Our school hours are slightly different this year, so check out our School Hours Schedule if you are unsure of start and end times.

The Fall 2010 Lower School Clubs Packet is available online.  Get signed up now, as spaces fill up quickly!

Lower School Clubs Packet

Congratulations to the Class of 2010 on their matriculation!!

The Middle School production of Almost Alice in Wonderland will be presented this Thursday and Friday evening at 7:00 PM in Garner Center. The play will not be presented this year as an assembly, so your only chance to see it will be one of these two evenings.

Middle School Students attending will be granted a jean dress down day Tuesday, June 2nd.  Please come support your classmates!

Science Olympiad at FAU – finished tenth in the region (competed in only 15/20 events); had one second place and three third place (team of two) finishes: James Callado, Sarah Rutland, Bradley Jean-Baptiste, Eduardo Rangel, Neil Mehta, Shahil Mehta, Dan Goldfarb, Kashif Fulton, Andrea Szerer, Justin Paluch and Jill Tunis

Jets Competition – (at FIU) these tenth graders finished FIRST in their age group (9-10) regionally, Fourth in State, and 31st Nationally: Eduardo Rangel, Jasmin Oliveira, Sarah Rutland, Bharat Chandar, Ian Gonzalez, Dylan Schwartz, Neil Mehta and James Callado

JETS team (11-12 grade) finished fourth in the region, 17th in State, and 160th Nationally): Dan Goldfarb, Kevin Goldfarb, Bradley Jean-Baptiste, Raquel Papu, Jill Tunis, Lilian Hommes and Zach Berger

The first year Physics finished fourth as a team: Alan Moreno, Natasha Cirisano, Zoe Respondek, Andrea Szerer, Kashif Fulton and Hannah Roden

National News - Congratulations to Elliot Starkman!  He participated in the National Elementary Championships in Atlanta this past weekend.  How did Elliot do in his first-ever National tournament?   He brought home a 25th Place trophy in the K-1 section!  Wow!  Congratulations to Elliot!

Miami Country Day Grand Prix Results

· The Miami Country Day Grand Prix finished hosting its six-tournament series.  After that final tournament, trophies were awarded for the results of that tournament in addition to overall results for all six tournaments.  They were:

Grand Prix Team Results (include the whole season of six tournaments)
MCDS K-12 Team finished in 1st Place for the year.
MCDS K-1 Team finished in 2nd Place for the year.
MCDS K-8 Team finished in 4th Place for the year.

Grand Prix Individual Results (include the whole season of six tournaments)

Elliot Starkman finished in 2nd Place for the year in the K-1 section.
Adrien Pitchman finished in 2nd place for the year in the K-12 section.
Andre Harper-Rosenberg finished in 3rd Place for the year in the K-3 section.
Moshe Libbin finished in 5th Place for the year in the K-12 section.
Giovanni Cragnotti finished in 9th Place for the year in the K-12 section.
Miroslav Kriz finished in 10th Place for the year in the K-12 section.

Tournament #6 Results

MCDS K-12 Team (Pitchman, Neil Mehta, Giovanni Cragnotti, Moshe Libbin, Miroslav Kriz, Shadi Tabbara, Albert Katz, & Eduardo Rangel) finished in 1st Place!

MCDS K-8 Team (David Gonzalez, Sascha Kappos, Julian Schultz, Jordan Rosendorf) finished in 2nd Place!
This was our first ever middle school trophy.  Congratulations!

MCDS K-1 Team (Starkman, Nathan Gumenick, & Christopher Basile) finished in 3rd Place.

Individual

Elliot Starkman finished in 4th Place in the K-1 section.
Andre Harper-Rosenberg finished tied for 5th Place in the K-3 section.
Adrien Pitchman tied for 5th Place in the K-12 section.

David Gonzalez finished in 6th Place in the K-8 section.

You can now view Quarter 4 Interim Reports here:

http://netrecords.miamicountryday.org/NetClassroom7/Forms/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fNetClassroom7%2fDefault.aspx

Want artwork from renowned artists including Romero Britto and Pervis Young for only $50?!

Want to discover the next famous artist of our generation?

Then the spARTan Show is where you need to be Friday, April 30, 2010 at 7 pm!

Enjoy an elegant evening in Wynwood browsing through hundreds of original 6” x 8” art pieces designed by professional artists, students, faculty and parents,; purchasing your favorite pieces for $50 each and discovering who your favorite artists are when the name is revealed to you after your purchase.

Friday, April 30, 2010 | 7:00 to 11:00 p.m.
Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts Gallery
2043 North Miami Avenue |Wynwood
www.miamicountryday.org/spARTanRSVP

Your participation and support will help fund an Endowed Teaching Chair in Fine Arts at Miami Country Day School. Miami Country Day School is a qualified 501(c)3 organization and gifts are deductible for income tax purposes as provided by law.

Please congratulate the following students for participating in Doodle for Google:
Michelle Yakobi, Jasper Wolf,  Eduardo Dana, Julia Bernstein, Izzy Goihman,  Isabel Brous, Evelyn Abramowitz, Molli Leoni, Daniela Saffran, Margherita Lionello, Zach Charalambides, Kayla Rosen, Tamara Lilenbaum, Ariel Kayton, Alexa Altman and Chloe Chua
 
They did a beautiful job as you will see on the attached poster!

Lower School Peer Helpers did a bake sale raising $630 for an organization called my animals Rock.

Below is the message posted on the My Animals Rock website:
WE WOULD LIKE TO GIVE HUGE HEARFELT THANKS TO SOME VERY SPECIAL MIAMI COUNTRY DAY 5TH GRADE STUDENTS WHO SHOWED THEIR COMPASSION FOR ANIMALS BY HOSTING A BAKESALE TO BENEFIT MY ANIMALS ROCK.  OLIVIA, AMELIA AND KATARINA APPROACHED THEIR ADVISOR, SUSAN GLICK, WITH THE PROPOSAL TO RAISE MONEY FOR ANIMALS IN NEED. AFTER THE PROPOSAL WAS ACCEPTED ,THE 5TH GRADE LEADERSHIP GROUP(PEER HELPERS), CONSISTING OF  Olivia, Amelia, Calypso, Rebecca, Luna, Gabriella, Griffin, Arthur, Jordan, Jonah and Riley  PUT ON THEIR CHEF’S HATS AND BAKED AND PREPARED FRUIT KABOBS AND CHOCOLATE COVERED STRAWBERRIES WHICH WERE  SOLD DURING LUNCH. 

THERE WAS SUCH AN OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FOR THIS CAUSE THAT ONE STUDENT,FLYNN,WHO WAS NOT EVEN A FIFTH GRADER, PUT FORTH HIS INDEPENDENT EFFORT AND BAKED COOKIES TO SELL AT THE BAKE SALE TO RAISE ADDITIONAL MONEY. THERE WERE ALSO MANY STUDENTS AND PARENTS THAT PUSHED THE FUNDRAISER OVER THE TOP WITH THEIR DONATIONS.

FOR THEIR EFFORTS, THE STUDENTS RAISED $630  WHICH WILL GO A LONG WAY TO HELP ABANDONED, ABUSED AND INJURED DOGS AND CATS.  SPECIFICALLY, THAT MONEY WILL PAY OFF THE VET BILL FOR ELLA, WHO HAD DOUBLE EYE CATARACT SURGERY 4 MONTHS AGO. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO PAY HER SURGERY DOWN(IT WAS ALMOST $4,000) AND WE HAVE $500 LEFT. THE DONATION FROM THIS BAKE SALE WILL ALLOW US TO PAY OFF THE VET BILL!!!

Third Grade student, Andre Harper-Rosenberg has been accepted to a two week orchestra/violin intensive art camp this summer in Interlochen, Michigan. "Thanks for MCDS's great music program!"

