LAMPLIGHTER
THE ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL MAGAZINE
SPRING 2009
Fredric and Tami Mack This spring, Fred Mack will end his tenth year as a Trustee at Allen-Stevenson. One of the highlights of his tenure on the Board was his service as a Co-chair of The Campaign for Allen-Stevenson: Today and Tomorrow which resulted in the new school building. In recognition of their support of the Campaign, the School will dedicate the Third Floor Computer Lab to the Fredric Mack Family. When Fred and his wife Tami joined the Allen-Stevenson community in 1997 as Kindergarten parents, the School had modest academic and administrative technological resources, even though students had been using computers since 1982. Today, there are computers on every floor (except the gym), and we all stay connected through e-mail, servers, wikispaces, and other applications. Much of this upgraded technology is a result of generous donors such as Fred and Tami Mack who believed in the mission to weave information technology throughout the Allen-Stevenson community. This year, all students in Fourth through Ninth Grades received AllenStevenson e-mail addresses, and many students communicate online about class subject matter. Tami and Fred’s son, Jason ’07, is now a Junior at Columbia Prep, where their daughter Hailey is a Freshman and where Fred serves as Vice President of the Board of Trustees. Fred’s dedication to volunteer service and philanthropy Tami and Fred Mack with their children Hailey and Jason ’07
extends throughout the city and the world. He also chairs the Boards of the 92nd Street Y and the New York Region of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and he serves on the Boards of the Town School, North Shore University Hospital, World Jewish Congress Foundation, New York Holocaust Memorial Committee, National Executive Advisory Committee for the AIPAC, Israel Policy Forum and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, Inc. We at Allen-Stevenson are fortunate to have benefitted from Fred’s wisdom and guidance over the last ten years, and we express deep gratitude to Fred and Tami for their generosity.
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THE ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL MAGAZINE SPRING 2009
Director of Communications Casper Caldarola
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Communications Manager Emily Barnes
Contributing Writers Rich Alifano Jackie Brown Michelle Demko Susan Etess Danya Haber Jeffrey Herschenhous Neal Kamsler David Kersey Sarah Kresberg Susan Lukas Julia Kunin Kimberly Kyte Anne Meyer Mary Richter David R. Trower h’95
IN THIS ISSUE Headmaster’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Cover Story: Teaching Boys to Think . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 The New Role Model of Information Consumption by Sarah Kresberg . . . . . . . . .6 Lower School Fosters Creativity and Curiosity by Susan Etess . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Making the Middle School Shift to Thinking Abstractly by Kimberly Kyte . . . . . .10 Integrated Thinking in the Upper School by Neal Kamsler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Individual Expression and Critical Thinking by Julia Kunin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Creative Thinking Through Drama and Tech by Danya Haber and David Kersey. . . . 17 A Sense of Confidence and Accomplishment by Michelle Demko . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Living Strongly and Rightly by Rich Alifano. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Executive Function: The Brain’s CEO by Anne Meyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 The Past 50 Years: An Alumni Panel on Allen-Stevenson by Jackie Brown . . . . . . .24 Father’s Dinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Alumni Dinner in Honor of John E. Pariseau h’98 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Editors Ernie Grigg Jean McCauley Sari Nadler Perrino Mary Richter
Photographers Nancy Mitchell Al Pereira
IN EVERY ISSUE Making a Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 A-S News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Alumni News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Did You Know? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Printed on paper containing 10% post-consumer recycled content.
The Allen-Stevenson School admits students of any race, color, religion, nationality, or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, employment policies, financial aid program, or any other programs administered by the School.
The Lamplighter is published biannually by The Allen-Stevenson School and is sent free-of-charge to alumni, parents, and other friends of the School.
CORRECTIONS TO THE 2007-08 ANNUAL REPORT We apologize to the following donors, whose gifts to Allen-Stevenson were omitted or described incorrectly. Mr. Adrian Alexander and Ms. Susi Belli-Alexander, Annual Fund 2007-08 Mr. Peter Lewine ’62, Peter Cahn ’62 Memorial Fund Mr. and Mrs. Joe L. Roby, Roby Music Center Mr. and Mrs. William S. Rose, William Rose Locker Room
T H E
A L L E N - S T E V E N S O N S C H O O L L E A D E R S H I P 2 0 0 8 - 2 0 0 9
BOARD OF TRUSTEES Ronald S. Rolfe ’60, President Colin R. Knudsen, Vice President & Treasurer Dean I. Landis ’78, Secretary Jeffrey G. Beers ’71, Assistant Treasurer David R. Trower h’95, Headmaster
ALUMNI COUNCIL Eric E. Rothstein ’81, President Alexander Gellert ’79, Vice-President David W. Herzberg ’89, Vice-President Marc N. Rice ’84, Vice-President Simon D. Wasserberger ’85, Vice-President
Susan de Menil Kim Reisman Dickstein* Molly O’Neil Frank Alexander G. Gellert ’79 Linda MacMurray Gibbs Michael Gould John J. Hannan Paul A. Leff Thomas H. Lister Fredric H. Mack Beatrice H. Mitchell Ashok Nayyar Duane A. Nicholson Amy L. Robbins Eric E. Rothstein ’81* Lisa Pagliaro Selz Joseph F. Wayland Leonard A. Wilf
Ian Adler ’87 Charles W. Allen ’91 Basil Lloyd Anderson ’08 Andrew Robert Arias ’92 Zach T. Axelrod ’95 Neil E. Bader ’79 Anthony Paul Bonan ’93 Pierre A. Bonan ’89 Robert B. Buehler ’78 Robert Dana Burge ’76* Alfred Paul Burger ’87 Andrew Alan Burger ’59 John T. Carr III ’76 Erik A. Cliette ’81 Brooke Bayard Connell ’86 Adam James Phillips Donaldson ’05 Maurice Fahrie Edelson ’78 Jason M. Farkas ’97 Michael Feinberg ’84 R. Vanneman Furniss ’91 Harlan E. Goldberg ’90 Evan R. Goldfischer ’81 Christopher Scott Goodman ’86 Michael H. Grady ’91 Christopher J. Hallows ’87 Schuyler Havens ’88 Michael W. Hedges, Jr. ’77 John C. Henry, Jr. ’84 David Riklis Hirschfeld ’99 Patrick D. R. Horan ’85 Tristan Howard ’96 C. Andrew Hughes ’98 Andrew A. Janko ’95 Clinton V.P. Johnson ’79 Michael W. Joukowsky ’80 Stephen H. Judson ’76 William H. Judson ’78 A. Reed Katz ’04 Kenneth LaFreniere ’90 Dean I. Landis ’78* James A. Magid ’91 Paul J. Mancuso ’03 Kenneth J. McCauley ’93 Richard C. Perry ’70* Christopher Persley ’88 Vincent Peterson ’74 Philip N. Pilmar ’01 Roger Raines ’80 Harlan Reinhardt ’83
* member ex officio
TRUSTEES EMERITI Mildred J. Berendsen Marian R. Bicks Jane Phillips Donaldson Richard N. Foster D. Ross Hamilton Susan B. Hirschhorn Karen T. Hughes John R. Hupper ’40 E. William Judson Robert J. Katz George A. Kellner Robert Liberman ’58 Peter deF. Millard Richard C. Perry ’70 Joe L. Roby Andrew P. Steffan
Ronald S. Rolfe ’60* Eric Rosas ’06 Berton Rose ’97 John Rose ’90 Louis Rose ’86* Henry Jay Rosenwach ’04 Dean E. Sanborn ’61 Alessandro Meyer Santoro ’07 Randolph R. A. Schrade ’76 Yoshiki Shimada ’75 Alexander Boucher Shipper ’02 Denton Alexander Smith ’94 Michael Tiedemann ’86 Andrew W. Vogelstein ’81 Noel Eric Volpe ’85 Alexandre von Furstenberg ’85 Edward W. Wartels ’91 Mark Wasserberger ’82 Dewey S. Wigod ’77 Hans L. Wydler ’81 Clifton G. York ’78 Andrew Etess Zimmerman ’00 *president emeritus
PARENTS ASSOCIATION Kim Dickstein, President Alix O’Mara, Vice President Constance Cornish, Treasurer Susan Morgenstein, Recording Secretary Marie Bitetti, Corresponding Secretary Linda Barnett, Advisory Suzanne Freind, Advisory Carol Kalikow, Advisory Lisa Selz, Advisory Lucia Smith, Advisory Andrea Tongue, Advisory Pat Verrilli, Advisory
ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM David R. Trower h’95, Headmaster John E. Pariseau h’98, Associate Headmaster Susan Etess, Lower School Head Kimberly Kyte, Middle School Head Neal Kamsler, Upper School Head Richard Alifano, Director, Physical Education and Athletics Casper Caldarola, Director of Communications Michelle Demko, Music Department Head Ronnie R. Jankoff, Director of Admissions Glenn Lieberman, Director of Technology Anne Russo Meyer, Director of Learning Resources Mary Richter, Director of Development C. Harris Stein, Business Manager
HEADMASTER’S MESSAGE Last fall Professor Joshua Aronson of New York University spoke first to faculty and then to parents in two interesting, even provocative, talks at school entitled, “Nurturing the Intelligence of Your Child.” Professor Aronson highlighted the negative role of stereotyping on school performance by citing a number of studies he has conducted in schools and universities across the United States. These studies illustrate the malleability of intelligence—how it often reflects circumstances, emotions and preparation and how it thus changes for better or worse. On the other hand, when stereotyping is minimized, Professor Aronson demonstrated, performance can improve, often dramatically. Professor Aronson’s research is only one dimension, of course, of the theme of this issue of the Lamplighter: Teaching Boys to Think. At Allen-Stevenson we recognize how important it is to develop the mind and to lay the foundations for life-long learning. Our mission statement recognizes the importance of linking various learning situations—academics, athletics, and the arts— when it states, “Allen-Stevenson’s vigorous, pre-secondary program of academics, athletics, and the arts teaches boys to value the gratifying process by which excellence is attained.” The result is thinking at its best. In the various articles in this issue of the Lamplighter, you will see many extraordinary examples of how we teach boys to think. One key to teaching boys to think is to recognize that there are various levels of learning. This concept was documented in the early 1950’s by a group of scholars led by University of Chicago Professor Benjamin S. Bloom. Often associated with thinking, the frequently used term “higher order cognition” derives from Bloom’s work, which drew on biological classification (phylum, class, order, family, genus, species, variety) to describe levels of cognition and to assess learning with greater precision. Usually known as Bloom’s Taxonomy, the six categories range from lower to higher levels, all of which are important to learning. The verbs listed in parentheses after each category illustrate some of its specific characteristics.
THE NEW MODEL
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1. KNOWLEDGE (Know, tell, list, choose, recite, match, name, quote, repeat, show, sort, spell, label, group, find) 2. COMPREHENSION (Translate, change, restate; Interpret, define, explain; Extrapolate, project, calculate, propose) 3. APPLICATION (Apply, relate, solve, operate, manipulate, try, make use of, exploit, adopt) 4. ANALYSIS (Analyze, break down, dissect, simplify, reason, deduce, scrutinize, test for, study) 5. SYNTHESIS (Synthesize, create, combine, build, compile, reorganize, blend, conceive, formulate, generate) 6. EVALUATING (Evaluate, judge, decide, rate, appraise, rank, determine, assess, criticize, weigh) All too often in teaching, only the “higher” levels are cited as evidence of thinking. Yet it is clear that to do any of the operations listed in the higher levels, a boy must be able to do the other operations, too. The Chicago scholars wanted to improve education to foster problem-solving skills in children growing up in an
MAKING THE
era they perceived as one of rapid change. Bloom wrote, “…We have the task of
MIDDLE SCHOOL
preparing individuals for problems that cannot be foreseen in advance, and about all that can be done under such conditions is to help the student acquire generalized intellectual abilities and skills that will serve him well in many new situa-
SHIFT TO
tions.”
THINKING
Today, in an age of rapid change, the task of “teaching thinking” has numerous
ABSTRACTLY
meanings, many of which have to do with empowering curiosity, developing mental agility and acquiring multiple perspectives. The spread of technology of all kinds, not just computers but also the sharing of information worldwide, has accelerated this global requirement. You may notice, however, that most of the articles in this issue simply assume the role of technology in learning without
INTEGRATED
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mentioning it explicitly. Many educators would also cite how important it is for boys today to develop the capacity to understand and accept points of view that may be unlike their own. It’s a kind of intuitive thinking that rec-
INDIVIDUAL
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LIVING STRONGLY AND RIGHTLY
ognizes how diverse experiences, values, religion, or exposure to information may lead people to think differently. To this end, our new policy statement AllenStevenson and its Community begins with this strong affirmation: Allen-Stevenson promotes diverse perspectives, honest dialogue and mutual respect. This educational process requires constant engagement and considerate thinking. As participants in a vigorous learning environment, all of us are obliged to accept the experiences, dignity and rights of others. So, teaching boys to think today has an additional interpersonal, multicultural dimension that none of us can ignore. Each of us must intuit what someone else might be thinking. To me, this is the most exciting time to be in education! So much is being documented about teaching and learning, about the brain and the nervous system’s role, and about the importance of emotional intelligence. Therefore, I have included with this message a sidebar of some recent publications worth your attention. As always, we hope you will enjoy the extraordinary articles in this issue of the Lamplighter and, as a result, come to appreciate even more the special place called Allen-Stevenson! Fortiter et recte!
Recent Good Books on Learning Carol S. Dweck Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Dweck describes two mindsets, the fixed and the growth mindsets, the latter of which she sees as the key to success in learning and life. She gives parents and teachers many suggestions to promote the growth mindset in children. Howard Gardner Five Minds for the Future Gardner defines five cognitive approaches: the disciplinary mind, the synthesizing mind, the creating mind, the respectful mind, and the ethical mind. Each of these capacities will enable a person to deal with what is expected in the future and what cannot easily be anticipated. Gardner’s work on multiple intelligences is legendary. Malcolm Gladwell Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking Gladwell suggests that those who “thin-slice” by selecting the most important factors that matter from the many that could be considered are great decision makers. His sequel Outliers: The Story of Success argues that external factors often make all the difference. Eric Jensen Enriching the Brain: How to Maximize Every Learner’s Potential Jensen highlights the brain’s capacity for positive change and shows how the brain can be enriched to maximize learning, memory, behavior, and overall functioning. Offering many practical suggestions, Jensen indicates that parents have a great deal to do with how children’s brains ultimately turn out. Hara Estgroff Marano A Nation of Wimps: The High Cost of Invasive Parenting Marano summarizes the research about “hothouse parenting” to illustrate how parental overinvolvement hinders a child’s development socially, emotionally, and neurologically. She shows how the net effect of parental scrutiny actually makes children more fragile.
David R. Trower Headmaster
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION: THE BRAIN'S CEO
Daniel H. Pink A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age Pink identifies six essential aptitudes: Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play, and Meaning. He suggests that the era of “left-brain” dominance is being overtaken by a new “right-brain” world in which artistic and holistic abilities influence who gets ahead and who falls behind. Ken Robinson Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative Robinson shows why creative intelligence is essential and how many organizations urgently need workers who are creative, innovative, and flexible. He shows what people can do to become creative thinkers and doers, even if they don’t actually believe they can.
