VIEWS
SPECIAL EDITION 2018-2019
This 85th Anniversary Special Edition of The Beauvoir Views is dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Elanor Cato, beloved mother, wife, colleague, friend, and teacher.
ELANOR MARSHALL CATO (1953-2019)
Table of Contents Letter from Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn and Billy Kappaz............................................................................... 3
NEW BEGINNINGS Circle of Life Follows Path of Excellence......................................................................................................5 Children Discover Inside Scoop in Interview with Head of School.........................................6 Beloved Educator and Canon-Elect Installed to Shepherd New Generation..............9 Thirty-three Weeks of Morning Messages Engage Community...........................................15 2018-2019 GOVERNING BOARD
OUR CHILDREN Beauvoir’s Gallery Acquires Original Portrait for Permanent Collection..........................17 Student Voice Matters.................................................................................................................................................20 Butterflies Take Flight with Class of 2019................................................................................................... 24 Unleashing Confidence Through Accomplishment: Girls on the Run..............................29
The Rt. Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde Head of School
Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn Chair
William Kappaz
OUR EDUCATORS Dynamic Early Childhood Curriculum Stays True to Mission....................................................31 Squid Lab is Hands-On..............................................................................................................................................39 Faculty Model Lifelong Learning.......................................................................................................................40 Global Studies Travel Grants................................................................................................................................. 42 The Courage to Teach Empowers Faculty and Staff..........................................................................48 Emotional Literacy in Boys......................................................................................................................................50 Retirements and Appreciations...........................................................................................................................53 Retirement Connections Reflect Heart of Community..................................................................57 Former CFO Pursues Artistic Avocations in Mountain Retreat................................................58
OUR COMMUNITY Alumni Visits Link Past with Present............................................................................................................... 61 Annual Fair Yields Titles for Beauvoir and Beyond............................................................................62 Beauvoir Summer Equals Fun..............................................................................................................................65 Governing Board Welcomes New Members........................................................................................ 66 Young Philanthropists Inspire Hope............................................................................................................... 68 Parent Volunteers Help Beauvoir Reach New Heights................................................................. 69 Grandparents Council and Reader Program Bridge Generations........................................70 Welcome Back Class of 2010................................................................................................................................71
OUR BEAUTIFUL VIEW Snapshots: Year in Review.......................................................................................................................................73 Parent Education at Beauvoir: First Teachers.........................................................................................78
OUR INSTITUTION Beauvoir Views Celebrating 85 Years.............................................................................................................81 Beauvoir Alumni Stories.............................................................................................................................................87 Heads of School Enjoy Unique Bond........................................................................................................... 89
To give online to the Elanor Cato Memorial, please visit www.beauvoirschool.org/giving and indicate Elanor Cato in the “This Gift is in Honor/in Memory of:” field.
Bishop of Washington
Vice Chair
Michael Rankin Secretary
Catherine Martin Cedric Bobo Elena Botelho Nancy Carr Mukang Cho Kelvin Coleman Pyper Davis Tamika Smith Jackson Scott Jaeckel Parents Association President
Suzanna Kang Faculty Representative
Melanie Lago Alice Leiter ’89 Kristine McBrady Fernanda Montaño Rhonda Schmidtlein Stephen Hayes Smith Mallory Stewart Fred Underwood EDITORS
Anna Carello Joan Fergerson Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn Margaret Hartigan Geoff Johnson Helen Macsherry Jenny Towns Bethany Dickerson Wynder
ANNUAL REPORT 2018-2019
CONTRIBUTORS
Annual Report Highlights..........................................................................................................................................95 Lead Donors........................................................................................................................................................................ 96 Annual Giving Donors................................................................................................................................................. 98 Alumni Annual Giving Donors............................................................................................................................ 104 Grandparent Annual Giving Donors.............................................................................................................. 107 Annual Giving By Grade..........................................................................................................................................108 Special Gifts and Gifts from Corporations, Foundations, and Companies...................112
Anna Carello Catherine Chieco Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn Joan Fergerson Helen Macsherry
FRONT COVER
BACK COVER
DESIGN
Head of School Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn Portrait by Class of 2019 and Visual Arts Teachers Judith Cotter and Kaitlyn Hay
Cathedral painting (2015) by Nelson Pittman ‘17
Breckenridge Design Group
PHOTOGRAPHY
Aubrey Bourgeois Kelvin Coleman Alaina Pitt Grant Gibson
LETTER FROM
Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn and Billy Kappaz Dear Beauvoir Community, Reflection is a critical piece of the important work we do at Beauvoir. The inaugural year of 2018-2019 with a new head of school allowed time and opportunity to look back through our archives to see how we have grown as a community since 1933. A singular honor of this 85th Anniversary Special Edition of The Beauvoir Views is its dedication to the late Elanor Marshall Cato (1953-2019), who lovingly served our community and taught our children for forty-four of those extraordinary years. Our mission is brought to life through the Views as our students, from our earliest learners in the Early Learning Center (ELC) to our leaders in the third grade, are encouraged to think about how concepts presented in the classroom can be used in the concrete choices they make each day. As educators, we set time aside to collectively consider the traditions, lessons, programs, everyday happenings, and events that most resonate with and carry forward our values and Life Rules over the course of a year. Perhaps most importantly, as community and family members, we take time to reflect with one another in understanding, openness, and gratitude for the precious time we have together. We are so pleased to share this special edition, which includes our 2018-19 Annual Report. This summary of accomplishments, memorable moments, and time with friends is in appreciation of our collective achievement. We could not do this work without you. Beauvoir continues to meet the demands of delivering an exceptional early childhood education to our students in an increasingly complex world. With dedication and enthusiasm, our faculty and staff continuously expand and enhance curriculum, areas of specialty, and active student programming. The results embed the wonder and excitement of growth with a lasting joy of learning and friendship, the importance of self-awareness and globalmindedness, the pride in contributing to the greater good, and the power of facing difficulty with courage. We thank you for your commitment and generosity, and hope you enjoy taking in these beautiful views. Sincerely,
Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn Head of School
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Billy Kappaz Governing Board Chair
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S G W E NIN N N I G E B
Circle of Life Follows Path of Excellence Mrs. Cynthia “Cindi” Gibbs-Wilborn began her independent school career as an administrator at Beauvoir in 1996. Over the course of her twelveyear tenure at Beauvoir, she served as the division director for first through third grade and interim head of school during then head of school Paula J. Carreiro’ s five-month sabbatical in 2007; led auxiliary and special programs; and founded and directed the Beauvoir Center for Teaching and Learning. The Center provided seminars, courses, workshops, speaker series, faculty-in-residence programs, and other professional growth opportunities for educators, parents, caregivers, and students from around the country. According to Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” Prior to returning to Beauvoir, Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn took that step, traveling over 4,000 miles to Honolulu, Hawaii where she spent five years as head of school at Hanahau’oli School, with 200 students from Junior Kindergarten-Grade 6. In that capacity, she developed and advanced the vision of the school in close collaboration with its board of trustees. During Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn’s tenure, she led faculty in reviewing and revising curriculum to ensure continuity, alignment, and meaningful and memorable learning experiences; developed a customized, continuum-based process for student progress reports; and built a faculty evaluation process that was rooted in growth and flexibility, while adhering to clear standards. Other accomplishments included the renovation of an outdoor learning and play space; completion of the school’s reaccreditation; and a significant increase in the school’s annual fund. Before her work in Hawaii, Cindi served as head of lower school at Providence Day School located in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she led a division of 600 students in Transitional Kindergarten–Grade 5.
Under her leadership, the division added new world language options, piloted the use of iPads at various grade levels, and adopted the Responsive Classroom approach. Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn is an active member of several industry associations, and a 2018 Klingenstein Fellow for Heads of School at Columbia University’s Teachers College. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She also has conducted doctoral work in curriculum and instruction at the University of Maryland. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband (Larry), thirteen-year-old twins (Evie and Tyler), and Jack-Rat Terrier (Jewel). The 2018-2019 school year was full of many highlights, launched by a beautiful ceremony at Beauvoir’s own Washington National Cathedral to install Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn as Canon of the Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul. As you will read in the following pages, one of her primary goals has been to provide a safe and welcoming space for the voices of students to be heard and amplified, and to truly know every student who joyfully enters Beauvoir's doors every morning. She has also made communication with families and caregivers a priority, through daily Morning Messages, Parents Association events, a newly-instituted Family and Caregiver Symposium, and more. Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn’s approach in her first year as head of school has been as steadfast as when she first arrived at Beauvoir twenty-two years ago. She leads by example, upholding the Life Rules; supporting all children in their learning and development; and advancing the community’s shared commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. Beauvoir’s culture of excellence is enhanced with Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn at the helm.
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” —Lao Tzu, Chinese philosopher Beauvoir Views NEW BEGINNINGS 5
CHILDREN DISCOVER INSIDE SCOOP IN
WOULD YOU RATHER FLY OR BE INVINCIBLE?
Interview with Head of School
What an interesting question! I have always wondered what it would be like to fly. When I was a small child, I had regular dreams that I was able to fly like a bird. I would soar above the city and decide where I wanted to land based on what I noticed was taking place below. I must admit that flying would intrigue me more than becoming invincible.
BY BEAUVOIR STUDENTS
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO WORK WITH AND TEACH THE STUDENTS OF BEAUVOIR?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF BEING HEAD OF SCHOOL?
I feel like the luckiest head of school in the world! Every day is different and fulfilling. I don’t know of any other school where there are so many happy students gathered outside the school each morning, with smiling faces peeking into the windows, eager to rush to classrooms as soon as the doors open. I feel blessed to know and support students who are so excited to learn and play and grow.
My favorite part of being Beauvoir’s head of school is when students take the time to visit my office to share something special with me, whether it is an idea they have about improving the school or an observation they made during their day. I love knowing that students feel comfortable to drop by and see me and know that my doors are always open to them.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO COME BACK TO BEAUVOIR TO BE THE HEAD OF SCHOOL? The decision to return to Beauvoir was not a difficult one, even though my family so enjoyed our life in Hawaii and the many friends we made there. When I first returned to Beauvoir for a visit, I fell in love all over again with the Beauvoir Life Rules, Community Meetings, Monthly Chapels, Classroom Buddies, and everything that makes our school so special. I knew what an honor it would be to return to this wonderful place where every student has a voice in a community that is welcoming, generous, and kind. I remember keeping my fingers and toes crossed every day, hoping I would be chosen to return, and I did many cartwheels when I received the invitation!
6 NEW BEGINNINGS Beauvoir Views
Our family’s dog, Jewel, is 13 years young. Many people are surprised that she is 13 because she still has a lot of “spring in her step!” She loves people (especially children) and visiting Beauvoir whenever she gets the chance. When I am at school, she sometimes stays home and keeps my husband company. If we are both going to be away from the house for a long period of time, she loves to visit her friends at the doggie daycare center. There, she meets and plays with other dogs her size until we are ready to pick her up and take her home for more snuggles! WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE BOOK?
ARE YOU SCARED WHEN YOU TALK IN FRONT OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS AT CHAPEL? Believe it or not, there used to be a time many years ago when I really didn’t like standing in front of crowds, and I was fearful of speaking in public. It is kind of like playing in your first basketball game or playing a song on the piano for the first time. You feel very nervous at first, but the more times you play those familiar songs or shoot those free throws with everyone watching you, it begins to feel more natural. I feel more comfortable in front of people now because I have had many years of practice, and that really feels good! I also feel reassured when I look out into the audience and see all those faces smiling back at me, so please don’t forget to smile when you see me speaking in front of a crowd!
WHO TAKES CARE OF YOUR DOG WHEN YOU ARE AT SCHOOL?
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING TO DO ON THE WEEKENDS? On the weekends, I love to have family time with my husband, Larry, and our twins, Tyler and Evie. Often, we do fun things all together, but occasionally, we will split up and I will take one of our children out on a special adventure, while my husband takes the other one out. One day, for example, my husband took our son, Tyler, to see The Avengers, while Evie and I went to get pedicures.
My favorite books from childhood were the Beezus and Ramona book series by Beverly Cleary. I absolutely loved reading them and would check them out of the library faster than they could keep them on the shelves! I remember reading them and feeling like I was a real neighbor of Beezus. I think I related to Beezus a lot because I was a bit of a “rascal” as a child, and sometimes liked to do mischievous things. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KIND OF ICE CREAM? My favorite flavor of ice cream is bubble gum ice cream, but it is somewhat hard to find. When I can’t find that flavor, I also enjoy mocha almond fudge!
Beauvoir Views NEW BEGINNINGS 7
Beloved Educator and Canon-Elect Installed to Shepherd New Generation Beauvoir community embraces Canon Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn as sixth head of school and first African American to lead in its eighty-five year history BY HELEN D. MACSHERRY, EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
“Beauvoir Friends, I present to you, your new head of school and the new canon of the Cathedral. I present to you, Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn,” announced The Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. Preparations for the Thanksgiving Chapel and Installation of Cynthia I. Gibbs-Wilborn on November 20, 2018 began well before Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn returned to the Close to assume her position as the sixth and first African-American head of school at Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School on its 85th Anniversary. As Beauvoir’s interim chaplain, The Reverend Claudia Tielking, shared in her homily that day, “A few months ago, I got a phone call telling me that Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn was going to come back and be the head of Beauvoir. I was so excited and I waited to hear the call of God. What could I do to celebrate that love that Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn brings to us?” “We’ve had so many preparations,” the Rev. Tielking acknowledged, “wonderful preparations for having our friend and leader installed here as our head of school and as a canon of the Cathedral. Believe it or not, it takes a lot.” What goes on behind the scenes before and during such a momentous occasion ranges from ordering the official robes for a canon and selecting prayers and music, readers and musicians for the Cathedral service, to choosing appropriate gifts and presenters, sending invitations to all, near and far, and having many hands on deck to make the live-streamed and archived event seamless. No small task. Before the procession began, Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn could be found in the Cathedral’s slype, the narrow passageway between the north transept and the chapter house or deanery, donning the official violetSee “Installation” continued on p. 10
8 NEW BEGINNINGS Beauvoir Views
Beauvoir Views NEW BEGINNINGS 9
“Installation” from p. 8 colored cassock and matching band cincture with fringed, double drop panels for her installation. While people gathered, Mr. George Fergus, Assistant Organist at the Washington National Cathedral, began the morning with a beautiful Prelude followed by a warm and welcoming introduction from the Rev. Tielking. The congregation then stood for the Procession, complete with the Beauvoir cross and torches, flags of the United States and the Episcopal Church, as well as the banners of the House of Prayer, Beauvoir, the Cathedral, and Diocese of Washington. “Earth and All Stars,” the Processional Hymn with Mr. Fergus on organ, accompanied by Mr. John Paul on trumpet, added to the pageantry and celebratory approach as “Trumpet and pipes,… sing to the Lord a new song!”
WHAT IS A CANON? The word is derived from the Greek kanon, a "measuring rod or rule." It has several different meanings in the church. One meaning relates to Ecclesiastical Title: A canon may be a member of the clergy on the staff of a cathedral or diocese. A canon on a cathedral staff assists the dean, and a canon on a diocesan staff assists the bishop. Members of the clergy and laity have at times been made honorary canons of a cathedral in recognition of significant service or achievement. Historically, canons were secular clergy who were connected to a cathedral or collegiate church, sharing the revenues and a common rule of life at the church.
—Glossary definitions provided courtesy of Church Publishing Incorporated, New York, NY (All rights reserved) from An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church, A User Friendly Reference for Episcopalians, Don S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, editors. https://episcopalchurch.org/library/glossary/canon
Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn took her seat on the north side of the Cathedral’s Great Crossing, next to Bishop Budde, while The Very Reverend Randolph Marshall Hollerith, Dean of the Washington National Cathedral, sat on its south side, joined by the Rev. Tielking. After a ten-year hiatus and travels far from the East Coast, Mrs. GibbsWilborn’s Installation brought together a multitude of family and friends who were welcomed to the Washington National Cathedral—"A house of prayer for all people”—by Dean Hollerith. The Bishop’s opening prayer was one of “heartfelt thanks for Beauvoir for teaching and learning, growing and sharing... and for faithful friends of this school, all of whom make up the Beauvoir community.” She offered thanks for Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn, “whose gentle leadership, thoughtful guidance, creativity, talents, energy, and enthusiasm are a blessing for us all. Guide her as she leads us in new and exciting ways and help her to know that together we can fulfill Your will as we seek to uphold the Beauvoir Life Rules—Respect, Responsibility, Honesty, and Kindness—in our students and ourselves. Bless, preserve, and keep us as we begin another phase in our journey.” Third graders Afra Miao and Alistair Chapel proclaimed the First Lesson, God’s revelation to Samuel (1 Samuel 3), to which Samuel responded, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Psalm 100, a psalm of thanksgiving
“Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn was listening for that voice of God and she heard it calling her home; calling her home to be with us..." —The Rev. Claudia Tielking led by third grader Anton Botelho, preceded the second grade anthem introduced by second grader Carson Smith-Williams: “What you are about to hear serves as a reminder to faculty and staff, parents and grandparents of the privilege and honor it is to feed the lambs and tend the sheep of generations of children.” Performing Arts Teacher Erin Riley conducted as the second graders sang “Feed My Lambs.” Third grader Savannah Daley read the Second Lesson from the Gospel of John 21, the Primacy of Peter, in which “Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’” The Rev. Tielking addressed the importance of this Gospel and the exchange between Jesus and Peter—if you love me, remember to feed my lambs, tend my sheep, feed my sheep. “Love is not worth anything,” explained the Rev. Tielking, “unless you take it and share it… with the rest of God’s children.” She encouraged those gathered to listen for the call of God like Samuel in the First Lesson “and be ready to answer.”
“Somewhere hundreds, thousands of miles from here, in Hawaii, Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn was listening for that voice of God and she heard it calling her home; calling her home to be with us to make Beauvoir that place where when anyone enters the doors— students, faculty members, a parent, a grandparent, a friend—anybody who enters feels that love and it’s given so freely.” The Rev. Tielking continued, “Right now, right here, we’re going to listen for the call of God, calling Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn to us and all of you to the same mission that God has called Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn. When we hear, ‘Do you love me?’ our answer is, ‘Yes, we will feed your sheep; we will feed them with kindness; we will feed them with respect; with our responsibility, we’ll take care of each other with our kindness.’” The Rev. Tielking’s homily ended with a reminder from the second graders’ song: Feed my lambs, tend my sheep, Over all a vigil keep, In God’s name, lead them forth, Gently as a shepherd. See “Shepherd” continued on p. 12
10 NEW BEGINNINGS Beauvoir Views
Beauvoir Views NEW BEGINNINGS 11
“Shepherd” from p. 11 The third grade handbell ringers followed the Rev. Tielking’s homily with the 18th century Shaker song, “’Tis the Gift to be Simple,” a piece specifically requested by Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn. After their introduction, the congregation joined in singing, with handbell and piano accompaniment: “And when we find ourselves in the place just right, ‘twill be in the valley of love and delight.” The formal Presentation and Induction of the Canonelect began with Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn joined by the Rev. Tielking at the foot of the Great Crossing platform before the Dean and the Bishop. The Dean joined by the Presenters—current and former Beauvoir Governing Board chairs, representatives of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation, Chapter members, the Beauvoir Parents Association President, and representatives of the Beauvoir alumni, faculty and staff—stated their purpose to the Bishop to install Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn as Canon. The Bishop then read the Letter of Institution before asking Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn a series of three questions to confirm her commitment to the trust and responsibility conferred by this ministry, which she accepted willingly and the congregation promised to support. After the Rev. Tielking led the congregation in the Beauvoir Prayer, Bishop Budde and Dean Hollerith escorted Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn from the Nave, passing through the wood-carved partition of the rood screen, to the stall in the Great Choir symbolic of the office. The Bishop and the Dean remained standing in the chancel, while Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn took her place in the stall and knelt for the Bishop’s official words installing her as a “Canon of the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul and head of school of Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School.” As a true and faithful disciple in word and deed, Canon Cynthia Gibbs-Wilborn then prayed aloud from her stall in the Cathedral, “Almighty and eternal God,… use me to your glory and the welfare of your people through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” Canon Gibbs-Wilborn was embraced and presented to the people by the Bishop as a fanfare sounded on the trompette en chamade and jubilance
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INSTALLATION GIFTS PRESENTED TO CANON GIBBS-WILBORN A Bible from the Cathedral as a person of faith and prayer; Water pitcher from the Foundation Schools as a symbol of service to others; Acts of Incorporation and Bylaws of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation (PECF) and the Bylaws of the Cathedral from the PECF Board of Trustees and Cathedral Chapter to fulfill the vision and mission of the PECF; Fountain pen from the Beauvoir Governing Board as a symbol of the importance of words, written, spoken, and shared; Original stained-glass window from the Beauvoir School Leadership portraying the diverse colors of nature and celebrating diversity; Crystal apple paperweight from the Beauvoir Faculty and Staff as a symbol of scholarship and teaching; Personalized notecards from the Beauvoir Parents Association as a symbol of communication; Gold Beauvoir bear charm from the Beauvoir Alumni as a reminder of the Life Rules; Crosses, a Book of Common Prayer, and Hymnal from the Cathedral Schools Chaplains to proclaim the Good News; Beauvoir teddy bear from the Early Learning Center for the warmth and comfort of good friends; Special playground ball and jump rope from the pre-kindergartners for the joy and adventure of play; Bear cookie jar from the kindergartners as a symbol of warm hospitality; Musical Washington National Cathedral snow globe and selection of books about the Washington National Cathedral from the first graders; Atlas of the Amazon River from the second graders; and Framed map of Washington, D.C. from and signed by all the third graders.
Canon Gibbs-Wilborn was embraced and presented to the people by the Bishop as a fanfare sounded on the trompette en chamade and jubilance echoed throughout the Cathedral. echoed throughout the Cathedral. Afterwards, representatives from the Beauvoir and Close communities made their way, one by one, to present a myriad of meaningful gifts to the newly elected Canon. With the final gift received, Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn addressed a congregation and school community anxious to hear her voice. With great appreciation, Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn recalled past Thanksgiving Chapels, “one of my favorite hallmarks of the year,” where she witnessed the “span of generations coming together in one place to express gratitude for one another and to celebrate our Beauvoir students.” This day, this Thanksgiving Chapel, was different. It was enhanced by her personal journey and the
presence of her family extended with so much love and care. With her enviable gift for nurturing lifelong friendships, Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn looked out to many adoring and proud faces, some smiling and some with joy-filled tears. “Gently, as a loving shepherd of the Lord,” she then turned her attention to her precious charges, the “370 restless bodies sitting patiently… my newest Beauvoir friends,” to share some ‘me-too connections.’” Looking at all the children gathered around her on the platform, Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn said to her “Beauvoir Friends, I want you to know that you brighten my day whenever you greet me at the front door each morning; share a memory of a time when you felt gratitude; remember and use our Life See “Heart” continued on p. 14
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Thirty-three Weeks of Morning Messages Engage Community BY CINDI GIBBS-WILBORN, HEAD OF SCHOOL
“Heart” from p. 13 Rules at school, even when no one is looking; decide whether or not to try the Beauvoir Bite at lunchtime; and finally, I just love how big your hearts are, as I think back to one of our recent assemblies when third graders expressed an interest in returning the ‘buddy benches’ to Beauvoir so no one would feel lonely outdoors.” Canon Gibbs-Wilborn concluded with humble thanks for “kind hearts” and for “everyone here lifting me up today.” The Dean led the congregation in The Lord’s Prayer and everyone sang the Beauvoir Hymn reminding all of “friendships true and fair.” The closing blessing by the Bishop encouraged, “With hearts to love and hands to share, go forth from this place now in peace.” During the recessional, Canon Gibbs-Wilborn preceded her family, followed by the Bishop and Dean in tandem. The children left the Cathedral singing with the congregation the closing hymn, “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God”: “The world is bright with the joyous saints, who love to do Jesus’ will. You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea; in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea; for the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one, too.” The Rev. Tielking dismissed the congregation with “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.” As in the beginning, “Beauvoir Friends, I present to you your new head of school and the new Canon of the Cathedral. I present to you Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn.”
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THE PRESENTERS OF CANON-ELECT CYNTHIA GIBBS-WILBORN The Very Reverend Randolph Marshall Hollerith Dean, Washington National Cathedral Mr. William Kappaz Chair, Beauvoir Governing Board Ms. Rhonda Schmidtlein Former Chair, Beauvoir Governing Board Mrs. Eileen Shields West Former Chair, Beauvoir Governing Board Mr. Christopher Gladstone Former Chair, Beauvoir Governing Board Mrs. Julie Sauder Miller Secretary, Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation Board of Trustees Former Chair, Beauvoir Governing Board Mr. Andrew Florance Chair, Cathedral Chapter Former Chair, Beauvoir Governing Board Member, Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation Board of Trustees Mr. Maximillian Angerholzer, III Chair, Programs Committee, Cathedral Chapter Mr. Brooke Coburn Member, Cathedral Chapter Ms. Suzanna Kang President, Beauvoir Parents Association Mrs. Ashley Simpson Alumni Representative Mrs. Judith Cotter Faculty Representative Ms. Twanda Johnson and Mr. Luis Gonzalez Staff Representatives
A core component of Beauvoir’s classroom routine stems from our work around the social and emotional growth of young children, and the importance of building a community where students know their ideas, opinions, and contributions are valued. Each morning when children arrive and enter the classroom, they are invited to read and respond to the “Morning Message,” a personal message written by their teachers that welcomes them to the day, shares new information, and asks them to offer their ideas or thoughts in answer to a particular question (e.g. “It is raining today and we will probably have indoor recess. What indoor activity do you think you will choose if we remain indoors?”). Stemming from Beauvoir’s commitment to the Responsive Classroom approach, the “Morning Message” serves as one of many opportunities for students to engage, participate, express opinions, make connections, and make comparisons with those around them. Research shows that these types of exercises lead to community formations where students feel that they are safe, valued, included, and a part of a connected family where every voice matters. When I arrived at Beauvoir in the summer of 2018, I was already a firm believer in the Responsive Classroom approach and its value in the lives of young children. At the start of the school year, eager to begin making my own connections with Beauvoir’s students, I wondered how the “Morning Message” might take root in my own life as head of school. One week, I decided to launch a “Head of School Morning Message” for students, displayed on the lobby monitor each day as students and their caregivers entered the building. What I observed throughout the year warmed my heart as parents and caregivers entered the vestibule. I witnessed parents kneeling down alongside their children, reading the
message and making predictions together about what my daily clues might reveal. I also witnessed squeals of delight when a child realized that I was acknowledging a holy day that their family celebrated. With each passing day, I realized how important these Morning Messages were not only to our students but also to the adults in their lives who were able to make these connections with them before they began their day. Thirty-three weeks later, I realized I had completed a message for each morning of the 2018-2019 school year. Admittedly, it was an added responsibility that I never imagined I would choose to add to my full plate, but the rewards from doing so have been priceless! To be certain, I quickly realized how incredibly blessed Beauvoir is to have classroom teachers who are committed to writing meaningful, personalized messages to our students on a daily basis. The fact that I am also able to model their care and intentionality with students has become a gift, and I am grateful to be a part of a learning community where our commitment to serving children is central to every decision we make. If you have not yet had an opportunity to participate in my “Head of School Morning Message” I invite you to do so. You may find it to be both inspirational and informational as I share nuggets of wisdom from our students, introduce the community to Beauvoir friends who help make us shine, highlight global celebrations, and/or challenge your brains with teasers and other mind-twisters. Please read past “Head of School Morning Message” postings on our blog at blog.beauvoirschool.org. We hope you enjoy them as much as our children do.
