| Having trouble reading this newsletter? Click here to see it in your browser. Add us to your address book to be sure you receive every Newsbreak. |
 |
Welcome to the March 30, 2009 issue of Newsbreak. In this Issue Upcoming Events 4/1 4/1 4/1 _______________ 4/3 4/5 4/7 4/7 4/8 4/10 4/10 4/10 4/15 4/17 4/17 _______________ SAVE THE DATES: BWS Night at the Sea Dogs BWS Links
Pass it on Click here to send this newsletter to a friend. |
|
|
Headlines...News from David Sullivan 
Last Saturday night we unveiled our new logo in a slide show that highlighted both the development of the logo concept and its design. On Monday morning we showed the slides to our students, to enthusiastic applause and laughter. If you were not at the Gala and would like to see this slide show, you can view it at drop-off and at pick-up time this week. We'll have it running on a t.v. outside the library. Our "redesign" has been in process for several months. Based on feedback from the community and information in our brand strategy report, a committee developed a new logo and “look” for the school, which we unveiled officially last week. We wanted a symbol that told the world we are a serious, academic independent school (with a twist), an image that represented our founding story of creating a safe and protected place for children to learn and grow. We wanted a symbol that would emphasize the interconnectedness of our community and the integration of parts to make the whole. Since we unveiled our new logo it has been showing up everywhere! Thank you to everyone who was a part of this new chapter of Breakwater's History. Please know that with our new look, we are still the same stellar educational institution that has been engaging and inspiring curious minds since 1956. And don't forget to put your Car Decal on and email a picture of it to Meredith Jones at 5 pm on Wednesday, April 1. The first ten to send her their picture will win a free t-shirt!! Click here to view a photos from our Annual Gala Event on our Website. To view the photos larger, visit our Facebook Photo Album (you don't have to be a member to view). Show Your School Spirit with New Logo Wear! 
Looking for something new and fresh to wear this spring? We have a wide variety of Breakwater products you may choose from - everything from back packs to fleece sweatshirts to golf shirts! We've teamed up with L.L. Bean and are able to get just about anything you'd like embroidered with our new Breakwater Logo. Show off your school spirit by purchasing one of the many items we have available. Stay tuned for more exciting logo wear products to come! To find out more about products and prices, contact Meredith Jones at 207.772.4295 x236 or by email. Breakwater's 8th Graders to Travel to Costa Rica 
Our Middle School program offers many different kinds of “classrooms” for our students. We’ve held class on mountaintops, in research labs, in historical archives, at the shore, in a recycling plant, at the Talking Room, in kayaks, in a variety of art galleries and museums… our studies take us to many places and we’ve had the good fortune to meet many different people on our journeys, from artists to scientists, to artisans, researchers, and business people. During the first week of May our four Eighth Graders will explore a classroom far from our Portland campus. These students, along with teachers Sari Lindauer and Alex Johnston and Middle School parent Judy, will travel to Costa Rica as part of their Eighth Grade capstone experience. This trip is an opportunity for our students to practice speaking Spanish while exploring another culture, to be involved in a service-learning project, and to pursue their individual capstone projects. One student is studying photography, another is learning about green architecture and building, another is exploring writing, and one is learning about issues related to the disposal of electronics like televisions and computers. The Arenal National Park will be the group’s first destination, where they’ll learn about some of Costa Rica’s native birds, explore the park’s volcano, and hike to an old lava flow. From there our intrepid explorers will travel to Monteverde to learn about the rain forest, native wildlife and conservation efforts, and the history of the region. Students will also be involved in planting trees at the Refugio Ecologico Finca Rodriguez and will spend time working at its tree nursery. They’ll take a canopy walk, visit a butterfly garden, and take a night walk at the Sancturio Ecologico. While in Costa Rica they hope to visit with U.S. Ambassador Peter Cianchette, a fellow Mainer. We’re looking forward to hearing about their adventures; we’re sure our Eighth Graders will have plenty to share when they return. Costa Rica – this could be your classroom! ~ Cheryl Hart, Middle School Division Director Photo: Bridge and Matt atop Douglas Mountain 
Over the last few months, all the students in first grade through middle school have had a chance to climb the walls at the Maine Rock Gym. This is the most recent in a series of outings, which are part of BWSOAP (Breakwater School Outdoor Adventure Program), and they may have been some of the most rewarding trips yet. Many of the climbers summed up their day at the gym with comments ranging from “that was totally awesome” to “this was the best field trip of my whole life!” An important aspect of our adventure program philosophy is that there are many ways you can support your team or partner. This was particularly true with the middle school students, age twelve or older, who were allowed to belay each other. It was great to see pairs of our students roaming the gym, choosing a route, and beginning the ritual conversation all climbers use before climbing. “Am I on belay?” “On belay.” “Can I climb?” “Climb away.” ~ Alex Johnston, BWSOAP Leader To read the full article, click here! Faculty Spotlight: Mari Dieumegard 
This summer's Creative Director of the Tadpoles & Leapfrogs: Explorations Program, Mari Dieumegard, has been working at Breakwater for the past thirteen years. This talented educator will bring her passion for both teaching and art to her role and she is very excited to work on this project. Tadpoles & Leapfrogs program design is similar to the Early Childhood Program children and their parents experience during the school year at Breakwater. A committed life-long learner, Mari loves to travel. She was born and raised in Alaska and skipped her senior prom for the opportunity to live on a 42-foot boat in Glacier Bay for a week studying oceanography. She has made numerous cross-country trips—one time in a Winnebago and another by train! She has her Bachelors degree in Fine Arts from the Maine College of Art and enjoys painting, drawing, knitting, and rughooking, and is interested in exploring pottery. Mari studied at Lewis & Clark in Portland, Oregon and took part in a Theater and Visual Arts Semester abroad in New York City. She interned at a Gallery on the Upper East Side and was a Studio Assistant to a painter in Brooklyn—where she lived three buildings down from Madonna and Yoko Ono and enjoyed her morning bagel at the "Imagine" mosaic in Central Park every day. Mari has taught painting and drawing to teens and adults at Barnstone Studios in Pennsylvania, Maine College of Art Continuing studies, and in her own studio / gallery for several years. She is the proud parent of one Breakwater student and has another joining us next year! 
