Spring 2016 Jr.K-12, College Preparatory Private School, Dublin, CA www.QuarryLane.org

QLS ALumni…Where Are They noW?

The list below are some of the nation’s top schools that have accepted Quarry Lane alumni.Brown UniversityCarnegie MellonClark University Columbia UniversityCornell UniversityDartmouth College Drexel University Emory UniversityGeorgetown University Georgia Institute of TechnologyJohns Hopkins UniversityLoyola Marymount University New York UniversityNortheastern UniversityNorthwestern UniversityPenn StatePrinceton UniversityPurdue UniversityRice University Saint Mary’s CollegeStanford University University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, DavisUniversity of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Los Angeles University of California, RiversideUniversity of California, San DiegoUniversity of ChicagoUniversity of MarylandUniversity of North Carolina - Chapel HillUniversity of Southern California Vanderbilt University Wellesley CollegeWhitman UniversityPencil Drawing

by Amy Kim, Alumna

CeLebrATing The QuArry LAne CommuniTy

It is that time of the year when many of us tend to wonder, “How does time fly by so fast?” I know that I certainly do. Looking back upon our first semester to now, it feels like every day has opened the door to a new adventure and new momentous occasion at Quarry Lane. Our wildly successful speech and debate team has reached new heights this year; for the first time in our history we will be represented at the national level. This achievement further reinforces Quarry Lane’s well-deserved, dominant place in the circuit. The Quarry Lane robotics team is once again headed to the national finals after a tremendous performance this season. Our middle school science program has once again earned distinctive awards in the field, sending two students this year to the prestigious Broadcom Masters national competition. Our visual and performing arts programs have raised the bar this year, producing wonderfully imaginative shows and events that highlight the creativity of our talented students, and our athletics program continues to expand and grow stronger with each new season. It is truly an amazing thing to see the growth, talent and dedication that is represented on our campus.

Before we forge on through the remainder of the school year, it is important for me to take a moment and reflect with

gratitude on the community of students, staff and families that have attributed to the success of what has been an amazing school year so far. It is said that it takes a village to nurture, help and guide students towards success. I believe that the Quarry Lane community is a shining example of that. At our core, we are a community of passionate and dedicated educators and learners who genuinely share a common goal of instilling an authentic, lifelong love for learning in our students. I am also incredibly proud to say that we have some of the most invested and caring families within the QLS community. Our families wholeheartedly understand the value and impact of education in their children’s lives. And of course, the students at Quarry Lane—from our Jr. K students all the way to our graduating seniors—are uniquely and immensely talented, bright and intelligent individuals. As a community, Quarry Lane is truly one-of-a-kind and at the end of the day, our students’ success and commitment to learning is a testament to that.

To that end, I am pleased to announce that we have opened the long-awaited doors to our new Engineering and Technology wing this semester. This marks a true milestone for Quarry Lane, further allowing us to support our ongoing goal of providing a state-of-the-art learning experience for our students and further supporting our

applied research program.Spring is always an exciting and

energizing time of the year at Quarry Lane. It is also a critical time for our graduating seniors as they begin to collect their college acceptance letters. So far, our students have received acceptances from some of the nation’s leading universities including, U.C. Berkeley, Purdue, Wellesley, Drexel and the U.S. Naval Academy, to name a few. For many of our students this marks the culmination of their hard work over their years at Quarry Lane. From here, they will take their first step in shaping the next path of their educational journey. And as we look further into the second half of our school year and the impending graduation of our class of 2016, I can honestly say that I am brimming with anticipation for what will come next. With that, I wish all of our students continued success and a wonderful, rewarding second semester!

QuArry LAne Speech And DebATe: ReAching NeW HeighTS

Three years ago, the Quarry Lane speech and debate team consisted of two members, Meha Ahluwalia and Tanishka Chellani—both of whom are currently QLS seniors. Together, under the guidance and passion of their coach, Quarry Lane instructor Mike Smith, they embarked on a journey that would quickly gain momentum and become one of most prominent and celebrated teams at the school today.

