The Forman School View

Commencement: 2011

2011-07-05T15:33:00.000-04:00

By Harry Tubman, Sschool Chronicler

This year's graduation began under leaden skies, but just as Head of School Adam Man asked the Class of 2011 to rise for the official conferral of their diplomas, sunlight flooded the Green in a propitious omen.

Adam Man observed that Commencement is a time of both joy and sadness for faculty and staff because the members of the senior class have been “enmeshed in our lives,” and he praised them for their unique contributions to our community. He adjured the graduates to retain the natural curiosity of their childhood and employ their ability to practice divergent thinking as one key to success in college and beyond.

Our Commencement speaker was Peter Post, Director of the Post Institute and author of many books including The Etiquette Advantage in Business. He spoke eloquently about the real meaning of the word “etiquette,” which is creating strong, positive relationships in all areas of life. “Perspective matters. See yourselves as others do.” In the spirit of his great-grandmother, Emily Post, he urged seniors to “wrap yourselves in the love and support of family and friends.”

Senior Class President Alicia Cohen emphasized the spirit of desire and determination as motivating forces at Forman for her and her classmates, quoting St. John, “One must fail in order to succeed.” She spoke of her decision to attend Forman as a “fork in the road” to a new future for herself and emphasized that this graduation presented equally significant forks in the road for her fellow classmates. The positive energy of the day and its concomitant nostalgia were distilled by Ted Bartley and Ben Ferguson in a beautifully sung The Time of Your Life.

“Another turning point;

A fork stuck in the road.

Time grabs you by the wrist;

Directs you where to go.

So make the best of this test and don't ask why.

It's not a question but a lesson learned in time.

It's something unpredictable

But in the end it's right.

I hope you had the time of your life.”

Freshmen Seminar Pioneers in Citizenship Awareness

2011-05-10T08:17:00.001-04:00

By Harry Tubman, School Chronicler

Francey Fenton, Dean of Student Activities, is leading this year's 9^th grade class in a new course called Freshmen Seminar, which is a comprehensive exploration of citizenship, decision-making and personal responsibility.

The class meets at 7:30 on Monday evenings to conduct candid, open conversations about what it means to be a positive citizen at Forman and in the greater community beyond Forman. They explore the decision-making process in order to understand how each decision impacts themselves and others. Consequently, the group discusses their interactions with others, as well as various dimensions of teenage life such as friendships, peer pressure and bullying.

Experiential education takes many forms. For example, the class embarked on a study of etiquette and manners, topics which were major priorities of John and Julie Forman during our school's early years. The class went back to basics on everything from setting a table, using utensils properly, writing thank you notes and manipulating chopsticks, a great way to learn about Chinese food. International students led discussions on how etiquette and customs vary from culture to culture.

When studying the effects and potential dangers of energy drinks, the class divided into seven teams charged with creating and marketing a healthy energy drink. The project culminated with each team presenting a sales pitch and submitting a sales portfolio to a panel of faculty judges.

Perhaps most importantly, all freshmen engaged in the critical skill of essay revision, a dreaded process for most teenage writers. Students wrote and revised essays on individuals whom they admired, and the reasons for their choices. The results were so creative and thoughtful that many students gave copies to their subjects as holiday gifts. Francey Fenton said, “I had the good fortune to meet a grandfather who was the subject of one essay, and he told me he cried when he read it. That was a good feeling.”

Experiential education at its best.

A Man for All Seasons

2011-04-19T08:23:00.000-04:00

A Man for All Seasons

By Harry Tubman, School Chronicler

“Litchfield may be a small place on the map, but it occupies a big space in my heart.” Will Port '07 uttered these words to his immediate family and his Forman family and friends last Saturday at a gathering arranged by his parents, Nancy and Alan Port, to celebrate his accomplishments and the successful completion of his training as a special operations Marine. He will soon be deployed somewhere in the Middle East.

Will's parents recalled that as a child, he collected military facts and history when other kids were reading comic books. At one point during the evening, Will sported a coonskin cap, a relic of his childhood days when he aspired to do heroic deeds, to which end he dedicated himself to protecting a kindergartener who was the victim of playground bullying. This reminded me of Will's 12^th grade English class who read the saga of Beowulf, another young warrior who traveled to a distant land to protect the weak from injustice.

Will's Mom and two sisters displayed their three bracelets which read “William S. Port” on one side and “My Hero” on the reverse side. They will keep these bracelets on until his safe return from his deployment. Will confirmed that he sees his family as guardian angels “looking over me in the military.” We all feel secure in the knowledge that he will be sustained by his deeply held tenets of “honor, courage, commitment and bonds of love.”

History With Harry

2011-02-22T09:38:00.001-05:00

Recently, I have been researching and writing a history of The Forman School in honor of the School's 80^th birthday. This has been a fascinating and moving experience. In conjunction with this project, I have been asked to offer a presentation on the topic during Alumni Weekend in May. To that end, the following blog posting will attempt to pique your interest with some of the many intriguing questions that arose during the process and which I will answer during the presentation.

How did the Forman's first meet? What prompted their desire to found a school?

What roles did Albert Einstein and Samuel Orton (of Orton-Gillingham phonics system) play during Forman's early years?

How did the year-round tenting tradition begin?

Exactly what was the School's “open pore” policy?

What current Hollywood superstar, the son of another Hollywood great, attended Forman?

Which dorm was partially remodeled by students?

What role did inflatable buildings – called bubbles – play at Forman?

When was the Language Training Department (later renamed the Learning Center) first created?

What legendary Forman teacher was “busted” by Julie Forman when, as a student, he sneaked out of his dorm at night? And what did she do to him?

How did Wendy Welshans discover the silking process with spiders?

Which Forman building was sold for a dollar?

How many swimming pools are buried on the campus?

When did Forman become a four-year high school?

When did Forman become an LD school exclusively?

I hope you will become as hooked on our beloved School's history as I am.

Nature Tales Inspired By Forman’s Founders

2011-01-06T13:50:00.003-05:00

Dennie Williams (left) and School Chronicler Harry Tubman recently met in the Barbara Chace Library to discuss Forman history.

