2023 FY Landon School Annual Report

GRATITUDE. RENEWAL. IMPACT.

INNOVATIVE SPACES,

LASTING IMPACT

CELEBRATING THE GENEROSITY THAT IS BRINGING OUR VISION TO LIFE

“Gift by gift the Landon community is making a vision a reality and our new spaces and programs are shaping Landon’s future. Every corner tells a story of growth and connection – of commitment to boys and one another. I extend my gratitude to our community for supporting Landon at this critical moment in its history.”

Peter J. Gallo, Ph.D. Director of Development

ON THE COVER

Nathan Poulin ’24 and Kendall Skeete-Ridley ’24 work together in Robotics and Automated Systems class in the new Healy Foundation Innovation Lab.

DEVELOPMENT OFFICE

301.320.1016

WWW.LANDON.NET

Peter J. Gallo, Ph.D. Director of Development

Robinson Bordley ’66 Alumni Ambassador

Maria Femiano Development and Special Events Associate

Elizabeth Hudson Assistant Director of Development for Analytics, Publications, and Endowment

Michael McCabe Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations

Loretta Menzen Director of Development Operations

Lucas Metropulos Director of Major and Planned Gifts

Cynthia Peters Director of Special Events and Parent Programs

Joan Vassos

Annual Giving and Alumni Relations Associate

A MESSAGE FROM THE

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Landon Community,

This past fall we welcomed students, faculty, and staff back to a newly transformed campus. These new and renovated buildings are more than improved spaces; they are the setting for our ongoing commitment to the ethical, intellectual, and personal development of boys.

Our Campus Master Plan called for designs that directly supported the needs of students and the teacher-coach-mentors who guide them. Walking around the Landon campus today, you can see the importance of the academic core around Miniter Quad, flanked by the Boehly Upper School, the Banfield Academic Center, and the Freeman Family Lower School. Students and faculty from each division are more closely linked in daily life, and the connections – which so many of our alumni still reference as life changing – are more organically promoted.

In this report, I invite you to explore the new and renovated spaces and how our educators and students are using them to the fullest. There are also inspiring stories from generous donors who felt called to honor a faculty member, make a transformational endowment gift, and honor a Landon father.

Among the benefits of our new and renovated buildings are the enhanced common areas and breakout meeting spaces that allow everything from full form meetings to small-group collaborations, again an intentional part of our design efforts. These spaces further foster a sense of community and elevate how boys learn and collaborate with each other. It is inspiring to see boys working on homework projects together or just sitting around laughing and chatting in

areas like the new Forcione Sitting Steps at the heart of the Boehly Upper School or in the newly developed student gathering areas like the Shue Family Commons, the Jeff Mascott Commons, or the Gardner Commons – all areas designed to promote relationship, connection, and community among the boys. The Brooke and Rosemary Seawell STEM Center and the Healy Foundation Innovation Lab in Boehly as well as upgraded STEM spaces in each of the divisions will allow for hands-on learning that promotes creativity. These facilities will allow faculty to implement new programming to cultivate skills our students need for college and beyond.

Opening school on time this year was a monumental effort given the massive construction underway. Our dedicated faculty and staff along with our Buildings and Grounds staff and our construction team from Coakley & Williams made this possible. To see our boys and faculty thriving in these new spaces is inspiring. And, to be sure, we could not have done this without the over 3,000 donors to date who have supported our associated fundraising efforts. Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of our donors –alumni, parents, and grandparents – we are close to surpassing our goal of $50 million. This work continues, as does Master Plan-related construction this coming summer. So, if you have not yet made a gift to support The Campaign for

Landon, please consider doing so by reaching out to Director of Development Peter J. Gallo, Ph.D., to discuss a gift. Every gift matters and has been the key to reaching our ambitious goals. Indeed, approaches like multiyear pledges often make a significant gift much more attainable.

On behalf of the Landon community, I extend my deepest gratitude to everyone who has supported The Campaign for Landon. Your generosity led to a transformed campus and helped realize our goal to increase Landon’s endowment to its highest level ever, by supporting new financial aid/scholarship funds, faculty professional development, the work of our learning specialists, and our ongoing operations through the Landon Fund.

Gratefully,

Jim Neill, P ’24 Head of School

A MESSAGE FROM THE

BOARD CHAIR

Dear Landon Community,

As the newly elected chair of the Landon Board of Trustees, I am pleased to present our 2022-2023 Annual Report.

I offer my heartfelt congratulations to our outgoing chair, Alex Baldwin, P ’18, who assumed his role shortly before the pandemic. To say that his governance during one of Landon’s most challenging times was remarkable would be an understatement.

Additionally, Alex’s leadership on our historic The Campaign for Landon has propelled Landon to a very bright future.

I am also grateful to our Board of Trustees and Head of School Jim Neill for their steadfast leadership in ensuring the successful completion of the Boehly Upper School, the renovation of the Banfield Academic Center, as well as the relocation and renovation of the Andrew’s House. Together, our community navigated through a challenging construction project, showing our resilience and leading Landon to new heights. Today, Landon students and faculty benefit from a transformed campus with new and revitalized spaces.

Thank you to Katie and Todd Boehly ’91, whose early leadership inspired our community to embrace a bold and historic project for Landon School. And I offer my gratitude to our benefactors worldwide for your philanthropy; your impact is making a real difference in the lives of our boys and their teachers. Our recent success is possible because of the dedication of the Landon Community – from the mission focus of our trustees, faculty, and staff to the spirit and generosity of our alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends to the grit and drive of our boys. Together, we are an incredibly powerful force for

positive change, as evidenced by the content of this Annual Report, which I hope you will enjoy.