This year, the team shattered records and reached new heights winning a total of 56 awards during the Golden Gate Speech Association (GGSA) regular season. In late February, freshman Saianurag (Sai) Karavadi went undefeated through four

rounds of debate, earning himself a place at the California State finals. This will be the second consecutive year that Quarry Lane will be represented at the state level.

In early February, founding member Meha Ahluwalia took top honors at the American Legion 1 Oratorical Contest. Participants were required to speak about the Constitution with an emphasis on citizens’ duties and obligations. Meha’s first place win secured

her a spot at the state-level of competition to be held in Hollywood in early March.

In addition,

ten QLS students—Meha, Sai, Allen Abbott, Ahana Sen, Priya Narain, Isabella Ruiz, Tanishka Chellani, Joymaneet Kaur,

Kathlyn Cheng and Shreya De— earned spots to compete at the 2016 National Catholic Forensic League Grand National Tournament, to be held in Sacramento later this year.

For Mr. Smith, the phenomenal success of this year’s team is a testament to the talent, skill and dedication of its team members. “It has been an incredible ride this year for the team and they deserve every bit of their success. To think of where we began three years ago to where we are now is astonishing. All of the credit goes to the students—they have taken this opportunity and have truly made a name for themselves and for Quarry Lane.”

LeSSonS from LEGO: QLS STudenTS LeArn The PoWer of Their Voice

For many businesses, customer feedback holds paramount importance. This past January, the LEGO Group received a bounty of valuable feedback courtesy of Ms. Zercoe’s 4th grade students who wrote business letters to the company offering suggestions and/or praise for their products. The correspondence was part of a lesson on writing business letters—students learned the structure and parts of a business letter, as well as explored persuasive and effective language for their projects.

“Writing a business letter is a practical lesson approach for future knowledge, and it covers a vast amount of writing standards,” says Ms. Zercoe. “My students were extremely interested about the idea

of writing to a successful global company, which designs and manufactures one of their most favorite products!”

Their final drafts, which the students mailed to the company in mid-December, included many suggestions on how the ubiquitous, colorful bricks could be improved. For example, Hunter Rohovit suggested LEGO introduce a line of remote-controlled products—combining his love of the building blocks with his love for remote-controlled vehicles. Another student, Holden Hoffman, echoed the suggestion for remote-controlled sets, adding that the remote controls should have built-in screens that would provide operators a first-person view from the vehicle.

Other students proposed additional

pragmatic suggestions for the company. Mert Guney, for example, recommended that the company lower the price of Lego sets in order to increase their stock prices—suggesting the lowered price points would attract more consumers, thereby, increasing overall business profits. A suggestion to include a triangle-shaped LEGO brick into standard collections came from student Isabelle Brase. “As their letters developed, I was impressed with their thoughtful and creative suggestions for product improvement, and original ideas for future development,” describes Ms. Zercoe. “The students were engaged from the beginning---even researching the address for the national contact office of consumer services. Once the letters were written, revised, typed, and mailed out,

we waited (somewhat) patiently and crossed our fingers.”

Several weeks after mailing their final letters to the LEGO Group, the class—including Ms. Zercoe herself—received

Ms. Zercoe’s 4th grade writing class display their responses from LEGO.

Sincerely,

Sabri Arac, Ph.D.Head of School

Quarry Lane speech and debate team at GGSA tournament.

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To say that senior Demi Oluyemi is a determined student would be quite an understatement. An aspiring physician, Demi, like many of her Quarry Lane peers, has taken great strides towards her goal of pursuing a medical career, building an impressive resume full of workshops, conferences and volunteer opportunities along the way. “Demi is a go-getter,” says Jenny Hoffman, College Counselor at Quarry Lane. “She is focused on pursuing her interest in becoming a doctor. She takes advantage

of the opportunities before her, whether through volunteer work, attending speaker series, participation in field research, or summer opportunities. She is organized and responsible, and has been an example to her peers.”

