Spring 2013 K-12, College Preparatory Private School, Dublin, CA www.QuarryLane.org

Pencil Drawingby Amy Kim,

Grade 11

QLS Alumni…Where Are They Now?

The list below is a compilation of the nation’s tops schools that have accepted Quarry Lane alumni.Carnegie MelonClark University Columbia UniversityCornell UniversityDartmouth College Drexel University Emory UniversityGeorgetown University Gonzaga University Harvard University Johns Hopkins UniversityLoyola Marymount University New York UniversityNortheastern UniversityNorthwestern UniversityPenn StateRice University Saint Mary’s CollegeStanford University University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, DavisUniversity of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Los Angeles University of California, RiversideUniversity of California, San DiegoUniversity of ChicagoUniversity of MarylandUniversity of North Carolina - Chapel HillUniversity of Southern California Vanderbilt University Whitman UniversityWhittier University

A Year of Artistic DiscoveryHouse events. And of course, we had the event of the season, the premier of the wonderful Wizard of Oz. This event, which featured both Lower School and Upper School, displayed everything that I love about our students—collaboration, determination and creativity.

We also had the amazing opportunity to represent Quarry Lane in the community at large. Our Jazz Band, Jazz Orchestra and Choir performed at various events throughout the year, including Family Days at the Pleasanton Museum on Main, the Dublin Farmer’s Market, the Pleasanton Street Fair and most recently the Pleasanton Big Draw Arts Celebration. This most recent event was especially exciting for Quarry Lane as it featured our senior International Baccalaureate Art students and Mr. Louis Chinn, Head of Visual Arts, who took home the 2nd place prize for his chalk art design of the historical evolution of the city of Pleasanton. In addition to our featured performances, students also displayed artwork in local contests, such as through the Congressional Art Competition and the Dublin Pride Poster Contests; and at various libraries in the community.

As each year ends, I find myself reflecting on the many achievements that

have impressed the school and me. As always, the 2012-2013 school year brought with it high academic excellence, top honors in renowned competitions and acceptance into top universities for our graduating seniors. This year in particular was filled with cultural and artistic abundance. I was pleased to see each opportunity for our arts department to unite, creating many unforgettable moments.

Within the Quarry Lane community, we hosted many successful events this year that prominently featured the collaboration of the visual and performing arts. We experienced theater, music, visual arts and dance at the annual Evening of the Arts in the fall. Families were excited to see what our talented students are capable of producing. Additionally, we had our Lower School students with their annual musical performances featuring classic tunes. In addition to providing musical direction for these, Director of Music Dr. Patrick Liddell guided the Jazz Band and Jazz Orchestra in performing at all Quarry Lane Open

Sincerely,

Sabri Arac, Ph.D.Head of School

As one of our final events of the year, we had the opportunity to experience the annual Art Stroll – a showcase of all of the visual arts, dance, theater, choir and music departments. It featured a city-walk feel, student performances, interactive art zones and much more! Additionally, we will have the joy of hearing our Jazz Band and Jazz Orchestra play for the 2013 commencement ceremony. It is with excitement and pride that I, along with everyone at Quarry Lane, await next year to see what the visual and performing arts has in store.

Future Alumnus, Future Politician

The SLATE had an opportunity to sit down with Arnosh Keswani, graduating senior to discuss his years

at Quarry Lane and his plans for his future.

Tell us about the years you have spent attending Quarry Lane.

It has been an incredible ride over the last four years. I came into QLS not knowing who I was as a person, and four years

later, I still do not completely know who I am. However, after four years of interacting with some incredible people and having the opportunity to do some amazing things, I am quite sure of whom I want to be in the near future, as well as what I want from life. My time at QLS has not always been easy, but with the steadfast support of friends and

faculty, I have been able to grow immensely and learn so much more about myself, and the world we live in.

What has been your most influencial moment in your education thus far?