     While working on an article about the history of Forman, I recently conducted a delightful interview with Dennie Williams, a nephew of John and Julie Forman. Dennie's father, Tom, was an extremely active, supportive trustee who was an enormous source of help and advice for Julie after John passed away in 1967. Williams classroom building was named in honor of Tom's contributions to Forman.

     Among the many topics that we discussed during our interview, Dennie informed me about the spiritual relationship with nature that the Formans developed through horse back-packing trips, camping expeditions and even the construction of an isolated, idyllic retreat here in Litchfield.

     Dennie is currently working on the publication of a fascinating book which explores the spiritual connections that occur among humans, birds and other creatures. Dennie writes, “One of the critical issues facing the world today is the vital obligation to preserve and protect the environment. Children, teenagers and adults need to educate themselves as much as possible to the very soul of nature. This book and its short stories are a humble effort at catching the attention of readers to the need to appreciate wildlife and the actuality that wild creatures can and do communicate their vital needs. Once people at an early age become educated to the needs of wildlife, the less destructive they will be toward nature in their lifetimes.”

     These tales are intended for readers of all ages and are deeply rooted in the idealism of Dennie Williams, which was in turn inspired by the lives and deeds of John and Julie Forman.

Winterim Project to Leave a Lasting Impression on Forman Campus

2010-12-14T10:26:00.001-05:00

Environmental “Hut”

Last year, Jake Horne had a brain child which is on the verge of fruition: an environmental hut overlooking the Forman Pond beyond the athletic fields. His vision was of a facility that could be used as a classroom for environmental science classes, outdoor leadership programs and headquarters for studies in geological history, as well as be a place to simply experience the local flora and fauna.

Recently, I hiked to the field, crossed the bridge that spans our roaring brook and beheld across the pond a handsome, capacious structure, which is far more than some Thoreauvian hut. This is a solid cabin with a 20’ x 24’ interior, which expands to 20’ x 36’ with the observation deck, a peaked roof, front and back doors, an ADA ramp in the rear and windows on 3 sides.

Chris Ford designed the structure and skillfully planned all stages of construction, during which he and Jake are leading 13 intrepid, non-union construction workers. With the help of Matt P. and Nick M., they spent the Thanksgiving break preparing the site and digging 21 holes in extremely rocky ground for the support piers.

The students have proven remarkably sturdy, determined and rugged as they have toiled through driving rain, wind and bitterly cold temperatures. They keep a toasty campfire going and work steadily in alternating shifts, but they have expressed great pride in providing Forman with a permanent facility for future generations of students.

Chris Ford envisions solar panels in the future which will power a battery in order to provide LED (light emitting diode) lighting and plug-ins for laptop computers. The cabin (“hut” seems a misnomer to me) is such a wonderful achievement through terrific teamwork that it calls out for a formal name. Independent of one another, Chris and I each came up with “The Lions' Den,” but perhaps the school will invent an alternative name, but name it we must.

Josh Sacks '10, Ithacan

2010-12-09T10:25:00.004-05:00

Josh Sacks '10 (left) and a friend enjoy a sporting event at Ithaca College this fall.

“I love it here, really well.” The words made my heart sing when Josh uttered them because he was my advisee during his two years at Forman and I disciplined myself to wait for a few months before contacting him at Ithaca.

Josh is pursuing a major in integrated marketing and business communications. He is taking courses in Mass Media, Strategic Communications and Personal Health, as well as Introduction to Theater. I was thrilled to hear about the latter course because Josh had honed his acting skills in several successful plays and musicals at Forman, and he assured me that he will start auditioning for shows at Ithaca next semester. He is also taking Academic Writing, which Josh says is the next level up from his Thinking and Writing class at Forman. This course moves more quickly but he feels prepared for it. However, he says, “I''ve never been busier.”

The Student Disabilities Services regularly check on Josh's academic needs and keep in touch on matters such as formats for reading and/or listening to textbooks. He receives extended time on tests in distraction-free environments.

The size of Ithaca? No problem. “You find a niche. The school is the perfect size. There's plenty of space in a big college town in the middle of nowhere.” Whew! I guess we teachers are a lot like parents. We experience a kind of catharsis when our students survive, succeed and achieve happiness in the next theater of experience.

Veterans' Day calls to mind those who have served from the Forman community

2010-11-09T12:18:00.000-05:00

In 1919, the Allies and Germany signed the peace treaty which ended World War I (at the time dubbed the war to end all wars) at the 11^th hour on the 11^th day of the 11^th month of the year. President Wilson proclaimed Armistice Day as an annual tradition “to be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service.”

Here at Forman, in 1947, Yale House was renamed “Hopkins” in honor of Donald Hopkins '43, who was killed in action while serving in the navy. Donald lived in Yale House during his senior year.

In 1954, President Eisenhower signed legislation renaming Armistice Day as Veterans' Day. As American tradition developed, Memorial Day was dedicated to Wilson’s original intent of honoring those who died during service, while Veterans Day honors the living who served their nation.

Throughout my lifetime, America has almost continuously been engaged in armed conflicts around the world, from World War II and the Korean War to major engagements in Vietnam, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as many other peace-keeping missions in between. You and I here at Forman exist in a bubble of peace and security thanks to millions of men and women protecting America around the globe.

Current staff members at Forman who have served in the military include Frank Hulik, who served in the army, including 14 months in Vietnam; Bruce Corey, who served nine years in the army, many of them in Germany; and Paul Opperman who sailed on two world-wide deployments on the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.

As for future veterans, four of my recent students here at Forman have enlisted in military service. Jon Jelenko ’03 joined the army shortly after graduation and became a Civil Affairs Specialist in a special-operations unit that supervised reconstruction projects, trained the Iraqi military and worked as the contact point between the army and the local population. Jon signs off in all of his emails with this statement: “I fight not for hate of those in front of me, but for love of those behind me.”

Charlie Szenkuti ’06 like Jon wanted to participate in history and join in an endeavor larger than himself. He enlisted in the Coast Guard and participates in all manner of rescue and security missions. Charlie informed my senior classes during a return visit that the Coast Guard also deploys overseas to protect all American military ships around the world.