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N R U RE O LD I H C
Beauvoir’s Gallery Acquires Original Portrait for Permanent Collection BY JOAN FERGERSON, PAST PARENT AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
“In a children’s art class, we sat in a ring on kindergarten chairs and drew three daffodils that had just been picked out of the yard; and while I was drawing, my sharpened yellow pencil and the cup of the yellow daffodil gave off whiffs just alike. That the pencil doing the drawing should give off the same smell as the flower it drew seemed part of the art lesson—as shouldn’t it be? Children, like animals, use all their senses to discover the world. Then artists come along and discover it the same way all over again. Or now and then we’ll hear from an artist who never lost it.” —Eudora Welty’s One Writer’s Beginnings If anyone knows the secret of how to tap the wellspring of children’s artistic potential, it is surely Visual Arts Teacher Judith Cotter. For twenty-three years with assistance from various inspired assistant teachers, she introduced hundreds of Beauvoir’s children to the glory of artistic exploration. And exploration is the correct word, as a walk down the corridors of the school will attest. In her classes there was no such thing as a non-artistic child, and she made sure that every child emerged with the confidence to create. Her projects were always geared to fuse individual gifts with a collective activity and often a connection to the wider curriculum or the Close community. Her annual project with first graders to study and artistically recreate the Cathedral resulted in a splendid diversity of interpretations of the building that looms outside the school windows. Visitors could only marvel at the exhibit-worthy results displayed along Beauvoir’s walls. This is the story of one very special project that embodied Cotter’s method and intent: historical portraits of Beauvoir’s heads of school and, specifically, the making last year of Mrs. Cindi GibbsWilborn’s portrait, now installed beside her five predecessors along the wall across from the library.
If anyone knows the secret of how to tap the wellspring of children’s artistic potential, it is surely Visual Arts Teacher Judith Cotter. The genesis of the project began back in 2008—the year of Beauvoir’s 75th anniversary. The former head of school, Paula J. Carreiro, gathered teachers and administrators in order to brainstorm various ways to commemorate this milestone. Mrs. Cotter proposed an art project that would result in student-made portraits of the three prior heads of school: Elizabeth G. Taylor (1933-1964), Frances J. Borders (1964-1979), Mary T. Moreland (1979-1992), plus Mrs. Carreiro, who would go on to lead the school until 2013. This was to be a third-grade project and, as Mrs. Cotter said, “It was very convenient and worked perfectly as we had four portraits to do and four third-grade classrooms. Each classroom was responsible for one of the portraits.” See “Portraits” continued on p. 18
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“Portraits” from p. 17 To kick off the project, there was an archive search for photographs of the three former heads of school and a similar one taken of Mrs. Carreiro. Mrs. Cotter’s idea was to build on a project she used to introduce students to some of the world’s great paintings. Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night was one such the children reproduced using a clever rubric that was more than just tracing; it was a way to teach skills of noticing and reproducing that also allowed for ownership. As Mrs. Cotter explained it, “I took the photographs and enlarged them to the size that we had decided upon for the portraits. I then imposed a grid onto the photograph and ended up with a page of squares which I traced. Those were then cut into individual squares. I folded these in half and then in fourths, wrote each child’s name on the back, and distributed them.” The actual creation of the portraits involved the children taking their squares and transposing— freehand copying—their portion. The children then brought their squares together and set them like puzzle pieces on the art room table to see how they lined up to make the whole portrait. At that point, adjustments were made—the eyes and mouth being the most difficult to get in line—and some erasing and correcting was done. “I am always amazed at how well all of the children do on this part of the project,” said Mrs. Cotter. “They are so intent and steady at their work and manage to do a remarkable job transferring the lines on their square to the paper by just looking and working freehand. Then comes the fun part—the actual painting.” The accompanying images show the children at work on Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn’s portrait last year—heads bent to the task, applying paint from their palettes. The original four portraits were unveiled and hung near the library at the 75th Anniversary Celebration. When Mrs. Carreiro retired in 2013 and her successor began, it was decided to continue the tradition, and Mrs. Amy P. Vorenberg’s portrait joined the cluster. In 2018, when Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn returned to the Close to become the sixth head of school, commissioning her portrait became a way to
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Mrs. Cotter, who retired in June 2019, shared, “It was a gift to me as a way to finish my career—to welcome Cindi back to the Close and watch the marvelous way she is both honoring tradition and innovation, and to work with the children one more time on this project and leave that image for the gallery.”
The actual creation of the portraits involved the children taking their squares and transposing— freehand copying—their portion. The children then brought their squares together and set them like puzzle pieces on the art room table to see how they lined up to make the whole portrait.
celebrate and commemorate her arrival. Since it was only one portrait, instead of having all the classes involved, the twenty children in the third-grade class of partner teachers Casey Carlson and Lily Howard Scott, joined by Maureen Toppin, were chosen to participate. They came together to sketch, to assemble and edit the sketches, and, finally, to paint. “In the portrait projects, we mix big buckets of paints so that everyone has the same red, or green, or flesh-tone colors, but, as you can see, each of the portraits has a different flavor; it’s what makes the project so creative—some are more Fauvistic, others more realistic—and the kids have real fun with this,” said Mrs. Cotter. “The underlying artistic skills have several components. The freehand sketching is more exacting and technical, relying on hand-eye coordination, while the painting is a bit more creative and relies on color sense. The overarching concept has an important communal aspect. We put the children with contiguous pieces near each other as they work so they can check the process with each other as they go along. Then there is the paint mixing and the coming together to adjust the individual pieces, so that the sense of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts really comes home to them.”
Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn’s student-made portrait was unveiled to great acclaim on May 31, 2019, at the final Community Meeting of the year, also known as Green and White Day, during which everyone wears the school colors in celebration of Beauvoir spirit and the graduating third graders. It was a fitting end to the new head of school’s first year at Beauvoir and the capstone of her beginning stewardship. “Thank you for brightening my day,” said Mrs. GibbsWilborn. “I love my portrait and I am so appreciative of the time you devoted to it. Knowing that our students contributed to such a masterpiece makes my heart burst with pride!” Mrs. Cotter, who retired in June 2019, shared, “It was a gift to me as a way to finish my career—to welcome Cindi back to the Close and watch the marvelous way she is both honoring tradition and innovation, and to work with the children one more time on this project and leave that image for the gallery.” Mrs. Cynthia I. Gibbs-Wilborn’s portrait is now displayed next to those of the five former heads of school, each adjacent to their original photographs. At this point, there is no more room on the wall. Either Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn will have to stay forever, or some other plans for display will have to be made!
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Student Voice Matters BY CINDI GIBBS-WILBORN, HEAD OF SCHOOL
When I began my inaugural year at Beauvoir, one of my main goals was to get to know each of the students in our care. Toward that end, I worked to truly recognize, know, and cherish the many smiling faces entering our doors every morning, knowing that the faster I learned everyone’s name and special qualities, the easier it would be to make close, personal connections, and build community. We know what the research says: Children learn from the models around them, especially their adult role models in both the school and home environments. In the process, our young students are quickly obtaining knowledge and understanding, learning about behavioral choices and consequences, and acquiring prosocial behaviors that can lead to future positive outcomes as they learn to work with independence and in collaboration with others. As I considered the influential role adults play in children’s lives, one of the areas of school life that quickly became a priority for me was amplifying student voice and self-advocacy. I model selfexpression every day to students when I speak to them during Chapels, in their classrooms,
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at Community Meetings, or as they arrive at school. Providing our young friends with ample opportunities to use their own voices to advocate is crucial as they grow up in a world where selfexpression is paramount to success in life. Research shows that by simply listening and responding to student voice, adults can naturally empower students to take charge of their learning and use their knowledge to contribute to the overall wellbeing of their surrounding community.
BEAUVOIR BUDDY BENCH
KINDERGARTEN FLEA MARKET
The Beauvoir Buddy Bench was installed as a visual tool and resource for children who might be experiencing loneliness or are continuing to learn the lifelong skills needed to enter social circles. The goal of a buddy bench is to foster friendship, inclusion, and kindness. Students are taught to recognize when a child sitting on the bench might need a friend or an invitation to play or join a group. Students who might not feel brave enough to speak up f they are shy, feeling sad, or just hesitant to participate can simply go to the Buddy Bench and wait for a peer to support them. One year, after the Buddy Bench broke it was removed and the children eventually recognized how valuable it had been to everyone. The third graders, who were mourning the loss of this bench which originally had been installed on the Paula J. Carreiro Campus for Outdoor Learning, took the lead. A group of students in third grade, led by Olivia Pouch ’19 and Leah Peterson ’19, launched a petition for other students to sign. They then scheduled an official meeting with me and advocated for the return of the Buddy Bench. I was so impressed with their big hearts and self-advocacy that we made it happen! Students were able to begin using the new Buddy Bench soon after the Winter Break and it has been a welcome return to outdoor play.
The annual Kindergarten Flea Market has been a hallmark of our school for nearly two decades. This capstone event, celebrated near the end of April, creatively integrates students’ study of coins with Beauvoir’s science ecology unit. Students demonstrate their emerging entrepreneurial skills by producing items out of recycled and reusable materials to sell to their parents and other Beauvoir visitors. Students created fabric bowls, CD mobiles, recycled crayons, and planted herbs in recycled milk cartons. All proceeds from the Kindergarten Flea Market supported the All Hallows Guild, an all-volunteer organization founded to care for and beautify the National Cathedral’s grounds, including Olmsted Woods and the Bishop’s Garden.
STUDENT ADVOCACY Two bright students approached me with thoughtful written proposals that highlighted for me the deep desire of our young students to become true problem solvers and change agents in our community. Second grader Archer Pollak ’20 and third grader Savannah Daley ’19 were each interested in bringing positive change to the Beauvoir community. Archer was hoping to install a three-point line on the basketball court in the Beauvoir Gymnasium, while Savannah wanted to See “Voice” continued on p. 22
Throughout the year, our students raised their voices in many ways. I am so proud to share just a few of the following examples of Beauvoir leadership at work during the 2018-2019 school year.
Providing our young friends with ample opportunities to use their own voices to advocate is crucial as they grow up in a world where self-expression is paramount to success in life. Beauvoir Views OUR CHILDREN 21
“Voice” from p. 21 launch a student newspaper. I was immediately struck by their ability to respectfully articulate their concerns, bring ideas to my attention, and receive thoughtful feedback from the Administration. As adults, we know how difficult it can be for children to receive disappointing news, but in the case of both Archer and Savannah, they embraced the art of compromise. When Archer discussed his proposal with one of his P.E. teachers, he learned that elementary schools typically do not offer three-point lines for students. Most young students’ bodies are not developmentally ready to shoot balls from that distance and installing one can create feelings of defeat and exclusion. After talking with Savannah, I met with Mrs. Megan Chounoune, Second and Third Grade Level Director, and learned there was an existing newspaper team already working in another classroom. Savannah was invited to join them, given her passion for journalism. Both students could have easily received this news with disappointment, yet they both rose to the occasion and realized their ideas brought individual value and leverage to our shared community.
MOCK CONGRESS A signature event of the third grade is our annual Mock Congress. Nine- and ten-year-old students typically enjoy socializing and working in groups. They are often deeply concerned about fairness
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and justice and are overflowing with energy and ideas about ways to build community. These characteristics and values were all evident as the students proposed various “bills” and advocated for earth-friendly resources at Beauvoir, including water bottle filling stations, more recycling bins, and solar panels; requested open seating during lunch times; asked for permission to walk to class unescorted; proposed the installation of signage or new outdoor equipment for their use; or asked me to consider longer summer vacations. While the range of requests was wide and varied, there was a common theme for each one: respectful student voice.
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES DIFFERENCE MAKE? Students in the third grade classroom of Ms. Lily Howard Scott and Ms. Casey Carlson engaged in a unit study around human variety and explored how our unique and shared characteristics are what make us come together as a close-knit community of learners who respect and care for one another. Among other topics, the students discussed learning styles, physical characteristics, family structure, and cultural and religious diversity. Shared readings of novels and books that focused on a variety of ways of being and doing were common throughout classrooms during the year. One special author, Patricia Polacco, is renowned for her ability to write
Our students know that the doors are open for them to express themselves freely, using the Beauvoir Life Rules as their guiding principles. Most importantly, they know that they matter. and illustrate powerful stories that capture the imagination of young readers, many of them having to do with an eclectic mix of values, character, and social issues. After reading several of her popular books, the students created a proposal and advocated as a group to bring Ms. Polacco to Beauvoir. They later raised money through a bake sale to cover her travel and speaking costs. What the students did not realize, however, is that their collective voice also energized other students, librarians, and schools in the area to speak out. Ms. Polacco’s one day visit to Beauvoir turned into a whirlwind school tour, where she was able to visit other schools around the region. This would not have been possible if our students had not been comfortable using their voices to speak up for ideas that matter.
“I HAVE A DREAM” One of our kindergarten students, Olivier Brousseau ’22, unleashed his creative side and painted a piece of beautiful artwork to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday. Olivier visited my
office one afternoon and delivered such a sweet and memorable message about the legacy of Dr. King. The following week, I invited him to join me at a board meeting of the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation (PECF), where Dr. King’s message was also being shared. Relaxed and selfassured, Olivier entered and stood proudly before a crowd of PECF leaders from around the Close, and delivered his message with the same ease and confidence he demonstrated in my office the week prior. The adults in the room marveled at his presence and his words: “We should remember Dr. King’s words and follow his dreams.” Even the youngest students can make this kind of impact. Indeed, this confident type of selfexpression is aided by the encouragement and understanding that our educators give our students every day during their Beauvoir journeys. Our students know that the doors are open for them to express themselves freely, using the Beauvoir Life Rules as their guiding principles. Most importantly, they know that they matter.
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“Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly, “one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.” —Hans Christian Anderson
Butterflies Take Flight with Class of 2019 BY CATHERINE CHIECO, PAST PARENT
For many years, the sight of a Monarch butterfly made me think of Beauvoir. More specifically, of a bright day at the end of May in 1999 when the graduating third grade class of which my daughter, Genevieve McGahey ’99, was a part, gathered in the Courtyard to let loose their home-grown butterflies—the ones they had cared for from chrysalis to birth in Mary Marcoux’s science class. Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn—then Cindi Gibbs, Director of the School’s After Beauvoir Center—was there for that ceremony in 1999 and many like it. After years away, when she returned to the Close as Beauvoir’s sixth head of school in 2018, it seems those bright butterflies and May days in the Courtyard had left an imprint on her, as well. Thinking about the traditions of the school that had meant so much and perhaps might be restored, the butterflies were high on Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn’s list—with a slight change, as she took charge of their care. The Class of 2019—a Class that will remain special to her as her first graduating class—got to experience the flight of these newly hatched creatures—an enduring metaphor. Who were the children of the Class of 2019? And what did their last year at Beauvoir look like? “Each class really does have a unique collective personality,” said Megan Chounoune, Grade Level Director for Second and Third Grades. “The Class of 2019 was warm, funny, sweetly sophisticated, and—what I most remember—at moments, incredibly reflective.”
This trait was echoed by Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn as she thought about what made this class unique: “I felt a very special kinship with the Class of 2019 given their thoughtful advocacy throughout the year. It was not uncommon for a third grader or group of students to appear in my office at the end of the day with a note or request for a school project that they felt would improve or impact the school in a positive way. It was through these many exchanges that I was able to learn more about these courageous and admirable students.” The cohesiveness and personality of a class does not occur spontaneously. From the moment the Admissions Committee identifies the incoming class for next year, teachers and administrators begin planning for the myriad activities that will help the individual children and their parents become a part of the Beauvoir Family. Arguably, the identity of the graduating Class of 2019 began early in the fall, when the students, families and caregivers, faculty and staff, participate in the Parents Association’s Fall Festival. The Sunday afternoon picnic, games, and music fest was held on the Close for a long time, before moving to Hearst Park, and, eventually, back to the Close. It is a generous day of welcoming and inclusion and just plain fun—with the serious underlying purpose of building community and connections. At the opening of the school year, the third graders head to Hemlock Overlook in Clifton, VA, something that classes have done for the past twenty-one years. The children hike and hear about nature and See “Butterfly” continued on p. 26
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“Butterfly” from p. 24 the history of the area. Mrs. Chounoune recalls, “This all-day field trip is a chance for the children to bond and you can see them really begin to connect to each other. I won’t claim I saw all the traits of this class emerging back then, but if I think about it, there probably were indications.” When school begins in earnest, each of the four classrooms begins a process of building identity and cohesion, which culminates after six weeks as they vote to choose a name for their individual classrooms. “In 2019,” said Mrs. Chounoune, “we had the Tapirs, Bengal Tigers, Kangaroos, and Galápagos Sea Lions, names the students carry through the year.” One of the things this entire class seemed to have was the sense of advocacy that Mrs. GibbsWilborn mentions: “One of the classes—the Kangaroos—actually started a newspaper. It was a fairly sophisticated enterprise with short interviews, cultural news, book reviews, and a feature called ‘Complaint Corner’. To give you an idea of this, one of the proposed changes came out of a concern about the quality of the video clips used to enhance learning, with suggestions for more appealing ones. Students suggested that teachers might share a read-aloud or maybe an online story that was content-appropriate for pre-kindergarten through third grade. Other topics ranged from the very specific: instituting food portions so the third grade in the last lunch period wouldn’t get ‘stuck with eating the least amount of food,’ to the global: Venezuela’s crisis. These children really paid attention to the world right around them and beyond.” This won’t surprise many in the Beauvoir community, for the third-grade curriculum is a rich one, laced with creativity and the hands-on
approach that has been the School’s hallmark for the past eighty-five years. Teachers are encouraged to add new elements while hewing to the common benchmarks that teachers have established. Highlights of the year in social studies last year were the theme of “What Makes A City?” and the annual unit on Mock Congress in which classes are designated either Senate or House. Students are encouraged to talk to their constituents (other students in school), develop bills, try to pass them in the House and then the Senate, and, ultimately, send several of those passed bills to President Gibbs-Wilborn for approval or veto. In 2019, President Gibbs-Wilborn approved a bill to have Beauvoir students help with the Beauvoir Garden by planting, weeding, and harvesting vegetables and plants from the garden. “What better way to learn and truly understand how our Democratic process works, than to live it, close to home,” said Mrs. Chounoune, “with things that matter to these children at their stage in life.” Another third-grade project that exemplifies how facts can come alive is the biography project—their first, long-term assignment. In March and April, each child selects a famous person to study. They must find two sources of information about the person; two books which they have until March to read. Work is done both in the classroom and at home. They create a timeline of the person’s life, highlighting seven or eight major events. The unit culminates in a written report and a live presentation where each child comes dressed as their person, with appropriate props and other material, and presents to their classmates. They field questions from other students and, according to the teachers, seem to totally inhabit the person they have chosen. About four years ago, a new aspect was added as the children now move onto
“The Class of 2019 was warm, funny, sweetly sophisticated, and—what I most remember—at moments, incredibly reflective.” —Megan Chounoune 26 OUR CHILDREN Beauvoir Views
the art room to create a clay bust of their character.“ We had Pablo Picasso with a paintbrush; Harriet Tubman with a bag of her personal belongings—the things she carried from place to place during her crusade; and Helen Keller depicted with a line of Braille on the edge of the sculpture. It was amazing how these sculptures really resembled the people they were supposed to represent!” recounted Mrs. Chounoune. “This project is fabulous in so many ways, and it’s where the various subjects ‘collide’ in the best sense. Everything comes together in this unit: art, literature, drama, history, and library skills. It’s the template for all the research they will conduct in later years—planning, writing, reading, research—and it’s brilliant to watch what the children do with this.” In literature, the class experienced a Caldecott Study, a teacher-led look at the qualities that make a book worthy of consideration for the annual Randolph Caldecott Medal competition, which recognizes the preceding year’s “most distinguished American
picture book for children” and awards the medal to the illustrator. They read the books, commented on the qualities, and then selected the book they thought should win—last year’s student choice was A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin. Finally, in music, a vital part of life at Beauvoir and on the Close, the children begin with handbells, move on to play the recorder, and weave what they learn into the end-of-year play. Last year’s play was “The Cuckoo” and the students alternated being cast members and members of the musical ensemble. Beauvoir’s Global Studies program is a model of inter-disciplinary learning and has been so for more than two decades in its current form. It is something the third graders and teachers look forward to and it is a creative burst. Last year, the Class of 2019 studied Ecuador. Going back to earlier years, when this class was in first grade, they demonstrated a keen interest in learning the Spanish language. This See “2019” continued on p. 28
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"From the start to finish, Girls on the Run was an enjoyable and rewarding program. Being able to coach these fearless, determined, and amazing young girls was the best experience and has inspired me to come back each year!"
“2019” from p. 27 ultimately guided the choice of countries for their third grade Social Studies Unit. Through the lens of this South American country, the students studied animals and plant life in the Galápagos Islands; made and tasted empanadas with the help of a local restaurant owner; compared and contrasted Ecuador’s current President Lenín Moreno with the United States’ past President Franklin Delano Roosevelt—both men confined to wheelchairs during their presidencies; built an Andean Condor bird in their classrooms; and even constructed a trans-Ecuadorean pipeline out of toilet paper tubes. The unit ended with Museum Night where the children acted as ambassadors for parents and visitors through the fabulous objects on display throughout the school on March 8. Inevitably, the year came to a close, with a final time for Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn to reflect and connect with the third graders. In another gesture to restoring tradition, she decided to reinstate the practice of presenting the graduates with their own geode, emphasizing their uniqueness and beauty on the inside. While each individual, Beauvoir green, mesh bag was prepared holding a single geode and tagged with a word describing each child—leader, persevering, creative—the butterflies in Mrs. GibbsWilborn’s office were ready for their debut. One can easily picture the scene: the Courtyard, the sunny May day. Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn, surrounded by the children as she sits on the wooden bench in the shade of the large spruce tree original to the property, calls each child forward to receive their geode, reading aloud the word on their personalized tag. After receiving their gifts, and with no prior knowledge of the next event, the four third-grade classes went to the four corners of the Courtyard, respectively, where they each discovered a box. As Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn shared how the children are like the butterflies, about to be released into the wide and wonderful world outside Beauvoir, the boxes were opened. To the delight of the children, the butterflies took flight into the air in a flutter of orange and black wings. With the exception of a reluctant few, they settled on some
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—Shanika Bell, Girls on the Run Coach
Unleashing Confidence Through Accomplishment: Girls on the Run BY LAURA VOELKER, SCIENCE TEACHER AND GIRLS ON THE RUN COACH
“The Class of 2019 will always be near and dear to me because the energy we shared during the year was very similar." —Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn children and the little spring flowers in the side gardens, but even these travelers eventually flew beyond the confines of the Courtyard. Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn recently reflected on the ceremony and last year’s class and why it will always have a special place in her heart. “The Class of 2019 will always be near and dear to me because the energy we shared during the year was very similar. We were all mindful of significant transitions—as I had moved to the area with my family to begin my new life at Beauvoir, and they were navigating their final year as soon-to-be graduates—thinking about their upcoming transitions to new schools. I think many of our feelings and emotions were similar: excitement, curiosity, eagerness, and, of course, some anticipatory anxiety. Many of these surfaced in all of us from time to time. It was a year of many remarkable firsts with these students and, based on all that I witnessed during their interactions with peers, teachers, and classmates, I know the Class of 2019 will only continue to shine brightly as they carry the torch of Beauvoir’s Life Rules into the future.”
In the winter and spring months of the 2018-2019 school year, fifteen third grade girls participated in the Girls on the Run program twice a week before the school day began. This ten-week program is about more than just running—Girls on the Run believes that girls are born with power and purpose. The research-based program creatively integrates running into an inspiring curriculum that aims to empower each girl to reach her limitless potential, not just for ten weeks, but for life. As echoed by Sophia Akbar ’19, “Girls on the Run taught me to be strong and to never give up—the importance in life is being persistent.” Our Beauvoir girls, with a range of prior running ability and experience, dedicated themselves to waking up early and braving the cold winter in order to participate in the program. Each lesson emphasized the important connection between physical, emotional, and mental well-being, and included an activity that needed to be completed together. At the end of each lesson, the girls set a goal to put this topic into practice in their day-to-day lives both inside and outside of school. Then, we ran! We trained on the St. Albans School track in order to prepare our minds and bodies for the 5k race in downtown Washington, D.C. in April. “My favorite experience from Girls on the Run was when we got to run with our friends. I also enjoyed listening to music during our practice time. It helped us to keep going and made it really fun,” according to Savannah Daley ’19.
On “race day,” the girls reported feeling a sense of accomplishment, excitement, and camaraderie as they were surrounded by hundreds of girls from teams and schools throughout the D.C. area. Parents and teachers ran (or walked!) alongside our Beauvoir students, as well, and we celebrated together at the finish line with pride! Many thanks to coaches Kaitlyn Hay, Visual Arts Teacher; Megan Chounoune, Grade Level Director, Second and Third Grades; and Shanika Bell, mother of Savannah ’19, Charlotte ’20, and Joshua ’22, for joining me to guide, encourage, and support our Beauvoir Girls on the Run.
