Category Archives: The Arts

06.06.25
by

Leaving on a High Note: Mr. Warren’s Coda

As The New Century School school year draws to its inevitable end each year, one thing has become more and more clear with each passing one: it is much less an end or closing than actually a beginning or opening. Students don’t stop where they are—they move up to the next phase with all of the new challenges, delights, triumphs, and learning it will entail.

This ascension is not limited to students, however—in fact, all who pass through its halls take with them what gifts they enjoyed here to be applied in new ways to new things. (You probably know where this is going.) And that’s just what is happening with the TNCS community’s beloved Martellies Warren, who leaves TNCS on a soaring, high note.

Opening Bars

“I went to The Saint Paul’s Schools for Career Day earlier this year, and I shared my journey—growing up in the projects, not having a lot of money,” Mr. Warren said. “But my parents instilled in me early on that I was going to college no matter what. That was a driving force for me.”

The visit was transformative—not just for the students who sent him a care package full of handwritten letters afterward about how his words affected them, but for Mr. Warren himself. “They were so inspired. That day changed something in me, too.”

Career Crossroads

“I always tell students they’re going to come to a lot of crossroads. My hope is that they always follow their gut,” Mr. Warren said. One such crossroads came in his own life when he chose a vocal scholarship to Morgan State University over a partial scholarship to Berkley. “Had I listened to my band teacher and not followed my gut, I don’t know where my life would be. But I chose to go with what I knew.”

For Mr. Warren, music has never been just a subject—it’s been a calling. “I learned music at a very early age, and it paved the way for me. It gave me opportunities,” he said. One such opportunity is singing with Anthony Brown and Group Therapy, a Grammy Award-winning gospel group.

And, although maybe not quite as glamorous, his time at TNCS is another. From the moment he stepped into TNCS in 2012, he began shaping a vibrant music program where none existed before. “I built the department here—when I got here there was no music department. I’ve kind of done it all, and it’s been an amazing ride.” He fondly recalls concerts that brought the community together—including one that moved him deeply: “My mom, who’s passed on, loved this school. She would ride in on her scooter to see my students perform. They always made sure she had a good view. This place holds special memories.”

Over the years, he has directed concerts, coached vocal technique and various instruments, taught choral harmony, and brought countless students into the world of music. He also spent many years as a Lead Montessori Teacher in the primary classroom as well as directing summer camp and other administrative positions. But, as he puts it: “Music is my passion. If I’m not doing music all day, the part of the day where it’s not music feels like work. For a creative, that’s painful.”

Called Back to Music

With what started as nothing more than a talk at a different school, Mr. Warren began to realize it was time to realign with this passion. He had returned to TNCS after a couple of years away in 2022 as Director of Music and Extended Activities. This year, he re-donned the role of teacher.  “I felt like I was spinning my wheels being back in the classroom. I was losing my way a little. It felt disorienting.” Although he certainly gets all the credit for the two amazing concerts this year, he just wasn’t able to do music full time. “I need to be challenged and motivated. When I no longer feel that, I know it’s time for a shift,” he said.

Interestingly, as these truths shone brighter and brighter to him, his stars started to align—big time. When Saint Paul’s reached out to ask if he knew anyone who might be interested in a position as full-time music instructor, he recounts, “I told them, ‘I might be interested,’ and they thought I was joking. But I said, ‘It’s time—I need to get out and spread my wings.’”

And the harmonies don’t end there. “The head of school there is from Montgomery, Alabama, where I’m from. His mom and my mom even went to the same college. Then he asked what church I attended and said, ‘Stop it. I came out of your church.’ That’s alignment—it can’t get any clearer than that.”

Next Movement

Not surprisingly—despite hundreds of other applicants—Mr. Warren was immediately invited to campus for interviews, tours, and more. In fact, he was even asked to lead a seventh-grade music class with no warning. Also not surprisingly, he rose to the occasion: “I taught them ‘Amazing Grace,’ and within 15–20 minutes, they were singing in three-part harmony. The five arts chairs were just sitting there amazed.”

