LAKE TAHOE SCHOOL Where Do Your Donation Dollars Go? SEE THE POWER OF YOUR GENEROSITY AT WORK P. 48
National Junior Honor Society LEARN HOW OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE P. 12
The Days Are Long, but the Years Are Short HOW OUR MISSION INSPIRED OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL GALA IN HISTORY P. 51
Middle School Winterim SIXTH GRADE TAKES INAUGURAL TRIP TO THE GRAND CANYON P. 41
2026 Magazine
Letter from the Head of School In the Blink of an Eye... As Ferris Bueller once famously said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." While I’m sure Lake Tahoe School was not on Ferris’ mind at the time that he said this, the truth is that time does seem to move fast at LTS. No matter how you might describe it - "in a heartbeat," "in a flash," or "in the twinkling of an eye," – whatever the phrase or idiom, life at Lake Tahoe School can seem like one long toboggan run down a steep slope. Life with kids is fast, no matter how you cut it. The good news is that in the pages that follow, we have stopped to look around – and back – and share with you some of the key events and highlights of the past year that involved the entire Bobcat community and more. From Back to School to Turkey Trot, Winter Market to the annual Gala, it is rare for life to slow down at any time during the year. Add to all of this, the regular school day, the field trips, hikes to the lake, Middle School Winterim, and Adventure Week – just to name a few – and the list of multiple activities that make each day go faster grows and grows. While the pace of life may seem hectic at times, the good news is that learning at Lake Tahoe School is always intentional, mission-focused, and age-appropriate. Our students are supported, prepared, and ready for the next step, no matter the grade or goal. We appreciate you being a part of our thriving learning community and hope you enjoy the highlights and memories from the past year. Thanks to you as well for all you do to make these possible.
Bob Graves, Head of School Pa g e 2
Table of Contents Strategic Plan Updates Board of Trustees....................................................................5 Strategic Plan Updates............................................................6 Meet Our New Staff.................................................................9
Academic Excellence National Junior Honor Society..........................................12 Celebrating Literacy...............................................................14 STEM Education.....................................................................16 Declamation and Exhibition...............................................18
Creative Expression Music and Performances.....................................................22 Drama Productions...............................................................24 Art Program............................................................................26
Physical Exploration Bobcat Athletics....................................................................30 P.E. Program.............................................................................32
Outdoor Education Field Trips.................................................................................36 Spotlight: Second Grade Clean Team..............................37 Middle School Advisor y.......................................................38 Middle School Winterim.....................................................40
Alumni Success Alumni Spotlight: Parker Fontecchio.............................44 Alumni Spotlight: Performing Arts..................................46 Congratulations to our Graduates..................................47
Philanthropy Annual Report........................................................................49 Fundraising Events and Sponsors...................................50 The Days Are Long, but the Years Are Short...............51 Bobcat Fund Support...........................................................52 Parent Association and Volunteers.................................54 Philanthropic Projects.........................................................56 Community Outreach and Partnerships........................58
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Strategic Plan Updates Creating a joyful and academically challenging learning environment that echoes the wonder of Lake Tahoe, cultivates community, and sparks personal discovery that leads to an extraordinary future for every student.
