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| |  From the Headmaster
With the close of the school year almost here, I want to wish everyone a safe summer. We will be working over the summer to prepare for the 2007-2008 school year and look forward to your return. I want to take this opportunity to thank those who have supported our Annual Fund, "The Next Step." For those of you who have not yet contributed to this important effort, I invite you to consider your gift now, before our deadline of June 30, 2007. We have some exciting opportunities in store for the next couple of years, but none of it will be possible without strong Annual Fund contributions from our Walker family. In order to move the project forward, please consider making your contribution to the 2006-2007 Annual Fund now. For more on this project, read my most recent article.
IN THE COMMUNITY
 Community Service Fair
The third annual Community Services Fair, held on March 20, was not only a great opportunity for our students to learn about the needs in our community, but it was also an informative event for our teachers and parents to gather ideas for service projects with their classes and families! This was the most successful fair to date with 36 organizations participating. Contact Peter Sullivan, Community Service Coordinator, at 770-427-2689 ext. 2542 to learn more.
Neil Clark named to Georgia Tech High School Advisory Board
Neil Clark, Dean of College Counseling and Guidance, has been named to the Georgia Tech High School Advisory Board. The committee of 15 school counselors from throughout the nation helps advise and assist the admission staff at Georgia Tech. Neil's son Elliott, a 2002 Walker alumnus, currently attends Georgia Tech and is majoring in computer science.
 Book your winter trip to Spain!
If you are interested in traveling to Spain and France during winter break in March 2008 click here. You may contact Pam Keenliside or Janet Ward for more information.
AROUND CAMPUS
 Judy Flint: 20 years of melodies
Judy Flint, Walker's current Preschool and Lower School music teacher, will retire this year after 20 years of service to the school. Here Billie Walker, former Lower School principal, pays tribute to Judy.
 A living legend in a lab coat
Don Parkhurst, Upper School science teacher, has dedicated the past 15 years to Walker and will retire at the end of this school year. Don was honored five times as STAR teacher during his tenure. Here Kaleb McMichen, a 2001 Walker alumnus and former student of Don's, pays tribute to him.
Walker celebrates 50th Anniversary
The 50th anniversary committee is working to establish plans for next year’s celebrations. A book commemorating the anniversary is in the drafting stage and we need your contributions. If you have a fond or funny recollection of an experience at Walker, please send the information to Susan Bargo at bargos@thewalkerschool.org. Be sure to save the date for Homecoming on Nov. 2, 2007 and the 50th Anniversary Auction and Gala set for March 22, 2008.
28th Annual Walker School Auction - "The Art of Education"
Photos from Walker's 28th annual auction, "The Art of Education" are now available. Thank you to the auction committee and to everyone who attended or donated to the auction. Special thanks to Wendy Brantley and Heather Whitehead who co-chaired this memorable evening.
Artwork provided by Alexandria Szabo, 3rd grade
 Koster 5K Race
Thanks to everyone who supported the 6th Annual Koster 5K Classic held April 28! Race results are now available and photos are posted. Including race registrations and donations made at the race the Brad Koster Memorial Scholarship Fund received $5,722. In addition to race proceeds, over $20,000 of generous donations have been made to this special financial assistance fund.
PRESCHOOL Kindergarten Celebration
On May 10 the Class of 2019 accepted their certificates at the annual kindergarten celebration. Awards were presented for passing the presidential physical fitness test and two awards were given for winning art work. Under the direction of Judy Flint and Jane Spears, the group sang several songs, some in Spanish and some in English. The group also sang a special goodbye song to Judy Flint honoring her retirement.
 Field Day 2007
Students in Pre-K and Kindergarten enjoyed a fun-filled day on May 16 as they participated in Field Day 2007. Parents, grandparents and friends watched as the children cheered each other to victory. Some of the events included a bean-bag toss relay, a sack race, and an obstacle course. Congratulations to all students for a job well done!
LOWER SCHOOL
 Community Appreciation Breakfast
The Lower School students all joined together to provide a Community Appreciation Breakfast. All faculty and staff members were invited to attend and received a warm welcome upon arrival. From hand-crafted placemats to live performances and excellent food, the Lower School students successfully expressed their appreciation.
Book Fair
The Lower School Scholastic Book Fair held in March was fun for all students. (Click here to view photos.)
MIDDLE SCHOOL
 Mayur and Chakravorty participate in the Letters About Literature Contest
In the Library of Congress' annual Letters About Literature contest students who participate write to an author, living or dead, whose work changed their lives. Pooja Mayur took third place in the state of Georgia and Mohini Chakravorty received an honorable mention. Pooja read her letter at an awards ceremony at the Decatur Library on May 19.
 Haslam runner-up in Mapman contest
Out of 6,000 students who entered the annual Junior Scholastic Mapman Contest, Isabelle Haslam was one of 25 runners-up. The challenge was for participants to figure out to where in the world Mapman traveled. Isabelle created a map to enter the contest and will be awarded a handheld electronic sodoku puzzle and a Mapman T-shirt.
