Hackley Review Winter 2020-21

HACKLEY HACKLEY REVIEW WINTER 2021

R E S I LI E N C E . FL E XI B I LIT Y. I N G EN U IT Y.

IN ALL THE TIME I’VE BEEN AT HACKLEY, WHICH IS A LONG TIME, WE’VE TALKED ABOUT HOW OUR COMMUNITY IS SPECIAL. AND IN ORDER FOR THAT TO BE TRUE AND SOMETHING YOU CAN BELIEVE IN, YOU HAVE TO SEE IT IN ACTION. IT WAS TESTED UNDER A VERY UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCE. AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST AND THE MOST HELPFUL AND THE MOST COOPERATIVE. WE REALLY DO CARE ABOUT ONE ANOTHER. IT WAS AFFIRMATION THAT COMMUNITY COMES FIRST AT HACKLEY. Phil Variano Associate Head of School for School Operations

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HACKLEY REVIEW WINTER 2021

Contents 2 From the Head of School

4 Stronger Together on the Hilltop

10 A Candle and a Mirror: The HPA in a Year of COVID

By Sally Kesh

14 Third Graders Making a Difference

By Roni Kanter

16 Senior Spring

By Sydney Stoller, Class of 2020

20 The Arts at Hackley: Opening the door. Finding the light.

26 When Life Gives You Lemons...

Aisha Laspina-Rodriguez Teresa S. Weber Editors Chris Taggart Primary Photography Alphabetica Design Special Thanks to Anne Sanderson for editorial support

By Don Eleck

32 Virtual Alumni Day 2020

By Margie McNaughton Ford ’85

40 End Note Convocation Speech

© Copyright 2021 Hackley School.

All rights reserved.

By Sebastian ‘Sebi’ Docters, Class of 2021

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from the head of school

Forward together. At some point during the COVID-19 pandemic, I began to close my messages to the Hackley community with this salutation.

These words serve as a reminder of the strength, support, and inspiration each of us can draw from the larger Hackley community. We will get through this together by sticking together.

A secondary meaning also exists, however, and it encapsulates my hopes for Hackley throughout this period in our history: continued progress in pursuit of the school’s mission and institutional goals, all of which is made possible by working in service of something greater than our own interests. Stories that encapsulate both meanings of forward together are highlighted in this edition of Hackley Review, providing insight into life at Hackley during COVID-19.

Resilience, adaptability, and professionalism are apt descriptors of the ways in which adult members of the Hackley community responded to COVID-19. Stronger Together on the Hilltop chronicles stories of our remarkable faculty, staff, administrators, and volunteers, all of whom have gone above and beyond — and continue to do so — so that school could reopen for in-person instruction. Together, we rethought what teaching and learning look like when teaching both students learning in-person, as well as those participating through Zoom from home. We also redesigned significant aspects of school life and school operations, all to continue providing today’s students a Hackley education, one that emphasizes deep connections, both in learning and in life.

Sydney Stoller, Class of 2020, writes about the experience of graduating during the pandemic in Senior Spring. Her essay highlights the challenges the Class of 2020 faced when Hackley suddenly moved to a 100% remote approach in March 2020, just as her class was ready to enjoy their last

few months on the Hilltop. The themes of resilience and adaptability that Sydney explores are also present in Fifth Grade Dean Don Eleck’s piece, When Life Gives You Lemons.

Both stories show that the development of a strong and unique school culture is never complete, whether students are entering the Middle School in fifth grade or leaving the Hilltop as graduates.

While always outstanding partners with the school, the Hackley Parents’ Association (HPA) provided energy, initiative, support, and spirit over the last nine months, all of which has been vital to preserving a sense of community in the absence of in-person gatherings and celebrations. Sally Kesh, HPA President, writes about the HPA’s efforts in A Candle and a Mirror: The HPA in a Year of COVID. The entire community owes Sally and the dedicated leadership and volunteers of the HPA a debt of gratitude for their efforts to maintain connections with returning families and build relationships with new families.

Even as we prioritize connections and community, Hackley has moved forward on key aspects of Redefining Excellence: Learning Beyond Boundaries, our strategic plan. For example, students and teachers continued with service-learning, a form of service to others integrated into curricula that became an institutional priority through Redefining Excellence.

Third grade teacher Roni Kanter writes about the grade-wide service-learning project known as Third Graders Making a Difference in an article of the same title. Despite COVID-19, these students and teachers continued with their projects, making the context and content for these activities central to classroom learning.

Hackley’s response to the pandemic has demanded a great deal of creativity, perhaps nowhere more so than in the visual and performing arts. How does one teach and perform in

Hackley School has endured other great challenges throughout national and world history, and we will continue to bring unreserved effort in our response to COVID-19.

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2020–2021 Board of Trustees Officers H. Rodgin Cohen, President

disciplines that are intended to bring people together in a moment when you are not permitted to bring people together? In The Arts at Hackley: Opening the Door. Finding the Light. faculty members in Hackley’s Performing Arts and Visual Arts Departments address this question, demonstrating their own creativity in the process. Over the last few years, these departments along with the Computer Science Department have collaborated to develop interdisciplinary learning opportunities that elevate the creative process, all inspired by initiatives in Redefining Excellence. Pandemic or not, the arts remain vibrant at Hackley and central to the experience of a Hackley education.

Sy Sternberg, Vice President

This edition of Hackley Review draws its inspiration from the unique and difficult period through which we are all living, one that will define many lives. Despite these challenges, the school — that is to say the individuals who live, learn, and work at Hackley — has responded in the most incredible ways imaginable. And this leaves me feeling optimistic.

Hackley School has endured other great challenges throughout national and world history, and we will continue to bring unreserved effort in our response to COVID-19. Those qualities that made Hackley both special and successful in previous times — the broader community and its unrelenting pursuit of the school’s mission — will continue to serve us well in this moment. Forward together.

Vin S. Sandhu, M.D. Vice President and Treasurer Maria A. Docters, Secretary

Christie Philbrick-Wheaton- Galvin ’00, President Sallyann Parker Nichols ’87, Vice President

Christopher P. Bogart

Timothy L. Kubarych ’06, Secretary

John C. Canoni ’86 Thomas A. Caputo ’65

Hackley Parents' Association 2020-2021

Dawn N. Fitzpatrick David I. Gluckman

Sally Kesh, President

Eric B. Gyasi ’01

Chitra Dhakad, Executive Vice President

Jason J. Hogg ’89 Linda Holden-Bryant

Sandra Socastro, Administrative Vice President

Kaveh Khosrowshahi ’85

Jeffrey Mook, Treasurer

Jeffrey A. Libert ’73

Roya Riazi, Assistant Treasurer

Michael H. Lowry

Marcy Wade, Upper School Vice President

Rachel Mears Hannah E. Saujet ’94 Jumaane W. Saunders ’96 John R. Torell IV ’80 Sarah J. Unger ’03 Maureen Wright

Jennifer McQuaid, Middle School Vice President Andrea Vitale, Lower School Vice President Charles Sichel-Outcalt, Secretary

Pamela Gallin Yablon, M.D. Leadership Team Honorary Trustees Herbert A. Allen ’58 Daniel A. Celentano John T. Cooney, Jr. ’76 Marvin H. Davidson Jack M. Ferraro H’63 Keith R. Kroeger ’54 Philip C. Scott ’60 Advisory Trustees John J. Beni ’51 David Berry ’96, MD, PhD Roger G. Brooks Robert R. Grusky ’75 Michael G. Kimelman ’56 Timothy D. Matlack ’70 Jonathan P. Nelson ’64 Diane D. Rapp Conrad A. Roberts ’68 Lawrence D. Stewart ’68

www.redefiningexcellence.org

Officers

Daniel E. Rifkin ’89, Treasurer Sherry Blockinger ’87

Berkeley D. Johnson, Jr. ’49

Michael C. Wirtz P ’29, P ’31 head of school

Hackley Alumni Association, Inc.

