A newsletter for the families and friends of Westchester Country Day School

From the Head of SchoolEdification and the Work of Building CommunityAs I mentioned to all of you at Convocation, the faculty and I have spent a

good amount of time this fall thinking and talking about our mission statement. These conversations have been both clarifying and invigorating, reminding us of who we are as a school family and inspiring us to recommit ourselves to the shared values that make this an extraordinary place. I took time in my summer article for Wildcat PAWS to share my thoughts about our mission’s call for us to educate “each child,” a phrase that articulates our deep commitment to knowing, loving, and serving every child in the school.

Another point of focus for us as a faculty this fall has been that moment in our mission statement in which we describe the kind of community we all hope to build and sustain here. Make no mistake -- we take community very seriously here at WCDS, for we understand the powerful connection between the pursuit of excellence and the environment in which this challenging and important work is undertaken each day.

We believe that children who are known, loved, and cared for -- in short, students who feel at home and safe on campus, in class, at recess -- are well positioned to embrace and learn from the high expectations that we have for them here at school. With this in mind, we all work to build and sustain what our mission describes as “a nurturing, family environment where students, teachers, and parents support one another.”

In this regard, we all have ample cause to be proud of the community that has been built here at Westchester over the years. At every turn, I see our school family at work--stepping in to help out, comforting in times of trial, offering an encouraging word or constructive feedback, welcoming a new classmate, or partnering with one another to confront a challenge, solve a problem, overcome a difficult obstacle.

We must all understand, however, that our school is a warm, caring, welcoming place because of how we choose to live and treat one another. In fact, these choices influence the people in community with us in powerful ways. As David Brooks points out in a recent essay, we may not understand fully the degree to which we are the products of the communities in which we live and work and the fact that success comes far more often from our good work together than from individual talent or performance. As he argues, our lives are less like baseball, a sport concerned principally with individual achievement and talent, and more like soccer, a sport in which success comes only when individuals learn to work together as a team to achieve a common goal.

Our mission calls upon us always to be concerned with who we are together, how we work as a team. As we move forward with this in mind, we do so understanding how much stronger we are when we work together in service to something far greater than ourselves: the children in our care. We all have to recognize that, in Brooks’ parlance, we are “playing soccer” as we gather each morning and undertake the work of educating children. We are at our very best when we are working together--coordinated, communicating, trusting one another, and focused on our common goals.

September 2014 Newsletter

In This Issue...

Welcome New Wildcats

Headlines

Upcoming Events

Meet Your Wildcats

Middle School News

Arts Update

Athletics Update

For the College Bound

Counselor’s Corner

International Travel Update

WAPA Notes and News

Welcome New Wildcats!

Pre-Kindergarten

* Miss Bella AkbaryFred and Michelle Akbary

* Miss Nicky Berenzon Dmitriy Berenzon and Yelena Komissarova

* Miss Evin BradleyJohn and Anika Bradley

Miss Misha Cap Jan Cap and Iveta Koukolova

* Miss Christiana Ferentinos Stratos and Zoe Ferentinos

* Mr. Cameron Harris Brian and Rebecca Lucas

* Mr. Smith Huggins Greg and Megann Huggins

* Mr. Miles JenningsDustin and Shelley Jennings

* Miss Medara PatronAmen Patron and Unwana Eyo

* Mr. Keller Riggan Paul and Katie Riggan

Kindergarten

* Mr. Bryce AlexanderMarcus and Katira Alexander

* Mr. Dylan Baker Jamie and Jennifer Baker

* Miss Madelyn Carroll Blane and Whitney Carroll

Miss Emma-Lee ChiuAndy and Sara Chiu

Mr. Clark ClodfelterFred and Christine Clodfelter

Miss Helen ClodfelterFred and Christine Clodfelter

Mr. Ben CovingtonTyler and Amanda Covington

* Mr. Whit Hauser Dan and Samantha Hauser

* Mr. Jay JacksonJ.D. and Candice Jackson

Miss Jordyn JerniganMike and Jatana Jernigan

This fall the faculty and I have reaffirmed our duty to protect and maintain our school’s “nurturing family

environment” by being attentive to the choices that we make, the words that we use, and the ways in which we work together. We will strive always to be acting in ways that will edify, or build up, others in our school family. We will share authentic gratitude, find ways to encourage, offer constructive criticism, and the like, all with the aim of building up one another. We will confront challenges as teammates, focused on solutions, constructive in our approach, and always attentive to fact that how we work together will determine the kind of community in which our children learn and grow.

So I invite all of Wildcat Nation—students, parents, trustees, and friends—to join us in this effort and engage in the important work of edification. I am convinced that in so doing, we will make our school community even stronger.

