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One of the great joys of working at a school is the presents you receive before Christmas and at the end of the school year. Let me offer a huge thank you from all of us at North Cross School. The spirit in which they were given makes us proud to be a part of the North Cross family.
For me, my sweet tooth got a happy work out and I am good for a while at McDonalds and Starbucks. But I also received a calorie-free gift, several gift cards to Barnes and Noble. With these, I got to make my annual pilgrimage to the book store (yes, I still read paper books), and came away with some great holiday reading. I managed to read four very different books, two of which could make their way on to our Upper School Summer Reading List. I recommend them to you as good possibilities to read with your older children.
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Monday is a holiday, the observation of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and school and administrative offices will be closed. In observance today, a special assembly for Middle and Upper School students was held where Director of Community Programs Alex Hash spoke about why he believed we celebrate Dr. King's accomplishments to this day: the unwavering kindness that he bestowed upon all people, not just those who agreed with him and his beliefs. Kindness is sometimes against human nature, Mr. Hash pointed out; when we see difference in others, often, our tendency is to separate ourselves from that difference. True kindness is the act of compassion in spite of difference and challenge; something we can all try to emulate and honor.
We invite you to watch this excerpt from Mr. Hash's speech and to consider a day of service on Monday, as a group of our Upper School students will be performing, in honor of Dr. King's contributions and philosophies.
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Update from the Parents' Association
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Teacher Holiday Gift Collection
During December, the Parents' Association organized a monetary collection for the faculty to say "Happy Holidays and Thank You" for all they do for our children. In addition to the monies collected from parents, the PA donated $4,000 to the total. Each division collected for their teachers and the funds were divided and given out the last day before the Holiday Break. You may not realize how many wonderful people touch your children's lives each day! Especially in the lower school, there are homeroom teachers, an art teacher, a music teacher, a Spanish teacher, a PE teacher, a nurse, a librarian, a counselor, a division assistant and the friendly folks who run the cafeteria. We are so appreciative of all they do each and every day, and we hope our gift made their holidays a little more special!
 NCS Rail Yard Dawgs Hockey Night
On Friday night, January 6th, the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs were cheered on by more than 160 North Cross fans! Our fantastic choir, under the direction of Mr. Miller, sang the National Anthem while our Cub Scout Troop #23, lead by NCS parent Declan Daly, were the flag bearers and color guard. Students and parents alike enjoyed the evening, even though the Dawgs lost to the Fayetteville FireAntz 5-2. For each ticket sold, the Parent's Association is donating $5 to FOTA to purchase an item needed for the Art Department.
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Are you Following the Call?
 You know, the call of the disco ball? Old Slack is a flurry of activity lately as the Development Office and countless parent volunteers secure the details for what is turning out to be an amazingly fun and fabulous night. We're talking, of course, about the Winter Gala and Auction happening Friday, February 4th. February may seem far away, but we're only a few weeks out until this disco party gets started. Seating is limited so be sure to get your tickets or table today! Here are a couple of highlights you can look forward to for the evening:
- Catering by Tracy Hamilton is always a hit, especially when she channels her inner-disco maven.
- A throwback isn't complete without the perfect soundtrack, RSP Entertainment's got our back.
- Disco balls, anyone? We challenge you to count them.
- A photo booth with all you need to look like you just stepped off the Soul Train.
- An auction that is sure to have something for everyone including specially curated experiences. Far out, right?
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Let Us Show Them More
Remember how stressful it was to find that perfect fit for your child when it came to choosing a school? Remember how relieved you were to find the extraordinary opportunities available at North Cross? Many parents are now starting to consider (or reconsider) where the best place is for their student and we'd love to meet them! Next week, January 17th, the Admission Office will be hosting an Open house for all grades (8:30 – 9:30 am for ECP, 10:30 - 1pm for all other grades). If you know of someone who is considering schools, please pass it on.
They can register on our website at: http://www.northcross.org/register.html. If they can't make it then, there are more opportunities listed on the page for which they can register.
Thanks for spreading the word!
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A Note from our Director of College Counseling
Calling all juniors, mark your calendars:
PSAT Score Return Program
Wednesday, January 18, 2017
7:00-8:00pm
Lemon Dining Hall
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What’s in a Letter?
Fifth-Grade Students Reach out to Friends in Zimbabwe
By Lindsay McKinnon
 I just have to brag about how amazing our kiddos are. They did something really good.
When I approached Mr. Lamas and the 5th grade teachers about my idea for creating Pen Pal relationships between North Cross students and 5th graders on the other side of the ocean, they were all about it. I was on my way to Zimbabwe and looking forward to sharing my experience and building bridges between youth in both of these drastically different countries. The process of it all was quite amazing and continues to teach me—and our students and teachers—some of the biggest, most essential life lessons.
