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Staten Island Academy Welcomes 122 ^nd Year on September 7

September 5, 2006 - Staten Island Academy, the only independent school on the Island, will begin its 122 ^nd academic year on Thursday, September 7 with 400 students enrolled in the pre-kindergarten through grade 12 school. The Academy draws students from the Island as well as Brooklyn, Manhattan and New Jersey.

The school year begins with several off-campus field trips for students in grades seven to 12, which help students renew ties with old friends and forge new relationships. On September 11, all members of the school community will gather at 10 AM to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks.

The Academy is launching a number of new initiatives for the 2006-2007 academic year. In the Upper School (grades 9 through 12), additional sections of Advanced Placement courses will be offered in English, history and science to meet student demand. There will also be an increased standard to achieve honor roll status. On September 13, all Upper School students will participate in a symposium about their required summer reading book No Excuses by Kyle Maynard, a congenital amputee and state wrestling champion.

A new Middle School science curriculum will feature a life/health science course in Grades 5 and 6, which includes experimental design, human systems, microbiology, genetics, ecology, evolution and technological applications. An earth science course in Grade 7 will focus on soils, rocks and minerals, plate tectonics, weather and atmosphere, and earth in space. Grade 8’s physical science course will concentrate on water chemistry, materials, energy and environment. Latin will be added to the Grade 7 curriculum. Additionally, students in Grades 5 and 6 will have the opportunity to participate in “Teenangels,” an organization that teaches them how to protect themselves and others in cyberspace while they learn leadership and communication skills. Grade six students will also participate in the National Association of Independent Schools Challenge 20/20 program to research the “Digital Divide” with a school in Australia.

In the Lower School (grade pre-kindergarten through 4), there will be a thematic and team-teaching approach used in the Kindergarten. Writing and reading workshops will take place in all Lower School grades.

The Academy has also updated both its facilities and technology during the summer months. Both computer labs have been upgraded, as has the school’s local area network. Many areas of the school’s buildings were renovated, including the creation of a seminar room and additional offices. New team seating was created in the gym.

The Academy welcomes seven new faculty and staff members to its team for the 2006-2007 academic year.

Director of Communications Elizabeth Campbell has 15 years of experience in public relations, communications and fund raising. She previously worked at Ruotolo Associates, a fund-raising consulting firm, and for Dwight-Englewood School, where she held the position of director of public relations and communications. Ms. Campbell earned a B.A. in English literature from Drew University.

Jessica Hook, physical education teacher and co-chair of the physical education department, holds a B.S. in physical education from Ohio State University and an M.S. in physical education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Prior to joining the Academy, she worked at St. John’s School in Houston, where she taught physical education and was the head coach of varsity cross country, track and soccer. Ms. Hook began her career as a physical education teacher and coach at the Hockaday School in Dallas.

New Head of the Lower School Patricia Lynch has an extensive background in education. In her prior position as a literary consultant to the Board of Education, Ms. Lynch planned school-wide curricula, led staff development initiatives, ran parent workshops, and demonstrated instructional approaches. She supervised an extended day program for at-risk children and worked closely with principals and faculty on teacher evaluations and study groups. Before working with the Board of Education, Ms. Lynch served as an adjunct professor in reading and literacy at Bank Street College of Education, where she guided graduate students in current Kindergarten through Grade 8 literary practices. She also served as head teacher for Grades 1 and 3 at The Dalton School in Manhattan. Ms. Lynch was named a Christa McAuliffe Fellow in 1990 for creating a program to train Hunter College undergraduates in early literacy practices. She holds a B.A. in English literature and theatre arts from Western Michigan University and an M.S. in elementary education from Hunter College.

Upper School math teacher Pascal Maharjan graduated from Middlebury College in May. He holds a B.A. in mathematics and minored in French and physics. During college, he worked as an educational technology intern and media lab tutor, where he created and edited digital audio-visual courseware for more than 25 college courses and provided help-desk support for the institution’s digital media lab. Mr. Maharjan also assisted with the migration of the college’s website to a new server. He has traveled extensively and has lived in Yemen, Mozambique, Nepal and France.

Alexis M. Maniatis joins the Lower School as a Grade 2 teacher. Ms. Maniatis previously worked as a Lower School math teacher at Poly Prep and also in Poly’s summer camp as the assistant director of the 4-year-old program, special events coordinator and camp counselor. Prior to Poly Prep, she worked as a Grade 2 and math teacher for New York City Public School 163, the Bath Beach School. Ms. Maniatis earned a B.A. from Manhattanville College and a Master’s in elementary education from the College of Staten Island.

Rachel Elizabeth Ward, Ph.D., is teaching chemistry and physical science. Most recently, Dr. Ward was a visiting assistant professor in the chemistry department and the director of general chemistry laboratories at East Carolina University. Prior to working there, she held a variety of positions—including lecturer, assistant lab coordinator, teaching fellow/assistant and introductory organic lab instrument room coordinator—at the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry. Dr. Ward holds a B.S. in chemistry from the College of William and Mary.

Inha Yang joins the Lower School as a Grade 1 teacher. She has a decade of experience working with elementary school children. Ms. Yang was a Grade 1 and 3 associate teacher at Saint Ann’s School and a Grade 3 teacher at Poly Prep Lower School, both in Brooklyn. She holds a B.A. and M.A. from Smith College. Additionally, she has tutored students in Grades 1 through 6 in reading, writing and math .

Staten Island Academy, located on a lush 12-acre campus, is a college-preparatory day school with an average class size of 17. The Academy is composed of seven buildings, including a gymnasium and fitness center, theater and state-of-the-art computer facilities. Outdoors are two swimming pools, athletic fields, a playground and tennis courts. For more information about Staten Island Academy and its outstanding programs, visit www.statenislandacademy.org.

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Press Contact: Liz Campbell, 718-303-7813, communication@statenislandacademy.org