Cobb AtkinsonHead of School

* Miss Elly KeeverJimmy and Mary Keever

* Mr. Garrett LeTri and Kristy Le

* Mr. Elijah Mathis Heather JoinesMatthew Mathis

* Mr. Aiden Patton Colin and Brittany Pikett

* Mr. Cayden ThalasinosBrandon and Courtney Thalasinos

* Mr. Sam Van Dessel Tom and Kim Van Dessel

* Mr. Clinton WagonerKenny and Jennifer Wagoner

First Grade

* Mr. Dylan Barton Erin MillerJustin Barton

* Miss Hadley Briggs Dan and Laurie Briggs

* Miss Rose Carron Carmen CarronTod Carron

* Miss Olivia EhlersLisa EhlersDarryl Ehlers

Second Grade

* Mr. Jackson HedrickBradley and Jane Hedrick

* Mr. Cole Mormon Mitch Rife and Laura PolmateerKenny Mormon

Third Grade

* Miss Lyndon Briggs Dan and Laurie Briggs

* Miss Covington Hauser Dan and Samantha Hauser

* Miss Ava Klein Johannes and Anita Klein

* Miss Devin MacKieRobert MacKie and Alaina Gimbert

* Miss Georgia Moorefield John and Adair Moorefield

* Mr. Ben Van Dessel Tom and Kim Van Dessel

Fourth Grade

* Mr. Tommy MattoxChris and Andrea Mattox

Fifth Grade

* Miss Jordan BradleyJohn and Anika Bradley

* Miss Sidney Briggs Dan and Laurie Briggs

* Miss Hope StephensSusan Zhu

* Mr. Max Van DesselTom and Kim Van Dessel

Sixth Grade

* Mr. Aidan AppleChris and Rhonda Apple

* Miss Nati DiazRoberto and Shelley Diaz

* Miss Rowan MacKieRobert MacKie and Alaina Gimbert

* Mr. Cameron McMaster Robert McMaster and Swanette Goodwin

* Mr. Mithul MuppasaniAshwani and Srila Muppasani

* Mr. Myles PattersonBrook and Jayna Patterson

Seventh Grade

* Miss Lilly BovioErnie and Holly Bovio

* Miss Rosa Anna EliasLou Elias and Irais Martinez Viveros

Mr. Banks StarbuckBuck and April Starbuck

Eighth Grade

* Mr. John BovioErnie and Holly Bovio

* Miss Mackenzie EasomChris Kopchik and Shelby MeadeRonald Easom

* Miss Hannah KleinJohannes and Anita Klein

* Miss Julia MattoxChris and Andrea Mattox

* Mr. Zack TippettJohn and Angie Tippett

Ninth Grade

Miss Hollis AndrewsHerb and Shandel Andrews

* Miss Magdelene CarronCarmen CarronTod Carron

* Mr. Lucas ComptonMitch and Sandy Compton

* Mr. Jackson Fielding Dan and Lynne Fielding

* Mr. Jerod HartsoeScott and Sharon Hartsoe

* Mr. Alec Hunter Darrin and Marianne Hunter

* Mr. Mehul MuppasaniAshwani and Srila Muppasani

* Mr. Chase PyrtleJohnny and Allison Pyrtle

* Mr. Hao TongZhaohan Tong and Yajun HuMonte and Cindy Webb (host family)

* Miss Jessica TranTu Nguyen

* Mr. Dalton WardBrian and Wendy Ward

10th Grade

* Mr. Lantz LoweMelonie Lowe

* Miss Linzi LoweMelonie Lowe

* Mr. L.J. McCoyLandrew and Domminic McCoy

* Miss Noemi Salinas Julio and Ruperta Salinas

Mr. Preston Shoaf Carlton and Leigh Shoaf

* Mr. Gavin TippettJohn and Angie Tippett

* Mr. Max TruschnowitschMark and Anne-Kathrin TruschowitschRick and Christine Beale (host family)

11th Grade

* Miss Mariah AshleyMarc Ashley and Maria ChecaSunnie Nicks

* Mr. Drew CottrellKevin and Malissa Cottrell

* Mr. Marshall LangeMatt and Patty Lange

* Miss May LiBoWei Li and Ping ChenGreg and Deb Tuggle (host family)

* Mr. Devin LumleyDavid and Debbie Lumley

* Mr. Will ShieldsRandy and Debbie Shields

*Denotes a new family to WCDS.

Visit WestNet Community for address information.

Yearbook Information for Seniors

Attention seniors and parents of seniors: It is time to turn in senior portraits! You will need to provide Mrs. Tuggle with a digital image by October 1. All of the local photographers are willing to send the image of your choice to Mrs. Tuggle. The image for the yearbook must be a vertical image. In addition to the senior photo, please provide the following:

Senior Half Pages – Photos due October 1Each senior is given half of a page, at no charge, which will be in the senior section of the yearbook. For this year’s template, please submit five candid shots or four candid shots and one quotation as well as the senior portrait you would like to be on the page. Pictures may be dropped off at Mrs. Tuggle’s office or submitted by email by October 1. We will return all printed pictures.

Senior Ads – Photos due December 1 Parents or seniors may also purchase ads, which will be located in the ad section of the yearbook. If you would like to design the ad yourself, please either submit it digitally or submit a hard copy that the yearbook staff can scan. If you would like the yearbook staff to design the ad for you, please submit eight to ten photos for a full page ad, or four to six photos for a half page ad, along with any text.

