FENN Magazine: A Spirit of Sua Sponte During a Year of Challenge and Change (Spring 2021)

Spring 2021

A Spirit of Sua Sponte During a Year of Challenge and Change Featuring a tribute to Fenn legend Mark Biscoe (1936-2020)

F R O M T HE H E A D M A S T ER

Dear Fenn Community, A masked Roger Fenn gazing from the cover of this FENN magazine is a sure sign that we have been weathering a most unusual and unsettling of years.

We applaud those in the community who have been working tirelessly to combat the coronavirus from the front lines, and we share words of comfort with those who have lost loved ones in its wake or who are currently witnessing their health struggles or navigating their own. The coronavirus has challenged each and every one of us—and Fenn as an institution—in varied and unexpected ways.

Amidst it all, the strength and resilience of our community has been astounding. In this magazine, we provide a window into our experiences responding to the early days of COVID-19, then finding a path to open school in-person for the current school year.

Returning to school was a Herculean effort and a true testament to the selflessness and dedication of our faculty, staff, and administrators. We have remained open and functioning well since September, and we credit, too, the partnerships we have enjoyed with our families and the diligence of our students in following protocols we established to help keep everyone healthy and safe. These have not always been easy for our elementary and middle school boys who love being close and active with friends.

This past year, our nation has been equally impacted by the continuing hate and violence targeted at Asians, Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Black and Brown people and the movements that have gained traction to begin to dismantle decades upon decades of systemic racism. A lead story in this issue highlights the evolution of Fenn’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) work and the actions we are taking now to advance our commitments to DEI and anti-racism efforts that strive for equity and inclusion.

Readers will also encounter a tribute to Mark Biscoe H’95 P’74 ’79, a true Fenn icon who impacted the lives of so many generations of Fenn boys and colleagues across his 37 years as a faculty member, esteemed coach, beloved advisor, and administrator. Our community was understandably shocked and saddened by his passing in December after a period of ill health. We simply could not publish this magazine as planned without pausing to prepare and include a timely tribute to Mark.

Thank you, as always, for your friendship and support as we continue to navigate a year that has tested all of us immeasurably. It has been heartening to weather these times comforted by the care of this special community and uplifting to see Sua Sponte in action as we all continue to respond, pivot, and persevere.

Sincerely,

Derek R. Boonisar Headmaster

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A Pivot to Distance Learning

10 2020 Graduation: Reunited in Celebration 22 A Community Reconnected: Fenn Reopens 34 DEI Commitments and Action EDITOR AND WRITER Jennifer Everett CONTRIBUTORS Bob Albright Anne Ames Boudreau Laurie O’Neill John Sharon SPORTS WRITER Brenda Dupont MAGAZINE DESIGN Dan Beard PHOTOGRAPHY Lisa Aciukewicz Alycia Braga Jennifer Everett Ellen Harasimowicz Jordan Hill Tony Santos Joshua Touster Faculty, Staff & Parents COVER PHOTO Jordan Hill EDITORIAL BOARD Derek Boonisar Anne Ames Boudreau Jennifer Everett Jordan Hill Jill Miller John Sharon

SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY NEWS 46 Around Campus 54 Sports Reports (2019-2020) 64 Welcoming Our Newest Faculty, Staff, and Trustees 74 Retirements and Farewells 76 A Tribute to Mark Biscoe H’95 P’74 ’79 (1936-2020)

ALUMNI NEWS 88 Homecoming and Reunion Festivities 2019

-Distinguished Alumnus Award: Ned Perry ’60 96 Homecoming and Reunion Festivities 2020

-Distinguished Alumnus Award: Alex Rivest ’94 100 Honoring the Memory of Luke Rogers ’06 104 Class Notes 111 Former Faculty and Staff News 112 In Memoriam FENN is published for alumni, parents, and friends of the School. Comments are welcomed and can be sent to the FENN Editorial Board at The Fenn School, 516 Monument Street, Concord, MA 01742, or shared directly with the editor at jeverett@fenn.org or 978-318-3583.

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2019–2020: Facing the Unexpected As the Fenn community enjoyed the early months of the 2019-20 school year (pictured here), it had no idea that a global pandemic and social unrest stemming from escalating racism and violence were on the horizon. Two feature stories that follow highlight how our community reacted and responded to COVID-19 to continue delivering a full Fenn program first remotely, then in-person under health and safety protocols that challenge the welcoming and communal nature of Fenn but prioritize community health. A third piece then describes Fenn’s efforts and progress to confront and combat racism as a community. Sua Sponte tells us that responsibility lies “in our hands,” and each and every member of the community continues to answer that call during this most challenging of times.

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A Call for Sua Sponte in the Face of COVID-19 by joh n sharon , assi sta n t headmaster for the academ i c pro gram

I T WAS L ATE FEB RUA R Y 2 0 2 0

when an email came across my inbox with the

subject line: “Virtual Schools.” It was from an independent school listserv that I belong to, and the sender worked at an international school in Barcelona.

Virtual schools? What does that mean? The email was asking if schools in Europe had given any thought to moving their programs online because of the coronavirus. Interesting, I thought; those unfortunate European schools might have to close.

The following day, I received an email from a different listserv—this one from a school in New York City. The tone was almost casual: “I was wondering if any of your schools have an online learning protocol in case of school closures. If so, would you be willing to share?” That was March 1, and suddenly the idea of moving to distance learning was becoming more real.

Over the next two weeks as we headed toward Spring Break, the coronavirus started to appear in multiple places across the United States, including Massachusetts.

Schools began to talk about moving their programs online, and a number of administrators at Fenn began to meet and plan, even as we wondered what it all meant.

We gathered the faculty together to talk about the real possibility of teaching online, and two days later we decided to dismiss a day early for vacation because the virus, it seemed, was popping up everywhere. We

told the teachers to take a wellearned break, and that we would be in touch with our plans.

This is the story of how Fenn moved its entire program from in-person school to a virtual space over a span of about two weeks, and of the struggles, failures, and triumphs of the endeavor. It is also a story about resilience—about teachers and students rolling up their sleeves and practicing Sua Sponte in ways that founder Roger Fenn could never have dreamed.

Freight Trains, Zooms, and How People Learn The first thing we had to figure out was how we were going to get the incredibly rich and meaningful Fenn program into a virtual space. And, before we could do that, we had to carefully consider and spring

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name what many people refer to as Fenn’s “secret sauce.” While Fenn’s academic, arts, and athletic programs are excellent, those alone do not make up that sauce.

The magic of Fenn is in the relationships between students and teachers.

Teachers care deeply for students and their well-being, and students cherish the connections they have with their teachers. We needed to figure out how to maintain that connectivity in distance learning, and then make sure students and teachers were checking in with one another throughout the day.

In the first few days of the planning, before we had even gotten to the nuts and bolts of teaching and learning, it occurred to me that this was going to be like trying to get a freight train to make a sharp right turn. If you know anything about trains, you can’t turn right or left in a hurry; it takes a gradual curve in the tracks, and it takes time. And time was the one thing we didn’t have. There were less than two weeks before school would start again.

We had to decide on a video conferencing platform—Zoom and Google 6

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Meet were the two top candidates. And we decided on Zoom for its ease of use and relatively good security. But as we learned the ins and outs of Zoom meetings early on, the planning team (largely myself, Director of Technology Jeff LaPlante, and then Director of Innovation David Saunders) quickly realized that learning over Zoom is not like learning in-person. You can’t read body language and make eye contact; you can’t control what’s happening in other

people’s homes; you can’t privately help a student while simultaneously making sure others are staying on task.

So we established protocols for students and teachers to follow when on Zoom. We gave guidelines for how to teach remotely to maximize student learning, and we tried to find the right balance between too much zooming and not enough. And our Academic Department Chairs established a daily schedule that tried to honor teacher and student home life while making sure that curriculum was covered.

That was probably the heaviest lift of all, because many teachers had small children at home, and some families had multiple siblings doing online school and parents trying to work from home.

And there were significant concerns we had around equity. Did every student have the technology they needed? High speed internet access? Support from a parent if they needed help? A quiet space to work?

Oh, and there also was this dangerous virus lurking in the community.

We knew that some students (or maybe many?) would be experiencing significant

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“We had to prioritize making every student feel connected and valued, we had to be flexible in our expectations, and we had to keep student wellness at the center of our planning.” – John Sharon, Assistant Headmaster for the Academic Program trauma, so whatever we designed had to be flexible enough to accommodate any and all scenarios.

As we began to carve and chisel these plans into shape, senior administrators met and consulted regularly with Fenn’s thoughtful and wise Board of Trustees, who were eager to lend support in whatever way we needed. And we tried our best to keep parents informed of our plans even as those plans were taking shape.

Teacher Training Once we had the basics of the distance learning school day in place, we had to design a way to train the teachers in how to use Zoom and then teach effectively from a distance. The challenge here was to teach the technology of Zoom using Zoom, so we had to create ways for teachers to teach themselves the basics just so they could come to the first faculty and staff meeting. We had a week to go before students would be logging in.

At our first Zoom faculty and staff meeting, three days before the start of distance learning, there was palpable excitement interspersed with uncertainty about how all of this was going to work.

We said out loud what everyone was thinking: we had to prioritize making every student feel connected and valued, we had to be flexible in our expectations, and we had to keep student wellness at the center of our planning.

Teachers worked tirelessly in their teaching teams over the next several days to strategize and plan how to build

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connections with their students, to design lessons and deliver content, to give meaningful feedback, and to make sure students were connected with one another. Division heads strategized the best ways to create and maintain a sense of connectedness across grades and divisions, and planning began in earnest for creative ways to replicate All School Meeting.

Outside of academics, Arts teachers designed new and creative ways to deliver their curricula online, and Athletic

Director Bob Starensier and Assistant Athletic Director Chris Ryan ’10 came up with innovative options for exercise, movement, and physical health.

Throughout the training process, the message we emphasized again and again was that all of us were new to this.

No matter how much training we had in college or graduate school, no matter our years of experience, this was all brandnew. We had to cut ourselves slack, especially early on, since none of us had done this before.

In our final meeting that Wednesday, the day before launch, Headmaster Derek Boonisar was effusive in his gratitude for the tremendous amount of work teachers had put into this new endeavor. And he was absolutely certain that we would still be able to deliver on the mission of the School in a virtual space.

Launch, Tweaks, and Adjustments It was Thursday, April 2, and all of us awoke that day with butterflies in our stomachs. It was like the first day of school all over again. Had I set up my Zoom login information correctly? Did I put my assignments for the week in the right place? Will all of my students be able to get on to Zoom? Will my students be willing to participate in class? Was I clear enough in my instructions? These and a thousand similar questions flooded teachers’ minds on that first day.

At 9:00 a.m., some 328 Fenn students went to their iPads or laptops and logged into their first advisory meeting as part of this new world of distance learning. Later, teachers reported how elated the boys were to see one another, to connect, to laugh, and to share stories about what it was like to be in quarantine.

Some of my own ninth-grade advisees clearly hadn’t gotten haircuts in weeks, and we laughed about that too.

The first several weeks of distance learning went well. Students were engaged with their work and connected to their classmates; they learned the importance of self-discipline because

learning from home provided a whole new set of distractions; and they worked hard to turn in their assignments and respond to teacher feedback.

But there were challenges too.

Despite our best efforts, some students still had Internet problems, and some teachers were still getting comfortable with the new technology as they utilized it for the first time. Students were also asking for more opportunities to connect with each other outside of academics.

During this time, we also made sure to hold divisional town halls with Fenn parents, since their feedback was critical in helping us identify tweaks and adjustments that made sense going forward.

The positive response and helpful suggestions we received from parents were invaluable as we continued to make sure we were delivering our program well and offering ways for boys to be connected with each other.

We also surveyed our faculty to make sure their needs were being met and their voices were being heard. And teachers continued to check in with their students for their feedback as well.

After a little bit more than two weeks of distance learning, we made some minor adjustments to the schedule, to procedures for posting assignments, and to the format for All School Meeting. Division Heads also began holding division meetings once a week during the All School Meeting block, offering boys a deeper way to connect with students outside their classes.

Middle School Head Tricia McCarthy even took the courageous step of holding Middle School recesses over Zoom.

We continued to evaluate and adjust through the spring and end of the school year and, as a community, were awarded two special moments that brought groups of students and faculty and staff back to campus briefly under COVID safety protocols. On May 12, Middle School families and students shared their gratitude during a surprise vehicle parade around campus that was spearheaded by then seventh grader Timmy Smith and recorded and sent to teachers and staff. A second rolling parade graced the campus on the afternoon of June 5th— Graduation Day. (See the Graduation story on the following pages.)

Fenn is of course not unique in the challenges that it had to overcome by moving its program to distance learning this past spring. To one degree or another, every school in the country (and beyond) had to do the same. But in my view, what set Fenn apart was and is its caring faculty, its dedicated students, and a school mission that served as our guiding star. We all had to take responsibility for our own learning and for the well-being of each other, practicing Sua Sponte at every turn. We all utilized our core values of honesty, respect, empathy, and courage. And Fenn has emerged as a stronger school because of it.

John Sharon is Fenn’s Assistant Headmaster for the Academic Program and Chair of the Social Studies Department.

“What set Fenn apart was and is its caring faculty, its dedicated students, and a school mission that served as our guiding star. We all had to take responsibility for our own learning and for the well-being of each other, practicing Sua Sponte at every turn.” – John Sharon, Assistant Headmaster for the Academic Program spring

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Zooming with Screens and Automobiles: A 2020 Graduation Celebration The joy of community. It was palpable during a Graduation Week last spring that was like no other in Fenn’s history. Celebratory events that preceded Graduation Day came alive on Zoom screens, and prerecorded programs for Prize Day and Graduation were peppered with Fenn traditions while applauding student accomplishments and milestones. Nothing was more magical though than faculty, staff, students and families coming together for the first time in months for a rolling celebration to conclude Graduation Day, and later for a bestowing of diplomas. Read on for the story of a Fenn Graduation in the most unusual of years.

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TH E RI NG I NG OF THE BELL atop Ward Hall on Friday, June 5, 2020, signaled that it was Graduation Day. Oddly missing was the traditional procession of graduates sporting navy jackets adorned with carnations marking their blue or gold affiliations, crisp white pants, and recently-bestowed alumni ties.

Instead, the bell heralded the start of a pre-recorded graduation program that also featured a procession by Headmaster Derek Boonisar and Student Body President and Vice President, Jack Moskow and Tom Murdough, toward the towering green doors of Ward Hall. From inside the hall, each delivered his contribution to a virtual commencement ceremony that would grace the home screens of graduates and their families, and of faculty, staff, and students. Such an unorthodox 91st commencement was a fitting conclusion to a spring semester 12

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that saw a Fenn campus eerily quiet as the world remained gripped by COVID-19.

“Our aim was to design and deliver a commencement program that would honor Fenn’s graduation traditions and the many accomplishments of our graduates during their time at Fenn,” shared Headmaster Derek Boonisar. “They were faced with such an unprecedented conclusion to their Fenn years, and that inspired us to get creative with how we could celebrate this milestone in their lives even with campus closed and our community remote.”

Our eighth grade graduates were awarded diplomas virtually to begin the program. Retiring and departing faculty and staff were also lauded (see tributes on pages 74-75), and winners of academic prizes were named and praised for their unique accomplishments. A virtual Prize Day program on Wednesday, June 3, also celebrated individual student successes.

Like commencements preceding it, the virtual festivities were punctuated by music contributions from Arts Department Director Mike Salvatore on piano and from Fenn Band members.

Fenn Band United Performances by the Fenn Band have enriched the School’s graduation ceremonies for decades.

This year would be no exception.

“When we went remote last spring, I felt very strongly that the band should still have a presence in the graduation ceremony,” shared Director of Instrumental Music Virginia Morales.

“Traditionally, this performance is the last one that our graduates have with their bandmates, so I decided to ask if the boys would record their parts for a performance of ‘The Magnificent Seven.’ Even adult musicians struggle with this, so I knew I was asking them to do something difficult. Quite a few agreed to it!”

Under the direction of Instrumental Music Director Virginia Morales, bandmates offered a virtual performance of “The Magnificent Seven” by Elmer Bernstein and arranged by Michael Story. (See story above.)

The 23 members of the Class of 2020 next received their virtual diplomas, officially uniting them and the eighth grade graduates with the more than 3,900 alumni who had earned Fenn diplomas across the 91-year history of

the School.

A special message from Board of Trustees Chairman Jim Kitendaugh marked the milestone moment.

“If this were a typical graduation, I would have joined Mr. Boonisar on stage to shake your hand and hand you your diploma,” he shared. “But these are no ordinary times. You have not had the spring term that you expected. But, in the annals of history, all students graduating at every level this

Virginia first made a video of herself conducting to an audio recording of the piece.

The boys then practiced with that video until they were comfortable recording themselves.

This required one device recording them and another displaying her video, while they wore earphones to hear the recording and play along with it.

“This process helped us all play close to the same speed so I could layer the parts together to sound like we were performing in one room,” Virginia added.

“The final result was something we were really proud of, and I commend the boys who participated. It was a fun learning experience for all!”

spring share the distinction of moving up and moving on in 2020—the year that everything was different … Your teachers, parents, and families are very proud of what you’ve achieved … As you advance through secondary school and college, and into the wider world, we know you will carry forward the spirit and values of Fenn.”

Student Body President Jack Moskow and Vice President Tom Murdough ensured that they would do

“These are no ordinary times … In the annals of history, all students graduating at every level this spring share the distinction of moving up and moving on in 2020—the year that everything was different.” – Jim Kitendaugh, Board of Trustees Chairman spring

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“What makes this place so special is how welcoming the community is to all who encounter it … The Fenn program is like no other … It nurtured us through our boyhoods and provided room for us to grow and build confidence.” – Jack Moskow ’20, Student Body President just that during their farewell reflections on behalf of the Class of 2020.

Both valued the immediate warmth of the Fenn community when the two self-described “shy kids” joined Fenn (Jack in sixth grade and Tom in fourth grade).

“What makes this place so special,” shared Jack, “is how welcoming the community is to all who encounter it … The Fenn program is like no other

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… It nurtured us through our boyhoods and provided room for us to grow and build confidence.”

Tom agreed, adding, “With help and encouragement from my teachers and friends, I learned to put myself out there and try new things, including being cast as two very different characters in the same play in my third month as a Fenn student …

Fenn offers so many opportunities to

grow as an athlete, artist, student, and person.”

A precious memory that both share is the eighth grade class trip to Windsor Mountain in New Hampshire and, most notably, its closing campfire.

“Almost everyone shared a part of themselves that night,” Jack remarked.

“No one from this all boys school was afraid to cry and be vulnerable. The willingness to take risks and share

deeply personal things was unlike anything I’d ever seen. It spoke to the School’s values of courage, honesty, empathy, and respect.”

As the farewell reflections concluded, Upper School Head Dave Irwin represented the Class Gift Committee of Colby Bloch, Garrett MacKenzie, and Hudson Wesel in announcing the Class of 2020’s gifts to the School.

Recognizing the unique challenges facing the 2020-2021 school year, a Frisbee

Golf course was gifted to Fenn as an additional athletic offering for students on the North Campus and for potential use by Summer Fenn and alumni.

Remaining funds were earmarked for the Fenn Health Office for the purchase of supplies that would help the School to reopen safely.

With a final message of warm congratulations from Headmaster Boonisar to the graduates, the formal program was complete.

From Zooms to Parades: A True 2020 Celebration The events leading up to and following commencement provided the perfect packaging for a graduation unlike any other in Fenn’s history.

Lawn signs celebrating graduates were delivered to student homes to proclaim their accomplishments, and the customary Alumni Association welcome breakfast and tailored evening celebrations for the eighth and ninth

“With help and encouragement from my teachers and friends, I learned to put myself out there and try new things ... Fenn offers so many opportunities to grow as an athlete, artist, student, and person.” – Tom Murdough ’20, Student Body Vice President spring

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grade classes saw Fenn’s camaraderie and care transcend the Zoom screens they graced.

“Even though we had to move our eighth and ninth grade celebration nights to a virtual setting, the personal and heartfelt words each advisor offered to their graduating advisees were a joy to witness,” remarked Upper School Head Dave Irwin. “And while we won’t be winning a Grammy Award for our performance, it sure was fun

to pull off the traditional ninth grade graduation song (highlighting the graduates) with the support of Upper School faculty and the ninth grade advising team.”

Graduate Daniel Edelman ’20 applauded the performance. “The ninth grade dinner was amazing, and I really liked the song the teachers wrote and sang to us,” he shared. “They really captured our personalities. It made me feel special and known.”

A rolling graduation parade perfectly punctuated the conclusion of Graduation Day itself, as the community united in celebration after three months thrust apart by COVID-19. The joy at the reunion was palpable even while masks shielded smiles and social distancing prevented hugs and high-fives.

Later in June, graduates had the opportunity to return again to their alma mater to receive their diplomas in a personalized hand-off from Derek Boonisar

“The rolling graduation parade was incredibly uplifting … there was such joy and restoration in reconnecting in-person even though we were socially distanced and the event was reduced to a drive-by and waves to keep everyone safe.” – Derek Boonisar, Headmaster 16

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“Our family could tell that Graduation Week was a labor of love from all of you at Fenn, and we truly appreciate you making it so special.”

– Jody O’Malley, mother to William ’21

to officially mark the milestone moment in their educational journeys.

“The rolling graduation parade was incredibly uplifting,” remarked Derek. “Having decorated vehicles approach and circle campus with smiling faces of graduates and their families in full view and faculty and staff cheering them on was a perfect way to conclude our graduation day and the unorthodox school year. Our community hadn’t been together since March, so there was such joy and restoration in reconnecting

in-person even though we were socially distanced and the event was reduced to a drive-by and waves to keep everyone safe.”

Tina Murdough, Fenn trustee and mother to Student Body Vice President, Tom, agreed. “The parade was very moving,” she shared. “The teachers and staff all lined up to greet the graduates was so special and will always be remembered! And while graduation was very different and not what we all had in mind coming into the school year, Fenn definitely came through and

delivered the best possible program given the circumstances.”

Jody O’Malley, mother to eighth grade graduate William, echoed Tina’s sentiments and likely those of the many other families whose boys completed their Fenn tenures under the most surprising and unusual of circumstances.

“Our family could tell that Graduation Week was a labor of love from all of you at Fenn,” she remarked.

“We truly appreciate you making it so special.”

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Graduates of the Class of 2021 Gabriel Aberbach Oliver Omar Ali Corydon James Bailey Colin Davis Balfour William Nicholas Belle James Howard Book Nicholas MacCabe Brady Kaifu Cai Andrew Batten Callen III Andrew Talbot Chapman Crofton Matthew Tatistcheff DeKock John Serafim Donovan Nicholas Peter Durant Dylan Jaden Fayerman Jackson Demian Gage Yoni Kweku Ndabenya Ghansah Sam Rome Goorno Jayden Rene Guadalupe Guzman

Cairon Isaiah Harrison Daniel Kai Hu Finn Mahan Hudson Richard Michael Kelleher III Rory Leo Kennealy Christopher Paul Lando Isaiah Rajhi Langham Sean Patrick Leahy Maxwell Richards Libby-Grantham Edward Webster Livens Kallan Joseph Lonergan Grayson Miles Malitsky Mason Sy Malouf Brandon Peter McCray Alexander Owen McTeague Robert Max Merhige Harold John Nerrow William Francis O’Malley

Benjamin Joseph Paradis Nathaniel Rogers Pynchon Luca Steven Raffa Luke Tyler Rainis Alexander Hallinan Rauktys Benjamin Winter Redmond Jackson Carter Rich Christopher Hans Scheibe Matthieu André Schiermeier Will Simon William Louis Teto Max Michael Troiano Sean Andrew Trudeau Oliver Benjamin Wachs Niko Mitchell Weaver Kevin Yuan Eli Re’ah Cartagenova Zahari

Graduates of the Class of 2020 Cole Benson Bloch Jack Parker Bretl Malcolm Isaiah Clark Jakob William Cohen Benjamin Baldwin Cook Samuel Stephen Dean Daniel Louis Edelman Jiarun Gao

William Henry Hickey Elliot Robert Craig Johnson Tyler Francis Johnson Kimball Jay Khetani Garrett Michael MacKenzie Jack Bencion Moskow Thomas Gorden Murdough IV Owen Alexis O’Malley

Hayden Tyler Shen Robert Anthony Skrivanek III Connor Michael Soukup Henry Douglas Spence Finley Richard Stevens Harrison Mei-sen Weld Wei Hudson Pierce Wesel

Schools Our 2020 Fenn Graduates Are Attending Acton-Boxborough Regional High School Beaver Country Day School Belmont Hill School Buckingham Browne & Nichols School Cambridge School of Weston Concord Academy Concord-Carlisle High School Deerfield Academy

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Lawrence Academy Lincoln-Sudbury High School Maynard High School Middlesex School Milton Academy Nashoba Regional High School Noble and Greenough School Phillips Exeter Academy

Pingree School Pomfret School Rivers School St. George’s School St. Mark’s School St. Paul’s School Thayer Academy

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Awards and Prizes FOL L OWING FEN N TR A D ITION,

Headmaster Derek Boonisar presented prizes during the graduation ceremony

to members of the ninth and eighth grade classes who displayed exceptional character, effort, achievement, and growth as Fenn boys. These prizes are awarded annually on the basis of recommendations and votes of the Fenn School faculty.

