Connections - Fall/Winter 2020

Connections The Cambridge Friends School Magazine

CFS students alongside Senator Ed Markey during the Youth Climate Strike in September 2019 at City Hall Plaza in Boston.

CREATING

A Kindergarten Learning Community p.6

Standing Up Against Climate Change p.20

2018 | www.cfsmass.org Fall/WinterFall/Winter | 2020 cambridgefriendsschool.org 1

Connections Fall/Winter 2020

Published by: Cambridge Friends School David Tierney, Head of School Editors: Diane Marangoly Haley Brown Contributors: Becca Conner Patrick Clapper Erin Diffenderfer Lisa Domigan Erin Han Christine Horan Diane Marangoly Maeve Saxner David Tierney Polly Williams Photo Credits: Haley Brown Patrick Clapper Becca Conner Erin Diffenderfer Lisa Domigan Erin Han Nick Lorenzen Diane Marangoly Katia Nigro Brian O’Loughlin Jein Park Libby Stillwell

“When you walk the halls of CFS, you see the efforts towards inclusion.”

Polly Williams, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion A collective collage made by students in the Extended Day (XD) program that was on display at the 2020 MLK Assembly.

Design: Kellene Urbaniak CFS Board of Trustees: Frances Botsford, P’24, Co-clerk Erin Bumgarner Lynn Cadwallader Beno Chapman, P’18, ’21 Debby Colgan Lisa Domigan, P’29 Kevin Edmond, CFS Faculty, P’24 Kirsten Greenidge ’88, P’21, ’23, Co-clerk Christine Horan, CFS Faculty Patricia Huff Arthur Klipfel, P’83 David Lewis, P’25 Renat Lumpau, P‘26, ‘28 Nick Marsh, P’21 Rebecca Moore ’71 Jan Nisenbaum Cathryn Oliva-Simmons, P‘06 Lili Schwan-Rosenwald James Serdy Andrew Szanton Rick Talkov Lein Tung, P’26 Amory Wakefield, P’20

CambridgeFriendsSchool CFSgrams CFStweets CambridgeFriendsSch www.linkedin.com/company/cambridge-friends-school

CONTENTS 5 Letter from the Head of School 6 The Show Must Go On! 10 Developing Change Agents Today to be Change-Makers of the Future 12 CFS’ First-Ever Summer Program 14 The Meaning and Need for D.E.I. 16 Keeping CFS Families Connected 18 The Moment Scattered Thoughts Transform into a Two-Page Article 20 Standing Up Against Climate Change 24 Donor List - Fiscal Year 2020 28 Celebrating 30 Years of A.D.A. CFS Recognizes the Work of Chris Hoeh 30 The Strings are the Thing 32 More Than Just a T-Shirt 34 Transracial Adoptees (TRAs) 36 Alumni Notes 38 Portrait of a Graduate: Imani Perry

CFS’ First-Ever Summer Program, p. 12 Patrick Clapper, Director of Auxiliary Programs, shares his experience with the CFS Summer Program.

The Moment Scattered Thoughts Transform into a Two-Page Article, p. 18 Erin Han, CFS Class of ’22, reflects on her writing experience for the CFS Post.

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Students meet and establish classroom norms during the first week of school.

David Tierney, Head of School, welcomes a Lower School student on the first day of school. CFS successfully reopened for in-person learning on September 8.

After a six-month hiatus, students in Pre-K and K eagerly return to play-based learning while maintaining social distancing.

Classrooms have been refurnished and reconfigured with desks distanced 6’ apart.

A middle-school student tinkers with Lego Mindstorms offered during electives.

Everything Has Changed...But Our Mission Remains the Same None of us will ever forget 2020, a year fraught with epidemiological, social, political, and environmental turmoil that challenges our sanity on a daily basis. In March, schools across the nation and around the world were forced to close their doors due to the pandemic. The indefensible deaths of Black American people have launched nation-wide protests against racism that may at long last force us to address and resolve equity and justice issues that have, at best, only been given cursory attention. Wildfires in the western United States are not only devastating millions of acres of forests and wildlife, but are also sending smoke across the country and around the world. Will this be the turning point where the world will collectively engage in mitigating climate change?

As I write this, we are just about to emerge from an excruciatingly contentious presidential election with the hope that we can now have a new series of national dialogues and can become deeply and positively engaged with the rest of the world to change the course of our existence.

Being in person this fall at Cambridge Friends School has changed this year, as well. Everyone is wearing masks, hallways and classrooms are marked with signs reminding us to keep our distance from one another, all-school and divisional gatherings including Meeting for Worship have shifted to teleconferencing platforms like Zoom, classes are kept together during recess, and students sit at their own desks or tables in classrooms.

Look a little deeper, however, and you will find that the true essence of Cambridge Friends School is unchanged. Our commitment to antiracism and an antibias curriculum provides the foundation for an academically demanding program that connects student learning with the challenges that we face in the world today. While the logistics of teaching have temporarily changed, our focus on teaching students to think critically, to dive deeply into difficult topics, and to question the world around them remains

steadfast and has never been more important or more necessary.

Cambridge Friends School is the proud standard-bearer in the fight for racial, social, economic, and environmental justice. As you read through Connections, you will come to understand how teachers, students, administration, staff, and alumni are living the mission of the School every day.

The changes to Connections itself reflect our commitment to the Quaker Value of Stewardship and the environment.

By shifting largely to a digital format, we are saving 16 trees from being cut down and turned into paper!

In peace,

David J. Tierney Head of School Fall/Winter | 2020 cambridgefriendsschool.org

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The Show Must Go On! Photo credit: Katia Nigro

CFS Eighth-Graders Virtually Performed A Special Adaptation of Baltimore

Kirsten Greenidge Obie Award-Winning Playwright CFS Alumna ’88, and Parent ’21 and ‘23

Jen Salvucci Bent CFS Drama Teacher

CFS eighth-grade drama students had the privilege of working with Kirsten Greenidge, Obie Awardwinning playwright, CFS Alumna ’88, and Parent ’21 and ‘23, on a special adaptation of Baltimore.

Under the direction of Jen Salvucci Bent, CFS drama teacher, the cast learned to adapt to numerous setbacks and deliver an extraordinary online performance. I had the opportunity to speak with Kirsten and Jen throughout the process, and found that their leadership and insight made for a truly remarkable and memorable experience for all!

By: Diane Marangoly Director of Development and Communication

Kirsten Greenidge, Obie Award-winning Boston playwright (Luck of the Irish, Milk Like Sugar, and Our Daughters, Like Pillars), specially adapted her 2015 play, Baltimore, for the eighth-grade drama program in school year 2019-2020. The original play was a Big Ten commission to address the problem of gender parity in B.F.A. programs in the U.S. from the University of Iowa. Baltimore is about a college Resident Advisor who encounters a racial incident in her dorm and is neither able to deal with it nor has the language to properly address it and the aftermath.

In the summer of 2019, Jen Salvucci Bent, CFS drama teacher, began putting plans in place for the eighthgrade drama program. Thinking about the students in the class, that she and Kirsten had spoken about

potentially working together, the School’s mission, and wanting to work on a more challenging piece, Baltimore just seemed like the right choice. Originally intended to be a conversation about race at the college level, Kirsten adapted the play to retain the same dialogue and changed it to take place in a boarding high school. In speaking about this initial endeavor Jen remarked, “A play of this magnitude now adapted to be age-appropriate for our middleschoolers is tremendous. In my eighteen years of teaching drama, I have never done anything like this.”

When introducing the play to the eighth-grade class, Jen had students read excerpts from the original play and talk about why Kirsten wrote it and its importance. Later, students had the privilege of meeting with Kirsten. She spoke with them about life as a playwright, listened to their experiences, and what they felt they were going through – a practice she used with students at Boston University and the

Students rehearse in-person, prior to state mandated school closures.

University of Maryland when creating the original script. “Whenever I do a rewrite, it’s an opportunity to update the script and make it relevant to the time we are living in… I asked students what was important to them based on what I knew the play was going to be about and knowing that I wanted their voices in there. But, I’m also the playwright, so I need to sculpt the play and make sure it says what I want it to say, while sounding as though it is going to come out these particular characters’ mouths,” Kirsten indicated. The goal of her initial meeting with the eighth-graders was to make sure the adaptation included topics that would resonate with the students while acknowledging that characters had to be taken away and material removed from the original script to make it suitable for the eighth-grade class.

When considering the content of the play, Jen and Kirsten both knew that the students were very familiar with such dialogue. The School’s mission and social justice curriculum, including affinity groups like Becoming White Allies or Middle School Kids of Color had aptly prepared them for this. On the other hand, more background work was required

for character creation as students had to learn to think and portray how a person would feel based on their attributes and what they were going through in the play, in addition to the conversation that was happening in the play. Characters were created for each student that explored an alternative, culturally diverse personality (not necessarily representative of themselves) which also required more intense training.

Rehearsals for the production took place in two 45-minute sessions each week during the school year. At first, it was all about blocking and looking at the set, then having students move through the space to make it as realistic as possible. The next step was reviewing the actual storyline and connecting with the language and perspective of the characters, building upon drama classes from previous years.

Kirsten had attended some rehearsals to see the progress, stating, “I think it’s wonderful that we have the opportunities to have eighth-graders learn those

Continued on next page...

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The Show Must Go On!...continued

Screen captures of the Class of 2020 during their virtual performance in May.

(drama and empathy) skills in fifth grade, have them develop in sixth and seventh grade, get to exercise them at this level in eighth grade, and then see it work in a play that grapples with these really tough themes… It’s not just the play, but the conversations around the play that you get to see these children engage with that is really amazing.”

Of course, all of this changed when school closures were mandated due to COVID-19. Swiftly pivoting to remote rehearsals, students continued to gather two times a week for their 45-minute online classes.

Though the uncertainty of whether there would be an in-person performance loomed for weeks, Jen decided with her students that the show would go on and used the time to continue to rehearse and build character relationships while exploring some acting for the camera. It was clear that students were invested in the show, and just wanted to perform it – regardless of formatting.

Once the news was final that schools would be closed for the remainder of the year, she and Kirsten had a lengthy email exchange on how to bring the performance online. Kirsten had recently transitioned a play to online at Boston University, and offered her expertise on technical items in Zoom such as renaming performers to appear as the character’s name, turning off cameras, and using the whiteboard – a very important element of the show. Reflecting on the students’ transition to online, Kirsten stated, “The eighth-grade and Jen were figuring out the technology at a time when even people in our field - people doing this for decades - were having a hard time figuring it out. Some of the questions they were asking were high level, sophisticated questions that the theater industry was grappling with. I was watching in real time the class figure it out and really apply themselves to this process and that was commendable.”

