The Marker 2023

THE

MARKER

THE MARK DAY SCHOOL MAGAZINE

SPRING 2023

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 challenging program that fosters academic excellence and responsible world citizenship.

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL “Challenge without the fun would have been just drudgery. And fun without the challenge would not have been meaningful. It is the balance of the two that makes Mark Day special.”

These words, from a recent Mark Day alumna, capture something essential about Mark Day: the combination of challenge and joy that enlivens everything we do in this learning community. I had the opportunity to interview this young person as part of our strategic planning committee’s outreach to parents and guardians, alums and alum parents, faculty and staff, and students. True to Mark Day’s commitment to thoughtful innovation and our practice of seeking many voices for input, our planning process included many different ways for the planning group to learn from our community.

The feedback helped immensely in grounding the plan not only in our visions for the near and longer term future, but also in Mark Day School’s successful track record and values. In the pages that follow this letter, you will find some elements of the plan, which defines both action steps and also areas of inquiry that will keep us in a strategic posture as we advance and as the landscape continues to evolve around us.

The school’s commitment to our local and global partnerships is at the very core of who we are and who we strive to be in the future. I am writing just on the heels of the two-week visit of a large delegation of students and teachers from our partners at Kliptown Youth Program (KYP). The partnership continued even through the pandemic, with highlights including Thando Bezana working with Brian Wilkerson’s music students via Zoom to teach gumboot dancing and drumming. There is no substitute, however, for being truly together in person, and it was a magical two weeks. Many members of our community have not experienced a delegation from KYP; the last one to visit campus was in 2019, pre-COVID, and our most recent delegation to South Africa was a year earlier in 2018. For anyone who arrived since 2020, then, this delegation visit was the first time they encountered what we think of as the actual Mark Day School. That is, partnership is such an essential part of the school that experiencing the partnership is essential

“ to understanding and living what the school really is. And true to our alumna’s comment captured above, the visit was full of both joy and depth. Our fifth graders, who as part of their study of the United States are learning about the ways that structural racism has existed in our nation, got to work with a KYP teacher to learn from someone who experienced apartheid firsthand. There are many more examples of our partners adding depth and intellectual challenge to the curriculum while they were in classrooms, in addition to the remarkable joy and love and care that they also lavished on us with so much heart. And we are thrilled to be sending more than 100 Mark Day students and family members to South Africa this summer--so many that we need two delegations to make it work!

There is much more good work in action at Mark Day, from innovation grants that feed the spark of new ways to improve already strong learning environments, to the launching of our new 8th grade Capstone Project, updates from some of our great alums, and much more. As always, we strike a balance between our past, our present, and our future--between the proven practices that still transform students’ lives and learning to the innovative new ideas that make the experience even stronger.

We are underway on a remarkable year and so glad to be sharing it together.

Joe Harvey Head of School

The school’s commitment to our local and global partnerships is at the very core of who we are and who we strive to be in the future... partnership is such an essential part of he school that experiencing the partnership is essential to understanding and living what the school really is.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 01 NEWS FROM CAMPUS 09 TEACHER FEATURE: COURTNEY COGHLAN 11 ANNOUNCING OUR 2022 STRATEGIC PLAN 17 THE CAMPUS AS A CLASSROOM 25 A CAST OF CHARACTERS 29 TEACHING MATH AT MARK DAY SCHOOL 35 THE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF DEIJ 47 REUNITING WITH KLIPTOWN YOUTH PROGRAM 59 LAUNCHING THE 8TH GRADE CAPSTONE PROJECT 67 BACKSTAGE PASS: THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS 69 WHERE ARE THEY NOW? ALUMNI FEATURES 81 ALUMNI NEWS 84 HIGH SCHOOL & COLLEGE MATRICULATION EDITORIAL & DESIGN Sophie Shulman’02 / Director of Communications PHOTOGRAPHY Cali Godley / Photographer + Sophie Shulman / Director of Communications

ALUMNI NEWS Christine Maguire / Associate Director of Development PRINTING Chromagraphics / chromaprints.com

NEWS FROM CAMPUS

OUR 1ST WINTER FEST On December 3, we had our very first Winter Fest in the Mark Day gym. It was a Mark Day Made event, during which students created holiday gifts for friends and family and raise funds for the Family Association. The gym was filled with different crafts and there were additional fun activities like a “cake walk,” face painting, and a hot cocoa counter. Students in all grades could make popcorn, gingerbread houses, soap and bath bombs, winter wreaths, Lego letters, and a personalized patch bag. It was a wonderful community event filled with holiday spirit!

ALUMS RETURN As part of the launch of the 8th Grade Capstone Project, alums Callum Brown ‘19 and Alison Savage-Brooks ‘15 spoke to students about how they turned their own passions into independent projects.

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43RD ANNUAL CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP The week of January 23-27, the 43rd annual chess championship took place in the gym with an astounding 182 students across K-8 signed up to participate. It was the third largest group of players in Mark Day history! The chess championship dates back 43 years ago to the opening of the school, when founding P.E. Teacher and Athletic Director Ray Orwig brought a formalized chess program

to Mark Day. Even during the pandemic, the chess championship continued, albeit online.

Students have opportunities to practice chess throughout the year at Chess Club, which is offered twice a week during lunch for all students K-8. Thanks to all who participated in this beloved Mark Day School tradition. Get ready for next year’s championship!

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SPRING FUNDRAISER Restis molo dolorendae molorepel et explaciet rendant fugia vero et aceatio nsequae a comnisc idipsusci sinvel ma accae verrum quate nat volore nonsequamet ium ad quis culles dit, simoles solut apis sed molor alia sitaquis eaquiae velis auditiu rianduciatem qui omnia dollabo recaboratus, sin perempo repratur, si quia quaspid elissundunt ventus sunt voloria vel istiosa susdaRum aut pressimil et undel earum as ipis quidusapis de derae nulpa sequodit endi solorem debitent offic tem. Ratur sumquidem et quamusdae volore velecto ipsapedicto te etum everum corro dolent laut hillabore omnim ilit fugit lat event, commodit que non explita sam accum aliqui aut Beatesti oremquodi dolores evelignam fugiti ullanto cor simus, omnis quam, odicatur, qui odipicatur adisqua ernatiuntist vel inveris quodis dolenim rem 3

MARK DAY IN CONCERT Mark Day’s Rock Band program, which is part of After School Adventures, offers students a unique opportunity to further develop their creativity and teamwork skills outside of the classroom. The program is 10 weeks of guided rehearsals after school where students are coached through the process of making thoughtful song selections, developing proper technique on a variety of instruments, and expanding on important music literacy skills. Many students also learn to articulate what it is that draws them to music

and begin developing their musical preferences and artistic identity. On December 8, six student bands spanning 4th to 8th grade took to the stage to perform in front of the Mark Day community. The event was well attended, offering bands the experience of showcasing their hard work in front of an enthusiastic and supportive audience.

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NEW FACES We are always excited to welcome new faculty and staff to our campus. During the 2022-23 school year, we gained the following new community members!

ZAK BERKANE

Interim Athletic Director & G4-8 P.E. Teacher

KEVIN JACOBSON

6th Grade English/Homeroom & 7th Grade History Teacher

KENNETH PLEDGER In-House Sub

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DOMINIC COX 5th Grade Teacher

STEPHANIE LOPEZ

CODY FUSCO

SAVANNAH GUINN

Athletic Director & G4-8 P.E. Teacher

Director of Extended Day & Summer Programs

CHELSEA NELSON

SASHA PETROVA

MARITZA GUTIERREZ

2nd Grade Teacher

MARTIN PETRUCCI

Campus Safety & Security Manager

8th Grade History Teacher & Mentor

Lower School P.E. Support Teacher & ASC

Spanish Support Teacher

JESS RODRIGUEZ

RENEE SURCOUF

JAVIER ZAPATA WEBB

G7-8 Math Specialist

4th Grade Support Teacher & ASC

Interim School Counselor

G4-8 Spanish Teacher

AMY ZIMMER

8TH GRADE BOYS BASKETBALL WINS THE CHAMPIONSHIP On March 16, the Mark Day School 8th grade boys basketball team became Marin County Middle School League champions! They played a tough game against Del Mar, proving victorious with a final score of 52-47. We commend their hard work and collaboration throughout the season and we are thrilled to add a championship banner to our gym.

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GRANDPARENTS & SPECIAL FRIENDS’ DAY On Friday, April 28, we welcomed hundreds of grandparents and special friends to campus—in person for the first time since 2019! Our special guests enjoyed a presentation in the gym where they watched students perform and present recent projects. They also visited classrooms and toured the campus. Thank you to all who attended, volunteered, and helped make our grandparents and special friends feel welcome.

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TEACHER FEATURE

COURTNEY COGHLAN Third grade teacher Courtney Coghlan has been at Mark Day School for a decade. In that time, she has taught both 5th and 3rd grades, watched her two sons move through the program (her youngest graduates this spring), and helped countless students learn and grow.

WHAT’S KEPT YOU AT MARK DAY SCHOOL FOR SO MANY YEARS?

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT TEACHING 3RD GRADERS?

Honestly, what keeps me coming back is the way this school embodies the phrase “Full of Heart.” I see examples of this part of our mission statement every single day from both students and colleagues.

It is such an amazing community of helpers and “can do” people who truly care for each other in remarkable ways. Also, the rewards of seeing how beautifully Mark Day graduates grow beyond this campus out in the real world is very motivating as well.

Third grade is a developmental “sweet spot” in my opinion. The kids grow before my eyes in their ability to think analytically, critically, and deeply. It is the most amazing process to watch throughout the year. Third graders are such enthusiastic learners and dedicated thinkers. They are uninhibited, creative, and curious. I can’t imagine any other people I would rather spend my work days with.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE 3RD GRADE PROJECT, LESSON, OR ACTIVITY? I love teaching research skills in the winter and watching my students take on the biography proj-

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ect. It is their first long-term research project, and the growth each student goes through is inspiring to observe. I am always so proud of their courage as they build public speaking skills. Our poetry study in the spring is also a huge highlight for me. I love teaching about famous poets, poems, and figurative language. Students have so much fun learning to play and experiment with all kinds of words and literary devices.

WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE MARK DAY COMMUNITY MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT YOU? As an elementary school student, I found math very challenging, but as a teacher, I love teaching it!

Other fun facts: In college, I majored in history and

film studies and if I could do any other job, I think I would be a dog trainer or do something with animals.