I can’t really pinpoint one moment, however, there are many experiences such as working one on one with teachers and finally understanding a concept, as well as the chance to have hour-long discussions about a range of topics from politics to restaurants with anyone who would listen, have really defined my educational experience here at QLS.

How has Quarry Lane prepared you to enter into a top university?

Not only has the IB program and the Quarry Lane curriculum as a whole given me the foundation to succeed in all facets

Speech and Debate: Bigger and Better

The Quarry Lane high school Speech and Debate team has been a hot topic this year. With various

competitions and multiple awards earned in Golden Gate Speech and Debate tournaments, the students have had an exciting run. But the best is yet to come. With almost all the team members being freshman, they have several years ahead of them to continue perfecting the art of debate and individual speeches. The big news is for newcomers: the Quarry Lane School is excited to announce that during the 2013-2014 school year, middle school students will have the chance to join speech and debate for the first time.

Speech and Debate is offered to high school students in grades 9-12 as a class that can be taken for credit. Additionally,

we are opening the program to all middle school students as a club that will meet during lunch period. The high school students will continue to travel to all competitions, while the middle school students will have their opportunities to compete as well. There has been great interest in Speech and Debate from the middle school students, so it is projected that the program should be bigger and better for next year and beyond.

According to Mike Smith, QLS Speech and Debate Coach, the club will be open to middle school students only.

Parents can expect their students to learn the details about how to compete in speeches and debates from both the

teacher and the high school students who will serve as role models. They will in fact work on the same resolutions as our high school students so they learn how everything is done when it comes time for

them to compete. Also, the middle school students will receive formal feedback on their preparation and performances, but they will not receive formal grades on their report cards..

In addition to learning tips and techniques for how to present effective

oral presentations, the students will learn the specific rules and strategies for all aspects of Public Forum debate plus individual speeches. This will include researching both sides of resolutions, writing contentions, preparing rebuttals, designing crossfire arguments plus working in pairs and then dividing the assigned speaking parts in competitions.

There are both short term and long term goals. In the short term, we will expand our program with an infusion of middle school students who will bring their creativity and energy to our group. In the long term, we will build the program around those middle school students who will have four years of high school contests ahead of them to compete for themselves, for our program and for our school.

of my education, I have also enhanced my abilities as a leader, communicator, and team player who is ready to take on any challenges I may face. Additionally, the faculty and staff have never stopped encouraging me to pursue my goals and dreams, and have fun while doing so, something I know will be important as I start at university.

Where have you chosen to continue your education and why?

I will be attending the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. I chose the SFS, not only due to its location in the nation’s capital, but also due to the fact that many of the faculty actually “practice” or have practiced foreign policy. They have served as diplomats and government officials all over the world often playing an active role in some of the most important issues and events that have defined our time. I hope to

have an opportunity to interact and learn from such people and use their experiences as a guide as I pursue a career in foreign policy.

What is your career goal? My career goal is to be a diplomat in the

United States Foreign Service, and represent this country in an Embassy or Consulate around the world. Additionally, I am interested in pursuing political office, here at home, on either the state or national level.

What advice can you give to other Quarry Lane students?

Life’s not always easy, but one has to remember that the hottest fires make the hardest steel, and at the end of the day, things will be okay. Also, follow your dreams and passions, and don’t let anyone tell you that you aren’t anything but a special person capable of doing amazing things.

At age fifteen, freshman Claire Boom, is an accomplished c o m p e t i t i v e

swimmer and great student. New to Quarry Lane this year, Claire is swimming as a Cougar as well as on a club team through the San Ramon Valley Livermore Aquatics. Her career as a swimmer began when she was nine years old, older than the age that her teammates had begun. She signed up at that age for swimming lessons, unable to swim, and took to it so quickly that she was recruited for the team immediately. She has been competing ever since!

TEACHER Spotlight

Student Spotlight

The Quarry Lane School takes pride in employing teachers that are experts in their field.

