April 5, 2006

Dear Friends,

Of all the emphases and hopes of The Bay School in a variety of areas, one of the hardest to define is our emphasis on ethics, religion, and spirituality and our hope that students will leave on their way to a life of honorable behavior and mature spirituality.

Clearly, part of the problem is the sensitivity of the topic. Religion is associated in many minds with bigotry and exclusivity, with condemnation and punishment. Spirituality in other minds conjures up New Age practices, crystals, and incense. Ethics suggests a class in business school to set the limits of sharp practice we can get away with. Even within my own religious community, we are so careful to be tolerant and sensitive that we have lapsed into silence.

So, here is a first draft of what we are attempting at The Bay School, realizing that we are feeling our way.

1. There is a basic literacy about world religions which an educated citizen of this century needs. A substantial number of world conflict issues are based on religious differences in whole or in part. We do this through the academic program.
2. There are some basic standards of decent behavior with which we want our students to be familiar, and which are encapsulated in our precepts. It is unrealistic to expect that we will all live up to all of these all the time. At least, however, we can get into the habit of realizing when we are violating them, and ask ourselves "Why?"
3. We can give our students, indeed the whole community, some tools for the mindful practice of religion and spirituality, regardless of the tradition from which we come. Our morning meditation is the flagship of that training; we anticipate further retreats and study groups as the students mature.
4. We can emphasize the disconnect between religions and religious institutions; these latter appear to be subject to corruption and perversion regardless of the religious tradition, weakening in the process the admirable goals for humanity which they espouse. Telling the truth about these frees students to discover truths about the religions themselves.

What matters most profoundly, and where we will measure our success or failure in this domain, is each student's growth as a human being. Do we tell the truth? Are we generous? Can we go deeply into our souls and find strength? Can we make our church and temple worship more deeply alive, bringing ourselves closer to the transcendent, the divine?

And to complicate matters further, many of these skills mature over a great many years, and are subject to a variety of influences. In 2040, will our graduates trace their ethical and spiritual roots to The Bay School or to some other source altogether?

I am convinced that the religious, spiritual, and ethical domains, if not all of a piece, are vitally interconnected; that they are vastly beneficial in building the good life; that however difficult it may be, we need to pursue them with vigor and humility.

Another great adventure.

All best wishes,
Fr. Malcolm

Planting Seeds - Ethics and Spirituality at The Bay School

Attention to the personal maturity of each student at The Bay School is a central element of the school's mission. As such, consideration of ethical and spiritual growth is fundamental and is intertwined as a part of everyday life at school on many different levels. Study of the world's major religions and cultural traditions is also addressed.Recently, I've had two important conversations with parents who come from very different perspectives on a spectrum of attitudes about religion. One wanted to know whether what we were doing at school undermined the religious training she was giving her child. Another parent, not being religious at all, wondered whether we were advocating a particular religious tradition. I am writing in order to bridge the gap between what you may be hearing about what we do, and what we actually do, in regard to practice of religion and spirituality at The Bay School.

First, by way of background and context, The Bay School curriculum is designed to provide students with an in-depth exposure to the academic study of a broad range of world religions and cultures through an interdisciplinary approach in the required Humanities courses taken by all Bay School freshmen and sophomores. World religions are studied within the context of history, literature, and many different forms of artistic expression - thus providing students with a solid foundation of knowledge enabling them to connect religious traditions with their related cultures throughout history - building important connections that are useful in striving to understand the relationships and conflicts that exist between the diverse cultures surrounding us in the world today.

As an important complement to academic study, we also introduce our students to the practice of the world's religions, giving them opportunities to experience how major holidays are celebrated by different faith traditions, and an appreciation of the many different ways in which people worship. During Ramadan each November the school community shares readings from the Koran and experiences first-hand a typical day of fasting and call to prayer. Jewish festivals of Hanukkah and Yom Kippur are shared by all in conjunction with readings from the Old Testament and personal stories shared at morning meetings, as are the major Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter. In doing so, our aim is neither to replace a parent's religious training of their own child, nor do we intend to advocate any particular religion - rather, we aim to increase our understanding of other points of view through experience and practice.

