The drawings and paintings of Shahla Royesh ’25 — like this cover piece, entitled “Threaded Through” — reflect pattern and color inspired by her story. Her photographs portray spaces she has witnessed and experienced. Her films advocate for causes and bring awareness. From her native Afghanistan to Miss Hall's School, this global citizen contributes boldly and creatively to the common good.
THE CLASS OF 2025 ENTERED HIGH SCHOOL DURING A global pandemic, witnessed seismic changes in the world, and experienced incredible growth during their time on Holmes Road. Scientists, artists, writers, historians, engineers, linguists, mathematicians, actors, musicians, athletes, and more, our 48 graduates are self-aware, thoughtful, and resilient global citizens practiced in navigating varied contexts with fluency.
During their time at Miss Hall’s, we resumed in-person learning and gradually returned to a more “normal” routine, though disruptions caused by the pandemic continued to adversely affect wellbeing. Recognizing that student health — physical and mental — directly impacts experiences in the classroom and beyond, we hired a Dean of Wellness, expanded our Health and Wellness Team of nurses and counselors, reimagined the Advising program, and made more time for social-emotional learning.
The success of this intentional approach to integrating all aspects of learning and living is born out in data. MHS participates in an annual survey administered by Authentic Connections that benchmarks student mental health on a range of self-reported factors across hundreds of schools. Our 2025 student data shows an overall increase in student wellbeing and feelings of connectedness, and statistically significant decreases in anxiety, depression, and isolation.
With continuous commitments to wellness, inclusion, and with outstanding faculty and staff offering challenge and support, we are empowering our students with what they need to thrive and lead. Even as we await the report into past sexual misconduct at MHS, our community continues to choose to foster, in the words of our updated Strategic Design, a joyful and connected experience.
In my June Commencement address, I referenced stinging nettles, a plant that’s not much to look at, but when it makes contact with your skin, it causes intense, painful burning. As you may know, there is another unassuming plant that often grows in close proximity to nettle, and if you rub those leaves on your skin, it gradually alleviates the pain. I think it is so incredibly beautiful — that nature thought to put the antidote to the stinging nettle right there, within your grasp, if you know what to look for.
This to me is the Magic of Miss Hall’s. There are so many good days, full of learning, growth, song, and laughter. There are also the bad days, when you are not sure how to move forward. On the best days and on the hardest
days, this community comes together to find a way to create joy and connection. There is always someone nearby to help and to comfort. Alongside rupture, there is nurture. The antidote to the sting is right here within our grasp, if we just know what to look for.
The fact that so many of you continue to step forward in support of the holistic student experience provides nurture of its own. It is a tribute to the enduring Miss Hall’s mission to inspire bold and creative contributors to the common good. It is also a tribute to you, and we are deeply grateful.
Please continue to reach out to me as you have been doing. I value your voice immensely. •
In April 2024, several brave Miss Hall’s alums came forward to speak about past sexual misconduct at MHS. School leadership took immediate actions to protect students, provide community care, and initiate a comprehensive, external investigation. As we look forward, we continue to focus on the holistic student experience and on prevention efforts at Miss Hall’s and beyond.
School notified; inquiry launched
Student support + additional counselors activated
Learning Courage partnership forged toward trauma-informed response + prevention
Aleta Law independent investigation engaged
Comprehensive resources published at misshalls.org/safety
Learning Courage Workshops for Trustees
Alum processing opportunities at Reunion 2024
Alum listening sessions in person and on Zoom
Enhanced safety procedures for boarding students
Healthy Relationships series launched with students
Learning Courage 3-day Community Assessment
Enhanced boundaries training for students and adults
REACH student life management system implemented
First round of revised policies in place
Shift to observable / interruptible campus spaces
UWill partnership engaged to provide additional, external counseling resources to students
Survivor-centered employee workshops
Student Advisor support from Learning Courage
Resilience-building for students and adults
by Amy Wheeler, Executive Director, Learning Courage
WE HAVE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF PARTNERING with Miss Hall’s over the last 15 months in a host of efforts to address past harm, strengthen community trust, shore up policies and systems, and expand education and training for faculty, staff, and students. This work has taken us to five cities, where we’ve met — in community spaces, living rooms, and over meals — many of you: passionate, thoughtful alums, families, and friends committed to the School’s future.
Trustees Learning Courage workshops
Survivor Therapy Fund established
Learning Courage Assessment recommendations delivered
Phase 1 of multi-year action plan underway
Alum processing opportunities at Reunion 2025
Enough Abuse training for 100% of adults on boundary violations and grooming
We’ve witnessed fierce love for Miss Hall’s, even as many grapple with the pain and anger of knowing that harm occurred in a place you hold dear. Your willingness to ask thoughtful questions and engage with honesty and care speaks volumes about your commitment to one another and your desire for the School to be safe and successful. Alongside these conversations, we’ve led training for faculty, staff, and the Board, and contributed to critical policy change — all vital steps in creating a safer, stronger Miss Hall’s.
Having supported many schools through similar journeys, we know that this work is both personal and communal. There is no shortcut in the work of repair — healing comes through the process itself. We’ve seen how moments like this can strain communities and also how people stay engaged by following updates, holding the school accountable, and supporting one another. Your role is essential.
As we await the Aleta Law report, it’s worth acknowledging that such reports can be difficult to absorb, as everyone brings their own experiences to the processing. We encourage you to give some thought in advance to the supports you have, if and when you choose to read the report. In our experience, communities navigating this kind of reckoning hold a wide range of emotions, and that’s not only normal — it’s necessary.
Please know that our multi-year partnership with Miss Hall’s is continuous. We will be with you along the way, as the Miss Hall’s community moves forward. •
New reporting and community conduct policies
Ongoing Efforts
Continued employee and student training; trauma-informed community care; and healing and community repair. WE
Aleta Law Report delivered
When you’re a student, the matrix of celebrating and prioritizing, focusing on and shaking off, thinking and feeling, studying and hanging out, knowing and unknowing, recalibrates what matters to you at every moment of every day.
Supporting this requires an equally responsive, multidimensional approach, which is what Miss Hall’s does with an innovative new leadership model.
by Amy Goldwasser *
*
and
DEAN OF
Meghan Smith
Academic Program
Curriculum Innovation
Faculty Growth & Evaluation
College & Academic Counseling
Student Support & Action Committee (SSA)
* Nikki Buccello, a seasoned girls’ school leader, is our new Dean of Student Life! With an M.A. in Education and 20+ years of teaching experience, Nikki comes to MHS from Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York. She is also a girls’ school alumna! “Students are at the heart of every decision I make,” says Nikki. “Each student is reachable, teachable, and worthy.”
More on Nikki at misshalls.org!
DEAN OF Nikki Buccello *
Student Activities
Residential Life
Student Leadership
Discipline & Conflict Resolution
Athletics
Student Support & Action Committee (SSA)
While other schools have multiple deans, Miss Hall’s has designed a next-generation model for these four positions — Deans of Teaching & Learning, of Student Life, of Equity & Inclusion, and of Wellness — where they continually overlap and inform each other to better serve students through the complexity and individuality of today’s challenges. The highly collective, intricately connected power of the four deans is in recognizing and honoring the whole student. There is no classroom learning without also gaining knowledge in self-care and sleep, in cultural understanding and community, in showing up and cooling down, in the Dining Room and the photography studio, the family discussion and the friend group.
“Because this is a high school, no situation is simple,” says Head of School Julia Heaton. “When I witness the deans in flow, they’re able to look at a situation from a holistic point of view. They can see this student as having a particular experience based on every aspect of who they are and how they’re engaging with a course or peer or challenge.”
To fully understand students and support them where they are in real time, the deans meet daily, serve on each other’s committees, and share a deep commitment to exploring and advancing all the ways their specific areas of expertise come together for the students. What will help them thrive? Let’s make sure their advisor touches base this afternoon. Are the parents looped in? How do they process written versus oral learning styles? How do we show them their potential
DIVCO & Essential Coalitions
Anti-bias Hiring (with HR)
All-school Professional Development
Student Support & Action Committee (SSA)
for leadership? How do we support them when they hear tough news? Who do they trust most? Where do they find quiet? When are practices? When are schedules conflicting or overwhelming? Let’s call a team meeting of every adult who works with this student.
“Wellness and cross-cultural differences in learning and respect are embedded in the classroom,” says Rebecca Cook-Dubin P’24, Director of Academic Advising. She’s continually collaborating with the deans across their areas of expertise, from helping keep a student who’s on medical leave on track academically so they can arrive back to campus in a less challenging way, to the DE&I considerations inherent to her classes on fairy tales and literature and censorship. In January, when returning students start to make decisions about the following school year, she says of the deans, “We’re all working together in course selection, and we’re really aware of, for every single student, exactly who’s taking on what,” ranging from what sports and clubs they’re engaged with to how they manage stress to that freshman year disciplinary situation to who they’re thinking of rooming with. “We can help them see their resources and options as widely and visually as possible to reflect in advance,” she says. “We can all align with them to answer their big question of Who do I want to be next year?”
Rising senior Noya Samara ’26 says she experiences and appreciates Miss Hall’s whole student approach in helping her
Social-emotional Learning Wellness Programs
Advising Student Support Plans
Personal Teams
Family Education
Student Support & Action Committee (SSA)
“The key to considering every individual and their wellness and the larger student life that’s inherent to their learning is to ask questions of every facet of the existing model.”
— DEAN SMITH
navigate the demands of academics (including five Hallmark Courses this fall) with student life (including three seasons of varsity sports: volleyball, basketball, softball). She also served as head of DIVCO, the Diversity Coalition, with two other students, working closely with “Ms. LJ” (Paula Lima Jones, Dean of Equity & Inclusion) and Kristen Milano, Dean of Wellness, as well as the school nurses, to reform the structured Jet Lag Policy for the school into a case-by-case determination of recovery time. “We noticed it was inequitable,” she says, “where limited amounts of rest were allowed, and they were all based on ‘a distance greater than six time zones.’ ” The solution they found together — incorporating DE&I and wellness, “making sure any changes were equitable and healthy” with academics and student life — was an individualized approach that factors in the adults who know them well. Each student would consult with the nurses, and sometimes deans and other faculty, to create a personalized strategy for their return from travels.
Julia is emphatic that these are “not just academic skills we’re teaching.” She offers some integral examples of wellness, DE&I, and student life informing academics: “You’ll write a better history paper if you can represent different perspectives and reconcile conflicting points of view. You learn from living in a dorm with students from 20 different countries and needing to be a citizen of that community at 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. How do I learn self-regulation, practices like breathing and reflection? How does physical activity make me feel better when I get stressed? How do I apply compassion, self-awareness and listening differently in the dorm than I do in the classroom?”
