The Marker 2021

THE

MARKER

THE MARK DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE

SPRING 2021

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

into reality and create Mark Day School back in 1980 were in high demand as we set out to return to 39 Trellis for in-person learning. We explore what made it possible in one of the Marker pieces you will find in the pages that follow.

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of sitting with a small group of 6th graders at lunchtime talking about some of their favorite words. They had had a vocabulary quiz in Ms. Kirk’s English class that morning, and so I knew they would have some good words to choose from. Imperious. Temerity. Stealthy.

Abound. Jaunty. Together we ended up mulling over the differences in connotation between temerity and audacity, a word that has been on my mind as I reflect on the founding of Mark Day School 40 years ago, and on our year operating during the COVID pandemic as well.

This morning I joined the 5th grade as they met (virtually) with Ruby Bridges, the American civil rights activist who was the first African-American child to desegregate the all-white William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana. Ms. Fernanda Pernambuco, our Director of Partnerships, Equity, and Inclusion, has brought Ms. Bridges to Mark Day over the past several years as part of the 5th grade U.S. history unit. One of the students’ questions was about what helped Ms. Bridges to get through that experience. She shared several answers, including her own innocence as a child, her faith largely inspired by her mother, and the support of her community. She was driven to school each day by Federal Marshals, and behind the car each morning, all of her family’s neighbors would walk to escort her to school in the face of the racist protests that continued throughout the entire school year. She also shared the impact of her 1st grade teacher, Mrs. Henry, of whom she said, “She cared about me, and I knew I was safe with her.” As she put it, she learned from Mrs. Henry what Dr. King taught as well, that she could not look at a person and judge them by the color of their skin.

Reflecting on the impact of a caring, courageous teacher on each child, I could not help but think of

Founding a new school requires boldness, a good synonym for audacity. Though audacity has its negative denotations, too, I find myself so attracted to the positive ones: boldness, courageousness, pluck, mettle, moxie, sand, spirit. Whenever setting out on a journey, especially when we know obstacles will arise, these qualities are necessary to get us to take the very first step, and the next one after that.

Although it is becoming a memory now, we knew that setting out to reopen the campus to in-person learning in the fall promised to challenge us. And so the qualities that enabled our founders to turn a vision

OUR MISSION Mark Day School discovers and nurtures what is finest in each child in a vibrant, inclusive learning community.

Innovative and full of heart, Mark Day School strives to develop well-rounded critical thinkers in a challenges program that fosters academic excellence and responsible world citizenship. the immense responsibility that our teachers take up each day with joy and love and care, and how much our children benefit from the challenge and support that their teachers offer hand in hand. I thought also of Mark Day’s commitment to diversity, to inclusion, and to equity and justice, and how important it is for all of our students to learn in that context. Only with a truly prepared faculty and a systemic, programmatic commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion can we be the truly outstanding school that our mission calls us to be.

Whenever I have attempted to describe what is happening on campus this year, several things have come to mind. The first is that it may look a little different—we are all wearing masks, and socially distancing, and operating in defined cohorts—but it sounds and feels like the Mark Day School we have always loved. The joy in learning and the excitement of new challenges are palpable on the campus. Another description of this year is that we have been so clearly defined by our purpose. Never have I experienced a whole community quite this unified by a shared focus on what is most important: the education of our children. Every teacher, every student, every family, every member of the staff and administrative team has made sacrifices to accomplish an incredible year of growth and learning in the context of a global pandemic that ground many important things--including many, many schools--to a halt. I am so proud of each member of this community for the ways in which we have moved together with courage, spirit, spunk, mettle, and pluck. Choose your favorite, and relish in it as you exercise it. We are together. It has been a remarkable year, and we look forward to the next with eager anticipation.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Robert Hee, President Julian Allen, Treasurer Lindsay Bartsh Sharina Belani Ryan Brown Nishant Budhraja ‘06, Alumni Trustee Prathap Dendi Ethan Dornhelm, Assistant Treasurer Scott Faber Aimee Foreman, Vice President Alexander Fraser Reetika Grewal Chelsea Iallegio Joe Harvey, Head of School Andrew Kawahara Chris Mazzola Michelle Mulkey Steve Polsky Ashley Ransom, Trustee Emerita Carl Reichardt Shalu Saluja, Trustee Emerita David Shapiro David St. Martin, Faculty Trustee Rachel Street, PA President Peter Supino DIRECTOR OF ADMISSION Katie Kelso

Joe Harvey Head of School

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Wendy Levine ‘89

CONTENTS NEWS 5

News & Highlights From Campus

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Alumni News

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High School & College Matriculation

FEATURES 11

Teacher Feature: Chad Forrester ‘86

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Planning For a Unknown Future

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Bridging the Gap

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Anti-Bias

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Digital Music

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Friends Across Generations

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Behind the Mask

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The Elements of Teaching Science

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Where Are They Now?

EDITORIAL & DESIGN Sophie Shulman’02 Director of Communications

ALUMNI NEWS Christine Maguire Associate Director of Development

PHOTOGRAPHY Sophie Shulman ‘02 Director of Communications

PRINTING Chromagraphics chromaprints.com

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NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS 2020-21

ON CAMPUS, IN-PERSON ORIENTATIONS

In September, students in grades K-8 met in small, socially distanced groups on campus for a short orientation while we were still in distance learning.

For some, it was their first time on campus and meeting new teachers and peers!

A FRESH LOOK FOR THE BALL WALL

As we began the 2020-21 school year, students of essential workers tuned into distance learning from on-campus Learning Hubs. It was during this time that some of those students thought about repainting the ball wall between the Lower School playground and Upper School blacktop. “In the past, we had talked about creating a mural on that wall,” says Karen Klier, art teacher.

“But it hadn’t yet happened.” With fewer students on campus because of distance learning, the prospect of undertaking the project became more feasible while giving these students something to do during breaks. A small group of 8th graders includ-

ing Arianna G., Sophia G., Sophia P., Lexi G., Hope G., and Wyatt L. designed a mural image that was big, bold, and easy to create, then sketched it out and turned to Karen for guidance. When all students returned to campus in October, more students joined in, including Indigo P., Maya V. , Gabby R. and Avery H. These students also put their handprints on the side of the wall as their signature. The ball wall was completed around Thanksgiving 2020, and now all students can enjoy this beautiful artwork.

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HAPPY 40TH BIRTHDAY, MARK DAY SCHOOL!

This year, Mark Day School turned 40 years old! The school was founded in 1980, under the guiding philosophy to provide high-quality education in an atmosphere of love and care. In the 40 years since, we have continued to grow and innovate alongside the school traditions that make our community special. Celebrations looked different than originally planned due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we were fortunate to connect and celebrate both virtually and on campus November 13-15.

TALENT ENTERTAINMENT SHOW On Friday evening, community members attended a live showing of a talent show featuring alumni. In the video, which was previously recorded, current students introduced alumni. Performers included Chris Peck ‘95, Lara Johnston ‘04, Bella Bromberg ‘15, Aiden Nelson ‘13, Katherine Gutierrez ‘16 and Ben Strassman ‘16. It was a wonderful opportunity to weave current students and alumni together and make connections across generations.

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REUNIONS FOR ALUMNI, ALUMNI FAMILIES & FACULTY/STAFF On Saturday, we hosted a virtual reunion via Zoom for former faculty and staff and also alumni and alumni parents. Former headmaster Mr. Damon Kerby was in attendance, along with Mr. Orwig, Mr. Navarrete, Mrs. Toland, Betsy Little, and more. During the alumni and alumni parent reunion, attendees could select their own breakout rooms based on decade. It was great fun catching up with familiar faces.

CHESS TOURNAMENT Since the school’s founding in 1980, chess has been a large part of our community. On Sunday, we paid homage to that tradition with a virtual chess tournament. Congrats to Art Zhao ‘14, who took the trophy for the alumni, staff, and family group. Harlen B., Daniel G., and Adrian W. won their age groups as well.

SCAVENGER HUNT On Saturday and Sunday, students and families hunted for clues on the Mark Day campus while maintaining social distancing. For many parents and guardians, it was a wonderful opportunity to be back on campus, since our health and safety protocols prohibit visitors during the school day.

Special thanks to Event Chair Stacy Nelson.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered, participated in the celebrations, tuned in from afar, and helped us join together for this momentous occasion in our school’s history!

THE GARDEN GETS A MAKEOVER

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the garden became a much-needed outdoor classroom in the fall. Ideas to improve the garden actually began three years ago when 2nd and 3rd grade Green Thumbs gardeners came up with a plan to make the hill more accessible with a well-built path.

Little by little, the path took shape; trees grew and a vision to re-establish the hillside as a native plan teaching garden emerged. Between this new path, some aging infrastucture, and an urgent need for outdoor learning spaces, it was time for a garden refresh. Parent volunteer Colin Bly, Head of School Joe Harvey, Director of Facilities Wes Howell, and a garden contractor helped implement several important changes to the space, including: removing a large oak tree that had been blocking the garden from sunlight, adding a new dry-well for natural drainage, installing a second handwashing sink within the garden, trimming back existing plants and re-doing the irrigation on the hillside, creating a new entrance path and adding stairs, and laying wood chips as mulch around the planter boxes. Mr. Howell says, “The hope was to provide a refreshed space for everyone to enjoy.”

AFFINITY GROUPS BEGIN VIRTUALLY

Due to the pandemic and transition to distance learning last spring, we had to postpone our affinity group program. We were excited to finally launch it this school year during the winter semester. Students in 7th and 8th grade first participated in a “birth order” exercise to better understand how affinity groups operate and explore the different concepts of affinity and interest. Then, they were given the opportunity to come up with the kinds of affinity and alliance groups they wanted to see on campus. In January, we rolled out three groups based on their feedback: a LGBTQIA+ alliance group, a BIPOC affinity group, and a two-household affinity group.

These largely student-driven groups began meeting every 3-4 weeks on Zoom. “We want to know what students’ goals are and let them lead, with guidance from faculty and staff,” says Fernanda Pernambuco, Director of Partnerships, Equity, and Inclusion. We hope to add more groups as the program continues to evolve.

THE MAKING OF ADVENTURELAND

When 4th grader Lucas P. struggled to find things to do at recess during Hybrid Learning, he would often drift toward the sandbox on the Lower School playground. With help from Mr. R. and Mr. St. Martin, he began to envision grand ideas about forts, moats, bridges, and catapults. Thanks to help from Facilities Director Wes Howell, old equipment was removed and new materials repurposed from a tree from the garden were installed to give students a safe and exciting place to play and imagine.

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TEACHER FEATURE

CHAD FORRESTER ‘86 DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST

Chad Forrester first came to Mark Day School as a 3rd grade student in its founding year, 1980. Seventeen years later, he returned to Mark Day as an employee.

Holding positions from Media Specialist to Outdoor Ed Coordinator to Yearbook Advisor, Chad has been an important part of the Mark Day Community for over 40 years.

What’s your current role?

Media Specialist, Assembly Coordinator, Upper Division Literacies Block Teacher, Yearbook Advisor, Mentor, and Outdoor Ed Coordinator. I work most closely with the 7th and 8th grades, but my roles let me work with all grades in some capacity. I particularly like the multi-grade group that comes together for the Just Imagine Club that I now lead (in non-COVID times).

What has kept you here for so long?

I recently put together a video for the school’s 40th Anniversary and in going through the archival videos and photos I was struck by how consistent the joy of community is here. We embrace change and growth together; students, faculty, parents, and alumni are all one connected ensemble. I love being a part of that ethos and energy.

What is your favorite memory as a student?

The Yosemite trip from 7th Grade. We were lucky enough to have snow fall on our hike, and I will always remember fondly the challenge of that adventure. Richard Navarrete (former music teacher) was a chaperone on that trip, and singing around the campfire surrounded by that monumental landscape is a foundational memory for me.

What is your favorite teaching moment?

The 8th Grade Media Literacy Project. Working with the 8th graders to actualize their intellectual ideas in a creative and personally meaningful way is always the highlight of my teaching year.

Were you a member of the Just Imagine Club as a student?

A charter member. In those days, in addition to watching classics at lunch, we would arrange weekend trips to science fiction and comic book conventions when they came to the Bay Area.

What was it like taking over the Just Imagine Club for Mr. Orwig when he retired?

