Parent
Newsletter: February 2008
DEAR BLAIR PARENTS and FAMILIES,
This
newsletter contains information concerning
upcoming events and other items of interest
to Blair parents and families. To further keep
you informed, you will receive three issues
of the Parents’ Post and the Blair
Bulletin in the mail this year. I also suggest that
you visit “Important
Dates” (located
at the bottom right section of the Parents’ page
on the Blair Web site). This section provides
weekend highlights and other dates of interest.
Please feel free to contact me with questions
or suggestions for future newsletters.
Sue Habermann P ’07, ’04, ’02
Director of Parent Relations
habers@blair.edu
908-362-6121 ext. 5653 or 888-542-5247 (option 4)
 Most of you should have
received an e-mail from Chan Hardwick that was
sent to the Blair community at large concerning
an article about a Blair student that appeared
in the February 11 edition of The New York
Times.
That same day, the article also appeared globally
in the International Herald Tribune (owned
by The New York Times Co.). To view the article,
click
here
and to view the superb video, “From Kabul
to Prep School,” click
here.
Many thanks go out to parents
(and alumni) from across the globe who responded
to the article. Below is just one of those e-mails:
“Shamila’s story is impressive and
inspiring. It is wonderful to see a young lady
so thankful and driven by her opportunity at
Blair Academy. I can only imagine the success
in life that will follow her. I know my son is
very appreciative of being a part of Blair. I
only hope that he and many of your other students
whose journeys to Blair were not as arduous recognize
what a wonderful building block your institution
is and the vast possibilities it holds. Everyday
holds the chance to learn, grow and begin to
realize their calling in life. Thank you for
helping your students recognize their limitless
possibilities. Congratulations to Shamila and
to all your students who strive to be the best
that they can be, whether their stories are on
the first page of the New York Times or the first
page of their own life story!”
RECENT EVENTS
 SADIE HAWKINS DANCE
The Snowflake Ball (aka Sadie Hawkins Dance)
held last weekend was once again the social
highlight of the winter term. A spectacular
display of creativity by parent volunteers
and the girls of South Cottage will go down
as being one of the best dances ever. Thank
you to everyone who helped with this year’s
dance. Special thanks go out to Debbie Devenny
and Valerie Tozzi, who have tirelessly worked
on the Sadie decorations for four years,
to Susan Mayes, who came laden with vision
and props, and to the Committee. All went
above and beyond the call of duty. We will
surely miss Debbie and Val in 2009, although
both have offered to help next year if needed.
Now that’s what I call dedication!
To view photos of the dance, click
here.
To see parent volunteers at work, click
here.
UPCOMING
EVENTS
 THE
BLAIR ACADEMY PLAYERS present…
GUYS AND DOLLS
February 14-16, 7:30 pm, DuBois Theatre, $8 at
the door.
TWELVE REASONS TO SEE GUYS AND DOLLS
- The three greatest
American inventions are the light bulb, the
telephone and musical comedy.
- Guys
and Dolls is Mr. Bacon's favorite
musical.
- Two words: Dancing Girls!
- Everybody
likes guys or dolls; what a great date possibility
for Valentine's Day weekend!
- Eight
dollars for an adult – cheaper
than the movies
- The sets
are great.
- Since musicals are the
great American art form, it's patriotic to
see the show.
- Two more words:
Dancing Guys!
- The best senior
class of Academy Players ever.
- The New
York Giants won the Super Bowl because Guys
and Dolls is set in New York!
- Life
should be like musicals--people stopping
to sing and dance with a pit band knowing
exactly what song you're gonna sing!
- Urinetown had
a sad ending; Guys and Dolls couldn't
have a happier ending!
For more information, click
here.
FORTINBRAS
February 21-23, 7:30 pm, Wean Theatre, $8 at
the door.
For more information, click
here.
 BLOOD DRIVE
The Blair Health Center is once again sponsoring
a Blood Drive on Tuesday, February 19, Walker
Gymnasium, 9:30 am - 2:00 pm. The Miller-Keystone
Blood Center of Lehigh Valley will be on campus
to facilitate the drive. Faculty, students
(17 years or older), parents and the community
are invited to participate. Contact Diane
Sauve at sauved@blair.edu with questions
or to preregister.
SCHEDULED SPRING BREAK TRIPS
Baseball – Vero Beach, Florida
Crew – South Carolina
Softball – Orlando, Florida
Boys’ Tennis – Kissimmee, Florida
Boys’ Lacrosse – South Carolina
Community Service Mission Trip – Camden,
NJ
French Immersion – Normandy, France
Art History - London and Paris
Russia Beyond the Cold War – Moscow & St.