Ian Hayward, also from class of '06, enlisted in the army and is currently in Baghdad working as a medic in the personal security detail for a Command Sergeant Major on General Odieno's staff, as well as working on Operation: Proper Exit. In this capacity, Ian helps troops in Iraq reach closure after experiencing life-changing events. He has been especially moved in observing and dealing with post traumatic stress among many returning soldiers.

Will Port ’07 wrote to me, “I have done my best in the marines (who have) given me the chance to be part of one of the best units in the U.S military. I work hand in hand with the Navy Seals and Army Special Forces. It's odd to think about giving your life for someone you work with, and knowing he would do the same for you. This is what I experience every time we train and go into harm's way.” Will signs all of his emails with “Semper Fidelis.”

All four of these young men embody the ideals of service, citizenship and community which we exalt here at Forman, and I am extremely proud of each of them. Furthermore, they give personal faces and a deeper dimension to the meaning of Veterans' Day. We should all express profound gratitude to our once and future veterans.

Meet Dayne Price: Ithacan

2010-10-26T15:00:00.001-04:00

Above: Danye Price '10 and School Chronicler Harry Tubman during Dayne’s October 2010 visit to Forman.

I had the unexpected pleasure of bumping into Dayne Price ’10 recently in Henderson while he was visiting Forman during Ithaca's Fall break, and he is thriving there, despite the fact that he graduated from cozy Forman and now lives on a campus of over 7,000 students. He told me that even in a large community, he has found many ways to carve out his own niche. He also told me that having experienced a boarding school environment at Forman was a major asset in adapting to college life.

Dayne is availing himself of the entire range of resources available at Ithaca, including the Academic Enrichment Services, the Writing Center and the Student Disabilities Services. He recently received extended time on a difficult exam, dogging it out for 3.5 hours and nailed the test with a B. He also utilizes Ithaca's tutoring services in Anatomy, Chemistry and Biology.

Dayne told me that his fellow graduate, Josh Sacks ’10, who lives in his dorm, is also doing very well. “It feels good to know that another Forman student is around,” said Dayne “It is possible to balance academic and social lives.” Seniors, take note.

Coincidentally, Dayne and Josh live in Lyon (not Lion) Hall dormitory. Anyway, Go Lions!

Notes From New Orleans

2010-09-21T09:29:00.000-04:00

Shana Hayward 01, one of my former English students, lives and works in New Orleans. She recently shared with me some fascinating and timely comparisons between her city's experiences with Katrina 5 years ago and the recent 5-month debacle caused by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Shana writes, “Down here we survive disasters with same grace and poise that we survive Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest; we band together and throw street parties. Katrina left me with a sense of pride in my city and really the entire Gulf coast. Because I wanted to contribute to my city, I worked nights at a little cafe that provided work experience to people with mental disabilities. We made sandwiches and box lunches for relief workers, and I worked days at a coffee shop, giving away free coffee to cops, firemen, national guardsmen and the coast guard.” Shana expressed a deep sense of pride in herself and her friends who remained in the city under challenging circumstances. “My apartment was a 2^nd floor island” but there were moments that were really “fun.”

By contrast, Shana says that the oil spill has left many residents with a sense of hopelessness, with nothing to buoy spirits but assisting in the cleanup and writing letters to members of Congress. General feelings about offshore drilling are ambivalent since much of the population makes their living from the industry. On the other hand, fishing, shrimping and harvesting oysters are vital to the region and its culture as well. Shana describes south Louisiana as a “cultural treasure. It is a beautiful, amazing place where race, language and religion exist in a big pot of people gumbo. People speak English at work and a mixed broken French/Creole at home. With an increasing Latino population, the region is even more culturally interesting.”

Shana is currently renovating and painting a house, as well as working in a flower shop with the ultimate goal of buying it as her own business. She not only works with floral arrangements decoratively, but as a medium of artistic expression. In August, she displayed some of her creations at “The Front,” a local art gallery. She also displays her work annually at the New Orleans Museum. Her artistic flair is on display here at Forman in the Class of 01 mural on the wall of the side stairwell in Williams.

I think Shana is a hero through her personal engagement in both disasters, and she embodies the spirit of service that we try to inculcate here at Forman. I can't wait to visit her and share some real gumbo.

Community Service at Forman : 2009-2010

2010-07-14T10:02:00.000-04:00

Forman students participate in 2,375.75 hours of service!

During the past academic year, Francey Fenton, Director of Student Activities, administered a far-flung program that spanned more than 75 organizations in at least 17 states and 6 different nations. Our students have volunteered in senior centers, convalescent and assisted living institutions, organizations dedicated to children's causes, local civic organizations such as soup kitchens, chapters of the Salvation Army, and Head Start, ecological and land conservation causes, community building projects such as Habitat for Humanity and others, animal rights and welfare groups, and the list goes on.

Forman students have been affiliated with museums, temples, churches, hospitals, schools, fire departments and theaters. Through these involvements, Francey observed that “Each student puts himself or herself in a positive light, represents the school in a positive way and feels good about giving back.” She believes that service activities encourage students to grow within themselves and represent Forman with a new sense of pride.

One marvelous result which arose throughout the year has been the positive feedback from organizations benefitting from our students' service. This has resulted in the receipt of many sterling letters of commendation from directors and supervisors, and Francey would like to see these letters included in students' college advising files.

For example, the Secretary General for Missionaries of the Poor in Kingston, Jamaica praised Charles Lym, Elias Habib and Dmitri Habib for their “wonderful handling of 5-11 age kids from poor families. Their initiatives in volunteering and serving have been a great inspiration for these little children.” The Lieutenant of the South Side Hook and Ladder Company of Hempstead, New York praised Pat Charles for his work ethic. “Pat is a fast learner and has brought some ideas of his own to our company – one in particular, the same grip he uses for his lacrosse stick we now use on many of our firefighting and forcible entry tools.” The Lux-Mundi Foundation of Friends Against Children's Cancer in the Dominican Republic cited Eduardo Rodriquez for “energy, sensibility and enthusiasm hardly found in students these days.” Zach DeWeese was commended by the Canton Land Conservation Trust for salvaging firewood from damaged trees and making stacked deliveries to homes of elderly citizens. The Wayside Soup Kitchen in Maine hopes to see Nick Roy continue his efforts this summer.

