Cathedral Magazine (Spring 2021) by The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine

Cathedral T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E

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Cathedral T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E S P R I N G 2021

Head of School Marsha Nelson Director of Institutional Advancement Elizabeth Oswald Editor Daniel Hrdlicka Writers Bill Bermont Daniel Hrdlicka Kellyann Morgan Elizabeth Oswald Chris Starr Design Aldeia www.aldeia.design Photography Marjorie Becker Kathleen Cain Mark Milch Filip Wolak

C AT H E D R A L TO T H E C O R E “ When I arrived as Head of School in 2003, it was clear that—since our founding in 1901—Cathedral was a community that valued character education. These conversations had been happening informally for years, and I knew faculty and families were hungry for an intentional approach.”

Printing Lane Press Please send magazine submissions to: The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine Attn: Cathedral Editor 1047 Amsterdam Ave. New York, NY 10025 news@cathedralnyc.org

@cathedralnyc #CathedralNYC #TheCathedralSchool #KnowWonder Cover/TOC/Back Cover photos by Marjorie Becker

“ I recognized that there were seven candles on our Cathedral School crest, and, out of many meetings and brainstorming sessions with colleagues and community members, our seven Core Values emerged— Courage, Cooperation, Integrity, Kindness, Passion for Learning, Respect, and Responsibility.”

F E AT U R E S

“ It has been wonderful to see Cathedral School students continuing to model our Core Values, literally and figuratively, throughout this year—a year unlike any we could have imagined. I’m deeply proud of the role these Core Values play in our community and culture.” MARSHA NELSON, HEAD OF SCHOOL

For Love of Learning and Language Celebrating Head of School Marsha Nelson and the people, places, and things that have defined her illustrious 18-year tenure

A Conversation with Cathedral’s Next Head of School Erica Corbin discusses her background, her own experience as a student, and her goals for The Cathedral School

Doing The Work: Equity and Engagement A look at Cathedral’s equity and engagement program, and an invitation for all community members to engage more deeply in the work of justice and anti-racism

Coffee, Croissants, and Community For Philip Binioris ’00 and his family, the Hungarian Pastry Shop is more than just coffee and croissants—it all comes down to community

D E PA RT M E N T S

02 Letter from the Head of School 03 Notes from Amsterdam Avenue 10 Uniquely Cathedral 14 O n the Close 40 Beyond Cathedral 46 Graduation 2020 48 The Last Word

Letter from the Head of School MARSHA NELSON

Thank You for the Music Years ago I came upon a quote from English writer Edward Bulwer-Lytton that—much like its subject matter— has stuck with me:

As a musician and choral teacher at heart, I know firsthand that this statement is certainly true for individuals (the transformative power of the arts has never ceased to amaze— truly, one of my greatest joys as an educator), but I am certain the same can also be said for institutions. Nowhere is this more evident than here at The Cathedral School. Founded in 1901 as the Cathedral Choir School, ours is a school with music in its DNA, and even though the program has changed a great deal throughout our 120-year history, this tradition remains at the forefront of what we do and who we are. It is felt in our Chorister program, a fruitful and enduring partnership with the Cathedral Church, and in so many of our beautiful traditions, including Assembly, Lower School Chorus, the 8th Grade Musical, Chapels, Evensongs, the singing of the Tallis Canon each day at lunch, and more. Ours is truly a campus and community alive with music. As I reflect on my tenure as Head of School, it is clear to me that this musical foundation has shaped virtually every aspect of our program. To be a member of a choir is to be a member of a dedicated group of vastly different individuals, all working together for a common purpose. Choral singing requires that we listen to one another, balance, blend, harmonize, and understand that every voice has something infinitely valuable to offer. This is what Cathedral aims to do when we say we form articulate, confident, responsible citizens of the world— our students grow as individuals, of course, but they are also deeply engaged with life and those around them. To paraphrase John Donne, another favorite writer, no person

P H OTO : M A R J O R I E B E C K E R

Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit and never dies.

is an island, and our students understand that it is our collective responsibility to one another that binds us all together. For our neighborhood, city, state, nation, and world to move forward, it is crucial that we continue to acknowledge this interconnectedness and actively work to foster inclusivity. Music, like every element of Cathedral’s academic, athletic, and extracurricular program, reminds us of this important truth. It has been my great honor and privilege to be part of this work as Head of School, and I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to have played such a role in the history of this extraordinary institution. From the bottom of my heart, I extend my deepest thanks to each and every member of our Cathedral School community for 18 years of friendship, partnership, and music. s

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Notes from

Amsterdam Avenue In a year where so much looks so different, the walk down the driveway remains a beloved ritual for students and parents. “The morning walk down the Close is that brief moment to connect with other families with a wink or hello,” says Cathedral parent Laura Gould (pictured bottom left), “and a daily reminder of the community we dearly miss.”

Notes from Amsterdam Avenue

To Be Available for Learning Lower School curriculum introduces mindful strategies for personal and academic growth

To be genuinely receptive to learning, a student must feel safe, accepted, and valued in their class, school, and community. In order to nurture these feelings and position students for academic success, Lower School faculty work with Consulting Psychologist Dr. Barbara Whelan to scaffold Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) into the Lower School curriculum and pave the way for further character development in the Upper School. Especially in the early years, from kindergarten to 2nd grade, the Cathedral program interweaves age-appropriate focus on self-regulation and self-awareness with the development of a growth mindset. As Dr. Whelan explains, “Students are not going to be available for the wonderful academics we provide for them at Cathedral if they don’t feel safe emotionally.” As empathetic adults understand, kindness and caring are a twoway street. Students must be mindful of the fact that their thoughts, actions, and behaviors affect others, just as others affect them. “Every day students are learning to move through the world with empathy, understanding, and compassion,” Kaitlin Chyau, 1st grade teacher, says. “They learn to navigate social situations and relationships as they practice putting themselves in the shoes of others, expressing their feelings effectively, and using mindful strategies in their toolboxes to regulate their emotions and bodies.” This year, Dr. Whelan introduced the MindUP Curriculum, described by the Hawn Foundation as “a framework and curriculum that integrates cognitive neuroscience, mindful awareness training, positive psychology, and social and emotional learning in order to help children build resilience, better their focus, and become happier, more optimistic people.” Dr. Whelan schedules “drop-in” visits to practice many of the MindUP exercises with students, and Lower School faculty members integrate lessons and practices into their classroom management and subject areas. “In this challenging school year with so many new restrictions placed on the students, this idea of being ‘mindful’ has

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B Y C H R I S S TA R R

“Students are taught what it means to be mindful—ultimately, being present in the moment,” says Ashley Philips, kindergarten teacher.

been a fabulous tool for keeping children engaged and active in learning,” Ashley Philips, kindergarten teacher, says. “We aim to transition students from using the skills from these practices in isolation to independently applying them in authentic, everyday situations,” adds Marylin Diosa, 2nd grade teacher. For Dr. Whelan, this is crucial as students become articulate, confident, responsible citizens of the world. “Once students learn empathy and how to be better people in our community, we can then broaden that to being better people in our world,” Dr. Whelan concludes. “This early focus provides a bridge to a broader understanding of community, equity, and justice.”

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Notes from Amsterdam Avenue

MUSICIANS, ON AND OFF THE GRID Amidst the pandemic, Lower and Upper School music classes have overcome a variety of challenges, continuing to offer much of their traditional program while finding new avenues in which to flourish. Melanie Baker learned to overcome the challenge of tuning violins from a remote location. Thanks to her patience and guidance, some families have become quite good at tightening strings and adjusting timbre. She has also learned new methods of mentoring hand positions—no longer able to gently touch or shift a student’s hand, she must rely on verbal guidance alone. “I have been sharing ideas with other string teachers and have gotten some wonderful advice,” says Ms. Baker. Kobi Mannarino maintains a robust program in kindergarten to 3rd grade with certain tweaks for safety and hygiene. Students participate in smaller cohorts but continue to play instruments, participate in rhythm work, dance, listen to songs from around the world, rhyme, fingerplay, and study composers from major musical eras. Despite the pandemic, graduate students from Manhattan School of Music still visited her classrooms—this year on Zoom. “These are very personal and extremely helpful visits for the children to see and hear the instruments they study, so I’m happy we could preserve it,” says Ms. Mannarino. In addition to his regular Upper School classes, Jeffrey Collazo has been breaking new ground with virtual choirs and ensembles. He gives students pre-recorded prompts, and each individually records his or her performance. He then layers them to create a grid of students singing in synchronized harmony. “I think these virtual performances are making our musicians stronger because they are working independently to contribute to the larger whole,” Mr. Collazo says. “We found a creative way to come together, and we will be stronger for it.”

4TH GRADE

Collaborative Canvases

↑ Musical instruction at a distance has proven to be a unique challenge for faculty and students.

↑ One-of-a-kind digital paintings add a colorful touch to the Dining Room— this year, a 4th grade classroom.

Members of the 4th grade Class of 2025 found an innovative way to bond during remote weeks in September. As an occasional break, Ben Jacoff opened the whiteboard tool in Zoom and encouraged students to use the collaborative drawing features. “They really enjoyed drawing on top of each other,” says Mr. Jacoff, “and what emerged were these group paintings where layers upon layers of scribbles and shapes were made by 16 students simultaneously—very colorful images. It’s cool that something so nice blossomed out of something that could not have existed until this year.” The paintings now decorate the Dining Room— repurposed as a classroom. “The room has great light and great space, but it didn’t totally feel like a classroom at first,” says Mr. Jacoff. “Now it does.”

T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E

Notes from Amsterdam Avenue

Responsible Citizens in a Digital World The pandemic has created a greater reliance on technology in our personal, work, and educational lives. Although we can certainly thank technology for providing a platform to enable connectivity, we also remain mindful of increased reliance and the potential risks technology dependence might pose. For this reason, Cathedral is taking steps to mitigate potential harm and raise digital awareness in students, thus promoting healthy use of technology in our community. Comprised of administrators and faculty members, the Digital Citizenship and Technology Ethics Committee seeks to promote community conversation regarding all areas that affect student technology use, including understanding one’s digital voice, image manipulation, data bias, artificial intelligence, software development and usage, ethics, and equity in technology access, as well as traditional topics of digital citizenship including digital footprints, media literacy, cyberbullying, and safety. Last November, the committee crafted an addendum to the traditional Technology Use Agreement that all students sign. This addendum reinforces Cathedral’s Core Values as they relate to the digital world and addresses temptations relating to chatting on school platforms, multitasking or gaming during school hours, Zoom etiquette, and texting. The committee continues to look closely at what has been learned through Telepresence and In-Person Learning and what gains, challenges, and classroom methodologies to carry forward. Additionally, discussions in faculty and curricular planning meetings seek more efficient ways to deliver content that break up the pattern of continuous online meetings, such as on-demand and asynchronous class materials. “There are ways to use technology that take advantage of more creative dynamics— other than chatting, social media, or gaming—and there are bridges that can be built between mindfulness practices and technology use,” explains Daniel Lauter, Educational Technology Integrator. “Life and school can and should be balanced with a holistic approach to how one spends their time onI N T E G R ATO R and offline.”