In our report, you’ll learn about a few of the accomplishments of our boys and the faculty. I am incredibly proud to have witnessed the many ways our students, faculty, and staff have lived the core values of Landon School throughout the past year. There is much to be thankful for – and much to look forward to as well. I sincerely appreciate all who propel this extraordinary School forward and know we will continue to lead, serve, and thrive in the years to come.

As we enter 2024, our work is ongoing. We have reached a significant milestone, raising nearly $49 million toward our $50 million goal. The finish line is in our sight; thank you for considering making a gift to Landon School in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. I sincerely appreciate all who lead this remarkable School forward!

Sincerely,

Bill Magruder ’92 Chair, Board of Trustees

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2022-23

CHAIR: Alex Baldwin, P ’18

PRESIDENT: Jim Neill, P ’24

VICE CHAIR:

Olivier Kamanda ’99

TREASURER: Jeffrey Freed, P ’11 ’13 ’18

SECRETARY: Bill Magruder ’92

TRUSTEES 2022-23

Dwaine Alleyne ’00

Jeff Ansary ’92, P ’28

Kristen Best, P ’23 ’25

John Botti

Donald Dell ’56

Jean-Marie Fernandez, P ’24

Nick Freeman ’09

Debra Graham, P ’18 ’20

Laura Hoffman, P ’17 ’21 ’24

Burnell Holland ’01

Matt Holleran ’85

Beverly Hudnut, P ’11

Ted Lamade ’00

Ted Prince ’84

Inger Rosner, P ’20 ’23 ’27

Tom Scott ’85

Brooke Seawell ’65

Harmar Thompson ’90, P ’31 ’33

Mike Voris ’95

Lisa Ellis Williams, P ’24

Trustees Emeriti

*Peter FitzGerald, Sr. ’50, P ’83 ’86, GP ’13 ’19 ’21

Knight Kiplinger ’65, P ’99 , GP ’33

Larry Lamade ’65, P ’00 ’03

Jack Leachman ’69, P ’95, GP ’30

Samuel Lehrman, H ’09, P ’11

Rusty Lindner ’72, P ’15

2023-24

CHAIR: Bill Magruder ’92

PRESIDENT: Jim Neill, P ’24

VICE CHAIR:

Harmar Thompson ’90, P ’31 ’33

TREASURER: Jeffrey Freed, P ’11 ’13 ’18

SECRETARY: Burnell Holland ’01

TRUSTEES 2023-24

Ali Al-Attar ’91, P ’32

Dwaine Alleyne ’00

Jeff Ansary ’92, P ’28

Kristen Best, P ’23 ’25

John Botti

Jean-Marie Fernandez, P ’24

Nick Freeman ’09

Debra Graham, P ’18 ’20

Laura Hoffman, P ’17 ’21 ’24

Matt Holleran ’85

Beverly Hudnut, P ’11

Ted Lamade ’00

Inger Rosner, P ’20 ’23 ’27

Tom Scott ’85

Brooke Seawell ’65

Pete Ventimiglia, P ’26

Mike Voris ’95

Brien White, P ’26

Lisa Ellis Williams, P ’24

“H” denotes Honorary. “P” denotes Parent. “GP” denotes Grandparent.

* Deceased

CONNECTIONS THAT LAST BUILDING FOR LIFE

The strong relationships boys

form with teachers, coaches, mentors, classmates, teammates, and friends at Landon

make a meaningful difference in their lives and form the foundation for learning

and

growth.

The emphasis on these relationships is clearly seen in the new spaces the community has to gather and connect. Each division now includes a common area where the entire division can meet, plus welcoming indoor and outdoor environments with seating and collaborative workspaces.

OFFICES AND SPACES FOR ONE-ON-ONE MENTORSHIP

ROGERS TERRACE

SHUE FAMILY COMMONS

Reflecting Two Generations with Lifelong Connections to Landon

For Joe ’82 and Cecilia Kenary, P ’18 ’20 ’23, it was not a question of “if” their sons would go to Landon, but “when.” “No other institution has had a larger impact on me than Landon,” says Joe. “Landon taught me the value of commitment, hard work, loyalty, and integrity that I have carried throughout my life.” Joe and his brother, Patrick ’84, built lifetime friendships at Landon that endure today.

Joe went on to Harvard and UCLA and into finance. He served on the Landon Board of Trustees for 10 years, the last three as the Board Chair.

He and Cecilia celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary in January 2024, their first as empty nesters. Nico ’18 was an All-Met soccer player at Landon, who played in two NCAA finals at Amherst College and now works for the Vanguard Network in Boston. Tommy ’20 is playing football and majoring in neuroscience at Middlebury College. Sofia graduated from Stone Ridge in 2022 and is studying psychology at Boston University. Sebby ’23 plays rugby at Boston College. Both Tommy and Sebby were student leaders at Landon, serving on the Student Council throughout their time at the School.

“We have three sons who have very distinct personalities and unique interests,” Cecilia notes. “During their time at Landon, all three of them were able to find close friendships and establish long-lasting relationships with teachers, who challenged them academically while also

emphasizing the importance of being a good guy. To this day, when they come home, all three of them are drawn to campus. They have left Landon, but Landon will never leave them.”

Joe and Cecilia decided early on to support The Campaign for Landon with a naming gift. Their sons are also donors to the School. Explains Joe, “As an alumnus, I appreciate Landon for what it gave me. More importantly, as parents, Cecilia and I owe a debt of gratitude to the School. We trusted Landon with our most precious gift – our children – and now they are men who are ready for whatever life hands them.”

NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

There are still many naming opportunities available for all giving levels. Contributions can be made as a one-time gift or a multiyear commitment.

The Campaign for Landon will close on June 30, 2024. We are grateful to the alumni, parents, grandparents, and faculty who have made a commitment to Landon School and chosen to name campus spaces. As of this publication, $28.9 million of the $30 million capital project goal has been committed – but we still need the community’s help to reach our goal.

CLASSROOM AND COLLABORATIVE SPACES

$25,000–$50,000

If you are interested in making a gift that is meaningful to you and the School, please contact Director of Development Peter J. Gallo, Ph.D. at peter_gallo@landon.net or 301-320-1004.

There are breakout learning spaces and collaborative workspaces and classrooms in the Freeman Family Lower School and the renovated Banfield Academic Center that are still available. These are spaces that the students and faculty use daily. Donors will be recognized with a plaque outside these spaces.

Collaborative Workspaces $25,000 Classrooms $50,000

SCIENCE AND INNOVATION LABS

$150,000–$500,000

Faculty and students are just beginning to explore the ways these new science and innovation labs can be used to support learning. These new spaces will become an important part of the Landon experience.

Brooke and Rosemary Seawell STEM Center Science Lab Spaces $150,000

Freeman Family Lower School Innovation Lab $350,000

Banfield Academic Center Innovation Lab $500,000

BANFIELD ACADEMIC CENTER AND COURTYARD ENTRANCE

$2–$5 MILLION

The Banfield Academic Center has been completely renovated and is now home to the Middle School as well as space for some Upper School classrooms. There is a new central entrance to the BAC off Miniter Quad and the new entrance from the loop road offers another important naming opportunity. This is the main entrance and morning drop off location for our Middle School.

Banfield Academic Center Courtyard Entrance

Banfield Academic Center

$2 million

$5 million

CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENSES

FY 2023 CONTRIBUTIONS*

$5,040,436

FY 2023 EXPENSES

$32,964,299

31

ENDOWED FUNDS WERE SUPPORTED

187

FIRST-TIME DONORS TO THE LANDON FUND

$536K

IN GIFTS FROM FIRST-TIME DONORS

* Reflects all gifts and letter of intent pledges received in FY22. Pledges are booked in the year received.

** Includes Temporarily Restricted portion of annual giving.

5%

OF REVENUE FROM THE LANDON FUND

1,580

DONORS SUPPORTED LANDON

ESTATE GIFT RECEIVED TOTALING NEARLY $100,000 1

120

ALUMNI, PARENTS, GRANDPARENTS, AND FACULTY HAVE INCLUDED LANDON IN THEIR ESTATE PLANS.

MENTORS MENTORING THE

Ask Lower School teacher and Grades 3 and 4 Dean Stephanie “Stevie” Brown why Morning Meeting in her class is her favorite part of the day, and you will understand why Landon asked her to pilot a teacher coaching program.

“I want to make sure we start the day out knowing we are all in this together, so we shake hands and look each other in the eye. Students may bring something important to them to share, and so they learn they can be vulnerable as well as how to respect each other. They learn how to present, and how to ask and answer questions. All in ten minutes.”

She continues, “It is a real privilege to teach Third Grade because we are their introduction to Landon. This is a big campus for an 8-year-old. If the other teachers and I can help them understand they have adults and each other to count on, and we are all working toward the same core values, then they are more comfortable growing into those leaders we know they can be.”

“As Landon’s first ‘teacher coach,’ I am excited to think that I am helping others help the boys,” Stevie says.

This year, Assistant Head of School Tara Montague suggested she share her knowledge throughout the School. Stevie is providing continuing support beyond Landon’s Teacher Development Program for first-year faculty.

For 13 years, Stevie has brought Landon exceptional teaching skills and an ability to connect with the School’s youngest learners. As dean, she is also a resource for Third and Fourth Grade teachers in everything from curricular ideas to addressing the needs of individual students.

Already, other Lower School teachers have asked her to help them implement Morning Meeting techniques. Middle School faculty have requested tips and observation of their classroom management strategies. Upper School teachers have asked for resources and guidance in writing lesson plans.

Teaching, coaching, mentoring. It is Landon at its best.

AN INVESTMENT IN LANDON’S ENDOWMENT

LANDON’S MISSION

Former Landon Board of Trustees member and Endowment Committee Chair

Anderson “Andy” Arnold ’78 shares why supporting endowment is vital to Landon’s future.

PERMANENT FUNDING FOR PEOPLE AND PROGRAMS

A strong endowment provides funding each year that Landon can use to provide scholarships, attract and retain the best faculty, and invest in leading-edge programs. “Focus groups with the Landon community during our strategic planning process illuminated these as three vital areas for ongoing improvement,” notes Andy.

Growing Landon’s endowment is critical to maximizing funding for these areas and the overall operating budget. A strong endowment helps elevate the quality of the Landon experience from, as Andy says, “very good to extraordinary.”

Andy worked in investor relations at AOL and has served on multiple boards of trustees for nonprofits. He was asked to join Landon’s Board

in 2014 and serve on the Endowment Committee. During his six-year Board tenure, he chaired the Endowment Committee and was a driving force in the stewardship process the School now follows. The team he led drafted an investment policy statement and focused on money managers who could generate superior investment results without taking on undo risk.

Andy explains, “Landon takes its responsibility very seriously of being a good steward of donors’ generous contributions. Often, donors are establishing a fund with their names on it, and they are trusting Landon to invest the funds well and use the funds as intended to support Landon. It’s crucial to show donors their gifts will be well managed because they are truly investing in an institution – and in everything they love and respect about it.”

