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As the 2013-2014 school year comes to a close, Deerfield prepares to say goodbye to a valued coach, admissions officer and role model. David Irwin, head varsity baseball coach and head junior varsity boys water polo coach, will be leaving Deerfield to become Director of Admissions at Cardigan Mountain School in Canaan, New Hampshire. Mr. Irwin began his athletic career in high school, where he played football and baseball. He would later go on to play baseball for four years at Middlebury College as a pitcher. There, Irwin says, he “learned how to hit a good fungo—rivaled only by Coach McVaugh’s.” After graduating in 2005, he took a job at New Canaan Country School, where he began teaching and coaching. Mr. Irwin recalled, “Surprisingly enough, I began coaching in high school at Camp Belknap. I began as a camper there and rose through the ranks to counselor, coach, and now, after 18 years, I am the program director.” In 2010, Mr. Irwin took a yearlong leave from the Fenn School in Concord, Massachusetts to earn a master’s degree in education from Harvard University’s Leadership Program. Mr. Irwin and his wife, Mandy, found Deerfield Academy in the fall of 2011. Mrs. Irwin joined the science department and has taught biology, environmental science and Global H2O. Mr. Irwin has worked as an admissions officer and taught a popular senior English elective, “The History of Baseball.” Mr. Irwin has coached the boys JV water polo team every fall since his arrival. He observed that his coaching style during water polo games is very vocal, stating, “I yell a lot during water polo games, even though I only recently picked up the game.” JV water polo captain Andrew Hollander ’16 described Coach Irwin as “one of the best coaches I have ever had.” Hollander added, “He has developed my game and inspired a love of water polo in me.” Mr. Irwin’s final baseball season here at DA has been a hard-fought battle. After the team missed the playoffs—barely— he proudly affirmed, “This year’s team has proven themselves to be relentless and gutsy in the face of adversity. They had to work and grind for the successes they experienced. Nothing was handed to them.” Doug Vallar ’15, who has played for Mr. Irwin for three years, said, “I am sad to hear that he is leaving. He has brought a lot of baseball knowledge to this program, and he has significantly developed my game both mentally and physically.” Chad Cramer ’16, advisee and player, said, “Coach Irwin has clearly left a significant impression during his three years here at Deerfield, and will be missed by the Deerfield community.”

The idea of a self-paced class probably sounds like a dream come true for many Deerfield students. Setting your own test dates, not having to do chemistry homework every night, and never having due dates might make the new Chemistry I curriculum look like a walk-in-the-park class where nothing gets done. But rather, “mastery learning” chemistry has taught me how to set my own goals and achieve things without having the presence of a forcing hand. The idea behind mastery-learning chemistry is that we all proceed throughout the chapters at our own pace, completing multiple “checkpoint quizzes,” watching videos on our online reading, and completing a lab before taking a chapter test. Chemistry is cumulative, and if a student doesn’t understand balancing equations and ionic compounds, he could have a much harder time with subsequent topics. The mastery-learning model allows students to understand every concept well and build upon previous knowledge without feeling rushed along by the class pace or a looming test date. This allows a better understanding of chemistry in general, although students may not get through as many topics. A few times a week we have a more traditional class, where the teacher will give a lecture on a topic that most students are struggling with. In my class, we all seem to be in generally the same place. In fact, we all usually take the test within a few days of one another. Yes, it’s sometimes frustrating to be half a chapter behind everyone else in the class, or struggling to re-learn a concept for the exam that just never really “clicked,” but this has only taught me that I have to stay on task to keep up with the other students in my class. Furthermore, taking mastery-learning chemistry puts students in control of how they learn. The class forces me to work on organizational skills as well as chemistry so as to manage a week of classes and the work I want to get done in all classes. How I spend my class periods is also sometimes completely up to me, so instead of daydreaming and losing 45 minutes of my time, I have learned to ask better questions about the material so that I can understand the material more fully. Do I think that all classes at Deerfield should be self-paced? No. The self-paced format would only work for courses that aren’t discussion-based, like a math or science course. The mastery-learning model might also prove inefficient in a higher-level class. The Chemistry I level is just right, however. Ultimately, this class reinforces good student skills like self-motivation and time management. But does Chemistry I have its shortcomings? Yes. Sometimes, when I’m considering watching TV or going to bed early, it’s hard to make myself do the work. There is a point deduction for falling behind, but for many, it hasn’t proved so punitive that it completely discourages not finishing a chapter of the course. So while the fully self-paced model works well, a hybrid model of working as a class and working individually actually may work better.