Facebook posts from Kirsten reflecting on Baltimore.

The students had the opportunity to perform online on May 19, 2020. Reflecting on the performance, Kirsten noted, “There was something about listening to the impact of these really hurtful actions and words influencing these individuals and being able to see their faces on screen that really impacted me, and I could see it impacted my family in very strong ways‌ A key takeaway is that the play ends, but it is an

invitation for further conversation.� Baltimore provided a platform for deeper dialogue in the CFS community that was unimaginably timely with the Black Lives Matter movement and the racial disparities exposed by the pandemic.

To view highlights of the online performance, visit: www.cambridgefriendsschool.org/Baltimore.

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Developing Change Agents Today to be Change-Makers of the Future The Intersection of Seventh-Grade Humanities and Science By: Christine Horan Middle School Humanities and Math Teacher Pivoting from in-person to remote learning, the annual D.C. trip may have been virtual, but the learning remained very hands-on. In seventh-grade humanities and science, students actively participated in effecting change, taking their future into their own hands.

Seventh-grade students at CFS undertake the study of the foundations of democracy in the United States in humanities class each year. The goal is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become thoughtful and active participants in a democratic society at both the local and federal level. We examine our country’s history from the events that led up to the Revolutionary War through Reconstruction after the Civil War, a time period spanning from the 1750’s to 1877. We delve into the ideas and philosophies that inspired the founders of democracy in the U.S., examine the debates and compromises that ultimately led to the writing of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and consider the impact decisions made more than 200 years ago still have on our lives today. Over the course of the year, we ask some tough questions: When do people have the right to revolt against their government?

Is violence a sound strategy to bring about significant social and political change?

How is the spirit of the American Revolution alive today in the United States and other parts of the world?

What are the limitations of democracy?

Is liberty and justice for all attainable?

How does economic status, gender, and race impact

rights and freedom?

How are our own ideals of freedom reflected in our daily lives?

What is the difference between the American Dream and American reality?

Do all U.S. citizens have equal opportunities to achieve the American Dream?

In addition, seventh-graders study climate change in science as part of the curriculum. Students explore how Earth’s climate is shaped and formed and examine the relationship between humans and Earth’s changing climate. We assess our own role in this complex issue, both as individuals and a school community, as well as on local and national levels.

This interdisciplinary approach allows for broader thinking and new approaches to understanding and discovery.

Moving from learning in the classroom to action in our local community, students participated in the Global Climate Strike in the fall, joining students from across the Commonwealth to bring awareness to the growing threats of climate change. They also organized their own campaign to eliminate the use of plastic straws, holding weekly information rallies in Porter Square.

It is the intersection of their knowledge of how our government works and their desire to fight climate change that leads to our much-anticipated weeklong trip to Washington, D.C. in April, when students get to turn all their preparation and experience in our local community into action at a federal level.

This year, however, COVID-19 threw a wrench into our plans, and when it became apparent that a trip would not be in the cards, teachers and students rallied together to create a virtual D.C. experience.

While we were unable to experience the train ride to Union Station, or pizza and a movie together after a long day of exploring the city, students visited museums virtually and met with members of

Friends Committee on National Legislation (F.C.N.L.), to learn how to lobby effectively.

At CFS, students not only learn about American democracy, they participate in the process. Lincoln’s government, “Of the people, by the people, and for the people,” is an ideal we continue to strive for as a nation, and the future of our democracy depends on our students’ ability to imagine and realize our democracy’s potential while recognizing and tackling its challenges and flaws. Providing students with

opportunities to stand up for what they believe in and empowering them to be active citizens in our world is without a doubt, the way to create changemakers not just for the future - but right now, when changing the course of climate change on our planet is more urgent than ever.

Maeve Saxner, CFS Class of ’21 reflects on her experience: “During the seventh grade’s virtual D.C. trip in April, we prepared to lobby online. One of the first things we did was learn about the climate change bill we were lobbying in support of. We learned about carbon pricing, and how bills get passed. In a previous assignment, we had been asked to write stories on why we were passionate about stopping climate change, and now we were relating our stories to the bill we were lobbying for. During our online meetings, we met with Alicia Cannon, program assistant for sustainable energy and environment at F.C.N.L. Alicia taught us how to lobby, and she helped facilitate and structure the way we were going to conduct our work. She talked about what we would be aiming to achieve. Our goal was to get Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley to co-sponsor the Climate Action Rebate Act of 2019 (H.R. 4051).

The students set up a lobbying schedule, or list of sorts, with everyone assigned to a key role.

For example, some people were going to be introducing the ‘ask,’ some people were going to ask questions, and one person was the group leader who would oversee the process and make sure everyone was on task. The final task list looked like this: note taker, group leader, first thank you, introducing the ask, story-telling, asking questions, repeating the ask, second thank

you, and we will be following up. Everyone had slightly different things to do to prepare for lobbying; for example, I was going to be sharing my story about why I was passionate about stopping climate change.

Before we lobbied, we went through a few practice runs to make sure everything was finalized, and everyone was ready to lobby.

When the day finally arrived, we virtually met with Jen Curt, a representative for Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. Despite our nerves, our first lobbying experience went smoothly. Each of us wrote a follow up letter to Jen Curt and Ayanna Pressley, thanking them for their time, talking about the ask in our own words, sharing our personal stories about why we want to stop climate change. We also got a chance to thank Alicia Cannon for everything she did to help us. I think the first-hand experience we got lobbying will be a building block for making a difference both inside and outside of school in the future. It will be easier to take action because we have real experience talking to elected officials now.”

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CFS’ First-Ever Summer Program Supporting Our Community in the Era of COVID-19

By: Patrick Clapper Director of Auxiliary Programs When it comes to opening a summer program for the first time, there will theme. Within a few short weeks of its initial marketing, always be some hiccups along the way. This holds even more than half the Summer Program had sold out! more true as the world navigates its first true pandemic in almost a century. While deciding to Each week had a maximum of 50 run the CFS Summer Program during a children and those children were pandemic was not an easy decision, it was divided into five groups of ten based the choice that we felt our community on age. Doing this allowed us to needed. After moving to remote learning keep individual groups separate in the middle of March, students in our from one another, mitigating the community were stuck at home, forced to risk of an outbreak. Classrooms stay distant from their friends and family were sanitized regularly, and the in order to stay safe. We had to learn to kids spent as much time outside as love wearing masks (even if we still hate possible. Each week brought new ~ Rachel Woodruff, it). We had to re-learn how to wash our adventures and new faces. With CFS hands. We had to embrace our inner students making up roughly 20% of CFS Parent ‘22 and ‘25 introverts. We even had to learn how to the Summer Program’s enrollment, operate the numerous features on Zoom. our community was opened to many But with all this happening, we still remained hopeful new families. During the program, students were shown that things would begin to get better. what it means to be a part of our CFS community and

“They loved having projects like fire-building, making hairspray, making a rabbit trap, and seeing friends of course!”

And they somewhat did. The 2020 school year came to a close, graduates celebrated, and kids began looking forward to the summer. However, with all the usual camps closing down due to the fear of a COVID-19 outbreak, CFS knew there was a critical need in the community to start a safe and healthy summer program. After many weeks of refinement and consulting numerous resources including the World Health Organization (WHO), Center for Disease Control (CDC), and the state, the CFS Summer Program came to fruition. It consisted of six weeks, each with its own

the significance of our Quaker Values (Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship).

Changing the theme each week allowed us to keep the curriculum fresh. The themes were Summer Growth and Gardening; Culture and Fun Around the World; Natural Studies; Wilderness Exploration; Endangered Animals and Conservation; and finally, Summer Fun. The first week allowed students to utilize their green thumbs and learn about planting gardens. It was also used as a health and safety education week, building a solid foundation for the weeks ahead. One group even performed a Zoom call to another, teaching them about

how to stay healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic!

Week 2 offered a means for children to learn about each other through shared cultural experiences as well as learning about the different types of games kids played around the world. This was especially fun because students came up with ways to play games while still social distancing including using pool noodles in tag games to help prevent contact between each other. In our third week, kids were exploring the Earth through weather, habitats, and natural disasters. Many groups used this week to hone in on specific interests.

The second half of the Summer Program started with Week 4 allowing kids to explore the survivalist inside them. Several groups took trips to local parks to search for different types of trees and animals, surveying the wild around them. One group A student digs and explores performed a socially distant play for during Week 1: Growth the younger students in the program and Gardening. about an area on the school property we like to call “Martian Land.� The play was based off a story written by a former CFS student about embracing all the qualities that make us who we are. Week 5 was one of the most popular, allowing kids to learn about some A student pauses for a photo during a science experiment. of their favorite animals. One of the younger groups worked together to create a large paper elephant, the endangered animal they were studying that day. In the last week, students learned what summer is all about: safe during a pandemic. With extra emphasis on wearing fun! Students played games and made crafts during masks and washing hands, students showed us that the mornings and got to play in the sprinklers in the through it all, they can be equally resilient to difficult afternoon. At the end of each day, groups performed pivots in life. On top of all the new rules regarding space activities against each other to see whose teamwork and safety, the children had to re-socialize, a steep ask was the best. in and of itself. Despite these hurdles, the CFS Summer Program was a success and a proud undertaking for CFS! As a community, we learned a lot about what works and what does not work when it comes to keeping children Fall/Winter | 2020 cambridgefriendsschool.org Fall/Winter | 2020 cambridgefriendsschool.org

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The Meaning and Need for D.E.I.

Equity and Inclusion Should be Central to EVERYONE By: Polly Williams Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion What does D.E.I. stand for? We hear the term used more and more. D.E.I. stands for Director of Equity and Inclusion, or some individuals refer to it as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. At Cambridge Friends School, the position is 10 hours a week. The D.E.I. person is involved in many aspects of the School and is a member of the Administrative Team. It is important that you have D.E.I. leadership as part of the Administrative Team so that you have someone whose sole job is to hold us accountable to equity and inclusion.

This year, there was a Board committee that met once a month to talk about equity and inclusion at CFS. From that came a suggestion that it become a standing committee with a few more members.

We at CFS believe that equity and inclusion is everyone’s work. It is not the sole responsibility of one person. The person in the D.E.I. role has a job to offer guidance, help with resources, and do trainings. This year, once again, we had some amazing things going on around diversity and equity in the classroom.

