NFTH: February 10, 2020 - Saint Mary's Hall

From the Head of School

Dear Saint Mary's Hall Community,

Reaffirming the SMH Mission

As we wrap up reenrollment, I would like to thank you on behalf of the Saint Mary’s Hall Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, and administration for your loyalty and belief in the mission of Saint Mary's Hall.

Saint Mary’s Hall helps build lives, where students are well prepared for college and are set on a course for achievement and fulfillment in life. From the amazing faculty and staff to the supportive community, to the opportunities you can’t get anywhere else … Saint Mary’s Hall is truly a remarkable place.

Please take a moment to watch this new video, produced by Director of Video Production and Digital Cinema Teacher Will Underwood, focusing on the SMH Middle School experience. Our Middle School is a vibrant, supportive, and energetic educational environment with passionate teachers who challenge and guide our students daily. When I watch this video, I am reminded of how very special Saint Mary’s Hall is and how blessed we are to be a part of our great school.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Eades
Head of School

Upper School

Special Upper School Schedule for Friday, February 14

SMH has the unique opportunity to host a special speaker on Friday, February 14. Paul Rusesabagina, the subject of the movie Hotel Rwanda, will speak to Upper School students

Upper School will follow this schedule (with 30-minute classes) in order to accomodate this special speaker. Ask your students about this learning experience.. Middle School will follow its normal schedule that day.

Tanzania Trip – Summer 2021

Upper School Social Studies Teacher Adrian Viccellio announced a third international service trip to Tanzania scheduled for June 20 - July 1, 2021. A mandatory meeting for those interested in learning more is being held Tuesday, February 11, in the Prichard Classroom from 6pm - 7pm. Only 30 spots are available for this rewarding experience. The following email invitation was sent to parents last week:

As you likely have heard, Saint Mary’s Hall is launching another international service learning trip to Tanzania. This will be our third tour. The trip is scheduled for June 2021 (June 20 – July 1). Our twelve-day program is open to all rising Form 9-11 SMH students, (Forms 9-11 as of the 2020-21 academic year) who embody the values of our school and demonstrate a dedication to academics. We’re going to live and work side by side with the Maasai community in the Arusha region to build and restore schools. Students will have the opportunity to learn first-hand the cultural traditions of one of the few pastoral communities in Africa. We will also hike to the base camp of Mount Kilimanjaro and spend a day on a photo safari in the Serengeti.

Linked is a quick article about our trip last summer (along with pictures): https://blog.eftours.com/inspiration/stories/service-tanzania

In this project, students will develop a sense of empowerment as they participate in affecting real change. This is the kind of trip where students ask serious questions of the world and themselves. Students will have the opportunity to grow as servant leaders, developing personal responsibility as they learn to work together. We will spend the next year preparing for the trip with a mandatory book study and discussions on Tanzanian history and culture. Students will also be expected to share from their experiences when we return.

Our chaperones this time will be Upper School Spanish Teacher Elsa Tonone de Sala, Upper School Physics Teacher Nicholas Polito, School Nurse Melissa Baumholtz, and Upper School Global Studies Teacher Adrian Viccellio. There is limited space with only 30 spots available. We are holding a mandatory meeting for those who are interested in learning more next Tuesday, February 11 from 6pm - 7pm in the Prichard Classroom. I sincerely hope you will come and learn more!

Please be sure to RSVP to the meeting: https://rsvp.eftours.com/gjfn93e

Email Mr. Viccellio (aviccellio@smhall.org) with any questions.

Duke of Edinburgh International Award

Upper School students who have committed to achieve the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh International Award (DEIA) gathered on February 3 to hear from faculty sponsors, Enrichment Program Coordinator Lisa Westergard, Upper School Social Studies Teacher Jane Mannock, and Upper School Spanish Teacher Denise Diaz, and Adventurous Journey leaders. The students discussed some basics about primitive camping and tracking activities in order to help prepare them for the challenge ahead. Saint Mary’s Hall is only the second school in Texas with a Duke of Edinburgh chapter, another opportunity students just can’t find anywhere else. Interested students are encouraged to explore the DEIA fact sheet and contact Mrs. Westergard at lwestergard@smhall.org with any questions.

The Week Ahead

For a look at everything that's happening in the Upper School this week (including college visits to SMH, varsity and JV games, important assemblies, meetings, and upcoming birthdays), please read The Week Ahead.

