Belmont Hill Bulletin - Summer Fall 2025

Belmont Hill

On front cover: Belmont Hill School counselor Ben Liston arrives in style— by parachute and in school dress code—during the 2025 IBSC Conference at Belmont Hill on June 23.

IBSC COMES TO BELMONT

Chapel

Talk delivered by Gregory J. Schneider, Ronald M. Druker ’62 Head of School

March 31, 2025

Welcome back from what I hope was a relaxing spring break as we gear up for our stretch run at Belmont Hill this spring. Most importantly, this is a time when I look to the Class of 2025 and thank you for your continued leadership this year. Obviously, spring is a particularly special time for your group, as the year builds towards your Commencement in just a few short weeks. I have no doubt that you will continue leading us through a phenomenal final season at Belmont Hill as well. I heard we had a great number of successful trips over break, so thank you both students and faculty for those efforts, and I also know that many of our varsity teams were working hard getting the spring season launched as well. While graduation comes early this year, our community will not truly be slowing down until the end of June. The reason for that is the remarkable opportunity we have been afforded to host the International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) Conference from June 22 to June 25. Starting today, you will notice that we are flying the IBSC flag down at Jordan Athletic Center

until the conference closes. This is an organization that means a great deal to us as a school.

Believe it or not, Belmont Hill has deep roots in the origin story of this organization. Its very first permutation flowed out of the work of John Farber, an admission director here from days gone by. The original energy to come together in a new partnership of boys’ schools stemmed from meaningful concerns in the 1990s that perhaps the days were numbered for boys’ schools. In North America, a number of fine boys’ schools had become or were going co-educational—big names such as Deerfield Academy and The Hill School in Pennsylvania. As has always been the case over the past few decades, energy was building about the liabilities of single-sex education. People were asking whether schools like ours were in fact nothing more than a structure intended to continue affording privilege to young men in the context of a patriarchal society.

Admission directors were beginning conversations about shared marketing efforts, but then the first gathering of North American boys’ school heads and educators happened right outside this building on our Chapel lawn. My predecessor, Dr. Melvoin, was instrumental in this mobilization, and former Belmont Hill Head of School, Chris Wadsworth, served as the organization’s executive director from 2001 to 2006. Many of those founding schools across the United States remain highly active today such as Roxbury Latin, St. Albans in Washington, D.C., Gilman School in Baltimore, University School in Cleveland, St. Mark’s in Dallas, and Montgomery Bell in Nashville all come to mind—although that is far from an exhaustive list. A number of schools, including Belmont Hill, made an initial financial investment to create a small endowment—and I currently serve as the treasurer of the IBSC on its Finance Committee. When I came to Belmont Hill, Dr. Melvoin was insistent about my involvement in the organization, and it was wise advice for me to join their Board.

Keep in mind that today the organization serves over 260 boys’ schools around the globe with a mission that is incredibly clear. I will read it to you now:

Mission: The International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) is dedicated to the education and development of all students at boys’ schools across the world, the professional growth of those who work with them, and the advocacy and the advancement of institutions—primarily schools for boys—that serve them.

Vision: To be the leading voice worldwide in best education practices for boys.

Values and Principles: At the heart of our work together is, fairly and equitably, connecting and directing the many attributes of our diverse community in guiding boys on the journey to adulthood for lives of purpose and meaning, compassion and justice, and service and leadership to a greater good.

Today IBSC shows particularly strong membership in North America—including Canada, as well as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. There is a smattering of schools throughout Europe and Asia, and we are continually seeking opportunities to

build the coalition. In New Zealand alone, roughly the size of California, there are well over 50 boys’ schools, for example. Today we continue to see threats to our existence—most recently in places like Spain and, to a certain degree, in Australia as well. With some regularity, governments will go through phases where they question the purpose of single-sex education.

You all are living proof of why we endure. Schools designed for boys are surely not for everyone, but they create a unique environment in which boys can thrive.

While there are aspects of our community that are unique, you might be surprised to hear of the deep commonalities we share with our cohort around the world, including a dedication to character education, brotherhood, and offering what we believe is an evolved and positive expression of what it means to be a good man. In a world that will frequently lob terms into the discourse like “toxic masculinity,” we continue to believe there is nothing inherently toxic about being male, and yet we also know that boys such as yourself need strong and comprehensive role modeling to become the leaders we seek in the world. As a father of three girls, I have come to know that boys’ schools can be positive for all people in the world if they are run and managed thoughtfully. It is our responsibility

to make sure this is case—so that boys’ schools will thrive for many generations to come.

Most of us who are fortunate to be boys’ school heads today would argue this moment is a particularly strong one for our coalition—this is true for Belmont Hill as well. There are many reasons for this, including the work of Richard Reeves in his book Of Boys and Men Mr. Reeves visited with our Board of Trustees in March and our faculty read his book a few summers ago. He lays out a data-driven case for the myriad ways in which boys are falling behind girls in both education and mental health outcomes. None of this is to minimize the critically important work for girls and women and the past few decades. Reeves postulates that the political left has lost its way with its championing of toxic masculinity, while the political right also has it wrong with a rigid obsession with traditional gender roles. Reeves maintains that it is our job to convey a sense of masculinity that is more fully evolved than that of the stoic, emotionless, financial provider. This limited concept of being a man ultimately has truly harmful externalities.

Thus, it may not surprise anyone that IBSC has become our most important source of professional development as teachers. IBSC has crafted critically important international research studies on topics like character education, relational teaching, and more recently about technology and well-being. IBSC offers a robust Action Research program for educators, and Belmont Hill has seen participation from people like Mr. Hegarty, Mr. Holland, and currently Ms. Nimjeh in this program.

I am sure there have been others. Currently, Mr. Doar is on an exchange at the Hale School in Perth, and others, like retired teacher Mr. Martellini, have pursued similar exchanges with IBSC schools. Mr. LaLiberte was recently selected to be a member of the first IBSC Aspiring Leaders cohort. The benefits for us, as adults, are broad and varied.

Each year, the IBSC offers an annual conference that invites membership to a singular school each June or July. In my time, I have travelled to Montreal, Dallas, Auckland, and most recently London for these events. A few years ago, it became clear that IBSC was interested in returning to Boston in 2025, and I was incredibly proud that our leadership team wanted the school to be Belmont Hill. Our application was accepted, and it is hard to believe that we will be hosting this special gathering in just a few months. Our Board of Trustees has not only supported this effort, they have done extensive fundraising from their own philanthropic resources to make this possible. This is our chance to showcase Belmont Hill and the city of Boston to the world, and I hope that you will join me in making it a memorable one.

Most of all, I hope you can sense my personal excitement and passion for this upcoming opportunity. One of my favorite aspects of this school is that we continually remind you as a student that you are part of something larger than yourselves here and that we care deeply about working together. Hosting this conference forces our entire school to remember that we are part of a larger team and a larger cause. That cause, ultimately, is all about producing young men who can lead our world in the most positive of ways. I trust that you share my conviction that our school should be an international leader within this context.

... you might be surprised to hear of the deep commonalities we share with our cohort around the world, including a dedication to character education, brotherhood, and offering what we believe is an evolved and positive expression of what it means to be a good man.

I am reminded of our collective roles as leaders every chance we have the special opportunity to gather in this space—a space that forces us to pause and elevate our thinking beyond our own individual needs and interests. Today we do so before the home stretch of our school year together, which I trust will be spectacular. Thank you, in advance, for making this an event that I truly believe will go down as one of the more important events in the history of our school.

Have a great spring, gentlemen, and I wish you all the best as we now get back to work.

Sixth Form.

Better Together

BY CAMERON CHITTOCK

4. Will Skordos ’27 performs “Better Together” by Jack Johnson in the closing session of the conference.

5. Conference attendees transitioning to and from workshops in the Academic Quad.

Over 30 years ago , North American boys’ school heads and educators gathered on Belmont Hill’s Chapel lawn to discuss the shared goals of their respective institutions and the potential necessity of a more formal collaboration between boys’ schools. These early conversations would grow into the founding of the International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC), the esteemed nonprofit organization with a mission of connecting educators from around the world to advance the learning experience of boys.

Decades later, Belmont Hill had the privilege of inviting members of this robust international community to that same lawn as hosts of the 2025 IBSC Annual Conference.

1. Ben Liston, Greg Schneider, Steve Feldman, and Melissa Larocque after the successful delivery of the IBSC flag via skydiving.

2. Mark Milley ’76 presents Tyler Smith ’26 with a 20th Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff challenge coin.

3. Joseph Derrick Nelson presents a workshop on character education.

Unphased by record-setting June heat, the conference set multiple records for IBSC with 659 educators in attendance representing over 175 schools and 15 countries. Representatives from institutions as far away as Australia, England, India, New Zealand, South Africa, and Thailand gathered with their peers from across the United States, including schools from the surrounding area, such as Fenn, Roxbury Latin, St. John’s Prep, St. Sebastian’s, and Xaverian.

The conference theme, “Better Together,” highlighted the power of connection, collaboration, and community, essential components for a meaningful conference but also vital for the work IBSC schools commit to on behalf of their boys.

Greg Schneider, Ronald M. Druker ’62 Head of School, explained the significance of this theme during his welcoming address to attendees, highlighting its connection to the familiar Belmont Hill refrain of “Working Together.”

“As we contemplated what we wanted you to feel while here, what we hoped you might remember from this experience, the notion of Better Together emerged with great clarity for all of us,” Mr. Schneider said to the gathered IBSC delegates. “‘Working Together’ on this campus speaks to being a part of something bigger than oneself, of seeing and empathizing with diversity and difference, as well as having a fundamental humility in knowing that the team matters more than any individual at Belmont Hill.”

Over the course of the conference, attendees heard from an incredible lineup of thought-provoking keynote speakers, such as Retired General Mark Milley ’76, educator and humanitarian Shabana Basij-Rasikh, biotech entrepreneur Noubar Afeyan P ’16, author and professor Dr. Niobe Way with educator Dr. Joseph Nelson, mental fitness activist Gus Worland, and a panel of local higher education presidents, including Dr. Alan Garber (Harvard University), Dr. Joseph Aoun (Northeastern University), and Dr. Maud Mandel (Williams College). These speakers, and others, examined topics critical to the education and development of boys, sparking discussions that continued throughout the week.

Faculty and students guided the conference experience by giving tours and introducing workshops and featured speakers. Parents and staff also played a vital role in making our guests feel welcome. Delegates had the opportunity to experience Belmont Hill traditions firsthand by rowing on the Charles River, working in the woodshop studio, and exploring the Audubon surrounding campus. Each morning, attendees could be found in the Hamilton Chapel as distinguished guests, such as psychologist Dr. Michael Thompson, sportswriter Jason Gay ’88, and members of the Belmont Hill Multicultural Alumni Partnership, modeled the School’s frequent Chapel Talks.

The most essential work, however, was done in classrooms each day in the over 120 workshops and presentations.

“

‘Working Together’ on this campus speaks to being a part of something bigger than oneself, of seeing and empathizing with diversity and difference, as well as having a fundamental humility in knowing that the team matters more than any individual at Belmont Hill.”

– greg j. schneider, ronald m. druker ’62 head of school

6. Caleb Collins ’93, Jalen Walker ’21, Carl Dawson ’75, Martin Wilson ’22, and Will Forde ’05 following the Multicultural Alumni Partnership (MAP) Chapel Talk.

7. Conference plenary speaker Shabana Basij-Rasikh during her presentation, titled “The Human Right of Education: Lifting all Voices.”

8. Sportswriter Jason Gay ’88 delivers a Chapel Talk examining the role of teachers with his trademark humor.

9. Dave Leonardis, Ford Webb ’25, and Declan Curtin ’27.

10. Greg Schneider presents a workshop on authenticity in character education.

11. Steven Kaplan ’83 guides guests through a woodworking and panel carving demonstration.

12. Tom Batty, IBSC executive director, provides attendees with an update on the organization’s achievements and goals this year.

13. Science teacher Maureen Courtney participates in a workshop with attendees from peer schools.

14. June Schmunk and Maya Gorman.

15. Ron Druker ’62, Belmont Hill and MFA Trustee, attends the special reception at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

16. Guests enjoy the special reception held at the MFA with the chance to visit many of the renowned exhibitions, such as Van Gogh: The Roulin Family Portraits and the Art of the Americas Wing.

17. Harry Liu ’27 performs during the special reception at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

“

Hosting the conference at Belmont Hill was an extraordinary honor. It was a true reflection of the strength of our community—faculty, staff, trustees, students, and parents—who came together with generosity and pride to welcome attendees from around the world.”

– melissa larocque, senior associate director of admission and financial aid

18. Belmont Hill parent and staff volunteers organize a unique Belmont Hill Shop for attendees.

19. Mark Milley ’76 and Jonathan Kraft ’82 gather between plenary sessions held in the Jordan Athletic Center.

20. Tadhg O’Sullivan ’29 asks a question from the audience during a keynote presentation.

21. Greg Schneider with Williams College President Maud Mandel, Carl Martignetti ’77, Harvard University President Alan Garber, Northeastern University President Joseph Aoun, and Jonathan Kraft ’82 during the Higher Education Panel. Mr. Martignetti and Mr. Kraft, Belmont Hill trustees, moderated the discussion on leadership in academia.

22. Rick Melvoin and Vance Wilson lead a workshop on school leadership in boys’ schools.

23. Attendees review their schedules during one of the conference’s packed days of programming.

24. Brothers Jaiden Lee ’26 and Brian Lee ’24 perform Duo for 2 Cellos, Op.49, Allegro Moderato, by Jacques Offenbach.

25. Workshop attendees take advantage of network and community building opportunities.

26. Greg Schneider receives the gift of a drum from David du Toit, head of school at St. Stithians College in South Africa who will be hosting the 2026 IBSC Annual Conference.

27. John McAlpin leads attendees on a guided tour of the Habitat, the Mass Audubon sanctuary bordering campus.

Over the course of the conference, educators shared their experiences and findings on developing character, belonging, and leadership in their students through thoughtful and innovative practices.

Memorable moments filled the time between programming as well. The welcome reception treated the international audience to a classic New England seafood menu overseen by Director of Culinary Excellence Tony Maws ’88. The IBSC flag was delivered to the Belmont Hill fields via skydivers, including Belmont Hill’s own school counselor Ben Liston and former faculty member Stephen Feldman. Conference events even stretched into famous Boston locales, culminating in a celebration at the Museum of Fine Arts, where attendees enjoyed dinner, visited world renowned art, and danced to live music. Special experiences like these were possible thanks to the generous support and enthusiasm from the Belmont Hill Board of Trustees.

The conference was the result of over two years of planning and development by a dedicated team of Belmont Hill faculty and staff, led by Senior Associate Director of Admission and Financial Aid Melissa Larocque. “Hosting the conference at Belmont Hill was an extraordinary honor. It was a true reflection of the strength of our community—faculty, staff, trustees, students, and parents—who came together with generosity and pride to welcome attendees from around the world,” Mrs. Larocque says. “Over the course of four days, we learned from one another, shared best practices, and most importantly celebrated the mission that unites us: the education and development of boys. It was a powerful reminder that while our school communities span continents, our commitment to this work connects us deeply.”

While this year’s conference was an inspirational success, IBSC’s work continues. The community will travel to St. Stithians College in Johannesburg, South Africa for the next edition of the annual conference in July 2026, further proving that the organization’s mission has grown beyond its origins on the Chapel lawn to the benefit of educators and young men across the world.

28. Pierce Courtney ’28, Sam Leviton ’28, and Decker Smith ’28 join many Belmont Hill students as volunteers.

29. Australian radio host and TV personality Gus Worland delivers the conference’s final keynote address.

30. Matt Ziff presents in the Makerspace on how interdisciplinary STEAM collaborations can enhance boys’ learning.

31. Aylin Flanagan leads a workshop on how schools can expand the role of financial aid beyond tuition.

32. Attendees participate in one of the over 120 workshops held across campus.

33. Daniel Laird ’30 performs Walt Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!”.

34. Paul DiResta and Celine Pak lead a workshop on the impact of Belmont Hill’s Middle School advisory.

35. The conference gave attendees opportunities to attend examples of Belmont Hill’s Chapel Talks program.

36. Attendees experience rowing on the Charles River firsthand.

37. Visual Arts Chair Dan Duarte captures one of the many memorable moments of the conference.

38. 2026 Class President Grant Hanser addresses the conference.

39. Dan Fiori leads a Belmont Hill Ensemble performance of “Remember Me” from the film Coco

40. Attendees take photos with keynote speaker, Belmont Hill parent, and Flagship Pioneering founder Noubar Afeyan.

41. Steve Carr ’93, Dennis Chin, Andy Davis ’07, Chris Zellner, Dixon Hargrove, Craig Schneider, Sam Messina, Grayson Holland ’05, Glenn Harvey, Jake DeCaprio ’16, and Marc Cibelli enjoy the welcome reception festivities.

42. Ethan Cadet-Guirand ’28, Zach Park ’28, Polo Brice ’26, and Grant Hanser ’26 of the B-Flats perform on the main stage.

43. Director of Culinary Excellence Tony Maws ’88 oversees one of the conference’s outdoor dining experiences.

44. Jason Larocque of St. John’s Prep presents a workshop on elevating the female standpoint in boys’ schools.

45. Conference goers enjoy fresh seafood during the New England-inspired welcome reception.

46. Michael Thompson is among the audience members during one of the keynote speakers’ presentations.

47. Joseph Derrick Nelson and Niobe Way during a keynote session.

CHRIS SWEENEY ’83: “I ALWAYS FELT LIKE I WAS LIVING THIS INCREDIBLE DREAM”

By Cameron Chittock

Few people embody Belmont Hill’s mission, values, and spirit more than Chris Sweeney ’83, who retired this spring. During his time as a student and his 33 years as a teacher and coach, Mr. Sweeney left an indelible mark on the entire School community.

Mr. Sweeney, the youngest of 10 from Reading, jokes that his experience with Belmont Hill began before he was born, as his older brother Paul ’67 enrolled shortly before Mr. Sweeney’s first birthday. Another older brother Pat ’74 would also attend Belmont Hill. By the time it was Mr. Sweeney’s turn to attend in ninth grade, his parents, Paul and Norma, had long sold him on the opportunities and expectations that came with life at the School. “My parents encouraged me to be a hard-working student at Belmont Hill and they truly believed in our school’s mission,” Mr. Sweeney says.

Mr. Sweeney certainly rose to the occasion as a student. Whether on the academic or athletic side of campus, he committed himself fully. “When I got here I was like a kid in a candy shop, I was loving life,” Mr. Sweeney says. “It was really hard, but all I ever wanted to do was work. I always felt like I was living this incredible dream.”

“He was a great athlete. He was a real academic all star,” says fellow Class of 1983 member Steven Kaplan, who would also come to serve alongside Mr. Sweeney in the faculty. “We joked that he needed a wheelbarrow to take home all his prizes in his senior year at Prize Day.”

Mr. Sweeney received three Prize Day accolades as well as the George von L. Meyer III Memorial Prize given at graduation to “that member of the graduating class who has evidenced outstanding interest in learning, and who, by his contribution to the life of the School has shown qualities of unselfish conduct, leadership, and integrity.”

While Mr. Sweeney undoubtedly made his mark on the School as a student, Belmont Hill left a sincere impact on him as well. “Throughout my student years here, I developed friendships, learned a great deal through my academic endeavors, and became an avid believer in all things Belmont Hill,” Mr. Sweeney says.

This belief was inspired in part by the commitment of his teachers, who earned the students’ trust while demonstrating the level of hard work they in turn expected from the boys. “The faculty was particularly impressive in their ability to teach their subject, and encourage sportsmanship and unflagging effort in athletic endeavors while always providing genuine care for each individual student.”

That level of care mattered most when Mr. Sweeney suffered the loss of his father during his senior year. “I was a little bit lost,” he recalls. “The academic, emotional, and financial help I received after my father died was literally life-changing.” The connection his parents had with the School stayed with Mr. Sweeney through the entirety of his career. “Teaching upstairs in Eliot for decades was special as I walked past my panel, featuring my dad, every day.”

“I think Belmont Hill had a tremendous impact on Chris as a student here,” fellow faculty member Tyson Trautz says. “I feel as though he’s spent the past 30-plus years trying to pay that debt of gratitude back.”

That might in part explain why after graduating from Harvard and Columbia, and a brief detour in banking, Mr. Sweeney returned to Belmont Hill to join the math department. What was intended to be a one-year opportunity filling in for Michael Sherman during his sabbatical, turned out to be just the first step in his storied tenure as a member of the faculty. It was here where he met his wife and faculty member, Ruth, and their daughter Katharine.

