SMA Now: Online News
February 29, 2008
April 16: Save the Date for Dr. Dan Kindlon
Dr. Dan Kindlon, co-author of the bestselling book
Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys, will discuss his newest book called Too Much of a Good Thing: Raising Children of Character in an Indulgent Age with parenst at area independent schools. Dr. Kindlon will shed light on how parents with the best intentions of making their children happy may actually increase the chance that their children will be depressed.
St. Mary’s Academy, Graland Country Day School and Stanley British Primary School will co-sponsor this free event on April 16 at 7:00 P.M. at Graland Country Day School.
Stay tuned to SMA Now: Online News for more information.
Fifth Graders in Flight
The fifth grade study of simple machinery ended with Robert Fuschino, fifth grade parent and professional pilot, sharing his expertise with not-so-simple machines: airplanes. Mr. Fuschino explained the forces of motion as a plane flies. The students learned about weight, drag, and thrust and then three budding pilots " sat in the cockpit" and used a meter stick for a joystick to fly the plane with Mr. Fuschino demonstrating those moves with a model airplane so stuents could see wher the plane was flying. The class learned that flying a plane is, indeed, complicated!
MS Brings Alice in Wonderland to Life
The MS Trimester II Drama class put on an entertaining performance of Alice in Wonderland for the entire student body and staff on February 21. 
The play, adapted by Tim Kelly and produced by Pioneer Drama Service, Inc., included all of the characters that we know from this beloved children’s story including Alice, the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, and many more. Thanks to all of the performers and Director Roberta Hamilton-Griggs for treating everyone to a wonderful show!
Diversity Day Broadens Students’ Horizons
With the theme of “Kaleidoscope: Creating a Colorful Community of Our Differences,” High School students explored many aspects of diversity on the seventh annual Diversity Day. Students listened to major addresses by Jenan Mohajir, Education and Training Associate for Interfaith Youth Corps,
and Nasreen Daniel SL, a native Pakistani Sister of Loretto.
In her talk, Ms. Mohajir encouraged students respect the identity of others, build mutually inspiring relationships, and work together in service with students of all faiths. Sister Nasreen shared the work of Social Organization for Integral Life (SOIL), an organization in Pakistan that raises women’s awareness of issues related to human rights. SOIL also sponsors a school for children in Pakistan who spend their days picking through trash for items to sell to get money to buy food.
Because of the dire need for education in Pakistan, Sister Nasreen and three other native Pakistani Sisters of Loretto hope to open a school there, continuing the Loretto Community’s commitment to education in many forms.
In addition to Ms. Mohajir’s and Sister Nasreen’s talks, students attended workshops related to people and issues closer to home. With presentations spanning many issues, workshop speakers and panelists shared a common mission to take seriously St. Francis of Assisi’s call to “preach the Gospel and sometimes use words.”
While most of the day was devoted to serious issues, a fashion show, talent show, and food sampling provided the opportunity for students to share their heritage with their classmates.
Click here for Diversity Day pictures.
Ahoy! Auction Items Are Needed
As spring is arriving, so is our annual gala, Celebrate the Spirit! This year’s gala, “Anchors Away,” will take place on April 25 in the Seawell Grand Ballroom at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. 
Invitations will be mailed before spring break, and we hope you will consider joining us!
We are currently soliciting auction items! Please look at our wish list and consider a donation. It would be a huge help!
We appreciate all your help and look forward to seeing you on April 25 at the Gala!
If you are interested in getting more involved or have any questions please contact Anna Modic, Events/Annual Fund Coordinator, at 303-762-8300 ext. 282 or at anna_modic@smanet.org
Attached please find the forms for auction donations, sponsorship opportunities, sponsorships/ads.
Students Master 2D Art Media
This month, a new art exhibition is on display in the Coyle Gallery at St. Mary’s Academy High School. The show features a selection of artwork from three projects that students completed in the HS Advanced 2D Studio class taught by Andrew Beckham. .jpg)
The first project titled “Self Portraits in Response to Masterworks” features students’ self portraits that reflect the distinct styles of the master painters the students have studied. The second project, called “ The Long Exposure,” features pictures showing what happens when the shutter of a camera is open for an extended period of time with a limited (and often moving) light source. The results are one-of-a-kind photographs that would be impossible to recreate. “Life Drawings,” the title of the third project on display in the Coyle Gallery, are quickly made drawings meant to capture the essence of a figure with an economy of marks on the page.
Please make an effort to stop into the Coyle Gallery and take a look at these exceptional and very distinct types of artwork.
PJ’s on the Prairie
The traditional event found third graders heading back to school in jammies at 6:00 p.m. eager to be read to by their three teachers and Mary Jane Frederick. 
They heard great stories, munched on home baked cookies, and listened to some great stories. A perfect end of the day…sort of like that MasterCard “priceless” commercial!
The Burning Page Receives National Recognition
St. Mary’s Academy High School’s literary magazine The Burning Page has been selected to receive a rank of “Superior” in the 2007 National Council of Teachers of English’s (NCTE) Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines. 
A total of 453 schools entered the 2007 program and only three high schools from Colorado, including St. Mary’s Academy, received a “Superior” ranking. Since 2002, The Burning Page has been ranked as “Superior” or “Excellent.” The 2004 edition of The Burning Page was ranked “Recommended for Highest Award” in the NCTE’s National Ranking of High School Literary Magazines, the highest ranking that the NCTE offers.
Congratulations to teacher Brett James and the entire staff of the 2007 Burning Page for receiving this special honor! To read a sample of poetry that was published in the 2007 The Burning Page, click here.
Third Grade Thinks Green
Third grades have taken seriously the environmental three R’s to reduce, reuse, recycle. Recently they shared their ideas with displays in the hallway. 
A “Think Green” display showed new uses for plastic bottles and “Ten Things I can Do to Help Save the Earth” booklets listed easy ways students can make a difference.
The plastic bottles, which take 1000 years to decompose in a landfill, found new life as bird feeders, holders for desk items and hair accessories, vases, lamps, and even barbells when filled with sand and hooked onto a wooden pole.
The third graders’ booklets offered practical suggestions for preserving and reusing resources: Turn off lights when you leave a room; reuse grocery bags; recycle grocery bags; use both sides of paper; turn off the water when you brush your teeth; take shorter showers; use water bottles other than polymer plastic; wrap gifts in shoeboxes; pick up trash; donate used clothing.
Third graders are becoming wise environmentalists!
Academy Adventures Brochure on the Website
The Academy Adventures brochure is now posted on the SMA website. Click here for the brochure and learn about many enriching activities that await children of all ages.
Session I: June 16-27
Session II: July 7-18
Session III: July 21-August 1
Sports Camps: August 4-8
Activities include arts and crafts, technology, cooking, recreation, science, performing arts, sports, and USA Chess Camp. Academic classes are also available.
Primary Student Dancers Shine
Young choreographers in primary delighted the audience at a recent Lower School Assembly with three original dances: Greased Lightning, Hairspray and Chinese Melody in celebration of the Beijing Olympics.
During a five-week dance unit in physical education class, they had learned skills in running, twisting, turning, jumping, stillness and gestures in time and space. They developed movement motifs using these actions and aligned them to the music motif in the soundtracks. They choreographed the dance during improvisation activities. The result was a delightful polished performance.
According to Linda Marsh, their teacher, “The students were very proud of their achievements. They had fun and learned a lot!”
