COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY NEWS
DECEMBER 2013
2013–14, VOLUME I
INSIDE THIS ISSUE, PAGE 2:
WHERE IS THE
HOMEWORK?
PLUS:
In the Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
College Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Alumni News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
C/A in the Community . . . . . . . . 13
Fall Sports Roundup . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Support C/A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Around C/A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Fund the Fun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
EMPOWER THE CHILD. EMPOWER THE MIND.
WHERE IS THE HOMEWORK?
The debate about the optimum amount of
homework rages on in the D.C. metropolitan
area. While both parents and students
complain about escalating stress and lack
of time to enjoy other pursuits, most
Commonwealth Academy parents find that
their students come home with time to spend
with family and friends, ready to enjoy leisure
activities of their choosing. In fact, the majority
of Middle and High School students who take
advantage of afterschool study hall at C/A—
about one-third of total students—leave
school with little or no additional work to be
completed at home; the balance have typically
completed most or half of their work. Just as
important, students return to school the next
day, excited about learning and engaged in their
classes.
So, where is the homework?
Perhaps it should be called independent work
at C/A because we don’t expect students to
spend their entire evenings working a second
shift. However, work outside the regular
class period is essential in helping students
learn to work independently, build executive
functioning skills, understand and take
ownership of how they best learn, reinforce
concepts learned in the classroom, and
assess how well they have incorporated the
information into their knowledge base so that
they are prepared for college.
2
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
Homework at C/A is carefully developed
to help students reach these goals, with
policies based on leading research. Where
C/A’s homework policy departs from
that of many other schools is that it is
implemented system-wide, building upon
itself from division to division; it works in
tandem with built-in study halls; and most
important, it was developed intentionally
for students with learning differences.
Homework policy starts
with an understanding
of who our students are.
“We understand and embrace the fact
that our students have ADHD, dyslexia,
and/or other mild to moderate learning
differences,” says Head of School Susan
Johnson. “This means they are exhausted
after a day of school. So it’s critical that our
overriding homework philosophy starts
with understanding who our kids are.”
Learning differences—some form of
interference to receive input or produce
output—make the learning process longer
or more difficult for C/A students. It
takes more energy to do what typically
developing students do in a school day
and it takes our students longer to recoup
from the day. A great deal of energy goes
into paying attention, getting through class
assignments, changing classes, dealing
with social interactions, learning new and
difficult concepts, adapting to different
teaching styles, etc.
“Imagine, says Dr. Johnson, “how difficult
it must be to do something hard all day
long: read with dyslexia; follow directions
with a working memory deficiency; focus
with ADHD—all while trying to learn
new or complicated concepts.”
Understanding who our students are
informs every decision C/A makes about
homework: how much and what kind is
The master notebook system helps students organize and manage their assignments.
assigned, creating opportunities during
the day to complete it and to receive help
from teachers, the weight it carries in a
student’s grade, how and when students
can turn it in, and the responsibility
teachers have to ensure students
understand their assignments, just to
name a few examples.
Lower School
homework: read,
explore, and play
In “The Case For and Against
Homework,” (Educational Leadership,
March 2007)Robert Marzano and Debra
Pickering report that although academic
performance is correlated with homework
in middle and high school, “research
has produced no clear-cut consensus on
the benefits of homework at the early
elementary grade levels.” Citing Dr. Harris
Cooper’s meta-analysis, Marzano states
that the benefit during these early years
may be to “develop good study habits,
foster positive attitudes toward school,
and communicate to students the idea that
learning takes work at home as well as at
school.”
Dr. Johnson agrees. Once Lower School
students leave school, they are expected to
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
MEANINGFUL
HOMEWORK SHOULD...
Provide a pathway for the student to:
• Review and reinforce OR preview
academic concepts
• Practice executive functioning
skills
• Evaluate if he/she understands
the material.
• Work independently
Our Lower School
students are actively
engaged all day long.
They are tired after a
day of school and at
some point the day
needs to stop for them.
Children need to go
home and relax, explore,
and play.”
~Dr. Susan Johnson, Head of School
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enjoy reading 20 minutes daily. Reading
in any form—silently, aloud, taking turns
with a partner, being read to, or listening
to an audio book—helps children stay
engaged in literacy and build essential
vocabulary, background knowledge, and
other skills. All Lower School students
also have at least one study hall each week
to review concepts and get additional help
if needed.
During the second semester of fifth
grade, students receive additional
homework as part of a transitional plan
to ensure the foundation is in place for
a smooth transition to the demands
of Middle School. Assignments help
reinforce individual study habits and time
management skills.
What is the optimum
amount of homework?
Although there is no clear-cut answer to
this question, research does suggest three
broad guidelines:
• regular homework has a positive impact
on academic success beginning in middle
school
• increased quantities are beneficial as a
student matures and ages
• after a certain point, however, too
much homework can negatively impact
performance
According to Marzano, in 2007, Dr.
