Fall 2015 Jr.K-12, College Preparatory Private School, Dublin, CA www.QuarryLane.org

Pencil Drawingby Amy Kim, Alumna

QLS ALumni…Where Are They noW?

The list below are some of the nation’s top schools that have accepted Quarry Lane alumni.Brown UniversityCarnegie MellonClark University Columbia UniversityCornell UniversityDartmouth College Drexel University Emory UniversityGeorgetown University Georgia Institute of TechnologyHarvard University Johns Hopkins UniversityLoyola Marymount University New York UniversityNortheastern UniversityNorthwestern UniversityPenn StatePrinceton UniversityRice University Saint Mary’s CollegeStanford University University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, DavisUniversity of California, IrvineUniversity of California, Los Angeles University of California, RiversideUniversity of California, San DiegoUniversity of ChicagoUniversity of MarylandUniversity of North Carolina - Chapel HillUniversity of Southern California Vanderbilt University Whitman UniversityWhittier University

CeLebrATing TWenTy Five YeArS of QuArry LAne

Welcome back, Cougars! Although I say it every year, there is something about the beginning

of the school year that lifts my spirits. Perhaps it is the enthusiasm and joy that infuses the campus as our students and staff begin a new adventure. Or, perhaps it is the excitement of anticipating the unique and exciting moments that occur with every school year. Nevertheless, it is undoubtedly one of my favorite times of the year.

This year will mark the 25th anniver-sary of The Quarry Lane School. On one hand, it seems that 25 years flew by in an instant. On the other hand, when I think of all that we’ve accomplished and how far we have come—the memories made, the milestones and dreams achieved and most importantly, the students we have shaped and transformed within these campus halls over the last 25 years—I am profoundly moved by all that has been accomplished in that time. As Headmaster and Founder of Quarry Lane, I take immense pride in all of our students’ achievements—whether it’s robotics and engineering, speech and debate, visual and performing arts, or ath-letics from students both past and pres-ent. I know I speak on behalf of the entire Quarry Lane community when I say that their achievements are ours.

All of this could not have been possible

without the passionate and brilliant staff and faculty members who have brought the dream of Quarry Lane to life each and every day, and without the support of our amazing families and students who have contributed so much to the history and legacy of our school. To each and every one of you, I would like to personally extend an overwhelming “thank you.”

Twenty-five years ago, we started Quarry Lane with just 12 preschool students and a dream—a dream to build a school that truly inspires an authentic love of learning, one that prepares students for success as global citizens and agents of change. Twenty-five years later, we have grown into three sep-arate campuses with over 1,200 students enrolled; we have graduated students who have gone on to prestigious universities and are indeed becoming tomorrow’s leaders.

It has been a long, fruitful and rewarding path to get where we are. Throughout that time, and through the passion, commitment and diligence of our students, faculty and staff, we recognized as one of the top edu-cational institutions in the nation.

Yet the dream continues and I believe the best is yet to come. I have always believed that improvement never stops; that there is always room to be better. This is espe-cially true for Quarry Lane. As the world shifts underneath our feet, so to must our

approach to teaching and our unending pursuit to better ourselves and prepare our students for the world of tomorrow.

As I look back over the last 25 years with pride, I look forward to our future. What will the next 25 years bring to Quarry Lane? I predict that we will be leaps and bounds ahead of where we are today in all areas of education. What I know for sure is that we will continue to lead the educational field in innovation, academic excellence and in building the foundation for tomorrow’s innovators and leaders.

With that, I wish you all a wonderful, exciting and inspiring school year ahead and on to the next 25 years!

QuArry LAne LAuncheS SpeAker SerieS: Aiming To EmpoWer Women

This fall, Quarry Lane launched a speaker series aimed at empowering women in the fields of science,

technology and engineering. The series launched on September 22. Featured from Netflix were Ashley Sprague, Director of IT; Amie Tornincasa, Technical Senior Program Manager; Devika Chawal, Engineering Director and Alisa Peters, Sr. Software Engineer; as well as Lisa Buccino, Senior Intellectual Property Attorney from SAP.

