Connections Fall 2015

CONNECTIONS

The 12th Head of CCDS Class of 2015 Homecoming Alumni in Education Presidential Scholar CCDS Families Cover the Tri-State

OUR DAY

ON THE WAY

EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

LEONARD ATHLETIC CENTER

ARRIVED AT THE

LEONARD ATHLETIC

CENTER SWIM MEET AT

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ACTED IN FIRST

Completion:

Fall 2016

Square footage: 10,380

TAFT SEMPLE MAINTENANCE FACILITY

PERFORMANCE IN THE

Completion:

AMPHITHEATER

Square footage: 8,550

8TH GRADE

MUSICAL

VISITED

EARLY CHILDHOOD

Completion:

Fall 2015

Square footage: 4,100 building

3,850 courtyard

DWYER ’05/GRIEB ’10 OUTDOOR PERFORMANCE AREA

CENTER SANG WITH

MUSIC CLASS 2

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Winter 2016

Completion: Fall 2016 Capacity:

Approximately 200

The building blocks of a Country Day experience are superb learning facilities in beautiful surroundings.

The North Campus Project will transform a large portion of the school’s acreage for children in every grade level, parents, and alumni, as well as provide an environment that will instill a sense of community for everyday learning, extracurricular involvement, and campus events. This project will provide an infrastructure that will last for generations to come.

For more information: Chris Woodside Director of Development Cincinnati Country Day School 6905 Given road Cincinnati, OH 45243 (513) 979-0285 woodsidec@countryday.net www.CountryDay.net/go/NCP

CONNECTIONS Fall 2015

THIS ISSUE

Volume 36, Issue 2

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Features

Sections 4 Leadership

Tony Jaccaci becomes Country Day’s 12th Head of School

A look at his first 90 days

Alumni in Education

Country Day Families

Cover the Tri-State

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Country Day’s first Presidential Scholar

Your classmates and the Country Day Community would like to hear from you. Please submit Class Notes to Paula Brock at brockp@CountryDay.net

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Faculty News

21 Pattison Award 22 Patterson-Strauss Travel Grant

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Class of 2015

53 Homecoming Alumni Network Leaders

58 Alumni

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Connections is published by the Development Office of Country Day. Photos by contributing alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff.

If you have questions or believe any information to be incorrect, please contact Ralph Javens at (513) 9790234 or javensr@countryday.net.

Student News

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Nine graduates who pursued careers in education

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Parents of graduates: If you have been receiving CCDS mail for your graduate at your home address, and they have a permanent mailing address elsewhere, please let us know how to best reach them. We want to stay in touch with our alumni community, and save paper and postage. Please contact Alumni Director Paula Brock at brockp@countryday. net or 513-979-0282 with updated information or send address changes to addresschanges@CountryDay.net.

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Alumni Calendar

60 Reunions 62

News Notes

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In Memoriam

ON THE COVER Tony Jaccaci becomes the 12th Head of School of Country Day.

Cincinnati Country Day School does not discriminate against any person in admission, employment or otherwise because of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, gender, or age in violation of existing state or federal law or regulations.

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LEADERSHIP Dear Members of the Country Day Community, In “Around the World in 80 days,” Jules Verne wrote of a global, circumnavigation adventure that brought his characters across continents and through the vast expanses of the earth’s oceans. Since my arrival to Indian Hill in July, I have engaged in a similar exploration of the Country Day “world.” I have spent significant time learning about all things CCDS through a “listening tour”— hearing stories from students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, and others who have shared their perspectives about their Country Day experiences. These conversations have allowed me to chart the CCDS landscape and while the journey has taken longer than relationships since that is where 80 days, it has introduced me to a learning takes flight. A connected world that is warm, welcoming and student is a student who feels focused on student development comfortable in taking academic risks and achievement. In these first few that lead to the path of deepest months, it has been my privilege to knowledge. serve as Country Day’s new head of school.

I am proud to be part of such a talented and engaged collective and In my conversations, a reoccurring wish to thank the entire Country Day theme is the importance of community for warmly welcoming connections (and no doubt, my family and me to our new life the inspiration for naming this on Given Road. We already feel publication). I have heard a great well-connected thanks to the many deal, from students and their families, thoughtful gestures extended to me, about the lasting bonds formed during their Country Day tenures. The Lucia, Nick, Sam and Ben. We are forever grateful for your kindness in stories have been both heartwarming making our first days on the hill ones and insightful. The anecdotes range we will cherish as we deepen our from a teacher who tutored a recent CCDS graduate in her college calculus roots in our new hometown. course via the e-waves, to a coach Sincerely, who instilled a sense of possibility in a struggling player, and to an alumnus who helped a former student land her first job. The stories, and there Anthony T. T. Jaccaci have been hundreds, all center on connections, and in my experience, P.S. great schools are built on such To stay better connected to Country connections.

Day, consider following me on Twitter @tonyjaccaci. I tweet all the At Country Day, the importance of latest happenings and behind-theconnectivity is demonstrable in dayscenes photos of life at Country Day. to-day campus life. We understand Alternatively, if you happen to be on and value its role in student success, campus, please drop by and say hello. and we will continue to focus on I love connecting in person best of all. fostering strong student-teacher

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Harold Washburn 1926 - 1929

Country Day Headmasters Herbert Davison 1948 - 1969

Charles Clark 1994 - 2003

Herbert Snyder 1929 - 1941

Patrick Boardman 1969 - 1971

Lee Pierson 2003 - 2004

Harwood Ellis 1941 - 1944

Charles Yeiser ’39 1971 - 1977

Robert Macrae 2004 - 2015

Ronald Dixon 1944 - 1948

John Raushenbush 1977 - 1994

Anthony Jaccaci 2015 -

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Cabinet 2015-2016 Anthony Jaccaci Head of School Jennifer Aquino Head of Lower School Robert Baker Director of Technology Michael Busch Director of Facilities Theresa Hirschauer Head of Middle School Aaron Kellenberger Director of Enrollment Management Stephanie Luebbers Head of Upper School Christopher Milmoe Athletic Director Ashley Ward Assistant to the Head of School Todd Witt Chief Financial Officer Christopher Woodside Director of Development

Board of Trustees 2015-2016 Jon Hall President of the Board of Trustees Christopher Bortz ’92 Joel Brant ’87 Kyle Brooks ’81 Marianne Castrucci Richard Durand ’73 Jason Fraley Jessica Hall Lori Jeffries ’90 Shailesh Jejurikar Macy Kirkland Thomas Langlois ‘77 Michael Leonard ’83 John Mackenzie Anne Maier Holly Mott ’95 Peter Niehoff ’05 Marilyn O’Brien Jeanne Parlin Nick Recker Todd Stegman Paul Stewart Chalky Thomas ‘80 Gordon Wright ’85 Rob Zimmerman ‘98

CCDS NAMES NEW TRUSTEES Cincinnati Country Day School’s Board of Trustees has named five new trustees and a new board president.

The new trustees join 20 others on the 25-member board.

a member of the Cintrifuse advisor network.

Jon Hall is President of the CCDS Board of Trustees, replacing President Chip Pettengill, who has completed his three-year term.

Hall and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Samuel ’13 and Jessica ’14, both CCDS Lifers.

Hall is co-founder and Managing Partner of SpencerHall, one of the country’s largest independent consumer research and innovation firms. The company utilizes inventive research techniques to uncover fresh insight into consumer motivations, and then leverages that knowledge to create business breakthroughs for a wide range of Fortune 500 clients.

Prior to launching SpencerHall in 1996, Hall spent 14 years in Brand Management at Procter & Gamble, last serving as Director of New Ventures for the Beauty Care Sector.

At Country Day, Hall was named to the Board of Trustees during the 2009-10 school year. Most recently, he was vice president of the Board of Trustees and co-chaired the CCDS Search Committee for a new Head of School. Hall is also a past president of the school’s Parents’ Association.

In the community, Hall is a past president for the Covington Community Center Board of Trustees, serves on the Princeton University Alumni Schools Committee and is

He has a B.A. degree in religion from Princeton University.

Jessica Hall is executive director of The Leon Hall Foundation at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Her duties include organizing and planning all events, appearance requests, and facilitating the foundation’s relationship with the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky.

Hall was previously the director of special projects for the Marvin Lewis Community Fund, where she pursued her passion for volunteering and children’s wellness. Her duties included coordinating live and silent auctions for the organization’s annual golf outing and Football 101, which has grossed more than $100,000.

She received her bachelor’s degree in general studies with concentrations in communications, sociology and American Studies from the University of Michigan.

She and her husband, Leon, have three sons, Leon ’27, Christien-Blake ’30 and Graham-Alexander ’32.

Continued next page

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Leadership Tom Langlois ’77 is a staff attorney with the Ohio Court of Appeals, First Appellate District.

He’s also been an adjunct lecturer at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. At Country Day, Langlois previously served on the board from 2004-2010.

He was Alumni Association President from 2004-2007. He has served on the Long-Range Planning Committee, (2001, 2007), and the ISACS SelfStudy Group (1999, 2006 and 2013).

He also co-chaired the Mission Statement Committee (2007).

Langlois is currently co-chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee, a member of the Board Development Committee, and a member of the Alumni Council. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2007.

He is a 1991 graduate of the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

retirement community. Mackenzie has served on the Board of Trustees, Independent School Association of the Central States (ISACS), from 2005-present. He was the chair from 2010-2012. From 2001-2005, Mackenzie was on the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Association of Independent Schools (OAIS).

He has a M.A. in educational administration from Columbia University, Teachers College, and an A.B. in government from Bowdoin College.

Mackenzie’s wife, Susan Nybell, is a public school elementary teacher.

He is the father of Scott, a first-year student at Bowdoin College, and stepfather to Allison, 30, and Nathan, 26.

Nick Recker, is a lifelong resident of Cincinnati.

Recker and his wife, Heather, are proud Country Day parents of three daughters, Julia ’22, Sophia ’24 and Caroline ’26.

He and his wife, Elaine, have one son, Thomas C. Langlois ’10, a Country Day Lifer.

John Mackenzie is managing partner of Educators’ Collaborative, LLC, a consortium of 12 partners, all of whom are former school heads who consult independent schools and other notfor-profit institutions focusing on executive searches, strategic planning, institutional advancement, and conflict resolution.

Previously, he was headmaster at Columbus Academy in Gahanna from 1997-2013, and at Worcester Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts, from 19911997.

Mackenzie is currently a member of the Board of Trustees, Friendship Village of Columbus, a life care and

He serves as the leader of Path Forward, an organization he founded in 2002. Path Forward focuses on removing barriers between physicians and patients by providing creative technology solutions that free them to focus on patient care. Path Forward provides IT services, consulting, and clinical application support services to healthcare organizations throughout the U.S. Recker is a frequent presenter at national medical conferences and medical associations on topics related to healthcare technology trends, effective utilization of technology in clinical quality initiatives and utilizing technology to transform patient access to care.

He has served in an advisory capacity

for many organizations’ boards of directors in matters related to technology and IT cybersecurity risk mitigation.

Recker attended Ohio University, Xavier University and the University of Cincinnati with studies focused on information technology and political science.

Rob Zimmerman ’98 is a partner with Dinsmore & Shohl, where he has extensive experience litigating business and commercial disputes within a wide variety of industries.

He has represented clients in a number of cases involving breach of contract, trade secrets, patents, trademarks, corporate governance, real estate, securities, shareholder/ partnership disputes and unfair competition.

Since 2012, Zimmerman has been selected for the Ohio “Rising Stars” list, which recognizes the top up-andcoming attorneys in Ohio.

He received his B.A. from Vanderbilt University in 2002 with a major in English. He obtained his J.D. at the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2005.

His memberships and affiliations include: Cincinnati Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, ArtWorks, Board of Trustees; and Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled, Inc., Board of Directors.

Zimmerman is a member of the CCDS Alumni Council and is the alumni representative on the Country Day Board of Trustees.

He and his wife, Rania, have two sons, Harrison ’28 and Graham ’32.

Future Connections We would like to speak with alumni in medical, IT/Social Media, entertainment, food/hospitality and environmental professions to see if we have enough alumni who would like to particiapte for future articles.

Contact Paula Brock at brockp@countryday.net.

