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Since the establishment of the Village in 2015, each ninth-grader received emails three weeks in advance of the school year that provided them with their soon-to-be roommate’s name, email address, and hometown. Many students were quick to reach out to their roommates, exchanging phone numbers and connecting on social media. But some in the administration […]

For many in the Class of 2020, Sept. 1 marked the beginning of the athletic recruiting season, and brought with it a frenzy of activity. Unlike in previous years, when student-athletes were able to talk with coaches and make verbal commitments whenever they felt ready, college coaches must now wait until Sept. 1 of a […]

Science Teacher Andy Harcourt will be retiring this June after 40 years at Deerfield. Throughout his time on campus, Mr. Harcourt has been involved in the return to coeducation, 85 seasons of sports, and numerous science classes, including the creation of the AP Seminar: Global H 2 O class. While Mr. Harcourt noted that “some things have changed” over the past four decades, some haven’t, as he is still teaching AP Biology like he did his first year at Deerfield. Over the years, Mr. Harcourt has been involved with a multitude of activities that affect nearly every aspect of campus life. He has coached soccer, hockey and tennis, and fondly remembers winning the New England Championships during his 12 years as the varsity softball coach. He is also, as Science Department Chair Mark Acton reports, “an incredible skilled mini-golf player,” as evidenced by his performances on the secret mini-golf course scattered throughout the Science Department’s office. Mr. Harcourt has also been involved with the faculty band since his second year at Deerfield. He noted that it began primarily for student enjoyment, but it “turned into more than that,” and the faculty began playing at dances and clubs. “It was fun while we were young,” he said, and it continues to be a “great way to have fun with people from other [academic] departments.” Early on in his tenure at Deerfield, Mr. Harcourt was on the Dorm Advisory Committee, a group that initiated the introduction of associate faculty members in dorms. Previous to that, faculty members living in dorms were on duty every night, and Mr. Harcourt noted that he is “really proud of” his involvement in the change, despite the pushback he originally faced from older faculty members who didn’t want to have any more dorm duty. Mr. Harcourt also began a science research program, introducing several new research courses. Originally, they were only for students who received a 5 on the AP Biology exam during their junior year, but Mr. Harcourt expanded the program greatly.  Now there are about forty students involved in research courses at Deerfield each year. He has also been heavily involved with sustainability efforts at Deerfield as the Chair of the Stewardship Committee within the Strategic Plan and as a co-teacher of the senior science course Research in Sustainability. As Chair of the Science Department for seven years, Mr. Harcourt helped design the Koch Center, a building he said “more than anything has attracted science students to Deerfield.” Dr. Acton noted a lesser-known responsibility of Mr. Harcourt’s: “He always brings in peanut M&Ms to the department and puts them in little candy dispensers which are labelled ‘Skittles’ even though they never have Skittles, only peanut M&Ms.” The science teachers then share the M&Ms as they take a break from class. Reflecting on the changes that he has witnessed and spearheaded during his time at Deerfield, Mr. Harcourt said, “One of the things I value about Deerfield is that although Deerfield has been slow to change over the years, Deerfield embraces change. … The school is always looking for ways to get better, which I really appreciate. It’s important that we realize we’re not perfect, but we actively seek to get better all the time, which I really appreciate about this place. It’s one of the reasons I stayed.” Mr. Harcourt also feels that the return to coeducation, one of the major changes Deerfield has undergone over the past 40 years, was “the best thing that’s ever happened to Deerfield,” saying, “Virtually overnight, Deerfield went from a good school to a great school.” While some students “had trouble” letting the boys’ school culture go, he remembers that “most of the faculty were all-in [to returning to coeducation] from day one.” He continued, “It was nice to be part of Deerfield earning a more academic reputation once we went to coeducation, because we were more known as an athletic school before that.” Mr. Harcourt’s two daughters attended Deerfield after growing up on campus under his wing. He said, “It’s hard to imagine a better place to raise kids, with the intellectual atmosphere and supportive community.” He believes that his daughters “got the best of both worlds,” as they “got a Deerfield education and got to be day students, which gave them a little more freedom, and more sleep!” Science Teacher Dennis Cullinane said, “To me, [Mr. Harcourt’s] most important contribution to our department and community is his ability to plug in with kids in his classroom, on the ice or field, in the dorm, and even at sit-downs.” Science Teacher Mark Teutsch echoed this sentiment, saying, “Mr. Harcourt will be missed at Deerfield more than can be imagined, as his intellectual command of natural history, physical science and geology, when built upon core values he holds for environmental sustainability, gives rise to rich and detailed stories that come to life in his eyes, inspiring all those of us who have been his students, formally or informally.” Academic Dean Ivory Hills said that Mr. Harcourt is “the embodiment of a keen intellect, industrious disposition, and a partially concealed whimsical nature,” noting, “He cares about rational thought, persistent curiosity and, of course, student development.” Science Teaching Fellow Hannah Insuik ’13 had Mr. Harcourt as a softball coach for two years while she was a