Among the new courses being offered neIt was standing room only in the Villa auditorium as the Upper School students listened to these accomplished women share their stories, thoughts and advice on being a woman in the tech industry. From how each found her path into technology

to their personal anecdotes on how they dealt with overcoming stereotypes, each speaker provided the students with her own unique perspective on being a woman

in a historically male-dominated industry. “For me, being one of the few women in my class to pursue a technology degree, was more motivating,” described Amie Tornincasa. “Being in that position, fueled my motivation to prove myself and do better.” Following the panel discussion, several students took the opportunity to connect with the speakers one-on-one.

“Our goal in launching this series is to empower our female student body to rise above any barriers or expectations,” says Andrea Gia Bevilacqua, Dean of Student Affairs and lead organizer for the series. “By engaging with professionals and thought-leaders in these fields, we hope to further spark an interest and encourage more girls to pursue paths in science, engineering and

technology; these are fields where women are largely underrepresented.”

The series will feature one speaker, or panel of speakers, each month throughout the school year from various backgrounds and organizations throughout the Bay Area. “Being in the Bay Area, gives us a great advantage,” says Ms. Bevilacqua. “To have so many leading organizations in Silicon Valley and all throughout the Bay Area, is a great resource for our students.”

In conjunction with the speaker series, students have the opportunity to participate in field trips to the offices or headquarters of some of the featured speakers. As a prelude to the opening speaker event, a group of approximately 18 female high school students travelled to the Netflix

QLS Summer AdvenTureS: TrAnSformATive ExperienceS of A LifeTime

Each summer, Quarry Lane students embark on new adventures, be it through world travel, challenging

internships, or other exciting events. For two Quarry Lane seniors in particular, the summer brought eye-opening, transformative experiences that they will carry with them for a lifetime.

Senior Dane Quijano Sur’s whirlwind summer began shortly after school ended when he boarded a plane headed to Annapolis, Maryland to attend the United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar. The seminar, an intense six-day experience, is offered exclusively to young men and women preparing to enter their senior year in high school. During their stay, students participate in all aspects of life at the Naval Academy including

physical training, academic and leadership programs. For Dane, whose top choice for college is the Naval Academy, the seminar was especially beneficial. “My week at Summer Seminar started off with learning about life in a Service Academy and attending short introductory classes to different subjects that I’m interested in, such as aeronautical engineering, and ended with Sea Trials,” describes Dane. “I learned more about the academy and what it has to offer, while experiencing a taste of what it is like to be a student (midshipman) there.”

Shortly after the seminar at the Naval Academy, Dane traveled to Lowell, Massachusetts for the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders. Dane was nominated to attend the Congress to

represent California by astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Science Director of the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists. During the event, Dane heard notable speakers including Dr. David Wineland, winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physics, and Dean Kamel, inventor of the Segway and the first drug infusion pump. It also gave him the opportunity to meet and network with other honor students from all over the country.

For his final trip of the summer, Dane traveled to West Lafayette, Indianapolis to attend the Purdue University Seminar for Top Engineering Prospects (STEP). At the week-long seminar, Dane, along with three other teammates, worked on a number of engineering projects, competing against other teams in a multifaceted engineering

design competition. In addition to his group work, he also attended both aeronautical and material engineering classes, and

Dane (bottom row, second from left) at the U.S. Naval Academy Summer Seminar

Sincerely,

Sabri Arac, Ph.D.Head of School

Quarry Lane group at the Netflix headquarters in Los Gatos, CA

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Education is a lifelong commitment. This statement serves as the backbone of the Quarry

Lane community and perhaps the best student representation of this would be QLS senior, Tanishka Chellani. Tanishka’s passion for education—specifically education reform, combined with her diligence and leadership qualities, make her the perfect embodiment of Quarry Lane’s motto. As an aspiring education reformer and policy maker, Tanishka is dedicated to making education meaningful and accessible to everyone. “I believe education is one of

the biggest tools we have against issues such as poverty and radicalism,” she says.

Tanishka enrolled in Quarry Lane for her freshman year. Having experienced different models of teaching and education systems, and entering a more student-driven, in-depth learning experience at Quarry Lane led to her passion for education reform. “What inspires me is the belief that education is empowering,” she says. “The confidence one gains from a quality education and the

impact it can have on someone is truly inspiring.”