If technology is viewed and taught as an important tool, relevant to the learning of all subjects, and used with mindful intent as an extension of our values, then it becomes a means to implement and support personal and community goals. Its model shifts from trivial use and sidebar addiction to one of bridge-building—a conduit for innovation.” DA N I E L L AU T E R , E D U C AT I O N A L T E C H N O LO GY

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Notes from Amsterdam Avenue

C AT H E D R A L S P O R T S

Persevering Through the Pandemic

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C O U RT E SY O F S U S A N L AU H E R

Through the ingenuity of our coaches and the persistence of our students, the physical education and sports program at Cathedral is persevering through challenging times. “The pandemic has not dampened enthusiasm and continues to show how important participation in sports is for our students,” says Terry Pfeifer, Director of Athletics. “Traditionally, almost every Upper School student played at least one sport, and many students played three. While we couldn’t run the traditional program full-force, we tried to provide opportunities Above: Students participate in a virtual for student-athletes to remain cross country meet engaged and continue to develop against Elisabeth Morrow their athletic acumen.” School in Morningside Park. Below: The Pulpit In the fall, Cathedral offered a Green offers a verdant modified version of soccer and, backdrop for sharpening soccer skills. although pickleball had been played in PE classes in the past, it was offered anew as a club sport. The athletic department also partnered with The Elisabeth Morrow School to participate in a virtual cross country meet. Cathedral runners took to a 1.5-mile course in Morningside Park, and Elisabeth Morrow ran their own 1.5-mile course near their school in New Jersey before comparing results. Our runners then used their personal competition times as benchmarks to compete against their own best results as the cross country season progressed. In February 2021, Cathedral purchased four portable basketball hoops that are strategically placed around the Close so that a modified basketball program called “Skills and Drills” could continue, and plans for the spring include the return of baseball, softball, and track. “Participating in sports teams has been a central aspect of my time in the Upper School, and I am thankful that my coaches have worked relentlessly to provide the best sports experience possible during such a restrictive and unpredictable era,” says Emmy N-M. ’21.

T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E

Notes from Amsterdam Avenue

RECOMMENDED

Passion for Reading Curl up with these faculty and staff favorites! It’s no secret that Cathedral School students are voracious readers, completing more than 5,500 Library and Media Center circulations in a single year… that’s 19 books per student! But students aren’t the only community members who love to read. Check out the following book recommendations—some for children, some for adults—from Cathedral School faculty and staff. Happy reading!

Homegoing Yaa Gyasi A tremendous epic novel about the lasting impacts of slavery told through the descendents of two Asante sisters—one was sold into slavery and the other married a white slave trader. —Ricca Gaus, Director of Library and New Media

Heart of a Samurai Margi Preus An amazing and true story that looks at white Americans in the 1800s from outside the perspective of Western superiority. —Alan Donaldson, 6th & 8th Grade Social Studies

The Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver This novel really makes you think about how our life experiences can both limit and expand our perspectives. —Patrice Samuels, 4th Grade

The Fountainhead Ayn Rand Ayn Rand gets a lot of bad press these days because people have taken the concept of institutionalized selfishness and run with it, but I don’t see the character of Howard Roark as selfish—rather, a visionary architect who holds to his vision against great odds. —Brian Delacey, Art

The Girl Who Owned a City O.T. Nelson One of my all-time favorite books. After a mysterious event leaves 10-year-old Lisa and her brother Todd on their own, they band together with other kids in the neighborhood in order to build a community and, ultimately, survive. —Luis Colon, Operations Manager

The Plague Albert Camus I have never read a book that so closely captured my understanding of the world. It seems even more relevant now, but the book doesn’t need an analogous pandemic to deliver its extraordinary message. —Ben Jacoff, 4th Grade

“

As teachers, we know we can’t just fix every child’s problems, but we also refuse to just throw up our hands. Like the main character, we take things one day at a time, one class at a time, and strive our utmost to be healers.”

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All Are Welcome Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman This book—about a school where everyone’s differences are loved and celebrated—should be present in every classroom. —Francesca Benitez, 2nd Grade Associate

Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston I love the multivocal quality of the prose. The way a natural disaster and racial segregation intersect to compound injustice are especially of the moment. —Mosie Choudhry, 7th Grade Humanities, US Reading & Writing

Me Talk Pretty One Day David Sedaris I love the discrete circularity of David Sedaris’s writing, the nuanced and complex way in which he writes about people, and how he finds humor in everyday life. —Crystal Elmore, 3rd Grade

Woe is I Patricia T. O’Conner I greatly appreciate the humor, tricks, and stories this book uses to teach commonly misunderstood or misused grammar rules. It also comes in a junior version to help cure some of the earliest cases of grammarphobia! —Max Costello, US Learning Specialist

The Mysterious Benedict Society Trenton Lee Stewart For fans of The Phantom Tollbooth, The Boxcar Children, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory… mix in a cast of extraordinary characters, puzzles, and engaging plots—you won’t be able to put it down! —Suzanne Oster, 7th & 8th Grade Math

“

I choose to counteract the destructive messages of the world by reminding my students every day that they all are truly welcome.”

Caste Isabel Wilkerson An honest, clear-headed, and fascinating look at the history of the unspoken—but deeply ingrained—race-based socioeconomic hierarchy in the USA. Not nearly as dense as its description might sound... a phenomenal and important read. —Terri Decker, Associate Director of Outreach & Enrollment Management

Into Thin Air Jon Krakauer Jon Krakauer writes amazing stories of real-life people doing incredible things. I love stories like his that are rooted in truth and show individuals following a path that is exciting, challenging, and deeply personal. —Parnell Adam, 6th & 8th Grade English

Last Stop on Market Street Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson This book is a heartwarming story that reflects the diversity of life with characters of different skin colors, body types, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. —Kaitlyn Chyau, 1st Grade

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Uniquely Cathedral

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The ABC’s of Cathedral From Assembly to Z-Award, a look at what makes us Uniquely Cathedral

“How would you describe The Cathedral School to someone new to our community?” This is the question that was posed to every Cathedral School student, who were each assigned a letter and asked to brainstorm responses representing the unique aspects of our community that began with that letter. Inspired by the Gothic elements of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, Kristie Valentine and Brain Delacey helped each student illuminate their letter in Art Class, encouraging both representational and figurative depictions of their chosen element. The results, gathered within these pages, provide a wonderful glimpse into who we are and what we value. “It was wonderful to see the sense of pride that our students have in our school,” Ms. Valentine says. “There was a lot of individual interpretation in this project because they all have such unique experiences and connections to our community.” “I appreciated students’ thoughtfulness, inventiveness, and creativity,” Mr. Delacey says, “especially during this very strange year when we haven’t been able to do some of what we know and love so much about our school. That said, so much has remained consistent, of course, including our sense of inclusivity. It speaks volumes that every member of our school participated and was represented in this project.” s

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Uniquely Cathedral

Assembly, Lucy B. ’29 Absalom Jones Benefit Anti-racism

Big Playground, Ardith M. ’28 Beans for Jeans Bookplates

Cathedral Church, Henry B. ’27 Choristers Community

Dining Room, Ella B. ’26 Dress Your Teacher Diversity

Energized Students, Nora P. ’25 Equity and Engagement Evensongs

Field Day, Maria M. ’24 Family-Style Lunches Front Porch

Galleries, Lily F. ’23 Gardens Gay Straight Alliance

Harry, Jim, and Phil, Alison I. ’22 Hoops From The Heart High School Counseling

Incredible Food, Caroline L. ’21 Identity Curriculum Ice Skating Party

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Joke-Telling, Arthur F. ’29 Justice Joyful

Kindness, Arabelle L. ’28 Kit Wallace Playground K–8 Education

Lunar New Year, James S. ’27 Library and Media Center Lower School Chorus

Math, Ryan C. ’27 Morningside Room Mission

Never Giving Up, Cecilia J. ’25 Nelson Green 1901

Optimism, Hannah P. ’24 Outstanding Outdoors Oh, What a Day!

Passion for Learning Presentations, Eleni S. ’23 Parents Association Publishing Party

Quizzes, Avery V. ’22 Questioning Quality

Run for Fun, Bennett H. ’21 Rose Window Respect

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Science, Tony Z. ’28 Spring Fair Synod Hall

Terrific Teachers, Evelyn Y. ’27 Third Floor Gym Terrace Level

Uniform, James S. ’26 Upper School Ski Trip Unstoppable

Violin, Zahra Y. ’25 Values, Seven Core Voracious Readers

Welcoming, Nelle F. ’24 Weekly Wonder Book Wacky Wednesday

Xylophone, Cora A. ’23 X-Walk (111th & Amsterdam) eXtraordinary Athletics

Cathedral would like to extend its deepest appreciation to Kristie Valentine and Brian Delacey for their unflagging creativity and generous support, and to all Cathedral School students for their thoughtful participation in this project. These letter illustrations, and many more, will be compiled into a book that will be presented to Erica Corbin as a welcome gift from students upon her arrival as Cathedral’s next Head of School this summer.

