What: Talent Show featuring January Survivor (Jay Ward – guitar and vocals, Roger Hooker – bass guitar, Soul Kerr – drums) and more middle and high school talent from MMS!
Who: All MMS middle/high school students invited to participate in the talent portion (contact Soul Kerr to sign up); All MMS middle/high families invited to attend!
By Ward ‘SN’ Mailliard, MMS faculty
On March 22, thirteen Mount Madonna School (MMS) seniors will depart on an adventure that will take them half way around the world to New Delhi, India. For the students it will be a significant journey to another culture, where they will experience a society that is far older and quite different from what they are used to: different in language, history, food, religion and social customs. At the same time, it will also be a unique inner journey for each student to discover something about themselves as they engage in the many distinctive experiences and people they will meet on the journey. The students have chosen the name Bodhicitta Project for this journey, meaning “awakening the mind for the good of all beings.”
Whether you come to walk in support of your favorite nonprofit organization or for ensuing fun, the 7th annual Summit for the Planet Walk-a-thon and Earth Day Celebration offers something for all ages. The celebration will feature solar vehicle races, ‘eco-carnival’ games, live animals, community networking, ‘green’ businesses, live music, and delicious, organic foods!
A new senior honors science course asks students to consider Bioethics as they learn new technology
By Lisa Catterall
Eighth Grade and High School Science Instructor
Last year, I was in the middle of taking a small group of seniors though the College Board AP Biology curriculum. One day, our Biotechnology unit turned into a discussion of Monsanto’s lawsuit against a canola farmer in Canada. The farmer used his own heirloom seeds, but pollen from the farm next-door containing Monsanto’s patented round-up-ready genetic technology blew into his field. Monsanto lawyers successfully put him out of business, claiming he stole their technology.
CASTING REFLECTIONS:
Congratulations to all for completing the audition process. You’ve done your part; hopefully you can acknowledge your growth and successes within the process. Now comes the next step: casting of the play. Casting is challenging for both performers and directors. For some, this will not be a big issue, while others may experience disappointment. The key is finding a way to move forward positively. Most have heard the statement before – every role is pivotally important – and while a bit of a cliché, it is proven true.
By Supriya McDonald, Head of Lower School
Academic Excellence is one of the three main pillars of our School, together with Positive Character Development and Creative Self-Expression . Academic achievement is one of the five core values of an MMS education. These words are found in the mission statements of most schools, and also heard in political speeches during election season. But what does academic achievement and excellence look like at MMS? How do we demonstrate it and how do we measure it?
Along the banks of the Yamuna River, thousands of red sandstone bricks used to construct the Lal-Qila , or Red Fort of Delhi, gleam in the bright afternoon sun. This extensive compound, built between 1639 and 1648, is today a World Heritage Site and one of India’s architectural ‘jewels.’ It is also one of numerous places that Mount Madonna School elementary students have learned about in preparation for Mount Madonna School’s (MMS) annual Cultural Awareness event, planned for March 28 and 29. This popular assembly showcasing elementary students’ dramatic talents and creativity is the culmination of two months of focused study on a particular world culture: this year, the epic history and colorful diversity of India.
Dr. Yong Zhao, an internationally known scholar, author and speaker, will be the featured presenter at an upcoming public lecture in Aptos. Dr. Zhao, author of more than 100 articles and 20 books, including Catching Up or Leading the Way ; American Education in the Age of Globalization and World Class Learners: Educating Creative and Entrepreneurial Students will be addressing an audience of parents, educators and others interested in the topic of education trends and innovations.
Santa Cruzs Sentinel and MercuryNews.com, 2/5/2013, “Nigerian educator inspires Mount Madonna students,” story by Donna Jones, photos by Dan Coyro.
Visitors to the third grade classroom on a recent afternoon were greeted by an array of modern day and historical figures, including: former President Abraham Lincoln, Mother Teresa, Pocahontas, Benjamin Banneker, Dr. Temple Grandin, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Each third grader chose an individual as a “moral hero” to study and later personify for the classroom presentation.