I regret that a blog format has space for only a few examples from scores and scores of inspiring, sometimes touching stories. Some of the highlights involved team efforts, such as the rebuilding project in New Milford enjoined by Lee Wulc, Ian McClannan, Joe Burton, Sam Snyder, Kyle Kadlec, Christian Downes, Nick Power and Caspar Jebsen. Sarah Clewer elicited such enthusiastic support among her peers for a year-end blood drive that the American Red Cross is excited about returning to Forman next year for another drive, this time open to the public.

Francey Fenton is exhilarated by our students' achievements. She believes that their enthusiasm and commitment will result in more service hours during the summer and spill over into the new school year with momentum, energy and a renewed communal appreciation for the true meaning of service.

Alternative Routes to College: An Unsung Resource

2010-06-21T09:11:00.000-04:00

We have just enjoyed another successful graduation ceremony at Forman during which the commencement speakers addressed the Class of 2010 on how to succeed in life and in college. Indeed, all members of this graduating class were accepted into college this year. However, as happens many years, not every senior seated under the Graduation Maple is jumping directly into college life.

Recently, I enjoyed conversations with Callie Smith and Isabel Rollo, both members of the Class of 2010 who are deferring their attendance at college in favor of alternate plans. This is frequently call a “gap” year which is a misnomer because the word “gap” connotes emptiness in space or time, and nothing could be further from the truth in the cases of Callie and Isabel.

Before attending school at Johnson and Wales to study graphic design, Callie will be traveling to India under the aegis of a global organization called Where There Be Dragons, whose mission is to offer semester-long immersions “into strikingly different physical and cultural landscapes combining the best in experiential learning, travel and service.” Callie chose India after seeing the film “Monsoon Wedding” in Adam Man's anthropology class. She fell in love with the colors and the culture of India and developed a strong desire to experience first hand what India is all about. “I want to open my eyes and probe beneath the surface,” she said.

Both Callie and Isabel expressed the view that too many high school graduates “take college for granted,” and they share a common desire to see college from a different perspective with a year of life experience under their belts first. Isabel, for example, believes that her future in college and in life will take her into the field of Outdoor Leadership. However, this area is so mind-bogglingly broad and diverse that she intends to pursue an exploratory program in Massachusetts where she will be able to experience this variety. Isabel believes that the year will provide the basis for more informed decisions at the college level. After all, consider the breadth of the field: backcountry travel, environmental education, and an array of environmental experiences in water, vertical and challenge courses, mountaineering and many more.

Earlier this year, I interviewed Danny McCarty at Central Connecticut State University where he has just completed a four-year major in physical education. Before attending Central, however, he spent a year working, while using the necessary time and space so sort out his priorities for a major in college. “I was facing three exciting possibilities in English, theater and P.E.,” he explained, and went on to iterate what Callie and Isabel echoed in our recent conversations about creating a different perspective on the college experience.

Three of my students in the class of '09 made similar decisions during this past year. Jeff Bell and Michael Elghazi, like Callie, enrolled in a semester course offered by Where There Be Dragons by traveling to China, Laos and Thailand, ultimately sailing most of the length of the Mekong River, while living with welcoming villagers along the way, exploring remarkable landscapes and learning adventurous new cuisines. They documented their experiences on the organization's journal site, Yak Yak, and I was thrilled to follow them through Asia. Their classmate, Julie Marmor, traveled to Cape Town in South Africa where she worked for an organization dedicated to the rescue and care of penguins and other endangered sea birds. She adopted a grumpy penguin named Stumpy and, more importantly, participated in the release and restoration of many coast line birds to their natural habitats. When my former students relate their college experiences to me, I experience a surge of paternal pride in their achievements. I feel the same pride in Julie, Jeff and Michael who graduated from Forman with open minds and open hearts, embracing life as true citizens of the world.

Senior Appreciation Night

2010-05-31T10:15:00.002-04:00

On Sunday evening, the annual Senior Appreciation Night was rolled out in a shiny new format, and it was a resounding success, an event that glowed with nostalgia and school spirit within the entire community.

We began the evening with an elegant dinner of chicken cordon-bleu, scalloped potatoes, garden salad and fresh vegetables. Thank you, Laurie Pelow and kitchen staff! Seniors sat at specially designated tables while the underclassmen enjoyed dinner with their advisors. The entire community then adjourned to Johnson Arts Center where Cameron Pryor led the seniors into the hall with his bagpipe. What a brave sound is the bagpipe! It distinguishes Forman's graduation from all others. Then Mrs. Redington read the yearbook dedication to Peggy Bushey, a beloved, long-serving housekeeper who, I might add, was a wonderful colleague of mine years ago in my housekeeping days at Forman.

Christopher Ford, Mathematics Department Chairman, delivered an address to the seniors in what I can only describe as a tour de force. The previous tradition entailed individual speeches by members of the faculty and staff for every senior, a personalized format but extremely cumbersome and lengthy for a class of over 50. On Sunday, Chris devoted his remarks to the theme of “muchness”, i.e. the unique qualities and contributions of each student that we will all miss very much next year. In personalizing every senior's individuality, he managed to reveal a deep sense of community, Forman's brand of e pluribus unum, as it were. Andrew Deacon and Maeve Ewing, Senior Class Deans, presented a splendid and extensive slide show which documented the entire year for the Class of 2010, including their shared experiences such as the trip to Six Flags, Strawberry Fest, camping at Hamonasset Beach and many more.

The seniors then spilled out onto the sunsplashed Green where they were greeted by their chosen teachers or staff members who presented them with bags containing their yearbooks, bracelets for the women and ties for the men, gifts of appreciation from the school. Emotions ran high and I know from experience that they will build as the week progresses. Ian McClannan observed that “Some people are already beginning to cry.” And it wasn't only the seniors.