Julia says “our Strategic Design and vision is all directed toward sending out into the world the kinds of graduates who are highly competent and ready to do what they’re going to do. This is school at its best.” •
90% MISS HALL’S STUDENT
WELLBEING INDEX SPRING 2025
Index, spring 2024: 85%
National Average: 84.3%
Anxiety Rule-breaking Depression
Isolation Substance use
Since last survey
Four most-experts in complex collaboration and connection share every day strategies for practicing individual—and community— support the Miss Hall’s way
“HERE’S AN INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE diversity of our student body,” says Paula M. Lima Jones, Dean of Equity and Inclusion. “Something as universal as conflict is cultured. You’re negotiating a cross-cultural dialogue.”
One person, Dean Lima Jones says, might be coming from a more collectivist approach (“Harmony in the room is for the better of the community, so it will be better for me.”), where the other brings an individualist perspective (“I’m not happy here, which isn’t making me a good community member.”). Someone who was “giving subtle clues all along” may need help and encouragement in speaking up. Their equally wellmeaning “clear is kind” peer may need support in the inverse, to “say less, listen more.”
She emphasizes that “It’s really important to approach conflict with a sense of it’s not all or nothing,” where each party is able to recognize “I can have disagreements with you, and we can still find ways to be in community together.”
Toward finding mutual (and self-) understanding, Dean Lima Jones offers some questions to consider before engaging in healthy human conflict:
» What is my investment in the relationship with this person? Have we had a long history together and we're facing a bump? Or, is our relationship casual? Transactional?
» How do I want to show up in this moment? What do I need in this situation? Particularly for people with marginalized identities: to what extent is my identity or identities a major variable in the conflict?
» Is this a resolution for the right now? Or, for when I’ve had some time to take care of self and reflect on the dynamic? Are you willing to put significant work into sustaining the peace, or is it OK, we need a quick fix?
» Regardless of the outcome, how can I walk away feeling as whole as possible? Even if the other person never heard me and never opened their mind to my experience? How can I feel that I gained something, even if that was my own voice?
“WHO ARE OUR HALLMARK COURSES for?” It’s a powerful, open-ended question that Dean of Teaching & Learning Meghan Smith says Miss Hall’s leadership really opened up and interrogated in their visionary academics work. “Are they inclusive? Equitable? Is our highest-level, most rigorous curriculum serving our students well?”
What surfaced in their research and data was that Black and Latine students were disproportionately underrepresented in Hallmark classes in comparison with the student body. “We discovered that somewhere in there we were creating inequities,” says Dean Smith. “So we immediately committed to creating more inroads.”
Here are some of Dean Smith's starting points for rethinking and recalibrating systems for greater equity:
» Question everything. “Is every student seeing themselves reflected in the coursework?” says Dean Smith, “is an entirely different question from, ‘Does every student have entry points?’”
The key to considering every individual and their wellness and sense of belonging and larger student life that’s inherent to their learning is to ask questions of every facet of the existing model.
“Should we limit the number of Hallmark classes a student can take so they don’t get overwhelmed?”
» Welcome change. Inequities more often than not enter systems where people do. “Who was applying? Who was getting in?”
Dean Smith asks. The team quickly found a barrier to entry, for example, in that the application process called for students to submit samples of their work, but they didn’t have a significant opportunity to add their voices, and there wasn’t a systemic way for more than one faculty member to consider them. Now the students can create a portfolio, answer questions about their passions, and submit two artifacts—which are reviewed by the entire department, not just the teacher, with thoughtful, personalized discussion around who’s ready and how to support them in success.
“MENTAL HEALTH IS SO DIRECTLY CORRELATED WITH OUR CONNECTIONS to other people,” says Dean of Wellness Kristen Milano. “Miss Hall’s is a connection-based school, where students experience real feelings of support and being included, from trusted adults who they know care about their wellbeing as much as their academics, and from their peers.” She cites the 90 percent overall wellbeing index of Miss Hall’s students, five points above the national average, in this year’s annual wellness survey. “That’s why we do so well.”
As most any parent, teacher, or even teenager can confirm, however, engaging teenagers in the kinds of meaningful conversations that foster this sense of honesty, vulnerability and connection is a challenge that defies inquiries of the How was your day? kind.
IN STUDENT LIFE—AND IN LIFE OUT there in general—the battle against burnout is real. “If you’re a young person who’s curious and energized and learning about the world, which is what we all want our kids to be, you have this voice that says, ‘It’s so engrained and required for me to gather as many experiences and perspectives as possible,’” says Nikki Buccello, who joined Miss Hall’s in July as Dean of Student Life. “And that’s wonderful. But then your midterms are coming up at the same time you’re in playoffs at the same time you’re practicing your Spanish for a trip to Mexico, and you know you’re not up to capacity to deliver.”
Dean Buccello suggests some approaches to recognizing, honoring, and maintaining a healthy balance between the ambitious pursuit of and essential care of self:
» Counter culture. The default setting of the world we live in is always going to be do more, take on more. “You hear it everywhere, this boast of I stayed up ’til four in the morning,” Dean Buccello says. Not to give into its pull calls for handle-withcare countermessaging. “Is that something you should be proud of?” she asks. “You want to be very intentional in fighting the impression that especially a young person isn’t doing what needs to be done if they’re not up all night.” It’s a matter of supporting and encouraging the student who fears there’s failure in their recognizing, “Um, so I can’t do this. I have to get rid of a class,” she says, “and I’d say, ‘That’s fine, good for you.’ This is success. This is you knowing how to take care of yourself.”
» Pay attention. If a student is afraid of what they see as failing to meet demands that are too much for them, they have to think of a way out. This looks different for everyone, says Dean Buccello. “They may be avoiding a friend or their homework’s not consistent,” she says. “And if it’s happening it doesn’t happen all at once or all in one place. It’s happening in the dorms, in the classroom, at lunch.” This is the time for “more eyes on them, letting them know they have a deep network of support.”
Here Dean Milano shares some questions with the specificity to naturally open up dialogue with a young person. “Then listen without judgment to their answers,” she says. “They might need to vent or complain or confide. They might need to just name something and try it on for themselves.” She adds that not reacting is often the only right reaction. “Really what it’s teaching you is how to sit with the emotions of a teenager and not go into solve mode, which is hard to do.”
» Who did you connect with today?
» What’s something that made you feel proud of yourself?
» What was something that challenged you?
» Who or what made you laugh?
» Who did you turn to or who did you trust to help you with something you didn’t want to deal with or experience alone?
Dr. Katelyn Ferguson has taught many iterations of an American Literature class through the years. Living in different parts of the United States and abroad also prompted her to re-think the ways in which she teaches the subject. “It was important to me to teach a version of the class that articulated the voices of women and indigenous writers and to examine texts that explore the plural nature of American culture, which has many different subcultures and identities,” explains Kate.
American Narratives, the upper-level elective introduced last fall, was born from that vision. The yearlong course explores the stories Americans tell about what it means to be American, centering the voices of indigenous and female-identifying authors, responses to political upheaval and war, stories that interrogate and seek to heal historical harm, and stories from American-identified writers who also belong to other cultures.
“One of the delights about teaching this class at Miss Hall’s, and this year in particular, was that there were 11 students from seven different countries in the class,” Kate adds. “That caused me to re-think my assumptions about what students know about American History and American storytelling. I also enjoyed hearing what they think of American culture and listening to the other cultural contexts they bring to the story.”
The class dug into writing by Zitkála-Šá, a Yankton Dakota author from the turn of the 20th Century, and into writing by contemporary authors such as Louise Erdich. They read Alice Walker’s The Color Purple and many shorter texts in between. “The students really like texts that center women and girls,” Kate notes. “They can see themselves
in those stories, even when the authors weren’t writing in contemporary contexts, and they find those stories relevant.”
This year’s class also explored how certain words and stories have been used to injure and create division, and they discussed the capacity that language has to build connection and bring joy. Because 2024 was also an election year in the United States, they looked at how candidates running for political office draw on, adapt, or reject traditional narratives of what it means to be American in their campaign rhetoric.
Kate, who joined MHS in 2023, bringing more than a decade teaching at independent schools, often sees her role in the classroom as that of a facilitator of conversation.
“I like students to be leading the discussion as much as possible, and I hope they feel like I give them the tools to feel empowered to do that,” she adds. “I’m there to fill in gaps or reflect the conversation back to them, and the students do an amazing job. They are well prepared, ask great questions, and want to learn from others’ ideas. I am impressed with the ways they draw each other out.” •
“Students can see themselves in those stories, even when the authors weren’t writing in contemporary contexts.”
Engineering put their skills to the test, designing and building truss bridges based on concepts they explored during a unit on statics, or how force and torque act on systems and structures. Their mission?
Span a gap of 1.2 meters with a bridge no longer than 1.4 meters. There was no limit on height. Collaboration was key to picking a unique truss design.
Working in teams of three, wearing DIY work aprons, and cutting their trusses on pink miter boxes, they designed and printed on the 3D printer in the Hopper Lab(!), students used wooden dowels, thin sheets of plywood, and glue to build their designs. They then tested which span could hold the most weight before collapsing.
Recording their progress in engineering notebooks as they worked, students had to submit a final Engineering Report, defining the design problem, constraints, criteria for success, background research, and data they used to optimize their design. They were also asked to justify their design choices, providing not only reasons why they selected a particular method, but also explaining why they decided against other options.
Students in this yearlong course use projects to explore the engineering design process, fabrication, manufacturing, and construction. Applying as they go an understanding of physics, mathematics, electricity, and CAD to enhance solutions, some of them might go on to help bridge the gender gap in STEM careers! •
LONG FASCINATED WITH NORTH KOREAN ideology, Dr. Thomas Stock had the opportunity, late in his Ph.D. studies, to visit various state archives in South Korea.
“It changed my life as a scholar,” explains Dr. Stock, who, while doing his research, consulted the official magazine of the North Korean Workers’ Party. Published monthly, the magazine was a treasure trove of material outlining the evolution of North Korean ideology, beginning with the country’s founding after World War II.
“It was possible to trace the ideological changes and debates that were happening month-to-month,” he notes. “This was dense, Marxist-Leninist stuff, and I was looking for changes and shifts in policy and ideology, what was happening, and why?”
It is that kind of an original-source, data-driven approach that Dr. Stock whose forthcoming book, A North Korean Ideology a Cold War History, opens a window on the country’s ideological development, also brings to his teaching at MHS. “I like to use as many primary sources as I can and give those to my students,” explains Dr. Stock, who joined MHS in 2022 and specializes in East Asian History. “When you look at
archival documents, you can often learn so much more than you can from several books,” he explains. “It encourages critical thinking, because you can take in many viewpoints on the same topic, then come to your own conclusions. You can also see what the author is thinking, and that makes history that much more vivid.”
Dr. Stock joined MHS from Heidelberg University in Germany, where he was a Postdoctoral Fellow. It was there, during the shutdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, that he wrote much of his book. (Born in what was then East Germany, Dr. Stock moved to the U.S. in 2002 at age 15.)
“I love research, but I really wanted to teach,” Dr. Stock says of his move to MHS. He previously taught at Korea University and Yonsei University, both in South Korea, and at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned his Ph.D. in Asian Languages and Cultures.
