GSB News: October 2013

The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

News

October 2013

October 2013

The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

Inside 2 Homecoming & Family Day

3 Stone Soup Day

4 GSB Golf Classic

5 Parents' Association

Breakfast

6 Headmaster's Reception 7 Seniors Named National

Merit Scholarship Semifinalists

8 GSB Players to Present

The Servant of Two Masters

9 Student Life Recap: Spirit Cup Contest

10 Beyond the Science Lab

11 Athletics: Pep Rally Varsity Girls' Soccer Kicks It to Ovarian Cancer

12 Varsity Sports Round-Up

15 Dates to Remember

From the Headmaster At our opening Parents’ Association Breakfast, I had the opportunity to share a few thoughts with all in attendance.

Among the many topics touched upon, large and small, was my hope that we all agree on the importance of helping our children become more resilient. Whether or not you use the term or its equivalent “grit,” it is a quality that is essential for success and the quest to live a healthy, more balanced life. Setbacks, turbulence and even calamities are inevitable events for all of us. Yet, if we never experience them on a small scale (think, receiving a poor grade on a test, losing a game, or failing to accomplish something that we have worked hard for) it becomes even more difficult to cope with the more significant disappointments (such as college or a job) that we inevitably encounter later in life.

Back to school nights are currently taking place at area schools, public and private alike. This is the time of year we often hear about how some other schools are offering real-time or “live” grades for parents to receive weekly or even daily updates on their child’s progress at school. Some schools even offer mobile app technology, which sends results for projects, tests, quizzes, and homework assignments straight to a parent’s phone or iPad. In a few cases, parents might receive the grade even before the student does.

I, along with my leadership team, feel this is a misguided and unfortunate approach to education.

With this type of “helicopter” parenting, how do students learn to manage their own lives? How will they grow? How can they be expected to operate as adults in the real world without first practicing independence and personal responsibility as students?

As a parent, I understand how difficult it is to see one of my children struggle or make a poor decision.

It is only natural for all of us to choose to intercede and protect, or at the very least help. We rationalize our interventions as necessary because the particular issue is “too important.” However, such action helps only in the short term, and if too frequent, causes long-term problems. When you do your children’s homework or “fight their battles,” the ultimate message is not “I love you, and would do anything for you” or even that they cannot do it without you.

Rather, it is that they cannot do it at all. This message (though unintended), repeated often enough, prevents healthy growth and independence.

At Gill St. Bernard’s we believe in the importance of balance. Yes, we prepare our students for college,

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

Headmaster Sid Rowell.

but more important, we prepare our graduates for a meaningful life. We want our students to be mature, responsible young adults who can give back and add real value to the communities in which they live and work. Most of our greatest innovators and leaders suffered significant setbacks at some point in their lives; it was only through endurance, courage and resilience that they were ultimately able to succeed.

Steve Jobs was fired from Apple, the company he established. Abraham Lincoln lost eight elections, failed in two business ventures and suffered a nervous breakdown before successfully leading our country through its greatest constitutional crisis.

Without resilience, without the ability for these leaders to overcome adversity, their greatest accomplishments may have never been realized.

So while other schools are offering real-time grades and Gill may seem “old fashioned” in the eyes of our tech-savvy parents, this type of technology will not be a part of our culture any time in the near future. I believe that another result of real-time grade posting is an undue parental focus on grades that inhibits a student’s ability to develop executive functioning skills. I am also confident that if we pause and truly think about the educational process and the core values that define Gill St. Bernard’s, most would agree that anything that deprives our students of the natural learning process—which includes fostering the ability to overcome setbacks—has no place at our school.

Warm regards,

Sid Rowell 1.

The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

October 2013

Annual Homecoming & Family Day Unites School Community Gill St. Bernard’s School hosted its annual Homecoming & Family Day September 28. Fun-filled activities, delicious foods and athletic events from the GSB Knights, who garnered nine wins during a total of 13 contests throughout the day, were aplenty for parents, students, alumni, faculty and staff members. Also featured were student-and parent-led activities such as pumpkin decorating, face-painting, giveaways and merchandise. Thank you to Parents’ Association co-chairs Karen Orazietti P ’16, ’18, ’21, Cheryl Fritzlo P ’19, ’21 and Michele Johnson P '18, '20 as well as to all others who volunteered their time toward planning 2013 Homecoming & Family Day at GSB.

Co-chairs of Gill’s 2013 Homecoming & Family Day, from left, Cheryl Fritzlo P ’19, ’21, Michele Johnson P '18, '20 and Karen Orazietti P ’16, ’18, ’21.

Top row, from left: Ava Escousse ’21 takes a spin on The Wheel of Teachers alongside fellow classmate Caroline Solondz ’21; Second row, from left: Joseph Gustafson ’22 participates in this year’s pie throwing contest; The Class of 2016 mans a bracelet-making booth at Homecoming & Family Day. From left: Jacqueline Luberto, Jessica Torgovnik, Zoe Quan-Shau, Catarina "Caty" Matthews and William Clayton; Daniel Propper Struehr ’25 picks his pumpkin from the GSB pumpkin patch for decorating; Bottom row, from left: Edwin Laubach ’17 has his face painted; (L. to r.) Surbhi Srinivas ’19 and Vallika Saraswat ’19 head to the food tent for delicious BBQ and more.