As deeply as Mr. Sweeney knew the School and its culture from the perspective of a student, joining the faculty revealed new dimensions to his understanding of the Belmont Hill experience. “It was awesome to realize how much I had never seen, or even imagined, about the depth of the entire adult community here,” Mr. Sweeney says. “The math department, and eventually the science department (as I became a science spouse and joined that family), provided role models, friends, and social ties. The ‘old guard’ that I had been in awe of as a student (and still am) became colleagues who supported me and trusted me to grow into my role as ‘one of them.’”

In the classroom, Mr. Sweeney established a reputation for the quality of his teaching and an unparalleled commitment to his students. “He is one of the most dedicated math teachers I’ve ever met,” says Ann Iandiorio, chair of the Mathematics Department. “He gives his full effort in everything he’s doing and he gives each student his full attention.”

In honor of his excellence in the teaching of math and broad commitment to school life, Mr. Sweeney was

He is the ultimate example of a great school man.

– mathematics faculty michael sherman

recognized with the Trustees Chair in Mathematics from 2013–2018. His real gift, though, was his ability to instill values in the boys far beyond the subject being taught.

“If you come out of Chris Sweeney’s class, you know the math very well,” says Jake DeCaprio ’16, who had Mr. Sweeney as a teacher before becoming his peer as part of the faculty. “But you also know how to work hard, you know how to work as part of a team, and you know that Chris is on your side.”

In many ways, teaching was an opportunity for Mr. Sweeney to pass on the traits that he learned and made the most of as a student. “He understands from his own experience what it takes to be a successful Belmont Hill boy. And what it means to build your character while you’re here,” Mrs. Iandiorio adds.

This sentiment was shared by Joseph LaLiberte ’14, another faculty member who was once a student in Mr. Sweeney’s math classes. “He pushes his students to be the best but does it from a place of love for the School and an unrelenting passion for what he does.”

That holistic approach to leadership and teaching extended to athletics as well. Mr. Sweeney started coaching at Belmont Hill even prior to working full time, serving as Kenny Martin’s assistant freshman football coach while still attending Harvard. “One year I rode my bike from campus each day and the next year I did roller blades.” He went on to coach football, hockey, and baseball across multiple levels during his career.

“Chris is kind of the last of a generation of three-sport coaches,” says Athletic Director George Tahan. In recognition of his incredible contributions as a coach, Mr. Sweeney was awarded the prestigious ISL Service Award in appreciation of his coaching excellence and for his contribution to Independent School Athletics.

“Chris is the epitome of the teacher-coach model,” says Maya Gorman, faculty member and varsity track coach. “You see him for three seasons out on the athletic fields coaching. You see him in the classroom. I don’t think there’s a teacher here who spends more time with students.”

There were truly no wasted moments on campus for Mr. Sweeney. He could often be seen running to class or out to practice or back up to study hall, always eager for whatever came next. For more than three decades, he arrived early each morning to prepare for the day, made himself available during X Block and the 4 o’clock period, and never turned down the opportunity to offer extra help or step in to chaperone any and all Belmont Hill events. The commitment to the boys and attention to

detail that he brought to the class and athletics stayed true whenever he was on campus.

“It’s Chris’s ability to seize teachable moments with boys—those ‘in between’ moments—that I believe set him apart,” says Greg Schneider, Ronald M. Druker ’62 Head of School. “Whether that has been lunchroom behavior, dress code violations, or just some extra help in the realm of body language and manners, the details have always mattered to Chris. He took his duties seriously and above all else modeled to all of us what it means to be a teacher at Belmont Hill.”

For all the ways he dedicated himself to the School and boys, there will be no replacing a teacher like Mr. Sweeney. As Mr. Sherman puts it, “He is the ultimate example of a great school man.” Thanks to that example he set every day and the care he invested in his peers, his legacy and standard will be carried on by the next generation of Belmont Hill teachers. “He’s a constant reminder of the ideals and mission of the school,” Mr. LaLiberte notes. “But he also pushes us to think about how we can be better, how we can think outside the box, and how we can evolve.”

“I can’t think of a single person,” Mrs. Gorman says, “especially the younger teachers, who wouldn’t say, ‘I would love to be half the teacher, coach, advisor, coworker, and friend that Chris Sweeney is.’”

It is with a deep gratitude that the School thanks Mr. Sweeney for his tireless contributions to the Belmont Hill community and looks forward to welcoming him and his family back to campus in the future.

Chris Sweeney ’83 and his wife, Ruth, retired science faculty member.

DR. MICHAEL THOMPSON: “BELMONT HILL WAS MY ANCHOR”

By Cameron Chittock

Belmont Hill’s comprehensive approach to mental health services stands as the legacy of Dr. Michael Thompson, who retired this spring after 31 years at the School. Serving as the supervising psychologist and then consulting psychologist, the impact of Dr. Thompson’s dedication and expertise can be felt across campus.

“He was a huge part of helping Belmont Hill evolve into offering more full and holistic care for our boys,” says Greg Schneider, Ronald M. Druker ’62 Head of School. “He leaves behind a health team and a cultural dedication to mental health that I believe has become a true exemplar in our industry.”

A consultant, author, and psychologist specializing in children and families, Dr. Thompson is a graduate of

Harvard, the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the University of Chicago. He has worked in more than 700 schools around the world. He co-authored 10 books, including the New York Times bestselling Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys. He has appeared on the Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, 20/20, and 60 Minutes, among others.

“As one of the true international experts on topics such as boys’ development, the college process, faculty dynamics, and leadership, Dr. Thompson continues to be in demand for speaking engagements,” Mr. Schneider says. “We have been so lucky to always have his name associated with our school, reassuring families that we truly know and understand boys.”

Dr. Thompson at the podium in Hamilton Chapel at the recent IBSC Conference.

Even while managing the vast demand for his perspective and time, Dr. Thompson always enthusiastically returned to Belmont Hill. “Belmont Hill was my anchor,” he says. Part of that familiarity and comfort came from being a student of boys’ schools from nursery school through high school, attending The Collegiate School for Boys and, later, The Millbrook School, which was all boys at the time. “Whenever I walk back into Belmont Hill I think, ‘oh this is in my bones.’”

Originally, Dr. Thompson was meant to merely help Belmont Hill find a counselor as Rick Melvoin, former Ronald M. Druker ’62 Head of School, looked to hire a new person for the role.

“I called Michael for ideas of people in the Boston area we might hire,” Dr. Melvoin reveals. “He named a few...then paused...and then said, ‘Well, I might be interested.’ He hadn’t even finished his sentence before I said, ‘Yes!’ And we were on our way.”

Part of Dr. Thompson’s task in the role was to expand the counseling office’s presence at Belmont Hill and the support available to students. It marked the beginning of a transformative period on campus. “I was here for some years of enormous change,” Dr. Thompson notes.

Even while working part time, students quickly began to utilize the support presented by Dr. Thompson’s time on campus. “As many mental health services as you offer, people will take advantage of them. I came for one day a week and then my schedule was completely full.”

The volume of interest and opportunity for his services led to the hiring of June Schmunk, now Belmont Hill’s director of counseling. Ms. Schmunk was later joined in the department by Ben Liston who currently provides support for Middle School students. “If it hadn’t been Michael, I don’t think our school would have evolved as much as we have,” Ms. Schmunk says. “He’s definitely set the tone.”

The two worked in partnership, implementing and honing the services available for boys, whether that be individual meetings of support or larger sessions like Family Group, a recurring gathering for boys facing challenging family circumstances.

“We work together creating ideas and plans, but he’s exceptionally good at presenting them,” Ms. Schmunk says. “He’s the one that will take an idea and wrap it up and put a little bow on it, and is able to speak to everybody who is sitting in that audience in a way that touches their heart and soul.”

Over the years, new programs and speaking opportunities were initiated to ensure as many students, parents, and faculty as possible were exposed to Dr. Thompson’s thoughtful views on the matters of boys. He taught sex ed, delivered annual remarks combating homophobia, and led the annual Form II Men’s Breakfast, where each student invites a male role model to campus for a special program. At the end of the year, he addressed the Form VI boys and their parents in the Chapel, guiding them through what to expect in the lead up to graduation and how to make the most of their final months together before the boys’ departure for college.

In recent years, Dr. Thompson and Mr. Schneider met with Form I boys as they began their journeys at Belmont Hill. “I was particularly proud of the new program we created together to connect with Form I boys in the spirit of understanding their transition,” Mr. Schneider says. “Watching Michael ask those boys questions about friendships was to watch a true master at work.”

Of all these opportunities for the boys to learn from him, Dr. Thompson is perhaps best known on campus for the annual Form VI trip to Camp Cody. The overnight experience during the first week of school sets the tone of the year for the incoming seniors, forging bonds within the class and establishing the expectations for these new leaders of the student body.

Rather than simply hoping the senior class can rise to the occasion as student leaders, Dr. Thompson and Ms. Schmunk created an experience that prepared them to meet the moment and make the most of their final year

Dr. Thompson at an annual retreat with Form VI students and advisors at Camp Cody.

Whether their concerns were about friendships, academic struggles, athletic disappointments, or more significant mental health issues, Dr. Thompson has provided an experienced and caring perspective and thoughtful guidance.

– lora farkas, director of parent engagement

together. “If you want to have leadership, you have to address it, name it, train it,” Dr. Thompson explains. “That’s why the idea of doing a retreat was so appealing.”

While Dr. Thompson’s thoughtful work undoubtedly left a remarkable impact on the Belmont Hill students, they were not the only beneficiaries of his presence in the community.

Director of Parent Engagement Lora Farkas saw firsthand how parents benefited from Dr. Thompson’s expertise. “Generations of Belmont Hill parents have relied on Dr. Thompson’s signature blend of wisdom and warmth as they navigated the challenges of raising their sons,” Mrs. Farkas says. “Whether their concerns were about friendships, academic struggles, athletic disappointments, or more significant mental health issues, Dr. Thompson has provided an experienced and caring perspective and thoughtful guidance.”

Dr. Thompson’s support frequently reached his peers on campus as well. “While it may not have been as visible, Michael was a beloved colleague and friend to many on the faculty and staff,” Dr. Melvoin shares. “He worked behind the scenes to help many faculty and staff when they faced their own challenges, both professional and personal. Many of us are eternally grateful for his support, his expertise, and his wisdom.”

This willingness to engage with members of the community who could benefit from his insights demonstrated Dr. Thompson’s remarkable commitment to the School. “Loyalty is a thing at boys’ schools and especially here at Belmont Hill,” Ms. Schmunk says. “Michael is extremely loyal to boys, to Belmont Hill, to our faculty, and to our philosophy. I believe he is proud of the School and everything it stands for.”

Dr. Thompson gave his final remarks from the Hamilton Chapel podium during the International Boys’ Schools Coalition Conference this past July. Standing before educators from around the world, he confessed that he did not set out to have a career as a “boy advocate.” Whether that career path was intentional or not, Belmont Hill stands as a testament to the profound impact of that advocacy.

Dr. Thompson addressing Form VI and their parents on the upcoming transition from high school to college.

VISITING SPEAKERS

dr. howard stevenson—martin luther king jr. day speaker | January 23, 2025

To commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Belmont Hill welcomed Dr. Howard Stevenson for discussions on identity, belonging, and navigating moments of intense conflict.

Dr. Stevenson is the Constance Clayton Professor of Urban Education at the University of Pennsylvania and leads the Racial Empowerment Collaborative. With over three decades as a clinical psychologist, he has made significant strides in promoting racial healing.

Following a faculty workshop, Dr. Stevenson presented to the entire community in Chapel. Drawing from his multicultural upbringing and educational experiences, he shared practical steps for managing stressful conflict: calculating emotional intensity, locating physical stress, communicating positive self-talk, and breathing to regain composure. Students participated in exercises, reflecting on personal conflicts and how they would respond with these new tools.

“What’s your story? What’s your racial story, what’s your identity story? Where’s your voice and are you willing to stand up for them?” Dr. Stevenson challenged the boys to embrace their identities and speak up when needed.

ben walden | February 11, 2025

Over two days on campus, Ben Walden called on the Belmont Hill community to cultivate purpose and understand emotional intelligence’s role in effective leadership.

An international speaker specializing in leadership and inspiring communication, Mr. Walden played leading roles in London’s West End theatre in the 1990s and was a member of the inaugural company at Shakespeare’s Globe.

During the School’s professional development day, Mr. Walden led a faculty workshop exploring impactful leadership through Shakespeare’s Henry V. Faculty reflected on leadership’s psychological components and honing purpose that best serves students and community.

In his School Meeting presentation, Mr. Walden examined education needed for building leadership skills and emotional intelligence. He identified traditional curriculum as “external education” while the study of emotions and inner life is “internal education”—where he sees a widening gap. Students reflected on how the primary emotions of joy, fear, anger, and sadness manifest in their daily lives.

“We need to be a much more collaborative union of citizens where individual voices can be heard,” Mr. Walden said, connecting emotional understanding to developing essential leadership skills.

Dr. Howard Stevenson.

Ben Walden.

Moises Saman.

moises saman | February 14, 2025

The Global Citizenship Speaker Series features speakers who model global citizenship and inspire Belmont Hill boys to embrace challenges of an interconnected world. Mr. Saman’s address held all in the Chapel silent and spellbound, followed by a small Q&A with students and faculty.

Illustrated with over 30 photographs, Mr. Saman’s talk centered on themes of belonging and home. Since 9/11, based in Lebanon and working for Newsday, he has documented societies at war—from Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria to Guatemala, Peru, and Libya. He recounted his terrifying ordeal when arrested by Saddam Hussein’s secret police during the 2003 American invasion and held for eight days in Abu Ghraib prison.

Mr. Saman described evolving from chasing “the shot” to focusing on individual stories depicting human resilience, such as his image of an Iraqi selling colorful jackets in front of a bombed building. He demonstrated this shift by projecting contrasting images, asking boys to consider their differing reactions.

Mr. Saman closed with a challenge: to be alert to what sparks passion, learn from painful experiences, shift perspectives, and seek experiences that affirm our common humanity. Through mid-May, Belmont Hill hosted an online photo exhibit of his work.

clay cornelius | February 20, 2025

In honor of Black History Month, the Belmont Hill community was joined by Clay Cornelius, founder of Red Clay Tours of Birmingham, Alabama, to discuss the history of school segregation in his hometown and in Boston.

Mr. Cornelius founded Red Clay Tours to showcase Birmingham’s history. While initially hoping to highlight lighthearted cultural aspects, the mission changed when he discovered the depth of the city’s role in the Civil Rights movement. Shocked to find no other city tour focused on that history, Mr. Cornelius now illuminates the challenges of that era to visitors nationwide.

The School became familiar with his work through the annual Civil Rights and Leadership Trip for Form II boys. The trip visits historical sites in Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana, funded by the Diversity Initiative Fund to provide this powerful experience free of cost.

Mr. Cornelius guided students through the legal tactics and social impact of Birmingham’s “De Jur” segregation in schools, providing historical context for major events like the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing as part of the violent response to school integration attempts.

He contrasted Birmingham’s approach with Boston’s “De Facto” segregation, achieved through housing, redlining, and other legal methods that produced similar results of violence and destabilizing chaos.

During the Q&A, when asked why he started the tour company, Mr. Cornelius said, “I do it because someone should. It’s too incredible, too painful, to not talk about.”

Clay Cornelius and Lawrence Lopez, assistant director of community and diversity.

noelle lambert | March 6, 2025

Noelle Lambert was a Division 1 lacrosse standout at UMass Lowell when she lost her left leg in a 2016 moped accident. “The first thing I thought of? It was sports and lacrosse. Because I didn’t know who I was as a person without being an athlete.” She worked tirelessly to return to the field, vowing not to let the accident define her life. In her first game back, she scored the most memorable goal of her career.

Encouraged to pursue track and field as a para-athlete, she broke the American record in the women’s 100-meter sprint at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai. In 2021 she placed 6th in the Paralympic Games, breaking her own American record. At Paris 2024, she earned fourth place in long jump and demonstrated commitment to win gold at Los Angeles 2028.

Ms. Lambert shared four lessons that helped her achieve her goals: becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable, using self-doubt as motivation, applying yourself 100% to everything, and surrounding yourself with the right team.

“When I look back on my accident now, I view it as such a positive,” she said. “It has made me a better person and realize what’s important in life.”

mai hassan | April 24, 2025

Three years after Sudan’s civil war ignited on April 12, 2023, the Belmont Hill community spent a morning learning about the ongoing conflict. Yusuf Ibrahim ’25 and Babikir Saeed ’26 opened Chapel with family photos from Sudan, sharing personal connections to the region.

MIT Associate Professor of Political Science Mai Hassan, born in Sudan and raised in D.C., explained Sudan’s geostrategic significance and introduced the conflict’s key players: former president Omar Al-Bashir (1989–2019) and current military leaders of the SAF (Sudan Armed Forces) and paramilitary RSF (Rapid Support Forces). She explained how regional militias have attacked rival ethnic groups under cover of the broader war, with 50% of the population now displaced and at risk of severe famine.

Babikir Saeed ’26, Yusuf Ibrahim ’25, Mai Hassan, and Juliette Zener, director of global experiences.

Professor Hassan’s account ended on a hopeful note: The two sides seem increasingly willing to negotiate. During the Q&A, veteran Model UN leader James Keefe ’25 and Juan-Pablo Fernandez del Castillo ’25 posed thoughtful questions. When asked which side she hopes emerges victorious, Professor Hassan declared emphatically, “Neither!” Her hopes are for Sudan to reconstitute a democratic regime and reject four decades of military rule.

Noelle Lambert, center, following her talk with Chibudom Ezeani ’26, Marcus Griffin ’26, and Myles Beckett ’25.

Class of 2025

Cum Laude Society

May 8, 2025

A breakfast was held on May 8 to honor the Class of 2025 Cum Laude Society members. The Cum Laude Society is dedicated to honoring scholastic achievement in secondary schools. It is a fellowship of scholars that recognizes students for their excellence in academic work and personal integrity. Belmont Hill’s Cum Laude chapter was established in 1929 and is one of just 382 worldwide. Approximately 4,000 students are inducted into the Society annually.

1. David Luo, Connor Emmert, Jack Barrett, Maksim Román, and Gabe Umlas. Second row: Maxwell Ramanathan, Dan Jones, Thomas Sheehan, Cooper Tarlie, and Henry Buckley-Jones. Third row: Yareh Constant, Emerson Walker, Ernest Lai, Adam Shaff, and Leighton Calhoun.

2. Eric Smith.

3. Katharine and Maksim Román with Donnell Patterson.

4. Cum Laude Breakfast program.

class of 2025

Cum Laude Society Members

Jack Barrett

Henry Buckley-Jones

Leighton Calhoun

Yareh Constant

Connor Emmert

Daniel Jones

Ernest Lai

Alejandro Laidlaw

David Luo

Maxwell Ramanathan

Maksim Román

Adam Shaff

Thomas Sheehan

Cooper Tarlie

Gabriel Umlas

Emerson Walker

Andrew Waugh

recruited athletes breakfast

May 22, 2025

Students who were recruited for athletics during the college process were honored at a breakfast on May 22 at the Alumni House. Gregg DiNardo ’97, deputy athletics director for business strategy and operations at Darmouth College, was this year’s guest speaker.

1. Gregg DiNardo ’97.

2. Back: Daniel Jones, Thomas Sheehan, Eli Friedman, Ashton Cruz, Leighton Calhoun, Drew Gannon, Will Umscheid, Cooper Tarlie, Alex White, Giacomo Kaplan, Thomas Rupley, and Harrison DeWitt. Middle: Luis Kuehberger, Preston Evans, Miles Fritz, Dylan Doherty, Alex Pimental, Vince Mezzanotte, Isaiah Langham, Ford Webb, Sampson Onuoha, Jamari Robinson, Evan Dresser, William Walton, Jack Kastner, and Brady Boudreau. Front: Nicholas Pellagrini, Jordan Summers, Teddy Stonestreet, James Lyon, Jai Karande, CJ Collins, Charlie Crowley, and Lindan Verville.

May 9, 2025

1.

2. Form VI families with their soon to be graduates.

3.

yearbook & senior family picnic

May 22, 2025

1. Isaiah Langham and Miles Fritz.

2. Ashton Cruz.

3. Lindan Verville looks on as guests review the Sundial yearbook.

4. Jamari Robinson, Josiah Gomes, and Sampson Onuoha.

5. The Kuehberger Family.

6. Lucas Nuernburg.

7. Tommy Rupley, Evan Dresser, Lindan Verville, and Michael Sullivan.

8. Daniel Jones, Ryan Hoffman, Andrew Waugh, Connor Goodband, and Jack Barrett.

parent Chapel Program with Dr. Michael Thompson

Mike, Janet, and Jack Barrett.