At Quarry Lane, Tanishka serves as co-president of the Harvard Model Congress Club, editor and writer of the school newspaper, member of the Model UN Competition Team and Founder and Captain of the Quarry Lane Speech and Debate Team. Inspired by her interest in public speaking, she helped to establish the team under the guidance of speech and debate coach, Mr. Mike Smith. What began as a small core group of seven students, has since grown to a dynamic, award-winning team and one of Quarry Lane’s most popular activities.

The team earned statewide recognition when Tanishka, along with her partner, Meha Ahluwalia, qualified for the State Championship Tournament last March.

“Here’s the thing about Tanishka,” says Mr. Smith, “how many kids get to say that they left something behind for other kids to build on? It’s rare that kids leave legacies for their schools, but that’s exactly what Tanishka has done. She was there at the beginning of our debate program when she and her partner were our only entrants in our first tournament. Not only did Tanishka go from there to qualify for state championships, she also helped our program go from just those two kids to dozens and dozens of speaker and debaters. As much as Tanishka has accomplished for herself, she has accomplished even more for everyone associated with our program and our school.”

TEACHER Spotlight

Student Spotlight

Last spring, Quarry Lane wel-comed Dr. John Rogosic to the Upper School science and en-

gineering department. A graduate of MIT with a PhD in materials science and engineering, Dr. Rogosic joined Quarry Lane with a background in teaching, predominantly at the college level. He worked as a teaching assis-tant and lecturer at MIT as well as at edX—a non-profit, open-source pro-vider of online, university-level courses.

As for her own favorite period of history, shThe decision to seek a teaching opportunity at the high school level came, in part, from a desire to reach students at a more impactful level. “I had always enjoyed teaching the freshman and sophomore courses the most at MIT, rather than the upper level or graduate courses,” he says. “I felt that interacting

with younger students left greater room for impact and mentoring opportunities. Expanding my horizons to teach high school students and reach students at such a transformative stage of their educational paths, seemed like a natural progression for me.”

Dr. Rogosic’s interest in science stemmed from his 8th grade physical sciences class where his teacher, Mrs. Brand, employed an independent-thinking style to her approach. “Mrs. Brand really emphasized independent thought and decision making; she focused on learning over grades,” he describes. “She also talked about the broader context of topics which made her class—and science, in general—really fun and interesting. She was one of the main reasons for my interest in science.” He went on to have Mrs. Brand in both 10th and 11th grades and his love

for science continued as he went on to attend MIT.

At Quarry Lane, Dr. Rogosic serves as the Department Chair for the Upper School Applied Science and Engineering department, and teaches several courses as well. Part of his role as Department Chair consists of curriculum development and course design where—inspired by the method that sparked his own passion in science—he has placed an emphasis on the process of learning. Several of Quarry Lane’s new biology and chemistry courses this year blend traditional science curriculum with more critical thinking, project and experimental design, and teamwork elements. “Through this shift, students will learn the majority

of the core biology and chemistry concepts as they would in a traditional course,” he describes, “but they also spend more time thinking about these concepts in the

context of relevant applications.”His perspective and style

of teaching has fit in well at Quarry Lane. “Dr. Rogosic has been a wonderful addition to the Quarry Lane faculty,” says Dr. Sabri Arac, Headmaster and Founder of Quarry Lane. “At Quarry Lane, we constantly strive to provide relevant learning experiences, utilizing hands-on teaching methods.

His philosophy and ideas on how to continue building upon our strong science curriculum aligns perfectly with our goals at Quarry Lane and I am excited to see the department grow under his leadership.”

Close Up

TAniShkA CheLLAni: A Passion for Education

KAirAn QuAzi: Master Communicator and Extraodinary Student

2

World traveler, martial artist, pianist, ESL tutor, aspiring astronaut and undercover FBI

agent are just a few titles you could assign to first grade student, Kairan Quazi. However, to sum him up in one word, extraordinary, might fit the bill. Kairan joined Quarry Lane on his third birthday and has lit up his classrooms with his wit, charm and inquisitive nature ever since. “Kairan is a bright and inquisitive young boy,” says Ms. Olson, Kairan’s homeroom teacher. “He is always eager to teach others what he knows.”

At just two years old, Kairan was designated as “verbally gifted” by his doctors and according to Kairan’s parents, “He hasn’t stopped talking ever since”. Kairan’s propensity for speaking

also extends to other languages. He has begun his third year of both Mandarin and Spanish, and serves as ESL tutor to his aunt who attends college.