All hires in FY20 except for one were people of color.

Pampa, the new music teacher came in with a wealth of knowledge and also was a great support for our D.E.I.

During the 2020 MLK Assembly, third- and fourth-grade students present on Marley Dias holding signs for her #1000blackgirlbooks campaign.

Most folks are aware that at CFS we have two largescale All-School Assemblies (MLK and Pride) in which each class presents what they have learned about the topics. For example, at last year’s MLK Assembly, the third and fourth grades presented their work on Marley Dias and hosted a book collection in support of Dias’ #1000blackgirlbooks campaign. At CFS, this is just a small part of what we do.

work. The music department focuses on teaching a wide variety of cultures, songs, and music. Marytha and Pampa work together to provide a variety of learning and use their complementary skills to continue to research more opportunities.

In the Lower School, classrooms infused equity and inclusion into their lesson plans. Much research and support was done around teaching Black boys, something we want to continually keep an eye on.

Some classes followed the Black Lives Matter curriculum and used it for a week-long curriculum along with resources throughout the year. Equity and inclusion is not just limited to race. It includes LGBTQ+ issues, from redesigning the bathrooms to learning about gender.

Morning conversations often centered around current events. Specialists also infuse information into their curriculum, from music to art and physical education.

Noelle, CFS’ physical education teacher often used current events around athletes like the U.S. female soccer players’ fight for equal pay.

In the Middle School, all teachers were having conversations and coming up with plans. The environmental work that Becca, the former Middle School science teacher, was doing with the students included the disparities for people of color and environmental work.

It also included the amazing things people of color have done or were doing. The plan for the D.C. trip with the seventh grade was going to include some advocating if the School had gone. Chatroom classes were filled with talking about equity and inclusion. One of our topics included a discussion on Massachusetts’ marijuana delivery program and how it is set up to give back to the communities disenfranchised by drugs being introduced to communities of color. The seventh grade worked on how to take action when they do not like something in a way that will support their needs. José, Spanish teacher for grades 5 to 8, showed a film in Spanish about gender in the Latinx community. This was part of introducing to students some of the different ways gender is discussed in other cultures in developing an understanding of how to be more inclusive.

CFS is the first - and the leader - in affinity groups for younger children. We try to meet once a month with Middle School and once a month with grades Pre-K to 5.

While the students of color are meeting with the staff of color, the white students are meeting with the white staff to talk about white privilege. In school year 2019-2020, the Lower School focused on immigration. Emily the fifthgrade teacher has been working on white affinity space curriculum and will join the other grades for some of the

work. In the spring, during remote learning, we also held a Zoom call for parents and kids to talk in grades 2 to 5 as a request from the teachers. The LGBTQ+ kids lunch group met once a month as a social time to build community.

As part of the COVID-19 Task Force, it is the responsibility of the D.E.I. position to make sure we are keeping an eye on disparities and how they can affect our community, from face masks and tactile issues to the availability of testing and disparities of remote learning.

All grades are doing wonderful and amazing things that should be in every curriculum around the country.

When you walk the halls of CFS, you see the efforts towards inclusion, from assignments to posters. This past winter, the Extended Day (XD) program created a beautiful MLK collage (see inside front cover) that we will be hanging in the School. The Family Association organized a Multicultural Potluck that was extremely successful. The parents also joined in to help decorate the gym for assemblies, some staying late after a basketball game to support set up.

At CFS, the whole community is responsible for supporting diversity and inclusion and it really shows.

Our Seminar Series featured some of our talented alumni of color including the Greenidge sisters and Imani Perry, and a panel on transracial adoption that you can read more about in this magazine (see p.34).

We also held a Virtual Vigil / Meeting for Worship that honored the lives of the Black Americans we have lost unjustly to racial violence in America and will continue to support our Black community during this racially transformative time in America.

Undoubtedly, this work takes a village, and CFS has the village that not only holds itself accountable, but also understands that this is ongoing work and learning always needs to be done.

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Keeping CFS Families CONNECTED CFS Family Association Finds Creative Ways to Build Community By: Lisa Domigan Clerk of the Family Association The Family Association is excited for the start of the new school year, and we look forward to meeting the new families and welcoming back old friends! Even though everyone has been through a lot over the past several months, the Family Association is committed to growing and strengthening the School’s community, both in person and virtually.

Attendees at the Wine & Cheese enjoy socializing in the Courtyard.

Last September, the Family Association held a Wine and Cheese kick-off event to celebrate the start of the 2019-2020 school year. Parents enjoyed a selection of wines and charcuterie. We had over 60 attendees and there was no wine left by the end of the evening! There were 20 children registered for childcare, and they enjoyed pizza and fun in the Extended Day (XD) rooms while their grownups had a chance to unwind in the Courtyard.

Throughout last year, the Family Association hosted many “Friday Fun” events including making s’mores, hot cocoa, and love letters. We supported a very successful 5k (CF5K), which helped raise money for the School. Also, we had an Election Day bake sale to raise money for Family Association events. We also helped to organize “Faculty Feasts,” where CFS families provide a potluck style lunch for CFS faculty and staff, and class potlucks led by Class Parents.

Another highlight from last year was the Multicultural Potluck. Although 51 people registered in advance, actual attendance was much higher than that with

(L-R): CFS parents enjoy a break between organizing the Wine & Cheese event.

families gathered in the Meeting Hall and spilling out into the hallways! Attendees had a chance to delight in food from around the world embracing the various cultures in our community. From Russian stuffed cabbage and Korean barbecue, to vegetarian Indian curry – there was a smorgasbord of flavors to please most any palate.

While the 2020-2021 school year presents various challenges and considerations for community gatherings, the Family Association is thinking creatively on how to build community. For instance, this year’s kick-off included a virtual “Friday Fun” in which families were asked to submit photos of how they spent their spring/summer while social distancing. A collage was created and shared for the community to enjoy. Plans for the remainder of the year will include virtual BINGO,

Students helped to run the Election Day bake sale at Cadbury Commons.

Students in Pre-K and K enjoy homemade cookies from the Valentine’s Day “Friday Fun” event.

The Meeting Hall was up to capacity with members of the community enjoying the multicultural fare.

Students in Pre-K and K enjoy food, friendship, and fun at the Multicultural Potluck.

an online trivia night, and Zoom cooking events if we are unable to have the Multicultural Potluck in-person this year.

We are also working with the School to put together an antiracist book club with online discussions.

While the Family Association is not currently having in-person events, we are re-examining our role in the community. It’s my personal goal as Clerk to connect the Family Association with the Board of Trustees and further our social justice work. I have been deeply impressed by the

hard work done by the teachers and administration these past few months. Although this year looks a lot different than previous years, I am so thankful that our children are back in school and safe amidst these unprecedented circumstances. I am looking forward to nurturing our community in the coming year!

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The Moment Scattered Thoughts Transform into a Two-Page Article My experience with the CFS Post By: Erin Han CFS Class of ‘22 Every person who has written with consistency seems to ponder the question at least once, even for an abrupt moment, “Why do I write and what does it mean to me?” This inquiry leads to a wide spectrum of opinions and answers, but I believe I have found my own through my experiences at the CFS Post: Cambridge Friends School’s student newsletter. The ability to inform a reader - and at times affect their thoughts or feelings - is simply fascinating. Writing has always been a big passion of mine, and I have always dreamt of being a writer when I grow up. But in my mind, the occupation of a “writer” was very vague and unreal - like a fantasy. If one sets their dreams as an occupation (a noun), it feels simply like a likelihood that may occur in their future; if it is labeled as an action (a verb), “to write,” they are already what they aspire to be. I remember in my elementary years at CFS that I was inspired by the social studies teacher. I sent a card to my social studies teacher on how I wished to be a historian when I grew up. I received a response stating that because I was intrigued by history, was acquiring the subject, and was willing to learn from the past, I was already a historian. The brief, yet considerate message, let me understand that even if one is not currently in that occupation, they can practice the job’s actions passionately.

Being a part of the CFS Post, learning the fundamentals of journalism, researching on my topic, giving and receiving feedback, having meetings with my peers, and feeling a routine urge to write, I was already what one would label as a journalist. My initial experience at the CFS Post has been quite a remarkable journey. The CFS Post allowed me to turn my thoughts and other random past knowledge into an organized article — frankly, what I believe “writing” is. Everyone will have their fields of interest, and random thoughts and

opinions, but they will eventually fade away if not jotted down or written: a stream of random, and brilliant ideas turned into a two-page written piece. If one had a brilliant idea or even a possible start to one, they will have the ability to choose what to do with it. They could keep it in their mind, falsely assuring themself that they will always remember it, or they could write down their thoughts to later come back to. If they are especially passionate about this topic, they could work to turn it into a final, completed piece. They could consult with others on their idea, seeing their work through another perspective.

While writing articles at the CFS Post, I believe I was given the opportunity to fulfill these aspects of writing.

My favorite article that I have written at the CFS Post is my article on the controversial topic of masks (see excerpt on p.19). Through this article, I learned and realized so many different concepts of writing. I believe I realized the concept of ideas turning into thoughts, as well as finding my own unique way of writing through this article. Being a Korean-American, months before the actual start of isolation, we had received boxes of masks from our family in South Korea. While texting with grandparents, I would hear about how masks were a routine factor, and how people would eye and/or look down on those who did not wear one in public. Also having past knowledge on the “fine dust” problem in South Korea, I knew that that would have directly affected citizens’ perspective, or approach on masks. As the topic of masks was slowly making its way to mainstream media, I thought that it would be a perfectly appropriate topic.

Being bilingual, I had access to both Korean and English resources, as well as personal connections. As I wrote that article in the middle of April, CFS had already transitioned to online learning. All classes were continually taken from Google Meet or Zoom. The CFS Post would meet every

An excerpt from Erin’s CFS Post article “The Global Meaning of Mask” featured in the CFS Weekly Newsletter in May 2020.

“…The system that seems to have given Korea such success is the Pharmacy System. The Pharmacy System is used all around the world for medicine, including most Erin at her desk remotely composing her thoughts.

if not all - pharmacies. It records every time a customer buys medicine in order to prevent overdose. What is unique about Korea is that they included masks as one of

week through Zoom meetings to address any questions or announcements. Even during this unprecedented time, my article was run through one-on-one Zoom editing sessions: receiving feedback in comment form on shared Google Docs, and email conversations on certain areas of the article. I also learned while working in a group, that deadlines and topics themselves were unique blessings. At the moment, it may feel stressful as it seems like a load of responsibility.

