The Finest Arts

As many of you know, my office morphs into an art gallery every few weeks when art teachers from each division share their students’ latest masterpieces with me. I enjoy adorning my walls with student artwork not only for the aesthetic appeal, but also because it reminds me of the important benefits of a fine arts education.

Starting with our very youngest students, we foster an environment where self-expression is appreciated and encouraged. Through fine arts classes and special activities, exposure to the arts enriches a student’s education and builds strong skills for the future.

One such activity is the fourth-grade Docent Program that just celebrated its 25th anniversary last week. The Program provides students with an opportunity to share their knowledge of art and design and expand their presentation skills. Beginning in first grade, students visit the Milwaukee Art Museum three times each year and observe docents modeling various ways to present pieces of artwork. In fourth grade, students select their favorite piece of art at the Museum and combine report writing and public speaking into a memorable experience as they present the artwork to family and friends.

The Docent Program is a highlight of the year for Lower School Art Teacher Bob Geniusz, who believes programs like this are crucial to developing well-rounded students. “Docent Night 2013 was a great success,” he says. “The evening began and ended in the wonderful Windover Hall designed by Santiago Calatrava. All of the fourth-graders were well prepared and loved presenting their impressions of their favorite Art Museum works of art to their families and friends.”

It is only appropriate that I also mention the upcoming spring issue of USM Today, which will further explore the fine arts curriculum we provide our students. I hope you enjoy reading about the wonderful ways our students are encouraged to think, express, and create each day.

International Fair Showcases Diversity

Following spring break, I used this space to discuss USM’s strong sense of community as we introduce the Varsity Club, a new way for many of our alumni to reconnect with each other and the School.

This week, I wish to celebrate our School community coming together in another rewarding way at the 2013 International Fair.

The Lower School gymnasium was buzzing with excitement last Friday as students, parents, and faculty members joined together for this day-long event. Students had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the customs and traditions of 13 different countries as they learned about the rich, vibrant, and diverse cultures that make up the USM community.

Fair attendees were treated to interactive games and activities, videos, and musical demonstrations specific to each participating country. Each booth truly felt like a visit to another land!

USM is dedicated to providing opportunities that build a lifelong foundation of active learning for our students. These opportunities are provided both inside and outside of the classroom, and I am proud to lead a School that celebrates its diversity and can conceptualize the study of other cultures through immersion events such as the International Fair.

I want to thank all of our volunteer parents and faculty members for their hard work in putting together this fantastic event for our students. A special thank-you to Middle School Spanish Teacher Jeff Ballentine for taking the reins and coordinating the event this year!

An Expert Perspective

For many Upper School students—as well as many Upper School parents—the task of choosing a college can be quite daunting. I know this firsthand, having gone through the selection process with my children. Although an exciting time for families, the process can often be stressful and time-consuming.

USM is dedicated to providing students and parents with the best resources and assistance when it comes to choosing a college or university. Last week, the Upper School College Guidance department presented its “Evening with the Experts” event. Held annually, this important evening provides parents and students in grades 9-12 with an opportunity to gain valuable perspective on the changing college admissions landscape and ask questions of a panel of experienced leaders in the profession.

This year, USM welcomed three college admissions professionals to the event: Adele Brumfield, Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Recruitment at UW-Madison; Mary Lou Bates, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid at Skidmore College; and Danielle Anderson ’06, Assistant Director of Admission at Washington University in St. Louis.

As I spent some time with our guests during the school day, they were highly complimentary of our four-year College Guidance Program. They were quite impressed by our low student-to-counselor ratio of 43:1, compared to a ratio sometimes as high as 800:1 at schools across the country.

At the event, each admission professional spent a bit of time describing the school she was representing. I was pleased that our large audience was able to hear representatives from three very different schools describe the distinctive student experiences that each offers. They also provided a few insiders’ tips that should prove useful to our students preparing to apply to college. I have briefly summarized those below:

• Pursue your passion: Admissions officers notice students who care deeply about something, whether it’s a particular cause or activity. 
• Do things well: Students who focus their efforts and work to their highest ability are thought of more highly than those who are involved in everything at a mediocre level 
• Be an open book: When reviewing college applications, admissions officers want to be able to get to know students and understand what is important to them.

I would like to acknowledge Susan Zarwell and Robin Miller, Directors of College Guidance, and Linda Dulmes, College Guidance Associate, our “in house” experts, for holding such an informative event. It is crucial that our Upper School families begin to think about college selection early on, and this event gives even our youngest Upper School students a unique perspective on college admissions.

A New Way to Reconnect

Welcome back! As winter weather stubbornly maintains its grasp on Wisconsin (in spite of what the calendar tells us), I hope that everyone in the USM community enjoyed a safe, fun, and refreshing break.

As you know, I take great pride in the strong sense of community that we foster at USM and all the academic and athletic opportunities we offer our students. The lessons of teamwork, leadership, and hard work learned by our student athletes last long beyond their time at USM, as will the relationships they build here. Often the bonds of friendship remain strong but, sometimes in our busy world, team members lose touch – both with each other and the School. Therefore, I am delighted to tell you about our newly formed Varsity Club as a way for our former athletes to reconnect.

The Varsity Club is successfully bringing together MCD, MDS, MUS, and USM varsity letter winners from all sports. From merger-school alumni to our most recent graduating classes, I am pleased to note that, just a month into the program, more than 30 alumni have become members.

Free admission to cheer on the Wildcats at all regularly scheduled USM athletic events and a subscription to the Varsity Club newsletter are just a few of the perks that members enjoy!   

Whether through athletics or by participation in any of the opportunities we offer here, we all benefit when we forge these ties. Our entire community is strengthened by inviting these former School athletes to reconnect.

Everyone interested in learning more is encouraged to visit www.usmk12.org/varsityclub.