student. She enjoyed a field trip about the geology of the Pioneer Valley that Mr. Harcourt led for the Science Department a few weeks ago, saying, “I was again astounded by his excitement and knowledge, and could have spent days listening to him speak.” Cathy Poor ’97, this year’s Science Symposium featured speaker, had Mr. Harcourt for 9th grade biology, AP Biology, and as an advisor. She double-majored in college in chemistry and biology and then earned a Ph.D. “partly because of a love of science inspired by [Mr. Harcourt’s] teaching and being his classes.” She said, “The reason I became a scientist has a lot do to with Mr. Harcourt.” Ms. Poor remembered her 9th grade biology class, where she got a “very bad score” on her first quiz. She credited Mr. Harcourt with breaking her into the “hard-core academics” at Deerfield, saying, “He is able to explain complex issues simply and make them understandable so that we can digest what he’s saying. … that’s a trait a lot of scientists don’t have.” Ms. Poor fondly recalled Mr. Harcourt’s influence on her later career in science. At one point, she had to enter into a room of faculty members in college that would interrogate her on one topic in chemistry. She chose to be interrogated about water, because Mr. Harcourt had told her there were only three things about water she’d ever need to know. Ms. Poor went to her Campbell AP Biology textbook — the same one Mr. Harcourt uses today — to remind herself of the material and aced the interrogation. “He teaches the fundamentals that are pervasive,” Ms. Poor noted. “They’re not simple things … [but he] teaches so well and he can take them to a level that is understandable.” “Deerfield has been so lucky to have him as a teacher and as an advisor and as a presence on campus,” Ms. Poor concluded. “I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like without him. He’s irreplaceable.”

On August 5, 2014, less than a month before I started at Deerfield, I received an email from Diana Kocot stating that my schedule was available on DAInfo. Full of anticipation, I logged on to check my course schedule and to do some background research on my students. As I clicked around my classes and dorm rosters, I noted a recurring pattern under the “Grades” tab: student averages were incredibly tightly bunched, and it felt like half of my soon-to-be students sported averages between 88 and 91. This seemed like an odd coincidence at the time, but as I came to find out, my observations were far from anecdotal. Before even setting foot on campus, I was familiar with an ingrained aspect of Deerfield academic culture: grade compression. According to the “Grades and Percentiles” tab on DAinfo, for the 2016-2017 school year, the top quintile of juniors had averages ranging down to 92.4 percent, while the bottom quintile ranged up to 87.87 percent (the spread is similar for seniors and slightly wider for underclassmen). This spread of four and a half percentage points covered the middle 60 percent of the class — so, roughly two points in either direction (maybe a missed negative sign in math, or a forgotten vocabulary word in English) might determine whether a name comes up in front of the Cum Laude Committee or the Academic Standing Committee. Deerfield is an inherently stressful place, and this narrow margin of error only intensifies that pressure. As described above, our compressed grades attach massive significance to each percentage point. These percentage points should theoretically represent one hundredth of the grade scale, but in reality each point carries much more weight. As a result, students (particularly juniors and fall-term seniors) fight incredibly hard for every point, given the disproportionate benefits that come from every slight boost. While we want to have driven, motivated students, I believe this narrow scale promotes an unhealthy focus on numerical grades. Compression inspires obsession with the minor distinctions that constitute a one or two-percentage point swing, to a level which I find counterproductive and unhealthy. Additionally, compression at the other end of the scale may inspire the opposite behavior. A median grade of 90 would not be a problem if the grades span the full spectrum up to 100! Currently, this is not the case, particularly in certain classes and in some departments. This can disincentivize effort at the top end — why give 100 percent effort if the best you can get is a 93 percent? While it is certainly true that not every section contains a mid-to-high-90s caliber student, it is true that many of them do. If we wish to decompress but not lower our grades, simply opening up the full upper range would be an easy solution. While the internal disadvantages of our compressed grades cause me enough concern, there is also a nontrivial external disadvantage created when our students apply to colleges. For any given school, many Deerfield applicants likely have similar, highly compressed grades. In this case, it is difficult for the schools to distinguish applicants by their academic record, and they may turn to a different metric. A convenient alternative would be to place increased weight on standardized test scores, as Math Teacher Sean Keller suggests. I would not want colleges to enhance the significance of a four-hour standardized test compared to 1–4 years of full-time study here, and I suspect the majority of the faculty feel the same way. However, if grade compression remains the same or gets worse, those schools have no choice. How can we fix this? One idea would be to prescribe fixed (or “suggested”) averages and/or standard deviations for course level (100, 200, 300, etc) and/or track (honors, regular, etc). This would ensure that heterogeneous classes (where students of varying ability are mixed) have a different grade profile than homogenous classes (those where students are of similar ability level). A heterogeneous class, such as Africa and Latin America, would reasonably be expected to have a lower average level of achievement and a greater average spread than a more homogenous class, such