Demi joined Quarry Lane at the age of twelve when her family moved to the Bay Area from Nigeria. The transition, she says, was not as difficult

as one might imagine. The diverse Bay Area community, and particularly, the diverse community at Quarry Lane helped

her transition much more smoothly. However, it was not to say that it was completely without difficulty. “I think the biggest challenge was just the culture shock that comes with such a big move,” she describes. “That, and also having to ‘educate’ people on where I was from. People have an idea of what they think ‘Nigeria’ is, so I had to tell them that I did, in fact, have proper internet access and was from a proper city. It was actually funny more than anything!”

It was an encounter with an attentive doctor when she was a younger that lit the spark for her dream of pursuing a medical career. “It was amazing to see what a difference a really caring doctor who paid

attention could make,” she says. Since then, her passion and drive to become a physician has grown tremendously. During the summer of her sophomore year, Demi completed an internship at a local dental office, assisting with their transition from paper files to a digital system. She also used the opportunity to learn more about dentistry and see if that was an area she wanted to pursue.

During her junior year, Demi received an invitation from the National Academy of Future Physicians to attend the Congress of Future Physicians, an annual 3-day event held in Washington D.C. for students dedicated to entering the medical field. At the Congress, she heard from

TEACHER Spotlight

Student Spotlight

For Quarry Lane Upper School English teacher Mr. Elwin Cotman, one of the most satisfying and exciting aspects of his job is that every day, and every class, brings a new experience with it. Mr. Cotman came to Quarry Lane this year, having worked with youth for ten years in many different capacities. Throughout his teaching experience, the one constant, ironically, has been that each experience has been different from the other. “It’s never the same thing and I love it,” he describes.

The same might be said about his teaching experience at Quarry Lane thus far. His classes range in grades from ninth to twelfth grade, each offering him a new challenge. “Hour by hour, my approach to the material changes depending on the different groups I work with,” he says, “So it has challenged me as a teacher and allowed me plenty of room to try new things. As for what he enjoys the most

about the teaching experience overall, he says, “Working with supplemental materials to get students independently thinking and showing how literature intersects with history and current events.”

Inspired by his father reading him stories, Mr. Cotman began writing at an early age. “I wrote my very first story when I was four and it became a lifelong passion,” he describes. At eight years old, he attendqed writing workshops where he felt embraced by the writing community. Ultimately, he earned his BA in Creative Writing from the University of Pittsburg and his MFA in English from Mills College and is also currently halfway through his PhD. program. After earning his Bachelor degree, he began his first foray into teaching, teaching an after-school creative writing class in Washington D.C. Through teaching, he has found an opportunity to make an important impact on his students’ education. “The humanities is a study of

culture,” he describes. “A good foundation in writing makes students able to evaluate and most importantly critique, the world around him.”

His path would eventually lead him to the Bay Area. A desire to begin teaching at a college-preparatory school where he could “engage the life of the mind”, would eventually lead him to Quarry Lane where he has found the diverse community inspiring. “My students are global citizens,” he says, “and that inspires me to come to work every day.”

In addition to his teaching background, Mr. Cotman is the author of two published books, The Jack Daniels Sessions EP and Hard Time Blues. His published works consist of short story collections which he describes as, “mostly urban fantasy with elements of folklore and a strong literary

bent.” His inclination towards short story pieces may be due, in part, to his affinity for variety. “I grow bored writing the same thing and strive to make every story

different in some way,” he says. Variety is something that

Mr. Cotman extends to his classroom as well. When asked what he hopes his students will have taken away from his classes, he responds, “An appreciation for a variety of writing styles and an understanding of how writing both comments on and makes history.” And as for his favorite

lesson so far this year, he says, “I am doing a unit on Their Eyes Were Watching God in which students researched Zora Neale Hurston’s folklore and performed it. That’s my favorite activity, of today, at least. Ask me tomorrow and it might be different!”

