Nanoscience is Really Cool

Nicole Schutt, our science department chair, and I visited the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN) this morning and it was amazing! As described on its website, the JSNN:

"...has been established as an academic collaboration between North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Both Universities are classified by the Carnegie Foundation as “research universities with high research activity.” JSNN builds on the strengths of the two universities in the basic sciences and in engineering to offer an innovative, cross-disciplinary graduate program that will train scientists in various emerging areas of nanoscience and nanoengineering."

We visited with the Nanoscience Department Chair, Dr. Daniel Herr (check out his TED talk) and were treated to an incredible tour of the facility. I've embedded the images we saw on the walls of the facility that came from the Helium Ion Microscope at JSNN and thought you would enjoy them.

An etching of Einstein on a nano level. If you put fifty of these images together you would have the width of hair. pic.twitter.com/xR7JPLL9p0
— David Skeen (@MSDirectorSkeen) March 26, 2014

Another fruit fly's foot (3/4) pic.twitter.com/DfehricOJs
— David Skeen (@MSDirectorSkeen) March 26, 2014

One hair on a gecko's foot. Explains a lot about how they move. (4/4) pic.twitter.com/tYcZAsa1xg
— David Skeen (@MSDirectorSkeen) March 26, 2014

A Tribute to Kathy Durham

I received this email tonight and couldn't contain myself. I needed all of you who read this blog to see it, because I think it goes straight to the heart of the kind of person Kathy is and she never asks for praise. Well - she's gets it here and well deserved. KD is a superstar and we are so lucky to have her!

Kathy manages all of our high school placement for our 8th graders and does an incredible job of it. Take a look:

Mr. Skeen,

I just wanted to give a shout out to Mrs. Durham.  Not only has she shown endless patience with my son, she has helped us so much throughout this school year.  She worked it out so that we could get periodic updates on his behavioral and academic progress before reports. 

She has also provided him with a quiet place to study after school when he has sports.  Since she has implemented these measures his grades and his reported conduct in class has improved.  We really appreciate it.

Also, I wanted to commend her on helping parents with the transition to high school.  I had been through the process with my oldest son and even though he was going from one public school into a feeder public school, no one helped us with the process. I had to take off several days from work to get the paperwork done.  He was provided incorrect advice from counselors and the entire process was stressful for all.  

In contrast, Ms. Durham made it so easy to navigate.  Her help with the IB applications was amazing.  The fact that she made sure they were delivered on time was really just incredible.  When my husband told the IB coordinator that at Grimsley she couldn't believe that there was a school that actually did that for the students. 

This week, we received my son's registration packet for high school.  Again, I couldn't believe how well done it was and how all the information and recommendations had already been compiled.  I had planned to take off tomorrow and try to put the information together for our registration meeting next week.  I am just simply overwhelmed by this.

I have really appreciated her hard work and support of my son and our family this year.

Best regards,

 

A Visual for the Growth Mindset

This is a great infographic on the Growth Mindset.

Have a growth mindset! Thanks for the 96 RT and 56 favorites! Glad it was so helpful. #ASCD14 #edchat #education pic.twitter.com/vBIGIHSyWv
— Christopher Weiss (@ChrisWeissCT) March 17, 2014

Addressing the Whole Child via Technology (Maslow's Hierarchy)

I found this article (and infographic) via Dr. Jackie Gerstein about how Maslow's Hierarchy of needs can be addressed with technology and thought it was an interesting take on the whole child - something that is fundamental to us at Canterbury.

Addressing Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs with Technology

It's High School Time!

Each year around this time, those students who have applied to boarding schools hear from schools whether they have been accepted to those schools to which they've applied. Historically, Canterbury has a very strong acceptance rate to a student's first choice school.

This year - so far - we have students who have been accepted at Lawrenceville in New Jersey, Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut, Christ School in North Carolina, Episcopal School in Virginia, Salem Academy in North Carolina, St. Mary's School in North Carolina, McCallie School in Tennessee, and Baylor School in Tennessee, and Chatham Hall in Virginia. Additionally, 100% of our students who are heading to Grimsley this year were accepted into their IB Program. 

One of our students received both a Higginbotham Scholarship to Salem Academy and a Van Voorhis Leadership Scholarship to Chatham Hall.

Must Read: It's Complicated by Danah Boyd

I've heard great things about this book and it comes from someone who spent a lot of time speaking withthose most affected - teens!

Check out an excerpt from an interview on Science Friday, as well as the Mind/Shift blog at this link:

Texts, Snapchats, Instagram: Translating Teens' Online Behavior