Petersburg
BLAIR SUMMER SCHOOL IN SPAIN
This summer Don Morley, chair of the foreign
language department, will be venturing to Segovia
Spain with students from June 21-July 22. The
school is open to all students, whether they
are in Spanish 5 AP or are brand new to the
language. Our host institution offers courses
for beginners, intermediate and advanced students.
For more information, click
here.
SKEPTICS SERIES
(Cowan
Auditorium, 7:00 pm)
February 19 - Post Graduate Forum
February 26 - Herman Hollerith Lecture on Entrepreneurship,
featuring Jim Medalia, founder of Digital Exchange.
For more information, click
here.
 JUNIOR PARENTS DAY
Parents of the class of 2008 recently attended
the Junior Parent Day. This program was
sponsored by the college counseling office
to discuss the college application process.
Bruce Chamberlin, associate dean of admission
from the University of Pennsylvania, and
members of the senior class gave insight
and shared stories concerning the college
search process. Click
here to view photos.
 ART EXHIBITS
Ro Lohin & Kevin Wixted "MAPPINGS" -
an artistic travelogue of sorts.
February
4-March 3.
Vivien Collens P ’09, ’05 - broad,
curved washes of colored acrylic glaze. March
26-April 26. Reception: Thursday, March 27,
7-8 pm in the Romano Gallery.
Click
here to view the
full calendar of gallery offerings.
VOLUNTEERS SELLING CAR RAFFLE TICKETS
Please return your tickets to Velma Lubliner
by Friday, February 22. Contact Velma at lubliv@blair.edu with questions.
PARENTS OF SENIORS
Make your travel plans early for graduation,
THURSDAY, MAY 22. The college counseling office
will be sending you information shortly.
NEW LOCAL BED & BREAKFAST
Check out The Rosemary Inn, a new B&B located
in Columbia (click
here to visit their website). According to
a recent Blair guest, it is absolutely beautiful
and not your average B&B.
SUPPORT BLAIR
Show your support for all the positive
things happening at Blair by investing in the
Blair Parent Fund and help us reach our goal
of 80% parent participation (last year we had
77% participation). Every gift – large
or small – is
important. Send your gift today or give securely
on-line by clicking
here.
UPCOMING
ACTIVITIES
 FEBRUARY
18-22
Headmasters’ Societies Competition Week, now in its fifth year, gives
students and faculty a chance to have fun on an intramural level before heading
into Exam Week. Sports and other activities, such as a bake-off and board games,
are played by teams, with the winner announced at week’s end. An evening
with a hypnotist and a talent show will also take place. Team Howard took the
2007 trophy. To see last year’s photos, click
here.
FEBRUARY 23
Prep Wrestling Nationals at Lehigh University,
Bethlehem, PA
FEBRUARY 26
The Fall After-School Video Project
will be shown in an assembly at 10:00 am. "Everything
You Always Wanted to Know About Sleep (But Were
Too Tired to Ask)," focuses on dreams and
sleep, and features interviews with Dr. Adam
Lowy P '08, Steven Kampmann (Teacher of 'the
Dreams Course, a senior English elective), Richard
O'Such P '09, an international pilot for American
Airlines, and many others. Featuring clips from
movies, many random facts, and two very clever
montages edited by Jillian Black '10 and Raj
Viroja '08, this 45-minute program was produced
by 11 students: Jillian Black '10, Alex Motiuk
'08, Adam Ziff '08, Jen Shields '10, Kenny Shin
'08, Michael Breslin '09, Kevin Flemming '08,
Tori Rulle '10, Morgan Gardiner '11, Christopher
St. John '10, and Airi Kobayashi '08. The entire
production was overseen and edited by Judith
Kampmann, Director of Video Studies.
FEBRUARY 29 - Exams
begin
MARCH 3 - Exams end
and Spring Break begins
MARCH 25 - Boarders return
by 7:00 pm
MARCH 26 - Classes resume
MARCH 28 and 31 - Accepted
Student Revisit Days sponsored by Admissions
APRIL 11
Blair Singers perform Luminosity:
Music of Light and Enlightenment at the
Philadelphia Cathedral at 8:00 pm. The concert
brings together two of Rider University's Westminster
choral ensembles, as well as the Blair Singers
and the ArcheDream Dance Theater, in the world
premiere of a work by renowned British composer
James Whitbourn. Contact William Hammer, director
of choral music, at hammew@blair.edu or
Jenny Maine, director of alumni relations, at mainej@blair.edu with
questions.
APRIL 18 -
Spring Vespers
Let us know if you have
any e-mail address changes by contacting lists@blair.edu.
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