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PRIMASpring 2015

Volume 19, Issue 1 Newsletter for the Excellence Through Classics (ETC), a standing committee of the American Classical League (ACL)

GROWING OUR FUTURE, ACL’S NEWEST NAMED SCHOLARSHIP HONORS GERI DUTRA The American Classical League’s scholarship in Dutra’s name honors her 31-years of services; seeding efforts seeks to fulfill ACL mission in ensuring enduring scholarships that will continue to be available for ACL members. Thirty-one years. One Geri Dutra. $31.000. For all the those that need your reading glasses to do math, the goal for the fund is $31, 000, representing Dutra’s 31 years of service. Easy enuf!

ACL’s emerita Administrative Secretary Dutra’s kind mien has welcomed both neophytes and veterans alike to any ACL-sponsored event.

As a newbie my phone calls always started with a tentative, “Please let me speak to Geri, thanks.

”So … Hey, Geri! How you doing? And then she would gently, respond, by name, How can I help? It’s what most ACL’ers counted on during a logistic detour (read travel nightmare) or a late night in the hospital. She was there for us!

Current ACL president Kathy Elifr its , announced the retirement of the “practically indispensable” Dutra this autumn and the newly-announced scholarship efforts after her retirement plans starting in the Summer of 2014.

Elifrits imagined a scholarship inspired “to demonstrate to [Dutra} our thanks for all the

wonderful ways she has served with and for us for many years at the [ACL] Oxford office.”

To date, nearly $65,000+ has been donated and the fund has exceeded the goal. Elifrits in her recent notes for ACL Newsletter encourages all to continue to contribute.

Story continues on page 7

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PRIMA

ACL HONORS GERI DUTRA WITH NAMED SCHOLARSHIP PAGE 1 Final contributions sought to fund named scholarship in Dutra’s honor which celebrate Dutra’s 31 years of service to ACL.

ETC ELECTS NEW SECRETARY, VICE-CHAIR @ ACL MEETING PAGE 8 Meet the two newest executive cabinet members of Excellence of Classics.

2015 ACL INSTITUTE OFFERINGS FOR ETC MEMBERS PAGE 8 Find, design your best plan to conquer and survive this year’s phenomenal ACL Institute offerings.

SPRI

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015 The Americal Classical

League’s 2016 Summer Institute will take place from Thursday, June 25 - Sunday,

June 28, 2015 at the University of CT.

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From the Chair: Longum iter est per praecepta, breve et efficax per exempla Salvēte Omnēs!

We don’t often end up where we think we will. Through all my Latin teacher training at Hunter College, I assumed that I would be teaching high school. My first job: teaching fifth graders. Hmm. Knowing nothing about elementary-age children, I p r o m p t l y w e n t t o o b s e r v e s o m e elementary school teachers.

O efficacitates! O constitutiones!

The kids were so organized and self-reliant. But the real revelation was the way the teachers taught reading; instead of telling the kids how to read, the teachers SHOWED them how to read.

They modeled for their students what they wanted them to be able to do, and gave them tools for reading. They showed kids what it looks and feels like to be stuck, and then modeled the thinking behind how to get unstuck. Then, the kids went off to practice their new skills with a similar text.

The way that elementary school teachers teach reading is applicable to any level of Latin learning.

When we model for our students, we give them the power to unlock their own thinking, to read more efficiently, and to access the world of Latin. But the tools and language of elementary school teachers don’t always reach teachers trained for high school, especially Latin teachers.

This led me to Excellence Through Classics, which is helping to bridge that gap. ETC is a standing committee of the American Classical League dedicated to promoting and supporting elementary, middle school, and introductory classics programs. If you’re an ACL member, you’re an ETC member.

ETC is geared toward elementary/middle school children, and has much to offer teachers of all levels, whether elementary, middle or high school. You are already reading PRIMA, in which Micheal Posey, PRIMA editor, gathers news, teaching tips, the latest materials for elementary

school, and more, in a beautiful digital newsletter.

E T C ’s t w o e x a m s , t h e N a t i o n a l Mythology Exam and the Exploratory Latin Exam, provide opportunities for beginning classics students to excel and experience learning about the classical world.

When elementary schools can offer mythology and exploratory Latin, further Latin and classical study are sure to follow. Awards and certificates validate the students’ hard work.

NME Chair Allison Fiegel and ELE Chair Megan Gorman and their committees work hard each year to bring you updated, relevant, and interesting exams. Next year’s NME theme is “Jason and the Argonauts” and the ELE theme is “Notable Women of Ancient Rome.”

