AUGUST 2010

BERWICK A C A D E M Y

1791 L e t t e r
INTRODUCING OUR NEW TURF FIELDS

Berwick Academy is proud to

introduce the latest additions
to our campus. The state-of the
art athletic turf field is nearly
complete and its mini version
outside the Lower School will
be finished within weeks. We
are looking forward to getting
our athletes onto these fields this Lower School mini turf
fall!

1791 Letter ~ August 2010 1


SUMMER EPHEMERA
When I was in high school,
I vividly recall that our visual arts
department sponsored a show entitled
Summer Ephemera. For whatever reason,
the two words have been inextricably
linked in my brain ever since. At a
minimum, the aforementioned art
show forced me to look up another
vocabulary word that I would see once
again on the SATs later in my high
school career. The words do coalesce
nicely, as we all appreciate that summer
universally possesses a fleeting, magical
quality, and we can never seemingly
grab hold of it entirely nor have our
fill. For the Schneiders, there has been
Kenna’s first ride down the flume at
Storyland and her first pull behind a
motorboat on a tube with Mom in Lake
Michigan. Avery has learned to stagger
across warm grassy fields in July as she
has become noticeably more mobile.
And Amy and I have had a precious
moment to appreciate all that we have
to be thankful for within our family
and within the Berwick community as
a whole.
Perhaps unlike any other year
since my arrival, I cannot wait for your
children to return. Thanks to Mother
Nature, our turf fields are scheduled to
be completed right on schedule, along
with the incredible new entrance to
the campus donated by BAPA this year.
I have a suspicion that we will see a
few awestruck eyes this fall (students
and parents alike) as people return
from their fleeting vacations back to a
Berwick reality that finds our campus
experience enhanced dramatically.
2 1791 Letter ~ August 2010
MESSAGE F R O M
Greg Schneider
Head of School
Watching these projects come to
fruition has simply been fun in every
sense of the word. It has reminded me
what can actually be accomplished at
an institution such as ours when we are
able to discover the synergy between
vision, generosity, and opportunity.
The whole experience has been just
a tad surreal for me, but when I walk
across our new bulldog logo on the
field on steamy summer evenings with
my daughters, I am convinced that it
all will actually still be here when you
return this fall.
There have been dozens of
other exciting improvements this
summer, although slightly more subtle.
We have drastically improved the
security of the campus with a new
electronic key system that allows us
to monitor the access to buildings
with far greater detail and confidence
than we have had in the past. We are
dressing up the interior of Kendall
Lower School with a new space for
science and an emerging classroom for
a Pre-Kindergarten program in the fall
of 2011. Our marketing committee is
hard at work in the hopes of launching
a refreshed look to our website this fall
along with some new videos to spread
the word about the power of the
Berwick experience to the Seacoast.
We will welcome one of
my favorite speakers, Rob Evans, to
visit our faculty for some insightful
conversations as we open the school
year. As an exceptional psychologist
and author of remarkable books like
Family Matters, and The Human Side of
School Change, Rob plans to engage
all of us in some thinking about the
challenges associated with change and
communication. His style always seems
laced with stories and wit that allow
teachers to achieve a new perspective
about the meaningful work that we do
while appreciating the limitations we
all have when working with children
and families. As we vault into this year
with a new trimester calendar, the next
phase of curriculum mapping, and a
pending NEASC ten year evaluation,
our faculty and staff truly deserve to be
commended for the grace with which
they have evolved in the last three
years.
Perhaps “ephemeral” also
works for me in considering summer in
that there is always a bittersweet aspect
to changes in personnel at school. Last
June we said difficult goodbyes to some
amazing Berwickians, but I now have the
pleasure of announcing our new hires
to you. When I consider the collective
enthusiasm, passion, and talent of
this group, I can’t help but be excited
about what they will all bring to your
children next year. With the addition of
a new Lower School Academic support
coordinator and new school nurse, for
example, I hope that our parents will
be particularly excited about the ways
in which Berwick continues to enhance
its services in the areas of support and
wellness. As much as the new facilities
are exciting this summer, we also
know that reaching every child in this
community is our most pressing goal of
all. Please join me in welcoming our
newest community members:
STARTED IN JULY OF 2010:
Jenni Franco
With Colleen Meader’s move
into the Head of School office this
 BERWICK A C A D E M Y
summer, we are so thrilled to welcome
Jenni back to Berwick Academy in our
advancement office. She is a graduate
of Berwick (’03) and Simmons College,
and she has been working in event
planning at the Wentworth By the
Sea Hotel in New Castle, NH for the
past three years. In this role, she has
garnered important technological and
interpersonal skills that will serve her
extremely well in the 1791 House.
While at Berwick as a student, Jenni
was an exceptional dancer and active
member of this community in so many
ways. She brings an incredible charisma,
passion, and familiarity to the School
that will be huge assets as we work to
reconnect with our recent alumni and
consider creative new technologies in
this office. Her excitement for Berwick’s
mission is contagious, and she began
her work in our advancement office
July 1 of this year.
Fidel Piedra
Fidel Piedra joined us this
summer to take on the role of custodial
supervisor. In the wake of some turnover
in this department at the end of the
year, Fidel has already done a wonderful
job orchestrating a new approach to
keeping our campus beautiful. His
prior experiences includes a number
of cleaning companies that included
management and oversight roles.
These positions included significant
periods of time doing cleaning work at
the University of New Hampshire. His
energy is inspiring, and he clearly takes
great pride in our beautiful campus.
STARTING IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010:
Karen Chiang
We are thrilled to welcome
Karen as our new school nurse. A
graduate of Yale University School
of Nursing, Karen has worked at
Rochester Hill Family Practice for the
1791 Letter
past fourteen years. As a licensed nurse
students, parents, and teachers as we
practitioner, she brings a new level of
strive to meet the learning needs of
training and skill to keep our students
every Berwick student. In addition to
healthy and safe. She joins our Support
her work with literacy and academic
Service team at a moment when major
challenges in our Lower School, she will
initiatives are underway to make our
also assist us with emotional counseling
records electronic and clarify a number
needs for our youngest students as
of medical protocols campuswide. In
well. She becomes another critical new
addition to her roles in interfacing
member of our K-12 Support Services
with teachers and coaches, we are
team. Marguerite also harbors a deep
excited to watch Karen evolve into
passion for fashion and design, and we
teaching roles across campus as our
want to welcome her to the Seacoast as
K-12 wellness program continues to
she relocates this summer, which will
grow; she represents a great resource
include moving closer to family in the
for all sorts of health-related topics
Kennebunk area.
for this community. Karen lives in
Nottingham, NH.
Marielle Johnson
Marielle Johnson joins us in
Rory Early
the Upper School this year as a one-
I am pleased to announce the
year interim replacement in the English
hiring of our new Boys Varsity basketball
department for Andrew Kasprzak,
coach, Rory Early. Coach Early takes
who is pursuing his graduate degree at
over the reigns of our NEPSAC
Columbia University this year. Marielle
championship basketball team. Coach
graduated summa cum laude from the
Early works at Phillips Exeter Academy
University of Indiana and completed
by day and has coached at both St.
her Masters degree from the University
Thomas and Spaulding High School in
of Vermont this summer. Her passion
recent years. He is actively involved in
for literature, writing, and adolescents
the highly successful Integrity Hoops
are equally compelling. She has taught
organization. A resident of Rollinsford,
in a number of classroom environments,
Coach Early brings a wonderful passion
most recently at Montpelier High
for basketball and sportsmanship to our
School, where she co-taught a number
basketball program.
of upper level English courses. She is
also an accomplished singer, and we
Maguerite Genest
look forward to hearing her talents in
Marguerite joins us as our
this capacity as well throughout the
new Lower School Academic Support
year. Marielle will be relocating from
Coordinator. A graduate of Elms
Burlington, VT to the Portsmouth area
College, she also holds masters and a
this summer.
doctorate in Educational Psychology
from American International College.
Amy Trueworthy
For the past eleven years, Marguerite
Amy will be joining us as a
has worked at the Curtis Blake Day
part-time employee this year, teaching
School, which is associated with AIC in
two sections of Spanish in our Upper
Springfield, MA. Curtis Blake is a small,
School while offering needed additional
independent day school that caters
staffing in our library. She will also use
specifically to students with different
her talents as a passionate runner to
learning challenges. Marguerite brings
assist our students in coaching Cross
an incredible capacity to work with
continued on pg. 14...
1791 Letter ~ August 2010 3
 Peter Saliba - Upper School Director