Like many of his classmates, Kairan is involved in a number of extra-curricular activities, including swimming, martial arts and piano. And, like any ambitious, goal-oriented first grader, he has set goals for himself in each endeavor. In swimming, which he has done since he was two years old, he would like to work on his speed in order to compete in races when he’s older. For martial arts, Kairan is determined to earn a black belt by the time he is nine years old. This year, he has his sights set on playing “The Star Spangled Banner” on the piano at the spring recital.

In addition, and, according to Kairan himself, he is the youngest person on record to be hired by the FBI. When asked what he does at the agency, he cautiously answers, “I’m a guard” and declines to reveal any further information. It should be noted, however, that his parents take no responsibility for the validity of this claim.

In his six and a half years, Kairan has traveled the globe to destinations including Costa Rica (a trip he took prenatal, but insists that it counts), Bangladesh, Malaysia, Great Britain, Canada, Mexico and most recently, a trip to Istanbul, Turkey this past summer. His

dream destination, however, is to visit the Pyramids of Khufu, otherwise known as

the Great Pyramids of Giza, in Egypt.

If all goes according to plan, Kairan’s travel destinations will expand astronomically when he fulfills his mission of becoming an astronaut. “I want to become the first astronaut to survive traveling into a black hole,” he says. With his love for science and math, clever charm and determination,

there is no doubt that Kairan is well on his way to achieving his dreams.

As Quarry Lane introduced the subject specialization teaching model to the Lower School

curriculum this fall, we also welcomed several new educators to theLower School faculty. Though each hail from varied backgrounds, they all share one common thread—their passion for teaching, especially in their areas of specialization. For fifth grade homeroom teacher and writing, grammar and vocabulary specialist, Elisa Zercoe, Quarry Lane has been the perfect fit.

In a quest for change, including a desire to work in a college preparatory environment with a smaller student-to-teacher ratio and to hone

her skills as a specialized educator, Ms. Zercoe followed her heart, which led her to Quarry Lane. Here, she has found herself at home among the Quarry Lane community, and is grateful for her

experience so far this year. “I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to work with such promising, dedicated and talented students,” she says. “I am equally thankful for the support that I have received from parents and staff as a ‘new face’ on campus”.

Ms. Zercoe came to Quarry Lane with an extensive background in education in both the public and private

sector, along with a passionate interest in the process of student writing. In regard to her goals for her students this

year, Ms. Zercoe says, “I hope that they will find ‘their voice’ or at least, as young writers, being to develop that voice, and also appreciate the writing of their peers through dialogue and observation.”

She also hopes to instill in her students the importance of the written word; be it through the poetic lyrics of a musician, or the journals of our foremothers and forefathers. Finding relevance and making the “connection” that writing is carried throughout the academic disciplines, she hopes, will be one of the most valuable lessons taught in her classroom.

As for her teaching style, Ms. Zercoe says, “If you ask my former students about me, they will surely tell you that I’m “a fair teacher (sometimes serious) but really funny, too!’”. To which she admits, “I’m a Swiss-Italian girl who

loves to use a lot of hand gestures and an animated voice when I teach!” One quality that is always present in her classroom is passion. “I believe that any student can gain interest in a subject matter, if you present it with ‘passion’ and knowledge,” she says. And while she fully believes in being prepared, she also treasures the spontaneous moments that can happen in the classroom. To Ms. Zercoe, those are “gifts of gold.”

In her spare time, Ms. Zercoe often expresses herself through writing and art, and nurtures her thirst for knowledge through reading. When asked about whether she had a favorite book or author, she says, “Anything that makes me think deeply; reflect; or provides new knowledge or a newfound appreciation for humankind and nature.”

ELiSA Zercoe: Helping Students Find Their Voice

John RogoSic: Emphasizing the Learning Process at Quarry Lane

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RiSeFeatures

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A Look BAck AT QuArry LAne

In the spirit of empowering women in the fields of science, engineering and technology, we invited Quarry Lane faculty member Dr. Andrea Peoples-Marwah to contribute an article and share

her thoughts on the topic. Dr. Peoples-Marwah teaches Life Science, Biology, and IB Environmental Systems at Quarry Lane.

