The Steps of Caedmon 2025

The Steps of Caedmon Spring 2025

The Magazine of The Caedmon School

Spring 2025 • 1

The Steps of Caedmon Spring 2025 An annual publication of The Caedmon School 416 East 80th Street New York, NY 10075 caedmonschool.org

2 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Editor Dan McNerney

Design & Layout CZ Design

Printing & Mailing Square Dot Inc.

Writer Dan McNerney

Photography Dan McNerney

Special Thanks Nils Anderson, Alissa Dufour, Michael Gramer, Brynja Sigurdardottir, Matthew Stuart

Contents A Letter from Head of School Matthew Stuart

2

A Letter from the President of the Board of Trustees

4

Furniture as Art: 5th Grade’s Chair Project

6

Everyday Mathematics

10

Matthew Stuart Reflects on His Time at Caedmon

12

Caedmon Gallery

18

An Overview of Professional Development

22

SEL at Caedmon

24

Caedmon Remembers Pauline Johnson

26

Caedmon Report of Donors

30

Compiled by Brynja Sigurdardottir

Spring 2025 • 1

A LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear Caedmon Community, When I arrived at The Caedmon School in 2012, The Steps of Caedmon was a brief, saddle-stitch newsletter, a pamphlet with a few short articles. Like so many things at Caedmon, it has now become a beautiful, professional feature that we look forward to each spring. Alissa Dufour, Caedmon’s first director of communications, and Cindy Rodriguez, our previous director of development, played a large part in this evolution. And the individual longest associated with The Steps of Caedmon, the magazine’s writer, editor, and photographer (and also our beloved Latin teacher), Dan McNerney, deserves a big round of thanks as well for these changes in the magazine.

This year’s magazine honors a very special person, who graced the front desk at Caedmon for many, many years. Pauline Johnson—“Miss Pauline”—was a kind of mom and then grandmother to so many Caedmon students over the years, as well as an important connection for many parents and caregivers. Her own grandchildren also attended school at Caedmon. Elsewhere, the magazine gives you a window onto the curriculum at Caedmon. We are always asking, “Is this the best, most engaging and most challenging approach for Caedmon students?” and we are doing that specifically with our math program right now. Also in these pages we highlight some innovative and exciting programs and projects that took place this year. Finally, this issue of the magazine gave me a chance to sit down with Mr. McNerney and reflect on my time at Caedmon—a very special thirteen years.

The Steps of Caedmon always offers a well-deserved Thank You for the generous philanthropic giving from our community members, without which we frankly would not exist. Financial giving at Caedmon says loud and clear that our community believes in our school and wants it to thrive.

Given our size and population, we rely deeply on our Caedmon parents, teachers, grandparents, alums, and non-teaching staff to give generously, and we are overwhelmed with gratitude because they do. Caedmon Trustees start in September with a 100% commitment to a donation—and we hope for and encourage the entire community to follow their lead.

Please share The Steps of Caedmon proudly with your friends and relatives. Everyone at Caedmon has a unique and distinguished story, and we relish discovering those stories each year.

With gratitude and delight, Matthew Stuart

2 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Spring 2025 • 3

A LETTER FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT Dear Caedmon Community, As we reflect on another incredible year at Caedmon, I am filled with gratitude and admiration for the remarkable achievements of our students, faculty, and families. It is an honor to serve as the President of the Board and witness the unwavering commitment to our community.

Together, we continue to foster an environment where innovation, compassion, kindness, and the pursuit of knowledge thrive. In this space, I will address three topics. First, the perception of Caedmon by those outside our community.

Second, a tribute to Matthew Stuart, our outgoing Head of School. Third, an introduction to Wendy Falchuk, our incoming Head of School.

Last year, Caedmon underwent a comprehensive inspection by two independent consultants from the premier search firm RG 175. They spent two full days at Caedmon, gathering information about the institution in preparation for drafting a Position Statement (i.e., job description) for our next Head of School. The experts’ Position Statement presents Caedmon as an ideal educational environment, highly desirable for both students and their families.

The Statement asserts, “the school is a diverse and inclusive community which celebrates the talents and perspective of each individual, children and adults alike. . . By fostering a culture of belonging, the school actively and rigorously builds a supportive educational environment for all. For Caedmon, community is always central to learning.” It goes on, “[t]he school fosters the natural curiosity of each child which is the foundation of academic achievement with highly qualified and experienced teachers, well-versed in the Progressive Montessori approach and research-based progressive education. . . the Caedmon program is not a cookie-cutter program. Inspiring and inspirational, Caedmon believes in initiating learning in an individualized, challenging and supported fashion within each division.”

My favorite section reads, “the full community of Caedmon—parents, students, faculty, staff, trustees and alums—all believe in the mission and purpose of this school . . . Repeatedly you will hear the school described as a place for all families and all students. Often the students come skipping into the school, and it seems that the rest of the community is not far behind.”

It is noteworthy how clearly our school’s values are perceived by two outsiders. Reflecting on this statement several months later, I find it difficult not to feel a sense of pride in and gratitude for this exceptional school.

Mr. Stuart has served as our esteemed head for 13 years, warmly welcoming everyone at the schoolhouse steps and consistently championing Caedmon. Matthew is my partner on the Board and a valued friend as well, and his leadership has been a significant asset to the Caedmon community. His unwavering optimism, dedication to creating a nurturing environment, and steadfast focus on our mission have greatly transformed Caedmon. Matthew’s accomplishments over the last 13 years include: (1) Establishing the identity and distinctiveness of The Caedmon School as a progressive independent New York City Montessori preschool and elementary school.

4 • The Caedmon School Magazine

The school has a reputation for providing a personalized learning experience for every student, as reported by applicant families and feeder schools. (2) Initiating and completing a $2.75 million Campaign, the largest amount raised in Caedmon’s history. (3) Facilitating and supervising the ongoing internal renovation of the entire schoolhouse, which included renovations of every classroom, the science lab, the basement dining hall, kitchen, art studio, music room, and courtyard.

As we bid farewell to Matthew, it is impossible not to feel a profound sense of loss. His presence has been a cornerstone of our community, and his impact resonates in every place at Caedmon.

From the classrooms to the courtyard, from the smiles of our children to the gratitude of parents, Matthew’s influence is omnipresent. His wisdom, kindness, and steadfast dedication have touched us all in ways that are immeasurable. Matthew, you will be deeply missed, not only as a head of school, but as a mentor, a leader, and a cherished friend. Your legacy will continue to inspire and guide us as we move forward, carrying on the spirit of Caedmon that you have so lovingly nurtured.

In the spirit of moving forward, I am delighted that Dr. Wendy Falchuk will be joining the Caedmon community on July 1, 2025. Dr. Falchuk joins us from the Kingsley Montessori School in Boston, Massachusetts, where she currently serves as the Director of Enrollment Management and Community Engagement. Prior to this role, Dr. Falchuk was the Assistant Head of School at Gann Academy. She brings to Caedmon over 20 years of experience in education and school administration. Dr. Falchuk has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to Montessori education, spanning from early childhood to the elementary years. Her dissertation, Communication and Collaboration across Student Support Teams and Montessori Classroom Teachers, has significantly informed her work and has been incorporated into classroom practices at Kingsley.

The Board, faculty, students, and parents alike are looking forward to the dynamic leadership and positive changes that Dr. Falchuk will undoubtedly usher in. Her background and accomplishments particularly resonate with our school’s core values and mission. It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome Dr. Falchuk to the Caedmon family, confident that she will continue to build upon the strong foundation laid by Mr. Stuart.

Thank you to everyone who supports Caedmon.

Michael W. Gramer President Board of Trustees of The Caedmon School (Parent to Roman ’29 and Rose ’30)

Spring 2025 • 5

Furniture as Art: 5th Grade’s Chair Project The fifth grade classroom has acquired some distinctive new furniture this year. Seventeen cardboard chairs—one for each student in the Class of 2025—have been added to the room, and none of them looks quite like any of the others. Each of the chairs belongs to a different fifth grade student, who was responsible for giving it a design that sets it apart from all the rest during the course of a lengthy fall art project. Some of the chairs are extensively painted, while others, more minimalist, exhibit a functional sense of style. All the chairs, whatever their look, reflect the interests and personalities of the individual students who made them their own.