The deadline would quite often be dreaded and the topic often felt as if it was trapping creativity, but I believe they are actually what sets the boundaries to piece all of the writers’ ideas and components together. This is only valid since you are working with a team; you have to keep promises. If one was writing alone, with no self-made deadlines or topics, they will likely lose interest and leave the project unfinished. There are many brilliant ideas that one could stumble upon, but I believe there are few that make their way into its final form.

Whether meeting online, or wearing masks six feet apart in the newsroom, the 2020 - 2021 school year will certainly be a different experience that one cannot predict. But I believe that the CFS Post will thrive on and adjust to a new environment, as the love and passion “to write” will carry us into the future.

the products that would be recorded in the customer’s purchase history. This was done to prevent hoarding, a serious problem in many other countries. Still, this brings up another problem. Customers could come in at unsuspecting times, making the job of the pharmacists much harder. As a key to this problem, schedules were created. Below is a picture of a diagram showing each finger of the glove as the five weekdays of the week. The two numbers on top of each finger signals the last number of the year one was born on.

For each day, there is a certain group of people who are assigned to come and pick up their masks.

Since they believed from the start that masks were crucial, they made sure to get the masks to every single citizen. This

Korean schedule diagram for pharmacies.

was clear when they worked to get the masks even to citizens living in the very minor islands. Since Korea is a peninsula, there were many small, unknown islands. People could not get to them through boats because of the spreading of the virus. This did not let the Koreans hesitate to deliver the masks. With a very developed knowledge and skill of fields on drones, they used this to solve the problem. They delivered the masks through drones to every inhabited island…”

Fall/Winter | 2020 cambridgefriendsschool.org

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STANDING UP

Against Climate Change By: Becca Conner Former Middle School Science Teacher Science in middle school prepares students for high school through project-based and hands-on exploration. As students learn content, they apply their learning to real-life, relevant situations.

Middle-school students hold up their signs while in transit to the Boston Youth Climate Strike.

Why climate change and why activism?

that students have a voice, tools, and space to apply their

In the spring of 2019, the seeds of climate change activism

learning in action. Without the ability to apply their learning in

were planted at CFS when the entire Middle School read

support of change, students leave the classroom overwhelmed,

the Green New Deal and attended the Boston Youth Climate

depressed, and apathetic. Instead, given the power to enact

Strike. The climate strike was mainly organized by the youth

change in and outside of our seventh-grade science classroom

activism group, The Sunrise Movement, and called for climate

at CFS, students are impassioned and empowered by the

action and a Green New Deal.

curriculum and gain tools and take steps to be the leaders of change in Boston, across the country, and in the world.

The following fall, seventh-grade students were given space in science class and advisory time to develop their own youth climate strike strategies.

Fridays for Future: In the fall, students learned about Greta Thurnberg, a Swedish activist, and other youth activists who would leave school

This youth-led action went hand-in-hand with the seventh-

every Friday to stand in solidarity with climate change activism.

grade science curriculum, which looks at Earth’s climate,

Collectively these Fridays are called “Fridays for Future” and over

natural processes of climate change, and human induced

13 million youth across the world participate in order to protest

impacts of climate change. In this curriculum, it is imperative

the lack of government action regarding climate change.

Fridays for Future: (Left) Seventh-grade students at a bus stop with a tiled set of signs that spelled out “Fridays for Future” on one side and “Tired of Empty Promises” on the other side. (Right) Seventh-grade students outside Dunkin’ Donuts in Porter Square, asking people not to use plastic straws and to sign a petition to remove plastic straws from Dunkin’ Donuts.

Given parts of class time on Thursday afternoons, students brainstormed their message and how they would demonstrate the next day during their advisory block. Every Friday students would leave the school in solidarity with Greta and other youth activists across the country and the world.

Boston Youth Climate Strike: Once again, CFS middle-school students attended the Boston Youth Climate Strike in the fall of 2019. This time, the seventh-grade students led and organized resources and planning for the day. Students asked administration for permission to leave school and attend the strike, invited parents to support the cause as chaperones, and spoke with

CFS students alongside Senator Ed Markey during the Youth Climate Strike in September 2019 at City Hall Plaza in Boston.

sixth-and eighth-graders about attending the strike with a unified vision and message. At the strike, students were able to hear from speakers, learn about initiatives in booths, and march and chant in solidarity with other youth. Some students were fortunate enough to meet Senator Ed Markey, co-author of the Green New Deal, while others were seen to be so impassioned that they ended up on the front of The Boston Globe.

We were unable to attend the second Youth Climate Strike as

On September 25, 2019 The Boston Globe captured some of our students in action.

a full school, but some students left school that day to attend and were interviewed by local news.

Local Experts & Engineering: Despite the impact of the pandemic and remote learning, students were able to connect with local experts on impacts

planting trees has on mitigating this effect, and how the

and mitigation of climate change.

students can get involved in planting or taking care of trees in Cambridge.

Students talked with Terry Bastian, who designed, implemented, and manages the human-made wetland in

Erik Peckar also visited our virtual classroom. Erik works at

Danehy Park. Terry spoke about the purpose behind the

Vineyard Power, a community-owned cooperative that is

wetland - to create a space for wildlife within Cambridge,

working towards a sustainable Martha’s Vineyard. At Vineyard

but also to contain flooding. The wetland was designed

Power he is working to set up the first offshore wind farm

to withstand 100-year storms, but with the increased

between the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard. He talked to the

frequency of 100-year storms due to climate change, flooding

students about offshore wind turbines, the project, and the

Cambridge is a serious danger.

multitude of jobs the project will produce.

Students also met with John Bolduc, an Environmental Planner with the City of Cambridge. John talked to students

Continued on next page...

about the urban heat island effect, the positive impact Fall/Winter | 2020 cambridgefriendsschool.org

21

STANDING UP Against Climate Change...continued

Students met with John Bolduc, an Environmental Planner with the City of Cambridge, leading up to their storm water projecats.

Erik Peckar, General Manager of Vineyard Power, spoke to students about offshore wind turbines.

Local Youth Activism: After learning that our world has the tools to mitigate and combat

www.cambridgefriendsschool.org/ClimateAction.

climate change, students met with activists in order to understand

To follow up on the virtual lobbying experience, students

how they could make an impact through policy change.

wrote letters to Representative Ayanna Pressley urging her to co-sponsor the Climate Action Rebate Act. Here are

First, students met with Michael Chen, a member of The Sunrise

some excerpts from their letters:

Movement. Michael spoke with students about the importance of education and youth voices in enacting policy change.

Students also met with Emi Jacobson, a ninth-grader at the Winsor School who works with The Sunrise Movement and is in charge of the “Whose Side Are You On?” campaign, which is a youth campaign pushing representatives to support climate change legislation by physically standing up during roll call when the legislation is presented.

In order to prepare for lobby training with Alicia Cannon from Friends Committee on National Legislation (F.C.N.L.), students explored their own relationship with climate change through writing about why they were passionate about ending the climate crisis. They also read and learned about the Climate Action Rebate Act, a bill that proposes instituting carbon pricing in the U.S.

Bringing It All Together with Informed Activism: With the training from F.C.N.L., seventh-grade students lobbied Representative Ayanna Pressley’s office in support of the Climate Action Rebate Act. A video compilation of the students’ experience lobbying virtually can be found by visiting:

me was when change was ever real to “The first time climate r in a national ily and I went to a glacie I went to Alaska. My fam ring. But then nest, I found it very bo park. At first, to be ho lting glacier pose in front of the me when it was our time to . It felt like my e of the glacier in 2009 they showed us a pictur lted a lot in the ond. The glacier had me heart stopped for a sec s surprised and continuing to melt. I wa past six years and was r would cause. mage the melting glacie sad about the lasting da t it. When we to do something abou I decided that I wanted impossible ideas, house I brainstormed got back to my aunt’s rfect sense. Those ld mind they made pe but in my eight-year-o motivation is d from my mind, but the ideas have disappeare the H.R. 4051 bill Congress should pass still there. I think that gasses in the s put lots of greenhouse because giant companie they affect use gases go into the air, air. When the greenho gases add to ment. The greenhouse the air and the environ anket ” is also ecting our Earth. The “bl the “blanket ” that is aff ber when I went in a huge way. I remem affecting the glaciers, from under the water flowing out to the glacier, I could see lting that much. cier should not be me like a little river. That gla use gases, now pay because of greenho Ecosystems have had to This is why I am panies to pay for them. it’s time for giant com nsor the H.R. er of Congress, to co-spo asking you, as a memb 4051 bill.” ss of 2021 -Claire Leggett, CFS Cla

“I am asking you to co-sponsor the Climate Action Re which puts a price bate Act, on carbon dioxid e, transitions the U. energy economy, S. to a clean takes money from carbon intensive gives the money co rporations, back to low-incom e communities, an jobs for fossil fuel d cr eates new workers.

I am very fortuna te to not be at th e frontlines of cli but the reason I am mate change, concerned is for th e people who are: struggling comm financially unities, commun ities of color, peop in polluted air, dr le wh o breathe ink polluted wate r, and those whos have been destroy e homes ed by hurricanes and wildfires. An to get worse, not d it’s going better, because th e people who are ca problem, oil and using the coal companies, ar en’t doing anythi We’re losing valu ng ab out it. able time, locked in our homes, usin as corporations ar g di rty energy e still profiting off of us - especially that run exclusively companies online. And when the climate beco unlivable, the billio mes close to naires and the co mpany owners ar be the ones who en ’t going to are paying for their mistakes, it’s goin people. The work g to be the ing class, the lowe r class, and the un will pay for the m em ployed istakes of the corp orations. Not the caused the problem pe op le who , the people who are stuck with th And this is why we e pr ob lem. are asking you to co-sponsor the Cl Rebate Act. It will imate Action charge carbon int ensive corporation they don’t meet s to pay if standards and de crease emissions meet the standar .

If th ey don’t ds, the price on ca rbon dioxide emiss $15 more each ye io ns will be ar per metric ton of carbon dioxide. will help America Th is m oney transition to clean energy, without hu economy or the pe rti ng th e ople.”

-Xander Selk, CFS

Class of 2021

These students were already change-makers thanks to the type of education Cambridge Friends School provides. Despite the impact of the pandemic and our new journey through remote learning in the spring, these students continued to expand their classroom learning beyond the walls of Cambridge Friends School.

They found strength and hope during this time of climate crisis, and even though it was eclipsed by the COVID-19 crisis, they continued to do the hard work of standing up to those in power and demanding change.