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CONNECTIONS

State of the School IT’S A LONGSave the Date RANGE NEW PLAN

DAY GLOBAL LISTENING

ENGAGEMENT

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & LEARNING & CREATIVE

TOUR

180

THINKING INNOVATIVE

LEARNING

DAYS FINANCIAL & BEYOND VITALITY & TEACHING

NORTH CAMPUS PROJECT UPDATE

Join Tony Jaccaci, Head of School

Tuesday, January 26, 2016 5:30 p.m. Community Dinner 6:30 p.m. State of the School “Country Day” conversations Tony’s first 180 days and beyond North Campus Project update Long-range plan

RSVP to www.CountryDay.net/go/success

Financial Information ANNUAL GIVING Unrestricted Annual Fund Restricted Tuition Aid Other Restricted Giving Total Annual Giving

$719,993 $13,250 $1,293,405 $2,026,648

EVENTS CountryDate $235,572 Total Events $235,572 FOUNDATION GIVING Unrestricted $3,772 Scholarship $45,236 Other Restricted Giving $41,090 Total Foundation Giving $90,098 CAPITAL (BUILDING FUND) GIVING Lower School Renovations $494,147 North Campus Renovations $1,320,376 Tennis Complex $89,770 Total Capital Giving $1,904,293

Total Giving $4,256,611 Endowment Market Value on 6/30/15 $19,986,014

FISCAL YEAR 2014-15

REVENUES Tuition Income 84.2% Gifts from Endowment 4.7% Annual Giving 4.6% Other Income 6.5% EXPENSES Salaries & Benefits Tuition Assistance Program Operations Office

45.6% 27.3% 9.7% 10.3% 7.1%

Annual Report coming in in early 2016.

Contribute online at www.CountryDay.net/go/CCDS

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Leadership

Country Day’s 12th Head of School

choice for the new head of school.

“Once Tony arrived at Country Day, the judiciousness of our hiring decision was readily apparent,” said Hall, who is now board president.

“Tony has very effectively taken the helm, helping lead the North Campus building projects, working with the board to get the long-range planning process underway, and getting to know the CCDS community, including individual meetings with each faculty and staff member.”

“Tony went so far as to get up at the crack of dawn one morning and have Lucia drive him to Mason so he could ride back on the school bus to see what that experience was like for the students. Tony’s warmth, enthusiasm and leadership will serve Country Day well.”

Anthony T. T. Jaccaci From shadowing a student for a day to volunteering at FallFest, Tony Jaccaci, the 12th Head of School, has immersed himself in the life and culture of Cincinnati Country Day School.

Tony arrived July 3 from YK Pao School in Shanghai, where he was executive principal of the secondary division. He started and grew the division from the ground up. Prior, he had been director of Global Programs, head of the Chinese Department, and a history instructor at St. George’s School in Newport, Rhode Island.

He was one of three finalists for the position. After he was hired, he and his wife, Lucia, returned for the State of the School Address last January.

“When the search committee met with Tony and discussed his academic background and educational philosophy, it was clear that Tony was ideally suited for the responsibility of leading Country Day at this exciting point in our history,” said Jon Hall, who co-chaired the Head of School Search Committee with Julie Fleischmann. The co-chairs were

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appointed by then Board President Chip Pettengill.

“We were struck by Tony’s entrepreneurial spirit, academic credentials, and proven ability to be an effective and visionary leader,” Hall said. “Tony recognized the importance of listening and inclusion, and that being a true leader requires creating ’followership.’”

Ninety days after arriving, Jaccaci reflected on the surprises he’s encountered on the job. “When I was here as a candidate a year ago, I was really drawn to and accepted the position on what I felt was the strength or the spirit of the school, its culture and its community. The surprise was a happy surprise. It was authentic, and it was real. It was not surface deep, but rather went to the core of the community.”

“When you think about my 90-day impression of the school, I see room for growth and improvement, but I’m happily surprised to learn there is a hunger for continued improvement.”

In turn, Jaccaci’s performance during his first 90 days affirmed the board’s

Arrival and installation Shortly after he arrived, Jaccaci initiated his “Listening Tours,” which concluded in November. Each faculty and staff member was invited to meet individually with him for a half hour so he could learn more about them and how they landed at CCDS. “I heard wonderful stories that faculty or staff members would be surprised to hear about their colleagues, because people have done such interesting things.”

The sessions have also helped him understand individual faculty and staff interests and background experiences.

“If in a long-range plan or strategic planning, we think about initiatives or ideas for growing the school, I have a better understanding of what people’s interests are and who might be best to ask to help build and grow the school.”

“Once Tony arrived at Country Day, the judiciousness of our hiring decision was readily apparent.”

Jon Hall

Tony was installed as the 12th Head of School at an installation ceremony on Aug. 14. In his installation speech, he revealed his thirst for knowledge

about the school led him to the book, “...and Five Miles Farther” which chronicles Country Day’s history. He marveled at how students in the early days had to endure lengthy bus rides to and from school.

That was the catalyst for one of his efforts to get to know students and understand their experiences.

He decided to ride a school bus to Country Day to find out when they had to wake up, how far they had to go to catch the bus, and what the bus-riding experience was like.

Branching out with satellite offices By the start of school, Jaccaci established satellite offices in the Middle and Lower Schools. He spends 8 a.m. - noon in the Lower School on Wednesdays and noon - 3:30 p.m.

Tuesdays in the Middle School.

As Head of School, Jaccaci said it’s important to learn about the programs in all divisions. It’s also a way to be more effective in carrying out his job, he said.

“One reason for my satellite offices in the Middle School and Lower School is to be close to classrooms where I can just pop in and out of classes and see the experiences that the kids are having.” The result has been ShoutOuts to individual teachers during faculty/staff meetings for good things going on in classrooms.

“It’s also important that the Middle School and Lower School teachers understand that the Head of School takes great interest in their work, as well, and that the administration and running the school doesn’t happen just in the Upper School building, but can happen from all different parts of the school.”

Construction and mapping the future Amidst this flurry of activity, Jaccaci has taken the helm on two major endeavors: the North Campus Project (NCP) and embarking on a new longrange plan.

The NCP is underway with a new maintenance facility nearly completed.

“The beautiful maintenance facility will take that portion of the school’s operations out of the learning space.

The maintenance staff will be able to

do their work well-secluded from the teaching and learning spaces,” Jaccaci said.

Next up, the old maintenance building was torn down to make way for the new Early Childhood Center (ECC). The close proximity to the Lower School is expected to help integrate ECC students in their new surroundings when they move to Pre-K.

“I also think the expanded room and space are going to give our early childhood educators new flexibility to think about new and different programs to help with our children’s education.”

The next portion of the NCP is a major pool renovation and other upgrades.

“Leonard Athletic Center is going to improve the athletic experience of our students and student athletes.“

BROADWELL HOUSE On July 3, Tony moved into the Broadwell House to start his tenure as Country Day’s 12th Head of School.

Lucia and the boys would arrive several weeks later after wrapping-up their move from China.

The Broadwell House will serve as the Jaccaci Family residence and will also be used for entertaining CCDS guests. Over the summer, major renovations were made to the house to prepare it for occupancy.

The old kitchen was replaced with a new, more modern version. All of the bathrooms in the residence were updated. Many of the improvements were aimed at energy-efficiency, such as the HVAC system, windows and doors.

The Jaccaci’s have already opened their doors for several dinner parties and a couple of large faculty and staff gatherings. Tony and Lucia are right at home living on campus, citing the time they served as advisors at a boarding school.

Lisa Pettengill ’85 and Jeanne Parlin coordinated the renovations, and several CCDS families were instrumental in making the Broadwell House changes happen. They are: Granite America Keidel Supply BRG Realty Group LLC. BEFORE AFTER Tisdel Distributing 9

Leadership “I think with our new and upgraded pool, competitive swimming and swim instruction will be improved, as well.”

And finally, the project enhances the North Campus entrance. “People entering will have a feeling that we’re not entering the back side of the campus, but rather another entrance to the campus.”

Already in motion, committee members are working on a new long-range plan to guide Cincinnati Country Day School through the next three to five years. A plan is important, Jaccaci said, but he hopes for an additional outcome.

“What I hope comes out of this process is the development of a growth or a strategic mindset. I steal that quote from Carol Dweck (a Stanford University psychologist).

What that means is Country Day should not be thinking strategically every five years, but should be thinking strategically on a daily basis.”

Also in his first 90 days, Jaccaci: • Created a diversity steering committee, underscoring the

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school’s commitment to diversity among students and faculty, as well as educational offerings. The school and community diversity is one of the factors that drew him to the job at CCDS. “Diversity really does bring richness and a meaning to life, and you get it through a varied and comprehensive learning experience. When you think about the world that our kids are going into, they really do have to be prepared for a diverse world.”

•

•

Initiated energy-saving measures to turn off lights that are not in use and regulate the temperature – for cost savings and as good stewards of the planet.

Started what will be a new tradition when the 31 kindergarteners of the Class of 2028 planted a bur oak - a Lifer tree - on what will be known as “Lifer Grove,” south of the Alumni House. From now on, every kindergarten class will choose and plant its own Lifer tree. The tree planting is part of the school’s

efforts to repopulate the campus tree canopy that has lost trees to disease, insects and invasive plants.

Adjusting, getting to know the area Although the Jaccacis have been abroad only five years, moving back was still an adjustment - even though America changes at a slow pace, compared with China, Jaccaci said.

“I think one of the biggest challenges is trying to get back into kind of the zeitgeist of America - where the country is at the moment. I don’t even know how to turn on my television

“We have an excellent team, a great tradition, and a rich history...”

Tony Jaccaci

anymore. Five years ago, I’d call up the cable guy, and he’d plug in my TV and there it was. Now, there’s so many options.”

“It’s been a good and healthy challenge to try to assimilate. We

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND CONVOCATION

Country Day opened for its 90th school year on Aug. 18, 2015, followed

by Convocation on Aug. 21. Tony welcomed nearly 860 new and returning students, beginning the first year of his tenure.

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were told to expect a reverse culture shock. I haven’t felt shocked, but I certainly have felt that things have changed and it’s taken awhile to adjust to those changes.”

The Jaccacis have enjoyed sampling everything that Cincinnati has to offer. They attended the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament in Mason. They went to a Reds game and a Bengals game. They’ve eaten at a couple of new, trendy restaurants in Over-the-Rhine. They made the pilgrimage to IKEA and other local supply stores to make purchases for their new home.

INSTALLATION Tony was installed as the 12th Head of Country Day on Aug. 14. The ceremony in Keeler Theater was followed by a reception in the Pattison Courtyard. Tony spoke about his journey to Country Day and the research he has done on the history of CCDS. In addition, he gave the audience the correct pronunciation of his name - Jaccaci (juhCATCHY).

“We’re also getting to know Indian Hill and some of the walking trails close to Broadwell,” he said. “We really enjoy going out, for example, to Red Bird Hollow and getting to know this neighborhood, as well.”

Jaccaci also hit the road in an effort to meet other school leaders and movers and shakers in Cincinnati. He’s met individually with Indian Hill School Superintendent Mark Miles, Seven Hills Head of School Chris Garten, and Summit Country Day Head of School Rich Wilson, who all came to his installation. “I felt very warmly welcomed by other institutions.”

He’s also met Father Tim Howe, president, and Ray Tyrrell, principal of St. Xavier High School; University of Cincinnati President Santa Ono and Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley.

Meanwhile, Lucia and their three sons are active with Country Day. Lucia has been getting the family settled on campus in Broadwell House, where they’ve entertained faculty and trustees in their new home. She’s hoping to substitute teach at CCDS. Nick ’18 and Sam ’19 performed in the fall play, “And Then There Were None,” and played junior varsity golf. Sam was elected freshman class president.

Ben ’23 is taking piano lessons and was on the Middle School soccer team.

Jaccaci has also proven that he is a good sport, getting a Country Day “baptism” by volunteering to sit in the dunk tank at FallFest. “I was happy to do it,” he said. “I’ll do almost anything goofy, as long as it helps the school.”

Top - Lucia and Tony with sons Ben, Sam, and Nick. Bottom Left - Anne Maier, Marilyn O’Brien and Lucia. Middle - Ann Gardner, Tom Langlois ’77, and Trish Robitaille. Right - Peter Fossett ’80, Jane Simon Fritz ’78, Dan Wood, and Casey Schnieber.

First 90 days Jaccaci shared with faculty and staff his early impressions of CCDS from his first 90 days.

“A Head of School has to think about five major things: curriculum, staff, campus and surrounds, budget and resources, and kids. I’m discovering these basic elements, the foundation of an excellent school, are really well in place.”

The educational program is good, strong and articulated among divisions even more than in the past, Jaccaci said. “Our mission is to prepare kids for college and life. I think our curriculum is, at this moment, meeting that. I still think it needs to be developed. I don’t think we would ever say a curriculum is frozen in time.”

A challenge that he’s pondering is

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Leadership how to continue to attract and retain the best and brightest teachers and staff, while being mindful of the budget.