A full page color ad is $300, and a half page color ad is $200. Checks may be made payable to Westchester Country Day School.

While you are looking through your photos, keep in mind you will also be asked for ten baby pictures for the Senior Luncheon at the end of the year. Thank you!

WCDS Welcomes World Cup and Olympic Soccer Star

Alumni family Robin, Katherine, Coleman, and Alston Team have been kind enough to donate to the WCDS soccer program, “An Afternoon with Heather O’Reilly - World Cup and Olympic Superstar!” Heather will be coming to Westchester on Thursday, September 4, to meet all of our young Wildcat soccer stars! Heather will speak to all WCDS students who attend from 3:00-3:45 pm on Hathaway Field (lower soccer field), and then she will help Coach Schwartz train the Varsity Boys Soccer Team from 4:00 - 5:15 p.m. ALL kids and families are welcome to spend time with Heather and and the team. Please read about Heather O’Reilly at the following link: oreillysoccer.com. We look forward to seeing all USA soccer fans at this special event!

Headlines

Summer Science Fun

Eighth graders Zach Beale and Spencer Sherrill participated in a dogfish shark dissection program during their vacation on Bald Head Island this summer. Topics of learning included anatomy, physiology, life cycles, and food chain. According to Mrs. Beale, “During stomach content exploration, fish fragments were discovered - which they thought was cool!”

Annual Asbestos Report

September 2014

Dear Parents and Friends:

This notice is being sent to all Westchester Country Day School parents and staff in order to comply with the 1986 federally mandated Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA). AHERA regulations require all K-12 schools to perform asbestos inspections and create a management plan for removal of any asbestos material found at the school. Triad Environmental of Kernersville, North Carolina, performed an inspection at Westchester Country Day School facilities, and no asbestos materials were found in any of the school buildings.

Westchester’s Inspection and Management Plan, which notes the results of the inspection, is on file in the Business Office and the Facilities Office. Copies of the plan can be obtained by calling either office.

Sincerely, Wade Shigo Director of Finance

Faculty Fun

Before school began, the faculty participated in a variety of workshops and professional

development opportunities such as a rowing clinic, painting party,

and dinner at the Argo home.

OM Sign Ups Coming Soon

We are hoping for another successful year with our Odyssey of the Mind teams. There will be opportunities for students in Grades K-8. Watch for sign up information in the October newsletter.

Footnotes registration under way! Footnotes, the Lower School chorus open to students in grades 3-5, is accepting registrations! The group rehearses after school on Wednesdays each week and gives performances both on campus and in the community. The first rehearsal will be Wednesday, September 17. Click here for a registration form.

Upcoming EventsWAPA Book Club8:00 a.m. Wednesday, September 3, Library. We will be discussing Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Everyone is welcome!

Friends of the Fine Arts Meeting8:00 a.m. Thursday, September 4, Library. Anyone interested in learning more about or helping with the arts at Westchester is welcome to attend.

School PicturesWednesday, September 10

Honk! Jr. Auditions3:15 - 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 10, in the music room for students in grades 3 - 12. Students in K - 2 grades do not need to audition. (Read more on page 9.)

C.A.R.E.S. Crew GatheringThursday, September 11, 8:15 a.m. Please wear red!

Paws No Homework NightWednesday, September 17

October Save the Dates!

Blue-White Spirit DayThursday, October 2 (Read more on page 16.)

Golf TournamentFriday, October 3

Grandparents DayFriday, October 10

Meet Your Wildcats

Name: Heather Singer

Title: Middle and Upper School Counselor

Family: My husband, Erik, and our two daughters: Sophia (5th) and Cooper (2nd)

What was your favorite subject in school? History and social sciences

What book are you reading? The Secrets of Happy Families by Bruce Feiler

Name of the last movie you watched: The Giver

Favorite Restaurant: Blue Water Grille and Barberitos

Dream Vacation: A month touring Europe with my family

Something most people don’t know about you: I am the only person in my entire family that has ever lived outside of the great states of Tennessee or Mississippi. I have lived in 7 states.

Favorite thing about Westchester:How fun it is every day - such a great sense of community!

Middle School News from Mrs. Keever98 students came tumbling into our halls98 students are here, take them around, show our Middle School fun by the pound98 students are here in our halls!

The first adventure we have conquered is the class trips! Sixth graders (top and bottom right photos - check out Mr. Atkinson’s dance moves!) enjoyed canoeing, hiking, zip lining, mud sliding, and the vertical playpen at Camp Cheerio. Seventh graders (middle photo) thrived as they camped, tubbed, and swam at Bandit’s Roost campground at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. Eighth graders (bottom photo) descended upon Atlanta for tours of the Georgia Aquarium, CNN, and the Civil Rights Museum. Students and teachers alike bonded, challenged themselves, and celebrated the opportunity for an alternative classroom setting! (Insert photos I will send you)

Upon their return to Wildcat world, they will dive into their academic schedules with enthusiastic instructors. They also will have an opportunity to enjoy some unique learning during their elective time with a variety of offerings, such as art club, digital photography, science club, sewing, classic films, Battle of the Books, Odyssey of the Mind, and, of course, gym time.