as French V Honors. That distinction would help students at all levels: those students who excel in heterogeneous, lower-level classes will be more apparent “shining stars,” clearly identifiable by their distance from their class medians. Such a distinction would provide better evidence for future placement like moving into the honors track. Furthermore, students who take mostly upper-level honors classes will have higher averages on their transcripts, making them more easily identifiable to faculty and college admission officers alike. We will no longer have the problem of a few multiple-choice errors dropping a student from top decile to middle quintile, as grades will span a wider spectrum across the board. For those who feel the above solution is too prescriptive, I offer one more alternative: simply weight grades for higher-level, honors, and AP classes. This would likely require abandoning the 100-point grading scale (to prevent averages from exceeding 100), but it would be an easy way to space out term averages and reward those students with challenging course loads. Of course, compressed grading is not a Deerfield-specific issue; many high schools and colleges are struggling with this problem. Furthermore, the academic level of the school has likely narrowed over the years, so some grade compression would be natural. However, just as we have recalibrated our admissions and student life policies to reflect modernization and better serve the student body, there is no reason we can’t do the same for our grading system. It would take honest discussion, rigorous data analysis, and a willingness to compromise — but our students would be better for it.

Next fall, Brian Simmons P ’12, ’14 will replace Rodgin Cohen ’61 as President of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Cohen has served as a Trustee since 2006 and as President of the Board since 2014. Per the Board’s bylaws, trustees may only serve 5 consecutive years before they are mandated to step down. After a minimum of 2 years, trustees may seek re-election. This year, seven trustees, including Mr. Cohen, are stepping down from their positions. Mr. Cohen stated he would not seek re-election in the future, wanting to make room on the board for new trustees. Mr. Simmons, a parent of two recent Deerfield graduates, is a Managing Partner at Shorehill Capital, a Chicago-based private equity firm. He is currently Chair of the Endowment Committee and also serves on the Finance Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee. As President of the Board, he will participate in all committee meetings, guiding the Academy’s broader long-term strategy. The change in leadership comes on the heels of Head of School Margarita Curtis’ recent announcement that she will step down at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. Notably, Mr. Simmons is chairing the Head of School Search Committee. “We’ve prioritized leadership and understanding of the secondary school environment. There’s a variety of ways that could have been acquired,” Mr. Simmons said, when asked about the ideal background experience they were looking for. The search is still in its early stages — the Committee has not yet seen a list of potential candidates. He continued, “We’re looking for someone who understands the culture and the traditions at Deerfield, and the ways in which Deerfield is different from other schools.” Both Mr. Simmons and Mr. Cohen had plenty of praise for Dr. Curtis’s accomplishments. “If I had my choice, she would stay longer,” Mr. Cohen said. “Dr. Curtis talks about people, program and place, and her efforts have been pretty substantial,” Simmons said. Simmons will begin his term amid rising discourse on campus surrounding potential modifications to Deerfield’s Academic Dress, one of its long-standing traditions. Discussions were initially sparked by a letter Dr. Curtis wrote to female students in April, beseeching Deerfield girls to “carefully consider [their] clothing choices.” The issue has since escalated, and has evoked a wide range of strong opinions from students, faculty, alumni and parents. Considering the voices of these students and faculty members, on May 2, the Board announced a comprehensive “study of the dress code,” aiming to reach a decision by January 2019. This marks an abrupt change from the atmosphere surrounding the issue last October, when prospects of changing Academic Dress were met with “considerable concern” by the Board. “I don’t have a personal opinion at this point. Dress code has been an important part of Deerfield’s culture and tradition,” Simmons said on Trustee Weekend. Mr. Cohen also stated, “The Board would not be fulfilling its duty unless it sought and took into account the views of every relevant constituency — students, faculty, administrators, alumni, parents … all of the groups.” On May 9 and May 10, Dr. Curtis invited female students to meet with her and provide suggestions for changes to the girls’ dress code. In the invitation, she stated, “Until we have a clear outcome, I’d like to work with you to find the intersection between our standards for academic dress and what you’d feel good wearing.” Entering his upcoming term as President of the Board, Mr. Simmons aims to continue Cohen’s work “considering a wide range of opinions” and “building support around a broad consensus on important issues.” Besides the upcoming 2019 renovation of the Health and Wellness Center, Simmons also plans to explore Deerfield’s use of technology in the classroom. “With AI, and personalized learning … I think there will be some exciting opportunities to make better use of technology,” he said. Above all else, Mr. Simmons expressed the importance of student-centric policies, drawing from his experience as a parent. All of the Board’s trustees except one are either parents of Deerfield students or Deerfield alums. “Deerfield, to me, seems to be a school that is deeply committed to students. … there’s a lot of student-centric discussions at the board level, and I’m one-hundred percent in favor of that,” Mr. Simmons said.

