NFTH: October 28, 2019 - Saint Mary's Hall

From the Head of School

Dear Saint Mary's Hall Community,

National History Day

As you may know, I hold a devout passion for the importance of history studies in education. My undergraduate degree is in history and I have taught history throughout my career, including an Upper School class, Film in Literature: Vietnam, at Saint Mary’s Hall. This month I had the pleasure of sharing my knowledge of the Vietnam War and civil disobedience with Form 11 American Literature and Composition students. That said, I want to, formally and strongly, commend our Social Studies Department, library staff, and Form 9 students for a wildly successful National History Day (NHD)!

This fall, we introduced NHD into our Global Studies curriculum. This research project spanned nine weeks, during which time our students conducted intensive research of primary and secondary sources, with several projects using up to 70 sources. The theme was Breaking Barriers in History, and students selected their own topics to research and then presented through either exhibit board, a created web site, a documentary film, an essay, or performance.

Last Thursday, students presented their projects in the Marrs and Verna McLean Library Complex. Their topics spanned U.S. and world history across eras, ranging from the French Revolution to the 1969 Stonewall protests. What a resounding and impactful success! I especially love that the students chose their own topics, and had an innate passion for their subject material; this clearly came across in their presentations.

Just to give you brief context, NHD is a nationwide competition for students in grades 6-12, beginning at the school level, with winners advancing to regional, state, and possibly even national competitions. NHD encourages more than half a million students around the world to conduct historical research. I encourage you to take a moment to read the program to understand what this special project is about, as well as view quotes by students about what they learned through this process. I also invite you to watch these two sample documentaries (below). I assure you that you’ll be impressed.

Special thank you to faculty and staff of all divisions and even SMH Board of Trustees members who served as judges (view a list of the judges), as well as retired former Social Studies Department Chair Dr. Joanne Cox. Most of all, kudos to these remarkable students for their impressive work!

Sincerely,

Jonathan Eades
Head of School

All-School

Poetry Proves to Be Powerful Theme at SMH's National Day on Writing

Do you know what an ekphrastic poem is?

Do you remember how to write a haiku? Have you ever written poetry? The thought of writing poetry can often be daunting, and few people think it is something they can do. However, everyone has a favorite poem or poet they can name.

On October 18, Saint Mary's Hall set out to show students, faculty, and parents that poetry, in all its forms, is accessible to everyone and a great way to express oneself.

Saint Mary's Hall joined the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) in celebrating and bringing awareness to National Day on Writing. This is the third year that Saint Mary's Hall participates in this event.

This year's theme, Why Write Poetry, provided the opportunity to compose, listen, experiment, and explore the process and power of creating poetry. Read more about SMH’s National Day on Writing!

Head of School Search Update

The Saint Mary's Hall Board of Trustees has finalized the position description for the head of school search. Please visit the dedicated head of school search web page for a detailed look at the head of school position description. Often times, our community knows of someone who would be a great candidate. We encourage you to share!

To visit the head of school search page, click on this link, or go to www.smhall.org, click on About Us, and Head of School Search.

LIKE Documentary Film Screening

On Tuesday, October 29 at 6:30pm in the Coates-Seeligson Theater/Chapel, SMH is thrilled to gather as a community to screen the acclaimed documentary LIKE as well as host a panel discussion. The film was designed to help as a society to “understand the impact of social media on our brains, lives, and overall civilization.” The goal is about “inspiring self-regulation” and “empowering ourselves to create balance in our lives.”

Questions that the film raises include:

What’s really happening with social media?
Are we addicted?
How do we stop?
Where do we start?
What do we need to know?

After the screening, a panel discussion will take place with experts, such as award-winning Producer and Director Scilla Andreen and Program Medical Director for Children’s and Partial Hospitalization Services Dr. Soad Michelson (who is an SMH parent), and Dr. Geoff Gentry from Clarity Child Guidance Center.

Visit www.thelikemovie.com/about to view clips from the film and join us on Tuesday, October 29 as we continue the conversation at Saint Mary’s Hall.

You are welcome to bring your family, a friend, or a neighbor with you. Please note that both the Upper and Middle School students will see the film on Wednesday, October 30.

Contact: Director of Wellness Dr. Sandra Lopez-Morales at (210) 483-9146 or slopezmorales@smhall.org

Upper School

3…2…1, Balloons Away!

Upper School Physics Teacher Nick Polito took his course work seriously a few weeks ago when he asked students to calculate precisely when they would need to let go of water balloons so that they hit him as he walked underneath them.

“The bags were being dropped from 4.1 meters above me when I reached a certain ‘lead distance.’ Apparently I make awful faces,” said Mr. Polito. (Photo courtesy of Form 10 student Lauren Vegas.)

Teacher Teaching Teachers

Upper School English teacher Dr. Teri Marshall, an in-house expert on assessment literacy along with rubric construction, shared her training and knowledge with more than a dozen of her fellow educators who are fairly new to the SMH community. Taking two full days, September 26 and October 16, Dr. Marshall helped her peers learn and practice methods to construct assessments that truly test the outcomes and skills teachers want their students to master.

College Financial Aid Speaker

On October 15, parents of students in Forms 10 – 12 had the chance to hear a presentation from Texas State University Financial Aid and Scholarship Coordinator Dr. Byron Kerr, who explained the necessary steps of completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. Dr. Kerr also answered questions about college and financial aid in a general sense, not just from the perspective of Texas State. This presentation has become a standard each fall at SMH, so non-senior parents can make plans to attend future Financial Aid Parent Coffees when the time is right.

