Headmaster's Notes
Dr. Vincent M. Stumpo, Headmaster
As the end of 2006 approached, and I engaged in the reflective type of thought so common during that time of year, I was thrilled to contemplate the exceptional progress of the last months and the impressive accomplishments of students and faculty. With so much of which to be proud, I thought why not shout it all from the mountaintop, or at least in a 21st century cyber equivalent: email the good news to the families and friends of Linden Hall.

And with that, the eBulletin was born. It is my intention that each month you will receive a similar electronic publication, so that with the aid of your PC, laptop, Blackberry, or other gadget of modern wizardry, you may be connected with the news and highlights from our very special community. Please enjoy!

I would like to share one specific piece of information in this venue. The school administration quite recently has identified a web-based product that will assist students in developing and mastering the essential academic skills tested for on the SAT. I must emphasize that this interactive website, once licenses are purchased by the school, will concentrate on assisting students with transferable intellectual skills, such as proper sentence construction, composition of a coherent essay, numerical reasoning, and data analysis. This tool is not designed to teach students "tricks" for the SAT test, but rather to improve their mastery of skills needed throughout their lives. As such, the administration and faculty have designed a detailed plan to utilize this valuable tool with our 11th grade class. To assist with this skill-development program, each student will be assigned two mentors or coaches from the faculty, one in the math/science area and one in the humanities, who will help organize, motivate, and tutor the student as needed.

Such a web-based, academic-skills program is new to Linden Hall but is indicative of our commitment to offer our young women the best educational experience possible.

Upper School Update
Shaaron Lavery, Assistant Head
Our librarian, Kathleen Pfeiffer, held a very successful Book Fair for Linden Hall during the first week of December. With the help of her library volunteers, former Linden Hall parents Lynn Ewing and Mary Underhill, this project raised almost $2000 for the school. Students, parents, and friends from the community visited Carr Arts Center where hundreds and hundreds of books from Scholastics were on display. We are very grateful to Kathleen and her staff for their tireless efforts and congratulate them for the most successful fair Linden Hall has seen.

We are very excited to embark upon a new SAT preparation online project with all of our juniors. Beginning in January each junior, with the assistance of her math and English teachers, and her two personal coaches from the faculty, will begin working on The Official SAT On-line Course that is loaded onto our computer system. Working in class and on her own, all 18 lessons and two mock SAT exams will be completed by the beginning of May when each student will sit for the real test. We look forward to putting this new program in place.

Middle School Messages
Sally Watkins, Middle School Dean
Our days are busy ones as you will see in this news bulletin, and I am proud to say that our Middle School students are working diligently and enjoying themselves, too--a perfect balance for our young ladies!

Our ESL classes have welcomed several new Korean students this week. International students are working on a variety of lessons, including food idioms, pronunciation, and degree complements such as the use of too, enough, very, and such. The students are also reading a variety of assignments.

Named "The Library Crew," the eighth grade class helped prepare and organize the Holiday Book Fair and have volunteered to do other tasks related to the library. Following the Holiday Book Fair, middle school students, through the efforts of librarian Kathleen Pfeiffer, began a program of community service with Tiny Tots Preschool of Moravian Manor. Three eighth grade students each month will visit the Manor to read stories to the students and have creative play time with the youngsters ages three and four.

The handbell class worked diligently before the holidays to learn the skills and cooperation necessary to perform a selection in chapel. They will continue with new ringing techniques and improvement in their ability to read music and follow directions. They have also begun research on a variety of topics: "The History of Bells," "How Bells Are Made," and "Famous Bells Around the World."

Reading and English classes are perfecting their literary, writing, grammatical, and vocabulary skills. The sixth grade reading class is currently learning to improve understanding of news articles. Students learned to recognize a hard-news article and how to find the facts using the 5 W's. Now, students can identify the byline, dateline, and lead and are working on the proper use of quotations. Roving reporters are always looking for some school news to write about. The sixth grade English students recently finished the novel, Out of the Dust, and are now reading from their literature anthologies. Students read and write in their Reading-Writing Notebook each evening and study vocabulary and spelling weekly. In seventh grade, prepositions dominate the grammar scene, and students are beginning their multi-paragraph personal narratives. The eighth grade unit on the Holocaust features the reading of The Diary of Anne Frank.

