Rock Point School’s beloved, long-time English teacher (now retired), Marylen Grigas, has a new poem, “About Muscle” forthcoming in The New Yorker.  Paul Muldoon, the poetry editor of The New Yorker, wrote to her saying that he was “very taken by this poem.”  In addition to featuring the poem in an upcoming issue, the magazine is also making a sound recording of Marylen reading the poem.

And …

Former staff Becky Kinkead has a show of her paintings on display through the month at the Edgewater Gallery in Middlebury, VT.  To get information about gallery hours or to see Becky’s paintings, click here.  Becky worked as a dorm staff at Rock Point School, at which time, she was already an accomplished ceramicist.  She then went back to school to pursue an education in painting.  She has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions, won awards and fellowships, and her paintings are in the collections of Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, and several major hotels and business.

Congratulations to Marylen and Becky!

Monday, July 7th our third summer session began! So far we’ve had orientation meetings, many trips to the beach, an introduction to poetry, and a sailing lesson. The mornings have been full of classes where students are working to develop a research project on a topic of their choice, as well as studying poetry and writing. So far, we’ve had excellent weather, allowing for lots of swimming and a BBQ at the lake today. This afternoon’s sailing lesson included a swim test and learning how to right a boat after capsizing. Tune in for adventures as the summer session continues!

17th annual wiffle ball tournament to benefit Rock Point School

June 20 10 a.m.- 3 p.m.

• youth teams (little league age/young teens) of 4 players play “running” wiffle ball
• Youth teams = $10/player

June 21 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

• teams of 2 adults or adult-youth combo play “hit for distance – with ghost runners” wiffle ball.

All games played at Rock Point on the school’s upper field and the D.G. Weaver Field behind the school.

Sportsmanship first, competition second – join us for a day of play.

Team entry fee = $100 suggested fundraising goal/team, sponsorships of more encouraged – raffle prizes for teams that register with $100 or more.

Contact C.J. Spirito to reserve your team spot

cspirito@rockpointschool.org

802-863-1104 x 16 or 802-578-9846

Support Wiffle Fest 2014!

Dear Friends of Rock Point School:

We are hosting our 17th annual wiffle ball tournament at Rock Point and are hoping you will support our efforts to raise money for scholarships. Rock Point School is an independent, non-profit day and boarding high school nestled in between Burlington High School and North Beach. We serve approximately 30 students each year, providing opportunities for teens to transform their relationship with themselves and others. Our students are all individual thinkers who look for meaning in their lives and the world around them. They succeed in our educational setting because we strike a balance of accepting them as who they are, and at the same time challenging them to reflect and make life decisions that will allow them to step forward in life with confidence and a solid voice. Perhaps you were an independent learner or know people who are?

Would you consider supporting us to raise scholarship for these students? Please check out the participation options below – we would love to have you involved!

Wiffle Fest Fenway Park

Thank you for considering us – I hope to be in touch soon.

Sincerely,

C.J. Spirito

cspirito@rockpointschool.org

Ways you can help:

• Sponsor a field – have a field named after your business. You can provide a banner or we can order one for you to post on the outfield fence. Your business name will be on all of the tournament material, on our website ( www.rockpointschool.org ), and named verbally during the tournament. Cost: $300, not including cost of banner Banners Unlimited is offering discounted banners for businesses making banners for this event.
• Sponsor a team – have a team play with your business name as their team name. Your business will be on all tournament material, on our website, and named verbally during the tournament. $300.
• Donate to RPS, either financially or in kind.
• Come visit the school, understand what we are doing, and tell people about the opportunities that are here for teens.

Wiffle Fest 2013

 

 

 

On May 24th, Rock Point students and staff participated in the KeyBank Vermont City Marathon. This year, we had more runners in the race than ever before! Two relay teams, one of three students and one of four, competed in the race, with one student 11 miles! The seven runners trained through the spring with a youth program through RunVermont, learning about pacing, nutrition, teamwork, and setting goals.

Additionally, we hosted our annual water station at mile 24.8! Students, staff, and staff families volunteered to provide hydration and moral support to runners through the day. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful day and witnessing the sheer determination of the racers! Congratulations to our own relay teams!