Faculty Prize (Fenn’s highest honor, recognizing ninth graders for their character and involvement in school life): Cole Benson Bloch, Benjamin Baldwin Cook, Thomas Gorden Murdough IV, Owen Alexis O’Malley Lovejoy Prize (created in 1998 by Trustee Emeritus Frederick H. Lovejoy, Jr. ’51, recognizing eighth graders for exceptional character, effort, and achievement that enriched the life of the school): Corydon James Bailey, Grayson Miles Malitsky, Luca Steven Raffa, William Michael Simon Walter W. Birge III Prize for Philanthropy and Support of the Fenn Community (named for a former headmaster, recognizing a ninth grader for his community service and helpfulness to teachers and peers): Jakob William Cohen, Daniel Louis Edelman

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Philip S. Burbank ’36 Prize (awarded by teacher-coaches to graduates with generous and unselfish spirits who helped foster the success and self-esteem of teammates): Robert Anthony Skrivanek III, Benjamin Baldwin Cook, Jack Parker Bretl Dr. Samuel C. Fleming Memorial Prize (established by the class of 1965 in memory of their classmate and friend, recognizing students that persevered in meeting academic challenges): Jakob William Cohen, Garrett Michael MacKenzie, Robert Anthony Skrivanek III, Hudson Pierce Wesel, Oliver Omar Ali, Christopher Paul Lando Mark Biscoe Award (named for former master teacher Mark Biscoe H’95 P’74 ’79, recognizing personal growth and citizenship): Jack Parker Bretl, Harrison Mei-sen Weld Wei

Tete Cobblah Award for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Yoni Kweku Ndabenya Ghansah, Jayden Rene Guadalupe Guzman, Luca Steven Raffa, Harrison Mei-sen Weld Wei P.G. Lee Memorial Prize (recognizing a graduate’s determination, hard work, positive spirit, and cheerfulness to his athletic teams): Cole Benson Bloch, Jack Parker Bretl James R. Carter III ’54 Prize for History and Social Studies: Garrett Michael MacKenzie, Owen Alexis O’Malley, Robert Anthony Skrivanek III, Corydon James Bailey, Nicholas MacCabe Brady, Nathaniel Rogers Pynchon, Christopher Hans Scheibe, William Michael Simon, Mark Zixuan Zhang

Other Awards and Honors Given on Prize Day and at Graduation These awards, and others given to groups of students, showcased excellence in academics, the arts, and athletics, as well as in citizenship and service to the community.

Eleanor B. Fenn Modern Language Prize: Luca Steven Raffa, Grayson Miles Malitsky, Samuel Stephen Dean, Thomas Gorden Murdough IV Austen Fox Riggs Award (given in memory of Austen, a Fenn student from the class of 1955, to Lower School students who most resemble “Autie” in their helpful effort contributed in work and play): Owen Michael Beauvais, Jacob Taylor Jones, William Rhys McCarthy Kirsten Gould Arts Awards: Oliver Omar Ali (visual arts); Harrison Meisen Weld Wei (drama); Daniel Louis Edelman (music) Joseph A. Hindle, Jr. Science Recognition Award: Nicholas MacCabe Brady, Daniel Kai Hu, Elliot Robert Craig Johnson, Luca Steven Raffa

David S. Huston Band Award: Oliver Omar Ali, Kaifu Cai, Christopher Paul Lando Lennox Lindsay Latin Prize: Andrew Batten Callen III, Niko Mitchell Weaver, Owen Alexis O’Malley Millar Brainard Science Prize: Garrett Michael MacKenzie, Owen Alexis O’Malley, Robert Anthony Skrivanek III Alan S. Moats Mathematics Prize: Mark Zixuan Zhang William O. Travers Writing Contest: Lower School: Fiction – Liam McGovern Riley, Poetry – Seth David Drabik, Personal Narrative – Dante DiBenedetto; Middle School: Fiction – Owen Hayes Rapaport Goldstein, Poetry – James Peter Ward, Personal Narrative – Ethan Gao; Upper School: Fiction – Luca Steven Raffa, Poetry – Ryan Scott Bettenhauser, Personal Narrative – Harold John Nerrow

Citizenship Prizes: Fourth grade: Sam Arterton Bartlett, Rex Manning Hudson, Diego Robert Mojica, Eli Joseph Waldeck; Fifth grade: Jonas Rein Ahlgren, Cole Patrick Brennan, Liam McGovern Riley, William Richard Sandor; Sixth grade: Thomas Barry Doherty, Jacoby Dean Garber, Theodore Vincent Lorusso, Lachlan Thorne McCaghren, Tyler Brian Wells; Seventh grade: Thomas Jae Donahue, Ian Hays Gardiner, Calvin Jared Hjalmer Johnson, Thomas Colm Mulvany, William Glynn Ostrow, Tal Nguyen Richmond, Gabriel Ethan Silverman, Timothy Matthew Smith, Luke Michael Waldeck, Lyle David Waldeck, Alexander Mei-zhong North Wei, Charles Ulysses White; Eighth grade: Jayden Rene Guadalupe Guzman, Panharith Keo Sam, Oliver Benjamin Wachs, Nathaniel Rogers Pynchon, Will Francis Gaynor, Wade Frederick Clark, Harold John Nerrow; Ninth grade: Jiarun Gao, Elliot Robert Craig Johnson, Daniel Louis Edelman

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A Community Reconnected Fenn Reopens In-Person for 2020-21 School Year A C OMMU NITY RECONN ECTED IN- PER S ON.

That’s what Fenn was

eager to achieve for the 2020-21 school year, as long as the coronavirus and government and medical guidance cooperated.

As distance learning concluded last spring, two task forces of faculty and staff, with support from members of Fenn’s Board of Trustees, began planning in earnest for a school year that no one could completely envision. Would Fenn be able to open its doors to in-person learning? Would it need to continue with distance learning? Could there be a combination of the two? Those were the questions that challenged them and did not yield definitive answers until the start of school was looming.

A Program Planning Group (PPG) of 20+ faculty researchers, led by Assistant Headmaster for the Academic Program and Social Studies Department Chair John Sharon and English Department Chair Kate Wade, first focused on the development of Fenn’s academic and co-curricular programming and experience, including how the School could continue to innovate its teaching and learning generally and in response to unique variables that all schools would face in the coming year. Ensuring

equity for all students across the Fenn program also remained at the forefront of their planning.

“Community and Wellness” and “Learning and Engagement” were two pillars guiding PPG work. Faculty made recommendations on topics such as how to onboard new students, to offer students voice and choice in their learning, and to provide meaningful feedback and assessments. They also suggested professional

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“[Reopening] took a lot of hard work, and none of it would have been possible without faculty and staff agreeing to go forward with an in-person opening. Everyone was nervous, but we signed on to go out of the gate swinging.” – Julie Genova, Administrator of Health Services development opportunities for teachers to pursue during summer months to help prepare for an inarguably unique return to school. Some Fenn teachers stepped forward to deliver workshops to their peers on topics where they enjoyed comfort or expertise.

On a parallel track, a Reopening Task Group (RTG) led by Associate Headmaster for Finance and Operations Dave Platt analyzed and developed operational plans for how the Fenn community could return to campus safely following guidance from health and government officials. The RTG assessed all classrooms, public spaces, offices, and conference rooms to identify optimal spaces for classes and gatherings of certain sizes; how some campus spaces could be reconfigured or renovated to meet unique space needs; and how Fenn could utilize its

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wealth of outdoor space on the Main and North Campuses.

Environmental Health and Engineering, Inc. of Newton, MA, was also engaged for expert guidance on how to evaluate and achieve optimal air exchange and circulation in campus buildings, classrooms, and meeting spaces.

Achieving the same in outdoor tents was also discussed.

Fenn’s School Leadership team met frequently to digest the conclusions and recommendations of the two groups, often behind the Headmaster’s house masked and distanced six feet from one another at opposite ends of folding tables.

Surrounded by the sights and sounds of summertime in Concord, they debated the benefits and risks of reopening in-person or of remaining remote until coronavirus metrics improved. No one had the vaguest

sense of the span of time that the unpredictable coronavirus would dictate our every day.

“I vividly remember those backyard conversations,” shared Headmaster Derek Boonisar, “and how news of the day or week would lead us to question decisions we were about to make or had made or to wonder if we were reaching too far in thinking we could open a school safely for full-time teaching and learning during a pandemic.

“We know we serve our students best when we’re together,” he continued, “so we were motivated to build a school structure and protocols that would achieve that while keeping our faculty, staff, and students healthy and safe. Their welfare guided our decisions.”

School leadership remained in close contact with Julie Genova, Fenn’s Administrator of Health Services, as all kept close watch of developing guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and other local government officials; Concord’s Board of Health and national health experts; medical professionals, including Fenn’s consulting pediatrician; and associations for independent schools and area peer schools. To this day, Derek Boonisar, Dave Platt, and Julie Genova participate in weekly calls with Concord’s Public Health Department team, and its Public Health Nurse has remained a close partner of Julie’s as COVID issues periodically arise within the community.

“Our goal last summer was to try to

stay caught up with the constantly moving

mitigation we employed has helped us

teacher desks were removed, and popular

guidance and to do our best to make an

keep school open.” COVID illnesses and

seminar tables were replaced by indi-

in-person possibility happen,” remarked

exposures have prompted the quarantines

vidual desks. Not all new desks would

Julie. “And that’s what we did. It took a lot

of some students, faculty, staff, and select

arrive by the opening of school due to

of hard work, and none of it would have

cohorts, but those occurrences have been

nationwide demand, so on one fall day,

been possible without faculty and staff

very limited.

passersby on Monument Street would

agreeing to go forward with an in-person

witness the assembly of a large shipment

opening. Everyone was nervous, but we

Readying the Campus to Reopen

of desks by Fenn’s tireless Buildings and

signed on to go out of the gate swinging

With the unfortunate cancellation of

Grounds crew. Excited boys walked by

while supporting faculty and staff who

Summer Fenn Day Camp last summer,

with mouths agape.

needed or wished to remain remote full-

substantive work to transform the campus

or part-time.

for a reopening was able to be tackled

in classrooms and meeting spaces that

“We had no idea how long we were

New HVAC equipment was installed

during the summer months when campus

did not already have optimal air flow,

going to be able to stay open. We agreed

would otherwise be teeming with excited

to ensure a frequent exchange of air 24

we’d take it one day at a time, follow the

campers, counselors, and camp leaders.

hours a day. Hand washing and sanitizing

virus and how it was trending, watch

(Summer Fenn is currently enrolling stu-

stations were erected around campus, and

the community numbers, take direction

dents for the 2021 summer season.)

signage sharing important safety remind-

from public health officials, and be as

All available space on campus was

ers was posted on building entrances and

conservative as possible in managing sus-

maximized to ensure six feet of distance

exits, in classrooms and restrooms, and

pected illnesses or exposures on campus.

between students, faculty, and staff in

along hallways. The flow of traffic around

And if we ever felt like we were moving

classrooms and meeting areas. Walls

campus was carefully choreographed, and

toward an unsafe place, we would go

were dismantled between smaller class-

classrooms, restrooms, and even outdoor

remote. Thankfully, every single layer of

rooms to create larger ones. Shelving and

spaces were designated for specific student

“We were asking our community to take a leap of faith in opening school. It would be a well-choreographed and thoughtful leap yet anxiety-provoking nonetheless. We pledged our support to faculty and staff in whatever ways they needed to help alleviate some of their stress and increase their comfort with a transition back to school.” – Derek Boonisar, Headmaster spring

2021 25

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cohorts and for students or adults.

The usually stately first floor Lovejoy Portrait Room inside the W.W. Fenn Administration Building was transformed into an examination and isolation room for community members who might experience COVID symptoms during the school day and require monitoring before transport home.

Large tents equipped with flooring, rolling white boards and writing supplies, chairs, fans, and heaters were also erected on-campus to create open-air meeting spaces. These would become popular for student lunches, with animated conversations wafting out of them from boys who were temporarily freed from designated classrooms where they had to do most of their learning.

Lively lunches in the Connolly Dining Hall would temporarily be on hiatus. Replacing them would be pre-ordered and pre-assembled lunches that would be delivered to classrooms or picked up to enjoy outside.

Fenn has now transitioned to a grab-andgo lunch service for the spring semester, which enables students to proceed through the Dining Hall servery to choose from hot entrees, sandwiches and salads, and snacks of their choosing, all while maintaining six feet of physical distance along guided paths.

Maintaining Community Health and Safety Keeping six feet of distance between non-family members and proper mask wearing have been critical for campus health and safety, as challenging as they can be with highly active and social elementary and middle school students.

Frequent hand washing and sanitation have also been required.

The assignment of boys to strict cohorts has been equally vital to limit interactions among groups of students and potential exposure to the virus.

Faculty, likewise, were assigned to schedules and responsibilities that attempted to minimize their exposure to significant numbers of students. Cohorts largely remain in designated classrooms during the school day too to limit crossover unless they are traveling outside to openair classes, Arts spaces, Athletics or out-

side lunches and recess. Ward Hall and the Hammett Ory Library largely remain off-limits as gathering places.

Daily health attestations by faculty, staff, and parents (for students) before school each morning confirm good health or share the onset of symptoms that should keep someone home and require testing before a return to school. Check-in stations to confirm the receipt of health attestations are manned at the dropoff circles every morning, as well as for boys walking or riding to school.

Fenn’s Transportation Program has also continued to run, but at significantly reduced capacities due to physical distancing.

“Even with significant changes to the Fenn experience for the sake of health and safety, we knew that some families may not feel comfortable having their boys come to school for in-person learning,” shared John Sharon. “Blended learning would therefore be key for the academic program to enable all boys to stay connected with their classwork, classmates, and teachers regardless of their location.”

(With a blended teaching and learning model, teachers can engage with students in-person, class materials can be accessed in-person and online, and student interactions can occur in both settings.)

“Delivering on a blended approach also maximized our efficiency and efficacy if we needed to move to a distance learning

“It has been so important for us to be ‘live and in person’ for the boys’ social emotional identity development. I’m so grateful for all that Fenn has done and the immensely heavy lifting that teachers and advisors have taken on all year; they have been heroic and seemingly inexhaustible, but I know it has taken a toll.” – Tricia McCarthy, Head of the Middle School spring

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model at any point,” John continued. “It likewise benefits students who need to be at home temporarily due to imposed quarantines or other COVID protocols.”

Prioritizing Community and Connection While health and safety guidance called for distancing and separation, community and connection have always been hallmarks of the Fenn experience. They, therefore, guided how Fenn would return to school.

“During the summer months, it was important for us to stay in contact with our faculty and staff to let them know the plans that were being considered and to hear their concerns and questions,” shared Derek Boonisar. “We were asking our community to take a leap of faith in opening school. It would be a well-choreographed and thoughtful leap yet anxiety-provoking nonetheless. We pledged our support to faculty and staff in whatev-

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er ways they needed to help alleviate some of the stress and increase their comfort with a transition back to school.”

Prioritizing social connections with and among Fenn boys was also a priority in Fenn’s reopening. School opened with an orientation program that brought back each division alone first to enable students to connect socially with their peers, advisors, and teachers; to develop a sense of belonging at Fenn; and to understand the steps that were in place to keep everyone healthy and safe.

Beyond orientation, Fenn increased the amount of time that boys would spend with their advisories to provide comfort and space for trusted relationships to form and to offer boys ample opportunities to be active, move their bodies, and enjoy nature and the outdoors.

“The type of support that has been needed most in the Fenn community this year is building and maintaining resilience in the face of significant adversity,” shared Fenn’s Consulting Clinical Psychologist Geoff Cohane ’93. “We have attempted to achieve this by maintaining perspective and finding meaning amidst challenges, recommitting to the things that we most value, and reinforcing structure and routines, exercise, time in nature, etc.

“In my experience, this work was needed in adults and parents perhaps even more than in students,” he continued.

“Adults have had to contend with and hold so much. More support than usual has been needed for our socially-connected, extrovert-

ed boys too. They lost so much in terms of time spent with friends, sports teams, or other group-based activities.”

Middle School Head Tricia McCarthy has been particularly impressed by the resilience and engagement of the boys.

“It has been so important for us to be ‘live and in person’ for the boys’ social emotional identity development,” she shared. “I’m so grateful for all that Fenn has done and the immensely heavy lifting that teachers and advisors have taken on all year; they have been heroic and seemingly inexhaustible, but I know it has taken a toll.”

Auxiliary Staff Lend a Helping Hand The addition of a team of Auxiliary Staff has been a welcome help as Fenn adjusted to new daily structures and programming and layers of health and safety requirements that need close monitoring. The Auxiliary crew assumed tasks that included student check-ins at morning drop-off; coverage of classrooms, recess, and sports; delivery of cohort lunches; orchestration of the carefully-choreographed student pick-up process; and more to share the weight of the myriad new requirements.

“Their presence also enabled faculty to periodically step away and regroup if or when that was needed,” shared Nat Carr, Assistant Headmaster for Faculty and Professional Development. “And after being in cohorts with students without much of a break during the school day, this was so important to provide for our faculty. We were fortunate to be able to expand the people resources we could call on this school year. They have been indispensable.”

Some Auxiliary team members are Fenn alumni who were happy to lend a hand. Fenn also benefited from two alumni who joined as Fenn Fellows in an internship capacity. (See page 65 for bios

“Because of the School’s financial restraint and generous philanthropic support from parents, the Board of Trustees, alumni, and friends of the School, Fenn was able to weather the challenge of reopening during a pandemic.” – Dave Platt, Associate Headmaster for Finance and Operations of the Auxiliary team.)

Hiring an Auxiliary team was but one of the many investments Fenn made to open school safely.

“Renting tents, transitioning our food service to single-serve, pre-assembled offerings, and expanding our cleaning service to include day porters who would complement our nighttime service were all quite costly,” remarked Dave Platt.

“We also had to cover additional costs for our Transportation Program, which needed to run but could accommodate far fewer riders on each bus or van due to COVID protocols.

“At the same time, we couldn’t rely on Summer Fenn revenues with the program canceled,” he continued. “This all resulted in a $3 million swing of lost revenue plus unplanned expenses and investment. But because of the School’s financial restraint and generous philanthropic support from parents, the Board of Trustees, alumni, and friends of the School, Fenn was able to weather the challenge of reopening during a pandemic. We also were fortunate to receive a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan of $1.3 million to support our payroll so that we could direct those funds toward various important investments.”

A Partnership with Fenn Families Amidst uncertainty about the school year before it began and a bevy of new requirements of community members once school opened, Fenn parents have been ideal partners.

“Our relationship with our parents had to be renewed in very different ways this year,” shared Dave Platt. “They have been responsive to new and changing paperwork and demands; they have ensured that health attestations are completed for their sons each day; they have respected quarantines and requests for COVID testing when circumstances called for them; and they have digested frequent updates and communications to stay in-line with shifting expectations.”

Julie Genova echoed that. “Families have been honest and forthcoming with their students’ health status, travel, and exposures during the pandemic, and this has been integral to our campus remaining open. I’ve been grateful for everyone’s participation and willingness to accept my guidance, and everyone has seemed to appreciate that we’ve been able to offer a

conservative approach to in-person learning during a terribly unpredictable pandemic.” Fenn families, faculty, and staff signed a Community Compact at the start of the year, confirming their commitment to follow required protocols. A 50-page Fenn School Reopening Plan and periodic Town Halls highlighted the many new requirements the school year would bring.

Fenn Parents Association leaders and parent volunteers have also pivoted masterfully in delivering fun and engaging community events virtually while on-campus events are prohibited.

Alumni Association leaders and Fenn’s Advancement team have likewise spearheaded a program of online events and connections with alumni and the broader Fenn community, including the first virtual Reunion and Homecoming Weekend and Founder’s Night.

The Student Experience All things considered, Fenn students are pleased to be back together.

“A lot of my friends are jealous [that we’ve been in school],” remarked ninth grader Josh Weig. “I’m able to focus much more in class with the lessons on whiteboards and teachers there to discuss class material. It was getting boring sitting behind a computer screen, but here you can move around and take breaks with your friends, which makes for a much better school experience.”

Friend and ninth grade classmate Dereck Then agrees. “This year, I’m learning more, and learning with my friends,

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fe n n m a g a z i n e

and that’s good,” he shared. “It is more tiring though—I have to wake up three hours earlier to get to school. But you have to sacrifice some things to get a better outcome, and I feel like I’ve become a better student this year.”

Both boys point to masks and physical distancing as challenges. “They’re tough, but they’re part of the regular day now, and we’ve still been able to have fun while being distanced,” added Josh.

“Sports have been a challenge though,” remarked Dereck, a Fenn athlete who was looking forward to playing at the varsity level for one last time at Fenn. An absence of competitive sports has impacted many students in the Upper School, according to Division Head David Irwin.

Athletics Transformed The goal for Fenn’s Athletic Program this year was simple but clear, according to Athletic Director Bob Starensier (Star).

“Everything we offered was geared toward kids having fun and finding joy. We wanted them to get exercise and fresh air and

be able to socialize in a relaxed atmosphere.

We also had to meet the needs of different athletic abilities and interests across cohorts.”

“Tennis baseball” has been the most popular offering, according to Star, among a slate of activities that has included archery, canoeing (Upper School), fishing, disc golf, volleyball/Newcomb, kickball, yoga, street hockey, turf games, and yoga (Lower School). Two outdoor ice rinks gifted to Fenn by several current parents who wish to remain anonymous were also welcome additions to campus and the sports block during the winter months.

“Thanks go to Fenn’s Buildings and Grounds crew for getting the rinks up and available for use,” added Star. “Cohorts across all three divisions enjoyed rink time skating or challenging each other to broom ball or hockey. Not since 1975 has there been an outdoor rink on the Fenn campus. It was awesome to see this activity return for the boys.”

continued to inspire the artistic expressions of their students whether in an art studio or wood shop or commanding the spotlight in permissible theatre or music rehearsals and performances.

Visual Arts: Despite the need for smaller scale projects, reconfigured art studios, and safe distancing, visual arts faculty and students have enjoyed a successful and productive year. Students have spent their time exploring ideas and art history, as well as cultural connections, while working across various mediums including painting, drawing, photography, woodworking, film, and ceramics.

Recently, the Wood Shop showcased a series of “drive-by art shows,” displaying student projects including painted Shaker side tables, Shaker hanging shelves, rustic benches, and half-hulls spearheaded by Wood Shop teacher Paul Heinze and colleague Jonathan Wachs, Studio Art and Wood Shop teacher and

Arts Reimagined The Arts Department has remained equally nimble to the restrictions of the school year. Faculty have spring

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coordinator of the Kane Gallery.

“The visual arts has been fortunate in retaining its mostly-unplugged status,” remarked Jonathan. “The exception is an online version of the Kane Gallery (www. kanegallery.org) that I created to enable students to continue to share and speak about their art publicly as they would have in the physical gallery.” The Kane Gallery remains closed to the public due to COVID restrictions. With student critiques an important part of visual arts classes, the gallery will primarily be used as a “live” and dynamic space for students to view and discuss peer work.

Performing Arts: Technology continues to play an important role in performing arts education and performance this year.

“The iPad has been a tremendous resource for the curricular music program,” shared Arts Department Chair Mike Salvatore, “whether we are using GarageBand with its virtual keyboard or accessing free online performances from the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Kennedy Center in D.C., or as far away as South Africa. We can’t wait, though, to return to the live music and performances we’ve enjoyed for so long.”

Limited drama performances have taken place following COVID protocols 32

fe n n m a g a z i n e

and been videotaped and shared via Zoom. The ninth grade, for one, has been rehearsing and filming a performance of CLUE, a farce-meets-murder mystery inspired by the Hasbro board game. Drama Coordinator Amy Menkin expects to share some iteration of the production with the Fenn community by graduation.

Fenn’s legendary public speaking contests—namely, the W.W. Fenn Public Speaking Contest (of prepared speeches) and the Extemporaneous Speaking Contest—were also staged this year, albeit virtually with the community watching from afar. The courage, creativity, and speaking prowess of the finalists successfully bridged the distance, marking two memorable moments of the school year.

Meanwhile, Fenn Band members have been honing their skills in small ensembles. A dedicated tent has stood aside Ward Hall to accommodate year-round, all-weather band rehearsals guided by Director of Instrumental Music Virginia Morales.

