HRS Magazine, Summer 2021: Looking Back

H EAD -ROYCE S CHOOL MAGAZINE

THE HYBRID ISSUE: Looking Forward, Looking Back

s t n e Cont

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How Did that Work?

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Alumni President’s Letter

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SCHOOLING IN A PANDEMIC A Q+A with our Medical Advisory Board

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Alumni Profile: Laura Terry-Green ’06

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Alumni Events

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Alumni Notes

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Adulting 101

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In Memoriam

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Flashback to 1935 MANAGING EDITOR Nichole LeFebvre EDITORS Jennifer Beeson

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Julie Kim-Beal PHOTOGRAPHY

Life @ HRS

Mariana Avila Llorente Richard Wheeler

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CREATIVE DIRECTION + DESIGN Con Todo | www.contodo.co

Honoring our Professional Community

PRINTING Solstice Press VISIT US ONLINE! Discover more about our mission and activities at headroyce.org.

@HeadRoyceSchool

@HeadRoyce

Head-Royce School Magazine is a bi-annual publication for alumni, families, and friends of Head-Royce. Changes of address may be sent to communications@headroyce.org.

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Saying Goodbye (for Now!)

20 KNOW THYSELF

What this Year Taught Students about Themselves

R E F L E C T IO N S O N A PA N D E M IC Y E A R : WHAT WE LOST, WHAT WE LEARNED

On March 12, 2020, I stood on Lincoln Avenue and watched our students leave the School with their books, belongings, and boxes of supplies, knowing that Governor Newsom would likely announce a shelter-in-place order, requiring us to close campus for the foreseeable future. We’ve since emerged from a long and very difficult year and a half, and were able to open for in-person learning and graduation ceremonies this spring. A majority of our teachers and staff are fully vaccinated, with vaccine options for students as young as kindergarten on the horizon.

As I thumb through my own notebooks and reflect on this truly unprecedented year, I take solace in what we’ve learned as a community and what I’ve learned as a school leader: • Fortitude is necessary.

I’ve always believed in the value of “grit,” but it has never been tested as much as this year. We’ve all had to flex this muscle and we should be proud of what we were able to accomplish amidst uncertainty and constant change.

• Innovation and adaptation are key.

Throughout the pandemic, I observed absolutely stunning examples of effective learning from outdoor and virtual classrooms. While we all look forward to Zoom-free days ahead, technology has served us quickly and effectively. Our faculty made an extraordinary effort to adopt new systems and created innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

• Science is our guide.

We all have learned about this virus, its impact and mitigation. Through a careful attention to science, we successfully reopened the School with no community outbreak. We learned to use multiple health and safety measures to our benefit and purpose.

• Our students are our teachers.

Their spirit and positivity even in the severe and sudden switch to at-home learning has been inspiring. Even our youngest students have adapted to mask wearing and social distancing in a way that surprised us all.

• Our mission and values persevere.

Our commitment to academic excellence has shone through an innovative hybrid curriculum. The double pandemic of health and racial injustice touched every aspect of our lives. I’ve observed our Upper School students deeply engaged in creating a School culture that celebrates diversity and addresses inequities.

• We are better together.

Even from behind our computers and compartmentalized in Zoom boxes, we were reminded of the power of community and our shared dedication to bringing our students and teachers back safely.

These lessons will remain a central part of my memory as we look forward to a return to a new normal for our School and lives in the year ahead.

CRYSTAL M. LAND HEAD OF SCHOOL

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FIERCE AND STRONG We’re so proud of how our students and Professional Community adapted this year—and are lucky that our climate allows for yearround outdoor classrooms.

Though the chilly days were challenging, Lower School art teacher Marissa Kunz says: “It was nice to be outside, breathing fresh air, being next to plants, and bathed in natural light all day, every day since October!”

FEEL THE LOVE FEBRUARY Lower Schoolers spread cheer as part of Assistant Lower School Head Leslie Powell’s Feel the Love February initiative.

Distance learners participated all month long by reading and sharing poetry about love and care, decorating Valentine’s Day cookies, and wearing red to virtual assemblies.

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THANK YOU TO OUR TECH DEPARTMENT “Providing tech support is often about working with people in a stressful time.

Their technology isn’t working the way they hope and time is running short. One important component of the trusting relationships we aim to build is the ability to hold someone else’s stress while helping them achieve their goals. This idea of holding stress was stretched to unforeseen limits this year. From installing additional indoor and outdoor WiFi access points to accommodate hybrid learning, to supplying and supporting all K-8 students devices for use at home, to launching a completely revamped Learning Management System, this last year has stretched and strengthened our team like no year before. A huge thanks to Brandon, Laura, Matt, and new-to-Head-Royce Casey for all you’ve done to empower our students, employees, and families.”

DAVE LEVIN

DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY

OÙ EST LA PLACE DE L’ADJECTIF? In Mme. Stephanie Gee’s French A class, 6th graders—on campus and at home—learn where to place an adjective in a sentence. This spring, World Languages teachers spent part of each class with masks off, in a separate room, to facilitate comprehension and correct pronunciation.

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BEST IN THE STATE Cole W. ’21 and Dom Q. ’21 represented Head-Royce at the California High School Speech Association statewide Parli competition.

Fellow seniors Lisa K. and Vikram R. competed nationally at the Policy Tournament of Champions.

We can’t wait to see where their argumentative skills take them next.

ACTIVISM IN ACTION As part of the CommunityEd Speaker Series, we welcomed legendary activist and scholar Angela Davis to our virtual campus this March. Director of Equity and Inclusion Johára Tucker interviewed Ms. Davis on screen and then welcomed three students, Lucy B. ’29, Andrea W. ’26, and Zoe G. ’21, to ask their thoughtful questions.

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APRIL SHOWERS To celebrate Administrative Professionals Day, our World Languages students showered Lower School Coordinator Marlo Huaman with appreciation on these “postcards from around the world.” Shout out to the hardworking, behind-the-scenes professional staffers who keep the School running.

BACK ON THE COURT For many students, practicing and competing in sports signaled a return to “normalcy” this spring, even though they wore masks.

UPSTANDING CITIZENS A group of 8th graders volunteer ​ on Sundays i​n Oakland Chinatown, joining a group of citizens hoping to deter crime against vulnerable Asian elders. Here, an adult volunteer teaches Maxwell T., Colin T., and Josh T. how to stay aware of their surroundings.

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KEEP ON DANCING Upper Schoolers in FADE rehearse for their annual performance. This year, the dancers shared their innovative, expressive choreography via Zoom.

BREAKING NEWS Journalism students in Andy Spear’s expository writing class (aka Expos) discuss the next issue of The Hawk’s Eye. Be sure to visit their brand-new website at hawkseye.headroyce.org, which Expos designed in collaboration with advanced computer science students Sean C. ’21, Arun P. ’21, and Justin W. ’21.

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SHARING LOVE AND SUPPORT Six members of the Community Engagement Board (CEB) led a K–12 drive to create hygiene kits for Oakland’s curbside communities. “So many people responded to the call that the CEB was able to create 110 kits!” says our Center for Community Engagement Director Nancy Feidelman. “Some grade-levels, like the 6th grade, even organized kit-making parties.”

Della R. ’22, Ellie F. ’23, Sophia J. ’23, Anika R. ’23, Charis W. ’23, and Alison T. ’23 donated the kits to the East Oakland Collective, a community organization founded and led by Candice Elder ’02!

MAY DANCES Each spring, 5th graders mark their transition into the Middle School by weaving the bright ribbons of the Maypole. This year’s 5th grade class adapted the tradition by performing a step dance— shared with families virtually. As pictured here, the rest of the Lower Schoolers danced a Bhangra routine.

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P R OF ESSIONAL COMMUNITY AWA RDScelebrate this year, with five new

We have a lot to ers, and n in W d ar Aw C P l ua n an r ou Endowed Chairs, moja Award the first recipient of the new U ¡

END OWED P R O F ESSI O N A L COMMU N ITY AWA RDS We present these one-time Endowed Professional Community awards at the end of each school year in recognition of an exemplary year of service. New this year is the Umoja Award for Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion created through an exciting grassroots parent fundraising effort.

THE GRANNIE J. FELLOWSHIP

KRISTIN DWELLEY 7th Grade Science Teacher, Science Department Chair

The Grannie J. Fellowship was established in 1984 by Candace and Dick Burge, in honor of Dick’s Mother, “Grannie J.’” Her grandchildren, Glyn and Onie, graduated from Head-Royce in 1986 and 1988. Grannie J. believed that learning was supported not only by a student’s family but by individuals at the School who consistently inspire students and demonstrate excellence themselves.

THE CHRIS MANDEL SPIRIT AWARD

ROSEMARY DUROUSSEAU, PSYD Lower School Counselor

The Mandel Spirit Award was established in memory of one of HeadRoyce’s greatest fans, Chris Mandel.

Four of her five children attended the School––John, Chris, Ingrid, and Vanessa––and her husband, Bill, served for many years on the Board of Trustees. The Mandels continued their loyal support for Head-Royce while John served on the Alumni Council, as did Ingrid, who also worked as our Alumni Director. The Mandel family thought it only fitting to honor Chris’s memory by establishing an endowed award to recognize School spirit.

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THE MICHAEL TRAYNOR FAMILY FELLOWSHIP

JULIE KIM-BEAL Director of Alumni Relations and Events

Established in 1983, The Michael Traynor Family Fellowship honors individuals who have “served the School with excellence and exceptional spirit and have especially enhanced the lives of others.”