Close Up

Demi OLuyemi: The Making of a Future Physician

AnSon Ng: Multi-faceted Musical Extraordinaire

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It has been said that music—learning music, in particular—can help stimulate memory and facilitates learning in non-music subjects. Quarry Lane second grader, Anson Ng, may be proof that this theory is correct. Anson, currently seven years old, has been playing the piano since the tender age of four and has competed in, and won, several music competitions. In addition to his musical accomplishments, Anson is also a skilled mathematician—he is currently studying 3rd grade-level math—and has been an American MENSA member since the age of four, taking second place at the American MENSA Six-Word Biography

Contest at age 5. He was also recognized with a Certificate of High Honors from Talent Search, a program from the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth.

Most recently, he competed in the U.S. Open Music Competition, winning first place in the Romantic Composers Jr. Event and second place in the Open Solo category. His favorite piano piece is “Sonatina in G,” a piece he played to win first place at the Sonata Piano Contest this past fall.

When asked whether he thinks learning music helps him learn in other subjects, Anson agrees with the notion saying, “I think learning music makes it easier to

learn other things. Memorizing music and notes, I think, helps with that. It would also be much easier to learn new instruments too!” As for these “new instruments,” Anson says he would like to study the violin as well as the piano.

Like many Quarry Lane students, Anson juggles many extra-curricular activities including golf, tennis and swimming. He also has a keen interest in math (his favorite school subject) and astronomy, and aspires to one day become a scientist. “Anson is a true Quarry Lane

student. He is inquisitive, thoughtful and determined. No matter the subject, he shows absolute enthusiasm and brings this to whatever he does,” says his homeroom teacher Ms. Das.“His ability to juggle his extracurricular activities and academics shows he has a successful future in whatever he pursues.” According to Anson himself,

the key to staying on top of everything and maintaining his grades is to simply “be efficient.” Wise words from a very wise young man.

In Quarry Lane Lower School art instructor Ms. Tiffany Douzart’s classroom, it is the experience of creating art that is key. “I find that being able to help others find the happiness they encounter when making a creation is one of the most rewarding experiences of being an art instructor,” she says. Ms. Douzart joined the Quarry Lane community this year, moving across the country to the Bay Area from Florida where she taught art for several years. A skillful and talented artist herself, Ms. Douzart has brought a unique, global perspective to the Lower School art curriculum this year.

Students have learned and created artwork from various cultural backgrounds from around the globe including Central and South America, Asia and more. In addition, Ms. Douzart

incorporates various mediums and academic disciplines such as history, engineering, and other art forms into her lessons. “I like to say that my

teaching style is a well-rounded incorporation of various cultures and global learning, coupled with my personal real-life experience as an artist,” she says. “Having worked with other professional artists, architects, etc. has given me a foundation that spans many different elements of art and principals of design. This foundation translates

into the lessons and projects that I bring into the classroom.”

Art has been a part of her life since she was a young child. For her, it was the transformative experience that art provided that inspired her to become an artist and eventually, an art educator. “I

have been in love with art ever since I was a little girl,” she describes. “I found that it made not only myself happy but brought joy to others as well. My art teachers throughout the years cultivated my talent to what it is today and I decided to translate that joy into becoming an art instructor.”

A graduate of the University of Central Florida with a BA in film studies, Ms. Douzart earned her Master of Arts degree in illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. For her own art, she finds inspiration in both nature and ancient eastern cultures. She describes her own work as “traditional, bright, sensitive and delicate”.

Inspired by the idea that art is a powerful tool in childhood education, teaching art became a natural extension for Ms. Douzart. “I believe that art trains the mind to solve problems creatively and to think outside the box, which are key skills for students that they will take with

them throughout their education and beyond,” she says. As for her experience so far at Quarry Lane, she describes it as invigorating and freeing. Working with the Lower School grade levels has also proved to be a particularly refreshing experience. “I love the bright eyes and open-mindedness of my students here. It’s like a beautiful, blank canvas waiting to be painted when I educate them,” she says. “The possibilities of what art education, and education in general, can be seems limitless at Quarry Lane and that is wonderful.”

