NEWS & EVENTS: WHAT'S NEW

WHAT’S NEW FOR 2007-2008 AT STATEN ISLAND ACADEMY?

PROGRAM

• First annual curriculum-based trip to England for Grade 9 students and teachers, November 10-17, 2007
• Creation by Grade 4 students of an original musical focusing on civil rights and the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to be presented on January 18.
• Planning for Upper School student exchange with the Antilles School in St. Thomas, American Virgin Islands
• Expanded sports program for girls in Grades 5 and 6
• Two new choruses in the Lower School, one for Grades 1 & 2, the other for Grades 3 & 4
• A recorder and Orff ensemble in Grade 5
• Additional electives in Middle School – Journalism, Computer Science, Debate, Dance and Math
• Upper School summer reading plan that includes choices for students of over sixteen different reading groups based on books that are faculty favorites
• The Staten Island chamber ensemble Musical Chairs will help train our orchestras
• Addition of workshops in Middle School, including review sessions and book clubs
• Boys’ and Girls’ Varsity Basketball teams will participate in the out-of-town Holiday Tournament at Kingswood-Oxford School in Connecticut, December 14-16, 2007
• Fall and winter presentations to Middle and Upper School students by two musical groups, one from Yale University and the other from Harvard University
• New art additional electives in the Upper School: Western Art History and Multi-Media
• Mandarin Chinese taught after school to Lower and Middle School students
• Literacy skills have been embedded in all content areas in Lower School, and curriculum mapping has integrated skills and strategies for each grade level

NEW FACULTY AND STAFF

• Joshua Ballinger , History; BA University of Massachusetts, Amherst; MA Queens College; MAT Teachers College, Columbia University
• Eric G. Barbagiovanni , Mathematics, Science; BS, BA Binghamton University; MS University of California, Riverside
• Dr. Monica Castillo , Chair, World Languages Department; Certificate of Graduate Studies, Instituto Caro y Cuervo; MA University of Oregon; Ph.D. Arizona State University
• Li Chen-Zhuo , Mandarin Chinese; LL.B. The People's University of China, Beijing; MS College of Staten Island
• Abigail Friedman , Lower School; BA Swarthmore College
• David Lesser, Assistant Director of Development,BS Cornell University; JD Washington University
• Laurie Morrison , English; BA Haverford College; MA University of Arizona
• Kristi Pfister , Art; BA Barnard College; MS Pratt Institute
• Jonathon Rufa , Physical Education; BS, MS SUNY Cortland
• Jacqueline A. Stevens , Music; BA Wittenberg University; MA Case Western Reserve University
• James G. Walsh, Director of Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness; B.S. Empire State College

NEW RESPONSIBILITIES FOR RETURNING FACULTY AND STAFF

• Andrew Scrivani will coordinate diversity initiatives.
• Andrew Jannetti is the new Coordinator of Upper School Activities.
• Gerry Tannucilli has been appointed Development Services Manager.
• Dr. Rachel Ward is the Dean of Students for the Upper School.

DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

• Receipt of $35,000 matching fund for renovation of the Art Barn. The gift from the Staten Island Foundation matched the gift of the Parents’ League
• Receipt of a $5,000 gift for financial aid from the Richmond County Savings Foundation
• Receipt of historical school artifacts from Dr. Albert and Laura Patrick: 19 th century silver napkin rings and original report cards from the beginnings of the school, all once owned by the Methfessel family
• Creation with the Board of Trustees of a formal Gift Acceptance Policy and Procedures document

TECHNOLOGY

• Upgrade of Windows Operating System server software on all servers
• Installation of new email server, upgrade of MS Exchange email service software, and spam and anti-virus software
• Implementation of SSL certificates to provide secure communication through encryption for any servers permitting outside access: library, email, administrative and business servers, and faculty and student servers
• Memory upgrades to improve performance for two domain controllers and servers that house student and faculty data
• Upgrade of back-up system for student and faculty servers to increase capacity and speed of data recovery
• A new library automation system by Follett, called Destiny
• Installation of a new Business Office server
• Creation of a fault tolerant system for the Business Office by implementing a stand-by data replication server
• The Business Office’s Financial Edge software, and the Admissions and Registrar Departments’ Education Edge software, were upgraded to the next generation of Blackbaud products.
• Fifteen outdated laptops, servicing the Middle and Upper School, were replaced.
• A SMART Board and projector set-up installed in the Kearns Hall science lab.
• Software titles added for Lower School curriculum enhancement include Oregon Trail, Liberty Kids, Graph Club, Time Liner, Diorama Maker
• Wireless audio recording system to facilitate the creation of podcasts and enhance video projects.
• Two workstations and a printer added to the Kearns Hall 1 st floor Student Center
• Purchase of computer furniture for all SMART Board equipped classrooms
• New computer furniture purchased for the Early Childhood classrooms

FACILITIES

• Roof on O.J. Buck Gymnasium replaced
• Tennis courts and fencing replaced
• Underground sprinkler system installed on upper campus
• Brick sidewalks replaced on upper campus
• Storage added backstage in theater
• New cubbies installed on Middle School floor of Kearns Hall
• New carpeting and tiling installed on Lower School floor of Alumni Hall
• Expansion of Grade 4 classroom to include reading nook
• Creation of new office for Director of Safety, Security, and Emergency Preparedness
• Installation of new speaker systems (gift of the Parents’ League) for the gymnasium and the Commons
• Renovation of admissions reception area and installation of historical school photographs
• New playground area in front of Alumni Hall for Lower School children
• Installation of two new adjustable-height basketball hoops in rear parking lot

SUMMER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Richard E. Diamond Faculty Summer Enrichment Grants:

• Dance teacher Andrew Jannetti studied Flamenco dancing in Spain.
• Art teacher David Zukas studied Renaissance art in Florence.
• Science Department Chair Ken Sinclair studied science history in London.
• English Department Chair and Director of External Studies Linda Coleman toured Austria by bicycle.

Other professional development:

• Rachel Ward attended an AP Chemistry workshop and an Independent School Management (ISM) workshop on being Dean of Students.
• Mark Weissman and Monica Castillo attended ISM workshops on chairing academic departments.
• Jacqueline Stevens took Kodaly music training.
• Yvette Wheatley took Orff instrumental training.
• The entire Lower School faculty took a literacy workshop in Lake Placid, NY and studied “Understanding by Design” on campus during the month of August.
• The entire administrative team attended a workshop by the American Management Association on “Successfully Managing People”.
• Assistant Director of Development David Lesser attended the Summer Institute in Independent School Advancement, run by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
• Li Chen-Zhou studied Chinese as a second language in Beijing, China.

• Seventy-seven per cent of Staten Island Academy faculty hold advanced degrees, including two PhD’s.
• Director of College Counseling Michael Acquilano has been elected President of the New York State Association of College Admissions Counselors.
• Head of School Diane Hulse has been elected Treasurer of the Guild of Independent Schools of New York City.
• Development Director Michael Jones taught at and was a team leader at the “WOW Institute,” a nationally recognized workshop for training development personnel.

ADMISSIONS

• Creation of a Curriculum Guide detailing entire program, Grades Pre-K through 12