Saturday, 24 October 2009
Greetings Upper School Parents:
As promised, here is the re-cap from October’s upper school PAC meeting.
Revised study hall rosters for the remainder of the Fall Trimester began last week and will continue though mid-November, after which the upper school faculty will review comments and grades from the first term.
Last week, the upper school student body heard a presentation on the SkyStream 3.7 residential wind turbine, an initiative sponsored by the students in the fall Global Realities class. After viewing a series of informational videos on the merits of wind power as a viable “green energy” source, we all went outside to inspect a full version of the turbine, which was mounted on a trailer as part of the presentation.
For Sunday early risers, tune in at 8:30AM to WHIO Channel 7 and watch the MVS Academic Challenge Team notch another victory in the televised annual High-Q tournament.
Thanks to those stalwart soccer fans who cheered the boys varsity soccer team to a 5-0 victory over Xenia Christian! The 3rd round of the division III regional tournament will be played at Franklin Stadium on Tuesday, 27 October, at 5:30PM with Rams taking on the Brookville Blue Devils.
This Thursday, October 29, as a soothing lead-in to fall term exams, we are honored to welcome the Modigliani Quartet from France, as they perform for us in the Alumni Theater. For more information about this critically acclaimed chamber ensemble, visit their webpage at: http://www.modiglianiquartet.com/home_en.html
Friday, 30 October, the MVS Diversity Council is sponsoring a dance, titled “Monster Mash,” from 7:30-10:30:PM in the Alumni Theater. Student attendees should consider “appropriate” costumes and dance styles.
The exam schedule will be posted early this week on the upper school homepage of the MVSchool website. Exams are scheduled for Tuesday-Thursday, 3-5 November, with Friday, 6 November being a school assessment day, designated as College Visitation Weekend.
Considering all the media coverage relating to precautions for H1N1 Swine Flu, I remind you of the protocols and procedures established by MVS: http://www.mvschool.com/news-and-events/news-archive/296-school-administration-adopts-h1n1-protocols. In this age of heightened flu awareness, I encourage you to hedge on the side of caution, especially in the interest of allowing your child the necessary at-home recuperation time if she or he is experiencing multiple symptoms of Influenza Like Illnesses (ILI). Of particular concern, if your child has a fever, she or he must remain away from MVS until fever-free for 24 hours. As before, if your child is ill, please phone the upper school office by 8:30AM so we can accurately record daily attendance.
Student H1N1 inoculations, for those who submitted parent permission forms, will be provided on Monday, 9 November. Details regarding time and location will soon follow.
Jeff Wolfsberg, drug education and wellness specialist, will return to MVS this fall during the week of 9-12 November. We have arranged for Jeff to address a special evening parent gathering, titled Teens and Substance Abuse: How to Keep Your Teenager Safe and Yourself Sane, on Wednesday, 11 November in the Alumni Theatre; the event will begin at 7:00PM with a brief Parents Association Meeting. To RSVP for this informative meeting, kindly register via the following weblink: http://www.jeffwolfsberg.com/parents/miami/. We look forward to seeing you there.
Relating to carpool drop-off and pick-up, please remember that the middle lane is for moving traffic departing from campus; if you need to stop, for any reason, please pull into an available parking spot or into a stopping lane.
All previous e.mails and reminders sent from my office are listed in the archives of my MVS Blog, through which I invite you to submit any comments or questions at: http://wagnersmvsblog.blogspot.com/.
With sincere regards,
Sam Wagner
Head of Upper School
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Mid-October Reminders & Performing Arts Events
Friday, 16 October 2009
Greetings Upper School Parents:
As you likely have heard, this week we dedicated “increased attention” to first term tardies at MVS. Between work hours and morning carpool greeters, we hope to further encourage student timeliness to school, particularly for Morning Announcements, since it fulfills such an important facet of life in the Upper School. Thank you for your support of these efforts.
Although we have all come to depend upon e.mail as the most expedient means of sharing information and facilitating communication between MVS and home, I will host a Principal’s Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting on Thursday, 22 October from 8:30-9:15AM in the Alumni Theater. PAC meetings are open to all upper school parents; as follow-up I will send a summary of topics we discussed, via e.mail, on Friday.
School photo packages (for those who ordered them) and student IDs were distributed this morning. Photo re-take day is next Thursday, 22 October. To receive a re-take, students need to return their original photo packages.
MVS Admissions Open House is this Sunday, 18 October, beginning at 1:30PM. If you know of a family with interest in learning more about MVS, please encourage them to attend this informative event, including campus tours conducted by our student ambassadors.
Our fall athletic teams are heading heartily into divisional and regional competitions. Look for an up-date from Ken Laake, Athletic Director, including post-season competition times and locations. Go Rams!