Michael C. Wirtz, Head of School Philip J. Variano, Associate Head of School for School Operations Steven D. Bileca, Assistant Head of School for Academic Affairs Peter McAndrew, Director of Finance and Campus Planning Andrew M. King, Director of the Upper School M. Cyndy Jean, Director of the Middle School Lisa Oberstein, Director of the Lower School Sheila Hicks-Rotella, Director of Enrollment Management Teresa S. Weber, Director of Advancement

Hackley School adheres to a long-standing policy of admitting students of any race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, and national origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or national origin in administration of its educational policies, employment, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, or athletic, and other schooladministered programs.

F E AT U R E

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IT’S ALL A COMMUNITY EFFORT—THE SAME AS IT IS DURING NON-COVID TIMES. THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT CHALLENGE US, BUT IT’S ABOUT THE WILLINGNESS AND ABILITY TO SHOW UP. Willie Teacher Middle and Upper School teacher

Caption

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Stronger Together on the Hilltop Like many schools operating during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hackley community has seen a fall semester like no other. Adapting to unique challenges daily, the kind that calls for on the ground, creative problem-solving is not unlike the approach we highlight in our classrooms.

What has made this journey especially meaningful for everyone at Hackley, is that it provides an opportunity for the students and staff to reaffirm their connection to the school.

Empathy, resilience, and a commitment to each other are characteristics that we witness daily, brought to life by the community at Hackley. Our staff and teachers, the nurse’s office, the building and grounds maintenance crew, and our catering services team exhibit admirable examples of what we value during this time, lessons that go beyond the classroom. These are the people who have been performing the tasks on and behind the scenes to deliver a successful and safe learning environment everyday. They have faced long work hours, and their own family’s concerns and health issues. There were PPE supply and material shortages, and of course having to quickly imagine and deploy an entirely new method of teaching, all while trying to stay safe.

Everyone was blindsided by the velocity of the pandemic, yet the Hackley community came together to face these challenges for the benefit of the students.

“We believe in our families and in our community — it’s the whole reason we’re here. Getting the kids out of their homes and here is the best way we can help,” says Associate Head of School for School Operations Phil Variano. He shares ex-

amples of how it all came together, from the early morning wellness checks carried out by staff volunteers to the custom plexiglass partitions crafted by Buildings and Grounds (B&G) employees.

B&G employees have worked at all hours to gather and install materials needed to adapt our classrooms and workspaces, from lining hallway floors with yellow tape to signify new walking pathways, to outfitting every corner of Hackley School with air filtration systems. “It’s extra time and effort for those people, and I am so grateful for them,” says Variano. Our students and teachers see the skill and efficiency of our Buildings and Grounds team every day. Safety measures have included: cautionary signs around campus, stockpiled and distributed masks and ionizers, and bathrooms outfitted with multiple sanitation supplies. All of these necessary details required the dedicated work of many different crew members who worked both day and night.

Outdoor classrooms filled with leaves? Our crews are on it.

Traffic jams in the parking lot due to limited bus service were quickly managed. Bill Smith, Director of Facilities, shared details about the new roles assumed by the B&G crew.

“In the past, traffic wasn’t an ordeal, now a good portion of the guys are doing traffic control in the morning. They help

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Middle School students spend time in the courtyard.

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WE ARE DEEPLY IMPRESSED BY, AND GRATEFUL FOR, THE COMMITMENT OF THE ENTIRE HACKLEY COMMUNITY TO WORKING TOGETHER TOWARDS OUR COMMON GOAL OF PROVIDING OUR CHILDREN A SAFE, IN-PERSON EDUCATION AMIDST THESE CHALLENGING TIMES. THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING PARENTS, STUDENTS, STAFF, FACULTY, AND ADMINISTRATION, CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATE THE MUTUAL SACRIFICES, TRUST AND RESPECT THAT ALLOWS EVERYONE TO BE SAFE, HEARD, AND PROTECTED. IT IS A TRUE PRIVILEGE TO BE PART OF THE HACKLEY COMMUNITY. Justin and Kerri Hamill P '29, '31

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students with crossing, parents with moving cars.” It is this attention to detail that has kept Hackley going strong.

Adds Anthony Mitchell, a Buildings and Grounds employee, “Things changed and we had to change with it. We do whatever we have to do, and the kids thank me, that’s just the thing about this special community.”

It will come as no surprise that the role the nursing team at Hackley has played throughout the semester has been an essential part of the in-person learning experience. The nursing team at Hackley is led by Shannon Schlifkin. Her work never stops, from keeping track of the students that are in and out, to keeping up to date with the latest New York State Department of Health news and regulations. Joining her team weekly are six medical professionals who visit the Hilltop on Fridays to collect 1,098 saliva samples from every student, faculty, and staff. Those samples are then sent to Mirimus Clinical Labs for testing, who then provide the Hackley community with a weekly health status report.

In addition, the health and safety monitoring that keeps our community safe involves a team of 30 staff members volunteering to conduct health checks for more than 1000 people each day as soon as they arrive. It is because of these efforts—along with the support of the families who meticulously follow safety guidelines—that our staff and students are able to come to school.

Keeping our students and staff well-fed and healthy is a key part of the school day that requires nimble and thoughtful planning from our food services team. FLIK employees have worked tirelessly to adjust to the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic and to follow the CDC guidelines. Early in the semester, the FLIK team pivoted and completely changed the way they provide meals to the community. The team instated new Grille Room schedules, and seamlessly transitioned from our usual buffet-style dining to safely packaging food individually. Michael Collichio, the Director of Dining Services, describes how the planning was truly a team effort, “each one of our associates have contributed to the planning and execution of our daily service. I think it is commendable how flexible they have all been in continually developing new

best practices and rethinking their role within the kitchen.

Whether it's stepping into a position they’ve never held or relocating to a different location to produce food remotely, they have been willing to do whatever they can to keep us strong.” FLIK has always been an integral part of our community, providing safe, healthy offerings every day. Their welcoming comfort and nutrition feel even more important now.

To walk into a classroom and see our students involved in lively discussions has truly been an inspiration for what can be achieved when we come together. The ongoing efforts of our teachers reimagining the curriculum for distance learning and designing programs for maximum engagement, whether remote or in a new kind of classroom space, has required innovative new approaches to teaching. “Faculty have transformed the way they do everything, demonstrating flexibility and ingenuity in transitioning their teaching and learning from physical classroom spaces to virtual zoom rooms. Our teachers are constantly evaluating and adjusting to deliver,” recounts Peter McAndrew, our Director of Finance and Campus Planning.

The faculty’s efforts are supported by the technology team at Hackley who were busy last summer programming cameras and installing new software in preparation for the students' return. Our faculty and staff continue to evolve to allow for distance learning, by introducing beneficial components such as digital design and creation for the Middle School’s Visual Arts program and Seesaw—a new digital interface software platform launched in the Lower School.

