St. Anne's Magazine 2023

Charting a PURPOSEFUL PATH

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LEADERSHIP AT ST. ANNE’S

Board of Trustees

Emily Barrett Current Parent

Megan Cannizzaro Current Parent

David Chung Current Parent

Chris Cox Head of School

Jeff Elsner Current Parent

Molly Engles Current Parent

Bill Howard Current Parent

Mark Jenkins Current Parent

Leadership Team

Chris Bennett Chief Financial Officer

Chris Cox Head of School

Lori Frank Assistant Head of School

Margaret Mitchell ‘90 Head of Middle School

Michelle Provan Director of Marketing and Communications

Heather Lew Current Parent

Scott Lichtenberger Alumni Parent

Nicole Lindberg Current Parent

Sarah Mengshol Current Parent

Michael Neary Current Parent

Kimberly Neckers Current Parent

Liz Walker Alumni Parent

Annie Weinig Current Parent

Jennie Ruport Director of Development

Jim Stephens, Interim Director of Inclusive Teaching and Learning

Glen Worthing Director of Technology

Jennifer Worthing Head of Lower School

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Editors

Jennie Ruport Director of Development

Michelle Provan Director of Marketing and Communications

Amy Hart Alumni and Special Events Manager

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HEAD OF SCHOOL LETTER

What a remarkable year this has been! Hear from our Head of School, Chris Cox, as he reflects on this past year and our new mission statement.

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IGNITING CREATIVITY & INNOVATION

Learn more about St. Anne’s innovation and design center, a space designed for exploration in engineering, design, prototyping, and inventing.

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ST. ANNE'S & THE SOCIAL INSTITUTE

A collaboration with the Social Institute aims to equip students with essential skills to navigate the complexities of their online and offline social worlds.

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WELCOME CLASS OF 2023

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We are thrilled and honored to welcome the latest class of St. Anne’s graduates to our Alumni Association.

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CLASS NOTES

Hear from our alumni who have showcased resiliency this past year and catch up on the latest news from your classmates.

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THE SISTERS' BAKING LEGACY

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Copy Editors

Lori Frank Assistant Head of School

Karen Iker Registrar and Admission Associate

Baking was more than a practical necessity for the Sisters; it was a cherished tradition that brought them joy and connected them to their spiritual calling.

Contributing Photographers

Michelle Provan

Douglas Wells St. Anne’s Photo Archive

Design/Layout

Brooke Harman Design

THE VERY ESSENCE of St. Anne's

LIZ WALKER, PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dear St. Anne's Community,

As we reflect on the incredible journey of this past school year, I am so grateful for the warm and open welcome for our new Head of School, Chris Cox, and his family. The unwavering strength of our St. Anne's community, despite the uncertainties of recent years, is truly remarkable. The Board of Trustees is pleased with Chris Cox's first year and the progress he has made in familiarizing himself with our community. While the school settles into a tranquil summer rhythm, the Board and Chris Cox continue to prepare for the exciting plans ahead in the coming fall.

The St. Anne’s Board of Trustees is entrusted with the fiduciary oversight of our school. We diligently oversee its financial stability, ensure the buildings are well-maintained, and support Chris Cox as he manages the day-to-day operations of St. Anne's. However, our duties extend beyond the present as we keenly focus on shaping the future. We envision St. Anne's not only for our current students but also for the generations to come. As Trustees, one of our most significant responsibilities is defining the school's mission and vision.

The mission, set forth by the Board, serves as a guiding light for our exceptional faculty and staff as they educate and nurture our children. Throughout this past school year, the St. Anne's Board of Trustees collaborated with Anne-Marie Balzano, a consultant from Mission and Data, to review our current mission statement. We contemplated whether the words "Educates Minds, Enriches Hearts, and Expands Horizons" still captured the essence of St. Anne's and whether we all shared a deep understanding of those words. Through numerous meetings, workshops, surveys, and invaluable feedback from our dedicated faculty and trustees, we reached the unanimous conclusion that our current statement no longer fully encapsulated all that we aspire to be at St. Anne's.

The Board delved deep into the very essence of St. Anne's, exploring what truly makes our community extraordinary. Themes of unity, compassion, service, faith, humility, kindness, and holistic learning emerged time and time again. The phrase "We grow good kids" reverberated in various forms. We meticulously evaluated new statements and carefully selected words that resonated deeply, capturing the essence of these core ideals. Consequently, the steering committee crafted a new statement that we firmly believe embraces and articulates the very heart and soul of St. Anne's, guiding our collective endeavors into the boundless future. By bringing clarity to "Our Why" within our mission statement, we define ourselves and what sets us apart from other educational institutions. Our new statement and values embrace why St. Anne’s is so special in developing kind, compassionate, and well-educated graduates who are ready for the next phase of their educational careers.

With this newfound clarity in our mission, we embark upon a clear and purposeful path, igniting the next phase of our Strategic Plan. The Board is committed to this inclusive planning process, which will commence in the coming fall. We eagerly seek the valuable input of every member of our St. Anne's community as we forge ahead together. You will hear from our committee, and we invite every one of you to participate in shaping our shared future in whichever way resonates with you.

Together, with unwavering dedication, we shall continue to nurture and empower our children, ensuring their growth and success in the years to come.

With heartfelt gratitude and excitement for the journey ahead,

FOUNDING VALUES

COMMUNITY

We foster a sense of warmth and belonging among our students, staff, families, and the broader community. We are collaborative and inclusive, and we act with a shared responsibility to create a positive and enriching school environment.

CURIOSITY

We intentionally cultivate a drive to seek truth and knowledge, encourage creativity and exploration, and foster a love of learning. We teach students to think critically, to be problem solvers, to embrace challenges, and to realize their intellectual potential.

FAITH

We honor our Episcopal identity and heritage by welcoming all faith traditions and beliefs. We are an Episcopal school community that promotes trust, open-mindedness, and spiritual wellness.

COMPASSION

We act out of love by treating everyone with dignity, empathy, and respect. We create an environment that nurtures kindness and an appreciation for the richness of human experiences.

HUMILITY

Liz Walker President, Board of Trustees

Guided by humility, we encourage reflection and self-awareness. Our students embark on a journey of self-discovery that fuels personal growth and teaches them that they are a part of something bigger than themselves.

The NEW MISSION

COX, HEAD OF SCHOOL

One of St. Anne’s most intriguing and powerful stories is its founding. It is truly unique and humble among independent schools across the country. Sharing this story with colleagues warms their hearts and leaves them curious and inspired. Few schools can claim to have a founding story such as ours.

St. Anne's is a school built by the work of nuns from the Order of St. Anne who came from Boston to care for sick and underserved children, including children stricken with polio and tuberculosis. When the polio epidemic faded, St. Anne's Home transformed into St. Anne's Episcopal School, an elementary school that welcomed children of all families regardless of faith tradition, race, ethnicity, gender, or wealth. What the families had in common was a desire for a great education and a compassionate community. The school was founded from humble means, in service to others, and with compassion for children who needed convalescent care. The Sisters were adaptive and forward-thinking and always kept the needs of the students first. As the school community grew and developed, it formed a strong academic reputation in Denver for creating curious, robust, and critical thinkers focused on service, character development, and “growing good kids." This became the school’s mantra and will remain a hallmark of St. Anne’s under my watch. This is the story of our school, and I am firmly convinced that the new mission statement and the articulation of the founding values reflect this story.

How

did we come to our new mission statement?

