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The Griff is a publication of the Parents’ Advisory Board in conjunction with the Development Office.

Compiled and edited by Penny Schwartz P’09 and Jill Burrows, director of development communications.

Send ideas to Penny Schwartz at penschwartz@earthlink.net

CSW trustee John Butman and his son Jeremy ’02, recently embarked on a 15-hour flight to Hong Kong—soaring directly over the North Pole—and fulfilling their dream of traveling together to Asia.

The journey was prompted by John’s meeting with the co-authors of his next book GLOBALITY: Competing with Everyone from Everywhere for Everything, a collaboration with The Boston Consulting Group to be published by Warner Books.

The journey also provided an oppor-tunity for John and Jeremy to meet up and spend some time with Henry Hsu P’08, father of Wei-Chung (Louis). Hsu lives in Taiwan and his company makes components for large consumer electron-ics companies around the world. He is also a partner in GreenTree Inns, which operates more than 100 business hotels throughout China, and in a water bot-tling company based in Vancouver, where Alan Lai ’02 (also from Taiwan) is cur-rently employed. Hsu took time from vis-iting his factories in Dong Guan City, in the Pearl River delta of mainland China, to spend an evening in Hong Kong with the Butmans.

“Henry is an extremely gracious and generous host, and a great fan of CSW,”

said John. “He treated us to dinner at the Jumbo Floating Restaurant, located in Deepwater Bay on the south side of Hong Kong, and we feasted on many traditional Chinese delicacies including shark’s fin soup, abalone and bird’s nest soup. Both Jeremy and I really appreciated his warm hospitality.”

Jeremy graduated from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, last spring, and currently lives in Philadelphia with former CSW classmate Jeff Brodsky ’02. Jeremy has recorded an album of original songs and is working in theater and journalism while he considers his next move, which may very well include going for a Ph.D. in the philosophy of art.

While in China, the Butmans also visited the island of Macao, traveled by train to the city of Guangzhou (a.k.a. Canton—a bustling metropolis of some 12 million on mainland China), and hiked over the Twin Peaks of Hong Kong to Stanley Bay. Returning to Boston February 11, they muddled through a few days worth of jet lag, and now share warm memories of Asia—and eagerly look forward to their next visit!

CSW Around the World: Hong Kong with the Butmans

Trustee John Butman P’02 and Henry Hsu P’08

Head of School Jane Moulding recently returned to campus from a two-week sojourn at The Klingenstein Center for Independent School Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. The Visiting Fellows Program for heads of school, widely known for its focus on leadership in diversity and other important areas, is designed to strengthen the leadership skills of independent school administrators in the United States and throughout the world. During the two-week period, participating heads of school were provided with a stimulating environment in which to reflect on issues of primary significance to their schools, as well as to gain valuable skills that will strengthen them as independent school leaders. Jane was selected for her accomplishment as an educator, as well as a series of essays she completed for the visiting fellow application.

Moulding returns from fellowshipThe CSW Parents’ Association Spring Benefit: CSW

In Bloom is scheduled for Saturday, April 28. Proceeds from the benefit will fund faculty support and community life programs. This year the benefit will include a live auction and the sale of brightly-decorated tubes called “poppers,” which contain gift certificates donated by local businesses or receipts for “surprise” gift items. Live music will be provided by Boranda, a jazz band headed by CSW teacher and renowned local guitarist Gustavo Brasil.

The Benefit Committee welcomes your help. If you have an idea for a live auction item; or if you would like to solicit local businesses for “popper” items, volunteer your help in setting or cleaning up; or to make a contribution to help underwrite event costs, please contact Ray Aglugub at (781) 642-8619 or raglugub@csw.org.

CSW in bloom: spring benefit

Monica Cooper Memorial Quilting Project

The Parents’ Association Advisory Board recently developed a listserv, or group email list, that allows parents to foster suggestions and ideas from other parents, arrange rides, and use as a forum for school-related topics. In past years, informal listservs have been set up by enterprising parents for particular classes. This new, more formal initiative will make parent communications more accessible to all families, and will be as easy as checking your email.