We are training our students to be awake, skillful, and responsible in paying attention to their own feelings, thoughts, physical sensations, and actions, while being mindful of their effect on others. Each day, at morning meetings we offer students training and practice in the skills of 'being present' or ,one could say, training in paying attention. Like scientists, we want them to directly experience and to be aware of what is actually happening in their bodies/minds when it is happening to them. In this way they can gather real information to draw upon as they make decisions about who they are, what they value, and who they want to grow up to be.

The primary tool is meditation, which is simply the practice of being present with what is, without pushing it away, suppressing it, or being unconsciously controlled by it. Meditation provides the mental 'space' in which to watch what arises and departs within us. Through the practice of meditation a person can receive invaluable insights into the nature of their being at whatever level they chose to engage. Simply allowing whatever it is to come and go, without 'fixing it', controlling, or judging it is the beginning of awareness which leads to compassion for oneself and others.

View Guiding Precepts

In conjunction with practices of individual introspection, the entire Bay School community continually reflects upon a set of 'Guiding Precepts' that frame the values to which we aspire. Strictly speaking, the precepts are not rules, but rather guidelines that articulate important ways to live intentionally, healthfully, and with compassion and empathy for others. As we begin each day together with a morning meeting, the whole school gathers and sits silently in a very intimate and 'safe' space. Then we discuss examples teaching us how to use the precepts as tools in our daily lives. These very important few minutes together serve to focus our attention and enable us to ground our day in awareness and intention. Students come to recognize the difference between how they aspire to behave and what they actually do. It is in that gap that the most interesting insights occur if one is present enough to notice.

Many Bay School teachers reinforce these skills as well by asking their students to engage in a few moments of quiet reflection as a class begins or before a test. They may stop the class if they feel that the group energy is unfocused - asking students to sit up straight, close their eyes, and return to their center. This approach has proven to be very effective. Recently we had a 'Buddha-Day' or 'Paying Attention' Day during which we incorporated reminders like fun signs, a bit more 'sitting', 10 minutes of silence at the beginning of lunch, and a period of yoga - all to help us remember to return to our body and mind during as much of the day as possible. We have no illusions that any of these skills are easy to develop. We are patient planters of seeds in offering Bay School students many varied opportunities to find a calm quiet place inside themselves in which they consider the life questions and important choices that are a part of teenage life.

As chaplain, I spend a great deal of time in individual conversations with many students who present experiences from the profoundly tragic to the hilariously superficial. Working with teenagers has made me realize both how close they are to the infinite purity of their essence and, at the same time, how distracted and often painful their lives can be. One student came to me recently saying he felt that he was disassociating from 'reality'. When I asked him why he felt that way he replied, "I can watch my thoughts and emotions." I responded, "Actually, that is being more in touch with reality" and then asked "What did you see?" The student volunteered, "Well, I noticed that when I get mad at someone the characteristics I don't like in the person I'm mad at are actually things I don't like about myself." His self awareness is impressive. It is a privilege to meet and come to know each Bay School student, and an ongoing joy for me to help them find out who they are on as deep a level as each of them wants to go.

Offering students the tools to be conscious of their thoughts, feelings, intentions, and behaviors is an experiment based on our mission to educate our students in their spirits, their souls as well as their minds. It is a kind of scientific journey into the heart and mind of each of us.

Student Reflections - Spiritual Experiences

Each year in freshman Humanities classes students are asked to write personal spiritual autobiographies in conjunction with their reading of Hermann Hesse's novel Siddhartha, published in 1922. The novel is based upon the early life of Gautama Buddha and chronicles the young man Siddhartha's spiritual quest for an understanding of the true meaning and value of life. His final epiphany challenges both the Buddhist and Hindu ideals of enlightenment.