Students in the Key Club at Miami Country Day School help tutor students at Miami Shores Elementary School and play a key role in keeping alive a valuable program - the All-Aboard literacy program - that would have been lost because of financial cut-backs. As of today, All-Aboard has dropped from over 30 participating schools to only 2 with Miami Shores being the most successful because of our Miami Country Day students.

In a letter from the Program Coordinator about our student volunteer, it reads "... I’ve heard from Miami Shores that you have been a tremendous help in the after school program.  As you noticed there aren’t enough staff to help the children with their homework.  Carmen tells me that the moment the children see you they come running.  I’m so happy to hear this."

Success is becoming tradition with the Spartan Chess Club, as we brought home four more trophies to put on the shelf at the 5^th Grand Prix tournament held right here at MCDS on Sunday, March 7^th.

With a 2^nd Place finish, Elliot Starkman continued his success in the K-1 division by earning his fifth individual trophy in what was the largest group in the K-1 division all year.  The team of Starkman, Filippo Sbroggió, and Nathan Gumenick earned a 3^rd Place team trophy, our third of the season.  Well done, team!

Finishing in 2^nd Place, Andre Harper-Rosenberg earned his fifth individual trophy of the season by winning 4 out of his 5 games in the K-3 division.  One of those five trophies was earned at the Southern Regional tournament in January, where he finished in an impressive 6^th Place out of 66 entries.  Congratulations to our Lower School players and sponsor Mr. Jonathan Knowles. 

The competition in the K-12 (high school) division continues to grow along with the quality of chess.   Our K-12 team won 2^nd Place, their fifth team trophy of the year.  Daniel Goldfarb & Bharat Chandar both tied for 4^th place overall with 3.5 out of 5 points.  Adrien Pitchman, Miroslav Kriz, and Michael Viamonte also played well for the Spartans, winning 3 out of their 5 matches.  Congratulations to our Upper School players and sponsor Mr. Peter Konen.

In the most recently played Friday Quads @ MCDS event on February 19th, Daniel Goldfarb, Bharat Chandar, and Shaun Bitar were the quad winners from the MCDS community. 

MCDS will be represented at the upcoming chess events:  

Friday, March 20-21: 2010 Florida Scholastic Superstate VII Championships, Miami, FL

Friday, April 16-18: 2010 National Senior High Championship, Columbus, OH

Saturday, May 1: Miami Country Day Grand Prix #6

A special thanks goes to the people that spent time at the event helping to ensure a great experience for the 138 participants along with their families and coaches: Carroll Kelly, Diana & Jason Starkman, Jasmine Lake, Noelia Vaccaro, Jonathan Knowles, Phil Cahill, Daniel Goldfarb, and Giovanni Cragnotti.  Thanks also go to many other contributors, including Chuck Sennett, Mike Caban, Joe Kules, Brenda Mora, Leo Milanes, Adrian Garcia, Steve Charles, Tech Support, and Peter Konen.  The setup and cleanup assistance from Grant Siegel, Michael Viamonte, Chris Hayes, Scott Blair, Victor Dias Roncoletta, Natalie Agudo, John Davies, Margaux Galitz, Summer Galitz, Devon Rivkind, & Kevin Rodriguez is greatly appreciated.

For more information on the Spartan Chess Club or chess events, follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/spartanchess, or feel free to contact me at hutskom@miamicountryday.org.

Middle School students recently organized a candy gram to raise money to buy smiles for the children in need through Operation Smile.

Congratulations to this year's DAANS Star Award recipients Megan Mosheim, Alec Koss, John Schamy and Jenny Roude. A Star Student sets an example for others to follow, whether in the home, school or community. A Star Student excels in one or more of these areas: academics, community service, citizenship, fine arts, athletics, student activities, perseverance, effort, dedication, commitment to positive goals, improvement in performance, and attitude. They will be honored at the DAANS Star Luncheon on April 21, 2010 at the Miami Mart Hotel.

Congratulations to the following students who made superior and excellent ratings in their prepared music at the Florida Orchestra Association and Florida Vocal Association Solo and Ensemble event. Marina Tabarra, Gina Macropulos, Valentina Lopez-Diaz, Luna Fayad, Gabriella Stigmamiglio, Emily Dalmas, David Gonzalez, Emily Windsor, Arman Medina, Katherine Obermeyer, Rachel Angel, Morgan Furlong, Justin Paluch, Elizabeth Finny, Shadi Tabbara, Noah Friedman, Victoria Perez, Neil Mehta, Sasha Brigante, Larissa Liburd, Claire Long, Manolis Macropulos, Bharat Chandar, Marni Weiss, Camille Martayan, Sophia Sandoval, Lenee Blot, and Shalini Chandar.  This took a lot of work, preparation and courage to stand in front of a judge.  Bravo!

Miami Country Day School hosted the fourth annual Miami-Dade County High School Soccer Coaches / Soccer Locker Senior All-Star games on February 27. Congratulations to the following senior varsity soccer players on playing in their final high school soccer game in the All-Star game: Maggie Piper, Chelsea Brown, Quinton Watson, Jacky Sasson, Alex Dubovoy, Adam Holsing and David Naranjo. Quinton Watson and Jacky have been invited to play in the FACA senior all-star game in Ocala, FL March 12 & 13.

Our 8^th grade service learning focus this year has been Homelessness in Florida. The students have engaged in multiple activities which have educated them on this matter. They volunteered at local homeless organizations; they have done research on current statistics, and have met with advocates for the homeless. Last January, the class traveled to Washington DC and met with Florida state legislators to share with them what they had learned and advocated for the homeless in our state.  One of our groups visited Senator Bill Nelson’s office and spoke with him and his staff about current legislation to help alleviate this quandary that affects many residents of Florida. 

The Miami HEAT, American Airlines Arena, and Spirit Cheer are thrilled to present the...
 
8th Annual "Bringing' the HEAT!" Miami Cheer & Dance Nationals!

The largest cheer and dance competition in Miami, February 20 and 21, 2010.
Admission: (Adults) $20.00 online, and $25.00 (at the door day of event).
(Students) $10.00 online, and $15.00 (at the door day of event).
http://cheer.heatexperience.com

Dee Dee, Colby, Samantha, Katie, Elizabeth
Coaches: Juliette and Annette Fulton
MCDS Cheerleaders will perform at 1:10PM at the American Airlines Arena

Golf and Tennis Tournament Website

 7:30 a.m. Golf Registration & Breakfast
9:00 a.m. Tennis Registration
12:30 p.m. Lunch, Auction & Presentation of Awards

Friday, February 5, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade Miami Country Day School students hosted students from Calvary Christian Academy, Gulliver Academy, Hubert O’Sibley Elementary, and Miami Shores Elementary.  Students in Pakistan and the San Francisco Bay area also joined us through video clips during the opening ceremony.  This is our local version of the international environmental YouthCaN conference held in various locations throughout the world. http://www.youthcanworld.org/index.html

The unique thing about this conference is that all the workshops are taught by children.  For a showcase of 21st Century skills in action…please see the attached program to view all the exciting topics and activities taught by our students and our guests.

One of the highlights of the day was the unveiling of a new MCDS website designed by our own Matthew Cohen.  www.powerfromthesun.us  He began his YouthCaN adventure in the 4th grade and has continued his dedication to our solar cooking projects over the years.  His desire to blend our existing Haitian solar cooking projects with new relief projects for the earthquake victims has resulted in an ongoing funding and educational resource on his website.  Hats off to Matthew!

Video of Miami Country Day School’s participation of the YouthCaN conference in New York can be viewed at:  http://www.myhero.com/myhero/go/filmfestival/viewfilm.asp?film=rowenagerber&res=high
We thank Fairchild Tropical Botanic Gardens and Leonard and Jayne Abess for sponsoring this outstanding opportunity for our student.

Check out pictures on Spartans Corner!