As a child growing up in Akron, Ohio, I would awaken each day to the sounds and smells

of industry. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, BF Goodrich and Firestone—the three powerhouses of the time, kept many afloat with employment, with opportunity. My Dad worked at the chemical plant at Goodyear and each day, he would share stories with us about the travels of chemists, engineers and biologists to Mexico for rubber from the rubber tree plant. I wanted to know more. In between wanting to be an actress, I wanted to be one of those scientists too—I

wanted to do it all.I wanted to rise. This is how and where my journey began. I remember my middle school was

next door to the Goodyear Chemistry Research Building where I’d look out of the windows of my classroom into the windows of the world reflecting my curiosity—my chosen path.I knew lots of research was going on and I yearned to someday get my hands on the wealth of knowledge. As I peered through those windows, however, there was something amiss—I noticed mostly men and very few women going into the building. Each day that number remained the same. And each day, I’d go home and ask why. My parents said to me repeatedly, “You are deserving and will someday make a change.” In time, through failures and successes, with the support of those who had faith in me, and gaining strength from women scientists before me, I arrived.

I would like to see more young ladies become involved in the sciences.There isn’t any room for intimidation. There isn’t any room for sexism or racism or power plays in the sciences and beyond. There is room for change. When I see the female student population here at Quarry, I see the future of tomorrow’s science—biologists, chemists, engineers from all platforms and abilities. I see tomorrow’s

future in my classroom today. The next time you find yourself looking

through the lens of a microscope, think about Dr. Ruth Ella Moore, the first African-American woman to receive a Doctorate in Bacteriology. When you look into the sky and you wonder about space travel—think about Dr. Kalpana Chalwa—the first Indian-American woman astronaut in space. The next time you think about exploring Antarctica, think of Dr. Mary Alice McWhinnie—the world’s first woman Chief Scientist at an Antarctic research station. When you are informed about research on vaccinations, think of Dr. Ruby Hirose—a Japanese chemist who created a vaccine for infantile paralysis. When you dream of traveling to far off lands, think of Dr. Bertha Parker Pallan Cody—the first female Native American archeologist. And when you reflect on becoming a strong leader in a science organization, think of Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu—the first Chinese woman physicist to work on the Manhattan Project and was the first President of the American Physical Society.

Let those pioneers lead you to your own path and down the road, when someone thinks of something fascinating in life, let that someone think of you.

By Dr. Andrea Peoples-MarwahQuarry Lane Instructor

By Ms. Gabrielle KaplanLower School Director

QLS Summer AdvenTureS

toured the university’s engineering facilities. For this aspiring engineer, the experience was richly rewarding. “It was a great opportunity to meet and interact with other students who have similar career interests,” says Dane. “All in all, I learned a lot from each of my experiences this summer. It opened my eyes to the different options within engineering, strengthened my resolve to attend the Naval Academy and prepared me a bit more for life after graduation.”

Senior Tanishka Chellani’s summer experience took her halfway across the world to Bangalore, India. There she taught lessons on empowerment and public speaking to a group of approximately 120 children spanning grades five through seven from underprivileged backgrounds. Tanishka is president of the Bay Area Youth Chapter of Akshaya Patra, an internationally acclaimed non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating childhood hunger and promoting education for underserved children in India. It was through this role that she gained the opportunity to work at one of the schools sponsored by the organization. The opportunity proved to be a deeply impactful experience for the aspiring education reformer.

“I learned a lot about the differences in mentality, or mindsets, in India versus here in the United States, and how much that had an impact on the education system,” says Tanishka. “I sensed that teaching in that area is one-sided in that students are taught to absorb facts and concepts that are taught to them without question. So, for me to come in and encourage questions, and encourage the students to think critically—from all sides—about a concept, was a huge change, but one that I found the students welcomed wholeheartedly.”

Tanishka employed a multitude of teaching styles during her stay in India in order to analyze the effects each method had on the students. She hopes her findings, along with the insights she gleaned through speaking with local educators, students and individuals, will allow her to gain an understanding of reform policies that can improve the education system in rural India as well as in the U.S.

“While the mentality about education and education systems are extremely different in rural India and the U.S., I think you can ultimately find some universal similarities.” she describes. “For one, the system in India is very numerical. Success is measured through numbers, which I think can be often said about the system here.”

