2021 Cougar Basketball

A LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Alums,

I hope this issue finds you well and transitioning to a more familiar lifestyle, as we all adjust to our newfound liberation and perspectives. ACDS finished its 15-month sustained pandemic response with a hybrid in-person and remote graduation ceremony celebrating the Class of 2021. The faculty and staff were exhausted but gratified at having completed the year and meeting the needs of all of our students and families against tremendous odds:

As difficult as 2020-21 has been for our school and community, the staff celebrated our stamina and success with breakfast together the week after graduation, culminating in an opportunity for employees to share emotional appreciations and then take a therapeutic swing at one of several piñatas (decorated as menacing Covid-19 molecules).

By far the greatest accomplishment of the school year was providing safe, affirming, engaging in-person and remote learning choices for our families starting on the very first day of school. Our faculty didn't just settle for "good enough," either; as above, they pushed themselves to deliver exceptional, personalized instruction despite the pandemic's constraints.

And there were other exciting highlights of the year as well; you'll read in this issue about the remarkable national-caliber accomplishments of our Competitive Speech and Debate team, headed by Coach Wardner, the National Speech and Debate Association 2021 Middle School Speech and Debate Coach of the Year. Meanwhile our Athletic Director, Coach McIntyre, organized an outdoor athletic "league" in the final three months of the year, allowing our basketball and volleyball teams to compete with other schools and finish the year on a high note. The Fisher Event Center rose up from a patch of flat dirt where the locker room once sat, now towering nearly-completed over the campus and scheduled to open by the start of school. 100% of our staff, PSA Board members, and trustees along with 96% of current parents and many alumni families gave generously to our annual giving campaign, supporting the need to hire additional staffing necessary for the pandemic. On a wider scale, the extended ACDS community helped us exceed our campaign goals for the Event Center, enabling us to fully outfit the gym, theater, and servery for generations of children to enjoy.

More than ever, I'm ending this school year grateful for the devotion and talent of our teachers and staff, deeply appreciative of our supportive Board of Trustees and PSA, along with countless other parent volunteers who helped us get through such a challenging year, and inspired as we all help realize this ascendant school's future. I welcome all of you back to campus next year to visit and see some of the exciting developments – perhaps unveiling the Fisher Event Center will also kick off our inaugural alumni-vs.-staff basketball and volleyball games, and an alumni-cast theater production? Please let me know if you'd like to help make that happen.

Meanwhile, enjoy your summer.

A PLACE TO PLAY

In March, when ACDS launched the public phase of the campaign for the new Fisher Event Center, we set an ambitious stretch goal of $300,000. Our current families, always generous, had just months before been asked to participate in the school's Annual Giving Campaign. We knew that reaching out to our alumni — whether they be graduates of ACDS themselves or the parents of graduates — would be crucial to our success.

We have been stunned and humbled by the outpouring of support — from our current families and also from our alumni families. We exceeded our goal to such an extent that we will be able to incorporate a final key element into the building that we thought we might have to put off until much later.

Gifts from alumni made up over 40% of the overall amount raised. To say "we couldn't have done it without you" sounds like a cliche, but we can think of no better way to describe our success. For you to have given so generously, even when your days as "current parents" are behind you, is tremendously meaningful. Please accept our most heartfelt thanks for your support.

The Class of 2021 with Captain Cougar

THE CLASS OF 2021

This year's graduation united the best of two worlds: an in-person diploma ceremony, and a virtual graduation traditions event online that was streamed to our whole community.

After the Pledge of Allegiance, which was led by student Ayaan Vaswani, Head of school Dr. Olaf Jorgenson shared some advice and wishes to the class. "This was the year of masks...And masks are also a metaphor. We all wear different masks for different occasions...life is full of masks. What masks will you wear in high school? Will you do everything you can to learn and grow, to suck the marrow out of high school? Class of 2021...I hope we see your ACDS mask appear once in a while so you continue to embody some of what you learned here...to be kind, to work hard, to be determined, to get involved and try new things and not worry about failure. To take action about things that matter to you and to make a positive difference in the world." Dr. Jorgenson continued, "Who you are and what you do is what matters. You are what you do."