It only makes sense that we would have someone like Dr. Austin Shapiro on board to teach mathematics to our students. Dr. Shapiro has an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Probability and Combinatorics. He has always excelled in math. In fact, his first paying job was to solve all of the problems in a math textbook to ensure their solvability before publication. He is skillfully trained to teach all of his classes, including International Baccalaureate (IB) Math Standard Level (SL), IB Math Higher Level (HL), both versions of AP Calculus and Honors Pre-calculus.

Close Up

Dr. Shapiro’s style of teaching provides opportunities for his students to put concepts into action. For example, his Pre-calculus class creates Polar Graphs, a method of using a coordinate system based on circles to create images from mathematical formulas. He has also encouraged the students to become the teachers. Each student created a two-to-five-page study guide on a different topic. Dr. Shapiro took these indivdual study guides and bound them together to distribute to the members of the class.

Claire Boom: Swimming Into Her Future

Daniel Chen: Talented Young Pianist Wins Awards

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Students then had a peer-created study guide for their tests. Activities like this

resonate especially well with his teaching philosophy, as he states, “Learning can’t be forced; every student has to figure things out in his or her own way. Of course, math often doesn’t seem that way, since answers are right or wrong. But there is often more than one path to the right answer!”

Having taught at the university level, Dr. Shapiro has developed a love

for teaching, explaining, “Teaching is open-ended; you never know what’s going to happen. I like that—my students are always surprising me.” He also appreciates that the subject matter spans a broader spectrum than the average thinker might realize. He says, “I also find it pretty neat that I get to keep knowledge older than our civilization, e.g. the Pythagorean Theorem, alive in the heads of people who will outlive me. Teaching is one way to be part of something bigger than the present moment.”

When he is not calculating derivatives and finding the coordinates of Y, Dr. Shapiro partakes of the simple joys of life. He enjoys hiking, cooking, writing letters and reading!

Fifth grader Daniel Chen is not only a great student but he is also a talented pianist. At age ten, he

is already at a level six in his Associated Board Royal School of Music exams. These exams, which go to level eight and take around a year to prepare for each new level, test a musician’s ability to play music without notes. They are then judged by experts in the field to determine if they have reached the next level of achievement. He is extremely well prepared for these tests as he learns from an expert every day! His mother, who is a classically trained pianist is a music teacher and has taught him since he was four years old! And with practicing every day, he

is truly accomplished in this art form.These Associated

Board Royal School of Music exams are not Daniel’s only performances of year! He also competes in music competitions, such as the United State Open Music Competition, for which he won Bronze this year. and has placed Silver in previous years At these competitions, he is given a list of songs to perform in different styles and

Ms. Laurie Close has been teaching art for several years and Quarry Lane was

fortunate enough to bring her on board. Her love of art has inspired the students of Quarry Lane to expand their horizons and push themselves further. With both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting, as well as a K-12 Art Education certificate, she has the background to create a meaningful experience for her students.

Before coming to QLS, Ms. Close taught for several years at an elementary school in New York City as well as in Pratt Institute’s pre-

college program. She also worked at the prestigious Edward R. Murrow High, an art-based school in Brooklyn, teaching Art History, Mixed Media and Theater Design. Ms. Close later returned to the West Coast. Teaching here, she says that one of her favorite aspects is, “Everyone has such a strong commitment to teaching and making Quarry Lane a great school.”

In her classroom, Ms. Close says, “I enjoy giving students the skills to see the world through artist’s eyes.” And she gives them plenty of opportunity to do so! Her classes engage in painting, drawing, collage, paper mâché and sculpture. She gives

each grade a variety of projects over the school year so that they experience 3D art making as well as 2D. This spring, fifth grade students worked on a Dale Chihuly-inspired project using recycled plastic bottles that hang from the ceiling. Students in first grade designed their own robots in stages, first through drawing then creating a collage.

