What better way to brighten a cloudy, damp fall morning than with a Masquerade March! There were princesses, super heroes, witches, and even Albert Einstein amongst the crowd. The entire School community – including many parents and grandparents – gathered for this new school-wide event.
The highlight for me was to watch students from three Upper School advising groups gently hold the hands of the PK students as they filed into the gymnasium to wrap up the parade.
Everyone had so much fun - the event is ready to become a tradition.
If you were not able to attend the Masquerade, take some time to watch the video – perhaps you will spot your “monster” in the bunch!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Recognizing our Best and Brightest
Earlier this month, USM held a special assembly to induct ten seniors into the Cum Laude Society. We induct students in the top ten percent of the senior class each fall and once again in the spring into the Society. This national organization recognizes high school scholastic achievement and includes the top one percent of all secondary schools in the country. Our students’ presence on the stage represents years of committed work, and we are all so very proud of them.
Congratulations to Gregory Booth, Nicole Flanary, Georgia Hoagland, Holly Janssen, Lindsay Neitzel, Margot Peterson, Blaque Robinson, Julia Rothacker, Ishan Sinha, and Jessica Trinkl.
I encourage you to watch the video of the ten seniors speaking about the academic experiences that changed them.
I’d like to also congratulate our fourteen seniors who were recently recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) for their academic excellence. Since 1955, the NMSC has been identifying and honoring academically talented U.S. high school students based on their Preliminary SAT scores. I proudly commend the following students on being recognized by such a highly-regarded corporation:
Adam Brostowicz, John Casey, Emma Cranston, Nicole Flanary, Margeaux Hagemann, Holly Janssen, Alexis Lindsey, Christopher McGee, Richard Muggli, Blaque Robinson, Julia Rothacker, Samuel Scovil, Ishan Sinha, and Thomas Wheeler.
To learn more about USM’s talented students, visit our Academic Achievement page on our website.
Congratulations to Gregory Booth, Nicole Flanary, Georgia Hoagland, Holly Janssen, Lindsay Neitzel, Margot Peterson, Blaque Robinson, Julia Rothacker, Ishan Sinha, and Jessica Trinkl.
I encourage you to watch the video of the ten seniors speaking about the academic experiences that changed them.
I’d like to also congratulate our fourteen seniors who were recently recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) for their academic excellence. Since 1955, the NMSC has been identifying and honoring academically talented U.S. high school students based on their Preliminary SAT scores. I proudly commend the following students on being recognized by such a highly-regarded corporation:
Adam Brostowicz, John Casey, Emma Cranston, Nicole Flanary, Margeaux Hagemann, Holly Janssen, Alexis Lindsey, Christopher McGee, Richard Muggli, Blaque Robinson, Julia Rothacker, Samuel Scovil, Ishan Sinha, and Thomas Wheeler.
To learn more about USM’s talented students, visit our Academic Achievement page on our website.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
My First History Lesson
Every morning as I walk to my office, I pass through the “Quiet Zone” corridor. The collection of vintage photographs captures my attention as each picture tells a historical story of how USM came to be. I started investigating beyond those walls and discovered more about USM's rich history. I presented my findings to the Lower and Middle School students, and they were fascinated to learn that the first kindergarten and the first gymnasium in the United States were originated by one of USM’s early predecessor schools. I hope you enjoy the presentation too!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Opening the Door
…to new students
This week, parents will receive a mailing from me containing two copies of our recent direct mail piece with a post-it note asking them to pass the piece on to a friend, neighbor or colleague. (This piece has been mailed to prospective families in our area, encouraging them to attend our October 23 Open House.)
While it’s impossible to include all the wonderful aspects of a USM education in a print piece, I believe you will find the piece does contain much of what sets USM apart from other local schools. So please do pass this on. It’s interesting but, despite all the different types of advertising and promotion to which we are all incessantly exposed, word-of-mouth marketing remains the most effective.
