From the Dean's Desk

"Summertime is always the best of what might be." -Charles Bowden

Thank you to all of you for an incredible school year! Wishing you all a very happy and safe summer break - looking forward to a wonderful 2017/2018 school year!

Kathleen Hanlon, EdD
Lower School Dean
Wyoming Seminary
khanlon@wyomingseminary.org
(570) 718-6600

Time to register for Summer at Sem!

It's time for summer fun! Lower School students have received brochures for Early Fun at Sem. Take a look at the variety of sessions for students from toddler through eighth grade like Water, Water Everywhere for toddler through Pre-K, Fun With Play Dough or Cool Classroom Critters for K-1, Mischievous Math and Trip to Neverland for grades 2-4, and Spy 101 and Ukulele for grades 5-8. Of course, the favorites like Sem Survivor, LEGO Stop Motion Movies, and Game On are returning too! Visit www.wyomingseminary.org/EarlySummerFun for a complete listing of workshops or to register for sessions.  We can't wait to see you this summer!

Field Day Fun!

All the Details

On Field Day our students enjoy a variety of fun field races and activities along with a delicious catered lunch. Planned activities include, but are not limited to, a rock wall climb, a bounce house, face painting and arts and crafts. This years theme is "So Emojional!"

Date: Friday, May 26, 2017
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Cost: $10.00 per person (students are free)
           A reminder that each student must have a parent attend field day. Please plan to join us at this wonderful end of year celebration!

Field Day Raffle
If you have any new unopened toys please consider donating them to the Children's Raffle. All donations are needed by Friday, May 19, for set up. As you know the more that is donated the more fun it is for the children. Monetary donations and gift baskets would be great too. All items can be dropped off at the main office. We really appreciate your help!

The raffle ticket sale begins on Monday, May 22, in the Mural Room. Most tickets are 5 for $1.00, while several "top prizes" are $1.00 each. The raffle donations are then moved outside on May 26 for Field day.

Please contact me via email if you have any questions! Thanks so much!!

~Courtney (courtneycawley@yahoo.com)

Field Day T-Shirts
As in the past, each Sem student will receive a free t-shirt to wear on Field Day! YOUR SEM STUDENT'S ORDER HAS ALREADY BEEN PLACED.

Author's Day a "bear-y" fun day!

Many thanks to the Lower School's Parents Association for helping us bring award-winning author and illustrator Kevin Sherry to Sem. A great time was had by all! Sherry entertained with song and dance and gave an important message about not giving up.  One fifth grader even exclaimed, "This was the best author visit ever!"

Click here for photos and video of Author's Day, and here for the Times Leader story.

Students take over librarian duties for a day

Sophia C. (fourth grade) and Sam C. (second grade) recently enjoyed their workday as "librarians" in the Sordoni Library. They enjoyed reading colorful and interesting books to several primary classes. The first graders listened to "Too Much Glue" and also received a sample of special speckled slime.  Sophia and Sam entertained their young friends in Pre-K with a book about sticky adventures in "The Marshmallow Incident" and offered them a tasty ooey-gooey treat.

Checking in and out books, decorating library displays, and helping out in the library rounded out Sophia and Sam's busy day.

Business building tips shared with Lower School students

The "Little Sharks" in Mrs. Shick's "Shark Tank, Jr." After-school Enrichment class had the opportunity to meet with Abby Speicher (sister of eighth grader Jerry), CEO and co-founder of DARTdrones, the nation's leader in drone training and consultations.

​Ms. Speicher had recently been featured on an episode of the very popular TV show, Shark Tank. She shared her experiences of presenting her proposal to "the Sharks" who were potential investors. The students were extremely interested in her experiences and there was a lively question and answer period. ​The "Little Sharks" had been studying about the economics of product, price, place, and promotion of various products and services, including several presented on Shark Tank. Ms. Speicher was very impressed with how knowledgeable and prepared her young audience was and complimented the class by saying that "They definitely had fine entrepreneurial spirit and great potential."

The artwork of Sem alumna Nina Davidowitz '77 is on display from May 5-31 in the Flack Gallery of the Kirby Center for the Performing Arts. The exhibit is open each Saturday in May from 10 a.m.-1:00 p.m. or by appointment. For more information call 570-270-2190.