LIKE Documentary Film Screening

On Tuesday, October 29 at 6:30pm in the Coates-Seeligson Theater/Chapel, SMH is thrilled to gather as a community to screen the acclaimed documentary LIKE as well as host a panel discussion. The film was designed to help as a society to “understand the impact of social media on our brains, lives, and overall civilization.” The goal is about “inspiring self-regulation” and “empowering ourselves to create balance in our lives.”

Questions that the film raises include:

What’s really happening with social media?
Are we addicted?
How do we stop?
Where do we start?
What do we need to know?

After the screening, a panel discussion will take place with experts, such as award-winning Producer and Director Scilla Andreen and Program Medical Director for Children’s and Partial Hospitalization Services Dr. Soad Michelson (who is an SMH parent), and Dr. Geoff Gentry from Clarity Child Guidance Center.

Visit www.thelikemovie.com/about to view clips from the film and join us on Tuesday, October 29 as we continue the conversation at Saint Mary’s Hall.

You are welcome to bring your family, a friend, or a neighbor with you. Please note that both the Upper and Middle School students will see the film on Wednesday, October 30.

Contact: Director of Wellness Dr. Sandra Lopez-Morales at (210) 483-9146 or slopezmorales@smhall.org

Faculty Spotlight: Upper School English Teacher Ben Gerdts

This week’s Upper School Faculty Spotlight features Upper School English Teacher Ben Gerdts (Rhetoric, Composition, and Literature; American Literature and Composition).

Mr. Gerdts claims Lexington, Kentucky as his hometown, though he and his family lived several places since Ben’s father was a preacher. He attended the University of Delaware for his Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in Spanish Studies before moving on to the University of South Florida in Tampa for his Master of Arts in English Literature. His wrote his thesis on Post-Romantic American Fiction. Ben joined the SMH community in 2015 and says that his best SMH memories so far are winning the Judson Tournament (soccer) and watching the Class of 2019 graduate. “They were freshmen when I first came to SMH, so it was like my class was graduating. I’m also just so proud of how much they accomplished and grew while at SMH.”

What many people might not know about Ben is that he loves both heavy metal (anyone ever heard of Deafheaven?) and “chill piano,” and that he’s in his happy place when fly fishing. He’s an avid griller and smoker of meats (he can thank moving to San Antonio for that), and he also enjoys being the Middle School field hockey head coach (he can thank his wife, Upper School Field Hockey Head Coach and Social Studies Teacher Hillary Relyea, for that). Ben shared that, if he had no restrictions, he’d love to travel to Iceland. Additionally, for those who can’t get enough backstory, he spent Spring Break of his senior year staying with two friends “in the seediest hotel in New Orleans,” and his spirit animal is a wolf: “They’re just so independent; they don’t mind the cold; and they just seem intellectual.” Whether you know him as Mr. Gerdts, Mr. Mrs. Relyea, or maybe even BenJillary, you just have to love him!

O’Neil Ford’s Vision Realized at SMH

Upper School Math Teacher Jim Polito once again took his students outside to enjoy the Jamie Armstrong Bennett Courtyard on October 21, but this time he brought along a white board. As Head of School Jonathan Eades put it, “This IS awesome! O'Neil Ford's campus vision in action!”

French Family Visitors

Form 10 student Camille Serot’s grandparents visited SMH from Lyon, France on October 17, providing Upper School French Teacher Madame Valerie Bernardin’s and World Languages Teacher Madame Kristen Villalvazo’s French students a unique opportunity for their students to meet actual French people. Madame Bernardin commented, “It went very well. The grandparents were very happy to be here and our students did an amazing job. They asked many interesting questions and I think they learned a lot from Liliane and Jean-Marie.”

Special Schedules for Upper and Middle School Tuesday and Wednesday

Upper and Middle School students will report to Advisory by 8am and follow the schedule below on Tuesday, October 29 to accommodate the SMH Founders’ Day Program. Please note students need to be in dress uniform BOTH Monday, October 28 and Tuesday, October 29:

Time	Class Period
8am – 8:10am	Advisory
8:15am – 9am	Founders’ Day Ceremony – Alonso Ancira Event Center
9:05am – 9:45am	Period 1
9:50am – 10:30am	Period 2
10:30am – 10:40am	Break
10:40am – 11:20am	Period 3
11:25am – 12:10pm	Middle School Lunch/ Upper School Period 4
12:15pm – 1pm	Upper School Lunch/ Middle School Period 4
1:05pm – 1:45pm	Period 5
1:50pm – 2:30pm	Period 6
2:35pm – 3:15pm	Period 7

Upper and Middle School students will also follow an alternate schedule for Wednesday, October 30 to allow them to view the documentary LIKE:

Time	Class Period
8am – 8:40am	Period 1
8:45am – 9:20am	Period 2
9:25am – 10am	Period 3
10:05am – 10:40am	Period 4
10:45am – 11:20am	Period 5
11:25am – 12:20pm	Middle School Lunch/Upper School views “Like” in the Theater/Chapel
12:25pm – 1:20pm	Upper School Lunch/Middle School views “Like” in the Theater/Chapel
1:25pm – 2:10pm	Period 6
2:15pm – 3pm	Period 7
3:05pm – 4pm	Office Hours

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.

Middle School

Health and Wellness Class Update

Balance and self-management was the theme for the most recent Health & Wellness class lessons.

Form 6 students were given a list of events and activities that are known to stress young people. They checked off ones they had experienced in the last six months and shared how they could cope, or help each other cope with them. Form 7 students drew pictures of “SIFTing through stress,” an acronym for “Sensations, Images, Feelings, and Thoughts.” They later discussed if they could either change or accept the things that were negatively affecting them. Form 8 students paired up to teach the class about coping strategies. Some were positive, such as refocus of planning, positive reappraisal, and acceptance. Others were not helpful ways to cope - rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others. Depending on the time and weather, some Form 8 students were able to “practice the present” by stepping outside and being in the moment. They found this to be a very healthy way to help manage emotions.

