Winter Trimester
Archives
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winter's early welcomea surprisingly heavy snowfall greeted Westtown the morning of Nov. 21 as Upper and Middle School students finished exams and everyone got ready to leave for Thanksgiving vacation. The snow made for a few delays, but transformed the campus into a scene of serene beauty.
| westtown's winter beauty | |  |  | | athletic center | girls' end |  |  | | preK treks through the drifts | industrial hall |
happy holidays from the school storeThe 2008 Westtown Holiday Ornament has arrived! This limited edition ornament depicts N.C. Wyeth’s The Giant. The ornament itself is a work of art, hand painted from the inside out in the Eglomise style. It comes nicely packaged in a silk box. Perfect for gift giving or a collectible keepsake at $20. holiday shopping hours Friday, December 5 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Monday, December 15 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Friday, December 19 8:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Regular store hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Shop early for the best selection of apparel and giftware. gift certificates available Not sure what to buy your son or daughter? Let them choose with a Westtown gift certificate. school store on the web Can’t make it to the store? Check us out on www.westtown.edu (parent or alumni tab) for gift ideas. Orders can be placed and shipped by emailing jean.astarita@westtown.edu or by calling 610-399-7883. | The Giant ornament 
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 visitor from south africa
“What was it like to wake up each morning in prison and face the new day? How did you keep going?” a Westtown 3rd grader asked Ahmed Kathrada, an anti-apartheid colleague of Nelson Mandela in the African National Congress who was imprisoned for 27 years on Robben Island. “How has the post-apartheid government addressed issues of gender equality?” asked a senior. These were just two of the many questions posed to Mr. Kathrada (above, with Head of School John Baird) by Westtown students on November 10, when he came to the school during a visit to the United States sponsored by The Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice in DrexelUniversity’s School of Public Health. The students whom he met with came from all three divisions, with a variety of interests and perspectives: 3rd graders, who had been studying Africa and reading a novel about children under apartheid; 5th graders, who will be writing reports about peacemakers; the entire Middle School, some of whom, as part of their election unit, had seen the long lines of first-time voters in South Africa; and Upper School students from classes as diverse as Peace & Justice, U.S. History, Hiroshima to 9/11, Quakerism, and Advanced Religion and Social Change. Students and teachers came away from the assemblies aware they had been in the presence of a real-life hero; for his part, Mr. Kathrada, who said the worst deprivation he suffered while in prison was the absence of children, said the visit to Westtown was the highlight of his journey to the United States.
holiday traditions at westtownthe fabric of December life in the Upper School contains some long-running strands of Westtown tradition, much-anticipated events in this season of short days and long nights, unique and beloved.
Junior girls, nightgowned and carrying lit candles, sing carols as they walk two by two through the darkened dorms.
Seniors spend an evening caroling on campus, always ending at the Head of School's house, where they're treated to cocoa and a recitation of "The Night Before Christmas."
The really festive holiday dinner before winter break is made even more special by the faculty and staff, who cheerfully fill all the work jobs - set, serve, clear and wash - for the night.
We hope you'll join us at one of the holiday concerts, all in the Barton-Test Theater:
Monday, Dec. 15 at 8 pm - Upper School
Thursday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 pm - Middle School
Friday, Dec. 19 at 10 am - Lower School | Junior caroling 
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third grade's focus on africaThe third grade’s study of Africa is multi-sensory and intensely creative. African animals are researched and animal masks are made for the Halloween parade; batik cloth is created in art class for the dance costumes; African countries’ cuisines are investigated and the results appear at the African food festival; for six weeks, third graders are immersed in the traditions and steps of West African and Senegalese dance, culminating in a joyous performance on the Westtown stage with Jeannine Osayande and the drummers of the Dunya Performing Arts Company. Third grade will study two more continents, Asia and Europe, over the course of the year.
auction actionUpper School students Patrick Bell '10 and Nicole Ward '09 recently assisted Lower School parent Ed Cunicelli with the photography for our Auction invitations. Both students, currently taking Tim Loose's photography course, helped both by taking photos and being a part of them. Look for the fruits of their labor in your mailboxes in December and March. | the dances are complex and symbolic. 
the finale represents the baobab tree. 
Patrick and Nicole at work with the Cunicelli kids. 