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THE NEW MODEL OF INFORMATION CONSUMPTION: TEACHING OUR BOYS TO BE GOURMET CHEFS by Sarah Kresberg, Library Media Center Director
Imagine you live in a hunter-gatherer society. Your daily routine is to find food -- any food -- to feed yourself and your family. If you manage to collect enough fruit, nuts, fish and meat to survive the winter, you can consider yourself a success. You get an A+. Now imagine that you and your family live in a New York City apartment, and you are fortunate enough to receive carte blanche at your local grocery store. Finding enough food to get through the winter is not a problem anymore, but you have a new challenge: how will you choose what to buy? At first, the thousands of choices may overwhelm you. You may buy simply based on what is most familiar. But after a while, you may establish some criteria for selection, such as nutritional value and taste. You will learn how to cook a variety of meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. You may want to learn where the food came from and how it was produced. In short, you will have to THINK about your food in a whole new way if you want to adapt to your new circumstances and maximize your resources. The information age of the last 15 years has transformed the research experience in a similar way. Hunting for and gathering information is no longer the challenge. Anybody can type a few words into Google and obtain some information. But the results may be the equivalent of Cheez Whiz and Cap'n Crunch - hardly a nutritious or delicious meal. The new challenge is finding, evaluating, and synthesizing accurate and high quality information. In the Allen-Stevenson Library, we teach the boys how to cook original “gourmet information meals.” We use research as the vehicle for teaching information literacy skills, enabling each boy to become an organized investigator, a critical and creative thinker, an effective communicator, and a responsible user of information. Below and on the next page, I outline three research projects -- one from each division -- to show just a few ways in which we teach these skills.
KINDERGARTEN’S BEARS When you think about it, children begin investigating the world around them right from birth. As a result, it is never too early to begin shaping the process. Last year at Allen-Stevenson, we taught a pilot research project to K-B. This year, all three Kindergarten classes are doing the project. Guided by our Lower School Librarian, Bonnie Tucker, and the homeroom teachers, the students investigate, compare, and contrast four different kinds of bears in this collaborative unit. Research lessons take place on seven consecutive school days so that the boys can easily recall and utilize information from one day to the next. The project begins with the boys sharing the information they already know about bears. Next, the boys gather facts about black bears, polar bears, grizzly bears, and panda bears, figuring out what makes each one distinctive. In the process, they engage in using a variety of carefully selected sources, including books, magazines, films, and websites. Boys learn to distinguish between fiction and non-fiction books -- a first step in learning how to evaluate the sources from which they gain information. Along the way, as they add the facts they find out about the bears to wall charts, they look for and reconcile opposing facts. By the end of the seventh research class, the boys are the proud owners of their very own non-fiction books about bears. The books are replete with information that the boys have collectively selected and evaluated as the most relevant, and they can enthusiastically explain, with real understanding, the significant ways in which bears differ. Kindergarten Bear Chart
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here too, they must think critically and creatively -- which colors work together; how many photos work best and how large should they be; are the fonts legible, are the pages harmonious and a pleasure to read? We have a few copies of the books professionally printed, which allows for the creation of a polished product honoring the hard work the boys have put into the project. EIGHTH GRADE’S BLOGGING Three years on, the boys participate in the Eighth Grade Current Events Blogging Project, a yearlong assignment collaboratively designed by Winnie Barnes, the Upper School Librarian, Kim Sklow, History Teacher, and McCartney Wilkins. Beginning in September, the teachers rotate responsibility for preparing a post about a local, national, or international news story. The teachers post stories twice each week. Students are required to think critically about the posts and respond to at least one post per week, including a response to the questions posted by their teachers as well as to their classmates' responses. Rome Book
FIFTH GRADE’S ROME BOOK PROJECT Moving ahead some years to Fifth Grade, the boys are now fairly experienced researchers. They have spent years gathering information from books, magazines, subscription databases, films, and pre-selected websites. It is now time to let them loose on the World Wide Web. Cognitively speaking, the boys are only now becoming ready to engage with this tool effectively, and they really will have to engage their critical thinking skills if they are to obtain information worth using. On the surface, nothing seems simpler than finding information through a search engine. Simply type a search term into Google, and you have all the information that you could possibly want. Actually, you have more information than you could possibly want -- much of it not relevant and some of it factually inaccurate. We designed the Rome Book Project to introduce web skills. Along with our Computer Teacher, McCartney Wilkins, the Fifth Grade homeroom teachers and I collaboratively plan and teach the project. We begin by analyzing the popular search engine Google and figuring out what pushes certain results to the top of the returns list as well as why and how the results can be manipulated. We experiment with search terms, figuring out how to narrow a search to get a smaller, more relevant set of possible websites and how to interpret the descriptions and URLs of those websites so that the boys do not spend time going to websites that have no value. That's the easy part! Once the boys choose websites, they must ask themselves a set of questions: who wrote this; what qualifies them to do so; does the information appear accurate; will it help me to do the task set before me; and is it written at an age appropriate level and without distracting advertisements? The boys explore websites on a particular topic involving Ancient Rome, such as trade or leadership, and then rate the websites on all of these criteria, ultimately choosing the best sites to share with their classmates. At this point, they begin using their first Web 2.0 tool - social bookmarking. A number of social bookmarking sites exist, but this year, we chose to introduce the boys to Diigo. They post the best websites to their Diigo account, annotating each site to demonstrate how it meets the criteria above and tagging the site with subject headings. Students can now access these sites from any computer. The final step in the project is to partner up to create a double page spread for a class book on Ancient Rome. Each pair must develop an essential question and three supporting questions, and then use the sites on Diigo to find the answers. They must also add some fascinating facts and helpful illustrations. Because we are teaching them to be responsible users of information, they must include picture credits on their spread and contribute to a joint bibliography at the end of the book. We teach the boys to use publishing software called Pages and
This year, as might be expected, the fall trimester focused to a great extent on the national elections, with articles about the presidential and vice presidential debates. However, the first term also covered the economy, environmental issues, and a number of international incidents. Initially, students' posts were straightforward answers to the posted questions. As the term progressed, however, boys began to post articles that supported their own position or refuted another student's post. The boys discovered that news reports have many different perspectives and that a truly informed person seeks out multiple viewpoints. During the second term, we expand the students' role a bit, allowing boys to submit articles and drafts of posts for consideration. One student expressed interest in the scandal surrounding the Illinois governor and the governor's response to charges of corruption. The student sought out news stories and wrote the post himself. We open the blog to posts by all students in the third term. One post during the second term provoked a great deal of activity on the boards. The post was about a Texas high school that fired the basketball coach after his team beat another school by a score of 100-0. This post resulted in 121 responses by students and faculty (who ultimately became involved when the topic made its way into classroom discussions in the Upper School). The discussion on the board varied, but the majority of posts discussed the poor sportsmanship exhibited by the winning coach. Students debated the right of a team to run a score as high as 100-0. Students argued about ways in which the winning coach could have changed his game strategy to keep his win while minimizing the humiliation of the other team. Tempers sometimes ran high in the posts, but everyone maintained the civility demanded by the rules of the blog. As students learn to find and use information at A-S, you might note a pattern emerging. First, we place a heavy emphasis on the boys learning to evaluate and then select sources, with their role in this process increasing year by year. Also, as the boys grow older, they move from receiving and using information to create a static product, to synthesizing and sharing information in a dynamic environment. This new role necessitates the thinking and rethinking of their ideas into fully formed opinions. Think of this as something akin to creating recipes and hosting a nutritious and delicious dinner party! The need for first-rate information literacy skills is becoming ever more crucial, but in the A-S Library Media Center we equip the boys with the tools they need to be successful, life long users and creators of information.
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One of the wonders and delights of working with young children is continuing to maintain and develop the natural curiosity each young child brings to the world. Most children have an innate interest in finding out how things work and questioning all around them. As Rudyard Kipling wrote: I keep six honest serving-men, They taught me all I knew; Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who. In schools, we need to keep these “six honest serving men” alive in each of our students and use them to make each child's education exciting and inspiring.
LOWER SCHOOL FOSTERS CREATIVITY AND CURIOSITY by Susan Etess, Lower School Head
When I first came to Allen-Stevenson about sixteen years ago, David Trower and I had a number of long and interesting discussions about the philosophy of the Lower School and our vision for it in its finest form.
The boys enter Kindergarten already full of
These conversations always seemed to
number of boys in the class, she will then
information and questions. We give them
lead to the same ends -- how could we
ask, “And how many boys are we still wait-
numerous experiences that will allow for
assure that our boys develop into indepen-
ing for?” The boys do not necessarily real-
deeper exploration and understanding, as
dent and responsible thinkers and problem
ize that they are using addition and sub-
well as provide them with a framework with
solvers? This discussion takes place often
traction. They just know that they are
which to organize all of this information.
amongst the teachers. In fact, every school
thinking to solve an everyday problem.
The three main topics explored in
year begins with a reminder to the Lower
Kindergarten Social Studies evolve from
School teachers that our boys come to us
Moving to First Grade, the units of study in
areas in which most boys have a great
each fall with great curiosity, and our job as
Social Studies again stem from topics of
interest -- their neighborhood, food, and
teachers is to build on this natural interest
great natural interest to the boys. They
transportation. As each of these units of
without diminishing it. We want our boys to
learn about water and bridges, and the
study begins, the boys generate questions
use their minds and imaginations to form
exploration of these topics takes each class
about what they want to learn, and these
thoughts, develop new ideas, reflect, and
in differing directions depending on the
questions serve as the foundation for how
reason. We want to continue fostering their
curiosity of the boys. As is the case in
the class proceeds in exploring this topic.
curiosity and creativity. So as the year pro-
Kindergarten, the boys in each class gener-
What could be better than having what you
gresses, the teachers try to continue hav-
ate a list of questions about what they want
learn in School directly answer the ques-
ing conversations about this in the halls
to learn in each area. For example, one
tions you have when you are young?!
class of boys became extremely interested
and at Lower School meetings each week.
in how water was important to animals and
Which boys came up with a unique way to
In Kindergarten, the boys love to build
solve a problem? Who had a creative idea
began researching different animals, of
block structures and enjoy the challenge of
for the class? Or who had an exceptional
which some lived in water and some did
building as high as possible. They do not
way of completing an assignment?
not. They soon realized that all animals
necessarily understand physics; however,
needed water in different ways. Their
when the structure they have built falls The Lower School develops creativity and
curiosity led them to look in book after
down and they have to rebuild it, they must
curiosity in a number of ways, and hopeful-
book and explore many websites to find all
use some principles of physics to think of
ly everyday. Sometimes this happens in a
the facts they could about their animal.
new and different ways to build the struc-
larger, well-planned unit or group of
The boys then began to compare the facts
ture. This process requires them to think
lessons, and at other times it occurs in the
they found in different sources and learn
and problem solve. Or in a simpler way,
daily life of going to school. For example,
about the animals their friends had
two boys may be waiting in line and three
the main goal of the Kindergarten curricu-
researched -- SO much excitement. In
more may join. The teacher may ask how
lum is to build on a boy's natural curiosity.
another class, boys began to wonder about
many boys are in line now. Knowing the
what it was like living in the olden days
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when water did not arrive in your home through pipes. That led to a number of days during which the First Grade boys carried gallon jugs of water up and down the halls of the third floor, learning about how heavy they are and the difficulty of transporting water. They were certainly grateful when they went to the sink and found the water flowing with ease! And as for those bridges, the boys became fascinated with the many different types of bridges and trying to identify every bridge they knew. They researched in the library and on the Internet, and they tried to construct the varying types of bridges in their classrooms. We are still trying to agree on
KG building structures in the block corner
exactly how many bridges connect Manhattan to the landmasses north, east,
Many of the inventions at the conventions
organize these objects of the favorite
south, and west.
this year were wonderful illustrations of the
hobby and fad! The Upside Down Tissue
curiosity and creativity of our boys. Many
Dispenser amazed many adults visiting the
projects were designed to help feed and
Invention Conventions. It helps retrieve
care for pets, which play such an important
with ease even the last tissue from a deep
role in the life of many boys. There were
tissue box. However, probably the most
also many projects designed to help boys
popular invention of these events this year
organize their school materials -- desk
was the Sneaker Washer. Who could have
organizers, memory prompters, and even a
imagined how many dirty sneakers there
vest designed to hold the many items nor-
are and how wonderful they look once they
mally kept in a backpack. Then there were
are clean?!
projects designed to help the environment, such as the invention to make new bars of
As one visits Lower School classes at
soap from leftover soap chips. And let us
Allen-Stevenson, observes the lessons and
not forget the inventions created to help
activities, and listens to the conversations
improve one's sports ability, such as the
amongst boys as well as between teachers
indoor hockey practice device! With
and students, the emphasis on encouraging
“Myachi mania” becoming a part of the
and developing curiosity and creativity
lives of so many Third Grade boys, there
should be evident in many ways.
were many inventions to help hold and Second Grade project from the Invention Convention
In the Lower School, there is probably no better example of the boys having the opportunity to use their curiosity and creativity than the Second and Third Grade Invention Conventions. This unique AllenStevenson project stems from science classes. We ask the boys to brainstorm problems that they have in everyday life. Once they have listed a number of simple problems, they are free to select one problem and invent a solution. Some problems are the same, but all solutions are unique! The boys use their imaginations to develop original ideas that become their inspired inventions.
1Z’s study of water and animals
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MAKING THE MIDDLE SCHOOL SHIFT TO THINKING ABSTRACTLY by Kimberly Kyte, Middle School Head
Middle School boys sit on the cusp of a huge developmental change. They verge on moving from concrete thinkers to abstract thinkers! You might ask what this means and how we teach our boys to accommodate the change. Let me start by reacquainting you with Jean Piaget, the noted Swiss philosopher who studied cognitive development in children. He wrote that children, aged seven to eleven, are in the Concrete Operational Stage. Children in this stage are emerging readers who eagerly respond to simple questions: who, what, when, and where. At approximately eleven years-old, children enter the Formal Operational stage where they begin to think more abstractly and use higher order thinking skills. During the Formal Operational stage, we teach our boys to make a hypothesis, compare and contrast, project into the future, understand an author's point of view, make inferences, evaluate facts, and draw conclusions. Through direct teaching, discussion, small group work, thinking, writing, and reading, we ask our boys to wrestle with higher order thinking skills in every discipline. The Fifth Grade project, Stranded!, serves as an example of a curricular link to higher order thinking skills. Three years ago, Dr. Ioannis (Yannis) N. Miaoulis, the director of the Museum of Science, Boston, met with the Allen-Stevenson science team. He described three hands-on engineering/math projects. This piqued the team's interests! Tailor-made for boys, the projects focus on guiding children to think abstractly. We introduced Stranded! the following September. This introduction, taken from the textbook, launches the Fifth Grade boys into an adventure that has them thinking about engineering projects for survival on a deserted island.