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

October 2013

Stone Soup Day Celebrates Generosity GSB held its 31st annual Stone Soup Day on October 2 in Todd Quad. Co-founded in 1982 by former Lower School librarian Pauline Lurie and Kindergarten teacher Jan Hays, Stone Soup Day encourages teamwork and promotes generosity within both faculty and students at the school.

The legend of stone soup originates from the ancient folktale about a hungry traveler who arrives in a small village looking for something to eat during a famine. The traveler places a “magic soup stone” into a pot of boiling water and, one by one, convinces the villagers to contribute some of their rationed meat, potatoes and vegetables to the broth. This results in enough food to feed the entire village. Before continuing on his travels, the wanderer gives the stone to the youngest child in the village, along with the secret of stone soup: that it was not the stone, but rather the villagers themselves who performed the magic.

“Stone Soup is about sharing and giving to those in need. This is an important part of who and what we are as a school community,” Headmaster Sid Rowell said during the annual ceremony, which also serves as a kick off to the giving season. “This is a way that we can give back; a way to make a difference.”

Keeping with tradition, those eighth graders who have attended Gill St. Bernard’s since as early as Kindergarten handed the soup stone down to Gill’s youngest student, Brooke Daly ’28. Two “GSB Lifers,” Kimberly Calabrese ’14 and Alexandra Ferreira ’14, also served as special guests during the ceremony.

Each Lower School student then took turns adding other ingredients including corn, celery, peppers, onions, carrots, potatoes and noodles to the pot.

In addition to being cooked as well as served in Founders Hall, the soup will be donated to the Plainfield Senior Citizens Center today. As is customary, monetary donations were also collected and will be used to benefit the senior center.

From top: Third graders Matthew Getzoff and Sofia Walz add carrots to the stone soup; “GSB Lifers” (l. to r.) Alexandra Ferreira ’14 and Kimberly Calabrese ’14 help the Lower School students place their ingredients into the pot. Above, from left: Long-time GSB students, eighth graders Katherine Lioudis (l.) and Jacquelyn Benoit (r.), pass the soup stone down to their fellow classmates; As the youngest student in the GSB community, Brooke Daly ’28 is asked to drop the soup stone into the cauldron.

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

October 2013

GSB Dedicates New Turf Field at Formal Ceremony Gill St. Bernard’s School celebrated the completion of its new synthetic turf field with a formal dedication ceremony on September 28 during Homecoming & Family Day. Construction of the new turf field began in late June and reached completion in early August.

“This project marks the first of several major campus renovations we have planned for the school,” said Director of Development Jim Diverio. “I’d like to thank all of our donors for their generous contributions, without which these improvements would not be possible.”

Valued at approximately $750,000, installation of the field was made possible through funds provided by parents, trustees and more. In addition, the Knights Athletic Booster Club has pledged to donate $50,000 toward construction of the field over the next five years. To be used primarily by the school’s varsity soccer and JV lacrosse teams, the new addition features a full-color GSB Knights logo at midfield and offers safe playability regardless of the weather. Since taking advantage of the best-in-class athletic experience presented

by GSB’s new turf field, the varsity boys’ soccer team remains undefeated and the varsity girls’ team began this week at 4-4-1 on the season.

Ninth Annual GSB Classic Raises Scholarship Funds The ninth annual GSB Classic, hosted at Hamilton Farm Golf Club on September 23, raised more than $85,000 in need-based financial aid for the school. Thirty-one teams of golfers played 27 holes throughout the day, which ended with awards presented to this year’s winning foursomes during dinner. The team with the lowest net score was led by Kevin Clayton P ’15, and the team with the lowest gross score included current parent Kevin Carey P ’23.

Top row, from left: The winning foursome with the lowest gross score, Team Carey, including GSB Golf Classic committee member Kevin Carey P ’23; James Han P ’18, ’21; Bottom row, from left: Team Sameth including (l. to r.) Robert Sameth, Jr. ’89, P ’25, ’27, Robert A. Sameth P ’89, ’91, GP ’25, ’27, Michael Watson GP ’25, ’27 and Tanya Sameth P ’25, ’27; Golf Classic chair Gregory Niccolai P ’16; GSB Golf Classic committee member Gregg McGuirl P ’26; The winning foursome with the lowest net score, Team Clayton, including GSB Golf Classic committee member Kevin Clayton P ’15.

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

October 2013

Parents’ Association Breakfast Outlines Volunteer Opportunities More than 175 parents attended the Parents’ Association’s annual kick-off breakfast on September 12 in the Athletic Center. The popular event provided new and returning families with opportunities to meet one another as well as to learn more about volunteering at Gill for the 2013-14 school year.

community members face together each day. Rowell attributed GSB’s core values and highly-qualified faculty members as playing a crucial role in strengthening the school. “Education is not commoditized. It is a process,” he said, “and as parents we should act as role models of forbearance and resilience for our children.”

