August 25 , 2022 | Issue 38

A Message from the Head of School

Parents and families of our students are vital to our success as a school. You support us in the

work of education by providing loving and supportive homes that prepare our students for

school each day and a place for our students to do their homework in the evening that sustains

their learning at Mead Hall. It is a privilege for us to partner with you, the parents and families

of our students, to ensure their academic success and their spiritual and moral growth.

We also appreciate your support of the school through the connections we all make together that

builds up our community in this corner of God’s Kingdom as well as the gift of your time, talent,

and treasure to the school in support of our mission and life. The two school parent

organizations that support our school are PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) and Panther Club

(Athletic Booster Club).

All parents are members of the PTO and Panther Club, and throughout the year there are

opportunities for school families to volunteer for PTO and Panther Club in many ways. Each

organization has a board that is recruited and elected each year. The boards of PTO and Panther

Club provide the overall leadership to each organization and appoint committee chairs and

other roles to parents and friends of the school who support the work of each organization. For

large school events like the Strawberry Festival and the Athletic Banquet, volunteers from our

school family are essential to the success of these and other important events. We appreciate

the time and the planning that our families give to school community events and fundraisers.

The PTO and the Panther Club provide vital financial support to the school each year beyond the

school budget. The fundraising work of the PTO has an amazing impact on curriculum and the

student experience, the Panther Club provides so much for athletics including uniforms and

equipment, and both organizations provide transformational improvements of our facilities. As

examples of their work, we have seen the Aiken Prep Gymnasium interior restored through the

funds raised from the Panther Club Golf Tournaments over the last two years and the PTO has

pledged funds over the last two years for the redevelopment of the St. Thaddeus Large

Playground. What I especially appreciate about these parent organizations is that they engage

parents and families directly in the mission and work of the school. The funds that are raised

are meaningfully directed by the boards of the PTO and the Panther Club in consultation with

the school administration to projects that matter to the school and to our school families.

I am deeply thankful for the work of our PTO and Panther Club, for the boards that provide their

leadership, and to the presidents who chair these organizations, Courtney Bruckner and Becky

Marks, respectively. Please consider joining in the support of these organizations and their

work this year in any way you are able. PTO will communicate here in our In the Loop weekly

newsletter and Panther Club will communicate through the weekly In the Hoop athletic

newsletter. Each organization also has a Facebook page: MHES Panther Club FB Page and

the Mead Hall PTO FB Page

Please watch for notices about meetings and we would love to see you at the PTO General

Assembly on Tuesday, August 30th, at 5:30 pm, in the St. Thaddeus Large Parlor (Cafeteria)

before the Lower School Open House.

God’s blessings,

Frank Sawyer

*Please look for a separate email with SmugMug photo links in your inbox today.

Rededication of the Aiken Prep Campus Tennis Court and Gymnasium

Yesterday evening we had a good crowd brave the afternoon rain to gather for the rededications and enjoy a reception given by our Panther Club. Prayers were offered by Father Joseph Whitehurst and there was a ribbon cutting for each. Emily Murphy joined us from the Chamber of Commerce for the ribbon cutting.

At 100 years old, the Aiken Prep Gymnasium needs our loving attention due its historic significance and its continued use for Mead Hall physical education and athletics. We marveled at the restoration of the floor and interior walls and we look forward to plans to paint the exterior this year. This restoration was made possible by the fundraising efforts of the Panther Club Golf Tournaments over the past two years. We recognized the 2020-2021 Golf Tournament organizers chaired by Tiffany Boyd and the 2021-2022 Golf Tournament organizers chaired by Karene Abrams and Keri Wilhelm. We also thanked Charlie Stanley for the significant donation of materials and labor for the work on west wall foundation and floor. We also thanked all who were involved in the work on the gym including our Facilities Manager, Jeff Brown who put his heart into overseeing the work. The ribbon was cut by Becky Marks, the Panther Club President.

The project began with the treatment of polyurethane on the walls that sealed in the history of the gym where for decades balls were bounced off the walls by Aiken Prep students. There was then substantial foundation work that had to be completed before the floor could be refurbished. Stones Floor Finishing sanded the floor, replaced some floorboards, and brought the originally hickory back to a beautiful shine. Finally, the lines were painted, including lines for archery, which uses the gym throughout the winter season.

We thanked The Kevin and Brittany Kisner Foundation for the grant that made the renovation of the tennis court possible. With this generous grant for youth sports, the court was resurfaced with the traditional grass and clay colors, a new net was purchased and installed, two foursquare courts added because the students love to play foursquare at recess, and a commemorative bench installed. Brittany Kisner cut the ribbon and she was joined by foundation board members Leanna Wanta, Frank Townsend, and Jason Rabun. The tennis court has been transformed and now students enjoy playing tennis during recess, aftercare, and PE.

After Dr. Sawyer provided the story of the work and thanked all involved, we also heard from Becky Marks on behalf of the Panther Club, Brittany Kisner on behalf of the Kisner Foundation, and Student Council Secretary Jack Thomas Hamrick on behalf of the students. Please read our In the Hoop athletic newsletter tomorrow for a full list of acknowledgements on these wonderful projects.