“I did not want to teach an A.P. curriculum,” he adds. “I wanted to bring my own interests to the classroom, similar to a university. At Miss Hall’s, I enjoy that I can teach to my passion. I can be intellectually free and also challenge my students intellectually.”
Dr. Stock’s interest in North Korea dates to his undergraduate days at the University of North Texas, where he was studying Chinese history and Marxism-Leninism in Maoist China, and discovered North Korean ideology, which was even more unique.
The university did not have a Korean language program, and Dr. Stock knew he would need language skills to pursue a master’s degree in East Asian Studies. So he went to Korea on an exchange semester, learning the Korean language. He ultimately secured a place in the master’s program at Indiana University, where he earned his M.A. in East Asian Studies.
“I was always curious how North Korean ideology became what it ultimately became,” he explains. Some theories tied it to Confucianism, others to Korean tradition, but Dr. Stock was not satisfied with those answers. “Historical conditions, while important, can’t explain the evolution of an Ideology,” he notes. “What were the intellectual debates that happened?”
It was his work in the South Korean archives that unraveled that mystery. Dr. Stock also spent considerable time in East German party and state archives, where he could verify his findings.
“This was the actual historical record, right there in front of me, and I could see the historical actors speaking,” he explains. “I could see the debates going on — in North Korea and elsewhere — the back-and-forth debates in the 1960s, especially during the Sino-Soviet split. My book, for the first time, shows exactly how that ideology developed, why it changed the way it did, and when it did, and it is based on data.” •
Studies
forthcoming book, North Korean Ideology: A Cold War History, will be published in September 2025 by Oxford University Press.
STUDENTS IN FOUR ADVANCED COURSES — Hallmark Biotechnology, Hallmark Anatomy & Physiology, Hallmark Environmental Science, and the Freshwater & Marine Ecosystems elective — spent three days in Connecticut studying and practicing marine biology.
Immersed in the natural beauty of coastal New England, our researchers took to the water to conduct a seal population study, haul a trawl net and lobster pot, and learn how to use oceanographic equipment. They returned to shore to examine live lobsters and do a squid dissection before visiting Mystic Aquarium. Afterward, they were on to Pine Island to conduct a shoreline transect and aquatic organism survey. The final stop was a visit to the Connecticut Science Center in Hartford. •
ALFIE SU ’28 WASN’T EXPECTING TO BE CAST as the title character in the Theater Ensemble’s fall production of Scapino! “As a 9th grader and new international student, I was definitely surprised I got the main role,” explains Alfie. And, she shined!
Alfie credits her participation in Director of Theater and Dance Jenni Jordan’s Theater & Performance class with helping hone her acting skills. Closing out the yearlong course, Alfie and her classmates shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their exploration of the art and craft of acting.
From techniques to connect and build trust with fellow actors and the audience, to tools to spark creativity and enhance storytelling, students demonstrated ways in which they enhanced their abilities as individuals and as a group. During their interactive presentation, they recreated warm-up exercises and activities such as animal walks and examples of mask, mime, and scene work. They demonstrated individual and group exercises, created tableaus recreating moments from the origins of theater, and brought audience members along for an exploration of the 4th wall.
The course, they explained, began with an introduction to theater and each other. As the year progressed, they explored more complicated techniques. Intensive play and scene study, role analysis, character development, and improvisation expanded their emotional capacity, sparked creativity, enriched communication, and allowed imagination to take flight.
Siri Polk ’28 took the class because she wants to try the musical next year and wanted to sharpen her skills. She particularly enjoyed the informal, energetic nature of the course. “We were always moving around, being loud, and projecting,” Siri notes. “I’ve been in a lot of productions, but I’ve never taken a class to learn acting techniques.”
Her favorite lesson was a unit in which students wore masks and worked on representing emotions without speaking or showing facial expressions. Instead, they became expressive using their physicality to connect with the emotional life of the mask. The biggest challenge the class presented, she explains, was learning to take risks. “All of this was new, and in the beginning, that was hard,” she explains, “but we became extremely close as a class, and with the support we gave each other, taking risks became easier.”
Alfie most enjoyed the camaraderie with classmates. “Working as a team helped us build trust, and we could learn from each other,” she explains. “I definitely gained useful acting techniques, but the most important thing I learned was to be confident and to shine. I feel like before doing theater, I was a shy person who had creative ideas but didn’t have the courage to show them. Now, I feel more confident just going for it.” •
Noya Samara ’26, a 2025–26 recipient of the Mansfield Pickett Scholarship, pictured above with representatives from the Lenox School Alumni Association, who have, for more than 20 years, presented the award to MHS students exhibiting outstanding performance in academics and extracurriculars.
At right, Willa Dowling-Paul ’25 and Idalis De Jesus ’25, recipients of the 2024–25 Pickett Scholarships.
TO NOYA SAMARA ’26, WHO received the 2025–26 Pickett Scholarship, and to Idalis De Jesus ’25 and Willa Dowling-Paul ’25, who were named 2024–25 scholarship recipients. This marks the 22nd year the Lenox School Alumni Association has honored MHS students. The scholarships are presented annually to students who exhibit outstanding performance in academics and extracurriculars.
Idalis was an Admissions Ambassador, Big, and Proctor. She was also an active member of the MHS dance team and served on the 2024 Prom Committee. Additionally, Idalis performed with the MHS Theater Ensemble in the productions of Men in Boats and Mary Poppins. Through Horizons, the School’s service-learning and internship program, she interned last year at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield.
Willa was Senior Class President, an Admission Ambassador, and a Big, and was co-Head of the Jewish Affinity Group and of Grace Notes, the School’s a cappella singing group. Willa was also a captain of the varsity softball team and performed in the MHS Theater Ensemble productions of Matilda and Twelfth Night. Her Horizons internship last year was with the MHS Media Team, an on-campus Horizons site that supports the MHS Communications team.
Noya, a rising senior, was a tri-Head of the MHS Diversity Coalition during 2024-25, Junior Class International Student Alliance (ISA) Representative, an Admissions Ambassador, and a Big. She also plays varsity basketball, softball, and volleyball and volunteered to help facilitate last year’s Money Matters financial literacy workshop presented to eighth-grade girls from Berkshire County. Noya’s Horizons internship last year was with Model UN, an on-campus Horizons site that prepares students to participate in the annual Model UN Conference. •
from 1973 to 1975.
Miss Hall’s School awards more than $5 million annually to students who have outstanding academic credentials, excel in school life, and show great promise. Congratulations to all the 2024-25 scholarship recipients!
Established in 2010, the Class of 1940 Scholarship Fund supports a student who has demonstrated a sincere interest in community service. This scholarship continued to be held in 2024-25 by EA Peña ’25, of Boston, Massachusetts.
New this year, The Louise Este Bruce ’43 Arts Scholarship is a needs- and merit-based award made annually to a student who is chosen for the passion they share with Louise — a love of the arts — and an interest in pursuing a future in the Expressive Arts. The inaugural recipient of this scholarship is Jaslene Garcia ’26 of Lawrence, Massachusetts.
This partial scholarship, awarded to a student who has demonstrated an interest in and a commitment to the arts, was established in 2004 through the George M. and Pamela S. Humphrey Fund. Trustee Alice Butler Burnham ’65 was instrumental in bringing the Humphrey Fund gift to Miss Hall’s School. This scholarship has been awarded to Mila Mesquita ’27, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
PAMELA HUMPHREY FIRMAN ’31 SCHOLARSHIP
Established in 1991 by Cynthia Firman Webster ’63, Royal Firman, and the Firman Fund, the Firman Scholarship is awarded to a student of outstanding personal and academic promise. This scholarship continued to be held in 2024-25 by Casey Lai ’25, of Singapore.
MARY FORTMILLER CORNWELL ’56 BOOK SCHOLARSHIP
Seeded in 2016 and formally established in honor of their 65th reunion in 2021, members of the Class of 1956, led by Sandra Roe Smith and Mary’s family, created this book scholarship in memory of dear friend and classmate Mary Fortmiller Cornwell to honor a student with outstanding personal and academic promise. Throughout her lifetime, Mary Fortmiller Cornwell was an avid reader. Her choice of purse or travel tote would often be based solely on its ability to fit whatever book she was reading at the time. The scholarship has been awarded to Rose Garrison ’27, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Established in 1966 by Suzan Brand Gibson ’52, The Hope Scholarship is named after Hope Walsh, the daughter of classmate Loulie Safe Mauran ’52. The fund was further supported by gifts in Suzan’s memory from her widower, Jim Gibson, and from Mrs. Mauran. This partial scholarship recognizes promising students who are related to an MHS alumna. Hope Scholarships continued to be held by Tyler Norman ’25, of Harlem, New York; Idia Enoma ’26, of Chester, New York; and Jasmine Boinay ’27, of Richmond, Massachusetts. Newly awarded for 2024-25 was a scholarship to Zala Farlow ’28 of Woodstock, Vermont. Tyler is the daughter of Quanishia Mosley ’00, Idia is the sister of Yuki Enoma ’22, Jasmine is the granddaughter of Dr. Matheau Schiff ’79, and Zala is daughter of Zuri Farlow ’90, niece of Malik Farlow ’94, and granddaughter of Sallie Glore Farlow ’65.
Established in 2004 by a gift from Lee Auchincloss Link ’61, this partial scholarship is awarded to a student who has demonstrated an interest in and a commitment to the arts. This scholarship continues to be held by Eva Allen Vargas ’26, of Richmond, Massachusetts.
ELIZABETH PERKINS MILLER ’31 SCHOLARSHIP
The Miller Scholarship supports one girl in each of the four grades throughout her tenure at MHS. The fund was established by members of Mrs. Miller’s family, led by her daughter, the late Pamela Miller ’56, and was first awarded in 1990. Miller Scholars are chosen on the basis of strong academic backgrounds and the promise to succeed as scholars and as school leaders at MHS. Miller Scholarships for 2024-25 continued to be held by Genevieve Buker ’25, of Lee, Massachusetts; Noya Samara ’26, of Reno, Nevada; and Renet Honderich ’27, of Bennington, Vermont, with a new scholarship awarded to Natasha German ’28 of Bronx, New York.
DALE SPERRY MUDGE ’67 ARTS SCHOLARSHIP
Established by her family and classmates in 2008 in memory of Dale Sperry Mudge ’67, this partial scholarship helps fund tuition for a promising student who shares Dale’s social skills, native curiosity, academic tenacity, enthusiasm for life, and interest in the arts. This scholarship has been awarded to Eleanor Jacobsen ’27 of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
The NPS Authenticity Scholarship, established in 2015, is awarded annually to a domestic student who demonstrates a commitment to authentic engagement with others, a love of the arts, and untapped leadership potential. This scholarship has been awarded to Myles Patton ’27 of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Established in 2003 by Robert de Rothschild in memory of Debra Cohen de Rothschild ’77, this scholarship is awarded to a junior or senior day student who distinguishes herself through academic achievement, leadership among her peers, and service to the community. The scholarship recognizes the qualities Debra embodied: intellect, clarity of thought, loyalty, trustworthiness, ebullience, and consideration of the needs of others. This scholarship has been awarded to Kara Kisselbrock ’26 of Dalton, Massachusetts.