10 Upper School student teams participated in an Iron Chef type cooking competition where they were asked to use a given set of ingredients to assemble and present a dish in front of a live audience within a 15 minute time limit.  The dishes were judged based on the criteria of taste, creativity, presentation, and use of the secret ingredient (kiwi) which was revealed at the last minute.  Judges were Jackie Packar (alumna of MCDS and chef owner of Pink’s Catering), Piero Filpi (owner of multiple South Florida restaurants), and a team of students from the Johnson and Wales cooking school.  This event was designed by Dr. April Vogel, Upper School Guidance Counselor, as part of the Theater for Social Change program which is focusing this year on eating and the prevention of eating disorders.  Cooking for yourself was highlighted as fun and a healthy way to eat.  Winners of the competition were:  1st place:  Emerson Rosenthal and Santiago Hurtado, 2nd place:  Larissa Liburd and Katherine Obermeyer, 3rd place: Ashley Hatcher and David Anusontarangkul.

The faculty and staff of Miami Country Day School are committed to continuous improvement of all aspects of our school so that every child entrusted to us receives the full benefits of an excellent learning environment. To that end, we are seeking input from our parents about what we do well and what we can do to improve via a confidential telephone-based survey of randomly selected parents.

In order to ensure objectivity and confidentiality, we have retained a local firm, The Doug Williams Group, to conduct these surveys, analyze the results and assist us in focused implementation of improvements. Representatives of The Doug Williams Group will randomly select parents, contact them by telephone, and ask them to participate in the survey. The survey contains ten (10) questions and will take approximately ten (10) minutes to complete. Participation is entirely voluntary. Survey results and parent comments will be summarized and reported, however, no results or comments will be attributed to the individual who participated in the survey.

The survey will be conducted during the time period February 8, 2010 through February 26, 2010. If you are not randomly selected to participate in the survey, but would still like to give us your feedback, please contact Ms. Susana Pando-Taupier (Client Service Manager) at The Doug Williams Group via phone (305-598-9880) or via email (susana@thedougwilliamsgroup.com) to arrange an interview. If you have any questions about this process, please contact Mr. Doug Williams (Chief Executive Officer) at The Doug Williams Group via phone (305-598-9880) or via email (doug@thedougwilliamsgroup.com).

Thank you in advance for your participation in this process as we strive to continue to improve Miami Country Day School.

Click here for the report.

Join Spartan Chess this week as International Master John Donaldson participates in a simul-play, 20-match exhibition against players from Miami Country Day on Thursday! (Flyer)

Then, come back Friday as IM Donaldson and National Master Eric Rodriguez clash in an epic match!  Each player will play from a separate room and comment on the game as it progresses! (Flyer)

Continue your weekend of Chess at the Miami Country Day Grand Prix USCF rated chess tournament.  Please contact Mr. Michael Hutsko (hutskom@miamicountryday.org) with any inquiries and get your registration in as soon as possible! (Flyer)

Our Guidance Department recently hosted a Q&A session with a panelist of experts in the subjects of diet, nutrition, and self-image.  Find out what they had to say... (read more)

The Theater for Social Change Program at MCDS received a $50,000 matching grant this May from the Edward E. Ford Foundation. The program is one of the highlighted projects of interest. Congratulations to Pam Locker and Jonina Pitchman and all of the students who have made this program a success. Save the date for the 2010 Production of EAT: It's Not About Food on February 5-6, 2010.  Check out the website here to see the information about this great program.

As a follow up to the Veteran's Day tribute and the Thanksgiving Holiday, the entire Middle School wrote letters and made thank you cards to soldiers. Please take a look at the following website which inspired this project, it also has some sample letters: www.amillionthanks.org  
There is also a nice YouTube clip that can be played to inspire them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLfcffscX-Q

Congratulations to Scott Brennan whose poetry has been accepted by The Christian Science Monitor, Notre Dame Review, Magnolia, and 2River to be published this Fall.

On Halloween, the Upper School Spartan Chess Club, sponsored by Peter Konen, brought home its second 1st Place trophy!  The team won the K-12 (high school) division at the second of six Grand Prix tournaments hosted by MCDS.  In addition to the team victory, Moshe Libbin won a 5th Place trophy in a very competitive high school division, with his only loss being to the individual champion.  Michael Fine also did very well for the Spartans, finishing with 4 wins in 5 matches.  Ian Gonzalez, Devon Zifferblatt, A.J. Pitchman, & Shadi Tabbara all had winning records for the day and represented MCDS well.
 
From the Lower School, Elliot Starkman won his second trophy of the year for finishing in 3rd place in the K-1 division.  Andre Harper-Rosenberg, also a repeat trophy-winner, finished in 5th place in the K-3 section.  Christopher Basile scored for the K-1 MCDS team in his first ever rated tournament.
 
Registrations have grown from 117 participants in the first tournament to 146 entrants this past Saturday.  The next tournament will take place on December 5 in Garner Center. 
 
An event of this magnitude cannot take place without the help of many.  Diana Starkman, Carroll Kelly, Jasmine Lake, Peter Konen, Jonathan Knowles, Mike Caban, Kristi Kassebaum, Jennifer Kahn, Chuck Sennett, Leo Milanes, and Adrian Garcia all helped make MCDS an enjoyable place for families and players to enjoy a day of chess.  Thank you!  
 
If you would like to be added to the Spartan Chess Club mailing list, please send an email request to hutskom@miamicountryday.org.

We are pleased to announce that we have five students that have been accepted into All State ensembles this year. The most we have had in recent times. The All State students are Valentina Lopez Diaz, Zach Kappos, Katrina Herrera, Manolis Marcropulos. and Claire Long.

Ten years ago (1999)..our students helped to save the most important artifact in Miami’s history: The Miami Circle:  Now art teacher, (who led the charge at our school) Yvonne Moyer has written, a children’s book about  that event, the  artifacts found and what the students did to save it.

MillieMay and the Miami Circle is about a exciting field trip to the Miami River to see the circle and a visit with an archaeologist. He shows the students the artifacts which range from ax heads to teeth from which they learn the  about the life of the early Tequesta Indians who populated this area. MillieMay’s imagination takes off until she is interacting with the Tequesta children.

Mrs. Moyer presented a reading of the book in the Children’s Alley at the Miami Book Fair in November and will be presenting the book as part of the early history of Miami to our lower school students in early December.  This is a book full of facts, colorful illustrations and a story  seen through the eyes of a Miami Country Day Student.  There is also a MillieMay doll complete with uniform, backpack and a “Save the Circle” badge to go with the book.  The story will be enjoyed by lower school students of all ages.

By: Terry Alfonso, Asst. Lower School Director and Brenda Holsing, Lower School Teacher

With the belief that continual growth is an essential characteristic of an outstanding educator, and the knowledge that teacher professional growth does positively impact student learning, Miami Country Day School strives to provide training/learning opportunities for teachers and administrators.  In the Lower School, we have recently had teachers in the student role through an on-campus workshop and an off campus field trip.

On November 3rd, first, second, and third grade teachers attended a workshop on implementation of our new Literacy series, VOICES.  This series promotes achievement through literacy and character.  Training took place during the summer for preparation for the school year. The November training was designed to follow up on teacher questions, support in future planning, and refine implementation of the program. Teachers met by grade level with the VOICES national consultant, Anne O’ Mara and then had a culminating meeting with the various grade levels together. The discussions were insightful and furthered evidence of the power of teacher networking.

On Friday, November 6th, 14 LS teachers and administrators attended an in-service field trip to The United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education.  The United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education which opened in 2007, is an innovative learning, teaching, and training initiative dedicated to elevating the quality of early care and education in Miami-Dade and beyond.  The Center models proven best practices, and as a demonstration school, shares those practices with adult learners including parents, educators, and child care providers.  The Center also works with business leaders and lawmakers to raise the standards of early childhood education, and support sustainable and lasting change”.

