Crimson Mor r istow n-Bear d School M agazine
Fall 2016
A Future That Knows No Bounds Transforming our Future Campaign Update Advanced Seminars Challenge Young Minds Mars Project Wins National Award
Morristown-Beard School
Crimson
Fall 2016
Board of Trustees Michael Ranger, President Paolo Cucchi, Vice President John F. Fay, Vice President Thompson D. Grant, Jr. ’69, Treasurer Judy Taggart, Secretary Peter J. Caldwell, Headmaster Bernadette Aiello Joseph B. Baker ’65 Mary-Ellen Campbell (Honorary) Shane Connell Ronald DePoalo Wilfredo Fernandez David Ferry David Gately Abbie Shine Giordano Jeffrey Gronning Paul Hawkins ’85 David V. H. Hedley ’64 (Honorary) Allan P. Kirby, Jr. ’49 (Honorary) Gail Kurz ’86 Michael Mariano Joseph Robillard Gilbert Santaliz Roger Schwarz, Esq. ’66 Gerald Scully Katie Simon ’85 Elizabeth Warner Elizabeth Winterbottom
Director of Institutional Advancement Betsy Patterson Director of Development Joseph Locandro Associate Director of Alumni Relations Monya Taylor Davis ’88 News & Information Manager Steve Patchett Brand & Communications Manager Janet Burdorf Magazine Layout & Design Sharon Cowen-Cain Website Manager Tiffany Zuber Archivist Dr. Alan Cooper Contributing Writers John Mascaro Betsy Patterson Carol Selman ’64 Proofreader Maggie Ranger Photography Peter Chollick Photography, Kelsh Wilson Photography, David Kramer ’69, Steve Patchett, Tiffany Zuber Printed locally by Action Graphics using soy based ink on 30% recycled & sustainably-sourced paper
On the Cover: Jordan Ober ’16 and Paul Fisher, Science Teacher, review Mars photos Photography by: Peter Chollick Photography
Inside Cover:
Beard Hall, October 2016 Photography by: Steve Patchett
CONTENTS 2 Remarks from the Headmaster 4 New Faculty & Staff Members 6 Crimson Achievements 8 MBS Moments 18 Class of 2016 2 0 125th Anniversary Gala 2 Transforming Our Future 2 Campaign 26 Powerfully Prepared 32 Advanced Seminars 38 Mars Project Wins National Award 40 Stories of Teaching & Learning 46 Learning Outside the Classroom 5 0 Crimson Corner 5 4 Making History 5 6 Class Notes 64 In Memoriam 6 6 Alumni Moments 70 Alumni Reunion 2016 72 NY Yacht Club Event 5 Welcome Back 7 to Our House
Crimson Fall 2016
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Remarks From the Headmaster
Dear Friends of MBS, As Morristown-Beard School continues to celebrate its 125th anniversary on campus this fall, I am reminded of the many common values that are woven throughout the history of the School. Our legacy is built on a personal approach to education, a commitment to community service, and a supportive atmosphere where students can take risks and discover new talents—truly a place of possibilities. At the heart of the MBS experience is an enduring commitment to academic excellence.
School team led by senior Jordan Ober ’16 and Upper School science teacher Paul Fisher took first place in a national competition on Mars research after presenting their findings to a team of scientists at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. As part of this prestigious award, MBS will have an opportunity to target three observations using the actual spacecraft orbiting Mars. As we build our new math and science facility, the timing of this news could not be more fortuitous.
From the very first days of Miss Beard’s School for girls and The Morristown School for boys, we have held exceptionally high expectations for both our faculty and our students. As you will read in this issue of Crimson magazine, Morristown-Beard School continues to embrace an ambitious educational vision today, and our talented alumni family is living proof of the quality of that experience. In our “Powerfully Prepared” feature, we highlight the accomplishments of some of our distinguished graduates—who excel in fields ranging from aerospace to animation.
Jordan’s Mars research project grew out of an Advanced Seminar class on Planetary Science. As you will read in Dean of Faculty Dr. John Mascaro’s article, Advanced Seminar courses are an important part of the School’s 21st century curriculum which emphasizes critical thinking, independence of thought, and intellectual risk-taking over rote learning and memorization. These rigorous courses allow highly motivated students to engage in college-level thinking, reading, and writing in an array of subjects.
Each semester, we see remarkable accomplishments by our students: analytical and creative thinking; clear, cogent writing; imaginative problem solving; and breathtaking creativity. Last spring, a Morristown-Beard
Visitors to campus will see that we are making tremendous progress on our new math and science building. The steel frame is in place, and the building will soon be enclosed so that construction can continue during the winter
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Crimson Fall 2016
Transforming Our Future
“The Transforming Our
Future campaign is off to an impressive start, and it is vital that we maintain the pace of our fundraising…I will be calling on each of you to ensure the success of this historic endeavor. ”
months. The Transforming Our Future campaign is off to an impressive start, and it is vital that we maintain the pace of our fundraising. Our goal is to raise $3 million towards the $12.6 million cost of the building by the end of the spring, and I will be calling on each of you to ensure the success of this historic endeavor. Please see Director of Institutional Advancement Betsy Patterson’s article to learn more about this truly transformative project. We’ve also had some exciting news regarding our varsity baseball team. Under the direction of Coach John Sheppard, the Crimson won the School’s first Morris County Championship in any sport, and they advanced to the final round of the Prep B and NJSIAA Non-Public B tournaments. While they achieved great success on the scoreboard, they have been equally impressive in terms of academics and character. The team was recognized nationally for academic excellence by the American Baseball Coaches Association, and they were honored for exemplary sportsmanship by the New Jersey State Baseball Umpires Association.
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MI L L I ON
The Campaign for Morristown-Beard School
Campaign Update
26
Powerfully Prepared
32
Advanced Seminars
We have much to celebrate as members of the Morristown-Beard School community, and many reasons to look to the future with optimism. With your support, we can continue to provide a transformational experience for students for generations to come, powerfully preparing them for learning and for life.
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With best wishes,
Peter J. Caldwell Headmaster
To Mars and Beyond Crimson Fall 2016
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NEW ADDITIONS
MBS Welcomes New Faculty & Staff This fall, Morristown-Beard School welcomed 11 new faculty and staff members to campus. This year’s newest members of the MBS community include: Kyle Augustyniak, Upper School English Kyle joins the English Department having received his B.A. and M.A. from Seton Hall University, graduating with High Distinction. He received both Merit and ITT Corporation Scholarships during his undergraduate years. While a graduate student, Kyle served as a Teaching Assistant and Tutor in the Writing Center. As an undergraduate, he was the Peer Advisor Coordinator, Co-Founder and Fundraising Chair of the Seton Hall Chapter of Active Minds. Active Minds works to increase students’ awareness of mental issues and reduce stigma surrounding mental illness. Patricia Damstrom, Bookstore Manager As a parent of a Morristown-Beard School graduate, Patti is excited to explore her new role at the School Bookstore. Patti graduated from the College of Mount St. Vincent, in Riverdale, NY with a degree in Business Administration. She worked in the financial services sector for seven years before leaving to raise her family in New Jersey. She has been a team mom, committee chair, and avid volunteer in her church and community for the past 20 years.
history at William Overfelt High School in San Jose, CA and was an advisor to the Black Student Union Club. Ben Krauss, Choral Director Ben has been the musical director for MBS musicals for the past several years, working creatively and effectively with Dr. Susie Speidel and Jim Ruttman. Educated at Vassar College, where he received his B.A. in Music, Ben went on to receive his M.A. in Music Composition from Queens College. He has extensive experience as a musical director, conductor, and performer both in the US and abroad, as well as first-hand experience with MBS and our students. Archana Sankar, Middle and Upper School Science Archana is no stranger to MBS, having served as a maternity replacement for the second semester of last year, and making such a positive impression that we are glad to be able to keep her on as a full time science teacher in the Middle and Upper School. Archana grew up in India and received her B.S. in Life Science and M.S. in Aerobiology from the University of Mumbai, and her Post Graduate Certificate of Education for Middle School Science from Open University in the UK. Before MBS, Archana taught at The Sundance School for eight years where she revamped the school's science curriculum.
John Gomes, Upper School Math John is returning to MBS, where he taught from 2008-2011, after teaching at the Kincaid School in Houston, TX, where he taught both math and literature classes. John earned his B.S. in Math and Computer Science at Fairfield University and began his teaching career at Trinity Pawling School in Pawling, NY. John's move from MBS to Houston was due to family needs, and we are overjoyed to welcome him back to the fold.
Erinn Salge, School Librarian Erinn comes to us from Saint Peter’s Prep, where she had served as Head Librarian since 2012. At Saint Peter’s, she developed a collection of print and digital resources to reflect the needs of 21st century learners. She also created and launched a research curriculum for all freshmen classes as well as other, individual classes. Erinn worked at Horace Mann School in New York, NY as Head of Circulation before Saint Peter’s. She received her B.S. in Criminology from The College of NJ and her M.A. in Library and Information Science from Rutgers University.
Lindsay Johnson, College Counseling Lindsay is joining our College Counseling Office after serving as Director of College Counseling for three years at Chase Collegiate School in Waterbury, CT. The Chase yearbook was dedicated to Lindsay this spring, reflecting the high regard that the seniors had for Lindsay and her work at Collegiate. Before she became a college counselor, Lindsay served as Senior Associate Director of Undergraduate Admission at Fairfield University. She also worked in admission at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH, North Carolina State University and William Peace University.
Matt Wilson, Upper School Math Matt joins us from Washington University in St. Louis, MO where he majored in mathematics and educational studies with a minor in music. He served as a Teaching Assistant, a Peer Leader, President of the Washington University’s Rugby Team, and played tenor saxophone. Matt has a broad range of skills and interests, and loves to teach math in new and creative ways. For example, he incorporates music into his lessons when possible. In his interview, he said, “there is a little bit of math for everyone!”
Klarissa Karosen, Upper School History Klarissa and her husband moved from California to New Jersey to resume their careers in education. Klarissa graduated from San Jose State University with a B.S. in Social Science, concentrating on secondary education. She worked as a tax accountant for 11 years before pursuing her Master of Arts in Education at Santa Clara University. Most recently she taught social science of government economics, geography, and US
Courtney Weitzer, Upper School Math Courtney grew up nearby, attending Mendham High School before heading off to Bucknell where she was a double major in mathematics and studio art, graduating Magna Cum Laude. From Bucknell, she went to the Stenihardt School at NYU where she received her Master's in Mathematics Education (once again graduating Magna Cum Laude).
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Crimson Fall 2016
Top Row from left: Matt Wilson, Ben Krauss, Klarissa Karosen, Erinn Salge, and Kyle Augustyniak Bottom Row from left: John Gomes, Lindsay Johnson, Carolann Zavorskas, and Courtney Weitzer Not pictured: Patricia Damstrom and Archana Sankar
From there she enrolled in the Ph. D. program in Mathematics Education at the School of Education of Rutgers University. She has now decided to take a break from that program to teach math full time at MBS. Courtney hopes to transform the methods through which secondary school mathematics are taught and utilize her artistic ability to emphasize hands on experience and pattern recognition skills in the teaching of math.
MBS Welcomes New Board Member
Carolann Zavorskas, Upper School Math Carolann grew up in Aberdeen, NJ and attended Rowan University where she majored in math and minored in environmental studies. While at Rowan, Carolann received the prestigious Rowan University’s Trustee Scholarship. For the last two years, Carolann has been working in the private sector while tutoring students in math in grades 7-12. While at Rowan, she served as a math tutor and served as the Chair of the Colleges Against Cancer Executive Board.
JOSEPH B. BAKER ’65
Correction from Spring 2016 issue: Elizabeth Harrison, Upper School Spanish teacher, received her undergraduate degree from La Universidad de Los Andes, in Mérida, Venezuela. Nikolin Eyrich, Upper School English teacher, holds an Ed.M. from Harvard University and a A.B. from Middlebury College. She also completed graduate coursework at NYU.
Joe has been a faithful friend of MBS since his days as a student here more than 50 years ago. At Morristown Prep, Joe was a member of the undefeated 1961 cross country team, and a recipient of the Howell Prize for Courage. He majored in political science at Drew University and worked for Beneficial Corporation for many years. Through the years, he has lent his leadership and support to numerous endeavors that have helped MBS grow, including the Middle School and Beard Hall improvement projects, the Young Scholars Program, and the Ahead With Confidence and Transforming Our Future campaigns. Each spring, he enjoys meeting with the recipient of the Baker Math Award, a prize that honors students for excellence in mathematics, and also helps connect current students with successful MBS alumni who share their experience, knowledge, and professional contacts. He was awarded the MBS Distinguished Alumni Award in 2015.
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CRIMSON ACHIEVEMENTS
Celebrating the Faculty & Staff of Morristown-Beard School Members of the Morristown-Beard School community take on many activities (professional, civic, and personal) in addition to their yearly responsibilities at School. This year, our faculty and staff have been involved in many diverse projects, including publishing poetry, delivering presentations at academic conferences, and studying classical piano in New York City. The following is an excerpt from the spring 2016 issue of Crimson Achievements: Celebrating the Faculty & Staff of Morristown-Beard School. Edited by Dr. Patrick Horan
PUBLICATIONS
Peter Donahue (English), who teaches “Creative Writing” in the Upper School, published two poems entitled “The Merest Mask of Gloom” and “Metric Expansion,” in the spring 2016 issue of The Road Not Taken, which is an online journal of formal poetry. The journal seeks to publish poems that are metrical, but also reflect contemporary English usage and rhythm. In the words of the editor, Dr. Kathryn Jacobs of Texas A&M University, the journal strives “to show the wide variety of effects that can be achieved by that eclectic creature, metrical poetry.” Dr. Christopher Payette (Science) co-authored the following article: “Magnetotransport studies of mobility limiting mechanisms in undoped Si/SiGe heterostructures.” X. Mi, T. M. Hazard, C. Payette, K. Wang, D. M. Zajac, J. V. Cady, and J. R. Petta. Physical Review B 92, 035304. Published July 16, 2015.
PRESENTATIONS
In March 2016, Tim Hannigan (Chair, History), Darren Lovelock (Chair, English) and Roger Richard (History) were the chief presenters at the NJAIS “History and English/Language Arts Teachers Presentation and Round Table,” held at Rutgers Preparatory School in Somerset, NJ. Attended by teachers from New Jersey schools interested in breaking down barriers between disciplines, the roundtable allowed MBS teachers to describe and assess the challenges and rewards inherent in interdisciplinary programs. Jennifer Larson (Mathematics) presented at the following conferences: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in October 2015, at a session entitled “Digital Interactive Notebooks;” New Jersey Education Association in November 2015, at a session entitled “Digital Formative Assessment Tools;” and Future of Education Technology in January 2016, at a workshop entitled “Creating Digital Interactive Notebooks.” 6
Crimson Fall 2016
Darren Lovelock (Chair, English) took part in the NJAIS Leadership Institute as one of five presenters asked to speak about his or her path to leadership. As well as discussing the very different ethoses of the schools at which he has worked (in the UK and the US), Darren reflected on the differing leadership styles at each institution. Held at Gill St. Bernard's in October 2015, the program also included discussions of the latest popular books on leadership, as well as an overview of school governance. The keynote speaker was former MBS Headmaster, Dr. Alex Curtis. Jeff Yuhas (Science) attended the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Annual Meeting in New Orleans in January 2016. Jeff supervised three students (Olivia Braunstein ’17, Renee Dorwart ’17, Sam Nadler ’17), who made poster presentations at the meeting. Jeff delivered his own presentation, which focused on involving K-12 teachers in education research projects. With the AMS, Jeff is a member of the Board of Outreach and Pre-College Education and the Local Chapter Affairs
Committee. He will be co-chairing the Education Symposium and the Annual Meeting for the next four years.
NOTEWORTHY ACTIVITIES
Dr. Patrick Horan (English) performed in The Musical of Musicals at the Nutley Little Theatre in June 2016. The show presented five musical versions of an old-fashioned melodrama, each in the style of a different Broadway composer. Jennifer Larson (Mathematics) received the 2015 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in October 2015 for the State of New Jersey. She was also part of the National Award selection process for the 2015 cohort. Additionally, the Association of Supervisors and Curriculum Development (ASCD) featured Jennifer in their advertising campaign as an ASCD "Superhero."
Assistant Professor BFA Musical Theatre at Montclair State University. Susan also appeared in the Pulitzer Prize winning play August: Osage County with the Chatham Community Players in October 2015. Bisa Washington (Visual Arts) was one of three artists whose work was displayed in an exhibit entitled “A Common Thread” at the Maplewood Arts Center from October 17 – November 21, 2015. The following was noted in the program about the exhibit: “Each [artist] has developed techniques that are uniquely their own. However, their shared experiences create a natural bond, weaving their roots into a uniquely African American style of surpassing beauty and high craftsmanship.” Bisa’s work was also featured in “Men Do Art” at the Arlington Arts Gallery from February 20 – March 19, 2016.
