News and Events
Stories and updates from around campus

Williston Scholars: Examining the Student-Athlete

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Prep schools often are known for their competitive athletic programs. At the Williston Northampton School, students have the opportunity to go beyond their own play in a course taught by History and Global Studies teacher Diane Williams. Sports Studies, one of this year’s Williston Scholars courses, encourages students to evaluate how gender, race, economics, and politics interact with the world of sports.

“Teaching this class has been a really amazing opportunity to expose student-athletes to a variety of topics related to sport, sport culture, and dominant ideologies in society,” said Diane.

Williston Scholars
With Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke, and Smith Colleges and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in such close proximity, Williston works to take advantage of the diversity and opportunities to be found on those campuses. Over two trimesters, with the help of five college and university professors and staff, Williston Scholars classes introduce students to research and writing more commonly found in higher education.

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Posted in: Academics, Athletics, Special Programs, Upper School, Williston+

Photographers’ Lecture Series Returns with Bill Diodato

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Capturing lipstick as it drips, the gleam of broken eggs, or cockroaches swarming a sneaker-strewn table—and making them look beautiful—requires particular photography skills.

On February 19, as part of the ongoing Photographers’ Lecture Series, commercial and fine art photographer Bill Diodato named some of those skills: patience, preparation, and the ability to stay true to yourself.

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Posted in: Academics, Arts, Events, Photographers' Lecture Series, Special Programs, Visiting Speakers, Williston Northampton News, Williston+

Arthurs ’13 and Consavage ’13 Sign National Letters of Intent

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Two postgraduate roommates—whose ongoing joke is that they are the biggest guys on campus, living in the smallest room—signed National Letters of Intent to play Division II football during a joint ceremony at the Williston Northampton School on February 19.

Dylan Arthurs said a weight had lifted off his shoulders as he signed the official letter to attend Stonehill College in Easton, Mass. as part of the Class of 2017. He was followed by William Consavage, who penned an agreement to attend Bentley University in Waltham, Mass. By signing the letters, and agreeing to the respective scholarship agreements, Mr. Consavage and Mr. Arthurs notified other schools that they may no longer be recruited.

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Posted in: Athletics, Upper School, Williston Northampton News

Holyoke Mayor Alex Morse Visits Campus as Diversity Keynote

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As Mayor, 24-year-old Alex B. Morse calls himself the Chief Marketing Officer for the city of Holyoke.  Kicking off the eleventh annual Diversity Conference last Thursday evening, he explained,  “We needed people with a fresh perspective for the city and someone who was going to mix things up, and that is essentially why I ran for the position.”

The youngest, and first openly gay, mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Morse announced he was running for office as a senior at Brown University.  Rather than move to DC, Boston, or New York, Morse said he wanted to, “come home to the city that had given [him] so many opportunities.”

Holyoke Roots
“My family was pretty poor,” said Morse a Holyoke native.  Both of his parents grew up in Holyoke and met at Whiting Farms, one of the city’s low-income housing projects.  Morse’s mother married his father, at 17, when she became pregnant with the first of Morse’s two older brothers.

A proud product of the Holyoke public school system, Morse recalls high school as being a, “really great time,” but in his sophomore year his confidence started to wane.  “There was something about me that I didn’t feel was correct,” he said.  In February of that year, when Morse was 16, he came out to his best friend Alexandra.  “Once I did that I wanted to stop telling my friends because I didn’t want my parents to find out from a friend or a parent of a friend,” he said. Continue reading →

Posted in: Events, Special Programs, Upper School, Visiting Speakers, Williston Northampton News

Curricular Technology Initiative: FAQs for Families

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By Dr. Andrew Shelffo, chief information officer and English teacher

Beginning in September 2013, students will be able to use a hybrid tablet device as part of Williston’s Curricular Technology Initiative, or CTI, which is designed to bring consistent technology to campus so that students can quickly and easily access the digital tools they need to succeed, and in the process not just keep up with the latest innovations but use them in their education.

Preparing students for success in college and beyond in the 21st century means teaching them how to take full advantage of information technology. The CTI will put the latest computing technology into the hands of every student and teacher and bring important systems—Schoology, SkyDrive, OneNote, video and audio conferencing—right into the classroom.  The goal is to teach students how to use technology with purpose, passion, and integrity.

What are the key elements of the Curricular Technology Initiative?
The Curricular Technology Initiative (CTI) will allow students to take full advantage of the software and systems Williston has in place on campus to both complement and expand their education. By using such programs as SkyDrive, OneNote, and Schoology—on campus, at home, or anywhere else—students will be able to collaborate effectively with teachers and each other and learn important organizational skills. Through this mission-driven program, students will learn how to use technology with purpose, passion, and integrity in an anywhere, anytime environment.

Does Williston have the infrastructure to support this program?
Williston’s connection to the Internet is 200 Mbps. Students can access the network wirelessly in all of their classrooms and by September 2013, in any dorm, as well.

What device will my child be issued as part of this program?
Every student and teacher at Williston will be issued the same device. This provides consistency in the academic experience in all classrooms and dorm or home. Currently the school is evaluating devices, and a final decision is expected in the next few weeks. Whatever the device, it will be a tablet with a detachable keyboard running Windows 8 with native stylus capability.

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Posted in: Special Programs, Williston Northampton News

Stories and updates from around campus