Severn School

Infobox Private School
name = Severn School

established = 1914
type = Independent, Day
headmaster = Douglas H. Lagarde
city = Severna Park
state = MD
country = USA
campus = Township
enrollment = 586 total
faculty = 72, 31 men and 41 women
Faculty with Degrees = >50%
class = 14 students
ratio = 10:1
year = 2007
athletics = 45 Athletic Teams; 4 Athletic Fields
colors = Maroon and Gold
mascot = The Admirals
homepage = [http://www.severnschool.com/ www.severnschool.com]

Severn School was founded in 1914 by Rolland M. Teel [http://www.severnschool.com/today/overview/] in Severna Park, Maryland, as a preparatory school for the United States Naval Academy. It lost more alumni in World War II, per capita, than any other school in the countryFact|date=April 2008. Today, Severn is a day school enrolling boys and girls in grades 6 through 12. Severn is the oldest private school in Anne Arundel County.

Distinguished alumni include business management guru Tom Peters ('60), cinematographer Joseph Caleb Deschanel (`62), and United States Merchant Marine Academy superintendent Joseph D. Stewart ('60). Current Baltimore Ravens owner, Steve Bisciotti, attended Severn for two years in the 1970s. Actor Robert Duvall also attended Severn School. Legendary coach Paul Brown was head football coach at Severn football from 1930 to 1931.

Severn has received praise for their nationally acclaimed sailing team, coached this year by Thomas Sitzmann. The Chess Team is also nationally recognized and is coached by David Shin. Severn's Mock Trial team won the championship on the 27th of April 2007. [www.severnschool.com]

Athletics

The Severn Admirals compete in thirteen varsity sports [http://www.severnsailingteam.com Sailing] , Lacrosse, Cross Country, Football, Soccer, Basketball, Swimming, Baseball, Golf, Tennis, Field Hockey and Track & Field) in the [http://www.miaasports.com/members/view.asp?SCHOOL_ID=21 Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association] . Severn has 35 varsity, junior varsity and middle school teams. Severn has a local rivalry with Annapolis school Saint Mary's. Rivalry in Maryland high school sports is at its best during the annual "River Classic" football game played at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, where the Admirals take on the Saints. There is also "Battle Lax" against St. Mary's High School (Annapolis), which is also held at the naval stadium. Their sailing team won the 2007 Singlehanded Nationals, has been on the podium 3 of the last 3 Double Handed Nationals, and placed 2nd in the Team Racing Nationals in 2005. For the 2007 - 2008 school year, the Varsity Tennis team went undefeated and were the conference champions. [ [http://www.severnschool.com/commoninc/pushpage/severn_pushpage3.asp?volume_id=17275&mode=preview Greetings From Severn] ]

Arts

Arts are a large part of life at Severn. Each year, there are three main shows at Severn: a play in the fall, a musical in the winter, and a night of "One Act Plays" in the spring. The "One Acts" are student directed by Ms. Valerio's independent study acting students. Ms. Valerio is the director of all productions (except the "One Acts" for which she is the producer). Many art classes are offered at Severn, including Ceramics, Sculpture, Drawing, Painting, Design Principles, and Photography. There is a yearly art show entitled, "Starry Night". All students are encouraged to turn in work in the following categories: Sculpture, Photography, Painting (Original), Painting (Copy), Miscellaneous, and many others. 2007's fall play was "While the Lights were Out", and the 2008 spring musical is "Les Mis". Previous shows have included, Camelot,Severn Remembered, Pipin, Fiddeler on the Roof,All I need to Know I learmed in Kindergarden , Pioneer Women,and many more... Mrs. laurie Hays is the music director for the productoions, Mrs. Carol Duncan the producer, Mrs. jean hopkins is the new ticket mistress,and Mr. Barry Christie is in charge of set construction.