Parents’ Association President Lee Amoroso P ’11, ’13, ’19 shared her own experiences as a mother of three at Gill, and told the story of how the school has helped her two eldest children, Stephanie ’11 and Matthew ’13, pursue their dreams at the college level. “Community and community service are important experiences for all GSB’s new Parents’ divisions of the school,” said Association President Lee Amoroso, who also emphasized Amoroso P ’11, ’13, ’19 shares excitement for the 2013-14 the crucial role of the Parent’s school year.

Association in strengthening the bonds of the entire GSB community. Following the warm introduction of the Parents’ Association’s Executive and Steering Committee members, Amoroso extended an invitation for new volunteers, and named an increase in the number of parent-volunteers along with fundraising revenues as two new goals for the organization.

In addition to providing updates on annual events including Homecoming & Family Day, the Griggstown Farm Pie Sale and Fashion Show, Amoroso announced several new and exciting developments to help the Parents’ Association achieve these goals in the year ahead. To top last year’s “Luxury Auction” and 50-50 raffles, the Parents’ Association will now sponsor a single raffle with the winning ticket number to be called at GSB’s 2014 Dinner Dance & Auction in the spring. The winner of the new raffle will be awarded $10,000 off his or her child’s tuition. A new venue—the Bridgewater Manor—was also announced for the 2013 Fashion Show, which will be held November 12 and feature a New York City-inspired fall and winter clothing line as well as trunk show from guest celebrity designer Hunter Bell, the second-season winner of NBC’s Fashion Star.

The breakfast closed with remarks from Headmaster Sid Rowell, who noted the ongoing challenges GSB Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

Top row, from left: Susan Harris P ’16 (l.) along with co-chair of the fall pie sale, Lisa Bothwell P ’16, ’18 (r.); New parent Mitchell Storch P ’17 enjoys a complimentary breakfast and friendly conversation with returning parent Stanley Lambert P ’15; Middle: (L. to r.) Homecoming & Family Day co-chair Michele Johnson P ’18, ’20 with incoming parent Britta Trendelenburg P ’19 and returning parent Beth Gustafson P ’20, ’22; Bottom: (L. to r.) Marlene Jean P ’17 and Noelle Chalfant P ’17.

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

October 2013

Lightning Storm Damages Campus Tree A fast-moving thunderstorm passed through the Gill St. Bernard’s campus on September 12, damaging the nearly century-old pine tree which stood outside Founders Hall. The tree sustained extensive damage after being struck by lightning. Upon assessing the damage in hopes of saving the tree, it was deemed too dangerous to keep the tree on campus and it was professionally removed two days later. Facilities Manager Anthony DeVergillo shared plans to replace the damaged tree with a new one sometime soon. “At this time, we are still discussing the location as well as type of tree we’d like to plant,” said DeVergillo.

Headmaster’s Reception Welcomes New Parents Faculty, staff and administrators joined trustees and members of the Parents' Association September 6 to welcome new GSB parents at the 2013 Headmaster's Reception. After recognizing new and returning parents as well as introducing teachers and administrators, Headmaster Sid Rowell encouraged all present to increase their involvement in activities within the community. “Community events are excellent opportunities to meet new friends, support the school and be there for your children,” he said, also stressing the importance of strength and patience, as well as the need for students and parents to incorporate these two values into their daily lives.

Above, from top: Sheree Druskin P ’17, ’19 (l.) of the Parents’ Association Steering Committee welcomes new parent Elizabeth Goldmark P ’19 (r.) to the school; Elizabeth Fucci P ’17 of the Parents’ Association Steering Committee and her husband Michael P ’17, also a member of the GSB board of trustees, meet new parents Robert P ’28 and Kristi P ’28 Peterson; Bottom row, from left: Matthew Dunn P ’12, ’14, ’16 (l.) and GSB trustee Donald Fuentes P ’14, ’16, ’24 (r.); (L. to r.) Parents’ Association Steering Committee member Chris Baker P ’13, ’15, Ann Matthews P ’16, ’18, ’24 and board of trustees member Douglas Matthews P ’16, ’18, ’24.

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

October 2013

Two Seniors Named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists GSB seniors Kaitlyn Avery and Katherine Giordano were recently named semifinalists in the 59th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

Hosted each year by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, this year’s competition included approximately 1.5 million students from more than 22,000 high schools nationwide. Fifteen-thousand semifinalists will be named finalists in February 2014. To advance to the final round of the annual program, candidates must demonstrate an outstanding academic record throughout their high school careers, be recommended by their school’s principal and earn SAT scores that confirm results from the 2012 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

National Merit Scholarship winners, who are set to receive more than 8,000 awards totaling $32 million, will be announced in April.

Kaitlyn Avery ’14.

Katherine Giordano ’14.

Eight Seniors Commended for Academic Excellence

Each September, more than two-thirds (about 34,000) of approximately 50,000 high scorers on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test receive letters of commendation recognizing their outstanding academic promise. Although commended students do not continue on in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, some do become eligible for special scholarships sponsored by other corporations and businesses.

Eight seniors received letters of commendation at Upper School assembly on September 30.

