Ambassador - Summer 2017

Ambassador

Brimmer and May

summer 2017

Building the Future

Contents Ambassador

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editorial counsel Judith Guild, A.L.M., Head of School photography David Barron, Megan Clifford, Jody Weinberg, additional contributors

Building the Future

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Around Campus

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Summer 2017

editor Jody Weinberg, Esq. Director of Communications

Around Campus

Auction

graphic design Peapod Design, New Canaan, CT alumni affairs and development office Elizabeth Smith, Director of Development Sharin Russell, Director of Brimmer and May Annual Fund Amanda Spooner Frank ’88, Director of Alumni Affairs and Special Events Anne Bisson Database Coordinator

stay connected

Around Campus

Athletics

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twitter.com/brimmerandmay BRIMMER AND MAY ALUMNI (especially for alums) & BRIMMER AND MAY SCHOOL (general School news) BRIMMER AND MAY ALUMNI

Around Campus

Creative Arts

departments: 1: Letter from Judith Guild, Head of School | 8: Kenyon Bissell Grogan Humanities Symposium: The Global Tipping Point | 12: Development Office Update | 15: Board of Visitors’ Day 16: Homecoming 2016 | 17: Alumni Holiday Party | 22: Alumni Notes

BRIMMER AND MAY BRIMMERandmayschool

Brimmer and May School 69 Middlesex Road, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 617.566.7462 | www.brimmer.org Check out www.brimmer.org for the School calendar, sports calendar and game directions and results, classroom and School news, parent section, online giving, alumni news, online alumni notes, and much more! First-time user?

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Questions? Contact the Communications Office at 617-278-2359.

On the cover Sixth graders Owen Williams and Sadye Cheever build pasta bridges in Dr. Gallon’s science class.

Head of School

Building the Future head of school judith guild

this year’s theme “building the future” has framed our work, both literally and figuratively.

As we watch the Bowdoin Construction workers put the finishing touches on our new addition, we are reminded every day how important it is to be ready for change.

Online shopping, Uber, and smartphones are just a few disruptors that forced change in the last decade. On the horizon are selfdriving cars, the Internet of Things, and online education, all of which will require our students to be flexible and adaptable. Our School’s mission to “uphold high academic standards while implementing innovative ideas” matters more than ever as we balance core curriculum with innovative approaches to teaching and learning. As lifelong learners themselves, Brimmer’s educators embrace change and see innovation as an opportunity to apply their creativity and expertise to the complex practice of educating young people.

“Through volunteering, supporting the Annual Fund, showing loyalty at How do we prepare our students for their events and displaying future? According to the 2020 World Economic Forum, harnessing creativity, Brimmer gear, and generating emotional intelligence and generous donations to cognitive flexibility, and developing critical thinking and complex problem solving skills the Realizing the Vision within a collaborative environment are listed among the top 10 skills needed for tomorrow’s Campaign, members of workforce. This edition of the Ambassador focuses on how Brimmer’s teachers work with the Brimmer community our students to develop these skills and hone have made a difference in these qualities. You will learn how students apply their creativity to their daily work, how the lives of our students.” our educators infuse what they teach with global perspectives, and how the teachers model what it means to be lifelong learners who know how to collaborate effectively. You will see confident children who love being part of a vibrant community that believes in them.

Sadre Goodman ’18, Head of School Judy Guild, and Geo Echebri ’18 in the STEAM lab.

As we look to the opening of the Hastings Center, we are eager to see how our community will respond to the changes.

With the new media lab, innovation center, STEAM labs, and learning hubs, we are excited to see how the expansion will support the curriculum that has been developed over the past three years. This new space is certain to engender new ways of teaching and learning. The larger dining commons, welcoming foyer, and meeting space will provide new spaces for student gatherings as they build important relationships. The highlight of the renovated space is the College and Career Readiness Center. As our Upper School students seek to prepare themselves for college, they will have a suite staffed with professionals to help them find internships, summer job ideas, college advice, and guide their essay and application preparation.

The wonderful support of the Brimmer community has made this possible. Through volunteering, supporting the Annual Fund, showing loyalty at events and displaying Brimmer gear, and generous donations to the Realizing the Vision Campaign, members of the Brimmer community have made a difference in the lives of our students. Our community responded to our needs, and on June 6, we closed our campaign at $8.1 million, $600,000 over our goal! I am humbled and honored to be part of this remarkable School, one that is filled with stories of personal transformation.

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Emotional Intelligence Dr. beth meister, director of counseling services

most people would

agree that a quality known as emotional intelligence (EQ) seems like a good thing to have, but do we really appreciate how essential this feature is to life in the 21st century? Awareness and control of one’s emotions and the ability to empathize with those of others have been linked to increased self-confidence, better handling of life challenges, academic achievement, and career success. EQ may be more critical than ever in our changing world, in which productivity and success are pursued in such close emotional proximity to others in collaborative work settings, and in which the emphasis has shifted to communicating ideas and providing targeted services rather than the more isolative work setting of producing things.

It is easy to see how emotional intelligence enhances leadership. The usual concept of intelligence seems less adequate than EQ in explaining the power of those in positions of leadership to solve problems and effect positive change. To be an outstanding 21st-century leader requires a personal understanding of one’s own emotional needs and values, and those of one’s students, work group members, team athletes, and peers. The absence of these insights can lead to misguided leadership, even with good intentions. Leaders must anticipate their own frustrations and flash points, for example, to enable them to give calm, planned responses. They may need to rehearse responses to criticism and very negative feedback. Emotionally intelligent leadership will bring us far. We look to our children to carry us forward as they develop their own leadership skills, emphasizing the pursuit of in-depth understanding of multiple points of view.

It would also seem that people with high EQ are more likely to have better relationships because they are sensitive to the hopes, needs, and fears of other people, and are more likely to build trust with others.

What could be a better goal for us going forward than more understanding and having trusting, close relationships?

First graders in their French class with teacher Geraldine Naddaff.

The capacity for high emotional intelligence may vary among individuals, but there is strong evidence that it can be enhanced through education. Recent studies attest to the neuroplasticity of our brains such that humans are capable of increasing emotional control and understanding over a lifetime. A Brimmer education features programs that teach the skills of emotional intelligence (SEL programs) at all grade levels. Our experience has been that these programs help students

understand their own emotions and those of others, while building stronger peer relationships, leadership, and study skills.