chedule

Severn follows a rotating schedule that differs between the middle and high school. The middle school has five forty minute academic classes known as 1,2,3,4 and 5 and three forty minute electives known as A, B and C periods. They are let out at 3:00 every day. Every day there is a "morning meeting" where teachers and students announce what has happened the previous day. All students take a physical education class, some type of art, and a miscellaneous class. A typical "1" Day in the middle school would look like this. 8:00-8:40= 1st period 8:45-9:25= 2nd period 9:30-9:55= Morning Meeting/ Break 10:00-10:40= 3rd period 10:45-11:25= "A" period 11:30-12:00= Lunch 12:05-12:45= "B" period 12:50-1:30= "C" period 1:35-2:15= 4th period 2:20-3:00= 5th period

The high school has seven hour long classes, also known as 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7 but the students will only attend 5 classes per day. For ten minutes every morning, the students will be present at their advisor group- a small group of students who see the same teacher every morning for four years. There are two lunches, known as first lunch and second lunch. For a student to determine which lunch he has that day he must look at his, and his only, schedule. If a student has HEL, or history, English or language during the period that lunch rotates around, they will have first lunch. Anything else is second lunch. Every student has either a free period or a study hall, which depends on what grades they receive. If a student's free period rotates lunch, then he has what is known as "Mega-lunch". In Mega lunch the student will be able to choose either lunch and then have to thirty minute periods (or one hour) for the other lunches (middle and whichever lunch the student doesn't choose) do do whatever he or she usually would. Altogether the student has an hour and a half for what is usually an hour long free period. There is also an "A" period, which changes during the week but is reserved for Morning Meeting on Mondays and Fridays, Clubs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and whatever is needed on Wednesday. The students get out of school at 2:35 each day. A typical day in the high school will look like this. If the student has first lunch during a typical 1 day, the day's schedule would be: 8:00-8:10= Advisors 8:15-9:15= 1st period 9:20-10:20= 2nd period 10:20-10:55= "A" period "' 11:00-11:25= First Lunch 11:25-12:25= 3rd period 12:30-1:30= 4th period 1:35-2:35= 5th period

Periods 6 and 7 were not included in that day. The day following the "1" day would be a "6" day. An example schedule with a second lunch is: 8:00-8:10= Advisors 8:15-9:15= 6th period 9:20-10:20= 7th period 10:20-10:55= "A" period 10:55-11:55= 1st period 12:00-12:30= Second Lunch 12:30-1:30= 2nd period 1:35-2:35= 3rd period

Current Information

There are three academic buildings at Severn -- The McCleary Student Center on the south side of the campus contains a dance studio, the Price Auditorium, the Bauer Dining Hall, the Powell Conference Room, ninth grade lockers and a few middle school classrooms.

The newest academic building, Creeden Hall, contains numerous computer labs, tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade lockers and many classrooms.

Teel Academic Center is currently the oldest academic building at Severn, mainly used as a middle school building with sixth, seventh and eighth grade lockers, the library and many middle school classrooms, as well as the Upper School Language and History Departments.

Severn School has also finished the process of constructing the Edward St. John Athletic Center. The facility, opened April 2008, cost about $10 million. The school is also preparing to upgrade their fields to turf. [The Severn Binnacle 2007]

Headmaster

Severn’s trustees unanimously voted to approve the appointment of Mr. Lagarde as the 9th Head of School in Severn's 92 year history. Mr. Lagarde succeeded William Creeden, former quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys and beloved headmaster of 13 years, on July 1, 2006.

A strong advocate for independent schools, Lagarde grew up on the campus of Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Delaware, where both of his parents were on the faculty. Early in his career he was a teacher and coach at Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland. Since 2003, Mr. Lagarde has been the associate headmaster of University School in Hunting Valley, Ohio. In his 14 years with University School, he had worked in many capacities including five years as head of the upper school, assistant director of college guidance and math teacher.

Mr. Lagarde graduated with an AB in economics from The College of William and Mary and earned a master’s in education from Harvard University.

References

External links

* [http://www.severnschool.com Severn School website]
* [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4183/is_20060429/ai_n16372201 Information on the Edward St. John donation]