Upper School News

• Varsity teams begin practice on
Dear Upper School Community;
Monday, August 30.
FAN, FOLLOW
• First day of school: Tuesday,
I hope this letter finds you
enjoying a respite from the routines of
September 7. CONNECT!
the academic year. After a week-long
• US Parent Back-to-School Night:
camping trip on the coast of Maine, I
Tuesday, September 14.
can say that the Saliba family has had
plenty of bonding time, and that we
A few weeks ago, the Academy Berwick Academy is on Facebook!
are all looking forward to getting back
hosted a 100th birthday celebration for Become a fan to see daily updates,
into the swing of things!
former Head of School Stuart Chaplin. photos, videos, and more.
Fogg was crowded all day with alumni/
Although classes are not in
session, the Upper School is quite busy.
ae from the 1950’s. It was great to hear www.facebook.com/
them speak about the school, and how berwickacademy
Ms. Rouleau and Mr. Mansfield have
Fogg had changed since their time.
been working hard on your academic
They had a number of stories that
schedules, the work on the new turf
were all very different, but they did
field is nearly complete, and summer
share a common thread. Most of the
camps, both athletic and academic,
memorable stories started with words Berwick Academy is using
have brought students to campus.
to the effect of “I had never done this Twitter! Create a profile and
before, but decided to give it a try.”
In the second week of August, choose to “follow” Berwick
you will receive your class schedules Academy. Opt to receive updates
I hope you will keep this in
for the upcoming year. If you have via phone and you will receive a
mind as you approach this upcoming
any questions, please do not hesitate to text message every time we post
school year. The Academy prides itself
contact Ms. Rouleau. If you are unsure something new!
in giving students the chance to try
about a course, please remember that
new things, and I hope you will avail
you have an add/drop period in the www.twitter.com/
yourself of the opportunities we offer.
beginning of the school year to try berwickacademy
things on for size. I also trust you
I wish you the best for these
have had a good start on the summer
precious days of August, and look
reading, and will have it completed by
forward to seeing you on campus in
the opening of school.
September!
Although the school calendars
Warmly, Connect, reconnect, and
will be arriving soon, I wanted to give
engage with Berwick Academy
you some dates in advance that you
Peter Saliba alumni, parents, and friends.
should mark on your calendars:
Upper School Director
• Freshman Orientation Trip: Thursday, www.linkedin.com
August 26, to Friday, August 27
Search for Berwick Academy
• New Student Orientation (Grades under Groups
10-12): Thursday, August 26