For this assignment, students were asked to respond to a series of questions about how they view and experience spirituality and how it has impacted them. They were asked to choose one personal spiritual experience and tell a story about it, in the process, coming to a better understanding of the depth of Siddhartha's spiritual experiences on his path to becoming the Buddha, or Enlightened One.

Student Autobiography Excerpt #1
"Although I am not a greatly spiritual or religious person, a time when I felt extremely spiritual was when my grandmother died. Although I was young, I felt as though there wasn't any God, because I wondered 'How can there be a God watching out for me, if he takes my grandmother away from me? If he takes away my mother's mother, how can he be watching out for us?' My grandmother was one of my favorite people in the entire world; she meant more to me than almost anyone did. After she died I realized that all those times we had spent visiting her in Kentucky, the many times we spent Christmas together, would never happen again. Although I was thinking this, I also hoped that my grandmother was in heaven, watching us. I couldn't help but wonder things like 'Where do we go when we die? Why does God take people from the people who love them? Is there a heaven?'

A few days after my grandmother had died, my mom and I decided to fix my room, and she decided to paint my bed. We sat together in my room until late at night, working and talking about my grandmother. In that very moment I remember clear as day that I felt my grandmother with me. It seemed so real, that I immediately told my mom that I had felt my grandmother sitting next to me, as though she was hugging me. I remember not knowing what to think, I didn't think that there could be a God, because my grandmother had left, but I swear I had felt her presence right next to me.

Over time I began to believe that my grandmother was in heaven, and was watching out for us. I decided that no matter how painful it was to lose her, it must have been her time to leave us. That was the first moment in my life when I had questioned the existence of an after life and the existence of a God. I still wonder about what happens when we die and if there is a God, and although I am not a religious person and don't necessarily believe in God, I still think about the possibility of some sort of afterlife."

Read more student autobiography excerpts

Bay Sports and Activities Update
Steve Glass, Athletic Director

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY!

The inclement weather has been our toughest opponent so far in spring 2006 - causing many early season baseball and soccer cancellations during March. Thankfully however, soccer and baseball aren't the only ways that Bay School students are staying healthy and active.

The Bay School 'Breakers' spring baseball and girl's soccer teams have found life on the field very soggy so far this season. At press time, the baseball team has managed to play four games, and the girls' soccer team has not been as lucky - only managing to play one match so far this season. Fortunately, both teams are currently the most successful in Bay School history. The baseball team has posted a record of 3 wins and one loss, while the girls' soccer team, coached by our own Chandra King, boasts an undefeated season thus far with one win and no losses! In my capacity as athletic director I have recently consulted our highly qualified science teachers here at Bay to discuss strategies to combat the recent dramatic Bay Area weather patterns due to La Nina and global warming. I'm happy to report that they assure us, with half of the season left to play, that Mother Nature will soon begin to cooperate, providing that much needed sunshine for the remainder of the spring season in April and May.

The only sports team not hindered by the unpredictable weather so far this spring has been our first-ever sailing team. Four hardy Bay School sailors, coached by physics teacher Tom Henning, recently competed in the Cardinal Invitational Regatta in Redwood City. The Breakers placed 12th out of 32 participating schools. Quite an accomplishment for our first time in competition. Congratulations sailors!