SOSNOFF SCHOLARSHIP
Established in 1984 by Toni and Martin Sosnoff, in honor of their daughter Mindy Wiener ’84, this scholarship is awarded to a student who distinguishes herself in her academic and athletic endeavors. This scholarship has been awarded to Mea Richardson ’26 of Cheshire, Massachusetts.
Student-led workshops focus community’s power
THIS SPRING, THE ENTIRE CAMPUS COMMUNITY took part in the fifth annual JEDII Teach-In, our in-house conference devoted to Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Identity. Unique to Miss Hall’s, this spring tradition offers students, faculty, and staff a chance to share their knowledge on topics grounded in social justice and inclusivity.
The conference is the brainchild of Dean of Equity and Inclusion Paula Lima Jones, whose vision and deep experience in social justice work — from advocacy and allyship work within community based nonprofits to secondary and higher ed institutions — have a significant impact on our community.
“We are connected in more ways than those that divide us,” Dean LJ said in her opening remarks. “We collectively affirm and advocate for the diversity of identities and abilities — not simply on behalf of marginalized communities, but for all communities. Where we stand in times of challenge speaks volumes about who we are. We must push forward with the work we know is essential.”
The Teach-In kicked off with three keynote speakers, Bryanna Amanqwah ’25, Ginger Warner ’25, and Ivy Kay ’25, each reading poetry they wrote on topics of belonging. Eleven interactive and largely student-led workshops followed, with themes centered on areas of student interest and expertise. •
Inspired by Jonathan White’s groundbreaking book In the Long Run: The Future as a Political Idea, Noya Samara ’26 led a wide-ranging conversation about the concept of time in different cultures. With a historical lens, the session emphasized how people around the globe perceive time in unique ways — some prioritizing this present moment and others focusing on future outcomes. Students examined long-term vision and short-term biases in social contexts, addressed contemporary challenges, such as how rapid technology is diminishing focus on long-range planning, and explored the responsibilities of individuals and institutions in shaping a sustainable future.
OUR UPBRINGING
Latine Affinity Group members Dasha Cruz ’27, Jaz Garcia ’26, Natalia Boneo ’27, Fabi Romero ’26, and Vale Romero ’25 led a discussion among their peers about the role of languages at home and the influence of the vernacular in shaping identity and
connection to culture. They explored storytelling, gossip, and family gatherings as ways of passing down important words and phrases, and they fostered an inclusive space for the appreciation of everyone’s personal experiences with language.
Shahla Royesh ’25 surveyed the Miss Hall’s campus community, in order to provide a broad and nuanced understanding of beauty standards around the world. Sharing perspectives from student interviews, Shahla’s workshop demonstrated how ideals differ by country, age, and cultural background, and she painted a diverse picture of beauty: what it is, how it affects our lives, and how its definition is constantly evolving.
LISTEN TO WHAT SHE WANTS TO SAY Ninth graders Stella Wu ’28 and Zilin Huang ’28 explored stories of resistance, wisdom, and hidden dreams in their culture. Stella and Zilin researched historical women who have been overlooked or silenced, and they uncovered their accomplishments and
struggles. Through discussion, expression, and personal reflection, they amplified voices of the past and discovered their shared power.
Leaders of IMPACT, a student-led club that spreads awareness of current issues in the world and in our community, led a spirited debate about how social media shapes opinions and influences perspectives. Divided into two camps, pro- and anti-TikTok, the group dove into the pluses and minuses of the platform and user practices, shared experiences and frustrations, and discussed fake news and echo chambers and how they affect the world around us.
This workshop centered the artistic process and how art-making can be an outlet to discover our feelings and present our voices. Ploy Jongjaroonrungson ’26 encouraged others to reflect on emotions evoked by colors and form and to make a deeper connection with our own subconscious.
Students in Dr. Liza Burbank’s upper-level elective History of Race in the U.S. led a session about how where we spend our dollars indicates our values. Guided by their thesis that making conscious choices about where — and where not — to shop in our consumer-based society is an opportunity to advocate for the world we want to live in. Fiona Gordon ’26, Jayda Kimok ’25, Ivy Kay ’25, Zaria Hutchion ’25, Izzy Aponte ’26, Ginger Warner ’25, Tyler Norman ’25, and Maddie Craig ’26 empowered participants with resources to make shopping choices that align with their personal values.
Co-led by Marley Simpson ’26 and Leonhardt Academic Skills Center Learning Specialist Alice Esteves, this stigma-busting workshop introduced affirming, empowering ways for those living with ADHD and those who support them to talk about ADHD, so we can better understand and communicate our experiences in ways that don’t leave lasting emotional scars.
“We collectively affirm and advocate for the diversity of identities and abilities — not simply on behalf of marginalized communities, but for all communities. Where we stand in times of challenge speaks volumes about who we are. We must push forward with the work we know is essential.”
— DEAN LIMA JONES
At Miss Hall’s we champion social
justice;
insist
that all community members demonstrate respect for each other through words and actions; and affirm that diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to learning and problem solving, discovery and personal growth, and cultivating empathy and cultural competency.
Members of the Diversity Coalition hosted an interactive session about the intersection of queerness and culture. They explored questions such as: What does intersectionality mean to you? How do you say queer in your language — does such a word even exist? How do you think your cultural background affects your view on queerness?
Students joined this workshop to learn about Orientalism and how the Western portrayal of the East has created longstanding perceptions of Asian femininity. Through a psychoanalytic, philosophical, and historical lens, Fiona Lu ’26 and Brianna Jiang ’26 examined how Asian and Asian American females have been representated in art and contemporary media to expose stereotypes, power dynamics, and racial subjugation on an international scale.
Athletics can be for anyone and everyone, regardless of age, gender, ability, or social status. Sports bring people together as friends, teammates, and communities, while also promoting school pride and cohesion. This was the premise behind the workshop on inclusion in sport led by Director of Athletics Dr. Katrina Hall and Custodian James Wheeler. They began inside, heightening student awareness about the power of equitable sports. Then, outside, students demonstrated equitable practices for all participants, developing essential skills such as expressing their true selves (authenticity), demonstrating empathy and understanding (respect), promoting a sense of integrity (honor), and developing essential skills for the future (growth). •
MHS student receives competitive honor two years running
GINAMARIE BOCCHINO ’25 WAS A LITTLE unsure when she saw the theme for this year’s Voice of Democracy essay contest. It turns out, she needn’t have worried.
For the second straight year, Ginamarie has been recognized by Pittsfield V.F.W. Post 448 as the essay-writing competition’s top finisher at MHS and the city of Pittsfield. This year, she also placed first in Berkshire County District 9, advancing to the state competition, where she finished second overall.
“I was definitely surprised to win a second year in a row, and I didn’t think I would go on to the state level, but that was a nice surprise, too,” says Ginamarie, who estimates it took about two weeks to pen her essay.
The annual Voice of Democracy competition asks students to write and record a three- to five-minute essay on a patriotic theme. Students compete on school, local, state, and national levels, and this year’s theme was, “Is America Today Our Forefathers’ Vision?”
“At first, I thought it was a pretty hard question, especially with everything going on in the country and a lot of division,” explains Ginamarie, who ultimately put forth an argument that the forefathers’ vision wasn’t necessarily a concrete vision, but rather one for a system that would enable others’ visions.
“The forefathers didn’t have a concrete vision for what America should look like,” she notes. “First, they couldn’t agree on a vision. Second, they wanted to create a system where you could have differing visions but collaborate to reach a shared vision.”
In her essay, Ginamarie connected the theme to her family’s story. Her greatgrandfather emigrated from Italy with little more than a few dollars and a vision that his
grandchildren and great-grandchildren would have access to education and good jobs.
“That vision is happening now in his family’s story, and there were systems in place that allowed that to happen,” notes Ginamarie, who adds that her greatgrandmother came from Ireland with a hope that their family would have access to resources for a better life, “and that vision is also present in my lived experiences now.”
An accomplished cellist, Ginamarie frequently performs at Miss Hall’s and is a 10-year member of Kids 4 Harmony, an intensive classical music program for Berkshire County youth. She is also a Big — MHS students who mentor younger students — plays JV basketball, is an avid member of the MHS Crochet Club, and interns at the Dalton Town Offices through her participation in Horizons, the School’s one-of-a-kind service-learning and internship program.
Proficient in Spanish, Ginamarie traveled last summer to Spain, where she lived and studied with a host family through CIEE, an intercultural exchange organization. Last year, Ginamarie was named a finalist in the United States Senate-sponsored William Randolph Hearst Youth Senate Program, an intensive week-long educational experience and scholarship geared toward outstanding high school students who are interested in pursuing careers in public service.
Additionally, she has been named a QuestBridge Scholar. QuestBridge is a nationwide program that connects highachieving high school seniors with full, four-year scholarships to some of the nation’s top colleges. Ginamarie plans to attend Boston University in the fall.
Congratulations, Ginamarie! •
1. JV Golf teeing off at Indian Mountain. 2. The editing team of Girls Right the World Issue 9! 3. School President Casey Lai ’25, right, and VP Haley Sacon ’25 closing out this year’s final Community Meeting led by our amazing student leaders. 4. Varsity tennis gearing up for the home opener against PHS at the James K. Ervin Tennis Complex. 5. Prom at dusk. 6. The ski team atop Bousquet on a sunny February afternoon. 7. Rowing returned to MHS this year, with student-athletes turning loose on Onota Lake in the spring. 8. Three cheers to the cast and crew of Twelfth Night for three highenergy, fast-paced, and sold out shows. 9. MHS Dance Team after their medal-winning performances at the Beyond the Stars Regional Competition in Turners Falls, Massachusetts. 10. Class of 2028 working hard to prep for their Horizons Plant Sale. 11. 80 acres in full bloom as we wrap 127, and 128 is right around the corner!
FORTY-EIGHT BOLD AND CREATIVE contributors to the common good graduated on Sunday, June 1, during the School’s 127th Commencement. The ceremony took place under a large tent behind the Elizabeth Gatchell Klein Arts Center on the School’s Holmes Road campus and was shared worldwide via Zoom.
Hosted by Head of School Julia Heaton, the ceremony included remarks from Senior Class President Willa Dowling-Paul ’25, School President Casey Grace Lai ’25, School Vice President Haley Sacon ’25, and MHS Board President Nancy Gustafson Ault ’73.
This year’s Commencement Remarks were delivered by Kate Schrauth, Executive Director of iCouldBe, a leading virtual mentoring program working to support young people as they navigate high school and plan for future educational opportunities and careers. Introduced by Ginamarie Bocchino ’25, Kate first served as Chair of the Board at iCouldBe from 2001 to 2005, then moved into the Executive Director role in 2006. Since then, more than 27,500 young people from historically marginalized communities across the U.S. have been empowered to develop mentoring relationships with adult champions, create strong and supportive networks, and plan for future careers. •
“True change begins within us. It begins in the quiet decisions you make to stay soft in a hard world. It begins when you allow yourself to feel everything: the fear of being unknown, the joy of a new beginning, the ache of letting go, and the gratitude for what brought you here.”