Ms. Close is also a painter with various contributions in local art exhibits, including the Collector in Berkeley and Jaujou in Oakland. In her role

as a teacher, she explains, “I believe it’s important to show students c o n n e c t i o n s between their lives and the subject matter they are learning. Art has the ability to do this by giving visual and practical applications. When students have the skills to explore art, they become more confident and

willing to take chances.”

through sight-reading and competes against other musicians with the same tasks to complete. Additionally, he participates in formal music school recitals several times a year. He even volunteers to play piano and sing for the children at his church in his spare time. He explains that playing piano and singing is quite fun for him and he enjoys the endless possibilities that music presents, exclaiming,

“My favorite part of playing is

Swimming for both Quarry Lane and her club team is not an easy

task. Especially when she has club practice nine times a week—that’s right, four days a week she practices morning and night! Luckily, she has coaches on both teams that are flexible when it comes to their expectations. She is able to adjust her schedule as needed to be at practices and meets for both teams. Her schedule is packed,

but she is still thriving, stating, “I

wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it!” Claire, whose favorite is the

backstroke, says that the competitions are used for personal growth. Her coaches have reiterated that she is not competing against others, but “against who you were yesterday.” Though she does frequently beat the competition with her swim times, she humbly explains, “That’s not really what it’s about. It’s about going out there and having fun, doing your best and trying to beat your own times!”

And she certainly has! In fact, she has done so well this year that she has been invited to compete in the 2013 North Coast Sections. This prestigious league holds a final tournament for high school students in all athletic events. The top 40 students of each event in the region are chosen, based on their season, to compete. This is a huge

improvising!” Being musically inclined, he is

interested in playing other instruments as well and eventually plans to play drums, once he has completed level eight of his piano training. Though he plans to expand his talents, he confirms that he will continuously play piano as well, stating, “I believe I will always be playing!” He has also recently become involved in the Cantabella Children Chorus and enjoys singing with his group in different forms, while his mom plays piano accompaniment. When he is not making the music himself, he enjoys listening to music, in addition to reading several different book series.

Laurie Close: Teach What You Love and Love What You Teach

honor and Claire is extremely excited to get to join this year, exclaiming, “I just love it!”

When she has time to come up for air, this swimmer is busy with all of her studies. She is taking multiple Honors courses and hopes to join the International Baccalaureate Programme when she reaches her junior year. She definitely plans to continue her balance of schoolwork and swimming in college. She says that she’s already being recruited for college [swim teams] and hopes to go to UC Berkeley, which boasts having Olympic swimmers on their team. Claire’s structured schedule has encouraged her to do everything efficiently and to combine her love of swimming and her studies. She is even considering a career in Sports Medicine, in which she would combine her two passions.

Dr. Austin Shapiro: Mathematician and Innovative Teacher

Lower School Explores The Depths of the Ocean and BeyondFeatures

Middle School: To Infinity and BeyondDuring Spring Break, the

Quarry Lane School sent a group of middle schoolers and

chaperones off to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center (Smithsonian affiliate) in Huntsville, Alabama, for a week full of space exploration. Space Camp is one of the most anticipated experiences for our students and they always have many stories to tell upon their return.

This year’s group of students was exposed to a variety of interactive simulators and exhibits that create an understanding unlike any classroom learning experience. They were able to explore Mars, as well as build and launch rockets. They watched educational movies in IMAX® in 3D

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to evoke all their senses. Students experienced weightlessness with the 1/6 Gravity Chair and Multi-Axis Trainer, and studied the history behind each of their activities. They even worked together to simulate a real space exploration, with each student acting as a different position within the space team.

Students that have the opportunity to experience Space Camp learn the importance of teamwork. They practice their math and science skills; explore the history of space,

The teachers and staff at Quarry Lane enjoy being part of our greater community. This spring,

seniors in International Baccalaureate (IB) Art, along with Mr. Louis Chinn, Head of Visual Art, participated in the Pleasanton Big Draw Arts Celebration. This event, put on by the Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council, brought local artists and students together to convert an entire city block into a chalk art showcase.

