A newsletter for the families and friends of Westchester Country Day School

From the Head of School

Cats Care Bracelets: Building Community through Kindness

Now in its fifth year, our CARES CREWS program brings together younger and older WCDS students several times a year to work to build relationships, to engage in service to our school and our larger community, and to develop and affirm the five core values of the program: Compassion, Awareness, Responsibility, Empathy, and Service.

This year, we will initiate the “Cats Care” program--an effort designed both to encourage all of the members of our school family to engage in random acts of kindness and to encourage the recipients of these acts to pay them forward. The program imagines a world in which people go out of their way to be kind to one another and reminds us all that each of us has the ability to have an impact on those around us one act of kindness at a time.

This week, each student and faculty member will receive a Cats Care bracelet to serve as a reminder for all of us to be intentionally kind to someone else--a classmate, family member, teacher, neighbor, friend, or stranger. We could help someone carry a heavy package, visit a neighbor and help around the house, let someone in front of us in the check-out line who seems to be in a hurry, or write a card to show someone that we care. The possibilities are endless.

In addition to serving as a reminder to all of us to be intentionally and randomly kind, we also ask that, once these acts of kindness have been performed, we pass along the bracelets to the recipients, inviting them when we do to “pay it forward” through their own acts of kindness. Our hope is that they will pass the bracelets along to more recipients, inviting them to do the same. In so doing, we hope that the kindness of our school family will ripple in ever-expanding circles, spreading kindness throughout our community, our city, our region, our state, and beyond.

We have also imprinted on each bracelet the URL for a page on our website-- catscare.mywcds.org--that explains the program and invites participants to read about and share stories of kindnesses, both given and received.

We’ve ordered a thousand bracelets, and my hope is that these will be enough to get us started. Bracelets will be distributed to students this week, and extras will be available in the front office for parents, grandparents, alumni, or anyone in our school family who would like to participate.

Let’s all see what kind of impact we can have and how far our kindness can reach into the world around us.

Cobb

February 2015 Newsletter

In This Issue...

Blue and White Gala

Annual Fund Update

Headlines

Middle School News

Upcoming Events

Arts Update

Athletics Update

For the College Bound

Counselor’s Corner

Only 32% left to reach our goal of 100% parent participation!

Please help us make history this year by clicking here to make your pledge today!

Pledge now, pay by June 30, 2015.

The Annual Fund

Supporting Wildcat Nation

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This is your captain speaking! The following items will be available during your flight on

Saturday, March 21, 5:30 p.m.:

Five nights at an oceanfront home in St. Martin!

A Richard Petty driving experience for four people!

Custom oil portrait by Melanie Godwin!

Three Nights in Reno at Atlantis Casino!

A Fisher Aria Paddleboard!

Don’t miss it! Visit www.bidpal.net/auction2015 for all your in-flight information!

Sixth Graders Publish Poems

Sixth graders (top row, from left) Madison Conner, Tess Mickey, Nati Diaz, Mikey Schwartz, (bottom row) Myles Patterson, Emily Morgan, Kate Leonard, Forrest Grimes, Taylor Bundy, Chris Day, Cameron McMaster, and (not pictured) Sofia Chodri, Mithul Muppasani, and Hannah Sharpe entered a poetry contest sponsored by Creative Communication and were selected to be published in the anthology called A Celebration of Poets.

“We are so proud of these talented students for reflecting upon and expressing their identities in such a creative manner. They are brave to share their work with such a large audience,” said their teacher Megann Huggins.

Less than half of the poems submitted to the Creative Communication contest are accepted for publication, and entries are judged by teachers, professors, and poets. Since 1993, Creative Communication has been devoted to the promotion of language arts and awards more than $150,000 to writers and their schools each year.

International Day Celebrates Diversity at WCDS

On Tuesday, February 24, the Cats’ Den will be transformed into a blast of colors and cultures as we celebrate the diversity at WCDS during International Day. Come by any time between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. to learn from our current families, faculty members, and students about the variety of countries and cultures represented at WCDS. Students in all divisions will be visiting as well. If you are interested in helping, please contact Susan Fagg.

