Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (December 9, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            It has been an interesting week, and I expect that we will see similar weather circumstances as the school year progresses.  It appears that nearly everyone received notification about our delay on Monday and the closing yesterday.  So the system is working, thanks to you.  I hope that most of you took advantage of the app for your phone or the email capability with WBAL.  Remember, you can access this service on their web site.

            Yesterday was tricky because the snow didn’t start until later in the morning (like you didn’t notice).  But I think it was a good call to close yesterday.  For one thing, I got so much grief from the students on Monday for not closing that I didn’t want to disappoint them again.  They had worked so hard doing snow dances and sleeping with their PJs inside out!  I tried to explain to them that by using our snow days up we would not be moving the end of school back from June 6.  I asked them if they would rather have an extra day of summer or a day off in the winter with slush and cold.  The outcry was unanimous – they want it now!  It must be that instant gratification thing.

            Speaking of snow days, we have built in five days this year and now we are left with four.  If we do not use all of those days we will roll back the end of the year using a complicated mathematical formula that only Mr. Luca can explain.  If we exceed our snow days, we will add days past June 6 using a similar algorithm. This process is necessary because we are required as an independent school to have 170 days of school, which can include half-days.

Evaluation Reports:

            Because of our weather events and some computer issues, our teachers have not had the appropriate time to complete the evaluation reports in time for adequate review and editing.  Therefore, the reports will be distributed on Monday.  We apologize for the wait.

Theme 2:

           

            We are well into our second theme, which focuses on history between1876 and 1917.  This was the period of international expansion for the United States and fits nicely with the theme just completed, since many islands and island groups were annexed by the U.S. during that time.  We will devote a lot of time to WWI and other events such as the women’s suffrage movement.  Ms. Catherine has some interesting original sheet music from the time that belonged to her grandmother.  The middle school students have selected some very interesting songs for the theme event.  Did you know that there are actually words to “Stars and Stripes Forever”?  Please make sure to mark your calendar for the theme event, which will take place on February 21 from 9:00 to noon.

Cheers, 

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (December 2, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            Happy December!  As usual, the year is flying by, but we still have a lot of time left to do great things.  Today, I reminded the students of our concept of excellence.  The message today was that whenever we finish a project, whether it is a long-term one or just something that we are required to do on a particular day, we should ask ourselves if we have done the best we could under the circumstances.  Educational research indicates that the process of reflection is one of the most valuable tools in our learning toolbox.  If we can learn to reflect and think critically about our actions and our efforts, it is much more likely that we will develop habits of mind that keep us striving to attain excellence.

 Mr. Fletcher reminded the students that as a staff, we meet each week to reflect on what we have accomplished and to discuss ways in which we can improve our craft.  Indeed, we can all probably do a better job of reflecting.  As parents you can model this important habit by “thinking out loud”, which is another strategy that we use with students.  Simply stated, thinking out loud is the practice of sharing our thoughts as a way of instructing learners about how we process things in our minds.  For example, you might say out loud, “So I am thinking that in order to plan our day on Saturday, I will need to make a list of things to do because I am a visual person.”  Or you might be reading to your child and stop at a part to say, “This reminds me of a time when I was young and I made a poor choice, too.”  Reflecting and thinking out loud are strategies that we can teach our children to create those habits of mind that will help them make good choices and also take time to understand the learning process. 

            Now that it is, in fact, December, we need to start thinking about weather-related closings and delays. The procedures for closing school because of snow, for example, are relatively simple.  On days when the forecast calls for snow, I will rise at 5:00 a.m. to listen to the weather reports and check closings that are being posted in the area. Sometimes I will go outside to look for myself at my snow gauge, the barometric pressure, my atomic hydrospheric anemometer or the local squirrels’ bushy tails.  When that fails to give me a sense of the imminent snowfall, I will go inside and turn to Tony Pann on WBAL for advice.  Of course, if there is already snow on the ground, I can look at it.

But seriously, folks, what I actually do is listen to what is happening in the large public school systems.  They have better resources than I have and are evaluating the situation long before I get out of bed.  I will make a decision about closing based on the information I can gather and post our information on WBAL-TV by 6:30 a.m.  You can access my posting by tuning in to WBAL-TV or you can get the information quickly at www.wbaltv.com/closings/index.html. At this site you will view the closings or delays for the day and you can also sign up to get an email or text message about the status of the GreenMount School.  I recommend this because it happens immediately and you don’t have to wait for the TV report to get to our school alphabetically.  Please check your Family Handbook for procedures concerning late openings and early dismissals.  Late openings will also be posted on WBAL.

 Finally, while I said that I consult the major school systems to make my decision about GreenMount, there are exceptions.  Public schools have to consider the safety of bus riders in their decision-making process.  We do not.  Therefore, there may be an occasion when city schools are closed and we are not.  I will also consider parents and your inconvenience, especially if we have late openings.  That said, the first consideration is always safety.

           

Cheers, 

Steve

           

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (November 18, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            By now, you have learned that this will be my last year as the head of school here at GreenMount.  I plan to retire, and I hope to get it right this time.

You may know the story of how I tried to retire eight years ago and failed miserably.  The one year that I spent away from a school was agonizing.  However, that year turned out to be one in which I learned many lessons.  My brother-in-law enlisted my help in writing a program for compensation of faculty in independent schools, about 400 of which he works with around the country.  It was during that year that we traveled around the country, visiting many private schools and trying to sell my program, that I got a firsthand look at the world of private education.  We did sell the program to two schools, but they were both located near Los Angeles, California.  One was in Pasadena and the other in Belair.  Both were pretty fancy-smanchy.

The hard part about working with these schools was that they were 3,000 miles away, and getting to face-to-face meetings was grueling.  In one case, we had a meeting at 1:00 p.m. in Belair, for which we left BWI at 7:00 a.m.  We had our meeting, went back to LAX and landed in Baltimore at midnight.  I could feel the blood clotting in my legs on the return trip!

Then came the day late that summer when I got a call to come and interview at a little school that I thought was called the Green Mountain School.  Was I going to move to Vermont?  Long story short, I got the job, and each day since has been a dream come true.  Former colleagues became instantly envious of my good fortune as I described life as the head of the GreenMount School.  And still, seven years later, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have landed in this beautiful place.