SMH Robotics Team Members are First Tech Challenge Champions

The Barons Upper and Middle School Robotics Teams paired up and took the championship at the First Tech Challenge for North San Antonio on February 1 at Brandeis High School. As the result of the 1^st place finish, both teams are going to the regional championship tournament on February 22 - 23 at Canyon Lake High School in Austin.

Congratulations to the proud team members and coach, Robotics/Computer Science/STEM Teacher Dr. Hong Zhou!

John Bourland Form 12
Will Carter Form 8
Leo Cheong Form 9
Alejandro Delgado Form 10
Joy Ding Form 12
Felicia Early Form 12
Foster Hixon Form 8
Christian Moreno Form 8
Jackson Schuleman Form 8

The Upper School team ranked 3^rd after the last league meet held on our campus on January 25. They continued to improve, and finished number one after the seeding rounds at the championship, while our Middle School team ranked 6^th. Going into elimination rounds, the Upper School team picked the Middle School team to be their competition partner, as they had planned and practiced. They worked so well together, defeating two challenging alliances and won the final robot games. In addition to winning the robot games, the Middle School team also took home the Think Award and the #2 Inspire Award, as they did last year. Moving forward, both teams will continue to improve their work. SMH will be proudly represented at the regional championship tournament, making SMH known to teams and schools from Round Rock to the Gulf Coast.

The championship yesterday was a joint event among two FTC leagues. Dr. Zhou was refereeing for the Hill Country League. We deeply appreciate the team parents’ support at all of our events. In addition, Kenny Hoang judged for the Hill Country League both Friday and Saturday. He will provide valuable insight regarding how the judges evaluate each team for various awards.

Here is a record of SMH teams participating in the First Tech Challenge:

2015-2016 season, League Championship Finalist
2016-2017 season, League Championship Finalist, Think Award, & ticket to regional wildcard tournament
2017-2018 season, League Championship Finalist, Think Award, & ticket to regional championship tournament
2018-2019 season, League Championship Finalist, Think Award, #2 Inspire Award, and ticket to regional championship tournament
2019-2020 season, League Championship Winner, Think Award, #2 Inspire Award, two tickets to regional championship tournament, so far.

The next level after regional championship is the FIRST World Festivals. Following this track record, the teams have great hope for the future!

Middle School

Save the Date: Substance Abuse Prevention Parent Coffee

Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD) educational specialist Eduardo Torres will be on campus working with Middle School students the week of February 10 - 14.

He will spend one day working with Form 8 students and four days with Form 7 students. He will also present a Parent Coffee on Wednesday, February 12 at 8am in the Remmert Theater. SMH strongly encourages you to attend to hear current research information and parenting guidelines on supporting your student in making healthy choices about drugs, alcohol, and vaping.

SMH Robotics Team Members are First Tech Challenge Champions

The Barons Upper and Middle School Robotics Teams paired up and took the championship at the First Tech Challenge for North San Antonio on February 1 at Brandeis High School. As the result of the 1^st place finish, both teams are going to the regional championship tournament on February 22 - 23 at Canyon Lake High School in Austin.

Congratulations to the proud team members and coach, Robotics/Computer Science/STEM Teacher Dr. Hong Zhou!

John Bourland Form 12
Will Carter Form 8
Leo Cheong Form 9
Alejandro Delgado Form 10
Joy Ding Form 12
Felicia Early Form 12
Foster Hixon Form 8
Christian Moreno Form 8
Jackson Schuleman Form 8

The Upper School team ranked 3^rd after the last league meet held on our campus on January 25. They continued to improve, and finished number one after the seeding rounds at the championship, while our Middle School team ranked 6^th. Going into elimination rounds, the Upper School team picked the Middle School team to be their competition partner, as they had planned and practiced. They worked so well together, defeating two challenging alliances and won the final robot games. In addition to winning the robot games, the Middle School team also took home the Think Award and the #2 Inspire Award, as they did last year. Moving forward, both teams will continue to improve their work. SMH will be proudly represented at the regional championship tournament, making SMH known to teams and schools from Round Rock to the Gulf Coast.

The championship yesterday was a joint event among two FTC leagues. Dr. Zhou was refereeing for the Hill Country League. We deeply appreciate the team parents’ support at all of our events. In addition, Kenny Hoang judged for the Hill Country League both Friday and Saturday. He will provide valuable insight regarding how the judges evaluate each team for various awards.