Our teacher-created packets, edited and updated by packet editor Andrew Carroll, are designed to support the yearly themes of the NME and the ELE, and also offer classroom-ready materials that can be used separately from the exams.

The Olympians packet is great for any level of student, and can even be used for self-study. Those packets got me through my first year with those fifth graders, and I still use them today with my middle school students. They would also be great to use as part of a social studies or English unit on Rome or mythology. They can be ordered at the ACL website.

For those whose students are too young for Junior Classical League, Classics Club chair Zee Ann Poerio and our new Vice Chair Krystal Kubichek, have reinvented Classics Club with contests, games, projects, and experiences to encourage discovery of the classical world in our youngest students. If you were thinking of starting a Latin or classics club for your K-6 students, this is a great way to start.

ETC offers the Petrino Award for students who show exceptional interest and

dedication to the classical world, and we also fund grants to schools or individuals who are offering Latin, Greek, or classics to their elementary school students or are starting a new program of study in the middle school.

Both the award and the grant application can be found on our website. Our new secretary Ruth Ann Besse is hard at work corresponding with all of our various constituents.

ETC’s past chair, K.C. Kless, is a real presence on Twitter and Facebook, bringing news of ETC, ACL, and other items of interest on the classical world. Join us digitally on Facebook or on Twitter @etclassics, and of course in person at the ACL Institute in Storrs, CT, this summer.

My hope is that elementary teachers, Latin teachers, and elementary teachers of Latin can connect in ways that allow us to exchange ideas and learn from each other; the very way we want our students to learn.

Curā ut valeās,

Michelle Gerard RamahloChair, ETC

chair@etclassics.org

ETC newly-minted chair, Michelle Gerard Ramahlo, is a Middle School Latin teacher at Seven Bridges Middle School, Chappaqua, New York.

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renewal of the spirit and catching up on life’s notable moments while relishing in those memories that inspire me and refine me from the inside out.

For Spring, my attitude changes and even my demeanor. I morph quickly from my winter mantra of “I ain’t got time for that,” to a softer mindfulness of how can I learn more about what I don’t understand — What makes me better and what I can use, repurpose and present to colleagues, students and those around me?

Here at PRIMA, this new Spring remix of ideas will now be our exclusive first lens to explore what we hope to accomplish for the year.

The Spring issue will formalize our consistency with our readership and the larger ACL audience and additionally as a way to introducing a smaller, lighter issue that reports Elementary Latin Exam (ELE) and National Mythology Exam (NME) Winners to our audiences.

Furthermore, The Excellence Through Classics (ETC) Executive Board, including newly-minted chair, Michelle Gerard Ramalho, will strive to bring a sense of mindfulness of our academic endings but also to highlight our personal and professional beginnings (hint: the ever-exciting ACL Institute held this year at the University of CT in Storrs, CT.)

PRIMA’s medley of timely articles that will help new teachers expand their teaching toolbox while hopefully making older teachers rethink how they have approach their teaching materials and how best to use them.

This Spring’s cover story lauds the American Classical Institute’s (ACL) recently named scholarship to fête the

long-standing 31-year ACL administrative veteran and dynamo, Geri Dutra (see inset).

Dutra’s 31-years-of-service has been championed by others to fund an initial gift of $31,000 to future

scholarships available to ACL members.

In addition, PRIMA will continue to feature n e w s a n d w e b f e a t u r e s a b o u t technology, cross-c u r r i c u l a r b e s t p rac t i ces and the u s u a l p o s t s f r o m w r i t i n g / r e v i e w i n g contributors regarding recent publications

and text book adoptions for their Classical History/Language classroom.

Lastly, PRIMA is looking to increase its outreach and I would appreciate hearing from those who would like to apprentice in this editor position. Hearing from peers and featuring best practices is what PRIMA is all about. Please e-mail me directly if you are interested!

Thanks again to all who have contributed to this issue. Keep up the good work. Onward!

Micheal A. PoseyEditor, PRIMA

prima@etclassics.org

PRIMA Springs EternalAre we there yet? I guess I ask myself this question several times

each Spring. It’s May. I’m thinking about the long list of to-do

items that I’ve seemingly neglected, yet surprisingly looking

forward to the novelty that Summer brings. There’s the dusty shelf of books that I yearn to crack open and enjoy on a beach weekend,

the Netflix queue that I’ve can't wait to binge-watch with abandon

and the music anthems that I hope to crank up as I lace up my shoes and enjoy pounding the pavement for a little exercise.

