In the meantime...

Hi all,
Kaytee and I (along with the rest of the crew at the meeting) are taking a moment to gather our thoughts and figure out how to respond. It was great to get to bring up some of the issues at hand, and we extend our thanks to the SAES administration for taking the time to meet with us. We'll be posting some of the info we learned soon - we promise! There are also still some issues that need to be addressed, and we'll lay those out for you as well. Just don't want to be hasty and misinform anyone.

In the meantime, i'd really like to urge you (yes YOU! reading this blog RIGHT NOW!) to become a writer (either by commenting on what's being posted, or sending me - SRosner@gm.slc.edu - your email address to which i'll respond with an email that will give you permission to post) on the blog. There's still so much to do!

I've been getting great comments and feedback from so many alums, students, parents, and faculty, and it would be SO GREAT to have that support and interest out in the open rather than all hidden going through me and other separate sources. I know some of you that i've talked or emailed with are concerned about SAES becoming aware of your participation in this, but i think it's really important to have your participation be visible, even if it's through a fake name or hidden identity. Send me an email if you have questions about how to set this up, and I'll help!

Thanks again for all the support, and we'll give you an update SOON!

The Meeting

Hey everyone,

Well, I just got back from the meeting, which went over by about an hour. There was a lot to be discussed, some ideas thrown around, and a lot of information to digest. So, that having been said, I'm going to be doing a write-up of the meeting (I was taking notes like a fiend) after I have a few days to gather my thoughts and get everyone else's impression of the meeting.

Thanks so much to Sarah, Peter, Alex, Amanda, and Patty (I really hope that's right...got introduced a little late in the game!) for participating, and for Jessica being there through her mother and in spirit! I'm glad we've gotten a direct conversation started with the administration. If you all are reading this, do me a favor and share some of your thoughts of the meeting through messaging me on Facebook or sending me an email at kn4843a (at) student (dot) american (dot) edu.

Till next post,
Kaytee

Skype shot down, no one supprised.

Well, it was worth a try.
The skype idea has been vetoed which isn't really unexpected. I'm a bit saddened that there's such a paranoia about the use of social media to connect people when it's such an incredibly useful tool, but that's a whole different post. I guess i can't blame them for erring on the side of caution, but it feels a bit ungracious not to be trusted to do a live broadcast.

That being said:
John Holden has arranged for there to be a conference-call option for anyone (up to 20 people) that wants to participate. If you would like in on this, please send me an email at some point between now and 7:30 am (when i'll be waking up, gathering notes, and making tea) and i'll send you back the procedure for becoming a part of it. It's super easy (just have to call a call a certain number) so let me know!

If you want to go in person, it will be in the kiplinger house (that smaller white building) in the dining room at 8. If you can, please try to make it either in person or via the call. Best to know all the info about the decision we're protesting, yes?

Katie has offered to take notes and i'll probably post something as well, so stay tuned in.

We use technology. Yay for progressive artists!

Hi all,
Kaytee and i have just been talking about how to get the meeting broadcast out to those of us who very much want to stay involved but can't physically be at the meeting. We've tested out our technology tonight, and on friday she is going to (pending approval from the admin's involved) broadcast the meeting over skype.

If you can physically be at the meeting, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE attend!
It's only an hour long, and then you'll have the whole lovely day ahead of you.

If you, like me, are stuck in another city, or for some other reason can't attend but would like to connect digitally, please:

1. make sure that you have skype installed (or if you don't, install it here - it's super easy and it's free!)

2. add kaytee (kayteenesmith) as a contact

3. send her a message on facebook or comment on this post and let us know who you are so we can make sure we have everyone connected

4. Make sure you're logged on by 7:50 this coming friday!

You don't need a video camera or anything other than a laptop or computer with working speakers. Hooray for technology!

A MEETING!

from Jessica Macie via the facebook group:

Hi All,
I was asked if I'd be willing to post this announcement, here it is:

From: Katherine Stevens at St. Andrew's Episcopal School
Sent: Feb 27, 2009 9:24 AM
Subject: alumni meeting regarding arts/dance

St. Andrew's Episcopal School appreciates the alumni's interest in the arts at St. Andrew's. Please come to a meeting with Joanne Beach, Head of the Upper School; John Holden, Assistant Head of School; Ritchie Porter, Head of the Performing Arts Department; and Mark Segal, Head of the Middle School, to learn about the 2009-2010 performing arts program with a focus on the dance program: Friday, March 6 at 8:00 - 9:00am (place TBA).

To assure we hold this meeting in an appropriate space, please RSVP to Katherine Stevens, 301-983-5200 ext. 264.

From Rebecca Cobbs ('04)

Dear Mr. Kosasky,

It has come to my attention that during these tough economic times, St. Andrew’s had made cuts to the dance program. I understand that something had to be cut. And I understand that someone will be unhappy with any cut. However, I truly think that it is essential to keep at least one mandatory dance class for the middle school.

Cutting the dance program sends the wrong message about the value of dance. It tells students that dance is less important than music, drama, religion, and P.E. While I disagree with this message, for me, it is not the real reason the dance program should remain in its entirety. It is what everyone learns from a dance class that is important. After all, the whole point of a St. Andrew’s education is to provide students pathways to explore and also the skills to then choose their own values.

