| 30 Students Named AP Scholars
 Thirty students at The Montgomery Academy have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on students’ performance on AP Exams. Nine students quailfied for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. Seven students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. Fourteen students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with scores of 3 or higher. Click here to continue reading.
Eagle Scouts
Along with its successes in arts, academics and athletics, The Montgomery Academy is establishing another significant Eagle dynasty. A large proportion of MA alumni and current students involved in Boy Scouts have gone on to achieve the level of Eagle, scouting’s highest rank. About seven percent of Boy Scouts nationally attained the rank of Eagle Scout in 2012. To do so, a scout must progress through the ranks, beginning with Tenderfoot, and earn 21 badges. He must serve six months in a troop leadership position. The culminating step in earning the Eagle rank is planning, developing, leading and completing a significant service project. Click here to continue reading. Habitat for Humanity Youth Build
The Montgomery Academy continued its year-long partnership with Habitat for Humanity on October 17. One group of Upper School students spent Community Day helping to refurbish a house expected to be ready for occupancy in December. Directed by Mike Senn of Habitat, 12 juniors scrubbed bathrooms, cleaned up debris, caulked and painted. Their work supplemented that of professionals who had already replaced the roof and revamped the heating and electrical systems. Dawson Buettner, Pete Taylor, Hannah Snider, Tyler Duncan, Suzanna Slawson, Dan Updegraff, Jillian Tinglin, Sallie Johnson, Bates Herrick, Gretchen Lee, Will Sahlie and Cody Jones formed the first youth build group for the house, whose owner donated it and another in the neighborhood to Habitat for renovation and eventual sale to a family. Click here to continue reading. Students Selected to Participate in AMEA Music Festival
Twenty chorus members from the 4th and 5th grades of The Montgomery Academy had the honor of performing at the Alabama Music Educators Association 2013 Elementary Music Festival.The festival was held Friday, October 4 at Samford University’s Wright Center. Lower School Chorus Director Cliff Huckabee was the Festival Director this year, coordinating the entire event. Sponsored by the Elementary Division of the Alabama Music Educators Association, the festival invited 38 schools from throughout the state to collaborate under the leadership of guest conductor Dr. Maribeth Yoder-White of North Carolina to perform an exceptional program that highlighted the talents of all the participants. Click here to continue reading.
2013 Homecoming Court
Congratulations to the members of the 2013 Montgomery Academy Homecoming Court (from left to right): Sarah Paige Massey (12th grade), Isabel Barganier (9th grade), Anne Morgan Cousins (10th grade), McEachern Foy (11th grade), Sarah Ross Adams (2012 Homecoming Queen), Garrett Barnes (12th grade, 2013 Homecoming Queen), Laken Dennis (12th grade), Ann Hester (12th grade), Megan Thompson (11th grade), Olivia Rush (10th grade) and Dora Eskridge (9th grade). Lower School Attendants were: Elle Ingram, Myra Jane Brown and Lucy Calhoun. Click here for larger picture.
Sixth Grade Students Study Jekyll Island
 The Sixth grade class recently returned from their four day field trip to Jekyll Island, Georgia. In weeks leading up to the trip, students studied about marine animal and plant life, aquatic habitats, and the causes and effects of high and low tides in preparation of the trip. Over the course of two days, students participated in lessons from Jekyll Island educators on beach ecology, the maritime forest, the marsh, aquatic mammal life, an exploration to the North End of the island, just to name a few. Through this hands-on, in the field learning experience, students made the connection between everything they had been studying in the classroom and seeing the experiences first hand.