And just like that, he’ll now be teaching the boys’ middle school in a choral room located inside the campus chapel. “Good acoustics! I’ve got a huge room, an office downstairs—I’m excited. It’s a beautiful campus, like a small college.”

Mr. Warren’s Legacy

Of course, such wonderful news for him is bittersweet for us—we couldn’t be happier for him nor more bereft for ourselves, right? But, being as loved and appreciated as he is, the happiness for him takes right back over, and that’s across the board. He truly leaves on a high note.

There are no hard feelings. That’s important to me. I’ve stayed too long before—and things turned sour. I didn’t want that to happen here. I’ve run out of runway. I don’t want to say I’ve outgrown the place, but in the sense of my career, I have. There’s no upward trajectory from here, so I have to go where I can continue to grow and be challenged.

At 46, Mr. Warren knows he’s far from done. His goals for this next “movement” are ambitious and beautiful. They include:

  • Further developing my expertise as a choral director, specializing in the cultivation, and development of young voices
  • Pursuing a masters and doctorate degree in music performance/education
  • Spending more time cultivating and perfecting my own craft
  • Performing and touring professionally, and finding more opportunities to live life more fully!

And so, Mr. Warren leaves TNCS as its music director with his head high and heart full. “This place has enriched me just as much as I’ve enriched the students. This is home—it always has been. That’s why I came back.”

He’s especially proud of moments where his students demonstrated professionalism and courage, such as when they performed “America the Beautiful” at the Baltimore Blast game. Another choir had mistakenly been booked to sing the same song. “Most kids would have had a meltdown. But our students stood their ground, sang with heart, and got a standing ovation. That’s a testament to what we do every day.” And let’s not forget that amazing performance from Wicked at the spring concert! “Those kids blew me away. They don’t even realize the magnitude of what they accomplished,” he said (speaking for anyone who was there and saw it).

Encore!

Even as he moves on, Mr. Warren plans to keep the music alive between the two schools. “Don’t be surprised if I pop up next year with my choir to do a concert here. Or have kids from TNCS visit me at Saint Paul’s. I want that connection and collaboration to continue.”

Meanwhile, we get 1 more week with Mr. Warren this summer for Music Theatre Camp, in which campers will put on Friends or Foes: A Wickedly Exciting Journey of Self-discovery!

As he prepares for his next act, Mr. Warren reflects with gratitude. “This school will always be on my mind and in that place in my heart.”

In addition to several blogs about Mr. Warren and his work linked above, here’s more music! More fun! (And lots more wonderful memorable photographs!)

01.10.25
by

Art and Education: Brenda Lane Blends Her Dual Passions at TNCS!

At The New Century School, students in the primary program are fortunate to work with an educator who brings a unique creative perspective to the classroom. Brenda Lane, a visual development artist, seamlessly balances her role as a teaching assistant with an emerging career in animation. If that surname is ringing a bell, it should—Miss Brenda is the daughter of none other than TNCS Preschool Coordinator Terriann Lane!

Miss Brenda Gets Animated!

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Miss Brenda (and family) moved to Columbia, MD when she was in high school. But it wasn’t until college that her passion for the arts began to bloom. She majored in fine arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she discovered her true calling in her final year. “I knew I didn’t want to be a gallery artist. Then, in my last year, I suddenly realized I want to work on movies and TV shows. That was my ‘it-all-came-together’ moment,” she reflects.

Unfortunately, the pandemic curtailed networking opportunities, so she sought other fulfilling post-graduation employment in the interim:

I really wanted something while I was waiting for that big job opportunity that would be helpful to the community. I didn’t want to work in customer service anymore, which I did all through college. I definitely wanted to do something that was more impactful, so I started at my mom’s last school as an aftercare teacher, and they soon pulled me in to be a floating assistant.

The interim turned out to be more than a temporary stopgap, as we’ll see. But, back to the early 2020s, Miss Brenda saw an opportunity and seized it. She traveled to Los Angeles to attend an animation industry conference, sensing that the animation industry on the East Coast was not very robust. This decision proved pivotal, leading to her current role as Creative Production Director at Black-n-Animated, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Black artists and animators enter and thrive in the industry. “Everything kind of fit into place,” she says of the serendipitous connection.

