A Message from the Head of School
“I can balance - watch me!!!”
Yesterday in the Laurie Mezzalingua '86 Center for Early Learning, eyes and arms wide, one of our PreK students bent forward at the waist and lifted one leg off the ground behind him. He held the pose, grinning at me. Soon he was joined by classmates nearby, all equally eager to show off their skills. I was impressed… and envious!
My thoughts drifted ruefully to flailing attempts I’ve recently made at one-legged yoga poses, none of which came close to matching his. But the art of balancing had also been on my mind for other reasons. Last weekend marked the autumnal equinox, one of two days per year when the Sun travels perfectly parallel to the tilt of the Earth along the equator - day and night arrive in perfect balance, light and darkness washing over both hemispheres in equal measure.
Our quest for balance never seems far from the surface. To move through life with purpose and fulfillment asks us to constantly weigh risks and rewards, assess the costs and benefits of how we spend our finite stores of time and energy. We are often better at doing so in some domains than others, and even when we do succeed, victory is often fleeting and momentary. That’s to be expected - the choices we make in each moment create a new set of conditions to move through, and thus every balancing forces a rebalancing.
As we celebrate Homecoming this weekend, I will be reminding myself to appreciate the multitude of graceful adjustments our MPH athletes make in between whistles. I will be thinking of the role that sports might play in their lives, and how they integrate it with their scholarship and artistry and social connections. I will be grateful for all of the adults in their lives - coaches, teachers, family, and friends - who have prioritized and sacrificed and made choices that enable the cheers to roar from the sideline. Sometimes we, ourselves, are precisely the balance that others need, simply by virtue of being present.
Good luck to MPH this weekend, and good luck to each of you in striking your own balance.
Jim Foley
Head of School
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Sunrise over Soccer Fields. Photo by Chad Jaconski. | |
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September 29 - October 5, 2024
MONDAY - DAY 4
9:25 a.m. | PSAT Registration + Info Session (Grades 10 + 11)
9:30 a.m. | College Rep: Boston University
11:30 a.m. | College Rep: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
1:30 p.m. | College Rep: Manhattan University
4:30 p.m. | Boys Varsity Soccer v. Faith Heritage
TUESDAY - DAY 5
9:30 a.m. | College Rep: Vermont State University
11:30 a.m. | College Rep: St. Lawrence University
1:30 p.m. | College Rep: Case Western Reserve University
4:30 p.m. | Girls Varsity Soccer v. OCS/LaFayette
4:30 p.m. | Girls Varsity Tennis v. Marcellus
4:30 p.m. | Boys Modified Soccer v. Bishop Grimes (away)
WEDNESDAY - DAY 6
9:30 a.m. | College Rep: Washington University in St. Louis
11:30 a.m. | College Rep: Ithaca College
1:30 p.m. | College Rep: Clarkson University
4:30 p.m. | Girls Varsity Tennis v. Cortland
4:30 p.m. | Modified and Varsity Cross Country at MPH
THURSDAY
No School - Rosh Hashanah
4:30 p.m. | Girls Varsity Tennis v. Cazenovia (away)
FRIDAY
No School - Faculty In-Service Day
4:30 p.m. | Boys Varsity Soccer v. Bishop Ludden
Additional Save the Dates + Calendar
MPH 2024-2025 Calendar
For a printable version, visit the MPH Calendar site.
Families can also view their child's calendars in Blackbaud. View how-to document here.
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Save the Date:
Middle and Upper School Program Night
Thursday, October 10
Middle and Upper School Families, we are looking forward to seeing you at Program Night scheduled for Thursday, October 10, starting at 6:00 p.m. This event will give parents an opportunity to visit classrooms, meet your child’s teachers, and hear about the learning that takes place each day at MPH.
Starting off the evening will be a welcome from the Division Heads (Fred Montas, Jr., Head of Middle and Upper Schools and Pat Bentley Hoke, Assistant Head of Middle and Upper Schools) followed by 10-minute presentations in each of your child’s classes, blocks 1–8 in that order.
For convenience and ease, two copies of each student’s schedule will be available for you in the Phoenix Student Center for pick up. Thursday’s Program Night is intended for parents only. We do not have a coverage program for younger siblings that evening.
Please reach out to Juhee LaHaye (Assistant to Division Heads) at jlahaye@mphschool.org if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you all at Program Night!
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MPH will be sending a TEST of the emergency messaging system on Monday, September 30, between 10-11 a.m., via text and email to current parents and employees of MPH.
If you do not receive the TEST message, please email mphsystemsupport@mphschool.org by Wednesday, October 2.
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The MPH Family Directory is now available in Blackbaud.
To locate the directory, log in to your Blackbaud account and navigate to Directories and select "MPH Parents."