“One of the things that I realize is we have an ’08 mindset. There was an economic downturn in 2008-2009, and the school really was under great hardship at that time. Enrollment was down. It was a scary time.”

“I think some of the decisions and some of the thinking at that time persist today, and so there is a mindset of austerity. Tightening the belt is always good, but if you tighten it too much, you choke innovation. How are we going to fund innovation and change? I think we need to continue do that.”

Jaccaci plans to search for ways to grow the budget, enrollment and the school’s endowment. “My real key job is going to be, in the next 10 years, to grow our endowment to be able to fund programs; hopefully, that will come out of a long-range plan or whether we want to shore up the foundation in a stronger way.”

“We have an excellent team, a great tradition, and a rich history, so I’m very excited about our future, guided by the long-range plan. We have challenges ahead of us, no doubt, but there’s nothing wrong with Country Day that cannot be fixed with what is right with Country Day.”

RODE THE BUS During his Installation remarks, Tony referenced the CCDS history book, “...and Five Miles Farther,” and marveled at the length of the bus rides our early students took.

He wanted to see what our current students faced, as well, so early one morning, wife Lucia dropped him off at a bus stop in Mason and he road the bus to school with the students.

Tony and eighth-grader Ash Annapantula at the Mason bus stop.

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HOMECOMING Tony was heavily involved in Homecoming, from manning the dunk tank at FallFest to visiting reunion classes during their celebrations. He also met many alumni during the Alumni Reception at the tennis complex under the Tysoe Family Pavillion, delivered remarks at the Chieftain Society Brunch honoring Buck Niehoff ’65, and congratulated Coach Tim Dunn on the field after defeating Summit to hold on to the Country Day Cup.

SHADOWED A STUDENT Tony wanted to see what life was truly like for a student, so he asked Roosevelt Bryant (left-being dropped off in car line), a seventh grader, if he could shadow him for an entire day. Tony later shared the experience at a faculty/staff meeting.

He met Roosevelt in carline to start the day and proceeded to advisory. Roosevelt’s first class was math, where Brady Brandt worked with students on mean and median. Next up was a test in Dan Wood’s science class.

On to Spanish class where Tony saw Virtue in Action when a student knocked over a jar of pencils. “Four kids popped right up and started helping her pick up the pencils,” Tony said.

Music, recess, and a stuffed pepper lunch followed. Then, Tony and Roosevelt returned to advisory, where his group, led by Brittany Patterson, teamed up with Julia Joyce’s advisory to be prepped for Make A Difference Day. “They were preparing students for their volunteer jobs the next day at Prospect House. They knew the boys were nervous about this, and they didn’t know what to expect.” Joyce spoke with them, showed a video from the center and then led a Q&A session.

Next, Roosevelt and Tony went to Andrea Rogers’ Cultural Studies class. There, Roosevelt and classmate Sam Pettengill had some technical difficulties with their computers and had to hike to the Help Desk for assistance. Tony also got to see Roosevelt in action during golf practice before school was dismissed.

“It was an excellent experience,” Tony said. “The seventh-grade team picked a wonderful student for me to shadow.”

Meanwhile, Roosevelt was honored to be chosen. “It was fun and sort of cool to see what his (Tony’s) personality was like. I hadn’t really met him until the shadow, and he was nice,” Roosevelt said.

Tony acknowledged that devoting a day to shadowing a student took a lot of time, but it was worth it. “Obviously, the Head of School has a lot of responsibilities, and to be able take a full day off meant that I had to reorganize my schedule.

But, I really felt it was important to be able to understand the experiences of students.”

Since then, Tony shadowed junior Olivia Brown in the Upper School and plans to shadow a Lower School student later in the year.

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Student News NATIONAL MERIT RECOGNIZES 27% OF SENIOR CLASS CCDS announced that five students were named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists and 13 were named Commended Students. They represent 27% of the Class of 2016.

Semifinalists: Nathan Albrinck, Margaret Hodson, Sam Jenkins, Zhaoyu (Joe) Lou, and Cameron Stewart.

Commended Students: Trisha Atluri, Maggie Bernish, George Crowley, Nathan Grant, Ian Hayes, Sidd Jejurikar, Max Luebbers, Sean O’Brien, Ben Paff, Caroline Retzios, Kendall Smith, Charlie Sukin and J’Quaan Waite.

To be chosen by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation a student must score in the top 1% on a test taken by 1.5 million juniors nationwide.

The students honored are leaders across the disciplines and throughout

the extracurricular life of the school.

They lead our science teams and our cross-country, soccer and football teams; they edit the newspaper and the literary magazine and lead the Student Council and the Honor Council; they volunteer in labs at the University of Cincinnati and Children’s Hospital; they teach underserved students at Breakthrough Cincinnati or volunteer with disabled students at Stepping Stones; they serve as senior Peer Mentors to our freshmen.

Photos: Semifinalists (top) from left, Cameron Stewart, Zhaoyu (Joe) Lou, Sam Jenkins, Nathan Albrinck and Margaret Hodson.

Commended Class of 2016 National Merit Commended Students: front from left, Nathan Grant, Kendall Smith, Ben Paff, Sean O’Brien and J’Quaan

Waite. Back, from left, Trisha Atluri, Maggie Bernish, George Crowley, Max Luebbers, Caroline Retzios, Sidd Jejurikar, Ian Hayes, and Charlie Sukin.

6TH GRADE RAISES MORE THAN $5,000 FOR JDRF Country Day’s sixth-grade class presented a check for $5,397.72 to Nick Wagner, a representative from the Southwest Ohio Chapter, JDRF, the research foundation that raises money to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. Wagner accepted the check at a Middle School assembly on Oct. 30.

Students secured pledges to complete a six-mile walk-a-thon on the Little Miami Bike Trail. The walk was part of the Middle School’s Make A Difference Day. Three students were recognized for raising the highest amount of pledges.

Adam Evans was the sixth-grade boy

with the highest pledges, raising $501. Jada Moorman was the girl with the highest pledges, and Craig Boswell had the highest number of pledges after Jada.

Sixth-graders have held 13 walks for JDRF over the years and have raised more than $66,000 for the organization to fight juvenile diabetes.

Pictured: Nick Wagner, a representative from JDRF, receives a check for $5,397.72 from Country Day’s sixth grade. From left, Adam Evans, Jada Moorman and Craig Boswell.

4TH GRADE FIELD TRIP PART OF SCIENCE CURRICULUM The fourth grade took a field trip to Burnet Woods as part of their science unit on plants. Students learned how to use a dichotomous key based on leaf structures. They then went outside and identified various trees. They also used a dichotomous key to identify seeds and made their own key for classifying other materials.

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57 STUDENTS NAMED AP SCHOLARS The AP Scholars Program recognized 57 CCDS students for exemplary work during the 2014-15 school year.

The AP Program, administered by the College Board, recognizes high school students who have demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement through AP courses and exams. The AP Scholar Awards are academic distinctions that students may cite among their credentials on applications and resumes. The award is acknowledged on any AP score report that is sent to colleges.

AP Scholar Awards are given in four categories.

National Scholars: Granted to students who receive an average grade of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher

on eight or more of these exams: Elizabeth Grace and Joe Lou. Scholars with Distinction: Granted to students who receive an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams on fullyear courses: Nathan Albrinck, Trisha Atluri, Adam Baker, Maggie Bernish, Kacie Bradfish, Allison Brinkman, Will Cohen, Ryan Dougherty, Mia Fatuzzo, Sissi Fei, Kevin Geohegan, Pratiti Ghosh-Dastidar, Jennifer Gonzales, Elizabeth Grace, Nathan Grant, Kaitlin Harden, Ian Hayes, Margaret Hodson, Isabelle Hudson, Stephen Liao, Joe Lou, Pranav Madabhushi, Elizabeth Miller, Gusty Pohlman, Caroline Retzios, Ben Stegman, Alexandra Sukin, Hannah Taylor, Alex Warner, Connor Wiley, and Alexandra Wooden.

Scholars with Honor: Granted to

students who receive an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams on full-year courses: Taylor Boggs, Jack Hupper, Sidd Jejurikar, Sam Jenkins, Grace Krammer, Sean O’Brien, and J’Quaan Waite.

Scholars: Granted to students who receive grades of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams on full-year courses: Soham Basu, Addison Bell, Claire Beyette, Apurva Bhattacharjee, Kayla Chisholm, Eric Christine, Marissa Cornist, Jonah Ice, Spencer Janning, Lindsey Jarrell, RongQing Jia, Nicholas Langenbahn, Max Luebbers, Gunnar Lykins, Celia Macrae, Kunal Minhas, Emma Robitaille, Alan Rowe, and Kendall Smith.

8TH GRADE MAKES ANNUAL TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C. The annual trip to Washington, D.C. was packed with learning and fun opportunities for Country Day’s eighth graders. On the first day, they visited the Martin Luther King, Franklin Roosevelt, Jefferso,n and Pentagon (9-11) memorials.

II, Vietnam, Korean and Lincoln memorials. On the final day, students toured Mt. Vernon before heading home.

Picture: Senator Rob Portman ’74 addresses the eighth graders in front of the U.S. Capitol. Representative Steve Chabot looks on.

They started early the next day and toured Arlington National Cemetery, where they visited the Kennedy and Audie Murphy grave sites, and the Challenger/Columbia Memorial.

Students also witnessed the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The day’s itinerary included: The National Holocaust Memorial Museum, Newseum, Iwo Jima Memorial, the White House for a group photo outside, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts where they attended the play, "Shear Madness."

Day three began with a U.S. Capitol building tour, followed by a visit and group photo with Sen. Rob Portman ’74 and Rep. Steve Chabot. Students then went to the Smithsonian where they could choose among the American & Natural History museums, National Air & Space Museum, and National Gallery of Art. That evening, the group visited the World War

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Student News CLASS OF 2028 PLANTS LIFER TREE Cincinnati Country Day School’s kindergarten Class of 2028 planted a "Lifer Tree" to help repopulate our campus. A bur oak was planted on a mound, in an area now known as Lifer Grove, south of the Alumni House. Many of the school’s trees have been lost to disease, insects, and non-native invasive plants.

In a planting ceremony, Head of School Tony Jaccaci talked to the students about the importance of having healthy trees and told them they can watch their tree grow as they grow at Country Day. Each student helped plant the tree by shoveling soil around the tree’s roots. This is one of many traditions Jaccaci hopes to establish at Country Day. Every year, the kindergarten class will choose a tree to plant in Lifer Grove. When the Class of 2028 graduates, their Lifer picture will be taken by the tree with the students who took part in planting the tree.

LS AND US STUDENTS CELEBRATE MOLE DAY Mole Day was much anticipated by Pre-K I, Montessori I and Upper School chemistry students, who marked the day by tiedyeing colorful t-shirts. Younger students visited the chemistry lab, where they were fitted with safety goggles, gloves and smocks. Older students then helped the younger ones dye their shirts. They later posed for a colorful group photo.

Celebrated annually on Oct. 23 from 6:02 a.m. to 6:02 p.m., Mole Day commemorates Avogadro’s Number (6.02 x 1023), which is a basic measuring unit in chemistry. Mole Day was created as a way to foster interest in chemistry, according to the National Mole Day Foundation Inc. Schools throughout the United States and around the world celebrate Mole Day with various activities related to chemistry and/ or moles.

PARTY FOR LS Lower School students were treated to the "Ultimate School Day Surprise" when two Mister Softee ice cream trucks and a DJ surprised them.

Students enjoyed ice cream and dancing in Pattison Courtyard. The event was a CountryDate auction item purchased by Trina and Jason Fraley, whose daughters are Madeline, a third grader, and Ellie, who is in Pre-KII.

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MS MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY Cincinnati Country Day’s 238 Middle School students fanned out into the community and volunteered for their annual Make A Difference Day event.

When they returned to campus, they gathered in an assembly to make presentations about their service for the day.

Fifth Grade Granny’s Garden: The fifth graders went to Granny’s Garden, which develops and supports hands-on learning experiences for children through schoolyard-based gardenand nature-focused programs.

The CCDS fifth graders typically mulch the Granny’s Garden nature trail. But this year, the group cut bamboo to use as teepee frames in the garden to grow vining plants.

They made wreaths out of a curly willow crown to wear at the Granny’s Garden Harvest Festival.

They went on a nature hike with a guide to enjoy the beauty of the trails made available to the children of Loveland schools, as well as any members of the Loveland and greater community.

Sixth Grade Juvenile Diabetes Walk: The sixthgrade class completed a six-mile walka-thon on the Little Miami Bike Trail to raise funds for JDRF, the research foundationdedicated to finding a cure for type-1 diabetes.