4 1791 Letter ~ August 2010


Welcome to the “Back-to
School” issue of the 1791 Letter. As I
write today, the number of perfect
sunny beach days seem to be endless,
and I hope that your families have been
able to take advantage of many of these.
Perfect days of relaxation may postpone
the thought of heading back to classes,
but it is that very day that marks the
summer time for our Dean of Students,
Mike Hannon, my Administrative
Assistant, Laurie Beakes, and me.
When the second week of August
arrives, you will receive schedules for
your children that represent many
hours of collaborative work here on
campus. We hope that these schedules
are complete, but occasionally further
“tweaks” can be made prior to the
start of school. A new schedule will
await each student on the first day of
school. For families of seventh and
eighth grade students, please note our
efforts to create a stable homeroom
grouping. Class groupings will mix
students in seventh and eighth grades
somewhat during the day, but each
will have a fixed homeroom group that
will be their focus for special events,
projects, and service activities. Your
child’s homeroom teacher will be your
conduit for information; a “first stop”
for your questions. Fifth and sixth
graders will be traveling to classes in
their homeroom groups for the entire
year.
A huge change for our entire
campus is the shift to trimesters. While
this does not impact the placement of
many of our Middle School traditions,
it will influence a shift in timing our
formal communications. Parents of
Rosemary Zurawel - Middle School Director
Middle School News
Middle School students will continue
to have two conferences with all of
the core class teachers (English, Social
Studies, Math, Science, and Foreign
Languages). Conference dates may
be found on the Berwick Calendar in
November and late March. The first
set of written comments and grades
will be mailed after Thanksgiving.
Grades without comments will go
home in March, and a final set of
grades and comments will be mailed
in mid-June. For parents accustomed
to two sets of conferences and two
sets of written narratives about their
children’s progress, there is no change
in substance, simply in timing.
In June, the faculty reflected
at length upon the curriculum and
the knowledge and skill proficiencies
in the various disciplines. One major
concern arose; the perceived disconnect
between our standards of excellence
and the fact that the Honor Roll needed
to be consistent with those standards.
After considerable discussion, we came
to the same conclusion that our Upper
School colleagues had arrived at a year
earlier. In order to earn High Honors,
a student must achieve a 93% or higher
in all subject areas (i.e., core classes plus
music, art, computer, health, physical
education, etc.). A grade of 85% or
higher in all subject areas will earn the
student a place on the Honors list. Our
Effort Honor Roll will not change.
This change to the Honor
Rolls also brought forth an interesting
discussion of the differences between
aptitude and achievement. We all
know students who are talented in a
number of areas. Those talents may
be sometimes challenging to measure
1791 Letter ~ August 2010
in objective terms. What we do
measure carefully and objectively is
achievement. We consider formal
assessments such as quizzes and tests,
projects, performances, collected
work in portfolios, and homework. In
other words, achievement is earned
based upon the evidence each student
submits.
Each September, we work to
build a sense of community within
every grade level. For the students
in the eighth grade, there is the
Leadership Retreat at Merrowvista
in Center Tuftonboro, NH. This
year, the trip departs at 7:30 (Please
arrive at school no later than 7:00
a.m with gear.) on Tuesday morning,
September 7. Students will return to
school on Wednesday, September 8
at 4:45 p.m. The wonderful work of
the staff at Merrowvista will go far in
empowering the leaders of the Middle
School to take up the challenge of year
ahead. Students in seventh grade will
go to the Browne Center at UNH for
their one-day program of stewardship
and collaboration on September 27.
The sixth grade students will attend
a “Focus through Adventure” program
in Saco on September 17. Our fifth
grade students will remain on campus
for their community-building day.
One of our most exciting
initiatives in the coming year will be
the K-12 discussion and activities
surrounding the book, Three Cups of Tea
by Greg Mortensen. A representative
group of teachers form each division
has been meeting to work on the plans
for the day, and our campus should
feel quite different when the “Tenth
continued on pg. 14...
5

As we neared completion of
our morning field studies at Big Heath
Bog, I was a bit surprised by my botany
professor’s casual directions: “Let’s each
find a dry spot, sit down, and write and
sketch for a half hour.” While not a
bad idea to get off our feet and reflect
on pitcher plants, lichen and bog
cotton, there was a simple challenge
in Dr. Killenbeck’s request—dry spots
did not exist in Acadia’s Big Heath, just
damp, wet, wetter, muddy, and muddier
possibilities. However in the spirit of
the course (Field Botany and Creative
Writing) raincoats served as ground
clothes and mossy hummocks served
as lounge chairs while we pondered
this closed basin full of plants, insects,
water and, did I mention, mud. Mid-
way through a week-long College
of the Atlantic science course, I was
fully immersed in the role of botany
student.
The Lower School faculty and I
travel in many directions after attending
our year-end meetings and writing our
year-end reports. While re-energizing
for the coming year is an essential
summer routine, so too is a calculated
approach to engaging in various
forms of professional development.
Summer growth includes reading
required professional books, attending
conferences, and participating in on-
campus meetings as we prepare for our
upcoming academic journey.
I enjoy choosing professional
development experiences that will
support my administrative leadership
and science instructor skills. Reading
Who Moved My Cheese and Three Cups of
6 1791 Letter ~ August 2010
Joel Hawes - Lower School Director
Lower School News
Tea were obvious choices, as all faculty
were asked to read those texts in
preparation for early-September book
discussions. Attending meetings with
administrative and faculty colleagues
was also crucial to a smooth September
opening. Besides quality time with
family and friends, however, my most
enjoyable summer routines involve
attending off-campus conferences
and courses in order to engage in new
experiences and gain new perspectives
from educators across the country.
In early July, I attended the
Responsive Classroom Institute, an
amazing two-day leadership workshop
based on the importance of classroom
and school-wide social/emotional
experiences supporting classroom- and
school-wide community and ultimately
individual and collective academic
achievement.
My second course, Field
Botany and Creative Writing, used
Acadia National Park as its outdoor
classroom. While the intersection of
botany and writing caught my eye,
the focus on creativity was of greater
appeal. Promoting the creative
thinking process with students is an
important component of the teaching-
thinking-learning process.
In its basic form, student
creativity involves developing
innovative ideas from prior knowledge
and then applying these ideas through
original and meaningful ventures.
While the degree to which one can
teach creativity may be debated, the
degree to which one may promote
creativity is more apparent. As a science
teacher, here is my short list: allow
students ample time to think, ponder,
and muck around; connect science
with other disciplines in order to
broaden potential ideas and solutions;
model and appreciate outside-the-
box thinking; and, most importantly,
develop real-life and/or meaningful
problems for students to solve.
As we wrote in the bog on that
bright Acadia morning, I was reminded
of how purposeful and how creative
our students can be when involved in
meaningful pursuits. Promoting the
creative process is one of the strengths
of our Lower School faculty: As I tour
our classrooms, I see young artists
making important artistic decisions;
social studies students confidently
presenting projects; library and
computer students making important
research connections; musicians,
physical education participants and
dancers experiencing skills in real-life
performance contexts, French, math
and science students creatively using
their skills in classroom simulations,
and, finally, literacy students actively
engaged in reading and writing
discoveries.
As the school year unfolds,
I welcome your thoughts about
creativity in the Lower School. And
in the upcoming weeks, I look forward
to welcoming faculty, parents, and, of
course, students to a new Lower School
year as we transition from summer-time
preparation to school-year adventures.

