Laurel School's Highlights Magazine: Fall 2018

Highlights A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNAE, PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LAUREL SCHOOL

inside

FALL 2018 | Generational Giving • Sarah Lyman Day of Service • Annual Report

Dream. Dare. Do.

6

LAUREL SCHOOL

8

10

IN THIS ISSUE

The private school

Growth & Optimism, A Message from Ann V. Klotz . . . . . . . . . . .4

that knows girls best.

Generational Giving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Sarah Lyman Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Highlights | FALL 2018

College Guidance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 2017-2018 LAUREL SCHOOL ANNUAL REPORT . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Highlights

| FALL 2018

1

MISSION STATEMENT

To inspire each girl to fulfill her promise and to better the world.

Highlights | FALL 2018 HEAD OF SCHOOL Ann V. Klotz DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Venta Cantwell EDITOR Sarah Hibshman Miller ’98 ALUMNAE EDITOR Julie Donahue ’79 CLASS NEWS EDITOR Megan Findling DESIGN AND LAYOUT Laurel School PHOTOGRAPHY Kimberly Dailey, Julie Donahue ’79, Downie Photography, Inc., Binnie Kurtzner Pappas ’87, Neal McDaniel, Renee Psiakis PRESIDENT, ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION Kristi Anderson Horner ’80 CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES Lynnette Jackson ’93 Highlights is published by Laurel School for alumnae, parents and friends.

Submit address changes to the Development Office at 216.455.3096 or bGreen@LaurelSchool.org Laurel School is an independent day school for girls, Kindergarten through Grade 12, with coeducational programs for two-, three- and four-year-olds. We are proud to be an inclusive and equitable school community, and we actively seek a diverse student body and faculty without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, handicap or disability, or sexual orientation.

LAUREL VALUES STATEMENT: Committed to building a just and inclusive world, Laurel girls are courageous, creative, ethical and compassionate.

LAURELSCHOOL.ORG

Highlights Highlights | WINTER | FALL2017 2018 XX 3

Downie Photography

Dream. Dare. Do.

A MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL, ANN V. KLOTZ

THE IMPORTANCE OF GROWTH AND OPTIMISM

S

ome years ago, as we worked on our Strategic Roadmap, I considered the essence of a Laurel education. Before I came to Laurel, I was, for ten years, a college advisor, and for many years, I began my Junior parent meetings with Bowdoin College’s Offer of the College. It reminded me that college is never just an end in itself, but a spring board for lifelong learning. Drawing on Bowdoin’s document for inspiration, we wrote our own offer of Laurel School:

THE OFFER OF LAUREL SCHOOL: To retain your integrity in a world that too often doesn’t.

To choose what is good over that which is easy.

To balance tradition with an appetite for innovation.

To think critically and to ask important questions.

To be unafraid of adventure in all forms.

To act with courage more often than from fear.

To listen carefully to those both like and unlike yourself, offering respect and dignity to all you meet, forging connections that are authentic and enduring.

To contribute to, to sustain and to improve the communities in which you live; To reject man’s inhumanity to man, even as you practice resilience in all your endeavors.

To be curious; To permit the wonder and beauty of the natural world to inspire you, And to steward landscapes, both known and unfamiliar.

To express yourself with confidence and grace in writing, language and the arts.

To value the satisfaction precise endeavors offer, while relishing, too, ambiguity.

To discover what you love and to pursue those interests purposefully.

To be curious and learn forever.

To be the agent of your own education.

This is the offer of Laurel for your time in these dear walls.

4

LaurelSchool.org

It is always important to begin with the work we do grounded in designing and delivering an incomparable education for the girls and little boys in our charge. Each year, we start from the center—always, at the center of our school are the children.

Great institutions do evolve, but it is good, too, for us to claim our illustrious past, to remember Jennie Prentiss and Sarah Lyman’s dreams for the school that each envisioned.

Each year, the Administrative Team and I consider a theme to shape the work of the year. This year, we chose growth and optimism, ideas that I see as intertwined.

