Trident Academy Provides the Latest in Educational Opportunities for its Students with Learning Differences

Mary M. Silgals

When it comes to keeping up-to-date with the most current research and newest educational approaches for children with learning differences, Trident Academy is a leader in the field. The assistive technology lab continues to demonstrate student successes as the program continues to expand. New technologies are reviewed and new initiatives are under discussion. Meanwhile, the new Trident Academy Health and Wellness Center is near completion. Exercise equipment arrived this week and students will soon participate in a training and fitness curriculum specially designed for our students with learning differences.  

Liz Mullen, middle and high school science teacher and I will be attending the Learning and Brain Conference in Boston this weekend. Liz will attend the pre-conference workshop, “Creative Teens/Young Adults: Creative Thinking in the Classroom,” and I will attend the pre-conference workshop, “Instruction & Curriculum Tools for 21st Century Minds and Brains. Over three days of session offerings, we will have the chance to hear more than 40 experts discuss how schools and teachers can provide the cognitive skills students will need to succeed in the new global economy. As stated in conference materials: “To compete, today's students must adjust to rapid technological and social changes, navigate vast flows of information and learn to work collaboratively with diverse individuals and cultures. Experts will discuss some of the cognitive skills, tools, teaching techniques, and 21^st Century curriculum schools can incorporate to better prepare students to succeed in the new millennium.”

A Former Student at Trident Academy Reminisces

Recently, I received an email from a former student, David Tate, who attended Trident Academy for several years before moving out of state. He had attached a story he had written about 911 and how the event reminded him of a special day at Trident Academy. The story also reminded me of how teachers at Trident Academy influence childrens' lives. Here’s his story:

                                      Tragedy And An Exciting Early Christmas Present

            On September 11, 2001, two airplanes crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon was attacked, and an airplane that was bound for the White House crashed in a field in Pennsylvania killing EVERYBODY on board.

            At the World Trade Center, an enormous number of people died. They were civilians and 343 FDNY firefighters including Chaplain Mychal Judge, Chief of Department Peter Ganci, Jr., First Deputy Commissioner William Feehan, 23 NYPD police officers, and 37 Port Authority of New York/New Jersey officers. At the Pentagon, 125 people who were on Flight 77 died, and 64 people who were inside the Pentagon died.

Later, 44 people died on United Flight 93 in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania including famous passenger Todd Beamer who shouted “Let’s Roll!” After those words were uttered, the passengers beat the terrorists who were controlling the airplane. President Bush declared a “War On Terror,” which is still going on and the military (Air Force, Marines, Navy, and Army) went on the hunt after Osama Bin Laden (died in May of 2011), a radical Islamist who was and is believed to be responsible for the attacks.

Three months later in December of 2001, I decided to write a letter to Charleston Fire Chief Rusty Thomas (who retired seven years later in 2008.) Why? Because, I have admired firefighters since I was a child. In the letter I told Chief Thomas that he was a good man and that I appreciated for what he has done for the City of Charleston.

A few days later, when I was in class (I’m not sure which one it was), Mrs. Driver (or some other teacher) came in and told me that someone special was there to see me in the library. Who was it? That certain someone was Chief Rusty Thomas of the Charleston, South Carolina Fire Department. Chief Rusty was in the library waiting to see me. When I saw him, I felt like I received an EARLY Christmas present.

Chief Rusty had his jacket, an Olympic torch and his helmet on the table. It was a marvelous sight! Chief Rusty greeted me, shook my hand and told us about his firefighting career and I told him about reading about him in the “Post & Courier.” He dressed me in his jacket and his helmet. I also told him that I met some of his firefighter friends and heard about some of the other friends he had.

Chief Rusty told me, the other kids, and the teachers why he had the Olympic torch. The explanation he gave was interesting. After the talk in the library was over, the other kids and I got to go outside of the library and I stood in the center of the American flag with Chief Rusty’s jacket and helmet, and the other kids were reaching for the Olympic torch. Shortly after that, I stood in front of the front of the American flag with Chief Rusty while I was in nearly full gear. 

