St. Mark's School

Ambassador Chowdhury Urges a Culture of Peace

Sat, 10 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury visited St. Mark’s School this past Friday. Mr. Chowdhury, a voice for the poor and the powerless, is a long-time advocate for developing nations, children, women, and peace. Speaking in the small dining room, Mr. Chowdhury urged St. Mark’s students, faculty, and parents to cultivate a “culture of peace.”

New Monitors Get First of Three Training Sessions

Dr. Laura Appell-Warren — Mon, 5 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400

On Sunday May 4, 2008 the newly elected Monitors gathered at Choate House for the first in a series of three leadership training workshops. Organizing and helping to lead the program was David Torcoletti, Head of the Junior Program at Exploration Summer Programs and former Dean of Students at Northfield Mount Herman and Milton Academy.

Robert Channing Brings His ESP Ability to St. Mark's

Sun, 27 April 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Robert Channing, a world renowned mentalist and master of ESP, entertained a packed house Saturday night in the PAC by astounding and amazing students with his ability to be completely blindfolded and still "see" what they are thinking and doing.

Michael Hawkins '79 to Speak at Prize Day

By Laura Crowley, V Form — Sat, 12 April 2008 00:00:00 -0400

At Prize Day on May 26, Michael Hawkins ’79 plans to deliver what promises to be a memorable keynote speech. As an established and respectable educator, Hawkins is sure to have many helpful suggestions for our future plans.

Martin Espada, Paterson Award Winning Poet, Reads at St. Mark’s

Fri, 11 April 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Last night, a packed Hinkle Room listened to poetry by several students, faculty members, and the booming voice of featured world renowned poet, Martín Espada.

Espada was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1957. He has published thirteen books in all as a poet, essayist, editor and translator. His eighth collection of poems, The Republic of Poetry, was published in October, 2006.

Hartnett Publishes Innovative Textbook for Latin Classroom

Thu, 3 April 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Matthew Hartnett, Chair of the Classics Department and Barlow Chair at St. Mark’s, recently published a textbook for use in Latin classrooms, titled By Roman Hands: Inscriptions and Graffiti for Students of Latin.

St. Markers Join Congress for a Weekend

Brian Lester — Mon, 31 March 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Eleven St. Markers recently participated in Harvard Model Congress. With one tower of the Boston Sheraton hotel almost exclusively occupied by student delegates, it’s not surprising that this is the nation’s most ambitious government simulation.

St. Mark’s School and Ouyang Yu Experimental Middle School Sign Sister School Agreement

Fri, 21 March 2008 00:00:00 -0400

On March 17, Head of School John Warren signed an agreement with Headmaster Sui Jianqing of the Ouyang Yu Experimental Middle School (OYY) in Hengdong County, Hunan Province, China, creating a sister school partnership. This arrangement is designed to create a program that would encourage student and faculty communication between the two schools.

St. Mark's Boys' Basketball New England Champions!

Tue, 4 March 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The Lions of St. Mark's captured their second Class C New England Championship title in three years on Sunday, as they dominated league-rival, Lawrence Academy, 62-43, in a packed house at Endicott College.

Alumni Hockey Game - A Squeaker!

Tue, 26 February 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The St. Mark's hockey tradition of excellence on the ice is palpable as you look at the 28 ISL league titles that hang proudly from the rafters of the venerable Gardner Rink, alongside 2 New England Prep Championship banners, to the Hall of Fame plaques adorning the foyer of the Michel Faculty Athletic Center.

Athletic Hall of Fame Inducts Four

Sun, 24 February 2008 00:00:00 -0400

The snowy evening of February 22, 2008 saw four outstanding athletes added to the Hall of Fame at St. Mark’s. Inducted tonight were George Peabody Gardner (deceased) class of 1906, Samuel Felton, class of 1945, Laurie Belliveau Rousseau, class of 1994, and coach and teacher Dorothy (Deedee) Anderson, 1985-1998.

