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Tuesday News - March 1, 2011Click here for Tuesday News Archives All submissions for the Tuesday News should be sent to publicrelations@merriconeag.org by Friday at 3:00 pm. Click here to view our Google Calendar of Events. Merriconeag Girls are Class C Nordic State Champions
At the Class C State Championships in Rangeley last week, Merriconeag Girls came in first to become the Class C Nordic State Champions. Placing the top four in places 1-7 in the classic race was a real accomplishment. Zoe Chace-Donahue became Class C State Champion in both Classic and Freestyle. A great performance! Emelie Chace-Donahue and Teagan Wu raced well with Emelie runner up in both races and Teagan getting just blocked out of a third place in the classic race. Carlin Tindall saved her best race for the classic to seal the win for the girls. Strong performances by Sierra Jeffers and Lily Tupper rounded out a great week in Rangeley for the Girls Team. Congratulations to our State Champs and their wonderful coach, John Tarling!
Upcoming EventsThis Thursday: Merriconeag Presents the Maine Premiere of the film Queen of the Sun: What Are the Bees Telling Us?
Co-sponsored by:
57 Desert Road, Freeport Tickets $7.00 Purchase your tickets online today! Limited tickets are available at Royal River Natural Foods.
For more information about this fascinating film, please click on the poster.
Next Wednesday, March 9, 7:00 PM, Community Hall: Growing Up Real in a Virtual World A Public Talk by Lowell Monke Cost: $10
In preparation for Lowell Monke's visit in March, we encourage you to read two significant articles by him that were published in Orion Magazine. Please use the following links: Unplugged Schools Charlotte’s Webpage
From the Board
Board activity has been in full swing since the beginning of the New Year. Despite the flurry of January snowstorms, we were pleased to host two open Community Meetings; one detailing the process of creating our school budget and the second introducing possible solutions for replacing our aging portable buildings as well as addressing questions about future campus plans. Since September, a joint College/Board committee has worked to establish the next phase in campus building projects. In February, the Board approved exciting plans to begin work on replacing the handwork portable with a building that creates an inspiring environment for a program that is one of the cornerstones of the Waldorf curriculum. A design and construction elective is underway at the high school as a first step in integrating high school students and other volunteers in the project. Other recent Board events include the nomination of two new members, Melissa Hoy and Jacqueline Koopman. Melissa is a parent of a second grader and Jacqueline recently relocated from San Francisco where her daughter graduated from the SF Waldorf High School. We are also excited to announce that Barbara Guffin has agreed to serve on the Executive Committee in the role of Board Treasurer; Barbara’s experience and background will be a great asset to the school. On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to thank outgoing Board member Sandy Pearson for her many years of service. Thank you to Rosemary Burwell for replacing Sandy as one of the faculty reps. The Board continues to remain focused on careful financial planning, supporting efforts to increase enrollment and working with College to envision and create a strategic plan that addresses the needs of the whole school. As always, we welcome input and ideas from all members of the community. Bob Neveu, Board Chair
Athletic News - Sports UpdatesMiddle School Nordic Skiing
The Merriconeag Middle School Nordic Team concluded another highly successful season at the Maine Junior Ski Club Championships held at Starks Hills in Fryeburg on Saturday, February 19th. On a beautiful, blustery day, the chili pots bubbled, the cowbells chimed, and the cheers resounded. Both the boys and girl teams skied beautifully, finishing an impressive 2nd out of the 13 participating teams, while exhibiting exceptional sportsmanship, boundless enthusiasm and good cheer. For the boys, top-10 finishers who reached the podium included Graham Roeber (2nd in both the skate and classic races), Zach Neveu (6th and and 10th ), and Tyler Barnhart (7th ). Also placing in the top 20 were Evan Laukli (15th) and Tucker Pierce (17th). Dylan Wu, Thomas Kolle, Lars Gundersen, Ethan Humphries, Avery Murphy-Anderson and Ryan Murphy put in strong efforts as well.