After 24 years at Deerfield, Health Issues Teacher Kristen Loftus will depart to pursue a career in nursing. In 1994, Ms. Loftus came to Deerfield as an athletic trainer, and after completing her master’s in education, she began teaching. At Deerfield, she has taught both Anatomy and Health Education. Since her return from a sabbatical that she took in 2015 to earn a degree in nursing, Ms. Loftus has been simultaneously working as a part-time nurse, coach, teacher, advisor, and head of the Peer Counseling program. In addition, Ms. Loftus, along with Susan Carlson, a retired member of Deerfield Academy’s health program, organized the first Deerfield trip to the Independent School Gender Project’s annual conference. This initiative focused on encouraging Deerfield students to think about and discuss solutions for gender issues in their lives. In 2011, Ms. Loftus also collaborated with Ms. Carlson and Counselor Susan Watson to conduct a survey gauging students’ opinions on gender-related issues on campus in terms of equity and mentorship. Based on the data she collected, Ms. Loftus led the efforts to create a position for both a female and male head cheerleader. She also worked to ensure that each class has male and female student council representatives. Additionally, after school meeting was moved from a Tuesday to a Wednesday, Ms. Loftus noticed, “There were kids who would go first [period], second [period], school meeting, and third period and wouldn’t have had anything to eat until [lunch].” Following up on this observation, she prompted the provision of snacks for students after school meeting. Ms. Loftus has also led an initiative to promote healthier nutrition on campus, mainly through Dining Hall “healthy plate” nutrition cards. She divided the Dining Hall into the sections of a healthy plate and assigned each table a food within that category with information on its benefits, and how to incorporate it into healthy eating habits. Ms. Loftus has been the advisor to the Peer Counseling program throughout her time here. Describing her close connection to the group, Ms. Loftus stated, “[The Peer Counseling program is] the thing that I will absolutely miss the most … because that group becomes so comfortable. It’s very much like a family.” The Peer Counselors themselves also attested to the impact that Ms. Loftus had had on them personally. Micajah Stude ’19, who got to know Ms. Loftus as both an advisor and the head of Peer Counseling program, said, “She has been like a second mother.” Likewise, Nate Baker ‘19 described the impact she has had on his Deerfield experience: “Her energy and love have really rubbed off on me and shown me the kind of person that I wvant to be not only for the rest of my time here at Deerfield but also for the rest of my life.” Mikey Holland ’19 also praised Ms. Loftus’ instrumental role in cultivating the close-knit atmosphere of the Peer Counseling group, saying, “I’ve never seen a leader of a club or group at Deerfield bring a group of kids in and produce a family year after year.” Reflecting on her experiences at Deerfield, Ms. Loftus described her most memorable moments as tied to her impact on students. She explained that moments like receiving thank-you notes at the end of the year or finding out that she had inspired a student to attend medical school had made her Deerfield experience particularly rewarding. While she has chosen to pursue a new chapter in her career, Ms. Loftus still plans to frequently return to campus. She stated, “I still plan on going to the Fitness Center, and I’m going to the games!”