 Blue Ridge trip for 7th graders
All of Walker's 7th grade students and 11 adults attended Blue Ridge Outdoor Education Center in North Georgia at the end of March. Among the activities the students enjoyed were a 60 foot high ropes course, a climbing wall (some climbed blindfolded!), a creek hike, orienteering, and a wonderful three hour adventure activity called Trek. All of the students had a wonderful time learning how to solve problems collaboratively and studying nature conservation and wildlife. (Click here for photos.)
UPPER SCHOOL
 Sanguansri: State Champ in Pole Vaulting At the GHSA Class AA state track meet in Albany, Ga. senior Ann Sanguansri blew the field away, beating her nearest competition by nearly two feet with a personal record of 10 feet, 7 inches to claim the state title. Sanguansri recently spoke with Atlanta Journal-Constitution staff writer Chris Whitfield. (Click here to see the Q&A from the AJC.)
 Tennis teams go to state
The US tennis teams responded well to the two day delay in the state tournament finals. Playing at GAC, Casey Ernstes battled back from a 4-2 second set deficit to win 7-5, leading the girls team to a 3-2 win. The boys played very well but fell short to GAC, 3-1. The boys team, 18-5 on the season, finished as the state runner-up for the second year in a row. The girls finished 24-0 and won their third state title in the last five years.
Social Studies Honor Society
The Walker Social Studies Honor Society sponsored 12 student teams to compete in the Georgia Stock Market Game. The Stock Market Game allows competitors to invest via computer simulation in stocks traded on the three major stock exchanges. Starting off with $100,000, the teams have 10 weeks to improve their portfolio. Certificates of Recognition were awarded to the top three teams from Walker. In third place were Sarah O'Donohue, Anna Williams, Jessica Wetstone, and Chelsea Howell. The runner-up team consisted of David Carley, Eryn Killian, Megan Hilburn, Tina Matarrese, and Tommy Munson. The winners from the Walker community were Brendan Keegan, John Carr, Daryll Overton, and Abbey Warren. This team of students placed 10th out of over 200 teams among private schools in the Atlanta Area and 116th out of over 4,000 teams in the state of Georgia.
 Alumni Association holds senior breakfast
On May 1 the Class of 2007 enjoyed breakfast courtesy of Walker's Alumni Association. The theme was "Oh, The Places You'll Go." Guest speaker, Shannon Mitchell Turner, '99, spoke about her career experiences working for Turner Broadcasting, winning an Emmy, and her current role as a realtor. The Alumni Association will welcome the Class of 2007 into the association upon graduation. (Click here for photos.)
Nicole Locandro represents Georgia in soccer
The youngest soccer squad in the U.S. Women’s National Team structure, the U15 Girls, opened camp at the Home Depot Center’s training facilities this week and Walker's own Nicole Locandro is the only soccer player from Georgia in the group. Under the direction of coach Tad Bobak, the program aims to identify and filter the player pool available for next year's U16 squad prior to the 2008 FIFA U17 World Championship in New Zealand. Locandro will continue to work to make the cut of 25 girls who will go on to play under the U16 coach. (Click here for Walker's soccer features.)
 Megan Maloney saves the day in AAAAA game
Walker goalkeeper Megan Maloney switched allegiances from the Class A-AAAA all-star team to the Class AAAAA team when the original starter Jessica English of Brookwood was not available. (Click here for the full MDJ article.)
DEVELOPMENT
Annual Fund update
This year's 2006-2007 Annual Fund titled, "The Next Step" is quickly coming to a close. With just over a week left in the school year, we are still $15,000 away from reaching our $500,000 goal to help offset the costs associated with the $1.5 million in property improvements to the newly acquired Damar tract. Every gift counts, so please consider a tax-deductible donation to this worthy cause. The Annual Fund dollars raised and level of parent participation is critical as we move forward with foundation and corporation grant requests in the 2007-2008 school year. There are some very exciting plans ahead, but none of it will be possible without meeting our financial goals and meeting a minimum parent participation level of 80 percent. Currently, we have a 65 percent parent participation rate, but there is still time to make a difference. Remember, every dollar counts and every gift will bring us one step closer to our goal. Alumni participation is stronger than ever, but if you have not yet made your gift, we still need your help. All members of the Walker family are invited to take part in this largest ever Annual Fund. Thank you for your consideration, and rest assured that every student will greatly benefit from your generosity. |
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| Walker E-News is published bimonthly by the development office at The Walker School. Comments, inquiries and contributions should be directed to Kristy Helms at helmsk@thewalkerschool.org |
| The Walker School, 700 Cobb Parkway N., Marietta, GA 30062
Telephone: (770) 427-2689 • FAX: (770) 514-8122 |
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