With 120 students ages 4 months to 4 years, the Center is currently working on implementing Project Zero and Visible Thinking at the early childhood level.  Project Zero, a research group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has investigated the development of learning processes in children, adults, and organizations since 1967. Today, Project Zero is building on this research to help create communities of reflective, independent learners; to enhance deep understanding within disciplines; and to promote critical and creative thinking. Project Zero's mission is to understand and enhance learning, thinking, and creativity in the arts, as well as humanistic and scientific disciplines, at the individual and institutional levels.”  While Project Zero has been implemented and tested for elementary to upper school, Project Zero Miami is approaching Visible Thinking at the early childhood ages through introductory vocabulary and thinking routines that help develop early problem solving skills. A key premise of the Visible Thinking approach is to seek ways to uncover and document students’ thinking so it can be discussed, reflected upon, and extended.

Lower School teachers are passionate about what they do.  Their desire for growth truly speaks to our mission as a community of learners!

Miami Country Day School held a Veterans Day Tribute Wednesday morning. Students and faculty joined together to stand for the singing of the National Anthem by Upper School student, Katherine Obermeyer. They also watched a short video, Veteran’s Day Tribute, and listened to some inspirational and moving words from Charly Bates, a Vietnam War veteran and Director of MCDS COEP. The ceremoney ended with the playing of Taps by Upper School students and Music Director, John Wicker.

Despite the rain, hundreds showed their colors - in shades of pink - at the Miami Country Day School's Annual Breast Cancer Walk

Rain, Rain, go away……although it didn’t go away,  it certainly didn’t dampen the spirit of our MCDS Families! 

A special THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our Spartan Family Day!
Our Walk for Cancer raised over $21,000 and we are still counting;

A very special thank you to Student Chairs - Summer Galitz, Lissy Rabin, Hannah Roden and Mallorie Thomas.  Student Co-Chairs – Sophia Lakhani, Michelle Weintraub, Paige Weinkle and Dylan Schwartz.
We would like to thank our Locks of Love participants:  Seniors; Morgan Furlong, Rachael Kamlet, Justin Paluch and Michelle Weintraub’s sister Staci Weintraub; Sixth grader Maddie Hertz’s Mother, Connie Hertz;  Roxana Colongo from Development and Charly ‘Bear’ Bates from COEP.

Ashley Hatcher, Class of 2011, was recently recognized as a USA Water Polo Academic All-American for the 2008-09 academic year.  The letter she received says: “This is a remarkable achievement, combining as it does a commitment to performing at the highest standards in sport and academics.  Among eligible USA WP athletes, only 4.1 percent were selected for the honor of Academic All-American.” 

Parents are committed to College Prep and Independent Schools...
An excerpt taken from the Blog from NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools) President, Pat Bassett
 
All NAIS schools that I know of are "college-prep" schools, including the elementary schools, and the Montessori and Waldorf schools, and even the LD schools, by which I mean that parents choose our schools because they want their kids to go to college and to be successful there, and they somehow have figured out what the record shows (and NAIS points to in documentation from various studies [see the National Educational Longitudinal Study and the Higher Educational Research Institute study]): NAIS independent schools are wildly and disproportionately successful in delivering on that “college-prep” promise. While private schools educate only about 10% of the school-age population (and independent schools only 1%), anywhere from 20–40% of the freshmen classes of the highly selective colleges and universities come from private schools (and we’re told a disproportionate percentage of those are from independent schools), mainly because these colleges know our schools and know that our students will succeed in their program. It is likely this factor will improve our college admissions records at the most selective colleges for years to come, given the accountability (graduation rates) pressure colleges and universities are under.

The distinction we need to make and continue to clarify is the bias of the Economist article: that independent schools' purpose is to matriculate students to a handful (about 10 or 12) of the most selective colleges and universities. Actually, for one thing, there are about 250 colleges and universities out of about 3000 four-year liberal arts colleges and universities that are actually selective: For many, if not most, of the rest, all you have to do is show up with a high school diploma, a pulse, and a checkbook: hence the abysmal graduation rate from college, overall (around 50%). But secondly, and more importantly, what we can promise and do deliver on is that our graduates will be matched to the right college, the one they belong at and will be successful at. And again, the data shows that it's the match that in the long run is the most important factor for success: Not "where" you went to college, but "what" you do at college is what tracks with later success in life.
To read Bassett’s blog in full, click here.

The fifth grade had the opportunity to meet William Belsey, a much sought-after speaker and presenter on the topics of bullying, cyberbullying, technology integration, innovation, community development and global education. He has presented at many conferences across Canada and around the world. He gave a multimedia presentation for students about being able to create positive change.

He is the creator and facilitator of www.bullying.org, the world’s most-visited and referenced Website about bullying. www.bullying.org has won many awards including the Childnet International Award that goes to Internet initiatives that make the world a better and safer place for young people and was a finalist for the Stockholm Challenge Award, an award that has been referred to as “The Nobel Prize of the IT (Information Technology) world.Mr. Belsey is the creator of www.cyberbullying.org, the world’s first Website about the issue of cyberbullying, in fact, he is often cited as the first person to introduce and define this word.

National Honor Society
Congratulations to the 42 students who were inducted into the National Honor Society Kenneth L. Harris Chapter and Alecia Sachs, NHS Sponsor. Special thanks to Glenna Milberg from Channel 10 for addressing the students and families.

Natalie Agudo Colby Allen Josh Aronson Oliver Berens Zach Berger Marissa Bolton Sasha Brigante Alex Brody Jordanna Cantor Bharat Chandar Katie Chaplin Feliper Croitoru James Callado Daniel Goldfarb

Ian Gonzalez Alan Hershkowich Adam Holsing Rachael Kamlet Tiffany Kontoyiannis Neil Mehta Samantha Meiselman Alan Moreno Jasmin Olivera Justin Paluch Leon Papu Carlos Perez Victoria Perez Maggie Piper

AJ Pitchman Elisabeth Rabin Devon Rivkind Josh Robins Kevin Rodrigues Sabrina Rudolph Sarah Rutland John Schamy Dylan Schwartz Matthew Seif Khadijah Stephen Andrea Szerer Stefania Taic Miguel Villaquiran

National Junior Honor Society

Congratulations to the following students who were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society L.B. Sommers Chapter.  Special thanks to David Kahn '97 for addressing the students and families.

 

 Ninth Grade

Maurizio Boano Carol Civre Isabel Docal Alexa Halvorssen

Sydney Iadarola Catherine Kriendler Jared Robins Henry Roden Jessika Roude

Jenny Roude Augusto Vaccaro Michael Viamonte Avery Watson

Eighth Grade

Alexandra Akimov Mateo Bolivar Ellen Gelman Isaac Kassab

Hunter Kravitz Grace Lumbreras Gioanna Macropulos Isabela Osorio Winona Paez

Sophia Peraticos Adam Seif Steven Soriano  William Urban

Seventh Grade

Ryan Amoils Amanda Baldor Spencer Berens  Mila Boano Marco Cartolano Jorge Castro Shalini Chandar Felix Elfering Elizabeth Finny

David Franco Paul-Julien Giraud Ryan Gomez  David Gonzalez Sydney Jones Jackie Lash  Stephanie Mackenzie Pablo Mejia Danielle Saad

Julian Schultz Jason Stein Megan Tate  Blake Thomas Adriana Vivas Ruben Volovitz Justin Walker Margaux Walker  Marni Weiss

 

 

Third grade students are participating in the My Hero Project, an international internet based project to recognize people who make a significant impact on our everyday lives.  Our heroes are all Miami residents who have made significant contributions to our community.  Each class focused on a different person and topic. 

Mr. Knowles’ class interviewed Becky Matkov who is working to preserve Miami’s historic landmarks.  Mrs. Parizo and Mrs. Mink interviewed Gil Naranjo and Eloisa Echazábal who were part of Operation Pedro Pan in the early 1960’s and are now working on creating historic archives about Pedro Pan at three local universities.  Mrs. McKinnon’s class interviewed Mr. Leonard Abess '62 who has supported our community through the Mt. Sinai Neonatal unit, UM’s Environmental studies program and our own ACES lab. 