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE THINGS TO DO OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL? I love doing anything outside with my family, whether we are hiking, swimming, skiing, camping, or playing tennis or golf. I am also crazy about animals. We have a golden retriever, a black lab, and a cat, so I spend a lot of time caring for them.

I also love to read, work in the garden, and attempt to write a bit. I also love movies and traveling now that we can again!

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Announcing Our 2022 Strategic Plan Even a casual walk on campus reveals the myriad benefits that strategic planning has brought to Mark Day students. The SEL program that is woven through each classroom, the new Learning Commons and Creativity Lab, the professional development that our faculty and staff actively pursue, the way diversity and inclusion enrich each child’s experience, and even our school name are all results of long-term, thoughtful planning.

During the 2021-22 school year, Mark Day School engaged in a long-range strategic planning process to envision directions for the school’s future. The Strategic Planning Committee, composed of trustees, administrators, faculty, parents/guardians, and facilitator Carla Silver of Leadership + Design took a design thinking approach to developing the strategic plan. Along with sustained research and futurist thinking, the committee pursued numerous

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opportunities to gather input from all constituents of our community—including alums and alum parents/guardians, current students, faculty/staff, and current parents/guardians—to build a robust forward-thinking document that will guide us over the next 5+ years.

We are excited to present the Mark Day School 2022 Strategic Plan in an abbreviated form here; the full document was shared with our community in September and is available on the Mark Day website.

The Strategic Plan defines primary areas of inquiry and action for the years ahead. As you will note, the plan begins with three words directly from our mission statement: Discover, Nurture, and Challenge. We look forward to strengthening the school’s ability to achieve each of these lofty goals, with every student, now and long into the future.

The 2022 Strategic Plan defines areas of inquiry and action for the next several years.

Student voice, agency, and challenge lead the way, and we will take steps to advance those central elements in our work with every constituency: students, teachers, and parents and guardians. Deepening and expanding our integration of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice forms another pillar of our work, with a focus on cross-cultural collaboration and our local and global reciprocal partnerships. Shaping our structure and campus to meet the evolving landscape for independent education in the Bay Area will be a third area of concentration, with significant areas of inquiry to explore. Underpinning all these elements will be the effort to continue to build and nurture the team of faculty, staff, and administrators who lead this work with students, now and long into the future.

Our mission holds two more descriptors that we hold dear as a school: innovative and full of heart. We strive to build on these strengths, all in service of challenging and supporting young people to chart their own paths through their learning and their careers, to collaborate and partner with others across differences because they understand and seek the joy and strength of diversity, to challenge themselves, to serve and support others, and to find meaning in and relish the good work they do each day and the people they do it with.

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Transform student learning

DISCOVER. NURTURE. CHALLENGE.

Nurture and advance our faculty and staff

Advance DEIJ and partnerships

Shape our structure and campus

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Transform Student Learning The value of the skills and agency that students develop as durable habits at Mark Day School has never been more important for the world they occupy now and the ways that they will pursue their learning and their professions in the future. Mark Day was founded to challenge students; we will continue to shape that challenge to serve students in pursuing and applying their own learning in a world marked by complexity, volatility, and change.

Nurture & Advance Our Faculty & Staff The strength of Mark Day School has long been grounded in people and program, with teachers, administrative leaders, and staff taking the lead role in bringing the mission to life. We must continue to attract, develop, and retain outstanding people. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated trends already present, including the demands on faculty, staff, and administrators and pressure on schools’ ability to support teachers for the long-term and nurture the capacity for collaboration and professional growth. We continue to see a significant increase in the cost of living in Marin County and surrounding areas, another crucial factor for all educators.

Advance DEIJ & Deepen & Expand Reciprocal Partnerships Research and our experience make it clear: diversity, equity, and inclusion are prerequisites for excellence. Many families choose Mark Day because of our diversity and inclusion, and DEIJ benefits every member of this community. At the same time, COVID and other societal and geopolitical forces have had negative impacts on collaboration and connection within and across communities.

As always and especially in this context, strengthening bridges between our communities is crucial.

We must educate students to have the skills and mindset to collaborate across cultural differences, and to create and strengthen reciprocal partnerships with others like and unlike themselves.

Shape Our Structure & Campus Economic and demographic realities in Marin and the broader Bay Area reinforce the need to be flexible in an era marked by flux and ambiguity. We must stay in an adaptable posture and make considered investments of time, analysis, and money to be ready to evolve with the market. Demand for the skills and mindsets that we develop at Mark Day School should be only higher in this context, and we consistently must be attuned to continuing to develop, shape, and communicate effectively about the Mark Day program and student outcomes.

To read the full Strategic Plan, visit markdayschool.org/StrategicPlan2022

THE CAMPUS AS A CLASSROOM EXPLORING THE NATURAL WORLD UP CLOSE 17

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‘Showing [students] something in nature, whether it’s a caterpillar nibbling on a leaf or a sprouting veggie in the garden, opens up new and ongoing avenues for connection.’

2nd graders look for bees in the butterfly garden in mid-February.

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or Garden Teacher and Tinkerer David St. Martin, ecoliteracy is not just part of the curriculum—it’s a passion that he loves to share with students.

Learning about and caring for our natural world have been a means of connecting with students on a deeper level. “Showing them something in nature, whether it’s a caterpillar nibbling on a leaf or a sprouting veggie in the garden, opens up new and ongoing avenues for connection,” he says.

In 2003, the organic garden was added to the southwest part of our campus as a place for students to get their hands dirty—literally! In the garden, students take care of our four chickens, grow and maintain plants and veggies, become stewards of the worm bin, and explore the natural world up close. It was—and still is—a place for learning outside the four walls of the classroom. And, as our campus has evolved over the decades, learning about the natural world through ecoliteracy curriculum is no longer confined to the garden gates. Along with our butterfly garden and five bioswales added to campus in 2018 during the construction of the new building, plants and the creatures they attract are scattered across campus. Over the years, native plants have sprouted and matured, some on their own and some intentionally planted, bringing a variety of bugs and other creatures to the steps of our classroom doors.

Over the past eight years since David started working at Mark Day, he’s watched this incredible growth—and has tapped into its greater potential for learning. “We’ve

gotten to see what lives and survives here over the years,” says David, who will often take students the long route to the garden to point out the willow growing along the ring road that supports native wasps. The growth of wildlife around campus has been both intentional—like tucking native flowers into the corners of abandoned spaces— and happily accidental. For example, along the Lower School building near the basketball courts is a splash-prone water fountain that used to be a troublesome spot for growth but now boasts a thriving bunch of daisies that welcome a host of butterflies.

Gardenrod has also sprouted there as a result of the excess water from students using the water fountain. David is excited to see it explode this summer.

One of David’s favorite things to do is take kids on “water walks” around the campus following the rain. “We trace the water around campus,” says David. “We notice where it comes off the hill and follow where it travels. We listen to the water rushing through the drains and see firsthand how our bioswales function in action. It’s a small connection to the system in which we’re all growing up.”

The butterfly garden in particular has long been a great source of outdoor learning. In between the Lower and Middle Divisions, the butterfly garden features various kinds of plants and—attributable to its name— supports a significant butterfly population. Several years ago, a Mark Day family reached out to David to donate native milkweed seeds to the school, which are a better source of food for monarch butterflies. Recognizing his limited knowledge of milkweed plants, David began follow20

ing emerging research and discovered that tropical milkweed is a carrier for parasites that harm monarch butterflies. Native milkweed, on the other hand, is less of a carrier, and its lifecycle mirrors the local seasons, which helps aid the monarch migration. “If monarchs don’t migrate and instead stay in one place, they accumulate diseases and parasites, which weakens them for travel,” explains David. “So we really want to do what we can here on campus to help monarchs continue to migrate.”

Unfortunately, the more harmful tropical milkweed had spread across campus. Last year, David brought in

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narrowleaf milkweed seeds and stratified them to get them to sprout. Though a mouse attack on the harvest prevented them from sprouting, David considered it a promising enough experiment to bring in student involvement. “I thought it would be an awesome longterm project for students because it’s highly visible, rooted in science, and encourages students to explore and care for the natural environment around campus.”

Third graders were the students of choice to carry this project forward, not only because of their proximity to the butterfly garden, but also because their developmental stage strikes the right balance of curiosity and

scientific thinking—and the project also aligns with their year-long study of Marin County. “The teachers really jumped on board with this project,” says David, expressing gratitude for the eagerness to collaborate among Mark Day faculty. “We did a successful stratification of milkweed seeds in the fall, and students sprouted those seeds—500 of them!—in the Lower Division hallway.” Students are also slowly but surely replacing tropical milkweed found on campus with native milkweed. During this work, students discovered caterpillars on the tropical milkweed they were helping to eradicate, and brought those caterpillars inside so they wouldn’t freeze. They cared for those caterpillars as well, and released them when ready.

“Every day, third graders conduct counts of the monarchs in the butterfly garden and chart their findings,” says David. “They talk about how to count them strategically so they can compare their counts from month to month. It’s become a big part of their job in third grade to monitor the population of monarchs, consider their food sources, and make sure they have enough healthy milkweed nearby.” Cultivating these populations of milkweed is a long-term project that

will require maintenance as it continues, which David hopes will be taken on by future 3rd grade classes.

David is excited to see where this project goes, especially as it extends beyond monarchs to study other parts of our natural world right here on campus, such as different kinds of butterflies, caterpillars as a food source for birds, oak trees that grow on the hillsides around campus, and more. Most recently, David has introduced an exploration of bees with 2nd graders. Using cards printed with photographs taken by Krystle Hickman, who quit her job to pursue her passion to find California native bees, David taught students how to recognize native bees and the places they inhabit, and then searched campus for them. The interest in California native bees has become a sort of movement, a greater conversation that has been a source of inspiration for David. “There’s a growing awareness that bees don’t just include honeybees,” David explains. “The idea behind introducing students early to this knowledge is that we preserve what we love and what we know. Learning to see opens up a whole new world for us.” The study of bees also pro-

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It’s become a big part of their job in third grade to monitor the population of monarchs, consider their food sources, and make sure they have enough healthy milkweed nearby.”

vides unexpected lessons. Take the Wool Carder Bee, for example. David says that you know when you see it because it’s a bully bee, spending most of its time defending territory by physically ramming and butting other bees, which flusters the honeybees and more mellow bees like the bumbling carpenter bees. It’s a peek into the social dynamics of the natural world.