My picture was taken and the news story was published in the Trident magazine. Later, Chief Rusty asked me if I would like to pose as a real firefighter putting out a fire, and commanding firefighters with his radio. It was then time for Chief Rusty to go. Before he left, I told him “Thank you!” and he said that he was happy to meet me. 

In my opinion, the pictures that were taken will go down in Trident Academy history and go down in my firefighter admiration history. This was one of the best things a *ten (now twenty) year old kid (now adult) could ever have, especially during the Christmas season. A few days or months after that special school event, I received a photo album of that famous school event. I still have it and I will keep it as a collectible. I also included other firefighter visits in my album.

What We Did On Our Summer Vacations

One of the most popular writing activities teachers often ask their students to do upon return to school is a short paragraph or two on what they did on their summer vacations. Summer vacation for many of our teachers provides “free” time to explore educational development. Here’s what some of us did on our summer vacations.

Mrs. Waterstradt attended a RAVE-O class in Atlanta.  This program was designed by Maryanne Wolfe, a professor at Tuffs University.  It is a reading program that focuses on vocabulary with an emphasis on multiple meaning words.  The program has been thoroughly researched using children in the 2nd through 5th grades, reading at least one grade below grade level.

Robin Greig and Julie Stephenson began collaborating over the summer on a children’s book about lionfish and invasive species.  They hope to see Leo the Lionfish (working title) on the bookshelves next year!

Therese Kristiansen and Corbin Bettencourt traveled to Pride’s Crossing, Massachusetts to attend the Landmark School Outreach program on expressive language disorders and practical strategies for reading comprehension.

Jo Beth Edwards received training on new computer development software which will help track alumni giving. This new software will be used for the upcoming Trident Academy 40^th anniversary.

Mary Alice Satterfield attended a training course on how to be a trainer for Framing Your Thoughts, a program used at Trident Academy to teach writing. The Language Circle/Project Read Written Expression Curriculum and instructional strategies inspire and energize students as they learn the fundamentals of writing.

Kathleen Loveland conducted a week long session at Trident Academy on writing. The successful Writing Adventures of Seafaring Turtles is in its second year.

Travis Whetzel attended the SCISA Athletic Directors conference in Myrtle Beach.

Marc Simpson conducted a camp for students who wanted to learn about robotics. Students used Alice software to design a three dimensional world. They used LEGO Education’s Robo Lab application to program the robots they built.

Sheila Costello held an Orton-Gillingham Associate level training course for two weeks at Trident Academy. Thirteen attendees came from the Charleston area and from North Carolina, Florida, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head and Summerville, SC.  

Liz Mullen traveled to Ireland where she learned about geographic formations and the culture.

Mary Silgals attended the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in Philadelphia. She attended sessions that were focused on technology for students with learning differences. She also presented at the Upstate Technology Conference in Greenville, SC in June.

Social and Emotional Learning and the Start of School

The new school year is closely approaching. I would like to share with you an article I just read from the online edition of Edutopia. The article provides wonderful suggestions on how to start the school year with positive feelings and optimism. Both are essential for a successful school year for our students, parents and teachers.

Reprinted from Edutopia by Maurice Elias

From a Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) point of view, the most important consideration at the start of the new school year is to create positive feelings and optimism about school. This has many practical implications for both educators and parents.

Here are seven ideas to keep in mind:

Number One

Make a special effort to greet children in a positive and uplifting way at the start of school. Create a festive atmosphere, not a "get down to business" factory atmosphere.

Number Two

Highlight all the good and exciting things that will be happening at the beginning of the school year, as well as throughout the year.

Number Three

Give students a chance to share good memories about the summer, what they are looking forward to for the new school year, and something about themselves that they would like classmates to know. Time spent helping the students in a class bond in positive ways will bring large dividend later in the year as students work together in pairs, teams, and groups.

Number Four

Allow students to have input into setting the rules for the classroom, in terms of both "do's" and "don'ts."