The Math 6 class is deep into the study of fractions. After learning to apply the divisibility rules and to compare and find equivalent fractions, students are ready to investigate the use of fractions in everyday life by looking at recipes, measurements, and even the color of beads used on beaded bracelets. Fractions are everywhere!

In Social Studies 6, students are currently studying early civilizations of Latin America while life in colonial America is on the minds of seventh graders. Students are investigating and comparing everyday life during the late 1600's and early 1700's in the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. Each class member is becoming an expert on some aspect of life through their independent research to be shared with the rest of the class. The seventh graders will be visiting some local museums to see firsthand how the early PA Germans lived in this area. Students in Social Studies 8 are studying Latin American geography and history and are also working on an independent research project.

In Science 6, how scientists classify organisms and the 5 kingdoms are the areas of study.

Advancement Announcements
June Stine, Director of Advancement
Our Annual Fund Campaign is in full swing. We are pleased to report that one-third of our goal has been reached. This vitally important fund helps bridge the gap between tuition costs and the actual costs to operate the school with a balanced budget. Remember, tuition accounts for only 85% of the funds needed to operate the school.

The Annual Giving Committee did a fantastic job signing and personalizing hundreds of solicitation letters, and we are so grateful for their time and effort.

It is almost time for the annual Linden Hall Phonathon. The Phonathon began 13 years ago and has raised over $400,000.00! We continue the tradition again this year, eager to raise $40,000.00. Over 2,300 phone calls will be made over a 4-day period from February 5th through the 8th, thanks to volunteers including alumnae, students, trustees, faculty, staff, and parents. This is a time not only to appeal to our friends for a gift to the annual fund, but to reconnect and inform them of news of the school. It is also a time to update our records of the individuals we are calling and to learn about the news in their lives. If you would like to volunteer to help with the Phonathon, please call Missy Anderson at 717-626-8512 or email anderson@lindenhall.org.

When the call comes from Linden Hall, please consider a gift if you have not yet done so, and enjoy reconnecting with your school. We send our appreciation, and thank you for your support.

Student Council Corner
Evan McGrath Ed.D., Student Council Advisor
Student Council completed a very active December with an enjoyable Angel/Mortal party and Holiday Dinner. We ran multiple events throughout the month. Those included relay races, cake-decorating contests, and writing cards to hospitalized children. The decorations in Honeycutt Lounge featured a real Christmas tree that was over fifteen feet high. The Angel/Mortal Party was brought to life by Christmas Karaoke. A stirring rendition of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” performed by numerous faculty members, highlighted the many unique offerings. Chef Bob Linkens and his staff provided everyone with a fabulous dinner. The evening ended with a variety show provided by Student Council and friends.

Upcoming events include a Valentine's Day dinner/dance, a St. Patrick's Day celebration, and International Nights. We continue to run the snack bar for home games and theatrical productions. Please look for announcements and invitations to join us in the future.

Easel, Film, and Clay
Nora Workman, Art Department Chairperson
Visual Arts
The Visual Arts Department spent the month of December busily preparing submissions for the Scholastic Arts Competition in January. The Scholastic Arts Competition is a national juried competition that begins at the local level. The top work from local competitions goes on to compete nationally in New York City. Work by the winners will be on exhibit at the Lancaster Museum and Mulberry Street Galleries during the month of February. This is a big event for our department because it brings positive attention to the work we do with students. More detailed information will follow once results are in later this month.

This year we have submitted 122 photographs, including one portfolio, and 48 works of art, bringing the school total to 170 pieces. This is an impressive number for a school our size. We compete against the public schools who submit on average 400 to 500 pieces combined for their middle and high schools.

We look forward to posting the Scholastic results in next month's bulletin along with more details about the competition itself and the banquet we hold honoring the students representing Linden Hall.

Music
Christmas Vespers is a long-standing tradition for the Linden Hall community. It is patterned after the Moravian traditions handed down from former Moravian headmasters. The lighting of the beeswax candles and the traditional "Morning Star" responsive carol are central to the evening service of music. The Linden Hall Music Department begins preparing the choral music, handbell music, and solos in October. Faculty members choose readings interspersed with the musical selections. The audience participates by singing carols and the responsive parts to "Morning Star" which use middle school soloists.    