The idea for the chairs project comes from fifth grade homeroom teacher Bryan Storti. One of Mr. Storti’s

6 • The Caedmon School Magazine

friends, Sandra Luks, is a fashion designer from Estonia who creates clothing by “upcycling” or creative reuse— she takes discarded products and transforms them into new objects that are more valuable or beautiful than the original items from which they’re made. (Commenting on this process of making art, Mr. Storti recalls being fascinated at one of Ms. Luks’s shows by a dress she had designed entirely out of the seams of old blue jeans.)

Last May, Mr. Storti attended an upcycling-themed show at which Ms. Luks was among the featured artists.

One of the artworks at the show was a set of chairs designed by Tarmo Luisk out of cardboard. These had been made available for attendees to sit on, and Mr. Storti was impressed by their sturdiness. He reflected that,

Opposite left: the chairs as they at first appeared. Middle images: working on the chairs in the art room. Above right: a finalized chair in the fifth graders’ presentation.

without any decoration, such chairs would make an excellent art project—students could have fun and express themselves visually while also learning about and contributing to the sustainability efforts that are the impetus for upcycling. He brought his idea to the attention of fellow fifth grade teacher Elena Howell, and of Mr. Stuart and the art teachers, Nils Anderson and Genesis Almanzar. They all were excited by the proposal, and Mr. Storti soon found himself transporting the needed cardboard to Caedmon one day last spring.

Work on the new furniture began at the very start of the year. Mr. Anderson and Ms. Almanzar had folded Mr. Storti’s cardboard into chairs already, adding some hot glue in various places to increase their strength.

Fifth graders put their names on their respective chairs and began the design process, sometimes working on the chairs in the classroom with the art teachers and sometimes transporting them to the art room, which became the norm later in the process, when the design

work was in a more elaborate, later phase. As Ms. Almanzar remarks, designing the chairs was a free art project— students were able to design them in any way they liked, and the art teachers’ role was to serve as facilitators of their vision. Some students opted to paint their chairs extensively and to collage them with images they had printed. Others wanted to have objects sticking out of their chairs, adding cup holders, arm rests, and other items with a particular function, and learning in the process how to stiffen and reinforce these extras with struts. And in the interests of comfort, many students chose to outfit the chairs with cushions upcycled from T-shirts as well, coming up with designs for these that added to the overall personality expressed by their chair. To mark the official completion of the project, Mr. Anderson and Ms. Almanzar also had the fifth graders each discuss their chair with the whole class in a presentation held in the lobby.

Spring 2025 • 7

Above: students discussing their chairs at the chairs presentation. Opposite: four of the completed chairs.

Asked to reflect on the design process for this article, several of the fifth graders stressed its creative aspect and the opportunity it offered for personal expression.

Sophia Miller Contreras remarked, “It was a really great experience because everyone got a lot of independence and got to use a lot of creativity.” Similarly, Justin Lum said of the project, “I thought it was really fun—everyone got to show their personality, not by telling people but by decorating their chairs.” Jackson Smith highlighted the

8 • The Caedmon School Magazine

novelty of the medium used for expression, and identified emotion rather than personality as the thing being communicated, commenting that he “love[d] how we expressed our feelings on a chair!” And Jordan John, noting the social dimension of the design process, how students took inspiration from each other while working, summed things up by saying, “I think it was a great experience for the 5th graders to work on our chairs and cooperate together, and to build on each other’s ideas!”

Spring 2025 • 9

EVERYDAY MATHEMATICS: CAEDMON TESTS A NEW MATH CURRICULUM

Parents in today’s STEM-oriented world are understandably keen to have their children receive a strong mathematics education. At the elementary level, such an education has to achieve several goals. An obvious one is the development of basic numeracy, which includes a grasp of the four main arithmetic operations, the natural numbers, place value, fractions, decimals, and percents, as well as certain geometry concepts (perimeter, area, congruence) and the ability to estimate correctly. Just as importantly, children need to acquire confidence in their ability to learn math and to feel curious about the subject; these attitudes will not only help them to thrive in math in their elementary years, but also motivate them for their continuing study of the subject in secondary school, college, and—for those who pursue STEM and other

1 0 • The Caedmon School Magazine

math-related careers—graduate-level educational institutions.

In addition, students need to form creative problem-solving skills as a foundation for constructing proofs and for real-world applications of mathematics, and they need to achieve a clear understanding of the effectiveness of the algorithms they learn so that they don’t regard mathematics as mystifying or arbitrary.

Acknowledging all of these goals, Caedmon has been constantly examining and modifying its math curriculum, looking to make sure that the subject is being taught in a way that meets all of the relevant criteria for elementary math education. In keeping with this spirit of review and revision, the school formed a committee two years ago to examine new curricula that might be adopted for the teaching of math. The committee, which was composed

of Bryan Storti, Jake Meyers, Rose Kory, Jill Grazioli, and Emmy Burnett, examined a variety of curricula and ultimately recommended that two of them, Math in Focus and Everyday Mathematics, should be used on a trial basis at Caedmon. Last year, Math in Focus was tried out in the fourth grade, and it was determined at year’s end that the curriculum isn’t a good fit. Caedmon’s educational philosophy honors the individual learning styles of each child, and the teachers who gave it a trial run felt that Math in Focus is designed for only one kind of learner, without enough in the way of resources for children who learn in other ways. This year, third and fourth grade teachers have opted to try the second recommendation, Everyday Math. The plan now is to examine it for a two-year minimum, allowing teachers to chart the math progress of students learning through the program over the span of multiple grades.

Everyday Mathematics is a curriculum developed by the University of Chicago. It has been researched since the early 1980s and revised multiple times. Spiraling, also known as spacing, is key to how it teaches mathematics.

In Everyday Math, specific mathematical skills and concepts are repeatedly taught throughout the year; they are introduced and then the curriculum returns to them at multiple points, offering opportunities for more practice to those students who haven’t yet mastered a given skill, and extension activities to those who have.

(Math boxes, a review exercise in the curriculum which 3rd grade teacher Jenni Arcieri describes as being used “almost daily”, offer a notable example of how spiraling is implemented in Everyday Math.) Additionally, the spiraling of content allows an older skill to be embedded

in later lessons teaching new skills and concepts so that students can deepen their understanding of the older skill by observing how it relates to new material. Similarly, multiple related concepts are introduced together so that students can make connections between them and observe their interplay. In the third grade curriculum, for example, multiplication and division are taught jointly, while in fourth grade fractions and division are presented together.

Among its other distinguishing features, Everyday Mathematics also stresses the importance of concrete, real-world examples and datasets so that the relevance of mathematics to life is constantly apparent to young students. The curriculum values the teaching of multiple problem-solving strategies to develop a multifaceted grasp of concepts and accommodate differences in learning styles, and the frequent practice of basic computational skills, often through the use of games to make the activities appealing to children. As with many progressive curricula, Everyday Math insists on developing conceptual understanding, even as it acknowledges the importance of computational efficiency. And the social aspects of the curriculum—the partnerships and discussions it involves—tie in with social-emotional learning and also enable students to learn different approaches to math problems from each other. In fact, the room it offers for collaborative work can even amplify students’ problemsolving ability, since it has been noted in research that young students working together with manipulatives are often able to solve a math problem that would elude their grasp if they worked independently.

Spring 2025 • 11

Matthew Stuart Reflects on His Time at Caedmon

Tell us what your first year was like. What have you learned about school leadership since that time?

The biggest thing about the first year, the first couple years, was learning as a Head—you think you’re a good Head when you’re a highly relational person, when you like people and you want to connect with people. But that gets hard with really, really tough decisions. That was the hardest part about being a Head in my first year or two— learning that there were decisions that no one was happy with. I made a decision: the parents were upset and felt I wasn’t supporting their child, but the teachers felt that the decision didn’t go far enough and we weren’t supporting the teachers, and those were the decisions I had to spend

1 2 • The Caedmon School Magazine

the most amount of time on and really tried to think through what would be the right decision. That almost did me in those first couple years, because there’s also no one to tell you, “This is the right decision, you’ve got to go for it.” So for me, that’s the biggest thing I’ve learned about leadership—the need, in many situations, to put aside your own relational fears or concerns or “Are they still going to like me?” and say, “What’s the best choice for the school?” and you make it. I joke that, kind of around year three, I learned to flip the story and that kind of decision would come up and my stomach would tie up in a knot and I would go, “Oh, hello old friend, there you are, you’re one of those decisions!”