He continues, “I am a passionate advocate for Landon because of the teacher-coach-mentors. They truly understand boys and can create an environment in and outside of the classroom that boys embrace. I came to Landon from a school where I was not doing well, and Landon’s all-boys environment put me on the right path.” Andy went on to earn his bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania and later an MBA at UNC Chapel Hill.

GROWTH IS ESSENTIAL

Although Landon’s endowment has grown considerably in the last six years, it is approximately half the size of peer schools. “Ideally, endowment would cover about ten percent of the operating budget, but Landon’s endowment currently funds just under two percent,” says Andy.

The best way to grow endowment to meet Landon’s goals is through philanthropy. Andy and his wife have supported an area close to their hearts by establishing the

Helen and Anderson J. Arnold ’78 Endowed Fund for Academic Enrichment. This fund provides financial resources to support Landon’s Learning Center. The center and the learning specialists who are part of it work with students as well as faculty and administrators to advance the quality of teaching at Landon.

“At Landon, we recognize and embrace the various learning styles of our students,” says Director of Learning Support

Colleen Tully. “The gift from Helen and Andy Arnold

“One of the key appeals of donating to endowment is permanency and perpetuity; it is the gift that keeps on giving,” says Andy Arnold ’78. “With an endowment gift, donors extend the impact of their generosity well beyond their lifetime, and a strong endowment ensures there is an enduring source of funding for the School today and in the future.”

supports the Learning Center’s mission of providing resources and support to students, faculty, and families to optimize the learning experience for all. One recent example is a visit from Dr. Rebecca Resnik, a noted expert in neuropsychological assessments, who came to speak to our faculty about executive functioning and attention and shared meaningful ways for our faculty to support all our students.”

Andy adds, “For instance, to develop the executive functioning to thrive at Landon, some students may need more than what the classroom teacher can provide. I saw this when I taught in Michigan right after graduating from college. With the right support, as at Landon, these kids have a better experience – because they enjoy the satisfaction of doing their best.”

The Arnolds made one of the largest single endowment gifts to The Campaign for Landon. Additionally, when planning their estate gifts, they chose to support the School’s endowment because they knew their gift would be well managed and would continue to make a real difference to students year after year.

A WELL-MANAGED INVESTMENT

At Landon, the community can be assured endowment is stewarded prudently and sustainably. It is monitored by the Board of Trustees’ Endowment Committee, whose members have decades of financial experience managing private equity funds, real estate, and major endowments, as well as serving on private foundation boards.

Landon Board Chair Bill Magruder ’92 notes, “I am grateful to the members of the Endowment Committee who share their expertise with the Board and offer their thoughtful counsel to manage and grow our endowment.”

Endowment gifts are invested and only a portion of the income is spent each year, allowing the principal to grow. The Endowment Committee regularly reviews investment performance and conducts research to recommend the best fund manager to help Landon achieve its financial goals.

Concurrently, Landon carefully manages spending to keep the principal, or corpus, of the endowment intact. Andy explains, “The School’s current draw rate is relatively conservative, which, together with a sound investment strategy, ensures the value of a donor’s gift to endowment grows over the long term to balance inflation while still having an annual impact.”

LEAVING A LEGACY

Supporting Landon’s endowment through a planned gift often enables a donor to make a larger gift without impacting their current income. Planned gifts include bequests or naming Landon the beneficiary of a retirement plan or life insurance policy. Estate gifts can be designated to unrestricted endowment or may be used to establish a fund in an area that is important to the donors.

We are grateful to Helen and Andy Arnold for their endowment gift during The Campaign for Landon and to all who have supported our endowment goal. Their gifts create a lasting legacy.

If you have questions about Landon’s endowment or would like to explore gift possibilities, please contact Director of Development Peter J. Gallo, Ph.D., at 301-320-1004.

“In my pre-Landon days, I was timid and scared to lead, but Landon has brought out my best.”

KEVIN MILLER ’24

RENEW THE DEN

“Our senior motto this year is ‘Renew the Den’ – we are striving to connect the ideas of renewal and one big community.”

With a new campus and a new school year, senior and Student Council President Kevin Miller is ready to make the most of his remaining time at Landon School, where he has become “a better leader, teammate, classmate, and student.”

Kevin has played varsity lacrosse since his freshman year, and this year marks his second as team captain. He is an ongoing honor roll student and recently, he committed to Georgetown University.

One initiative Kevin and some of his classmates are excited to bring to Landon this year is a peer tutoring club. He explains, “The idea is to make getting academic support more casual so that everyone at Landon can feel comfortable asking for help from their peers and, ultimately, can achieve academic success.”

The club is partly inspired by a time when Kevin himself was nervous to ask for

academic help, and an impactful Landon relationship gave him the courage to do so.

“I was often scared to ask for help in my classes, but Mr. Zaiser, my calculus teacher, recognized that when I was quiet, it meant I was not understanding the material. He would explicitly ask me questions, pushing me to better understand. It opened the door for me to reach out for help, and thus, I learned that asking for help is often necessary and courageous.”

The inspiring relationships Kevin has cultivated while a student at Landon have helped him realize the power and possibility of an interconnected community. And having brand new spaces that bring together all three Landon divisions widens the possibilities.

“With the new campus, all three divisions are closer than ever. As part of the Upper School, my classmates and I are excited to connect with and support our Middle and Lower School peers. There is going to be a lot of work this year to get all the Bears together and united, and our new facilities and spaces make community building a whole lot easier.”

“I hope to leave a legacy of allyship and positivity in the Landon community.”