But now it is time to move on.  Grandchildren, golf, and old friends who have been after us to join them in the retirement world will somehow have to take the place of the joy I experience every day at GMS.  The good news is that there are many days left to enjoy, and I plan to make them the best of my seven years.  I also find comfort in knowing, without a doubt, that my replacement will be an exceptional school leader.  GreenMount has become well known as a desirable destination (just look at our amazing staff) and I am sure that there are a number of folks out there who will jump at the chance to be part of this community.

            Finally, I must make a confession: at today’s Monday Morning Meeting, I lied to your children.  I told them that there will surely be a replacement for me who will love them as much as I do.  To me, that’s not possible.

           

Cheers, 

Steve

           

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (November 11, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            Five years ago, we completed an exhausting process of self-evaluation in order to become accredited as an AIMS school.  That effort was successful, of course, and this week we will be visited by a team as part of our five-year review.  The Association of Independent Maryland and D.C. Schools is diligent in their effort to make sure that all members of the organization meet their standards and demonstrate sustainability and devotion to the school’s philosophy and mission.  The visit on Thursday targets our Action Plan, which was developed during the accreditation process.  The AIMS team will interview teachers, parents, and board members along with the administration in order to assess our progress in meeting our goals.

            We are proud of our progress over the last five years, during which time we have added substantially to our student enrollment, going from 78 students to 110 in that short time span.  This is an especially notable accomplishment in light of the fact that many independent schools in Maryland have seen significant decreases in enrollment.  Additionally, many of our Maryland schools are suffering financially because of their efforts to fill seats by drastically discounting tuition.  Indeed, some schools that have done this have had to close their doors simply because they reduced their income with this practice to the point that they could not pay their bills.  At GreenMount, we have an advantage because of our size and the fact that we carry no debt except for the rent we pay for our buildings.  We also budget a set amount for tuition assistance each year so that we know ahead of time what we will be spending in aid to families.

Also, this year we are creating a new strategic plan that looks into our future and the maintenance of our institution.  This plan will include a financial plan that will ensure the sustainability of the school for many years to come.  Those of you who have young children at our school will be happy to know that the plan will provide for many years of continued service to our families and their children.  It should be reassuring to everyone that we have established ourselves so well financially.  Of course, tuitions and our expenses will rise, especially as we seek to retain the excellent teaching staff we have here at GMS.  However, with your help as a parent co-op, we are able to mitigate many of our expenses.  You are also generous in your giving to the Annual Fund, which is necessary to cover the additional 7 percent of our expenses not funded by tuition.

            You may have noticed that I mentioned the word, institution, rather than organization.  It is the goal of a good organization to morph into an institution where, by our definition, a group of people follow ideas and ideals rather than other people.  For example, we begin every staff meeting with an examination of our philosophy.  That conversation and others verify the fact that our staff is true to GreenMount’s ideals, always looking for ways to make our craft better in order to practice them.

            To all of our veterans who have served our country, we say “thank you for your service.”  This morning I told the students about my dad, who landed on Omaha Beach with the 29^th Division on June 6, 1944.  All the years I knew him, he never talked about that dreadful day.  I do know that he was the only survivor on his landing craft and that by some miracle he made it across France without a scratch.  He was a very modest man and never sought recognition for his service or the fact that he received a Bronze Star for his actions in combat.  It was not until I was older and he was gone that I could appreciate what he endured for his country.  I hope you have a chance to express your thanks to your heroes, especially on this solemn day.

Cheers,

Steve

           

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (November 5, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            Have any of you ever experienced “phantom pocket vibration syndrome”?  Sure you have.  This is when you think that your cell phone in your pocket is vibrating when it actually isn’t.  If you have experience this more than a few times you are probably part of the “Net Generation” or an older “Gen-Xer”. You have become very dependent on your cell phone and the social connections that you must have in order to survive.

Have you ever driven more than five miles back to your house when you discover that you left your phone at home? Yep, you’re hooked!  In my day we drove until we saw a phone booth (remember those?) along the side of the road to make a call.  And I can count on half of my hand the number of times a phone call was important enough for me to pull over at a phone booth.  Today, phone booths - when you can find them - serve a different purpose.  This past summer, in London, my wife wanted to take a picture of me in one of those famous English phone booths.  I complied, but holding my breath – phew!

            Our AIMS conference yesterday turned out to be very worthwhile and informative.  In addition to the workshop on how different generations are using technology that I attended, we heard a great keynote from Dr. David Eagleman, a neuroscientist and Director of the Laboratory for Perception and Action at the Baylor College of Medicine.  His presentation was a fascinating look at how our brains mature and how educators can use this awareness to help students use their capacities to their fullest.  He talked a lot about the “plasticity” of the brain and how we can train it to be more receptive and creative.  Indeed, our staff has done some research on teaching creativity and you have also done a lot to hasten your children’s curiosity and creative nature.  He said that unless we intervene in the brains of our students, their brains will always take the path of least résistance.  I am sure you can read a lot into that statement.

But Dr. Eagleman talked more specifically about how our brains are wired and how we can make them function better by forcing them to create different pathways between neurons.  I do not have enough allotted space in this newsletter to talk about specifics (and I can’t remember most of them – my myelin sheath is deteriorating), but I was struck by some notable similarities between what he said and what we do here at GreenMount:

• We must use provocative, creative questions in our discussions with students – we do that
• We must have students experience ideas and situations – we do that
• We must allow students to delve deeply into subject matter – we do that
• We must stimulate emotional engagement with subject matter – we do that
• We have to create an enriched environment for learning – we do that too.

It is always nice to hear experts validate our philosophy, isn’t it?

I also attended a workshop (allude to to in my opening paragraph) delivered by Dr. Larry Rosen from California State University.  He has done a great deal of research on technology and how it affects different generations.  His main point is that we have to deal with a generation of students who are ultra-dependent on social interaction through technology.  I have noted that if I call my daughters on the phone, I may never hear back from them.  Conversely, if I text them, they reply in seconds - really?

Dr. Rosen’s fear is that our children are not developing FTF interactions.  (I’m sorry, that’s “Face-To-Face”.)  He says that students today cannot go more than 15 minutes without some form of technological communication, and that children are even sleeping with their cell phones on vibrate.  Once again, I see GreenMount students and families as outliers here.  I do not see our middle school students suffering from anxiety because they haven’t had time to text someone.  Whatever you are doing to foster human interaction, keep doing it.  Help us to keep our students from suffering from FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)!