As she works to complete her first official year at Quarry Lane, she hopes that her students leave her classroom as enlightened young artists with a better sense of themselves and the world around them. As she describes in her own words, “my hope would be that they will have taken with them the encouragement to think outside the box, and to just be themselves.”

TiffAny DouzArT: Creating Joy Through Art in the Classroom

ELWin CoTmAn: Building New Experiences at Quarry Lane

Continued on Page 3...

QLS RoboTicS: The RoAd To NATionALS

Features

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The ImporTAnce of The ArTS AT QuArry LAneBy Ms. Gabrielle KaplanLower School Director

LeSSonS From LEGO: QLS STudenTS LeArn The PoWer of Their Voice

a huge surprise. The company responded to each and every student letter, citing their suggestions or remarks and thanking them for reaching out.

“In early February, I was thrilled to find a stack of letters from the LEGO Group in my staffroom box,” says Ms. Zercoe. “When I carefully unsealed the large envelope and explored its contents, I was amazed to find a personalized letter written for each and every 4th grade student. The company service writers addressed product concerns, offered friendly suggestions, and provided web links for sharing future ideas. In the words of the Danish phrase, ‘”Leg godt”’. My students worked hard, and now they can celebrate by playing well—with Legos, of course!”

Altogether, the students not only learned the proper form and structure of a business letter, but also learned another valuable lesson—the power of their voice. In return, the LEGO Group has surely earned itself a batch of lifelong customers!

leaders in the medical field, Nobel Prize winners, and deans from some of the country’s top medical institutions, watched a live surgery, and networked with like-minded peers. “It was such an informative and inspirational experience,” she says.

This past summer, Demi was invited to participate in the National Student Leadership Conference (NSLC) held at the University of California, Berkeley. The nine-day event provided her with what she describes as an “unforgettable experience”. During the course of the event, Demi gained hands-on clinical experience, including a heart and eye dissection, participated in several medical simulations, visited various medical facilities, attended a number of informative lectures spanning a wide range of medical specialties and participated in numerous leadership workshops. “It was so amazing,” she describes. “I enjoyed every single aspect of the event. For instance, I learned that the medical field encompasses such a wide range of fields, specialties and career paths. From the dissections,

to practicing suturing, to the lectures and leadership activities, it was truly unforgettable and I’ve recommended it to basically everyone I know.”

From her transformative experience at the NSLC, Demi went on to participate in Camp Cardiac, a one-week, cardiology-focused, summer day camp held in San Francisco. The camp provided a blend of hands-on workshops, lectures and student forums. For Demi, one of the most impactful aspects of the camp came from the fact that it was mostly run by local medicine students. “It was really interesting to connect with people who weren’t all that much older than us, compared to some of the other speakers and conferences I had been to,” she says. “Getting that kind of perspective was really cool. It made you feel like that could really be you one day.”

In addition, Demi also participated in the Perry Initiative Outreach Program, a one-day program catered towards young women in high school who are interested in pursuing medical careers.

As for what area of medicine she

wants to pursue herself, she is leaning towards pediatrics or obstetrics and gynecology. She currently volunteers at Valley Medical Center in Pleasanton; her duties range from covering the front desk, covering facility rounds, to assisting with discharging maternity patients.

Now, in the midst of her final semester at Quarry Lane, she is looking forward to taking the next step in her educational path. “I’ve heard back from five schools so far,” she says. “They were all acceptance letters—thank goodness! But, I’ll wait for the rest to come in before I make my decision.” And while many may see the educational and career path in the medical field as a daunting future, Demi is both prepared and enthusiastic about the path ahead. “I figure that I’m already not sleeping much and I’ve got the terrible handwriting,” she jokes. “I’m already a step ahead!” With her fierce determination and dedication, there is no doubt that Demi will certainly achieve her dream.

Demi OLuyemi: The Making of a Future Physician

In this time o f g r e a t technological advancements in the field of education, and with the push for the incorporation of STEM courses into elementary and preschool programs, we tend to lose sight of the importance

of other areas of study that truly benefit our children. With the focus so acutely on engineering, math and the sciences, the importance of visual and performing arts in our students’ lives can sometimes take a back seat. This is certainly not the case at Quarry Lane.