Before December break, participating students—eager for an audience—showcased their developing talents in pop-up holiday concerts around campus. Music tutors also continue to offer instrument lessons online. The Treble Chorus, however, remains on hiatus due to continuing concerns about choral performances.

Ever Present Fenn Spirit “The Fenn experience this year was undoubtedly going to look and feel very different,” shared Derek Boonisar. “Boys would not be freely mixing and moving from place to place, and we would not be gathering as a community in Ward

Hall for All School Meeting, huddling up with a good book in the Hammett Ory Library, or cheering on students in sports or the performing arts. Visitors would also be prohibited from campus, so our parent interactions would be limited to waves from vehicles. Even the Fenn dress code would take a pause, without access to locker rooms for changing from collared shirts to sports clothes during the school day.

“Much would feel different, but much would feel the same. Even under the sometimes heavy weight of the health and safety protocols or worries about impacts of the coronavirus on community members or loved ones, boys still run and shout to friends across Fenn’s open spaces, relish the relationships they’re developing with teachers and advisors, and feel the familiar Fenn spirit that blankets the Monument Street campus when school is in session.

“And for that reason, we are thankful that we’ve been able to keep Fenn’s doors open, to support our faculty, staff, and students as they’ve navigated this unusual Fenn world and had to pivot and remain nimble, and to share with students at least a taste of the Fenn experience we always hope to deliver. The current spring semester is promising to close out the year strong, safely, and all together in the community we love.”

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DEI Commitments and Action Fenn has long strived to provide a safe, affirming, and supportive community to all alumni, students, families, faculty, and staff. Heightened racial tensions across the nation of late underscore the urgency of continuing to confront the sources and implications of racism and violence and to identify actions that Fenn and the community can take to combat it.

The following section highlights Fenn’s commitment to this ongoing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion work, as well as advances it has made and goals it has set to create a truly just and equitable Fenn School.

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Advancing Fenn’s Commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion WHILE T H E G L O B A L P A N D E M I C

has commanded our attention for the

past year, the Fenn community has been equally gripped by the racist attacks on Asians, Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Black and Brown people, which have fueled nationwide protests and social unrest.

A tumultuous presidential election cycle and its aftermath created additional complexities.

As an educational institution, Fenn embraces its responsibility to help process national and worldwide events of such significance with current students in age-appropriate ways, with faculty and staff who guide and support them, and with the expanded Fenn community including alumni.

In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, for one, and the burgeoning Black Lives Matter movement, virtual gatherings of Fenn administrators, faculty, staff, and students were assembled for conversation, connection, and the sharing of sadness, anger, and other emotions as varied as the backgrounds and perspectives of the individuals who participated. Affinity group conversations segmented by race also offered safe spaces for community members to

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share even more deeply with peers.

“In our student committees for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), boys were able to participate through silent observation or by actively sharing what these national events signified for them,” remarked Liz Wei, Assistant Director of DEI and a Lower School teacher. “Many of the boys were inspired to learn more about what they could personally do to support their friends who were hurting and how they could be a part of making positive change.”

In mid-June, Fenn parents were also invited to participate in Zoom conversations about the Black Lives Matter protests that were then sweeping the nation.

Liz Wei and DEI Associate Megan Wu Macomber facilitated discussions with white and non-Black parents of color about the protests, white supremacy, and anti-Blackness, and the strategies and

action steps to employ to become truly anti-racist. Jimmy Manyuru, Fenn’s former Director of DEI, led a virtual gathering with Black parents.

For the summer months, the Fenn community was encouraged to read one of two books exploring racism and anti-racism to advance each person’s education and analysis of privilege, biases and blind spots, and areas for growth. The #1 New York Times bestseller Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You

by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi (a remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning) highlighted the history of racist ideas in America for Middle and Upper School students, families, faculty, and staff, and helped readers understand their responsibility and ability to take action to combat racism. Stamped was also required reading for Fenn’s full Board of Trustees before a Board retreat dedicated an in-depth discussion to it. This Book is Anti-Racist by educator Tiffany Jewell was chosen for Fenn’s younger readers with its promise of “20 lessons on how to wake up, take action, and do the work.”

Alumni voices were also woven

into Fenn’s exploration of privilege, race, and racism this past summer. In July, the Alumni Council held a virtual forum for alumni of color to discuss their experiences as people of color and as Fenn students. Thirty Black, Asian, Latino, and multi-racial alumni spanning the graduate years of 1972 through 2021 spoke candidly for more than two hours, with engagement from Derek Boonisar, retired faculty member and former Director of Diversity Tete Cobblah, Alumni Association President

faculty at Fenn and the critical role the student diversity committees played in their school lives,” remarked Derek Boonisar.

“In contrast, some of them described a sense of isolation and loneliness on campus and a lack of mentors and role models who mirrored their racial diversity.

“Facing these uncomfortable realities is a necessity to help us understand where we’ve been, where we are currently, and the best paths for Fenn’s continued growth. I heard loudly and clearly that our alumni are eager to see a more diverse student body, faculty, and staff and a curriculum that includes the history, culture, and experiences of people of color. These are among my personal goals for Fenn and are the focus of ongoing work across Fenn departments and divisions.”

Foundations for Fenn’s DEI Work

Brian Davidson ’89, and other Fenn administrators, faculty, and staff.

“It was heartening to hear our alumni speak about topics like the long-lasting friendships they formed with peers and

DEI work has been a priority for Fenn since 2006 when Director and Assistant Director of Diversity positions, and the DEI Office itself, were established. A Parents of Students of Color (POSOC) group formed shortly after in 2007 and years later expanded its membership to embrace religion and sexual orientation and changed its name to Parents Affinity group for Diversity and Inclusivity or PADI. Unofficial, grassroots gatherings of faculty, staff, and parents assembled periodically years earlier beginning in the late 1990s, laying the foundation for these

“Our alumni are eager to see a more diverse student body, faculty, and staff and a curriculum that includes the history, culture, and experiences of people of color. These are among my personal goals for Fenn and are the focus of ongoing work across Fenn departments and divisions.” – Derek Boonisar, Headmaster spring

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SIMONE HUTCHINGS Fenn welcomed Simone Hutchings as the new Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in November 2020. Simone most recently served as Program Associate for The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, where she developed, facilitated, and evaluated virtual and in-person DEI curricula for schools in more than 11 counties across Northeast Ohio. She also facilitated professional development DEI workshops for educators and supported programs focused on the Spanish-speaking community.

Simone’s background also includes time as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in Gwangyang City, South Korea. In that role, she designed and delivered weekly English classes for over 350 students, coached English debate teams for the Youth Diplomacy and Activism Conference in Gwangju, and delivered pedagogy and culture exchange lectures at various conferences.

Simone also served as an assistant to the Dean of Students and Resident Manager at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., while earning a Master of Arts/Master of Theological Studies in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from Wesley and American University. She previously earned her Bachelor of Arts (cum laude) in International Studies and Spanish from the University of Evansville in Indiana.

Also of note is Simone’s work as a Dialogue Facilitator for the Seeds of Peace International Camp, where she facilitated twice daily high school student dialogues on controversial topics such as race, gender, and economic inequality; developed and implemented curriculum for the expanded United States dialogue program; and collaborated with educators across U.S. schools to ensure that follow-up programming and support systems were established in schools and communities.

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later efforts.

In early November, Fenn’s DEI Office saw the addition of a new Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

“We were very pleased to welcome Simone Hutchings to our Fenn community as our new leader of DEI and a member of our School Leadership Team,” announced Derek Boonisar.

“She is the first DEI representative to serve on this team, and her perspective and expertise brought immediate value to the strategy and planning conversations that take place within this group.”

Hutchings also spearheads Fenn’s DEI Department and its programming, DEI committee efforts, and Fenn’s PADI affinity group (for parents), as well as co-advising a cohort of Fenn students.

(See Hutchings’ bio to the left.)

With Simone a key voice, the School Leadership and DEI teams are engaging in thoughtful conversations about the individual and institutional responsibilities to confront the sources and implications of the racism and violence in the nation and the actions that Fenn and its community can take to help combat it.

“Our longstanding goal at Fenn has been to provide a safe, affirming, and supportive community for our alumni, students, families, faculty, and staff, and to live up to the words and spirit of our Diversity Statement (see statement at right),” added Derek. “We have to ask ourselves and our community tough questions about our progress toward meeting these marks, then identify clear action plans to address shortcomings.

This work will remain an absolute necessity as we strive to attract and welcome into the community increasingly more diverse faculty, staff, and students who reflect our society.”

FENN SCHOOL DIVERSITY STATEMENT The Fenn School is committed to achieving diversity and inclusion in its curriculum, its community, and in the life of the school. We believe that a critical component of elementary and middle school education is the opportunity to learn in a safe environment, with and from a variety of people and perspectives. We strive to create an inclusive community in which every member finds the opportunity to succeed and to excel, regardless of culture, ethnicity, race, religion, economic background, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or physical and learning differences. Further, we expect all community members to apply our ideals of honesty, respect, empathy, and courage in their day-to-day interactions.

An Evolving Student Body The racial composition of Fenn’s student body is surely evolving. For the 2020-2021 school year, students of color represent 24.6 percent of the population, an increase from a low of 18 percent during the last 10 years. Fenn’s fourth and fifth grades present the greatest student diversity, with students of color comprising 26.3 percent of the fourth grade and 32.1 percent of the fifth grade. Grades six through nine average approximately 21 percent.

Fenn has also seen its underrepresented student population grow over the last decade, moving from 2.5 percent of the student body in the 2010-2011 school year to 6.2 percent during the current year (with a high of 7.3 percent in 2018-2019).

The socioeconomic diversity of the student population is equally on the rise. Nineteen percent of Fenn families currently receive financial aid, up from

only eight percent in 2007, and demand for aid continues to trend upwards. For the 2020-2021 school year, there was a 58 percent higher demand from new families and a 24 percent higher demand from returning families.

The availability of financial aid resources, coupled with a transportation program that enables students from farther distances to attend, remain key drivers for increasing the diversity of the student body.

“We’ve made significant gains in Fenn’s racial and socioeconomic diversity over the last decade, but we have to continue to grow our financial aid endowment and ​​ expand our transportation program to keep up with our peer schools,” shared Tory Hayes ’02, Director of Admission and Financial Aid. “Other schools have the advantage of being located closer to Boston, where there’s a greater concentration of families of color

and more socioeconomic diversity than the Concord area. But if we have the means to get students to and from Fenn and to support them financially, when necessary, there’s no question that we are a desirable option. Fenn is a special place, and families see that.”

Genesis Royal-Langham—parent to Isaiah ’20 and Joshua ’25, Board member since 2018, and co-chair of the Board Committee on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Enrollment, and Financial Aid (DEIEFA)—is one parent of color whose feelings about independent schools shifted upon learning about Fenn and its values.

“I initially had no interest in independent schools because of the lack of diversity and my worry that there was at least a minimal possibility of a racist environment,” she shared. “My plan was to support my children by preserving as much of their innocence as possible

“We’ve made significant gains in Fenn’s racial and socioeconomic diversity over the last decade, but we have to continue to grow our financial aid endowment and ​​ expand our transportation program … If we have the means to get students to and from Fenn and to support them financially, when necessary, there’s no question that we are a desirable option.” – Tory Hayes ’02, Director of Admission and Financial Aid spring

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While at an Admissions event

Growth in Student Diversity RACIAL/ETHNIC DIVERSITY IN 2020-21

24.6% 9% 6.2% 32.1%

of the student body are students of color (Up from a low of 18% within last 10 years)

(where she was helping a family member who was considering an independent school for her daughter), Genesis was admittedly transfixed by the information that Tory Hayes and former Fenn coll– eague Kofi Obeng were sharing about Fenn and by their sincerity when discussing their love for the School.

identify as two or more races (Up from a low of 5.1% within last 10 years) identify as an underrepresented race/ethnicity (Up from a low of 2.5% 10 years ago) are students of color in most diverse 5th grade class

“They were speaking about the importance of community at Fenn, its academic rigor, dedication to core values, and understanding of boys, plus they were honest about the diversity on campus,” she continued. “The lack of diversity was a barrier for me, as was the commute. The Admissions team connected me with current par-

SOCIOECONOMIC DIVERSITY IN 2020-21

19% 58% 24%

of families receive financial aid (Up from a low of 8% in 2007) higher demand for financial aid from new families higher demand for financial aid from returning families

ents [of students of color] to understand their experiences, and the testimony of one of these parents helped me decide to go with Fenn. My son begging me every day and referring to Fenn as ‘my new school’ helped make the decision easier too.

“Our welcome to Fenn was instant, and both of my sons have had wonderful experiences there. I’m grateful to now also be able to lend my lens to the Board to ensure that Fenn continues to grow

and building them up secure in their

I have seen the heart of a Black child

in a positive direction that acknowledges

identity before handing them over to the

break upon discovering racism and prej-

and respects the humanity in all of its

world. As a young girl, and now mother,

udice. I wasn’t ready to expose my sons

students and families.”

community member, and social worker,

to this reality.”

“Both of my sons have had wonderful experiences [at Fenn] … I’m grateful to now lend my lens to the Board to ensure that Fenn continues to grow in a positive direction that acknowledges and respects the humanity in all of its students and families.” – Genesis Royal-Langham P’20 ’25, Fenn Trustee 40

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Accomplishments and Aspirations As the student body is evolving, so are the efforts that Fenn is investing in to work toward satisfying an important long-term goal: creating and maintaining a truly just and equitable Fenn School.

Expanding programming and resources from the DEI Department and analyzing and pursuing modifications to Fenn’s curriculum, practices, and pedagogy are two critical areas of ongoing focus.

Expanded DEI Programming This school year, faculty, staff, and administrators are required to participate in five programs from the Fenn Diversity Institute (FDI), a professional development entity spearheaded by the DEI Department and faculty and staff volunteers passionate about the work.

By the end of March, the FDI team had delivered three compelling sessions that aimed to advance the education and inspire the personal growth of the adults in the community: • A November program challenging faculty and staff to assess and understand where they are on their journeys toward becoming anti-racist;

with faculty and staff from Fenn and area peer schools. “Becoming an AntiRacist - Building a Framework for Justice and Equity” was the theme of the virtual program featuring a keynote talk by Dr. Nicole Christian-Brathwaite, MD, a nationally-recognized, board-certified adult, child and adolescent psychiatrist, on the subjects of trauma and racism, cultural humility, and how to become a more trauma-informed, anti-racist institution. Interactive workshops led

by Christian-Brathwaite and three other outside presenters followed, providing ample time for small breakout group conversations.

Two informal groups also gather at Fenn to discuss and advance anti-racism conversations and actions among faculty and staff. A group named BARWE— Becoming Anti-Racist White Educators —formed at Fenn last spring, and a racial affinity group for faculty and staff of color meets regularly.

“We want to create a more just

and equitable Fenn,” shared Simone Hutchings. “By investing in our faculty and staff through intentional and relevant professional development, and in our students through special projects and curricula-integrated DEI programming, we are making strides toward achieving this goal.”

Tailored Student Engagement Advisor groups are one gathering where Fenn students are engaged in conversations about DEI subject matter. DEI Department leaders periodically provide advisors with programming and guiding questions that invite students to critically engage with DEI topics. Students are subsequently challenged to think critically about why they hold certain opinions.

In January, students engaged in week-long programming centered on civil rights. Each class had the opportunity to explore past and present civil rights campaigns and activism and to discuss how they can get involved in a cause they

• A December program exploring whiteness and white supremacy and actions that white people can take to combat racism; and • A January program focused on anti-Black racism and approaches to identifying, examining, and disrupting bias.

On February 16, Fenn’s DEI Department also hosted its annual daylong Multicultural Educators’ Forum spring

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“We want to create a more just and equitable Fenn … By investing in our students through special projects and curricula-integrated DEI programming, and in our faculty and staff through intentional and relevant professional development, we are making strides toward achieving this goal.” – Simone Hutchings, Director of DEI believe in. The week’s focus on under-

opportunity to learn more about the

standing events, empathy, and empow-

women that have made, and continue

erment culminated in an all-school Civil

to make, history. To celebrate all that

Rights Assembly, during which students

women teachers do for the Fenn commu-

engaged in division-wide discussions

nity, each cohort had the opportunity to

through Zoom. Women’s History Month

write a letter of appreciation to a woman

(in March) also provided students the

advisor or faculty member, which they

received before March break.

DEI concepts are also tackled in student DEI committee meetings and woven throughout the curriculum in an age-appropriate fashion. In the Lower School, for one, every cohort is receiving a monthlong introduction to DEI subject matter so that young students will operate from a similar base of knowledge.

Regardless of division, every age of student is urged and inspired to be guided by the spirit of Sua Sponte and its focus on taking responsibility for the well-being of others.

Analysis of Curriculum, Practices, and Pedagogy Running parallel to faculty, staff, and student education on DEI topics is a curriculum audit in its early stages, guided

by John Sharon, Assistant Headmaster for the Academic Program and Social Studies Department Head.

“We’re auditing the books we’re teaching, for one,” shared John. “We want to be sure that they are reflective of the students we have and include perspectives that we haven’t traditionally studied. This is similar in some ways to the revision of our Social Studies curriculum years ago. We had primarily studied Western or American history, and we needed to broaden that to be more global.”

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the origins and meanings of justice across cultures, and how justice and human rights are tied to governments and international systems. For ninth graders, their Global Studies coursework is devoted to historical inquiries of the Middle East, India, and China and aims to help students become true global citizens.

English Department Chair Kate Wade relishes the ongoing curriculum work.

“While our summer work centered on preparing to teach in a pandemic, we were intentional in not allowing that to eclipse our essential focus on reviewing our current curriculum to ensure diverse representation in the texts, authors, and characters we introduce to our students,” Kate shared.

“We have been partnering with our esteemed Library team to be sure that we’re informed of the many literary options available to us,” she continued.

“We’re also leaning on frameworks offered by the #DisruptTexts movement (a crowd-sourced, grassroots effort to rebuild the literary canon using an anti-bias, anti-racist literacy lens).

Offering our students both ‘windows and mirrors’1 through which they examine themselves and the world is critical, as is working with colleagues to ensure that we, teachers, are paying attention to our own blind spots and opportunities for growth.”

Ensuring the presence of “windows and mirrors” for the community of students that Fenn currently serves (and aspires to serve in coming years) is and always has been a primary aim of the Library team’s ongoing diversity audit of its collection. Library Director Sam Kane and Library Teacher Michelle Fontaine have begun tackling a monumental review

of the Hammett Ory Library collection of 13,000 print books and 1,500 e-books.

“We are being very mindful of how balanced our collection is,” shared Sam. “We are striving to weed out books with outdated stereotypes and to bring attention to voices and narratives that have been underrepresented.” Collections

that the Library team recently created to highlight Black joy and celebration and to elevate LGBTQ+ storytelling are two such examples.

“Just having the books isn’t enough though,” she reminds. “Teaching the students to also have critical literacy is of great importance. Who is telling a certain story? What is their bias? Whose voices are missing? What is the historical context of this story? These are the types of questions we are teaching our students to consider as they read assigned books or choose their own.”

The Math Department, led by Department Chair Jennifer Youk See, has been doing its own share of work and analysis in the DEI space. “Members of our department have been deeply focused on preparing and delivering content that is accessible to all students,” she shared.

Jennifer has been leading the development of a department mission

statement with math teacher colleagues as well as exercises examining and evaluating how math is taught at Fenn, how students are sectioned in classes, and how math teachers are approaching homework and grading. Department colleagues have also benefited from attending professional development programs on subjects ranging from culturally responsive teaching to equitable grading and assessment.

Such an expansive analysis is a necessity as part of the academic audit that is taking place, according to John Sharon.

“It’s so important that our audit extends beyond just the content of what we teach,” he remarked. “We’re looking at skills and pedagogy through an anti-racism lens, grading practices for equity, and so much more.” As part of the process, John continues to collaborate with other schools and expects to bring in an outside consultant to support Fenn in its desire to improve the School’s anti-racism curriculum work.

Attracting and Supporting Diversity Fenn’s re-accreditation by the Association of Independent Schools of New England (AISNE) in January of 2018 helped to advance new and ongoing DEI work that was seeking to boost community diversity and support the needs of an evolving Fenn School.

AISNE called on Fenn to develop a “policy for transgender students”; to refine and communicate Fenn’s hiring process to support its commitment to a more diverse faculty, staff, and administration; to increase the racial diversity of the Board of Trustees; and to deepen the academic and social-emotional support for spring

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1

“Offering our students both ‘windows and mirrors’ through which they examine themselves and the world is critical, as is working with colleagues to ensure that we, teachers, are paying attention to our own blind spots and opportunities for growth.” – Kate Wade, Chair of the English Department students of color. While there is progress to report, there are many actions still to take and challenges to overcome.

Gender Identity Statement. Answering one AISNE recommendation, Fenn’s DEIEFA Board Committee spearheaded the development of a “gender identity statement,” intentionally tweaking AISNE’s language to acknowledge, respect, and include the humanity of each student. The effort involved the engagement of outside professionals steeped in the subject; a workshop and discussion at the Board’s annual retreat and with the full Fenn faculty; and the study of various readings, books, videos, and films on related topics. By September 2019, the following statement was approved by the full Fenn Board of Trustees.

Fenn School Gender Identity Statement

In the admissions process, any student who identifies and lives as a boy is welcome to apply to Fenn. If an enrolled student begins to explore their gender identity or expression, or identifies as transgender, gender non-conforming, or non-binary while at Fenn, the School is committed to partnering with the student and family to best support the needs of the student. In its communications, facilities, and other aspects of its campus, programs, and school life, Fenn will continually strive to maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all members of the community.

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In January 2020, Fenn also announced the creation of a Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) to provide a safe space for students to discuss and raise awareness about topics related to gender and sexuality. Fenn divisions have held frequent GSA meetings facilitated by DEI Department leaders and other interested faculty, and students have been empowered to influence how the meetings operate and the subject matter they cover to shape GSA groups that best serve them.

(Due to COVID restrictions, the GSA is not currently meeting, but will resume as soon as possible.)

Recruitment of Diverse Personnel and Board Members. With the addition of an Auxiliary team to help manage COVID protocols, plus two new DEI Department colleagues, there is greater diversity among faculty and staff this school year.

Thanks to the generosity of a Fenn family who wishes to remain anonymous, Fenn was able to fund the position of DEI Teaching Intern this school year to add to DEI Department resources. Morgan Laird was appointed to this position on November 2. (See his bio on page 66.)

There is substantive work to do, however, to ensure equal if not growing diversity in the coming years.

In 2019, Fenn administrators, including then DEI Director Jimmy Manyuru, developed new guidelines for the School’s recruiting and hiring practices to help ensure fairness, transparency, inclusivity, and effective recruitment of a more

diverse faculty, staff, and administration.

These new guidelines specified that Fenn’s DEI commitments would be highlighted in all position descriptions; a diverse group of Fenn personnel, including DEI team representatives, would participate in screenings for teaching and administration candidates; consistent questions would be posed to evaluate candidates’ cultural competencies; and attention would be paid to identifying new channels for job postings that would reach more diverse candidates.

“Year after year on the DEIEFA Board Committee, great ideas would come and go about how and where to recruit educators of color to join Fenn,” shared Genesis Royal-Langham P’20 ’25.

“Over the past two years in the wake of overt systemic racism and police brutality, however, talk turned into action as we made a plan with actionable steps.

Recruiting efforts were ramped up, and then Simone Hutchings joined us and literally hit the ground running. She has partnered with me and my DEIEFA Board Committee Co-Chair Tara Edelman P’20 ’22 on introspective work that has given us an opportunity to stretch ourselves to uncomfortable lengths to learn. It is an ongoing process.”

Simone will work closely with School Leadership colleagues to ensure the continued improvement and application of guidelines and action steps for faculty and staff recruitment and hiring.

Racial diversity also remains a top priority for Board recruitment. Currently,

6 of 28 Board members are people of color, representing nearly 22 percent of the Board. Five joined within the last four years as part of a focused effort to bring a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to school governance.

Support for Students of Color. Fenn’s ability to attract a diverse faculty and staff has consequences for students of color in search of role models who resemble them or share similar backgrounds (and for other students who would benefit from engaging with and learning from accomplished educators of color). This underscores the need for Fenn’s priority focus on the recruitment and hiring of educators of color.

Ensuring that appropriate support resources are in place for students of color who need them is also of great importance, according to Director of Learning Support Services Dr. Eden Dunckel.

“This is undoubtedly an area where Fenn needs to grow,” she shared. “We’ve been actively engaged in conversations about how we can better support our students of color, but there is still a hill to climb before we can say we’ve made substantive change. We want all of our students to thrive at Fenn, so we will continue to engage with our students and their families, and with faculty and administrators, to identify and pursue

what we believe will be the most effective resources for our boys.”