Cooper “suggested that research findings
support the common ‘10-minute rule,’
which states that all daily homework
assignments combined should take
about as long to complete as 10 minutes
multiplied by the student’s grade level.”
C/A homework policy reflects this
research in both the increasing length
of assignments and total quantity
assigned to various grades. In addition to
ensuring that the amount of homework
is appropriate to a student’s grade
level, Marzano also notes that teachers
should “carefully monitor the amount
of homework assigned so that it … does
not take too much time away from other
home activities.”
This is especially important for students
with learning differences. Many families
come to C/A from other schools
complaining that homework has taken
over their life as a family and nights are
filled with tears, stress, and a sense of
failure. This may be because of the amount
of homework assigned, but is just as likely
because of where the child is expected
to do the work—and whether or not the
child has learned the time management
skills required to do the work.
That’s why a 45-minute study hall is an
essential part of every student’s schedule
beginning in 6th grade. High School
students may request an additional period.
Students are eager to use this time to
HOW MUCH HOMEWORK, WHEre, and when?
Grade
3rd–4th
5th
6th–8th
9th–12th
4
Homework
20 minutes reading
daily
20 minutes reading
daily; transitional
homework plan 2nd
semester
1–1.25 hrs/night
2-2.5 hrs/night
Study Halls
Two 45-minute periods/week
One 45-minute period/week
45 mins/day; optional 40 mins after school
45 mins/day; can request additional study
hall; optional 90-min directed study hall afterschool (additional fee)
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
complete their work and take advantage
of help that teachers can offer. C/A has
developed a culture that it is cool to
complete homework in school. Just as
important, says Admission Director Josh
Gwilliam, “Students take responsibility
for their homework…It is not the parent’s
homework.”
“One reason why kids will get their
work done after school during directed
study hall is because they haven’t yet
transitioned out of school mode. Staying
in the building keeps them in an academic
frame of mind,” comments Director of
Afterschool Katie Theobald.
Dr. Johnson underscores this point,
explaining that kids with learning
differences often don’t do well at the
end of a long day or in unstructured
places. “We provide the structure with
our afterschool directed study hall. We
can get students to do things willingly
here in study hall that parents cannot at
home. It is a different environment, and
the students are motivated to go home
without any more work.”
Middle School study halls
are serious business.
As students transition to Middle School,
they continue to build on the executive
functioning skills learned in Lower School
that are essential to managing homework
during study hall. C/A faculty understand
how the specific learning differences of
their students can impact homework and
collaborate with students to discover
tools to aid in completion. For example,
a teacher might suggest that a student
with slower processing tackle a quick
assignment first so that he or she can
check off an assignment as complete and
see that progress is being made. Other
students might be taught to prioritize the
assignments by personal difficulty and
to do the most difficult before fatigue
sets in. C/A hits homework organization
hard in Middle School to help them learn
lasting time management skills. True to
C/A’s philosophy that every process must
be taught, C/A teaches students how
Across the grades, study halls afford students the time to individually discuss ideas and understandings
with a teacher, as well as get guidance about specific homework problems.
to logically estimate the length of each
assignment and then plan strategies to
complete all of them. The same skills are
reinforced throughout High School.
“Homework is more than another step on
the journey for mastery of what is learned
in class,” says Mr. Gwilliam. “It is a tool
for teaching executive functioning skills,
specifically, time management.”
Dr. Johnson echoes these words noting,
“The focus for Middle School is to develop
underlying processes needed to achieve
success in a college prep high school,
including homework study skills. Students
need to learn and own for themselves,
‘Where and under what conditions can
I complete and submit my homework?’
They need to practice the processes that
work for them so they become habits.
These skills are taught daily in Middle
School study hall, and reinforced during
advisory and afterschool study hall. We
do not assume that a student knows these
skills. We teach them!”
Ramping up in
High School
High School students are on their way to
accepting who they are as learners; they
use and refine the homework strategies
learned in Middle School, and review
them with their teachers as needed.
Increased homework improves academic
learning and retention and students can
handle more complicated and longer work
loads. In fact, on a graduated basis, they
increase their workload from about an
hour to two or 2.5 hours a day. It is also at
the high school level that awareness and
self acceptance heighten and students
themselves decide to take advantage
of daily study halls and/or afterschool
directed study hall to get homework done.
As previously noted, about one-third of
C/A’s High School students enroll in the
90-minute directed study hall after school.
There, they enjoy a 1:8 teacher-student
ratio, providing plenty of opportunity
to seek assistance with difficult
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
EMPOWER THE
MIND.
HOMEWORK SKILLS ARE
DIRECTLY TAUGHT IN
GRADES 5–12
• Record assignments
• Estimate time and difficulty for
each assignment
• Prioritize assignments (based on
time, difficulty, or subject matter)
• Predict and gather needed tools
• Manage time while completing
assignment
• Complete assignment
• Submit assignment on time
5
assignments or with time-management
or organizational skills. They also have
full access to iPads, laptops, and desktops
loaded with educational software, digital
content from C/A’s online subscription
services, data storage on our network,
science equipment, math manipulatives,
art supplies, and reference books
providing an abundance of additional
resources to help support the students’
learning needs.