Scream!

2010-05-20T09:15:00.003-04:00

On Friday, May 7^th , after giving the seniors a dress-down day, Head of School, Adam Man, convened them in Johnson Arts Center for a class meeting. On behalf of the faculty and staff he acknowledged their achievements, leadership and contributions to Forman during this pivotal year and then announced that as a special reward, a coach had been booked for transportation to a day at Six Flags in Agawam, Massachusetts. An explosion erupted from the audience, as they experienced the deliciously unexpected anticipation of a day at play.

At any amusement park, people of all ages become kids again, and this was amply demonstrated by chaperones Andrew Deacon, Francey Fenton, Maeve Ewing and Meredith Morse, all of whom joined the seniors in a variety of suicidal adventures.

Nestled in the shadow of an 80 foot tower called “Scream” which hauls its victims to the top and drops them precipitously to earth, sits the granddaddy of all the rollercoasters at Six Flags, “The Cyclone”, built in 1940 and later renamed “Thunderbolt.” Peeling and rusting, it seemed much safer to this older observer than the modern, colorful, creative rides that hurl passengers through space, turning and twisting them upside down: “Bizarro,” “Mind Eraser,” “Batman” and “Flashback”.

However, the most frightening sight for me was to watch my good friend, Forman’s athletic director, Scott McCarty alongside senior Doug Patch propelled upward for what looked like hundreds of feet into the blue ether, restrained only by 12 large rubber bands and the 2 wildly swaying arms of “The Slingshot.” Other participants Orry LaCroix, Nancy Bozak, Maeve, Meredith and Andrew gathered at the base of this contraption rooting them on.

Christian Rempel took a different path during the day by winning prizes in some of the athletic games such as shooting basketballs and completing 6 football forward passes at netted targets and kicking 3 field goals, all in a required 40 seconds. (And he didn’t even request extended time on the test.)

I shudder to think of the total number of junk food calories ingested by the class of 2010, but I had a blast watching them let loose for a much-needed day of play therapy.

Click here to view a Slide Show of the day events.

Rite of Spring

2010-05-07T11:42:00.002-04:00

It's that time of year again when Nigel Daniel asks the faculty for their annual nominations for membership in the Green Key Society. I wrote an article in the Winter 2010 Forman Letter on community service at Forman and included the following summary of its history at our school. I think our readership could benefit from a brief review of this unique organization.

Early in Forman's history, a group of faculty and students established the Green Key Society for the purpose of recognizing students “who have achieved a high level of maturity and moral standing in the community.” It was a very formally structured organization with an elaborate constitution and a complex set of by-laws, which might explain why it ultimately languished until Nigel Daniel and Peter Henry resurrected it. Nigel and history teacher Terry O'Neill changed the focus to avoid an elite group by recognizing “students who perform services beyond the call of duty at the Forman School.” Green Key members are positive, cheerful students and it is the purpose of the Society to “acknowledge the quiet, steady contributions of these wonderful students.”

Nigel Daniel has worn many hats at Forman, including Assistant Head of School, teacher, dorm parent, coach and every kind of deanship possible. However, it is possible that organizing and advising the Green Key Society is his favorite role. There is a special gleam in his eye each Spring Term when he solicits faculty nominations to Green Key. Nigel especially enjoys the unassuming nature of students' contributions which reflect loyalty and positive citizenship through deeds performed for their inherent virtue, not for medals or weekend privileges or some form of status. The Green Key offers an opportunity to appreciate how our students' unique qualities emerge from teachers' personal experiences with kids. In short, service is no stranger on the Forman campus.

Confessions of a Baseball Roadie

2010-04-29T16:55:00.000-04:00

Ted Williams freqently claimed that the most challenging achievement in sports is hitting a moving, round object with another moving round object and propelling it out of the ballpark. If true, the fact makes the towering home runs of Greg Goldsmith and Eric Opperman this spring even more awe-inspiring. And then there's “The Catch” by Christian Walters as he landed on top of Forman's outfield fence robbing a Harvey batsman of a homer.

However, baseball is not all about home runs and star turns. I have followed the Lions to far and distant lands this spring – Housatonic, NYMA, Darrow, Masters School – and I have spent quality time with solid utility players like Robert Muolo, Murphy Brodlowicz and Romaine Nicholson, all of whom, when they are not on the field, stay involved in every inning cheering for their team. Tyler Singewald caught an excellent game at NYMA as backup to Greg, and Alex Evans and John Tomasek provide steady bats and sure hands as utility outfielders.

Our pitching is not only deep, it's very interesting. Chris Moran pitches gem after gem with an outstanding fast ball and a wide array of off speed stuff. Eric Opperman is striking out as many batters with his curveball as with his fastball. Christian Walters baffles opposing batters, as well as yours truly, with a ¾ submarine pitch, and John Charles Nowosadko can come to the mound from 2^nd base with steady performances.

The infield is almost airtight with Jason Smith outstanding at the hot corner, Patrick O'Keefe and John Charles plugging the middle and at first, Matt Pelow is a vacuum cleaner. Eduardo Rodriguez, along with all other outfielders, has made some super catches. In addition, Eduardo and Matt have brought back the bunting game, a potent but often ignored offensive weapon.

What can I say about “Coach” Doug Patch? He keeps the scorecard and book for the team in the most statistic-laden sport on earth. This is an extremely complex job requiring focus, thorough knowledge of the game and dedication. Coaches Chris Ford and Scott McCarty have forged a team whose love of baseball is palpable, enthusiasm unrelenting and determination adamantine.

I can't end this blog without acknowledging Marty Bozak and the maintenance crew who have created and maintened the best baseball field in the league. With apologies to all of Forman's fine athletes in lacrosse, tennis, golf, ultimate frisbee and the equestrian arts, I am an unredeemable baseball roadie, addicted to the game, and this year's Lions have given me a memorable joyride all spring.

America The Beautiful, and the Safe

2010-04-09T12:09:00.000-04:00

National Pastime Illustrates Rural, Picturesque Environment

           Recently, I took a beautiful drive through northwestern Connecticut into the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts and crossed the New York State line to The Darrow School, which is nestled among sweeping, rolling hills and farmlands.