Santa’s Village
I am sitting in Jefferson, NH
writing this 1791 edition for athletics. I
am with my family on vacation visiting
Santa’s Village. For those veteran
parents who have made the summer
pilgrimage to the White Mountains,
you can relate with my brief review of
this family outing. First, I must admit
when my wife had brought up the
thought of traveling three hours into
the heart of the Presidential Range to
visit Santa and his merry elves, I was
not doing cartwheels. But, as I sit here
this evening still buzzing from my Yule
Log ride - I am a believer! (They have
recently added a water park which was
a bonus activity.) This is a must do
family event . We had a blast and to be
honest, it was nice being “off the grid”
for a few days with our children.
Summer on the Hilltop
The campus was alive again
this summer with multiple camps
ongoing throughout the summer. We
had our dance, and multi-sport camps
that were a great success. We also had
a terrific boy’s lacrosse camp and have
a field hockey and girl’s lacrosse camp
planned for the first week in August.
The Seacoast United Soccer Club held
its Training Academy on campus for the
second consecutive year. The numbers
were up from last year with over 140
campers attending each week. Among
those campers were many BA students
from the Lower, Middle, and Upper
Schools. This camp has taken off and
the partnership between SUSC and
Berwick Academy is going very well.
Rob Quinn - Athletic Director
Athletics News
Field(s) of Dreams
It’s hard to be on campus this
summer and not see the construction
ongoing up on field #3 behind Jeppesen
and the Lower School field. The fields
are on schedule and look amazing. I
have been greeting the construction
workers everyday with a big hello
and then saying “What are we doing
today?” I have been so excited about
the process that I need to know every
detail of how these fields are made
and maintained. They have been
patient with me and put up with my
curious behavior. It certainly has been
a learning experience for me and sheer
excitement for all of our students to see
these “Fields of Dreams” in September.
Bulldog Golf Classic
The Athletics Boosters are
hosting their Annual Bulldog Golf
Classic at the Ledges Golf Club in
York, Maine, on Thursday, September
23; with an 8 a.m shotgun start. Save
the date, and plan to join the festivities
with the many members of our
Berwick community. We are currently
coordinating sponsors and prizes. If
interested, please contact Rob Quinn
rquinn@berwickacademy.org
Preseason Fall Sports Update
Boys Soccer:
Coach Patrick Connolly
pconnolly@berwickacademy.org
Preseason: On campus preseason will
run from Monday August 30 until
Thursday September 2, 5:00-6:30 p.m.
These sessions are for anyone looking
to tryout for the varsity team. Tryouts
will continue during the first week of
school.
1791 Letter ~ August 2010
Girls Soccer:
Head Coach Rich Weinrebe
rweinrebe@seacoastunited.org
Preseason: On campus preseason will
run from Monday August 30 until
Thursday September 2, 5:00-6:30.
These sessions are for anyone looking
to tryout for the varsity team. Tryouts
will continue during the first week of
school.
Field Hockey:
Head Coach Tracey Kelly
tkelly@berwickacademy.org
and Ass’t Coach Stacey Sevelowitz
ssevelowitz@berwickacademy.org
Preseason: On campus from August
30 - September 2 from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Although this is not mandatory, as we
are a JV team, it is highly encouraged
that you attend some or all of this
week. We are also holding a clinic on
Tuesday, August 24 from 4:30-7:00
p.m. with pizza to follow. This is not
mandatory, but it will be a fun time to
reconnect and meet the newest team
members.
Boys Cross Country:
Coach Jon Davie
jdavie@berwickacademy.org
Preseason: Practices begin on Monday,
August 30 and run through Wednesday
September 1 from 5:00-6:30 p.m.
Girls Cross Country:
Coach Raegan Russell
rrussell@berwickacademy.org
Preseason: Practices be on Tuesday,
August 31 and run through Thursday
September 1 from 5:00-6:30 p.m.
continued on pg 14...
7
 you gotta have Arts
Deloris White - Fine Arts Director

ARTS BOOSTERS
Arts Boosters’ Variety Show
Remember to mark your
calendar to attend the Berwick
Academy Arts Boosters’ Variety Show.
This annual fund-raiser for the arts will
take place on Friday, October 15, 2010,
at 7:00 in the Patricia Baldwin Whipple
Arts Center Theater. This night will
be filled with song, instruments, dance,
laughter and much more presented by
staff, faculty and administration from
each division.
DANCE
Arts News
opportunity to develop both technical and musical skills through individual or
group practice and occasional performance. Musicianship is an ideal opportunity
for students to hone their audition skills for music festival auditions or musical
theater auditions. It also provides a place for students who would like to form
their own band. Participation in this activity fulfils a one-season afternoon activity
requirement. Please contact Stephanie Sanders for more information regarding
possible themes or concentrations for Musicianship during this school year. Also,
please contact Ms. Sanders for more information regarding the Middle School Jazz
Band.
Festivals
Any Upper School student interested in auditioning for the Maine District
I High School Honors Festival for the Maine All-State festivals should check with
Brenda LaForce regarding music preparation for these auditions. Students must be
enrolled in a Berwick music course in order to audition.

Dance Classes THEATER

The dance classes will begin
on Monday, September 13. You may
register for dance classes any time prior
to September 13. Please refer to the
dance section on the Berwick Academy
web site for detailed descriptions of the
various dance classes.
MUSIC
The Diary of Anne Frank, the powerful account of a young woman and her family
forced into hiding during the Nazi terror of World War II, will be staged Friday
and Saturday, October 29 and 30 by the Berwick Academy Upper School Drama
Department. Auditions are open to all Upper School students and will take place
Thursday and Friday, September 10 at 11 at 3 :00 p.m. on the third floor of Fogg.
For more information, please be in touch with Liz-Anne Platt, director, lplatt@
berwickacademy.org

Applied Lessons
Berwick’s lesson program will
begin Monday, September 20. You may
register for music lessons with one of
Berwick’s many professional musicians
any time prior to September 20. Please
contact Sally Wituszynski the Applied
Lesson Program Coordinator for more
information.