The next lesson focuses on healthy decision-making. What factors come into play when deciding what is best for one’s wellbeing? If there is anything SMH can do to further help your student with balance and self-management, please let Health & Wellness Teacher Amelia Teodosio know at ateodosio@smhall.org. She is truly enjoying talking about these relevant matters with the students!

Middle School Movie Night

On Friday, November 1, the Middle School Sports Council will host a movie night in the Remmert Theater. The movie will start at 6pm and will end at 8:30pm. Please be on-time for pick up! Drop off and pick up will take place in the Upper School Circle. Food and drinks will be provided and served during intermission. Pizza will cost $2 per slice and drinks will be provided free of charge. There will also be a fun intermission game! The movie will be shared with students during lunchtime announcements the week of October 28.

FCD Consultant to Visit the Middle School in February 2020

Every year, the Middle School partners with FCD Prevention Works, part of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, to spend a week in February with one of their education consultants on healthy decision-making and substance-abuse prevention. They provide students and parents with up-to-date research and educational information to support students in making healthy decisions throughout their lives. SMH will hold a Parent Coffee for you to meet Eduardo Torres, SMH’s FCD consultant, during his week on campus on Wednesday, February 12. One important part of FCD’s work is their Prevention Source e-Journal. They recently posted this article, Healthy Family Rules: What Once Permissive Parents Can Do to Prevent Risky Teen Drinking at Home. The school strongly encourages you to read this, as it emphasizes the need and importance for parents to set clear rules about alcohol and substance use with their children at an early age.

Environmental Club Happenings

The Middle School Environmental Club (E-Club) is small, but mighty! The E-Club and their sponsor, Middle School Science Teacher Patti Nicoll, are getting a lot done, from caring for the small satsuma trees on campus, to clearing out and replanting the garden, organizing the greenhouse, recycling paper, and putting in some new marigolds by the Middle School Office.

E-Club members include:

Alena Montez (Form 8)
Hudson Moore (Form 7)
Cypress Rabke (Form 7)
Athena Sorenson (Form 7)

Community Service Bulletin Boards

As part of their service to Saint Mary’s Hall, the Middle School Community Service Council has been decorating seasonal and recognition bulletin boards. This month, the theme for the recognition board was Veterans Day and supporting the toiletry drive for All-School Chaplain Rev. Dr. Cameron Gunnin and the troops he is serving with on deployment. The council is asking for contributions of travel-sized soap, toothbrushes, and toiletries. As these are brought in, the Community Service Council is packaging them into little kits. As a kit is made, they place a star on the flag, which is on the Veterans Day bulletin board. So far, they have 25 stars, and if they reach the goal of 50 stars, the Middle School will have an Out-of-Uniform day on November 1. The deadline for bringing contributions is Thursday, Oct. 31.

LIKE Documentary Film Screening

On Tuesday, October 29 at 6:30pm in the Coates-Seeligson Theater/Chapel, SMH is thrilled to gather as a community to screen the acclaimed documentary LIKE as well as host a panel discussion. The film was designed to help as a society to “understand the impact of social media on our brains, lives, and overall civilization.” The goal is about “inspiring self-regulation” and “empowering ourselves to create balance in our lives.”

Questions that the film raises include:

What’s really happening with social media?
Are we addicted?
How do we stop?
Where do we start?
What do we need to know?

After the screening, a panel discussion will take place with experts, such as award-winning Producer and Director Scilla Andreen and Program Medical Director for Children’s and Partial Hospitalization Services Dr. Soad Michelson (who is an SMH parent), and Dr. Geoff Gentry from Clarity Child Guidance Center.

Visit www.thelikemovie.com/about to view clips from the film and join us on Tuesday, October 29 as we continue the conversation at Saint Mary’s Hall.

You are welcome to bring your family, a friend, or a neighbor with you. Please note that both the Upper and Middle School students will see the film on Wednesday, October 30.

Contact: Director of Wellness Dr. Sandra Lopez-Morales at (210) 483-9146 or slopezmorales@smhall.org

Lower School

Properties of Density

Students in Form 5 have been learning about physical properties of matter.

The density lab helped develop a better understanding of this concept. The definition of density is “the amount of matter in a given volume,” but in class students also learn to relate it to how tightly the particles of a material are placed together. Lower School Science Teacher Claire Damarodas said, “The students had fun making predictions, then taking observations as we noticed how more dense liquids can support (or hold up) less dense ones, then continued our explorations by dropping different items into the liquid mixture. There were plenty of surprises and lots of learning that occurred!”

Form 2 Down on the Farm

Last week the Form 2 students traveled to the Herff Farm in Boerne. The students rotated through four different activities that focused on learning about the sustainability of a homestead. They visited the chicken area where they learned all about how to raise healthy and happy chickens. Another activity included learning about worms as decomposers and how they help our gardens and plants to grow. The third activity was learning all the benefits of having sheep on the Herff Farm. They got to see how the wool is cleaned, brushed, turned into yarn, and students even got to take home a souvenir of handmade yarn. The last activity included a brief history of the Herff Homestead and a beautiful nature walk down to the creek. At the end of the activities, the children enjoyed a sack lunch before traveling back to SMH. It was a great learning day with perfect weather.