As for what she personally took away from the experience, she says, “What struck me profoundly was just how many questions these kids had—about everything and anything. You might think that because they are from an underprivileged area, that they might also be limited in terms of the topics or areas that they are interested in, but I found that simply not true at all. I learned that circumstances or backgrounds have no impact on the capacity for learning, or depth of understanding. For instance, one of the most popular topics of discussion was women’s empowerment. I realized that the only difference between these kids, and someone like me at their age, is simply opportunity.”

While their summer experiences were vastly different, both Dane and Tanishka took enormous strides in the paths they plan to pursue after high school and created memories along the way that are certain to leave a lasting impression.

As our com-m u n i t y prepares to

celebrate the 25th Anniversary of The Quarry Lane School, I cannot help but reminisce about the years I have been a part of QLS. Although I have been the Di-rector of the Low-

er School for the past nine years, my affiliation with the Quarry Lane School began twelve years ago.

I initially came to be a part of the Quarry Lane community as a parent. I was looking for a place for my children to grow, learn and feel at home. A place where my children could remain for the duration of their education, where I could be a part of their experience, and where educators would foster curiosity and a love for learning in them.

The first day I walked onto the Boulder Street campus, I knew I was somewhere

special. Having completed my college and graduate studies in education, and being a teacher myself, I knew that Quarry Lane would be that home away from home for my children, and that in this program they would be exposed to the most engaging and well-rounded curriculum I could find. I believed that when I enrolled, and it holds true today.

I was so taken with the school that I jumped in to be as much a part of the program as I could be. I spent the next three years as Parent Association President, helping to plan and execute the social and community events of the school. As my time on campus grew, so did my level of involvement. My relationship to the school and to the administration grew stronger every year. Little did I know, my involvement would lead to my current role as an administrator.

Those that make up the community of Quarry Lane have become my extended family. We work, play and celebrate together. Some favorite memories of mine are: my first experience with

“Muffins for Moms” when my sons wrote poems to me at the Pleasanton East campus, the ribbon cutting ceremony at the Pleasanton West campus, my first WASC Accreditation when we received the maximum accreditation term, and the school-wide celebration that took place on the Dublin campus the day the traffic signal was fully functional—the last step before we were allowed to move into the Upper School. We immediately turned around from the streetlight, and had all of the Upper School students grab a desk and walk into the new building. It was like moving our family into a new home.

My sons Mason and Aaron, now a 17-year-old junior, and a 14-year-old freshman, respectively, both still here at Quarry Lane, consider QLS their home away from home. When asked by friends and family, “How do you feel about being in the same school since you where in pre-k?” my sons answer, “This is my school. Where else would I go? This is where we belong.” I am happy to say that this is where I belong as well.

Tanishka Chellani with Principal Geetha of HAL School in India

Outside of school, Tanishka immerses herself in a variety of activities that weave together her passion for education reform, politics, public speaking and global issues. Among them, she is a writer and contributor for Forest of the Rain Productions, a non-profit, educational affairs organization. Through the organization, she has been able to share her views on the education system via podcasts and published writings. Tanishka also serves as President of the Youth Chapter of the Akshaya Patra Foundation, a non-profit organization working to address two of India’s biggest challenges—hunger and education.

Through Akshaya Patra, Tanishka received the opportunity to travel to Bangalore, India this past summer to teach a group of approximately 120 underprivileged children about empowerment and public speaking. Employing a variety of teaching styles, Tanishka used her experience to gain a

better perspective on the type of reforms needed to improve the educational system in rural India and correlate her findings with reform policies she views as necessary in the U.S. “One of the things that I observed during my experience was that if given the opportunity to speak their mind and ask the questions that they want to ask,” she describes, “the children’s potential and desire to learn is limitless. Allowing them the opportunity to question concepts and theories, fosters critical thinking skills which, I believe, are absolutely valuable to learning.” Her reflections on her experience in India will be found in a paper to be published via Forest of the Rain Productions.

If there is one thing to be said about Tanishka, perhaps it is that with everything she does, she does it with passion—much like one of her role models, Quarry Lane instructor and mentor of the Health Awareness Club, Dr. Andrea Peoples-Marwah. “I love that

she [Dr. Peoples-Marwah] approaches everything with an insane amount of passion,” says Tanishka. “I find that very inspiring!” For Dr. Peoples-Marwah, the sentiment goes both ways. “Tanishka certainly has earned her rank among my educational colleagues the world over,” she says. “Her educational research in India and the U.S. has garnered her much respect. She is going to make things happen and I am so very proud of her!”

