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school news
Calhoun’s Uhry/Thompson Award Goes to Yvonne Primus
A surprised Yvonne Primus, a 24-year veteran in Calhoun’s Lower School, received the Uhry/ Thompson Award for excellence in teaching and commitment to progressive education.
Yvonne Primus, an associate teacher in Calhoun’s Lower School for 24 years, was named this year’s recipient of the Uhry/ Thompson Award. The tribute is given each year to a faculty member who demonstrates excellence in the classroom and a commitment to progressive education. Head of School Steve Nelson, who announced the award, noted that he’s always amazed at the number of Upper Schoolers who remember Yvonne with fondness when asked about their earliest experiences at Calhoun. Lower School Director Alison Max Rothschild ‘85 praises Yvonne for her consistently calm, warm and nurturing
demeanor, observing that “Yvonne epitomizes everything that is wonderful and special about Little Calhoun.” Teaching colleague Heather Sayles Jupiter ’92 calls Yvonne “one of the most creative, intuitive and talented teachers in our community. Whether helping students to deepen their understanding of academic concepts, working on creative projects or whipping up a batch of something delicious, she brings love and laughter to everyone around her.” The award was presented to Yvonne at the Annual Tea, a celebratory event for teachers, administrators and staff hosted by the Parents Association.
Carlyle Lincoln Named “My Favorite Teacher” Second grade teacher Carlyle Lincoln was quite surprised when he got the call: He’d been named the local winner of the Barnes & Noble My Favorite Teacher Contest, thanks to his nomination by one of his biggest fans, second grader Asha Lewis. Asha shared the stage with Carlyle in a ceremonial presentation at the Barnes & Noble on 82nd Street, and told the audience why she nominated her social studies teacher: “He’s nice, he explains
things well, he’s thoughtful, and . . . smart!” Asha said she especially enjoyed learning about “buildings”—a unit of study that Carlyle hopes to bring next year to Little Calhoun, where he’ll be leading the new Discovery Lab, focused on project-based STEAM activities. [See page 13.] My Favorite Teacher is a nationwide contest that Barnes & Noble sponsors every year as part of the company’s teacher recognition program.
Lower School teacher Carlyle Lincoln received the local Barnes & Noble award for the My Favorite Teacher Contest, thanks to his nomination by second grader Asha Lewis.
Calhoun Pays Tribute to Phil Bender’s 30 Years
Phil Bender was presented with a Calhoun baseball hat and shirt commemorating his 30 years at Calhoun at this year’s Alumnae/i Reunion.
Calhoun Chronicle
Parents and alumnae/i had a chance this past spring to pay tribute to veteran Middle School math teacher Phil Bender, who, marking the completion of three decades at Calhoun, announced his retirement. Parents lauded him at the Annual Tea and alumnae/i honored him at the Spring Reunion. Phil Bender came to Calhoun in 1986, and quickly embraced the school’s progressive approach to project-based learning. Many of his former Middle School students still remember such number
games as “Biz, Buzz, Bam” or the chocolate-chip-cookie experiment. He was also an enthusiastic member of the larger Calhoun community: Upper Schoolers came to know Phil as the spirited Santa for the annual 12 Days of Christmas assembly, and the organizer and lead chaperone for another great Calhoun tradition, the annual ski trip to Stowe. Ninth grader Ethan Quigley summed it up when he wrote in his tribute to Phil, “You were one of the best teachers a kid could ask for. Thank you for changing my life!”