Magic of Montessori

Montessori Teacher Kathy Fetzer said, "Every day in Montessori there are many opportunities to learn and explore new things." Full-Day Montessori student Barrett Rouse practiced putting "body parts" correctly on his body, while Nolin Moorman prepared milk for lunch.

Collaboratory Corner

Montessori Investigations

The new Lower School Collaboratory is a flexible space for students to engage in robotics, coding, and makerspace activities. Montessori Lead Teacher Kathy Rigsby brought her Full-Day Montessori class in for free exploration. They had the choice of many activities: play with puppets, draw on a white erase table, create with Legos, paint (with water) on Buddha Boards, play with the Blocks Rock; 3D app, program Bee-Bot; control Dash the robot with iPad controls; create shapes with a Tangram app and Osmo; or use the PowerClix magnets. One of the best moments was when a student went up to Lower School Librarian/Instructional Technologist Linda Wells, amazed at feeling “something” pulling the magnets together. She exclaimed, “Look! Can you feel it? Can you feel it trying to connect?” It was a great learning experience!

Kinder’s Collaboratory Creations

Kindergarten Teacher Jenny Graf’s class enjoyed using the Collaboratory. The students worked with their imaginations and critical-thinking skills exploring robotics with Dash and Dot, making 3D hands-on art creations with PowerClix Magnets, surveying a virtual solar system with Merge Cubes, examining items from nature with a digital microscope, building with Legos, and taking time for “zen” drawing with Buddha Boards. As the video above of their first Collaboratory experience shows, Mrs. Graf’s class really put the “team” in S.T.E.A.M. learning!

Code in the Collaboratory

All students in the Lower School from Kindergarten to Form 5 can log into Code.org to learn how to code. Form 1 came into the Collaboratory last week and used the iPads to login for the first time and begin their coding course. Within minutes, they had all completed many activities and written the equivalent of several lines of code. Students can login from home if they are interested in completing more of the coding activities. Feel free to contact your child’s teacher or Lower School Instructional Facilitator and Technologist Teri Bohlsen at tbohlsen@smhall.org if you need your child’s login information.

National Day of Writing for Lower School

This year was SMH’s third annual National Day on Writing. As part of the event, Lower School students explored all the ways one can write poetry. From magnetic boards to black out poems, kids of all ages discovered how freeing a poem can be!

Teddy Bears Donated to Firemen

Kindergarten students at Saint Mary’s Hall were thrilled to have their annual visit from the City of San Antonio Fire Department. The students presented the firefighters with donations of teddy bears for children who fall victim to emergencies. The Kindergarten students spent time doing chores at home to earn money and used that money to purchase the donated teddy bears. The firefighters took the opportunity to teach students about fire safety and how to react if they’re ever in an emergency. Students had the chance to see a firefighter “suit up” and turn on the engine’s water hose! Community service is an important part of the Saint Mary’s Hall experience, and participating in this project is one of the first community service initiatives for students at SMH.

Mark Your Calendars

November 2: YBIC Family Day at the Food Bank Urban Farms, 8am –10:30am
November 6: Lower School Preview, 7:45am, Extended Care Building
November 11: Veterans Day Celebration (Forms 1-5), 8am, Coates Seeligson Theater/Chapel
November 11-15: Coat Drive for Serna Elementary School (coats, mittens, gloves, and hats)
November 14: Glimpse Into the Future, 8am, Extended Care Building

It’s a Short Walk Down the Hill

Sometimes it is just plain fun to come down to a Montessori classroom. Recently, Form 10 students King Kleberg and Jack Hall visited Room 4 where King’s mom, Montessori Assistant Kim Kleberg, teaches. They took a moment to pose with Full-Day student Romeo Gonzalez whose mom is Lower School PE/Head Volleyball Coach Danielle Gonzalez. Fun time for all!

LIKE Documentary Film Screening

On Tuesday, October 29 at 6:30pm in the Coates-Seeligson Theater/Chapel, SMH is thrilled to gather as a community to screen the acclaimed documentary LIKE as well as host a panel discussion. The film was designed to help as a society to “understand the impact of social media on our brains, lives, and overall civilization.” The goal is about “inspiring self-regulation” and “empowering ourselves to create balance in our lives.”

Questions that the film raises include:

What’s really happening with social media?
Are we addicted?
How do we stop?
Where do we start?
What do we need to know?

After the screening, a panel discussion will take place with experts, such as award-winning Producer and Director Scilla Andreen and Program Medical Director for Children’s and Partial Hospitalization Services Dr. Soad Michelson (who is an SMH parent), and Dr. Geoff Gentry from Clarity Child Guidance Center.

Visit www.thelikemovie.com/about to view clips from the film and join us on Tuesday, October 29 as we continue the conversation at Saint Mary’s Hall.

You are welcome to bring your family, a friend, or a neighbor with you. Please note that both the Upper and Middle School students will see the film on Wednesday, October 30.

Contact: Director of Wellness Dr. Sandra Lopez-Morales at (210) 483-9146 or slopezmorales@smhall.org

Fine Arts

Tobin Fine Arts School

Director's Corner

Montessori-Kindergarten Music Teacher Jennifer Lee recently shared the article, Why the Arts Matter for Kids’ Self-Esteem, published in an online science journal.

When I read the article, I had just returned from a Lower School Art class where I saw many of the principals mentioned in the article in practice. Researchers in England found that: “Children who participated in arts activities most days were significantly more likely to have higher levels of self-esteem than those who participated less often.” The researchers go on to say, “Creating art can validate the uniqueness of an individual, which gives rise to a sense of accomplishment and to feelings of self-worth.”