An event to celebrate the coming of Spring on Sunday, April 5. This Festival is led by Oscar Mokeme, director of the Museum of African Culture and is a trans-cultural event that draws its inspiration from Nigerian ritual traditions invoking Ebune, the Ram. A symbol of fertility and the harbinger of spring renewal, the symbol of the Ram exists not only in West African culture, but across a wide span of traditions. Kelly McConnell's MECA students have been collaborating with venues in the community to make artwork in support of this event. They have also been working with Breakwater's Fifth Grade students to create masks for the Festival. Everyone is welcome to attend - visit the Ebune website to learn more! Photo: Fifth graders pose with their creations. FREE Portland Pirates Tickets! 
Thanks to our friends at Port City Life, we have 100 tickets to give away to the Sunday, April 5 Portland Pirates Game! The game starts at 4 pm and we are playing the Springfield Falcons. Email Meredith Jones to reserve your tickets! Or, call her at 772-4295 x236. 
Come one, come all! Don't miss Breakwater's Annual Talent Show on Wednesday, April 15 beginning at 3:30 pm. Join us in the Jessie Auditorium to see the talent of all our students! Admissions: $1 / Adults; $0.50 / Students. We are looking for baked goods to sell during the show. If you are interested in making something, please contact Stephanie Hayward or simply bring these goodies to the Jessie Building the morning of the show; our Middle School students will be happy to collect your donations. April Vacation Camp Adventures 
Looking for an enriching and fulfilling vacation experience for your child? Let us help! Each day at Breakwater's Vacation Camps are filled with sports, arts, theater and drama games, and loads of fun! April 21-24, 2009 Daily: $55 per child ($10 less for multiple siblings) Bring: lunch and drink, appropriate clothing for indoor and outdoor play. We will provide snacks. Sports will be taught by Frank Donovan, a certified physical education teacher and survival skills instructor at Casco Bay High School. Frank has a passion and enthusiasm for fitness and sport and has created a co-ed program designed to develop campers' skills through a variety of games and sports. Arts will be lead by Erin Leon-O’Brien, an Artist Educator currently teaching in Lewiston, Maine who also has taught art at Breakwater School in many capacities. Erin has planned a week of projects that include paper mache, watercolor paint, pencils and crayons, printmaking, illustrated books, and art history. We will work using the methods of Claus Oldenberg, Paul Klee, Picasso and Dahlov Ipcar. For more information or to reserve a spot, contact Cathleen Allen at 772-4295 x226 or by email. 
Stephanie Hayward is looking for any photos you may have from trips around the United States. Please send her any pictures (it doesn't matter how old) from anywhere in the U.S. - from your backyard to the Pacific Ocean and anywhere in between. If the pictures include a Breakwater student, even better! Please email your photos to Stephanie. You may also direct any questions you may have to her as well. Community Chorus Host Families Needed REMINDER: No School Lunch on Friday, April 17 Breakwater Tide vs. Breakwater Faculty Breakwater Night at the Sea Dogs 
Our Annual Spring gala was a tremendous success thanks to creativity and generosity of the greater Breakwater community. We would like to thank all volunteers who participated by preparing food, helping with decorations, signage, set-up and clean-up, sewing yards of fabric, helping with registration, and spreading the word about the event. Volunteers include: Ellen Barton, Karen Zamd, Sarah Adams, Donalee and David Santoro, Dona and Richard Pfeffer, Lauren and Jonathan Gates, Kristin Schardt, Katy Ameglio, Stacy Towne, Jennifer Wu, Jimmy Liang, Beth Taylor, Sheila McKinley, Victoria and Sean Dundon, Elizabeth Campbell, Zoe Sullivan, Connie Smith, Anne Brochu, Moriah Perry, Susan Kepes, Eva McVicar, Guy Quattrucci, Camilla, Lionel and
Bevan Whitehead, Liz Polkinghorn, Aileen Cahill, Kent Damon, Jane Ho, Cindy Czajkowski, Kim Wilson, Christine Donis-Keller, Lorie Dana, Paula Morrison, Danielle Calhoun, Courtney Cook, Kelley Pratt, Lisa Flanagan, Liz Polkinghorn, Sandy Schliesman, James Reese, and Forrest Reese-Bryon. Ocean Blue Corporate Sponsors Sky Blue Corporate Sponsors Garden Green Corporate Sponsor |
|
|
|
|