Developing curriculum “at the whim of the flowers,” in a sense, doesn’t come without its challenges. He’s worked closely with Director of Facilities Wes Howell and the maintenance team, who have been great partners in preserving the campus as a classroom. However, sometimes, weekend gardeners (for whom we are very grateful) unknowingly pull up what they believe are weeds and other plants that David intended for a specific purpose.

David’s passion for the natural world that he passes along to students reminds Head of School Joe Harvey of Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson (the original “ant man!”), who was a major proponent of biophilia, which suggests that humans possess an “innate tendency to seek connections with nature and other forms of life.” David embodies that concept, bringing it to life for Mark Day students. He hopes that these projects are just the start to connecting kids to their local natural environment on a deeper level; integrating our ecoliteracy curriculum more consistently is also part of our 2022 Strategic Plan. “If you aren’t aware of these special parts of our natural environment, how can you value it enough to protect it?”

David says. “There’s magic in recognizing what’s going on beneath the surface—or even what’s going on with a plant you walk by every day. You see things differently when you know the what and why. And when you apply the same thinking you do in math to growing a plant, that’s some deep learning that applies to the world you live in. It’s empowering.”

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A CAST OF CHARACTERS Building and practicing lifelong skills through theater and drama

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It’s a well-known fact that about three-quarters of the American population report public speaking anxiety. For people, standing in front of an audience, big or small, can feel mildly uncomfortable to utterly terrifying.

Now imagine standing in front of an audience adopting a silly character or improvising on the fly or, simply, being a middle school student. It can be scary stuff. And, it builds character in a variety of beneficial ways that extend beyond the stage.

The Mark Day drama room is a lively place situated on the east of campus, one that hasn’t changed much since the school has been at 39 Trellis Drive. A stage rises at the back of the room, complete with velvet curtains, spotlights, and painted wooden boxes that serve as props. Drama teacher Kim Danforth has decorated the walls with posters and proverbs from around the globe, like “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I

learn” and “If you can walk, you can dance; if you can talk, you can sing.”

For Kim, theater was in many ways a lifeline during childhood. “We moved so much but no matter what city we landed in, I knew where I could find ‘my people,’” she says. “I knew I was going to be accepted among the drama kids and I could come out of my awkward shell. There’s camaraderie in a cast of characters.” This year, Kim took over the drama program from Tori Truss, who retired after a decade at Mark Day. But Kim is no stranger to the Mark Day community; she served as the drama teacher from 2008-2011 and most recently was the Director of Extended Day Programs from 2013-2022. And now, she’s thrilled to head the drama program in a year when she can have more freedom in movement and collaboration in class due to shifting health protocols. “I really want to empower kids to share their voice,” says Kim. “I can be shy in front of adults or

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when I have to speak at assembly, but when I’m in front of kids—it’s just my passion.”

Establishing a safe environment is one of Kim’s most important priorities. “When students come into the drama room, I tell them to wipe their feet at the door,” she explains. “We are all coming from different mornings and environments, and when we enter the drama room, it’s like a clean slate.”

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Establishing a safe environment is one of Kim’s most important priorities. “When students come into the drama room, I tell them to wipe their feet at the door,” she explains. “We are all coming from different mornings and environments, and when we enter the drama room, it’s like a clean slate.

Everyone is in the same boat.” At the beginning of the year, Kim focuses on developing this safe environment through team building, meditation, humor, and learning how to be a respectful audience member. “If you know your audience is supportive and they are listening with their whole bodies and will applaud no matter what, students are more willing to take risks on stage,” says Kim. Battling the social dynamics of middle schoolers and their increased sensitivity to peer-to-peer judgment, it is this sense of safety that can make all the difference. In some ways, Kim points out, the Kindergartners and 1st graders are an easier and more open-minded bunch than older kids. Kim recalls one 4th grade activity during which students had to partner up and link arms and the idea of casual contact with their classmates was enough to set some kids into a fit of giggles and groans. She also remembers when 6th graders were tasked with developing skits about their outdoor ed trip and some students were “melting into the couch” at the thought of performing. One exercise Kim uses to shift the nervousness and low self-confidence is to call students to

take a ‘neutral position,’ which is to stand straight with arms at their sides. She also asks the students to lie down on the floor and close their eyes for a short meditation in preparation for a different state of mind—one that is separate from the academic work and social drama that may live outside the room. Some kids are naturally shy, Kim recognizes, and that’s okay. “I dont want to force it,” says Kim. “It’s a delicate balance between encouraging them to take risks and allowing them to step into the scene in their own time.”

For some students, performing on stage is thrilling.

Mark Day puts on two performances per year—a fall play and a spring musical. Students in grades 4-8 may audition, and all students get a role. “It’s quite a journey from those first auditions to the final curtain call,” says Kim. “The productions are an opportunity for students to achieve higher levels

of drama technique.” It’s also an opportunity for students to make cross-grade friends.

Whether students reluctantly walk onto the small stage in the drama room or raise their hands for the lead in the school play, they are all building skills through drama they will carry for a lifetime, like confidence, creativity, and communication—to name just a few. They also develop better empathy by supporting their peers, stepping into others’ shoes, and practicing “yes/and” thinking during moments of collaboration.

Kim has been a wonderful part of our community in the drama room and beyond. She plans to depart Mark Day after this school year to see where her next adventure leads. We will miss Kim and send her off with love!

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Teaching Math at Mark Day School

Mark Day has a long established practice of regularly evaluating and improving different aspects of our program; we consistently look to improve what is already strong to make it even better. In grades 6 through 8, the math program has been an ongoing topic of exploration.

In 2010, the school adopted the Bridges Math program as the foundation of mathematics learning in grades K-5. “The reason we had selected Bridges was because it put a deep understanding of math concepts and mathematical thinking skills at the forefront of its design,” says Dave Hickman, Head of Grades 5-8, who was one of our 4th grade lead teachers at that time. “Bridges positioned students to actively think, hypothesize, test, compare, discuss, and improve their skills throughout each year.”

Adopting Bridges Math was the result of a multiple-year exploration of best practices, a thorough examination of what we care about most in a math program, and professional development with trained consultants to prepare our faculty to teach it well. “Our goal is always to produce students who can apply mathematical thinking skills and a growth mindset to meet complex challenges with confidence and creativity, alongside their development of discrete skills,” says Dave. Head of School Joe Harvey notes an important element of adopting Bridges: right from the start, teachers consistently supplemented the core program—and continue to do so—with extensive additional components to ensure

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students gain the whole spectrum of mathematical skills they need.

One of the strengths of Bridges is the foundation it creates for algebra. From the beginning of the program, students talk about math problems as equations and become familiar with certain symbols. They also build equations using variables and think about different ways to solve a problem. As 6th grade science and math teacher Tim Evans says, “When you walk into a first grade classroom, the math you see happening may not be referred to as algebra—but it is algebra!”

For many years, math in grades 6-8 at Mark Day has been a teacher-designed program that culminates in a

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two-year algebra course in 7th and 8th grades. Drawing on research and his experience as a high school academic dean and math teacher, Joe says, “We continue to hew to research that affirms the importance of a deep, rigorous conceptual understanding of algebra as the foundation for success in calculus and beyond.

Even if students do not double up in mathematics in high school, Mark Day’s in-depth approach to algebra sets them up to reach advanced calculus (AP Calculus BC) by senior year—and opens the door to multiple advanced options including data science and statistics for those who want to pursue them alongside the calculus path.”

“Our goal is always to produce students who can apply mathematical thinking skills and a growth mindset to meet complex challenges with confidence and creativity, alongside their development of discrete skills.”

There have been a number of developments over the years that have influenced our grades 6-8 math program. Our 2014 Strategic Plan outlined a commitment to more clearly define the outcomes of our program across all disciplines. Specifically, we set out to “develop assessment tools and practices for measuring student learning outcomes based on student reflection and graduate outcomes.” This work led us to create our long-term transfer goals, which guide the school in gauging success in each subject.

Then, in 2018, we expanded our middle school enrollment in order to reduce class size to 18-19 students in each of three sections while also increasing the overall 30

enrollment in grades 6-8 to provide an infusion of new opportunities for social connection and peer relationships. The expansion sparked a schedule change that created an opportunity to open up more challenging math learning to more students in grades 7 and 8.

In 7th and 8th grades, we have traditionally structured leveled math sections to provide different kinds of mathematical challenge to students based on their performance in math through 6th grade. Every student, no matter whether in ‘regular’ or ‘enriched’ algebra, learns Algebra 1 over two years, developing their mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills in depth. “One significant goal we developed was to give every student access to the most challenging content,” Dave explains. “So we designed and piloted something we call the hybrid math program and enriched pathway.” In Kindergarten through 6th grade, we differentiate math instruction and math challenge continuously within the context of math classes. The new schedule allowed us to create a hybrid model to open up access to more challenge for every student, regardless of section, throughout their 7th and 8th grade years. In addition to maintaining the enriched section that has long been taught at Mark Day, we created an “enriched pathway” in the other two sections of mathematics. That pathway enables students who are ready for more challenge to take problems deeper, engage with extensions for greater challenge, and confront more open-ended tasks through “low floor, high ceiling” activities. It also allows every student to pursue additional challenges at any time. The hybrid program is currently in its third year.

During the first two years of the hybrid program from 2020-2022, math teachers in grades 6-8 reflected on the success of the program and continued to improve their approach.

The team attended professional development together, explored curricular materials to support differentiation, piloted pedagogical approaches, and explored “best practice” curricular materials recommended by research and used by some schools similar to Mark Day. 31

“

The universal agreement is that problem solving is what we do when we don’t know what to do...problem solving is a messy, nonlinear, and idiosyncratic process. Students will get stuck. They will think.

And they will get unstuck.

And when they do, they will learn—they will learn about mathematics, they will learn about themselves, and they will learn how to think.”

BUILDING THINKING CLASSROOMS IN MATHEMATICS BY PETER LILJEDAHL

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During the spring of 2022, Dave encountered the book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics by Peter Liljedahl, which details practices for mathematical thinking collected over a decade of classroom research. Liljedahl’s work aligns so closely with Mark Day School’s long-term transfer goals for math, and the teaching practices outlined in the book immediately appealed to the 6-8 math team. The teachers have been exploring and piloting several practices in Liljedahl’s research this year and have seen greater student engagement and understanding. “The general idea that Liljedahl poses is to reflect on commonly held assumptions about how to teach math and, based on research, systematically keep and amplify only those that produce sustained, sophisticated mathematical thinking,” says Dave.