While we are well-known for our outstanding science, engineering and math programs, our overarching focus is to develop well-rounded children who are exposed to a myriad of subject matters, hands-on experiences, cultural activities, and research and performance based programs. The arts is an important component in this goal. A report by Americans for the Arts states that young people who participate regularly in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement,

to participate in a math and science fair or to win an award for writing an essay or poem than children who do not participate.

Students at Quarry Lane attend art classes, focusing on the areas of art history, art appreciation and the critique process. They also learn fundamental skills such as drawing and painting, and learn to do so with a large variety of mediums. Ms. Douzart, our Lower School Art teacher, appreciates the chance to work in an elementary program that values art and encourages cross-curricular activities that afford the students opportunities to approach topics from other disciplines such as mathematics, history, reading, and foreign language from a new perspective. Ms. Douzart believes that the arts “train the mind to solve problems creatively. It encourages a higher level of thinking that manifests possibilities at every angle of analysis. Whether a child becomes an artist, a doctor, or engineer, these creative problem-solving methods will allow them to flourish and think beyond limitation. “

In conjunction with a tremendous visual art program, Lower School students participate in a robust music curriculum that teaches students the origins of music as well as the impact that music has on individuals, groups and

around the globe. Led by Lower School music teacher, Mr. Anthony Scuderi, students study, play and perform on instruments such as the violin, the ukulele, piano, and wind instruments such as the flute, saxophone, trumpet and trombone. Our music curriculum affords our students a deeper understanding and appreciation for the dedication it takes to learn to play an instrument. It also introduces them to musical notation, song writing, and musical performances. Since many of our students are learning an instrument for the first time, a large focus for Mr. Scuderi is developing self-confidence, and helping students understand the process of working to achieve their goals. According to the National Association of Music Education, “students of music can be more emotionally developed, with empathy towards other cultures. They also tend to have higher self-esteem and are better at coping with anxiety.”

In order to accomplish our vision of producing well-rounded, confident, and worldly students, we feel that the inclusion of visual and performing

arts into our curriculum is critically important. The arts play a key role in preparing our students for their future lives as contributing adults. According to Edward Droscher, and the College-Bound Seniors National Report: Profile of SAT Program Test Takers Princeton, NJ, “Music requires study skills,

communication skills, and cognitive skills and as these are learnt and developed, they expand the student’s abilities in other academic areas and help them become better students.” In our pursuit to provide a solid educational foundation and prepare our students for success, we believe that providing a robust and compelling art program is a key part of our vision.

5th grade students perform at the Winter Concert.

For the second consecutive year, the Quarry Lane robotics program will be represented at a national level. After winning second place overall at the California VRC State Championship, the Quarry Lane 7th/8th grade robotics team qualified to compete in the 2016 VEX Robotics World Championship to be held in Kentucky this coming April. Their well-deserved spot at nationals follows a tremendous season for a team that has worked hard and put in countless hours testing, building and practicing their skills. While the 5th grade team put together a commendable performance at the state championship, advancing to

the finals and placing eighth out of 20 teams, they did not qualify this year to advance to the World Championship.

“We are tremendously proud of our students’ achievements this year,” says Dr. John Rogosic, Department Chair for Quarry Lane’s Applied Science and Engineering Department. “The students along with their tireless mentors, Mr. Hay, Mr. Vemuluru, Ms. Janus and Mr. Goodman-Lucker, spent countless hours after school and dedicated themselves over many weekends to make this happen. They all worked incredibly hard and it shows in their performance.”

The Quarry Lane robotics program is an important element of the school’s robust and innovative engineering program. The success of this year’s team will further cement Quarry Lane’s stature as a leading name in the robotics circuit.