PARTICIPATION IN THE LISTSERV IS OPTIONAL. Listserv participants will be allowed to send a notice or announcement to the listserv administrator, who ensures that it fits within the group guidelines, and then “sends” it out to all other parents and guardians participating on the listserv. Other participants can then respond to the question or comment.

HOW TO JOIN: Either go to http://npogroups.org/lists/info/cswparents and fill out the form, or send an e-mail to cswparents-subscribe@npogroups.org. If you have any questions, please contact Eric Segal, listserv moderator, at eric@datacollaborative.com

CSW parents’ listserv

Griff CalendarMarch 1

7 - 9 p.m.Parents’ Association sponsors a talk by Jenifer Lippincott

March 108 p.m.Gravity & GraceDance ConcertKluchman Theatre

March 11 5 - 7 p.m.Four Decades of Changing Lives: Gala Event honoring Alorie Parkhill and the launch of the Endowed Fund for Teacher Training & Mentoring. Wetson Golf ClubR.S.V.P. to lfoley@csw.org

March 15NoonJazz and Percussion Ensembles PerformanceRecital Hall

March 162:30 p.m. End-of-Mod Art ShowMod Ends—Early Dismissal

April 2Mod 6 Begins

April 16No Classes—Patriots’ Day

April 19, 20, 218 p.m.UrinetownStudent Designers’ Musical Kluchman Theatre

April 287 - 10 p.m. CSW in BloomCheek Dining Hall

Students in the Monica Cooper Memorial Quilting Project, put the finishing touches on one of many quilts distributed to shelters in Waltham through the Community Service Committee. The project, now in its ninth year, was started by Mary Vyn ’99 and named in honor of a CSW parent.

John and Jeremy ‘02 Butman

The National Merit® Scholarship Program recently announced the names of the finalists in the competition for Merit Scholarship awards offered in 2007. CSW ‘s Max Kennedy ’07 and Jacob Potter ’07 were selected from the 16,000 semifinalists named in September.

Additionally, senior Deanna Saunders (pictured at right in self-portrait) was selected as a 2007 National Achievement® Scholarship Finalist. This award is offered to outstanding Black American students.

Scholarship Finalists Announced

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Your teenager is planning to go to a party at the home of a friend from school. You mention that you are going to give a quick call to the parents to check out the party arrangements.

“How can you embarrass me that way? No one else’s parent is calling!” your teenager argues.

Sound familiar?

At a recent CSW-sponsored forum, a parent related just such a situation during the discussion led by staff from Freedom from Chemical Dependency (FCD), a non-profit organization providing substance abuse prevention education programs to schools. The scenario resonated with many other parents who had gathered to learn about the physical, social and emotional effects of alcohol and drugs.

The parent discussion followed the completion of a week-long series of special classes and discussion groups for students, led by FCD educators.

Parents learned about a variety of drugs, including over-the-counter medicines, which are sometimes available to teens, as well as effective ways to talk directly to their kids about substance abuse issues.

The main advice offered by the presenters was plain and simple: “Safety should come first. As parents, you may give yourselves permission to be parents and to reinforce the expectations you and your children have already agreed to.”

Many of the parents expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to engage in such a discussion and agreed that it is important for parents to reach out to other parents to confirm plans, especially at a school where the students commute from a wide geographical area.

Betsey St. Onge P’09, vice-president of the Parents’ Association said, “The association looks forward to sponsoring several upcoming events to give parents additional opportunities to talk informally about these issues. In the meantime, the seminar’s main take away message came across loud and clear: Parents shouldn’t hesitate to pick up the phone and make that call!”

“Safety first” top message at forum

The next Parents’ Association Meeting, scheduled for Thursday, March 1, will feature an informative and engaging presentation by Jenifer Lippincot, co-author of 7 Things Your Teenager Won’t Tell You and How To Talk About Them Anyway. The presentation will be followed by small discussion groups.