Students will continue to reach for their goal for a sound mind and body as we grow the P.E. and sports program this year. Similar to last year, all middle school students will have the opportunity to try out for a sport team, with the fall schedule including soccer, volleyball, and our middle school cross country team. Those not playing on a team may choose from a wildcat fitness and games program or Fit in Mind, Body, and Habits.

Our halls are alive with the sound of… Middle School! Visit anytime!

Arts Update from Ann Parks

Each and every child is an artist, and every day he or she creates something new. Perhaps it’s the patterns he sees in the sidewalk or the colors in the trees; or maybe it is the songs she hums while walking to class or the notes she combines on her guitar. The Arts are ways for all of us to express ourselves in ways that are personally meaningful. In the arts classrooms and studios, the talented teachers guide each child to discover his or her own artistic expression. The students learn new ways to see their world, to design their responses, and to hear the harmonies that surround them.

However, the Arts aren’t just relegated to the arts classrooms. The drama program welcomes all students to the stage. Here students learn the confidence of stepping before their peers. They learn the perseverance needed to develop a role in a play. They also learn that being in a play is a fun, communal experience.

This year we are actively integrating the Arts into all curricular studies, Pre-K through12. During pre-planning, the North Carolina Museum of Art presented a seminar on Classroom Connections through Art and Key Concepts, offering visual thinking strategies to help students both observe and make connections across core subjects. This summer Mrs.

Sloop, Mr. Burns, and Mrs. Parks, representing each division and a variety of core subjects, attended a workshop held at NCMA: Harnessing the Power of the Visual Arts through Discipline Based Questioning. Differentiation, teaching each child in highly personal and unique ways, is inherent in the arts environment.

There are many opportunities for students in the Arts. Arts instruction has formally begun, and students are busy creating new projects and learning new musical concepts. Private instrumental instruction, now including cello and voice taught by Mrs. English, will begin in early September. After school classes in the visual arts will be announced as part of the Westchester electives. Auditions for the K-12 fall musical, Honk! Jr. are coming soon (see below). There are also opportunities to volunteer in the Arts. Students in MS and US Art Clubs will help out with Day in the Park, September 20, Blue-White Spirit Day, and other community events.

We are also busy planning events and guest artists for the coming school year. The first Friends of Fine Arts meeting will be held Thursday, September 4, in the library at 8:00 a.m. Please come and see what’s happening in the Arts at Westchester. Let’s support the young artists at Westchester as we continue to celebrate the artist in each of us!

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.

~ Pablo Picasso

HONK! JR.Book by Anthony DreweMusic by George StilesLyrics by Anthony Drewe Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly

Duckling

SynopsisUgly (the ugly duckling) looks quite a bit different

from his darling duckling brothers and sisters. The other animals on the farm are quick to notice and point this out, despite his mother’s protective flapping. Feeling rather foul about himself, the little fowl finds himself on an adventure of self discovery all the while unknowingly outwitting a very hungry Cat. Along the way Ugly meets a whole flock of unique characters and finds out being different is not a bad thing to be.

AuditionsStudents in kindergarten through second grade

do not need to audition. These students will all be froglets and will learn a very lively fun song called “Warts and All.” Students in grades 3 - 12 must audition on Wednesday, September 10, in the music room from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. The audition process includes singing a song that will be taught and reading from the script. Every student planning on being in the production must complete the electronic audition form by September 9.

“Honk! Junior is a great reminder of all the things we hope kids learn--accept others for who they are,

not what they look like, remember that being different is okay, and remember that out there somewhere,

someone’s gonna love you -- warts and all!”-Michael Litfin,

Palo Alto Children’s Theatre

The 2014 - 2015 Wildcat athletic year is under way, and you can already feel the “Wildcat Spirit” all around campus! It is shaping up to be one of our best fall seasons in quite some time.

Our varsity teams of girls volleyball, girls tennis, boys and girls cross country, and boys soccer are all returning strong teams and have been working hard in the off-season to compete at a high level. Our Middle School soccer, volleyball, and cross country teams are getting ready for an outstanding fall season as well.

The coaches for our 2014 fall season are:

Varsity Boys Soccer Head: Adam Schwartz Assistants: Rustin Thomas, Lasse Palomaki

Varsity Girls Volleyball Head: Mark Sharpe Assistant: Wes Hawkins

Varisty Girls Tennis Head: Sterling Smith

Varsity Boys and Girls Cross Country Head: Tim Anderson

MS Boys Soccer Head: Rustin Thomas Assistant: Lasse Palomaki

MS Girls Volleyball Head: Jenny Boyette

MS Cross Country Head: Jeb Burns

Players, parents, and faculty are so excited about our new assistant additions – ALL are Westchester alums, and we can’t wait to see our wonderful student-athletes compete at the highest level while making so many wonderful memories.

