GSB Magazine - Spring 2023

What’s cooking over in GSB’s Lab? Kitchen

P ’25

Laura Brucker P ’22, ’23

Raymond Conger ’03

Marcella Criscola

P ’25, ’26, ’29

Rajiv De Silva P ’21, ’25

Christina Dickson

P ’34, ’37

Tom Fischer P ’16

Andrea Freeman ’95

Elizabeth Fucci P ’17

Matthew Harding ’81

Caroline Jones ’78

Jeff Lager ’86

Brenda Liberti P ’24, ’26

Emily Maillet P ’29

Douglas L. Matthews, Chair P ’16, ’18, ’24

Sandi Niccolai P ’16

Steven Polachi P ’08, ’11, ’14

Reema Puri P ’19, ’21

Sid Rowell, Ex-Officio

Rev. Dr. Paul Saddler ’69

Marianne Saladino P ’14, ’16

Antoinette Segreto P ’32, ’32

Ashok Vemuri P ’19, ’22

HONORARY TRUSTEES

Brandon Clark P ’02, ’06

Bill Conger P ’03

Sam Corliss

Ann Drzik P ’17

Gia Dunn P ’12, ’14, ’16

Richard Emmit P ’02

Nelson Ferreira P ’12, ’14

Donald Fuentes P ’14, ’16

Michael Golden

Robert Hemm ’46

Judy Fulton Higby ’65

John Howard P ’17, ’21

Adrienne Kirby

P ’09, ’13

Rose Kirk P ’18

Michael Mandelbaum

Richard Markham P ’11, ’12

Mark Mazzatta P ’21, ’23

Mary McNamara

Linda Moore

Edmond Moriarty III

P ’11, ’14, ’16, ’22

Patty Muchmore ’66

Elizabeth Nametz

P ’03, ’09

Ellen Nardoni

James O’Connor P ’21, ’21

Robert O’Leary P ’11

Mark Paris

Preston Pinkett III

John Raymonds P ’21

Robert Sameth, Jr. ’89

P ’25, ’25, ’27

Vlad Torgovnik P ’16, ’21, ’26

Janine Udoff P ’16, ’17, ’21, ’23

Michael Weinstein ’87

Karen Young P ’21, ’21, ’25

BOARD OF VISITORS

Brandon Clark

Sam Corliss

Michael Golden

Robert Hemm

The Hon. Thomas H. Kean

Edward E. Matthews

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Friends,

Discovery is an essential element of education given that it plays a crucial role in fostering critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. When students explore new ideas or consider different perspectives, they achieve a deeper understanding of a particular subject and are actively engaged in the learning process.

Discovery also encourages a growth mindset and willingness to tackle more challenging tasks. It promotes resilience, as failure is seen as only a temporary setback and a learning experience. Lessons which support discovery are “lifelong” and, sometimes, life changing.

Gill St. Bernard’s has long been a place where students learn both inside and outside the classroom. The Spring Unit, clubs, sports, performing arts—and much more—are filled with a myriad of ways to discover more about others and the world around us. More importantly, the process of discovery also includes learning more about yourself; your abilities, limitations, and perhaps even which road you will choose to travel on.

I hope you enjoy the different stories of discovery in this edition of the GSB magazine.

Regards,

Sid Rowell Head of School

Gill St. Bernard’s Opens

“Kitchen Discovery Lab” for Lower School Students

Gill St. Bernard’s officially opened the doors to its Lower School Kitchen Discovery Lab—an innovative, studentcentered space designed to provide our youngest learners the chance to explore, experiment, and of course, grow.

Located inside of the Cox Building, the Kitchen Discovery Lab marks an exciting new chapter for the GSB Lower School with a continued commitment to experiential learning for Preschool – 4th Grade students. From studying food from around the world in World Language classes or weighing vegetables from Home Winds Farm in a math lesson to learning about nutrition and food science in their science and STREAMS courses, the new space is designed to help students apply abstract concepts through real-world application.

“The Kitchen allows us to explore the relationship between the land and food,” said Lower School Science Teacher Lynn Prosen.

“The Home Winds Garden nourishes us with so many different fruits and vegetables. I can’t wait to connect the Kitchen to the garden and Earth boxes and have students experience the entire life cycle of a plant, including its use in our food chain. I want students to see how foods grown locally will often look and taste different than produce in the grocery store.”

The tactile learning space was made possible through the gift of a GSB community member who wished to build upon the Lower School’s outstanding programs and have students experience the curriculum in new and exciting ways.

“It is an honor and joy for our family to gift the Kitchen Discovery Lab to GSB’s Lower School,” said the family. “Our teachers have an amazing new space and tools to enhance the outstanding programs they bring to our children. Prospective families will see this space and

have the opportunity to appreciate some of the many dimensions of what a GSB education could be for their child. And, hopefully, seeing the Kitchen Discovery Lab will inspire our GSB community of families to answer the call to invest in our students and teachers, both for today and tomorrow.”

More so, the Discovery Kitchen will serve as an inspirational learning environment where teachers can create interdisciplinary lesson plans that encourage creative thinking, establish fine motor skills, strengthen group collaboration and social-emotional development, explore cultural connections, and develop essential life skills of cooking and food safety.

"The Kitchen Discovery Lab truly signifies the unique learning opportunities our school has to offer,” said Lower and Middle School Director Kyle Armstrong.

The bright, inviting space features several impressive features to nurture academic creativity and create connections with the larger GSB community.

This is a hands-on space where students can be directly involved in their learning. Whether through measuring, weighing, or mixing, students will have a chance to be at the center of their learning. This fits hand-in-hand with our school motto, The World is Our Classroom, and everything that Gill represents.

Grow Lights: A special corner of the Kitchen is reserved for a living laboratory space for Lower School Science classes to examine plant cycles throughout the year. Classes will regularly plant microgreens to examine the needs of seeds, produce production, agriculture, and help grow produce for the garden and student Earth Boxes in the spring.

Digital Classroom Enhancements: With a newly installed Smart TV and Video Camera, students will be able to follow teacher instructions while continuing to focus on their projects.

Student-Inspired Mosaic Tile Art: The walls of the Kitchen are adorned by photos from Home Winds Farm and handmade mosaic tiles from Lower School art projects. Each tile was created by the Class of 2030 to 2034 and displays a series of fruits, vegetables, grains, and other colorful foods to brighten the room.

Essential Kitchen Supplies: Our high-quality mixing bowls, measuring cups, and other child-safe cookware will help guide culinary explorations.

While the Kitchen may be most associated with the school’s academic projects, the versatile space can also be utilized in a variety of ways including enhanced After School Programs, group projects in the Lower School’s weekly “WILD Wednesday” activities, as well as community-building opportunities like tasting cuisines from different cultures and preparing dishes for school traditions such as Stone Soup Day.

The Kitchen officially opened on October 7, 2022, with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony. Head of School Sid Rowell stood before a crowd of Lower School families outside of the Cox Building front doors to unveil the grand opening, with Lower Schoolers receiving the honor of seeing the kitchen first before families happily toured the space and imagined the sweet moments to come.

Visiting Authors

Amber McBride Award-Winning Author

Amber McBride Shares Her Writing Wisdom with GSB

Upper and Middle School

National Book Award for Young People’s Literature finalist Amber McBride visited Gill St. Bernard’s Upper School and Middle School students on September 28, 2022, as the first presenter in this year’s visiting author series.

The John Steptoe New Talent Award winner for her debut young adult fantasy novel in verse, Me (Moth), began the day in Upper School Teacher Andrew Lutz’s creative writing class before presenting to the Upper and Middle Schools in the PACC.

Maggie Doyne GSB Co-Hosts Philanthropist and Author Maggie Doyne for Common Grounds Speaks

Gill St. Bernard’s was proud to co-host philanthropist and author Maggie Doyne for “You Can Change The World: Finding Inspiration through Service" in the Performing Arts and Community Center’s Matthews Theater on October 18, 2022, as part of Common Ground Speaks.

The evening event, which drew a crowd of over 200 people, was preceded by Maggie’s daytime presentations to the GSB Middle and Upper Schools on co-founding BlinkNow, a non-profit dedicated to educating children and empowering women in Nepal. By sharing the story of her 16+ year journey abroad, Maggie explored how one person can make an impact on the lives of others and can generate positive change. As she stated, “In the blink of an eye, we can all make a difference.”

Maggie’s book, Between the Mountain and the Sky, was read by all GSB employees as part of their summer reading. In opening meetings, employees gathered in small groups to discuss Maggie's life’s ambition of working with children and women in Nepal and of inspiring others to action and positive change in the world through service.