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Let me paint the picture of Stranded!. The plane from San Francisco to New Zealand was traveling at a steady rate of 530mph before the storm hit. The storm hit the plane nine and a half hours into the flight. When the plane flew into the storm, the engine developed some problems. Fierce winds from the storm blew the plane approximately 500 miles due south until it finally touched down in the ocean. On the emergency raft, you and your classmates drifted in the ocean, in an unknown direction, at a speed of approximately ten miles per hour, for one full day, before reaching land. ~ Dr. Peter Y. Wong and Dr. Barbara M. Brizuela
Stranded! features three engineering tasks. Boys work in small groups as they approach each task. • The first unit asks each group to develop a scale model of a shelter. Each group receives the same building materials. At the conclusion of the construction project, each hut must withstand wind and rain tests (a hairdryer and water spray). • The second unit, using materials simulating the jagged piece of the plane that has washed ashore, asks the students to develop (to scale) a water collection tool for drinking water. At the conclusion of the engineering project, the water retention system must hold at least 1000ml of water for each member of the team, not leak, and remain upright without anyone holding it. • Finally, the third unit brings everyone back to New Zealand by canoe and using Maorian guides. The project involves building a canoe to scale that holds the students, Maorian guides, water
Fifth Grade boys building and weather-proofing their island survival structures for the Stranded! project.
bags, lifesavers and food. The inherently unstable canoes must
The most important part of the process is the eighth step --
withstand the test of balancing on a full load.
redesign your prototype. Keep in mind, these are Fifth Grade boys embarking on Stranded!. They must learn to communi-
The Engineering Design Process (EDP) remains at the core of the
cate with each other, negotiate when necessary, and refine their
project. This eight-step process defines how engineers of all
work for the good of the project. The boys need to listen to
ages solve problems. In addition, the EDP offers engineers a
each other, combine their ideas, prepare for errors, depend on
plan to help them think and solve problems:
each other's research, and stick to their final design. After the tests to determine the viability of their project, the boys must
1. Define the problem.
stifle their potential disappointment and re-evaluate their proto-
2. Conduct the research.
type to correct errors. I would also add the skills of patience,
3. Brainstorm ideas and be creative.
listening, and focusing under disappointment. Finally, a boy
4. Choose the best solution that meets all the
may need to put his idea aside for the good of the group.
criteria and constraints. 5. Use your diagrams and list of materials as a guide to build a model or prototype of your solution.
Stranded! is but one example of a Middle School curricular project that teaches and encourages boys to think abstractly.
6. Test and evaluate your prototype.
Boys work in small groups and actively think, discuss,
7. Communicate with your fellow engineers about
disagree, read, interpret, write, make a series of hypotheses,
your prototype. 8. Redesign your prototype based on information gathered in the testing and communication steps.
build to scale, compare and contrast, project into the future, make inferences, evaluate facts, and draw conclusions. What a terrific project!
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INTEGRATED THINKING IN THE UPPER SCHOOL
talents of the individual boys. In another assignment, the boys again demonstrate their unique responses to works of art along with information about the artists themselves by composing fictional journals through which they imagine what may have inspired an artist to make a particular work. During a Monday Morning Meeting this May, the boys participated in the second public presentation of the work they have completed during this course.
by Neal Kamsler, Upper School Head along with Winnie Barnes, Jeffrey Herschenhous, Susan Lukas, Susanna Rubin, and McCartney Wilkins The Upper School is the final step in an Allen-Stevenson education before the boys leave to attend secondary school. It is the time to bring together all the different aspects of their experiences here and provide them with the skills necessary to move on to secondary school. They disperse to a variety of schools in terms of size, style, location, and curricula. As they depart, we want them to be independent learners and thinkers who have pursued and developed a range of interests and passions. While at Allen-Stevenson, they have had the opportunity to become leaders, to think critically and creatively, and to engage in the vigorous pursuit of knowledge. At the same time, they are musicians, actors, artists, and athletes. These skills and abilities make them desirable to ongoing schools. Below are just a few examples of programs that allow the boys to develop and refine the skills that serve them so well in high school and in life. WRITING AND ART CLASS Once a week, Seventh Grade boys participate in a class that combines art appreciation, art history, studio art, and creative writing. Susanna Rubin, an Art Teacher, and Susan Lukas, the Seventh Grade English and Writing Teacher, co-teach the course. They both come to this course with deep personal interests in the subject. Ms. Rubin is a professional artist with her own studio, and her work exhibits in galleries internationally. Additionally, she has written extensively for the Museum of Modern Art including the Matisse Picasso book that accompanied the museum's 2003 exhibition. Ms. Lukas is a published poet, and she is currently working on a group of short stories. The course explores the connection between making visual art and writing, and it accomplishes this objective in a variety of ways. Early in the course, the boys develop their skills of observation and descriptive writing by studying the details of numerous famous works of art and writing specifically about them. These skills further develop through a reverse project for which they take an imagistic piece of writing and create a companion piece of art. To complete the circle, they write their own imagistic characterization and make a piece of art to illustrate it. Poetry is another product of this course. Students develop a group word bank as they observe several paintings. Each boy then writes his own poem using only words from the list. Although each uses similar vocabulary, the poems differ, reflecting the sensibilities, interests, and
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William Lopez-Balboa ’11
...This moment stuck with me and in the future I decided to paint about it. I started with the large stone entrance because that was what I remembered most. Then I worked my way out, starting with the cars entering. The objects surrounding the road are just there for balance, because all I remember is looking hopefully at the road and the entrance; I mostly ignored my surroundings. The colors I used represented my interest in them. The surroundings are mostly dark colors and then the entrance of the tunnel is red and yellow, which is where I was looking most. The yellow represents the light I saw coming out of the tunnel. The red represents the glow of taillights I saw, and the black is my own personal touch, it represents how clueless I was going to see him. To me, this painting means much more than an average tunnel. It means the first meeting of my father. ~ Excerpt from The Lincoln Tunnel by Mr. Lopez-Balboa ’11
One of the truly special experiences is the trip to Indian Mountain that starts the year. The first week of School, the boys head to the ropes course at Indian Mountain and spend two nights in the woods. They learn to work together and challenge themselves physically and intellectually as both an individual and a group. The journey towards graduating as responsible leaders begins here. They sleep in a leanto, shop for and cook their own meals, and participate in a range of group problem-solving activities as well as high and low elements of a ropes course. The program concludes on the final morning with the completion of a series of challenges hung between trees 40 feet in the air. The following quotes reflect some of what the boys learn on the trip: "Although finishing something is satisfactory, doing your best, and pushing yourself past your limit is just as satisfying." Seventh Grade’s Science Evolution Book
SEVENTH GRADE'S SCIENCE EVOLUTION BOOK The Seventh Graders created a storybook about evolution after studying Darwin's basic concepts and then researching various animal phyla. Each student used his knowledge to write one page about the characteristics of one particular animal group followed by a creative fiction story based on scientific principles. The stories intended to make readers of all ages aware of how various traits in animals may have evolved. This project involved library research, use of Pages software, and science classroom work guided by Ms. Winnie Barnes, Ms. McCartney Wilkins, and Mr. Jeffrey Herschenhous. The boys met in the Library Classroom for research and access to technology at least once a week from November through February while learning about evolution, genetics, and the animal phyla in their science class. They communicated with each other and their teachers via Google Docs throughout the project. Culminating activities included class presentations from each group, laboratory lessons and dissections, and an in-School field trip. On that day, the Seventh Grade boys, dressed in their own animal costumes, read their stories to Third and Fourth Grade classes in the
"I knew everybody in our class (but not very well). After this trip I can truly say that I am good friends with all of the people in my class." "We learned that everyone had to depend on one another. Getting mad at someone because they made a mistake is pointless, because everyone is capable of making a mistake." "The knowledge of being able to conquer anything if you really try is one of the greatest truths of all." "My heart pounded with fright; my mind raced with panic, as I continued my journey heavenward." "The most important thing I learned at Indian Mountain was that I need to push myself far past what I think I can do." "…teachers constantly tell me that listening is one of the greatest skills you can have. This is one of those times in which it is." "I felt we were really a team. Before the trip, I was skeptical if this trip would actually bring us closer." "My trip on Indian Mountain taught me to be more patient… that waiting can be a better thing sometimes." "On this trip, although it's hard to earn my trust, everyone earned my trust. I hope what I learned doesn't stay on Indian Mountain."
Assembly Hall for two hours. They also made unique foods representing their animal groups and enjoyed a festive meal. INDIAN MOUNTAIN TRIP The Ninth Grade is a special and unique year. The boys who choose to stay for the complete Allen-Stevenson experience generally refer to it as their best year at A-S. One of the year's foci involves working on leadership and group problem-solving skills. There are many opportunities for the Ninth Graders to practice these skills. The many examples of these opportunities include serving as captains of athletic teams, playing the leads on stage, and running lunch tables in the Dining Room. The Ninth Graders set the tone for the day-to-day interactions in the School, and boys in all three divisions look up to them. Indian Mountain trust fall
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Second Grade Art in the Classroom Project
CREATIVE INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSION AND CRITICAL THINKING by Julia Kunin, Art Department Chair with contributions from all members of the Art Department
Art is essential to developing a boy’s ability to see, shape and reflect upon the world around him. The Art Department at AllenStevenson has designed a sequential program that develops fundamental skills, promotes knowledge of art principles, and encourages creative individual expression and critical thinking. We want our students to be media literate, and we provide them with the necessary skills to analyze and comment upon the visual culture of our time. The creative process gives the boys confidence to take risks in their work, knowing that there is no simple right or wrong answer to a problem. Creative problem solving used in Art classes encourages boys to apply the same imagination and flexibility across the curriculum. The skills boys develop in the art classes are cumulative, and projects and expectations grow greater in scope with each year. A boy’s individual achievement related to his own development forms the basis for our assessment of qualities such as motivation, focus, and imagination, as well as the abilities to execute, revise, and discuss the final product.
Fourth Grade Egypt Project
This year the Art Department has engaged the boys in a wide range of projects that stimulate problem-solving, critical thinking, the imagination, and the joy of creating art. There is nothing more rewarding for a teacher than to see a boy excited about learning through doing while accomplishing work beyond his expectations. In the Second Grade Art in the Classroom program, Kathy Allen and Susanna Rubin developed ink and colored pencil flower projects influenced by the artist Martin Johnson Heade. The painting/collages appeared in “Sprout Too,” a children’s art exhibit at the New York Horticultural Society held from March 25 to April 3. Art in the Classroom provides students with additional time for art and offers time for collaboration between the Art Department and the Lower School teachers.
Each student has at least one hour of Art or Shop per week, and some have additional time through electives, Art in the Classroom, or the Middle School Humanities Work Theatre (HWT) interdisciplinary program.
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Alessandra Exposito teaches the Third Grade Art program, which focuses on sculpture. The boys begin by creating drawings of imaginary creatures. Then,
they invent their own characters using hybrids of animals. This initial inventive process sets the stage for individually designed and fabricated soft sculptures. Focusing on size and shape, the boys create a stencil pattern of their character. The boys measure, cut, and sew the felt puppets using either running or blanket stitches. Ms. Exposito taught the boys to use a sewing machine as a supplement to their hand sewing. Students are constantly making decisions, whether they are solving a technical problem or coming up with new ideas for their sculptures through associative thinking. In the Middle School, the boys have the opportunity to work in a multi-disciplinary course under the HWT program, which combines the classroom curriculum with Art, Theatre, and Music. This year the Fourth Grade boys studied Ancient Egypt. The boys with specific interests in art chose to work in a group, creating a sculpture of a giant Sphinx. This challenging project required them to make group deci-
Upper School Skateboard Project
Upper School Modern Art Movements
sions as well as research, plan, and design the sculpture. Teachers emphasized the numerous art processes involved. The Sphinx armature was constructed with rolled paper and aluminum foil. The boys worked collaboratively under the supervision of Alessandra Exposito and Rob McCallum. The Fourth Grade students also benefit from the Fischbein Visiting Artist Workshop, named after the family who generously donated the funds in memory of their son, Alexander ’95. This year, students integrated the Fischbein Workshop with their Egypt studies. Students worked with professional puppet maker, Clara Woloff, and with the assistance of classroom teachers Haruka Mori and Sari Lorner, they created hand puppets based on Ancient Egyptian gods, goddesses, and citizens. The Upper School Art program is having a rewarding and exciting year. Student motivation, as well as the quality of student artwork, has improved tremendously. Boys seek out the Art Department, supplementing their classroom work by developing projects during their Study Hall periods and during a drop-in program called “OpenStudio.” Students also develop their artwork during other class periods at the discretion of the Art teachers. As a result, Upper School students are often in the Art Department on any given day of the week.
In Julia Kunin’s and Alessandra Exposito’s Seventh and Eighth Grade Art classes, students paint skateboard decks. Each student’s skateboard imagery stems from his own interests. In the process of preparing for the painting, the students explored technical skills such as color mixing and using contrasting colors. In addition, they worked with negative and positive space, and learned how to create a visually compelling design. The class looked at work by Andy Warhol and Bridget Riley among others. Creating the board requires an understanding of symbolic and narrative imagery as well as abstract design. Boys learn the ability to fuse all three concepts into a cohesive, personal work. Ms. Rubin’s Seventh and Eighth Grade Art and Ideas class spent the fall term studying some of the major Modern Art movements, beginning with Impressionism and progressing through Minimalism and Earth Art. The boys chose the name of an art movement that sounded interesting and immedi-
ately began researching, using both art history books and the Internet. After a few weeks of research, each student presented his art movement to the class allowing everyone to delve more deeply into the subjects. The presentations helped the boys understand how to continue deepening their knowledge of their chosen topics. The second part of the term focused on the boys creating posters about their art movements. The boys chose a variety of approaches depending on their particular topic. For example, the two boys who chose Futurism -- a movement that revolved around speed and energy -- captured the tone of the movement not only through their writing, but through their fractured and dynamically overlapping arrangement of the images. Both boys who chose Minimalism created pared-down, geometric arrangements of images and text, deftly evoking the streamlined nature of the artwork. All students emerged from the fall term with a general sense of some of the main art movements of the 20th Century and a more indepth understanding of the movement that continued on next page
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FACING HISTORY ART ASSIGNMENT Facing History and Ourselves is an intensive interdisciplinary class taught during the Ninth grade spring semester. The Facing History faculty includes: Mr. Steven Cohen and Mr. Craig MacDougall of the English Department, Ms. Winnie Barnes of the Library, Ms. McCartney Wilkins in Technology, Mr. David Kersey and Ms. Kim Sklow of the History Department, and Ms. Julia Kunin, Dr. Rob McCallum and Ms. Tara Parsons of the Art Department. Students study the Holocaust as a case history of oppression and genocide as they reflect upon their own identities in relation to history. They examine morality and ethics while looking at how oppression is created, sustained or changed. In each event involving prejudice, they analyze the
Eighth Grade Woodshop Elective
roles of the victim, the perpetrators, the heroes, and the bystanders.