After School Ensembles

Music teacher Stephanie
Sanders will offer Musicianship after
school on three days TBD to Upper
School students. This performance
based offering will give students the

8 1791 Letter ~ August 2010


PRESIDENT’S NOTES
I am sure all of you are enjoying a
wonderful summer with friends and
family, but September is just around
the corner and the school year will be
here before we know it. It will prove
to be an exciting and busy time as we
welcome new and returning families to
the Berwick campus. Don’t hesitate to
contact me with any questions you may
have as the school year approaches. I
look forward to seeing all of you in
September, but be sure to enjoy the
rest of your summer.
Volunteering
Berwick Academy Parents
Association (BAPA) is always looking
for parents to assist with a variety of
volunteer opportunities during the
school year. Whether we are looking for
baked goods for a holiday celebration
in your child’s classroom, assistance
with costumes for school productions,
or coordination of social activities in
the Upper School, there are a variety
of opportunities for parent volunteers.
It’s a great way to get to know other
BA parents, and a meaningful way to
support your child’s school.
August Events
There are many back-to-school
activities being planned in the different
divisions. They are a wonderful way to
get to meet other parents and students
at Berwick. Be sure to check the Lower,
Middle, and Upper school section notes
in this publication for details regarding
these gatherings. If you have not
received information regarding these
socials, feel free to contact me or your
BAPA Notes - from the BAPA Board Members
Parents Association News
Division Coordinators.
Parent Coffee/Orientation
On September 7 at 8:20 a.m.,
please join us for a Lower School
orientation for all families that are new
to the Lower School, and a Middle
School/Upper School coffee for
parents of children in those divisions,
on the B-D porch (the yellow and
brick building). These gatherings are
designed to allow new parents to meet
and ask questions of veteran parents in
a casual and relaxed atmosphere. Non-
school age children are welcome to
attend.
First BAPA Meeting of 2010
Please join us for the first
meeting of the school year on Monday,
August 27 at 8:15 a.m. in the Commons
Lounge. Muffins and coffee will be
served. By virtue of being the parent
of a student at Berwick, all parents are
members of the parents association.
We hope you will join us for our first
general meeting where you will have
the opportunity to meet other parents
and the BAPA Board. Information will
be given regarding future events and
activities on campus. There will also
be a Class Rep meeting following the
General Meeting. If you are interested
in serving as a Class Rep for your child’s
grade or just want to find out what the
position entails, please join us for that
meeting. Again, younger siblings are
welcome at both meetings.
BAPA Information on the Portal
Be sure to look for BAPA
news, announcements, budgets, board
member contact information, meeting
agendas, and schedules on the BA Portal.
1791 Letter ~ August 2010
Please contact Tracey Kelly if you have
any questions regarding access to the
portal at tkelly@berwickacademyorg.
Lesli Friel
m.friel@comcast.net
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
We hope that you are all
enjoying this beautiful summer.
Before you know it, we’ll be packing
backpacks, buying new school shoes,
and gearing up for another fun-filled
and exciting year in the Middle
School. We have wonderful events
scheduled for this upcoming year and
are excited to welcome everyone back
to the Hilltop.
As is our tradition in the
Middle School, each year we try to get
the kids together before the start of
the school year. We need a volunteer
from each grade to coordinate a Back
to School Gathering. In the past,
parents have hosted gatherings at their
homes, at local beaches, at parks...
anywhere! This is a fun and easy way to
reconnect and welcome new students.
Normally, these gatherings are held a
week or so before the start of school.
If you are interested in coordinating
a get together for your child’s class,
please contact either Joanne Meyer
(jomeyer777@aol.com) or Francee
Quinlan (quinlanteam@comcast.net).
In addition, if you are
interested in becoming a Class Rep for
your child’s class, please do. It’s never
too late to become a Class Rep. If you
continued...
9
 have any questions or would like to are hoping to have a full slate of class
TREASURERS NOTES sign up, please contact Joanne Meyer reps this year, an Auction Coordinator
or Francee Quinlan. and a team to lead Woofstock next
Treasurer’s Report June 30, 2010
June as it continues to grow as one of
BAPA Expenses: We are looking forward to our community celebrations.
seeing you on September 7 at the
$2389.56 BAPA Coffee (held on the B-D porch). We are embarking on several new
Proceeds from 8th Grade BBQ for Please be sure to stop by and say hello! fundraising events this year - please
Baccalaureate
Until then, we send you best wishes for look for more information on this soon.
Lower School a fun, restful, and fabulous summer! You will hear more from us as dates get
$193.43 LS Author Program closer and we thank you in advance for
$2795.00 Family Fun Day caterer Middle School Coordinators, pitching in and for your support!
$487.45 Plimouth Plantation trip

Total LS $3,475.88 Joanne Meyer A few dates to be aware of as

Francee Quinlan your thoughts turn to the fall -
Middle School jomeyer777@comcast.net
$663.00 8th Grade Recognition quinlanteam@comcast.net August 26 at 9:00 a.m. on the porch
$5000.00 Canobie Lake trip
$1333.00 MS Ski trip buses at B-D . Upper School will welcome
$973.31 MS Enrichment I hope that you have all been all new parents at an gathering with
enjoying your summer. It doesn’t coffee and muffins. If you are a current
Total MS $7,969.31 seem possible that we are turning our parent, please consider joining us to
Upper School
attention to the events and activities extend a welcome to our new families
$159.18 Clubs/Extracurricular of a new school year. The time does and welcome them to the Berwick US
$1518.05 Freshman Orientation fly.... community
$526.88 Senior Activities
$3391.00 Wilderness Trip I’d like to start this note by September 7 at 8:30 a.m., also
Total US $5,595.11 extending a huge thank you to Suzanne on the B-D porch - BAPA will host
McFarland, our outgoing BAPA their first event of the school year with
Total Remaining Funds Remitted to BAPA Coordinator. We had a very successful a Parent Welcome Back Coffee. Please
General Fund $14,261.11 year supporting our US students and join us.
Total BAPA Expenses 5/1/10 – 5/31/10
faculty through numerous events.
$33,690.97 The spring US Forum set records for September 14 at 7:00 p.m.
attendance and participation. We is Upper School Back to School
Balance at end of June 2010 $0 spent our funds carefully with parent Night. Mary and I will host a meeting
input. The end of year Woofstock beginning at 6:00 p.m. to provide an
Nancy Murphy
nnoyes@comcast.net celebration was a great success. Much overview of the US events and budget,
Schools Treasurer of this was due to Suzanne’s leadership, to hear parent suggestions and to
her outreach to parents, and her focus discuss opportunities for involvement
on enrichment for our kids. and participation.