Mrs. McKinnon’s students learned about Mr. Abess by reading and listening to online articles and talking to Mrs. Gerber about the impact Mr. Abess has had on our school through his sponsoring the ACES program.  Once the students completed their research on Mr. Abess, they thought of questions to ask him about his background and how he decided to devote so much of his life to the environment and helping other people.  Mr. Abess came to campus on October 2nd and the children got a chance to meet him and interview him.  After the interview the students used the computers to create drawings and record the responses he gave to their questions.  All of the information will be posted on the MyHero website.

 In honor of Banned Books Week (9/26 - 10/3), the School Newspaper, The Spartacus , featured an online photo gallery of teachers and students posing while wearing an "I read banned books" pin and holding a favorite book that has been banned.  Check out the link to see if you might have read one of these most frequently banned books.  

Special thanks to our student artists & musicians and the entire Art Department, Music Department and COEP Program for their successful presentations at the grand opening of Village Place in Miami Shores. It was a lovely community event at which many schools and organizations were represented and Miami Country Day’s displays reflected our arts and outdoor education programs.

The art show was an exciting combination of Upper School colorful hand built ceramic boxes, masks and pots, as well as hand painted photography of face close-ups. Middle School had a broad variety of work including recycled soda can flowers, plaster board relief sculptures, plaster figures in various poses, cut paper molas, and positive/negative black and white imaginary creatures. Lower School was represented by a large table set as The Dinner Of The Masters, complete with place settings with paintings representing the work of 49 different artists (produced by 5th grade students), cups, plates and flatware as well as invitations, menus and creative descriptions of a piece of the artists work were included.

The Jazz Band performed a concert in the park for the many guests strolling Second Avenue and COEP set up a demonstration in Memorial Park. Thank you to everyone who participated and visited during the evening. Click here to view pictures of the evening.
 

Saturday, October 24
7:30 am
Walk for Cancer registration
 Benefits the University of Miami WCA and the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
8:30 am
Walk for Cancer
 5k through Miami Shores
10:30 am
MCDS vs Westminster Christian homecoming football game
12 to 2 pm
Family BBQ with swimming, dunk tank, bounce house & lots of fun games 
1:00 pm
Cake cutting in celebration of the future Katherine E. Franco Center for Learning Resources

Look for Homecoming Week / Spirit Week pictures and stories in Spartans Corner and the Spartacus online.
www.thespartacus.org/

National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
Tara Gavcovich, Shahil Mehta, Matthew Murawski and Emerson Rosenthal

National Achievement Scholarship Program
Larissa Liburd

AP Scholars (grades of 3 or higher on 3 or more AP exams)
Michelle Abeckjerr, Jake Friedman, Tara Gavcovich, Lily Harriman, Adam Lelchuk, Claire Long, Jane McDonough, Hersila Patel and Ann Siassipour

AP Scholars with Honor (average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more AP exams)
Sanford Aronson, Shadia Ayoub, Morgan Furlong, Kyle Ginzburg, Matthew Green, Larissa Liburd, Jack Long, Amanda Montenegro, Matthew Murawski, Emerson Rosenthal, Meredith Rutland, Alexander Sanchez, Alexandra Schwartz and Natasha Vlahovic

AP Scholars with Distinction (average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more AP exams)
Kelly Bonilla, Arjun Chandar, Nora Cohen, Peter Edelson, Kevin Goldfarb, Nicole Holtz, Samuel Huber, Max Kirkpatrick, Adrian Mahoney, Shahil Mehta, Michael Sale, Nicole Savdie, Eric Smith and Samuel Villoldo

National AP Scholar (average grade of at least 4 on all AP exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of AP exams)
Arjun Chandar, Peter Edelson, Nicole Holtz, Samuel Huber and Nicole Savdie

National Hispanic Recognition Program 2008-09 Finalists
Tara Gavcovich
Kyle Ginzburg
Kevin Goldfarb
Matthew Murawski

This award identifies outstanding Hispanic/Latino high school students who were selected from a pool of over 200,000 students who took the 2008 PSAT/NMSQT/PAA and identified themselves as Hispanic/Latino. 

On Wednesday, fifth graders gained experience challenging themselves physically at FIU’s High Ropes Course. But the day was not just about physical challenge. “I didn’t realize how high the rope was until I climbed the ladder and looked down,” was the comment which triggered the conversation about “perspective”, the way we look at things in life affects the way we act.
“Today I pushed myself through my fear and walked the high rope,” another quote engaging students in thinking about fears and challenges and the reward that comes from such hard work.  Best of all, students are asking when can they return!  Just another great day in the learning of fifth graders at Miami Country Day School. Here is a link to more pictures.

Last week, the 8th grade began their community service initiative for the year, which will focus on homelessness.  The goal for the day was to dispel myths surrounding this topic with a combination of both on and off campus activities.  The day started with a Hunger Banquet in Garner Center, followed by visits to four shelters around town. The 8th graders were divided into groups. They visited, served food and met with homeless men, women, and children. The students were able to get a first hand impression of what it means to be homeless and how someone can end up in this situation. They went to the Salvation Army, Community Partnership for the Homeless, Roots in the City, and Camillus House.  The students and teachers ended the team day by meeting with formerly homeless individuals. Click here to see some poems written by some of the 8th grade participants in Ms. Lewis' class about the experience.

"Thanks to Joanne Aronson and Vanessa Cabrera for organizing a very meaningful day for the 8th grade.  The experiential encounter with what it means to be homeless was much more valuable than a day of lessons. Also, thanks to Shelley Sowell for her part in moving the students to get in touch with the more emotional, sensitive side of the picture.  This is one aspect that distinguishes our school from so many others." - Margaret Mahoney

There were 117 participants at the first of six Miami Country Day Grand Prix events, and many agree that it was not only a successful event, but a great performance by Miami Country Day School!

The Miami Country Day Upper School team won 1st place in the K-12 section! A.J. Pitchman and Neil Mehta won 4 of their 5 matches, tying for the second highest score in the section. Daniel Goldfarb, Moshe Libbin, Miroslav Kriz each earned 3 wins. Also impressive were the 3 wins earned by both Dylan Jaffe & Giovanni Cragnotti in their first ever USCF-rated event. Matthew Kydd & Shadi Tabbara each scored points in the K-12 section as well.

In addition to the K-12 team trophy, two of our Lower School students brought home individual trophies. Andre Harper-Rosenberg finished in 2nd place in the K-3 section and Elliot Starkman finished in 3rd place in the K-1 section. Congratulations!

Daniel Gallup also scored points for the MCDS K-3 team, resulting in a 3rd place team finish for this tournament.  Matias Marine scored points in the K-5 section and the MCDS K-8 team earned points from both David Gonzalez and Sascha Kappos.

For a complete listing of individual and team results, visit: http://www.bocachess.com/GrandPrix

If you would be interested in participating in our next chess tournament on Saturday, October 31, contact Michael Hutsko at hutskom@miamicountryday.org for more information. All ages are welcome! There is an open section for adults and all ability levels are invited! 

As Director of the Spartan Chess Club, I am not only extremely proud of the performance of the MCDS students, but also the sportsmanship, focus, and excitement. A very special thanks go to Diana Starkman, Neeta Singh, Jonina Pitchman, and Carroll Kelly, Upper School Sponsor Peter Konen, Lower School Sponsor Jonathan Knowles, Jasmine Lake, Mike Caban & the Maintenance Department, Shannon Reardon, Amy Gallup, Nina Lucchi, Jennifer Kahn, Charlie Lovett, and Steve Mathes.

Tournament report submitted by:
Michael Hutsko
Assistant Tournament Director, Miami Country Day Grand Prix
Director, Spartan Chess Club
USCF Certified Club Tournament Director 

Written by Ines Hegedus-Garcia, past president and active member of the Heidi Hewes Chapter of the WCA - as seen in Miamism.com

Miami Country Day School has a yearly Walk for Cancer in October where proceeds go to the Heidi Hewes Chapter of the Woman’s Cancer Association of the University of Miami's Sylvester Center. 100% of that money goes towards cancer research and in many cases represents seed money used to start very important research and clinical trials to find a cure for cancer.