They were:

Carlson Brown Joshua "Jay" Corbett Emilie Dizdarevic Henry Holmes

Maxwell Lieblich Kristin Murtha Dylan Polachi Charlotte Reid

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

Commended students, seniors (l. to r.) Carlson Brown, Joshua "Jay" Corbett, Emilie Dizdarevic, Henry Holmes, Maxwell Lieblich, Dylan Polachi and Charlotte Reid, with National Merit semifinalists (l. to r.) Katherine Giordano '14 and Kaitlyn Avery '14. Also missing from photo: Commended student Kristin Murtha '14.

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

October 2013

GSB Players to Present The Servant of Two Masters The GSB Players proudly presents its fall 2013 production, The Servant of Two Masters, depicting Carlo Goldoni’s 18th century commedia dell’arte.

Translated and adapted by Bonnie J. Monte, this modern adaptation of Goldoni’s classic slap-stick comedy takes place in Venice, where Clarice’s (Katherine Coscia ’15) dream of marrying her true love, Silvio (William Conlan ’16), is shattered when the man she was originally promised to—Frederigo Rasponi— seemingly returns from the dead. Unknown to all save the local innkeeper, Brighella (Katherine Giordano ’14), Frederigo is actually his sister, Beatrice (Erin Wetzel ’15), in disguise. Beatrice is determined to settle her brother’s debts and to find her own love, Florindo (Paul Dunham ’15), who fled from Turin when Frederigo was killed. Beatrice’s plans work perfectly, at first, until her sneaky servant Truffaldino (Mycroft Zimmerman ’16) also takes Florindo on as his master in order to make some extra money. Add to this two overbearing fathers and a love-smitten maid, and the stage is set for a portrayal of mistaken identities, complicated plot twists and the triumph of love.

Directed by Performing Arts Chair Paul Canada, The Servant of Two Masters will open Thursday, October 31 at 7:30 p.m.

Additional performance dates and times include: Friday, November 1 at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, November 2 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for adults ($20.00) and students ($15.00) can be purchased online via www.seatyourself.biz/gsbschool.

Faculty and staff members interested in reserving a ticket can contact Sandra Bilynsky P ’13, ’16 at sandrabilynsky4@comcast.net.

Cast Smeraldina: Kasey Collins ’14 Silvio: William Conlan ’16 Clarice: Katherine Coscia ’15 Florindo: Paul Dunham ’15 Brighella: Katherine Giordano ’14 Porter: Aniello “Neil” Ianniello ’16

Stage Crew Stage Manager: Jamie Goetchius ’15 Lisabetta: Sunny Lin ’15 Isabetta: Justine Murray ’17 Beatrice: Erin Wetzel ’15 Pantalone: Lachlan Wright ’17 Truffaldino: Mycroft Zimmerman ’16 Dottore Lombardi: Xauen Zirpolo ’15

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

October 2013

STUDENT LIFE RECAP Spirit Cup Unites Students in Friendly Competition The GSB community beamed with school pride September 6, as more than 330 Upper School students kicked off the annual Spirit Cup competition in Todd Quad. Eight teams—made up of students grades nine through 12—dressed in blue, gray, white, green, orange, red, black and purple t-shirts while competing for points in a variety of faculty-led events throughout the day.

Since 2004, the Spirit Cup games have represented more than just a chance for students to participate in outdoor fun. According to Upper School Dean of Students Michael Wendell, the ultimate goal of this annual event is to foster collaboration among students of all grade levels. “The Spirit Cup allows members of the community to relate with one another in ways different than what one may expect to encounter during a typical school day,” Wendell said. “Students are

encouraged to step out of their comfort zones and meet peers outside their usual social circles.”

Gill’s 2013 school spirit competition began with trivia, drama, basketball, kickball, football, art and volleyball in the morning. Excitement continued shortly after lunch— which also featured a special 12th grade cookout and ninth grade pizza party—as faculty hosted a series of activities for students on the varsity track. During 13 separate activities, ranging from a cup stacking competition to a bridge-building contest and a three-legged race, faculty members challenged students to exercise their creativity, athleticism and teamwork before rotating to the next station. “This contest brings the entire student body together. It’s a great way for the grades to interact with one another,” said Jordan Taylor ’14. “You get to meet a lot of people you didn’t know and

Erin Wetzel '15 (l.) and Jamie Goetchius ’15 (r.) sport their orange t-shirts together with Upper School teacher Margery Schiesswohl (m.) in Todd Quad.

make friends,” Armeen Mozaffari ’18 added.

Congratulations to the White Team, crowned victor of the kick-off competition which will continue through the remainder of the school year. All White Team members will receive a pizza party and dress-down day for their efforts.

From left: Nicholas Ross ’16 picks out his assigned team shirt; (L. to r.) Felix Andersen ’17 and Parth Patel ’17 join their fellow classmates in various faculty-led activities on the varsity track; Among the 13 faculty-led challenges presented to students during the Spirit Cup games was a cup stacking competition.

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

October 2013

An Educational Journey Beyond the Science Lab This fall, Lower and Middle School students put the school’s motto, “The World is Our Classroom” into action, applying lessons learned in the classroom to real life experiences in a natural environment.

Accompanied by Lower School Science Coordinator Lynn Prosen, fourth graders received a hands-on lesson in food science by visiting the GSB Garden. They learned to identify the various fruits and vegetables grown on campus and gathered nearly 13 quarts of raspberries for later creating their own preserves.