Number Five

Give students an opportunity each day to reflect on what they are learning. Ask them to keep a journal and write down, at the end of the day, three things they are taking with them from the school day. Have them keep daily journals in one or some or all subject areas where, at the end of a class period or unit or project, they write down three things they are taking away from that unit of work.

Number Six

Parents, the parallel of all these apply to you. Keep the first days of school very positive. Allow time for routines to kick in. Don't get upset if your child is running late, or forgets things. Make it clear that you understand and expect by the end of the first week of school, routines will be set and work well. Ask your child for suggestions about ways to modify the routines that are not going well.
Also, after school, ask your child to share the best parts of the school day. Later, ask your child what they are looking forward to most the next day. Please note the words, "best" and "most." These are relative terms, so there will be a "best" part of a bad day and something to look forward to "most" even where the day is dreaded. In that way, you keep the focus positive. Remember, school is much more than classes. Asking about hallways, announcements, and things other than academic classes may garner special conversations.

Number Seven

Teachers and parents should share what the school is doing around social-emotional and character development, health, and such key areas as prevention of harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Parents, if you are not given this information proactively, seek it out. Teachers, your best hope for continuity and reinforcement of school messages out of school is if parents know what it is that their children are being taught!

The essence of SEL is to be sure that the adults dealing with children understand that the gateway to learning is through children's social and emotional skills and experiences. Opening that gateway at the start of the school year will lead to a smoother path during all subsequent days.

"7"

Anne Hall

The wonders of the ancient world, from Babylon to Rhodes,

The colors of the rainbow, the multiplying loaves,

Bright menorah candles on dark December nights

The stars of Ursa Major, those familiar twinkling lights,

The spots of lucky lady bugs, munching on the lawn,

And perhaps most famous of them all…the dashing Mr. Bond.

These things I’ve listed share a trait, a fascinating tie

Within the mind of humankind, and in nature earth and sky

For seven is their hallmark; seven stands apart because

Seven is a magic number, if ever one there was.

And so I think it’s fitting, even if it makes us blue

That I’ve had seven splendid years at Trident and with you.

Years one through three were tough ones; I taught a lot of boys,

Only Matt remembers the classrooms and the noise.

They say what doesn’t kill you only makes you strong

And thus my teaching skills improved as those years passed along.

6^th grade ancient studies was what changed everything

And many students here still know their rivers, maps, and kings.

Years four though six were seamless, I taught, I learned, I laughed

We did yoga in the lunch room, made masks and other crafts,

Ate fruits with Esperanza, built castles for Crispin

I’ve heard them say they wish that they could do it all again!

The food, the fun, the field trips, the contests, and the games,

We learned so much that none of us will ever be the same.

Yes, myself included, you’ve taught me all I know

My cup is running over, and now it’s time to go.

We’ve had seven back to school nights, seven Mardi Gras parades

Seven times I’ve made you read your poems up here upon this stage

Seven years of watching as you change before my eyes

As you learn new things and try new wings and then take off and fly.

I don’t know how to thank you; I’m not sure what to say

So I’ll dedicate this poem instead to all of you today

To all your perseverance to all your grit and drive

To all you bring to every day you come to school and try.

You are amazing students, and I’m lucky to have been

For seven years, your teacher, your leader and your friend.

An Unexpected Wonder

     I was asked to go on the Upper School trip to Costa Rica, and of course, said yes. My rationale was that with my own child starting off as a college freshman next year, trips for me would be far and few between. Yes, I knew that Costa Rica was made up of rain forests and cloud forests and had volcanoes, but I truly was not prepared for the incredible number of birds and the variety of wildlife that lived in and around these locals. To see leaves that an adult human could use as a place to curl up and read a book, or flowers that you and I pay good money for each spring growing wild along the roadside, should have been my first clue, but it took waking up to the sound of howler monkeys and the sight of steam coming out of an active volcano to really drive it home.