Prior to the walk, they learned some facts about the disease from a representative from the Southwest Ohio Chapter of JDRF, Nick Wagner, and Upper School student Elliott Murley.

Students were then challenged to sign-up friends and relatives to sponsor them for their walk. Fifty students, four teachers (Casey Schnieber, Thom Brannock, Kyle Scully, and Anna Hartle), and six parent chaperones (Kathi Bagnoli, Lee de Beer, June Fang, Patrice Guenther, Allison Harten, Ruda Jenkins, and Ashley Snell) began their trek at

Miamiville and ended at Nisbet Park in Loveland.

Seventh Grade Cincinnati Nature Center: Dan Wood’s advisory went to Cincinnati Nature Center to help the Land Stewardship Program eradicate invasive wisteria and honeysuckle.

Students used loppers to cut down invasive plants.

5th

Riverview East Academy: Elvira Carillo’s advisory collected school supplies and delivered them to a Cincinnati public school in the East End. The students entertained Riverview third graders with singing, dancing, guitar and juggling. They then tutored them in reading and math.

6th

Other seventh graders went to First Step Home and Prospect House.

Eighth Grade Animal Rescue Fund (ARF): Students socialized with the animals to increase pets’ chances for adoption and also cleaned.

7th

CCDS campus: Two groups stayed on campus to work on projects, including Nate Johnston’s advisory. The eighth graders rehabbed the outdoor classroom by removing honeysuckle, vines, and other weeds.

Other eighth graders went to Matthew: 25 Ministries and Pink Ribbon ProScan.

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Art News ADVANCED ART STUDENTS ADDRESS COMMUNITY The CCDS community enjoyed the opportunity to gain the insight of two advanced art students Nicole Rosiello ’17, and Luke Tan ’16 during an Upper School assembly. Both artists explained the process, inspiration, and personal meaning behind several pieces in their respective portfolios. Nicole, who is taking Independent Study in Honors Portfolio, spoke about developing her personal voice through sketchbook work and different approaches in the studio. Luke, who is taking AP 2-D Design, presented work from his portfolio, ranging from the highly realistic, to work inspired by popular fantasy novels and illustration.

Below: Nicole Rosiello (Rose) and Right: Luke Tan (Chinese Venice)

SCROLL: COUNTRY DAY’S THEATER PROGRAM FINDS SUCCESS IN “AND THEN THERE WERE NONE”

By Hailey Spaeth ’17, Arts Editor “And Then There Were None” thoroughly surprised me. During murder mysteries, I am either a) very bored, or b) very scared.

This play was anything from boring; the cast, crew, and director Lisa Bodollo did a wonderful job balancing the dark plot line of “And Then There Were None” with the light humor needed to go along with a high school production. This play is packed full of excitement, lasting from the first 10 minutes until the final bows. Although this play includes some dark themes, I’m going to assume that it wasn’t scary for the majority of the audience (me excluded).

Continue reading the article on the Scroll at: http://scrollonline.net/country-days-theater-program-finds-success-in-and-then-there-were-none/

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Athletic News MITRA, NALAGATLA ARE STATE DOUBLES CHAMPS Shaheel Mitra ’17 and Vishaal Nalagatla ’17 (left) won the State doubles title last Spring for Division II. Two-time singles State champion Asher Hirsch ’15 (right with Coach Matt Detkas) closed out his CCDS career with a third-place finish.

Chase Tholke ’15 and Leonard Behrens ’15 also advanced to state in doubles competition. Country Day also repeated as State Team Champions.

STRONG SEASON FOR FALL ATHLETIC TEAMS Fall athletic teams were on their games during the regular season and into the state tournament.

The football team reached the playoffs for the third consecutive year with a regular season record of 9-1.

The loss ended a 30-game regular season win streak compiled over four years. They earned a home playoff game.

The girls soccer team finished 16-3-1 and played a tremendous game in the regional semifinals against twotime defending state champion Badin. The two teams played regulation, and two overtime periods, totaling 110 minutes of soccer without either team scoring. The game had to be decided by a shootout, Badin prevailing 1-0.

The boys soccer team advanced to the regional finals, its highest level in school history, where they met rival Summit Country Day School. Summit dominated CCDS in the regular season, but it was a different story in the playoffs. Summit defeat CCDS 2-0. The team finished with a 17-2-2 record.

The varsity volleyball team advanced to the second round of the tournament with a win in their opener after posting a 6-13 regular season record.

The boys and girls cross country teams both finished third in the Regionals. The teams posted five top five finishes out of seven meets over the course of the year.

The boys golf team finished 3-8 in head-to-head matches. They fared well in tournament play winning the Madeira invitational and taking first place in the sectionals. The girls team finished ninth at sectionals.

The girls tennis team took sixth place at the CCDS Invitational and had a big win over Madeira.

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Faculty News Aaron Kellenberger, Director of Enrollment Management, completed The Alpaugh Scholars Leadership Program, a school leadership course held at the University of Cincinnati Economics Center, January – April 2015.

The program provides a unique opportunity for Southwest Ohio education leaders and administrators to interact with community leaders from throughout the Cincinnati region. The program is modeled after the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber’s “Leadership Cincinnati” program.

Three Upper School language teachers were invited to be readers at the annual AP Reading held at the Duke Energy Center in June. Ms. Patricia Robitaille served as a reader for the AP Spanish Language and Culture exams. Dr. Jane Kairet served as a Table Leader for the AP French Language and Culture exam along with Dr. Jeanette Hecker, who served as a reader. All three find this professional development beneficial for their classroom teaching at CCDS.

Alpaugh Scholars interact with local business leaders in seminars and on-site experiences to better understand common issues facing the schools and communities. To date, over 450 local education leaders have completed this program.

Mark Luebbers, Middle School English teacher, had three poems published in the fall edition of Wilderness House Literary Review. The poems "Near Home," (below) "Evening Commute," and "Dragonfly Atlas" will also appear in the annual print-only edition. The full journal home page can be found at www.whlreview.com.

Wilderness House Literary Review 10/3 Near Home by Mark Luebbers Dust giant in the field behind the superstore, rising in the late sun over offices in the strained wind, built from worn air. The ambitious heat rises, spins and strides away, across the access roads, away from a tangle of derelict shopping carts.

Chrome baskets piled into an architecture of rusting discard. Wheeled feet splayed up in the dry weeds. The latticed tenement of voles and crickets, of perched starlings, impatient crows and spiders squatting.

A cross-hatched catch fence for coupon flyers, flayed cardboard, erratic plastic bottles.

Chaff and leaves collect at the feet of small flowers.

Wind, in discordant song, plays in the geometry of bent steel wire and small creatures.

Dusk wanders slowly into the space left by the wind.

Lights from cars and parking lot reflect from the junk, onto shy hares, possums sidling through hairy grasses.

A jaded, tattered fox passes in evening transit.

All these residents in the business of procurement.

Gleaning for themselves, across the bound, meager landscape. Enough, or nearly so.

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From June 11-18 a group of 16 students, six parents and three chaperones Thom Brannock, Casey Schnieber and Senorita Elvira Carrillo embarked on a great adventure to Spain. The highlights of the trip was a visit to the Royal Palace and the Prado Museum in Madrid. They also attended a bull fight in Plaza the las Ventas. The group also enjoyed a cooking class and a Flamenco class. In Toledo, they had a scavenger hunt taking photographs and researching information with the locals. The trip ended in Segovia, where they had a hat fashion show in the Central Square and a soccer game with the local children. Good memories to last a life time.

LEE S. PATTISON DISTINGUISHED TEACHER AWARD This award was created upon the retirement of “Mr. Pat” to honor teachers who emulate his commitment to students, colleagues, and Cincinnati Country Day School.

• Full-time members of the faculty throughout the three divisions are considered after completion of their first full year at the school.

• Recommendations are made by faculty members to the Head of School and the division heads who consult with one representative from the Board of Trustees and one from the Alumni Council.

• Each award recipient receives an annual stipend of $3,333 per year for three years, and an additional $1,000 to spend for the benefit of the school.

2015 PATTISON AWARD

The 2015 Pattison Distinguished Teacher Award winners are Brady Brandt and Ann Gardner.

Pattison Award Winners 1989 Peggy Richardson 1990 Sam Tumolo 1991 Libby Benton

Carole Lichty-Smith 2003 Joan Chezem Dave Walsh 2004 Kelly Hammond Dan Wood

1992 Susie Lewis Bobbie Menter

2005 Anna Binkley Kennedy Anna Hartle

1993 Tim Dunn Lois Rust

2006 Pat Dunn Rick Van Nuys II

1994 Merle Black Janet Chahrour

2007 Howard Brownstein Marge Rockwell

1995 Brenda Craig Nancy Krody

2008 Casey Schnieber Kathy Winter

1996 Nancy Fogelson Theresa Hirschauer

2009 Elvira Carrillo Peter Fossett ’80

1997 Tina Mangan Bob Patterson

2010 Jeanette Hecker Molly Murray Petre

1998 Brock Miller Andy Speno

2011 Paula Butler Jan French

1999 Valerie Gerber Jack Myslik

2012 Eldrich Carr Steve Conner

2000 Jean Corbus Andrea Rogers

2013 Rachel Corwin Chuck McGivern

2001 Wesley Hogan Ully Marin

2014 Kathleen Renner Laura Rue

2002 Beth Langenbahn 21

Faculty News PATTERSON-STRAUSS TRAVEL GRANT Steve Conner, LS, MS Physical Education In July, my wife Susan and I toured the Northern West Coast, drove along the Columbia River Gorge and then finished our trip in Glacier National Park. In all, it was a 2,400 mile trip in two weeks (1,800 miles on the highways, and then added mileage for touring). It was the first trip to the Pacific Northwest for both of us.

The trip started in San Francisco, where we were visited such landmarks as China Town, the Ferry Market, Ocean Beach and toured of the USS Hornet. We then drove to Eureka, California and visited Redwood National Forest. Our next step, the drive along the Oregon coast was exceptional. The scenery was breathtaking. The next stop was two nights in Seaside Oregon. The beach was one of the best we have ever visited, and we saw our first sunset over the ocean.

The next leg of our journey was to visit Fort Stevens along the mouth of the Columbia River. This fort was built during the Civil War, and was shot at by the Japanese in WWII. After that, we spent the afternoon in historic Astoria.

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PACIFIC NORTHWEST

The drive along the Columbia River Gorge was spectacular. Some of the attractions included gorgeous water falls and Mounts Adams, St Helens and Hood. The size of the river dwarfed the Mississippi. There was a lot of recreation on the river, including windsurfing.

On to Glacier, where the views were breathtaking. Even though the forest fire was happening while we were

there, we still got to visit the majority of the park. Including Road to the Sun, the glaciers, mountains and many streams. We made time to visit the Blackfeet nation, and tour the Great Plains Indian Museum.

Overall, it was an incredible trip. We have already made plans to return, and spend more time exploring.

Jan French, LS, MS Science

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS When approaching the islands by plane, my first thought was, “What could possibly survive here?” The land is desolate. Only a few islands have trees, and even then they are only in the highlands. The rest of the land is rock, dirt, and scrub brush. Very hot and dry. One island, Bartholomew, reminded me of pictures from Mars: red-brown soil, volcanic cones, lava tubes, and no vegetation. The ocean, though, is spectacular as it crashes against the cliffs and beaches, begging me to come ashore for the best of all, the animals.

The Galapagos Islands proved to be everything I had hoped for. My husband and I boarded a yacht for our 10-day stay with 14 others from Canada, Denmark, Australia, Hong Kong, and Germany. Only one other passenger was from the States and we enjoyed comparing notes on our various cultures and politics.

the Galapagos Islands is that the animals have never been hunted, so they have no fear of humans. We were allowed to get within 2 meters of the animals, which gave us an unmatched wildlife experience. The animals practically pose for their photographs and are very patient with clumsy photographers. Your photo isn’t as good as you wanted? No problem; they’ll stand and wait until you to get a good one.

My biggest thrill was to see the blue-footed boobies, big duck-like birds that have light-blue webbed feet and a bluish-gray beak. Blue is a rare color in nature and this was truly magnificent. The frigate bird was another animal that left me

awestruck. The males puff out a bright red balloon-like structure and pose to attract the females. We saw both sets of birds nesting and feeding their chicks.

My other thrill was to snorkel with sea turtles, sharks, sting rays, sea lions, and a variety of tropical fish. The sea turtles and sting rays glided along as if they were flying effortlessly in air, making it very easy to swim along with them. One baby sea lion followed me swimming for about 20 minutes.