What were the biggest challenges of your tenure at Caedmon?

I have to say that Covid, the pandemic, was a life-changing time as far as being a leader because all those decisions had to be made so, so quickly. So, those decisions, you didn’t have time—I mean we had a council of doctors and parents who were helping us, and then there was a group of parents who disagreed with those parents, but you didn’t have time to get caught up in any of that. You had to make a decision, make a decision, make a decision, and it was so rapid-fire. Before Covid everyone always talked about what’s called a VUCA—a volatile uncertain complex ambiguous time, things changing—and prior to Covid I think we were all like, “These are volatile times,” but you hung on to your seat to just do things the same way, and once Covid came you couldn’t do that anymore, you had to make decisions, changes—the whole faculty had to learn to go online, including Montessori preschool teachers.

So that to me was the biggest time of, you know, you just made decisions and made decisions that you believed were right and kept the school going. That was thrust upon us— Covid and the pandemic. That was certainly a challenge.

[On a different front,] I think overall that, for Caedmon, when I got here, people said we were like the greatest secret—a great school, but a secret—and Jennifer [Tarpley-Kreismer] and I notice these days that, when people apply to this school now, they’ve heard about the school, they understand that we’re a progressive Montessori school that’s going to give individualized attention to their children. They come in saying the things we talk about for the school. So for me that was the other biggest challenge—getting us to that recognition.

This year Jennifer has I think 25 or 30 more (maybe even more) applications than she did last year at this time! I mean, we’re a boutique institution. We’re really a rare progressive Montessori school, and we seem to be appealing now to a group of people who want those specific things, and that’s exciting because that means the school is going to carry on in really wonderful ways, but in unique ways, like people who want to choose a tiny boutique hotel that’s really exquisite as opposed to something really big or something that everyone knows about.

Is there an accomplishment that you’re especially proud of?

So many. I’m very proud of that [recognition-building].

Also, our kids have such an incredible reputation in ongoing schools. We’ve contacted them about our 6th grade alumni, and people really know Caedmon children, and that’s a team accomplishment. I’m very proud of the way we went through the pandemic. I’m proud of how financially stable this school is right now. A lot of small progressive schools have closed or they’re having some real struggles, and our finances are so secure. I’m proud we got the 15-year lease we got about 12 years ago, that we got that long-term lease that really brought security for the school. I wouldn’t leave if I didn’t feel like the school was in really good shape. I think the faculty’s phenomenal, I think the right teams are in place. I think there’s a lot of opportunity right now to think about how to build on what we have. So that really healthy foundation is the thing I’m most proud of.

Spring 2025 • 13

Any especially memorable moments?

Oh, millions of them! My first year was the school’s 50th birthday, and we had that wonderful big party at Guastavino’s and Lily Kapner [Class of 2014] sang and the Young People’s Chorus sang and that led to a big building fund that cleaned off the front of the school. The porch of the school when I arrived was painted yellow and had a chainlink fence! I still remember that party so well.

I loved working with Honor Taft, loved working with Lisa Oberstein and Andria Quintero, with Tyler [Jennings], and now Saniya and Jelecia. We have good teams here— those are memorable to me, and then, you know, I loved directing [the fifth grade musical] Peter Pan last year.

We’re going to do Annie [this year]. There’s something very special when you connect with the fifth grade and you see them marching off into their next moment.

That’s a hugely memorable moment. I remember,

1 4 • The Caedmon School Magazine

for Caedmon Gift Giving Day, we used to be able to bake, and I remember baking for one kid a huge golf putting green sugar cookie, but we’re not allowed to do that anymore! That used to be fun!

What is the toughest part of being a Head of School?

That’s the hardest part about being a Head of School— you’re called on to make decisions where no one is pleased with the outcome and you have to go ahead and make the decision and if you make it like it would really please this person, it’s not the right one. You’ve got to decide, “This is the right decision.” I’ve given a lot of time to creating mentorship for new heads: I run the Guild of Independent Schools and I created a whole mentorship group there because I think being a Head really attracts people who want the best for everyone and really want to take care of others and then you have to make those

choices. Others may find the finances [the toughest part], but for me it’s the individual moments of people’s frustration with a decision that is nevertheless the right thing to do.

done in the classroom, they’ve got a great project going, they’ve got an idea for a project. For me that’s the best part, because I went into this because I wanted people to do their best.

Flipping the question around, what is the best part— or one of the best parts?

What does Caedmon mean to you?

It’s when a kid looks you in the eye and just is smiling and they feel safe and they’re happy and they’re learning in school. And in this school I squat down to the level of the two-year-olds when they’re lined up for dismissal at 11:30, and I love that they’re smiling and laughing and they’ve had a great day. And fifth graders when they do really well on something—that to me is the best part of being a Head, that moment when you look in the eyes and people’s eyes are twinkling and they’re happy and a parent is proud of their kid, a teacher is really proud of something they’ve

Such a great question! I love this school. I love this school so much. Caedmon means to me young people are going to thrive. Caedmon means hope to me. Caedmon means that young children are going to feel good about themselves, are going to have a really good sense of confidence in themselves and they’re going to go forward.

You know, we hear this about our alums. We hear this from our alums’ schools—they tell us that Caedmon kids are really self-confident. There’s a lot of humility, they’re not arrogant, they’re just secure in who they are, in what they learn, so that’s what Caedmon means to me. Just the idea

Spring 2025 • 15

of hope and the idea of a happy childhood. I’ve worked in 6 schools and I remember coming here for the interview and I’ve always said to people, “Caedmon has a soul.”

There’s something very special about the school, it really has a soul behind the work. It has a spirit, it has an incredible energy behind the success of children, and you can feel it when you come in here. People say that when they come in here.

professional development—maybe Caedmon creates a school for teachers or Caedmon creates a Montessori school for parents? I believe that people know about Caedmon, so what could that become? How could Caedmon give back? Because it is this unique learning experience. So my hope is that it remains very solid and healthy, but I’d like it to start to share what it has with other educators.

What are your hopes and dreams for the school in the next decade?

What are your plans for the future?

I’m excited to see this school develop and prosper as Wendy [Falchuk] becomes the new Head. I believe it can and I hope it will continue to be a profoundly unique children-only learning opportunity. We’ve joked about having caedmon.edu and Cadmon curriculum that people can download across the country. Our teachers love

1 6 • The Caedmon School Magazine

There’s a lot of fun ideas! There’s something called an interim headship where you run a school for 1 year, 2 years, where they’re in transition. That sounds really cool to me because I love professional development. There’s something in New York called accreditation where you are a team and you go in and look under the hood of a school and that’s what you do when you’re in these interims—

you’re kind of coming in and helping the school either hold on or maybe make big changes. There’s some education jobs but they’re not school jobs, here in New York again. That could be really interesting, so I’m exploring some of those. I’m just shy of actual retirement age. This was the right time for Caedmon—it’s ready for its next generation, and for me, I need to find a couple interesting things to do because I have too much energy to totally retire but I don’t want to [manage] a whole other school. I want to have some adventures!

Any personal plans?

Well, I’m very lucky to be married to someone who is in charge of luxury hotels, and we have a great travel life, so I’d love to continue traveling. I have a gigantic pile of books that I’m supposed to read that I’ve never read or that I’ve started, so I’d like to sit and read some books.

There’s some good TV binging, some of these TV shows that by 9 o’clock I am fast asleep and I want to be able to binge some of those Netflix series. I love to cook and I love the time and freedom to cook dinner for us, so all those kinds of things—traveling and eating and reading.

You just seem not to have time to, because you get home and there’s three more emails you’ve got to attend to and then it’s 9 o’clock and you fall asleep. I want that freedom to have some of that time. It seems like it would be really nice!