Mary Towey has stepped in to We look forward to seeing you on

fill Suzanne’s shoes and we are excited
to continue many of the things that
were started last year.
Look for most of your
information from us via email updates,
push pages, and portal postings.
We welcome all support and
participation - if you can tackle a
fundraising project or send in snacks
for coffeehouse, please let us know! We
campus.
Mary Pat Dolan and Mary Towey
Upper School Coordinators
NEW FAMILY NEWS
I hope you are all enjoying a fantastic
summer and starting to get excited
about what the new school year will
bring at Berwick Academy. I certainly
don’t want to wish this beautiful

10 1791 Letter ~ August 2010

summer away, and yet, it is my sincere
desire to make sure your transition to
Berwick Academy is a smooth one.
Two years ago I arrived to the
Seacoast area from London, England,
with my husband and three children.
It was an incredible transition year,
and I am well aware of what anxious
feelings may creep in during the
upcoming weeks. That is exactly why
it was important to me to reach out
to new families to calm some of that
“newbie” uneasiness. To that end, each
of you should have been contacted
by an existing Berwick parent who
has volunteered to welcome you and
answer any questions you might have,
parent to parent. If you have not been
contacted by anyone, please call or
email me. Don’t be shy about this.
That’s what I’m here for!
Soon you will receive your
school calendar which will arrive in the
mail in August. I encourage you to review
it carefully as it is very comprehensive
and an invaluable resource. You will
have questions. Perhaps not now, but
inevitably you will. That is completely
expected. Again, don’t be shy. Call me.
Email me. If I can’t help you, I will find
someone who can.
I look forward to meeting you
on the porch of the BD building on the
first day of school for a coffee after you
have dropped off your child. Look for
more details about this as we get closer
to September. Until then, I hope you
enjoy what remains of this exceptional
summer weather.
Katie Clark
BAPA New Family Coordinator
Kclark_uk@hotmail.com
(207) 698-0080
BERWICK COMMUNITY BENEFIT NEWS
It is hard to believe we are almost at the
end of summer and already looking at
a new school year. Andrea and I have
already begun working on the Berwick
1791 Letter ~ August 2010
Community Benefit for 2011. The event
will be held on April 30 at the Red Barn
at Outlook Farm. This event requires
many hands so if you would like to get
involved in the planning process our
first meeting is Thursday, September
16 from 8:30-10:00 in the BAPA office
in BD. We need people in all areas:
decorating, marketing, solicitation,
and logistics. This is a great way to get
involved and meet new people while
helping us raise money for the BAPA
funded enrichment events at Berwick.
Look forward to seeing you there and
enjoy the rest of your summer.
If you have any questions email
Jean Jarvis at
jean.jarvis1@myfairpoint.net or
Andrea Bristol at
malted92@comcast.net .
11

EASING THE TRANSITION
BACK TO SCHOOL
Believe it or not, in a few weeks
we will all be making our way back up
Academy Street to that beautiful school
on the hill. Where has the summertime
gone? It just seems like yesterday that
we were saying goodbye, and wishing
each other a restful vacation. Even for
the best of us, returning to school can
be a challenge. This challenge can be
especially difficult for younger students
who are entering kindergarten, new fifth
graders (those who are transitioning
from the Lower School as well as from
other schools), or just the student who
gets “the first day jitters.” I thought
it might be helpful to offer some hints
on how to make this summer-to-school
transition smoother.
Transitions can be difficult,
particularly for those who are going
into a new situation. The “fear of the
unknown” is very common for the
young and (sometimes) not so young
student. Like most adults, kids like to
know what to expect in a new situation.
One of the most helpful things a parent
can do for their kindergartener, fifth
grader, or a child who has a tendency
to get nervous about transitions, is
schedule a visit prior to the start of the
school year. Take your son or daughter
into their new classroom or their new
building. Help them become familiar
with their new surroundings. Show
them where their locker or cubby is
located, point out where the restrooms
are located, and show them where they
will come in and out of the building
each day. Just getting a visual sense
of their new surroundings can reduce
12
Cindy Briggs - School Counselor
We l l n e s s N e w s
your child’s anxiety tenfold.
New and inveterate students
sometimes worry about seeing their
peers after a long summer break. “Will
the other kids like me”; “Will my best
friend from fourth grade still be my best
friend in fifth grade, even though new
kids are coming this year?” Berwick
does a great job of addressing these
fears by scheduling ice cream socials
and pool or beach parties before the
school year begins. These events
give the new students an opportunity
to meet each other before the start
of school, and returning students an
opportunity to get reacquainted before
their first day back. It is also helpful
for parents of new students to schedule
play dates prior to the start of school.
This will enable your child to make
individual connections with classmates
and see some familiar faces on the first
day of school. My suggestion is to keep
these play dates “short and sweet” and
structured, particularly for the younger
student.
Consistency and routine
are two of the key ingredients for a
smooth return to school. I try not to
alter my sleeping schedule over the
summer months. For many students
this is not the case ~ my kids included!
Unfortunately, many Lower, Middle,
and Upper School students begin the
new school year exhausted. Over the
past three months many have gotten
into the routine of staying up late and
sleeping in the next morning. One of
the best things a parent can do TWO
WEEKS before the start of school is
institute a regular bed time. This firmly
established sleep schedule will assist
1791 Letter ~ August 2010
your child in adjusting to the school
year and its new challenges.
Moving up from kindergarten
to first grade or from eigth to ninth
grade creates anxiety for kids, and
sometimes for parents too. “Will my
child be able to keep up with the
increased academic demands?”; “How
is he/she going to do all of the required
homework?” One of the best things a
parent can do is to refrain from sharing
their concerns with their child about
the increased academic demands.
Direct your concerns to the appropriate
people such as the classroom teacher
or the division director. Calm any “fear
of failure” by assuring your child that
you know they are ready for the next
grade level, and if they need academic
support, it will be made available to
them.
There is no doubt that Berwick
Academy has a rigorous academic
environment. For some students this
reality creates a “double-edged sword,”
one side being a healthy motivator and
the other an unhealthy set of academic
expectations. Assist your child in
setting realistic goals for the school
year. It may be a “set up” for your
child to begin the school year with the
attitude that anything less than high
honors will not be good enough. The
old cliché “All that I expect from you is
to try your best” may be very calming,
particularly for children who put a lot
of pressure on themselves.
Cherish the final week of
summer vacation! Schedule some
time to just be with your child. Eat a
continued on pg 14...