Students Mix Art and Science to Stunning Effect

Thu, 21 February 2008 00:00:00 -0400

In an assignment that focused on "environment as content," students in Barb Putnam's Studio 1 class were given the challenging task of pairing their creative talents with research into environmental science.

St. Mark's Hosts Forum on Climate Change

Fri, 15 February 2008 00:00:00 -0400

As part of the school’s ongoing look at climate change, St. Mark’s hosted a day-long forum for students and faculty on Monday, February 11. The event brought together a diverse group of speakers that included scientists, policy makers, and business leaders.

V Form Families Hear from the Experts About College Admission

Sun, 10 February 2008 00:00:00 -0400

This weekend welcomed college admission deans to the St. Mark's campus with the goal of providing our V Form parents and students with a realistic look at the college admission process.

Spring Skiing in February at Wachusetts

Tue, 5 February 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Even though it was February 3rd, the day more closely resemble a spring day on the slopes of Wachusett. Over 40 students, families and friends gathered to ski and snowboard at the St. Marks Family Ski Day.

Celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.

Reverend Ned Sherrill — Wed, 23 January 2008 00:00:00 -0400

On Monday, January 21, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the school devoted its morning to a celebration of the life and work of Dr. King in chapel and special program. The day began with a much welcomed sleep-in and late breakfast.

Computer Science Class Visits Si Cortex

Seth Battis — Fri, 18 January 2008 00:00:00 -0400

One afternoon this fall, the introductory and advanced computer science class took a break from their Java programming to visit with the developers at SiCortex, a startup company in Maynard, MA.

Technicolor Gods or A Sunday at the Museum

Mon, 14 January 2008 00:00:00 -0400

When the students in Dr. Hartnett’s Greek II class looked at images of Greek and Roman sculpture, they always assumed that they were seeing the pieces as they appeared in antiquity.

Mathematicians at Work Speaker Tierney Presents Head's Seminar

Sat, 12 January 2008 00:00:00 -0400

On Friday January 11, students from the upper level math classes at St. Mark’s had the chance to hear actuary John Tierney speak about “What is an actuary, and why is it one of the best rated professions in America?” Mr. Tierney is currently the president of Bunker Hill Insurance Company, a homeowner insurance company located in Boston.

Faculty with 20 Years at St. Mark's Honored at Luncheon

by Marissa Halligan — Thu, 3 January 2008 00:00:00 -0400

Groton Day this fall had St. Mark's was filled with nostalgia and pride as the careers of veteran faculty who have given twenty or more years of service to the school were celebrated. A photograph of every living member of this group was unveiled at the ceremony and was hung along the corridor outside the small dining room.

Cellist Sergey Antonov Peforms in Class of '45 Hall

Mon, 10 December 2007 00:00:00 -0400

This past Thursday, the St. Mark's community was treated to a remarkable performance by celebrated cellist Sergey Antonov. Antonov, who was born in1983, is one of the youngest cellists to ever win the Gold Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition. He has served on the faculty of the St. Mark’s School Summer Chamber Music Festival and Institute for the past two years, and will begin a 15-concert tour of Japan, China and Korea after the New Year. The tour will end with performances of the Brahms Double Concerto in Moscow's Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. The recipient of numerous other awards and medals, young Antonov has been offered a five-year soloist contract with the Moscow Philharmonic.

Nicholas Negroponte Enthralls Audience

Sun, 2 December 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Professor Nicholas Negroponte of MIT and founder of the MIT Media Lab was the keynote speaker Friday night as the entire school came together to celebrate the creation of the Academic Computing Department, a new addition to St. Mark’s made possible by donations from several key trustees and the Class of 1957.

It Was A Corker!

Mon, 19 November 2007 00:00:00 -0400

St. Mark's varsity hockey team lost "a real corker" to Middlesex in the semifinals of the New England Championships Saturday played at Williston Academy. The final score was 0-1 with outstanding play by our entire team.