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I do joke about how 15 or 14 years ago, if you and I had a bet and you told me, “Matthew, you’re going to finish your career in a Montessori early childhood and elementary program,” I would have said, “You’re crazy! That’s not my specialty. I love small children but I’m a middle school expert. I don’t know about that kind of stuff!” And [yet] the head hunter was really insistent and I called the head hunter after about 3 years here and I said, “How did you know I would love this place?” And she said, “I just knew!

I just knew you and that school would go together!” So I feel immense gratitude, humble gratitude for the chance to lead this school for all of this time. There’s not a lot of people who get to say, “Wow, I did what I really wanted to do with my life in my career!” and I got to and I’m lucky— I’m so, so lucky.

Spring 2025 • 17

CAEDMON GALLERY The Steps of Caedmon once again presents a selection of the visual art made by Caedmon’s talented students.

All of them, whether featured here or not, are a year older and therefore a year more skillful! The work displayed includes both sculpture and drawing, and has been chosen from Mr. Anderson and Ms. Almanzar’s art classes, as well as from a class taught in the after school program.

Above: Gabby Miranda (5th grade), Apple Still Life; Below: Martha Nachtrieb (4th grade), Anime Character

1 8 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Top: Julia O’Hara (2nd grade), Flowers; Left: Lukasz Balon (3rd grade), Greek Vase; Right: Birdie Bottini (Kindergarten), Abstract Sculpture

Spring 2025 • 19

Top left: Alex Dele-Michael (3rd grade), Abstract Sculpture; Top Right: Miles Patterson (3rd grade), Abstract Sculpture Bottom: Peter Spektor (1st grade), Bird; Opposite page: Tina Liu (5th grade), Portrait 2 0 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Spring 2025 • 21

AN OVERVIEW OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Caedmon teachers and administrators are passionate about professional development!

Here is a brief look at the PD that some of them have been doing during the 2024-2025 school year.

Jelecia McGregor and April Milton Ms. McGregor and Ms. Milton are participating in a yearlong DEIB leadership program, both of them being members of the seventh cohort of NYSAIS’s Justice, Equity, & Diversity Institute (JEDI). It serves as a thorough mid-level introduction to all facets of equity work in independent schools, covering key topics such as identity and oppression, field-specific practices, and strategic approaches. The cohort, which consists of 20 educators who collectively work with the full gamut of ages, kicked off the program with a 3-day residential retreat late last summer. The members of the group have also participated in monthly meetings (typically over Zoom) and will attend this year’s NYSAIS Diversity Symposium, which takes place at The Lycée Français. The cohort’s final meeting will be a conference held at Mohonk in May, when members will each present on a DEIB topic of their own choosing. In connection with her work for this program, Ms. McGregor found it especially interesting to attend the Governance Conference held at Dalton, which allowed her to hear the DEIB perspectives of the boards of trustees of various independent schools. And Ms. Milton, talking about her experience with the cohort, has been particularly impressed by the specificity of the discussions—she reflects that a lot of teacher training presupposes a public school setting, and that the JEDI cohort has had many conversations about DEIB in the world of independent schools, as well as about what DEIB is like in the very diverse environment of New York City.

2 2 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Bryan Storti Through the West Side Montessori Teacher Education program, Mr. Storti has been working on obtaining his EL-II Montessori Certification, which covers teaching students aged from 9 to 12. The program began during the summer of 2024 with a six-week intensive Montessori training, partly conducted over Zoom and partly held in-person at The Calhoun School. Since the fall, the program has continued with a number of 9-5 sessions taking place on weekends, and Mr. Storti notes that former Caedmon teacher Megan Avery, who has many education credentials and is also an exhibited sculptor, taught the weekend session on Montessori art. Mr. Storti has already taken his exams on Montessori instruction in Math and Language, which consist of teaching lessons before his classmates and teachers. He will also be taking exams on Montessori social studies (geography and history) and science (biology and physical sciences) before being awarded his certification in May.

Saniya Mehdi Because it is part of her role as the Director of Early Childhood to work closely with the Early Childhood teachers at Caedmon, Mrs. Mehdi identified the need for formal training to enhance her skills as a curriculum coach. She believed this training would be especially valuable in her capacity as Associate Head of School, equipping her to better support faculty and curriculum development across the school. In the fall of 2024, she enrolled in a one-year program through the American Montessori Society (AMS) Curriculum Coaching Academy.

Although the training focuses on Montessori pedagogy, it is designed to equip participants with the skills to serve as curriculum coaches for teachers across all grade levels and with a variety of educational approaches. The program covers key areas such as educational philosophy, child development, curriculum design, faculty coaching, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB).

Mrs. Mehdi is eager to apply this training to support all faculty members at Caedmon, ensuring effective curriculum implementation and professional growth throughout the different grade levels.

Juhi Pande Like Mr. Storti, Ms. Pande has been working through the West Side Montessori Teacher Education program on acquiring Montessori certification—in her case, for early childhood, which is ages 3-6. Her six-week intensive summer course was held at a church near West Side Montessori school; it covered Montessori educational philosophy and then presented the early childhood curricula—math, practical life, cultural (this includes science), sensorial, and language. Since the fall, Ms. Pande has been working on her practicum, which requires attendance at a number of weekend sessions and visits to three Montessori schools besides Caedmon to observe how Montessori is implemented in other settings. Ms. Pande adds that there have been separate workshops on music, movement, and the peace corner, and that she will be presenting her math and language Montessori lessons in the program’s Spring Seminar in April. Speaking about the experience so far, she remarks, “It [has given] me a different perspective on Montessori—I don’t think I would have been able to use the Montessori materials as confidently. I really appreciate the math, especially!”

Spring 2025 • 23

SEL at Caedmon In keeping with its progressive spirit, Caedmon is committed to the view that social-emotional learning (SEL) is a vital part of the educational curriculum. This isn’t only because developing social skills and emotional intelligence provides a foundation for students’ well-being at all ages.

Even children’s academic success depends in important ways on their ability to manage their emotions and interpersonal relationships. Homeroom teachers are responsible for some of the teaching of SEL lessons—appropriately, since the lessons tie in with all the other social-emotional work they do with their students throughout the day and the week. But most of the formal instruction in SEL at Caedmon is conducted by Caedmon’s psychologist, Dr. Liz Ward, whose professional training makes her an ideal provider of classes on social and emotional issues to students in Kindergarten through fifth grade. (For younger children this year, Dr. Ward consults with their teachers about SEL topics, and she is available to meet with the parents of students in the Early Childhood program about matters related to SEL such as separation difficulties, emotional regulation, and sleep challenges.)

Dr. Ward’s SEL classes are given biweekly in 15-minute sessions to Kindergarteners, while they are also offered every two weeks, but in 30-minute lessons, to 3rd and 5th graders. There is a monthly class for 4th grade students, who have an additional SEL session with their homeroom teachers on a schedule that ensures SEL instruction every two weeks; and, at the time of this writing, a whole-class session lasting 30 minutes takes place weekly in each of the three mixed-age 1st and 2nd grade homerooms.

The curriculum varies with grade level, but for students in K through 3 a common thread this year is that they all receive some instruction in self-regulation skills that draws on the concepts of the Zones of Regulation. In fact, it is so that they can get through the entire Zones curriculum, which is especially appropriate for them developmentally, that students in the 1st and 2nd grade homerooms meet with Dr. Ward on a weekly basis rather than every two weeks.

Self-regulation is the ability to manage one’s emotions on one’s own, and it depends on metacognition—awareness of one’s own thinking, emotions, and other mental states.

The Zones of Regulation, which focuses on emotions and the thoughts that go with them, makes it easy for children

2 4 • The Caedmon School Magazine

to understand self-regulation by classifying feelings and levels of energy and alertness into four color zones—blue, green, yellow, and red. The color coding is based on well-known conventions. Predictably, the blue zone labels feelings and energy levels such as sadness, boredom, and fatigue. Green is for happiness, contentment, and high levels of focus—the “go” color, as it were. Yellow describes more intense feelings and levels of energy that can mark a transition to an extreme—yellow-labeled feelings include excitement, frustration, and nervousness. Last of all, the red zone comprises very high levels of energy and overwhelming emotions such as elation, fury, and panic.