Cheers, 

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (October 28, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            Wow! What a morning we had here today!  Picture this:  Your children up and dancing, hootin’ and hollerin’ with Polynesian dancers from Samoa and Hawaii.  And I do mean hollerin’!  Through the Haloti Ngata Family Foundation and the amazing efforts of Jill Goodman and her husband, Miles, we were able to have about 20 Polynesian dancers perform for us accompanied by their music played through our new state-of-the-art sound system.

The men and women of the dance troupe performed traditional cultural movements in their dance including a rather impressive war dance performed by the men.  They beat on their chests and loudly proclaimed their ferocity to the amazement of the students.  The women presented traditional dances similar to the ones you may visualize Hawaiian dancers performing.  The students also were invited to participate, and our guests were very complimentary of the way our students participated and kept up with the professional dancers in front of them.  These young dancers were especially nice to our students, even sitting down with some of them at lunch after the performance.  I think our kids learned a lot about this culture and how generous some folks are with their time and talent.  In addition to coming to our school to educate and entertain us, the Foundation presented the school with a generous check to further our cultural learning. Wow!

            In today’s bulletin you will see an application for The Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY).  Participation in CTY can be through a summer program or online as well as other opportunities for talented students to grow their educational experience even further beyond what they have at GreenMount (I know it’s hard to imagine).  My biggest concern for this program is that they will not have enough staffing to accommodate the number of GreenMount students that could potentially be part of it.  They did say “talented.”  If you need further information, please see me for a brochure or simply contact Hopkins at the number or web site provided.

            Finally, a complaint (not from me).  Last week, some neighbors came to the school to complain about our parents parking on Miles Avenue.  They were adamant that we should respect their parking spaces and park elsewhere.  Of course, Miles Avenue is a public street, and parking there is the right of anyone. However, our most verbal and most artistically adorned (neighbor?) noted that he has friends who own tow trucks and he would not hesitate to have them come and remove cars.  Naturally, this would be a serious violation and would certainly be interpreted as “Grand Theft Auto”.  Much to my surprise, our neighbors did not accept that reasoning and reiterated their threat.  I made the suggestion that they file with the city to get permit parking signs and I promised to address the issue with our parents.

So, yes you have every right to park on Miles Avenue.  However, if you wish to avoid a possible verbal conflict with the good folks there (just a few), consider parking on the grass when conditions allow.  Thank you.

Cheers, 

Steve

           

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (October 21, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

Yesterday, we held one of the most successful Open House gatherings in our history.  Forty-one families visited and 27 took registration packets.  As usual, Ms. Laura was swamped with parents and children interested in kindergarten and they were all excited about the possibility of joining The GreenMount School.  The other large group was represented by families interested in coming here for grade six.
We always have some attrition at the end of the year due to people moving or choosing a different school, but we are finding more and more that, once a family joins our school, they will almost certainly stay.  With the interest we have in our school at present, it is very likely that we will be able to maintain our maximum enrollment. Also, much of the success of the Open House is due to the hard work of many of you who spent a lot of time on Saturday sprucing up the building, making it look wonderful for our potential new families.  We are also grateful for students who play an important role as guides and who make that first visit to our school an impressive one.  I told the students this morning that we have often heard from adults that the deciding factor for wanting to come to GreenMount was the quality of the guide they had at Open House.  They know that if their child can display the confidence and poise that their guide had, they must become a part of this school.

Finally, we must acknowledge the teachers and staff who also contributed to those lasting impressions that our prospective parents have.  I was myself impressed with the presentations given by our teachers.  Also, we thank Ms. Elaine and her staff of parents who made sure everyone signed in and were set off on their tours.  And as usual, Ms. Jill was here early setting up coffee and a wonderful spread of “tasteful” goodies for everyone to enjoy.

A sentimental note: On Thursday I got a call from my 12-year-old grandson in Chico, California, from his new cell phone he received for his birthday.  Every time I hear from him or see him, I ask him the usual questions about school, the sports he is playing, and he always rolls his eyes when I tell him how tall he is getting.  Because I don’t see him very much, I am always surprised at the way he has changed.  And when he called Thursday, I didn’t recognize his voice because it was suddenly so deep and adult-sounding.  When we ended the call, I sat back in my chair reflecting on how quickly he has grown up.  The last 12 years since his birth have been a blur and I only hope that I have done a good job as his Pop-Pop.  However, with seven other grand and step-grand children, I still have time to refine my Pop-Pop skills as the latest is only a month old. Equally baffling is how fast the years have gone by since my first child was born 42 years ago.
So beware, the joy of parenting is fleeting.  Before you know it, they are leaving GreenMount for high school and then college and then out in the world (for your children that really means the world).  Unless of course, they come back to live in your basement.  That happens, too!

“It's not only children who grow.  Parents do, too.  As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours.  I can't tell my children to reach for the sun.  All I can do is reach for it myself.”  ~Joyce Maynard

Cheers,
Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (October 14, 2013)

Greetings GreenMount Community,

            At today’s Monday Morning Meeting we discussed a topic under the Pillar of Civility titled “Communicate needs in a positive manner.”  I began the discussion stating that this is probably one of the indicators that is hardest for students to define.  As usual, the students made me reconsider my intuitions as the very first response to what this phrase means – from a third grader – was, “Make sure when you ask for something, you do it in a positive way.”

Okay, so this is an unusual response for an 8-year-old.  Then another hand came up:  “When we need something, we should make sure that we don’t distract the class.”  Wow.  Now I am beginning to think that I misjudged how astute these young people are.  Other similar comments indicated that our work with the Pillars over the last few years is paying off – at least with understandings.

The discussion ended with the final comment, from a fourth grader:  “No whining.”  A number of those fourth grade students smiled as their eyes turned to Ms. Laura (the things they remember from kindergarten).  As you go through the week, you may want to remind your children to communicate their needs in a positive manner.  Although I am sure they do that well at home.  Right?

            On Friday, we were jammin’ with two gentlemen from Trinidad as they shared their steel drums with us.  The students and staff had a lot of fun as we danced, sang along and even some had the opportunity to play the pans for everyone.  Mr. Fletcher rocked with “Mary Had a Little Lamb”.  This group was hired to perform as part of our theme immersion.