Yearbook (The Nest), Grace O. ’22 Years that Count Yourself, Be

Z-Award, Griffin B. ’21 Zillions of Memories Zipline

T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E

On the Close

Reopening for the 2020-2021 school year required reimagining and reconfiguring every inch of our building, campus, and surrounding spaces P H OTO S BY M A R J O R I E B E C K E R

While much was uncertain in the summer and fall of 2020, one thing was clear to Head of School Marsha Nelson—The Cathedral School would do everything in its power to offer In-Person Learning on the Close, as well as a Telepresence option for remote families, and ensure the health, safety, and well-being of every member of our community in doing so. “It felt like an impossibly tall order,” Ms. Nelson says, “and many people were rightfully concerned, especially in the midst of alarming numbers across the country throughout the summer. It’s a hallmark of our community that every voice matters, and I’m immeasurably grateful for the many ways that the Reopening Task Force, parents, faculty, staff, and friends contributed to and shaped the reopening process through their thoughtful, caring participation. We truly couldn’t have done it without the help of so many.” Throughout the summer, Cathedral developed and introduced a comprehensive Reopening Plan that outlined detailed protocols, along with strict health and safety standards, to ensure a safe return to campus. In order to accommodate social distancing requirements, every available space of our school building—thankfully, newly-expanded—had to be reimagined and reconfigured, as well as additional spaces throughout the Close, including the Crypt Gym, Synod Hall, Pulpit Green, and more. “Our partnership with the Cathedral Church made all the difference. They generously expanded the school's use of their grounds and some buildings,” Peter Maas, Chief Operating and Financial Officer, says. “It was a huge part of the success.” “It’s been an extraordinary year,” Ms. Nelson says, “and I humbly extend my deepest gratitude to every single employee, student, and family for their flexibility, patience, and partnership.” s

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On the Close

“ Our classrooms need not only be safe and effective— they also need to be comfortable, pleasant, and a welcoming environment for teaching children.” MARSHA NELSON 2

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1. The windows, chandeliers, and vaulted ceilings of Synod Hall provide a grand stage for class with Brain Delacey, Upper School Art Teacher. Rolling desks and a temporary wall allow for flexibility—and plenty of space—as both sections of 5th grade spread out and share the first floor of Synod Hall. 2. Yojairy Sands, K–2nd Math Specialist and Lower School Dean, facilitates a math group with students. Kindergarten through 2nd grade classes are split into cohorts to allow for distancing and minimize the risk of exposure across sections. 3. A 6th grade student makes himself comfortable in the lower level of Synod Hall. Through use of Zoom and SWIVL cameras, Telepresent and In-Person students are able to engage and participate in lessons together. 4. Two 4th graders enjoy a snack break outside of the Expansion entrance, one of many outdoor spaces—including both playgrounds, the Pulpit Green, Expansion roof, and more—available for student and faculty use. 5. A kindergartner steps confidently into the Expansion entrance where members of the Well-Care Team are waiting to take her temperature. In order to accommodate social distancing requirements, drop-off and dismissal times are staggered, and all community members utilize assigned entrances and exits.

T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E

On the Close

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On the Close

“ The food service staff, maintenance team, and operations team have exhibited tremendous flexibility and dedication. They have really been part of the reason we were able to open school when a lot of schools weren’t. We can keep our kids safe, and I really give a lot of credit to these folks.” PETER MAAS

1. Jamie Solis, Kindergarten Associate Teacher, leads a group of students in a game on the Expansion roof. Faculty members are able to reserve this space for group work and other activities—a welcome opportunity to enjoy fresh air and sweeping views of Morningside Park. 2. The Dining Room, traditionally home to Lower School Assembly, is now a 4th grade classroom. Cathedral holds one Virtual Day each week, often on Fridays, during which clubs, meetings, electives, and Assembly can be held. 3. Blue crates are a common sight throughout the Cathedral campus. These crates hold all materials and devices students need each day and are designed to be easily portable in case a shift to Distance Learning becomes necessary. 4. Basketball, anyone? The 3rd Floor Gym, with its familiar arched windows has become a 7th grade classroom. Now divided by a temporary wall, the gym is adorned with carpeting and colorful posters that make the space cozy and conducive to learning. 5. The window seats in the Library and Media Center provide a perch for reading and relaxing. While the Library is not open for traditional circulation (it is now a 3rd grade classroom), the collection has been distributed to classrooms, and Ricca Gaus, Director of Library and New Media, hosts a regular Library Book Club for students on Virtual Fridays. 6. Jessica Hertz, 2nd Grade Associate Teacher, helps her students maintain distance on the Kit Wallace Playground.

T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E

On the Close

“ The teachers were wonderful as they adapted and reconfigured their curriculum and teaching styles with students in both In-Person Learning and in Telepresence—they really have done an amazing job. Parents are pleased with the quality of education their children are receiving, and they understand what a massive community effort it took to get here.”

PETER MAAS

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On the Close

1. Delilah Lora, Upper School Spanish Teacher, works with In-Person and Telepresent 8th graders. The Class of 2021 was split into four cohorts throughout the 3rd floor in order to facilitate meetings with Jackie Berney, Director of High School Counseling. 2. Peacock stencils throughout the Close remind community members to maintain a safe social distance. 3. Estanislao Ramos and Lucy Oswald, P.E. Teachers, facilitate a game of pool noodle tag on the Upper Playground. 4. There’s no shortage of light in the Morningside Room where Ben Jacoff, 4th Grade Teacher, leads an engaging lesson. 5. Third graders in Crystal Elmore’s class pose for a photo in the Library and Media Center. Masks and distancing are maintained at all times, by all members of the Cathedral community. 6. The beloved fireplace and Cathedral School banner provide a stately backdrop for Massiel Santos’s 3rd grade classroom, now in the Common Room.

T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E

OF Celebrating Head of School MARSHA NELSON and the PEOPLE, PLACES, and THINGS that have defined her illustrious 18-year tenure at The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine

LEARNING AND

R FO

LOVE

LANGUAGE It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen it—there is nothing more moving to me than the extraordinary growth and transformation of children from kindergarten to 8th grade. While this is the aim of all educational institutions, of course, there’s something special about the way this happens at Cathedral, where a love of learning and language is infused at every step of our students’ journeys to becoming articulate, confident, responsible citizens of the world. It’s no secret that I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to grammar—I’ve often thought that a careful approach to the structures and rules of language demonstrates a diligence in other arenas, as well—and I’ve always loved parts of speech and diagramming sentences. As I reflect on these last 18 years as Head of School, I keep coming back to the people, places, and things that have shaped my time at Cathedral. These nouns have made me who I am, and I am honored and humbled to share them with this community—a community that has shared so much with my family and me. We are forever grateful.

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Lucas NelsonMadore ’16 and Emmy NelsonMadore ’21, Children For the last 14 years, I have been both a Cathedral School parent and administrator—a duality that has made my work as Head of School deeply personal, as learning and education are for all parents. I treasure the fact that both of my children went to this school. They were each unique and were treated as such, and thus they have flourished. I see it in the framed paintings hanging in my office— one of Lower School Art Teacher Kristie Valentine’s hallmark projects, where students collect limbs and twigs from the Close and then they draw them. I love that you can see both of my children’s personalities reflected in each piece. Lucas’s are these big bold lines, and Emmy’s are much finer, more intricately woven— each a strong individual.

Above: Marsha Nelson and her daughter Emmy (’21) stand on the Nelson Green. Below: Marsha Nelson presents a Cathedral School diploma to her son Lucas (’16)

Gigi has an indomitable spirit, and if there’s something she wants to do, attain, or solve, she just goes after it with determination and smarts. She had worked in publishing for 10 years when, lo and behold, she told me that she wanted to become a doctor, so she applied for medical schools and off she went. She was in medical school when I became Head of School, and while it was an extremely tough and complicated journey, she just made it happen. What she has accomplished is unbelievable, and her focus, energy, and drive are truly inspiring. I’m grateful for her every day.

P H OTO : K . G R AY

PEOPLE Celebrating Head of School

Gigi Madore, Partner

The Nelson-Madore family poses for a photo on the morning of Lucas’s graduation from The Cathedral School in June 2016

P H OTO : M A R K M I LC H

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John and Joyce Nelson, Parents My mother has been the absolute rock in my life, forever, and I learned very early on that education was an amazing profession of both heart and head as I listened to her stories of the joys and challenges of teaching every night at the dinner table. She taught in spiked heels every day, with 35 kids in her 2nd grade classroom. She showed me how to see each child as an individual and to always foster the potential in each and every one. When she died, so many people who had been her students attended the funeral and told my brother Randy and me stories of how she changed their lives.

Sharing the Expansion Dedication with so many family members, friends, and former colleagues was a wonderful link to the past, as well as an extraordinary reminder of how very close we have all remained. These are the people who taught me what it means to be a teacher and leader.

Front row, from left: Nancy Gallager, Gigi Madore, Susan McBrayer, Joyce Nelson, Marsha Nelson, Venetia Reece, Randy Nelson; back row, from left: Michael Gallagher, Myles Amend, Rosemary Milliman, Joan Dannenberg, Denise Philpotts, Steve Rochen, Juan Jimenez, Maria Lozano, Barbara North (Photo: Marjorie Becker)

Hank Moses and Trinity School Colleagues Hank Moses was Head of School at Trinity when I was a teacher and then Associate Head of School, and I learned so much from working with him. He and I were very, very different—opposites, in fact— and I think that complement was exciting to me, to learn and be mentored from someone who, frankly, was guided by his head, his intellect, and while I certainly take that into account, I am so driven by my heart. I think that gave me real insight into how I would shape future leadership teams. I have never wanted to find clones of myself—I say it often, I’m never looking for ‘yes’ people; rather, people who will bring different and challenging perspectives. When I left Trinity and came to Cathedral, Hank charged everyone on the senior leadership team to support me in any way I needed going forward in my new role, and all of these people have remained lifelong colleagues and friends. Having so many of them at the Expansion Dedication in 2019 was a wonderful opportunity to reflect not only on how far I’ve come but also to celebrate this wonderful, supportive community of professionals.

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PLACES

Campus and Driveway

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I wasn’t terribly familiar with Cathedral, but I got a call from a recruiter, and they sent me a packet of information. In the brochure I saw trees, flowers, peacocks, the gorgeous Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and this charming school building that looked like something in Europe or Oxford, and it was just magical to me—and not only in pictures. It was magnificent when I arrived here, as well. There is no other school in the city that allows for such an extraordinary glimpse of nature, especially as the seasons change. It’s a world away, truly an oasis, and it’s still awe-inspiring to me. I’ll never forget the first time I walked up that driveway from Amsterdam, and I guarantee you that when I take that walk for the last time as Head of School, I will just try to soak it in and savor every detail in the same way as when I first arrived on campus.

Spring on the Close is absolutely resplendent. To have the greenery here on our campus, the peacocks, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and this gorgeous building—it’s an absolute joy to come to work here every day.

I think of my father as one of the very first environmentalists that I ever knew. He worked in the federal government in the soil conservation service, where he helped farmers learn how to rotate crops, to detect diseases, and he was a gardener himself. The planting of the tree in his and my mother’s honor—not to mention the surprise naming of the Nelson Green during the Expansion Dedication—was particularly meaningful because it is something that my father would have loved. Neither of my parents was materialistic. They were truly all about people and things of the earth; to have this tribute to them is deeply moving.