In the Form 2 Art class, the students sparkled with pride showing me their watercolors. As they placed their works on the drying racks, they took delight in showing each other their artwork. When I took the photo, a student said, “Will you send this to my mom? I want her to see what I made!” They absolutely know that their original creative voice has validation and that what they accomplished had worth.

I am grateful to work at a school that helps students find their value through artistic expression each day. Our students who try new things each day and in the process learn more about who they are, and of what they are capable thrill me.

On Friday, November 1, Upper School Visual and Media Arts students will spend a full day creating art around campus. Students from Drawing & Painting, Sculpture & Design, and Photography will have an opportunity to work for an extended period on various projects, collaborate between disciplines, and mentor Lower and Middle School students when they come to visit during their class period.

I am looking forward to witnessing the student artists from Lower, Middle, and Upper School to converge in the discovery of their own personal voices in artistic practice. Be sure to check out the Fine Arts Instagram when the Upper School Cinema students do a takeover to share the event with all of you!

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

Speech & Debate Results

Last weekend, the Speech & Debate team traveled to two different tournaments and put on a musical! A total of 10 speech and debate students competed at the 11^th annual Ronald Reagan "Dutch" Invitational, while nine senior debate students competed at the 49^th annual New York City Invitational at the Bronx School of Science!

Individual results are as follows:

Reagan
- Public Forum Debate
  - Tournament Champions – Penelope Luna (Form 10), Rick Reyna (Form 11)
  - Tournament Champions – Nicholas Campos (Form 10), Andres Trujillo (Form 10)
- Foreign Extemporaneous Speaking
  - Tournament Champion – Penelope Luna (Form 10)
  - 6^th – Isabel Hackney (Form 11)
  - Semifinals – Anish Beeram (Form 9), Ricky Reyna (Form 11)
- Original Oratory
  - 2^nd – Claire Brown (Form 11)
- Program of Oral Interpretation:
  - 3^rd – Camila Alvarez (Form 10)
- Humorous Interpretation
  - 6^th – Juliana Cavazos (Form 10)
- Domestic Extemporaneous Speaking
  - Semifinals – Claire Brown (Form 11), Sophie Silva (Form 12)
New York City Invitational / Big Apple Round Robin (174 Schools, 24 States, 886 Entries)
- Original Oratory
  - 3^rd – Marguerite Morgan (Form 12)
- Congressional Debate
  - 4^th – Shilpa Gunuganti (Form 12)
- Public Forum Debate
  - 5^th – Sam Hernandez (Form 12), Trey Plante (Form 12)
  - Triple Octafinals – Rylan Schendel (Form 12), Nicholas Trujillo (Form 12)
    - 18^th Top Speaker – Tori Menendez (Form 12)
- Extemporaneous Speaking
  - Quarterfinalist – Marguerite Morgan (Form 12)

In addition to the regular tournament, the Bronx (as the tournament is known colloquially) also offers the Big Apple Congressional Debate Round Robin. This invite-only tournament invites the top 12 students in the country. Shilpa debated admirably (Upper School Debate Teacher Colin Malinak was one of the judges!) and placed 5^th!

Region Orchestra

Earlier this week, five Upper School Chamber Orchestra students went to Lee High School to audition for the top Region Orchestra in San Antonio. All five students were accepted into the orchestra. This is a huge honor for the school to every student accepted that auditioned. Congratulations to the students listed below as well as their Band/Chamber Orchestra Teacher Trevor Docwra.

Matthew Averyt (Form 10)- Cello, 1^st overall
Javier Hernandez (Form 12)- Bass, 1^st overall
Victoria Kim (Form 12)- Violin, 16^th overall
Dylan Rybacki (Form 9)- Viola, 14^th overall (one of two freshmen to make it as a viola)
Shane Rybacki (Form 12)- Bass, 4^th overall

Debate Coach Wins Award

Congratulations to Upper School Debate Teacher Colin Malinak for his One Diamond Degree of membership in the National Speech & Debate Associations Honor Society! J. Scott Wunn, executive director of the National Speech & Debate Association, stated, “Due to your students’ speech and debate presentations, competition, and service, you have earned more than 15,000 points … you will be recognized at the 2020 National Speech & Debate Tournament in Albuquerque, New Mexico in June.”

Congratulations to Mr. Malinak and to all the Debate students who made this possible.

Strings Recital

Please join us on Sunday, November 3 at 1 pm in the Remmert Theater for the Fall Strings Recital featuring the students of Julie Post’s private studio. SMH Piano Teacher Charlene You will be accompanying the musicians. The event is free and open to the public.

Fine Arts Events

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Lower School Parent Dance Observation Week Subscribe to Alerts

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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

Volleyball Honors Their Seniors

The SMH volleyball team wrapped up their season on October 22 in a match against St. Dominic Savio. The Barons came out strong, fighting for the last playoff spot in the district. Senior Zoe Ramon and sophmore Abby Lavender led the way on offense with six kills and 11 assists, respectively while senior Melena Nikmaram, senior libero, led the way on the defensive end. The Barons would ultimately fall to St. Dominic Savio in three sets, 24-26, 14-25, 11-25. The Athletic Department also honored the senior volleyball players: Paris Johnson, Melena and Zoe.

Volleyball Head Coach Danielle Gonzalez said, “Though this season proved to be a tough one in terms of wins and losses, we still deem it a successful one. We said at the beginning of the season that we would not rate the success of our season on wins and losses but instead on our growth. Our goal was to always be better than we were the day before and we did just that. We thank our seniors for their hard work, leadership and commitment the last four years to the SMH volleyball program.”