When I arrived last summer, the board began discussing the next strategic plan for the school. We started with a thorough review of the mission statement, which guides our decisions and programs. In addition to the board's fiduciary obligations and hiring the school's head, setting the school's vision, values, and mission is also an important board responsibility. Reviewing the mission is step one for setting a new strategy and vision for the school’s next five or more years. As we discussed the current mission, many questions emerged about what it means in a rapidly changing world and in light of the challenging last four years. Is the mission still relevant? Does it actually say what we do and who we are? Does it provide a common understanding and direction? A mission task force comprised of trustees and faculty, partnering with Anne-Marie Balzano from Mission Data Inc., discussed these questions. Through many evening work sessions, a full board and leadership team retreat, and collecting

volumes of trustee and faculty feedback, everyone agreed on the ethos of St. Anne’s: the welcoming community, the values, and the goal of a St. Anne’s education. It was clear that these qualities need to be preserved and made relevant for the 3-year-olds who will graduate from the school in 2034. It was also agreed that the current mission statement did not adequately reflect this fact. Much like Mother Irene and her fellow nuns, it was time to renew, create, and adapt. We needed a mission that people would immediately understand and that would help guide us to educate children for the future, yet also preserves what is timeless and ingrained in the school: the sense of place and heritage which permeates this school community. Mother Irene recognized she was part of something bigger than herself, and with faith, she founded a school under that vision. So why not come out and say we are grounded in our founding values?

Much like cultivating our gardens, cultivating students' growth, education, and development is a continuous process that requires constant vigilance and work. A community where all people feel included and that they belong doesn't just happen–it takes work. It needs to be cultivated. We want our students to be critical thinkers, curiosity seekers, question askers, and problem solvers. We believe in kindness, compassion, and love for all children, and we work to grow kids who serve others and enrich our world.

The new mission statement and the five founding values (compassion, humility, curiosity, faith, and community) provide St. Anne’s a clear identity and distinguish us more clearly from our peers. It will guide us in the next phase of the strategic planning process and well beyond.

I am thankful for the work of the Board of Trustees, the Mission Task Force, and the faculty, who provided such thoughtful feedback and worked to develop a mission statement that is true to St. Anne's identity, history, and future.

Go Cyclones! Chris

CHRIS

St. Anne's Episcopal School Mission Statement Magnet

ALUMNI-TURNED-TRUSTEES: Embracing the New Mission – A Vision of Purpose

ANNIE HARRINGTON WEINIG ‘95

As a valued alumnus/alumna of the school and a trustee, how did your personal connection to the institution influence and shape the decision-making process during this journey?

The timing for the mission audit this past year felt natural for various reasons: SAES was emerging from a period of change and disruption in our community and our broader world. With an incoming head of school and upcoming strategic planning work, it was the appropriate time to consider whether our mission statement continued to serve as a North Star that would bring us into the next phase of our evolution as a school community. Candidly, when we started the mission work, the Board was still determining whether we would ultimately change anything about our mission statement. The Board liked the simplicity and sincerity of "Educates Minds, Enriches Hearts, Expands Horizons." However, when we started to unpack the meaning of those simple phrases and asked our faculty, staff, and students to do the same, we realized that there needed to be a clearer understanding of our mission statement - of what we were trying to convey or capture. Indeed, in some cases, there needed to be more clarity about what is intended by expanding horizons! When we surveyed the mission statements of peer schools in Denver and nationwide, we realized that our mission read more like a tagline or slogan and missed some of the core content that sets SAES apart. Our mission task force and board approached the work openly and listened for themes from our core constituencies. When we collected the data and ran our focus groups, it was amazing to see the same themes about our school surface repeatedly, making the writing work fairly seamless.

In what ways do you believe the implementation of the new mission will bring positive changes and enhancements to the St. Anne's community as a whole?

I would point to two key things. First, I love our founding story and Episcopal roots. Without understanding our history, it is impossible to understand where SAES is today - with our commitment to service learning and our humble but verdant campus. But as a trustee, I know that getting

SARAH CULKIN MENGSHOL ‘87

What were the driving factors that led the board of trustees to prioritize this particular mission work for the school?

Most of us know that SAES is a special and unique place; we need our mission statement to more clearly reflect the heritage and values that make St. Anne's unique. The rework of the mission will help guide our work on the strategic plan. The statement itself is a touchstone for our current community and those looking to join it.

As a valued alumnus/alumna of the school and a trustee, how did your personal connection to the institution influence and shape the decision-making process during this journey?

Our heritage and the Sisters’ early work strongly fostered a dedication and humility we still see in our current graduates. Our mission statement should reflect that because it will be a touchstone for many decisions in the coming years.

swept up in nostalgia or tradition can hinder our ability to look ahead and plan effectively for our school's future in a changing world. We worked hard in the mission audit to remember our past and to have our vision firmly trained on the road ahead.

Second, as an alum who credits my time at SAES as cementing a love of academics and learning, I wondered whether we should focus more specifically on the academic excellence piece in our mission. We are a school, after all! It was a really interesting realization for me during the process: at an independent school in 2023 that matriculates students to high schools across the city and further afield, academic excellence is a given! It is a basic expectation that our school will provide an excellent education, and our mission statement is a place to describe how and in what kind of environment we will offer that education for our children.

Among the various aspects of the new mission, is there a specific element or value that resonates with you?

Well, I love the garden metaphor, which we intentionally cultivated (!) in a nod to our unique campus in Denver and our plans to grow our curriculum at St. Anne's in the Hills.

"Grounded in our founding values" really strikes my heart. The Sisters gave so much of themselves by taking the chance to move to Denver with no defined home upon arrival, filling a desperate need in Denver by caring for sick children and then starting a school that can meet the varying needs of each child. If we can imbue an ounce of that sense of giving and compassion into our students, the world will be a better place.

In what ways do you believe the implementation of the new mission will bring positive changes and enhancements to the St. Anne's community as a whole?

Through work on the mission, the board had to focus on the most important facets of St. Anne's and define what is most important about our past, present, and future. This brought the board closer and helped us determine what is essential to our school. The new mission will do the same for the entire community and provide a basis for conversation.

Among the various aspects of the new mission, is there a specific element or value that resonates with you?

"Grounded in our founding values" really strikes my heart. The Sisters gave so much of themselves by taking the chance to move to Denver with no defined home upon arrival, filling a desperate need in Denver by caring for sick children and then starting a school that can meet the varying needs of each child. If we can imbue an ounce of that sense of giving and compassion into our students, the world will be a better place.

HIGHLIGHTS OF AN INSPIRING LECTURE SERIES FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH at St. Anne's Episcopal School

This year, St. Anne's Episcopal School had the honor of hosting a remarkable lecture series by our very own Jim Stephens, Ph.D., Interim Director of Inclusive Teaching & Learning, as part of our Black History Month celebrations. These captivating lectures offered fresh perspectives and shed light on significant aspects of black history, expanding our understanding of the African American experience.

The first lecture, titled "Power & Place: Plantation Archaeology in 18th Century Jamaica," explored Dr. Stephens's archaeological research during his undergraduate years at Syracuse University. Through his projects, he delved into the lives of enslaved individuals on various types of plantations. This thought-provoking lecture focused on the spatial arrangements within these plantations and how they influenced the relationships among the people living and working there. Dr. Stephens's insights provided valuable glimpses into the resilience and strength of the enslaved population, deepening our appreciation for their experiences.

The second lecture was a captivating combination of two topics. The first part offered an intimate autobiography of Dr. Stephens's time at Howard University. As a white student in a historically black university, he shared his unique experience, emphasizing how it transformed his perspective

and shaped his academic journey. The second part, titled "Black Jacks: African American Sailors in the 19th Century," unveiled Dr. Stephens's dissertation research at Howard University. This portion shed light on the stories of African American sailors throughout the Atlantic World, highlighting the incredible opportunities they found within this cosmopolitan system. Dr. Stephens underscored the vital role played by African Americans in shaping maritime history.

The decision to host this lecture series stemmed from our commitment to bridging the gap between academia and the broader public. Dr. Stephens recognized the unfortunate disconnection between scholars and the community, resulting in limited access to fascinating and relevant research. By sharing his experiences as an archaeologist and historian of African American history, he aimed to dispel misconceptions and provide a deeper understanding of black history. These lectures encouraged us to move beyond textbook narratives and social media misinformation, inviting us to explore and appreciate the diverse facets of black history beyond the well-known topics of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement.

We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Jim Stephens for his engaging lectures and the invaluable enlightenment he brought to our observance of Black History Month. His expertise and passion allowed us to gain fresh perspectives and develop a more comprehensive understanding of African American history.

Igniting Creativity and INNOVATION

This year, the Class of 2023 decided to embark on a very important project for the school. With the direction of the Head of School and the Leadership Team, the students and parents chose to establish an innovation and design center at St. Anne’s.

