Hogwarts at Saint David's

The call from my good friend Albus Dumbledore came in the middle of the night. The request, odd. It seemed that Sunday's rains had flooded Hogwarts and so, he asked, could Saint David's become that venerable school of wizardry--just for a day--while Hogwarts dried out.

I thought about it, and with the magical powers of our PA Officers and their crew of parent volunteers, our hearty maintenance department, and a team of incredibly creative faculty members at the ready, we knew it could be done and done beautifully. Dumbledore was so grateful that he offered to act as headmaster for a day, greeting all of our boys and assigning them, by a gifted tie, to one of Hogwarts-for-the-Day's four Houses: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin.

At the day's beginning, a delivery of The Daily Prophet brought news of the special activities, actions, and good deeds the boys could partake of to earn points for their House. When all was tallied the winning House, Ravenclaw, received the House Cup in a special school-wide announcement.

Unfortunately, the cup immediately vanished after the announcement and the boys of Ravenclaw were left with basking in the glory of victory, and the great feeling that comes from knowing all the good they had done.

What an amazing, creative way for Saint David's boys and families to celebrate the school's last year as a collection of townhouses. Appreciation to Linda MacKinnon, Elizabeth Villar, Susan Kissane, Kim Church, Heather Rhatigan, Densie Plunkett, dozens of parent volunteers, our Hogwarts maintenance crew, and the Hogwarts faculty crew who spent last night and today effecting this magnificent transfiguration of Saint David's into Hogwarts. What a magical day!

Tomorrow it's back to muggles at Saint David's; but rest assured, the magic never abates.

More photos from today can be viewed at: http://www.saintdavids.org/media/photo/detail/20171031-hogwarts

Comments

NE Patriot Tom Brady at Saint David’s

Last night, Saint David’s was honored to have one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, four time Superbowl champion and three-time MVP winner Tom Brady, as the guest speaker for our Alumni Parents Council Lecture Series. Tom, who is the father of one of our Saint David's boys, addressed a standing-room-only audience in Hyman Hall comprised of our eighth graders, alumni, alumni parents and faculty. Friendly, introspective, witty, and wise, he directed his talk to the delighted eighth graders in the front of the room, and focused on the topic of leadership. “You are the young men and leaders of Saint David’s,” he noted. Tom debunked the perception that leaders are born not made, and credited his leadership abilities to “standing up to and facing fears” and to “cultivating a mental strength,” which he cited as “more important than being physically strong.” He also stressed the importance of working hard, honoring teamwork, believing in oneself and being a good lis

Digital Universe Unit With AMNH-Hayden Planetarium Kicks Off

The second year of our unique partnership with the American Museum of Natural History-Hayden Planetarium kicked off on Friday when the sixth grade had their first session of the Digital Universe unit. The session included a private viewing at the planetarium in which boys were able to explore the entire universe. They and their teachers were invited to view the show from the vantage point of the floor in the center of the round theater, staring up into the apex of the dome. What an amazing perspective! Museum educator and astro-visualization expert Nathan Belomy took the boys on a tour of the observable universe, allowing them to get a feel for the scale of distance and size in the universe. In a fun activity related to scale, the boys set down a volleyball (representing the sun) at 79th Street, and walked for blocks down Columbus avenue with the planets in our solar system represented by a variety of smaller objects – a cupcake sprinkle, a marble – predicting and then measu

"Lord of the Flies" Survival Game

Seventh graders are immersed in an "island survival" adventure related to their study of William Golding's 1954 classic Lord of the Flies . The novel tells the story of a group of school-age boys marooned on an uninhabited island, where they struggle to survive without a government or rules. In this creative, unique activity that spans 10 class sessions, our boys are assigned to belong to one of two "tribes." Using knowledge gained from history classes in the fall, they first determine what type of government system to adopt. During the simulations, they strategize methods to overcome obstacles and acquire resources such as wood, food, shelter, and water. The simulation requires the boys to negotiate, debate, and reflect critically on their decisions as they face challenges to their survival. In journals, they regularly write about their thinking, their decisions and consequences. Writing skills are further developed and honed. In addition to analy

Headmaster's Blog

Search This Blog