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Celebrating Head of School

The Nelson Green

With its benches and verdant landscaping, the Nelson Green has quickly become another celebrated space on the Cathedral Close.

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There have been a lot of changes over the years, but what I am proudest of, even with these dramatic differences, is that when alumni come back to visit, they say, “Wow, this is bright and shiny, new and different, and Marsha, it still feels like The Cathedral School.” That means the world to me. I am proudest that, in strengthening and lifting up this school, our values and vibrant mission are beating as strongly as ever, if not more so. That’s hard to do, to make so many changes while holding true to who we are and what we’re about, and so many people have helped in that regard. That’s what I’m proudest of.

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The Cathedral The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine is a place where the school comes for celebrations and community gatherings, and our ability to be together in that stunning space is one of the things I have missed most throughout the pandemic. From Convocation to Graduation and everything in between, there’s just nothing like it. I’ve always thought of the Cathedral as a living classroom—this fabulous resource that helps our students come to understand art, music, culture, and spirituality in a vital, vibrant way—and there are so many beautiful symbols of our commitment to an inclusive community in the Cathedral. It's a very personal connection for me, and it’s something that sticks with kids. And from a practical standpoint, I’m deeply proud of the relationship we have fostered with our neighbors on the Close throughout my time at Cathedral. The Church and School are two separate institutions, but we are guided by a shared history and an indelible spirit of culture and collaboration. Our partnership is stronger than ever, and it has been a joy to work so closely over the years. T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E

THINGS

Signed Trinity Choir Poster and Miss Nelson is Missing

Celebrating Head of School

Innovate. Collaborate. Excel. Hard Hat

When I left Trinity, a group of students gave me a copy of Miss Nelson is Missing (right) and asked me to keep in touch and never go missing, which I thought was so sweet. These books have always been special to me—early in my time at Cathedral, I would go into classes and read the Miss Nelson books, and one year I even dressed up as Viola Swamp, the villainous character from the series, for Halloween! Similarly, my Trinity choir students gave me this sign (left), which hangs next to my door so I see it every time I go in or out. Having that on the wall is an important connection for me, not only to my former institution but also to my passion for music and choral conducting. We do so much work with Cathedral students to help them find and foster their own passions; this sign is an important reminder to always remember my own.

The hard hat was given to me when construction began on the Expansion in May 2017. Truth be told, it still feels like something of a dream to me because 18 years ago, if anyone had asked me if we would be able to mount a building project, I would have probably said no! But the spirit and seeds were there, and we gradually strengthened our fiscal position with the support of our extraordinary Board of Trustees (our Board has always been willing to roll up their sleeves and get down to business). So, we moved from imagining what was possible to actually making plans for new and renovated learning spaces. Peter Maas, Chief Operating and Financial Officer, did a remarkable job leading the construction effort and shepherding us from excavation to a completed building in less than two years, which would be extraordinary anywhere, but especially here in New York City. Even throughout that period of construction, with windows covered and noise and dust, the focus and resilience of our community were absolutely magnificent, as were the partnership and support of the Dean, the Bishop, and our neighbors on the Close. I’m grateful for these spaces in a way I never thought possible, particularly this year as we continue to navigate the challenges of schooling in a pandemic. The Expansion has made In-Person Learning possible, but I would be remiss if I didn’t also say how much I look forward to the time when the Morningside Room, Library and Media Center, and Innovation Lab are able to return to their originally intended purposes and configurations.

“I also treasure our Cathedral School yearbooks—one of many wonderful leadership opportunities for our students.”

It’s no secret that Marsha Nelson loves basketball. Go Cougars!

Signed Basketball I purchased this at my very first Absalom Jones Benefit in 2004, which I almost missed because of flight delays coming back from a Heads conference. I rushed straight from the airport to the venue and didn’t even have time to change, showing up in jeans and a sweatshirt! When I finally made it, it was nearing the end of the auction. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love basketball, and the one item that I had seen in the catalog that I knew I had to have was a basketball that our division-winning boys team had all signed. I’m so proud of the growth of our athletics program during my time at the school—for boys and girls—and that more than 90% of Upper School students participate in at least one sport throughout the year. Our program is unique because our coaches are also teachers, which means they know these kids and they know the values of our school. Sportspersonship is alive and well at The Cathedral School, and parents often comment on how our values show forth in the teamwork, respect, and fair competitive play that we exhibit.

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Conference Table and Peacock Figurines Our Dining Room used to have these extraordinary wooden tables running the length of the room—they were original tables from the construction of the school—but enrollment had grown so much that when we redid all of those spaces, we just didn’t have the room for the tables anymore. While many of them ended up elsewhere on the Close, I said, “We really need to keep at least one in our building.” And the way I like to work with the senior leadership team is in conference, with everyone gathered together, so they cut down a table to fit in my office and had it refinished. It’s a Stickley, a beautiful piece of wood, and just a gorgeous reminder of the rich history of our school. I’ve collected so many beautiful peacock items over the years, including plates, figurines, and ornaments—my mother even gave me a peacock-print dress (left)! Each is unique, and I love seeing them on the table and around my office.

"For Harry Potter Day, Dr. Mark Thomas even found an owl puppet whose head swivels—the students love it!"

Carved Monkey and Beaded Necklace from Mission to Tanzania

Stuffed Phoenix and Witch’s Hat, Harry Potter Day People often joke that our school building looks like Hogwarts, and it’s probably for that reason—and, of course, our students’ love of reading—that Dr. Mark Thomas brought the idea of Harry Potter Day to our Upper School, and what a delightful experience that has been. He dresses up like Professor Snape, I dress up like Professor McGonagall, and we both stand on the porch to welcome students to Hogwarts for the day. It’s just so much fun, and the teachers and staff members do amazingly creative things, as they always do—Chef Michelle Whittle even serves Butterbeer at lunch! The stuffed phoenix was a gift from Bill Bermont, Board President, who said I needed one in my office as the “Dumbledore” of Cathedral. I think all of this really speaks to the joyful sense of community that I’ve enjoyed and tried to foster throughout my time as Head of School.

I hired Chaplain Patti Welch shortly after arriving at Cathedral, so she and I always shared a special connection. Our Mission Outreach Club was working on a project to support students in Tanzania who could not go to school unless they had enough money to buy a uniform, so Patti and I went to Tanzania to visit the school and meet the students. The experience was absolutely amazing, a little overwhelming, and frankly life-changing. I wanted to bring things back that would help our community understand the experience and what it was we were supporting. I brought these beautiful carved wooden monkeys that hook together to form a long chain, showing connectivity and strength, and these beaded necklaces that spoke to the beauty, creativity, and resilience we experienced in Tanzania. An awareness of the world beyond Cathedral is crucial as we work to inspire articulate, confident, responsible citizens.

We want to hear from you! All members of the Cathedral community are invited to share memories or notes of appreciation with Marsha Nelson by emailing advancement@cathedralnyc.org. Thank you for helping us celebrate her extraordinary tenure as Head of School.

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Q&A Meet Cathedral’s next Head of School ERICA CORBIN

When Erica Corbin arrives as The Cathedral School’s 19th Head of School on July 1, 2021, it will represent a homecoming of sorts, as Ms. Corbin began her career in New York City independent schools as a member of Cathedral’s Office of Institutional Advancement from 2006 to 2008. She comes to Cathedral most recently from The Chapin School, where she is finishing her sixth year as Director of Community Life and Diversity; she also serves as Co-Dean of Class 12. Ms. Corbin recently met with four Upper School students to discuss her background, her own experience as a student, and her goals for The Cathedral School. Hudson B. ’22: As Head of School, what would you consider a good day at Cathedral? EC: For me, a good day at Cathedral would mean that everyone leaves the Close that day feeling like they were heard, respected, treated with dignity, and learned something new. A bad day

would be anytime somebody finishes up their Cathedral day feeling less sure of themselves or like they weren’t cared for within the community. That, to me, is unacceptable. Theo R. ’23: Are there any things you’ve done at previous schools or any traditions that you would like to bring to Cathedral? EC: Overall, I think traditions are something that you get to experience and be a part of when you come into a space—I don’t think you can just bring something and say, “These are our traditions now.” So I’m really excited to experience the traditions that you all value, many of which are things that I also used to be part of, including Absalom Jones, the

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Seder, and Kwanzaa. There are also a lot of things that are going to be new to me, and I’m looking forward to experiencing them and then asking the community—are there other things that we want to bring in and highlight as an important part of who we are and how we do things?

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Eleni S. ’23: In your academic career, did you have any teachers who were an inspiration or role model to you? EC: Tons—I was super, super lucky. One of the teachers who was most important to me was my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Peggy Gaare, and she believed in me in a way that I hadn’t experienced before and really made sure to tell me that I was smart, creative, kind, and capable. Looking back on it, I realize how important it is to have people who see the good things in you and tell you, and subsequently be that person for others. Angela O. ’22: We’re all in middle school—do you have any advice for us as we go into the next school year? EC: The best advice that I can give to you all (and any other middle schoolers) is to know that you are enough, just as you are. Find the people who support you and really focus on spending time with them. Don’t worry about people who fall outside of that list. Try new things, and keep trying new things. Don’t be embarrassed to fail, and don’t think that you have to be perfect at something in order to go ahead and start it. Angela O. ’22: What is a hobby or activity that you enjoy? EC: I am a big fan of Marvel, especially The Avengers, and I’m currently watching WandaVision. When I have downtime, I just love getting lost in good storytelling. Theo R. ’23: How do you think your previous time at Cathedral will benefit you? EC: It’s been a very long time since I was at Cathedral, and that’s a really

“ I’m thankful that there are a lot of great people who will help get me up to speed on Cathedral today, and that includes all of the students, as well.”