“Thank you for taking time out of your day to meet with us. Again, we are asking you to co-sponsor H.R. 4015 or The Climate Rebate Act. This bill was created to reduce U.S. carbon emissions 55% by 2030, and to reduc e 100% of emissions by 2050. The bill will place a price of $15 per metric ton of greenhouse gas emissions, and every year it will increase by $15. Earnings from the bill will fund a dividend given to middle- and low-income households, as well as transitioning assistance for those in the fossil fuel industry, and much more, such as using revenue to transi tion to a clean energy based economy and funding energ y innovation and infrastructure projects.

I was still living in New York when Hurricane Sandy hit. A lot of my friends’ homes were completely filled with water, and my school was right on the seaport, so it was also completely filled with water as well. The neighborhood aroun d my school was basically wrecked. One of my friends in partic ular had a wall half torn down on their house. I know a lot of people affected by Sandy, and I know climate change is only creating stronger natural disasters and affecting more and more people in similar ways. Again, I know that clima te change is only making these storms bigger and stronger, so I’m hoping that with your co-sponsor, Congress will pass this bill, carbon dioxide emissions will decrease, and there will be less people who will be impacted by storms or hurricanes like Sandy. I know Massachusetts, or Boston for example, is in a similar location to New York - right near the coast. I’m extrem ely worried about not just the future of Massachuse tts, but everywhere or everyone that is exposed or vulne rable to the effects of climate change.”

-Maeve Saxner, CFS Class of 2021

Fall/Winter | 2020 cambridgefriendsschool.org

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DONOR LIST - FISCAL YEAR 2020 CFS is truly grateful to the many donors and volunteers who made our School a priority in their giving in fiscal year 2020 (July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020). The Annual Fund achieved close to 120% of its goal, thanks in part to the CFS community rising to our call to action as we faced numerous challenges and uncertainties due to COVID-19. It was truly inspiring, heartwarming, and reassuring to see our community rally together for our cause. Individuals generously opted to donate unused XD tuition, reallocated gifts to cancelled events, doubled their giving through company matching gift programs, and increased or advanced their giving to ensure the success of our beloved school. Funds that were raised beyond our goal helped to counteract the potentially devastating loss of income from rentals, XD, and fundraisers. If we have not said it enough, THANK YOU!

Unrestricted Gifts Individual Donors Anonymous (1) Abigail Erdmann and Luc Aalmans Ann-Marie and Andy Amato Holly and David Ambler Arthur Anger Mary E. Rutkowski and Gideon S. Ansell Bernadette L. Argenti Hannah and Tony Artuso Wendy Sanford and Polly Atwood Lauren Bacon and David Eaves Sarah Bansen and Daniel Grossman Susan G. Barbarossa William L. Barclay III Lynn Cadwallader and Richard Barran Susan Hall and David Bass Leslie Bennett and Joshua Rosenbloom Katherine Becker and Steve Muir Catherine Bird and Jonathan Delgado Paul A. Boelter Martha K. Boelter Beth and Katy Boelter-Dimock Jane Jackson and H. David Bonner Frances and Rob Botsford Peter Boyajian Laurie Bozzi and Chris Hoeh Julia Brain and Nick Marsh Cameron Brandt Joel Breakstone Lauren Glatzer and Michael D. Brook Haley Brown Jessie Brown Katherine Marion and Nicole Brown Norma Brown Mary Fontaine and James Burruss Andrew Cox Butler Joe Camillus and Shoba Ramanadhan Sharon and Robert Camner Nicole and Sergio Campos Alfred Carroll, Jr.

Jessica Case Wagner and Matt Wagner Frannie Chan Sarah and Benjamin Chapman Lucia Chen-Lowe and Sam Lowe Fonda H. Chin Jein Park Catherine Chow and Jabez McClelland Nancy Cirillo Minga Claggett-Borne and Jonathan Vogel-Borne Adrienne Colby Beverly and Frank Colby Pat Cox and Graham Colditz Nina Pillard and David Cole Susan Coley Deborah Colgan Melvyn Colon Rebecca Conner Amy and Jermaine Cook-Wright Jarasa Kanok and Dave Cox Elaine and Jerry Cox Katherine F. Wolff and Steve D’Amato Trygg Danforth Rachel Woodruff and Eli Daniel Susan P. Davies and Richard W. Talkov Sarah DeBlois and Arthur Sills Donna Dimock Anne-Sophie Divenyi Brook and Andrea Dooley Christopher Drane Elizabeth Dreben and Hillel Chiel Jonathan S. Dreben Valerie Duff Strautmann and Jacob Strautmann Alice Sheridan and Bob Dunn Stephanie P. Dunning Faye Dupras and Josh Shabani Hadas Eidelman and Nimrod Heldman Brenda and Monroe Engel Nicholas Evans Alice Petry Farley

Paul Fiore and David Foley Cindy Mapes and Jim Frances Elsie Sunderland and John R. Frank Samantha Teh and Noam Freedman Judith Pettingell and Wesley Harris Eric Hermann and Susan Fredston-Hermann Laurie Tennant-Gadd and Mel Gadd Deborah and Hugh Gelch Kristin Gilbert Melissa and Jeremy Gillespie Suzanne and Larry Glazer Lois and Lloyd Glazer Martine Lebret and Maria Elena Gonzalez June Mark and John Goodnow Eden Grace Elizabeth Grady and Duncan Spelman Kristen J. Graves and Lein H. Tung Ruth Greenberger Tracey Griffin and Lance Matthiesen Kiley Guerrier Sonia Guterman Lila Guterman Anna M. Trask and Jackson C. Hall Min Zeng and Corey Halverson Anne H. Hammett Michelle and David Han Elizabeth Edmunds and Michael Haroz Adam Harper Kevin and Louisa Harris Christine Hayes and David Lewis Erika Malchiodi and Aaron Helsinger Hughie Jacobus and Andrew Hildick-Smith Elizabeth Plunkett and Monica Higgins Joy and Jack Hill Leigh Hinson and William Joyce Sandra Hoeh Margot Holtzman Christine Horan Jackie Horne and Keith Smith

Gay Howard Martha Nichols, Robert Howe, and Nick Howe (‘16) Patty Huff Simona Temereanca Ibanescu and Mihai Ibanescu Lynne Weiss and Robert Irwin Michael Ismert Shai-rose Jamal and Aidan O’Flaherty Aylette Jenness Haimo Jiang and Bin Sun Carol and Alan Kamin Scott Rankin and Daniel Kamin Jane Kamensky and Dennis Scannell Jerdjan M. Kanok and Montra M. Kanok Catherine Kernan and Richard Graf Gwendolen Noyes and Arthur Klipfel Cynthia Knowles Maciel Sophia Kolehmainen and Matthew Marston Amy Kossnar and Alejandra Carvajal Joshua Krieger Ting Lai and Lei Shen Carlene Larsson Yeon Sook Choi and Dooyoung Lee Karen Jersild and Glenn Leggett Louis Levin Xiaojing Li, Adam Roberts, Kai Kai, and Tian Tian Orlando B. Lightfoot Allie Walker Loehlin and Jim Loehlin José Lopez Espinosa Nick Lorenzen Gwyneth Loud Anna Neuman and Renat Lumpau Emily Lyons Binnie MacArthur John D. MacDougall Carol Lee Rawn and Timothy Mackey Daniel Magliozzi Diane and George Marangoly David Markley Ruthmarie Mayen Chacon and Jaime Roberto Díaz Palacios Maria and Micah McCauley Helen and Philip McElroy Britta and Donald McNemar Noelle Meeke Sarah Mendelsohn and Don Mitchell Dorothy and David Merrill Becky and Marshall Moore Katherine Moore Faith and Richard Morningstar Tacita Morway and Catherine Pedemonti

Mary Eugenia and Ted Myer Jack Myer Patricia Wild and David Myers Anne S. Nash and Hal Weaver Barbara S. Nelson Jan Nisenbaum William Nowlin Harriet and Robert Noyes Dorothy and Shaun O’Connell Cathryn Oliva-Simmons and John E. Simmons Lucy and David Ordoobadi Myriam Ortiz and Kazi Touré Catherine and Albert Pacheco Marytha Paffrath Kambiz Pahlavan Kathleen and Byron Parrish Annabel and Albert Pedemonti Ilene Ungerleider and Alex Pirie Kimberly Pittman and Robert Saxner Andrea W. Rabinowitz Eric Rabinowitz Thomas and Gail Roberts Margaret B. Robinson Karen and Michael Rotenberg Kitty and David Rush Deborah and Channing Russell Sarah F. Russell Kristin Russell Alex Russell Joan and Frank Safford Erin and Peter Sanchez Laura and Thomas Sander Suzanna Schell Penny Schultz Catherine and David Scott Judith Scribner Moore Sabrina and Charlie Selk Jim Serdy Mari L. Shabani-Storm Emily Shen Barbara and Paul Sinisgalli Nick Sirianno Robin L. Travers and William H. Smith III Will Smith Starr Snead John Snyder Karen Sollins Elissa Spelman Kaia Stern Libby Stillwell Carol S. Strickland Sara Suchman Kate Summey Frank

Andrew Szanton Lynn and William Taber Barbara Talkov Carol L. Talkov Anne Thompson Chris and Ben Thorner Cornelia and Joe Tierney David and Julie Tierney Jess Torres Orly and Tomer Ullman Laura Varon Erica Voolich Chris Wagner Amory Wakefield Elouie Wakefield Judy and Douglas Weinstock Alyssa and Konrad Wilk Laura Wolfe Linda and John Wolfe

Foundations, Organizations & Corporations Accounting Software Services AmazonSmile Foundation Ameriprise Financial Services Apple, Inc. Bonny’s Landscape Service, Inc. Bristol-Myers Squibb Cambridge Landscape Co. Cambridge Trust Company Dorothy Steere Fund Friends Meeting At Cambridge Google, Inc. Gregg, Hunt, Ahern, and Embry Grillo’s Pickles, Inc. Hayward Photography Melvin and Sylvia Kafka Foundation, Inc. Natural Healing Center MA Orange Theory Pacheco Jewelers, Inc. Raytheon Matching Gifts For Education Ruggiero Family Charitable Trust S+H Construction, Inc. Sheppard Ferguson Rev Trust Shippy Foundation Sills Family Foundation, Inc. The Merck Foundation Wellesley Monthly Meeting of Friends

Fall/Winter | 2020 cambridgefriendsschool.org

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DONOR LIST - FISCAL YEAR 2020 Restricted Gifts Individual Donors

