Archive for September 2020
Buchanan “Passes the Baton” to Gardner
After 17 years teaching and filling the EMS community with music, Brian Buchanan — also known affectionately as “Mr. B.” — decided to leave EMS. He now works at Dominion Data Group near his home in Staunton as vice president of fulfillment and logistics. He is also working on new music and hopes to continue…
Read MoreDancing Robots, Part of STEM and Programming
Experiential and hands-on learning have always been a crucial aspect of the EMS academic curriculum. A variety of classes embody this practice, but Kevin Carini’s robotics and intro into programming classes are among the best. With students of varied skill, interest, and age levels, there is always a multitude of projects scattered throughout the shop…
Read More15th Annual Parade for International Day of Peace
Fifth grade students at Eastern Mennonite Elementary School led the annual Peace Parade for their schoolmates on Monday, Sept. 21, the International Day of Peace. It was the 15th year that older students planned and led the parade featuring a super size peace dove puppet and the first time the parade took place at the…
Read MoreStudents Build Marimba with Expert
Brent Holl, expert music educator, led the fifth grade class in building a marimba in music class this week under the direction of Joy Anderson, music teacher. The marimba (/məˈrɪmbə/) is a percussion instrument consisting of a set of wooden bars struck with yarn or rubber mallets to produce musical tones. Resonators or pipes suspended…
Read MoreBike Shenandoah to honor Steve Leaman ’75
The 23rd annual Bike Shenandoah event will honor Steve Leaman, class of ’75. Steve loved biking and outdoor activities, and helped organize the ride in recent years as part of his work with Virginia Mennonite Missions. Steve was a beloved older brother of Paul Leaman, EMS head of school. Bike Shenandoah is an annual family-friendly…
Read MoreTwo Named National Merit Semi Finalists
For the first time since 2017, two Eastern Mennonite High School students have been awarded the National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist Award. Gabriel Albers and Arwen Hertzler were the only two students recognized with the award in the Shenandoah Valley in 2020. Watch a video of Justin King, high school principal, recognizing the two. The award…
Read MoreCalled to Build Community in Polarized Times
Focusing on relationships is key to de-escalating tensions in contentious times. This was the takeaway that faculty and staff heard during a seminar — held virtually via Zoom — on building community in times of polarization on August 20, before students returned to school. David Brubaker, organizational consultant and dean of the school of social…
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