These themes feel natural in the final days of summer and the lovely days of fall, but they will be harder to recall as winter persists and some struggles—a child who battles to feel competent in a class, a leak in the roof, a hardship in a faculty member’s family—feel perennial. Yet, for me as Headmistress, it is essential to retain my optimism to inspire the school—children, faculty and staff, parents, alumnae—and invite us to cultivate optimism even when things feel hard.

Growth in school feels quite obvious— children grow in our care, acquire new skills, stretch and reach for more challenge, achieve, risk. We see their growth. As a school, we grow, too, in our certainty that our authentic approach at Laurel is the one

that serves our girls. We are prepared to deliver not only the outcomes families seek, but we know that a Laurel education also pays dividends long after a girl is graduated from Laurel.

Beginnings fill us with optimism—a chance to start again.

Optimism in school is also about the cultivation of joy, appreciation, gratitude, kindness, respect, care . . . such important qualities to retain over the bumps that punctuate every year in the life of a school, of a family. It feels like the right time for us to look forward, as a school, to the possibility of all kinds of growth with joy and optimism.

Thinking about the ways in which we have grown and being optimistic about future growth, I share with you a few examples of our accomplishments as a school over the past few months.

• We had a superb college list last spring with girls admitted to many fine colleges and universities including Stanford, Brown, Cornell, University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Middlebury, Northwestern, University of Michigan, Oberlin, Brandeis, Bates, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Georgetown, Rice University, USC, and many, many other excellent fits for our smart girls.

• Power and Purpose is a new four-week immersion for Fourth Grade at Butler. This experience is designed for girls to acquire and hone academic and leadership skills in the areas of STEAM and to focus on learning that feels relevant and enduring. The program ends, as most Butler immersions do, with girls sharing their research with their families and teachers.

• We awarded eleven Hostetler grants to faculty members for curriculum development last summer.

• In 2017-2018, we celebrated the most successful athletic year in Laurel’s history—sending more teams than ever before to State competitions!

• Laurel girls have taken to the river in our first-ever crew club.

• Through the generosity of the parents of the Class of 2018, we refurbished both floors of the Crile Library.

• Working to meet the Strategic Roadmap goal of placing Laurel’s Center for the Research on Girls (LCRG) at the heart of all we do, we have re-structured roles for the coming year; Sarah Wilson serves as the Director of LCRG, overseeing department chairs in their new iteration and working closely with Hope Ford Murphy ’73 and Division Directors in the articulation and mapping of our curriculum.

• This year’s LCRG research focus is Civil Discourse—the cognitive skills and the emotional capacities required for it. We are excited to be delving into this timely and necessary work.

• Over the summer, we purchased an 11-acre parcel of land behind the Pavilion at the Butler Campus. This acquisition provides more access to Griswold Creek and realizes the first part of a facilities master plan for Butler Campus. The purchase was funded by the generous estate bequest of Mary Jane Davis Hartwell ’46 • Laurel was the site for the National Coalition of Girls Schools’ Educating Girls Symposium on October 1. Over 350 educators from around the country attended. We were proud to have our own Dr. Lisa Damour offer a keynote and were honored to welcome Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum for a conversation as well.

As I begin my fifteenth year of service to Laurel, I feel so optimistic about our school’s growth and forward momentum. I look forward to sharing that optimism with alumnae and friends of the School in my upcoming travels. In September, when we celebrated 90 years at Lyman Circle—complete with birthday cupcakes and trivia about the school in 1928—I couldn’t help but feel that Sarah Lyman was smiling down at us, proud that her vision for girls continues to thrive and grow! L Highlights