If one were to follow a student through their day at Hackley, they would see our core values demonstrated in our dedicated faculty and staff. Taken as a whole, it is an inspiring example of the power, the ingenuity, and lasting impact that a group of people can have. Individually, every member of our community contributes in meaningful ways each day on the Hilltop, modeling the power of one of our community’s core values, United, We Help One Another.

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Empathy, resilience, and a commitment to each other are characteristics that we witness daily, brought to life by the community at Hackley.

Community members enjoy an outdoor coffee station.

By Sally Kesh P’25, P’27 Hackley Parents’ Association President

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A Candle and a Mirror: The HPA in a Year of COVID

On a summer morning in July, shortly after assuming my new role as HPA President, I sat at my kitchen table, dejectedly checking off the Hackley Parents’ Association events that were likely to be canceled this year. Drop Off and Donuts.

Fall Sting. Parent Socials and the Winter Celebration… The list was long, the outlook discouraging.

Until that point, I had been happily anticipating the slew of events that typically pepper the fall calendar, especially given the unexpected six-month hiatus from campus we had all been taking. Yet here I was, reality setting in, and the prospects looked bleak.

My husband approached me, offering a cup of coffee and a reminder of the advice I often give our children: in the words of Maya Angelou, “if you don’t like something, change it.

If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” As I considered what I could change, and what I could change my attitude about, the answer became increasingly clear. While we obviously could not postpone a pandemic or reschedule the need for connection, we could change the mechanism by which we provide that connection. In the face of unprecedented challenges, we could seek novel ways to support our community and deepen our resolve to “spread beauty and light” on the Hilltop.

Edith Wharton once observed that “[t]here are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle, or the mirror that reflects it.” In many ways this year, the HPA and our dedicated

parent volunteers have strived to be the candle. We began the HPA Book Club, hosting monthly virtual meetings that have facilitated fast friendships and warm camaraderie. In addition to discussing books recommended by the broader community, we have shared personal stories and memories, and in the process have become more than faces on a screen.

We are now a family of bibliophiles.

The HPA has also brought light to the newest members of our Hackley family: incoming parents and students who face the unique challenge of acclimating during a time of social distancing. To ease their transition, the Hackley Hosts Committee expanded its summer outreach efforts, ensuring that these families received the same heartfelt Hackley welcome, even if socializing looked different. In the fall, despite the cancellation of the New Parent Reception, existing families found alternate ways to introduce themselves, sending video messages of welcome to new parents and students. Forging these connections with incoming families has been deeply rewarding, and while it may have required more creativity and planning than in the past, the resulting relationships undoubtedly are stronger for it.

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Members of the HPA gather for their monthly Executive Board meeting.

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We have established new traditions and redoubled our commitment to one another and to our community. In the face of overwhelming challenges, we have remained united in helping one another.

The Hackley Parents’ Association has further sought to strengthen relationships through “HPA Presents,” a social events series initiated this year. During the course of these virtual gatherings, we have bonded over raucous trivia competitions, decadent baking classes, and an enthralling tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In the process, we have also learned a number of critical life lessons. First, unless you have a predilection for losing, never challenge Upper School Director Andy King to trivia. Second, owning a stand-alone mixer does not entitle your desserts to look like Sherry’s or Daniela’s (both professional pastry chefs and members of the Hackley community). And most importantly, while we may have to be physically apart, that does not prevent us from being together.

In fact, a sense of togetherness can even be achieved outside of social events. Thanks to the ingenuity and dedication of our Hornets’ Nest co-chairs, the HPA has taken merchandise sales online for the first time in our history. While sharing school pride through sweaters and scrunchies may not seem life-altering, offering students this glint of normalcy during these unusual times has proven to be meaningful in its own right.

The HPA has truly enjoyed finding new and inventive ways of cultivating connection and spreading light to our community. In addition to “being the candle,” we have relished our role as “the mirror,” reflecting the accomplishments, talents, warmth, and joy of our extraordinary community.

Through the newly created Beauty and Light Committee, we have celebrated meaningful milestones with fellow parents, students, and employees. We also sponsored a campaign for parents to show their appreciation for faculty, staff, and administrators by writing over 250 notes of heartfelt gratitude.

2021. Via the “Seniors of the Week” series, these students’ outstanding accomplishments have been recognized by coaches and teachers, and shared with our wider community.

The HPA further showcased Hackley’s remarkable student body through the fall Coffeehouse. The virtual nature of this evening allowed us to broaden our audience and, for the first time, share the show-stopping talents of Upper School performers with all Upper and Middle School families.

Finally, we have continued the HPA tradition of bringing guest speakers to the Hilltop, even if remotely. In October, acclaimed author and illustrator Jerry Craft captivated Middle School students and parents with his artistry, and this spring, famed children’s book author Dan Gutman will discuss his craft with our Lower School families. Most poignantly, we marked “50 years of Women at Hackley” with a panel discussion in which current and former community members shared their personal experiences and memories from decades gone by.

Decades from now, we too will have our own experiences and memories to share from the Hilltop, and from this remarkable period in particular. For me, those feelings will be rooted in a deep sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the efforts we have each taken to keep our community safe.

Gratitude for altering my perspective that summer morning and taking Maya Angelou’s words to heart. And gratitude for not resigning ourselves to a lost year of isolation. Instead, we have forged ahead. We have established new traditions and redoubled our commitment to one another and to our community. In the face of overwhelming challenges, we have remained united in helping one another. We have continued to be and find a friend, and to place character above all else. And we have gone forth, dedicated as ever, to spread beauty and light across the Hilltop.

In partnership with the Athletic and Arts Departments, the HPA has also celebrated athletes and artists of the Class of

Clockwise from top right: HPA Presents: Sweets & Treats, a Holiday Baking Class; HPA prepares candy jar treats and letters of appreciation for Hackley employees.

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By Roni Kanter

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Third Graders Making a Difference “Go forth and spread beauty and light.” These words are taken very seriously throughout Hackley School. Third graders are learning to make these words part of a lifelong habit to make a difference in the world. Through a service learning curriculum, aptly called Third Graders Making a Difference, each month, students are learning about challenges and problems in their local and global communities, and they are focusing on using their voices, their minds, and their own two hands to be an important part of the solution.

Students of all ages come to school each day with a wide array of experiences and knowledge about what is going on in the world outside their home and beyond our beautiful Hilltop. This curriculum, designed to expand beyond the current grade level, provides a unique opportunity for students to share what they already know, to talk about what concerns them, and to work together to grow both awareness and support for those in need in our local community and around the world. With ties to music, art, literacy, math, social studies, and science, Third Graders Making a Difference provides a way for children of all ages, learning styles, interests, and abilities to access and process information in a safe, developmentally appropriate way.

Third Graders Making a Difference helps students to notice the commonalities between themselves and people in dramatically different situations. They begin to understand that there are a plethora of reasons why people or groups of people find it hard to make ends meet and to feel a relationship to others, accompanied by a yearning to make a difference.

In the past, through Third Graders Making a Difference Hackley students have: provided over 300 pairs of shoes to people around the world; raised awareness about the importance of the Hudson River and the need to protect the environment in and around it; invited current and former emergency service workers and members of the U.S. military to teach us about their experiences and sacrifices so as to support our efforts to provide detailed and meaningful thanks to them through Operation Gratitude (November) and Valentines for Veterans (February); learned about food insecurity in our local and global communities and joined the whole Lower School in donating to the Community Food Pantry of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown; learned about the important work of our local Ronald McDonald House and participated in a snack collection to provide comfort to its families; and participated in a job-a-thon, in which students worked, earned money, and purchased much needed baby products and supplies for families utilizing the Open Door Medical Center. As you can see, our third graders’ efforts made a huge difference to many, and it was just the beginning.