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Board of Trustees James Sohn, Chair Jenny Molinelli, Vice Chair Kendra Wong, Treasurer Amy Berry, Secretary Melissa Beard Robert Bryan Ryan Hyslop Ely Khakshouri Amanda McLeod Nate Offenberg Ted Parkhill Zary Tavakoli
A Note from the Board of Trustees Lake Tahoe School is strengthened ever y day by the people who believe in its mission. We are deeply grateful to our suppor ters, whose generosity provides resources that help our school grow and improve. We are especially grateful to our parents, whose volunteerism, engagement, and support create the strong sense of community that defines Lake Tahoe School. At the heart of our school is an exceptional faculty and staff. Their professionalism, care, and commitment ensure that our students are challenged, supported, and inspired each day. The Board of Trustees is responsible for supporting the Head of School and safeguarding the long-term health and sustainability of Lake Tahoe School. Your support helps us fulfill that responsibility. Most impor tantly, your generosity helps us provide the best possible learning environment for those we serve—our students. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, thank you for your continued support of Lake Tahoe School. With gratitude, James D. Sohn Chair of the Board of Trustees
Committees & Task Forces Governance Committee Jenny Molinelli, Chair (Trustee) Bob Bryan (Trustee) James Sohn (Trustee) Bob Graves (Faculty & Staff )
Finance Committee Ryan Hyslop, Chair (Trustee) Nate Offenberg (Trustee) James Sohn (Trustee) Kendra Wong (Trustee) Melissa Beard (Parent) Ely Khakshouri (Parent) Craig Thomas (Faculty & Staff ) Bob Graves (Faculty & Staff ) Investments Sub-Task Force: David Francl (Independent, exofficio)
Development Committee Nate Offenberg, Chair (Trustee) Amy Berry (Trustee) Mieka Conway (Parent) Aaron Gaines (Parent) Lauren Glen (Parent) Ryan Heslop (Parent) Caroline Higginbotham (Parent) Ely Khakshouri (Parent) Robb McDaniels (Parent) Claus Moberg (Parent) Cynthia Keeler (Faculty & Staff ) Bob Graves (Faculty & Staff ) Marketing & Communications Sub Task Force: Bob Bryan (Trustee) Melissa Beard (Parent) Allie Sacci (Faculty & Staff )
Audit Committee Ted Parkhill, Chair (Trustee) Nate Offenberg (Trustee) Kendra Wong (Trustee) Bob Graves (Faculty & Staff ) Pa g e 5
Cultivating Community Task Force James Sohn, Chair (Trustee) Katya Christoffersen (Parent) Raj Karwa (Parent) Liz Skidmore (Parent) Misty Berberich (Faculty & Staff ) Pat Casey (Faculty & Staff ) Abby Smalley (Faculty & Staff ) Bob Graves (Faculty & Staff )
Strategic Planning Task Force Kendra Wong, Chair (Trustee) Amy Berry (Trustee) Jenny Molinelli (Trustee) Lauren Glen (Parent) Raj Karwa (Parent) Hillary Lane (Independent) Tony Lillios (Parent) Melissa Lott (Parent) Bob Graves (Faculty & Staff )
How Our Strategic Plan is Implementing the Cultivating Community Action Plan As Lake Tahoe School closes out year three of our fiveyear strategic plan, we measure our progress by uncovering the stor y behind the numbers. True school growth is rarely a straight line on a graph; it is an ongoing interaction among our goals, our daily experiences, and our core values. Over the past few school years, our focus has deepened around a central truth: our progress a c ro s s e ve r y i n i t i a t i ve d epends on how thoughtfully we nurture our school-wide environment. To bring this vision to life, our Cultivating Community Action Plan is not standing as a separate, isolated mandate or a temporar y checklist. Instead, it ser ves as the unifying thread intentionally woven into all four pillars of our strategic roadmap— Thriving Students, Thriving Faculty, Thriving Community, and a Thriving Foundation. Viewing our school’s strategic growth through this lens makes ever y operational enhancement and curricular update a meaningful step toward a more connected institution. When looking at the student experience, listening carefully to our school community gives us clear guidance on where to direct our care and attention. In our academic offerings, family reflections show deep appreciation for the intentional balance between core academ-
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ics, creative arts, and athletics, as well as the growing support provided by our dedicated learning specialists. At the same time, recent survey feedback highlighted a drop in our students’ reported sense of belonging and connectedness—a shift that coincided with mid-year transitions in our student support leadership. Rather than treating this reflection as a simple metric, we recognize it as a call to action. Moving into the upcoming school year, our incoming Student Wellness Coordinatorx, Sara Litteken, is centering her program’s focus on student morale, building everyday connection, and ensuring that ever y child, from Pre-K through Middle School, feels genuinely known, valued, and safe to be themselves. This focus on belonging is also supported through