| FALL 2018

5

GENERATIONAL GIVING

The Ripple Effect: Generational Philanthropy That Resonates

by Maegan Ruhlman Cross ’03, Director of the Laurel Fund

O

n a warm fall day in early October, Laurel’s Outdoor Pre-Primary held a 90th birthday celebration for Mary French Conway ’46. Girls and boys ages 3-5 gathered to sing “Happy Birthday,” share with Mary their favorite things about their outdoor classroom (including catching toads and salamanders!) and, of course, enjoy delicious green and white frosted cupcakes! The class presented Mary with a homemade birthday card and flowers to thank her for her role in helping to make this amazing educational experience possible. Mary and her husband, Bill, were a driving force behind the creation of the Outdoor Pre-Primary School, the first and only one of its kind in Northeast Ohio. It provides an opportunity for young children ages 3-5 to explore and learn with the natural world as their classroom—rain or shine, sleet or snow. A few days later, I sat with Mary and her daughter Anne Conway Juster ’80 to talk about their family’s incredible support of education throughout the greater Cleveland area and specifically right here at One Lyman Circle.

“I’m very proud of Laurel,” Mary distinctly noted. Having started in the Seventh Grade when Miss Lake was Headmistress, Mary has had the rare opportunity to watch Laurel grow under the leadership of seven different Heads of School, first as a student and then as a parent and a grandparent, and always heavily involved as a volunteer. Indeed, the Conway family has been instrumental in Laurel’s continued growth and success for decades. Mary and her daughters, Anne and Jane Conway Barber ’74, all served on the Board of Trustees at various times

6

LaurelSchool.org

over the past 40 years, with Mary and Anne both serving as Board Chair during their respective terms. As one can imagine, the School has changed quite a bit since the 1940s, but the purpose and focus of Laurel has remained the same: to educate girls and young women to be leaders and advocates in their world. “A lot is expected of women,” Mary continues, and for generations Laurel has been “the place to bring girls into leadership positions,” helping young women claim their voices and advocate for themselves and for others.

GENERATIONAL GIVING

(Left) The Outdoor Pre-Primary class gathers in front of the Yurt to welcome their special guests and to wish Mary French Conway ’46 a happy birthday. (Top right) Mary French Conway ’46 with her special “Yurt” birthday card from the class (Bottom) Mary French Conway ’46 and her daughter Anne Conway Juster ’80 For their part, Mary and Anne have been influential leaders in Laurel’s history. Mary chaired the Board of Trustees during the beginning of the Laurel/Harvard Study, when Carol Gilligan and other Harvard University researchers conducted a fiveyear joint research study of girls’ psychological development, resulting in the 1992 publication of Meeting at the Crossroads.

Prior to being Board Chair, Anne led the search committee that brought Ann V. Klotz to Laurel.

When asked why her parents chose Laurel for her and her sisters Peggy French Breer ’55 and Jane French Tatlock ‘58, Mary highlighted Laurel’s outstanding academic reputation, noting it was a school with high expectations and achievement—not simply a finishing school, as many girls’ schools of that time were. Mary, Anne and their family believe in the power of education to make a difference in the lives of many. “We are teachers,” Anne explains of her family, “and education is vital in moving society forward.” Beyond their own education, the Conway family has made furthering

educational opportunities for others a key focus of their philanthropic endeavors. Mary, Bill and their children have supported Laurel in numerous ways including scholarships for remarkable young women entering the Upper School, innovative programming and experiential learning such as the Outdoor Pre-Primary, and financial support for teachers to further their own academic passions and advancement. In addition, the Conways believe in the importance of the Laurel Fund, which supports the mission of the school: to inspire each girl to fulfill her promise and to better the world. Anne summarized this best by likening philanthropy to casting a stone into the water and watching the ripples continue to carry forward. “We’re giving to Laurel for something we can’t even imagine yet,” she notes, and “generational philanthropy provides that ripple, promoting excellence in education beyond us.” Thanks to the Conway family’s leadership and support, opportunities for Laurel girls will continue to carry forward for generations to come. L

Highlights

| FALL 2018

7

As Laurel girls, we are all called to service.