Next week provides a performing arts bonanza in the MVS Alumni Theater:
Thursday, 22 October is the combined upper and middle school jazz concert, titled A Night of Duke Ellington, beginning at 7:PM in the Alumni Theater. Ross Williams, Director of Music, has prepared a full evening of jazz favorites to warm up our autumn nights.
On Friday, 23 October, the Student Government is sponsoring a viewing of the Tim Burton film Edward Scissorhands, beginning at 7:PM in the Alumni Theater.
On Saturday, 24 October, the drama department is hosting a “staged reading” of Eugene Ionesco’s absurdist play THE BALD SOPRANO, beginning at 7:PM next in the Alumni Theater.
I look forward to seeing you soon at an up-coming athletic match, performing arts performance, or other MVS event.
With sincere regards,
Sam Wagner
Head of Upper School
Greetings Upper School Parents:
As you likely have heard, this week we dedicated “increased attention” to first term tardies at MVS. Between work hours and morning carpool greeters, we hope to further encourage student timeliness to school, particularly for Morning Announcements, since it fulfills such an important facet of life in the Upper School. Thank you for your support of these efforts.
Although we have all come to depend upon e.mail as the most expedient means of sharing information and facilitating communication between MVS and home, I will host a Principal’s Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting on Thursday, 22 October from 8:30-9:15AM in the Alumni Theater. PAC meetings are open to all upper school parents; as follow-up I will send a summary of topics we discussed, via e.mail, on Friday.
School photo packages (for those who ordered them) and student IDs were distributed this morning. Photo re-take day is next Thursday, 22 October. To receive a re-take, students need to return their original photo packages.
MVS Admissions Open House is this Sunday, 18 October, beginning at 1:30PM. If you know of a family with interest in learning more about MVS, please encourage them to attend this informative event, including campus tours conducted by our student ambassadors.
Our fall athletic teams are heading heartily into divisional and regional competitions. Look for an up-date from Ken Laake, Athletic Director, including post-season competition times and locations. Go Rams!
Next week provides a performing arts bonanza in the MVS Alumni Theater:
Thursday, 22 October is the combined upper and middle school jazz concert, titled A Night of Duke Ellington, beginning at 7:PM in the Alumni Theater. Ross Williams, Director of Music, has prepared a full evening of jazz favorites to warm up our autumn nights.
On Friday, 23 October, the Student Government is sponsoring a viewing of the Tim Burton film Edward Scissorhands, beginning at 7:PM in the Alumni Theater.
On Saturday, 24 October, the drama department is hosting a “staged reading” of Eugene Ionesco’s absurdist play THE BALD SOPRANO, beginning at 7:PM next in the Alumni Theater.
I look forward to seeing you soon at an up-coming athletic match, performing arts performance, or other MVS event.
With sincere regards,
Sam Wagner
Head of Upper School
Friday, October 9, 2009
Fall Trimester Mid-Term Comments & Grades
Friday, 9 October 2009
Mid-term comments, work habit/effort marks, and grades for the Fall Trimester are now available through the My Backpack portal on the MVS web at: https://miamivalley.seniormbp.com/SeniorApps/registration/loginCenter.faces . In addition to providing access to your daughter or son’s mid-term comments, My Backpack also allows you to up-date your contact information with MVS, particularly your preferred e.mail address, which is so important considering our reliance on e.mail communication in the
As you review the Fall Trimester mid-term comments, recall that they reflect the initial academic status of your daughter or son for this first term. Please take a moment to read through the written comments, work habit marks, and estimated academic grades, preferably with your daughter or son present, praising successes and strategizing towards areas for further improvement. In considering your child’s mid-term comments, seek emerging themes among her or his over-all academic performance. Students reviewed their mid-term marks during Advisory Meetings today, Friday, 9 October.
Upper school faculty members are attentive in writing clear course highlights, composing individual student comments, and determining accurate work habit marks, reflecting the work habit/effort marks rubric, available on the Upper School Homepage at: http://www.mvschool.com/documents/upperschool/EffortMatrix.pdf . Since these mid-term comments reflect, in many cases, a “snap shot” of your child’s current course work, it is appropriate to consider the grades and work habit marks accordingly. Translation: major assignments or assessments might be due soon after the mid-term comments were written, thus grades have the potential to fluctuate between now and the end of the term. Having just reached the mid-term mark, ample time remains for students to implement new study strategies, heeding attention to the advice provided in the teacher comments and indicated by the effort marks. The end of the first trimester is Monday, 2 November, followed by first trimester exams, from 3-5 November.
Should you have a specific question relating to a particular comment or course, please contact that teacher directly, via voice or e.mail, to discuss the matter further. Your child’s Academic Advisor is also available for discussion, should you wish to converse about larger strategies relating to your child’s over-all academic status. The directory of faculty voicemail extensions and e.mail addresses is available on the MVS website by clicking on the following link: http://www.mvschool.com/about-mvs/contact-us .