William Walton, Alex White, George Carroll, Jack Kastner, and Vince Mezzanotte.

1. Isaiah Langham ’25 and Jordan Summers ’25.

2. Decker Smith ’28 and Tristan Dolan ’28.

3. Jack Kastner ’25 and Charlie Kenney.

4. Lucien Davis ’26 and Christopher Zellner.

5. Middle School prize winners.

6. Joseph LaLiberte ’14 and Stephane Durocher ’28.

7. Ed Stanford.

8. Nathanael Berges Semiond ’29, Finn Davis ’29, and Jeffrey Lukatsky ’29.

9. Upper School prize winners.

faculty

30 Years

Lauren Hamilton

25 Years

Tyson Trautz

20 Years

Keith Carey

15 Years

Stephen Feldman

Willis Negron

Jay Bounty

Jeremiah McCarthy ’94

10 Years

Rubens Santos

Cathy Mitchell

5 Years

Carol Blazar

Lindsey Taylor

Jake DeCaprio ’16

Harry Goldberg

1. Faculty and staff honored for service milestones included: Harry Goldberg, Jake DeCaprio ’16, Lauren Hamilton, Tyson Trautz, Stephen Feldman, Willis Negron, Carol Blazar, and Jeremiah McCarthy ’94.

2. Christopher Sweeney ’83.

3. The Prize Day Picnic.

baccalaureate

May 30, 2025

Chris Sweeney ’83, featured speaker

1. Ford Webb and Steve Kaplan ’83.

2. Jamari Robinson and Chris Zellner.

3. Chris Sweeney ’83.

4. The B-Flats perform.

5. Jack Kastner and Chris Richards.

6. Thomas Sheehan.

7. The Baccalaureate guests enjoy the Class of 2025 slideshow.

8. Featured class speaker Henry Hagedorn.

9. Henry Buckley-Jones.

10. Ross McKee.

11. Families get their first glimpse of the Class of 2025 panels installed in the Melvoin Academic Center.

12. Stephen Agular, Jai Karande, and Mikey Sullivan among their class.

COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS

Excerpts from the address delivered by Joshua M. Isner ’04

On May 31, 2025, Joshua M. Isner ’04 delivered wisdom and good cheer in the commencement address to graduating seniors, their families, and the School community.

“This place means a lot to me,” Mr. Isner said. “Every great thing that’s happened to me traces back to Belmont Hill. It’s where I grew up. It’s where I learned to compete and achieve. It’s where I learned that sometimes you can do your absolute best and there is still somebody next to you that did it better.”

Before diving into the heart of his message, Mr. Isner shared what his own Belmont Hill diploma means to him. “I keep it in my nightstand. I’m proud of it,” Mr. Isner said. “You deserve credit for putting in the work to earn one of these today. And when I use the word ‘earn,’ it’s very intentional because everything at Belmont Hill is earned.”

Mr. Isner took inspiration from former basketball coach Ted Martellini who ended every practice by giving each player the opportunity to offer three words for the team to reflect on. In the spirit of this tradition, Mr. Isner presented three learnings for the graduating class to take to heart:

Joshua M. Isner ’04.

LEARNING 1: TIME IS THE ONLY THING YOU CAN NEVER GET BACK

There’s only a couple things in life I am positive that I got right. One was my choice in career, a choice that each of you will make in less than five years. In the fall of 2008, I was deciding between a large software company called EMC based in Massachusetts, or a 100-person company called TASER International in Arizona. Yes, the “don’t TASE me bro” company. EMC was the safe choice, it was already established, they had a storied business training program, and it was in my home state. TASER, on the other hand, only had a few things going for it at the time, but they were important: its founder, its customer base, and its elite mission. Every day, our founder, Rick Smith woke up trying to solve the problem of violence in America, especially in police encounters. So much so that the company’s stated mission is “Protect Life.” Its first product line, the TASER, was a smash hit, but the company’s growth had stagnated. Rick’s pitch was simply to come build the next generation of products that make policing safer. No hierarchy, no process, no corporate jargon, just a powerful mission and an honorable, loyal customer base.

The choice was weirdly easy, and two weeks after graduating college I drove across the country to Scottsdale, Arizona. Sixteen years later, Axon, formerly TASER, is the fastest growing company in the S&P 500 and more importantly, our products in the hands of heroes have saved hundreds of thousands of lives.

But it was well before our commercial success that I was sure I was home. It was one week into my career. At orientation, I met someone named Hans Marrero, our company’s chief instructor. He was a golden gloves champion and he taught close quarter combat in the Marine Corps. The kind of guy who could kill you 100 different ways with his bare hands. BUT in orientation, it wasn’t his physical tools that stood out, it was his perspective. He shared a simple truth that I have never forgotten. He stood up and said, no matter how much success you have, “Time is the only thing you can never get back.”

I knew I wanted to spend my time pursuing this mission, with this founder and this team. I’m lucky to say it’s the only place I’ve ever worked, and I’ve never lamented

the time I’ve spent there. When it comes to your time, do not waste it, and get behind something you are passionate about for the long term. The faster you decide to pursue your North Star and join or build a team you want to be with, the closer you are to making a difference in the world.

LEARNING 2: IT’S NOT WHERE BUT WHO YOU’RE WITH THAT REALLY MATTERS

I’m not sure if I’m proud of this or not, but I have been to over 230 Dave Matthews Band concerts in my life. At one point I wanted to get to 365 to say I spent a full year watching my favorite band. I always loved the band’s lyrics. Especially a line from the song, The Best of What’s Around. It goes like this:

“It’s not where, but who you’re with that really matters.” That always stuck with me.

And it’s true for all of us. You’ve just spent six years building relationships with lifelong friends and mentors in the woods of Belmont, Massachusetts. It was who you were with on this campus that allowed you to build the foundation for your life.

You’ve already got great friends by virtue of being here. Men of good character that have your best interests at heart. The type of people that will tell you the truth, even when you don’t want to hear it. That’s what’s expected of all of you, as friends and brothers. And you will undoubtedly meet more people in your life that have those qualities. But the truth is, you can bat about .500 on friend selection and be fine. But there’s one relationship you can’t miss on.

I mentioned there’s only a couple things I’m sure I got right. One was my career choice, and the other one was to pursue my eventual wife like an unstoppable rebel force until she finally waved the white flag and gave in. Christina and I tied the knot when we were young...When I was 25 and she was 23. Christina has loved me and tolerated me in equal parts and we have the type of bond that you can build your entire life on top of. So we did.

And I’ll just tell you, when that person appears in front of you, and you’re sure of it, there’s never a more important moment to make the right decision. It alters the trajectory of your life.

1. Commencement breakfast.

2. Jin Lee.

3. Miles Fritz.

4. George Tahan.

5. Miles Fritz, Michael Furey, Tommy Rupley, Adam Shaff, Kaidan Sheehan, and Thomas Sheehan.

6. Grad dads: Peter Folan ’93, Caleb Collins ’93, and Stephen Agular ’92.

7. School President Alex Laidlaw.

8. Keagin Wilson.

9. B-Flats led by Donnell Patterson.

10. Greg Schneider.

11. The Commencement Tent.

12. Juan Pablo Fernández del Castillo.

13. Myles Beckett.

14. Harrison DeWitt and Dylan Doherty (foreground).

15. Tommy Rupley and Preston Evans.

16. Greg Schneider congratulates Yusuf Ibrahim.

17. Jamari Robinson.

18. Michael Thompson stands to be recognized for his years of service to Belmont Hill.

AND LASTLY, LEARNING 3: NEXT PLAY

I’ve always been a big hoops fan. My first sports memory was Christian Laettner’s iconic last-second shot to propel Duke over Kentucky in the Final Four. I became obsessed with Duke, and I particularly admired their coach, Mike Krzyzewski. As I learned more about him, I came across his obsession with the term, Next Play.

Basically, Next Play means that whatever just happened, good or bad, is over and the only thing you can do is focus on the next thing to come. It’s important to live this during times of success...it’s what separates the highest achievers from everyone else. It rewards the people who don’t rest on their laurels. But the truth is, it’s always easier to focus on the next play in good times, because after all, things are going so well.

But what about when things get hard? When you truly have no choice but to accept reality and move forward. For me, it was on October 31, 2001, when I was a fourth former. That morning, I woke up to the news that my dad, who I was very close with, suddenly passed away. I’m pretty sure my first phone call was to my advisor and darts partner, Mr. Kaplan. A few hours later, Dr. Melvoin, the head of school at the time, was at our home. Though I had only been enrolled 13 months, I needed Belmont Hill and the School was there for me.

I returned to school a few days later. When I got off the bus I was unsettled, but I went straight to my first class, which was math taught by Terry Iandiorio. Mr. I was intense. As a teacher, and as a coach. I am not sure if I ever saw him smile. He was exceptionally smart, and in his class, you had to make a choice, were you going to work hard for a B or harder than you ever worked for an A-.

That’s just the kind of guy he was, you had to earn every single inch. But I’ll never forget, that morning when I sat down in that first class since being back, Mr. I looked at me square in the eyes, as warmly as he could, and said, “It’s good to have you back.” We both understood what he meant by that, and it meant a lot to me. It was at that moment that for the first time I truly grasped the meaning of Next Play. It was time to focus on what was in front of me and accept what had already transpired. Years later, Mr I passed away tragically, and he never knew the impact he had on me. But, I will never ever forget him.

Whether it’s in sports, at work, or in life in general, make no mistake there will be bumps in the road, some bigger than others. The person who’s focused on what’s next is the person who gets the most out of life.

Before you embark on your next play, let’s make sure we finish this one, right here. Thank your parents. They have given you a profound gift in enrolling you here, one that you may not fully appreciate for a while. It’s one my mom and dad gave me that I am eternally grateful for. And in addition to your parents, thank your friends. You all did this together.

And lastly, be sure to thank the faculty. They measure their success by your success. Think about that. There is no more unselfish existence in this world than that of an educator. Because of them, you get to play from the front tees in life, as Belmont Hill Trustee Carl Martignetti ’77 once told me. Don’t be shy in acknowledging what your teachers have done for you.

In closing, congratulations to all of you in the Class of 2025. You will be part of Belmont Hill forever, and Belmont Hill is part of you forever. I hope you’ll always take an immense amount of pride in that. Thank you everyone, and Next Play.

19. Mr. Schneider, followed by the faculty, processes through to congratulate the graduates.

20. Giacomo Kaplan, Jordan Summers, Isaiah Langham, James Lyon, Jamari Robinson, and Corey Cofield.

21. Mr. Sweeney ’83 congratulates Myles Beckett.

22. Adam Shaff.

23. Alex Tosi.

24. Tim Sullivan and Josiah Gomes.

25. Family members look on below as the Class of 2025 receives faculty members following Commencement.

CLASS OF 2025 MATRICULATION

Amherst College

Babson College (2)

Bates College

Boston College (4)

Boston University

Bowdoin College (4)

Brigham Young University

Brown University (3)

University of California-Berkeley

Carleton College

University of Chicago (3)

Colby College (4)

Colorado College

Connecticut College

Cornell University

Dartmouth College (3)

Duke University (3)

Emory University

George Washington University

Georgetown University (2)

Hamilton College

Harvard College (2)

College of the Holy Cross

MIT (2)

University of Massachusetts-Lowell

Miami University (Ohio)

University of Michigan

Middlebury College (4)

Northeastern University (3)

University of Notre Dame (2)

University of Pennsylvania

Princeton University

Quinnipiac University

University of St. Andrews

St. Lawrence University

St. Michael’s College

University of Southern California

Stanford University

Syracuse University

Trinity College (2)

Tufts University

Union College (2)

Vanderbilt University

University of Vermont

Villanova University

University of Virginia (2)

Wake Forest University (3)

Washington and Lee University

William & Mary

William & Mary/University of St. Andrews-Joint Degree Program

Williams College (2)

College of Wooster

Arts on the Hill

Brady Yoo ’28 performs at Jazz Fest.

1. Performers take a well deserved bow at the end of the All School Production of Cheaters

2. Zachary Park ’28.

3. Artwork by Stephen Agular ’25.

4. Middle School Musical, Oliver: Evan Gerber ’30, Tadhg O’Sullivan ’29, Yafet Alemseged ’30, and Max Bushey ’29.

5. Stephane Durocher ’28, Grant Hanser ’26, and Thomas Danahy ’26.

6. All School Production of Cheaters: James Keefe ’25, Tadhg O’Sullivan ’29, and Tommy Folan ’25.

7. All School Production of Cheaters: Juan Pablo Fernández del Castillo ’25, and Andrew Agular ’28.

8. The B-Flats perform at the Spring Concert.

13.

9. Jazz Fest: Colter Martin ’28.

10. Artwork by Stephen Agular ’25.

11. Middle School Musical, Oliver: Tadhg O’Sullivan ’29 and Evan Gerber ’30.

12. Jazz Fest: Coby Kelly ’27, JJ Pena ’26, Jake Ma ’27, David Luo ’25, and Babikir Saeed ’26.

Middle School Musical, Oliver: Andrew Agular ’28.

BY:

PHOTOGRAPHS

14. CJ Fortes ’28.

15. William Sandor ’27.

16. Will Raymond ’27.

17. CJ Fortes ’28.

BOLLES MAKERSPACE: A Year of Growth, Innovation, and Achievement

By Matthew Ziff

The 2024–2025 school year was another successful chapter for the Bolles Makerspace, marked by significant growth, innovation, and student accomplishment.

This year, the Makerspace was showcased on an international stage through Mr. Ziff’s workshop at the International Boys’ Schools Coalition (IBSC) Conference, titled Making...Together! The session highlighted collaborative, interdisciplinary projects taking place right here at Belmont Hill. Making has been integrated into every grade level and department. This year, for the first time, every Form I student

completed multiple projects across three different academic departments.

An exciting new class was launched for 2025–2026: Advanced Making, an Upper School elective, which will fulfill both an art and science requirement. This course explores the artistic side of Making by combining advanced technology with creative design to produce both functional and visually compelling work. The projects will be showcased in a small art exhibition in the Landau Gallery in the second semester, alongside other outstanding student creations from the Makerspace.

The Robotics program had a landmark year. Our Middle School program qualified for the World Championships for the third year in a row, and, for the first time, one of the high school teams qualified for the VEX Robotics World Championships as well, and two teams in total represented Belmont Hill at the 2025 event. This year, Dr. Maureen Courtney joined Mr. Ziff to coach the Robotics program and her experience in the First Robotics Competition (FRC) translated nicely into the VEX program.

After winning the Excellence Award at the Massachusetts State Championships, the Middle School team earned the Judge’s Award for the Design Division at the VEX Middle School World Championships. Out of 485 teams, they placed 140th overall and ranked 12th in the Robot Skills competition—putting them in the top 40 teams globally, the highest placement for a Belmont Hill team to date.

Next year, the Robotics program is projected to grow from four to seven teams, a testament to student interest and program momentum. Belmont Hill looks forward to hosting a VEX tournament on campus on November 23, 2025.

Meanwhile, the BH Drones team capped off their season with an impressive second-place overall finish at the 2025 Drones in School National Championship Race in Houston, Texas—our best performance since winning

the national title in 2022. The team also received first place in Design and Engineering for their meticulous process and innovative use of material science and injection molding, as well as the Judge’s Choice Award.

With tournament hosting, program expansion, and the new Advanced Making exhibition on the horizon, the Makerspace is positioned for another ambitious year. The creativity, curiosity, and skill our students demonstrate never ceases to amaze, and we can’t wait to see what they’ll build next.

1. Alexander Isaac ’30, Evan Gerber ’30, Kieran Tella ’30, and Adil Adem ’30 observe as Mr. Ziff demonstrates during a Science I Collaboration.

2. Boston Ezedi ’26, Nicholas Jones ’26, Jayden Chen ’26, Jai Somani ’26, Brody Lindstrom-Chalpin ’26, Noah Gleason ’26, and Mason Iandiorio ’26.

3. Benjamin Qin ’29, Roger Zhan ’29, and Apolo Román ’29.

Coaches’ Corner

Alpine Skiing

PETER CREEDON, Head Coach

The 2024–25 alpine ski team delivered an exceptional championship season that showcased remarkable talent, resilience, and team depth. Beginning with competitive tryouts at Wachusett Mountain—featuring the largest pool of candidates ever—the team underwent rigorous dryland training before returning from break to immediately compete in their first race.

Led by captain Vince Mezzanotte ’25, the team featured standout performances throughout the season from Charlie Crowley ’25, Topher Batchelder ’26, and Griffin Vail ’26, among others. Despite battling adverse weather conditions and facing intense competition, both varsity and JV groups demonstrated consistency and determination that defined their success.

The varsity team achieved a remarkable overall record of 57-1, successfully defending their ISL championship. Their consistency and strength proved decisive in securing this back-to-back title. The season culminated with eight team members—Crowley, Batchelder, Vail, Mezzanotte, Henry Hagedorn ’25, Hugh Wylie ’28, Billy Cashel ’26, and Jack Coughlin ’26—traveling to Mount Sunapee for the NEPSAC Class A championship, where they earned an impressive third-place finish against New England’s top schools over the course of an absolutely spectacular day of skiing.

The JV team achieved their own historic milestone, completing another undefeated season while never allowing another school to place in the top three spots of any race—a testament to their dominance and talent.

Throughout the season, the team maintained an unwavering level of intensity and competitiveness, practicing with the same focus and dedication they brought to competition. Weekly ISL races at Nashoba Valley provided consistent opportunities for multiple athletes to post exceptional results. For our graduating seniors, we wish them the best as they begin their collegiate journey. They set the example that our skiers will continue to follow when it comes to sportsmanship, dedication, and drive.

I’m so proud of the team and everything they accomplished this year. They were an incredible group, and one that I had fun coaching and skiing with every single day. Whether the top skier on varsity, or an improving JV competitor, the athletes were comfortable being challenged and hungry for improvement. I’m excited to see what the future holds for this outstanding team! Look for them to defend their ISL title next season.

Basketball

COREY COFIELD, Head Coach

After a few challenging seasons, this year’s varsity basketball team made a commitment—to make this final ride for our seniors a memorable one. Under the leadership of captains Giacomo Kaplan ’25 and Isaiah Langham ’25, the group came together and became exactly that: a team. Summer showcases and fall open gyms gave us the chance to build chemistry and lay the foundation for a tightly knit unit.

We opened the season with a tough loss to St. Paul’s, but that setback gave us the chance to regroup. The response was immediate and impressive. A dominant home win over ISL rival Rivers set the tone, followed by another big performance against Nobles. The holiday break brought strong wins over Avon, Brunswick, and Austin Prep.

As the season intensified, our seniors led the way, setting the tone in practice and demanding consistency. The team responded—working hard, showing up every day in the Jordan Athletic Center with focus and purpose. Their efforts led to big wins against Lawrence Academy, Loomis Chaffee, Deerfield, and Brooks, the eventual Class B champions. James Lyon ’25 and Sampson Onuoha ’25 hit timely shots and made crucial defensive plays. Clyde Kokora ’25 and Ben Adams ’25 were relentless on the glass, earning second-chance opportunities through sheer effort. Tawanda Masiiwa ’25 and Jordan Summers ’25 brought grit and toughness every time they stepped on the court—qualities that helped define our identity.

Senior leaders Kaplan, Langham, and Jamari Robinson have been cornerstones of the program since their freshman year, and each played a vital role in our success. Langham, committed to Brown, reached the 1,000-point milestone last season. This year, Kaplan (Emory) and Robinson (Bates) joined him—an incredible accomplishment, and one only a handful of Belmont Hill players have achieved.

What made this season special was the seniors’ commitment—to one another and to the process. Their leadership and selflessness shaped the team’s culture and drove our success. I’m incredibly grateful to them, and to our parents, for their unwavering support of Belmont Hill basketball.

Hockey

BRIAN PHINNEY, Head Coach

The 2024–2025 hockey team featured a strong group of returning players who had their eyes set on taking another step toward winning a league championship.

Led by seniors Grayson Cohen, Evan Dresser, Jack Duffy, Stephen Fabiano, Luis Kuehberger, Jin Lee, Ross McKee, Andrew Waugh, and Keagin Wilson, the team compiled an impressive record of 22 wins, 3 ties, and 7 losses. The team jumped out of the gates with a strong performance against Northfield Mount Hermon in the first game of the season. Two losses in early December to ISL rivals Nobles and Governor’s Academy followed, but the team righted the ship and compiled a record of 8 wins and 1 loss through the rest of the month. Included in the stretch was a Lawrenceville Tournament championship, and a thrilling triple overtime loss to Gilmour Academy in the championship game of the Nichols Tournament. Newcomers Evan Jones ’26, Lance Toland ’27, Harry Lavoie ’27, Liam Boyle ’27, and Alex Guo ’28 were instrumental in the strong start for the team.