The Diviners an Outstanding Student Production

Sun, 18 November 2007 00:00:00 -0400

If you weren’t able to attend the evening performances of The Diviners at our Studio Theater this past week, then you missed out on an outstanding offering by our theater department. Theater Director Les Baird has produced many a fine play during his long tenure at St. Mark’s, and this has to have been one of his finest. The first drama to be chosen by the department in several years, the play featured powerful performances by V Formers Ben Stroup and Alex Schwartzberg, who played their hearts outs to a rapt audience for three consecutive nights last week.

Varsity Field Hockey Advance in New England Championships

Thu, 15 November 2007 00:00:00 -0400

It was a gorgeous November afternoon as the 3^rd seeded St. Mark's Lions took on the 6^th seed Dragons of St. George for the Class B quarterfinals at Barton field. The sidelines were packed with anxious fans and reporters.

St. Markers Excel at New England Cross Country Championships

Sun, 11 November 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Saturday was a tough day on campus for many of our teams who played their hearts out against arch rival Groton, but those who went to Cheshire Academy to participate in the New England Cross Country Championships had an outstanding meet.

Advanced Topic Math Students Attend Lecture on Number Theory

Mon, 5 November 2007 00:00:00 -0400

On Thursday, November 1, Dr. Tanton took his Advanced Topics students to the 2007 Arnold Ross Lecture, hosted by the American Mathematics Association at the Boston Museum of Science. Joining the group were Scott Dolesh, Brett Smith, and Brian Lester, faculty members in the St. Mark's Math Department.

Cross Country Teams Excel at ISL Championships

Sat, 3 November 2007 00:00:00 -0400

St. Mark's cross country teams all had outstanding meets at yesterday's ISL championships. Collectively our teams finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th overall.

Katie Grossman '09 finished 3rd overall for the Varsity Girls team being beaten by only 3 seconds behind the first and second place finishers who tied. Coach Karen Bryant remarked after the race, "We were all pulling so much for Katie. She ran an outstanding race and improved her time on the two Nobles runners from their earlier match-up." Overall, the varsity girls team finished 4th.

Halloween Dance A Huge Success!

Photos by Sam Starkey, Andrea Kim & Jen Adams — Mon, 29 October 2007 00:00:00 -0400

I'm not sure exactly what I saw, but it looked like members of the Blue Man Troupe (Blue Woman Troupe?) were on campus Saturday night, and reindeer seemed to be wandering around the Dixon Room along with Ninja Turtles, demonstrating their prowess both on and off the dance floor.

Under black lights, St. Markers displayed costumes of all varieties and enjoyed a night of lively music and energetic dancing. On Wednesday, Halloween proper, I expect we will see many other innovative and creative costumes wandering the hallways.

Dr. Richard Lindzen of MIT Speaks on Global Warming

Wed, 24 October 2007 00:00:00 -0400

On Monday, October 22, Dr. Richard S. Lindzen, the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at MIT spoke to the school in the Center for the Arts. During his 45 minute presentation, Dr. Lindzen provided numerous examples of how the “resident facts” relative to global warming may be misleading or simply incorrect.

Spooky Faces Come to the Cloister

Mon, 22 October 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Sunday evening saw the arrival of many fierce, scary, and amusing carved pumpkins sitting proudly on the wall of the cloister. Thanks to Maria of Flik, our food services providers, students spent the afternoon designing, cutting and comparing their handiwork.

Parent's Weekend Enjoys Art, Music and Sees Records Broken!

Sun, 14 October 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The rain cleared and Parent's Weekend saw some of the nicest weather of the fall. Friday night kicked off the activities with an arts reception in Taft showcasing drawings, watercolors and pottery pieces done so far this year. Barbara Putnam, Chair of the Art Department, remarked "this year we have some amazing new artists. It gives me such pleasure to be able to show a different side of a student to their parents. 'My child did THAT - It's great!' was a common remark heard all evening."