I guess that what Spring means, a

From the Editor:

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STAY IN TOUCH WITH ETC! ETC WEBSITE FACEBOOK TWITTER

�LIKE US ON FACEBOOK

�FOLLOW US ON

TWITTER @etclassics

�To keep up with ETC news,

check out our site

ETCLASSICS.ORG

2014 Petrino Book Award Winners Selected by ETC board

The announcement of the 2014 Petrino Book awardees was unveiled at the meeting of the American Classical League Institute, held on the campus of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

ETC past chair, Rachel Ash, presented the 2014 Petrino Book Award Winners during the Institute’s Award Night ceremonies.

Katie Danis is an 8th grade student at Gaston Day School in Gastonia, NC. She has taken Latin for approximately 3 years. The ETC commit tee was large ly impressed by Davis’ interest in Classics over a period of time.

Recipient of her school’s Academic Excellence in Latin/Classics, Danis’ impressive list of recognitions thus far include citations on several national classical related evaluations like the National Latin, Mythology and Etymology Exams along with her participation in the Junior Classical League. Danis was also a regional finalist in the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Davis has hopes to be a classics professor when she grows up.

Davis’ teacher is Shay Wilkerson.

Hannah Marier is an 8th grade student at Marist School in Atlanta, GA. Her evaluator noted her “impressive résumé in Classics at the state and national level.”

Marier has participated in two Georgia JCL Fall Fora, two State conventions and earned a silver medal on the National Mythology Exam.

In addition, she had undertaken the study of ancient Greek and has continued her classical endeavors beyond the classroom to include a video project in which she

wrote the script, narrated and starred. Marier’s teacher is Anne W. Saunders.

The Julia K. Petrino Award was established to honor middle school classical scholars who exemplify the dedication, discipline and love of Classics exemplified by the young woman forwhom the award is named.

See the ETC website to obtain an Petrino Award application

http://www.etclassics.org/pages/Petrino

Danis (above) from Gastonia, North Carolina, loves everything about the Greek and Roman classics.

Marier (above) has an impressive résumé in classics at the state and national levels. Described as a “phenomenon” by her nominator, Marier hails from the Marist School in Atlanta, Georgia.

Marier, Danis honored by ETC for dedication, discipline and love of Classics

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National Mythology ExamExploratory Latin Exam

sponsored by theAmerican Classical League

Excellence Through Classics Committee www.etclassics.org

and the

The National Association of Secondary School Principalshas placed the National Mythology Exam on the NASSP

National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for 2010-2011.

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SALVI announces combination of week-long Latin immersion events Septentrionale Americanum Latinitatis Vivae Institutum (SALVI) / North American Institute for Living Latin Studies offers two Rusticationes at Virginia’s Claymont Estate in Summer 2015According to its website: SALVI’s mission is to propagate communicative approaches to Latin language acquisition, making the entire Classical tradition of Western culture more available to—and enjoyable for—students, teachers, and the general public.

Rusticatio Virginiana is a full-immersion Latin workshop offering high-energy conversation exercises and readings from Latin literature. In 2015, SALVI will offer two Rusticationes--Rusticatio Tironum and Rusticatio Veteranorum.

Rusticatio Tironum — July 6-12, 2015 This experience is aimed at relative beginners, people who have been to a Biduum Latinum or two, or anyone who has attended Rusticatio once or twice before but wants more practice.

Rusticatio Tironum is structured to help the participant learn and use daily vocabulary and essential grammatical constructions. Participants will live together, play together, even cook their own meals together.

Rusticatio Veteranorum — July 13-19, 2015 The structure and rhythm of each day recall Rusticatio Tironum, but the participant can take

more control of h is/her own learning, since sessions are less structured and more open to questions and discussions.

Readings are treated in greater depth, and speaking activities build on already acquired vocabulary to explore different types of discourse — talking about hypotheticals, expressing emotion, communicating in different registers, and more.

There are optional writing activities, and participants may share their own interests by offering eligenda (optional activities) during the week.

See the SALVI website at http://www.latin.org for further

information

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“For the Classics and ACL to remain strong and grow stronger, we must always ‘Grow the Future,’ Elifrits writes in her Angulis Presides in the most recent ACL Newsletter. “Please continue to contribute to fund ACL’s purposes, especially helping newcomers thrive in our profession,” she ends.

“Whether your primary connection to ACL is via Institutes, JCL, ETC, NLE, NCLG, or some other piece of this amazingly complex organization, take a tiny piece of time to thank Geri for the myriad ways she has responded to our requests for the common goal of promoting the study

and knowledge of the Classical World in our world of today,” Elifrits concludes.

