SILK MIDDLE SCHOOL

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Middle school families Potential benefactors Anyone who feels a connection to us! : )

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN MORE ?

Sophia's Memorial Guestbook : There is a little less color in the world today. Please leave a message for the family of Sophia. Thank you!


SILK Middle School Website :

News & Events Headmaster Admissions Our Charter Alumni

Mr. Hurst's Xanga Journal : How I've learned to deal with the death of a student and young friend. From these experiences have come the basic tenets of the SILK mission. This is my on-line journal and I also archive SILK Myspace Bulletin posts there.

The Diary of Sophia Isadora : This is the Xanga journal that she started 11 days before the accident. It gives a brief window into her positive outlook on life.

Sophia's Life Story : In words and pictures, as told by friends and loved ones. It is an open journal, so free to comment or add your Sophia story, you don't have to be a member of Xanga to comment.

Sophia in Xanth :. Sophia appears (p. 162) in the latest Piers Anthony Xanth novel "Stork Naked." (Tor books, October 31, 2006). Xanth is an award-winning and long-running series of novels whose main characters go on adventures and personal journeys of discovery, in a magical setting that presents many humorous and enchanting challenges. Being a fan of Mr. Anthony, I've already ordered my copy!

Sophia's Prayer : This prayer was originally written by students of Sophia's former school for the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11th, 2001. It was used for Sophia's Memorial Service and for the Memorial Service of School Board Member Mrs. Eastham. Recently, it was read for Mr. Hurst's Grandmother Frances Edwards' Memorial Service. Feel free to redraft, if you have the need. Bless you and yours.

An Angel's Gift: a circus story . December 2006, Sophia's family produced the first performance of "An Angel's Gift: a circus story." Written by Sophia's mom, Cheryl, it's the story of an angel from heaven who has lost her way and is adopted by a circus family and learns how to find her way back to heaven via the trapeze. An professional quality DVD is available and the December 2007 show will be performed in the Lyceum Theater, San Diego. Contact the Sophia Isadora Academy of Circus Arts for more information

Sophia's Circus School : The Sophia Isadora Academy of Circus Arts. Latest News! Sophia's brothers Shane Lindley and Martin Raabe-Lopez, teachers at the Academy, have both joined Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for a one year tour beginning in December. Mr. Shane will be on the Blue Tour and Mr. Martin will be on the Red Tour.

The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus all new Red Tour will be in San Diego this August and Mr. Martin will be performing with them. We are thrilled to announce the Sophia Isadora Academy has been invited to perform in the ring for pre-show entertainment.

The Lindley-Lopez Circus : is a performing troupe with roots in traditional and new circus as well as the theater arts. The Lindley Lopez Circus has amazed audiences young and old with acrobatic feats and artistic delights. The Lindley Lopez Circus is based at the Sophia Isadora Academy of Circus Arts, a traditional circus arts school in San Diego. Check out their MySpace profile !

Sophia Remembers: Deora and Flight 93 : According to the 9/11 commission, the passengers and crew of United Flight 93, forced the hijackers to abandon their plans to target the White House or the Capitol Building. The terrorists chose to crash, instead of lose control of the plane, in a field outside Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Construction of the Flight 93 National Monument is be completed in 2011. It is estimated to cost $57 million in federal and state funds and private donations. As of April 2007, private fund-raising has fallen behind with $11 million of the $30 million in private donations having been raised. Think about how much it would have cost in more than money if the terrorists had reached their target!!! Click here for more information.

Mr. Hurst's Qualifications :

BA, math & phil., UCSD University math software research awards 13 years teaching and leadership exper. Dean of Instruction for former school Who's Who in Amer. Teachers, 3 times NASA educator Developer of teaching technology systems Uses Authentic Read.&Quest.techniques Implemented successful intern program Former school placed top10% all schools Mentored count/state/nat sci. fair winners Alumni in UC math and other adv. prog. Golden Triangle resident since 1991 Married 28 years, with boy and girl

Mr. Hurst and his wife have been residents of the Golden Triangle area since 1991. Their children, a boy Doen and a girl Alia attended Doyle Elementary where Mr. and Mr. Hurst were involved parents. Unhappy with middle school options in University City, Mr. Hurst was fortunate enough to be able to enroll his children at the private church school in Hillcrest were he worked. Other local school families had to choose between combinations of homeschooling and/or expensive private schools or the public middle school. In addition to meeting Sophia and her schoolmates at Mr. Hurst's former school, his children greatly benefited from the individual opportunities that they never would have experienced in public schools. When they graduated they were well prepared for success in University City High School's well-recognized academic program. Mr. Hurst believes that University City is the best location, in America's Finest City, to establish an affordable, private independent middle school dedicated to students and families who wish to be well-prepared for entrance into the University of California system or other top-level schools of higher education. To provide his own children with the best education he could, Mr. Hurst found that it could not be done, in fairness, without offering the best of himself as a teacher and a person, to all of his students. Mr. Hurst and his former students have continued to maintained a strong family-like relationship over the years. However, those families and students who began his career with him and put their faith in him from the very beginning have always held a special place in his heart. Sophia and her classmates started preschool at All Saints' Episcopal when Mr. Hurst was just starting his career. Over time, those special bonds that sometimes teachers and students in small schools can nurture for a lifetime formed. Mr. Hurst came to regard Sophia and a few others as like his own children. For the steadfast support and friendship that Sophia and her family showed me as a teacher, they most certainly deserve my dedication to honor Sophia's memory with the founding of the Sophia Isadora Lindley-Kessler (SILK) Middle School.