Middle School Spotlight

Football

The Middle School football team took to the field to play New Braunfels Christian Academy (NBCA) in the South Texas Football Conference Semi-finals on October 17. NBCA is a perennial powerhouse at the Middle and Upper School levels for 6-man football, and they lived up to the expectation. Although the boys played their hardest, Barons did not have an answer for them on offense, and ultimately ended up losing the game. Please be sure to congratulate the boys on an outstanding 5-1 season.

Head Coach Josh Baker, commenting on the Form 8 students, said, “As we move forward with 6-man football at the Upper School level, I know this group of Form 8boys will have a tremendous impact on varsity football next year.”

Field Hockey White Ties

The Middle School field hockey white team played to a 0-0 draw with Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School B team last Wednesday night. The back and forth match featured standouts all around the field, including Macie Urban (Form 7) and Campbell Cage (Form 8) with some great attacking play, and Nandini Cheruku (Form 8) defending her cage with gusto. Goalkeeper Anna Hurd (Form 7) made six saves on the night and consistently impressed with the power and direction of her clearances.

Middle School Field Hockey Head Coach Benjamin Gerdts said, “The highly impressive Form 6 players get their debuts on the field hockey pitch, which was exciting. All of these players battled hard against a team that previously beat them, and the fight that I witnessed shows me there’s a bright future for Middle School field hockey and beyond.”

Field Hockey Purple Suffer Tough Loss

The Middle School field hockey purple team lost 1-0 to St. Stephen’s Episcopal School (SSES) to end the season. The match included plenty of back and forth play, with SMH attempting to catch SSES on counterattacks, and SSES possessing and building up with some impressive technical skill from some key players. The first 15 minutes belonged primarily to SMH, with numerous chances on SSES’s cage and an eventual goal-line save from an SSES defender keeping the score at zero. From there, SSES woke up and consistently created chances on the Barons’ cage. The lone goal came with two minutes left in the second half, after a flurry of attempts eventually resulted in the winning tally. SMH keeper Amelia French (Form 8) played an outstanding game and had eight saves on the night.

Middle School Field Hockey Head Coach Benjamin Gerdts said after the match, “Ultimately, while it was a very difficult loss, this has been a great season and the girls should be immensely proud of their accomplishments over the course of the year and over the last three years in the Middle School program. We looked at all the tears and emotion on their faces after the loss and told them we celebrated such dedication and buy-in, and we reminded them that losing hurts, but it’s easier to shoulder hardship together than alone. They learned how to be selfless, how to value the collective over the individual and forged a tight bond with 13 others who will be there for them on and off the field for years to come.”

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Windy Conditions at TAPPS State Cross Country Meet

On a windy and truly unforgiving course, our boys and girls took on the field at the TAPPS 6A State Cross Country Meet. The Barons cross country team members lined up against every TAPPS 6A school in the state and came out in 16^th place in women’s and 17^th place in men’s holding their head up high and proving that once again the Barons can compete at any level in this sports competition.

The women’s race had more than 130 racers don the starting line. The first Baron to cross the finish line was freshman Julia Garcia in a remarkable time of 14:35 for this course to record a 52^nd place finish, she was closely followed behind by senior Caroline Largoza who clocked in at 15:24 and junior Sarah Hernandez at 16:06. Wrapping up the top five finishers for the team was freshman Camila Navas-Hahn at 16:44 and senior Jillian Spicer at 17:02 which was 11 second faster then her time on this course last season. The rest of the Barons finishers was junior Nikki Winter at 17:04 and junior Margaret Esquinca-Moreno at 19:11.

Later in the morning, the Barons men’s team attacked the vicious 5K course with more than 150 other TAPPS 6A boys. The team secured two season best times, and three times faster than last year’s course race. Leading the charge of the boys was freshman Jonathan Largoza who came in 64^th at a time of 19:26, followed by junior Matthew Garcia at 20:01 which was a seasonal best for him. Freshman Patrick Lang was next to cross at 21:22. The fourth Baron to cross the finish line was sophomore Gabe Chbeir at 21:38, which is a seasonal best time, and nearly two minutes faster than his course time last State Championship meet. Freshman Jonathan Tubb was the sixth Baron to finish at 21:59 and he was followed by senior Weston Bohne at 22:25.

Cross Country Head Coach Dave Thurchak said after the meet, “Despite all the weather and logistical challenges this season our Baron Cross Country teams suffered through the heat and training to record an excellent finish to their season. Please congratulate them on a very hard job well done!”

College Corner

Study Shows High School Athletes Perform Better in School, Persist to Graduation More Than Non-Athletes

by Mike Krings for KU News Service

The stereotype of the dumb jock has been around almost as long as sports itself. On the opposite sideline, there are coaches, teachers, and athletes who would argue that high school sports are as beneficial to students in the classroom as they are on the field of play. A new study from the University of Kansas (KU) that analyzed academic performance of athletes and nonathletes across Kansas shows that participation in interscholastic athletics is often associated with better educational outcomes.

Angela Lumpkin, professor of health, sport and exercise sciences, and Rebecca Achen, doctoral candidate and graduate teaching assistant at KU, show that athletes had higher percentages of days of school attended, graduation rates, and Kansas assessment scores and lower dropout rates than nonathletes. They analyzed data for students in grades nine through 12 for the 2011-12 school year in schools throughout the state.

Kansas has a policy that to be eligible to compete in sports, students must pass at least five credit hours per semester. Lumpkin cites the policy as a reason many students persist in their academic work.

“In general, an athlete is not smarter than a nonathlete,” Lumpkin said. “But I would argue, and I think our evidence suggests, that just having such a policy shows the student they need to take their studies seriously if they want to compete.”

Lumpkin, a former college basketball coach, and Achen, a former high school athlete and junior high coach, analyzed data from the Kansas State High School Activities Association, National Federation of State High School and Kansas State Department of Education.