     It was hysterical to watch the students react to certain situations: unknown foods, “wildlife” such as spiders or lizards in their rooms (hello, this is a rain forest!), and doing without a lot of technology. It was gratifying to watch some of them overcome some real fears to participate in some of the activities and to have them force me to do the same. I was not big on going down that zip line and I KNEW a shark was waiting just for me when we went snorkeling, but if they could do it, I had to do it too. And it was great!  

     Many of the students were glad to pay the $8.00 bill for an American hamburger and fries when we got to the airport to come home, but I was already missing the plantains and the wonderful coffee. All of the people that went on this trip experienced things that we had not seen, heard, tasted, or experienced before from seeing cacao beans processed into chocolate (one of my personal favorites) to riding horseback along a ridgeline or deserted beach; bathing in pools heated by volcanic heat or having a science lesson in a tidal pool on a beach with tapir tracks; eating fresh coconuts or watching iguanas come tumbling from trees and ceilings to steal bananas from each other. These and so many other experiences truly made this an incredible trip. Not to mention the variety of planes, buses, and boats we took to reach our destinations.

     So, the next time you come by the school, talk to some of the students that went on the trip and check out some of the photos on the wall. Then try to figure out which student won a rodeo contest, “screamed like a girl” when he saw a spider, caught a blue sailfish, fell into a tilapia pond, lost his shoes in the river, went jet skiing three times, landed on a dirt road in a small plane, carried his luggage to a boat to be loaded from the beach, swam in a rainforest waterfall pool……You get the picture. It was wonderful and surpassed anything I was expecting. I would go back in a heartbeat, but just in case it doesn’t happen; I brought back as much coffee as I could fit in my suitcase.

Lalla G. Boatwright

Costa Rica Blog

By Frankie Holmes

Costa Rica was beautiful. There were so many things to do and places to see that I want to go back! When we arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica, I could tell there were a lot of differences in “here” and “there”. In Costa Rica, the traffic is crazy or maybe it was just the drivers. Costa Ricans are very good drivers, but their methods of driving consist of swerving, texting while driving motorcycles, and letting ten year-olds drive a motorcycle with younger kids on the back! When we got to our first hotel and we were assigned to our rooms, I noticed how big this hotel really is. It has little apartments spread out over a lot of land, and it took a good bit of time to walk from the lobby to our room.

            The first night, we had our first Costa Rica meal while watching a horseshow and some of us got to participate in it. Although I did not participate, I had a bunch of fun watching and eating. The next morning, we headed to the Arenal volcano where our next hotel was located. The volcano was awesome and you had a great view from almost every room in the hotel. The trips we went on in Arenal were very fun and amazing. We went on two hikes, zip lining, and to a hot springs resort that is heated by a volcano. My favorite thing in Arenal was the hot springs because it was the most relaxing and fun! There were slides into the hot spring pool, and they were rough. On one slide you would hit your head on the inside of the slide and it hurt, but it was still fun though.

            Our next hotel was far away from Arenal, and we had to take a small passenger plane to a place called Drake Bay, Costa Rica. It was beautiful. There was a great view of the Pacific Ocean and every afternoon there were tons of blue butterflies flying around the hotel. In Drake Bay, we went on a hike, snorkeling and whale watching. My favorite thing in Drake Bay was snorkeling and waiting to see if we were going to see some of the tsunami that hit Japan. We waited on the shoreline, waiting to see the reported 6 foot wave coming from Japan that was supposed to come around 4:00, but it never came. The next day, we found out that it did come around ten that night. It had sunk the tour boats we were supposed to use that day, but luckily, they had replacements. Our next stop was also on the coast called Manuel Antonio. We got to hang out on the beach, go jet skiing, and walk around the town, and that meant a lot of sunburns! My favorite activity was jet skiing of course! It was so fun, and we saw some beautiful beaches and a great view of the sun (which even our sunscreen couldn’t protect us from). Sadly, like every trip you have to come home eventually, but I will never forget the things I did and saw in Costa Rica. I hope to go back some time in the future!