THE UMOJA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN DIVERSITY, EQUITY, + INCLUSION

BARRY TURNER 4th Grade Teacher, LS Dean of Equity + Inclusion

The Umoja Award was established in 2020, an extraordinary year when the world paused for a double pandemic: COVID-19 and global uprisings for social and racial justice. Inspired by a transformative 4th grade teacher who met the moment with excellence, heart, courage, strength, and purpose, a group of parents launched a grassroots campaign to create the award. Named for the Swahili word for “unity,” the Umoja Award recognizes an individual who has made significant, concrete contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the School and beyond.

Thank you to Colleen Chien, Sam Ernst, Krystal McLear, and Jean Tom ’92 for their tireless work in launching the Umoja Award.

FIV E N EW E N DOW E D C HA I R S Endowed Chairs are one of the highest honors we bestow on members of our Professional Community. Funded by generous donors, each Faculty Chair is awarded in recognition of outstanding service to the School and to nourish professional growth. Each Chair is appointed for three school years and includes an annual salary stipend and professional development grant.

THE ANNA HEAD DISTINGUISHED CHAIR IN TEACHING EXCELLENCE

THE DAN AND LILY CHAO FAMILY CHAIR

KRISTI FARNHAM THOMPSON

KYONG PAK

Lower School Learning Specialist, Student Wellness and Support Department Chair

Upper School History Teacher, US Dean of Equity + Inclusion

The Anna Head Distinguished Chair for Teaching Excellence was established by the Read family to recognize a faculty member from any department or division who displays outstanding teaching, inspires students, and brings infectious personal enthusiasm to the job.

Established in 2007, the Dan and Lily Chao Family Chair recognizes a member of the faculty who embraces the School’s mission to develop global citizens, and who excels in the teaching of language, culture, history, politics, religion, or society. The Chair supports faculty in the study of these disciplines with an emphasis on China and other Asian countries, including other developing countries in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.

THE TAN DISTINGUISHED CHAIR IN SCIENCE, MATHEMATICS, AND TECHNOLOGY

CIARA COLEMAN 5th Grade Teacher

The Tan Distinguished Chair recognizes a member of the faculty who excels in teaching math, science, or technology and especially someone who is able to integrate these disciplines while inspiring students to consider a lifetime commitment to study and work in these fields.

“I am so grateful for the opportunity and the

THE CHARLOTTE ROSE COLEMAN FREY CHAIR

WILL ADAMS 6th Grade English and History Teacher

The Charlotte Rose Coleman Frey Chair honors a teacher in the Middle School or Upper School who inspires students by demonstrating a love of learning, a deep care and commitment for the welfare of each student, and who helps to build the Head-Royce community.

responsibility that will come with this Chair. I am excited to collaborate with my Lower School colleagues, all of the recipients from this year, and those who have had this opportunity before us.

THE RICHARD AND SANDRA GILBERT CHAIR

Right now, the possibilities seem positively endless.

RASHEEDA TURNER

It is my goal to ensure that all students see themselves reflected in this field.”

— CIARA COLEMAN

Kindergarten Teacher

The Richard and Sandra Gilbert Chair was established in 2001. The Chair honors an exceptional teacher who has demonstrated a commitment to, and encourages an interest in, his or her field, and shares the Gilbert’s vision of educating the whole person.

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S AY I N G G O O D B Y E (FOR NOW!)

It is always bittersweet to bid farewell to retiring colleagues.

We wish them well in their new endeavors and know we’ll miss seeing them each day at work, growing through their mentorship and enjoying their company. This year, we toasted (and lightly roasted!) five of our long-term colleagues at the departure and retirement party on the Upper School patio.

CONGRATULATIONS TO RETIREES SUSANA, KATHLEEN, AND CARL! Susana Estrada has worked in the Business Office for the past 34 years. We will miss seeing her friendly, welcoming smile at the Gatehouse each morning, and hearing her voice on the phone.

When she started at the School, Susana would answer the phone more than 100 times a day. “Remember, those were the days before automated phone systems,” says Jerry Mullaney, Chief Financial and Operating Officer.

“Susana, we hope you will make it a point to stop by and say hello to your old friends at Head-Royce, because we will certainly miss hearing your voice.”

Kathleen Ray, our talented Fine Arts Department Chair and Theater Director, has taught at Head-Royce for the past 30 years, directing countless plays and musicals in her tenure. During the pandemic, she rose to the immense challenge of rethinking the Drama curriculum––a discipline that typically requires eye contact, close collaboration, and an audience. This year she taught Middle and Upper School students about playwriting and directed (masked) Annie Jr. and COVID Hamlet at a safe, social distance.

As she retires, Kathleen urges us all to “go to concerts and shows the minute you can. Celebrate the Arts. We now truly understand how important this collaboration is.”

“Her words at every pre-show circle with the entire cast and crew continue to stick with me, and serve as an important lesson that I bring to every team I become a part of. She would look around at each person gathered in the circle, squeeze the hands of the students on either side of her, and say, with her signature Kathleen energy and love: ‘Every link in this chain is irreplaceable. This show couldn’t happen without each and every one of you.’

It was the reminder every student needs: that they are appreciated, that they add value to the team, that they matter.”

— EMMA LEVINE ’16

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In 1992, Carl Thiermann started teaching Upper School English and Typing/ Word Processing, which was then called...Computer Science! Over the years he taught many courses in the Upper School and served as English Department Chair and Director of Studies before leading the Upper School as Division Head for 19 years. He also added Assistant Head of School to his repertoire in 2018 and led our reopening efforts during an extraordinary pandemic year.

“We all admire and applaud Carl Thiermann for his rapier wit, his huge heart, his cloak of protection, his elevation of others, his deep and devoted care for our students, and his 29 years of service. He is a true steward of Head-Royce and our mission.”

— CRYSTAL LAND, HEAD OF SCHOOL

“In his 29 years at Head Royce, Carl has raised us all––and I allude not only to his seasoned age and stage, but also to the way that he has mentored, elevated, and advanced so many of our careers.”

— SAYA MCKENNA, INTERIM HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

Carl Thiermann smiles alongside his longtime colleagues Crystal Land and former Head of School Paul Chapman.

TWO OF OUR LONGSTANDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ANTONIO AND LINDA, ARE MOVING ON FROM HEAD-ROYCE. WE WISH THEM WELL IN THEIR NEW ROLES AND HOPE THEY’LL VISIT OFTEN! Antonio Gallegos has served as our Facilities Supervisor for the past 30 years and has also coached the Women’s Soccer Team. He has accepted a new position as Facilities Director at St. Paul’s Episcopal School in Oakland.

“Antonio’s roots are very deep in our community,” says Jerry Mullaney, as his sons Omar and Christopher attended the Lower School and his wife Lourdes works for Epicurean, our on-campus food service. “St. Paul’s is extremely lucky to have Antonio.”

Latinos Unidos presented Antonio and Susana each with a plaque for their care and commitment. Pictured here are student leaders Julian P. ’22, Ona O-G. ’22, and Alec S. ’23 presenting Antonio with his plaque, which reads: “with appreciation and admiration for being an example for our community and for many Head-Royce students.”

Linda Hoopes ’88 has worked at Head-Royce for the past 21 years, beginning as an Associate Teacher and rising through the ranks of 6th Grade Teacher and 6th Grade Dean to become the Head of Middle School. As an alumna, her relationship with the School goes even deeper. Nods & Becks called Linda’s “centennial senior class” pioneers, for being “the first to spend its entire high school under the leadership of the new headmaster, Mr. Chapman, and, of course, the first senior class to be allowed to wear shorts during school hours.” All joking aside, as Head of the Middle School for the past nine years, Linda Hoopes led in a pioneering and thoughtful manner, and was known for collaborating with her colleagues with skill and deep empathy. We’ll miss her leadership. The Blue Oak School in Napa is lucky to have her as their new Director of Teaching and Learning.

“Thank you for being my colleague when we were both teachers, for sharing the same grad year “’88 is great,” for holding my hand as we maneuvered the world of Division Head and, most importantly, thank you for being my friend. I will miss seeing you daily as a coworker, but I will still see you in the stands as a parent.”

— LEA VAN NESS, HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL Linda Hoopes says “see you later!” to her colleague and friend Lea Van Ness.

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S CHOOL ING IN A

PA NDEMIC A Q+A with our Medical Advisory Board From the beginning of the pandemic, our primary commitment has been safeguarding our community’s well-being while providing continuity in learning. Innovation was central to this work, requiring our entire community to come together to problem-solve and tackle challenges without a manual or a model.

This year’s operative word was “pivot,” which we did often––sometimes daily. We asked five of our key “pivot practitioners” to look back at the hurdles and successes that laid the stable foundation for Head-Royce to welcome students back to campus.

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How has science driven public health protocols during the past year?

DR. PETER OISHI

UCSF PROFESSOR OF PEDIATRICS AND HEAD-ROYCE PARENT

When COVID-19 first emerged, public health and infectious disease experts appropriately made their initial recommendations––including those related to schools–– based on influenza models. In past influenza outbreaks, schools have been shown to contribute to community spread, and so school closures seemed reasonable. But relatively quickly, we discovered that disease transmission is actually quite low within schools, and risks differed between younger children and older adolescents. In addition, empirical evidence established the efficacy of layered mitigation measures, such as symptom screening, universal masking, social distancing, ventilation, and testing. The most impactful scientific advance is developing highly effective vaccines, which fundamentally change the risks associated with COVID in school settings.