On May 14th, Core 2 (11th and 12th graders) attended the 20th Annual Vermont Young Playwrights’ Festival at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in Burlington. The festival is the culmination of a playwriting project, featuring student written plays from around the state. Our students began their playwriting process in November with two workshops led by professional playwright and actor, Seth Jarvis. Jarvis worked with Molly Coffey our English teacher to help each member of the class produce a 10-minute play. In February, our Drama Club performed five of the plays for a live audience. After some final editing, in April the plays were submitted to the state-wide festival. At the festival, students participated in workshops, learning about stage fighting, improv, and the writing process. Students were able to see plays from other schools around the state and two of our students’ plays were accepted to the festival and performed by professional actors! Check out the youtube links to see “Demon Play” by Sam McArthur and “Frosty Toe Morgue” by Kevin Jones!

This weekend eight students and two staff members traveled to New Hampshire to explore the White Mountain National Forest. After ascending over 2,700 feet, students spent the night at Lonesome Lake Hut, run by the AMC. Some brave students and staff even took a plunge into the still-frozen lake!

A fabulous time was had by all as we ate delicious food, enjoyed dozens of pieces of student art, and greeted friends old and new from the larger Rock Point community and visitors from the general public.

All of our students participated in one form or another; very nearly all of them had more than one piece in the show. Over 100 pieces of art are on display. On opening night alone, half of the student art was purchased, and total sales have exceeded $1,000.

This year’s show represents a huge amount of work on the part of our students, particularly our seniors, and especially our art teacher, Jeannie Waltz. Here’s a message from Jeannie:

Did you know…?
When you buy a work of art at the show, you will support a budding artist and two non-profit organizations!
25% of all sales help support the Rose St. Artists’ Gallery
10% go towards the art program at Rock Point School
That means 65% supports student artists.

THANK YOU to The Rose St Artists’ gallery, who have been generously hosting our student work for over ten years and especially to Jennifer Blair who has become our reliable “go to” person at the gallery.

The seniors worked very hard to make this art show possible. They have spent over a month preparing for this opening – from promotion and creating art, to hanging work, and slicing carrots! It is with a very big heart that I say without them, none of this would be possible, and I truly thank them for their efforts.

Thanks again to Jeannie Waltz and the Rock Point School seniors for putting on a wonderful show!

Please join us at Rock Point School for an evening of music from Nicaragua!

Concert is this Wednesday 4/16 from 8-9 pm by donation.

The trio:

Don Felipe Urrutia, born in Nicaragua on February 5, 1918, began playing the guitar when he was twelve years old, not by taking any classes, but rather by listening and then playing by ear the music he heard from local musicians.   The music of Don Felipe is known as Folkloric Traditional Nicaraguan Music that is comprised of polkas, waltzes, mazurkas, and zapateados.  As his sons come of age, Don Felipe forms a music group together with them and later adds his grandsons.  The group is named Don Felipe Urrutia and his Cachorros (little puppies).  Concerned about losing the traditional songs he learned as a child, Don Felipe begins to compile and record the songs from memory in order to save the artistic and cultural pieces that represent Nicaraguan history.  Now 96 years old and retired, Don Felipe leaves the future in the hands of his grandsons who carry on the tradition of playing the music their grandfather so carefully recorded in order to preserve and not forget the cultural heritage which is uniquely theirs.

Questions?  Please contact C.J. Spirito at 863-1104 or cspirito@rockpointschool.org

The students of Rock Point School are incredibly pleased to announce their 14 annual art show.

Our art show, “The Road Less Traveled” features a large body of work from the freshmen through senior classes.

Rock Point School will be exhibiting their work at the Rose Street Gallery located at 78 Rose St. in Burlington. We will be holding an opening reception on Friday, May 2nd from 5:30-7:30. You will see the fantastic art work and meet the artists. There will be delicious refreshments.

Exhibited through May. For more information contact Jeannie Waltz at (802) 863-1104 or jwaltz@rockpoint.org.

Thanks to all our guests who helped us raise money for the scholarship fund while having a great time and celebrating the mission of Rock Point School. Over fifty guests came to learn more about Rock Point, listen to music played by students and friends, eat delicious food prepared by our chef, and to bid on some choice items donated by local artists and businesses. Items included an Easter Basket from Lake Champlain Chocolates, a massage, a week at a vacation home in Maine, 2 nights at the Basin Harbor Club, and many more enticing options!

We had a blast seeing friends old and new, bidding on some awesome items, and enjoying fabulous food.

Can’t wait for next year!