National Merit Commended Students and Semifinalist Announced

Tue, 9 October 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Several V Formers were recently awarded National Merit Letters of Commendation, while V Former Kate Gallagher was named a Semifinalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program. The Commended Students include Alex Bishop, Grace Dorner, Chris David, Bethan McGarry, Amanda Sohn, Stephen Frederico, and Elizabeth Jones.

Founders Dinner a Huge Success!

Sun, 7 October 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The annual dinner given last Friday night to thank those who contributed at a Founders' Level to the Annual Fund took place in what seemed to be a totally transformed Benson.

More than 100 guests attended a lovely reception in the Class of 1951 Hall prior to the dinner and enjoyed being serenaded by both our a cappella groups, the Cat's Meow and the Octet.

Ganz Wheel Travels to MIT

Mon, 1 October 2007 00:00:00 -0400

This past week, five students and one famous wheel joined Mr. Umiker, Dr. Tanton, and Dr. Elkins-Tanton (who is a geophysicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology) for a trip to MIT, to hear a lecture given by Robert Tavenor on the history and mathematics of measurement.

Artist Nina Jerome Exhibits in Taft Hall Gallery

Wed, 26 September 2007 00:00:00 -0400

In the rotating displays found throughout campus, St. Markers are fortunate to have access to the works of many accomplished artists. This fall, landscape artist Nina Jerome has a series of oil paintings on display in the Taft Hall gallery. The series, titled Paradox, focuses on the strange, incongruous beauty seen in a plume of smoke emanating daily from the Duke Energy Plant in rural Veazie, Maine.

10/12-10/13 Parents Weekend - RSVP Online

Sun, 16 September 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Parents Weekend is October 12th - 13th.

RSVP online for your Parents Weekend and Advisor Conferences by October 8th and check the weekend schedule here.

New Students Arrive!

Wed, 5 September 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The sun was shining and the air was breezy as the newest St. Markers were officially welcomed into the St. Mark’s community today. Over 116 new students—representing 15 countries and 21 states--showed up to orientation this morning to register for the coming academic year. Our campus looks more beautiful than ever, with a lovely, inviting quad in the formerly unused space between Benson Hall and the library, the renovated VI Form Dixon Room ready, and stylishly redesigned common areas in all the dorms..

Faculty Spend Day with Teaching Consultant David Mallery

Fri, 31 August 2007 00:00:00 -0400

As part of our ongoing consideration of how best to educate students for the 21^st Century, St. Mark’s invited David Mallery, an independent school consultant to lead an all day workshop for faculty. Mr. Mallery is a leader in the field of education and renowned in his ability to facilitate groups where they explore issues, exchange ideas, share common problems and celebrate common successes. The result was a rich experience for all.

Britt Qualifies for National Equestrian Event

Wed, 15 August 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Jenna Britt, a rising VI Former, of Hopkinton, MA competed at the Connecticut Morgan Horse Show and finished first in the equitation class Western Seat. Jenna received the Silver Medal from the American Morgan Horse Association (AMHA) for her performance and the chance to compete for the seat’s Gold Medal at the 2007 Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show held in Oklahoma City October 6 - 13.

Ingolv Helland '92 Exhibits at National Portrait Gallery in London

Mon, 30 July 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Class of ’92 artist Ingolv Helland has had his “Winter Portrait” chosen as the cover art for this years BP Portrait Award exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The BP Portrait Award is a leading showcase for young painters specializing in the field of portraiture. Helland is one of only 60 artists chosen out of 1,870 entries to be part of this exhibit.

Martinson Elected President of the Board of Trustees

Wed, 11 July 2007 00:00:00 -0400

John Warren is pleased to announce that G. Thomas Martinson ’80 of Milton, MA was elected President of the St. Mark’s Board of Trustees and Alys Reynders Scott ’85 of Carlisle, MA was elected Vice President at the recent Trustee strategic retreat in June.