From a medical perspective, how do you think Head-Royce has responded compared to other schools nationwide?

Head-Royce leadership took a very thoughtful and deliberate approach in their COVID-19 response. Compared to many schools nationwide, we have significant resources. Nonetheless, the phased approach, starting with the youngest students, was consistent with the evolving science. The protocols for daily screening, masking, and distancing, as well as utilizing outdoor spaces and improving indoor ventilation matched medical best practices. Finally, Head-Royce moved quickly to weekly screening, which increased everyone’s confidence in the effectiveness of all of these protocols as in-person learning increased.

How did you change the way you approached your job this year?

When the shelter-in-place order took effect in March 2020, we began working collaboratively with our internal team and external health and education partners to reimagine what in-person school would look like during a pandemic. We dove into research mode, compiling information from schools across the globe, reading and re-reading health regulations, learning about various COVID tests, contract tracing methodologies, and HVAC systems and filters.

JODI BISKUP, MA, RN AMY JO GOLDFARB BSN, RN SCHOOL NURSES

In short, we quickly became “experts” on a wide range of topics––true for almost everyone on the reopening team. Our collective knowledge became a critical factor in our ability to reopen school safely.

What were the most challenging parts of the health and safety protocols to put in place?

Keeping up with the latest research, data, and various health agency guidelines, which are constantly changing and not always aligned, was the biggest challenge. To put it into perspective: the Alameda County Office of Education recently released its 37th iteration of the COVID-19 school reopening guide.

BY THE NUMBERS: THE PANDEMIC PIVOT DEVICES LOANED TO STUDENTS

TECH SUPPORT TICKETS ANSWERED

WIFI ACCESS POINTS ADDED

FACULTY AND STAFF VACCINATED

550

4,000+

30

190

How did the School approach adapting our campus? What were the significant changes?

Our goal was always to quickly and safely bring as many students as possible back on campus for in-person instruction. In our decision-making, we followed CDC and local guidance focusing on social distancing, maximizing ventilation, and minimizing surface transmission of the virus. The most noticeable changes to our campus include: • More indoor learning spaces to accommodate smaller class sizes.

• Tented areas throughout the campus for outdoor learning.

JERRY MULLANEY

CHIEF FINANCIAL AND OPERATING OFFICER

• Hundreds of new hand-washing and sanitizing stations around campus.

• Enhanced ventilation in all buildings, including adding over 100 portable air purifiers.

• New pathways with appropriate signage, including one-way hallways and stairways to accommodate social distancing requirements.

Was there anything we put in place during the pandemic that we might consider keeping once we are back to “normal” school?

The value of tented areas to support outdoor learning is likely to be a lasting outcome of the pandemic. Our mild climate affords us the flexibility to use these spaces effectively throughout most of the school year.

If you think back to one year ago (May 2020), what was your expectation for the 2020-2021 school year?

CRYSTAL LAND

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Last spring, we knew so little about the path forward. We were operating with less scientific knowledge about how COVID spreads, how effective mitigations such as masking could be, and how hybrid learning would actually work. Through it all, I held out hope that we would be able to offer excellent instruction for our students––online if needed––and in person, when possible. We spent the summer of 2020 madly and creatively planning to bring students to campus in smaller cohorts, with reduced density and hybrid technology. It was not an easy stretch for our community. Still, my administrative team and I hoped for a return to campus in one way or another, and on October 23, 2020, we opened our doors to our Lower School students. That was an emotional moment. Our students brought so much energy and optimism back for us. If they could make it through a full day of learning in a mask, so could we.

What have you seen in classrooms (virtual and in-person) that makes you hopeful for the future?

Our students are learning superheroes: they navigated 100% virtual learning last spring and in the fall, transitioned to hybrid learning, and, impressively, transitioned back to almost 100% in person learning, K-12, this spring. It hasn’t always been easy, but they’ve demonstrated understanding, flexibility, and tenacity. They have also shown us how important in-person learning is for their mental health, social connectivity, and academic engagement. I just visited our 3rd graders, who showed me models they built of catchment systems––for rainwater collection and reuse. They are looking ahead to what our world needs for the future and finding innovative ways to adapt and change. No matter what challenges lie ahead, I am confident our students have the skills, values, and mindsets to thrive.

TEACHING ASSISTANTS AND SUPPORT STAFF HIRED

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COVID-19 TESTS ADMINISTERED

14,000+

PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS BACK ON CAMPUS LS:

MS:

US:

96% 96% 88%

HOW DID THAT WORK? GROUP PROJECTS, SCIENCE LABS, AND FINE ARTS DURING HYBRID LEARNING

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learning,” says Lower School Head Lea Van Ness. “This year, they’ve worked twice as hard to keep those in front of them and those on Zoom engaged. It's extraordinarily difficult.”

When she first heard the plan for HRS Blend––our hybrid learning model––4th grade teacher Sue Moon was daunted. “So many thoughts popped into my mind,” she says. “It is impossible to teach effectively to students at home and in person.

This is going to be a nightmare.” To stay grounded, she kept a guiding phrase in mind: “This is a journey.”

Teaching to students in the classroom and on the Zoom screen is a huge challenge. “The teacher’s job is to keep all students engaged in

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For Sue, it took a few months to get comfortable with her hybrid classroom. Early difficulties included “frenzy around Zoom links not working, not knowing where to look, and lessons that felt clunky.” She soon learned what worked best for her and her students: “Pairing at-home learners with in-person learners for projects gave opportunities for everyone to feel included.”

In the Upper School, Dr. Jen Brakemen found success with a similar, paired model. At the beginning of the year, during distance learning, she designed bio labs that used materials students already had at home. “They made sourdough starters and learned to measure aerobic respiration,” she says. For her molecular genetics class, which is very hands-on, she found virtual simulations.

“A lab we do, early on, is gel electropho-

resis, where students put DNA into a Jell-O-like substance and the DNA gets spread out based on size.” In the simulation, Dr. Brakemen explains, students could see gloved hands, click on the pipette, dial the pipette to the right volume, and so on. Though it wasn’t ideal, the simulation allowed her students to understand “the order of the procedure.”

The Middle and Upper Schools split students into two cohorts in December 2020, which allowed us to hold safe, small classes with half of our students on campus at a time. Dr. Brakeman found this setup conducive to an engaging biology lab and paired each in-person student with a Zoom classmate. “Bio and AP Bio both run a threeweek butterfly lab. In hybrid learning, the in-person partner does the handson work, while the partner at home manipulates the data.” Because the cohorts alternated weeks on campus, all students were able to get lab experience.

The paired approach didn’t make sense for Chris Kinney’s engineering

class, however, which he describes as his “most challenging class to shift into distance learning.” Engineering is a collaborative, hands-on course that, in the past, has required students to pair up and share tools. “There were a couple of labs that couldn't happen due to safety, like our soldering lab, or due to public health restrictions, like our final project, which relies on a lot of shared tool use,” he says.

“So I asked myself, what projects would be safe to do at home, and can I send home the necessary equipment?”

Thanks to the generosity of our Annual Fund donors, Chris was able to create individual “lab bags” for each of his students with “an assortment of tools, which will be returned to School at the end of the year, plus a variety of consumable supplies.” This at-home, individualized approach allowed the engineering students to “get hands on and immerse themselves in a variety of labs across engineering disciplines, from the kit car assembly to a CAD LEGO project to our electrical engineering Breadboard lab.” Although Chris describes the situation as “not ideal,” he thinks that in some ways, his students worked harder on their labs, “as they were all entirely solo labs, whereas in prior years almost every lab was a partner lab.”

Another department that had to dramatically rethink their curriculum was Fine Arts. “Even the simplest theatre games demand that the participants look at each other, listen, and react. This is exceptionally hard to do on Zoom,” says Kathleen Ray, Co-Department Chair. She credits her students’ resilience with the success of her drama classes. “We adapted. We moved to playwriting, criticism, and design.”

Dr. Phillip Harris, our Vocal Music Director, co-teaches musical theater classes with Kathleen Ray and echoes the difficulty of teaching the performing arts online. “Group virtual music instruction does not work, as Zoom lags and only picks up the dominant sound,” says Dr. Phillip Harris, our Vocal Music Director. “The one very positive aspect about this time is that we have been able to work on the basics and fundamentals of music, which have been so lacking in the fast-paced nature of trying to present something to an audience.”

Now back in the classroom, although masked and at a safe distance, teachers have witnessed important changes in their students. “They now understand the value of being together, of looking at one another, of listening,” says Kathleen Ray. Dr. Brakeman echoes the sentiment, remarking how happy the seniors were to listen to a recent molecular genetics lecture, asking questions and taking furious notes.

This pandemic has changed us all––in ways we don’t yet fully understand. Yet we remain grateful to our teachers and staff, who met each challenge with kindness and care. “The varied situations I’ve had to confront over the last year have caused me to practice new forms of flexibility and grace,” says Dr. Jacqueline Spivey, who teaches Upper School chemistry. “Trying to anticipate and manage the needs of the various constituents in my life has pushed me to, and sometimes over, my growth edge.

But I know that this edge possesses fertile soil for imagination and possibility.”

Thank you to our community, for showing us just how much is possible throughout this difficult, ever-changing year.