This year, due to the pandemic, we have to do things a bit differently. Instead of getting together as a grade, we now meet on Zoom. Instead of working in small groups across the grade, we must work within our own classrooms. However, this has not dampened our third graders’ spirit one bit.

In fact, the combination of the pandemic and the need for social distancing, combined with the current social justice and political climate, has served to provide students with an even deeper motivation to make a difference.

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The combination of the pandemic and the need for social distancing, combined with the current social justice and political climate, has served to provide students with an even deeper motivation to make a difference.

Third graders began the year by writing letters thanking all of the people that made it possible for them to return to Hackley this fall, including Hackley buildings and grounds, faculty and staff, the saliva testing team, doctors, nurses and staff at local hospitals, delivery people, grocery stores, post offices, mask makers, the CDC, Governor Cuomo, and so many more. They have been participating in the UNICEF Kid Power Program, to provide therapeutic nutrition packs for children around the world. They used their voices, by decorating paper megaphones, that illustrated the change

they want to see in the world and to steer our work for the rest of the year. They also created lovely cards for World Kindness Day to show their appreciation for Hackley faculty and staff.

Emblematic of our values, this group of third graders are united in their plans to make a real difference, their unreserved effort shining beauty and light on our Hilltop and beyond for years to come.

THE CLASS OF 2020 REFLECTS

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By Sydney Stoller, Class of 2020

Senior Spring I missed homeroom on my first day of senior year. It was a bad omen, but I was blissfully unaware of just how indicative this gaffe would be of the rest of the school year. As a rule, I’d like to think that I am pretty punctual, but the Rte 684 traffic gods were not on my side that morning. I inched deeper and deeper into the Hackley campus, slowly making my way to the Johnson Center to park while mentally planning the most efficient route to my homeroom. 8:09. I headed straight to first period calculus.

Exactly eight months later, I was late again.

In a representation of the universe’s twisted sense of humor (or love of symmetry), I slept through my last ever high school class. By the time I rolled out of bed, our zoom meeting was long over, and there was nothing that I could do about it. I was not hurrying down the hallway to sign in with Ms. Coy, or rushing to ensure that I had enough time to drop my sports bag in the lounge before my next class. Instead of running into my teacher later in the day, or stopping in during lunch to apologize, I sent him a quick email trying to convey my sincere regret through a method of communication that does not account for emotions.

As students growing up in a world concerned with APs, club sports, and living “just outside the city,” we are used to putting ourselves on a track to achieve a predictable goal. We model our friend groups on the grades that came before us, and choose our prom dresses based on posts in a Facebook group, just so we know that there will be no surprises.

I am aligned with my classmates in this quest for tradition and predictability. I too could not wait for the rites that accompany senior spring at Hackley. Sports banquets, senior

Left: Students move from class to class on an autumn day.

dinners, class trips, carrying a white rose down the steps to Akin Common on the first Saturday in June, to name a few.

As COVID cases surged in Westchester in March and April, however, I wondered what would happen to these predictable outcomes now that I had absolutely no control. It was as if the world as a whole slept through its alarm, although now the consequences were far more severe than missing a class.

There was no precedent for graduates facing a pandemic, so we as a class had no older and wiser friend groups to model off of or way to ensure that we would not show up in the same prom dress.

For me, someone who is admittedly a little high strung and who would benefit from the occasional administration of a “chill pill” (as many of my teachers have lovingly suggested), this lack of control and unpredictability was unnerving.

Luckily, I had a lot of free time to process how exactly these “unprecedented times” would affect the Class of 2020 beyond the impossible logistics of a socially distanced graduation. It had taken upwards of six months, but I finally

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THE CLASS OF 2020 REFLECTS

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realized that with the loss of predictably comforting events came a freedom from the boundaries reinforced by the seniors before us.

see them again for a huge chunk of time (if ever?). We were able to shrug off the consequence of the event, and I think in many ways that came as a relief.

We were free from the burdens of coming up with creative promposals, deciding on the perfect class field trip, or recreating the perfect graduation pictures. Apparently when there is a risk of spreading a deadly disease, social norms and pressures are no longer a priority.

In order to avoid the smug smiles that come from adults when I admit that I “learned something� from a difficult experience, I would like to emphasize the notion that I certainly would have preferred there not to have been a deadly pandemic this year.

Our unique circumstances also released us from the emotional expectations that accompany a milestone like graduation. Students are normally expected to feel sad, happy, nostalgic, etc. Again, I really can not vouch for the accuracy of these predicted feelings because this is not what I experienced.

With that said, I am now free to admit that from my experience this spring, I did gain new insights and skills.

In addition to becoming adept at Zoom classes and managing my time during a virtual school day, I learned about the clarity that comes when all precedent disappears. When traversing uncharted territories, you can not make a wrong turn because there is no map to follow.

Instead, when we graduated in August with our parents watching via livestream from their cars, everything was so insane that the general consensus was more weirdness than anything else. We had not seen the majority of our classmates since early March, and knew we probably would not

The Class of 2020 proved this spring that we are expert wanderers, unafraid to disembark with absolutely no clue where we are going.

Senioritis: Scan the QR code to listen to Senioritis: A podcast about Senior Spring in the age of COVID-19 by Gabrielle Caramanica, Class of 2020 or visit: bit.ly/GCpodcast20

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For the Love of the Game: Athletics Department Overcomes Today’s Challenges This year is unlike any other in Hackley Athletics history, but students and coaches are making the best of a difficult situation and celebrating wins along the way.

• More than 230 students participated in Upper School sports and more than 115 participated in the Middle School — the highest enrollment in fall sports in recent history.

• In lieu of fall Ivy League competitions, students participated in intra-scholastic athletics where they played against each other, gaining valuable playing experience and exploring new ways of team building.

• Students enjoyed many games of flag football, limiting contact and keeping each other healthy and safe.

• In the absence of interscholastic competition, Hackley held three time trials on the track under the lights for the Cross Country team. Fully Automated Timing was used to assist those looking to go to college to run.

• For the first time at Hackley, we live-streamed our annual end of the season dinners and contests for all levels of competition.

• Upper School students were featured in our new Seniors of the Week series honoring Hackley’s graduating athletes.

• A signing day was held this fall for five Division I athletes.

• T he second “Current Trends in Sports Medicine” virtual event was held in December with visiting experts from Columbia University’s Department of Orthopedics where discussions included Cardio-Pulmonary effects of COVID-19 for athletes and the psychological impact of concussions.

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The Arts at Hackley: Opening the door.

Finding the light.

Sometimes, we are presented with situations outside of our control which force us to examine and change the way things have always been done. When faced with obstacles, we explore new approaches, opening our minds to what is not only possible, but transformative. In and out of school, we have all had to change our daily habits and behaviors, and decide what we can safely keep from the old ways and what needs to be changed. At Hackley, ‘change’ has opened the doors to unique possibilities in the arts. Approaching teaching during a pandemic called for starting from a place of safety, allowing time for the extra steps needed each day, setting up new physical spaces, and coming up with creative solutions for remote learning. From new outdoor classrooms to reimagined virtual lessons, the visual and performing arts classes have emerged with meaningful transformations and new traditions.

