NFA World

By Geoff Serra

 

With thunderous applause and a sea of upraised cell phones, the audience of 200 embraced the unifying power of music. The Musicians Club hosted an acoustical concert 6-9, Feb. 15, in Slater Auditorium. The show highlighted a the talents NFA students Jaime McArdle, Amanda Sullivan, Peter Gamble, and the bands Double Play, Easy on the Mayo, and Free Play. World-renowned professional guitarists Craig D'Andrea, Antoine Dufour, and Andy McKee highlighted the line up. Andy McKee, with the equally talented Don Ross, recently released a new CD, The Thing That Came from Somewhere. Patrick Kirker, English teacher and Musicians Club advisor, reports that the concert was a fundraiser for ALS research (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ~ or Lou Gehrig's Disease).

 

In anticipation of Norwich’s 350th anniversary, the Slater Memorial Museum and the Norwich Historical Society are co-sponsoring an effort to capture the history and flavor of previous Norwich Anniversary celebrations. The goal is to record as many items as possible that relate to past celebrations. Norwich Anniversary Memorabilia Day will take place 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m, March 1. The day will provide an opportunity for the general public to share with neighbors their anniversary-related objects, photos and/or stories to be digitally photographed and/or videotaped.

 

The public is invited to stop by the Ensemble Room of the Frank Center to record their memorabilia or stories. The result will be a collection of images and stories to help plan and create events for the upcoming Semiceptcentennial as well as for Norwich celebrations of the future. If you are unable to attend but have something to share, please call Ann Shapiro at 889-6581 or e-mail ann.s@crackerbarrel-ents.com.

 

Watch also for the Norwich Historical Society’s annual meeting; which is open to the public at 7:00 p.m., March 24 at the Rose City Senior Center. Featured will be a presentation by Vivian Zoë, Director of the Slater Museum, entitled “Celebrating Norwich: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!”

 

Early Sunday morning, 44 World Language students, the majority studying French, boarded motor coaches and headed north to Quebec for three days of culture, history, winter sports, and language experience. Arranged by French teacher Madame Feldman, and chaperoned by Monsieur Williston and Monsieur Poletti, the trip was filled with food, fun, and adventure. Students stayed at the beautiful Chateau Frontenac.

 

Beginning with the ferry ride across the mile-wide St. Lawrence River to the port of Quebec, students were kept busy tobogganing, dog sledding, and inner tubing. Students spent an evening touring working sugar shacks before enjoying an authentic dinner at a French-Canadian Cabane `a Sucre. A treat of real maple syrup and snow led to an evening of traditional dances and folk songs. Students also spent a morning at the National Battlefields Commission’s Discovery Pavilion participating in an interactive lesson about warfare in the time of Generals Wolfe and Montcalm. This was the World Language Department’s fourth trip to Quebec, and there will be more if sophomore Sara Klauer has her way, claiming, “I’ll go again next year, and the year after that!”

 

Between March 3 and March 12, the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) will be administered to students in Grade 10 and to eleventh graders who need re-takes. Science 1 and 2 will be the first tests on Mar 3, followed by Interdisciplinary Task 1 and the Editing test on March 4; Response to Literature and Reading for Information on March 5; and Interdisciplinary Task 2 on March 6. The following week, Mathematics 1 will be administered March 10; Mathematics 2 on March 11, and Interdisciplinary Task 3 on March 12. During this time, ninth graders will take practice CAPT tests following the same schedule with the exception of March 5, when there will be no school for ninth graders.

 

All other upperclassmen will be excused from classes until testing is completed each day: 10:30 am. on March 3 -5,and 9:30 a.m. on March 6, with a normal class day for all students March 7. The second week, upperclassmen will report to classes at 9:30, March 10 -12, with a regular school day for all students on March 13. March 14 will be an early release day (12 noon) for all students, and teachers will have staff development in the afternoon.

 

NFA will provide nutritional snacks for tenth graders each day prior to testing. Good luck to all students on these exams. We know they will work hard and come to school well prepared to do their best.

 

Students have the opportunity to view the results of faculty and staff talent and creativity. The 2nd Annual NFA Faculty and Staff Art Exhibition opened in the Frank Center Gallery. Exhibiting artists are the Art Department’s Duncan Bailey, Alysha Carmody, Dan Charron, Bob Davidson, Frank Novack, and Melissa Smith. They are joined by staff Carol Baker and Nancee Martin, World Language Department Head Kathy Haffey, Slater Museum Educator Mary-Anne Hall, Special Education Department’s Pam Hitchcock, Physical Education Department Head Laurie Zaneski, Library Director Chuck Lynch, Campus Safety Officer Ray Evans, and Project Outreach Coordinator Jodi Vara. Works displayed are in every medium imaginable -- papier mâchè sculpture, textile, photography, pen and ink, wood, clay, metal, and oil. What a talented group!

 

Wildcat Billboard:

For all regularly scheduled Varsity Athletic events, consult the NFA Web site, Athletics Tab, schedule link.

Chelsea Gardens Meeting, 6 p.m., Feb. 25, Slater.

Driver’s Education Parents Night, 6 p.m., Feb. 26, Cafeteria.

Board of Trustees, 5:30-8 p.m., Feb. 26, Latham, Room 6109.

Movie Debut, Feb. 27, 6-9 p.m., Slater Auditorium.

Scholastic Aptitude Test, 7 a.m., March 1, Cranston.

 

I leave you to reflect upon the words of economist and social philosopher Thorstein Veblen, words my dad frequently repeated: “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

 

Geoff Serra teaches English at NFA. Reach him at serrag@norwichfreeacademy.com