As you may remember, I was a St. Andrew’s lifer, attending St. Andrew’s from sixth through twelfth grade (although now with the lower school, that sounds like nothing). I actually still remember my sixth grade dance class. I had never danced before, and I had no idea what the expectations would be. I remember the class gave me an opportunity to see a different side of my classmates. We broke into random pairs and groups to choreograph our own dances and I met new people. As I went through the dance program, sparked by that class, I learned more. It helped me learn to ignore what others think (since certainly there is a stigma around dance at St. Andrew’s- which makes it even more important to show that the administration values the program). I learned the athleticism of dance, its combination of the artistic and the physical. Gradually, I came to respect the nuances of an art form I previously knew nothing about.

I understand that some people think dance classes are and were dumb. Frankly, I think that religion classes were dumb. But of course, they weren’t dumb; I just didn’t like the subject. Even though I disliked religion classes, doesn’t mean that I didn’t learn anything valuable from the ones I was forced to take. When students choose to attend St. Andrew’s they sign on to all the pillars of the school, because St. Andrew’s wants to create a well-rounded, respectful, and thoughtful student. For me, I had to sit through religion class. For others, they had to sit through a dance class. In the end, I think we are all better for it.

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. Just to give you an update, I just graduated Middlebury College. I am moving to Boston this weekend. I don’t have a job yet, but I plan to go to law school in a year and a half, so I will figure out some way to pay the bills until then. I look forward to reunion.

Good luck guiding St. Andrew’s during this tough time.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Cobbs

From Tracey Bachman ('04)

Mr. Kossasky, 

      It has come to my attention that an aspect of the St. Andrew’s curriculum, non-elective middle school dance, as been eliminated for the upcoming year.  I understand that with the state of the economy, cuts have to be made, however I urge you not to make them at the expense of the student’s unique education that they receive at St. Andrew’s.  By taking away any St. Andrew’s program, in this case, middle school dance, I believe St. Andrew’s is separating, and thus weakening, the four pillars of academics, arts, athletics, and spirituality, that are meant to be equal in creating a well-rounded education for growing students.  This is a founding principle of the school that I believe makes it stand out among the other choices of private institutions in are area. 

           

      Middle school is a very important time for students; they learn the fundamentals of all the aspects of their future education, which are then continued in high school.  In high school, students do not have as much time to do all the programs that St. Andrew’s has to offer, so they must pick and choose based on what they are interested in.  If students are not given the opportunity to try out dance, or any other form of the arts for that matter, until high school, the number of participants will drop.  This will be due to the fact that they are unfamiliar with dance and subsequently choose an art that they are more comfortable with, because they had been introduced to it early on.  Exposure to the arts early on, such as in middle school, I believe is crucial in a child’s development.  It teaches tolerance, acceptance, and appreciation of a field that, I will admit, is difficult to understand when first looking at it.   

      I entered St. Andrew’s in 6^th grade, and attended the school until I graduated in 2004.  From what I remember of the schedule in middle school, students attended a different arts class for half of a trimester.  Those classes were music, which was divided up into performing and instrumental; visual, which was divided up into 3-Dimensional and 2-Dimensional; drama; and finally, dance.  Looking back on this schedule, I believe that this was an excellent idea for the growing middle school students.  Each student was given a taste of all the different art programs that are offered by St. Andrew’s, and have the opportunity to be taught by the very talented, and encouraging, arts teachers that we have at our school.  After receiving a glimpse of what was offered in the arts department during middle school, high school students were allowed to choose one or several areas to pursue further in their rounded education that St. Andrew’s offered.  This system allowed young middle school students to try out, for a short period of time, every discipline of art.  I believe this same idea was used in middle school sports programs as well, and achieved the same type of beneficial results, allowing students to refine and focus their interests in a particular area once they reach high school.  If students were not given this opportunity to ‘try out’ all aspects of the arts department, many would have gone on to high school not experiencing all that the arts have to offer. 

      I would like to share with you my own experience in the arts classes during middle school.  I have always been interested in the visual arts from a very young age, so when I entered middle school I already knew that I wanted to take as many visual art classes as possible; and, to be honest, I was not thrilled to be taking any of the performing arts classes.  However, during a drama class, I became very interested in theater, especially the visual aspect of it that takes place behind the scenes.  This was an area of the performing arts that I never thought of becoming involved in before, and I suddenly found myself wanting to take more classes in technical theater, which I did once I reached high school.  Tech Crew was a huge part of my St. Andrew’s career, and is filled with many fond memories, as well as an excellent basic educational background of theater that I continue to use to this day.  Had it not been for a brief exposure in middle school to technical theater, I would not have become involved in it in high school.  Thinking about my experience, and how much it helped mold me into the person I am today, I am extremely saddened that current middle school students will not have that same opportunity that I did in finding an interest in something unexpected, such as dance, that they were not previously aware of.   

      I strongly urge you to reconsider your decision of eliminating any aspect of the St. Andrew’s curriculum.  I understand the financial issues that the economy is in right now, and the impact that it has on a small private school like St. Andrews.  However, surely there could be other steps that the school can take that would avoid weakening the four pillars that St. Andrew’s was founded on, and still allow students to receive a well-rounded education.     

Thank you for your time and consideration. 
 

                                                Sincerely, 
 

                                                Tracey Bachman