Foundations, Organizations & Corporations

Meg Andrews and George Depew Bernadette L. Argenti Mercedes Becerra and Salmaan Keshavjee Katherine Becker and Steve Muir Najat S. Belayneh Beth and Katy Boelter-Dimock Frances and Rob Botsford Katie Marion and Nicole Brown Amanda Cake and Robert Frankenheim Nicole and Sergio Campos Jenna Chandler-Ward and Peter Heller Rachel Woodruff and Eli Daniel Danielle Demos Atsuko Iso and Nick Drane Jennifer Eckert Beth Flaherty Samantha Teh and Noam Freedman Joan Sindall and MacGregor Freeman Shai-rose Jamal and Aidan O’Flaherty Scott Rankin and Daniel Kamin Sophia Kolehmainen and Matthew Marston Erica Kramer Carlene Larsson Anna Neuman and Renat Lumpau Nancy Menzin Sara Murray Kate O’Connell Ann E. Peterman Alvaro Peters Kimberly Pittman and Robert Saxner Thomas Reid Jennifer Richards Deborah and Channing Russell Alex Russell Anthony P. Sager Suzanna Schell Sabrina and Charlie Selk Mariah Shore Wendy Slattebo Lauren Stauble Shannon Sullivan Kate Summey Frank

Mass Cultural Council New England Yearly Meeting Sue Thomas Turner Quaker Education Fund - Baltimore Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends The Kathryn and Charles Avison - Miriam Avison Charitable Fund Donors listed are based on gifts received from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. Should you notice an error or omission, please accept our apologies. So that we may correct it, please contact: advancement@cambridgefriendsschool.org.

Our Sincere Thanks to Our COVID-19 Task Forces: School Reopening Task Force Andy Amato, Director of Buildings and Grounds Nicole Campos, CFS Parent ’22 and ’27 Melissa Colon, CFS Parent’23 and ‘28 Jack Hill, Head of Middle School and Assistant Head for External Affairs, CFS Parent ’23 and ’29 Daniel Kamin, CFS Parent ’27 Salmaan Keshavjee, CFS Parent ‘24 Katie Marion, Head of Lower School and Assistant Head for Internal Affairs, CFS Parent ’21 and ‘25 David J. Tierney, Head of School Ilene Ungerleider, School Nurse, CFS Alumni Parent ‘03 Polly Williams, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion CFS Faculty Task Force Laurie Bozzi, Grade 1 Teacher Katy Boelter-Dimock, Visual Arts Teacher Christine Horan, Middle School Humanities and Math Teacher

At a Glance At a Glance At a Glance At a Glance At Glance At aaa Glance At Glance

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75% of faculty hold ofofWeston, Beaver Country Day School, Walnut 75% of faculty hold 6% GLBT Arlington High School School Weston, Beaver Country Day School, WalnutHill Hill Latin, Arlington High and Belmont High School.

75% of faculty hold 6% GLBT Beaver Country Day School School for the Arts, Boston Latin School, Cambridge Ridge and School for the Arts, Boston Latin School, Cambridge Ridge and75% of faculty hold advanced degrees 85% of faculty hold advanced degrees advanced degrees Belmont High School 75% of faculty hold Latin, School, and Belmont High School. advanced degrees Latin,Arlington ArlingtonHigh High School, and Belmont High School.

Belmont Hill School

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advanced degrees advanced degrees 75% of faculty hold 75% of faculty hold 40% receive Financial Aid advanced degrees 40% receive Financial Aid advanced degrees 40% receive Financial Aid 40% receive Financial Aid 40% receive Financial Aid

Boston College High School Boston Latin Academy Boston Latin School 43% Receive financial aid Boston University Academy Brimmer and May School Brookline High School Buckingham, Browne and Nichols School Cambridge Rindge and Latin School 5:1 Student to teacher ratio Cambridge School of Weston Chapel Hill – Chauncy Hall School Commonwealth School Concord Academy Concord-Carlisle Regional High School Average class size: 11 Dana Hall School Falmouth Academy Gann Academy High Mowing School International School of Boston 21 towns in King’s Academy (Jordan) Greater Boston Landmark School Matignon High School Medford High School Milton Academy Minuteman Technical High School Newton North High School 4% Quaker Families Rivers School Somerville High School Ursuline Academy Waldorf High School Walnut Hill School for the Arts Cambridge Friends Friends School Cadbury Road, Road, Cambridge, Cambridge, MA MA 02140 02140 nn 617.354.3880 617.354.3880 nn www.cfsmass.org www.cfsmass.org WinsorSchool School Cambridge 55 Cadbury

Teacher to student ratio 1:5 40% receive Financial Aid Teacher to student ratio 1:5 40% receive Financial Aid Teacher to student ratio 1:5 Teacher to student ratio 1:5 Teacher to student ratio 1:5

Average class size: 1 11 Teacher to student ratio 1:5 Teacher to student ratio 1:5 Average class size: 1

Average class size: 1 1 Average class size: 1 Average class size: 1 11

Students come from 26 towns Students come from 26 towns Average class size: 1 Students come from 26 towns Average class size: 111 in Greater Boston Area Students come from 26 towns in Greater Boston Area Students come from 26 towns in Greater Boston Area in Greater Boston Area in Greater Boston Area Students come from 26 towns Students come from 26 towns in Greater Boston Area in Greater Boston Area Secondary Placement Secondary Placement Secondary Placement 40% to public high schools, Secondary Placement 40% to public high schools, Secondary Placement 40% to public high schools, 60% to independent high schools 40% to public high schools, 60% to independent high schools 40% to public high schools, 60% to independent high schools Secondary Placement Secondary Placement 60% to independent high schools 60% to independent high schools 40% to public high schools, 40% to public high schools, 60% to independent high schools Cambridge Friends School 5 Cadbury Road, Cambridge,60% to independent high schools MA 02140 617.354.3880 www.cfsmass.org n

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CambridgeFriends FriendsSchool School 55Cadbury CadburyRoad, Road,Cambridge, Cambridge,MA MA02140 02140 617.354.3880 www.cfsmass.org 27 Fall/Winter | 2020 cambridgefriendsschool.org Cambridge 617.354.3880 www.cfsmass.org n

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Celebrating 30 Years of A.D.A. CFS Recognizes the Work of Chris Hoeh

By: Diane Marangoly Director of Development and Communication

In September 2019, the Disability Law Center (D.L.C.) released a short documentary film, Wheels of Justice,

Celebrating 30 years of the American Disability Act (A.D.A.), I thought it was most fitting to do a feature on Chris Hoeh, former CFS grade 2 teacher (1997-2012 and 2013-2016), grade 5 teacher (2012-2013), and volunteer (2019-2020). You may

which followed Chris’ journey from being denied by MassHealth the standing wheelchair that had been prescribed for him to how D.L.C.’s legal advocacy helped him to win the appeal. Chris allows the viewers to see some of the challenges and supports he receives to live a full life with a spinal cord injury.

remember that his antibias teaching at CFS was

It shines a light on the need for

recognized by Teaching Tolerance in 2014 and

appropriate wheelchair technology,

he was named the national elementary social

equipment, and unfortunately, the

studies teacher of the year by the National

necessity of legal representation.

Council for Social Studies in 2015. Chris has been living with paralysis since a spinal cord

As Chris stated in the documentary,

injury in February 2017 as a result of a skiing

“The stakes of this hearing were

accident. He has worked tirelessly towards

my life,” which acknowledged his

access and inclusion, advocating for the legal

need to live a more independent,

and human rights of persons with disabilities.

productive, and active life, along with

Reflecting on his work, Chris states, “I feel

his personal need to be able to look

like my training, what I’ve been doing, and

people in the eye. In an interview

the teaching I did at CFS really reinforced my understanding of how essential it is to be active - civically active. It’s our responsibility as

with Chris, he further added, “We’re Chris passionately advocating for disability rights.

human beings to try to make the world a more just place.”

Since his injury, Chris indicated that he has learned a lot more about the history of confronting ableism and society’s pervasive negative attitude towards disability. He recalled the Ugly Laws which deemed it illegal for people with disabilities to appear in public, the eugenics movement that pinned disabled people amongst other groups as unfit for society, and how the Supreme Court even ruled in favor of forced sterilization.

Chris referenced National Public Radio’s podcast “Through Line A.D.A. Now” as a resource for learning more about the history of the A.D.A. and disability rights. Chris recognizes that he has benefited from the work of the disability rights advocates, but there is much work yet to be done.

really pushing back on the idea of disability as being about medical issues rather than how people are

disabled by barriers societies install or refuse to remove.

We [disabled people] have medical issues, but the solution to most of our challenges are social changes.

And these changes, like curb cuts, benefit everyone.” The online release of the documentary has been delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. To view a trailer of Wheels of Justice, please visit: https://vimeo.com/374957367.

Chris is one of the central organizers of a campaign to increase the amount of accessible housing and remove barriers to employment. This has included advocating for the ACCESSIBLE MA Act legislation. This bill will expand the powers of the state’s Architectural Access

Board (A.A.B.) to enforce accessibility requirements for apartments created when old, large buildings like mills are renovated for housing and allow the agency to finally enact regulations to make new workplaces accessible as described in the A.D.A. The pandemic has made the need for housing for seniors and people with disabilities even more evident as a safer alternative to nursing homes.

In a letter to the editor of The Boston

of the coordinating committee for the Dignity Alliance Massachusetts, a new coalition that formed this summer as the pandemic brought attention to the tragic deficiencies of our care for elders and persons with disabilities. The Alliance

of individuals first, provide affordable

homes] died, accounting for more

options for community living, and increase

than 60 percent of COVID-19 deaths

the wages and benefits for caregivers and

in the Commonwealth.� In the fall of

service workers in nursing centers, homes,

2019, Chris was part of an ultimately

and community-based settings.

successful effort to protect the power and independence of the A.A.B. from

Due to COVID-19, Chris is no longer

the actions of the Baker administration.

volunteering in the first-grade classroom of his spouse and CFS Grade 1 Teacher,

Serving as the Advocacy Representative

Laurie Bozzi. He has also had to cut back

for the Greater Boston Chapter of the

on his work as the founding director of the

United Spinal Association, Chris has

into that work. He has collaborated with

Furthering his work, Chris is volunteering as a member

homes and for policies that put the dignity

that “...1 in 7 residents [of nursing

and brought others from the community

the independent living movement.

calls for radical restructuring of nursing

Globe on October 15, 2020, Chris noted

been involved with numerous projects

more about the fight for disability rights and the origins of

Jamaican Plain Youth Soccer Academy for

Chris pictured with former student (grade 2 and 5) and organizer, Jack Torres, during the children in grades 1 to 4. Eagerly awaiting March for Our Lives rally. the day when he can return to these

disability rights lawyers and the Boston Center for Independent Living to try to radically reform the MassHealth program that provides transportation for

passions of his, Chris remains committed to being a strong advocate for social justice and disability rights in our community. Thank you, Chris, for all that you do!

members going to and from medical appointments. Chris is also working with another group that is advocating that the state provide the correct wheelchairs or other durable medical equipment and make sure that any repairs are completed quickly. These devices are what allows many people to get out of bed, out of their homes, and participate in their communities.