— SCHOOL VICE PRESIDENT HALEY SACON ’25
Class of 2025
Bryanna Amankwah
Audrey Beers
Inyene Bell
Ginamarie Bocchino
Lila Boland
Genevieve Buker
Kyana Chainani
Émilie Coziol-Désy
Idalis De Jesus
Willa Dowling-Paul
Kady Gentleman
Minrui (Gianna) Han
Gabriella Hasperg
Zaria Hutchion
Phuong Huynh
Ivy Kay
Emily Keiper
Faith Kimingi
Jayda Kimok
Alice Kwiatkowski
Casey Grace Lai
Stella Le
Qiyi (Vicky) Li
Yueqi (Bella) Liu
Kat Lunden
Deanne McRae
Chloe Muellers
Manizha Nabizada
Aikam Nijjar
Tyler Norman
EA Peña
Ngoc (Tina) Pham
Vale Romero
Mara Rosenthal
Shahla Royesh
Haley Sacon
Sahra Sidique
Anri Teraoka
Julia Tocchio
Alie Tran
Ginger Warner
Lauren Watson
Leah Watson
Olivia Whitney
Parker Wright
Lingrui (Amanda) Xie
Xiaoxiao (Amy) Xiong
Runjia (Vivian) Yang
Class of 2025 College Commitments
Boston College
Boston University (2)
Brandeis University (2)
Colby-Sawyer College
Cornell University
DePauw University
Endicott College
Florida Gulf Coast University
Franklin & Marshall College
Georgia State University
Hampton University
Harvey Mudd College
Ithaca College
Keio University
Louisiana State University
Loyola University Chicago (2)
Loyola University Maryland
Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Merrimack College (2)
Middlebury College
Mount Holyoke College
New York University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Santa Clara University
Smith College
Spelman College (2)
Trinity College
Tufts University
University of California, Davis
University of California, Irvine
University of California, San Diego
University of Cincinnati
University of Maryland, College Park
University of Massachusetts
Amherst
University of Massachusetts Boston
University of New Haven
University of Pittsburgh
University of Washington
Villanova University
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Student artists re-create “home” in local gallery
themselves loading a minibus with a couch, lamps, tea tables, stuffed animals and all manner of ephemera reminding them of home — but that’s exactly what seven students found themselves doing late in the first semester. A deadline loomed, and they were hard at work on a culminating project more than three months in the making: their own exhibition.
“Within These Walls,” a two-day, immersive exhibition debuted December 13 at the Lichtenstein Gallery in Pittsfield. The event marked the final project for studentcurators in Gallery Arts & Administration, an upper-level elective that takes students behind the scenes at museums and galleries to learn how to host their own show.
“Their idea was to create a home-like environment in the gallery while showcasing the work they received from participating artists,” explains Ceramics Teacher Nicole Hayes. “They culled furniture from around MHS and Goodwill and spent a week transforming the gallery space. They put a lot of effort into it and were super dedicated.”
The journey began in the fall, with the class visiting cultural institutions such as Hancock Shaker Village, Mass MoCA, and the Berkshire Museum, where they met with curators, gallerists, artists, and other professionals while also gathering inspiration for their show. With students from the Berkshires, central Massachusetts, China, Ghana, Mexico, and Vietnam, there was no shortage of ideas. Ultimately, they selected a theme of “home” — what it feels like to be at home, objects and images that connect them to home, and how to foster a sense of home. Each student-curator then connected with
area artists whose work resonated with their idea of home, and they solicited artwork for the show.
“This was a professional experience, just like when I worked in galleries and museums,” notes Nicole. “They had to reach out to artists, work with them on a loan form, and settle shipping details. Learning how to navigate professional relationships is a great skill to learn while still a student.”
Mae Bergstresser ’26 contacted artist Polly Shindler, whose colorful paintings often feature interior scenes around the home. “She was nice, easy to work with, and excited to participate,” says Mae. “Communicating with the artists was interesting. It taught me how to reach out and put myself out there.”
With an interest in becoming an interior designer, Mae was intrigued with curating an exhibit. “I was excited to design a show, and I also love art,” she notes. “The install days were my favorite, because we worked together to load the minibus and set up the gallery. It was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun to see it all come together.”
Classmate Fabi Romero ’26 agrees. “I enjoyed working with other people on something we are all passionate about,” she says. “I usually prefer working by myself, but we worked well together, even though we had a lot of ideas.”
Fabi connected with artist Marguerite Bride, who paints scenes around the Berkshires, including seasonal landscapes and iconic places, such as Stockbridge’s Red Lion Inn. Her work reminds Fabi, who is from Mexico, of her home at Miss Hall’s. She advises future student-curators to dig into the experience. “It’s going to take a lot of your time, but it won’t feel like it, especially if it’s something you are passionate about,” she adds.
Nicole hopes students gain an understanding of what goes into putting together a show and the career options available in the art world.
“We met with many professionals, and the students got to ask them questions, talk about their roles, and learn what goes on behind the scenes,” she notes. “I hope they leave the class with a more expansive view of the work of artists, museums, art professionals, and I also hope it makes them better viewers when they visit an installation and know how much effort went into it.” •
HOW DOES ONE PRESERVE A centuries-old Roman helmet or a set of 900-year-old cathedral doors?
That’s where it is helpful to know Indiana Ravenhill ’16. As a freelance Objects Conservator outside of London, Indy preserves, repairs, and restores historical objects for institutions and private clients.
“I get to touch all of the stuff they say, ‘Do not touch,’ in museums,” explains Indy, who has indeed worked on 900-year-old doors to a cathedral in York, along with swords and regimental leather, even a plastic fencing helmet. Her work can include pretty much any type of 3-D object, from archeological finds to contemporary art, and the materials she works with can vary: metal, stone, fabric, steel, silver, plastics, paper, textiles. She has worked on weaponry from a castle in Scotland, a piece of the Berlin Wall, and Queen Elizabeth II’s memorial plaque. She was also recently in the United Arab Emirates to work on Sitara, which are pieces of intricately sewn textiles that hang outside the Ka’ba in Mecca. “I like the variety of the work, and it is always something different.”
How does one find themselves in such a role? A double major in Classical Civilizations and History at Agnes Scott College, Indy also spent six months studying in Florence, where she took an archeology workshop and discovered conservation and restoration. Because four of the top 10 programs in the world for such work are in England, she enrolled in 2020 at University College London, earning an M.A. in Principles of Conservation and an M.S. in Conservation for Archaeology and Museums.
While at UCL, Indy volunteered with the UCL Institute of Archaeology and interned
for both Richard Rogers Conservation, Ltd. and for the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, where work centered on objects such as ship models, naval guns, swords, and Lord Nelson memorabilia. She joined Richard Rogers full-time in September of 2023 and recently embarked on her freelance role.
Some of the more challenging aspects of Indy’s work include — unsurprisingly — not breaking anything (!), as well as knowing how far to go when preserving an item. “There is always a chance of overdoing it,” she explains. “Ideally, our work prioritizes the conservation — an object lasting into the future.”
Reflecting on her MHS experience, it is the individual moments with teachers, coaches, and classmates that stand out most to Indy. Long interested in the Classics and History, she particularly enjoyed History and Latin classes, and she credits Miss Hall’s with providing transferable skills applicable to many situations.
Her experience as a Proctor at MHS served her well as a Resident Advisor at Agnes Scott, and developing conflictmanagement skills is beneficial for any environment. Critical-thinking and timemanagement skills are important in her role, as are interpersonal skills. “I work with many different clients, and you need to be able to communicate with them about the options for their project,” she explains.
“What I enjoy most about my work is that it changes every day,” she adds. “It’s never the same thing. The clients are all very different. It is all sorts of objects, and the types of treatments change all the time, so there is nothing stagnant about it. There is always something new to learn.”
G.
Lee, Jr. passed away February 26 at age 75. Mr. Lee served as Miss Hall’s seventh Head of School from 1984 to 1992.
Noted for his approachability, sense of humor, warmth, and an open-door policy, Mr. Lee also possessed a remarkable sense of awareness of young people. A proponent of single-sex education, his tenure saw the addition of new academic and extracurricular programs, including the Academic Skills Center, to meet the changing needs of students.
During Mr. Lee’s tenure, library facilities were renovated, and new construction included a chemistry lab, the Benjamin A. Groves Hall dormitory, four tennis courts, and a new playing field. Mr. Lee also grew the School’s enrollment, as well as the Annual Fund and endowment fundraising needed to support the growing student population.
“We were saddened to learn of the passing of Dan Lee,” said Head of School Julia Heaton. “In my conversations with alumnae from that era, he is often recalled as a kind, compassionate, and caring Head who guided Miss Hall’s through many changes, including increased enrollment, new programs, and improved facilities, continuing the School’s prominence as a leading independent school for girls. His leadership shaped MHS and its graduates in innumerable ways.”
Mr. Lee’s career in education spanned 44 years. After graduating in 1971 from Yale University, he began his career as Director of Admissions at the Trinity-Pawling School, in Pawling, N.Y., before returning in 1977 to his alma mater, The Taft School, in Watertown, Connecticut, as Director of Development, a role he would hold until joining MHS in 1984 at just 35 years old, succeeding Robert B. Bussey. Mr. Lee resigned as MHS Head of School at the end of the 1991-92 school year.
“While campus facilities were upgraded and expanded under his leadership, Dan mostly relished the opportunity to hone his student and faculty-centric leadership style where he focused on building a close-knit community that cared for and gave trust and respect to young women spreading their wings in a boarding school environment,” his obituary noted. “Simultaneously, he seized on the opportunity to develop a leadership team, and a faculty focused on serving this noble mission.”
Upon Mr. Lee’s departure from MHS, Board President Benjamin A. Groves noted,
“I think my favorite memory of Mr. Lee was the look on his face when the Class of ’92 walked into the Dining Room for Morning Meeting holding popsicle sticks with a photo of his face attached to them. He, Mrs. Lee, and (son) Dan were leaving at the end of the year, as were we, and we thought having Mr. Lee as our graduation speaker was the best way to tell him how much we'd miss him. Mr. Lee had an open, wide smile and a hearty laugh, both of which he shared with us in that all-school moment. He seemed very touched. I think of my time at Miss Hall’s with such love and appreciation, and no small part of that is because of Dan Lee.”
ELIZABETH M. JOHNSON ’92
“In real life, Mr. Lee always led with warmth and made each of us feel like we were the most important person he had to speak to at that moment. He knew we could accomplish any goal we set for ourselves — which was an unparalleled gift to give students at our age.”
LYNN ZUCKERMAN ’88, P’27
“As he would say at our graduation, ‘It is not goodbye, but merely, see you later!’”
AMY MESCH FAVREAU ’89
“You brought to your administration a remarkable sense of awareness of young people, their desires, their abilities, their interests, and how these could be channeled into the best results for the individual. You brought a great deal of compassion and caring to the student body. Your sense of humor and warmth and approachability were an inspiration for all students in the School. Miss Hall’s School will forever be indebted to the wisdom, the humor, and the caring of your leadership.”