Students have told us that these programs are helpful to them in a number of ways, but the most often mentioned to me is their sense of increasing their understanding of how their peers feel, which they don’t automatically know, and how they are better able to independently solve problems and improve communications at School.

Building the Future

The Creative in Arts bill jacob, creative arts department chair

creativity is a mix of determination, focus, and imagination. It requires

risk taking and a willingness to fail and start again. It flourishes best in a supportive environment where collaboration and exploration can be informed by critical thinking and honest critique. Creative Arts classes at Brimmer strive to develop students’ creative capacity through handson activities and projects that more often than not connect with academic studies.

By providing a safe space to explore and share ideas—in drama, music, and the visual arts—students are emboldened to take creative risks, to assess the results and refine them until the product proves satisfactory and successful for the creators.

Arts classes encourage and develop students’ collaborative capacities, teaching them how to negotiate and trade ideas freely. They develop students’ ability

to focus their attention for extended periods, a valuable but often undervalued skill in a multitasking world. The arts at Brimmer celebrate not only the individual and their unique voice, but also the interconnectedness that links us and binds us together as a community. Exploring and celebrating the arts is a School-wide activity.

The visual arts at Brimmer are rooted in observation of the world around us and within ourselves. Rendering those observations into a physical form, regardless of whether the medium is pencil or paint, clay, cardboard or what have you, requires students to exercise judgment, decision making, and critical thinking skills. Learning about art from different cultures, from famous and not-so-famous artists, expands students’ world view and brings them into contact with experiences outside their daily life. Projects in the visual arts in all three divisions offer

both opportunities for students to develop their own personal style and to collaborate with their peers on larger works that include multiple approaches and points of view.

Drama develops vital leadership skills and the ability to collaborate. Whether the activity is a Lower School process drama or an Upper School improvisation class, students practice problem solving and decision making while in role as various characters, practicing critical thinking skills and empathy for make-believe characters in real-world situations. Theatrical productions at every age level push the limits of students’ ability to focus their attention on a single project produced in real time. Practicing and refining in rehearsals, students test themselves on the stage, aiming for a flawless dance number, a perfectly rendered song, or a light cue or scene. Presenting their work in public develops self-confidence, poise, and an appreciation for work well done.

Music classes develop students’ capacity to make and appreciate music in all its forms.

Understanding music theory introduces them to a universal language that transcends culture and national boundaries. Music practice, both vocal and instrumental, teaches students to listen as it puts them in touch with their breath and their physical being. Performing music reinforces collaboration as it nourishes sensitivity to emotion and feeling. Exposure to music from different times and cultures helps students understand how expression through sound can be vastly different, even while the initial impulse—to sing and to play—remains essentially the same.

The Middle School’s production of The Secret Garden.

All of the arts at Brimmer seek to develop and to celebrate our diversity as a community. Taught by practicing artists, the students and their teachers explore together as they develop new projects, produce new plays and musicals, and expand their repertoire each year. Using the arts as a tool for learning not just about the disciplines themselves, but also the cultures and contexts from which the artworks were born, enriches education, broadens perspectives, and deepens our students’ experience of life and the world around them.

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Teaching Skills to Our Very Youngest in Early Childhood courtney mcgillicuddy ’89, assistant head of lower school, lower school admissions associate

recently,

the world economic forum released its list of the top 10 skills needed for the future. Mentioned at the top of the list were critical thinking skills and problem solving skills. These essential skills are not new to Brimmer as they are included in our Mission Statement: “We challenge students to think and work independently and collaboratively to become confident problem solvers and critical thinkers.” This particular guiding principle defines a Brimmer education, beginning in Pre-Kindergarten.

What do these skills look like in our early childhood classrooms? How do we teach our youngest learners to think critically and problem solve? Each day our teachers plan for and take advantage of organic moments to practice these skills during classroom activities, structured lessons, and playtime. They continually

provide opportunities for children to use new knowledge in meaningful activities, whether it is through social, emotional, academic, or physical experiences.

Critical thinking is defined as the ability to use information and skills in a range of ways in order to solve problems or reach solutions. For our early childhood students, we weave this skill throughout the curriculum, presenting problems that are relevant. Often, teachers have the opportunity to spontaneously take advantage of a teaching opportunity as it occurs.

To help students develop a vision of what they want to accomplish, teachers use brainstorming techniques as a first step.

Once involved in an activity, teachers can elicit critical thinking through a variety of strategies. In science and design, teachers

ask open-ended questions so that students develop hypotheses, categorize and classify, and tap into logic and reason. In literature, we invite the students to compare and contrast stories or characters, to make connections with the text, and to reflect and review. During math, children are encouraged to explain how they solved a problem and asked to find alternative ways to reach a solution. Our goal is to develop independent thinkers who are open-minded and have the confidence to solve problems without depending on teacher direction.

Problem solving is the ability to use learned or known information and apply it to a new situation, and it must be taught to help develop confident children who can resolve conflict, find solutions, and face difficulties or setbacks. We introduce this skill through modeling and practicing these steps: Identify the problem; Search for possible solutions; Assess the solution and ask what would happen “if”; Implement the best choice; and Reflect on the choice or strategy used.

On a daily basis, you can see Brimmer students using this process, which includes both critical and creative thinking, to resolve social struggles in math, reading, project based learning, and during STEAM and technology activities.

Teachers also incorporate this skill to examine opportunities where students can make a difference or improve their classroom or the larger community.

Pre-K students Jacob Stander and Avery Sollami.

When teaching any of the top 10 skills to our young children, there are some important points to keep in mind. Children learn best when the process is interesting, engaging, relevant, and connected to their world.

They thrive when given the opportunity to discover the answers themselves. In our classrooms, we are committed to creating a place that welcomes questions, sees mistakes as beneficial, promotes cooperative learning, and values all ideas.

Building the Future

Facing History to Teach for the Future kyla graves, grade 8 class dean, middle and upper school humanities teacher

brimmer students rejoined the Facing History and Ourselves community last fall with an introductory unit on the Holocaust and Nazi Germany, aptly titled “Decision Making in Times of Injustice.” Facing History and Ourselves is an international nonprofit organization based in Brookline, MA, that focuses on disseminating social education and empowering people all over the world to make better choices. Their work has reached the classrooms of over 20 million students and has expanded to include curriculum not just about Nazi Germany and the Holocaust, but that also focuses on China and the Cultural Revolution, the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, and more. Each unit of study focuses on a common thread: to teach students how to grapple with all the ways in which people make decisions in turbulent times.