Two years on, her artistic career continues to flourish. She’s currently working on “Assassinista,” a 3D animated short film through a Pixar co-op slated for release on Disney+ in 2027. “It’s comparable to the ‘Spider-Verse’ kind of animation style,” she explains. “It’s only 7 minutes, but we’re going to get it there.” In this project, she serves as both assistant producer and color key artist (as part of her visual development expertise), marking her first official credit in the animation industry.

“I’m really into concept art, such as what Pixar and other studios do, which shows the process of how you get to a design,” explains Miss Brenda. “Concept art and visual development are really one and the same. So, basically, if someone needs a shelf or a window in a scene, for example, I can design that.”

Bringing Art to the Classroom

Miss Brenda’s exciting work in The Arts has not dampened her enthusiasm for educating. At TNCS, she is Ms. Pozo’s assistant in one of the primary Montessori classrooms for children ages 3 to 6. In addition to her main responsibilities of “supporting teachers, supporting students, and maintaining an optimal classroom environment where students can grow their learning,” she collaborates with Montessori teachers to create educational materials, putting her digital art skills to practical use. “If you need something with Photoshop or Illustrator, I’m able to make it,” she says. “I helped make illustrated step-by-step instructional materials to help children learn how to read, for example.”

Her complementary roles have even deepened her appreciation for children’s content. “being in the classroom has exposed me to so many things that I now enjoy,” she reflects. “I really do love doing it, and it also pushes me more toward children’s content and animation . . . and maybe I’ll consider pursuing children’s books.”

Looking to the Future

Despite the animation industry’s current uncertainties following recent strikes, Miss Brenda maintains a balanced perspective. She appreciates the stability her teaching role provides while pursuing her animation career through remote work. Her days are long—she spends all day in the classroom then goes home to join remote meetings in L.A. and work on her art—“but this is where I enjoy being,” she says of her position at TNCS.

Miss Brenda’s passion for both education and art is evident in her interactions with students. “I’m passionate about what I do, and it brings me joy to be around the students. I hope that I can bring them some joy as well,” she shares. She particularly enjoys encouraging young artists, loving it when her budding student artists ask her for drawing and painting advice.

Making an Impact

Beyond her roles at TNCS and in animation, Miss Brenda continues her work with Black-n-Animated, which recently achieved nonprofit status. “We just had our first career summit in L.A. with really big industry names coming to talk to all of our people trying to break in,” she said. “I’m really excited about the new year!”

Whether she’s supporting young learners in the classroom or pushing creative boundaries in animation, Miss Brenda exemplifies how diverse passions can enrich both personal fulfillment and professional impact. Her presence in the primary Montessori program reflects TNCS’s commitment to nurturing creativity and bringing real-world artistic expertise into the classroom, enriching students’ early educational experiences.

12.13.24
by

TNCS Winter Concert 2024 “Sleighs”!

As part of its commitment to The Arts, The New Century School takes student performances to the next level! On Thursday, December 12, TNCS elementary and middle school students performed choral selections in three languages, all under the brilliant tutelage of TNCS Musical Director Martellies Warren with assistance from language teachers Joan Cui and Rafael Gonzalez.

This year’s winter concert warmed hearts even as temperatures dropped outdoors. Some special touches this year include a QR code printed on the concert program that provides translated song lyrics as well as TNCS’s first-ever Holiday Pop-Up Shop! Oh, and a very special rap session at the end—another TNCS first! Maybe there was extra magic in the timing of this performance (12/12/24)?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Without further ado, here is everyone’s favorite blog post of the year!

TNCS K–2 Students Sing in Mandarin and Spanish!

TNCS 3–8 Students Sing in Mandarin and Spanish!

TNCS K–8 Students Sing Their Hearts Out!

