October 2017 Newsletter
Dear Bancroft Friends,
Today is World Smile Day, a celebration that originated in Worcester when artist Harvey Ball created the yellow smiley face that became an international icon. World Smile Day fits right in with the themes of goodness, kindness, and community that are so much a part of the Bancroft experience. I encourage us all to honor the spirit of World Smile Day by doing something good for another, giving them a reason to smile.
We have many reasons to smile as our students and faculty continue to live our mission and find new and creative paths to learning and self-discovery. Recent points of pride include:
- When we received word that four seniors had scored in the top 1% in the nation (out of 1.6 million) on their PSATs and were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, and six more, who scored in the top 3.2%, were Commended. — Lifelong learners.
- When our 2nd graders made informational posters about George Bancroft, which are now displayed at Bancroft Tower as part of Park Spirit's monthlong celebration of his birthday. (You can tour the Tower — one of Worcester's great public spaces — and be part of our students' audience every Sunday in October.) — Teachers of others.
- When the 8th grade World Geography class welcomed WPI student Leo Campos V Gonsalves, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and gained firsthand insights about his country's vibrant culture and terrain. — Citizens of the global community.
These and so many similar stories buoy and inspire us as we go about the important work of our self-study, NEASC reaccreditation, and strategic planning. In each case, the personal connections and partnerships we form help us deepen and spread our roots in the local and global communities.
We are taking bold steps to broaden our programs and facilities to improve the quality of life for every member of our community and the mission we believe in. For we are all lifelong learners, teachers of others, and citizens of our complex global community.
Best,
Trey Cassidy
Head of School
P.S. Please spread the news of our upcoming Open House on October 22. So many of our engaged and successful students were personally referred by Bancroft families. Who better than you to recognize a great fit for our community?
2017 HOMECOMING & FALL FESTIVAL
We celebrated our Fall Festival and Homecoming events on September 23rd with some beautiful weather and great competition! The Bulldogs had a very successful day and the community support made for a great atmosphere. On the fields, our Middle School Boys & Girls Soccer, Cross Country, and Field Hockey teams turned in terrific performances versus LCA. The Varsity teams also fared well, with Field Hockey (5–0), Girls Soccer (3–1), and Girls Cross Country (20–35) notching wins versus LCA, and Volleyball (3–0) getting the win over Winchendon!
HELPING CHRONICLE LOCAL LATINO HISTORY
Enriching their language studies with authentic learning about local Latino culture and community, Bancroft's Spanish V class, Spanish in a Global Context, is once again an active partner in the Latino History Project of Worcester. Our students met with Bill Wallace of the Worcester Historical Museum and Hilda Ramirez of the Latino Education Institute of Worcester State University about helping with this year's exhibit, The Journey. Since then they have worked hard, organizing and tagging cultural artifacts in English and Spanish and designing a bilingual scavenger hunt for children. Please join the students, along with teachers David Conner and Martha Hosey, at the opening reception of The Journey on October 13 from 7–9 p.m. at the Worcester Historical Museum! LEARN MORE AND GET TICKETS HERE.
USING ART TO BUILD CONNECTIONS
Bancroft's new visual arts chair, William Chambers, is an active participant in the Worcester art community, and he is bringing his art students along in that venture. He is currently an artist in residence at Clark University, where his solo exhibition "Engage" is part of the Common Pursuits/Public Good series. Engage includes a highly participatory installation called "Repairs," in which Chambers sets up an old-fashioned street-cart repair shop (pictured above) and invites the audience to present items to be repaired or transformed on the spot. Chambers explains that he uses objects and installations to create a space for a deep conversation and interaction: "When we can break down barriers that exist between us, even for a moment, we have the chance to really listen, understand better, and even make a difference in each other's lives, art is a powerful tool." Chambers has invited Upper School visual arts students to be repairers at the Repairs street cart at 920 Main St., Worcester, on three upcoming Saturdays: 10/21, 11/4, and 11/18 from 2–6 PM. Gather your items (of any kind) and stop by to have them repaired as you engage with and support the artists! READ FULL NEWS STORY >>
SENIOR INVENTS A SPECIAL SWIM CAP
Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. True, but in this case, it was the sister who did the inventing. Here, in her own words, is the story of how Bancroft senior Rebecka Sokoloff came to invent a modified swim cap to accommodate her sister's special needs: "This idea started when my older sister with Down Syndrome, Alexis, started swimming. I noticed that she had difficulties putting on and taking off her swim cap. She does not have the dexterity to pull the cap completely down over her ears. Not only does that impact her ability to swim in some pools that require caps, but results in obvious frustration. I soon realized that this was a common problem among people with limited dexterity. Hence, I propose the "SNAPCAP" — the Special Needs and Arthritis Practical SwimCAP. The design has an elastic band epoxied to the inside of the cap. On either side are rings which can be used to pull the cap over the head without tearing the cap." Through her own initiative, Rebecka has created a product that has the potential to help differently abled people around the world! As Rebecka points out, the SNAPCAP "can be used by people with special needs, arthritis, and other musculoskeletal or neurological disorders." Brilliant!
DATES TO REMEMBER
Oct. 9, NO SCHOOL – COLUMBUS DAY
Oct. 12, SPEAKER SERIES: PEGGY STERN (DYSLEXIAVILLE)
Learn more and register
Oct. 13, LATINO HISTORY PROJECT: THE JOURNEY
Opening Reception 7–9 PM at the Worcester Historical Museum
Learn more and get tickets
Oct. 21, 'REPAIRS' PARTICIPATORY ART INSTALLATION
920 Main St., Worcester, 2–6 PM
Oct. 22, OPEN HOUSE
Spread the Word! Learn more and register
Oct 24, GRADE 11–12 PARENT POTLUCK
Gather with fellow parents at 6:30 PM in the Dining Hall!
Oct. 31, HALLOWEEN ASSEMBLY
8:15–9:15 AM – Fletcher Athletic Center
COMING IN NOVEMBER
Nov. 4 & 18, Additional 'Repairs' Events
Nov. 1, Gr. 8, 9, 10 Parent Potluck
Nov. 7, Gr. 2, 3, 4 Parent Potluck
Nov. 9–10, 8th Grade Play: Scared Silly
Nov. 13, Gr. 5, 6, 7 Parent Potluck
Nov. 17, A Cappella Night
Nov. 18–19, Bancroft Young Writers Conference
Shorelines is produced by Bancroft's Marketing and Communications team. If you have questions or story ideas please contact shorelines@bancroftschool.org.
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Bancroft School
110 Shore Drive • Worcester, MA 01605 • (508) 853-2640