I’m honored that he asked me to keep that tradition going and I’ve been so pleased that the enthusiasm for the club endures across the generations. The first film I selected to show, The Wolf Man (1941), was picked because an 8th grader told me it was his favorite film.

What are your favorite hobbies outside of school?

Reading books, watching films, photography, baseball (go Giants!), classical music, Disneyland, and traveling (not always to Disneyland).

What is something students don’t know about you that you’re willing to share?

I have a vast collection of coffee mugs at home.

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PLANNING FOR AN UNKNOWN FUTURE The process, protocols, and program behind Hybrid Learning

It’s spring 2021, just over seven months since we re-opened campus and transitioned back to in-person learning.

Nearly 100 percent of Mark Day students are learning in-person, faculty and staff have been vaccinated, and the layered health and safety protocols that once seemed so daunting are now an ordinary part of every day. And yet, there are many schools around the country that are just now opening for in-person learning; schools that, for the first time, are learning how to social distance via dots on the pavement and adjusting to wearing masks for long periods of time. To say the least, we’ve been fortunate to be able to offer in-person learning for all students K-8 five full school days per week since mid-October—and we’ve done so safely, without one single in-school transmission of COVID-19.

How did we get here? Who and what has contributed to the success of our Hybrid Learning program? Mr. Harvey says, “The answer is both complex and simple. The complex answer is that many factors—including the faculty’s devotion to student learning, skilled administrators and staff, our partnerships with Marin County Public Health and the Marin County Office of Education, and trust and buy-in from parents and guardians—helped the Hybrid Learning program come to fruition.

The simple answer is that none of this would have happened without every-

one rising to the challenge. It truly has been a collective effort.”

As we continue to look forward to what school looks like in the fall, we’re taking a look back on the planning process and the launch of Hybrid Learning. It’s been quite a year, and we are proud to share this journey with you.

Preparing for the unknown Over the course of her technology and innovation work, Bonnie Nishihara, Assistant Head and Director of Educational Design and Innovation, has been influenced by the work of futurists. A futurist does not predict the future, as the nomenclature might imply. Rather, futurists consider the multitude of futures that might unfold and then work backwards to consider what can be done now, in this moment, to prepare for these possibilities. Last summer, in the heat of the global pandemic, Mark Day’s administrative team found itself working like futurists—but in hyperspeed. Bonnie says, “Since the start of the 21st century, we at Mark Day School have thought about how best to prepare students for their futures and which skills will help them live in what futurists call a VUCA world, one marked by volatility, uncertainty, 14

complexity, and ambiguity. Suddenly we needed these skills ourselves! The volatility of the world around us and the changing recommendations coming from the CDC, the California Department of Public Health, Marin County Public Health, and the Marin County Office of Education for how to open school safely meant we had to plan for many ‘futures’ that might unfold in the fall.”

The plans that became our current Hybrid Learning program were just one permutation that came from the planning process over the summer of 2020. The school’s administrative team, led by Head of School Joe Harvey, Bonnie Nishihara, and Division Heads Dave Hickman and Thad Reichley, had multiple schedules, budgets, and plans for use of space on campus depending on what size cohorts would be permitted. The team developed plans for what it would look like if not all students could be on campus at the same time. They developed plans for how a teacher might teach students located in two different

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classrooms. And they developed plans for both Distance Learning and Hybrid Learning scenarios, with a focus on launching Distance Learning 2.0 while also planning to be ready to pivot to Hybrid Learning on a dime should Public Health guidelines allow it. Additionally, the equipment needed to open in-person learning was still scarce with slow and inconsistent delivery. This meant ordering tech equipment and designing technology solutions that would themselves be adaptable to different scenarios. “All of these plans had to be complex and detailed enough to serve reliably as ‘proof of concept’ designs,” says Bonnie.

Starting the year in Distance Learning—with a twist In September, we began the 2020-21 school year in Distance Learning 2.0, with the multitude of different plans in place and ready to go should Public Health guidelines change. What was different from

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Over the past year, we have learned that at its heart, our job is the same as it has always been—to keep students connected with their teachers and their peers, keep learning as interactive, hands-on, and project-based as possible, and above all, keep students and faculty safe and healthy.

the spring, though, was the introduction of Learning Hubs—an on campus, in-person supervised Distance Learning experience for Mark Day students whose parents were essential workers and for children who otherwise might not have access to high quality learning environments at home. For several months prior, the Marin County Office of Education had been successfully running pop-up classrooms, which offered additional proof that stable cohorts of children following strict health and safety protocols could be safe. We strongly believed that children of essential workers and those who may not have had high quality learning environments at home needed a place from which to access our Distance Learning program.

It took a leap of faith to first launch the Learning Hubs—a leap that took us from the hypothetical to the actual—and it became an opportunity to practice, refine, and gain confidence in our protocols.

Fernanda Pernambuco, Director of Partnerships, Equity, and Inclusion, who was also a member of the Learning Hubs leadership team, says, “The Learning Hubs were our first opportunity to put our protocols into practice. It was the first time we communicated with parents about layered health and safety protocols and ran through the process of daily health checks, drop-offs and pick-ups, classroom sanitizing, campus walking routes, social distancing, symptom tracking, and keeping students in isolated cohorts.” Head of School Joe Harvey remembers the first time a Learning Hub student exhibited symptoms of COVID-19 and, per our protocols, was sent home. “We had developed a system of communication that notified teachers and parents and guardians when a student had symptoms,” he says. “It is difficult to overstate the anxiety we felt when that first message went out. Was it COVID? Would we have to close? What ended up happening was that we worked through the protocols we had set in place, and the student returned to campus healthy and symptom-free. The second message that went out when another student was ill felt a little easier. We saw that the system was working.”

During those early weeks of the 2020-21 school year, we became used to seeing and hearing students learning on campus. We saw that students—including our Kindergartners—embraced the protocols. In those first few months, Mark Day was also contributing to the growing number of Marin County student days

in school with no in-school transmission. When state and county mandates allowed, we felt ready to bring all students back to campus.

Partnering with Public Health and the Marin County Office of Education The pandemic heightened the school’s close work with Marin County Public Health and the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE). Two Liaisons to Public Health were selected to become trained in health and safety protocols and attend weekly meetings to stay up-to-date on the latest updates from the county and state. Wendy Broderick, Director of Indexed Tuition, and Sophie Shulman, Director of Communications, worked with the administration to establish the School Site-Specific Protection Plan (which can be found at markdayschool.org/ssspp) that outlines these health and safety protocols and practices. We helped to extend Public Health’s influence further into the community and did our part to track, trace, and spread health guidelines. It was truly a partnership in which we relied on Public Health for guidance, and Public Health relied on us to keep our community safe.

By the end of September, Marin County Public Health, in coordination with the Marin County Office of Education and its Rethinking Schools Task Force, offered the opportunity for schools to apply for a waiver to open grades K-6 for in-person learning amidst the county’s continued closure and strict rules about gathering and social distancing. Mark Day’s administration knew that if there was an opportunity to safely bring back students in K-6, we had to pursue it—and Mark Day was ready.

Moving forward together What has long been essential to the “Mark Day” way is moving through a process thoughtfully and together, and this case was no different. “It was important for us to keep our community whole,” says Bonnie. “It’s the human side of the VUCA landscape.

We wanted to really listen to and attempt to honor the wide spectrum of perspectives, needs, and emotions that existed among Mark Day faculty, staff, parents, and guardians.” There is an African proverb popular in these kinds of moments: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” However,

the extraordinary circumstances made following this proverb challenging. As Bonnie says, “We needed to go fast and we knew we needed to go together.”

The first step was talking with faculty and staff both as a group and individually. “Moving from Distance Learning to Hybrid Learning was complicated, in part because we were asking faculty to move from avoiding risk as much as possible to taking on a certain level of risk in order to attend to the emotional well being and academic needs of students,” says Thad Reichley, Head of Grades K-4. “Even though we had invaluable guidance from the health department, we recognized there is a very real emotional component in addition to the logical component. Faculty meetings, surveys, one-on-one discussions, and constant sharing of concerns all played a role in allowing us to come back to teach in-person.

It was also important to make sure that teachers understood all of the safety protocols and had input into what would make them feel safe in their classrooms. This transparent communication was, and is, the reason we have been successful in creating a robust Hybrid Learning environment.” Joe remembers an early conversation with Kindergarten teachers Jennifer Southern and Cindy Kredo, who was filling in for Alex Dobbs. “Their first response to the idea of bringing students back to campus was, ‘We have to get our kids back in the classroom.’” Grade-level by grade-level, these meetings were used to share initial plans, receive feedback, and understand what faculty needed to feel safe. “The throughline in all these meetings was teachers saying ‘We need to get our kids back in these classrooms.’ It is not that teachers weren’t anxious about the risks. We all were. But sitting alongside that legitimate trepidation was trust in our collective ability to build and live by health and safety protocols and, most important, the deeply felt knowledge that children needed to be back on campus.” Once faculty, staff, and administrators were on the same page, Mark Day applied for the waiver.

The next step was ensuring all parents and guardians understood the protocols and discovering which families would transition to in-person learning and which would remain in Distance Learning.

On Monday, September 21, Joe led an “Information Session for Parents and Guardians on Hybrid Learning.” Over 200 people attended the two-hour meeting that detailed the school’s protocols and expectations and answered questions from the community.

Following the meeting, parents and guardians were asked to fill out a survey to indicate whether they intended to have their children attend in-person learning on campus. At that time, about 90 percent of families signed their children up to attend in-person learning; by the spring, that number would increase to 99 percent.

In part, Bonnie attributes Mark Day’s research-driven, thoughtful innovation approach to the success of the re-opening process.

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Referring to the date we initially closed the campus and transitioned to Distance Learning, she says, “It wasn’t our thoughtfulness on March 13 that helped us through these various transitions,” she says. “The way we’ve been running our educational program has prepared us for years. We may not know what exactly comes next, but our process, philosophy, and approach to identifying what we need makes us ready for whatever comes.” What was also crucial was the dedication and hard work of teachers to prepare—in a multitude of ways—to come back to campus with a full understanding of the risks and teach all students, whether they were in person or at a distance.

Launching Hybrid Learning In September, after months of planning, research, communication with families, and working closely with Marin County Public Health, we launched our Hybrid Learning program and, after a gradual, tiered re-entry, all K-8 students were welcomed back to campus for in-person learning.

What makes our Hybrid Learning program “hybrid” is that we have students learning in-person and students learning remotely every day. Distance Learning is also accessed by in-person learners who are temporarily home with any illness or who are quarantining for any reason. For families opting for in-person learning, students come to school five days a week for full school days. Hybrid Learning was developed with the intention of moving flexibly between in-person and Distance Learning. Whether a student was showing symptoms, an entire cohort was exposed to a COVID-positive individual, or mandates from Public Health required us to all move into distance learning, the program was built to ensure a smooth transition.

The transition to Hybrid Learning required the rapid innovation of new educational practices from faculty, adaptability and resilience from students and faculty alike, and flexibility and cooperation from families. It was truly a community effort to keep students learning and growing during these extraordinary times.

Though there is a lot that is different about Hybrid Learning versus pre-COVID school, what is striking is how much is the same. Over the past year, we have learned that at its heart, our job is the same as it has always been—to keep students connected with their teachers and their peers, keep learning as interactive,

hands-on, and project-based as possible, and above all, keep students and faculty safe and healthy. The ongoing challenge is how to adapt to an evolving set of constraints.

Implementing and testing our health and safety protocols Above all, our primary goal is to keep students and faculty safe and in school. Our health and safety protocols provide multiple layers of protection, and are practiced throughout the day by everyone on campus.

Our months-long process for transitioning to Hybrid Learning was guided by the California Department of Public Health and Marin Public Health, and involved consultation with medical experts, architects and engineers, and of course the needs of our own faculty and staff.

Before coming to campus, parents and guardians must fill out a Wellness Check for their child. All students and personnel must wear face coverings at all times and wash hands regularly, including a “gel in, gel out” practice when entering and exiting learning spaces.

High-touch areas are sanitized regularly by the teachers, students, and the operations staff. We also have a low threshold for keeping students home or sending them home with any symptoms of illness. Students are divided into cohorts within their grade level, which range from 15 to 23 students in each cohort.