A Student Wellness Group, of which Eden is a part, meets regularly to discuss the students who could benefit from supplemental support. This support may come from Eden herself—although COVID has challenged her ability to provide in-person coaching with students in strict cohorts, leaving teachers with more of the responsibility—or in partnership with counseling services from Fenn’s Consulting Clinical Psychologist Geoff Cohane ’93. Conversations are ongoing

about Fenn’s ability to also engage a counselor of color with “a relatable, lived experience,” as described by Genesis Royal-Langham. “Studies show that racial and ethnic factors affect participation and trust in the therapeutic relationship,” she shared.

Meanwhile, racial affinity spaces guided by Fenn’s DEI team have provided opportunities for students of similar backgrounds to connect and process

events of the day and/or personal experiences they feel comfortable sharing. Due to COVID, there was a pause in these gatherings until they resumed recently on April 25. In their absence, trusted faculty helped to support students in their cohorts with guidance from colleagues in the DEI, Learning Support Services, and Counseling Offices.

A Path Forward “Many important DEI efforts are underway at Fenn, and each and every one will help us progress as an anti-racist institution and maintain a just and equitable community for all,” remarked Derek Boonisar. “This will continue to be challenging work, and our community members will move at different speeds along their journeys of understanding racism, its origins, and its impacts, and how we each can combat it. But, all the while, Fenn will remain steadfastly committed to advancing the work for the benefit of the students we care deeply about; the faculty, staff, and community members who give so much of themselves to the School; and for society as a whole, in which we hope our boys will lead with understanding, compassion, and hearts for service.”

1 Emily Style introduced the “windows and mirrors” metaphor in 1988, and Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop added “sliding glass doors” to the metaphor in 1990.

“Fenn will remain steadfastly committed to advancing our DEI work for the benefit of our students; our faculty, staff and community members; and society as a whole, in which we hope our boys will lead with understanding, compassion, and hearts for service.” – Derek Boonisar, Headmaster spring

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Around Campus Our students agree: Fenn still feels like Fenn even though faces are covered with masks and freedoms that boys usually enjoy are tempered for the safety of the community. Resilience and creativity have been on full display as faculty and staff have come together to deliver a full Fenn program and maintain cherished traditions like our public speaking contests and NANBAM ceremony. The jumping boys above had just been assigned their Fenn team colors, marking them “Not New Boys Anymore!” Enjoy other photographic highlights of campus life in this section, as well as reports for the two sports seasons we enjoyed before COVID-19 hit last year. Concluding the section are introductions to our newest faculty, staff, and trustees, and a tribute to Fenn legend Mark Biscoe H’95.

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W.W. Fenn Public Speaking Contest Winners (l to r): Alec Wei, Tal Richmond, and Jamesley Anderson

W.W. Fenn Public Speaking Contest takes place outside Ward Hall

Traditions Undeterred The show must go on. And it did, to preserve the legendary finals of Fenn’s 90th annual Hector J. Hughes Extemporaneous Speaking Contest and 75th annual W.W. Fenn Public Speaking Contest.

Extemp finalists took the stage first on December 11, to deliver impromptu speeches on topics received moments before. They would do so into the lens of a video camera in a nearly-empty Ward Hall, with only English Department Chair (and event organizer) Kate Wade, Derek Boonisar, contest judges, and a few others looking on. All 13 boys marshalled energy and enthusiasm to fill the hall and the classrooms, offices, and homes into which the contest was projected via Livestream.

A judging trio from Fenn’s Auxiliary team—Will Blumenthal, DeAndre Dymski, and Mel Hoermann—awarded ninth grader Colin Soukup the top prize for a captivating story about “That time I went fishing in the Concord River and found a...”. His story brought us to “Dead Man’s Creek,” where instead of finding a Concord River monster as he had hoped, Colin caught a lead pipe. Applauded for a command of the stage, judges were pleased that “although his story was about a pipe-dream, winning the award was not!”

Eighth grader Charlie White and sixth grader Hongting Liu received the two honorable mention awards. Charlie

answered the prompt “Who is the most interesting person on the Fenn campus?” with the wise choice of “Mr. Boonisar” after describing a litany of other intriguing choices.

Hongting Liu was challenged with explaining how he had gotten his nickname (“Ting”). Beginning with a football game gone wrong, he spun a tale of unexpected twists and turns, ultimately revealing that he was a time-traveler stuck in the 2020 Game of the Year, “Among Us.” Three months later on March 8, 10 courageous students braved the cold for Fenn’s first-ever outdoor finals of the W.W. Fenn Public Speaking Contest.

Standing before the towering green doors of Ward Hall, each boy removed his mask moments before declaiming his prepared piece to couple ever-important expression with content. A video camera captured every utterance—including springtime sounds of birds chirping and occasional plane fly-overs—as the contest was delivered to its audience by Zoom.

The boys were outstanding, making the naming of three winners by the judging team of Director of

Advancement Jill Miller, DEI Associate and teacher, Megan Wu Macomber, and former Auxiliary team member, Johannes Wesselhoeft ’06, particularly challenging. Winning the day was eighth grader Tal Richmond with a spirited rendition of “In This Place”

by Amanda Gorman. Following closely behind were runners-up Jamesley Anderson (7th grade) with “Black Lives Matter” by Dax, and Alec Wei (8th grade) with a second Gorman contribution, “The Hill We Climb.”

“These are historic contests that generations of alumni remember well and attribute to laying the foundation for speaking skills they call on as adults,” remarked Derek Boonisar.

“Thank you to Ms. Wade and her faculty and staff team for finding a way to hold the contests safely so our current boys could benefit from the same experience. These were truly special days, for the contestants and for Fenn, as we were undeterred in celebrating the courage, personality, and talents of our students.”

“These were truly special days, for the contestants and for Fenn, as we were undeterred in celebrating the courage, personality, and talents of our students.” – Derek Boonisar, Headmaster spring

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Celebrating Team Sports for 2019-2020 While the Fenn community continues to miss team sports due to COVID protocols, we celebrate here the two seasons that our teams were able to enjoy before the transition to distance learning last spring.

F A LL 201 9 S POR T S Varsity Soccer Fenn’s varsity soccer team proved it could win tight games as well as high scoring contests during the 2019 season, and it all added up to a respectable 6-3-1 final season record.

Coached by Bob Starensier, Jason Rude, and Freemon Romero ’04, the varsity team opened the season with a three-game undefeated streak, registering wins over Rectory School (5-2, Sept. 21) and Rivers School (6-1, Oct. 2) and a tie at St. Sebastian’s School (3-3, Sept. 27) in Needham. A 7-1 loss at Fay School on October 4 blemished the record, but Fenn got right back on track with two straight shutouts against Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (1-0, Oct. 16) and Shore Country Day School (3-0, Oct. 18).

“Even after a strong start, I was very impressed by the team’s considerable growth over the course of this season,” said Coach Starensier.

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On an individual level, eighth grader Teddy Stiga showcased his scoring prowess game after game, with six goals in the opening three games. Stiga finished the season with a team high ten goals.

In closing out the regular season, Fenn suffered a pair of losses to Fessenden School (7-2, Oct. 23) and Belmont Hill School (3-0, Oct. 25) before rebounding with a win (2-1 vs. Shore, Oct. 30).

Fenn finished seventh in the 45th Annual New England Junior Private School Tournament at Eaglebrook School.

The capstone event, held in Deerfield, MA, on November 2, included twelve teams in grades 6-9. In the opening game of the tournament, Fenn shutout Hillside School, 1-0, before tying Eaglebrook and losing to Rumsey Hall School and Indian Mountain School. The boys in blueand-gold rebounded with scoreless ties against Cardigan Mountain School and Eaglebrook. Coaches Starensier, Rude, and

Romero praised Fenn players’ sportsmanship and toughness in the tournament.

Junior Varsity Soccer The smallest seventh grade boots generated deft ball control, upbeat eighth graders provided scoring punch and cohesive team chemistry, and the three intensely competitive seniors led with timely bursts of heart and hustle to propel the JV squad to a winning season.

Ninth grade captains Garrett MacKenzie, Will Hickey, and Hudson Wesel essentially taught a season-long course in Fenn athletics to their younger teammates.

“Fiercely driven in pursuit of match results, always able to find a higher gear in the final minutes of a close game, yet uncompromising in their sportsmanship,” said David Sanborn, who coached the team with Rob Morrison. “Those three young men modeled everything we

hope for in our athletes. From their serious posture in training sessions to their urgent defensive play in the desperately tight matches against Fessenden, Fay, and Pike, Garrett, Will and Hudson were exemplary sportsmen.”

After dropping the opening two games of the season to Shady Hill School and Fay School, Fenn rebounded with shutouts in five of the next six games.

Fenn easily handled Shore Country Day School (3-0, Oct. 2), Belmont Hill School (5-0, Oct. 4), Carroll School (2-0, Oct. 16), Shore Country Day School (3-0, Oct. 18), and Belmont Day School (3-0, Oct. 24), before a tie at Fessenden School (2-2, Oct. 11) dashed in to keep it interesting.

Fenn lost four of its last five games en route to a final season record of 6-5-2.

According to the coaches, additional highlights included Jamie Book’s instinctive goal-scoring prowess, Tal Richmond’s elusive footskills in central midfield, and Tom Mulvany’s pace and passing vision from the left flank.

Thirds Soccer A swashbuckling group of young boys, many of whom had never played soccer before, got together for a little fun with Thirds soccer this season. The team took time to gel and find its footing, losing

five straight games to start the season, amid three other canceled contests, but when the boys did find sweet victory, it was so worth the wait.

Fenn’s first win of the season arrived gift wrapped on October 25 at home against Fessenden School. It was a 5-0 blanking, with Will Hatten leading the way with a pair of goals.

Dereck Then, Gabriel Aberbach, and Sean Leahy also scored.

“That win was a turning point of the season,” said Coach Derek Cribb. “The boys realized that if they played hard for an entire game, they could be successful.”

Success did follow, as Fenn lost only once in the last six games of the season.

The boys in blue-and-gold beat Sparhawk School (2-1, Oct. 30) and Jewish Country Day School (4-3, Nov. 4), in addition to ties at Fay School (3-3, Nov. 1) and Carroll School, (0-0, Nov. 4).

Team captains were 8th graders Ryan Bettenhauser, Ben Paradis, and Sam Kahn. “The highlight of the season was watching those players who did not have much experience and did not see themselves as good soccer players learn that they did have skills and they could contribute in positive ways to the team,” said Cribb, who was helped on the sidelines by Paul Heinze.

Football Starting the season on a high note is always a good thing, and for this year’s Fenn football team, it not only was a good thing, but also perhaps the finest memory of the season.

It was the home-opener on September 20 with the crowd decked out in blue-and-gold to support the new team, set with high hopes for the season.

And Fenn’s football players responded, scoring a rousing 26-14 victory over Fay School at Reynolds Field. The game, which was played as an 8-on-8 because of Fay’s limited number of players, was exciting from start to finish. Fenn was down 14-12 at the half but roared back.

Ninth grader Malcolm Clark led the way with two tough rushing touchdowns, including one TD that sealed the victory in the game’s final two minutes.

“He was the MVP of the game, in my opinion,” said Coach Matt Ward ’00. “He also had one interception. Great game.”

Ward was assisted on the sidelines

by Chris Ryan ’10, Rob Wasielewski, and Ryan Burgess.

Following the opening day victory, Fenn defeated Carroll School in a flag football contest on October 2, but four straight losses littered the remainder of the season. Fenn was defeated at Dexter

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Southfield School (14-8, Oct. 11), by Fessenden School (38-12, Oct. 25), at Fay School (24-6, Nov. 1), and again by Dexter (16-12, Nov. 6). The team finished the season with a 2-6 record.

Team captains were all ninth graders: starting quarterback Ty Johnson, backup QB/receiver Tom Murdough, and Jack Bretl.

Cross-Country Fenn’s cross-country team was bolstered by veteran talent that paved the course

for a season of victories.

“It was an outstanding and successful season,” said Coach David Duane.

“The runners trained hard to meet goals, improve, and attain team success.”

The highlight, according to Duane, was the growth and development of the squad, along with the mix of hard work.

The team also took tremendous pride in placing fifth out of 33 teams at the Jim Munn Invitational in Gloucester on October 24. The blue-and-gold also earned a respectable seventh place

finish out of 15 teams at the Roxbury Latin Jamboree on October 30. The Jamboree is run on a 2.3-mile course, the longest that Fenn runs during the season. Connor Soukup medaled in both contests.

Fenn cross-country captains were ninth graders Connor Soukup, Bobby Skrivanek, Colby Bloch, and Owen O’Malley.

Duane was assisted on the sidelines by co-coach Megan Wu Macomber.

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WIN TER 2 0 2 0 S POR T S Varsity Hockey Coming off of an undefeated season in his first year as head coach, Jeff LaPlante faced a difficult challenge heading into his sophomore coaching season. Only five veteran players were returning, so thirteen new players would suit up in blue-and-gold jerseys.

“Coach (Ryan) Miklusak and I really enjoyed this season, trying to bring this mostly new group of players together as a team,” recalled Jeff.

Fenn stacked up five straight wins to start the season. The Ws included a convincing 9-2 victory over Buckingham Browne & Nichols School, an 8-7 overtime win at Dexter, a 9-1 trouncing of Nobles at Valley Sports, an 8-4 home win over Fay, and a 3-2 win at Fessenden.

Those five wins stretched LaPlante’s unbeaten streak to 19 games over two seasons.

Eighth grader Teddy Stiga proved invaluable in the surge. Stiga notched five goals in Fenn’s opening victory against BB&N. Yet that was only the start of Stiga’s dynamite season. The assistant captain tallied three more hat-tricks

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(Feb. 12 vs. Fay, Feb. 14 vs. Rectory, and Feb. 26 vs. Fessenden) to lead Fenn in final season scoring with 20 goals and 14 assists for 34 points.

Will Belle, another eighth grader, picked up six assists versus BB&N, establishing himself as an offensive threat.

Belle scored 12 goals this season, good for second on the team, while collecting 10 assists for 22 points in total.

Another playmaker in the group was eighth grader Will Hatten. He grabbed 19 assists while scoring 6 goals of his own over the course of the season for a total of 25 points.

Fenn’s powerhouse offense was showcased in most games, as the team averaged six goals per game.

It took until February for Fenn to taste its first defeat, a 5-2 loss at the hands of a strong Belmont Hill team. Yet resiliency marked the team’s manner, and Fenn later racked up wins over Rectory, Rivers, and Fessenden.

Although Fenn varsity would lose captain Ben Cook to graduation, at least ten other players were set to return from this year’s team, which finished with a final

record of 8-4.

“We were really looking forward to the 2021 season,” shared Jeff. “We would have been a great veteran group of players who love playing hockey together.”

Junior Varsity Hockey The JV hockey team focused on teamwork and sportsmanship this season, while compiling a 2-4-1 record.

Fenn registered wins over Carroll School (Jan. 31, 6-1) and Park School (Feb. 21, 10-0) after tying Dedham Country Day School, 3-3, in the home opener on January 10.

“Even when facing teams with strong individual talent,” said Coach Jason Rude, “this JV team displayed great teamwork and sportsmanship.”

Fenn dropped two games to Shady Hill School (Jan. 23, 5-3; Feb. 6, 7-2) before suffering a 4-2 loss to Carroll School on February 14 and a season-ending 7-1 loss at Pike School on February 26.

Rude, along with Coaches Kate Wade and Paul Heinze, pointed to the highlight of the season as “the outstanding progress this group made in playing as a team.”

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Still, the team had consistently strong individual offensive performances throughout the year from eighth grade captains Jamie Book, Oliver Ali, and Sam Kahn, and from sixth grader Harry Lavoie and eighth grade forward Chad Bartlett. Meanwhile, sixth graders Sam Griswold and Caleb Fehm and seventh grader Chris Mariani were stalwarts on defense. Griswold scored four goals to share the JV goal-scoring lead with eighth grader Harry Nerrow.

Fenn also had the luxury of boasting two very good goalies in sixth grader John Regan and seventh grader Gunnar Lyons.

Rude gave Lyons credit as the team’s most improved player.

“When Lyons heard we were looking for a backup goalie, he took on the challenge and became a very dependable netminder for us,” said Rude.

Varsity Basketball For the second straight year, the varsity basketball team earned the name of Comeback Kids. Coach Peter Bradley, in his 28th year as head coach, recalled the bright spots of the 2020 season.

“The highlight was winning twice against Carroll School (Jan. 9, 56-44;

Feb. 6, 57-50) after trailing in both games at halftime (29-24, 34-28, respectively),” Bradley said.

Those two comebacks showcased Fenn’s character and never-say-die attitude.

The team started off the season with a pair of wins (Jan. 9 vs. Carroll, 56-44; Jan. 15 vs. Rivers, 65-29) but then struggled to find its footing mid-season and lost the Fenn Basketball Tournament Championship to Fay School, 73-61, on February 8.

Fenn rebounded, though, and wrapped up the season with an impressive five wins in the last six games, pushing the final varsity record to 10-6.

In addition to the two wins over Carroll, Fenn also registered a pair of wins over both Worcester Academy (Feb. 8, 66-45; Feb. 19, 53-51) and BB&N (Feb. 14, 53-27; Feb. 21, 66-57), as well as single game victories over Groton (Jan. 24, 61-30), St. John’s Prep (Feb. 13, 63-33), and Lawrence Academy (Feb. 28, 54-33).

“I was pleased with the way the boys played for each other,” said Bradley, who was assisted on the sidelines by Tony Santos. “The spirit and

camaraderie were special.”

Fenn captains were ninth grader Ty Johnson and eighth grader Isaiah Langham.

Offensively, it was Langham who led the way in 11 of 16 games this season, averaging 22 points per game.

Junior Varsity Basketball The JV basketball team finished the season with a 5-5 record, posting a pair of wins over Fay School to start the season (Jan. 10, 59-23; Jan. 15, 40-29), before going on a five-game losing skid.

The JV team got back on track with three straight wins over Xaverian Brothers (Feb. 13, 29-28), Lexington Christian Academy (Feb. 26, 67-36), and Fessenden (Feb. 28, 42-35) to end the season.

“The highlight of the season was seeing the improvement made by the boys,” said Coach Chris Ryan ’10. “It was great to finish strong, especially defeating a Fessenden team that previously beat us.”

Eighth grader Garrett Lanagan was the captain of this year’s team, but the seventh graders on the team were great contributors as well across the season.

“The boys came a great distance as a team this season,” said Ryan. “Every

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member of the team contributed to our success, and the boys should be proud of their season.”

Thirds Basketball Blue The Thirds Basketball Blue team struggled to find its footing this season, following a season-opening loss at Shore Country Day School, 28-13, on January 15.

The team went on to suffer losses at Pike School (Jan. 24, 46-24), at Carroll School (Jan. 29, 30-25), and at Fessenden School (Feb. 7, 45-11).

While Jimmy Manyuru was the head coach of the Blue team, the coaches and players sometimes were substituted from one Thirds team to another.

Thirds Basketball Gold The Gold team started off the season riding high, pocketing three victories en route to a final season record of 3-2-1.

Gold earned a 30-25 season-opening win at Carroll School behind Will Simon’s game-high 12 points. On January 29, Gold outscored visiting Park School, 31-25, thanks to Simon’s 8 points and John Donovan’s 8 points.

The third consecutive win came when

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Fenn bested Belmont Day School, 27-22, on February 5. Hudson Wesel had 11 points to lead the way.

The undefeated streak stayed alive as Fenn secured a 20-20 tie at Park School on February 12.

Yet the tide turned for the team’s last two games of the season. Fenn lost at home against Fessenden School (Feb. 19, 38-28) and then at Rivers School (Feb. 26, 32-21). Despite the season-ending losses, Coach Megan Wu Macomber’s team can take pride in a competitive and fun season for Thirds Gold.

Thirds Basketball White The White team, coached by Ryan Burgess, landed straight at the .500 mark for the season, and did so with a seesaw of wins and losses.

White scored an opening game victory over Rashi School, 33-27, at home on January 13, with eighth grader John Donovan leading the way offensively.

Donovan also popped in four threepointers in the next game at Fessenden School on January 22. Yet despite his 12 points, Fenn ended up on the losing side of the scoreboard in the 36-22 final.

Eighth grader Nathaniel Pynchon took the lead in the White team’s 29-21 victory over Carroll School on January 23. Fenn dropped the next game at Fay on January 31, with Donovan the high man with 12 points in the 41-33 loss.

Getting back on track on February 12, Fenn easily handled Carroll School, 43-25, but the team fell again to Fay on February 26 by a 23-16 count, with Pynchon leading the way offensively.

Wrestling Led by tri-captain seniors, Harrison Wei, Connor Soukup, and Colby Bloch, the Fenn wrestling team had another excellent season, despite having many first-year varsity wrestlers on the team. Colby Bloch took first place in the New England Junior Prep Championships, while Connor Soukup and Bobby Skrivanek took third place. First-year senior Elliot Johnson also placed fourth.

Every boy on the team won a share of matches, and, most importantly, everyone worked together, worked hard, and had a “ton of fun” during a sometimes grueling three months of wrestling against some of the top prep teams in New England.

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Expanding Our Community of Faculty and Staff The Fenn community has been enriched by the contributions and commitment of the new faculty and staff members who joined us on Monument Street during the two recent school years. Join us in welcoming them and sharing appreciation for the impact that they are already making on students, colleagues, and our extended Fenn family.

JOINING FENN IN THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR In addition to Simone Hutchings who was introduced on page 38 in a section dedicated to Fenn’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion commitments and initiatives, we welcomed: Jill Miller Jill began her tenure as our new Director of Advancement in early November. Offering more than 15 years of experience in fundraising and non-profit management, Jill comes to Fenn from The Haverford School in Haverford, PA, a pre-kindergarten through Grade 12 private day school for boys in the suburbs of Philadelphia that her son Rudy also attended. She most recently served as Campaign Director for a $50MM fundraising effort to support endowment, capital, and operating needs of the school, and as Haverford Leadership Council Coordinator and Major Gifts Officer.

Jill’s previous professional experience includes positions as Director of Development at leading brain health nonprofit, One Mind, and at Epiphany School, both in Seattle, WA, as well as Senior Associate Director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at Haverford College and Director of Annual Giving at The Haverford School. Jill earned a B.S. from Northwestern University and an M.Ed. from Cabrini College in Radnor, PA. She and her husband Dan now reside in Lincoln, MA, and also enjoy a home in Owls Head, ME.

Andy Rentschler This past August, Andy joined the Fenn team as Assistant Director of Admission. His areas of responsibility quickly expanded to include teaching a Student Life class and supporting Fenn athletics. Outside of Fenn, Andy continues to serve as a boys’ soccer coach for FC Stars of Massachusetts.

For the previous four years, Andy coached and held Assistant and Associate Director level positions in Admissions, Alumni Relations, and Communications at Belmont Day School. He also served as Communications Director at YMCA Camp Belknap in Mirror Lake, NH, for the two years prior.

Andy received B.A. degrees in both environmental studies and anthropology from Connecticut College.

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FENN FELLOWS More than 10 years ago, Fenn formalized a Fenn Fellowship program for recent college graduates seeking teaching, coaching, and general school experience. Two Fenn alumni are currently serving as Fenn Fellows and enjoying their observation of master teachers, classroom supervision and co-teaching or substitute teaching, coaching, and support of school operations.

Jack Gustavson ’12 Working with children in an elementary academic setting has always been a goal for Jack.

It’s no surprise then that he has enjoyed supporting a fourth and a fifth grade cohort and assisting with the teaching of Language Arts and Social Studies this school year.

This work has enabled him to partner with his own fourth grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Smith, and advisor, Ms. Wei, among other faculty.

Prior to his role as Fenn Fellow,

Jack spent the last three summers as a day camp counselor for kids aged 10-12. He graduated from the Berkshire School in 2016 and from Michigan State University in the Spring of 2020 with a major in arts and humanities and minor in Spanish. In his free time, Jack enjoys playing baseball, hockey, golf, and tennis.

Luke Randle ’11 In his role as Fenn Fellow, Luke has been focused on supporting a fifth grade cohort in the Intensive Literacy Program (ILP) and coaching sports across all divisions. Luke graduated from Denison University in May 2020

with a Bachelor’s degree in educational studies, and has worked for six years at Lexington’s Cotting School (for students with intellectual and physical disabilities) during its summer school program.

With this return to his alma mater, Luke has appreciated seeing the joy that Fenn boys exhibit each day and recalling his own fond memories of his years on Monument Street.

Outside Fenn, Luke can be found hiking or playing tennis with friends.

AUXILIARY TEAM Once Fenn committed to opening its doors for the 2020-2021 school year, it was imperative that the School build a team of individuals who could help to execute and ensure compliance with COVID protocols during the school day. This team has proven indispensable, contributing in myriad ways to help keep the community healthy and the Fenn program running successfully in a challenging climate for education.