Bring your concerns and your ideas to share with fellow parents/guardians and community members. A light supper will be available at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting will begin promptly at 7 p.m. Jenifer will have copies of her book available for sale and signing.

Next Parents’ Association meeting

(l-r) Art by Rebecca Loeb, Minami Otake and Kanae Hamatsuka, three of the artists recognized. Check out the art by all 14 CSW students on the website under “News & Events.”

Scholastic Art Awards

The Boston Globe announced the winners of the 2007 Scholastic Art Awards and CSW made a strong showing with 14 students earning recognition.

Three students won the top individual prize. These winners will compete in New York City in May for the national Gold and Silver awards.

In addition to the individual awards, out of 603 portfolios entered by seniors accross the state, only 157 portfolios were chosen to join the Gold key winners at the national competition—CSW had nine selected. Rebecca Loeb ’06 won the $1,000 Scholarship Art Award.

Gold KeyKanae Hamatsuka ’09Minami Otake ’09Jed Rothfeld ’07

Silver KeyJulia Glassman ’09

Honorable MentionIan Hawkes ’08

Portfolio NomineesSandi Aritza ’07Arianna Adams-Gregg ’07Katie Gui ’07Rebecca Loeb ’07Jo Miller-Gamble ’07Dan Oran ’07Holly Rhame ’07Deanna Saunders ’07Anna Slavin ’07

February 2007

The Griff The Newsletter for CSW Parents

This past winter break, 20 students traveled to New Orleans to participate in clean-up efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The students worked at the Audubon Zoo to rebuild an alligator swamp, clear vines and weeds, and clean up a small forest where trees had died.

The students also worked closely with other volunteers who had traveled to New Orleans from throughout the nation, to build new homes in east New Orleans. Engaging in various tasks from installing new baseboards and siding, to framing doors, to priming, painting and spackling, the students were able to make improvements to the houses, both inside and out.

Although the students were initially disheartened by the devastation they found in east New Orleans, by the end of the trip, they began to appreciate that they were truly making a difference. “I was filled with hope after seeing all of the good work that ordinary people were doing as well as the progress we had made,” said Eddie Wyrwicz ’08. Jesse McGleuglin ’10 said, “It was a very different experience than just sending money.”

Faculty member Jane Berkowitz, who led the trip, said, “Each evening following dinner, we reflected on the day’s events and grappled with such profound issues as race, class, power and privilege.” The New Orleans trip, however, wasn’t all work and no play. Despite the rainy weather and each day’s labors, the students also found the energy to explore French Quarter restaurants, listen to jazz and talk with the locals.

Many of the students described the trip as life-changing, and an experience they will never forget. Devinny Eke ’07 said, “At times the work was very tiring and made your bones ache, but I was happy that I was doing it because I knew our work would make a difference in someone else’s life.”

Students help in New Orleans relief effortsConference features CSW presentions

CSW will be well represented at the next New England Association of Independent School Librarians’ (NEAISL) meeting on April 11. The conference, which will take place at Middlesex Academy, will feature CSW presenters in two of its sessions.

Todd Bartel and Alison Safford, art department faculty, and Gayle Pershouse, director of library services, have been tapped as presenters for a workshop on “The Library as a Zone for Creative Interaction.” The workshop will explore how libraries can foster creative inquiry. The presenters will provide specific examples of creative projects initiated by artists and students in a library setting.

A second panel, exploring Internet Usage Disorder, will feature Moon Il Jung ’07 and Daniel Tugendhat ’07. They will join students from Middlesex Academy on a “Hooked on Social Networking” panel, led by Dr. Maressa Hecht Orzack, of McLean Hospital, who specializes in the treatment of addictive disorders. A third CSW student, Dan Oran ’07, will install a photography exhibit of his own work as an example of how school libraries can foster student creativity. All three students are presenting work resulting from their senior Capstone Projects. Gayle Pershouse notes this is the first time in the organization’s history, that students have been invited to participate in a NEAISL conference as bona fide presenters. Congratulations to all!

INSIDE:CSW around the worldMoulding returnsCSW in bloom“Safety First”