our outdoor education programs, advisor y rotations, and character development efforts, ensuring that character values like empathy, optimism, and community are lived out daily rather than just posted on a classroom wall. A nurturing student environment is only as strong as the educators who guide it, which is why supporting a thriving faculty remains at the heart of our community effort. Over recent cycles, we have moved beyond standard professional development toward a culture of collaboration and continued learning. By car ving out dedicated time for ver tical alignment acros s grade levels and encouraging our teachers to explore modern educational practices, we empower our faculty to bring their best, most creative s e l ve s to t h e c l a s s ro o m . W h e n educators feel supported by their leadership, equipped with competitive compensation, and encouraged to innovate without fear of failure, that sense of security directly translates into the warmth and stability felt by their students. The Cultivating Community Action Plan grounds this relationship by
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framing faculty growth as a shared journey, ensuring our teachers have both the structural backing and the peer support they need to flourish. This spirit of shared responsibility naturally extends outward into our broader parent and local community. True community-building requires intentional, multi-faceted communication—from weekly classroom highlights and interactive Parent Association discussions to broader public engagement. Beyond our front doors, Lake Tahoe School continues to deepen its ties within the Tahoe Basin through active partnerships with local non-profits such as Sierra Community House and Pet Network, hosting initiatives for community events like the Turkey Trot and the Winter Market, and youth activities such as athletics, school plays, and summer camps. Cultivating our growing alumni network is essential to this work. Ever y event held on our campus and ever y collaborative ser vice project reminds us that our responsibilities as educators extend far beyond our school. Ultimately, these effor ts require a resilient foundation to carr y them for ward. Strategic campus improvements, dedicated endowment funds for tuition assistance and faculty growth, and comprehensive safety measures are institutional safeguards and the anchors that make our educational mission possible. Responsible governance and long-term financial planning allow our school leaders and teachers to keep their primar y focus where it belongs: on the growth, joy, and well-being of our students. As we face the last leg of our strategic plan, the road ahead is defined by a shared purpose. By embedding our Cultivating Community Action Plan into ever y pillar of our institution, we are ensuring that progress at Lake Tahoe School is felt in ever y hallway, lived in ever y classroom and playing field, and sustained for years to come.
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Meet Our New Assistant Head of School Laurie Clark has had an impressive run in education, with over 30 years of experience in the educational field and, most recently, serving as the Head of Lower Campus (PreK-8th) at Ojai Valley School in California. “I have been so impressed with the programs at this school, par ticularly the Outdoor Education program,” Mrs. Clark shares. “It is so important for a child’s development to find a balance work and play, and Lake Tahoe School does an incredible job.” Mrs. Clark looks for ward to bringing her expertise in curriculum development, outdoor education, and school leadership to Lake Tahoe School. She says, “I’m excited to get to know the families, learn the culture and traditions at LTS, and be a part of the students’ experiences at Lake Tahoe School and in beautiful Incline Village.”
Meet Our New Teaching Staff Sara Litteken, Student Wellness Coordinator: Sara brings a wealth of experience working with students of all ages, from camps to mental health facilities and beyond. With a Master’s Degree in Social Work, Sara looks to fit right in as our school counselor and Wellness teacher, helping to incorporate the Cultivating Community Plan into her curriculum. Sydney Nagy, Middle School Language Arts: After being part of the Lake Tahoe School community for the last five years as a parent, Sydney is excited to join our faculty as our 7th and 8th-grade Language Ar ts teacher. Sydney is an experienced Middle School English instructor and curriculum exper t, and looks for ward to sharing her love of literature with Middle School students.
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Our mission at Lake Tahoe School is to create a joyful and academically challenging learning environment that echoes the wonder of Lake Tahoe, cultivates community, and sparks personal discovery that leads to an extraordinary future for every student.
Lake Tahoe School 995 Tahoe Boulevard Incline Village, Nevada 89451 www.laketahoeschool.org Pa g e 6 0