An innovation and design center is a space designed for exploration in engineering, design, prototyping, and inventing. These school spaces allow students to practice collaboration, build curiosity, experience failure, and create new solutions to old problems through design thinking. These programs provide students with the necessary equipment and resources to create and explore. Most innovation centers provide access to:

• 3D printers

• Robotics (VEX and Lego)

• Laser cutters

• Prototype-making materials (foam boards, painter's tape, selfie sticks, etc.)

Thanks to the generosity of the students and parents, the school received $53,000 to help launch this design space in the basement of the lower school building. The funds will allow the school to redo the flooring, buy furniture designed for the new curriculum, and purchase updated equipment like 3D printers.

St. Anne’s also hired an Innovations and Design Thinking teacher to teach grades 5-8 starting in the fall of 2023. We look forward to watching our students engage in cutting-edge projects and thought-provoking designing and planning.

Images of mocked-up design:

A NEW PARTNERSHIP: EQUIPPING STUDENTS TO NAVIGATE THEIR SOCIAL LIVES

In a world where social media and technology play an increasingly influential role in students' lives, St. Anne's Episcopal School has taken a proactive step by joining forces with The Social Institute. This collaboration aims to equip students with essential skills to navigate the complexities of their online and offline social worlds, while also empowering their voices and strengthening the school's culture. With studies revealing that students spend an average of 8.3 hours per day on screens, it has become evident that social media and technology significantly impact their health, happiness, and future success. Recognizing the urgency of addressing this issue, Chris Cox, Head of School at St. Anne's, emphasized the importance of understanding social media and inspiring students to make positive choices in the digital landscape.

"Social media use has permeated every facet of our society," Mr. Cox remarked. "As educational leaders, it is crucial that we align our values with the challenges faced by the new generation. We aim to ensure students make high-character choices and feel a sense of belonging within our uplifting school community."

St. Anne's Episcopal School is thrilled to embark on this partnership, further reinforcing its commitment to teaching positive social interactions. The collaboration sets the stage for empowering students to become responsible digital citizens, equipping them with the necessary skills to navigate the complex social landscape. By embracing this forward-thinking initiative, the school is taking a proactive stance in preparing students for a world where digital fluency and socialemotional well-being are paramount.

WINTER WONDERLAND OF LEARNING

Exploring Electives and Special Programs in our Winter Study

This year, St. Anne's middle-school students had a unique opportunity to participate in a Winter Study course that concluded with a captivating learning expo. This innovative Winter Study provided both students and faculty with the chance to explore unconventional subjects, ranging from world dance, dissections, and crafting to creating immersive escape rooms, filmography, videography, cooking, Lego master builds, sports analytics, LARPing, and business creation. The overwhelming success of this exhilarating initiative led to the establishment of a brand-new electives program tailored for our middle-school students. We eagerly anticipate sharing further details about the program in the upcoming year!

WELCOME CLASS OF 2023

I believe in the power of OPTIMISM

HARD WORK

TRYING NEW THINGS

FAMILY

LIVING IN THE MOMENT

CHANGE

TRUSTING YOURSELF

EMBRACING NATURE

EXPERIENCES

PASSION

HUMAN CONNECTION

BEING OPEN TO NEW IDEAS

PERSPECTIVE

DETERMINATION

The 8th grade class does a project at the end of their tenure called “This I Believe.” Every 8th grader picks a statement that defines them and their journey through St. Anne’s. Here is what the Class of 2023 believes. We wish them the best as they journey on to their next stages.

FROM VISION TO REALITY: SCHUYLER LIVINGSTON '04

Working as an industrial designer for ERI Group, Schuyler Livingston ‘04, utilizes his design skills and creativity to bring innovative products to life, including the creation of medical devices, furniture, clocks, toys, outdoor gear, mountain bikes, and more.

Industrial design is the practice of creating and developing concepts and specifications for products that are intended for everyday use. It's a dynamic field that has undergone significant changes over the years. In the early days, industrial design was primarily focused on aesthetics and creating visually appealing products. Today, the field has evolved to prioritize user experience, functionality, and sustainability.

Schuyler’s passion for design began at a young age. One of his fondest memories at St. Anne’s was in Rick Sigler’s art class crafting a woodworking project with a classmate, Tucker Larson ‘04. “I remember we grabbed some blocks of wood and began engraving them with a dremel tool,” Schuyler recalls. “This evolved into a full-on landscape with water features built from hot glue and wood engravings of fishermen and trees. As the classroom filled with the smell of burnt wood, Mr. Sigler wondered what the heck was happening at the far side of the room.” Today, Schuyler and Tucker’s woodworking project (pictured) is still prominently featured in the middle school building right inside the main atrium doors. “I realized through this project that I had an affinity for designing and building,” Schuyler reflects.

Throughout high school, Schuyler continued to fuel his passion for design and arts while also excelling in math and science. As college approached, engineering felt like the most obvious next step, combining his skills in math, science, and art. However, Schuyler quickly realized that he longed for more creativity which was missing from the engineering world. Instead, he decided to enroll in the Industrial Design program at Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU).

“I didn’t fully understand the field of industrial design until I was already a year into the program,” he admits. “I just knew I enjoyed working with my hands, being creative, and finding solutions for real-life situations.” As it turns out, industrial design was a perfect fit for Schuyler, launching him into his career working for (with a team of fellow designers and engineers) Link Product Development, a Denver-based design studio. Schuyler particularly enjoyed the furniture design projects at MSU and continues to pursue this passion in his free time.

Working remotely while living in Seaside, California, Schuyler designs a wide range of consumer products.

“The design process involves extensive research, ideation and sketching, mockup development, and prototyping, all culminating in the final production,” Schuyler explains.

“To be successful in this field, you need to study people in everyday life and figure out how to solve the problems they encounter. It's about designing products that are not just aesthetically pleasing, but meaningful, serve a functional need, and meet the expectations of a target market.”

Industrial designers need a combination of technical and soft skills. They need to be proficient in computer-aided

design software, have excellent communication and collaboration skills, and be able to work in a fast-paced, constantly evolving environment.

Schuyler was able to teach himself many of these skills at a young age (which was complemented by his formal education at MSU). Now, all St. Anne’s students will be able to develop these skills in St. Anne’s new Innovation and Design Center. When Schuyler learned about the plans for constructing this new space, he was eager to hear more about a space he would have thrived in as a St. Anne’s student. These collaborative and creative workspaces provide students with access to tools, materials, and equipment for designing, prototyping, and building. They offer a supportive environment for students to experiment with new ideas and technologies, and to collaborate with others to develop innovative solutions. “I look forward to the construction of the Innovation and Design Center and would love to come back to campus to work with students once it’s complete!” Schuyler stated.

Overall, Schuyler's success as an industrial designer serves as a testament to the power of a strong foundation in creative freedom and hands-on learning, which St. Anne’s hopes to build upon with our new Innovation and Design Center at St. Anne’s.

Check out Schuyler’s industrial design projects and woodworking creations on his website: www.schuylerlivingston.com

Schuyler’s passion for design began at a young age. One of his fondest memories at St. Anne’s was in Rick Sigler’s art class crafting a woodworking project with a classmate

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 1961

Jim Smith ’61

CLASS OF 1981

Harold Kiefer ‘81

Harold owns the Hitch Corner with two stores: one in Littleton and one in Denver. His oldest son, Jack Kiefer, graduated from Cherry Creek High School and is attending Duke University, where he will play lacrosse. His youngest son will be a sophomore at Cherry Creek High School, where he also plays lacrosse.

CLASS OF 1997 CLASS OF 2001

Courtney Kramer ‘97

Courtney and her husband, Kevin Weber, welcomed their daughter, Addison Sloan Weber, on March 22, 2023.

Hayley Campbell Hiner ‘01

Hayley and her family welcomed a new baby in late May! Now with three little ones, Hayley is excited that her oldest, Audrey, will start Kindergarten at St. Anne's in the fall.

Jamie Duke ‘97

Jamie and his wife, Jesse, welcomed their daughter, Emma Kimberly Duke, born on July 11, 2022.