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Sculpture students work with an oil-based modeling clay in the outdoor 'pottery patio'.

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Within a small circle of trees behind the Lower School lies a whimsical outdoor music classroom imagined by Ms. Heidi Chisholm. She faces rows of painted tree stumps with tiny fairy doors that provide seating for children. Triangle instruments are strung from tree branches, blowing in the breeze and filling the air with music. Faux butterflies are scattered throughout. Overhead, three triangle sails provide cover for the children who sit below, enjoying this reinvented music class for 40 minutes a day.

Here among the trees, Ms. Chisholm teaches general music and strings to Lower School students. She created this space for the students’ safe return to a new form of physical classroom this fall. Describing her inspiration for this outdoor space she says, “I told myself ‘We don’t have enough adventure, and here is my chance. We’re going outside and in every music class we’re going to have an adventure.’ I want this to be magical for the kids. I want them to look back and say, ‘that was the year of butterflies and flowers and fairies.’”

As the faculty and staff moved quickly and thoughtfully to come up with ways to work around obstacles throughout Hackley, Ms. Chisholm introduced solutions that provided a welcoming and safe experience for the students returning to the Hilltop. She was motivated by her commitment to the students and to performing arts, which is struggling in the face of the pandemic. Her innovation allowed for an opportunity to teach the kids to explore the calm and beauty of music. “Whatever we can do to keep it alive on this level...

I’m going to do it.”

On a rainy day, Ms. Chisholm cleared brush from adjacent land and, measuring the area with a piece of rope, tied red ribbon around stones to create a safe space for singing. “We call it Melody Meadow. The protocol says kids can’t sing unless they are twelve feet apart and have their masks on.

I can’t imagine a kindergartener coming to music class for a whole year and never opening their mouth to sing.

It is fundamental to music education. Now we have the kids singing again.”

One of the benefits that came from this idea was opening up Melody Meadow to others in the Hackley community, from dramatists to nature enthusiasts. When asked why she dedicated the physical effort to creating an outdoor classroom for her students, Ms. Chisholm explained that like the power of

music on the brain’s activity, this new way of teaching invites awareness and creativity. “This has not been a limiting factor for me. In a lot of ways, we’ve expanded our curriculum in response to COVID. It has allowed us to throw the doors open and do so much more…and we have a lot of fun out here, together.”

Across the Hilltop in the Middle School, in a classroom facing the Johnson Center for Health and Wellness, Ms. Megan Fogarty bids goodbye to her acapella group, off to their next class. “It has taken some getting used to. As a teacher, you can’t read your students behind the mask.

You’re not sure what kind of day they’re having. But I’m using listening journals in my classroom. Everyone has an identity journal. And now I get to read their reflections and I can see that the kids who are shier—and that I never hear from—are ‘getting’ the music, and I get to know them.”

Ms. Fogarty teaches the Middle and Upper School Choral program, and in reinventing her curriculum this year, there have been positive developments and a lesson in keeping an open mind to new ways of sharing voice. “My acapella group is working on a piece for the holidays. We’re going to record it in the tent outside of my classroom. I have no idea what kind of blend we’re going to get, but we are going to make the most of music.” Ms. Fogarty explains that her goal is to teach students about the importance of music, and to explore the meaning behind the words of classic and contemporary songs, from Bill Withers’ Lean on Me to Foo Fighters cover songs on YouTube. Designing methods for teaching the choral program virtually has provided an opportunity for deepening and personalizing the students’ connection to the work — “It gives me a lot more time to meet the kids where they are individually. One of my favorite things about virtual learning this year has been the personalized check-ins. It’s something I’m going to continue.”

Ms. Sarah Coble, Middle and Upper School art teacher, envisions ongoing potential in the new outdoor classroom space where her students thrive. She refers to it as the “pottery patio” and describes how nature plays a part, “All of the fresh air and the green... they feel it and they are responding to it.

And when it’s raining, we come inside and open all of the windows…I’m excited about this.” Ms. Coble had to rethink her medium for her sculpture class. She is used to teaching her students to create works of art using wood, sheet metal,

Clockwise from top left: Ms. Heidi Chisholm with Lower School students, Ms. Sarah Coble with students in her outdoor 'pottery patio', painted tree stumps are scattered throughout Ms. Chisholm's outdoor classroom.

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and ceramics, and has now introduced students to using an oil-based modeling clay that is easier to transport between school and home. “My 9th grade sculpture students are doing self-portraits with clay. I think they really enjoy it.” She continues, “Our curriculum is fine-art based and we do a lot of representational work. Instead of wood figures, they are making figures out of clay. They all took home portfolios of paper patterns to make paper and cardboard sculptures.

These are projects I may continue to work with even after things return to normal.”

Citing Dr. Derrick Gay, a leading practitioner and consultant in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion who has worked with Hackley since the 2018-2019 school year, Ms. Coble shared her thoughts on crisis and opportunity relative to her classroom experience today, noting that she has seized the opportunity to ask herself “how can I open doors this way?”

Recently, Ms. Coble and her students attended a panel discussion on Zoom on race and racism with Black ceramic artists who shared thoughts on the art of protest. This led to a follow up virtual visit with Yonkers-based artist Vinnie Bagwell sharing her installation of life-sized sculptures.

“They saw the artist speak on a panel discussion, and now we’re going to have a zoom visit. It’s one of those things we would not have done, and it’s a great opportunity… and something I can continue doing.”

For the drama department, the biggest challenge was understanding that in-person performances were not going to be possible, shares Ms. Merideth Maddox who teaches drama to Middle and Upper School students. She had to strategize how to teach with video and audio recording using students’ Chromebooks outside or from home. She came up with innovative ideas such as using games and exploring new ways for students to engage in the craft when masked. “Students are having to use 90 percent of their bodies more expressively because they have this restriction over their face.”

There are advantages that come from more personalized interactions, “The voice work that we are doing now is stronger because the kids are only doing recordings for me for voiceover; I can really pick those apart and I can be really specific with my notes versus if they were just performing in a scene. These types of things are good.” New traditions were born, such as student interviews with community members for the voiceover unit. When students were given the opportunity to interview adults on campus it offered a window into what we are all facing. “They got to meet more people and they got to make a new friend at this time when we are so alone. It helped the kids to humanize the adults.

The students loved that project, and now I'm going to do it every year.”

Mr. Willie Teacher teaches Middle and Upper School theatre, acting, and public speaking. He also saw positive changes come out of the restrictions required to safely teach his Acting 2 and 3 classes. “In my Acting 2 class, it’s three girls and they are so committed to the playful exploration of Shakespeare in its own entity. We have been burning through the plays by capturing three or four important scenes, doing round-robins of performative moves, interpretive dances and things that weren’t on the dais before. We just have to keep being flexible.”

Mr. Teacher, like the rest of the visual and performing arts faculty, demonstrated for his students a way to flourish during this time. He suggests we “find the light — take advantage of the situation that’s there.” Mr. Teacher discovered that there are some things that challenge us to create space and encourage all voices to be shared, because as he says, “we are forced to overcome larger obstacles together.”

These transitions, at first unwelcome, have enhanced the way faculty and students connect to develop their craft.

Left: Middle and Upper School students explore acting and theatre outdoors.

By Don Eleck

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When Life Gives You Lemons...

