Optics Program Launch: Lower School S.T.E.M.

Posted on June 14th, 2017 by ssorrentino

In collaboration with several of their corporate and collegiate partners, the Lower School S.T.E.M. teachers have developed and launched a comprehensive, Elementary Optics Program. Integrating the use of high-end components, students complete real-world optics labs, program digital and analog LEDs on microcontrollers, and so much more!

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted in: Fifth Grade, First Grade, Fourth Grade, Highlights, Kid Kudos, Kindergarten, Lower School, Second Grade, Third Grade

Check Out A Podcast by AC’s Second Graders

Posted on June 6th, 2017 by klapa
AC’s second graders have been busy this year, becoming “Wild Warriors” and doing their part to save endangered species!
One of the ways they have been working to help animals is through a series of podcasts they’ve directed and recorded themselves to educate the public about topics related to this important issue.
You can listen to the two podcasts they’ve created so far by clicking here. Great job, students!
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Posted in: Highlights, Kid Kudos, Lower School, Second Grade

Reflecting on a Year of Music Making at AC

Posted on May 19th, 2017 by klapa

Allendale Columbia’s music students have been active throughout the school year in many different county events. The students who participated in these events rehearsed on their own time to prepare their music, had extra lessons with music faculty, and gave up their weekend time to participate in an ensemble. Their participation shows a high level of commitment to their musical learning, and they all did a great job representing AC!

We began the year with the All State Festival. Catherine Kennedy was chosen to participate in the Jazz Chorus, a select group of 24 students from across the state. They performed in December in Eastman Theater to a packed house. Catherine was featured with a scat-solo in one of the pieces. Catherine was later selected to participate in the All-Eastern Music Festival, which features the best singers from the East Coast. This is the first time an AC student has been selected for this ensemble. She traveled to Atlantic City in April to join a choir of 350 singers for four days of music making.

The month of March was full of Monroe County Festivals. Rebecca McQuilken was selected based on her high Solo Festival score to be in the Monroe County School Music Association (MCSMA) All County Jazz Chorus, an honor she also received last year. Though the festival was cancelled because of the wind storm, Becky is hoping to teach one of the pieces to AC’s Select Chorus next year.

The Middle School MCSMA All County Festival was full of AC students; six students represented AC in the choir and one AC flutist was in the band. The chorus students (Cynara Nelson, Michelina Nicodemous, Brynn Peters, Jonathan Ragan, Gunnar Rorapaugh, and Grace Rundberg) joined 113 other students to fill out the choir. Grace was also chosen to sing a solo in the beginning of the piece, “Coming Home.” Middy Vella participated in the Junior High All County Band’s flute section, an honor she earned through her performance of a challenging level-V solo at the January MCSMA solo festival.

Elementary All County followed shortly after Middle School. Lilah Costanzo was selected as the first-chair French Horn player in the band, making this her second year to earn this position. Nathan Roof and Andy Clinton were selected to participate in the chorus and spent two days with over 150 other students in the chorus.

The year concluded with the PEAK (Parents, Educators, and Kids) General Music Festival at Spencerport High School. Adrianna Williams and Ethan Truong both participated in the festival along with 124 other fourth-grade students from across the county. They enjoyed a full day of music making and performed a short concert at the end of the day.

This year was was full of music making both on and off campus. Congratulations to our talented students on all they’ve accomplished!

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Posted in: Eighth Grade, Eleventh Grade, Fifth Grade, First Grade, Fourth Grade, Highlights, Kid Kudos, Kindergarten, Lower School, Middle School, Ninth Grade, Second Grade, Seventh Grade, Sixth Grade, Tenth Grade, Third Grade, Twelfth Grade, Upper School

Check Out the Spring 2017 Beyond the Birches

Posted on May 8th, 2017 by klapa

We are delighted to share the Spring 2017 edition of Beyond the Birches with you! As our Allendale Columbia School magazine, we hope you will enjoy the variety of stories included, featuring what’s happening right now at the school, what some of our alumni are up to, plans for the future, and more! Click here to access the full edition, or click on the links below to access individual articles!

Grandparents and Special Friends Day
It’s A Long Story: Featuring AC Faculty Member Randy Northrup
Creating Opportunity for Determined Students
Why Accessibility Matters: Reflections from Phelan Conheady ’17
Innovative Ways to Teach. Innovative Ways to Learn.
From Idea to Reality: AC Students Make an Impact on School #25
From Allens Creek to Broadway: Alumna Profile of Victoria Paterson ’89
AC in the News
Recap of Alumni Events
The Grosso Family: Planning Together
The Legacy Leadership Circle
Explore Summer LEAP and AC’s Summer Program

Posted in: Alumni News, Eighth Grade, Eleventh Grade, Fifth Grade, First Grade, Fourth Grade, Highlights, Kindergarten, Lower School, Middle School, Ninth Grade, Nursery, Pre-Primary School, PreKindergarten, Second Grade, Seventh Grade, Sixth Grade, Tenth Grade, Third Grade, Twelfth Grade, Upper School

“Music for All” Plays Allendale Columbia

Posted on March 24th, 2017 by klapa
On Wednesday, March 22nd and Thursday, March 23rd, Lower School students had the opportunity to hear one of the three chamber music ensembles who visited as part of “Music for All,” an Eastman School of Music program that places outstanding student musicians in various venues throughout the local community for free performances. The musicians were both entertaining and informative, taking questions from our young audiences, explaining what was happening in the music, and igniting students’ imagination with the music they played.