“Girls on the Run taught me to be strong and to never give up— the importance in life is being persistent.” —Sophia Akbar ‘19 Beauvoir Views OUR CHILDREN 29
S R R U TO O A C U D E
GLOBAL STUDIES AND CURRICULUM HIGHLIGHTS
Dynamic Early Childhood Curriculum Stays True to Mission BY ANNA CARELLO, ED.D., ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL
A STRONG CURRICULAR TRADITION. Beauvoir’s curriculum has remained strong for over eighty-five years, preparing students in both academic excellence, and social-emotional wellbeing. Our curriculum continues to prepare boys and girls to thrive in the increasingly globalized world in which we live today. Our present world is undoubtedly different from the world Beauvoir’s first sixty-seven students knew eighty-five years ago in 1933. Yet our commitment to an exceptional education rooted in honoring the incredible capacity of children through an extraordinary early childhood program remains our guide as we continuously
enhance our curriculum. We review and analyze our curriculum on a yearly basis, and we include teachers as leaders in that important work. We also rely on research to support our instructional approaches and learning objectives. Whenever we review our program, our goals remain the same: to stay true to our mission to provide an exceptional early childhood education; to facilitate learning experiences that allow every child to play, grow, explore, question, and create; and to nurture child proclivities toward a lifelong love of learning and mastery of skills that enable children to be happy and successful at Beauvoir and in the world beyond. See “Curriculum” continued on p. 32
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The art that adorns our hallways and table displays during Museum Night is representative of synthesized learning that has been transformed from the two-dimensional mind into three-dimensional form by the child. “Curriculum” from p. 31
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF GLOBAL STUDIES Every year, our students embark on a focused extension of our social studies curriculum called Global Studies. Beauvoir’s first Head of School Elizabeth G. Taylor influenced the cross-curricular component of Global Studies. Mrs. Taylor knew “world-mindedness” was important in 1948, and former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit to Beauvoir in 1953 solidified that vision, strengthening the school’s commitment to integrating a worldly view into the curriculum. Since 1948, Beauvoir students have engaged in a curriculum that presents global issues, themes, and tangible experiences to broaden a child’s perspective and create a deeper awareness and appreciation of the greater world around them. However, it is beloved Visual Arts Teacher Judith Cotter who is credited with formalizing the Global Studies program as many families know it today. As the culminating festivity after months of study, Museum Night is the unmatched, school-wide
celebration of our interdisciplinary exploration into the communities and cultures on different continents, a cycle that rotates every five years to focus on the continents of North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. On Museum Night, Beauvoir is transformed. The front foyer turns into a concert hall and the hallways turn into museum exhibits, as the students become erudite docents eager to lead adults on tours through their spectacular, curated displays. There is a special art and science behind a Beauvoir teacher’s approach to global studies. Building always on a curricular connection to a grade-level’s social studies focus, teachers at Beauvoir intentionally and thoughtfully work together to design the learning experience so that students are able to make a connection to another country with what they know and what is familiar. Our librarians and specialists in music, art, science, physical education, and Spanish, collaborate with the partner teachers to extend learning and discovery for students beyond the traditional classroom and into these disciplinary
areas. Together, the entire faculty facilitates experiences that immerse students in the diverse perspectives and cultures of another country within different contexts and milieus at Beauvoir. This interdisciplinary approach is an instructional technique backed by neuroscience, resulting in long-term retention of knowledge. As a whole and without denial, Global Studies and the culminating Museum Night celebration combine to make a transformative adventure that students remember for years. The art that adorns our hallways and table displays during Museum Night is representative of synthesized learning that has been transformed from the two-dimensional mind into threedimensional form by the child. This process represents true understanding of a concept that will stay with the child for years to come. Dr. Mariale Hardiman of the Science of Learning Institute at the Johns Hopkins University, illuminates the brilliant design of our approach to global studies, noting that arts integration through projects, or “the use of the
arts as a pedagogical method for enhancing and reinforcing learning goals, represents a powerful strategy for helping to make sure that information ‘sticks’ in children’s memories” (Hardiman, 2012). Lilian Katz, esteemed early childhood educator and an author of Engaging Children’s Minds: The Project Approach, also highlights how important it is during the learning experience for children to create “form from knowledge.” She notes that through project work, children’s minds are engaged in ways that deepen their understanding of their own experience and environment. As they grow older, they can deepen their awareness and knowledge of others’ experiences and environments and gradually strengthen their confidence in their own intellectual powers, as well as the practical usefulness of academic skills in the service of their intellectual endeavors (Katz, Chard, Kogan, 2014). The art and science at work behind our program help students solidify their understanding of different communities, cultures, perspectives, and experiences, while learning together with their peers at Beauvoir through tactile projects across multiple disciplines. See “Global” continued on p. 35
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Beauvoir Views OUR EDUCATORS 33
“Global” from p. 33
On Museum Night, Beauvoir is transformed. The front foyer turns into a concert hall and the hallways turn into museum exhibits, as the students become erudite docents eager to lead adults on tours through their spectacular, curated displays.
Thanks to our talented educators, this exceptionally transformative learning experience continues as a Beauvoir tradition. Yet, many individuals may not fully know or understand how much preparation goes into facilitating a meaningful Global Studies experience. The process to prepare for global studies actually begins a full year in advance of any student inquiry, research, or creation. As explained earlier, teachers work in grade-level teams to research and then to identify a country with curricular ties to a social studies unit taught in the grade level. For example, the first grade studies our Washington National Cathedral as part of their social studies curriculum, and so first grade teachers often seek to select countries for global studies that also have a rich and diverse religious, social, and architectural history. Another example is the third grade’s social studies focus on Washington, D.C. as the nation’s capital. Third grade teachers look to find countries to study that have interesting themes that relate to capital cities. Two years ago, third grade students studied South Africa for global studies parallel to studying Washington, D.C. South Africa has three capital cities, with each capital city housing a different branch of government: the legislative branch in Cape Town, the administrative branch in Pretoria, and the judicial branch in Bloemfontein. In addition to making political comparisons between Washington, D.C. and the three capital cities in South Africa, students also explored the history of apartheid in South Africa and segregation in the United States, amongst other relevant and historic connections between the two countries. What perhaps is even more impressive about our talented educators, especially visible during Global Studies, is how fluently they facilitate conversation on what “culture” is and means in different countries.
In the summer of 2017, Beauvoir teachers read Zaretta Hammond’s Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and the Brain (2017) as summer reading. Ms. Hammond visited Beauvoir for a day-long workshop with teachers in August when she emphasized the importance of digging deeper into the “roots” of culture. She also commended Beauvoir for understanding that culture is not superficial, but rather a concept of significant depth that should be understood in childhood. In her 2017 book, Ms. Hammond suggests that deep culture is like the root system of a tree—it is what grounds an individual in his or her identity, and what nourishes mental health serving as the bedrock of selfconcept, group identity, and approaches to problem solving and decision making. Unfortunately, in many schools, culture is celebrated through what educators commonly refer to as “the five Fs”: food, festivals, flags, fun, and famous people. Beauvoir teachers know that culture is so much more than these subject areas. Culture, as we explain at Beauvoir throughout the year and most certainly during Global Studies, includes the deeper understanding and interpretation of culture as highlighted in Ms. Hammond’s “culture tree.”
AN EXTRAORDINARY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Developmentally, we know that children learn through play and experience, and that they build empathy by stretching their feelings outside of the self and imagining how others feel or think. Global Studies is one cross-curricular project at Beauvoir that highlights the poignant learning that happens when children are able to make connections between their own identities and knowledge in the creative and safe space of our Beauvoir classrooms. Every year, Beauvoir hums a joyful melody as students experience incredible learning and educational opportunities at each grade level. See “Educational Opportunities” continued on p. 36
CITATIONS (APA STYLE): Hammond, Z. (2017). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain: Promoting authentic engagement and rigor among culturally and linguistically diverse students. Corwin Press. Hardiman, M. M. (2012). The brain-targeted teaching model for 21st-century schools. Corwin Press. Katz, L. G., Chard, S. C., & Chard, S. (2000). Engaging children's minds: The project approach. Greenwood Publishing Group.
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"Educational Opportunities” from p. 35
EDUCATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:
PRE-KINDERGARTEN
KINDERGARTEN
Students in pre-kindergarten looked forward to learning the Beauvoir Life Rules; developed phonemic awareness skills through phonics instruction, in order to set a strong foundation for future reading skills; played with quick image math exercises; attended Chapel services in Taylor Hall; and built empathy through play by taking care of their own individually-named Beauvoir Bear stuffed animals. Special field trips to a pet store to speak with a veterinarian helped students better understand the needs of the classroom pets in each classroom (a fish, a turtle, and a guinea pig), and further supported the development of empathy, compassion, and love that humans and animals can share and give to one another. The All About Me curriculum in pre-kindergarten was inspired, in part, by the philosophy of the late Loris Malaguzzi and the preschools he founded in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Its themed approach helped students build their own understanding and awareness of individual and unique identities of the self, while also building community in the classroom as they created “name books” to honor the individual identities of their classmates. The Global Studies focus for pre-kindergartners was Argentina. Students transformed the pre-kindergarten hallways into “La Boca” neighborhood in Buenos Aires with creative displays of four different types of penguins from Patagonia and mammals from Pampas.
Students in kindergarten worked together building inventory to sell at the Kindergarten Flea Market. Using recycled materials, they produced “upcycled” sustainable and creative goods. Kindergartners also assembled Friendship Toolkits for use in navigating and resolving social conflicts with peers. Their kits included an actual, personally-designed, tool belt equipped with rainbow cards; a laminated hammer cut-out; a popsicle-stick-with-glitter microphone; red and green solution cards; teacher photo cards; a laminated “moving on” hand; miniature sand timer; and a plastic bubble wand. They wore their tool belts either in role play during play workshop or when needed to be kind, respectful, and responsible friends. With their knowledge of how to be a good friend, the kindergarten students made new connections with their Second Grade Buddies.
Special field trips to a pet store to speak with a veterinarian helped students better understand the needs of the classroom pets... 36 OUR EDUCATORS Beauvoir Views
It was not uncommon to see our curious kindergarten students exploring Olmsted Woods as an outdoor classroom, with reading and writing workshop classes sometimes taught in the National Cathedral’s amphitheater. The soothing sounds and feel of nature led to wonderful creative writing! Kindergarten mathematicians developed a strong foundation in early number sense and began solving problems using computation in geometry and measurement. Global Studies focused on Chile and four Beauvoir kindergarten teachers traveled to Chile in order to become ”explorers-in-residence” for our students. Enhancing the learning experience, a member of the Chilean Embassy visited with our kindergartners. Did you know there are over 2,900 volcanoes in Chile? Kindergarten students learned all about them, and even made model volcanoes and mountain ranges!
FIRST GRADE
First grade scientists experimented quite a bit; one memorable lab experiment to learn about solutions and mixtures involved milk, food coloring, and soap to create beautiful colors and patterns using those three substances. First grade students continue to lead our Christmas Chapel as angels, shepherds, and Nativity leaders! The first grade’s curriculum includes a special “Cathedral Studies” theme which allows students to make a strong interdisciplinary connection to and a better understanding of the Washington National Cathedral through reading, writing, and mathematics. First graders learned about Peru during Global Studies and enjoyed a special Peruvian musical performance featuring Beauvoir alums. In addition, first graders learned about traditional Peruvian instruments including a cajón, charango, and, a class favorite, the quijada, a percussion instrument made out of a donkey jawbone. To make a curricular connection to the Washington National Cathedral, first graders used math calculations to compare the Peruvian cathedrals in Cusco and Lima with our National Cathedral. First grade scientists experimented quite a bit; one memorable lab experiment to learn about solutions and mixtures involved milk, food coloring, and soap to create beautiful colors and patterns using those three substances.
SECOND GRADE Second graders continued to discipline their minds and their bodies while training for the always amazing and impressive Gym Show. They also took on a leadership role as “big buddies” for the first time with younger students, which supports relationship building and empathy skill development. Second graders grew their ability as readers in guided reading groups, and practiced building vocabulary and fluency. The writing workshop in second grade built on “small moments” and introduced writing poetry by the spring. In math, students solidified knowledge of place value in order to add and subtract larger numbers. In social studies, second graders engaged in a year-long focus on water (how water affects people, how people affect water, and how those things have changed over time) and visited local water sources on a number of exciting field trips. To make a curricular connection to water that was far away from Beauvoir, second graders explored the Amazon River for global studies. To extend the learning about water beyond social studies, second grade scientists explored water cycles before diving into an investigation on water pollution and filtering technology. Equally important, each student designed and built a water filter to test in the science lab.
In social studies, second graders engaged in a year-long focus on water and visited local water sources on a number of exciting field trips. See “Grade Level Highlights” continued on p. 38
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“Grade Level Highlights” from p. 37
TEACHER-LED CURRICULAR REVIEW KEEPS OUR ACADEMIC PROGRAM STRONG
THIRD GRADE Beauvoir third grade students began the school year team building on the annual Hemlock field trip, an unforgettable experience now in its 21st year of tradition at Beauvoir. Third graders also played various roles during our annual Mock Congress unit in social studies and debated bills, some of which were eventually passed and sent to “President” Gibbs-Wilborn to “sign into law.” They visited the U.S. Capitol, where some students met Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, and took an informative “walking tour” of national monuments. During a memorable experience in science class, third grade scientists learned about the habitat, diet, and adaptations of squids, first making giant paper versions of the incredible animals in order to take a closer look at their anatomy. This “first look” on the paper squids allowed students to focus on the anatomical parts of the animal that enable them to use jet propulsion to swim in the ocean at speeds of up to 25 miles per hour. After creating jet propulsion models using balloons, strings, and straws, students were ready for their first scientific dissection. Parents and caregivers joined children in a special, doubleperiod (a 1.5-hour block) to dissect and explore real squid (see separate article on p. 39). Third graders also dazzled audiences at the end of the year as star performers in the third grade musical and during Maypole at our closing chapel and June graduation.
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The consistent review and analysis of any school’s curriculum is the hallmark of a strong teaching and learning community. Each year, Beauvoir teachers work during planning periods, after school, and even in the summer to review and adjust the Beauvoir curriculum so that we stay true to our mission and vision as a school. Each teacher at Beauvoir is seen as a steward of the Beauvoir curriculum and participates in this annual review through curriculum committee meetings. We thank the following faculty members who took on leadership roles in this important work as either a curriculum committee chair during the school year or a teacher-leader participating in a summer review of a specific area of the Beauvoir curriculum: Sanna Adams Offeibea Boyle Maura Burke Courteney Coyne Kate Davis Rosaleen Doerfler-King Maddie Fromell Allie Frosina Jessica Gillespie Kaitlyn Hay Maryann Heim Tony Hurst
Squid Lab is Hands-On BY LAURA VOELKER, SCIENCE TEACHER
Each year, third grade scientists get the chance to dissect a squid! We spend a few weeks learning about the habitat, behavior, and parts of the squid and then students don aprons, safety goggles, and gloves (optional) to explore their very own squid. Students dissect the suction cup rings, eye lenses, the pen, and the beak, all of which they can bring home with them at the end of the dissection lab. They also get a chance to write with the actual squid ink! This lab is messy (and a little smelly), but the best science experiments usually are, and it’s one they are sure to never forget!
Katie Jamieson Emily Katz Melanie Lago Anne Mackay Chanelle Peters Mary Scott Rawlins Brian Roche Ashley Simpson Debby Suzich Victoria Thomas Colleen Williams
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GLOBAL STUDIES BOOK CLUB
Faculty Model Lifelong Learning BY ANNA CARELLO, ED.D., ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL.
Research in the field of education shows that professional development within a school community, with peers learning together over a period of time, results in positive student learning outcomes for students and increased feelings of teacher self-efficacy. At Beauvoir, we honor that teachers learn and grow together by thoughtfully and intentionally designing in-house professional development opportunities. For example, we learn and grow together in professional learning communities (PLCs) on topics such as literacy, numeracy, social justice, and equity throughout the year. We have unparalleled support for faculty members through the work of a math coach and two literacy instructional coaches. Beauvoir also supports both teachers and students with one reading specialist in each grade from first through third, two math specialists, and an early childhood literacy and math coach dedicated to supporting teachers and students in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten. When we learn and grow together, we increase our impact as educators and provide an extraordinary early childhood education that encourages students to be creative, courageous, lifelong learners.
Our teachers have insatiable appetites for cultivating new knowledge, a characteristic of a Beauvoir educator that is essential and special to our community. As such, we offer travel grants to colleagues willing to embark on global adventures that can enhance the learning experience for children in the subsequent year. We also support teachers in venturing farther afield to learn with experts and other colleagues in the field across the United States. The following highlights from professional development programs, opportunities, and experiences represent how Beauvoir educators actively put the most up-to-date research into practice. By learning and reflecting together over a period of time, we increase our ability to impact student learning and classroom engagement in positive and notable ways.
Our teachers have insatiable appetites for cultivating new knowledge, a characteristic of a Beauvoir educator that is essential and special to our community.
The idea for a book club for faculty in conjunction with Global Studies originated as a means of extending faculty learning and enjoyment during this particular curriculum unit. Working from reviews, we choose books which are written by authors from the region being studied in order to have the experience of reading literature specific to another part of the world. We meet just once to discuss the book, but our conversation and reflections are thoughtful and memorable. Librarian Ashley Ball Simpson and our Director of the ELC and Pre-Kindergarten Colleen Williams, who lead the charge in identifying our annual book club read, compiled a list of the last fifteen years of titles read by those participating in Beauvoir’s Global Studies Book Club. The community aspect of this Global Studies Book Club is a gift to those who participate. Reading and reflecting on an author’s work together as a community deepens our ability to make connections to content and cultural themes with students. The opportunity to engage with authentic text and original thought from a particular area of the world allows teachers and staff members to discuss more complex topics related to culture, politics, and sociology, and address how we can best adapt our sophisticated knowledge or insights in a developmentally appropriate way to engage students. Global Studies at Beauvoir is a schoolwide learning journey for everyone, not just for the students.
CONFERENCE ATTENDANCES AND PRESENTATIONS Beauvoir faculty members participated in a variety of professional development sessions and presented at the following national conferences, seminars, and courses:
3-5 Reading Units of Study AIMS Technology Conference
Mid-Atlantic Episcopal Schools Association Conference
Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development Conference
National Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference
Auxiliary Summer Roundtable with Colleagues in the DMV
National Association of Episcopal Schools Biennial Conference
Blackbaud User Conference
NAIS People of Color Conference
Budding Yogis Teacher Training Certification
National Orff Conference
Certificate in Early Education Leadership Program through Harvard University Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Neuropsychology of Learning Disabilities Course Orton Gillingham Training Preparing Problem Solvers & Innovators Workshop
Diversity Institute: Summer 2018 with Rosetta Lee
Reaching for Greatness
Educating Global Citizens
Reading Toolkits Institute
Educator Writing Course
Reimagining Independent Schools
Educators at the Forefront
Responsive Classroom Advanced Course
Exploring Latin American Culture Workshop
Readiness & Writing Workshop
School Nurse Annual Conference
Handwriting Without Tears Training at Beauvoir
Shadowing An Educator at Georgetown Day School
International Technology and Engineering Conference
Student Centered Coaching Institute
K-2 Writing Workshop
Summer Institute III Math in the City
Learning Across the Curriculum Seminar
Teachers College Writing Institute
Literacy for All Conference
World Languages Exposition and Convention
GLOBAL STUDIES BOOK CLUB CHOICES
2019: South America
2018: Africa
Hippie by Paulo Coelho
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
2017: North America The Round House by Louise Erdrich
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2016: Europe
2015: Asia
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman (Sweden)
Istanbul Memories and the City by Orhan Pamuk
2014: South America Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa
2013: Africa Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
2012: North America
2011: Europe
The Lobster Chronicles by Linda Greenlaw
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
2010: Asia The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
2009: South America My Invented Country by Isabel Allende
2008: Africa Petals of Blood by Ngugi Wa Thiong’o
2007: North America
2006: Europe
House Made of Dawn by N. Scott Momaday
Don’t Look Back by Karin Fossum
2005: Asia Some Prefer Nettles by Junichiro Tanizaki
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Global Studies Travel Grants
I am forever grateful for my experience in Chile. I feel an affinity for Latin American people, humbled at the hospitality I encountered as a guest, and I will always remember the general playfulness and celebration of childhood I witnessed amongst the Chilean community.
One of my favorite moments was witnessing the children taking turns offering classmates a compliment to brighten their day as they transitioned to the next activity.
Greetings From CHILE
WHO: Katherine Alexander, Duckling (Toddler) Teacher, Early Learning Center (ELC) WHERE & WHEN: Santiago, Pucón, and the rural south of Chile, Summer 2018 WHY: Similar to the National Cathedral, the Baha’i Temple in Santiago, Chile is a house of worship that welcomes visitors of all faiths and backgrounds. I was blessed to volunteer at the temple and assist in constructing a greenhouse and a land rehabilitation
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activity. The Baha’i schools I visited have a program with components that resemble Beauvoir’s Life Rules, teaching the children to acknowledge virtues that they recognize in one another and themselves. Sharing world-mindfulness with the ELC children involves showing photos and videos of Chilean children at play and explaining that they are just like us. In the Duckling classroom, language development is a primary focus for our one and two year olds. As I stayed and traveled with families with young children, I grew in my appreciation of what my toddler learners are experiencing as they walk the path of acquiring language. I strengthened my understanding of the consistent need to skillfully observe a young child’s behavior to understand and show respect for what they are saying when they attempt to express themselves. I also deepened my appreciation for how foreign and puzzling we adults must seem to children as we attempt to communicate in a way we hope they will understand.
service project. Plants have a challenging time growing in the mountains, and I welcomed the responsibility of advancing their mission to replenish nutrients in the soil. My visits to schools in rural southern Chile illuminated similarities between our philosophies. With a strong spiritual focus, the foundation for a lifelong love of learning involves excellent character and leadership development and respect for each child’s individual needs for instruction. One of my favorite moments was witnessing the children taking turns offering classmates a compliment to brighten their day as they transitioned to the next
I am forever grateful for my experience in Chile. I feel an affinity for Latin American people, humbled at the hospitality I encountered as a guest, and I will always remember the general playfulness and celebration of childhood I witnessed amongst the Chilean community.
Top: At the Baha'i Temple in Santiago, a house of worship for all people. During regular visiting hours, silence is required and books from multiple faiths are provided for individual prayer. Middle: In Valparaiso, a mural of the elevator car unique to Chile that carries you up the mountain to shop and celebrate the beautiful view. Bottom: View from the port city of Valparaíso.
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Below: Ms. Peters, Ms. Thomas, and Ms. Davis enjoy the views of the Pacific Ocean from Vina del Mar.
Global Studies Travel Grants
Our week in Chile gave us a glimpse at the huge ecological diversity of the country, which ranges from arid desert to lush agricultural valleys to peaks and glaciers.
Holá From
CHILE
Left: Ms. Davis, Ms. Peters, Ms. Thomas, and Beauvoir Bear at the roaring Petrohué Falls.
WHO: Kate Davis, Chanelle Peters, and Victoria Thomas WHERE & WHEN: The three of us (and Beauvoir Bear) traveled to Chile in December 2018 and January 2019 to prepare for the kindergarten study of Chile. We first explored Santiago, the capital of Chile, and took a day trip to the coastal city of Valparaiso. We then flew to the Lake District and stayed in Puerto Varas on Lake Llanquihue, where we connected with nature in several of Chile’s many beautiful national parks. Our week in Chile gave us a glimpse at the huge ecological diversity of the country, which ranges from arid desert to lush agricultural valleys to peaks and glaciers.
After learning about Chile’s agriculture, our students were so excited to see produce from Chile available in supermarkets all winter! 44 OUR EDUCATORS Beauvoir Views
WHY:
To help make connections between the trees in the D.C. area with those in Chile, we spent time hiking in Parque Nacional Alerce Andino...
■ Kindergartners spend part of the year studying
nature nearby in Olmsted Woods. To help make connections between the trees in the D.C. area with those in Chile, we spent time hiking in Parque Nacional Alerce Andino, where some of the oldest living trees, the Alerce Andino (a tree similar to the redwood) are found. On our outdoor explorations, we hiked to an Andean lake, lost count trying to keep track of the many volcanoes in the area, and saw numerous zorro gris (gray foxes), which served as an inspiration for a growth mindset-focused drawing unit in kindergarten; and
CHALLENGES: Chile is a very long and narrow country and doesn’t have a highway that completely connects the country from north to south. The country relies on its ships and aircraft to connect the country together. FASCINATING FACTS:
■ We explored a Chilean market in Puerto Montt,
where we purchased fresh fish and produce. A local guide taught us how to make Chilean ceviche and stuffed salmon with our purchases. After learning about Chile’s agriculture, our students were so excited to see produce from Chile available in supermarkets all winter!
Beauvoir Bear sits at the base of a two-thousand-year-old Alerce tree, locally called the Alerce Milenario.
In Santiago, we learned about the history of indigenous people in Chile and were inspired by the ways that ancient Incans kept track of data using beautiful knotted yarn called quipus to represent information, such as the populations of cities. Back at Beauvoir, we created our own quipus to keep track of data we collected about our classes’ favorite Chilean animals.
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Global Studies Travel Grants Below: A view of Huayna Picchu* (*Huayna Picchu means “Young Peak” and Machu Picchu means “Old Peak” in Quechua).
Our Global Studies
Bienvenida a
PERU
investigation of Peru was enhanced by the opportunity to experience the country firsthand. Thank you, Beauvoir!
An outdoor cooking class in Lima.
I took a train from Cusco to Machu Picchu Town to trek to the Machu Picchu ruins and found a truly beautiful view! My last stop was Lima, where I toured a market with a local chef and participated in a cooking class!
WHO: Courteney Coyne, First Grade Partner Teacher WHERE & WHEN: In August of 2018, I traveled to Peru to explore Cusco, Machu Picchu, and Lima in preparation for Global Studies 2019. My first stop was the Incan capital city of Cusco where I explored the Plaza de Armas, Sacsayhuamán ruins, and encountered a herd of alpacas. I took a train from Cusco to Machu Picchu Town to trek to the Machu Picchu ruins and found a truly beautiful view! My last stop was Lima, where I toured a market with a local chef and participated in a cooking class!
My first stop was the Incan capital city of Cusco where I... encountered a herd of alpacas. 46 OUR EDUCATORS Beauvoir Views
WHY:
■ We integrated our math place-value and
measurement units and first graders compared the size of llamas and alpacas, learned about scale, and compared the size of Machu Picchu with other landmarks around the world;
■ When I returned to Beauvoir, I was able to
recreate my trip along the Inca Road with first grade students and share my photos, videos, and artifacts;
■ First graders read National Geographic articles
■ During our investigation of Peru, first grade
and Ted Lewin’s book entitled, The Lost City: The Discovery of Machu Picchu; and
teachers became experts on various topics and visited each first grade class as guest lecturers. Our guest lecturers spoke about the Amazon rainforest, plazas, food and agriculture, the Inca road, topography, art, and architecture in Peru;
■ First graders compared and contrasted cathedrals
in Cusco and Lima with the Washington National Cathedral, connecting Global Studies and Cathedral Studies.