We all agree that it is important to have students at school and learning in person, and we are truly appreciative of all the people who help to make it possible. With our students in classrooms and safety protocols in place, we are working collectively to explore creative ideas for bringing us together in the Middle School this year. As the fifth grade dean, I am pleased to say that we have a great group of students and faculty in our midst, and when we started to feel the pinch of our new COVID-related rules, the fifth grade sprung into action. Together we came up with appropriate activities to make the most of our time on the Hilltop.

Recently, our fifth grade community council members suggested a series of spirit days where students were encouraged to dress in their favorite sports paraphernalia, or to wear a particular color to school in solidarity. My homeroom once enjoyed lunch by one of my favorite rock climbing sites near Deer Pond. Mr. Daniel Lipin runs socially distant Hive soccer games during recess. Ms. Lauren Rigby played ‘happy birthday’ on her cello last month during a grade level Zoom call. We are also creating Flipgrid videos explaining our favorite hobbies or interests, while getting to know each other a little better in the process. Collectively, we are doing our best to make things exciting and fresh, all while being safe in school.

Comparatively, in years past we played games at recess with shared equipment and close contact. In class, we played games and engaged in group activities that had us moving around the room. Now with social distancing guidelines in place, we’ve shifted our focus and come up with new community-building routines, utilizing technology to help our students and faculty stay connected. Most recently, a special video project fostered class spirit and developed strong bonds, displaying the creativity and resilience of our fifth grade population: During a study hall in the early weeks of school, Cadey M. and Mrs. Monica Carrier unwittingly planted the roots of what would become a special project for our fifth graders. Over the course of

the next few weeks, our students and faculty would participate in a humble choreographed dance routine that evolved into a grade-wide competition.

Off to a great start, homeroom 5-3 offered the other two homerooms a challenge: who could make the best socially distant dance video. Students and teachers alike practiced each morning and each afternoon, enjoying lots of silly moments and heavy laughter. Some students were understandably skeptical at first, but ultimately continued practicing until we were ready for Hackley videographer Wade Tonken to join the fun. Adjusting lighting and encouraging five ‘takes’ during filming, Mr. Tonken’s production and editing skills made us look better than we really were.

The other two classes also created amazing videos. Mr. Lipin and his class produced a stellar dance video, which included remote learners. The talented Mrs. Erica Jablon and Mrs. Lauren Rigby also included Mr. Tonken’s expertise in producing their class’s dance video. It was fun to see the camaraderie and spirited exchanges between the homerooms. We were excited to do this together; this project brought us even closer. In the end, we agreed to change the project name from a competition to a dance exhibition in the spirit of character and friendship above all else.

This year, we are experiencing new challenges that alter how we can interact with one another, but we have taken the opportunity to think of new ways to be together and feel connected. The kids loved our video project because they worked closely as a team and they explored new skills, including organization and leadership.

This experience has been special—it was heartwarming to know that our students were not only learning, but having fun by socializing in these new and unique ways. What’s most important is that even though we have been pushed to try new things as the result of a pandemic, we plan to continue enjoying our new resources and activities beyond this school year.

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Visit bit.ly/HSdance5 or scan this QR code

to watch the dance video!

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Faculty Explore New Teaching Pedagogy and Software The traditional Hackley classroom has evolved due to the continued presence of COVID-19. Read the highlights below of how faculty members are exercising creativity in their use of technology.

• T he Computer Science department reimagined curriculum with a focus on design for distance learning, which includes pacing guides, greater use of video content requiring student response and discussions, and use of Schoology’s ‘Student Progress’ tool for guidance on asynchronous work.

• Performing Arts reimagined curricula and added SmartMusic digital platform to their teaching toolbox, providing continued assessment of student growth in music performance through the sharing of student recorded musical excerpts.

• T he Middle School Visual Arts program introduced a digital design and creation component called Creative Arts-Major where students learn and develop their computer programming skills using Open Processing computer programming language. Students develop their coding skills and learn how to computationally manipulate points, lines, shapes, color, time, movement, and interactivity.

• T he Lower School launched Seesaw—a new digital interface software platform designed specifically for our youngest students, allowing digital communication through easily shared digital files, images, and videos.

• Our faculty and technology experts continue to evaluate and introduce new tools to support learning, including EdPuzzle, IXL Learning, Kami, Raz-Plus, Socrative, Typing Club, VoiceThread, Matholia, and so much more!

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PEOPLE HAVE SHOWN TREMENDOUS EMPATHY FOR EACH OTHER. EVERYONE IS STEPPING IN TO HELP EVEN THOUGH THEY THEMSELVES ARE OVERWHELMED. PEOPLE CARE FOR EACH OTHER HERE. AND THAT IS AN UNBELIEVABLE QUALITY FROM THIS INSTITUTION. Heidi Chisholm Lower School teacher

THE ONE THING ABOUT THIS SCHOOL THAT BLOWS MY MIND IS THE WILLINGNESS TO JUMP IN, REINVENT, AND KEEP TRYING AT 150%. IF YOU NEED HELP, YOU SEND AN EMAIL AND YOU HAVE IT IN 30 SECONDS. THE TALENT AT THIS SCHOOL AND THE WILLINGNESS TO SHARE IT IS MAGNIFIED NOW. IT’S UNIQUE. IT’S A TONE WE SET HERE, AND IT’S VERY FUN AND INSPIRING TO BE PART OF IT. Megan Fogarty Middle and Upper School teacher

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THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC HACKLEY HAS DONE A REMARKABLE JOB OF KEEPING KIDS AND FAMILIES SAFE WHILE WORKING HARD TO OPTIMIZE THE ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE. I HAVE BEEN STRUCK BY THE EFFORTS THE SCHOOL HAS MADE TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PANDEMIC IS IMPACTING OUR CHILDREN SOCIALLY AND EMOTIONALLY, AND HOW THAT KNOWLEDGE IS BEING USED TO ENRICH THE ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT. Angela Aman P '27

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By Margie McNaughton Ford ’85 Margie McNaughton Ford, a member of the Class of 1985, is Director of Alumni Engagement, parent of a Hackley graduate, as well as the daughter of Hackley legends Randy and Mary Anne McNaughton.

Virtual Alumni Day 2020 In a year of a global pandemic, social distancing, and mask-wearing, we all needed a little fun while reconnecting with our Hackley family.

And so this year we shifted Alumni Day to Zoom, welcoming over 300 alumni to campus virtually. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces of alumni from around the country and the world!

So many moments defined the day – here are a few highlights...

Right: Head of School Michael C. Wirtz shares a photo of Mrs. Hackley behind the scenes.

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Left: Honorary Alumna Helen Erickson, former music teacher and Head of the Performing Arts Department.

Right: John Beni ’51 was awarded the Alumni Service Award by classmate Dick Hodgeson ’51 during a virtual ceremony prior to Alumni Day. Here are the duo on Alumni Day 2016 at the Dave Allison Memorial Soccer Game. Pictured from left to right: Berk Johnson ’49, John Beni ’51, Sean Ford ’20, and Dick Hodgson ’51.

HONORING HELEN ERICKSON

THE ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD

Honorary Alumnus/a is the highest honor the Hackley Alumni Association can bestow on a former faculty member.

This year, the honor went to Helen Erickson, former music teacher and Head of the Performing Arts Department. In her 36 years of service to Hackley, Helen Erickson's leadership and community ethics helped build a vibrant program of choral, band, orchestral music, and drama for K-12 students.