Welcome New Wildcats!

4th GradeMiss Natalie C. Roberts “Nati”Mr. John Roberts and Ms. Shawn Love (John and Shawn)Mr. and Mrs. Jody Cook (Jody and Sara) 7th GradeMiss Reagan E. Crowell “Reagan”Mr. and Mrs. Lee Crowell (Lee and Allison) 10th GradeMiss Alexis N. Roberts “Lexi”Mr. John Roberts and Ms. Shawn Love (John and Shawn)Mr. and Mrs. Jody Cook (Jody and Sara)

Mandarin Teachers Plan Chinese New Year Celebration

Miss Liu and Mrs. Hill are planning a Chinese New Year Celebration open to students in grades K - 8 on Thursday, February 19, from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. in Rives Hall. Upper School students will be on hand to assist with snacks and crafts celebrating this important traditional Chinese holiday. Pre-K students will celebrate during their Mandarin elective time. Click here to sign up!

Headlines

Middle School News from Mrs. Keever Four Middle School leaders, Ellison Beaver, Gaby Culler, Annabelle Fisher, and Rayha Haque, joined

Mrs. Keever for Rising Middle School Night. They each shared their enthusiasm and passion for different aspects of WCDS with the current fifth graders and their parents. They talked candidly and meaningfully about morals, academics, arts, and athletics in our Middle School. They did an outstanding job; so much so that the fifth graders and their parents weren’t the only ones who left that meeting feeling impressed and excited about the unique atmosphere and focus of our Middle School. Mrs. Keever was proud indeed. They embraced the opportunity to develop their public speaking skills, while sharing their Wildcat pride.

That feeling continued the next day when Mrs. Keever received an email from Coach Schwartz that he had received from the athletic director at Salisbury Academy: “I just wanted to pass along several positive comments I heard from parents and staff regarding both your players and coaches. I was told by several folks that the kids were very mannerly and positive, and the coaches were also very nice folks. I knew they would be, and it was a pleasure hosting your teams!” Our Wildcats have been serving and respecting others gracefully!

All Middle School Wildcats will practice doing their best as they take a bit of a risk trying something new for two weeks in February between the winter and spring sports season. Based on student requests, we have created a variety of activities for all students in grades 6-8, including an art project, study hall, gym time, and even a study skills class. We will finish off the week with a “Love the Presidents Party,” hosted by the Middle School student government. Wildcat Nation will be abuzz with activity.

UPPER SCHOOL PLAY ~ THE BEATING HEARTby Craig Sodaro

Cast List

Kaitlyn Shapiro…………….Nora Damon TyrrellHollis Andrews………...…..Jemma DamonKayla DeWeese………..….Maggie DamonStephanie Thomas………..Ivy McEwinJake Keels………………....Colin CarterPaige Hetley……………….Chloe RoseCharles York……………….Allen RoseEmily Gilliland……………...Mrs. DyerTroy Reid…………………...Ed HuxleyTiffany Neza……………......Ardella HuxleyCampbell Kinley……….......Estella GarthSavannah Lewis…………...Eula GarthYuqi Yang….……….….......Charlotte ClairAllyson Chiu………....……..Sharon Clair

Understudies, dead body, soldiers at the door, screams, other………...TJ Webb, Josie Roberts, Ramya Varadarajan, Kayla Watson

Ivy McEwin, a college history major, is so in-trigued by a photograph of a young woman who lived during the Civil War that she travels to the woman’s home, Ravensgate, an old Southern plantation. Ivy hopes to unlock the secrets of the woman’s life, but instead meets the woman in death. The current owners, who are trying to restore the house into a bed and breakfast, have already noticed a number of strange things going on: the mournful sounds of a woman weeping at night, the frequent, unrelenting beating of a heart, and the rock-ing of an empty chair. As ghosts appear and horrific events frighten off the last of the guests, Ivy is more determined than ever to stay, even when the housekeeper tries to make her leave. Gradually, a story of murder and revenge un-folds, reaching a climax when a teenage girl possessing “the gift” enters the spirit world and lays bare secrets held for 150 years.