Through extensive classroom research, Liljedahl and his colleagues learned several things: First, the implementation of alternate workspaces such as vertical whiteboards “produced better results than having students work through thinking tasks in their notebooks while sitting at their desks.” Second, when groupings were randomized daily using a visible form of randomization, students were “more likely to offer an idea” and showed a “greater willingness to collaborate…[and] increased enthusiasm for mathematics learning.” Liljedahl states, “In the fifteen years that I have been engaged in the thinking classroom research, nothing we have tried has had such a

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positive and profound effect on student thinking as having them work in random groups at vertical whiteboards.”

“Soon after implementing more whiteboards and random groups, I noticed more engagement from students,” says Beth Bonzell, who teaches math to 6th and 7th graders. “They were more willing to take on a problem that they didn’t know how to solve, whereas before, they were more likely to leave it blank.”

Students can also more easily view their peers’ work, which can provide inspiration for their own. Amy Zimmer, who teaches 7th and 8th grade math and has previous experience with Liljedahl’s work, also likes to implement a gallery walk after students complete their work so they can learn from each other. “During a gallery walk, I can point out the different complexities and what I want them to take away from it,” says Amy. “It’s really important that they don’t erase any work so we can see a progression of their work. It gives them more ownership of their learning.”

“We continue to hold a strong commitment to depth over breadth and developing the skills and mindsets for our students to succeed in advanced mathematics in high school and beyond,” says Dave. “Our practice has always been to improve our curriculum from a position of strength. I am thrilled to see more students taking on more challenging thinking tasks than ever before in the upper grades.”

Mark Day School’s Long-Term Transfer Goals: K-8 Math

Students will independently use their learning to:

Apply creative mathematical problem solving in both theoretical and real world contexts.

Identify and seek opportunities to use mathematics, including in connection with other disciplines.

Persevere in solving novel problems by employing a variety of mathematical tools and strategies.

Communicate and critique mathematical thinking and reasoning in a variety of forms.

Collect and analyze data and develop and apply mathematical models to make decisions, draw conclusions, and solve problems.

THE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, & JUSTICE

7 FACULTY-DEVELOPED PRINCIPLES AND HOW THEY LIVE IN MARK DAY CLASSROOMS

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hy do diversity and inclusion matter so much? In short, excellence demands them. Head of School Joe Harvey cites economist, mathematician, and professor Scott Page’s work as the grounding for our belief in the value of diversity and inclusion. In essence, Page found that diversity makes complex systems more innovative and robust. Joe says, “The fact is that in the world we live in today, complexity is by far the norm—in classrooms, in work, in life. Page’s research shows that diversity is not just the right thing to do, but the better thing to do if you care about performance.” Page is also very clear that merely having diversity on the team is not enough. Conditions must allow that diversity to have an authentic voice on the team. “This means that inclusion must go hand in hand with diversity to get the full benefit of diversity for all,” says Joe.

At Mark Day, our collective work to become a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, and just community has been ongoing for over a decade. Led by Director of Partnerships, Equity, and Inclusion Fernanda Pernambuco, and supported by Joe and other administrators, this work touches all areas and people at Mark Day; it is evident in faculty professional development, school policies, and classroom practices. And last spring, Bonnie Nishihara, Assistant Head and Director of Educational Design and Innovation, and Fernanda developed a set of essential principles that continue to drive this work forward in important ways.

We modeled our work on essential principles of diverse and equitable classrooms on similar work we had done to develop “nonnegotiables of differentiation” several years earlier. In the spring of 2022, the faculty and staff welcomed educational

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consultant and coach Liza Gleason for a full-day professional development session.

Educators have long recognized that we bring all elements of our identities into the classroom, whether consciously or subconsciously. Our professional backgrounds, our learning styles, our own experiences with education, our training—all of it comes into play. Liza facilitated a workshop that sparked deeper discussions about how teachers’ racial and ethnic identities impact our work in our classrooms. She posed the question: “Given what we know about how our racial identity plays a role in what we do in our classroom, what are some things we can agree on as a school in order to be a diverse, inclusive, and just classroom space?”

In a multi-step process that spanned several months, faculty and staff brainstormed ideas and then sharpened those ideas into a list of seven essential principles that convey the nonnegotiables of a learning environment

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rooted in diversity and inclusion. “Having a common language across the whole school is really important,” says Fernanda.

“We had previous experience creating common language around differentiation in the classroom, and we applied the same model to creating these essential principles for DEIJ.” The essential principles, which follow, are guiding standards. And, true to the way our outstanding faculty shapes their work to meet the particular developmental levels of our students, the way they show up in each grade and classroom may look different—but share the same foundation.

The teacher is engaged in ongoing reflection about their own identity and biases and the influence they have in the classroom.

We must all engage in the work of knowing who we are, including understanding how

our experiences and identities impact how we relate to others and the world around us. There are four levels of this work—personal, interpersonal, institutional, and cultural. Only when we recognize how our own identities and biases show up in the classroom can we help foster a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and just environment for each child.

In a multistep process that spanned several months, faculty and staff brainstormed ideas and then sharpened those ideas into a list of seven essential principles that convey the nonnegotiables of a learning environment rooted in diversity and inclusion.

What it looks like in the classroom As the Director of the Learning Commons, Anna Gonzalez challenges herself to examine her own identity and biases. “I am constantly aware that while I’m naturally in a position of authority as the teacher, I may not know everything,” she says.

“But I try to learn from the sources I have available and recognize that it’s my responsibility to keep trying.” Like many teachers, she at times teaches lessons that require her to stand at the front of the room and wear a FrontRow microphone to ensure all of her students can clearly hear her speak. Anna brings awareness of this format to students in order to examine how this hierarchical structure impacts relationships and learning and to create space for students to step into the role of being “the expert” in appropriate moments. “Sometimes, students are going to have more information than I do, and it’s important to honor and respect that,” she says.

Some of the most innovative classroom work emerges from collaborations as well as from curriculum that is designed, revised, and extended over time as teachers with new perspectives—often with different identities—build on the work of teachers who have come before them. For many years, the 7th grade history curriculum at Mark Day has included a unit exploring Africa and African colonialism. As part of the unit, students watch the movie Black Panther and analyze the film based on their learning. For a couple of years, the 7th grade Deep Dive program also included a

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“

It can be helpful for students who are just starting to explore their own identities to have an adult perspective on how that may change throughout different parts of life. There’s no right or wrong way to go through the process of figuring out who you are.”

mini-course that built upon the Black Panther unit and brought Afrofuturism to the small number of students who elected to take it.

When Leila Sinclaire began teaching history to 7th graders at Mark Day, she brought 20 years of independent school teaching experience, identity work, and self-reflection as a white educator to her approach to curriculum design.

For years, she’d wanted to attend the National Association of Independent School’s People of Color Conference (PoCC) primarily to gain inspiration and confidence to teach lessons like colonialism and West African kingdoms.

When PoCC became virtual last year due to COVID, Leila jumped at the opportunity to attend—this time to work on deepening students’ learning around Black Panther.

Leila introduced Afrofuturism as part of the curriculum that every student experiences as a lens through which to view Black Panther.

As a 7th grade English teacher, she also invited guest speaker Solange Jacobs to campus to talk about growing up in South Africa with an activist mother and organized a field trip for all 7th graders to visit San Francisco’s Museum of the African Diaspora to view the New Black Vanguard exhibition of fashion photography.

Leila credits her learning at PoCC with giving her the confidence to expand this 7th grade unit and contribute to a multi-faculty collaboration across several years.

Learning Specialist Dana Dacus-Hare is particularly aware of her own racial identity in an environment where there aren’t many others who share that same racial identity.

Seeking out others with whom she can have conversations about potential perceived biases and work through them has been an important part of her process of learning and embracing her own identity. “I’m grateful to work with Fernanda Pernambuco and Anna Gonzalez,” says Dana. “We’ve done a lot of work reflecting on our own racial identities and how we might want to share that with students here.” For Dana, that work led her to volunteer for a leadership role in Upper Division affinity groups.

“As a mixed race individual, I firmly believe that I should be the one to claim my identity and my journey,” she says. “It can be helpful for

students who are just starting to explore their own identities to have an adult perspective on how that may change throughout different parts of life. There’s no right or wrong way to go through the process of figuring out who you are.” Dana hopes to continue to be a mentor and source of support for students seeking affirmation of their own identities.

Teachers and students have a growth mindset.

We are a community of lifelong learners. The world around us is constantly changing, and so must our skills. When a student makes a mistake or is exploring a new area of growth, we teach them to say, “I don’t know that yet,” and Mark Day faculty and staff adhere to the same mindset. We are always in learning mode as adults alongside students.

What it looks like in the classroom From day one in Kindergarten, students learn the power of yet. “Many students enter Kindergarten reluctant to try new things because they don’t want to make a mistake,” says Jennifer Southern, Kindergarten Teacher. “At first, when they face something new, they have a tendency to say they “can’t” do it. But through role playing and role modeling, we teach them that they don’t know yet.” Perseverance, teamwork, and trying their best is embedded in class every day, whether they’re learning new sight words, playing math games, or reading books like The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes

by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein and Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak. When it comes to reading in particular, Jennifer says, “Learning to read is like learning to ride a bike.

We all learn at different times, at our own pace.

It’s not a competition.” Drawing is another activity students tend to label with “can” and “can’t.” Jennifer and the other Kindergarten teachers encourage students by breaking down the steps into manageable parts, cheering them on, and creating an excitement around learning. Establishing a safe environment for students to understand that mistakes are part of the learning process encourages students to continually seek greater challenges as lifelong

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learners.

In the Creativity Lab, growth mindset is a constant—and required—presence. It’s a place where every student comes in with a new idea and regularly interacts with unfamiliar tools in unfamiliar ways. Tinkerer and Garden Teacher David St. Martin recalls a student recently visiting the Creativity Lab during lunch. “Can we print this on the 3D printer?” the student asked with a big smile as he held up a model car. “He came back several days in a row to make modifications to his design and try printing again until he got it right,” says David. “That’s a growth mindset—persevering through challenges or roadblocks until, eventually, you get to where you want to be. And we see that over and over again in this learning space.” And it’s not just for students—teachers, too, willingly collaborate on projects in the Creativity Lab. “I’ve never met a teacher who just wanted us to tackle the project without any sort of involvement,” says David. He also thinks about the winter “Holiday Make” event when faculty and staff are invited for an after-school gathering during which they can make gifts for family and friends using the same tools and resources students use. “Sometimes they, too, have that negative self-talk and need to overcome it in order to achieve whatever it is they want to do. But they’re willing to try and they want to know what their students know, even if it’s hard.”

