Message from Headmaster
Scott R. Reisinger
Dear Friends:
What a difference one year makes.
About a year ago, Bancroft School was proud to host Mr. Anjie
Chen, Director of Yangpu District, Shanghai, for an afternoon visit as part of
his week-long mission to Central Massachusetts.
A year later, and thanks to the good work and superb
organizational skills of Bancroft parent Nan Zhang and the generous financial
support of the Glass Foundation, a delegation consisting of Bancroft parents, a
trustee, faculty, and yours truly have just completed a nine-day long mission
to visit schools in Shanghai and take the first concrete steps toward forming a
partnership between our school and schools throughout Yangpu District.
The many who followed our travels on
Facebook know of the success of our visits to numerous
schools and the signing of an agreement with Number 1 School, affiliated with Tongji
University, that will lead to future cooperation.
Less has been said about the remarkable opportunity that
ended our trip: my address to 150 principals from Yangpu schools on the topic
of “Recent Trends in American Public and Independent Schools.” In the course of
an hour, I discussed three promising directions in American education and their
application to Bancroft and its curriculum: Multiple Intelligence Theory; the
All Kinds of Minds Movement; and Daniel Pink’s views of right brain-attitudes
and the future. The talk led to a meeting later that afternoon with 20
principals in a more intimate session while we traded ideas and thoughts about
best educational practices and challenges facing educators in both the United
States and the Peoples Republic of China.
Read Headmaster's entire letter
A Team of Twenty
Coach McKallagat is passionate about the future of Bancroft field hockey
"Your girls play harder than anyone." This comment, made by an
opposing coach to Coach McKallagat after a recent game, was music to
her ears and even made losing the game a little easier. Anyone who
meets Courtney McKallagat knows that she is very excited about Bancroft
field hockey and she would consider this comment a great compliment.
When Jane Gerhardt stepped down from her role as varsity field hockey
coach after 22 years, she did so knowing that the team would be left in
very capable hands. Courtney McKallagat had been her assistant
coach for 6 years, so she was sure the transition would be a smooth
one. The players knew her coaching style, and Coach Gerhardt knew she
was leaving the team with someone who could match her own passion for
Bancroft field hockey.
Coach McKallagat's connection to Bulldog field hockey goes
back
to when she was a player (Class of 1999), and Jane Gerhardt was her
coach. As a member
of the team all
four years in Upper School, she loved playing here, loved the sport,
tradition, and camaraderie, and loved winning. It was a natural fit
when the administration asked McKallagat to take the head coaching
position. (She would even get to coach her senior/ first-grade book
buddy, Sarah K.) Read entire story
Eighth Grade Play "In a Grove"
Four Japanese ghost stories come to life in the eighth grade's performance of "In a Grove" by Eric Coble.
November 12 and 13 at 7:00 pm (all welcome)
LS & MS performances- November 12 at 2:00 pm and
US performance-November 13 at 11:50 am.
Why does a grove of trees and a grassy hill stand where the
village of Kogisu once thrived? What happened to the people, the homes,
and shops? The answers will lie in the telling of four tales of ghosts
and monsters, or Yukionna, Oni and Azukitogi, brought to the stage by
58 Bancroft eighth graders. "It will be a really good show," predicts
Director Paul Belanger who is pleased with the effort put forth by all
of the students. "They have been so enthusiastic—working tremendously
hard and having been invested in the performance since day-one."
The eighth-grade play is the first of several milestones that
these students will experience during their last year in Middle School.
A truly collaborative production, the students work on acting with Mr.
Belanger and Mr. Sheldon, singing and instrumental music with Mr. Glenn
and Ms. Butler and art, costumes and sets with Mrs. Moore, Ms.
McCandless, and Mr. Sheldon. Upper School stage managers, seniors
Micaela P. and Sarah K., work tirelessly with the students to prepare
everyone for the final performances while still making the experience
fun.
Audiences will enjoy these traditional Japanese folk stories that include extreme characters ranging from—the frightening to the humorous. But please note: This play is not recommended for those in grade 2 or younger.
Dive Into the PFA Book Fair
November 18-20
Join us in the Tan Gym as we go under the sea to discover all
manner of books. This year's selections have been expanded to include
popular children's reads, award-winning books, faculty & staff picks, men's
interests and great gift-giving items. Of special note, 3 books
featured at the Young Writers’ Conference will also be for sale—The Patron Saint of Butterflies by
Cecilia Galante, Bread Without Sorrow and Grace both
by John Hodgen. As always the Cafe
will offer home-baked goods to help feed hungry browsers. As well, faculty
have submitted wish lists of books needed to replenish their
classroom supply, and the Library and Bookstore tables are sure to be a hit. So be on the lookout for some good catches!
Book Fair Hours
Wednesday, November 18 from Noon to 5:00 pm
Thursday, November 19 from 7:30 am to 8:30 pm
Friday, November 20 from 7:30 am
to 4:00 pm
Read Full schedule of activities and to Volunteer
PFA Cultural Series
Features Guest Artist and Authors
Featured Author and
Artist
Winslow Myers The Cultural Series is proud to present former Chair of Bancroft’s Art Department,
Winslow Myers,
as both a featured author and artist throughout the month of November. As an
artist and teacher, Mr. Myers has worked for many years with
Beyond War, an organization that
explores and promotes the means for humanity to live without war. At Bancroft he
will discuss the subject of his new book,
Living
Beyond War, A Citizen’s Guide with the Upper School on November 19, 2009 at
11:50 -Theatre.
Beginning on November 8,
2009, an exhibit of Winslow Myer’s artwork will be on display in the
Administration Lobby until early December.
Guest Author
Melissa Stewart
November 17, 2009
Award-winning science
writer and educator Melissa Stewart will present an interactive writing and
theatre workshop with Lower School students. Ms. Stewart is the author of over 100 nonfiction books for children
including When Rain Falls.
Both authors will be signing their books at the Book Fair on
Thursday from 4:30-6:00 pm.
Read more about this and other Cultural Events
State Poetry Festival
Creative Writing Class Presents "Potluck Dinner"
Bancroft’s Creative Writing class competed in the Massachusetts Poetry
Festival held in Lowell, MA on October 16—one of only 12 high schools chosen to
compete for the title of best original poem. Senior Russell O. recited the
team’s entry, Potluck Dinner, a poem
written by all nine members of the class, to the festival audience.
Teacher Don McMillan explains how the final poem was created. “It was a truly
collaborative process in which each writer composed a poem based on the
surrealist photo “Dove Trainor” by Robert Doisneau and posted it online in a
shared folder. The student poets then each chose their favorite verses and
together they cobbled together a very cohesive poem.”
Read poem
Athletes Play 4 the
Cure
Girls' Teams Join for Cause
A wave of pink hit the green playing fields on October 16 as
Bancroft’s Girls Soccer and Field Hockey teams took to the field against
Southfield School. Wearing pink shirts, ribbons, hats, and playing with a pink
ball, the lady Bulldogs joined together to Play 4 the Cure, a national campaign
to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. With the support of their
coaches and the entire Bancroft community, the girls raised over $900.00 for
the cause.
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