Eighth Grade Calder Sculpture Project
In the art component of Facing History and Ourselves, students create a work of art with political and social import that addresses the main concepts of Facing History. The works should address an issue of prejudice, the human experience of oppression, or positive social change that fights prejudice. Students face the challenge of transforming a concept into a work of art. This artwork may take the form of a narrative, symbolic or abstract representation, or a combination of both. The conceptual framework of the artwork may include a person, group, or movement that has created or worked towards social change. It may address a larger issue of oppression, such as racism, but in doing so, it must focus on a specific topic within that larger arena. The students can work with any medium, and projects range from visual art, such as painting, sculpture, drawing, book arts, video installation, computer art, and mixed media, to musical composition and performance. The project culminates with Ninth Grade presentations and a question and answer forum with the faculty. The students come prepared to discuss their topic in detail, as well as explain the artistic choices they made. Diverse topics such as racial profiling or the Cambodian genocide are discussed at length by the students and the faculty. These powerful sessions enable the AllenStevenson community to discuss the ethical questions raised. The level of excellence in the student’s work is consistently impressive and rich in integrity.
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they had chosen as their focus. Each semester, as part of the Eighth Grade Woodshop curriculum, Ms. Parsons takes the students on a field trip to see the work of a sculptor. In the past, they have visited exhibitions on Louise Nevelson, John Anderson, Buckminster Fuller, and Alexander Calder. Back in class, the boys have the chance to create their own artwork based upon the work of the artist whose exhibition they visited. The boys receive a series of questions in order to shape their exploration of the sculpture. We ask them to think deeply about the work, how it was made, what it may have meant for the artist, and what it means to them as viewers. This project allows them to become familiar with contemporary three-dimensional artwork, learn to take inspiration from creative people who have come before them, use unfamiliar materials and tools, and understand how highlyregarded art can be made. This spring, the Eighth Grade went to see “Alexander Calder: The Paris Years 19261933” at the Whitney Museum. The boys loved seeing Calder’s wire sculpture -both the faces and the abstract work, as well as his “Circus” piece. They loved the whimsical nature of all the work, and they especially enjoyed the playfulness of a grown man creating a miniature mechanical circus. The boys also sat captivated by watching Calder’s mobile “Small Sphere and Heavy Sphere” while it was in
motion. These two projects were by far the boys’ favorite pieces in the exhibit, inspiring most of the boys to write about one or the other for their homework. Back in the woodshop, boys created abstract mobiles and wire sculptures of faces, animals, and dinosaurs, as well as wooden and wire circus characters, including a monkey playing the cymbals and a human cannonball. In the Art Department, we provide opportunities for boys to enjoy creating art through individual expression. The boys learn new ways of thinking, while observing, questioning, and commenting on the world around them.
CREATIVE THINKING THROUGH DRAMA AND TECH by Danya Haber, Theater Teacher and David Kersey h’98, Theater Teacher
Our Tech Crew at work
2009 Production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Iolanthe
How do we create an island in the middle of an ocean that we
make it look like an intentional dramatic effect. And they got their
have to remove for orchestra rehearsal? How does Peter Pan fly
friend a cold paper towel to wipe his face and a glass of water to
if we cannot rig a student to soar? How can one space in the
drink off-stage before going on.
School be a concert hall, meeting space, rehearsal studio, Neverland, and Rome in the span of an afternoon? Our boys are
Upper School boys, along with girls from Nightingale-Bamford, begin
artists, and they are fortunate to learn early in life that their
reading and thinking about the text of the plays ten weeks before per-
choices and actions define a space, not the other way around.
formances. In the case of the Eighth and Ninth Graders, this means
Kindergarten boys come to the Assembly Hall every Friday as
one of Shakespeare's plays. They have to immerse themselves in the
audience members, and once a year, each Kindergarten boy
play and think critically about its historical context, its plot, and their
appears in the Assembly Hall as a grandfather, a porcupine, or
characters’ state of mind. The actors also must consider how these
most recently, cardboard. They learn that the performance and
factors relate to their own lives and their own limited experiences.
energy they bring into the space transforms the beautiful
The rehearsal process further refines this thinking as the actors col-
Assembly Hall into any place they want to see.
laborate with the other actors and the directors to achieve the most accurate portrayal of Malvolio or Rosalind or Caliban or Captain Hook
Drama and the elements of design in theater also challenge our
or in this coming season, a Sneech.
boys to solve problems and think critically on their feet. What should a boy do if an actor skips an entire page of dialogue and
Two weeks before performance days, the tech boys take the lead and
does not say the line that is the cue to change the lights or
run rehearsals. They determine what scenes need work, and they
introduce a new sound? What happens if an actor changes his
speak up if they need to pause or run a scene again. They work with
mind and enters from the center aisle instead of the side and
the teachers/directors as co-creators to make a beautiful show. The
forgets to tell the light technicians, so suddenly there's an actor
stage managers learn managerial skills as they tell their peers where
speaking in the dark? What does a stage manager do when he
to stand and how to behave. The actors and designers at Allen-
sees a friend back stage who isn't feeling well but is about to
Stevenson work together as a company of artists to create wonderful
perform? These are all issues that have arisen over the last few
experiences, and they invest themselves in the success of the whole
years, and in each case, the techies handled themselves beauti-
production over the glory of a single actor's moment. These interper-
fully. They subtly introduced the sound or light change over the
sonal skills are critical in and beyond both the performance and the
skipped dialogue. They brought up the aisle light slowly to
classroom.
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Poise. That word came to mind as I watched a Fifth Grader perform recently
A SENSE OF CONFIDENCE AND ACCOMPLISHMENT by Michelle Demko, Music Department Head
in the Fifth Grade Instrumental Music Assembly. Yes, the playing was wonderful. But I was struck by the ease -- the amazing ability of our boys to stand in front of an audience and perform. After an exhilarating performance by our Fifth through Ninth Grade boys in the annual Gilbert & Sullivan production, Iolanthe, I have just put down my baton to write this article about what we do in the Music Department at Allen-Stevenson. Our production was just one example of the many wonderful opportunities the boys have to develop self-discipline, gain self-confidence, and express themselves through the arts.
WHY TEACH MUSIC?
From MENC: The National Association for Music Education
As stated in our school literature, music
Music is a Science It is exact, specific, and it demands exact acoustics. A conductor's score is a chart, a graph which indicates frequencies, intensities, volume changes, melody, and harmony all at once and with the most exact control of time.
is an integral part of every boy's educa-
Music is Mathematical It is rhythmically based on the subdivision of time into fractions, which must be done instantaneously, not worked out on paper.
ensembles. Musical activities range from
tion at Allen-Stevenson. All boys have the opportunity to sing, to play a musical instrument, and to perform in musical classroom music, which includes singing and playing Orff instruments and
Music is a Foreign Language Most of the terms are Italian, German, or French; and the notation is certainly not in English -but a highly developed kind of shorthand that uses symbols to represent ideas. The semantics of music is the most complete and universal language.
recorders, to private study of orchestral
Music is History Music usually reflects the environment and time of its creation, often even the country and/or racial feeling.
field trips, and performances, Allen-
Music is Physical Education It requires fantastic coordination of fingers, hands, arms, lip, cheek, and facial muscles. In addition to extraordinary control of the stomach, diaphragmatic, and back muscles, which respond instantly to the sound the ear hears and the mind interprets. Music is all of these things, but most of all, it is Art. It allows a human being to take all these dry, technically boring (but difficult) techniques and use them to create motion. That is one thing science cannot duplicate: humanism, feeling, emotion -- call it what you will. THAT IS WHY WE TEACH MUSIC not because we expect you to major in music not because we expect you to play or sing all of your life not so you can relax not so you can have fun But
instruments. All of these activities lay the basics for Chorus, Orchestra, and Upper School Electives. Through class work, Stevenson boys acquire practical training in music and develop a well-rounded appreciation and understanding of music. But this still doesn't quite capture what happens here. I interviewed several boys, ranging from Second to Eighth Grade about their musical experiences at A-S. I asked them varied questions from why they chose to study their particular instrument to what was their favorite part of music at A-S. Their answers were wonderful. They spoke of enjoying
so you will be human so you will recognize beauty so you will be sensitive so you will be closer to an infinite beyond this world so you will have something to cling to so you will have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good -in short, more life. Of what value will it be to make a prosperous living, unless you know how to live?
singing together, working together as a team, gaining a sense of confidence and accomplishment, and feeling excitement from listening to the different sounds come together. All of them said they want to continue doing something in music or the theater when they leave and that making music helped them feel relaxed and happy. One Lower School
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I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music. ~ George Eliot
Lower School Holiday Concert
boy also shared how his feelings depended on the song because sometimes a sad song made him feel sad. When asked about doing it all -- arts, athletics and academics --- one boy said he enjoyed them all because they are so different, and one develops different skills from the varied activities. From the mouths of babes…. After Iolanthe, I left the Assembly Hall feeling a sense of deep gratitude for the opportunity to help these boys make a connection to something that is so much bigger than they are. To quote David T. Kearns, Former Chair and CEO of Xerox: “The purpose of education is not simply to inform but to enrich and enlighten, to pro-
Middle School Holiday Concert
vide insights into life as its been led and as it may be led...it teaches people to think, to solve problems, to take risks...to think independently,...the virtues are flexibility, adaptability, inventiveness, even playfulness." He continues, “No element of the curriculum is better suited to that task than arts education. Whether we think about music, the performing arts, the plastic arts, whether we think about appreciation or performance, the arts takes us beyond pragmatic concerns of the moment and gives us a glimpse of human possibilities.” Human possibilities. Indeed, that is what we see in each boy at Allen-Stevenson. And the possibilities are endless. How wonderful to know that music tempers every possibility.
Upper School Chorus
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LIVING STRONGLY AND RIGHTLY by Rich Alifano, Director of Physical Education and Athletics
Varsity Football
In Allen-Stevenson's Physical Education
We feed our boys with experiences and
manipulative skills, locomotor skills, prob-
program, our boys learn about the benefits
opportunities that promote living strongly
lem solving, conflict resolution, and a vari-
gained from being physically active as well
and rightly.
ety of other social skills.
safe, satisfying activity into their lives.
The Lower School Physical Education pro-
The Middle School Physical Education pro-
Athletics also provides many opportunities
gram emphasizes the development of fun-
gram builds upon the lessons learned in
to teach social skills. We strive to develop
damental locomotor, non-locomotor, and
earlier years. These boys are ready to
an intrinsic appreciation for being healthy
manipulative skills. We introduce the boys
experience a wide variety of fundamental
along with the awareness and understand-
to educational games and dance as ways to
movements, including traditional sports,
ing of how to be a good citizen.
acquire these skills. Beyond the physical
dance, and wellness concepts. We believe
benefits associated with our program, we
that during this time, our boys can refine,
as the skills and knowledge to incorporate
The Wolf at the Door
believe that, through physical education,
combine, and apply a variety of sport and
A grandfather told his grandson about a
our boys improve their problem solving,
life skills. These experiences also provide
battle between two wolves living within
self-expression, socialization, and conflict
opportunities for our boys to develop skills
resolution skills.
in leadership, goal setting, and socializa-
each of us.
tion. Furthermore, the boys make formida-
The evil wolf has anger, envy, sorrow, regrets, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt,
A typical game of crazy cones in our
ble progress in sport-specific skills and
Second Grade class serves as a fine exam-
strategies throughout the Middle School
and ego.
ple of how boys acquire these skills. The
years.
The good wolf has joy, peace, love, hope,
teacher places cones throughout the gym
resentment, inferiority, lies, superiority,
serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, gen-
while the boys on defense spread out
Whether through a lead up game of football
erosity, faith, courage, honor, and integrity.
across the general area. The kicker strikes
with our Fourth Graders or a tackle football
the ball and runs as fast as he can, trying
practice for the Fifth and Sixth Graders,
to knock down as many cones as possible.
we engage every boy in an experience that
The defense fields the kicked ball and
builds the whole child. For example, the
attempts to tag the runner out before he
Sports Education unit in Fourth Grade flag
gets home. In one game, the boys work on
football, requires the boys to fulfill leader-
The grandson asked his grandfather, “Which one wins?” The grandfather replied simply, “The one you feed the most.”
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2009
ship roles. A typical class would start with two boys leading the team in warm-ups and a pre-game talk. During the game, all boys will participate and strategize to develop a successful outcome. Members of the team will keep statistics, research information, and work collaboratively to be the best team. Often teams receive points for sportsmanship, teamwork, responsibility, and communication. In fact, it is not the team that scores the most, but the team that has a balanced approach, that often leads in the league standings. In our Upper School Physical Education program students select activities based on Third Grade P.E. Class
personal interest and previous success. Coaches and instructors emphasize the importance of commitment and dedication in achieving continued success during this time. Building on our core belief in developing good citizens with healthy lifestyles, we continue to drive home the importance of good sportsmanship and social skills through our team sports. With an array of sports and knowledgeable coaches, our boys have many opportunities to find both individual and team success.
Fifth Grade P.E. Class
On a daily basis, wrestling serves as a clas-
verance, and teamwork. Daily, these boys
sic example of our boys' success in Upper
face challenges that build positive social
School athletics. There is a strong team
skills, at times through adversity and other
approach -- “one for all and all for one” -- in
times through success.
practice. Boys are pushing themselves to get better and compete while at the same
The Physical Education and Athletics pro-
time encouraging teammates through
gram at Allen-Stevenson provides invalu-
shared competition. Practice includes daily
able opportunities for every boy to experi-
head-to-head competition. While this com-
ence success and growth. We believe in
petition can be fierce, it also builds a team
measuring success through the actions and
spirit through the knowledge that you are
accomplishments of our students. We
helping a teammate and ultimately the
strive to develop boys who can live their
team. Nowhere else will you find greater
lives “strongly and rightly.”
examples of dedication, hard work, perseVarsity Ice Hockey
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23
and we begin the development process right away.