Last Friday was the school’s kick-off assembly for the Walk for Cancer which will be held on Saturday, October 24th. The Walk not only represents selfless giving from the committed children, young adults and faculty at the school, but it has also become a Miami Shores Tradition. 

This year’s assembly was full of enthusiasm – from the Spartan Cheerleaders to singer Adriana Arce, Class of 2006, Beep-Boxing and even an amazing "step" performance of a number called “Walk the Walk” by AAA.

Miami Country Day brought the reality of cancer to the assembly by inviting Dr. John Goldberg from The University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center – a pediatric oncologist who specializes in the early phase of clinical trials.  Dr. Goldberg explained how seed money is used to start research and how his team is responsible in many cases, for taking the lab research projects to clinical trials that give hope to real terminal patients -  in some cases even 5 week old infants with Leukemia.

As past president and active member of the Heidi Hewes Chapter of the WCA, I commend Miami Country Day and everyone involved because they are truly setting an example and making a difference.  Congratulations and good luck with The Walk for Cancer!

Shared by faculty member, James Davis: "Bravo! Bravo! To the students and staff who worked so hard to put together such a magnificent assembly.  The students who sat near me were attentive and enthusiastic.  The cheerleaders, chorus, and steppers were incredible.  As an African-American who participated in the “Stepping” tradition through college and fraternities, I was surprised and delighted to witness the craft being performed at MCDS.  My mother died from colon cancer, and I am a proud supporter of cancer awareness.  It was a memorable event.  May the universe continue to work through reveal itself through the great work of our students and staff."

Bring your family to the heart of Miami Shores for a fun-filled street party celebrating the new face of Village Place. Come wander the street from side to side, visit all the performances, stop at the exhibits - including MCDS's art & COEP displays.  At the end of the road, 93rd Street, Memorial Park, there is a concert in the park by MCDS' Jazz Band. Performances continue at the Playground Theatre, both on the outside and inside stages, open mic for those anxious to take the microphone and entertain us all.

Check out the flyer!

Download map of event.

Then come to MCDS campus to cheer on the Varsity Football team. The game starts at 7:30 pm. Bring the whole family! Support your Spartans and enjoy the PA Booster BBQ as well.

The Spartan Chess Club would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the Miami Country Day Grand Prix Chess Tourament, which will take place on Saturday, September 26.  It is the first in a series of six USCF-rated events that the school is co-hosting with the Boca Raton Chess Club at Miami Country Day School this academic year.   

There will be scholastic AND non-scholastic sections, as well as individual and team trophies .  Please take a moment to view the attached flyer for more details.  No matter what your age or level, all USCF members will be able to join the fun!

To enter for a $12 entry fee, you must do so by Wednesday,  September 23.  If you want to pay by cash, please submit your entry form to Mr. Michael Hutsko with payment by September 23.  If you want to pay by check or credit card, please go to http://www.eventbrite.com/event/412486759.

Because we are expecting a large draw, you MUST register in advance if you want to play in all rounds of the tournament.  Entries after Wednesday will be $15.  You risk not playing in the first round if we do not receive your entry by Friday.

Click here to download the registration form. Please feel free to contact Michael Hutsko, Director of the Spartan Chess Club for more information. 

FINALLY…first time ever the Abess Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) lab have successfully hatched two corn snake eggs…and they are BEAUTIFUL!  Hopefully, we have four more eggs that will hatch this week. Congratulations to the proud parents (who could care less) and the excited teachers!  A true rare experience and unique experience.

Each year a number of 7th graders qualify for the Duke University Academic Talent Search based on their 2008-09 ERB scores. They must post scores in the 95th percentile in the verbal or quantitative reasoning sections to qualify. These students, if they choose to participate, will go on and take the SAT or ACT exam this winter to qualify for state and national recognition in the search, as well as for access to the Duke summer program. Congratulations to Miami Country Day School's 18 qualifiers:

Both Verbal and Math
Amanda Baldor
Spencer Berens
Shalini Chandar
Jahmiya Cooper
Felix Elfering
David Gonzalez
Julian Schultz
Blake Thomas

Verbal
Elizabeth Finny
Jackie Lash
Ines Lei
Pablo Mejia
Nikolas Robinson
Sidney Thomas 
Austen Weinberg

Math
Paul-Julien Giraud
Tavis Hom
Sydney Jones

On Tuesday, three alumni visited campus to speak to the Freshmen & Sophomore classes about their experience as an Upper School student at MCDS. Brian Riemer '08 is entering his second year at Harvard University, Christine Chancy '08 is entering her second year at Mt. Holyoke College and Jane McDonough '09 is starting her first year at Barnard College. Brian opened by sharing one thing you do not need to know as a Freshmen & Sophomore: "What you are going to do with the rest of your life. Instead, work on the things that interest you and increase your options. Worry later about which path you are going to take and which trail you are going to blaze." The alumni shared some advice on the transition between Middle School & Upper School, urged them not to waste any time and to take advantage of all of the opportunities here at MCDS. They also spoke about the importance of making the most of their relationships with their teachers here at Country Day.

Over the summer, Alee Schwartz has spent her time as a marketing intern at Miami Magazine by Modern Luxury and as a Sales Associate at Hollister Co. clothing store. At Miami Magazine she has helped out planning events, working on enhancing charity work, and has done extensive research on the benefits of social networking for marketing purposes. When she was not working at her two jobs, she spent her time collecting school supplies for the Children's Home Society and then helped packed them into backpacks for the foster children. She has also continued her work with the Jewish Community as she has been planning a fund raising phone-a-thon that will take place on September 3, 2009 in conjunction with the JCS of North Miami.

Tara Gavcovich, an upcoming Senior interned at Miami Children's Hospital with Dr. Colin Knight, a pediatric surgeon. While shadowing this doctor, she also served as a Spanish translator for those families that did not know any English. Through her ongoing project, "Libros Para Ninos," Tara donated children's books to the patients at the hospital as well.

Check back for more student stories.

Dear Parents,

We want to assure you that the Health Room at Miami Country Day School is prepared to partner with you in handling the flu season! At this time, the school has confirmed cases of influenza in the Upper School, but no confirmed cases of H1N1. Testing has not been done to rule out H1N1 flu - the CDC is not requiring testing this early. The CDC reports that the H1N1 flu is not any more severe than the seasonal flu, except that it is more contagious.

We are following the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health. Masks and gloves are well stocked. The back room of the Health Room will become the isolation room if necessary to prevent the spread of illness. All hard surfaces are being washed and disinfected daily.

Please make plans now to keep your child home and follow up with their pediatrician if they show signs of the flu. Signs of the flu include, fever (over 100 F or 37.8 C) body aches, runny nose, sore throat, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea. Contact your physician and if diagnosed with the virus, plan to stay home from work/school for up to seven days.

The enclosed links are provided to give you more information and instruction on how to prevent and care for someone with the flu.

www.myflusafety.com
Florida Dept of Health website

www.flu.gov
CDC website

As always, should you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Health Room at 305.779.7261. The School Nurse will also be attending the Lower School Open House.

The Middle School and Upper School will continue to observe the attendance policy currently in place.  However, students who are under a doctor’s care because of having contracted the influenza are invited to submit documentation by a physician.  Provided documentation is given, absences for the influenza will be excused. 

Thank you.

This summer four rising sophomores and four rising juniors participated in an intensive, hands on, three week DNA/biotechnology class. They learned how to perform electrophoresis and PCR; the two techniques that have combined to revolutionize the use of DNA in work ranging from population genetics to forensics. PCR is such a powerful amplification technique that students were able to test themselves and their family members for several different DNA sequences (one a noncoding piece of DNA that can be used to reconstruct the migration patterns of ancient human beings and the other an actual gene that dictates whether or not a person can taste a particular bitter compound). In addition the students tested various corn based foods to see if they had been genetically modified (augmented with a gene that confers resistance to a commercial weed killer). The results were very interesting but if you want specific details you have to take the class !

