THE INAUGURAL ISSUE Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID St. George’s School
NEW PUBLICATION
Alison Fornell ’08 returns to teach English
(continued from the front page)
Ali Fornell graduated from St. George’s
the dragon. (You may be familiar with
in 2008 to pursue English and his-
the story.) Scholars have noted that one
tory at Amherst College, where she
of the first references to the name of
received a degree in American Stud-
St. George’s sword appears in Richard
ies and English in 2012. She spent two
Johnson’s “The Most Famous History
years abroad, earning a master’s degree
of the Seauen Champions of Christen-
in philosophy from the University of
dome” in 1596. Our version of Ascalon,
Cambridge, King’s College in the areas
though less suitable for battle, is meant
of screen media and culture, and win-
to be just as moving in its own way. In
ning a fellowship to study visual culture
each issue, to be published twice a year,
at University College, Dublin. Ali has
we will provide you with up-to-date
served as a research assistant in the
information and insight on some aspect
Amherst English Department and has
of life on campus, all in an effort to keep
and stewards. St. George’s sits on firm
all about the future—about overcoming
been published in various scholarly
its name from the legend of St. George. Ascalon is the name of St. George’s
One of the first references to the name of St. George’s sword appears in Richard Johnson’s “The Most Famous History of the Seauen Champions of Christendome,” published in 1596.
adversity and using strength, wisdom
about the good work of the school, its
more than a century of learners whose
and courage to move ahead with dignity
teach English and direct the Writing
students, and the faculty.
personal experiences here have ushered
and tenacity into uncertain times. We are not here to maintain the status
In this issue, you will read about the various ways we are working to strengthen and evolve our curriculum
Hilltop!” she wrote. “And I look forward
and academic programs. Building on
to being part of the English faculty,
current research and best practic-
a group of people I admire so much. I
es, and incorporating the work of the
can’t wait to share my enthusiasm for
Merck-Horton Center for Teaching and
literature and media with my students
Learning, we have undertaken a multi-
and hopefully open their eyes—the ways
year process of refining our curriculum
my teachers did—to the exciting pos-
and course offerings. The most immedi-
sibilities that come with studying the
ate change, coming in the fall of 2015, is
humanities.”
a move to a trimester structure from the present semester model, but other steps
“Our institutions are built upon history and the accumulated wisdom of the past, yet we train students in the present for futures that, just as in the last 10 years, hold uncounted and sometimes unimaginable changes.”
quo, to place bright young students in a holding pattern as they await the next step, be it college or career. Rather, we are here to keep pace with a learning environment that is constantly in motion, forever organic and continually evolving. We do that by offering an academic program that responds to meticulous appraisal and improvement, to be sure that no stone is left unturned in the effort to educate, in the most innovative sense of the term, the boys and girls who come here to open their minds and discover the
are likely to follow. As these essential changes well up
them into adulthood and given them
gifts of knowledge and insight.
from within, we want you, our alum-
the ability to make a positive difference
ni, parents and friends, to hear about
in the world. Similarly the legend of St.
many ways our school is working to
them and become a part of the pro-
George and his mighty sword, Ascalon,
challenge and inspire current—and
cess we take so seriously as educators
is rooted in the past, but the message is
future—students.
Read on, and learn more about the
KEEP IN TOUCH Ascalon is published twice a year by the St. George’s Advancement Office. The Editorial Board welcomes your comments.
ROBERT WESTON, Associate Head of School
for External Affairs robert_weston@stgeorges.edu
Curie Institute impressed by talented Dragon interns Researchers at the prestigious Curie In-
Edson ’16 and Piers Guthrie ’15. Laura
stitute in Paris, France, know this about
worked in the Structural Motility Lab,
St. George’s School: The student interns
which analyzes, isolates and identi-
only in French, by the way. Laura’s findings and those of her fellow interns will become the topics of
that facilitates intercellular transport
when these budding researchers stand
of compounds between membranes in
up and discuss their field work with
future students to follow in their foot-
proteins work,” Laura wrote in her blog.