Vidyut Hegde, this year's speech contest winner, reflected on his class as well. "We are fortunate to be at a school that is respectful of difference and that intentionally gives us the space to explore our identity... It is up to you to decide who you want to be...How you can change the lives of others while also growing as a person to be the best version of you, you can be." his speech closes.

Another graduation tradition that highlights the school's values, graduates composed and offered tributes to every teacher who had taught them through their academic journey. The teachers also shared their favorite memories and highlighted the special qualities of each student in the virtual graduation traditions event. The school's graduation traditions also included a class gift presentation, a custom trophy case for the new Fisher Event Center, and a song sung by the Apple Tree-o, comprised of three faculty members, Mrs. Michelle Ahlgren, Mr. Gary DeMoss, and Mrs. Julia Hatch. The song, "Wherever You Go," tells the students that while parting is inevitable, their teachers hope they achieve their dreams and carry what they learn with them "wherever they go."

Almaden Country Day School also gave a "Founder's Award" to the student who most wholly represents the ideals of kindness, service and joy, as originally established by Almaden Country Day School founder, Mrs. Nan Hunter. This year, Anya Lauritsen received the award presented by Mrs. Jennifer Voelkel, middle school faculty member.

Congratulations Class of 2021!

Watch the Graduation Traditions Event recording:

https://youtu.be/zrpyZWVooig

MORE EDUCATIONAL MILESTONES

The members of the Class of 2017 will start their college careers this fall, while members of the Class of 2013 are graduating. Visit these pages for additional information:

Congratulations on your academic achievements!

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE CLASS OF 2021?

Our new graduates will attend a variety of different high schools in the fall. The chart above shows both the number of students who will be attending each school and the percent of the Class of 2021 that will be attending each school.

Click here for more detailed information

SPEECH AND DEBATE

ACDS 2020-2021 Speech and Debate Team

To say the 2020-2021 Speech and Debate season ended on a high note would be an understatement. This year, the season was held online with tournaments utilizing video conference software such as 8x8 and Zoom in place of traditional classrooms. This enabled ACDS to join a Southern California middle school league called the Southern California Junior Forensics League (SCJFL) since Northern California does not currently have a middle school league. Joining the SCJFL allowed the team, who had been primarily competing in the novice division of high school invitationals, to take advantage of opportunities across the country. This year, the team entered invitational tournaments in California as well as invitationals hosted by schools in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Massachusetts. The team competed in a whopping 17 tournaments!

A lot of hard work, practice, and tournament experience would pay huge dividends as the season closed. The 2021 California High School Speech Association Middle School Championship (CHSSA) tournament saw 15 ACDS students reach the final round and 4 of them crowned State Champions. The final tournament of the season was the NSDA Middle School National tournament. Over 190 schools from across the country entered more than 2000 students in 14 events. Students who finish in the top 10% have their speech immortalized on the NSDA website as a Showcase Champion. Five students from ACDS were crowned Showcase Champions! The overall team performance was so exceptional, ACDS was also named a School of Excellence, an honor given to the top 20 teams in the country.

In May, ACDS learned that the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) had named program director Chris Wardner the 2021 Middle School Coach of the Year! Congratulations to Coach Wardner and the 2020-2021 ACDS Speech and Debate team on a fantastic season!

Click here to see a watch the Middle School Award Ceremony portion of the NSDA Nationals, and start at the 49:36 timestamp (https://vimeo.com/562573580)

Click here to read more about Coach Wardner and his recognition as NDSA Middle School Coach of the Year

Click here to see the season's performance scores

BELOVED ACDS TEACHERS RETIRE

Mrs. Ahlgren and future ACDS alumni

Mrs. Hackett and future ACDS alumna

Mrs. Michelle Ahlgren began her association with ACDS in 1997 when her son Steven '07 entered Junior Kindergarten. When her daughter Ashley '09 started Begindergarten in 1998, she became a Jr. K. substitute teacher for Mrs. Semichy and Mrs. Clancey. Of that experience she shared, "Learning from master teacher, Liz Semichy, helped shape my teaching philosophy, which included a healthy dose of respect for each of my students." She continued to be a regular substitute teacher for most grades at ACDS until she was hired as a permanent music teacher in 2006, sharing her love of famous composers, songs and musical instruments.