Jim and his wife Rita have enjoyed their first year in a 55+ active adult community, Avenida Lakewood (now called Solana Lakewood). They sold their home in Golden in 2022 and moved into a 2-bedroom apartment. Downsizing was a lot of work – many trips to Goodwill – but worth it! The move was softened by taking a cruise of the Mediterranean and living in a 250 sq. ft. space for a couple of weeks. After that, their apartment seemed quite spacious! Jim is nearing retirement from his boutique real estate company, Golden Real Estate, and continues to enjoy writing a weekly column on page 3 of the Denver Post YourHub section. The picture above is of Jim and Rita on their 4th-floor balcony, from which they enjoy views of the foothills.

St. Anne’s Alumni Association welcomes Class Notes, submissions from alumni and alumni parents. There are three ways to submit information:

STANDARD MAIL: Attn: Amy Hart

St. Anne’s Episcopal School 2701 S. York Street

Denver, CO 80210

E-MAIL: ahart@st-annes.org

ONLINE: st-annes.org/alumni

Sam Bacon ‘97

Sam is utilizing Mrs. Grant's teachings about grammar, drafting, and tone as a commercial litigation attorney at Welborn in Denver. Otherwise, he's still spending a lot of time outdoors. He's thrilled that his two daughters (3 and 5) will be starting at St. Anne's this fall!

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 2002 CLASS OF 2003 CLASS OF 2004

CLASS OF

Lauren and her husband, Alex, welcomed their son, Leo Andrew Berv, on June 10, 2022.

Claire and her husband, Wes, live in Alexandria, VA, right outside busy Washington, DC. After spending over a decade as a policy advisor for a senior US Senator, Claire now works as a Global Government Relations Executive for a leading Fortune 100 tech company in DC.

CLASS OF

Kendall Richardson ‘08 and Ellory Kreidle ‘07

St. Anne’s classmates, lifelong friends, and now business partners, Kendall and Ellory opened Cherry Creek’s Bee and Pollen flower shop in July 2022. As students at St. Anne’s, Kendall and Ellory loved being creative together, whether playing on the playground, crafting during art class with Mr. Sigler, or working on a science project.

Spencer is currently living in New Orleans, working as a Supply/Demand Manager for Shell's drilling projects in the Gulf of Mexico. He got married in late 2022, and his wife also works at Shell as a Process Safety Engineer. Spencer and his wife have a dog named Jager.

Caroline and her husband, Tyler, welcomed their daughter, Claire Robin Ashley, on August 11, 2022.

Schuyler lives in Seaside, California, with his fiancée, Majia, and their dog, Maggie. He works remotely as an industrial designer for the Denver-based ERI Group.

Their friendship and creativity together have continued to flourish through their love of flowers, plants, and simple life moments. Be sure to check out their flower shop if you are ever in the Cherry Creek North area! beeandpollen.shop

Bailey

Bailey graduated from Brown University in 2016, where he played Division 1 lacrosse. He then played professional lacrosse for the Denver Outlaws from 2017-2019. Bailey currently works in Denver as a Director of Global Accounts at a software company called Palantir. He loves to fish and hike, and he also owns a YouTube channel called “ColdOnesInterviews” where he interviews professional athletes while they take cold plunges!

Lauren Kenney Berv ‘02

Schuyler Livingston ‘04

Claire Sanderson Hambrick ‘03

Caroline Duke Ashley ‘02

Tills ’08

Spencer Scolnick ‘06

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 2008

Liza

Liza graduated from Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver in 2021, right down the street from St. Anne's! Following law school and passing the bar exam, Liza immediately moved down to St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, to complete a two-year judicial clerkship. She has had an incredible experience and has loved living in the Caribbean. While in St. Thomas, she and her partner adopted a stray island dog (they call them "coconut retrievers") from the local Humane Society. Liza says, “They are always sending very cute puppies and kittens off to the mainland for adoption! I'm sure some coconut retrievers would love to find a home in Colorado!” Upon completion of her clerkship, Liza and her partner will move to Washington, DC, so she can begin a new job working at the Federal Circuit. She is sad to leave the island but very excited for the next adventure!

CLASS OF 2010

James is currently working in commercial real estate brokerage at Marcus and Millichap as a VP of Brokerage. James and his wife, Layne Rassenfoss, were married last October. His hobbies include skiing, racquet sports, biking, golf, and ice hockey. He also served on the Kent Denver Alumni Board from 2017-2023.

Alex

Alex recently moved back to Denver with his fiancée after living in San Francisco and Jackson, WY. Alex proposed this January, traveled to Europe this spring with Bailey Tills ‘08, and placed 2nd in the Grand Lake Pond Hockey Tournament this winter with Fred Couzens ‘08 and Bailey Tills ‘08.

Abby works for an email marketing company called Klavyio. She currently lives in Chicago with fellow SAES alums, the Hantman sisters (Maddie ‘11 and Taylor ‘13), and is enjoying the city with its amazing restaurants. Abby loves to ski, golf, and play tennis. Her two best friends went to St. Anne’s with her, and they love talking about their time there and will even sing a few of the songs they remember. Abby is pictured with her parents and her siblings, William ‘08, Charlotte ‘13, and Emma ‘13.

Allie works as a Brand Manager at Delta Pacific Beverage. She currently lives in California, where she loves to read, work out, and hang out with her friends. Allie graduated from the University of the Pacific, where she received both undergraduate and graduate degrees in education and played Division 1 field hockey.

Meg and her fiancé, Ethan Bredemeier, met in college at Washington University in St. Louis. They are excited to tie the knot this September 2023! After bouncing from New York to Chicago and now Colorado together, Meg and Ethan are excited to start enjoying married life back in the Rocky Mountain region.

Ben is currently getting his Master’s in Public Administration, is working at an education policy nonprofit, and has been a service member in the Army Reserves for the past five years. Ben recently returned from an assignment in the Philippines.

Sawyer ‘08

Sadler ‘08

James Rassenfoss ‘08

Allie Konkol ‘10

Abby Godfrey ‘10

Meg Stolberg ‘10

Ben Zumbahlen ‘10

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 2011

Amanda Smiley ‘11

Amanda is currently living and working in Denver for a higher education company called Academic Partnerships. Amanda loves working in higher education and content creation spaces. She is working towards her Master of Science in Strategic Communications and lives with another St. Anne's alum, Ashlin Cross ‘11. In her free time, she loves to ski, hike, read, and cook vegetarian meals. She also enjoys visiting St. Anne's campus now and then to visit a special preschool teacher dear to her heart - her own mom, Kyra Smiley!

Jack Trueblood ‘11

Jack recently returned to the US from a 1-year work assignment for Shell in Argentina. There he worked on various production optimization and digital

CLASS OF 2012

Tess Bray ‘12

Tess just completed her second year teaching a first-grade class in Kauai. She continues to follow her passions in education and traveling.

CLASS OF 2013

Emma Godfrey ‘13

Emma works in Washington, D.C., as the Director of Operations for the Data Department at the Republican National Committee. Outside of work, Emma plays in a post-graduate women’s lacrosse league. She also plays on her office softball team that competes against other organizations around D.C. She loves working and living in the nation’s capital, especially at such a vital and monumental time in our country’s history.

Ellie Golding '13

Ellie is just finishing her first year of medical school at the University of Colorado. She will be starting clinical rotations at Denver Health in the fall.

Anna Bess Pavlakovich ‘11

Anna Bess graduated from Ole Miss in 2019 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. She is currently living on the west side of Los Angeles, working in sales as a creative recruiter and client manager at Robert Half. On the side, she is pursuing stand-up comedy, improv, and podcasting as both hobbies and aspirations. She loves socializing and dancing with friends and family at concerts. Her oldest brother, David, is newly married and living in Germany with his wife, where he is a professional basketball coach. Her brother, Michael '12, is living in Denver in the Wash Park neighborhood and works as a commercial real estate broker. Her youngest brother, Nicholas ‘15, graduated from Chapman University and is living in Orange County. Lastly, her wonderful parents live happily with their two dogs in Wash Park.