The new year kicked off with a number of important ISL games, and the team responded with exciting wins over rivals Milton Academy and St. Sebastian’s. The lone loss in the month of January came against a talented St. Mark’s team. Fueled by the offensive firepower of Jake Tavares ’26, Patrick Woods ’26, Matthew Carolan ’26, David Bosco ’27, and Andrew Giguere ’27, the team finished with a 5-1 record in January. The team continued to show improvement in the month of February and showcased their growth as a team with a stretch of strong wins against Nobles, St. Sebastian’s, and Phillips Andover. Behind strong defensive play from goalie JJ Thibodeau ’26 and defensemen Louie Marobella ’26 and Brady Sloper ’26, the team finished February with a record of 8-3 and earned the #1 seed in the Martin/Earl Large School New England Tournament.

In the first round of the Martin/Earl Tournament, Belmont Hill hosted a talented Kent School team. The first round game was an intense contest and despite

a strong push from Kent, Belmont Hill pulled out a 5-3 win and advanced to the semifinals. Unfortunately, Belmont Hill fell short in the semifinal contest losing at home to the Westminster School by a score of 4-3.

The success of the team was due, in large part, to the strength of the team’s leadership, with captains Lindan Verville ’25 and Michael Sullivan ’25 setting the tone for the group with their selflessness, consistent effort, and grit. Much of the team’s success over the course of the season was a result of the maturity and guidance that Verville and Sullivan demonstrated both on and off the ice.

In addition, the success of the program rests on the shoulders of the coaches, student managers, training staff, athletic department members, and the entire Belmont Hill hockey family. Many thanks to coaches Robert Wright, John Halverson, Brett Abel, Jerry Pawloski, and Marc Cibelli, and managers Chris McEvoy ’25, Ryan Pohl ’25, Connor Goodband ’25, and Jack Mazur ’25. Extra special thanks to everyone who supported the team, including faculty and staff, family and friends, Athletic Director George Tahan, Associate Athletic Director Anthony Fucillo, Willis Negron, Dennis Chin, John King, Keith Carey, Joe Reynolds, Shawn Anderson, and the staff at Jordan Athletic Center. Thank you to the sub-varsity coaches Andy Davis ’07, Mike Cherpek, Jon Burgess, Dixon Hargrove, Dave Cunningham ’12, George Tahan, Mark Pare, and Jim Peck ’77. Best of luck to next year’s team.

Nordic Skiing

JAKE DEC APRIO ’16, Head Coach

The 2024–25 Nordic ski season was defined by the team’s adaptability and commitment to building fitness during a challenging winter. Returning to competition in the Lakes Region League in New Hampshire, as well as against local independent schools at the Weston Ski Track, the team spent the early months focused on demanding roller-ski workouts and erg training—ski, bike, and row—to develop endurance before the snow arrived. They also competed in relays on these machines, pushing themselves to refine both technique and conditioning. This dry-land training built a strong base of fitness and reinforced solid skate and classic skiing fundamentals, ensuring the team was well prepared once they hit the snow.

The season began in earnest during the annual Winter Break training trip to Craftsbury, Vermont, in early January. With two daily practices and a final time trial, this trip proved to be one of the most challenging yet. Both new and experienced skiers saw noticeable improvements

in technique and endurance. The team’s top performers included captains Will Walton ’25 and Jack Kastner ’25, as well as a strong pack of juniors led by Eita Fuse ’26, Fitz Courtney ’26, and TZ Snail ’26, who consistently led the pack in races. The team’s progress over the course of the season was impressive: first-time skier Henry BuckleyJones ’25 secured a top-10 finish in the Lakes Region Championship, and younger skiers Ethan Xie ’26, Will Trautz ’27, and Patrick Snail ’28 placed in the top 25.

As championship season arrived in late February, the team delivered its strongest performances of the year. At the Lakes Region Championship, Belmont Hill secured the title by placing five skiers in the top 10. Their momentum carried into the NEPSAC championship at Proctor Academy, where the team achieved an impressive second-place finish. Individually, three skiers placed in the top 10: Walton claimed first, Kastner finished sixth, and Fuse took eighth.

The team will deeply miss graduating seniors BuckleyJones, Kastner, Walton, and Davis Woolbert, who have been instrumental to its success. However, with a strong returning core and the leadership of newly elected captains Courtney and Fuse, the future looks bright for Belmont Hill Nordic skiing.

Squash

ROBERT BROWNELL, Head Coach

We were an extremely strong team. Our collective performance at New England’s was as gutsy as I have seen. Our resume of accomplishments speaks for itself:

Jackson Tournament Champions

Undefeated ISL Champions

Fifth-Place Team New England Championships

Tenth-Place Team U.S. High School Nationals

Co-captain Leighton Calhoun ’25 ended his stellar career as the team’s #1 and entered an elite group as one of the strongest players in Belmont Hill history. He once again earned All ISL and All NEPSAC honors. His pulsating win to clinch the Andover match at Nationals was truly inspirational, and added to the many times over his career that he pushed us over the top.

Griffin Calhoun ’26 emerged as our #2 and was brilliant all season long. He worked harder than anyone and his Herculean performances at both Nationals and New England’s were magnificent. Luke Clifford ’26, our #3, was our most improved player and had only two losses all season, an incredible accomplishment. His 12-10 fifth set win versus Deerfield was truly stunning. Co-Captain Jai Karande ’25 was our stalwart #4. He was our smoothest and most elegant player and we are counting on him to establish himself at Bowdoin College next year. Mattias Liem ’28, our #5, won a pulsating match to clinch our opening match versus Andover. It was a huge win and started us off on a strong note. Veteran Hayden Okurowski ’25 was an extremely strong #6 and his epic win over Deerfield at New England’s was sensational. Griffin Ramirez ’28 played the bulk of the season at #7 and was instrumental for many of our team wins. He and Colton Jacobs ’27, our #8, were crucial for our collective success

and they will continue to be cornerstone players for us over the next few years. All told, every boy played a vital role and they all experienced an exhilarating win and a tough loss over the course of the season, good life lessons to be sure.

I’d also like to thank departing seniors Stephen Agular and Gabe Umlas for being such positive presences on our JV team. They set great examples for our developing players. I also can’t thank assistant coach Jason Wellemeyer enough for his help and support every day. I am grateful to him for his daily company and the hugely important role he played. Athletic Director George Tahan has tirelessly supported our program behind the scenes for years and I am forever indebted to him and his staff. Most importantly, I thank the boys and their parents. I am honored to have stood beside them throughout this truly memorable championship season.

Wrestling

DON BRADLEY, Head Coach

The 2024–2025 Belmont Hill varsity wrestling team enjoyed another “banner” season fielding two varsity lineups and wrestling in 28 matches and six tournaments. Led by senior captains Andrew Pimental and Alex White, it was a team of “road warriors” as there were only three home meets and many long bus rides to the likes of Hotchkiss, Avon Old Farms, Northfield Mt. Hermon, St. Paul’s (twice), and Choate—not to mention our trip to New Jersey and all the tournaments. But it was all well worth the opportunity to compete and get better. Highlights included hard-fought wins over NYMA and a very strong NJ public school team, as well as another ISL Dual Meet championship and Graves Kelsey triumph. On the same day Varsity 1 won the ISL with victories over St. Mark’s and Milton, Varsity 2 defeated Eastern Independent League Champion Portsmouth Abbey. Nearly 40 boys from Forms II through VI practiced together every day and wrestled in one of the two lineups each Wednesday and Saturday depending on the matchups. Focusing on Varsity 1: Brody Sayers ’28 led off at 106 and was a champion at both the Graves Kelsey and New England Prep Wrestling tournaments. Sophomore Declan Woolbert ’27 followed at 113, winning Graves Kelsey and placing 3rd at New Englands. At 120, sophomore Isaac Novod ’27 repeated as champion at both tournaments and was backed up by junior Sammy Flood ’26, who won 18 matches over the course of the season. After a year away

due to injury, everyone welcomed junior Scotty Moreau ’26’s return to the team at 126 where he again won Graves Kelsey and then placed 3rd at New Englands. At 132, Jack Dragoumanos ’26 won Graves Kelsey and was voted the Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament before winning New Englands a week later. Senior Wesley Zhu ’25 and sophomore Grady Figler ’27 held down the 138-pound weight class with almost 30 wins between them.

Pimental wrestled at 144 and won Graves Kelsey for the fourth time before finishing 3rd in a tough weight class at New Englands. Junior Jaiden Lee ’26 was right behind him with a record that qualified him for the New England Tournament. At 150, Henry Santini ’28 was solid with almost 30 wins and a second Graves Kelsey championship before injury sidetracked him to 4th at New Englands. George Carroll ’25 and Milo Davis ’29 held down the 157 and 165 weight classes before seniors Max Román and White took over at 175 and 190. Carroll captured 3rd at Graves Kelsey, while second-year wrestler Román took 4th and White repeated as champion. At the heavier weights were senior Myles Beckett at 215 and junior Nick Fiumara at 285. Both made it to the Graves Kelsey finals with Beckett taking first and Fiumara second.

Clearly, it was a very fun Graves Kelsey Tournament, hosted by St. Sebastian’s. Thirteen out of our 14 entrants placed top 4 and qualified for the New England Tournament at Exeter. Nine of our wrestlers would place top 4 there, but a very strong Greens Farms Academy team would win that tournament with NMH, Belmont Hill, and NYMA right behind but far ahead of the rest of the field. A week later at the National Prep Tournament at Lehigh, Novod (2nd) and Dragoumanos (6th) repeated as All-Americans, and our nine qualifiers scored enough points for our team to place 12th overall.

Flood and Moreau were recognized with the Henry B. Sawyer Sportsmanship Award. Beckett and Carroll were honored with the William “Bingo” Emerson ’60 trophy for most improved, while Novod and Dragoumanos were awarded the Gilbert S. Jordan trophy for greatest contribution. Captains for next year are Moreau and Dragoumanos. The team extends thanks to everyone who made this success possible: our coaches Dave Leonardis, Todd Davis, George Sullivan ’07, Jeff Ott ’12, Will Ryan ’17, Marty Williams, and Sam Messina; our parents, especially captains’ mothers Jane Pimental and Kim White; and our Athletic Department staff, including George Tahan, Andy Davis ’07, Anthony Fucillo, Dennis Chin, John King, and Equipment Manager Willis Negron. Thank you all!

Baseball

DAVE CUNNINGHAM ’12, Head Coach

The 2025 varsity baseball team completed a successful season on the diamond with an 11-8 overall record (6-5 in the ISL) and an exciting run through the ISL tournament culminating in a championship game appearance. With a mix of new players and returning veterans, the senior leaders set the tone and were catalysts for growth within a group defined by their resilience, camaraderie, and pride in donning the Belmont Hill uniform. The team never backed down from a challenge and rallied together to perform at their best when it mattered most.

The boys opened the 2025 NEPSAC season with a commanding 7-2 victory over Bridgton Academy. When ISL play finally arrived, the team responded to some tough early losses with a 12-6 conference win against Tabor Academy, a resounding 13-1 victory over St. George’s, and a memorable comeback win against Groton School.

The middle of the season brought some adversity, and heading into the final stretch, the team was in the unfavorable position of having to win three of their final four games to secure a spot in postseason play. The uphill climb started with a 3-0 win over rival Nobles, highlighted by a shutout performance from Jack Tarbox ’27 and crucial hits by Lance Toland ’27, Brian Seo ’26, and Cooper Tarlie ’25. Next was an exciting 7-5 victory against Middlesex, where the lineup knocked in two late runs against the league leader in strikeouts to secure the win. In the final regular season game against BB&N, with both teams facing a “win and get in” scenario, Belmont Hill dominated, winning 16-0 behind Andrew Hildebrandt ’25’s astonishing seven RBI performance.

The team entered the ISL tournament as the sixth seed and earned a quarterfinal rematch against archrival St. Sebastian’s. Scoreless through three innings, clutch situational hitting by Rylan Flynn ’27 and back-to-back RBIs by Eric Willi ’26 and Andrew Huldbrendandt ’25 pushed across three runs in the top of the sixth. Defensive excellence and another complete game shutout pitching performance from Tarbox sealed the 3-0 victory. Multiple tournament upsets resulted in a home game against Governor’s Academy in the semifinals, where excellent defense and clutch pitching helped secure the 3-2 home win. Jack Duffy ’25, Luke Waldeck ’26, and Jack O’Brien ’26 combined to limit a talented Govs lineup to five

hits over seven innings, and Cam Kelley ’26 sealed the win by starting a game-ending double play—undoubtedly the most exciting moment of the season.

In the final, Belmont Hill played Lawrence Academy at Groton. The team jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Spartans rallied in the middle innings, and Belmont Hill suffered a hard-fought 5-3 loss. While the team fell short of the ultimate goal, this group of ballplayers left a lasting impact on the program and will be remembered for years to come.

At the end of the season, the talented 2025 varsity baseball team garnered well-deserved recognition within the league. Tarlie, Seo, and Hildebrandt were named to the All ISL team. Three more players were given ISL Honorable Mention recognition: Tarbox, Toland, and Flynn. Willi was named an ISL Gold Glove award winner, and Kaidan Sheehan ’25 joined the ISL All Tournament team. In addition, four players also earned recognition as members of the All New England teams. Tarlie and Hildebrandt were selected as First Team recipients, while Seo and Tarbox finished with Honorable Mentions. At the year-end Athletics Award Chapel, Tarlie won the Langdon Prouty Jr. Baserunning trophy, Jack Kilcoyne ’25 earned the Henry B. Sawyer Sportsmanship Award, Hildebrandt received the Most Improved Player Award, and Team MVP honors were shared by captains Duffy and Tarlie. Lastly, Tarlie was voted as the ISL’s Silver Slugger Award winner, finishing the season as the league leader in batting average and hits, and tied for runs scored.

The talented and deep senior class embodied the Belmont Hill way and the contributions of the graduating class will be hard to replicate moving forward. Captains Duffy and Tarlie were amongst the strongest leaders the School has to offer. The program genuinely thanks graduating seniors Duffy, Tarlie, Kilcoyne, Sheehan, Hildebrandt, Nate Folker, Thomas Sheehan, Mikey Sullivan, Chris McEvoy, and Adam Shaff for their service to the Belmont Hill baseball community.

Golf

DAN DUARTE, Head Coach

The Belmont Hill golf program followed its back-to-back championship efforts with another strong season of play. The team ended the year with an impressive 18-2-1 overall record, finishing runner-up in the ISL with a 14-2 league record. For the totality of the season, the team finished with a plus/minus of +138.

Much of the team’s success can be attributed to senior captains Alejandro Laidlaw and Jack Mazur. Building off their experience and play from the previous two years on varsity, the captains set the tone from the start of the season and provided a core of strong leadership for the team to lean on.

On May 19, the team traveled to the Butter Brook Golf Club in Westford to compete at the ISL Kingman Cup

Championship. Doran Gibbs ’27 and Joey Monahan ’28 led the way with an impressive day across the 18 holes as Gibbs shot 72 and Monahan shot 74. These performances earned each of them well deserved All ISL honors. Their Cup play was also strong enough for them to be exempt into the Mass Golf Junior Amateur Championship in August.

Before the dramatic final competition at Butter Brook, this group of nine young men—also including Andrew Cotter ’26, Ryan Hoffman ’25, Marcus Huang ’27, Logan Marra ’26, and Ben Ragosa ’28—competed with tireless enthusiasm while always representing the School with pride and poise.

The team is grateful for the leadership and consistency of its entire senior class, and looks forward to continue building on the legacy of the program next year. Gibbs was selected as next year’s captain, a worthy acknowledgment of his steady play and attitude all season long.

Lacrosse

The 2025 varsity lacrosse team finished the season with an overall record of 15-3 (13-1 in the ISL), battling through an intensely competitive schedule to capture the program’s league-leading 15th ISL championship. Since 2013, the team has won a league-best six ISL championships. Over the last two seasons, the team has won back-to-back ISL Championships, posted a 32-4 overall record (a league-best 27-1 in the ISL), and finished in the top 25 in the National High School Lacrosse Rankings. This year, captains and four-year letter winners Preston Evans, Eli Friedman, and Lindan Verville and fellow seniors Brady Boudreau, CJ Collins, Charlie Crowley, Miles Fritz, Drew Gannon, Henry Hagedorn, Daniel Jones, Nick Pellagrini, Chad Sidel, and Teddy Stonestreet worked together to uphold the program’s high standards for excellence and unity on and off the field. With their unwavering dedication, the senior class set the tone for the season, playing hard for each other and improving every single day.

After tough losses against perennial New England powers Deerfield and Choate to start the campaign, the boys responded with an impressive 13-10 victory over Avon Old Farms. In the ISL opener at Boston University’s Nickerson Field, a large crowd of parents and Loop supporters saw the team defeat Milton Academy 19-4. After wins against Lawrence Academy and Tabor Academy, the team defeated national power IMG 19-11. The team then rattled off four straight victories over St. George’s, Groton, Roxbury Latin, and St. Mark’s by a combined score of 76-22.

On Senior Day, the team raced out to an early lead against Nobles and never looked back in a convincing 17-8 victory. Defensively, Will Butler ’26 (15 saves), Stonestreet, Jones, Louie Marobella ’26, Gannon, Finn Kilbride ’26, Boudreau, Crowley

and Hank Greene ’27 held the talented Nobles offense in check. Offensively, Verville (5g), Evans (4g, 4a), Topher Batchelder ’26 (2g, 2a), and Dylan Casillo ’26 (2g, 5a) led the way, with Friedman winning 80% of the face-offs. On the Friday before Reunion Weekend, in front of a large crowd of parents, students, and alumni, the team took on rival St. Sebastian’s. St. Sebastian’s dominated early and held an 11-5 lead heading into the final quarter. After an injury to Evans, Verville and Friedman sparked a furious eight-goal rally in the final 12 minutes, giving Belmont Hill a thrilling 13-11 victory and capping the seniors’ perfect 4-0 record versus St. Sebastian’s. After a setback to Middlesex, the team finished the regular season with a 21-6 victory over BB&N, behind spirited play from seniors Hagedorn (1a), Collins (1g), and Pellagrini.

Entering the ISL tournament as the top-seed for the fourth straight year, the team hosted a talented Thayer Academy team in the first round, prevailing 17-8 before beating Rivers 15-12 in a back-and-forth semifinal contest. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in front of one of the largest crowds in recent memory, the team played Tabor Academy for the ISL championship. Belmont Hill jumped out to an early 3-0 lead behind David Bosco ’27 (1g, 1a) before Tabor countered and eventually took the lead late in the fourth quarter. John Lynch ’27 (3g, 2a) tied the contest with two minutes left and a final defensive stand by Stonestreet and Butler kept the game deadlocked at 7-7 at the end of regulation. In overtime, Friedman won the opening face-off (90% on the day) and Casillo assisted Verville (3g) on the game-winning goal with 46 seconds to play, sealing another ISL title. The ensuing celebration on the field was an unforgettable moment for the program and the entire Belmont Hill community, a tribute to the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice of the 2025 varsity team.

Over the course of the 2025 season, the team set a new school record for goals scored in a season with 277. Individually, Evans, Friedman, and Verville were awarded Team MVP. Jones earned Team MIP, and Sidel earned the Henry B. Sawyer Sportsmanship Award. Verville, Friedman, Evans, Marobella, Gannon, and Boudreau were named All ISL, and Butler, Casillo, Lynch, and Batchelder received All League Honorable Mention honors. Additionally, Evans, Friedman, and Verville were named All NEPSAC, and Gannon, Casillo, and Marobella were named All NEPSAC Honorable Mention. Friedman was awarded All-American by US Lacrosse, named the Ned Herter ISL Player of the Year, and was also named Most Outstanding Player of the ISL Tournament. Next year’s captains, Casillo, Clayton, and Marobella, and a strong nucleus of 15 returning letter winners will lead the team in 2026.

TIM SULLIVAN, Head Coach

Sailing

PETER CREEDON, Head Coach

The varsity sailing team completed an incredible championship season this year. Sailing is a dual discipline sport: The team competes in both team and fleet racing events. In team racing, our best three boats face off against the best three boats from the opposing team. Sailors utilize the rules in elaborate maneuvers to “trap” or impede the other team, with the goal being to finish the race with the lowest combined score. Regattas are scored best of five races. Fleet racing features two regattas run simultaneously: A and B divisions, where each team gets one boat in each fleet. The team with the lowest combined score between their two boats wins the event. While rules are in play, fleet racing is much more of a traditional drag race.