The Wyoming Seminary Upper School Music Department will present two special recitals to conclude the school year. First, the Student and Composition Recital will be presented on Tuesday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kirby Center for Creative Arts. The recital will feature performances by Sem students as well as original compositions by students in Sem's composition and music theory classes. Second, the Wyoming Seminary Farewell Recital will be held on Friday, May 26 at 4:00 p.m. in the Kirby Center for Creative Arts. The recital will feature senior and departing students presenting their favorite works in their final performance on campus. Both performances are free and open to the public. For more information call 570-270-2190.

Sem Presents! 2017-18 Schedule announced

Now entering its second year, the Sem Presents! Performing Arts Series, located in the Kirby Center for Creative Arts, will feature three outstanding acts for 2017-18:

Limón Dance Company, Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2017

Hailed as one of the world's greatest dance companies, the Limón Dance Company has been at the vanguard of American modern dance since its inception in 1946. The Company is the living legacy of dance theater developed by José Limón and his mentors, Doris Humphrey and Charles Weidman, whose innovative works revolutionized American dance. Tickets: $40 adults, $20 students

Leslie Odom Jr., Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2018

Multifaceted performer Leslie Odom, Jr. has most recently been seen in the blockbuster Broadway musical "Hamilton," for which he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for the role of "Aaron Burr." He is a Grammy Award winner as a principal soloist on "Hamilton's" original Broadway Cast Recording, which won the 2015 award for Best Musical Theater Album. Tickets: $35-$75

Mr. Popper's Penguins, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018

"Painter and decorator by day, Mr Popper spends his time dreaming of Antarctic adventures. He is astounded when one day a packing crate arrives on his doorstep and a penguin waddles out! With original songs and performing penguin puppets, this delightful, action-packed musical adaptation of Richard and Florence Atwater's popular book (also made into a Hollywood film starring Jim Carrey) is the perfect family treat!" Tickets: $15 adults, $10 students

For more information call 570-270-2190.

National Latin Exam: 

The National Latin Exam winners were recently honored at an awards dinner in Fleck Hall at the Upper School.  Both Lower School and Upper School winners were invited to attend.  This was the first time a dinner was held for the Latin winners.  We are hoping to make this an annual event.

The following Lower School students earned awards:

Eighth Grade:                                                           

Gold Summa Cum laude                                       

Christina K.                                                               

Oliver L.                                                                     

Silver Maxima Cum Laude                                      

Gabriel L.                                                                           

Shawna C.                                                                 

Brenna J.                                                                   

Cum Laude

Bridget T.                                                                  

Max L.                                                                                                       Hannah F.                                                                                                            

Magna Cum Laude                                                   

Heather P.                                                                 

Alexis G.                                                            

Jonah P.

Cum Laude

Matthew K.

Mercedes V.

Jakson A.

Seventh Grade:

Magna Cum Laude

Niko K.

Sophia K.

Alyssa S.

Mia K.

Daniel I.

Cum Laude

Emily A.

Alvin T.

Jacob R.

Akira K.

Samantha Q.

Vaughn K.

William V.

Rianna L.

Jessie M.

Maakestad named Director of Lower School Admissions

Julie Bean, Sem Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid , announced that after a national search, Tiffany Maakestad has been appointed Director of Lower School Admissions at Wyoming Seminary. Click here for more.

Fine Arts Fiesta art exhibit on display this week

The 62 Fine Arts Fiesta will be held on Public Square, Wilkes-Barre, on May 18,19, 20 and 21.  Middle-school art students were eligible to enter original 2D and 3D works.  Pieces are judged and selected for exhibit.  Hope to see you there!

Primary school:

Pre-kindergarten News: The kids in Pre-K are eagerly awaiting the arrival of chicks. Our incubator is keeping 30 eggs nice and warm. Each day we check on the development of the chicks in the eggs. We are keeping journals to mark the changes we see. Our classroom is filling up with crafts and works about life on a farm! We also loved welcoming our mothers to our Mother's Day tea, so we could tell them how much we love them!

