Faculty Reflections on the Expansion’s IMPACT ON Program
“The newly redesigned school has taken our educational
program to new heights and has created rich opportunities
for scholarship, collaboration, creativity, and community
building; it has truly surpassed my greatest expectations.”
—Alexis Aoyama, Assistant Headmaster, Upper School Head
“Since September, the beautifully realized art, pottery, and
woodworking studios have been hives of creativity for boys
from age four to 14. Pre-K STEAM classes in the afternoons
have provided particularly fertile opportunities for boys to
experiment with materials and make choices during activities
that are designed to encourage them to discover, have fun,
and learn through trial and error about the wonders that lie
at the crossroads of science, technology, engineering, design,
and mathematics. Our large, bright, open and neighboring
art and science spaces have begun to allow for rich and joyful
collaborations between disciplines that will surely continue
to germinate and grow, laying foundations for the unbound
potential of our boys’ futures. The possibilities are limitless!”
—Jenna Boccella, Art Chair
“Upper School boys have responded to the new library
with enthusiasm. Not only have many of them remarked
on how “cozy” and inviting the space feels, they also find
the particular design and layout convenient for reading and
working. In addition, having separate library locations (such
as the Hume Library for eighth graders) has allowed us to
sort our materials into specialized collections, so that students
and faculty feel that they are able to find just what they
want at their fingertips. With student laptops and classroom
SmartBoards, we feel easily able to access digital tools and
resources wherever students are working, while prioritizing
face-to-face interaction and the tangible experience of
reading in the main library spaces.”
—Gwen Kaplan, Upper School Librarian
“The new Lower School library is now a true media center.
With a brand new state-of-the-art SmartBoard, I can teach
primary sources right in the library instead of having to go
to the classrooms. This helps the students because all of the
resources are now in one place.”
—Gretchen King, Lower School Librarian
“The spaces allow the scale of projects and experiments boys
design and implement to be much larger, and because these
projects do not completely overwhelm the teaching space,
their lifecycle can be longer. This provides greater opportunity
for iteration, as boys have a longer timeline in which to cycle
through building, testing, and revising solutions. Both can
be transformative for boys’ engagement and motivation for
creative problem solving.”
—Nora Sundar, Science Chair
“The new athletic facilities have given us the ability to expand
and explore our curriculum. Most importantly they have
increased our actual instructional time since we no longer have
to travel. One of the biggest highlights so far, was hosting our
first basketball games in the Price Family Gymnasium. Seeing
boys from all grades along with parents, teachers, and friends
cheering on our teams was truly magical.”
—Pedro Morales, Director of Athletics
“An important phrase in our Mission Statement is that our
school is a ‘True Community’. Just as our school Masses
provide us with opportunities for a shared experience, so do
the performance theatre and the gym in our new facility. The
first home basketball game the Seventh and Eighth Grade
boys played in the gym was witnessed by many teachers,
boys, and parents from different grade levels; it was truly a
community experience. The new theatre will also allow for
more students to attend dress rehearsals and performances
of class plays, which will be another way to create shared
experiences across grade levels.”
—James Barbieri, Religion Chair
“Our new music and performing arts space has entirely
transformed the music program at Saint David’s. Every
time the boys practice or perform in the new Otto-Bernstein
Performing Arts Theatre, they feel empowered to be their
best and to sing, dance, and act like professionals. The Lapeyre
Family Performing Arts Commons allows boys who are
practicing with the orchestra, or playing recorders or drums,
to gather, eat lunch together, and enjoy the camaraderie that
a dedicated space can provide. Our music department loves
everything about our new music suite, and the program is
only going to get bigger and better! ”
—Jeffrey Moore, Music Chair
STEAM spaces enable greater integration between art and science.