■ First graders enjoyed a Peruvian musical
performance featuring Beauvoir alums! We learned about traditional Peruvian instruments including a cajón, charango, and a class favorite—the quijada, a percussion instrument made out of a donkey’s jawbone;
IMPACT: Hiking at Machu Picchu
Our Global Studies investigation of Peru was enhanced by the opportunity to experience the country firsthand. Thank you, Beauvoir!
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The Courage to Teach Empowers Faculty and Staff BY ANNA CARELLO, ED.D., ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL.
In her inaugural year, Head of School, Cindi GibbsWilborn selected a profoundly moving book for our faculty and staff annual summer reading assignment. The purpose of our summer reading as faculty and staff is to learn and grow together around a common topic. Reading and reflection on a topic together mirror the learning and reflection cycle that we so frequently create for our students in the classroom, a learning cycle that is essential for long-term learning; reflecting on what we learn and what we experience is not only a meaningful learning technique for both children and adults, but learning that ensures we remember what we have learned for years to come. Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn chose this book with intentionality, setting the stage for our summer reading even before she arrived in July. The following personal inscription placed within 107 books for each of Beauvoir’s faculty and staff highlighted her intention: “As we begin this new journey together, please join me in a reading dive this summer so that we may return in September ready to ‘reconnect with ourselves, our students, our colleagues, and our important work, and reclaim our passion for one of the most challenging and important of human endeavors: teaching and learning.’ As your incoming Head of School, I am truly honored to be teaching alongside you and learning with each of you next year.” Parker Palmer’s The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life was first published in 1998 and is renowned in the field of education as a seminal guide for educators seeking to remind themselves of the passion and commitment required to teach and inspire communities of people. In the book, Palmer reminds us that good teaching cannot be reduced to a single technique, and that it should be rooted in the identity and integrity of the teacher (Palmer, 2018).
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Beauvoir’s faculty and staff read the 20th anniversary special edition of Palmer’s book, uniting us in our belief that regardless of whether or not a colleague at Beauvoir works inside a classroom, each staff member here is also a teacher of children. Each of us is called to positively impact the lives of children at Beauvoir, and The Courage to Teach reminded us of our unique roles in making deep connections with students at such an important time in childhood development. You can embark on a personal reflection just as Beauvoir faculty and staff did together last August by reflecting on some of the following words of wisdom and questions from The Courage to Teach: “The best gift we receive from great mentors is not their knowledge or their approach to teaching but the sense of self they evoke within us. Share a story about one of your favorite teachers. What do you most vividly remember about that teacher? How did he or she make you feel? What was his or her relation to the subject taught? What was the ethos in the classroom? What does that scenario tell you about that teacher’s identity and integrity? “What does it take to create relational trust in a setting where it is in short supply? What does it take to maintain relational trust in a setting where it is well established? What kind of outer work is required? What kind of inner work is required? What risks have you taken with these experiments and what price have you paid? What have you learned from these experiments—about yourself and the world? “The inner teacher acts as a guard at the gate of our selfhood, warding off what insults our integrity and welcoming whatever affirms it. If you think of yourself as having an inner teacher, how do you try to listen to that voice? What encourages you to do so? What impedes you from doing so?”
QUOTES FROM FACULTY & STAFF MILESTONE COLLEAGUES Parker Palmer reflects in The Courage to Teach that “when we reconnect who we are with what we do, we approach our lives and our work with renewed passion, commitment, and integrity.” What a gift it is then to have such dedicated faculty and staff members serving our community— teachers and colleagues who year after year recommit to their passion and purpose in order to share in and shape the transformative experience of a Beauvoir education. In the spirit of our summer reading and Palmer’s inspiring words of wisdom, we asked five colleagues who celebrated a milestone this year to share how they have felt inspired by their work here at Beauvoir over the years.
“At a young age, I realized what a difference a teacher can make in a child’s life and entered the profession with the hope of having a positive impact on my students' lives. Throughout my career, I have learned that the opposite is also true—students can have a positive influence on their teachers, too. There is no better feeling than the one you get as you watch a child work on something, possibly even struggling at times, and then, with perseverance and patience, they accomplish their goal. The joy on the child’s face, radiating with the realization that he or she can now do (or understand) something that seemed impossible, is the gift that comes with teaching.” —Maryann Heim, Learning Resources Specialist, celebrating 20 years of service
"Working at Beauvoir for me is a wonderful opportunity to play a role in shaping the minds and hearts of countless children." —Molli Laux, School Registrar, celebrating 5 years of service “I choose to teach at Beauvoir because it is a place where childhood is valued, celebrated, and preserved every day.” —Courteney Coyne, Partner Teacher, First Grade, celebrating 5 years of service
“I teach to inspire, motivate, and hopefully play a role in shaping the next generation of courageous, creative thinkers!” —Mary Ann Bliss, Director of Academic Technology, celebrating 30 years of service
“Michelangelo said, ’Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.’ I teach to help reveal the greatness inside every student. They will change our world for the better and I want to set them up for success. Plus, they make me laugh every day.” —Jessica Gillespie, Partner Teacher, Third Grade, celebrating 5 years of service
Palmer reminds us that good teaching cannot be reduced to a single technique, and that it should be rooted in the identity and integrity of the teacher (Palmer, 2018). Beauvoir Views OUR EDUCATORS 49
Emotional Literacy in Boys BY LILY HOWARD SCOTT
[As posted by Valerie Strauss in The Washington Post, November 20, 2018]
There’s a gift shop in Brooklyn that knows its audience well. In the window, sequined pencil cases and T-shirts shout “Girl Boss” and “Fearless Female Warrior.” When two of my third-grade students walk into the classroom wearing identical “Strong Is the New Pretty” tank tops, they high-five one another. I beam, feeling uplifted and a bit smug—yes, girls, you are powerful and proud! Did my teaching embolden you? (Answer: No. These two were born in Park Slope and have been railing against the patriarchy since preschool.) I turn to their male classmates and wonder: Will any of them ever don a “Sensitive Is the New Strong” backpack? An “Emotional Warrior” T-shirt? A “Vulnerable Vibes” beanie? In the age of #ShePersisted and #TimesUp, many of us are thrilled that girls are, well, behaving more like boys: challenging authority and speaking their minds. Thank goodness we’re broadening our understanding of what girls can do and be. But while we’re eager to celebrate girls who display traditionally “masculine” virtues like courage and assertiveness, we haven’t been as quick to celebrate boys who embrace traditionally “feminine” qualities like introspection or vulnerability. This asymmetry is just another manifestation of sexism: As Sarah Rich recently observed, when we “send a message to children that ‘boyish’ girls are badass but ‘girlish’ boys are embarrassing, [we] are telling kids that society values and rewards masculinity, but not femininity.” If emotional literacy—the ability to identify, understand, and express our feelings and to empathize with the feelings of others— is to be gendered as “feminine,” we’re in trouble. Michael Ian Black warns that emotionally stunted boys become dysfunctional men who remain
“trapped in the same suffocating, outdated model of masculinity, where manhood is measured in strength, where there is no way to be vulnerable without being emasculated, where manliness is about having power over others.” But cultural and economic changes have diluted that power and left many men feeling insignificant and angry (if not downright obsolete). It’s no surprise that quite a few have taken comfort in far-right movements and misogynist Internet subcultures. On a less dramatic note, I know plenty of men who seem well-adjusted but are emotionally illiterate. They try to suppress their insecurities and anxieties, but when those feelings inevitably bubble up, these men don’t understand them, can’t name them, and are therefore at their mercy. Unable to communicate productively, they shut down or lash out. It’s critical that we find a way to give America’s boys the tools to wrangle with their inner lives. How can we normalize the language of emotional literacy before it’s too late? According to the inimitable (and aptly named) Fred McFeely Rogers—T.V.’s Mister Rogers—we need to start early. Testifying before the Senate in 1969, Fred Rogers insisted that young children need to learn that their “feelings are mentionable and manageable,” and that talking to children about the “mad that they feel” can be the first step to their learning how to navigate tricky emotions. Parents can have these conversations with their children. So can therapists. But these options only work when families are aware of and interested in tackling this issue. Who’s left? Happily, someone who spends about 1,800 hours with young boys every year: their elementary-school teacher. Responsible for the See “Boys” continued on p. 52
If emotional literacy—the ability to identify, understand, and express our feelings and to empathize with the feelings of others—is to be gendered as “feminine,” we’re in trouble. 50 OUR EDUCATORS Beauvoir Views
2018-2019 “Boys” from p. 50 holistic education of students during the most formative time of their lives, a lower-grade teacher has a particularly powerful platform for reaching children because she’s with them all day long. And a second- or third-grade boy, not yet paralyzed by self-consciousness, is an enthusiastic and impressionable being. If his teacher models how to identify her feelings, how to share about them with others, and how to manage them, he’ll listen. If she asks him to do the same, he’ll give it a try. Through role-playing, writing and talking about his emotions, he’ll learn how to name and categorize them. He may even discover how to recognize his personal predilections and patterns, how to interrupt negative self-talk, and how to quiet his anxieties. Perhaps most importantly, by listening to his classmates share about their inner lives, he’ll realize that his worries and insecurities aren’t unique to him. He’ll feel less alone, and he’ll develop a heightened sense of connectedness with, and empathy for, the experiences of others. Although this sounds like a tall order, it’s possible. Determined to try to Mister Rogersify my teaching, I recently integrated emotional literacy instruction throughout my language-arts curriculum. My 8- and 9-year-old students created maps of their “inner swirls and outer shells”—what they feel and how they believe others perceive them, respectively— and used those maps to inspire poetry writing. As the children shared about their fears, hopes and wonderings, they marveled at the assumptions they had made about one another and at their unexpected connections. One boy cautioned his classmates not to underestimate him: “just because I’m disabled/ doesn’t mean you can win every battle/ just because I have glasses/ doesn’t mean I’m blind.” Another explored the pressures he feels to act in different ways with different people: “they are my
true friends/ who I dare show both sides of me to.” And a third boy taught us all a lesson in dealing with anxiety: “if you think focusing on your worries is gonna help/ it really isn’t/ so let them do their thing/ and eventually/ poof/ they’ll be gone.” While this introspective work resonated with all my students, I was pleased—and frankly a bit surprised—to find that many boys were especially eager to jump into it. They seemed thrilled to discover that revealing their “inner swirls” didn’t alienate them from their peers but actually connected them to one another more deeply. Some might question how my class spent its time. Plenty of people seem to think of a teacher’s job as dispensing facts and taking responsibility for test scores and other readily quantified indicia of “achievement.” But I think it’s at least as important to invest in forming functional human beings as it is to impart readily available knowledge and soon-to-beautomated skills. And emotionally literate students are generally more sophisticated readers, writers and critical thinkers than their classmates who haven’t yet learned how to cope with anxiety or self-doubt—when faced with an intimidating assignment, these ill-equipped children tend to withdraw or give up. Lower-grade teachers are some of the most thoughtful interventionists I know. They can boost a student’s reading level or transform a child’s attitude about math. So why don’t we reconceive what they’re capable of and train them to expressly teach children to identify, express and manage their feelings? Public and private schools spend thousands of dollars each year on professional development. This fall, I’d encourage administrators to prioritize something a bit harder to quantify than test scores, but just as vital: the emotional lives of America’s kids— especially its boys.
As the children shared about their fears, hopes and wonderings, they marveled at the assumptions they had made about one another and at their unexpected connections. 52 OUR EDUCATORS Beauvoir Views
Retirements and Appreciations At the conclusion of the school year, Beauvoir celebrated colleagues Judith Cotter, Lydia Cox, and Heidi Tryon. These beloved members of the Beauvoir community served the school—and many classes of students—in immeasurable ways. We are so grateful.
LYDIA COX Physical Education Teacher Lydia has served the Beauvoir community for the last thirty-seven years. She has a BA in liberal arts, with a focus on elementary and secondary physical education, from Western Maryland College (now known as McDaniel College). She has presented at multiple education conferences and served on the AIMS Academic Advisory Committee. Some of Lydia’s favorite parts of Beauvoir’s physical education (PE) work are Halloween activities, the Second Grade Gym Show, Third Grade Maypole, and lessons about athletes with inspirational stories. She is known by students, families, and colleagues for her skillful and thoughtful teaching of these traditions and our entire PE Curriculum. “I have a lot of mixed emotions about leaving Beauvoir! I have been here my whole career because who would leave? It is a special place that focuses on young children, which have always been my passion. Beauvoir has supported the physical education program fully! The teachers were able to develop a curriculum in which the students experience a wide variety of activities, develop skills, learn the importance of physical fitness, develop teamwork, and remember to have fun! I have learned every day from the incredibly talented teachers and administration that I have had the privilege to work with and have felt supported through triumphs and tragedies in this community. I feel truly blessed to have worked at such a special place, which will always be a part of my heart.”
“It has been a joy to work with and learn from Lydia. Her knowledge and excitement about physical education are visible in her teaching every day. She has shared her passion for PE and Beauvoir with me and with so many students. I know I speak for all of Beauvoir in wishing her the very best in her next adventure!” — Catie Bliss, Physical Education Teacher Beauvoir Views OUR EDUCATORS 53
2018-2019 Retirements & Appreciations
HEIDI TRYON School Nurse Heidi was hired as Beauvoir’s first full-time nurse and has served the Beauvoir community for twenty-six years. Heidi is a native Washingtonian with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from The Catholic University of America and Master of Science in sports medicine from Ohio University. She worked as a pediatric nurse and a certified athletic trainer prior to her tenure at Beauvoir. Heidi was instrumental in researching and writing Beauvoir’s Health Curriculum with the Science Committee in 1998, and in teaching it to students and sharing it with families and colleagues in the years since.
JUDITH COTTER Visual Arts Teacher Judith has served the Beauvoir community for twentythree years. She graduated from Buffalo State College with a Bachelor of Science in art education and moved to Washington, D.C. to begin teaching at the Fillmore Arts Center, serving D.C. public school students. She later taught at a school in Hyattsville, MD, introducing art curriculum and developing a program called “Celebration of the Arts,” which focused on a different country each year. Judith then brought this work to Beauvoir, where she was integral in the creation and implementation of Global Studies and Museum Night.
“Beauvoir is special because it’s always all about the children. I feel strongly about creating a safe environment for children and giving them the knowledge so that they can create healthy habits.”
“Walking into Beauvoir just makes you happy. It’s a beautiful, special, and magical place.”
“Judith Cotter brings magic to every interaction. Working alongside her has been a blessing of friendship, artistic and professional growth, and pure joy. Speaking on behalf of Beauvoir students, faculty and staff, and myself, we are deeply grateful for Judith’s unwavering belief in our creative potential and for the passion and love she models each and every day.” — Kaitlyn Hay, Visual Arts Teacher 54 OUR EDUCATORS Beauvoir Views
“Ask any Beauvoir alum what they remember and it will be the glitter germ lessons and the holiday-themed stickers. For 26 years, Heidi’s expertise has reassured parents and families. Her comprehensive and diligent response to the health and safety needs of our children and staff is unmatched. Heidi was my introduction to school nursing and I credit her for the foundation and confidence I was able to bring to my practice. I copied every lesson she taught me. She set the standard and many other independent school nurses have followed in her footsteps. Beauvoir is so grateful for your countless hours of work and care, Heidi. Congratulations on a memorable career. We wish you the very best. (Would you like a cup of ice?)”
— Judy Brinckerhoff, Past Parent and Afternoon Nurse Beauvoir Views OUR EDUCATORS 55
2018-2019 Retirements & Appreciations
Retirement Connections Reflect Heart of Community BY JOAN FERGERSON, PAST PARENT AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
A Thank You to Michael Eanes Michael Eanes brought over fifty years of experience in the field of education and pedagogy, the last ten of which were serving as an Interim Head of several highly reputable independent schools throughout the country. Michael’s experience was invaluable during the transition phase by keeping the engines of our great programs running, securing quality hires, and continuing practices that ensure the school’s financial health. Michael often stated that his primary objective was to maximize the probability of success for his successor. While much of his work was done behind the scenes, I can say unequivocally that Michael accomplished his primary objective and Beauvoir is better today as a result. — Billy Kappaz, Beauvoir Governing Board Chair
MILVERTA BALL
DOLORES “LOLO” ROMERO
Mrs. Milverta Ball began working as a member of the kitchen staff at Beauvoir in 1985 and became a beloved member of our community. She retired from full-time work at the school in 2017, but comes back to the school regularly to help when she is needed. Below are some memories about her time at the school that she recently shared.
Dolores “Lolo” Romero, who retired in 2018, began working as a custodian at Beauvoir in 1984, after helping nurture and maintain the gardens and grounds of the Washington National Cathedral. As a witness to Lolo’s strong work ethic and special pride as he cared for the Courtyard over time, Peter Junghans, Beauvoir’s then-Business Manager, created an opportunity for him to serve in a different capacity. “I would never have had the opportunity if it wasn’t for Mr. Peter who hired me, and was the best manager I ever had,” he recalled.
“When I first came to Beauvoir, the children sat at tables family style like today, but they came up by table and went through the serving line for their food. I remember they were very polite with good manners.” Beauvoir offered a bus service for students for many years and Mrs. Ball rode the bus as a chaperone. “I just loved Caroline Barber who always made sure she sat next to me on the bus. I was so excited to see her return to Beauvoir as a parent, [now] Caroline Greene, after all those years.” During many alumni reunions, students would make their way down to the kitchen to see if she were there and, when they connected, she was always thrilled to see them. “What I miss most are the children and all the people at the school. The teachers and staff were a very close-knit group and I always felt treated with respect and a part of the community. My two sons and daughter worked for many years in the summer program and it was so nice to have them around the school. I was so proud to work at Beauvoir and couldn’t wait to get to the school every day to see the children,” Mrs. Ball said.
Lolo soon became an indispensable member of the school and was always eager to help in any way that was needed. “I loved the sense of family and community. I always felt welcomed and respected and happy to help the teachers. Some of my favorite memories were all the third grade celebrations. The students were so loved by their teachers,” he said. “I remember Mrs. Carreiro was such a caring leader and like a family member to my children. I miss seeing all my colleagues and my Beauvoir family. Beauvoir will always be missed in my heart.”
“I loved the sense of family and community. I always felt welcomed and respected and happy to help the teachers." Beauvoir Views OUR EDUCATORS 57
Former CFO Pursues Artistic Avocations in Mountain Retreat BY ANNA CARELLO, ED.D., ASSOCIATE HEAD OF SCHOOL.
In May 2018, Beauvoir announced Arthur Hall’s retirement as Chief Financial Officer with bittersweet feelings: while we were grateful for Mr. Hall to enjoy a change of pace after eight years of stewardship over so many aspects of Beauvoir’s community, we were also sad to see him leave the Close. Mr. Hall was always busy while he worked at Beauvoir, often seen checking in on classrooms and teachers early in the morning with his coffee mug in hand. Students likely remember his whimsical bowties which he wore every day, his tall frame always gently bending down to a child’s eye level in order to share the pattern or theme of the bowtie for that day. His leadership over the school’s finances, security, human resources, and physical plant over the years undoubtedly ensured our students, families, and Beauvoir colleagues continue to enjoy such a beautiful and thriving community today. While Mr. Hall is officially “retired,” his life remains full, occupying his time now with the sights, sounds, and
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experiences that living in the mountains of North Carolina inspire. Reconnecting with him and hearing about the new “beautiful views” he has experienced since leaving Beauvoir was pure delight. Since retiring from Beauvoir, Mr. Hall and his wife moved into a home in far northwest North Carolina in the Pisgah Mountains, an unsung mountain range that sits between the majestic Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains within the Appalachian Mountain chain. Their home, designed in part by Mr. Hall who is also a trained architect, is close enough to the French Broad River that he can hear the rapids tumbling over rocks at night. On a clear night, he can also look up to see the Milky Way stretched across the starlit sky. The closest city to Mr. Hall’s home is Asheville, NC, which is a 40-minute drive away. There, Mr. Hall and his wife have enjoyed fabulous dining, including over 100 breweries and cideries, and an array of musical concerts, art
exhibits, and cinematic events. Since Lexington, KY; Savannah, GA; and Charleston, SC are short trips away, Mr. Hall and his wife have taken a number of side trips to explore different cities, always enjoying the adventures that life in the American southeast offers. Mr. Hall has also enjoyed a good amount of woodworking, noting that “it is easy to get fine domestic hardwoods here and there as an importer of wood from across the globe as well. I have made several tables and smaller items using cherry, hickory, canary wood, padauk, pink ivory, sourwood and others.” Photography is also a hobby that Mr. Hall continues to pursue in his retirement, a skill he has refined over the years with even the Washington National Cathedral and Bishop’s Garden serving as his photographic muses while he worked on the Close.
leadership over the construction and building of the Paula J. Carreiro Center for Outdoor Learning playground, for maintaining a balanced budget each year, growing the endowment, and the memorable accomplishment of helping Beauvoir recover from the double floods we experienced after the 5.8 magnitude earthquake in 2011. Mr. Hall can also be proud of the deep relationships he built with his business office and facilities teams while at Beauvoir. He fondly remembered, “I always enjoyed projects with Jose Hernandez and Luis Gonzalez. I feel they are looking over my shoulder when I am in my woodshop here, mostly to make sure I don't make any mistakes! I also think of the business office and facilities team in some way every day. I was lucky to have such talented and committed partners through thick and thin.”
While reflecting on his time in the Beauvoir community, Mr. Hall recalled what made his tenure such a unique and memorable experience. “Working at Beauvoir gave me the chance to pull together all the threads of my career in an intimate community with beautiful children. As a result, I was always stimulated by the challenges and opportunities. All of us who work in schools are just passing through; the schools were doing great things before us and will do great things after we are long forgotten. If we can leave our areas better than we found them, we have been fortunate enough to do good work. I always felt able to draw on my prior experiences and contribute to whatever was at hand. At the same time, there were so many people in so many roles who taught me important things and new ways of thinking that it is hard to count them all.” Indeed, it is also difficult for Beauvoir to count all the people that Mr. Hall positively impacted as well, with his indelible mark still present on many aspects of our tremendous school. Mr. Hall can be proud of his
There is no question that Mr. Hall helped secure Beauvoir’s place as a strong school community as it celebrated eighty-five years of establishment this past year. As the school looks forward to celebrating additional milestones in future years, we can also include Mr. Hall’s contributions to that successful future, too. He hopes that in the next eighty-five years, Beauvoir will continue to value courage and the reciprocal relationships that grow when we are each open and willing to learn from one another. Above all, however, he hopes that we maintain our commitment to being a community of “courtesy, forgiveness, and integrity. Without integrity you are nothing.” While we no longer see Mr. Hall every day in the halls of Beauvoir, we can now imagine those wonderful sights, sounds, and experiences he enjoys in his retirement. We thank him for his generosity of service and hallmark leadership as a beloved member of the Beauvoir community, and we continue to remember him with gratitude and respect.
Since retiring from Beauvoir, Mr. Hall and his wife moved into a home in far northwest North Carolina in the Pisgah Mountains, an unsung mountain range that sits between the majestic Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains within the Appalachian Mountain chain. Beauvoir Views OUR EDUCATORS 59
Y T I R U UN OM M O C
Alumni Visits Link Past with Present BY ABIGAIL SCHICK, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ASSOCIATE
Brewster Taylor ’59
Thomas Fuller '61
Brewster Taylor ’59, grandson of Beauvoir’s first Head of School Elizabeth Glascock Taylor (19331964), visited in April 2019. Mr. Taylor started his visit by talking to third-grade class friends about their experiences and was able to share with them some of the similarities and differences he saw in the lives of students sixty years apart. For example, today’s third graders learned that while Mr. Taylor never played the recorder in music class, he did participate in lessons focused on Global Mindedness, just like they do today. Mr. Taylor was also able to participate in the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten Chapel service that was held in Taylor Hall, aptly named for his grandmother. He also shared wonderful stories of chapel services in the Washington National Cathedral when it was still under construction. Thomas Fuller '61 visited in September 2019 after meeting and making the “Beauvoir connection” with our own Director of Learning Resources Anne Marie Desaulniers and Associate Head of School
Julia Howe ’95
Anna Carello at a conference in Boston, MA. Mr. Fuller was Head of Lower School at Brimmer and May, an independent school in Chestnut Hill, and is now retired. Mr. Fuller shared stories of his days at Beauvoir and was excited and eager to return, especially to see the playground. Julia Howe ’95 visited over the summer of 2019 to see what’s been going on at her alma mater, and to connect with our Institutional Advancement Office in preparation for a new position as Development Director at the UCLA Lab School. Best wishes, Julia! Beauvoir alumni are always welcome to return to see what’s happening at the school. Our youngest Beauvoir friends also love to see what becomes of our amazing students when they take their next steps beyond their Beauvoir beginnings. Come and visit us at Beauvoir. We would love to share the School with you and hear your stories and memories. Please let us know when you might be in the area by contacting Abigail Schick, Community Engagement Associate, at abigail.schick@cathedral.org.
Our youngest Beauvoir friends also love to see what becomes of our amazing students when they take their next steps beyond their Beauvoir beginnings. Come and visit us at Beauvoir. Beauvoir Views OUR COMMUNITY 61
Annual Fair Yields Titles for Beauvoir and Beyond Each year, the Beauvoir Book Fair celebrates the love of reading. This three-day event in November, organized by our Beauvoir parents, is the library’s primary source of new books for the school year. In 2018, the Book Fair sold over 3,700 books consisting of over 900 titles for a total of $54,791. An additional 250 titles, as selected by the Beauvoir Librarians, were donated to the Beauvoir Library. Fourteen boxes of gently used books were donated to The Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys. In November 2018, the week included special author visits from Russell Ginns and Bridgette Zou '99. Volunteers and participants make our Book Fair a tradition as cherished as a favorite story.
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Beauvoir Views OUR COMMUNITY 63
EXPLORE. PLAY. DISCOVER.
