Pillar AwardsMount Madonna School started a new tradition this year of presenting awards to students in middle and high school whose achievement in one of the areas of our school’s “Three Pillars” – Academic Excellence, Creative Self-Expression and Positive Character Development – was outstanding. These three areas are equally important to success at Mount Madonna School – and, indeed, in the world.
Artworks by three Mount Madonna School (MMS) seventh grade students – Ruby Bracher, Sienna Clifton and Sydney Ota – were selected for inclusion in “An Artistic Discovery,” the 2013 Congressional Competition held earlier this week in Watsonville, and organized by District 20 Congressman Sam Farr (D-Carmel).
“It’s a source of pride to have our students’ work on display in this art discovery competition,” commented MMS middle school art teacher and local Santa Cruz artist Sandy Shaw. “MMS has talented students with amazing passion for creating art. I want to support them in having their work out there publicly and getting them the recognition and praise that is so well deserved.”
The 20th Annual Santa Cruz County High School Poetry Competition Reading will take place on Monday, May 20 at 6:30pm at the Santa Cruz County Office of Education.
More than 300 high school students from all over the County entered the competition, and nine Mount Madonna School (MMS) students have had works selected for the final anthology of 50 published poems, with three MMS students receiving honorable mentions.
Enduring 2600 years as one of the world’s most widely-read classics, Ramayana! tells the story of Prince Ram, who, banished from his kingdom, leaves with his true love Sita and brother Lakshman to find a new home.
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?
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.
“Try to hold still,” urges a sophomore girl sitting across from a classmate, as she carefully wipes a Vaseline ribbon along her friend’s hairline, framing her face with a shiny outline. Next, she begins placing wet, pre-cut strips of a material resembling cloth bandages or mummy wrappings inside the shiny perimeter, across her friend’s forehead and around her eyes, nose and mouth.
Mount Madonna School invites you to its high school production of Fiddler on the Roof , January 25-27 at the Hawks’ Nest Theater. Evening performances are planned for Friday and Saturday, January 25 and 26 at 7:00pm; and a matinee show on Sunday, January 27 at 2:00pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students under 18; all seats are reserved. To purchase tickets, call (408) 847-2717.
Congratulations to the Cast of “Alice in Wonderland, Jr.” It was a delightful, fun-filled show! Thank you to the great Performing Arts team who led the way and brought out your special talents. Sampad Kachuck, Mayana Lisboa, Leah Parker, Girija Beavers, Erika Rosendale (’05) and Dennis Randolph ~ great job!