This arts festival was a day’s worth of exciting local culture, including food vendors, art sales, decorated pianos and live music, featuring Quarry Lane’s very own Jazz Band and Jazz Orchestra. Senior, and IB Art student, Amy Kim said of the day, “I really liked

Big Fun at the Pleasanton Big Draw Arts Celebration

At Quarry Lane we like to end

our academic year with a splash, and what better way to do that then to celebrate Ocean Week! As the school year winds down and

students are distracted by visions of swimming pools, trips to the beach, and camping on the lake, we reel them back in to explore the amazing aquatic habitats of the world throughout the last weeks in May.

Following the Marine Activities, Resources and Education (MARE) program, created by the Lawrence Hall of Science, students kindergarten

through fifth grade participate in a curriculum that focuses on marine habitats such as the open ocean, the kelp forest, the wetlands, and the rocky and sandy seashore. This engaging and creative curriculum touches on both earth and physical science concepts, as well as incorporating language and visual arts lessons, and hands on experiments such as dissections.

This year, the third grade classes dissected long neck clams; the fourth graders dissected a perch fish, a native to the kelp forest; and the fifth grade students, who focused on the open oceans, dissected a dog fish shark. The students identified significant organ and skeletal structures as well as the adaptive structures of the animals.

The Quarry Lane campus is transformed during ocean week, as every grade level converts their class rooms into their designated habitat.

The books shelves disappear and are replaced by the seashore; students sit amongst kelp stalks and pursue their daily academic activities with dolphins and sea turtles overhead. We literally submerge the students in their environment and their studies.

While implementing the MARE program students are asked to research and report upon a variety of animals within their designated habitat They create three dimensional representations of animals indigenous to their environment, and present their research to the entire lower school through our classroom habitat visitations. Students follow a rotation schedule that has all grade levels visit all classrooms to listen to student presentations. The level of detail that the students convey to their classmates is amazing. The information in these presentations is enhanced by the hands

on grade-level assemblies that are given by the Marine Science Institute. The Institute brings live animals to our campus to share with the students and educated them about the struggles of wildlife in this area and around the world. Discussions of conservation and the protection of our world’s water is always a primary focus.

As with all endeavors, academic or social at Quarry Lane, we strive to have students think outside the box, to open their minds to worlds beyond their own, and to demonstrate—through their learning—the ability to apply their knowledge to make a positive impact on the world. Ocean Week is engaging and fun, but truly conveys the need for conservation and the protection of our water systems and the wildlife that makes the oceans, streams, ponds, and lakes of our world their home.

the evolution of the shuttle program and scientific developments in space investigation. They get to learn how the

International Space Station works and what is p l a n n e d for future exploration. It thoroughly nourishes the young brain in a way that typical

Spring Break activities cannot and this shows when they return to school the following week.

the environment—Arts and music together. It was an approach art in a different way.” Though the weather was unseasonably hot, everyone was happy to be involved in the process.

And a process it was! Before this event the students, and even Mr. Chinn, were not highly experienced in the art of drawing

with chalk in such a concentrated area. They were, however, prepared with their drafts ahead of time. Each design took several weeks to research, plan, practice on a large scale and color test. The sketches were taken to the event as a guide for their chalk displays. Senior and IB Art student Vivien Hernandez explained the transition from

By Gabrielle Kaplan Lower School Director

classroom coloring to the chalk, “[It’s a] process of learning [to] collaborate in the moment.” The students’ art space, a 4’x4’ designated block, was designed as a compilation of features to reflect the Bay Area, Pleasanton and Quarry Lane. They included images of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Golden State Poppy, Pleasanton’s famous Meadowlark Dairy Ice Cream Shop, Pleasanton’s Museum on Main and, of course, a Cougar for Quarry Lane! The result was a well-executed piece of art that really showed their talents.