Beauvoir Summer Equals Fun BY CAROLINE MAFFRY, DIRECTOR OF AUXILIARY PROGRAMS
Summers at Beauvoir provide children an opportunity to explore, play, and discover through engaging learning activities. Programs are available for ages six months to 17 years—with a key focus on rising pre-kindergartners to fifth graders— and are open to all children from the greater community. Our attendance increased by 175 camp families in Summer 2019, and we welcomed over 200 new campers! New programming for Summer 2019 included sign-up options for all ages, allowing more flexibility for families’ summer schedules. We expanded our toddler program (ages six months to 3 years), offering two adult/child morning classes per day (a 45-minute music class and/or movement class). New half-day options for rising kindergartners included Spanish and French options, plus a new two-week, half-day math program for rising second and third graders. We partnered with new vendors, Nazlymov Fencing and Silver Knights (coding, robotics, and chess), to round out our wide variety of program choices. Our outdoor camps are especially beloved and appropriately named Nature Navigators, Outward Bound, and Outdoor Explorers. Campers explored our area’s parks, took hikes, engaged in water activities with team-
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building challenges, adventured in war canoes, ventured to a private Potomac River island for excursions and games, kayaked, and attempted whitewater rafting. Our oldest outdoor campers rounded out their week with a fantastic overnight campout on campus. Our signature playground and pool with water play and daily swim for our youngest pre-kindergarten campers are mainstays of our wonderful program. All campers are supported by a swim staff trained in CPR and First Aid. Staff members also complete an onsite water safety course and a unique training class on how to teach swimming to young children. Every year, new partnerships complement old-time favorites offering multiple fun options for families and campers who join Beauvoir Summer.
Our signature playground and pool with water play and daily swim for our youngest pre-kindergarten campers are mainstays of our wonderful program. Beauvoir Views OUR COMMUNITY 65
Kelvin L. Coleman
Kris McBrady
Fernanda Montaño
Fred Underwood
Courteney Simchak
Bill A. Burck
Jane E. Genster
Cara Hur
Nichole F. Reynolds
Governing Board Welcomes New Members 2018-2019 MR. KELVIN L. COLEMAN “My family and I fell in love with Beauvoir the very day we met Margaret Hartigan at a Black Student Fund School Fair in the fall of 2004. Our only child at the time was two years old. A few years later, we were blessed with the opportunity to join the Beauvoir family! This nurturing and age-appropriate, challenging environment really fosters a sense of curiosity in children. In addition, both of my daughters have met friends who continue to travel life’s journey with them. In truth, our time at Beauvoir has been a family affair, as my wife and I have met great friends here, as well. The connections we have made at Beauvoir are still strong and very important to us. The Colemans are—and will continue to be—keen supporters of Beauvoir.” Beauvoir in one word: Enduring
MRS. KRIS MCBRADY “Beauvoir was the right choice for our family because our goal was for our children to develop a true love of learning in their early education. We have seen this year after year, as each of them has skipped into school every day. We have been so supported by the Beauvoir community in so many ways and, by serving on the Board, I hope to give back some of the positivity we have received.” Beauvoir in one word: Positivity
MRS. FERNANDA MONTAÑO “Our family joined the Beauvoir community six years ago and I can honestly say that it has become like a second family to all of us. The parent community, the faculty, and the staff could not have been more welcoming. My two Beauvoir graduates learned to
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be independent thinkers, good friends, and confident students. Both are thriving in their new schools and look back with fondness and nostalgia on their years at Beauvoir. I now have only one child at the school and she wakes up every morning excited to walk through Beauvoir´s front doors. I joined Beauvoir´s Board to give back to this amazing community and to help ensure that it continues to be the special place that it has been for our children.” Beauvoir in one word: Family
MR. FRED UNDERWOOD “Beauvoir has been a special and important part of our family’s lives for many decades. It has been a thrill to watch our children learn and grow from the same fundamental principles of character development that have made Beauvoir so impactful to our family and such an incredible environment for early childhood education. I am honored to be a part of the Governing Board and a community that emphasizes the importance of being kind, respectful, and compassionate. It is this legacy that I hope to help preserve at Beauvoir for generations of students to come.” Beauvoir in one word: Growth
2019-2020 DR. COURTENEY COYNE SIMCHAK “Beauvoir is so unique because our community focuses solely on providing an extraordinary early childhood education to every student. Together we believe, ‘The beginning is the most important part of the work.’ I joined the Beauvoir Board, as the faculty representative, in order to honor the ‘beautiful view’ of childhood we all share.” Beauvoir in one word: Transformative
MR. WILLIAM “BILL” A. BURCK “Living in the nation’s capital, we are fortunate to have an incredible selection of outstanding schools for our children. But for us, Beauvoir has always stood at the top. We were drawn to the school for many reasons. Specifically, we loved the idea of our child attending a faith-based school where the Beauvoir Life Rules help build strong character, but where children are still encouraged to be children. Beauvoir is an inclusive, fun, kind, and happy place with top notch teachers and administration. When presented with the opportunity to join the Governing Board, I was honored to have the chance to give back to a school that has given so much to us.” Beauvoir in one word: Joyous
MRS. JANE EMILY GENSTER "Beauvoir holds a special place in my heart as all four of our children thrived in the challenge, inspiration, support and joy that Beauvoir's faculty, staff and students offered them. Having previously served on the Beauvoir Board more than 25 years ago, I was surprised to be invited to return. I accepted the invitation with the hope that my past experience in governance and academia, on the Close and elsewhere, might make some contribution to advancing the excellence, innovation, character and community of this special school, distinctly dedicated to the education of children 10 and under. I am delighted to continue this journey.” Beauvoir in One Word: Excellence
MRS. CARA HUR “Rob and I were looking for a preschool for our youngest daughter Phoebe. Rob's co-worker raved about Beauvoir, so we decided to go for an Open House, not really thinking that we would enroll,
but just out of curiosity. As an aside, my middle daughter, Lucy, was in 1st grade at our local public school, where she was a reluctant student. At the Open House, Rob and I were introduced to a vibrant, dynamic and loving community and school curriculum that took each learner and valued them as an individual. The school had a palpable feel to it that we immediately fell in love with. Rob and I left the open house and decided to apply both Phoebe and Lucy for the following school year. It was the best decision! Lucy went from a shy, passive learner to an engaged, excited student who loved school and gained confidence daily. She spoke in the Cathedral her third grade year, and is now a thriving 5th grader at NCS. Phoebe started in Pre-K and dreams of one day being a Beauvoir teacher. Jacob is now in 8th grade at St. Albans, having joined in 6th grade, as the last Hur child to come to the Close. So hard to believe that one Open House could change our lives in such wonderful ways, but not hard to believe when you see the teachers, staff and community that make up Beauvoir!” Beauvoir in One Word: Dynamic
MRS. NICHOLE FRANCIS REYNOLDS “Beauvoir is very special to our family because it truly focuses on developing the whole child through its leadership, faculty, curriculum, innovative programming, state of the art playground and the Beauvoir community! Our children are becoming avid readers, mathematicians, global thinkers and relationship builders. As a parent and professional, it is an honor to serve on the Governing Board and to assist with developing short and long term strategies to cultivate Beauvoir's next generation of leaders!” Beauvoir in one word: Community
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR BOARD SERVICE The School Community is grateful to the following Governing Board members for their outstanding service and invaluable leadership to advance Beauvoir’s Mission towards a sustainable and enduring future. With thanks, Mrs. GibbsWilborn bestowed parting gifts of framed leis—a symbol of honor, friendship, and celebration—to each Board member. Elena Botelho (2016-2019) Nancy Carr (2016-2019) Rhonda Schmidtlein (2014-2017, 2017-2018) Suzanna Kang, Parents Association President (2017-2019) Melanie Lago, Faculty Representative (2017-2019)
Young Philanthropists Inspire Hope
Meetings on the second floor, where the Business and Institutional Advancement offices are located, are often happily interrupted. Lost passersby in the hallway or parents and staff members with a question or answer are not uncommon, so when a knock came, a team member was quick to open the door and ready to point whomever in the right direction. No one was expecting to see Hayden Espy ’21 there on business. Hayden was accompanied by his parents, Thomas and Holly Espy, who stood behind him and explained his visit: he wanted to donate to Beauvoir’s Annual Fund. Hayden went on to describe the three things his parents taught him that one does with money: “You spend it, save it, and give some away.” In deciding to whom to give some of his money, Hayden chose Beauvoir. He made a cash
68 OUR COMMUNITY Beauvoir Views
BY GEOFF JOHNSON, DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
The Parents Association (PA) had a fantastic year in 20182019. We are grateful to our engaged parent community for providing critical support of our efforts. Not only does our PA support many community-building events throughout the year, including our Parent Education and Kaleidoscope series, the dedication of our parents benefits the community in numerous other ways.
SOME HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE YEAR: ■ T he leadership of the PA, the Parents Association
Executive Committee (PAEC), approved donating $15,000 to the school to fulfill the following items on the Head of School’s wish list: ❱ Guided reading books; ❱ Filtered water fountains;
BY DANA TIGNOR, DIRECTOR OF ANNUAL GIVING
Last spring, the Institutional Advancement team received an unexpected treat during an afternoon meeting. The day before Closing Chapel, the team was gathered in Director Geoff Johnson’s office going over final details of the last day of the 2019 school year.
Parent Volunteers Help Beauvoir Reach New Heights
donation on the spot. Mr. Johnson explained that Hayden’s donation would support all of his favorite things at Beauvoir—from his amazing teachers and fun classroom supplies to maintenance of the playground. Hayden was quick to reply with some feedback on needed improvements to the playground since a recent hailstorm. The team was grateful and impressed. Hayden is not alone among his fellow student benefactors. In November, when Ruthie Weinstein ’22 walked into the front lobby on Pledging Tuesday, she and her mother, Lori Weinstein, approached the pledging station. Ruthie had recently received money in celebration of Hanukkah, and pledged to donate money directly from her personal account to The Beauvoir Fund. While individual philanthropy at Beauvoir is a strong, decades-old tradition that spans generations of alumni, parents, teachers, staff members, and friends, the participation of current students brings a particularly joyful sense of hope and appreciation for the future of our beloved school and perpetuates the important legacy of strength in community.
❱ Grade level furniture; ❱ Early childhood science materials; and ❱ Mindful Movement area for the Early Learning
Center (ELC), pre-kindergartners and kindergartners. ■ T he Beauvoir Scholarship Fund raised $587,730 in
support of financial assistance. ■ The Book Fair sold over 3,700 books consisting of over
900 titles for a total of $54,791. ■ T he PA donated an additional 250 titles selected by
our librarians to the Beauvoir Library. ■ Beauvoir donated 14 boxes of gently used books to
The Bishop John T. Walker School for Boys, a tuitionfree Episcopal School for children in traditionally underserved communities. ■ F lower Mart had a record year with a net profit of
$18,594 raised for the All Hallows Guild, an all-volunteer organization founded to care for the beautiful Cathedral grounds. All of this—and more—accomplished by our amazing PA! Thank you for partnering with us in support of our students and broader community.
THANK YOU TO OUR PARENTS ASSOCIATION PRESIDENTS We would especially like to thank Suzanna Kang for her devoted service to Beauvoir during 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 as President of the PA. Suzanna led our dedicated group of parent volunteers and helped implement new PA initiatives to strengthen our parent community and to ensure a more efficient operation of the Association. Suzanna served in various roles on the PA over the past nine years—an incredibly impressive tenure—and we are deeply grateful for her impact on our community. In 2019-2020, parents selected Cara Hur as the next President of the PA. Cara is the proud mother of Phoebe Hur ’21; Lucy ’18, Beauvoir alumna and fourth grader at National Cathedral School (NCS); and Jacob, St. Albans School (STA.) Cara has served as one of our Service Coordinators on the PAEC and held various roles on the PA in the past, including co-chair of several PA service committees, room helper, library aide, art aide, and Beauvoir Auction volunteer. Cara also has volunteered with the Admissions Team as a tour guide for prospective families and as a buddy family for new families to the Beauvoir community. Thank you for making time to support PA activities and initiatives. Even the smallest contribution of time goes a long way in enriching our Beauvoir community.
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Grandparents Council and Reader Program Bridge Generations BY ABIGAIL SCHICK, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ASSOCIATE
THANK YOU TO OUR RETIRING GRANDPARENTS COUNCIL FOUNDING CO-CHAIRS! We are so grateful to Nancy Carr, Teekie Farr, and Aggie Underwood for starting our Beauvoir Grandparents Council in 2017. The Council began as a channel to engage grandparents in the life of the school. We are happy to report that the successful Grandparent Reader Program, Grandparents and Special Friends
Day with classroom visits, and many more connection opportunities are ensuring that our wonderful grandparents are frequent visitors and participants at Beauvoir. Thank you, Nancy, Teekie, and Aggie! To learn more, contact Abigail Schick, Community Engagement Associate, at abigail.schick@cathedral.org.
GRANDPARENT READER PROGRAM During the 2018-2019 school year, the Grandparents Council launched the Grandparent Reader Program. This program was a huge success and an exciting time for grandparents, students, and teachers. Grandparents were invited to read in their grandchild’s classroom and arrived with one of their favorite books or, in some cases, their grandchild’s favorite book. Grandparent Sloan Gregory reads to her granddaughter, Marigold Roehrenbeck ’22, and classmates.
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Welcome Back Class of 2010! In April, Beauvoir 2010 graduates gathered together for an ice cream social in the courtyard. They shared memories from their time at Beauvoir as they prepared to graduate from high school. We wish them all the best in their new adventures and look forward to their visits!
L R U U IF O UT W E A I E B V
Snapshots: Year in Review EARLY LEARNING CENTER
PRE-KINDERGARTEN
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Snapshots: Year in Review
KINDERGARTEN
74 OUR BEAUTIFUL VIEW Beauvoir Views
FIRST GRADE
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Snapshots: Year in Review
SECOND GRADE
76 OUR BEAUTIFUL VIEW Beauvoir Views
THIRD GRADE
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BOOK READINGS
OUTPLACEMENT BREAKFASTS
MATH MORNINGS
Parent Education at Beauvoir: First Teachers BY CINDI GIBBS-WILBORN, HEAD OF SCHOOL
As educators, we lovingly refer to our parents as the “first experts” or “first teachers” in their children’s lives. As teachers, families begin preparing children for school from the moment of birth. A touch, warm smile, response to tears, laughter, and other behaviors are some of the first natural signs that infants give and receive as they begin to navigate the complex world around them. By the time a child turns one, a parent will have spent almost 9,000 hours supporting that child as a learner. At age five, that number reaches almost 44,000 hours—or over 1,000 days—with growth and development during every waking hour. Indeed, as the educational philosopher John Dewey expressed, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life.” Likewise, any deep dive into the research around parent and caregiver involvement in schools will uncover abundant findings with one overarching conclusion: by taking an active role in a child’s education, parents gain critical skills to support their
child’s learning; increase their overall involvement in the life of the school; build healthy, sustaining relationships with community members; and improve student behavioral and academic success. These findings could not be more evident and are reflected in life at Beauvoir, where our families are invested in learning about what makes the Beauvoir education unique and then are able to use that same knowledge to support the important work of parenting at home. Beauvoir has always prided itself on supporting families throughout the year with learning events including educational and parent training sessions, panels, workshops, coffees, and classroom visits. As educators, we know that parents and caregivers who understand the school’s curriculum and teaching approach establish healthier connections between the home and school—a key component that promotes positive childhood growth and development.
During the 2018-2019 school year, there were several opportunities for parents to engage deeply in the Beauvoir experience and learn new strategies for supporting their children. 78 OUR BEAUTIFUL VIEW Beauvoir Views
PARENT GATHERINGS
HEAD OF SCHOOL COFFEES
AUTHOR CELEBRATIONS
We know that children look to the adults in their world as examples, and we are grateful for the many moments when members of our community model the spirit of lifelong learning that Beauvoir aims to inspire in every single student. During the 2018-2019 school year, there were several opportunities for parents to engage deeply in the Beauvoir experience and learn new strategies for supporting their children. In addition to the successful Head of School Coffees, Math Mornings, Outplacement breakfasts, community book reads, and new parent gatherings that Beauvoir hosted in partnership with the Parents Association, its inaugural Family and Caregiver Symposium included an “afternoon of presentations about relevant topics in parenting and education led by Beauvoir experts, as well as outside speakers and consultants.” The Saturday Symposium on April 6, 2019 covered topics, including appreciating differences and young children, dealing with anxiety in the child, outdoor play and exploration, promoting a growth mindset, mentoring young mathematicians, helping children develop executive functioning skills, balance play and screen time, and set boundaries.
SATURDAY SYMPOSIA Nearly 50 community members joined us, including incoming families, with favorable feedback. One parent commented, “The most valuable part for me was having my husband hear the same content and be able to reflect together on what it means for our kids and family.” Another caregiver shared, “Yes! I was thrilled to learn different ways about navigating through finance, play time, personal space, and education. I learned there’s always another way.” We know that children look to the adults in their world as examples, and we are grateful for the many moments when members of our community model the spirit of lifelong learning that Beauvoir aims to inspire in every single student. Thank you for all you do to learn, share, and grow with us.
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N O R I U T O TU I T S IN
Beauvoir Views Celebrating 85 Years BY JOAN FERGERSON, PAST PARENT AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
“Young children can be taught that although people are different in race, color, and beliefs, their basic needs for love and understanding are universal.” —Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), the longest serving First Lady of the United States from 1933-1945
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1. Beauvoir Mansion: Beauvoir’s first school building was an 1860 Italianate home on 13.5 acres bequeathed to the Cathedral by Canon J. Townsend Russell and his wife in 1922. Cathedral trustees determined that the estate would be the perfect space for a new elementary school that opened in the fall of 1933 with 67 children.
rebuild after World War II, she thought that if the idea of world-wide citizenship were introduced at a young age, and were developed throughout childhood, it would lead to a more peaceful world. The goal was to help young children see the similarities among people rather than only their differences. In 1950, Beauvoir was the only elementary school in the U.S. to present its program to the White House Conference on Education.
2. Children play on the spacious verandas of the mansion in the 1940s.
THE TAYLOR YEARS
3. Mrs. Elizabeth G. Taylor, Beauvoir’s first head of school from 1939 to 1964, brought a progressive, hands-on style to the education of young children, away from memorization and recitation. She introduced reading and mathematics readiness programs and created a kindergarten curriculum. Art and music flourished, and the Maypole dance and Christmas Chapel traditions began. Her science program for young children included basic physics and chemistry, which was unusual for the time, and Beauvoir became a national leader in teaching the sciences to young children.
In 1948, she created a nationally recognized and groundbreaking new program called Toward World Mindedness. As the world began to
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Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt praised the World Mindedness initiative in a 1953 visit and speech to the school. Mrs. Taylor’s idea of world mindedness still flourishes today in our annual Global Studies program.
4. The Maypole tradition was started by teacher Julia Morse who taught third grade from 1933 to 1980. It began as a May Day event and Spring play and continues to this day to celebrate third graders and the end of the school year. 5. In 1952, the Cathedral Chapter approved Beauvoir’s proposal that the school begin to accept African American children and its conviction that education should be available “to children of all races on equal terms” starting in the fall of 1953. With that See “1953” continued on p. 82
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decision, Beauvoir became the first school on the Cathedral Close to welcome African American students. Beauvoir continues to celebrate and welcome families, faculty, and staff of all faiths, family structures, and racial, ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
She introduced the concept of teaching to different learning styles through what is now the Learning Resources program, allowing Beauvoir to provide extra, specialized learning support to individual students. She established a faculty professional development program and added resource teachers in science, math, reading, art, music, library, and physical education. She welcomed educators from all over the world to observe how Beauvoir integrated new educational practices into its curriculum.
6. In 1958, Beauvoir celebrated its 25th birthday with a cake and ice cream. 7. By the early 1960s, 270 children filled the mansion. Taylor Hall was added in 1953, providing assembly space, an art workshop, and a small library, and science room. In 1955, the first swimming pool was constructed and served as the centerpiece of the popular summer program. It became clear that the school had outgrown the old Beauvoir home and as Mrs. Taylor prepared to retire in 1964, she began planning for a modern school to replace the original mansion.
BEAUVOIR AND CHANGE
8. Mrs. Frances J. Borders became the second head of school in 1964, with planning already underway for a new, more modern school. She was a pioneer of modern curriculum and staff development and was eager to put new educational philosophies to work at the school. The new building was constructed around the old mansion, which was later demolished (where the open Courtyard is today), and in March 1966 students moved into their new building.
The new spacious classrooms and resource areas allowed Mrs. Borders’ plans to flourish.
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In 1969, when Canon John Walker became Beauvoir’s Chaplain, he planned chapel services more meaningful to young children through music and storytelling. He and Mrs. Borders worked closely together as the student population changed through integration and supported the expansion of the socio-economic representation through the scholarship program. Even after he became Dean of the Cathedral and the first African American Bishop of Washington, he remained close to Beauvoir as its Chaplain. Parent involvement flourished in the 1970s and, in 1971, the Parents Association was created with its primary focus on building school diversity through the Scholarship Fund and providing many new services supporting the school program. The Fund grew through used clothing sales, movie benefits, and the first auction event in 1976, in addition to a Book Fair supporting the library collection. The school continued to update its facilities, remodeling Taylor Hall, adding a new kindergarten play deck, and renovating the art workshop by the mid-1970s.
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In her fourteen years leading the school, Mrs. Borders expanded Beauvoir’s reputation as a nationally recognized leader and model of educational innovation for early education. Her time at Beauvoir ended the way it began, with a major construction project underway—a new nursery and kindergarten wing with classrooms and a multi-purpose room added to the east side of the school.
BEAUVOIR EXPANDS
9. In the fall of 1979, Mrs. Mary “Polly” T. Moreland became Beauvoir’s third head of school. She managed the final construction of the new nursery and kindergarten wing and welcomed having all Beauvoir students in the same building for the first time in the school’s history. Bishop Walker dedicated and blessed the new wing with 350 students and their parents celebrating. Mrs. Moreland and Bishop Walker worked together with the Outreach Committee to increase diversity and inclusion among students and faculty.
Beauvoir celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1983-1984 with a special Cathedral service led by Bishop Walker. Other programs included a photo retrospective on display throughout the school, the first Beauvoir cookbook, and a schoolwide birthday party. A highlight was “Nurturing the Young Child in a Technological Age: Pathways Through the Maze,” a symposium focusing on technology’s impact on very young children. More than 200 participants from schools throughout the area came to Beauvoir to discuss topics such as brain research and teaching, computers in an early childhood curriculum, and supporting children in a technological age featuring a producer of the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood television show [aired 1968-2001].
Mrs. Moreland led the school through its first national accreditation in 1985, introduced the Extended Day program, today’s After Beauvoir Care (ABC), and continued to update and enhance the curriculum through professional development in creative writing, reading, and math. She grew a strong resource faculty in art, See “1988” continued on p. 84
Parent involvement flourished in the 1970s and, in 1971, the Parents Association was created with its primary focus on building school diversity through the Scholarship Fund and providing many new services supporting the school program. Beauvoir Views OUR INSTITUTION 83
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“1988” from p. 83
computers, music, science, physical education, learning resources, and library.
A successful capital campaign in 1988 funded the second expansion of the school, creating a new science room, performing arts room, library renovation, refurbished rooms for faculty and staff, and added $500,000 to the endowment for faculty salaries. The new corridor connected the main floor into a continuous circle and was dedicated as Mary T. Moreland Hall.
10. In 1992, Paula J. Carreiro became Beauvoir’s fourth head of school and continued the tradition of bringing fresh vision, energy, and remarkable leadership. The Board began drafting its first strategic plan; a new Welcome Open House helped ease the transition to the new school year; a revised schedule allowed for longer blocks of time; Dean Nathan Baxter began serving as Beauvoir’s chaplain; and cot-rest time for students was no more.
The following year, Mrs. Moreland and the Cathedral community grieved the unexpected death of Bishop John Walker, who had not only served as the school’s chaplain but was such a strong supporter of Beauvoir for so many years.
Mrs. Moreland retired in 1992 after thirteen years. Under her leadership, annual giving quadrupled, the scholarship fund tripled, the square footage of the building grew, and outreach and enrollment increased.
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BEAUVOIR AND THE NEW MILLENNIUM
As Ms. Carreiro observed students’ behavior, she determined there needed to be some simple principles established to guide all aspects of school life for children and adults. After a year of reading, discussion, and reflection among the faculty, the answer to “What life rules do we want our community to live by?” became the Life Rules of Kindness, Respect, Responsibility, and Honesty. These principles continue to guide life at Beauvoir today.
Beauvoir’ 60th anniversary theme, “Celebrating Childhood,” and a strategic plan, ushered in a new decade of remarkable achievements. A new health curriculum was introduced to teach about healthy lifestyles and technology use continued to grow as computers helped students explore new ways to express ideas. In 1998, Ms. Carreiro adapted Mrs. Taylor’s World Mindedness program of the 1940s into Global Studies—an annual, school-wide study focused on one of five different regions of the world, culminating in Museum Night, where families come to see the school transformed by the student-created museum displays. By the late 1990s, it became clear that the school’s old infrastructure and classroom size could not continue to meet modern educational needs. In 1997, the Board organized the largest capital campaign in the school’s history to meet those needs. With the $7 million dollars raised, the school was totally reorganized and renovated during the summer of 1999. Students moved into their spacious new classrooms featuring modern infrastructure. By February, a new gym, spacious library and technology center, new entrance, administrative offices, music room, and renovated Taylor Hall were completed. Ms. Carreiro started the Early Learning Center (ELC) to meet the growing need for quality childcare for faculty and staff children. The program soon expanded to include members of the larger Cathedral community. Established in 2002, Voices for Learning: The Beauvoir Center for Teaching and Learning enhanced the school’s reputation as a national model by
offering summer professional development workshops to more than 4,000 educators from across the country during its fifteen active years.
Beauvoir parents continued to volunteer and support the school through the Parents Association and its committees. By its 25th anniversary in 2001, the Beauvoir Scholarship Auction had become a great communitybuilding event, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to support the socioeconomically diverse student body at Beauvoir. Parents continued the Book Fair to support the library collection and organized Leading Voices, a lecture series held in the Cathedral where nationally renowned experts presented topics of interest to educators and parents.
Mrs. Carreiro ended her twenty-one years at Beauvoir in 2013 with a project that boldly reimagined the outdoor spaces surrounding the school. The Paula J. Carreiro Outdoor Learning Environment, dedicated in 2013, created a newly landscaped front of the school, an expanded children’s garden, an outdoor learning space, and innovative playground. Bishop Mariann Budde thanked Beauvoir for giving the Cathedral Close a special place that children and their families from throughout the city could enjoy each weekend.