            Tomorrow, we will all be going to the National Aquarium along with many of you.  This is also part of our islands study as we focus on the importance of coral reefs and their importance to the ecological balance.  This trip was made possible, in part, because Mr. Fletcher and Ms. Tanza went for “training”, thus allowing our school to visit the aquarium for free.  We thank Fletcher and Tanza for enduring a long PowerPoint presentation that was read to them.  We all know that teachers must have words that are projected on a screen read to them.

            Today, we are having a security camera system installed.  The cameras will monitor the rear of the building as well as the front door.  Personnel in the office will be able to see these areas real time and a DVR will be recording up to three weeks’ worth of activity.  We are pleased to be able to add this system to our security measures that will help protect our students and the building.

            Finally, thanks as always for the opportunity to work in this amazing atmosphere of learning and collaboration.  I am still loving the “work” and enjoying you and your children.

Nothing is work unless you’d rather be doing something else. Not me! - George Halas

Cheers, 

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (October 7, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

                Here is something I wrote about this time two years ago:

            One of powerful thing about the GreenMount School community is that parents model the importance of being involved in school. In an article in Educational Leadership from 1992, an “involved” parent is defined as one that demonstrates two key elements. “First, parents are supportive. They encourage their children and are sympathetic, reassuring, and understanding. They show a high level of commitment to their children and their education. Second, parents are active. They are doing something that is observable. This combination of level of commitment and active participation is what makes an ‘involved‘ parent.”

The part that I think is most important in this definition is the “observable” part.  I have often said that the most important thing you can do as parents is to be seen in the school and participating in school-sponsored events or events that are organized for the school community.  Also, when your children see you participating in co-op activities they recognize that you place a high value on supporting the school and working to make it the best place possible for students to learn.

Actually, I think that most kids don’t give this much thought.  What?  As I think about it, it seems that it is probable that our students have just come to expect parents to be involved.  At GMS, it has become part of their culture – part of their value system.  Wait a minute, I’m going to interrupt some students to ask them about parent involvement…

Okay, I asked some students across the hall what they thought about parent involvement.  As I suspected, they don’t give it much thought.  However, when I asked them what they would think if parents were not in the school a lot, they said it would be “weird.”  One student commented that she would be disappointed if substitutes were not parents.  She said that she feels comfortable and safe when parents are in the classrooms.  As we work to create an ethic of excellence in our school, we can learn from the ethic of parent involvement.  It’s part of who we are and what is expected.  And that’s exactly where we want to be with excellent work.  It’s who we are and what is expected.

                This morning, I visited some classrooms and asked the students what they thought about parent involvement in the school.  The different responses I got from younger students and older ones were interesting.  See if you can guess if the comment came from a seventh/eighth grader or a second/third grader:

“Parents help the teachers by watching the class when they have something else to do.”

“Parents help the community and school grow.”

“It’s good that parents know what we are doing and who the teachers are.”

“Sometimes it’s weird when I see my mom in school when don’t expect it.”

“Sometimes my mom will come to my classroom when she is working in the school to ask me if I forgot my lunch.”

“Parents make it cheaper to go to GreenMount because of the work they do.”

“Parents make GMS a better place to learn with their work. They create a good environment to play and learn.”

“Parents run fun activities like Skate Night.”

“When my dad has to work in the school it usually means that I have to get to school early.  I need my sleep!”

Whatever you might read into these comments, my interactions with the students find that they view you as an important part of our school.  Indeed, you are – thankfully!

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (September 30, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            Recently, some have expressed concern about the gate in back of the building that leads to our learning cottages.  The concern is that the gate is left unlocked during the day.  This is a legitimate concern since anyone could walk into that area without first being seen.  The problem we have is that we must leave the gate unlocked (not open) due to fire regulations.  The Fire Marshall has stated specifically that we cannot lock our students into the gated area (for obvious reasons).  Therefore, we are left with an uncomfortable situation.

First, though, we must acknowledge that we can never be completely secure.  Any school is vulnerable to someone intent on getting in or doing harm.  That said, we also know after consulting with individuals trained in dealing with intruders that barriers that slow someone down are often adequate when dealing with this kind of situation.  We have improved our security by adding locks on classroom doors and training students about where they should go in order to be out of sight of people looking in.  At this morning’s gathering with the students we discussed the intruder drill and the procedures that are in place for that type of situation.  Additionally, we will be adding a sophisticated camera system that will greatly improve our ability to monitor who is seeking access to our building.  One camera will be installed to view the front door and another will be installed that looks at the back gated area where the unlocked gate in question is located.  The cameras will be connected to a computer screen located in the office so that Jen, or anyone else manning her desk, will be able to see those two areas at any time.  We will also be able to access the cameras on our cell phones, which means that I will also be able to view the two areas at any time, including at night when I am at home and receiving a call about an alarm.  This improvement to our security comes to us in the form of a grant that Jill Goodman was able to secure for this specific purpose.  Once again, she comes to the rescue when our needs are greatest.

            On Friday evening, many parents and staff members gathered at Jeff and Christie Hazard’s house to celebrate the success of last year’s Annual Fund.  I would like to specifically thank the Development Committee, led by Jill Goodman and Christie Hazard, for the amazing job they did last year.  We actually doubled our contributions from the year before.  And a big thank-you also goes out to all of you who gave an average of about $210, with other contributions of as much as $5,000, making last year our greatest success ever.

Now we have begun our campaign for this year with the goal of $33,000.  This fund is very important in terms of our ability to operate the school effectively.  Your tuition covers about 93% of the costs associated with a full school year, leaving 7% to be covered by other sources.  Of course, we have had great success with grants, thanks to our Development Committee.  However, grants are almost always restricted.  That is, they are designated for a specific purpose, such as the Theater Arts Project.  Our successful infusion of grants still leaves us with nearly a 7% deficit in operating costs.  Based on the budget we have for 2013-2014, that 7% amounts to nearly $70,000.  So you can see why the Annual Fund is so important.  I encourage you to make your contributions early.  We are hoping for 100% participation from everyone, including the staff.  By the way, when those awarding grants see that our community contributes at a high level, they are much more likely to look at us above other applicants. This way we can double the benefit of a high level of participation.