THE

8T H

ANNUAL

SARAH LYMAN DAY OF COMMUNITY SERVICE In Boston, Chicago, Cleveland (x2!), Columbus, DC, Minneapolis, NYC and Seattle SEPTEMBER 29 AND OCTOBER 6, 2018

“To inspire each girl to fulfill her promise and to better the world.” As students, Laurel girls are expected to volunteer their time and skills to help others beyond Lyman Circle and, as alumnae, we continue to honor those values. Sarah Lyman Day, sponsored by the Laurel School Alumnae Association, encourages alumnae across the country to give back to their communities while meeting and connecting with other Laurel women of all ages.

Named in honor of Laurel’s Headmistress from 1904-1931, Sarah Lyman Day projects take place in cities across the country, with the number of projects, alumnae participants and volunteer hours growing each year. Alums are even volunteering on their own and sharing their days on social media!

Over the last eight years, Laurel alumnae have sorted and packaged produce at food banks; prepared and served meals for the underserved; planted gardens; cleaned up beaches and public parks; wielded paintbrushes and hosted science fairs. This year, we volunteered over 220 hours with the following community partners: BOSTON | COMMUNITY SERVINGS CHICAGO | CRADLES TO CRAYONS CLEVELAND | SHAKER LAKES NATURE CENTER CLEVELAND YOUNG ALUMNAE | YWCA NORMA HERR WOMEN’S CENTER COLUMBUS | MID-OHIO FOOD BANK D.C. | NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS | COOKIE CART NEW YORK CITY | PART OF THE SOLUTION (POTS) SEATTLE | FOOD LIFELINE

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS AND TO OUR 2018 SARAH LYMAN DAY COORDINATORS Trudi Gronbach Stevens ’55, Amy Goodman Weller ’78, Anita Lee ’88, Donna Jeffries Cook ’89, Heather Cargile Lakefish ’91, Deirdre Corrigan ’03, Rose Babington ’04, Nicole Brown ’04, Hanya Almudallal ’06, Hannah Sobel ’06, Jenna Bailey ’12, Addair Levine ’13 and Joan Colleran ’16. L If you are interested in coordinating a Sarah Lyman Day Project for fall 2019, contact Megan Findling, Alumnae Engagement Associate, at mFindling@LaurelSchool.org.

8

LaurelSchool.org

Highlights

| FALL 2018

9

FACULTY PROFILE ALUMNAE PORTRAITS

X LaurelSchool.org 10

FACULTY PROFILE

Missy Rose & Andrew Cruse Take College Guidance to New Heights

By Sarah Hibshman Miller ’98, Editor of Highlights

T

he college admissions process can be a daunting one filled with a series of steps, from exploring the vast number of options

available to selecting the right college essay topic and managing submission deadlines—each step is a piece of a larger puzzle. It is vital to have the right people in place, expertly guiding girls through this lengthy and often challenging process. A successful college guidance team works in concert with one another to assist students and their families in putting that puzzle together.

Missy Rose, now in her eighth year at Laurel, has a long history of working in college admissions and guidance at the secondary as well as at the college level. She came to Laurel from Hathaway Brown School where she was the Director of the Upper School and brings a unique perspective to her role as Director of College Guidance at Laurel. Missy’s experience affords her the understanding of how college counseling fits into the overall tapestry of the school.

Andrew Cruse arrived at Laurel this summer as Associate Director of College Guidance, bringing his eight years of experience in admissions at Case Western Reserve University.

Having been on the other side of the college admissions process, Andrew’s insights and point of view are invaluable.

Laurel’s college guidance team includes registrar Cindy Marria, who has a complete understanding of the intricacies of scheduling and keeps everyone on track throughout the application process, and Davida Amkraut, Laurel’s dedicated part-time essay specialist whose sole role is to get to the root of who each girl is, so she can write a compelling and effective essay. Our college guidance program is staffed to ensure each girl, and her family, receive the guidance and support that is needed throughout this intricate process.

WHAT DO YOU THINK SETS LAUREL’S COLLEGE GUIDANCE PROGRAM APART FROM OTHERS? Missy: “First and foremost, we are informed by Laurel’s Center for Research on Girls (LCRG) in what we do. In each grade level we put into practice what is developmentally appropriate, and more specifically, what is developmentally appropriate for girls.