To put the finishing touches on this wonderful concert and, in some ways, this wonderful year, enjoy these select photos from the show.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Wait—we’re not done yet! Some very special thank-yous go to the Benjamin Brown Band for their beautiful accompaniments and to TNCS Head of School Ann Marie Simonetti who somehow makes all the amazingness happen (and even manages to make it look easy)!

12.08.23
by

TNCS Winter Concert 2023: Happy Holidays!

The annual Winter Concert at The New Century School is one of the TNCS community’s best-loved events. TNCS Music Director Martellies Warren outdoes himself every single time, putting together show after spectacular show. This year is no different, in that regard. Thanks to his sparkly, wintry theme, the performance on Thursday, December 7th was as beautiful as it was harmonious—in all three languages spoken at TNCS.

As in several years past, Mr. Warren brought in some well-known friends to help out with some lovely backing music: the Benjamin Brown trio!

Mr. Warren says, “I wanted to keep the decor clean and inspiring and the songs fun and emotional.  My love for family, the beauty of the Winter, and the pure euphoria of the holiday season inspired this year’s theme!”

TNCS Choral Performers

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Alas, although pictures are worth 1,000 words, they fall short on hearing much. But we’ve got you covered with three choral performances!

My Wish, by Jordin Sparks

Ava Maria, by Beyoncé

This Winter, adapted by Chris Brown

Happy Holidays, TNCS community! ¡Felices vacaciones! 节日快乐 (Jiérì kuàilè)!

One last thing before you go?

12.16.22
by

The New Century School at 13: A Retrospective in Immersed Posts

It’s time. The New Century School is just completing its 13th fall semester, and we need a reckoning of all this amazing school has accomplished in that relatively short amount of time. Why 13? We chose to memorialize the 2022–2023 school year because it offers a truly remarkable first: a TNCS student who started TNCS at age 2 when the school opened in the fall of 2010 will graduate as an 8th-grader this June—she will have completed the full TNCS experience and is the only student to have this distinction!

TNCS is also rounding out a full Chinese zodiac of years. Established in the Year of the Tiger, TNCS closes 2022 also as a Tiger year and will begin 2023 as a Rabbit.

In this post, you’ll take a walk back through time. You’ll see your babies back when they were (or if they are still) babies. You’ll revisit cherished memories. You’ll smile to see beloved friends, teachers, and faculty who are still a part of TNCS in spirit if not in person. In short, you’ll be amazed . . . and probably moved to tears.

(Another thing you’ll notice is how actually bad phone cameras were a decade ago! Also, a sad note on videos: some no longer display as TNCS’s YouTube channel is now defunct.)

Finally, you’ll get to judge for yourself. As TNCS Co-Director/Co-Executive Founder Roberta Faux said over a decade ago, “school should be where kids discover their passion.” Has TNCS provided opportunities for passion-finding?

Milestones and Firsts

TNCS has accomplished sheer marvels. In its first 5 years alone, the once tiny one-room schoolhouse established by Co-Executive Directors/Co-Founders Ms. Faux and Jennifer Lawner with five students grew into a full-fledged preschool and elementary school. Milestone after milestone was sighted, then met, including launching a greenhouse and school-lunch program, acquiring a gymnasium and auditorium; implementing a robust STEM curriculum; introducing Immersed; earning two coveted STARTALK grants; and creating a wonderfully rich education that integrates the arts, modern world languages, inquiry-based learning, and self-motivated discovery.

Since those incredible feats happened, still more miraculous developments took place: the student body has grown to hundreds, the middle school opened in 2016, the Ozone café debuted, and the international service-learning program began to name just a few (and plenty more are listed below).

Through all of this truly remarkable evolution, TNCS’s original raison d’être has remained true: language immersion in Spanish and Mandarin paired with self-directed exploration. The program has blossomed in beautiful ways around this core idea, but it informs and underpins everything at TNCS.

Although providing an exhaustive accounting of the last 13 years is impossible because of the sheer volume of accomplishments, enjoy these highlights in the form of past Immersed posts about this one-of-a-kind magical place.