Westchester would also like to thank the Booster Club and all of Wildcat Nation who supported “Chuck’s Fund” at last year’s auction. WCDS is so excited to have new scoreboards on the baseball field (above left) and in the Cat’s Den (below)!

Check out the entire athletic schedule online at www.westchestercds.org, and come out and support the Cats!

Athletics Update from Coach Schwartz

For the College BoundGreetings from the College Office! For seniors, the

college application process is already energetically underway: “long lists” of potential schools are becoming “short lists,” Common Application accounts are being established, teacher recommendations are being procured, resumes are being finalized, essays are being drafted and revised . . . it is an understatement to say there is much for these seniors to do!

Certainly, when we think of the college process, these seniors and the myriad tasks I have just described immediately come to mind. However, here at Westchester Country Day School, the college process commences well before the fall of the senior year. It actually begins when parents make the decision to enroll their children in a college preparatory school like Westchester. What students do here on a daily basis is the best preparation for college there is, and so the college process actually starts for our students when their parents make a commitment to this school and the extraordinary educational experience we have to offer.

For high school students, even the greenest of freshmen, it is not too early to begin thinking about college. When making admission decisions, colleges consider student performance during all four years of high school. With competition for slots at highly competitive and even moderately competitive schools growing more intense each year, it is in our students’ best interests to begin discussing the college process not long after high school begins to increase contact with and guidance from the college counselor with each year that passes.

I will be visiting classes and advisories of all grade levels throughout the year, laying college process groundwork with freshmen and sophomores and building on a foundation with juniors and seniors. We will cover a host of pertinent college process topics, such as factors that most influence admission decisions, various types of schools, the different parts of a college application, how to create a resume and write an essay . . . more topics than I can mention here. Along the way, I will encourage students to self-reflect often, for honestly evaluating one’s own strengths, weaknesses, preferences, and interests is the key to creating that short list of schools and ultimately finding that perfect match.

In the meantime, I have some advice for all high school students, no matter what grade level, regarding how to prepare for college.

* Maintain the highest average possible in each class. The difference between a B+ and an A-

or even a B and a B+ may not seem like much now, but it can have a significant impact on future opportunities. Grades are one of the most influential factors in college admissions and scholarship awards as well as in determining NCAA eligibility. Additionally, the grades students make now affect the high school courses available to them down the road (advanced and Advanced Placement courses) as well as a student’s potential to be inducted into National Honor Society.

* Commitment and excellence outside of the classroom are integral aspects of the package that a student will present to colleges one day. How students spend their time defines them, so they need to consider objectively all of the extracurricular opportunities available to them at Westchester and beyond. What is your student’s passion? Where does this student see him or herself making the most contributions? Students should focus on the activities that mean the most and commit to them; they should pursue true engagement in extracurricular activities rather than mere quantity.

* Begin and then continue a career as a volunteer. Service hours are an important component of a National Honor Society application portfolio and college applications. As with extracurricular activities, the quality of volunteer involvement matters. Students should not just try to accumulate hours here, there, anywhere, and everywhere. Instead, they should strive to find an area of interest and position themselves to make a difference. They should demonstrate commitment, initiative, and leadership whenever possible.

* Create and then update regularly a computer document that records activities, awards, and service by semester/year. Having this record at the ready will make creating a resume and filling out college applications much easier; a student will not have to rely on his or her memory for what he or she did freshman and sophomore year!

* How students conduct themselves matters. Colleges have become increasingly concerned about student behavior on their campuses, and it is now standard procedure for them to pose a question during the application process regarding disciplinary action taken against a student at any time from ninth grade forward. Mistakes made now can have far-reaching consequences, so students need to think before they act. WCDS’s honor code and code of conduct should serve as constant reminders of the right choices to make.

* Talk to college admissions representatives who visit Westchester, and attend college and career fairs in our area. It is also critically important to

Greetings from the Counselor’s Office! There is a lot of excitement on campus. Students are settling into their routines (as well as Mom & Dad) and enjoying spending time with friends and getting to know their teachers better. My office is starting to get busy too! I have started meeting with all of our NEW middle school and upper school students, and I am looking forward to getting to know each of them individually and hearing about their transition to Westchester. There are so many positive things going on right now. It is certainly an exciting time!

Our Parent Forums will resume this year! We will cover a variety of topics, so if you have any suggestions for topics, please feel free to contact me to share those. I would love to hear your ideas!

Our Head of Middle School, Mary Keever, introduced Bruce Feiler’s book, The Secrets of Happy Families to me this summer. She also led a discussion with several faculty and staff members during our Pre-Planning workshops on this book. After that discussion, I thought it would be a great idea to pass this on to our parents. Bruce Feiler, the author, has an entirely new way of parenting. It

is definitely “out of the box”! I had several “a-ha”

moments when I was reading the book, and I believe you will as well. Here’s just a small bit of what his website had to say about Bruce and the writing of this book: “He set out on a three-year journey to find the smartest ideas, cutting-edge research, and novel solutions to make his family happier. Instead of the usual psychologists and family ‘experts,’ he sought out the most creative minds from Silicon Valley to the country’s top negotiators, from the set of Modern Family to the Green Berets and asked what team-building exercises and problem-solving techniques they use with their families. Feiler then tested these ideas with his own wife and kids. The result is a fun, completely original look at how families can draw closer together, complete with 200 never -before-seen best practices” (http://brucefeiler.com/books/the-secrets-of-happy-families/).