—ERICA CORBIN

good thing because sometimes when you come back to a place that you’ve known, you can feel like you understand exactly how things work and ignore the fact that, actually, a lot of things have changed—new ideas, new traditions, new ways of doing things, and new technology. I’m thankful that there are a lot of great people who will help get me up to speed on Cathedral today, and that includes all of the students, as well. EC: On that note, I think the biggest question that I have for you all is—when you picture yourself as an adult, what do you think you will remember most about your time at Cathedral? Angela O. ’22: I will remember the sense of community. I know that it can be hard sometimes to find a place where you feel comfortable, but there are so many different things at Cathedral that we can be part of. Theo R. ’23: Similarly, I would say the people and the building. It’s such

a small, tightly-woven group of teachers and students, and people know each other and support each other. Hudson B. ’22: I know that I will keep the Core Values and responsibilities that we learned here with me throughout my life. EC: What are some things we could do together that would make my first year as Head of School feel successful to you? Eleni S. ’23: While COVID won’t be a hundred percent over, it’ll probably be much better than this year, so I think we all just want a year where we can be a little more normal again. Partnering with and listening to students and organizations is a great idea, as well. I think that if we all collaborated and worked on events or a new school-wide project together, we would feel successful and connected. s

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Doing the Work:

Equity and Engagement at Cathedral In February 2021, The Cathedral School hosted Doing the Work: Equity and Engagement at Cathedral, a weeklong exploration of our Equity and Engagement Curriculum—from kindergarten through 8th grade and beyond— and an opportunity for all members of our community to engage more deeply in the work of anti-racism, equity, and justice. This work is never-ending. What follows in these pages are excerpts from interviews with faculty, administrators, and Board members about Cathedral’s ongoing commitment to equity and engagement.

Guided by Mission Amended and approved by the Board of Trustees in 2019, The Cathedral School’s Mission Statement serves as an academic and administrative framework as we work to educate articulate, confident, and responsible citizens of the world—committed to justice and anti-racism. Head of School Marsha Nelson shares how our unique relationship with the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine has shaped our Mission Statement and our approach to equity and engagement: When I visited the school as a candidate in 2003, I was deeply inspired by the mission and work of the Cathedral and how those infuse the mission and work of The Cathedral School, particularly because of the inclusivity and broad umbrella that the Cathedral embraces as a house of prayer for all people. And it is that ecumenical embracing of all people that inspired and continues to inspire The Cathedral School, as well. This was reflected in every interaction I had as a candidate—with faculty members, students, parents, and the Board—and it was immediately clear that this was not a place where anyone was merely tolerated but rather celebrated for exactly who they are. While this continues to be the case today, we also recognize that this work is never finished, and we as a community are engaged in a constant process of listening and refinement as we try to serve our students, families, and neighbors the best we can. This has never been a community satisfied with checking boxes—rather, it has rich, deep, and, at times, hard conversations about equity, engagement, and justice. This is how the Core Values came to be—an intentional reflection of what we have long instilled in our students— and this is how the Mission Statement and Diversity Statement were combined in 2019. I don’t think The Cathedral School has ever thought of these as just beautiful sayings—rather, roadmaps and action items about how we can, and must, serve our students. And as we were preparing for the NYSAIS Accreditation in 2019, we recognized that it no longer made sense to have a Diversity Statement separate from the Mission Statement, so the

decision was made to consolidate these and, in doing so, also include our character education program and Core Values. Our commitment to equity and inclusion is so interwoven throughout all that we do at our school that it could never be thought of as something separate from who we are— rather, it is who we are. —Marsha Nelson W H AT A R E E Q U I T Y A N D E N G AG E M E N T ? Conversations about diversity often center around the concept of representation—that is, what can be seen. But diversity itself isn’t enough; a community must also work to foster authentic equity and engagement. Dr. Worokya Duncan, Head of Upper School and Director of Equity and Engagement, discusses these vital terms:

E Q U I T Y means making sure that everyone has the same opportunities to reach their goals—speaking broadly, the American Dream—and that there aren’t any obstacles artificially put in their way to prevent them from doing so. At Cathedral, equity means teaching, implementing policy, and funding the program such that students, families, and employees have what they need in order to be successful. As a school, our intentional approach to equity started first with curriculum (which developed over a long period of time) and making sure that everyone could see themselves reflected. This continues to be a process of refinement, and it has broadened to be academic, administrative, and operational. How are we hiring people? What questions are we asking? For us, equity has become all-encompassing. E N G AG E M E N T occurs when one’s whole self is allowed to be present in a space—not just included but welcomed and celebrated. When authentic engagement is present, we all play a role in helping the community, institution, and each other move forward. We want and need everyone's voice to be heard, especially the voices some might think are detractors, mainly because if we don't know what the real pain points are, we could end up making assumptions about what people need. That takes careful listening, real engagement. —Dr. Worokya Duncan

Equity and Engagement Coordinators The 2020-2021 school year saw the introduction of three Equity and Engagement Coordinators—Deja Williams, Ricca Gaus, and Alan Donaldson. In this role, the coordinators support the development and implementation of our Identity and Equity Curriculum, from kindergarten through 8th grade, and support professional development and learning opportunities for faculty, staff, and families.

DEJA WILLIAMS Lower School Equity and Engagement Coordinator

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R I C C A G AU S Upper School Equity and Engagement Coordinator

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ALAN DONALDSON Upper School Equity and Engagement Coordinator

DEJA WILLIAMS K–2nd Grade Science Teacher As the Lower School Equity and Engagement Coordinator, my role is to help facilitate the effective delivery of our Lower School Identity Curriculum... assisting teachers in gathering corresponding lesson materials and finding up-to-date resources to pair with these lesson topics. I also sit in on identity classes and teach affinity group lessons to students throughout grades K–4th. This gives me a unique ability to witness how our students are engaging with the Identity Curriculum as they progress through our program.

R I C C A G AU S Director of Library and New Media, 5th Grade Co-Dean The Equity and Engagement Coordinator roles came to be because Dr. Worokya Duncan was taking on new responsibilities in the school while also continuing her role as Director of Equity and Engagement. Because this work is so important, it made sense that the coordinators would support these efforts for students, families, faculty, and staff. I teach Equity and Justice Classes in the Upper School, and, as Director of Library and New Media, I also spend a lot of time thinking about representation and the books and stories that students have access to, making sure that all students are seeing mirrors into their own experiences and windows into the experiences of others. ALAN DONALDSON 6th and 8th Grade Social Studies Teacher As a coordinator, a lot of the work is self-reflective, and one of the key ways I can do this with students and colleagues is simply by modeling listening—as a white man, I have my own unlearning to do—and being aware of the diverse set of experiences and circumstances of every member of our community. I also work to bring in new resources from professional development and share these with the entire faculty or within affinity groups, especially when it comes to best practices for understanding and undoing the role of racism in society.

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Equity and Engagement Curriculum As a school dedicated to educating articulate, confident, responsible citizens of the world, equity and engagement work begins in the classroom. From the Identity Curriculum in Lower School to Equity and Justice Classes in Upper School, the program builds thoughtfully and intentionally, broadening students’ focus from self-awareness and self-knowledge to an understanding of the complexities of the world around them. “One of the most important things that I think anyone has said about the equity and inclusion work, the diversity work, and the identity work is that it is not in addition to scholarship—rather, it is good scholarship,” Alan Donaldson says. “By the time they get to 8th grade, students are using all of the equity and justice work as a way to see the layers, blind spots, challenges, and counterpoints to the world that they’re experiencing.” “As we do this work with our students, the world around us is constantly changing, which means our curriculum needs to change,” Deja Williams says. “We work to ensure we are doing what we can to best prepare our students to engage with the world around them, including updates to the vocabulary used and ways in which we can empower our students to be agents of change.”

K– 4 T H G R A D E : I D E N T I T Y C U R R I C U LU M The main focus of our Lower School Identity Curriculum is to teach our students about what an identity is, its importance, and also give our students the language and confidence to speak openly about their own identities. As early as kindergarten, our students are able to name different aspects of who they are from their gender, ethnicity, race, and family structure. We also begin to introduce our students to the ideas of equity and justice by having conversations about representation and fairness. Students are also introduced to more complex terminology related to identity such as intersectionality. In one activity, students write an aspect of their identity on each point of a star outlined on white paper. They select a color to represent that aspect of their identity and drag that color from the top of the point to the center of the star. As they drag these different colors into the middle, the colors mix and result in different shades for each student. We use this as an illustration to describe their unique identities and demonstrate how they are multidimensional beings; it is the combination of these layers of their identities that make them who they are. —Deja Williams

5TH AND 6TH GRADE: T H I S B O O K I S A N T I - R AC I ST In thinking about Equity and Justice Classes, I came across a wonderful book called This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell. Its language is easy for middleschoolers to connect with—specifically the idea of the dominant culture, which the book defines as an invisible box in society that is usually made of people who are largely male, white, straight, cis-gendered, and how society deems people with these identities to be the normal, superior, or default. The book challenges these notions and gives students a concrete framework for understanding difficult concepts. Alan Donaldson and I have implemented This Book is Anti-Racist as our primary text for 5th and 6th grade Equity and Justice Classes. The writing prompts have been really fruitful, and the students are great at being self-reflective. So much of that comes from the work that they do in Lower School, including their ability to create norms, speak from the I, respect different opinions, and more. These students have the benefit of growing up during a time when talking about issues of race and white supremacy is becoming so much more normalized, and they have so much less unlearning to do than older people. —Ricca Gaus

7TH AND 8TH GRADE: E Q U I T Y, J U ST I C E , A N D CURRENT EVENTS As someone who has taught in the Lower School for many years, it’s been incredible to see how Upper School students have changed through the years as they bring that Identity Curriculum experience to the upper grades. This has literally changed the Upper School curriculum, including how social studies, English, writing, languages, and even math are approached because the kids are coming in with a vocabulary and an awareness from the equity work that they've done in the Lower School. As Equity and Justice Classes progress, we talk more about power, what that looks like, how different identities play out in society, and also how people have changed, challenged, expanded, or pushed against limits, which is also a great framework for social studies and conversations about current events. Then, by the time students get to 7th and 8th grade, they have a well-developed ability to look at a situation, or see a textbook or source, and be very open right away to potential challenges, issues, or biases that may exist. —Alan Donaldson

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Doing the Work Event Highlights In addition to daily social media posts and in-depth interviews with faculty and administrators, Doing the Work: Equity and Engagement at Cathedral also included four community events: A LU M N I FO C U S G R O U P On February 23, Cathedral School alumni and alumni parents ranging from the Class of 1967 to the Class of 2020 gathered on Zoom to participate in an Alumni Focus Group centered around two questions: What were the formative parts of your or your child’s Cathedral education that prepared you to engage in a multi-racial world in an anti-racist fashion? What was missing from that educational experience? What followed was a robust evening of community and conversation, moderated by Dr. Worokya Duncan. “For any alumni who are wondering whether or not their voices matter, we as a school aren't here without their voices,” Dr. Duncan says. “They’re absolutely crucial for us to continue to grow as an institution, and I hope alumni continue to come back, engage, and share what they have experienced.”