Competing for their second year in the Mass Bay League, Belmont Hill finished the team racing season undefeated in league play and with a berth in the playoffs. Over the course of a beautiful 8-hour day, the team went undefeated through the playoffs before mounting a fierce comeback to earn the championship. Down 0-2 in the championship round to the defending champions, they proceeded to rattle off three massive wins in a row to take home the league title. This is Belmont Hill’s second-ever Massachusetts state championship. Sophomores James Chaytors

and Ilan Turevskiy won A Division. Roger Wellington ’28 and Mikey Furey ’25 finished 4th in B Division.

The next week saw the sailors in fleet racing mode. They placed second at their qualifying event and headed off to Connecticut College to compete at the NESSA Fleet Racing Championship, known as the O’Day Trophy and qualifier for the national championship. There the boys qualified for the Phoebe King Regatta, which is for teams placing 4th-7th at their respective national qualifying events.

At the Phoebe King, our team faced some of the best competition from around the country. Over the course of a very windy two-day event, the boys posted a final 11th place overall out of 20 schools. The sailing team finishes their fleet racing season ranked 31st in the country; what an unbelievable season for our entire team!

Awards presented at the Spring Athletics Chapel included: Most Improved—Tommy Folan ’25 and The Sailing Trophy for greatest contribution—Chaytors and Wellington.

I’m so proud of the athletes and everything they accomplished this year. They were an incredible group, and one that I had fun coaching and competing with every single day. They’re comfortable being challenged, hungry for improvement, and ready to take the next step in their sailing development. I’m excited to see what the future holds for this awesome young team!

Tennis

WILL SPEER, Head Coach

The 2025 tennis team finished with an overall record of 11-6, placing fifth in the ISL with a 10-5 league record.

Having lost four of our top seven players from the 2024 team, the season initially looked like a rebuilding year for the tennis program. However, veteran players raised their game and newcomers embraced their roles. Thanks to a number of outstanding teamwide efforts, the team actually improved on its record from last year.

After early losses to perennial powerhouses Deerfield and Roxbury Latin, the team welcomed defending New England champion Andover for a Friday night home fixture. Led by an incredible doubles effort, a decisive singles win from Ernest Lai ’25, and clutch tiebreaker victories from Riaan Shah ’28 and Morgan Rich ’27, the team celebrated its first victory over Andover in five years. With a heightened sense of self-belief, the team rode this momentum through the middle third of the season to move into the upper tier of the ISL.

We went 4-0 in matches that ended with a 4-3 team score, with different players providing each clinching win. Highlights included Will Sandor ’27’s heroic turnaround at St. George’s, a dominant performance by Will Greenhill ’28 at St. Mark’s, and an epic comeback from a 1-6 deficit at Rivers by Jack Nolan ’25 (team MIP) and Jack Ramanathan ’26.

Our enthusiastic and always-ready bench players, led by Colton Jacobs ’27 and Boston Ezedi ’26, were eager to step in when called upon and made my life easier thanks to their sideline presence.

Shah was our clear “rookie of the year,” leading the team with 11 singles and 9 doubles wins. Rich matched him with 20 wins of his own and earned All NEPSAC honors as well as team MVP, while Lai completed a superlative season with a 19-4 overall record, All ISL Honorable Mention, and the Henry B. Sawyer Sportsmanship Award.

The team’s future is bright, as four of our top five players were in 10th grade or younger this year. We look forward to Rich and Will Jones ’27 (who we sorely missed after his season-ending injury) leading the team as captains in 2026.

Crew

CHRIS RICHARDS, Head Coach

We entered the season with tremendous energy, and from our opening practices in early March through Youth Nationals in Sarasota in mid-June, it was a special and memorable spring for Belmont Hill crew. The highlights are too many to mention, but among them are all-time team bests on the ergometer, with captains Will Walton ’25 and Jack Kastner ’25 becoming the first-ever Belmont Hill oarsmen to break 4:30 for 1500m; undefeated seasons for the 1V4-4V4; a dominant four-boat sweep for Belmont Hill at the NEIRA’s, including a Quinsigamond course record for the first boat (Walton and Kastner, plus captain Vince Mezzanotte ’25, Alex White ’25, and cox Sammy Flood ’26); and a bronze medal in the “race of the regatta” at Youth Nationals, where four crews finished within 1:39 seconds! Even more notable than the extraordinary results for the crews were the hard work, determination, continuous improvement, and strong sense of camaraderie that characterized the team throughout the season. Lineups in nearly every boat remained fluid for much of the spring, as the coaches evaluated different combinations of rowers and coxswains. The depth of the team was on full display at Pomfret, where we had a total of nine fours racing. Our senior leadership was simply fantastic throughout the entire season.

In the Middle School, every young man on the team bought into the goal of developing whole-program speed, and by undergoing a battery of selection workouts over the course of the spring, the squad gained a ton of experience and raciness that served them well. Our upperclassmen demonstrated every day how to have a great experience with Belmont Hill rowing, and they energized and motivated the younger boys. We had plenty of tough racing, beginning with early season scrimmages against Deerfield, followed by great results against Nobles, a regatta at Andover, and ending with the JV Championships at Brooks, where we won the A-Final and brought home the trophy. Over the course of the season, 3V8 never lost a race or scrimmage. But it was the second annual Awad Cup, our intrasquad scrimmage, which perhaps provided the most exciting racing of the spring, with seniors James Keefe and Adrian Tan picking and leading the day’s winning lineups. Our lower-boat oarsmen and coxswains rose to every expectation we set for them and played a huge role in driving the overall success of the team. Well-rowed, boys! A special thank you to our senior coaches George Carroll, Kastner, Mezzanotte, and Walton, without whom the Middle School team would not have been the same.

The Belmont Hill crew program is already looking forward to the 2026 campaign! Next year’s captains will be seniors Thomas Danahy, Tyler Smith, and TZ Snail.

ADAM HARDER, Head Coach

The varsity track and field team finished the 2024–2025 season with a regular-season record of 17-2, winning the ISL championship meet and league title, and placing 4th at the NEPSTA Division 1 championships. The team was led by senior captains Ashton Cruz, Josiah Gomes, Jordan Summers, and Davis Woolbert.

A common theme for the season was rain. It rained almost every Saturday, but despite the ever-changing New England weather, the team continued to show up and compete in all conditions. The only two losses this season came against Middlesex and Tabor, on a rainy meet day when throws and pole vault were canceled, and our upperclassmen could only compete in early events in order to attend prom. Although the regular season is scored, the ISL title is determined by the winner of the ISL championship meet. Going into the ISL meet, the team was confident, but no clear outcome was anticipated. Belmont Hill would be competing primarily against Milton and Roxbury Latin for the title, and the scoring was expected to be extremely close. After postponing the meet by a day due to rain, the team headed to Milton, eager to compete and earn as many points as possible across all events.

The throwers dominated the competition, placing 1st (Gomes), 2nd (Tommy Rupley ’25), and 3rd (Sampson Onuoha ’25) in the discus, and 1st (Gomes) and 2nd (Onuoha) in the shot put, earning an impressive total of 42 points. Other highlights included a first-place finish in the 400 meters (Adonai Samuel ’26), second-place finishes in the 110 hurdles (Justin Li ’26) and 3000 meters (Will Trautz ’27), and a third-place finish in the 300 hurdles (Will Skordos ’27). Our high jumpers earned valuable points as well, placing 4th (Ajani Kromah ’27) and 5th (James Lyon ’25). The relay teams had an outstanding day: The all-senior 4x100 team (Summers, Luis Kuehberger ’25, Ross McKee ’25, and Cruz) placed 2nd by just 0.22 seconds, and the 4x400 team (Skordos, Eita Fuse ’26, Blake DaCosta ’26, and Samuel) placed 3rd overall despite running in the slower heat. Many others put forth season bests, contributing to the team’s 106 points and meet victory.

The team then continued on to the NEPSTA D1 championship meet at Deerfield. The 4x100 relay team had already broken a school record earlier in the season (DaCosta, Kuehberger, McKee, and Cruz) with a time of 43.31. The group of Summers, Kuehberger, McKee, and Cruz broke that new record at the NEPSTA meet with a time of 43.09, placing third. Li also broke a school record in the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.05, placing 2nd. Gomes won both the shot put (53' 6") and discus (185' 10"), earning a personal best and breaking the meet record in the discus. The team earned a fourth-place finish overall.

Three seniors will be continuing their track careers in college: Gomes (University of Virginia), Cruz (George Washington University), and Lyon (Trinity College). The Track Award for the Most Valuable Performer was given to Gomes. McKee and Yareh Constant ’25 received recognition for being the most improved athletes and were awarded the John W. Fisher Trophy. The Henry B. Sawyer award winners were Woolbert, Cruz, and Summers. Next year’s captain will be Li, who was voted by his peers to be the sole captain of the team.

The team is grateful for the consistent hard work and leadership of the graduating athletes. Many of our Form VI students play other sports and are involved in various campus activities, yet this senior class was a committed, close-knit, and hard working group. Their contributions—both athletically and in terms of character—will leave a lasting impact on the program.

CORPORATION NEWS

2024–2025 COMMITTEE ON TRUSTEES

TAGGART M. ROMNEY ’88, CHAIR

JON M. BIOTTI ’87

FLORENCE T. BOURGEOIS

JOHN T. GRADY ’66

DANIELLE A. HEARD

JASON H. HURD ’90

NEW TRUSTEE

JAMES

EMMETT E. LYNE ’77

AMY B. MADDEN

CARL J. MARTIGNETTI ’77

GREGORY C. PAUL ’09

GREGORY J. SCHNEIDER

D. COADY ’88

Jim Coady ’88 is a partner at Sentinel Capital partners, a private equity firm specializing in mid-market investments. A member of the Belmont Hill Class of 1988, he went on to earn an A.B. in English from Harvard University, where he was a member of the NCAA Championship hockey team, and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Business. Prior to Sentinel, Mr. Coady served as an associate at First Chicago Equity Capital and as an analyst at Alex Brown & Sons. He currently serves on the boards of three private and one public company and has held board positions at over 20 other private companies. He has served as a board member as well as president of the Harvard Club of New York City. Mr. Coady was elected to the Belmont Hill Corporation in 2019, and he serves as a Class Agent and Reunion Committee member. He resides in Larchmont, New York, with his wife, Sarah, and their four children: Owen (Rye Country Day School, University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia), Selia (Loomis Chaffee, Middlebury College), Brynn (Rye Country Day School, Harvard College), and Nola (Rye Country Day School).

BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND CORPORATION CANDIDATE RECOMMENDATION

Throughout the School’s history, Trustees and Corporators have been men and women of vision, energy, and wisdom. They are selected for their special interests and talents, for their abilities to bring informed advice to the School, and for their commitment to the School’s mission. They take an active role in philanthropic support of the School and represent Belmont Hill in their communities. In that spirit, the School continues to seek candidates from a range of backgrounds, experiences, and areas of expertise.

Thank you for taking the time to identify individuals who could provide strong leadership for Belmont Hill.

Please send your recommendations to alumni@belmonthill.org.

ALEXANDER B. K. AFEYAN ’16 — Alex Afeyan ’16 is a Ph.D. candidate at Harvard Medical School, conducting cutting-edge biological research in collaboration with the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 2016 and he graduated from Harvard College in 2020 with a B.A. His research and academic work is focused on T-cell response in solid tumors, with his Ph.D. expected in 2026. At Belmont Hill, Mr. Afeyan serves as our Young and Recent Alumni Chair and he has served as a mathematics teaching fellow. He is a Board member of the Afeyan Family Foundation and the Harvard Biotechnology Club and is an NIH F31 Fellow. Mr. Afeyan’s interests include science education and Armenian cultural preservation and heritage.

JESSICA S. HOOPER P ’30 — Jessica Hooper is the Head of School at Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart and is a dedicated educator with over 22 years of experience in school leadership. She graduated from the University of San Diego and began her career as a middle school teacher. Mrs. Hooper later earned her master’s degree in educational administration from National University. She served as Assistant Head of School at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace in San Diego for nearly a decade as well as serving as president of Nativity Prep (also in San Diego), a Catholic middle school and college access program, which supports first-generation students from their enrollment as sixth-grade students to their college graduation. Mrs. Hooper and her husband, Jamie Hooper, moved to the area recently, settling in Newton with their daughter, Clare (Newton Country Day School of the Sacred Heart), and sons Jack (Belmont Hill ’30) and Charlie (Mt. Alvernia Academy).

REBECCA M. HORNBUCKLE P ’30 — Rebecca Hornbuckle is an independent consultant with over two decades of experience in design and innovation, specializing in guiding individuals, teams, and organizations toward growth and impactful transformation. She earned a B.A. from Amherst College in 1999 and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School in 2004. Mrs. Hornbuckle’s professional experience includes serving as a partner and managing director at IDEO and a consultant at McKinsey & Company. She actively participates in the Belmont Hill community as a parent volunteer. She lives in Boston with her husband, Evan Hornbuckle, their daughter, Sydney (Newton Country Day School), and their son, Austin (Belmont Hill ’30).

JOSHUA M. LEVY ’83 — Josh Levy ’83 is a partner at Ropes & Gray LLP, specializing in white collar criminal defense. He is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 1983, and he graduated from Brown University with a B.A. in 1987 and Georgetown University Law Center with a J.D. magna cum laude in 1992. Mr. Levy recently returned to Ropes & Gray (where he was a partner from 2004 to 2021) after serving as United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, leading an office of over 120 prosecutors. He was inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers and has served as a trustee for Discovering Justice, the Carroll School, and the Steppingstone Foundation. At Belmont Hill, Mr. Levy is a Class Agent and Reunion Committee member. He resides in Newton with his wife, Rachel Rock, and their four children: Alexandra (Tulane and Harvard universities), Isaac (William & Mary), Gabriel (University of Virginia), and Max.

RONOBIR R. MALLICK ’94 — Ron Mallick ’94 is an internal medicine physician. He is a member of the Belmont Hill Class of 1994. Dr. Mallick earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1998, furthered his education with a master’s degree from Case Western in 2001, and completed his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2005. Dr. Mallick is also an officer in the Navy Reserves. At Belmont Hill, Dr. Mallick is actively involved as a mentor in the Multicultural Alumni Partnership Mentorship program. He and his wife, Bridgette, reside in Avon, Ohio, with their daughter, Meera.

PATRICIA

O’NEILL NOLAN P ’ 23, ’ 25, ’ 27 — Patty Nolan is a 1996 graduate of Villanova University. She worked at Goldman Sachs & Co. in the New York, London, and Boston offices before choosing to stay home to raise her three children. At Belmont Hill, Mrs. Nolan is the current president of the Parents’ Council and has served as vice president, community service chair, and form representative. She is also a member of the Parents Fund Committee. She and her husband, Bill Nolan, reside in Wellesley, with their three sons, William (Belmont Hill ’23, currently attending Georgetown University), Jack (Belmont Hill ’25, Villanova University), and PJ (Belmont Hill ’27).

Alumni & Family Events

Alumni Award Dinner Honoring

Bill Achtmeyer ’73

April 24, 2025

1. Bill Achtmeyer ’73 and George Lynch ’88.

2. Seated: Sue Seeley, Andy Boger, Olivia Achtmeyer Boger, Bill Achtmeyer ’73, and Andy Cadiff ’73. Standing: Rob Achtmeyer, Nell Achtmeyer, Amy and Greg Schneider, Lisa Abbott, Jon Biotti ’87, George Seeley, and Carl Martignetti ’77.

3. Joe Knowles ’73, Dan ’73 and Andy Schley, and Carl Martignetti ’77.

4. Tony Ryan, Bill Achtmeyer ’73, and John Grady ’66.

5. Dee and John Shane ’50, Bob ’51 and Wini Blacklow, Nancy Wanger, Peter Gilpatric ’65, Chip Broadhurst ’65, Reg Howe ’58, and Bob Repetto ’55.

6. David Wanger ’80, Joe Curtin ’80, Chris Sweeney ’83, Warren Cross ’83, and Josh Levy ’83.

7. Seated: Tony Ryan, Chris Richards, John Carroll ’89, Gretchen CookAnderson, and Thomas Anderson. Standing: Ian Schmidek, Ann Ryan, Florence Bourgeois, and Sam Bartlett.

8. Seated: Dana Burnham, Jim Burnham ’73, Wendy Powell, Don Rober ’73, and Tim Fulham ’74. Standing: Joe Knowles ’73, Mike Kitsis ’73, Michael Sherman, and Tony Green ’74.

9. Seated: John McAlpin, Bill ’52 and Jo Cleary. Standing: Jon Smith ’62, Chet Homer ’69, John Grady ’66, Susan and Eddie Gallagher ’66.

10. Seated: Kim Griffin, Rose Lotin, Nicholas Savoulides, and Rhea Kollias. Standing: Matthew Griffin, Karen Lynch, and Paul Lynch.

11. Seated: Amy Madden, Dave Kilpatrick ’90, Kara Kilpatrick, Jeff Hamilton ’01, and Nikhil Sahni ’01. Standing: Jim Coady ’88, Ted Madden ’88, George Lynch ’88, and Dan Curtin ’87.

12. Seated: Alex Afeyan ’16, Greg Paul ’09, and Jay Bounty. Standing: Pat Burpee ’13 and Geoff Homer ’03.

13. Seated: Carmen Rodriguez, Kelly Pellagrini, Sarah Greenhill, and Joshua Greenhill. Standing: Hank Chen and Arlene Spence.

14. Seated: Tanya and Randy Holton ’72 and Carl ’72 and Karen Dawson. Standing: Dan Dorian ’71, Tim Wood ’71, and John Samuelson ’71.

15. Seated: Chip Tarbell ’76, Bob Puopolo ’76, Peter Fordham ’76, Josie René, and Harold Prenatt. Standing: Fred Hagedorn ’78, David Edlin ’79, Jim Kalustian ’78, and Ken Victor ’73.

g randparents & grand guests day

May 2, 2025

1. Andrew Pimental ’25, Fred Pimental, Alex Pimental ’30, and Helen Pimental.

2. Sawyer Kilbride ’29 and Judy Huizenga.

3. Linda Zug, Garrett Zug ’29, Maryellen Coles, and Julian Coles.

4. Shengmin Peng, Michael Guo ’30, and Chunhui Li.

5. Middle School Glee Club.

6. Grandparent Chair Ruth Goodband.

7. Pierce Douglas ’30, Chris Joseph, and Bob Joseph.

8. Sharon Cassidy and George Cassidy ’29.

9. Greg Schneider greeting guests.

10. Jim Silver, Robert Baum, Matthew Baum ’30, and Susan Baum.

11. Ben DeWinter, Lois DeWinter, and Nate Brennan ’29.

12. Joey Gallagher ’30, Ed Gallagher ’66, and Susan Gallagher.

13. Dennis Dickinson, Brody Dickinson ’29, and Rosemari Dickinson.

May 2, 2025

On the opening of Reunion Weekend, the community was invited to celebrate retiring faculty member Chris Sweeney ’83 and to honor the coaching achievements of Don Bradley (wrestling) and Jorge Montoya (soccer).

1. Chris Sweeney ’83.

2. Greg Schneider.

3. Jorge Montoya.

4. Don Bradley.

5. Bob Brownell, Warren Cross ’83, and Warren Cross ’17.

6. Harrison Rohrer ’16, Marty Williams, and Adam Harder.

7. Jared Courtney ’97, Todd Davis, and Kayvon Bina ’97.

8. Nancy Montanaro, Celine Brabo, Paige Wallace, Jamie Phinney, and Hope Rupley.

9. Betsy Goodband, Cliff Goodband ’97, Jorge Montoya, and Ryan Goodband ’98.

Faculty Celebration

10. Parker Mundt ’12, Tyson Trautz, Stephen George, and Dan Csaplar ’12.

11. Stewart Steffey, Juan Carlos Fernandez del Castillo ’16, Thomas Pagani ’11, and Eddie Harvey ’11.

12. Paul Sullivan, Diane Sullivan, Chris Sweeney ’83, and Chip Dewar.

13. Ann Iandiorio, June Schmunk, Joe LaLiberte ’14, and Lindsey Taylor.

14. Ellie and Mark Dillon ’10, Caleb Collins ’93, and P.J. Lee ’10.

15. Elizabeth Davis, Marty Williams, and Will Ryan ’17.

16. Graeme Calloway, Lawrence Lopez, Reg Howe ’58, and Steve Carr ’61.

17. Amberley and Greg Karelitz ’09, Laurie Gorelick, Nick Ogonowsky ’10, Abe Gorelick, and Paul Shea ’10.

saturday reunion

May 3, 2025

1. Carrie Bell-Hoerth, Zelda BellHoerth, and Matt Weeks ’05.

2. B-Flats performing for the Grand Reunion dinner.

3. Colin Allen ’00 and Andrew Zook ’00.

4. Mark Dillon ’10, Chris Richards, and Jeff Schimmel ’10.

5. Chris Butler, Isaiah Gomes ’20, Tim Sullivan, and Jason Oliveri ’20.

6. Seated: Chetan Shukla ’20, Michael Montanaro ’20, and Andrew Lee ’20. Standing: Jake Pappo ’20, Jack O’Donnell ’20, David Bergantino ’20, Andrew Lee ’20, and Charlie Richards ’20.