ONE LANDON

In his last year at the Lower School, Sixth Grade student PD Moore is grateful for the connections he has made at Landon, where he has formed “strong relationships with both teachers and classmates.”

PD is certain these relationships have helped him grow into the confident and friendly person he is today. “The opportunity to learn from older Bears and to become a leader in the Lower School has empowered me to be more helpful at home and within my larger community. I feel braver about holding myself and my classmates accountable inside and outside of the classroom. I aim to be a person who spreads a feeling of welcome and understanding everywhere I go.”

For PD, the connections, opportunities, and outcomes span across the entire Landon experience.

“I play tackle football, basketball, and lacrosse. Because I play these sports at Landon and see my teammates in class, not only do I get to compete with them, but I also get to enjoy friendships with them.”

“My Landon teachers make learning fun. In Ms. Coletta’s class, she makes sure my classmates and I are always having fun. Whether we are solving the Wordle of the day or working out a puzzle, she engages us and makes learning enjoyable.”

PD believes his relationships and leadership skills will continue to strengthen and grow on Landon’s new campus. “All three divisions are closer than ever. Now that each division is located around the Miniter Quad, it allows for a better sense of community, and more opportunity for me to look after younger Bears.”

PEYTON “PD” MOORE ’30

INSPIRED BY THE JEFF MASCOTT COMMONS: SHARED VALUES

With the naming of the new Middle School’s common area, Jenn Mascott, P ’28 ’30 ’32, has created a tribute to her late husband, Jeff, and the values their family and Landon share.

Jenn recalls that it was her husband who discovered Landon during the pandemic when they were seeking a school with more in-person instruction for their oldest son, then a fifth grader. Everett ’28 had taken weekend creative writing classes and had just written a fantasy adventure book. He joined Landon midyear, and everyone ran with his interests, from his teachers to his advisor, Grade 5 Dean Steven Micciche. Everett’s book was published and is now part of the School library and on the summer recommended reading list.

EMBRACING THE WHOLE CHILD

“Everett’s experience is symbolic of how Landon embraces the whole person in a very individual way and uses each boy’s experience to encourage learning and growth in others,” says Jenn.

The couple’s younger sons soon followed Everett to Landon, with Eli ’30 starting in fourth grade and Auggie ’32 in third grade. Their sister, Avery, is at National Cathedral School.

Jenn remarks, “We were thrilled with the amount of care and devotion Landon demonstrated to each of our boys, and their interest in growing each one’s unique gifts, intellect, character, and relationships with others. While Landon has a longstanding reputation for athletics, our sons have also found so much support in the arts. Both were important to

Jeff, and he always actively encouraged our children to pursue both areas.”

Eli was particularly inspired by Lower School art teacher Megan Rains-Mercado’s class last year and received Landon’s 2023 Robbie Miller ’84 Art Award. “In the award letter, Mrs. Rains-Mercado noted that he approaches every assignment with curiosity and enthusiasm. Her class absolutely enthralled him with the pursuit of art projects,” notes Jenn.

Auggie discovered a love of music and singing with Lower School music teacher Chris Chappelle. Jenn says, “Mr. Chappelle very thoughtfully and lovingly encouraged Auggie when he auditioned for and then participated with a solo part during the Lower School Choir’s festival performance at the National Cathedral last February. Landon’s focus on leadership and poise has helped all our boys.”

A TRUE FAMILY

The Mascotts discovered the particular depth of strength within the Landon community when Jeff was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the fall of 2022. “On every level, Landon embraced our family,” explains Jenn. Teachers and counselors looked out for the brothers’ changing needs and made sure Eli and Auggie had time together throughout the day and

JENN MASCOTT PICTURED WITH HER DAUGHTER AVERY AND HER SONS EVERETT ’28, ELI ’30, AND AUGGIE ’32

The support has continued. Last fall, Everett and Eli were excited to be on the cross country team. One father of four Landon graduates made it a point to come back to cheer on the boys in a race. Jenn adds, “Alumni also are routinely integrated into the ongoing broader Landon community. Once you enter Landon, you are part of a network across generations.”

HONORING JEFF’S VALUES

professor at George Mason’s Antonin Scalia Law School, and he was CEO of Adfero, an award-winning public affairs firm that he founded in 2004.

“Jeff was a very creative, entrepreneurial person, always engaged in new endeavors along with community service,” Jenn explains.

“This same spirit is embodied in Landon’s ambitious building project. It exemplifies the School’s desire to keep its foundational values front and center while adapting to growth and new technology.”

When Jeff passed away in February 2023, Head of School Jim Neill arranged for a bus so the boys’ Landon friends could attend the memorial service at Fourth Presbyterian Church, where Jeff had been an Elder. Jenn says, “That communicated to me the importance of faith and family to the School community. Then when our sons returned to school, I was very touched by the caring way in which Landon integrated them back into the classroom and impressed by the thoughtful way in which Landon communicated with their classmates and parents about grief and the loss of Jeff.”

As Jenn and their children were seeking a way to keep Jeff’s memory alive at Landon and support the campus transformation and development that Jeff had highly valued, the family concluded that a naming gift associated with the Middle School Commons area would be most meaningful to Jeff’s ongoing legacy through his sons and the broader community. “Jeff valued family involvement, character, service, and the growth of interpersonal relationships. All three of our boys will routinely occupy this space, which is a bright and welcoming area for students to enter school life and congregate. The commons area along with the new campus buildings more broadly reflect a strong emphasis on community and growth.”

Jenn and Jeff met as undergraduates at the University of Maryland and then worked on Capitol Hill at the same time. She is now a law at recess. Classmates encouraged the boys. Families reached out in ways large and small; one family drove the boys to school every day.