T H E 1 61 9 P R O J EC T As part of Doing the Work, Cathedral also hosted a conversation with Nikita Stewart, The New York Times and The 1619 Project contributor, in which she discussed her essay, "We are committing educational malpractice: Why slavery is mistaught—and worse—in American schools.” Katie Kingsbury, Cathedral parent and Opinion Editor of The New York Times, introduced Ms. Stewart and her work. Dr. Worokya Duncan moderated a Q&A session after Ms. Stewart addressed the group of parents, faculty, alumni, and guests. “We all have these inherent biases that are based on the things that we took in from our family, from our environment, and from our teachers at a very young age, and that's why these discussions are so important,” Ms. Stewart says. “And I was so heartened by the discussion yesterday with Dr. Duncan and other members of the faculty on how everyone is really exploring how we can teach students so that we're not feeding them the same myths and misinformation that we grew up with, and if we can start there, then we can start having harder conversations about how the remnants of white supremacy and slavery are still in our society now.”

Left: Cathedral School alumni and alumni parents ranging from the Class of 1967 to the Class of 2020 participate in an Alumni Focus Group on Zoom. Above: Dr. Worokya Duncan, Director of Equity and Engagement (left); Katie Kingsbury, Cathedral parent and Opinion Editor of The New York Times (right); and Nikita Stewart, The 1619 Project and The New York Times contributor (below), discuss The 1619 Project and the teaching of slavery in schools. Right: A highlight of the Absalom Jones Evensong was the inclusion of a portrait by Mia S. ’21.

PA R E N T E Q U I T Y C LU B Another highlight of the week was the first meeting of Cathedral’s newly-formed Parent Equity Club, co-sponsored by Parents of Students of Color (POSOC) and the Parents Association (PA). Akin to a monthly book club (but open to varied forms of content), the Equity Club invites all parents to get to know one another, share their unique perspectives, and become a closer community committed to equity and equality. The Equity Club’s first selection is Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. “These are challenging conversations for all schools because racism is systemic in institutions, no matter where you are, so for Cathedral to say we absolutely need to make the room for parents to engage around equity and justice is really wonderful,” Mary Bacon, Cathedral parent, says. “When I was just starting to read more and learn more in workshops like Undoing Racism, I was like, ‘The work, what is the work?’ And the work is actually talking. A lot of it is just talking, considering, sharing, bringing up incidents, and talking about them. To me, it’s very significant that the Equity Club is coming from both POSOC and the PA because this is not just a BIPOC issue. It affects all of us, and my dream is that every parent with whom our children come in contact will see and treat them like they do their own children. I’m doing the work for my son, but I'm also doing it for every kid.”

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A B S A LO M J O N E S E V E N S O N G Doing the Work concluded with our annual Evensong honoring the Reverend Absalom Jones—an abolitionist, community organizer, and clergyman who was born into slavery in 1746 and purchased his own freedom in 1783. Absalom Jones’s lifelong work denouncing slavery and oppression continues to serve as an inspiration for The Cathedral School’s commitment to equity, justice, and inclusion. Kevin Nicholas, Cathedral School faculty member and parent, served as homilist at this year’s Evensong, sharing: “What we find is when we look at the efforts of Absalom Jones and Richard Allen in the Free African Society, when we think about all this work that has happened and what we’re trying to do as a school, you stop and you say, ‘It’s all of these efforts by regular people committed and energized around this idea of justice, equity, and inclusion, and thus engaging everyone. Whether it’s their local community, their homeroom, or the city, they can have an effect, and that’s really the goal.’ So for me, having an opportunity to speak to the community about that aspect of Absalom Jones was a tremendous honor and very exciting.”

The Work Continues: Our Commitment to Anti-Racism The spring of 2020 brought with it the latest slate of unjust deaths of Black people, and Cathedral was reminded once again how critical it is to engage in anti-bias teaching and learning with all members of our community. Administrators and the Board of Trustees moved forward with renewed energy and recommitted the school to examining its own role in perpetuating systemic racism, developing the first iteration of the school’s Anti-Racist Action Plan. Marsha Nelson, Head of School, describes the effort as one that was undertaken with the utmost care and consideration: “I thought we needed to approach the plan slowly and thoughtfully and let it develop. This is an important document, and I did not think it prudent to draft it quickly. Our Identity Program—which is such an integral part of how we engage in this work—also developed (and continues to develop) over time. We started small and set out some key drivers, knowing that it needed to be infused throughout the curriculum, and the beauty of it is that we continue to revisit it to ensure that it is relevant and in keeping with our commitment.” In drafting the Anti-Racist Action Plan, school leadership identified five areas of focus, including Students and Curriculum, Employees, Alumni, Community, and the Board of Trustees—each with its own short- and long-term goals and action items. Daphne Rubin-Vega ’99, Chair of the Equity and Engagement Committee of the Board of Trustees, spoke about the process and the school’s effort to establish next steps that make sense for the Cathedral community: “Sometimes I think anti-racism can feel like a huge responsibility, and I think what’s been helpful about our work together on the Board is that we’re thinking about how to approach anti-racism within reach and asking, ‘What is our community? What are we responsible for? How can we create accountability frameworks in the spaces and places where we are with the tools that we have?’ I think people feel as though they’re able to participate in a way that’s comfortable for them. It’s wonderful to be at an institution that is open to us learning together and from each other, sharing, and trying to create a holistically anti-racist institution together. That’s inclusivity.” The Cathedral School recognizes that equity and engagement are essential, requiring constant commitment and cultivation. Marsha Nelson reflects on where we are and how Erica Corbin, our next Head of School, will continue this crucial work: “It’s still bubbling, unfolding, and finding its way because we are not content. We must continue looking, even at what we don’t want to see. What are we missing? What pain exists in our community? We are going to do our best to get started with this Anti-Racism Action Plan, but I can’t finish the work—nor should I. The Board has hired a wonderful new leader with deep experience in this work, and I know she will take what we have done and work with the administrative team, teachers, and families to move us forward. I know how committed our community is, and I’m proud that we are continuing the work in a methodical, strategic way.” s

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T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E

A neighborhood staple for generations, the Hungarian Pastry Shop is more than just coffee and croissants. For Philip Binioris ’00 and his family, it all comes down to community.

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For Philip Binioris ’00, the Close has always felt like home—a backyard, even. While this is true for many Cathedral School students and families, his experience in the neighborhood is unique. The Binioris family has owned the Hungarian Pastry Shop for nearly 45 years. “I grew up at 110th and Riverside, and with home, school, and my family’s business basically on the same block, it created a really solid understanding of what a neighborhood community means,” Binioris says. Philip’s parents Panagiotis and Wendy Binioris purchased the Hungarian Pastry Shop from its original owners in 1976 (the restaurant has been open at 1030 Amsterdam Avenue since 1961). Philip began working in the shop when he was 13 (like his sisters Sofia ’98, Amanda ’03, and Daphne ’03—all Cathedral graduates) and took over full-time operations in 2012. “As a kid working on a busy weekend or behind the counter in the middle of the day on a hot July afternoon, sometimes I felt like I was dying,” Binioris says with a chuckle, “but we also had a responsibility and duty to be part of it and understand how we were being supported by the restaurant, and by all of the customers. It was really necessary, and I’m very grateful.” And to this day, that’s what it comes down to for Binioris—an understanding of, and appreciation for, people. “I remember as a kid, if I ever walked into the Pastry Shop and didn't greet the entire staff, my dad would be like, ‘They are helping us put you through school. Do it again—go back and say hi.’ And that stuck with me,” Binioris recalls. “And my mom, she’s just pure heart, and I think a big part of why they sent us to The Cathedral School—in addition to it being across the street—is that it shared these values. My dad had been in the neighborhood long enough to know people at the Cathedral and had a close relationship with Dean Jim Morton and Canon John Lose, who were pivotal in creating this open, caring, loving community that was devoted to the arts, devoted to creativity, and devoted to people and all of their wonderful capacities. That ethos was represented in the school, as well.” Binioris, an avid reader, credits both Cathedral and the literary atmosphere of the cafe with his voracious (and, in his words, often esoteric) quest for knowledge.

“[Longtime Latin teacher] Dr. John Vitale taught me how to think, flat-out, and how thoughts and words should be organized in a coherent way so that you can communicate them to another person. I owe so much to him,” Binioris says. “And I remember [Upper School Art teacher] Brian Delacey having these wonderful projects where, year after year, you knew what you would be doing, from chairs to flags to the large paintings in the Dining Room, and they were these real benchmarks by which you measured your own progress and growth.” Binioris went from Cathedral to Friends Seminary and spent a year at Boston University before taking time off to work with his parents at P&W Sandwich Shop (where Insomnia Cookies is today) and Hungarian Pastry Shop. “When I came back, I found a community of people who were highly engaged in academics, and being around them just allowed me to explore more,” Binioris says. “Instead of having a reading list or a page count, I could just talk to somebody and pick up the book that they were reading that day. If I liked it, I kept going with it, and if I didn’t, I could just toss it aside and pick up something else. That was great, and I still benefit because it's never-ending. I’ve been exposed to so many genres and fields of literature in talking to students and customers at the Pastry Shop. I’ve been really lucky.” It is this same spirit of gratitude and appreciation that has helped the Hungarian Pastry Shop weather the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We closed the shop the last week of March 2020, staying closed for all of April, and even though we reopened in May, the neighborhood was still a ghost town—I thought deer were going to come walking down Amsterdam,” Binioris says.

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Philip Binoris ’00 (right) stands with his father Panagiotis Binioris, who purchased the Hungarian Pastry Shop with two business partners in 1976. “This place is really important to my family, and it's really important to all of our customers,” Philip says. “We have changed things over the years but never in a way that changes customers’ overall experience— that’s where we stop.”