Our findings in this area are backed by research and we see the benefits in real-time throughout the college application process.”

Highlights

| FALL 2018

11

FACULTY PROFILE

Andrew: “Beyond LCRG, our process is highly individualized.

As a team we really focus on the right fit for each girl. We begin working with students one-onone during their Junior year and really take the time to get to know them. This process allows us to understand what they want from a college or university. We can then present options that are a good match.”

IF YOU COULD GIVE GIRLS ONE PIECE OF ADVICE ABOUT THE COLLEGE PROCESS, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Missy: “Broaden your definition of what constitutes a ‘good’ college. You need to keep an open mind about what is out there. There are more than 2,400 four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. alone and students typically only know a small percentage of names.”

and city-life, there are many factors that will contribute to a student’s happiness and we work closely with each girl to get to the root of that.”

OFTEN THE COLLEGE PROCESS IS AS MUCH FOR THE PARENTS AS IT IS FOR THE STUDENTS. HOW DOES LAUREL’S COLLEGE GUIDANCE TEAM SUPPORT THE WHOLE FAMILY? Missy: “Laurel parents tend to be very involved throughout the entire process and we encourage that. Andrew and I work with parents every step of the way to support their girls. It is important for us to set expectations with students and their parents because the girls often look to mom or dad for approval. It is the role of parents to be their child’s biggest cheerleader. Remaining open-minded and nonjudgmental about choices are critical to the process.”

Andrew: “The reality is more students are applying to more colleges. Admissions rates are dropping and there is little predictability. This makes it all the more important to find a wide range of schools where you could be happy. And there are many out there. There really is something for everyone.”

Andrew: “In collaboration with other Cleveland Council of Independent Schools (CCIS), we participate in a college fair and host a financial aid night, because finances play an extremely important role in the final decision. Together, we bring in a panel of admissions deans to talk to families about various aspects of the college admissions process.

Those third-party perspectives bring additional value. We urge parents to be involved in each step and to support their child from all angles.”

WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR GUIDING GIRLS ABOUT THE MANY OPTIONS OUT THERE?

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU FACE IN COLLEGE GUIDANCE?

Andrew: “There are several ways we introduce students to the vast world of higher education. We begin by introducing students to close to 120 college reps who visit Laurel each year. We urge students to engage with schools they aren’t necessarily familiar with, so they gain some additional insight beyond what they think they know and what they believe they want.”

Andrew: “The admissions process has greatly evolved in the last ten years. It is a very different world now.

Admissions is far more competitive. Schools can now reach students by way of social media and beyond. The result is a much larger pool of applicants. We have to keep this in mind as we continue to hone our process and work with girls to find the right school for them.”

Missy: “When putting together a list of schools to apply to, our team insists that each student include at least one backup school where she could see herself thriving. Our ultimate goal is for the girls to be able to happily envision themselves at every school to which they apply.”

Missy: “Laurel offers the kind of high-caliber programming required for students to help set themselves apart.

Our Capstone Experience, for instance, gives girls the opportunity to shine and pursue interests that can help carry them into college and beyond. From immersion learning using Laurel’s Butler Campus to being part of the team which produces LaureLive, our girls are afforded many opportunities to stand out. Our challenge is to help bring this out in our girls and ensure the right college for them sees all that we see.” L

Andrew: “We also work on self-reflection with girls early on.

It is in this self-reflection that they really begin to see what they value and what will matter to them in a school. From location to size of the school, athletics, course offerings

12 LaurelSchool.org

A LETTER FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2017-18 LAUREL ANNUAL REPORT Greetings Laurel Alumnae, Parents and Friends: Thank you so very much for your past and future support of Laurel School. Our success and achievement are the result of many individuals who believe in our mission: To inspire each girl to fulfill her promise and better the world. I carry that mission in my heart and endeavor to demonstrate it in all that I do.