Meredith Locasto (Wellness) was elected Vice President of the New Jersey Lacrosse Foundation. A non-profit organization, the Foundation is a subsidiary of US Lacrosse, the governing body of all lacrosse in the United States. Meredith’s chapter promotes, supports, and serves the lacrosse community through a variety of programs, such as annual jamboree and senior all-star games. The foundation supports national team members; hosts clinics for coaches, officials, and players; and oversees fundraising projects. Barbara Napholtz (Technology) studied “Classical Improvisation” and “Performance Skills” in the Evening Division of The Juilliard School in New York City. Barbara also created an app for her iOS class and placed it on the AppStore. Named “USColleges,” the app contains a listing of all the post-secondary schools in the United States and its territories, links each school to its website and “Maps” location, and allows the user to build a list of personal favorites. Dr. Susan Speidel (Chair, Studio & Performing Arts) served for the second year as the Lead Musical Theater Performance Adjudicator for the Mid-Atlantic Music Teachers Guild Spring Festival, providing coaching and feedback to over 100 aspiring performers from the ages of eight to twenty-two. In November 2015, Dr. Speidel moderated a panel discussion at the Montclair Public Library entitled “Murder, Mayhem, and the Ultimate Revenge.” The symposium took place at the intermission of Stephen Sondheim’s musical masterpiece Sweeney Todd, which returned to life in a bold new performance by the New York Philharmonic, starring Bryn Terfel and Emma Thompson. Panelists included Andrew Carl Wilk, Executive Producer, “Live From Lincoln Center”; Mark Hardy, Associate Professor of Musical Theatre at Montclair State University; and Joe Joyce, Crimson Fall 2016
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MBS MOMENTS
Middle School Moving Up
Moving up Ceremony On Friday, June 10 , MBS held its “Moving Up� ceremony in Founders Hall where 58 eighth graders received certificates and advanced from the Middle School to the Upper School. th
Commencement On Saturday, June 11th, faculty, family, and friends gathered under the tent on Senior Circle and cheered as 100 seniors received their diplomas and joined the ranks of MBS alumni.
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Crimson Fall 2016
Commencement
Commencement
Commencement
Convocation Ceremony 2016 The Morristown-Beard School Convocation Ceremony on September 6th included a video celebrating the 125th anniversary of MBS, the unveiling of a new online publication, 125 Septembers: The Life of the Schools, and presentations by the Heads of School. Boni Luna, Head of the Middle School, treated the faculty, staff, and students to a reflection of music over the past decades. How do you define the 1970’s? With the number one song of that decade— “Dancing Queen”—complete with disco ball!
Crimson Fall 2016
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MBS MOMENTS
Pippin Soars at MBS The high-flying Broadway musical Pippin—full of wondrous magical feats and soaring songs—took center stage at Morristown-Beard School from March 2nd - 5th in Founders Hall. The MBS production of Pippin was a sly, political piece of theater with much to say about privilege and power, not to mention what constitutes a life well-lived. The show boasted many memorable songs including “Corner of the Sky,” “Magic To Do,” “No Time at All,” “Morning Glow,” and “Love Song.” The MBS cast and crew was honored with two nominations, six Honorable Mentions and one Student Achievement Award nomination in the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Awards for excellence in the production of high school musicals.
Pippin
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Pippin
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MBS MOMENTS
6th grade sailboat
Crimson Voyager Lands in Spain After spending the months at sea, Morristown-Beard School’s 6th grade sailboat, Crimson Voyager, was recovered off the coast of Cádiz, an ancient port in southwestern Spain. The boat was picked up on April 16th by a team from a local university. This is the fourth year in a row that Morristown-Beard School 6th graders have launched a 5-foot, unmanned sailboat as part of the “Educational Passages” program. This year’s boat—Crimson Voyager—was launched from a cargo ship in December, 2015 off the coast of Delaware with help from MBS trustee and parent Joe Robillard. The vessel was equipped with a GPS that transmits to a satellite, so the students were able to track its journey on the web. In its hull, students placed a variety of items, from letters and friendship bracelets to a baseball and Pez dispensers. All of the items survived the journey to Spain! 12 Crimson Fall 2016
The first MBS boat, Crimson Tide, was launched in 2012 and was recovered by a fisherman in Guernsey, an island in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy. It was later re-launched and washed ashore in France. Other MBS boats, Crimson Cruiser and Crimson Wave, have traveled to Florida and the Orkney Islands in Northern Scotland. MBS Middle School teacher Lisa Swanson says the project is exciting because it can also provide a backdrop to teach everything from physics to world languages. A significant aspect of the project hinges on the hope that students can connect with their peers across the globe when the boat reaches a foreign shore. For example, when Crimson Tide was retrieved off the coast of Guernsey, it set up exciting new learning opportunities as MBS students connected with students there via Skype. Now that Crimson Voyager has been recovered in Spain, the MBS 6th graders are anxious to connect with local school children in the Cádiz area.
Three MBS Students Advance to Robotics World Championship Robotics World Championship
Congratulations to MBS students Matthew Lindberg ’19, Mira Ramasamy ’22, and Alec Nagpal ’21 who qualified and competed in the VEX World Robotics Championship in Kentucky last April. VEX Robotics is the largest educational robotics competition in the world, spanning third grade to college level. Nearly 300 students competed in the New Jersey regional and state competitions. At the VEX World Championships, Lindberg, Ramasamy, and Nagpal competed with more than 15,000 students from more than 25 countries. Lindberg has been involved with robotics for the past five years and began competing in VEX tournaments this past year. He said that building and programming a robot from scratch is an extremely rewarding and constantly challenging process.
House Challenge Cup
“I like how you never reach the top in robotics — there is always something you can work on, and ways to improve your robot. It’s never ending,” said Lindberg.
Whippanies Win 2016 Challenge Cup After a long year of challenges, contests, and events, the Whippanies captured the 2016 8th Grade House Challenge Cup. With the victory, the Whippanies have now won their fifth House Challenge Cup—more than any other House in the history of the competition. Crimson Fall 2016 13
MBS MOMENTS
Killer Grasshoppers at MBS Killer grasshoppers hopped into Founders Hall on May 26th as the MBS Middle School staged its spring musical comedy, Attack of the Killer Grasshoppers. When a middle school science fair goes awry, mammoth, musical grasshoppers threaten the world in this wildly funny musical spoof of horror films of the 1950s.
Keri ’21 Competes in NJ State Geography Bee Congratulations to 7th grader Alex Keri ’21, who was one of 100 middle school students from across New Jersey who qualified to compete in the state level competition of the National Geographic Bee. The National Geographic Bee is a national competition geared at raising geographic awareness in middle-school aged children. It was held last April at Rowan University in Glassboro. To qualify, Keri first had to win the Morristown-Beard School championship on January 27th. He was then administered a 45-minute written test, and placed among the top middle school students in the state.
Attack of the Killer Grasshoppers
Grandparents Visit MBS
Grandparents Day
During the annual Grandparents & Special Friends Day celebration in April, students had an opportunity to play tour guide for the day as they showed their grandparents around the campus, took them to classes, and introduced them to their friends. In addition to special music and dance performances by Middle and Upper School students, the day also included greetings from Headmaster Peter J. Caldwell, Student Government Association President Nicole Robertson, and grandparent representatives Roger and Lynn Manshel ’57.
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Geography Bee
Grandparents Day
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MBS MOMENTS
Totton Golf Outing and Fall Cocktail Party The 40th Larry Totton Golf Tournament and Fall Cocktail Party was held on October 10th, 2016 at Hamilton Farm Golf Club in Gladstone, NJ. Both events were a success thanks to the efforts of the Morristown-Beard School Parents Association and support from parents, alumni, and friends. These events not only raised funds to support MBS student programs, but also raised school spirit and a sense of community.
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The MBS
Class of 2017
Will Hit the
RUNWAY This Spring!
We Have Combined the
Spring Gala and
The Fashion Show! SAVE THE DATE
April 28, 2017 6:30 PM Short Hills Hilton
Crimson Fall 2016 17
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C lass of
2016
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A Night to
Remember
MBS Celebrates its 125th Anniversary with a Gala Event
M
orristown-Beard School's 125th Anniversary Gala was a tremendous success thanks to the tireless efforts of the MBS Parents Association, the Alumni Association, and all those who contributed in so many ways. The beautiful Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange provided the perfect setting for this elegant affair, as alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and friends gathered to celebrate the legacy of Morristown-Beard School on April 16th, 2016. “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro, a Morristown-Beard School parent and owner of Carlo’s Bake Shop, designed a spectacular cake in the shape of the School’s most iconic building, Beard Hall, for the event. As part of the Gala celebration, MBS Board Chair Mike Ranger took the opportunity to announce the most ambitious capital campaign in the history of the School—a five-year, $20 million comprehensive campaign named Transforming Our Future. “With the leadership of Headmaster Peter J. Caldwell, this historic campaign will propel MorristownBeard School to the forefront of independent school education, and will help further distinguish MBS as an institution of excellence through which its students, its
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faculty, its alumni, and its community will continue to thrive,” said Mr. Ranger. The Transforming Our Future campaign will raise funds for a state-of-the-art math and science building as well as renovations to the Simon Athletic Center, Rooke Pool, and other capital projects. The campaign will also seek support for scholarships and endowment, two priorities that are integral to the School's long-term success. Finally, MBS will continue its communitywide efforts to sustain and build the Morristown-Beard Fund—the School’s annual fund—at the $1 million mark annually. “It is incumbent upon our community—each and every one of us—to build upon the legacy of our School’s founders, whose forward-thinking ideas about education and character positioned the School among the most visionary of its time,” said Headmaster Peter J. Caldwell. “Even in 1891, our two founding institutions defied cultural trends by focusing broadly on the values and skills necessary for a fulfilled life, and we continue to do so today. Our goal is simple—for every student to leave MBS powerfully prepared for learning and for life.”
For more photos of the 125 th celebrations, visit www.mbs.net/who-we-are/our-history
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TRANSFORMING OUR FUTURE
THE CAMPAIGN FOR MORRISTOWN-BEARD SCHOOL
By Betsy Patterson, Director of Institutional Advancement, Parent ’14, ’16
Transforming Our Future
MI L L I ON
The Campaign for Morristown-Beard School
On April 16, 2016, Peter J. Caldwell, Headmaster of MBS, and Mike Ranger, President of the Board of Trustees, announced the start of the public phase for the Transforming Our Future campaign. This ambitious philanthropic effort aims to provide MBS with $20 million in charitable support by 2020. The quiet phase of Transforming Our Future (which began in December 2014 and concluded in April 2016) raised significant funding toward the three priorities to be addressed: capital projects (including new construction and renovation), the Morristown-Beard Fund (which provides annual aid for integral operating expenses), and school endowment and scholarship assistance.
Capital Projects
An unprecedented decade of philanthropic support for physical improvements to our campus has enabled MBS to provide a rich learning environment that is academically rigorous for its students. Over the past 14 years, MBS has dedicated over $40 million to 15 major building and renovation projects that have been transformative to its 22-acre campus, enhancing its beauty and functionality.
A NEW, INNOVATIVE MATH & SCIENCE BUILDING To ensure that Morristown-Beard School remains competitive in the marketplace, the School recognized the need for a new, innovative math and science facility that will provide the tools and environment needed by students to study a world dramatically transformed by globalization, scientific advancement, and technology. This new math and science building—a critical component in the School’s strategic plan—is the cornerstone of the Transforming Our Future campaign and the final jewel in the crown that is the MBS campus. With input from math and science faculty, the $12.6 million building features a flexible and adaptable design. The facility’s highly interconnected, interdisciplinary teaching spaces will support 21st century learning, bringing math and science together in the same building to enhance collaboration between the two departments. Being physically closer will promote discussion among the teachers and will generate meaningful opportunities for students to engage in interdisciplinary risk-taking in a cutting-edge facility. 22 Crimson Fall 2016
Transforming Our Future
MI L L I ON
The Campaign for Morristown-Beard School
ADDITIONAL CAPITAL PROJECTS Morristown-Beard School will be well positioned to meet the evolving needs of the future as a result of its strong and consistent focus on capital projects. In addition to the new math and science facility, funds raised during the quiet phase of Transforming Our Future will also support important renovations to the Simon Athletic Center and substantial improvements to the Rooke Pool. Thanks to the exceptional support of the Board of Trustees and other significant MBS philanthropic leaders, MBS has experienced extraordinary success in the early stages of the campaign. With the forthcoming support of the entire MBS community, MBS remains confident of surpassing our campaign goal of $14.6 million for capital projects.
The Morristown-Beard Fund
The Morristown-Beard Fund (our School’s Annual Fund) exists for one reason only: to improve the MBS student experience. Every dollar donated fuels the expansion of academic and curricular initiatives, arts and athletics programs, and student leadership and service opportunities. While special fundraising for capital projects, endowment, and scholarship bring significant long-term benefits to our School community, the MB Fund’s consistent support of the student experience is vital to our students’ intellectual and emotional growth and the financial health of our School. Tax-deductible gifts to the Morristown-Beard Fund provide unrestricted support for essential programs and other areas of greatest need, including: ■ Academic/Curricular Development ■ Arts, Athletics, and Other Student Programming ■ Faculty Support ■ Student Leadership and Service Opportunities ■ Student Financial Assistance
Our Path to Success $20 Million by 2020
$14.6 Million
Capital Projects
$5
Million
Morristown-Beard Fund
$ 400,000 New gifts to Endowment and Scholarships
School Endowment and Scholarship Assistance
The continual growth of an independent school’s endowment is vital to the long-term financial health of the institution. A robust, well-managed endowment enables independent schools like Morristown-Beard School to strengthen its future aspirations by providing increased support to both unrestricted and restricted needs. During the Transforming Our Future campaign, MBS seeks to raise at least $400,000 in new gifts for the School’s endowment and scholarship needs.
SCHOOL ENDOWMENT Infrastructure costs related to the academic experience (such as the rising investment in technology at MBS during the last decade) represent one of several ongoing, evolving priorities for investment income generated by the School’s endowment. In Sections II and IV of the School’s Crimson Fall 2016 23
Transforming Our Future
TRANSFORMING OUR FUTURE
MI L L I ON
THE CAMPAIGN FOR MORRISTOWN-BEARD SCHOOL The Campaign for Morristown-Beard School
2015-2020 Strategic Plan, MBS sets out a vision dedicated to building and improving campus facilities and grounds that are both technologically advanced and environmentally sustainable. Endowment support raised during the Transforming Our Future campaign will help achieve this important goal. Additionally, endowment income will continue to play a key role in helping MBS maintain tuition increases at a lower level than many regional and national peer schools through its support of general operating expenses.
SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE Another important priority for MBS remains scholarship support for students with demonstrated financial need. While annual investment income from the endowment does help limit tuition increases, the overall affordability of an independent school education continues to be a challenging question facing schools throughout the nation. Additional, related issues such as diversity and inclusion within the composition of the student body amplify the growing need for scholarship support. The MBS Scholar Partners Program is one example of the opportunities for members of the MBS community to provide mentorship as well as tuition assistance to support outstanding students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Greater Morris County area. Through this financial assistance program and others, MBS remains dedicated to creating opportunity for students who would not otherwise have access to an exceptional education.
MBS Groundbreaking Ceremony As part of the largest capital campaign in MorristownBeard School’s 125-year history, MBS Headmaster Peter J. Caldwell and President of the Board of Trustees Michael W. Ranger formally broke ground for the School’s new state-of-the-art math & science building on Wednesday, May 25th. “This is a transformational moment in the history of the School,” said Headmaster Peter J. Caldwell. “This exceptional Math & Science Building will reaffirm our commitment to academic excellence.”
24 Crimson Fall 2016
BE A PART OF THE th
Transforming Our Future
125 Anniversary Challenge
MI L L I ON
The Campaign for Morristown-Beard School
Announcing the
$1.25 MILLION CHALLENGE for the Transforming Our Future campaign!
In celebration of the School’s 125th anniversary, and to inspire the MBS community to support this historic campaign, an alumnus, a former parent, and a current grandparent each have generously pledged to match—dollar for dollar—every gift to the Transforming Our Future campaign made between November 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017 up to the following amounts: Gifts From
ALUMNI up to
$500,000
Gifts From
Gifts From
PARENTS GRANDPARENTS up to
$500,000
up to
$250,000
Simply make a gift, a pledge, or a multi-year pledge using the envelope enclosed in this issue of Crimson magazine, or by calling 973.532.7517 with a credit card, and our generous supporters will donate the same amount as your gift to MBS. Please Don’t Delay—Double Your Gift Today! For more information on the 125th Anniversary Challenge in support of the Transforming Our Future campaign, please call 973.532.7517 or email bpatterson@mbs.net
Thank You!
Crimson Fall 2016 25
Powerfully prepared By Steve Patchett
Throughout our 125-year history, the success of our alumni is proof of the powerful impact a Beard School, Morristown School, and Morristown-Beard School education can have. As the alumni in this issue demonstrate, our graduates are exceedingly well prepared for college, careers, and beyond.
THOMAS S. MAROTTA ’62
A Business That Soars 26 Crimson Fall 2016
For nearly 30 years, Thomas S. Marotta ’62 has kept his family’s business soaring as Chairman and CEO of Marotta Controls, providing aerospace, marine and defense system designers with the solutions they need for controlling pressure, motion, electronics, and power. Under his guidance, Marotta Controls, which was founded by father and grandfather in 1943, now boasts more than 200 patents and was recently named Lockheed Martin Supplier of the Year. The company has also received NASA’s George M. Low Award for Quality and Excellence twice. “In order to be successful, the first thing is to select the right challenges,” said Marotta, who first joined the family business in 1967. “A few of my successes have been achieved in a year or two, most take three to five years, and the longest success is still in progress after nearly 40 years—and with many of the same people!”
Photos courtesy of Marotta Controls
Passionate, hardworking, and fueled by a desire to give back, these alumni are making meaningful contributions, and we are proud to be part of their journey.
