Math

The Algebra and Geometry classes are off to a strong start this year. Algebra 1 students begin the year by learning about expressions and simplifying numerical and algebraic expressions using number properties. They review the use of exponents, solve simple equations, and solve word problems by translating English phrases into algebraic expressions. Soon, students will begin to use logical arguments and justify steps in solving equations.


Algebra 2 students begin the year by reviewing sets of real numbers and real number operations and properties. They write and solve equations in order to solve word problems. Students review exponential and scientific notation, and use properties to justify algebraic statements. In addition, the standard class will study analyzing and displaying data using frequency distributions and histograms.

Geometry students are introduced to the basic elements of geometry: points, lines, planes, segments, rays, and angles. Students learn the difference between a definition, a postulate and a theorem. They are also introduced to reasoning skills which they will use throughout the course. Students begin with inductive reasoning (making predictions and conjectures based on patterns they observe). This type of reasoning will lead them to a study of deductive reasoning (proving conjectures using a logical argument) in subsequent chapters of the textbook.

I am pleased with the progress students have made so far. I am looking forward to the rest of the school year.

~Michelle Greenbaum

Transitions

Transitions are difficult. We have high expectations for our teens to be able to transition well. At this time of year, we expect students to have made the transition from waking up at their leisure during the summer to waking up early for the school day. We expect them to be able to transition from class to class, on time and with all supplies. And as we wind down the fall chaggim season, we expect them to transition from 2 or 3-day school weeks to 5-day school weeks.


As I observe our Cardin students, I see that they easily live up to our expectations. They come to school cheerful – if sleepy – with smiles on their faces, ready to start each new day. While they had fantastic summers, on USY on Wheels, at camp, working, or just hanging around, Cardin students are prepared and excited to learn this school year. I’m excited, too – my before-school excitement jitters start over again each week as it feels as if we are transitioning anew after each chag – Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and later this week, Simchat Torah. I enjoy the holidays, spending time with my family and time alone contemplating what 5771 will hold and what 5770 did hold, but I also enjoy Cardin and look forward to really beginning the rigorous academic school year next week.

~Barbie Prince
Head of School

We Are Family

I will never forget when I interviewed for a job at Cardin almost five years ago.  I came early for the interview to provide me with time to observe behavior of students and faculty on a one-hall school.  My first impression was of the informal, warm interactions that was a universal for the entire community of administrators, teachers, and students.  I knew at that moment that this was a culture that was a perfect match for my values and philosophy of what a school can be.  Fortunately, I was hired to work at Cardin.  

Entering my fifth year, I am proud that my initial observation has not changed.  Cardin is a different kind of school.  A small but pluralistic group of students learn to respect each other, value their differences, and develop an attitude that the possibilites of life-long friendships are part of the Cardin culture.  Teacher-student relations are friendly, but clear-cut role divisions are understood.  Many alumni communicate with teachers via email, facebook, or visits to the school years after graduation (four graduation classes so far).  At Cardin, we are family.  Please hum the music from the famous song of this title (I love the song, but I still am reminded of the 1979 World Series with the “We Are Family” Pittsburgh Pirates. Ouch!).  I invite anyone to visit Cardin and enjoy this experience.  Student maturation and growth takes on many dimensions.  Attending a small school in a loving environment has an impact beyond academic studies.  This is the Cardin difference!

~Bob Cantor
Social Studies Chair

College Counseling

The college application season has begun! Cardin seniors have already started narrowing down their college lists and submitting college applications. In order to best support our students, the college counseling department has several events this fall to help families with this process. Ms. Schein is working closely with the other AIMS College Counselors to create community programming that will help educate our independent school communities. Here are a few of the upcoming events for Cardin students and for AIMS students.


Cardin College Night – Thursday, September 16, at 7pm in the Moadon. This is an informative meeting for all Cardin parents and students but is geared mainly at 11th and 12th grade families. I will speak about the college application process and our guest speaker will be Dale Bittinger who is the Director of Undergraduate Admissions at UMBC. Mr. Bittinger has served as the Director of Undergraduate Admissions and Orientation at UMBC - the University of Maryland, Baltimore County since 2005. He began at UMBC in 1999 as Assistant Director before moving to Associate Director. In 2007, the Chronicle of Higher Education named him as one of the "Ten Influential Admissions Deans/Directors." He holds a Master of Arts in Counseling from West Virginia University and is currently pursuing his Doctorate of Philosophy in Public Policy at UMBC. Mr. Bittinger will speak about “Finding Your Best Fit.”

PSAT – The PSAT will be administered on Wednesday, October 13th at Cardin. This exam will be given to all 10th and 11th graders during the school day. More information will be emailed to 10th and 11th grade parents and students will learn more about the PSAT in their classes.

AIMS joint Financial Aid Seminar – Wednesday, November 3, at 7 pm at Gilman School in the Alumni Auditorium. The AIMS schools will sponsor a joint financial aid talk for all AIMS students grades 9-12. The keynote speaker will be Vincent Amoroso, Director, Office of Student Financial Service at Johns Hopkins University.

