Magnet School (where Mrs. Datta is now the principal). The Speech Team has been doing very well on the tournament circuit — seven Speechies recently qualified for the CFL National tournament in Sacramento in May: Al-Madinah X in Declamation; Tiana B & Cameron C in Duo Interpretation; Monica C & Lydia C in Duo Interpretation; Karan M in Extemporaneous Speaking; and Chelsea S in Original Oratory. Also, Afia S is the First Alternate in Dramatic Performance and Megan D is the Second Alternate in Declamation. High-fives all around!
Gr. 9 & Gr. 2 Joined by LLM Project
As part of a project that embodies the Learning Laboratory Method (LLM), Emma S. & Jennah V., students in Mrs. O'Rourke's 9th grade English class, created a children's version of the short story “The Handsomest Drowned Man In The World” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. They found an eager audience for their work in Mrs. Tupper's 2nd graders — the two are shown here reading their story to the class. Moments like this are some of the best parts of being a PreK-12 school! back to top
Scholastic Art & Writing Award Winners  Four Bancroft student artists and writers earned Gold Key awards, eight earned Silver Key awards, and 15 earned Honorable Mention in the 2016 Massachusetts Regional Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Pictured are Gold Key-winning art pieces by Katherine B (Sculpture, “Dysphoria”) and Irvi S (Mixed Media, “BLUE”). All Gold Key artwork and writing is automatically entered to compete for National Medals. Congratulations to these talented young artists and writers:
GOLD KEY: Katherine B, Sculpture; Irvi S, Mixed Media; Carmen B, Flash Fiction; Katherine B, Personal Essay/Memoir SILVER KEY: Xiaoling H, Ceramics & Glass; Alyssa J, Poetry; Abigail M, Printmaking; Ailish M, Short Story; Chelsea S, Mixed Media; Kieran S, Science Fiction/Fantasy; Irvi S, Drawing and Illustration; Ali V, Humor. Click here for more details, including the 15 Honorable Mentions.
Spring Season Coaching Opportunities 
Bancroft is looking to hire three coaches for the spring season
(April 4-May 26) and we thought you (or someone you know) might be interested! The coaching opportunities are:
- Varsity Crew Assistant Coach
- Middle School Coed Tennis Coach
- Middle School Boys’ Lacrosse Coach
After-school practices and games take place during the week. Crew involves a few Saturdays and Sunday races. If you are interested and qualified, or know someone who is, please contact Assistant Athletic Director Wayne Penniman 508-853-2640 ext. 310.
Tattoo Artist Visits US Anatomy & Physiology Class 
The seniors in the US Anatomy & Physiology class had a visit from a tattoo artist this week. Their teacher, Wayne Penniman, explained that the class has been learning about the function and anatomy of the skin, including how the skin reacts to puncture wounds by setting off an immediate immune response to fight infection. (And tattoos, after all, are puncture wounds.) Their guest was Joe Peterson, the owner of Zaza Ink in West Boylston, who also teaches aspiring tattoo artists about infection control as part of the licensure process. Peterson spoke to our students about the science behind tattooing, infection risks and control measures, important considerations before making a tattoo decision, and the realities of tattoo removal. back to top 
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Yearbook Questions–Contact John Beauregard
Inspired by the US Musical, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella, the dining hall will be transformed into a delightful castle where the whole family can enjoy an Italian feast! Tickets are $8 ($32 max per family, under age 3 free). Make a night of it and enjoy the US Musical afterwards! Tickets sold separately.
Upcoming Important Dates:
Mid-Winter Break–No School/Campus Closed — Friday, Feb. 12 through Monday, Feb. 15. (Classes resume Tuesday) No Worcester School Buses — Week of Feb 15-19 Bancroft School Clothing & Yard Sale — Saturday, Feb. 20 SISAL Art Exhibit in the Upper School — Week of Feb. 29 - March 6 Bancroft Speaker Series: Ann Bancroft, "Dare to Dream" — Thursday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. (Reception) and 7:30 p.m. (Presentation) Early Dismissal for Students — Friday, March 4 at 11:30 a.m.
SISAL Reception & Art Awards Ceremony — Sunday, March 6 at 1 p.m. (Reception) and 3 p.m. (Awards)
US Musical: Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella — March 10, 11, & 12 at 7:30 p.m. | Matinee on March 12 at 1:00 p.m. PFA Community Dinner, "Royal Banquet" Friday, March 11, 5:30-7:00 p.m. Spring Break–No School — Monday, March 21 to Friday, April 1
(Classes Resume – Monday, April 4) Visit the Calendar HERE for more events in April
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