Capri Van Gilder ‘12

Capri is happily living in New York City after completing a rotational program in Boston, Cleveland, and New York for KeyBank's Commercial Real Estate program. In May, she moved in with Ben Murray ‘14 in the East Village neighborhood and would love to reconnect with any other alumni in the area. Capri is enjoying her new city with all of its adventures. She loves to travel and visit family in Denver and her sister in Austin.

CLASS OF 2014

Chaney Van Gilder ‘14

Chaney works at Oracle NetSuite in Austin, Texas.

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 2018 CLASS OF 2019 REUNION

Graham Osman '15

Graham was selected as a Left Hand Pitcher by the Cincinnati Reds in the 10th round of the MLB Draft. Previously, Graham played at Long Beach State in 2023 and Arizona State University in 2022 and 2021. As a high schooler, Graham played both baseball and basketball at Colorado Academy.

CLASS OF 2016

CLASS OF 2015 CLASS OF 2017

Maren Rule ‘16

Maren is a senior at Santa Clara University, gearing up for her final year in college! She recently returned from a volunteer trip in Guatemala, where she got to work in a school with special needs children. After much anticipation, Maren was excited to participate in the Santa Clara Government Fellowship Program this summer. She worked in custody health, specifically doing research with youth in the juvenile justice system.

Frances Murphy ‘17

Frances just completed her first year of a five-year program at Veterinarian School at The University of Edinburgh. She spent three weeks of her spring break on a sheep farm, helping deliver lambs. This summer she worked with all types of animals, including dairy cows, horses, chickens, and bunnies before returning to school in the fall.

Brooke Smiley ‘15 and Kinya Hilliard ‘15

Brooke and Kinya graduated from Miami of Ohio University in May. Brooke majored in Biological Science with a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Kinya double majored in Biological Science and Pre-Med with minors in Spanish and Medical Sociology. Both Brooke and Kinya are happy to be working and living in Denver!

Keely Simpson ‘18

Keely completed her first year at Colby College and spent the summer working as a wrangler at Tumbling River Ranch in Grant, Colorado.

Members of the Class of 2019 gathered together for a reunion lunch on campus in June. They enjoyed a chance to reconnect with teachers and friends, reminiscing about their memories as St. Anne’s students and catching each other up on life since graduating. Before leaving, the group of old friends insisted on taking a walk through campus together, visiting their old “stomping grounds” and taking a stroll down memory lane. Best of luck to this group as they head off to college or pursue their next adventure ahead!

Rebekah (Beka) Barry ‘17

Beka has been writing for the Rocky Mountain Collegian at Colorado State University. She is studying as an undergraduate in Journalism and Media Communications with a minor in Spanish. Beka has had many exciting journalism opportunities through this program, including attending the Colorado Press Association conference in Sept. 2022. You can check out some of Beka’s articles featured on CSU’s student news website, the Rocky Mountain Collegian. https://collegian.com/articles/news/2023/02/category-news-csus-rams-against-hungerprovides-for-those-experiencing-food-insecurity/ https://collegian.com/articles/landc/fortcollinslife/2023/02/category-life-and-culturedemonstrating-black-excellence-7-notable-csu-alumni/

CLASS OF 2019

Henry graduated from South High School and is looking forward to spending a gap year traveling the US, UK, and Europe. Henry is planning to study Archaeology at Durham University in England in the fall of 2024.

From left to right: Eli Handler, Liana Fagelson, Andrew Kurtz, Brogan Andrus, Bella Bishop, Ava DelZotto, Maisie Bogitch, Lily Engles, Audrey Logan, Henry Murphy, Ben Jadlos, August Lefferts, Drew Schell, and Peter Kitt

Henry Murphy ‘19

TJ Secrest ‘19, Fletcher Craig ‘19, and Andres Garcia ‘19 All played in their last soccer game with the Rapids Soccer Club.

CLASS NOTES

Class of 2019 Kent Denver graduates gathered together after their graduation ceremony for a St. Anne’s picture.

From left to right: Marco Fenton, Sevilla Montoya , Mareks Zeile, Charlie Miller, Andres Garcia, Peter Kitt, Bradley Calkins, Ana Myers, August Lefferts

CLASS OF 2019 COLLEGE MATRICULATION

Abby Alem Pomona College

Brogan Andrus

Gap year - Playing hockey for Bridgewater Bandits (EHL)

Mason Barto

CLASS OF 2020

Helen Reichert ‘20

Helen was selected to attend the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York. There, she spoke with delegates from around the world regarding creating a safe digital space for young girls. Upon returning, she continued her work by talking to women-focused non-profits and sharing her learnings with her school. Helen is a senior at St. Mary's Academy.

FACULTY AND STAFF

Rich Amend

MS English and Social Studies Teacher

Rich enjoyed a dinner out with some former students (Emily Rand '09, Annabel Snidow '13, Emma Godfrey '13, and T Smiley '13) while in Washington, DC, for the annual 8th-grade trip. Mr. Amend says, "I can report that they've all gracefully entered into adulthood!" If any alums are living in DC, he'd love to see you in 2024! When he's not grading papers, Rich is spending his nights living out a lifelong dream of being “The Boss” in a Springsteen tribute band. For those of you who are curious, Clementine '20 is a senior at East High School.

Don Gifford

LS Science Teacher

Don has been enjoying some time at the beach with his family in Nantucket! Karl Gifford ‘19 will be heading off to Syracuse University for his freshman year, and Eva Gifford ‘22 is a sophomore at Colorado Academy.

Gap year - Zoology and Conservation Biology at the St. Louis Zoo; Fall of 2024Pitzer College

Bella Bishop University of Oregon

Bo Blount College of Charleston

Maisie Bogitch

Sarah Lawrence College

Bradley Calkins

Tulane University

Fletcher Craig

Santa Clara University

Alex Daniel Guilford College

Ava DelZotto

Santa Clara University

Evan Di Tanna

California Polytechnic State University

Lily Engles

Wake Forest University

Liana Fagelson University of Michigan

Marco Fenton

Colgate University

Andres Garcia Chapman University

Karl Gifford

Syracuse University

Xavier Gutierrez

University of Denver

Eli Handler Texas Christian University

Maddie Huskey

University of Washington

Ben Jadlos

Full Sail University

Max Johnson

Claremont McKenna College

Ella Karantounis

Clemson University

Peter Kitt

Gap year - skiing and working in Canada

Andrew Kurtz

Olin College of Engineering

August Lefferts

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Audrey Logan

Boston College

CLASS OF 2023 HIGH SCHOOL MATRICULATION

Ashlyn Adams Kent Denver

Skylar Adams Regis Jesuit High School

Anders Allen Regis Jesuit High School

Giana Bigelow

Valor Christian High School

Parker Bouc

Kent Denver

David Bouillion

Regis Jesuit High School

Charlie Brown

Regis Jesuit High School

McKenzie Budman

Regis Jesuit High School

James Coors Mercersburg Academy

Anna Engles Kent Denver

Taylor Gaffney

Kent Denver

Gretchen Goodman Mullen High School

Leo Grajeda

Colorado Academy

Hagen Grothe

Valor Christian High School

Tada Hayashi

Mullen High School

Camille Hepworth

Valor Christian High School

Jasper Holena

Cherry Creek High School

Charlotte Holtze

Kent Denver

Andrew Howard St. George's School

Abigail Hughes Regis Jesuit High School

Boden Johnson East High School

Jack Kazdal Strake Jesuit

Bennett Krug

Valor Christian High School

Lottie Lavender South High School

Aiden Lindberg

South High School

Dylan Livadariu

Regis Jesuit High School

Keenan Love Colorado Academy

Lauren McDaniel

Metro State University

Heather McFadden

Virginia Tech

Charlie Miller

Cornell University

Sevilla Montoya Brown University

Henry Murphy

Gap year - traveling the US, UK, and Europe; Fall of 2024Durham University, England