To start us off, here is a rough timeline of some pivotal TNCS events:

2006: Patterson Park Montessori (PPM) opens

2010: PPM moves to 724 S. Ann St. in Fell’s Point and becomes TNCS

2012: Immersed, School Lunch, the Elementary Program, and the School Gym make their debuts

2013: Science Fair, Imagination Playground, and Summer Camp debut

Spring 2014: TNCS applies for a Startalk grant, and the Spring Concert debuts

Fall 2014: TNCS expands into Building North, the Playground Gets a Major Upgrade, Parent Volunteers Paint Crosswalks on Campus, and the Winter Concerts, and the TNCS Website debut

2015: Read-a-Thon comes to TNCS and TNCS Goes to China

Spring 2016: TNCS debuts its first Art Exhibition, the first Class President is elected, the first Elementary Graduation happens, and TNCS gets a school van

Fall 2016: Middle School opens, TNCS Core Values are established, the Ozone Snack Bar opens for business, TNCS establishes a Parent Council, and TNCS holds its first Hispanic Heritage Night

2017: Math Kangaroo comes to TNCS

tncs-math-kangaroo-competition

2018: TNCS holds its first Spelling Bee, establishes a scholarship program, and gets a pedestrian crosswalk placed on the corner of Ann and Lancaster Streets

2019: Capstone trip program debuts for middle schoolers, and TNCS Graduates its First 8th-Graders

Spring 2020: TNCS holds its First Black History Celebration,  Virtual TNCS debuts, and TNCS becomes an Essential Personnel Childcare Site

Fall 2020: TNCS Students Return to Safe In-Person Learning and establishes a COVID-19 Wellness Team

2021: TNCS Holds Its First-Ever Silent Auction, and the Advisory Board, Student Council, and School Store debut

2022: TNCS embraces the philosophy of One School, One Program, One Community and creates the Portrait of a Graduate, and the parent council becomes the Family Partnership

. . . and whatever wonderful things happen next!

Have we whetted your appetite for more delicious memories? Read on!

What Sets TNCS Apart

We could go on and on (and do, actually). But so many features of this beautiful school have elevated it to truly one of a kind, including multi-language learning, emphasis on the Arts, and all the special moments that take place daily in the classrooms.

Aftercare: Spaceship Camp, Aftercare 1, 2, and 3

Core Values: Kindness Counts!, Giving Back: Heifer International, Peace Day, Student Awards Ceremony, Kindness Buckets, Kindness Rocks, Anti-Bullying, Gratitude

Emphasis on the Whole Child: Physical Activity throughout the Day, Cultural Diversity, Mental Health Awareness, Mindfulness, Restorative Practices, Internet Safety 1 and 2, Unplugging and Connecting, DEI, Spirit Days, Cuddles and Crafts, Positivity, Student Support

Environmental Sustainability: Blown Away with Wind Energy, Viridian, Weeping Willow, Hungry Harvest

Field Trips: Confucius Institute; Math-E-Magic; Columbus Park 1 and 2; Walking Tour with Frederick Douglass; Robinson Nature Center; Milburn Orchards; White House; Cathay Cultural Center; Digital Harbor; Echo Hill 1 and 2; Museum of Industry; AVAM; Irvine Nature Center 1 and 2; Port Discovery; MD Science Center; Frederick Douglass Museum; Washington, D.C.; Chesapeake Shakespeare Company; BARCS; BOP Pizza; Cultivated Creations; Science; Golden Wok

Holidays: Mother’s Day, Holidays

Language Learning: Multilingualism, 5 Cs, International Skype, Mid-Autumn Festival 2018, Preprimary Spanish Immersion, D.C. Chinatown, Youth Chinese Test, Talking the Talk

Miscellaneous: Cursive, International Day of Coding, Chickens, Peace Game, Robots, Anti-Racism, Rain-Making

STEM/Science Fairs: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022

Summer Camps: Lego 2014 and 2016; Move It; Startalk 2014 and 2015; Painting Workshop 2014 and 2016; Drama 2013, 2014, and 2016; Camp Invention 2013, 2014, and 2016; Cooking and Gardening; Chinese Immersion 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019; Spanish Immersion 2016, 2017, and 2018 1 and 2; American Music System 2017, 2018, and 2019; Musical Theatre 2018 and 2019, Shakespeare, Virtual Art 2020

The Arts: Art Program 1, 2, and 3; Music Program 1 and 2; Pipa; Square 1; Strings; 2021

Volunteering: Parent Volunteering, Host Families 1 and 2

Concerts/Shows/Performances

One of the most-appreciated aspects of TNCS is its penchant for celebration! TNCS celebrates all of its wonderful diversity as well as takes every opportunity to put on a good show!