Primarily, students remain in the same classroom, with the exception of select specialist subjects such as art and music classes. In the classroom, single-student desks are situated at least four feet apart and face the front to minimize face-to-face interactions and, where practicable, teachers maintain a physical distance of six feet from students. To keep cohorts separated, there are one-way walking paths throughout campus, and each has a distinct zone for recess and lunch.

Ventilation in each classroom is also essential; there are HVAC systems in each room, and all filters have been upgraded to MERV 13.

Throughout the year, protocols shifted based on guidance from Public Health. Over Thanksgiving, for example, Public Health stated that gathering with up to three households was deemed safe. However, by the time the winter break arrived, Public Health deemed gathering with any other households, in addition to traveling outside of the Bay Area, high

risk behavior and recommended quarantining following such behavior. Keeping up with the ever-evolving protocols driven by the unpredictable nature of a pandemic required constant and clear communication with students, families, faculty, and staff.

An important part of the process was allowing for the “stress tests” that arose along the way. Joe remembers a late night phone call when one of our students tested positive for COVID-19 for the first time. “It was a moment of crisis management,” he explains. “That question arose: Would we have to close in-person learning? And again, we followed our protocols, transitioned just that cohort to Distance Learning, followed through with additional testing, and safely brought back those students without a single inschool transmission of the virus.” Moments like this continued to build trust among parents and guardians, faculty, staff, students, and Public Health. One brick at a time, these moments helped build a strong foundation that allowed us to continue even more strongly our mission to provide in-person learning every day for every student.

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Adapting our academic program Many of the same curricular building blocks make up our school program even in Hybrid mode. Students in all grades K-8 still take P.E. every day, with sports and activities adjusted for social distancing and keeping equipment individualized. Our world language program is largely unchanged, with some students learning from a teacher in person in the homeroom or cohort classroom and others learning from their world language teacher via Zoom.

Perhaps one of the most significant changes to the academic program is the creation of the specialist wheel. Students still take art, music, drama, Learning Commons, and design and tinkering classes, but instead of having each of these subjects on a weekly basis, students focus on one specialist subject at a time on a rotating schedule. Music teacher Rachel Allen says, “The specialist wheel has given us an opportunity to really dive deep and take advantage of the extra time with each grade level. Because the repetition of practicing newly learned concepts happens so closely together in a week, I am seeing the ‘aha’ moments happening sooner during the wheel.

I miss seeing all of the students I normally work with during the week, but I also know that the wheel

schedule is providing a safer environment for all of us on campus.”

Students continue to work on hands-on, multidisciplinary projects that require collaboration and creativity. When applicable, each student may have individual sets of materials, and small groups can get together, socially distanced, outside.

Looking ahead Like last summer, planning for the fall requires inspiration from futurists, careful coordination with Public Health, leadership from caring, expert faculty and staff members, and full engagement from students and families. Though COVID cases are decreasing and more people are getting vaccinated, the pandemic will continue to challenge us with its unpredictability.

We are encouraged by the incredible contributions of all community members to the success of our Hybrid

Learning program. Whatever the future holds, we know we are even stronger for having moved forward through this past year together—keeping at the very center the shared goal of educating every Mark Day student.

BRIDGING THE How technology brings us together in a time of distance

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GAP

Can you imagine what the COVID-19 pandemic might be like without the advanced technology we have today?

What if we didn’t have ready access to updated news or weren’t able to reach out to family and friends across the country to check in? Now think about education—without the Internet, Zoom, or even the physical presence of a teacher, what would learning look like?

Fortunately, the technology that exists today not only makes Distance Learning and Hybrid Learning possible, it makes it functional, efficient, and effective.

Research tells us that relationships are a fundamental part of success for all constituents involved. And technology has kept connection—between students, between teachers, between families—alive.

During Distance Learning, live, synchronous classes were taught via Zoom, and now in Hybrid Learning, Zoom allows for social distancing, quarantining, and for families to make a choice about their students’ education. Software like Google Classroom and SeeSaw also enables teachers to continue establishing connections with students no matter where they are and to maintain the feedback and assessment loop, which is essential to the learning process.

But it’s not as simple as handing a 2nd grader an iPad

or sending a Zoom link to an 8th grader. Beyond the act of pressing the ‘on’ button or logging in are a myriad of challenges, objectives, and factors influencing a student’s education. How, for example, do you teach students in person and at home simultaneously?

How do you implement collaboration and creativity to the curriculum when students need to maintain social distancing? How do the students at home feel included in class? In most cases, the answer involves highly skilled educators creatively leveraging thoughtful technology. Below, you’ll find a roundup of the most important technological tools we’ve utilized to keep students learning safely and staying connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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SCHOOLPASS During the summer as we were preparing for the possibility of returning to campus in the fall, Assistant Head and Director of Educational Technology and Innovation Bonnie Nishihara researched several smartphone apps that would allow us to track drop-offs and pick-ups, carpools, attendance, and health screenings. Every morning prior to coming to campus, each parent/ guardian is required to fill out a Wellness Check on the app SchoolPass for their students, which asks a series of questions related to the symptoms of COVID-19. If a student exhibits any symptom associated with COVID-19 listed on the questionnaire, they are directed not to come to campus and to contact our primary Liaison to Public Health. This applies to faculty and staff, too. Furthermore, because it’s not currently safe for students to gather with other cohorts, SchoolPass also allows students to remain safely in their cohort at the end of the day and come outside only when their car has arrived.

SWIVL For students in Distance Learning, keeping them engaged and involved in class is essential for synchronous learning. To mimic in-person learning as much as possible for these students, each classroom is set up with a Swivl, a robotic mount for an iPad that pairs tracking and rotating technology with microphones. The teacher wears a marker that doubles as a microphone, which allows the technology to follow the teacher around the classroom during lessons. Additional microphones can be spread around the room to pick up student voices in the classroom. Essentially, Swivl is like having a camera crew in the classroom without the actual crew.

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FRONTROW AUDIO MIC Wearing a mask while teaching can be challenging for many reasons. One of them is voice projection, particularly for those in the back of the room or tuning in via Zoom. Also, listening is a skill many K-8 students are working on, and when there are additional auditory distractions coming from the open windows and peers shuffling around, it can be easy to lose focus when unable to hear well. FrontRow is a classroom soundfield system that amplifies the teacher’s voice during class. With FrontRow, students are able to hear well and teachers are able to project without raising their voices.

DOCUMENT CAMERAS & DISPLAYS In the classroom, teachers must maintain social distancing and students are not able to share the same materials. Boxlight displays and SMART boards allow teachers to, for example, demonstrate how to form a cursive letter or methodically solve a math problem while their work is being projected on a big screen for the whole class—including those learning at home—to see.

WEBCAM Because we aren’t able to gather in person for our twice-weekly all school assemblies, each classroom has a webcam at the front of the room in order to be visually present during Zoom assemblies. Often, Head of School Joe Harvey checks in with each class, spotlighting the classroom so those tuning in can see students sitting at their desks. The webcams are also used to welcome virtual guests during lectures or projects. For example: Thando Bezana from our partner organization in South Africa, KYP, Zoomed into music class to teach 6th graders the gumboot dance; alum Sarah Geisse ‘05 Zoomed into 4th grade as part of their unit on rocks and minerals; and teen activist Sarah Goody Zoomed into 8th grade science during their unit on climate justice.

HEADPHONES WITH MICS In some cases, particularly for some world language classes and electives, students attend classes from their cohort classroom. With students virtually attending different classes and entering Zoom breakout rooms, in the same physical space, headphones with built-in microphones offer privacy and focus.

IPADS & LAPTOPS Prior to our transition to Distance Learning, Mark Day already deployed digital devices in a 1:1 ratio for students in grades 3-8, with devices in grades 3-5 being used only at school and devices in grades 6-8 going home with students daily. When we transitioned to Distance Learning, it was important for students to have necessary materials. Beginning in the fall of the 2020-21 school year, we issued school devices to every student in K-8 for Hybrid Learning. Students in Kindergarten through 4th grade have iPads and students in 5th through 8th grade have laptops.

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ANTIBIAS adjective : opposing or prohibiting unfair discrimination against people based on race, religion, etc. : preventing or counteracting bias [Merriam-Webster]

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At Mark Day School, part of our mission calls us to “develop well-rounded critical thinkers” in a program that fosters “responsible world citizenship.” This means teaching students to question the messages and materials they encounter, examine who they are themselves, and seek perspectives that are often not included in the larger conversation. It means helping them notice, unpack, and normalize differences across race, gender, religion, and more. Being a global citizen—particularly in a world battling a pandemic, racism, and climate change, to name a few—is a great responsibility that demands the right knowledge and mindset to make a positive contribution.

Bias is a natural part of being human.

According to Psychology Today, “a bias is a natural inclination for or against an idea, object, group, or individual. It is often learned and is highly dependent on variables like a person’s socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, educational background, etc.

At the individual level, bias can negatively impact someone’s personal and professional relationships; at a societal level, it can lead to unfair persecution of a group, such as the Holocaust and slavery.” Research shows that young children begin to notice differences between people and absorb stereotypes at a very early age. According to research published by the American Psychological Association in the fall of 2020, “some infants are aware of race and preschoolers may have already developed racist beliefs.”

In the last year, social justice has been at the forefront of the media, calling us

to examine racism in particular—how individuals, organizations, and systems may contribute consciously or unconsciously to perpetuating racism in both big and small ways. We educate our students to not only be aware of their own actions and those of others, but to actively advance the good work of many to make the world a more equitable and inclusive place.

As Ibram X. Kendi said in his book How to Be an Antiracist, “There is no neutrality in the racism struggle...One either believes problems are rooted in groups of people, as a racist, or locates the roots of problems in power and policies, as an anti-racist. One either allows racial inequities to persevere, as a racist, or confronts racial inequities, as an anti-racist. There is no in-between safe space of ‘not racist.’” While having biases may be a natural part of being human, we must learn to become aware of these biases and how they influence our thoughts and behaviors.

It has always been an essential part of our program—and our responsibility as educators—to examine and refine our curriculum with an anti-bias lens.

For nearly a decade, we have been implementing work on race and gender for faculty, staff, and students. We’ve partnered with VISIONS, Inc., Allison Park, Gender Spectrum, and Rosetta Lee, to bring experts to campus to lead faculty and staff through multi-day workshops. We also established a DEI faculty/staff committee and examined together the Danger of a Single Story

by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. It is an ongoing process that is also influenced by what’s going on in our community—and the world at large.

Understanding our own biases and integrating anti-racist action has been a layer we continue to add to the lessons, projects, and units taught across K-8.

It involves bringing in perspectives from different voices—particularly those from traditionally marginalized groups—unpacking the differences that even adults can have a hard time talking about, and ensuring that the materials we are using in class provide windows and mirrors for our students. This work is also multi-disciplinary. Students are simultaneously enhancing their empathy skills, cross-cultural awareness, and media and information literacy skills. They learn how to respectfully disagree with others and build relationships with people from different backgrounds, religions, and races.

Following are just some of the ways students are approaching their education with an anti-bias lens.

1st graders learn about immigration from immigrants themselves In a multi-week unit called Coming to America, 1st graders learn about immigration. “We want the students to understand what immigration means and why people immigrate, and that immigration is not just something that happened in the past, but that people are also immigrating today,” says Lisa Becker, 1st grade teacher. The class makes a list of the different reasons why people leave their country of origin, read several books, and watch videos. To bring immigration even closer to home, guest speakers are invited into the classroom (this year, they visited virtually through Zoom) to tell their immigration story. Often, these guests are students’ family members and faculty and staff at Mark Day and come from different continents around the world. “The guests talk about their heritage and what that means,” says Geneva Conway, 1st grade teacher. “We ask students to conduct research with their own families about their heritage, including food, traditions, and country flags.”

Through sharing what they’ve discovered, students can see the similarities and differences between their peers. An important part of students’ learning is their growing understanding that history is composed of many people’s perspectives. “The work students do on immigration relates to other units throughout the year,” says Lisa. “It provides a foundation to ask questions about themselves and others, accept and honor differences, and begin to recognize the value of multiple perspectives.”