            Finally, let me thank you again for how well this year has begun.  The highlight of my day is always greeting you and your children at the front gate.  I have never seen so many happy faces and children ready to learn.  You are doing a great job as parents and your success is readily seen on the bright faces of all the students who pass by me every morning.  Please know that when I am not there, it is not by choice.  You and your children start my day, and without that connection, my day is missing its most important component.  I’ll be out on Friday.  Drat!

Cheers,  

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (September 23, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            Today, I would like to announce the addition of a new staff member.  As those of you who are somewhat observant probably already know, Ms. Kelly is having a baby (a girl) toward the end of November.  She has decided that she will not return to GreenMount, but instead devote all her time to her family as they welcome this new, wonderful addition.  We know that Kelly has been a daily source of positive energy and always ready with a smile for everyone.  She will be especially missed by the students who love her so much.  However, we do wish her the best, and I know that Ms. Kelly and her first girl will visit us sometime following the birth.

In her place, we have hired Mr. Robert Bekas, who comes to us with a great deal of experience and training and the unusual credential of having graduated from a university solely devoted to physical education.  Being from Poland, Robert attended the Academy of Physical Education in Warsaw and has a Master’s of Arts in Physical Education, specializing in fitness and strength training.  As a PE teacher at the St. Catherine Laboure School in Wheaton, Maryland, he had seven years’ experience teaching students K-8.  Unfortunately, that school closed in June, leaving its staff and Mr. Bekas without jobs.  Now, happily, he has found a new home and is anxious to start straight away working with our students and staff.  Please welcome him when you have the chance.

Of course, we wish Kelly nothing but happiness and our gratitude for her service to the children of GreenMount.  She has been a wonderful staff member, always willing to do whatever we asked of her and more.  She will definitely be missed.

            Did you know that it has been five years since we were accredited by the Association of Independent Schools of Maryland and D.C. (AIMS)?  It seems like only yesterday that we went through that very labor-intensive process.  And now it is time for our five-year review.  A team will be coming out in the next month or so to look us over and review our Action Plan.  The Action Plan is the result of our Self-Study, which we completed as part of the accreditation process.  This was an educational process for the entire staff as we looked very closely at what we do for students and ways we could improve our practice.

We created he Action Plan five years ago to address the items that we felt needed to be considered over the 10-year period of our accreditation.  When we created the Action Plan, we spared no part of the curriculum or our daily operations from intense scrutiny.  We viewed everything based on our philosophy and mission and made sure that we are true to our beliefs and ideals.  This year, the staff and board members as well as non-board parents took on the task of reviewing the Action Plan and evaluating the status of our actions. Elaine headed the committee and made sure everyone had a job to do.

Today, the revisions are almost complete, and I am editing the final document that is due on October 1.  I know that we will pass muster again for this review because of all the good work that has gone into the Action Plan.  I am very appreciative to all who participated in this process.  And, by the way, my thanks to all of you for choosing GreenMount for your child.  For it is the community that we have created together that makes us find such favor with AIMS.  Of course, it also helps that we are one of a handful of independent schools across the nation that is at capacity.  AIMS likes that about us….

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (September 16, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            Have I told all of you how excited I am about this year?  If not, let me proclaim my great enthusiasm for where we are headed as a school and where we have come from in just a few years.

We continue to add amazing students and families and this year is no exception. As the staff gets to know the new students and their families, we find ourselves beaming with the possibilities that they bring.  The students are fitting in very nicely with our “veterans” who have, by the way, been exceptional in their inclusiveness by going out of their way to be welcoming.  Our new parents bring a wealth of unique experiences that we look forward to sharing with other community members and the students.

            As we celebrate our growth over 20 years and the quality of the program we now provide, we must still remember that we are continuing to strive to create a culture of excellence as defined for us four years ago by Ron Berger in his book, An Ethic of Excellence.  After reading the book, the staff has worked to implement many of his ideas, as they seem to fit nicely with our definition of project-based and experiential learning.

The students too have become familiar with what it means to produce excellent work as demonstrated in today’s Monday Morning Meeting.  When asked about some of the vocabulary of excellence, I was genuinely surprised to hear even some of our youngest students talk about risk-taking, peer review, rubrics, drafts, portfolios and even aesthetic eye. For example, we are sure that most of our students understand that in order to produce excellent work, they will have to produce several drafts of their writing or other product they are creating, such as a drawing.

I was equally gratified that two younger students described portfolios perfectly.  Indeed, this will be a focus for us this year, for the portfolio provides a way for students to effectively reflect on their work.  So this year all students will be creating either “Showcase” portfolios or “Growth” portfolios.  In a showcase portfolio, the student adds and subtracts from the portfolio as it becomes the collection of only the student’s best work.  In the growth portfolio, the student collects examples of all his or her work to show growth over a trimester and/or the year.  These portfolios will be managed by the individual students and they will decide the kind they will use, which may change as the year progresses.

Parents can help in many ways.  The best-case scenario would be for you to read Ron Berger’s book to become familiar with his ideas.  You could also go online to see videos of his lectures, which are very informative.  Finally, have conversations with your children about excellence and serve as role models for them discussing the things that you do which you consider excellent.  Talk to them about how many times you have to write that proposal before it meets your standards, or how much you have to plan and rehearse the things that you do at work in order to be excellent.  As parents you have great power to influence your child by serving as a role model for them.  And as you are in the building so often working with students or just helping out, children will notice that.  They see you here and they understand that you value education.  This sends a powerful and long-lasting message to them.

            Finally, let me remind you that tonight is Back-To-School Night for grade K-3.  We hope to see you here at 6:30 p.m. when the program will begin promptly.  It will be an informative evening for all who attend.

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (September 9, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            Today, we officially begin our first theme as all of the back-to-school business is completed, and the students are looking forward to their first full week of school.  At today’s Morning Meeting we talked about the first theme, “In a Country, On an Island”.  We are all excited to learn what it is like to live on a tropical island and how cultures develop there. Parents, please let us know if you can contribute to our learning with this theme.

Today, we also reviewed our Pillars and have begun with the Academic Pillar and the goal of “putting forth our personal best.”  We hope that parents will reinforce this idea at home as we will be discussing this with the students all week.

