Into a tall, clear glass cylindrical container, about a third full with tap water and dishwashing detergent, Mount Madonna School (MMS) parent John Wagner using metal tongs drops a small chunk of dry ice. “We’re here to talk about things that are cold,” he tells the gathered third and fourth grade MMS students. Dry ice, Wagner says, is frozen carbon dioxide and has a temperature of 123 degrees below zero.
By Melissa Sanders-Self, MMS High School English Teacher
“ Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”
– Anton Chekov
The Mount Madonna School Creative Writing Reading is an annual event where students, faculty, parents and friends gather together to listen to our student writers read. This year we will gather on Friday, March 8 at 7:00pm to listen to open letters, villanelles, short stories, sestinas, sonnets, monologues, first person narratives and other inspired forms of writing.
Congratulations to Mount Madonna School parent Cindi Busenhart, CEO of action wear retailer, Sessions, for being named one of the Silicon Valley’s 2012 Women of Influence by the San Jose Business Journal.
Busenhart, one of a 100 women from the private, public and nonprofit sectors to receive the honor, will be recognized at an awards ceremony on April 26 in San Jose.
Congratulations to Mount Madonna School alumni parent Amy Colton (Aaron, ’08 and Lindsey, ’11), recently named by Good Times magazine as one of six local change-makers!
“Right up front it was easy to see that Amy Colton was an unlikely champion to take on Sacramento and our broken health system to fight for an important cause having to do with women’s health,” comments Ward ‘SN’ Mailliard, Mount Madonna School Values in World Thought teacher and a longtime friend of Colton’s. “She did not like public speaking, or have any experience with politics, However the cause of making sure doctors who reviewed mammograms notified women that they have an additional risk factor for breast cancer was just too important for her to ignore. It was personal. Amy, a breast cancer survivor, became aware that her late diagnosis was due to the difficulty in spotting cancer in women who have dense breast tissue. Nobody seemed to care. The industry did not want to respond, so Amy, with no political experience, decided to get this issue noticed.”
“Education can take many forms,” commented guest panelist and physical chemist Tycho Speaker, during Mount Madonna School’s 3rd annual Career Forum last week. “What’s important is to find your passion, and work as hard as you have to toward realizing it. Then the education will come on its own, whether that takes the form of a degree or just life experience.”
Quiz question:
When driving in mountains, who has the right-of-way on narrow road ?
a. vehicle going uphill?
b. vehicle going downhill?
Answer: Vehicle traveling uphill has right-of-way. Vehicle traveling downhill backs up to let him pass…
For nonprofit organizations, determining how to creatively and successfully meet annual fundraising goals can be difficult and time-consuming – and frequently not a lot of fun. With the dual intent of putting the “fun” back in “fundraising” and bringing together other local nonprofit organizations – including, educational, environmental, and youth-focused groups – Mount Madonna School (MMS) is again hosting its annual community walk-a-thon and celebration –a family event intended to make fundraising as easy as a walk in the park!
All nonprofit organizations are invited to participate in the 6th annual Summit for the Planet Walk-a-thon on April 28. Mount Madonna will coordinate the event and do most all the work, while participating groups are invited to organize a team of walkers to walk for their organization, and their walkers, in turn, are urged to gather pledges of support.
Tech Week – A Letter From the Director
Dear Families,
As you may have noted, our schedule in the theatre is different this year for the Ramayana, particularly for our younger students. We thought there might be some value further explaining those changes.
With the audition process complete, it is appropriate to acknowledge the challenges of casting both for performers and directors. For some, this will not be a big issue, while others may experience disappointment. The key is finding a way to move forward positively. Most have heard the statement before- every role is pivotally important-and while a bit of a cliché, it is proven true.