4th graders examine gender stereotypes The topic of gender is first discussed in Kindergarten, when students are asked to explore and question colors, clothes, and activities traditionally associated with boys and girls. By the time they get to 4th grade, students already have a foundation of understanding and vocabulary to dive deeper into the topic of gender with the goal of becoming more knowledgeable and accepting of all individuals. “Any time you create an environment of inclusion, it creates a more rich, meaningful, kind, and empathetic community,” says Theresa Hall, School Counselor. Specifically, 4th graders learn more about what a binary society is, how different individuals are impacted by gender stereotypes, and the difference between gender expression, identity, and biology. To demonstrate that gender is a societal construction and that its definition is in constant flux, Theresa and the 4th grade teachers talk about history—for example, that not that long ago, it was socially discouraged for women to wear pants and that many years ago, pink was actually considered a strong color associated with boys.

“These definitions and stereotypes evolve and change over time,” says Theresa. “It also relates to students that they themselves can be a voice for change.” The culminating activity is when students have the opportunity to place themselves on the gender spectrum.

“Through this activity, they’re really able to recognize the diversity of their class and embrace their classmates’ uniqueness. It’s the next step in their developmental growth.”

5th graders explore identity Over the summer, 5th grade teachers Lacy Zehner and Mike Sinclaire decided to make identity a throughline for the 2020-21 curriculum. “It’s informed and inspired almost everything we’ve done and will continue to do this year,” says Mike. “There are always things happening in the world that make the idea of identity pertinent to so many students.” Identity is a broad term, and that’s what makes the curriculum so comprehensive. Through studying history and literature in particular, students examined different kinds of identities—including race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Students began by exploring their own identity, asking themselves “Who am I?” in addition to interviewing family members and writing poetry.

Then they studied the identity of others, particularly

“

The work [1st grade] students do on immigration relates to other units throughout the year. It provides a foundation to ask questions about themselves and others, accept and honor differences, and begin to recognize the value of multiple perspectives.”

Above: 1st graders learn about immigration. Below: 6th graders visit the Terra Linda Community Garden to reflect on the novella Seedfolks by Judy Pederson.

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through their exploration of Jamestown, slavery, and Black Women’s History and studying literature with characters identified as dylexic, autistic, and transgender. Racial identity and the historical patterns of interplay between different races has been a big topic of discussion. Particularly when teaching American history, Mike and Lacy asked students essential questions centered around immigration and white supremacy. A defining dimension of the racism and identity unit was the study of systemic/institutional racism. Students examined the cycles of systemic racism in the United States, which included the study of redlining. The unit’s culminating project was an in-depth analysis of black women and how systemic racism impacted their dreams. In the spring, 5th grade classes focused on taking action by making art, discussing the ways in which people can effect change, and welcoming guest speakers like American Activist Ruby Bridges and Otis Bruce, the first Black prosecutor in Marin. “Fifth graders are at a great age developmentally to examine identity,” says Mike. “It’s complicated work, and it has to carry from year to

year. Largely, the foundation of SEL they’ve received in previous grades has prepared them to continue to do this hard work.” Mike and Lacy also recognize that this material can’t be taught in a silo. They’ve collaborated with several other faculty members, including Interim Director of the Learning Commons Anna Gonzalez and Director of Partnerships, Equity, and Inclusion Fernanda Pernambuco, to create lessons that have come from different adult perspectives.

6th graders study marginalized voices through literature Literature offers a unique chance to understand ourselves and the world around us. In 6th grade English, students read and discuss books featuring voices from traditionally marginalized people. Among them are Dragonwings by Laurence Yep, Roll of Thunder, Hear Me Cry by Mildred D. Taylor, and Seedfolks

by Paul Fleischman. “These stories give students a window into the lived experience of feeling like the other,” says Dana Kirk, 6th grade teacher. Prior

to reading Seedfolks, students are given a survey to reflect and note the assumptions they make based on age, gender, and race. As they read the book, part of the discussion revolves around the ways in which the author—a white man—is successful or unsuccessful in writing from characters with different racial and socioeconomic identities. It also inspires an activity during which students write from the perspective of a marginalized character, which requires research and assuming another’s voice—which can be challenging. “Students are asked to step into the shoes of the character who is experiencing things that they themselves have no direct experience of,” says Leila Sinclaire, 6th grade teacher. They explore guiding questions such as “How does one place like an urban garden feel differently for different people?” “How does geography impact world view?” and “How does life experience inform snap judgments we make?” In many cases, questions such as these emerge without Dana or Leila’s intervention. “The author really pushes the reader to think about things in a different way,” says Dana. “It challenges their world view, especially when that point of view is one that comes from privilege.” The throughline between these three main texts is perspective—preparing students to really see what’s happening around them. “Students are ready to have these conversations,” says Leila. “It’s an appropriate time in their development to think about their own interaction with the world and to develop compassion for people who come from different places. The characters in the book may be fictional, but they feel like real people.” Dana and Leila also hope to inspire students to read other books written from a diverse array of authors and the historical markers that led to the situations discussed in the book such as the rise of the KKK. “Words have power, and we’re teaching students how language has an impact on the people around them and their own thoughts and actions,” says Dana.

7th graders study the effect of bias on the evolution of the Holocaust Through the novel The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne, 7th grade students explore the ways in which bias can escalate to dehumanization and tragedies like the Holocaust. “Even simple acts like name calling and body shaming can snowball,” says Matt Behrman, English teacher. “We also talk about propaganda and how the media can perpetuate stereotypes.”

Studying these heavy topics through the characters in the book provides enough distance to really examine them while feeling safe. “Literature offers a great platform to talk about any topic before it becomes a life experience,” says Matt.

8th graders question the history of Christopher Columbus When studying history, students at Mark Day are learning to move beyond the Euro-centric narrative often found in textbooks to examine the experience from the perspective of different stakeholders. In U.S. history, Christopher Columbus is often remembered to have “sailed the ocean blue in 1492.” But that is not the full story. “Students are often taught that Christopher Columbus sailed for glory and founded this new continent and we are all better because of it,” says history teacher Melissa Villarreal. “But actually, there are a group of people who are worse off for it. We call it a genocide for a reason.” To bring these varied experiences to life, 8th grade students participate in a mock trial to decide the guilt of five defendants for the genocide of the Taino people: Christopher Columbus, Columbus’s men, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, the Taino people, and the system of empire. Students are divided into groups by defendant, select a prosecutor to represent the group, and work with a lead attorney who gets to set up their defense by questioning their own group members.

“This exercise helps dive into the different layers of historical narrative,” says Melissa. “It demonstrates how many people can experience one event very differently.” Following this unit, students consider the role that Columbus Day should play in today’s America through a student-led socratic seminar. They are provided three sources that offer different perspectives and prepare their notes for the class-wide discussion centering around whether we should revise our historical understanding of events and apply that new knowledge to the present. “For the students, the experience is very engaging,” Melissa adds. “They are pushing back against this simplistic understanding of history. They are recognizing that they are capable of dealing with complex ideas that include gruesome historical truths. They’re also not just given materials to memorize. They are researching, engaging in discussion, and considering how their own perspective has changed based on what they’ve learned--from their research and from their own peers.”

DIGITAL

MUSIC HOW TECHNOLOGY OFFERS STUDENTS A DIFFERENT WAY TO MAKE MUSIC

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LIKE MANY ASPECTS OF A 21ST CENTURY EDUCATION, THE EXPERIENCE OF LEARNING MUSIC HAS EVOLVED. What do you remember about your middle school music classes? Perhaps it’s shivering on the risers during outdoor choir performances or anxiously awaiting your turn to play the hand bell. Or maybe it’s tapping a key on your laptop to produce a drum sound.

That last one doesn’t sound familiar?

Technology has long been a part of the Mark Day School curriculum across grades and subjects. Our Media and Information Literacy program is intertwined with core curriculum beginning in kindergarten to equip students with the knowledge and tools to develop media fluency. This includes being able to think critically about messages they encounter, use their own voice and creativity to express themselves, and be responsible online citizens. During the transition to Distance Learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, these skills were not only enhanced, but tested for both students and teachers alike.

For music teachers Brian Wilkerson and Rachel Allen, they had to find a way to keep the spirit of music alive in our

community and virtual classrooms, and technology was at the forefront of that endeavor. “With COVID came a necessity to find a way to reach students with music from afar,” says Brian. “However we did it, we wanted it to align with our beliefs about music education and creation, which lies in creating music togther.”

While students still learn the fundamentals of making music, technology offers new ways to create, explore, and understand it. Brian’s inspiration for teaching, particularly in an unfamiliar moment such as a global pandemic, often comes from his experience being a musician himself.

As a performing artist, he’s able to make connections in the larger community and understand firsthand the successes and challenges that musicians face. During the pandemic, he experienced the loss of a tight-knit music community and missed the excitement of performing live. He saw other musicians turning to digital performances and collaborations, a musical realm he was first introduced to in college during a course on GarageBand. “At the time, digital music production taught me how to collaborate with others, unbounded by geography,” he says. In a time of social

“

For music teachers Brian Wilkerson and Rachel Allen, they had to find a way to keep the spirit of music alive in our community and virtual classrooms, and technology was at the forefront of that endeavor.”

distance, the ability to make music together unbounded by geography was exactly what Brian needed.

For a long time, he had been hesitant to introduce GarageBand as a mainstream part of music education, primarily because students already spend so much time on a screen. But in Distance Learning, that was unavoidable and the digital music production program gave students an opportunity to make music together from the safety of their own homes. Plus, he says, GarageBand interfaces really well with Zoom.

For those who are unfamiliar with GarageBand, Brian explains, “It’s like a word processor but for sound.

Everyone knows how to type and put together a story or narrative. GarageBand enables the same process in word processor format.” The program combines traditional music techniques with modern approaches to creating music. Most students are already so used

to navigating different technologies that once they are given a basic tutorial, they are able to get straight to being creative. It also serves as a familiar access point to a new skill set that may be intimidating for some. “I’ve seen so many kids tap into different parts of their creativity they didn’t know existed,” says Brian. “These students already have music inside of them, and digital music production allows that music to come out. I’m constantly blown away by what our students turn in.” It’s also a great tool to find out which students have natural talents or inclinations toward a particular element of making music, which Brian can then use to help them develop further.

One unique advantage of exploring music digitally is a deeper understanding of how to identify form.

“It’s really hard to explain what the form of a song looks like,” says Brian. “In GarageBand, the process of putting together a song is both visual and auditory,

which speaks to different types of learners and offers another avenue through which to access music.”

In addition to GarageBand, Medly is another digital production tool Brian uses in his Upper School music classes. In 4th grade specifically, Brian uses Medly because it’s a stripped down version of GarageBand that introduces the concept of making music on a device.

socially distanced. Check out the Upper School online music community via the QR code below to listen to what students have recently created.

Digital music production continues to be a significant part of music education in Hybrid Learning. On campus, students still need to social distance and refrain from sharing materials and instruments. Tools like GarageBand and Medly made music creation and collaboration possible and safe.

Music has always played an important role in bringing our community together—especially when we are 44

Photo taken during the 2018-19 school year

FRIENDS ACROSS GENERATIONS Second graders build long-term relationships with senior citizens in Marin through community engagement

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For young students, their world can seem quite small. What lies beyond family, friends, and school can be difficult for Lower School students to grasp—which is why community engagement and local and global partnerships are an important part of the Mark Day School program.

It’s our mission to raise global citizens who are able to reach across differences, show empathy, seek multiple perspectives, and understand that we all have something to teach and something to learn.

The 2nd grade community engagement program is an opportunity for students to begin expanding their circle by building special relationships with senior citizens. It was initially started by former 2nd grade teacher Cathy Sedlock in 2004. At the time, she was a volunteer with Marin LITA, a nonprofit dedicated to “reducing loneliness in aging through one to one friendships and intergenerational programs.” She was approached about bringing her 2nd grade class for a visit to one of the senior living facilities. “Mark Day was really supportive of the idea,” says Cathy. “We had the time and the resources to jumpstart this program with minimal help from LITA, so they could devote their time and resources to helping other schools do the same.” Elisa Lozier, former 2nd grade teacher and Cathy’s teaching partner at the time, was also on board. The program still continues today, with current 2nd grade teachers Yolanda Ferguson and Ashleigh Brody leading the charge.