…to educational excellence
Another way in which we ask school parents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty and staff to help keep USM strong is by supporting the School’s Annual Giving Program. Thanks to the support of donors from throughout the USM community, annual gifts have a critical impact on the School’s operating budget by opening the door to an outstanding educational experience for each student, attracting and retaining the best faculty, and providing financial aid support. Annual giving allows us to manage tuition increases and bring together qualified students with diverse experiences and backgrounds, building an inclusive school community. So when asked, please give generously.
This week, parents will receive a mailing from me containing two copies of our recent direct mail piece with a post-it note asking them to pass the piece on to a friend, neighbor or colleague. (This piece has been mailed to prospective families in our area, encouraging them to attend our October 23 Open House.)
While it’s impossible to include all the wonderful aspects of a USM education in a print piece, I believe you will find the piece does contain much of what sets USM apart from other local schools. So please do pass this on. It’s interesting but, despite all the different types of advertising and promotion to which we are all incessantly exposed, word-of-mouth marketing remains the most effective.
…to educational excellence
Another way in which we ask school parents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty and staff to help keep USM strong is by supporting the School’s Annual Giving Program. Thanks to the support of donors from throughout the USM community, annual gifts have a critical impact on the School’s operating budget by opening the door to an outstanding educational experience for each student, attracting and retaining the best faculty, and providing financial aid support. Annual giving allows us to manage tuition increases and bring together qualified students with diverse experiences and backgrounds, building an inclusive school community. So when asked, please give generously.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
The Common Trust Matters
My eye was caught recently by the definition of a person of character. The definition was included in an article that appeared in the Crossroads section of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Sunday, September 18. Richard Pieper, Sr. wrote an article entitled “Character development: Why the virtues matter.” (Pieper, chairman of a Milwaukee-based service/construction contractor, is the past president of the Character Education Partnership and one of the founding members of Wisconsin Character Education Partnership.)
He wrote, “A person of character does the right thing no matter the personal cost. The decisions of people of character are driven not by instant gratification but by communal good.”
The article focuses on what structures are in place in public school systems to help children develop character. Nevertheless, what stood out to me was how the definition reinforces the importance of our Common Trust.
The Common Trust is the basic philosophy of community behavior at University School and is expressed in this pledge: "We, the members of the University School community, accept the Common Trust: We agree to relate to one another and the School with respect, trust, honesty, fairness, and kindness."
At USM, living according to the Common Trust cultivates respect, responsibility, and caring in the classroom and beyond. Working in partnership with our parents, our educators play a vital role not only in developing better students, but in developing better people. Student assemblies in each division, discussion groups, and grade-level retreats and activities define and reinforce these tenets. Faculty, staff, and students extend courtesy and consideration to one another. Our students feel safe taking risks and facing new challenges in an atmosphere of support and mutual respect.
This year, our Common Trust school theme is Honesty. Read what our prefects had to say on this topic on Opening Day or watch the Opening Day video.
He wrote, “A person of character does the right thing no matter the personal cost. The decisions of people of character are driven not by instant gratification but by communal good.”
The article focuses on what structures are in place in public school systems to help children develop character. Nevertheless, what stood out to me was how the definition reinforces the importance of our Common Trust.
The Common Trust is the basic philosophy of community behavior at University School and is expressed in this pledge: "We, the members of the University School community, accept the Common Trust: We agree to relate to one another and the School with respect, trust, honesty, fairness, and kindness."
At USM, living according to the Common Trust cultivates respect, responsibility, and caring in the classroom and beyond. Working in partnership with our parents, our educators play a vital role not only in developing better students, but in developing better people. Student assemblies in each division, discussion groups, and grade-level retreats and activities define and reinforce these tenets. Faculty, staff, and students extend courtesy and consideration to one another. Our students feel safe taking risks and facing new challenges in an atmosphere of support and mutual respect.
This year, our Common Trust school theme is Honesty. Read what our prefects had to say on this topic on Opening Day or watch the Opening Day video.
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