Ken Noda ’80, Musical Advisor and Honorary Teacher for the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program at the Metropolitan Opera and a renowned pianist, said he was honored to induct Helen Erickson into Hackley’s “Hall of Fame.” He went on to say, “You have left such an impression and legacy at Hackley, that 11 years after you retired you are still completely unforgettable and you are still very much alive in each of the students that you taught. And, I wanted to congratulate you and your magnificent life.” Helen closed the induction ceremony with, “In light of iconic fellow faculty member Arthur Neathing’s famous saying ‘Go Forth and Spread Beauty & Light’, go forth. I am honored to join you.”

The Alumni Service Award honors alumni whose record of service, rather than a single act or achievement, warrants recognition. It recognizes those who have provided outstanding and invaluable support to Hackley through their service efforts. On a Zoom call, Dick Hodgson ’51 presented the Alumni Service Award to his life long friend John Beni ’51 for his commitment and dedication to Hackley. Dick noted John’s longtime service to the school as a Hackley Alumni Association Director, Hackley Trustee, and Advisory Trustee.

He is an alumni leader who rallies classmates and friends to attend reunions and alumni events, and is always willing to help with philanthropic efforts. Dick remarked that “John would always say, ’Please don’t let our classmates know that I am involved.’ Sorry, John, your little secret is out. Everyone knows about your behind the scenes efforts and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and we proudly present you, John Beni, with this prestigious Alumni Service Award.”

Baritone Morgan Smith ’93, who has performed all over the world and most notably created the role of Starbuck in Jake Heggie's widely celebrated Moby-Dick, paid tribute to Helen with Beautiful Dreamer by Stephen Foster. He prefaced the song by remarking, “Anyone who has been lucky enough to have Helen Erickson as a teacher, knows how she awakened the song in our hearts and helped us to fulfill our dreams.”

In closing the Zoom ceremony, Head of School Michael Wirtz said, “Thank you on behalf of your classmates and our students. Your commitment to the school is exceptional and the way you have done it humbly and quietly speaks more to your character and commitment to the school than just about anything.”

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Archival photo of the Old Oak tree on the Quad circa early 1900s.

The Old Oak was knocked down during a 2020 nor’easter and was remembered on Alumni Day 2020.

REMEMBERING THE OLD OAK

On Alumni Day, John Gannon, Director of Development and Alumni Affairs, paid tribute to the Old Oak tree which once stood on the Quad and was knocked down during a tropical storm on August 4, 2020; the tree was likely 150 years old.

As John noted, trees that have lived as long as the Old Oak are often referred to affectionately as “Witness Trees.” The Old Oak witnessed many events that took place on the Hilltop— the Goodhue fire in 2007, the coeducation of Hackley, as well as the friendships forged, some of them in the cool shade it provided on warm spring and fall days. He added, “In 2004, Jen Klingman ’09, then in 8th Grade, wrote, The Old Oak on the Quad, which she dedicated to the children of Hackley. Peter Nulty, the father of two alumni and husband of former Director of Development Kathy Valyi, provided the illustrations. Let me close with words Peter shared with me years ago. As you ponder his words, I invite you to think back on your journey on the Hilltop and the friendships you found here - they all started after you walked by this tree on the way to the Admissions Office. I quote Peter: ‘White oaks sometimes grow TWO trunks, which I take as a symbol of friendship. As you go through life - be like a white oak.’” To view The Old Oak tribute video, please scan the QR code below or visit www.bit.ly/39G5lrW.

Virtual Alumni Day Featured: •A nnual Meeting of the Alumni Association hosted by HAA President Christie Philbrick-Wheaton-Galvin ’00 •S tate of the School with Head of School Michael C. Wirtz • Hackley trivia game • I nduction of Helen Erickson as an Honorary Alumna •P resentation of the Alumni Service Award to John Beni '51 •M emorial Service for our dear friends we lost this year •5 0 Years of Co-Education Panel Discussion •V irtual chat rooms with beloved faculty and coaches •B lack Alumni Council Meeting hosted by Tanya Nicholson Miller ’90, Chair of the BAC

The Old Oak tribute video

•2 0th-anniversary Celebration of the AGSA Club

Scan the QR code to the left to watch!

• Milestone reunion gatherings

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Alumni were welcomed back by students, faculty, coaches, and the Hornet in an epic video that featured a trip up the hill from the Hornet’s perspective.

Scan this QR code to watch the alumni day video or view it at: https://youtu.be/khUYPYIqKJI

Above, clockwise from top left:

Right, top to bottom:

History teacher Melissa Stanek ’90 welcomes alumni back to their Hilltop.

Members of the Class of 2032 pose with the Hornet in the Walter C. Johnson Center for Health and Wellness.

The Hornet catches up with Upper School students on Akin Common.

The Hornet relaxes after a long flight up the Hackley hill.

Andy King, Director of the Upper School, and Claudia Coy, Upper School Assistant, having fun in the Upper School hallway.

Members of the Music Department and the Hackley Music Institute created a jazz version of our Hackley Alma Mater which premiered on Alumni Day 2020.

Pictured from left to right: Rafi Malkiel – Trombone, Mike Mancini – piano, Jeff Brown – Guitar, Dylan Chalfy – Drums, and Wade Tonken – Bass.

Though the campus was quiet this year on Alumni Day due to the pandemic, over 300 alumni and faculty members re-engaged with each other, faculty members, and the campus.

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F E AT U R E

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WHAT TO DO WITH THE GIRLS — 50 YEARS OF WOMEN ON THE HILLTOP

In celebration of 50 years of women on the Hilltop, alumnae from the early 70s came together on Alumni Day to reminisce about Hackley’s early days of co-education. Sojourner Elleby ’11, an Editorial Producer at Bloomberg LP and radio show host, moderated a panel of four women: Liz Wilson ’72, Linda Martinson Mayer ’73, Lori Ordover ’73, and Stephanie Sanders Sullivan ’76. The four alumnae discussed the challenges endemic to attending the school in the advent of coeducation, from the lack of womens’ bathrooms (there was only one, formerly a men’s room, that was painted pink) to the lack of girls’ sports (female students were asked to coach/manage boys’ teams to satisfy their sports requirements). They all praised the academics, noting that Hackley was where they learned to write due to the strength of the English Department.

Most agreed that Hackley was a warm and welcoming, and somewhat inclusive place to be. Though Linda found Hackley to be a boys club where “you sort of had to fight your way in and be independent,” Lori remembered that “There were so few girls, it gave us more freedom because the administration really didn’t know what to do with us and so we could just do almost anything.” Liz agreed and said, “I think it worked to our advantage in the beginning.”

Stephanie, a career diplomat who studied languages at Hackley, remarked, “At Hackley, you had the chance to do just about anything that interested you and, maybe in retrospect, you could see the seeds were planted some time ago at Hackley.”

THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AGSA CLUB

Students, alumni, and faculty celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the founding of AGSA with a Zoom discussion led

by Dave Karger ’91, host of Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

Founder Joe Hutchinson ’02 spoke about creating the GSA Club (Gay, Straight, Alliance) with his friend Liz Lax ’01, and shared stories about the club’s early years. The name of the club has since changed to AGSA, which stands for All Genders and Sexualities Allied. Current AGSA president Blu Hudson ’21 noted, ”The newer name was designed to include all people on the spectrums of sexuality and gender.” She went on to say that the current AGSA is an important and active club at Hackley. They sponsor movie nights, air and shares, as well as Drag Night, a popular event.