Click here to continue reading Middle School Science Club Boat Races
The Middle School Science Club held boat races on Homecoming Friday. In the weeks leading up to “Race Day,” interested students meet in the science classrooms before or after school to design and construct their boats using simple construction materials (cardboard, foil, plastic bags, popsicle sticks). Then, after testing their materials, the students ensure that their boats will move down a gutter track with the wind support provided by a box fan. On Homecoming Day, all of the Middle School students gathered on the football field to watch the races. Preliminary heats were held to determine 4 semi-finalists and, then, a final race was held to determine the winner. Click here for photo slideshow and for a video on this event! Upper School Fall Community Day 2013
Upper School students recently served the River Region through Community Day. Students spent the day volunteering at 24 local agencies impacting hundreds of lives from children at HeadStart facilities to senior citizens at Newton and Normandale Senior Centers to animals at MANE and Montgomery Humane Shelter. Community Day was lead by H.E.A.R.T under the guidance of Upper School faculty and staff members. Local agencies included: Gift of Life, Trinity Headstart, Common Ground, Dannelly, Montgomery Area Food Bank, Children’s Center of Montgomery, Montgomery Humane Shelter, Eastview Retirement Center, Habitat For Humanity (Build site), St. John Headstart, Gibbs Village Headstart, Dozier, Friendship Homeless Shelter, MANE, Newton Senior Center, Salvation Army, Museum of Fine Arts, Narrow Lane Headstart, One Church Mission, Nellie Burge, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, Taylor Road Headstart, Faith Mission Thrift Store and Normandale Senior Center. Click here for photos from the day. MA Volleyball Team Wins State Championship!
The Montgomery Academy Volleyball team defeated two-time defending state champion Providence Christian in four games to win the Class 2A state volleyball title at the Birmingham CrossPlex on Thursday. MA outside hitter Jillian Tinglin was named tournament MVP and setter Rachel Lee was named to the All-tournament team. Coach Julie Sinclair, a AHSAA hall of fame coach, has now led Montgomery Academy to four volleyball state titles, winning titles in 1986, 2005 and 2006.Team members with the state trophy: Ellie Knight, Rachel Lee, Anne Wesley Young, Frances Freeman, Logan Doctson, Sara Brown, Katter Longshore, Coach Julie Sinclair, Abigail Roth, Sarah Paige Massey, Jillian Tinglin, Lillian Roth, Elizabeth Kelly, Madeline Roth, Christiana Kirkham, Cady Upchurch, Coach Ginger Lowe and Coach Cedric Orozco. Congratulations! MA Students Successful at Trumbauer Festival
 Fifteen Upper School students traveled to Opelika to compete in the district qualifying meet for the State Theater Conference. Competing in 17 different events that included musical solos and duets, monologues and scenes from classical to modern theater, and technical events like costume design, the MA actors spent the day having their work judged by theater professionals. At days end, 13 MA students qualified for the state meet this December, with eight qualifying in more than one event, and junior Evan Price receiving the top score in the men's dramatic monologue event. Wish them all a hearty "break a leg" as they prepare to travel to Troy!
Daily Pursuit
 Senior and Kindergarten Buddies recently enjoyed a picnic lunch together on the playground. Click here to see all the fun!
Students in Denise Dubick's class were given the assignment to take a core value statement and make a short film based on that value. This group took this value statement: "We believe in embracing a spirit of intellectual curiosity" and produced this video using thousands of jellybeans! Click here to see their video.
Head of School Blog Teachers are not brain surgeons but, according to author and child psychologist Dr. JoAnn Deak, they are brain sculptors. I attended an independent school conference in Atlanta last month where Dr. Deak presented the latest research on brain development and the important role teachers play as neurosculptors. Click here to continue reading. Pringle's Pages Fall is the time that our Lower School faculty schedule parent/teacher conferences for each student. These sessions can build a relationship of trust, bring a joint approach to problem solving, address immediate issues, and develop long range plans that support specific needs of your child. Conferences give parents and teachers a rich opportunity to coordinate their plans allowing consistency in what the child hears and experiences. Additionally, the conferences simply provide a great opportunity for the parents and teachers to get to know and appreciate each other. Click here to continue reading.
McWilliams in the Middle On Tuesday, October 22, former MA History Department Chair Jeff Benton was the special guest for the afternoon at Capital Book and News in Cloverdale. NewSouth Books had just published Jeff's latest book, Respectable and Disreputed, a history of leisure activities in antebellum Montgomery, and Jeff was visiting the bookstore to sign copies of the new book. My wife Sarah and I attended Jeff's book signing, and it was so exciting to see many other members of the MA family there to celebrate the release of Jeff's book. Click here to continue reading.
From the Upper School As we enter the season of thanksgiving, it is important that we remember the many blessings surrounding us: our relationships with each other we experience every day; our beautiful campus where talented faculty engage students through numerous opportunities in academics, athletics and activities; and our school spirit that continues to rise as we support the fall athletic teams competing in the post season. This season is also important as it provides an opportunity for us to spread as much joy as we can through fellowship and service to those who are less fortunate in our community. Click here to continue reading.
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