Will Blumenthal Will primarily serves as an instructor for archery and the Extended Day Program. For the prior five years, he has enjoyed serving as a Summer Fenn camp counselor with specialties in archery, video, adventure, and a newer camp offering of “Dungeons and Dragons.” Outside Fenn, Will enjoys backpacking, camping, and eating good food.

DeAndre Dymski DeAndre’s contributions on the Auxiliary team range from mentoring and teaching yoga to the boys to supporting the morning check-in process, lunch distribution, and myriad classroom needs. Before Fenn, DeAndre worked as a personal trainer and mover, and in the food industry. In his free time, he practices yoga and is deeply into music production, singing, and songwriting.

Corrie Fenn With founder Roger Fenn her great great uncle, Corrie’s knowledge of Fenn is deeply rooted. As an Auxiliary team member, her contributions have been extensive, ranging from manning student drop-off and supporting classroom needs and recesses to distributing lunches and facilitating team building activities during our students’ FLEX block. Corrie became a Summer Fenn employee five

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years ago as a member of the adventure team. Outside Fenn, she has served as a paraprofessional for students with autism at an elementary school in Dedham, MA, and as the Interim Director of Pine Lake Environmental Campus & Challenge Education at Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY. Not surprisingly, she enjoys outdoor activities like canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and climbing.

Lee Haber Lee was excited to join the Auxiliary team to support the faculty and students in the numerous ways that may be needed from day to day. Before Fenn, Lee worked at Trader Joe’s. A fan of the arts, he is also a singer and musician. Additionally, he loves playing video games and trying out new recipes in the kitchen.

Mel Hoermann Mel is an archery instructor and supports varied classroom needs during the school day. She was introduced to Fenn through Summer Fenn, where she has provided archery instruction for the past five years.

Before Fenn, Mel worked as a substitute teacher at a middle school and as a camp counselor for the Girl Scouts. When she’s not on the archery range, Mel can be found reading, playing video games, enjoying costume creation, and hiking, biking or skiing.

Morgan Laird Morgan began serving as Fenn’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Intern in early November after beginning the school year

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on the Auxiliary team supporting school operations.

A generous Fenn family that has requested anonymity stepped forward to fund this position that Morgan is now enjoying. As a member of the DEI team, Morgan spearheads the creation of all DEI signage around campus, supports the DEI team, and teaches DEI subject matter to select classes. He supplements this work as a teaching assistant in Fenn’s science program. Morgan originally joined the Fenn community six years ago as part of Summer Fenn and also served as a Fenn intern last winter.

ee. When he isn’t at Fenn, Sebastian can be found juggling a soccer ball or playing music, cards or board games.

Gabriel Magner da Costa Gabriel is currently an Extended Day instructor. Before joining the Auxiliary staff, he worked at Summer Fenn as a base camp and specialty camps counselor, and as a martial arts instructor. In his free time, Gabriel practices his martial arts craft and enjoys video games and socially-distant hangouts.

Tyler Parke ’12 Tyler Parke ’12 also served as an Auxiliary staff member for the first two months of the school year before accepting a Middle School English teaching position at Dexter Southfield School. Thank you for your contributions to Fenn, Tyler!

Sebastian Magner da Costa In his Auxiliary staff role, Sebastian assists with student drop-off, lunches, event set-up, and maintenance. He has also been a Summer Fenn employee, specifically a member of the support staff who helps camp function successfully.

Other jobs have included working as a grocer and youth soccer refer-

Mike Marinella ’04 Mike transitioned to the Auxiliary team from his former position as Fenn’s Alumni Engagement Officer. He now provides classroom and sports coverage and supports student drop-off and pickup. When he is not at Fenn, Mike can be found competing in trivia nights, going to concerts, traveling, and cheering for Boston sports teams.

Dontano Rinaldi Dontano’s contributions on the Auxiliary staff are diverse, from providing classroom support to leading various sports and activities that Fenn is offering. He was first introduced to Fenn as a Summer Fenn camper for nine summers, then continued his journey as a support staff member and counselor.

Outside Fenn, Dontano has been a martial arts instructor in Taekwondo

for four years at Achieve Taekwondo in Westford. He also enjoys digital photography and working with cars.

Emma Sharon After wrapping up a season as a photographer for Major League Baseball, Emma Sharon (daughter to Assistant Headmaster John Sharon) offered her services to Fenn as a sports coach, photographer, and videographer.

With the start of baseball season, Emma recently left Fenn for a move to San Diego to resume her MLB duties covering the San Diego Padres.

Johannes Wesselhoeft ’06 Johannes was delighted to be back at Fenn after a decade-and-a-half away and enjoyed serving as an academic substitute, assisting with athletics, help-

ing with lunchtime, and everything in-between as a member of the Auxiliary team until his departure for a job in market intelligence.

Johannes was previously a marketing associate at a global translation and communications company, where he wrote as the voice of “Dr. Hope” in an effort to help bring medical devices and pharmaceuticals across borders to those in need. Outside Fenn, he enjoys travel, BBC documentaries, writing poetry, painting, long walks, and discovering new eateries.

Terrance Wong Terrance provides diverse support of school operations as part of the Auxiliary team. He also produces All School Meeting videos that showcase school news and student accomplish-

ments, and has supported Fenn’s all-school Constitutional Convention, student service learning projects, and STEAM/interdisciplinary learning in the Lower School. He is also offering a graphic design course to Upper School students. Terrance has worked at Summer Fenn for the past five years and became an instructor in Fenn’s after school auxiliary enrichment program when it launched in 2019. He specializes in STEAM, visual arts, and welding, and is also a teacher in these mediums at the Boston Day and Evening Academy in Roxbury.

In his free time, Terrance is expanding his puppetry hobby (he built five Muppet-style puppets for Summer Fenn programming) and entering the worlds of costumery, prop making, and graphic design for fashion.

JOINING FENN IN THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR The Fenn community has enjoyed witnessing the energy and enthusiasm, creativity, and dedication that these faculty and staff have exhibited since joining us during Fenn’s last school year. They continue to hit their stride in year two, ever deepening their impact and contributions.

Ryan Burgess Ryan Burgess has enjoyed advising, coaching, and teaching English and Social Studies in the Middle School since joining Fenn. He previously held positions at the Rectory School in Pomfret, CT, teaching U.S. History and serving as Assistant Director of Secondary School Placement, coach for football,

basketball, golf, and track and field, and dorm parent. He also served as an assistant football coach and quarterback coach at Worcester Academy, a sports and cooperative games specialist at Fessenden Summer Camp, a junior high teacher at St. Louis Elementary School in Lowell, and as a counselor and mentor at Wolfeboro Summer Boarding School and McDonough Elementary School in Hartford, CT. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in American studies from Trinity College, where he excelled as a football quarterback.

Jen Cavazos and Cheryl Leider Jen Cavazos and Cheryl Leider both joined Fenn in June 2019 to share the role of Office Manager in the W.W. Fenn Administration Building. Both women boast significant experience

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with the office procedures and technology that Fenn requires of this shared position, and they have proven to be wonderful additions to the team. Their support is particularly indispensable as Fenn operates under strict COVID protocols.

Nichole Collins Fenn also welcomed Nichole Collins last year as an athletic trainer. She also put her love for dance to work as an instructor for hip hop classes and choreographer for the Upper School musical. Her 16 years of related experience included positions as head, assistant, and substitute athletic trainer for Waltham High School, Weymouth High School, Somerville High School, and Carver High School and Middle School.

A nationally certified athletic trainer since 2004, Nichole holds a Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training from Springfield College and a Master of Education in school counseling from Cambridge College.

Heather Costa Heather Costa joined Fenn in October 2019 as the Accounts Payable and Student Accounts Administrator.

Prior to Fenn, Heather was a budget and cost analyst for Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island, a grant accountant for UMass Medical School, and a staff accountant for Education Development Center in Waltham, MA, for more than 20 years.

Heather received her Certificate in Accounting from Salem State University.

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Michelle Fontaine Michelle Fontaine became our new Library Teacher last year, coming from The Park School, where she was a longterm substitute as the upper division librarian. Michelle previously worked in the library at the Langley School (McLean, VA) and as a human performance and change management professional with Anderson Consulting. With an A.B. from Harvard and a Master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Maryland, Michelle also worked with Langley’s and Park’s chapters of the SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) Project, and she is a skilled genealogist. Michelle was also recently appointed Treasurer of the executive board of the Massachusetts School Librarian Association.

Azurae Hood Azurae Hood (mother of Charlie ’23) enthusiastically joined the Admissions team as Admissions Coordinator.

She offers an extensive background in advertising and marketing from past positions with TJX Companies in Framingham and Conover Tuttle Pace in Boston. More recently, she has devoted a majority of her time to her two children (Charlie and sister Aubrey) and to volunteering for the non-profit organization A Better Chance in Winchester. Azurae is a graduate of Charles River School, Noble and Greenough School, and Colgate University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

Jen Nash Jen Nash, mother to fifth grader, Bryce, has brought her boundless energy and creativity to her position as Lower School math teacher. Prior to Fenn, Jen was a private tutor in the Concord area for 11 years for kindergarten through sixth grade students. In earlier years, she also served as an elementary school teacher, Director of Studies, Head of Mathematics and in other roles at the Bassett House Preparatory School in London, UK, and gained other teaching experience at The Wykeham Collegiate Independent School for Girls in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa and the Laddsworth Primary School in Hilton, South Africa. She received her Bachelor’s degree in education from Edgewood Teachers Training College in Durban, South Africa.

Heather Sciacca Heather Sciacca joined the Advancement Team in August 2019 as Advancement Assistant and Events Coordinator. Before Fenn, she served as Event Assistant for the USA Northeast Province of the Society of Jesuits, where she helped to coordinate the 2019 Jesuit Gala. She has also volunteered at the Greater Nashua Habitat for Humanity, coordinating events that included their 25th Anniversary GALA and Habitat for Humanity’s Cornhole Tournament.

She is a graduate of Merrimack College with a Bachelor’s degree in mass communication/media studies.

Lauren Shelley Lauren Shelley joined the Lower School team as a math teacher, coach, and advisor. Lauren came to Fenn from The Chapin School in New York City, where she served as a fourth and fifth grade math teacher, advisor, and three-season coach for four years. She also served for two years as a head teacher for a six-week summer program in math, language arts, STEAM, and social responsibility at Horizons at Brunswick School in Greenwich, CT. Lauren is a graduate of Manhattanville College with a Master of Education degree and of University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science degree in middle childhood education.

A Chicago native, she is also a former varsity athlete in swimming and soccer.

that as Assistant Director of Accounting Services at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She is a Certified Fraud Examiner and holds a B.S. degree in business administration/finance from Eastern Nazarene College and a M.S. degree in accounting with a minor in fraud and forensic accounting from Southern New Hampshire University.

Kristen Bates, Laura Canina, Katie Zindars, and Erin Fife Also joining Fenn were tutors Kristen Bates, Laura Canina, Katie Zindars, and Erin Fife. Kristen, wife of faculty member Brendon Bates, had been a tutor for more than eight years, as well

as previously serving as Assistant Head of Lower School, Director of Learning Skills, and Learning Specialist at the Tower School and as a teacher at The Carroll School and The Gifford School.

Laura boasts an extensive history with Nashoba Brooks School, including serving as a math teacher for grades four through six and as a reading and writing teacher for grades two through five. Katie, a Nashoba Brooks School graduate, previously tutored at The Carroll School and privately, and held teaching positions at John F. Kennedy Middle School in Natick, Fuller Middle School in Framingham, and Coast Collaborative in Revere. Erin joined Fenn to serve as a part-time ESL Tutor, calling on previous experience teaching English as a Foreign Language in Hong Kong and China and as a lead teacher at the Concord Carousel Preschool.

Jane Spigel Jane Spigel, RN, BSN has put her nursing prowess to work as part of the Fenn Health Services team. Jane retired from Framingham Public Schools in June 2018 after more than 20 years supporting a community of 2,000+ students, 250 staff, upwards of 30 preschoolers, and an active day care center. Her background also includes nursing roles at McCarthy and Barbieri Elementary Schools and Walsh Middle School in Framingham and Johnson Elementary School in Natick. She also recently served as a substitute school nurse in the Framingham Public Schools and at Summit Montessori School.

Kimberly Valimont Kimberly Valimont joined Fenn in April 2020 as Business Manager/ Controller. She most recently served as Controller for the Massachusetts Service Alliance in Boston and prior to

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Welcoming Our Newest Trustees

Fenn is ever grateful for our newest classes of trustees and their unwavering appreciation for and commitment to the School and our mission and values. Their rich perspectives and varying expertise will continue to enhance our strategic planning and school operations.

TRUSTEES WHO JOINED FENN’S BOARD IN THE 2020-2021 SCHOOL YEAR: Elizabeth (Liz) Chang Liz joined Berkshire Partners in 2012 as a member of the Capital Markets team with the primary responsibility of leading Berkshire’s debt financing transactions. She has over 25 years of experience in leveraged finance and investment banking.

Prior to Berkshire, Liz worked at Deutsche Bank for over 12 years as a Media & Telecom coverage banker and then as a Managing Director in the leveraged finance group.

In addition to her time at Deutsche Bank, Liz worked in leveraged finance capital markets at RBS Citizens in Boston, as well as at FTI Consulting and Chase Manhattan Bank.

Liz earned her B.A. from Bryn Mawr College and her M.B.A. from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

She served six years on the Board of Directors for the New England Chapter of JDRF, including two years as Chapter Board President. She also currently serves on the Investment Subcommittee for the Board of Trustees for Bryn Mawr College. She and her husband Joe Wallace reside in Carlisle

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with their two children John Wallace (Fenn ’22) and Zoe Wallace (Nashoba Brooks School ’22). Together they enjoy hiking, biking, skiing, and traveling.

Brian Davidson ’89 This fall, Brian began his three-year term as President of the Fenn Alumni Association.

For his day job, Brian is a Senior Staff Accountant with the Boston Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In this role, Brian investigates and leads civil enforcement actions against individuals and companies for violation of the securities laws.

Brian was formally a Compliance Specialist with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority in both Boston and Washington, D.C., focusing on the rules governing registered broker-dealers, with a specialized focus on NASDAQ traders and option trading on various exchanges.

Brian is a graduate of Babson College, and earned a Juris Doctor from Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. He currently serves as a member of Concord’s Cemetery Committee.

Brian and his wife Alice reside in Concord and enjoy spending their summers on the mid-coast of Maine.

MaryEllen LaCamera MaryEllen currently serves as President of the Fenn Parents Association.

She was previously Vice President of Parent Programs and Events and a grade parent and volunteer for various PA committees, including Sports Sale, Faculty and Staff Appreciation, Photo Day, and 42 Days for Fenn.

MaryEllen currently works with school districts across New England as an Account Manager for NWEA, a non-profit K-12 assessment company headquartered in Portland, OR. Prior to joining NWEA, she was a sales executive with Achieve3000 and Frontline Education.

After graduating from the College of the Holy Cross with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Spanish, MaryEllen spent 10 years in New York City before moving to Bedford where she currently resides with her husband, Chris, and two Fenn boys (Aiden ’22 and Owen ’24).

Neville McCaghren Neville is managing director of research in the Global Asset Allocation (GAA) division at Fidelity Investments, a leading provider of investment management, retirement planning, portfolio guidance, brokerage, benefits outsourcing, and other financial products and services to institutions, financial intermediaries, and individuals. GAA is an investment division within Fidelity’s Asset Management Solutions group, an integrated investment, distribution, and client service organization dedicated to meeting the unique needs of the institutional marketplace.

Prior to joining Fidelity in 2013, Neville served as founder, CEO, and portfolio manager at LOGe Solutions, LLC, where he created quantitative risk-managed portfolios for broad market and concentrated positions.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science from Dartmouth College and his Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Neville’s previous education board work included chairing the long-range planning committee for the Lincoln Nursery School and chairing the Lincoln School Foundation.

His son Lach is currently a Fenn seventh grader.

Edward (Ned) Parsons Ned Parsons is currently Head of School at The Rivers School. At Rivers, he has overseen the school’s first-ever comprehensive capital cam-

paign, a $50MM initiative that, to date, has raised over $59MM. In the last two years, the school has built three new turf playing fields and, most recently, a 34,000 sq. ft. academic building, The Revers Center for Science and Visual Arts.

Prior to assuming his Rivers’ position in July of 2014, he served as dean of faculty at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, CT. He joined Loomis Chaffee in 1994 as an English teacher and coach after three years at Salisbury School, becoming dean of students in 1999 and transitioning to dean of faculty in 2007. He also coached the girls’ varsity ice hockey team for 12 years and served as an admissions associate for three years.

Ned has a B.A. in political science from Middlebury College (where he was captain of the hockey team), a M.A. in English from Middlebury’s Bread Loaf School of English, and a Ed.M. in School Leadership from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

His oldest son, Will, attended Fenn in the fifth grade during the 200607 school year while Ned was on sabbatical attending the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

In the course of his career, Ned has acquired a broad range of administrative experience, developed collaborative and productive relationships with faculty, and maintained a strong commitment to students. His focus has been on creating the best educational experience for students so they may become whole people who value arts and athletics, intellect and integrity, friendship and fairness.

Collins Adu Brako Tabiri Born and raised in Ghana, Collins is the third son in a family of six and the first generation in his extended family to attend a university. He trained and practiced medicine in Ghana in a heavily subsidized but inadequately funded National Health insurance system before moving to New Haven, CT, in 2008 to commence an internal medicine residency at St. Raphael Hospital (then an affiliate teaching hospital of Yale-New Haven Medical Center). He subsequently accepted a position in hospital medicine at Yale-New Haven Medical Center for four years, before relocating to Boston.

Collins is currently providing care to a wide array of patients and conditions at Steward Carney Hospital, South Shore Hospital, Beverly Hospital, and Lawrence General Hospital as an Academic Hospitalist. In this position, he combines the training of residents with caring for patients from often underinsured and vulnerable populations.

Collins has been on the frontline during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Steward Health System consolidated all COVID positive or suspected patients in Carney Hospital. In this setting, he again witnessed the vulnerability of some communities as a result of health care disparity within society. Fenn sincerely thanks Collins for his heroic work as the pandemic continues to challenge the state and world.

Collins’ son Nana Tabiri is currently enjoying Fenn as a seventh grader.

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TRUSTEES WHO JOINED FENN’S BOARD IN THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR: Andrea Darling Andrea is a Legal Advisor at MLPB, an organization that leverages its team’s public interest law expertise to advance health equity for individuals, families, and communities. Before joining MLPB, Andrea was a member of the private bar representing children and parents in child protection cases in Lowell Juvenile Court.

Earlier in her career, she was Assistant General Counsel at Mathematica, a social policy research firm headquartered in Princeton, NJ, and a labor and employment associate at Nutter. Andrea received her law degree from Duke University School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College.

Andrea joined Fenn’s Board of Trustees following a four-year term as board member for the Concord Conservatory of Music from 2015 to 2019.

Two other board positions preceded that.

She also currently serves as an alumni interviewer for Dartmouth College.

Andrea is mother to Alex Brady ’19 and Nick Brady ’21, and enjoys playing guitar and mandolin in a weekly jam, hiking, cycling, and baking anything with chocolate, and traveling abroad.

Michael Fox ’95 Michael is an investor, entrepreneur, and advocate. He has worked in financial services for 20 years and since 2011 has served as the Managing Partner of Eloise Capital, an investment partnership. He has also worked in the alternative investment management industry 72 fe f ennnn mmaaggaazziinnee

in a variety of executive and investing roles for more than 15 years.

Michael is an undergraduate alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. He is also an alumnus of Belmont Hill School.

Michael serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the League of Conservation Voters. He and his wife, Nicole, are also active in their support of a number of civic and educational organizations.

They reside in the Flatiron District of Manhattan with their two children.

G. Zachary Gund Zack is Managing Partner of Coppermine Capital, LLC, an investment firm he founded in 2001. The company acquires small to midsize manufacturing and services businesses throughout the United States.

Zack also serves on the boards of Coppermine Bakery Holdings, Autism Care Partners, Accord Care, The Kellogg Company, The Epiphany School, and The George Gund Foundation.

He received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Vermont and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Zack and his wife Lindsey live in Concord with their two daughters and son, Gordie, who currently attends

Fenn in the sixth grade.

Rachel Kramer Rachel is a Clinical Psychologist with a private practice in Concord for more than two decades. She provides a variety of services for preschoolers, children, adolescents, and their families, including psychotherapy, consultation, and parent coaching, training and education, and teaches parenting seminars for local schools and community groups.

Prior to opening her practice, Rachel worked as a Co-Investigator on the Harvard Adolescent Study and served as staff psychologist in the Behavioral Medicine Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and Lecturer in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a B.A. in psychology and a B.S. in economics from The Wharton School, and also received Master’s and Doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from New York University and trained at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Bellevue Hospital, and Schneider Children’s Hospital.

Rachel has served as President of the Parents Association at Fenn, Nashoba Brooks, and Middlesex Schools. She also serves on the Board of Visitors at Fenn and Nashoba Brooks, on the Advisory Board of the ThinkGive Project, and as a volunteer for the Penn Alumni Interview Program since 1992. She is the mother of three children, including Daniel ’14.

Melissa McCray (term completed) Melissa served as Parents Association President during the 2019-2020 school year so has completed her corresponding one-year term as Fenn trustee.

She is the co-founder of Two Webster, an online retail business designing and selling home accessories, and also runs its traditional retail businesses in Wellesley and Osterville, MA. Melissa was previously co-founder of TophDaddy Designs, a t-shirt company that was a cult favorite among locals and celebrities.

After graduating from the University of Vermont with a B.A. in political science, Melissa first held client service and marketing positions in the financial services industry for Putnam Investments, Scudder, Stevens and Clark, and Gannett, Welsh & Kotler.

Melissa’s contributions to Fenn have been numerous, including raising money for the Parents Association by chairing the school auction and Logo Wear committees. She has also served on the Combined Jewish Philanthropy Young Adult Task Force and on the planning committee for the “Heading Home to Dinner” design-anddine event benefiting the nonprofit Heading Home in its work to provide aid and housing to homeless families.

Melissa is the mother of Carter ’18 and Brandon ’21.

Tina Murdough Tina was born in Athens, Greece in 1975 and moved to the U.S. in the fall of 1993 to attend Harvard College.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts in classical archaeology and fine arts and a Master in Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

After graduate school, Tina worked in Architecture at Sasaki Associates in Watertown, Mass., and at Leers Weinzapfel Associates in Boston.

In 2003, she married Tom Murdough, and they now live in Lincoln with their three boys Tommy ’20, Alexander ’22, and Glen ’24.

In June 2018, after twenty-five years in the United States, Tina became a citizen.

When not shuttling boys around, Tina is either at Murdough Design, which she re-joined part-time in the fall of 2018, or somewhere in the area enjoying a competitive game of tennis.

Tina has served on the boards of the Codman Community Farm in Lincoln and the Lincoln Nursery School. While her boys have been attending Fenn, she has also enjoyed serving the Parents Association as a volunteer, a grade parent, and a Sports Sale and Parents’ Annual Fund Co-Chair.

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Thank You for Your Service to Fenn As we ushered new colleagues into the Fenn community, we also bid farewell to colleagues whose contributions to Fenn will be long remembered and appreciated. Retirement, family, relocation, and new career pursuits beckoned, and we wish each and every one of them a fulfilling next chapter.

ENJOYING WELL-EARNED RETIREMENTS ARE: Dana Pacheco Dana served for 15 years as Fenn’s Business Manager. During her time at Fenn, Dana was responsible for all of the day-to-day financial accounting of the School, ranging from accounts payable and accounts receivable to payroll and administration of employee benefits.

And this only scratches the surface in describing Dana’s contributions as an incredibly skilled, principled, thoughtful, and supportive leader on Fenn’s Business Office team. Dana always worked tirelessly behind-thescenes supporting faculty, staff, trustees, parents, and students, including the boys who would work the school store and come to her saddled with crumpled dollar bills and thousands of assorted coins that she would dutifully count with a smile. After giving so much of herself to Fenn and embracing our spirit and culture, we wish her continued enjoyment in her new Florida home, on the golf course, and with her husband, John, whom she joined in retirement, and with family and friends.

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Winnie Smith Winnie gave her heart and soul to Fenn across her 14 years teaching, guiding, supporting, and helping to foster a deep sense of community among the boys in Fenn’s Lower School. Winnie was a beloved advisor, Lower School English and Social Studies Teacher, and leader of the Service Learning program in the Lower School. She was at the helm of many Tuesday afternoon community service trips with Lower School students and colleagues, and played a leadership role in various school-wide community service activities. She also made a lasting mark with her idea of “Wilderness Wednesdays,” a program that aimed to get Lower School boys outside during the winter months to explore the natural landscape. To this day, Fenn boys continue to relish their time playing, imagining, and creating on the spacious Fenn campus no matter the wintry weather.

