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Teachers as Heroes: School Parent Salutes Eagle Hill Faculty am astonished by the generosity,” “Isaid Louise Foerster, chair of the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon. Between the willing pool of volunteers for set-up and clean-up, the sumptuous list of salads and desserts, and the donations for beverage and paper goods, it was clear how fully the teachers had earned the respect and gratitude of the parents. In the following tribute to the teachers, Louise compared them to heroes: “It started, as many important things do, during an ordinary carpool morning to Eagle Hill. I announced brightly to the three boys in the car that I was helping with the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon this year and could use their ideas. Utter silence. It was a Monday. And the day was gray. It was April and it was still cold. Then a small voice ventured, “I think you should have duckies for everyone. Get all different ones so everyone can choose the duck they like.” Another voice piped up, “Hey, are there any World of Warcraft ducks yet?” Thus ended the first high-level, insiders-only meeting concerning today’s luncheon. And this is why there are tiny ducks perched in and around the flowers on each table. So to the clever observation, “Why a duck?” My carpool and I respond, “Why not?” Why not, indeed? More and more, I think that many of us start out as ugly ducklings. We’re small, vulnerable, open souls full of joy and exuberance. The lucky ducklings among us grow up to become their most magnificent swan selves. Not all ugly ducklings are lucky ducks. Some spend their entire lives swimming around the same muddy puddle. Others suffer terribly, trying so hard to be ordinary ducks, breaking their hearts trying to be smart or pretty or clever like the mallard ducks next door. These ugly ducklings never get to become the swans they truly are. But if we are very blessed ducks, we have someone who helps us on our way to becoming our swan selves. Often it’s a parent, a grandparent, a coach. For the children of Eagle Hill and their parents and all the people around them, we are all of us lucky ducks blessed with a lively community of heroes committed to helping us becoming our swan selves. And this is no ordinary bunch of runof-the-mill superheroes. Nope. The regular superheroes have it easy. They have urgent missions. The mean guys are so clearly evil, wearing bad clothes and black hats and bad hair. Usually they talk funny – and, I suspect, smell pretty bad. Against these villains set upon destroying the earth, the regular superheroes have cool outfits, nifty weapons, and endless resources. Many have loyal sidekicks or butlers to help out. Many times the battles are ferocious, but the heroes always beat the mean guys. However, the mean guys that the heroes of Eagle Hill face aren’t even really mean guys at all. They are all the hedges of fear, apathy, despair, doubt, surrounding the tangles of brilliance within each one of the ducks in your charge. Eagle Hill heroes wield encouragement, incredible skills, profound respect, keen insight and high expectations. You calmly resolve calamities with homework, lost clothing, bad pitches and adolescent angst. {For me personally, adolescent angst is enough to hurtle me under my bed with a new novel and a thick bar of dark chocolate.} But for the heroes of Eagle Hill, no matter. You tie ties. You teach children to make sense of letters and numbers and how to tell their own stories. You referee intense battles between best friends. You make sure that everyone learns, in his or her own special way. And you do so with humor, intelligence, grace and 10
astonishing ingenuity. You are all of you McGuivers of education. {I know, I know, I’m dating myself. For those of you who don’t know him, McGuiver was a television character who saved himself from certain doom every week by using his powerful scientific intellect and simple tools at hand. Paper clips could be fashioned into nuclear missiles. If you haven’t seen the show, look for it. Trust me; you’ll be amazed at what this guy can do.} For all of you as well, there are no big bombs or webs or flaming swords to use in facing your challenges. Your work is accomplished with books and projects and team cheers. You give the very best of what you have to offer, not in a single blaze of regular superhero glory, but rather in steady days, weeks and months. You create the powerful warm spirit that fills the school, which transforms ducks into swans, and ultimately sends swans out to their own special adventures. Yeah, regular superheroes get all the glory. They’re featured in movies and comic books and video games. But they don’t have anything on you guys. No masks, tights, or clever disguises could possibly hide your truest identity as special superheroes. We trust you with our ducks and you give us our swans. Many thanks to Louise and all of the parents who made the teacher luncheon such a special event for the staff. Students Go on Rafting Adventure Hmm. Highway closed. Not a good start. With a little help from Mr. Sylvestro, the intrepid crew, composed of teachers Hallie Buckingham, Sharon Plante, John Robbins, Brandon DeMunnick and Megan Aversano and Student Council members Michael Africk, Alex Basche, Nicholas Beck, Ian Boyle, Ryan Brennan, Jimmy Carlucci, Graham Cavanaugh, Stephanie da Silva, Brendan Donaher, Michael Esposito, Mark Feola, Ben Feguson, Julie Fields, Josh Furth, Chris Hopf, Caroline Lethbridge, Kaela LiVigni, Creighton Mann, James Overton, Courtney Peck, Nick Piliero, Nick Protopapas, Connor Schaney, Will Schink, Jack Stow, Ben Tice, Jack Tranmer, and Arielle Zweibach, took a one and a half hour detour to reach the starting point of their June rafting adventure. Due to the late hour, the paddling was frenetic as they sought to rush through the rapids of the Deerfield River in plenty of time to beat the closing of the dam and resultant low water level. Walking back to the vans was not on the agenda! After an evening’s recuperation of swimming, videos, games and pizza back at the Holyoke Holiday Inn, the group was ready to tackle Six Flags Amusement Park the next day. Destination Schools for Our “Graduates” American School in Switzerland Berkshire School Cheshire Academy Cushing Academy Easton Public Schools Fairfield Prep Fairfield Public Schools Forman School Harvey School Indian Mountain School King & Low Heywood, Thomas Marvelwood School Milford Public Schools New Canaan Public Schools New Haven Public Schools Phoenix Academy Ridgefield Public Schools Rowland Hall – St. Mark’s School, Utah Rumsey Hall Soundview School St. Luke’s School Unquowa School Westport Public Schools Wilton Public Schools Winston Prep 11
Page 1 and 2: Reporter SUMMER 2007 In this Issue:
Page 3 and 4: From the Headmaster The Importance
Page 5 and 6: Cinco de Mayo - Ole! As gloriously
Page 7 and 8: Hill Idol” title deserve points f
Page 9: Tag-Along Day The individualized at
Page 13 and 14: Beach Day Barbecue Serves Up Fun Fo
Page 15 and 16: Looking Ahead: Administrative Team

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