Here is a record of SMH teams participating in the First Tech Challenge:

2015-2016 season, League Championship Finalist
2016-2017 season, League Championship Finalist, Think Award, & ticket to regional wildcard tournament
2017-2018 season, League Championship Finalist, Think Award, & ticket to regional championship tournament
2018-2019 season, League Championship Finalist, Think Award, #2 Inspire Award, and ticket to regional championship tournament
2019-2020 season, League Championship Winner, Think Award, #2 Inspire Award, two tickets to regional championship tournament, so far.

The next level after regional championship is the FIRST World Festivals. Following this track record, the teams have great hope for the future!

Region Band Clinic and Concert

On February 4, five Middle School students participated in the ATSSB Region 12 middle school band clinic and concert in La Vernia. Anna Hurd (Form 7, clarinet), Ava Greenberg (Form 8, flute), and Nandini Cheruku (Form 8, saxophone) performed in the concert band, while Jack Henry Bullock (Form 8, trumpet), and Leyonora Leykum (Form 8, trombone) were in the symphonic band.

The students rehearsed for 10 hours before performing a concert that night. Both groups sounded awesome and the kids did a tremendous job of representing SMH.

CSC - Love to Serve to Love

The Middle School Community Service Council (CSC) recently asked students to think of ways they could demonstrate love to others in the community. Students want to simply smile more often, compliment others, provide meals, invite new friends over, write encouraging notes, and more! In response, the CSC has planned several exciting service opportunities:

Week of February 10-14: “Support a Senior” letter writing campaign; on-campus volunteer opportunity open to all Middle School students before or after school; more details to be announced soon!
February 14: CSC will host a Valentine’s Day themed Out-of-Uniform Day; $3 to participate.
February 14: Valentine’s Day Pizza Sale during Middle School lunch. $2/slice or $15/whole pizza; pre-order details coming soon!
March 28: Haven for Hope off-campus service; 10am – 2pm; online sign-up coming soon!

Form 6 Teaching Collaboration

Last week, Middle School Art Teacher BJ Pyrc and Form 6 English Teacher, Deborah McInerney, co-taught a lesson on ekphrastic poetry, which is poetry in response to art. Mr. Pyrc gave a lesson on three paintings for which Mrs. McInerney will have students write poetry in response to at least one of the paintings.

Lower School

Congratulations Lower School Spellers

The Saint Mary’s Hall Lower School Spelling Bee took place during Morning Moments on February 5 in the Coates-Seeligson Theater/Chapel.

Twenty-four spellers from Forms 2-5 competed. The top three spellers were Inaaya Wali (Form 5), William Kruger (Form 4), and Karan Gyani (Form 4). Inaaya won the Spelling Bee with the word “aquifer.” This is a second win for Inaaya; she also won when she was in Form 2. "These spellers have practiced after school since November," said Form 3 Teacher Jane Viccellio. "Their hard work and love for language truly showed." Well done spellers!

Kindergarten “Stuck” in Snow Globes

Snow Globes were created in Kindergarten! The project incorporated art, writing, and technology. After crafting the 3D snow globes, the students wrote about it and were then filmed by Kindergarten Teacher Jenny Graf and Assistant Kindergarten Teacher Amy Whittington using the DoInk app on iPads to make it appear as if the student was “trapped in a snow globe.” The teachers put the video in Seesaw to create a QR code for the videos to share with parents. Enjoy watching a movie of students”‘trapped” in their globes (above).

Penguins Up Close and Personal

Form 1 students and teachers had a fabulous time culminating their penguin unit with a trip to Sea World. The Sea World staff was so impressed with the children’s knowledge. It was fun for the students to see what they had learned in a real-life situation.

Quiqui, the 14-year-old Puffin, seemed to really enjoy gentle petting from SMH Form 1 students. The visit to Sea World and the Penguin House was a success!

How Do You Get to 100?

What makes 100? On the 100^th day of school in the Lower School, Form 3 Math Teacher Rondelle Webb challenged her students to create as many ways as possible to get to 100. The students used many different math manipulatives as they put their heads together and created 100.

Building with Solo Cups

Form 1 Teacher Cathy Canipe’s class took the 100-Cup Challenge on the 100^th day of school. Ms. Canipe said, “The students had fun working together to design many varied creations using 100 Solo cups.”