While homework at any age should be
meaningful and lucid, the amount and
purpose of homework in high school
should be especially clear. Director of
Faculty Education and Curriculum
Development Tara Nappi explains,
“Homework should be independent and
about something students already have
learned or a preview of a concept about
which they have background knowledge. It
needs to be an independent continuation
of content or skills presented or discussed
in class. To learn, we must make cognitive
information meaningful. The process
starts in class and is continued while doing
homework outside of class. It is during
this time that self-assessment begins. Do I
understand the material? Do I own it?”
Ms. Theobald emphasizes that “homework
can be a valuable learning tool and it
should be assessed by both student and
teacher. What did the student take away
from the lesson and what is the next step for
the student to be provided by the teacher?
What is the next step for the student after self
assessment?”
In addition to ongoing student-teacher
evaluation, teachers meet weekly by
division and troubleshoot as a team. They
discuss any individual who is struggling to
complete homework in typical time with
anticipated accuracy.
“Teachers are very aware of their students’
learning styles and accommodations,”
says Ms. Nappi. “The majority of the
students can do homework in the time
approximated by the teacher. If a child
cannot finish it in the approximated time,
teachers help the student discover what is
difficult . . . what are the barriers standing
6
In addition to one-on-one time with teachers during study hall, students have access to iPads, laptops,
and desktops loaded with educational software, digital content from C/A’s online subscription services,
data storage on our network, science equipment, math manipulatives, art supplies, and reference
books providing an abundance of additional resources to help support the students’ learning needs.
in his or her way. Then teachers strategize
with the students to resolve issues and
remove barriers to clear the pathway to
success.”
It isn’t complete until it’s
turned in.
Submitting homework on time is often
one of the most difficult executive
functioning skills for our students. And
there is nothing so discouraging as
working hard on an assignment, only to
leave it at home. C/A makes it as easy as
possible to turn in homework. It can be
submitted via email or in person. Students
can share homework with teachers on
Google Drive, store it on a C/A server,
and print it at one of the numerous
printers located throughout the school.
Generous time in between classes gives
students the opportunity to go back to
their locker and retrieve homework if it
was left in the wrong notebook or in their
backpack. And, while full credit can only
be earned when homework is turned in
on time, partial credit is given up until the
final unit or chapter test has been given.
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
Systemwide policy and
expectations
Students are also supported by the
knowledge that the guidelines, systems,
and expectations about homework are the
same, whether they are in history class or
math; whether they are in 6th grade or
10th, with more responsibility shifting to
the student in the upper grades.
Planners are just one example. At the
beginning of the academic year, Middle
and High School students are provided
with custom C/A assignment planners.
In each class, 6–10th grade students
record their assignment into the planner,
teachers check and initial the record, and
during study hall, the teacher will stamp
it once it’s completed. Juniors and Seniors
continue to use their planners but are
expected to independently make sure they
have recorded and completed their work,
and seek help if needed. Ms. Theobald
laughs, noting that the older students
still ask their teachers to stamp their
planners so “they can show their parents
their homework is finished. They want to
remove the parent involvement in their
homework.”
Similarly, at the end of the school
day, students in grades 6–8 return to
their advisors who check to see what
homework is completed (or not) and
if students have packed the correct
books, notebooks, and supplies needed
to complete any remaining tasks. High
School students do not have a daily check,
but continue to strengthen study habits
and time management skills in daily
advisory mid-morning.
Other consistent, system wide homework
policies include:
• All homework is posted on a board in
the classroom before the period begins.
• All teachers post their homework on
Edline, along with homework resources.
• The amount of homework assigned
consistently follows guidelines.
• Homework is accepted for up-to full
credit any time before or on the due
date; deductions for late homework are
consistent across grade and course level
• Homework counts as 20% of a final
grade across areas of study and grade
level, with the exception of 11th and 12th
grades when tests and quizzes receive
more weight to begin to align more closely
with typical college grading.
• The minimum number of homework
assignments per quarter is 15 for each
class in grades 6–10 and is reduced to
10 for grades 11 and 12, again to help
transition to college expectations.
• Every teacher updates grades weekly
on Edline and indicates any missing
homework.
“We have an in-house calendar for tests,
projects, and field trips,” says Ms. Nappi.
Our teachers are mindful of these dates
and plan accordingly so that students
can meet deadlines without being
overwhelmed.”
At the end of the day
Of course it isn’t smooth sailing for 100%
of our students 100% of the time. But the
clear and consistent homework policies
at C/A, the mechanisms and procedures
supporting them, and the commitment
to productive and ample study halls have
made a huge difference in the family
life of numerous C/A students, while
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
preparing them well for the next grade,
and ultimately, for college.