Other activities completed during the three weeks included a lesson on DNA sequencing, an online exploration of the use of short tandem repeat DNA to generate the "DNA fingerprints" used by law enforcement agencies, a lab involving the transfer of a jellyfish gene into bacteria in order to make them glow, and several labs that illustrated the usefulness of restriction enzymes. The students produced high quality work and in the process got a very realistic peek into the world of DNA science. Anyone interested in seeing sample work or finding out more about the class should contact Mr. Konen at konenp@miamicountryday.org.

Check out one student's impressive portfolio from class! 

Our seniors are getting ready to head out for the annual Senior Trip.  From Thursday to Sunday, the class of 2010 will enjoy white water rafting, square dancing, riding horses, climbing in a rope course, hanging out by the camp fire, and more!

Before they head out, we have some important information regarding the trip:

1. Tomorrow morning, please arrive at the NORTH PARKING LOT.  This is a change from the original plan, please be sure to be on time at 4:45am.
2. Our return flight time has changed.  We will be departing from Atlanta International Airport at 3:45pm, and we will arrive in Fort Lauderdale at 5:30pm.  We will NOT be returning to Country Day as a group, so please arrange for a ride at the airport.

We hope you guys have a great time this weekend!

Welcome back and a special welcome to our new families! I hope you enjoyed your summer and had some time to rest and relax.

This fall we will be undergoing re-accreditation as a part of our ongoing membership with Florida Kindergarten Council (FKC), Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and Florida Council of Independent Schools (FCIS). Miami Country Day is also seeking accreditation with SAIS (Southern Association of Independent Schools). We look forward to sharing the results with you early in 2010.

If you have been on campus you know that the construction of the Katherine E. Franco Center for Learning Resources is underway and we will celebrate the progress at our Spartan Family Day on October 24. When completed, this facility will include a state of the art library, media center, student center and alumni boardroom. Construction during the school year always presents a unique set of challenges and please know that we have worked very hard to devise a traffic and parking plan to insure the safety and well-being of your children. Please read carefully the information included about our traffic procedures. It is imperative for the safety of all students that we have everyone’s cooperation and understanding. (View our Traffic Procedures)

Thank you for being a part of our school community. If I can be helpful to you, please call me directly at 305-779-7201 or send me an email at daviesj@miamicountryday.org. I look forward to seeing you and your children back on campus.

Sincerely,

John Davies, Ed.D.
Head of School

 Congratulations to our 5 Silver Knight Nominees: Nicole Holtz (Drama), Jane McDonough (Art), Meredith Rutland (Journalism), Michael Sale (New Media)
and Ann Siassipour (Social Science) - Click here to read more about their accomplishments.

The seniors have been busy with their senior project internships at a variety of businesses around Miami. The Senior Project Presentations will be held on May 22 in the Gym. Please come by to hear and see the results of their experiences.

College Acceptances...More arriving daily!

The Honors Geometry class, grades 8-10, designed and built models of a Math and Science Center. During the year to prepare for the project, they studied architecture and researched famous architects and buildings known for their architecture. They created floor plans of the White House and the Pentagon. They also researched different roofing systems and built a roof model. They created a picture portfolio using pictures of different aspects of buildings. All of this work led up to this final project which was presented to a panel of judges including Dr. Bernstein – Science department chair, Mr. Bronish – Math Department Chair and Mr. Gutierrez – Local Architect.

The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest (RGMC) brings the ideas of Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Rube Goldberg's "invention" cartoons to life. This Olympics of Complexity is designed to pull students away from conventional problem-solving and push them into the endless chaos of imagination and intuitive thought. To be specific, groups are given an elementary challenge: something as simple as peeling an apple, sharpening a pencil, or putting toothpaste on a toothbrush. But instead of just "solving" the problem, students have to make the solution as complicated and as convoluted as possible. In fact, the more steps - there's a minimum of twenty - the better the Rube Goldberg Machine. And what a machine! An assemblage of ordinary objects, mechanical gadgets, and the oddest odds and ends are linked together and somehow get to the desired goal.

 
Congratulations to Mrs. Silla and the Operation Smile Club for raising $11,417.24 this year for this worthy cause. This money will fund 47 operations for children around the world.

* Celina Lindemann, Grade 5 * Avery Watson, Grade 8
* Daniella Azrad, Grade 12 * Max Kirkpatrick, Grade 12

A Daans Star Student is an exemplary student who sets an example for others to follow, whether in the home, school or community. These students have excelled in one or more of these areas: academics, community service, citizenship, fine arts, athletics, student activities, perseverance, effort, dedication, commitment to positive goals, improvement in performance and attitude.

Congratulations to Miami Country Day’s seniors who placed all three winning teams in the regional Spring 2009 Stock Market Challenge!

Congratulations to the winners:
1st Place: Michael Peisach and Michael Sale with a 47.9% return (not pictured)
2nd Place: Adnan Charania* and Max Kirkpatrick* with a 39.6% return
3rd Place: Pedro Adrian and Evan Orth with a 37.4% return

The contest took place during a highly volatile market period this Spring.  Despite the obstacles, these students outperformed last year’s winners by an amazing 15%.

The winners were awarded:
- A 100.00 gift certificate (1st Place) or 50.00 Pizza party (2nd and 3rd Place)
- Lunch paid by the Florida Council on Economic Education (FCEE) at an FCEE partner restaurant
- Visit to the Federal Reserve Building in Miami
- Certificates of Recognition

*Adnan Charania and Max Kirkpatrick won the MCDS Challenge which ended one week earlier.
Thanks to all who participated and supported our Seniors!

The Miami Shores Chamber of Commerce recognized Senior, Meredith Rutland as the 2009 Outstanding Student Award recipient. 

Joining her for the reception were Glen Turf, Upper School Director, Dr. John Davies, Head of School, Carolyn Dorn, Upper School teacher and her family.

The Debate Team has grown substantially over the past two years, both in number of students competing and success at tournaments.  We now have 33 team members who have earned their memberships in the National Forensic League (the national speech and debate honor society), and another 19 team members who have competed in tournaments but not yet earned their NFL memberships.  This is an increase from 12 NFL members at the beginning of the year.  MCDS now has the 6th largest debate team of the 21 teams competing in Miami-Dade County. Read more.

Physics I (Honors Physics) placed 2nd in the History of Physics.  The team consisted of Kevin Goldfarb, Adam Holsing, Josh Aronson, Sandy Aronson, Kyle Ginzburg and Alexandra Singer.

Each team competed in three categories. Chem II had a laboratory component, a written test, and an oral test. Physics I had a written test, an oral test on Newtonian Mechanics, and an oral test on the History of Physics.

These results, along with how well they have traditionally done in the JETS competition, really do point out a great science department. 

Jr. Varsity B (Daniel Goldfarb, Jake Friedman, Josh Aronson, Sandy Aronson, Katherine Obermeyer, Claire Long, Kelbe Jaehnke, and Justin Paluch) 5th place, Division II State of Florida.

Jr. Varsity A (Kevin Goldfarb, Kyle Ginzburg, Shahil Mehta, Alee Schwartz, Tara Gavcovich, Matt Murawski, and Jacky Sasson) 6th place, Division II State of Florida.

Coming into this year, the Varsity A team is listed as 20th, nationally, for Division II Schools and the MCDS Jr. Varsity A team is listed as 19th, nationally, for Division II Schools.

The seventh grade practiced the four core values of Compassion, Wisdom, Honor and Respect when they participated in a service day visiting Villa Maria Nursing facility. The students interviewed residents engaging them in dialogue, asking questions and sharing stories from their lives.   Acting as historians, the students returned to MCDS to create textual and graphic records of the stories and the visit.  These records will be laminated into individual commemorative mats and into a memory book.  Additionally, the students will also write poems using this experience as inspiration. One highlight of the day was when a resident’s daughter expressed, “I want to thank the students, this is the first time I have seen my mother smile in a long time.”