Art Exhibitions: 2017, 2020

Black History Month: 2020 1 and 2, 2021

Hispanic Heritage Night: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018

Lunar New Year: Year of the Snake, Year of the Horse, Year of the Sheep, Year of the Rooster, Year of the Pig, Year of the Rat, Year of the Ox, Year of the Tiger

Miscellaneous: Baltimore’s Chinatown Performance, Confucius Day Institute, Continental Bridge, Greek Plays, Primary Drama, Stand-Up Comedy

Music Concerts: Spring 2014, Winter 2014, Winter 2019

Special Visitors

TNCS has always welcomed special guests to campus to broaden students’ horizons, to participate in meaningful exchange with the community, and to further the TNCS aim of discovery and enrichment. Parents present their jobs or heritage in classrooms, musicians perform, guest speakers share their wisdom, and experts in their fields teach their crafts in special classes. TNCS even got a visit from the Secretary of State, who was wowed by Ge Laoshi’s kindergartners proficiency in Mandarin!

Artists: Baltimore Love Project and Returning Visit, Dia de Los Muertos, Crankies, RecyQueen 1 and 2, 123 Andrés

Chinese Students: 2013, 2017, 2018 1 and 2, 2019 1 and 2

Chinese Teachers and Interns: 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Guest Speakers: Bonnie Zucker, Deborah Roffman

Family Members: Captain Marc (and Many Others!), BGE, Jazz Saxophonist, Askable Parents, Mindful Parenting

Other Schools: DBFA and the “Big Kids”, Gilman School

Politicians: Councilman Krafts, MD Secretary of State

Workshops/Town Halls/Information and Back-to-School Nights

Informational forums are a great starting point to get to know TNCS and how and why it came to be in addition to what new trails it will blaze. Through the years, these events help tell the story of TNCS.

Back-to-School Nights: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Information Nights: 2014, 2014, 2016, 2017

Preprimary Parent Workshops: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 1 and 2, 2018

Primary Parent Workshops: 2016, 2017 1 and 2

Open Houses: 2013, 2014, 2019

Town Halls: 2014, 2015

Service-Learning

TNCS students start giving back the moment they enter TNCS’s illustrious halls. The cumulative impact they have had over the years is staggering. But TNCS itself also gives back. In one of many such ways, in 2018 TNCS launched a partnership with “sister school” Wolfe St. Academy. Exemplary Wolfe St. students are granted scholarships to TNCS, the TNCS community participates in clothing and food donations for Wolfe St. families in need, and TNCS students visit their sister school friends for the “Reading Buddies” program.

In 2019, TNCS middle schoolers took their first international service-learning trip.

Environmental Sustainability: Hack the Trash August 2013; TNCS Wins Recycling Competition December 2013; Pop the Trash 2014; Healthy Harbor 2014 and 2015; Colorcycling; Earth Day 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2020; Puerto Rico 1 and 2, NexTrex Recycling 1 and 2; Costa Rica

Miscellaneous: Breast Cancer Walk, Grant Writing

Outreach: Giving Back November 2013, Holiday Outreach December 2013, Annual Outreach Initiatives, Thanksgiving 2014, 2015, 2018; Project Linus, Reading Buddies 1 and 2, Soup Making, Season for Service, Valentine’s Day Initiatives 1 and 2, Dean’s Initiatives 2021

And there you have it: 13 years of teaching, learning, singing, creating, discovering, growing, laughing, and becoming . . . The New Century School.

TNCS is making 724 South Ann St. a place to thrive and grow once more