His association with MBS goes back to 1956, when he enrolled as a boarding student at the age of 12. “I lived five days a week, and quite a few weekends, in the Main Building for the next four years. My teachers, staff, and fellow students became extended family,” he recalled. “John Burke was like a father to me as a teacher and Athletic Director, and would give me advice to keep me out of trouble.” Marotta is grateful to The Morristown School for giving him the opportunity to compete both in the classroom and on the playing field. At his 8th grade graduation, he was named the Most Improved Student. During his freshman year, he joined the tennis team and played at the varsity level for three years. He also was a member of the wrestling team in the flyweight class. “A classmate, John Scudi ’61, showed me several wrestling maneuvers, and we are still friends today,” said Marotta, who also keeps in touch with alumni Joe Santana ’62, Mike Murphy ’62, Peter Engler ’62, and Tom Dale ’62. The Morristown School—and later, Morristown-Beard School—became a true family affair for the Marottas. “All three of our boys, Patrick ’92, Tommy ’94, and Michael ’01, are MBS graduates and are now managing our family business,” he said. “My daughter, Alexis, is working in New York City as the Director of Archives at the Alexander Calder Foundation. She is also a Director and Archivist of our family business. None of the above would be possible without the help of my wife, Adeline. Addy helped me at MBS and at home with our children. After 40 years of marriage and five grandchildren, we are still involved with MBS.”
Marotta emphasizes the importance of collaboration as well as keeping a finger on the pulse of the community. “All successful businesses exist because they serve the needs of their communities,” he said. “As business leaders, it’s important to meet and work with other business leaders and elected officials to solve immediate and long-term challenges facing our citizens.” Throughout his career, Marotta has been an active volunteer for a number of organizations. He currently serves as a trustee for the Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, and is an advisor for the Commercial Space Committee, the National Security Space Committee, and the FAA Next Generation Committee. He is a past member of the Executive Committee and Board of Governors of the Aerospace Industry Association, and is a former trustee at Bryant University and Morristown-Beard School.
Marotta earned his B.A. in business administration from Bryant College before enlisting for six months’ active duty and five and a half years’ active reserve status with the 108th Tactical Fighter Group at McGuire Air Force Base. “In 1967, with the war raging in Vietnam and the draft closing in, my father and I began looking for opportunities for me to enlist,” he remembered. “While we both knew enlisting or being drafted posed many dangers, I decided that being a patriot was the best way to go. We found that opportunity in the New Jersey Air National Guard.” Marotta still holds a commercial pilot’s license today and has completed 50 years of flying without an accident or violation under FAA rules. Although he plans to give up his pilot’s license next year, he plans to fully immerse himself in his passion for the sea by upgrading his captain’s license. “My plan is to obtain an OUPV Captain’s License and travel by sea,” he explained. “In addition, I am currently in Cape Canaveral to watch rockets being launched and landed. If I live long enough, I might even be able to buy a ticket to space!” Crimson Fall 2016 27
POWERFULLY PREPARED After researching the company and discussing it with her husband Bruce, Hope decided to give the business a shot. She had occasionally hosted trunk shows in her home and thought the opportunity sounded like fun. Within a few months, Hope hosted her first Worth New York show, and Bruce was busy converting the rec room over their garage into an attractive showroom for the business. “It’s grown by leaps and bounds over the years. The beautiful part of the job is that I’m my own boss and I can set my own schedule,” she said. “I also enjoy connecting with people. When my kids were growing up, the nucleus of our social life was school, and once that was over, I wanted to reach out into other areas. Through this business, I get to meet new people and it’s a wonderful way to keep in touch with friends and customers.” A self-described “people person,” Hazen still stays in contact with many of her Beard School classmates today, including Susan Town ’60, Julie Sage Day ’60, Gwen Willey Howell ’60, Terry Alfano Vance ’60 and Mary Ann Griffin Tully ’60. “We do a pretty good job of keeping in touch. We got a good group back for the 50th reunion a few years ago,” she said. Hazen said that one of her most vivid memories of The Beard School was her first day on campus. “I remember my Dad taking me there for the interview, and right off the bat Miss Sutherland wanted to hold me back a year. My father, who also had a strong personality, told her ‘I think it’s only fair that Hope begins the year with her grade. Give her a chance and see how she does.’ Hesitantly, Miss Sutherland gave in,” Hazen said. “I don’t think I ever worked as hard as I did during that first marking period!”
HOPE PHILLIPS HAZEN ’60
A Flair for Fashion Over the past 22 years, Hope Phillips Hazen ’60 has developed a successful career as a wardrobe consultant and personal stylist who shows Worth New York clothing each season through her business, Windswept Enterprises, Inc. Working from her spacious home in New Vernon, she has attracted an incredibly loyal following thanks to her warmth, professionalism, and eagerness to please her customers. Although the business has become a major part of her life, she entered the fashion industry almost by accident. “I really just fell into it in 1993,” she said. “I got a phone call from a friend of a friend who said she represented The Worth Collection, Ltd., as it was called then, and I was thinking, ‘What is she talking about?’” 28 Crimson Fall 2016
After graduating from The Beard School, Hope studied music at Briarcliff College before returning to New Jersey to teach at The Peck School. She later moved to New York City, where she worked in public relations for Business Week Magazine—“a daring move in those days!” Shortly after marrying, Hazen and her husband made another bold move—relocating to India for a year on a USAID program. “We traveled all over India, soaked in the culture, and loved every minute of our stay there,” she explained. “India was and is a very special place. I felt very spoiled over there.” Hazen still keeps in touch with friends in India more than 50 years later, and she has returned to the country four times. Although she likes to travel, her real passions can be found in her own backyard. She is an avid gardener with colorful flowerbeds surrounding her home and a large vegetable garden. For the past 30 years, she has also enjoyed singing in the choir at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Morristown, and she is a charter member of the New Vernon First Aid Squad. Above all, she cherishes her family and being a grandmother, a role—like her business—that is quickly expanding. “I have two grandchildren in Connecticut, two in California, and now we’re expecting one here in New Jersey in February. I can’t wait.”
WENDY GOLDBERG TAFFET ’78
Sweet Taste of Success For the past 30 years, Wendy Goldberg Taffet ’78 has been enjoying the sweet taste of success as owner of Enjoû Chocolat in downtown Morristown. Her unique candy shop specializes in customized chocolates in every shape imaginable—from gift baskets, corporate logos and favors to animals, sporting equipment, and even pink stilettos and matching chocolate handbags. Taffet’s delicious creations have attracted generations of loyal customers and garnered attention both locally and nationally. Enjoû has been featured on The Food Network’s “Food Nation” with Bobby Flay, and has won reader’s choice awards in New Jersey Life Magazine and The Daily Record. She has also had numerous appearances on WE tv with David Tutera on his hit show, “My Fair Wedding.” Taffet has always had a passion for cooking and remembers mixing and baking sweets from an early age. She credits Morristown-Beard School with fostering her creativity and sparking her interest in a wide range of subjects.
“Mrs. Judith Schmitt, my art teacher, introduced me to painting and got my creative juices flowing. That class changed the way I saw myself because I had never thought of myself as being artsy before,” she said. “I also really loved my science classes. My biology teacher, Gary Johnson, was the best. He still comes to Enjoû to visit me.” Taffet recalls being a “studious student” at MBS. She was involved in the Model U.N. with history teacher Rose Koch, and won the French Award as well as the Bausch & Lomb Science Prize during her senior year. After graduating from MBS, Taffet enrolled in pharmacy school at the University of Rhode Island, where she made chocolate syrup for her very first class assignment. “I think it was destiny,” she laughed. She worked as a pharmacist for Warner Lambert for three years and spent her evenings working at Enjoû Chocolat, where she found an outlet for her creativity. When the owner offered her a chance to buy the store in 1986, she jumped at the opportunity. Through the years, Taffet has seen her business continue to evolve. “We used to rely solely on foot traffic. Now we are getting web orders from around the country, and we are marketing with social media,” she said. “We also wholesale to a number of grocery stores including Kings, McCaffrey’s, Balducci’s, and ShopRite as well as restaurants, hotels, and hospital gift shops.” Five years ago, she began a partnership with a doctor at Morristown Medical Center to create a healthy and all-natural line of products. As her business grows, Taffet still does most of the decorating and designing of the chocolates, and Enjoû now has more than 50,000 custom molds. She also continues to enjoy greeting her customers who come into the shop each day. Crimson Fall 2016 29
P OWE R F UL LY PREPARED
SCOTT STEWART ’93
Drawing From Life As a young boy, Scott Stewart ’93 enjoyed writing stories, reading fiction and comic books, especially Winnie the Pooh and Calvin & Hobbes. Although he “never expected these interests would lead to a viable career 30 Crimson Fall 2016
Stewart credits Upper School art teacher Laurie Hartman with having the most profound impact on him. “She was such a positive influence. I had her for Peer Group, AP Art, and Photography,” he said. “I almost enrolled in art school because of her.” Instead, Stewart decided to “cast a wider net,” so he pursued liberal arts at the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in creative writing and began to explore 3D animation as well. To get his foot in the door, he worked at a post-production facility in New York City as an unpaid intern. By his mid-20s, he was a successful 3D artist and freelance consultant who “had more work than he knew what to do with.” After marrying Julie and starting a family, Stewart founded his own special effects and animation company, SpeakeasyFX, in 2004. Clients included American Express and ESPN before landing a deal to produce Sesame Workshop’s Abby’s Flying Fairy School. In 2010, Stewart and his crew won an Emmy for Character Design and two KidScreen Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Animation for their work on the show. A few years later, he and Julie decided to launch their own TV show from scratch. “Our kids were young and we were consuming so much children’s content that we started kicking around the idea of doing a kids TV show ourselves,” said Stewart. The result was Kate & Mim-Mim, an animated series focusing on the friendship and adventures of a 5-year old girl named Kate and her favorite toy, a plush bunny named Mim-Mim, who becomes a larger than life playmate whenever Kate’s curiosity stirs her imagination. The series premiered in 2014 on Family Jr. (Canada) and CBeebies (United Kingdom) before being picked up by Disney Junior in the United States. “With Kate, we write the scripts together. Julie does story edits, I direct, and we oversee every part of the production together,” he said. “Our daughter Kate knows that the story is loosely based on her. She’s thrilled, but she’s also very modest about it.”
option,” this couldn’t be further from the truth. Today, he and his wife, Julie, own and operate Team Stewart, a boutique entertainment company based in Vancouver, Canada. After producing the animation for Sesame Workshop’s Emmy Award winning series Abby’s Flying Fairy School, Scott and Julie Stewart co-created the popular children’s TV show Kate & Mim-Mim, which currently airs on Disney Junior as well as many international markets. Stewart’s creativity was nurtured at Morristown-Beard School in a variety of studio art and English classes. “My older brother Rich (Class of 1991) came here first and loved it,” he said. “I discovered that the faculty at MBS were amazing; they were friendly and accessible and helped me develop my voice. They were interested in what I had to say.”
The work on the show is a true family collaboration. “It’s really awesome that the kids (Kate, 8, along with Matthew, 11, and William, 12) are involved every step of the way. They have really good notes on sound effects; they give us ideas for gags and storylines. We often sit around as a family and analyze content,” said Stewart. “When we’re looking for errors in continuity, it’s amazing how one 11-year old is better than a team of adults.” Stewart is currently developing ideas for other TV shows and perhaps an animated feature film. In the meantime, Kate & Mim-Mim is finishing its second season, and Stewart recently produced a half-hour Oz special that will air around Thanksgiving. He said it’s important that Kate & MimMim is not only entertaining, but conveys a positive message as well. “Julie and I feel a very strong sense of social responsibility with our work; it’s important for us to create a strong female role model,” he said. “With Kate, we’ve tried to create a strong female protagonist who isn’t ‘bossy’—she’s an empathetic leader. To have our show reach children in Canada, the U.S., Europe, and now even in the Middle East, it’s inspiring and humbling.” Crimson Fall 2016 31
32 Crimson Fall 2016
An Engaged Mindset Advanced Seminars at Morristown-Beard School Challenge Young Minds By John Mascaro, Ph.D., Dean of Faculty, Parent ’03
Anyone familiar with the academic program of MBS knows well that the School is continuing to make good on the commitment, detailed and affirmed by two successive five-year Strategic Plans, to analyze our curricular offerings comprehensively and deeply, and to make reforms wherever necessary to be in line with the now-established consensus regarding secondary education in the 21st century. This “21st century” model or paradigm explicitly moves away from the previously dominant model of education, which held sway for much of the previous century, an industrial or, in Sir Ken Robinson’s words, a “factory model” of schooling. Crimson Fall 2016 33
The foundational principles of the 21st century model are: ■
Giving priority to critical and creative thinking in all subjects. ■
Taking the many different ways children learn as a central principle of what and how we teach. ■
Developing new definitions of rigor that are not content-based but skills based, not purely quantitative but, equally, qualitative. ■
Respecting the importance of intellectual risk taking and the power of “mistakes” in learning. Adopting a “growth mindset” with respect to intellectual development. ■
This “new” model is now the standard. Few educators challenge it on either theoretical or empirical grounds. The research on cognition, on how we learn, is consistent and undeniable. The problem facing schools now is how to make a rich, workable academic program based on these ideas but operating in real time in the real world, in a domain that is historically noted for resistance to change. We at MBS embrace this challenge on all fronts, and are steadily making progress. We have understood that genuine systemic change calls for a full institutional commitment. For example, our college counseling office is responding to the task of communicating our vision—along with a clear sense of the talented and accomplished students we graduate—to the colleges, who are in turn starting to respond to the need for new standards of evaluation and measurement for their admission offices. In this article, I would like to describe our Advanced Seminar (AS) courses, a significant academic program that embodies 21st century thinking and responds directly to our current Strategic Plan. Because these advanced courses are now standing alongside our long-standing Advanced Placement (AP) course offerings, it’s probably useful to start with a quick look at those classes. We all know the initials “AP.” They might cause some stress or apprehension in you when you hear them because you know those initials are supposed to represent the most desirable courses a high school student can take, and you know that, at least in most schools, they are highly selective and challenging. You most likely also know that all AP classes culminate in a three-hour standardized test that yields an “AP Score” of 1-5 (with “3” as the passing score). And that everybody wants a “5.” Beyond that, I’m guessing things get a little fuzzy. So the first step to take to understand and appreciate the Advanced
Selective Colleges
and the AP Curriculum
Seminar Program at Morristown-Beard School is to demystify the AP course. AP courses are marketed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) as the most rigorous courses a high school student can take. They are designed to present college or college-level material and to identify those students who will be at the academic forefront of their college classes. Traditionally, scoring a “5” on an AP test would earn a student some measure of college credit, usually in the form of waiving an entry-level course requirement. In truth, AP courses meet some of the academic goals they describe, but by no means all of them. Some AP courses, particularly those in the liberal arts or language-based subjects, do help students engage in critical (though not often creative) thinking, and do impart a measure of college-level skills development. But many AP courses, particularly those in the more quantitative realms of math and science, are coverage and content driven, set an almost impossible pace, create very high stress levels, and don’t lead to integrated, deep and long-term learning. Skilled and dedicated teachers, such as those we have at MBS, often labor greatly to provide opportunities for extended reading, critical and creative thinking, and other learning-rich teaching practices to counteract the overemphasis on speed and rote learning in their AP courses, but this commitment increases their own stress and apprehension, as often they feel that they are “stealing” time away from covering content, and might put their students at a disadvantage when taking the AP test. Three years ago, aware that there was a growing trend at the top tier of independent schools to move away from AP classes, as well as a trend at the college level to reduce or eliminate the credit granted to them, Morristown-Beard School formed a research committee to survey the state of AP courses in public and private high schools and to produce a report applying their findings to the AP program at MBS. The committee recommended that we retain our current AP offerings, but that we complement them with our own menu of Advanced Seminar courses targeting the same highly motivated students who take our AP courses, and that we encourage those students to take a mix of AP and AS courses. While this may seem a relatively moderate suggestion, it is not without some risk. After all, despite their educational drawbacks, AP courses are a known commodity familiar to college admission offices. They are heavily promoted by the Educational Testing
Does not give credit for AP exams. School gives its own internal exams that allow students to place out of certain introductory-level classes.
Service, generating more than half of its considerable yearly revenue, and they provide a simple numerical score that makes it “easy” to rank students who take the tests. But our philosophy of education at MBS is to ensure our students have the best possible academic opportunities, even when this entails some risk in challenging norms and expectations. I am confident that the research group has pointed us in the right direction. In fact, I was deeply gratified by the publication last year of an important book titled Engage! Setting the Course for Independent Secondary Schools in the 21st Century by educator and researcher Carolyn Kost. Kost’s book is an exhaustive survey of emerging best practices that follow the 21st century model outlined above, and offers insight and support for schools attempting to make the necessary curricular reforms called for by the new paradigm. In Chapter 2 of Engage! Kost discusses the changing face of the AP landscape. While her analysis is too extensive to be reproduced here, she systematically examines the major assumptions parents and students make about the value and rigor of AP classes—as well as the major claims for these classes made by ETS—and shows how they do not hold up well under scrutiny. Kost emphasizes that what colleges and universities want to see in their applicants is evidence that those students have taken “the most rigorous courses available to them at their secondary schools.” Kost cites educators and administrators at some of the nation’s most selective colleges who also emphasize this message (see accompanying sidebar), and points out that whether courses are labeled “AP” or not is not critical to admission decisions. We know that, particularly in the present climate of change and reform, our students’ college admission outcomes will not be harmed, in fact will be enhanced, by having a mix of AP and AS courses. But more
Admission Dean Karl Furstenburg says it’s “perfectly fine for high schools not to offer APs, as long as they are clear about the rigor of applicants’ courses.”
“If high schools decide that the AP curriculum doesn’t serve them well . . . then what selective colleges are looking for is some indication of the relative rigor of the classes,” says Christopher Guttentag, Director of Undergraduate Admissions.
“Our admission process allows and indeed encourages the flexibility of a high school to design the most appropriate curricular offerings and opportunities for its students,” says Associate Dean of Admission Christian Wire.
The Dean of Undergraduate Admission says his office doesn’t penalize students from schools that offer few or no AP courses. “Success in the exam doesn’t mean success as a thinker or success as a future student,” he says.