Even though I have long since graduated from Laurel School, my beloved alma mater continues to be an integral part of my life. For the past twenty-five years, I have supported and been active with the Alumnae Association and have also enjoyed serving on the board of trustees. My service to Laurel post-graduation has been both rewarding and exciting. My efforts are a valuable part of my lifelong commitment to ensuring that Laurel remains a leader in the academic achievement of young women for years to come.

As a Laurel student, at the start of each year, I was always excited, anticipating the many wonderful activities, experiences and organizations in which I would participate. All of which prepared me to become the professional woman I am today.

I learned that I was a global citizen in Mr. Gene Rosaschi’s class. His geography lessons and Seventh Grade spring break trip to Mexico—the first time I found myself immersed in a new culture—enriched my awareness and expanded my world view.

Being a field hockey, state semi-finalist fostered in me the value of teamwork and synergy. Coach Becky McKee and my teammates taught me what it means to perform at the highest level. The disciplined practices, well executed, will yield a winning result.

Serving as a member of the Student Government Association and ultimately becoming President, I have no doubt enabled me to serve in the role I do today. Our advisor, Mr. Tim Connell, helped to develop in me management and leadership skills. Professionally, I credit my ability to use diplomacy and collaboration to the opportunities afforded me in Student Government.

Although these activities might be common to many schools, they flourish in the unique environment that is Laurel School. I have always been grateful to have been able to, each day, walk on to a campus — not just a building — knowing that the administration, teachers and staff were all dedicated to my academic, personal and social development. Laurel’s vison of being committed to building a just and inclusive world was demonstrated daily.

As Chair of the Board of Trustees, I am dedicated to ensuring that Laurel remains the preeminent leader among college preparatory day schools for girls. The board and I will work diligently to ensure that Laurel stays financially viable to continue to serve the many talented students and their families who seek the finest in Pre-Primary and Kindergarten through Grade 12 education.

I also will strive to expand engagement from our current students and their families, alumnae, the community and corporate entities in the success and sustainability of Laurel School. As we look towards our 125th Year, we have much to be proud of. The next century requires our diligence and foresight to meet the future and all that it holds. We have a lot of great things to look forward to and we are grateful for your continued generosity and support of Laurel School.

Sincerely,

Lynnette M. Jackson ‘93 Chair, Board of Trustees

14 LaurelSchool.org

LAUREL BOARD MEMBERS

Laurel Board Members 2017-2018 Laurel School Board of Trustees Members

Emeriti

Elizabeth Embrescia ’88, Chair v Lynnette Jackson ’93, Vice Chair v Carey Jaros ‘96, Treasurer v David Fleshler, Secretary v

John Batt Grace Grasselli Bowman ‘49 D

Victoria Anne Anderson ‘82 v Teresa Metcalf Beasley v Michael Bee Mark Biché Susan Collins Bosland ‘76 Kristine Bryan ‘80 v Daniel DeSantis Diane Downing v Marilyn Eisele Mary Weatherhead Feldman ‘84 Hubert Fernandez Lee Hoffman Michael Anne Johnson ‘64 Rachel Kirsh ‘86 v Jack Koch Terry Horvitz Kovel ‘46 Arnelle Martin ‘84 Jacquelyn Nance v Melissa O’Dwyer John Reed Peter Richer Eliza Hatch Saada ‘84 Nancy Phelps Seitz ‘68 v Laurence Talley Sandhia Varyani ‘91

Susan Walter Cargile ‘69 Mary French Conway ‘46 Christine Cowan-Gascoigne ‘70 Louise Pomeroy Dempsey ‘62 Sr. Maureen Doyle, O.S.U. Mary deConingh Emerson ‘46 Heather Roulston Ettinger ‘79 Ann Wible Gillespie Anne Conway Juster ‘80 Frank Linsalata Catherine Dwyer LoPresti ‘65 D Nancy Breckenridge McCormack ‘48 Kenneth Moore Douglas Preiser Donna Reid Barbara Peterson Ruhlman ‘50 George Sherwin Jeffrey Sinclair