“In the past,” says Dr. Johnson, “student
days were never over. They went to
school, they went home, and they worked
diligently in the evening for many hours.
The burden of school never stopped.
Relieving the burden on both the
student and the home has reshaped the
relationship back to the natural nurturing
state of parent to child.”
At directed study hall, students report
that it lessens their personal stress to turn
in homework before they leave and to
have access to teachers if they get stuck or
need guidance. They enjoy the separation
of homework and home. As do parents.
It’s no wonder that dozens of times,
parents have expressed appreciation to Dr.
Johnson and individual teachers thanking
them for “giving my child and my family
back to me.”
7
...IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Lower School lead teacher
MARIA BRINZA was
awarded a postgraduate
professional license in
special education—
general curriculum, K–12
from the Commonwealth of Virginia for
completing the certification program
at UVA. Ms. Brinza holds a B.A. in
psychology from Brown University and
an MSW from Catholic University. She is
pursuing a master’s in special education.
Lower School teacher
ROSE MARIE PARKER is
working on Level I
Certification of the
Wilson Reading System
which she will complete
next fall.
RICARDO PONTES’S
work was displayed in
the fall at Vis Arts in
Rockville as part of the
“Best of our Best” exhibit.
Mr. Pontes teachers
New Media at C/A and also teaches at
VisArts. Over 20 of his original drawings,
completed this summer in Portugal, are
part of a December exhibit at Artworks
Fine Art Studio in Bethesda.
High School science
and math teacher
WILL ROBERTSON was
awarded a postgraduate
professional license
in chemistry from
the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mr.
Robertson holds a B.A. in ecology and
evolutionary science from the University
of Colorado and an M.Sc. in chemistry
from The Scripps Research Institute.
Mr. Maczynski was also part of a panel at
George Mason High School, along with
representatives of George Mason University,
where he spoke on the topic of “Colleges
and Universities and Support Services.”
High School and Middle
School English and
writing teacher Matt
Briggs presented on
a panel at the National
Council of Teachers of
English (NCTE) Conference in Boston
about his experience using Rap Genius,
a popular website that enables users to
read and write line-by-line explanations
of lyrics in the classroom. The session was
titled “Close Reading 2.0: Genius Media
and Social Annotation in the Classroom.”
Director of Faculty
Education and
Curriculum
Development Tara
Nappi also presented at
the NCTE Conference
in November. Her panel explored critical
literacies and critical multicultural analysis
through an overview of theoretical
frameworks and application to local
bilingual and international socialactivism-themed children’s literature.
C/A faculty also attended several
conferences this semester as part of their
Professional Development Plans:
Presentations
& Conferences
• Ellen Fye attended the 2013 ASHA
(American Speech-Language-Hearing
Association) Convention
Director of College
Counseling Services
• Bill Vander Clute and Mary
Chamberlain attended the Learning
STEVE MACZYNSKI
presented at the
2013 69th National Conference of
the National Association for College
8
Admission Counseling, held in Toronto.
Mr. Maczynski’s topic, “Power Up Your
Counselees: Building and Sustaining SelfEsteem during the College Counseling
Process,” was attended by over 250
admission counseling colleagues from
around the world.
and the Brain workshop: Memory and the
Classroom; Applying Memory Research
to Student Learning.
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
Teachers who received grants at the 2013
CARE dinner gave presentations about
their work at the annual donor dinner in
October.
Summer Weddings
High School English and writing teacher
Eric Adams was married to Alexandra
Buss at The Greenbrier, West Virginia
and High School humanities teacher
Ben Tress was married to Megan Cairns
in Cleveland, Ohio. Both couples were
married on July 27.
FIRST QUARTER
honor roll
HIGH HONOR ROLL (all A’s)
High School: Jakob Coray ’16, Colin
McDonald ’17, Samuel Newby ’15
Middle School: Noelle Crump ’19, Jack
Dougherty ’19, Gabriel Sutton ’18
HONOR ROLL WITH MERIT (A’s and A-’s)
High School: Jason Hammerman ’16,
Gabriel Norris ’16, Jacob Selmonosky ’17,
Christopher Wong ’16 Middle School:
Reagan Feld ’20, Hazel Feldstein ’20,
Joshua Nathan ’20
REGULAR HONOR ROLL (A’s and B’s)
High School: Adam Dertzbaugh ’15 ,
Alison Rowan ’15 , Andrew Setchell ’14 ,
Christopher Neureiter ’17 , Colette
Deller ’17 , Forest Ellis ’16 , Hilary
Kraus ’15 , Juliet Landeck ’15 , Lee Keller
’16 , Libby Cohen ’15 , Rachel SkoppCardillo ’16 , Robert Bork ’16 , Samuel
Gotter ’16 , Simon Brooke ’15 , Stephen
Kellogg ’14 , Susannah Laane ’17 , Tunc
Edmonds ’14
Middle School: My-Linh Aslanian ’20,
Reed Beggs ’19, Mattias Camacho ’20,
William Crawley-Fye ’20, Brian Des
Roches ’20, Daniel Garcia ’19, Alexander
Grant ’18, Daniel Grossman ’20, Maximus
Halim ’18, Seth Harding ’19, Priscilla
Houck ’19, Talia Jackson ’19, John Jex ’18,
Michael Laemmle, Jr. ’18, Andrew Lee ’20,
Aidan Moser ’20, Sarah Mullins ’18, Ewan
O’Donnell ’20, Gabriel Richards ’18,
Santos Rios ’18, William Roellke ’19, Josh
Tannenbaum ’19, Samuel Topol ’19, Max
Zawitoski ’20
ALUMNI NEWS
FALL SPORTS ROUND UP
Varsity Coed Soccer
JOHN SALMONS ’09 and remy lavelle ’09 (front row, left) were among three students
to speak at the “College Planning & Preparation for the Special Needs Student”
presentation hosted by C/A and sponsored by the DC Capital Area Branch of the
International Dyslexia Association.