Source: Carolyn Kost, Engage! (p. 30)
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importantly, we feel that the AS courses more directly address our School’s mission of powerfully preparing students for higher education, for life-long learning and for life. The key is to be able to demonstrate that the new AS course offerings do indeed meet or exceed the standards of rigor colleges are seeking in their applicants’ high school records. In order to do so, we have set up a thorough screening process for our AS courses. We have a peer review committee consisting of faculty with college teaching experience who review all proposed AS courses and select those that will run in the upcoming academic year. All proposed courses must show that they meet or exceed the expectations of rigor expected of first year college students, that they are intensively reading and writing based, and that they are informed by important trends and developments in the fields of study they address (in contrast to AP courses which are sometimes “stale” or outdated with respect to the ways they treat their areas of study, often failing to address what is really happening in those fields at the university and research levels). AS courses, which are reserved for Seniors (and occasionally Juniors) who have already compiled an Honors-level academic record, are small (no more than 10 students) and adopt a “seminar” style of teaching that requires students to share in leading class discussions. The range of AS course offerings at MBS is impressive. In the fall we will offer Advanced Seminars addressing topics such as “Human Rights at Home and Abroad” and “Theories of Beauty: An Introduction to Aesthetics.” Spring semester AS courses are “Microeconomics,” “Science, Culture and the Decade of the 1960s,” and “Medicine: Analysis and Decisions” (see course description below by Dr. Janet Berthel who will teach this course). We will also
MBS Advanced Seminar (AS) Medicine: Analysis and Decisions Course Description Analysis and Decisions will take a case study teaching approach akin to that practiced in the medical field. Students will explore both the scientific details and public policy considerations of the thalidomide tragedy and similar incidents drawn from the popular press, scientific and medical literature. Building upon their foundational knowledge in the sciences and social sciences, they will proceed to delve deeply into the cases presented. They will determine what information is required to tackle the problem, search advanced textbooks and the primary literature to acquire that information, and finally put their newfound understanding into practice in determining possible courses of action. In so doing they will hone their
36 Crimson Fall 2016
critical thinking skills by analyzing complex, often unfamiliar data sets, engaging in evidence based decision making,and organizing the plethora of facts uncovered into polished technical papers and presentations. Most importantly, students will enhance the independent, 21st century learning skills necessary to fully address the complex, real life scenarios that our contemporary world presents. Case Study Phocomelia is a severe birth defect characterized by a shortening or complete absence of the limbs. The University Pediatric Clinic in Hamburg, West Germany reported 0 cases of phocomelia between 1949 and 1958, 1 case in 1959, 30
run one full year AS in Italian Language and Culture that will prepare students to enter Italian 2 at the university level. Although there is an unavoidable tendency to see oppositions and conflicts in sensitive topics such as this article has been discussing, it is important to note that it is not an “either/or” situation with respect to AP classes versus Advanced Seminars. It is true that when one advocates for change, the argument must include a critique of the status quo along with reasons to go beyond it. And indeed, at the forefront of secondary education the trend is pointing away from standardized curricula and standardized testing (again I refer the reader to Kost’s important book, noted above). But it should be stressed that what we are advocating for MBS is simply that our strongest academic students not restrict themselves exclusively to AP courses, but that they take a mix of AP and AS courses. This approach will not only prepare our students for the rigors of those college courses that stress content, deliver material at a fast pace, and rely heavily on testing (the AP model), but also for the Freshman Seminar courses that are more and more becoming the norm for first year college students, courses that stress reflection, critical reading and writing, depth over breadth and a high degree of student engagement (the Advanced Seminar model). The MBS Advanced Seminar program will allow highly motivated students to engage in college-level thinking, reading and writing in courses that can themselves be far more flexible and responsive to student needs because there is no standardized test looming over the course. In all, the Advanced Seminar program is a recent, exciting development in an academic program that is already notable for its innovative and visionary approach to the issues surrounding grade 6-12 education today. It is one more reason that MBS can state with confidence that we offer the best educational experience to be found.
cases in 1960 and 154 cases in 1961. The cause of this tragic increase in the incidence of an otherwise extremely rare disorder was thalidomide, a drug prescribed to pregnant women to ease the discomforts of morning sickness. • Exactly what is thalidomide? • How does the drug exert its teratogenic effects? • How did the thalidomide tragedy unfold in Europe? • What policy decisions allowed the United States to avoid a similar circumstance? • What scientific and regulatory lessons were learned from the thalidomide tragedy? • And how is it this notorious drug has come to be a treatment for individuals suffering from leprosy and multiple myeloma?
DR. JANET BERTHEL Upper School Science
Dr. Janet Berthel joined the MBS community as an Upper School Science teacher in 2014. After earning her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Dartmouth, Dr. Berthel was granted a Camille and Henry Dreyfus TeachingResearch Fellowship which she completed at Mount Holyoke College. Before arriving at MBS, Dr. Berthel was Full Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the College of Saint Elizabeth where she served as department chair, lead faculty contributor to the Task Force on Curricular Revision and decade-long member of the Academic Life Committee. In addition to being granted more than $140,000 to support her research from agencies such as the National Science Foundation, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the Pew Charitable Trusts, among others, Janet is at heart a teacher and mentor. She feels strongly that her teaching goals can best be achieved at a visionary school like MBS. Janet also served on the MBS 2015-2020 Strategic Plan Steering Committee.
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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
MARS
To and
BY STEVE PATCHETT
Beyond
Morristown-Beard School Mars Research Wins First Place in National Competition 38 Crimson Fall 2016
Photography by Peter Chollick Photography
C
ongratulations to the Morristown-Beard School team led by Jordan Ober ’16 and Upper School Science teacher Paul Fisher, whose research earned the top prize in the 2016 Mars Exploration Student Data Teams (MESDT) competition. MBS took first place in the nationwide competition after Ober presented her research project, “Elysium Mons, Mars: CRISM Investigation of RSL Processes,” to a team of Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter scientists at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in mid-May. Ober’s research grew out of the Advanced Seminar course on Planetary Science, which she took with Mr. Fisher during the fall 2015 semester. She then worked with Mr. Fisher last spring as part of an Independent Study, using data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter to study current and active water processes on Mars at the Elysium Mons volcano. “This research is a testament to the work that Jordan did during the Independent Study and the Advanced Seminar, but also the collaborative efforts of that very fine class,” said Mr. Fisher. “All of the students in the Advanced Seminar class have some ownership of the accomplishment, although Jordan certainly refined the project and brought it to a new level in her Independent Study.” The MBS students who took part in the initial research included: Jephte Alphonse ’16, Brandon Bernstein ’16, Brian Cole ’17, Jordan Ober ’16, Neil Petrosino ’16, Oliver Stitt ’17, and Brian Worts ’17. In their critique of the MBS research presentation, the CRISM (Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars) scientists praised Ober, who will study environmental engineering at Lehigh University this fall, for doing “an incredible job.” “She did as good a job as returning teams have done in the past, but without the legacy knowledge. The abstract in particular was very advanced and professional,” wrote CRISM team member Dawn Turney. “All of the scientists were very impressed…I hope you continue your research in the future; you have a gift for it!” As part of the first prize award, Morristown-Beard School will have an opportunity to target three observations using the actual space craft orbiting Mars. “Professional scientists fight bitterly for access to this level of space craft resource,” said Mr. Fisher, who worked at NASA in various roles, first at Brown University and then at the California Institute of
Technology at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL). Drawing on his previous work experience and NASA connections, Mr. Fisher has been able to bring many exciting real-world opportunities into his classes at MBS. Over the past decade, MBS students have had a unique opportunity to remotely operate a 110foot radio telescope located at NASA’s Deep Space Communication Complex in California as part of the Goldstone-Apple Valley Radio Telescope (GAVRT) program. MBS students have also participated in the Mars Student Imaging Program, using real mission tools to target a Mars orbital camera. “This fall, we are offering a new Space Flight Engineering and Design course as part of the new Design Arts and Sciences Department at MBS,” said Mr. Fisher. “It will continue the work that Jordan and her classmates have done, and was inspired by the success we had with the Advanced Seminar last fall.” Ober said she is tremendously grateful for the opportunities and support that she received at Morristown-Beard School. “I came to MBS from a public school where I wasn’t placed in a science track and wasn’t given support or encouragement to pursue a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) career. If you told me four years ago that I would win a national award in science, I would have laughed,” she said. “Coming to MBS and enrolling in freshman physics with Mr. Fisher opened up a whole new world for me. He encouraged me and taught me that I could literally reach for the stars. The Advanced Seminar and Independent Study with Mr. Fisher showed me that I could do anything I put my mind to. This experience has given me so much confidence as I head off to college.” Jordan’s mother, Marci Ober, is extremely proud of her daughter’s accomplishments and is equally grateful for the education her daughter received at MBS.
“
This research is a testament to the work that Jordan did during the Independent Study and the Advanced Seminar, but also the collaborative efforts of that very
”
fine class.
—Paul Fisher P ’12,’16 Upper School Science Teacher
“Jordan wasn’t a science kid until she came to MBS and found Mr. Fisher. She fell in love with the sciences, and it changed the entire course of her life. She took a lot of AP courses, but the Advanced Seminar and the Independent Study was creative and really got her thinking. It was organic and the knowledge built upon itself—she and her friends would have long conversations that continued outside of class,” she said. “This School has been life-changing for both of my children. Morristown-Beard School has exceeded the promise of being a school that is academically excellent as well as nurturing and supportive.” Crimson Fall 2016 39
Stories of
Teaching
40 drop Crimson Fall 2016 Egg challenge
IN THE CLASSROOM
& Learning Students Take the Egg Drop Challenge Humpty Dumpty would have stood a better chance of surviving if he had help from Dr. Christopher Payette’s 9th grade physics students. On June 6th, the freshmen took part in an egg drop challenge—testing the protective devices they built to keep eggs from breaking after being dropped from greater and greater heights. Armed with only a few simple household items including masking tape, cardboard, balloons, drinking straws, and popsicle sticks, the students enjoyed a great deal of success as they dropped the eggs from the football field bleachers at various heights.
Droids in the classroom
Droids in the Classroom It may look like a toy BB-8 droid from the latest Star Wars movie, but a little robot named “Sphero” is actually a powerful tool for learning that is making quite an impact in the Morristown-Beard Middle School. Last spring, math teacher Susan Glover’s Pre-Algebra 1B students used basic “drag and drop” programming on their iPads to guide Sphero—an app-enabled robotic ball—through a course that they designed. The students began the project by plotting courses on graph paper before scaling their designs to the classroom, and marking them on the rug using masking tape. Sprawled around the floor with their iPads, Mrs. Glover’s students cheered when the Sphero made it through a maze, and groaned when it shot out of bounds. After each run, they talked about how to solve various technical problems, calculating speed and angles, and tweaking the code with new information. “Collaboration and problem-solving have been major parts of this project,” said Mrs. Glover. “Even when a group isn’t running their Sphero through the maze, they are actively engaged, trouble-shooting, and figuring out how to fix any challenges that they are encountering.” At the beginning of the project, Mrs. Glover invited Morristown-Beard
Droids in the classroom
Crimson Fall 2016 41
IN THE CLASSROOM
Rubik's Cube Rubik's Cube
Learning Systems Specialist Deanna Whelan to speak with her students about logic-based activities. “Working with Sphero helps students learn how to logically sequence through an activity,” said Mrs. Whelan. “They problem-solve through deconstruction; they need to think of all of the basic operations that are necessary, and break down the activity step-by-step.”
Math Students Tackle Rubik’s Cube Upper School students in math teacher Halie Larson’s classes used Rubik’s Cubes to learn more about a number of mathematical principles including group theory and algorithms. During the winter, the students took center stage at Morning Meeting to show off their skills and speed in solving the popular 1980’s puzzle. They even invited challengers from the audience to take part in this “speedcubing” competition. While none of the participants came close to breaking the Rubik’s Cube world record time (less than 10 seconds!), MorristownBeard School students were still blazing fast. Congratulations to winner Kelly Tatulli ’17, who solved the puzzle in 1 minute, 17 seconds!
42 Crimson Fall 2016
Performing workshop
Lion King Actor Conducts Workshop Actor Jelani Remy, who is currently playing Simba in The Lion King on Broadway, led a special after-school workshop for MBS Upper School students on May 2nd. Remy guided the students through a number of dynamic exercises and activities, as well as answered questions about his career path and his daily life as the king of the jungle in one of Broadway’s most successful shows. A native of Cedar Grove, NJ, Remy earned a bachelor’s degree in musical theater from Montclair State University and acted locally with the Montclair Operettas and Papermill Playhouse before joining the Disney show on Broadway. He became initiated with his current company by appearing in High School Musical before his successful audition for The Lion King.
Crimson Fall 2016 43
IN THE CLASSROOM
To Market, To Market Collaboration and creativity was the name of the game as the 9th Grade Class took a stab at marketing for the final Humanities Symposium of the year on May 12th. For their assignment, the freshmen were charged with creating a poster to promote the Humanities 9 program to incoming students. Each poster had to emphasize the benefits of taking History and English at MBS, focus on skills, and be creative. The freshmen quickly brainstormed in small groups before putting their concepts on paper. Tag lines included: “Come Together,” “Fall Under the Spell of MBS,” “Riding the Rainbow to Success,” “Pumping Out Great Ideas for the Future,” “Humanities Helps You Come Out of Your Shell,” and “MBS Humanities Makes Us Grow.”
Skyping French penpals
44 Crimson Fall 2016
Middle Schoolers Skype with French Penpals Last year, Morristown-Beard School’s 6th Grade sailboat, The Crimson Tide, landed in the seaside resort town of Les Sables-d’Olonne, France. Since that time, an exciting penpal adventure has begun with students from France! On May 31st, Morristown-Beard 8th graders Skyped with their French friends from the Section Européenne at the College Amiral (‘college’ means ‘middle school’) in La Chateau d’Olonne, a village near the town where The Crimson Tide came ashore. The MBS students asked questions in French, while their French counterparts got a chance to practice their English. The students chatted about everything from their summer plans to school, hobbies, favorite TV shows, and food. They even sang their national anthems to each other!
Students Create Trebuchet Launchers In the Middle Ages, trebuchets were used to fling projectiles into enemy fortifications. At Morristown-Beard School last spring, Jeff Yuhas’ mathematical physics students built their own trebuchets to fire water balloons and tennis balls on the softball field. In teams of two, students tinkered with their custom designed trebuchet lever arms and slings while Mr. Yuhas adjusted the counterweights. In several of the early launches, the water balloons either exploded immediately or soared backwards like “friendly fire.” After a few refinements, the most successful teams sent the water balloons sailing through the air about 20 yards before splashing down to the turf field. “If anyone hits second base, they get an A,” joked Mr. Yuhas. Mr. Yuhas explained that the project helps students explore concepts like projectile motion and torque. It also provides a valuable lesson in testing and adjusting an initial concept to make it more successful.
9th Grade symposium
Trebuchet Launchers
Trebuchet Launchers
Crimson Fall 2016 45
Learning Outside the Classroom
46 Crimson Fall 2016
OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME TRIP TO THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS During spring break, 25 MBS students and four faculty chaperones enjoyed a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Galapagos Islands. The 11-day trip began with a flight from Newark to Quito, the capital of Ecuador, where the group visited the Equator, the old town, and the Panecillo, a volcanic hill with scenic views of the city. The group then traveled to Isabela Island, where they spent three days and had plenty of beach and snorkeling time. They visited the crater of a volcano on the island, and encountered many creatures including sharks, iguanas, penguins, stingrays, sea turtles, and sea lions.
After a two-hour boat ride, the group arrived at the next island: San Cristobal, where they spent two days snorkeling, visiting a lake in an old crater, and enjoying beach time. During their time there, they took a long trek along the coastline as well as on the craters under a relentless sun. They then flew back to Quito and traveled to the city of Otavalo, which is famous for its marketplace, where indigenous people sell artifacts. The students also visited the house/museum of a musician who performed for them and showed them how to build some local instruments. “I will remember the striking beauty of the islands for a long time,” said Dr. Elena Fiorica-Howells, a faculty chaperone. “Being able to get so close to unusual animals was also a highlight for me personally, and visiting the places that inspired Darwin’s theory of evolution was a unique experience.”
Crimson Fall 2016 47
OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM STUDENTS VOLUNTEER AT COMMUNITY FOODBANK Once again, Morristown-Beard School 7th and 8th graders enjoyed a rewarding outing to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey in Hillside. More than 120 students and teachers helped sort through large crates of donated food, discarding damaged and expired items. Then, the group helped sort and repackage the salvageable items into usable containers. Community Foodbank
7th Grade at Neighborhood House
As part of their volunteer service, the MBS Middle Schoolers raised more than $1,000 in donations and also brought in more than 300 pounds of non-perishable food items.
7 TH GRADE ENJOYS PARTNERSHIP WITH NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE Morristown-Beard School 7th graders sponsored a year-end celebration for youngsters at The Neighborhood House of Morristown on May 25th. As part of the final volunteer visit of school year, Jennifer Larson’s advisory and members of the 7th grade Leadership Team ran a special program for preschoolers “graduating” to kindergarten. MBS students organized “field day” activities complete with snacks and party favors. Throughout the school year, a Morristown-Beard School 7th grade advisory visited The Neighborhood House each month, and MBS students assisted the preschool teachers by reading books aloud to the class, playing games, and participating in other activities.
6 TH GRADE LEARNS ABOUT THE SEEING EYE On February 17th, Morristown-Beard School 6th graders were given an opportunity to experience the life of a visually-impaired person as they met with Carol Jaskula, a blind woman who spoke about the ways Seeing Eye dogs have enriched her life and given her independence. Jaskula, who was accompanied by her 12 year-old black lab, Vader, is the aunt of MBS junior Taylor Jaskula ’17.