After leaving Miss Hall’s, Mr. Lee joined Fryeburg Academy in Maine in 1993. He served as that School’s 53rd Headmaster in its then 201-year history and held the position for 20 years, retiring in 2013.
Mr. Lee is survived by his son, Daniel, and Daniel’s wife Kelsey, and his grandchildren, Walker Brooks and Eliza Grace, as well as his brothers John (wife Loretta and their daughter Ginevra) and Jeffrey (wife Ann). He was predeceased by his loving wife Susie in 2019, and by his parents Ita and Daniel and his sister Jennifer. •
ANN TALBOT ITTNER ’47
passed away November 3, 2024, at her home in Bethesda, Maryland. A longtime MHS Class Representative and former Reunion co-Chair, Ann was also a faithful Alumnae Weekend attendee, most recently returning for her 70th reunion in 2017 and leading the Snake Dance with classmate Leslie Guy Connery. After graduating from Miss Hall’s, Ann attended secretarial school and was secretary to the renowned psychoanalyst Erik Erikson at the Austin Riggs Center in nearby Stockbridge. A Pittsfield native, Ann was an avid skier, golfer, and tennis player, and was the first female ski patrol member at both the Bousquet and Jiminy Peak ski areas. After moving in the 1980s from the Berkshires to Washington, D.C., Ann volunteered at Sibley Memorial Hospital, American University, and the White House Call Center. She was predeceased by her husband, Frank, and is survived by their children, Frank, Martha, and Susan. — The Berkshire Eagle
GAIL HITCHCOCK SEED ’51
passed away March 27, 2025, at home in Vero Beach, Florida. The daughter of Charles Hitchcock and MHS alumna Agnes
Murchie Hitchcock ’26, Gail was predeceased by her husband of 41 years, Allen Hartley Seed, and two sisters. She is survived by daughter Hillary Seed Polednik ’85, two grandchildren, three stepchildren, and niece Stephanie Seed ’81. Gail had a lifelong love for classical music, was a New Englander at heart, and loved the seasons. She and Allen retired to Vero Beach in 1989 and also spent many summers in Rhode Island. Gail loved gardening and
tennis, playing until age 80, was passionate about seashells, and she and Allen travelled extensively. Gail was a good friend to many and a people person, keeping in touch with friends and family through her letter writing. — Legacy.com
FORMER MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT CHAIR LES CLIFFORD passed away January 31, 2025, in Pittsfield. Les and wife Liz, pictured below, joined Miss Hall’s in 2008 and retired in 2014, their fortieth year of teaching together. As Math Department Chair, Les taught Honors Geometry, Honors Precalculus, AP Calculus AB and BC, and Differential Calculus. He oversaw the department’s growth from one calculus course to five sections covering four levels of calculus, and its move to the TI-Nspire calculator and other technologies as the department sought new ways of teaching math. Les also advised the MHS Math Club and encouraged
student participation in the American Mathematics Competition. He began his teaching career — with Liz — in 1974 at Oldfields School, an all-girl school in Maryland, and previously taught and coached at Berkshire School, Berkshire Country Day School, and Solebury School. In addition to his wife Liz, Les is survived by their daughter, Catherine.
— Dery Funeral Homes
FORMER CULINARY TEAM MEMBER LEO LAZITS passed away April 20, 2025, a few weeks shy of his 83rd birthday. Leo had a long career at General Electric and General Dynamics in Pittsfield, retiring in 1998. Then, in 2002, he went back to work joining MHS food services provider Aramark. Leo was a familiar face in the Dining Room and possessed the uncanny ability to remember the name of each and every student and adult at Miss Hall’s.
The Class of 2010 dedicated its yearbook to him. Leo retired in December 2014. He is survived by his wife Jean, two children, and six grandchildren.
— The Berkshire Eagle
THIS PAGE: Happy MHS “pals” lunch in Delray Beach, FL. Abbie Breene Hubert ’63, former MHS Trustee Gina Breene Wickwire ’67, Donna Miller Straat ’55, Charlotte Stetson ’62, and Kip Searle Abbott ’64.
OPPOSITE PAGE: Prudence Hostetter ’65, Nancy Gustafson Ault ’73, Susan Lupien ’87, Director of Leadership Giving Lynn Zuckerman ’88, P’27, and Sandra Roe Smith ’56. MHS roommates Margie Poel Beebe ’59 and Debbie Platt Sterling ’59, who had not seen each other since high school, reunited on the porch of Clare Chester Stone ’58!
Sandra Roe Smith ’56 hosted a joyful and connected lunch at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Guests spent the afternoon reminiscing and enjoying the great company, and Board President, Nancy Gustafson Ault ’73 joined in to share MHS updates. Everyone enjoyed sharing their stories across the generations and getting to know each other, and they look forward to more gatherings in beautiful northern Florida!
Clare Chester Stone ’58 opened her remarkable home in Purchase, NY for an afternoon of art and conversation. Clare and her late husband, Allan, have amassed artwork by some of the most innovative and influential artists of the 20th Century, and participants enjoyed learning about their lives and impact.
Board President Nancy Gustafson
Ault ’73 and Director of Leadership
Giving Lynn Zuckerman ’88, P’27 spent some time with Kitty Flemings ’55 at her home in Hobe Sound, FL, where she and her husband Fritz moved from their longtime home in Wellington, FL. It was Kitty’s 70th Reunion year, and we had a great time looking through her yearbook, sharing wonderful memories of friends on each page.
From Xenia Urban ’67: “After my life partner, David, passed away in 2021, I adjusted to single life in my neighborhood of 45 years, Park Slope, Brooklyn. A year later, a dear friend, Jill, introduced me to Quincy, another friend of hers who had lost his wife to cancer. Jill, Quincy, and I all grew up in the same town, but he and I didn’t know each other. Fast-forward: Unexpectedly and wonderfully, Quincy and I fell in love and are now a couple. We jump-started my plans to move to California to be near my son, daughter-in-law, and three young granddaughters when I’m old and feeble. I’m old, yes, but not yet feeble! After 2 cross-country drives in loaded cars, we now live in Menlo Park, CA, 10 minutes from my family. We began our Brooklyn cross-country road trip by joining Martha Neubert ’67 at the
wedding of her daughter, Robin, in Binghamton, NY. Good news all around! Life is good.”
Former MHS Trustee Gina Breene Wickwire ’67 writes, “Hello to all my dear classmates. We are still going strong at the age of 76+. I continue to enjoy our family and friends as we shuttle back and forth between Wellesley and Delray Beach. As Snowbirds, we are duplicating our parents’ lives. We just returned from our grandson Alex's graduation from Middlebury. He was a computer science major which comes in very handy for his not so techie grandparents. My sister, Abbie ’63 is spending the winter in Delray, too. We have gathered a MHS group of alums for the occasional reunion lunch.”
From Liz Kilcullen Blake ’69: “My second husband, Frank, and I have been together for 25 years and are
based in Atlanta with a house at Sea Island. I practiced law for more than forty years, the last ten at Habitat for Humanity Iwnternational, traveling half my time in the developing world. Although I retired, I still serve on corporate and nonprofit boards. But my greatest joy is spending time with and spoiling the ten grandchildren (five each) we have in our blended family, ranging from a newborn to a 19-year-old college student. All but two live near us in Atlanta. The two youngest, ages three and one week old, are in Cincinnati, where my three grown sons grew up during my 18 years married to Addison Lanier. I have been incredibly blessed, and, as I head to France this summer with plans to spend a few days near St. Tropez, I am thinking fondly of the summer I spent traveling with Elizabeth (formerly Rickie) Tubman Dell’Aiuto ’69, during the summer of 1969. It included a stop in St.
THIS PAGE, L to R: Director of Advancement Merritt Colaizzi P’28, Robin Brown Woods ’58, Margie Poel Beebe ’59, Debbie Platt Sterling ’59, Clare Chester Stone ’58, Jasmin Stanley ’07, Anne Barnum Alexander ’72. Front row: Former Trustee Pat Thatcher ’66, Director of Leadership Giving Lynn Zuckerman ’88, P’27, and Lauren Kushner ’08, during an afternoon of art and conversation at Clare’s home. Laney Silverman Ducharme ’65 and her sister Barb Silverman Freed ’60 visited MHS recently, touring campus, meeting staff, telling stories, and reconnecting. They loved seeing all the new buildings and were especially excited about the School’s state-of-the-art STEM facility, Linn Hall.
OPPOSITE PAGE: Patricia Peters ’68 showed Head of School Julia Heaton and Director of Philanthropy Jennifer Kerwood P’21 around her new Thousand Oaks community in style this past April. Joy Winder Ford ’63 recently wrote in to share how proud she is of her “grand twins,” Kathleen and Lucy Ehlers, who graduated in May from the University of Alabama! Xenia Urban ’67 with her partner, Quincy.
ALUMS SPANNING EIGHT DECADES CAME together this year virtually and in-person to process past sexual misconduct at MHS and create meaningful connections. Our partners at Learning Courage have been on hand at gatherings on campus, have hosted small-group Zooms, and also traveled with us across the country to meet alums and facilitate intentional conversations. School leaders will be on the road again this fall as we move forward toward healing.
Attendees in New York, D.C., Boston, and L.A. heard from Head of School Julia Heaton about today’s holistic student experience, learned how MHS is becoming safer and stronger, and engaged each other in a supportive space to reflect and grow. The following word clouds show how participants have felt at the end of their time together.
Tropez, where the top of my bathing suit, left on the railing to dry, blew away in the night. Sending love and hugs to all!”
Renee Rutkowski Junewicz ’71 has a fragrance line called Scent & Story, featuring scents from her childhood in the Berkshires! Learn more about her talents at scentandstorynyc.com.
We also learned recently that Deirdre Mallon ’75 published a new book, The Weight of Cloth: A Novel, available now on Amazon.
MHS Trustee Caroline Amory ’76 and Marjorie Floyd opened their Sarasota, FL, home to Trustee Lee Carbonelli ’95, Barbara Luehring ’61, and Kathy Gallagher Haft ’82 in March. They talked for over three hours about how Miss Hall’s changed their lives and about their feelings about the
investigation into historical sexual misconduct at MHS. Topics of shared interest included selfpublishing books, the real estate market, innovative technologies, marketing Sarasota nonprofits, and how dramatically SW Florida has changed over the last 40 years.
Jody Rutkowski ’81 just completed a book, Nicholas: The Provenance — a richly imagined tale blending folklore, history, and magic to reimagine the life of the first St. Nicholas.
Trustee Cinnie Siragusa ’82 hosted a gathering in Palm Beach, FL, that included thoughtful conversation about building connections, empowering each other, and women’s leadership in historically male-dominated fields. The group was most interested in discussing how, together, we can engage in meaningful change.
Building on the energy of the Be Bold tour, Mette Perkins Coughlin ’88 hosted a gathering in her home in Dedham, MA, joined by Head of School Julia Heaton. The conversations centered around MHS today and tomorrow, safety and wellbeing, as well as accelerating girls’ and women’s leadership.
