A Place to Belong is brought to you by Shady Hill’s Advancement Office, Marketing and Communications Office, and the Alumni Board. Now, more than ever, we are committed to sharing news that reminds us all how vibrant and innovative Shady Hill continues to be, while forever embracing the mission and values you hold so dear. | |
Big Smiles on Grandfriends Day | |
On November 9th, Shady Hill welcomed nearly 400 grandfriends back to campus to celebrate the special role they play in children's lives. Grandfriends gathered to engage in various classroom activities thoughtfully planned by faculty. Special musical performances by Grade IV and the Middle School chorus added to the joy of the day. | |
Mark Stanek to take Four-Month Sabbatical this Winter | |
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Head of School Mark Stanek, now in his fourteenth year leading Shady Hill, will be away on a four-month sabbatical starting mid-January, returning in time for May Day and the rest of the school's end-of-year celebrations and rituals.
During Grandfriends Day, Grade VIII talk show hosts (left to right, in above photo) Brisa Smith, Henry Holleran, and Trinity Lisenby took to the stage to interview Mark Stanek. They used the opportunity to ask him about his sabbatical, putting the question this way:
Trinity: We hear you are going on sabbatical, Mr. Stanek. Will you miss us and what are you going to do during your time away?
Mr. Stanek: Of course I will miss you! Students are the greatest part of my life. Over the next four months, between January 15 and May 15, I will be on sabbatical. It will give me time to unplug and recharge to come back at the end of the year. I’m going to travel to see family including my 82-year-old mom, and I will be helping her pack up her house and transition to a new chapter. I’m also going to do some reading and writing and one of my goals is to write a children’s book. And finally I will take some vacation time in April before I come back in May. And I will miss you all dearly but I will be back!
To send Sabbatical well-wishes to Mr. Stanek, please email alumni@shs.org, with the subject line "Sabbatical Wishes." Simple well-wishes are fine, or you might opt to offer a suggestion for a joyful or restorative endeavor Mark might try while he’s away. We plan to send him off with a collection of spirit-boosting messages from the whole Shady Hill constituency, near and far.
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A Peek into Classrooms: Kindergarten | | |
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In October, Kindergarteners began their study of skin and the sense of touch. They learned about the layers of the skin, how melanin determines our skin color, and how hair and sweat glands play a role in keeping us warm or cool. They then experimented with using their fingers for a variety of touch activities, some with blindfolds, and brainstormed words that can be used to describe the way that different textures feel.
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A Peek into Classrooms: Middle School Athletics | | |
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It’s a wrap for our Shady Hill School fall athletics season and our teams have a lot to be proud of! The Varsity Boys Soccer team went undefeated for the season and the Cross Country team had ten students compete in the Cross Country Championships in Devens, Massachusetts. The volleyball and flag football teams rounded out the fall roster. Special thanks to all of our coaches who made this season one to remember. Go Stingers! | |
Fun at the Fair, 2023 Edition! | |
Students, parents, staff and alumni of all ages enjoyed a day filled with "Shady Hill love" at the 2023 Fair! From the Alumni Slush booth to the pie eating contest, and so much more, collaboration and community were visible everywhere. A particular shout-out to all our young alums who came out! Click above for a slideshow recap. | |
Save-the-Date for Reunion | |
Alumni, mark your calendars to join your classmates on campus for Reunion!
June 4, 2024
1:15 PM – 7:30 PM
If your class year ends in a 3, 4, 5, 8, 9 or 0, we will be celebrating YOU this year! It will be an extra-lively "cluster" reunion -- you won't want to miss it! Remember: Shady Hill has adopted an every-other-year schedule for Reunions. Beyond this coming June, our next Reunion program will be in June of 2026. Of course, any alum is welcome, whether or not your class is "featured" -- Reunion is open to all alumni!
Can you help organize your classmates? Email alumni@shs.org to volunteer!
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Shady Hill Alumni Regional Gatherings | |
NYC area alumni met November 16 at the home of Alexandra Dowling Lari '95. Mark Stanek led a lively discussion about the strategic working groups and the questions they are delving into. Click here to read Shady Hill's new Strategic Plan.
Don't Miss Out on the Fun!
The Alumni Office plans regional gatherings from time to time, in locales like NYC, San Francisco, New Hampshire's White Mountains, Martha's Vineyard, and more. (Florida may be coming...) But our invitations might be missing you, if we don't have your current address -- or your seasonal address -- in our records. Please use this form to update us -- and please know this invitation applies to ALL Shady Hillers, not just alumni. We'd love to invite you whether you're an Alum, PAL (our shorthand for "Parent of Alum"), Grandparent, Former Employee, Current Parent, or Friend. Please let us know where you hang your (Shady Hill) hat!
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Alum Tom Loeser '71 Gifts Shady Hill a Handcrafted Bench | | |
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Shady Hill is now home to a unique outdoor bench hand-crafted by alum Tom Loeser '71, a highly acclaimed furniture artist and longtime professor of woodworking, at the University of Wisconsin. Tom and his wife Bird visited campus earlier this fall to bring Shady Hill one of his signature benches, made from a handsome tree slab and repurposed shovel blades. Students in Ms. Sorblom's Grade V woodshop class were excited to meet Tom and help install the bench in its very visible location outside the Ceramic Studio. All who drive through the Arts Loop can now admire -- and make use of -- the gorgeous new bench.
We are thrilled to join the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, and other highly curated galleries, in owning a piece of original functional art by Tom Loeser.
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To deliver the quality experience Shady Hill is known for, we rely on contributions from our community. Please support the Shady Hill Fund at whatever amount feels right to you by donating. Gifts of all sizes are all profoundly important. Please, join in at whatever level you can, and know that we will be genuinely grateful! | |
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