Mr. Chinn went in a slightly different direction with his art space of the same size. His art featured the theme of Pleasanton then and now. With extensive research into the city’s history, he created an original piece of artwork. It featured the original settlement’s name of Alisal, a treasure chest representing the early history of the city when it was used as a stop-through for gold miners, several

animals native to the area (including the Cougar!) and modern cultural patterns on each animal. These patterns represented the cultural diversity of the city in its present day and featured patterns from Islamic, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Irish and African traditions.

With a special guest helper, Quarry Lane art teacher Ms. Laurie Close, Mr. Chinn spent over seven hours working on his square. They created a masterpiece that impressed all those that had the pleasure of seeing it, including the judges! Mr. Chinn placed 2nd in the competition and was awarded with a large chalk-drawn check. His acceptance speech was heartfelt—telling of his love for the Quarry Lane art program and the school’s appreciation for its local community at large. Though chalk is but temporary, the Big Draw Arts Celebration has left a lasting impression on the hearts of our school.

Mr. Chinn and IB Seniors creating art with chalk.

Space Campers in uniform, ready to explore!

The Quarry Lane School has been abuzz with news that we have a state-level National Geographic

Geography Bee winner among us! Fifth grader, Rhea Mitr, winner of the 2013 Quarry Lane All-School Geography Bee, moved onto the state level of the National Geographic California State Bee competition and performed very well.

After months of studying for this competition, Rhea excelled at our school competition, winning first place in a mix of students grades 3-8. Winning the school competition qualified Rhea to test for a place in the state competition, which she passed with flying colors.

On the day of the state level competition, Rhea was one of the 109 state semi-finalists. After the preliminary rounds, twenty-nine contestants, including Rhea, had perfect scores. All participants were on stage and faced nearly twenty rounds of tiebreaker questions to narrow down the top ten. The finalists had a long face-off before coming down to the top three. Rhea missed two questions and that put her along with another contestant to battle for third place. Between the two of them, they had another seven rounds of tiebreakers and Rhea finally emerged to secure the third place spot!

The crowd was stunned by her talent. Rhea received special recognition for being a fifth grader and a standing ovation for being the top scorer among girls in the last twenty-five annual competitions! As a token of appreciation, she was awarded the complete National Geographic set of videos and magazines for the last two decades as well as a check for $50. Since accomplishing such an exciting goal,

Rhea has been featured in various local p u b l i c a t i o n s , both online and in print, and has even been r e c o g n i z e d by the city of Dublin for her o u t s t a n d i n g ach ievement ! We are thrilled that she did so well in this p r e s t i g i o u s competition and

we look forward to seeing her explore the world further!

Rhea Mitr, Geography Expert.

QLS Fifth Grader Places Third in State National Geographic Geography Bee

Quarry Lane Once Again Takes Gold

It is with great pride and appreciation for our families that we announce that the Quarry Lane School has

once again been voted Family Favorite by Bay Area Parent Magazine. For 2013, we have placed Gold in the categories of Preschool, Elementary School, Middle School and High School. Additionally, we placed Silver in Language Immersion Programs and Bronze in Tutoring and Enrichment Programs!

We extend our gratitude to the Quarry Lane families that helped make this possible and to the teachers and staff that truly have created this award winning environment. It was an honor just being nominated.

UPCOMING EVENTSHERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR CALENDAR.

June 13 – Last Day of School (Jr.K-12)

June 14 – 2013 Commencement Ceremony

June 17-July 26 – Camp Quarry, Quarry Lane Summer Academy, ESL Summer Camp

July 3, August 7 – Quarry Lane at the Pleasanton Street Fair

September 3 – First Day of School

2013-2014 Admissions EventsDate Time Event Location of EventNovember 3 1-4 p.m. Open House The Dublin Campus 3-5 p.m. Open House The Pleasanton West and East CampusesJanuary 26 1-4 p.m. Open House The Dublin Campus 3-5 p.m. Open House The Pleasanton West and East CampusesMarch 8 1-4 p.m. Open House The Dublin Campus 3-5 p.m. Open House The Pleasanton West and East Campuses