Crucially, the zones only refer to feelings and energy levels, not behaviors, and the Zones of Regulation curriculum avoids judgment about them, acknowledging that all kinds of feelings are legitimate and normal. The point is to develop the skill of being aware of one’s feelings and to find strategies for managing them. Feelings in the green zone are especially conducive to learning, but it is also possible to learn when in the other zones as well. Students are not rewarded for being in the green zone or punished for being in the other zones, nor is the green zone the goal.

HAPPY

CALM

BLUE ZONE

FOCUSED

FRUSTRATED

PROUD

ELATED

TIRED

STRESSED OUT OF CONTROL

WORRIED

SICK

ANGRY

PANICKED

SILLY TERRIFIED

CONTENT

GREEN ZONE

Once their work on the Zones of Regulation has come to an end, 1st and 2nd grade students receive additional lessons on various social topics that they can benefit from knowing more about, e.g., sportsmanship or personal space. In the past Dr. Ward has used the Social Detective and Superflex series for some of these lessons, and she strives to try out different curricula to keep things fresh.

Third graders receive age-specific lessons too, in their case ones such as lessons on managing worries related to testing, which becomes a prominent feature of children’s lives as they get closer to their Caedmon graduation.

In distinction to the younger grades, fourth and fifth graders use another evidence-based curriculum, Harmony PreK-6, which has been found to work well with older elementary students. Both grades go through Harmony’s first unit, which deals with emotions and self-regulation; 4th grade then skips to unit 3, which is on the topic of communicating, while students in 5th move sequentially, to unit 2, whose subject is valuing each other. Notably, 5th graders additionally receive grade-specific instruction on topics like how to prepare for the transition to middle school.

FATIGUE

SAD

DEVASTATED EXCITED

YELLOW ZONE

BORED

RED ZONE

Besides her SEL classes (and the variety of further resources for student support she furnishes to both teachers and parents), Dr. Ward provides small group instruction as well. For each grade in grades 1-5 she offers smaller friendship groups for a 6-week period, and for each of the grades 3-5 she likewise conducts an additional worries group, also lasting 6 weeks. This latter group originated from Dr. Ward’s recognition that worries, avoidance, and anxiety are common issues for young children, who may therefore benefit from a short-term intervention that addresses such feelings and behaviors by teaching skills for recognizing and managing the thoughts and emotions associated with worry. Each small group is formed through an invitation process: Dr. Ward sends out an invitation to all parents in a grade to enroll their child in a small group, and then the parents (who may have had feedback from homeroom teachers that participation in such a group would be beneficial for their child) have the option of accepting or declining a spot.

At the time of this writing, it is also under consideration with Dr. Ward to extend the worries group offering, making it available as well to 1st and 2nd graders in the spring.

Spring 2025 • 25

Caedmon Remembers Pauline Johnson Pauline Johnson, Caedmon’s beloved receptionist, who worked at the school for 33 years and retired in 2020, passed away last summer. The Steps of Caedmon pays tribute to her here with photos of her time at Caedmon and some reminiscences of her from teachers and staff.

I remember January 20, 2009 when we gathered in the school lobby for an Elementary assembly, to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama live on a big screen. Pauline had stepped off her receptionist duties so she could join us to watch this historical event. I caught sight of her leaning against a door frame in the darkness with tears streaming down her face. As a child who grew up during the civil rights movements in the 1960’s I can only imagine what that moment meant to her.

I was so fortunate to have this wonderful friend in my life for 35 years. I miss her dearly.

— Susan Bonet At Honor Taft’s farewell party

Pauline with Josie Alcindor 2 6 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Pauline and Carole DeVine

I feel incredibly fortunate to have shared so many wonderful years with Pauline at Caedmon. Her sense of humor and outrageous sass made every moment with her unforgettable, and our conversations always ended in laughter.

Pauline was a true blessing, not only to all of us who worked alongside her but to every family that walked through Caedmon’s doors. We will always love you, Pauline. Rest in peace.

— Heather Halverson At a faculty and staff outing circa 2003

With Slawomir Balon

Pauline with Lisa Donofrio at the 2009 Faculty and Staff Holiday Party

My thoughts of Pauline are of her kind, yet fierce presence, and her cheery morning greeting of “Good morning, Roe Roe!” I also miss her excitement when discussing her wonderful Caribbean adventures with her beloved husband James. Thoughts of Pauline make me smile, and happy to have known her.

— Rosemary Frisaro-Kessler

At the Snow Ball benefit with her husband James Spring 2025 • 27

Where do I begin to honor such a beautiful soul?

Pauline was a kind and compassionate presence, known for her laughter and her unwavering love for her family, friends, and the countless students who entered Caedmon‘s doors each day. She made each child feel seen, welcomed, and celebrated. Her passion for traveling and exploring faraway places, her love of fashion, and her signature flair for leopard prints added a special vibrancy to every moment shared with her.

The Caedmon School will forever cherish Pauline’s memory. Her warmth, joy, and kindness will remain in our hearts always, an enduring light that will never fade.

— Susan Kelly

Pauline receiving her daily hug from Julia Bregman ‘22

Pauline with Becky Hartswell and Prentiss

Pauline in 2003

2 8 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Pauline, April Milton, and Norma Nathanson

Reflecting for the camera

At Dr. Leo Altschul’s farewell party

With James at the 50th Anniversary Celebration

At the 2002 Holiday Show with Meredith Woodruff and Judy Gilpin

What a gift it was to have Pauline in our lives!

She was truly one of my angels. I loved hearing all about her life, her family, her loves, and her adventures. She was always eager to hear the same about my life. Pauline loved love and babies and was always so tickled when someone at Caedmon was getting married or having a baby. She lovingly and warmly greeted and hugged my daughter every single day upon arriving at Caedmon—something I truly treasure.

She is greatly beloved and missed.

— Meredith Woodruff Pauline at the front desk

Spring 2025 • 29

3 0 • The Caedmon School Magazine

CAEDMON ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2023-2024

Together, We Make a Difference Dear Caedmon Community, As I reflect on Caedmon’s philanthropic efforts from the 2023–2024 school year (July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024), I am filled with gratitude for what we accomplished together. Thanks to your remarkable generosity, Caedmon raised $700,764 through the Annual Fund, Capital Campaign, CFA Spring Benefit, and the Elizabeth “Betsy” Zuppone Memorial Fund for Kindergarten Swimming.

This incredible outpouring of support strengthens every part of the Caedmon experience.

In a preschool through fifth grade independent school, philanthropy allows us to keep class sizes small, support passionate educators, enrich the curriculum, and ensure that all children— regardless of financial background—can thrive in our nurturing, inclusive community.

Your gifts bring our mission to life every day. Whether it’s a spark of curiosity during a science lesson, a moment of empathy between classmates, or a confident child on stage at Caedmon concerts, your support makes it all possible.

We are also deeply grateful for the time and talent shared by so many in our community.

From the Halloween Party to the Spring Gala, volunteer-led moments of joy and connection strengthen the heart of our school. A special thank you goes out to CFA Co-Presidents Brena Cascini and Sherli Furst for their tireless dedication and hard work.

Thank you for believing in Caedmon—our mission, our values, and, most of all, our children.

I look forward to building on this momentum together as we continue to nurture creative, capable, and courageous learners.

