Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56updated version of Aeschylus’ Oresteia. It was based on Robert Icke’s adaptation--an excellent show staged this past summer at the Almeida Theater in London. It was an incredible updating of the original story--and one that enraptured our World Literature students. Kids enacted the roles aloud and we deliberated about what we might do if we were in the characters’ shoes. The Oresteia touches on familial and civic issues in profound and vital ways, which is why it is a timeless classic. What do you enjoy doing when not at Orme? I’m a bit scattered. I run a lot. I read a lot of books in preparation for my summers as a student at the Bread Loaf School of English. I like biking around in the desert. I just got WFR--Wilderness First Responder--certified in Colorado--and that was incredible. I love seeing plays, keeping up on politics and art, and just trying to grow as a person. What are you most looking forward to during the 2016-17 school year? I’m excited about a lot of things-Caravan, other hiking trips, new theater productions, English classes and leading our students in cross-country running adventures. But I’m most excited about teaching AP Art History next year! Josh joined The Orme School faculty from Chicago for the 2015-16 school year. He majored in English and Philosophy at Swarthmore. Prior to coming to Orme, he taught English abroad as well as spent 5 years teaching Russian at a wonderful charter school in Chicago. He loves teaching and we are so excited to have him as part of the Orme School family. This past year, Josh taught English II, English IV and AP English Language. He also heads the Drama Club and coaches Cross Country at Orme. In his spare time he competes in marathons, half marathons and other area running events. What drew you to The Orme School? One thing that drew me was the fact that Orme is thoroughly immersed in nature. A special calm runs through the place.  I love that Yavapai County--and Arizona as a whole--offers endless natural places to explore. It’s good for the spirit to be in such an inspiring space.  I also was attracted by the opportunity to lead Caravan trips. Professionally, I was also attracted by Orme’s small class sizes, the autonomy offered to teachers in how they shape their curriculum, and the warmth of the community. What has been your favorite teaching experience at Orme so far? In January I taught an 33 is, I think, really true.  Just like reading good literature can make us more empathetic, so can encountering great theater. At its best, theater deepens our understanding of how people navigate a variety of situations, and how they come to be who they are.” This year, 18 students were active in the Drama Club. Clayton Torrey, a junior at Orme, was especially excited for the season. “My favorite part of theater this year was the people. Mr. Bloom is very energetic and very creative. He’s willing to work with all of us, especially when we wanted to add our own creative spin to the work.” One of the highlights of the Drama Club at Orme is that it allows all students interested to take an active role. Unlike large high schools who have upwards of 100 students trying out for key roles, productions at Orme take advantage of our smaller school population, allowing each student a chance to shine on stage. Clayton went on to explain, “I think a lot of people originally joined theater because it wasn’t viewed as a strenuous after school activity likes sports, but as the season went on people’s mindset changed…it was more like, wow, theater is awesome and something that we all really look forward to.” Looking towards the future Josh, Clayton and the rest of the Drama Club have already began researching their next production. “We are especially considering The Humans, which is a non-musical that is getting a lot of theater buzz this year,” said Josh. “If we decide to go in the musical direction though, it could be a lot of fun to do some excerpts from Hamilton. Either way, I’m keeping my ear to the ground and investigating some different one acts, and plan to nail down our final selections by August in preparation of another great season!” JOSH BLOOM CHARACTER Faces of Orme “One thing that drew me was the fact that Orme is thoroughly immersed in nature. A special calm runs through the place.”