With six strong wins and two close losses, the girls varsity tennis team has proven itself in the New England prep school league this season. The casual observer might not even notice the fact that the team was rocked by the loss of seven graduating seniors last year. At the beginning of an unseasonably frigid spring, head coach David Dickinson faced a daunting task—replacing the lost players who were ranked from two to seven on the ladder. Tryouts were held with only three guaranteed returning players: Serena Ainslie ’16, Margaret McGraw ’15 and captain Alyssa Moreau ’14. Mr. Dickinson was aware of the possibility of a challenging season. “The idea of a long season with a lot of losses was a strong possibility,” he said. This possibility did not trouble him, however, as he added, “I didn’t care about that; I like the game so much that my mantra has always been ‘let’s work to be better players. Let’s not care about wins and losses.’” After three days of tryouts, Mr. Dickinson and Dr. Bicknell selected seven girls from a group of hopefuls. This group included three graduates of JV tennis– Charlotte Allen ’14, Katherine Heaney ’16 and Olivia Mehm ’14. In addition, the team welcomed Ally Edwards ’17, Gillian O’Connor ’17, Winston Rossetter ’17 and Lauren Sullivan ’16. The influx of underclass players brought with them new energy but, naturally, unpredictability as well. Mr. Dickinson acknowledged this rather unusual occurrence: “This is possibly the youngest team I have coached in well over a decade.” He further elaborated on the predominantly underclassmen team, saying, “Who cares if we have a lot of losses? It’s kind of fun to have a brand- new team with a lot of young players and to see them develop.” One upside to having such a young team was noted by Ainslie: “Because it is a younger team, everyone got close really quickly.” The first two matches of the season have been the only two losses to date for the team. The first match of the season against Kingswood did not technically count as a loss since it was only a scrimmage. Mr. Dickinson said, “Really, we only suffered one loss. The first loss was against Groton, and I think it was because we were trying to figure out a ladder, trying to figure out ability level, who’s got a head game and who is a head case.” After suffering the loss to Groton, the team rebounded tremendously, winning every one of its next six matches.

Dr. Robert Ballard, the noted oceanographer, came to Deerfield on April 30 to talk about his work, his findings and his love of the ocean. Known chiefly for locating the Titanic, Dr. Ballard has also discovered numerous other ships, artifacts and biological phenomena. “Where I grew up there was an outback,” Dr. Ballard said. “Back in those days there was that wonderful ‘just be home before it’s dark.’ Whether it was a bicycle, my car or just walking, I wanted to do a walkabout. I loved to turn over rocks, and just the sense of exploration . . . grew and grew and grew, and I’m still turning over rocks.” Dr. Ballard completed two majors and two minors at the University of California, Santa Barbara (chemistry and geology, and physics and mathematics, respectively). “I didn’t make the dean’s list,” he said, “but I survived.” He continued with PhDs in marine geology and geophysics from the University of Rhode Island before taking to the water. His favorite discovery, the hydrothermal vents found at the junctions of tectonic plates on the ocean floor in 1977, has actually—along with Carl Woese(’46)’s discovery of Archaea—provided scientists with a potential theory on the beginnings of life. “It was such a huge homerun,” explained Dr. Ballard. “I mean, it was the origin of life on the planet.” Now running an exploration operation with bases around the world, Dr. Ballard allows a group of students to become part of his ship’s team every summer. Nate Lane ’14 was one of these students last year. While working from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day in shifts, they analyzed data to plan missions and revisit old discoveries. “It was intimidating sometimes,” Lane said, “being a nobody high-school kid working with all these super-experienced engineers and scientists . . . Some of the stuff we handled was confidential.” During their downtime, students attended lectures by URI professors and worked on a final project using data collected while at sea. One of Lane’s most memorable moments came when a scientist from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) was watching the video feed from the ROV, and some blue rocks appeared on the screen. Dr. Ballard, in passing, pointed at the screen and asked if the team had found the hydrothermal vent, as the blue rocks were solid methane hydrate. The scientist stated that her 20 years of experience told her that hydrothermal vents could not grow under those conditions, but a moment later, the vents came into view. Upon Dr. Ballard’s return, the scientist was embarrassed for being mistaken, but rather than gloat, Ballard exclaimed how excited he was at the discovery. “[Dr. Ballard] doesn’t care about the money, or the fame, or the power; he is truly driven by the need to explore and to discover,” Lane said. Dr. Ballard reiterated this point himself: “I just love, love the process of discovery. I’m not looking back, I’m looking at that horizon, and the nice thing about a globe is that you never get there, you just keep walking.”