Valentines Made for Hospital

For more than 20 years, students in Forms 1-5 have made valentine cards for the patients at Northeast Baptist Hospital as part of community service in guidance classes with Lower School Counselor Susan Moore-Sickmann. Each student makes a card without signing his/her name, it just says from a Saint Mary’s Hall student. This is done for privacy reasons, but also as part of the lesson of “bread cast upon the water” giving a gift without expecting a thank you. During the past few years, some Saint Mary’s Hall family members have received a card. Ms. Moore said, “All the students are so careful to do their very best, beginning with our youngest.” The picture (above) shows Form 1 Teacher Sandi Castillo’s students with their cards.

Looking Ahead … Out-of-Uniform Day

Calling All Cowboys and Cowgirls

Lower School students may wear appropriate western wear or their school uniforms on Thursday, February 13. Please be sure to bring athletic shoes for PE.

Valentine’s Day Parties

On Friday, February 14, Lower School students will celebrate Valentine’s Day by exchanging Valentine’s Day cards and participating in classroom parties. To help keep the day festive and fun, students are welcome to wear red, white, and pink or valentine attire, any school appropriate bottoms and athletics shoes. Of course, they can wear their school uniform, too. Please note, this will not be an unrestricted Out-of-Uniform Day; students must wear their uniforms if they don’t wear something following the Valentine’s Day theme.

As stated in the Lower School handbook, “Special days throughout the year will be celebrated with snacks and activities. Like birthdays, all other celebrations, including class parties, may not include gifts or favors of any kind.”

Chat n’Chew Form 4 Style

Graphic novels can be a wonderful entry point for readers. In January, Form 4's Chat n'Chew book club read a new graphic novel entitled White Bird, by award-winning author RJ Palacio. Palacio's book, Wonder, was the predecessor to White Bird. Julian (the character in both books), interviews his French grandmother for a school project. He’s surprised to learn about her year of hiding in a barn during WWII. Form 4 Language Arts Teacher Tess Eggleston said, “Many of our young readers reported that this was one book that they reread multiple times, and that it was the first book that made them cry.” Form 4 will begin a project similar to Julian’s where they interview a friend or family member and write an essay called “Listen to a Life.”

Owls, Owls, and More Owls

After weeks of researching and writing about different types of owls, Form 2 students finished their owl research unit in the Lower School Collaboratory. The students had to apply what they learned about their type of owl’s adaptations, habitats, behaviors, and diet in order to create owl habitats or a new type of owl species using IO Blocks, Buddha Boards, puppets, magnets, the light table, Legos, and 3D art. Their imagination, creativity, and engineering skills were put to the test. The students gladly took on the challenge and were able to succeed and shine through their creations and reflections.

Kindergarten Exceeds 100 Day Goal

In celebration of the 100^th day of school, SMH Kindergarten students collected food for the San Antonio Food Bank. The goal was for each class to collect 100 items, but the goal was exceeded with a total of 416 items. Well done, Kindergarten students and families.

Form 5 Launches Rockets

Form 5 students finished a study on force and motion with a Straw Rocket Lab. It allowed students to continue learning more about Newton’s Laws of Motion through hands-on experimentation. With this activity, there was an understanding of Law #2, which involves the relationship between force and mass with acceleration. Students quickly learned that when they launched their rockets with more force, the rockets easily traveled farther distances. In groups, students designed their rockets and choose their launch angles. Form 5 Science Teacher Claire Damarodas said, “Needless to say, a significant amount of changes were made to decrease the amount of mass on rockets by restructuring the nosecone. Lots of learning took place with this fun experiment!”

The straw rockets which traveled the farthest distance were:

Group 1 – Kyla Maloney, Bailey Swaney, Sofia Blanco, Charlotte Armstrong, and Eleanor Brooks: 58 feet, 6 inches
Group 2 - J.P. El Hajj Moussa, Tharun Cheruku, Clayton Hixon, and Eve Cavazos: 54 feet, 2 inches
Group 3 – Joaquin Kyporus, Andrew Eisenhower, Steven Gates, and Britton Berridge: 51 feet, 3 inches

News from the Lower School Library

Students in Forms 3-5 voted for their favorite Bluebonnet book this month. Many students felt it was a hard decision because there were so many good choices. Votes were submitted to the Texas Library Association and we eagerly await the decision of the children of Texas. Only children in grades 3-6 may vote for the Bluebonnet winner. At Saint Mary's Hall, The Magic Misfits, by Neil Patrick Harris won 1^st place, while Two Dogs in a Trench Coat, by Julie Falatko came in 2^ndplace. The Bluebonnet Library Club met for its final time this past Wednesday. Each participant received a complete list of Bluebonnet books that included a bibliography.