Ana Myers

University of San Diego

Logan Purdy St. Lawrence University

James Ritsick

St. John’s College

Efrain Ruiz Reyes

University of San Diego

Hadley Rule

Loyola University Chicago

Andrew Schell Boston College

TJ Secrest Chapman University

Allie Smith University of Mississippi

Jack Spiecker

Loyola Marymount University

Ansley Wiley University of Colorado Boulder

Russell Wilkinson Chapman University

Mareks Zeile Boston College

Henry McDevitt

Valor Christian High School

John McMullan Mullen High School

Sonja Mengshol

Kent Denver

Keaton Miller Colorado Academy

Morgan Miller Kent Denver

Hazel Miner

Colorado Academy

Tyler Muchmore

Valor Christian High School

James Owens

Kent Denver

Grace O'Keefe

Regis Jesuit High School

Lowen Pingenot East High School

Blake Rainko Kent Denver

Reeves Thompson Colorado Academy

Dalyn Truong Colorado Academy

Julian Toomey Regis Jesuit High School

Hadisa Tamim

St. Mary's Academy

Issa Thackray St. Mary's Academy

Landon Voss

Colorado's Finest High School of Choice

Julia VanSickle

Regis Jesuit High School

CLASS NOTES

FACULTY AND STAFF

Spencer Gregg Music Teacher

Spencer and his wife, Rhiann, along with their dog, Kaya, recently settled into their new home in University Park - experiencing the beautiful area and community. From hosting family and friends to woodworking and yard projects, the summer is filled with fresh home excitement. With a little extra time to sneak away, Spencer is able to enjoy skating, biking, hiking, parks, and playing music regularly with friends around the city.

Ana Dodson, Ph. D. Lower School Counselor

On May 13, 2023, Ana graduated and received her Doctorate in Psychology.

FACULTY AND STAFF

Erin Cody

Kindergarten Teacher

Erin Cody and Beth Laschober said "I do" on June 10, 2023, at Grey Shingles Camps in Wolfeboro, NH.

Nancy York

First Grade Teacher

First-grade teacher Nancy York stands with four of her former students: St. Anne’s alums and current parents Megan Barley ‘99 and Margo Simpson ‘99 and their graduated first graders Campbell Barley ‘30 and Madeleine Simpson ‘30. Megan and Margo have loved returning to St. Anne’s with their respective families and reliving memories of their time here together, like the ones they experienced in Mrs. York’s classroom!

Erin Menard and Patty Jordan French Teacher and PE Teacher

Ms. Menard and Ms. Jordan traveled to France in June with 16 St. Anne's students. Highlights of the trip included visiting Paris (the Catacombs, the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, la Place des Vosges, le Musée d'Orsay, a cooking class at l'Atelier des Chefs) and staying with host families in Carcassonne. Ms. Menard and Ms. Jordan reunited with their host family (Max and Myriam) and visited a hilltop village with a suspension bridge while students enjoyed activities such as biking, swimming, hiking, and an adventure course with their host families. The trip was capped off in Toulouse with a farewell dinner of typical French foods. Ms. Menard said, "I am thankful to have been a part of an experience that created a spark for travel, curiosity, ecology, and history. I’m honored to have witnessed the incredible growth in my students in such a short amount of time."

Andy Levine

MS English Teacher

Andy spent time this summer training for a 10K swim at Horsetooth Reservoir that will take place on September 10. Giddy up!

Kelsey Smith ‘01

Former Spanish Teacher Alum, Class of 2001

After 12 years working at St. Anne's (and 21 years total between being a student and a teacher), Kelsey Smith ‘01 will be embarking on a new adventure to teach at Stanley British Primary School. She is excited to be back in a homeroom teacher role and in a multi-age classroom with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. She is grateful for all the learning, people, and growth that have filled her 21 years at St. Anne's, and she looks forward to coming back to visit. Over the summer, she looks forward to traveling to Brazil with her partner, Thomas, and their oneyear-old, Diego, to spend time with Thomas's family.

Lori Frank

Assistant Head of School

Lori was the fortunate recipient of a St. Anne's faculty grant that enabled her to travel to Costa Rica with her son, Ryan '05, and his wife, Katie, in April 2023. They enjoyed many adventures, including hiking and zip-lining through the Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Heather Wirch

4th Grade Teacher

Heather Wirch successfully hiked the West Coast Trail (75km) on Vancouver Island. This adventure was one of the more challenging hikes she has ever completed as it involved climbing over 70 ladders and crossing many suspension bridges. Wonderful weather, spectacular scenery and fit friends really made for great memories.

Jason Takahashi ‘01

Former Technology Teacher Alum, Class of 2001

Jason and his wife, Lauren, got married in September 2022. Jason, alum and former St. Anne’s teacher, is currently teaching at Stanley British Primary School and has helped launch Stanley’s first VEX robotics team! One of their groups qualified for the state championship.

Jessica Cardenas

LS Art Teacher

Jessica had the opportunity to visit a childhood friend who lives in Japan with her family this summer. They loved the people, the food, the art, seeing the beauty of the land, and learning about the history and so many wonderful traditions. One of their favorite spots was The Kamakura Daibutsu (The Great Buddha), the second-largest bronze Buddha statue in Japan.

Warren Saslow

Current Substitute Teacher

Former MS English Teacher Warren has been enjoying his retirement while staying close to St. Anne’s. He has been an extremely valuable substitute teacher for us this past school year, stepping into classrooms of all ages and subjects. His son, Eli Saslow, recently won his second Pulitzer for feature writing. The stories were submitted by his former paper, the Washington Post. Earlier this year, Eli moved from the Washington Post to the New York Times.

Trina Ford

Lower School Math Specialist

Over the past school year (and this summer), Trina joined a group of dedicated teachers from across Colorado to complete two certificate programs through CU Boulder: Teachers Leading Change and Designing for Learning: InquiryBased Pedagogy for K-12 Educators. Trina is grateful for the financial support she received from St. Anne's to engage in this professional development. She’s excited to use this training to support student-centered learning at St. Anne's!

MILESTONES

FAREWELL FAREWELL

We want to take a moment to thank three esteemed members of our school community, Kris Buckley, Adriana Early, Char Brady, and Craig Knippenberg, for their years of service.

Kris, Adie, Char, and Craig have dedicated themselves to making our school a better place for all of us. They have made a long-lasting impact on our school and community, and we are truly grateful for their commitment and hard work.

Kris, Adie, Char, and Craig's passion and enthusiasm for education have inspired us all. Their commitment to our students, staff, and families has been unwavering. We hope they will cherish the memories of their time with us. We wish them all a happy and fulfilling retirement. May they enjoy all the new adventures it brings.

Char describes her time at St. Anne's as "magical." From the moment she stepped foot on St. Anne's campus, she knew what a unique place St. Anne's is. "When I stepped onto campus for the first time I gasped. It literally took my breath away."

During her first year at St. Anne's, Char was the director of the after school program, where she had the opportunity to get to know the students, families and community as a whole. Char has enjoyed her time at St. Anne's as the ECE Director, working in the library as an assistant, and her true passion of being in the classroom with the students. She feels so honored and grateful to have spent a large portion of her early childhood career at St. Anne's. She states, " Leaving St. Anne's is very bittersweet. I am so fortunate to have been a part of such an amazing community that truly embraces the pedagogy of doing what's best for each individual child. Throughout my years at St. Anne's, I feel as though I have not only been encouraged to do what I'm passionate about, but supported as well. I will always be grateful for my time at St. Anne's.

Kris began her journey with St. Anne’s in 1997 when she received a call from Rose Kelly, head of admissions. Kris was offered a job at St. Anne’s and, without hesitation, accepted due to her daughter's wonderful experience at the school. Over the years, Kris has served as a scorekeeper for basketball and volleyball and assisted with lifetime sports. She has also enjoyed watching the children in different situations and greeting parents and children, following them through 8th grade, and seeing them graduate. Kris has expressed how much she enjoyed meeting all the wonderful parents and children over the years and the many faculty and staff members who have come and gone. She has taken pride in learning new things and adapting over the years and has shared her energy and enthusiasm with our school community.

“When I walked back on campus as a parent 20 years later, it was your voice that brought me right back to my childhood years at St. Anne's!”

–ALUMNI AND CURRENT PARENT

“Your smile, your welcome, and your management of calls, advice, information, care of sick children, and a thousand other behind-the-scenes responsibilities will be missed."