Scroll My name is Joseph Ferrer, and I am the Special Events Chef for Deerfield Academy. I have over 16 years of experience as a chef, including endless reading, honing and research of my occupation. I’m writing today to clarify a feature in the most recent issue of the Deerfield Scroll. In the story, Assistant Director of Food Services Mr. Woodward is quoted as saying, “[The goal of this training was to] give us a quick but broad view of different Asian cuisines and cooking techniques… From a lot of different cultures.” I attended this training, as well as many others prior to this. The 3 day “crash” course was intended to introduce the staff, myself included, to authentic techniques, ingredients and flavors from the respective regions in Asia. As an experienced chef, I will say it was quite successful in reaching those goals. The guest chef and lecturer, Ms. Shirley Cheng, was certainly knowledgeable in the materials she was covering. She has been a professor at the Culinary Institute of America for eighteen years, has worked at several positions in very reputable establishments, and continues, as most great chefs do, to hone her craft. She has won many awards for her work and has built a great reputation based on her knowledge and skill. As an insider in the business, I can tell you she is “the real deal.” Her course objective was to give us an introduction to, not an encyclopedic view, of Asian cuisine, covering some dishes and the nuances of those particular dishes. When you attend a cooking lecture on regional cuisine, you do not instantly become adept to that cuisine. There is much to know. There is an expectation the individual will walk away from the lesson and then continue to learn about it through research, trial, adjustment, etc. As I’ve learned in this field, there are different ways of making the same dish. It is as true here, as it is in every region in China, and even within those regions, it remains true from house to house, restaurant to restaurant. If we think about it, we can use a familiar example of mac & cheese. Everyone here knows what that is, but do we consider that our next door neighbor makes it a bit differently? If we travel to the southern United States, or western, are the chefs there making it the same as each other? So, thinking about Sichuan, specifically yu xiang pork. Are we to believe that everyone in the province makes it exactly alike? That would be ridiculous, and yet, no matter who makes it there, it is still Sichuan, no? So now we have to consider what makes a dish “Sichuan.” Is it the chef? The ingredients? The location where it is prepared? These views are narrow. Equate it to language. Does not someone fluent in Spanish and English speak both, to perfection? Is it not Spanish if spoken in Denmark? It is not only possible for a chef to learn other cuisines, it is possible to master other cuisines. One who says otherwise isn’t speaking from experience, they are speaking from pride. This sort of defense is obsolete with food because everyone eats. With our world growing smaller, we generally are used to and open to eating other cuisines. As a professional, I pride myself on constantly improving and learning about how to prepare cuisines from cultures other than my own. When I come upon a new dish, ingredient, or technique, I study it with the same passion as some of you may study art, physics, or baseball. I read about it, source the ingredients, try it, and try it again. I treat the cuisine and culture with respect to its origins. I find it laughable, given my experience, that a well motivated, skilled chef could not reproduce dishes from a multitude of regions with the same deftness used by a native chef. I think some of you may be surprised to see who is in your favorite ethnic kitchens. As chefs, we are a playful group. We sometimes find benefit in combining ingredients or techniques from different cultures. It is known as “fusion cuisine.” When done well, it is of great reward not only to the inventor of the new dish, but also to the community to which he or she presents it. When you see something on the menu called “Asian Tacos,” it is not meant to imply it is an authentic dish. It is assumed the diner will know it is neither Asian or Mexican, but a melding of ideas into something new. It is a no-brainer, meant to show how well some things can go together that would not normally be found in the wild. What could be more inclusive than that? And lest we forget the whole reason for the training in the first place, we did it for the community. Your kitchen is staffed by some very special people who get joy out of serving you. We always strive to be better because that means you will be happier as a result. These courses are not easy. We don’t do them in a bubble, studying and learning only to not use any of it. We do it because we want to give the community our best every time. We appreciate constructive criticism, because it makes us better. We try not to have people laugh at our efforts. Who would want that?

Long known for its beautiful campus nestled in the Pocumtuck Valley, Deerfield Academy has taken important steps toward becoming a more sustainable community over the last ten years. Insightful and purposeful mission-driven decision-making with regard to facilities, resources and programs has positioned the school to become one of the leaders in implementing environmentally sound policies. Of equal importance is a cultural shift in the administration, faculty, staff and the student body toward becoming more environmentally aware and “all in” on making Deerfield greener. For decades in the past, Deerfield was slow to embrace sustainability as a priority, prompting some to describe the school’s approach to environmental stewardship as “neanderthal.” All that has changed. Most students and adults in the community now view taking care of the people, the program and the place as just another part of Deerfield life. Most seem willing to do their part to “Act Locally and Think Globally” as we strive to meet the challenge put forth by G. H. Bruntland, former PM of Norway and Director of the World Health Organization: “We must consider our planet to be on loan from our children, rather than being a gift from our ancestors.” The institutional commitment to sustainability is embedded in the DA mission statement: the Academy prepares students for leadership in a rapidly changing world that requires global understanding, environmental stewardship, and dedication to service. This obligation to the environment has been further clarified by the Sustainability Mission Statement: Deerfield Academy seeks to preserve our heritage by operating in a manner that sustains our natural and human resources for future generations. Dr. Beth Hooker, Sustainability Education Coordinator, David Purington, Environmental Management Coordinator, and two members of the Class of 2018 recently delivered a presentation on advances in sustainability to the Board of Trustees. Some highlights included: Overall greenhouse gas reduction of 33% since 2005 through a combination of innovative and substantive design engineering, energy efficiency upgrades, and targeted education Innovative water conservation program, leading to 15-20% reduction Purchase over 20% locally, sustainably-produced food Shift toward sustainable landscape management, with an 83% reduction in synthetic fertilizer use. Targeted analysis of solar PV for on-site electricity generation Development of represent-ative courses, including Global H2O, Global Food Systems, AP Capstone: Environmental History and Research in Sustainability Student-led initiative to implement composting in all dorms by Fall 2018 Annual sustainability offer-ings through the CSGC: Including Panama, the Bahamas and Tanzania These advances in sustainability should provide momentum for next steps for Deerfield. According to Dr. Hooker, “The Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee (ESAC) with input from across campus will work to draft a climate action plan, with clear curricular and co-curricular linkages. In addition, the program will promote the campus as a living laboratory, as a way to teach and practice responsible environmental stewardship through place-based, experiential learning as well as to provide a platform for effective engagement with important environmental issues.” Education lies at the heart of the Sustainability Mission Statement and this vision for future directions reflects this, modeling Deerfield’s aspirations after a successful program at Princeton University. The success of this initiative will depend on the level of buy-in by all members of the community as change will involve further sacrifices in the existing culture of entitlement and convenience. Moving forward, Deerfield Academy must consider ways of connecting interdisciplinary offerings that focus on sustainability to graduation requirements in order to demonstrate a firm institutional commitment to its mission.