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K NOW T H YSE L F

What this Year Taught Students about Themselves Reported by Bryce Dawkins ’21 and Anika R. ’23 To say the 2020–2021 school year was difficult is a vast understatement. The year required constant readjustment: as borders closed, masks went on, and vaccines rolled out; as school moved from in-person classes to Zoom rooms, to a mix of the two; as hate crimes against Asian American and Pacific Islanders continued in shocking number; as the COVID-19 death toll surpassed three million worldwide; as wildfires decimated our state and turned the sky orange; as we watched the historic conviction of Derek Chauvin

and, within twenty-four hours, the police killing of six more people, including 16-year-old Ma’Kiyah Bryant.

We don’t yet understand how this year will affect us, but we can take some time to reflect on what we’ve learned about our needs, values, and dreams.

Read on to hear from Head-Royce students about their pandemic year.

What was most helpful in adapting to distance learning? Most difficult?

“I really appreciated the way teachers were putting in the effort to reach out to us during those first few months. They didn’t try to slam too much schoolwork on us because they knew that motivation was at an all-time low. I think that finding motivation was the most difficult part of adapting to distance learning.”

SOFIA A. ’22

“Throughout my time in elementary and middle school, I was taught time management and organizational skills that helped me adapt to distance learning. Spending all day in my bedroom at my desk became somewhat claustrophobic quite quickly. However, as a positive, it did force me to make my bed every morning and keep my room relatively clean. I found that by living and working in an organized space, I was able to focus and stay on task.”

ALEXANDRA B. ’23

“Something that was helpful in online school was Ms. Math and other teachers facilitating socials, so ninth graders could build relationships and connections. Something difficult was the teachers trying to figure out how much homework was too much or too little for us.”

SACHI G. ’24

“The most helpful thing in adapting to distance learning was that we acquired a flock of five beautiful hens. We became first-time chicken keepers! Some people got pandemic dogs, but we got pandemic chickens. Only after the chicks were in a brooder in our living room did we realize we were clueless on the subject. Over the course of these past few months, we’ve really learned to love these birds––and got them to love us, of course! And boy do they have personality! The most difficult thing was managing Zoom. I knew how it worked, but it was still very hard learning how to unmute, turn off your camera, and work all the other Zoom controls.”

LUCY B. ’29 “I feel like the most helpful was the week-long break that we had between distance learning ending and hybrid learning beginning. While the schedule changes were helpful, they were also stressful to navigate. Something that made it nice was the leniency that teachers had.”

KAYLYN B. ’21

“The biggest help when adapting to the new pandemic lifestyle was my mum. Being the child of a single mum, I’ve always had a close relationship with her, but seeing her form a daily routine from home helped me do the same. We started new traditions together like midnight family walks and rom-com movie nights. I am looking forward to continuing some of these traditions post-lockdown and enjoying these final two years together before I am off to college.”

ANAY M. ’23 20

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What do you hope to remember about this difficult year?

“I hope to remember the memories I made with my little sister.

We spent a lot of time laughing together and we got much closer during distance learning. I hope we can continue to keep our close friendship.”

ALEXANDRA B. ’23 “Your environment matters. Your mindset matters. Having a clean room and a hopeful mindset will never hurt my mental health.”

ELISABETH B. ’22

“I am proud that I found a way to keep connections with other members of the school community despite the ongoing pandemic. I am also really happy that I was able to keep my grades up and find my motivation and drive to complete all of my work.”

LEILA F. ’23

“Something that I’ll remember the most is meeting my classmates for the first time. It was a surreal experience meeting people I had been talking to for months, for the first time in person. From the past few weeks, I can definitely say that seeing people in person helped me bond more with people around me. I am very proud how all my classmates and I were able to adjust to a “new normal.” I could tell how difficult it was for many of my classmates to be stuck inside and not being able to socialize. It was definitely rewarding to wait a few months for the situation to get better and see my classmates in person for the first time.”

JOSHUA P. ’24 “The little things: having a good laugh on a Zoom call, encouragement from teachers, reading and writing. Those little special moments.”

ANDREA W. ’26

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What from our “new normal” do you hope to maintain after the pandemic ends?

“I hope to be able to find a balance between ‘alone time’ and social events, as downtime has lost some of its allure over the last year. I also want to continue with my new baking hobby, as I find it both calming and fun.”

ALEXANDRA B. ’23 “I’d like to maintain my new time management skills, connections with friends and family, and to not take for granted my health and well-being. This pandemic has definitely opened my eyes to be more grateful for every minute you have with the people you love and care about.”

ANDREA W. ’26 “Masks when sick, and unquestioned, constant compassion.”

ELISABETH B. ’22

“I hope we can maintain homework leniency, because this was the first event that teachers and students alike were simultaneously experiencing. I feel like teachers were very understanding of what students were going through because of that sympathy, as opposed to sometimes strained empathy.”

KAYLYN B. ’21

“I wish to continue my family traditions post-pandemic. Being a child of a single mum, we always had a close relationship, but after the pandemic, I can confidently say that my mum and my dog are my best friends. Another benefit of the pandemic is the ability to connect with my family overseas; my grandparents especially have had more time to call and facetime which has been excellent. I’ve shared recipes with my Nani (grandma), and I love talking about politics and movies with my Nanu (grandpa).”

ANAY M. ’23

How have your values changed during the pandemic?

“I’ve learned so much about the racial disparities that still exist in our country. Not that I wasn’t aware of them before, but the pandemic really showed me how important it is to be engaged in what’s going on in the world. Before the pandemic, I barely ever read the news. Now, I’m getting fed so much through social media it is imperative that I try to find the truth for myself and decide what my stance on it is. Now that I know more about what is going on in the world, it’s easier for me to formulate my own values.

Right now, it is really important that we all know the truth. Having different truths creates division, which can be scary. Once we know the truth, that is when we can act on it.”

SOFIA A. ’22

“The pandemic didn’t change my values, it strengthened them. I still believe in the importance of: spending time with my family, staying true to myself, having fun, God, and speaking up when needed.

During the pandemic, spending time with my family became more important when we were dropped into isolation. If anything, I value the time spent connecting with other people.”

LUCY B. ’29 “I quickly realized that I should not take the time I spend with my friends and family for granted and now appreciate the time I can spend with other people.”

ALEXANDRA B. ’23 “I feel I’ve grown to accept insecurities of mine as they are and not to paint them as positive. While I may have once thought there needed to be ‘beauty’ in everything to feel alright, I’ve come to believe that whether or not an ability of mine is perfect, or something about me is beautiful, is just as important as whether or not I can throw a frisbee (aka, it’s not important). It’s freeing. As I worry less, I can spend more time engaging with the people and things I love.”

“I have learned to appreciate the little things like spending time with my friends and family. I have also realized to not take things in my life for granted like day-to-day interactions with peers and teachers.”

ISABEL S. ’23

ELISABETH B. ’22 SUMMER 2021

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LET TE R FROM TH E A LUMNI COUNCIL PRESIDENT

ni Council took this time to recruit and engage class agents for almost all of our 75+ active years of alumni.

Even though the agents live far and wide, through our newly-developed familiarity with Zoom, we hosted a first-ever all-class agent meeting.

Dear Fellow Alumni, As you read this latest edition of Head-Royce Magazine, I hope it finds you and your loved ones healthy and well. This past year has brought about an incredible amount of change in all of our lives. It reminds me of the famous saying: “Change is inevitable, change is constant,” but what it doesn’t say is that it is easy or predictable. In fact, change is hard.

Change also presents an opportunity. As the country has started to “reopen,” an acquaintance of mine recently asked: “How do we ensure that we don’t go back to ‘normal,’ but return with ‘better’ routines?”

A year ago, we pledged that the Alumni Council would work to combat the pandemic of racism and inequality.

We have spent the past year focusing deeply (and introspectively) on diversity, equity, and inclusion and cultural literacy, and have embraced the opportunity to find ways to be “better.”

We worked with the National Equity

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Project to learn more deeply about systemic racism and inequality. This work inspired our current effort to not just update our Alumni Council Strategic Plan, but to rewrite it with diversity, equity, and inclusion at its core. We will finalize the plan this summer, too late for the printing deadline of this issue, but I look forward to sharing it with our entire community when it’s ready.

I would also like to acknowledge and support the formation of the Black Alumni Affinity Group this year, the result of an independent effort by alumni leaders. The Alumni Council looks forward to partnering and collaborating with you. It is my hope that affinity groups can serve as a place of community and safety for our alumni and we hope to support the creation of additional groups in the future.

Also, in partnership with the Alumni Office, we are re-examining how we can serve our alumni community better. As you will read in this issue, the Class Agent Committee of the Alum-

While some of our annual programming was impacted by COVID (we fully expect the return of the second annual Hawk Fellowship in 2022!), the Mentoring Committee––in collaboration with Nancy Feidelman and the Center for Community Engagement––hosted an incredibly successful virtual Adulting 101.

In these pages, you’ll also read about alumnus, actor, and activist Daniel Wu ’92 who spoke to our Upper School in a very well-attended forum about violence against the AAPI community. With your help and participation, we also launched a mock-interview program to help prepare our seniors for their college interviews, in partnership with the College Counseling Office.

In a time of change and uncertainty, I also see hope and opportunity.

Change has been a constant in Head Royce’s 134-year journey. Change has also helped us survive and thrive, for all these years. I hope that you will join us in embracing change.

Sincerely,

HARRIS BRODY ’98

ALUMNI COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND TRUSTEE

ALUMNI

A LUMNI PROFI LE

BY BRYCE DAWKINS ’21

6 ’0 n ee r G y r r e T L aura munity as a member of the Alumni Council. In high school, she was a valued player on both the women’s soccer and basketball teams. With multiple championship victories under her belt, she managed to also dedicate time to choreographing pieces for talent shows, performing with the FADE dance ensemble, and singing with the student choir.