The presentation was very well attended, with parents from throughout the DC
metro area, equally representing students in middle school, 9th and 10th grades, and
upperclassmen. They were particularly interested in talking to students with learning
differences and hearing about how they had prepared for college and their experiences in
college. John and Remy talked at length about the organizational and writing skills they
had learned at C/A.
John received his BA in architecture from The Catholic University of America and is
currently working on his masters in architecture at Virginia Tech at the Washington
Alexandria Architecture Campus. Remy transferred from Mount St. Mary’s University to
the Corcoran College of Art and Design where she is a fine arts major. Her interests are
painting and sculpture in wood and metal.
BERTRAM NICHOLLS ’09 earned a bachelor of arts in liberal studies, with a concentration
in information technology and graphic design, from Marymount University. As part of
his curriculum, he completed a 120-hour internship with DAB Network Consulting, the
firm that provides our IT support at school. Bertram updated system software, performed
maintenance, and helped troubleshoot various devices. Information technology wasn’t
the only thing he learned about during his return to C/A. He realized how much he had
grown and enjoyed the shift from being a student at C/A to working with his former
teachers as a colleague to solve their technical problems, and serving as a mentor for
current students.
Director of College Counseling Services Steve Maczynski
recently visited ETHAN ABBE ’13 while on a college tour of Juniata
College in Pennsylvania. Parent Rich Abbe wrote a note of thanks
after receiving a photo of the two of them, noting that the visit
“affirmed for Ethan that he attended a great HS that prepared him
for the next step...” and that it “...really impressed me that my son
may be gone, but not forgotten.”
To all of our alumni: we think of you often. Please keep in touch and let us know what
you are doing! Email [email protected].
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
Cougars finished their best season todate with a 3-3-1 record, ranking 5th
place out of eight teams in the ISSAC
league. The season was highlighted
by a tie with the defending league
champions, Lab School. Three players
were nominated to the all league team
as voted on by league coaches. Robby
West ’15 received 1st Team honors,
while Andy Setchell ’14 and Ben
VanHook ’17 received 2nd Team
honors. “The team was truly a pleasure
to coach, reported Coach Brown, “as
each player put forth his or her best
effort during each game regardless
of the score. The sportsmanship was
incredible; players respected both each
other as teammates and their opponents
throughout each contest. Overall, an
amazing season.”
CROSS COUNTRY
Cougars competed in three league
meets this season, steadily climbing in
number. Our runners were committed
and ran in each race. Wazi Rennert ’16
had the best finish on our team and
placed 5th in the Varsity division of
one of the meets. Seth Harding ’19 and
Miles Kolmstetter ’18 logged in very
respectable “middle of the pack” finishes
for their respective Middle School
divisions. All three runners expressed
that they had a wonderful experience
and we applaud them in helping grow
our still-young cross country team.
WELCOME COUGAR
MASCOT!
The official C/A Cougar mascot made a
debut appearance at the first pep rally in
November. Welcome!!
9
AROUND C/A
ARTIST WEB
BRYANT
speakers & assemblies
WHAT’S
UP WITH
ROCKETS?
Lower Schoolers
launched into the
science curriculum
with a two-week
unit on rockets,
taken from
NASA’s Beginner’s
Guide to Rockets.
Students engaged
in fun experiments
to study
aerodynamics, fin design, and rocket stability. For example, they
used handmade rockets to test how different fin sizes and shapes
affected aerodynamics. The unit of study included an enthralling
presentation about rockets and what it’s like to work at NASA,
delivered by special guest, Mr. James Mason-Foley, Optical
Systems Group Supervisor at NASA Wallops Flight Facility.