With heartfelt gratitude, Brynja Sigurdardottir Director of Giving and Community Engagement

Spring 2025 • 31

CAEDMON ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2023-2024

Caedmon by the Numbers

$5,471, 000

July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024

TOTAL ANNUAL GIVING: Annual Fund......................................................................................$267,985 Capital Campaign Pledge Payments.............................................$139,347 Spring Benefit Net Proceeds...........................................................$134,446 Elizabeth “Betsy” Zuppone Memorial Fund.................................$158,986 Total Annual Giving...................................................................... $700,764 Total Number of Donors......................................................................... 342

ANNUAL FUND

72%

Of Caedmon families made a gift to the Annual Fund

261

Total Annual Fund donors

REVENUES AND EXPENSES JULY 1, 2023 - JUNE 30, 2024

59

Donors have made an Annual Fund gift for five or more consecutive years

$500 The most common Annual Fund gift

OPERATING REVENUE

OPERATING EXPENSES

n Tuition - 86%

n Salaries & Benefits - 60%

n Auxiliary - 11%

n Overhead - 25%

n Giving - 3%

n Flex Tuition - 15%

3 2 • The Caedmon School Magazine

$849 The average Annual Fund gift

CAEDMON ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2023-2024

T H E AN N UAL FUND 2023-2024 • 5 years of consecutive giving u 10+ years of consecutive giving † Deceased

Leslie and Richard Perle Emily Prager and Rob Polsky • Diana Dosik and Matthew Schwab Ridhima and Shubh Singh Katie and Willis Taylor u

1962 FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE $20,000+

SPONSORS’ CLUB $1,000–$1,999

Rebecca and Joseph Hartswell •

Anonymous (4) Boeing Aishlinn and Anthony Bottini Crissy Cáceres Leslie Bernstein and Inten Chen • Kristin and Gerald Flattmann Flore and Charles Fuller Sherli and Robert Furst Amanda Lewis and Victor Gill Freda Gimpel • Shipra Srinivasan and Siddhant Goel Brena Cascini and Keith Gooberman Merissa Dzau and John Goodson • Google Ann and Joel Gora Malini and Dinesh Goyal Jill and David Grazioli • Jonathan Grier Hill-Snowdon Foundation • Amber Lam and Bogdan Ianev Rupal and Ankit Jain Verona Lu and Shawn Jang Yi Rong and Lai Jiang JP Morgan Chase Bank Stephanie Chun and Tim Kau Barbara and Robert Kaufman Kumar Kesavan Heather and Kristian Kristensen Melissa and Kessar Nashat Renata Taionato Clemente and Isao Okano Saswati Panda and Saurabh Panigrahy Anne and Humberto Reboredo Jessica Bloom and Larry Rosenberg Roy J. Zuckerberg Family Foundation • Nick Russo Kate and Michael Schaper Laura Walker Hanyi Wang and Christopher Wan Erica and Byron Whitmore Claudia and Jonathan Williams Torrey and Mark Young

LEADERSHIP CLUB $10,000–$14,999

Andrea and Ejim Achi Michelle and Eliot Knudsen Pamela Codo-Lotti and Frederic Lotti • Jennifer Rodburg and John Modzelewski • Elizabeth and Adam Rosman CAEDMON PARTNER $5,000–$9,999

Assured Guaranty • Jenna and Ethan Dabbs • Goldman Sachs u Janine and Richard Hoffman • Natsuko and Emmanuel Maruani Ashleigh Bischoff and Dale McComb u Celine Chan and Andrew Rouillard • Veronika and Gregory Spektor Patty Ng and Eric Yuen • Kara and Samuel Zanger • BENEFACTORS’ CLUB $2,000–$4,999

Anonymous (5) Tsukasa and Takumi Arakaki • Bank of America Clara Gaspari and Gustavo Benchimol Lauren Irwin and Robert Bugbee Anne and Michael D’Ausilio Adebola and Abiola Dele-Michael u Kelly Riggle and Richard Froom • Global Infrastructure Samantha and David Goldring • Michelle and Michael Gramer Amy and Stephen Harsany Yi and Chen Hong Tanya Benenson and Garret Leahey u Viviane Polacow and Paulo Lima Joan Lonergan • Farida and Carl-Alain Memnon Nertila and Ergys Myselimi Jonathan O’Hara

Spring 2025 • 33

CAEDMON ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2023-2024

PATRONS’ CLUB $500–$999

Anonymous (6) Susannah and Zachary Abella Susan Austin • Faten Baassiri and Maan Bsat Roberta Chevlowe and Tom Bubeck Shelley Chen and Derrick Chan Hannah Kim and Ferdinand Chan Alexandra Snyder Charen and Elliot Charen Emily and Samuel Duncan Jason Ford Samantha Viglienghi and Peter Huefner Gwenn and Peter Kapner u Susan Kelly Kellie Kanda and Sachin Khattar Kirkland & Ellis LLP Helena Wang and Jason Liang Meghan O’Donnell Rebecca and Richard Parry • Claudine Portella • RELX Inc Caitriona and Tejpal Sandhu Dee Dee and Robert Scarborough Brynja Sigurdardottir Randi and Brett Singer u Kachina Myers Spyros and George Spyros Becky Diamond and Jamie Stecher • Akiko and Douglas Swett Martha Hanson and David Toberisky Paulomi Roy and Priyadarshan Vyas Elaine Lin and Tim Wang FRIEND UP TO $499

Anonymous (11) Natasha Alexander Genesis Almanzar AMC Networks American Express Company Nils Anderson Apple Jenni Arcieri • Beata and Slawomir Balon Nora Beard Karen Stephenson and George Bennett Majlinda Rama and Mumin Berisha Rosanna Ragone and Henry Besanceney • Lucia and Martin Biely

3 4 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Susan and William Bonet u Meredith Woodruff and Peter Bregman Emily Burnett Kate Butler Laura Capote David Carty Michael Castor Caroline and Alex Castro Suzanne Charity Irma Ramos-Cuevas and Irving Cuevas • Jeremy Davidson Rebecca Reeb and Scott DeNegre Thomas Denzler Carol and Fra DeVine Nancy and John Dexter Maren Handorf and Robert Diehl Levon J. Dimmick Valeska and Bill Ellis Sydney Fass Sophie Feldman The Fennessey Family Fund Daphne and Jonathan Ferdinand Rachel and Bryan Fingeroot Elaine Fitzgerald • Kate FitzGerald Paula A. Flatow u Nina and Colvin Forde Ali and Mark Foresi • Rosemary Frisaro-Kessler Marisa Galloway † Eleni Daferera and Athanasios Giannakopoulos Aisha and Philip Goldstein Casey Grillo and Kenneth Hightower Shawlini Manjunath-Holbrook and James Holbrook Elena Howell Sophia Spektor and Jonathan Hughes Alyssa Jansen Johanna Burgos and Marlon Jimenez • Kiesha Boykins-John and Emerson John Andrew D. Kagan Anjali Kampschulte Tiffany and Gregory Katz Diana and Peter Keenan u Nick Kessler Kathleen Kilbane and Michael Smith Rose Kory Emily Zarow-Lange and Jordan Lange

CAEDMON ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2023-2024

Beatrice and James Lattimore Laine Levret de Melo Inbal Caspi and Aleksandr Litvak Katisha and Christopher Liu • Qiulei Hu and Shixin Liu • Taylor Lowenthal M. Gabriela Pereira and Gregory Maskel • Jelecia M. McGregor Dan McNerney u Saniya and Ali Mehdi Rich Mendelson Stephanie and Bernd Messing u Jacob Meyers April Milton Jihad M. Mirza L.J. Mitchell James J. Murphy Neuberger Berman Group LLC Maureen Newman Ana Nunes Carin Kuoni and John Oakes • Tiffany Ormsby Violetta Otis Kelly Palacios Juhi Pande Paramount Katie Parker Sylvia Parry Lucia and Sean Perkins Frank Portella Tori Porter Stephanie Power Kate Pozerski Vasilis Psoras Concetta Ragone Marilou Reventar • Neha Thumar and Chris Reynolds Cindy and J.R. Rodriguez u Iris and Fred Rosoff Naila and Darrell Ross Rima and Ritendra Roy Sylvia and Michael Rutherford Jeffrey Sacks Adam Schlessinger Julie Williams and Mark Schuman Swati and Arnab Sen Maria Serrano

Aditi Manglik and Neil Shah Samba Siby Priscilla and Matthew Snyder Bryan J. Storti u Yvonne Storti Jennifer Tarpley-Kreismer • Samantha Tarpley Amy McGregor and Oshane Tate Allison and Michael Trinkle Vonetta Trotter Heather Halverson and Juan Vasquez u Stephanie and Vikram Venkatraman Vaishali and Chetan Vig u Jessica Monterde Poveda and Albert Vilar Mateu Emily Chapin and Richard Vollkommer Walt Disney Company Foundation Elizabeth Ward • Katherine and Jelle Westra Clarence J. White III Mi and Xiaofeng Zhou