More recently, Chris became the Vice Chair for the MassHealth Personal Care Attendant (P.C.A.) Program.

P.C.A.’s provide care and services that allow seniors and people with disabilities to live in and be productive members of their communities. Along with housing,

Chris leads drills with a group of students in the Jamaica Plain Youth Soccer Academy in Fall 2018.

these services are the cornerstones of the independent living movement. Chris suggests watching the Crip Camp documentary on Netflix produced by the Obamas to learn Fall/Winter | 2020 cambridgefriendsschool.org

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The Strings are the Thing

Students in grade two learn how to pluck the strings on the violin.

“The String Program offered at CFS was great for our child. Austin has learned to read notes, enjoys practicing, and just truly enjoys the music. Seeing Austin and other children playing cello has inspired his younger sister and she now wants to play the violin. Our hope is that the String Program continues at CFS and our child’s love for it continues.” ~Michael Nichols, CFS Parent ’28 and ‘30 By: David J. Tierney CFS Head of School In September, Cambridge Friends School launched a new music program for students in Pre-K through Grade 2 – an afterschool String Program in which students could learn to play the violin or cello. CFS has a long history of musical excellence and opportunity in both the curricular and co-curricular programs. The addition of the afterschool String Program opened up more choices for young students who often have to wait until third or fourth grade before being able to start learning to play a woodwind or brass instrument.

String instruments are made in a variety of sizes ranging from 1/16 (9” long violin, 3’ tall cello) to full size (14” long violin, 5’ or taller for a cello) allowing children as young as three years old to begin to learn to play them. One of the benefits of starting on violin or cello is the immediate ability to be able to play with other beginning students in a group. In the 2019-20 year, 15 CFS students chose the violin and 8 chose the cello – far surpassing the number of students expected to sign up for the program in the first year. In fact, the original plan for two group classes had to be quickly expanded to three.

Keith Sanders of Four Strings Academy leads a cello class with students in Pre-K to grade 2.

Mariana Green-Hill, CFS Parent ’27, and an accomplished violinist and music teacher, set up the program through Four Strings Academy, a string training program for students that she founded to provide music lessons to as diverse a population as possible. She brought in Keith Sanders, whose energy and passion for music quickly motivated the 23 young musicians as they fearlessly embraced the discipline and practiced expectations that come with learning any musical instrument. The students started off the year with violin or cello boxes, cardboard surrogates for the violin and cello that allowed them to get confident about holding the instrument and experience the sensation of playing without having to worry about dropping it or the kind of sound they were making. In October, the “real” instruments arrived and from then on, every Tuesday or Thursday morning, it was exciting to see nearly two dozen students carrying their instrument with them as they arrived at school.

During the small group lessons, the students learned to hold their instrument properly, how to pluck the strings with their right hand, and eventually, how to draw the bow across the strings. Each student was able to

A Kindergarten student learns to play the cello.

play by themself and with their group every week, often accompanied by either Keith on his violin or by a prerecorded accompaniment that gave a very contemporary flair to the pedagogical music the students were learning.

Sadly, the COVID-19 outbreak that closed schools in March also stopped the lessons – but only for a brief time. Keith was able to use Zoom to set up group and private lessons so that students could continue their work. While our dream of a spring concert was not possible, 23 CFS students took a giant first step towards a life-long love of music and the pursuit of personal excellence.

This program was made possible by a grant from the Kathryn and Charles Avison-Miriam Avison Charitable Foundation at the Boston Foundation which was established through the estate of a long-time attendee of Friends Meeting Cambridge. As stated in the estate: “The mission of this fund is to help improve the lives of children: helping them to grow into productive, caring yet savvy human beings.”

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More Than Just a T-Shirt

Second-Graders Continued CFS’ Longtime T-Shirt Tradition As Part of Their Yearlong Seed-to-Shirt Study The first curriculum-based CFS t-shirt was produced in 1998, by the Class of 2003. Designed by the second-graders, this annual project is part of a yearlong study of cotton and workers that integrates learning in all subject areas and practicing executive functioning skills. The pandemic put plans to a halt prior to the t-shirt design phase – would the Class of 2026 be able to carry on this longtime tradition?

By: Erin Diffenderfer Grade Two Teacher As you might be able to imagine, the 2019-2020 second-grade t-shirt project faced some unique challenges. In February of 2020, we began the process of designing the CFS t-shirts by placing our order with No Sweat Apparel, a wholesaler based out of Newton, MA. At the time, though COVID-19 had entered the public eye, it was unclear what the impact would be on our school community. Designing shirts is an event students look forward to each year, and it is not uncommon in the first weeks of school to hear, “When will we make the shirts?!”

After the February break, I was able to share with students that our shirts had been ordered and the excitement was palpable. Shortly after, everything changed. On March 13, we entered what would be our last in-person school day of the 2019-2020 school year (though we did not know it at the time). Faced with growing uncertainty, teachers packed up learning materials for students and began to plan how to continue our current in-person learning in a virtual setting. As we dove into the collective unknown, there was one looming question in the back of many second-grade students’ minds, “What would become of the t-shirt?”

As we settled into our online classroom, enjoying writing in Erin’s kitchen and various surprise Zoom visits from siblings and pets, the unasked question remained, “Will

we still be able to make a shirt?” While it slowly became clear that our return to school looked less and less likely, I was faced with many difficult choices as an educator. How do I maintain a sense of normalcy for students? How will we move through so many of our year-end projects that are often hands-on and community-oriented? And, how on EARTH can we possibly make and sell a t-shirt during a pandemic?

Should we just call it off?

After many sleepless nights, and talking with other members of the community, I felt a sense of clarity. In times that were so uncertain, where so much of our “normal” had been uprooted and cast aside, there had to be a way to make this one special project happen. On top of that, I was thinking of our School’s commitment to community: we were in a unique position to support two locally-owned business in a time where so much was unsure for them. Rooted in that, and the desire to create both a feeling of community and completion to the second-grade year, I made the choice to press on with creating a t-shirt, accepting the possibility that none of the process would be typical.

Once the decision was final, I let the second-graders know. Though the enthusiasm of the classroom can often be hard to capture over Zoom, I think it is fair to say that the second-graders were over the moon! In a special Zoom visit, Katy Boelter-Dimock, CFS Visual Art Teacher, helped show students how they could create a design at home that would be incorporated onto

the finished shirt. Given the class passion for the environment, we chose to have each student create an animal that would be placed aound the Earth (Earth artwork provided by Katy). The artwork is always a group effort, with each child responsible for a piece of the whole, making the t-shirt unique to the class that created it.

A second-grader’s poster design to promote the online t-shirt sale.

With the design created and the artwork sent to QRSTs for printing, the work of deciding how to advertise, sell, and where to donate this year’s sales began. Students worked at home to create t-shirt sale posters, much like they usually do in school.

With the help of their grownups, they then sent their finished work to me. I was able to pass it on to our Executive Operations Coordinator, Nick Lorenzen, who shared the advertisements and information with the wider community. With the help of Diane Marangoly, Director of Development and Communication, we turned what is usually our seminar registration into a t-shirt order form, and Frannie Chan, Director of Finance and Administration, was on board to help with managing the t-shirt financials. Just like that - in the midst of a pandemic and with the help and support of the community - the t-shirts were ready to go!

In talking with the students, it was clear that they wanted the sale of their t-shirts to go to an organization that would help both people and animals. After looking over and discussing some options with them, they ultimately settled on the Waterkeepers Alliance. We learned about the importance of protecting our water while studying about Autumn Peltier for this year’s MLK Assembly, which created a beautiful connection for students between their own passions and their learning in school.

Once online sales closed, Katie Marion, Head of Lower School and Assistant Head of School for Internal Affairs and Katy BoelterDimock, Visual Art Teacher, assisted me with packaging the orders for pick-up along with their other belongings at the conclusion of what had to be the strangest school year yet.

The final design for the grade-two t-shirts in production at QRSTs.

I want to thank the community for continuing to support the t-shirt project through the changes and challenges that 2020 has presented to us. Please know that your support meant the world to the second grade and to me as well. We could not have pulled this off without the support of the community behind us. Thank you all, so very much!

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Transracial Adoptees (TRAs)

Making TRAs’ Experience in Schools and Communities as Inclusive as Possible By: Polly Williams Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Transracial or transcultural adoption means placing a child who is of one race or ethnic group with adoptive parents of another race or ethnic group. In the United States, these terms usually refer to the placement of children of color or children from another country with Caucasian adoptive parents.

In November 2002, NAIS’ National People of Color Conference (PoCC) was held in Chicago. It was the first independent school conference that I attended.

One important aspect of the conference is the affinity groups which meet three times during the conference.

I signed up for the Multi-Racial Affinity Group because as someone with white parents, I felt like that group’s experience would be closer to mine than the African American/Black Affinity Group. I walked into a room of about ten individuals and felt a weight fall off me. Here I was sitting in a room of educators who all shared a racial identity. I was mind-blown. I felt more comfortable in a room set up by race than I had in years and never in the field of education. As the years went by, the Multi-

Racial Affinity Group grew, yet still it was not quite right.

Many folks talked about having one parent of color.

What we realized is that many of us were transracially adopted. A transracially adopted group was presented and accepted by NAIS. By this time, the affinity group’s agendas had shifted some and the last affinity group was held with the same affinity group in the Youth Conference that ran alongside.

When the group began, we were primarily in our thirties. Walking in that room at age 35 for the first time, I felt truly free and truly safe. I did not feel burdened – just excited to be in that room. Through the years, we have grown, our stories have grown. We have children who have now attended PoCC. We have found biological families, we have all cried with each other a lot, we have births, marriages, divorces, etc. We have welcomed the High School Affinity Group – many of whom, like us, had never talked to another transracially adopted child or adult.