Rap Genius
Chief of Education
Dr. Jeremy
Dean spoke to
C/A’s English
department about
incorporating
Rap Genius’s
revolutionary
annotation
technology in the
classroom. One
of the top 100
websites in the
world, Rap Genius enables students to collaborate virtually as
they build their own interpretations on text; they can highlight
and annotate texts online as well as comment on each other’s
annotations. Rap Genius is used in dozens of schools, including
Harvard and Stanford University. You’ll find Commonwealth
Academy alongside these schools at: poetry.rapgenius.com/
Genius-educators-classroom-projects-lyrics.
Currently, Mr. Briggs and his 9th grade English students have
collaboratively annotated works such as Animal Farm and I Know
Why the Caged Bird Sings on Poetry Genius. The youngest class
in history to use Rap Genius? Our very own Mr. Gill’s 8th grade
civics class.
10
Artist and
illustrator Web
Bryant spoke to
Middle and High
School students
enrolled in New
Media in October.
Mr. Bryant
presented some
of his work which
spans digital and traditional media and discussed some of the
creative processes he follows. In addition to talking about his
craft, Mr. Bryant delivered an inspiring story about his son, Ben,
who has ADHD and is living his dream as an artist. Ben creates
2-D and 3-D assets for video games, movies, and television and is
doing animation cinematography for George Lucas. Mr. Bryant’s
daughter is also a successful artist, studying fashion design in Italy.
POLYGLOT jim
coates
Photographer, retired
economist, and polyglot Jim
Coates spoke to Spanish 3
students this fall about an
adventure he has wanted to
cross off his bucket list: a
motorcycle trip to Uruguay.
He showed the class his
trip map and equipment,
including his motorcycle,
a BMW R 1200 GS; talked
about his plans for riding
across countries; and quizzed students on their knowledge of
Central and South American geography. Students have enjoyed
following Coates’s travel blog, which he started when he left on
his journey in mid-November.
INTERACT STORY THEATER
The performance company Interact Story Theater performed the
children’s play Not My Monkey for 4th–7th graders on December
19. After the play, they conducted a workshop about the process
of putting together a production and opened the floor to a Q&A.
The play and workshop enhanced the Middle School’s exposure
to theater and drama and complemented Mr. Gropper’s Writing
class during which students are writing plays that were inspired
by popular fairy tales that they know (Little Red Riding Hood,
Jack and the Beanstalk, The Tinder Box, etc.). Once complete,
the plays will be submitted to Writopia’s worldwide playwriting
competition (www.writopialab.org/worldwide-plays-festival.
html).
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
IN THE CLASSROOM
Meanwhile, Mr. Sere’s reading class is
using Literature Circles to analyze and
discuss novels.
STUDY TOOLS: MIDDLE
SCHOOL FOLDABLES
VISUAL THINKING
AND THE COUGAR GAME
DESIGN STUDIO GALLERY
In late November, Lower School students
shared their hybrid creatures, self-portraits
and 3–D creatures with parents at The
Cougar Game Design Studio Gallery
Opening.
Students created hybrid creatures by
morphing different animals together, and
later wrote about them in class. The self
portraits mimic Van Gogh’s abstract work
using different brush and color techniques
to change a base picture. Students
used several digital programs including
Photoshop and 3-D software such as
Scuptris and Zbrush.
LOWER SCHOOL READING
& WRITING
Lower School lead teacher Jane Furey
reported that students completed reading
and spelling assessments to obtain fall
benchmarks and practiced the writing
process through a variety of Halloween
fiction writing which was shared at the
Halloween Café.
Mr. Gropper’s class used the site
littlebirdtales.com to write and illustrate
Halloween stories. Ms. Furey’s class used
the writing process and Kidspiration to
write Mystery Candy paragraphs and
Halloween stories.
Also during the fall, students learned the
format for writing friendly letters and, to
celebrate Veteran’s Day, wrote letters to
veterans, including C/A’s Mr. Pignone.
Middle School students have many study
tools in their arsenol such as quizzing
each other, playing Edline games, drawing
pictures, retelling stories, and acting
out ideas without using any words. One
favorite are “foldable notes,” introduced
to them by Middle School science teacher
Case Mason-Foley. “My foldable note
system,” says Ms. Mason-Foley, “is based
on research that colors and pictures with
definitions increase retention.” To make a
foldable note, students fold a piece of paper,
write the vocabulary word on the outside
and the definition on the inside. They then
color each word a different color and either
draw a picture of the word, or download
one and paste it on the note.
Students enjoy making these notes and
have adopted the system to other subjects
that use vocabulary, such as history.
Student involvement in studying is higher
than plain written notes with this system
and elevates their confidence in knowing
how to study.
NINTH GRADERS ATTEND
EVENING WITH AMY TAN
After reading the short story “Rules of the
Game,” an excerpt from Amy Tan’s novel
The Joy Luck Club, ninth graders attended
“An Evening with Amy Tan” at Strathmore.
The award winning author talked about
her life, her writing, and her newest novel.
Following the talk, C/A students joined
the rest of the audience in a Q&A.