            Attached to this bulletin is the list of faculty members and their qualifications.  We update this list each year, and if you are keeping up with this you will see that our years of overall experience have increased not simply because of the fact that a year has passed, but because we have added staff with more years to our roster.  We welcome Luca Ippolito who will be teaching math primarily to students in grades 5-8.  He has extensive experience teaching mathematics with young students and students at the college level.  It appears that his expectations will be very high, and I expect that students will learn a lot of math in his hands this year.  He also was born and raised in Rome, Italy, and speaks fluent Italian.  If any of you want to practice your Italian, make sure to set aside time to talk to Mr. Luca.

Another new staff member that we are delighted to have here is Catherine Young.  She will be teaching music to all of our students and comes to us with over 30 years’ experience and glowing recommendations from former Baltimore County principals, including yours truly.  I hired Catherine in 1991 and can attest to her dedication and work ethic.  She is an accomplished pianist and is learning the ukulele along with our students.

Finally, we welcome John Monahan, a true scientist whose book, They Called Me Mad (not an autobiography), accompanies his other writing for The Baltimore Sun and his regular broadcasts on WYPR with Dan Rodricks when John is the guest on “Science Friday”.  The students have already shared with me that science is going to be “fun!”.  I’ll have to speak to John; we can’t have students having fun with something as important as science!

            Also attached to this bulletin is the Vision Statement for 2013-14.  As in past years, we conducted sessions with parents, teachers and students to determine what they felt our school should look like in five or 10 years.  Each time we conduct this exercise we come up with some truly visionary ideas.  The students especially have some interesting thoughts, like adding a swimming pool, a second story and a high school.  The latter is a great idea and one that expresses our students’ desire to remain here longer than eighth grade.  Maybe if we added a second story….?  Actually, that’s not going to happen.

We are also just one or two students shy of our maximum enrollment, and plans to expand beyond our new learning cottage are not being considered at this time.  We are actually right up against our 240-foot line of usage in the back of the property and in truth the only way to go would be up.

But we are very happy with the number of students and staff we currently have, and the addition of our new families this year has only enhanced the talent and cooperative nature that we always enjoy.  Welcome to all of those of you who are new to GreenMount.  Please know that we value your input and I hope that you will talk to us often about your impressions. And if you have concerns, do not hesitate to address them with us.  My office door is always open.

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (September 3, 2013)

Greetings GreenMount Community,

            WELCOME BACK!  Finally, our students and their families have returned and once again fill this building with laughter and excitement about another successful GreenMount year.  We had a morning meeting in the gym where the students got to see for the first time some of the improvements that have been made.  We have improved the sound quality greatly with the addition of sound absorption panels and the new lighting makes the gym much more cheery and inviting.  Soon our new stage curtains will be in place and new seating will relieve you from the task of sitting on those old metal folding chairs.  All of these improvements are due to the hard work of Jill Goodman as she raised the money from donors, including many of you, to complete these major improvements. 

During the summer, the gym was a mess with dust flying everywhere and crews working on different projects.  Our own crews were busy, too.  Parents refinished the stage, built the new deck, painted, moved furniture, cleaned, and lent a hand with many of the “odd” jobs that we had for them around here.  I can’t voice enough in praise of all the parents who, this summer, made this day possible.  The intensity and quality of the work were amazing.  Just look at that deck as an illustration of how you all step up to help our school.  Without the cooperation and dedication that you contribute through the co-op program, and just because you want to make sure that all of our children have a safe and attractive place to learn, we would not be enjoying such a happy day and such a bright future.  I am looking forward to being with all of you as we work to make our program even more successful during 2013-2014.

Attached to this newsletter is a page from the Maryland Guide for Visitors that I thought would be helpful to you as you plan for those times when you are not in school and looking for some great family activities.  The page includes happenings from September 6 to September 21, after which I will publish another few weeks’ worth of suggestions.  (I think that if you decided to go to the Berlin Fiddler’s Convention, you might see Ms. Laurie there.)

Many parents and teachers, both new and returning (notice I didn’t say “old”), are very kind in their praise of our school and the approach to learning that we have.  We believe that approach is fashioned to create learners that will be equipped to meet the challenges of a future about which we can only speculate. It is an exciting and yet uncertain future that our children face, and who knows what will face our kindergarteners in 2063 when they are retiring?!

So, we know that we have a great responsibility to create a culture in our school where the “cool” thing to do is to work hard and achieve our very best.  We will continue with our plan for inculcating excellence in our school.  Our professional development plans for the year will extend our research and discussion in creating this culture, and I hope you will join us in using the language that inspires children to take risks, strive for excellence, and unleash their curiosity and innovative spirit.  Each year at GreenMount is better than the previous one and as our staff learns, so do the children.  It will be another banner year for all of us.  Aren’t you excited?

            The same quote as last year and the year before that.  We are still pursuing this goal:

E X C E L L E N C E

“Excellence is the result of caring more than others think is wise; risking more than others think is safe.  Dreaming more than others practical and expecting more than others think is possible.”

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (June 3, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            Well, this is it - the last head message for 2012-2013.  And, as usual, another year has flown by.  We have had a great time with our three themes this year and I believe that it was a year in which our students grew exponentially.  We have seen a lot of progress.  The students are growing up also.  We see their faces change, their bodies shoot up, and their vocabulary increase.  I am sure they come home one day and parents say, “Who is this person?  How have they grown so quickly in such a short time?”  It does happen quickly, parents, so watch out.  Before you know it they will be headed to high school, dating, driving, and then going off to college, leaving you in the dust, wondering if you did all you needed to do as a parent.  And I must say that as a group of parents, you have done very well so far.  What a great bunch of kids we have here!  I am very proud to be the head of this school, which is like no other.  It is such a pleasant place to work, and my greatest joy is watching the students laugh and love learning.  Take a look at our philosophy:

We see our school as a diverse community where children are given time and space to

learn and the encouragement to succeed. Students develop academic, behavioral and personal skills that enable them to thrive in different environments.  The curriculum is

connected to or grounded in real-life experiences. Our learning environment is creative, multicultural, community based, and centered on experiential learning through thematic curricula.