Declamations are considered a rite of passage to many students, a long-standing tradition as part of Deerfield’s history. In fact, they have been around for so long that no member of the English Department seems to know why, when, or how the practice was first established at Deerfield. Some describe the declamation as a core element of the Deerfield English curriculum that must be kept for the future, while others feel they are an antiquated practice that should remain in the past. Any changes to the tradition of declamations are generally implemented by the English Department. All the teachers of a certain grade level meet to discuss ideas and opinions. In the past 25 years, these meetings have led to various changes in each grade. Until two years ago, ninth-graders chose a passage to recite from a book read in class that year. Now, the ninth-graders write their own pieces by drawing inspiration from a set of photographs selected by the ninth grade teachers. 10th grade declamations have changed somewhat as well, as finals are no longer performed on Family Weekend, which had been a tradition in the past. English Teacher Mark Scandling explained, “We moved it off because there were so many other things competing for attention. We wanted the sophomore group to have their own night, where the softball or crew team wasn’t gone.” The 11th grade declamations have undergone the most dramatic evolution. About 25 years ago, juniors began writing their own piece on some American issue, which then evolved into today’s task of writing about a personal issue that connects with the “American experience.” Two years ago, the 11th grade English teachers also decided to remove the memorization aspect. Mr. Scandling explained, “[We were] hoping instead to have students spend more time crafting the written part and really delivering it with more conviction.” Despite changes made for general improvement, there is disagreement within the department regarding the relevance of declamations and their future path. Certain members were pleased with the removal of the 11th grade’s memorization aspect, such as Mr. Scandling,who stated, “There were times where people would get halfway and forget their words, and then what did we teach them?” Others, however, appreciated the memorization of certain declamations. English Teacher Christian Austin explained, “There is a lot of value in [memorization of the sophomore declamations] and having to take ownership of someone else’s writing and ideas that are not necessarily theirs.” He added, “There are still mixed opinions on how [the 11th grade declamation] change has gone. It’s an ongoing conversation and we might always go back.” These disagreements are echoed by the student body, where there is no clear majority opinion on declamations. Some remain in favor of maintaining the tradition, like Roopa Venkatraman ’18, who said, “Declamations bring us back to the old notion of reading and performing traditional literature and poetry.” Others believe only particular aspects should be altered. Sam Bronckers ’20 criticized the voting system of declamations, saying, “It is hard for us to judge another’s performance while declaiming because of our limited knowledge regarding declamations and literature.” English Department Chair Michael Schloat also reflected on the unfair bias present in student voting. “I get worried that in small classes it’s pretty easy to have a vote that selects a student for a reason other than ‘this is the best declamation,’” explained Mr. Schloat, who teaches a ninth grade English class. Certain members of the community believe the practice should be amended altogether. Maggie Tydings ’20 remarked on the sophomore declamations, “There is no applicable scenario in your professional life where you would utilize this skill. I will never need to stand up straight with my hands still by my side and recite a piece of literature.” For the future, changes might be implemented in the voting system, as many worry it is too subjective. However, there currently are no major future changes planned for the declamations. “It’s a distinctive thing about Deerfield and it is not without academic value, so I think it is worth keeping,” concluded Mr. Austin.