Focusing on the terms Bystander, Upstander, Victim, and Perpetrator, students in 8th Grade History explored the incremental changes Hitler made to create the dictatorship he sought in order to change the face of humanity itself. Students learned about ways in which individuals and groups of people stood up against discrimination, stereotyping, and racial propaganda while others stood by or were victimized by the atrocities of the Nazis. We answered questions such as, when does one decide to stand up and how might one create change in positive and meaningful ways?

In addition to studying the choices people made during this time, students grappled with ideas surrounding the fragility of democracy, standing up for what is right, and being cautious of stereotyping. At the beginning of the unit, students examined their own identities and highlighted areas of strength and possible insecurity. This helped them to more easily empathize with people who may be different from themselves or who have different opinions.

By noticing ways in which people outside their communities may view them, and by dismantling the stereotypes about

Kyla Graves teaches a Facing History class.

parts of themselves, they began to gain greater empathy for encounters they may have with people who are different from themselves. These ideas were the center of many especially poignant conversations, and it was clear that students took much of these lessons and ideas to heart.

As leaders in the Middle School, 8th graders were challenged to think critically about this specific time in history through the process of analysis and inquiry around important topics and ideas. Various assessments of student learning included analyzing laws passed by Nazis, engaging in critical reading activities about experiences of German youth, participating in engaging and thoughtful discussions, reacting to various art forms created about the Holocaust, and

much more. Through these varied activities, students gained insight into a variety of perspectives and became better prepared to consider differing ideas they would be exposed to throughout the year. Following their study of the Holocaust and Human Behavior, students will also study choices and leadership of other times in history, including the Russian Revolution, the Cultural Revolution in China, and Gandhi’s leadership through peaceful protest in India. It has been an exciting and engaging year, forging new paths in 8th Grade History. As their teacher, I look forward to the continued pursuit of knowledge through conscious and positive decision making and inquiry and watching students’ progress and growth in this formidable time in their lives.

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The Gator – What Is Posted on the Internet Stays on the Internet shani breiman ’18

as a rising editor-in-chief of the gator, brimmer’s online student-run newspaper, i have acquired skills of paramount importance to my future.

In this day and age, news reporting is often skewed and misleading. With the rise and advancements in technology, the spread of inaccurate information is circulating rapidly. Society, especially young adults who often consume news through catchy headlines and posts on social media, often fails to further investigate, educate, and review the underlying facts before formulating an opinion about a given topic.

As the current News Editor of The Gator, my goal is to increase the integrity of news and emphasize the process of accurate news reporting. The Gator is an online newspaper with wide distribution. Therefore, news can spread rapidly. Digital media has become the norm. Students and everyday citizens consume the majority of the news through digital mediums on mostly mobile devices. An average Brimmer student learns about current events at Brimmer by accessing The Gator. Brimmer is a learning community with a culture of engagement and support, and this is seen in The Gator news. The Gator promotes critical thinking, creativity, and engages students in thinking about complex problems and the way these problems impact their daily lives, while further trying to reach a solution. It may also call for mobilizing students to action and coordinating with others in reaching their goals.

Shani Breiman ’18

Accurate reporting entails a great ethical responsibility. Assembling and researching facts, verifying sources, and presenting

“As the current News Editor of The Gator, my goal is to increase the integrity of news and emphasize the process of accurate news reporting.”

the information in an objective manner is the cornerstone of credible journalism. As News Editor, I witness the power credible journalism has in actively engaging students and the administration in reflecting, questioning, and debating issues concerning everyday life at Brimmer. Students have a voice and are able to comment freely and learn about current issues and events in the School. The discussions are fruitful due to the accurate facts that are presented in The Gator. The presentation of accurate facts is ever so important in our changing world due to the fast spread and wide use of digital media—a forum that does not disappear. Such media is easy to share and easy to spread. The Gator strives to inspire students to explore, empowers them to lead, and ultimately helps them to achieve success through their awareness of valuable information about their community.

What is posted on the Internet stays on the Internet. Any member of society can learn about an individual solely based on what an individual posts online. This idea is known as a digital footprint. A digital footprint reflects the integrity and picture of who a person is. Through The Gator, I am creating a positive digital footprint that will last a lifetime. As a junior thinking about the next steps of my life, The Gator has provided a positive public display of my work that colleges and employers can see. Ultimately, through The Gator I have learned important values and lessons that I will implement in other areas of my life.

Building the Future

Building Space for Innovation josh neudel upper school head

in 2011, president barack obama issued a challenge to the nation in his state of the union address to train and hire one hundred thousand new science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teachers.

Over the next five years, Obama continued to usher in this generation’s Sputnik challenge. During this time there was a message that continued to develop about the needs of the nation’s workforce and the need for students to adapt to the demands of our modern society. Over this time, the rate of change has increased exponentially, forcing institutions and companies to reevaluate the skills employees need for their institutions to be successful.

In recent years, I have had the opportunity to visit nonprofits, small businesses, and Fortune 500 companies. These visits allowed me to discuss with them what they are looking for when hiring interns and employees, as well as how they are redesigning their spaces to meet the needs of collaboration and work flow. Each conversation affirmed that today’s students need to be strong problem solvers, collaborators, critical thinkers, and adaptable. In addition, our spaces need to be flexible, as well as promote collaboration and the exchange of ideas.

As an educational institution, Brimmer was identified by the National Association of Independent Schools for its progressive thinking and its leadership in developing skills that are necessary to prepare students for a 21st-century workforce. While we have been successful in creating programs in our current space to prepare students for what lies ahead, our Chase addition is a critical next step for the School to continue developing students who are prepared for our rapidly changing world.

The new space will enable Brimmer to be an incubator of innovation and social entrepreneurship. No longer will space be an obstacle for student success. Equipped with a 3D printer, laser cutter, vinyl cutter, CNC mill, and other fabrication tools, Brimmer’s creators, innovators, developers, and makers will have the space to develop and build their

Nicholas Correia ’17 at work in the STEAM lab.

ideas. It will enable classes such as Problem Solving Through Design, STEAM Lab, and Media Production to work at a more sophisticated level and the creation of new classes such as 8th Grade Innovation Hour and the Upper School elective Tech Shop. However, this space is not just for physical creations and developing technical skills.

Instead it is about providing more opportunities for students to further develop the essential skills identified by employers. In addition, the continued incorporation of Design Thinking into our Lower, Middle, and Upper School curriculum plays a key role. We have learned from design firms like IDEO that this way of thinking is not solely about building products. This was evident during the Boston Winterim program this past March.