“Over her remarkable twenty-one-year tenure, she [Paula Carreiro] has transformed Beauvoir into one of the finest independent schools of its kind and nurtured a community and culture that honors each child and celebrates learning in every form,” said Governing Board Chair Chip Smith. See “2013” continued on p. 86
After a year of reading, discussion, and reflection among the faculty, the answer to “What life rules do we want our community to live by?” became the Life Rules of Kindness, Respect, Responsibility, and Honesty. These principles continue to guide life at Beauvoir today. Beauvoir Views OUR INSTITUTION 85
“2013” from p. 85
Scholarship Auction and service committees. A new parent-led committee, Kaleidoscope, was formed to support parents in important crosscultural conversations.
A BEAUTIFUL VIEW TO 2020
11. Amy Purcell Vorenberg joined Beauvoir in 2013 as the fifth head of school. She actively embraced the school community, putting the finishing touches on Beauvoir Outdoors as a true outdoor learning environment and adding a new home A BEAUTIFUL VIEW TO 2020 for Beauvoir’s educational garden. The school reflected on its educational program through the two-year, reaccreditation process and was reaccredited in 2017. Mrs. Vorenberg and the Board began planning for a new strategic plan.
Based on an updated mission statement and concepts introduced in the new Strategic Plan: A Beautiful View to 2020, Mrs. Vorenberg led a redesign of the school’s communications materials, including a refreshed website and logo that kept the Beauvoir boy and girl at the center and embraced the strategic Core Values of Childhood, Collaboration, Creativity, Curiosity, and Courage.
“Beauvoir 2020 will become our future reality, energized by strong leadership like Amy Vorenberg’s, whose own vision, talents, and values resonate with those of Beauvoir and the Cathedral Close as a whole,” stated Andrew C. Florance, former Governing Board chair and member of the Strategic Planning Committee.
Beauvoir’s Strategic Vision and Plan
Mrs. Vorenberg and Director of Learning Resources Ms. Anne Marie Desaulniers visited Reggio schools in Italy and brought back ideas for more project-based learning to be introduced into the curriculum. Faculty attended a summer institute to help determine elements of the project approach that would work well at Beauvoir.
The Rev. Michael Barbaro joined the staff as Beauvoir’s first full-time Chaplain and Director of Community Service. Service learning had been a hallmark of Beauvoir since the early days of the school. The Rev. Barbaro extended the students’ experience into the wider Cathedral and local communities. Inclusivity and hospitality to all people became a theme for chapel programs, with third graders serving in additional leadership roles.
Anna Carello, Associate Head of School, worked with faculty members in a process to envision new opportunities for learning within the library. A new Literacy Lab was carved out to support more collaborative learning in today’s digital world. The Cathedral schools worked together and launched an inter-library online catalog system allowing the schools to share resources.
The Parents Association continued its support of Beauvoir through the annual Beauvoir
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BEAUVOIR TODAY
12. In 2016, Mrs. Vorenberg pursued new opportunities and moved to Connecticut. The Governing Board and Interim Head Michael Eanes guided the school through the search for a new head of school. In 2018, Beauvoir welcomed Mrs. Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn as the sixth head of school.
Beauvoir Alumni Stories BY LEON SWERDEL-RICH ‘05, FOREST HILLS DOCUMENTARIES, LLC
“Beauvoir Alumni Stories” is a collection of interviews where graduates reflect on their memories of the school and how their education became a foundation for their lives. This project reveals that there is no single “Beauvoir experience” that shapes all students equally. The alumni I have interviewed highlight memories from reading and being read to after lunch, to learning and singing the Beauvoir School song, and celebrating United Nations Day with the head of school, as formative experiences at the School. But the shared points among these interviews are noteworthy. Each person remembers their teachers by name and grade, as if they could walk right back into the classroom for another day of school. Each remembers the four Beauvoir Life Rules—kindness, respect, responsibility, and honesty—and can’t help but smile when reciting them. Each recognizes that Beauvoir taught them not just academic lessons, but life lessons on character and community that continue to grow with them throughout their lives, careers, and relationships. As James Paragamian ’64 explains, “Beauvoir is a place that nurtures the child in all of us, no matter how old that child may be.”
After hearing the memories of my fellow alumni, I realized that I have a “Beauvoir Alumni Story” of my own to share. When I was in third grade, The Very Rev. Nathan Baxter, then Dean of the Cathedral (1991-2003), was preparing to move on from his position. As part of this, Beauvoir organized a photograph session to be taken of him with several Beauvoir students to commemorate his time with the School. I was one of those students. The day of the picture, those of us involved met in Dean Baxter’s office and, amidst our chatting, someone realized we were going to be late. Late for what, I can’t remember—the Chapel service, or perhaps practice for the Maypole, as this was nearing the end of the year—but Dean Baxter told us not to worry. Swinging open the bookcase behind his desk to reveal a secret passage, he assured us we’d be where we needed to be in time. I’m sure this secret passage probably wasn’t so secret, and certainly didn’t impress the adults in the room, but the whimsy of that interaction has stuck with me as a storyteller. On a literal note, as a screenwriter, I do love the tried-and-true devices of trapdoors, secret compartments, and safes hidden behind oversized paintings. But beyond that, like a doorway behind a bookshelf, there are stories worth telling hidden behind the seemingly ordinary parts of each of our lives. One simply needs to approach matters with the wonder to find those stories, and Beauvoir provided the environment for me to grow that wonder, which I still have to this day. “Beauvoir Alumni Stories” can be viewed at www.beauvoirschool.org/about/alumni. Whether you are a parent, alumnus or alumna, or a current Beauvoir student, I hope this project gives you the opportunity to consider your own early school memories, and how they serve as a foundation for your character today.
Beauvoir taught them not just academic lessons, but life lessons on character and community that continue to grow with them throughout their lives, careers, and relationships. Beauvoir Views OUR INSTITUTION 87
Heads of School Enjoy Unique Bond BY JOAN FERGERSON, PAST PARENT AND FORMER DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
In August 2019, Mrs. Gibbs-Wilborn traveled to meet Mrs. Mary Told Moreland, former Head of Beauvoir from 1979-1992. They shared stories of the school’s past and present, celebrated the many teachers and staff members who have made this important work possible, and gave thanks together for the students and families who make the Beauvoir community shine.
The site became the Courtyard we enjoy today. The building had larger classrooms and spaces for art, science, library, and music. A newly added pre-kindergarten and kindergarten wing marked the first time all Beauvoir students were together in the same building. Students in those grades had been housed in the Beauvoir Gatehouse at the foot of Beauvoir Drive since 1939.
Mrs. Moreland recalled her fondest memories of being at Beauvoir. It was no surprise that the conversation centered on how proud she was to have worked alongside such talented and committed colleagues. They are what constitute, in her words, “a job well done.”
Beauvoir’s nationally recognized curriculum, including art and science programs, reflected the School’s well-established reputation as a place where educational innovation was encouraged. Mrs. Moreland continued that tradition by having teachers define curriculum for each grade level. Within those guidelines, teachers were encouraged to develop methods that worked best for the students in each classroom. Creativity in classroom methods has always been appreciated by Beauvoir teachers and is a school strength to this day.
Mrs. Moreland, known as Polly to her friends and colleagues, came to Beauvoir in 1979 from Baltimore where she was Head of the Lower School at Baltimore Friends for thirteen years. She inherited a renovated school built around the original Beauvoir mansion, which was torn down in 1966.
See “Moreland” continued on p. 90
Mrs. Moreland recalled her fondest memories of being at Beauvoir. It was no surprise that the conversation centered on how proud she was to have worked alongside such talented and committed colleagues. 88 OUR INSTITUTION Beauvoir Views
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Groundbreaking Ceremony for Moreland Hall, 1987: (L-r) Rev. Roger Bowen, Polly Moreland, and Nancy Carr.
Head of School Polly Moreland oversees construction of new school wing.
A child’s surgical cap is adjusted by Head of School Polly Moreland during a science class.
“Moreland” from p. 89
50TH ANNIVERSARY SYMPOSIUM
A JOB WELL DONE
Beauvoir’s 50th Anniversary celebrated the school’s founding during 1983-84. It began with a special service in the Cathedral led by Bishop John Walker, a photo retrospective exhibit on display throughout the school, the first Beauvoir cookbook featuring favorite recipes from the Beauvoir kitchen and families, a school-wide birthday party, and a unique symposium.
Mrs. Moreland’s leadership during her tenure extended to many areas:
Mrs. Moreland said she was most proud of the symposium, “Nurturing the Young Child in a Technological Age: Pathways Through the Maze.” Although schools were beginning to utilize computers in classrooms, there had been very little focus on the impact on young children’s education. The topic drew more than 200 eager participants from schools throughout the area and addressed brain research and implications for teaching; the challenge of introducing computers in an early childhood curriculum; and supporting children in a technological age, featuring Hedda Sharapan, associate producer of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, WQED-TV in Pittsburgh, PA.
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Beauvoir’s youngest students became part of the “main school” when a new pre-kindergarten and kindergarten wing was added in 1979. Mrs. Moreland delighted in having all the Beauvoir students together in the same building for the first time in the school’s history. Mrs. Moreland led the school through Beauvoir’s first, national accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the Association of Independent Maryland Schools [AIMS] in 1985 following a two-year self-evaluation and a visit by the accreditation team of educators. New administrative teams created in the admissions, business, and advancement areas helped Mrs. Moreland manage the school more efficiently. Beauvoir was the first school on the Cathedral Close to admit African American students in 1953. Mrs. Moreland’s and Bishop Walker’s
goal for the student body was that it would reflect the cultural and racial diversity of the city. The Board Outreach Committee included teachers and parents, and helped extend the focus on increasing diversity among students and teachers into the community. This strong commitment to diversity and inclusion continues today. ■
Beauvoir introduced an Extended Day program—the After Beauvoir Care (ABC) program of today—to support working families.
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Teachers continued to update and enhance the curriculum through expanded professional development in creative writing, reading, and math. Mrs. Moreland grew a strong resource faculty in art, computers, music, science, physical education, and the library. The Learning
Beauvoir students present a flower posy to Queen Elizabeth II on May 17, 1991.
Alternatives (today’s Learning Resources) faculty expanded learning support to students and professional support to teachers. ■
A successful capital campaign in 1988 provided funds for a second expansion of the school and added $500,000 to the endowment for faculty salaries. When construction was completed, Beauvoir had a new science room, a performing arts room, a library renovation, and refurbished rooms for faculty and staff. The new corridor connected wings of the building into a continuous circle and was dedicated as “Mary T. Moreland Hall.”
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Beauvoir children presented Queen Elizabeth II with a special floral posy during her visit to the completed Cathedral in 1991. See “Impact” continued on p. 92
Beauvoir was the first school on the Cathedral Close to admit African American students in 1953. Mrs. Moreland’s and Bishop Walker’s goal for the student body was that it would reflect the cultural and racial diversity of the city. Beauvoir Views OUR INSTITUTION 91
“Impact” from p. 91
THE SPEECH Upon her retirement in 1992, Beauvoir parent Peter Trooboff wrote to Polly Moreland about her annual Back to School Night message to parents, stating the impact it had on him and so many other parents.
Dear Polly Moreland, You were nervous that evening and it showed. I remember noticing it because you were always so calm. Your message was simple—let your children have their childhood, let them grow up at their own pace; stop pushing them to accomplish everything at the same time as other children; permit them to be young and innocent and enthusiastic just a little longer. Give them your time and provide your love for what they accomplish and for what they do not accomplish—not for what you think they should be able to do on some arbitrary adult timetable. They will all learn to read and to count and to do so much more—at different times and in different ways. That is what makes them special and that is the fun of having them. Do not define yourself or them in terms of what they achieve or when, but see the value in what they can do and encourage their best. It was Rhoda’s and my good fortune to be there that evening. You had reached us; we knew that you were right; we were a little ashamed to admit it or concede that we had acted otherwise. After that evening, you repeated that theme and its variations through the years Hannah and Abby were in school. That was okay—we needed to be reminded.
Peter D. Trooboff, parent of Hannah ’84 and Eden Abigail ’87
“When the new renovation of the building was completed in 1988, Beauvoir was now a completed circle; a child could walk protected and guided by architectural design from one section of the school to the other. But another circle was complete as well. The Governing Board, the faculty and staff and the parents support each other to form links of an interdependent unit—an unbroken circle of dedication and involvement that makes Beauvoir more than bricks and mortar.” —Jane Simchak, Beauvoir parent and author of “An Appreciation” of Polly Moreland’s 13-year tenure accomplishments, Beauvoir Bulletin, May-June 1992
“Since Mrs. Moreland came to Beauvoir nine years ago, she has instituted new curriculum, attracted the finest faculty, and helped define a school philosophy that is deeply committed to diversity and to each child’s sense of selfesteem and individual potential.” —Nancy M. Carr, Beauvoir parent, Governing Board member, and chair of The Campaign for Beauvoir, 1987-1989
“Here is a Beauvoir memory I have. It is at the 1990 Christmas assembly when Mrs. Moreland read us The Polar Express. She read it in a mysterious way, the way it sounded best. I will always remember the last words, ‘The bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.’” —Camille Mathieu, Class of 1991
“In the late 1980s, after Bishop Walker, who was Beauvoir’s Chaplain, died, Polly asked me to take on the leadership of the school’s St. Joseph Chapel services. We went onto co-chair the National Association of Episcopal Schools Biennial Conference at the Cathedral. Polly was the mastermind Queen of logistics for a complex, three-day gathering of 1,000 Episcopal school educators. It involved more than a year of planning for this extraordinary Head of School, whose day-to-day calendar would make our heads spin. During our final graduation together in the Cathedral, thoughtful Polly gave me a special goodbye gift—a bicycle, which she insisted I ride down the main aisle and off into the sunset (see Rev. Roger Bowen pictured above). The love of God shines through Polly Moreland as clearly as it does through the gorgeous Cathedral windows.” —Rev. Roger Bowen, former Chaplain at Beauvoir and St. Albans School
92 OUR INSTITUTION Beauvoir Views
Beauvoir Views OUR INSTITUTION 93
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2018-19 GOVERNING BOARD ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE AND ANNUAL FUND GRADE CHAIRS We give special thanks to our 20182019 Governing Board Advancement Committee and Grade Chairs for their community leadership and commitment to Beauvoir’s mission. GOVERNING BOARD ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE
Annual Report Highlights 2018-19 OPERATING REVENUE Net Tuition and Fees..................................................................................$ 12,096,139 Student Programs.........................................................................................$ 2,929,910 Annual Giving....................................................................................................$ 781,181
Alice Leiter ’89, Co-Chair Kelvin L. Coleman, Co-Chair Nancy M. Carr Charis M. Drant Tamika Smith Jackson Suzanna Kang William Kappaz Michael Rankin Fred Underwood
Auction...................................................................................................................$ 799,507 Endowment Draw.........................................................................................$ 415,329 Other Revenue................................................................................................$ 44,224 Grand Total 2018-19 Operating Revenue........................$ 17,066,290
2018-19 OPERATING EXPENSES Academic.............................................................................................................$ 7,299,814 Student Programs.........................................................................................$ 1,932,550 General and Administrative..................................................................$ 3,582,124 Food Service.....................................................................................................$ 755,633 Fundraising.........................................................................................................$ 463,839 Auction...................................................................................................................$ 211,777 Plant and Other...............................................................................................$ 2,461,888 Reserves...............................................................................................................$ 306,287 Grand Total 2018-19 Expenses............................................$ 17,013,912 CHANGE IN NET ASSETS.........................................................$ 52,378
ANNUAL FUND CO-CHAIRS Alice Leiter ’89 and Fred Underwood PRE-KINDERGARTEN Ari Redbord Kelley Redbord KINDERGARTEN Bailey Williams Greta Williams Ashley Ebersole Susan Ebersole FIRST GRADE Shabnam Aryana Vita Pagnani SECOND GRADE Ashley Sands William Sands Shaundrae Williams THIRD GRADE Sarah Clapp Lori Weinstein
Beauvoir Views ANNUAL REPORT 95
Beauvoir recognizes those donors whose total giving to the school (including Annual Giving and other cash contributions) equaled or exceeded $2,500. This does not include auction purchases or in-kind contributions. Thank you for your generosity to Beauvoir.
2018-19
Lead Donors $50,000 Plus The BPB & HBB Foundation Mr. Karl R. Thompson and Ms. Leah O. Brannon
$20,000 to $49,999 Mr. Mark Green and Mr. Michael Rankin Mr. David J. Greene and Mrs. Caroline K. Greene ’89 Mr. and Mrs. Scott Jaeckel Mr. William Scherman and Dr. Holly Joyner Mr. David Simon and Ms. Keira Driansky
$10,000 to $19,999 Mr. Val Aleksenko and Dr. Natalia Aleksenko Mrs. Diane B. Bodman Mr. and Mrs. William Burck Mr. and Mrs. Mukang Cho Mr. Brooke B. Coburn and Mrs. Gina D. Coburn Mr. Samuel Davidoff and Mrs. Amanda Davidoff ’86 Mr. Ryan Drant and Mrs. Charis Menschel Drant Mr. William Farquhar ’68 and Ms. Michele Farquhar Mr. and Mrs. Andrew C. Florance Mr. Christopher D. Gladstone ’66 and Ms. Elise J. Rabekoff Dr. Sebastian Heath and Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath Mr. and Mrs. William Kappaz Mr. Michael Leiter and Mrs. Alice Leiter ’89 Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Hayes Smith
Mr. Percy Valenzuela and Mrs. Ruth Hasen Mr. Martin Weinstein and Mrs. Lori Weinstein
$5,000 to $9,999 Anonymous (1) Mr. Carl Adams ’22 Mr. and Mrs. Tom Adams Mr. Masud Akbar and Ms. Cidalia Luis-Akbar Mr. Saadeh Al-Jurf and Ms. Bridget O'Connor Mr. and Mrs. Maxmillian Angerholzer III Mr. and Mrs. Wes Battle Mr. David W. Bowker and Mrs. Amanda Z. Bowker ’85 Mr. Brian Boynton and Ms. Mallory Stewart Mr. and Mrs. Chris Brown Mr. and Mrs. Chi Bui Mr. Robert O. Carr and Mrs. Nancy M. Carr Catalyst Foundation Mr. Christopher Chapel and Mrs. Elizabeth Chapel Charina Endowment Fund The Coburn Family Charitable Fund Mr. Alexander Cohen and Ms. Kim Allen Mr. and Mrs. William Cooper III Mr. and Mrs. Tripp Edward Donnelly Mr. and Mrs. William Ebert Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Espy Mr. W. Bradley Ferris ’63 and Mrs. Diane Ferris
Ms. Michele V. Hagans Mr. George Hanbury III and Ms. Suzanna Kang Mr. Michael Hein and Mrs. Catherine Hein Hess Foundation The Hyde Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John Kenney Mr. Josh Klatzkin and Ms. Fernanda Montaño Mr. David Lashway and Ms. Katherine Silverthorne Mr. Roman Martinez and Mrs. Dace Martinez Mr. Stephen McBrady and Mrs. Kristine McBrady Mr. and Mrs. Richard Menschel Mr. and Mrs. Michael Molino Mr. Thomas Moore and Mrs. Elizabeth Williams Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Norden The Perraut Family Fund Mr. Jack Quinn and Mrs. Susanna Quinn ’78 Mr. Ari Redbord and Dr. Kelley Redbord Mr. Lorenzo Roccia and Mrs. Luisana Mendoza Mr. and Mrs. Jason Ryan Mr. Joel Saferstein and Ms. Amy Raskin Dr. Anand Shah and Dr. Deepika Shah Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Snowdon III Mr. and Mrs. Todd Stavish Ms. Mallory Stewart Mr. David Dodge Thompson Jennifer and Andrew Tulumello
Mr. Fred Underwood and Dr. Blair Farr ’87 Dr. Erik van der Merwe and Ms. Caroline Richard Mr. Donald Vieira and Ms. Deneen Howell Mr. and Mrs. Robert John Walther Mr. and Mrs. Alex Ward Mr. Bernard J. Young ’43 and Mrs. Ellen Young
$2,500 to $4,999 Anonymous (1) Ms. Melanie Aitken Mr. Thomas Allen and Ms. Judy Hanna Mr. James Assey and Ms. Gwendolyn Lohse AstraZeneca Mr. Bobby Bagheri and Dr. Pouneh Razavi Mr. Daniel Bahar and Mrs. Veronica d'Almeida Bahar Dr. Farshad Bakhtyari and Mrs. Shabnam Aryana Beauvoir Parents Association Mr. and Mrs. Cedric Bobo Ms. Linda Bobo Mr. Arturo Brillembourg and Dr. Jennifer FeldmanBrillembourg Mr. Clarke Brinckerhoff and Ms. Judy Brinckerhoff Mr. Steven Brobeck and Mrs. Susan W. Brobeck ’52 Mrs. Suzanne Brock Mr. Jon Dean and Mrs. Mary Pat Dean
BEAUVOIR GOVERNING BOARD 2019-2020 (as approved by the Protestant Episcopal Cathedral Foundation on June 27, 2019) Mr. Cedric Bobo Mr. William A. Burck Mr. Mukang Cho Mr. Kelvin Coleman Ms. Pyper Davis Ms. Nichole Francis Reynolds Ms. Jane E. Genster
Mrs. Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn, Ex Officio Ms. Cara Hur Mrs. Tamika Smith Jackson Mr. Scott Jaeckel Mr. William Kappaz, Chair Mrs. Alice Leiter, Secretary Mrs. Cathie Martin
96 ANNUAL REPORT Beauvoir Views
Ms. Kris McBrady Ms. Fernanda Montaño Mr. Michael Rankin, Vice Chair Dr. Courteney Coyne Simchak Mr. Hayes Smith Ms. Mallory Stewart Mr. Fred Underwood
*This donor is now deceased
Mr. David Dempsey and Ms. Sarah Albertson Mr. Joseph Ashley Ebersole ’88 and Mrs. Susan Ebersole Mr. and Mrs. James Egerton-Vernon Mr. and Mrs. Russell Faucett Dr. Scott Faucett and Mrs. Christine Faucett Mr. and Mrs. Robert Forrest Mr. and Mrs. James M. Garland Mr. Larry Wilborn and Mrs. Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn Mr. Richard Haas and Mrs. Patrizia Tumbarello Mr. Sheldon Hall and Mrs. Cinthia Lopez Mr. and Mrs. James Harris Major William E. Hewitt and Mrs. Laura Hewitt
Ambassador Joseph Hockey and Ms. Melissa Babbage Mr. and Mrs. William D. Iverson Mr. and Mrs. Peter Jakes Mr. Geoffrey Johnson Mr. Joel Kaplan and Mrs. Laura Cox Kaplan Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kavounas Mr. and Mrs. Antony Kim Mr. Brian Kowalski and Ms. Catherine Nguyen Mr. and Mrs. Kipp Kranbuhl Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lancaster Mr. Harold D. Lester Jr. and Mr. Donald R. McMinn Mr. Manan Mahadevia and Ms. Vandana Puri Mr. Kevin Martin and Mrs. Catherine Martin
Mr. James Maurer and Ms. Jennifer Richter Maurer Mr. and Mrs. Jason McElroy Mr. Craig S. Miller Jr. and Ms. Lisa S. Brock Mr. Philip Mirrer-Singer and Ms. Emily Kimball Mr. and Mrs. Alex Mistri Mr. Justin L. Ochs ’82 and Mrs. Darcy Ochs Mr. and Mrs. Thad Paul Mr. and Mrs. Barry Pershkow Mr. and Mrs. Christian Pistilli Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Lloyd Pitt Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Pitt Mr. Noah Pollak and Ms. Peggy Bourjaily Mr. Jeffrey M. Prescott and Ms. Susan J. Jakes
Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Edward Putala Mr. Fred Reynolds and Mrs. Nichole Francis Reynolds Dr. and Mrs. Hajeer Sabet Mr. Thomas G. Saunders and Ms. Elizabeth N. Saunders Dr. Brent Lee and Mr. Jeffrey Seay Dr. Amirali Sharifi and Ms. Yoss Missaghian Ms. Lisa E. Smith and Ms. Shaundrae L. Williams Mr. Fabrice Souchaud and Mrs. Megan MerrifieldSouchaud Mr. Michael Sussmann and Dr. Apple Sussmann Thorney Point Foundation Mr. Tong Wei and Ms. Haixia Wang
THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT The Beauvoir Library collection includes over 19,500 books available for students to read with friends at school or check out.
