Letter from the MC Principal
Hello MC families,
I am writing this Courier letter from the bus as the 8th graders head to the Wormsloe State Historical Site and the Pin Point Heritage Museum in Savannah as part of the 8th grade trip. As we’ve brought various things back that we had to pause during the pandemic, this is our first time going to Savannah as a school. In September, a group of teachers including Ms. Santina, Mr. Feng, Ms. McFeeley, Mr. Dewey, Mx. Linahan, and myself came together to start thinking through what this trip might look like and now we’re here. The students have enjoyed themselves thus far and they are enjoying themselves along the way. Visiting Fort Screven, going to the beach, and visiting the mall (yes, the mall) have been student highlights thus far. Special shout out to Ms. McFeeley for all the work she has done to orchestrate the details of this trip.
During Morning Meeting this week we highlighted Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The meeting began with discussing countries throughout Asia and outlining the Asian diaspora. This presentation involved a combination of contributions from our Celebrations Committee (Ms. Bennett spoke) as well as from Mr. Feng, one of our I&S teachers. We were also treated to a speech from 7th grader Andrew Tran who shared information about his Vietnamese heritage, including discussing his experience as an Asian student at ANCS. It was an informational presentation and Andrew’s speech was moving, introspective, and definitely made people think. Our nutrition staff has highlighted Asian heritage through their lunch offerings including Saag Paneer (Indian Creamed Spinach and Garden Greens with Fresh Cheese) and Dal this past Friday and Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles with Vegetables) this past Monday.
Our 6th and 7th grade students have been conducting their Exhibitions this week. On Monday I took off my Principal hat and put on my dad hat as I watched my son conduct his 6th grade Exhibition. Over the last few weeks it has been cool to see the behind the scenes work that he has put in. He was nervous going into the presentation, but after presenting he was proud of the work that he produced. Completing the Portfolio and Exhibition process allowed him to be reflective about his work and who he is as a learner. I am thankful for the opportunity that all of our children have to reflect on this level through our Portfolio and Exhibition process.
As I mentioned in my Courier last week, our final week of school (May 22nd – 26th) includes:
- Monday 5/22: Athletics Celebration (students only) after school from 3:15-5:00pm
- Wednesday 5/24: The Eighth Grade Celebration
- Thursday 5/25: Extended Advisory (Note: Extended Advisory day includes short classes in the beginning of the day, and then each Advisory will spend time hanging out and celebrating each other the rest of the day. Advisors have been reaching out to families about their plans so be sure to check your email.)
- Friday 5/26: Last Day of School (noon dismissal) and Field Day
Enjoy the rest of your week and as always if you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
Kind regards,
Mark
Mark Sanders
Mark Sanders began teaching at ANCS in 2011. Before coming to the school, Mr. Sanders worked in New York City. He spent three years teaching 7th and 8th grade mathematics at Middle School 50 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and two years at Harlem Village Academies teaching Geometry and Algebra 2/Trigonometry. He taught 8th grade Math/Science/Technology at ANCS for five years.