7:00 p.m. Friday, February 277:00 p.m. Saturday, February 28

2:00 p.m. Sunday, March 1Rives Hall

$5

Fourth Grade Wax Museum

Be sure to stop by the Finch Center Friday, February 13, from 8:30 – 10:00 a.m. to support our fourth grade students as they transform into famous personalities from the past during their interactive wax museum presentations.

Highlights this year include Mother Teresa, Harry Houdini, Wilma Rudolph, Joan of Arc, Albert Einstein, Lou Gehrig, Leonardo da Vinci, Walt Disney, Helen Keller, Steve Jobs, and Frank Lloyd Wright - just to name a few!

Upcoming EventsWAPA Book Club8:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 4, Library. We will be discussing The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard. Everyone is welcome!

Friends of the Fine Arts Meeting8:00 a.m. Thursday, February 5, Library

Paws NightMonday, February 9 - no homework!

Booster Club MeetingMonday, February 9, 6:00 p.m., Blue Rock Pizza

Presidents Day HolidayMonday, February 16 - no school

Chinese New Year CelebrationThursday, February 19

International DayTuesday, February 24, 8:30 - 10:45 a.m., Cats’ Den

Upper School Production - The Beating Heart7:00 p.m. Friday, February 277:00 p.m. Saturday, February 282:00 p.m. Sunday, March 1

Meet Your WildcatsName: Christine Beale

Title: Science teacher

Family: Ryan (11th grade), Zach (8th grade), German exchange student Max (10th grade), husband Rick, and dog Lexi.

What was your favorite subject in school? Science!

What book are you reading? Thinking Fast and Slow by Kahneman

Name of the last movie you watched: Schindler’s List with our German student

Favorite Restaurant: Sarah’s Kabobs

Dream Vacation: Galapagos Islands

Something most people don’t know about you: I love to play tennis and shop at thrift stores!

Favorite thing about Westchester:The atmosphere of family!

Arts Update from Ann Parks

Who doesn’t like a good ghost story? The Beating Heart, a tale of suspense and murder, will be presented on the Westchester stage by our Upper School students Friday, February 27 at 7 p.m., Saturday, February 28 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 1 at 2 p.m. in Rives Hall. Tickets are $5. Please see our talented cast list and a description of this show on page 4. Special effects and unexpected plotlines will keep you on the edge of your seat!

If you’d like to help with the scenery for the play, which is set in a Civil War-era plantation home, please email Ann

Parks. We are in need of some experienced woodworkers to help with the architectural details. It’s fun, too!

Our advanced Upper School art students have their work on display at the Theater Art Gallery in High Point (above). You can view the art works of Miranda Bryson, Emily Bunch, Kyle Niner, and Kayla Watson through April 3. The gallery is open from 12-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Fifth grader Sophia Singer (right) entered the “Draw Like a Panther” contest at High Point University and was one of 13 winners out of hundreds of entries! She was honored during halftime of a men’s basketball game on January 8. Way to go, Sophia!

And don’t forget to get a start on your handmade valentines. They are always cherished and are a great way to say you care. US Art club will be making valentines to distribute to senior centers in the next week. Last year our cards and notes were a big hit.

Arts Integration Spotlight

OM Encourages “Design Thinking”Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving opportunities for students from kindergarten through college. Team members apply their creativity to solve problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics. They then bring their solutions to competition on the local, state, and world level.

This year WCDS has 53 students in K-8th grade participating on OM teams, along with 16 volunteer coaches. They will be working on challenges that include designing and building a “runaway train,” making devices that are powered by rubber bands, creating a skit that puts a video game spin on the story of Pandora’s Box, and presenting a silent movie. Our littlest OMers will create and present a humorous performance where a meteorologist makes three predictions of “wacky weather.” Students are required to do all the writing, costuming, creating, designing, and building without the assistance of any adults.

It is hard to believe that the 2014 - 2015 winter athletic season is already winding down, but what a wonderful season it has been! All of our Varsity and Middle School Wildcat student-athletes are excelling in and out of the classroom and are representing our school with great class and sportsmanship.