The Deerfield golf team excelled this season, with key players leading the team to a record 15-0. In addition to an undefeated record in duel match play, the team also won the Newport Invitational for the first time since 2014. “[We had] pretty high expectations because the team last year did well, and everyone on the team worked hard over the summer,” explained Lowell Weil ’18, captain of the team. Weil has been a key component of the Deerfield golf team since 2015 and was excited to finally take a formal leadership position on the team this year. Another crucial member for the team is Kimberly Stafford ‘19, who has been a close friend of Weil’s since they were young. She spoke to his leadership on the team, saying, “It was really cool for me to see him assume a leadership position on the team. He does a really good job of getting me fired up for our Saturday match-play together in addition to uniting the team both on and off the course.” Stafford is one of the strongest golfers, the number two seed and the only girl on this co-ed team. Nonetheless, she states that she doesn’t find it strange that she is the lone female: “Honestly, being the only girl on the team has never really felt that weird. The guys on my team right now are some of my closest friends.” Apart from Weil, the other seniors on the team are Ben Hirsch ‘18, Connor Mead ‘18, and Bret Pastor ‘18. Coach Brendan Creagh described their leadership, saying “They have each demonstrated an ability to not only focus on their own game but to help the younger athletes deal with the stresses that are unique to golf.” Newcomer to the team Mat Panikar ‘21 felt that the transition to golfing at Deerfield was made easier by the unique team dynamic. “I was really nervous in the beginning, but I think everyone has been really great and accepting, and it’s great that everyone gives feedback and instruction without judgement,” Panikar explained. There is no question that the golf team has had an exceptional season thus far, and this is thanks in part to the incredible team dynamic between these ten athletes. With golf being such a time-consuming sport, the team is very close due to the hours on end they spend together in the van to and from the course. With strong leadership from the four seniors, outstanding play from the underclassmen, and guidance from Mr. Creagh, Deerfield golf has regained its position as a powerhouse in the New England Prep League. Having completed the regular-season matches, golf will travel to Kingswood-Oxford for the New England Championship Kingswood Tournament match. With a fantastic season under their belt, the team has no qualms going into the tournament. Best of luck to the golf team!

Stepping up into a new grade can be both an exciting and frightening experience for returning students. While members of the Class of 2018 prepare to leave campus, some juniors have already taken on new leadership positions that will continue in the 2018-19 year. These titles can come in many different forms, for example: captain of a sports team, editor of a student publication, proctor, peer counselor, or head of a student alliance. The Scroll Editorial Board believes that at Deerfield, leadership roles are sometimes misconstrued or not used to their full capacity. As a prestigious boarding school that strives for excellence in all realms, Deerfield is an environment where students often feel as if they need to build up an impressive résumé listing multiple leadership positions in order to stand out in college admissions. The process can be gruelling; in the competition to rise to the top in various extracurricular activities, people may pretend to be much more enthusiastic about an activity than they actually are. In other cases, someone might earn a position simply from continued involvement with an activity over several years, regardless of the tangible contributions he or she has made. We believe that Deerfield students can benefit most from redefining the role of a leader in their communities and organizations. From a young age, we are generally taught to view leaders as people who are the most vocal during discussions and who assign tasks to other members of the group. But oftentimes, we fail to realize that we don’t always need a title to positively influence others. When we do not have any special title in a group, it can be tempting to sit back and watch other people do the work. Conversely, we may feel as if everything we do automatically qualifies as the actions of an effective leader just because we have a leadership position. Both of these attitudes are harmful to our community. The Scroll Board defines leadership as influencing others’ personal growth and maximizing their contributions to the community. In February, all juniors attended a leadership training meeting led by guest speaker Mike Weber. In his talk, he emphasized that the key to being a successful leader lay in forging meaningful relationships with peers to influence them positively. Many juniors shared afterward that his perspective on leadership was one they had not considered before. This description is certainly more abstract and harder to grasp than the widespread image of an assertive and overbearing member of a group. However, it suggests that true leaders inspire their peers and guide each member to contribute to the group’s overall success. They are selfless and puts the concerns of the group before their own interests. Most of all, they understand that selflessness actually leads to greater good. Consider weekly cleanup duties in dorms. There’s nothing inherently wrong about yelling at other people on your hall, “What are you doing sitting around in your room? Get up and start taking out the trash!” But what if we told people instead, “Let’s take out the trash — it only takes a minute, and our housekeepers will enjoy a less stressful morning tomorrow!” This kind of invitation to collaborate is much more likely to instill motivation in members of the hall, which can make a lasting change. Leadership is qualified by the kind of processes the leaders instill, not the results they are able to accomplish. The Deerfield community can benefit immensely by adapting this process-driven definition of a leader. Whether or not we have a leadership position, and no matter how large or small our associations and communities are, we have the opportunity to offer a helping hand to our peers.

