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SPRING 2019
News
Focus on Foundations....Reading to Kids Who Can’t Keep Still....Importance of Artistic Expression
PLUS: Alumni Profile....Fall Sports & Activities....2019 Annual Benefit....Transition News. SPRING 2019
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CONTENTS
LETTERS
2 FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL Reaching Out...the Younger the Better 5 FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES EHS Transition Committee
NEWS FROM THE HILL 6 FROM THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION Building a Community 8 FALL 2018 SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES REPORTS 9 PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN FOUNDATIONS 10 MASQUERADE 2019 Benefit 14 THE EAGLE HILL FUND The Confidence to Shine
FEATURES 1 2
The Importance of Artistic Expression 1 6 FOUNDATIONS A Fun and Supportive Environment for Our Youngest Students 2 0 FROM THE LIBRARY Reading to Kids Who Can’t Keep Still 2 6 ALUMNI PROFILE There’s No Place LIke Home: Gretel Coleman ‘03
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
Reaching Out...the Younger, the Better I knew we needed to reach children earlier, before they failed, and before their learning differences made school not the comfortable place it should be. And so, the idea of the Eagle Hill Foundations Program was born.
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* MY FIRST YEAR AT EAGLE HILL,
10 years ago, was an exciting one. Having left a career in public education where I had filled many roles - as a teacher, reading specialist, administrator, and my most recent role as a Superintendent of Schools - I found myself in a world of dedicated professionals, all working toward a shared goal, that of finding how children with learning challenges could become successful students. I was impressed by the tool boxes of our highly skilled faculty which included many methods and approaches in order to fulfill the mission of Eagle Hill. But it didn’t take me long to discover one missing piece … where were the very youngest students who I had grown to love during my career?
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EAGLE HILL NEWS
One of my proudest accomplishments during my thirteen years as a school superintendent, a prior position as an assistant superintendent, and in my first principal position was to convince the communities in which I served that children were ready for a full-day kindergarten program. I knew that it would be a powerful way to reach children early; to provide a developmentally appropriate program with academics through active learning, play and discovery; and that we would be able to reach children with learning challenges at an age when their brains were developing at a rapid pace. Missing this window of time, when a child would benefit from academic, social, and/or emotional intervention, would be a big mistake. As I got to know Eagle Hill, I realized that the younger students I had so loved in previous
positions were missing. In fact, I was well known in our kindergarten classes in each of my positions, as I was a regular visitor. If truth be told, this is where I headed when I was dealing with a tough issue or worried about achieving something important in my school districts. I believe this was because there was so much hope, happiness, and obvious growth of the students within, even in the least mature and most developmentally behind. I learned that, typically, we took children at Eagle Hill after first grade, after they had already struggled with learning to read, or maintaining attention, or making the expected progress. I knew we needed to reach children earlier, before they failed, and before their learning differences made school not the comfortable place it should be. And so, the idea of the Eagle Hill Foundations Program was born.
There was certainly history behind the work that began at Eagle Hill to plan an early childhood program that would be developmentally appropriate for young children. These children were often identified early by their parents, many times their mothers, as needing a different approach to learning, a different educational setting, and skilled teachers who knew the methods necessary to approach this population and make a difference in their learning lives. New legislation, advances in research, and changes in educational practice have occurred in the more than 20 years since the publication of the important 1985 NJCLD paper “Learning Disabilities and the Preschool Child”. Original learning disability legislation, such as PL 94-142, only addressed school-age children aged 6-21 years, but subsequent legislation (PL
99-457) extended required service from birth to age 21. Over the years, there has been increasing emphasis in legislation, research, and practice on the provisions of educational programs and services that address the learning profiles and needs of young children who learn differently and struggle with more traditional methods and educational environments. Recent research done at Duke University, in which researches studied over 1 million students in North Carolina who had been in early intervention programs, found that the gains made in these programs did not fade over time, but rather, grew or held steady over the years. Our Foundations Program is the result of much hard work, planning, and a belief in the potential of every child to be a successful learner from the very beginning by many members of our faculty, support teams (speech/language specialists and psychologists), and school leaders. Their determination, insight, and talent helped us develop a multi-disciplinary program that provides direct, appropriate instruction and allowed us to create the very best environments for children who learn differently during the early childhood years. The Foundations Program has grown from one class to three during the four years since its inception. Children in the program have sometimes become students in our regular program, where our Lower School teachers
report that they are more prepared for classroom learning than those who come to us without such an early childhood program. Some children leave us after one or two years in Foundations, successfully returning to more traditional educational programs. A visit to a Foundations class can make your day! You will find our dedicated teachers and assistant teachers busily at work with their students. Classes are small, usually with no more than 6 children, and there are a variety of activities occurring: focused direct instruction in reading, writing, and math; group work with children enthusiastically involved in projects; dancing breaks, art, music, and physical education time. There are quiet times when children enjoy books with their teachers or alone, moments of laughter, time for movement and play, and most important, time to celebrate the achievements of the students, both small and large! The classrooms were built and set up especially for young learners with the materials and equipment needed to make learning meaningful and appropriate for these students. From my view, these classrooms are early childhood heaven …. The educational environments that provide the learning experience that these students need and deserve. This is important work for our school that is, without question, life changing for children fortunate enough to be in the Foundations Program. If you need a lift in spirit, come visit us some time!
DR. MARJORIE E. CASTRO
* indicates a story about the Foundations Program SPRING 2019 . 3
FROM THE BOARD 2018-2019 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Our Eagle Hill family will soon embrace the promise of new leadership and welcome our new Head of School, Mr. Clay Kaufman, who officially takes the helm on July 1, 2019.