Winnie is now enjoying time with her children, grandchildren, and husband, Phil, and pursuing her passions for travel, outdoor activities, volunteering, and new hobbies.

FENN ALSO SAID GOODBYE TO: Veronica Jorge-Curtis Veronica moved on from Fenn to focus on family and the care of her elderly parents after serving as Director of Advancement since 2013. Her deep love for Fenn was palpable, and we will miss her leadership and dedication to ensuring Fenn’s lasting success.

During her tenure, Veronica and her team successfully raised $38MM in capital, endowment, and annual funds, including for endowed funds in support of financial aid that have enabled Fenn to enroll a more diverse community of learners. The In Our Hands capital campaign alone raised $20 million in 20 months for this important initiative, as well as for faculty professional development and the Campus Center.

Veronica made another lasting impact in establishing Fenn’s Homecoming and Founder’s Night traditions, which will carry on for decades to come.

Jimmy Manyuru Jimmy departed after two years as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. He is now enjoying a position as Upper School Director of Student Life and Equity at Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, MA, which challenges him with a broader swath of responsibility that includes impacting and inspiring high school students.

We thank Jimmy for his contributions and know the Beaver community will be well-served by his commitment to education, DEI leadership, and deep care for his students and their families and his colleagues.

David Saunders After two years as Director of Innovation at the helm of Fenn’s iLab, David Saunders also moved on to a position closer to his home and family on the North Shore. He is now Director of Innovation & Changemaker Coordinator at Brookwood School in Manchesterby-the-Sea where he previously taught and his wife, Adria, serves as an Early Childhood Assistant Teacher. We wish David continued success in his efforts to inspire new generations of innovative thinkers and makers.

Rob Wasielewski Rob Wasielewski also departed Fenn after joining us in September 2017 as an Assistant Director of Admission. His innate ability to connect with boys and families during the admissions process was amazing to witness, and this natural connection was put to good use as he also served as a seventh grade Social Studies teacher, three-season coach after his own success as a college athlete, and passionate leader and student role model in Fenn’s DEI work. Rob relocated to the Bay Area with his wife and is now a seventh grade Humanities Teacher at San Francisco’s Live Oak School.

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A Tribute to Mark Biscoe H’95 P’74 ’79 (1936-2020) A group of Fenn Middle School students was recently asked what they love most about Fenn and would never change. Their answers were immediate and unequivocal: the teachers! They guide Fenn boys with the utmost care, steering them to become the best versions of themselves, and their impacts are lasting as generations of alumni often attest. On the following pages, we pay tribute to Mark Biscoe H’95, a legendary Fenn teacher, coach, and administrator who will be forever remembered for the life lessons he imparted and the devotion he showed students across 37 years at Fenn.

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Teacher, Coach, and “Ultimate Role Model” Mark Biscoe Epitomized Fenn Values – ’

by laurie o neill

IF TH E T RUE M E A S URE O F A M A N

is in the lives he touched, then Mark

Wyman Biscoe Sr. stood tall. Over the thirty-seven years Mark spent at Fenn teaching, coaching, and advising, until his retirement in 1995, and through the twenty-five years after that in which his loyalty to the school he loved never faltered, the number of those he inspired and guided is seemingly countless.

In a stream of messages that flooded in after Mark’s passing at eighty-four in December 2020, in his beloved Maine surrounded by his wife of sixty years, Jane, and his family, the same words and phrases appear again and again: Mark was, in the eyes of his students, teams, and colleagues, a “master teacher,” “inspiring coach,” “empathetic advisor,” “true Fenn icon,” “pillar of the School,” “consummate gentleman,” “ultimate role model,” “devoted family man,” and “true hero.”

Alumni, their parents, and former and current Fenn faculty and staff supply a thesaurus-worth of adjectives to convey their feelings about Mark: He was “respected,” “approachable,” “kind,” “gentle,” “humble,” “witty,” “ invested,” “cool-headed,” “wise,” and “consistent.” Mark was “a Fenn legend,” says Headmaster Derek Boonisar.

“There is no better way to put it. And his legacy will live on.”

Mark’s Fenn story began in 1958, when an affable young man with a rosy tint high on his cheekbones and a broad, friendly smile arrived on the Monument Street campus. Recently graduated from the University of Maine in Orono, where

his father was a distinguished professor and where Mark also earned a master’s degree, he was hired to teach Latin and history and to serve as a resident faculty member on the third floor of the Farm House, tending to a brood of five- and seven-day boarders.

Over the years he worked as an advisor, coach, assistant headmaster, and director of athletics, proving to be a consistent and dedicated leader and a beloved mentor and friend.

Many of the major events of Mark’s life took place while he was at Fenn. His new wife joined him there in 1959 and Jane’s wit, warmth, and liveliness quickly endeared her to the boys who regarded her as their surrogate mom. She served as the School’s bookkeeper and librarian, and its resident pianist.

In years to come the Biscoes would move to another dorm, this one in W.W. Fenn. For a while they lived in Frothingham House, which is now the admissions building, and for five years they resided off campus in a house down the road. The couple had three children, Mark Jr. ’74, who was known as Marcus, a nod to his dad’s love of Latin (which

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“[Mark] was the salt-of-the-earth and one of the reasons I went into teaching. To this day, when I am working with a student, developing new curriculum, or watching as Fenn changes and grows, I wonder what Mark would think and say. His approach to educating boys has never gone out of style.” – Jon Byrd ’76, Fenn faculty member was so passionate that one summer at Fenn he translated several books of The Aeneid just for the pleasure of it), Andrew ’79, and Katherine.

It can be a trying time for children who live at and attend the schools where their parents work, but Marcus and Andy thrived. “You are a hero to many,” Marcus wrote to his dad upon the latter’s retirement. “I love you.”

Life was different at Fenn in those days, with dorm masters rousing their charges at 7 a.m. and putting them to bed at 9:30 p.m. They planned weekend activities and supervised study time, and Mark made sure his charges wrote a letter home every Friday night, and on two sides of a piece of paper, not just one. As anyone who has run a dorm knows, it is a consuming job, but Mark approached it with his typical enthusiasm and dedication, gently prodding his charges to heed the better angels of their natures.

Though he ran a tight ship as a house parent, Mark was also known for his displays of humor and other talents.

The first time he picked up a guitar and offered up the folk song “The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night,” the boys were surprised and delighted. In fact, Mark loved to sing, sometimes with Jane at the piano, and he wouldn’t let an occasional stutter stop him from joining the faculty chorus that participated in Fenn musicals, even once performing with them a rapid patter song about the infamous Harold Hill in The Music Man. “He gave a perfect performance,” recalls Kirsten Gould, who directed the show.

In the classroom, on the field, and in the dorm, Mark ruled with compassion and humor, all the while maintaining high standards for good behavior. “Mark embodied all the values that Fenn strives to instill in its boys,” says former headmaster Walter Birge. “He was a great listener, an empathetic mentor, and an active articulator of gentlemanly values.”

The late Abbott Fenn ’34 penned a note to Mark when the latter retired, writing that beyond his father, Roger’s, founding of the School and beyond its headmasters, Boards of Trustees, and parents over time, the School’s “incredibly high reputation” is due to the faculty.

Singling out Mark, he added, “You have over all these years epitomized the quality that has made Fenn very, very special.”

Noted Warren S. Chase ’62 in the messages Mark received at that time, “He symbolizes those older virtues, true to the ancients whose grammar and language he taught. He is a truly civilized man in the best sense.”

Mark’s ability to manage classes of high-spirited adolescent boys and to be consistently well prepared was inspiring for his colleagues. “I admired and envied the control he had in his classroom. He was quiet, firm, and organized. He set an example of how to be a Fenn teacher that helped so many of us,” says Jim Carter ’54. Former tutor and teacher Mary Coogan notes Mark’s “strength of character” and calls him “an exceptionally fine person,” while Kirsten deems Mark “the ultimate role model.”

Fellow Mainer Heather Thomsen remembers Mark for how good a lis-

tener he was. “I always knew I would be heard.” For Sue Finney, Mark “epitomized the philosophy of Fenn. He always had the boys’ best interests at heart while holding them to the highest moral standards and ethics.”

Mark was the “primary mentor” to a novice Fenn teacher in 1975, Rob Shoemaker III. “He reinforced positive student behavior, expressed heartfelt concern, and defined the guiding concept of Sua Sponte,” says Rob. He adds that the Biscoes also played major roles in developing “wonderful faculty camaraderie,” hosting such events as early morning Patriots’ Day Parade parties, “with Jane decked out in her inimitable flag dress.”

The Biscoes’ life at Fenn “is so interwoven into the fabric of the School that they leave an indelible impression,” says Marilyn Schmalenberger, who recalls the many times the couple opened their home to faculty and staff for parties.

“They drew the community closer.”

Much of the mentoring that Mark did was conducted with humor and empathy. Lucia McMahon recalls that as a new teacher she often stayed after hours in her classroom “down under” in Thompson Hall to prepare lessons. Evenings, Mark would be making his rounds on campus to check that all was secure, and he would ask Lucia how she was doing. “In his astute, gentle way, he gave me some advice: ‘Don’t smile until Thanksgiving and all will go extremely well’.”

Bob McElwain, who coached and taught with Mark, says, “I always appreciated the way he spoke, with sincerity and integrity” at all school meetings, at faculty spring

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meetings, and elsewhere. “Not many teachers can get a highly stimulated group of middle school boys having lunch to listen quietly when he asks them to reduce the noise level in the dining hall.”

Mark inspired more than one alumnus to pursue a career in education.

“He was the salt-of-the-earth and one of the reasons I went into teaching,” says Jon Byrd ’76. “To this day, when I am working with a student, developing new curriculum, or watching as Fenn changes and grows, I wonder what Mark would think and say. His approach to educating boys has never gone out of style.”

As a student at Fenn, Jon “knew Mr. Biscoe always had my back, even when things did not go well and I was sent to ‘the bench’ for some infraction. He would listen, ask questions, and give advice.”

Aaron Joncas ’91, former K-12 Concord coordinator for the Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity, is the athletic director at Concord-Carlisle High School. His son Jalen ’10 won the Biscoe Prize in 2010. Last year Aaron took his younger son, Aaron, up to Maine to meet Mark because the latter “was such a huge influence on my life.” While they were there, “What struck me was the friendship, the companionship, and the love that Mark and Jane had for one another,” he says. “It was remarkable.”

Mark imparted life lessons to his students that they have long heeded. “He taught me about poise, leadership, and the importance of being a good listener,” says Joe Williams ’81, headmaster of the New Hampton School. He modeled the importance of working hard and

expecting more, says Andy Cobb ’95. “I am forever grateful for his teaching and friendship. He was a singular force in my life that made me a better man.”

Of all of the teachers Alex Rivest ’94 has had, Mark was the mentor who shaped him the most, he says. “I learned that respect is earned and is something one always needs to fight for. More than anything I have ever learned in life, this has, quite simply, made me a better person.”

Mark had the knack for making a boy feel worthwhile, whatever his abilities. There was the Latin student struggling to pass his class, whom Mark challenged to build a scaled down version of a catapult in woodshop, recalls Jim Carter. The boy worked on it for two months, and, loading it up with an eightpound shot put, readied the device for firing on graduation day.

The shot put was intended to fly over the football field, but instead it went straight up into the air. Parents and students fled in all directions. After adjustments, the shot put soared down the field, a moment of pride for both the boy and his teacher. This and countless other examples, Jim says, show that “Mark was very sensitive about his students and wanted them to feel good about themselves.”

An eternal optimist, Mark “always looked for the strengths in a boy that could be built on, never making him feel awkward or foolish and always being encouraging and positive,” says former faculty member and Fenn parent Dr. Charles Streff.

Brad Bailey ’72 waxed literary in a

“[Mark] quietly stood at the edge of an allegorical cliff and gently caught us carefree boys and know-it-all adolescents before we could tumble over the edge. Then he skillfully steered us back on our way, though we were blissfully unaware of what he was doing. We know it now.”– Brad Bailey ’72 comparing Mark to The Catcher in the Rye’s Holden Caulfield 80

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“He was the father of Fenn basketball … He was so proud of his players—of all the boys. He strongly believed that Fenn had the power to change a boy’s life.” – Bob Starensier, Fenn Athletic Director letter honoring his former teacher at the latter’s retirement. He compares Mark to the protagonist of The Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield, “who in his mind’s eye catches children in danger of falling over a dangerous cliff and returns them to their innocent play.”

Mark “quietly stood at the edge of an allegorical cliff and gently caught us carefree boys and know-it-all adolescents before we could tumble over the edge.

Then he skillfully steered us back on our way, though we were blissfully unaware of what he was doing,” Brad writes. “We know it now.”

Mark had a steel trap memory, especially when it came to his students.

One of them, Garreth DeBiegun ’94, saw Mark two years ago at Fenn and “was so impressed that he recognized me twenty-five years later.” He says Mark “gave me a passion for learning, but more important, an understanding of the good feeling a warm compassionate heart can provide. We were so lucky to have him in our lives.”

And Mark felt equally lucky, which motivated him to go the extra mile for the boys, always looking to enrich their learning. He led his classes to the Old North Bridge, where they would “relive” the first day of the American Revolutionary War, chaperoned the Washington, D.C. trip, and led them farther afield, to the western United States and to Italy.

In 1970 Mark began taking students to Mystic Seaport in Connecticut for an extended overnight. The Seaport trip, which ran for more than twenty-five years, reflected Mark’s passion for sailing and for maritime history, a topic that he worked into his Social Studies course.

After first researching a typical New

England seacoast village and how its prosperity rose and fell with the rise and decline of shipbuilding, the group would spend three days at the Seaport, eventually being allowed to sleep aboard the 111-foot iron-hulled sailing ship Joseph Conrad, a thrilling experience.

A talented athlete and diehard Oakland A’s fan who could play and coach a number of sports, what was perhaps Mark’s greatest Fenn legacy can be traced to the court in the Old Gym. “He was the father of Fenn basketball,” declares Bob Starensier, who succeeded Mark as athletic director in 1984. Until the Old Gym was opened in the mid-1950s, there were hoops on the tennis court and a few away games, with rainy day practice taking place in the dining hall, but Mark formalized a basketball program in 1959.

Coach Biscoe soon earned a reputation for his keen interest in the art of the game and his insistence on team play and good sportsmanship. His varsity team went on to win 274 games and four tournament championships. “Whether it was your lay up or jump shot form, your defensive positioning, or even how to put on your sneakers correctly to avoid blisters, he cared deeply about doing things the right way,” says Peter Bradley, Fenn’s varsity basketball coach since Mark’s retirement.

In 1991 Mark “approached a sixth grader eagerly shooting hoops in the gym and taught him the basics of the three P’s: ‘Perfect Practice Makes Perfect,’ not to be mistaken with ‘Practice Makes Perfect’,” says Tim Riedel ’95. “I still find myself reflecting on that conversation and the important lessons it taught me as I navigate teams [in business], raise two children, and manage myself.”

“He was so proud of his players—of all the boys. He strongly believed that

Fenn had the power to change a boy’s life,” says Bob Starensier.

Decades after leaving Fenn, Mark could retrieve the details of every game his teams played, including rosters, scores, positions, captains. He particularly enjoyed recalling the final game of the

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“If there were ever a Fenn educator who epitomized Fenn in its values, purpose, and promise, it was Mark.” – Former Fenn Headmaster Jerry Ward H’18 1989 basketball tournament, when Fenn beat athletic nemesis Fay to win its first championship. (See sidebar on Fenn basketball by Bob Albright ’81 on p. 84.)

Normally mild-mannered and cheerful, Mark had an intense competitive streak when on the court or field. His colleague Joe Hindle recalls the time he and Mark were coaching Middle School football, attempting to assemble fair teams and “making sure the talent was

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spread out and the boys were matched up with someone on the other team of equal size and ability.”

They did the job too well, as rarely did anyone score. So Mark decided that the teams should henceforth be allowed to use a play known as the Canadian Rouge, in which a single point is awarded if a ball is kicked into the end zone by any legal means.

With one play left in the scoreless

final game of the season, Joe called for Mark’s play. His team won 1-0. “Mark was beside himself,” Joe recalls, “but being the gentleman he was, he said the play had to count. After that season the play mysteriously disappeared from the Middle School playbook and the term was banned from casual conversation on campus.”

Mark and Read Albright worked together for more than thirty years and were the best of friends, with Read’s children calling the latter “Uncle Mark,” says Read’s wife, Jo Albright. Mark, she says, became “a second father” to the Albright children after Read’s death in 2011.

Things were less congenial between the two men on the court. “There were ferocious one-on-one games in the gym,” Jo says. “Mark had the technique and Read used his body and patented hook shot to push his way through.”

On many afternoons, Mark would “lure Read and me into the Old Gym, his spider web, for a friendly tournament,” says former faculty member Peter Hyde.

“Once there he proceeded to take us to school without mercy…No Mister Nice Guy when the game was afoot. My ego still has those bruises.”

Mark was the master of the “Fade Away” jump shot, which was the demise of just about all of his opponents on the court. It required a sizable team of alumni, their parents, faculty, and students to beat him in a “many-on-one” contest at a 1995 Alumni Association event.

The spring Mark left Fenn, the yearbook was dedicated to him and the Alumni Council made him an honorary member of the Class of 1995. It was the first such honor to be bestowed on a non-alumnus. Since, there have been only two other such honorees: Read Albright in 2003 and Jerry Ward in 2018.

After his retirement Mark maintained close ties to the School, pleased

and grateful that he and Jane were so warmly welcomed when they arrived on campus for a Board of Visitors meeting, Homecoming, basketball tournament, or other happening. “If there was a major event, you knew Mark and Jane would be there,” says Pat Hall, assistant to the headmaster.

They would perch on the bleachers at Homecoming wearing Fenn gear, cheering wildly for students and alumni competing in games, and joyfully catching up with old friends and colleagues.

“He was always interested in what was going on in your life,” Pat says. In 2019, Mark and Jane attended Founder’s Day; ever a team, Mark spoke on Fenn history and Jane accompanied him on the piano.

Back in Maine, Mark stayed busy as a volunteer and kept in touch with Fenn friends far and wide, and he and Jane were the proud grandparents of seven and great-grandparents of two. He tutored homeschooled kids in Latin and continued to pursue his passion for maritime history, authoring three books on the shipbuilding past of Mid-Coast Maine and speaking on the subject to groups.

Mark greeted visitors at the Waldoborough (Maine) Historical Society Museum and gave walking tours of the town. From 1998 until last December he penned a local history column titled “Waldoboro (the town is more commonly spelled this way now) Wanderings” for The Lincoln County News. In a 2019 column about Celtic great John Havlicek, whose son Chris ’85 he coached, Mark expressed his admiration of those, like Havlicek, who are “very capable in their field of endeavor” yet remain “quietly humble.”

Without intending to do so, writes J.W. Oliver, County News editor, “I think Mark was describing himself, too.”

Mark also served as a docent at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, where he logged more than one thousand volunteer hours over thirty years. Luke Milardo, the museum’s education and

volunteer coordinator, says Mark was “a truly wonderful part of our museum community.”

Mark’s legacy at Fenn is indelible.

In 1995 the Mark Biscoe Award for Citizenship was created “to memorialize his singular contributions to the community of the School and to recognize his profound influence on Fenn boys over his decades of teaching,” says Jerry Ward.

The prize is presented to a senior or seniors “who through their personal growth in their years at Fenn have come to value and live out the ideals of school citizenship that Mark Biscoe, as teacher and coach, inspired generations of Fenn students to embrace.”

“If there were ever a Fenn educator who epitomized Fenn in its values, purpose, and promise, it was Mark,” Jerry says. Mark taught the meaning of Sua Sponte “not through Latin translation but through the powerful language of his own humble and principled presence.”

Mark “proved so true” these words by historian Henry Adams, Jerry adds: “A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”

Many years ago, in the middle of his tenure at Fenn, Mark was asked to name his greatest satisfactions and his goals for the future. For the former, he listed “the give and take of teaching, coaching boys to play basketball, and the fierce but friendly combat of interscholastic, intramural, and interfaculty sports.”

His goals? “Not to grow complacent as a teacher, coach, advisor, or husband, to reach 200 wins in basketball, and to have a sailboat in Maine.” He met all of those aims with hard work and devotion.

May Mark Biscoe be sent, as was Odysseus, a warm and gentle wind for him to set his sails to the breeze.

Plus ultra, nauta.—“Even further, yet more, sailor.”

Laurie O’Neill is a freelance writer and former teacher and writer/editor at Fenn.

She lives in Concord. spring

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When it Came to Coaching He was Right on the Mark by bob albright

’81

OF ALL THE TIMES I have been cut from a varsity team—and there have been a few—the most fortuitous occasion by far was that day back in the winter of 1980 when I made the long walk down the hall from the New Gym to the Old Gym. Pushing open the swinging doors to the dusty old cage, I found him. Blue sweats and a gray sweater with the obligatory glasses guard, two pairs of socks, and green Converse high tops (commandeered by his son Marcus from the Celtics locker room during his stint as a ball boy), effortlessly banking one jumper after the next by his lonesome.

“Hi there, Bob. I was hoping you might be down here,” I can still vividly recall firstyear JV coach Mark Biscoe saying that day.

I remember smiling weakly, still miffed that then Fenn varsity coach Kevin Hargraves had somehow failed to see the second coming of Celtic Dave Cowens in this gangly 15-year-old, but also well aware that I had just won the lottery when it came to an accelerated course in Basketball 101.

Well, long story short, we dropped our first five games that season, but then fin-

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ished on a tear by winning our final 10 and, simply put, I learned more about not only basketball, but also about doing things the right way on and off the court, in that one magical winter than I ever have since.

What a privilege it was to be a part of Mark Biscoe’s storied 37-year tenure of coaching basketball. Of all the diverse gifts this extraordinary man had in his arsenal, and there were many, transforming five separate parts into one well-oiled machine that respected the game, their coach, and each other on the basketball court may have been his greatest.

“He had this unique ability where he was fiercely competitive and wanted to win, but at the same time was so determined that it be done fairly and with respect for your opponent,” current CCHS Athletic Director Aaron Joncas ’91 notes. “He was the epitome of what educational athletics should be. It was all about an opportunity to learn about life and how to handle different situations through what was happening in the gym. The gym was an extension of his classroom for him.”

The Biscoe era, and Fenn School basketball for that matter, started in the winter

of 1958-59 with the arrival of this former Orono, Maine, high school standout. When he finally packed away his last scorebook in 1995 he had amassed 274 wins, opened the New Gym in style with a win against Fessenden in front of a standing room only crowd of 500 in 1976, and captured four Fenn Tournament titles (’89, ’91, ’93, ’94).

The lasting legacy, however, will always be the lifelong lessons and friendships he imparted and forged with generations of Fenn boys, several of whom would go on to follow in their fabled coach’s footsteps.

Dave Cohen ’89, who starred on Biscoe’s 1989 team that notched his 200th career win and who is in the midst of building his own basketball coaching legacy at CCHS, says that he’s yet to find an equal to the guy who taught him the game off Monument Street.

“To play for Coach was like playing for John Wooden,” Cohen enthuses. “Still to this day I never played for a coach or coached against a more prepared coach, with greater attention to detail, that competed with a higher standard for sportsmanship. He made each moment in a practice or game stand still as he was always present and dedicated to that moment for his players. It was a very special experience.”

And in typical Biscoe fashion he did it all without ever berating a player, or an official. In fact, the first time his oldest son, Marcus, ever heard his father use an expletive was not during a heated FennFay tilt or during one of the many passionate pick-up faculty games, but rather when the normally sure-handed Oakland infielder Dick Green let a ball go through his legs to lose a key playoff game for his beloved A’s.

That’s not to say that Biscoe couldn’t get his point across, however. Take an ill-advised shot or make a careless pass and you could bet that trademark Biscoe wince and an incredulous shake of the head were soon to follow.

“People talk all the time about how

kind and nice he was—and he was—but no one was more competitive. Behind that smile you knew that he was doing whatever it took not to lose,” says Marcus ’74, a captain and point guard for his dad on a 1973-74 Fenn team that lost just one game.

“Basketball was dad. It was just a very special experience to be able to play for him and something I truly enjoyed.”

A terrific player in his own right known for his deadly turnaround jumper, his killer running hook (with both hands), a wide array of finger-jamming no-look passes, and an absolutely exhaustive library of H-O-R-S-E shots, Biscoe had the unique ability and patience to teach a game that was so effortless to him to those who were far less inclined.

Current Fenn varsity coach Peter Bradley not only coached against Biscoe as the head coach at The Fessenden School, but also had the monumental task of filling Biscoe’s cavernous high tops upon his retirement in 1995.

“What first struck me about Mark and his teams was not only how well they played the game, but also how well they carried themselves,” Bradley recalls. “Sure, they wanted to win and they played hard, but they played with class and dignity—win or lose.”