The results have a number of implications regarding high school athletics, educational funding and policy. School districts regularly face tight budgets that force decisions on where funding should be cut. Evidence that participating in sports can help student performance may be cited as a factor in continuing to fund them, Lumpkin said, and convince policy makers that money spent on athletics is justified. The results could also be used as an argument for improving students’ futures.

Students who complete high school have much higher economic potential than those who drop out. Conversely, those who drop out are more likely to live in poverty, face substance abuse and numerous other social problems, Lumpkin said.

Reiterating that athletic competition does not make a student smarter, the authors argue that the lessons learned in athletics, combined with the knowledge that they must do well in school to participate, improves students’ persistence and chances for success.

“What we are saying is participation is important. Whether it’s learning time management or handling expectations from someone in their life like coaches, teammates or family members, athletes are learning discipline,” Lumpkin said.

The study compared academic performance of athletes and non-athletes between boys and girls and between white and minority students. In each measure athletes had higher academic performance than nonathletes.

“For the most part there were significant differences among the athlete and nonathlete populations,” Achen said. “It showed to be true among all groups analyzed that being an athlete helped them persist.”

The study did not consider how culture might affect whether a student took part in athletics and also did not break down which sports the students took part in. The majority of Kansas schools are small enough that there is not “specialization,” and students play multiple sports. The results cannot be assumed to be the same in all states as policies regarding athletics and demographics vary greatly. It is reasonable to presume, however, that interscholastic athletics have academic benefits in other states, the authors said, and they hope that others will conduct similar studies across the nation.

“Involvement in interscholastic sports has a positive impact on high school students as suggested by previous research and corroborated by this study. As such, participation should be encouraged, especially for high-risk populations, and specifically for minority students,” Lumpkin and Achen wrote. “The potential for sport participation to improve graduation rates, keep students in school longer and increase daily attendance should lead administrators to adamantly support interscholastic sport.”

Article courtesy of The University of Kansas and the KU News Service. The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. The university's mission is to lift students and society by educating leaders, building healthy communities and making discoveries that change the world. The KU News Service is the central public relations office for the Lawrence campus.

Chapel Corner

October 21 Chapels

As is SMH tradition, all Chapels began with a call and response from Psalm 118: 24 – “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Lower School

Students enjoyed a presentation on the Jewish High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by their classmates whose families observe these important holidays in Judaism. They learned that Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, commemorates the creation of the world and marks the beginning of a 10-day period of reflection and repentance. It is a time for prayer, worship, food, and family. Dating from ancient times, it is a tradition that the shofar, made from a ram’s horn, is blown. Its haunting sound calls us to reflection. See a video, Yom Kippur 2019 L’Shana Tovah: Jerusalem Shofar at Sunrise.

Rosh Hashanah is followed by the Yom Kippur holiday, also known as the Day of Atonement. Yom Kippur is a day of fasting, when tradition says that God accepts our repentance, forgives our sins, and grants us a year of life, health and happiness.

In celebration of the High Holy days, the children offered this blessing:

May God bless you and keep you.
May God shine light on you and be gracious to you.
May God turn toward you and grant you peace.
Amen

Interim All-School Chaplain Susan Douglas (ChapSu) closed the Chapel by noting that these holidays remind one that sometimes all one needs is to pause and reflect on their lives. Sometimes one needs to make things right between oneself and someone they’ve hurt. Sometimes one needs to admit their mistakes and ask others for forgiveness. This allows one to repair relationships, change one's behaviors going forward, and helps towards having a sweeter, better year.

A Look Ahead

November 4
- Lower School will consider why how they treat others is important, drawing from scripture and tradition about how all live in right relationship with each other.
- Middle and Upper School will have a guest speaker from the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio.
November 11
- All divisions will have a special Veterans Day Chapel program.
December 2
- All divisions will learn about the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Rabbi Ben Richards of the Agudas Achim synagogue will speak at Middle Upper School Chapels.
December 9
- All divisions will learn about the Christian season of Advent. Father Ram Lopez, Rector of St. George’s Episcopal Church and School, will speak at Middle and Upper School Chapels.
December 16
- In Lower School, students will hear a traditional Christmas story, scripture, and song.
- In Middle and Upper School Chapels, ChapSu will lead a traditional Christian Lessons and Carols service. All students are welcome to attend. However, SMH will offer an alternative Chapel on the subject of hope, led by faculty members, for those children whose parents request they be excused from regular Chapel. Further information will be provided in December.

Please contact Interim All-School Chaplain Susan Douglas if you have any questions at sdouglas@smhall.org.

Middle and Upper School

In these Chapels, Interim All-School Chaplain Susan Douglas (ChapSu) led age-appropriate discussions to prepare students for Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31, a national campaign encouraging students to stay drug-free. She noted that students receive multiple health and wellness lessons, Assembly presentations, guest speaker lectures, and participate in other activities that address addiction and substance abuse. ChapSu expressed her personal thought that although students have all this good information in their heads, it may not be fully useful to them until we move the discussion about substance abuse from their heads to their hearts. Reflecting on her experience working with addicts, she asked students to consider that substance abuse and addiction may be illnesses of the heart and soul, as well as of the mind and body.