Click Here to read about this year’s other departing and retiring faculty. Dan Roihl Mr. Roihl, who has contributed to the Deerfield community from its traditions to its musical talents, will be leaving Deerfield with his wife after four fabulous years. Click Here to read the whole article about him. “Mr. Roihl has expanded student access to the choral arts by founding two new vocal ensembles: the Deerfield Choral Society and Chamber Singers… The singing of the Evensong and Deerfield Song after Sunday sit-down and the annual Investiture Ceremony are also traditions created by Mr. Roihl… Christie Jok ‘16 added, ‘Something that I’ll really miss is his passion for music. He always puts 110% into whatever song we are learning, and I drink he will be missed mostly for his enthusiasm in everything that he does.'” – Caroline Fett ’16 Susan LaScala “Susan LaScala is retiring on May 30th after 24 years of dedicated service to the students and staff of Deerfield Academy. Susan started work at the Health Center as a Nurse Practitioner in 1990, working part time seeing girls for gynecological care. In 2002, she moved into a full-time managerial role and became the Director of Clinical Services. For the next seven years, the Health Center flourished under Susan’s creative and thoughtful leadership. When Kate Rolland became our Director of Nursing in 2009, Susan moved to a primary clinical role seeing students and staff. It is difficult to imagine the Health Center without Susan, as she has been such a vital force in the life of the Health Center for so long. Needless to say, we will be very sad to see her go.” – Dr. Hagamen

This coming fall, the Deerfield community will welcome a new music director: Ms. Maaja Roos. While interviewing candidates for the position of music director, Dean of Faculty Mr. Taylor said, “We were looking for somebody who is primarily a choral director, and someone who can connect well with kids and get them excited about joining the choral program.” In addition to having developed nationally recognized choral music programs at the Savannah Country Day School of Georgia and The Nightingale- Bamford School of New York, Ms. Roos is an award-winning concert pianist and organist. She is of Estonian origin and is a seventh-generation musician in her family. Christie Jok ’16, one of the students in the class that Ms. Roos taught as part of the interview, said, “Normally seventy-minute chorus classes seem really long, but with Ms. Roos, it flew by. No one was bored, and you could tell that everyone was really excited to be singing. She really got all of us out of our shells. We loved her.” The hope is that Ms. Roos will expand Deerfield’s choral program as she has done at previous schools. Mr. Taylor said: “More than anything, she is eager to excite as many kids as possible to sing.” Generally, students involved in the choral program here at Deerfield have clear musical talent. But that doesn’t always have to be the case. Academic Dean Mr. Warsaw explained: “There are three central approaches to music pedagogy [the method of teaching music]: the Kodaly Method, the Orff Method, and Dalcroze Eurhythmics. These methods allow teachers to uncover and develop the innate musical ability within any student.” “Having mastered all three of these pedagogies,” continued Mr. Warsaw, “[Ms. Roos] has the training and background to find all students where they are and help them develop their musical abilities to the fullest extent. Students don’t necessarily need any prior experience or known talent. We hope this quality will attract new students to the program.” When Ms. Roos first arrived at Savannah Country Day School, there were only about 15 or 20 kids involved in the choir program. Flash-forward 13 years: as Ms. Roos is finishing out her final year there before joining us here at Deerfield, there are more than 85 kids involved in Savannah Country Day School’s choir program. “The words I would use to describe [Ms. Roos] are: energetic, charismatic, funny, and collegial. She is a larger than life character,” said Jennifer Whitcomb, chair of the Visual and Performing Arts Department. Ms. Roos herself shared some of her goals in coming to Deerfield during a phone interview: “There is so much stress for students nowadays,” she said. “One of my goals in coming to Deerfield is not making the program this hoity-toity thing for singers, but having different levels. I want it to be something for everyone to participate in. A way to relax.” Ms. Roos also hopes to increase the opportunities of performances for the students. She said: “You have to take people on the road and share it. It’s not called the performing arts for nothing.” “In the end,” said Ms. Roos, “it’s not even about creating a pristine, perfect sound. I think that’s kind of cold. Perfection is boring. It’s about forming connections with each other.”