Senior Night for all of our Varsity winter athletes will be Friday, February 6th, before the Varsity basketball game against Caldwell Academy at 7:00 p.m.

Conference Tournament Schedule:Middle School Boys/Girls Basketball 2/2 – at Higher Seed2/3 – at The Burlington School2/5 – at The Burlington School

Varsity Swimming 2/10 – at Salem Academy – 3:00 p.m.

Varsity Boys Basketball2/10 – at Higher Seed2/12 – at American Hebrew Academy2/13 – at American Hebrew Academy

NCISAA 2A State Tournament Schedule:Varsity Swimming2/16 – at the Greensboro Aquatic Center

Varsity Boys Basketball2/17 – at Higher Seed2/19 – Quarterfinals at Carolina Day School2/20 – Semifinals at Carolina Day School2/21 – Championship at The Asheville School

2015 Spring Season Opening Dates:2/17 – Varsity Baseball - 3:45 – 5:45 p.m. at WCDS2/17 – Varsity Track - 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. at Simeon Track 2/17 – Varsity Girls Soccer - 3:45 - 5:30 p.m. at WCDS 2/23 – Varsity Boys Tennis - 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. at Willow Creek 2/23 – Varsity Golf – Team Meeting - 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. at WCDS2/23 – MS Golf - 2:25 - 5:00 p.m. at Emerywood2/23 – MS Rowing - 2:25 – 4:00 p.m. at the Jamestown Indoor Rowing Facility2/23 – MS Soccer - 2:25 – 4:00 p.m. at WCDS

Athletics Update from Coach Schwartz

1K Player!Congratulations to Marshall Lange for scoring his 1,000th Varsity Basketball point on January 23rd at Trinity School of Durham and Chapel Hill. Wildcat Nation is very proud of him for this wonderful accomplishment!

Save The Date!

Big Cat/Lil’ Cat Golf TournamentMarch 20th

2:00 - 5:00 pm Emerywood Golf Course

For the College BoundThe seniors are continuing to learn of admissions

decisions, and some of my best days at work are the ones during which I learn of good news such as the following:

Ryeong Choi--Guilford CollegeAbraham Hernandez--Mars Hill UniversityKayla Kushner--UNC-CharlotteMorgan Kushner--Meredith CollegeWyatt Lansford--Appalachian State UniversitySavannah Lewis--UNC-Chapel HillTroy Polen--Campbell University, Winthrop UniversityJosie Roberts--Guilford CollegeKaitlyn Shapiro--UNC-CharlotteOmar Shehata--Appalachian State UniversityRamya Varadarajan--UNC-Chapel HillKayla Watson--Elon University, Lenoir-Rhyne UniversityYuqi Yang--Drexel University

Given that we are in the season of admissions decisions, now is a good time to review the various factors that influence how colleges and universities choose students for their freshman classes. The single most important document in any college application packet is the transcript, for it reveals not only a student’s grades (and hence GPA), but also the rigor of the courses in which a student chose to enroll. Undoubtedly, grades matter, but so does the strength of the curriculum; colleges want to see that students are challenging themselves by taking Advanced and AP classes (which at WCDS earn extra quality points in the GPA). This is one of the reasons a WCDS profile is sent with every application our students submit: the profile enables admissions officers unfamiliar with our school to learn of the rigorous courses that were available to the applicant.

Some parents worry that, because we are a rigorous school and it is harder to have a high GPA here than it may be at another school, our students are at a disadvantage in the college admissions process. This is simply not the case, and every admissions officer I speak to affirms the truth of this statement. College admissions offices are well aware of the fact that GPAs from one high school do not necessarily translate into the same GPAs at another high school because of different grading scales and course rigor. Given that not all GPAs are created equal, admissions offices therefore have their own systems for remedying this apples-to-oranges situation. According to NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling), “[t]o account for different grading scales among high schools, more than half of colleges recalculate applicants’ GPAs to standardize them.” The WCDS profile that is sent to the colleges is very helpful in this

recalculation process because it provides a context for and explanation of our grading scale.