Assistive Technology Open House, March 24

Mary M. Silgals 

               What is technology? A simple definition is whatever makes your work load lighter. At Trident Academy the aim of the assistive technology program is to make a student’s educational workload easier with the use of technology. The new assistive technology lab is filled with technologies that can bridge the educational gap for students who have learning differences. These tools are categorized into 5 groups: listening, math, organization and memory, reading, and writing.

                The library research lab conversion to an assistive technology lab took place in late January of this year. All of the old computers and monitors were replaced with new HP Touch Screen computers with 20” monitors. These computers allow for documents to be “docked” side by side or a document and a website to be opened and viewable at the same time. Students no longer have to go back and forth between what is on the Internet and their working document. The numerous features of these state of the art computers will be demonstrated at our Open House, March 24.

                 Also, on the new computers, software was installed that will help students complete their class work and homework. Worksheets and homework can be scanned and then typed on using one of the software programs. Students in my Research Tech class are becoming experts on all the programs that are installed on the computers, and they will be available to demonstrate them to attendees at the Open House.

                 A new all-in-one scanner/copier/printer was purchased and installed in the lab. This particular hardware allows for scanning materials and converting the text into rich text format. Documents saved in rich text can then be read out loud using one of the three text reading programs that have been installed on each of the computers.

                New to the library and the lab are twelve Kindles which are available for checkout for use in classes. E-readers offer solutions to students with reading difficulties. Font size can be increased, spacing between lines can be increased, and text can be read out loud. Also, built in dictionaries allow quick access to definitions while reading. Our students love them!

                Drop in Thursday, March 24^th to see what our assistive technology lab has to offer. My Research Tech students are looking forward to showing off our new lab and the great resources that we can provide!

Locked-In The Library

Mary Silgals

What can be more fun than an overnighter in the library? No, I was not cataloguing or shelving books or dusting at midnight, but instead I was having a great time giggling and chatting with five of our high school girls and one of our former graduates.

The idea of a lock-in came about last year when the Twilight Club met every Wednesday in the library.  The club members had planned on going to all the Twilight movies together which would allow us to meet and talk about how the movies were different than the books. Unfortunately, the third movie was released over the summer. I was in Denver at the time, and we were not able to all get together to view it. So, it was decided that we would have to get together one weekend night and have a marathon Twilight Saga evening dedicated to watching all three of the videos one after another.

The date was set to have the event on February 25, and at 6pm the girls arrived carrying with them their sleeping bags. The evening consisted of pizza, snacks, and 10 hours of video, midnight basketball in the gym, hide ‘n go seek with cell phones, and finding Edward in ten places in the building. (For those who aren’t in the know, Edward is the main character in the series, along with Bella, in the hugely popular teenage series).

Monday morning the inquiries began. How much sleep did you get? Average: one hour. Was there any drama? No, just twenty minutes of searching for one student who hid too well. Would you do it again? In a heart beat! The evening created memories that all of us girls will hold dear for many years. Next time, I must remember to have chair races in the darkened halls, and most of all, to listen closely for the sounds of children laughing and talking in the LEAD hallways. Two girls swore they heard them!

Mountain Music Comes to the Lowcountry

Mary Alice Satterfield

Clapping hands, tapping toes, smiling faces, and do-si-dos: all come together when Jeff Robbins is in the house doing what he loves best—playing mountain music. He has an engaging way and relates easily to children of all ages.

His knowledge of Mountain Music and the instrumentation it uses is broad—he has just the right accompaniment for each song. He brings a number of instruments to have available for performances. Guitar, banjos, fiddle, dulcimer, and mandolin are all on stage—each cradled in an instrument stand—ready and waiting to be used. Jeff plays all of them very well. On certain songs he uses a jaw harp which adds a signature twang to the mountain sound.

All of these elements were present on Tuesday, February 15, when students and teachers gathered in Trident Academy’s Multi-Purpose Room. The stage lights were reflected in the shiny woods used in the making of instruments Jeff was to play. Excited anticipation filled the room. We were ready for a good time.