Mac Barnett Award-Winning Children’s Author Mac Barnett Visits GSB

Thanks to a generous grant from the Parents’ Association as well as to the special coordination efforts of Michelle Leo P ’24, New York Times bestselling author Mac Barnett visited GSB’s Preschool through Grade 6 via Zoom on January 13, 2023.

The award-winning children’s author read some of his newer works and delighted students with his humorous tales about the writing life. Students took part in grade-specific activities leading up to and following the event and had the opportunity to ask Mac questions live during the virtual presentation.

Meg Zucker

Don’t Hide It, Flaunt It: Parent Meg Zucker Inspires Acceptance at GSB

GSB parent and creator/founder of the non-profit Don’t Hide It, Flaunt It (DHIFI), Meg Zucker P ’25, visited GSB Lower and Middle School students on October 19, 2022, as part of our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community (DEIC) programming recognizing National Disability Awareness Month.

In two special assemblies for Grades 3-5 and Grades 6-8, Mrs. Zucker shared her experience growing up in the United States and abroad with “ectrodactyly,” a physical difference which presents in her as shortened forearms, one finger on each hand, and one toe on each foot.

As a child, Mrs. Zucker felt the need to hide her difference, but as she grew older, she came to understand that being different is normal. Her philosophy shifted from focusing on her physical difference to focusing on who she was and what she wanted, and she realized that what truly made her, and all of us, unique were those differences—and they needed to be shown off.

Assemblies

Soul Steps

Lower and Middle School students celebrated Black History Month by journeying into the African American dance tradition known as stepping.

Soul Steps delivered a high-energy assembly to GSB’s Lower and Middle School students on February 8, 2023, as part of the school’s Black History Month Celebration. The step team fused traditional African American stepping with contemporary dance styles and shared examples of modern step as seen among Black fraternities and sororities. Students also learned the history of stepping and its roots in gumboot dancing in the South African gold mines before combining rhythm and movement to perform their own step routine.

Pushcart Players

As part of our Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, Lower Schoolers enjoyed a special assembly with the Pushcart Players.

On October 12, 2022, Pushcart Players visited GSB and presented Cuentos del Árbol or “Tree Tales,” a bilingual musical play drawn from Spanish and Latin American folklore. Cuentos del Árbol brings Spanish to “life” for students studying the language and makes theatre accessible for students, parents, and grandparents for whom English is a second language. Because the play is presented in a bilingual format, it provides literacy enhancement in both language and the arts. The stories within the piece offer pride in the cultural heritage of Spain and Latin America while also providing a fiesta of Latino and Hispanic themes, indigenous to locale, but universal to the human experience.

Peter and the Wolf

Grades 5 and 6 joined the GSB Lower School in the PACC on January 11, 2023, to enjoy a live performance of Peter and the Wolf by The Phoenix Woodwind Quintet.

Minding Your Mind

To honor World Mental Health Day, GSB’s Upper School Mental Health Club hosted Jordan from Minding Your Mind at the weekly Upper School assembly on October 12, 2022.

Written

by Sergei

Prokofiev,

the music and narration were developed to teach youngsters the sounds of instruments through identification with the characters of the story while sharpening their listening skills.

The classic musical story was brought to life as the flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and French horn combined to “play” the voices of Peter and his animal friends. Through theatrical devices including mask and mime, students were invited to participate and helped create the characters.

Jordan spoke openly about his mental health journey and shared his powerful story of fighting depression and finding recovery.

Heritage and Cultural Celebrations

Black History Month

The GSB community celebrated Black History Month with a range of events and activities including library displays showcasing books and other materials related to Black history and culture, colorful posters and interactive bulletin boards inviting students to learn about prominent Black figures in fields like science, technology, engineering, and math, custom lunch menus courtesy of SAGE dining services to give students a taste of influential dishes across cultures in the Black diaspora, “Instagram Takeovers” by members of the Upper School Black Student Union, and daily highlights of Black music artists in the Middle School.

This year student voices were amplified across the community," commented Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Community Tracey Goodson Barrett. "We are reminded this month that Black History is a living history. I have been inspired by the many students across all three divisions, from our youngest in preschool to our seniors, who have meaningfully engaged in the many ways in which GSB honors Black History Month.

As a kickoff to Black History Month, GSB students sat down to share their thoughts on Black history, their favorite aspects of Black culture, and what it means to be part of the GSB Community . Scan the QR Code to take a look!

Native American Heritage Month

As Native American Heritage Month came to a close, GSB Lower Schoolers welcomed their families to Evans Hall to share their projects on the history and culture of indigenous people across North America.

Third-grade students in Ms. Healey and Mrs. Schultz’s classes spent time throughout November studying several Native American communities and Indigenous Peoples, including the Inuit, Navajo, Seminole, Tlingit, Pueblo, and Haudenosaunee. During the unit, students not only learned about indigenous peoples’ traditions and cultures but put together their own project displays to deepen their understanding while building on essential classroom skills.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins annually on September 15 and ends on October 15, is a month-long celebration to highlight the culture, achievements, and historical contributions of Hispanic Americans whose ancestors came from the Hispanic diaspora.

In order to recognize Hispanic Heritage and to create deeper connections with one another, the GSB community organized a variety of events and activities over the thirty-day period including book displays in our Lower, Middle, and Upper School libraries to showcase Latinx authors and Hispanic Heritage books, colorful posters hung in different campus locations to spotlight impactful historical figures, custom lunch menus courtesy of SAGE dining services to give students a taste of influential dishes across different Hispanic cultures, poetry readings at Upper School assembly to share works from Latinx authors, including the grandfather of US English Teacher Fernando Gomez, and interactive Hispanic Heritage trivia games in Middle School history classes as part of students’ pretzel bowl competition.

As Hispanic Heritage Month ended, Middle and Upper Schoolers shared their thoughts on what Hispanic Heritage means to them and the importance of learning from one another . Scan the QR Code to take a look!

I think it’s important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage because it’s a teaching moment,” said Jacqueline Herrera-Perez ’25, who is a co-leader of the Upper School Hispanic Heritage Club and whose family is originally from Peru.

“A lot of times people put Hispanics and Latinos into just one group. I really enjoy teaching people about my culture and other peoples’ cultures. It’s just a great way to make a solid identity for ourselves not just as Hispanics but as people from our own countries.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

As the world recognizes International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, 2023, GSB welcomed a meaningful display from the Albano-Nehmer family who shared a roof tile from the barn where their grandparents hid to escape the Holocaust. The display also included a printed story to explain their family’s history and teach guests about the genocide of six million Jews and other targeted population groups during World War II.

Other Cultural Celebrations:

The DEIC Committee utilizes speakers, assemblies, presentations, and media posts throughout the year to highlight the diverse ways we recognize and celebrate our heritage, religion, and cultural experiences include the all-school recognition of:

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Kwanzaa

Christmas

Hanukkah

Lunar New Year

GSB Senior Lauren Rossiter shared her experience growing up and celebrating Lunar New Year (also known as Chinese New Year) with her extended family during Upper School Assembly.

Veterans Day

Diwali

Thanksgiving

Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day

Yom Kippur

Rosh Hashanah

9/11 Remembrance Day

Labor Day

Campus Activities

GSB Reaches Chess National Championship in Back-to-Back Years

GSB Welcomes the New School Year with Convocation 2022

On Thursday, September 1, 2022, Gill St. Bernard's School was proud to welcome back students and celebrate the Class of 2023 in our Convocation program.

In this annual event, which kicks off the beginning of school, all three divisions gathered in the Athletic Center and virtually to hear remarks from Head of School Sid Rowell and Board of Trustees Chair Doug Matthews. The community also welcomed our newest members of the Board of Trustees Sara Ash ’08, Christina Dickson P ’34, Rev. Dr. Paul Saddler ’69, and Ashok Vemuri P ’19, 22.

The GSB Chess Program traveled to Baltimore, Maryland, to compete against the country’s top players in the 2022 National K-12 Chess Championship from December 9 to 11, 2022.

Following their 8th place finish in last year’s tournament, seniors Peter Horton, Akshay Patel, and Tyler Tellalian ended the weekend ranked 15th in the nation while taking on top ranked individuals from across the country.

Players competed in 7 rounds over three days, with matches lasting up to three hours. Despite the field of competition being triple in size from last year—and with more master players—the veteran trio used their prior experience to carve a name for themselves, ultimately earning more total points compared to the 2022 event.

GSB Hosts Third Annual Middle School Equity & Inclusion Summit

GSB Mentor Program

The Mentor Program is designed to build student connections across all three school divisions. Groups spend time getting to know one another through icebreakers and conversations about personal identity, highlighting similarities and noting what makes one unique.