BOARD CO-CHAIRS Jeremy Henderson and Patricia Murphy BOARD MEMBERS Sonja Bartlett Patrick Brogan ‘87 Joe Burton ‘90 Lisa Eatroff Dana Fields Amy Jo Frischling, Vice Chair Patsy Howard Clifford Lanier Derrel Mason, Esq. Lisa Miller Chance Patterson David Portny Kathleen Doody Redmond, Secretary Sonia Sandhu, MD Drew Saunders ‘88 Lydia Soifer, Ph.D. Kelly Thompson Molly Van Wagenen Roxanne Vanderbilt Joe Zimmel, Treasurer EX-OFFICIO Dr. Marjorie E. Castro Kat Mattis, PA President
EAGLE HILL NEWS Eagle Hill News is published two times a year (fall and spring) by the Development Office of Eagle Hill School. DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Lisa Ferraro L.Ferraro@eaglehill.org DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Linda J. Miller L.Miller@eaglehill.org COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Phil Pineau P.Pineau@eaglehill.org SPECIAL EVENTS MANAGER Cindy Ruiz C.Ruiz@eaglehill.org DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT Maria Conforti M.Conforti@eaglehill.org
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY Phil Pineau Rhonda Spevak Chris Taggart
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DESIGN Sarah Fey Design LLC EAGLE HILL NEWS
EHS Transition Committee WITH SPRING EMERGING, we’re enjoying the changes that transform our beautiful Eagle Hill campus, as well as those that will transform Eagle Hill as an institution. The transition to new leadership requires some nurturing, much like introducing a new member to the family. Our Eagle Hill family will soon embrace the promise of new leadership and welcome our new Head of School, Mr. Clay Kaufman, who officially takes the helm on July 1, 2019. Following the appointment of a new Head, it is customary to establish a Transition Committee to introduce him or her to the school community and ensure a smooth transition. The Transition Committee typically begins its work after the announcement of the new Head to the community and concludes when the new Head is settled on campus. The mandate for the Committee includes: • Planning a reception for the new Head to introduce him to parents, faculty, alumni, and other members of the Eagle Hill community • Engaging him in major Board decisions such as the budget and administrative hires for the coming year • Including him in appropriate school-wide spring events in order to meet constituents and experience key functions. Ideally, the Transition Committee is a multifaceted group representing various school constituents. That was our goal in selecting the following team: Dan Baker, Upper School faculty member; Sonja Bartlett, Board of Trustees member (serving on the Governance Committee and the Marketing Committee) and alumni parent; Shari Bloomer, Lower School Division Head; Lisa Ferraro, Director of Development and alumni parent; Cliff Lanier, Board of Trustees member (serving on the Finance Committee and the Buildings & Grounds Committee) and a current parent; Kat Mattis, President of the Eagle Hill Parents Association and current parent; Patty Murphy,
Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees and alumni parent; and Lydia Soifer, Board of Trustees member (serving on the Education Committee and the Governance Committee) and renowned Pediatric Language and Literacy Specialist. Meeting monthly to plan events large and small, the Transition Committee will facilitate a smooth integration into our school community, and the community at large, for the Kaufman family. You may have met Mr. Kaufman already at one of Eagle Hill’s signature events: Sunday Supper & Bingo. Having had the opportunity to call a few rounds of bingo, Mr. Kaufman also spent time meeting with the Upper and Lower School Advisory Teams and Dr. Castro the following day. The Transition Committee is planning a more formal introduction to the Eagle Hill community on Thursday, May 16, in the form of an evening cocktail reception in our Community Room. Save the date! Following the reception on May 16, Mr. Kaufman will have the opportunity to meet our students at the Friday assemblies on May 17. As June approaches and the frenetic schedules of our EHS families begin to slow down, Mr. Kaufman will just be getting started. Summer will afford him the opportunity to meet with members of the Board of Trustees, lunch with area Heads of School, read to Eagle Hill students at a monthly story time hour in the EHS Library, and have coffee with small groups of teachers. Before you know it, guess who’ll be sitting in the dunk tank at Family Fun Day? We look forward to welcoming the Kaufman family into the Eagle Hill family in the months ahead.
JEREMY HENDERSON, CO-CHAIR
PATTY MURPHY, CO-CHAIR SPRING 2019 . 5
FROM THE PARENTS ASSOCIATION
Building a Community By Kat Mattis PA President 2018-2019
N
ot everyone is familiar with traffic roundabouts. Having lived in Switzerland for two years, I was pleased to see one in my Greenwich neighborhood, just east of Eagle Hill’s campus. But every now and again, as I’m cruising behind a driver in the roundabout (no red lights!), said driver will come to a dead halt and proceed to wave in a waiting car. Then, of course, there’s more lag, as the waved-in driver weighs whether or not to defy roundabout etiquette and break into the circle. Meanwhile, cars stack up behind me, and irritability creeps in as I size up the vehicle causing the melee. The trick to dispelling the annoyance? I imagine my Grandma Phyllis at the wheel. Luckily, at age 93, she’s no longer on the road, but I imagine her in sprightlier years. If it’s inclement weather, she’s wearing her plastic bonnet to protect her beauty parlor hairdo. I commend her easy pacing, her deliberations, and her utmost concern for caution. Petty annoyance and a flood of misperceptions give way to patience, kindness, and generosity of spirit. As soon as we view others as friends and allies, we build community and our better selves show up. The string of setbacks that typically precede coming to Eagle Hill, the sacrifices made to finance tuition, the logistics added to our commute - all of these hardships provide rich soil to build a special community here. Oftentimes, the isolation we felt in former settings naturally flips to a sense of belonging - a community. Community is part of the Eagle Hill formula - it energizes teachers, students, and parents and brings meaning to all of the interactions among us. Parents Association events are not organized merely for the sake of playing a rousing round of bingo at Sunday Supper or for the delectable shrimp cocktail and champagne at Moms’ Night Out, but rather for the sake of community. For the sake of the extra patience, kindness, and generosity of spirit that community engenders.