Meanwhile, Gill’s first and second graders explored plant growth and plant life cycles this trimester, as they planted spinach, radishes, dill, parsley and mustard seeds in EarthBox gardening containers on the Evans Hall patio.

“Science is all about understanding how the world around

Students from the Class of 2024 plant spinach, radishes, dill, parsley and mustard seeds in EarthBox gardening containers on the Evans Hall patio.

STEM in the Classroom

Above, from left: William Stamato ’22 picks raspberries for making his own preserves; Emily Wang ’20 writes data on the physical, chemical and biological properties of the Peapack Brook.

us works,” said Prosen. “There’s no better way to begin the study of science than to examine and explore the world right outside.”

Also near the garden, the Peapack Brook became an outdoor laboratory for Teri Cosentino’s sixth grade science class, which gauged the health of the stream by documenting its physical, chemical and biological properties. Students were required throughout the lesson to measure the length, depth and width of the subwatershed, and to calculate the flow of its water. In addition, they studied the pH of the brook and identified benthic macroinvertebrates, spineless species living beneath the rocks in a healthy stream system. “Allison Kochis’ Upper School science classes monitored chemical parameters of the stream as well, confirming the Middle School students' dissolved oxygen—4 ppm—and pH 8 results,” said Cosentino.

Teri Cosentino’s 7/8 science classes applied STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) learning during two engineering design activities in the classroom this September.

Following a strict timeline and set budget, students first constructed paper and cardboard tables capable of supporting the weight of several textbooks. Following the initial activity, they then designed marble rollercoasters, which incorporated one or two loops made out of pipe insulation. Working together, the students analyzed problems as well as designed, built, tested, redesigned and evaluated solutions, noting places where there were energy transformations, and labeling measurements on their drawings.

Catelyn Woelfle ’19 places textbooks

“Green energy technology is a rapidly growing field,” said Cosentino, who also recently on top of the paper and cardboard table her group has constructed. assigned a project requiring that the students design windmill blades in an effort to produce maximum voltage output. “It’s important for students to know how things work and how the science lessons they learn in the classroom can influence the world around them in a positive way.”

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

October 2013

ATHLETICS

Pep Rally Fires Up School Spirit for Homecoming Students across each division attended a pep rally in the Athletic Center on September 27, where they showed their school spirit and met GSB’s coaches and athletes in anticipation of Homecoming & Family Day, which featured 11 separate Upper and Middle School contests against opponents from Rutgers Prep, Somerville and Oak Knoll.

Top left: Juniors (l. to r.) Disha Gupta, Hope Braue and Devon Kaiser proudly sport their GSB Knights gear on the new turf field; Bottom, from left: Sixth grade students show their school spirit before pep rally. Front row: Emily Wang, Julia Gateman, Eleanor Gustafson, Gary Bossert, Daniel Heo; Back row: Brandon McCall-Sulton, Charles Lewis, Bridget Coscia, Rebecca Michaels, Alexis Maus, Andrew Lutz, Edward McCarthy; Fifth graders Sydney Lapper, Zoe O’Connor, Teagen Smith, Anneliese Gattoni, Stella O’Connor and Isabel Orazietti with the GSB Knight at pep rally; (L. to r.) Lucas Horn ’19 and Luca Magee ’19.

Varsity Girls' Soccer Kicks It to Ovarian Cancer In addition to defeating Morristown-Beard 4-1 at home on September 25, the varsity girls’ soccer team raised more than $400 and awareness for Ovarian Cancer.

Since 2010, the varsity girls’ soccer program has hosted numerous fundraisers, raising awareness for Breast Cancer and money for the LIVESTRONG Foundation. This year’s annual event was organized by five seniors—Kathryn Bednarsky, Gabriella Gomes, Andrea Jablonskyj, Carly Meyers and Kelly Staples—who chose to “kick it” to Ovarian Cancer due to personal connections with the illness. “Ovarian Cancer is something that has affected many of our loved ones. We agreed it was important that we raise awareness for the illness by sharing the story of these struggles,” said Meyers.

The 2013 fundraising campaign began with a Welcome Wednesday visit to the Lower School, where the girls signed autographs and wore personalized t-shirts depicting a teal Ovarian Cancer ribbon along with the GSB Knights logo and their individual jersey numbers. The team also sold teal “Kick It to Ovarian Cancer” wristbands and baked goods throughout the day. “We received an overwhelming amount of support from our classmates—so much so that we even sold out of the ‘Kick It to Ovarian Cancer’ wristbands,” said Gomes. “Words cannot begin to describe how grateful we are for all that our coaches and parents have done to make this fundraiser possible each year,” Staples added.

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

From left: Jennifer Lowe ’17 proudly displays her teal ribbon for Ovarian Cancer; Organizers of the event, from left, seniors Kelly Staples, Kathryn Bednarsky, Carly Meyers, Andrea Jablonskyj and Gabriella Gomes.