The Big Toy is a staple of Laura’s childhood memories and she cherishes her memories from each division, from camping trips to dances. After thirteen years learning, growing, and working with others, she struggled to say goodbye to her friends, teachers, and community at the School.

In a tumultuous year, battling a pandemic, racial injustice, and prolonged uncertainty, community is more important than ever. Head-Royce alumna Laura Terry-Green prizes community professionally and personally and she dedicates her time to supporting others both in and out of the office.

In her last moments as a student, Laura promised herself that one day she would return to Head-Royce to give back to the school and community. She has kept that promise in more ways than one. Most recently, she has been supporting the Head-Royce community in a brand new role.

An Oakland native and proud HeadRoyce lifer, Laura works as an Executive Business Partner at Google, where she combines her creativity with her desire to help others. Offering gratitude, she reflects on her time at Head-Royce as foundational and instrumental in helping her to get where she is today.

This past year, Laura joined forces with other Black alumni at the School, and began working to create the Black Alumni Affinity Group. She is “humbled, honored, and excited” by the opportunity to provide a space for Black alumni to come together, reconnect, and build community.

She works within Google’s Real Estate and Workplace Services team and describes having the “pleasure of supporting wonderful executives and working collaboratively with cross-functional teams.” Whether she’s planning a gathering for Google’s internal teams, or an event abroad, her goal is bringing people together.

Laura and the fellow founding alumni hope the group will serve as a platform to share experiences and meet new people, while also offering a place for networking and sharing opportunities.

Their current focus is on determining what form the group will take, as they welcome recent graduates into the alumni community and connect with people of all different ages.

Outside of work, Laura remains closely connected to the Head-Royce com-

Laura’s work within the Affinity Group reflects her interest in connecting with others, offering support, and pushing herself to try new things. It’s this last interest that landed her at Oracle Arena, where for six years she sang the National Anthem, opening the Golden State Warriors games.

“You just don’t know unless you try,” says Laura, “And if there is something you want, you need to go for it.”

When asked to offer advice for this year’s graduates, Laura emphasizes the importance of forming a strong network, meeting people, and keeping in touch. More personally, she encourages us to ask questions, to find the learning in every experience. Finally, she pushes us to hold onto our passions, more specifically, the small things which bring us joy, drive us, and inspire us.

“We can all learn and all grow,” she says. Truly, her inspiring work, important contributions to our community, and incredible spirit are a testament to the magic within Head-Royce’s walls.

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A LUMNI EV E N TS

r e h t e g o T e m o C s t n e g Class A Welcomed by Head of School Crystal Land and the Alumni Council Class Agent Committee, these class representatives listened to an update on the School, learned more about their roles, and began planning for the in-person Alumni Weekend and Reunion coming up on November 12 and 13, 2021.

Look for more information from your Class Agent as our planning kicks into high gear this fall.

Crystal Land

Jake Bauch

Jaharley

Thanks to the power of Zoom, nearly 30 Class Agents from across the country joined the first-ever All-Class Agent meeting in March.

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ALUMNI

Thank you to our dedicated Class Agents, representing the Classes of 1943–2021: Bebe Moorhead Heggie ’43

Laura Getman ’73

Kristin Dwelley ’88

Julie Whorton ’03

Joyanne Elkinton-Walker ’44

Robina Royer ’74

Jenny Collins ’89

Sarah Louie ’03

Sue Morrison Ahlf ’48

Tracy Logan ’74

Julie Veit ’90

Danny Stein ’04

Joan Davidson Denzler ’50

Betsy Armour ’75

Ingrid Chiavacci ’91

Tyler Infelise ’05

Martha Jones ’52

Christie Schmidt Parker ’76

Ann Hertelendy ’92

Jake Bauch ’07

Jeannine Hull Herron ’53

Carol Juhl ’76

Heather Erickson ’95

Laura Zeidan ’07

Alexandra “Sandy” James ’56

Amy Beernink ’77

Ito Ripsteen ’95

Ariane Chee ’08

Molly Harris ’57

Wayne Killen ’78

Michelle Tajirian Shoffner ’96

Camden Louie, ’08

Diana Wilde ’59

Dan Duman ’79

Ilana Peterson ’96

Adam Freed ’09

Nan Horton Warren ’60

Anne Bruner Nash ’80

Laurel DeMaria Dobbin ’97

Celeste Wong ’09

JoAnn Harley ’60

Shelby Tupper ’80

Harris Brody ’98

Bradley Chee ’10

Susan Hill ’63

Harley Rosnow ’81

Stephen Baird ’98

Kirstin Louie ’12

Diane Seaborn Brown ’64

John Long ’81

Sarah Boolani-Paroo ’99

Travis Pillon ’13

Liz Bateman ’66

Terry Nelidov ’81

Suzy Klein ’00

Kristi Fujimoto ’14

Joyce Boykin ’68

Carolyn McNiven ’82

Mark Schneider ’00

Jessica Xu ’15

Hatti Saunders ’69

Yen Yen Wong ’83

Vicki Calef ’00

Bea Rose ’17

Lee Stubbs ’70

Michelle Gildersleeve ’86

Alicia Danztker ’01

Oona Julien ’18

Kate Johnson Spector ’71

Sara Buckelew ’88

Justin Counts ’01

Simi Gill ’19

And introducing our newest class agents: Jena Thorne ’21 and Kaylyn Beckford ’21 Don’t see an agent listed for your class year?

Please reach out to Julie Kim-Beal, Director of Alumni Relations & Events (jkimbeal@headroyce.org) for more information on the role!

BECOMING ALUMNI

LATINX LEADERS

At a special lunchtime ceremony, Black alumni presented this

Past, present, and future leaders of Latinos Unidos gather

year’s Black seniors with Kente cloth stoles to wear at graduation.

to celebrate graduation.

Dan Wu ’92

Helps Us Stand Against Anti-Asian Violence On March 23, actor, activist, and alumnus Dan Wu ’92 spoke with close

to 100 Upper School students and Professional Community members in a forum about anti-AAPI violence hosted by the Asia Club. He spoke about his personal journey to becoming an activist and the work that he is doing locally and nationally to combat violence against the AAPI community. We are so grateful for his time, his support, and his advice.

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A LUMNI NOTES

ARIANE CHEE ’08 AND JONO ZEIDAN ’08 Ariane and Jono married in a ceremony at the home of Frank and Glenda Zeidan on May 3, 2021. They chose this date as it also happens to be the wedding anniversary for both of their parents. In attendance were several Head-Royce alumni. Ariane and Jono also have also just joined a long list of Head-Royce couples––alums who have married other alums––as #29 on that list to be exact!

L to R: Anton Miller ’08, Laura Zeidan ’07, Kalin Werner ’08, Camden Louie ’08, Saya McKenna, Jono Zeidan ’08, Ariane Chee ’08, Courtney Ng ’14, Sierra Ng ’13, Jacquelyn Chee ’05, and Bradley Chee ’10

ALEXANDRA “SANDY” JAMES ’56 Our classmate Claudia (Holly) Hutchins-Puechavy is sheltering at home, and invites calls from classmates. We are not sure if Holly will be able to attend our in-person Alumni Weekend and Reunion this November 12 and 13, but we can definitely see a catalogue of etchings and sketches from her travels, as if living in Paris weren’t enough!

Excitedly anticipating the 56ers gathering in November.

EMMY HAY LONG ’56 As with others, I have not been up to much during this Covid thing. I have been reliving my memories of the Great Migration in Tanzania and we were lucky to have arrived back in the states the day before our borders were closed in March 2020. I traveled with my brother and son.

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ALUMNI

LYNN (PATCHETT) HEWITT ’56

HARRISON HARVEY ’17

I have very little activity to report, being “mobility challenged.”

Going to the doctor becomes a major enterprise, as well as a social occasion. I’m waiting out the COVID-19 shutdown and commiserating with my three musician children, all of whom work in entertainment: Sarah on Broadway, along with her husband Michael in the New York City Ballet; Alan on Broadway and in clubs; and Paul as a PA Ballet Carpenter and stage tech, with his wife Heidi, a mezzo-soprano in the Grammy-winning choir The Crossing.) All are doing little bits here and there with virtual performance, but aren’t expecting the profession to open up until September. The various government programs through unemployment have helped immeasurably. I hope (trust?) that my fellow ’56ers have weathered the coronavirus successfully. I’m reminded that my dad, born 1900, survived the 1918 flu pandemic, which he caught during basic training on the Cal campus. The timing was such that the war ended and he never got to Europe.

Harrison graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in Finance and a minor in International Business from St. John’s University. Harrison was chosen as the Class of 2021 student speaker for St. John’s commencement, their 150th.

LIBBY RULE WALKER ’56 As I begin my seventh year at Friendship Village in Tempe, AZ, I continue to enjoy my cottage, all the activities, and great neighbors and staff. I facilitate an art group and run a UU discussion group here. My Eritrean refugee friends are still a big part of my life. COVID-19 took six of the more than 700 residents in this life-care community and caused major changes, but we are opening again slowly. My trips with full-time travelers, daughter Alison and her wife, came to a halt, but happily they have settled in Flagstaff.

Janet and her husband live nearby in Scottsdale. Katie and her husband live in Danville, CA. Of my four grandkids: one graduated from ASU with her Master’s in PR and works for the app MySwimPro, one has graduated from CSU in Ft. Collins in microbiology and is working in a university lab before going on for his Master’s, one is graduating this year from Cal in data health science and heading to Harvard for her Master’s, and one is in his second year at Pratt in NY.