After two years of being virtual, Gill St. Bernard’s School hosted 9 independent schools and over 70 students and faculty in person for the third annual Middle School Equity and Inclusion Summit.

Founded and coordinated by GSB’s DEIC team, Tracey Goodson Barrett, Candace Pryor Brown, Cendahl Cornellio-Alter, and Dr. Montana Vasquez-Grinnell, and themed “The Journey - Student Leaders Creating Space to Explore Identity, Belonging & Community,” 7th and 8th graders engaged in presentations, group activities, and thoughtful discussions to equip each student with the knowledge and resources to be change agents in their school community.

Poetry Out Loud

Sophia Mariano ’23, Gabby Schmidt ’25, Mary Young ’25, and Erin Crickenberger ’26 joined faculty advisor Mr. Brendan Flanagan in the PACC to compete in Poetry Out Loud, a national program created in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts Poetry Foundation, on Thursday, January 5, 2023.

The competition consisted of three rounds of live presentation in which each student’s recitations were assessed on a series of criteria that included memorization, voice, body language, and dramatic performance.

By performing works that spanned from Robert Frost and D.H. Lawrence to Jamaal May and Rita Dove, students learned to master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and dig deeper into literary history.

Dr. Alyea Pierce truly captivated attendees in her keynote presentation. As a National Geographic Explorer, Alyea Pierce uses poetry, spoken word performance, audio, and photography to examine oral storytelling and folklore traditions across the African diaspora.

The Summit provides space for middle school students to think of leadership as reflective, collaborative, and generative. Our hope is that students will see this Summit as a trampoline, providing them with a bounce as they return to their school communities feeling empowered as leaders.

- Tracey Goodson Barrett

Upper School students meet with 4th and 7th graders on the Todd Quad as part of GSB’s Mentor Program.

GSB Students Give Back

One of GSB’s core values is Compassion, defined in part as "acting with kindness, consideration, and empathy for others, including giving help and support for those in need.” Nothing speaks more strongly to GSB’s commitment to uphold this core value than the incredibly impactful service-learning projects in which GSB’s Lower, Middle, and Upper School students have been involved. Some service-learning projects are continuations of decades-long traditions, and some are newer events to serve the immediate needs of the time. All are important ways to give back to our local communities and the world at large.

All School Events: Turkey Day Turns Twenty!

The Gill St. Bernard’s community came together for an incredible display of generosity, pride, and service as the school celebrated its 20th annual Turkey Day, collecting an amazing 609 frozen turkey donations including a very considerate donation from The Gateman family to fight food insecurity in New Jersey.

As one of Gill's most beloved school traditions, Turkey Day is a time in which preschool to 12th grade students collect frozen turkeys to help those in need during the holiday season. The first Turkey Day started in 2003 when former GSB Head Librarian Randi Schmidt organized an emergency turkey collection after discovering that a truck had flipped while delivering turkeys to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey (CFBNJ). Since that day, GSB has partnered with CFBNJ every year to recreate the original act of kindness and support New Jersey residents from across the state who are suffering from hunger and food insecurity. “GSB’s 20-year commitment to donating turkeys to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey is critical to the success of our annual drive,” said former parent Jill Gateman P ’17, ’20 who serves on CFBNJ’s Board of Directors. “As the largest single donor, we are so incredibly grateful for the school’s ongoing generosity.”

As part of the 20th anniversary, students also took part in a variety of community building activities throughout the day. Some highlights included parents visiting preschool classrooms to learn about their “reduce, reuse, recycle” projects, Upper Schoolers reading Thanksgiving-themed stories to Lower Schoolers, and of course the annual “Turkey Trot” event in the afternoon.

We are incredibly thankful to the full GSB community for donating to this worthwhile cause and continuing this signature school tradition!

GSB Head of School Sid Rowell, former parent Jill Gateman P’ 17, ’ 20, and representatives from the CFBNJ.

Lower School Events:

Lower School “Kids Can Help” Project

Middle School Events:

Middle School Community Service Club Winter Drive

Each year, GSB First Graders lead a service learning can collection to help those in need during the holiday season while practicing their math skills. Lower School families were invited to participate in the drive by dropping off can donations at carline.

Lower School Mitten Drive

The Middle School Community Service Club organized a very generous and considerate winter clothing drive to spread warmth over the holiday season.

As part of the week-long drive, 5th to 8th graders collected new and gently used coats, hats, gloves, scarves, snowsuits, humidifiers, and baby items across the middle school community. After the drive was complete, students then donated the items to HomeFront NJ, a non-profit organization located in Lawrenceville whose mission is to end homelessness in Central New Jersey through services such as emergency shelter, transitional housing, clothing and household resources, and prevention services.

Middle School Community Service Club Valentine’s Day Bake Sale

The Lower School’s mitten drive, sponsored by the Kindergarten and inspired by Candace Christiansen’s book The Mitten Tree, came to a successful conclusion this year.

Thank you to everyone who contributed mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves which will be donated to a local organization. While our Kindergartners may have taken the lead, the entire GSB community benefitted from the very special lesson on how important it is to do something for someone else, even if no one is watching.

At the Valentine’s Day Bake Sale, organized by the Middle School Community Service Club for Cancer Prevention Awareness Month, students raised over $500 for the American Cancer Society.

Middle School Student Council Food Drive

As the year drew to a close, the Middle School Student Council held a wintertime food drive for the Chester-Mendham Food Pantry. Students collected more than 450 items across grades 5 – 8, which made an incredible impact on food insecurity in our community.

Upper School Events:

Upper School Women’s Empowerment Club Clothing Drive

The Upper School Women’s Empowerment Club led a week-long clothing drive to benefit Dress for Success, a non-profit organization located in New York City that empowers women to achieve economic success by providing professional attire.

Over the course of the drive, club leaders worked with several US advisories to collect over 100 pieces of clothing and professional attire for the drive. The club dropped off the clothing to Dress for Success in early January!

Chicago Cast Service Day

While most GSB students had Monday, January 16, 2023, off in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the cast of Chicago spent their day in service, organizing a non-perishable food drive to support a local food bank.

GSB Military Club Care Package Drive

The GSB for Military Club collected and sorted donations to create care packages for soldiers stationed in Kuwait. The students also enclosed letters of appreciation thanking members of the military for their service.

The cast of Chicago spent their day in service, organizing a non-perishable food drive to support a local food bank.

Upper School Women's Empowerment clothing drive.

The GSB for Military Club.

Upper School Hispanic Heritage and Culture Club Toy Drive

The Upper School Hispanic Heritage and Culture Club continued its annual holiday drive to help NJ families in need celebrate the holidays. Throughout December, club leaders worked with Upper Schoolers to collect new, unwrapped toys for El Centro Hispanoamericano, a non-profit organization located in Plainfield that provides legal representation for individuals seeking U.S. citizenship and other immigration services. This year’s drive was another huge success with students collecting several dozen toy bags!

Other Upper School Service Efforts:

• The Office of Student Life led a food drive for the New Jersey Food Bank.

• Upper School Student Government organized a supply drive for Newark residents in need, a food drive for the Chester Food Pantry, and a relief drive for victims of the Turkish/Syrian earthquakes and the Puerto Rico/Dominican Republic hurricanes.

• Upper School students managed a sneaker drive to support the Summit Ridge Animal Shelter.

• The Class of 2023 ran a fundraiser for Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (C-H-O-P).

• The Upper School Mental Health Club made cards and blankets to support abused women through Blankets of Hope.

Alumni Events

9/1/22 - 2/28/23

1776 Preview Event

Keith Edwards '75 and Jay Thomas Jenkins (Jay T) ’75 partnered with GSB’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community office to offer twenty-eight Gill employees, students, and their families the opportunity to attend the Broadway Musical Revival 1776 one day before the show opened for previews.

Alumni Meet Up: New York City

Saturday, November 12, 2022

GSB Alumni gathered with GSB Community members from past and present at the Playwright Celtic Pub on Saturday, November 12, 2022, before attending a live performance of 1776: The Musical, staged by alumnus Keith Edwards ’75.

Alumni Giving Back

Alex Schachne '18 Visits

GSB on December 15, 2022

GSB Alumnus Alex Schachne ’18 joined GSB Alumnus and Assistant Dean of Students Mike Wendell ’84 in the Upper School’s Debating Social Issues class on December 15, 2022, to discuss the rise of entrepreneurship in today’s marketplace. Alex is currently at Founders, Inc., an incubator in San Francisco where like-minded entrepreneurs brainstorm concepts to pitch to investors.