“A group of customers approached me with an idea to do a food buy for healthcare workers. We raised money on GoFundMe for daily deliveries of coffee and croissants for frontline workers in the ER at St. Luke’s, and the response, all neighborhood and local money, was extraordinary. For us, it generated business where there was none, and for the community, it was a way to say thank you to these people who were in a really scary position.” “That just had me thinking about our role in the community,” Binioris continues. “As summer went on and people started coming back, customers kept thanking us, but I’m the lucky one, right? I was grateful that this community that I have felt connected to for my whole life was supporting me and my business and all the people

“ A S SUMMER WENT ON AND PEOPLE STARTED COMING BACK, CUSTOMERS KEPT THANKING US, BUT I’M THE LUCKY ONE, RIGHT?” that I employ, so we asked, ‘Okay, how do we pay it forward?’” On Wednesday, November 25, the day before Thanksgiving, Hungarian Pastry Shop hosted a Giving Day in which all items were pay-what-youwish and every dollar spent was donated to Cathedral Community Cares to support their social service, education, and advocacy initiatives, resulting in a contribution of $10,190. “When my father took over the shop, they used to host a fundraiser the week of Thanksgiving as a way to build connection to the community,

so there was definitely precedent,” Binioris says. “Likewise, we wanted to do something to say thank you. Throughout this year, the idea of an economy being a very large, abstract thing was shattered, and it became really apparent that an economy is just a relationship between people. These things ripple out, and it’s not amorphous or anonymous but very real and very personal, especially when you're working in a small business and you see these people every day. It’s humbling, and I’m just so grateful to be part of this community.” s

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Beyond Cathedral First graders’ mixed-media reflections on the Core Value of Courage adorn the first floor corridor. “I’ll never forget the first time I visited Cathedral and walked down that hallway—there was this gorgeous student artwork lining the walls like a gallery, and every piece was different,” says Head of School Marsha Nelson. “I knew then that this was a community that valued the individuality of every student. I love that this tradition has endured and that generations of Cathedral students have seen their work celebrated on these walls.”

Beyond Cathedral

Class Notes 1947

Sanford “Sandy” Cook: I was a resident Chorister from 1944 to 1947. We “graduated” when our voices changed (mine went from soprano to bass in about three months.) Canon James Green was Headmaster; Dr. Norman CokeJephcott was organist, choirmaster, and our music teacher. I have so many memories I will never forget. I arrived at Cathedral Choir School in October of 1944, a frightened 9-yearold from Rochester, New York. I had traveled to Buffalo for my audition, a long trip in those days at 35 miles per hour—the wartime speed limit—and then traveled by New York Central to the enormous city. Then, living in a dormitory with 20 others; wearing short pants, an Eton collar, and a mortar board; and having communal meals were all part of the strangeness, but everyone at the school helped me to adapt. New York City was a magical place then for a young boy, full of soldiers going to and coming from the war and residents from all over the country in the city for wartime work. I thought that I knew how to sing, but Dr. Coke-Jephcott quickly taught us all that we had much to learn. I can still picture him leading us from the great organ. Those of us on the Epistle side watched him through mirrors mounted above the choir on the Gospel side—and you had better watch, or else on Tuesday in the practice room at the school he would chalk off everyone’s sins. Occasionally some of us would be allowed to go to the movies at a theatre fairly close to the Cathedral grounds. We could only go if we were accompanied by a parent, so we out-of-towners didn’t always get to go. The best part of those excursions was a stop at a deli that was right across Amsterdam Avenue from the Cathedral. You could

get a giant dill pickle straight out of the barrel for a nickel. I bought two one Sunday evening and could only eat one. We weren’t allowed to have food in the dorms, so I snuck mine in and hid it inside a necktie hanging on a rack at the foot of my bunk. Mr. Morgan smelled that pickle right away, turned on all the lights, and began his inquisition which went on for about five minutes before I broke. He made me wear the tie (with pickle still inside) all the next day, even though we had no classes on Mondays. That was my first form year, and I went by “pickle-boy” for the remainder of the year. My three years at CCS were an extraordinary experience. When I returned to public school in 1947, I had progressed four years in three thanks to the exceptional education I got at the school, and I was even then far ahead of my public school classmates in many subjects. Thanks to CCS, I was able to graduate from high school at the age of 15.

1950

Robert Marble: I arrived at the Cathedral Choir School in the fall of 1947. My brother David had attended from 1940-1944 (The WWII Years). The boarding school was a completely different experience as I had been with my family traveling around the United States during the war since my father was in the Army Air Corps. The thing that struck me was the size of the Cathedral and how small and insignificant it made me feel, as well as the sound of the great organ which seemed almost overpowering. Today we might refer to this as a humbling experience. I remember attending the funeral of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia in the Cathedral; special services in the Cathedral commemorating certain professions and fields like healthcare; and a service where the West Point Glee Club sang. What I enjoyed most about being a student was singing in the choir and

learning so much about the history of the church from its beginnings, throughout the middle ages and today. One of the books I remember reading was Peter: The Adventures of a Chorister by Syndey Nicholson. I was also allowed to do a book report on Dracula by Bram Stoker, and when I was told to prepare a paper on a historical subject, I chose the Battle of Gettysburg. All of the schoolmasters and their spouses were very kind and accepting of us as the children we were. Upon leaving, I spent a year in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and headed for Georgia where I attended high school and university. My brother chose a military career and retired from the U.S. Army; I chose a career in education and retired from the Las Cruces Public Schools in New Mexico. After that, I became an adjunct professor at our local community college, where I taught psychology. What I have learned is that we never know where we will end up in life—if anyone had told me that I would end up in Las Cruces, New Mexico as a retiree, I would have told them that they didn’t know what they were talking about!

1969

Stuart Gray shares that he had a great experience at Cathedral, particularly with Canon Landon and Charles, the cook, both of whom should be on the “Mount Rushmore of Cathedral,” he says. Cathedral was still an all-boys school at the time, and students often swam at the Columbia University pool. He became a junior lifeguard after that experience. Stuart continued to develop his interest in music, starting a drum and bugle corps with his buddies in Harlem, where he grew up, and also enjoying making music with a Cathedral classmate who could play the bagpipes. He also took up the snare drum despite not having any

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Beyond Cathedral

Stuart Gray ’69 with Winnie Mandela in 2006

formal training—his motto has always been “Why not?” In that vein, Stuart enrolled in a fencing class at Cathedral and tried every sport. While he may have been the smallest member of his class, he was very athletic. Stuart’s first job was at the Apollo Theatre, working for The Commodores in 1971, and he went on to be a roadie, touring with groups throughout Japan more than 14 times and working extensively as a production/tour manager and technician. He has lived in California, Connecticut, Florida, and Louisiana and says, “The list of the people that I have met and continue to keep in touch with will always stand out to me as the greatest gift that this life has to offer.” Stuart is an active member of the professional group Roadies of Color United, which was featured in Rolling Stone in December 2020, and is the founder of a community organization titled Correct the Culture.

2009

Jenna Wu is living on the East Coast for the first time since heading off to Colorado College in 2013. She is currently enrolled in the Master of Landscape Architecture program at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design. Jenna’s undergraduate degree at Colorado

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College was in Organismal Biology and Ecology and included research in Patagonia and Tanzania, as well as several weeks doing a photographic study of urban architecture in China as a Venture Grant recipient. She also took a summer course in architecture at the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation, where her project included designing a performance space on the steps of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. After graduating from Colorado College, she spent several years working in Colorado Springs and Denver before returning to graduate school in Massachusetts. Jenna has maintained a steadfast interest in architecture—likely sparked by a combination of growing up in a studio apartment, Brian Delacey’s superlative art classes, the Gothic architecture of the Cathedral, and the beauty of the Close.

2010

Walter Johnsen is a 2020 Vagelos Institute for Energy Science and Technology Graduate Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemistry. His research is aimed at developing systems that can transform carbon dioxide into value-added products, such as diesels and plastics, through the use of molecular copper electrocatalysts. He received his B.A. in Chemistry and Chemical Biology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University in 2018. Walter says that his love of science began in Sarah Daum’s Upper School science classroom at Cathedral.

2012

Jane MacKerron has completed her four-year basketball career at Colby College. Jane was a captain during her senior season, made the New England Small College Athletic Conference’s All-Academic Team all three years, and was named

to the NESCAC’s All-Sportsmanship Team for the 2019-2020 season. Jane graduated from Colby in May 2020.

2012

Winston Simone majored in Government and minored in Sociology and Arabic at Connecticut College, saying he was inspired to take Arabic after taking Latin with Dr. John Vitale, who always encouraged him, leading to his fascination with foreign languages beyond Cathedral. He was also on the squash team all four years, and was the captain of the team senior year. He interned at major talent agencies like William Morris, but with the pandemic, many of his plans fell through, leading Winston to found his own virtual entertainment agency called BigNightIn Entertainment (www.bnientertainment.com). His magic teacher from Cathedral’s After School Program connected him to many of his magician contacts since they are still in touch to this day. As Winston says, “It always comes back to Cathedral somehow!”

2017

Jennevieve Culver was nominated by faculty and peers to be one of five Spence School students to participate in the 2021 Head’s Forum, a student-led conversation with author, historian, and antiracist scholar Ibram X. Kendi titled Connecting Present and Past: How History Informs Antiracist Challenges and Opportunities. Her participation in this event consisted of asking questions in conversation with Professor Kendi on the subject of his book How to be an Antiracist and the prologue to Stamped from the Beginning. Jennevieve and her family credit the foundations received through Cathedral’s Identity and Equity Curriculum (as well as the speaking and presentation skills taught at Cathedral) for helping her to achieve this honor.

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F RO M T H E A RC H I V E S

Art and Activism B Y K E L LYA N N M O R G A N

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College Bound Members of the Class of 2016 are attending the following colleges and universities: American University Amherst College Barnard College Brandeis University Brown University

As articulate, confident, responsible citizens of the world, Cathedral students have a long history of activism through art. Whether a papier mache whale for a student-led “Save the Whales” demonstration in 1978, an “Endangered Species” mural painted by the Class of 1996, or reusable masks designed by PEACOCK (People’s Environmental Action Club of Cathedral Kids) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cathedral students continue to express their values in creative ways that meet the moment. Inspired by the Core Value of Kindness, students in PEACOCK developed and designed this reusable mask in Fall 2020. Hannah Stebbins, club advisor, shares, “When students learned that disposable masks were harming wildlife, they were determined to develop a reusable alternative for Cathedral. They worked together to design and create these masks and, with the support of the Parents Association and their spiritwear store, made them readily available to the community.”

Caltech Institute of Technology Carleton College Colgate University Cornell University George Washington University Lafayette College Massachusetts Institute of Technology Northeastern University Oberlin College Pitzer College

<< With signs and a papier mache whale, Cathedral students participated in a “Save the Whales” demonstration on the streets of New York City in 1978, raising awareness, collecting signatures, and garnering support for the threatened population.

Santa Clara University Smith College Tufts University University of Vermont University of Westminster University of Wisconsin Vassar College

As 4th graders in 1992, members of the Class of 1996 used their creativity and artistic skills to paint an endangered species mural to be hung in the Dining Room. Genevieve Bergeret ’96 recalls, “I was really inspired by this project and wanted to start my own environmental club. I remember another project where we wrote songs about endangered species—I can still sing the chorus for you! We often did that at Cathedral, intertwining art, music, and our other studies.”