Direct Savings:$8,568 x 4 yrs. = $34,272 Annual Cost

$40,000

$35,000

$30,000

$25,000

$20,000

$15,000

$10,000

The Quarry

Lane School

Average cost of

Top Bay Area

Independent

College

Preparatory

High Schools

Indirect Savings:International Baccalaureate High

School Diploma Programme •College Credit - Potentially save 1-2 years of college - Potentially advance career earlier = $$$

Acceptance to top colleges •Better job opportunities = top salaries & top positionsThese numbers are based on the 2012-2013 academic school year.

At the Quarry Lane School, there is no relationship between tuition spending and student achievement. QLS provides results for less.

Staff Writer and Graphic Designer: Tiffany Marquez

SLATE is published by The Quarry Lane School. Dublin Campus - K-12 | 6363 Tassajara Rd., Dublin, CA 94568 | 925.829.8000

Pleasanton West Campus - Preschool | 4444B Black Ave., Pleasanton, CA 94566 | 925.462.63000 Pleasanton East Campus - Preschool | 3750 Boulder St., Pleasanton, CA 94566 | 925.846.9400

www.QuarryLane.org

Student Life

4

Beyond the Yellow Brick RoadThis year’s Spring Musical, The

Wizard of Oz, proved extremely successful. With a combination of

visual and performing arts, including the music department, coming together, it was well received by the audiences, selling out for each showing. An event as successful as this show does not happen without effort. Those involved in the show, totaling around sixty students plus teachers and faculty, attended rehearsals every day for months before opening day. The path leading to the yellow brick road was long, but those traveling were triumphant.

Theater Arts teacher Mr. Paul Rosa truly showed his talent for running the stage as director of the production. His vision for a student-run performance was made possible when he chose to hold the performance in the Quarry Lane Villa granting easy access to the show space. The staircase in particular really intrigued Mr. Rosa, as he knew that it could be used for a variety of scenes, including the captivating entrances of both witches. Additionally, he wanted the students to be able to run the stage, including the lighting. The lighting proved to be a huge factor in the

performance as a whole with various scenes represented by different colors of light. Finally, Mr. Rosa encouraged the actors to perform by projecting their voices, a skill they will use throughout

their lives in public speaking.

Right alongside Mr. Rosa was fourth grade teacher Ms. Laura Ward, who has a background in theater and music. She directed the “second unit” comprised of the Munchkins. These student performers in grades 3-5 lit up the stage with their enthusiasm and charm. Ms. Ward c h o r e o g r a p h e d

the dance moves for their scenes, and was responsible for their costumes, props and stage direction. One of the highlights of this event was the participation of both lower and upper school students. With the main characters played by students in grades 6-12, and the Munchkins sharing the stage, it really brought together every aspect of the performance. ESL teacher Ms. Kimberly Clark after attending a performance said, “It was so great to see the integration of lower and upper schools done so smoothly and effectively. It was a WHOLE school production—unbelievable feat!”

Dorothy oils the Tin Man upon meeting.

This year, for the third year in a row, the Quarry Lane Spanish Club hosted the now annual

“Salsa Night.” And next year, the Global Awareness Club will be hosting its first-ever “Desi Night”! These exciting cultural events provide high school students with, not only the opportunity to watch choreographed ethnic performances, but also a chance to learn cultural dances for themselves! Attendees also enjoy fresh, delicious food from the countries they are celebrating.

Spanish Club’s traditional “Salsa Night,” as with all events at Quarry Lane, benefited a noble cause. The proceeds from tickets ($10 each) were donated to Save the Children, a charity that supports orphans and underprivileged children in all corners of the world. Via this organization, the

By Kamya AroraJunior

QLS Spanish Club has adopted its very own child. Liz, a 12 year-old Bolivian girl, who has benefitted greatly in terms of schooling, boarding and quality of life from the proceeds donated by the club. This year, like the previous ones, was another success and a wonderful chance for the Quarry Lane student body to salsa the night away.