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 knit one, save one
As one of their Common Period activities, a group of Middle School girls has made 29 baby hats to be sent to Save the Children. These hats will be distributed to new mothers in developing countries, where 5 million babies die each year because they lose body warmth. “As the students knit, they hold these new babies in the Light and realize their efforts have a profound impact,” says teacher and activity sponsor Linda Cobourn. With knitting needles clicking, one girl was overheard to say, “I am saving the life of a baby.” Each hat will be sent with a note from the maker to encourage new moms. In addition, students sent a letter to President-elect Obama asking him to support health care in developing countries. Student knitters hope to have 50 hats by December 30. Anyone in the community who would like to help with "knit one save one" is welcome to participate in the effort!
congratulations, westtown athletes!
post-season honors These students were named to the All-League Team of the Friends School League in their respective sports: Soccer – Yong Dae Kim, Jon Schauer, Jake Shorr; Emma Compton, Candace Connolly, Emma Karp. Honorable Mention: Andrew Fairchild, Emilie Johnson. Field Hockey – Madison Fertell, Kaitlin Jones, Joanna Lusk. Honorable Mention: Sophie Miller. Madison, Kaitlin and Joanna will play in the Philly All-Star Classic Dec. 6. Cross Country: Michael Riccio; Hannah Bowen, Emma Podolin. Honorable Mention: Laura McLaughlin, Naomi Madaras. Tennis: Kathy Klein. Honorable Mention: Ashley Siana. DISC All-League Cross Country: Michael Riccio. Volleyball: Julia Thomforde, 2nd team. Karen Gilbert, Honorable Mention.
Banning Cup
Awarded to the cross country athlete who demonstrates tenacity, support and dedication, in memory of Mark Banning ‘77. This year’s Banning Cup recipients are Michael Riccio and Emma Podolin.
plan now to attend Greater West Chester Area Camp & Summer Programs Fair, Sunday, January 18, 2009, from noon to 3 p.m. in the AthleticCenter (snow date, February 8, same time).
Some of the programs already planning to send representatives: Malvern Day Camp, CampOneka, CampJCC, CampTockwogh, Travel for Teens, Rustic Pathways, Experiment in International Living, Mercersburg Summer Programs, China Prep, and the University of Miami Summer Scholars Program. The fair is open to the public, admission is free to all, and we provide a free Summer Programs Guide to all attendees. Please encourage your friends & neighbors to come. For more information & periodic updates about the programs planning to attend, visit www.westtown.edu/campfair.
 westtown book club news
the book club is taking a break in December but will reconvene on Wednesday January 14th at 7:00 pm in the South Room. This will give you lots of time to read January’s book, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. Questions? Interested? please contact Carol Trask at carol.trask@westtown.edu or 610-399-7916.
 first friday coffee
Friday, December 5, 8-9 a.m., South Room (MainBuilding). November's First Friday was a rousing success, well attended by parents from all three divisions, as well as school faculty & staff. We received many requests to continue the tradition in the South Room (which we will do), so mark your calendars to come Friday, December 5 — same place, same time, same gorgeous orchids.
 quaker education off-campus, too
Eric Mayer recently conducted a workshop on Quaker decision-making for Athletic Directors of the Friends School League schools. He discussed the theological basis for sense-of-the-meeting business process, and outlined the role of the clerk, role of the group, and suggestions for handling impasse. “Together we generated some creative options for organizing league and coach meetings,” he adds. Westtown Director of Athletics Jeannette Cooper notes, “Eric did a fantastic job representing Westtown--his presentation was a real source of institutional pride." Eric is chair of the Religion Department, and in addition, teaches woodworking.
happy holidays from the alumni office!Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season from the Alumni Office. We look forward to hearing from you in the New Year!
alumni profile: catching up with wes Earlham senior Wesley Nutter '05 has been digging in Japan; read about it here: http://www.earlham.edu/
westtown on the roadFriends of Westtown (FOW) Gatherings in 2009
Wednesday, January 21 (evening) New York City
Wednesday, February 4 (evening) Washington, DC
Wednesday, February 25 (evening) Chicago
Friday, February 27 (evening) San Diego
Sunday, March 1 (afternoon) San Francisco If you live in one of these areas, watch your mail for more details and plan to join Head of School John Baird for a gathering of Westtown alumni, parents, and friends. For more information, or if you’ll be traveling to one of these cities, contact the Alumni Office at 610-399-7912 or alumni@westtown.edu.
 Giant giclées make great holiday gifts
The School has commissioned extraordinary giclée reproductions of N.C. Wyeth's famous and beloved painting The Giant (partly shown above). The prints are generated from high-resolution digital scans and printed with archival quality inks on museum quality canvas. Each reproduction is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity from the Westtown School Archives. 20 x 16 canvases are available for $165 each 30 x 24 canvases are available for $325 each
(prices include tax and shipping within the continental United States). If you are interested in purchasing a giclée print or want more information, please contact the Alumni Office at (610) 399-7913 or alumni@westtown.edu.
online applications now offered The Admissions Office is excited to announce that you can now apply to WesttownSchool online.This will allow applicants to follow the status of their applications electronically and, we hope, make applying to Westtown more convenient. Visit www.westtown.edu/admissions to learn more.
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