A range of alums across the decades came together at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT, for an afternoon hosted by Tish Andresen Slattery ’89. MHS Ceramics Teacher Nicole Hayes led discussion about two bodies of work on view by two groundbreaking women artists: Tara Donovan’s Aggregations and an exhibition of paintings by the American modernist Blanche Lazzell. Following the tour, Nicole showed innovative artwork and installations by today’s MHS students, making connections in style, form, and inspiration.
Class of ’75 50th Reunion Dinner! Doreen Boatswain, Anne Fickling Brainard, Holly Martin, Susan Henry, and Jenny Meyer Murphy.
Donna Miller Straat ’55, Charlotte Stetson ’62, Trustee Cinnie Siragusa ’82, Former Trustee Gina Breene Wickwire ’67, Board President Nancy Gustafson Ault ’73, Carolyn Harris Rowe ’73, Abbie Breene Hubert ’63, Former Trustee Terry Triest Guylay ’59, and Mimi Dolph-Ford Adkins ’75. Anita Nichols Staeheli ’76, Kathi Gardner Sommers ’62, and Linda Warner Lewis ’62 having lunch in Portland, ME, this past October. On an impromptu visit to New York City, Ann Schwartz Unitas ’76 caught up with Former Trustee Doreen Boatswain ’75!
Liz Rothermel P’89, mother of Amanda Marinell ’89, and Director of Leadership Giving Lynn Zuckerman ’88, P’27, met for their annual summer lunch in West Reading, PA, at B2 Bistro, which occupies one of the repurposed textile factories of great grandfather, Henry Jannsen. They enjoyed catching up about all things Miss Hall’s and each other! Darcey Robinson ’89 (3rd from left) hosted (L-R) Wendy Jackson Robbins ’87, Trustee Sally Richardson Straley ’71, Eva Skinner ’88, and Director of Philanthropy Jennifer Kerwood P’21 at the Clearwater Yacht Club in Florida in March. Darcey displayed an amazing collection of MHS memorabilia throughout the
years, highlighting love for her time at MHS. Alumnae Council President Mary Atwood ’83, Director of Leadership Giving Lynn Zuckerman ’88, P’27, Trustee Becca Hajjar ’89, Mette Perkins Coughlin ’88, Karen McHenry ’84, Gaylen Bent ’87, Judy Kittredge Anderson ’88, Gretchen Royle Evans ’88, Maura Curtin Lundin ’82, Pam First Martin ’88, Katherine Sullivan Warming ’82, and Kate Coughlin Dahmen ’88 gathered at Mette’s home for an evening of conversation.
Front row, MHS Ceramics Teacher Nicole Hayes, Alice Butler Burnham ’65, Debbie Platt Sterling ’59. Back row, Director of Leadership Giving Lynn Zuckerman ’88, P’27, Emeritus Trustee Stacey Sotirhos ’89, Emeritus Trustee Robin Brown Woods ’58, Tish Andresen Slattery ’89, Pat Thatcher ’66, Clare Chester Stone ’58, Hope Henchey Scully ’84, and Director of Advancement Merritt Colaizzi P’28 at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, CT. (Not pictured, Vanda McGlade Baker ’53.) Lieve Huybregts Saether ’90 was featured in VoyageAustin about her new brand LIIEVE which was described as “redefining how we think about wardrobe essentials, proving that the right piece doesn’t just elevate your outfit — it transforms your confidence.” On a pilgrimage across northern Spain, Deborah Murphy ’84 spotted the Miss Hall’s PURE GOLD T-shirt on Doreen Boatswain ’75 on El Camino de Santiago de Compostela and said “I went to Miss Hall’s too!”
This past March in Boca Grande, FL, Former Trustee Nina Cabot Whiting ’89 and her sister Jen Cabot Breslin ’91 bumped into Dan Lee, Jr., who was just a boy when they were students at MHS. They had not seen each other since 1991! Jasmin Stanley ’07 (far right) visited Callie Grace Henriksen ’07 (third from left) in Texas this past January for a book club retreat in the Hill Country. Jessica Rufo ’99 speaking to local students about running local-favorite Dottie's Coffee.
More photos and a full re-cap at misshalls.org/reunion
More photos and a full re-cap at misshalls.org/reunion
BARBARA HUMES EUSTON ’29 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Nan Brewster Paternotte ’65 is a dedicated member of the Miss Hall’s community who, for more than forty years, has performed volunteer work to support sexually abused children. She has served as a Miss Hall’s Trustee since 2017 and is a member of our Heritage Society.
Nan’s leadership and generosity have impacted hundreds of students and will continue to do so in perpetuity thanks to the Paternotte Family Faculty Travel and Study Endowment Fund Grant, which she established on the occasion of her 50th reunion to support professional development at MHS. Faculty across departments travel domestically or abroad each year to further knowledge in their field, explore developments in teaching methods or technology, or train in a new instructional area to enrich the Miss Hall’s curriculum.
Public interest lawyer, social justice advocate, and champion of women’s rights, Catherine Samuels ’65 was active in the anti-war movement and as a feminist organizer who co-founded local, state, and national political caucuses to increase women’s political power. She served as Program Director of the Women’s Action Alliance, founded by Gloria Steinem to help women — especially those in marginalized communities — effectively address priorities they defined.
After a 17-year career as a trailblazing employment lawyer, Catherine became Director of the Program on Law and Society at the Open Society Foundation, where she developed a grant-making program to improve legal services for the poor, promoted reforms of the U.S. legal profession, and protected the impartiality of American courts. She went on to become President of the National Organization of Women’s (NOW) Legal Defense and Education Fund, focusing on improving the lives of women and girls by addressing issues of poverty, sexual abuse, and childcare. All the while, Catherine has done pro bono work for innovative social justice projects and served on many boards, supporting causes she believes in.
Jessica Rufo ’99, entrepreneur and owner of the local-favorite Dottie’s Coffee Lounge at the heart of downtown Pittsfield, delivered this year’s keynote at Money Matters financial literacy day in Centennial Hall. She spoke candidly to MHS Juniors and 90 local 8th graders from 10 area schools about taking risks, investing in yourself, and what it takes to run a business: collaboration, sacrifice, integrity, and the ability to make change. This summer, we learned that Dottie’s is for sale after 18 bold, creative, and delicious years. We are proud and grateful for the community, the mentoring, the care, and the modeling of what gumption looks like from start to finish.
Cat Bunker ’07, who has worked in the Massachusetts State House for 12 years as a Legislative Aide, Budget Director, Legislative Director, and Chief of Staff, is now the Chief of Staff for State Senator William Driscoll, Jr., serving the communities of Norfolk, Plymouth, and Bristol.
Emma Bullock ’15 is officially Dr. Emma J. Bullock! She defended her doctoral dissertation — “Radium and Mercury Dynamics in the Arctic Investigating Terrestrial Inputs, Groundwater Discharge and Chemical Cycling in a Changing Climate.” — in September. Emma spent four years doing research in the Arctic, braving darkness, ridiculously long hours, and at least one encounter with a polar bear. In May, she graduated with her doctorate degree from M.I.T. with research through the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Shortly thereafter, Emma made a trip back to Vermont to marry her love, Ben, and celebrated with a honeymoon in Mexico City.
In May, Rosie Zhao ’15 shared “I’m currently in Kigali, Rwanda, for Harvard Business School’s CAP project, helping a local delivery/ecommerce company with its expansion strategy. Our group just met yesterday with President Paul Kagame. I picked this project because I remembered learning about the Rwandan genocide in my forensics class at Miss Hall’s. It is my first time in Africa ever, and for part of the project work, I interviewed over 50 Rwandans, and
I really got to understand people’s lives here. In June, I will be going to Seattle and start my summer internship at Amazon Live as a Senior Technical Product Manager.
More exciting career news: Xin (Lois) Yuan ’16 has joined the International Centre for Higher Education Innovation under the auspices of UNESCO. As a Programme Officer, based in Shenzhen, China, she supports and expands partnerships across Africa, with a focus on fostering digital transformation in higher education. Xin earned her Masters in International Educational Development from the University of Pennsylvania in 2024, worked as a Project Manager at Tencent Charity Foundation, and was the 2nd Runner-Up in the 2023 Miss Universe China competition, earning the title of Goodwill Ambassador!
Congratulations to Amy Ouyang ’17 on her new role on the global nonprofit Clean Air Task Force, supporting the strategic development and advocacy of policies to advance the deployment of low-carbon hydrogen across the transportation, industrial, and power sectors. She holds an M.A. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced
the happy new owner of one of the treasures of this year’s 9th-Grade Horizons Plant Sale, a giant hand-built planter designed collaboratively and named Teresa Dewdrop by the Class of 2028.
THIS PAGE: Charlotte Smith ’20 with her degree from Emory University. Chelsea Canal ’21 graduated in three years with highest honors from Villanova University, where she earned a degree in Political Science with a minor in Business.
OPPOSITE PAGE: April Harwood ’23, along with her sister and brother, came to campus this past winter to skate on the pond! MHS Summer Intern and rising Junior at Smith College, Hazel Spedding connected with recent grad Ivy Kay ’25, as Ivy will begin her college journey at Smith College this fall. Xin Yuan ’16 earned her Masters in International Educational Development from the University of Pennsylvania in 2024.
International Studies and a M.S. and B.A. in Journalism from Northwestern University.
Miss Hall’s Lead Nurse Lisa Loehr P’19 welcomed her new grandson, Grayson Michael Conant, this past February!
Having graduated in 2024 with a BBA from Temple University, Meriel Nguyen ’20 joined Qlik, the global data, analytics, and AI firm, as Staff Accountant. The sister of Vy Nguyen ’23, Meriel will be attending Cornell University in the fall to work on a Master’s Degree in Management, specializing in Accounting.
Charlotte Smith ’20 graduated in May from Emory University with a degree in Psychology and has joined the Gateway Foundation as an addiction counselor in Dallas,
Georgia, providing addiction treatment and counseling for the Georgia Department of Corrections. Gateway is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping individuals with substance use and mental health disorders and operates programs in eight U.S. states.
Ayla Wallace ’20 was named a 2025 Fulbright Scholar!
Lilian Jiang ’21 visited campus in April to share with ESOL students some of the lessons she has learned along her educational path from China to the United States. Lilian graduated in May from Brandeis University with a double major in Anthropology and History and is pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania in the East Asian Languages and Civilizations program.
Kate Kerwood ’21 graduated from Clarkson University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree with
LIBRARIAN PAULA MCBRIDE BUERGER is proud to be the latest Buerger at Miss Hall’s. Her mother-in-law — former MHS Athletic Director, Coach, Archivist, and Alumnae Association Executive Secretary Madge Buerger — and father-in-law — former MHS Latin Teacher, Registrar, College Counselor, and Assistant Headmaster, Joe Buerger — served a combined 70 years at the School, making an indelible impression on the lives of generations of students.