All of the faculty members below will be moving on to a new stage in their life, whether that is retirement, a new school or a new career. Click Here to read about Dan Roihl and Susan LaScala. RETIRING Robert Moorhead (Visual Arts) Robert Moorhead began his Deerfield career as a visual arts and architecture teacher in 1976. Although there are many things Mr. Moorhead will miss, he specified, “I will miss the students the most.” After 38 years, one of his greatest accomplishments has been introducing thousands of students to the world of architecture and teaching them about the arts. He and Mrs. Moorhead will live in their Greenfield home, and he will continue his career as an artist and book designer. Andrea Moorhead (French) Andrea Moorhead joined the Academy in January 1977, when she began teaching Latin. She and her husband started the Deerfield Academy Press. “I have found it fascinating, stimulating and fruitful to speak with young people whose points of view and values are different from mine,” she said. “Now that I am semi-ancient, the differences are, perhaps, more dramatic, which gives me more grist for reflection.” Martha Lyman (Associate Head of School, former Director of College Advising) After 26 years working for Deerfield Academy, Martha Lyman announced her retirement. She says she will always remember the students fondly. She will continue living on the south end of Main Street, but she’ll spend time on Cape Cod and travel abroad (first stop: Ethiopia). Ms. Lyman is proud to have been a part of the team that ushered in the return to coeducation, as well as helping establish our Global Studies Program. Suzanne Hannay (English) Suzanne Hannay joined the English department at Deerfield Academy in 1990 and advised The Scroll. Not only has Ms. Hannay taught hundreds of students, but she also established the long-standing Cambridge Seminar program. In addition, she helped found the Little Brown House Review to celebrate student writing. After 24 years, she will miss the lively presence of teenagers on a daily basis, but she looks forward to working in the garden and orchard, and to painting in her barn studio in Heath. Wendy Shepherd (ITS) During her 16 years working for ITS at Deerfield, Wendy Shepherd has had the opportunity to work with a talented group of individuals. “My biggest accomplishment,” she said, “was hiring great people!” As the director of ITS and the department chair, Ms. Shepherd has left her mark on Deerfield. She will miss the people most, she said, but she looks forward to playing with her grandchildren on the beach. DEPARTING Elizabeth Bishop (College Advising) During her years at Deerfield, Beth Bishop has been a pillar of College Advising. She said she will always remember the great friends she made here, but above all she will miss what she thinks is the most beautiful campus in the country. After 23 years of living in Western Massachusetts, Ms. Bishop is looking forward to her new role as Director of Admissions at the Menlo School in Atherton, California. Virginia Invernizzi (Spanish) Virginia Invernizzi has been on sabbatical this school year but has returned regularly to campus. She said her fondest memories of the students and school life were “those classes when we laughed and learned (I from them, they from me).” She will miss dancing the tango here, as well as the wonderful friends she made at DA. Dr. Invernizzi looks forward to life in Zaragoza, Spain, where she will be Resident Director for School Year Abroad. Jeffrey Jewett (Director of Sustainability, Science) Besides the breathtaking valley of Deerfield, Jeff Jewett will fondly remember working with a talented group of colleagues and living in the dorm with students. He will be the Director of Global Education at the Pingry School, a K-12 day school, in New Jersey. Mr. Jewett is eager to try something a little different professionally and hopes to transform a global travel program into a global education program. David Irwin (Admissions) David Irwin, who has been an admission officer and varsity baseball coach for the past three years, will be working at the Cardigan Mountain School next fall as Director of Admissions. Although Mr. Irwin will miss the wonderful students and colleagues he worked and lived with, he looks forward to longer, colder winters up north in Canaan, New Hampshire. Mandy Irwin (Science) Mandy Irwin has taught in the Science Department, served as a dorm resident in Dewey and New Dorm, coached volleyball and led the Elements program during her three years on the faculty at Deerfield. Ms. Irwin will be moving to Cardigan Mountain School with her husband and their golden retriever Ellie. Danielle Chagnon (Math) After three years at the Academy, Danielle Chagnon will be moving on to the day school Noble and Greenough in Dedham, Massachusetts, where she will continue to teach math and coach softball. Ms. Chagnon will be missed as a dedicated Barton dorm resident, teacher and coach. Christopher Dooley (English) Kip Dooley will complete his master’s degree in leadership from University of Pennsylvania this spring and will return to his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he will teach English, coach and pursue his passion for writing. He said he’ll miss everything from the great friends and students here to the scenic valley—even the cows—but he looks forward to rediscovering his hometown. Casey Kelsey (Science) After completing her master’s degree in leadership from the University of Pennsylvania while working as a Teaching Fellow at the Academy for the past two years, Casey Kelsey will continue to teach science and coach crew at Choate Rosemary Hall. Ms. Kelsey has been a force in the classroom, in the dorm and on the river. Neil Jacobs (Philosophy & Religion) During his time at Deerfield—where he has twice filled in for Philosophy and Religion teachers on sabbatical— Deerfield alumnus Neil Jacobs 69’, senior counsel at Wilmer Hale in Boston, has made an indelible mark on students in his ethics and philosophy classes. He has been widely praised for his ethical presence and warm heart on campus.

This week, the Deerfield Academy Theater Program will present The Amish Project by Jessica Dickey, a play widely regarded by reviewers as “shocking,” “sublime,” and “unexpected.” The play, inspired by the killing of five girls at an Amish school in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, focuses on the compassion shown by the Amish community in response to the shooting. The play forces viewers to question how they would respond to an incident of school violence: with grief, rage, or forgiveness. Healy Knight ’16, who plays a six-year- old victim of the shooting, told students to “expect an abstract view on a tragic event that tells the tragedy through positive impacts, which reflects on what the Amish people are about.” After the fall comedy and the winter children’s play Mrs. Hynds, the director, has been excited to work on a play that is somber and “looser,” that forces her actors to “be more imaginative and creative in order to flesh out the bare bones given to us.” She recounted preparing The Amish Project as “a rewarding experience for us, because we have invested in it so much of our own creativity.” Mrs. Hynds and the actors have explored the closed-off culture of the Amish and focused on how society copes with tragedies, as well as how intolerance and preconceived notions affect us. Co-assistant director Haidun Liu ’15, along with Sidney Hulburd ’14, described the play as one that will “change [our] perspectives and impression of the Amish world.” Hulburd described the play as one that is “extremely intense and very powerful” and “makes you think about our world.” Liu spoke about the impact of this play on daily life at Deerfield by stating, “Faith and forgiveness are very relevant to Deerfield life. Many characters in the play, like many students at Deerfield, cannot comprehend the prospect of people ‘living out their faith towards Jesus,’ and how spiritual principles such as ‘pray for your enemies’ can be possible in the real world. The Amish Project tells the story of a community that has carried these principles out with sincerity and wholeheartedness, and it will be meaningful to reflect on the impact of these principles on the greater community.” The play will introduce new actors, including Healy Knight ’15, Lilah Lutes ’14, Mamy Mbaye ’15, Molly Murphy’15 Paulina Sengeridis ’15, and Francis Simmons ’17, and will also showcase returning actors including Nhyira Asante ’16, Kate Ginna ’14, and Austin Parenteau ’15. The 17-actor cast of The Amish Project will be performing five shows for the Deerfield community in the White Church from May 20 to May 24.