The Bay School afternoon fitness program has moved to a new, higher level this spring - offering an improved schedule of physical activities designed and organized by Ms. Shellie Banks, accomplished athlete as well as Bay School Spanish and French teacher. Students now rotate through a weekly program that offers more than 6 different types of physical conditioning activities. During a typical week, on Mondays students stretch and strengthen in Yoga, on Wednesdays they duck, twist, and kick learning Taekwondo, on Thursdays work out in aerobics and weight training next door at the YMCA, and on Fridays students jog for an hour through the beautiful Presidio, or may participate in an exhilarating game of ultimate Frisbee. The new rotating schedule keeps students fresh and interested because they are exposed to a different type of physical activity every day - often exercises that they may never have tried on their own. Not to mention the fact that they are moving their bodies on a regular basis and having fun doing it! Freshman John Tompkins agrees: "activities are fun because they are well rounded classes - I'm able to work on my flexibility, strength, and endurance, all within one single program." Sophomore Cailin Connolly adds, "Afternoon fitness is a great experience. I get to do three types of different fitness classes in one week. I enjoy it because I get to improve my skills in yoga and learn a new form of martial arts; which is taught by one of my peers." Speaking of peers, we would like to acknowledge and thank Bay School sophomore Bill Decker, who recently earned his Taekwondo 2nd degree black belt, and leads the martial arts activity. "Taekwondo is convenient, because it's at school, while still being a physical workout. And its also interesting being taught by a professional who is also a peer teaching something he enjoys," says Freshman Lydia Kim. Sophomore Andrew Vinocur concurs, "Afternoon fitness is really great. Between Taekwondo with Bill Decker, yoga with Ms. P, and going over to the YMCA, I have a lot of fun everyday and get great exercise."

Another activity, taking place down at Crissy Field, with the motto "rain or shine" laughs at thoughts of canceling due to rain. In fact, the students in the Crissy Field activity led by Bill Brown relish the elements as they labor in rain gear with Marin Conservation Corps staff doing plant restoration work. Freshman Colin Henry says, "It's fun to go out in the rain and get soaked pulling weeds. That is, until my parents show up to pick me up and the passenger seat gets covered with mud and stuff".

Coach Carter Visits The Bay School

"It's All About Attitude"

The entire Bay School community came to its feet applauding at the end of the animated and inspiring talk given by Coach Ken Carter at Gathering on Thursday, March 9th. Basketball coach of the Richmond High School Boys' Basketball Team from 1997-2002, Carter gained national notoriety when he locked out his undefeated varsity team in order to push them to improve their grades. Coach Carter not only closed the Richmond High School gym, but he banned all basketball-related activities and was prepared to cancel the entire season program, because 15 of the 45 players were not living up to the classroom achievements they agreed to in contracts that they had signed earlier in the season. His story and that of his team was the inspiration for the successful movie "Coach Carter" released in 2005 starring Samuel L. Jackson.

Describing the commitment, discipline, teamwork, and positive attitude necessary for success in sports as a metaphor for success in all aspects of life, Ken Carter challenged Bay School students to commit themselves to achieving excellence - urging students to strive to be men and women of integrity and high moral character who give back to their community through their service, doing the right thing all the time, "even when no one else is around." Thanks go to Richard Decker, father of Bay School sophomore Bill Decker, for arranging the coach's visit to The Bay School.

Spring Drama Production - Missing Persons

Rehearsals are well underway for the upcoming spring production of Missing Persons, a rarely performed play written by highly esteemed playwright Craig Lucas. Eleven Bay School actors, actresses, and crew members under the direction of drama teacher Katherine Riley practice their lines and work on set design after school each week in preparation for performances scheduled for May 4th, 5th, and 6th at 7:30pm in the Bay School Great Room.

The Story: "Independently wealthy, a published author and tenured professor at Swarthmore College, Addie Pencke spends Thanksgiving holiday struggling to hold together her splintered ego and her fractured family. Her capacious, book-lined home is peopled with real and imagined figures from sixty years of political activism, hard-drinking, a failed marriage and lost opportunities. Neighbors, strays, in-laws, children as they once were and as they could never be, remembered selves, all inhabit Addie's home for the holidays. In shifting power struggles, the critic attempts to reconcile with the artist, the parent with the child, and the living with the dead." Dramatists Play Service

Cast and Crew: Daniel Baker, Fred Concklin, Milli Harris, Emma Maas, Meg Millhouse, Pearl Morgan, Annie Obermeyer, Jessi Peck, Alex Riaboff, Danny Rice, and Spencer Stamats

'Rock'n Bowl Community Celebration - April 21st

Plans are rock'n for the Rock'n Bowl Celebration and silent auction. This informal evening will include bowling, pizza, and a silent auction to be held at the Presidio Bowling Center on April 21st from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Proceeds will benefit The Bay School Opportunity Fund supporting student financial aid grants.