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION: THE BRAIN’S CEO
A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN HOME AND SCHOOL Each boy arrives at his first day of Kindergarten with an already in-process EF foundation. That's because constructing a
by Anne Russo Meyer, Director of the Learning Resource Center with contributions from all members of the Learning Resource Center
strong EF begins at home with some of the most basic activities. For example, a boy learns to brush his teeth from his parents. They help him to see this as a priority by explicitly teaching him how to complete this task. Ultimately, he can do it on his own. At this early age, he has begun to
Have you ever waited in line at the airport
directed behavior. They include the ability
and observed how different individuals
to initiate and stop actions, to monitor and
manage the undeniably tedious and chaotic
change behavior as needed, and to plan
process of going through airport security?
future behavior when faced with novel
This may surprise you, but you can actually
tasks and situations. Executive functions
learn a lot about a person from watching
allow us to anticipate outcomes and adapt
how he or she handles this procedure.
to changing situations. The ability to form
There are those who have their three ounce
concepts and think abstractly is often con-
liquid containers neatly packed in the prop-
sidered components of executive function.”
er quart-sized Ziploc at the top of their suit-
http://www.minddisorders.com/index.html
case for easy TSA approval. They packed their laptop in a Velcro bag for quick
Think of Executive Function (EF) as you
access. They thought ahead and wore slip-
might think of the muscles in the body.
off shoes with socks so that their bare feet
Just as strong muscles afford you greater
wouldn't have to touch the cold airport
endurance and enable you to lift heavy
floor. In contrast, there are those whose
things, strong EF affords you superior
complete discombobulation is so pervasive
analytical and organizational capability
that it almost gives bystanders a source of
and effectively enables you to strategize,
guilty entertainment. These people forgot
remember concepts, and anticipate out-
about the bottle of iced tea at the bottom of
comes. Just as one can train muscles,
their duffle. They are wearing high lace-up
one can cultivate EF, and the process
boots. They carry a computer bag so laden
begins early in a child's development.
with tangled wires that they can hardly get to their laptop. What distinguishes the
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION
apparent “planner” from the seeming “scat-
AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS
terbrain”? The answer likely has roots in
Research has found that developing effec-
Executive Function.
tive EF skills early can have long-reaching benefits for children. Academic success
condition the EF system. Similarly, sorting toys, emphasizing the importance of making a bed or cleaning a room, and teaching a child how to pick out an outfit are good habits to teach. But more importantly, the successful adoption of these routines will bolster the child's EF skills and help lay the groundwork for achievement going forward. Why? Because as parents, we are nurturing the child's independence by (1) teaching him directly, (2) modeling the behavior that he is to emulate, and (3) stepping away (but remaining available) so that the child can put the behavior into practice on his own (“Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I may remember. Involve me and I will understand.”). These activities are the underpinnings of a good EF system as you have set the course for a boy developing his own routines and organizational skills. Once a child enters school, EF continues to develop. • Lower School at Allen-Stevenson provides opportunities to practice good habits and develop a routine. • Middle School tests the system as
EXECUTIVE FUNCTION
usually depends on a student's ability to
IS A BRAIN ACTIVITY
plan his time, organize and prioritize the
“The term executive function describes a
boy deals with expectations to sort, plan,
information given to him, monitor his
set of cognitive abilities that control and
and organize the various layers that have
progress, and regularly reflect on his work.
begun to take shape in his life. Time man-
regulate other abilities and behaviors.
At Allen-Stevenson, we recognize the
agement becomes important at this point:
Executive functions are necessary for goal-
importance of building a strong EF system,
Which classes does he have today? When
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S P R I N G
2009
demands increase considerably and the
are the play tryouts? What was the speech
EF base as the increasingly rigorous
advancement of the last two to three
he had to memorize? Where did he put it?
demands of high school, college, and
decades (which amounts to information
Will he receive an invitation to that party on
career will expose and exploit any cracks in
hurling at us from every direction) is a
the EF system. Having achieved a solid
heightened need for a mechanism with
foundation, the ability to self-scaffold
which to prioritize, organize, and assimilate
becomes critical.
the information quickly and efficiently.
WHAT IS SELF-SCAFFOLDING?
Technology has advanced us to the point
Self-scaffolding is conscious, purposeful,
that answers are readily available every-
and thoughtful monitoring, evaluation and
where. It used to be that if you wondered
adaptation of strategic resources, knowl-
about the lyric of a particular song, you
edge, skills, and motivational states to
might have to wait for that song to come on
achieve a desirable goal.
the radio or go out and buy the album to
Saturday? Complexity increases. Thus, the EF system manages more demands, and it will continue to do so as a boy gets older. • By Upper School and High School, a boy craves independence, and at this age, the boy must begin to self-motivate, try out his own plans, self-monitor, revise, reflect, and generalize. Rewards of pride and confidence bring momentum to continue to work on the EF system. In High School, a child
hear the song. Now, you can download the At Allen-Stevenson, we can help children
song immediately, watch the song's music
begin to develop meta-cognitive skills by
video on YouTube, or look up the lyrics on
urging students to ask themselves ques-
any number of lyrics databases available
tions: Do I know of more than one way to
on the Internet. And if you're not near a
solve this problem? Does this look similar
computer? No problem! There are
to anything I have seen before? How is this
Blackberries, iPhones, and other technolog-
speak, write, conclude, infer, and recall. A
problem different from the problems I have
ical means to get an answer right away.
boy will have to separate main ideas from
encountered before it?
receives challenges to independently organize time, prioritize, sequence, and estimate. He will have to organize his space: “stuff” for school, sports, and entertainment. Academically, he has expectations upon him to organize his thoughts and ideas:
Most of the time, getting information has
details as well as manage and make use of multiple processes to arrive at an answer
Writing and presentation preparation exhib-
become easy and convenient, but when
and produce a thoughtful document.
it perhaps the most vivid illustration of the
information comes at a boy quickly and in
usefulness of self-scaffolding. One's ability
great abundance, it is necessary to exer-
• College offers the ultimate independence
to write well or give a good presentation
cise good mental controls and flexibility.
to the child who is, by now, a young adult.
largely stems from one's ability to ask and
These critical EF skills remain important
He will need to monitor his own progress,
answer the following questions: What is the
to a boy’s academic and professional
purpose of this document or speech? Who
lives. He must work hard to develop men-
is the audience? What will the message
tal controls and maintain his attention so
be? What sources are you using for the
that he can prioritize, organize, and antici-
information? Writing requires a person to
pate the outcomes of this new informa-
express his thoughts and ideas while
tion. The exhibition of good mental con-
simultaneously juggling and coordinating a
trols when information requires sustained
number of constraints and processes put
attention is important to his academic and
upon him by the topic, audience, or specific
professional lives.
reflect on his work, and seek assistance when he needs it. The efficacy of his EF system will endure tests, and he will have to fine-tune his EF skills if they are not up to speed. • There are infinite real-world applications and implications of the EF system, and they exist everywhere in our professional and personal endeavors. How efficiently adults interact with the world around them is largely a function of their EF system. “I have a pitch to a client. I have a meeting with the board at my son's school. I am hosting book group tonight, and I am traveling on an airplane tomorrow. How do I prepare and prioritize for these various situations? I can only manage all these tasks with a fully developed EF system.”
assignment. Advanced writers are able to execute a plan but are willing to revisit the
THE BOTTOM LINE
plan based on new discoveries. They edit
The EF system constantly develops, begin-
and revise constantly to arrive at a polished
ning from the time of cognitive awareness
and cohesive finished product. This exer-
to approximately age 35. A good system is
cise makes use of the whole EF system.
the basis of all learning and link to academic and professional success. As we help
DEVELOPING STRONG EF IS MORE
our students to think flexibly, use informa-
IMPORTANT THAN EVER BEFORE
tion responsibly, plan, organize, and priori-
Technology has afforded us infinite ser-
tize, we work towards ensuring their ability
vices, and it has made our everyday lives
to adapt to a changing world.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-SCAFFOLDING
more facile and in many ways, richer. The
One cannot overstate the need for a good
broader implication of the technological
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25
THE PAST 50 YEARS An Alumni Panel on Allen-Stevenson
James Joffe Elish ’06, Victor L. Smith ’88, Seagram M. Villagomez ’92, David Kersey h’98, John T. Carr III ’76, and Robert Liberman ’58
On April 6, 2009, the Parents Association and
one of the first students of color to attend
C.A.F.E. (Cultural Awareness for Everyone)
Allen-Stevenson. After Allen-Stevenson, he
sponsored a panel of alumni that represented
went on to the Kent School and Princeton
a period spanning over 50 years as students
University where he was a music major. He
at Allen-Stevenson. Faculty member David
credits A-S with encouraging his love of
Kersey h’98 served as moderator. The panel
music, which he still pursues today. He is
consisted of five alumni.
the Financial Assistant in the Physics Department of Columbia University and the
Robert Liberman ’58 is a graduate of Choate-
Chair of the Allen-Stevenson Alumni
Rosemary Hall, Yale University, and Columbia
Diversity Committee.
Business School. He is a Trustee Emeritus of
26
Allen-Stevenson and the father of Robert
By the time Victor L. Smith ’88 came to
Liberman ’91. As President of The Adler
Allen-Stevenson in 1985, the Prep for Prep
Group, he manages various real estate inter-
program was firmly in place, introducing
ests throughout the city. In speaking about
candidates of color to the Upper School as
diversity, he mentioned that Allen-Stevenson
they still do today. His two brothers,
was at the forefront of moving away from a
Laurence B. Smith ’00 and Denton
completely Christian student body.
Alexander Smith ’94, followed Victor at A-S.
Twenty years hence, John T. Carr III ’76, was
A graduate of Horace Mann and Columbia
S P R I N G
2009
“A-S teaches boys and young men leadership qualities and enables them to manage wins and losses with dignity.” Victor L. Smith, Jr. ’88
C.A.F.E. Committee Co-chair Duane Nicholson
University, Victor also holds an MS degree from the Polytechnic Institute of NYU. He is currently the President of Millennium Lyon Asset Management and the author of Legacy Capital: The Driving Force of the American Dream. Victor credited A-S with teaching him how to be a leader and to identify priorities. With Dr. Seagram M. Villagomez ’92, Allen-Stevenson paved the way for all of his further transitions – from Browning to Amherst College to New York University Medical School. Now the Chief of Consultative Medicine at the Veterans Administration New York Harbor Health Care System and a Clinical Instructor at New York School of Medicine, he felt Allen-Stevenson’s rigorous curriculum provided him with a strong foundation for his further education. The last panelist was James Joffe Elish ’06 – now a senior at The Dalton School where he is the Co-Captain of the Varsity Soccer Team, a Peer Leader, Features Editor of The Daltonian, and involved in Model United Nations. He will be attending Williams College in the fall, and he looks forward to further alumni events at Allen-Stevenson. He too felt that he was well prepared for high school after Allen-Stevenson, and particularly credited the School for teaching the skill of public speaking, something he feels is
David Kersey h’98
crucial for students to learn. All of the panelists, while pointing out how Allen-Stevenson has changed in size, facilities, and composition of the student body, affirmed that the ideals behind A-S have remained the same. The School has maintained its mission to develop and nurture boys who are scholars and gentlemen, to offer its students access to arts and athletics as well as academics, and to instill in them the quality of leadership which will follow them throughout their lives.
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Making A Difference is a new column that will highlight some of the many ways in which people give to The Allen-Stevenson School.
THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION’S ACTIVITIES The Parents Association has been busy this year. We have had terrific participation in and attendance at our many events, evidencing a strong sense of community at Allen-Stevenson. With 21 committees and 65 committee chairs, the PA plays a key role in the daily life at A-S, and we are grateful for all of the parents who lend their time and support.
International Festival
Some highlights from the 2008-09 year: In November, the PA and C.A.F.E. co-sponsored an evening meeting at which Joshua Aronson spoke on the topic of “Nurturing the Intelligence of Your Child.” In January, our PA Meeting featured a presentation on Executive Function by five members of the A-S Learning Resource Center. In early April, the PA and C.A.F.E. sponsored a panel of alumni, at which five esteemed alumni shared their memories of A-S and their experiences following graduation (article appears on page 24 of the Lamplighter). Our Community Service Committee has been very active, sponsoring a number of drives and initiatives throughout the fall and winter. The A-S Community gathered together books, food, toys, coins and other donations for a variety of organizations, including PS 83, UNICEF, Ronald McDonald House, the All Souls Soup Kitchen, the Visiting Nurse Service, and Project Cicero. In addition, the PA sponsored and organized an All School Community Service Assembly in January, during which the boys participated in hands-on community service projects. Ongoing on most Monday nights, the PA provides boys in Grades 3-6 with an opportunity to serve more than 250 guests at the All Souls Soup Kitchen. The PA also plans large community events throughout the year. In December, we orga-
Ice Skating Party
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S P R I N G
2009
nized a Holiday Reception following the Upper School Chorus and Orchestra Holiday Concert. In February, we held a community favorite -- the Annual Ice Skating Party at Wollman Rink. Also in February, the PA and C.A.F.E. brought back the International Festival after a six-year hiatus. Held on a Saturday, this free event for all families, faculty and staff was a true celebration of diversity at A-S. Numerous parents, faculty and staff volunteered their time and resources, creating amazing country booths in the gym and donating delicious food to an international buffet in the Dining Room. International entertainment in the Assembly Hall rounded out the most exciting International Festival the School has ever seen. With the school year winding down, we still have two exciting PA-sponsored community events and our final PA Meeting ahead of us. (The spring benefit had not taken place when this issue of the Lamplighter went to press.) This year’s Annual Spring Benefit will be held on April 28th at Guastavino’s. A-S parents, Connie Chung and Maury Povich, will emcee the evening, which will feature very special entertainment. As always, proceeds will benefit the A-S Scholarship Fund. The annual Book Fair and Arts Festival will be held at the end of May with proceeds donated directly to the Library. Our final PA Meeting in May will be a Thank-You Breakfast at which a panel of outgoing Eighth and Ninth Grade boys will speak about their time at A-S. The 2008-09 year was filled with many community-building events making for another successful year.
CELEBRATING
THE LIZZIE AND JONATHAN TISCH LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER A few years before ground broke on the new school building, Jonathan Tisch took a bold step towards helping us envision our future on 78th Street. He was one of the first to donate towards the campaign that would become The Campaign for Allen-Stevenson: Today and Tomorrow. His gift inspired several other generous donors to join in creating the beautiful new facility for the School that we occupy today. In recognition of Jon and his wife Lizzie's wonderful support, the School has dedicated the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Library Media Center. This is the second library named in honor of the family, which has received global recognition for its support of education. The first Tisch Library is at Tufts University. Jon Tisch said recently, “We are excited to be associated with such an outstanding space at Allen-Stevenson that will be used by the entire community of the School.” Mr. Tisch complimented David Trower and the Board of Trustees on their strong leadership in a time of uncertainty in the world, and he reminisced about his first visit to Allen-Stevenson when his older son applied to Kindergarten. Charles Tisch '06 is now a Senior at the Trinity School, and he will enter the University of Michigan this fall. On Saturday, March 7th, Trustees, faculty and administrators gathered in the Tisch Library Media Center to celebrate the naming and to toast Jon and Lizzie Tisch, along with Jon's sons, Charles '06 and Henry '09, and Jon's mother, Joan. David Trower thanked the Tisch family for helping Allen-Stevenson realize its dreams of a multi-use library media center.
Jonathan Tisch, Lizzie Tisch, Joan Tisch, Charles Tisch ’06, and Henry Tisch ’09
Sarah Kresberg, Library Director, told guests about the work done to create this beautiful space. “At the very start of the 21st Century, we set out to design a physical space that would meet the needs of a 21st Century learner. The information age had arrived and there were some who predicted the death of the book and, by extension, the library itself. But we at Allen-Stevenson decided to move in the opposite direction. We built a vision that places the Library Media Center at the very heart of the School, both physically and metaphorically. We aimed to be true to our enlightened traditional approach by retaining the elements that would encourage a love of literature while simultaneously equipping ourselves for the digital age. We knew that the boys would need a new kind of space and a new kind of librarian in order to thrive in this new, hightech era.” Ms. Kresberg also remarked, “in the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Library Media Center, we truly have a space that is at the heart of the Allen-Stevenson community, a 21st Century library for our 21st Century boys.” Bonnie Tucker, Lower School Librarian, presented each of the Tisches with a bag from the Kindergarten Book-A-Day program and told guests about the great success of that program. Each Kindergarten boy ends the year having read 160 additional books selected by Mrs. Tucker and carried home in his “I am an Allen-Stevenson Reader” canvas tote bag. If you have not already seen the Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch Library Media Center, we welcome past parents, friends, and alumni to visit. You will also find signed copies of Jon Tisch's books, Chocolates on the Pillow Aren't Enough: Reinventing the Customer Experience and The Power of We: Succeeding through Partnerships, which you can check out of the Library.
