11 minute read
Campus News
Virtual Norwood Fun Day!
Norwood was unable to hold fi eld days in the spring due to the pandemic, but there was no way we were going let this beloved end-of-the year tradition get completely sidelined. Instead, division heads, Mike Risen and Michele Claeys, huddled (virtually, of course) with the P.E. and art departments to fi gure out a way to keep the fun of Field Days alive— from a distance.
The result? Norwood Fun Day! Classes were cancelled on Friday, May 15, so families, faculty, and staff could engage in a full day of fun activities, including trick photography, newspaper sculptures, origami art challenges, water bottle fl ipping, egg ’n’ spoon relay, sock toss, and more. Throughout the day, families shared photos on social media (#norwoodfunday), and at the end of the day, the fun wrapped up with a celebratory all-school gathering led by Matthew Gould on Zoom.
While nothing can replace the thrill of a tug-of-war victory on the athletic fi eld, Norwood Fun Day provided the opportunity to enjoy a full day of fun as a school community, at a time when a hefty dose of fun was needed.
#NorwoodFunDay
How’d she do that? Trick photography was a popular event on Norwood Fun Day!
1 A lower school student had the perfect message for all on Norwood Fun Day. 2 Michele Claeys has Matthew Gould’s full support as she accepts an offer to lead The Langley School beginning next summer. 3 & 4 In May, Carole Freret (left) and Terri Woodard were recognized for 25 years of exemplary teaching at Norwood.
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SAYING GOODBYE...
The popular idiom, All good things must come to an end, certainly rings true as we prepare to say goodbye to Michele Claeys, Norwood’s very capable and talented associate head of school and head of middle school. Michele will be leaving Norwood in June 2021 to become the next head of school at The Langley School, a preschool through eighth grade independent school in McLean, Virginia.
During what will be a nine-year tenure at Norwood, Michele has advanced important curricular changes, including the transition to distance learning in the spring; led exciting initiatives in the areas of technology, wellness, student leadership; and always served as a champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout the School. “She will be missed by students, faculty, staff, parents, and me,” wrote Matthew Gould in his announcement to the community in June. “We are appreciative of what Michele has added to Norwood, and we rejoice with her in this new phase of her career. We look forward to properly celebrating and thanking Michele for her many contributions in the spring.”
The search for Norwood’s next head of middle school is underway. “Only the very strongest candidates will be considered—those with a true appreciation for the Norwood School mission and philosophy and those with a clear commitment to working with young adolescents and their families,” said Matthew.
Celebrating Milestone Years at Norwood!
We are so appreciative of the talent and dedication of these outstanding educators and staff members who in 2020 reached milestones in their years of service to Norwood School. The following faculty and staff members were recognized by Matthew Gould and celebrated at a virtual Founder’s Day Chapel on May 15, 2020.
5 Years
Cathy Caruso Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Barbara Greennagel Senior Accountant Andy Morgan Kindergarten Teacher Mitchell Weisbrot Athletic Director
10 Years
Cathy McCoy Second Grade Homeroom Teacher Billy Vargas Director of Diversity, Equity, and Community Fielding Winters Lower School Math Coordinator
15 Years
Maralyn Marsteller Special Assistant to the Head of School Cathy Russo Middle School Coordinator and High School Placement Coordinator Lynda Saelens Director of Student Support Services and Middle School Learning Specialist Barbara Vaughan Sixth Grade Homeroom Advisor and Reading/Language Arts Coordinator
20 Years
Susan Boyd Middle School Math Teacher and Advisor
Tyffany Mandov Fourth Grade Homeroom Teacher
Annette Matzner Middle School Science Teacher and Advisor
25 Years
Carole Freret Fifth Grade Homeroom Advisor and English Teacher Terri Woodard Third Grade Homeroom Teacher
2020 Spring Musical Moves to the Virtual Stage
Just as rehearsals were getting underway for the spring musical, Annie Jr., COVID-19 brought the production to a standstill. It was indeed a hard knock life for the seventh and eighth graders who signed up to participate, as well as for Emily Nichols, middle school drama teacher, and Max Nolin, middle school choir teacher, who were running the show. But, in the spirit of true musical theatre aficionados, Emily and Max declared that the show must go on—and indeed it did.
In a video message to the cast and crew, they announced the “Virtual Annie” project—the opportunity for actors to submit short videos of themselves performing their favorite lines, singing a favorite song, showing off their favorite choreography, modeling a homemade costume, or recreating the “Hey, Sandy” scene with the family dog or a sibling. Emily and Max produced an entertaining compilation video that brought Norwood’s own special version of Annie Jr. to the virtual stage for all to enjoy.
“There was nothing we could do to replace the musical, but we wanted to create something that would celebrate the seventh and eighth graders and something that the Norwood community could enjoy,” said Max. The lyrics of the show’s most popular song certainly sent an important and needed message for all: The sun’ll come out tomorrow; so ya gotta hang on ’til tomorrow come what may.
NEXT UP ON THE (OUTDOOR) NORWOOD STAGE: HELP DESK
> November 16-19, 2020
(Four outdoor performances currently planned)
The show must go on!
LEARN ABOUT THIS YEAR’S FALL PLAY FROM NORWOOD’S NEW DRAMA TEACHER, MIA FISHER
Directing your debut theatrical production is pressure enough for a new drama teacher, but can you imagine pulling that off in the middle of a pandemic? Norwood’s new middle school drama teacher, Mia Fisher, is undaunted and more than ready for the challenge ahead. With a fantastic show selected and a group of enthusiastic seventh and eighth graders ready to take the socially distanced outdoor stage, Mia has all the ingredients she needs for a successful show currently planned for November 16-19, 2020.