The string of setbacks that typically precede coming to Eagle Hill – the sacrifices made to finance tuition, the logistics added to our commute – all of these hardships provide rich soil to build a special community here.
Though getting involved may seem like a big ask with all of the other pressures in our day-to-day, the rewards are clear for both you and your child. Involvement means stepping outside your comfort zone, meeting new people, learning new approaches - the very things we task our children with at EHS. Modeling these behaviors is the best way to teach them that risk-taking is what keeps our minds supple and vibrant. That stretching yourself is worth it. By pitching in for Family Fun Day or the Spring Parties, you are also creating opportunities your child needs to grow their social skills and foster their friendships. For you, getting involved means gaining knowledge on how to surmount the challenges particular to families dealing with learning differences. By attending an evening Dads’ Support Group, a morning Parent Support Group, or a Parenting Seminar, you are making time for contacts and friends whose understanding, laughter, and counsel will accompany you along your child’s journey. I encourage you, in whatever ways possible, to help build Eagle Hill’s Parents Association community. Don’t be a stranger.
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SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES REPORT
FALL ACTIVITIES
Fall 2018 Athletics Report By Jeff Leonard, Director, Athletics & Activities
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agle Hill fielded five teams during the 2018 fall athletic season. Our interscholastic teams play games within the Fairchester Athletic Association. This fall we offered co-ed cross country, girls field hockey, co-ed varsity soccer, co-ed JV soccer, and co-ed JJV soccer (for students eight to ten years old). Team awards ceremonies were held before Thanksgiving break. Award winners are noted at right.
VARSITY SOCCER Most Improved: Leo Patterson, Michael Ricci Most Valuable: Luca Bonic Dave Kates Coaches Award: Tommy Cahill FIELD HOCKEY Most Improved: Julianna Sousa, Tiana Lee Most Valuable: Raizy Akrongold, Nora Jobe Dave Kates Coaches Award: Lizzie Sheehan, Bella Persadsingh, Rani Sandhu CROSS COUNTRY Most Improved: Gregory Blatt, Andrew Waldron Most Valuable: Ryan Zaretzky Dave Kates Coaches Award: Jack Sibery JUNIOR VARSITY SOCCER Most Improved: Ricky Perry Most Valuable: Mattias Ullola Dave Kates Coaches Award: Danny Ryan, Jack Opel
By Jeff Leonard, Director, Athletics & Activities
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uring the last two hours of our school day, Eagle Hill students have a combination of a one-hour teacher-proctored study hall and one hour of structured afternoon activity. Students who choose not to join one of our interscholastic sports team have a range of physical and nonphysical activity choices offered by our dedicated faculty. During this past fall season, we were able to run activities such as hip hop, karate, sports class, fitness, basketball, physical education, ultimate Frisbee, yoga, flag football, gymnastics, Run/Walk Club, art, digital photography, computer coding, Movie Review Club, and a Lower School activity period that offered a variety of choices on a rotating basis. We also continued our long tradition of service-learning by encouraging students to volunteer their time, with the aid of faculty volunteers, to programs such as Sweet Readers, Neighbor to Neighbor, Adopt-A-Dog, and the St. Luke’s Soup Kitchen. Many thanks to these organizations and our generous faculty for helping teach our students the importance of community service!
PE FOR FOUNDATIONS! By Packy Hanrahan and Bridget Donnelly DURING FOUNDATIONS PE (every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday!) we are all about having fun while focusing on spatial awareness and movement. You can find our group of 15 children skipping, galloping, hopping, sliding, running, and having a blast in the gym. Led by Ms. Donnelly and Mr. Hanrahan, with the assistance of Ms. Ragan, Ms. Cannon, and Ms. Lynch, the three Foundations groups gather for some physical activities and learning. A major focus in class remains on movement and fostering an appreciation for being active. Other goals include being an active learner, tracking the speaker in a large group, and turn-taking.
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We started the year with movement and listening games and have progressed to non-competitive tag games, and mildly competitive large group games. From there, we introduced ball-related games and activities such as catching, throwing, bouncing and catching, dribbling, and striking. We just wrapped up a unit on striking while working with balloons and volleyball training balls – we concluded with a game of modified Newcomb ball, focusing on hand-eye coordination. Our Foundations class is now moving on to stations. Each station will have a fitness component and fun ball or movement task. For this group of energetic learners, the fun never stops – whether in the gym or out on the grass!
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EAGLE HILL NEWS
SPRING 2019 . 9
ANNUAL EHS BENEFIT
Dr. Marjorie E. Castro
Dr. Marjorie E. Castro with former Board member Robert G. Burton, his wife Paula, and their son, alumnus and Board member Joe Burton
Board member Roxanne Vanderbilt with her husband Hugh Vanderbilt and Kayvan and Amanda Heravi
Christian French, Benefit Co-Chair Sharon French, Greg Smith, and Benefit Co-Chair Meghann Smith
Eagle Hill Benefit Masquerade
April 6, 2019 Honoring Dr. Marjorie E. Castro
Alumni parent and former trustee, Kim Augustine
THIS YEAR, WE CELEBRATED the career of Dr. Marjorie Castro and her incredible 10-year tenure as Head of School. It was, without a doubt, a night to remember.