            The Forman baseball team was playing Darrow. The temperature was 80 degrees and the sky cloudless. As Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs used to say, “It’s a beautiful day for baseball; let’s play two.” Not possible on this day, as the Lions defeated Darrow 26-1 in a blowout. But it was a perfect day for the national pastime and all the athletes on both teams had fun. I was introduced to the baffling submarine pitch of Christian Walters, a sweet bunt (the 1^st of the season) by Eduardo Rodriguez and two massive home runs by Greg Goldsmith.

At the end, the teams slapped their traditional congratulatory hands, our team presented the traditional “Honor the Game” medal to Darrow’s #22 who both pitched and caught the game, and I enjoyed a lovely spring drive home past the lakes, reservoirs and farms of northwestern Connecticut.

After supper, I traveled my daily commute to Forman for evening study hall and was dazzled by a blood-red sunset sinking behind the shops and courthouse on Litchfield Commons.

And I experienced the simple gratitude that in this part of the world, our kids can play baseball in a beautiful setting, go to school, do their homework, hit the snack bar and bed down safely every night.

The Risley Tradition

2010-04-05T15:18:00.002-04:00

The arts are lively and well in Litchfield County and at Forman’s Risley gallery where Jennifer Sabella, a Litchfield resident, recently concluded her one-woman show in Johnson Arts Center. Jennifer displays her oils and acrylics at a wide variety of venues including the Greenwich Arts Council, the Oliver Wolcott Library and Common Ground.

Her eclectic style includes impressionistic responses to a wide variety of topics such as “Spring Grass” and “Purple Haze.” “Eye of the Beholder” reflects a stern reaction to a relative’s progressive macular degeneration, for example. Jennifer’s acrylics are created by the controlled vertical drips of families of colors in a creative fluid process that represent whimsical topics such as “Dripping with Sarcasm.” My personal favorites are her paintings of barns, which Jennifer admires for the elegant simplicity of their shapes and the interplay between light and shadow.

Michael Yurgeles, chairman of Forman’s Allied Arts department, revels in bringing the work of many diverse painters, sculptors and photographers to the Risley Gallery making Forman a center of the lively arts in Litchfield County. He is president of the Board of Trustees of the Artwell Gallery and Community Arts Center in Torrington where numerous Forman students have displayed their work through the years. Michael has also made the Risley Gallery an active member of the Litchfield Visual Arts Association, which includes many individual artists, galleries and the Litchfield Historical Society.

Michael believes that all of the allied arts programs at our school appeal to the diverse affinities of students who sometimes experience their first encounters with theater, photography, video production, ceramics and design at Forman after having been denied these opportunities at other schools. Many returning alumni state that they are involved in theater and art courses at the college level because the creative seeds were planted here.

Danny McCarty ’05 would concur. Currently in his senior year at Central Connecticut State University, Danny is pursuing a degree in education and acquiring his K-12 teaching certification in physical education. However, he recalls the excitement and value of his “non-traditional” electives here at Forman that enabled him to develop a life-long love for the theater. “I discovered that I could make my own music, my own movies,” he added.

Even the location of the Risley Gallery is “collegiate.” While visiting many of our recent graduates at their colleges this year, I have discovered that the art galleries and shows are located in the student centers, libraries and dining halls on every campus, in other words wherever students gather, placing art at the center of their lives.

The Power of Positive Energy

2010-03-16T13:46:00.002-04:00

On April 2, Sara Kelley-Mudie will host 2 authors in the library to discuss their recent publications on the wrenching experiences of living with HIV. “I Have Something to Tell You” by Regan Hoffman is a memoir about living secretly with HIV for 10 years, and “Positively” by Courtney Scheinmel is a novel about a young girl who was diagnosed with HIV at age 4 and her coming of age experiences at Camp Positive.

Sara KM plans to offer some education for our students about HIV/AIDS prior to the authors’ visit because the issue is “not headline news anymore, and many of our students see it as something they don’t have to think about; however, approximately half of all HIV infections occur in people under the age of 25.

In addition, to learning about a significant current issue, students will enjoy the opportunity to question practicing authors about the creative process, as well as learning about the genres of memoir writing and developing plot and character in a novel.

Winter Sports Banquet

2010-03-04T19:36:00.000-05:00

Once again, the Winter Term Sports Banquet provided a rousing testimonial to our students’ athletic achievements, personal growth, sportsmanship and commitment to their respective teams. Consequently, I thought that the following reflection on the athletic program to be timely and relevant.

Citius (Faster) Altius (Higher) Fortius (Stronger)

The Olympic Motto

During this academic year, The Forman School athletic department is embarking on a year-long program presented by the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA). The program is dedicated to reshaping the concepts of winning and competing by developing “triple impact competitors” whose motto is “Better” i.e. “making oneself better, making teammates better, making the game better”.

You might ask why a retired English teacher is attending staff development programs for the athletic department. The visceral answer stems from my roots in four school systems where the prevailing style of coaching was characterized by a lot of yelling, embarrassment, and unrelenting seriousness about winning.

When I became an English teacher here and started attending athletic events, I sensed and observed a different approach to sports in which winning was important but camaraderie and life lessons loomed equally large, during both practices and competitions with other schools. I remember a baseball game during which one of our batters swung and missed an embarrassingly high fast ball. Our coach yelled from the third base batter’s box, “Relax. Don’t worry about it, Jesse. That’s why we get three strikes.” On another occasion, during an interview with visiting educational consultants, our young football coach expressed his philosophy that all players should experience success and fulfillment during practices, regardless of their athletic ability and actual playing time. Indeed, this was a different world.

The PCA workshops systematize a healthy view of competition and coaching techniques which have always been fundamental to Scott McCarty’s philosophy, but not formally structured and codified. The program’s definition of a “winner” equates mistakes with the learning process, balances the scoreboard results with individual effort and builds confidence with positive teaching techniques. These include truthful, specific praise, good listening skills and the expression of appreciation in lieu of sarcasm.