GSB Classmates Sarah Zinsser ‘75 and Jay T ’75 reconnected on 42nd Street before the 1776 preview.

W E D I D I T !

GSB Alumni Knight

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GSB Founders’ Day

Lower School for the Win!

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Former Knights reconnected with friends and faculty as they cheered on the Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball teams against rival Rutgers Prep at our annual GSB Alumni Knight on January 5, 2023. It was a blast seeing so many familiar faces!

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The Lower School won the division challenge with 77% of students participating in Founders’ Day!

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The Lower School won the division challenge with 77% of students participating in Founders’ Day!

Lower School for the Win!

The Lower School won the division challenge with 77% of students participating in Founders’ Day!

S m a l l c h a n g e d o e s m a k e a b i g d i f f e r e n c e ! 2 2 8 s t u d e n t s c o n t r i b u t e d $ 1 , 0 4 3 t o F o u n d e r s ' D a y h e l p i n g u s t o r a i s e o v e r $ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 !

LOWER SCHOOL

You made an impact. 100% of every dollar raised on Founders' Day goes back to the students, the classroom, the campus, the faculty and staff, and GSB programs.

THANK YOU for being a Founder!

You made an impact

100% of every dollar

Alumni Spotlight

Paul Saddler '69

While in school, my thought was to go into the field of Theology, which is the science behind religion, and to teach. Once again, life took me on another path. My first position out of Divinity School was to serve as the Executive Minister of the Shaw Community Ministry of the Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ located in the District of Columbia. I worked intimately with children and youth of low-income families and opened a Science and Technology Resource Center that provided technological access to lower income students. In addition, the organization sponsored a safe after-school program and an annual college tour program. It was an incredibly fulfilling position I held for 8 years.

1. What do you do now, and how did you get where you are?

Currently, I am a Senior Pastor presiding over the historic Twelfth Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Washington, DC, but I didn’t start out on this path.

My first job as a responsible adult was working part-time in trading control at Merrill Lynch in midtown Manhattan, and later, I accepted a position at Brylane Advertising in the garment district. Both were entry-level positions, and while I was learning a good deal, I began to give deep consideration to something I’d always thought I should have been doing at the start: preparation in Religious Studies and a career in religious services.

I started attending the New York Theological Seminary while continuing to work at Brylane. It became clear that my aspirations aligned more with helping humanity at large and with helping people to live their best life. I decided to stop working at Brylane and to return to school full-time. I ultimately earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religious Studies at College of New Rochelle at the New York Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity Degree from Howard University School of Divinity, and a Doctoral Degree at Wesley Theological Seminary. My doctoral thesis was based on my theory of “Ethical Development.” My work was entitled “Whatever It Takes,” a demonstration of how religious organizations and non-profit public service groups can help reduce youth violence and unrest in “hot spot” urban communities.

From there, other opportunities began to present themselves such as serving on the Board of Directors of the Thurgood Marshall Center Trust located in the historic Shaw Community of Washington, D.C. and as an Executive Board member of the African American Civil War Museum and Freedom Foundation, also located in the Shaw Community. Among other activities and by invitation, I had the honor of leading one of the United States Supreme Court Justice’s Prayer Breakfasts. Most recently, I delivered the invocation at GSB’s Commencement in 2021—before agreeing to join the GSB Board of Trustees in 2022.

My connection with the Twelfth Street Church evolved by fortunate happenstance. I was leaving a board meeting at the Thurgood Marshall Center Trust in the Fall of 2005, and when passing by the church, I noticed that the position for a Presiding Minister was open. I applied, and by a unanimous vote of the congregation, I was installed as Presiding Minister on January 1, 2006, where I still remain.

2. How did your education/experience at GSB prepare you for what you are doing today, your career, or life in general?

For me personally, St. Bernard’s in the 1960’s was an ideal place. It was then an affiliate of the Episcopal Church in my hometown where I grew up. That connection prepared me well for the future.

My brother, John ’68, who was a year above me, was the first student of Color to graduate from St. Bernard’s School. While there wasn’t a great deal of diversity in the student body at the time, I felt very welcome. The academics were

superb, and there were courses like Latin and French (taught by Mr. Rush, who was actually from France!). Such subjects of interest to me would not have been available in a public school setting. I also had the opportunity to play sports, which I probably would not have made “the cut” in public school.

3. What would be your advice to current GSB students?

Allow Common Sense to find its place in your life.

Unfortunately, Common Sense does not appear to be so common these days. We have a great deal of freedom to think and make decisions, but we don’t incorporate basic common sense in all that we do. In every consideration, think: what’s the wisest thing to do? What’s the best and safest way to get from point A to point B: not the fastest way or the easiest way, and not the road with the best scenery, but the wisest way?

And remember, everything that looks good is not necessarily good for you.

4. What book(s) do you have on your nightstand right now?

Our Unfinished March: The Violent Past and Imperiled Future of the Vote – A History, A Crisis, A Plan by Eric Holder and Sam Koppelman.

Before his appointment as the 82nd Attorney General of the United States under President Obama, Eric Holder,

then Judge Holder, was my wife’s colleague at the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. His recent book, Our Unfinished March, has really left an impression on me. The narrative starts out with a brutal recounting of the racial tensions that our country has confronted, but it ultimately moves into a hopeful message about the importance of preserving our democracy. Mr. Holder helps the reader to understand the institutional experiment of independence and the value of our voices.

5. Do you have a favorite school memory?

At St. Bernard’s School in the 1960’s, we held worship service every morning in the chapel, and students took turns performing different leadership roles during the devotions. In my junior year, I was given a turn alongside my classmate. We were Acolytes for the devotional service, and we both froze. We couldn’t remember what to do. Everyone was waiting on us, and eventually, the Head of School just gave us a look and said in a deadpan voice that they were all going to wait until we figured it out. Everyone started laughing, including us.

I still remember that laughter; that moment still makes me smile. It’s easy to watch others, but I never realized, when it’s your turn to act, you can lose it!

Alumni Spotlight

Amity Matthews '18 A Life in Music Performance

Since then, I’ve shifted my focus exclusively to opera. I’ve sung in four different languages as part of my senior thesis, and I spent a month studying German Lieder (songs) and opera in Salzburg, Austria. While in Salzburg, I made my European operatic debut, performing in different theaters and spaces around the city, including Mirabell Gardens where the famous “Do, Re, Mi” scene of The Sound of Music was filmed. It was one of the coolest experiences in my life.

2. How did your education/experience at GSB prepare you for what you are doing today, your career, or life in general?

Because I began Gill in preschool (at three years old!), I basically grew up there. It was such a huge part of my life for so long that I didn’t realize until after graduation how special it was and how I was surrounded by such great people and opportunities.

1. What do you do now, and how did you get where you are?

I just completed the first semester of my Master in Music, Performance Option at Colorado State University. My concentration is in operatic performance, and at the end of the two-year program, I will have given multiple graduate recitals featuring various art songs and opera arias. The first up is coming up in April!

I’ve always loved music, and after performing in every choir group and musical I could at Gill St. Bernard's, I decided to pursue music therapy at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. Operatic performance is a component of the LMU Bachelor of Arts in Music, and even though I’d performed in my first professional opera at ten years old, I was sort of “going through the motions.” I had never considered making opera a career, and during my freshman and sophomore years, I was, admittedly, more interested in my other music classes.

It wasn’t until junior year, when I was paired with a teacher who taught me to do things with my voice I could never do before, that I began to fall in love with opera and I wanted to learn how to sing in that art form. Then, halfway through an opera performance in December of my senior year, I had a moment. It hit me that performing opera was what I really wanted to continue doing—and not music therapy.

All through Middle and Upper School, I participated in music and theater—joining every choir or production that I could. Performing Arts was one area I excelled at, and because there were so many opportunities there, it was a huge part of my experience at Gill. When it came time to apply to college, I knew that I had to continue down that path.

3. What person, course, or experience most influenced you at GSB?

So many people built my confidence and were encouraging behind the scenes like David Southerland, Margery Schiesswohl, Todd Ross, and Paul Canada that it’s hard to pick just one person or one program.

Mr. Canada did teach me one exercise that I use until this day: to practice my facial expressions in front of a mirror so that the audience can “understand my face.” Even now, I practice in front of the mirror before every performance so that I can see if my facial expressions are conveying what I want them to convey. Thank you, Mr. Canada, for instilling that in me at sixteen!

4. What would be your advice to current GSB students?

Do not be afraid to try and turn something you are passionate about into a career.

Originally, I thought I should be pursuing something more mainstream than opera. I know some people thought I was crazy for trying to turn singing into a career, but I wouldn’t have been as happy with anything else. I’m very grateful for the encouragement I received from teachers at GSB who told me to “go for it” and to pursue what I love.