BA HISTORY TOP TEN
Considering that Berwick Academy was
established during President George
Washington’s first term as President
of the United States, the history of
Maine’s oldest educational institution
is rich with many fascinating stories.
It is my hope that the following list of
Berwick’s top ten moments in history
will whet your appetite for more
information about Berwick’s proud
history.
1. The school is located on land that
was once called “Quamphegan.” It
was purchased from Piscataqua Indian,
Sagamore Roles in 1643 and then
eventually donated to the school by
founder, Judge Benjamin Chadbourne.
2. The idea to start Berwick Academy
came from Reverend John Thompson
from the Berwick Congregational
Church. He convinced some of his
parishioners (Chadbourne being one of
them) and other community leaders in
the Seacoast area to help him start the
school with the “purpose of promoting
piety, religion and morality and for the
education of youth . . .” The following
14 individuals were part of the original
group of founders:
Reverend John Thompson
Judge Benjamin Chadbourne, Esq.
Doctor Ivory Hovey
Mr. John Lord
Reverend Benjamin Stevens, D.D.
Judge Nathaniel Wells, Esq.
Reverend Moses Hemmenway D.D.
Judge David Sewall, Esq.
Rachel Saliba - School Archivist
Archives News
Colonel Jonathan Hamilton
Mr. John Haggens
Judge Edward Cutts, Esq.
Reverend James Pike
Judge John Rollins, Esq.
Mr. John Hale, Esq.
3. This group of 14 men
wrote a petition for a charter
to start the school and
presented it to the General
Court of the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts (Maine
was still part of MA then). Berwick Academy in 1855
It was approved and signed
by Governor John Hancock on March 11, 1791. Berwick Academy was the first
secondary school to be founded in the District of Maine. As legend has it, Rev.
Thompson rode to Boston and back on horseback two times during the winter in
order to submit the petition and have the charter approved.
4. The first Preceptor, Samuel Moody, started on May 6, 1793. We have not found
records listing the first students to attend, but we know from the Board of Trustees
minutes that the school was limited to 40 students because of the small size of
the 1791 House. At the beginning, each student was charged a fee of 6 pence
(equivalent to almost 10 cents) each week for instruction and the only requirement
for admission by 1800 was the ability to read English.
5. Due to demand and financial need, the school started to admit girls in 1797
and then rescinded their acceptance in 1813. By 1828, the Board of Trustees
reconsidered their decision and started the “South Berwick Female Seminary” that
was housed in their new academic building. The girls were kept apart from the boys
with separate classrooms and they had their own “Preceptress.” Things changed for
the girls when the school became a
boys-only boarding school in the
fall of 1959. They continued to be
admitted as day students, but their
numbers were small.
6. To accommodate the new Female
Seminary, the original academic
building, the 1791 House, was sold
and moved to Main Street in South
The 1791 Building was the first school building. It is Berwick in 1830. It was replaced
recognized as the oldest framed schoolhouse still in use in continued on pg 14..
the United States.
1791 Letter ~ August 2010 13
HEAD OF SCHOOL NEWS...cont. from pg 3
Country. While holding undergraduate
degrees from UNH in both English and
Spanish, she is currently completing
her Masters degree in Spanish. She
serves as a graduate teaching assistant
at UNH, teaching undergraduate
courses while integrating her passions
of literature and the Spanish language.
A native of Rochester, NH, Amy brings
an exceptional intellect and love of
language to this new role.
Please be sure to enjoy the
final, ephemeral days of summer
to their fullest. Know that another
exceptional year of stretching towards
excellence awaits your children when
they return. Up here on the Hilltop,
we are counting the days.
Health Form Reminder
Just a final reminder that the
Emergency Permission form and the
School Health Record update must be
completed before your child can attend
the first day of class. These were sent in
mid-April via regular mail.
Blue and White Weekend Save the Date
I am pleased to announce that
we are expanding our programming
this fall for Blue and White weekend,
which will include some new
activities for small children along with
dedication ceremonies for the fields
and a re-dedication of Whipple Arts
center. Please mark your calendars for
September 25, 2010 for this amazing
event!
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS...cont. from pg 5
Day” arrives. Information will be
forthcoming and posted on our portal.
Parents, you are most welcome
to come into the Middle School with
your child(ren) at 8:10 on Tuesday
morning, September 7 to greet friends
and to meet this year’s teachers. We
14
encourage you to proceed at 8:30 to
the porch of the Burleigh-Davidson
building for coffee and to meet other
parents. We will begin our day with an
assembly at 8:30 a.m. before sending
students to classes for the day. The
normal schedule of 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.
buses will be in effect.
By now, you should have a
copy of the policy for students in
the Middle School who will need to
take the late bus or who will wait for
a parent to pick them up. Please fill
out the enrollment form completely
and send it in to my attention as soon
as possible. Our strict school policy
is that any Middle School child who
must remain after school must be
enrolled in the Supervised Silent Study
Hall. The Study Hall is held until 5:00
p.m, Monday through Friday in Room
8 (lower level of the Middle School
building). Teachers are assigned this
duty and are available to support
homework efforts and to ensure that
students are in the company of an adult
at all times.
As the month of August draws
to a close, please let me know of any
questions or concerns that you may
have. I will be away from campus on
vacation from the 13th through the
24th. I wish you and your family many
great beach days until we meet after
Labor Day.
ATHLETICS NEWS...cont. from pg 7
Coed Golf:
Coach John Downey
jdowney@berwickacademy.org
Practices will begin the first day of
classes. If you are interested in trying
out for the team, please contact Mr.
Downey via e-mail.
1791 Letter ~ August 2010
WELLNESS NEWS...cont. from pg 12
leisurely breakfast together, let your
child take all the time he/she wants
to get dressed for the day, take a car
ride (preferably down Route 236) with
no time constraints, fix an incredibly
delicious dinner for the whole family to
eat together, and develop a transition
ritual such as a special daytrip that you
can repeat year after year to mark the
end of summer and the beginning of
the school year. Most importantly,
enjoy the final days of the summer
because, before you know it, we will all
be making our way up Academy Street
for the first day of school.
See you in September!
Cindy Briggs
ARCHIVES NEWS...cont. from pg 13
by three other academic buildings in
the same location that Fogg is in today.
The first building was burned by rioters
in the Rum Rebellion violence in 1851
(Maine was the first state to adopt
prohibition laws). The next school
building, called the 1853 Building,
was the school house for almost forty
years until it was eventually moved and
replaced by the current Fogg Memorial
Building in 1894. Photos of three of
our academic buildings are hanging in
the lobby of the Commons.
7. Between the years of 1868 and 1959,
the Board of Trustees maintained a
policy that permitted students from
local towns to attend Berwick Academy
if the town paid the tuition for each
student to attend. In keeping with
public school curriculum guidelines,
BA offered classes in typing, short-
hand, home economics and industrial
arts. Generations of South Berwick
residents graduated from Berwick
Academy as the school had become
their “public school.”
8. Between 1957 and 1966, the school
acquired nine homes for
dorms and faculty housing
and built a gymnasium, the
Commons and a hockey
rink to accommodate the
boarding program.