Thirty Upper School students recently spent the day with young special needs students at Arcola Lakes. They enjoyed arts and crafts, hanging out and a special easter egg hunt. Supplies and materials were purchased with funds raised by sales on campus. One of our Anchor Club members spent quality time and brought a smile to one special young boy who was unable to participate due to his disabilities. Special thanks to Jennifer Sennett and the Anchor Club for making a difference in the community.

Relay for Life is a fifteen hour walk sponsored by the American Cancer Society to raise money for the fight against cancer. Last year, the Miami Country Day team, led by Katherine Obermeyer, Class of 2010, with co-captain Harrison C. Davies, Class of 2009, was one of the top five fundraising teams, and also was the only team with a star supporter (someone who raises over $1,500, Katherine Obermeyer). You can find more information about the relay at www.relayforlife.org/miamishoresfl. This year's relay is April 24th at 6:30 p.m. at Doctors Charter School. Visit the Miami Country Day team webpage for more information.

Thank you to chairs, Honey Revitz and Jessie Mendal and Parents' Association President, Debi Beasley, for all their hard work in making this a successful event. Thanks to Amarilis Osorio for bringing Romero Britto to the event.  He signed cookbooks for well over an hour.  Thanks to SAGE DINING for providing the foods.  The new food service company was well received.  All who attended and tasted – LIKED THE FOOD A LOT – Yeah!  Thanks also go to SOUTHERN WINE AND SPIRITS  for donating the wines and Brazilian Specialty drinks. For those of you that weren’t able to attend, do not fear, there are still cookbooks left to purchase.  The price is $30 for the cookbook and that is a bargain.  Contact Debi at bbeaz@aol.com or 305-794-6860 or stop by the Development Office in Primary Hall.

Lower School Library staff member, Meribeth Shank recently won the  "Editorial Bronze Award" from the Parenting Publications of America (PPA) 2009 Editorial and Design Awards. The PPA Judges described Meribeth's winning writing style in this way: "Thoughtful book selections that adhere to a clear theme, along with insightful and well written commentaries are the winning attributes of this column [in the Miami Family Magazine]."

"I had the wonderful opportunity of watching teachers and students from Miami and Hong Kong revel in each other’s company and learn together! Rowena Gerber, John Wicker, Ana Izaguirre and Julie Ruben’s 4th Grade class hosted a videoconference in the ACES lab with a class in Hong Kong. With Mr. Barbick and Ms. Gerber as animal wranglers, our students shared the wonders of ACES lab and their solar cookers, performed a great percussion ensemble under Ms. Izaguirre’s direction, and then Ms. Izaguirre taught the students in Hong Kong and they all played together-fabulous!!!!

The students in Hong Kong shared facts about China (including a demo of Kung Fu), waltzed (to Edelweiss!!) and then invited our students to join in (and they did!). The students on both sides of the camera were warm and delightful.

The morning ended with a rousing international game of charades.  It was truly an extraordinary morning…..every student….every day!


Congratulations to the teachers and students….I know extraordinary things are happening in every room, every day (biographies, art shows, puppet shows, singing, book publishing, sparkly pattern pictures…..), it’s such a treat to be a witness!"

On Tuesday, March 31st, Miami Country Day School hosted the annual YouthCaN conference. Students from five local schools came to MCDS and shared their ideas and projects about environmental issues and conservation. An all-day conference organized through the world-wide youth run organization, YouthCaN, provides a unique opportunity to unite environmentally active youth to exchange ideas about the environment and empower others to make a difference in their own communities. All students participated in a variety of hands-on activities and toured the Abess Center for Environmental Studies Animal Lab and campus gardens at Miami Country Day School.

Guests enjoyed a wonderful evening at the annual Evening of the Arts on Thursday, March 26. Our talented students were involved in many ways celebrating the arts with our community. Parents and students listened to jazz and solos with Mr. John Wicker. Mr. Sal Vinciguerra's Middle School group played beautifully in the breezeway. Middle School dancers performed and the community enjoyed Middle and Upper School art work displays around campus. The Lower School chorus "rocked the roof" in the Chickee Hut. The Thespian troop intrigued and amazed the audience with their talent and Middle School actors entertained all who watched. As an added treat, student literature and poetry were displayed and enjoyed.

This year 89% of the student body participated in the all Upper School service day. Freshmen worked at the Miami Metrozoo, sophomores worked with Citizens for a Better South Florida helping to restore Virginia Key. Juniors removed invasive species form Oleta State Park and seniors got to help clean Pelican Harbor Island. The weather was magnificent and the students received accolades from all organizations for their help and hard work.

Algebra I students in grades 7-9 explored equations and linear functions by racing student built solar cars over a 20 foot track. After building their own cars, students tested these vehicles to see how the sun's energy impacts a solar cell whose resulting energy powers the car's engine giving it a unique velocity and acceleration. Students then used the data to create scatter plots of distance versus time to develop a mathematic model for the car's speed. While the underlying lesson of this project was math, students also learned valuable lessons in engineering and science as well as working on a team!

...students working together across divisions.

During Dr. Suess Week, senior Josh Ayala stopped in to read some classic Dr. Seuss stories to Mrs. Rutland's first grade class.

Congratulations to senior, Arjun Chandar and junior, Kevin Goldfarb, and the Math Department for their recent accomplishments in the David Essner Math Competition. Students who ranked in the top 20 in the county were honored at a reception at the University of Miami. Miami Country Day School had the most students of all private schools represented. Arjun Chandar placed 8th and Kevin Goldfarb placed 18th. The tests were administered to students in Miami-Dade County and only the top 20 were invited for the presentation.

... at the 7th Annual Buoyancy Cup

The Buoyancy Cup at Miami Country Day School is a race of cardboard boats that are built and paddled by a team of no more than six members from each class advisory from grades 2 through 12. There are specifications that must be met and it is a timed event. Each team is responsible for the design, manufacture, and the piloting of their craft. Construction materials are limited to cardboard, Elmer’s Glue (Water soluble) and Duct tape. Each craft must also meet design parameters to qualify for the event. Medallions of achievement will be awarded to members of the top finishing teams. Congratulations to winners Fadi Fayad and Michael Paz in the Lusitania.

(See this story in The Miami Herald)

Congratulations to the MCDS team of A.J. Pitchman, Miroslav Kriz, and Devon Zifferblatt who brought home a 5th Place K-12 Under 1000 trophy from the Florida State Championship Chess Tournament, a.k.a. Superstates VI, which took place here in Miami. This is the first MCDS team trophy from a state chess tournament since 2001.

On the 13th, Spartan Chess Club alum Warren Ifergane enjoyed a Friday afternoon of chess with many of the current Spartan Chess Club members and sponsors and showed that he still has the skills to win. After winning a tactical championship match versus Mr. Konen, Ifergane finished 4.0/4.0 and took home his second championship trophy from a tournament hosted at MCDS.

Congratulations are also in order for the scholastic champion, Kevin Goldfarb (3.0/4.0), and scholastic runner-up, A.J. Pitchman (3.0/4.0). David Gonzalez and Spencer Berens were the highest finishing middle school participants, finishing 2.0/4.0.

Congratulations to the following 8th grade students who have won Judges’ Awards from the Creative Writing Department of the Miami-Dade County Fair & Exhibition:

• Laura Szerer for her poem, “Holocaust”

• Jacob Gershon for his vignette, “The Playground of my Childhood”

Laura and Jacob will be honored at an Awards Ceremony that will take place on Tuesday, March 31.

Inspired by a presentation by author Greg Mortenson, a group of Miami Country Day faculty set off to make a difference by starting a Pennies for Peace drive connected to Valentines’ Day. The children poured out all their pennies that were collected in the classrooms into a beautiful painted heart that Yvonne Moyer’s art classes painted. Together they raised over $1000! The Lower School faculty & students will send a check with valentines the children wrote to the students of the schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.