“It’s not magic, it’s just practice,” says Art Teacher Karen Klier. In her classroom, a growth mindset is just as important as any other artist’s tool. As in other subjects, students have a tendency to categorize themselves as “good at art” or “not good at art.’”But Karen encourages students to see the creation of art as a process—it’s something you try on and keep working at. “I see a growth mindset as being able to weather the bumpy roads of learning—because there will be bumpy roads,” says Karen. “It just means something new is happening.” She also points out that students may be at different stages; if a student possesses advanced skill, it’s because that student practices in their free time—they worked hard to improve.

It didn’t simply happen overnight.

The classroom environment, learning materials, and curriculum all provide students with diverse perspectives that include both windows and mirrors.

We want students to see themselves reflected across the curriculum—in the books they read, the videos they watch, and the stories they hear. These are called mirrors, and they are an integral part of feeling seen as a member of the community. We also want students to learn about people, cultures, and traditions that are not their own. These windows into different parts of the world are crucial to developing empathy and curiosity.

What it looks like in the classroom Students at Mark Day are first introduced to the idea of windows and mirrors during the 1st grade immigration unit. “It’s important for students, at an age-appropriate level, to understand themselves and how others may see them,” says Fernanda.

“They start to learn that we can come from different backgrounds and perspectives, and we may look different, but each person and each group deserves mutual respect and value.” Students begin by examining the different reasons why people come to America, both past and present, and what that transition has meant for different people. They then examine their own family heritage and draw a flag representing their own identities. “The flags are displayed in the classroom, and kids love to see the similarities and differences in our classroom community,” says Lisa Becker, 1st grade teacher.

Students visit the Creativity Lab to make two sets of bookmarks—one that represents a window and one that represents a mirror. As they read a variety of books, students are asked to consider whether the story, photos, characters, and other details represent a window or a mirror. The class also welcomes family members and faculty/staff members at Mark Day to share their experiences immigrating to America. “It’s great for students to have a personal connection or touchpoint to someone who immigrated,” says Lisa. “They build experience asking questions and wondering what

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it might feel like to immigrate.”

Identity is also a central theme in 5th grade curriculum. It starts with students exploring their own identities and then expands outward to learning more about others—including historical figures and those who are underrepresented in our community. Fifth graders study American history through the lens of these different identities and perspectives. “In order to understand our own identities as Americans, we need to understand the stories of our ancestors and fellow Americans,” says Mike Sinclaire, 5th Grade Teacher.

Students learn about slavery while reading the novel Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson and researching black women in history. They examine “coming to America” stories and how those stories impact and define identity. Students also have the opportunity to share with the class how various cultural traditions are alive in their own families today.

Each student’s whole and multifaceted identity is seen and honored by themselves, their peers and their teachers.

As humans, we are complex. We have intersectionalities that mean we are more than a single bucket or category. For both adults and students, it’s important to acknowledge these complexities and feel proud of them, which includes sharing them with peers and teachers.

What it looks like in the classroom A common thread for students who struggle with their own neurodiversity is that they don’t feel like they fit the typical mold of the student. These students may feel outside the norm, and that’s one part of the conversation during one-on-one and small group Learning Specialist sessions. “We talk to them about their strengths and encourage them to see their neurodiversity as a challenge with a system—not a weakness,” says Dana Dacus-Hare, Learning Specialist.

Learning how to use their strengths to overcome challenges they might face and create strategies that will work for them is an important part of their growth. Dana continues, “A gift for the kids we work with is that they know themselves so well—they know what they do well and what is hard for them. Those challenges can be painful but through that process, they get to know who they are.” They also build habits and mindsets that serve them well when they face 43

other kinds of challenges in the future.

Since the middle school expansion in 2018, the first few weeks of school in 6th grade are full of important moments for building connections between students.

This year, 6th grade English and homeroom teacher Kevin Jacobson was new to Mark Day as well. To help facilitate getting to know one another, Kevin introduced a new activity at the beginning of the year.

Students perused National Geographic magazines for images that resonated with their identity and created an “All About Me” collage. “I created one about myself and modeled it for them,” says Kevin. The collage represented interests, hobbies, and passions and was accompanied by the first writing assignment of the year—to produce an “artist’s statement.” Students examined professional artist’s statements to better understand their format and content. Then, students were invited to bring in a cultural artifact and explain to the class what it is and why it’s important to them.

“It’s similar to show-and-tell from younger grades,” says Kevin. “It serves as a window into their peers’ cultures and identities and also sparks conversations about how we define culture.”

Diversity in style, skill, and cultural background is celebrated in music—not just in class at Mark Day but around the globe. Cultural and individual identities are central to creation and collaboration. At the start of each year, music teacher Brian Wilkerson communicates that every student has a role and that every role is important. “Students come into 4th grade possessing a range of musical skills and interests,” says Brian. “Some have experience playing different instruments, some are passionate about a certain type of music, and others may be complete beginners.

But they all find a place in music class where they feel valued.” Especially in 5th grade when students study blues and jazz—musical styles that value free expression and improvisation—they learn to become more comfortable bringing their own personalities to what they create. When it comes to performances, some students volunteer for solos and others prefer to perform in the ensemble—and all of them contribute to the success of the show.

In 4th grade, students read the novel The First Rule of Punk by Celia Perez, a story about a girl learning to take pride in all aspects of her identity, particularly her Mexican-American heritage. Through her perspective, students see how she struggles with identity issues

related to fitting in at school while learning to honor her unique cultural heritage. It’s a potent example as 4th graders examine their own sense of self through a variety of classroom activities and projects. For example, students make their own ‘zine,’ a handmade mini-magazine, inspired by the one created by the book’s main character, Maria Luisa, to express herself and her struggles. Students reflect on who they are while creating their ‘zines and consider aspects of their own self-identities that might evolve as they grow older. They also examine what it means to be ‘punk’ by looking at stereotypes and images associated with the word. “Their definition of the word changes greatly throughout this thematic unit,” says Sam Blattner, 4th grade teacher. “They learn that it really means being true to yourself.”

The classroom is a safe space for all students and also one in which all students expect to feel discomfort as part of the learning process.

What it looks like in the classroom Developmentally, 3rd grade is a year when students are trying new things on a regular basis. Whether it’s engaging in class discussions or reading about controversial characters or learning about fractions, 3rd graders must confront the challenges that come with the unfamiliar. Particularly in math, students are introduced to many new concepts. “Even confident math students have moments where they don’t get it, and it’s a new experience for them,” says Courtney Coghlan, 3rd Grade Teacher. “We talk about pushing through the discomfort of frustration and understanding it as an important part of learning.”

Courtney often compares it to learning how to ride a bike. “None of them sat on a two-wheeler and rode into the sunset the first time,” she says. “They fell, had to ask for help, and practiced and then one day—off they went. The same is true for learning new concepts like fractions.” Depending on what they are learning, different students will feel discomfort at different

“Even strong math students have moments where they don’t get it, and it’s a new experience for them. We talk about pushing through the discomfort of frustration and understanding it as an important part of learning.”

Simply put, discomfort is a necessary part of learning and living in a community. Sometimes we disagree.

Sometimes our opinions and values diverge, and we must learn how to continue to collaborate and befriend and live side-by-side. We must learn how to have difficult conversations with empathy and contribute to a safe space even when feelings are charged.

It’s also important that the sense of discomfort is temporary and that it’s part of growing and learning, with every student experiencing discomfort at some point in their learning.

times, and have the opportunity to practice empathy with their peers. While they begin to understand that one thing that may be hard for them isn’t hard for their friend or vice versa, they also start to learn that ideas and opinions may diverge as well. “We don’t all think the same way, and I want students to learn how to feel safe in a conversation and a friendship while disagreeing,” says Courtney. “It makes for a more interesting class and community when we bring different things to the table.”

In a 7th grade Literacies Block unit on health and wellness, students learn about and discuss mental 44

health. Topics include anxiety, depression, and neurodiversity. “These topics can bring up a fair amount of discomfort in people,” says Heather Rael, School Counselor. Students are encouraged to lean into the discomfort that may arise and even share their own experiences if they feel moved to do so. They also talk about the stigma around mental health, how it’s perpetuated, and how they themselves can stop it.

Students may even feel some discomfort realizing they have unintentionally contributed to the perpetuation of this stigma, and have the opportunity to make positive changes moving forward. “I try to make the classroom a safe space to have these conversations by emphasizing the expectations of respect at the beginning of class and also talking about my own experiences and the mistakes I’ve made,” says Heather.

“I also want to give them resources so they can feel like help is out there, for themselves or for someone they know.”

In drama, vulnerability, which can be quite uncomfortable, is a required part of participation. It can be nerve-wracking standing up in front of an audience to speak or act, and Drama Teacher Kim Danforth ensures the classroom is a safe space. “It’s so important that kids are allowed to speak their truth and make mistakes without judgment or criticism,” says Kim. “In my class, they know their audience is not going to laugh or poke fun at them. They will be respectful to their peers who are on stage, and that helps students become more comfortable taking chances.”

Every student effectively uses their voice and listens to the voices of others in different ways and at different times.

A classroom space is a place where we can all share opinions and feelings—and in different ways. We are a diverse group of learners and want to create space for everyone to feel safe to speak up, whether it’s verbally or non-verbally, in a large group or a one-on-one conversation. We all have different styles of sharing and want to honor all of our different voices.

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What it looks like in the classroom One of Mark Day’s most beloved traditions is gathering twice weekly for all-school assemblies. There are many reasons why these moments carry high value, including fostering community connection, providing opportunities for students to practice public speaking, and informing students, faculty/staff, and parents/guardians about upcoming events. It’s also a moment when all students practice both speaking and listening. The opportunity to stand at the microphone to share what they’ve learned, tell a joke, or make an announcement is shared across students K-8 in their time here. And those in the audience practice active listening and honoring the person standing at the microphone.

In the Upper School in particular, students are provided with different ways to participate in class.