Every staff meeting agenda begins with this philosophy so that we remain true to who we are as a school. In particular, I like the fact that we strive to be a diverse community, serving as many learning styles and personalities as we can.  In the collection of tee-shirt design entries this year is the word acceptance. It is important to the child who included that in their design that we are a school that teaches children to be accepting of others.  After all, when they get out in that big world on their own, they will meet people from all walks of life, people with disabilities, and people who don’t always fit whatever mold is the flavor of the day.  I think we empower our kids to be tolerant, and to me nothing is more important in the world we live in today.

A couple of reminders:

• Check out the lost and found for clothing and lunch boxes, etc.  Everything is being displayed on the picnic bench in the front gated area.
• Encourage your children to bring home all their art work.  They may not see the value of it today, but it is important to have these artifacts of their younger years.  I still have my daughter’s clay thing (not sure what it is, but it’s beautiful!)

Finally, have a great summer.  Come back safe and ready to take on another great GreenMount Year.

           

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (May 28, 2013)

Greetings GreenMount Community,

            It’s Tuesday, and around here we are still reveling in the success of the theme event.  When we thought of this theme, we knew it would be an important learning experience for our students, but we also immediately wondered how a theme event would look.  As usual, the teachers examined the overarching idea and the curriculum Mr. Fletcher had written, and tailored activities and concepts for each grade level.  And we saw that, through typical GreenMount creativity, they were successful in getting the most out of this topic.

As we made final arrangements for the event, we began to worry that our audience would be sitting for a long time on those hard metal chairs, and that perhaps this would make the experience tiresome and uncomfortable.  But with a typical GreenMount response, parents and guests seemed happy to remain in one spot for this particular theme event.  In fact, I have received several emails congratulating us on the theme event, and some even commented on the fact that parents liked staying in one spot for most of the experience.  We also received praise for our student moderators who ran the discussion groups.  They did a great job!  I think also that the idea of skits was made particularly successful because of Sean Wilson and his sound equipment.  Wasn’t it nice to be able to actually hear the grunts of the cavemen and the funny lines delivered by our kindergarten students? The sound system made all the difference in the world for this theme event.

That said, let’s remember that our 20^th Anniversary Project is well under way to provide us with a space in the gym that will be enhanced by a sound dampening system, new lighting, curtains, new chairs, and a new sound system much like the one Sean used.  We still need about $8,000 to complete the project, so if you have a rich uncle who is interested in promoting the arts at GreenMount, bring him around to see what we are planning, or just shoot Jill Goodman a little contribution of your own.  Imagine what it will be like next year when we have all these things in place for our students!

            Speaking of our performances, tonight will be a special evening at GreenMount.  Ms. Laurie has been working all year with her students to present a culminating event of their own in music.  And following the spring music program, you will see a once-in-a-lifetime rendition of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. I have watched rehearsals of this play and you will be amazed at the children’s performances.  And the costumes and set design are a must-see.  Please join us this evening for another great culmination to our school year - a year that has flown by all too fast.

Swift as a shadow, short as any dream; brief as the lightening in the collied night…

Wm. Shakespeare,A Midsummer Night’s Dream

           

Cheers,

           

Steve

Schedule for the Culminating Theme Event, Thursday May 23

            Our final theme event will take place this Thursday from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Students and teachers have worked diligently to present for you all the learning that has taken place with the theme, From Printing Press to Paperless.  Below is the schedule for the event, and we ask that you help us make the timing run smoothly:

12:30 – 1:00    Parents and Guests arrive to read student-made newspapers and find seating

1:00                 The program will start promptly with a welcome from students

1:05 – 2:15      Skits and presentations (the skits are great, but it’s a long time to sit – bring a pillow for your chair?)

2:20 – 2:25      The state of our presentation area – Jill Goodman

2:30 – 2:50      Breakout groups (7^th and 8^th grade students will lead discussion groups in 11 different classrooms.  Please be sure to follow the directions on your program for room assignment.  Seating is limited)

3:00 – 3:20      Reporting out from breakout groups (parents will be asked to volunteer their impressions of the group meetings and what students shared with them about their learning)

3:20 – 3:30      Closing                        

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (May 20, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            An important part of our philosophical base is the fact that, to the greatest extent possible, we strive to maintain small classes that consist of students of different ages, commonly called multi-age groups.  This concept has been around for as long as one-room schoolhouses.  (Would you believe that I attended an eight-room schoolhouse?  Unfortunately, I guess you would.)

That aside, there is much research out there supporting this idea, and we have known for a long time that this concept works at GMS.  For one thing, we see how older students in a classroom take advantage of leadership opportunities and the younger ones can often find good role models.  At GreenMount, multi-age grouping has been working successfully since the school’s inception.  Indeed, that is how the school started.

  When teachers have two age groups in a classroom, they sometimes have expectations for all students to reach the level of the older students.  Because students often attain the level of expectation, this can be a good thing.  On the other hand, we have to make sure we are meeting the needs of students, especially those early learners. To address that issue at GreenMount, we look for every opportunity to group students for instruction with their age mates and intellectual peers.  For instance, students in grades 1, 2, and 3 are with their grade mates for 53 percent of the instructional day that includes the core subjects of language arts and math.

  As we look to the future of our school and reaching its capacity next year we will work to create these multi-age groupings and to keep class sizes small, placing students in the best learning environment for each of them.  Over the summer the staff will be working on scheduling so that our students are afforded the greatest opportunity to learn and grow socially and emotionally.  I have previously mentioned here that every staff meeting begins with an examination of our philosophy, which includes multi-age groupings.  As a professional learning community, your teachers confront the hard issues, constantly discuss student success and needs, and work to develop, refine and inform their craft.  One of our goals for next year will be to increase our communication with you about how the multi-age groupings are working.

Our school is in great shape, and next year promises to be one that sees improvement to an already successful program.  Curriculum has been rewritten and refined, the facility is expanding, and purchases will be made to upgrade our technology so that students can take advantage of their world more effectively.

Charles Kettering said, “My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there.”  Such is the case for all of us.  See you there.

Cheers,

           

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (May 14, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            I have good news and I have bad news.  The good news is that there are only 19 days left (including today) until the last day of school.  The bad news is that there are only 19 days left (including today) until the last day of school.

I guess how you regard this fact depends on your perspective.  I am definitely on the bad news side.  This is the time of year when we always seem to be rushing to accomplish all of our goals.  Nineteen days until we teach all the math that our kids need to know before they go to the next level.  Nineteen days to get the eighth grade art project finished (actually, only eight for Kirsten).  And Laurie gets to meet with her music classes only five times before the Spring Concert on May 28. In every area teachers are under stress to “get it all done” by June 7.