The Seeing Eye
48 Crimson Fall 2016
8TH GRADE SCIENCE GETS FISHY The Whippany River is now home to about 35 more rainbow trout, thanks to students in Brent Deisher’s 8th grade science classes. Beginning in October of 2015, the students raised rainbow trout from eggs to fingerlings as part of the “Trout in the Classroom” program. Throughout the school year, 8th graders monitored the water quality of the Whippany River as well as the fish tank in the classroom. They also tracked the growth and development of the fish in their “Trout Journals.” The project culminated on May 18th and 19th when the students brought the trout to the Whippany River in a large orange bucket. Before releasing the fish, they tested the river’s temperature as well as its pH and ammonia. In addition to raising rainbow trout, the 8th graders also raised quail and tadpoles in the classroom as well. At the end of the year, Deisher took the quail to a special “fly pen” at Tuckerton Seaport for the next stage in their development. He also released tadpoles near his home. Deisher said these projects have given students a hands-on experience in a variety of subjects such as ecology, biology, and chemistry. “The experience also really helps students recognize the importance of habitat loss—that’s the biggest factor in species extinction,” he said. Last fall, the 8th grade science classes spent much of their time in Frelinghuysen Arboretum, studying field biology and forest ecology.
Blood Drive
8th Grade Science
WINTER BLOOD DRIVE A SUCCESS! Morristown-Beard School’s winter blood drive was a huge success thanks to the hard work and generosity of faculty and staff, alumni, students, parents, and area residents. The drive, held on March 1st, was conducted by New Jersey Blood Services. The winter blood drive collected 116 units of blood, and was led by faculty coordinator Laurie Hartman as well as student coordinators Kendall Cairoli ’16, Nick Fazio ’16, Lindsay Friedman ’16, Daniella Petrocelli ’17, and Samantha Salazar ’17. Senior captains were: Zaire Alston, Zain Asif, Vincina Bivona, Maddie Carroll, Matt Enman, and Spencer Rosen. Junior captains were: Katie Brennan, John Crispo, Ryan Green, Terri Green, Jillian Hess, Jake Kurz, Sam Nadler, Deirdre Passione, Lizzy Sengle, and Kelly Tatulli. The baked goods coordinator was Ella Cannon ’16.
Crimson Fall 2016 49
Crimson Corner
VARSITY SPORTS ROUND-UP By Steve Patchett
Boys Basketball
The MBS boys varsity basketball team enjoyed another successful season as they posted a 17-10 record and advanced to the finals of the Prep Tournament, and the quarterfinals of both the Morris County Tournament and the Non-Public State Tournament. The Crimson captured the NJAC Liberty Division Championship, and were led by First Team AllConference players Brian Monaghan ’17 and Justin Rodriguez ’18. Zachary Dees ’18 earned Second Team honors while Ryan Russo ’18 received Honorable Mention.
Swimming
The MBS swim team finished 3-1 in co-ed meets, while the boys swim team placed second in the Prep Championship and sixth in the Morris County Championship. The boys 200 freestyle relay team ( Jack Armstrong ’19, Jack Hughes ’17, Connor Heffernan ’18, and Ryan Waters ’17) qualified for the Meet of Champions and finished 33rd in the entire state. Ryan Waters ’17, who was a First Team All-NJAC and All-Daily Record selection for the 500 freestyle, has become one of the most 50 Crimson Fall 2016
Winter/Spring 2016
decorated swimmers in MBS history. He won the NJSIAA Meet of Champions title in the 500 free and finished third in the 200 free, and swept the distance freestyles at the Morris County Championships. Jack Armstrong ’19, Connor Heffernan ’18, Lindsay Friedman ’16, and Genevieve Pike ’19 received All-NJAC Honorable Mention for the Crimson.
With 26 goals and 26 assists, MBS sophomore Ally Detre ’18 led the state in scoring and was named the NJ.com Girls Ice Hockey Player of the Year for 2015-16. Detre’s linemate, Keegan Heher ’18, was also named First Team All-State. Freshman Jenna Kurz ’19 finished second in the state in scoring (40 points), and was named the NJ.com Rookie of the Year.
Girls Basketball
Boys Ice Hockey
Despite many new faces on the roster this year, the MBS girls varsity basketball team finished 13-13 and showed a great deal of toughness and fortitude. The Crimson advanced to the semifinals of the Prep Tournament, and lost close contests in the Morris County Tournament and State Tournament. Freshman Bridget Monaghan ’19 led the way for MBS and was named First Team All-NJAC. Nicole Borowiec ’19 and Katie Mackin ’18 were selected to the Second Team, while Sarah Bregna ’18 received Honorable Mention.
Girls Ice Hockey
The girls varsity ice hockey team posted an impressive 17-6 record and finished third in the regular season in the WIHLMA Conference.
Although they suffered a heartbreaking loss to St. Augustine Prep in the quarterfinal round of the Non-Public State Tournament, the MBS boys varsity ice hockey team finished with a 19-5-2 record and a pair of championships. The Crimson skated to their third straight Mennen Cup title in 2016, and also captured the Prep Championship following a decisive 3-0 victory over Princeton Day School. Goalie Dan Porth ’16, defenseman A.J. DiCesare ’16 and forward Alex Borowiec ’16 were selected First Team All-Conference, while sophomore Brayden Patricia ’18 received Honorable Mention.
Skiing
It was a fabulous season on the slopes for the MBS ski team. The boys team captured
their first ever conference championship and represented MBS very well at the State Meet. At the Race of Champions, Drake Hawks ’17 captured the state championship while Calvin Wetmore ’16 finished sixth in the state. Hawks, Wetmore, and Alex D’Alessandro ’19 earned a place on the All-State team and qualified for the Eastern Regionals race in New Hampshire, where they competed against the best high school skiers on the East coast. The MBS boys ski team finished as “A” Conference champions, with Hawks, Wetmore, D’Alessandro, and Harris Johnson ’16 earning All-Conference recognition.
Winter Track
The MBS indoor track team enjoyed a strong inaugural season under head coaches Zack Mower and Steve Monteleone. In the early part of the season, the team competed in invitationals and showed tremendous spirit. As the season progressed, the team competed in the Prep, County, and State Meet with junior Jaime Sheppard ’17 and senior Max Borchert ’16 leading the way. Both athletes qualified for the Meet of Champions and ran extremely well against the best competition in New Jersey. In fact, Sheppard placed 22nd out of 32 racers in
the 400 meters.
Baseball
The MBS varsity baseball team made history this year as they became the first MBS team in any sport to capture a Morris County Championship. In a wild game, the Crimson captured the title, 4-3, over Randolph as Head Coach John Sheppard tallied his 400th career victory. The Crimson finished the year with a stellar 21-5 record and advanced to the State Sectional title game before falling to St. Mary. Following the season, the baseball team was honored for exemplary sportsmanship by the New Jersey State Baseball Umpires Association, and Coach Sheppard was named the Daily Record Coach of the Season and the Region 2 Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Pat Davis ’16 was named First Team All-NJAC, as was Max Matilsky ’16, Dillon Sinegra ’16, and Kevin Brophy ’16. Drew Jansen ’16 and Tyler Faccenda ’17 were selected to the Second Team, while Ian Beumee ’18 received Honorable Mention.
Softball
The softball team continued its path of steady improvement, posting a 16-11 record this
year while advancing to the semifinal round of the Non-Public State Tournament and the championship game of the Prep Tournament. The team also won its first-round game of the Morris County Tournament. It was a big year for seniors Sara Seuffert ’16 and Lauren Conway ’16, who both celebrated 100 career hits. Seuffert and Bay Naples ’17 were both named First Team All-NJAC, while Conway and Gianna Rella ’19 were selected to the Second Team. Zoe Grebin ’18 received Honorable Mention.
Boys Lacrosse
The boys varsity lacrosse team showed resilience this season. Faced with a tough schedule and a young team, the Crimson (8-14) still managed to post regular season wins over Mendham and Pope John while advancing to the semifinal round of the State Tournament. Head Coach Sal Tromonda celebrated his 50th career win this season, and the team finished the year on a high note with wins over Morris Catholic and Newark Academy. Connor Morin ’17 was named Third Team All-Non Public and First Team All-Waterman Division. Kevin Gill ’17 was also named First Team All-Waterman Division, while Mach Iuliano ’16 and Mac Crimson Fall 2016 51
CRIMSON CORNER
Mike Karrat ’17 was selected to the Second Team and Will Bonelli ’17 received Honorable Mention.
Girls Golf
It was an enjoyable inaugural season for members of Morristown-Beard School’s newest varsity sport—girls varsity golf. Under the guidance of Head Coach Cathy Kellstrom, the team played 13 competitive matches against some tough competition including Oak Knoll, Lawrenceville, Westfield, and Chatham. Jenny Adelman ’17 received the team’s first Crimson Award for her leadership this season. The team looks forward to building the program for many years to come!
Boys Tennis Boyle ’17 were selected to the Second Team, and Harris Johnson ’16 received Honorable Mention.
Girls Lacrosse
The girls varsity lacrosse team continued to improve throughout the season and posted a 6-12 record. Highlights for the Crimson included a 9-8 victory over MKA, a 7-4 win over Rutgers Prep in the Prep Tournament, and a 9-5 triumph over Livingston in the final game of the year. The team celebrated several milestones this year including Alissa Masini’s 200th goal and Coach Meredith Locasto’s 50th career win. Masini ’16 finished the season with 85 goals and was named to the All-Daily Record Honorable Mention team.
Boys Golf
The Crimson posted a 15-5 record this season as Head Coach Harry Carr picked up his 50th career win. The team finished fifth overall in the Morris County Tournament, where Pat Ryan ’18 paced the team with a fourth place finish. Ryan, who was named First Team All-Daily Record and All-NJAC, and senior Steve Shields ’16, a First Team All-NJAC selection, won first place in the Metedeconk Prep Challenge—beating golfers from Delbarton, Bergen Catholic, Lawrenceville, and many other schools. Matt Karrat ’19 and Fran Randazzo ’18 were also named First Team All-NJAC this season while 52 Crimson Fall 2016
It was a tremendously emotional season for the boys tennis team as they mourned the loss of teammate Matt Giaquinto ’16 this spring. For the resilience, courage, and fortitude they displayed throughout the season, the entire team received the Crimson Award from Head Coach Brett Michel. The boys posted an 8-5 record including wins over Madison, Parsippany, and Montclair Kimberley Academy. The Crimson finished 8th in the Morris County Tournament out of more than 20 schools. Freshman Mark Nagpal ’19 was named Honorable Mention AllDaily Record.
Track & Field
On both an individual and team level, it was a very successful year for MBS track & field with many personal records set in each competition. Freshman Nicole Borowiec ’19 and senior Max Borchert ’16 both won Non-Public B State Championships in the 400-meter hurdles and competed in the Meet of Champions along with elite sprinter Jaime Sheppard ’17. At the Meet of Champions, Borchert earned a medal in the 400 hurdles after finishing 7th overall in 54.62 — one of the top results in MBS history! Borchert was named First Team All-Daily Record and First Team All-NJAC, while Corey Joskowitz ’16 was Second Team All-NJAC and Honorable Mention All-Daily Record. Aidan Wood was also named Honorable Mention All-NJAC. For the girls, Nicole Borowiec and Jaime Sheppard were named First Team All-NJAC. Leila Curtiss ’17 received Honorable Mention.
6.3.17 Class of 1967
50th Reunion
Beard & Morristown Schools Class of 1992
25th Reunion
Morristown-Beard School Class of 2012
5th Reunion
Morristown-Beard School All alumni welcome.
R eu n i on 2017
Alumni Reunion
3
rd
ANNUAL
Y.A.R.P.
Young Alumni Reunion Party MEMBER S OF THE CLASSES OF 2006 – 2016
6.2.17
Crimson Fall 2016 53
Making History By Steve Patchett
I
t was a historic season for the 2016 varsity baseball team (21-5), whose thrilling 4-3 victory over Randolph gave Morristown-Beard School its first Morris County Tournament (MCT) championship in any sport!
All season long, the Crimson won games with improbable comebacks, and the MCT title game certainly took the drama to a whole new level. Morristown-Beard School’s victory came via a wild threerun rally in the bottom of the final inning, after a play where Randolph thought they had won and began to celebrate. The umpires ruled a potential catch by the Rams to be a trap, giving the Crimson new life. Taking full advantage of the situation, junior Tyler Faccenda’s walk-off singe gave MBS a dramatic win. The victory also marked the 400th win of John Sheppard’s coaching career, making the ending even more memorable. “We were on a real inspirational run,” said Coach Sheppard. “Our players have done so much together and gone through so much together. They’ve had their ups and downs. I kind of knew that they were going to pull it out, even in the last inning. 54 Crimson Fall 2016
They certainly made it memorable, especially for a school our size. To win the Morris County Tournament? It’s more than I could have ever thought.” The Crimson also won the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference—Liberty Division, and were finalists in both the Prep B and the NJSIAA Non-Public B North championship games. At the end of the season, they were named the Daily Record Baseball Team of the Year and the Mugs Media Team of the Year. In addition to their championship title (and just as impressive), the Crimson were honored for exemplary sportsmanship by the New Jersey State Baseball Umpires Association and also honored for outstanding academics by the American Baseball Coaches Association. “I am so proud of our players in succeeding on the field and in the classroom,” said Coach Sheppard, “It was the ultimate team effort: administration plus faculty plus students.” Throughout the season, MBS was led by a core group of seniors including All-Daily Record Player of the Year Pat Davis ’16. Davis, the
John Sheppard Wins 400th Game at MBS Congratulations to MorristownBeard School baseball coach John Sheppard, who picked up his 400th career victory in dramatic fashion on May 20th as MBS defeated Randolph, 4-3, for the Morris County Tournament title. Sheppard guided this year’s team to a 21-5 record, and was named the Daily Record Coach of the Season for spring 2016. As head baseball coach at Morristown-Beard School, Coach Sheppard’s teams have won the Morris County Championship (2016), five NJISAA Prep Championships (1996,1997,1999, 2007, 2008), two NJSIAA Private B State Sectional Championships (2005, 2010), the Colonial Hills Conference Championship (2008, 2009) and four NJAC Conference Championships (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015). He was awarded the Colonial Hills Conference Coach of the Year in 2008. Coach Sheppard was also elected to the New Jersey High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2014. Sheppard was raised in Newark and attended Seton Hall Preparatory School where he played football and baseball, earning All-County and All-State honors in football and All-County, AllState, All-Area and All-American honors in baseball. During his high school baseball career, he was selected as a Men of Essex honoree. Sheppard was also honored by being selected as a member of the Star Ledger All Century Team and as an inductee into the Seton Hall Preparatory Hall of Fame (1997).
team’s standout first baseman, also emerged as an ace starting pitcher who compiled a 10-2 record with a stellar 1.50 earned run average. Senior shortstop Max Matilsky ’16, who will play baseball with Davis next spring at Dickinson College, batted .486 to set a School record and also had 35 hits and 18 RBI. He was named First Team All-Daily Record along with third baseman Kevin Brophy ’16, who will play for the West Virginia Mountaineers. Brophy tied for the Morris County lead in homers with six and drove in 25 runs. The Crimson were also led by Dillon Sinegra ’16 (First Team All-NJAC, Honorable Mention All-Daily Record), Tyler Faccenda ’17 (Second Team All-NJAC, Second Team All-Daily Record), Drew Jansen ’16 (Second Team All-NJAC, Honorable Mention All-Daily Record), and Ian Beumee ’18 (Honorable Mention All-NJAC). Coach John Sheppard also picked up his share of honors following the season. He was named the Daily Record Coach of the Season and was selected as the Region 2 Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association. Go Crimson!
After high school, he accepted a baseball scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he played his freshman year. Sheppard completed his college baseball career playing at Seton Hall University; he was selected as a New Jersey College All-Star and Big East All-Tournament in 1987. Sheppard played summer baseball for Staunton of the Virginia Valley League and for the Chatham A’s in Cape Cod. He still holds the record for most grand slams in a season (3) at Seton Hall University (1987), an NCAA record at the time. Sheppard’s professional career began as an assistant coach at Seton Hall University; he then coached freshman baseball at Montclair High School. Subsequently, he began coaching at Morristown-Beard School in 1993, where he continues to coach varsity baseball today, and serves as an instructor of Wellness. From 1998 through 2007, Sheppard served as the Director of Athletics at Morristown-Beard School, where he initiated their membership into the NJSIAA and the Colonial Hills Conference. One of his most rewarding achievements was to facilitate the creation of a girls interscholastic ice hockey program at MBS. Sheppard served as the President of the Colonial Hills Conference from 2005-2007.
Crimson Fall 2016 55
Class Notes Updates From the
Alumni Board Another school year is upon us at MBS, and the Alumni Board and the School continue to celebrate our 125th anniversary as a community and as (what I like to think of ) a small family. We’ve had many great moments of celebration so far. At the Beard School Alumnae Luncheon in the early spring, the ladies enjoyed a fabulous lunch where old friendships were renewed and new ones made. Alumnae also received a small souvenir to take home with them – a piece of china from the original Beard School Dining Hall. Following the Luncheon, the School’s 125th Anniversary Gala at the Pleasantdale Chateau in April was a rousing success! What a tremendous turnout by the entire MBS Community at this important event that recognized both our School’s fine history and its promising future. Alumni Reunion in June continued the celebration of our 125th anniversary. Many thanks to all the alumni who joined together on campus for traditional reunion activities, including the presentation of the Distinguished Alumni Award to Naneen Hunter Neubohn ’57. A truly impressive alumna – if you missed Reunion, I encourage you to visit mbs.net and read more about her! Finally, the MBS Alumni and Friends summer gathering in July at McCloone’s in Long Branch was a great night at the shore. With a beautiful view of the beach and ocean, alumni representing five different decades and their guests connected with each other, sharing stories and networking while sampling fine food and cold drinks. The month of July also brought some sad news. As many of you have heard, Philip Anderson, former Headmaster at MBS (1974-1992), passed away. He was a wonderful man who helped to put MBS on the solid footing that it is on today. Mr. Anderson took a personal interest in each student within the School and treated us like an extended family. He will be missed. As you can see, there has been (and will continue to be) a wide range of events for alumni to reconnect with each other and the School in celebration of our 125th anniversary. Whichever event you choose to attend (see page 74), I do hope that you will join us soon. Go Crimson!