ACL is a non-profit educational 501(c)(3) organization, so donations may be tax-deductible. Individuals may donate using a credit card with the Paypal link on the ACL website: http://www.aclclassics.org. You may also elect to mail a check directly to the ACL Office.

If you or your spouse have an employer with matching contributions, make sure to take advantage of that option and increase your gift.

A GLIMPSE OF ACL INSTITUTE

OFFERINGS FOR ETC MEMBERS:

Continued from page 1

GENERAL SESSIONS:

FRIDAY JUNE 26TH•Dura-Europos and ISIS: Looting and the Latin ClassroomPresenter: Wesley Wood, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio @ 6:45pm

SATURDAY JUNE 27TH•Teaching the First Century Using 21st Century Tools Presenter: Elizabeth Conner, St. James School, Montgomery, Alabama @ 9am

•Greek for Younger Grades!Presenter: Suzanne Henrich, Boston Latin Academy, Boston, Massachusetts @ 10:30am

•Addicting Games and Apps for Students Presenter: Lisa Walls, Batavia Senior High School, East Dundee, Illinois @ 1 pm

•Excellence Through Classics: Using Classics Club And Teaching Packets To Enhance Your Elementary And Middle School Classrooms Presenters: Krystal Kubichek, Pennsauken High School, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaMichelle Ramahlo, Chappaqua School, Carmel, New YorkZee Ann Poerio, St. Louise de Marillac Catholic School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania @ 3pm

SUNDAY JUNE 28TH•Investing in the Future: From Tots To Teens And Those In BetweenPresenters: Sherry Jankowski, Flint Hill School, Sterling, VirginiaKrystal Kubichek, Pennsauken High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania @ 12:45pm

Krystal Kubichek, Ruth Ann Besse join ETC Executive Committee as Vice-chair, Secretary at ACL Institute Open Meeting Excellence Through Classics welcomed two new members to the ETC executive committee after the recent open election at the Summer 2014 meeting of the American Classical League a t The Col lege o f Wi l l iam & Mary in Williamsburg, VA.

ETC members e l e c t e d t w o candidates to serve two-year t e r m s a s secretary and vice-chair.

K r y s t a l K u b i c h e k . K u b i c h e k (pictured left) is a

Latin I-IV Advanced Placement educator from Pennsauken High School in Pennsauken, NJ.

Kubichek earned her B.A. in Latin at West Chester University, graduating summa cum laude with teaching certification in Pennsylvania in December 2007.

Kubichek is currently in her sixth year at Pennsauken High School, teaching Latin levels I-AP IV.

Kubichek has attended a number of workshops to improve her teaching, including two AP Summer Institutes. In 2012, she was awarded the Arthur Patch McKinlay Scholarship to attend ACL Institute.

She is a member of ACL, CAAS, and the New Jersey Classical Association, as well as a JCL and National Latin Honor Society sponsor.

Additionally, Kubichek is a member of ETC’s Classics Club.

R u t h A n n Besse (pictured r i g h t ) w a s ushered in as ETC secretary.

Besse is certified t o t e a c h i n M a r y l a n d f o r L a t i n a n d History. She has t a u g h t Latin using the Minimus curriculum for 11 years and has been a member of the Management Committee of the Primary Latin Project (PLP) since 2005.

In addition, Besse has taught Latin to home-schooled children for 11 years using the “Cambridge Latin Course” in levels Latin I – IV.

For the past 5 years, Besse has also taught at a Howard County High School using Ecce Romani in levels Latin I-IV.

I n 2 0 1 0 , B e s s e w a s a w a r d e d t h e UMBC Humanities Scholars Exemplary Teacher Award in recognition of extraordinary contributions as a teacher, guide, and mentor to a UMBC Humanities Scholar.

In 2006, she earned a $3,000 grant from the PLP to travel to an international conference in Bristol, England, to officially join PLP's Management Committee.

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NEWS & NOTES

eTogaTrek: An Online Journey to

Ancient Rome This school year, Ascanius embarked upon

eTogaTrek to bring Latin and Ancient Rome alive for students across the world — whether

in their desk in a classroom or in the comfort of their own home.

The new online video series: http:// www.ascaniusyci.org/etogatrek features engaging instructors who lead viewers through complete lessons about Roman culture, including pictures from the ancient world, opportunities for discussion, web quests and hands-on activities or crafts.

In each episode, students are encouraged to express their thoughts in a journal and think more deeply about the lesson’s topic.