At the start of the year, students are paired with a senior citizen whom they meet once a month at Aldersly or AlmaVia of San Rafael to participate in different projects together like art, writing, and music. “We try to maintain those same partnerships

each visit in an effort to have consistency and to help foster a relationship, which is the ultimate goal of the program,” says Yolanda. These relationships are reciprocal, as are the relationships built in other local and global partnerships. “It’s important for students to understand that in order to be a citizen of a community, we have to take care of each other and participate in building relationships,” says Fernanda Pernambuco, Director of Partnerships, Equity, and Inclusion.

“When students visit Aldersly and AlmaVia, they are offering human connection to those who need it, and are also learning themselves from that connection.

It’s a two-way partnership.” The experience also gives students an awareness of what is offered in our community—including agencies that exist and populations that they serve.

Knowing that, especially for such young kids, the idea of going to an unfamiliar place and meeting someone new can spark some discomfort and nervousness, the 2nd grade teachers prepare the students prior to their first visit. “Just like with anything that we teach, it’s important to provide a foundation for them, especially in an emotional experience,” says Yolanda. They read books together such as Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, a story of a young boy who enjoys visiting the senior citizens who live next door.

The Activities Director from one of the senior living facilities also visits campus (in non-COVID times), sometimes accompanied by a resident, to talk about

Photos taken during the 2019-20 school year (left) and the 2018-19 school year (below) show 2nd graders with their buddies at AlmaVia of San Rafael

Photo taken during the 2016-17 school year

how excited they are to meet the students and answer any questions. Yolanda and Ashleigh will also check in with students, asking them questions like, “How do you feel about today’s visit?” “What’s one thing you can talk about with your friend?” and “What are you looking forward to?” Through the program, students are learning to tap into their SEL, or social and emotional literacy, skills like empathy, listening, and courage.

The excitement of building relationships—on both sides—is a highlight of the program. Ashleigh remembers two students who were paired with a senior citizen who loved the San Francisco Giants. “On one of our visits, the students brought their new friend a Giants hat,” she remembers fondly. “They understand that the friendship is not one-sided—it’s about getting to know one another.” Yolanda adds, “The students are so engaged and really listen to their friend’s stories when they share their life history. We also had one resident who used to meet us outside because she was so excited.”

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Through the year-long program, students learn to honor differences and find similarities with others who initially might seem quite different. “The experience helps normalize age,” says Ashleigh. “Many students have grandparents, but don’t know others the same age outside of their family members.” What also comes with the age difference is health, and navigating moments when a student’s friend is experiencing a health issue is an important part of the experience. “One student had a partner who was blind, and the student really had to adapt to that,” says Ashleigh.

Other senior citizens have had strokes, physical disabilities, and some have passed away mid-year.

During these moments, Ashleigh and Yolanda—as well as parents and guardians—help students move through their emotions and navigate through the experience.

Unfortunately, the program has been put on hold during the 2020-21 school year due to COVID. “The living facilities were shut down to outside visitors for safety reasons,” explains Yolanda. “Emotionally, they

were dealing with so much, and the technology piece that could have potentially connected us was too overwhelming of a task to make happen.” Students were able to make holiday cards for Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day, which residents enjoyed receiving.

Yolanda and Ashleigh are hoping to resume the program with in-person visits during the 2021-22 school year.

These relationships are reciprocal, as are the relationships built in other local and global partnerships. “It’s important for students to understand that in order to be a citizen of the community, we have to take care of each other and participate in building relationships,” says Fernanda Pernambuco, Director of Partnerships, Equity, and Inclusion.

BEHIND THE

MASK SUPPORTING EACH OTHER DURING A TIME OF CHANGE AND UNCERTAINTY

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ince 2011, our robust social and emotional learning, or SEL, program has equipped K-8 students with the skills needed to navigate the bumps in life. These bumps can be small, like receiving a lower grade than expected on a test, or large—like a global pandemic. Beginning in December 2019, people across the world were confronted with unfamiliar and terrifying challenges. Among them, losing loved ones, transitioning from working in an office to working at home, canceling weddings and family reunions, pausing travel plans, and facing long-term isolation.

While a global pandemic was a new sort of challenge for Mark Day students, the experience of moving through a challenge was not. Beginning in Kindergarten, students participate in SEL lessons guided by teachers in coordination with our school counselors, Theresa Hall and Danielle

Javadi. SEL is a consistent part of curriculum as both weekly intentional classes with specific lessons and also interwoven daily. So when a pandemic arises that brings with it a myriad of short-term and long-term changes, Mark Day students are not starting from ground zero. Rather, they’ve been preparing to handle such an event for years.

“We’ve been consistently providing students with the tools to navigate through tough times,” says Theresa Hall, School Counselor and SEL Coordinator. “We’ve been talking about patience and growth mindset, courage and flexibility, and other traits and tools to identify and express emotions in a productive way. When the pandemic occurred, we didn’t need to make drastic changes to our program—it was already built to support students and help them navigate through their experience, even during a pandemic. We simply continued to do the work we’ve been doing for

We’ve been consistently providing students with the tools to navigate through tough times...

When the pandemic occurred, we didn’t need to make drastic changes to our program—it was already built to support students and help them navigate through their experience, even during a pandemic. We simply continued to do the work we’ve been doing for years to support students and help them grow.

years to support students and help them grow.”

Through the pandemic, students across grades have been able to put their skills into practice in a new way, building their resiliency and confidence for whatever the future may hold.

For many, they saw how they adapted last spring so when the fall arrived, they already had the capacity to continue forward. Theresa and Danielle also led lessons with students that encouraged them to recognize their own competencies. They asked students: What are you proud of yourself during Distance Learning? What have you handled well during this time of change? What did you discover about yourself as you learned from home? Every student had an answer, reflecting the growth mindsets they’ve been building.

parents and guardians. The quotes printed on the following pages demonstrate these myriad voices and their gratitude for those in the community who have been kind, caring, and compassionate during this uncertain time.

It is important for students to know themselves and recognize when they’ve succeeded and when they should seek help. It’s also important for them to recognize when others around them need support. Empathy is a recurrent theme in SEL lessons. During the pandemic, students have consistently reached out to classmates when they are struggling and put themselves in others’ shoes—even, for example, healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic. Displays of empathy and support have come from all factions of our community—students, faculty and staff, and

Theresa and Danielle hope students will continue on their path to use and expand their skills. “There will always be something,” says Theresa. “It may not be a pandemic—it could be a break-up or a loss of a family member or a difficult class. Having these skills now will help them every time there’s a bump in the road.”

Though the format of regular school shifted drastically and abruptly last spring and continued to shift in the fall with the transition back to in-person learning, the SEL program never wavered. “We continued to teach SEL every single week,” says Theresa. “We had to modify some lessons, but from the moment the pandemic occurred, students were still learning and practicing SEL whether in Distance Learning or Hybrid Learning. Because that’s one of our values here at Mark Day.”

Following are a few lessons and activities that emphasize the skills students are learning and practicing in SEL this year, along with anecdotes from members of our community.

KINDNESS ROCKS The Kindness Rocks movement originated on the East Coast and has since spread worldwide. The focus of this project is to spread kindness through positive affirmations and quotes painted or written on rocks and placed throughout the community for others to find.

Danielle Javadi, School Counselor, began this project with students in grades K-3 when they were still in Distance Learning. The first step was focusing on reflecting inward and recognizing students’ own individual strengths

and working towards turning those into positive affirmations to help them feel motivated in challenging times. Danielle engaged the students in discussion about the challenge of supporting others if they are not caring for themselves in the same thoughtful manner.

After these discussions, 3rd graders spread the Kindness Rocks project throughout campus to uplift others. Some of the sayings include “Never give up” and “It is okay to make mistakes.”

CARING CIRCLES In the beginning of the year, Danielle focused Lower School SEL classes on community building, a common fall SEL theme, as well as building self confidence and recognizing one another’s strengths.

Danielle led students through a lesson around the question, “What did you learn about yourself during this time [the pandemic] and what are you most proud of?” Some responses included “I learned I can do really hard things” and “I learned that I like spending time with my family.” Once the class established a strong foundation in caring for themselves, they then shifted toward lessons on empathy, looking outwards, and “stepping into someone else’s shoes.” Second graders created a caring circle where they could support one another by either asking for support from peers or offering kindness or support to those in need.

This was practiced in different variations in Kindergarten through 3rd grade.

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WELCOMING NEW STUDENTS DURING DISTANCE LEARNING In the beginning of the 2020-21 school year, there were a lot of new students in the Upper School who had never met their peers or teachers in person.

Being a new student can be tough in normal times, but making connections without ever having met in person presented a new kind of challenge. Theresa reached out to current Mark Day students in 6th and 7th grades to see if they would be willing to connect with the new students. Every single student she contacted expressed enthusiasm for participating. “It really allowed us to create a network of connections via Distance Learning in the beginning of the year,” says Theresa. “Longer-term Mark Day students were taking on the role of making sure these new students felt included, seen, and valued.”

“Mrs. Young makes me feel supported at school because she includes me with the class even though I’m at home.” Sora F, 4th Grader “I feel supported on a VERY frequent basis by our tech department, particularly by Ray Karter, who seems to drop everything to come and help me whenever I have tech issues during a class I’m conducting.”

Norm Lyons, Math Specialist “I want to thank you for being an amazing assistant to the Head.

Every day you check in students making sure the students and faculty stay healthy. I appreciate that you worked over the weekend to make sure our school supplies went home in the beginning of the new year. I hope you have a great 2021.”An An email from Justin T, 6th grade, to Leslie Garber, Assistant to the Head of School

“The moment that Courtney Coghlan’s face first came on screen during Distance Learning last spring, [my daughter] and I both lit up. She brought immediate warmth, comfort, safety, familiarity, and cheer into our home. What comes as second nature to Courtney is truly going above and beyond. She’s sent us materials multiple times, in different formats to help us overcome downloading, formatting, and printing challenges. With great speed and at all hours, she returns extensive and thorough feedback on my student’s work.

During one-on-one check-ins, she relieves my student of stress, strengthens her academic understanding, and even points out geometry in a painting behind her head on Zoom! Every now and then, I hear my daughter use little Courtney-isms. It makes my day to hear this thoughtful, curious, and joyous disposition.”

4th & 7th Grade Parent & Alumni Parent

“Mark Day teachers and staff seem to be working double-time disinfecting everything, directing pickup and drop-off, monitoring social distancing, symptom checking, keeping masks on children, and so on. Even with the extra work, Beth [Bonzell, Math Teacher] still tries to meet with my daughter on Wednesdays after school. Every little thing is such a big deal now.” 7th Grade Parent

“When I was in Distance Learning, my teachers and friends supported me through all the ups and downs.

They made that time so much easier, and it would not have been the same without them.”

Elsie S, 6th grader

“As a mom with a demanding work schedule, it makes all the difference in my well-being and the happiness of my household to have our kids at school during the day.

During fall conferences, my son’s teacher commented that she could not believe the difference between the Distance Learning student she met online and the in-person student that is in her classroom. Since returning to in-person learning, he’s become again a motivated, kind contributor to the community who shows a zest for learning.” 2nd & 5th Grade Parent

“You are such an amazing person. You are so fun to have as a teacher for the school plays. I was so sad we couldn’t finish the musical last year, but it was so fun and exciting to do it with you! You have such a great personality, you are so friendly and funny. Whenever I was at ASC you would welcome me and make me so happy. I know you are working really hard right now with your new role trying to make sure every class has a teacher in it. You are so amazing!!!” An Email From Mila D. 6th grader, to Kim Danforth, Director of Extended Day and Summer Enrichment Program

READING EMOTIONS BEHIND MASKS In 4th, 5th, and 6th grade, students engaged in an activity around reading facial expressions. Though this lesson is practiced every year in 6th grade, the pandemic added a new feature—reading expressions through a face mask. Students took photos of themselves making various facial expressions representative of a feeling—sad, angry, happy, excited—with and without masks. Then, they made a poster assigning emotions to each photo so other students, especially in the younger grades, could learn, too.

“I felt supported when Theresa Hall reached out to my daughter and helped her feel safe to come to school and provided her support emotionally and arranged her a place to rest and a stand-up desk. I am also thankful to Dave Hickman [Head of 5-8] reaching out right away and to all the teachers involved with her well-being.”