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

Varsity Sports Round-Up *RESULTS AS OF 9/30/2013 Cross Country: Boys Record: 3-3 Girls Record: 5-2 Meet the Knights: Varsity- Alexandria Benoit ’14, Joshua “Jay” Corbett ’14, Dana Klein ’14, Maxwell Lieblich ’14, Rebecca Richardson ’14, Patrik Andersen ’15, Armani Comick ’15, Edward Fischer ’15, Peter “Alec” Johnson ’15, Jacob Kruger ’15, Michael Tafaro ’15, Andrew Wible ’15, Sahara Ensley ’16, Michael Iannaconi ’16, Paul Kruger ’16, William Metzler ’16, Gregory Niccolai ’16, Sebastian Pampalone ’16, Lillie Wilson ’16, Ludi Zhu ’16, Samuel Zimmer ’16, Mycroft Zimmerman ’16, Felix Andersen ’17, Nathaniel Bess ’17, Samantha Bittman ’17, Landon Braemer ’17, Devin Hohman ’17, Amechi Nwandu ’17, Mathieu Petit ’17 Season at a Glance: Gill St. Bernard’s boys’ and girls’ cross country squads opened the season with a dual meet sweep of Bound Brook on September 11.

Dana Klein ’14 won the girls’ race in 19:59, followed

by Alexandria Benoit ’14 (2nd/22:30), Sahara Ensley ’16 (3rd/22:30), Lillie Wilson ’16 (4th/25:00), Samantha Bittman ’17 (5th/26:00) and Armani Comick ’15 (6th/27:00). The boys were led by Patrik Andersen ’15 who finished 17:17. Also close behind him were Mathieu Petit ’17 (2nd/18:59), Jacob Kruger ’15 (3rd/19:30), Michael Iannaconi ’16 (4th/20:30), Peter “Alec” Johnson ’15 (5th/20:31), Andrew Wible ’15 (6th/20:32) and Devin Hohman ’17 (7th/20:33).

VARSITY BOYS' CROSS COUNTRY Landon Braemer ’17.

Andersen (16:49) won the boys’ race, and his brother Felix

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

October 2013

Andersen ’17 (7th place/18:25), as well as Kruger (9th/18:46), posted top-10 finishes in the tri meet with Bernards and South Hunterdon on September 16.

Wible (19:43) and Iannaconi (19:44) also rounded-out scoring for the boys.

The girls were led by VARSITY GIRLS' CROSS COUNTRY Lillie Wilson ’16.

Klein (3rd/20:23), Benoit (4th/20:24), Ensley (9th/21:48), Ludi Zhu ’16 (18th/23:47 and Rebecca Richardson ’14 (19th/24:19).

P. Andersen (16:47) and Klein (19:58) won both the boys’ and girls’ races in tri meet sweeps of Manville and Immaculata at Duke Island Park on September 25.

F. Andersen (3rd place/17:40), Kruger (4th/18:33), Johnson (5th/18:40), Iannaconi (8th/19:24) and Wible (10th/19:49) all posted top-10 finishes for the boys. Close behind Klein in the girls’ competition were Benoit (20:04), Ensley (20:39), Zhu (22:25), Wilson (22:26) and Richardson (22:43). Klein also set a new course record (18:27) during the dual meet win over Rutgers Prep at Homecoming & Family Day on September 28, breaking all-state runner Sarah Quinn’s ’12 previous mark of 18:31.

Boys’ Soccer: Record: 8-0-1 Meet the Knights: Varsity- Justin Durcan ’14, Kiliaen O’Connor ’14, Craig Pilla ’14, James Reiner ’14, Maximilian Burrows ’15, Jack Lowe ’15, Tyler Pisack ’15, Jordan Schreer ’15, Aaron Hinton ’16, Luke Fischer ’16, Charles Kasman ’16, Tyler Kwaak ’16, Nicolas Ricciardi ’16, Alexander Showell ’16, Daniel Sivolella ’16, Maxwell Aunger ’17, Steven Bednarsky ’17, Kevin Brito ’17, Andres Gonzalez ’17, Armeen Mozaffari ’17, Cameron Miller ’17, Richard Wolf ’17; Junior Varsity- Tyler Stil ’15, Ricardo Torres ’15, Nathaniel Benoit ’16, Dylan Blackman ’16, Bruce

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

Li ’16, Brian Quispe ’16, Cameron Burns ’17, Will Dadouris ’17, Tristan Kaminski ’17, Troy Pilla ’17, Luke Solondz ’17, Jacob Udoff ’17, Jack Wetzel ’17 Season at a Glance: The boys’ season opened September 6 with a 5-0 win over Belvidere. James Reiner ’14 scored three goals, Jack Lowe ’15 had one goal as well as one assist and Justin Durcan ’14 added one goal. Newcomers Kevin Brito ’17 and Cameron Miller ’17 also chipped in with two assists apiece while defenders Craig Pilla ’14 and Maxwell Aunger ’17 helped goalkeeper Jordan Schreer ’15 earn the first shutout of his varsity career.

Schreer, backed by Pilla and Miller, earned his second consecutive shutout September 10 with a 4-0 win over Manville. Lowe contributed two goals and one assist to lead the Knights on offense. Also scoring were Brito and Maximilian Burrows ’15, who were assisted by both Aunger and Nicolas Ricciardi ’16. The Knights improved to 3-0 with a 2-1 victory over North Plainfield on September 12. Lowe assisted on a Reiner goal in the first half, and Reiner scored the game-winning goal off a feed from Tyler Kwaak ’16 in extra minutes.