In regards to her future goals, Tanishka hopes to attend one of her top college choices that include Barnard College, George Washington University and Boston College—all schools with strong political science programs. As for her long-term aspirations, she has her sights set on becoming Secretary of Education. With her drive, passion and commitment to education, there is no doubt that she can attain that goal.

TAniShkA CheLLAni: A Passion for Education

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UPCOMING EVENTSNovember 18 - IB Information Night (Upper School)

November 23-27 Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)

December 11 - Winter Arts Festival

January 31 - Quarry Lane Open House (1-4 p.m. Dublin Campus; 3-5 p.m. Preschool)

Staff Writer and Graphic Designer: Jonni ZukauskasSLATE is published by The Quarry Lane School.

Dublin Campus - Jr.K-12 | 6363 Tassajara Rd., Dublin, CA 94568 | 925.829.8000 Pleasanton West Campus - Preschool | 4444B Black Ave., Pleasanton, CA 94566 | 925.462.6300

Pleasanton East Campus - Preschool| 3750 Boulder St., Pleasanton, CA 94566 | 925.846.9400

www.QuarryLane.org

DirecT SAvingS:$10,343 x 4 yrs. = $41,372 Annual Cost

$40,000

$35,000

$30,000

$25,000

$20,000

$15,000

$10,000

The Quarry

Lane School

Average cost of

Top Bay Area

Independent

College

Preparatory

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IndirecT SAvingS:International Baccalaureate Diploma

Programme •College Credit - Potentially save 1-2 years of college - Potentially advance career earlier = $$$

Acceptance to top colleges •Better job opportunities = top salaries & top positionsThese numbers are based on the 2014-2015 academic school year.

AT The QuArry LAne SchooL, there is no relationship between tuition spending and student achievement. QLS provides results for less.

Student Life

4

headquarters in Los Gatos, CA in early September for a day full of informative, inspiring and engaging presentations. Students heard from various teams within Netflix including the Enterprise Platforms team, UI Engineering team, Data Analytics and more. The day concluded with a panel discussion comprised of women leaders from various departments of the organization. During the emotionally-charged discussion, the panel members spoke of their own personal struggles and triumphs that they experienced in breaking into the technology industry. Listening to the speakers share their personal experiences was a highlight for many of the students who participated. “My favorite part was having the chance to ask these women, who came from all walks of life, about their journey through engineering,” says sophomore Isabella Ruiz. “Their stories were outstanding and it was inspiring to learn that despite all of the hoops they had to leap through, they were still able to get to where they are today, working for a multi-billion dollar company that entertains millions. I truly believe that if they could succeed, then anyone can.”

QLS junior Sena Adansi, who came to the field trip with the inclination to pursue a business degree after high school, found the experience eye-opening. “The entire

experience was fantastic,” she describes. “I loved being able to get inside the operations of the company and it really opened up a new field of interest to me. My favorite part of the visit was learning about the general functions of each sector of the company. It let me know the options available and what I would need to do to achieve those types of jobs.”

For Quarry Lane Head of School and Founder, Dr. Sabri Arac, the speaker series exemplifies Quarry Lane’s mission of creating an educational atmosphere that inspires students to believe in their dreams and, more importantly, themselves. “At Quarry Lane, we have always aspired to create an atmosphere that encourages our students to adopt a ‘limitless mindset’,” he says. “Limitless, in that we want our students to know no boundaries, to know and believe that they can achieve anything they set their minds to. I truly believe our students will be the future leaders and innovators of tomorrow. With women sorely underrepresented in the industries of technology, science and engineering, we want to open the minds of our female students to the possibility of a career in those fields and strive to provide opportunities to foster this initiative. Launching this speaker series is another way for us to continue this pursuit.”

QuArry LAne CeLebrATeS 25Th AnniverSAry

This January will mark the twenty-fifth anniversay of The Quarry Lane School. To commemorate this special occassion, we asked several of the QLS staff and community members to share their thoughts

and favorite memories from the past 25 years. The Quarry Lane School would like to thank our extraordinary families, students, faculty and staff members for their commitment and support over the last 25 years.