Tell us about this year’s fall play?
Help Desk is a hilarious comedy about the crazy world behind a telemarketer’s or tech support’s phone. The show is a series of short scenes, each one featuring only two to three actors, and includes numerous roles for all types of actors. For example, there’s the tech support character who can’t figure out how to help with passwords without crying, an Amazon Prime character who really might just be pretending to work for Amazon, a character who calls her water bottle company because she’s afraid to drink the ingredients, a customer service representative who works in a clown suit to scare her incoming FaceTime customers, and so many more!
Where and how will it be performed given the many challenges presented by the pandemic?
This is a challenging and unprecedented time in all areas of our lives, and the theatrical world is facing some extremely unique situations in terms of rehearsal and performances. To that end, the Fall Play will be presented outside on Norwood’s grounds, amphitheater style! Help Desk was chosen specifically chosen because there are several scenes comprised of no more than three actors per scene. This makes achieving socially
SIGNS OF NORWOOD LOVE
ALL OVER THE DMV
The signs were everywhere! Thanks to the Norwood Parents Association, on May 5, more than 450 Norwood students received messages of love and support as families adjusted to the first weeks of distance learning. PA volunteers placed bright blue signs in the front yards of Norwood families, letting them know just how much they were loved and missed at Norwood.
distanced rehearsals and limited student interaction much easier.
How will rehearsals be handled?
Our first read-through, rehearsals, and character work are happening via Zoom online. For physical rehearsals, due to the parameters of the play, only the students in specific scenes are called, keeping interaction small and physically distanced.
What are you most excited about?
So many things! I think I am most excited about the opportunity to work with the incredible Norwood students and to give them the chance to perform live theatre again. I want them to feel a sense of community and family—two staples that I always express as the basis of all good theatre—and an environment where they can let their incredible talents shine!
Norwood Welcomes Four New Trustees
Norwood is fortunate to have an outstanding board of trustees that works tirelessly to support the School’s educational program and mission. This year, the board is pleased to welcome four new trustees, each of whom brings valuable expertise, knowledge, and a love for Norwood School: Mary Pat Alcus, Jen Holzman, Jen Sides, and Nate Tyrrell.
Mary Pat Alcus is an institutional investment advisor and a Chartered Financial Analyst. Over her 30year investment career she has advised numerous foundations and endowments and corporate and public pensions in the areas of investment strategy, investment policy development, manager selection, and performance monitoring. For most of her professional career, Mary Pat worked for Mercer Investment Consulting in Atlanta, New York, and Washington, D.C., where she was a principal and senior consultant. She served on the board of The Community Foundation for Montgomery County, including as board chair in 2013, and currently serves on the boards of the Greater Washington Community Foundation, Horizons Greater Washington, and the Montgomery College Foundation. Mary Pat is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and received her MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She is the parent of two Norwood alumni, Claire ’10 and Colin ’13.
Jen Holzman serves on the board of trustees in her role as the current president of the Norwood Parents Association. She is the senior foreign policy advisor at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, where she has worked for the past 15 years. Jen holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Brown University and a master’s degree in European and Eurasian studies from the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University. She has been actively involved in volunteer activities at Norwood, including as a grade-level representative, a Norwood Fund class captain, and a member of the Horizons 5K committee. A native of Long Island, Jen has lived in the D.C. area since 2002. She currently lives in Rockville with her husband, Aron, their daughters Sara ’23 and Hallie ’26, and two much-loved rescue dogs.
Jen Sides is CEO and general counsel for B2 Equity Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries. She oversees B2E’s private equity portfolio, which includes holdings in aviation, real estate technology, clean beauty brands, restaurants, commercial and multi-family real estate, and finance technology. Jen’s background in intellectual property law made her the industry’s leading expert on copyrighting appraisal reports. She is a legal advisor and business leader in the areas of intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, advertising, and software. Jen holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida, as well as a master’s degree in intellectual property law and a J.D. from the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law. Jen and her husband, Phil, are the parents of Oliver ’24. In 2018-2019, Jen and Phil served as co-chairs of The Norwood Fund.
Nate Tyrrell is executive vice president and chief investment officer for Host Hotels & Resorts and is responsible for all investment and asset management activities. He has extensive transaction and capital markets experience, having led numerous property acquisitions and sales, public and private debt and equity offerings and joint ventures in the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Asia. Nate joined the company’s finance department in 2005, was promoted to senior vice president and treasurer in 2010, joined the Investment Committee in 2012, became managing director of investments in 2015, and was promoted to his current position a year later. Prior to joining Host, Nate worked in finance and development at the Rouse Company and in investment banking for Alex Brown in Baltimore and London, focusing on real estate and mergers and acquisitions. Nate is a graduate of Harvard Business School and Harvard College. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Liz, and two children, Ben ’21 and Anna ’27.
Norwood’s New Trustees: (left to right) Mary Pat Alcus, Jen Holzman, Jen Sides, and Nate Tyrrell.
IN APPRECIATION
We are deeply grateful to the following departing trustees for their exceptional service, countless contributions, and unwavering dedication to Norwood.
Susan Lee Jenn Lustbader (Board Chair, 2018-20) Beth Palma (PA President, 2019-20) Betsy Turley ’71