The Newbery and Caldecott Winners were announced by The American Library Association this past Monday. The Newbery Medal was named for 18^th-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the American Library Association to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The 2020 winner is New Kid, written and illustrated by Jerry Craft. New Kid is the first graphic novel to win the coveted Newbery Medal.

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of 19^th-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. The 2020 winner is The Undefeated, illustrated by Kadir Nelson and written by Kwame Alexander. Both books, along with many of the Honor books are available for check out in the Lower School Library.

A complete list of the American Library Association Medals for 2020.

Fine Arts

Tobin Fine Arts School

Director's Corner

Do you worry when your student is doing their homework with headphones on? According to a recent study, there is no reason for concern. In fact, listening to music can help student wellness and promote physical and emotional health.

Read all about it in this article, Music Takes 13 Minutes To ‘Release Sadness’ and 9 To Make You Happy, that includes a new study from Classic FM Digital Radio. The infographic to the right gives you some highlights.

We have a few music stories for you in this week’s Fine Arts Section of News From the Hall your enjoyment and wellness!

Happy listening!

Artily yours,

Bethany Bohall
Wanda Wiley Atkinson Director of Fine Arts
Tobin Fine Arts School at Saint Mary’s Hall
bbohall@smhall.org
(210) 483-9253

Piano Recitals

On Sunday, February 23, Saint Mary’s Hall will present the annual piano recitals in the Remmert Theater. The recitals feature the students from the Saint Mary’s Hall private lessons studios.

Schedule:

2pm - Studio of Alexandra Kuperman
3pm - Studio of Charlene You
4:30pm - Studio of Carla Isaacs

The recitals are free and open to the public, please join us!

Jaime Ramirez New Album

SMH’s Vocal and Instrumental Music Teacher Jaime Ramirez has a new record out. The album, Underscored, is available on your favorite streaming platform and on CD through the artist.

Mr. Ramirez is a working musician, who appears regularly around music venues in San Antonio. Follow him on Instagram @Jaimirez for up-to-date performance dates and times to see him in action.

You can also see his students perform later this spring at the Voice Recital on Sunday, March 22 and the Spring Music Concert on Monday, May 13.

SMH Cinema Teacher Featured On TAPPS Podcast

Upper School Cinema Teacher Will Underwood was recently featured on the TAPPS Talk podcast. Mr. Underwood was selected because of the SMH Cinema Program’s consistent top state awards in TAPPs Cinema contests including 1^st place wins in 2018. Congratulations to Mr. Underwood for representing SMH so well!

Click here to hear the podcast.

Speech and Debate Results

On January 31 and February 1, a total of 36 Speech & Debate students competed at the Westlake and Chaparral Star Academy Swing in Austin, Texas. Saint Mary’s Hall is proud to have had two Tournament Champions: Leah Gomez (Form 11) in Original Oratory and Shilpa Gunuganti (Form 12) in Informative Speaking. For complete results, click here.

The team heads to Boston this week for the Harvard Tournament. Stay tuned to News From the Hall for results of this national tournament. Good luck Barons!

Upper School Talent Show

Did you miss all the fun? Do you wish you could hear all the music and dance again because it was so great? Not to worry! The January 29 Fine Arts Council Talent Show is available on the SMH Livestream channel for your enjoyment!

If you would like just a peek of one of the show’s highlights, check out Freshman Parker Thill and Lainey Hopkins singing “City of Stars!”

Morning Moments Guest Artists

On January 24, the Middle and Upper School Visual and Media Arts teachers shared a bit about the arts with Lower School students during Morning Moments. Middle School Art Teacher BJ Pyrc, along with Upper School Teachers Logan Blanco (2D Drawing & Design), Nate Cassie (3D Art), Kyle Petersen (Photography), and Will Underwood (Cinema) explored what it means to be an artist in the Middle and Upper School. Lower School Art Teacher Kellen Stanley introduced her colleagues to the students.