ASHLEY CLAIRE WEEKS ’17 Ashley graduated from Bryn Mawr on May 15, 2021 with a double major in Linguistics and Computer Science.

CHERI DODGE CHIN ’93 Cheri completed her Clinical Doctorate in Speech-Language Pathology from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in December 2020. She has been working with children who experience a range of disabilities in public schools for the last 20 years. Cheri lives with her husband and two teens in Portland, Oregon. You can read more about her adventures or contact her through her blog: superpowerspeech.com.

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A D U LT I N G 1 0 1 : A LU M N I S P E A K A B O U T T H E I R C A R E E R S F I G H T I N G C O V I D -1 9 , R A C I A L I N J U S T I C E , A N D T H E C L I M AT E EMERGENC Y

Our alumni community proved how talented and generous they are, this spring, at the fourth annual Adulting 101. “You’re all doing great work that represents a range of professions,” said Nancy Feidelman, Director of the Center for Community Engagement, when welcoming the twenty-three alumni volun-

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teers. “We have psychologists here, policy analysts, activists, reporters, artists, chocolatiers. You name it, we have it.”

This year’s virtual program focused on what the co-organizers, Nancy Feidelman and Alumni Director Julie Kim-Beal, called the “three pandemics

of COVID-19, racial injustice, and the climate emergency.” From their rich and varied perspectives, the alumni spoke about how our current moment affects their work and how they envision the future of their field––indispensable lessons for our students.

ALUMNI

Dr. Lily Stern ’07 sings with her patient Sean Tiwanak

Upper Schoolers learned about the industries that intrigue them and about how a career trajectory isn’t necessarily a straight arrow. Dr. Elise Dizon-Ross ’03, a Postdoctoral Scholar at California Policy Lab, told students that hers has been a “winding career path, still in the works.” After majoring in economics at Stanford, she landed a prestigious consulting job at McKinsey, but “hated it” and returned home to pursue a Master’s in public policy. Students on the Zoom call were rapt, thanks to her honesty. While working at the Packer Foundation, Elise began asking herself: “How do we as a society let marginalized communities down and how do we better support them?” She then earned a Ph.D. in the economics of education.

Our students dreaming of med school had the chance to ask Dr. Lily Stern ’07, a cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, for advice. “What’s important to do in high school, or undergrad to help your chances of getting into med school?” asked Isabel G. ’24.

“Do as well as you can in your classes,” said Dr. Stern, while faculty facilitator Dr. Jen Brakeman nodded along. “That’s really important. And don’t give up on things you’re passionate about, because admissions love well-rounded doctors. In general, they want to see your interest in helping people, not just doing research.”

All of America saw Dr. Stern’s passion, on clinical work, which you don’t get and how well-rounded she is, last to do as an undergrad at all.” Alongside summer when she was working in Ceher degree requirements, she filled her dars-Sinai’s COVID-19 ICU. She quickly schedule with creative writing and film learned to care for patients “with really courses. Now, in addition to her therapy sick lungs, on ventilators,” although practice, she has published a book After that isn’t her area of expertise. “My the Acceptance Letter: Seven Healthy specialization is the heart, but I learned.” Mindsets for Emotional Wellness in One of her patients, the musician Sean College and recently won Best Script at Tiwanak, was playing his ukulele in bed, the 46th Annual Boston Sci-Fi Film Feswhile waiting for his heart transplant. tival for her feature film I Can’t Sleep.

Dr. Stern smiled as she told the students “I enjoyed how open she was while about singing “Stand By Me” with Sean, presenting” said Alex U. ’22 of Dr. an inspirational moment that a nurse Rose. “She even opened up about captured on video. It went viral and her stutter and how she gets nereven appeared on Good Morning Amervous. That made her seem so much ica. “I’m really close with Sean,” says more human. A lot of times, adults Dr. Stern. “We still play music together.” try to mask their emotions around children to come across as stronAnother alumger, but when someone older shows na encouraged that kind of vulnerability, it makes students to be them seem much more authentic.” their full and true selves. Dr. We are grateful for our alumni commuGina Rose ’03, a nity, who consistently give back to our Licensed Clinstudents, teaching us all so much about ical Psychololife beyond the Head-Royce campus. If gist, says she you’d like to volunteer for next year’s was “everyone’s Adulting 101, be sure to email Julie therapist in Kim-Beal (jkimbeal@headroyce.org). high school,” and, naturally, pursued a psychology degree. “I didn’t love the psych classes at Barnard,” she admits, as they were focused on theory and research. “I was more interested in hands-

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IN

Memoriam

PATRICIA ROBINSON ’42 We celebrate a life full of love and family as we mark the passing of Patricia Robinson at age 96 on December 8, 2020. Patricia Parker Robinson was born in Berkeley on October 7, 1924, and lived most of her life in Berkeley. While at Cal she met her loving husband Bill Robinson, and they married June 24, 1944,

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in Roswell, New Mexico, prior to Bill being sent overseas with the Army Air Corps. They were married for 52 years.

Pat is survived by two of her daughters Carol Henshaw (Paul) of Clayton and Lynn DeLapp (John) of Davis and preceded in death by Ann Heinemann (Bill). They had six granddaughters and four great-grandchildren. Through-

out her life, Pat volunteered in her community at John Muir Elementary School, with the Girl Scouts, at Alta Bates Hospital, and at the Oakland Museum. Her first love was her family and they enjoyed many happy times at their cabin near Lake Tahoe. Pat lived in Berkeley, Moraga, Rossmoor in Walnut Creek, and, finally, at University Retirement Community in Davis.

ALUMNI

ANN HAWLEY ’50 Ann Elizabeth Hawley, or “Dean Hawley,” as she was to Berkeley students, faculty, and administration for many decades, passed away peacefully on January 30, 2021.

She will be remembered for her passion for all things Cal Bears, a lifetime of community service, and, most of all, a quick smile and curious mind.

Ann was born on October 29, 1932 in Oakland to Standard Oil executive Henry J. Hawley and Virginia (Madigan) Hawley. At nine months old, she moved with her family to Dallas, Texas for Standard Oil, where they lived for five years. Upon returning to Berkeley, the family built a Tudor-style home on San Diego Avenue high in the Berkeley Hills. Ann attended Cragmont School, and then Anna Head School, where she graduated in 1950.

Ann received her BA in Political Science from UC Berkeley in 1954. She was a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority, ASUC officer, Cal Club, Mortar Board, and Prytanean. Ann went on to earn a graduate degree from Harvard Radcliffe Graduate Business Administration School.

Upon graduation, Ann lived in London for two years with her parents, while her father continued his work for Standard Oil. While in England, Ann was presented at the Court of St. James’s, as a foreign debutante in Buckingham Palace at the request of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Ann returned to San Francisco and began to work in the non-profit arena. She was a member of Francisca Club, The Junior League of San Francisco, and served as Vice President for Spinsters of San Francisco.

In 1964, Ann joined the staff of the Dean of Students Office, at UC Berkeley. On her first day, Sproul Hall went on lockdown during the protests of the Free Speech Movement. She crawled out on the ledge to safety with heels in hand, wearing her white gloves and I. Magnin suit, and wondered where

this job would go. Ann spent the next 23 years as Associate Dean of Students finding out. Ann so loved the job and especially the thousands of students who passed through her door at Cal. In 1996, Ann moved to Rossmoor where she spent 22 years. While at Rossmoor, Ann was President of Cal Alumni Club, Trustee of Rossmoor Scholarship Foundation, Chair of the Ambassadors, Republican Club, member of book club on first Thursdays, as well as a member of several other Rossmoor clubs. Ann was a member of the Lindsey Wildlife Museum Alliance and said her visits to Lindsey were the highlights of her month.

Ann was sister to Jean Hawley Conn, another Cal Berkeley and Harvard-Radcliffe graduate, who died in 2002. Ann is survived by niece Mary Virginia Conn, nephews Edwin and Russ Conn, and grand nieces and nephews Nicholas, Annalisa, Amanda, Kahlen, Devin, Michael, and Harrison, as well as several greatgrand nieces and nephews. Ann is also survived by her daughter-in-heart, Amy Worth and husband Thomas, whose three children, Betsy, Annie, and Kate grew up considering Ann their grandmother. She is also survived by her two God daughters, Ann Gwerder Durst and Elizabeth Worth Ream. Ann was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma. Due to the pandemic, there was no service.

A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date when it is safe to gather.

DIANA LYFORD ’50 Diana passed away on Saturday, February 6, 2021 surrounded by her four loving children. She was born in Denver to Major General Robert D. Charlton and Carolyn P. Charlton and grew up in several places, ending up in Berkeley.

After graduating from Wells College in 1954, she lived briefly in New York City before returning home to Denver.

Diana married Richard T Lyford, Jr. in 1958 and their union lasted 62 years, until they passed within five months of each other. Diana’s true joy came from raising her four children and helping with six grandchildren. Known

as “Charli” to her grandkids, she made every birthday and holiday a magical occasion. She also taught silk-screening at the Arthritis Craft Shop, volunteered at the Museum of Nature and Science, and was involved with both the National Society of Colonial Dames, Colorado, and the Junior League of Denver. Delighted by travel and history, she always insisted on detours to look at “hysterical” (historical) markers along the road. In between travels, she stayed busy with tennis, golf, opera, bridge, crossword puzzles, and weekly visits to the library to find more to read.