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
QUANTUM MECHANICS
Chemistry students participated in a
flame spectroscopy lab to illustrate the
principle and applications of emission
spectroscopy and elemental identification
during their unit on quantum mechanics.
Students placed the chloride salts of
eight different elements in a Bunsen
burner for approximately 10 seconds
and observed the change in color. Each
element produces a unique set of atomic
spectral wavelengths that combine to give
the observed color. Students then tested
three unknown substances and used their
prior observations for comparison and
identification of the unknown substances.
SUMMER COURSE FOR
GLOBAL HUMANITIES
ENDORSEMENT
Eight C/A students completed either a
one- or three-week course this summer
which helps fulfill the requirements for
the Global Humanities Endorsement.
The course, entitled, U.S. Foreign
Policy: Focus on Brazil, was held at
Georgetown Preparatory School.
Classmates represented several schools
in the Washington DC metropolitan
area, as well as schools from across the
globe. International students stayed on
campus and studied English in addition
to foreign policy. Students visited the
Brazilian Embassy and the Organization
of American States as part of their research
in the areas of politics, economics, and the
environment.
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COLLEGE CORNER
Over 70 colleges visited C/A this
fall including Columbia University,
Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute
(RPI), Georgia Tech, NC State, and
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).
Representatives from Cleveland
Institute of Art and SCAD gave special
presentations to our Visual Arts students.
Students also attend numerous college
nights held throughout the metro area and
continue to branch out as they look for the
right fit. Some schools being considered
that are new to C/A students include
Southern Methodist, Ole Miss, Arizona
State, and UC Boulder.
MODEL OAS
Eighteen students represented C/A—and the member state of Panama—at this year’s
Model Organization of American States (MOAS), held at OAS in Washington, DC,
from December 4–6. Students began preparing for MOAS in September, when they
researched economic, political, and social policies, and met with embassy officials from
the Government of Panama, Political Counselor Ms. Carmen Mora and Scientific and
Counselor Attaché Ms. Gina Della Togna.
During the months leading up to the simulation, the group wrote position papers and
drafted resolutions on such topics as the enhancement of cyber-security, the reduction
of inequality, and the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities. Youth from the
United States and Latin America gathered at the conference in order to share ideas and to
draft joint proposals. The culminating event was the formal debate on all of the proposals
following rules of parliamentary procedure. Hilary Kraus ’15 and Jacob Coray ’16
contributed heavily to the Declaration to Eradicate Inequality and addressed the entire
General Assembly of students.
Participants included: Robert Bork ’16, Colin Brooke ’15, Jacob Coray ’16, Adam
Dertzbaugh ’15, Tunc Edmonds ’14, Luke Ellis ’16, Jason Hammerman ’16, Jared
Kleiman ’15, Hilary Kraus ’15, Juliet Landeck ’15, Gabe Norris ’16, Wazi Rennert ’16,
Jacob Selmonosky ’17, Rachel Skopp-Cardillo ’16, Gabby Stevenson ’17, Jordan
Suber ’16, Peter Szymanoski ’14, and Chris Wong ’16.
Snow Days!
Snow days came early this year and we
believe notification was distributed
smoothly. Remember, we follow Fairfax
County Public Schools for full day
closings and opening delays. Shortly after
Fairfax County posts its decision online
or announces it to the news, we post the
12
information on our website, Edline, and
Facebook, and send out phone, email, and/
or text alerts via Blackboard Connect. In the
event that Fairfax County Public Schools
have a scheduled day off during inclement
weather, we follow Alexandria City Schools.
Ordinarily, we do not close early due to
weather, regardless of FCPS, and staff will
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
In between visits at C/A, Director
of College Counseling Service Steve
Maczynkski hits the road to meet with
admissions officers at various colleges,
learn more about the schools, and any
special support programs they may offer.
During first semester, Mr. Maczynski
visited the University of Toronto, Brock,
Ryerson, Juniata (where he connected
with Ethan Abbe ’13), Elizabethtown,
Albight, Lycoming, Lebanon Valley, and
Messiah.
COLLEGE KICK OFF
MEETING FOR PARENTS AND
GUARDIANS OF JUNIORS
The college kick-off process for the Class
of 2015 will officially begin on January 7,
2014. Students will have a meeting during
the school day. Parents and guardians are
invited to a meeting at 6:30 PM in the
Multipurpose Room. No matter what
your student’s plan might be—four-year
college, community college, or gap year—
please attend!
supervise students until the end of the
regularly scheduled day. A Blackboard
Connect message will be sent if
afterschool activities or study halls are
cancelled. Of course, parents are always
welcome to pick up their child early if they
feel it is necessary during bad weather.
C/A IN THE COMMUNITY
SUPPORT C/A
PERKINS + WILL CLIENT CELEBRATION
C/A Board Member and Principal at Perkins + Will Diana
Horvat has been the primary architect for C/A since
we began renovations of our current building in 2002.