Freshmen Steven Bednarsky (two goals/two assists) and Armeen Mozaffari (two goals), along with Durcan (two goals/one assist) and Kwaak (one goal/ one assist), paced the offense in the 10-0 victory over South Hunterdon on September 17. Tyler VARSITY BOYS' SOCCER Pisack ’15, Daniel Daniel Sivolella ’16.

Sivolella ’16 and Pilla added one goal apiece while Burrows, Brito, Andres Gonzalez ’17 and Reiner chipped in with assists.

GSB and Bernards played to a 1-1 double overtime draw on September 19, keeping both teams tied for first

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

October 2013

in the Valley Division of the Skyland Conference. Lowe converted a cross from Kwaak in the 26th minute to give the Knights a 1-0 halftime lead, Bernards evened the score early on in the second half, and both defenses remained stout the rest of the way. The Knights quickly recovered with a 2-1 win over Rutgers Prep on September 21 as Durcan and Gonzalez scored one goal apiece, Reiner added an assist and Schreer made six saves.

Bednarsky and Lowe assisted on two goals from Durcan in a 2-0 win over Bound Brook on September 24. Two days later, Reiner had three goals and Bednarsky doled out two assists in the 5-0 victory over Blair Academy.

Durcan and Brito also added goals for the Knights, while Sivolella and Kwaak chipped in with assists.

Reiner, Sivolella and Bednarsky all scored for Gill in the 3-0 win over Somerville at Homecoming & Family Day on September 28. Durcan added two assists to help the boys remain undefeated. Defenders Pilla, Miller, Ricciardi and Aunger helped Schreer earn his sixth shutout of the season as goalkeeper.

Girls’ Soccer: Record: 4-4-1 Meet the Knights: Varsity- Kathryn Bednarsky ’14, Gabriella Gomes ’14, Andrea Jablonskyj ’14, Carly Meyers ’14, Kelly Staples ’14, Kaila Gong ’15, Brianne Hanafin ’15, Alyx Schrecengost ’15, Elizabeth Todd ’15, Colette Bilynsky ’16, Samantha Delehanty ’16, Samantha DeRing ’16, Jane O’Connor ’16, Jacqueline Roettger ’16, Renee Turner ’16, Julia Castrucci ’17, Nicole Castrucci ’17, Emma Dean ’17, Jennifer Lowe ’17, Sabrina Marques ’17, Erica Phiansunthon ’17, Lauren Renna ’17; Junior Varsity- Hope Fluet ’16, Kaitlyn Moriarty ’16, Carolyn Brand ’17, Kathryn Cramer ’17, Melissa Jean ’17, Ashley Maldonado ’17, Olivia Wilson ’17 Season at a Glance: The varsity girls’ soccer team kicked off the season with a 2-1 loss to Belvidere in overtime on September 6. Trailing 1-0 with 10 minutes left in regulation, Kathryn Bednarsky ’14 assisted Andrea Jablonskyj ’14 who found the back of the net and sent

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The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

the game into extra minutes. Goalkeeper Alyx Schrecengost ’15 made nine saves for GSB in the upset.

The Knights earned back-to-back wins over Manville and North Plainfield the following week.

Leading their team through the 3-0 victory over Manville VARSITY GIRLS' SOCCER Erica Phiansunthon ’17. were Jablonskyj with two goals, one assist, Bednarsky who added one goal, one assist, and Emma Dean ’17 who contributed one assist. Defenders Carly Meyers ’14, Jennifer Lowe ’17, Colette Bilynsky ’16 and Dean helped Schrecengost earn her second consecutive shutout as goalkeeper in the scoreless tie with North Plainfield on September 12. Winning continued September 17, as Bednarsky scored Gill's only goal in a 1-0 win over South Hunterdon.

The girls saw their three-game winning streak snapped in a 4-0 loss to Bernards on September 19. Both teams went scoreless until after 40 minutes, when the Mountaineers broke the game wide open with four second period goals. Jablonskyj (three), Bednarsky (two) and Samantha Delehanty ’16 (one) each scored for the Knights, assisted by Jane O’Connor ’16 and Meyers, in the 6-0 victory over Bound Brook the following week. The girls earned their second consecutive win September 25 over Morristown-Beard.

Throughout the 4-1 victory—a game dedicated to Ovarian Cancer Awareness (See article page 11.)— Jablonskyj had two goals and one assist, Bednarsky logged a goal and two assists, and O’Connor converted a pass from Julia Castrucci ’17 late in the second half.

GSB fell to Rutgers Prep in round one of the Somerset County Tournament (SCT) on September 27.

Jablonskyj assisted Bednarsky on a first half goal.

Rutgers Prep contested, however, with two goals after halftime to advance to the second game of the SCT against the fifth-seeded Somerville High School.

