former CA headmaster and president of the Baltimore Community bout three hundred graduates spent the Foundation, which raises money for public-private educational weekend reuniting with old friends and initiatives and supports public school reform. reliving their Concord days during Reunion Wilcox lamented the challenges facing public schools, Weekend, June 15 to 17. describing how little freedom some principals enjoy. “In a world of Festivities began with campus tours No Child Left Behind, with funding tied to test results, there is and the annual Art and Author Exhibit, little opportunity for the creativity we take for granted at Concord featuring books and artwork by alumnae/i of Academy,” he said. the reunion years—those ending in 2 and 7. Head of School Jake Clark-Suazo expressed concern that public school teachers Dresden and Alumnae/i Council Reunions Chair Rebecca Watriss have had to become more focused on meeting standards “just to ’95 greeted alumnae/i for dinner in the Stu-Fac dining hall. Freddie get things done” than on great teaching. “Teaching is not as Tunnard ’07, last year’s student body president, treated alumnae/i creative anymore in a lot of classrooms,” she said. She described to her take on what it means to be a CA student. As classmates one Washington, DC elementary school whose principal eliminated caught up over dessert, Jean Phillips Kelly ’52 entertained on piano. social studies and limited science to twenty minutes a week. On Saturday morning, panel discussions centered on “Teachers are sneaking it in,” she said. Part of the reason Clarkeducation, the environment, and literature. Those who did their Suazo changed to a private school was “to recapture that desire to homework and read In Pharaoh’s Army by Tobias Wolff stepped continue teaching,” she said, “and it’s worked so far.” back into the classroom for a book group led by Dean of Faculty Hult agreed with Clark-Suazo’s observations. “You’re Sandy Stott and English Department Head Liz Bedell. observed to make sure you’re using the curriculum the right way,” Others discovered what steps CA is taking to make the he said. “It’s hard to find time to talk about something for more campus more environmentally friendly. New Academic Dean John than twenty minutes.” Drew led a discussion, “A Greener Rostow told the group that Campus and a Greener World,” with small class size, often lacking in public Candy Cox Dann ’72, recycling schools, is key not only because of the coordinator for the Massachusetts extra attention students receive, but Department of Environmental also because teachers can make sure Protection; Johanna Rosen ’97, students speak out repeatedly on cofounder of an urban farm in Philasubjects, to the class and to each other. delphia; and David Santomenna ’82, “I ask students to comment, then I ask director of land conservation for them to explain it again,” she said. the Essex County (Massachusetts) “That can’t happen if students have Greenbelt Association. PHOTOS BY TIM MORSE only one chance to talk in a classroom.” Emma Posner ’07 told the Wilcox described a variety of group about an audit that evaluated educational initiatives that are CA’s energy use, and explained that the transforming urban communities and school wants to take immediate small bringing new optimism to city schools; he described Hult and steps, such as its decision to compost leftover food in the dining Clark-Suazo as “the hope for our nation.” hall, but also to seek grants to fund more expensive approaches to Later that morning, Head of School Jake Dresden and energy conservation, such as solar panels or building renovation. trustees Peter Blacklow ’87 and Mark Rosen p’97, ’06 led “A Drew explained that dollars collected from recycled bottles are Conversation about Concord Academy” in the Elizabeth B. Hall administered by student heads of environmental affairs to fund Chapel, engaging alumnae/i in a lively give-and-take. While small environmental projects. The school is focusing for now on praising a flourishing CA, Dresden noted challenges facing the behavioral change, such as more recycling and less paper use. “I school, including affordability, a continued ability to hire gifted don’t want to lose sight of the educational opportunity here,” said teachers, and the increased stress of adolescence today. Later in the Drew, whose Environmental Science class collected, measured, and day, Director of College Counseling Peter Jennings and Associate evaluated energy-use data, which helped CA determine where it Head for Enrollment and Planning Pam Safford provided a frank wastes energy. overview of the current admissions picture at colleges and In what has become a yearly event, alumnae/i who have independent schools. devoted their lives to education held a panel, “Teaching Today for In addition, Kay Muller Bullitt ’42 and Phyllis Rothschild Tomorrow’s World.” It featured commentary by Jason Hult ’02, Farley ’42 received the Joan Shaw Herman Award for Distinwho teaches special education at a charter school in Harlem guished Service (see page 44), and a memorial service honored through Teach for America; fifth-grade teacher Trelane Clark-Suazo members of the Concord Academy community who have died. ’92, who taught in public schools for ten years and is now in an Throughout the day, alumnae/i swam in CA’s pool, played tennis, independent school; Heyden White Rostow ’67, p’08, academic canoed on the Sudbury River, and revisited their favorite haunts dean at the Brearley School in New York City and former dean of in the town of Concord. faculty and English Department head at CA; and Tom Wilcox,
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