Class rank (based on GPA) used to have more influence in the college admissions process than it does now, largely due to the fact that more and more schools (WCDS included) no longer report class rank information to colleges. Standardized test scores (SAT, ACT), however, are still highly influential in admissions decisions, although the number of test optional schools has grown considerably in the past few years (Wake Forest University being just one example).

Although, generally speaking, large state schools rely more on the “numbers” (GPA, test scores) in determining a student’s admission decision, smaller schools and the more selective colleges (whether large or small) utilize a more “holistic” review process, giving serious attention to other factors such as essays, recommendations, special talents, extracurriculars (activities, service, work experience), leadership potential, demonstrated interest in the school, and an interview.

NACAC also points out that “[i]n order to shape their classes, colleges may consider other factors for admission, including a student’s geographic location (especially for public universities), whether a student is the first in their family to go to college (for access purposes), a student’s race or ethnicity (for diversity purposes), a student’s relation to alumni (for the purposes of development and community-sustenance), and gender (for purposes of reflecting the population).”

The bottom line is that even in the office of undergraduate admissions, a college is seeking to fulfill its particular mission, and it will therefore build its freshman class by selecting students the college feels will best achieve that aim. This explains why two students, both with similar “numbers,” might not both get into the same school, or even why the student with lower “numbers” might receive an acceptance whereas the one with higher “numbers” might not. There is undoubtedly a degree of subjectivity to the process, especially at schools that have a more “holistic” approach to admissions.

I look forward to continuing this conversation about the factors in college admissions with upper school students and parents in future meetings. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns.

Raegan AtkinsonDirector of College Guidance336.822.4002

Counselor’s CornerAttention--Parents of 10th grade students in the Upper School:

Has your 10th grader been thinking about a career choice? Does he or she feel overwhelmed at times by the pressure of choosing a college/university with little knowledge of a defined career path? If so, this is a great opportunity for your student!

We, as school counselors, know that one good way to make informed decisions that will lead to lifelong career success is to take a career assessment test. These types of tests help to match a person’s interests and abilities with his or her learning and personality strengths, and the results can prove quite valuable when selecting a career, as well as a college.

After discussion and realizing the benefits that past students have gained from participating in a career development session with Mrs. Singer, our Upper School Counselor, we will be scheduling ALL of our 10th graders to participate in a three meeting series this spring. Beginning in March, 10th graders will participate in the Career Assessment and Development course during their Monday study hall periods on March 9, 16, and 23 to explore their career development.

This is what a few of their classmates who have previously taken the course had to say:

“I enjoyed learning more about myself and possible career options.”

“It opened my eyes to many choices that I did not know about.”

“I thought it was a very good class and really showed me that I should major in exactly what I have been planning on majoring in; it also showed me my strong and weak points.”

“It laid out my personality and based on that, listed jobs that I would enjoy doing. So, I now have choices instead of being clueless about what I want to be.”

During these three meetings, students will:

• Take the MBTI assessment, which will determine their four-letter personality type. • Learn about their type preference, including how they interact with others, their strengths, and

important areas for growth.• Receive the MBTI Career Report based on their type preference and an in-depth understanding of

this report by the school counselor; this report explores preferred work tasks and work environments, as well as the most popular and least popular occupations based on their type.

• Take the IStartStrong Survey, which will identify career options that support their personal interests and passions.

• Receive the IStartSurvey Report and an in-depth understanding of this report by the school counselor; this report paints a clear picture of how one’s interests and themes link to various jobs, work settings, and career fields.

The cost for the course is included in your tuition. Please email me if you have any additional questions.

Heather SingerSchool Counselor336.822.4085

Westchester Country Day is a college preparatory school that seeks to educate each child toward moral, academic, artistic, and athletic excellence in a nurturing, family environment where students, teachers, and parents support one another. By respecting the student and honoring learning, Westchester aims to cultivate informed citizens who are ready for a rapidly changing world and to graduate students who view the pursuit and wise use of knowledge as a lifelong joy.