The desirable result is a team of “triple impact competitors” who honor the spirit of the game, engage in “fierce” but friendly competition in which excellent opponents bring out their best, and live up to their individual standards even when others don’t. This also involves a specific brand of moral courage in which athletes display respect even when they disagree and never do anything to embarrass their team.

The broad goal of PCA, a national organization with an impressive National Advisory Board, is no less than to transform the culture of sports in America by teaching adults how to behave at youth sporting events and by enhancing the art of coaching. The program provides specific techniques in verbal and non-verbal communication, listening skills, mistake rituals and game routines. This process strives to shorten the learning curve rather than rely on trial and error. Our presenter, Kathy Toon said, “How you do anything is how you do everything,” meaning that winning and learning life lessons through sports are not mutually exclusive goals. However, they are goals that must be taught.

As an academic teacher who never coached a day in his life, I have always taken pride in the positive values and attitudes toward competition that are expressed at our athletic awards assemblies. The PCA program is not fixing Forman; it is assisting our coaches to hone and refine the art of coaching which has always existed here at Forman in abundance.

The Intrepids

2010-02-19T11:47:00.000-05:00

“Out manned and out gunned.” This was Forman’s hockey coach, Chris Ford’s description of last Friday’s match-up with Canterbury School’s team of over 20 players. Our 10 intrepid athletes faced a continuously refreshed offensive line and goalie, Nick Roy, was peppered relentlessly with shots on goal all night. Astonishingly, after some early 1st period goals, the Forman “ten” fought Canterbury to a scoreless tie for over two thirds of their time on the ice. Patrick O’Keefe scored Forman’s lone point as we fell 6 to 1.

This was my first experience with Forman hockey, and it was a memorable evening. In addition to Nick and Patrick, teammates Connor Clancy, Alex Evans, Trey LaCroix, Max Panella, Ben Rohaly, John Schone, Dan Sotherland and Jason Smith skated their hearts out right up to the final buzzer. What emerged was the love for competition and dedication to the sport of hockey on the part of these 10 athletes.

“Where There's a Will...”

2010-02-12T09:20:00.001-05:00

One day during the December vacation, Forman's technology staff including Margaret Kuzmicz, Steve Beeman and Dan Evon, as well as Sara Kelly-Mudie and Jane Benson, huddled around an assistive technology computer trying to honor an English teacher's request. They managed to make available to Nicole Szigeti's 10th grade English classes an audio version of “Gabriel's Story”. The reason for the collaborative brain trust arose from the previously perceived inability to create an audio presentation of a book which would be accessible on personal computers, ipods, Kurzweil and Mac computers in the computer lab. In other words, the book is out there for all sophomores in a convenient format.

Why the Herculean exertion? Nicole Szigeti explains that a recorded book “levels the playing field” for students who struggle with the time-consuming process of decoding, which in turn enhances reading comprehension and the completion of reading assignments, while simultaneously helping students to acquire an “ear” for language. The immediate benefit, of course, is stronger class participation and more provocative group discussions. “How did you accomplish this feat?” I asked of Sara KM. “Sheer force of will,” she replied. During the summer and throughout the year, Sara has established an ever-growing reservoir of audio books available to our students. She accomplishes this simply by “liberating” a book from its binding and passing it through a high speed scanner.

The Forman library is always a happening place, a buzz with a wide variety of class research projects. But Sara's training of students to access the increasing number of recorded books is a new frontier. Before I retired from teaching, I struggled for years to acquire commercial recordings of literature, from “Huckleberry Finn” and “A Lesson Before Dying” to “Beowulf” and “Othello” because using them in class was invaluable at every level of reading appreciation, critical thinking and note-taking skills.

Thanks to assistive technology, we live in a brave new world.

Altruism

2010-01-28T17:24:00.001-05:00

There is a well-known fictional character in Strategies Instruction classes named Al True. Contextual sentences about Al deal with his altruistic deeds because his name is the cueing clue for the word “altruism”: to consider the needs of others in society, to give generously of oneself. By the way, this a great way to master new vocabulary; I'm positive that none of our students will miss this word when it appears on the PSAT, for example.

In reviewing the Winterim portion of the Forman web site, I have been impressed once again with the altruism of our community. Projects devoted to the Croft Preserve, Habitat for Humanity, Lend a Helping Hand, Toys for Tots and the Head Start Program have combined to create a lasting effect on the Litchfield County region. I have taught in many school systems but no school community has been more actively altruistic than ours.

On Saturday, February 13 Forman students will fill Johnson Arts Center to overflowing in attending the annual charity benefit, which for the third consecutive year will dedicate proceeds to the Zachary Carson Brain Tumor Fund. This fund will launch a national study of “DPG” (diffuse pontine gliomas), the rare form of cancer which took Zach's life four months after his graduation. The Forman School has developed a special, up-close and personal relationship to this cause. The charity banquet is one more in a long series of altruistic deeds at our school and is dedicated to a wonderful young man who himself was one of our most altruistic students.

Harry Tubman: Teacher extraordinaire

2010-01-14T13:29:00.004-05:00

During my 14 years of teaching English at Forman, a fundamental and recurring theme emerged from my students' writing. Every year, they recounted in moving detail the unique odysseys which led them to Forman. In addition, I have recently enjoyed the new feature on our e-news site dedicated to faculty profiles, and have come to the realization that all of us, faculty and students alike, experience a special relationship to this institution. Consequently, I thought that reprinting my story from last year's Winter Letter would provide an appropriate introduction to this new blog site. I hope you enjoy it.

Rosa Ponselle, one of America's greatest operatic sopranos and a frequent colleague of Caruso, retired at the age of 40 at the peak of her popularity because she wanted to be remembered at the peak of her vocal powers. My best friend, Geraldine Simpson, and I thought about Rosa a bit when we made a pact to retire from public school teaching after careers of 25 and 27 years respectively. That was in 1990, and the leap from financial security into an unknown future was cushioned somewhat by the last Early Retirement Incentive Plan offered by any board of education in Connecticut. The plan was intended, we thought, to cull out “dead wood” and burnouts in the ranks, but Gerry and I saw an opportunity to avoid that very fate and launch into new adventures. We took the leap.