Anonymous

“As a new faculty member and family this year, what stands out for me is the buddy families with whom the school paired us. They have been amazing. They’ve brought us meals, helped us find our way around Marin, and we’ve gone on bike rides together.

It hasn’t been easy to meet people during this time, and as social people new to this community and area, this has meant a lot to us.” Mike Sinclaire, 5th Grade Teacher

“One day in the fall, I was out on yard duty. Kim Danforth walked up and said, ‘You should go take a break and I will cover the rest of your yard duty.’ It couldn’t have come at a better time; the beginning of in-person learning was so stressful and I was getting used to having many more duties. It sounds simple but it meant the world.” Ashleigh Brody, 2nd Grade Teacher “Rachel Street, PA President, called me in the first few weeks of school to welcome me to the community!

She was so welcoming and willing to answer questions and offer herself as a support. Rachel really made me feel comfortable and excited to get involved in the community.”

6th Grade Parent

“Notes of gratitude from students have been a huge boost for me. One was from a student I don’t even teach; she’s in the main cohort that I supervise. These came at an especially important time personally as we had a very sick cat at home. I have kept the tabs with several of these notes open on my computer.

They bring a smile to my face every time.”

Tracy Caton, Spanish Teacher “A moment I will always treasure is when Danielle Javadi [School Counselor] and Yolanda Ferguson [2nd grade teacher] introduced a positivity journal to our 8-year-old daughter.

During this pandemic, our youngest became more and more focused on the negative. In order for her to identify positive moments, they led by example and shared the little positive moments she created daily. These thoughtful acknowledgments helped my daughter remember that where focus goes, energy flows! She is reminded that she is responsible for creating the good moments, too, and there are plenty of them.” 2nd, 6th, & 8th Grade Parent

“As a parent, I have appreciated the deep conversations that I have engaged in with teachers, counselors, and the division head, as well as friendships that have developed with other staff. We are ever so grateful for the love with which we are greeted each and every day from this community. Mark Day is family.” 5th Grade Parent 60

THE ELEMENTS OF TEACHING SCIENCE Two new science teachers in the Upper Division bring energy and excitement to learning about the natural world For the Upper Division science program, the 2020-21 school year brought more changes than just those sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the program welcomed two new teachers and introduced a shift in its curricular arc.

Who are Christine Metzger and Suzanne Alpert? How have they adjusted a largely hands-on curriculum to meet the needs of health and safety protocols? And what kinds of awesome projects have students been participating in? Read on to dive into the new world of Upper Division science at Mark Day.

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Christine Metzger

7th Grade Science Teacher Though Christine has had a passion for science since she was a kid, she initially intended to major in English and become a poet. But after one semester of a challenging geology course, she switched gears. Inspired by her 6th grade teacher, she combined her desire to teach with her blossoming interest in science. She’s taught students of all ages—middle school, high school, and college—a variety of subjects including geolo-

gy, paleontology, and earth science.

Early in her career, she worked with middle school and high school students through the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, where she developed a course in Paleobiology. She has also taught at the University of Oregon, Whittier College, the California College of the Arts, the Nazarbayev International School in Kazakhstan, and the Helios School.

“

“I have a deep, abiding love of the natural world. I’m driven by curiosity about how the world works—a curiosity I want to impart to my students. What’s beautiful about teaching younger students is that they aren’t yet fettered by the social constraints that prevent adults from asking silly questions.

I love those questions because they can lead us to some interesting places. To me, what’s important is more than the content—it’s teaching students how to investigate and answer their own questions. I want them to feel empowered to actively seek information to learn what they don’t know.

I’m thrilled that I can develop curriculum that is exciting, capture students’ imagination and curiosity, and keep the flame of excitement for science burning.” - Christine Metzger

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“

There has never been a time in my teacher career when science has been so pressing and relevant to students than it is now. We talk about climate justice and what comes up for students is their experience with the wildfires in the fall. We study the COVID-19 pandemic, which has greatly impacted their lives. Science is constantly changing, and students get to see that firsthand. I really do believe that this is the generation that will save us, particularly when it comes to climate change.

I want to support them and their passion, and give them the tools and knowledge to make a difference.” - Suzanne Alpert

Suzanne Alpert

8th Grade Science Teacher Suzanne’s journey to teaching at Mark Day School began unexpectedly. A biological and environmental studies major in college, she became a teaching intern in Europe.

It was a temporary position that allowed her to live out a dream to live abroad. But soon, she was hooked.

When she returned to the United States, she continued teaching chemistry, finding particular joy in

teaching science to girls. Since, she has taught at Santa Catalina School, Marin Academy, and Lick Wilmerding, in addition to holding administrative positions at several schools and earning her MA from Stanford University. Suzanne’s experience allows her to bring an environmental and equity lens to her teaching and to help make sure girls feel confident learning science.

An new format for teaching 7th & 8th grade science Historically in Upper Division science, 7th and 8th grade science rotated the topic focus by year for all students. One year, all 7th and 8th graders would learn physics and chemistry, and the following year biology. This worked well in our former model, but this year, the school decided to develop a distinct curriculum for each grade level with throughlines based on long-term transfer goals. The decision came in large part thanks to strategic work on assessment, the development of the Next Generation Science Standards, and an evolving model in the expansion of the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in 2018.

“The shift allows us to address teaching science practices, integrate project-based and inquiry learning more fully, and include essential content strands such as ecology, climate, and engineering,” says Dave Hickman, Head of Grades 5-8.

“Ultimately, we want students to think and act as scientists, address challenging topics, and apply their skills in real-world contexts. Developing a distinct curriculum for each grade level allows us to tailor the skills, projects, and challenge level to each age. The experience, dedication, and creativity of our wonderful new science team, Christine Metzger in 7th and Suzanne Alpert in 8th, is providing exactly the right momentum in this moment.”

Remaining hands-on while adhering to “hands-off” protocols Two big components of Mark Day’s Upper Division science curriculum have always been “hands-on” and “collaborative.”

But with social distancing, restrictions on sharing materials, and mask wearing, how have Christine and Suzanne been able to maintain the same kind of learning that is so important to student engagement and knowledge retention?

“We’ve had to rethink how we do science,” says Christine. “In Hybrid Learning, we needed to accommodate both students in person and those in Distance Learning. In some cases, this meant scrapping whole activities. In others, it was purchasing additional supplies and getting creative.” For example, Christine

“ had initially planned for students to participate in an activity during the unit on ecosystems in which students blow into a straw to investigate cellular respiration. This activity was impossible to do safely in Hybrid Learning, so she had to devise a different activity. Disposable equipment was key in ensuring students had what they needed to participate in labs while staying socially distanced and avoiding sharing materials. “We found success in using disposable equipment,” says Suzanne. “But it wasn’t without its challenges, particularly when it came to being environmentally friendly. After the lab, materials were thrown away, which was an unavoidable part of the process, but we tried where we could to reduce waste.” Labs were also done outside and in groups of four, with each group including both in-person and distance students.

‘We’ve had to rethink how we do science,’ says Christine Metzger, 7th grade science teacher.

‘In Hybrid Learning, we needed to accommodate both students in person and those in Distance Learning.

In some cases, this meant scrapping whole activities. In others, it was purchasing additional supplies and getting creative.’”

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A new kind of science fair in 2021 Traditionally, the 7th grade science fair takes place in the fall, with students working on their individual projects and presentation boards for several weeks.

However, due to the pandemic, Distance Learning, and a new teacher, the science fair took on a new format this year. Christine Metzger wanted the process to more accurately mirror what scientists actually do. That meant no cardboard tri-fold board or cutting and taping pieces of paper. Rather, the focus was on the process of developing a proposal, conducting research, creating a digital presentation, and sharing results orally to peers. Beginning in January, 7th grade students first worked on a proposal with guidance from Christine and Eva Geisse, science specialist. Once their proposals were approved, they could move to the research phase. Naturally, health and safety protocols set limitations on what topics students could safely and logically explore. For example, human-based research that required physical contact with those outside of a student’s household were not allowed. Still, with safety and practicability top of mind, Christine also wanted to allow students the freedom to explore their interests. Project topics included studying the effect of acidity in cheese making, droplet spread with different types of masks, and the best method to cut onions to reduce tear production. Along the way, Christine had one-on-one checkins with students. It was important for her to push students beyond the stereotypical science fair project, like comparing brands of paper towels. For example, one student wanted to compare battery brands, but after talking through it, the student chose to make his own batteries using different fruit. “I wanted to challenge them, and encourage them to stretch beyond their comfort zones.” In April, 6th and 7th graders showcased their science fair projects in a virtual Mark Day Symposium. Students who completed their projects also had the opportunity to submit them to the Golden Gate Science Fair.

Studying the science behind the COVID-19 pandemic When is a better time to study the science behind a pandemic than during an actual pandemic? For Suzanne, Christine, and Eva, implementing a unit on COVID-19 for both 7th and 8th graders felt like a welcome obligation. “This crisis has disrupted all of our lives,” says Christine. “We felt like it was our duty as science teachers to have this moment with the students where they could investigate the most important scene that’s happening right now.” Eva adds, “There’s a lot of fear surrounding the pandemic.

Giving kids that sense of agency to really understand something makes it a little less scary.”

The unit began with an in-depth look at how we can use past pandemics to understand this one. Then, students learned how to identify when a pandemic is over, which included lessons on herd immunity, vaccines, and contact tracing. Two guest speakers—parents Dr. Che Prasad and Dr. Sharina Belani—spoke to students via Zoom about their firsthand experience with COVID testing and vaccine research. The unit culminated with a mask lab, during which students tested how many droplets spread without a mask, and through a single layer fabric mask, two layered masks, and a surgical mask. Students sprayed a liquid made out of probiotics (a harmless bacteria) onto these different materials with an agar plate behind it that collected the droplets that made it through. After the agar plates incubated over the weekend, students examined them to count the bacterial colonies and the

results were clear—any mask is better than no mask at all and a single layer fabric mask was the least effective option. “Students were able to translate these results into the real world,” says Suzanne. “Students are required to wear masks at school and out in public, and they could very clearly see which ones were more effective in protecting themselves against COVID.” One of the big goals of the unit was to spark a sense of agency in students and make connections between the science behind the virus and the health and safety protocols at Mark Day. One moment Suzanne recalls is when Head of Grades 5-8 Dave Hickman visited the classroom to tell students they were transitioning to Distance Learning because someone in the cohort had tested positive—in the middle of a class discussion about contact tracing. “It’s an opportunity to model what’s happening right now—the cutting edge science behind the virus and the protocols that are keeping us safe,” says Suzanne. Another moment is a discussion about vaccines—while Suzanne, Christine, and Eva were just receiving their first vaccine. “Students have so many questions and, especially in this case, we are learning with them,” says Christine.

Throughout the unit, it was also important to approach COVID with a human sensitivity. “For many, it has been a traumatic time,” explains Christine. “There have been losses and for some, it’s very personal. We checked in with students and made sure they felt safe and heard.” Examining the pandemic with an historical lens also helped put it into perspective. Eventually, the COVID-19 pandemic will be a part of our history, too, and for some, this was a comforting notion.

Climate Justice While students were studying carbon dioxide and the chemicals that cause global warming to speed up, Suzanne wanted to examine the issue from a social justice angle. Students were given the opportunity to select a topic they were interested in and then choose one of three ways to become an activist for that topic—write a letter to someone in the government, create a social media campaign, or make a video. Smaller assignments lead students through the research process. Being able to select the topic themselves gave students greater ownership and drove genuine interest in learning more about it. Students were instructed to examine their issue from the perspective of all living things. For example, if a student was studying PG&E, the student examined the impact of shutoffs on different socioeconomic households.

Topics ranged from wildfires to extreme weather to sustainable farming. Sarah Goody, a climate activist and a 10th grader at Redwood High School, spoke to the class via Zoom about her work. It was inspiring for students to see someone not much older have such impact locally and nationally. Students then presented their research and advocacy plans to the class. The presentations were then collected onto a website, which was then used to teach climate justice to 7th graders.

A sample from 8th grader Cecile D.’s project

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Stem Lab During a chemistry unit, students learned about exothermic reactions (reactions that give off heat) through a hands-on simulation. Students were tasked with designing and building a portable incubator that would keep an egg at a certain temperature for 10 minutes. The story behind the task was that they were rescuing reptiles from a construction site, and had to transport them to a reptile conservation center.

