April 2009commons.pub - Cape Cod Academy

taking tests. When children spend time outside the school
building in unstructured activity, their minds often engage
in “involuntary” attention. Human beings can become
“attentionally fatigued” after prolonged periods of
engagement in “directed attention.” Time spent engaged in
“involuntary attention” tends to replenish and strengthen
one’s reserve of “directed” attention. Hence the academic
benefit of recess, unstructured time, physical education and
athletics is increased focus on academic tasks. My sense is
that different students benefit from different varieties of
“involuntary” attention. As with so many aspects of
healthy living, finding the appropriate balance between
these different forms of attention is a key ingredient to
success and well-being.
At CCA, we try hard to find the right, age-appropriate
balance between these two kinds of attention, and the
results are very encouraging. Our students, K-12, put forth
considerable effort on academic tasks while also finding
healthy, productive ways to use their free, unstructured
time. As a result, their powers of concentration and
academic output increase impressively over time.
Interestingly then, but not surprisingly, morning break,
lunchtime and recess are important components of CCA’s
mission-driven curriculum.
If you would like to read more about this recent research, here is the web address
of the article that appeared in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/health/24well.html_r=2&emc=eta1
You might also view Dr. Stuart Brown’s "Why play is vital - no matter your age."
Presentation on TED: Ideas Worth Spreading, posted in March 2009.
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/483.
Annual Fund News
If you’ve driven onto campus recently, you’ve seen
our Annual Fund thermometer—constructed and
painted over February break by our devoted
maintenance crew! When they learned we really
needed to promote the Annual Fund to everyone, they
offered to build the sign—saving us money and at the
same time, helping us raise it! This is one of the
greatest things about CCA—everyone works together
to make this school the very best it can be.
If you haven’t contributed to our Annual Fund yet
this school year, please consider how you can help.
Each gift, large, small, or in-between, helps CCA
provide the best education for the students. We do
need EVERYONE to do what they can.
Double Your Money Challenge
In mid-April, our wonderful phonathon volunteers will be reaching out to contact you for your
Annual Fund gift. We know each of you will be as kind and enthusiastic with your response as you always
are. This year, CCA is fortunate to have a pledge to match each gift we receive during the week of our
phonathons. What a wonderful way to double your money and increase your contribution to CCA’s Annual
Fund! If our callers somehow miss you during phonathon nights, you can make your pledge through our
website www.capecodacademy.org or by phone and it, too, will be matched!
Please help us reach our Annual Fund goal!