Candles with paper skirts, assembled by the students, are passed to each guest who light their flame and pass it down the row. These candles remain lit during the singing of "Silent Night."

The many-pointed star hanging above the chancel is a symbol of the Light of the World. The star originated around 1850 in a Moravian school in Germany. From there the custom spread to America, particularly to Lititz, which is known for having a master star-maker.

This service always ends with the Linden Hall Chorus singing "Carol of the Bells" from the balcony. With the warmth of candle light and angelic voices, Vespers prepares us for the holiday season.

Drama
The Middle School D-block class will present, "Wilde, Wilder, Wildest!" at the end of February.  "Wilde, Wilder, Wildest!" is a dramatization of three of Oscar Wilde's fairy tales: "The Birthday of the Infanta," "The Selfish Giant," and "The Happy Prince."  The script is an adaptation of Wilde's stories by Mr. Dennis Foreman, Linden Hall's drama teacher.

Performed in the style of street theater, the ensemble cast members take on many roles by donning masks and bits of costume, and by brandishing assorted makeshift props in full view of the audience.  This type of street theater is largely associated with medieval and Renaissance history and requires great energy and concentration. 

Cast members for "Wilde, Wilder,Wildest!" are Kristen Andersen, Carolyn Coyle, Emma Callahan, Eliyahna Carrington, Lucia Fernandez, Hannah Marks, Hayley Marks, Claudia Min, Ariel Silbert, and Heather Wald.  Marta Williams is serving as Stage Manager and Technical Director for the production.

Two of our upper school students are taking a course in stage directions and assisting Mr. Foreman with this production.  Abby Milnor-Sweetser and Diana Egnatz have been supervising the actresses in warm-up exercises and coaching.

The production is tentatively scheduled for Friday evening, February 23.

Court and Field
Linda Mummert, Athletic Director
For up-to-date information on all sports schedules and team results, follow the link in the sidebar to the Sports Calendar.

Fall 2006
Paige Espenshade was elected captain of the varsity volleyball team. The team completed the season with a record of 1-9 and finished the season with strong, competitive play. A strong core of players will return next season and will begin with a pre-season training session on August 13, 2007.

Marta Williams was elected captain of the middle school volleyball team. They completed the season with an overall record of 9-2-1 finishing 4th out of 12 in the county middle school volleyball tournament.

Rachael Boscov was elected captain of the varsity tennis team. The team completed the season with a record of 6-4. They, too, will have a strong core of returning players next season and will begin pre-season on August 13, 2007.

Twelve members were selected for the T.S.E.L. riding team this year, and Liz Scarff was appointed captain. Competitions will be held throughout the year.

Aerobics was the elective Physical Education class offered in the fall.

Winter 2006-2007
Emily Jubb and Chelsea Kiser are serving as captains of the varsity basketball team this season. The team competed in the Mt. Calvary Basketball Tip-Off Classic in early December. Emily Jubb was selected to the all-tournament team, and Kristen Pilkington won the free-throw contest. At the break their record stands at 4-4.

The riding team has placed second in their first T.S.E.L competition with strong showings from Brittany Kosiak, Emily Riden, and Alexandra Henry.

Yoga is the elective Physical Education class for the winter.

In the Dorms
Dennis Foreman, Upper School Dorm Director
The Linden Hall dorms were festooned for the Holidays! Beginning in November, each dorm tried to out-do the others with dorm decorations. A hearty thank you to Mr. McGrath and members of the Student Council for the outstanding decorations in Honeycutt, particularly the huge tree that welcomed residents and visitors alike.

Along with the creative bulletin boards and door decorations in every dorm, many of the dorms celebrated with parties. The ILD (Independent Living Dorm) held a movie night in Snavely Theater. Yellow Dorm was treated to a special pizza party for winning the Dorm Halloween Decorating Contest. They opted to combine their pizza party with their Holiday Gift Exchange on Sunday evening, December 17.

We welcomed June Park to Red Dorm and are eagerly anticipating several new students in January. Our Linden Hall students are also looking forward to the arrival of a group of Ecuadorian students who will be spending six weeks with us.

The period between Thanksgiving and Winter Break was made notable by visits from dorm alumnae. It was good to hear from Kaitlin Haughey, Tegan Urbanski, Susie Moore, and Courtney Mendenhall!