I would like to invite all parents to join Mary Keever and me on Wednesday, September 17, at 8:15 a.m. in the library for our first Parent Forum Coffee. We will be kicking this year’s Parent Forum series off with the topic of Happy Families. I hope you will put this date on your calendar and plan on coming out! Closer to the date, I will be sending a reminder email out to you.

Please contact me at 822-4085 or at heather.singer@westchestercds.org if you have any questions.

Again, please remember I am available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:00 am – 3:00 pm and Fridays between 8:00 am – 1:30 pm.

Heather SingerMiddle and Upper School Counselor

Counselor’s Corner

visit schools. Fold informal college campus visits into family travel/vacations. Even drive-by visits provide impressions that can be helpful down the road. At a minimum, make some visits to colleges and universities in the local area, which vary in size and kind. This will give a student a baseline for judging the kind of environment that best suits him or her. Older high school students should schedule formal visits to specific schools.

I encourage all high school students and their parents to peruse the recently updated College

Information section on WestNet, which contains, among other things, college rep visit dates, topical advice, quick links, and articles and videos of interest. I am looking forward to working with all of Westchester’s upper school students and getting to know each of them better with each passing year. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns.

Raegan AtkinsonDirector of College Guidance

The Summit Tour is an in-depth cultural and historical experience in Europe that goes far deeper than the tourist attractions. Our specific theme will be “Education as a Human Right.” Students will visit local schools and human rights organizations to experience how they operate and gain a greater understanding of these organizations first-hand. Visiting Amsterdam, Paris, and Geneva, your child will get to experience, among many other things, the Anne Frank House, the Hague, UNESCO World Headquarters, and the European UN Offices. Our capstone experience will be a high-level, 2-day leadership conference in Davos, Switzerland—at the same venue used by the World Economic Forum—where your child will collaborate with American and European peers to develop innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing humanity and the future of education around the world. The immersive tour experience throughout Europe will provide context for our students’ project development.

-Innovation Village: Students from Europe and the US will work together to effectively pitch their Design Thinking solutions to expert judges and all summit participants. This operates as a trade show simulation. Votes are tallied and winners are chosen in each category of design challenge. Students who decide to further pursue their solution back home will be eligible for seed money if it is determined the project has a viable chance of success in the real world.

The EF Global Student Leaders Summit will be taking place June 19-29, 2015. We have 22 students

currently enrolled and would love to have even more!

Here’s the itinerary for the first 5 days. Go online to see the remaining days.

• Day 1: Fly overnight to Amsterdam• Day 2: Amsterdam Meet your Tour Director at the airport Take a walking tour of Amsterdam With your tour director you will see: * City canals• Day 3: Amsterdam Take a guided tour of Amsterdam With your expert local guide you will see: * Koninklijk Paleis * Westerkerk Visit the Anne Frank House• Day 4: Amsterdam Take a day excursion to The Hague Take a guided tour of The Hague Visit the Peace Palace Institution Visit: Visit the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice• Day 5: Amsterdam • Paris Travel to Paris Take a guided tour of Paris With your expert local guide you will see: * Place de la Concorde * Champs-Élysées * Arc de Triomphe * Les Invalides * Eiffel Tower• Check out days 6-11 online

The deadline for sign up is October 1 or when the trip fills up, whichever comes first. EF is only accepting 1000 students, and they are already over 900, so if you are interested in this great opportunity, let’s get your child enrolled ASAP! Please click here to check out the website for more information and pricing. I hope you will be as excited about this opportunity as much as we are! One last detail, this trip is not available for parents - only students. This is EF’s rule, not ours.

Our chaperones will be:Mrs. Heather Singer, International Travel Coordinator and MS/US School CounselorMr. Cobb Atkinson, Head of SchoolMiss Meredith McCall, 9th and 10th grade English

Looking forward to a great trip!Heather Singerheather.singer@westchestercds.org

International Travel UpdateLooking for opportunities outside of the classroom for your 10th or 11th grader?

We have an excellent opportunity for them THIS summer!

When girls learn about puberty before it happens, they face it with greater conÞdence & even excitement. This is the perfect time to start healthy, factual conversations. This physician-led program will introduce puberty, hygiene, and

other awkward stuff (but not sex) in a setting that is active and entertaining.

Something New About You

Reserve Your Place!

for 4th & 5th grade girls and their moms*

1:00 - 3:00 pmWestchester Country Day School

Library

Cost: $75 per pair Pre-Registration required

Register or Learn more at Sunday, November 2

www. girlology. com

Join Us for a Fun and InformativeMother*-Daughter Event ®

*or mom-substitute

Led by Dr. Erin Stone, Ob-Gyn & Girlologist

®

Sunday, November 2, 3:30-5:30 pmWestchester Country Day SchoolLibrary

Just the FACTSFor 4th and 5th grade guys and their dads*

guy ologyReserve Your Place!

