School News

Spring break 2020? We’re in it, but for much of our community, current events called for a change of plans that involves less vacation and more field trips to the sofa to bother the family pet. It’s hard to tap into a feeling of togetherness when the distance is so tangible and we spend hours scrolling through a cycle of difficult news, with little shift in tone. Yet, in true ‘gaudet patientia duris’ style, there are gleams of goodness to be found in our virtual world! We’ve compiled some suggestions pulled from several corners of the internet for some socially distant spring break activities. Read on for links (a lot of links) and resources.

It seems like a lifetime ago, before COVID-19 took a firm hold on daily routines, a group of young thespians took to the Emma Willard School stage and worked theatrical magic recreating the look and feel of a competitive indoor soccer team. Under the direction of Instructor/Theatre Director Erica Tryon, the winter play, The Wolves by Sarah DeLappe, depicted the poignant sideline conversations of a nine-member girls’ team.

On Monday, March 3, our winter athletes and their coaches gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of the season. Junior Varsity (JV) and Varsity Basketball, Indoor Track and Field, and Ski Racing teams were well-represented by 74 students. We celebrate all of our winter athletes and invite you to read specific comments about those students who were honored with awards this season. 

Keep your eye out: a special delivery from admissions is in the mail! We await your return owl.

On Tuesday afternoon, squeals of delight could be heard from classrooms across the Emma Willard School campus: Principal's Play Day had been announced for the next day! This exciting reprieve each year allows students and faculty to leave the classroom in pursuit of rest, recreation, and connection. Although it usually happens later in the spring, Head of School Jenny Rao surprised students by planning a mid-winter day of fun.

Eura C. ’20 and Dohyun P. ’20 are making the 2019-20 debate club an exhilarating experience. The two determined 12th graders are not just making this year a successful experience, they are also leaving an imprint on the Emma Willard School debaters for the future.

Ring Week, steeped in Emma tradition, is one of many markers along the journey for 11th graders rising to become 12th graders. This week, we have witnessed the jubilation with which our students anticipate receiving their beloved class rings.

Each of the 360 students at Emma Willard School has a unique story. They are truly one-of-a-kind. The Emma Willard community has students from 24 states and 36 foreign countries. Some are interested in technology and robotics, others are entrepreneurs and artists, musicians, writers, and athletes, historians and social justice advocates. We love hearing their voices and think you will enjoy meeting some of our girls who are serving and shaping their world. This series known as  “One of 360” features these students and explores what makes them unique. 

Emma Willard School takes pride in its strong tradition of providing a place for great artists to thrive. We are honored to be represented by the work of five students at the 21st annual “Art in Three Dimensions" juried high school exhibition. In addition to the juried art, several of our students have recently been honored through the Scholastic Art Awards.

February 5th is recognized as National Girls and Women in Sports Day! We acknowledge the accomplishments of female athletes, recognize the influence of sports participation for women and girls, and honor the progress and continuing struggle for equality for women in sports.

In the dance studios at Emma Willard School, students learn and practice a variety of dance styles at various levels. Student dancers have the opportunity to perform, dance with professional guest artists, and learn to choreograph a performance that expresses their own artistic vision. This program has evolved over the long life of dance at the school, a progression that Dance Instructor Barbara Magee has witnessed throughout her years here. Read on for details from our conversation, and images from some of this year’s classes and performances.

Emma Willard School is excited to announce that two of our students have won National Honorable Mention Awards for the 2020 National Center for Women & Information Technology Aspirations in Computing Awards. Jessica Z. '22 and Lucy Z. '21 were two of 360 girls selected from more than 4,700 amazing, talented young women to receive the honorable mention distinction. 

After two years of work, Alex S. '20 has fulfilled her desire to explore and write about the architectural heritage of Emma Willard School. The culmination of her junior and senior year Signature project, the book includes photographs and details about each of the buildings on the Emma Willard School campus.

As Emma Willard School works to become a more sustainability-minded community and campus, one of the topics that comes up frequently is dining. We sat down with Kevin Bayer, the general manager at Emma Dining, to learn about the steps they have taken to become a more environmentally friendly organization.

The entire school community enjoyed a day practicing critical thinking skills, communication, and collaboration outside of classes and in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy.  The day was designed to reflect on the history, present, and future of civil rights in this nation through the lens of our nation’s history of slavery.

During Fall Family Weekend 2019, Matthew Richter P’21 was impressed by History Instructor Robert Naeher’s teaching style and its implications for his own work as a consultant. The lessons he learned inspired him to write an article entitled "Seven Steps for Making Critical Thinking Easier." In the article Mr. Richter draws on the "close looking" exercises Bob used in class to explain how one can become more adept at critical thinking.

Under the direction of Debra Spiro-Allen and Elizabeth Silver, music students gift the audience with a program filled with musical selections to bring joy, light, and reflection to what can sometimes be a stressful time of year. We invite you to take a moment as the new year dawns to enjoy a sampling of the music that was shared at Eventide 2019.