Paula is now adding to that legacy. When she learned the School was looking for a Librarian as the COVID pandemic eased, she eagerly signed on. “I had worked in education since 1994 and really enjoyed the kind of connection you can have with students and colleagues in a boarding school,” recalls Paula. She joined MHS in 2021 and earlier this year included Miss Hall’s in her will, becoming a member of the Heritage Society in the process.
“I believe very strongly that Miss Hall’s provides a valuable and important example about what women can do in and for the world,” she notes. “I was raised to believe that women are just as capable as men, and I believe in ‘putting my money where my mouth is.’ Miss Hall’s is a very special place, with an important role to play in the education of young women, and I want to support that in any way I can.” •
Pamela Breslin received the 2025 Volunteer Award from the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires during the organization’s 8th Annual Berkshire Nonprofit Awards. Pamela was cited for her roles as a Tutor and a Board Member with LitNet, formerly the Literacy Network of South Berkshire, where she contributes some 400 volunteer hours annually and has volunteered since 2005. Her work at LitNet has included helping people on their path to citizenship, and she serves as a citizenship tutor.
“Pamela gives her time, talent, and experience to this small (but mighty) organization,” the Nonprofit Center noted. “She leans in to do the work with joy and passion for providing education and access to the immigrant community. She not only has a wealth of experience and information but is also a great source of wisdom. She is truly a rock to the many programs and practices of LitNet.” Adds LitNet Executive Director Leigh Doherty, “Pamela brings so much integrity and commitment to all of the hats she wears at LitNet — all in a volunteer capacity. It is inspiring!”
Founded in 1991, LitNet provides free, individualized, one-on-one instruction to speakers of other languages wishing to improve their English skills as well as any adult seeking help with basic education, high school equivalency test preparation, or U.S. citizenship test preparation. It is also an MHS Horizons partner! Avah DeBenedetto ’27 volunteered there this year as part of her participation in the School’s one-of-a-kind service learning and internship program. •
Distinction in Aerospace Engineering. She was a four-year member of Clarkson Formula Knights, with two years as the Aerodynamic Sub-Team Lead and co-Captain her senior year, where they design, build, and race an open-wheel Formula-style racecar every year. She was also photographer for Clarkson Athletics. Kate has joined the Pittsfield-based company Electro-Magnetic Applications as a Test Engineer, investigating lightning strikes and radiation on aircraft and railways to see the effects and how to mitigate them.
We’ve learned that EmmaGrace Nealon ’21 has joined Daltonbased Crane Currency as a Process Engineer. Emma just graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where she earned a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering, minoring in psychology and environmental sciences. Emma interned last summer with Crane and interned during the summer of 2023 with Onyx Specialty Papers in nearby Lee.
Maggie Bullock ’22, a rising senior studying for her Bachelor of Science in nursing at Colby-Sawyer College, recently returned from a mission trip with the Global Nursing Alliance to Cusco, Peru, where she helped administer healthcare to underserved areas. On her travels, Maggie had the opportunity to go hiking at Machu Picchu and appreciated experiencing Peruvian culture. She is passionate about nursing and her patients and, in addition to being a full time student, works at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
Hadear Rizq ’22 was named HR Research and Analytics Intern at Flagship Pioneering in Cambridge, MA. Hadear is a student at Simmons University, majoring in Computer Science with a Studio Art minor.
Plus, Vy Nguyen ’23 made the Dean’s List for Spring 2025 at Temple University's College of Engineering!
OPPOSITE PAGE: Formula-style racecar engineered by Kate Kerwood ’21. We were delighted to see Belle He ’23 back on Holmes Road as she showed off campus to her friend Kuilin.
THIS PAGE: Lilian Jiang ’21 speaking with ESOL students in April 2024. MHS Director of Theater and Dance Jenni Jordan with Maggie Bullock ’22. Recent grads Aurora Rahman ’23 and Cora Ma ’24 visited campus during spring celebrations and caught up with sisters Fabi ’26 and Vale Romero ’25, and Director of Advancement Merritt Colaizzi P’28; an International Relations Major at the University of Rochester, Aurora is an intern in the Rochester, NY-office for United States Senator Chuck Schumer. Amy Ouyang ’17 has started a new role with the global nonprofit Clean Air Task Force.
Deaths
Shirley Stansbie Paneth ’46
Sally Reineman Green ’47
Joan Andrew White ’47
Constance “Connie” Kuhl Francis ’48
Cynthia Bassett Polhemus ’49
Virginia Kip Farrell ’49
Gail Hitchcock Seed ’51
Sondra Zenowitz Koff ’54
Suzanne (Suzy) Allen Funsch ’57
Antonia Plehn Lake ’57
Tamar Griggs ’60
Ellen Clark ’61
Hylton (Hotie) Bravo Hard ’63
Theodosia B. Neal ’65
Donna Kilner Gray ’67
Mark H. Kurber ’76
Former Headmaster Daniel Gerard Lee, Jr.
Former member of MHS Dining Services
Leo Lazits
Former MHS Faculty Member Leslie Clifford
Former MHS Trustee John Lollar P’84
Former MHS Assistant Athletics Director
Wendy Perkins
Former MHS Trustee James H. Rich, Jr. P’93
Former MHS Physical Education Teacher
Sharyl Lynn Swarbrick
In Sympathy
Carla Higbie Stroh ’55 on the death of her husband John W. Stroh, Jr.
Michele Dobbins Dodge ’64 on the death of her husband James “Jim” Dodge
Sheila Moffett Rubey ’65 on the death of her cousin Theodosia B. Neal ’65
Cynthia Hebert Lloyd ’77 on the death of her mother Linda Charlene Hebert
Caroline Cleary Pratt ’78 on the death of her aunt Sally Reineman Green ’47
Chris Kurber ’78 on the death of his brother Mark Kurber ’76
Laura Bassett Curtis ’80 on the death of her mother Cynthia Bassett Polhemus ’49
Stephanie Seed ’81 on the death of her aunt Gail Hitchcock Seed ’51
Carolyn Alban ’84 on the death of her father former MHS Trustee John Lollar
Hillary Seed Polednik ’85, on the loss of her mother Gail Hitchcock Seed ’51
Sarah Rich ’93 on the loss of her father, former MHS Trustee James H. Rich, Jr.
Sarah Atkins '97 on the death of both of her grandmothers Elaine Perry Atkins and Jean Hanna Holden
Erin Bois ’97 on the death of her father Ray C. Frohlich
MHS Faculty Emily Pulfer-Terino ’97 on the death of her father Donald Pulfer
Victoria Humphrey ’00 on the death of her mother Pamela Dennison Petri-Humphrey
Jacqui Bissell Twombly ’05 on the death of her grandmother Judith C. Giftos
Alicia Bravo ’18 on the death of her aunt Hylton (Hotie) Bravo Hard ’63
Francesca Tesoro ’23 on the death of her grandfather Michael Richard Tesoro, MD
Lila Boland ’25 on the death of her grandmother Beverly Norton
Former MHS English Teacher Liz Clifford on the death of her husband Former MHS Math Teacher Leslie Clifford
MHS Director of Development Cathy Ingram on the death of her father David J. Ingram
MHS Technical Support Analyst Tim Augé on the death of his father Dr. Bernard G. Augé
Former MHS Development Office Administrative Assistant Sandie Tucker on the death of her husband David Tucker
MHS Campus Safety Officer Mike Norton on the death of his wife Beverly Norton
Former Assistant to the Head of School Joan Kurber, on the death of her son Mark Kurber ’76
Deadline for inclusion of class notes in the spring magazine is November 1, 2025. The Advancement Office retains the right to edit content included in Class Notes. When you submit news, please be aware that information may have to be edited in order to follow format and fit space requirements. Thank you.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Nancy Gustafson Ault ’73, President, Damariscotta, Maine
Laura H. Harris ’74, Vice President, Vero Beach, Florida
Suzanne Wilson ’64, Vice President, Big Timber, Montana
Katie Grace Deane ’05, Clerk, Medford, Massachusetts
Mary Kay Kosnik P’15, Treasurer, Darien, Connecticut
Caroline Amory ’76, Sarasota, Florida
Mariel Beasley ’02, Durham, North Carolina
Lee Carbonelli ’95, Bradenton, Florida
Anne Peterson Conolly ’70, South Burlington, Vermont
Susan Danish, New York, New York
Elizabeth Welch Gustafson ’88, Basking Ridge, New Jersey
Rebecca Hajjar ’89, Brookline, Massachusetts
Camille Jackson ’90, Durham, North Carolina
Susan Foster Hammill ’69, Richmond, Virginia
Melissa Kilby, Hickory, North Carolina
Susan P. O’Day ’77, Boston, Massachusetts
Nancy Brewster Paternotte ’65, Baltimore, Maryland
Steven Shindler P’15, Darien, Connecticut
Sinclair “Cinnie” Siragusa ’82, Jupiter, Florida
Jennifer Perkins Speers ’71, Salt Lake City, Utah
Sarah Richardson Straley ’71, Tampa, Florida
Amy Church Wood ’89, Westlake Village, California
Yiyan Zhou ’91, Brookline, Massachusetts
Elizabeth Stuart Zeigler, Cranford, New Jersey
EMERITUS TRUSTEE ADVISORY COUNCIL
Lee Auchincloss Link ’61, New York, New York
Jacqueline B. Mars ’57, McLean, Virginia
Bonnie Campbell Perkins ’57, Denver, Colorado
Patricia Manley Smith ’55, Cooperstown, New York
Stacey Sotirhos ’89, New York, New York
Theresa S. Thompson ’64, Lewisburg, West Virginia
Robin Brown Woods ’58, Darien, Connecticut
MISS HALL’S SCHOOL 492 Holmes Road Pittsfield, MA 01201
Tel: 413-443-6401
Fax: 413-442-2874 misshalls.org advancement@misshalls.org
Miss Hall’s School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origins, sexual orientation, or religion in its policies and programs of admission, financial aid, instruction, athletics, or other campus-administered activities.
© Copyright 2025 Miss Hall’s School. All rights reserved.
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Julia Heaton P’24, P’27
DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
Merritt Colaizzi P’28
ADVANCEMENT OFFICE
Joselyn Hearring, Database and Reporting Manager
Cathy Ingram, Director of Development
Jennifer P. Kerwood P’21, Director of Philanthropy
David A. Smith P’20, Director of Communications
Lynelle I. Weaver P’27, Manager of Alumnae Relations and Advancement Partnerships
Lynn Zuckerman ’88, P’27, Director of Leadership Giving
DESIGN
Darrel Frost
PHOTOGRAPHY & ART
Merritt Colaizzi P’28
Peter Fields
Kenzie Odegaard Fields P’24
Matthew Grallert P’21
Dr. Katrina Hall
Amy Inglis ’08, Avida Love Photography
Itza Jimenez ’27
Casey Lai ’25
Fiona Lu ’26
MHS Archives
Jen Morris
Karl Mullen P’28
Kennedy Raimer
Mea Richardson ’26
David Smith P’20
Julia Tocchio ’25
Cover artwork by Shahla Royesh ’25