Students used the Design Thinking process to engage in social innovation. During the weeks leading up to, week of, and weeks after Winterim, students worked to make an impact on the Newton community. They identified an issue in nearby Hammond Pond Reservation and Webster Woods and prototyped different solutions. During this process they communicated with the City of Newton, local representatives, state legislature representatives, and state senators. Their work even was presented to a design firm that was retained by the Commonwealth to address issues with this area.

It is projects like the Boston Winterim program and classes that balance skill development with content mastery that will ensure that Brimmer students develop the essential skills needed to be successful in this stage of life and to be the architects of our future.

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Kenyon Bissell Grogan Humanities Symposium The Global Tipping Point: What It Means and Where to Go from Here on january 17, 2017, brimmer held its 12th annual kenyon bissell grogan humanities symposium, the global tipping point: what it means and where to go from here. path to stem cell science—he traveled the globe working in science, completing a PhD and then a post-doctoral degree.

He taught the audience what stem cells are and why we should care about them, sharing major breakthroughs in discoveries.

The Keynote Speaker, Dr. Derrick Rossi P ’24, ’26, ’28, gave a talk entitled “Stem Cell Science and the Genesis of Innovative New Therapies for Patients.”

Dr. Rossi broadly discussed how stem cell science is at the tipping point for the emergence of innovative new therapies to treat deadly diseases. In particular, he focused on how discoveries made in his lab and in his colleagues’ labs have made the leap into clinical development within the rich biotechnology ecosphere of Boston/Cambridge.

Dr. Rossi is an Associate Professor in the Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology Department at Harvard University and an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School.

He is also an investigator in the Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital, where he holds a Boston Children’s Hospital Pediatrics Chair. Dr. Rossi is also a principal faculty member of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

His lab at Harvard Medical School focuses on several areas of stem cell biology, including how aging of stem cell compartments contributes to aging-associated decline and disease pathogenesis. Time magazine cited Dr. Rossi’s discovery of modifiedmRNA reprogramming as one of the top 10 medical breakthroughs of 2010, named him as one of the “People Who Mattered” in 2010, and as one of the 100 Most Influential People in 2011.

Dr. Rossi addressed Middle and Upper School students, teachers, alumni, Trustees, and parents. He began by sharing his

Highlights of the Symposium also included the many workshops offered to students throughout the day that explored how a series of incremental changes in fields such as technology, medicine, engineering, climate, law enforcement, justice and equality, and social media have built sufficient momentum so as to reach or approach a tipping point of lasting transformation.

Emma Rawls ’02 MSW, works with underserved communities and presented the workshop Gender: The Social Construct.

Workshops Offered:

Women and Politics, Victoria Budson Transportation in a Changing World: Self-Driving Cars, Sean Neely • Teen Empowerment—The Center for Teen Empowerment • Climate Change Adaptation and Uncertainty, Julie Eaton ’05 • Gender: The Social Construct, Emma Rawls ’02 • Election Polling: A presentation on the purpose of a political survey, the scientific process, and value of polling, Dr. Spencer Kimball • Combining Medicine and Government to Fight Disease: Can we end cancer?, Dr. Michael Misialek • The Education Will Not Be Televised: What skills will be necessary, and what opportunities await as learning moves online?, Dr. Kathleen Torrens • Mindfulness Going Mainstream: The History, Growth, Science, and Practice of Mindfulness, Doug Worthen • •

Head of School Judy Guild, Jeffrey Grogan, Derrick Rossi P ’24, ’26, ’28, Trustee Kenyon Bissell Grogan ’76, and her father George Bissell.

Victoria Budson, founder and the Executive Director of the Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP) at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, presented Women and Politics.

Around Campus

Faculty Innovation Awards Congratulations to faculty members Kathryn Lee, Andrew Stattel, and Matt Gallon for receiving innovation awards.

Kathryn

Andrew

Matt

is a Middle and Upper School Arts Teacher.

The grant money allowed her to purchase five iPad Pros and five Apple Pencils for the Upper School Visual Arts Department.

The proposal aims to strengthen and further develop the mission of our STEAM initiative and to also increase the amount of exposure students have to digital technology within the visual arts curriculum.

is a Second Grade Teacher and Lower School Science Coordinator. The grant funds allowed him to expand the scope of the current Garden Classroom. It provided all Lower School students increased opportunities to garden and study environmental science and ecology.

is a Middle School Science Teacher.

This grant will provide resources to help integrate a STEAM design component into the Middle School earth science curriculum to encourage students to not only gain a better understanding of how natural processes occur, but to also provide them with an opportunity to apply that understanding to designing unique and original solutions for mitigating the effects of environmental change on those communities most affected by them.

Lee

Stattel

Gallon

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Winterim 2017

Unique to Brimmer, every Upper School student traverses the boundaries of the School to explore our local, national, or international communities through the biennial Winterim program. This past March, students, faculty, and administrators visited Japan, Vietnam and Cambodia, Switzerland, Ireland, England, Cuba, and Boston.

Japan The Japan Winterim group, after eating a traditional-style meal in Hakone. Earlier in the day, the group toured the mountainous region and took in stunning views of Mount Fuji. The group toured Ayashimi, a beautiful river town at the edge of a bamboo forest; rode the bullet train to Hakone; and visited an English-language preschool in Tokyo.

England

Boston

The England group visited Anne Hathaway’s (Shakespeare’s wife) cottage in Stratford-upon-Avon. This is the house where Hathaway grew up and where she and Shakespeare courted. Students toured the home and gardens before visiting Shakespeare’s birthplace. Students traveled to Bath, toured Oxford University, and visited York Minster.

Peng Zhang ’18 and Tony Wang ’20 cleaned spray paint off rocks in Hammond Pond Reservation as part of the Boston Winterim program. The Boston group collected signatures from Massachusetts residents for a proposed crosswalk and pedestrian signal to be placed along Hammond Pond Parkway.

Heading here

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Switzerland

Cuba

Students participated in an hour-long cooking class at the Kambly Factory in Trubschachen, Switzerland. They each made two types of biscuits and were able to individualize their creations with two types of chocolate (milk or dark) and four types of toppings (pistachios, coconut, hazelnut, and walnuts). Here, they were getting ready to use pastry bags to fill each of the biscuits with chocolate or vanilla frosting before dipping them in the chocolate of their choice. Everyone left with a box of their delicious creations! The group also explored Lucerne and its historic bridges and fountains and took in the views from the top of 2,128 m (6,982 ft) Mount Pilatus after a beautiful gondola ride.