–FORMER TRUSTEE

“You have been ‘the glue that holds St. Anne’s together."

–CURRENT PARENT

Adie has served the school for 24 years, 16 as an employee and 8 as a parent. During her time at St. Anne's, Adie has had the opportunity to expand her horizons and interact with students, faculty, and families. Adie has enjoyed her time as an executive assistant to the head of the school, and her desire to interact with students has led her to coaching opportunities for track and 6th-grade boys' basketball. She has also served as a scorekeeper for volleyball and basketball. Through it all, Adie has learned how to navigate the school community and has experienced many memorable moments, like when she wore an inflatable hippo ballerina costume for the school parade. Adie's time at St. Anne's, she says, has been some of the most rewarding years of her life, and she will miss the traditions and the exceptional people that make up the school community.

“If you ever needed advice, wanted a laugh, or needed to talk something over, you could count on her.”

–ALUMNI

“I have always known you as a kind and talented person, and I have valued your friendship and the leadership you have shown over the years at St. Anne's.”

–FORMER TRUSTEE

“You have kept the spirit of St. Anne’s moving from class to class and administration to administration.”

–CURRENT PARENT

"Char's effervescent personality created a welcoming atmosphere, making all of our youngest students feel like they belonged at St. Anne's."

–CO-WORKER

"She ensured that all of her students felt loved and supported as they began their school career."

–ALUMNI

Craig has dedicated 27 years of care and support for our students, staff, and families. During his time here at the school, Craig has done an incredible job supporting our community, and we are deeply grateful for his service. Craig has decided to embark on a new professional journey as he transitions out of his role as a school counselor. This fall, his growing podcast and a second book will keep him busy. Craig will remain with us as an independent consultant for a couple of hours a week to assist our new team during this transition. He has also graciously offered to be available for any parenting questions or if a child needs extra support outside school.

“You have been a calm force through the various challenges the school has faced.”

–ALUMNI

“You have such an incredible gift and we are all better off having had you in our kids’ lives.”

–ALUMNI PARENT, FORMER TRUSTEE

MILESTONES

LIVES WELL LIVED

Cheyenne Little Fawn Poor Bear

Cheyenne Little

Fawn Poor Bear, TaSina Gluha Mani Wi ‘94, a St. Anne’s alum, made her journey to the Star Nation on July 26, 2022, at the Denver Health Medical Center in Denver, CO. Cheyenne was born on April 27, 1980, in Alliance, Nebraska, to Eugene Poor Bear and Rita (Moreno-Poor Bear) Prince.

Cheyenne grew up in the Denver Indian community and entered the powwow circle as a very talented fancy shawl dancer. She was also a member of the Medicine Warrior Youth Drum and Dance Troupe. She was honored to hold the title of ‘Ms. White Buffalo Princess’ and ‘Ms. Keepers of the Fire Princess'.

Cheyenne was an accomplished basketball player and athlete. She was chosen to play basketball for Girls International Sports in Paris, France. She loved learning about ways to preserve our beautiful Mother Earth. She even took apprenticeship classes for a year in Northern California and landed a job for Grid Solar. This was her lifelong dream. She had just finished up construction classes and was enrolled at Aurora Community College for general construction contractor courses. Her dream was to become the first Native General Construction Contractor in Colorado.

Cheyenne is survived by her mother, Rita Prince; stepfather, Joseph Prince; nephews, Allen and Raiden Alford; cousins, Jennifer and David Schad; numerous cousins, aunts, and uncles; and a very large extended family of friends.

Cheyenne was preceded in death by her father, Eugene Poor Bear; brother, Michael Poor Bear (‘90); maternal grandparents, Gilbert & Dellaveen Moreno; paternal grandparents, Allen Poor Bear & Ida Iron Crow; and numerous aunts and uncles.

Tim Gardner Tim Gardner, a St. Anne's alumni parent, former Trustee, and friend, passed away on Monday, February 13. Tim was the beloved husband of Deb Froeb and the proud father of Ben ('03) and Gus ('05). He served two separate terms on the St. Anne's Board of Trustees in 1999-2008 and 20142016. He served as President of the Board from 2003-2008. He moved the school forward in tremendous ways - through strategic planning, fundraising, and strong fiscal management.

Timothy Nelson Gardner was born to Steven V. Gardner and Polly Harrison Gardner in Dayton, Ohio, on April 16, 1956. From his elementary school years at Episcopal School outside of Philadelphia, PA, his intellectual acumen was apparent, leading to his acceptance at Deerfield Academy. An equally strong adventurous streak summoned him to the University of Colorado to ski, run rivers, and obtain a pilot’s license while earning his BA. Always confident, he postponed a job search for 12 months so that he could execute his plan to captain a 50-foot wooden sailboat across the Atlantic to Europe. As a science and numbers guy, celestial navigation with a sextant came naturally to him; however, it was indeed a relief to find himself and crew in sight of the island of Majorca on the very day he anticipated.

This combination of credentials sufficiently intrigued the Bank of Montreal in Chicago (fka The Harris Bank), where he was offered a spot in the selective commercial banking training program, while earning his MBA from Northwestern University on nights and weekends. During his five years at the bank, he succeeded in convincing an equally adventuresome fellow trainee, Deborah S. Froeb, to become his wife. This dynamic duo returned to Colorado in 1983 to build their life together. Tim and Deb raised

two sons, Benjamin (Ben) and Augustus (Gus) Gardner, becoming members of and contributors to multiple communities along the way. Beneficiaries of Tim’s time and talent include St. Anne’s Episcopal School, where he served on the board, St. Elizabeth’s School (devoted trustee), and the Reisher Scholarship Committee at The Denver Foundation (Chair). His willingness to step in and lead a challenging initiative was renowned. A quick study, he was patient in bringing along others and creating a solutions-oriented mindset. This was equally demonstrated in his leadership of infrastructure projects in his beloved summer community of Northport Point, Michigan, resulting in state-of-the-art water and sewer service to over 100 homes. After a successful tenure at William Blair and Company in Denver, Tim applied his intellect and engineering aptitude to entrepreneurial opportunities in Colorado’s rapidly emerging technology sector. Cumulatively, this experience prepared him for the biggest and most rewarding challenge of his life in 2013 as the Chief Financial Officer of the emerging Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine on the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus. Over seven years, Tim played a lead role at the Center and in developing and launching the state-of-the-art Gates Biomanufacturing Facility, where a staff of 60 now work to develop and manufacture innovative research discoveries into safe and effective cell and biologic products for human clinical trials.

Somehow, between all of his work, community and family commitments, Tim managed to pursue his passions of flying his Cessna Skymaster, upland game hunting with his cherished labradors, fishing and skiing with family and friends, and supporting his CU Buffs and Denver Broncos. In all of his pursuits, Tim’s quick wit, sense of humor, integrity, and generosity enhanced many lives, and he will be missed mightily.

LIVES WELL LIVED

Katie Page Nielsen

Katie Page Nielsen ‘01, an alum of St. Anne’s, passed away on Friday, November 18, 2023. Anyone who was privileged to meet her knew that she radiated sunshine, compassion, silliness, humor, and a deep love of humanity that manifested in all of her life, her career, and in the massive network of friends she made. Katie will be missed by her immediate family, including her husband Jon-Scott, and the innumerable friends that she made feel like family. May we all do our best to hold the warmth she so generously gave us.

Sandra C. Walton

Sandra C. Walton, a former staff member at St. Anne’s, passed away peacefully with family present on July 9, 2022. Sandy had a lengthy career at St. Anne’s as the Executive Assistant to two Heads of School. She loved working at the school and thrived in the responsibilities given her. She was known for her meticulous work ethic and loving personality. Students and staff gravitated to her for her warm personality and always a kind word.

