Thornton Donovan School
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Contents |
[edit] History
The Thornton-Donovan School (lovingly called TD) was founded as the New Rochelle School and Kindergarten in New Rochelle, New York. It was founded by Judge Martin Jerome Keogh in 1901 for his children, but eventually included the children of a number of family friends. The first teacher and headmistress was Miss Emily Scott Thornton, a Philadelphia native educated at University College Nottingham, now the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom.
The school is now at its third campus, on Overlook Circle in the affluent Beechmont neighborhood of New Rochelle. It inhabits three former homes, including the former J.W.R. Crawford estate, now the Main Building.
The third and current headmaster is Mr. Douglas E. Fleming, Jr., a graduate of Columbia University.
[edit] TD in the Present
International and independent, The Thornton-Donovan School is now a New York State accredited high school educating over 175 students in grades K-12 every year.
In the summer, the school also holds a summer camp program, in its 38th consecutive year. Children aged 3-14 are permitted to join the program. The children are split into two divisions: Play School (3-7 years) and sports fitness (7-14 years). They participate in a wide variety of sports. Activities include: tennis, softball, hockey, swimming, arts and crafts, karate, dance, basketball, soccer, trampolining, capture the flag, an outdoor playset and kickball. The older group is also transported to a bowling alley every Friday, where the children have the chance to bowl.
The school features a swimming pool, an outdoor playset, woodchips, a driveway, more than thirty trees, a large field, a basketball/tennis court, three buildings, a parking lot/hackey-sack arena, a parrot, and a shed for arts and crafts which is used only during the summer. The patron saint of the shed is Ms. Mino, the Jailkeeper.
Watch a video [1] about the Thornton-Donovan School
[edit] Thematic Education
Middle and Upper School curricula are themed each year on an area of the world. Students are exposed to a dynamic course of learning throughout the year learning not only about international cultures, but politics, history and the arts in an interdisciplinary and experiential context.
A rigorous course of learning is punctuated by a spring-time trip to locations associated with the year's theme. Students, faculty and friends can all join for an exceptional educational excursion.
Year | Themes | Trip Locations | Highlights |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Italy | ||
1998 | Romancing the Stone | New Mexico & Arizona | Residence with families on the Zuni tribal reservation |
1999 | The Unfinished symphony | Austria | Trip to UNO headquarters in Vienna |
2000 | The Philosopher's Apprentice | Greece & Turkey | Cruise around the Greek Islands |
2001 | Dare to Dream | Spain & Morocco | Residence with families in Marbella, Spain on the Costa Del Sol |
2002 | New York State of Mind | New York | Ending the trip in Montreal |
2003 | Islands in the Sun | Key West, Florida | |
2004 | New Orleans, Virginia, Washington, DC, Philadelphia | ||
2005 | Lincoln Monumental, Lands of Lincoln | Philadelphia & Washington, DC; Illinois & Missouri | |
2006 | Commemorating Churchill | London | |
2007 | Land of the Rising Sun | Japan |
[edit] The Arts & Community Connections
- The mural "The Constellations" on the first floor of TD's main building was painted by Alton S. Tobey
- The Lumen Martin Winter house was TD's second acquisition for the current campus. Winter's mosaic is in the United Nations' headquarters in Manhattan. There is also a mural by him titled "Aspiration" in the school's main building.
- The school has many connections to Lion's Club International, a worldwide service organization.
[edit] School Culture
Thornton Donovan has a fun, intellegent and quirky school culture. Inside jokes and random antics are normal both during the school year and on upper school trips.
[edit] External links
[edit] Alumni on the Web
- Joey Kramer - Drummer, Aerosmith - Joey in Drummer World
- Justin Stotsky '00 - Freelance Media Productions Justin's Video Work at Ossining.com
- Julie Berger '01 - Board of Directors, Ithaca College Hillel; Founder, The Havurah at Ithaca College. The Havurah at Ithaca College
- James Feddeck '01 - Graduate Student in Conducting at the University of Michigan, and Organist James' personal website
- Kristene Kershaw (Schlitten) '01 - President, Westchester One. Westchester One. local media and production group
- Andrew Cusack '02 andrewcusack.com, personal blog