Brimmer Upper Schoolers worked with Cuban teens at a communitybased art and music program called Cintio Vitier in Havana. Students from this program come from disadvantaged backgrounds and work on portfolios to apply to art programs within the Cuban university system. Later that day, Brimmer students visited a neighborhood health clinic and learned about the Cuban healthcare system.

Cuba has more doctors per capita than any other country, and they export many doctors to other countries as an income source for the country. The journey to Cuba was a memorable one where Brimmer students learned about its history, architecture, the Revolution, healthcare, industry, education, art, and music.

Vietnam

Ireland

Pictured above are students on the Vietnam and Cambodia trip at the main temple at Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Trip highlights included a visit to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), a boat ride on the Mekong River delta, and an exciting bicycle rickshaw ride through the city’s swarming scooter traffic. In Phnom Penh, Cambodia, they visited Buddhist temples and the Royal Palace. The next stop of the trip was Siem Reap for another boat trip, this time on Tonle Sap Lake to see the floating town and then a guided tour of Angkor Wat, Wat Thom, and the Elephant Terrace.

Students on the Ireland and Scotland trip took a day off from visiting Dublin to visit Causey Farm. They began the day at the farm with a lesson in making traditional Irish brown bread, and then students worked in teams to bake their very own loaves from scratch, later to be devoured as lunch. They learned some traditional Irish dancing (not at all like Riverdance!) and then moved into Girley Bog to learn a bit about the importance of peat to Irish peasant life.

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Development Office Update Hastings Challenge and Realizing the Vision Are Complete and Surpass Goal! what an exciting year

it has been for Brimmer and for the work we are privileged to do in the Alumni and Development Office! The Board of Trustees began the school year last fall with the approval to start the construction of the new two-story addition to the Chase Building funded by the Realizing the Vision Campaign, along with the Endowment for Faculty Innovation.

When I wrote my letter for the fall issue of the Ambassador, early construction was beginning by digging a hole for the foundation, and we were pushing to raise the last $1.2 million needed to successfully fund the project, the endowment, and complete the campaign.

As I write this in early June, I am thrilled to announce that our generous community has made many new commitments and we have now surpassed the original goal of $7.5 million by raising $8.1 million for Realizing the Vision, completing the campaign, and putting our School at the forefront of innovative programming.

Hastings Family Challenge, our community has been there for this amazing School.

And we did it all in less than three years.

I wish to thank the members of the Campaign Steering Committee including Board Chair and Campaign Chair David Kreisler P ’23, Lisa and Mark Hastings P ’18, ’19, Susie Durocher P ’18, ’21, Kennie ’76 and Jeff Grogan, Carrie Farmer ’70, and Linda Waintrup ’72 for their tireless work and generosity on behalf of Realizing the Vision.

The construction has progressed beautifully as well; the addition is enclosed and work is being done to prepare to break through to join the addition with current building and renovate existing spaces. It will be fully open by early fall, and news of a ribbon-cutting ceremony will follow sometime this summer.

This year alone, more than $700,000 was raised for the Annual Fund, $1.8 million in new gifts and pledges were made to Realizing the Vision, and over 160 bricks and benches were purchased. Then at the end of April, the Hastings Family (Trustee Lisa Hastings and her husband Mark Hastings) issued an extraordinary challenge to our entire community—with The Hastings Family Matching Gift Challenge, they offered to match each new gift or pledge to the Realizing the Vision Campaign up to $400,000, before May 31. By that date, 150 new gifts and pledges had come in that were matched, meaning $800,000 for Brimmer and May! With that final push, the campaign was completed over goal, surpassing the original goal by $600,000.

In addition, we have raised 95% of our 2016-2017 Annual Fund goal of $750,000 and we are working hard to reach our participation goal of 80+% for parent giving. As usual, our amazing faculty and our dedicated Board of Trustees have each reached 100% participation. Our alumni have been giving generously. The Annual Fund continues to be our most important barometer, year after year, of the health of the School and allows Judy Guild and the Board of Trustees maximum flexibility to ensure the continued excellence of the Brimmer program. A big thank-you to our leadership team of volunteers including Co-Chairs Farouc Jaffer and Kathy Economy P ’21, ’23, Mark and Lisa Hastings P ’18, ’19, Dana Baiocco and Andrew Susko P ’20, and Howard Leeder P ’15, ’20. We would also like to thank our Alumni Board Chair Amela Hadziahmetovic ’00 who has led the charge with alumni giving.

Judy Guild and I cannot thank everyone in the Brimmer community enough for their contributions to Realizing the Vision and for what we have accomplished together for our current and future students! From the strategic planning process, to the formation of the Campaign Steering Committee, and from the early leadership gifts that began in the fall of 2014 to the Bricks and Benches and every-sized gift that helped us meet the

In other news, we hosted the Annual Spring Auction on Saturday, April 22, at the Wellesley Country Club. The “Reach for the Stars” Auction netted over $100,000 in support of Financial Aid and Library Learning Commons for all three divisions. Our Executive Auction Committee worked tirelessly—thank you to Laila Alomran P ’19, ’22, Jessica Purdy P ’23, ’26, ’28, ’30, Lisanne Kandiah P ’23, and Erika Siegal P ’24, ’25. It was a great event

for a great cause and furniture from the “Fund a Need” portion of the live auction will be incorporated into the new addition!

Alumni Weekend went off without a hitch on May 19 and 20. Our young alumni were invited to a barbeque at Judy Guild’s campus home on Friday evening, and there was a very strong showing from the 5th reunion Class of 2011 and the 10th reunion Class of 2006. On Saturday night the other reunion classes attended a gala dinner on campus, which included long-term faculty as our special guests. The 50th reunion for the Class of 1967 included our own Carol Croffy, Assistant Business Manager, who loved catching up with her friends and classmates.

We enjoyed two alumni trips to New York City and Florida over the winter. In Manhattan, in January, we hosted a group of young alumni who work in finance, advertising and communication, medicine, and law. They were all eager to catch up with Judy Guild and Alumni Affairs Director Amanda Spooner Frank ’88 on everything that is happening back at Brimmer. They were especially excited to hear about this year’s Upper School Winterim trips as they remembered those trips as highlights of their own Brimmer educations. In Florida, we hosted three luncheons in Sarasota, Sanibel Island, and Palm Beach, and met with many supportive alumni and grandparents across the state.