Caroline (Elias) Turben ’87 President, MBS Alumni Board
Ready to Volunteer? Need info about upcoming alumni events? Please visit www.mbs.net/alumni or email alumni@mbs.net.
56 Crimson Fall 2016
1946 Barbara Hallock Hendrick is still
spending her summers on Squam Lake, New Hampshire. year 70th 1947 Barbara H. Westbrook says, “If all goes as Reunion
planned, I will move back to New Jersey this fall after 30-plus years in Leesburg, Florida. It will be nice to be back home, except for the cold weather!”
year 65th 1952 Dr. Caro Elise Luhrs and Hanna Reunion
Rosenblatt Alger first met as five yearolds in Miss Beard’s first grade class in 1940. Last June, the two lifelong friends got together to celebrate their mutual 60th Reunion at Swarthmore College.
1953 Joyce Christian Bodig writes, “Much
to my amazement, I’m still running the concerts at The Frick Collection. It’ll be 33 years this fall. There couldn’t be a better place to work. Also, I’ve been teaching ESL on my free day. It’s very rewarding in a field that needs all the help it can get.” Bob Smith and George Tiger still get together via visits and phone calls. “We chat about the old days, mainly playing basketball for Morristown School,” said George. “Bob was the basketball team captain and president of the Class, and is still an excellent golfer – consistently shooting in the 80s. Good for him. Go Class of 1953!”
Day weekend when Alexander Rossi, a rookie driver that he helps to sponsor, won the Indy 500. “We were there and happy for him. Besides, the London bookies gave me 67-1 odds!” he said. He hopes that everyone from the Class of 1958 is well and is enjoying life.
1956 Members of the Morristown School Class of
1956 celebrated their 60th Class Reunion with a dinner at Rod’s Steak House on June 3rd. Pictured from left are: (standing) Dick Stinson ’56, Paul Kiselic ’56, Eric Johnson ’56, Bill Lum ’56, and Fred Greenberg ’55. Seated: Anne Stinson and Janet Greenberg. Barbara Newberry Lindsley is enjoying spending time at her homes in Milbrook, New York and Kirkcudbright, Scotland. Emily Lehman Smith and her husband, Bob, are happily busy in New York City. “I really love keeping up with our dear MBS friends,” she writes. “The Lehman Lecture, which focused on the architecture and culture of Newark, was very good this spring!” year 60th 1957 Lisa Haenlein Newton is living at Wake Reunion
Robin, a retirement community in Shelburne, Vermont, where she keeps bees, makes maple syrup, grows beans, and is writing a book. She also serves as treasurer of the Residents’ Association. She recently returned from a cruise up the Elbe River with her oldest daughter, Cindy, and a visit to Partridge Creek Farm, which is run by her son Dan. She is also helping her daughter Tracey prepare a new house.
1958 Doug Mockett and his wife, Rita Getzelman,
are building their dream home in Los Angeles and are looking forward to settling in during early 2017. He recently returned from an African safari and looks forward to driving Porsches around Germany this fall, before racing in Mexico. “I’m still driving old Formula One cars all over, and 35 years, 6,000 hours and six planes later, I’m still flying our CJ3 single pilot everywhere,” he said. “I’m planning a round the world trip next year. We’ll see.” Doug’s proudest moment this past year took place over Memorial
1960 Melinda Lyon and her husband, John, are still
active in aviation, having flown their plane, a Meyers 200, to the EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. She was elected to the Board of Directors of the San Fernando Valley Chapter of the Ninety-Nines, Inc., which is devoted to promoting women in aviation. She is looking forward to visiting her son, Carl, who moved to Williamsburg, Virginia with his partner, Will Torres.
year 55th 1962 Dr. Jeanie Hayes is a California licensed Reunion
Marriage and Family Therapist and an EAGALA certified Mental Health & Equine Specialist. She lives on a small farm in Marin County, California and provides psychotherapy often using her horses and other exotic animals including llamas, miniature horses and donkeys, baby goats, and a potbelly pig to assist the process of her work with addiction, trauma, and family relationships. “Quite a feat for a Short Hills, Beard School graduate!” she writes.
1961 Terry Ann Degan Black, a retired nurse, is
enjoying life with her husband of 49 years, Jeff. They have two sons who are both married, and five grandchildren. She loves taking road trips along the Pacific coast, gardening, reading, and playing grandma. She recently wrote an article for The Huffington Post titled “That Little Key,” and is still busy teaching and lecturing. She has written a book entitled, Caring is Not Enough: A Workbook for Emergency and End of Life Planning.
Loretta Porter James recently welcomed her newest granddaughter, Arabella Elizabeth, who was born in Pasadena, California in October 2015.
Tobi Wobbe Graham writes, “We’re off to tend our 13th lighthouse…this one is in Presque Isle, Michigan. Crazy hobby, isn’t it?” Marion Ahbe Lord is expecting a visit this fall from classmate Betsy Smith Budelman and her husband, Frank. Barbara Fisher Margalef is pleased to announce the birth of her great-grandson, Rodrigo, who was born on May 23, 2016. Martin “Marty” K. Pottle, after more than 50 years in the advertising/PR business, has taken on a new career following retirement. He recently went through extensive training by the Department of Homeland Security and has taken on a Federal position as a FEMA Reservist. He will aid disaster survivors on special assignments across the nation.
Judy Burgess Keen recently explored Iceland with her friend Wendy Price, who happens to be a neighbor of Loretta Porter James. Susan Magennis Underwood announced that her daughter Megan Underwood was married to Daniel Gámaz Olivades in Linares, Spain on July 16, 2016. “I lived in Spain for two years after college and have kept up on my Spanish,” she writes. “I love visiting Spain but wish it was closer to our home in Radnor, PA.” Susan spent the month of August at her summer house in Twilight Park, in Haines Falls, New York in the Catskill Mountains. Crimson Fall 2016 57
CLASS NOTES
1964 Doug Buchanan writes, “I am presently a
grandfather to Maddie and Teddy Buchanan and life couldn’t be better!”
1965 Martha Root Brody enjoyed a sunny and
busy summer and is recuperating from her second knee replacement. “Part of my therapy is walking and I have been doing a lot of that by participating in indoor archery target shooting…walking back and forth from the target,” she writes. “This is a sport that I taught as a counselor many years ago at a summer camp in Vermont while I was a student at Beard.” Her son Jim is in management and was married last year, and her daughter Katie works full-time for a dentist and is also an assistant coach for the women’s volleyball team at Cornell. Martha recently discovered that she is friends with the children of Mary Ellen Donohue Wulff ’63. “Her son Mark was my supervisor when we worked in auto claims at AIG, and her daughter Hazel was a supervisor in auto insurance sales at AIG. I nearly fell over when we made this connection! Unfortunately, Mary Ellen passed away; I never got to meet her.” Martha is the Beard School Class of 1965 Class Agent. She requests that classmates send notes to her at marwdhnd@stny.rr.com.
1966 William “Bill” Terhune recently completed
the certificate program of rescue diver and continues to serve as a volunteer at the Georgia Aquarium, the largest aquarium in the world. He and his wife, Linda, are planning trips to St. Petersburg, Stockholm, and Copenhagen this year. year 50th 1967 Dave Dyer is still a sportswriter at the EagleReunion
Tribune in Haverhill, Massachusetts and was recently named USA Wrestling National Writer of the Year. He has four children including a 15-year old adopted from Ukraine. He has hosted exchange students for 26 years. Frank Johnson writes, “At MBS, I used to summer in Martha’s Vineyard, but with the 58 Crimson Fall 2016
passage of time we returned to Westerly, Rhode Island, which has the same amenities – beach, bike riding and such – but is more convenient. This will be our 14th summer here, and my 50th summer on the Vineyard after I graduated from MBS. Russ North ’68 is in the adjacent house, and we have a lot of stories to tell. Unfortunately, classmate Jim MacDougall no longer comes here, although this is where I originally met him after giving up Martha’s Vineyard.” In July, Frank flew to Germany and drove thru the Mosel, Rheingau, and Pfalz districts before crossing into Burgundy and finishing up in Bordeaux. Johnson, who is Chairman & CEO of Frank Johnson Selections in New York City, hopes to see many of his classmates at the upcoming 50th Reunion in June, 2017. Tom Pagano has “re-retired” after two years as Interim Superintendent at Red Bank Regional High School. He leaves a school district which is listed among the top 75 high schools in New Jersey and was identified by The Washington Post as having one of the top high schools in the nation. He will continue to mentor new superintendents as assignments from the state arise. He also recently played in the Rowan University Brown and Gold Gridiron Golf Classic at Seaview Golf Course in Galloway Township, where he was reunited with some of his teammates and coaches from his college football playing days. He and Gloria still reside in Interlaken, NJ.
1969 David Bauer is finally retired after a 15-year
career in oil and gas exploration and another 20 years in environmental consulting and serving as County Engineer for a 4,000-square mile area in Colorado. David lives in Fort Collins, Colorado where his current pursuits include mountain and road biking and playing bass in a rockabilly band called Last Call Romance. “There are no straight line paths through life!” he writes.
1970 Bruce S. Kessler, who is living in St. Paul,
Minnesota, will be graduating from Hamline University this fall with a master’s degree in Natural Science and Environmental Education.
Bruce enjoys kayaking and backpacking while sharing the awe, reverence, and wonder of the natural world.
1974 Bob Namar develops marketing and
communication content for firms in the New York City area. His son Raymond ’16 graduated from MBS in June and is headed to Northeastern to study computer science, while his daughter Ava ’19 continues as a sophomore at MBS. Bob welcomes a hello from any classmates.
1978 Debra Autrey Bock writes, “My husband
David (ATF bomb tech) and I (RLC Communications) are still going strong after 32 years of marriage. Our son Adam (HPD) and his wife Erica (dentist) just welcomed their first child — and our first grandchild — Maci June, on November 13, 2015. Our younger son, Nicholas, is still foot loose and fancy free, enjoying his job as Media Administrator at TWUMC.” Ranma Budlong changed her name to Ann Marie Kennedy, and received a B.A. in Communication Arts with a minor in History at Rogers University in Oklahoma.
Wendy Goldberg Taffet spends her days at Enjoû Chocolat in Morristown making and selling fine chocolates in a very magical place. She had a chance to come back to MBS this year and speak at career day about her work experience. Wendy is married to Berton Taffet, an orthopedic surgeon at Morristown Medical Center and has a son, Zachary, who graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in finance and is currently employed at BlackRock in NYC. When she is not working, she enjoys bike riding and spending time with her family. Recently she got a visit at her chocolate shop from Monya Taylor Davis ’88 and was thrilled to have her visit Enjoû and catch up!
Cestone ’84, Jon C. “Gump” Cunningham ’79, Tim Cutting ’79, Bruce Eshbaugh, Brian Feeley ’83, John Fusco ’77, Tom Fusco ’77, Robert Schiffenhaus ’78, Peter Van de Graaf ’79, Ted Whitmore ’81, Amy Chaiken Wolffe ’78. In lieu of gifts, a scholarship fund was created to celebrate the lives of the “Fells Boys” — Randy Beard ’78, Billy Nevins, and Robert Vostal ’79.
1980 Warren Bobrow will publish his fifth book, The
Craft Cocktail Compendium, this fall through Fair Winds Press. He continues to serve as a National Brand Ambassador for Mezan Rum, and recently participated in the San Francisco Rum Fest, the Miami Rum Festival, and Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.
Peter Broder has been a member of the Millburn-Short Hills Volunteer First Aid Squad since 1990. This summer, fellow MBS graduate Dana Riback ’14 also joined him as a member of the squad!
1984 Adam Diglio recently began a position as
Program Lead for the U.S. Sales Learning group at Zoetis, a spinoff of Pfizer Animal Health. In this role, Adam leads the learning program development efforts in support of learning plans, product launches, and distance learning content development.
Amy Chaiken Wolffe is excited to announce the arrival of her second grandchild, Rory Marx Goldman. He joins big sister Abigail, who is 14 months old. Proud parents are Chelsey and Isaac Goldman ’06. Amy has also recently been appointed Vice President of the MBS Alumni Board. Please feel free to contact her with any class news or notes or just to say hi at amywolffe1@gmail.com. year 35th 1982 Brooke Billings Bulmer and her family and Reunion
friends gathered on campus in April to salute her father, former MBS Athletic Director and Coach Spike Billings, who was inducted into the New Jersey High School Hockey Hall of Fame.
1983 Serena Gallagher Boyd and her husband, Steve, 1979 Steve Fusco and Michele A. Cestone ’83
were married on June 25th, 2016 at the Essex Fells Country Club. Members of the MBS community in attendance included: Brooke Billings Bulmer ’82, Tripp Billings, Ralph
have moved to Linwood, New Jersey after living in Manchester, England. Serena recently joined the entertainment strategic marketing firm Tracey Miller & Associates, and is an adjunct professor in the Department of Music at Rowan University.
1986 John Flores rode an electric motorcycle
from San Francisco to New York City in July, following the route of George A. Wyman, who in 1903 became the first person to cross the country on a motorcycle or car. In the process, John became the third person to cross the country on an electric motorcycle — and most likely the first MBS alumnus! Stories and photos of his journey will be published in a story in RoadRUNNER Magazine in 2017. Aaron Miles reported that “life is good” and he enjoyed seeing everyone at Reunion. Crimson Fall 2016 59
CLASS NOTES
1993 Neil Goklani is an Executive Director – Global
Robette D. Thompson enjoys working in communication for Catholic Bishops of the USA. She lives in Maryland.
year 30th 1987 Kate Carlson Furer, Sandy Appet Pesso, Reunion
Jenn Seabury Sowa, Helen Broder Fuller, and Caroline Elias Turben recently enjoyed getting together for lunch in Little Italy. “We’re all looking forward to seeing the rest of our class at our 30th reunion this year!” says Caroline Turben.
1990 Jay Friedel recently began his 10th year of
teaching. He is excited to be teaching 8th grade math this year in the town of North Chicago. Lynne Saliba Moronski sent her youngest daughter to all-girls Camp Arcadia, which is run by classmate Frank Fritts’ family. “Lizzie had a wonderful time with the Fritts’, cousins on both sides of my family, and with the other girls there,” she writes. “I just love that second family feeling and am glad that Lizzie had the opportunity to try it out also. The house is quiet, and I can tell you right now that in a few years I will be crying over being an empty nester. I will likely be back in school by that point to keep my mind occupied!” Lynne is also honored and humbled to announce that she has been accepted into the Rutgers University School of Nursing Second Degree Baccalaureate Program. It is a 14-month program that she will be starting this September. She will continue to make meaningful contributions to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
60 Crimson Fall 2016
Head of Brand Integration at J.P. Morgan Asset Management in New York City. He lives in Ridgewood, New Jersey with his wife, Susan, and children, Kiran (9), Lucia (5), and Benjamin (1).
1991 Sallie Oakes O’Connor had a great time
reconnecting with friends during Reunion weekend. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years!” she says. “I hope to stay in touch with everyone and that we have an even better turnout for our 30th.” Chip Rollinson writes, “I had a great time reconnecting with people back in New Jersey for our 25th reunion back in June. I’m about to start my 12th year at Buckingham Browne & Nichols (BB&N), a prep school in Cambridge, Massachusetts where I’m teaching high school math and serving as the department chair. If you’re in the Boston area, I’d love to hear from you.” year 25th 1992 Danielle Carr Kahm and her husband, Todd, Reunion
recently celebrated the First Communion of their twin boys, Nathan and Jake. Pictured are members of the Carr family at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club after the service: (Top row from left) Todd Kahm, Danielle Carr Kahm ’92, Harry Carr, Sharon Carr, Ryan Carr ’95, and Michelle Carr. Front row from left: Nathan Kahm, Jake Kahm, Dakota Carr, Caitlin Carr, Avery Carr, and Kendall Carr.
1994 Whitney Brusman Shelton is still living
in Richmond, Virginia and is working in admissions and coaching soccer at St. Catherine’s School. “We have two girls, Harper (5) and Olivia (2), who keep us on our toes at all times,” she writes. “Life is good. Give a shout if anyone is in the Richmond area!”
1995 Bill Bryan lives in Convent Station with his
wife, Laurie, and two boys: Will (5) and Patrick (2). He writes, “I am still in contact with many of my classmates and see Jamie Siminoff numerous times a day, albeit on TV with his successful Ring video doorbell commercials!” year 20th 1997 Hugh Leoni said that he and Peter Hedley have Reunion
started to plan events for the 20th Reunion on Friday, June 2nd and Saturday, June 3rd, 2017. They recently created a Facebook page called “Class of 1997 20th Reunion,” and have reached out to many classmates and had a good response so far. He writes, “Please make sure you have your contact information up to date with the School as we’ll be sending out a formal invitation. If you have questions email me at hugh.leoni@wellsfargo.com or Pete at phedley@hiltonrealtyco.com. Looking forward to seeing everyone!”
1999 Brian Dougherty is a residential real estate broker
and a co-owner of a firm with 10 offices between Boston and Cape Cod. “My partner Nick and I have been together for nearly 11 years and have two terribly behaved but lovable dogs that we take between Boston’s South End and a small place in Woodstock, Vermont,” he writes. “I enjoy nothing more than hearing from old classmates and friends, and hope everyone is well.”
Jeff Valane works in finance at J.P. Morgan, and earned his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Cornell University.