Ex-officio Ann V. Klotz, Head of School Kathy Perris Torgerson ’65, President, LSAA Shari Brazile, Co-President, LSPA Kristin McPhail, Co-President, LSPA

2017-2018 Alumnae Association Board Janet Abbey ‘83 Susan Opatrny Althans ‘80 Elizabeth Sweeney Backes ‘78 Nicole Brown ‘04 Gausia Chowdhury ‘02 Donna Jeffries Cook ‘89 Kristin Anderson Horner ‘80 Heather Cargile Lakefish ‘91 Rosemary Mudry ‘02 Meredith Stewart Reimer ‘95 Margo Karipides Richardson ‘91 Maia Hunt-Ledford Rucker ‘97 Wendy Shaw ‘69 Sydney Silverstein ’08 Tyler Thornton ‘99 Katherine Perris Torgerson ‘65, President Signe Wrolstad-Forbes ‘71

2017-2018 Laurel School Parent Association (LSPA) Executive Board Shari Brazile, Co-President Kristin MacPhail, Co-President Holyn Koch, President-Elect John Malcom, Gator Lane Treasurer Katie Fox, Treasurer Jenny Coyle, Recording Secretary Nicole Haas, Fundraising Katia Schwarz, Communications Coordinator

Division Coordinators Christina Gemma, Pre-Primary Christi Malbasa, Primary Maia Hunt-Ledford Rucker ’97, Middle School Betsy O’Neill, Upper School

v

Executive Committee Member List of trustees as of 7/1/2017

D Deceased

Highlights

| FALL 2018

15

NEW TRUSTEE BIOGRAPHIES

New Laurel Trustee Board Members The 2018-2019 Board of Trustees comprises 28 members: 20 women, 16 of them alumnae, and eight men. Many of the members are parents of current Laurel students or parents of Laurel alumnae. We thank the members of the Board for their willingness to give their time and talent in support of Laurel School, and we welcome the following three new members.

Megan Lum Mehalko ‘83 Megan earned her BA from Bucknell University and a Juris Doctor degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. She is a Partner at Benesch Friedlander Coplan & Aronoff LLP, Chair of its Corporate & Securities Practice Group, and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. Megan serves as a board member of Business Volunteers Unlimited and of College Now Greater Cleveland, where she serves as Chair of its Governance Committee. She is also a member of In Counsel with Women and The Union Club and a former board member of Seeds of Literacy. Megan served as a member of the Laurel School Alumnae Association Board of Directors from 2013-2016. She is the parent of Kristen ’17 and the niece of Jenny Lum Lynch ’68.

Chaundra King Monday ‘95 Chaundra earned her BA in electrical engineering from Harvard University and a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia University School of Law. She is a Senior Contracts Attorney at Progressive Insurance. Chaundra is deeply committed to civic engagement and volunteerism through pro bono legal assistance and other community service, such as serving as a board member of Civic Commons ideastream and the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. She is an alumna of the Cleveland Bridge Builders program and served two terms on the Laurel School Alumnae Association Board of Directors—2008-2011 and 2014-2017.

Suzanne “Suzy” Schulze Taylor ‘81 Suzy, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary at Hyster-Yale and its subsidiaries, earned her BA from Williams College and a Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law. She is a member of the American and Ohio Bar Associations, as well as the American Corporate Counsel Association, Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals and Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics. Suzy serves on University Hospital’s Seidman Clinic Leadership Council and served on the Laurel School Alumnae Association Board of Directors from 1997-1999. Her daughter, Kelsey, is a member of the Class of 2010. Suzy also is the daughter and niece, respectively, of Sally Reddig Schulze ’56 and Gay Reddig Mayl ’51. Her two sisters, Cindy Schulze Flynn ’82 and Shelly Schulze ’87, and nieces Madison ‘16 and Morgan ’17 Flynn, also are alums.

16 LaurelSchool.org

Highlights

| FALL 2018 17

WAYS TO GIVE Thank you for exploring the opportunity to support Laurel School.

We recognize that contributions come in many shapes and sizes.

