Hi everyone,
Happy Halloween! A large part of me can’t believe how quickly time has been passing this fall, and then another part of me is certain that 2020 has been the longest year in the history of the universe. I suppose both things are true. We have had another eventful week at WVA and are looking forward to a week of enormous significance just over the horizon.
First, a few clarifications on my email regarding testing and return from Thanksgiving. As many middle school families correctly identified, it’s likely that many of our middle schoolers will require at least two tests within their first couple weeks of participating in our program, and some may actually have three tests in quick succession. Winter term students will be tested twice within the first month. Full term students will only likely be tested once, when returning from Thanksgiving. We are working on a few avenues to make more regular testing available on campus (as opposed to at the hospital in Plymouth, which is our current access point) and hope to have more to share on that soon. In the meantime, if you aren’t sure of the correct plan for your child, please let either me, or your child’s coach, know of your questions so we can help.
Secondly, we’ve seen quick changes in camp plans throughout the fall. This is, we’re sure, going to be more the standard than the exception this season. The coaches have done an incredible job being proactive and thorough about their plans; the teachers have been amazing about remaining open and reactive, and the students have been responsive and adaptable to all the changing circumstances. It seems clear that the only thing we’re sure of in 2020 is that we have to stay flexible. Thank you in advance for your understanding.
Halloween on campus should be fun and festive, and the anticipation around “scaring all the kids” in Waterville is high. Many thanks to our students, Priscilla, Teese, Susan and Gary Schofield, and to our campus neighbors in the North End of WV for putting together a block party for the community to celebrate in lieu of a “normal” Halloween. Feel free to come by for a haunted woods walk, a scary drive-in movie on the side of the TBC (dress warm!) or candy, crafts, and treats from the neighbors.
As we come in to the election week, and on a more subdued note, I respectful ask all our community members – parents, students, staff, and friends – for your understanding and support as we navigate the election with our school community. As I’ve said in previous letters, we take the responsibility for raising informed, civic-minded, articulate, and compassionate Americans very seriously at WVA. Role modeling both good winning and good losing is not only a valuable life lesson, but also an element of sportsmanship that we hope all our student-athletes learn for their lives and not just their athletic careers.
Take care of yourselves, and thanks again for giving us the privilege of helping to raise your children. Please make sure you vote!
Best,
Tory
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Right on cue; We were greeted this morning to a dusting of snow giving the hills a hint of white just in time to start the Winter Term. Monday marks the first day of the Winter Term! We are excited to welcome our Winter Term student athletes along with the additional Faculty. These last two days have seen those faculty members on campus preparing for the new arrivals. This is a great time of the year when we see the full community come together all focused and in anticipation of a winter of skiing, training, and studying on campus and right on our own hill. Our community will be complete with the start of the Middle School Program which begins on the 23rd.
This point also marks the end of the first trimester with grades closing today. Grade reports will be going out the middle of next week and both parents and students will receive them via email. The next trimester is a bit longer, taking into account training and competition, and runs through the end of March.
We are maintaining diligence with social distancing, masks, cleaning and sanitizing, getting fresh air in the buildings, and maintaining a conscious effort to live as a healthy community. This includes an increased diligence in mask wearing in the TBTC. As we all pull together and do the right things, we will have a wonderful and productive season!
Best,
Gary
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A big congratulations goes out to the 10 juniors and seniors who completed their first SAT since last March. I commend their flexibility in that we attempted to start the SAT on Tuesday and had to stop after the pre-administration, reconvening Wednesday - the actual test day. In all my years, I have not made such an error. We all looked for the silver linings: Another day of SLEEP, filling out the answer sheet before and two days of donuts in the morning. All students know that there will be another administration in April 2021, at school, where juniors and seniors will be invited to take it again.
Another big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to the two seniors, Will Bertram and George Kweicinski who will submit their Early Decision applications to college this Sunday, November 1st. This was a huge effort made by both seniors during a very busy two weeks with the Halloween Ride fundraiser, and the student driven Haunted Walk taking place all in the first week.
As we move into election day week, and the next month, I urge other seniors and PGs to push on their applications to get loose ends complete, and the harder mental tasks finished before they are fully engaged on the hill and into training on snow.
-PFay
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With two months of school in the books already, the dorm is gearing up for the arrival of a bunch of winter term students, and the arrival of November, which means – SKIING!
The early snowfalls we’ve had, although light, have everyone excited for winter. During the unusually warm and wonderful fall weather we had, most of the students took advantage of our fantastic town-wide campus, so to speak, and spent ample time outdoors: riding bikes, walking, star-gazing, or just hanging out in town. Until recently, lunches have been enjoyed outdoors as well. Math teacher, Julie Fetzner, organized a picnic table and Adirondack chairs painting-and-building weekend activity a few weeks ago, and it was great to see just about every student in the school involved. The Adirondack chairs were disassembled, stained, and reassembled, and one of the picnic tables was completely rebuilt, and all the tables were stained.
With the arrival of winter term students, the illustrious upstairs lounge in the dorm has been converted into our one-and-only triple bedroom. Thanks to all the students who helped with the transformation! The fabulous blue couches in the Stenmark room that are no longer fabulous have been removed (…and there was much rejoicing…), and replaced with two new couches, thanks in large part to our new women’s FIS coach, Meghan Costello, who researched and bought them, and then Fred Turton and Jason Guilbert, our men’s U14 and U16 coaches, respectively, who put the couches together.
As the students prepare to scare a bunch of little kids on a Haunted Halloween Walk tomorrow night, thoughts of upcoming trips to Maine and Colorado, of turns carved on smooth new fallen snow right here in Waterville Valley, are glowing, flickering, in the thoughts of the students and staff, and in the crooked smiles of the pumpkins we see squat-faced and cold, hanging around town.
-Dan N.
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Help the Student Council hit their goal of $2,500 for the Halloween Bike Ride! All proceeds go to the Student Council Fund, to help pay for student led projects!
Donate at this link
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NE Masters Scholarship Opportunity
New England Masters Ski Racing neskiracing.org announces Scholarship availability for the 2020-2021 Race Reason. For athlete (18 and under) we will provide three (3) $1,000.00 Scholarship based upon financial need. Application deadline is December 1, 2020. Awardees will be contacted before Christmas. More information found in the button below
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The folder above will be updates through out the year with updated photos from events, competing, trips, and more! Check back often to see the latest! |
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Student Council Halloween Bike Ride - Saturday, October 31st
White Mountain Super Pass Price Increase - Sunday November, 1st
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