If you have any questions, please contact mphsystemsupport@mphschool.org. Thank you!
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MPH: Please Share Our Open House Dates | |
The MPH Office of Admissions will be offering two fall open house events on Saturday, September 28, and Thursday, October 10. Please consider sharing this information with your networks. You can reshare the event pages on Facebook here and here, or by saving this image and reposting to your profile. Thank you for helping us reach potential MPH families. | |
Join us today, September 27, and Saturday, September 28, for MPH Homecoming! Stay tuned for details of this fun-filled weekend of sports, food, and school spirit next week! | | |
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After School Clubs - Fall 2024
Chess Club for Grades 1-8
Dates: Wednesdays, October 2-30
Time: 3:15-4:15 p.m.
Cost: $85
Jr. Trojans Basketball Clinic for Grades 4-6
Dates: Tuesdays, September 17-October 22
Time: 3:15-4:15 p.m.
Fee: $90
Miori Martial Arts for Grades K-5
Dates: Thursdays, October 10-November 7
Time: 3:15-4:00 p.m.
Fee: $85
Soccer Shots for Grades K-2
Dates: Tuesdays, September 17-November 5
Time: 3:15-4:00 p.m.
Fee: $125
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Rookly Chess League (Online)
September 23-December 9
Mondays, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Fee: $49/student
The Rookly Chess League is available to students in schools for grades 6-12 and opens the door for all students to participate in scholastic chess. The matches are through Rookly’s online platform, featuring integrated video and a live leaderboard. Join 100-plus schools across the country.
In interested or for more information, please email Rebecca Rhody @ rrhody@mphschool.org.
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Campus Shop Cards Now Available
The Campus Shop now carries reloadable gift cards. They will be for sale after school and have and one-time fee of $1.00 to purchase.
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Join the MPH Booster Club!
The MPH Booster Club is an independent parent group dedicated to volunteering, raising money, and contributing funds to enhance the athletic experience of MPH student-athletes to provide support beyond the School’s athletic program budget.
Whether your child participates in MPH Varsity, JV, or Modified sports, all middle and upper school parents are members of the MPH Booster Club! Parents run the concession stand at soccer, basketball, and volleyball home games, donate as sponsors (see our banners in the gym!), take photographs at events, and provide logistical support to teams.
There are many ways that Booster Club members show support throughout the year to benefit every student athlete, coach, & team. Contact Sarah Reckess (Owen '26, Anya '28) at sarahcumbiereckess@gmail.com to volunteer, and stay tuned for our upcoming parent interest meeting.
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Photography Fundraiser
Thanks to the generosity of current parent, Kim Wolfe, MPH will receive a donation each time a photography session is booked. Visit kimwolfephotography.com to learn more.
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MPH Together: Help Us Reach 100% Participation
As we dive into another school year, we're excited to launch our Annual Fund campaign - our top donor priority that provides critical funding to our school's operating budget. This year, we're going for gold with a goal of 100% community participation in our campaign! We hope you'll consider a donation today - your early gift allows us to better plan for the year ahead. Families who make a gift of $100 or more to the Annual Fund will receive a special MPH canvas bag in recognition of our appreciation! Click here to donate today or reach out to our Associate Director for Annual Giving, Madison Ruffo, by email or phone at 315-446-2452 ext. 142 for questions.
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Free Tickets to Jowonio Speedway Event | |
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MPH is a proud sponsor of Jowonio School's event, Jowonio Speedway, an evening featuring a Mario Kart competition as well as adult tricycle and scooter races. As part of the sponsorship, MPH has four pairs of tickets to give to members of our community. Children as young as 8 years of age can attend and participate with a guardian, and on-site babysitting is available. Last year, MPH students won the Mario Kart competition! Prizes, food, music, and fun are in store.
The event takes place on Saturday, October 5, beginning at 5 p.m. To request complimentary pair tickets, please email Katie Rey at krey@mphschool.org by October 3.
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Save the Date:
Abolition Freedom Walk
Saturday, October 5, 2024
10:00 a.m.
The MPH Community is invited to the 3rd Annual Abolition Freedom Walk in Canastota. Last year, MPH had a wonderful showing from students and families led by Rafael Jennings '24 and his father, Otis. The goal of the event is, "to celebrate unity in Central New York and shine a light on a largely unrecognized, pivotal moment in the history of the abolitionist movement. We seek broad participation to make this dramatic local history a source of pride and inspiration for freedom-loving people everywhere."
Student registration is free, and the fee is $40 for adults. Families need to provide transportation and supervision. Please let Ms. Bentley Hoke know if you plan to register. To sign up for this event and for event details, visit the Abolition Freedom Walk site here. Please also see the attached flyer for information and waiver.
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Upcoming Parents' Association Events | |
Award Opportunity for the Class of 2025 | | | | |