For example, some students who are more shy may be more comfortable writing down their thoughts, whereas another student might more effectively share by raising their hand. Students in the Upper School may engage in individual writing, small group conversations, whole class discussions, and gallery walks to ensure that every student gets to practice sharing their voice.

For 2nd Grade Teachers Yolanda Ferguson and Maritza Gutierrez, creating a classroom with mutual respect, compassion, and kindness is a daily objective.

Students practice listening to one another in a variety of settings, including small group work and whole-class discussions. “When we’re talking about something as a class, Maritza and I will practice ‘wait time,’ which means that we don’t immediately call on students with their hands up,” says Yolanda. “We give them time to process what we’re saying, and also give other students a chance to join in the conversation.”

Yolanda and Maritza also keep track of who speaks up in class to make sure everyone has a chance for their voice to be heard. They also typically start the day with a morning meeting, which is a common practice

in grades K-5. Based on Responsive Classroom, which is a student-centered and SEL-based approach to teaching, morning meetings serve several important purposes: to create a strong classroom community, to help students establish a sense of belonging, and to have fun. Students sit in a circle where they can see one another and practice greetings, review the morning message, and participate in a group activity that prepares students to learn socially and academically.

It’s also a moment for students to take turns talking and listening, and learning to respect different voices in the class. They build confidence speaking in front of a group and practice social skills like listening, inclusion, and how to be an active participant in different ways.

Each person is treated with empathy and respect regardless of differences of ideas, beliefs, and ways of thinking, which are sought after and valued as part of the learning process.

One of Ibram X. Kendi’s concepts is that there is no such thing as a “racist person,” but rather racist ideas and systems. Being able to separate an idea from the person expressing it is an important step in learning to collaborate alongside difference. We can disagree with a person’s idea but still treat that person with respect. We benefit from seeking a spectrum of ideas.

At Mark Day different ideas are valued as part of the learning process—we need and actively pursue that diversity of thinking in our classroom spaces. In a safe space where they know they will be respected by their peers, students will be more likely to speak about their differences.

the conversation if necessary. Listening, empathy, and accepting differences are important components of creating an environment where students can discuss with respect and learn from each other.

In January, faculty and staff participated in a professional development day that involved confronting the reality that sometimes, students express ideas that may harm certain students or groups of people in our community. “Even though we treat everyone with empathy, some ideas are harmful and need to be interrupted,” says Fernanda. “It can be uncomfortable to interrupt, pause, or question students when this happens, especially if there isn’t mal intent.” During one exercise, teachers were given conversation stems to consider when they encounter these situations and then practiced role playing with a peer. Being equipped with these tools and being able to try them on in a safe space themselves helps teachers build their capacity to differentiate between the discomfort necessary for learning and a lack of safety that can harm learning.

Seeking ways to make space for the diversity we each bring to Mark Day will continue to be one of our priorities as a school. We have said before, and truly believe, that diversity is a prerequisite for an excellent education. We all benefit—students, teachers, parents, and guardians—from a more diverse and inclusive community.

What it looks like in the classroom Often, this principle arises in conversations between students outside of the curriculum. For example, when students discuss varied opinions or beliefs about holidays their family celebrates or vaccination statuses. When these conversations come up organically between students, teachers may step in to help guide

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REUNINITING WITH

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KLIPTOWN YOUTH PROGRAM

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n March 2023, we were thrilled to welcome a delegation of seven students and five adults from our partner Kliptown Youth Program (KYP) in South Africa. While we were able to keep much of our KYP partnership alive via Zoom over the past few years, we were excited to see this delegation in person for the first time since 2020. Students in the delegation ranged in age from 11 to 16, and the adults included three administrators and a college student and tutor, both studying to become teachers.

When engaging in these intentional partnerships, the goal is to consider what we bring to the table and also what we can learn.

“Developing long-lasting relationships is crucial to be able to learn who they are and how we can better connect,” says Fernanda Pernambuco, Director of Partnerships, Equity and Inclusion.

“It’s important for all our students across K-8 to have the opportunity to get to know and learn alongside our South African partners.” Thando Bezana, who is a former artist-in-residence at Mark Day, Thulani Madondo, and Nene Walaza spent quite a bit of time in our arts department, working with students on drumming, gumboot dancing, Ndebele house painting, and traditional South African dancing. Both adults and students from the delegation also engaged in activities in classrooms across K-8, including storytelling in Kindergarten, comparing the gold rush in South Africa with the study of the California gold rush in 4th grade, discussing apartheid in 5th grade, and talking about Afrofuturism in 7th grade.

Reciprocal in nature, the partnership extends to all members of our community. During this visit, KYP was interested in learning more about fundraising and met with Mark Day’s Director of Development Wendy Levine to exchange ideas and attended the Spring Fundraiser on April 1st. Parents and guardians also had an opportunity to get to know our partners through adult drumming 50

lessons, a conversation about the history of our partnership led by Thulani, assembly performances, and a special reunion for those who have participated in a past delegation. “We’re also in the process of exploring a teacher intern program here at Mark Day to support young teachers’ growth at KYP,” says Fernanda, noting the ongoing desire to maintain and expand our reciprocal relationship.

Our partnership with KYP reaches back to 2002, when former Director of Global and Special Programs Jenny Getz met with a few teachers and administrators from eSibonisweni Primary School, which serves a large area in rural northeast South Africa. Their conversation that day explored the idea of a relationship between our two schools that, while partly philanthropic in nature, could grow into an educational partnership. In 2012, we started our partnership with KYP, an after school program where students get support with academics (tutoring) and enrichment activities (music, theater, dance, and sports) as well as school uniforms and food. It is a wraparound program for students who live in Kliptown, a part of Soweto in Johannesburg. Having partners in both rural and urban areas in South Africa helps give our students multiple stories of people living in that country. Since 2004, we have organized delegations to South Africa to visit both KYP and eSibonisweni every other year.

We are excited to send two large delegations of Mark Day families, faculty, and staff to visit both eSibonisweni and KYP this summer.

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“Developing long-lasting relationships is crucial to be able to learn who they are and how we can better connect.”

Top: Lele and Buhle work with Mr. Karter to make customized water bottles using the laser cutter. Left: Thando talks to 5th graders about apartheid.

Right: Student Thando plays chess with an 8th grader.

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doluptatem sam latem quis volupta dis eaquae venis eos Thedolupid KYP delegation performs et litem volor traditional songs and dances at a porerum vit dolore, assembly on March opta 24.

Lonwabo performs with Kindergartners and 1st graders at asssembly.

Thando teaches drumming to parents and guardians.

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Lonwabo and 6th grader Bella R. in science class.

It’s important for all our students across K-8 to have the opportunity to get to know and learn alongside our South African partners.

Top: Thulani and Tshepang work with students on a Ndebele painting.

Right: 4th graders perform gumboot dancing with Donald at assembly.

Thando works with 6th graders to prepare for their assembly performance.

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LAUNCHING THE 8TH GRADE CAPSTONE PROJECT

STUDENTS APPLY WHAT THEY’VE LEARNED ABOUT LEARNING TO PURSUE A PASSION

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As much as possible, we want to give students age-appropriate opportunities to drive their own learning through choice and natural interest. It’s evident in daily classroom routines like offering students a number of different ways to study materials— individually or in a small group, for example—and more intensive projects like the 7th grade Deep Dive.

As students enter the 8th grade, they are ready to take more ownership of their own learning, build upon the wide range of skills they have gained thus far, and become leaders among the student body. In many ways, it’s a culmination of their time here. There are a number of exciting milestones for 8th graders in the second semester before graduation, including Media Literacy Week and the spring Outdoor Ed journey.

“

Starting in 2017, Dave and the Upper Division faculty engaged in a multi-year design thinking process to flesh out what an 8th grade Capstone Project might look like. Their work involved joining the National Capstone Consortium, a

I have struggled with the mental side of running and I want to know how professionals deal with that aspect of it because I want to improve on it.”

FARAH A.

Driving Question: Why is running so mentally challenging and how do we deal with the challenges?

And, for nearly a decade, Upper Division faculty have been investigating how to make the second semester of 8th grade even better. “In the spring semester of eighth grade, one of our main goals is to keep students engaged and invested through the rest of the year,” says Dave Hickman, Head of Grades 5-8. “By January, students who are applying to independent high schools are finished with their applications and 8th graders are generally not as motivated by

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their grades.” The faculty’s guiding vision included questions like: “Because we know that 8th graders look for meaningful personal experience, how might we offer a connection between their passions and their accumulated skills?” and “Because we know students are going to need to take even more control of their learning as they move on to high school, how might we help them create and produce an independent passion project and develop advanced research skills?” What emerged from this thinking was the concept of an 8th grade Capstone Project.

peer-to-peer organization of educators in middle and elementary schools across the country who offer capstone projects. At its annual conference, Dave and several faculty members attended workshops and had the chance to ask important questions to educators who were much farther along in the process. They also spoke to educators at other schools who had developed capstone projects specifically for 8th graders.

During the 2018-2019 school year, the small

My Capstone project is giving me an opportunity to combine my interest in writing with learning more about a health issue that affects me. I want to learn more about my disease, about writing, and about time management in a more structured way.”

ELLAH K.

Driving Question: How can I share my experience with a health issue in a captivating and accurate way?

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“Our job is not to prepare students for something; our job is to help students prepare themselves for anything.”

JOHN SPENCER & AJ JULIAN, EMPOWER: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN STUDENTS OWN THEIR OWN LEARNING

committee of faculty members, plus Dave, had completed enough planning to begin communicating to families about it. By the following year, they had a fully built prototype that included a timeline, goals, deliverables, scope, and roles for Upper Division faculty.

And then, the pandemic hit. “We could have launched in the spring of 2020,” Dave recalls.

“But, though we didn’t know it at the time, the next couple of years would be focused on educating students in conjunction with ever-changing health and safety protocols. The Capstone Project had to wait.” By spring 2022, enough of the Upper Division faculty had changed that Dave had to re-introduce the capstone work. At that time, they aimed to launch in January of 2023.

On January 17, 2023, the 8th grade Capstone Project launched with an info session for students, including as keynote speakers two Mark

Day alumni—Callum Brown ‘19 and Alison Savage-Brooks ‘15—who spoke about the process of turning a passion or interest into an independent project. “We told students that for the first time ever, no one is going to give you the topic,” says Dave. “They get to be in charge of what it’s all about.”