She was born November 27, 1940, and was preceded in death by her husband of 23 years, Robert E. Walton, Sr. She leaves a loving family of three stepchildren: Robert Jr. (Gail) of Columbia, Maryland; Martha Walton Dillenberg (Tom) of Cherry Hills, Colorado; and, James of Longmont, Colorado. She was preceded in death by her loving stepdaughter, Dr. Nancy Condon (Kevin) of Lake Forest, Illinois. She was also blessed with 9 loving grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Sandy was born in Gary, Indiana, in 1940. She was very popular in school, graduating from Tolleston High School in 1958 as secretary of the Library Club, president of GAA, and secretary of the Student Council. She continued her education at Northwestern University, majoring in English with a minor in Russian.

Sandy’s family was of Russian origin, and in her early years, she was raised in a Russian Orthodox community. Her parents, Steve and Anne Cidylo, were active in the Russian community with Steve and Sandy’s grandfather singing in the Russian Orthodox Church men’s choir. While in Chicago, Illinois, she worked parttime at Consolidated Can Corporation, where she sharpened her business skills working as an executive assistant. During this period, she met her future husband and eventually moved to Colorado in 1968 to start a new life.

At first she and her husband lived in Denver, where she worked for Proctor and Gamble as an executive assistant. They then moved to Pine, Colorado, and bought a nonworking ranch named Ravenswood. There her love of Colorado grew as she learned to ride horses, ice skated on one of their two ponds, and always had a minimum of three dogs.

Still working in Denver, they eventually moved to Parker, Colorado, and lived in the Pinery for many years.

Many will remember Sandy for her caring personality, her love of life, her incredible attention to detail, and the great passion and love she had for Colorado.

Shirley Jean Zimmerman, who worked at St. Anne’s from 1985 until her retirement in 2008, passed away on December 6, 2022. In the years leading up to her retirement, Shirley was the supervisor of the school lunch program. Shirley loved to read, crochet, and go camping and fishing with her family and friends. She also enjoyed baking, quilting, waterskiing, and sipping a pina colada now and then. She was a loving and caring person and devoted wife, mother, sister, aunt and grandmother.

Shirley is survived by her husband, Harold, her two daughters, her granddaughter, her two sisters, and many nieces, nephews, family, and friends. The St. Anne’s community will always remember Shirley for her hard work on behalf of faculty and students and her great sense of humor.

Shirley Jean Zimmerman

HONORING TRADITION AND SHARING COMMUNITY RECIPES

In the early years of St. Anne's Episcopal School, the Sisters, who resided in a convent, embarked on a remarkable service that would leave a lasting imprint on the school's history. Their days were filled with a labor of love as they baked an astounding 4,000 host wafers daily, destined for churches and missions far and wide. In a display of dedication and resourcefulness, some of these delicate wafers even made their way to Alaska, delivered by intrepid dog sleds. Baking was more than a practical necessity for the Sisters; it was a cherished tradition that brought them joy and connected them to their spiritual calling. Among the Sisters, Mother Irene held a special place as the guardian of a treasured cookie recipe that has stood the test of time.

Today, that very recipe continues to be made and enjoyed at St. Anne's, serving as a link to the school's rich heritage.

In celebration of this profound legacy, St. Anne's Episcopal School is thrilled to share a collection of cookie recipes from members of its vibrant community.

As you explore these recipes and embark on your own baking adventures, we invite you to pause and reflect on the dedication of the Sisters who, through their daily toil in the kitchen, helped shape the foundations of our beloved school. Their selflessness and unwavering commitment to serving others continue to inspire us.

16 tablespoons (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup (213g) light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup (99g) granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 large egg yolk, at room temperature

1 tablespoon (14g) pure vanilla extract

2 cups (240g) unbleached all-purpose flour

CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

HEATHER WIRCH, 4TH GRADE TEACHER

1 Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper, or lightly grease with non-stick vegetable oil spray.

2 In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth.

3 Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla.

4 Whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and add to the butter mixture in the bowl.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup oleo*

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons water

2 large eggs

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts, optional

MOTHER IRENE’S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES A ST. ANNE'S CLASSIC

1 Preheat oven to 375° F.

2 Mix flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

3 In a seperate bowl, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, water, and vanilla extract until creamy.

4 Add eggs and beat well. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.

5 Stir in morsels and nuts (if desired).

1 cup (89g) rolled oats, old-fashioned or quick-cooking

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups (510g) semisweet chocolate chips*

5 Mix until everything is thoroughly incorporated. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, and mix briefly.

6 Stir in the chocolate chips.

7 Decide what size cookies you want to make. A muffin scoop (1/4 cup) will make 20 large, palm-sized cookies. A tablespoon cookie scoop (4 teaspoons) will make 50 medium (2 3/4" to 3") cookies; and a teaspoon cookie scoop (2 teaspoons) will make 100 small (2 1/2") cookies.

8 Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 1/2" to 2" between cookies.

*Unsalted butter, margarine, Crisco, etc. Shortening should be softened before use.

6 Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

*Substitute a 1-pound bag of chocolate chips for the 18 ounces (3 cups) called for, if desired.

9 Bake the cookies for 12 to 17 minutes, until they're a light golden brown, with slightly darker edges. Their middles may still look a tiny bit shiny; that's OK, they'll continue to bake as they cool on the pan.

10 Remove the cookies from the oven, and as soon as they're set enough to handle, transfer them to racks to cool.

These cookies require a food processor. The recipe makes about 3 dozen 3-inch cookies.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES THE LEW FAMILY

5 ounces sweet chocolate, broken into pieces

½ c firmly packed brown sugar

½ c sugar

½ c (1 stick) butter, cut into 4 pieces, room temperature

1 egg

2 tsp. vanilla

1 c minus 2T unbleached

all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking soda

a pinch of salt

1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ c walnuts or pecans, halves or pieces (optional)

1 Combine sugars and chocolate in work bowl and chop using 6 on/off turns; then process until chocolate is as fine as sugar (about 1 minute).

2 Scrape down sides of work bowl. Add butter and blend 30 seconds.

3 Add egg and vanilla and blend 1 minute, stopping as needed to scrape down sides of work bowl.

4 Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Top with chocolate chips and nuts (if using) and mix, using 2 on/off turns.

5 Drop batter by slightly rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing 1 ½ inches apart.

6 Bake 10 minutes on center rack of 350 degree oven. Cool 3 minutes on baking sheet. Transfer to racks to cool completely.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 2/3 ounces) all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup packed (7 ounces) light brown sugar

½ cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

1 large egg plus 1 large yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1½ cups (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

CHEWY CHOCOLATE

CHIP COOKIES KAREN IKER, REGISTRAR AND ADMISSION ASSOCIATE

1 Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in bowl.

2 Using stand mixer, fitted with paddle, beat melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add egg and yolk and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

*To keep the cookies chewy longer, store them in an airtight container with a slice of sandwich bread.

3 Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll into balls and space them two inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake cookies, one sheet at a time, until edges are set and beginning to brown, but centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating sheet half way through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 10 minutes before serving.

1 c flour

1/3 c cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 c unsalted butter (melted)

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2 c sugar

1 large egg + 1 egg yolk at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE COOKIES

BENNETT KRUG, ‘23

1 Preheat the oven to 350F.

2 Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder.

3 Set the dry ingredients aside for later.

4 In a separate bowl, add the butter with both sugars and whisk.

5 Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk until very smooth.

6 Add the dry ingredients with the butter and sugar mixture. Mix them gently with a spatula.

7 Mix the chocolate chips into the dough.

8 Line the baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop the cookie dough. Make sure to leave space in between.

9 Bake for about 9 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

The recipe makes about 40 cookies. *If desired, you may omit almonds, and dark chocolate chips can be substituted for more of a "Mounds" cookie.

14 oz bag semi sweet chocolate chips

2 cups of shredded coconut

2/3 cup of slivered almonds

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

4-INGREDIENT ALMOND

COOKIES CHEF ANN PIERPONT

1 Preheat oven to 325F.

JOY

2 In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut, chocolate chips, almonds, and sweetened condensed milk. Stir well to incorporate all ingredients.

3 Using a cookie scoop (#30 scoop), deposit the dough onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, about 1" apart, shaping them into round mounds.

4 Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tips of the coconut are just starting to turn brown.

5 Cool completely on baking sheet (if they last that long).

Commending Chris Cox for a remarkable inaugural year as Head of School

Well done!