We gave our own little synchronized swimming show to spectators as he mimicked me popping out of the water and doing dolphin dives back and forth along the beach. How exciting!

And don’t let me forget the very special Galapagos giant tortoises that can live over 100 years. And last, but not least, don’t forget the Galapagos albatrosses that soar off the cliffs over the oceans, not to be out done by the black marine iguanas swimming below.

The Galapagos Islands are a marvel of nature. My heart-felt thanks go out to Gerry Strauss and Carol Walker for making this trip possible. It was easy to imagine Tony and Bob smiling as they looked down and watched me swimming, hiking, and soaring. What a beautiful legacy to leave from one teacher to another.

Our cruise took us to eight different islands, each unique in their animal diversity. The wonderful thing about

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Presidential Scholar Cincinnati Country Day School has had two Presidential Scholars – Hema Magge ’97 and Colin McSwiggen ’07 since President Lyndon B. Johnson established the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program in 1964. The program recognizes and honors some of the nation’s most distinguished, academically talented graduating high school seniors. Candidates qualify for the program by their exceptionally high ACT and SAT scores.

Each year, 141 students are named Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. The program has been expanded twice to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts, and students who excel in career and technical education.

Winners receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with government officials, educators, authors, musicians and scientists, and to attend recitals and receptions.

For this Connections edition, we talked with Magge about her life since winning the award. McSwiggen’s story will appear in the next issue.

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Hema Magge ’97 Dr. Hema Magge ’97 is living the dream. It’s not a dream like having a fast-track job and living in a penthouse with a breath-taking view of a bustling metropolitan city.

Instead, Magge is making a difference, working and living in one of the poorest countries in the world as Director of Child and Newborn Health Pediatrics for Partners In Health in Rwanda.

She’s working with Rwandans to build a viable health care system – one where infants don’t die within the first month of their fragile young lives.

While attending Country Day, Magge felt the urge to seek a career in community service.

“My time at CCDS helped establish my confidence, build leadership skills, and foster innovative thinking at a formative time in my growth as an individual,” she said. Being named a Presidential Scholar in 1997 was a defining moment that fueled her passion.

Presidential Scholars spent a week in Washington, D.C., meeting with the nation’s leaders. “It was an amazing opportunity at a young age to get to meet incredible people in public policy and in national forums,” Magge said.

The highlight was a meeting with President Bill Clinton, but most of all, she said the Presidential Scholar experience was a moment to be grateful and recognize that she had an opportunity to try to make an impact, in the humblest of ways.

“...I wanted to connect with a greater, broader global community, and learn more, push myself into settings that I was unfamiliar with and challenge conventional boundaries...”

Dr. Hema Magge

“I feel like everybody has something special that they can contribute in the world, and that was a catalyzing moment that helped me recognize what types of contributions I might be able to make.”

After graduating from CCDS, Magge attended Harvard University, where she majored in Government. She did her undergraduate thesis work examining children’s health insurance among Latino immigrants in the Boston area.

“It was an opportunity to learn and get a greater communitybased understanding of how policies that are theoretically available to all people, may or may not be accessible to the most marginalized.”

Hema with giraffes in Akegera National Park in Rwanda, about a 20-minute drive from her home.

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Presidential Scholar During college, Magge’s commitment to service matured into an interest in global health. Up to that point, she knew she was interested in working with children and families.

“I had an instinct that I wanted to connect with a greater, broader global community, and learn more, push myself into settings that I was unfamiliar with and challenge conventional boundaries. I knew that

She finished her pediatric residency at University of California, San Francisco in 2009 as a Global Health Scholar.

After that, she moved to Boston where she completed a General Academic Pediatric Fellowship at Boston Medical Center, and she earned her Master’s of Science degree in Health Services Research at the Boston University School of Public Health.

Magge then began her current position, where she’s worked the last four years.

Her specialty is child survival and neonatal survival initiatives, which try to bridge the gap between theory and practice in maternal and child health in resourcelimited settings.

politics, human rights and a social justice approach to medicine and health was what I was passionate about, but I didn’t have any global health experience.”

Magge graduated magna cum laude in 2001. She spent the next year, with the support of two public service fellowships from Harvard, working with a small South African community-based organization that focused on children’s health and human rights and violence prevention.

After a year, she enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. She helped the school start its first Global Health Program for medical students, through a partnership in Botswana.

Magge traveled there throughout medical school.

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“The area I’m working most intensely in is trying to create innovations in global health delivery to be able to create strategies to try to address some of these key implementation gaps and then monitor and evaluate how they actually function in the real world.”

“...the challenge is how to actually get these life saving interventions to newborns who need it the most in poor and rural communities...”

Dr. Hema Magge

“Maternal and child health is one of those interesting areas where we’ve known what to do for probably 20 or 30 years, but the challenge is how to actually get these life saving interventions to newborns who need it the most in poor and rural communities,” Magge said.

One of the key priorities is neonatal mortality reduction and newborn health. “We’ve seen huge improvements over the past decade in rates of childhood death due to causes such as pneumonia and diarrheal disease, globally. However, the area that hasn’t really seen much improvement is death in the first one month of life.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen that it has remained relatively stable over the past 10 to 15 years.”

Among the most common causes of death are prematurity and birth complications, primarily birth asphyxia (a lack of oxygen to the brain), and neonatal infection. “These are conditions that in most developed countries, we have developed systems to improve the safety of child birth, both for mothers and

to receive care. They have to travel far and, in Rwanda, it might be on foot for hours to get to the nearest health facility. They have to deal with child care for their children. There may not be other help.

They may have to take them with them. They may have different social pressures and competing priorities.

for newborns … Unfortunately, in many areas of the world, women still die in childbirth at really appalling rates, and newborns die all too commonly.”

Many cultures don’t name their children until after a few weeks of life, a practice that likely evolved from the fact that so many babies don’t survive, Magge said.

“This is a huge justice issue, that newborns are dying at a rate that they absolutely don’t need to, and it’s due to broken health systems.”

The poor need skilled physicians, nurses and other health care workers who have access to equipment and supplies necessary to deliver adequate care, she said.

Poor patients face many obstacles

Despite challenges, Magge has witnessed great improvements in Rwanda’s health care system. “Rwanda has been an amazing place to work, primarily because it has incredibly innovative leadership that has made this a key priority area and is really pushing the envelope in improving child health in the country. The government is really focused on an equity agenda of trying to improve the health of the poorest as a priority,” Magge said.

As a result of accelerated initiatives to improve newborn health, led by her team at Partners InHealth and the Rwanda Ministry of Health, they have seen neonatal mortality drop an impressive 30% in the past 18 months.

“I feel incredibly lucky. I get to have my dream job. I get to work with incredible Rwandan colleagues, healthcare professionals, community health workers, social workers and activists.”

Alumni Network

A win-win proposition!

Country Day has begun a new program to strengthen the connections among alumni, and to help graduates network with alumni. We will help connect alumni interested in short and long-term internship opportunities in a variety of occupations.

If you are in a position to offer a fellow alum an internship, paid or unpaid, please contact CCDS Alumni Director Paula Brock, brockp@countryday.net or 513-979-0282.

Attention Parents of Graduates

She and her husband, who also works for Partners In Health, don’t envision staying in Rwanda forever. “I think if we do our work, we shouldn’t,” she said. “Our mission is to build local capacity, so we should try to get ourselves out of the job - not necessarily as an organization, but as expats. I will always be involved in global health in some capacity.”

Photos: (page 26, top) Hemma with her husband in front of their home in Rwanda. (page 26 bottom) Hemma doing pediatric training). (page 27 top) Hemma with mentors. (page 27 bottom) Hema in the pediatric ward.

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CCDS Alumni in Education You will find Country Day Alumni in all walks of life.

Some, influenced by teachers like Hopple, Hofmeister, Plummer, Strauss, Pattison, Yeiser, Van Nuys, Winter, Thesing, Black, Dunn, Tumolo, Klingler, Hirschauer, Miller and Carey, have followed in the footsteps of their CCDS teachers.

The following are stories of CCDS alumni and their journey in education.

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ALUMNI IN EDUCATION

Havlovic ’73 Simon ’75 Fossett ’80 Hardy ’85 Mitchell ’92 Sommers ’93 Joyce ’99 Reis ’02 Patterson ’04

Steve Havlovic ’73 B.A. Economics M.L.H.R. Industrial Relations Ph.D., Labor & Human Resources The Ohio State University Dean of the Faculty of Management Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada TEACHING WAS AN UNEXPECTED CAREER: Steve Havlovic thought he was going to be a dentist like his grandfather. “The idea of aptitude just never occurred to me at the time. I knew that chemistry wasn’t my strongest suit, but I was young. I changed my major to economics, and I got interested in labor relations.”

Havlovic was working on his master’s degree at Ohio State when a professor encouraged him to seek a Ph.D., because he thought Havlovic would be a strong researcher and teacher. At the time, Havlovic couldn’t picture that, so, after he graduated, he worked in labor relations for the Ford Motor Company and Ohio Edison Company.

He was 28 when he returned to Ohio State for his Ph.D. “The advice from my master’s thesis advisor finally

sunk in, and I felt that I could make a difference as a professor. I liked the idea of doing research and teaching in the classroom as a career change.”

RESEARCH & TEACHING: After receiving his Ph.D., Havlovic published international labor relations studies on Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Canada, France and the United States.

He has taught in five countries and presented his research in six countries.

In 1992, he was invited to teach in Poland and Czechoslovakia during democratization. “The young men and women who were in my classes in Poland took phenomenal notes and had many questions. I’ve never seen students that enthusiastic before.

The older communist men were in the room, but they tended to sleep through the classes. The communist system was gone, so they were physically there, but they were just an appendage left over from the prior era.”

Four years later, Havlovic was invited to be a visiting business professor at the University of Science and Technology of Lille (USTL), France, and has returned ever since. He was textbook fluent in Spanish by the time he graduated from Ohio State in 1977, but he didn’t start learning French until age 43.

“I was doing research and teaching in France, so I was motivated to start studying French. After a year of courses, USTL asked me to give a lecture in French. That was pretty challenging. I did fine with the delivery part, but it was the questions from the audience - people were speaking fast - and I had to have some help with translation.”

Steve Havlovic is photographed at Alfred State with three exchange students from IAE-Lille, where he is a visiting professor.

FROM CLASSROOM TO OFFICE: Havlovic has worked in education for 28 years. He was a professor

conducting research and teaching for 16 years, and since 2003, he’s been a university administrator. “An opportunity to become associate dean in the SUNY system came up. It was just the right time in my career.

I was a tenured full professor, and I had won teaching, research, and professional service awards. It just was a nice opportunity.”

Laurentian University alumni from China visit with Havlovic.

When he interviewed at the SUNY Institute of Technology (SUNYIT), he was asked what he wanted to be doing in five years. He responded that he wanted to focus on being associate dean to help the school get internationally accredited. He had no aspirations of being dean. He’d worry about what he would do in five years when the time came.

“Three weeks later, there was a vote of no confidence on the president, and the president wouldn’t step down, so all the deans and the provost resigned. Three weeks on the job, I was the associate dean in charge of the School of Business. Then, they did a national search, and I became the Dean.”

COMING TOGETHER: Laurentian University, where Havlovic works now, is one of two bilingual French/ English universities in Canada, so he

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speaks French daily. As dean of the Faculty of Management, the dual American and Canadian citizen is responsible for the Department of Accounting, Department of Finance & Operations, Department of Marketing & Management, and the School of Sports Administration. (In Canada, “Faculty” is used instead of “College” on university campuses.) Laurentian is a public college with an enrollment of 10,000 students. About 1,400 of these students are in the Faculty of Management.

Laurentian was looking for a bilingual individual to seek international accreditation for its business program.

He was the perfect candidate since he had led SUNYIT to international accreditation with Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and his experience teaching in France. “Twenty-five percent of my interview was in French. That’s the most challenging interview I’ve ever had.”

CCDS INFLUENCE: His mother, Charlene Pfingstag Lewis, was a firstgrade teacher at CCDS for 10 years, until Havlovic was in sixth grade. Joe Hofmeister, Bill Hopple, Tony Strauss, Joe Thesing, Gordon Wright and Chuck Yeiser are among the teachers he emulated in the classroom. “I was a late bloomer. My junior and senior years had a big influence on me. It all came together, a love for learning.”

His first teaching experience was in a CCDS summer enrichment program after his fifth- or sixth-grade year when he taught English to younger children. “I think that may have planted a seed. It was that experience and having very good teachers there that influenced me.”