Check out the slide show of what the artists shared with the Lower School students to learn more about the visual and media arts in Middle and Upper School.

Fine Arts Events

View All

Middle & Upper School Ballet Production Subscribe to Alerts

Apr 20

7:00 PM

Theater/Chapel

Middle & Upper School Ballet Production

Upper School Drama Production Subscribe to Alerts

Apr 24

6:00 PM

Remmert Theater

Upper School Drama Production

Upper School Drama Production Subscribe to Alerts

Apr 25

6:00 PM

Remmert Theater

Upper School Drama Production

Fine Arts Social Media

Check out the Fine Arts Instagram page. This account is a great way to get an up-close and personal look at the day-to-day excitement in these amazing, ever-buzzing programs. In addition, check out Saint Mary’s Hall main social media channels for more Fine Arts news
on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Athletics

Men’s Soccer Honors Their Seniors

As the seasons begin to wind down, the Athletics Department took the time to honor the senior men’s varsity soccer players.

On January 31, men’s varsity soccer seniors took center stage as the Barons took on the Antonian Apaches. Although the outcome was not what the Barons had hoped for, dropping the match 2-1, Saint Mary’s Hall was able to honor eight seniors prior to the beginning of the game. Thank you John Bourland, Samuel Eckert, Javier Hernandez, Angelo Huff, Nicolas Papay, Shane Rabacki, Ryan Schendel, Nicolas Trujillo, and John David Walls for your commitment to Saint Mary’s Hall athletics.

Men’s Basketball Drops a Close One, and Then Win Big

The men’s varsity basketball team took on the defending state champion Antonian Apaches last Friday in a close back-and-forth matchup. The Apaches played physical basketball, dominating the Barons down low and jumping out to a commanding lead. Late in the third quarter the Barons began their come back. With fresh legs, the Barons began to run the Apaches out of the gym. Making a 17-point comeback, the team was able to pull within three points of the defending champs, but the effort would fall short. The Barons lost 92-89.

As the Barons moved to the second round of district play, focus turned to the Buttons of Central Catholic. Making the short trip downtown, the team made short work of the Buttons. Jumping out to a late first quarter league, the Barons never looked back. Only allowing 12 total points in the second and third quarters, the Barons went on to win the game 78-41.

Athletic Director and Head Coach Barry Chamberlin, “Our defense was suffocating, and our offense was stellar. So proud of this group.“

There will be a huge district rematch against the Antonian Apaches at home on Tuesday, February 11 at 7pm.

Women’s Basketball Drops Two

The women’s varsity basketball team dropped two district games against Antonian and Incarnate Word High School last week. “We played hard for 32 minutes in both games,” said Head Women’s Basketball Coach Stephanie Mercer. Scoring was led by seniors Ana Lacau and Jillian Spicer.

The Barons set their sights on playoffs, where they are sure to play tough competition from the Houston district.

Women’s Soccer Qualifies for 39th Consecutive Playoff Appearance

The women’s varsity soccer team picked up a big win over the Antonian Apaches, securing their qualification for TAPPS playoffs. With this qualification, the team has successfully made the playoffs for 39 consecutive years. This includes the last four years in TAPPS and the 35 previous years as a part of the Southwest Preparatory Conference.

Middle School Spotlight

Girls Soccer Heads to Championship

The Middle School girls soccer team picks up a huge win over Great Hearts Monte Vista, to move on to the ISAL Championship. With three of the starters out due to illness, the girls rallied together to pull out a final-minute victory.

After taking a 2-0 lead in the first half, Great Hearts rallied to score three goals early after the break. The girls, showing tremendous mental strength and heart, never gave up. Form 7 player Greer Kemmett scored the equalizer late in the second half, giving new life to the team for a final push. With 15 seconds left in the game, Form 8 player Sophie Holder scored her second goal of the game, propelling the Barons to a victory.

Other Scores from Middle School Athletics:

Middle School Boys Basketball (ISAL Semi-Final) SMH 23 – Cornerstone 40

Athletics Livestream Channel

Can't make it to the game? Tune in from home or while on the go via any device to watch SMH sports events live as they unfold. You can also relive the glory again and again, as all events are archived for future access. When you follow us on Livestream, you'll get updates anytime we add or update an athletic event.