Wake Forest University Note: a number of students took gap years or deferred enrollment amidst the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic. Please join us in extending our congratulations and very best wishes to all members of the Cathedral Class of 2016.

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Embodiment of the Mission

Stephanie Wanek ’77 A conversation with one of Cathedral’s first female students

Stephanie Wanek ’77 was among the first cohort of female students when Cathedral went co-ed in 1974 and has continued to blaze trails ever since—both as an avid hiker in Colorado, where she has lived for more than 30 years, and as a professional working at the intersection of gender, technology, and academia. Wanek is currently the Assistant Director of Operations for ATLAS Institute at University of Colorado Boulder—an interdisciplinary program within the College of Engineering and Applied Science—where she works with strategy, space planning, logistics, and growth accommodation in their degree programs. She has also served as Program Manager for the National Center for Women & Information Technology, which partners with change leaders to provide research-based resources to increase the participation of girls, women, and underrepresented communities in computing. She recently shared reflections and memories of her time at Cathedral, noting, “As a member of the school’s many alumni, I think the school draws from an amazing history and continues to actively nurture rich traditions that unite and bring people together.”

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What do you most enjoy about your career? I have worked at CU Boulder for 15 years and have been affiliated with the ATLAS Institute for most of that time. My building includes labs and studios focused on creative technologies and design. What’s unique about ATLAS is that it’s a community of polymaths interested in broadening technology and creativity in radically new ways. There are dancers working with sensors and lights to create new ways of capturing movement; musicians using augmented and virtual reality technologies to synchronize remote drum circles; computer scientists who

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Embodiment of the Mission

The Cathedral School Class of 1977: “As a member of the school’s many alumni, I think the school draws from an amazing history and continues to actively nurture rich traditions that unite and bring people together,” says Stephanie Wanek (circled).

work with drones and robots; and crafters who work with electronics to create smart textiles. It’s a community that bridges multiple disciplines, and the outcome is amazing! Our academic programs attract really interesting students who mesh multiple interests. It’s a vibrant community to be a part of, and CU Boulder is an inspiring place to work. What aspects of Cathedral’s educational program and student life were most engaging for you? I look back fondly at my time at The Cathedral School and am proud that I was part of the first group of five young women to graduate from the school in 1977 as it transitioned away from being an all-boys school. But it’s much more inspiring to see all the ways in which the school has evolved and grown since that time, while still nurturing a deep sense of community, social justice, and

commitment to inclusion and diversity. The most personally meaningful piece that I carry with me from Cathedral is a true love for choral music, so I love to see the continued commitment to music and the renowned choir program integrated with a very ecumenical Cathedral. I remember holiday services in the Cathedral with Christmas carols, full choirs, and the hallowed hall booming with an organ. It remains something that moves me to my core. As a graduate who has followed the school over the years, what are you particularly interested in as it relates to the school’s current program and mission? I was excited to read about the school’s recent Expansion, as well as all the added resources that support student learning in areas such as science, technology, languages, and art. The teachers and

staff carrying out the educational mission of the school are so committed and enthusiastic! It’s wonderful to see children identifying things they see as problems and figuring out creative ways to find solutions or improvements. So many advancements at ATLAS came about because someone stopped to say, “But why?” or, “There’s got to be a way we can make that better.” The world has a lot of really big challenges. There are opportunities to make an impact on a big scale—like climate change; alternate energies; space travel; natural resources; social and humanitarian issues; and expanding access to health, education, or technology across global communities. All these things sound really big and insurmountable, but sometimes change starts with a bunch of people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives coming together and tinkering around with an idea. What else would you like our community to know? I’m proud to say that New York City is where I was born and raised, and I love to come back to the city from time to time. I even returned to visit The Cathedral School during a work trip several years ago. We are lucky to have lived in the beautiful Rocky Mountains for the past 30 years, and we enjoy a variety of activities, including hiking, biking, and goofing around with our dog Stanley.

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Graduation

Class of 2020 Congratulations to the 32 members of the Class of 2020 who received acceptances to the following independent, boarding, diocesan, and public high schools. The Cathedral community gathered on Friday, June 12, to honor the Class of 2020 with Commencement Exercises, conducted virtually amidst health restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. We salute the collective and individual accomplishments of this extraordinary group of students, represented here by their 8th grade self-portraits.

Independent Schools Avenues: The World School The Berkeley Carroll School The Brearley School Brooklyn Friends School The Browning School Calhoun School Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School The Convent of the Sacred Heart The Dalton School Dwight School Dwight-Englewood School Ethical Culture Fieldston School Friends Seminary Grace Church School Green Farms Academy Greenwich Country Day School Hackley School The Hewitt School Horace Mann School King School Leman Manhattan Preparatory School Little Red Elisabeth Irwin School Loyola School Marymount School The Masters School The Nightingale-Bamford School The Packer Collegiate Institute

Poly Prep Country Day School Regis High School Riverdale Country School The Spence School St. Luke’s School Trevor Day School Trinity School York Preparatory School Boarding Schools Blair Academy Choate Rosemary Hall The Ethel Walker School The Hotchkiss School Kent School The Lawrenceville School Miss Hall’s School Miss Porter’s School Phillips Academy Andover St. Andrew’s School Westover School Diocesan Schools Cardinal Spellman High School Cathedral High School Dominican Academy Fordham Preparatory School La Salle Academy Notre Dame School St. John’s Preparatory School St. Vincent Ferrer High School Xavier High School

Public Schools The Academy of the Humanities Bard High School Early College Beacon High School Bronx High School of Science Brooklyn Latin School Brooklyn Technical High School Central Park East High School Essex Street Academy Frank McCourt High School Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School of American Studies The High School for Math, Science, & Engineering LaGuardia High School of Music & Art Manhattan Center for Science and Math NEST + m NYC Museum School

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Graduation

Graduates

T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L O F ST. J O H N T H E D I V I N E

The Last Word

The Cathedral Collective The bonds that form over the love of an institution have a way of shaping our values and defining who we are as individuals. That was certainly my experience at my alma maters—Ransom Everglades and Duke University (go, Blue Devils!)—but this phenomenon took on another form entirely when my family and I arrived at Cathedral. From our first Cathedral birthday party onward, it was clear that Cathedral was not just a school but a community. And, more apparent than ever in this past year, it is a community that steps up and supports each individual within it. In my roles as Cathedral parent, Trustee, and friend, seeing the Cathedral collective in action has been deeply affirming. I am forever grateful to the members of the Cathedral community who, through our mutual love of the school, have helped shape me as a leader and my family as a unit. A sense of community as strong as Cathedral’s is nurtured at all levels, and especially at the top. I recognized quickly that Marsha Nelson commands the extraordinary ability to bring out the best in everyone by virtue of her belief in shared leadership. Always leading by example, her model of collective care reverberates throughout every aspect of our community, starting with the Board. Marsha often refers to Cathedral’s Board of Trustees as a “working Board,” whereby all members share responsibility for the tasks at hand—each out of a deep care for the institution. She’s absolutely right. One of the things that has brought me great joy as a Cathedral volunteer is working with amazing leaders— certainly Marsha, but also Kristin Kearns-Jordan and Angie Karna, both former Board Presidents. I don’t know if I necessarily felt ready to take on the role of President, but

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B Y B I L L B E R M O N T, P R E S I D E N T, T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L B OA R D O F T R U S T E E S

they trained me and inspired me. That’s the thing about collective work; the group is nurtured such that new leaders emerge. I am eager to see the next phase of Cathedral’s growth under the leadership of our extraordinary incoming Head of School, Erica Corbin, and our phenomenally dedicated rising Board President, Katie Conway. True communities shape individuals to be their best selves. I look at Marsha, my Board predecessors, our emerging leaders, and the faculty and staff as role models not only for me but also for my daughters, and I see the effects of their being a part of such an outstanding community every day. I’ll never forget one morning when my oldest daughter and I entered our train stop together but split onto different platforms as she was going north to Cathedral and I was heading south for work. That morning, she looked across the tracks at me and shaped a heart with her hands and flashed a confident smile. It was in that moment that I saw the embodiment of what it means to be an articulate, confident, responsible, kind, and joyful citizen of the world. It’s one of those moments I’ll cherish forever, and one that was enabled by Cathedral. For that I am very grateful. s

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T H E C AT H E D R A L S C H O O L M I S S I O N STAT E M E N T The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine—an independent K-8 school rooted in the Episcopal tradition—educates students to become articulate, confident, and responsible citizens of the world through rigorous academics, innovative approaches to learning, and the nurturing of their aspirations in a diverse community of all faiths.

In a year unlike any other, The Cathedral School extends its deepest appreciation to the Operations, Facilities, Well-Care, Technology, and Administrative Staff for keeping our community healthy, connected, and safe.

T H E M I S S I O N E N AC T E D : T H E S C H O O L’ S C O R E VA LU E S The Cathedral School is committed to academic excellence in a curriculum that integrates critical thinking, the arts, athletics, and leadership development. The School believes that the recognition and appreciation of differences in race, socioeconomic status, cultural or religious tradition, age, gender, ability, or sexual orientation enhance the individual’s sense of identity and broaden respect for others. Through curriculum and informal school experiences, students at The Cathedral School come to understand the inherent value of all people and the importance of working towards equity in all that they do. The School’s mission is brought to life on the idyllic 13-acre campus of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Morningside Heights on Manhattan’s Upper West Side through seven Core Values: Cooperation, Courage, Integrity, Kindness, Passion for Learning, Respect, and Responsibility.

2020 –202 1 B OA R D O F T R U ST E E S The Right Reverend Clifton Daniel, III Chair and Dean of the Cathedral Bill Bermont President Katie Conway Vice President Martha Escobar Secretary Troy Wagner Treasurer

THANK YOU!

Marsha Nelson Head of School Jamie Becker Satrina Boyce Amelia Brewer Joseph Ciancaglini Roberta Connolly Lucy Culver George Filopoulos Carey Flaherty John Gallo David Gray Noah Greenhill ’83 Kristy Milkov Lee Morakis Bruce Paulsen Jefrey Pollock Daphne Rubin-Vega ’99 Brian Smith Martha Consor Tedesco ’96 My Chi To

1047 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10025 212.316.7500 www.cathedralnyc.org

Celebrating Head of School

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