Four new deans were appointed to the Summer Session and (MS)2 programs for the summer of 2006. Kit Washburn and Instructor in Latin Catherine Carter, both returning participants to Summer session, will serve as the two senior deans. Mrs. Washburn will also act as the house counselor coordinator, and take on responsibilities in the (MS)2 program. Returning for their tenth and fifth seasons, respectively, Andy Bedell ’94 and Sarah Manekin were chosen as the two half-time deans. Mr. Bedell will also teach and work as a house counselor, while Ms. Manekin will continue her current position as coordinator of the teaching assistants within both the Summer session and (MS)2 programs. The deans will have similar duties to a cluster dean, though they will work more as a team, and alternate nights on duty in dorms. “Keeping track of 600 kids is a big job, but we have a good team, and I’m looking forward to it,” said Ms. Carter. Though (MS)2 and Summer Session occur simultaneously, they have different admission policies because they target different groups of students. (MS)2 accepts applicants of African American, Latin American, or Native American descent from urban areas which are not economically stable, to study mathematics and science for three consecutive summers. However, Summer session is open to all high-school applicants and does not have a particular focus of study. The students live in the same dorms and participate in many activities together, though their classes and curriculae are separate. Director of (MS)2 Fernando Alonso, hopes that students will familiarize themselves with many of the same deans, faculty, and other adults for the three consecutive summers that they are at PA. “[The new deans] will bring in new ways of looking at college counseling that we haven’t had in the dean’s office [yet],” said Director of Summer Session Paul Murphy. “[The deans] have the gateway to get to know all the kids, and it’s not just the kids in their classes or dorms – they have an overreaching view over all the students,” said Mr. Alonso. Although there will be no significant changes in the upcoming session of 2006, there will be two major additions to the program for the Summer Session of 2007. The administration will open the program to students entering eighth grade, and also introduce a new music program. “We’re starting discussions about how we can accommodate younger kids –should they be in separate dorms, what should their day look like, what should their curriculum look like – and we need a full year to plan for that kind of change,” said Mr. Murphy. Instructor in Music Dr. Peter Warsaw will supervise the music program. The program, intended for serious performers, will include intensive practice time, emphasis on playing solos, and training from world-class performers and teachers. “We received a very generous Abbot grant for much of the money that we are going to need to hire these guest artists, which is a cornerstone of the new incarnation for the program. We are excited about starting to build it now and testing it in the summer of ’07. In the ensuing years, we hope to build a world class performance program that could be a destination for serious musicians,” said Dr. Warsaw. The music program will be primarily for violinists, cellists, and pianists, with room for some violists. (MS)2 students will not be involved in the program, but Mr. Alonso looks forward to its addition to the summer community. “Since the kids live with each other, I think that that is an exciting opportunity for (MS)2 students meet different types of people and see performances that, otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to,” he said. Mr. Alonso has changed (MS)2 graduation from a Tuesday to a Sunday to allow parents attend graduation without missing work days.