John D. Simon ’75 B.A., chemistry, Williams College M.A., chemistry; Ph.D., chemistry, Harvard University President of Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania anonymity. You’ve got to live your life the way you want to live your life, but you have to be cognizant that you’re on display, so you’ve got to get out of town, occasionally. The job requires more evenings than anything else I’ve ever done, so I try not to start it too early in the morning. I try to get away for exercise sometime during the day.”

John Simon is the new president of Lehigh University. He had been executive vice president and provost of the University of Virginia.

(Photos by Christa Neu, Lehigh Communications) HAVING A BLAST: John D. Simon began his new job as the 14th president of Lehigh University on July 1. He was executive vice president and provost of the University of Virginia.

Lehigh has a $450 million annual budget, 440 tenure-track faculty, 4,800 undergraduates and 1,500 graduate students. The four-year liberal arts university is home to four colleges: arts and sciences, business, education and engineering.

Serving as a college president was not on his bucket list. “I accidentally ended up in administration and became more interested in universitywide issues than my own disciplinary issues. That led me into the administration at Duke and, finally, to Virginia. I was toying with the idea, but I wasn’t wed to the idea.”

“The board and search committee at Lehigh started talking about the opportunities and what they were looking for. It was a great fit, and so I took the plunge. I’m having a blast.

It’s a lot of work, a lot of ambiguity, a challenging time in higher education, but it’s really interesting.”

Steve Havlovic meets with the executive director of AACSB International in Singapore.

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LIVING IN A FISH BOWL: “Whether you like it or not, you’re pretty much president every hour of the day.

It’s a small town, and so there’s no

STAYING CONNECTED TO STUDENTS: The demands of the job prevent him from teaching, but Lehigh faculty and students can expect to see Simon drop into the classroom occasionally. He’ll also use books as a conduit to interacting with students.

Freshmen are required to read one of two books. He read both and participated in a small group book discussion session this past August.

“I don’t want to say my teaching and research days are over, but they are.

There’s just not the time. I don’t see myself in the next few years doing anything new in research.”

HITTING THE ROAD: Simon will spend a significant amount of time traveling. The university is headed into a public phase of a capital campaign.

“You meet really interesting people.

Because a huge faction of them are alums, they’re very passionate about the institution. People express how much they love the place and how they step up to the plate to do something for the place; I derive a lot of energy from that.”

CHALLENGES FACING HIGHER ED: College is too expensive. You can learn online. Too many college graduates are unemployed and living with their parents. Simon has heard it all, but 96% of graduates from Lehigh’s Class of 2014 are in careerrelated employment, graduate school or other positions.

“What is the value proposition of going to college? The answer to that depends on where you go to college.”

Simon is emphatic that Lehigh delivers an outstanding education and

prepares students for the world in which they will live and work.

Simon doesn’t foresee online learning as stiff competition for excellent residential institutions. However, he said U.S. colleges do need to worry about the rise in global institutions. Dovetailing with the global workforce trend, he envisions growing numbers of U.S. students attending colleges in other countries.

do in certain types of situations , but it is quite different when it is real and you’re put in a position where you actually have to choose what to do.”

Ultimately, Simon majored in chemistry as it provided a wide range of opportunities to apply mathematics.

“There was enough math in chemistry to keep me jazzed and all kinds of different careers available if you were a chemist.”

“It’s a very dynamic playing field right now. It’s really important for us, being residentially based, to fully integrate technology into the experience. Everyone is arriving on campus thinking that everything they need to know is on their phone.”

MANAGING A CRISIS: At Virginia, President Terry Sullivan was removed from office for 20 days in 2012, leaving Simon as the de facto president until she returned. “I did not get much sleep. Groups wanted face time to talk about it. Everybody was trying to understand what was going on. What I learned from that is you’re not tested until you’re tested.

You think you know what you would

what I enjoyed doing, intellectually and academically. As I grew to understand that, I personally thought there was no better job in the world than to be able to do that for somebody else. That’s the job of teaching.”

ROLE MODELS: Among CCDS faculty who were influential in his career path were math teachers Joe Hofmeister and Bob Plummer. “My love has always been mathematics. Those two spent an enormous amount of time with me, mentored me in ways that I didn’t understand when it was going on. They really shaped and helped me think about what I was interested in,

After college graduation, his goal was to teach at a four-year liberal arts college, but graduate school and his post-doctoral days at UCLA gave him the research bug.

A renowned chemist, he also taught at the University of California-San Diego and Duke University, where he became more interested in education and thinking of different ways to teach chemistry.

“It goes back to Hofmeister and Plummer who were role models of what it means to teach.”

(Photos by Christa Neu, Lehigh Communications)

Peter Fossett ’80 A.B. Colgate University, political science J.D. Harvard Law School Upper School history teacher, Cincinnati Country Day School LAW RUNS IN THE FAMILY: By seventh grade, Peter Fossett was convinced that he wanted to be a lawyer. His mother is a lawyer. His uncle’s a lawyer, and several great uncles were lawyers.

“I went to college with the idea of going to Harvard Law School, and I remember the very first grade I got in college was an F+ on a paper I wrote on Aristotle in a Philosophy and Religion class. I distinctly remember going back to my dorm room and saying to my roommate,

’There goes Harvard Law School.’”

He still made it into Harvard, but after his first year there, he wasn’t certain that he really wanted to be a lawyer.

He took a year off after the first year, traveled and took some law classes at Emmanuel College, Cambridge University. He decided to return to law school and finished. “I practiced general corporate law with a firm in Cincinnati for a year, and I hated it.”

A SLIGHT DIVERSION: Next, Fossett worked as an editor for a local trade

publisher focusing on reference works for the insurance and financial ...continued next page

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planning industries, a position that required a law degree.

teacher. I wasn’t a history major. I had taken one history class at Colgate.”

That year, he taught AP and College Prep U.S. History. He became a full-time teacher the next year.

THE RIGHT MOVE: Walking back into CCDS as a teacher was a bit surreal. “It felt a little like ’Welcome Back, Kotter.’

I remember that music playing in my head when I first started teaching,” Fossett said.

Fossett in a classroom photo in 2009.

After six years, he became the corporate counsel for the company.

He did that for a handful of years, but didn’t find it satisfying. He left the company in 1999.

“As I was casting about and trying to figure out what I wanted to do, I realized that I had always been happiest as a student, when I was working with ideas. I thought, ’I always liked being a student and that kind of academic world, so why not try teaching?’”

Upper School math teacher Bob Plummer was the only remaining teacher who had taught him. Plummer was his math teacher for three years.

When Fossett returned, he shared an office with Plummer. “I didn’t know if I should call him ’Bob’ or ’Mr. Plummer,’ and I still sometimes call him ’Mr. Plummer.’’’

Fossett found teaching to be a good fit because he likes working with students and ideas. “It’s kind of fun to be able to read and think about things that I think are interesting.”

Fossett sought advice from the late Fred Carey who had graduated from CCDS the same year and was teaching at Country Day. “Fred played an important role.

Like I did, Fred left an earlier career to become a teacher. When I was thinking about teaching, I spent some time talking to Fred about what it was like and what it Fossett announces his candidacy for Congress in took to move from a 2005 in front of students at the Alumni House. non-teaching career to a teaching career. He was helpful to me in thinking through This year, Fossett is teaching College those things and thinking about Prep U.S History and three history getting started as a teacher.” electives: American Government, Constitutional Issues, and Introduction An opportunity arose at CCDS, and to Humanitarian Law. He also is he started part-time in 2000-01. “I advisor for Model UN, an activity he always thought it was strange that participated in as a student. they gave me full responsibility for the AP U.S. History program my After teaching AP U.S. History for first year of teaching as a part-time 15 years, he decided to take a break

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from the class, which is now taught by another teacher. “I found the AP History to be energy sapping and very demanding, while having to stick to a curriculum that a third party established.”

Fossett felt pressure to get through all of the material, regardless of snow days or other circumstances. “Now, if a snow day comes along, I can embrace it and have fun and play in the snow.”

FUTURE ASPIRATIONS: Fossett has no desire to be a division head or beyond. “Administration is not my skill set. I’m much happier just with my head in a book, with my head down, focusing on my classes. I have no interest in being an administrator or in trying to run things.”

He’s always been interested in politics, though. Even as a kid, one reason he wanted to be a lawyer is he thought it would be fun to go to Washington and help make rules and laws for the country.

When Congressman Rob Portman ’74 left his seat for a job in George W. Bush’s administration, Fossett was one of 11 candidates seeking the Second District’s Republican nomination in a 2005 special primary election to replace Portman.

Although he wasn’t a household name like some of the candidates, Fossett finished respectably in sixth place.

Some people have encouraged him to run for office again. He hasn’t totally dismissed it, but he realized during the campaign he’s more interested in the issues and policymaking than politics.

“I didn’t find it very appealing spending days out on the campaign trail trying to win people’s votes.

There’s still a part of me that thinks it would be neat to get elected to the statehouse and be involved in state policy-making and then move on to Washington, but there’s another part of me that says, ’Oh, my God. I would not like the day-to-day politicking that’s necessary to do that.’ So, I haven’t pursued it. I tell myself I still can.”

William Hardy ’85 Bachelor of Arts, English language and literature, Union College, Schenectady, New York Master of Arts in Teaching, Union Graduate College Cybersecurity program manager, Kauai, Hawaii ALWAYS TEACHING: Bill Hardy was an educator for more than five years, teaching middle school, high school and college students. His teaching career started with a nontraditional turn when he became a drill instructor teaching basic and advanced individualized training to U.S. Army Recruits during college.

He was also an instructor for the U.S. Army in Combat Engineer and Tactical Signal Communications tactics, techniques, and procedures.

“Teaching cybersecurity essentials/ knowledge management and information sharing is part of my core leadership focus currently as a program manager in the defense contracting industry.”

U.S. Army service and Department of Defense contract work has taken Hardy to Guam, Bosnia, Germany Hungary, Italy, Israel, Tampa, Florida; Belgium, and now Hawaii, where he’s a cybersecurity program manager, running the cybersecurity program for the Pacific Missile Range Facility, a U.S. Navy organization.

WAR TO CLASSROOM: Hardy joined the Army Reserves between his junior and senior years at CCDS, taking basic and skills training in the summers. Shortly after he obtained his undergraduate degree, he was activated as an assistant Battalion Communications Chief with 7th Corps to Saudi Arabia for the first Gulf War in 1991.

When his tour of duty concluded, he returned to Cincinnati and started substitute teaching in grades 9-12 in the Cincinnati Public Schools. “I fell in love with the classroom. It was just great to experience such a different pace every day. When you have anywhere between 16 and 28 kids in a classroom, every single day is a different day, because every single kid has a different personality.”

Hardy returned to college to get his master’s degree in teaching programs in the Northeast. From there, he accepted a post as an English language, literature and arts teacher in Guam at an American international school. He taught English to freshmen and sophomores, and International Baccalaureate English classes to juniors and seniors.

He taught three years on Guam, then was selected to receive a Fulbright grant as a one-way exchange teacher to Denmark. He spent a year teaching at three different schools, including a community college, and doing

comparative analysis between the Danish and American educational systems.

PUBLIC VS. PRIVATE EDUCATION: Hardy saw similar challenges during his teaching practicum at Cincinnati Public Schools as he did during practicum in Albany, New York public schools. “I think with any public school, the biggest challenge is that you spend a lot of time doing classroom management, versus subject matter teaching. I enjoyed the private school experiences I had because I wasn’t so focused on classroom management.” When substituting at CPS, a fistfight broke out in his classroom one day. “I had to hit the panic button, so to speak.

That was always a challenge, trying to get the kids to focus on the material rather than classroom behavior.”

The Hardy family poses during Octoberfest in the German Community in Tampa, Florida. Bill Hardy’s wife, Mel, is from Germany. Their children are Patrick and Linn.

LAST STOP: Hardy’s last teaching stint was at a charter school, St. Johnsbury Academy, in Vermont. “I like the charter concept,” he noted. However, he was used to teaching in liberal environments, so the conservative Northeastern school was not a match for his personality. He left and joined the commercial world in West Chester, New York, as an account executive/ project manager. In 1999, he was activated again and joined the 10th Mountain Division as the Battalion

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Communications chief in Bosnia i Herzegovina. He was honorably discharged from the Army Reserves in 2002.

VALUING TEACHERS: “I don’t miss the paycheck, but I do miss the classroom. When I taught in Guam, the Pacific Rim, where you’re dealing particularly with Asian cultures, teachers are sensei. They have a very prominent place in the fabric of society. They’re well-rewarded, and they have a high level of respect, just like a lawyer or doctor, because they’re so critical to the success of the kids. Unfortunately, American culture doesn’t see it that way.”