Thanks go to food organizers extraordinaire Jo D. Saffeir and Lisa Mainella and, equipment manager Lucy Ahearne, as well as to a cadre of parents who provided awesome food, waxing services, assistant coaching and a multitude of other supporting roles. John Saccone performed his usual assortment of duties, ranging from early morning setup to holding coats over cold skiers as they queued for their starts. Final thanks to head coaches Bjorn Laukli and Amy Ireland, whose enthusiasm, expertise and calm perspective do so much to make the Middle School Nordic season such a wonderful experience for all. Congratulations to all the skiers! Will Johnston
High School Nordic Skiing Merriconeag High School's Nordic Ski Team in Rangeley on Thursday Congratulations to our Nordic Skiers! The High School Nordic Ski Team capped off another successful season last week. At the Class C state championships in Rangeley, the Girls came in first to become Class C State Champions and the boys team also skied very well finishing 4th in Class C (out of 14 teams). Jack Pierce, the boys pace setter all season, scorched the freestyle with a second place finish and was close to a number of racers in finishing eighth in the classic race. Eli McCurdy skied two solid races. Ben McCrave had a solid skate race and John Burgess had his best race all year in the classic race. Ben Tindall closed his first year at MHS in fine fashion and Phineas Samuelson closes his last year out with two hard efforts. Our seniors, Phineas Samuelson and Ben McCrave were the first skiers when I came on board and we owe them much appreciation for hanging in as the team developed. Their hard work and dedication to the team will be missed. We thank Soren Donisvitch for attending the States as an alternate in place of Brian Watko, who was unable to attend due a schedule conflict. Brian earned a spot as alternate but, unfortunately, could not be with us in Rangeley. Hadi Jacobs also earned a spot on the girls team but was unable to be there as well. Soren, Brian and Haydi all played an important role and contributed to the team's year long success. Coach John Tarling For high school race results, go to Maine High School Skiing.
School Community UpdatesMerriconeag Senior Wins Grand Prize in Writing Contest: Congratulations to Senior Ali Perkins whose essay won the grand prize for grades 9 - 12 in the Slow Food Portland Young Writers Contest. Ali won a full CSA share (up to $500 value) for her family from the CSA of her choice for the 2011 growing season. She has been invited to read her essay at the upcoming Slow Food Writers Night Event at the Space Gallery in Portland on Thursday,March 10. Ali's essay will also be published in an upcoming edition of the Portland Press Herald. Congratulations, Ali!
Saturday, March 5, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Early Childhood Open House
The Birds are Returning: Come welcome spring, make fleece birds and listen to a springtime story. These mornings are a wonderful way to introduce a family to Waldorf Early Childhood Education so please continue to spread the word and bring your friends. Pre-registration is suggested but drop-ins are welcome. To pre-register:
Friday, March 11 at 6:00 p.m. – LOBSTER DINNER: Fundraiser for the Model UN participation at High Mowing and Dartmouth. Will feature fresh lobster, baked potato, salad and desert. Live entertainment! Donation: $20. Reservations required by March 8.
Please check the Lost & Found in the upper and lower buildings on the Grade School Campus. After conferences (March 24 and 25) all unclaimed items will be donated to the Clothes Tree Thrift Shop in Freeport.
Alumni News
Ian follows in some fine MWS Junior Olympians' footsteps (or ski tracks), namely Sam Tarling, Adele Espy, Lucy Garrec, and Lucas Milliken, all of whom benefitted enormously from the Nordic ski program at Merriconeag started and led by John Saccone. Keep it up, Merriconeag skiers and coaches! Submitted by Louisa Moore
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Benefit Night at Flatbread Company in Portland:Tuesday, June 18, 5:00 p.m.
Join us for a benefit night that's a huge party.
Proceeds benefit the Smirkus Magic Matinee. Circus Smirkus at Merriconeag:Circus Smirkus presents
Oz INCORPORATED
Monday, August 5, 2013, 1:00 PM & 6:00 PM.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013, 1:00 PM & 6:00 PM.
On Merriconeag's Grade School Campus,
57 Desert Road, Freeport
Tickets are now available at Royal River Natural Foods in Freeport, Standard Baking Company in Portland and online (for an additional fee) at smirkus.org.
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It’s hard to remember a time before the advent of the internet, before mobile computers transformed our daily lives, altered the way we communicate, do business, teach, learn, entertain ourselves. Yet with this brave, new world of electronic wizardry comes an ever-more insistent question: What is the human cost, especially for children? How can parents and teachers both protect children and, at the same time, prepare them for the challenges of living in a technologically driven world? 
For the girls, podium finishers were Elizabeth Martin (4th and 6th), Lily Johnston (9th and 10th), Sam Pierce (7th) and Isabella Munro (10th). Jesse Saffeir had outstanding 12th place finishes in both races. Other top 20 finishers included Fiona Ahearne (13th) and Virginia Fullagar (17th). Fiona Libby, Brooke Kelly, Mari Cooper, Sarah Norden and Emma Goldberg-Courtney supported the team as well, with fine performances. 
This season, Ian Moore, MWS 8th Grade Class of 2010, skied his way onto the New England Junior National Nordic Ski Team. Among the region’s high school and college Nordic skiers, the premiere racing circuit is the TD Bank Eastern Cup which consisted this year of eight races in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Lake Placid, NY and Vermont. Most importantly to many juniors, results from these races determine the athletes to represent New England at National Junior Olympics(http://www.jo2011.com) Ian was named to the New England team on February 20, following the concluding race in Holderness, NH. He is one of only six Junior boys (age 14-15) to join the New England Junior National team (ages 14-20) which will compete in Minneapolis, MN, from March 4-13. Teams from throughout the Northern US and Alaska will race for the "Alaska Cup", which New England hopes to bring home for a third year, or "three-peat".