This blog replaced by new KCD website

This is the last entry on the KCD blog. The new KCD website at www.kcd.org offers many of the features we first tried out here, so check it out!

If you were subscribed to blog updates via email or RSS feeds, the new site offers even more subscription options: http://www.kcd.org/content/resources/connect-kcd

Sheikh Hamza Yusuf to Visit KCD

On November 12, we are proud to welcome Sheikh Hamza Yusuf to KCD. Sheikh Yusuf is one of the world's leading scholars and lecturers on Islam, and it is a real privilege to welcome him to our campus. Sheikh Yusuf will speak to upper school students between 2 and 3 pm on November 12 in the Commons.

Although space is limited, parents are also welcome to attend.

US Play Gets Rave Reviews

Congratulations to the cast and crew of You Can’t Take It With You, which wowed audiences in productions held over October 22-24. Hats off to director Kate Scinta, technical director Rudy Keel, and the entire cast and crew of upper schoolers.

Wild Kingdom Day

Today was Wild Kingdom Day in the Upper School. If you don't know what Wild Kingdom Day is, these pictures and videos should tell you all you need to know. Wild Kingdom day is a venerable tradition at KCD and dates back to the early 1970s, when teachers Paul Hagenau and Susan Dilday first organized a field day for upper school students.

More videos are posted on our YouTube channel, and there's also a set of pictures up on Flickr

Out on the nature trail

Second and third graders in Becky Gallion's art classes have been taking inspiration (and some of their materials) from nature. This week, Ms. Gallion's classes hiked outside on KCD's nature trail (newly renovated thanks to the cross country team) and collected sticks that will be used for a classroom calligraphy project.

More pictures are up on Flickr

Are you ready for flu season?

It's likely that the coming flu season will once again be dominated by discussion of the Swine Flu, also known as the H1N1 virus.

KCD has acted on recommendations from the CDC and the Department of Education, most of which boil down to common sense: asking children to sneeze into tissues or the inside of their elbow, frequent handwashing, and increased vigilance for anyone exhibiting flulike symptoms. Teachers have been asked to communicate and reinforce these behaviors with their students. As an additional precaution, we have installed hand sanitizer dispensers in every classroom.

For more information on what you can do at home, please take a minute to read through the following parent resources from the CDC. Please note that KCD's sick policy mirrors that of the CDC: children must be free of symptoms and fever for 24 hours before returning to school.

Steps for parents to protect children
Steps for parents with children at high risk for complications

If your child is diagnosed with the H1N1 virus, please inform your division director.

09-10 handbooks and curriculum guides are on their way

It's the publishing event you've all been waiting for: the distribution of the 09-10 student/parent handbooks and curriculum guides. The books are back from the printer and will be distributed next week. Both books will go home with each family's youngest child and will be handed out by classroom teachers (LS) and advisors (MS & US).

If you just can't wait to dive in, pdf versions of the publications are posted at the links below:

2009-2010 Student/Parent Handbook
2009-2010 Curriculum Guide

Community in action

On Sunday, the cross country athletes and their families showed real community spirit by getting together to extend the nature trail and lay down mulch. It was a solution to a practical problem facing the team, as construction has limited areas where athletes can run safely. These trail improvements, however, will not only benefit the team, but also the teachers and students who use the trail for nature hikes, science classes, and other activities. Kudos to everyone who pitched in!

More pictures on up on Flickr

KCD profile in US News college issue

Check out the current issue of US News & World Report to see KCD's profile page! Click the image above for a larger version.

Photos of Dahin Sheli's new water catchment system

Brina Stephens has shared these pictures from Tamale, Ghana, showing that construction of the Dahin Sheli school's rainwater catchment system is nearly complete. The catchment system will provide students at the school with a supply of clean drinking water and was funded with money raised during last year's Walk for Water.

Sister Cities representatives in Tamale report that the collection of water from this year's rainy season should begin around mid-September. The construction of the second system at Tamale Islamic Secondary School will hopefully begin some time in the next month.

Students meet their Reading Buddies

Seeing scenes like these is one of the great things about working at a school! Starting this week, JK and kindergarten students began meeting their third and fourth grade reading buddies, with whom they'll spend some reading time each week. The little ones stay with their reading buddy throughout the year, so they get to know each other pretty well. These pictures are of students in Ms. Lotz's kindergarten class and their fourth grade buddies from Ms. Stephens' class.

John Hale's new book gets great NYT review

The New York Times Book Review just ran an extremely positive review of Lords of the Sea, the new book by alumnus John Hale '69. The books sounds terrific and has a fascinating thesis, but the Times reviewer is also impressed by the author's ability to paint a vivid picture of life in classical Athens:

Mr. Hale’s sea-level view of Athens during its Golden Age is, as Mr. Kagan had guessed, a novel and gripping way to approach a story that has been told many times before. What Mr. Kagan might not have guessed is that his student would become a far better than average writer. In “Lords of the Sea” Mr. Hale’s simple but vigorous sentences prick up your ears from the first page.

Class A Kentucky Country Day has A-plus football staff

The July 29 edition of the Courier-Journal carried a terrific article on KCD's football coaching staff on the front page of the sports section:

The Kentucky Country Day School football program might be small in numbers and size, but head coach Tim Green has assembled nothing less than a big-time staff.

Of the nine coaches at KCD, including Green, eight played football in college. Four of those have played professionally: former University of Louisville players Dave Ragone, Tony Stallings and Justin Rascati and former Louisville Fire head coach Tommy Johnson.

Neil Trautwein '79 on Fox Business News

Neil Trautwein '79 recently appeared on Fox Business News representing the National Retail Federation and providing commentary on Wal-Mart's support of health care reform. I can't seem to get the video to embed, so here's the link.

Courtney Plaster-Strange '06 Selected to Midwest High Performance Field Hockey Team

From the Northwestern Athletic Web site:

Plaster-Strange, a forward, earns her second bid to the Midwest team after a junior campaign at Northwestern during which she scored seven goals, increasing her career total to 13, while leading NU with 46 shots. As a sophomore in 2007, she was one of three Wildcat players to start all 18 games and closed the season with five scores over the final eight games to finish second on the team in goals.

Here's the full article. Congrats, Courtney!