Dr. Marjorie E. Castro and her family
That night, we announced the creation of the Dr. Marjorie E. Castro Financial Aid Fund. We are so appreciative of everyone who generously contributed during and after the festivities. The money raised for the Financial Aid Fund will help children who need an Eagle Hill education join our school. Thank you for continuing Dr. Castro’s legacy. Sonia and Vin Sandhu
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EAGLE HILL NEWS
Susan Williams and Catherine Aaron
Board of Trustees Co-Chair Jeremy Henderson
SPRING 2019 . 11
FROM THE ART ROOM
“Yes! I have art next period!”
is something often heard around the Lower School hallways. Eager students are excited to go to their once-a-week visual arts class to explore their creative sides. In art, students are able to study the works of famous artists and try their hand at creating projects of their own. The skills learned in art class go beyond painting, drawing, and sculpting. Students are able to express their creativity and thoughts without the demand of generating language, a task that can be tricky for some of our students. This ability to express themselves in a different way generalizes into content classrooms when students are required to share knowledge learned in class. Utilizing the skills acquired in art allows them to do this in a way that can be less intimidating for our students who have difficulty with language. Students also learn important skills used in projects in all classes, such as fine motor skill development (like cutting and gluing) and developing aesthetic sense. Allowing students to work kinesthetically is also important for students to take a break from the more academic demands in their other classes. While all students attend art once a week with their content classes, many students decide to take an extra visual arts class during the Afternoon Activities Program. The afternoon art class allows students to more freely create art from their imaginations with the guidance and support of our art teacher, Mr. G.
Students are able to express their creativity and thoughts without the demand of generating language...
For students interested in other kinds of visual art, we offer a digital photography class during the afternoon for students 10 and up. Classroom teachers share their passion about photography and teach students techniques to not only take photos, but to tell a story with their photography. Some photos from the fall digital photography class are featured in this issue of Eagle Hill News! One of the most rewarding things for a teacher to see is a confident child. When a student’s art work is displayed in the halls of the school, they’re proud to show their hard work off to their friends and teachers. They carry that confidence with them all day. Student art work is displayed in the lobby, around the hallways, and even in this magazine. We’ll also have an art show in the spring, corresponding with conferencing. We know our students are proud of their work, and we’re proud to share it with you!
JILLIAN DAVIS LOWER SCHOOL TEACHER
JUSTIN GUSTAFSON 12
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EAGLE HILL NEWS
ART TEACHER
The Importance of Artistic Expression SPRING 2019 . 13
EAGLE HILL FUND
The Confidence to Shine “The teachers are by your side every inch of the way.” — Hugh, Lower School Student
DEAR EAGLE HILL COMMUNITY, At Eagle Hill School, our dedicated teachers welcome each opportunity to teach students an array of strategies and skills to manage their unique learning differences effectively at school and at home. Their good work is evident in the growth and success of our students. When an Eagle Hill student graduates, they have the academic tools, confidence, and self-advocacy skills to successfully transition to their next school. This success is possible because of the fully personalized educational program and expert guidance every step of the way at Eagle Hill. These successes are a testament to the strength of our program and the supporters in the Eagle Hill community who believe in our mission. We thank our most recent donors, listed on the opposite page. To ensure the success of current and future students, we hope you will consider a gift, of any denomination, to the Eagle Hill Fund. This Fund covers approximately six percent of our operating budget and supports our excellent staff and innovative programs. Every gift matters and has the power to help us to continue to build confidence within our students and give them, and future generations, the tools to shine for years to come.
Lisa Ferraro, Alumni Parent 2017 Director of Development
Gifts can be made online at www.eaglehillschool.org/shine or by mailing a check, cash, or credit card payment information with the envelope attached to this magazine.
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Mr. & Mrs. Paul Aaron Mr. & Mrs. William Aaronson Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Akrongold David & Karen Alexander Mr. & Mrs. Mark Altschul Master Simon Anidjar Appleby Charitable Lead Trust Jim & Paola Ayer Suzanne Barron Mr. & Mrs. Jim Bartlett Anonymous Ms. Patricia Behr Mrs. Jody Bellows Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Benett Dr. & Mrs. Ronald D. Blatt Mr. & Mrs. J. Bonfiglio Mr. & Mrs. Ilya Bonic Anonymous Mr. Patrick Brogan & Ms. Patricia Black Mr. & Mrs. Peter K. Brooks Mr. & Mrs. Robert Bruguiere Joseph O. Brusco & MaryLou Brusco Amy & Henry Bubel Ms. Katie Burke Michele Burns Bob & Paula Burton Mr. & Mrs. Joe Burton Mr. Thaddeus Buzolich & Ms. Sara Strang Mr. & Mrs. Scott Campbell Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Caplan Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Carmel Mary Lou Cassone Mr. & Mrs. Julio Cenzi Tomas & Ana Chadwick Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Charlton Gil & Susan Chimes Stephanie Schulman & Bruno Chou Mr. & Mrs. John Chrabolowski Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Cofsky James & Hilleary Coleman Matthew Corbo Sharon & Bill Crain Mrs. Marie B. D’Elia John & Enza Dattero Anonymous Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Ken deRegt Mr. & Mrs. Devens Mr. & Mrs. Giuseppe Di Puppo Anonymous John DiRocco Joseph & Diana Dowling Mr. Richard Duckett & Ms. Thasunda Brown Duckett Benjamin Duell Mr. & Mrs. Greg Dumark Bob & Lisa Eatroff Carol & Jay Ehlen Mr. & Mrs. Bob Fanelli Stephanie & Don Fehr Jeff & Patricia Feinberg Mr. & Mrs. Fernando L. Ferre Dana Fields & Dan Gearon Mr. Matthew Finnerty & Mrs. Victoria LaMura-Finnerty Ms. Laura Fisher Mr. & Mrs. Gregg Fisher James & Carmel Fitzpatrick Mr. & Mrs. Niclas Fjalltoft Mr. & Mrs. Miles Flamenbaum
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence Flinn, III Stephanie & Lawrence Flinn, Jr. Charitable Trust Mr. & Mrs. Frank Fontana Pam Fortin Mr. & Mrs. H. Andrew & Stacy K. Fox John & Andrea Frank Barry Friedberg The Barry Friedberg & Charlotte Moss Family Foundation Amy Jo & Bill Frischling Anonymous Ms. Alissa Gaines Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Gallagher Mrs. Fanny Gelpieryn Robert S. Germain & Janet T. Gerber Lena & Joseph Gershenov Lisa & Jeff Gerson Mr. & Mrs. Howard Ginsburg Anonymous The Glickberg Family Master Alexei Goodman Mr. & Mrs. Micah Goodman Andrew & Emily Grant Mr. & Mrs. W. Grant Gregory Alison Cox & Rick Grellier Mr. & Mrs. Alex Grinberg
THANK YOU TO OUR FACULTY AND STAFF! THE EAGLE HILL FUND HAS
100%
FACULTY AND STAFF PARTICIPATION!