A N N UAL FU N D 2 0 2 3 -2 0 2 4 B Y CO N STI TU EN CY CURRENT PARENTS

Susannah and Zachary Abella Andrea and Ejim Achi Natasha Alexander Tsukasa and Takumi Arakaki • Clara Gaspari and Gustavo Benchimol Lucia and Martin Biely Aishlinn and Anthony Bottini Faten Baassiri and Maan Bsat Michael Castor Caroline and Alex Castro Shelley Chen and Derrick Chan Hannah Kim and Ferdinand Chan Serre-Yu Wong and Rohit Chandwani Leslie Bernstein and Inten Chen • Irma Ramos-Cuevas and Irving Cuevas • Anne and Michael D’Ausilio Adebola and Abiola Dele-Michael u Rebecca Reeb and Scott DeNegre Maren Handorf and Robert Diehl Emily and Samuel Duncan Daphne and Jonathan Ferdinand

Spring 2025 • 35

CAEDMON ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2023-2024

Patricia Figueroa Nina and Colvin Forde Kelly Riggle and Richard Froom • Sherli and Robert Furst Marisa Galloway † Eleni Daferera and Athanasios Giannakopoulos Shipra Srinivasan and Siddhant Goel Samantha and David Goldring • Brena Cascini and Keith Gooberman Merissa Dzau and John Goodson • Malini and Dinesh Goyal Michelle and Michael Gramer Jill and David Grazioli • Sofya and Erik Gulyako Amy and Stephen Harsany Rebecca and Joseph Hartswell • Janine and Richard Hoffman • Shawlini Manjunath-Holbrook and James Holbrook Amber Lam and Bogdan Ianev Rupal and Ankit Jain Yi Rong and Lai Jiang Johanna Burgos and Marlon Jimenez • Kiesha Boykins-John and Emerson John Anjali Kampschulte Felix Kampschulte Tiffany and Gregory Katz Stephanie Chun and Tim Kau Kumar Kesavan Margaret E. Kesavan Kellie Kanda and Sachin Khattar Michelle and Eliot Knudsen Sandra Herrera and Vladimir Kokorev Heather and Kristian Kristensen Emily Zarow-Lange and Jordan Lange Karina Dominguez and Khoa Le Helena Wang and Jason Liang Inbal Caspi and Aleksandr Litvak Katisha and Christopher Liu • Qiulei Hu and Shixin Liu • Pamela Codo-Lotti and Frederic Lotti • Natsuko and Emmanuel Maruani Ester and Robert McEwan Dana Rubinstein and John McGoldrick Farida and Carl-Alain Memnon Jennifer Rodburg and John Modzelewski • Nertila and Ergys Myselimi Alessia Falsarone and Robert Nachtrieb •

3 6 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Anusha Arun Simha and Varun Nair Melissa and Kessar Nashat Jonathan O’Hara Renata Taionato Clemente and Isao Okano Saswati Panda and Saurabh Panigrahy Rebecca and Richard Parry • Cynthia Lopez and Ruben Pena Lucia and Sean Perkins Jill Gluskin and Jonathan Perle • Edita and Maros Pleska Emily Prager and Rob Polsky • Claudine Portella • Vasilis Psoras Anne and Humberto Reboredo Neha Thumar and Chris Reynolds Jessica Bloom and Larry Rosenberg Leonid Rosin Elizabeth and Adam Rosman Naila and Darrell Ross Celine Chan and Andrew Rouillard • Sylvia and Michael Rutherford Diana Dosik and Matthew Schwab Aditi Manglik and Neil Shah Leslie Patterson and William Silverman Ridhima and Shubh Singh Veronika and Gregory Spektor Sarah Moros and Ramakrishnan Subramanian Akiko and Douglas Swett Amy McGregor and Oshane Tate Katie and Willis Taylor u Stephanie and Vikram Venkatraman Pansy and Sarves Verma Jessica Monterde Poveda and Albert Vilar Mateu Emily Chapin and Richard Vollkommer Paulomi Roy and Priyadarshan Vyas Hanyi Wang and Christopher Wan Elaine Lin and Tim Wang Erica and Byron Whitmore Claudia and Jonathan Williams Sandra Smith and Charles Yang • Torrey and Mark Young Patty Ng and Eric Yuen • Kara and Samuel Zanger • Mi and Xiaofeng Zhou

CAEDMON ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2023-2024

TRUSTEES

Ejim Achi Susan Austin • Crissy Cáceres Jenna Dabbs • Adebola Dele-Michael u Jason Ford Freda Gimpel • Michael Gramer Joseph Hartswell • Farida Lecoin Dale McComb u L.J. Mitchell Ergys Myselimi Rebecca Parry • Emily Prager • Kelly Riggle • Ridhima Singh Katie Taylor u Chetan Vig u Byron Whitmore Charles Yang • Torrey Young Eric Yuen • Kara Zanger • ALUMNI

Jonathan Grier Juliana Pereira PARENTS OF ALUMNI AND FORMER STUDENTS

Beata and Slawomir Balon Karen Stephenson and George Bennett Majlinda Rama and Mumin Berisha Rosanna Ragone and Henry Besanceney • Meredith Woodruff and Peter Bregman Roberta Chevlowe and Tom Bubeck Lauren Irwin and Robert Bugbee Alexandra Snyder Charen and Elliot Charen Suzanne Charity Jenna and Ethan Dabbs • Thomas Denzler Carol and Fra DeVine Rachel and Bryan Fingeroot Kristin and Gerald Flattmann Flore and Charles Fuller Amanda Lewis and Victor Gill

Yi and Chen Hong Elena Howell Samantha Viglienghi and Peter Huefner Sophia Spektor and Jonathan Hughes Verona Lu and Shawn Jang Gwenn and Peter Kapner u Diana and Peter Keenan u Kathleen Kilbane and Michael Smith Jaymie Sullivan and Joseph Kramar u Tanya Benenson and Garret Leahey u Laine Levret de Melo Viviane Polacow and Paulo Lima M. Gabriela Pereira and Gregory Maskel • Ashleigh Bischoff and Dale McComb u Saniya and Ali Mehdi Stephanie and Bernd Messing u Meghan O’Donnell Carin Kuoni and John Oakes • Dana Bradley and Richard Petrovsky Cindy and J.R. Rodriguez u Rima and Ritendra Roy Caitriona and Tejpal Sandhu Dee Dee and Robert Scarborough Kate and Michael Schaper Julie Williams and Mark Schuman Swati and Arnab Sen Randi and Brett Singer u Kachina Myers Spyros and George Spyros Becky Diamond and Jamie Stecher Martha Hanson and David Toberisky Allison and Michael Trinkle Vaishali and Chetan Vig u Laura Walker Katherine and Jelle Westra CURRENT AND FORMER GRANDPARENTS

Kate and Tom Chapin Nancy and John Dexter Valeska and Bill Ellis Ann and Joel Gora Barbara and Robert Kaufman Violetta Otis Sylvia Parry Leslie and Richard Perle Concetta Ragone Rosalind Rodburg Iris and Fred Rosoff

Spring 2025 • 37

CAEDMON ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2023-2024

Jeffrey Sacks Priscilla and Matthew Snyder Clarence J. White III FRIENDS

Beatrice and James Lattimore Frank Portella Marilou Reventar • Nick Russo Yvonne Storti CURRENT AND FORMER FACULTY & STAFF

Genesis Almanzar Nils Anderson Jenni Arcieri Slawomir Balon Nora Beard Susan Bonet Emily Burnett Kate Butler Laura Capote David Carty Jeremy Davidson Carol DeVine Levon J. Dimmick Sydney Fass Sophie Feldman Elaine Fitzgerald • Kate FitzGerald Paula A. Flatow Ali Foresi Rosemary Frisaro-Kessler Aisha Goldstein Jill Grazioli Heather Halverson Elena Howell Alyssa Jansen Andrew D. Kagan Susan Kelly Nick Kessler Kathleen Kilbane Rose Kory Taylor Lowenthal Jelecia M. McGregor Amy McGregor Dan McNerney