In this country, teachers are valued more in private schools than in the public arena, he said. “Particularly in elite private schools, parents are upper middle class, and for the most part they understand the value that the teachers bring to their children.

At the end of the day, though, it was, ’I like teaching, but I’m not going to live with this paycheck the rest of my life. I can do better elsewhere.”

TEACHING HELPS NEW CAREER: Even though he’s no longer a teacher, teaching still permeates his career. “I’ve always thought in my career that teachers make really good project managers, because if you get trained as a teacher, you get trained in proper planning, how to plan your entire year as to what you’re going to teach the kids, what methods you’re going to use, what your curriculum is, and how to manage that schedule to stay on track. Those skills that I developed and mastered through being a teacher were very critical to my job success in being able to plan and execute what I do in the military or in support of the military now.”

TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE: In March, he visited Bob Plummer, one of the few remaining teachers from his time at CCDS. “I sat in on one of his AP Math Classes (Vector and Matrix Theory) and was reminded of why he was such a great math teacher. I was even able to demonstrate to his class that the math they were learning actually has practical use in rocket and missile research, test and development.

He appreciated that since at high schoolers’ age, it seems so esoteric and lacks any real practical value or impact to their daily life.”

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Mary Mitchell ’92 B.A., elementary education, DePauw University Executive director, Omni Prep Academy, Memphis, Tennessee She knew teachers didn’t make much money, so she considered being a child psychologist. Van Nuys and her high school teachers, Sam Tumolo and Donn Klingler, all pushed her to become a teacher. In her senior year, after working with kids in Over-theRhine through CCDS, she decided it was better to be a teacher than make a lot of money.

FROM COLLEGE TO WORK: After graduation, Mitchell jumped into the teaching world at Memphis Public Schools, where she taught for over 14 years in a third-grade contained classroom, fourth-grade science and fifth-grade math.

GIVING PARENTS CHOICE: Mary Mitchell runs a K-8 charter school so students from an impoverished neighborhood have another school choice. Once they’re there, they have no choice but to learn. She accepts no excuses.

“I am deep in the inner-city of Memphis, in Raleigh, which is one of the poorest neighborhoods in America. That’s on purpose.” This year’s enrollment is 325 students. Next year, a high school will be added to the campus.

“There are neighborhoods where parents have great choices of schools, all of the kids have all of the resources that they need, and they have great schools. Then, there are kids in neighborhoods that don’t have great choices. It’s typically inner-city, deep poverty. I wanted to take what skills I have and open up a good school choice for parents to go to where there aren’t as many good schools.”

This is her third year as executive director. Two partners run the business side so she can focus on academics, visiting classrooms, writing curriculum and analyzing data.

CHANGING HER MIND: Mitchell first knew she wanted to work with children when she was 14 and volunteered at Country Day’s summer camps with teacher Rick Van Nuys.

As a designated master teacher, she trained teachers across Tennessee.

“I traveled around the state training teachers to be great teachers; wrote curriculum for science and math, which was my specialty; worked a lot with the board in those areas, and that’s how Omni found me. They kind of stole me at that point to write their curriculum and, as time went on, they groomed me to run their schools.”

JOYS OF TEACHING: “Some of the joy was the same thing I enjoyed about Country Day - bringing diversity into my teaching and teaching people how to appreciate diversity and then really going deep with learning. I was never a teacher who was about textbooks and workbooks. I was always a teacher who was interested in children discovering learning. They have a term for it now – experiential learning. That’s the way I’ve taught my whole life and which is what I love.”

students will reach that expectation.

If a parent’s expectation is lower than mine, they will reach mine. I would tell students, ’I know mom doesn’t agree with me. That’s fine, but I’m doing your report card, and you’re in my class so you will do your homework.

You will do what I say. You will learn.’”

Her method is to facilitate learning by raising a question, and having students do research and activities to figure out the answer on their own. “I guide students to discovery and learning. I love watching children have that ’aha’ moment when they get it, but not that they just get it for the moment but two, three, four weeks later they still have it and they can make a connection to what they learned a month ago to what they’re learning right now. Then, you start to get kids who want to seek to learn in everything that they do.”

CHALLENGES: Mitchell has always had high expectations for her students, no matter what challenges they have in their lives. She talks to her students about college and the importance of an education, knowing they didn’t always hear that at home.

“Wherever a teacher’s expectation is,

If students don’t have pencils, paper and other tools they need to do their work, she buys them. She even asked Cincinnati friends to donate computers for her classroom.

Students come to school early, stay late, and use recess or lunch time to complete their homework.

“It’s no excuses. I’m very empathetic of my students and where they come from and how they live, but I’m not sympathetic. I’m not pitying any of my kids, because if you’re in a situation that’s not good for you, you don’t have to stay there, and education is the way out.”

“I have to keep the expectations high.

I can’t wallow in some of the things my students go through, because I need to help get them out and stop this generational cycle that’s going on in their family.”

TEACHING AROUND THE TEST: Charter schools are public schools, so they are not exempt from state tests.

“In public school systems, you shut down learning for two months before the test to make sure the kids know what’s going to be on the test.”

Mitchell refuses to do that. “I tell my teachers, ’I can teach you how to make sure that these kids pass the test, but if we do that, I am not sufficiently convinced that our kids will make it through college if we spend 13 years teaching kids how to memorize to take a test. But if we teach them how to think and how to learn, I am thoroughly convinced that they will be very successful in college and they’ll be able to thrive in college, and they’ll be successful adults.’’’

“It’s harder to do. It takes longer to do, especially with this demographic.

I get a lot of flak for it. I’m taking a stance, so I’m willing to take that pushback for my students, because I think my students are going to stand out in the world when they get to be adults. They will stand out, and they will be different.”

Photos: Mary Mitchell ’92 is executive director of Omni Prep Academy, a K-8 charter school in an inner-city neighborhood of Memphis. Some 325 students are enrolled in the school, which Mitchell says gives families from poor neighborhoods another choice for their children’s education.

Sam Sommers ’93

B.A., psychology, Williams College M.A., psychology; Ph.D., psychology, University of Michigan Associate professor of psychology, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts

CAREER DECISION: Sam Sommers planned to be an English major, but became interested in the social and behavioral science aspect of psychology. The idea of being in an academic setting teaching and doing research appealed to him. He became a psychology major, but has no clinical training.

WHAT HE DOES: As an experimental social psychologist, Sommers teaches classes on how people behave as individuals versus in groups, group dynamics and how groups themselves function, when they keep to themselves versus getting involved in the affairs of other people.

For a Boston Globe’s Back-to-School guide for incoming freshmen at Tufts, published in August, current students were asked to name the “coolest” course on campus. The most popular choice was Sommers social psychology class.

He also conducts experiments to examine human behavior, cognition and decision making. “We’re interested in how the composition of a group might affect people’s behavior. We create a scenario in which sometimes you’re interacting with someone who’s very similar to yourself and someone who’s very different, and we compare across groups.”

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“I think it’s both fascinating and incredibly important the degree to which these factors like race and ethnicity and other demographics continue to influence the way we see each other, and interact with each other and yet, at the same time, so many of us are uncomfortable or even unwilling to admit that that’s going on.”

rather than people from other racialethnic groups.”

But the reality is that we know much of human thought and behavior is very context dependent and, in certain situations, many of us would behave in much the same way as

HOW HE TEACHES: Sommers described his teaching style as conversational and informal, emulating CCDS teachers Merle Black and Pat Dunn. “I take aspects of our students’ daily lives and things they’re familiar LEGAL WITNESS: He’s interested in with and talk about how psychology plays itself out in them from a disciplinary the legal setting and courtroom. “We perspective. I try to have done studies in my research, for challenge their thoughts example, looking at how people may and expectations and see criminal evidence offered against make them think about a defendant differently, depending on familiar things in new whether that defendant is depicted as ways. Mr. Black did a lot Sam Sommers works with a graduate student and white versus African-American. of that.” two undergraduate research assistants in his lab at Tufts University. (Photo by Alonso Nichols/Tufts Sommers testified once in Michigan Sommers uses humor University) after it was found, over a couple while teaching, a trait of months in one county, that a he traces back to Dunn. computer glitch led the pool of Humor helps break up a 75-minute the people we’re reading about in people called for jury duty to be less college class period, he said, but also the newspaper. You walk onto a diverse than usual. He testified what provides levity during discussions crowded subway car, and someone the implications of that might be and about some of the darker chapters of is sprawled out and doesn’t look how a jury’s composition affects its human nature. so good. You look around and no decision-making. one else seems concerned, so you Like Black, Sommers also draws on assume they must know something It’s more common for Sommers popular culture to incorporate the real you don’t; everything must be fine. to testify in Massachusetts about world in the class. He uses clips from We often write off bad behavior or eyewitness issues, the limitations of “Seinfeld,” “The Daily Show,” “The explain good behavior in terms of eyewitness memory and some factors Office,” and films, as well as music people’s stable personality and their that can make it harder for people to lyrics, to illustrate concrete examples character, but there’s actually a lot be accurate as an eyewitness. of some of the more abstract more to human nature than that.” concepts discussed in his class. While “In my Psychology and Law course, Seinfeld is culturally dated with His next book, due out in February, we talk about eyewitness memory and references to answering machine is “This is Your Brain on Sports,” how people’s memory of events is not lights, for example, plenty of scenarios which he’s written with the executive perfect. It’s not a videotape. There are still hold up. editor of Sports Illustrated. “The studies in which we find that people basic premise is, ’What can we learn have better memory under lower “So, we’re talking about people’s about human nature from the world stress scenarios than higher stress likelihood to intervene or not of sports?’ The appeal of underdogs, scenarios, or better memory when intervene in others’ emergency the motivating value of having a they’re trying to remember people situations. There are a couple good rival and what sports tells us more from their own racial-ethnic group clips from the show, in one case, generally about human nature.” showing Kramer intervening and, Sommers currently co-hosts a in another case, George podcast for Sports Illustrated of the knocking people over as he same name. tries to get out of a kid’s birthday party when a fire WHAT’S IN STORE: “I like what I do. starts.”

The job changes from week to week or month to month. There are times PUBLISHED AUTHOR: when I’m teaching. There are times Sommers has written a when I’m writing research papers or book, “Situations Matter,” I’m writing a general audience book about why it’s important or a textbook, or I’m testifying in to understand context. cases, so there’s enough variability “You hear the story on that it keeps me interested. I don’t the news about someone have any plans for a career change. passing out on the subway I look forward to continuing to be a and no one does anything. college professor and getting to do Sam Sommers, an associate professor of Our reactions are, ’What’s all of the other fun stuff that comes psychology at Tufts University, gives a TEDx Talk. wrong with those people?’ along with that.”

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Julia Rogers Joyce ’99 B.A. Early childhood education, University of Cincinnati Middle School Learning Specialist, Study Skills teacher, Cincinnati Country Day School PATH BACK TO CCDS: Julia Joyce’s life has taken some unexpected twists and turns, but the road always led her back to Cincinnati Country Day School.

Ironically, Joyce has taught at two schools she had attended – CCDS and Springer School and Center.

She taught elementary school for three years in the Northwest School District, and two years at Springer, a school for students with disabilities through eighth grade.

Joyce then returned to her roots eight years ago.

“I’m very close with my mom (CCDS Middle School teacher Andrea Rogers), so the idea of working with my mom for part of my career was enticing and teaching at Country Day after going to Country Day.” TURNING DISABILTY INTO ABILITY: Joyce talks openly about her language-based disability, which was identified during second grade at Country Day. After third grade, she was held back and went to Springer for three years where she repeated third grade and continued through fifth grade.

She then wanted to return to CCDS. “I didn’t mind coming back and being behind a year. There were struggles, but I won the Country Day Award as a senior. It was like a Cinderella story. I didn’t think I wouldn’t ever make it at Country Day. I went to Springer and found out what I needed and came back and was really successful. It was definitely a rocky road for awhile. It wasn’t all perfect.”

Her experiences had much to do with why she returned to teach at CCDS. “I was really passionate about helping kids believe that they could learn. I was told, and I felt like for a long time like I couldn’t, because it took me so long to learn how to read.”

“To have that journey at a young age and then to come back and be so successful, I wanted to share that story with other students and I do, when it’s appropriate … I know what it takes to be a kid with a learning disability and ADHD at Country Day.” MORE DUTIES: Joyce’s job has evolved. She’s still the Middle School Learning Specialist but she’s also the fifth-grade Study Skills teacher, which gives her the opportunity to meet all students. “That was strategic and really enhanced the job, because

building the rapport became much easier for kids who really did need to see Mrs. Joyce.”

Since then, Joyce has become more immersed in the school culture as a grade-level advisor and Middle School golf coach. She also teaches one sixth-grade Global Connections class.