With microphones passed around the Coates-Seeligson Chapel/Theater, students were asked to comment on three questions:

What are some common addictions?
- Answers ranged from things like competition, work, sugar, caffeine, video games, and social media to more traditional addictions like tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana.
Why do people do things that can become addictive?
- The main answers here were that people are seeking things that make them feel better or help them deal with stress, get swayed by peer pressure, or try something for the novelty of it, which then turns into a slippery slope that leads to abuse and addiction.
Why is addiction or substance abuse a theological and/or spiritual issue?
- ChapSu asked students to consider these things in deciding why addiction and/or substance abuse might impact their relationship with God or affect their souls:
  - For what or to whom does one choose to be present in life?
  - To what or whom are they connected?
  - What relationships are they neglecting?
  - What parts of themselves or their responsibilities are they neglecting?
  - Are they damaging the bodies that have been gifted to them?
  - Are they putting our trust in things that can only temporarily ease feelings such as sorrow, anxiety, and loneliness?

While acknowledging that she knows not all of our students practice a faith or feel spirituality is important, ChapSu noted that research in the fields of theology, religion, philosophy, and brain science indicates that faith and spirituality have positive benefits and are protective factors against substance abuse. She noted they:

Help one deal with the challenges of life
Help one avoid creating their own problems
Make one more resilient
Promote healing after difficult times or bad things happen

ChapSu encouraged students to devote time now to developing healthy ways to deal with the challenges they face. She noted that this is a safe period in their lives when they have support and resources to help them at home and at school. She also reminded students that Saint Mary’s Hall has a self-report policy that allows students to ask for help with substance abuse issues before they get into trouble.

SMH encourages parents and guardians to continue this discussion at home with your students. Research shows that you are the single greatest influence over your children’s attitude towards substance abuse. Talking to them does make a big difference, even when they don’t seem to be listening. Please contact these SMH personnel for help or assistance:

Interim All-School Chaplain Susan Douglas (sdouglas@smhall.org)
Wellness Director Dr. Sandra Lopez-Morales (slopezmorales@smhall.org)
School Nurse Melissa Baumholtz (mbaumholtz@smhall.org)
Division Counselors:
- Lower School - Susan Moore-Sickmann (SMoore@smhall.org)
- Middle School - Leslie Palmer (lpalmer@smhall.org)
- Upper School - Liz Clark (eclark@smhall.org)

Humility

Faith traditions have much to say about the humility with which all are to live. This short article, Be Humble, and Proudly, Psychologists Say, describes recent research that suggests humility is a trait worth developing and practicing.

Healthy at the Hall

National Day on Writing

Members of the English Department at Saint Mary’s Hall, Upper School English Teacher Megan Soukup, Form 6 English Teacher Deb McInerney, and Form 3 Teacher Jane Viccellio, coordinated a National Day on Writing at Saint Mary’s Hall on October 18.

The energy, imagination, and talent among the students was palpable as they created their own original poems. Writing in general and writing poetry specifically is cathartic. It allows people to project their thoughts and feelings outside of themselves and can often allow for individuals to work through difficult aspects of their lives by understanding their experiences differently and connecting with others. Please view the article, Writing about emotions may ease stress and trauma, published in Healthbeat, the newsletter from Harvard Health Publishing.

Middle School Health and Wellness Class Asks for Feedback

Balance and self-management was the theme for the most recent Health & Wellness class lessons. Form 6 students were given a list of events and activities that are known to stress young people. They checked off ones they had experienced in the last six months and shared how they could cope, or help each other cope with them. Form 7 students drew pictures of “SIFTing through stress,” an acronym for “Sensations, Images, Feelings, and Thoughts.” They later discussed if they could either change or accept the things that were negatively affecting them. Form 8 students paired up to teach the class about coping strategies. Some were positive, such as refocus of planning, positive reappraisal, and acceptance. Others were not helpful ways to cope - rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others. Depending on the time and weather, some Form 8 students were able to “practice the present” by stepping outside and being in the moment. They found this to be a very healthy way to help manage emotions.

The next lesson focuses on healthy decision-making. What factors come into play when deciding what is best for one’s wellbeing? If there is anything SMH can do to further help your student with balance and self-management, please let Health & Wellness Teacher Amelia Teodosio know at ateodosio@smhall.org. She is truly enjoying talking about these relevant matters with the students!

Red Ribbon Week (October 23-31)

Wellness Director Dr. Sandra Lopez-Morales addressed the Lower School students with a book reading about the importance of taking care of one’s body through fitness and nutrition. Dr. Lopez-Morales emphasized the significance of lungs being primarily for consumption of oxygen to help their bodies function well. Students discussed ways that they maintain an active lifestyle.

Middle and Upper School programming for Red Ribbon Week will be reviewed in next week’s edition of News From the Hall.

LIKE Documentary Film Screening

On Tuesday, October 29 at 6:30pm in the Coates-Seeligson Theater/Chapel, SMH is thrilled to gather as a community to screen the acclaimed documentary LIKE as well as host a panel discussion. The film was designed to help as a society to “understand the impact of social media on our brains, lives, and overall civilization.” The goal is about “inspiring self-regulation” and “empowering ourselves to create balance in our lives.”

Questions that the film raises include:

What’s really happening with social media?
Are we addicted?
How do we stop?
Where do we start?
What do we need to know?

After the screening, a panel discussion will take place with experts, such as award-winning Producer and Director Scilla Andreen and Program Medical Director for Children’s and Partial Hospitalization Services Dr. Soad Michelson (who is an SMH parent), and Dr. Geoff Gentry from Clarity Child Guidance Center.

Visit www.thelikemovie.com/about to view clips from the film and join us on Tuesday, October 29 as we continue the conversation at Saint Mary’s Hall.

You are welcome to bring your family, a friend, or a neighbor with you. Please note that both the Upper and Middle School students will see the film on Wednesday, October 30.

Contact: Director of Wellness Dr. Sandra Lopez-Morales at (210) 483-9146 or slopezmorales@smhall.org