She adds, “Jeff really wanted our boys at a place that would respect our focus on faith and family, a place that would help them develop selflessness and live out a belief in the dignity of every person. He had a generous spirit, and the use of our family’s resources to help another generation at Landon grow up with a solid education and solid character is a perfect way to further that spirit.”

JEFF MASCOTT

THE BORDLEY CHALLENGE

The 2023 Bordley Family Alumni Challenge helped to raise over $300,000 from 344 donors and helped The Landon Fund close a successful year of fundraising with over $1.7 million raised.

Thank you to everyone who made gifts to The Landon Fund and for joining us in this crucial effort to support Landon this year. A special thank you to our matching challenge donors who collectively offered $150,000:

Andrea and Ali Al-Attar ’91, P ’32

Dwaine A.K. Alleyne ’00

Donna and Rob Bordley ’66, P ’00 ’03

Morgan and John Burnham ’95

Matthew Carberry ’83

Ali and Dave Chakola ’09

Laureen Schroeder and Roger Echols ’66

Tricia and Billy Fort ’98

Christy and Greg Gosnell ’77, P ’06 ’07

Winton and Hap Holladay ’65, P ’01 ’04

Ann and Knight Kiplinger ’65, P ’99 , GP ’33

Fifi and Scott Leachman ’07

Gillian and Syl Miniter ’80

Peter Reyes ’85

Anna-Maria and Ted Rogers ’87

Tim Temple ’54

Nancy and Lynn Wilson ’80

The Landon Fund surpassed its goal and raised over $1.7 million.

Thank you to all alumni for your generosity, as well as the efforts of our class agents for their time spent encouraging classmates to contribute. Alumni were the largest donating constituency, and we could not have made our goal without your help. The top 3 most spirited classes were: 1947 (3 out of 4 gave), 2007 (46 out of 78 gave), and 1965 (25 out of 44 gave). The most generous class was 1980.

THE ANNIVERSARY CUP

HONORS THE CLASS WITH THE HIGHEST PARTICIPATION RATE

Class of 2007

For the second consecutive year

Thank you to Spencer Flajser ’07 and Stephen L. Gordon, Jr. ’07 for your time and energy as class agents.

THE DECADE CUPS

RECOGNIZE CLASSES AND CLASS AGENTS IN EACH DECADE WITH THE BEST OVERALL LANDON FUND GIVING PARTICIPATION

1940s Class of 1947

1950s Class of 1954

1960s Class of 1965

1970s Class of 1971

1980s Class of 1980

1990s Class of 1996

2000s Class of 2007

2010s Class of 2017

26

2020s Class of 2020

HELPING YOUNG BEARS THRIVE

Landon Lower and Middle School counselor Adam Diaz works individually with students in Grades 3–8 as well as teaching Health and Wellness workshops in those grades. Last summer, he presented part of his curriculum at the International Boys’ Schools Coalition conference in New Zealand.

Landon is a member of the IBSC, which two years ago was seeking action research teams focused on developing healthy masculinity. Adam wanted to develop a curriculum to help boys identify feelings in order to better handle stress and anxiety.

“I have found that boys call everything stress –whether they are lonely or frustrated or what have you. Saying you are stressed can actually create physical symptoms, so I knew if I could give them words to better identify their feelings, they could take the next right step when dealing with difficult emotions.”

Adam was accepted to an international research cohort that supported each other as they developed

and tested lessons in their classrooms, wrote research papers, and got ready to present their findings at the conference. For his project, he created engaging lessons using Disney and Pixar characters to teach fifth graders emotion words and how to apply them. The response has been so positive that he plans to extend his curriculum throughout Lower and Middle School.

His research has been published, and teachers from throughout the world have asked if they could use his curriculum. In turn, Adam gained ideas from the conference that he hopes to apply at Landon, such as lessons that bring in different types of male role models.

Adam’s research and travel expenses were fully funded by Landon. “The School’s support – from administration to faculty to families – meant everything to me,” he says. “We’re all focused on helping boys thrive.”

Faculty professional development opportunities such as this are made possible by gifts to endowment and proceeds from fundraising at the Azalea Festival.

BRANDON GREEN ’28

LEARNING TO LEAD

As a member of the Middle School Honor Council, an Admissions Student Ambassador, a Landon athlete, and an honor roll student, Form II Middle School student Brandon Green first and foremost appreciates the supportive Landon community he has become part of: “It has made me the hardworking and positive person I am today.”

“My friends and teammates are always there for me, and Landon’s teacher-coachmentor model has molded me by allowing me to learn by example,” he says. Brandon has formed deep relationships on the lacrosse, football, and wrestling teams as well as through Landon’s experiential learning programs. “During the Spring 2023 Appalachian Trail Mini-Mester, I hiked 22 miles of the hardest section of the Maryland trail with my classmates and teachers. Throughout the experience, we all built trust and formed bonds with each other, and I left feeling like some of my tripmates were my closest friends.”

Bonds like these inspire Brandon to take on leadership roles and share with others what

is possible through a Landon education. He explains that opportunities such as serving as an ambassador and Honor Council member have helped him learn how to lead, how to do the right thing, and how to speak in front of a crowd.

“I often work at after-school events informing prospective students and their families about the Landon experience. Helping at these events allows me to give back to the Landon community that has encouraged me to grow both academically and socially.”