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Halsch Mr. & Mrs. Andrew M. Heilakka Jeremy Henderson & Catherine Samuels Mr. & Mrs. Arlen F. Henock Mr. & Mrs. Kayvan Heravi Jean & Edward Higham Mr. & Mrs. Hindle Ms. Caroline Hirschfeld David Hoffman, Jr. Patsy Howard Mr. & Mrs. Nilo Huyhua Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Iorio Mr. & Mrs. Jacobs Mr. & Mrs. Seth Jacobs Mr. & Mrs. Elizabeth & Matthew Janiga Mr. Jason Jobe & Ms. Jennifer Cunningham Mr. & Mrs. Robert Jordan Jill & Mitchell Kaplan Mr. & Mrs. David Karp Dave & Ann Kates Mr. & Mrs. Marc Katzman Anonymous Anna-Maria & Stephen Kellen Foundation Ms. Caroline Kellen Denise & Michael Kellen Foundation Bill & Barbara Kenealy
Donors listed reflect gifts received as of February 28, 2019.
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas B. Ketchum Dr. & Mrs. Kayvan Keyhani Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Klarman Joel & Diana S. Krosnick Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Kubie Mr. & Mrs. Clifford Lanier Mr. Eric Lauerwald & Ms. Christine Simon Mr. & Mrs. Rick Lavoie Anonymous Ian & Meredith Levine Mr. & Mrs. David Libertoff Mr. & Mrs. Michael Liebowitz Zoya Litinetskaya Angus K. Lodge Christine & Michael LoGiudice Mr. & Mrs. Ian Londin Rob & Dana MacNaughton Mr. & Mrs. W. Robert Magee Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Farias Magliano Mr. Jason Maltese Mr. & Mrs. Steven Markovich Mr. & Mrs. Peter Mattis Anonymous Catherine & Vincent Mazzaro Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey McCarthy Erica & Andrew Merrill Mr. & Mrs. Mikael Meyer Mr. & Mrs. Michael Micciche Mr. & Mrs. Peter Michalowski Lisa & Terran Miller Mr. & Mrs. Philip B. Miller Robert & Erin Milne Christina Mitchell & Tommy Mitchell Meaghan Mooney Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Murphy Ms. Joanna Napolitano Audrey & Bruce Nathanson Willis & Jim O’Brien Anthony M. O’Connor, Jr. Charles & Pouli Otton Mr. Kevin Oxer Mr. Sam Pagano Mr. Luke Pagano Alan & Evan Pagano Saige Pagano Mr. & Ms. Lucius Palmer Renata Papone & Chris Lally Mr. & Mrs. Chancellor Patterson Laura & Steve Paulus Jim & Sara Pelgrift Daniel Pelgrift Mr. & Mrs. Kerry Persadsingh The William A. Barbe Family Betsy & Ken Plevan Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Pollner Mr. & Mrs. David Portny Mr. Gary Pretsfelder & Ms. Nina Bruder Mr. & Mrs. H. Lewis Rapaport Ron & Kathy Redmond Lorraine & Robert W. Reeder III Toni Ann Reynolds Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Ricci Ellis & Rose Rinaldi Mr. & Mrs. Brendan Rogers James Roth, MD Mr. & Ms. Kirk Ruddy Mr. Michael Russo Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Sabol Mrs. Sally Sakin
Dr. Harvinder S. Sandhu & Dr. Sonia K. Sandhu Anonymous Drew & Katherine Saunders David & Lisa Schlakman Mr. & Dr. Schmidt-Wesche Mr. & Mrs. Dean Schulhof Peggy & Ronald Schulhof FDN Elizabeth & Wallace Schwartz Mr. & Mrs. Sam Schwartzman Mr. Ted Seides Mr. Semel & Ms. Carroll Chris & Amber Senyek Sheila Shadeed Dr. & Mrs. David M. Shipper David Shupe & Victoria Tillotson Mr. Richard Sibery & Dr. Marilyn Sibery Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Avtar Singh Mr. & Mrs. Manpreet Singh Anonymous D. Van Smith Jr. Dr. Lydia Soifer, Ph.D. Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Sommer Ms. Elizabeth Sorrentino Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. St. Jean, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. David Staffenberg Mr. & Mrs. Mike Stanitski Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Stein Ira Stein National Christian Foundation of Tampa Bay Mr. & Mrs. Jared Sturner Mr. & Mrs. Michael Sung Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Swift Ms. Carolyn Tarpey Sharon & Francois Teissonniere Mr. Michael Terranova & Mrs. Mary Valentine-Terranova Chris & Irene Theriot Mr. & Mrs. Joost Thesseling Mr. & Mrs. Stephen C. Thompson Mr. & Mrs. Nikhil Thukral Ms. Andrea Tolliver Dean Tomasula & Sandra Gelpieryn Mr. & Mrs. Jean Claude Torres Mr. & Mrs. Joe Tsai Mr. Jorge R Ulloa & Ms. Myriam Mayorga Brook & Michael Urban Mr. & Mrs. Brodie Van Wagenen Mr. & Mrs. Hugh B. Vanderbilt, Jr. Andrew Vindigni Mr. & Mrs. Paul Waldron Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Walsh, III Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Yosef Weberman Barry & Judy Weiss Tim & Carol Welch Nina W. Werblow Charitable Trust Vanessa Wilson Paul & Erin Withstandley Mr. & Mrs. Stuart Woody Mr. & Mrs. Terrence Yanni Joseph R. Zimmel Arnold & Jean Zimmerman Lloyd Zuckerberg & Charlotte Triefus Roy J. Zuckerberg Family Foundation Carrie & Keith Zuckerman Mr. & Mrs. Sarah & Brian Zuro Zykorie Family SPRING 2019 . 15
F A Fun and Supportive Learning Environment for our Youngest Students ALEXANDRA LAMBERT PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND HEAD TEACHER
ALEXANDRA BYRNE
ASHLEIGH CARLUCCI
HEAD TEACHER
HEAD TEACHER
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he Foundations Program is Eagle Hill’s early childhood education program. It is self-contained by nature and each of the three classes is led by one Master Certified Special Education Teacher and supported by one assistant teacher. The program runs from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays. The Foundations Program went through several exciting changes this year
year, including the addition of a Director, Alexandra Lambert, to oversee the Program as a whole. Throughout its history, Foundations has grown from one class of four students to (currently) three separate classrooms each with 4-6 students. Students are grouped by ability and skill, and social needs are considered. Each day, the Program follows a visual schedule that is consistent and predictable. Students come in knowing exactly what to expect which contributes to their success in the classroom. Every day begins with “morning meeting”, a time to gather together as a group to preview the day and practice many important skills.