Next year, in what they are sure will become another great QLS tradition; the Quarry Lane Global Awareness Club will be hosting a “Desi Night” to celebrate the culture of the Indian subcontinent. The event will consist of cultural performances by students and teachers, and authentic Indian food ranging from bland to VERY spicy. All types of Indian music from Bollywood, classical, and bhangra will be playing; students and teachers will not be able to resist having a go at the dance floor!

Salsa and Desi Night

Dance teacher Susan Lamberth choreographed all of the main dance scenes, including the specialty dance scenes that were added to the classic story. These scenes, including a hip-hop dance and a traditional Indian dance, were well received by the audience. Mr. Rosa says of the choreography, “Susan’s work was challenging to the students, fresh and innovative in its design and wonderfully fun for the audience. In addition, Susan is one of the kindest and most genuine choreographers I have ever worked with.”

Dr. Patrick Liddell, Director of Music, worked diligently with the singers to teach them the lyrics of each song and helped create the musical sounds present. According to Mr. Rosa, “Dr. Liddell played with the trio [of musicians] to create [many] of the musical sounds that made magic happen during the show.”

Just as music is important for the ears, aesthetics are essential for the eyes. Mr. Louis Chinn, Head of Visual Arts, worked alongside students, parents and the Fashion Club to create the elaborate costumes that stunned us. Also involved in the process was our very own Ms. Joanne

Romeo, who worked behind-the-scenes in many capacities. “[Ms. Romeo] played drums for us as well as made the program, and whenever we needed a set item or prop that we did not have, it would magically appear, again, courtesy of Ms. Romeo,” exclaimed Mr. Rosa. And every moment of the show was truly captured by the photography of Mr. Marc Davis, parent to two of our Munchkins, and professional photographer.

Also behind-the-scenes, the stage crew was led by English teacher Mr. Geoffrey Lewis. His group of six students in grades 6-11 worked as a team to create

the landscape of Oz. As a result of their hard work, the entire stage was designed and produced by the students themselves.

This spring performance began production in early December with casting and stage design. The students worked together to ensure that everything ran as planned, including the organization of costumes and

makeup during performances. They created the sets and planned the lighting. With twists and turns along the way, these students truly ran the entire show and created magic on stage.

It is no secret that the athletics program at Quarry Lane has grown over the years. For the 2012-2013

school year, fans and players were thrilled to see our traditional sports offered—such as High School Varsity Basketball and High School Varsity Soccer plus our new sports offered this year, such as Tennis and Swimming.

As always, High School Varsity Soccer and High School Varsity Basketball were the most beloved in the athletics program. These sports have become the focus for spirit pep rallies and for major fan involvement. Students showed up to games, complete with encouraging signs, and cheered for their home team! In fact, this year, Quarry Lane started a Cheer Squad, which sang, danced and rallied the fans at all major games. They even represented the school at local events in the community!

Our Middle School sports program was especially spirited this year. Each team was composed of dedicated, hardworking players that showed

what it meant to truly be a Cougar. Middle School soccer remained undefeated throughout their season- until their last game, when they played on a wet and muddy field — to sum it up they were defeated by mud! Middle School Boys Basketball had a nearly undefeated season as well! And, as a Quarry Lane staple, the fans were excited to come show their support to the boys on the court! Middle School Track was successful as well. With a combination of returning and new team members, they have improved their already-impressive skills!

With so many options, some players cannot choose just one sport! Many of our athletics-driven students play on multiple teams, some even overlapping seasons. This year in particular was an exciting time to be on a QLS sports team! With the enthusiastic spirit, impressive statistics and new sports offered, the athletics program was increasingly popular. Cougar fans really look forward to seeing what will be offered next year!

Cougar Athletics 2012-2013

The Scarecrow sings .