7. Classes and faculty gathering for the cocktail reception.

1. Class of 1950 — 75th Grand Reunion David Clarke.

2. Grand Reunion

Joe Guarnaccia ’73, Reg Howe ’58, Mike Morgan ’60, and Bob Russo ’60.

3. Grand Reunion

Seated: Dan Dorian ’71, Larry Willwerth ’62, Deb Bradlee, Eric Bradlee ’62, and Mary Shasta. Standing: Lisa Dorian, Tom Burley ’69, and Ted Shasta ’69.

4. Class of 1960 — 65th Reunion

Seated: John Brooks, Jim MacMahon, John Welch, and Art Norton. Standing: Christie Brooks, Sandy MacMahon, Marylou Welch, and Alex Spalding.

5. Class of 1960 — 65th Reunion

Andi Hunt, Greg Hunt, Steve Weller, and Larry Feinberg.

6. Class of 1965 — 60th Reunion

Seated: Chip Broadhurst, Bob Goldkamp, Margaret Gill, Bob Gill, and Peter Gilpatric. Standing: Elaine Duarte, Janine Broadhurst, Ken Martin, Susan Murray, and Robin Murray.

7. Class of 1967

Seated: John Fitzgerald, Peggy St. Clair, Jack Olive, Tina Browne, Holly Holmes, Linc Holmes, and Elise Woodward. Standing: Charlie Browne, Patsy Olive, and Alan Woodward.

8. Class of 1970 — 55th Reunion

Seated: Christine Bixby, Brian Bixby, Susan Samuelson, and Bill Samuelson. Standing: Marcia Herrera, Henry Magno, Peter Dale, Melissa Norton, and Al Cath.

9. Class of 1975 — 50th Reunion

Seated: Pamela Burkes-Smith, Lynne Barrett, Gary Barrett ’75, Rachel Levine ’75, Michael Sherman, Geoff Allison ’75, David Zebley ’75, Susan Zebley ’75, Kent Richardson ’75, Andy Hahn ’75, Gordy Hall ’75, Kim Henley, Joe Henley ’75, Leslie Armstrong, and Jeff Bacon ’75. Standing: Carmela Tavares, Jeff Taveras ’75, Carey Smith ’75, Don Smith ’75, Bill Sweeney ’75, Debby Sweeney, Chris Owens ’75, Jeannette Herrmann, Hap Porter ’75, Dave Nemiah ’75, Doris Alfano, Len Freiman ’75, Mark Alfano ’75, Rob Bradlee ’75, Andy Fleischer ’75, Peter Sullivan ’75, Kerry Sullivan, Wayne Wilkins ’75, Eileen Burt, Ted Burt, John Coughlin ’75, Christina Coughlin, Martha White, and Tony White ’75.

10. Class of 1980 — 45th Reunion

Front row: Nan Gorton, Tony Simboli, Bob McLaughlin, and Gary Martin. Second row: Jim Schelzi, Gillian King, Jamie King, Ken Chicos, and Julie Chicos. Third row: Kerry Lyne, Gwen Kane-Wanger, Chuck Melcher, Carolyn Curtin, Joe Curtin, and Steve Kasarjian. Back row: Robert Young, David Wanger, Jack London, Diane London, Greg Sullivan, and Cy Wilde.

11. Class of 1985 — 40th Reunion

Front row: Jerry Jordan, Jamie Resker, Bob Popeo, Allison Popeo, Eric Lowrey, and Lisa Lowrey. Second row: Brian Golden, John Authers, Sara Silver, and Sean Rockett.

12. Class of 1990 — 35th Reunion

Front row: Marcus Collier, David Korb, Ron Lanzo, Jennifer Drucker, and Danielle Kilmartin. Second row: Olinda Marshall, Jeffery Drucker, and Peter Kilmartin. Third row: Sanford Whitehouse, Bepi Raviola, Mike McHugh, Sean Leary, Kara Kilpatrick, and Tim Muldoon. Back row: David Shaff, Emily Raviola, Anna Hasiotis, George Hasiotis, Bob Crowley, and Dave Kilpatrick.

13. Class of 1995 — 30th Reunion

Front row: Scott Norwood, David Mahoney, and Eileen Mahoney. Second row: Eric Sanders and Kate Sullivan. Third row: Dan Commins and Dan Sullivan.

14. Class of 2000 — 25th Reunion

Front row: Justina Wong, Melissa Kirby, Heejean Parry-Cruwys, and Jason Tse. Second row: Thatcher Spring, Sean Creehan, Doug Tierney, Brendon Parry-Cruwys, and Chrissy Austin-Tse. Third row:  John Clifford, Edward Kirby, Carrie Allen, and Meaghan Martin. Fourth row: Kate Finnegan, Ben Finnegan, Ben Wells, Colin Allen, Tom Martin, Liz Gibson, and Chip Gibson. Back row: John McGraw, Fred Treseler, Lisa Plesko, Eric Ahlgren, Kristy Ahlgren, Andrew Zook, and Matt Murphy.

15. Class of 2005 — 20th Reunion

First row: Carrie Weeks, Matt Weeks, Paul Koeniger, and Jamie Shriner. Second row: Alyssa McAlpin, Courtney Leader, Nick Leader, Caroline Washburne, Chapin Yates, Allie DeBaere, Alison Holmes Luby, Abby Shriner, and Jake Duker. Third row: Grayson Holland, Margaret Gammill, Miles McAlpin, Will Forde, Latoya Forde, Sarah Gordon Hatton, Garrett Hatton, Meghan Whalen, Field Yates, Marshall Nevins, Brendan Luby, Jonathan Ferrick, Chris DeBaere, and Claire Sullivan. Fourth row: Rachel and Chris Ritchie. Back row: Samer Dweik, A.T. Desta, Will Baldwin, Katie McCafferty, Brian McCafferty, Bobby Whalen, Andrew Cody, Frank Cohen, and Rob Palladino.

16. Class of 2010 — 15th Reunion

Front row: Alec Finigan, Tim Strakosch, Nick Ogonowsky, Bobby Alexander, Mollie McLaughlin, Margaret Connors, Samantha Nahill, and Mike Nahill. Second row: Gordon Maas, Hib Schenck, PJ Rufo, Sabrina Clarke, Christa Synder, Joe Burchard, Kevin Connors, Christina Casey, Nick Koeniger, Derek Metcalfe, and Bobby Avakian. Third row: Julia Geller, Michael Gangemi, Ellie Dillon, Mark Dillon, Jackie Kelliher, Mike Trachy, Reed Casey, Emmy Chowdhury, and Amir Chowdhury. Fourth row: Jeff Schimmel and P.J. Lee.

17. Class of 2015 — 10th Reunion

Front row: Matt Harrity, Evan Chaletzky, Alex Santangelo, and Michael O’Neill. Second row: Liam Foley, Robert Caputo, Connor Metz, Sam Porter, and Chris Bracken. Third row: Eric Dawson, John Driscoll, Alex Andriolo, John Lazor. Fourth row: Reed Junkin, Jesse Wims, Jonathan Innocent, Myles Walsh, and CJ Layton.

18. Class of 2020 — 5th Reunion

Front row: Liam Kelly, Luke Khozozian, Jason Oliveri, Brady Chitkara, Matthew Drucker, Isaiah Gomes, Archie Perry, and Jack O’Donnell. Second row: Griffin Hamilton, Nicholas Castelucci, Jack Tahan, Charlie Richards, Nicholas Perrotta, David Bergantino, Jake Pappo, Will Bramley, Aidan McGaugh, and Ben Reyes. Third row: Max Barton, Harrison Shapiro, Lucas Meade, Bennett Teceno, Colin Trueman, Declan McDonough, Aidan Donnelly, and Charlie Donahue. Fourth row: Artemy Ivanov, Gage McWeeny, Trevor Reilly, Ryan McLaughlin, Michael Montanaro, Chetan Shukla, Jackson Riffe, and Andrew Lee. Fifth row: Jack Olton, Ryan Bradley, Charlie Stevenson, and Andrew Lee. Sixth row: Rowan Bradlee, Emmett Greenwood, Jack McHugh, Jonah Wyett, and Jack Curtin.

College of the Holy Cross Athletic Director Kit Hughes ’97 throws the ceremonial first pitch at a September Red Sox game.

ALUMNI, FACULTY, AND STAFF: We would love to hear from you and share your latest news with the Belmont Hill School community. Please email your notes and photos to alumni@ belmonthill.org. Length and content are subject to editorial approval; some submissions may appear as excerpts. The deadline for the Winter/Spring Bulletin is December 1, 2025.

VETERAN’S PROFILE: Have you served in the military? To be publicly recognized in the Belmont Hill School Military Register, please complete the online form found under “Alumni” on the website. If you have any questions, please call the Alumni Office at 617.993.5203.

GRAND REUNION: MAY 1–2, 2026. CLASSES WHO HAVE CELEBRATED THEIR 50TH REUNION ARE INVITED BACK NEXT YEAR.

1951

75 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

1955 – 70 TH REUNION NOTES

HUGH NAZOR ’55 writes, “Mostly, I grew old sailing, skiing, traveling, raising children, doing 13 years in industry, and 45 years of pro bono work. Now, I have retired. Linda and I, as well as all of our children, live in Maine.”

1956

70 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

1957

CLAUDE “TED”

WELCH ’57 writes, “In April 2025, joined a Road Scholar week-long trip to major sites of the civil rights movement. It was well-organized and informative, enough so that I’ve signed up for an April 2026 Road Scholar trip to Portugal.”

1960 – 65 TH REUNION NOTES

DAVE BROOKS ’60 writes, “I am currently semi-retired from our family business.

and

2. Bill Cleary ’52 and Bob Blacklow ’51 were in attendance at the annual Corporation Meeting on April 24, 2025.

3. Henry Thomas ’53 and his wife, Ingrid. Henry celebrated his 90th birthday on August 12.

4. Jim Banker ’59 stopped by the Alumni House in May during a trip to Boston.

5. Chet Homer ’69 stopped by the Alumni House before heading to the Belmont Hill hockey game against Kent.

6. Chris Woodcock ’69 watching the livestream and cheering the boys on from Mexico after the big win against Kent.

7. Carl Dawson ’72, Bob Welsh ’72, and Bob Harrison ’72.

8. Joe Knowles ’73, Michael Sherman, and John Shane ’50.

1. Steve Parson ’42

John Shane ’50 at Myopia Hunt Club.

Claude Welch ’57

My wife of 59 years and I live in Waikoloa Beach, HI, and have a second home in Marin County, CA. We share seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. As one of the original 15 in our fifth-grade class, I have many wonderful memories of the school, the faculty and, of course, my fellow classmates.”

1961

65 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

1966

60 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

1970 – 55 TH REUNION NOTES

BRIAN BIXBY ’70 writes, “The only change since my last update is that I am now a partner at a different law firm, as my prior firm closed in 2024 after 64 years. So, I am now a partner at Wilchins Cosentino & Novins, with offices in Wellesley and Boston. Still specializing in trusts and estates and in fiduciary litigation. When not helping or advising clients, I enjoy spending time with my grandsons and watching them play soccer, as well as working on my bucket list of travel destinations. Still living in Cohasset.”

WILLIAM HAY ’70 writes, “Still actively practice private equity law in Hong Kong.”

1971

55 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

1972

CARL DAWSON ’72 writes, “BOB WELSH ’72 invited BOB HARRISON ’72 and me, along with our wives, for a weekend at his family’s place on the Connecticut shore. We had a great time getting caught up and enjoying the beach right outside the door! A great time was had by all.”

1975 – 50 TH REUNION NOTES

GUS HARRINGTON ’75 has been chasing five grandchildren, teaching them to ride bicycles, ski, swim, cook, clean, and throw rocks safely.

DAVE NEMIAH ’75 writes, “Spent my career in market research in service of developing branding strategy. 1980–1986 —worked in retail sales and attended BU College of Communications, graduating with a degree in PR. 1987–2004—worked in NYC ad agencies and brand consulting firms as brand planning director. 2005–2010—worked as director of brand equity research at Ipsos, serving P&G offices in global markets. 2011–2024—managing director of CT-based branding consulting firm Brand Ready USA. My Belmont Hill memories are fondly held—but looking back—BHS looks to me less like a pivotal turning point, and more of a quiet limbo between growing up near Belmont Center in the 1960s and big transformations that rocked my world in college and beyond. I’ve been thinking recently that someone should write a short memory piece on the forgotten culture of BHS that held sway in our day. Earth Day in our first year, being a squeaker, the brand launch of Skittles at milk & cookies, attending Chapel five days a week. Mr. Togneri, Mr. Funk, Headmaster Hamilton and so many other memorable characters. Co-ed dances in the old gym, elephant scabs, learning Basic with Mr. Bates, parking your books in Bowles corridor, the sound of slamming desk tops at the end of the study halls. And of course, all the memories of classmates and friends. I look forward to reminiscing more in person at Reunion.”

From CHRIS O’BRIEN ’75 comes: “Wow, quite a challenge to recap the 50 years since we carved our panels. Professional highlights include Dartmouth (engineering, rowing), Peace Corps (Gambia, Niger),

Chris O’Brien ’75

Stanford MBA, business career with global solar PV and clean energy technology firms, retired and now serving on several local boards. Personal highlights—two kids from my first marriage, two step kids, moved to Minnesota in 2014 to join my wife Jane (from Milton) after a 10-year commuting marriage between DC and Minneapolis. Now living in Grand Marais, MN on the north shore of Lake Superior, adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Active in a wide range of sports, competing in running, biking and XC skiing races regularly as well as taking bike camping and canoe camping trips with friends. A recent highlight is that I just returned from a trip with my kids to the village in the Gambia where I lived for 2 years as a Peace Corps volunteer.”

HAP PORTER ’75 writes, “Greetings Classmates, I hope you’re well. I can report that I am ensconced here in Scituate, where I’ve lived since 1989. A

1. Dan Schley ’73, Ken Victor ’73, Mike Kitsis ’73, and Alan Glickman ’73 got together in New York City.

2. Class of 1973 members in attendance at the Alumni Award Dinner honoring Bill Achtmeyer ’73 on April 24, 2025: Frank Sennott, Joe Guarnaccia, Clint Furnald, Jim Burnham, Andy Cadiff, Burry Gowen, Bill Achtmeyer, Don Rober, Alan Glickman, Ken Victor, Jim McGrath, Dan Schley, and Joe Knowles.

3. In July, in Michigan, Dan Schley ’73 became the seniors (70 plus) single sculling national champion. He is pictured, on right, with the third-place finisher.

4. Rachel Levine ’75 was the Assistant Secretary for Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, and is currently an author, public speaker, and advocate.

few general details include: I spent my career in the world of manufacturing, starting after college with a major steel company in Chicago. That was followed by a brief few years working at HK Porter Inc., my family’s tool manufacturing business based in Somerville (those of you in Mr. Hawley’s Business class in Sixth Form may remember touring the plant?).

The company was sold in 1986, which led to a long career running a group of small, metal-component manufacturing companies (primarily making precision springs and formed metal parts used in various medical, industrial, and military applications). My business partner and I sold the whole shebang in 2022, and I’ve been happily retired ever since.

My wife Jen and I had two children, daughter Laurent (born in ’87) and son Gordon (’91). Laurent now lives in Seattle while Gordon, his wife, and their son live in Scituate. Jen passed away in 2017 after

a long illness; we had been together for 41 years and married for 37. After a couple of years, I sold the family home and moved into a townhouse two miles away—I must admit that I don’t really miss mowing the lawn and assisting in the gardens.

Several years ago, I met Elizabeth, a lovely retiree who lives on the Cape. We are happily coupled, enjoying our retirements and filling our time with grandparenting and assorted fun activities like pickleball and golf.

I have many fond memories of Belmont Hill, centered mainly on deep friendships with classmates…we had a great bunch of guys! I have stayed in regular contact with several, including LEN FREIMAN (with whom I’ve had lunch regularly for over 35 years) and JAMES SCRUBY I’m grateful to have received a robust education as well as having the opportunity to participate in many non-classroom activities…those were certainly busy, long

days. In particular, the skills I learned on the Charles under Coach Bassett enabled me to row in college, and that made for a very memorable set of experiences. In one championship event in May of 1979, the competition included six former Belmont Hill crew teammates spread among the six-boat field: myself, classmates TOBY MORSE and DON SMITH, PETER KERMOND ’76, TOM DARLING ’ 77, and HAL MELCHER ’ 77. How cool was that?

As I write this in the runup to the May gathering, I’m looking forward to seeing many of you. And to those who are not there in person, I send best wishes.”

MITCHELL REISS ’75 writes, “I met and married my wife, Elisabeth; we have two wonderful children and 2 wonderful grandchildren. I have spent my career in government service, academia, foundations, and the private sector. Highlights include serving at the White House and State Department, working both times for Colin Powell. I was Special Envoy to the Northern Ireland Peace Process with the rank of Ambassador and worked with PMs Blair and Ahern to end ‘the Troubles.’ I was the CEO of the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, President of Washington College, spent four years negotiating with North Korea, and taught law and US foreign policy at William and Mary. For the past eight years, I have been advising the British government on ending paramilitarism in Northern Ireland. Elisabeth and I relocated to the UK two years ago to be closer to our daughter. I have been consulting for English football clubs, helping the Imperial War Museum, and leading a project on transatlantic relations at the think tank RUSI.”

JEFFREY TAVARES ’75 writes, “I have been happily married to my beautiful wife for 33 years.

has lived in Los Angeles since graduating from Emerson College. I have worked as a physician at Harvard University Health Services for 33 years, taking care of the faculty, students, and staff. Honestly, it has been the best job I could imagine since my patients are truly the most interesting people in the world. I have continued to pursue my lifelong interest in the martial arts, and I teach Hapkido at a local Taekwondo school.”

1976

50 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

1. Girlie and Jay Reardon ’75.

2. Class of 1977 members out to dinner: Steve Lubrano (kneeling), Jay Reichheld, Paul Alfano, John Pike, Brian Mullaney, J.P. Botindari, Curtis Whitney, and Jim Peck (in back).

3. Belmont Hill at the Heineken Roeivierkamp Regatta in Amsterdam: Jamie Hintlian ’78, P ’17, Marcy and Greg Wilkins P ’15, ’16, ’18, Mac Manion ’14, Nick Wilkins ’18, Chris Wilkins ’16, Jack Richards ’16, Coach Chris Richards P ’14, ’16, ’20, Andrew Wilkins ’15, Jack Pare ’16, Fred Schoch, Lisa Pierce P ’10, Peter Kermond ’76, and Coach Rich Sampson.

Our son John

Carmela and Jeffrey Tavares ’75.

1980 – 45 TH REUNION NOTES

JAMIE KING ’80 writes, “Working and living at Hamilton College (Clinton, NY) as Professor of Physical Education for the last 25 years coaching and teaching squash/ tennis/pickleball and retiring in June to Vero Beach, FL. Before Hamilton, I taught squash/tennis at Vassar/Marist College, worked at many clubs and had a teacher/ coach gig at Hackley School in Tarrytown, NY. After I graduated from Williams in the mid-80s, I worked as an account executive at a Madison Ave ad agency before I saw the light. Married to Gillian Morse King who recently retired as Chief of Staff at Hamilton after a long career in corporate finance. Our anniversary is on reunion day. Two daughters: Carolyn works at Boston Children’s Hospital in Brookline and Kristina who is an Artist/Exhibition Manager at Glen Echo Park in Glen Echo, MD. Kept in touch with George Seeley, GREG ZAFF ’80 and DAN BALKIN ’80

Lived the Paul Wright life the last two years teaching PE Pickleball/Squash classes part time at Hamilton. In retirement I hope to play lots of pickleball, travel and relax.”

KENT PLUNKETT ’80 writes, “A career as a tech entrepreneur and life as a dad. Still sailing competitively with a great team and occasionally cruising in warmer locales. Ticked off a few bucket list items in the last few years and pleased to still be chasing the next ones. My brain says I’m 30 and my body says I’m lying. For its many, many failings as a school that manifested in our class being a bit of a tortured social experiment, our class featured a lot of leaders with different styles to learn from and we were prepared to think critically and compete intensely.”

