Centre Connection
February, 2015
Preparing for the Winter Dance Concert
After a long winter, the Dance Concert explodes with energetic performances, colorful costumes and lively music. Student choreographers begin work in the fall: preparing dance pieces, submitting proposals to dance teacher Kelli Edwards, auditioning, and choosing dancers. This year’s concert includes a mix of modern dance, hip-hop, Irish step and swing—a piece that Ms. Edwards worked on with her son, Spencer Evett (III). The choreography class’s dance is a psychological exploration that combines spoken word and atmospheric music. Other...
read moreMilton Runs on Snow
The 2015 Boston storms shut down the whole metropolitan area and served up some new and daunting challenges, as well as some unanticipated ripple effects. Meanwhile, Milton Academy’s facilities, campus safety and dining services teams powered on. Milton faculty and students spied clear asphalt on the campus byways long before most sidewalks and roadways in Boston saw the light of day. For each of our storms, two of facilities director Steve Zannino’s staff stayed the night and plowed out parking spaces prior to the other staffers’...
read moreBattling Robots at a Bruins Game?
Milton’s Robotics Team demonstrated their robots in action at the Providence Bruins hockey game on Presidents Day. The team was invited to attend the game and then used a dedicated space in the lobby between periods to show hockey fans what their robots can do. The team uses and competes with the VEX Robotics system. They designed this demonstration as a competition between their robots, to determine which would score the most points on a designed course. Carson Prindle (IV) and Truman Marshall (IV) were the robot drivers, and the...
read moreSave the Date: We Want to Hear From You
This winter, the Parents’ Communication Task Force is working hard to develop an online parent survey to gather parent perspectives about communication between themselves and Milton. The Task Force itself includes administrators, faculty and staff, several of whom are Milton parents. Overall, the goal of the Task Force is to identify ways to strengthen vibrant and effective communication and relationships between Milton Academy and Milton parents. This survey will be the first in a series. Milton parents beyond those on the committee will...
read moreGreetings from the Parents’ Associaton
The campus and the Parents’ Association have been abuzz with activity. From winter break, to snow, to exams, to more snow, life at Milton is busy. Click “read more” for reports of some of the Parents’ Association’s recent activities, as well as information about the many upcoming events.
read moreGirls’ Squash Finishing Strong Season, Nationally Ranked
High school squash teams from around the country competed in the National Championship Tournament at Trinity College this past month. Milton’s team finished strong in sixth place against the nation’s other top teams, including Andover, Deerfield and Nobles. The national tournament is the largest squash team event in the world, with 167 teams and over 1,400 players, representing 13 states, competing in 12 divisions. Entering the tournament this season, the team was undefeated. (They have only recently fallen to Winsor and Nobles, maintaining a...
read moreMilton Students Earn Nods From Scholastic Art & Writing Board
By Kate Higgins (I) and Hannah Nigro (II) Thirty-four Milton students received recognition—Gold Key, Silver Key, or Honorable Mention—in the Massachusetts Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards began in 1923 and are considered the most prestigious arts awards for teenagers in the country. Will Hawkins (I) and Brian Kim (II) are both Gold Key recipients in art. In Advanced Drawing class with Mr. Torney, Will created “Help!” a drawing that depicts strokes of black ink splashed across the paper with a hand...
read moreA Teacher Who Counsels — A Counselor Who Teaches
Amanda Chapin’s role at Milton is unique: a faculty member of the history and social sciences department, and also a member of the health center’s counseling team. Amanda, who started at Milton in the fall of 2012, teaches both Psychology Seminar and Topics in Psychology. She also is collaboratively teaching a popular new course with science faculty member Dr. Sarah Richards—“Neuropsychology: Influences of the Brain on Behavior.” “We integrate the neuroscience and the psychology through studying cases,” says Amanda. “The course’s summer...
read moreA Successful, Second Annual Math Teachers Conference
Over 50 math educators from greater Boston joined Milton’s math department for the Second Annual Milton Academy Math Teachers Conference on February 6. The department hosts the conference to consider new approaches, share good ideas, and learn from other teaching colleagues. Math teachers from Milton High School, Boston Latin School, Regis College, Groton School, St. Mark’s School, and BB&N were among those in attendance. The day began with keynote speaker, Dr. Pooja Agarwal from HarvardX, a strategic initiative developed to enable...
read moreNesto Exhibit: Elaine Spatz-Rabinowitz
During the month of February, Milton’s Nesto Gallery opened its doors to an exhibition by Elaine Spatz-Rabinowitz. In this recent collection of work, Locations Unknown II, Elaine Spatz-Rabinowitz paints worlds shattered by violence. Beauty and horror intertwine in these pieces, as do disparate places and times. If you missed the show, please click “read more” to view photos of the pieces on display in the Gallery.
The next Nesto Gallery exhibit featuring award-winning artist Keith MacLelland opens on Friday, March 6. View details.
read moreSouth Africa, Belize, Joshua Tree: Jazz, Service, Adventure
For many students, March break is a welcome respite from the busy-ness of School life, and relaxing at home, with family, feels just right. For some students, spring break means an opportunity for travel and excitement with fellow students committed to music, service, or outdoor adventure. Next month, 28 students and eight Milton adults will fly to South Africa for 17 days of jazz music, performance, and connecting with local student-musicians. This is the tenth visit to South Africa by Milton’s Jazz Program. Over those years, Milton...
read more85th Gratwick Concert Features Pianist Jonathan Biss
For 85 years, the annual Gratwick Concert has brought some of the world’s most renowned classical musicians to Milton’s campus. On Sunday, February 22, Milton welcomed pianist Jonathan Biss to Straus Library for this year’s concert event. The afternoon’s performance included Beethoven’s Sonata No. 1 in F minor and Sonata No. 28 in A Major; Schoenberg’s Sechs kleine Klavierstücke; Schumann’s Waldszenen; and Berg’s Sonata, Op. 1. An internationally recognized pianist, Jonathan teaches at the Curtis Institute of Music where he holds the...
read morePhilanthropy Day: A New Milton Tradition
On February 26, Milton hosts its first annual Philanthropy Day, educating students about the importance of giving back and, more specifically, how donations to the Annual Fund directly impact their Milton experience. Donating to the Annual Fund gives alumni, parents and friends of Milton the chance to show their support of the School. During the event, students will learn just what the Annual Fund supports, from the Wi-Fi network to the frozen yogurt machine in Forbes Dining Hall. Participants will also show their gratitude to our alumni...
read moreMustangs of the Week
Milton athletes are recognized weekly on the Athletics webpage and honored as “Mustang of the Week” for their outstanding efforts and sportsmanship. The most recent recipients dubbed Mustangs of the Week are Jude Simplice (I) and Rachel Handler (IV).
read moreThe Great Snow of 2015
From all corners of campus, photographers—including faculty, students and friends of Milton—submitted images that tell a visual story of this year’s winter storms. Click “read more” to view photos of the “Great Snow of 2015.”
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