Thirty-three 5th graders from North Cross School worked diligently on their letters to peers they have never met, in a country they have never been to, nor did they know much about. This is no small task, yet we asked them, and they rose to the occasion. Reading these letters on the day long airplane ride warmed my soul. I fell in love with our students all over again.
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Senior Speeches This Week
After being delayed by snow days, this morning, Enkhee Dendev ’17 (left) finally presented her speech entitled: Regenerative Medicine: Bioartificial Organs to the Upper School assembly. On Friday, Morgan Sturm ’17 (right) made her presentation on the Art of Memory. Both speeches were very educational — and memorable.
After being introduced by her younger sister, Marla, Enkhee briefly chronicled the history of organ transplantation and then detailed the burgeoning field of regenerative medicine where whole organs are produced using a person's own cells. Scientists are moving closer to human trials for highly vascularized bioartificial organs (those which need a high amount of blood supply) such as the heart or kidney.
And, in what seems to be a trend this week, Leyton Sturm ’25, Morgan's younger brother, introduced his sister's presentation on memory creation and conditioning. Morgan discussed how memory can be improved through exercise (both mental and physical) and diet, and related a brief history of the field of memory studies.
 You can hear both speeches in their entirety in the Featured Content section of onCampus and see more pictures by visiting the DeHart Speeches community group there.
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A Good Read
The 100 Books Initiative, begun last year, formally recognizes our commitment to fine literature and developing lifelong learners beginning at the earliest levels. To be successful in this endeavor requires a collaboration between family, school, and student, as we all have a part to play in creating a shared literature experience among our Lower School students. Graduating from Ellis Hall will afford every student the opportunity to share in this experience, as well as to be recognized for the additional effort in pursuing these goals further.
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Middle Schoolers, wherefore art thou?
Young love was reborn last week in Mrs. Garrett's eighth-grade English classes. Students performed scenes from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and with costumes! Granted, the costumes were yesterday's news, literally, but the students had a great time rehearsing and performing one of the play's famous fight scenes, complete with foam swords and costumes made of newspaper.
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Teacher Feature: Terri Craig
 Pictured: Terri (center) with her wife Barbara Maberry, and their son Kaimbrydge Maberry-Craig.
Current Position: ECP-2 Instructional Assistant, Head Coach Varsity Volleyball
Education: B.S., Ferrum College
Year Appointed: 2015
What is your hometown? Roanoke has been my hometown since age 1.
What’s something your students don’t know about you? That from the ages of 5-11, I competitively raced motorcycles and All-Terrain Vehicles (3 and 4 wheelers), but then someone put a volleyball in my hands and I fell in love.
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Winter Play Promises to Be an Historical Event
Next Friday and Saturday, January 20th and 21st at 7:30 be prepared to visit the age of the Hundred Years War when the Upper School performs the Shakespeare play Henry V. The original production was most likely first performed in London. It is the fourth in a tetralogy which also includes Richard II, Henry IV Part 1, and Henry IV 2 and dramatizes events in 1415 pertinent to the Hundred Years War - particularly the famous Battle of Agincourt. The play includes Henry's famous "Band of Brothers" speech.
Three scenes feature conversations in French, featuring several of our French language students. The cast of 32 is led by Zack H'Doubler ’17, who plays the role of Henry V; with a crew of about 46 students involved. The actors are presenting the play in traditional Shakespearean format, which includes doubling roles for some actors and immediate flow from scene-to-scene.
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Thanks to Tracy Schaefer for her stunning photo for this week's Crossties Header of the Raider's Touchstone during a snowy sunrise.
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Get Your Passport to Health this Weekend
 Remember that gym membership you promised you'd get this New Year's? Well, now's your chance to win one. North Cross School and the Carter Athletic Center present the annual Winter Health Fair “Passport to Health” on Saturday, January 14 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
- Over 30 vendors to learn from Including VA Blood Services Blood Drive and the National Kidney Foundation
- Enjoy a variety of fun demonstrations goodie bags (while supplies last)
- Grand prize drawing for a one year CAC Membership, valued at $684.
For more information, contact the Carter Athletic Center at 540-989-7284 or visit www.ncscac.org.
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Boys Basketball No. 2 in First VISAA D-III Poll!
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Scorecard
The most recent scores from our athletic contests are below. Can't wait for Crossties? Scores can always be found by visiting the Scoreboard feature of onCampus.
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Stay Connected on Social Media
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