“QLS is our home away from home. We are in our 10th year here and there in never

a dull moment! We came for 3rd grade because it was a great fit. We stayed for middle school because of the math, Mandarin and P.E. programs. We stayed for high school beacuse of the curriculum and IB program. We are so happy here. Happy student = happy parent! Happy anniversary Quarry Lane!”

- Sur Family (family of Dane Quijano Sur ‘15)

“After 18 years at Quarry Lane, I can say that it has been great to see Dr. Arac’s vision come true and continue to grow over the years. I have absolutely loved being here!”

- Meredith Olson (Lower School faculty member)

“Congratulations to Dr. Arac and the entire Quarry Lane community! I am proud to be a part of a school that embraces the holistic view of the student and views language and culture as a valuable asset. We have a beautiful community of students. Gracias! Felicidades a todo!”

- Marian Odda-Steahly (Upper School Spanish instructor)

“Wow! This is my 12th year at The Quarry Lane School Dublin campus . When I first began teaching here, it was a lot smaller than it is today. We had our Junior K through middle school students housed in what is now the Lower School building. The news was buzzing around about the wonderful and exciting growth that was soon to take place. I witnessed firsthand the groundbreaking ceremony for the current Upper School building and field area. I remember seeing newspaper and television reporters on campus to cover the event. It was truly an exciting and memorable day in Quarry Lane history!”

- Marice Lindberg (Lower School faculty member)

CougAr AThLeTicS: SenA AdAnSi - LeveLing The PLAying FieLd In the world of Quarry Lane soccer,

junior Sena Adansi is a female competing in a male world. Sena

became the first girl to join the varsity boys’ soccer team at Quarry Lane this fall after seeing that a girls’ team would not be available this season. When she asked to join the team, Quarry Lane Athletics Director Sandor Ceballos had no hesitation in agreeing. “We have thought about forming a girls’ team as interest has been building, but we haven’t quite gotten to that point yet,” he says. “Sena is an amazing person and an outstanding athlete, so there was no question that she would be a great addition to the team. If having her on the team serves as inspiration for other girls who might be hesitant to reach out, I would consider that a wonderful added bonus.”

Sena came into the team with a few doubts about whether she would be able to “fit in” with a team full of boys, but those were quickly dispelled, as she

was welcomed with open arms. “Coach Miguel Salamanca treats me like any other,” she describes. “I get to do just as many push-ups as anyone else!”

The team has enjoyed one of their best seasons on record, with the possibility of qualifying for the division playoffs for the first time in school history. When asked about Sena’s impact on the team this year, Coach Salamanca replied, “I have been so impressed with Sena. She is one of the first players that I put on my whiteboard every game and has started in every game she’s played in. Despite her demanding schedule, she has made it work like many of our exemplary student athletes. Sena has

played in the right back position for us all season and was recognized as ‘player of the match’ for three of our games. Her strength in defense and composure on

the ball make her one of the best players not only on our team, but also in our league. I commend her for talent on the field, for being a pioneering athlete for our school and a model student, but moreover, for being a wonderful and determined human being.”

And while she u n d e r s t a n d s t h e significance of her membership on the team, for Sena, it was never

about making a statement or breaking barriers. Simply

put, she just wanted to play, and to play by all of the rules. “I don’t feel like an outcast on the team because my efforts

are not masked by my gender. Therefore, I don’t believe I should be exempt from any of the mandatory, grueling exercises that everyone else performs,” she says. “I see myself as a player without a label. Such stated, I am not the only girl on the team. I am Sena Adansi, and I wear jersey #5. I believe that I am a member of the team like any other, and I am so grateful to be seen as one.”

Although she sees herself as just another player on the team, Mr. Ceballos sees Sena’s role on the team as a testament to the philosophy of Quarry Lane athletics. “As we continue to grow and strengthen the athletics program at Quarry Lane, at the very core, our goal is to promote a true understanding of good sportsmanship and teamwork,” he says. “Sena’s performance both on and off the field and the support she’s received from the entire team and community is a shining example of what our athletics program is all about.”

QLS soccer team member Sena Adansi

QuArry LAne LAuncheS SpeAker SerieS: Aiming to Empower Women...Continued from Page 2

Sophomore Ana Sumbo speaking to Alisa Peters, Senior Software Engineer at Netflix