There were, of course, parameters to help keep students on track, such as a formal process for submitting proposals, deadlines, a mentor, and a final product. Students had a fully fleshed out topic by the end of January, conducted research in February and March, and worked on final product development in April. They gave their final presentations to the wider community in April, which included a Capstone Expo to showcase all of the projects at once.

We are excited to continue to develop and hone the process for future 8th graders at Mark Day School.

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I’ve always been interested in our future and new advancements that are happening. My goal is to be able to better navigate the challenges of the economy and learn how to be more successful in my life.”

KAINOA H.

Driving Question: How will the economy of our world change in the future?

I really enjoy photography and how much it impacts the way people see things.

I want to make other people see climate change in a different light because some people don’t believe it exists or that it’s damaging our Earth.”

KATIE L.

Driving Question: How can I raise awareness of climate change through photography?

BACKSTAGE PASS MARK DAY SCHOOL’S THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS 2022-23 ALICE IN WONDERLAND Photos by Jessica Lifland & Rebecca Li

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NEWSIES Photos by Mark Glasser & Ethan Kaplan

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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 five alumni to talk about what they’ve been up to since they graduated Mark Day School years—and decades—ago.

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Marielle Lyons CLASS OF 2013

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“I graduated from Mark Day (then called Saint Mark’s) in 2013 with a curiosity about the world and a desire to understand my place in it. My desire to be a culturally aware, global citizen is rooted in my experiences at Mark Day. With its international sister school partnerships and its fundamental value of multicultural education, Mark Day shaped my own personal values and life goals.

For high school, I attended Marin Academy, further developing my appreciation and love for the Spanish language and how it connects me to people of different cultures. During the summer between my sophomore and junior year, I solo-traveled to Costa Rica and stayed with a host family whose children attended Mark Day’s partner school, the Pan-American School. They hosted me for three weeks, during which I completely immersed myself in Costa Rican culture: I practiced speaking Spanish and playing volleyball with fellow high schoolers, helped young primary students with their English skills, and enjoyed traditional food. After this formative experience, I realized how important language is as a tool to connect and collaborate with cultures different from my own.

After high school, I attended Occidental College in Los Angeles where I continued following my interest in language learning and multicultural education. At Occidental, I majored in Spanish and Sociology, with a concentration in immigration. For my Sociology senior thesis, I interviewed authorized immigrants from different parts of Latin America in Spanish and English to understand integration in the United States.

Studying the immigrant experience has allowed me to make sense of society today and create solutions to eliminate injustices experienced by immigrant communities.

In the spring of 2020, I took advantage of Occidental’s study abroad opportunity and traveled to Santiago, Chile, in hopes of improving my Spanish skills and learning about Chilean culture. But, when the pandemic hit, I was headed for home three weeks after I arrived. Fortunately, I finished my internship with a Chilean immigrant nonprofit and my semester online (with all my classes in Spanish). I’m grateful for that experience because it gave me a preview of what it is like to fully immerse myself in a Spanish-speaking culture.

After Occidental, I returned to Mark Day with a strong passion for language and cultural education. I worked in the Spanish language classrooms and as the assistant to Director of Partnerships, Equity and Inclusion Fernanda Pernambuco. Still, I aspired to travel abroad and cultivate a sense of global citizenship, so I applied and was accepted to the Fulbright Program’s English Teaching Assistant grant in Spain.

Currently, I’m living and teaching English in La Rioja, Spain, and I am learning about what it means to be a foreigner and U.S. cultural ambassador. I’ve gotten involved in my local community through intercambios (language exchanges), playing on Logroño’s club volleyball team, and making Spanish friends.

I’m incredibly thankful for this once-in-a-lifetime experience and for all the support I’ve received from my parents, friends, mentors at Occidental, and coworkers/previous teachers at Mark Day. As of right now, the future is unclear for me, but I am confident that my passions and personal values will continue to guide me towards living a life filled with frequent Spanish language interactions and cultural exchanges with others throughout this world.”

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Miguel Delgado CLASS OF 2011

Miguel Delgado ‘11 knew he wanted to be a professional golfer at a young age. He remembers when the middle school golf league was created at Mark Day, which gave him the opportunity to sharpen his skills after school. “By the time I left Saint Mark’s, it was evident that golf was my sport,” says Miguel. “I saw success at an early age and was determined to accomplish the same at the high school level.”

Following his K-8 years at Mark Day, Miguel attended The Branson School, where he focused on improving his golf game as much as possible and was named MCAL Player of the Year during his final three seasons at Branson. When he was a junior, he accepted a scholarship to play golf at Notre Dame. But when he arrived in the fall of 2015, continued success didn’t come as easily as he’d expected. “I was in unfamiliar territory and had a really hard time not being one of the best,” he explains. “I didn’t respond to the adversity with the determination and grit that was required at that level. My first two years at Notre Dame I was stuck in a tailspin with my golf game. It became a difficult time in life that I am still learning from today.”

Growing up, Miguel’s mom had always encouraged Miguel and his family to be active in serving the community. While he struggled with his golf game, he started to get involved with local elementary schools in South Bend, Indiana. The experience inspired him to work at an orphanage in Haiti in the summer between his sophomore and junior year. Miguel explains, “I will never forget the simple things that made the Haitian orphans smile and laugh. I will also never forget how similar these children were to the ones in South Bend.” When he returned, he immediately supplemented his major in finance with a minor in poverty studies. The perspective he gained abroad, along with a new head coach and training staff at Notre Dame, gave him the extra push to dive back into golf with renewed determination.

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When he graduated from Notre Dame in 2019, Miguel followed his passion and joined the Asian Tour at the beginning of 2020—before the pandemic shut it down. For Miguel, COVID gave him the opportunity to step back. “I’ve never been much of a musical talent but I was able to teach myself the ukulele,” he says. “I’ve also really become an avid reader the last couple of years.” When golf eventually resumed, Miguel found himself once again facing the challenge of finding his edge. “The thing that has helped me the most is understanding the importance of a team,” he says. “Being resourceful and surrounding yourself with the right people is essential to success at any level.”

When he thinks about his time at Mark Day, it’s his friendships that come to mind. “The friendships I made at Saint Mark’s are the strongest ones I have,” he says. “These are the friends that I consider family; I don’t remember life without them.” He also has fond memories of “Mr. Orwig scaring me into running as fast as I could. I am positive that the way he pushed me and my peers had a positive impact on our athletic careers.”

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Ashley Eagle-Gibbs CLASS OF 1996

Following her time at Mark Day, Ashley spent two years at San Domenico before completing high school at the Environmental Science Academy at Archie Williams High School. She went on to earn a BA in Comparative Sociology from the University of Puget Sound, with minors in French and Environmental Studies. Ashley graduated with Certificates of Specialization in Public Interest and Environmental Law with Distinction from Golden Gate University School of Law. “I knew I wanted to do something in the environmental field, and I was also inspired by civil rights law,” Ashley explains.

West Marin.” Ashley says, “I enjoy working at the intersection between law and policy. I feel privileged to be working to protect the County where I grew up.”

Ashley is currently the Legal and Policy Director at the Environmental Action Committee of West Marin (EAC), which is based in Point Reyes Station. “I advocate on the local and state level on a number of different policy issues including coastal resiliency, coastal resource protection, biodiversity, and protection of public lands,” says Ashley. The EAC was established in 1971 and its mission is to “protect and sustain the unique lands, waters, and biodiversity of

When she thinks about her time at Mark Day, she remembers most notably the outdoor education and travel experiences, including a trip to France and Spain in 7th grade. “I even went back to chaperone a 6th grade outdoor ed trip to Pinnacles many years later,” says Ashley. She credits many of her teachers for pushing her to become more academic.

She lives in Fairfax with her husband, who is a high school science teacher, and their eight-year-old twin boys. Ashley enjoys cooking, hiking, volunteering, camping, snowboarding, reading, and more. She’s also a Wilderness First Responder, which was inspired by her experiences leading orientation, backpacking, and other outdoor trips during college and beyond.

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Dylan Woodhead CLASS OF 2012

After Dylan graduated from Mark Day in 2012, he attended Archie Williams High School, where he discovered his passion for engineering and design alongside athletics. “The academic tools and study habits I developed at Mark Day allowed me to learn and grow in high school,” says Dylan.

He landed at Stanford University in the fall of 2016 with the intent to study mechanical engineering. Throughout his four years at Stanford, Dylan also played on the Men’s Water Polo Team, an experience that culminated in the 2019 National Championship. In the summers, he spent his time traveling and training with Team USA, competing in tournaments in Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia.

Dylan completed his undergraduate degree at Stanford online when the pandemic hit and continued to pursue both his passions for engineering and athletics. “I interned remotely at a small software-focused VC fund and started my first professional 77

water polo season for a club in Athens, Greece,” explains Dylan. In 2021, he made the U.S. Olympic Water Polo team over the summer and began graduate school at Stanford in the fall. Last year, Dylan completed his masters in mechanical engineering and co-founded a startup focused on building a marketplace for athlete-to-athlete private lessons.

He also signed with Vouliagmeni Nautical Club in the fall of 2022, where he is competing today.

Dylan credits his success in multiple fields with the time management skills that help him balance academics and sports. “Growing up with lots of exposure to athletics and extracurriculars helped me learn to value and be efficient with the free time I have,” Dylan says. “I’ve also benefited greatly from being a part of communities that set a high standard for work ethic and supported me through challenging times in both school and the pool.”

Today, you can find Dylan training and working daily in a southern suburb of Athens, Greece. “I

love my life playing professional water polo,” says Dylan. “I’ve been able to travel and explore new experiences, challenge my body and mind to perform at its highest ability, and build relationships with people from around the world.” Dylan also plays water polo alongside his brother Quinn ‘14, and sister Ella, both of whom are members of the USA Water Polo National Team (Men’s and Women’s respectively).

“Competing and winning a championship with my brother Quinn and our family present was an incredible and unforgettable experience,” says Dylan.

“

When he’s not studying, working, or playing water polo, Dylan enjoys being outside surfing, hiking, and swimming.

“I like getting creative in the kitchen, especially when I’m in Europe missing my favorite foods from home,” says Dylan.

He also puts his engineering skills to work to build and design projects both big and small. He’s also recently taken an interest in data analysis, specifically with water polo analytics.

Dylan believes his time at Mark Day helped him acquire the building blocks necessary to succeed in higher education. Specifically, collaborating with peers, setting personal expectations in academic performance, building good study habits, and leaning into a supportive community.