Preschoolers Learn through Play

Mrs Serago and Mrs. Defever teach our preschoolers through play. Through activities that build gross and fine motor skills, our littlest Panthers are growing stronger and gaining confidence each day.

Mountain Madness

Our Mountain Madness retreat was a huge success! Sixty seven upper school students and six faculty members began the trip approximately at 6:00 AM on Wednesday, August 17, 2022. Our first stop was Winthrop University where our students heard a presentation from the admissions team. In addition, our students got to tour the entire campus. Lindsay Tucker, our Academic Dean and a Winthrop alumnus, was able to provide insightful commentary about her days at Winthrop. We ended our journey Wednesday at the Valle Crucis conference center where everyone enjoyed a classic Southern feast of fried chicken and all the fixings. We all know how important food is for teenagers. After time for bonding and recreation, everybody was ready for some rest (especially the chaperones)!

Thursday was an exciting day for everybody. Our students were divided into two groups in order to rotate through whitewater rafting and caving activities. If you have not already done so, please enjoy a few of the beautiful pictures taken by our awesome photographer, Larry Johnson, and a full SmugMug gallery will be shared soon to upper school parents and students also. We are happy to report that everyone made it safely back from the excursions to the retreat center. After another feast, some of our student leaders set up team building activities for the groups. There was much laughter and lots of friendly competition. Father Joseph closed out our structured activities with a wonderful Chapel service. The evening concluded with a campfire, smores, and some hotly contested ping pong tournaments.

After an early breakfast on Friday, the buses departed for Carowinds. The students who had no fear of heights or great speeds, rode some scintillating roller coasters. The students were all wearing the newest edition of the Mountain Madness shirts. It was refreshing to hear from park officials and other park goers how well our students represented Mead Hall throughout the day.

Perhaps the highlight of the trip is seeing new friendships formed and existing relationships strengthened. Mead Hall truly grew as a family over the course of the three days. We are already looking forward to our trip next year!

Girls State

Mead Hall seniors, Maria Reyes and Olivia Cato attended the 75th session of American Legion Auxiliary Palmetto Girls State, which was held during the summer from June 12-18, 2022 on the campus of Presbyterian College in Clinton, SC. “The week is a hands-on application of government and citizenship. The girls attending ALA Palmetto Girls State (also referred to as “delegates” or “citizens”) participate in mock political activities at the municipal, county, and state levels of government by creating the mythical state of “Palmetto.” Interested females in the junior class should see Dr. Pontoo for more information regarding applying for Girls State, 2023.

Boys State

Mead Hall seniors, Joseph Zeller and Ashton Stroud attended the American Legion’s Boys State program, held at Anderson University from June 12 - 18, 2022. Boys State is “a unique way for young men to learn about the American system of government and politics by participating in a mock governmental system”. The date for next year's program will be June 11 - 17, 2023. Interested males in the junior class should see Dr. Pontoo for more information.

Nathan M. Wolfe Law Enforcement Cadet Academy

Mead Hall junior, Michael Dean Bryce attended the Nathan M. Wolfe Law Enforcement Cadet Academy this past summer, which was held at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia, SC from June 18 - 24, 2022. Designed for high school students of good character, cadets were educated about the state’s law enforcement system. Interested sophomores should see Dr. Pontoo for more information.

PTO Events and Updates:

General Assembly Meeting - Tuesday August 30th at 5:30pm in the STC Large Parlor

All Are Welcome!

The PTO invites all of our Mead Hall Families in grades Preschool - 12th to join us next Tuesday for a 20 minute PTO General Assembly Meeting in the STC Large Parlor. We will introduce our 2022-2023 board members and provide information on how you can be involved.

Contact PTO@meadhallschool.org if you have any questions.

Annual Rummage Sale - Saturday, September 24th in the APC Gym

Save the Date and Your Donations!!

The PTO will host our annual Rummage Sale and accept donations September 19th - 22nd (more info TBA). We accept most items - furniture, toys, adult and children's clothing/shoes, housewares, seasonal decor etc.. *please no electronics and limit book donations. Contact Alli Simon, our Rummage Sale Coordinator, at AlliSimon@527@gmail.com with any questions.

School Store Hours

Monday – Friday

8:00 a.m. to 9:00 am., afternoons appointment only by emailing: MHStore@meadhallschool.org

EUCHARIST SERVICES

Rite I Eucharist no music 7:45 AM

Rite II Eucharist Combined Service 10:00 AM

Please join us for Sunday services. You may also attend virtually at the VIMEO link above. For those watching at home, the bulletin can be found at the SERVICE BULLETIN link above, and on the

St. Thaddeus website.

First Saturday Event

Join us for Football First Saturday on September 3. We will gather in the Stevenson McClelland building at 5:30. Come watch football, participate in puzzle contests, and enjoy pizza. Food and drinks will be provided. Cost is $5.00/person or $20.00/family.

Sign up using the link below by Wednesday, August 31. Make your reservations early. To ensure there is enough food, NO LATE RESERVATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.