Your interest in supporting Laurel reflects a deep commitment to the educational excellence provided for more than 100 years.

And, we couldn’t have done it without you!

Every year the Laurel Fund increases the value added of a Laurel education. Classroom materials, faculty salaries, athletics, the arts, technology and more—all are enhanced through annual giving.

Since the beginning, every dollar invested in Laurel’s $50 million endowment was a gift from someone who cared deeply about Laurel School. Thanks to an amazing investment team, the endowment continues to grow and grow!

We appreciate the work of our volunteers each year; some serve as class agents and organize reunions; others volunteer through the Alumnae Association and work on committees; we recruit yet another group each year to assist with the work of the Laurel Fund.

All are important and welcome; each one of our volunteers is an excellent ambassador for Laurel School.

Over the years, gifts have touched every aspect of life at Laurel, and we couldn’t be more grateful. Don’t hesitate to call if you have questions or want to help!

60 LaurelSchool.org

Venta Cantwell Director of Development vCantwell@LaurelSchool.org 216.455.3033 Maegan Ruhlman Cross ’03 Director of the Laurel Fund mRuhlman@LaurelSchool.org 216.455.3031 Shelley Trusnik Giving Officer sTrusnik@LaurelSchool.org 216.455.3014 Tamar Cloyd Development Associate tCloyd@LaurelSchool.org 216.455.3018 Beth Green Development Office Administrative Assistant bGreen@LaurelSchool.org 216.455.3096

LEGACY FOR LAUREL

BETSY BRIGGS NOGUEIRA ’67 It wasn’t until Betsy Briggs Nogueira went to Bradford College, and then onto the University of Colorado where she received her undergraduate degree, that she realized how truly incredible her Laurel experience was. A proud member of the White team, Betsy came to Laurel in Sixth Grade and, despite a slight sight impediment, thrived throughout her years as a student. Always a fan of both music and history, Betsy also enjoyed her time on the field hockey and soccer fields. She remembers, “We had incredible history and English departments, and even Miss Larkin could make me understand math.

Greek and Latin continue to serve me well today.”

Since graduating from college, Betsy has been a real estate broker and investor. Currently living on a ranch outside of Fredericksburg, TX, she recently bought five new homes, which she has been renovating as guest houses or rental properties. Real estate aside, her passion for volunteering—something that was born from her time spent at Laurel—is always at the forefront. “My mom always gave the message that you give back and this has been my motto as well,” said Betsy, who currently acts as a mentor at the local elementary school.

Betsy is a consistent donor to the Laurel Fund and has even served as a class agent.

“I have been supporting Laurel ever since I had two pennies to rub together. A Laurel education prepared me in ways I didn’t expect for college and beyond, and the lessons I learned continue to serve me well today. I never took for granted what an incredible opportunity I had in attending Laurel. This is why I am committed to giving back,” Betsy explains. It’s only natural that commitment extends to including Laurel in her estate plans.

Her lifelong friends and her time at Laurel hold a special place in her heart. Betsy’s care for her alma mater will continue to make an impact on the opportunities Laurel can offer today’s students and to future generations.

Membership in Legacy for Laurel is extended to all alumnae, parents, parents of alumnae, faculty and friends who make a provision in their estate plans to benefit the School.

For more information about joining Legacy for Laurel contact Venta Cantwell, Director of Development, at 216.455.3033 or vCantwell@LaurelSchool.org

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID CLEVELAND, OHIO PERMIT NO. 701

LAUREL SCHOOL | est. 1896 Laurel School One Lyman Circle Shaker Heights, Ohio 44122

LaurelSchool.org /LaurelSchool

@LaurelSchool

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED FOR PARENTS OF ALUMNAE: If this magazine is addressed to a daughter who no longer lives at thome, kindly call us with the correct address: 216-464-1420

LIGHTS, A BENEFIT FOR LAUREL SCHOOL AT THE INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE THIRTEENTH ANNUAL GATOR BASH

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2019  6:30 PM