Growing up with lots of exposure to athletics and extracurriculars helped me learn to value and be efficient with the time I have. I’ve also benefited greatly from being a part of communities that set a high standard for work ethic and supported me through challenging times in both school and the pool.”

Emily Shulman Guttenberg CLASS OF 2004

After graduating in 2004, Emily attended Terra Linda High School and then UCLA, where she majored in anthropology and minored in film. “At that time, I was really interested in cinematography,” she says. “But after working at the T.V. station and in the film equipment office, speaking to graduate students, and doing research about this potential career path, I had a blast but determined it wasn’t the right career for me.”

Following UCLA, Emily entered the workforce determined to find just the right fit for her particular skill set and drive. She worked in post-doctoral research administration at UCSF, at a startup company that published cookbooks for local restaurants, and as a project manager in the IT department of a reading company.

Dissatisfied with what she’d found in the working world, she began studying for the LSAT. Emily explained, “I just wasn’t feeling challenged, and I had actually started UCLA thinking I was pre-law but developed more of a passion for film during those years instead.” The following year, she attended Hastings Law School in San Francisco for her first year and then transferred to Berkeley Law. She graduated Order of the Coif, which signifies the top 10 percent of her class. “I was excited for the challenge that law was going to provide for me, and I was determined to do the best I could,” says Emily.

Considering a move to Japan following graduation and maintaining a focus on intellectual property as her area of expertise, Emily spent a summer at Morris & Foerster’s Tokyo office in their technology transactions department. Even after having been offered the full time position for the Tokyo office, Emily ultimately decided the Bay Area was where she truly wanted to be and took a position in that firm’s San Francisco office in mergers and acquisitions. A short while later, after confirming technology transactions was her desired specialty, she moved to a small, specialized technology transactions law firm in San Francisco.

Working at the small firm, Emily came to realize that despite making it to precisely the position she had always hoped for, law was not what she thought it was going to be. “I loved law school and studying the law, but the actual practice of law was very different,” she says. “It turned out not to be a good match for what I was looking for in terms of work culture and day to day life.” She did not take lightly the decision to pivot away from law. “It was a tough decision, but ultimately a necessary one. I had to be honest about what I really wanted from my career and the types of environments in which I was going to thrive.”

Having been exposed to computer science during the course of her technology transactions practice, Emily believed it could be the fit she was looking for. A mere two weeks after leaving the small law firm, she started teaching herself how to code with the goal of becoming a software engineer. Within that same year, she landed a job at Under Armour, working on the MyFitnessPal app as a software engineer. When the app was acquired by another company, Emily continued in her role and remains there today. She has worked there for over three years and is now a senior software engineer.

Emily currently lives in Marin with her daughter Zoe, who was born last year, husband Marshall, and a corgi named Bucky. She enjoys doing ballet in her free time, which she began as an adult. “I recently made it into pointe shoes, which I’m really proud of,” she says.

When Emily considers her time at Mark Day, she notes how formative those nine years were for her subsequent journey. “It was a solid foundation for the rest of my years in school,” she says.

“The school promoted really good values and also emphasized diversity in interests, which I really appreciated.” She fondly remembers Mike Fargo as her history teacher and his impactful lessons, calling him “one of the best teachers I’ve ever had.”

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ALUMNI NEWS Class of 1997 Anuar Ramirez-Medina ‘97 was selected by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCRSF) to receive the James T. Caleshu Award at the 36th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Dinner. The award recognizes the efforts of an attorney who has made an extraordinary pro bono contribution to the Lawyers’ Committee Legal Services for Entrepreneurs Program. The LSE Program provides free business legal services to low-income individuals who want to start or develop for-profit businesses and certain for-profit businesses committed to community economic development. Anuar is an attorney at Seven Hills Law Firm in Oakland/San Francisco.

Class of 2004 Michelle Markle ‘04 and her husband Jake McConnell welcomed their first child, Isabelle Markle McConnell, into this world on February 23 this year.

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encing her own health issues. Her mission is to help others solve hormone imbalances and irritating digestive issues to revive their energy and metabolism without missing their favorite foods. Combining her lifelong passion for cooking, professional background in the hospitality industry and her clinical experience as a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Alanna has built a growing community resource to share delicious recipes and nutrition resources to empower people to feel comfortable in the kitchen and confident with their healthy lifestyle choices. Check out withthymenutrition.com to learn more and get inspired in the kitchen!

Scott Lamson ‘06 and his wife Mary welcomed their first child, Virginia “Ginny” Lamson, in March.

Class of 2009

Class of 2006

Maria DeSalvo ‘09 has embraced her Marin County roots and joined Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty to assist aspiring homeowners and sellers in the community. She prides herself on her ability to deeply connect with her clients and take a more relational approach versus transactional. Whether looking to buy or sell in Marin or simply connect professionally, please reach out to Maria via email or phone: maria@ mariadesalvo.com or 415 827 6362.

Alanna DeSalvo ‘06 founded her Holistic Nutrition practice, With Thyme Nutrition, in 2019 after experi-

Eva Geisse ‘09 will graduate with her Masters in Teaching and Science Teaching Credential in May,

and recently accepted a job to teach 9th Grade Environmental Science and 10th Grade Biology at Gateway High School in San Francisco.

Class of 2008 Lilly Grinnell ‘08 is an Associate at Wolf Haldenstein New York and practices in a wide range of areas including antitrust law, consumer protection, and securities class and derivative litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Grinnell was an Excelsior Service Fellow at the New York State Department of Financial Services, where she worked on investigations into fraud and regulatory violations of the New York Insurance and Financial Services Laws.

Julia Cassandra (Smith) ‘08 starred as Estrella in the Broadway production of Almost Famous on Broadway. There was a pandemic hiatus, but the show came roaring back in 2022.

Julia and the cast have received rave reviews, and with appearances on Good Morning America in December and the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in January, they continue to receive well-deserved accolades.

Her mom Judy notes, “it was a very small part in Saint Mark’s Fiddler on the Roof as a little kid that got her into live theater!” For more about Julia and see the Good Morning America performance: www. juliacassandra.com.

Class of 2011 Elena Dennis ‘11 started her first year last July as a medical student at Kaiser Permanente School of

Medicine in Pasadena, CA and became a part of the third cohort to enter the school. She says, “I’ve gotten involved on the leadership team for the Pediatrics Interest Group, participated in advocacy work and speaking with California State Senators on behalf of the American College of Physicians and am involved in neonatal and infectious disease research. I’ve been loving my time here so far and want to thank Mark Day for being a key player in my love for higher education in the realm of science and medicine.”

Class of 2012 Caroline Carothers ‘12 is finishing her first year at University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. This summer, she will be working at Wiener Soto Caparrós, a law firm in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Celeste Hoytt ‘12 is completing her degree at Arizona State University after taking time off during the pandemic and is currently finishing an internship in Washington, DC. G.J. Hoytt ‘12 graduated from Ohio State University, Summa Cum Laude in Sports Industry/Business and currently has a contract with ABC News as a news TV Producer.

Dylan Woodhead ‘12 and Quinn Woodhead ‘14 were both named to the Team USA Men’s Water Polo roster for the North Texas New Year’s Showcase last December. Both Woodhead brothers had standout careers at Stanford, where they helped lead the Cardinals to the 2019 NCAA Championship. Dylan now competes in the Greek Water Polo League. Quinn wrapped up his Stanford career this past season as a 82

fifth-year senior and was named to the All-America first team by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches.

Class of 2013

Avery Hinkelman ‘21 and Gabby Reichley ‘21 made first team for MCAL water polo in January.

Sophia Leswing ‘13 graduated from UC Berkeley and now works in New York City and plans to pursue a Masters.

Indigo Prasad ’21 and Norm Lyons, retired Mark Day School Math Specialist of 20 years, collaborated and published a book this February.

The Mind-Stretching Adventures of Anna Lize and Saul Van Chek is targeted to a 4th-6th grade student audience, with the “sweet spot” target audience being 5th graders. The book playfully explores foundational and “moderately advanced” concepts of mathematical probability. It tells a story, in rhyme, of two good friends who play and compete in their daily game of “Spin” (with spinners) to see who will prevail as that day’s mathematical champion! Indigo created all of the illustrations for the book, which is available on Amazon.

Class of 2018

Alumni Faculty & Staff

Jed Harvey ‘18 and his crew from the Marin Rowing Association won the San Diego Crew Classic, the U.S. Rowing Southwest Regional Championship, and the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championship in Sarasota, FL in June 2022.

Ray and Gail Orwig published their second book last fall, Fantastic Serial Sites of California: Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Locations, 1919-1955. Nominated for The Rondo Hatton Hatton Classic Horror Awards and the first of its kind, this guide to California filming sites covers five decades of science fiction, fantasy, and horror in chapter plays. Covering more than 60 serials, many familiar locations are documented, including the rugged terrain of Red Rock Canyon, which served as a stand-in for Saturn in Buck Rogers, the Bronson Caves and Griffith Observatory, which appeared in Flash Gordon, and the famous Iverson Ranch, which appeared in Batman, Superman and many other serials. The reader will also find serials starring Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, Jr. Also covered are the skyscrapers that appeared alongside Captain Marvel in The Adventures of Captain Marvel, the location of the Green Hornet’s apartment and filming locations for five silent serials.

The in-depth storytelling is enhanced by photos of serial memorabilia, postcards, serial descriptions, accurate instructions to locations, notes and more.

The book is available on Amazon.

Marielle Lyons ‘13 was accepted to the U.S. Fulbright Program to be an English teaching assistant at a school in La Rioja, Spain from September 2022 to June 2023. She will serve as a resource person in conversation groups, provide small group tutorials, serve as an attendant in language laboratories, design motivational activities, promote critical and scientific thinking, and give presentations related to American culture at extracurricular events.

Class of 2019 Connor Dickinson ‘19 and Jeremy Tachiki ‘19 made second team for MCAL water polo in January.

Avery Kalafatas ‘19 started the nonprofit Project1life.org, a nonprofit with the primary goal of reducing the number of young adult and teen deaths from illicit prescription drug abuse and fentanyl poisoning. The Mullin family is working together on this crisis after the death of family member Aidan Mullin in 2020.

Noah Layney ‘19 is headed to the University of Miami, where he will be a freshman this fall.

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Class of 2021

COLLEGE MATRICULATION

HIGH SCHOOL MATRICULATION

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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.