I didn’t even mention the theme event NEXT THURSDAY (yikes!).  But, not to worry, we have a good plan for the theme event and you will be involved as an audience.  Our students have learned a great deal about media and journalism during this theme, and they are anxious to showcase that learning.  Surprisingly, this theme generated the greatest number of field trips of any theme to date.  I recently heard that a local public school was touting the fact that they take four field trips a year.  We take that many in a week!  You should know that we didn’t just saturate this theme with field trips to spend the field trip fees. With the help of many parents, we found some amazing experiences for our students.  The Newseum was a big surprise, and our ongoing trips to WMAR are giving our students a first-hand look at a real news operation.  All of our students were very engaged at the TV studio, or should I say parts of them?  Check out our Facebook page to see how green GMS shirts work against a green screen.

            Another end-of-year activity is the change from heating to air conditioning.  We have been very fortunate that the weather has been cool as we have not yet been able to have our AC activated because we are waiting for some new filters.  I hope to have that job completed by the end of the week, when it looks like the temperatures may start to climb.  But, hasn’t this been a great spring?  In Baltimore, we generally go right from winter into summer.  If this is a result of global warming, I’ll take it.

            Finally, the learning cottage is being readied to be shipped to us and it should arrive sometime in June.  Once here, we will have a lot of work to do, and there will be good opportunities for earning co-op hours and soaking up the sun.  We will be building a deck and moving lots of furniture around.  We also have some rather large projects inside the building too, for those of you who prefer working in air conditioning.  Please check with Heather (coop@greenmountschool.org) to be part of our ongoing improvements to our space.  A belated Happy Mothers’ Day to all of our moms; we appreciate what you do for all of us and for never quitting your number one job.

There is nothing in the world of art like the songs mother used to sing. – Billy Sunday

“Baby’s boat’s a silver star, sailing far away. Sailing to the land of dreams ‘till the break of day…..” (My mom’s lullaby)

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (May 6, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            I have a question for you:  Could we have had a more perfect day for Walk to the Green?  What a grand day, and what a fabulous time for all of us to be together.  I cannot remember an event where I saw so many smiles, so much laughter, and so much good food.  It was almost Norman Rockwell-ish.  I can’t wait to see Chris Hartlove’s photos; I think we will see lots of friendly, animated conversation with parents getting together after a long winter hiatus. I loved watching the children running, laughing and tumbling down the Super Slide.  In my travels around the area I did not see a single unhappy face.  In fact, there were some very unusual faces thanks to our face painter.  Wasn’t she great?  My personal favorite was the gelato guy.  When my wife heard that there was gelato at the picnic, she predicted that I would be in line several times (we have a long story about gelato).  However, I was good – one gelato – one big gelato.

            Another favorite of mine was the classic race down the Super Slide between Mr. Fletcher and Ms. Tonette.  I think you can guess who won.  This event was very important, as the loser will be reminded many times about the thrashing and how that translates to other competitive events like who can best teach math! Speaking of the Super Slide, I think I understood that Lauren Calia raced 15 times?  And I think she won most of those races.  She reported today that her elbows are a little sore – the price we pay for victory.

            So, a special thanks to Jill Goodman, who organized this whole thing.  With a committee of fantastic parents, she was able to plan for every eventuality with the exception of the little girl who wandered into our party (actually, we think, sent by her father) and got her face painted, some food and lemonade before Jill spotted her.  I guess we can say that we reached out to the community (or they reached out to us!).

            It is very quiet here today as the fourth through eighth grade students are off to Washington to visit the Newseum.  I wanted to go, but have a lot to do here today.  Who wouldn’t want to ride on a cheese bus for 90 minutes with a bunch of excited kids?

P.S.  Don’t forget to plan on attending the parent meeting tonight at 6:30.  Child care is available.  Contact Elaine.

Cheers,

Steve

Weekly Message from Steve Warner, Head of School (April 29, 2013)

Greetings, GreenMount Community,

            We had an interesting morning today.  Our seventh and eighth grade students, some of their teachers and a good many very brave parents set off in the rain for Rocky Gap in Western Maryland and four days of camping.

Just to be clear, our students are not staying at the Rocky Gap Resort and Conference Center.  They will get off at the next exit for the campground, which is actually in Flintstone, Maryland.  I understand that they will be staying in rock cabins with showers that are fueled by mammoths.  The camp counselors, Mr. and Mrs. Rubble, will be teaching the students many things about rocks, including how to drive a foot-pedaled car made of wood and stone.  Ms. Elizabeth will also be along to lead the kids on hikes and discover the natural world of the western part of our state.  A return trip includes a tour of Sidling Hill, which is a great place to see some plants that grow nowhere else in the world and to see great examples of fossils exposed when “the cut” was made creating a road west right through the mountains.  The weather forecast looks better for Western Maryland than it does for here, so we hope they drive into some sunshine today.

            We were also privileged today to host Larry Kimmel, the founder of Team Larry.  Larry is a two-time cancer survivor and has been running 5K races for 16 years to support the Hopewell Center, a free cancer support facility for patients, their families and friends.  Larry spoke at our Monday Morning Meeting to celebrate GreenMount’s role in raising money for the center and for participating in this year’s 5K run. Recently, Chris Cucinotta and Genny Dalton established a new club at GMS to encourage running as a sport and healthy pastime. This club became one of the most popular clubs we have ever had, with many students joining and running every day.  The culmination of the club’s experience was the Hopewell run and being part of “Team Larry”.  Amazingly, the team raised over $14,000, with Angelina Cucinotta raising about $11,000 of that by herself.  Wow!  Larry made a presentation to our school from the “Reach Out and Run 5K” because we were the largest team in the race.  I am told that one of our students on the team, Will Kardas, came in first for the team. And that was with having to stop to tie his shoes twice!  Seeing Will come in the building every morning, I can understand why he was in first place in this run.

My doctor told me that jogging could add years to your life.  I think he was right.  I feel ten years older already! – Milton Berle

P.S. - Don’t forget to plan on attending the parent meeting next Monday at 6:30.

Cheers,

Steve