The show began with energy that was sustained throughout the entire performance. Jeff’s enthusiasm was contagious! As hands kept time to music, All of us could not help but sing along. Happy responses were displayed by our applause and big smiles. One song kept us singing and laughing as we tried to make the correct motions for “Honk! Honk! Rattle, Rattle, Rattle, Crash! Beep! Beep!” Another favorite was “Sit Down Square Dance” during which Jeff “called” the motions to be made. The fact that the all of us remained in our seats did not mean that the movements we made were passive. It was fun!

Before and after the performance, Jeff and his wife Marci, presented workshops for the students. Each boy and girl made a “One String Pork-N-Bean Guitar” from a tin can brought from home that became attached to a piece of wood 2½ X15-20 inches. A guitar string, a nail, and an eye screw were used to finish the transformation into a bona fide, playable instrument. It is probably a sure thing that the guitars made that day will last a good while. Just seeing one sitting on a shelf will serve as a great way to call to mind a wonderful afternoon singing and playing with Jeff Robbins--one of the best mountain music ambassadors there is. What a treat!

                                                                                     

                                                                                    Mary Alice Satterfield

A Night to Remember

Rhonda McKenna

 I have recently witnessed a newsworthy event that I felt needed to be shared. It was Trident Academy’s Homecoming! The basketball was very exciting, but I have to admit what made the night memorable for me was watching my daughter stand in front of the entire crowd with an amazingly huge smile across her face. This was her first experience for being nominated Homecoming Queen. Not only was she beautiful, she was happy! In order to truly appreciate this event you have to know my daughter. She is not the kind of girl who likes being center of attention at all. In fact, it truly is something she struggles with. She has always worked so hard at blending in throughout her school career. If the teachers didn’t notice her, they wouldn’t single her out and make her feel badly about what she didn’t know. Now that she is a student at Trident Academy, she feels more confident about herself and is beginning to appreciate being recognized for who she is -- a lovely young lady who learns differently. She had the confidence that night to stand in front of a very crowded gymnasium full of parents, faculty, and her peers. I know how nervous she was because I watched her carefully walk down our stairs in her heels (which is not a normal shoe choice of hers) with a look on her face asking me if she could really go through with this. This was something she never would have done two years ago, and the fact that she was able to follow through with this event speaks volumes. I truly get very emotional when I think about how far she has come and how supportive this school has been in getting her there. She is having experiences she never would in another school setting. Although she did not get crowned Homecoming Queen that evening, the memory will be with her forever. Thank you Trident for helping my daughter realize how amazing she is!

Rhonda McKenna
Proud mother of Senior Fallon McKenna

A Student's Voice Part 2

Austin Thompson
Editor's Note: Austin wrote this essay in Writers' Workshop and was willing to share it with our community.

When I was ten years old, I was told I had dyslexia. At that time all my academic problems were explained to me so that I could understand them. My mom then discovered Trident Academy, a school for students with learning differences. The first year I went to Trident, I was in 5^th grade, and I could hardly read. I would do anything to get out of reading in front of anyone. It wasn't that I did not want to read; it was that I knew that I would mess up, and I would be embarrassed.

A Student's Voice

Luke Jeresaty

Editor's Note: Luke wrote this essay in Writers' Workshop and was willing to share it with our community.

        In the fifth grade, despite being considered as one of the smartest students in my grade, I was a mess. I felt like I couldn't get through a day without absolutely going crazy in my head. I was convinced that I would not survive middle school, let alone high school. However, the next year, we moved to South Carolina and found Trident Academy. My biggest trouble was in a class like Science, when the teacher would give the class directions, and I wouldn't understand them. At Trident, if that happened, I got enough individual attention so I would understand it. Also, if I lost anything, which happened a lot, teachers at Trident would be able to help me look for it, and come up with systems to help me stay organized.

       Before I came to Trident Academy, I felt like my classes were too large and that I couldn't get the individual attention that I needed to help me with my organization. Now, I can learn with nothing holding me back. My organization still isn't perfect, but the teachers at Trident have helped me improve. At Trident Academy, I can experience new exciting things, such as competing in a Math Meet or visiting a foreign country.

