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More Happens Here
Former Headmaster Bert Hudnall liked to tell parents “if you can only send your child to North Cross School for four years, give us the first four.†That statement speaks volumes about the importance of early childhood education and the foundation it establishes for life-long learning. I've also found that when parents witness firsthand the rapid development of their children in a supportive independent school setting, they are more likely to appreciate the value of continuing that development well beyond the first four years.
We are launching a new marketing campaign with the theme “More Happens Here†to increase awareness of the many great things taking place in our classrooms and on our campus every day, and to communicate the value of a North Cross education. Let me explain the rationale behind our approach and our plan as we move forward.
Click here to read the full headmaster message.
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 Catch of the Week
Last week, students in Eaton Hall collected over 800 cans of tuna for Manna Mission Ministry, the Rescue Mission’s new ministry. The middle schoolers surpassed their goal of 500 cans and earned a free dress day on Monday this week. The students assembled a giant tuna fish from the cans they were donating. Click here to read the full press release.
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 Blood Drive
The annual blood drive with Virginia Blood Services is taking place today in the Carter Athletic Center. Students and members of the North Cross community, including Kerin Daly ’15 (top) and Maddie Robinson ’16 (bottom), took time out of their busy schedules to donate this morning. The drive continues until 3 p.m. today if you wish to donate.
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 Transforming Energy
Students in Ms. Sandy Patterson’s sixth grade science classes have been studying energy transformation. The students designed and tested cars they built as teams. After testing, the students had the opportunity to make modifications and improve their results.
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 ECP visits Homestead Creamery
On Tuesday, students in the Early Childhood Program visited Homestead Creamery and sampled different flavors of milk and ice cream. The next day they prepared a thank you note for the creamery staff and combined it with their math lesson for the day to create a graph of their favorite items.
Click here or the image to see more photos from Facebook.
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 Staff Story: Carolyn Phillips
Tell me about your early years at North Cross.
I was interviewed by Tom Engleby, Tom Slack's son-in-law, in March 1971 and came to work as the first Secretary of Development and Alumni Affairs—the beginning of our current Development Office. I worked closely with John Tucker and Tom Slack, who was Chairman of the Board at the time, to bring to fruition the many visions our founders had for North Cross. Back then, most of the fundraising was done by the Board of Trustees. I was responsible for keeping the books, posting every gift by hand, writing all the thank you notes, preparing development handouts that the Board could give to potential donors when making asks, and assisting Lucy Hazelgrove and Betsy Watts in the planning of dinners and parties for the school’s donors. I also worked closely with Beirne Carter, Bob Fishburn, Gordon Willis, and Bob Bennett. It was an exciting time for the school.
Click here to read the full story and to see more photos.
Photo: Carolyn with her husband, Doug.
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 “How to Succeed in Business†Opens Tonight
The cast and crew, consisting of over 50 students in grades 4-12 and led by Mr. Andrew Miller, have been making final adjustments and are ready to open tonight. Jim Card ’16 worked on a piece of set design Wednesday afternoon for the upcoming production while Ben Smith ’15 and Albert Newberry ’17 rehearsed a musical number.
The musical, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,†will grace the stage in Fishburn Auditorium on Friday, April 17 and Saturday, April 18. Both shows are at 7 p.m. and open to the public. Admission is free.
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Combined Honor Band Next Friday
Forty-three North Cross students will spend next Friday rehearsing for the Combined Honor Band Day. The students will rehearse with guest conductor Polly Middleton, Associate Director of Athletic Bands at Virginia Tech. There will be a short performance at the end of the school day beginning at 2:40 p.m. on April 24 in Lemon Dining Hall. Families are invited to attend.
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Varsity Baseball Eyes Playoffs
Despite the recent rain, the Varsity Baseball team has managed to get nine games completed so far this season. Currently ranked #3 in the most recent VISAA Division III state poll, the Raiders are ready for another playoff run in 2015. With a 6-3 record overall, and a 4-2 conference record, a 10th visit to the state playoffs in the last 11 seasons seems to be within reach for the Raiders.
Hosting a playoff game would require a top four finish in the BRC conference. Coach Eric Lawrence, in his 21st season at the helm, has set it as a team goal and is pleased with the play of Josh Greenway ’17 and Justin Jensen ’16 (in photo by Maddie Robinson ’16) so far. “Josh is hitting the ball as well as I could have hoped for, and Justin has pitched very well,†Eric said. Senior leadership has also helped the Raiders this season. “Keith Oddo ’15 continues to play consistently well. Edwin Saunders ’15 is a great utility player and probably the best third baseman I've coached at North Cross.â€
The team gets a big test today as it plays Liberty Christian Academy, the top ranked Division I school in the VISAA poll, this afternoon at 5 p.m. at Porterfield Ballpark.
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Raiders Scoreboard
Wednesday, April 15 |
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| Girls’ Varsity Soccer |
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| North Cross School |
7 |
| Chatham Hall |
0 |
| Sarah Maurer, Lissa Smith, and Madisen Charles each scored twice. Anna Robison scored once. Katie Sayers had two saves in the shutout. |
Monday, April 13 |
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| Boys’ Varsity Baseball |
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| North Cross School |
2 |
| Hargrave Military Academy |
11 |
Girls’ Varsity Soccer |
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| North Cross School |
3 |
| Virginia Episcopal School |
0 |
| Sarah Maurer, Shaida Campbell, and Lissa Smith each scored. Katie Sayers had seven saves in the shutout. |
Girls’ Middle School Soccer |
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| North Cross School |
3 |
| Carlisle School |
6 |
| Emily Allara scored 3 goals |
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 A Place in the Art
The first personnel decision new Headmaster Bert Hudnall faced when he arrived at North Cross in 1978 was finding a replacement for Doris Church, head of the art department. Bert hired Shirley Johnson (in top photo, and in bottom photo with Liz Holt) and found a teacher that spent the next twenty-one years opening young minds to the great masters and nurturing budding talent in the studio. “It was not just her talent,†Bert said, “but her presence that made the tenor of the art department so positive.â€
One of the students impacted by Shirley was Nancy Cunningham Mauck ’79. “Mrs. Johnson was sweet, soft spoken, and patient. She allowed us to discover which mediums we preferred to work in, and then gave us tremendous encouragement and support in our artistic endeavors. She also encouraged us to participate in competitions, which, at the time, really took me out of my comfort zone. I looked forward to every single art class I had with Shirley Johnson.†Shirley’s encouragement worked. Nancy ended up majoring in art in college and has been a professional portrait artist for the past 22 years.
Anna Lawson, SA ’52 recalls that Shirley was an important influence on her own children. “I still have a clay pottery head that I use as a paper weight on my kitchen windowsill that my son Towles made in her class.†For Anna, Shirley was continuing a line of strong art teachers that stretched back to the beginnings of the school to our Salem roots. “All of my teachers in Salem for K-3 were doing art with us, and lots of it!. Miss Northcross in first grade, Mrs. “Teachie†Gardner in second grade, and Mrs. Darden in third†she said.
In addition to the teachers in the classroom, Linda Steele, SA ’68 remembers special visitors who came to the classroom and benefitted the students. “In addition to Mrs. Meagher, who was a lovely person and teacher (and mother of my classmate Hugh), the mother of another one of my classmates came in every Friday for art class. Her name was Harriet Stokes, mother of Bobby; she became legendary in the local art community.†Mrs. Stokes helped start the Virginia Watercolor Society and was a supporter of the annual sidewalks art show. She received the Walter Biggs Award for Cultural Achievement and the distinguished alumni award from Roanoke College.
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