3 8 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Rich Mendelson Stephanie Messing Jacob Meyers April Milton James J. Murphy Ana Nunes Tiffany Ormsby Kelly Palacios Juhi Pande Katie Parker Tori Porter Stephanie Power Kate Pozerski Cindy Rodriguez Adam Schlessinger Maria Serrano Samba Siby Brynja Sigurdardottir Bryan J. Storti Matthew Stuart Jennifer Tarpley-Kreismer Samantha Tarpley Vonetta Trotter Elizabeth Ward ORGANIZATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS

AMC Networks American Express Company Apple Assured Guaranty Bank of America Boeing The Fennessey Family Fund Global Infrastructure Goldman Sachs Google Hill-Snowdon Foundation JP Morgan Chase Bank Kirkland & Ellis LLP Neuberger Berman Group LLC Paramount RELX Inc Roy J. Zuckerberg Family Foundation Walt Disney Company Foundation

CAEDMON ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2023-2024

CA E DMON SE CRET GARDEN GALA (Includes Underwriting, Silent, and Reverse Auction) LEADERSHIP CLUB $10,000–$14,999

Rebecca and Joseph Hartswell CAEDMON PARTNER $5,000–$9,999

Brena Cascini and Keith Gooberman Janine and Richard Hoffman Sandra Herrera and Vladimir Kokorev Natsuko and Emmanuel Maruani Emily Prager and Rob Polsky Veronika and Gregory Spektor Katie and Willis Taylor Patty Ng and Eric Yuen BENEFACTORS’ CLUB $2,000–$4,999

Bayview Real Estate Consultants, Inc. Anne and Michael D’Ausilio Tara and Tom Ellis Patricia Figueroa Kelly Riggle and Richard Froom Michelle and Michael Gramer Sofya and Erik Gulyako Emily Zarow-Lange and Jordan Lange Farida and Carl-Alain Memnon Ijeoma Mbamalu and Hugo Paiz Simon J. Prosser Anne and Humberto Reboredo L. Robert Rizzo Sylvia and Michael Rutherford Sarah Moros and Ramakrishnan Subramanian Akiko and Douglas Swett Torrey and Mark Young SPONSORS’ CLUB $1,000–$1,999

Andrea and Ejim Achi Susan and William Bonet David Carty Eileen Rizada and Mohit Chawla Leslie Bernstein and Inten Chen Adebola and Abiola Dele-Michael Sherli and Robert Furst Samantha and David Goldring Merissa Dzau and John Goodson Jill and David Grazioli Amber Lam and Bogdan Ianev Michelle and Eliot Knudsen

Katisha and Christopher Liu Ester and Robert McEwan Saniya and Ali Mehdi Jennifer Rodburg and John Modzelewski Nertila and Ergys Myselimi Melissa and Kessar Nashat Renata Taionato Clemente and Isao Okano Ridhima and Shubh Singh Pansy and Sarves Verma Erica and Byron Whitmore Kara and Samuel Zanger PATRONS’ CLUB $500–$999

Tsukasa and Takumi Arakaki Clara Gaspari and Gustavo Benchimol Lucia and Martin Biely Faten Baassiri and Maan Bsat Shelley Chen and Derrick Chan Shawlini Manjunath-Holbrook and James Holbrook Heather and Kristian Kristensen Alessia Falsarone and Robert Nachtrieb Anusha Arun Simha and Varun Nair Jonathan O’Hara Matthew Stuart and Phillip Pena Lucia and Sean Perkins Jessica Bloom and Larry Rosenberg Liza Sacks and Eric Rosoff Celine Chan and Andrew Rouillard Brynja Sigurdardottir FRIEND UP TO $499

Susannah and Zachary Abella Beata and Slawomir Balon Rosanna Ragone and Henry Besanceney Meredith Woodruff and Peter Bregman Jeremy Davidson Elaine Fitzgerald Nina and Colvin Forde Rosemary Frisaro-Kessler Rupal and Ankit Jain Karina Dominguez and Khoa Le Helena Wang and Jason Liang Inbal Caspi and Aleksandr Litvak Barbara and Andrew Loggia Dhivya Rajandran and Brian Loh Dana Rubinstein and John McGoldrick L.J. Mitchell Maria Pantelaros and Sean Moorman

Spring 2025 • 39

CAEDMON ANNUAL GIVING REPORT 2023-2024 Fatima and Christopher Pace Kayla Rubin and Jason Patterson Sarah and Matthew Perry Ashleigh and Steven Raizes Leslie Patterson and William Silverman Jennifer Tarpley-Kreismer Emily Chapin and Richard Vollkommer Paulomi Roy and Priyadarshan Vyas Elaine Lin and Tim Wang Lara Aryani and John Warner Mi and Xiaofeng Zhou ELIZABETH “BETSY” ZUPPONE MEMORIAL FUND The fund was created in memory of Betsy and in her honor to establish the Betsy Zuppone Swimming Program for Kindergartners.

Sarah Allen Seth Austin Karissa Bove Barbara Brewster Virginia and Jeffrey Clynes Dorothy Dalbon Teri DeGroote Louise Duran Tina P. Fairweather Heidi and Lawrence Fox Dodi Friedenberg Florencia and Marc Gabelli Galaxy Realty Capital, LLC The Gardner Family Charitable Foundation Maggie and Kostas Georgiou Sherry and Pasquale Giordano Nicole Goodstein Sheri and Michael Halsband Robert Hatch William Jenkins Robyn and Nicholas Kajon Lisa Kokoski Rob LaPenta Janetta Lien Katisha and Christopher Liu Cathleen McLaughlin Christine Moltasanti Douglas Nappi Erica Needle Kerry O’Neill Matthew Pachman Jill Gluskin and Jonathan Perle

4 0 • The Caedmon School Magazine

Michael Pfaff Edita and Maros Pleska Annette and Dennis Pucci Denese Rhoads L. Robert Rizzo Cindy and J.R. Rodriguez Julio Rodriguez Mary Rosano Scott Saks Suzin and Craig Saunders Christine Spinelli and Martin Sherlock Noorali Sonawalla Barbara Breitman and Saul Spangenberg Jennifer and Guy Sponzilli Laura Stevens Stephanie Lofgren and Craig Stinebaugh Sarah Moros and Ramakrishnan Subramanian Susan Swenson Mario Testani Holly Trotter Mary Vrazel Emily and Stephen Welker Tish and Randy Wussler Lisa Zalkind Sue and Marc Zuckerman Nicole Zuppone-Bove George Zuppone Maria Zuppone Michael Zuppone Michael Zuppone, Jr. Renee Zuppone THE 2019 CAMPAIGN FOR CAEDMON– ENHANCING EXCELLENCE Jenna and Ethan Dabbs Kelly Riggle and Richard Froom Kandice and James Halpin Iovino Family Foundation Neuberger Berman Group LLC Marilou Reventar Roy J. Zuckerberg Family Foundation The Stecher Family Foundation Gina and Brian Swerdloff Patty Ng and Eric Yuen NOTE: In compiling our list of donors, every effort is made to be accurate. If your name has been omitted or listed incorrectly, please let the development office know and accept our sincere apologies.

Head of School

Board of Trustees

Matthew Stuart

Faten Baassiri

Assistant Head of School/ Director of Early Childhood Saniya Mehdi Director of Elementary Jelecia McGregor

Crissy Cáceres Alia Carponter-Walker Jenna Dabbs Adebola Dele-Michael Mike D’Ausilio Alyson Evans Elizabeth Flisser-Rosman

Elementary Student Learning and Support

Michael Gramer

Heather Halverson

Tim Kau

Giving and Community Engagement Brynja Sigurdardottir Finance and Operations Maarten de Vreede

Joseph Hartswell Eliot Knudsen Farida Lecoin-Memnon Ellen Lee Dale McComb L.J. Mitchell John Modzelewski Ergys Myselimi

Communications

Rebecca Parry

Ali Foresi

Emily Prager

Ellen Greenberg

Kelly Riggle Ridhima Singh

Enrollment and

Katie Taylor

Family Commitment

Chetan Vig

Jennifer Tarpley-Kreismer

Byron Whitmore

After School Slawomir Balon

Torrey Young Eric Yuen Caedmon Family Association Co-Presidents Brena Cascini Sherli Furst

Spring 2025 • 41

416 East 80th Street New York, NY 10075 caedmonschool.org

4 2 • The Caedmon School Magazine