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include fine motor strengthening and reinforcement of previously instructed skills. When applicable, field trips and group projects are planned for all classes to make learning more experiential and fun. The Foundations Program follows a collaborative model. This includes push-in sessions with a language therapist as well as a member of the psychological services team. Language lessons are developed to not only reinforce classroom instruction, but to also target specific language goals. The psychological services team collaborates with classroom teachers and the speech therapist to deliver lessons that focus on the social-emotional component including emotions, self-regulation, and collaborative play/social skills. Students in the Program also work with specialists in other areas and enjoy weekly PE, music, art, and library classes. All specialists are in frequent contact with classroom teachers in order to connect their lessons to previously instructed concepts in the classroom.
* ORTON-GILLINGHAM APPROACH A multisensory approach typically used with students who have difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing. For example, when introducing sight words, sky writing and arm tapping are incorporated to help students learn information through auditory, visual, and kinesthetic activities.
Calendar skills, weather, counting, and oral expression are all areas of focus during this time. A morning message is shared, which briefly introduces new concepts and highlights specials such as art, music, PE, mystery readers, and birthday celebrations for that day as well as any changes in the daily schedule.
The repetitive and predictable nature of the Foundations program allows students to feel successful, while they continue to receive individualized support in a safe and supportive environment. In order for students to retain newly learned skills and concepts, material is reviewed and reinforced on a consistent basis through varied activities and approaches. This allows students to feel confident and excited to return to school the next day. We pride ourselves on providing a nurturing environment that allows students to feel confident and take risks in the classroom.
*FUNDATIONS READING PROGRAM The Program follows an Orton-Gillingham approach and is a systematic program designed for reading, handwriting, and spelling. It emphasizes phonemic awareness, word study, fluency, vocabulary, handwriting, and spelling.
Direct reading instruction is delivered in small groups each for 50 minutes in the morning as well as an additional 20 minutes in the afternoon with a focus on review and phonemic awareness activities. Reading instruction is delivered through an OrtonGillingham* based approach. Comprehension is typically addressed orally, and at the literal level. Similar to reading, daily math instruction occurs for 45 minutes in small groups within the classroom. Instruction includes a focus on practical applications, number sense, and computation when ready. Handwriting instruction follows the Fundations* scope and sequence, and students later progress to sentence level work. In the areas mentioned previously, students are assessed three times per school year to be sure they are placed at the most appropriate level of instruction. In addition, teachers continuously observe their students and make adjustments based on the child’s individual needs. Individual goals are set based on formal and informal assessments and observations. Another new addition to the Foundations Program this year was the implementation of monthly thematic units. Some units that have been covered so far include “All About Me,” “Community Helpers,” “Giving Thanks,” “Winter Holidays,” and “Transportation.” Instruction related to these themes occurs several times per day, but most directly during oral content/oral language periods. Some reinforcement activities also occur during “tabletop” – first thing in the morning (before “morning meeting”) when students are transitioning to school. Other activities during this time
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EAGLE HILL NEWS
Kids
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Who
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Reading
T’S A COZY IMAGE: a parent and child snuggled in an easy chair with a blanket and a stack of books for story time. But as the parents and educators of very energetic children with learning differences, we know that for many families that’s just not a reality. Some children don’t seem interested, some aren’t able to sit for longer than a few minutes... (CONTINUED)
Can’t Keep
FROM THE LIBRARY
ANN CHASE-KAREL EHS Library Director SPRING 2019 . 21
FROM THE LIBRARY
and some are easily frustrated by their lack of understanding. There are ways, though, to engage our children’s minds and bodies in activities that include pre-reading and reading skills—without sitting! Kids love books with catchy, repetitive phrases. Children can act them out or re-tell with puppets.
Explore a few different local libraries: they have much more than just books! Many libraries now have elaborate play areas, puzzles, Lego tables, and Makerspaces. A huge block corner, Lego group activity, or 3-D printer might appeal to your hands-on child in a way that books don’t, but still involves channeling patience and creativity and reading directions.