       Some classes at Trident Academy feel unique, such as the LEAD classes, where students who need it are given individual help with reading skills. You can also take Writers' Workshop classes, which are small-group classes that specialize in the process of informative and creative writing. All of the teachers at Trident Academy are excellent. They all understand the students' strengths and weaknesses, and what they need to help them learn.

The winner for the best opening line is ...........

Julie Stephenson

I love being amazed by our students! Earlier this year, I had my high school Writers Workshop students enter the First Line Writing Contest, which was sponsored by Scope magazine. Students submitted their very best opening lines for a story, and entries were judged by renowned young adult writer Pam Munoz Ryan. Last week I found out that our very own ninth grader Frankie Holmes is a finalist in the contest! According to a spokeswoman from Scope, Frankie’s first line was selected from thousands of entries. His picture and contest entry will be featured on the Scope website in April. Way to go, Frankie!

Success is Trident Academy's Mission

Mary Silgals

Success can be measured in many tangible ways. Last year, Senior Lauren Kenney was awarded the National Merit Medal for her academic efforts. Yesterday, Luke Jeresaty was ranked #6 out of 175 students who participated in the South Carolina Association of Independent School's (SCISA) Math Meet. Frankie Holmes finished in the top ten in his division. Students from Mrs. Collin's art classes won numerous awards for their submissions to the Fall SCISA Art Show. These are just a few of the many examples of success at Trident Academy.

In some cases, the attainment of success can come from a change in attitude. This change often comes when students realize that yes, they can be successful. Take for example the student who came into the library at the beginning of her first school year at Trident Academy. She announced that she did not like to read, and therefore, she had no intention in checking out a book. Skip forward a year later. She is the first student in her class who has read more than 10 books from 5 different genres, and she is the first in her class to earn her genre cap, a fourth grade tradition. The growth in her reading and comprehension skills is amazing. It is an understatement to say her attitude about reading has changed.

Trident Academy's mission is SUCCESS. Trident Academy's students demonstrate personal success on a daily basis. Let us applaud their successes!

Singin' The Blues

Therese Kristiansen

Blues music is a uniquely American phenomenon rooted in one of the most unfortunate periods of American history. Evolving from the songs sung by plantation slaves, the blues has had a direct influence on all modern music. (Yes, even Rap music.) Because of the blues profound impact on American culture, Trident Academy's Upper School American-based English class is currently studying a unit on the blues. The class is reading essays, first hand accounts, biographies, and musical lyrics related to the blues, as well as writing compositions and original versions of blues songs in the form of poetry. The unit will culminate with the class viewing "Lightening in a Bottle," an entertaining one night history of the blues which was directed by Martin Scorsese. So, next time you turn on the radio, listen closely; if you are really lucky you might hear the ghosts of Leadbelly, Muddy Waters, Bessie Smith, or Robert Johnson singing in the background.

Trident Musings 1 /2011

 Hugh and Jackie Corcoran

On a chilly, Charleston, January night - families, faculty, and friends of Trident Academy - basked in the warmth of the South Carolina Aquarium for  the first ever “Trident Academy Family Night!" What a night it was! Almost 200 adults and 150 children enveloped the evening with friendship and fun!

Watching the kids “take over” the entire SC Aquarium – from “scavenger hunts” to “hide and seek” – was such a treat to watch! How about that Trident Academy student diver spotted (and revered) for a dip in the Great Ocean tank? The incredible bond amongst all our kids was, as always - a great a sight to behold!

As for the adults, we certainly agree - between the great setting, great food, great conversation, and great information - what a phenomenal night it was! Oh yeah – and about that free time the kids provided us with while they were bonding – thanks for that incredible opportunity for parents, faculty, and friends to kick back, relax, and enjoy each other’s company. Like all families, we at Trident Academy know…”when the kiddos are having fun – everyone is having fun!”

So let us ask you – parent to parent - “…did you ever think it could be like this?”

(Watch for the next Trident Academy SC Aquarium night in 2012 date to be announced.)