They started with basic supplies including cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, and chemicals used to make the reactions—calcium chloride, baking soda, and water.

Students tinkered with both the design of their incubator and the proportion of chemicals to achieve the right temperature. Another component to the project was expressing themselves creatively through incubator design. Some students painted their incubators, while others implemented a Harry Potter theme. At the end of the activity, students tested their creations by transporting an actual egg from one location on campus to another. Some experienced success and others discovered their egg had broken along the way.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Have you ever wondered where your former classmates are in the world?

Or what your Kindergarten buddy does for a living? We caught up with six alumni to talk about what they’ve been up to since they graduated Mark Day School years—and decades—ago.

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16

Alumni who have become parents of Mark Day students

10

Alumni who have returned to work at Mark Day School

1,547 17 242

Total graduates from Mark Day School Since 1980

Categories of professions

26 13

Music albums created

Books written

Different colleges and universities attended by alumni around the world

$1.2

Over $1.2 million raised by alumni donors

Currently residing in Richmond, Balandra is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the Executive Director of Parent Services Project, a non-profit in Marin. “We engage families to take leadership for the well-being of their children, families, and communities,” she says. “We believe that families are leaders in their children’s programs, schools, and communities, where they are part of building equitable partnerships based on mutual respect. Families’ engagement and leadership creates social change and equity for all, and as a result, all children develop to their fullest potential surrounded by a caring community.”

She became involved in this work after finding inspiration during a leadership workshop called Leadership for Equity and Opportunity. She explains, “Fairness and equity are important to me and I feel a sense of responsibility to help others, to speak out against racism, and remove systemic barriers that keep some from thriving.” Her experience as a student at Mark Day also laid the foundation for her future work—particularly volunteer opportunities at North Marin Community Services and Walker Creek Ranch. These opportunities gave her a chance to take an active role in the community and contribute to causes she cared about.

BALANDRA FREGOSO CLASS OF ‘90 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, PARENT SERVICES PROJECT Following Mark Day School, Balandra attended Redwood High School and then University of California, Santa Cruz, where she majored in Community Studies and minored in Education. She also received her Masters in Social Work from San Francisco State University in 2003.

During her free time, Balandra enjoys hiking, swimming, and learning how to weave. Health and wellness has also become a side passion of hers, and she loves learning about nutrition, essential oils, and holistic medicine.

Balandra remembers her time at Mark Day fondly.

She says, “At the time, I didn’t realize how lucky I was to have drama, art, and music as part of my regular school schedule. I loved being in the school plays and often think of music class with Mr. Navarrete, and field trips to the Marin Headlands, the Exploratorium, and Yosemite. I have so many amazing memories of my eight years at Mark Day— so many things that made it special and that helped shape who I am today.”

Balandra lives with her husband Jon, a talented musician, their two young children, and their three-legged cat.

OTTO SALMI CLASS OF ‘11 MECHANICAL ENGINEER, SPACEX Otto graduated from The Branson School in 2015 and then headed to Dartmouth College. He’s currently living in Los Angeles and working as a mechanical engineer in the aerospace industry.

He says, “I primarily design parts that interface with payloads during launch and then deploy them into space once in orbit.” Otto has always considered himself an avid tinkerer who loves to build things. “Being a mechanical engineer lets me do this while getting to solve complex and important problems,” he explains. “Every day has a new challenge but it’s also a bit like grown-up Legos.” In the future, he wants to help develop strategy at an engineering company that is directly solving environmental and social issues. “Whether at a startup or established company, I would still want to interface heavily with engineering design.”

When not at work, Otto enjoys being outside and can usually be found surfing, mountain biking, or skiing. His fondest memory of Mark Day School is winning joke assembly in 1st grade, though he admits that getting up on stage was terrifying. Otto says, “Mark Day taught me the joy of intellectual exploration. Not being afraid to ask questions and pursue problems that I’ve genuinely found fascinating have been key tools in my toolbox. I am excited to see where they take me next!”

AARON GILDENGOREN CLASS OF ‘98 VICE PRINCIPAL ALTIMIRA MIDDLE SCHOOL Following his graduation from Mark Day School, Aaron attended Marin Catholic. He received a B.A. in History and Government from University of Redlands in 2006 and an M.A. in Educational Administration from San Francisco State University in 2014.

Aaron was a high school social studies teacher for 10 years before moving into school administration. He’s currently the Vice Principal at Altimira Middle School in Sonoma, CA. When asked why he got involved in education, he says, “I had a lot of teachers who helped me through tough times in my life, and I wanted to do something where I knew I could make a difference for other people.” He wants to remain in education, hop-

ing to someday work at a district office to help create more equity and focus on curriculum and instruction.

When Aaron reflects on his time at Mark Day, he says, “My fondest memories of Mark Day School are beating the faculty in the 8th grade vs. faculty soccer game, winning an award for a comedy speech which I then had to perform in front of the entire student body, and Mr. Orwig’s ‘5 GOLDEN RINGS’ during the 12 Days of Christmas performance. He believes that his Mark Day education “truly prepared me for high school and getting an education in general. I learned things there which I was retaught in high school and again in college. Looking back, I am extremely lucky to have been able to attend Mark Day School.”

Aaron lives in Novato with his wife Elizabeth, who he calls “the best teacher I’ve ever known,” and daughter Nayeli, who was born in October 2020. He says it’s been difficult during the pandemic because he hasn’t been able to spend as much time with family and friends, especially since the new addition to his family. He loves to cook, hike, surf, and spend time with his daughter.

A Redwood High School grad and someone who has always loved learning and problem-solving, Elizabeth landed in a career as an environmental epidemiologist. “I study how the environment—especially factors like pollution, chemicals in consumer products, and industrial hazards—affects the health and well-being of pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable populations,” she says.

She’s currently finishing her PhD in Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is getting ready to move to Los Angeles this summer to work as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Southern California.

ELIZABETH KAMAI CLASS OF ‘04 ENVIRONMENTAL EPIDEMIOLOGIST

Part of what first piqued her interest in environmental epidemiology was a course she took during college at Dartmouth. She interned with one of her professors and since graduation, she’s worked on a variety of environmental health and epidemiology research projects. “Over time, I learned that epidemiology is a multidisciplinary toolkit,” Elizabeth explains. “Broadly, epidemiologists are experts at designing ways to answer tough questions.

Specifically, environmental epidemiology incorporates my loves of problem-solving, data analysis and visualization, the outdoors, and helping people. I feel quite lucky to have found this meaningful and rewarding career path.” In the near future, Elizabeth hopes to pursue meaningful policy and justice-oriented research with people who inspire her.

In her free time, she loves to swim—sometimes competitively— and spend as much time outside as she can, hiking, biking, and walking. “Up until the pandemic began, I competed with a local co-ed adult water polo team, traveling around the country for tournaments,” she says. “Since this past spring, I’ve built a garden with my neighbor, began fostering dogs, and tried to stay up-to-date on the latest COVID research.” As with most around the world, the pandemic has been impactful on Elizabeth. “I’ve spent many hours reckoning with the sudden broad public awareness of the field of epidemiology, thinking and learning about what the role of epidemiologists and public health researchers can or should be, how research is communicated and understood by policy-makers and the public, the links between science and politics, and the persisting systematic racism, injustices, and inequities in our public health systems.” She values being able to learn and grow during this time.

She adds, “I’ve also realized there are very few plants I can keep alive.”

She is grateful to Mark Day School for fostering her love of learning and encouraging her to challenge herself. “I loved the outdoor education trips to Yosemite and Pinnacles National Park, playing on the girls flag football team coached by former history teacher Mike Fargo, science classes and projects with former science teacher Diane Bredt, and competing with my friends on the Mathletes team mentored by math teacher Norm Lyons.” Elizabeth continues to apply the skills and habits she learned at Mark Day to her career and life.

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manufacturer keeps things fresh (along with great products—no pun intended).” He also says that he loves working in the consumer products space and hopes to continue working in the industry. “It’s so exciting to see friends and family using products I’ve had a hand in creating, and even more thrilling when I spot one of the products I’ve worked on ‘in the wild.’”

SCOTTY JACOBS CLASS OF ‘08 DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY + BUSINESS OPERATIONS EO PRODUCTS After graduating from The Branson School in 2012 and Washington University in St. Louis in 2016, Scotty recently landed back in Marin County as a proud homeowner. He currently works at EO Products and oversees the company’s strategy and business operations team. He says, “My role is pretty broad, spanning everything from brand strategy to operations to partnerships. We make several of the nation’s top sanitizers and hand soaps, so it’s been a busy year for us!”

Scotty’s career has been anything but linear. After working at a direct-to-consumer start-up called Brandless, he followed a former boss to EO. “At EO, each day is different and full of new challenges,” he says. “The variety of new learning opportunities and the complexity of being a privately owned

As one of the leading natural makers of sanitizers and soaps during a global pandemic, Scotty has learned a lot about adaptability and resilience. “Professionally, it’s been the thrill of a lifetime to work in an industry at the center of keeping peoples’ hands clean and healthy,” he says. “I’ll never forget a Saturday in early February 2020 when I had Congressman Huffman’s team on one phone as we were securing an emergency authorization to stay open, and a reporter from the Wall Street Journal on the phone in my other hand!”

Outside of work, Scotty teaches group fitness classes at Equinox in San Francisco, which he says is a great outlet for a demanding work schedule. He’s also a road biker, and has recently gotten into (safely) foraging wild mushrooms on Mt. Tam. His favorite memories of Mark Day School include acting in the spring musicals, going to Coloma in 4th grade on outdoor ed, and discovering his love of writing under the thoughtful guidance of great teachers like Trudie Scott, Stacey Kertsman, and Mike Fargo. He also has a particular fondness for the yellow P.E. shirts and says, “Mr. Orwig, if you’re reading this, my mile times have dramatically improved since I last ran for you!” He believes that “Mark Day School developed and instilled core values as informed by the Seven Pillars of Character that I still carry with me to this day. Both in business and in my personal life, the ethos of a Mark Day School education—grounded in values that truly are livable—is one that still resonates with how I navigate the world, even nearly two decades since graduation.”

and olive oil tastings. She initially began working at McEvoy Ranch 20 years ago as a gardener—and now she’s leading the company as President.

Samantha says, “McEvoy Ranch is founded on the belief that strong and sustainable communities are built around healthy food and I am passionate about growing, making, and sharing healthy food—especially olive oil. Organic agriculture is one crucial component to a sustainable future in California and McEvoy Ranch is committed to contributing in a positive manner to this bright future.” One of the things she loves most about her job? Walking the olive orchards in the early mornings to ground her and settle her mind for the day.

SAMANTHA KERBY DORSEY CLASS OF ‘93 PRESIDENT, MCEVOY RANCH After graduating from The Branson School in 1997, Samantha received her undergraduate degree from Oberlin College. She currently lives in San Francisco’s Richmond District and serves as the President of McEvoy Ranch, a 550-acre organic ranch in Marin County. “We produce extra virgin olive oil, delicious wines, and olive-oil based beauty products,” she said.

The ranch also hosts thousands of guests per year for private events and at the tasting room for wine

In her career, the pandemic has been challenging.

“Keeping employees safe, motivated, healthy, and productive was always paramount, even while we navigated the shifting sands of our sales strategies which we adjusted with each new restriction and an overall national change in buying habits,” she says.

On a personal level, Samantha has achieved “a deepened understanding of the inequities and injustices that are deeply rooted in our country.” She hopes that the lessons learned during the pandemic will be remembered as our nation heals.

What Samantha remembers most from Mark Day School is her teachers, which she admires for their tireless work in dedicating themselves to educating and raising smart, thoughtful, caring children. Her most valuable lesson learned at Mark Day is how to be a critical thinker. “We were taught to really consider the information we are fed and to process it internally to gain understanding and to seek out various perspectives,” she explains.

In her free time, she enjoys gardening—a passion that her mother and grandmother both instilled in her— and exploring San Francisco’s parks with her dog Kismet, husband Paul, and daughter Ella.

ALUMNI NEWS Class of 1989

Class of 2003

Jonah Moran was the editor for the film version of Hamilton on Disney+ last summer.