Dave has been a champion of the club for many years and so has his mom, Mary Jane Karger, wife of HAA Director Tom Karger ’63 and co-chair of the GLSEN’s Hudson Valley Chapter, who also joined the conversation.

www.HackleyConnect.org HackleyConnect.org, our online networking platform, is a one-stop shop for finding or posting jobs and internships, staying up-to-date on Hilltop news, and networking with fellow alumni and Hackley parents in your field or region.

Join today at www.hackleyconnect.org.

Questions? Contact Margie McNaughton Ford ’85 at mford@hackleyschool.org.

From left to right: Alumnae from the early 70s came together on Alumni Day to reminisce about the early years of co-education. From left to right: Moderator Sojourner Elleby ’11, Linda Martinson Mayer ’73, Liz Wilson ’72, Stephanie Sanders Sullivan ’76, and Lori Ordover ’73.

It takes a dedicated team to pull off Virtual Alumni Day. Pictured from left to right: The Hornet, Mrs. Hackley, Margie McNaughton Ford ’85, and not pictured, the Hackley Advancement Team!

“ I was excited to attend an Alumni Day chat room with favorite teachers Dick and Julie Lillis. It was so good to catch up with them and see some old classmates, as well as meet a few new alums. A very unexpected bonus was “seeing” and reconnecting with my childhood next-door neighbor who I haven’t been in touch with since we graduated from Hackley.” –mol ly d ougher t y ’ 89

CELEBRATING MILESTONE REUNIONS

This year, many classes celebrating milestone reunions reunited virtually to reconnect and catch up with one another. Dinamarie Garcia-Banigan ’90 remarked, “The 30th reunion for the Class of ’90 couldn’t have been better considering the state of the world we are living in today.

It was great to see so many faces from people who live on campus to those who attended all the way from Japan!

And lots of places in between.” Former and current faculty members Anne Siviglia, Julie Lillis, Dick Lillis, Dave Sykes, and Mort Dukehart surprised some of the classes by popping into the Zoom reunions to join in on the fun. Some classes got creative. Faculty member and coach, Seth Karpinski channeled his inner game show host for the Class of 2010’s reunion trivia game. The Class of 1985, which had the largest turnout with over half the class Zooming in, took an entertaining run down memory lane led by Jeff Feinberg ’85.

Tom Lee ’70, 50th Reunion Committee member, recently wrote, “Our planning team embraced the new normal form of communication by organizing several Zoom events that were surprisingly well attended. We also organized Zoom events for two of our most distinguished classmates, Fred Hochberg and Bill Freeman, who shared their expertise on International Trade and Immigration respectively.

We opened up those expert talks to the larger Hackley

community and genuinely felt a level of learning and debate that reminded us of the excellent education we all had in common as graduates of Hackley. I suspect we may have invented a new component that future classes will make part of their 50th Reunion Celebrations."

50+ CLUB MEMBERS ZOOM TOO

Alumni Day’s 50+ Club festivities included a virtual panel with five members of Hackley’s Class of 2021 moderated

by John Gannon. The seniors shared their thoughts and impressions about Hackley today, including what it’s like to be an Upper School senior in the age of COVID. One of the seniors, Arjun, noted, “It was truly an honor to be a part of such a meaningful event, even though it was virtual. It was great to see everybody interact and joke around, as well as share my experiences as a senior at Hackley.”

The Chair of the 50+ Club, Tom Karger ’63, P ’89, P ’91, GP ’26, commented, “I thought John and the students gave us some enlightening insight into how Hackley initially dealt with the pandemic and how the school is continuing to provide a healthy and safe environment for learning. As I mentioned at the end of the call, I was especially impressed with the resilience all of the students demonstrated, keeping an upbeat attitude in spite of disappointment over the loss of many usual events and experiences.”

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END NOTE

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Convocation Speech

By Sebastian ‘Sebi’ Docters, Class of 2021

Hey everybody!

Welcome back to the hilltop, or for some, the virtual hilltop for the 2020-2021 school year. Although it’s not quite the scene we are used to, it’s nice that we can be here in person and in community during these times. I think I can speak for a lot of us when I say how grateful I am for the administration, faculty, and staff that have made it possible for us to return to campus. It is a privilege to be back on this beautiful campus, so thank you to everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this a safe reality for us all.

In trying to fathom the chaos, sadness, and overall changes of the past several months, I’m at a loss for words. There’s not much out there that can hit you like a global pandemic does. None of us could have prepared for this, mentally or emotionally, but for the past months we’ve been left to wrestle with reality. We’ve been swung out of daily routines and forced to do things a little differently. Completely out of our control, our world changed overnight in March.

I’m sure we had different plans for summer, from travelling on vacation to kicking back with family and friends, unmasked that is. There’s no doubt the pandemic took a lot away from us in the last few months. However, we must recognize and be grateful for what we still have.

We are all very fortunate to be healthy and in a safe environment like Hackley. In times like this, it is important we take a step back and see the bigger picture. If the most we lost this summer was a couple trips to the beach, I must say we’re all doing pretty well. Now, we have the opportunity to have school on campus throughout the whole year, a privilege many schools around the country don’t have. With these privileges, we also have responsibilities to stay safe and hold others to the same standard. I encourage us all to demonstrate our gratitude by following the guidelines for staying safe and socially distant in school. The better we can follow these rules, the more time we can spend on campus this year.

With that said, it’s important to know that we have no clue how long this will last. Life is full of surprises. We certainly learned that lesson back in March. As we have no control over the circumstances, it’s important that we don’t take this time for granted. Our time as Hackley students is limited, especially this year. We can’t wait for things to get back to normal for us to fully engage in the process of growth.

There’s no guarantee that anything goes back to the way it was. Although the structure of things might look different this year, don’t wait until next year to join a club or take a step out of your comfort zone. These are the times where we need to make every moment count and strive to be the best version of ourselves each and every day.

While we have endured a lot of change over the past few months, we still need to see a lot of change. A different kind of change, though. This kind is in the control of everyone here today. The brokenness of our world that we see illuminated in the acts of racial injustice is agonizing, but we are called to come together and stand up for the entire Black community. Whether it be educating ourselves, holding others accountable for their words and actions, or supporting our peers, we all have the responsibility to be proactive allies. My final challenge for us as a community is to engage in challenging conversations. We need to welcome the difficult conversations with an open mind and heart.

As you leave wherever it is that you are watching Convocation, and step back into daily life as students, try and think of these challenges. This year is a great opportunity to grow as individuals and grow together. Take a step out of your comfort zone, and make a friend do the same. Together we can bring out the best in each other.

As always, Go Hack! Thank you.

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The Annual Fund is a source of stability for Hackley that allows our faculty the flexibility to meet the needs of EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY. When you support the Annual Fund, you make a powerful investment in our students, our teachers, and our coaches.

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293 Benedict Avenue Tarrytown, NY 10591

PAI D White Plains, NY Permit No. 91030

Registration opens Saturday, February 6 With 2020 behind us, we are optimistic Summer 2021 will mean the return of June on-campus Hackley Summer Programs. This year, we also welcome July and early August virtual programs. As always, our programming will be full of excitement, exploration, and fun!

Summer 2021 programming is limited to current and incoming Hackley students.

Programs begin Monday, June 14, 2021.

www.hackleysummer.org

The FSCÂŽ-certified paper is 100% recycled, 100% post-consumer waste, is manufactured elemental chlorine free (ecf), and is printed with soy-based inks, using electricity purchased from wind power.