The Deerfield Ukulele and Drum Ensemble is a new club that allows students, with any range of musical talent, to pick up a bongo drum or a ukulele and jam with other Deerfield students. This student-run club highlights the belief that anyone can be a musician: no previous experience required. “The club first originated on the Italy trip over the summer, [when] Ju Hwan and I purchased conga drums from street vendors in Sicily,” explained Harry Reichert ’14. “The idea is for anyone to be able to express his or her hidden musical talent.” Ju Hwan Park urges students to participate in the club, adding that being musically aware is something that everyone intrinsically has, no matter their level of musical experience. “Many kids at Deerfield think that they need some kind of special power to start music and learn a new instrument,” said Park. “They think they are either too late or too busy to be part of it. However, don’t we all love music? We listen to it every day, sing in the shower, tap on the desk during class, and are unknowingly part of it daily.” The idea of opening the club for all students, with no regard to skill level proved appealing, and new faces showed consistently showed up at the Tuesday night practices. The club has so far received resounding approval for its different pace and approach. “I love the club!” exclaimed Tatiana Dash ’16. “I think it’s a great time for different students to come together and try out the drums or the ukulele. It’s a wide mix of students—all different grades and talents. Ukulele and Drum Ensemble is the highlight of my Tuesdays!” “I love the Ukulele and Drum Ensemble because it has the feel of a garage band,” commented Eileen Russell ’15. “It gives us a chance to make music without the structure of other Deerfield music ensembles. I hope it serves as a model for other groups like it to form in the future.” With its inclusive style, the club wants to engage anyone remotely interested, according to ukulele player extraordinaire Logan Knight ’17: “We started the ukulele club because we felt Deerfield’s ukulele community was severely underrepresented. But actually we wanted to do it purely for fun. I am sure that if you ask anyone in the club, they have either taught something or learned something—and in doing so, it has been really enjoyable.”

Three-year senior Thomas Yum is enrolling in the demanding Program in Liberal Medical Education (PLME) at Brown University this August, but he will continue to pursue his hobby of playing music. Yum began playing both violin and piano in third grade, after witnessing a close friend miss a day of school for a violin concert. “I figured if I also played piano [in addition to violin], I would get out of school twice as often,” he said, soon thereafter admitting that he’s only been able to miss a few days of school since he began playing. Yum describes the beginning of his musical journey at Deerfield as “not quite stellar.” When he first arrived as a sophomore he had difficulty balancing his work load with practicing both instruments and ended up dropping piano. However, after learning to organize his time for both music and school, Yum excelled in Deerfield’s music program, exhibiting his talents in numerous solos with the DA Orchestra. Throughout his career here, Yum has built relationships and collaborated with numerous faculty here, “especially Mr. Warsaw.” Like many students on campus, Yum is always listening to music when he has spare time. Yum feels there is “something transcendent” about good music; it can lift him out of this world while he’s listening. Yum praises music for its reliability, stating that it is “just always there.” He enjoys listening to a wide variety of genres, including classical, modern funk and shoegaze. His favorite albums are Hospice by The Antlers and Songs About Leaving by Carissa’s Weird. As he extends his musical career to college and beyond, Yum will continue to look up to his musical role model, Schubert, whom he describes as the only person who has attained his “lifetime aspiration: being buried next to Beethoven’s grave.” Yum has left a considerable mark on the musical programs at Deerfield, especially the orchestra. And this May, he was able to create a school wide musical memory in the dining hall by serenading a junior girl as an invitation to the Senior Prom.

