News
04.18.12
By Marcel Gauthier, Assistant Head of School
Last month I attended the conference for the National Association of Independent Schools, the over-arching accrediting organization of which our own PNAIS (Pacific Northwest Association of Independent Schools) is an extension.
This annual event is an opportunity for independent school educators across the country to gather in one place, discuss issues common to us all, and hear what selected NAIS presenters suggest our priorities should be for the present and future.
The theme for this year was INNOVATION! with specific emphasis on technology, globalism, economic sustainability and increasing ethnic and economic diversity. The call for innovation, ironically, is not new for NAIS. In some form or other, the organization has been calling upon schools to think in “adaptive”, “revolutionary” or “cutting edge” ways for years.
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04.18.12
A selection of recent images from the Waterford community:
Group photo from the US Community Service TreeUtah activity.
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04.18.12
Sue Mika is the mother of Jaklyn, Kirsten, Alek, Eric, Jacob, and Kyle. (Her oldest daughter, Stephanie , graduated from high school back in Boston before the Mikas moved here). Sue has been president of the Parents’ Association for three years now (that’s a long time!), and we took the opportunity, as her tenure draws to a close, to steal Sue from her VERY busy schedule and catch up with her for a few minutes about parenting, Waterford, sports, the antics of her kids, that endless commute from Alpine, and the other parents she’s worked with over the years. Following are excerpts from the interview.
So how did you hear about Waterford? Why did you choose it for your kids?
Well, when we moved here from Boston we were looking for the right school for our girls, who had been day students at a boarding school outside of Boston, and the girls chose Waterford. It was a good fit; the curriculum was like the curriculum at Dana Hall, the size was right (they found the size of public schools overwhelming), and they liked it when they visited the campus. We ended up settling in Alpine rather than Salt Lake because there’s more land down there, and Ron insisted on having a view of the mountains. Why live in Utah, he said, if you can’t even see the mountains? We still have boxes we haven’t unpacked.
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04.18.12
By Nancy Heuston, Head of School
Spring is the time when the efforts of the preceding months cohere into visible results. Not only are the younger students growing taller while their tunics and grey pants remain frozen in time, but they are restless for the next step that will bring them into Kindergarten or Middle School.
The older students are completing mid-term projects and preparing for the final weeks of the year. Continuing to balance games and competitions with concerts and performances, they are serving the School and the community — and growing intellectually as well as in their responsibility as citizens.
Although the Upper School years provide the clearest evidence of achievement, the child’s path is set in the early years. In the home and during the school day, our children begin to practice how to learn by responding to their teachers’ directions. Gradually, their measured, incremental steps turn into long, smooth strides as habits of learning take form. At this point, curiosity is given form in systematic inquiry and artistic expression. The life of the independent learner has begun.
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04.18.12
Lately we have received news of many fantastic recognitions for our students in a broad range of fields. We have collected a number of them here, but please forgive us if we have overlooked any — we are bursting at the seams!
Robotics
The Upper School Ravens Robotics team, in only its third year of existence, has twice this season won regional competitions, and thus twice earned an invitation to the World Championship in St. Louis. At the Utah Regional tournament the Ravens faced robots from Utah and 10 other states. As part of the 8th seeded alliance the team pulled off an upset win over the much-favored number 1 alliance and then went on to win the elimination rounds with its two alliance partners. At the Las Vegas Regional competition, the Ravens faced tougher competition and did well throughout the tournament. A highlight was when the top-seeded team (a very experienced team with a long history of success) chose Waterford as their first pick for elimination round alliance partner. Waterford played its part and our alliance went undefeated in the final rounds. To win one regional competition is a great success; to win two is exceptional. The team will be competing among the world’s best April 26-28 in St. Louis. You can watch our exciting upset win at the Utah Regional here (Waterford is blue, “Team 3245”).
Debate
Waterford’s burgeoning Debate team recently completed its season. Thirty-five students participated this year, with twenty-eight entering multiple tournaments in multiple events. Waterford students were recognized for awards or trophies a total of ninety-three times. Our team finished second overall in the Region and fourth overall in the State.
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