1981

45 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

1985 – 40 TH REUNION NOTES

DOUG BARNARD ’85 is president and CEO of Consumer Financial Services, Daltra Capital, LLC.

1986

40 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

1990 – 35 TH REUNION NOTES

MICHAEL MCHUGH ’90 is chair of Emergency Medicine at Berkshire Medical Center/North Adams Regional Hospital. He is looking forward to returning to the Hill and seeing everyone at the reunion.

& Matthew Peck ’90

MATTHEW PECK ’90 writes, “Afraid I won’t be able to attend the reunion but I hope that those of you that do reconnect and reminisce. Belmont Hill has changed a lot since we were there. As some of you may know, my mom passed away last year. She loved Belmont Hill and really valued the relationships that she was able to develop over the years with the faculty, staff, and student body. She loved nothing more than having a friendly, informal chat with

1. Belmont Hill 1980 classmates in Chicago together for a Sox game at Wrigley: Andy Pierce, Kerry Lyne, Justin Kermond, Pete Casler, Andy Brown, and Nate Leonard.

2. Warren Cross ’83 with grandson Quaid Campbell Armstrong BH Class of 2043.

3. From Todd Jackson ’84: “The Wolf Greenfield Beer Tasting Event is fast becoming an annual mini-reunion for the Class of ’84 in Boston’s financial district. A wonderful evening this year. Looking forward to 2026 and not having to rely on Doug’s legal services to stay out of trouble! Attendees: Dan Green ’82, Todd Jackson ’84, Mark Martines ’84, Wayne Fitzpatrick ’84, Dan Griffin ’84, Doug Wolf ’84, and Chris Brown ’84.”

Jamie King ’80.

Maureen

each of you, if only to share a laugh or two. Her last years she endured Alzheimer’s, but while Alzheimer’s robbed her of much of her memory, it could not take away her sense of humor and charm. I know that I would have struggled in my years at Belmont Hill without my mom’s ability to lift my spirits and provide a sounding board when I needed advice. I appreciate that for many of you she offered the same solace and comfort. I’m up in Boston rather frequently, so I look forward to connecting with any of you as our busy lives allow.”

TODD SULLIVAN ’90 is CEO of Exitwise. com-M&A Marketplace. He is sorry he will not make it to the reunion but sends best wishes to the Class of 1990.

1991

35 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

1995 – 30 TH REUNION NOTES

DANIEL COMMINS ’95 is manager, Integration and Performance Branch, Policy and Standards Division, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation Administration.

FORD CURRAN ’95 is an archivist at Boston University.

Scott Stedman ’95 and Crystalle Lacouture

SCOTT STEDMAN ’95 writes: “Many wonderful memories of getting into trouble at Belmont Hill. Not many schools would allow me to continue my world class education after writing BILL ABELY ’95 a note trying to excuse him from class since I wanted to keep hanging out with him. Still have a collection of poetry that I love to dip in and out of.”

1996

30 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

2000 – 25 TH REUNION NOTES

From MACIEK WOJDAKOWSKI ’00 comes: “Since getting my MA in International Energy Policy from Johns Hopkins SAIS I have been working almost exclusively

Dan O’Connell ’87 and son Christopher ’21 at the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association National Championships in Austin, Texas, May 2025: “End of a Dad sports career, a bittersweet day in Austin, Texas. In the last four years, Christopher and his Northeastern Club Lacrosse team won two CLC League Championships over Boston College in the finals, made three appearances in the MCLA National Tournament, achieved a 48-16 overall record, went 22-3 in league play, including four wins over Boston College in the Red Bandana games at Alumni Stadium, and Christopher earned all-conference honors in his senior year.”

1. Tony Maws ’88, Tagg Romney ’88, Jason Gay ’88, and Jon Biotti ’87 at the presentation given by Jason at the IBSC conference in June.

2. Congratulations to Kit Hughes ’97 on delivering a ceremonial first pitch before a September Red Sox game ahead of Holy Cross’s November game at Fenway!

3. Andrea and Chad Knowles ’97 and their daughter Kendal and son Blake at a recent family wedding.

4. Kate and Ben Finnegan ’00 and their children Lucy (2), Mitch (13), Grace (14), Jack (10), Tess (5), Elizabeth (6), and Will (16).

5. Maciek Wojdakowski ’00 and his wife, Claudia, and their daughter Benedetta.

class

in the energy/oil & gas space, with a brief diversion into metals and mining in 2019. In 2020 our daughter Benedetta was born and several months later we moved to Abu Dhabi. We are enjoying the UAE very much and regret not being able to make it to the reunion this year.”

2001

25 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

2003

Congratulations to NICK ’03 and COLIN BARNICLE ’04, who won an Emmy for Outstanding Documentary Series for “The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox.”

2004

ANDREW CORKIN ’04 is set to release his latest film, Rosemead, starring Lucy Liu, in theaters this December. Andrew produced the film through Untapped, his production company co-founded with actor Theo James.

2005 – 20 TH REUNION NOTES

GARRETT HATTON ’05 writes, “After graduating from Belmont Hill in 2005, I attended THE Colby College where I majored in History and Administrative Science and played Left Tackle for the Mules. After graduating from Colby in 2009, I moved back to Boston and started working in the real estate investment business. In 2015, I married my beautiful wife Sarah Gordon (now Sarah Hatton) who is also a Colby grad. Sarah I live in Jamaica Plain with our three children: Avery (6), Brady (4), and Grace (4).

NICK LEADER ’05 writes, “After Belmont Hill, I spent four years at the University of Southern California and never looked back (joking, sort of). I currently live in San Francisco with my wife, Courtney and two daughters, Maren (6) and Dillon (3). We got one redhead, which is nice. With my soccer days behind me, I’ve spent most of my career helping build finance teams for tech companies in the Bay Area. While working at Dropbox, I had the pleasure to move to Ireland to build out their finance department in Dublin (awesome town), and I also served on the team that took them public in 2018. The pandemic helped me to re-prioritize life a bit, and I’ve been

1. Karim Nahabet ’02 from his analog astronaut mission at Lunares Research Station in Poland. Karim was the habitat commander for the Mission 4 Terra Nova crew of 5 and the Analog Axiom 4 crew

2. Josh Accomando ’04 visited campus in March.

3. Courtney and Nick Leader ’05 with daughters Dillon and Maren.

4. Nicole Behr, Corey Gatewood ’07, and their son Apollo.

a stay-at-home dad for the last three years, allowing me to spend quality time with our growing family. We’ve been extremely fortunate to have this time together, traveling the world, and trying new experiences together. I’m looking forward to sharing stories and re-connecting with everyone at the reunion.”

MILES MCALPIN ’05 writes, “I celebrate my current duality of being a father by day and toymaker by night – I make custom action figures for brands, celebrities, and other clients.”

CHRIS RITCHIE ’05 is a partner at Astira Capital Partners.

Garrett Hatton ’05.

BOBBY WHELAN ’05 is an equity trader, senior managing director at Leerink Partners.

2006

20 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

2011

15 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

2015 – 10 TH REUNION NOTES

Congratulations to ANDRES CORDOBA ’15 on being named one of the 2025 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellows by the Poetry Foundation— a prestigious honor recognizing outstanding young poets working to advance their craft. His work appears in The Harvard Review, The Gandy Dancer, and Epiphany. He holds a B.A. from SUNY Purchase and an M.F.A. in poetry from Brown University, where he was awarded the 2024 John Hawkes Prize, the 2024 Edwin Honig Memorial Award, and the 2025 Keith and Rosmarie Waldrop Prize. Currently

residing in New York, Andres is co-poetry editor for Big Score Lit and is pursuing an M.F.A. in fiction at New York University.

JOHN DRISCOLL ’15 is a solutions engineer at Yext.

JOHN LAZOR ’15 is an associate with Union Park Capital and is living in Boston.

From MICHAEL O’NEILL ’15: “After Belmont Hill I spent four years at Brown University, graduating in 2019 with a Bachelor’s in English. Shortly after, I began working for the Massachusetts LGBT Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit that supports LGBTQ owned small businesses and works towards LGBTQ economic equity throughout Massachusetts. I have also moved to Manchester, CT, living with my partner of six years, Adam.”

DAGO PICON ’15 shared that he is a three-time marathon runner, three-time

1. Zach Heath ’07 and family (Lauren and Michael) had a wonderful time watching the lacrosse and baseball teams, culminating with the awesome win on May 18, 2025.

2. Scottie Heather McNamara, daughter of Emily and Kevin McNamara ’07. Scottie was born on November 4, 2024.

3. Congratulations to Mickey Wiswall ’07 on being inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame.

4. Thanks to Norm and Donna David for this update: “Emeka Ekwelum ’08 is now Dr. Ekwelum! He graduated from Northwestern University in June 2025. Left to right: Dan Regis ’08, Ben Driver ’08 and his daughter Josephine, Emeka Ekwelum ’08, Donna David, and Joe Troderman ’12.”

5. Congratulations to Daniel Seibel ’14 and Kathleen O’Connor on their October 12, 2024 wedding. Pictured: Daniel Seibel ’14, Tim Seibel ’16, Drew Morrisey ’14, AJ Vasquez ’14, Joseph Delaney ’14, Patrick Burpee ’12, Matt Melanson ’14, Max Gustufson ’14, Charlie Micholowski ’15, Kyle Parsons ’14, and Peter Seibel.

6. John Arthur Arakelian III aka “JT” born on May 7, 2025, son of Jaclyn and J.R. Arakelian ’11.

Micheal O’Neill ’15.

College Football NESCAC Champion, martial artist competitor in Denver focused in Jiujitsu, and sales leader/ enterprise account executive.

2016

10 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

2020 – 5 TH REUNION NOTES

From ROWAN BRADLEE ’20 comes “Since graduating, I received my bachelor’s degree at Skidmore College in business and management. Following graduation from Skidmore, I am now a client advisory associate at Pathstone in Boston.”

JACK CURTIN ’20 is an infantry officer (Second Lieutenant) in the U.S. Army.

MATTHEW DRUCKER ’20 writes, “Upon completing my time at Belmont Hill, I spent four years in Ann Arbor at the University of Michigan where I received a degree in Economics with a minor in entrepreneurship. While at Michigan, I participated in the Real Estate Club, the Sports Business Association and Go Blue Wear Pink. I interned at Oak Hill Advisors in New York City after my junior year and now work there full-time.”

QUINN RICHARDS ’20 is a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force Program. He is the Manager EMS Mission Planning Airspace Mission Planning Division.

2021

5 TH REUNION | MAY 1–2, 2026

2022

Congratulations to JACK WINNAY ’22 on being selected in the 13th round by the Boston Red Sox. A Newton resident and product of Belmont Hill School, Jack played three seasons at Wake Forest and showed his versatility by playing first base, third base, and all three outfield spots for the Demon Deacons. He hit

20 home runs in his sophomore season and another 15 as a junior, to go along with a .296 average and plate approach described by scouts as mature.

2025

TAWANDA MASIIWA ’25 has been awarded the prestigious Chick Evans Scholarship, which covers $125,000 in college tuition and housing expenses. Tawanda earned the scholarship through his dedication as a caddie at Sankaty Head Golf Club in Nantucket, where he participated in their four-year program. He is currently studying economics at Miami University in Ohio.

1. Lucas Meade ’20, Brady Chitkara ’20, Quinn Richards ’20 at West Point for Trey Brown ’21. Boston University lacrosse beat #3 Army West Point in overtime.

2. Christopher O’Connell ’21 and Jack Barry ’21 meeting at Boston College on April 11, 2025, after the club lacrosse game between BC and Northeastern at Alumni Stadium. Northeastern pulled out the win!

3. Henry Moses ’21 and General Mark Milley ’76 at the recent Princeton graduation.

4. Ikenna Ugbaja ’21 is back at Belmont Hill, coaching in the afternoon.

5. Will Lawton ’22 stopped by the Alumni House while on summer break from UC Berkeley.

The Young and Recent Alumni Boston Event

July 24, 2025

1. Isaiah Gomes ’20, Jack Flynn ’19, Brodie Rayment ’19, Joe Goguen ’19, Andrew Holland ’19, Michael Dutile ’19, and Jared Ravech ’19.

2. Tom Gougen ’22, Jack Houser ’22, and Jimmy Kennedy ’22.

3. Shane Kelly ’22, Wyatt Schmidek ’23, and Dave Cunningham ’12.

4. Will Ryan ’17, Jake DeCaprio ’16, and Tyson Trautz.

5. Young and recent alumni from the classes of 2014–2023 gathered along faculty and staff for a summer evening at Trillium Fort Point in Boston.

On July 12, 2025, a hearty team of Belmont Hill faculty and alumni headed out on the roads of New Hampshire and Vermont to participate in the annual Prouty fundraiser for the Dartmouth Cancer Center. Leveraging matching donations from a local foundation, Team Bill’s Bikers raised nearly $27,000 in memory of former Director of Communications Bill Mahoney and many others from the Belmont Hill community. The Prouty is northern New England’s largest family-friendly fundraising event combining cycling, walking, rowing, golf, and more to raise funds and awareness for life-saving research and critical patient and family support services at Dartmouth Cancer Center.

Ted Martellini, Sean Egan ’23, Mac Bobo ’23, Graeme Calloway, Jack Kastner ’25, Will Walton ’25, Stephen George, Will Weiter ’16, Will Ryan ’17, Andy Davis ’07, Joe LaLiberte ’14, Paige Wallace, Tyson Trautz, and Stewart Steffey. Not pictured: Bob Brownell, who also hosted dinner for a group of participants the evening before the event.

Belmont Hill hosted the PMC Kids Ride on May 4, 2025. The event is run by student and parent volunteers, spearheaded by the family of late science faculty member Cliff Goodband. This year’s race was dedicated in memory to Bill Mahoney, former director of communications.

Cliff Goodband ’97, Greg Schneider, Teddy Mitropoulos ’11, and Connor Goodband ’25.

Arts faculty member Sarah Bradley spent a four-week residency at the prestigious Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, Vermont, honing her painting skills alongside a group of over 20 other artists and writers. With a focus on oil paints, Ms. Bradley’s work explored themes of symmetry and connection.

The artwork produced during her time in the studio was displayed in the Landau Gallery for the entire Belmont Hill community to appreciate.

Two teachers had the opportunity to take advantage of the Byrnes Travel Grant Program this summer, made possible by the Byrnes Family Foundation.

History teacher Chris Bracken ’15 traveled to Egypt, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, and Turkey to explore those countries’ historical and cultural sights, informing his teaching in AP European and independent study courses. Math teacher Will Speer traveled to England and Poland to see firsthand how mathematics influenced codebreaking used during World War II to break messages sent through Germany’s Enigma machine.

Both teachers will bring all the knowledge and experience gained on these incredible trips to the classroom this year and beyond.

Director of Health Services

Emi White presented in Japan this summer at the biannual School Nurses International (SNI) conference.

NEW FACULTY

EVAN KENDALL

Mr. Kendall joins Belmont Hill, where he will teach four sections of math, advise, and coach varsity Nordic skiing and Middle School cross country. Most recently, he was the associate dean of students at the Dublin School, a duty team leader in the school’s residential program, and a teacher of geometry, AP Calculus AB, linear algebra, and economic literacy. Prior to Dublin School, Mr. Kendall was a member of the mathematics faculty at Berwick Academy and spent summers at Kingsley Pines Camp, where he was the boys’ campus head. Mr. Kendall holds a Master of Science in School Leadership from UPenn, a Master of Arts in Teaching— Secondary from Boston University, and a B.A. in mathematics and psychology from St. Olaf College.

AL MURPHY ’98

Mr. Murphy returns to Belmont Hill School both as an alumnus from the Class of ’98 and from a previous tenure at Belmont Hill (2006–2021), where he taught mathematics, served as the assistant athletic director, and coached soccer, basketball, and track. Mr. Murphy will teach four sections of math, coach Middle School soccer and basketball, and advise students. He recently served as the director of admissions and financial aid at Catholic Memorial, where he also taught math and was the founder of the fishing club. He holds a B.A. in economics and a master’s degree in educational leadership, both from Boston College.

PETROS PALANDJIAN ’13

Belmont Hill welcomes back Mr. Palandjian to teach computer science and coach varsity tennis. Mr. Palandjian received his B.A in computer science and B.S. in economics from Duke University. After graduation, he worked at Audax Private Equity, where he trained analysts and associates on modeling, Excel, and PowerPoint and built an internal data science team to handle complex data exchange, transform, and load (ETL) processes. In 2020, he founded and led Good Filling, the world’s largest zero-waste vending business. In his free time, Mr. Palandjian has developed his knowledge of computer science and emerging technologies, completing an MIT professional education class on machine learning and artificial intelligence as well as online classes on AI, HTML, CSS, C#, and SQL.

BENNETT PITCHER

Mr. Pitcher joins Belmont Hill as a one-year teaching fellow, where he will teach History 1 and 2, advise, and coach varsity football and basketball. He will also be a member of the residential life team on campus. A recent graduate of Harvard University with a B.A. in history with a secondary in folklore and mythology, Mr. Pitcher was also a member of the Harvard basketball team. While in college, he served as a varsity football assistant coach at BB&N and was a teaching assistant, dorm counselor, and coach at Phillips Andover summer program.

GILBERT H. NORRIS ’47

Gilbert Hood Norris, of Bettendorf, IA, and formerly of Rock Island, IL, died on January 19, 2025. He was 95.

Mr. Norris was born in 1929, in Manchester, NH, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Raymond A. Norris. He married Geraldine M. Smith in 1951 and graduated from Iowa State University in Ames, IA. He was proud to serve in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War.

He spent most of his career working for the City of Rock Island as the city health inspector. After retirement, he and his wife traveled the world. Mr. Norris enjoyed scuba diving, photography, and collecting fossils. He co-founded the Mid-American Paleontology Society (M.A.P.S.) and was a member of the Hilltop Toastmaster Club, for which he volunteered for 20 years. He won many awards from this club and was most proud of his accomplishments working with the inmates at the East Moline Correctional Center. He also was an active member of Hope United Church of Christ. He loved spending time with his family and was a devoted animal lover, especially of dogs.

Mr. Norris is survived by his children, Allan Norris, of Rock Island, IL, Bruce (Shelli) Norris, also of Rock Island, and Ann (Thomas) Price; his grandchildren, Sarah Stephens, Zachary (Kim) Norris, Erika Norris, and Claire Price; and his great-grandchildren, Olivia and Sophia Stephens, and Annalise and Natalie Norris—Great-Papa’s angels. He was preceded in death by his wife, Geraldine, and his sister, Helen.

JOHN E. BURCHARD JR. ’49

John Ely Burchard Jr., of Porterville, CA, died on May 11, 2024. He was 92.

Born in Boston on January 15, 1932, he was the son of the late Marjorie (Gaines) and John E. Burchard. He went on to Princeton University, where he joined Terrace Club and majored in biology.

Mr. Burchard was an elegant and adventurous man with a passionate love for the outdoors. For sport, he hunted with Salukis and falcons in Saudi Arabia. He loved competing with his Salukis, and his favorite, Akira, always won. When the other competitors saw him coming, they said, “Well, we’ve lost now. We might as well go home.” He was also an avid ice climber, climbing the Dolomites in Italy using the hand-made ice axe from Zermatt that his father used to climb the Himalayas.

Mr. Burchard earned a Ph.D. in marine biology from Princeton, teaching and studying all over the world, including Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, and Nigeria. He was a gourmet chef who even at age 92 wore his white chef’s apron and toque to cook exotic dishes. Aware of his diminishing memory, he remarked, “I haven’t totally lost my wits, but I’m hard put to keep what little bit I have left.”

His sparkling brilliance and sharp sense of humor will be missed by his brother, Marshall Burchard ’51 of Largo, FL; his niece, Wendy Burchard of New York; his cousins, Leslie Arwin of Michigan and Melanie Arwin of New York; his son, John

Ely Burchard IV of Guam; his grandson, Ethan Burchard of Florida; and a host of friends who remember him fondly.

J. SCOTT RAMBACH ’50

John Scott (Scott) Rambach, of Columbia, SC, died on July 6, 2024. He was 93.

Born in 1931 in Boston to the late Raymond and Mary Rambach, he went on to Dartmouth College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 1954 and played baseball. Four years later, Mr. Rambach was awarded his M.B.A. from Cornell University.

He became a career banker and managed several branches in California, Oregon, and Washington. A lifelong Red Sox fan, he also enjoyed gardening and spending time with friends and neighbors.