As much as he was invested in his players, Biscoe was equally invested in keeping in touch with those same players after they left his gym. The sight of Biscoe showing up in high school bleachers across the state on weekends was commonplace and he served as a lifelong mentor, and friend, to so many of his former athletes. When Cohen, with Joncas at his side, took the Patriots to state title games in 2014 and 2016, it was Biscoe with his all-time favorite assistant coach, his loving wife Jane, who listened to each and every game on CCHS radio from their home

in Brunswick, ME. “His enthusiasm for the things he cared about was only surpassed by his enthusiasm for what was important to the people he cared about, which was so many,” Cohen notes.

A definite high point in Biscoe’s tenure came in the early 80s when Chris Havlicek ’85, the son of Celtics legend John Havlicek, and Biscoe’s all-time favorite Celtic, arrived in the New Gym. With Hondo watching most games from the stands and Chris on the court, Fenn had two great seasons in 1984 and 1985, beating Fay each year.

“Mr. Biscoe was a legend,” Chris Havlicek writes in an email to Fenn Headmaster Derek Boonisar. “I was lucky to have played for him. He said and did all the right things and truly was a great asset to Fenn. I remember when I was playing at Celtics rookie camp he came to every game. He actually had me sign an autograph for him, which felt awkward, and I asked him why he wanted my autograph.

And he said to me, ‘Because you played for me at Fenn.’ Made me feel special. [He was] Just a great man.”

Longtime Fenn Athletic Director Bob Starensier lauds how Biscoe’s bedrock coaching principles set a tone for the entire athletic program.

“He was all about fundamentals and playing the game the right way,” Starensier says. “He was very competitive and wanted to win, but he wanted to win for the kids.

He was all about not making it about him and instead it was all about the kids.”

Indeed, it was always about the kids.

Whether it be the 20-point standout or that gangly Dave Cowens wannabe. They simply don’t make them any better.

Bob Albright is a freelance writer in Southern New Hampshire. He was born in November of 1965 but his dad, Read, was not in the delivery room. He was in the Old Gym playing one-on-one with Mark Biscoe. Email him at ralbright33@comcast.net.

“[Mark] was the epitome of what educational athletics should be. It was all about an opportunity to learn about life and how to handle different situations through what was happening in the gym. The gym was an extension of his classroom for him.” – Aaron Joncas ’91, Current Concord-Carlisle High School Athletic Director spring

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Alumni News A highlight of fall at Fenn is the return to campus of reunion classes of alumni and their families and the all-community celebration of Homecoming Weekend and the Blue-and-Gold. In this section, enjoy a snapshot of the fun, laughter, and reminiscing with old friends that we enjoyed during the 2019 Homecoming gathering. For the 2020 celebration in October, we had no choice but to go virtual! Read on to learn how our Homecoming planning team happily embraced the challenge. Also worth celebrating are our most recent Distinguished Alumnus Award winners Ned Perry ’60 (for 2019) and Alex Rivest ’94 (for 2020). Congratulations to two of our many accomplished alumni!

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HOMECOMING 2019 Homecoming festivities on September 21 began as they usually do, with enthusiastic runners giving it their all in the annual Kevin P. White ’93 Memorial Run. Forty-five racers tackled the 2019 course around campus, and standout finishers included first place winner Charlie Hutchinson ’17, first place student winner (taking third place overall) Michael You ’25, and Barbara Kendall-Sintros P’11, the first female racer to cross the finish line. Fenn’s Varsity Soccer team next drew the cheers of the gathered crowd in a battle against Rectory School. The team broke a 2-2 tie in the second half and was paced by goal scorers Teddy Stiga ’21, Jackson Rich ’21, Harry Nerrow ’21, and Richard Gallant ’22. The musical stylings of the Treble Chorus and Marching Band entertained during the traditional halftime showcase. A Parents Association logo wear sale and Summer Fenn Kid’s Corner offering face painting, pumpkin decorating, balloon animals, and inflatable fun also drew crowds, as did a tailgate for alumni and their families. The entire day showcased our close-knit, fun-loving Fenn family!

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ALUMNI REUNION 2019 On Friday, September 20, members of Fenn classes ending in “4” and “9” stepped back onto a sun-soaked Fenn Campus to join classmates, faculty, and staff in celebrating Reunion 2019. The Fenn Football team provided early entertainment, with Malcolm Clark ’20 scoring two touchdowns in a victory over Fay School, 26-14, on Reynolds Field. Guests joined Headmaster Derek Boonisar in the Innovation Lab for a “State of the School” conversation following the win, before shifting to a lively cocktail party under a colorful evening sky and a delectable alumni dinner recognizing 2019 Distinguished Alumnus Ned Perry ’60 (see story on page 94).

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Blowing His Horn Edward “Ned” Perry ’60 Named 2019 Distinguished Alumnus AT THE AL U MNI D INN ER

on Friday, September 20, 2019 during Fenn’s sixth annual Homecoming, Concord

resident Ned Perry ’60 received Fenn’s prestigious Distinguished Alumnus Award. Originating in 1990, the award is given annually to an alumnus who has made outstanding contributions to his field and to those around him.

Ned was honored for a successful law career that spanned serving as litigation attorney for the U.S. Department of Labor for five years after receiving his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law, practicing for more than 20 years at law firm Perkins, Smith & Cohens, and focusing on labor and civil rights law for five years with Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP. Ned has handled appeals up through the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and United States Supreme Court.

He also boasts strong Concord roots. In 2013, he and his wife, Cynthia Wood, were recognized as Concord’s Honored Citizens for their outstanding efforts and dedication to the town. Concord benefitted from Ned’s service in a variety of positions, including as Town Moderator from 2000 to 2010. He has also served on numerous boards, including the Board of Visitors at Fenn, Board of Trustees at Northfield Mount Hermon School, and Board of Directors of the Alumni Program Council of Independent Schools, of the Bemis Company, of the Union Club, and of World Neighbors, Inc.

At All School Meeting the morning of September 20 and later at the Alumni Dinner that honored him, Ned reflected on his fifth-through-eighth-grade journey at Fenn as the second of four brothers who attended.

“Sports was my most anticipated part of the day,” he recalled. “I loved ice hockey so much that I wore my pads under my pants so I could get out onto the rink quicker than the rest of the team.” Ned also displayed athletic

talents on the football, soccer, and baseball fields.

He also vividly recalls Roger Fenn’s graduation gift to him as Roger prepared to retire as headmaster and Ned to move on to Northfield Mount Hermon, Williams College, and the U.S. Navy, where he served as a communications officer before attending law school.

“Roger always wore a pocket watch with a fob, and he gave a watch fob to each of the seniors when we graduated,”

“Sports was my most anticipated part of the day. I loved ice hockey so much that I wore my pads under my pants so I could get out onto the rink quicker than the rest of the team.” – Ned Perry ’60 94 ffee n nn n

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“I was a shy kid, and [Roger Fenn] told me I should blow my horn more. He also challenged all of us to make our marks wherever we went. That’s advice I’ve followed pretty well.” – Ned Perry ’60 Ned shared. “Mine had a trumpet on it.

I was a shy kid, and he told me I should blow my horn more. He also challenged us to make our marks wherever we went. That’s advice I’ve followed pretty well, as I’ve become an officer in any organization I’ve joined.”

His memories of Roger also include the founder’s love for the natural environment. Ned shares this passion and urged the Fenn community during his visit to encourage administration to add sustainability to the school’s mission to signal that Fenn is concerned about the environment. (A Sustainability Master Planning Project is now underway at Fenn.)

While Ned’s school boy days at Fenn were decades ago, his lasting ties to Concord have kept Fenn close at heart. His proudest moment as he

ended his tenure as Town Moderator was watching the Fenn Band march animatedly through his last Town Meeting, treating onlookers to a familiar version of “Anchors Aweigh” as a nod to his alma mater.

“It was an honor and a total surprise,” Ned remarked. “It has been equally wonderful seeing the Fenn Band marching down the streets of Concord on Patriots’ Day each year. Seeing them strikes all of us who went there in a warm spot.”

Congratulations to Ned on his life’s successes and Distinguished Alumnus Award—It’s time to raise that horn again!

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2020

HOMECOMING GOES VIRTUAL

For the first time ever, Homecoming Weekend relocated from Fenn patios, greens, and athletic fields to the homes and Zoom screens of everyone who participated.

A Reunion Zoom celebrating classes ending in “0s” and “5s” brought more than 60 nationwide alumni safely together for cocktails and conversation to kick off a virtual celebration of the Blue-and-Gold. Classes of 1965, 2000, and 2005 posted the largest turnouts, and Fenn’s youngest alumni from the Class of 2020 also joined in on the heels of their truncated senior year.

Derek Boonisar shared warm words of welcome and highlights of the steps Fenn had taken to open school safely in September. Newly appointed Alumni Association President Brian Davidson ’89 also welcomed guests, reflecting on the importance of gathering as a community (much like in All School Meetings) even though in a “virtual hall” of sorts during this unique year. Brian also bestowed Fenn’s 2020 Distinguished Alumnus Award upon Alex Rivest ’94. (See a tribute to Alex on the following pages.)

For Homecoming Day on Saturday, the Fenn community was invited to participate in an all-day Fenn “Cook-in,” complete with at-home cookouts and a best burger contest. Entries for #Fennsbestburger contest were accepted until 2:00 p.m., with every submission simply mouth-watering.

An Alumni and Parents of Alumni Virtual Tailgate wrapped up the celebration later that afternoon, featuring music from country artist and songwriter Chris Ruediger ’14 and Fenn’s own John Fitzsimmons and voting for the #Fennsbestburger contest.

Jim Geraghty ’05 took the top prize for his truly monumental “Monument Burger,” self-described as “one of the best burgers I’ve ever had.” A strong endorsement and nod to the Monument Street years that all alumni were fondly remembering across the weekend’s festivities!!

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A Dusty Old Gym Reveals a Path Forward Alex Rivest ’94 Named 2020 Distinguished Alumnus WITH A P H. D. IN NEU R OS CIEN CE

from MIT and 12 years of research into the brain connections that are nec-

essary for forming memories, it’s hardly surprising that Alex Rivest has spent time reflecting on his most lasting Fenn memories. As he received his Distinguished Alumnus Award during this fall’s virtual Homecoming, Alex shared one vivid memory that has forever marked his Fenn experience and influenced his life’s purpose and path.

On one seemingly ordinary school day, Alex was playing 3-on-3 basketball in what he describes as “the dusty Old Gym.” During the game, he dove for a ball and believes he was able to snag it simply because he wanted it more than the classmates around him.

“It may seem small, but, at that moment, I realized I can control my own narrative,” Alex remarked. “I

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can be the guy with the ball, and I can choose what to do with it. Fenn was the place where I learned I had agency on this planet. Parents send their kids to school to learn, and I walked away with the most important lesson of all… that I have a voice and can use it for good.”

Alex is now on the precipice of sharing his voice and vision more broadly than ever before as he prepares for the

2021 release of his first feature-length documentary film titled “CANARY.” It is his directorial debut on a topic he deems the greatest threat to our species: climate change. Developed in part with a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and in partnership with Boardwalk Pictures, the film will depict the life story of a climate scientist from coal country West Virginia who is on the

“Fenn was the place where I learned I had agency on this planet. Parents send their kids to school to learn, and I walked away with the most important lesson of all… that I have a voice and can use it for good.” – Alex Rivest ’94 front lines of understanding and fighting climate change.

“During my time at MIT, I fell in love with seeing remote parts of the planet,” Alex shared. “Whenever I was further out than anyone else (he has traveled to 37 different countries), there were always scientists there. What if I could teach the world that question asking and curiosity gave you power and agency? I got the same feeling that I did when I dove for the ball in the Old Gym—the feeling of taking control of who and what I wanted to be. I love science, education, photography, and traveling, and I was going to bring it all together.”

What began as research for a television show that would feature stories of the world’s most intriguing scientists

uncovered a climate change story so unique and powerful that Alex knew it had to be told in a larger format. And this is now about to come to fruition with a “character driven story that I know can inspire the world to tackle climate change,” he added.

“Not all (life) paths are straight – mine looks like a confused kid trying

to do big things all over the place,” he joked. “But you’re never too far down a path, too deep into something, or too old to find your passion, and mine is uncovering stories in science and telling them in the biggest way possible. My years at Fenn were an essential foundation for this, and for that I’m thankful.”

Fenn is equally thankful for the opportunity it had to inspire Alex as a young boy, not to mention so very proud of his contributions to the world around him. And, for those, he is Fenn’s Distinguished Alumnus for 2020.

For a recent in-depth profile of Alex Rivest, see pages 80-81 in the Winter 2020 issue of FENN magazine (print) or online at https://issuu.com/fennschool. spring

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Honoring the Memory of Luke Rogers ’06 Memories of friendships, favorite teachers and academic successes, roles played on the stage and plays made on the fields, and treasured events like Field Day are lasting for our alumni. The Fenn community remembers as well the boys who made their marks while growing up on Monument Street. One such tried-and-true Fenn boy was Luke Rogers ’06 (pictured here in a festive hat), whose spirit and zest for life and deep, abiding love for Fenn will forever be remembered. With a turn of the page, learn about the scholarship fund for financial aid that is now bearing his name and the creative and generous gift Luke’s parents gave to Fenn to endow the fund.

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Finding the Perfect Way to Honor and Remember Luke Rogers ’06 – by anne ames boudreau The Fenn School was a homing beacon for Luke Rogers ’06. Wherever he was in the world, the pull of Fenn’s white buildings and green fields, and especially its people and caring community, would draw Luke back to campus—not only for alumni events, but also for spontaneous visits to the many teachers and staff who treasured his zest for life. That enthusiasm was contagious. Whether as co-founder of the FC Fenn alumni soccer team, as an intern in the Advancement Office, or as an Alumni Class Senator, Luke’s persuasiveness and charm were hard to resist and he had a wonderful ability to bring people together, especially his Fenn classmates.

Luke made friends everywhere he went, and he went everywhere! He traveled in all seven continents—quite an achievement for one so young—and he could be counted on to make it to weddings of Fenn classmates, no matter how far flung. A career change in 2016 turned Luke’s passion for adventure into a new career in the travel industry when he joined the Boston office of U.K.-based Audley Travel, where he specialized in trips to South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.

Luke’s heart was big enough to draw everyone in, and he made each person feel special. His bear-hug welcome, the disarming smile on his face, the twinkle in his blue eyes, and his ready laugh invited you to share in his spontaneous, never-ending enthusiasm and unquenchable curiosity. In the end, though, it was Luke’s generous heart that failed him, when an undiagnosed cardiac ailment suddenly and unexpectedly brought his life to a close on December 27, 2019. On February 29, 2020, hundreds of friends, family, former teachers, work colleagues, and Fenn, Lawrence Academy, and University of Vermont classmates joined in a celebra-

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tion of his life held in Ward Hall.

When Luke’s parents, former Fenn trustee Laura Johnson and Tooey Rogers, thought about a more permanent way of remembering Luke, they reached out to

Headmaster Derek Boonisar to inquire about the possibility of establishing an endowed fund in Luke’s memory. Given Luke’s deep, abiding love of Fenn, they told Derek that Luke would have wanted

to maintain a connection with the School, which was a second home to him as a student and an alumnus.

When they considered that many Fenn boys need financial aid to support their education, Tooey and Laura’s idea grew more concrete.

They felt that Luke would have wanted his fund to provide financial aid for boys who wouldn’t be able to attend Fenn without tuition assistance. This seemed like a perfect way to pay tribute to the role that Fenn played in Luke’s life and their hope that additional funds could help Fenn reach more families whose sons would thrive at Fenn as Luke did.

While other potential donors might transfer securities to the School or write a check to establish the fund, Laura and Tooey had a more creative idea. They proposed donating Luke’s Cambridge condo to Fenn as a means of endowing the

fund. While many charitable organizations have benefited from gifts of real estate, this would be a first for the School.

Fenn enthusiastically endorsed the idea and moved forward. Once the sale had closed, Fenn transferred the proceeds to the Lucian J. Rogers ’06 Scholarship Fund, where it was added to the tens of thousands of dollars in gifts made in Luke’s memory by the countless friends, family, and colleagues who loved him.

With the sale of the condo, a circle was brought to a close. The joy Luke experienced as a Fenn student stayed with him through his travels and through his life on West Street in Cambridge, and now lives on in the fund that bears his name. And that joy, that passion for adventure, that bright spirit can be passed along to other Fenn boys who share Luke’s zest for life through financial aid grants made possi-

ble by the Luke Rogers Scholarship Fund.

As Laura and Tooey noted when they completed the gift, “It means so much to us that we can help provide future Fenn boys with the opportunity to share in the Fenn educational experience and to make the deep and lasting friendships that meant so much to Luke.”

Anne Ames Boudreau is Fenn’s Director of Advancement Services.

Making a Charitable Gift of Real Estate If you are thinking of making a significant charitable contribution to Fenn or another organization you support, consider the benefits of a gift of appreciated real estate, held more than one year. Gifts of real estate—a vacation home you no longer use, an office condo after you retire, or a parcel of undeveloped land—can allow you to leverage one of your most valuable investments to maximize your charitable giving.

By donating the property instead of selling it yourself and giving from the proceeds, you may benefit in two ways: • Avoid capital gains tax on the appreciation in the value of your property • Receive a tax deduction for the full fair market value of your property

For more information about making a gift of real estate or establishing an endowed fund at Fenn, please contact Jill Miller, Director of Advancement, at (978) 318-3520.

Luke with parents Tooey Rogers and Laura Johnson

The joy Luke experienced as a Fenn student now lives on in the fund that bears his name and supports financial aid for deserving students. spring

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Class Notes 1947

Twelve years ago, James “Gillie” Gilmour retired at age 75. “After 55 years of marriage, my wife and I are living in Lexington, MA, where we have made our home for almost 46 years. We have two children and five grandchildren, all of whom live in other states.”

1951 Russ Robb’s grandson Justin Robb ’14 is a senior at Eckerd College, where he played on the men’s rugby team. He was chosen for the National Small College Rugby Organization’s (NSCRO) All South All-Star Rugby Team.

1952 Ted Robbins writes that on October 30, 2019, he shot a 41 for nine holes of golf at Lochmere Country Club in Tilton, NH, just eight days shy of his 82nd birthday, with three pars and six bogeys. He remembers when he first started golfing at Groton Country Club in MA back in the 1950s with Fenn classmate David Hopkins and his brother Edward ’49, when green fees were only $1.50! “I hope that all my Fenn classmates are healthy, happy, and doing just fine.”

1954 John Hall reported in July 2019 that he is as busy as ever. “The arctic program is still busy (www.polarhovercraft.no), and a geophysical center I founded at Hebrew University (www.neev.huji.ac.il) has eight MSc and PhD students. Googling the hovercraft (SABVABAA) brings up many pages. Two films of its activities have garnered awards.

Many of my posters are also on the web (Dead Sea, 100m Grid of bathymetry around the Arabian Peninsula, the Gulf

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of Aqaba, and our EEZ). They can also be seen on the Neev center website as well as that of the Geological Survey (www. gsi.gov.il). All four of Israel’s ‘seas’ were mapped with multi-beam between 2001 and 2013. Two of my students who participated were part of the GEBCO-Nippon Team that won the $4 million first prize of the $7 million Shell Ocean XPRIZE competition. I am working almost full time to do the countries around the Arabian Shield, from Suez to Sri Lanka, and Iraq to Mozambique. Some 700 Russian, US, UK, Iranian, Saudi, Omani, and Indian navigational charts supply the data. This is part of Seabed 2030, the international effort to finish the ‘proper’ mapping of 85% of the oceans. It would take many years and just $3.1 billion (about $300 million annually) to finish, but the world just doesn’t care.

They say ‘Let’s do Mars,’ which is already mapped now to meters. The family is well. Yasmine and Eitan have seven kids between them, ages five to seventeen. The twins Naomi and Daniel (age 25) are still at home. Naomi is finishing her third year in interior design, a bitch of a course.

Daniel (who has Down’s syndrome) just finished his three-year tour in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He finished as a Corporal (two stripes) and was the ‘outstanding’ soldier in his communications unit, being feted by Central Command at a fine ceremony at the Armored Corps Tank Museum in Latrun. Now he has to figure out what he wants to do in life. I wobble around. A year ago, at a Hall Family gathering in La Jolla, the upper end of my left femur broke and, after surgery in Los Angeles, I was airlifted back. My hip is now fine, but the knee below has damage going back to our days playing football and soccer.” In September 2019, Tom Jackson filled us in on his life since he graduated. “From Fenn, I went to Dublin School in Dublin, NH, and had four great years. Then it was on to Babson, where

I completed my studies in three years, graduating in 1961. After a very valuable stint in the Army and a year of ranching in California, I came back to Boston and went into banking, starting with the New England Merchants Bank. I met my wife there and had ten years building a great foundation in the business world, concentrating primarily on converting and servicing banks on the computer (IBM 1401 and IBM 360 systems). I then went to work for one of my good customers, the West Newton Savings Bank, eventually becoming President after taking them public. After some twenty years of banking, I decided I needed a change, so I did something that I will never regret: I got my commercial driver’s license and drove a tractor trailer all over the country for eight months. I then went back into banking and worked for Grove Bank for Savings and had fifteen more years of great banking. Citizens Bank bought Grove, and I retired at the age of 62 after two years, as Citizens no longer gave me the opportunity to service customers the way I wanted to. Since them, I have been active at our church and on many non-profit boards, served as president of the Newton Rotary Club, and play tennis. We had a house in Londonderry, VT, with my pet John Deere tractor. I have had several Porsches. We have two children, Todd and Wendy, and five grandchildren. Todd lives in Andover and works for Siemans, and Wendy lives in Tampa and works in the admissions office of a private school.”

1955 George Keyes forwarded the sad news that classmate George Gentsch passed away on June 17, 2020, after a brief battle with cancer. He added that George’s “strong Christian faith pointed many to the joy of following Christ.”

1961 REUNION Reunion Chair Ben Little, bblittle@comcast.net

We’ll be celebrating our 60th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

1964 Ted Browne is still teaching at the Pomfret School in CT. His daughter was home from college last spring while distance learning.

Ted writes, “We have been riding out the virus storm. I was happy that Gettysburg Magazine published an article that I wrote about Corporal Perrin of Battery H 1st Ohio Light Artillery in their July issue.”

1966 REUNION Reunion Chair Alex Lynch, aplynch6@gmail.com

We’ll be celebrating our 55th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

David Tew reports, “What an amusing surprise it was to see myself at age ten on the opening page of Class Notes in the Winter 2020 Anniversary issue of FENN magazine!

It must have been a staged photo because I have no memory of it or of ever knowing John Spring ’62 who’s also in the photo.

My older brother, Jim Tew ’58, knows him though, so there’s that. And I’m clearly wearing one of Jim’s hand-me-down jackets. The sleeves are way too long! Also in the issue is an article about the new Wood Shop. I’m so pleased to see the school continue that tradition. When I enrolled at Fenn, one of my favorite classes was Wood Shop. For our first tasks, we each made wood boxes to hold our projects. At the end of the year, I carried mine home to keep the hand tools my dad was slowly introducing me to. I helped him build two small boats in the basement of our

house. Little did he (or I) know that I would go on to become a wood boat builder in my twenties, establish a school for it, and teach a number of apprentices the same skills.”

1970 Alumni Class Senator Charlie Denault, cadenault@gmail.com

Bill Tice wrote in February 2020 that he’s semi-retired and keeping busy doing some carpentry in Scituate and remembering the lessons learned from 6th grade shop.

He reports that Muriel Minot (formerly Mrs. Beasor) wrote to him that she was auditioning for a Voya commercial in October 2019 when she ran into Mike Spound ’71! “We were telling the camera man our names and when he said his name, I turned and threw my arms around him and said, ‘You knew me as Mrs. Beasor, and I directed you in Pirates of Penzance.’ Mike then burst into tears... so happy to connect after 49 years. He kept saying how important that show and school had been to him. It was a real ‘This is your life’ moment.”

1973 In February 2020, Clint Bajakian traveled to Istanbul to speak on video game music during four days of lectures, workshops, and panel discussions for Onno Tunc Music Days at Istanbul Technical University’s Center for Advanced Studies in Music.

1976 REUNION We’ll be celebrating our 45th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

1978 Alumni Class Senator David Brown, dhbrown333@gmail.com

1980 Alumni Class Senator Jon Cappetta, jcappetta@concordps.org

1981 REUNION Reunion Chair Paul Van Houten, paul.vanhouten@ropesgray.com

We’ll be celebrating our 40th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

1983 Alumni Class Senator Mike Spound ’71 and Muriel [Beasor] Minot

Andy Majewski, amajewsk@hotmail.com Scott Van Houten, smvccc01@gmail.com

1971 REUNION

1986 REUNION

Reunion Committee

Reunion Chair

Jamie Jones, jbjones@seamanpaper.com

We’ll be celebrating our 50th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

Nat Kessler, nat.kessler@cbre-ne.com

We’ll be celebrating our 35th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

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1988 According to classmate Peter DeRosa, Dan Ouderkirk got engaged in 2020. Chris Yunis and his wife, Shabnam, welcomed the arrival of Darius Christian Yunis on October 18, 2019. He weighed 9 lbs. and measured 21 inches.