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Siobhan McKenna Curnyn, our former Annual Fund Director, was married to Francis Curnyn on Friday, January 23, 2009, at St. Barnabas Church, with a reception following at Marina del Rey. They are now residing in Yonkers, NY, and Siobhan has recently begun a new job at the V.A. Hospital in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx where she is working as a social worker. Facilities Manager, Joe Foresta, is a proud grandpa for the fourth time! Joe's daughter, Christie, and son-in-law, James, welcomed their son, Thomas James Zarcone, on March 5, 2009.
Mr. and Mrs. Francis Curnyn
Art Department Chair, Julia Kunin, has been busy. In November 2008, she was awarded a Pollock-Krasner grant, an award for visual artists based upon merit and need. Julia is currently part of a group exhibition at Inman Gallery, in Houston, Texas, called "Salt Peanuts" which began February 27 and ran through April 11. She will also be in three group exhibitions in New York City this Spring: Black and White Gallery from May 21 through June 27, Fordham University Gallery at Lincoln Center campus during May, and The Abrons Art Center at the Henry Street Settlement this June. Former Publications Manager, Jennifer Luongo Krayewski, and her husband Keith welcomed Katherine Ann on January 28, 2009. Katherine was 7 lbs., 4 oz, 19.5 inches long and joins her big three-year-old brother, Thomas Charles.
Katherine Ann and Thomas Charles Krayewski
At the annual NBOA awards dinner in February, Associate Headmaster John Pariseau h’98 was presented with the 2009 Kenneth A. White, Jr. Distinguished Business Officer Award for outstanding contribution in the field of business and financial management, from the National Business Officers Association. In a recent article in John’s university alumni newsletter, his class secretary, noting the event, said that “John’s service to his school, his profession, and to independent education at large is legendary.” John, upon reading this, was struck by how accurate it was that his service to Allen-Stevenson was listed first, as it has always been closest to his heart. Rolande Schrade, beloved music teacher at Allen-Stevenson from 19681989, and her husband, Robert Schrade, who took on the entire music world at A-S from Stanley Gauger, will celebrate their Diamond Wedding Anniversary this coming season. Happy 60th from everyone at A-S!
Mr. John E. Pariseau h’98
Music teacher, Robelyn Schrade-James, and her husband, pianist David James, celebrated their 30th Anniversary by spending March in Maui and performing the Brahms Hungarian Dances for piano duet. Their son, Christopher '05, is performing cello in two orchestras, a string quartet and a trio at Boston University. He will be performing with his sister, pianist Lynelle, this summer, along with the seven other performing Schrades and Jameses in the family music festival, Sevenars. Kitchen Staff member, Christaline Wilkins, graduated with a BS at The College of New Rochelle. She is looking to do social work because as Christaline says, “I like to help people.” Her favorite quote by William Arthur Ward is “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it.”
Ms. Christaline Wilkins
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S P R I N G
2009
FATHERS DINNER
IN FEBRUARY 2009, ALLEN-STEVENSON WELCOMED HEADMASTER DOMINIC RANDOLPH FROM THE RIVERDALE COUNTRY SCHOOL Thank you Headmaster David Trower, Ron Rolfe, Chair of the Board of Trustees, present Trustees, Faculty members, Fathers and Students for inviting me and allowing me to share some thoughts with you this evening. It is indeed an honor and a privilege for me to be here at Allen-Stevenson with you and for me to offer a few ideas for your consideration. I love schools. This is a nostalgic evening for me since I went to a boys' school in the United Kingdom and the United States from 7 years old to 18. I also know your school well by its reputation, through its fine leadership and also through friends who are alumni or trustees of this wonderful place. I hope that you all realize what a wonderful privilege it is for you to attend a school such as Allen-Stevenson and what a touching privilege it is for me to talk here tonight. I would like to do several things with you this evening. I would like to share with you a few anecdotes, some of them about my family and some about research and then link this to a message that I wish to deliver about life, about learning and about becoming a good citizen. I grew up in the countryside. My parents are both Londoners, but we had moved about sixty miles out of London into the countryside in Berkshire. My mornings were spent putting on my uniform to go to school and in the afternoons, my brother and I would become rugged ruffians on our bicycles riding around the national park that was opposite our house or making structures with sticks in the woods in our garden. There was an element of the scholarly and an element of the wild in our upbringing. My father was a swordmaker. He was head of a company called Wilkinson Sword that competed with Gillette in producing razors, but also, and more interestingly, made fine swords for the armed forces and the Royal Family. The company has since been sold and ended production; however, we grew up with the rather romantic idea that my brother and I were the sons of a swordmaker, and we would play Roman Gladiators, and French Swordsmen and, the most dangerous of all, Russian Cossacks on our bicycles. We continued, funnily enough, to play with swords since both of us fenced through high school and university. As any respectable Englishman, one of my father's passions was the sea. He was more of a dreamer than doer, but we had a boat down at a port called Lymington on the southern coast of England and we would go there almost every weekend. My father was always excited about this trip. We would have a lunch on the way down and, for him, it was as though the grey suits and worries and management concerns of the week were replaced by the dark blue of the sea, the mackerel skies, the screams of gulls above our heads -a world of static rooms and meetings replaced by the color and movement of the natural world. Our ship's name was Pyrrha, a vessel named after a
Greek Goddess who was the daughter-in-law of Prometheus and who repopulated the world after a massive flood. Pyrrha is thought of as the mother of all women. This was lost on my brother and me when we visited the ship. For us, the weekends were long and tiresome. Since the ship needed several adults to go out to sea, we rarely, if ever, did so. Therefore, the weekends were spent putting up the flag in the morning and then polishing all the chrome fittings on the ship that had corroded in the sea air during the previous week. We hated the small kitchen as did our mother, and we hated the long list of chores that our father would give us as orders after we had arrived. I remember particularly one visit to the town with my mother and brother, where I pleaded for her to buy me a captain's hat. I had seen it in a window, and it was something I really thought looked smart and would at least make me aspire while polishing the chrome to being something other than a cabin boy. My mother smiled, and we went into the shop to purchase the hat. I returned to the boat proudly wearing my hat. My father looked at me grimly and said to me: "You do not deserve to wear a hat like that!" He took it off my head and threw it into the bay. I was horrified and tears welled up in my eyes, and for many years I thought that act and his anger unfair. Unfortunately, my father died a year or so later, which robbed me of the opportunity to talk to him about this; however, I believe now that he was right. Not really about the hat, but that my brother and I had not put in the hard work to deserve being in charge. We had not done the time. We had not earned the right to be in charge, to wear the captain's hat. Let me now tell you about two pieces of research: Research One -- the marshmallow experiment. In the 1960's a psychologist, Walter Mischel, who now works at Columbia, conducted a famous experiment with four year olds. The experiment goes like this. You put a marshmallow in front of a young boy or girl and tell them that if they can wait for twenty minutes, they will then get another marshmallow. The tester then leaves them in the room sitting in front of a marshmallow. Now -- just take a minute to think what you would have done. Take the marshmallow or wait? Well, some just take the marshmallow and eat it. Some wait for some time and then eat it, but around 25% of the boys and girls look away from the marshmallow, cover it up, tell stories to themselves and manage to avoid the temptation of eating the marshmallow until the tester comes back into the room with a second marshmallow. Now, this is the interesting thing -- the boys and girls that waited twelve years later scored on average 210 points higher on their SAT scores. They are now all in their forties and the boys and girls who waited are generally happier and healthier men and women who have been more
Dominic Randolph
successful in their lives. Therefore, the message of this research is that being able to put off having something you want quickly in the short term for longer term gain is a good thing for everyone. Saving up for what you would like to have rather than just asking your mother or father to buy it for you might be better in the long term for your lives -- being able to wait for what you really want is a good thing. Research Two -- Anders Ericsson, a psychologist from Sweden who now works in Florida, makes the provocative statement that there are no geniuses. Instead he will tell you that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything-chess, physics, swimming, baseball statistics. 10,000 hours or roughly fourteen years of practice for two hours/day. He will dismiss that Mozart was a genius -- 10,000 hours of practice since the age of three. He will show you that Michael Phelps's victory at the Olympics is the result of 10,000 hours of deliberative practice. That the best lawyers, financiers, doctors, writers, musicians, athletes, and pilots are all successful due to 10,000 hours of deliberative practice. Why is this important to you all? Well, it gives us all hope. We can all find a passion, and we can all work towards becoming successful, but it demands hard work and it demands the ability for all of us to think about the long term, to avoid eating the marshmallow, to practice things in a deliberate way -- not just putting in the hours, but putting in smart hours of work. My grandfather on my mother's side was not as lucky as my father who was born into privilege. My grandfather who was born in 1899 into a poor family in West London was the second eldest in a family of fourteen children. He had a mixed Irish and Scots heritage. At the age of fourteen, he started boxing. At the age of sixteen, he joined the army illegally to fight in WWI. At the age of twenty-one he was a professional boxer who spent several months in the United States fighting professionally. He became an artists' model in order to earn more money. When he married, in his late twenties, he gave up boxing and became a boxing trainer with his own gym. Even though he was not well educated, he was curious, an enthusiastic citizen, a man who appreciated and collected art and antiques and who encouraged his two daughters to always aim for absolute excellence. He also taught them to take good risks and to challenge themselves. They both ended up leaving the UK continued on next page
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since it was difficult for women at that time to get educated and get a good job. They both came to the States and found themselves and their good fortune here. I would like the boys in this room to make a pledge to look at your family members more closely in the weeks, months and years ahead. Talk to your grandparents, your aunts, your uncles, your fathers and mothers. Learn about their lives and the challenges they have faced and are facing and how, with good grace and hard work, they have succeeded. Although I never knew my grandfather, and I only knew my father for nine short years, their lives and the lives of my grandmother, aunt, and mother have played an immense part in making me understand what psychologists are now finding out-curiosity, hard work, good thinking, taking good risks, exploration and passion go a long way to making an individual happy and successful. Finally, I would like to talk for a minute or two about schools. I went to two all-boys schools in the UK, Crosfields and Wellington College. I came to the States and went to The Lawrenceville School in NJ. I have now worked in about six or seven different schools around the world including Lawrenceville most recently before becoming the Headmaster at Riverdale Country School. I am now honored to come and talk to you at this fine school, Allen-Stevenson. One thing that I believe binds these schools together, but I also think is where these schools need to focus their attention in the years ahead, is in developing both mind and character together and intentionally in young people. It is not enough to be good at science or math or English. The question is how are you all going to use your learning to do good for yourself, your family and especially for others? I have no time for schools, or teachers, or students who just "do school.” You are young and so we all say that school is just good for you, that it is something you all need to do at your age. I would like you to challenge yourselves, your parents, and your schools to start thinking now about how this work you do every day is part of something bigger, something more impressive that you are now working towards. It is the chance to fulfill your dreams, and the hard work, although difficult and boring at times, is important in making you become the person you want to be and will help you to lead meaningful and purposeful lives. It is important because even though you are young, you are all in the process of becoming wise -- and wisdom is something we all need moving forward, something that will make the world a better place, and a capacity that will make us and others happy. So think about mind and character together in your lives -- make a pledge to be wiser and to find ways of making school count in your day-to-day lives. I thank you for your time, your patience and kindness in listening to me this evening. I wish you all the best in your endeavors and thank you for the honor and privilege it is for me to be here tonight.
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Alumni Dinner in Honor of John E. Pariseau h’98 For the 2008 Alumni Reunion, the School hosted a cocktail reception on November 14th. This year’s reunion broke records with 175 alumni, faculty, and past faculty in attendance. Classes with graduation years ending in three and eight celebrated their milestone reunions. The event also honored John Pariseau h’98, who after 39 years of service to The AllenStevenson School, recently announced his intention to step down from his role as Associate Headmaster. David Kersey h’98 served as the master of ceremonies for a special presentation, which included a performance by the Upper School Chorus and speeches thanking and honoring Mr. Pariseau. Two representatives of the alumni body, Eric Rothstein ’81 and John Bicks ’75, shared their memories of Mr. Pariseau, which surely resonated with the audience. Eric Rothstein shared his feelings about Mr. Pariseau’s departure, "It is with sadness that I learned that you will be retiring this summer, knowing all you have done for the School. John truly cares about us and has enjoyed watching us grow into the men we have become." John Bicks remembered the many lessons he learned as a student and said that when Mr. Pariseau “walked into the building, he brought with him incredible energy and
enthusiasm that went through the building like a hurricane. John taught us how to work hard, how to work with each other, how to respect each other, and how to be leaders. He has been a teacher, an example, and an inspiration to more than 1,000 Allen-Stevenson boys. He has left behind not only in this building, but in every corner of the world where an A-S boy is in charge, many, many men who have the conviction and the will to carry on the skills that they have learned here -- not only to make their own situations better, but also to make the world a better place. For that, I owe John a tremendous debt of great gratitude." Past faculty member at A-S and current Headmaster of The St. David’s School, David O’Halloran, gave a rousing speech as he read his original poem reprinted on page 32. Headmaster David Trower shared his hope that his relationship with Mr. Pariseau might resemble that of Mr. Allen and Mr. Stevenson, adding, “John's work has been a labor of love. Fortiter and Recte. John is always one of the first to say we must do things strongly and rightly. I have always appreciated that moral vision. He has a strong sense of traditions and vision of the School. John's comprehensive knowledge and perspective over these 39 years have often made the job of Headmaster easier. John is the model for others of a Scholar and a Gentleman and he exemplifies the Allen-Stevenson code.”
John Bicks ’75, David Trower h’95, Eric Rothstein ’81, David Kersey h’98, John Pariseau h’98, Dario Sacramone, Richard Pariseau, and David O’Halloran
Mr. Pariseau then addressed the crowd. The full speech appears below. After the presentations, the cocktail reception resumed, and guests mingled and shared their memories of Allen-Stevenson. It was a wonderful tribute to Mr. Pariseau and his many years at A-S. The following day, alumni and their families had the opportunity to watch a rehearsal of The Tempest, directed by Mr. Kersey. After the rehearsal, guests joined Mr. Kersey for an intimate lunch. A special thanks to this year’s reunion chairs for all of their hard work! Reunion Chairmen: 50th Reunion Robert Liberman ’58 45th Reunion George Bernard Clairmont ’63 40th Reunion Marc Francis Goeller Giattini ’68 35th Reunion James Daniel Seligman ’73 30th Reunion Maurice F. Edelson ’78 25th Reunion Nicolas Wuorenheimo ’83 20th Reunion Christopher Persley ’88 15th Reunion Anthony Paul Bonan ’93 and Kenneth J. McCauley ’93 10th Reunion C. Andrew Hughes ’98
Mr. John E. Pariseau h’98
Speech by John Pariseau
Tim I learned much about the art of teaching.
