St. Mary’s Academy will be having its annual Spring Auction on Saturday, April 5. There will be a silent auction as well as a live auction hosted by Ron Seifert, Hoosick Falls Auctioneer. Doors will open at 6:00 pm for a preview of the items, and the live auction will begin at 7:00 pm. Come enjoy a light fare and cash bar while supporting a great cause. Please note this is a 21 and older event. We have many fabulous items to present once again, including: beautiful jewelry including Ed Levin pieces, an autographed Toby Keith picture, inside tickets to the sold out July 4th James Taylor concert, American Girl Doll (Kit), Dream Again Refresh Sleep System mattress (King size) by WCW, two George VanHook paintings, Coach bag, a trip to Martha’s Vineyard, a scoreboard that once hung in the SMA gym, precious classroom projects and more…much more! We hope to see you there!
Private Schools
Saint Mary’s Second-Graders At The Boston Aquarium
submitted by Maureen Daurio, St. Mary’s Academy Principal
The second graders at Saint Mary’s Academy participated in a field trip to the Boston Aquarium. The students recently finished their unit on animals. They learned all about the six different animal groups; mammals, fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects. [Read more…] about Saint Mary’s Second-Graders At The Boston Aquarium
Barn Quilts At The Hoosac School
by Bea Peterson
On Saturday evening, March 1, Hoosac School unveiled eight 4×4 foot Barn Quilts created by some of its students. Many people turned out to see the exhibit of colorful quilts that will be displayed in White Creek, Hoosick and Hoosick Falls in the spring. The following is an article about the project written for the Hoosac School newspaper, The Owlet, by Julia Kopala ’16.
St. Mary’s Academy Celebrates Catholic Schools Week
Learning Fair At St. Mary’s Academy
Hoosac School Owls Win
by Steve Bradley
The Hoosac School Owls played Vermont Academy Wildcats in the Hoosac School gym Wednesday afternoon. The Wildcats featured 6’10” forward Sedee Keita and 7’2” Tyler Jackson. Although Vermont Academy was the favored team, the Owls defeated them 87 – 73.
Darrow School Open House
Darrow School invites all prospective students and families to attend its upcoming Open House on Monday, January 20. The program begins at 9:30 am in the Wickersham Administration Building and will consist of class visits, tours and a question-and-answer period. Lunch will be provided.
Darrow’s challenging and individually focused college-preparatory curriculum features a unique combination of classroom instruction, hands-on learning and environmental consciousness. Our beautiful mountainside campus, a National Historic Landmark, is rich in its Shaker heritage and provides an ideal educational setting.
Any interested families with students who will be entering grades 9 through 12 in 2014 or 2015 are welcome to attend the Open House. Darrow has a rolling admissions policy and offers mid-year enrollment on a limited basis. Another Open House will be held on Monday, February 17.
To register, to request more information about Darrow or to apply online, please call 518- 794-6006, email admissions@darrowschool.org or visit www.darrowschool.org.
Mountain Road School Open House
Parents and children in grades pre-k through eighth grade are invited to Mountain Road School on Tuesday, January 21, from 9:30 to 11:30 am for its monthly “Tea and Tour Tuesday.” Prospective families (kids are welcome, too) can enjoy a cup of tea, learn about the school, tour the classrooms and campus and meet with teachers, current parents and students.
Since our Tea and Tour Tuesday open houses take place during school hours, families can get a genuine sense of what Mountain Road School is really like. “It’s a great opportunity,” said Director of Outreach, Anne Undeland, adding that the open houses will occur on the third Tuesday of every month until the summer break.
Founded in 1975, Mountain Road School is known for its innovative, multi-aged classrooms, visionary nature-based curriculum and nurturing child-centered philosophy.
Mountain Road School is located at 4565 County Route 9 in New Lebanon. For additional information, visit the school’s website at www.mountainroadschool.org.
Hoosac School Students Sing To Seniors
Hoosac School Singers To Perform Boar’s Head/Yule Log Selections At The Victorian Stroll
As part of the Troy Victorian Stroll, Hoosac School singers will perform selections from the “Boar’s Head and Yule Log” Festival at 2 pm on Sunday, December 8, at St. Paul’s Church, 58 Third Street, Troy. The Hoosac School Boar’s Head and Yule Log Singers are a select group of students in striking Renaissance costumes who will sing songs from the traditional Boar’s Head and Yule Log Pageant.
The Boar’s Head is one of the oldest continuing festivals of the Christmas season, first celebrated at Queen’s College, Oxford, in 1340. Legend has it that a scholar was studying a book of Aristotle while walking through the forest on his way to Christmas Mass. Suddenly he was confronted by an angry wild boar. Having no other weapon, the resourceful Oxonian rammed his metal bound philosophy book down the throat of the charging animal, whereupon the brute choked to death. That night the boar’s head, finely dressed and garnished, was borne in procession to the dining room, accompanied by carolers singing “in honor of the King of Bliss.”
This ceremony was brought to colonial America by the Bouton family, persecuted French Huguenots who had learned of the custom during a period of exile in England. The Boutons settled in Troy and were closely connected with the Episcopal church and its schools, including Hoosac School. St. Paul’s of Troy was the “City Church” of the Tibbits family and as such has significant connection to Hoosac School, which was founded in 1889 by The Reverend Dr. Edward Dudley Tibbits, a member of that famous Troy family.
Hoosac School hosts the Yule Log Christmas celebration/pageant annually. Its great array of old costumes has been kept intact for many years. Every faculty member and student has a role in the preparation and performance. Directing the show this year is Music Master Christopher Uhl who said, “The Yule Log is divided into two parts. The first part tells the story of Christ’s birth and its meaning and implications to individual beliefs. The second part is the earthly celebration of that birth and the revelry that accompanied the human celebration – feasting.”
Hoosac School will hold its 123rd celebration of Boar’s Head & Yule Log on Thursday, December 12, 2013.