Moreover, each episode offers a contest with prizes for students who share their thoughts and

Take a trip back in time to Ancient Rome! Explore

current episodes on the Ascanius

website

Episode 4: Mosaics (May 15,

2015)

Story continues on page 11

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questions online.

In Episode 1 (Roman Families and Bullas), Magistra Colleen

Roney explores how life would have

been different for children if they lived in ancient Rome. Students learn about the dynamics of a Roman family and create their own fictional family using Roman names and pictures. The lesson concludes with a chance to make a bulla just like a Roman child would have worn.

Magistra Katherine Owensby leads

Episode 2 (Roman Clothing) and demonstrates the

clothing choices for Ancient Roman men,

women, and children. With this knowledge, students can then seek out similarities between ancient and modern fashion. The togae and tunicae are then miniaturized when viewers have a chance to dress their favorite stuffed animal like an Ancient Roman!

Episode 3 (Greek & Roman Architecture) takes a

virtual field trip to archaeological sites of Greek and Roman

Temples. Magistra Marie Murphy

breaks down the elements of architecture and students have

the chance to identify the differences between Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles. They can then see the ancient influence on modern architecture in Washington, D.C. and design their own Greek or Roman temple!

Magistra Kelly Hart gives students a sampling of Roman

art in Episode 4 (Mosaics). Students learn about the images and designs used in Roman mosaics and explore an elaborate Roman mosaic from Lod, Israel online. After learning about how mosaics were made, students experience firsthand creating a mosaic by using the tastiest tesserae of all time: M&M’s.

The year’s eTogaTrek series concludes with Episode 5

(Games), when Magistra Tess Jacobson shows students how to play a few Roman games. She demonstrates the rules to Rota and encourages students to compare the game to

modern games like tic-tac-toe and backgammon. After making their own knucklebones, students learn to play a variety of games with them.

The episodes are free for the public to use, and work well for homeschool groups, families, standard classrooms, and even summer enrichment.

Geared towards an elementary and middle school audience, the videos feature enthusiastic instructors who engage students’ interests and offer fun opportunities for critical thinking.

By the end of the series, students are speaking Latin and thinking about the roots their own culture has in ancient society. Through the lessons of eTogaTrek, students all around the world will have a chance to experience their own journey back in time to Ancient Rome.

See the ASCANIUS website at http:// www.ascaniusyci.org/etogatrek for

further information

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Episode 1: Families and

Bullas (October 21, 2014)

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NLE

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LTS

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15 National Myth Exam, Elementary Latin Exam culminate administrator of another successful year

The National Mythology Exam

The most prominent undertaking of Excellence Through Classics is the National Mythology Exam. Since 1989, the exam has been offered to students in elementary, intermediate, and middle school grades three through nine.

The NME is consistently given to over 10,000 students in approximately 450+ schools around the United States and in several foreign countries.

The Exploratory Latin Exam

The Classical World has always been a source of amazement and inspiration for students at the elementary school level. In order to recognize and celebrate this interest, ETC (Excellence Through Classics for Elementary and Middle School Levels) sponsors the Exploratory Latin Exam, an age-appropriate national evaluation.

Students Registered 9975

Exams Scored 9127

Number of Schools 471

Number of Awards 3529

39% of all participants received awards.

Exams Ordered 1178

Exams Scored 1096

Number of Schools 64

Number of Awards 441

*Includes 34 perfect scores.40% of all participants received awards.

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Deadline for PRIMA

SUMMER / FALL submissions is

July 15!

ETC Executive Committee

Michelle Ramahlo Chair chair@etclassics.org

Ruth Ann Besse Secretary secretary@etclassics.org

Krystal Kubichek Vice Chair vicechair@etclassics.org

K.C. Kless Immediate Past Chair pastchair@etclassics.org

Allison Fiegel National Mythology Chair NMEchair@etclassics.org

Megan Gorman Elementary Latin Chair ELEchair@etclassics.org

Andrew Carroll Exam Activity Packet Editor activitypacketeditor@etclassics.org

Sherwin Little Administrator info@aclclassics.org

Zee Ann Poerio Classics Club Chair classicsclubchair@etclassics.org

Micheal A. Posey PRIMA editor prima@etclassics.org

The American Classical LeagueExcellence Through Classicsfor Elementary and Middle Levels860 NW WASHINGTON BLVD.SUITE AHAMILTON, OH 45013 513 529 7741fax 513 529 7742NEW toll-free: 1-800-670-8346

ETC is now on Facebook (search for Excellence Through Classics). Like us now! Follow us on Twitter (search for etclassics).