As a member of the class of 1998, it’s really great to be back for our 10th reunion. I look forward to more of our reunions in the future, perhaps even to our 50th in 2048!
Jean Lamont’s bright smile. From Jean I came to appreciate more deeply the value of maintaining confidence in the possibilities of continual personal growth.
Doesn’t that sound like my typical optimism?
My memories of Jim English are also ones of kindness, compassion, and the embodiment of the essence of being a gentleman.
And it also reflects my profound feeling that I have been blessed.
Jim Holt still returns each year to keep score in the Academic Bowl. Jim’s example of choosing to join the world of education gave hundreds of boys the opportunity to learn about high standards and passion for knowledge.
Looking out into this wonderful Assembly Hall I see sitting before me living examples of those blessings.
Among those blessings are the holy trinity of the three Davids who have spoken, all men of faith. From them I have learned so much.
So many of you have given me so much.
Dr. O’Halloran, now head of the St. David’s School, a thoughtful and wise man who gave me many lessons in how to be strategic and innovative.
In my remarks last month on Founders Day when we celebrated our 125th birthday, at one point I said to that assemblage: “You all are part of the story of Allen-Stevenson, one with a grand past – and a promising future. “ I know that all of you are proud to have been part of that journey, as I am, too. Given that this is an alumni event, I actually want to speak mostly about you men – and the boys you once were, both those who I taught and those who attended prior to my joining the School. But before I do so, I would like to comment about the gifts I have received from a few of the other adults here. What a pleasure to see colleagues from the past. Among them, I see Tim Nichols h’78. How clearly I recall the year that Tim and I cotaught a history class. I still remember your incredible understanding of how the art of humankind illuminated the history of people. And the yearbooks you produced with your student staff remain exemplars to this day. From
David Kersey, who sometimes makes me think I am playing Leporello to his Don Giovanni, is a man I truly love, is a man we all truly love. When I was a youth in the early 1970’s, one afternoon at David’s apartment on the West Side, I asked him to help me reflect on my future path. Given the opportunity to leave Allen-Stevenson and work in business, it was David who said to me, “No, John. You are a teacher; you should remain in education.” Without his advice, I would not be here today. David Kersey inspires devotion in us all. Recently he asked me if I had any regrets. I told him no. And David Trower, who accepted the offer of the Trustees to join us as our Head of School in 1990. David has helped Allen-Stevenson grow from good to great, finding many teachable moments to help me grow as well. I would not be here today if David had not chosen to ask me to stay and if he had not given me opportunities to serve the School. David and his partner in leading the School, Ronald Rolfe ’60, also transformed the School into a place that is safe, inclusive, and welcoming to many different people, including me and my life partner of 37 years, Dario, who I am happy to see tonight sitting next to my older brother, Richard. It is Dario who has taught me about the true meaning of goodness. And from Richard, my love of opera. To all of you, I give my deep thanks for helping me become who I am. But, my greatest blessings are all the other men in this room, you, the alumni. You men, once boys, not lost, but found. And here is what I mean by found. As a teacher, as an educator, my life has been filled with the intangible. Unlike a carpenter who continued on next page
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Speech by David O’Halloran continued from previous page
A Toast to One Friday, November 14, 2008 Mr. Pariseau, It is, on occasions such as this, customary to toast retirees with a few laudatory verses. With your kind indulgence, I’d like to resuscitate the practice for just a few moments this evening. I’ve penned a little farewell for just this occasion. It is entitled A Farewell to One Our praises all to Pariseau To friends … John E. right here Whose countless years of service flow – Four decades; less a year His portion ’compassed Tiffany ... Cole And Trower too, we know Of old A-S he knew the soul And what made this great school go He made of math his métier And dare I overstate How well he took the wider views When called to ’ministrate? Attention to detail was his cry No e-mail ever late A stone unturned, you’d hear a sigh ’cause that’s jus’ not our fate His interest ran from case to case finance, building, action All engaged his energy apace To general satisfaction Is it true that he cooks like noble James Beard Like Wolfgang, Emeril … Miss Rachael Ray? I’ve heard he prefers his Foie gras quite seared Well seasoned like Chef Bobby Flay! A sommelier quite convivial It was his particular fame That after one sip with a drop on his lip He’d know the vintner’s name! A scholar and a gentleman, from the very start Accept our plaudits, John … this night Fortiter, Recte – a man apart You’ve done it bravely, my friend, you’ve done it … just right! So … to the one and only Pariseau Let’s raise a glass, and cheer Whose countless years of service flow – Four decades; less a year
can see his table stand strong and balanced, unlike a painter who can see the beauty of his landscape, unlike a gardener who can plant a radish and get a radish, a teacher doesn’t know at the end of a school year what good – or harm – one has done. It takes years, decades or longer, to catch a glimmer of one’s effect. It takes a letter from an alumni parent, such as the one who wrote to me in 2007 and said, “If you ever have one of those days when you don’t think you are getting through to those young men at Allen-Stevenson, please remember that I thank you for helping me raise an engaging and charismatic teenager into a strong and self-confident man who I believe has an intellect and ability to listen well beyond his years.” It takes a note from an alumnus, such as the one I received a month ago, that said “I hope you know the positive effect that you have had on me and so many others. I remember your commitment to accuracy and impartiality and your hunger for your students to hunger for the truth.” It takes an introduction such as Eric’s and comments such as John’s to help me hear what meaning they have made by my role in their lives. It takes a roomful of alumni showing me the good men they have become, the differences they are making in the lives of all of humankind. Through their ideas, their inventions, their imagination and their ingenuity, they are using the School’s lamp of learning to light the path for generations yet to come. My life has been yours, my hopes and dreams have been for you. This is about our stories and about the paths that you have taken. So know that you have made the intangible become real by returning to your school and being found. You are the blossoms in the garden we teachers have helped to plant. I am humbled by the honor you have given me tonight, truly content with the journey we have had. I look forward to entering the next phase of my life. But you should also know that the next phase is yours as well. David has asked me to do a few special projects in a part-time way, building on some things I have already done. One project is to finish examining our archival collection, to rationalize it, cull it, grow it, preserve it, and make it accessible to people in the future. To do so I will need your help. I see clearly a need to enlist an army of alumni. We have many, many gaps in our records – and you can help fill them. You all can be part of that army. I will call on you to join me, in groups by decade and class, to party together while pouring over our records, rejoicing in memories, and identifying that which we wish to protect for others to know. I cannot take the time tonight to mention each of you alums by name, but all of you know you have a special place in my heart. What great joy to see you, to catch up with your progress, to remember the times we had together when we were younger. Each of you has a part to play in continuing the story of Allen-Stevenson, for our School is something greater than each of us as individuals. In closing, I have tried to grasp this moment in time, this evening’s celebration, to talk not about me, but about us, about the gifts of AllenStevenson, and about your obligation to ensure that the School for the next 125 years – and more – continues to hold true to its purpose: Educating boys, inspiring the future. Fortiter et Recte! Thank you.
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Please send Alumni News for the Lamplighter to alumni@allen-stevenson.org or call the Development Office at 212-606-0890.
1920s Francis Carter Wood Jr.’23 died on February 5, 2009, in Vero Beach, FL at the age of 99. He was born in New York City and moved to John's Island in 1974 after living in New Canaan, CT. He graduated from The Choate School in 1926 and Columbia College in 1930. Before and after World War II, he produced industrial and public relations films for companies such as The Newsreel Theatres Inc., AT&T, General Motors, U.S. Rubber, Pan America World Airways, Winchester, and Sears. In 1938, Mr. Wood started Anchor Optical Corp. to produce Navy binoculars. The company received the "Army-Navy E" award for excellence of production. In 1963, he received a contract by ABC television to produce two pilot films for "The American Sportsman," which aired in 1964 and continued for 20 years. He was a member of John's Island Club, Campfire Club of America, Club Limited, Indian River Trap and Skeet Club, Ducks Unlimited, National Rifle Association, and National Model Railroad Association. He is survived by two daughters, a daughter-inlaw, four stepchildren, seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
1930s William Weed Kaufmann ’33 passed away on December 14, 2008, at the age of 90. He was an MIT professor emeritus of political science and one of the country's leading experts on defense planning in the nuclear age. Mr. Kaufmann was a graduate of Yale University where he also received his MA and PhD degrees, and he was a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. After the war, he taught government and history at Yale and Princeton before joining the RAND Corporation in 1956. In 1961, joined MIT’s Department of Political Science, where he taught until his retirement in 1984. He was also Managing
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Editor for World Politics (1952-56), a Ford Foundation Visiting Professor of Government at Yale University (1959-60), a member of the Council on Foreign Relations (New York), and a consultant at various times to the Secretary of Defense, the Office of Management and Budget, the National Security Council Staff, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Center for Naval Analyses, and the Brookings Institution. In 1986, an article in the journal Foreign Affairs referred to Kaufmann as, "the man who may well be the most knowledgeable individual in this country on the defense budgets of the past quarter-century." In addition to his wife, Julia, Kaufmann is survived by two sisters-inlaw, and by many nieces and nephews. Schuyler G. Chapin ’38 died on March 8, 2009, at his home in Manhattan. He had been in ill health since suffering a heart attack in 2005. Mr. Chapin had prominent public roles and spoke out forcefully in defense of culture but was also a consummate “behind-thescenes” man. He called himself a booster, a hero-worshiper of great creators, and a hopeless composer -- a realization that came early. “If you know you don’t have talent yourself, you try to acquire the talent of recognizing talent in others,” he told The New Yorker in 1964. Mr. Chapin studied composition with Nadia Boulanger at the Longy School of Music in Cambridge, MA. and then worked as a page at NBC. He spent four years in the Army Air Corps during World War II, flying a C-47 transport plane in the China-Burma-India theater. After the war, he returned to NBC in a number of roles. He also worked as general manager of the Tex McCrary and Jinx Falkenburg broadcasts. His career path took him to Columbia Artists Management, Columbia Records, and Lincoln Center, where he served as the Vice-President for programming. He became the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera in the 1970’s and subsequently served as Dean of the Columbia University School of the Arts. After 10 years, he became vice-president of Steinway & Sons before taking over the City’s cultural affairs department. He is
survived by four sons, eight grandchildren, two step-grand children, one greatgrandson, and his second wife, Catia Z. Mortimer.
1940s Charles Bracelen Flood ’44 (cogflood@aol.com) is the author of 1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History published by Simon and Shuster in February 2009. A reviewer commented, “1864 is a masterful creation of the last twelve months of Abraham Lincoln’s life. This book recreates the tense drama of the final days of the Civil War and presents a moving portrait of the president in his final hours of triumph and tragedy. This is a biography that is also first rate history.” Mr. Flood is also the author of Grant and Sherman: The Friendship that Won the Civil War as well as numerous novels. E. Holland Low ’45 (hlow@comcast.net) was in town from Longmeadow, MA and had the opportunity to tour the new facilities.
1950s Joseph F. Park, Jr. ’54 died on November 23, 2008, from liver cancer. A beloved neighbor in the South End of Boston, he had served as President of the Ellis Neighborhood Association and the Friends of Hayes Park, and was Treasurer of the South End Historical Society. He and his wife, Susan, received the Codman Award for Lifetime Achievement by the Boston Preservation Alliance for their work in improving the South End. John O. Field ’55 (john.field@myfairpoint.net) continues to serve as Chair of the Conservation Commission in Jaffrey, NH. His daughter, Allyson, received her doctorate at Harvard last June and is a professor of film studies at UCLA.
Michael Dammann Eisner ’57 was featured in a New York Times article about his new business venture, the Tornante Company. George Harris Morison ’59
(George.Morison@PatientFirst.com) and Michael Douglas ’59 had a brief, but delightful, rendezvous reminiscing about their days at Allen-Stevenson at a dinner after Mr. Douglas delivered a speech to the Richmond Forum. The Richmond Forum is an educational, nonprofit organization committed to bringing the world's most engaging speakers to central Virginia.
1960s Andrew Heyward ’64 (andyh219@gmail.com) and his wife, Amy, visited the School in November, 2008. Andy is the former Chairman and CEO of DiC Entertainment, an animation and production company that was sold to The Cookie Jar Group in 2008. He would love to reconnect with his classmates before his 45th reunion. Dr. Charles A. Beichman ’66 (chas@ipac.caltech.edu) spoke to the Middle School boys in December about "Search for Life on Other Worlds: From Science Fiction to Science Fact." Dr. Beichman is a professor of astronomy at CalTech and the Executive Director of the NASA ExoPlanet Science Institute in conjunction with the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL). He was in New York on sabbatical at the Rose Center for Earth and Space at the Museum of Natural History.
Tat Y. Yuen ’75 (tatyyuen@yahoo.com) is married and living in Singapore where he is about to start a software company.
James Carew Rosapepe ’66 (jim.rosapepe@gmail.com) has had a professional career that has been a mix of business and public service. A former member of the Maryland House of Delegates, and former Ambassador to Romania, he is currently the head of an international investment firm, a member of the University of Maryland Board of Regents, and a member of the Maryland State Senate. He has written an OpEd piece for The Guardian in the UK on global economy. To read the full text, go to http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2009/mar/20/g20-global-new-deal
Mario M. Muller '77 (urbanmotif@aol.com) had an exhibition of his art work, "Ten Years of Painting," at the Stephen Cohen Gallery, in Los Angeles in April, 2009. Steven J. Dreschler ’79 (sjdreschler@yahoo.com) stopped by the School in the fall. He is a film/video maker here in New York.
1980s
Christopher Scot Weaver ’66 (csweaver@MIT.edu) founded Bethesda Softworks in 1986, which released its latest title, Fallout 3, in late October. Chris is a New York- and Marylandbased consultant and teaches part time at MIT. He invites old A-S classmates to e-mail him and reconnect.
Craig R. Kallman ’80, (craig.kallman@atlantic-recording.com) Atlantic Records Chairman and Chief Executive was featured in a New York Times article about digital music revenues surpassing compact disc sales. Daniel Abrams ’81, the Chief Legal Consultant for NBC news, has started a media consulting firm, Abrams Research.
Wiliam H. Block ’68 (bblock@qedintl.com), President of QED International -- the 2-year-old financing, sales and production company -- and producer of the movie W directed by Oliver Stone, stopped by the School in November and had the opportunity to meet with David Trower. The next QED project is the Peter Jackson-produced alien thriller, District 9, which is scheduled for release in August, 2009 by SONY.
Evan Goldfischer, MD ’81
1970s Richard Cayne Perry ’70 (rperry@perrycap.com) was featured in the September 2008 issue of Fortune magazine. Describing Perry as, "one of the most successful investors of our time," the article traces the success of Perry Capital.
(JBGERG@att.net) was named a 2008 HealthCare Hero by the Hudson Valley Life newspaper. Readers nominated professionals from the healthcare field who go above and beyond the ordinary call of duty. Evan said in response to the award, “The biggest rewards are treating someone so their pain is completely gone and restoring their quality of life.”
Jeffrey G. Beers ’71 (jbeers@jeffreybeers.com) was featured in the November/December issue of Departures magazine for his architectural work on the Fontainbleau Hotel in Miami, FL.