It's easy! Join Livestream today:

1. Go to Livestream.com/smhathletics
2. Click the black "Follow" button on our page.
3. Create an account using your email or connect with Facebook.
4. Sit back and enjoy the game!

Follow @SMH_Barons on Twitter

Tweets by SMH_Barons

Chapel Corner

Chapels on February 3

In recent Chapels, we have been talking about the transformative power of love.

On February 3, we continued that theme in all division Chapels. As is tradition, all Chapels began with the call and response from Psalm 118, verse 24: “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Each Chapel ended with an age appropriate prayer.

Loving It in Lower School

Head of Lower School Khristi Bates led a discussion about love, using readings from Psalm 118:1, Matthew 19:19, and 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8. Students were reminded that Chapel time is about love – the love of God and the love that the SMH Chaplain and faculty have for them. They also considered the various other types of love they encounter, such as the love of their families, friends, and pets. Students learned about universal love, the unselfish concern for the welfare of others, often demonstrated by service to others and acts of charity. Mrs. Bates encouraged students to practice a healthy form of self-love, ensuring that they take care of themselves through eating well, sleeping enough, and exercising.

Middle School

Middle School Counselor Leslie Palmer, led a reflection on love, noting that Chapel time is concerned with love, especially the love of God and the love that the SMH Chaplain and faculty have for students. She spoke about the transformative power of love and covered the various types of love we most often encounter in life. These include love between families and friends. She encouraged students to develop a healthy self-love, which motivates us to care for ourselves. This includes taking steps to deal with stress, get adequate sleep, exercise regularly, and eat well.

Ms. Palmer also spoke about universal love, the unselfish concern for the welfare of others that underpins our commitment to service in our community. Using a reading from 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, she asked students to reflect on those ancient attributes of love – kindness, patience, truth, and hope. Students also watched actor Will Smith’s video describing an acronym, LUV, which is his way of improving and maintaining relationships through listening to, understanding and validating others’ thoughts and feelings.

Students enjoyed a special treat when new Head of School Len Miller spoke at the end of Chapel. He talked a bit about his family and his love for them and his pet, Scout. He then told a story about his father when he was a boy and how love is helping others and also asking for help. Mr. Miller encouraged students to know that they can ask for help from the teachers in the Middle School who love them.

Upper School

Molly Byrd, Form 12 student and president of the Bishops Chapel Society, led a reflection on love, noting that Chapel time is concerned with love, especially the love of God and the love that the SMH Chaplain and faculty have for students. She covered the various types of love we most often encounter in life, including romantic love, the love of family, and the love between friends. She encouraged her classmates to strive for a healthy self-love, which motivates us to care for ourselves. This includes taking steps to deal with stress, get adequate sleep, exercise and eat well. Molly also spoke about universal love, the unselfish concern for the welfare of others that underpins our commitment to service in our community. Using a reading from 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8, students reflected on those ancient attributes of love – kindness, patience, truth, and hope. They also viewed actor Will Smith’s video describing an acronym, LUV, which is his way of improving and maintaining relationships through listening to, understanding, and validating others’ thoughts and feelings.

Ash Wednesday Schedule and Details

Saint Mary's Hall offers Chapel services for Christian-based traditions and ceremonies like Ash Wednesday in light of its strong historical ties to the Christian faith as stated in our Statement of Religious Expression. This year's schedule, dress code, and other important details for each division are below.

Lower School

Ashes will be offered for all Lower School (Montessori - Form 5) students and families on Ash Wednesday, February 26 in the Eleanor Duncan Sarratt Memorial Library as follows:

7:30am - 7:50am
3:15pm - 4pm

Please note: Students must be with a parent so that we know that the child may receive ashes. Also, Lower School students will wear their normal uniform on Ash Wednesday, and will wear their dress uniform as usual on Monday, February 24.

Middle and Upper School

Ashes will be offered for Middle and Upper School students and families during Chapel on Ash Wednesday, February 26 in the Coates-Seeligson Theater/Chapel as follows:

Upper School: 11:30am - 12:05pm
Middle School: 12:10pm - 12:45pm

Please note: All Middle and Upper School students will wear their dress uniform on Ash Wednesday, February 26. Also, Middle and Upper School students will wear their normal uniform on Monday, February 24.

Middle and Upper School students whose families are of a faith other than Christianity, or who do not practice a particular faith, are welcome to attend the service to observe this important Christian tradition. They will not be expected to participate in receiving ashes.