Regarding the new campus, Brandon knows the renovations and additions will enhance Landon’s welcoming and encouraging atmosphere. “The openness of the hallways and classrooms of Banfield Academic Center, our new Middle School, makes it easy for me to connect with my teacher-coach-mentors and classmates throughout the day. More than ever, the campus reflects the spirit of the School: a perfect place to learn and grow.”

“Whether I am inside the classroom or out on the field, I know someone is always there for me.”

SUPPORTING A CAMPUS WHERE BOYS

WILL THRIVE

The Pattens committed to The Campaign for Landon because of Landon’s commitment to its students and their growth.

“There’s no better investment to make than in our boys’ education as well as the education of Landon boys over the next century and beyond,” says Jarrod Patten. “Landon knows how to foster their development into well-adjusted and productive citizens in the world.”

The Pattens have seen Landon’s expertise firsthand through the experience of their sons, Brody ’29 and Decker ’33. Seventh grader Brody joined Landon in fourth grade and enjoys math, sports, art, and hanging out with his friends. Decker started at Landon this fall as a third grader and loves science, flag football, band (trumpet), and running into his big brother on the Miniter Quad.

Tara Patten notes, “Landon just knows boys. Its leadership prioritizes what matters in youth development and its principles are aligned with ours. Landon is the place I want our boys to be.” She is on campus regularly, volunteering as a classroom representative for the third grade.

Explains Jarrod, “We have consistently tried to support Landon in as many ways as we can, given our strong belief in Landon’s approach and dedication to developing well-rounded young men. Landon affords a balanced environment for students to learn and thrive.”

“We are very happy that our boys are part of the Landon family and that we’re in a position to be part of Landon’s journey as it enters this new chapter.”

The Campaign for Landon and the transformation of campus resonated with the Pattens because they believe the updates and modernization will enhance and further unlock student learning potential. They have committed a naming gift to the campaign and hope their gift will assist Landon in achieving its overall goals associated with this campaign.

“The Landon community is so special because there is this interconnectedness of mutual support,” Jarrod says.

HONORS

STEVE SORKIN TRANSFORMATIVE CAMPUS GIFT

AS LEGENDARY TEACHER AND MENTOR

Bill Curtin ’88 and Chris Curtin ’90 remember Steve Sorkin’s wisdom and influence on them as students and his enduring impact on their lives beyond Landon.

Through the generosity of the Curtin brothers, the Landon community will soon enjoy Sorkin Way, a unique outdoor space designed for small and large gatherings to facilitate connections between students and Landon’s teacher-coach-mentors.

Sorkin Way will comprise a beautifully landscaped series of walkways, benches, and gathering areas along the entire front of the new Boehly Upper School. The walkways and benches will display sayings from Upper School mathematics teacher Steve Sorkin that will be familiar to current and former students and advisees. These words of wisdom, fondly known as “Sorkinisms,” became part of what Bill, Chris, and so many others took from their time at Landon.

A LIFE TEACHER

Bill explains, “At the outset of our sophomore year, Landon introduced Mr. Sorkin to each of us as our geometry teacher; but for generations of students he has been, and continues to be, so much more – a life teacher encouraging each of us to pursue excellence. Chris and I have been looking for an opportunity to do something in celebration and gratitude for Mr. Sorkin.”

Bill and Chris each spent 10 years at Landon. Bill went on to Duke University and the University of Virginia School of Law. He is the global head of mergers and acquisitions at Hogan Lovells, an international law firm, and resides in

“

“We each thought he was our geometry teacher – but he was our life teacher!”

Chevy Chase. Chris earned degrees from Denison University and Georgetown University Law Center. After 20 years in California as an executive at companies including Disney, Hewlett-Packard, and Visa, he and his family now live in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he is a senior vice president at Bank of America.

Chris notes, “Mr. Sorkin has positively impacted an astounding number of students. He connects with students across all facets of Landon, making each of us feel as if nothing else matters to Sork but the time he experiences with a student. Mr. Sorkin demonstrated on a daily basis the virtue of listening, reminding us that everyone has something to say, and we all need to listen to each other – better and more often.”

Landon calculates that Steve has taught and guided close to 3,000 students over his more than 40 years at the School.

Steve Sorkin is well known for his Sorkinisms – quotes or sayings that inspire the many students and alumni whom he has taught. Some examples are:

“Ideas are toys. Play hard!”

“Let nature nurture your human nature!”

“Larroes catch medloes!”

“ Students teach teachers, and that is the beginning of your futurism!”

Do you have a favorite Sorkinism from your time at Landon? Please share it with us and it may be included in Sorkin Way. Send your Sorkinism to alumni@landon.net.

A GIFT TAKES SHAPE

Bill recalls, “As Chris and I thought about how to honor Sork, we were inspired by the generosity of our friends Katie and Todd Boehly ’91 and wanted to do something connected to the Boehly Upper School.” Adds Chris, “The placement of Sorkin Way at the entrance to the Boehly Upper School represents how Mr. Sorkin’s way of thinking takes shape during your final years at Landon each time you enter this building, as well as what you take with you as you conclude your time at Landon.”

During the design phase for Sorkin Way, it was important to the Curtin brothers to promote Landon’s teacher-coach-mentor model that Steve exemplifies. The plan therefore includes a series of facing benches where small groups of students can have a quiet conversation with a teacher, as well as circular groupings with enough space for 10 to 12 students to gather with a faculty member. All of the interactive settings will be surrounded by boxwoods, azaleas, and willow oak trees, landscaping that Bill explains is designed “to create spaces for connectivity, facilitating the exchange of ideas and better understanding of one another.”