Kelly Hannan is a PhD candidate with Coral Reef Studies. Kelly completed her B.Sc. at Villanova University. Following graduation, she worked on various islands performing research or teaching marine biology courses. While working on a field station she met her M.Sc. advisor, Dr. Cory Suski, who encouraged her to join his lab at the University of Illinois. There she completed her M.Sc. examining the physiological effects of carbon dioxide on mussels. Currently, Kelly is working on her PhD, supervised by Dr. Jodie Rummer and Dr. Phil Munday, examining the effects of ocean acidification on reef fish performance and oxygen transport.

Class of 1998 Jack Conte, founder of Patreon, was featured on NPR’s “How I Built This.” As part of the band Pomplamoose, musician Jack Conte had a sizeable fan base in the late 2000s and was making thousands of dollars a month from iTunes sales. But when streaming services like Spotify took over the music scene, Jack’s income dwindled. So, he called up his college roommate Sam Yam, who had spent his post-college years launching startup after startup. Together, Sam and Jack created Patreon, a platform where artists’ most passionate fans can sponsor them for just a few dollars a month. Following a Covid-era surge in new members, Patreon is now valued at over a billion dollars and supports over 200,000 musicians, artists, and content creators. Visit www.npr.org to listen to the interview.

Class of 2001 Sylvia Harris Cahill and Billy Cahill welcomed firstborn son Liam to the world on July 17, 2020.

Carina del Valle Schorske authored a fascinating look at reggaetonero phenom Bad Bunny in The New York Times Magazine culture issue last fall. Carina is a writer and translator in New York and San Juan, P.R. Her first book, The Other Island, is forthcoming from Riverhead. In 2020, her essay “The Ladder Up,” originally published in Virginia Quarterly Review, was a National Magazine Award finalist. Her last essay for the magazine was a Letter of Recommendation for literary translation as an accessible and radical practice.

Derek Michael Lawson married Kassandra Brenton in May 2018. They live in London where Derek trades foreign currency options for Merrill Lynch. In March 2020, they had their first child, Braxton Michael Lawson.

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Robert (Bob) Harris and Azita Habibi were married at Crater Lake on July 15, 2020.

Anna Hauswirth is currently at Harvard Neurology.

From Harvard bio: At Stanford, I worked in a lab researching the epigenetics of aging and lifespan in C. elegans and volunteered with a local hospice organization. At UCSF, I completed my PhD in Neuroscience researching homeostatic synaptic plasticity at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction, studying plasticity at both healthy and degenerating synapses.

After five years in the lab, I had so much fun back in all my clinical rotations, but unsurprisingly, fell in love with neurology. In medical school, I became more interested in palliative care and end of life issues, partly through working with ALS patients on a clinical research project about medical aid in dying. I knew I wanted to be a neurologist because neurology combines my intellectual interests (through the neuro exam and the many unanswered research questions) and emotional interests (because neurological diseases affect who we are as human beings and require deep connections between patient, family, and provider). I chose Harvard Neurology because of the people and culture and the opportunity to work with the best clinicians and scientists as part of a big nervous system family! I’ve never lived outside the Bay Area (what is winter?), so residency will be a time of growth and many jacket purchases for me. I’m very excited to explore a new city/state/region of the country! Outside

Silvia Harris Cahill ‘01

Ava Salmi ‘11 Bob Harris ‘03

of the lab and hospital, I love cooking vegetarian food with my husband, Mitul, baking chocolatey desserts, running, picnicking, and reading novels.

Alexandra Slessarev graduated from Harvard’s joint JD/MPH program in 2019, and she began clerking for Judge Ronald Lee Gilman on the 6th Circuit last August. Her Petrie-Flom fellowship paper was entitled “Curbing Pharmaceutical Detailing Practices in the Opioid Era.” Alex’s public health research interests include maternal and reproductive health, state-level Medicaid implementation, and the intersection of health and the environment. Prior to starting her dual-degree program, Alexandra spent a year working as a research assistant at the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health at the University of California, San Francisco, where she worked on several projects related to long-acting reversible contraception provision and education.

Class of 2004 Elizabeth Kamai is a PhD candidate at UNC Gillings School of Public Health.

Class of 2006 Lauren Taymor joined the Berkeley Haas Center for Responsible Business in the fall of 2019. Before attending Haas to complete her MBA, Lauren graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and a minor in Business Administration. After her graduation in May 2014, she went on to work as a sustainability consultant for DNV GL, a global risk management company. In her current role, Lauren works with diverse teams to achieve sustainability certification targets and minimize climate change risks to their buildings. Her experience in collaborating

with stakeholders, developing business plans, and securing funding to transform an early-stage building resilience tool into a client-ready service has inspired her desire to drive transformational change within corporate sustainability. Eager to deepen her technical skills, she decided to pursue a Cleantech Certificate in Sustainable Energy Management at Presidio Graduate School. While at Presidio, she led a market assessment for Salesforce to evaluate the feasibility of renewable energy procurement options in an international market. Her experience with Salesforce opened her eyes to the complexity of the challenge large tech companies face and catalyzed her aspiration to help develop innovative solutions for renewable energy sourcing.

Lauren strongly believes the tech industry is in a unique position to drive major change in the renewable energy market, thereby playing a significant role in curbing climate change.

Class of 2007 Aviva Kamler was featured in Marin Living’s Groundbreaking Women spotlight as a fifth generation local offering a fresh perspective on real estate.

Excerpt from interview: “What do you think it means to the next generation of girls to see women succeed in business? I think when young girls can see women who look like them it allows them to see themselves in this position. It allows them to dream about what is possible. Representation matters in every sense of the word, and I know I always looked up to the women in my life who were hardworking, driven, honest, and successful.”

Class of 2009 Jack Ferguson is living in Truckee and working remotely for Etsy.

Leah Kelly is a first-year volunteer firefighter with the Napa County Fire Department Station 15, and she is the first woman volunteer in 100 years! Leah and Chris Morisoli, an 18-year volunteer firefighter, were featured on the Today Show last fall. When not on the fire lines, Leah works in ecommerce for Hall Family Wines.

Annie Warner is the manager of Business Development and Customer Networks at Sapphire Ventures and wrote a paper on how CIOs are navigating a mandated remote workforce during the pandemic.

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Class of 2011 Ava Salmi recently joined the Mark Day 1st grade classes from Kona, Hawaii to teach students about the importance of the kelp forest. Ava earned her M.A. in Marine Conservation and works at Blue Ocean Mariculture in Hawaii.

Otto Salmi was accepted into Harvard Business School this spring. He applied to the 2+2 program which allows him to apply directly out of undergrad and is targeted towards students like him in engineering and tech. He is deferring for two years getting work experience and will then attend HBS for two years. Otto recently started at SpaceX as a payload specialist and virtually visited 6th grade science at Mark Day to talk about his experience.

Class of 2012 Andrea Garcia has officially joined the Admission Office as Associate Director at Mark Day School.

Class of 2013 Marielle Lyons graduates from Occidental this spring and is joining the Mark Day Summer Camp staff this summer.

John Sutro plays for the Colorado College lacrosse team and received the 2020 Elite 19 award from the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC), which is given to a conference athlete who represents “the best of the best within each conference sponsored-sport as it relates to both academic and athletic achievement.” John tells us, “Colorado College lacrosse has had a huge impact on my life. We care not only about on-field performance but the men we are off the field.”

Angelo Zorn was part of the Virtual conference of the Society for Mathematical Biology at Occidental College, titled “An Epidemic Mobility Model with Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Individuals Allowing Variation of Contact Rates Between Individuals and Across Regions” in 2020.

Class of 2014 Lizzie Ferguson has been accepted to a math research program summer 2021.

Otto Salmi ‘11

Lucas Tress ‘17

Aviva Kamler ‘07

Jammie Kuramoto ‘16

Matt Hansen is a junior at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, studying Ethnomusicology and Music Industry, and currently lives in Los Angeles. He released his latest “it’ll take some time” this spring.

You may find his music on Spotify and Apple Music and follow him on Instagram and TikTok. Rachel Luria is a junior at Duke University, studying engineering and has landed a Microsoft internship.

She credits Norm Lyons for her inspiration.

Class of 2015 Bella Bromberg, a junior at Barnard, founded Summus Tutors. It is a student-based online learning platform that offers flexible, customizable tutoring sessions for students of all grade levels, with a focus on K-8 students. Kids are paired with college students from universities across the country who serve not just as academic aids, but also as mentors and role models.

“I can say with confidence that this company would not have blossomed without the tools that I obtained from my Mark Day education.”

Sarah Camacho is heading back to Washington University in St. Louis in the fall. She has declared her majors in Global Studies and Education (plus a minor in Chinese!). She has also been awarded a Mellon Mays Fellowship at WashU. Class of 2016 Natalia Castillo took a gap year this year and has been working for Josh Harder’s campaign (CA, 10th district), swimming, and coaching. She will intern for a researcher at UCSF before returning to the University of Pennsylvania.

Lily Cummings is happily living on campus at Barnard and taking in-person classes.

Jammie Kuramoto received the English Excellency award at Terra Linda High School when she graduated last spring. She also earned her Black Belt and 4th Dan in December at Yang’s Martial Arts Academy. She is the second woman to reach the title of Sa Bum Nym (Instructor title in Korean), which is rarely attained by any practitioner.

Carina De Valle Schorke ‘01

Matt Hansen ‘14

Leah Kelly ‘09

Kai Nittenberg is joining the Mark Day Summer Camp staff this summer.

Class of 2017 Powell Nielsen was accepted to the joint dual degree honors program at University of St. Andrews in Scotland and College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA, majoring in international relations. He will spend two years in each location and receive degrees from both.

Lucas Tress was named the Youth Member of the Year for his service with the Marin County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit (SAR). Additionally, in 2020, he was a recipient of the Marin County Youth Volunteer of the Year “Heart of Marin” Award from the Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL)

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for his work with SAR. SAR is an emergency rescue team including both minors and adults, dedicated to assisting those in distress or immediate danger. Youth members are trained at the same level as the adults and are expected to have the same fitness, skills, and abilities as the adult members. In 2020, Lucas participated in more than 100 search and rescue incidents, pandemic related community support events, and advanced skills trainings, dedicating more than 850 hours to saving others. Search and Rescue has been a passion for Lucas since he was accepted to the SAR unit in 2018 and he intends to continue while attending UC Berkeley in the fall.

Class of 2019 Harriet Condos is attending Nadal Tennis Academy in Mallorca Spain.

CLASS OF 2021

HIGH SCHOOL MATRICULATION The Branson School - 7 The Bay School - 3 Cate School - 1 The College Preparatory School- 1 High School 1327 (formerly Drake) - 1 Marin Academy - 12 Marin Catholic - 6 Marin School of Environmental Leadership - 1 Petaluma High School - 1 Redwood High School - 6 San Domenico - 2 Santa Fe Preparatory School - 1 Stevenson School - 1 Tamalpais High School - 2 The Thacher School- 1

CLASS OF 2017

COLLEGE MATRICULATION Aidan Ashe: Brown University Veronica Birnberg: Tulane University Elliot Blum: University of Southern California Kiara Bromberg: Pepperdine University Maya Budwig: Clemson University Berta Bunch: UCLA Zack Cohen: Washington University Margo Cumming: University of Oregon Michael Danne: Middlebury College Lara Duque-Ribeiro: Wellesley College Colin Evans: University of Hawaii Christopher Gabianelli: Loyola Marymount University Joe Glassner: University of Michigan Pierce Glassner: Indiana University Bloomington Cate Gorski: Gap year at art school in Ireland, Occidental College starting fall 2022 Avery Hansen: Emory University Peter Hobart: UC Berkeley Miles Keeffe: UC Riverside Charles Kern: University of Virginia Birdie Lee: Washington University Riley Long: University of Virginia Beck Lorsch: Yale University

Liu Martin: UCLA Ula McPretl: Lewis and Clark College Powell Nielsen: University of St. Andrews / College of William & Mary Janavi Padala: Wellesley College Sydney Pearson: Brown University Matthew Regier: University of Colorado, Boulder Camilla Rossi: Bryn Mawr College Bebe Silver: Texas Christian University Lucas Tress: UC Berkeley Adrian Vasquez: University of San Diego Matin Winiarski: Santa Barbara City College

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Parents of alumni: Please forward this publication. If your child no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Development Office at 415.472.8000 or alumni@markdayschool.org.