5. Do you have a favorite GSB memory you’d like to share?

When the Performing Arts and Community Center opened in November 2018, alumni who’d been active in the performing arts at GSB were invited back to perform. I returned to sing my solo from Cinderella, a musical I’d performed in as a junior.

Truthfully, the idea was initially terrifying, because as the youngest alumni, I was asked to perform first! In the end, it was such a special night. I got to reconnect with other alumni who I hadn’t seen in years—and I got to meet “legendary” performing arts alumni who’d graduated long before me. Since the PACC opened just after I graduated, it was my only chance to perform on that stage. I was able to have “one last bow” at GSB, and it was a great way to wrap up my time at Gill.

6. What is your favorite quote, or do you have a personal mantra that you live by?

There is a quote by the German composer Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) that I use as my iPad background: “I am hitting my head against the walls, but the walls are giving way.”

I love what I do, and I wouldn’t want to change it, but it can be so frustrating. Some days my voice won’t function no matter how much I warm up. I’ll work on a piece for hours with no improvement. I practice all these world languages daily and still can’t get the intonation correct. Most days, I feel like I’m treading water and not making

any progress—until finally I do. Suddenly, everything falls into place, and the hours and hours of work finally pay off. The Mahler quote is a reminder that what you do may not be easy, but when it all comes together, it’s worth doing. The walls do give way.

Alumni Spotlight

Becky Gochman ’81 - Founder, The Forge Project

Along with Co-Founder and former New York City art dealer Zach Feurer and Executive Director Candice Hopkins, a citizen of Carcross/Tagish First Nation and of Tlingit descent, the Forge Project launched in 2021 with a Native-led initiative centered on Indigenous art, decolonial education, and supporting leaders in culture, food security, and land justice.

One of the first objectives for the foundation was finding space, which the founders did in a tranquil 38-acre property located on the unceded homelands of the Muh-he-con-ne-ok in the Hudson Valley, under two and a half hours from Gladstone, New Jersey, and the GSB campus. The land came with two modern homes designed by the artist Ai Weiwei, an activist artist himself, and allowed for the development of a fully immersive art and educational community including a gallery, a guest residence for resident artists, a studio space, display and gathering spaces, and offices.

Becky Gochman was an undeniably avid horseman at Gill St. Bernard’s at a time when the school still maintained a strong equestrian connection. She even boarded her horses with longtime groundskeeper Junie Hockenbury. After graduation, she immersed herself in equestrian life and spent many years travelling across the United States and the world on the competitive horse show circuit. As her family grew, her husband, David Gochman, and two children, Sophie and Mimi, joined her in the often-nomadic lifestyle of the competitive equestrian, with the girls becoming world-class competitors themselves.

As Sophie and Mimi began to reach adulthood, Becky found her time and interests shifting, and she rekindled her connection to other passions that had driven her as a GSB student—namely art and social justice. The former art teacher had long been involved in the traditional art world, where she noticed a disturbing deficit in the support provided for Indigenous art within the mainstream art community. Through conversations with family and others with similar concerns, Becky uncovered a path to incorporate social justice and art into one defining mission, and the Forge Project was born.

The Forge Team set an aggressive timeframe, and in just two short years, the Forge Project has grown from a concept to improve the value and representation of Indigenous artists in the market, to a fully operational Native-led organization which hosts a lending art collection of over 230 contemporary works by over 40 Indigenous artists. Forge Project acts as a home and workspace for fellows, provides public education and events, and offers art-based, land-based, and food-based educational programming at the Community Learning Kitchen developed in partnership with Sky High Farm.

The program’s rapid success reflects the dedicated efforts of everyone involved, including fellow GSB alum Thatcher Keats ’82. Keats, a professional photographer, documented the development of the project from a pastoral, uninhabited piece of land to the robust, interactive community space it is today.

“The width and breath of the Indigenous art Becky has collected over the past two years is impressive,” said Thatcher. “I’ve learned so much through my involvement in the Forge Project from how expansive the Indigenous art world is to the broader issues surrounding the Indigenous people, their art, and the world at large such as land use and water use.”

Becky’s efforts, along with all of those involved in the Forge Project, have not gone unnoticed. The New York Times featured an article about The Forge Project last year as did Equestrian Living, and the organization was recently highlighted on the PBS NewsHour.

The Forge Project welcomes inquiries and invites the public to the open onsite events. Follow @forgeprojectny on Instagram to learn about upcoming opportunities to visit the collection and feel free to direct message the team with inquiries about specific artists, the collection, the lending program, or events.

Thank you to all the GSB alumni who completed the GSB Alumni Survey . We loved hearing from you and look forward to sharing the results with the entire community soon!

In the meantime, here’s a little teaser from what we heard .

“I am still best friends with my Gill classmate from 6-12th grade.”

“My love of and professional path in both experiential learning and community service were both forged and nurtured at Gill. Each of my Unit trips fed my passion for travel, service, and experiential learning.”

“The teachers knew me as a person and student, I wasn't just a number to them.”

At GSB, it's people. The connections. Top notch teachers who care about the whole student, and families who are looking for the values we offer.”

“GSB is a place where acceptance is the norm and students feel comfortable enough to figure out who they want to be as humans. That is something that needs to be maintained above all else."

“I will forever share a special bond with my teammates through every year of soccer, and my championship basketball and track teams at Gill. We never had large teams but always fought hard together and, in a few cases, beat schools much bigger and won our division championships.”

“Gill provided me 1:1 attention from teachers that kept me on track as well as rigor, classes, and study skills that prepared me for college.”

“I think GSB is a place where all students have the freedom and opportunity to explore their individual interests, gain new experiences, be strongly respected as individuals, have the support and mentorship of amazing teachers, learn to speak openly and freely to teachers as adults (because their thoughts and opinions are equally respected) and to become the most complete version of their unique selves that they could possibly become.”

New for 2023: Black Knights

Black History Month Podcast

GSB’s Black Student Union (BSU) launched a new, multi-part podcast series in 2023, the Black Knights, which featured interviews with Black alumni from across the decades, spanning from the 1960s to 2022. The interviews discussed topics ranging from music to fashion, and from sports to social justice, and provided a unique perspective on the school's history and the experiences of Black students at GSB.

After a professional development session at the 2022 NAIS People of Color Conference (PoCC), Digital Communication and Technology Specialist and BSU Advisor Camille Bonds was inspired to bring an original and student-voiced podcast to life at GSB.

"It has been incredibly rewarding to watch an initial idea grow into what is now the Black Knights podcast," says Bonds. "I am grateful to the GSB Technology Team for their support in providing the sound equipment making this project possible."

We are reminded this month that Black History is a living history. I have been inspired by the many students across divisions who have meaningfully engaged in new platforms like reflective cultural heritage videos and the Black Knights podcast that have amplified student voices across the community and have elevated the many ways in which GSB honors Black History Month.

-Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Community Tracey Goodson Barrett

L to R: Karlita Cadena ‘24, Jennah Johnson ‘24, Trey McNair ‘21, Dakauri Pinckney ‘24, Kobe Closeil ‘25 recording the first episode of Black Knights.

L to R: Gandy Malou-Mamel ‘25, Rev. Dr. Paul Saddler ‘69, Maurice Boyd ‘26, Oyinkansola Opawuyi ‘26

L to R: Aniyah Boston ‘23, Desirae Hemans ‘23, Tamia Chaney ‘20, Shaniya Golden-Riddle ‘23

L to R: Jennah Johnson ‘24, Dr. Carla Daniels ‘93, P ‘27, Dakauri Pinckney ‘24

Black Knights Episode 1 - Music

Trey McNair ’21 explores music.

Black Knights Episode 2 - Don't Touch My Hair

Tamia Chaney ’20 discusses Black hair.

Black Knights Episode 3 - Social Justice and Entrepreneurship

Lamont “Tory” Stapleton ’06 discusses social justice, entrepreneurship, and fashion.

Black Knights Episode 4 - HBCUs

Angel Stevenson ’22, and TJ Chaney ’18 discuss HBCUs, also known as historically Black colleges and universities.

Black Knights Episode 5 - Fearless Firsts

Rev. Dr. Paul Saddler ’69 explores being one of GSB’s “Fearless Firsts,” one of the first students of Color at the school.

Black Knights Episode 6 - Dance and Music

Jay T Jenkins ’75 discusses theater and music.

Black Knights Episode 7 - Financial Literacy

Dominique Vitalis ’12 explores financial literacy, homeownership, and mentorship.