There was no shortage of boys in this year’s Spring Dance Concert. With two student choreographed pieces and one professionally choreographed piece, there was ample opportunity to showcase this rare number of male dancers. While some of the boys who participated were enrolled in Dance I, others had their first experience on the dance floor this spring. Patrick Ononibaku ’14 first took dance during his sophomore year and was part of both the winter and spring performances. He had such a great experience that when asked to take dance again, he did. “I found that dance had given me a new kind of thrill that I had never experienced before,” said Ononibaku. “So, when Ms. Whitcomb gave me the opportunity to join her dance class again, there was no hesitation in my decision to come back.” Xavier Salvador ’14 also said that participating in dance was an enriching experience. He first performed a duet with Lydia Smith ’14 in the Student Choreography Showcase this winter. “The compliments I received gave me a true feeling of accomplishment,”Salvador added. Hugo Marsans ’15 had never danced before this spring when Lydia Smith ’14 asked him to be in her piece. When Marsans started to prepare for the showcase, he discovered that rehearsing was challenging but also fun. “There were some moves I simply couldn’t get, but Lydia really did an amazing job making sure none of the boys fell behind,” Marsans said. “Overall, the girls were very helpful and supportive, making it easier for us to get adapted.” The highlight of many of the boys’ experience was performing in front of their peers during the showcases. They urged other boys in the community to get involved in the dance program, and reflected on their experiences. “With my days at Deerfield numbered, I am truly glad to have participated in dance during my last few weeks,” said Salvador. Ononibaku also added that dance was not only a unique experience, but it also helped him in areas outside the dance studio. “I highly recommend dance to all people, especially athletes, because it has brought my level of play on the field to a whole new level.” Marsans had a similar sentiment. He mentioned that there is a stereotype that people often give to boys who dance. “I feel like boys in general have a negative connotation toward dance, since they see it as a girls’ thing; however, once you try it, you realize how great it really is.”

This year, the design of the Chemistry I classes shifted from a traditional classroom setting to one of “self-mastery.” What this essentially means is that each student works at his or her own pace on the material, utilizing “learning opportunities” such as watching YouTube videos and completing check-point quizzes along the way to keep track of his or her progress. When the student feels ready, he or she decides when to take the chapter test. When I signed up to take the class last year, I was not informed that this would be the format of the class. Had I known that I would be teaching myself, I probably would have opted for another choice. While I recognize the value in a student’s working toward complete understanding of certain material independently rather than memorization for the sake of assessments, the way the class has been set up is not in the student’s favor. While working at one’s own pace might be an ideal situation for some, for most students it is the opposite. It is unrealistic to expect all students to be capable of staying on top of their work when they are monitoring themselves, especially in our Deerfield environment, where the workload from other classes can be overwhelming. If homework and tests are not being periodically assigned, it is quite easy for chemistry to fall to the bottom of the list of things to do. Thus, it is extremely easy to fall behind “pace.” In addition, because all students in a class are at different points, it is difficult for many questions to be answered within a class period. In an attempt to maintain pace, there are a specific number of chapters that must be completed each term. If the student does not complete the chapters, points are taken off of the final term grade for each section left unfinished. This is where the approach begins to become counterintuitive. If a student is supposed to be working toward mastery on a certain section, there cannot possibly be a required pace they must maintain. Everyone learns at a different pace; some take longer to process material. The result this past year has been that struggling students either spend an extended period of time on a chapter, or rush to stay on pace and do not learn the material well, a situation that causes grades to drop. The most frustrating part about this form of learning is that certain aspects of traditional teaching are not present. Many students, including me, came to Deerfield to experience great teaching in established classroom environments. Forming close relationships with teachers is one of the best parts of the Deerfield academic experience, especially because of our incredibly low student-to-teacher ratio. If students spend an entire class period on their computers teaching themselves, there is no chance to form these connections. In fact, there is no “classroom environment” whatsoever. Looking to the future—if all of our classes were taken online, there would be no reason to come to Deerfield at all. I urge the administration and the Academic Dean’s Office to take into consideration the lasting effects of this kind of classroom ethos. I personally am extremely disappointed that students were not consulted in this major change, and I firmly believe that if this trend towards mastery classes continues, the high standard to which Deerfield holds its classes could be significantly damaged.