Have nooks full of books – or set up a blanket fort with flashlights for reading. Sometimes just a change of location or the addition of an element of fun can encourage kids to try something new or take a risk that they wouldn’t otherwise.
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Listen to audiobooks on car rides. Children’s listening comprehension is often far greater than their reading ability, and the professional narrators model pacing and reading with expression.
Some of our favorites: Chicken Soup with Rice (Sendak), Brown Bear, Brown Bear (Martin), Dear Zoo (Campbell) and any “Pete the Cat” book (Dean). Books like Going on a Bear Hunt (Rosen) have the added fun of actions to go with the repetitive phrases. For sheer fun, try Book with No Pictures (Novak). Your child will be rolling with laughter at your expense!
The Odyssey Award is given for the best children’s and young adult audiobooks every year. Check out their past winners for great suggestions of titles and narrators. The Harry Potter books, narrated by English actor Jim Dale, are a great place to start. Another site that also includes video is Storyline Online: www.storylineonline. net. It features famous authors reading a huge selection of children’s picture books. Check out Betty White reading Harry the Dirty Dog or Chrissy Metz reading The Elves and the Shoemaker. James Earl Jones, reading To Be a Drum, explains that he is dyslexic and was a stutterer, and so didn’t read out loud until he was 14!
Sing silly rhymes, nursery rhymes, jump rope rhymes, or play movement games, like the Hokey-Pokey or What Time is It, Mr. Fox?
WHEN YOU READ TO YOUR CHILD… 1
If possible, preview the book ahead of time. That ensures that the book is a good level for your child, interesting (enough) for you, and that there are no unwelcome surprises (like a pet dying, for instance).
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Read with expression!
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Pause to let your child study the pictures. In a picture book, the illustrations often convey as much – or more – information – than the text. Often there are hidden clues, or hints of things to come (as in Jan Brett books).
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Ask your child questions to be sure they understand what’s going on, but don’t make it a lesson. Encourage them to make predictions.
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Adjust your reading based on your child’s body language. If a book is totally falling flat, it’s ok not to finish and try another. You can always try it another time.
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Don’t stop reading to your kids as soon as they can read on their own. Turn the tables and let them read to you! (It’s always good to practice expression and fluency).
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Most importantly, cuddle up and have fun - even if you’ve read the book 50 times! As the saying goes, “No app can replace your lap!”
Check out DVDs, iTunes, or YouTube if you don’t know any rhymes or games. Two of our Foundations teacher’s favorite spots to find new ideas are PBS Kids: www.pbskids.com and ABCYA: www.abcya.com.
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F
FOUNDATIONS FAVORITES
Read a book then watch the movie.
Our Foundations students are our youngest students and (often) our most energetic! To keep their attention, and help get them excited about reading, I try to follow the advice I shared in this article when choosing books and activities to share with our students.
Some of our student’s favorite bookbased movies include Harry Potter (ALL of them!), Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Pokemon, Shrek (yes, it was a book first!), City of Ember, Incredible Journey, Jumanji, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Mary Poppins, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, Holes, Charlotte’s Web, Wizard of Oz, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Secret Garden, and many more!
Our older Foundations students love narrative nonfiction: true stories that read like fiction. Their favorites (so far) this year are: The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino The Hen Who Sailed Around the World: A True Story by Guirec Sioudee Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist by Jess Keating The Story of Charles Atlas: Strong Man (and others) by Meghan McCarthy “Truth About Hippos” (series) – Maxwell Eaton III Up in The Leaves: The True Story of the Central Park Treehouses by Shira Boss Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Invention by Chris Barton And our younger Foundations students love: A Birthday for Cow (and others) by Jan Thomas Bark, George by Jules Feiffer “Billy Goats Gruff”, “The Gingerbread Man”, “The Three Bears”, and other folk tales “Froggy” books by Jonathan London My Car, My Rocket, and other transportation books by Paul Collicut Any “Pete the Cat” books (picture books and beginning readers) Run, Turkey, Run by Diane Mayr Ten Little Superheroes (and others) by Mike Brownlow Toad on the Road (and others) by Susan Schrade
Make treats that you read about in books. Thunder Cake (Polacco) was always my kid’s favorite – you’ll have to read it to the end to find out what the secret ingredient is! (Shhhh - it’s tomatoes) Other ideas: The Gingerbread Man, Blueberries for Sal, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, Strega Nona, Eating the Alphabet, Dragons Love Tacos, Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
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Give books or magazine subscriptions as gifts. In the age of digital delivery for every kind of information, getting a piece of snail mail addressed to them every month is a novelty for our children. Our students’ favorites include Ranger Rick, National Geographic for Kids, Highlights, American Girl, Sports Illustrated for Kids, Road and Track, Dogster (used to be Dog Fancy), and Seventeen.
Even our kids who think they “hate” to read seem to love joke books, graphic novels, Guinness World Records, the “Weird but True” series, wacky-fact books, etc. The sports page and magazines are just as much reading as War and Peace. My son learned to read from collecting baseball cards, and then comparing the names to articles on the sports page. Menus, cereal boxes, and video game instruction manuals all require reading that children have a vested interest in mastering.
Learning to read for pleasure is a process, and it takes our students varying amounts of time to master it. The teachers and I work together very closely to find what students are interested in, so we can “hook” them on a book or series that will open the door to a love of reading for them. There is no better feeling than when a student who has been a reluctant reader runs in one morning waving a book in the air and yelling, “Mrs. Chase, Mrs. Chase, this is my new favorite book!” We won’t give up until we hear that from every one of our students!
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ALUMNI PROFILE
ALUMNI PROFILE
Gretel Coleman ‘03
There’s No Place Like Home
A
few short weeks after becoming a teacher at Eagle Hill, Eagle Hill News spoke with Gretel Coleman ’03 about her experiences as a student at EHS and how it feels to be back on campus as a Lower School teacher.