Black Knights Episode 8 - Science and Technology

Dr. Carla Daniels ’93, P ’27 discusses science and technology.

Order Your GSB History Book

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the merger between The Gill School and St. Bernard’s, GSB is pleased to offer Proud Past, Bright Future: A History of GSB, a beautiful, 300+ page hardcover collection of photographs, history, and anecdotes highlighting the evolution of GSB from 1900 until now!

Order yours today on the school store.

Quantities are limited!

Scan the QR Code to listen to these episodes!

Message from the PA President Sacha Marcucci

When I reflect on the concept of education, an integral part of that process is a focus on experiential learning. As a parent, watching my children gain understanding of content through hands-on discovery and engagement at GSB continues to be one of the most rewarding affirmations of our decision to choose Gill as their educator. Using our expansive campus, the teachers are able to incorporate their lessons into tangible experiences that will make those lessons even more understandable. The extracurricular activities offer a variety of options to discover what it is that interests each student, whether those are sports, clubs, arts, affinity groups, or all of the above.

I believe that GSB fosters greater understanding by creating a safe place for students to explore connections above and beyond the pages of a textbook. I continue to look forward to the unexpected class or activity my children try next as they explore and develop their true selves here at GSB. For myself, I have personally discovered joy in my ability to help the Parents’ Association support this incredible school and all the teachers and staff who go out of their way to provide students with so many unique opportunities. There have been incredible rewards in being a part of the PA community building events and activities, and I have enjoyed friendships that I know will last beyond my children’s time at GSB.

Welcome Breakfast

Parents, guardians, and community members gathered for the PA Annual Welcome Breakfast in the Athletic Center. Energy and enthusiasm for the event was high among the attendees, and everyone took advantage of the table displays which highlighted the events held throughout the year, ranging from Homecoming/Family Day in the fall and Culture Night in the winter to the spring Fashion Event in April.

PA President Sacha Marcucci and all speakers encouraged guests to volunteer with a promise of reward and new friends along the way.

Homecoming/Family Day 2022

On a picture-perfect autumn day, the full Gill St. Bernard's community came together to celebrate our annual GSB Homecoming/Family Day.

GSB families, faculty, staff, and friends gathered on campus to cheer on our Middle and Upper School sports teams and take part in an array of friendly activities. Some of the many highlights included pumpkin patch painting, goat petting, balloon animals, and relay races, resulting in an endless supply of laughter and smiles.

Perhaps the most memorable moment of the day was enjoying GSB's Lower, Middle, and Upper school choirs joining to sing "Home" by Phillip Phillips, a perfect tribute to the feeling that the Gill community experienced all day.

Gill at the Mill –

Jubilee Jamboree

Over 225 guests came together for a night under the stars at Burnt Mills Cider Company in Bedminster, NJ, in support of GSB. This year’s theme, Jubilee Jamboree, honored the 50th anniversary of the merger of the St. Bernard’s School and the Gill School.

The overall success of the event was made possible by all the donors, sponsors, tickets, and behind-the-scenes vision and work. A special thank you goes to GSB’s very own Operations team who helped to transform the outdoor space for this memorable evening.

PA Pie Sale

The PA Pie Sale fundraiser was once again a delicious success. The GSB Community purchased over 600 pies to enjoy around the holiday season, which included almost 200 that were donated to local charities.

Culture Night Fair

Throughout the night, GSB parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and community friends socialized around the beautifully decorated space and enjoyed delicious food and dessert trucks, live music, and an impressive collection of ciders on tap.

GSB’s Culture Night Fair welcomed over 225 guests from the community into the SBS Pavilion for a family fun event that shared and celebrated the unique heritages of our diverse community.

The event kicked off with an amazing preparation of cultural foods that represented countries from every continent around the globe. Colorful table displays with handmade posters and “Did You Know?” facts lined the event space and highlighted the artwork, musical instruments, attire, and cultural traditions of the participating families.

Nisha Khanduja P ’32 orchestrated a finale to the live show, leading the Parents’ Association Diversity & Inclusion Committee in a “flash mob” Bollywood Dance.

“We are so grateful for our committee’s support and the overwhelming response and participation from our community,” said event Co-Chairs Kim Donaldson P ’32 and Vicki Lockhart P ’26. “It was truly a great night.”

Head of School Sid Rowell echoed the enthusiasm in the room when he thanked everyone and reinforced the importance of sharing our personal stories.

Head of School Sid Rowell thanked everyone for attending and shared his appreciation for the amazing effort from the event committee and Parent Co-Chairs Michelle Lawse P ’32, Emily Maillet Kellogg P ’29, and Tanya Moeller P ’32.

Gill St. Bernard’s School would like to graciously acknowledge the generous support from Burnt Mills Cider owned by John and Denise Coates P ‘26, ‘27.

Home Winds Farm

As both a working farm and living classroom for our PS-12 curriculum, Home Winds serves as a vibrant component of Gill St. Bernard's. More importantly, it provides our students a deeper connection to our land and the space to gain a fuller understanding of the impact they have on the world.

To see ourselves as part of something is tremendously important for our mental development and emotional health. Home Winds provides opportunities to our students to both see and feel themselves as part of the systems of life.

Meet the Home Winds Team

Upper School Animal Science

Sarah, Carly, and Ned are the multitalented muscle behind the Home Winds Farm magic.

Alternately tending fields, flocks, and fowl, these three musketeers work tirelessly to keep our farm running smooth and steady.

Upper School Biology

In Animal Science class, Upper School students learn about a broad range of animal science topics. Through visits and labs at our Home Winds Farm campus, students study the feed and management of livestock and learn about animal nutrition, growth, health, behavior, reproduction, and genetics.

Middle School STREAMS

GSB Upper School Students explored the process of photosynthesis using homegrown spinach leaves from Home Winds Farm in Upper School Science Teacher Courtney Heller’s Biology class.

Sixth-grade science students visited the great lawn of Hemm House for a special hands-on lesson that is unique to Gill St. Bernard’s—maple syrup making!

As part of the annual STREAMS project, students were involved in all aspects of the process: examining the health of the tree, evaluating the best location for the tap, hammering in the spile, securing the lidded bucket, and of course, tasting the sap that immediately dripped from the opening.

Lower School Science

The World is Our Classroom

Lower School Science Teacher Lynn Prosen leads second graders through a lesson on plant systems and their needs using the Home Winds vegetable garden as an outdoor classroom.

Our campus garden, natural spaces, and hay meadows allow students to investigate the interdependent relationships between plants and insects in their actual habitat.

Home Winds Farm Stand

After a brief hiatus, Gill St. Bernard’s seventh and eighth graders were on the move again this year, taking part in the traditional and highly anticipated class trips to Philadelphia (7th grade) and Washington, D.C. (8th grade).

Both trips have been a benchmark of the 7th and 8th grade experience, and they were designed to complement GSB's Middle School history and English curriculum. Most importantly, the trips provided a unique opportunity for students to experience and to interact with their subject matter in person. This is experiential learning at its best!

Same great produce in a more permanent and weatherproof setup is available for sale M – F, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Want to stay in the know? Connect with Home Winds Farm on Instagram (@homewindsgsb) for updates on farm life, news, and tips. Follow us and drop a comment to say hello!

Come visit the NEW Home Winds farm stand location, which is INSIDE the red barn, just across the parking lot from the old location.

Performing Arts

GSB Players Shine in Clue: On Stage

The GSB Theater Department produced three thrilling performances of Clue: On Stage. Based upon the iconic film and board game, the show follows an unusual dinner party in which the oddball guests known as Scarlet, Plum, White, Green, Peacock, and Mustard race to find the murderer in Boddy Manor before the body count stacks up.

Lower Schoolers Sparkle in Beloved Nutcracker

Lower School families gathered in Evans Hall to watch Preschool, Prekindergarten, and Kindergarten students showcase their passion and creativity in GSB's annual Early Childhood Holiday Performance.

Students welcomed loved ones on campus to watch them sing a series of holiday songs followed by the longstanding favorite tradition – an ensemble performance of The Nutcracker.

First and Sixth Graders staged an energizing production of Frozen Kids!, based upon the movie Frozen, which featured all of the familiar songs.

The Lion King KIDS! Production Fit for Royalty

Over 40 first through fifth graders participated in Gill St. Bernard's after-school theater program this fall. The troupe proudly hosted two performances of The Lion King KIDS! based upon the 1994 Disney animated feature film of the same name.

Early Childhood classes commanded the stage in what is arguably the cutest show of the year. The preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten students sparkled on stage as they performed The Nutcracker

Visual Arts

K-12 Winter Art Exhibition

12/15/22

Students, parents, and GSB employees visited the SBS Pavilion for the opening reception of the K-12 Winter Art Exhibition which featured works from all grades and in all mediums including 2D, 3D, and digital art, drawings, paintings, photography, ceramics, woodworking, and multi-media creations.