On Wednesday morning, fourth and fifth graders heard a program of French impressionist music by Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel, performed by two pianists. On Thursday afternoon, the second grade attended a performance by a piano trio (violin, cello, and piano) that featured two movements of a piece by Clara Schumann. Also on Thursday afternoon, the kindergarten and first grade enjoyed a performance of music by J. S. Bach, Antonin Dvorak, Reinhold Gliere, and John Philip Sousa, performed by a tuba quartet (that’s right, FOUR TUBAS!).

All of these performances were amazing. We were very fortunate for the cultural enrichment and listening pleasure that the students from the Eastman School of Music shared with our young students through the “Music for All” program.

Here are a few links of video excerpts from the performances:
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Posted in: Fifth Grade, First Grade, Fourth Grade, Highlights, Kindergarten, Lower School, Second Grade, Third Grade

AC in the News – Winter 2017

Posted on February 2nd, 2017 by klapa


Check out AC’s recent media coverage below!

Please note that the clips below will display best on desktop or laptop computers as opposed to mobile devices.

LLE Research Lands Local Teens in Semifinals
for National Science Competition
January 23rd, 2017

Two local teens have earned recognition in the prestigious Regeneron Science Talent Search (formerly the Intel Science Talent Search) for research projects they carried out last summer at the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE). AC senior Nathan Morse is among the 300 semifinalists nationwide chosen from more than 1,700 who entered the competition. Click here to read more!

TEDx Rochester Returns to Illuminate
January 12th, 2017

TEDxAllendaleColumbiaSchool is mentioned as one of the TEDx events taking place in the Rochester area in this Democrat and Chronicle article about the return of TEDxRochester. Click here to read the full story!

Victor Resident Joins Allendale Columbia School
January 12th, 2017

This article announces John Palomaki’s appointment as Allendale Columbia School’s development and communications associate. In this role, John is responsible for managing the donor database, gift processing, research, reports, and the development and implementation of a social media plan to extend AC’s reach and engagement online. Click here to read more!

Allendale Columbia Robotics Team Competes in Tournament
December 27th, 2016

AC’s Robotics Team, the Chrononauts, competed in the Finger Lakes FIRST Tech Challenge Tournament at St. John Fisher College. The team placed 15th overall and was awarded the Rockwell Collins Innovate Award, advancing them to the Excelsior NY Regional Championship in February. The Rockwell Collins Innovate Award is given to one team per tournament that thinks outside the box and has the most innovative and creative robot design. Click here to see the full article!

No Bologna: Lunch Ladies and a Meal Man
Share their Favorite Holiday Recipes
Winter 2017

This article is a reprint of the feature story that appeared in 585 Magazine and highlights Laura Reynolds-Gorsuch, AC’s Food Service Director. In the article, Laura shares her recipe for AC Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, a favorite among AC faculty, staff, and students. Click here to see!

High School Athlete of the Week – Addy Flood
December 1st, 2016

This High School Athlete of the Week article and video feature AC junior Adelaide “Addy” Flood. She states that, “This year as a captain, I hope to encourage my team like the seniors last year and the year before encouraged me.” Click here to see!



Local Teen Performs in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
November 24th, 2016

Several news outlets featured AC tenth grader John Phillips as he performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Click the following links to see the coverage from 13WHAM, Time Warner Cable News, and CNYCentral.com.

Allendale Columbia School’s Production of “Cinderella”
November 15th, 2016

AC students Phelan Conheady and Catherine Kennedy, and ASL Interpreter Steph Regan, appeared on Good Day Rochester to talk about AC’s production of “Cinderella” and the use of sign language during the show. Click here to see the interview!

Allendale Columbia School to Host Book Event Series
November 11th, 2016

This Brighton-Pittsford Post article highlights AC’s Book Event Series. Throughout the year, AC will host events so that members of the community can discuss the best-selling book about transforming education, Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Era, by Tony Wagner and Ted Dintersmith. Click here to learn more!

New Hires
November 11th, 2016

This Rochester Business Journal article announces three individuals who joined the AC team this year: Margarita Chaves as a World Language Teacher, John Curatalo as a Physical Education Teacher, and Angie Burch as an Accounting Specialist. Click here to see!

Author Charles Benoit Visits Allendale Columbia School
November 2nd, 2016

The Brighton-Pittsford Post highlighted AC’s recent author visit by publishing a photo of AC ninth grader Roxana “Roxy” Reisch introducing Greece author Charles Benoit before he presented a talk called “Stuck in High School: Why I Write Young Adult Fiction (and Why You Should Read It)”. Click here to see!

Allendale Columbia School to Host Open House
November 2nd, 2016

The Brighton-Pittsford Post highlighted AC’s fall open house, at which attendees had the opportunity to meet teachers, students, and administrators and tour the campus. Click here to see!

Local High Schooler to Perform in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
October 30th, 2016

This television news story highlights AC tenth grader John Phillips as he prepared to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. As part of this experience, his trumpet skills were seen by an estimated 53 million people. Click here to see the story!

What You Need to Know About the Current State of Rochester’s Kids, Teaching Election 2016 and More
October 27th, 2016

AC’s Summer LEAP Program is mentioned at the 10:43 mark of this television show, which discusses the ongoing effort to improve outcomes for Rochester-area children. Click here to see!

We’re doing so many exciting and interesting things here at AC and look forward to sharing more media coverage with you in the future!

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Posted in: AC in the News, Alumni News, Highlights, Kid Kudos, Lower School, Middle School, Pre-Primary School, Upper School