Diana was predeceased by her husband and is survived by four children, all of Denver: Ashley L. Schumar (Michael Schumar), Richard T. Lyford, III, Cary Lyford (John Self), and Andy C. Lyford (Beth Lyford), along with six grandchildren; Sara Schumar, Hannah, and Connor Lyford; and Kellen and Ryan Self and Grace Lyford. Additionally, Diana is survived by her siblings Julia R. Lafean (MN), Kim C. Spears (NC) and Daniel J. Charlton (NH).

NANCY ANN BUDLONG GARDNER ’51 Nancy was born in Oakland, California to Robert and Katherine Budlong.

In 1951, Nancy graduated from the Anna Head School in Berkeley and the family moved to Eureka, her mother’s birthplace. She received a BBA from the University of Oregon in 1955 and was a member of the Delta Gamma Sorority.

In 1956, she married Robert W. Gardner, MD at St. Bernard’s Church in Eureka, California. They lived in Oak Harbor, Washington when Robert (Bob) was a Naval Aviator. During Bob’s medical training, they lived in Berkeley (University of California), Montreal (McGill University Medical School), Campbell (Santa Clara County Hospital internship), and Iowa City (University of Iowa Psychiatry residency). After having one child in each town, they

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returned to Eureka in 1967, where Bob practiced psychiatry for 33 years.

Eureka was the perfect place, as the children developed close relationships with their grandparents and aunts.

Nancy’s early interests were fly fishing on the Eel and Klamath Rivers, swimming, canoeing, and badminton. Later, she enjoyed backpacking, hiking, sailing (racing and cruising), jogging (numerous races and Avenue of the Giants Marathon), working at the Gardner Ranch family vineyard in Willow Creek, gardening, walking, reading, Silver Sneakers, and book club with friends. Nancy’s unselfish life touched others. She would often say, “I don’t want or need anything.” Family and friends were always her joy. Nancy’s presence, words, deeds, and letters always comforted us. Nancy said she was privileged to have raised a supportive and caring family; truly, the pleasure was all ours. Nancy would remind us, when leaving, to “go enjoy your families.” She would beautifully follow with these essential words: “Take care of each other, and love each other!”

Nancy is survived by her daughter Susan Townsend (Steve), Oroville, CA; grandchildren and great-grandchildren Michelle Dedmore (Duane); Martin and Tony, Sonora, CA; Jon Omey (Lisa), Ellie, Vincent, and Jon-Steven, Eureka, CA; Ben Omey (Stacey), and Lane, Redding, CA; daughter Katherine Gardner and granddaughters Sarah and Haley Hoepfner, Cordova, AK; son Michael Gardner (Amy) and grandson Ethan, Roseville, CA; son Jeff Gardner (Liz) and grandchildren Camryn and Spencer, Spokane, WA. The family plans to scatter Nancy’s and Bob’s ashes together.

SUZANNE TURLEY ’57 ”The City and Opera World Say Farewell to “OperaSuzy,” by Janos Gereben, reprinted from San Francisco Classical Voice (SFCV.org)

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As torrents of email, Tweets, and Facebook posts indicate, in San Francisco and in the global village of opera, the best-known and most-loved person who is not a performer was Suzanne Turley, with the email address of “OperaSuzy.”

The outpouring of grief was palpable in reaction to the news that she died on Friday in her Dolores Heights home, at age 81. The common expression “died at home” is especially poignant in her case because for years now, Turley has been shut in her house, surviving with oxygen as her COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) progressed.

It was with portable oxygen tanks that she last attended SF Opera and Merola performances, unhappy, in 2018, that she couldn’t repeat her many experiences of being at all cycles of the 16-hour Wagner Ring. Her love of opera and artists began in 1950 and permeated her life to the very end.

A close friend, Joanie Juster, writes: “To generations of musicians and music lovers she was a mentor, a counselor, a fairy godmother, and the best possible friend. She elevated friendship to an art form.

Even as her physical world shrank to just her favorite chair, she spent all day every day keeping up with an enormous circle of friends around the world: calling, texting, Facebooking, sending cards, letters, and little gifts. She never missed a birthday, an anniversary, a debut, a performance. She delighted in everyone’s triumphs, cherished the photos of their children, and adored their pets.”

Turley was born in Oakland’s Peralta Hospital on June 12, 1939. Her father was Thomas Francis Turley, Jr., her mother Constance Eleanor Turley (née Ramacciotti). She grew up in Kensington, went to Anna Head School for Girls, and attended UC Berkeley, where she studied art history. She worked in a variety of positions, briefly for SF Opera, and volunteered for many organizations, including SF Symphony. Turley’s husband, Bill Jackson, died in 2007.

Turley’s passion and enthusiasm were legendary not only for opera but for many causes, not least about politics. “At least I voted before I’ll go,” she told me last week. Through the years, she has gone into battle for young artists, at times even against big organizations if they “did wrong.”

Even though her love for opera was born at a Stern Grove Festival performance, when the festival dropped its annual Merola Program and then put opera and classical music on the back burner, Turley made her disapproval known. And yet, being the kindest of souls, she also acknowledged: “After all my kvetching about the Grove management, once there, I had to put that aside because it was a really Grand Opera afternoon. It was an event that could—should—have gone on forever, as it was on such a high and wonderful level from everyone.”

The Grove was the venue for her first experience with staged opera, when her parents took her to a Pacific Opera Rigoletto in 1950. Seven decades later she remembered it all (except who sang the title role): “The Duke was Cesare Curzi who sang with SF Opera on the advanced Adler Fellow level.

Arturo Casiglia was in the pit. Peggy Overshiner was Gilda and John Lombardi was the Assassino. Dang, the hunchback’s name fails me. The Grove was less chopped up than it is now.

No amplification, natch. Old flats and potted bushes for sets. Sitting on the wall at the rear I heard every note well, if not loudly. I went backstage—easy then—totally star-struck by the young tenor who became a mentor of a kind.

Between him and the music teacher at my school, I got to super in a couple of shows at the original Berkeley Opera and Woodminster in Oakland. And I was a goner for opera both on the radio and that first foggy day in the Grove.”

Starring in the title role of Rigoletto in that postwar period of flowering at SF Opera were Leonard Warren, Lawrence Tibbett, Enzo Mascherini, Robert Weede, and Giuseppe Valdengo, but there is no record of the cast in the Grove. Arturo

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Casiglia was SF Opera Chorus Master a quarter century before the event recalled by Turley, and he died in 1954.

FRANCES “FRANKIE” HAYDEN RHODES ’58 Frankie Rhodes, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and historic preservationist, passed away on January 15, 2021 at Alta Bates Hospital, surrounded by her loved ones after a long illness.

The Piedmont resident was known throughout the Bay Area’s historic preservation community, having served more than five decades as a founding member of the Camron-Stanford House Preservation Association (CSHPA), which restored the last of the 19th Century Victorian mansions that once surrounded Lake Merritt. Frankie helped raise more than $800,000 in capital and giftsin-kind to restore the city-owned building in the early 1970s. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and opened to the public in 1987. Frankie was also active in the Junior League of the East Bay, Decorative Arts Forum, Art League of the East Bay, Oakland Museum docent program, Victorian Alliance, and Victorian Society.

Born at UCSF on Parnassus Hill to the late Dr. Charles Thomas Hayden and Margaret Nichols Hayden on August 28, 1939, Frankie grew up in San Francisco, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Oakland, and Piedmont. An accomplished diver, swimmer, and horseback rider, she attended the Anna Head School and the University of Colorado, where she earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in 1962.

After graduation, Frankie returned to San Francisco and married her husband of 58 years, John Willett (Skip) Rhodes, Jr., on June 30, 1962 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Oakland. The next day, the couple moved to Anchorage, Alaska, followed by a stint in Seattle, Washington, while Skip was on assignment

with Chevron. Following those assignments, Frankie and Skip returned to San Francisco where she began her work with the interior design firm, Stroheim and Roman. The couple made a family home in Piedmont in 1966 and raised two sons, John Willett (Jay) Rhodes, III and Blake Francis Rhodes. In addition to her work with CSHPA, Frankie played an instrumental role in beginning the baseball program at her alma mater, the Head-Royce School in Oakland, so that both of her sons could continue to play during their high school years. For her contributions to the School, she was honored with the Alumni Association’s Founders Award in 2008. Her mother was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, and Frankie was a member of the Daughters of Hawai’i, one of the first organizations in Hawaii to recognize the importance of historic preservation, and a member of the Dirt Daubers Garden Club.

Frankie is survived by her husband, Skip, sons, Jay (Dianne Bouton Rhodes) and Blake (Carin Husaini Rhodes), grandchildren, Hayden, Brody, McKenzie and Addison, nephew, Eric Rhodes, and nieces, Cheryl Thomas and Nance Weber, and numerous cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents Dr. Charles Thomas Hayden and Margaret Nichols Hayden, brother Charles Thomas (Skip) Hayden, Jr., and sister Rhoda Jean Robinson.

MADELEINE WILDE ’60 Madeleine Ellen Wilde died peacefully in her Seattle home on February 18, 2018 after bravely battling a rare form of lymphoma for two years. Born in Pasadena, she grew up in San Marino, Piedmont, and Berkeley. She attended the Anna Head School for Girls and served as a member of the editorial staff of Nods and Becks. A gifted pianist, she participated in a special performance program at Mills College, receiving some instruction from Darius Milhaud.