One of our own students participated in a unique way at SC Aquarium Night.

Students become teachers

Joe Ferber and Robin Greig

Education manifests itself in a variety of formats here at Trident Academy. Yesterday, I was the student, and the Middle School Science students were the teacher.

Our Middle School scholars have been studying all about Earthquakes with Mrs. Greig, and I’ve learned that when you work with Mrs. Greig, well, all kinds of things can happen. During their studies, students became especially interested in what to do in case of an earthquake.  To capitalize on this interest, Mrs. Greig had students look at the school’s earthquake section of the “Crisis Management/Emergency Information” plan, which is under review by the faculty.  Students were asked to critique, advise, and make suggestions on the plan. Needless to say they had done their “homework." Working in study groups, they read other school plans, surveyed our faculty, and researched the latest documents on earthquake safety measures. Coupled with what they have learned about the cause and effects of earthquakes, they presented a well prepared learning opportunity for the headmaster.

Among their various recommendations was to add “Hold” to our Drop and Cover plan. In other words, we need to have students drop to the floor, get under a desk, and hold on to the desks legs. If you don’t hold, they explained, the desk can move away from you. So, the “Drop, Cover, and Hold” procedure will be added to our earthquake plan.  They also suggested the need to designate a pre-planned evacuation site for after an earthquake.  It was decided that site should be in the center of our large soccer field, where there are no trees or structures that would fall on you and you would not run into hazards, i.e. down power lines, in moving to another area.

The Middle schoolers volunteered to educate the Lower and Upper school students about earthquakes and what to do during an earthquake event.  Then, they recommended having an earthquake drill. I was also informed that the faculty needs to be reminded that “three short whistles followed by a Code Red” alerts you to an earthquake.

A study I’d come across many years ago came to mind during my session with the students. The research showed that when teaching you have a 90% long-term retention rate of the material covered as compared to a 50% rate when discussing and a 10% when being lectured to. In addition to their concern for their fellow classmates and helping the community, the Middle school students had come upon one of the best ways to learn!

Yesterday’s faculty meeting agenda included an update on our Earthquake emergency plans including the recommendations from our students. Thank you Middle school students!

Let's share our moments

Before my son graduated from Trident Academy four years ago, he used to often comment that he had to tell me about a "Trident Moment" he had had that day. Often this moment was about something that had happened during his school day, something that one of his classmates had said or done. I remember saying that some of his stories were worthy of publishing.

It's difficult to start, to pick the special moment that stands out the most, but one of my favorite moments came about when I had loaned a student of mine an electronic pen to take home to test. This pen, called a Pulse Pen, had just appeared on the market, and as I am curious about all things electronic that may be useful to our students, I had purchased one to try out. Of course, not having the time to give to experimenting with the pen, I chose to give it to one of my seniors to try, asking that he report back to me. The next morning he came to class and was beaming brightly. "So," I asked, "what do you think?"  "Mrs. Silgals," he responded, "for the first time, I think I can actually be successful in college."

Just yesterday a student who is in my assistive technology homework haven, was in his normal rushed state to get his work done so that he could move on to something more entertaining. We were packing him up when he reminded me that he needed to print his homework. I figured I could do this quickly enough, so I said, "..., let me print it out since you are in a hurry." He looked at me with this big grin on his face, and replied, "Now, Mrs. Silgals, I am going to trust you to do this for me. You promise?" Responsibility and trust is of major importance to this student.

Another AT homework haven moment came about one day when I was helping a student with a math problem. Truthfully, I was not paying close enough attention as I was multi-tasking, trying to help more than one student at a time. The student came to homework haven the next day and informed me that the problem I helped him with was not correct. He said, "Don't worry, Mrs. Silgals. I did not tell Mrs. Fell that you helped me with it."  Like I said, responsibility and trust is important.

Special memories are created on a daily basis at Trident Academy. We have special students, teachers, and parents. This blog is dedicated to those special moments. Here on this blog, I will share some of my Trident moments with you. Please feel free to comment or even submit your own special moments for publication.