Headmaster's Blog

One of several new critical thinking/technology integration curricular experiences, programmable Bee Bots are being used at Saint David's to develop problem solving/programming skills in our first graders. Today was their first session.  These "bees on wheels," much like a tank, can move forward or backward and they can pivot left and right. There are buttons on their backs that are associated with these movements. There is also a Go button in the middle, and stop and pause buttons. On this day, to introduce the Bee Bots and how they work to the first graders, the teacher first played Simon Says.  It was an engaging and dynamic way to get the boys up and moving and to familiarize them with the commands they would soon be using to program their Bee Bots. The boys learned quickly that the Bee Bot "remembers" a series of commands in sequence up until they press the GO button and then moves according to those commands. Next, the boys were shown a map that ...

Today in sports, sixth grade boys learned how diet impacts their health, affecting athletic and academic performance. Today's session, the first in a series and part of a larger interdisciplinary unit of study on nutrition, was developed by the Athletics, Food Service and Health Service departments. The day included an informative presentation led by a registered dietician from our food service company, Cater to You , who spoke to the boys about the importance of portion size, eating colorful phytonutrient-rich fruits and vegetables and whole grains, staying hydrated, and avoiding foods high in sugar and fat. The session also had the boys up and playing in two games that reinforced the concepts taught: "Roll-n-Fit," in which boys performed exercises after rolling dice decorated with different foods; and "Build-a-Meal Basketball," which involved competing in teams to create the most healthy meals comprised of foods from each of the main food groups. The...

Following is a letter written by Nelba Marquez-Greene and published online by Education Week on September 6, 2013.  It's an important reminder of the events of that day, the heroism of teachers and the gifts our children give us. As another school year begins and old routines settle back into place, I wanted to share my story in honor of the teachers everywhere who care for our children. I lost my 6-year-old daughter Ana Grace on Dec. 14, 2012, in the rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School. My son, who was in the building and heard the shooting, survived. While waiting in the firehouse that day to hear the official news that our daughter was dead, my husband and I made promises to ourselves, to each other, and to our son. We promised to face the future with courage, faith, and love. As teachers and school employees begin this new year, my wish for you is that same courage, faith, and love. It takes guts to be a teacher. Six brave women gave their lives trying to protect their stu...

... For those following our efforts in the Horn of Africa... I Bring Good News: Admin Block and Classroom Block 90% Complete The Kalina school project funded by Saint David’s School is on the verge of completion. Located in one of the more remote districts of Tigray, Ethiopia, known as Raya-Azebo, The Kalina school is 120 kilometers from Mekelle, the capital of Tigray. The first primary school in Kalina, known as a dass school, served 232 children, of which 47% were girls, in the 2012/13 academic year. A dass school is an open air instructional space--no roof, no walls, no water. The dass was the beginning phases of developing a formal "school" program in Kalina in preparation for the second cycle: The Saint David's Project.   The Saint David’s funded project is comprised of one building block with four classrooms, another building block with three administrative and resource center rooms, and two additional smaller blocks of dry latrines, one for gi...

Colin and some of his Saint David's pals at the fundraiser Late in the summer, former Student Council President, Colin J., '11, of his own volition, reached out to some of his nearby Saint David's friends in the Hamptons and organized a special fundraiser for the school's efforts in Ethiopia--efforts he himself had helped initiate more than three years ago.  The event took place Thursday evening, August 22nd at C-Wonder. 75-85 people attended the event where each family enjoyed 10% off their purchases. In addition, Colin had negotiated with C-Wonder that an additional 15% of the entire night's sales would be donated to the Saint David's Dollars for Ethiopia Scholars initiative. Festive refreshments in the store included "hint" water and cupcakes with sprinkles donated with the Saint David's logo on them.   On the night, the store sold over $7,000 worth of goods, and two generous families decided to match the amount raised for the i...