Many fabulous items have been donated, including several 'priceless' items from our own faculty to make the night a uniquely 'Bay School' event:

• Bay School music teacher and professional jazz bassist Colin Williams will provide a jazz combo to play at the event or venue of your choice.
• Teah Strozer, Chaplain, will lead a tour of the SF Zen Center's city Temple, followed by lunch at Green's Zen Center restaurant and a visit to the Zen Center's Green Gulch Farm in Marin overlooking the magnificent Pacific Ocean.
• Steve Glass, Athletic Director and California surfer extraordinaire, will teach a surfing class in Santa Cruz, his 'home beach'.

It's not too late - we still need more donations to make the evening even better - so if you can help, please let Marjorie Fulbright know. She can be reached by telephone at 415.922.3961, or via email at: fulbrightm@yahoo.com. A list of donation suggestions can be found under the Rock'n Bowl Spring Fundraiser link at: http:connect.bayschoolsf.org

If you haven't already, be sure to RSVP to Winnie Appleby at 561-5800, x. 102 or wappleby@bayschoolsf.org.

From the Stacks
Rachel Shaw, Librarian

Bay School Library News

The Bay School library is steadily building a core collection of titles that support the curriculum, engage avid bookworms, and tempt even our most reluctant adolescent readers.

The sampling below highlighting recent additions to our collection includes an important and fascinating environmental science title, featuring an area of study that will become a curricular focus through junior and senior elective courses. I have also been working closely with Mandarin teacher Robin Workman to expand our Mandarin language collection with titles appropriate for all levels. As always, please contact me to discuss and request new acquisitions.

The New Economy of Nature: The Quest to Make Conservation Profitable
by Gretchen C. Daily and Katherine Ellison

An ecologist and journalist make a strong case for bringing "green gold entrepreneurs" into the fight to save the environment using examples from Napa and New York City

The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green
by Joshua Braff

Observations of life in the Green household as told from a 10-year-old, 13-year-old, and 15-year-old Jacob. The antics of his family members, particularly his gregarious and overbearing father, are both hilarious and sad.

Hip Hop Files: Photographs 1979-1984
by Martha Cooper

Photographer Martha Cooper was there from the beginning. Take a trip back to the early days of hip hop culture complete with graffiti art and break dancing.

You're Wearing That? Understanding Mothers and Daughters in Conversation
by Deborah Tannen

The best-selling author and linguist uses language to provide insight into the mother-daughter relationship. A nice addition to our Parents' Collection.

The Great Earthquake and Firestorms of 1906: How San Francisco Nearly Destroyed Itself
by Philip L. Fradkin

A thoroughly researched account of the events that, a century ago this month, decimated our fine city. Fradkin takes the position that the forces of nature were not to blame for the destruction; it was the fault of San Francisco's politicians and citizens for ignoring nature's warnings over the years. The scary part is that he argues that we are no further along in terms of preparedness than we were 100 years ago.

Books in Mandarin - Our collection has grown substantially with the addition of 15 Dr. Seuss titles including: Hop on Pop and Green Eggs and Ham, and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic The Little Prince.

Bay School Receives Design Award

View the Award Profile PDF

The Bay School, and its architectural firm Leddy Maytum Stacy, recently received a prestigious Honor Award in the institutional/educational category from the International Institute of Interior Designers for the adaptive reuse design of the school's campus at 35 Keyes Avenue. The award states "This adaptive reuse of an historic Presidio landmark teaches lessons of sustainability and design sensitivity. With an academic emphasis on science, technology and ethics - and their crucial interrelationships - the designers created a dynamic educational environment."

Our new campus building not only provides a beautiful and stimulating environment housing our new school but even more importantly supports the school's academic goals by providing state of the art science laboratories and library facilities as well as expansive and welcoming community spaces.