9. While the Academy has

lasted centuries, there have
been a few “difficult” periods
throughout its history. The
first major hurdle occurred
Flanders House 1959 - The school purchased many of the
six years after the Trustees buildings along Academy Street and turned them into dorms and
raised enough money to faculty housing to accommodate the boarding program starting
start the school. The home
of Board Treasurer, Dr.
Ivory Hovey, burned to the
ground with all of the school’s funds
inside of it. The school hit hard times
again during the War of 1812 and was
forced to close its doors for two years
from 1817 until 1819. The most recent
challenge was in October 1970 when
the Board voted to close the school and
then reconsidered their decision shortly
afterward and voted to liquidate some
of the school’s assets instead including
Andrew Wyeth’s original painting
entitled “Fourchu Light” (Andrew’s son,
Nicholas, graduated from BA in 1963)
and most of the dormitories and faculty
houses.
10. Berwick Academy became an official
“country day school” with grades first
through twelfth by 1977. Then, over
a 17 year period, the school built the
Patricia Whipple Arts Center, the
Kendall Lower School building, the
Clement Middle School, the Athletic
Complex, the Jeppesen Science
Center, and the Jackson Library to
accommodate all of the students.
in 1960.
illustrator Douglas Alvord from her
book, The Country of the Pointed Firs hang
in the Burleigh Davidson Building.
Gladys Hasty Carroll – author of
Dunnybrook and many other books and
short stories.
Mike Eruzione – Captain of the U.S.
Ice Hockey “Dream Team” that won
the Olympic Gold Medal in 1980.
If you are interested in learning
more about the history of Berwick
Academy, I will be leading a Campus
Historical Tour for the South Berwick
Historical Society on Saturday,
September 18 at 1:00 p.m. You can
also contact me at 207-384-6330 or
rsaliba@berwickacademy.org. The
Berwick Academy Archives are located
on the second floor of Jackson Library
and are open on Mondays and Fridays
from 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. during the
school year.

A few of Berwick’s most noteable

alumni:

John Noble Goodwin – the first

territorial governor of Arizona
Sarah Orne Jewett – author of the
famous book, The Country of the Pointed Firs
and many other nationally acclaimed
books. Original prints made by the

1791 Letter ~ August 2010 15


Alumni and Development News
Greetings from the Hilltop!
As we close the books on the 2009
– 2010 fiscal year, I want to thank
the Berwick community for making
this year’s campaign such a success. I
am pleased and proud to report that
we exceeded our goal in both parent
participation (67%) and overall
dollars raised ($634,994). I want to
extend my heartfelt gratitude and
congratulations to all who made it
possible.
I have included some important
statistics that I thought you might be
interested in:
2009 – 2010 Annual Fund Goal:
$575,000
2009 – 2010 Annual Fund Year End
Total: $634,944
2008 – 2009 Annual Fund total:
$570,000
2009 – 2010 Participation Goal:
65%
2009 – 2010 Participation Year End
Total: 67%
2008 – 2009 Participation Total:
60%
Incidentally, the national
average for Annual Fund parent
participation in FY09 was 64%. I
am currently waiting for FY10 parent
participation statistics from NAIS
(National Association of Independent
Schools) but it is incredibly exciting
to be above 65%.
Additionally, I wanted to
mention that the total number of
16
Jedd Whitlock - Director of Advancement
alumni gifts to the Annual Fund is in the Development Office. She will
up 62% from last year. We still have be working closely with me on the
work to do over the next few years Annual Fund. If you are on campus,
to lift alumni participation above the please stop by and welcome her back
national average, but we are headed to the Hilltop.
in the right direction. The number of
overall gifts to the Annual Fund saw In the meantime, have a great
a substantial increase. Last year, 493 summer and see you in September!
gifts were made to the Annual Fund Thanks again for your continued
from parents, alumni, grandparents, support on behalf of Berwick
parents of alumni, faculty, staff, Academy.
and friends of Berwick. This year, a
total of 600 gifts were made to the Best,
Annual Fund. All this is to say that Jedd
we have an extremely philanthropic
community! These investments in our
students, faculty, and overall program
ensure that Berwick will continue to
provide one of the finest educational
experiences possible. Although
we are already planning for the
upcoming Annual Fund drive, I hope
you will take a moment to reflect
on your collective accomplishments
from last year’s campaign.
Lastly, some of you may know
that Colleen Meader has shifted roles
and has been promoted to Executive
Assistant to Head of School Greg
Schneider. Colleen has been a vital
member of the development team
for the past four years, particularly
valuable to me during my first year.
Although I will miss her in the 1791
House, I am excited for her new role
in B-D where she will undoubtedly
flourish and be a tremendous asset
for the School. As a result of this,
I am pleased to announce that we
have hired alumna Jenni Franco ’03
as the new Development Associate
1791 Letter ~ August 2010