Her vision and understanding of how space and learning
work together are evident in the many design details that
enhance our learning environment, such as natural lighting,
wide hallways, locker bays and so much more. Over the
years, she has designed our science labs, the Lower School
addition, and now the new Gym & Performing Arts Center.
CAFÉ NIGHT
Head of School Dr. Susan
Johnson at Perkins + Will event.
Her firm recently held its annual client celebration which featured Commonwealth
Academy and four other local organizations. The event gave C/A attendees the chance
to network with 400 of their clients and friends. Ms. Horvat also took the opportunity
to brag about our school (her name tag exclaimed, “Ask me about Commonwealth
Academy!”). In attendance were Head of School Dr. Susan Johnson, Business Manager
Cherie Carroll, Director of Marketing Cathy Feehan, Director of Admissions Josh
Gwilliam, and Board members Cathy Pharis and Rich Abbe.
Thank you, Ms. Horvat, for a wonderful evening and your years of dedication to the
school! We look forward to the opening of the new Gym & Performing Arts Center and
so appreciate all your expertise in developing the plans.
CAPA’s CAFÉ Ooh La La provided a
wonderful evening of community and
fundraising in support of C/A. In addition
to a French buffet, the evening featured a
live and silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, and
a raffle for a teacher parking space which
collectively raised over $20,000. A special
thank-you goes out to Auction Co-Chairs
Sue Mamber and Stacey Topol for all of
their hard work, and to all who supported
the event. The evening would not have
been possible without their leadership,
the dedication of all the committee
members, and the many members of the
C/A community who generously donated
auction items—and generously bid on
them! Proceeds from CAFÉ Night will
go towards outfitting the new Gym &
Performing Arts Center.
TOYS FOR TOTS
GySgt John Kilby, USMC, stopped by
C/A on December 11 to pick up toys
donated to the Toys for Tots drive. Kilby,
who served in Ramadi, Iraq with C/A
Dean of Students John Pignone, thanked
the community for their generous
donations.
Field Trips
Here are just some of the local museums,
organizations, and other destinations our
students visited during first semester:
Cows-N-Corn (5th grade)
Cox Farm (3rd and 4th grades)
La Tasca, Old Town Alexandria
(Spanish students)
National Archives (MS)
Sherwood Regional Library
(Writing 11 students)
Native American Museum
(MS History students)
St. Mary’s City, MD (MS)
Natural History Museum (MS)
United States Holocaust Museum
(9th grade)
Newseum (LS and MS)
U.S. Capitol Building (8th grade)
Phillips Collection
(HS Art and New Media students)
Zoo Lights (MS)
Sculpture Garden (MS)
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
13
commonwealthacademy.org
Tune into
YouTube
youtube.com/Commonwealthcougars
at C/A’s new Gym &
Performing Arts Center
Support the fun and send in your tax-deductible
contribution to Fund the Fun today. Your donation will
help us purchase sports equipment for P.E. and Clubs,
stage lighting for theater productions, and furnishings
for community events. You can donate online (www.
CommonwealthAcademy.org/giving/fund-the-fun)
or by mail. If you have any questions or would like to
arrange a named gift, please contact Associate Director
of Development Meagan Hawkins.
We need every family’s help to meet our goal of
$70,000!
Seats audience of
190 for performances
and speakers or 80
people at tables for
dining or workshops
Kitchenette
STORAGE
ELECTRIC/UTILITY
KITCHENETTE
Kiln Room
STORAGE
STORAGE
Gym floor accommodates
half-court basketball and
full-court volleyball
GYMNASIUM
UP
PARKING LOT
STORAGE
STORAGE
twitter.com/CACougars
TO ARRANGE A SCHOOL VISIT,
PLEASE call 703.548.6912
or email:
Josh Gwilliam, M.A.,
Director of Admissions
Josh_Gwilliam@
CommonwealthAcademy.org
Cathy Feehan, M.Ed.,
Director of Marketing
Cathy_Feehan@
CommonwealthAcademy.org
2013–2014 Board of Trustees
Rebecca McDonald, Treasurer
KILN
ROOM
119
CURTAIN
STORAGE
FOLLOW us on
Twitter
Richmond Abbe, Vice Chair
WOMEN'S
RESTROOM
VESTIBULE
facebook.com/Commonwealth-Academy
Cathy Pharis, Chair
MEN'S
RESTROOM
JANITOR
LIKE us on
Facebook
Ira Hammerman, Secretary
Susan J. Johnson, Ph.D.,
Head of School
Walter R. “Trip” Howell III
Chair Emeritus
Gena Fitzgerald
Karen Foley
Jodie Kelley
John W. Hazard, Jr.
15 new parking spaces
Diana A. Horvat
Christian J. Spitz
COLLAPSIBLE RAISED STAGE
PERKINS + WILL
Collapsible stage
MAIN ENTRANCE
LESLIE AVENUE
COMMONWEALTH ACADEMY
Tom Suber