Led by Dr. Erin Stone, Ob-Gyn & GirlologistBodies are funny. Girls are confusing. Prepare him with the facts and honest

conversation. This physician-led program will introduce puberty, hygiene, and other awkward stuff (but not sex) in a setting that is active and entertaining.

Learn more and register at www.girlology.com (yes, GIRLology.com weʼll explain later.)

*or another inßuential man in his life

Pre-Registration Required.Cost: $75 per dad*-son pair

To register for the programs, go to the girlology website: www.girlology.com. Once there, click on OUR PROGRAMS. You can go directly to registration by clicking on SIGN ME UP, or you can read more about our programs by visiting the other links.The registration process requires you to make a “Master Account” with your email, phone, address, etc. Then you will need to register the “Participant” (your child). If you have any problems with your registration, please feel free to contact the girlology office at info@girlology.com or Heather Singer at heather.singer@westchestercds.org or 822-4085.

WAPA Notes and NewsWelcome back parents, students, and faculty! I’m excited about leading

the WAPA organization this school year. The WAPA acronym stands for Westchester’s All Parents Association. As a parent of a Westchester student, you are automatically a member of WAPA, and we invite you to be involved with our parent-led volunteer organization. Our mission is to support the faculty, staff, students, and parents by enriching and connecting the WCDS community.

We are also a self-funding organization, so we depend on volunteers and fundraisers to support Westchester.

Please support WAPA by volunteering and supporting our fundraisers so we can continue to provide: • Teacher & Volunteer appreciation events, gifts, and awards• Refreshments, hospitality, and decorations for receptions and events• Family Events such as Back to School NIght, Scholastic Book Fair, Blue-White Spirit Day, and Movie

Night • Plants, flowers, and seasonal decorations to beautify campus• Complimentary snacks and beverages in faculty lounges• Cards and care packages to express congratulations or sympathy • Volunteers to assist with library, Wildcat Outfitters, and special events• Mini-Grants to staff and faculty to purchase classroom materials, athletic equipment, lab supplies,

and technology.

I look forward to your support and another successful year for 2014-2015! Please contact me via email if you have any questions.

Nicole CullerWAPA President, 2014-2015

GET INVOLVED and VOLUNTEER!

Our WCDS community is woven together by caring, committed, service-minded students, faculty, staff, and parents. Grab your friends and make new ones by volunteering on campus! There’s a way for everyone to be involved! Please click here to see a full listing of volunteer activities or use the Signup Genius links below for these programs:

Library – Assist once a week (Thursdays) during library time with the Lower School students. (Committee Chairs: Mary Niner and Iveta Koukolova)

Innisbrook Gift Wrap Fundraiser – Help consolidate orders and money on Tuesday, October 8, from 8:30-10:30 a.m., or distribute orders to classrooms on Monday, October 28, from 8:30-11:30 a.m. (Committee Chairs: Tina Elsayad and Susan Sherrill)

Teacher Appreciation Lounge Snacks– Place snacks in each of the teachers’ lounges to help them get through their busy days! (Committee Chairs: Tina Elsayed and Penny Rowe)

Blue-White Spirit Day – Our biggest student festival of the year! Bake a cake, help set up, supervise a game or help clean up on October 3. (Committee Chairs: Chris Kopchik, Lorraine Ledford, and Kellie Privette)

Hubs Peanuts Fundraiser – In mid-November (date to be determined), help segregate orders in morning, distribute orders during carpool, or deliver large orders to customers. (Committee Chairs: Leslie Adams and Laurie Rives)

Teacher Appreciation Holiday Luncheon – Have lunch with your child and keep an eye on the other kids on December 11 while the teachers enjoy a special lunch in their honor. (Committee Chairs: Tina Elsayed and Penny Rowe)

Blue-White Day October 2What is Blue-White Day?

Blue-White Day is an annual family celebration at Westchester, during which our community gathers outdoors to celebrate school spirit. It commences on Thursday, October 2, at 2:30 p.m. Throughout the afternoon there will be a full slate of athletic excellence with most matches against cross-town rival Caldwell Academy. We hope all of you will attend!

Students compete to show their school spirit by dressing in school colors, crazy hairstyles, paw-print tattoos and face paint. They then focus all of their energy on fun by climbing our vast assortment of inflatables, and rock wall, as well as by competing in feats of strength.

Parents please plan to join us for the afternoon and evening as there is a full assortment of events that support the Westchester community. The Boosters will be selling dinners and concessions to support Westchester Athletics. Some of your fellow parents who are also entrepreneurs and business owners will set up displays to showcase their outstanding products. And, of course, the cake walk will be better than ever.

Admission, running, bouncing, and climbing is free, but please bring some cash to enjoy dinner and take

home some irresistible gifts. If you are willing, volunteer an hour of your time during this celebration. Please click here and we will contact you with more details.

