NEWS FACULTY & STAFF 2022

1 Associate Director of Donor Engagement and Stewardship Jhanay Abrams, a high school and college basketball player, was inducted into the New Rochelle Sports Hall of Fame. Honorees are athletes, coaches, trainers, officials, and others who have made significant contributions to the sports history of New Rochelle.

2 Upper School History Teacher Sebastiaan Blickman ran the NYC Marathon on Nov. 6, 2022 for NYRR Team for Kids.

3 Upper School French Teacher Dennis Bogusz , published an article, “Lost in Translation: French Séparatisme and American Separation of Church and State” (The French Review, Vol. 95, No. 4, May 2022, pages 65–82). In the piece, Dr. Bogusz explores how a new law in France allows the government to directly regulate religion, which contrasts with religious freedom laws in the U.S.

that have recently emerged through state legislatures and Congress.

4 Middle School Math Teacher Britt Carnegie and Upper School Math Teacher Alec Lash were married on June 25, 2022 in Riverside, CT.

5 Middle School Visual Arts Teacher Naomi Clark had two solo shows at the Cooler Gallery in Brooklyn and VSO Projects in Greenport, NY, this year and released a print edition of her work at the NY Art Book Fair in New York by Du-Good Press.

6 Upper School History Teacher Jim Cullen’s 19th book, 1980: America’s Pivotal Year, was published by Rutgers University Press this year. Jim is completing work on his next book, Bridge & Tunnel Boys: Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, and the Metropolitan Sound of the American Century, which is slated for publication in late 2023.

7 Grade 4 Teacher Brittany Fitzgerald and Neal Chambers got engaged in late October.

8 Grade 5 Teacher Randy Hall ran the NYC Marathon on Nov. 6, 2022.

9 Lower Elementary Music Teacher Billy Janiszewski and his wife, Sandy Chau, had a son, Luca, in April. Earlier in the year, he was also named Music Director of the Stamford Chorale.

10 Upper School Spanish and Italian Teacher Niki Kiviat was invited to give two guest lectures this year: one for the University of Virginia in September, and the other for the University of New Hampshire in October. The title of the talk was “Controlling Mrs. Consumer,” which offered a historicization of women’s rights as narrated through various food advertisements.

11 Grade 4 Teacher Luke Laubscher and Grade 3 Teacher Glaura Paiva were married on Sept. 17, 2022 on Martha’s Vineyard.

12 Security Officer Jim Matheny ran the Hartford Marathon on Oct. 8, 2022 in 3:27:30.

13 Pre-Kindergarten Assistant Teacher Bray Peel welcomed her daughter Charlie Bray Peel born on March 11, 2022.

14 Middle School Librarian Susan Polos served as Chair of the Newbery Award 100th Anniversary Celebration Task Force. “It was a joy to celebrate this award, the first children’s book award, all year long, with a culminating party in June in Washington, D.C., attended by many past Newbery Award winners.” In addition, her grandson, Lachlan James Condon, was born on Oct. 27, 2022.

15 Grade 4 Teacher Maddie Roberts and her husband, Andrew, welcomed their first child, Sage Noel Roberts, on Aug. 31, 2022. Sage will be starting at the Carriage House after Thanksgiving when Maddie returns to the classroom.

16 Orchestra Director Melanie Sasaki and Michael Strange were married on July 29, 2021 at Le Chateau, South Salem, NY.

17 In November, Upper Elementary & Middle School Music Teacher Misty Sturm recorded an album with orchestra, chorus, and jazz quintet. Misty’s husband, Ike Sturm, was commissioned to write the piece entitled “Let the River Flow,” with text by poet and soloist, Chanda Rule. It premiered in Denver, CO, last May. The studio recording will be released in 2023.

18 Assistant Head of Upper Elementary School Kevin Thompson received his Doctor of Education in curriculum and instruction this past spring from Liberty University. This summer, he and his wife, Julia, welcomed their daughter, Ophelia Joy Thompson, born on June 30, 2022.

19 Middle School English Teacher Shannon Turner Doyle recently signed to play women’s professional hockey for her 8th, and final, season with the Connecticut Whale of the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF). Shannon won the PHF Foundation Award last season, winning $10,000 for Active Minds, her chosen non-profit that supports mental health awareness and education for kids and young adults.

20 Facilities Assistant Lee Ann Vadala’s youngest son, Dennis Schmeiler, who was a GCDS Summer Camp Counselor, got married to Rachel, on June 17, 2022 in Perona Farms, Andover, NJ.

21 Dining Hall Staff Ileana Vasquez became a U.S. Citizen on Nov. 4, 2022.

22 Upper School Art Teacher Louise Wales’ dissertation, “Politics and Heidegger’s Concept of Thinking in Contemporary Art,” was published last fall by Tailor & Francis/Routledge.

23 Dennis and Johnna Yesky celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 30, 2022.

24 Athletic Trainer Abby Yotts and Misha welcomed their first baby, Cameron Russell, on Dec. 29, 2021.

25 Retired Former Faculty: Debbie Kerrick welcoming Martha Sugrue and Hope Wittrock to her new home.

YWCA Award Women Who Inspire

On Nov. 10, Nicole Mitchell was honored as a “Woman Who Inspires” by the YWCA Greenwich for her role as Executive Director of SPIDACARES, her family’s non-profit that strives to positively impact families and communities through the life-changing power of education and athletics. For 20 years Nicole has given back to our school as a parent, teacher, board member, and philanthropic partner. We are fortunate to have Nicole as an active member of the GCDS community. Congratulations on this welldeserved award!