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A L U M N I Thomas Mills ’81
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David M. Rosenthal ’84 (meshuga@earthlink.net ) was in the City exploring options for a new documentary film on the environment. He is in touch with many of his classmates from the class of 1984 who are involved in the movie business in Los Angeles.
Noel Eric Volpe ’85 (noel.volpe@db.com) was listed as a young financial professional to watch in Investment Dealer Digest’s list of 40 under 40. Alfred Paul Burger, MD ’87
Christopher John Weitz ’84 (david@depthoffield.biz) is slated to direct the sequel to Twilight -- New Moon starring Dakota Fanning, opening in November.
(tmillslpc@bellsouth.net) visited the School in December with his son, August. He is the owner of a private catering company, Little Pond Caterers, in Wilmington, NC, where he lives with his wife, Karin and two boys, August and Avery. Eric Andrew Bader ’82 (eabader@gmail.com) has started his own advertising agency in New York, BrandinHand, Inc. Ian Scott Peck ’83 (ipeck@artcapitalgroup.com) is the CoOwner of Art Capital Group which was featured recently in The New York Times. The company specializes in art related loans.
James D. Cornelius ’85 (jamescornelius@corneliusandco.com) is the Founder of Open Learning Systems which uses an open source (freely available) software package designed with schools in mind. It creates effective online learning communities to assist students, teachers, parents, and schools. Partrick D.R. Horan ’85 (patrick@waldingfieldfarm.com) was featured in a New York Times article about his family farm and their production of heirloom tomato sauce. Andrew Mercy ’85
Peter Bicknell Kellner ’84 (peter.kellner@richmondmgt.com) was part of the cover story in a December issue of Barron’s titled “Next-Gen Givers” about up and coming philanthropists. Timothy Warren Packard ’84 (echelontim@aol.com) and wife, Daphne, welcomed their son, Lukas Warren Packard into the world on March 18, 2009. He weighed 5lbs. 15oz.
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(alfburger@hotmail.com) and wife, Jessica Malkin, are proud parents of Milo William Burger, born February 6, 2009, and weighing in at 7 lbs. 2 oz. Capt. Christopher J. Hallows ’87 (hallowschris@hotmail.com) writes, “It was so great to stop by the School in September and have an opportunity to speak to the Ninth Graders. As always, the School looks great. Mr. Pariseau's retirement is a huge loss. He is an incredible teacher who has touched so many students’ lives – including mine!” Gregory Anton Pendl ’88 (pendl1972@hotmail.com) is living and working in Madrid.
(andy@angelpoints.com) and his son, Baxter, toured the School recently. Andy, the President of Angelpoints, Inc., will present at a workshop on Corporate Citizenship and Sustainable Brands at The Conference Board Leadership Conference here in New York.
Victor Lloyd Smith ’88 (vsmith@mlgcap.com) is the President of Millennium Lyon Asset Management. He has written a book titled Legacy Capital: The Driving Force of the American Dream, published on December 2008. Pang Lee ’90 has said, "Victor is a visionary and his enthusiasm for wealth creation is eloquently reflected in the pages of this book. This book is for anyone who wants
to take control of their destiny." More information is available on the website, www. Legacycapitalbook.com. Jesse Weisman ’89 (jessew@jwtransport.com) has lived in New Orleans since 2004, and has recently purchased a home. He started a logistics company in 2007, and it is doing very well.
1990s Stefan Friedman ’90 (friedman@knickskd.com) and Amy Glickman were married February 7, 2009, at the IAC Building in New York. The bride is a Public Relations specialist as is Stefan, at Knickerbocker SKD. Kenneth LaFreniere ’90
Mark works as a senior manager in the corporate business development group at Applied Materials, a semiconductor equipment manufacturer in Santa Clara, Calif. He graduated from Notre Dame and received his MBA from the University of Chicago.
Raul-Gabriel Flores ’96 (rflores@pullcom.com) has graduated from the University of Michigan, completed George Washington University Law School, and currently, is a lawyer in Stamford, CT at the firm of Pullman and Comely LLC.
Robert L. Fingeroth ’90 (bfingeroth@aol.com) has a CD out entitled “Dilettante” for which he has written and performed the music. He played at NYC venues such as The Mercury Lounge, Fez, and Arlene’s Grocery – including a recent performance there in February.
Tristan Howard ’96 (tristis10@hotmail.com) is again performing with HOTTIE$ GALORE. They presented LIQUID BUENO at The Kraine Theater in New York in January.
Edward W. Wartels ’91 (ewartels@crescapartners.com) was named one of the top Dealmakers of 2008 by the Real Estate Board of New York. Jonathan Perry Evans ’92 and Courtney Elizabeth Coles were married in February 2008 at La Playa Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, FL. Jonathan works in St. Louis as a program manager in product development at Crane Merchandising Systems, which builds vending machines. The groom graduated from St. Lawrence University and received an MBA from Columbia.
(Kenneth.LaFreniere@Thomson.com) sent in a picture of his two children, baby Cate and big brother, Charlie. Mark O’Carroll ’90
Cannon Lyell Hersey ’92 (blackagemedia@earthlink.net) along with South African artist, Samson Minisi, has a retrospective show “Johannesburg to New York” at the MoCADA Museum, 80 Hanson Place in downtown Brooklyn. The show ran until May 17, 2009. Thomas Martinez Ruiz ’92 (tvmruiz@yahoo.com) was formerly at Grey Advertising and is now at DraftFCBhealtlhcare -- a medical advertising agency.
and Mary Ming Shen were married November 8, 2008, at the Calvary Presbyterian Church in San Francisco.
Daniel Edward Rosen ’94 (dedwardrosen@gmail.com), a reporter for Newsday, stopped by the School while he was in town covering a story at the Greek Consulate.
James Nicholas Katz ’96 (jkatz@law.harvard.edu) married Rebecca Miriam Kirszner Katz on March 14, 2009, at the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. James, a graduate of Brown, is in a program at Harvard, from which he will receive a law degree and a master’s in public policy. Jose M. Baez ’97 is a student at the Lauder Institute of the Wharton School/University of Pennsylvania. After Allen-Stevenson, he attended the Masters School and graduated from Amherst College. He has been a desk reader at a New York brokerage firm where he also organized multiple firmsponsored teams and charity events as well as volunteering during his time off to serve as a tutor for local youth. Fred Taylor Isquith, Jr. ’97 (freddy.isquith@gmail.com) will graduate this June from Syracuse University with a master’s in public policy from the Maxwell School of Public Affairs and law degree . Evan H. Levey ’97 (elevey@ccabinet.com) visited the School in November and saw Mr. Trower. He writes, “Thank you for showing me the new theater at A-S. The school is beautiful.” He is still working for Columbia Cabinets.
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A L U M N I Matthew Fox Rosler ’98 (matthewfoxrosler@gmail.com) travelled in Central China this past February and March. Alexander Hirschhorn Klebanoff ’98 (ahklebanoff@gmail.com) continues to pursue his interest dealing in contemporary art.
N E W S
2000s Spencer William Carlson ’05 (w.spencer.carlson@gmail.com) sang with the Kenyon College Kokosingers (Kenyon's all-male a cappella ensemble) in New York in January. Alexander Charles Chouraqui ’06 (achouraqui@riverdale.edu) is Co-Captain of the Lacrosse team at Riverdale. He has been accepted to Washington University in St. Louis, MO.
Philip Boucher Shipper ’98
Matthew H. Joseloff ’06 (matt.josel0ff@gmail.com) had an internship at the New York Sun and is the Captain of the Cross Country team at Horace Mann. Christopher Matthew Blauner ’07 (cblauner@gmail.com) recently finished a role in the performance of Brecht’s Mother Courage at Poly Prep.
(phil.shipper@gmail.com) and Katelyn McGary were married on July 12, 2008, in Las Vegas, NV. Maximilian Scott Warnecke ’99 (madmaggie8@yahoo.com) is on a 138 ft. wooden sailing ship on the Maine Coast teaching American History to 20 students from Proctor Academy in NH. He is also a deck hand while learning to sail by the stars, as he works toward his deck hand's and captain's licenses.
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James Morris Rucinski ’07
2009
Evan Jacob Griffith ’07 (evan_griffith@horacemann.org) is a guest organist at Temple Emanu-El and a member of the American Guild of Organists and the Organ Historical Society. Evan studied piano and violin while at A-S and now plays violin in the Horace Mann Orchestra. He first played the Temple Emanu-El organ for the closing hymn at his Bar Mitzvah, and he has since played holidays and family services. He is currently enrolled in the Manhattan School of Music’s pre-college program and is interested in playing the organ professionally.
(jamie@all.global.net) is at LaGuardia High School where he is playing squash and the flute. He and Evan Griffth performed together at Temple Emanu-El on April 17, 2008. Joseph Allen Abadi ’08 (nosinterogamos@yahoo.com) is playing JV baseball at Horace Mann. Rhys Jude Athayde ’08 (rhysathayde@stmarksschool.org) had an internship at Compucraft last summer and hopes to get another one this coming summer through the Boys Club of New York. Alexander D’Arc Corwin ’08 (acorwin@riverdale.edu) is playing soccer for Riverdale. Jeremy Matthew Exstein ’08 (jekstein@Hotchkiss.org) is enjoying his time at the Hotchkiss School where he is a boarder. He was in a production there of Steve Martin's Picasso at the Lapin Agile where he played the role of Elvis Presley.
ATTENTION ALL ALUMNI Do you have boxes of A-S paraphernalia? Do you want to share your memories with the rest of the alumni body? Have you not flipped through your yearbook in years?
In Memoriam
Join Mr. Pariseau h’98 in the Allen-Stevenson archiving project.
Schuyler G. Chapin ’38 William Holdsworth faculty member from 1968-1976
William Weed Kaufmann ’33 Thaw Malin ’32 Joseph F. Park, Jr. ’54 Paul R. G. Sackett ’53 Francis Carter Wood ’23
L. David Ortiz ’91 with Mr. John E. Pariseau h’98
We are delighted to note an increase of interest in Allen-Stevenson among alumni who have sons of school age. Because of this situation, the School has developed a policy to handle Legacy Status: alumni may request an early admissions decision although Legacy Status does not mean an automatic or guaranteed acceptance. Alumni who are interested in applying their sons should call the Admissions
As announced at the 2008 Alumni Reunion, Mr. Pariseau will step down from his role as Associate Headmaster. However, as one of his special projects, he will be working to grow and rationalize the material in the archive room. Mr. Pariseau is looking for those alumni who are interested in preserving these materials for the future. Currently, the archive room has a wealth of information documenting Allen-Stevenson’s history including, photos, yearbooks, copies of A-S News, and other documents. But there are still many missing pieces and unlabeled photographs. Opportunities to help in this project include: identifying classmates in photos, adding materials to the archives, and reaching out to other alums to gain more information. If you are interested please contact the Alumni Office at alumni@allen-stevenson.org.
Office at 212-606-0884.
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THE LAMPLIGHTER WILL NOW HIGHLIGHT FACULTY AND STAFF INTERESTS OUTSIDE OF ALLEN-STEVENSON.
JAISON CORREA-SPAIN ’97
After Jaison Correa-Spain ’97 graduated with a BA in Studio Composition with a focus in voice from the Conservatory of Music at SUNY-Purchase in December 2005, he auditioned for Broadway shows and plays around New York City. He was also an alternate for the traveling company of RENT. Still pursuing his dream of singing professionally, he performs in Hip-Hop shows and concerts on the Lower East Side as well as Brooklyn with other Allen-Stevenson Alumni. Jaison also auditions for shows and musicals around the City when his time away from Allen-Stevenson permits. Keep your fingers crossed, and hopefully, one day you will see his name in bright lights!
DANYA HABER
Danya Haber's theatre career did not start at Allen-Stevenson. While attending NYU, Danya interned for Andhow! Theater Company, an off-off Broadway company that produces plays with a particular focus on wonder and imagination. She worked as an associate producer at Andhow! for three years before becoming the literary manager. All of the submissions sent to Andhow! go through Danya, and she selects the few that the company presents in readings and performances. Andhow! has a strong developmental process in which the company members discuss unproduced works and make suggestions to the playwright. After completing a script, the company hosts free reading series allowing the audience to give feedback to the playwright. The New York Theatre Experience Press published Andhow!’s most recent production, which the company performed at The Flea Theater.
STEPHEN WARNER
Over Spring Break, Stephen Warner, his wife, Martha Haakmat, and their three daughters Kaila, Georgia, and Grace traveled to South Africa to volunteer with ArtWorks for Youth (artworksforyouth.org). The organization works to address the glaring needs of South African schools. Stephen, assisted by his Eighth Grade daughter Kaila, taught math to a group of eager Seventh Graders who had previously spent weeks without a math teacher. When they left, one of the students gave them a note that read, “…keep helping kids everywhere you go. You should be proud of yourself.” Stephen’s other daughters helped prepare meals, organize art supplies, and distribute clothes and shoes to students. Martha taught health classes to students and led a “girls’ group” for older girls. For Stephen, one of the highlights of the trip was teaching over 50 children to play baseball. Thanks to the generosity of many Allen-Stevenson families and teachers, he brought a supply of gloves, bats, and balls with him. By the end of two weeks, children with no baseball experience were fielding grounders, running the bases, making diving grabs, and crushing home runs. After returning from their trip, the Warner family realized that they learned so much about life through the love, goodwill, and hopefulness of the impoverished children they met.
JOHN ZUFALL
John Zufall had a radio show when he was in college at Holy Cross. It was a heavy metal show that started at midnight on WCHC (88.1 FM) and was popular with the youth of Worcester. John and his partner would allow their calls to air live. The FCC never caught them. In 1998, he completed his one and only NYC marathon, and he has no plans to do another. John also married Lower School teacher Jenn Zimmerman in 2001, and they have a three year-old daughter named Lily.
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Allen-Stevenson fosters the development of each boy with a strong commitment to the three “A’s”— academics, athletics and the arts.
In these difficult times, Allen-Stevenson needs your support more than ever. Please remember to give to the Annual Fund this year. The Annual Fund helps to provide competitive compensation, generous financial aid, and an exceptional educational program. Since tuition alone does not cover the true cost of each boy’s education, we rely on the generosity of our donors to help meet our expenses. Every gift counts!
We hope that you will be as generous as possible. All gifts, both large and small, are essential to the success of the Annual Fund. There are many ways to give to the Annual Fund: • By credit card online at www.allen-stevenson.org • By check or credit card using the enclosed envelope • By appreciated securities. If you wish to make a stock gift, please contact Sari Nadler, Director of Annual Giving, at 212-933-5238 or snadler@allen-stevenson.org • Please check to see if your employer will match your gift since matching gifts are credited to the donor’s record
All gifts to the Annual Fund are 100% tax-deductible.
Seventh Grade advisory classes embarked on a project to create a stronger sense of community on the 4th floor. The project allowed for each group to create a bulletin board that represented each boy and faculty/staff member along with the values of the School.
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEW YORK, NY PERMIT NO. 8048
THE ALLEN-STEVENSON SCHOOL 132 EAST 78TH STREET, NEW YORK, NY 10075-0381