Handmade cards by fine arts students, handcrafted pens by woodworking students, and ceramic ornaments by Clay Club members were available for purchase. Proceeds from the sales benefit a host of charities including the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity as well as the GSB Fine Arts Department and Clay Club.

The GSB Fine Arts Department was on hand to welcome guests and artists alike and to celebrate the exceptional artwork created in all the fine arts courses across three divisions.

“The showcase is a time to share and celebrate the variety of media, artistic inspiration, and new techniques that emerge out of each class with the entire school community.”

- Fine Arts Department Chair Sarah Isusi.

The Art Department faculty enjoyed curating art that mixed Kindergarten through Grade 12 grade based on color, concept, and design.

Music at

GSB

Lower School Holiday Concert

12/9/22

First through Fourth Graders filled the Matthews Theater in the Performing Arts & Community Center with joyful songs in the 2022 Lower School Holiday Concert. The 87 performers cheerfully led family and friends on a musical journey celebrating the season.

Upper School Winter Choral Concert

12/10/22

GSB Upper Schoolers filled The Chapel with warmth, joy, and the beautiful sound of music as they hosted family and friends in the 2022 Winter Choral Concert.

24 singers across the US Honors Choir and Blue in the Face ensemble joined together for this year’s concert titled “On With The Snow!”

Middle School Choral Concert

12/8/22

With colorful sweaters galore, GSB Middle Schoolers welcomed family and friends into the holiday season with the annual Middle School Choral Concert.

This year's concert, titled "My Favorite Things," featured 79 student performers from 5th to 8th grade.

Blue in the Face Hosts

2/4/23

With nearly four dozen performers unveiling the musical talent found across Gill St. Bernard’s, this year’s Joe Show boasted the largest number of entertainers in the history of the event.

Blue in the Face, GSB’s Upper School musical ensemble, led and closed out the event. GSB’s Middle School 5th & 6th Grade Choir took the stage to present three crowdpleasing numbers, and the night also featured exceptional performances by the GSB Upper School Choir and accompaniments by GSB students and faculty members.

“Joe Show”

GSB Professional Development

Gill St. Bernard's is a school where educators grow professionally as a community of learners and practitioners. Employees are supported with a strong emphasis on professional learning and through a variety of professional development opportunities. Our faculty and staff regularly participate and present at conferences and professional events on topics such as academic disciplines, technology, leadership, diversity and inclusivity, student services, experiential learning, and the arts.

Since last summer, our employees have attended or presented at the following organizations:

• Advanced Placement (AP) World History Summer Institute, Manhattan College

• AP Art History for the New AP Teacher Training Course

• AP Microeconomics Online Workshop

• American Council on Teaching of Foreign Language Conference

• Association of Independent School Librarians Conference

• Broadway Theatre Teaching Group

• Enrollment Management Association Anti-Bias Workshop: Building Your Diversity Roadmap

• Global Online Academy (GOA) Workshops

• Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE) Live Virtual Coaching

• National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Conference

• NJAIS Gender Expansive School Communities Winter Subscription Series

• NJAIS Women’s Leadership Institute

• NJAIS Workshop: Artificial Intelligence & Academic Integrity

• New Jersey Science Teachers Association (NJSTA) Maitland Simmons Memorial Summer Institute: Citizen Science & Data Sources

• Reading: Between the Mountain and the Sky by Maggie Doyne

Lower School Responsive Classroom Training

Lower School teachers, Related Arts teachers, and coaches took part in a comprehensive Responsive Classroom training workshop to provide a common teaching framework for social-emotional learning and academic growth.

National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) People of Color Conference

Three GSB employees attended the NAIS People of Color Conference (PoCC) this year. PoCC is the flagship of the National Association of Independent Schools' commitment to equity and justice in teaching, learning, and organizational development. The conference's mission is to provide a safe space for leadership, professional development, and networking for people of color and allies of all backgrounds from independent schools.

NJAIS Innovation & Collaboration Conference

Ten GSB employees attended the annual NJAIS Innovation and Collaboration Conference to share their subject expertise and build their teaching skillsets.

Athletics

FALL SPORTS RECAP

Hello Knights Fans,

What a first year it has been! I am so grateful to be a part of the Gill community, and I am thrilled at the progress we have made with one of my first-year goals: GSB Knights branding.

The GSB Knights brand has been increased within both the internal and external community. Our presence on social media with our newly created GSB Athletics Instagram has been electrifying (if you have not done so, give us a follow @gsbathletics), and we are closing in on almost 800 followers in just nine months. All the home games that take place on the turf, in the fieldhouse, or in the Athletic Center are livestreamed on our GSB Athletics YouTube Channel (@gsbathletics8711).

We invite you to tune in and enjoy a game! Our teams have been incredible with fundraising and participating in charity games along with promoting community service events. Lastly, our teams have been proudly sporting new gear since it is known that “if you look good, you play good.”

Visibility, accessibility, and open lines of communication are paramount in Athletics; thus, I hope you notice the GSB Brand in local papers, walking through the store, or just hearing the buzz throughout the community. We are all part of the “Knights Brigade,” and I encourage all of you to continue to promote GSB in the best light!

A sincere thank you to the Boosters and volunteers who have supported our Athletic Department throughout the year.

Go Knights, Jenn

Boys’ Soccer Ends 2022 Season as Defending NJSIAA State Champions

Gill St. Bernard’s Boys’ Soccer program capped off its 2022 season with their 4th straight NJSIAA Non-Public B State Championship, their seventh title since 2010.

The Knights, who finished the year 16-6-1, used poise and confidence to defeat Prep B South Sectional Champions St. Rose in an epic championship match thriller. With the game knotted 0-0 after 100 minutes of play, three-year starter varsity goalkeeper Mike Dumiec ’24 made two clutch saves in the penalty kick shootout, vaulting the team to a 3-2 victory at Franklin High School.

Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country

The GSB Cross Country team used hard work and senior leadership to finish their season out strong, with one runner’s accomplishment, Ema Hercules ’25, earning her a spot in the coveted NJ Cross Country Meet of Champions.

Volleyball

Competing at the varsity level for only the second year, the GSB Volleyball team (15-5) finished out their 2022 season accomplishing several key milestones, including the program’s first ever Somerset County Tournament victory.

Girls’ Tennis

The GSB Girls’ Tennis program finished with a final record of 6-7, building off their 3-9 record from last season and earning 3rd place in a very competitive Skyland-Raritan Division.

Girls’ Soccer

The Knights finished their 2022 campaign with a final record of 8-9 while going 6-4 in Conference play to earn 3rd place in the Skyland-Valley Division. Head Coach Donna Bednarsky, who rejoined the program this season, was especially proud of the team’s resilience.

Paige Brucker recognized with GSB’s National Girls and Women in Sports Day Award

Gill St. Bernard’s proudly celebrated National Girls & Women in Sports Day with a full slate of athletic competitions, school spirit activities, and a special award ceremony for this year’s award recipient, Paige Brucker ’23.

As a three-sport athlete and vital member of the Girls’ Tennis, Ice Hockey, and Girls’ Lacrosse teams, Paige has made a significant contribution to Gill’s athletic program and school culture through her hard work, sportsmanship, and perseverance.

Paige Brucker ’23 and GSB Athletic Director Jenn Noon.

WINTER SPORTS RECAP

Ice Hockey

The Knights finished their 2022-23 campaign with a record of 5-8-2, finishing 5th in a deeply talented Haas Division in the Mennen Conference.

Girls’ Fencing

The GSB Girls’ Fencing team (4-5-1) ended the 2022-23 season with a host of impressive accomplishments, including a 2nd place finish in the NJISAA Prep B Championships.

Three Knights were selected to participate in the NJSIAA Individual State Championships as well: Whitney Lapper ’23 captured 14th in the state for women's foil, Anvika Hegde ’23 secured 20th for women's sabre, and Lauren Rossiter ’23 finished 34th for women's epee.

Boys’ Fencing

GSB Boys’ Fencing (0-10) put forth a strong effort and ended the season with several fencers falling just a couple touches short of qualifying for the individual tournaments.

Celebrating Title IX

Senior Softball student-athlete Emma Moussally and junior Girls’ Volleyball and Track & Field student-athlete Samantha Leo represented the Knights at the NJSIAA Title IX 50th Anniversary Luncheon on Sunday, September 18, 2022.