It has been a pleasure working with Head of School Judy Guild, the Board of Trustees, and many other Brimmer community members, nearby and far away, over the course of this school year to further the mission of our School. Our Strategic Priorities for 2013 and Beyond are nearly complete, and it is incredible to witness the impact all of our progress is making for Brimmer students now and in the future. As usual, I am grateful for my talented Alumni and Development Office colleagues: Sharin Russell, Director of Annual Giving; Amanda Spooner Frank ’88, Director of Alumni Affairs and Special Events; and Anne Bisson, Database Coordinator.

Thank you to this incredible community for all that you do to support Brimmer students and faculty. My office is looking forward to celebrating Brimmer’s next milestone with many of you next fall when we cut the ribbon on the new addition.

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Brimmer Celebrates End of Campaign 1. The Campaign Steering Committee: Trustee Linda Waintrup ‘72, Trustee Lisa Hastings and Mark Hastings P ‘18, ‘19, Trustee Kennie Grogan ‘76, Trustee Susie Durocher P ‘18, ‘21, former Development Director Nancy Sobin Drourr ‘66, Jim Kitendaugh, Director of Development Elizabeth Smith P ‘17, Lynne Cavanaugh, and Jeff Grogan.

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2. Michael and Robin Price, Head of School Judy Guild, Janice Corkin Rudolf ‘66, and John Emery.

3. Susan Santos P ‘18, PA Co-Chair Rosyln Pedlar P ‘18, and Director of Technology Michael Langlois.

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4. Janet Eastwood P ‘16, ‘18, ‘22, Ann Collins P ‘18, PA Co-Chair Alesia Barrett Singer P ‘22, ‘22, ‘26, and Rossanna Lizama-Soto P ‘22.

5. Mark and Lisa Hastings mounted The Hastings Challenge.

6. Lower School Head Thomas Fuller and Annual Fund Co-Chairs Farouc Jaffer and Kathy Economy P ‘21, ‘23.

7. Board Chair and Campaign Chair David Kreisler P ‘23.

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8. Kristin Knox and Trustee Tom Knox P ‘26, ‘28, Chris and Jessica Chou P ‘29, Argavan Batal P ‘29, ‘30, and Julie Nijmeh and Raja Elie Abdulnour P ‘25, ‘29.

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Auction The “Reach for the Stars” Auction took place on April 22, 2017, and raised over $103,000 to support Financial Aid and Library Learning Commons for all three divisions. Judy Guild spoke about the importance of financial aid by highlighting the experience of Trustee Mahlet Woldemariam ’95 and the importance financial aid played in her life. She also highlighted the accomplishments of two seniors, both of whom were able to attend Brimmer due to financial aid. Thank you to the entire community for bidding high for Brimmer!

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1. Zhiqing Wu P ‘18, Yuhuai Wang P ‘19, Bao Hong Zhao P ‘20, Weiwei Liu P ‘18, ‘23, Wei Wei Zhang P ‘19, Co-Director of International Students Helen Du, and Yuanfang Huang P ‘21.

2. Head of School Judy Guild, Trustee Howard Leeder and Carla Leeder P ’15, ’20, with Mathematics Department Chair Nancy Bradley.

3. Trustees Leslie Guggiari ‘73 and Kenyon Bissell Grogan ’76.

4. Chairman of the Board of Trustees David Kreisler and his wife Gwyn Williams P ’23 and former Board Chair Larry Siff and his wife Joan Siff.

5. Mosa Omran Alomran holds up his bid number next to his wife Laila Alomran P ‘19, ‘22.

6. Director of Alumni Affairs and Special Events Amanda Frank ’88, P ’22, with Executive Auction Committee members Jessica Purdy P ’23, ’26, ’28, ’30, Laila Alomran P ’19, ’22, Lisanne Kandiah P ’23, and Erika Siegal P ’24, ’25.

7. Database Coordinator Anne Bisson, Director of Development Elizabeth Smith P ’17, Director of Alumni Affairs and Special Events Amanda Frank ’88, P ’22, and Director of the Annual Fund Sharin Russell.

8. Co-Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees Susie Durocher P ’18, ’21 holds up her bid number.

9. Brigitta Herzfeld and Brad Mak P ‘28, ‘31, and Chris Chou P ‘28.

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Board of Visitors’ Day we welcomed the board of visitors to brimmer with a greenline performance and impressive lower, middle, and upper school presentations on the “cutting edge” work taking place in the classroom and design and steam labs on october 20, 2016.

Students from all three divisions presented their work within the STEAM disciplines.

Lower School students aptly referred to their use of the creative design process when solving a problem that involved keeping food items both cold and hot in the same container over time. Middle School students demonstrated a robot they programmed as part of a group project in science where the machine was expected to follow a color-coded system to function effectively.

Upper School students revealed their design prototypes, which they developed as part of their Problem Solving Through Design coursework. Each student group shared both the successes and failures they experienced throughout the learning process while producing a viable result.

Keynote Speaker Trustee Dr. Ulrik Christensen P ’18, ’23.

Members of the 2016-2017 Board of Visitors.

Student panels were followed by a keynote presentation by Trustee Dr. Ulrik Christensen P ’18, ’23, who gave a fascinating and informative keynote address and shared his expertise in adaptive/ precision learning. Dr. Christensen serves as both the Executive Chairman of Area9 and the Senior Fellow for Digital Learning with McGraw-Hill Education. Area9 Labs was established to do cutting-edge research in educational technologies, and Area9 Learning was established to pioneer the market for adaptive learning in the corporate space.

The presentation was followed by lunch at the Head’s House for the Board of Visitors and members of the Administration.

Board of Visitors members Janet Eastwood P ’16, ’18, ’22 and Shayne Gilbert P ’23.

Eleanor Dalissandro-Allen ’25 and Julianna Healy ’25 both gave wonderful presentations to the BOV.

Board of Visitors member Lauren Lapat P ’18, ’21, Trustee Jim Orr P ’91, and Trustee Howard Leeder P ’15, ’20.

Director of Alumni Affairs and Special Events Amanda Frank ’88, P ’22, Head of School Judy Guild, and Parents’ Association Co-Chair Alesia Singer P ’22, ’26.

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HOMECOMING 2016

Homecoming was an incredible community event!

A large crowd of exuberant Lower, Middle, and Upper School students, parents, alumni, and faculty/staff cheered on the Varsity Girls’ and Boys’ Soccer teams as they defeated their competitors.