Mr. Rambach was preceded in death by his wife of 41 years, Diane Rambach. He is survived by his son, Robert Whitney Rambach, and his grandson, Bryce Rambach.

THOMAS E. DWYER ’51

Thomas Edward Dwyer, of Boynton Beach, FL, formerly of Medford and Reading, MA, died January 3, 2024. He was 90.

Mr. Dwyer grew up in Medford and attended St. Joseph School. He then attended Malden Catholic High School, where he was class president for three years, captain of the hockey team, and inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame. After a year at Belmont Hill, he continued his education at Boston University, where he captained the hockey team. He was a member of ROTC and, upon graduation, was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, based at Whitman AFB in Missouri and Ellington AFB in Newfoundland.

After his successful Air Force years, Mr. Dwyer returned home and was hired by the Gillette Co. in South Boston. He earned his MBA from Northeastern University and continued at Gillette in various management positions for 26 years. He then accepted an appointment as a professor at Boston University, teaching both graduates and undergraduates for 22 years until his retirement.

Mr. Dwyer was also an instructor with Dale Carnegie for over ten years.

His family and friends would describe him as one of a kind—a devoted husband, a loving father, a dedicated grandfather, and a beloved friend, colleague and teammate. He will be deeply missed and remembered

for all the love, support and joy he brought to the lives of those around him.

Mr. Dwyer is survived by his wife of 69 years, Barbara Dwyer; his children, Tom Dwyer and Leslie Gent and her husband, Peter; his grandchildren, Patrick Gent and his wife Lindsey, Meredith Reid and her husband, Jack, and Tara Dwyer; his great-grandchildren, Rory, Rowen, Rhys, Hayden and Will. He also leaves two sisters, Cathy Weckel of Bel Air, MD, and Sister Mary Dwyer of Nazareth, KY.

BURTON F. FAULKNER JR. ’51

Burton F. (Burt) Faulkner Jr., of Arlington, MA, formerly of Lexington and Somerville, MA, died on June 20, 2025. He was 92.

Born in Somerville on February 8, 1933, Mr. Faulkner, son of the late Katherine (King) and State Senator Burton Faulkner Sr., began working for Faulkner Brothers Oil at a young age. He went on to Boston University and later ventured into ownership of a nursing home and various businesses, including a car wash and commercial and residential properties. He served on several boards, including those of the Central Bank and the Boys and Girls Club of Somerville. He was also a ranking member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Somerville Kiwanis.

Born into a family rooted in service and business, he carried forward the legacy with dignity and determination. At an early age, he began to work for his father,

owner of the Faulkner Brothers Oil company, and as a young man, he quickly became known as a hard worker. It was the relationships that he gained in those early years that helped him build trust and a name for himself in the City of Somerville. Mr. Faulkner’s strong reputation helped him as an entrepreneur, eventually owning commercial and residential properties and businesses in the city, well known for their fairness and integrity.

Family was important to him. He attended all events, no matter how small, and stayed updated on everyone’s activities. Mr. Faulkner was known for his willingness to help anyone and to lead by example.

He was the beloved husband of the late Maxine (Lovell) Faulkner and a loving father to Burton F. Faulkner III of Somerville, Sherry Faulkner Ciardi of Winchester, MA, and Jennifer Faulkner and her husband, Scott Busnach, of Reading, MA. He was a cherished grandfather to Estelle, Liza, Ryann, Sydney, Scott, and Arianna and was preceded in death by his dear sister, Nancy Dupuis.

Joseph Ralph Innocenti Jr., of Harwich, MA, died on May 29, 2025. He was 90. Formerly of Belmont, MA, then of Cape Cod, Mr. Innocenti was born in Claremont, NH, son of the late Joseph Innocenti and Paulina (Bonaccorsi) Innocenti.

He was a proud graduate of Belmont Hill and was always excited to attend his

JOSEPH R. INNOCENTI JR. ’54

school reunions. He was an avid bowler, fisherman, and, especially, clammer, digging dozens of clams each summer to present as gifts to his friends and family at Sweetwater Forest in Brewster.

Mr. Innocenti leaves his three children and their spouses: daughters Joelle Innocenti (John Kraft) of East Haven, CT, and Nannette (Nina) Innocenti (Alastair Ross-Bell) of London, England; and son Brian Innocenti (Brad Bassinger) of Salisbury, NC. He also leaves his granddaughters, Olivia and Anna Ross-Bell of London; the mother of his children, Nancy Casey-Innocenti of Peabody, MA; his stepson, Joseph (Christine) Costa of Harwich, MA; and his close friend and companion, Paula Brown-Owens of Chatham, MA.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Brenda Innocenti Auchy, and his former wife of 25 years, Nancy Gormley-Innocenti.

WILLIAM E. DAVIS JR. ’55

William Edwin (Ted) Davis Jr. ’55 died on August 22, 2024. He was 87.

Born in Ohio, Mr. Davis grew up in Belmont and Billerica, MA, and developed interests in birds, art, and geology while attending Belmont Hill and on birding trips with his father. He went on to earn a B.A. in geology at Amherst College, an M.A. in geology at the University of Texas-Austin, and a Ph.D. in micropaleontology at Boston University. He married Elizabeth (Betsy) Allaway in 1968, and they settled in Foxboro, MA, to raise their children, Susan and Lisa.

In 1967, Mr. Davis joined the science faculty of the College of General Studies at Boston University, where he developed a basic science curriculum and taught for the next 35 years. He shifted his research focus to ornithology, having a sharp eye and unyielding enthusiasm for avian behavior. As an ornithologist, teacher, and loyal participant in the local birding community, he loved to study birds and share his observations. He became involved with the journal Bird Observer as the cover art editor from 1989–2023, selecting the cover species illustrations and writing the corresponding natural history narratives for nearly 200 issues; his final contribution was a carefully annotated chronological history of the journal. He was equally involved in the Nuttall Ornithological Club, which he joined in 1973, subsequently serving as secretary, vice-president, and president. He was Nuttall’s beloved “historian in residence,” writing a history of the Club published in 1987 that he brought up to date in time for its 150th celebration in 2023.

Mr. Davis traveled the world photographing, drawing, and writing about birds and other wildlife, visiting every continent, 76 countries, and every state in the U.S. His love of travel was lifelong, and he could always be counted on to give an exciting slideshow on local ecology after his latest trip. In 1982, Mr. Davis and his family lived on a small island near Sydney, Australia, where he began a 30-plus-year collaboration with fellow ornithologist Harry Recher, focusing on Australian bird ecology. He and Betsy returned to Australia many times over the years, developing a particular affection for Tasmania. In retirement, they moved to Cape Cod, where he avidly pursued fishing, painting, art collecting, and environmental conservation.

A prolific author, Mr. Davis wrote or co-edited some 32 books, including four volumes of History of North American Ornithology, as well as books on chess, physics, Tasmanian natural history, a

biography of ornithologist Ludlow Griscom (1994), and the co-authored biography of Alexander Wilson (2013). He was the author or co-author of three species that account for the Birds of North America monograph series. He served as president of the Association of Field Ornithologists, the Wilson Ornithological Society, was a fellow of the American Ornithological Society, and an active member of the Colonial Waterbird Group (now the Waterbird Society). He collected an immense library of ornithological books and materials, which he donated to the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

Mr. Davis will be remembered for his broad smile, quick wit, and good humor. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Betsy (Allaway) Davis; his daughters, Susan and Lisa Davis; three grandchildren, Eliza and Davis Simpson and Ruby Davis; and his brother Carl Davis and his family.

Michael Nicholas Oleksiw II, of Beverly, MA, died on June 3, 2022. He was 76.

Born in Evanston, IL, in 1945, he was the son of the late Jerome J. Oleksiw and Mary Beston (Fullerton) Oleksiw. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree from St. Lawrence University and M.A. from the University of Delaware.

Establishing a distinguished career as an artist, Mr. Oleksiw received one of the first NEA grants, for sculpture, and his award-winning photography is held in private collections throughout the United States.

MICHAEL N. OLEKSIW II ’64

He is survived by his wife, Susan Prince (Ryan) Oleksiw; his sister, Mary Elizabeth Ames; and several beloved nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.

L. SOLAR ’64

Robert Louis (Bob) Solar, of Lincoln, MA, died on September 17, 2025. He was 79.

Mr. Solar was the son of the late Mildred (Beckerman) and Hervey L. Solar and grew up in Brookline, MA, as one of four boys. With his family’s boat moored in Boston Harbor, he developed a lifelong love of saltwater fishing from an early age. He went on to Colby College, graduating in 1968, and later earned a master’s degree from the Wharton School.

After Wharton, Mr. Solar worked as a potter in New Hampshire, where he met his wife, Jane. They married in 1974 and lived in Chocorua, NH, for several years before settling in Lincoln in 1979, when he joined his father, Hervey, at the family business in Boston.

In Lincoln, the couple kept busy caring for horses, dogs, cats, and chickens, and tending to all the yard work that came with them. In 1985, with the goal of spending more time as a family on the water, they bought a summer home in South Bristol, ME, where Mr. Solar spent countless hours fishing for bluefish and striped bass and driving for their children’s water sports.

When not enjoying the outdoors, he was a voracious reader, often finishing several novels a week. He loved napping on the couch with his dogs and was known for his

quick wit and dry, sarcastic sense of humor. He is survived by Jane, his loving wife of 51 years; his son Matt and his wife, Lauren, and their children, Phoebe and Tyler; and his son Josh and his wife, Danielle, and their children, Jackson and Sadie. He was the brother of Dick Solar ’57, Barry Solar ’59, and the late Alan Solar ’64

ROBERT E. RYAN ’65

Robert Emmett (Rob) Ryan, of Rio Verde, AZ, died on February 14, 2025. He was 77.

A longtime resident of Rio Verde, he loved the diverse cloud formations, raw beauty, and serenity of the desert.

Born in Cambridge, MA, on February 26, 1947, Mr. Ryan was the son of the late Emmett Ryan M.D. and Catherine Paige Ryan. He was raised in Swampscott, MA, and attended St. John’s School until he transferred to Belmont Hill, where he joined the Class of 1965.

In his youth he was an avid model railroader and enjoyed the woods, lakes, and mountains of New Hampshire, where his family had a year-round vacation home. He also was a regular snow skier, snowmobiler, and motorsports fan, in particular enjoying his family’s sports cars in his teens, including a classic Mercedes Benz 190 SL and an MGB. He loved going to racetracks and road rallies.

Mr. Ryan went on from Belmont Hill to Cornell University, graduating in 1969, and then to Dartmouth College, where he received an M.B.A. from the Amos Tuck School in 1971. That same year, he married

Sharon Silverstein, whom he met while they were students at Cornell. She became a successful international investment banker and they were together until Sharon’s death in 2012 in Arizona.

Mr. Ryan’s professional career started at General Foods, where he continued to develop his business skills in brand management, which would ultimately lead to a fulfilling career that included senior executive VP roles at Timex, ITT/Nabisco, and the Bulova Watch Company. These varied endeavors took him to many interesting and unique locations around the world. In 1990, he moved into private domestic and international business ventures, which he oversaw from his homes in New York City, Basking Ridge, NJ, and Wolfeboro, NH.

His later years from 1998 to 2009 were spent at his family’s year-round retreat in Wolfeboro, then he moved to his family’s western home in Rio Verde.

He is survived by his brother, Dennis J. Ryan.

Frederick Voss (Fritz) Casselman ’68, of Boston and Cataumet, MA, died on September 16, 2025 at age 76. His obituary will appear in the next Bulletin

Thomas Raymond Ellis, of Roswell, GA, died on June 17, 2025. He was 76.

Mr. Ellis was born the second of three children in 1949 to the late Rebecca Ruth

ROBERT

THOMAS R. ELLIS ’68

Perry and Dwight Holmes Ellis Jr. ’34

His father served in the U.S. Navy, and the family moved frequently during his early years. Mr. Ellis, like both his brothers, inherited a sharp mind, witty sense of humor, and strong sense of independence from his parents.

He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in political science from Harvard College in 1972 and his M.B.A. in marketing from Emory University in 1977. Following his graduation from Harvard, Mr. Ellis moved to Atlanta, where he met and married the love of his life, Bonnie Young, in 1975.

Mr. Ellis was a loving and devoted husband and father and built a successful 30-year career in finance, holding leadership roles at C&S Bank, Citi, and First Data

He retired early due to illness, yet he approached life with enduring grace, strength, and humor. He enjoyed traveling the world, playing golf and tennis, watching his favorite sports teams compete, and— most of all—spending time with his friends and family.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his dear brothers, Dwight Holmes Ellis III ’65 and Jonathan Perry Ellis ’71, and his beloved daughter, Anna Allan Ellis.

He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Bonnie Young Ellis; his beloved daughters, Molly Ellis and Emily Ellis Tabb; his cherished grandchildren, Eleanor and Leo Tabb; his son-in-law, Nathan Tabb; his sisters-in-law Yael (Jonathan) Ellis, Lin (Dwight) Ellis), Wendie Young Farr, and Donna Young; and his numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, and grandnephews.

Mr. Ellis brought warmth and wisdom to those lucky enough to know him. He will be missed and remembered for his integrity, humor, intelligence, headstrong nature, and the love he had for his family and friends.

Peter Gordon, of New Hampshire, Maine, and Concord, MA, died in January 2025. He was 71.

Born in 1953, Mr. Gordon was the son of the late Nancy and Robert D. Gordon. He went on to Colorado College, where he earned a B.A. in English and played on the soccer team. But what made the most lasting impression on him, as he recorded in his 30th Reunion report, was the Rocky Mountain surroundings. “The soaring peaks and vast open spaces opened up the mind of this boy from the leafy suburbs of Boston. A passion for the outdoors, and a sense of wonder at the natural world, have woven through my life ever since.”

Mr. Gordon taught high school English and coached sports for six years. In the mid 1980s he earned an M.B.A. and transitioned into the corporate world, specializing in employee training and development. In later years he returned to his teaching roots by becoming a corporate training freelancer, providing workshops, executive coaching, and consulting to organizations on a variety of topics.

In a tribute, his classmate Dave Wright ’71 has written: “I’ll always remember his spirit, courageousness, and resilience. He lived his life forcefully and fully, even in the face of some extremely daunting medical challenges, and he’ll forever be an inspiration to me and those who were fortunate enough to cross his path. He

was a force of positivity, and a soughtafter life coach, public speaker, and writer—a true master of seeing the glass half full. He had the experience to back it up. Peter’s two books can be found on Amazon. His Facebook and LinkedIn entries reflect not only the details of his professional and personal journeys, but also the joy with which he approached every moment.”

Mr. Gordon is survived by his friend and former wife, Laura Gordon.

DAMIEN DONOVAN ’92

Damien Donovan, of Beacon Hill and formerly of Charlestown, MA, died on April 3, 2025, He was 51.

Born in Austin, TX, in 1973, Mr. Donovan was the son of Michael and Lupita (Gutierrez) Donovan. He grew up in Charlestown and attended the Advent School on Beacon Hill before coming to Belmont Hill, where he excelled in football, hockey, and track. He continued his athletic career devotedly at Occidental College in California, where he was a member of the football and track teams, and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1996.

He began his career in restaurant management with the Lyons Group and later became a partner of Waverly Kitchen and Bar and Monument Restaurant and Tavern in Charlestown. He was also a partner of the Paolos Trattoria in Charlestown.

PETER GORDON ’71

Mr. Donovan was very active in the Charlestown community, where he was a member of the Bunker Hill Associates and the 520 Club. He was always willing to volunteer and lend a hand with a cheerful disposition. He frequently enjoyed traveling to Ireland with his wife, Ellen, and was an avid Boston sports fan.

Mr. Donovan was the beloved husband for 15 years of Ellen (Murphy) Donovan, who survives him. He is also survived by his parents, Michael Donovan and Lupita (Gutierrez) Donovan; his mother-in-law, Susan Murphy; and his brother and sister-in-law, Patrick and Meaghan Murphy. He is also the uncle of Charley, James, and Brooks Murphy and is survived by his loving family members in Texas and many friends. He was preceded in death by his brother, Christian Donovan.

David Cosgrove Prinn, of Chicago, formerly of Needham, MA, died on June 25, 2025. He was 46.

Born in Boston to Richard and the late Mary Ann Cosgrove Prinn, he was president of the Class of 1997, captain of the soccer team, a letterman in baseball and basketball, and active in music and theatre. He went on to Duke University, graduating in 2001 with a degree in political science. While studying abroad in Madrid, he fell in love with travel and adventure, a passion that remained with him always.

Mr. Prinn began his career in finance at ABN Amro in New York and later worked in bond trading and sales before settling in Chicago. He married Abigail Leibig in 2007, and together they raised two sons, Jack and Freddie. A devoted and loving father, he found his greatest joy in cheering on his boys, riding waves on the Cape, and simply being with them. He was known for his sharp wit, deep loyalty, and infectious energy. He had an inimitable way with words: His signature “Prinnisms” live on in the everyday speech of those closest to him. He was often heard whistling a Bob Marley tune on his way to the next gathering, always bringing warmth, humor, and great stories.

In addition to his wife and sons, Mr. Prinn is survived by his loving sisters, Lauren and Kristin (Shawn); two nephews and a niece; his father, Rich, who cherished him; and he is remembered by many Prinn and Cosgrove extended family members. He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Ann, whose kindness and spirit he carried forward.

Sergeant Gifford Russell Metz, stationed at Salt Lake City, UT, died on August 25, 2025. He was 26.

Sergeant Metz was born in 1998, the son of Jennifer and Travis Metz. He grew up in Wellesley, MA, and went on to Dartmouth College, where he joined the ROTC military training program. He left college in 2018 to dedicate himself fully to

soldiering and to pursue his dream of front-line service. He excelled in many aspects of Army life, always striving to prove himself and to serve a greater purpose. He successfully completed U.S. Army Airborne School, along with Air Assault and Pathfinder schools. He became a parachute rigger and completed numerous jumps himself.

Sergeant Metz was an accomplished skier, fearless on the slopes, and always encouraging his fellow skiers or the young athletes he coached. He was someone frequently remembered as “such a character.” He could be seen in his Russian fur hat and perhaps a bathrobe, or in mismatched plaid. On the slopes, he loved his olive-green military onesie with fur hood.

His quick wit and generous heart also left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him. At his core, he had a passion for correcting the wrongs of this world. When Russia invaded Ukraine, Sergeant Metz, then 23, gave his entire savings to the Ukrainian cause, leaving him with nothing, but he said that they needed it more than he did. His commitment to being a soldier was motivated by an underlying desire for the world to be free.

Sergeant Metz deeply loved his family. He shared a close bond with his older brother Connor Metz ’15, whose engagement to Hope Jimenez brought him great joy. Yet perhaps his greatest and purest love was for his younger brother, Harrison, eight years his junior. Their playful, affectionate bond was a constant source of roughhousing, noise, and laughter, and was emblematic of Sergeant Metz’s nature to be quirky, adventuresome, and free.

DAVID C. PRINN ’97

GIFFORD R. METZ ’17

2025–2026

Board of Trustees

Jon M. Biotti ’87, President

William F. Achtmeyer ’73, Vice President

Gregory J. Schneider, Secretary

Christopher J. Hadley, Treasurer

Samuel P. Bartlett

Florence T. Bourgeois

Mortimer J. Buckley III ’87

Mark D. Chandler ’74

James D. Coady ’88

Gretchen R. Cook-Anderson

Christina M. Coughlin ex officio

Warren Cross Jr. ’83

Carl D. Dawson ’72

Groom Dinkneh ’09

Jeffrey D. Drucker ’90

Ronald M. Druker ’62

Jean C. Egan

William A. Forde ’05

John T. Grady Jr. ’66

Danielle A. Heard

Jason H. Hurd ’90

Joshua M. Isner ’04

Stephen R. Karp ’57

Jonathan A. Kraft ’82

George W. Lynch II ’88 ex officio

Emmett E. Lyne ’77

Todd A. MacLean

Amy B. Madden

Carl J. Martignetti ’77

Gregory C. Paul ’09

Sarah H. Pelmas

Taggart M. Romney ’88

Brian J. Shortsleeve ’91

Herbert S. Wagner III

Belmont Hill School

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class notes & in memoriam

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On back cover: Chris Sweeney ’83 walked out to a gathering of students and faculty for a “clap out”— a new Belmont Hill tradition—after teaching his final class on May 23, 2025.

Below: Austin Hornbuckle ’30, Elias Tesfaye ’30, Daniel Laird ’30, Luke Lowrey ’30, and John Brady ’30 presenting during a workshop with Lauren Hamilton at the IBSC Conference in June.

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