Paris with French teacher and Global
steps. It’s all because our Dragons walk
“The way it was explained to me is that
Cultural Initiatives Program (GCIP)
Additional students who traveled to
istrative Technology Coordinator Ed
Saturday, Oct. 18
Lessons and Carols
at Greenvale Vineyards
Parents Weekend Tuesday, Dec. 16 Thursday, Nov. 6
at Dillon’s in Back Bay
and Banquet Friday, Nov. 7
through Sunday, May 10, 2015
Middlesex Games at SG
Reunion Weekend
Thursday, Oct. 30
bill_douglas@stgeorges.edu
at New York Yacht Club
Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015
Communications & Marketing suzanne_mcgrady@stgeorges.edu
creator Allison de Horsey to pursue
McGinnis oversaw the GCIP Program
and with a leg up on lab etiquette and
they do it is magic. Through structural
internships at other venues included
this summer in London where Hunter
Photo/illustration credits:
procedures.
analysis and the usage of crystallog-
Annabel Grunebaum ’16, Annika Hed-
Westerberg ’15, Blaise Foley ’15, Oliver
Kate Whitney Lucey, Studio AMD
raphy, the team I joined is looking for
lund ’15, Chloe Farrick ’15 and Emma
Green ’15, and Christina Malin ’15 also
the answers.” All while communicating
Thompson ’15. Accompanying Admin-
pursued internships.
SAVE THE DATE:
Friday, May 8
Friday, Feb. 13 and
SUZANNE MCGRADY, Director of
Christmas Festival
Sports Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
Reception in New York, N.Y.,
we know what proteins do, but how
welcomed Caroline Kam ’15, Laura
Reception in Portsmouth, R.I.,
BILL DOUGLAS, Director of Alumni Relations
in the door with curious, open minds—
In June and July the institute
Friday, Dec. 12
Fall Boston young alumni event, 6-8 p.m.
elizabeth_bickford@stgeorges.edu
to gain a greater understanding of how
Friday, Oct. 17 and
quentin_warren@stgeorges.edu
George’s in the coming academic year,
labs—and again they paved the way for
Tuesday, Sept. 16
Wednesday, Oct. 1
protein-based chemical mechanism
fellow students and faculty.
HOLIDAY EVENTS:
QUENTIN WARREN, Advancement Editor
talented and engaged young Dragons.
all living organisms. “Our lab is trying
ON CAMPUS:
owner of Greenvale Vineyards
ELIZABETH BICKFORD, Dean of Faculty
spent two weeks assisting in the Curie
OFF CAMPUS:
Advancement cindy_martin@stgeorges.edu
Brown Bag Lunch presentations at St.
Laura Edson ’16 works this summer in the Structural Motility Lab at the Curie Institute in Paris. The internship is part of our vibrant Global Cultural Initiatives Program.
For more happenings and detailed information visit stgeorges.edu/events.
Hosted by Nancy Parker Wilson ’77,
fies, using X-ray crystallography, the
a row, three science-minded students
Upcoming events
CINDY MARTIN, Associate Director of
we send them each summer are bright, This year, for the fourth summer in
on new trends for math, science and the Academic Center
The newsletter for St. George’s School • Fall 2014
foundations, tested and fortified by
“I am thrilled to be returning to the
MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT HEAD LINDA EVANS
on academics through the eyes of a sixth-former
P.O. Box 1910 Newport, Rhode Island 02840 401-847-7565 • stgeorges.edu
you informed, connected, and excited
and serve as a dorm parent.
on Ascalon, the leading edge of change
JAEWOO KANG ’15
sword, with which he famously slew
journals. Here at St. George’s she will Lab, coach JV field hockey and JV tennis,
HEAD OF SCHOOL ERIC PETERSON
Fifth-Form Parents Weekend
Past and present become one in the creation of Ascalon Head of School Eric Peterson launches the inaugural issue of St. George’s newest publication, as traditions, facilities and programs on the Hilltop continue to evolve
When my family and I first arrived at
institution I know. We honor and em-
St. George’s more than 10 years ago,
brace our history, even as we adapt and
the world was a different place. The
evolve traditions, facilities and programs
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were still
to meet the needs of our current students.
in their early stages, the Great Reces-
So the Christmas Festival and Pie Race
sion lay some distance over the horizon,
continue even as we add Friday Night
Facebook had barely been invented, and
Lights games and revive the club system.
smartphones didn’t exist. A decade later,
As I write, workers are restoring the roof
so much has changed, but as Tennyson
and cupola of Memorial Schoolhouse,
noted, “…much abides.” In schools, we
while earthmovers chirp and grind as
have an unusual relationship with time.
work begins on the new Academic Cen-
Our institutions are built upon history
ter. New facilities and programs emerge,
and the accumulated wisdom of the past,
even as the school itself abides at the
yet we train students in the present for
edge of the changeless sea.
futures that, just as in the last 10 years,
Even this newly renamed, redesigned
hold uncounted and sometimes unimagi-
publication represents a blending of old
nable changes.
and new.
This tug between past and future may
Created years ago as Development
be an ever-present dynamic in schools,
News, our new newsletter, Ascalon, takes
but St. George’s manages to balance the
(Please see “New publication” on the
competing pull of time better than any
back)
P.O. Box 1910 • Newport, Rhode Island 02840 • 401-847-7565 • stgeorges.edu
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