1. G irls’ Varsity Soccer player Caitlin Cullen ’19.

2. B oys’ Varsity Soccer players Tyler Best ’18 and Olivier Khorasani ’20.

3. Brimmer alumni Keenan Iuliano ’16, Kevin Gates ’15, Michael Gordon ’16, and Nicole Gates ’13 at Homecoming.

4. Thea Hill ’17, Kaitlin Murphy ’17, Nicolas Correia ’17, Head of School Judy Guild, and Raymani Walker ’17 at Homecoming.

5. A ssistant Head of Academic Affairs Joseph Iuliano with Janet and Patrick Eastwood P ’18, ’22, and Zia Angell ’16 at Homecoming.

6. B en Jaffer ’21, Katherine Economy P ’21, ’23, Lauren Lapat P ’18, ’21, Sammy Lapat ’21, and Niek van Dam ’21.

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Around Campus

alumni holiday party

1. U.S. History and Journalism Teacher David Cutler ’02, Trustee Howard Leeder and Carla Leeder P ’15, ’20, Director of the Annual Fund Sharin Russell, and Director of Alumni Affairs and Special Events Amanda Frank ’88, P ’22.

2. Jeffrey Grogan and Trustee Kenyon Grogan ’76 with Head of School Judy Guild.

3. Board Co-Vice Chairman Suzzara Durocher and John Durocher P ’18, ’21.

4. Chairman of the Board of Trustees David Kreisler P ’23 and Trustee Lisa Hastings P ’18, ’19.

5. Head of School Judy Guild with the Class of 2017 at the Holiday Reception.

6. Director of Development Elizabeth Smith, her daughter Sarah Smith ’17, and husband Rod Smith.

7. Head of School Judy Guild with Brandon Allen ’12, Victoria Foster ’12, and Lauren Matteodo ’12.

8. Middle School Head Carl Rapisarda-Vallely with Upper School Head Josh Neudel.

9. Alumni gathered at the Reception.

Back row: Vanessa Sullivan ’03, Melissa McCue ’02 Middle row: Kenyon Bissell Grogan ’76, Brandon Allen ’12, Lauren Matteodo ’12, Victoria Foster ’12, Rajuli (Khetarpal) Fahey ’03, Mary Olien ’70, Head of School Judy Guild, Donna Williams ’75, Mario Kula ’09, Hannah Nesbitt ’09, Micah Levy ’09, David Cutler ’02, Rebecca (Thomas) Yudkoff ’97, Mahlet Woldemariam ’95, Director of Alumni Affairs and Special Events Amanda Frank ’88, P ’22, Bethany Schwartz Sonderling ’86, and Tony Ni ’16.

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AMBASSADOR

Athletics 1. Varsity Girls’ Soccer Shani Breiman controls the ball while Sophie Lapat makes a run to goal. Both players earned All-League along with Kimberly Santos, Caiti Cullen, and Abby Mynahan.

2. Cross Country Connor Reif and Charles Li are pictured at the front of the pack with Lachlan Davidson on their heels. All three Brimmer runners earned All-League recognitions, along with Liam Conklin, Kaitlyn Anderson, and Olivia Griffin.

3. Varsity Boys’ Soccer Varsity Boys’ Soccer player Alex Dolan.

Alex and Justin Ewing were named All-League Players.

1 Congratulations to the Varsity Girls’ Soccer team on becoming Independent Girls’ Conference (IGC) Champions!

2 Congrats to our amazing

Cross Country team on their 4th consecutive Mass Bay Independent League (MBIL) victory!

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2. The Varsity II Boys’ Basketball team.

Tal Breiman was named All-League.

3. Jonathan DeJesus ’11 throwing a stone at the Bonspiel Curling Finals.

Jonathan was a second-year curler.

4. The Varsity Girls’ Basketball team.

Shani Breiman was named All-League and League MVP.

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AMBASSADOR

creative arts 1. Fourth graders in the Grade 4/5 production of Robin Hood.

2. From left: Fifth graders Nolen Mounier, Max Palmer, Talya Le, Oliver Baggett, Amelia Simons, Willem Johansson, Tyler Reif, and Xavier Claiborne perform in Robin Hood.

3. The Upper School’s Greenline performs at the Holiday Concert.

4. Althea Hill ’17, Elizabeth Teklu ’17, Amalia Ali ’20, and Michelle Levinger ’18 perform at the Holiday Concert with teacher Thomas Bergeron.

5. The Middle School’s May Chorale performs at the Holiday Concert.

6. The Middle School gave an amazing Lion King performance.

7. Seniors Kate Delaney, Daushan Simon, and Nicholas Correia perform in the Upper School musical Into the Woods.

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Alumni Notes 19 61 Connie Golden ’61 writes,

“I won’t even try to grasp the fact that our class graduated 56 years ago! After three careers (Manager of Foreign Rights at Little, Brown & Co.; NY Casting Director; and Rabbi), I love retirement with its volunteer work possibilities, as well as time to read.

Thirty-one years ago, I married a widower who is now a retired Pediatric Neurologist, so I have two terrific stepdaughters, ages 50 and 52. My husband Jerry and I travel a lot, mostly on cruises. I am still in touch with Dagmar Kless ’61, Sue Hills Edmunds ’61, and Vicky Thoma Barrett ’61. Thanks, Brimmer and May, for preparing me for what has turned out to be a wonderful life!”

19 95 Jennifer Schockett ’95 writes, “My husband, Dave, and I had our first child, Max, in November 2016. We obviously think he’s the best baby in the world, and we love being parents!”

20 00 Rachel Glickel Bennett ’00 had her daughter, Clara Mattison Bennett, on July 17, 2016.

Alumni Focus

Brimmer’s David Cutler ’02 Publishes on National Level U.S. History and Journalism Teacher David Cutler ’02 is becoming quite well known nationally as the author of a range of articles about teaching and education. Take a look at some of his most recent work.

