SAAS Life
Development Assistant Andrew Spitzer with Associate Director of Admission Lori Metcalf.
Many students never consider that someone is working behind the scenes to manage all of Seattle Academy’s social media accounts and data, but that person is Andrew Spitzer.
Read MoreBy the time Gary Anderson was 30, he had already retired from his job as general manager at The Computer Store of Seattle. “We were the largest computer store in the I-5 region for the seven years that I worked there,” Gary said. “And that allowed me to have a reasonable amount of financial independence.”
After his retirement, he went on to pursue his interests and hobbies. At first, this meant developing software. “I had a small software company where I developed networking software,” he said. “I did that from age 30 to about 34 or 35.” After several years of developing software, Gary began to feel bored. He wanted to do something more significant with his life.
By this point in his life, Gary had already studied business, economics, computer science, and math at the University of Washington. He had already taken semesters abroad, studying at prestigious universities such as Oxford and Cambridge. It was then that he decided to go back to school. “I went to Seattle University which has a one year program to get a master’s degree in teaching,” Gary said. “My thought was that I would teach in public schools like my parents did and that would have been fine. I chose math because I felt that would be the easiest thing for me to get a job any place I wanted to work.”
One of the teachers who attended Seattle University with Gary happened to be an alumnus of SAAS. She recommended that he check out Seattle Academy. He was soon hired as the department chair of the math program at Seattle Academy. “Usually you wouldn’t be hired as department chair right out of college,” Gary said. He attributes this accomplishment to his experience with computers and management.
Now, 20 years later, Gary considers the growth of the computer technology program and the increased reputability of the math department as his greatest accomplishment at SAAS. “I think it’s hard for what was considered to be mostly an art school to have a serious technology program,” Gary said. “I think that now we have serious programs in all sorts of areas.”
Not having a family to tend to allows Gary to pursue topics that interest him. “I think that teaching gives me a base that’s a regular part of my schedule,” Gary said. “I’m lucky to have a job in which I have a lot of flexibility to do what I want to do, where I feel like I can accomplish something and have a positive impact on others.”
Jazz Ensemble I included Grant Arntz ‘20, Christian Batingan ‘17, Zachary Cohen ‘20, PJ Colino ‘20, Axel Hejlsberg ‘19, Angel Hernandez ‘19, Benjamin Heymann ‘20, Nicholas Heymann ‘18, Matthew Le Roy ‘19, Sophia Leonidas ‘18, Adam Loeb ‘19, Arjun Piplani ‘20, Frank Tonina ‘20, William Vogel ‘17, and Alli Wicklund ’20. Its performance was conducted by Matthew Frost, and it featured guest artist Thomas Marriot. Photo by Megan Conklin.
On March 14, Matt Frost conducted “Jazz Night,” a concert that included the Middle School Jazz Combo, Jazz Ensemble II, and Jazz Ensemble I.
Read MoreRobert Winton's software development class created a website that collects data from a weather station on Seattle Academy's roof.
Read MoreOne of Rebekah's photos titled "Firesky"
When SAAS photography teacher, Rebekah Rocha first started at Seattle Academy, the photography program had only been around for a couple of years and consisted of just three classes with no more than seven students in each. Twelve years later, she has managed to add three new classes to the curriculum and make photography the elective in highest demand every trimester.
Read MoreIn 2003, a twenty-seven year old Alison Ray buckled into a plane flying her to a new life in a country known as the “Land of Volcanoes” for its frequent violent earthquakes.
Read MoreThe Girls Rising Club and Wings Club recently created a crowdfunding website (https://startsomegood.com/girls-taking-flight) that donates all proceeds to charity organizations (The Little Sisters Fund and The Kiran Anjeli Project) that protect Nepalese and Indian girls from sex trafficking, child labor, and youth marriage by giving them an education.
Read MoreCheryll Hidalgo began her journey to create SAAS’s film department in one of the most unlikely places imaginable: a dark storage room in the basement of the Art Center.
Read MoreVocal Ensemble featured Avi Magaram ’17, Nash Queary ’17, Madolyn Laurine ’17, Lauren Baty ’19, Clair Colee ’19, Makena Kerns ’19, Kellen O’Brien ’17, Ben Sievers ’18, Chas Rinne ’19, Sadie Chaplan ’18, Juniper Darrow ’17, Van Senseney ’19, Karl Johnson ’18, Clara Cimino ’17, Sarah Woo ’17, Elsa Aitchison ’19, Natalie Rezek ’19, Lila Sangster ’18, Stanley Whitfield ’17, Jaidyn Lam ’18, Erik Rinn ’17, Luca Rogoff ’18, Oscar Zorn ’19, Emily Rinn ’19, Ian Lock ’19, Cici Carter ’19, Sarah Gustafson ’17, Lily Staton ’18, Natalie White ’18, Emily Rubin ’17, Luna Hotchkiss-Blackledge ‘19. Photo by Megan Conklin.
The 31 students, under the direction of Mark Hoover, sang almost three dozen songs, including two ensemble songs, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” and “Love Train.” They also sang an original, “Go Ahead,” co-written by Jaidyn Lam ‘18 and Clara Cimino ‘17.
Read MoreEmma and her team at the State Championships in 2015
What started out as a few parent-enforced swim lessons, quickly turned into a long-term passion for Emma Lam ’17. Now a highly competitive and decorated swimmer, Emma’s introduction to swimming was not much different from most children’s.
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