Julia Pettengill Sibley moved on to a new role as the Deputy Director for External Affairs at the International Republican Institute in Washington, D.C.
year 15th 2002 Sue Driscoll, Mike Driscoll ’05 and Larysa
Paul Wistermayer, U.S. Army Captain, graduated from Wake Forest School of Medicine last May as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He will begin a five-year ENT residency at Joint Base Lewis-McCord in Washington State with his fiancée, Dr. Lindsay Porter. Prior to attending medical school, Paul spent five years with the 82nd Airborne Division as a Military Intelligence Officer. He completed a one-year tour in Iraq and is the recipient of the Bronze Star Award.
Kate Rockland Gillan is now living in Madison, New Jersey. She is married to Joe Gillan and is the author of two novels. She had her third child, Sophie Rose Gillan, on July 15, 2015. Scott Michael Robertson recently participated in the White House Forum on Criminal Justice Reform and Disability in his role as a subject matter expert on re-entry to employment. He advises on youth policy issues in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. He also leads a cross-team workgroup on accessible technology policy in employment. He recently wrote a book entitled, The Art of Impact: A Handbook for Self-Determined Living. Its audience is people with disabilities who are developing and refining self-advocacy skills.
2001 Terri Jones is a physician’s assistant in
Philadelphia, and came to Reunion in June with her husband, Russell Ferry. Tashia Martin is a manager in social services working in the area of discipline issues in culture and climate alternative education. She is working in the area of homeless rights and youth rights. She plans to return to school in the area of educational leadership. Bianca Clark-Muhammad is married to Mustafa Muhammad and has a daughter, Zari. She is an educational consultant. Bianca is a Temple University graduate and is currently seeking an MPA degree at Rutgers University – Newark. Elizabeth Cohen Rubin is the mother of a 1-year old daughter, Madelyn. She has been trained as a preschool teacher for students with autism, and lives in Springfield, New Jersey.
Reunion
Balysky ’05 have been active with the Morris County Young Republicans. Sue Driscoll enjoys her job as a teacher in Washington Township, New Jersey. Elizabeth Hunter-Keller and her husband, West, welcomed their first child, Cora Loveday, on May 17, 2016. She was born at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, at noon, weighing 5lbs, 5oz. “Everyone is healthy and smitten with their beautiful new daughter,” she writes.
2003 Zachary Merves and Harmony Dougher Merves were married on August 20, 2016 in Far Hills, New Jersey. Alumni in attendance included: Jared Stroud ’03, Kara Wiswall ’03, Michael Frustaci ’04, Tyler Malmstrom ’03, Adam Lagno ’03, and Ryan Burden ’03. Zachary currently works in finance, while his wife is an art teacher at West Morris Central High School.
2004 John Cullum currently works for a New
Zealand based documentary production company, and just completed two intense years of field production in East Asia for an upcoming PBS series about the Pacific Ocean. He will now begin the postproduction process, seeing the project through to final delivery. The series is scheduled to broadcast in early June, 2017. This September he is taking a quick break to marry Chelsea Taylor of Virginia, whom he met in Washington, D.C.
2006 Samuel Altiero is founder and president
of his own company, Division Won Sports Group. His company consults with elite student-athlete prospects. He recently hired four young Morristown-Beard alumni for business and leadership internships. Crimson Fall 2016 61
CL A S S NOTES Lauren Amery is launching a line of women’s golf apparel this fall. The line is called Dagny Scout and is expected to be available in October. “The brand is named for the leading ladies of Atlas Shrugged and To Kill a Mockingbird, and is here to empower women to test the limits and redefine the status quo,” explained Amery. Jennifer Conway will be attending the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University in the fall where she will pursue a Masters in Finance. Justin Leigh and his wife, Jocelyn, are opening a microbrewery in the Columbia River Valley, Washington. Kayleigh Melroy was recently promoted to Clinic Director of Performance Physical Therapy’s newest location in Middletown, Rhode Island. She obtained her Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) certification and is certified in Functional Dry Needling. “Ballet
A
and performing arts rehabilitation are my passion, and I provide physical therapy services to the dancers of the Island Moving Company, Newport’s professional contemporary ballet company,” she writes. “I am proud to be part of the Performance PT team as we were the recipient of the 2014 Jane L. Snyder National Private Practice of the Year and have also been named one of Providence Business News’ Best Places to Work for three years in a row.” Ashley Powell teaches 2nd grade at the Spence School in New York City. She lives in Newark. Danny Tuckman graduated from Cornell University in 2010. Eriqah Williams Vincent received a promotion last year and is now the National Campus Coordinator for Ecoleaders for the National Wildlife Federation in Atlanta.
year 10th 2007 John McHale has been working as an ABC Reunion
News live stream operator for the past eight months, following a year and a half stint as a freelance employee. “Recently, the department put out heavy coverage of the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention on multiple platforms and scored record viewership on Facebook. Next up are the Presidential debates and eventually, election night. In the meantime, ABC News is always looking for more material to stream. Any ideas, send them my way!” Chase Rupprecht recently received his Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Logan University in St. Louis. Dr. Rupprecht will be practicing chiropractic at Santiago Chiropractic Associates in Lake Hiawatha, N.J., with plans to attend medical school next fall to obtain his Doctor of Medicine degree.
A Life-Changing Trip to Chile
s an engineering student at Bucknell University, it is difficult to study abroad for a semester. Luckily, Bucknell offers a program called ENGR 290, which is a 3-week trip with approximately 30 students and four staff members to a foreign country. This past year, as a sophomore, I was lucky enough to be accepted for the trip, which was to Chile. The trip itself is a class that you receive a credit for, and includes a three-day engineering design project. The main purpose of the trip is to experience the culture of the country. We began our journey in Santiago where we did a number of activities around the city such as hiking up San Cristobal Hill, visiting a Chilean poet’s house, a number of plazas, the Catholic University, an art museum, and Gran Torre (tallest building in South America). We then flew to one of the southernmost cities, Punta Arenas, and from here visited the Universidad de Magallanes. The next city was Puerto Natales, which allowed us to spend an entire day in Torres del Paine national park (Patagonia), where we had perfect weather and some amazing scenery. We then traveled to Puerto Varas, a small Chilean vacation town, visited a brewery established by a Penn State graduate, and did some activities on the lake. After all of this traveling and sightseeing, we stayed in the woodsy part of Villarica in a ruka to work on our design project for three days. This project was based around the UN’s Sustainable Goals for the future, and we were tasked with selecting a goal and creating a prototype to solve the problem. My goal was sustainable cities and communities, and my group proposed a modular home constructed from a recycled shipping container, to replace shacks on the outskirts of Santiago and
62 Crimson Fall 2016
By Kyle Vanderhoof ’14
slums around the world. Upon completion of the project, we returned to Santiago where we then visited the US Embassy, the Catholic University-San Joaquín, Corfo (government funded start up agency), Sewell mining town, and the Concha y Toro vineyard. After Santiago we went to the second largest city in Chile, Valparaíso, and went to the Chilean Congress building, took a boat ride in the harbor, and explored the city. Our final destination was La Serena. This was our central location for a number of day trips to CTIO observatory, the Elqui Valley, and Las Islas Damas. I highly recommend travelling to Chile—a beautiful country full of amazing people with a totally refreshing lifestyle. As my first experience out of the United States, this trip is one I will never forget. Safe travels to all other alumni traveling abroad, and have fun!
Christopher Scott is serving with the U.S. Army and is stationed at Walter Reed Military Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. Tiffany Walker recently founded Pathways Toward Peace, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide capacity building and awareness to faith-based and other community organizations about mental and emotional health and wellness. “One of our primary objectives is to connect individuals and leaders of faith-based communities with resources and formal training regarding mental health treatment and prevention,” said Walker.
2008 Adam Dubov began a new job in July,
working as a Financial Services Advisor at National Financial Network, an office of Guardian Life.
2009 Katie Apolinario recently moved to a
new apartment and is still enjoying life in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
2010 Sam Taggart worked for two years
on the advertising sales team at Discovery Communications in New York City, before he changed gears and moved across the country to pursue a job writing for Powder Magazine, a skiing publication. Sam is currently living in San Diego, where he is a regular contributor to the magazine, interviewing professional skiers, assisting in the editorial process, posting to social media, and even hosting his own podcast for the magazine. year 5th 2012 Michael Magner received a B.A. in Reunion
performance and communication arts from St. Lawrence University.
2013 Katherine Chester, a rising senior at
Connecticut College and a member of the women’s ice hockey team, was named to the 2016 NESCAC Winter All-Academic Team by the New England Small College Athletic Conference. Catherine Sclafani was named to the dean’s list at Colgate University.
2014 Carolyn Chambers is a junior at the
University of Richmond, where she is playing lacrosse. “I had so much fun at the alumnae hockey game,” she writes. “I miss MBS, but am loving my experience at UR.” Kelly Dolan is playing ice hockey at UMass Amherst and enjoyed reuniting with her old MBS teammates at the alumnae hockey game in December.
2015 Christina D’Alessandro is a
sophomore at Plymouth State University, where she plays ice hockey. “I really enjoyed my first semester at school,” she says. “It was so nice to be back playing at Twin Oaks for the alumnae hockey game. Missing the whole MBS family!”
Stay in Touch with MBS! Send us your news for the Spring issue of Crimson! Keep the MBS community updated on your latest personal, professional, and civic achievements. To be included in the next issue, please email us at alumni@mbs.net by Friday, January 27.
Class Agents Nancy “Taz” (Tasman) Brower ’47
Stephanie (Gowski) Bush ’91
tazbrower@yahoo.com
Sallie (Oakes) O'Connor ’91
Fred Greenberg ’55 fgwindswept@aol.com
Bettie (Francis-Lajara) LaVallee ’55 manjimget@gmail.com
Dr. Richard L. Stinson ’56 kb3kbc@gmail.com
Hope (Phillips) Hazen ’60 hopehazen@aol.com
Loretta (Porter) James ’62 lorettapjames@aol.com
Pamela (Norman) Apito ’65 pnorman.bes@gmail.com
Martha (Root) Brody ’65
stephaniebush@verizon.net oakessal@yahoo.com
Chip Rollinson ’91 chip.rollinson@gmail.com
Whitney (Brusman) Shelton ’94 wbrusman@yahoo.com
Peter Hedley ’97 phedley01@gmail.com
Hugh Leoni ’97 hugh.leoni@wellsfargo.com
Darnell Parker ’00 darnell.t.parker@gmail.com
Tashia Martin ’01 tashiammartin@yahoo.com
marwdhnd@stny.rr.com
Sue Driscoll ’02
Michael Esposito ’66
suedriscoll32@gmail.com
meme1015@yahoo.com
Tyler Mulvihill ’05
Amy (Chaiken) Wolffe ’78
tyler.g.mulvihill@gmail.com
amywolffe1@gmail.com
Greg Williams ’05
Steve "Peach" Fusco ’79
gwilliams@mbs.net
steve@obrienyacht.com
Lee (Grant) Bogaert ’06
David Moretti ’85
lee.bogaert@gmail.com
proskomedia@gmail.com
Jennifer Conway ’06
Sefton Stallard ’85
jennifer.lynn.conway@gmail.com
seftones@gmail.com
Zach Borker ’10
William "Bill" Trimble ’85
zborker@gmail.com
billtrimble901@gmail.com
Rebecca Lerner ’10
Gail (Kaltenbacher) Kurz ’86
lerner.rebecca@gmail.com
gail@setonco.com
Herman Kurz ’86 hkurz@setonco.com
Jackie (Jonnard) Landre ’86
Emily Martuscello ’10 emar2cello@gmail.com
Maggie Ranger ’10 maggie.ranger1@gmail.com
Sam Taggart ’10
jrgriffith2000@yahoo.com
staggart19@gmail.com
Sandy (Appet) Pesso ’87
Lauren Capo ’11
spesso01@aol.com
Caroline (Elias) Turben ’87
lcapo93@gmail.com
Ali Shulman ’11
caroline@extravagantgardens.com
alixshulman1@gmail.com
Robert Warnock ’87
Zach Gray ’12
robwarnock69@gmail.com
zach@strivr.com
Interested in being a Class Agent? Please email alumni@mbs.net to volunteer.
Crimson Fall 2016 63
In Memoriam Philip L. Anderson, July 26, 2016, age 93. Former Headmaster Philip L. Anderson was a beloved figure on campus who guided the merger of the Schools and helped MBS thrive during his 18 years of service. Anderson devoted his life to service and education, both professionally for 44 years and also as a volunteer after retirement. During his tenure at Morristown-Beard School, Anderson secured the School’s financial footings, and enrollments nearly tripled, growing from 168 to 435 students. He significantly expanded the number of faculty and the School’s academic program. Under his leadership, the campus grew as well—both the Dining Hall/Science Center and the Athletic Center were built. Mr. Anderson had a clear vision for Morristown-Beard School. He believed a school was not a corporation and should not be run like one. He was personally involved in admission and college counseling in addition to administration. Anderson met with every prospective student and family, and he interviewed every prospective faculty member. He had an extraordinary sixth sense about people; he knew what he wanted his community to be. Under his leadership, a 7th and 8th grade Middle School was created in 1978; it was later expanded to include a 6th grade. In a 2008 interview, Mr. Anderson recalled, “We were seeing the process of establishing middle schools coming from public schools and recognized it was the right thing to do. We were very fortunate to have Leona Fagan and a team of teachers to explore this concept for MBS.” Dr. Fagan, one of his early recruits, became the first Head of Middle School. Anderson worked to join the traditions of The Beard School and The Morristown School after their somewhat uneasy 1971 merger. Morristown’s Old Main, the main campus building, was rededicated on October 12, 1974 as Beard Hall in honor of Beard founder Miss Lucie Beard. He invited Edith Sutherland, long time Beard Headmistress, to deliver the Dedication Address. “Heading MBS was a challenge, but I had a great team—great faculty, great coaches. We created opportunities for kids to flourish,” Anderson said. “The leader gets the credit, but credit should go to the entire team. I learned in the Marines, you can’t do it alone; I had a great staff, great people.” MBS staff during the Anderson years recalled, “We knew that Phil would make all final decisions, but he sought and weighed input from everyone equally, including students.” Born on May 23, 1923, Anderson was a young college student at Marquette University when the United States entered World War II. He transferred to Notre Dame to be part of their Marine Officers Training Program. After three semesters, he further trained at Camp Lejeune before deployment to the Pacific. He proudly served in the Marines from 1943 to 1947, but had two compelling reasons for leaving the service: the first was to complete his education, and the second was to court his wife Celeste, who was studying at The American Academy of Art and Fashion Design in Chicago. “I loved Notre Dame and could have returned, but I could complete my degree at Marquette in two semesters as compared to three at Notre Dame. Plus, Marquette was closer to Celeste.” 64 Crimson Fall 2016
He completed his degree and the couple married in 1948. Their daughter Cheryl was born in 1949, followed by Scott in 1951, and Dennis in 1956. A nationally-ranked pole vaulter, Anderson had an athletic scholarship at Marquette. Early on, he made the decision to enter education. While completing his undergraduate degree, he was a student-teacher in Milwaukee and “loved every minute of it.” He took a faculty and coaching position at the University School, an independent secondary institution where he stayed for 14 years, becoming Assistant Headmaster. The Andersons moved East, and Phil was first the Assistant Director, then Headmaster at Montclair Academy, one of the forerunner schools to The Montclair Kimberly Academy. In a 2010 interview, Anderson recalled his coming to MBS: “In 1974, Tom Grant was retiring. I was president of the New Jersey Alliance of Independent Schools. Tom and I had been working together. I respected Tom and was honored to follow him. When Celeste and I arrived, we loved the beauty of the campus and the warmth of the people.” Anderson was universally loved by the MBS family. Students in the 1987 Salmagundi wrote, in part, “As each of us became members of the MBS family, our attitude towards the School was already determined by your warmth and enthusiasm…Your dedication to the philosophy that success is defined as both individual achievement and contributions to our fellow man has given us a goal for which to strive and guidelines by which we can live.” After his formal retirement, Anderson continued his lifelong devotion to service both with Kiwanis and the American Red Cross. He accepted an invitation from philanthropist Ray Chambers to work part-time on behalf of deserving young people in Newark, NJ. He also did fundraising for the P.G. Chambers School for Therapy and Learning in Cedar Knolls, helping young people with learning problems and disabilities. Anderson always expressed gratitude for the joy of working with young people. During his retirement years, he said, “What I relish now is hearing former students telling me how much they loved MBS.”