Next Wednesday, 14 October, will be a busy morning of preparatory standardized testing and goal planning: Freshmen will take the PLAN test; Sophomores and Juniors will take the PSAT; Seniors will participate in the Senior Retreat. Colin Dunnigan, Director of College Counseling, has met individually with each grade regarding appropriate preparation for the PLAN and PSAT. Ashwi Birdi, as Senior Dean, is planning with other teachers towards the Senior Retreat. All students will be in regular classes in the afternoon.
On behalf of your child’s teachers, Academic Advisor, and me, thanks for your part in what has been a smooth start to the 2009-10 academic year. The archives of all reminders and letters sent from the
With sincere regards,
Sam Wagner
Head of
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Early October Reminders
Wednesday, 7 October, 2009
Greetings Upper School Parents:
Autumn, with its wind and cooler temperatures, has certainly arrived in Dayton! Having reached the mid-term mark of the Fall Trimester, I thought I would send a couple reminders for the week.
This Friday is an important deadline for upper school students since Immersion Applications (singed by a parent) need to be handed in to Academic Advisors by 3:30PM. Since all Freshmen participate in the Stepping Out Immersion, 9th grade students need not submit an application.
For all Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors, as is mentioned on the application:
The selection process for Immersion placements pays very close attention to the written student goals, outlooks, and pre-planning articulated in each Immersion application.
• Students should dedicate equal and genuine time to addressing each of their three Immersion requests. Separate sheets of paper can be attached to an Immersion Application.
• To ensure balance of options, each student’s Immersion Application should include at least one local option.
• If a student is proposing an Independent Immersion, that option must be designated as the student’s first choice, due to the necessary details in planning (by the student and the Independent Study Committee) a successful Independent project.
• While “seniority” might be an aspect considered in the Immersion placement process, it is not the most important priority. Students should include persuasive details in each of their written requests.
The revised description of the Caving: Rocks, Ropes, and Relative Wind Immersion is now included in the Complete Immersion Booklet on the MVS website .
This Friday evening, the MVS chapter of Amnesty International will host screening of BLOOD DIAMOND in the Alumni Theatre. The film begins at 7:00PM and admission is $5.00, with the proceeds going towards future Amnesty International initiatives. Popcorn and water will be served.
The recently formed student group Dayton Youth United, which arose from an extended interest from the Junior Leadership Dayton Program and last year’s Habitat for Humanity Immersion, successfully raised over $1,100 during fundraising efforts over Homecoming week. Their goal is to pioneer and fund the future construction of an MVS sponsored habitat house in the Dayton area. Stay tuned for further up-dates on this exciting initiative!
Expect to receive an e.mail from me on Friday afternoon confirming that mid-term comments and grades are “live” and available via MyBackpack.
With sincere regards,
Sam Wagner
Head of Upper School
Greetings Upper School Parents:
Autumn, with its wind and cooler temperatures, has certainly arrived in Dayton! Having reached the mid-term mark of the Fall Trimester, I thought I would send a couple reminders for the week.
This Friday is an important deadline for upper school students since Immersion Applications (singed by a parent) need to be handed in to Academic Advisors by 3:30PM. Since all Freshmen participate in the Stepping Out Immersion, 9th grade students need not submit an application.
For all Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors, as is mentioned on the application:
The selection process for Immersion placements pays very close attention to the written student goals, outlooks, and pre-planning articulated in each Immersion application.
• Students should dedicate equal and genuine time to addressing each of their three Immersion requests. Separate sheets of paper can be attached to an Immersion Application.
• To ensure balance of options, each student’s Immersion Application should include at least one local option.
• If a student is proposing an Independent Immersion, that option must be designated as the student’s first choice, due to the necessary details in planning (by the student and the Independent Study Committee) a successful Independent project.
• While “seniority” might be an aspect considered in the Immersion placement process, it is not the most important priority. Students should include persuasive details in each of their written requests.
The revised description of the Caving: Rocks, Ropes, and Relative Wind Immersion is now included in the Complete Immersion Booklet on the MVS website .
This Friday evening, the MVS chapter of Amnesty International will host screening of BLOOD DIAMOND in the Alumni Theatre. The film begins at 7:00PM and admission is $5.00, with the proceeds going towards future Amnesty International initiatives. Popcorn and water will be served.
The recently formed student group Dayton Youth United, which arose from an extended interest from the Junior Leadership Dayton Program and last year’s Habitat for Humanity Immersion, successfully raised over $1,100 during fundraising efforts over Homecoming week. Their goal is to pioneer and fund the future construction of an MVS sponsored habitat house in the Dayton area. Stay tuned for further up-dates on this exciting initiative!
Expect to receive an e.mail from me on Friday afternoon confirming that mid-term comments and grades are “live” and available via MyBackpack.
With sincere regards,
Sam Wagner
Head of Upper School
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