Electric Vehicle Club "Knows its Stuff"

Fri, 22 June 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Physics teacher and environmental guru Ken Wells recently shared some good news about the St. Mark’s Environmental Club, who raced their solar car this past weekend in the 21st Century Automotive Challenge in New Jersey. Although they didn’t take home the top honors this year, St. Markers did receive two significant awards. To find out more, read this excerpt from his account below:

Reunion Turnout Over 300!

Mon, 18 June 2007 00:00:00 -0400

This past weekend saw more than 300 alumni/ae arrive on the Quad at St. Mark's for a fun-filled reunion weekend complete with clambakes, sports events, cocktails, clowns and a chance to reconnect with friends and former faculty.

Henry Large, Senior Master, started Saturday off recounting the Battle of Gettysburg to a packed house in the Black Box Theater. This was followed by a report from John Warren, Head of School, and some time for a Q&A period.

Toothpicks Can Make A Bridge!

Fri, 1 June 2007 00:00:00 -0400

After the AP Exams were over the Physics B students were eager to do something fun and creative. After discussion, it was decided it would be exciting to create a bridge, made out of toothpicks, which could hold a substantial amount of weight.

Four St. Markers Receive National Honors on French Test

Steve Lynch — Wed, 23 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) sponsor a national French test every year called "Le Grand Concours". Thousands of students of French throughout the United States take this test and our students did exceptionally well. Of the St. Markers in French 3, French 4 and AP French Literature who took this test this year, everyone passed and several received higher honors.

Essayist Franklin Burroughs Visits Campus

Sun, 6 May 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Essayist Franklin Burroughs spent two days on campus as St. Mark’s visiting writer. Burroughs spoke to a number of fourth- and fifth-form English classes about his life as a reader, writer, and teacher. He asked students to think about the ways that reading might “make their minds a more inhabitable place,” and suggested that their writing might be an extension and clarification of their most private thoughts.

Renowned Artist Visits Studio II Class

Fri, 5 January 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Russian artist Alex Geresev, who now makes his home in the US, visited Barb Putnam's advanced studio class (Studio II) this past Saturday.

St. Marker Wins National Award

Thu, 19 April 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Megan Smith, faculty advisor to the St. Marker, announced this week that the newspaper had won First Place with Special Merit in the American Scholastic Press Association 2006-2007 Scholastic Newspaper Awards competition. The competition reviews page design, story layout, graphics, headlining, cover design, advertising placement, photography and a variety of other journalistic elements.

When hearing of the award, Jinny Lee, Co-Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper had this to say: “The St. Marker newspaper has given me such a valuable journalistic experience.

St. Markers Earn Top Scores in Chemistry Competition

Peter Melcher — Thu, 12 April 2007 00:00:00 -0400

The results of the local qualifying competition for the National Chemistry Olympiad are in and St. Markers are beaming! Last week's regional competition, held at St. Mark’s, represented the first time that our school has participated in the competition. The results proved exceedingly favorable for St. Mark’s, as our VI Formers not only took the top 2 spots, but they secured 6 of the top 8 places. St. Mark’s was also first in team score (calculated as the sum of the top 5 students from each school.)

St. Markers Travel to Italy and Greece

Dr. Hartnett — Sun, 25 March 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Twenty-three St. Markers, along with five teachers, returned recently from a ten day trip to Italy and Greece, where they walked amid such monuments as the Colosseum, the House of Augustus, the Parthenon and the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. But their experience was not limited to rocks and ruins—they also got a taste of contemporary Greek and Italian culture as well, sampling such delights as Italian gelato and Greek saganaki, lounging on the Spanish Steps at dusk, and braving the crowd at a European soccer match.

Visit from UVA Poet and Scholar a Cure for the February Doldrums

Fri, 16 February 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Stephen Cushman, accomplished poet and professor of American literature at the University of Virginia, spent three days as a visiting writer at St. Mark’s this past week, bringing his warmth and energy to the snowy campus.

Harvard Professor Discusses Global Warming

Tue, 23 January 2007 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Timothy Weiskel, one of the founders and Co-Director of The Climate Talks Project, lectured faculty and students last week about the impact of climate changes on the environment and public health.