Ms. Emma Coffin “I had so much fun traveling to Tanzania with Ms. Coffin. I’m so sad that other Deerfield students won’t get to experience her goofy, bright, caring personality.” — Mae Emerson ’19 “Hall resident, Chem. teacher, coach, BFF, and Bandit’s owner, Ms. Coffin truly did it all…We promise to keep the hall clean for you Coff Coff!!!! #rollmac3forever&always” — Mac 3 (2017-18) Ms. Julie Graves “Ms. Graves uses a process-based appraoch to Calculus that encourages us to focus on the journey towards finding an answer rather than the answer itself. Although I certainly struggled in Calculus sometimes this year, I’m grateful to have had a teacher as supportive and accommodating as Ms. Graves.” — Sarah Jane O’Connor ’18 Ms. Maria Hernandez “I loved Ms. Hernandez as my math teacher over the last year! Her bubbly personality and passion for math always energizes the classroom, and it’s evident that she truly enjoys teaching the subject to students! It’s also clear that she cares for her students—one time she brought in brownies right before exams! I will definitely miss doing modeling problems and listening to her clear and concise explanations of calculus concepts next year!” —Thomas Song ’19 Dr. Christina Kopp “Dr. Kopp’s enthusiam for history and love for teaching has made me love my history class this year. She guides her students through each lesson by encouraging independent discovery, not mere lectures. On top of her abundance of knowledge and passion, her goal was to engage all of her students and make the whole learning experience a useful and enlightening one. We will remember Dr. Kopp for her humble spirit and persistent efforts to better our skills as historians and to push us to our full potential as learners.” — Morgane Dackiw ’19 Ms. Sonja O’Donnell “As my teacher, club affiliate, and intellectual advisor, Ms. O’D has played an extremely important role in my four years at Deerfield. She has inspired me to stand up for my convictions and pushed me to take risks. I could not be more grateful for the guidance and wisdom she has imparted. In her time at Deerfield, she has stood as a beacon of intellectual curiosity and activism. Deerfield will not be the same without her.” — Lily Louis ’18 Mr. Khizar Hussain “It has been a great couple of years having Mr. Hussain as a computer science teacher. The support and guidance he has given to his students was unparalleled. We will miss him next year. Good luck on your PhD, Mr. Hussain!” —Valerie Hetherington ’19 “Although only knowing him for one year, it is safe to say that Mr. Hussain has made a huge impact on me. Not only does he have a vast knowledge of computer science, but he is willing to work one-on-one with his students to provide extra guidance. His teaching is the perfect combination of funny and serious, and he makes me excited to come to class each day. I know for certain that we will all miss him next year as he continues to make an impact in the world.” — Kimberly Stafford ’19 Mr. Andy Harcourt “Words fail to describe Mr. Harcourt’s awesomeness. To call him a masterful teacher would be an understatement; to say that he knows exactly how to explain things fails to account for the impressive number of relevant stories he has for every topic. Who else can so elegantly digress from a lesson on chaperonin proteins to a story about chaperoning Deerfield dances in the days of yore? What other teacher would have offered us the opportunity to embrace our inner sage grouse as we experienced the glory of a lek? Mr. Harcourt is quick to laugh, able to empathize, and clearly cares deeply about what he teaches and the people he teaches to. I am really grateful to have been his student in his last year here — Deerfield will be a different place without him.” — Misha Fan ’18 Ms. Kristin Loftus “Ms. Loftus is the perfect balance of a teacher, a friend, a role model, and a mom. My favorite memory with Mrs. Loftus was when she made us a three-course plated meal for advisory. It was a great bonding moment for the whole advisory, and although small, it is a moment that I will never forget.” —Micajah Stude ’19 “My favorite memory of Ms. Loftus is the day after I found out I got the Peer Counselor role. She was at my JV lacrosse game, and afterwards she came up to me, gave me a huge hug and welcomed me to the family. She’s such a welcoming person, and I admire her attitude and devotion to the students at this school. —Jill O’Connor ’19 Mr. William Speer “As the boys varsity tennis coach, Mr. Speer constantly scours the web looking for new drills to help us improve our game. He is truly dedicated to our success as well as the success of the program and his efforts as the coach day in and day out help display this dedication. I can honestly say that there is no one I would rather have as my coach than Mr. Speer. His humility, kindness, and the respect he shows for opponents, as well as us players, is something all coaches should take from him. Whether it’s the witty hashtags he comes up with for our team twitter, the Pulitzer prize worthy write-ups he composes after every match, or just his simple but wise advice he bestows upon us players, I know that Mr. Speer will be dearly missed and that he will always have a place in the hearts of all his students, players, and peers.” — Matthew Wuyan ’18 Ms. Adaire Robinson “At the beginning of the year, Ms. Robinson told my seventh period acting class that we would become so close by the end of our two terms together. Everyone looked at each other with doubt clouding their eyes and wondered how this could be possible. Fast forward past memories of laughing uncontrollably and leaning into discomfort, and we are at the end of our winter term. Right before class, I learned that a boy that I knew from home had just passed away. When we did our daily highs and lows, I just wanted to lift that off my chest and share with my ensemble. That is not something that I would normally share with any other teacher or class. Ms. Robinson made everyone stand up, and we did a cinnamon bun hug where all of my classmates wrapped around me and gave me a hug. I felt so supported and loved.” — Samara Cummings ’20