Those of us born in the 60’s were the first generation of legal transracial adoptees. My parents were the first to do it in the state of Florida. We heard success stories and we heard horror stories. We always have tissues on hand because once a year, we get to talk

CFS’ Transracial Adoptees Seminar panelists.

about not only our pain but also our resilience. It’s an amazing resilience around race because you do not necessarily belong to your racial group because of your white culture, and yet you know you are not white.

It’s an extremely lonely world to know that you have white privilege based on your parents, however the world does not see you as white. White folks accept you only so far. And for me, Black folks called me “uppity” and told me to remember what color I was. We make promises to keep in touch every year, and in all my years going, only recently have we really kept in touch. For me, it is because I go back to my home and I have been with my support system so long, I just forget what is missing.

Transracial families within independent schools is one of the largest growing groups. Through our affinity group conversations, we talked about how to support our youth in our schools. We recognized the misguided efforts of others who were trying but tended to be the white parents without the child’s voice. Many of us do trainings. In January, CFS hosted a professional development session for its faculty and staff, and later a panel discussion open to the public on transracial adoptees. The panel consisted of international and local adoptees: one man (another man could not make it) and four women. We told our stories which fall all along the spectrum from just beginning to examine transracial adoption personally to those who have been doing it for a long time. Some of us are in touch with our biological families and some are not. We plan on taking our panel on the road in order to provide communities with questions a forum.

As we shared our lived experiences as TRAs, many items to consider were brought to light. Below are some of the key takeaways based on the sessions held:

School Professional Development: • [Effectively] supporting TRAs in schools is an ongoing journey that seems to just be formulating (there are no “best practices” out there... yet!).

• Supporting TRAs should be organically driven by the TRA student(s), not forced by any faculty/wellintentioned individual.

• Educators should not assume that because they had/ have one TRA student who openly discussed their adoption story, that every other TRA will be as open or receptive. As educators, we need to really remember that our goal should be differentiating and personalizing the learning experience for all types of students!

• Remember to look at TRA behavior through the lens that they are adopted and another race.

• Admissions and/or the school counselor should partner with families to gather information and understand what conversations have taken place in regards to a TRA’s identity.

• Be mindful of family tree-like projects or baby photo collages, as those can be pain points.

• Build a more inclusive classroom by discussing various family structures.

TRA Families & Community: • Everyone’s story is different.

• There is a unique intersectionality of TRAs • Love is not enough. Parents must educate themselves and take action – commit to being uncomfortable knowing that TRAs experience such discomfort almost every day.

• Look at the people in the community that TRAs can see themselves reflected in. Seek role models where they can see themselves represented and where they feel they have a safe space.

• Parents need to talk about transracial adoption and model certain behaviors for the students to mirror.

• People of color automatically have trauma history, and it can not be ignored. Transracial adoption adds a layer of complexity in identity development and there is not a magic age for when people can grapple with this.

TRAs need to be given the permission and space to be where they are and unpack as they are ready.

Continued on next page...

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Transracial Adoptees ...continued

ALUMNI NOTES

•Parents need to build vocabulary and language to work with and interpret that will empower TRAs to develop their identity.

• Parents should come from a strength perspective i.e. “You are adopted and we are going to work through this. You can do this.” The resilience and strength is there.

• TRAs need affirmation and reaffirmation. Ask questions to find ways to build their confidence i.e. if a Black child wishes they were white, ask why and develop ways for them to embrace who they are.

• Parents should allow TRAs to share their own adoption story. Consider their personality and if it is developmentally and/or age-appropriate.

• Parents must learn and acknowledge their own privileges and what they are passing on to TRAs. • Consider that not all TRAs find birthdays celebratory and that family occasions may be stressful. Parents must protect TRAs at all times including speaking up for them.

Families of TRAs have the added challenge of a lack of resources to support their child(ren), seeing as many first generation TRAs are from the 1960s. White parents traditionally led the charge, and there was a lack of knowledge. Pact (www. pactadopt.org) is one helpful resource that has been available since the early 90s. As we move forward, the sharing of such lived experiences will help to build a stronger community and build more awareness of how best to support TRAs.

Danny Rivera with the late John Lewis.

Class of 2015 In June, Danny Rivera unveiled his latest single, “Escape,” featuring local Boston artist, K-Wolf. The song includes an excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King’s final speech titled, “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop.”

Rivera states, “I can write a thousand love songs, sing about break ups and make ups, but in times like these it is essential for artists to respond with art that reflects the times we live in.” A recent graduate from the Boston Arts Academy, Danny currently attends The Longy Music School.

Class of 2012 Rebecca Grossman is a blossoming documentary filmmaker interested in examining the pockets of society often overlooked or misrepresented in mainstream media. She graduated from Smith College in May 2020 with a major in Film and Media Studies.

She feels most alive exploring unfamiliar situations and pushing the boundaries of what feels comfortable. One of her short features was recently published by National Geographic, and many of her pieces have been shown in film festivals, including the Colorado Environmental Film Festival and the Girls Impact the World Film Festival.

Class of 2001 Isaac Aptaker is a producer and writer. He attended NYU for screen writing and tv writing and did his undergrad and BFA there, after which he moved to Los Angeles.

Isaac’s works include: This Is Us (2016), Love, Simon (2018), and most recently Love, Victor (2020), which premiered in June on Hulu. This is Us returned to NBC for its fifth season, on Tuesday, October 27, from 9:00 to 11:00 pm EST!

Class of 1971 Stephanie Thomas has worked in disability rights and housing for nearly four decades.

Alongside her husband, Bob Kafka, she formerly served as a national organizer for what is now known as ADAPT; one of the groups instrumental in passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.). Currently, she is one of the founders and President of Accessible Housing Austin (AHA!). Continuing her work with ADAPT, Stephanie is creating an online museum of its history. Visit www. adaptmuseum.net to see some of her work!

Have an alumni story to share?

Keep in touch and let us know of any updates you would like us to share with the CFS community. Email: advancement@cambridgefriendsschool.org

In Memoriam Theodora (Dody) E. Waring, former spouse of Tom Waring (former CFS Head of School from 19611971), passed away late summer. Dody was the mother of five children including CFS alumni Nathaniel Waring (‘69), Abigail Robbins (’70), and Lydia Waring Meyer (‘71). Helping to create and run the library at Cambridge Friends School, she and Tom were also one of the first four couples who founded Wellesley Monthly Meeting where they attended with their children for many years. At age seventy-six, she wrote her memoir, A Sacred Trust, chronicling the long history of Quaker service and faith in her family since 1816. Please hold Dody and her family in the light.

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PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE Imani Perry

CFS Alumna ’86 Concord Academy (Concord, MA) ‘90 B.A. Yale (New Haven, CT) ‘94 PhD Harvard University (Cambridge, MA) ‘00 J.D. Harvard Law School (Cambridge, MA) ’00

Life after CFS: I actually ended up going to three high schools after CFS: I started at Commonwealth, then spent a semester at Rindge and Latin, and spent my last two years at Concord Academy.

[After graduate school,] I was a law professor at Rutgers for seven years and went through a fairly traditional path in some ways: I wrote lots of articles and taught constitutional law and contract law. It was after an experience teaching an African American Studies course at Columbia that I decided I was interested in switching full-time to teaching African American Studies. I have been at Princeton for 10 years now as an interdisciplinary scholar – I look at race, law, culture, and historical context. I’m often interested in social and political issues, in particular how AfricanAmericans find their way to creative work in literature, music, and theater. I’ve written several books including Breathe: A Letter to My Sons (2019).

I once took 15 students from Princeton to Kyoto and taught a course about the history of cultural connections between Japanese people and African Americans over the course of the 20th century. We went from the political connections that started in the midst of the Sino-Japanese war to hip hop and fashion and dance today, so it was really fun and interesting.

How would you describe your CFS experience?

There’s no place like CFS, it’s such a distinctive experience. In terms of my academic preparation, it was phenomenal. School was joyful for me. It was about being creative and excited about ideas and learning and passion. I think that’s the best possible kind of preparation that you can get for the rest of your educational experience. I can’t imagine a better preparation, honestly.

Interestingly enough, one of my books is on Lorraine Hansberry and the first time I read Hansberry was at CFS! We read A Raisin in the Sun and watched the film, and it really came full circle. She’s an interesting figure because in so many ways her life is consistent with the kinds of values that as students we were socialized into: she was a feminist, she was a social justice activist, she was deeply committed to [supporting] the oppressed… There’s a piece of it where her work is consistent with the values of my family, and the values of my family are part of why they chose to send me to CFS. It’s been exciting work to do and exciting to think about the prospects that the way people teach A Raisin in the Sun, which is such a popular text, might be impacted by the work I do.

Favorite CFS memory: I loved the assemblies that we had! I felt like it was so special to have such a sense of community and a deep sense of connection to each other on a weekly basis. They were celebrations of the full community and all of our different histories and identities and cultures. It was such a deliberate effort to be deeply inclusive, and not just inclusive but celebratory. Sometimes efforts of inclusion feel perfunctory, but it was so sincere. I also loved Meeting for Worship. I didn’t realize at the time how special it was to have that period of spiritual reflection every week and a connection with other people in a way that wasn’t overbearing. It was about finding your center and finding your connection with the community. Both of those were so precious to me.

How did your CFS education impact your life today?

It’s so integral, it’s hard to identify ways that it didn’t impact my life. I’m a scholar, I’m someone who believes in justice, I’ve sent my children to Friends schools, and I really do feel committed to what I learned at CFS. It really is a huge part of me and my journey. I think the relationship to learning that I cultivated at CFS became a commitment for my entire life. I live the life of the mind and that was fostered by being in a place that was not intense and competitive but was sincerely joyful and nurturing. For me, it was a foundation for the life I decided to live.

List of publications: South to America (Scheduled for 2021) Breathe: A Letter to My Sons (2019) Vexy Thing: On Gender and Liberation (2018) May We Forever Stand: A History of the Black National Anthem (2018) Looking for Lorraine: The Radiant and Radical Life of Lorraine Hansberry (2018)

Congratulations CFS Class of 2020

NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID BOSTON, MA PERMT NO. 1629

5 Cadbury Road, Cambridge, MA 02140 617.354.3880

Parents of Alumni: If this publication is addressed to your child/ren, and they no longer maintain a permanent address at your home, please provide their new mailing address by contacting the Development Office at 617.354.3880 or advancement@cambridgefriendsschool.org. Thank you!