Student's Soapbox
Emily Horne, Class of 2007
At every chapel on Thursday, our seniors present inspirational speeches appropriate for the atmosphere of the service. What follows is the text of a speech that senior Emily Horne delivered in December 2006:

I've enjoyed music for as long as I can remember. I used to listen to Savage Garden and the Backstreet Boys every day when my mom drove me to school. On the way back, we would listen to Ella Fitzgerald or the Rippingtons. I loved movies with music, like Mary Poppins, Peter Pan, The Lion King and Fantasia. I even took dance lessons, which consisted of tap, jazz, and ballet.

However, music was not really important until I was about 7. A classmate began taking piano lessons, and as soon as I heard about this, I had to take them, too. At first, I saw it as a race, a challenge to see how much better I was than this classmate. This competition was canceled as soon as I realized my classmate was only taking piano lessons because his parents were forcing him.

In the meantime, I discovered something. I really enjoyed making music. Even though I had to practice for an hour every day, I was amazed with the sounds I could make. When I was upset or frustrated with a person or a task, I would just sit down at the piano and play, focusing on nothing but the music and my technique, and my tears would stop and I'd soon be at peace.

I no longer take piano or dance lessons, but I hardly go a day without listening to a CD. My taste in music has changed. I no longer like the Backstreet Boys, even though I could still sing along with most of their songs. In the beginning of high school, I listened to almost nothing but Japanese artists: Gackt, L'Arc~en~Ciel, Miyavi, and Psycho le Cemu were some of my favorites. Now, I listen to a variety of bands including Coldplay, the Gorillaz, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Kaiser Chiefs, and Oingo Boingo. Pink Floyd is my favorite, and has been for almost a year.

Even though my musical interests have changed, their importance and influence have not. Music helps me concentrate on my schoolwork, or on anything else I'm doing. If I'm bored, sometimes I'll just lie in bed and listen to an album, analyzing why I like this music. Sometimes, the lyrics tell a story, and I close my eyes and imagine pictures in my head. I feel like I can identify with some lyrics, and they really seem to influence my outlook on life. The type of music really doesn't matter. I enjoy simple music from the Beatles as much as ten minute power ballads from Led Zeppelin. It clears my mind. I can't imagine living without it.

Music has done so much for me. Because I kept an open mind when taking piano lessons, I discovered a new passion. It has sparked an interest in its history and workings and exposed me to other cultures. It taught me how to exercise patience. Although it may seem impossible, I actually used to be more impatient than I am now. Most important to me, however, is music's role as an outlet for frustration and a stress reliever.

I'm sure every one of you has a hobby that you enjoy doing to relax. While there's nothing wrong with simply watching TV, driving a car, going shopping or chatting on a cell phone, I speak from experience when I say you should try something new. Even though I love listening to music, something else might catch your interest. You could read, compose a story, paint a picture, make a film, act, crochet, exercise, or do any number of other activities. Just remember to think about why your interests are important to you. You might even discover something about yourself you never knew existed, but could never live without.

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Headmaster's Notes
Reflections and new beginnings

Upper School Update
Book Fair and new online SAT prepartion course

Middle School Messages
Very busy students

Advancement Announcements
Annual fund and Phonathon

Student Council Corner
Angel/Mortal Party and Holiday Dinner

Easel, Film, and Clay
Scholastic Arts Competition, Christmas Vespers, and "Wilde, Wilder, Wildest!"

Court and Field
Fall and winter updates

In the Dorms
Holiday happenings, new students, and returning friends

Student's Soapbox
Emily Horne, Class of 2007

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Sunday, January 14
Admission Open House
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Monday, January 15
Student Visit-for-a-Day
8:00 am - 3:00 pm

Thursday, January 18
Winter Book Talk

Monday, January 22
Senior Day

Friday, January 26 to
Friday, February 2
Blue and White Week

Wednesday, February 14
Valentine's Dinner

Monday, February 19
Student Visit-for-a-Day
8:00 am - 3:00 pm

Wednesday, February 21
to Friday, February 23
2nd Trimester Exams

Monday, February 26
3rd Trimester Begins

Linden Hall Calendar

Weekend Activities

Sports Calendar