JCC College Fair – Sunday, November 14, from 1-3pm at the Owings Mills JCC. This free event is geared towards 11th and 12th graders. The college fair is a great chance to learn about several colleges from admissions and alumni representatives.

~Hallie Schein
Director of College Counseling

Cardin Athletics

This year Cardin will be fielding 10 varsity sports teams including boys and girls cross country, boys and girls soccer, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, and boys and girls tennis. Our fall sports teams, cross country and soccer, have started practices and will start playing in games this week. Please check the schedule at www.highschoolsports.net for updates on games, stats, and highlights.


We are excited about this year’s sports teams. Both soccer teams won last year's conference championships and are returning most players. With the largest grade in the school being our senior class, we are looking for great chemistry, leadership and experience to be the strong points of our teams. Our students do a wonderful job of representing our school and being ambassadors for our school through sports. Come out and support their efforts.

~Foye Minton
Dean of Students and Director of Athletics

Science Fun

How many drops of water can you fit onto a penny? Ten, Twenty, Thirty? Do you have a guess? Try this experiment at home in your kitchen. All you need is a dry coin, an eye dropper, and some water. Drop one bead of water at a time onto the middle of the penny slowly and build to as many as you can. Try different techniques and locations on the dry pennies. When you are done, go ahead and do a little research into cohesion and adhesion of water. For a twist, try rubbing a drop of dish soap (ahead of time) onto a penny and challenge a friend to match you drop for drop (they get the dish soap penny).


For more activities and fun with coins visit the U.S. mint website under educators:
http://www.usmint.gov/

~Dean Whitfield
Science and Math Department Chair

As Time Goes By

May it be Your will, Lord Our God and God of our ancestors, to renew this year for us with sweetness and happiness.

In a bit of coincidence, two students who asked me to write college recommendations, mentioned that I had known them from birth. This means that I have been around here for a pretty long time and it has got me feeling a little nostalgic. So, this year, as I dip my apple slices in honey, I will think of:

~Young students of mine who have fallen in love and asked me to officiate at their weddings
~Students who I once advised, advising me
~Families gaining generations before my eyes
~Cardin graduates who keep in touch
~The constant evolution of my understanding of Torah and Judaism
~Hiring my mentor, Rabbi Zaiman, who once hired me, and seeing his students thrive in his classes.
~Apples dipped in honey every year!

~Rabbi Stuart Seltzer
Dean of Judaic Studies

Back to School, Again

There’s a certain “something” about going back to school, and one can feel it almost palpably at Cardin. For myself, this is my 45th (!!!) back-to-school in my life, 29 of which have been “on the other side of the desks” – but it’s still exciting and a little nerve-wracking (after all these years, I don’t sleep well the night before, so full of anticipation). There are “new school year’s resolutions” (be more organized, keep on top of things better, and so forth), new supplies (nothing like the smell of freshly-sharpened pencils), new classes (tend to be quiet at first, then quickly become more confident at this school), and so forth. For those of us who’ve been around the institution for a few years (I was part of the founding faculty), there are “old” faces to greet (how did your summer go?) and “new” faces to meet (hi, welcome to Cardin). An anecdote: you know what a special place Cardin is when graduates of the opening class (’07) come back to see old faculty, and to help set up the school, as happened with me this past Sunday. This year, things are a little weird – just over a week’s worth of classes, and then 4.5 days off for Rosh Hashanah – a somewhat foreshortened week thereafter, for Yom Kippur, and then two very short weeks for Sukkot and Simchat Torah….and then September’s over! I wish everyone the best of luck for the coming school year – may it be a year of learning and growing, challenge and opportunity, sweetness and laughter!

Leslie Smith Rosen
Dean of General Studies

The First Day of School

Welcome Back Cardin Community! This new school year, like all that I can remember, is filled with fresh clean notebooks, confusing locker combinations, and of course, excitement. Our first day started with a school-wide gathering in Minyan and ended with a school-wide gathering that included ice cream sundaes, laughter, and reflection. I imagine our freshmen parents dropped their kids off feeling a mixture of emotions – enthusiasm for what’s to come, and sadness for the loss of their “little ones”. I know a lot about this blend of feelings first-hand since I brought my youngest child to school for her first day of kindergarten today. I’m sure we also share a comfortable feeling of relief knowing that our children are in really capable hands.



Jackie Villet
School Counselor

Rabbi Chaitovsky blows
the shofar for Elul.

A wave hello from the Cardin community.

Ruach!!

Miles Greenspoon, Shira Glushakow-Smith,
Leah Prince, and Adina Golub are happy to see each
other after the summer break.

Adina Shanholtz, Yeri Robinson, Ze'ev Beleck and Joey Danick
pose for the camera.

Deena Lucas and Dora Safanova