This was not a totally compulsive leap by any means. I had spent two years networking with various corporations in the hopes of entering the world of corporate training. Things looked good. I bought 4 suits. But the Berlin Wall tumbled, peace broke out, defense contracts in Connecticut lagged, affecting the entire economy in our state, and the first President Bush presided over a deep national recession.
The only industry thriving in Connecticut was the Lego Corporation. “Harry, we look forward to seeing you in September!” turned into “Harry, sorry, but we're downsizing and hiring from within.” I put the suits in the attic, ultimately wearing only one of them due to a serious loss in weight and used my “incentive” loot to invest in one third of the Pleasant Valley General Store in my home town. I spent a year and a half at the store making the most enticing grinders and sandwiches you have ever seen (my BLT's were a special hit) and learned skills in areas such as bookkeeping, payroll, and inventory that are alien to English teacher nerds like me.
The experience was exhausting at fourteen hours a day, seven days a week, but as a 1/3 partner, I was able to squeeze in two other mini careers in training elementary school teachers for Saint Joseph College in West Hartford and providing a wide variety of staff development presentations to public schools around the state.
Medical insurance was the devil. My wife Ticia and I held a slew of jobs while we were raising our two boys, who were in middle and elementary schools, but our family medical plan taught us a new meaning to the phrase “cash flow.” What to do but take on more jobs?

I saw a want-ad for a part time housekeeper at a place called The Forman School in Litchfield and conjured up a pretty memory. Our older son had struggled through school with a learning issue that centered in reading comprehension, decoding and ADD. We endured the process familiar to many Forman parents by engaging a lawyer and fighting for the appropriate accommodations for Rick during which, however, we hired a reading tutor at Forman on our own for the summer between 4th and 5th grades. I'll never forget parking on the lawn in front of Newton and escorting Rick through the wooden and brick gate onto the most delightful vista imaginable. That was my introduction to Forman. So when I saw the advertisement for a housekeeper, I jumped. After all, during my public school years, I had worked for Ticia in her cleaning business, “A New Broom” and I had a night job cleaning the Labor Department in Hartford years earlier. I could clean.

Briefly, I was interviewed in the common room of Beecher, the original building that Mark Perkins sold for $1, and I was hired on the spot. Despite being an object of curiosity because I was 50 something and not a woman, I received a warm welcome by all sorts of people, including Marty Bozak, Peggy Bushey, Scott McCarty ’76, Wendy Welshans (a somewhat crazy woman who dubbed me “the renaissance man”), Director of Human Resources Marilyn Traversa, Nigel Daniel (who has occupied more different offices than anyone in Forman history), the entire kitchen staff and a colorful variety of teachers. And this was only the summer! The unique, astonishing aspect of this experience is that I was treated with more respect, appreciation for my work, humor and warmth than I had ever experienced.

The job was a blast but the medical insurance wasn't, so after two invigorating years as a housekeeper, I approached Marilyn Traversa with the request that I become a full time housekeeper in order to participate in the benefits program. To my surprise, she not only said yes but seemed to have been waiting for me to ask. Go figure. This was not part of my life plan, but life seemed to have a plan of its own.
My full time job now encompassed the former responsibilities of cleaning the gym, Commons and the foyer of the swimming pool (now a parking lot) but burgeoned into Johnson Arts Center and Hamilton. I counted nine bathrooms. At this point, the boys of Commons changed my life. I was “Harry, the janitor” but they were casually respectful, fun to be with and extremely interesting because I saw them where they lived,I observed their interactions and I felt their fraternal camaraderie. This was certainly not public school. These boys were bright,idiosyncratic and creative. They were also fine athletes and I committed myself to collecting every sports article in the local papers to tape on their walls.

One day, while vacuuming, I heard a group of them moaning about an essay assignment on To Kill a Mockingbird. I turned off the vacuum and told them exactly how to write this essay on the promise that they would never reveal their source. Their reactions were priceless and too long to report here, but I decided to apply for a teaching job at Forman. I had closed the chapter on teaching but this was another universe. I submitted my credentials and was offered a position as an English teacher/dorm parent. Sadly, I refused since, obviously, I was living in my own dormitory with my family.

I thrived in my new full-time position, organized all of my utility closets and set to with enthusiasm. One week after the students arrived, I was hunted down by Marty and everyone else thirty minutes after punching in and was told to report to the Dean of Faculty, Mr. Buerger. When I arrived at his apartment in Hamilton, he asked me if I had ever taught the “Odyssey” by Homer; I replied, “Yes, several times.” He asked me if I could wear a medium sized shirt and tie and would I be willing to teach the “Odyssey” in 30 minutes.” I said, “Sure, but how do you know that I can do it, and, by the way, what's the story?” He held up the resume that I had submitted earlier and explained that a young English teacher, who had suffered the tragic loss of his brother, abandoned the campus under extreme emotional distress.
I taught two classes that day, changing clothes to accommodate the schedule and continued this routine for about ten days, using my own dress code, punching in, cleaning, changing, teaching, changing and so on. Marilyn Traversa offered to purchase a telephone booth to facilitate the rapid transformations. Students told me that they were confused. In Williams, I was “Mr. Tubman” but in Commons, I was “Harry.” Who was I?

I finally forced the issue with Lea Dmytryck, the Academic Dean, and learned that the administration was struggling over how to deal with the dilemma of informing parents that their new English teacher was also their housekeeper. Necessity forged a contract and I became the most underpaid teacher with 27 years of experience in America.

So I taught the “Odyssey” and I learned in intimate detail about the most fascinating students a teacher could encounter. I had endured an odyssey to Forman but so had they, and they told me of their journeys through elementary and middle schools, frustrations, failures, family conferences, searches, discoveries, divorces, financial woes, campus tours and their final decision to light at Forman. During my 14 years as a teacher here, my students have humbled me because they have taught me that a challenge is not an obstacle, it is an opportunity, and they have reminded me of how to have fun on the job every day.