Emma and Sam had the privilege to listen to and meet New Jersey legends including Big East Commissioner Val Ackerman, National Sports Journalist and CEO of Walk Swiftly Productions Bonnie Bernstein, Track & Field Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs, and Hall of Fame Basketball Coach at Immaculata College Cathy Rush.

Boys' Basketball

The Knights, who finished their 2022-23 season with a record of 19-7 and a #14 ranking in the state, reached the Somerset County Championship before ultimately falling to Rutgers Prep, 69-67, in a rematch of last year’s title game.

Girls’ Basketball

The Knights finished the season with a record of 18-9, including a commanding 8-2 record in SkylandDelaware divisional matchups and climbing as has as #13 in NJ.com’s Top 20 rankings.

GSB Athletic Boosters Club Promotes School Spirit

The GSB Athletic Booster Club has been hard at work this year, providing support for the Athletic Department, promoting our athletic teams, and encouraging school spirit through various events.

To date, the Athletic Booster Club has helped with the purchasing of fencing barricades to keep foot traffic off the new Track, provided all senior athletes with a senior banner that is hung up during the season and gifted to them after, and purchased new windscreens for the softball field complete with the Knights logo.

“Financial contributions from GSB parents, alumni, and our community, as well as fundraising through sales of merchandise, apparel, and concessions allow us to help our Athletic Programs when additional funding is needed beyond the current Athletic Budget,” GSB Athletic Boosters Club President Kristin Licata P '18, '22, '24 explained.

“In my first year as president, it has been a pleasure working with our new Athletic Director, Jenn Noon, who brings so much enthusiasm and energy to our Athletic Department.”

Swimming

This year’s Knights were headlined by standouts Margaux Scott ’24 and Nathan Jiang ’23.

Scott, who holds three school records, continued her storied GSB career as the top scoring female swimmer (48 points) while qualifying for both the Skyland Conference and Somerset County Championships.

Jiang also qualified for the Skyland Conference and Somerset County Championships, becoming the Knight’s top male swimmer (71 points) while breaking the school’s 100-meter backstroke record with a time of 1:01.00.

Indoor Track and Field

The 2022-23 Indoor Track and Field team held strong in the Non-Public B State Relays with the girls placing eighth and the boys placing tenth. The Girls’ Shuttle Hurdle Relay team placed 3rd and the Girls’ 4x400 Relay and Sprint Medley placed 4th. The Boys’ Shuttle Hurdle Relay team placed 4th while breaking the school record from the 2021 Somerset County Championships.

Will Engelke ’23 placed 5th in the Somerset County Championships in the 55 meter Hurdles and Samantha Leo ’24 placed 5th in the Long Jump. Leo also qualified for the Long Jump Eastern State Championships.

Cheerleading

The Gill St. Bernard’s Cheerleading Squad ended their action-packed winter season with eleven girls and a brilliant legacy of building GSB spirit and pride into all aspects of the school.

Alumni Notes

the SEVENTIES CLASS OF 1977

William Feingold ’77 writes “I am busy working as a judge. I miss the GSB days. All the best to the class of 77!”

the 21st CENTURY CLASS OF 2006

Andrew Vazzano ’06 has been named Director, Communications and Digital, for the New York Red Bulls, a Major League Soccer team playing in Harrison, New Jersey. Vazzano has been with the club since 2017, and now oversees all digital content, social platforms and public relations outreach.

CLASS OF 2008

Kyle O’Neill ’08 reports that “On January 1, 2023, we celebrated New Years with our 3rd child! FrancesJean Catherine O'Neill was born. Baby Frankie enjoys spending time with her brother, Kyle, and sister, Millie. With love, Kyle, Amandalynn, Mildred, Kyle Jr., and FrancesJean.”

CLASS OF 2010

Sonia Kumar ’10 showed up to the first day of Columbia Business School’s Executive MBA program and found herself seated next to a familiar face. “We have assigned seating in our classes,” Sonia writes, “and the very first day at Columbia I was placed next to GSB alum Abigail Richardson ’12. It’s such a small world!”

CLASS OF 2013

Alexis Molnar ’13 writes “Hi all! Hope everyone is well. Wanted to share a milestone of a recent accomplishmentvery soon (tomorrow), I'm off to Budapest to start shooting a new Netflix limited series starring Benedict Cumberbatch entitled Eric. I'm very thrilled to share this announcement with the GSB community and hope everyone will be watching at home when we premiere either later this year or early next! Cheers, Alexis.”

Kyle O’Neill ’08 with newborn FrancesJean Catherine O’Neill.

Kyle O’Neill ’08 and Family.

Sonia Kumar ’10 and Abigail Richardson ’12.

CLASS OF 2016

Carolyn Najarian ’16 shared that she and fellow GSB Class of 2016 classmates George Harris, McKenna Lieblich, Morgan Margolis, Kaitlyn Moriarty, Gregory Niccolai, and Jackie Roettger all reconnected on a ski trip to Breckenridge, Colorado, this winter. The group reminisced on their days at GSB, especially on their time in Ski Club where they improved their ski skills at Camelback Mountain with Mrs. Hayes and Mr. Ort. They had so much fun skiing together again, and the weekend ended up being beautiful with wonderful ski conditions.

CLASS OF 2019

Dan Shen ’19 recently hosted Vivian Chang ’19 and Sophie Chang ’21 on a tour of the United States Naval Academy. As a senior, Dan spent the summer training incoming freshmen to transition from civilians to midshipmen.

CLASS OF 2022

Anna Gnapp ’22 has been named to the Hamilton College Dean’s List for the 2022 fall semester. To be named for the Dean’s List, a student must have carried a course load of four or more graded credits throughout the semester and earned an average of 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale.

Dan Shen ’19 hosted Vivian Chang ’19 and Sophie Chang ’21 at the United States Naval Academy

Class of 2016 from L to R: McKenna Lieblich, Jackie Roettger, Morgan Margolis, Carolyn Najarian

Carolyn Najarian ’16 and Morgan Margolis ’16

Unfortunately, due to NDAs and legalities I'm unable to send any pictures from the Netflix limited series Eric set or of me in makeup, but I've attached a picture of my trailer. - Alexis Molnar '13

Alexis Molnar ’13 Press Shot (Photographer: Gabrielle Carrubba)

OBITUARIES

LOIS E. MATTESON ’48

Lois Helen Matteson (nee Eccles) ’48 of Cinnaminson, N.J., passed away peacefully at the age of 89 on February 27, 2020.

Born in Milford, C.T., to Thomas B. Eccles and Helen Lois Eccles (nee Stowe), Lois was a proud and active member of Christ Episcopal Church in Riverton, N.J. A graduate of the Katharine Gibbs School for Girls, she learned typing, bookkeeping, and secretarial skills. Lois spent more than 40 years of her professional career as a secretary and bookkeeper for Moccia Enterprises in Riverton, N.J.

Now reunited with her loving husband, Silas Matteson, Lois passed away surrounded by her 5 children: Susan Hughes (Edward); Silas (Nancy); Nancy Bosch (Allen); Tom (Beth); Chris (Cheryl), and 9 of her 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

REV. ALFRED MORING NIESE JR. ’53

Alfred Moring Niese, Jr. ’53 died on Monday, August 15, 2022.

He was born in New York City, N.Y., son of Alfred Moring Niese and Anne Brown Niese. He graduated from Rutgers University, where he sang in the Rutgers Glee Club, and

served as a supply priest at Episcopal churches, including St. Paul’s in Brunswick where he was a member.

Passionate about social justice and civil rights, Al attended Martin Luther King, Jr.’s March on Washington in 1963 and organized transportation to the 1965 Selma to Montgomery March for people traveling from Newark, N.J.

He is survived by Bronda, his wife of 56 years; his daughter, Jennifer, son-in-law, Bill Hetzel, and granddaughters Molly and Sarah; by his son, Kirk, daughter-in-law, Michaela Goldfine, and grandchildren Cecily and Soren.

SARA BALLANTINE RYAN '70

Sara Streit Riker Ballantine Ryan ’70 died on Sunday, January 16, 2022, surrounded by loving family at her home in Stuart, Florida. She was 69.

Upon graduation from The Gill School in Bernardsville, New Jersey, Sara attended the College of the Virgin Islands where she began her lifelong love and appreciation of the sun and foreign cultures. After college, Sara moved to New York City to pursue her interest in jewelry-making, studying with Jean Stark, the renowned goldsmith and teacher.

During her time in New York City, Sara met Rod Ryan, and they married in Newton, New Jersey, on April 24,

Gill St. Bernard’s School

P.O. Box 604

St. Bernard’s Road

Gladstone, NJ 07934-0604

908-234-1611

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