“Engineering and robotics is one of the hallmarks of the curriculum at Quarry Lane,” says Dr. Sabri Arac, Founder and Headmaster of Quarry Lane. “Our program, led by our remarkable faculty members, is undoubtedly shaping the innovators of tomorrow. I am thrilled to see them earn recognition and success at such a high level—it speaks volumes of our students and our programs.” QLS 7th/8th Grade Robotics team with faculty mentors Mr. Hay and Mr. Vemuluru

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UPCOMING EVENTSMarch 18 - Quarry Lane Fashion Show

March 28 - April 1 Spring Break (No School)

April 14 & April 15 Spring Theater Production: Alice in Wonderland

Staff Writer and Graphic Designer: Jonni ZukauskasSLATE is published by The Quarry Lane School.

Dublin Campus - Jr.K-12 | 6363 Tassajara Rd., Dublin, CA 94568 | 925.829.8000 Pleasanton West Campus - Preschool | 4444B Black Ave., Pleasanton, CA 94566 | 925.462.6300

Pleasanton East Campus - Preschool| 3750 Boulder St., Pleasanton, CA 94566 | 925.846.9400www.QuarryLane.org

DirecT SAvingS:$10,343 x 4 yrs. = $41,372 Annual Cost

$40,000

$35,000

$30,000

$25,000

$20,000

$15,000

$10,000

The Quarry

Lane School

Average cost of

Top Bay Area

Independent

College

Preparatory

High Schools

IndirecT SAvingS:International Baccalaureate Diploma

Programme •College Credit - Potentially save 1-2 years of college - Potentially advance career earlier = $$$

Acceptance to top colleges •Better job opportunities = top salaries & top positionsThese numbers are based on the 2014-2015 academic school year.

AT The QuArry LAne SchooL, there is no relationship between tuition spending and student achievement. QLS provides results for less.

Student Life

4

QuArry LAne CommuniTy VoiceS

This past February, Quarry Lane Lower School students took two distinctly different musical trips into history, culminating in their annual spring musical performances. The junior kindergarten, kindergarten, first grade and fifth grade students, learned about some of history’s most famous classical composers, many of whom are recognized by their surnames, including Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin and Vivaldi. Their murder-mystery musical, “The Composer is Dead”, led the audience through an investigation in which each instrument family of the orchestra was interrogated as inspectors worked to solve the mystery.

On the other end of the musical spectrum, students in grades two, three and four, took the audience through a historical narrative about the birth of hip-hop, citing the first D.J., Clive Campbell, more famously known as “DJ Kool Herc”. From his childhood in Jamaica, to spinning records for Break Dancers

in the South Bronx of New York, the students dazzled the crowd with their beat-driven show.

Quarry Lane Lower School music instructor, Mr. Anthony Scuderi, wrote the script for both shows, adapting them from two books, The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket and When the Beat was Born by Laban Carrick Hill. For Mr. Scuderi, who was also tasked with organizing the show from concept to execution, this year’s musicals were an especially fun affair. “Putting together the musicals is one of my most favorite parts of the year,” he says. “I absolutely love working with the students on their numbers and their sheer excitement and enthusiasm for the performance is infectious! This year’s musicals showcased two widely different genres of music, both of which I am a huge fan of, so it was particularly fun to organize both shows.”

As the junior kindergarten and kindergarten students donned their fluffy,

white wigs—reminiscent of the powdered wig worn by Mozart—the first grade students wore their tuxedo t-shirts and the fifth grade students showed off their orchestral skills by playing the instruments they have worked with all year. The musical was a blend of seasoned fifth graders and first-time performers which made for a wonderfully unique and delightful show.

For the second, third and fourth grade show, reggae-inspired costumes, track suits and gold chains lit up the stage. The students took the audience through a brief history of the birth of hip-hop, incorporating familiar classic hip-hop tunes such as M.C. Hammer’s infamous, “U Can’t Touch This”, and LL Cool J’s “Going Back to Cali” into their performances. The rhythmic musical was an energetic,

fun-filled show filled with the palatable enthusiasm of the students.

This year’s musicals showed off both the talent of the Lower School students, as well as the strength and creativity of the music program at Quarry Lane. With the bar raised high this year, what will Mr. Scuderi pull out of his sleeve for next year? “Tune in to find out!” he says.