Click here to see a slide show of last year’s event!

Schedule of athletic events

Come cheer for the Wildcat athletes in the following events:

3:00 - MS Girls Volleyball vs Caldwell Academy - Finch Center, Brooks Gym

3:30 - Varsity Girls Tennis vs Caldwell Academy - Willow Creek Country Club

4:00 - MS Boys Soccer vs Caldwell Academy - Kennedy Soccer Field

4:30 - Varsity Girls Volleyball vs Caldwell Academy - Finch Center, Brooks Gym

5:15 - Boys and Girls Varsity Cross Country Conference Meet - WCDS Cross Country Trail

6:00 - Fall Athletics Senior Night - Kennedy Soccer Field

7:00 - Varsity Boys Soccer vs Caldwell Academy - Kennedy Soccer Field

We will be publishing more details in the weeks ahead. Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@WestchesterCDS) as we continue to update the web page for Blue-White Day.

- Chris Kopchik, Blue-White Spirit Day Chair

Innisbrook (Wrapping Paper) Fundraiser

Want to have the best equipment and supplies in your child’s classroom? Want to get a start on holiday preparations? It’s time for the Innisbrook fundraiser, during which you can buy all of your gift-wrapping supplies for the holidays and other special occasions. In the catalog you’ll also find magazine subscriptions, tote bags, specialty foods, and lots of other unique items for your family, neighbors, and friends.

Why support the Innisbrook sale? First, it’s an important fundraiser for the school, supplying mini-grants for teachers to purchase classroom equipment and supplies. All profit from the 11th grade sales will go toward prom. Second, when you order from Innisbrook, you are supporting the local economy because the gift wrap is designed and printed here in Guilford County on recycled paper. Seventy percent of the products are made in the United States. Third, the products are top-notch. Once you’ve used the heavy-duty, beautifully-colored wrapping paper, you won’t want to use anything else.

The ordering packets have been distributed. If you didn’t receive one during a back-to-school event or in your child’s backpack, give us a call! Instructions for placing orders are included with the packet, as well as on the WAPA page in WestNet Community. Please see the website for answers to frequently asked questions, or call one of the co-chairs, Tina Elsayed (906-3120) or Susan Sherrill (848-6289).

Thanks for your support!

Harris Teeter Together in Education

Harris Teeter’s Together In Education program is a fundraising program for schools in Harris Teeter communities. When customers purchase select Harris Teeter Brand products using their VIC card, Harris Teeter contributes a percentage of those purchase dollars to the school of their choice.

Don’t forget – you must re-link your card each school year! Starting August 1st each year, parents and community members are able to link their VIC cards to your school’s Together in Education school code. (Westchester’s school code is 2339.) The school of your choice is linked to your VIC card until May 31.

There are three options to register your VIC Card:1. Simply give the cashier your VIC Card and your school’s Together In Education school code during

checkout OR2. Email your name and phone number (the one you use for VIC Card) to WAPA, and we will link your

card for you OR3. Click here to link your VIC card online.

Box Top$ for Education:

Don’t Forget! Box Top$ aren’t just for young children. Older children, teenagers, parents, grandparents, and faculty can help earn cash for Westchester!

Earn cash for WCDS by clipping 10¢ Box Tops from hundreds of products and sending them in to your homeroom teacher or the front office.

• SEE PARTICIPATING BOX TOPS PRODUCTS• GET COUPONS• SEE BOX TOPS RECIPES

Help WAPA Earn $Cash$

These sponsored programs require little effort for families, and WAPA receives cash back for every purchase or BoxTop. Please help us earn cash for Westchester by participating in these programs.

Amazon Smile

Visit smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device and select Westchester Country Day School as your charitiable organization. Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to WCDS! Please note, you may want to update your Amazon bookmarks to ensure you are shopping at smile.amazon.com. It has all the same great producs as Amazon plus this added benefit!

Target Take Charge of Education

Target donates 1% of REDcard purchases at Target to your designated school. If you have a Target REDcard, please link it to Westchester (school ID 12786) by clicking here.

Food Lion Classroom Rewards

Every time MVP card holders shop at Food Lion, the amount they spend on qualified items is automatically credited to Westchester. All Food Lion brand products are considered qualifying items. Food Lion will credit up to $1,000,000 worth of free equipment and cash contributions. You must register your MVP card by clicking here.

Office Depot Back to Schools Program

Present your school’s 5% Back To Schools ID number: 70061483 when you shop at Office Depot online, over the phone, or at your neighborhood Office Depot store. Office Depot will offer WCDS credits equal to 5% of the qualifying purchases in the form of an Office Depot Merchandise Card that can be used toward free supplies. Click here for more information on the program.

Westchester Country Day is a college preparatory school that seeks to educate each child toward moral, academic, artistic, and athletic excellence in a nurturing, family environment where students, teachers, and parents support one another. By respecting the student and honoring learning, Westchester aims to cultivate informed citizens who are ready for a rapidly changing world and to graduate students who view the pursuit and wise use of knowledge as a lifelong joy.