Katharine Babson Denny ’40, February 12, 2016, age 92. Born in Orange, New Jersey, Kay grew up in South Orange, near her father’s childhood home. She graduated from Miss Beard’s School at age 16. Kay studied at Skidmore College for two years. She began working full-time in 1942. On V-J Day in 1945, she was a secretary at Schaefer Pen Company in New York City. Kay married Clint Denny in 1950; he predeceased her after 63 years of marriage. Their son, two daughters, five grandchildren, and two great grandchildren survive her. The couple lived in Delaware for over 50 years where Kay was active in civic and community affairs: She volunteered with the Junior League as a Guide at Winterthur; was a Girl Scout Leader; served multiple terms as a Deacon and Elder at the Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Bellefonte; and was an active member of the International P.E.O. Sisterhood and the Caesar Rodney Chapter of the D.A.R. She and her husband were a winning bridge team and enjoyed summertime swimming, canoeing, and paddle tennis at the Denny cousin property on Damariscotta Lake in Maine. John David “Jack” Wilson ’48, March 6, 2016, age 87. Jack was born in Orange, New Jersey. While at Morristown Jack lettered in three sports and was captain of the football team. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Seton Hall University and then served in the US Army during the Korean War. During his sales career, Jack and his family lived in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania; Shelton, Connecticut; and Wickford, Rhode Island before he retired from the Hobart Corporation in Troy, Ohio. In his later years, Jack and his wife spent winters on Marco Island, Florida enjoying line dancing and playing cards. The couple moved to Moorestown, North Carolina in 2015. A member of the Episcopal Church, Jack also belonged to Franklin Lodge 314 F&AM in Troy; Antioch Shrine Temple in Dayton and the American Legion in Tipp City, all in Ohio. An avid sports fan, Jack followed Ohio State football and basketball. His wife, one daughter, two sons, five grandchildren, and two sisters survive him. David D. Laing ’55, September 18, 2015, age 77. While growing up, David enjoyed exploring the countryside of northern New Jersey. He lived most of his life in the Pacific Northwest, especially Oregon. His wife of over 40 years, two daughters and sister are among his survivors. David’s devoted his life to his family, poetry, nature, social justice and helping others, especially children. He did much in his life: teaching literature, labor organizing during the early days of the United Farm Workers, starting and running several daycare centers, and ultimately working with children as a social worker and counselor. He was always reading and writing poetry. David wrote two published chapbooks of poetry and co-edited a poetry magazine. Alice “Thumper” Wardwell Haggarty ’61, January 5, 2016, age 72. A boarding student at Beard, Alice was from Grosse Point Farms, Michigan, where she spent most of her life. She was nicknamed “Thumper” before her birth, and the distinctive nickname stuck. After graduating from college, Alice worked for a year then met and married George Haggarty. She was devoted to her husband, four children, 13 grandchildren, sister, brother, and many nieces and nephews. They all survive her. Active in family and community life, Alice was a volunteer at the Bon Secours Assistance League, the Garden Club of Michigan, and neighborhood dog obedience classes. She supported her children’s schools and held leadership positions in Tau Beta and The Children’s Home of Detroit. A good friend to many, she also supported the Capuchins and Racquet Up Detroit.
Robert Lewis “Lew” Mitchell III ’15, August 5, 2016, age 19. Born on March 20, 1997 in Manhattan, New York, Lew was a curious, creative, and insightful learner. He attended Brookdale Christian School in Bloomfield and Heywood Avenue School in Orange, NJ. Lew was a “lifer” at MorristownBeard School, attending from 6th grade through his high school graduation. He was selected as a Telluride Association fellow for a summer service learning experience at the University of Michigan, and as a participant in the Free Enterprise Leadership Challenge at Wingate University. Lew also completed one year of study at LaSalle University, majoring in business. Lew was a sports enthusiast. As a child, he played basketball, swimming, soccer, tennis, baseball, karate, football, and even ice hockey. In high school, he was an offensive lineman for the Morristown-Beard School football program. No matter the sport, Lew enjoyed the friendships and experiences of playing on teams. He was a sports fanatic and loved talking about his favorites: Green Bay Packers, North Carolina Tar Heels, New York Knicks, and New York Yankees. Lew’s life would seem too short to many, but those who were touched by him understand that the quality of life far exceeds the quantity of time in which one lives. Lew possessed compassion, a quick wit, and an ability to make people feel at ease. He loved listening, singing, and dancing to a variety of music. He could spend hours playing Xbox or PlayStation. Lew loved to eat! He especially enjoyed his grandmother’s mac and cheese and banana pudding. Lew’s true aspiration was to help others. He was a loyal and supportive friend. His most valuable volunteer experience was working with Family Assistance Resource Center. Lew is survived by his parents, Robert and Eunice Mitchell; siblings Imani Mitchell, Dyson Mitchell, and Nicolas Mitchell; grandparents Joyce Yelder, Shirley Mitchell, and William Joseph Yelder, Jr.; as well as a host of aunts, uncles, great-aunts, cousins, and friends. All of these special people provided Lew with love and dignity in his life and also in his death.
ALUMNI MOMENTS
Marc Kamil ’15 Returns to MBS Marc Kamil ’15, who is now a sophomore at Bennington College, returned to MBS as a student-teacher last January, assisting with Chris Finn’s Digital Graphic Design and Digital Video Storytelling classes. He also assisted with the Middle School Graphic Design course. Kamil taught as part of Bennington College’s Field Work Term, a sevenweek project each winter that requires students to pursue jobs and internships. “It’s kind of like our Senior Project on steroids,” said Finn, who added that Kamil did a terrific job in the classroom. “Marc is a video expert, he’s very knowledgeable about the latest technology, and the kids naturally took to him.” “There was a bit of a learning curve, but it was very enjoyable,” said Kamil, who majors in filmmaking. “I am taking a bunch of different classes and I feel like MBS prepared me well,” said Kamil. “The writing that you do at MBS is definitely on par with what is expected in college.”
Graduate returns
Kathryn Allison ’10 Performs at Morning Meeting Since her days as a student performer on the Founders Hall stage, Kathryn Allison’s talent has opened up “a whole new world” for her. Allison made her Broadway debut last year as the Fortune Teller/Attendant in Disney’s Aladdin. In addition to her regular Broadway performances, she has performed at the White House with the cast of Aladdin, entertaining The First Lady as well as 50 boys and girls at the Kids’ State Dinner. She also joined the Aladdin cast as well as the cast of The Lion King for a joint medley on Good Morning America earlier this year. On April 7th, she returned to MBS to speak at Morning Meeting as this year’s Cum Laude speaker, and delivered some breathtaking performances with fellow cast members Nathan Lucrezio and Jaz Sealey. “I never thought I would have my dream job at age 23,” Allison told the students. “Just remember to be open to all possibilities.” Kathryn Allison
After graduating from Ithaca College with a BFA in Musical Theatre, she appeared in Seussical The Musical in St. Louis, The Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Bucks County Playhouse, and The Night with Sammy Davis Gala in New York City. Last year, she was chosen as the winner of the New York Musical Theatre Festival’s “Next Broadway Sensation” competition. She also made her solo concert debut last year at the legendary Feinstein’s 54 Below. “What’s amazing about MBS is the sense of confidence you have when you leave School,” she said. “I knew I had a well-rounded education and could handle anything.”
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Alumni Discuss Careers with Current Students The Morristown-Beard School Alumni Board hosted its second annual Alumni Career Panel event for current students on Tuesday, April 12th.
following Morning Meeting. This session gave students an opportunity to meet the panelists and ask them in-depth questions about their college experience, careers, networking, and more.
The panelists’ range of talent and experience was certainly varied enough to appeal to a broad spectrum of students. This year’s panelists included: Josh Gray ’08, Senior Consultant, North Highland Worldwide Consulting; Brittany Doyle ’06, Manager, Content & Partnerships, Newcast at ZenithOptimedia—Marketing and Advertising; Mark Leonardis ’04, Director, Quality Metal Finishing Corporation; and Wendy Taffet’78, Owner, Enjoû Chocolat.
Some highlights of the advice from alumni:
The day began with a special panel discussion during an extended Upper School Morning Meeting. This year, the members of the Alumni Board responsible for the program—the Internships and Careers Subcommittee—took the event to the next level by adding a Career Panel Breakout Session in Kirby Chapel immediately
n “It’s OK to not love your first job…or the second. Concentrate on
the positives.” n
“Never pass up an opportunity to interview.”
n
“Focus on continuous learning and developing your skill set.”
n
“Learn to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.”
“You are building a foundation—the base of your life right now. Building a strong foundation and understanding of the process of learning will make life easier for you in college.” n
Career Panel
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ALUMNI MOMENTS
Beard School Alumnae Enjoy Luncheon Graduates of The Beard School gathered on campus on March 2nd for a special luncheon in Kirby Chapel before enjoying the opening performance of the Upper School musical, Pippin, in Founders Hall. The event, sponsored by the Morristown-Beard School Alumni Association, was attended by Beard School alumnae including: Penny Boorman ’51, Taz Brower ’47, Loretta Porter James ’62, Rosalind Michel ’58, Ann Michels ’49, Peggy Nelson ’59, Carol Selman ’64, Priscilla Meyer Tucker ’48, Lorelei Valverde ’63, and Barbara Van Doren ’43. The luncheon was also attended by former Beard and MBS faculty members Lynn Daniels and Rose Koch, MBS graduates Samantha Michel DePalma ’89, Monya Taylor Davis ’88, and Caroline Elias Turben ’87, and Betsy Patterson, MBS Director of Institutional Advancement, as well as other guests and family members. The alumnae enjoyed looking through old yearbooks and memorabilia compiled by MBS archivist Dr. Alan Cooper. During lunch (served on the original Beard School china!), the alumnae learned about the latest exciting initiatives on campus from Headmaster Peter J. Caldwell, and also heard from Student Government Association President Nicole Robertson ’16 and GLOW (Girls Outreach Leadership and Worth) Club leaders Lexi Snook ’16 and Kendall Cairoli ’16. It was a great afternoon of mingling and rekindling old friendships before enjoying a spectacular performance of Pippin. 68 Crimson Fall 2016
The Beard School Luncheon
The Beard School Luncheon
Dhingra ’10 Offers a Global Perspective
Since graduating from Morristown-Beard School, Reva Dhingra ’10 has dedicated herself to helping others. On February 26th, Dhingra, a Fulbright Scholar and graduate of Brown University, returned to campus to speak to MBS students about her work with Syrian refugees. She currently works at the International Rescue Committee, an organization that responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, and economic well-being to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Dhingra’s visit was the culmination of a special Global Awareness Week at Morristown-Beard School. Throughout the week, MBS Upper and Middle School students explored the issue of global inequality in advisory discussions and workshops. “Our goal is to help students open their eyes to the rich/poor divide, pay attention to world events, and to think globally and cross-culturally about daily events in and out of the classroom,” said MBS Global Studies Coordinator Aline de la TorreMcCloskey. During her time at Brown University, Dhingra was an activist for Palestine-Israel issues and editor-in-chief of the internationally-distributed Brown Journal of World Affairs. As a Fulbright Scholar in Jordan, Dhingra researched ways to improve Syrian refugees’ access to education. At Morning Meeting, she offered background into Syria’s civil war and refugee crisis. “Daily life has become intolerable there, and as a result, people have made the extremely difficult decision to flee,” she said. “Eleven
Global perspective
million people have been displaced internally or outside of Syria; that’s 50 percent of the population.” While the statistics are alarming, Dhingra stated that the situation never really hit home for her until she heard first-hand accounts from individuals who have lived as refugees. “This is the worst humanitarian crisis of our lifetime. The idea that losing an entire generation to trauma, poverty, and lack of education is terrifying to me,” she told the students. “It’s important to understand this conflict on a human level. Just because people look different, or speak a different language, or practice a different religion, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t feel an obligation to care. We are all human beings first and foremost. These are ultimately kids who are just like you.” Dhingra encouraged the students to get involved in their community, work for change, and use social media to get others involved as well.
Alumni Enjoy Jersey Shore Event
On July 20th, members of the MBS alumni community enjoyed an evening of cocktails and fun at McLoone’s Pier House in Long Branch. The event provided the perfect opportunity for alumni to reconnect with old friends and make new ones in a beautiful setting overlooking the surf.
Jersey Shore event
Members of the MBS community in attendance were: Larysa Balysky ’05, Michael Driscoll ’05, Sue Driscoll ’02, Michele Cestone Fusco ’83, Jillian Griffith ’14, Jackie Jonnard Landre ’86, William Landre, Kevin Leary, Joe Locandro, Carolyn Clarkson Markham ’50, Seth Nagdeman ’87, Sandra Appet Pesso ’87, Maggie Ranger ’10, Virginia Ranger, Caroline Elias Turben ’87, Monya Taylor Davis ’87 and Reginald Davis. Crimson Fall 2016 69
MBS Celebrates Alumni Reunion As part of the School’s 125th anniversary celebration, graduates from The Beard School, The Morristown School, and Morristown-Beard School gathered on campus on June 3rd and 4th to reunite with old friends and enjoy a full slate of activities as part of Alumni Reunion 2016.
Dr. Alex Curtis, campus tours, an alumni lacrosse game, a performing arts showcase, an alumni bar-b-que, a meeting of the Alumni Association, the Headmaster’s Cocktail Party, and the Reunion Dinner and Distinguished Alumni Presentation honoring Mrs. Naneen Hunter Neubohn ’57.
Activities included the Young Alumni Reunion Party (Y.A.R.P.) on Senior Circle, a portrait dedication in honor of former Headmaster
Thanks to everyone who attended to make this special reunion year a success!
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Crimson Fall 2016 71
NEW YORK A Historic
Gathering at The NY Yacht Club
More than 200 members of the Morristown-Beard School community gathered for a festive evening of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on Wednesday night, October 5th, 2016 at the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan. MBS alumni, current and former trustees, parents, faculty, staff, and friends enjoyed each other’s company along with the New York Yacht Club’s stunning architecture and impressive model boat collection. Headmaster Peter J. Caldwell also updated the MBS community on the construction of the new math & science building, which is the cornerstone of the School’s historic Transforming Our Future capital campaign.
MBS was sponsored at the NYYC by John James, Jr., son of Loretta Porter James ’62. The cost of the evening was graciously underwritten by two members of the MBS Board of Trustees. Look for details in the spring issue of Crimson about next year’s MBS NY Yacht Club event.
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Alumni Association
Morristown-Beard School
UPCOMING ALUMNI EVENTS Friday, November 23, 2016
Thanksgiving Eve Young Alumni Social
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Third Annual Alumni Arts Concert
9:00 PM Grasshopper off the Green –Morristown, NJ 7:00 PM Founders Hall – MBS Campus
Y.A.R.P. - Members of the Classes of 2006 - 2016 Young Alumni Reunion Party
Friday, June 2, 2017
7:00 – 9:00 PM Senior Circle – MBS Campus
Alumni Reunion 2017
Saturday, June 3, 2017
MBS Campus
74 Crimson Fall 2016
Welcome Back to our
house
Maggie Ranger ’10 returns to MBS as the Young Alumni Associate Morristown-Beard School is proud to welcome a new addition to the Office of Institutional Advancement as Maggie Ranger ’10 comes “back” to MBS as the Young Alumni Associate. Recognizing the need to serve our youngest alumni, this new position will focus on engaging young MBS alumni who are one to 10 years from graduation. As the Young Alumni Associate, Ranger will develop and implement targeted programs that will encourage and foster a lifelong relationship between young alumni and MBS. She will also facilitate the transition of current MBS seniors from graduates to engaged young alumni. A 2014 graduate of Denison University, Maggie graduated with a B.A. in Communication, with a Minor in English. While at Denison, she was a student volunteer for Admissions, was on the staff of the Denison magazine, and was a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority. After graduation, Maggie settled in New York City and started her career in Public Relations, first with FleishmanHillard in media relations and then with ICR, Inc. as an Associate specializing in consumer products and fast-casual restaurants. A Morristown-Beard School “lifer,” Ranger was an accomplished ice hockey player for all seven years. She was also a Peer Leader, an editor of Mariah, the MBS literary publication, and a member of the Student Government. “I had such a great experience while I was here at MBS, and I know so many of my friends had great experiences as well,” says Ranger. “ I am so excited for the opportunity to engage with our young alumni, helping them stay connected with MBS and with each other.” A few of the ways Ranger plans on connecting with young alumni is to focus on strengthening our social media presence on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. She also plans on reviewing and updating alumni contact information, as well as making personal visits to young alumni. Finally, Ranger will focus on planning more regional events. “Everyone wants to see more alumni gatherings and networking opportunities, but as young alumni, it is often difficult if not impossible to come back to campus for these events,” states Ranger. “Holding events, even small gatherings, where young alumni work and live will be the key to keeping young alumni engaged with each other and with MBS.” A current member of the MBS Alumni Board, when asked why she chose to return to MBS professionally, Ranger replied, “MBS prepared me so well for college. As much as I loved my years at Denison, my MBS experience was just as meaningful and was a pivotal influence on who and where I am today. I am thrilled to be back at MBS!” Crimson Fall 2016 75
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We did it again! The Morristown-Beard Fund Tops
$1 Million
For the Fifth Year in a Row It is with great excitement and gratitude that Morristown-Beard School announces that the 2015-2016 Morristown-Beard Fund surpassed a million dollars in unrestricted giving for the fifth year in a row. This achievement is a testament to the generosity of the entire MBS community and to our collective belief in our School and its mission. We are immensely appreciative of every donor who helped us reach this tremendous milestone.
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How Can You Help Transform the Future of Morristown-Beard School? Support the Fund First!
The Morrristown-Beard Fund (our School’s annual fund) exists for one reason only: to improve the MBS student experience. The impact of your kind support is immediate and significant. Every dollar donated goes directly toward improving the academic and extracurricular experience for every talented student who proudly calls MBS home.
If you made a gift to the MB Fund last year, please donate again this year! If you didn’t support the MB Fund last year, please make a gift this year! Your gift to the MB Fund counts towards supporting the Transforming Our Future campaign! Transforming Our Future
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Consider an Additional Gift
The Campaign for Morristown-Beard School
After you have made your gift to the MB Fund, please consider making an additional gift to the campaign by supporting either Capital Projects or Scholarship and Endowment. Your additional gift, along with your gift to the MB Fund, also counts towards supporting the Transforming Our Future campaign! Capital Projects
Scholarship and Endowment
Gifts designated to Capital Projects will be used to help finance the cost of construction and renovations on campus. These projects include the new, state-of-the-art math and science building, renovations to the Simon Athletic Center and future renovations to the existing classroom space below the Dining Hall.
Gifts designated to Scholarship and Endowment will help support deserving students with demonstrated financial need, and will help support the long-term financial health of the School.
Every Gift to MBS Supports the Transforming Our Future Campaign! Thank You
for your kind support of Morristown-Beard School.
Morristown-Beard School 70 Whippany Road Morristown, NJ 07960 www.mbs.net
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Transforming Our Future
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The Campaign for Morristown-Beard School
Coming Fall 2017