Kindergarten News: April and May are very busy months for kindergarten. The students put on a Space Play all about the solar system. The days were fill with rehearsals, costume making, and singing songs, and the end result was a very fun and informative masterpiece! They really put their hearts into every part! After the play was over, they jumped right in to getting ready for Maypole - a kindergarten tradition at Sem.  Singing and dancing will be a daily event in the classroom as we practice Yesh, the Marching Dance, Sandwiches, and It's Summer! Click here to watch a portion of the performance, and here to read the Times Leader story.

First Grade News: We stamped our passports and headed to China! During our continued study of China, we are enjoying learning about the Forbidden City and the Great Wall, Chinese folktales, tangrams, and of course, pandas. The movie we saw, "Born in China," really helped us understand the natural habitats of pandas and other animals native to China. In addition, Colleen Ayers and her Upper School art students helped us create our very own Terracotta Soldiers. Stop by to read some Great Wall of China facts! We will be concluding our China unit with dragons, name calligraphy, and a Chinese cooking lesson from our own Chef Paul.

In science, we recently learned about the life cycle and parts of a plant and planted our very own seeds. Thanks to some seeds, soil, water, a warm lamp, and some patience, we have sprouted some tiny plants.

Our Spring Concert was a huge success. The first graders really performed their songs well and the whole show highlighted our incredibly talented students at Wyoming Seminary.

In honor of all our wonderful moms, our annual Mother's Day Tea was held on Friday, May 12.  We welcomed all our moms to spend an hour with us to be honored and enjoy some activities followed by refreshments.

On Tuesday, May 16, we went to the Kirby Center to see the adventures of "Piggie and Elephant:" A Kennedy Center commission based on the Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems. We Are in a Play! is a brand-new vaudevillian romp of a musical.   This show certainly was a hit with the kids!

Although the school year is winding down, some of the best events are yet to come. The K-4 Moving Up Ceremony is on May 25 and Field Day is on May 26. Please continue to follow the Wednesday Weekly and watch your child's folder for more details on these events.

Second-Grade News: Second Grade Art History and Appreciation: On April 27, the second grade students welcomed family and friends to the 27th annual "Children's Impressions" art exhibit at the Rusty Flack Gallery on the Upper School's Kirby Center for the Creative Arts. This exhibition was the result of a yearlong study of art history and art appreciation from the 18th to the 20th centuries. The students were inspired to sketch and paint from some of the most famous artists in the world such as Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, and Georgia O'Keeffe. Each student created a watercolor piece and a tempera painting. The students enjoyed viewing their paintings in the gallery and greeting family and friends.  Thank you to the Lower and Upper School faculty and staff who helped make this event a joyous and memorable occasion. Click here for a video.

On May 9, the second grade students visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. After a guided tour, the students consulted their MET maps and proceeded to guide their parents through the museum. Students sketched works and used the Metropolitan Museum website to research pieces of art. Popular galleries this year were the Arms and Armor, Egyptian, Asian, 19th and Early 20th Century European, and the Modern Art collections.

Fourth-Grade News: Fourth grade has had a busy month! On Thursday, April 27, we had a special visit from Finn R.'s uncle, who brought a 1924 Model T antique car to the Lower School campus. His visit was in conjunction with Finn's Famous Scientist/Inventor Cereal Box project study. Students learned about the car and even had a chance to sit in it. On Thursday, May 4, students traveled to the Kirby Center to see the Young People's Concert of the Northeast Pennsylvania Philharmonic. They enjoyed learning about many different instruments in an orchestra and listened intently while watching cartoonist Joe Wos draw live as the music played. On Friday, May 5, fourth grade traveled to J.A. Biztown in Pittston. They spent the day staffing seven businesses. This day was the culmination of a social studies unit study on economics. Students enjoyed learning how to pay bills, use a checkbook, keep track of employees, and contribute to their community.

Middle school:

Eighth-Grade News: They collected the "evidence," analyzed it and brought the case to trial. Eighth-grade investigators in Mrs. Lisa Iskra's science class explored forensic science in the 19th century murder case of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Smith, and after conducting tests on blood, fingerprints, hair samples and other clues, brought the case to trial in front of a "jury" of Lower School teachers and staff. View photos

Check out all of the latest news in our Sem News section!