The Private-School Stigma (The Atlantic): https://www.theatlantic.com/ education/archive/2015/01/ bridging-private-and-public-schools/384673/ The New Teachers’ Aides: Superman and Iron Man (The Atlantic): https://www.theatlantic. com/education/archive/2014/09/how-comicbooks-are-creating-super-classrooms/380236/

Johnny’s Right Eye (Independent School Magazine) Journalism: The Most Useful Humanities-Based Class (Independent School Magazine): http://connect.nais.org/blogs/ david-cutler/2014/06/11/journalismthe-most-useful-humanities-course Merit-Based Pay: Rewarding Great Teachers (BAM! Radio Network): http://www.bamradionetwork. com/teaching-teens-tweens/ merit-based-pay-rewarding-great-teachers

Teaching Why Facts Still Matter (Edutopia): https://www.edutopia.org/article/ teaching-why-facts-still-matter-david-cutler How to Become and Remain a Transformational Teacher (Edutopia): https://www.edutopia.org/blog/become-andremain-transformational-teacher-david-cutler the new shape of student assessm ent

A Tale of Two Teachers (Independent Teacher Magazine): http://www.nais.org/ Magazines-Newsletters/ITMagazine/ Pages/A-Tale-of-Two-Teachers.aspx A New Twist on Public-Private School Partnership (Independent School Magazine Blog): http://www.nais.org/Independent-Ideas

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Clara Mattison Bennett, daughter of Rachel Glickel Bennett.

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Rahel Wondwossen ’01 came

Sheera Bornstein ’03 returned

back to Brimmer to observe classes and meet with faculty and staff. Rahel is the former high school principal at New Orleans College Prep Charter School.

to campus with YW Boston. YW Boston facilitated a workshop titled “Moving

Past Diversity: Inclusion and Why Representation Matters” for faculty and staff at opening meetings.

Rahel Wondwossen ’01 and Judy Guild.

20 02 Michelle Borkin ’02 and her husband Moli Luo are overjoyed to announce the birth of their first child, Anne Grace Luo, born in Boston on March 15, 2016. Anne is a very happy and curious baby and brings much joy to the family, who reside in Sherborn, Massachusetts.

Anne Grace Luo, daughter of Michelle Borkin ’02.

Sheera Bornstein ’03 (left) and Diversity Director Jessica Christian (3rd from left) with YW facilitators.

Anne Grace Luo, daughter of Michelle Borkin ’02.

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Katya d’Angelo ’04 is a marketing

Liz DeMont ’06 writes, “Right now

assistant for Boundless Journeys, a small group adventure travel company in Stowe, Vermont. Katya writes, “I was fortunate enough to join two of our amazing trips, first to the Alps to hike the Tour du Mont Blanc (with my husband) and then to Bhutan to explore this fascinating Buddhist kingdom tucked in the foothills of the Himalayas. I even saw Mount Everest from the plane!”

Prague, Berlin, Frankfurt, and Sweden before returning home in June. He has an internship with a nano-technology physics lab at Hamilton College for the summer.

I’m a residential counselor at Alternatives Unlimited in Whitinsville, Massachusetts.

I support developmentally disabled adults.

I am also going back to school to get my bachelor’s in business at Dean College.”

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Elizabeth Leeder ’15 was inducted into the National Honors Society at Furman University last fall.

Jaye Giglio ’12 writes, “I recently moved to Stamford, Connecticut, to start working at indeed.com as a Client Support Coordinator.”

20 14 Houghton Yonge ’14 completed

Katya d’Angelo ’04 overlooking the Tiger’s Nest monastery and temple complex in Bhutan, one of the most sacred places in the country.

Katya d’Angelo ’04 and her husband Chris at the end of the seven-day circuit around Mont Blanc, the highest peak in Western Europe.

his third year at Hamilton College. Houghton received the Dean Alfange Essay Prize from Hamilton for his essay on constitutional law—The Untenability of Corporate Personhood. Houghton is studying physics at the University of Manchester, England.

Having already traveled to Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Dublin, Madrid, and London, he is scheduled to visit Florence, Rome, Vienna,

Elizabeth Leeder ’15.

Mark Sibold ’15 (pictured below)

returned to Brimmer for an a capella performance with the Colgate Thirteen— it was a great show!

Mark Sibold ’15 (at the microphone), Lower and Middle school alumnus, came back to campus this spring with his a capella group, the Colgate Thirteen.

Commencement 2017

Students in the Class of 2017 will matriculate at the following colleges:

Brimmer’s 137th Commencement took place on June 2, 2017.

Babson College Barnard College Brown University (2) College of Charleston College of Wooster Connecticut College Davidson College Franklin & Marshall College Indiana University Marist College Maryland Institute College of the Arts New York University (Tisch) Ohio Wesleyan University Rhodes College Skidmore College (4) St. Andrews University (Scotland) Suffolk University Syracuse University Trinity College Tsinghua University (China) University of Connecticut University of New Hampshire (2) Wentworth Institute of Technology Wheaton College

It was a wonderful celebration of our graduates’ accomplishments. Head of School Judith Guild, Assistant Head of Academic Affairs Joe Iuliano, and Head of Upper School Josh Neudel spoke about each graduate during the Ceremony.

1 1. The Class of 2017 with Assistant Head of Academic Affairs Joe Iuliano (back row, left), Director of College Counseling Cindy Pendergast (middle row, left), Head of School Judy Guild (middle row, center), and Head of Upper School Josh Neudel (center row, right).

2. Creative Arts Diploma recipients Kathleen Delaney, Enna Spivak, Isaac Rocklin-Waltch, Alexis Ifill, and Kaitlyn Celi, with Creative Arts Department Chair Bill Jacob.

3. The Class of 2017 celebrated with confetti after Head of Upper School Josh Neudel presented the newest group of Brimmer graduates.

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4. Global Studies Diploma recipients Wanghao Li, Yiling Ren, and Sarah Smith, with Kelly Neely, Global Studies Director.

5. Scholars Society members Elizabeth Picken, Alexis Ifill, Isaac Rocklin-Waltch, Nicholas Correia, Dashaun Simon, Wanghao Li, Julia Whalen, and Sarah Smith, along with Cecelia Pan, Director of the Scholars Society.

6. Senior Class President Raymani Walker gave a moving speech at Commencement and presented the Senior Class gift.

7. S TEAM Diploma recipients Nicholas Correia, Ju’Quan Mills, and Dashaun Simon with Director of the STEAM program Chris Hardman.

NONprofit org u.s. postage paid

69 Middlesex Road | Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 | 617-566-7462

permit 1008 v, ma

Pre-K, K, and 1st grade students performed “It’s Our Time” at the Lower School Closing Ceremony.

Raymani Walker ’17 received the Columbia University TheEngland Varsity Baseball team in itsConvocation seventh consecutive MBIL Championship Baseball of New Book Prize at played the Honors Game this spring and won for the third time in four years!

Congratulations, Gators!

Fifth graders performed at the Lower School Closing Ceremony.

Ceremony in June.