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO EAGLE HILL? When I was eleven years old and just finishing the fifth grade, it became obvious that I was falling behind in reading. Although my comprehension skills were strong, there was a large gap forming between my ability to decode and my peers. Despite being able to comprehend what I was reading, I struggled to understand how the 26 letters of the alphabet could be arranged in countless ways to form words. In other words, my ability to decode was rather weak. When a teacher called on me to read out loud, I would shut down and refuse to speak, or I would have to excuse myself so my teacher and classmates would not see me cry. However, when comprehension questions were asked, my hand was always raised, and I felt confident in the answers I produced. Teachers were often amazed by my answers even though I had forfeited my turn to read. In terms of my writing, my ideas were strong, but my sentences required a great deal of editing in order to be grammatically correct. During the final months of fifth grade, I was diagnosed with a learning disability. I remember my parents telling me “You are dyslexic, you are not stupid, your brain requires information to learn and it processes in a unique way from your peers. But, you are not stupid.” It was a relief to have a reason or an answer to why there was a gap in my reading and writing. With this news my parents found Eagle Hill, where I would spend the next two years.
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WHAT DID YOU LEARN AT EAGLE HILL THAT HELPED YOU MANAGE YOUR LEARNING DIFFERENCE? In just two quick years here at Eagle Hill, I was able to build a tool kit that would help me see my learning difference as a strength, rather than a weakness. Most importantly, I learned that I could learn. As I gained and restored confidence in myself and in my work, I saw that my disability simply meant differently abled. In other words, I was just as intelligent as my friends from my old school, I just needed the information presented in a different way. The second most important tool I learned was how to break tasks down into more manageable pieces. This is not to be confused with having easier work, as it was still the same work, just broken down into chunks. I also learned how to prioritize my work, and what it meant to manage my time.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY AFTER EHS After graduating from Eagle Hill in 2003, I attended The Harvey School in Katonah, New York, for five years. Harvey supported my learning style by offering small class size and a devoted faculty and staff. In 2008, I graduated from Harvey and began my first year at Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, VA. At Lynchburg, I studied Special Education as well as General Education for early childhood. I am extremely thankful for the student teaching opportunities I had. I had the privilege of teaching in inner city schools, as well as schools designed for those who are severely and profoundly mentally and physically handicapped as well as autistic. Once again, I was reminded of the power behind people who are differently abled, and will forever cherish all that these students at this school taught me about life. Immediately after college, I went on to graduate
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There is something extra special about returning to work at the exact school where my self-confidence was restored, and where I was able to be successful.
school, at Bankstreet College in Manhattan, New York. Here I continued to study both Special and General Education at the early childhood level. During my graduate years, I taught in an ICT first grade, ICT kindergarten, as well as a therapeutic preschool. Throughout these experiences, I was once again reminded of the power behind differently abled people. After graduate school, I was hired as a long-term sub as a reading specialist, before being asked to join the second-grade team at Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York City. After teaching second grade, I taught kindergarten and then fourth grade at the Gateway School in Manhattan. Early in 2019, I left The Gateway School and joined Eagle Hill School in Greenwich, CT. This decision of joining mid-year is one of the best decisions that I have ever made. Words cannot even begin to describe how thankful I am to be able to work at the exact school that gave me the tools necessary to find success. It is of the highest of honors to be able to join those that taught me here at Eagle Hill.
ANY WORDS OF ADVICE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS? Regardless of how old you are when you come to Eagle Hill, or how many years you spend here, always remember your roots and visit! Incredible friendships are formed here - not just in the classroom - but on the field, in the gym, at your lunch table, or in the dorm. Eagle Hill faculty and staff return year after year to empower so many students. Always remember your success starts here.
center, created and ran a night school program for troubled teens, and served as a mentor for new teachers. Whether I was watching first hand, or was hearing about their days at the dinner table, I was always fascinated to learn about how they had made a difference in someone’s life. I have several memories of students coming back to the school they attended, and thanking my parents for what they had done for them. Those two words, thank you, are ones a teacher never forgets. Even though I was diagnosed with having two learning disabilities as a child, I always viewed school in a positive light. Having two learning disabilities was my second inspiration for wanting to become a teacher. Rather than giving up when work became challenging, I learned different strategies to help me navigate and become successful in life.
HOW IS TEACHING AT EAGLE HILL DIFFERENT FROM YOUR OTHER TEACHING EXPERIENCES? One of the most classic lines in media as well as in literature reads “there is no place like home.” There is something extra special about returning to work at the exact school where my self-confidence was restored, and where I was able to be successful after encountering a rather difficult academic period. The power and comfort that comes with having attended this school is a constant reminder of how hard these students are working. When I first came to shadow a handful of teachers here at EHS, I was amazed by how many of my former teachers were still here. Once I was hired to join the Eagle Hill community, I knew that my hard work was paying off. Seeing so many familiar faces, as well as knowing the layout of all the buildings allowed me to be able to fully concentrate on my teaching, or my purpose for being here.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BE A TEACHER? My greatest inspiration for becoming a teacher is my parents, as they are teachers as well. Combined, they have over fifty years of experience and continue to love what they do. My mom has taken on a variety of roles during her career such as fourth grade teacher, lower school math specialist, the reading specialist for third and fourth grade, as well as was an active member of the school’s admission staff. My dad has also held a range of positions within a school. He has taught high school history, high school special education, was head of the learning
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45 Glenville Road Greenwich, CT 06831
Change Service Requested
Photo Contest Winners! This fall, students in Ms. Davis’ digital photography class submitted photographs for this issue of Eagle Hill News. The top two submissions are featured on the front and back covers. Thank you to everyone who submitted a photo! FRONT COVER Lotte, Upper School student BACK COVER Julian, Upper School student