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

October 2013

Girls’ Tennis: Record: 7-1 Meet the Knights: Varsity- Emily Carmosino ’14, Emma Clayton ’14, Kendall Dunn ’14, Stephanie Fuentes ’14, Cricket Treanor ’14, Lucille Dunn ’16, Jacqueline Fuentes ’16, Carolyn Najarian ’16, Krishna Patel ’16, Sharon Jin ’17; Junior Varsity- Alexandra Baker ’15, Hope Braue ’15, Isabelle Demontigny ’15, Kelsey Guo ’15, Disha Gupta ’15, Devon Kaiser ’15, Lauren Small ’15, Camila Castano ’16, Shannah Finkel ’16, Kathryn Harback ’16, Catarina “Caty” Matthews ’16, Jessica Torgovnik ’16, Alexandra Udoff ’16, Pia Bhatia ’17, Martine DiDomenico ’17, Larisa “Lara” Drzik ’17, Katherine Duggan ’17, Claire Fickinger ’17, Genevieve Fischer ’17, Louise Horn ’17, Sadie Loeber ’17, Carleigh Matthews ’17, Kaitlyn Sleyster ’17, Emily Supron ’17, Charlotte Walsh ’17 Season at a Glance: Coming off a State Sectional title in 2012, the varsity girls’ tennis team picked up right where it left off by cruising to a season-opening victory over Franklin. Krishna Patel ’16 (6-1, 6-0), Sharon Jin ’17 (6-1, 6-2) and Stephanie Fuentes ’14 (6-0, 6-0) swept each of their singles matches in the 5-0 victory on September 9. Also contributing to the shutout were Jacqueline Fuentes ’16 and Kendall Dunn ’14 at first doubles (6-2, 6-0) as well as Carolyn Najarian ’16 and Lucille Dunn ’16 of the second doubles squad, who won 6-0, 6-2. Winning continued for Patel (6-3, 6-4) and Jin (6-1, 6-0) as they won their first and second singles matches in the 3-2 victory over Voorhees on September 11. J. Fuentes and K. Dunn earned the match-winning point, defeating their opponents 6-2, 6-2 at first doubles. S. Fuentes (third singles) as well as the second doubles squad of Najarian and L. Dunn helped the Knights improve to 3-0 with a VARSITY GIRLS’ TENNIS sweep of Bernards on Lucille Dunn ’16.

September 12. The girls 14.

The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

remained unbeaten in regular season play with 4-1 victories over both Villa Walsh Academy and North Hunterdon on September 16 and 17.

Patel advanced to the finals in the first singles flight of the Somerset County Girls’ Tennis Tournament on September 22 at Green Knoll Tennis Center in Bridgewater, N.J. Jin also reached the semifinal round at second singles to guide the Knights to a fifth place overall finish at the team event. S. Fuentes earned critical points at third singles by advancing to the quarterfinals, as did the first doubles tandem of J. Fuentes and K. Dunn.

The Knights earned a 5-0 Raritan Division win over Franklin on September 24 when Emma Clayton ’14 teamed with Najarian for a 6-1, 7-5 second doubles victory. GSB had its six-match winning streak snapped in a 4-1 loss to Bridgewater-Raritan on September 26, but quickly rebounded with a 5-0 shutout over Rutgers Prep at Homecoming just two days later. Patel (6-3, 6-1), Jin (6-0, 6-1) and S. Fuentes (6-0, 6-0) swept their singles matches. K. Dunn and J. Fuentes won 6-3, 6-3 at first doubles, and the second doubles squad of L. Dunn and Najarian triumphed 6-4, 6-2.

October 2013

Dates to Remember Monday, October 14 Noon Dismissal – Professional Development Sunday, October 20 Middle & Upper School Open House (Tell all your friends!)

Tuesday, October 29 Lower School Admission Open House (Tell all your friends!)

Thursday, October 31Saturday, November 2 Upper School Fall Production The Servant of Two Masters (Tickets on sale now!)

Tuesday, November 12 GSB Parents’ Association Fashion Event A Day of Fashion, Friends and Finds

To view more school events, or for information on the above, please see GSB’s online calendar.

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

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Family Referrals Drive Student Enrollment The Monthly Newsletter for Gill St. Bernard’s School

According to the 2008 National Association of Independent Schools article Five Things Schools Can Do to Improve Enrollment, written by David Erdmann, sustainable enrollment in private schools is driven by positive word-of-mouth, periodic family satisfaction assessments and the commitment to improving areas of dissatisfaction. At Gill, at least 50 percent of this year’s new students were referred by a current family, friend or alumni already associated with the school.

Open houses are a key introduction designed to attract new students to Gill and drum up positive word-of-mouth. In addition to touring Gill’s 79-acre campus and meeting with faculty, attendees learn about the school’s well-rounded academics, arts and athletic programs, all of which contribute to graduates being poised for leadership and success in higher education and

Gill St. Bernard’s School • St. Bernard’s Road • Gladstone, NJ 07934

October 2013

beyond. Attendance has grown each year, and at last year’s two open house events a record number of attendees—nearly 150—visited the school. The GSB admission office encourages current families to spread the word again as it hosts its annual open house events on Sunday, October 20 and Sunday, November 24.

“Current families are the best advocates,” said Director of Admission Karen Loder.

“Their personal experiences with Gill provide insight into the strengths of the school—its emphasis on balancing academics, the arts and athletics—and, of course, the strong sense of community we offer to prospective students and their families.”

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