The MPH Snapshot

Click the link above to view this week's message from Head of School Dave McCusker.

Bone Detectives: Investigations in Life Science

In Life Science, seventh graders began their study of the skeletal system with an exercise in comparative anatomy. They put their observational skills to use while examining similar bones from several different species and making inferences about the animals and parts of the body from which the bones came. Afterward, they compared each bone with its counterpart in the human skeleton and discussed the differences in their adaptations.

MUN Team Prepares for Virtual Conference

The MPH MUN team held their first meeting in the gym last week. Veteran members had a chance to get to know the freshmen as they prepared for their virtual conference on October 24.

The Reimagining of Clubs

Among the many changes to the 2020-2021 school year is a new approach to clubs in the Middle and Upper Schools. In previous years, clubs squeezed in meetings during tutorial, lunch, or after school, which led to conflicts and distractions that had the potential to diminish the experience. This year, clubs have a dedicated meeting time: Wednesday afternoons from 1:50 to 3:00 p.m. Organized under 10 umbrella groups (such as Civic Service and Engagement, Science, and Recreation and Fitness), clubs form a co-curricular component of the MPH experience. In the first few weeks of school, students learned about the new clubs program and identified their preferences among the 10 clubs. These pictures offer a glimpse of an exciting first day of club meetings!

Latin Club with Mr. O'Malley

Language and Culture Theme

Science Club with Ms. Yeager

Science Theme

Bluegrass Club with Mr. Curtis

Music/Performance Theme

Spotlight on Science Club: The Highest Marshmallow!

The “A” week Science Club had its first meeting this week. Each group was given a meter of masking tape, a meter of string, 20 pieces of spaghetti, and one marshmallow. The task was to get the marshmallow as high as possible from the table top. The winning team was the 10^th graders, who raised their marshmallow 83.5cm from the table top!

Fight the Flu! Clinic Time Change!

Please note that the October 8 date has been changed!

A pharmacist from Kinney Drugs will be on campus Thursday, October 22, from 11: 00 a.m. to 2: 00 p.m., to administer flu vaccines to Middle and Upper School students and employees in the gym. This is the link to register. Because of our health and safety protocols, there are no drop-ins this year; you MUST register.

There will be a second Flu Vaccination Clinic on Saturday, October 24, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This is intended for Lower School students and faculty, but everyone is welcome as long as participants register using this link.

Registrants should park in the McNeil lot and then enter through the Phoenix doors.

Please fill out this consent form ahead of time!

Orchestra Finds an Appreciative Audience, Thank You, Technology!

We were strolling past the fifth-grade classroom yesterday when surprisingly we heard the Upper School Orchestra. Curiosity led us to peek inside, and what we discovered was Mrs. Mirakian on the monitor, directing rehearsal in Amos, while fifth graders listened in the Learning Commons! Click on the image on the right to listen!

Continued Efforts in Health and Safety at MPH

Even amid a pandemic, MPH takes seriously its preparedness for other types of emergencies as well. On Thursday morning, the on-campus community responded to a fire drill. Students, faculty, and staff exited the buildings quietly and convened in their designated locations for attendance purposes, with adherence to face-covering and physical-distance protocols in evidence.

All Fun and Games in Intro to Programming!

Mr. Zlomek's Introduction to Programming class is in the midst of a game-design unit. In this particular class, students were all given the same materials: 28 dominoes. With those, they were tasked with creating a game in which dominoes play a significant role. Students have been writing rules, creating game pieces, and play testing in anticipation of presenting and trying out their games with peers next week.