After months of planning with Head of School Jim Neill and landscape architect Brian Stephenson, the Curtin brothers met with Steve this past summer to present the overall concept and the construction plans. They asked him to begin compiling a list of Sorkinisms as well as

CHRIS CURTIN ’90 AND BILL CURTIN ’88

geometric shapes that will be engraved as part of the hardscaping within each setting. Bill says, “We wanted Mr. Sorkin to help us develop the elements of Sorkin Way because, just as he helped form his students for so many years, he should also help form this space that will endure in honor of his contributions.”

Bill notes, “We wanted to call this space Sorkin Way to signify its function as the physical way into the building as well as the way to live a life of excellence inspired by Mr. Sorkin.” Chris explains, “When you’re at a young age, a role model can change the trajectory of your life for the better. Steve Sorkin is one of those people.”

Sorkin Way is expected to be completed in the spring of 2024.

INSPIRE CREATED TO

installed interactive 4K wall-mounted displays in all classrooms, replaced 80% of the campus fiber optics network, upgraded the Wi-Fi and phone systems, and added extensive new security and emergency technology.

THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Chief Technology Officer Fred Haller has been instrumental in managing the rollout. Fred joined Landon in 2021 as technology coordinator, then was promoted to the newly created position of CTO in 2022. He set up the new Applied Technology and Innovation Department and expanded Landon’s technology team because, to him, the key word is “applied.” He explains it’s all about how Landon can find new avenues to inspire boys and support what they need for the future.

Our campus transformation includes a great commitment to technology. But the real story is how Landon is applying it – and why.

Landon students and faculty began the 2023–24 school year with new, state-of-the-art classrooms and innovation labs as well as completely updated campus technology infrastructure.

Teachers in all subject areas can now enhance their lessons with the science, technology, engineering, and math resources of the Lower and Middle School STEM spaces and the Upper School’s Healy Foundation Innovation Lab. Upper School science classes also have improved lab space in the Brooke and Rosemary Seawell STEM Center. Landon has

“Our team is focused on how to continually renew our courses and devices to keep up with the needs of teachers and boys in a changing world. This covers everything from ethics and philosophy to artificial intelligence and the most modern applications of technology in the news today. We are trying to span all of that.”

To apply Landon’s resources most effectively across all grades, Fred hired Academic Technology Coordinator Nicole Maggio in 2022 and STEM Coordinator Sean Nolan in 2023. Nicole brings 10 years of experience in teaching and curriculum design and is focused on developing Landon’s

“It’s all about how Landon can find new avenues to inspire boys and support what they need for the future.”

digital citizenship curriculum and helping faculty use technology effectively in their classes. Sean has created makerspaces and STEM programming for other schools and is working with Landon teachers to provide the tools and support for projects and courses they would like to implement.

ETHICS AND TECHNOLOGY

Last year, Nicole created a digital citizenship curriculum for Lower and Middle School students integrated with Landon’s monthly core value focus. “Technology, Ethics, and Wellness lessons intentionally dovetail with the School’s ethics and wellness curricula. Children today are digital natives, but we can’t assume they are digital literates. My goal is to challenge what they think they know and cover important topics that are emerging.”

The engaging lessons she incorporated into Lower School classes and Middle School Advisory were so well received that she and Fred now team teach a new Upper School Technology and Ethics course. This is part of the required Foundations series all Landon Form III students take.

Algorithmic bias is just one example of the timely themes students have explored this year. Nicole notes, “If we are not clear when training AI, it perpetuates biases. How does that affect inclusivity, and how do we address it?” In Nicole’s hands-on approach, Form III students theorized how programmers would train a virtual assistant device for a simulated corporation by working on a series of tasks that identified where bias could occur in the machine learning process. This same concept was then spiraled down to Lower School students, who learned about machine learning by manually collecting data and feeding it to a fictional robot named LAND-E.

PROJECTS WITH A PURPOSE

Upper School students also had three new computer programming courses available to them this year. Two sections of Advanced Programming are being taught by Landon database manager and computer science teacher Larry Franklin and teacher in training Woody Wiegmann ’06. Physics and engineering teacher Bryan Calloway is teaching a robotics class and supervising a remote course on AI programming that provides Landon students with teaching from an advanced content expert from a major research university while Bryan provides the personal mentorship for which Landon is known.

Fred explains, “We are not buying robot kits. The boys are programming their own Arduino boards, building their own circuits, and learning firsthand how all the systems come together to create a

useful device. This is true project-based learning in which students gain meaningful problemsolving skills by solving real challenges.”

As STEM coordinator, Sean is taking the same results-oriented approach to equipping the new spaces for all three divisions. He has asked each Landon faculty member to share with him one “wish list” project or activity that would take their teaching to the next level, and what resources, tools, and support they would need for it.

“Rather than simply filling a space, my role is to find out what teachers want to grow and why, and then help them make it happen. We are planting the seeds for exciting ideas, using an intentional approach where we won’t just have the latest 3D

2021 EXPONENTIAL GROWTH

1 technology coordinator

0

1

printer, but it will have a purpose within the curriculum. I get regular ‘what if?’ emails from faculty brainstorming creative ways to make learning more memorable through new technology.”

THINKING FOR THE REAL WORLD

Whether building a cause-and-effect machine in the Middle School STEM space that mirrors the algorithm discussion in ethics class or creating a robotic system in the Healy Foundation Innovation Lab to keep plants alive in an aquarium, the synergy in the new spaces and with the new team is inspiring.

Thinking of what boys will need to be successful at Landon and beyond is exactly what it is all about.

“These new and renovated buildings are more than improved spaces; they are the setting for our ongoing commitment to the ethical, intellectual, and personal development of boys.”

Jim Neill, P ’24 Head of School