Middle and Upper School students from families who do not wish for their student to attend this service can attend an alternate Chapel on Ash Wednesday and will still need to wear their dress uniform. We ask that a parent/guardian notify the relevant division office if you are sending your student to the alternative Chapel. Both alternative Chapels will include reflection on values and/or character related topics.

A Look Ahead

Our currently planned schedule for Chapels is as follows:

February 17: Presidents' Day is an All-School Holiday.
February 24: There will be a Lower School Chapel only, led by All-School Chaplain Rev. Dr. Cameron Gunnin.
February 26: Upper and Middle School will have their Ash Wednesday Chapels with Rev. Gunnin. We will also offer alternative Chapels, led by Wellness Director Dr. Sandra Lopez-Morales, for those that do not observe this Christian tradition. Please see the Ash Wednesday story above for more details.

Healthy at the Hall

UT Law Student Aaron Brown Speaks at Upper School Assembly

Upper School students have consistently provided the Wellness team with feedback that they would like to hear more consistently from “real people” who have had “real experiences.”

Saint Mary’s Hall Head of School Jonathan Eades openly talks about his own experiences in high school where he internalized the message of NOT drinking and driving through the wisdom of a guest speaker who shared their negative experiences as a teen with him.

Justice Luz Elena Chapa, also a Saint Mary’s Hall parent, connected Saint Mary’s Hall with Aaron Brown, a 27-year-old University of Texas law student, to share his personal experiences about drinking, substance abuse, life choices, and sobriety with the Upper School students. Although Aaron currently lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife (Lindsay) and their two dogs (Katy and Jasper), he is a San Antonio native. Aaron attended San Antonio Academy and then Alamo Heights High School. During his teenage years, he found himself experimenting with drinking and substances. By age 21, these experiments evolved into full-fledged alcoholism and addiction. He not only delivered a powerful message about the impact of choices but also one of hope that we can learn and bounce back from our mistakes.

Mr. Brown’s presentation precedes Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD) week, which occurs in both the Middle and Upper School the week of February 10 - 14. FCD Educational Specialist Eduardo Torres will address the students in smaller groups and will emphasize the importance of healthy coping and cautioning students about substance use and abuse. Learn more about FDC.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) describes the following regarding substance use among teens:

Alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco are substances most commonly used by adolescents.
By 12^th grade, about two-thirds of students have tried alcohol.
About half of 9^ththrough 12^th grade students reported ever having used marijuana.
About 4 in 10 9^th through 12^th grade students reported having tried cigarettes.
Among 12^thgraders, close to 2 in 10 reported using prescription medicine without a prescription.

Although it is illegal for people under 21 years of age to drink alcohol, the findings show that people from 12 to 20 years of age consume about one-tenth of all alcohol consumed in the United States. Please visit this CDC resource for more information.

For additional information on prevention, facts, treatment, and general guidance for parents please visit the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens web site.

The Child Mind Institute, an independent, national nonprofit, offers the following guidance for talking with your teen about substance use.

Screenagers Gratitude

Thank you to the parents who were able to attend the Screenagers screening last week. It was a terrific turnout and there were many thought provoking questions and a very candid conversation. Let’s keep the discussion going! If you missed it, there is not currently an option to watch the film separately, but here is a link to find a different screening in our area.

If there is enough interest, we will certainly consider bringing physician and filmmaker Dr. Delaney Ruston’s new film, Screenagers Next Chapter: Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience, in the future.

Please contact Wellness Director Dr. Sandra Lopez-Morales at slopezmorales@smhall.org with questions and/or feedback.

Health and Wellness Class Update

Health and Wellness class had its first special guest! PE and Co-Head Softball Coach Tiffanie Barta shared her powerful story of living 15 years with an eating disorder and her road to recovery.

Whether or not a student was struggling with an eating disorder, they reported they could still glean from the candid talk about addiction, shame, hope, and redemption.

One student called the softball coach’s story “inspiring” and wrote, “I’ve known Coach Barta for three years and never would have imagined she had an issue such as bulimia. The fact that she has recovered showed me others can too, and that her story should be spread.”

Thankfully, students can now remember Coach Barta as another resource on campus to talk about mental or physical struggles. She is currently studying to be a counselor and states that helping others “fills her bucket.” Thank you Coach Barta for taking the time from your week to inspire our students!