Beauvoir Views ANNUAL REPORT 97
2018-19
Annual Giving Donors FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE $15,000 and above The BPB & HBB Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Scott Jaeckel Mr. and Mrs. William Kappaz Mr. David Simon and Ms. Keira Driansky Mr. Karl R. Thompson and Ms. Leah O. Brannon
HEAD'S CIRCLE $10,000 to $14,999 Mr. and Mrs. Mukang Cho Mr. Ryan Drant and Mrs. Charis Menschel Drant Mr. William Farquhar ’68 and Ms. Michele Farquhar Mr. and Mrs. Andrew C. Florance Mr. Christopher D. Gladstone ’66 and Ms. Elise J. Rabekoff Mr. Mark Green and Mr. Michael Rankin Mr. William Scherman and Dr. Holly Joyner Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Hayes Smith Mr. Percy Valenzuela and Mrs. Ruth Hasen Mr. Martin Weinstein and Mrs. Lori Weinstein
SEVENTY-FIVE CIRCLE $7,500 to $9,999 Anonymous (1) Dr. Sebastian Heath and Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath Jennifer and Andrew Tulumello Mr. Michael Leiter and Mrs. Alice Leiter ’89 Mr. Val Aleksenko and Dr. Natalia Aleksenko
BENEFACTOR $5,000 to $7,499 Mr. Saadeh Al-Jurf and Ms. Bridget O'Connor Mr. and Mrs. Wes Battle Mr. Brian Boynton and Ms. Mallory Stewart Mr. and Mrs. Chi Bui Mr. Robert O. Carr and Mrs. Nancy M. Carr
Catalyst Foundation Charina Endowment Fund Mr. Brooke B. Coburn and Mrs. Gina D. Coburn Mr. Alexander Cohen and Ms. Kim Allen Mr. and Mrs. William Cooper III Mr. Samuel Davidoff and Mrs. Amanda Davidoff ’86 Mr. and Mrs. William Ebert Mr. Fred Underwood and Dr. Blair Farr ’87 Mr. W. Bradley Ferris ’63 and Mrs. Diane Ferris Mr. David J. Greene and Mrs. Caroline Greene ’89 Ms. Michele V. Hagans Mr. George Hanbury III and Ms. Suzanna Kang Mr. Michael Hein and Mrs. Catherine Hein Hess Foundation The Hyde Foundation Mr. and Mrs. John Kenney Mr. Roman Martinez and Mrs. Dace Martinez Mr. Stephen McBrady and Mrs. Kristine McBrady Mr. and Mrs. Richard Menschel Mr. Thomas Moore and Mrs. Elizabeth Williams Mr. Jack Quinn and Mrs. Susanna Quinn ’78 Mr. Ari Redbord and Dr. Kelley Redbord Mr. Lorenzo Roccia and Mrs. Luisana Mendoza Mr. Joel Saferstein and Ms. Amy Raskin Mr. Richard W. Snowdon III and Mrs. Catharine E. Snowdon Mr. and Mrs. Todd Stavish Ms. Mallory Stewart Mr. David Dodge Thompson Mr. Donald Vieira and Ms. Deneen Howell Mr. and Mrs. Robert John Walther Mr. Bernard J. Young ’43 and Mrs. Ellen Young
98 ANNUAL REPORT Beauvoir Views
1933 CIRCLE $2,500 to $4,999 Anonymous (1) Mr. Carl Adams ’22 Mr. and Mrs. Tom Adams Ms. Melanie Aitken Mr. Thomas Allen and Ms. Judy Hanna Mr. and Mrs. Maxmillian Angerholzer III Mr. James Assey and Ms. Gwendolyn Lohse AstraZeneca Mr. Bobby Bagheri and Dr. Pouneh Razavi Mr. Daniel Bahar and Mrs. Veronica d'Almeida Bahar Dr. Farshad Bakhtyari and Mrs. Shabnam Aryana Mr. David W. Bowker and Mrs. Amanda Z. Bowker ’85 Mr. Arturo Brillembourg and Dr. Jennifer FeldmanBrillembourg Mr. Clarke Brinckerhoff and Ms. Judy Brinckerhoff Mr. Steven Brobeck and Mrs. Susan W. Brobeck ’52 Mrs. Suzanne Brock Mr. and Mrs. Chris Brown Mr. Christopher Chapel and Mrs. Elizabeth Chapel Mr. Jon Dean and Mrs. Mary Pat Dean Mr. Joseph Ashley Ebersole ’88 and Mrs. Susan Ebersole Mr. and Mrs. James Egerton-Vernon Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Espy Mr. and Mrs. Russell Faucett Dr. Scott Faucett and Mrs. Christine Faucett Mr. and Mrs. Robert Forrest Mr. and Mrs. James M. Garland Mr. Richard Haas and Mrs. Patrizia Tumbarello Mr. and Mrs. James Harris Major William E. Hewitt and Mrs. Laura Hewitt Ambassador Joseph Hockey and Ms. Melissa Babbage Mr. and Mrs. William D. Iverson
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Jakes Mr. Geoffrey Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kavounas Mr. Josh Klatzkin and Ms. Fernanda Montaño Mr. Brian Kowalski and Ms. Catherine Nguyen Mr. and Mrs. Kipp Kranbuhl Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lancaster Mr. Harold D. Lester Jr. and Mr. Donald R. McMinn Mr. Manan Mahadevia and Ms. Vandana Puri Mr. Kevin Martin and Mrs. Catherine Martin Mr. James Maurer and Ms. Jennifer Richter Maurer Mr. and Mrs. Jason McElroy Mr. Craig S. Miller Jr. and Ms. Lisa S. Brock Mr. Philip Mirrer-Singer and Ms. Emily Kimball Mr. and Mrs. Alex Mistri Mr. and Mrs. Michael Molino Mr. Justin Ochs ’82 and Mrs. Darcy Ochs Mr. and Mrs. Barry Pershkow Mr. and Mrs. Christian Pistilli Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Lloyd Pitt Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Pitt Mr. Jeffrey M. Prescott and Ms. Susan J. Jakes Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Edward Putala Mr. Fred Reynolds and Mrs. Nichole Francis Reynolds Dr. and Mrs. Hajeer Sabet Mr. Thomas G. Saunders and Ms. Elizabeth N. Saunders Dr. Brent Lee and Mr. Jeffrey Seay Dr. Anand Shah and Dr. Deepika Shah Ms. Lisa E. Smith and Ms. Shaundrae L. Williams Thorney Point Foundation Dr. Erik van der Merwe and Ms. Caroline Richard Mr. and Mrs. Alex Ward Mr. Tong Wei and Ms. Haixia Wang
*This donor is now deceased
Beauvoir Views ANNUAL REPORT 99
Annual Giving Donors TAYLOR CIRCLE $1,000 to $2,499 Anonymous (1) Mr. Terry Adamson and Ms. Ede Holiday Mr. Masud Akbar and Ms. Cidalia Luis-Akbar Altman Fund Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Battle Mr. and Mrs. Steven Baur Mr. Phillip Blane and Ms. Laura Schiller The Boeing Company Mr. and Mrs. Michael Bright Mr. Anthony D. Bruce ’76 and Mrs. Collette Bruce Mr. and Mrs. William Burck Ms. Maura Burke Mr. and Mrs. Steven McCann Cady Dr. Oscar Calvo-Gonzalez and Ms. Christina Beharry Mr. Joseph Cannavo and Ms. Rita Patel Mr. and Mrs. R. Miles Clark Dr. Clifton Dalgard and Mrs. Elizabeth B. Dalgard ’86 Mr. David Dempsey and Ms. Sarah Albertson Mr. and Mrs. Tripp Edward Donnelly Ms. Sandra Drant Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bartow Farr III Mrs. Martha W. Farr Dr. and Mrs. Erich Fischer Mr. and Mrs. Richard Frank Mr. Michael Galvin and Mrs. Elizabeth Galvin Mr. and Ms. Timothy Garnett Adm. and Mrs. Ed Giambastiani Mr. Larry Wilborn and Mrs. Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn Mr. and Ms. Jay Gray Mrs. Millie Coleman Groobey
Mr. Sheldon Hall and Mrs. Cinthia Lopez Ms. Claudia W. Hamilton-Hlafter ’90 Henry Luce Foundation Ms. Ede Holiday and Mr. Terry Adamson Mr. and Mrs. William Joyner Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Antony Kim Mr. Peter C. Koch ’76 and Ms. Karolina Arias Mr. Robert T. Amis and Ms. Emily K. Lawson ’80 Leidos Political Action Committee Charity Gift Program Mr. and Mrs. Leland Lim Mr. Curtis Mahoney and Mrs. Rebecca Mahoney ’87 Mr. and Mrs. Yoshi Maisami Col. and Mrs. James Martin Mr. Erik Metzroth and Ms. Amanda Leader Mr. Paul J. Nagle and Mrs. Margaret Nagle ’86 New York Community Trust Mr. and Mrs. Masahiro Nozaki Mr. Sean O’Hollaren and Mrs. Hilary O'Hollaren Mr. and Mrs. William O'Leary Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Pagnani Mr. and Mrs. Thad Paul The Perraut Family Fund Mr. Andrea Pescatori and Ms. Cecilia Caglio Mr. Michael Post and Mrs. Mia Zur The Honorable Molly Raiser Raytheon Company Mr. Laird Reed and Ms. Joy de Menil Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Reid Miss Abigail M. Savopoulos ’05 Dr. Amirali Sharifi and Ms. Yoss Missaghian
The Honorable John H. Shenefield ’47 and Mrs. Judy S. Shenefield Mr. Robert Henry Shorb ’40 Mr. Paul Trepanier and Mrs. Robin Spragens Trepanier ’79 Mr. Brendan V. Sullivan III ’84 and Mrs. Tricia Sullivan Mr. Michael Sussmann and Dr. Apple Sussmann Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sutton Mr. Brewster B. Taylor ’59 and Mrs. Patricia H. Taylor Mr. Craig H. Ulman ’60 and Mrs. Kathy Ulman Vanguard Charitable Ms. Careina Williams ’85 Mrs. Carolyn Ousley Williams* Mrs. Joanne S. Wilson Mr. Jovial Wong and Mrs. Janice Yoo
FRIENDS Up to $1,000 Anonymous (3) Ms. Susanna Adams Mr. Charles Ahn and Ms. Young Ji Kim Mr. James E. Akers Ms. Allison Glosser Aldrich ’78 Ms. Katherine Alexander Mrs. Sara Alipanah Ms. Allison H. Alvarado Mr. Gregory Williams and Mr. Juan Amador Mr. David Amaglobeli and Mrs. Nino Tatishvili American Endowment Foundation Mr. Edward An and Ms. PJ McCann Miss Julia Angelov ’10 Mr. Ian Gillespie and Ms. Helen Gill Arnold ’74
Mr. Craig Astrich Mr. Joseph Baggett Mr. Andrew L. Baine ’87 and Dr. Jennifer Baine Mr. Kevin T. Baine and Mrs. Thayer Baine Mr. and Mrs. William R. Baird Ms. Camelia Baker Mr. and Mrs. H.E. Wesley Barriteau Dr. Showkat Bashir and Dr. Mir S. Javid Mr. and Mrs. Mohit Bawa Mr. Zachary Bear Beauvoir Students Lemonade Stand Mr. William W. Becker Mr. Brian H. Benjet and Ms. Kimberly J. Emmons-Benjet Mr. Louis Berman Mr. Hector Bladuell and Mrs. Lisette Osorio Mr. Farnham Denton Blair ’51 and Mrs. Lynne K. Blair Ms. Catherine E. Bliss ’01 Mrs. Mary Ann Bliss Mrs. Laurie Bloch Mr. David Calleo and Mrs. Avis Bohlen ’49 Ms. Offeibea Boyle Mr. and Mrs. Robert Branson Mrs. Joyce Ann Brentley-Baker Ms. Nancy Bristol Mr. Eric Brodnax and Dr. Catherine L. Culver Mr. Richard Pascale and Ms. Ann Carol Brown Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop N. Brown Mr. Edward Brownfield and Ms. Jennifer Kim Ms. Mary Charlotte Bruce ’05 Ms. Summers T. Bruce ’08 Ms. Barbara Bruner
THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT In the 2018-19 school year, more than 1.7 million dollars in grants were awarded to Beauvoir students and their families.
100 ANNUAL REPORT Beauvoir Views
*This donor is now deceased
Mr. and Mrs. John G. Buchanan III Mr. William M. Buchanan and Mrs. Julie Buchanan ’78 Mr. Paul L. Buck ’54 Mr. and Ms. Joseph Bui Mr. David Winslow Burling ’60 and Mrs. Hannah Burling Mr. and Ms. Richard Caddell Mr. David Cahill and Mrs. Katharine Wiebe Cahill ’95 Mr. James Carroll and Ms. Cecilia Calvo ’76 Mr. and Mrs. Skip Camp Mr. and Mrs. Donald Campbell Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Cannova Mr. and Mrs. Rick Cantatore Mr. Charles Capito and Senator Shelley Capito Mr. Charles L. Capito III and Mrs. Laura R. Capito ’90 Dr. Anna Carello Mrs. Margaret Greer Carr ’69 Mr. Matthew R. M. Carr ’94 and Mrs. Jena Carr Mr. Daron Carreiro and Ms. Anna Tsouhlarakis Mrs. Paula J. Carreiro Miss Eliza Carroll ’16 Mr. James Carroll and Ms. Cecilia Calvo ’76 Mr. Jorma Cavaleri and The Rev. Eva Cavaleri Mrs. Elanor M. Cato* Miss Alison M. Cenname ’07 Ms. Beverly Cenname Ms. Anne Chandra
Mr. Shobhik Chaudhuri and Ms. Jo Strang Mr. Benjamin Chew ’71 and Mrs. Amy B. Chew Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Chounoune Cisco Systems Foundation Mr. Jason Bennett Clapp and Mrs. Sarah Clapp ’83 Mr. Wayne D. Coffen and Mrs. Jaime F. Whitfield-Coffen Mr. and Mrs. Kelvin L. Coleman Mr. Stephen Collier and Ms. Patricia Weiss Dr. and Mrs. William Cooper Mrs. Judith Cotter Ms. Lydia Diklich Cox Dr. Courteney Coyne Mr. Kenneth Creed and Mrs. Alexandra W. Creed ’75 Ms. Caroline H. Cromelin ’93 Ms. D. Elizabeth Crompton Ms. Sherilyn Cummings Ms. Kim C. D'Abreu Ms. Diana M. Daniels Ms. Katharine Davis Dr. Kimberly M. Davis ’80 Ms. Pyper Davis Mrs. Elizabeth Vlcek Deeming ’86 Ms. Anne Marie Desaulniers Mr. David Louis Dodson ’64 Ms. Rosaleen Doerfler-King Mrs. Lenore Donnelly Mr. Christopher R. Dougall ’65 Mrs. Nancy Wolcott Doyle ’88 Mr. Rowan R. Drant ’15
Mr. Tanner Drant ’18 Mr. Ron N. Dreben and Ms. Alison Richards Ms. Cindy Duarte Ms. Sherie M. Durand Tazewell Mr. and Mrs. Edward Eastwick Mrs. Nancy Ebersole Ms. Annette Edwards Ms. Nicole K. Efron ’95 Mr. Edward L. Eisenstein ’64 Ms. Allyson Eno Ms. Jessica Espinosa Mr. Hayden K. Espy ’21 Miss Alexandra Farje ’07 Miss Doris E. Farje ’05 Mr. Miles A. Fawcett ’79 and Ms. Mira Saxena Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Feldman Ms. Kathleen E.B. Feldman ’95 Mr. Peter A. Feldman ’91 Mr. Billie Ferguson Mr. Jason Fleischer and Ms. Sara Kraner Mr. and Mrs. James F. Flug Mr. C. Allen Foster and Mrs. Susan Foster Mrs. Sally DeSipio Frazza ’60 Mr. Kevin Friend Ms. Kristine Sockwell Friend Mr. Matt Gittleman and Ms. Madeleine Fromell Mr. Thomas A. Fuller ’61 Mr. Frank J. Gaines III ’06 Miss Sararose C. Gaines ’05 Ms. Anne H. Galvin ’94 Mr. S. Wylie Galvin ’96
Mr. Gilberto Garcia Jr. and Ms. Martine Voltaire Ms. Davinna Garmo Mr. Stuart Gerson and Ms. Pamela Somers Mrs. Jessica Gillespie Mr. and Mrs. James Gilroy Mr. and Mrs. Larry L. Goldstein Mr. Adam Golodner and Ms. Eileen McMahon Ms. Rachel Carr Goulding ’85 Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation Ms. Mary Greer ’65 Mr. Christopher S. Gregory ’85 Ms. Tamira Guevara Mr. and Mrs. Justin Guilder Ms. Rheabecca Z. Guillaume-Roussel Mr. John S. Guttmann Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Gwaltney Mr. and Mrs. Timothy M. Haake Ms. Colleen Hackett Mr. Ahmad Hajj and Ms. Sogand Zamani Ms. Carolyn Hammonds Ms. Allison Ross Hanna ’78 Mr. Adam A. Harper ’91 Ms. Alaina M. Harper ’90 Ms. Ambia Nicole Harper ’88 Ms. Kaitlyn Hay Mrs. Elizabeth Hayes Mr. and Mrs. Shane Hedges Mr. Christopher Heim and Mrs. Maryann Heim Mr. Andre T. Heinz ’79
Beauvoir Views ANNUAL REPORT 101
Annual Giving Donors Mr. Braden P. Herman ’81 Mr. Fernando A. Hermoza and Ms. Araceli F. Ma Mr. and Mrs. Jose B. Hernandez Ms. July Hillón Mr. Aaron E. Hilton ’06 Miss Meredith Parsons Hilton ’04 The Rev. Dr. Olivia P.L. Hilton Mr. Robert B. Hilton Mr. Vernon Holleman and Mrs. Stacy G. Holleman Mr. Zachary Richards Hope ’78 Mr. Mark D. Hopson and Ms. Diana Luka-Hopson Mr. Jeffrey Horwitt and Ms. Lauren Briggerman Ms. Lily Howard Scott Mr. Derrick Humphries and Mrs. Jonca Humphries Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hur Mr. Tony Hurst Ms. Kathleen Marie Delaney Ms. Aura Ivanoff Ms. Margaret Jackson Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Jamieson Ms. Kathleen O. Jamieson and Mr. Nathan Heavers Mrs. Zarema Jaramillo and Mr. Victor Jaramillo Mr. and Mrs. William Jeffery
Ms. Mali Jimenez Mr. Charles Joesten and Ms. Adrienne Joesten Mr. Michael A. Johnson and Mrs. Ada F. Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Boisfeuillet Jones Jr. Mrs. Nekita Jones Mr. Aaron R. Jordan Mrs. Charissa L. Jordan Mr. William Temple Jorden ’59 and Mrs. Ise Seike Johnson Ms. Emily Katz Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kennedy Mrs. Jan Kerr Ms. Jennifer Lee King ’81 Mr. and Mrs. Michael M. King Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Kintz Mr. Michael R. Klein and Ms. Joan I. Fabry Ms. Janet Konnick Dr. Kathryn Kranbuhl Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lackey Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Lago Ms. Candida Lancaster Ms. Anne Handwerger Large ’77 and Mr. Curtis E. Large Mr. and Mrs. Simon Andrew Latcovich Ms. Mary Laux Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Layton
THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT In the 2018-19 school year, Beauvoir students used over 500 pounds of clay for student art projects!
102 ANNUAL REPORT Beauvoir Views
Ms. Susan Leader Mr. Hugh McIntosh and Ms. Anna L. Leithauser ’89 Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Leithauser Mr. Oliver M. Lewis ’87 Mr. Christopher Ling and Ms. Robin Saenz Ms. Sharon Litts Dr. Songtao Liu and Dr. Jing Han Mr. Edward J. Longosz III ’96 Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Lowell Mr. and Mrs. Van Lurton Ms. Julie G. Lynn ’75 Ms. Nicole Maaia Mr. Martin MacIntyre ’96 and Mrs. Jessica MacIntyre ’96 Mr. Andrew Mackay and Mrs. Anne Mackay Ms. Helen Drury Macsherry Ms. Caroline Maffry Mr. Sean Manson Mrs. Mary Marcoux Ms. Isabel Marin ’99 Mariposa Fund Miss Beatrice H. Markham ’11 Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Markham Mr. Edward L. Markham ’15 Mr. Hugh D. Markham ’13 Mr. and Mrs. David O. Martin Mr. Roman Martinez and Mrs. Helena Martinez Mrs. Lilian Martinez de Pena Ms. Emilie C. Mathieu ’89 Mr. Chuck Matthews and Mrs. Lariena Matthews Ms. Bryan Mauldin ’57 Ms. Janet McCabe ’67 Mr. Neil McClay and Ms. Kelly Yau Ms. Eileen McMahon Mrs. Tamzin McMinn Ms. Amalia Mendoza Meriwether Godsey Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Meyerson Dr. Yanliang Miao and Dr. Liang Li Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas Miller Mr. Steven Miller and Ms. Vanessa Camilleri Ms. Dawne Miner Mrs. Jonese Monahan Mr. Perry Fergus and Ms. Angela Montez ’76 Mr. and Mrs. Allan B. Moore Mr. Harrison Allan Moore ’10 Dr. Ryan T. Moore and Ms. Morgan Cole
Miss Vanessa M. Moore ’06 Ms. Nadirah I. Moreland Mr. Peter F. Moriarty ’62 and Mrs. Christy S. Moriarty Dr. Ala Seyed Mortazavi and Dr. Firoozeh H. Shahidi Mr. Askia Muhammad Mr. and Mrs. Michael Adam Neufeld Ms. Nashira Nicholson Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Norden Ms. Susan O' Sullivan Mr. and Mrs. Laurance J. Ochs Ms. Nancy Morrison O'Connor Ms. Yasmin Solitahe V. M. Odlum Ms. Wilhelmina P. Orleans-Gaines Mrs. Elizabeth Pal Dr. and Mrs. Will Palframan Mr. Joseph Palmore and Dr. Tara Palmore Ms. Saijal Patel Mr. and Mrs. David Curtis Payne Mr. Matthew R. Perl ’88 Mr. Chi Perrus and Mrs. Sheena Liburd-Perrus Mr. Chad D. Perry ’81 and Mrs. Martha Perry Mr. Benjamin Persina and Mrs. Zoe Persina Mr. Matthew Peters and Dr. Tania Peters Ms. Paulette Pinckney Ms. Alaina Pitt Ms. Patrice Marlene Pitts ’66 Mr. Noah Pollak and Ms. Peggy Bourjaily Porter Family Charitable Foundation, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth A. Pouch III Mr. and Mrs. Stephen W. Preston Mr. and Mrs. Brian Privor Ms. Mary Scott Rawlins Mr. Clifford Renshaw Ms. Sandy Revelo Ms. Leisha Reynolds Ms. Alison Richards Mr. and Mrs. John L. Richardson Ms. Lexie Rickards Ms. Erin Riley Mr. James Rizzo and Mrs. Rebecca C. Rizzo ’88 Mr. and Mrs. Danville Roach Mr. and Mrs. Stephen E. Roady Mr. Andres Robles ’98 Mr. Pedro Robles and Mrs. Martha Robles Mrs. Antoinette Rodocanachi Mr. and Mrs. David Roehrenbeck
*This donor is now deceased
Ms. Margot Roux Ms. Linda Rowe Mr. Richard B. Ruge ’50 and Mrs. Audrey L. Ruge Mr. and Mrs. William Sands Ms. Rosemarie Sanford Mr. Marcus Santos and Dr. Nita Vivatrat Mr. and Mrs. William Sauers Ms. Alison C. Savitz ’76 Mr. David W. Savold and Ms. Margaret Hartigan Mrs. Abigail Schick Ms. Markley Foreman Schlegel ’96 Mr. Henry Flood Schoellkopf ’65 Mr. Christopher M. Schroeder and Ms. Alexandra H. Coburn Mr. Andrei J. Schwartz ’10 Miss Kristine I. Schwartz ’13 Ms. Claudette Searchwell Mr. Benjamin P. Seesel and Ms. Holly L. Seesel Mr. Colin Mathew Sellar ’81 and Mrs. Patricia First Mr. Marcus Sesin Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Sheehan Mr. and Mrs. Alexander W. Sierck Mrs. Ashley Ball Simpson ’58 Mr. Ogle R. Singleton Jr. ’39 Mr. John Siscoe ’56 and Mrs. Carolyn Siscoe
Mr. Jerry Skalka and Mrs. Sandy Kronsberg Ms. Janelle A. Smith and Ms. Lauren Tinsley Mr. and Mrs. Julious Smith Ms. Zainab Smith Mr. Rod R. Snider and Ms. Naoko Otani Mr. and Mrs. Peter W. Spartin Ms. Judi Sperber Mr. Robert Martin Stevenson Jr. ’44 and Mrs. Susan Stevenson Mr. and Mrs. Michael W. Stockton Mr. Samuel C. Stockton ’06 Mr. William C. Stockton ’04 Ms. Amelie Porter Stroh ’75 Ms. Jocelyn Sturdivant Ms. Debra Suzich Mr. and Mrs. Steve Swad Ms. Rachel Tanner Ms. Gloria Taylor Mr. L. David Taylor and Mrs. Michelle Taylor Mr. and Mrs. Charles Temkin Mr. William D. Temko ’63 Mr. Joseph Terry and Mrs. Laura Terry Ms. Christianne L. Testamark Ms. Victoria Thomas Ms. Gail Harris Thomason ’72
Ms. Katherine Thompson ’93 and Mr. Andrew Brunner Mr. and Mrs. Peter Thompson Dr. Elizabeth H. ThompsonCleary ’92 Mr. Daniel Thorner and Dr. Dara Thorner Mr. Elliott Shaw Thurston ’69 Mr. Nathan Tielking and The Rev. Claudia Tielking Dr. Andrew J. Tiffin and Ms. Cheryl Kim Mr. Mike Hollman and Ms. Dana Tignor Ms. Yanick Timo Ms. Jenny Towns Mr. and Mrs. Peter D. Trooboff Mr. and Mrs. Joel H. Trotter Mrs. Heidi Tryon Ms. Karen R. Turner Mrs. Agnes C. Underwood Dr. Nico Valckx and Ms. Selvi Atayeva Mr. Peter Van Allen and Mrs. Barbara Van Allen Mr. Adam T. Vitarello ’91 Mr. and Mrs. James D. Vitarello Ms. Julia P. Vitarello ’86 Mr. Justin W. Vitarello ’89 Mrs. Ann Lewis Vlcek Ms. Laura Voelker Mr. and Mrs. Steven A. Wechsler
Mr. Erik Weeks and Ms. Rae Weeks Mr. Dustin Weiss and Ms. Bridget Weiss Mr. Stephen Weissman and Ms. Sarah Bauers Mrs. Karin A. Wells Mr. Kevin M. Wells Mr. Stephen Wells Mr. Cole P. Werble ’60 and Ms. Katherine B. Menz Ms. Ellen C. Werble ’94 Mr. Charles Wesson Mr. Greg Paukstis and Ms. Kendall White ’84 Mr. and Mrs. Roger S. White White Mountains Capital, Inc. Mr. Bailey L. Williams ’87 and Mrs. Greta Williams Mr. and Mrs. Bryan D. Williams Mr. and Mrs. Kendall Wyman Wilson Ms. Megan Wilson Mr. James W. Wohlgemuth and Dr. Caroline W. Wohlgemuth Mr. Chenggang Wu and Dr. Wen Gong Ms. Bethany Dickerson Wynder and The Rev. Charles Wynder Jr. Mr. and Mrs. John E. Yellen Mr. and Mrs. Shinya Yoshino Ms. Carissa Youse Mr. and Mrs. Robert Zink
Beauvoir Views ANNUAL REPORT 103
2018-2019
Alumni Annual Giving Donors 1939 Ogle R. Singleton 1940 Robert H. Shorb 1943 Bernard J. Young 1944 Robert M. Stevenson
1966 Christopher D. Gladstone Patrice M. Pitts 1967 Janet McCabe 1968 William Farquhar
1947 John H. Shenefield
1969 Margaret G. Carr Elliott S. Thurston
1949 Avis Bohlen
1971 Benjamin G. Chew
1950 Richard B. Ruge
1972 Gail H. Thomason
1951 Farnham D. Blair
1974 Helen G. Arnold
1952 Susan W. Brobeck
1975 Alexandra W. Creed Julie G. Lynn Amelie P. Stroh
1954 Paul L. Buck 1956 John Siscoe 1957 Bryan Mauldin 1958 Ashley B. Simpson 1959 William T. Jorden Brewster B. Taylor 1960 David W. Burling Sally D. Frazza Craig H. Ulman Cole P. Werble 1961 Thomas A. Fuller 1962 Peter F. Moriarty 1963 W. Bradley Ferris William D. Temko 1964 David L. Dodson Edward L. Eisenstein 1965 Christopher R. Dougall Mary D. Greer Henry F. Schoellkopf
1976 Anthony D. Bruce Cecilia Calvo Peter C. Koch Angela C. Montez Alison C. Savitz 1977 Anne Large 1978 Allison G. Aldrich Julie Buchanan Allison R. Hanna Zachary R. Hope Susanna Quinn 1979 Miles A. Fawcett Andre T. Heinz Robin S. Spragens Trepanier 1980 Kimberly M. Davis Emily K. Lawson 1981 Braden P. Herman Jennifer L. King Chad D. Perry Colin M. Sellar 1982 Justin L. Ochs
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1983 Sarah Clapp 1984 Brendan V. Sullivan III Caroline Kendall White 1985 Amanda Z. Bowker Rachel C. Goulding Christopher S. Gregory Careina Williams 1986 Elizabeth B. Dalgard Amanda Davidoff Elizabeth V. Deeming Margaret S. Nagle Julia P. Vitarello 1987 Andrew L. Baine Blair W. Farr Oliver M. Lewis Rebecca I. Mahoney Bailey L. Williams 1988 Nancy Doyle Joseph Ebersole Ambia N. Harper Matthew R. Perl Rebecca C. Rizzo 1989 Caroline K. Greene Alice E. Leiter Anna L. Leithauser Emilie C. Mathieu Justin W. Vitarello 1990 Laura R. Capito Claudia W. HamiltonHlafter Alaina M. Harper 1991 Helen B. Bechtel Peter A. Feldman Adam A. Harper Adam T. Vitarello 1992 Elizabeth H. ThompsonCleary 1993 Caroline H. Cromelin Katherine D. Thompson
1994 Matthew R. Carr Anne H. Galvin Ellen C. Werble 1995 Katharine W. Cahill Nicole K. Efron Kathleen E. Feldman
2006 Frank J. Gaines Aaron E. Hilton Vanessa M. Moore Samuel C. Stockton 2007 Alison M. Cenname Alexandra Farje
1996 S. Wylie Galvin Edward J. Longosz Jessica M. MacIntyre Martin E. MacIntyre Markley Schlegel
2008 Summers T. Bruce
1998 Andres Robles
2011 Beatrice H. Markham
1999 Isabel Marin
2013 Hugh D. Markham Kristine I. Schwartz
2001 Catherine E. Bliss 2004 Meredith P. Hilton William C. Stockton 2005 Mary Charlotte Bruce Doris E. Farje Sararose C. Gaines Abigail M. Savopoulos
2010 Julia Angelov Harrison A. Moore Andrei J. Schwartz
2015 Rowan R. Drant Edward L. Markham 2016 Eliza Carroll 2018 Tanner B. Drant
THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT In the 2018-19 school year, Beauvoir provided grants covering 5% to 96% of tuition costs to 19% of its student body. Beauvoir Views ANNUAL REPORT 105
2018-2019
Grandparent Annual Giving Donors Anonymous (1) Mr. Kevin T. Baine and Mrs. Thayer Baine Harper Baine ’22 Mr. and Mrs. William R. Baird Madeline Bath ’05 Blake Bath ’07 Parker Bath ’09 Mrs. Diane B. Bodman Julia D. Greene ’19 Maria. D. Greene ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Branson Robert Faucett ’21 Campbell Faucett ’24 Ms. Nancy Bristol Dhillon Cannavo ’19 Nikhil Cannavo ’21 Mrs. Suzanne Brock Brock Miller ’19 Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop N. Brown Benjamin Leiter ’21 Alexandra Bechtel ’22 Caroline Bechtel ’24 Elizabeth Leiter ’24 Ms. Barbara Bruner Ella Bruner ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Chi Bui Lillian Bui ’17 Marie Bui ’22 Mr. and Mrs. Skip Camp Turner Battle ’22 Madison Battle ’24 Mr. and Mrs. Rick Cantatore Jacqueline Zink ’23 Mr. Charles Capito and Senator Shelley Capito Celia Capito ’19 Charles Capito ’23 Rose Capito (ELC)
THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT In the 2018-19 fiscal year, Beauvoir hosted over 150 events featuring student programming and academic advancement, Chapel, Parents Association activities, Head of School Coffees and much more!