After graduating UC, Santa Barbara in 1970 with a degree in political science and economics, Madeleine moved to New York. Trained in computer programming at the Chase Manhattan Bank headquarters, she also became a partner in a small jewelry firm that catered primarily to émigré Russian aristocrats. She returned to the Bay Area and worked for the Levi Straus company.

Afting an extension course at Berkeley, she realized her true passion was gardens. Her apprenticeship in a design-build firm included the creation of estate gardens in the Berkeley-Oakland Hills for six years. She delighted in all the physical aspects of the work: wielding shovels and pickaxes, and building dry laid walls with considerable skill and energy. In the evenings, she often attended elegant parties in San Francisco, hiding the dirt beneath her nails with red polish, which became a distinctive part of her stylish persona.

In 1980, Madeleine moved to Seattle, where she met her husband David Streatfield, now Professor Emeritus at the University of Washington. She served on the boards of the Pike Place Market Historical Commission, the Queen Anne Community Council, and the Northwest Horticultural Society.

Her witty column “Notes from the Garden” appeared in her community newspaper. A great lover of poetry, Madeleine made a significant donation to the Copper Canyon Press and she mentored female students when she accompanied her husband to the University of Washington’s Rome Center.

On a beautiful afternoon in May 2018, Madeleine was honored in “A Celebration of a Life Well Lived” at the UW Club, the University of Washington’s elegant faculty club. Sipping Prosecco, her friends and admirers listened to six speakers who shared varied aspects of her unusual and vibrant life.

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MARTHA (DICKSON) SKINNER GERARDO ’62 Martha Gerardo passed away unexpectedly on January 16, 2021 due to health complications brought on by kidney failure. A life-long learner and artist, she touched many lives with her kind, gentle spirit.

Martha was born and raised in Berkeley, where she attended Anna Head High School and served as Senior Class President. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Painting and German from the University of California, Berkeley, where she also received a Regent’s Fellowship to complete her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in 1968.

At Cal, Martha was mentored by the renowned painter Elmer Bischoff, and his abstract expressionist style influenced her artwork for the rest of her career.

Upon graduation, Martha continued painting and pursued a career as an artist and picture framer, working at various galleries throughout the Bay Area.

“Marti,” as her siblings and friends called her, was well-read, intellectually curious, creative, and adventurous.

She connected with people effortlessly, was highly principled, and gave of herself naturally. She was also strong and courageous, and maintained a positive attitude toward life, even as she bravely endured years of dialysis.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents Dr. Owen C. Dickson and Ruth H. Dickson, and her second husband, Tirso Gerardo. She is survived by her three siblings, David Dickson (Nancy) of King George, VA, Julie Frame (Bill) of S. Lake Tahoe, CA, and Mary Cincotta (David) of South Orange, NJ; her first husband, Jeffrey Skinner; her son, Samuel Skinner (Jennifer) of San Rafael, CA; her grandchildren Haley and Benjamin Skinner; and her step-daughter June Gerardo (Jose) of San Leandro, CA. The family would like to express deep gratitude to the caregivers and friends

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at Landmark Villa, where Martha lived for the last six years. Due to the pandemic, a celebration of Martha’s life will take place this summer for friends and family and will coincide with a showing of her artwork.

CHRISTOPHER OLSON ’76 Christopher Olson lost his battle with cancer on April 25, 2021. Chris was one of the first students admitted to the Royce School for Boys, across the street from Anna Head.

In those early years, the boys had a reputation for being on the wild side, and few girls ventured across the street.

By the time Chris graduated, Anna Head and Royce were fully integrated, and uniforms were no longer required for girls. The Bicentennial class of 1976 was the first graduating class with more than just a handful of boys. Chris was well-liked and renowned for his “Joke of the Day.” Classmates remember his one-day stint as Headmaster, when he called students to the office every hour (things were a little looser in the 70s).

He loved making and watching movies, and his first film won a national young filmmakers’ award. He inspired some of his classmates to pick up their own Super 8 cameras in the days before camcorders and cell phones.

Chris served as manager of the basketball team. He enjoyed slaughter ball, bucketball, flash ball, and flag football in the mud: all the rough-and-tumble “sports” introduced by Coach Tom Welsh. His lifelong love of hiking and camping (and freeze-dried backpacking meals) was inspired by the summer Wilderness Treks led by Tom Welsh.

Chris went on to graduate from the California Institute of the Arts. He stayed in southern California, where he worked in television and banking.

He married Judy Helm in 1989, and when their son was born in 1991, they named him Sean, after Sean Connery.

Back in the day, Head-Royce was a much smaller school, and a close-knit community. Chris stayed in touch with his long-time friends. For many years, he and old classmates would reunite for Wilderness Treks, which Chris organized. Chris made it a point to attend Head-Royce reunions and see his old classmates, and his not-mucholder teachers. He was always amazed by how much the school had grown.

Chris loved his high school years at Head-Royce. We have lost a great friend and one of the School’s pioneers.

KATE MCGINITY

Head-Royce Choreographer and Adjunct Professor of Dance, Mills College

Kate McGinity, the extraordinary choreographer for our Middle School musical theatre class for the past three years and the Upper School productions of My Fair Lady, Into the Woods, and Fiddler on the Roof, has passed away after a battle with cancer.

A Mills alumna (’10), Kate taught ballet, dance cultures, dance pedagogy, and written thesis at Mills for ten years.

She was much loved by her students and highly respected by her colleagues across the College. As a professional ballet dancer, she performed with the Eugene Ballet, State Street Ballet, Inland Pacific Ballet, as well as opera and musical theater companies.

Generous with her time to her profession, Kate served on the Mills Dance Alumni Committee and on the Isadora Duncan Award committee. In addition to this service, she conducted and published ethnographic research on Eastern European dancers.

Chair of the Mills College Dance and Theatre Studies Department, Ann Murphy, said, “Few could match Kate’s tough, funny, and deeply ethical style of teaching. She was in the vanguard of the department’s anti-racism work and stepped up as few do to forge a future of equity and vision.”

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ELAINE BETTS FORMER HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

Elaine Wiswall Betts was born in Albany, NY, on August 24, 1925, the daughter of Frank L. Wiswall and Clara C. Wiswall. Two weeks after graduating from Smith College in 1947, Elaine left for France to work in Normandy with war-orphaned children. Of these times Elaine recalled, “Like most Americans, or certainly women of my generation, I had never lived near active land mines, rusting tanks, or faced near starvation. This experience became a major turning point in my life.”

Seeking answers to the world’s problems, Elaine attended a summer session at the University of Zurich in 1949. Hans Kohn, a visiting professor, introduced her to several influential people, including Carl Jung. She then became one of the first two women to attend Columbia University’s Union Theological Seminary. At Union, Elaine met the Reverend Darby W. Betts, an Episcopal priest, architectural student, and assistant chaplain at Columbia University. They married in 1951 and honeymooned at Darby’s newly acquired dairy farm in North Castine, Maine. Since that time, Meadow Farm has been home port for the Wiswall-Betts family.

1960 was a momentous year for Elaine when Darby became Archdeacon of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California.

The family left Castine in a VW camper, bound for an Eichler home in Marin County. In 1964, the family moved again

when Darby became Rector of St. Paul’s Church in Oakland. Elaine encouraged her children to understand the tumultuous times as social gospel calls for urban renewal, civil rights, conscientious objection to the Vietnam War, fair housing laws, and educational equality.

By the mid 70s, Elaine was a guidance counselor and taught comparative religions, French, and English at Anna Head School for Girls. At age 50, she earned her Master’s in educational psychology and her California teaching credential. By 1980, Elaine had become Head of the Upper School at the now co-ed Head-Royce School and realized she was ready for a change. With her family’s blessings, Elaine moved and became Headmistress of her alma mater, Albany Academy for Girls in New York.

Four years apart from her family were difficult and rewarding. Among Elaine’s peers she earned the reputation of being a caring and astute listener, an assertive and effective leader, and a visionary CEO. Elaine’s cross-country marriage worked well enough while Darby pursued his creative vision to form the Northern California-based Episcopal Homes Foundation building elder communities dedicated to security-in-the-full life. For the remainder of their lives Elaine and Darby, each in their own time, transitioned from independent to assisted living and finally to the skilled nursing residence at Spring Lake Village in Santa Rosa. Elaine and Darby formed great friendships there and happily referred to this community as their “launching pad” to the next world.

In 1984, Elaine became headmistress of Dana Hall School, a girls’ boarding and day school in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Her 11 years leading Dana Hall were the highlight of her career. Together with her friend and Director of Admissions Olive Long, Elaine joined United Airlines million-mile club as they flew worldwide cultivating alumnae, meeting current parents, and recruiting future Dana Hall students from many countries and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Of Dana Hall, Elaine said, “If I ever had reservations about the value of schools for girls, they would have been quickly dispelled by the interesting and accomplished women of Dana Hall.”

Retiring from Dana Hall in 1995 with her trusted Assistant Head Blair Jenkins in place as Headmistress, Elaine remained an active education consultant on both coasts. Her grandson Gabriel was born in 1996 and for 23 years they enjoyed Castine after-school dates at “Gammy’s” house. Elaine was predeceased by her parents, her husband Darby in 1998, and her sister Betty Anne Conley in 2019. She is survived by her brother Frank and sister-in-law Elizabeth Wiswall of Castine, her daughter Victoria and son-in-law Temple Blackwood of Castine, daughter Catherine Betts of Santa Rosa, son Darby Betts Jr. and his partner Amy Stewart of Penobscot, grandson Gabriel Stearns of Castine, and several nieces and nephews.

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FLASHBACK TO 1935