LoWer SchooL MuSicALS: LeSSonS in MuSic HiSTory

Learning is a two-way road at Quarry Lane. Our dedicated faculty members bring their passion and expertise to the classroom each and every day and in return, they have learned many important lessons from their students along the way. In this issue, we asked some of our faculty members: “What is one, or some, of the lessons that the students at Quarry Lane have taught you over the years?” Here are some of their responses:

“When we first got our SMART Boards and I was figuring out how to use it, one of the youngest kids in my class got up and showed me what to do. She told me just think of it

as a giant iPad. I thought it was pretty funny that they were teaching me something and I have a degree in technology! Goes to show how smart and tech-savvy our little ones are!” - Kristine Widmer (Lower School faculty member)

“The classroom provides not only an educational environment for the students, but for the teachers as well. Each student is a lesson. They have different learning styles and it’s

up to us, as teachers, to discover and harvest the students’ needs.” - Eric Nguyen (Middle School Coordinator and Head of Middle School Math)

“Focus on reasons why you CAN rather than why you can’t.”-Dr. Andrea Peoples-Marwah (Upper School faculty member)

“The international students at Quarry Lane have taught me and continue to teach me new expressions of compassion through sharing in their educational experiences.”

-Kimberly Wanner (Upper School faculty member)

“Over the years I have learned how to celebrate cultures and holidays from around the world. My class always celebrated Chanukah, Christmas, Diwali, Kwanzaa, and Chinese

New Year however, I have had students teach me about cultures from these additional countries: Puerto Rico, Germany, Nigeria, France, England, Greece, Spain, Israel, Russia,

Sweden and Pakistan. The diversity of students and what they are willing to teach us is mind blowing. I am so thankful to have been working here for 18 years!” - Meredith Olson (Lower School faculty member)

“Despite vast differences in our life experience, students help me realize I am far from a faultless source of wisdom. They have unique stories to tell, and I should listen respectfully to what they know. I’ve learned that my job is not to pour my knowledge into their supposedly empty heads, but to elicit from them the products of their fertile imaginations.”

-Andrew Grzeskowiak (Upper School faculty member)

“Even though students moan and groan—when you hold them to a high standard, and when they achieve it because they really need to apply themselves—they end up feeling

more confident about their capabilities. I have also learned to be creative. Not all students learn the same, so finding different ways to present and practice the material taught has

been an important lesson for me.”- Shari Liebman (Lower School faculty member)

CougAr AThLeTicS: SoLid SeASon for QLS AThLeTicS

Winter at Quarry Lane typically means one thing in the world of Quarry Lane athletics: bas-ketball. This year, four teams represented Cougar basketball—varsity boys, middle school boys, high school girls and middle school girls. “We had a solid season,” says Sandor Ceballos, Athletics Director at Quarry Lane. “Each team showed a lot of dedication and in turn, showed a great deal of improvement throughout

the season. I think it says a lot about our students’ commitment and the growing strength of our athletics program. I have to also give our coaches a lot of credit; they really love working with the stu-dents and developing them as athletes.”

The varsity boys’ basketball team finished their last game with a strong win against San Francisco International High School. Later, the team wrapped up their season with one of the program’s

time-honored traditions—a friendly match against the “Dublin All-Stars”. This year’s “All-Stars” consisted of their coaches, Mr. Ceballos, several QLS faculty members and students. While the “All-Stars” triumphed over the varsity team with a 69-52 win, a fun time was had by all. “The All-Stars match is always a great way to end the season,” says Mr. Ceballos. “It’s a great way for the team, and for all of us, to just have fun on the court!”

With a solid winter season in the books, it is forward and onward for the Cougar athletics program as preparation and practices are already underway for the spring teams. Please join us in congratulating our winter sports teams, and wishing the Cougars a mighty spring season!

Quarry Lane 4th grade students perform at musical

Varsity boys’ basketball team vs. Dublin All-Stars