1989 Alumni Class Senators Matt Boger, mattboger@yahoo.com Brian Davidson, bw_davidson@yahoo.com Nat Carr ’97, wife Katie, and their growing family

Emma Carr, daughter of Nat Carr ’97

Stew Williamson appeared on Wheel of Fortune on March 25, 2020. He took round one, solving a “What are you doing” puzzle with “Packing a cooler full of ice.” The next two rounds brought him Lose a Turn spins at critical junctures, each one ending a run of correct letter choices. Stew took two of three puzzles in the Toss Up round on the topic of Living Things with the solutions “Hungry Tigers” and “Playful Bears.” While he didn’t go home with a car or a vacation trip, Stew did win $10,450. We’re sure his students at Collegiate School in Richmond, VA—where he chairs the science department and teaches Upper School physics—were cheering him on. Fenn is proud of you, too, Stew!

Maria and David Rubin ’02 with their son, Charles Richard Rubin

Will Howerton ’02 and his son, Gabriel Alain Thompson Howerton

1990 Alumni Class Senator Alex Zavorski, zavorski@gmail.com

1991 REUNION We’ll be celebrating our 30th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

1994 Alumni Class Senator Bremen Thuraisingham, breman_t@yahoo.com

Charlie Rubin loving his Fenn swag

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Gabriel Alain Thompson Howerton, son of Will Howerton ’02

Curtis Singmaster and his wife, Meg, enjoy watching their baby daughter, Rowan Violet Singmaster, grow. She was born on February 19, 2019.

1995 Andy Cobb and his wife, Amanda, welcomed the arrival of their son, Elijah John Cobb, over the Memorial Day 2020 weekend. Steve Laverty’s baby boy, named Conall, turned one in August 2020.

his first wedding anniversary last fall, having married Anne Shephard on September 29, 2019.

1998 Alumni Class Senator Patrick Jones, patrick.jones.p@gmail.com

1996 REUNION Reunion Chair Charles Najda, charles.najda@gmail.com

We’ll be celebrating our 25th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

On August 5, 2019, Ben Tuff completed a 23-mile swim around Conanicut Island in Jamestown, RI, raising $54,000 for Newport-based Clean Ocean Access. The endeavor took him 9 hours, 7 minutes, and 8 seconds. While soccer was his sport at Fenn, Ben took up distance swimming when he began racing triathlons. In 2018, Ben was second in his age group at the 12.5-mile Florida Keys Community College “Swim Around Key West.” Later that summer, he competed back in Rhode Island in the Skim to Swim race, organized by Clean Ocean Access.

Patrick Jones and his wife, Katie, celebrated the birth of their first child, daughter Daisy, on June 28, 2019. Alex Wayman and his wife, Ashley, are now experts at parenthood, welcoming the arrival of their third child, son Henry Bentley Wayman, on July 2, 2019, at 4:06 p.m. Henry weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz., measured 20 inches, and is surely being doted upon by his older sisters Sofia (3) and Isabella (5).

1999 Alumni Class Senators Ryan Connolly, ryan.connolly@ms.com Sam Takvorian, stakvorian@gmail.com

On September 25, 2019, Deacon Swift married Emily Ann Pires at a villa in Sintra, Portugal.

2000 Alumni Class Senators

1997

George Carr, gcarr4@gmail.com Matt Ward, mward@fenn.org

Alumni Class Senator Nat Carr, ncarr@fenn.org

Nat Carr was thrilled to welcome new daughter Emma to his growing family on August 29, 2020. Emma joined older siblings Addie and Walker, who are excited to now be a party of three. Congratulations to Nat and wife Katie on their new arrival! See family photos to the left. Brad Desmond and his wife, Meredith, announced the arrival of a baby daughter to their family on January 23, 2020. Adria Elise Desmond was born at 2:32 a.m. Dave Kitendaugh and his wife, Lindsay, beat Brad to the punch, welcoming their daughter three months earlier. Madeleine Ellen Kitendaugh made her appearance on October 12, 2019. Kyle Prussing celebrated

Mike Adkins changed jobs in December 2019. He’s now working at Ibotta, Inc. in Denver, CO, as a senior software engineer at this mobile technology company.

Thomas Cote is a partner at a hedge fund firm in Greenwich, CT. On August 10, 2019, he married Rosa Ayala in Cape Neddick, ME, with Brooks Diehl serving as best man. Rosa graduated from Yale with a degree in mathematics and teaches high school in Norwalk, CT. In August 2019, when Brooks Diehl last checked in, he was working for the U.S. Foreign Service and was temporarily back in Washington, DC, following a posting to Nairobi. His next assignment was slated to be in the country of Georgia. At that time, Brooks and his wife, Mika, had a two-year old daughter with another child on the way. Congratulations must be in order by now! Chris Fincke was promoted to vice president at Bigelow LLC in December 2019. He lives in Newburyport, MA, with his wife, Taylor, and their two children.

Anthony DiNicola married Monica Thomas on Christmas Eve 2018. Matt Hedstrom and his wife, Lea, celebrated the arrival of Bennett Matthew Hedstrom on August 7, 2020. Bennett weighed in at 8 lbs. 14 oz.

2001 REUNION

2002 Will Howerton and his wife, Caroline LeGoff, welcomed Gabriel Alain Thompson Howerton to their family on May 7, 2020. As Will wrote to Jim Carter, “The little guy already understands the Franco-American connection by choosing to be born on the 75th anniversary of VE Day.” David Rubin and his wife, Maria, also celebrated the arrival of a son this past summer.

Charles Richard Rubin was born on July 24, 2020, at 1:22 p.m. He weighed 8 lbs., 13 oz. and measured 21 inches. The class of 2002 has produced yet one more future Fenn student. Meng Tan and his wife, Abby, announced the birth of their son Jayden in December 2019.

Reunion Committee Bobby Atkins, robertatkins12@gmail.com Jimmy Hall, jkhall4@gmail.com

2003 Alumni Class Senators

We’ll be celebrating our 20th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

Jack Carroll, je.carroll10@gmail.com Bronson Kussin, bronson.kussin@gmail.com Christian Manchester, christian.d.manchester@gmail.com Mike Spiak, mspiak06@gmail.com

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Geoff Curfman received his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center in the spring of 2019 and is now a law clerk at Debevoise & Plimpton in New York City.

Kyle Hutton and his wife, Caroline Nassif, celebrated the birth of their daughter, Zoe Lisa Hutton, on September 5, 2020.

Christian Manchester is finishing up his M.B.A. at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and expects to receive his degree later this spring. Peter Stone and his wife, Jill, welcomed the arrival of their daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Stone, on November 8, 2019. Their new addition arrived at 1:20 p.m. and weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz.

2004

2005

2007

Alumni Class Senators

Alumni Class Senator

Spencer Lovejoy, slovejoy424@gmail.com

Will Joumas, wbjoumas@gmail.com

Will Stone, william.l.stone12@gmail.com Pete Valhouli-Farb, pvalhoulifarb@gmail.com

2006 REUNION Reunion Committee

2009

Luke Eddy, luke.a.eddy@gmail.com

Alumni Class Senators

We’ll be celebrating our 15th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

Eamon Hegarty and his girlfriend, Kristin, were delighted to announce the birth of Cormac Eoin Hegarty on June 24, 2020.

Cormac weighed 6 lbs. 13 oz. and was 20 inches long. Eamon completed his M.B.A. in 2020 and is now Associate Director of the Launch Leadership Program at Optum. John LoVerme and his wife, Kyla Jacobs, rang in the New Year a bit late on January 11, 2019, with the birth of Owen Winter LoVerme, who weighed 8 lbs. 5 oz.

Freemon Romero and Stacy Lukason were married on September 14, 2019.

In January 2020, Malin Adams was promoted to vice president at J.P. Morgan, where he is an investment specialist.

Tyler Davis married Savannah Sargent on August 24, 2019, in an outdoor ceremony on House Island in Portland, ME. They honeymooned in Hawaii on Maui. Rumor has it that Fred Essieh and JB Henderson each got engaged in September 2019. Fred is a Grants Administrator for Patient Safety at CRICO, a professional liability company that protects the Harvard medical community. JB is a client services representative at Foundation Medicine Inc.

Charlotte Elizabeth Stone, daughter of Peter Stone ’03

Eamon Hegarty ’04 and his son, Cormac

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Peter Quayle is in his third year at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine.

Sam Doran, saminthenewsroom@gmail.com Thacher Hoch, thachmo94@comcast.net

Michael Hoffman is a Naval officer deployed on an attack submarine in an undisclosed location. In September 2019, his mother reported that Michael is not expected to surface and be able to communicate with the outside world for many months. He was missed at the Class of 2009’s 10th Fenn reunion, but classmates toasted him in absentia.

2010 Alumni Class Senators Gabe Arnold, gabriel.arn33@gmail.com Drew Coash, drewtcoash@gmail.com Will Crowley, crowleywi@gmail.com

Owen Winter LoVerme, son of John LoVerme ’04

2011 REUNION Reunion Committee Oliver Johnson, olionjohnson@gmail.com Nate Sintros, nathaniel1756@gmail.com

We’ll be celebrating our 10th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

In December, Matt Boudreau received his MSc. degree in the history of international relations from the London School of Economics. Chase Parisi moved back to Boston from Chicago last summer to take a job in commercial real estate.

2012 Aneesh Ashutosh graduated from New York University in the spring of 2019 with a B.A. in computer science and minors in business studies and mathematics. At NYU, he was named one of “10 Up-and-Comers.”

Aneesh is working at Microsoft in Redmond, WA, as a software engineer. Bryce

Will Stone ’05 celebrates his 30th birthday

Talbot-Dion graduated from Fairfield University in 2019 with a B.S. in finance and a minor in economics. He is working as a financial analyst with Campanelli, a commercial real estate, construction, development, acquisitions, and management company. Carter Hochman graduated from University of Massachusetts - Lowell in the spring of 2019 with a degree in English and journalism and a minor in digital media.

Since January he has been a freelance Content Writer for DraftKings Inc. His long-term goal is to be a sportswriter or a regular sports analyst at a major network like ESPN, Fox Sports, CBS Sports, NBCSN, etc. After graduating from Loyola Maryland with a B.B.A. degree in accounting, Tim Joumas received a Master of Accounting degree from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business in 2020 and is working as an assurance associate with PwC. Having earned an economics degree from Trinity College, with a minor in urban studies in 2019, Ben MacShane moved to Houston, TX, to work as an investment banking analyst with Guggenheim Partners.

He’s back in Boston now, working as an analyst at Spectrum Equity. Also graduating from college in spring 2019 was Matt Simon.

He received his B.A. degree in communication and political science from the University of Southern California.

Matt then picked up and moved back East to work in New York City as coordinator of sponsorship and partnership management for the National Football League.

Griffin Price graduates this spring from Middlebury College, where he has majored in film and media culture. He also minored in Spanish and history. Daniel Simosa received his B.A. from Stonehill College in 2020, with a major in biology and a minor in Italian. This past summer he started at Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. “I’m in the class of 2024 and super excited about having started my career in dentistry!” Gavin Tasker graduated from Tufts University in 2020. In 2019, he was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player for the NCAA Division 3 final four in men’s soccer. Tufts was the ultimate winner of that tournament. Nick Walters graduated from Hamilton College in 2020 with a B.A. in music.

He is now pursuing his master’s degree in musicology at the University of Cambridge.

Nick is considering staying in the U.K. to continue his education by pursuing a Ph.D. Nate Winneg received his B.S. degree in 2020 from the College of William and Mary, where he majored in engineering and physics. Last fall, Nate entered Carnegie Mellon University, where he is working toward an M.S. degree in mechanical engineering.

2014 Alumni Class Senator Chad Arle, chad.w.arle@gmail.com

Justin Robb, a member of the Eckerd College men’s rugby team, was chosen for the National Small College Rugby Organization’s (NSCRO) All South AllStar Rugby Team in 2020. He graduates this spring.

2015

2013

Alumni Class Senators

Steven Anton graduated cum laude from the College of William and Mary this past spring with a B.A. in public policy. He will start law school this coming fall.

Ben Zide, benjaminzide@gmail.com

Walker Davey, daveybolts28@gmail.com

Matt Hart is a sophomore at Northeastern University. Zander Kessler competed for Middlebury College at the Division III National Cross Country Championship on November 23, 2019. He finished with a

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time of 26:24. Nick Steinert is a sophomore at Washington and Lee University. Blake Wesel is studying at the Rochester Institute of Technology in their web and mobile computing program.

2016 REUNION William Locke, wlocke2000@comcast.net Tad Scheibe, scheibetm@gmail.com

We’ll be celebrating our 5th reunion this fall. Don’t wait until then to update us on what’s new in your life. Email your news to alumni@fenn.org or enter it online at www.fenn.org/classnotes.

Kadin Ali entered the College of the Holy Cross in the fall of 2019. Peter Blau is a sophomore at Miami University of Ohio.

Sam Farley moved north in the fall of 2019 to study journalism at The University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Jake Pine attends Northeastern University where he is a sophomore majoring in computer science and game development. Kiefer Read is in the mechanical engineering program at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Liam Tasker is finishing up his freshman year at Bowdoin College this spring.

Owen Heaton ’17 celebrates earning his pilot’s license

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2017 Alumni Class Senators Nico Bowden, nicobowden@gmail.com

Nick Beck graduated from Groton School last year and is attending Boston College, class of 2024. Nick Bettenhauser enrolled at the College of the Holy Cross last fall, having graduated from Lincoln-Sudbury High School in the spring of 2020. Paden Conroy matriculated at Gettysburg College last fall, after finishing up at Avon Old Farms School in May 2020. After graduating from Reading Memorial High School last May, Charlie Cribb entered the University of Vermont. Carson Detweiler graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School last spring and is currently studying engineering at Purdue University. After graduating from Middlesex School and Concord Academy, respectively, James Ewing and Lucian Sharpe met up again at Boston University last fall. In September 2019, Owen Heaton wrote, “I got my private pilot license! After applying and being awarded a scholarship, I spent the three summer months (June 10 - September 3) training for my checkride, which is the final test consisting of an oral exam and flying exam taking up six hours of the day. I finished with around 50 hours and inside of those hours I had 10 solo and 5 cross country flights (not literally across the country just away from my home airport). The rest of the flights were with my instructor. It was an amazing experience, and I want to thank Fenn for preparing me for opportunities like this! Without the experience and activities I did at Fenn, I might have not gotten the scholarship that helped me fulfill my dream!”

Charlie Hutchinson graduated from Concord-Carlisle High School in May 2020 and is now enrolled at the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business. Sawyer MacDonald attends Hobart College, where

he is a coxswain on their varsity crew team. On October 7, 2020, Ian Moore was selected by the Anaheim Ducks as the 67th pick in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry draft. Read more details in the story on the opposite page. Izak Murphy, now a freshman at Franklin & Marshall College, received an Honorable Mention last March in the 2020 Massachusetts Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Will Parker graduated from Concord Academy in 2020 and matriculated at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. Henry Patton made it to Carnegie Hall in February 2020, thanks to a nomination from the choral director at Concord Academy and a whole lot of talent. After submitting a recorded audition for the High School Honors Concert Choir and attending rehearsals in January, Henry auditioned a second time, live, and was chosen to be the concert’s male soloist. Congratulations, Henry!

Jefferson Veillard graduated from O’Bryant School of Math and Science last spring and is now studying at the University of Southern California as a QuestBridge Scholar, majoring in biomedical engineering. The QuestBridge program is designed to connect high school graduates with top educational, professional, scholarship, and life opportunities.

2019 Alumni Class Senators Adam Ewing, adamrewing@comcast.net Noah Lippa, njlippa@gmail.com Ishan Narra, ishannarra@yahoo.com Surya Rajamani, suryabrajamani@gmail.com

2020 Avery Feather competed on ConcordCarlisle High School’s Nordic ski team in winter 2020.

2021 Kyle Cai was recognized with three Silver Key awards in the Massachusetts Scholastic Art & Writing Awards in March 2020.

Ian Moore ’17 Selected in NHL Entry Draft The Anaheim Ducks selected Ian Moore as the 67th pick in the third round of October’s 2020 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry draft. Described

by CBS Sports as “a do-it-all, cerebral defenseman,” Moore currently plays for the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League after graduating from St. Marks School and plans to join the Harvard University Crimson for the 2021-2022 season.

“Ian had tremendous skill on the ice, unique leadership ability, and exemplary integrity,” shared Derek Boonisar, varsity hockey coach during Moore’s tenure.

“Ian was the last player off the ice after every practice. He would help pick up the pucks, then skate over to the coaches, take off his glove, offer us a firm handshake, and thank us for running the practice. That type of character is rare.”

Current varsity coach Jeff LaPlante agrees. “I was always impressed with Ian’s poise and decision making,” he added. “Even as a seventh grader on a team with eighth and ninth graders, he had the knack to see the ice in a way that many players don’t.”

Moore’s memories of Fenn are happy ones, and the community was responsible for an outpouring of support following his NHL selection.

Former Faculty and Staff News In mid-September of 2019, beloved Fenn teacher Bob Duncan’s widow, Lucinda, started a new adventure with a move to Arvada, CO, on Denver’s western city limits. She writes, “The real delight is that this new home is five houses up the street and around a curve from Alec ’94 and Megan’s home!” Lucinda’s email and cell phone number have stayed the same.

Kirsten Gould reports that before COVID19 brought everything to a stop in the

“So many kids reached out to congratulate me—many who were in the 4th grade when I was in the 9th grade and remember me as the [Student Body] President. Fenn is such a tight community. Your classmates are your best friends and, with the Big Brother program, a 9th grader can also be best friends with a 4th or a 5th grader… It was a really great place.”

Those fourth graders who looked up to Moore during their Monument Street Coachella Valley, she was tutoring largely Spanish-speaking elementary school children, inserting drama tips whenever possible. “I was hoping to actually teach some classes, but it wasn’t possible. It would have been so good for the kids! I miss teaching, but don’t envy the additional work today’s teachers must handle.”

In January 2020, Lindley van der Linde let us know that she and her husband, Tiaan, explored the concept of teaching abroad as a new challenge last year. “Our kids are the perfect age to travel and learn new languages. We pictured ourselves in Switzerland but ended up finding this great school

years are but one faction of the Fenn community who will cheer on Ian as he accumulates a wealth of future accomplishments with the hard work, focus, and sportsmanship that have always been his calling cards.

“I’m proud of the success he’s had,” Derek Boonisar added. “Getting drafted and enrolling at Harvard are incredible honors. Ian’s earned all of the good things that have come his way.”

on Oahu that focuses on project-based learning. I am teaching chemistry, marine science, agriculture, and middle school science, AND I get to help the school start up a farm. We now have pigs, chickens, and soon sheep. Tiaan is the Director of Admissions. I actually got to teach Linden (then in grade 6) in science last semester, and we get to be at all of Stella’s events! We are enjoying our new adventures but do miss snow.”

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in memoriam

We extend our heartfelt sympathy to the families of these Fenn graduates, former trustees and faculty members, relatives, and friends.

John Adams October 7, 2020 Father of Darcy Adams ’93 George S. Ames May 14, 2020 Father of Robert Ames ’84 and Uncle of Matt Boudreau ’11

Blythe K. Colby January 27, 2020 Mother of Seth Colby ’93, Luke Colby ’96, and Aaron Colby ’02 Chantal D’Arleville January 5, 2020 Mother of Travis Britton ’03

Shintaro Asano August 25, 2020 Father of Doug Asano ’88

Edward H. “Ted” Eaton ’65 January 16, 2020 Brother of Bob Eaton ’69

Jennifer “Jamie” K. Bemis August 13, 2020 Wife of John Bemis ’60, Mother of Taylor Bemis ’98, Sister-in-law of Gordie Bemis ’65, Aunt of Robbie Bemis ’01

Nancy Bush Ellis January 10, 2021 Mother of John Ellis ’67 and Joe Ellis ’71

Ethan W. Bisbee ’42 January 10, 2021 Mark W. Biscoe, Sr. H’95 P’74 ’79 December 19, 2020 Former Fenn faculty, coach, and administrator 1958-1995 Martin K. “Jim” Bovey, Jr. ’42 June 21, 2020 Brother of Edward H. Bovey ’46 Uncle of Ted Bovey ’86 William A. Briggs, Jr. ’55 February 2, 2020 Brother of Henry Briggs ’56 Peter A. Brooke April 1, 2020 Fenn Board of Trustees 1968-1980 Chair, Fenn Board of Trustees 1973-1978 Father of Sam Brooke ’72, Peter Brooke ’75, and John Brooke ’77 George V. Buehler, Jr. ’47 April 20, 2020 Fenn Board of Trustees 1991-1995 Warren “Sandy” Carstensen, Jr. ’60 December 12, 2019 Lorraine C. Celi January 15, 2020 Mother of Peter Celi ’73 Clayton M. Christensen January 23, 2020 Father of Spencer Christensen ’03

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Charles B. Perini, Jr. July 16, 2020 Father of Charles Perini ’80 Edith S. Ruquist August 9, 2020 Mother of Jared Ruquist ’91 and Ben Ruquist ’95 Mary B. Senese January 7, 2021 Mother of Paul Senese ’80 Aunt of Darryl Senese ’81 Margaret C. Skelly July 26, 2020 Mother of Will Skelly ’19

Richard C. Gallagher October 19, 2020 Father of Rick Gallagher ’77

H. Platt B. Staunton January 27, 2021 Father of Jon Staunton ’94

George H. Gentsch, Jr. ’55 June 17, 2020

Ivan L. Stokes April 12, 2020 Father of Eric Stokes ’84 Grandfather of Phillip Warren ’17

Susan B. Hay January 26, 2020 Mother of George Hay ’71 William B. R. Hobbs ’63 January 4, 2020 Brother of Fritz Hobbs ’61 and Matt Hobbs ’68 Uncle of Marland Hobbs ’03 Nancy Kidder November 14, 2019 Wife of George H. Kidder, Sr. ’39 Stepmother of George Kidder, Jr. ’65, Steve Kidder ’66, Peter Kidder ’76, and Tim Kidder ’76 Zoe K. Kolligian April 13, 2020 Mother of Kris Kolligian ’78 Thomas R. Lovett ’54 May 16, 2020 Andrew F. Majewski January 7, 2021 Father of Andy Majewski ’83 Thomas V. D. Nield July 31, 2020 Father of John Nield ’92 Daris J. H. “Gus” Paddock ’98 July 21, 2020

Maureen B. Streff February 24, 2020 Mother of Jonathan Streff ’89 Wife of former Fenn faculty member Charlie Streff William T. Suydam ’46 October 17, 2020 Henry L. Sweatt October 21, 2020 Father of Bill Sweatt ’77 Leonard S. Thomsen October 7, 2020 Husband of past faculty member Heather Thomsen Father of Dan Thomsen ’85 Willard “Will” Lee Umphrey, Jr. ’90 March 17, 2021 Brother of Duncan Umphrey ’14 Joanne Wheeler Armstrong September 4, 2020 Mother of Todd Wheeler ’78 Stepmother of Bill Armstrong ’66 Ann “Kelvey” Woodman August 30, 2020 Former Fenn math teacher Mother of Woody Woodman ’88 and Hunter Hutchinson Grandmother of Byron Woodman ’20 and Charlie Hutchinson ’17

Fenn Connect at Work "I love Fenn Connect because I can see everything in one place members, announcements, photos, and Facebook feed. It brings the Fenn alumni experience to life in a centralized community. I'm looking forward to using this new tool!"

“Fenn Connect not only helped me connect with my old classmates, it has been a powerful tool to network with the entire Fenn community. I especially appreciated how easy it was to download my profile.”

Networking

Mentorship

Events

Jobs

Access a directory of global alumni; search for people by grad year, region, university, industry or company

Find trusted mentors through the platform or offer to become a mentor yourself

Stay informed about alumni events happening in your region or create and host an event yourself

View and apply for jobs posted by other alumni, or post jobs yourself on the Fenn Connect Job Board

Join now @www.fennconnect.org to reconnect with other Fenn Alumni and establish trusted professional and personal associations.

The Fenn School 516 Monument Street Concord, Massachusetts 01742-1894

Parents of Alumni If this publication is addressed to your son, and he no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the alumni office of his new mailing address (978-318-3525 or aboudreau@fenn.org).

Thank you!

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEWBURYPORT MA PERMIT NO. 112