106 ANNUAL REPORT Beauvoir Views
Mr. Robert O. Carr and Mrs. Nancy M. Carr Sydney Rizzo ’20 Finn Carr ’24 Mrs. Paula J. Carreiro Mahate Carreiro ’19 Akocha Carreiro ’21 George Tsouhlarakis Carreiro ’23 Dr. and Mrs. William Cooper Clover Cooper ’17 Catherine Cooper ’19
*This donor is now deceased
Ms. D. Elizabeth Crompton Aidan Carroll ’13 Eliza Carroll ’16 Mrs. Lenore Donnelly Finn Donnelly ’20 Ms. Sandra Drant Rowan Drant ’15 Tanner Drant ’18 Liv Drant ’20 Mrs. Nancy Ebersole Joseph Ebersole ’22 Ms. Annette Edwards Bella Stroud ’20
Ms. Candida Lancaster Hallie Lancaster ’22 Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Layton Sydney Rizzo ’20 Ms. Susan Leader Matthew Metzroth ’18 Alice Metzroth ’22
Mr. and Mrs. Danville Roach Grant Powell ’17 Wade Powell ’20 Mr. and Mrs. Stephen E. Roady Celia Capito ’19 Charles Capito ’23 Rose Capito (ELC)
Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Leithauser Ms. Linda Rowe Henry Rowe ’21 Mary McIntosh ’20 Lucy McIntosh ’22 Ms. Claudette Searchwell Riley Smith ’20 Col. and Mrs. James Martin Caleb Smith ’24 Abigail Savopoulos ’05
Katerina Savopoulos ’07 Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bartow Farr III Philip Savopoulos ’14* Wagner Underwood ’18 Mr. Roman Martinez and Mrs. Helena Martinez Taylor Underwood ’20 Roman Martinez ’22 Mr. and Mrs. Russell Faucett Cobi Martinez ’24 Robert Faucett ’21 Mrs. Tamzin McMinn Campbell Faucett ’24 Lillian Lester-McMinn ’19 Mr. and Mrs. James F. Flug Mr. and Mrs. Richard Menschel Nicholas Davidoff ’17 Rowan Drant ’15 Emma Davidoff ’19 Tanner Drant ’18 Mr. and Mrs. Richard Frank Mr. Askia Muhammad Nicolas O'Leary ’19 Leo Moreland ’20 Adm. and Mrs. Ed Giambastiani Ms. Susan O' Sullivan Charlotte McElroy ’23 William McCullough ’21 Ms. Aura Ivanoff Mr. and Mrs. Laurance J. Ochs Aleksander Jaramillo ’22 Emily Ochs ’17 Mr. and Mrs. William D. Iverson Amanda Ochs ’19 Eleanor Mahoney ’19 Ms. Nancy Morrison O'Connor Patrick Mahoney ’22 Hugh Al-Jurf ’21 Mr. and Mrs. Peter Jakes Amelia Al-Jurf ’24 Amalia Prescott ’20 Ms. Paulette Pinckney Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Jamieson Kenneth Thompson ’21 Michael Heavers (ELC) Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Lloyd Pitt Anne Heavers ’18 Josephine Pitt ’21 Bridget Rose Heavers ’21 The Honorable Molly Raiser Ms. Twanda Johnson Ava Raiser ’15 Ciara Hargrove ’11 Monty Raiser ’18 Mr. and Mrs. William Joyner Jr. Theadora Raiser ’21 Emma Scherman ’21 Mr. Clifford Renshaw Scott Scherman ’24 Henry Pistilli ’19 Mr. and Mrs. John Kenney James Pistilli ’21 Elizabeth Battle ’22 Mr. and Mrs. John L. Richardson Ms. Sally Kleberg Hazel Linton ’21 Hayden Espy ’21 Mrs. Peggy Richardson Dr. Kathryn Kranbuhl Hazel Linton ’21 Curry Kranbuhl ’18 Turner Kranbuhl ’20
Mr. Robert Henry Shorb ’40 Robert Shorb ’02 Charles Shorb ’06 Jennifer Shorb ’08 Virginia Shorb ’08 Benjamin Shorb ’12 Mr. and Mrs. Alexander W. Sierck Oliver Clapp ’14 Peter Clapp ’16 Jacob Clapp ’19 Mr. Jerry Skalka and Mrs. Sandy Kronsberg Margot Tulumello ’23 Mr. and Mrs. Julious Smith Tyler Smith ’17 Olivia Smith ’19 Stephen Smith ’22 Ms. Gloria Taylor Isabella Heath ’21 Mr. and Mrs. Peter Thompson Tyler Smith ’17 Olivia Smith ’19 Stephen Smith ’22 Mrs. Agnes C. Underwood Wagner Underwood ’18 Taylor Underwood ’20 Mr. and Mrs. James D. Vitarello Zenni Vitarello ’20 Mr. Stephen Wells Matthew Wells ’20 Andrew Wells ’22 Ms. Carolyn Ousley Williams* Chase Williams ’22 Mrs. Joanne S. Wilson Jacqueline Amis ’20 Charlotte Amis ’21 James Amis ’21
Beauvoir Views ANNUAL REPORT 107
2018-2019
Annual Giving by Grade PRE-KINDERGARTEN Mr. Charles Ahn and Ms. Young Ji Kim Mr. James Assey and Ms. Gwendolyn Lohse Mr. Daniel Bahar and Mrs. Veronica d'Almeida Bahar Mr. and Mrs. Mohit Bawa Mr. Hector Bladuell and Mrs. Lisette Osorio Mr. Arturo Brillembourg and Dr. Jennifer FeldmanBrillembourg Mr. Charles L. Capito III and Mrs. Laura R. Capito ’90 Mr. Daron Carreiro and Ms. Anna Tsouhlarakis Mr. Shobhik Chaudhuri and Ms. Jo Strang Mr. David Dempsey and Ms. Sarah Albertson Mr. and Ms. Jay Gray Mr. and Mrs. James Harris Mr. Jeffrey Horwitt and Ms. Lauren Briggerman Mr. and Mrs. William Kappaz Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kavounas Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Lago Dr. Songtao Liu and Dr. Jing Han Mr. Andrew Mackay and Mrs. Anne Mackay Mr. Manan Mahadevia and Ms. Vandana Puri Mr. and Mrs. David O. Martin Mr. and Mrs. Allen McDonald II Mr. and Mrs. Jason McElroy Dr. Yanliang Miao and Dr. Liang Li Mr. Steven Miller and Ms. Vanessa Camilleri Mr. and Mrs. Michael Molino Mr. Thomas Moore and Mrs. Elizabeth Williams Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Pagnani Mrs. Elizabeth Pal Dr. and Mrs. Will Palframan Mr. Ari Redbord and Dr. Kelley Redbord Mr. Fred Reynolds and Mrs. Nichole Francis Reynolds Mr. Lorenzo Roccia and Mrs. Luisana Mendoza
Dr. and Mrs. Hajeer Sabet Mr. and Mrs. William Sands Mr. Marcus Santos and Dr. Nita Vivatrat Dr. Anand Shah and Dr. Deepika Shah Mr. Brendan V. Sullivan III ’84 and Mrs. Tricia Sullivan Ms. Rachel Tanner Jennifer and Andrew Tulumello Mr. Charles Wesson Mr. Jovial Wong and Mrs. Janice Yoo Mr. and Mrs. Robert Zink
KINDERGARTEN Anonymous (2) Mr. Andrew L. Baine ’87 and Dr. Jennifer Baine Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Battle Mr. and Mrs. Wes Battle Mr. Brendan Bechtel and Mrs. Helen B. Bechtel ’91 Mr. and Mrs. Michael Bright Mr. and Mrs. Chris Brown Mr. and Ms. Joseph Bui Mr. and Mrs. Steven McCann Cady Dr. Oscar Calvo-Gonzalez and Ms. Christina Beharry Dr. Clifton Dalgard and Mrs. Elizabeth B. Dalgard ’86 Mr. and Mrs. Edward Eastwick Mr. Joseph Ashley Ebersole ’88 and Mrs. Susan Ebersole Mr. and Mrs. William Ebert Mr. and Mrs. James Egerton-Vernon Dr. and Mrs. Erich Fischer Mr. Richard Haas and Mrs. Patrizia Tumbarello Mr. Michael Hein and Mrs. Catherine Hein Major William E. Hewitt and Mrs. Laura Hewitt Mr. and Mrs. Scott Jaeckel Mrs. Zarema Jaramillo and Mr. Victor Jaramillo Mr. Marcus Johnson Mr. and Mrs. William Kappaz Mr. Peter C. Koch ’76 and Ms. Karolina Arias
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Mr. Brian Kowalski and Ms. Catherine Nguyen Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lancaster Mr. and Mrs. Simon Andrew Latcovich Mr. Hugh McIntosh and Ms. Anna L. Leithauser ’89 Mr. Christopher Ling and Ms. Robin Saenz Mr. Curtis Mahoney and Mrs. Rebecca Mahoney ’87 Mr. Roman Martinez and Mrs. Dace Martinez Mr. Erik Metzroth and Ms. Amanda Leader Mr. Philip Mirrer-Singer and Ms. Emily Kimball Mr. and Mrs. Michael Molino Mr. Josh Klatzkin and Ms. Fernanda Montaño Mr. and Mrs. Michael Adam Neufeld Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Norden Mr. Andrea Pescatori and Ms. Cecilia Caglio Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Edward Putala Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Reid Dr. and Mrs. Hajeer Sabet Mr. Joel Saferstein and Ms. Amy Raskin Mr. and Mrs. William Sands Mr. Thomas G. Saunders and Ms. Elizabeth N. Saunders Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Sheehan Mr. David Simon and Ms. Keira Driansky Mr. Rod R. Snider and Ms. Naoko Otani Mr. Paul Trepanier and Mrs. Robin Spragens Trepanier ’79 Mr. and Mrs. Todd Stavish Mr. Adam Taylor and Mrs. Sharee McKenzie Taylor Mr. Donald Vieira and Ms. Deneen Howell Mr. Martin Weinstein and Mrs. Lori Weinstein Mrs. Karin A. Wells Mr. Kevin M. Wells Mr. Bailey L. Williams ’87 and Mrs. Greta Williams Ms. Careina Williams ’85 Mr. and Mrs. Shinya Yoshino
PARTICIPATION MATTERS
FIRST GRADE Ms. Melanie Aitken Mr. Val Aleksenko and Dr. Natalia Aleksenko Mr. Saadeh Al-Jurf and Ms. Bridget O'Connor Mr. David Amaglobeli and Mrs. Nino Tatishvili Mr. and Mrs. Maxmillian Angerholzer III Dr. Farshad Bakhtyari and Mrs. Shabnam Aryana Mr. Zachary Bear Mr. Brian Boynton and Ms. Mallory Stewart Mr. Edward Brownfield and Ms. Jennifer Kim Mr. and Mrs. William Burck Mr. Joseph Cannavo and Ms. Rita Patel Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Cannova Mr. Daron Carreiro and Ms. Anna Tsouhlarakis Mr. Benjamin Chew ’71 and Mrs. Amy B. Chew Mr. and Mrs. Mukang Cho Mr. Brooke B. Coburn and Mrs. Gina D. Coburn Mr. David Dempsey and Ms. Sarah Albertson Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Espy Dr. Scott Faucett and Mrs. Christine Faucett Mr. Jason Fleischer and Ms. Sara Kraner Mr. and Mrs. Robert Forrest Mr. Gilberto Garcia Jr. and Ms. Martine Voltaire Mr. and Ms. Timothy Garnett Mr. and Mrs. James Gilroy Mr. and Mrs. Justin Guilder Mr. Ahmad Hajj and Ms. Sogand Zamani Mr. Sheldon Hall and Mrs. Cinthia Lopez Dr. Sebastian Heath and Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath Major William E. Hewitt and Mrs. Laura Hewitt Mr. Vernon Holleman and Mrs. Stacy G. Holleman Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hur
The range of individual 2018-19 Annual Fund gifts was from $15 to over $70,000 with 350 donors contributing at $50 or less.
Ms. Kathleen O. Jamieson and Mr. Nathan Heavers Mr. Charles Joesten and Ms. Adrienne Joesten Mr. William Scherman and Dr. Holly Joyner Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kennedy Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Kintz Mr. Robert T. Amis and Ms. Emily K. Lawson ’80 Mr. Michael Leiter and Mrs. Alice Leiter ’89 Mr. Manan Mahadevia and Ms. Vandana Puri Mr. Stephen McBrady and Mrs. Kristine McBrady Mr. and Mrs. Michael Molino Mr. and Mrs. Masahiro Nozaki Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Pagnani Mr. and Mrs. Thad Paul Mr. Matthew Peters and Dr. Tania Peters Mr. and Mrs. Christian Pistilli Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Pitt Mr. Michael Post and Mrs. Mia Zur Mr. Jack Quinn and Mrs. Susanna Quinn ’78 Mr. Fred Reynolds and Mrs. Nichole Francis Reynolds Mr. Lorenzo Roccia and Mrs. Luisana Mendoza Mr. Marcus Santos and Dr. Nita Vivatrat
Mr. Benjamin P. Seesel and Ms. Holly L. Seesel Dr. Amirali Sharifi and Ms. Yoss Missaghian Mr. Percy Valenzuela and Mrs. Ruth Hasen Dr. Erik van der Merwe and Ms. Caroline Richard
SECOND GRADE Anonymous (1) Mr. Thomas Allen and Ms. Judy Hanna Mr. Bobby Bagheri and Dr. Pouneh Razavi Mr. and Mrs. Steven Baur Mr. and Ms. Richard Caddell Mr. and Mrs. Steven McCann Cady Mr. Benjamin Chew ’71 and Mrs. Amy B. Chew Mr. and Mrs. R. Miles Clark Mr. Wayne D. Coffen and Mrs. Jaime F. Whitfield-Coffen Dr. Kimberly M. Davis ’80 Mr. Jon Dean and Mrs. Mary Pat Dean Mr. and Mrs. Tripp Edward Donnelly Mr. Ryan Drant and Mrs. Charis Menschel Drant Mr. Fred Underwood and Dr. Blair Farr ’87 Mr. Mark Green and Mr. Michael Rankin
Mr. David J. Greene and Mrs. Caroline Greene ’89 Mr. and Mrs. William Hutchison Mr. and Mrs. Scott Jaeckel Ms. Mali Jimenez Mr. Michael A. Johnson and Mrs. Ada F. Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kavounas Mr. and Mrs. Antony Kim Mr. Brian Kowalski and Ms. Catherine Nguyen Mr. and Mrs. Kipp Kranbuhl Mr. Robert T. Amis and Ms. Emily K. Lawson ’80 Mr. Hugh McIntosh and Ms. Anna L. Leithauser ’89 Mr. James Maurer and Ms. Jennifer Richter Maurer Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas Miller Mr. and Mrs. Alex Mistri Ms. Nadirah I. Moreland Mr. and Mrs. Michael Adam Neufeld Ms. Nashira Nicholson Mr. Chi Perrus and Mrs. Sheena Liburd-Perrus Mr. and Mrs. Barry Pershkow Mr. Noah Pollak and Ms. Peggy Bourjaily Mr. Jeffrey M. Prescott and Ms. Susan J. Jakes Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Edward Putala Mr. Ari Redbord and Dr. Kelley Redbord
Mr. Laird Reed and Ms. Joy de Menil Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Reid Mr. James Rizzo and Mrs. Rebecca C. Rizzo ’88 Mr. and Mrs. David Roehrenbeck Mr. and Mrs. William Sands Mr. Thomas G. Saunders and Ms. Elizabeth N. Saunders Dr. Brent Lee and Mr. Jeffrey Seay Mr. David Simon and Ms. Keira Driansky Ms. Janelle A. Smith and Ms. Lauren Tinsley Ms. Lisa E. Smith and Ms. Shaundrae L. Williams Mr. Adam Taylor and Mrs. Sharee McKenzie Taylor Mr. Karl R. Thompson and Ms. Leah O. Brannon Mr. Daniel Thorner and Dr. Dara Thorner Mr. Justin W. Vitarello ’89 Mr. and Mrs. Robert John Walther Mr. and Mrs. Alex Ward Mr. Erik Weeks and Ms. Rae Weeks Mr. Tong Wei and Ms. Haixia Wang Mrs. Karin A. Wells Mr. Kevin M. Wells Mr. Greg Paukstis and Ms. Kendall White ’84
Beauvoir Views ANNUAL REPORT 109
Annual Giving by Grade THIRD GRADE Anonymous (1) Mr. and Mrs. Tom Adams Mr. Masud Akbar and Ms. Cidalia Luis-Akbar Mr. Craig Astrich Dr. Farshad Bakhtyari and Mrs. Shabnam Aryana Dr. Showkat Bashir and Dr. Mir S. Javid Mr. Phillip Blane and Ms. Laura Schiller Mr. David W. Bowker and Mrs. Amanda Z. Bowker ’85 Mr. Joseph Cannavo and Ms. Rita Patel Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Cannova Mr. Charles L. Capito III and Mrs. Laura R. Capito ’90 Mr. Daron Carreiro and Ms. Anna Tsouhlarakis Mr. Christopher Chapel and Mrs. Elizabeth Chapel
Mr. Jason Bennett Clapp and Mrs. Sarah Clapp ’83 Mr. Alexander Cohen and Ms. Kim Allen Mr. and Mrs. William Cooper III Mr. Samuel Davidoff and Mrs. Amanda Davidoff ’86 Ms. Sherie M. Durand Tazewell Mr. and Mrs. Edward Eastwick Mr. and Mrs. Robert Forrest Mr. Kevin Friend Ms. Kristine S. Friend Mr. and Mrs. James M. Garland Mr. and Mrs. James Gilroy Mr. Mark Green and Mr. Michael Rankin Mr. David J. Greene and Mrs. Caroline Greene ’89 Mr. Sheldon Hall and Mrs. Cinthia Lopez Mr. George Hanbury III and Ms. Suzanna Kang Ambassador Joseph Hockey and Ms. Melissa Babbage
Mr. and Mrs. William Hutchison Mr. and Mrs. Simon Andrew Latcovich Mr. Harold D. Lester Jr. and Mr. Donald R. McMinn Mr. and Mrs. Leland Lim Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Lowell Mr. Andrew Mackay and Mrs. Anne Mackay Mr. Curtis Mahoney and Mrs. Rebecca Mahoney ’87 Mr. Chuck Matthews and Mrs. Lariena Matthews Dr. Yanliang Miao and Dr. Liang Li Mr. Craig S. Miller Jr. and Ms. Lisa S. Brock Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas Miller Mr. and Mrs. Michael Molino Dr. Ryan T. Moore and Ms. Morgan Cole Mr. Justin Ochs ’82 and Mrs. Darcy Ochs Mr. and Mrs. William O'Leary
Mr. and Mrs. Thad Paul Mr. and Mrs. David Curtis Payne Mr. and Mrs. Christian Pistilli Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth A. Pouch III Mr. and Mrs. David Roehrenbeck Mr. Salik Shah and Dr. Madiha Afzal Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Hayes Smith Mr. Rod R. Snider and Ms. Naoko Otani Mr. Michael Sussmann and Dr. Apple Sussmann Dr. Andrew J. Tiffin and Ms. Cheryl Kim Dr. Nico Valckx and Ms. Selvi Atayeva Mr. Donald Vieira and Ms. Deneen Howell Mr. Martin Weinstein and Mrs. Lori Weinstein Mr. Dustin Weiss and Ms. Bridget Weiss Mr. and Mrs. Shinya Yoshino
2018-19
Annual Fund Participation Alumni..........................................................................................................................................$ 154,445 Current Parents.....................................................................................................................$ 614,180 Current Grandparents......................................................................................................$ 58,750 Past Parents.............................................................................................................................$ 171,957 Trustees......................................................................................................................................$ 102,416 Faculty and Staff...................................................................................................................$ 40,878 Current Students..................................................................................................................$ 2 Organizations and Foundations................................................................................$ 103,906 Grand total cash received............................................................................ $ 781,181 For the above statistics, donors appear in every category to which they belong. Categories will not sum to the final total because some gifts are counted in more than one category.
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Beauvoir Views ANNUAL REPORT 111
Good character education is not only taught but also learned by example… 2018-2019
Special Gifts and Gifts from Corporations, Foundations, and Companies
KINDNESS
RESPECT
RESPONSIBILITY
HONESTY
DONORS OF SPECIAL GIFTS Mr. Rocky Galloway and Mr. Reginald Stanley Mr. Larry Wilborn and Mrs. Cindi Gibbs-Wilborn Mabel’s Labels The Perraut Family Fund
CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS AND MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES
THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT Donations from donors contributing $200 or below totaled $22,996. That’s approximately the amount of an average financial aid grant.
112 ANNUAL REPORT Beauvoir Views
Altman Fund American Endowment Foundation AstraZeneca Beauvoir Students Lemonade Stand The Boeing Company The BPB & HBB Foundation Catalyst Foundation Charina Endowment Fund Cisco Systems Foundation Coburn Family Charitable Fund Electronic Arts Outreach Fidelity Charitable Fund Google LLC Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation Greater Washington Community Foundation Henry Luce Foundation Hess Foundation The Hyde Foundation IBM Corporation - Matching Grants Program Leidos Political Action Committee Charity Gift Program Mariposa Fund MasterCard Meriwether Godsey Inc. New York Community Trust NextEra Energy Porter Family Charitable Foundation, Inc. Raytheon Company Schwab Charitable Fund Thorney Point Foundation Vanguard Charitable White Mountains Capital, Inc.
Please give to The Beauvoir Fund and learn more about the Beauvoir Cares Fund in support of COVID-19 related needs in our community at www.beauvoirschool.org/giving
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Washington, DC Permit No. 6436 3500 Woodley Road, NW Washington, DC 20016 202.537.6485 beauvoirschool.org Parents: If this issue is addressed to a child who no longer maintains an address at your home, please send the correct address to the Office of Institutional Advancement, Beauvoir, 3500 Woodley Road, NW, Washington, DC 20016 or e-mail Molli Laux at mlaux@cathedral.org.