MOM & DAUGHTER COLLEAGUES: “It’s funny when eighth-graders don’t realize she’s my mom, and they’ve been in the Middle School for four years. I’ve also had parents tell me, ’Last year, we had Mrs. Rogers, and we just didn’t mesh well.’ I am just very professional and say, ’Sometimes teachers don’t mesh well with some students, and that’s OK.’” “I’m really proud of the professional relationship that we’re able to have.

Some people don’t know that we’re family members - not that it’s a secret. I just think it’s a testament to how we can work so well together as colleagues.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: To this day, Joyce is grateful for the support of her second-grade teacher, Kathy Winter.

“She really changed the trajectory of my life. I really wholeheartedly believe that, because she cared so deeply.

When you tell a third-grader that they have to go to a different school because you learn differently, that’s a really hard pill to swallow.’

“She was always so incredibly supportive and a huge cheerleader and just very loving and accepting.

That’s really important. Kids just need to know that they’re loved and accepted, regardless of what they’re going through. I really try to do that for kids.” ...continued next page

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The late Fred Carey, an Upper School English teacher, was also influential. “I think that one of the perceptions for kids and teenagers is that if you’re in the lower classes, you’re not as smart as others. You don’t have as much skill as others. I was not in Honors. There were no AP’s on my transcript.”

During her senior year, students of all skill levels were mixed together in some English electives. She took Shakespeare for one quarter and was suddenly dropped into a class with Honors and AP English kids.

“I wrote a King Lear paper, and Fred held that paper up and said it was the best King Lear paper he had ever read. It was like the first time that anyone had publicly acknowledged

my work, and for a kid with a learning disability who struggled most of the time, it was a really, really big deal.

It was a game changer –a pivotal moment growing up where I realized that I could be just as good as others.

I think when you make it that public, it’s very affirming, and he really did that for me.”

Now, Joyce pays it forward. She tries to publicly recognize her students, not just for good grades, but for grit and effort. She’ll never forget how much Carey’s public stamp of approval meant to her. “I’m sure there were 50 other times that teachers did stuff like that, but that was the one time that I felt it, so you never know when you’re going to be the one who makes a difference.”

Ashley Reis ’02 B.A. English, University of Kentucky M.A. English. University of Oregon Ph.D. candidate, English, graduate student instructor, University of Northern Texas, Denton HER “AHA” MOMENT: As a high school student, Ashley Reis never considered teaching as a career choice. “When I was at Country Day, if you had told me I would be a teacher and wanted to be a college professor, I would have just laughed.”

Reis started taking writing classes in college, wrote arguments, examined what she cared about in the world and how to convey that. A graduate student who was getting his Ph.D. told her she could teach while in graduate school and thereafter.

When he was an undergraduate, his professor told him that teaching is such a rewarding experience that he looked forward to being with his students on Wednesday as much as he looked forward to being home with his family on Saturday.

“That struck me as a really nice way to think about teaching,” Reis said.

“It doesn’t feel like a job. It feels like a different way of living in the world.

It’s your purpose. It doesn’t feel like

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ALUMNI IN EDUCATION

going to work. It’s as enjoyable as whatever you do on a Saturday. That’s rewarding, I think. He told me that, and it’s turned out to be true.”

SWITCHING MAJORS: Reis began as a journalism major, but found that form of writing too restrictive, so she switched to English. She became enamored with not just writing, but studying and writing about literature, and going to class where she engaged in lively discussions with peers and professors.

DRAWN TO CONTEMPORARY WORKS: She found herself gravitating to post-1945 American literature, favoring contemporary works over the classics. Within that genre, she studies environmental literature. Her Ph.D. project examines environmental illness, specifically.

That became a post-war phenomenon that Americans were thinking about when Rachel Carson published “Silent Spring” in 1962, Reis said. Carson’s book exposed the hazards of the DDT pesticide to humans and animals.

“I like the more contemporary stuff.

I’m not really a historian. I feel like it’s more applicable to our moment and, for me, is more fun to teach, just because I can really help the students wrap their minds around this stuff when it’s not so antiquated for them.

I think they make connections more easily.”

“The joy of teaching environmental literature is you can sort of integrate your classroom within the outdoors.

I’m interested in taking students on trips outdoors, reading while they’re out there and writing about it. I really like the way this sort of literature allows you to attach it to the physical world that we live in and really dig into that.”

HIGHER ED TEACHING CHALLENGES: Reis has taught college students both at Oregon and Texas. “I teach a lot of freshmen. A big challenge with them,

of them are prepared to care about things.

But the majority of them are, so it’s a really rewarding experience when you can help them figure out what matters to them and help them figure out that they need to be always writing about what things matter to them and not just going through the motions.” but it’s also one of my favorite parts, is helping them figure out what it is that they care about.”

Reis wants them to learn how to write arguments and to write persuasively.

“I don’t want them picking any old topic and arguing a side. That’s no fun for them, and it’s no fun for me to read it. I want them to write about what matters to them and, at that point in their lives, a lot of them I think really want to care about things, but they don’t really know yet what those things are.”

Her favorite part of the job is to sit down with students one-on-one. She asks a series of questions to help them figure out what matters to them or what they might want to take a stance on in a particular paper.

“It can be challenging, because not all

DECIDING TO TEACH COLLEGE STUDENTS: Teaching college students enables her to do her research, but she also enjoys that her students are adults. “The difference between being a teacher versus a professor is that when you’re a teacher, you’re sort of expected to teach your students certain things. It’s a lot on you. When you’re a professor, it’s also up to your students to bring something to the table.”

“I really like that collaborative process of the students bringing something to the table and understanding their own role within their learning. I’m there to show them how to do that learning but, at a certain point. they have to take it and go from there on their own. I’m really drawn to that model, as opposed to just lecturing and

having them remember stuff and regurgitate it on tests.”

NEXT STEPS: Reis will defend her dissertation next February or March.

She’ll officially graduate with a Ph.D. in May, but began job hunting this fall. Her dream job would be teaching at a small liberal arts college in the West.

EMULATING TEACHERS: As she progresses toward her own teaching career, she recalls the roster of teachers she’s had. “I like to take things that professors and Country Day teachers have done. I look back at things that were particularly effective, and I get to incorporate those.”

“I feel really blessed that I had such great teachers at Country Day. So many of my teachers there are such incredible role models and wonderful people who are so willing to engage with students and give their time and support on so many levels, not just academic, but emotional.”

Photos: Ashley Reis, who loves to hike, climb and bike, stands with the Tetons in the background. She spent the summer in Wyoming to escape the heat of Texas while writing her dissertation. (Photos by Dave Whipper)

Brittany Woods Patterson ’04 B.S. Sports management and public relations, Gardner Webb University, Boiling Springs, N.C. M.Ed. University of Cincinnati Seventh-grade Culture Studies teacher, Cincinnati Country Day School AN UNEXPECTED TURN: When Brittany Woods walked out the door with her diploma, she never thought she’d return to Country Day, except for the occasional visit and class reunion.

“I never thought that I wanted to be a teacher. I just love sports, so I wanted to work in the sports world. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I just wanted to be surrounded by sports.”

When she graduated from college, she

looked for jobs in the sports industry, but it’s difficult to find work in a field with little personnel turnover. In the meantime, she worked at a restaurant and a summer camp.

Coaching brought her back to Country Day right after college, and four years before she began teaching here. She ran into Middle School Head Theresa Hirschauer, who told her if she ever wanted to coach, just come back to CCDS.

“Since I was hanging around here all the time, they asked me to sub, and when I started subbing I was ...continued next page

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to be actively involved and responsible for their own learning, as much as possible.

“Even though we’re an English class, when we’re doing projects, I always give them options, because there are always students who aren’t the best writers. We still have writing assignments, and they still may struggle with that.”

like, ’This is awesome, I want my own classroom.’ Then, I did a long-term sub for Anna Hartle, so I was here for a whole month. That’s when I truly fell in love and did all my research for schooling to get my master’s in education.”

COMING HOME: When Patterson returned to Country Day, her former teachers were now colleagues. “It was awkward. It was intimidating, and it was it difficult for me to start calling them by their first names. They didn’t make it awkward. I made it awkward.

They were so welcoming. They said, ’If you need anything, please let me know. We’re colleagues now.’ They were so helpful and really glad and excited that I chose to come back to Country Day.” She teaches seventh-grade Culture Studies, an interdisciplinary course that combines social studies and language arts. She and Andrea Rogers each take half of the seventh grade for that subject. “We team teach, so it’s really awesome,” Patterson said. “I love working with her.”

Patterson was inducted into the Country Day Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014 for soccer, basketball and track.

She’s been able to channel her love for sports by coaching middle school and high school girls soccer and basketball, as well as coed track.

MIDDLE SCHOOL LIKE BOX OF CHOCOLATES: Patterson knows the middle school years are difficult, because students are navigating

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ALUMNI IN EDUCATION

adolescence. Still, she wanted to connect with them.

“I felt like I was too close in age to Upper School students and kind of looked like one, so I didn’t know that I would ever get the respect that I did with Middle School students,” Patterson said.

“I was never someone who could do the same thing every day at a job.

Even though a teacher does that, sometimes, the students really make the day. Because they’re middle school students, they’re happy one second. They’re sad another second.

They’re mad. They like you. They dislike you. They just bring different types of energy to the classroom every single day. It’s really fun to teach those grades, because they are going through so much. You just never know what you’re going to get, and I love that.”

CHALLENGES OF TEACHING: “We get 43 minutes of class, and you want to be able to dig deeper into conversations, but there’s just not enough time. I’m sure the kids wouldn’t agree with that, because they probably feel like it’s too long.”

The other challenge is juggling parent expectations. “I think expectations from parents are difficult, whether they expect a lot out of us, or there’s not a lot of support from the parents.

You see both ways.”

TEACHING STYLE: Patterson doesn’t like to lecture, but likes her students

“They have to learn how to become a better writer, but I really like giving them options.

Everybody is a different learner, and we view things differently, so if you can build something to show me that you know what the setting of a book looks like, then build it. If you can write about it, then write about it. I try to give them as many options as I can to show me that they understand.”

She didn’t pay enough attention to teaching styles while she was here because she never expected to be a teacher, Patterson said. A few teachers’ styles stuck with her, though, and she now tries to emulate them. One is Brock Miller, an Upper School science teacher who is now a colleague.

“He always made the class exciting and fun. He allowed us to participate and do things instead of just preaching to us, and so I try and do as much of that as I can.

Tony Strauss was also one of my favorite history teachers. I would never be able to compare myself to him, but he was just so smart and intelligent and really connected well with students inside and outside the classroom.”

CAREER ASPIRATIONS: “I love what I’m doing right now. If I ever went back to school or wanted to move up in anything, I would love to do some type of adolescent counseling, but that’s not necessarily on my plate right now.”

Photo: Brittany with her students wearing an Annual Fund “CCDS eye black.”

How to Give Back: Spotlight on Reunion Giving

The Class of 1965 has made a generous $25,000 donation in honor of its 50-year reunion held in September. The money was matched for a total of $50,000, which will go toward the North Campus Project.

Dick Reis ’65 of Hyde Park, spearheaded the effort. “I’m a rah-rah kind of guy. I bleed blue and white.”

He hopes the donation will inspire other reunion classes to also give back to their school.

“When we were here, Chuck and Mary Yeiser were at every game. Bill and Phyllis Hopple were at every game.

Lee and Louise Pattison were at every game. Dave McDaniel and his wife, Ruth, who was a teacher here, too, were there at every game. Every game,” Dick said.

“How do you thank people for their dedication and inspiring you to be better than you might otherwise have been? How do you repay the environment that we were so fortunate to be in then?”

Several members of the Class of 1965 also sent their children to CCDS. “Not only did we spend 12 years here, but our kids were here all those years. I enrolled my daughters (Jen ’99 and Ashley ’02) here to get a similar experience. They have achieved much of their happiness and their success by being exposed to the teachers and environment here that goes well beyond what other institutions

portray and expect of their students.”

“How do you repay teachers for spending 18 hours a day when everybody else is working 9 to 5?

There’s something pretty special about this place. It seems to me in the ebbs and flows of headmasters and teachers, they’re still instilling in young people the quality that you can’t find in education everywhere, but you’re going to find it in the workplace, because every business is very competitive.”

Dick also suggested that Cincinnati Country Day School create a Chieftain Award to be given during reunions to an alumnus with an exemplary record of volunteer service to their community.

The first recipient was Buck Niehoff ’65 of Hyde Park, who received the award at the inaugural gathering of the Chieftain Society during Reunion Weekend. All alumni who have attained 50-year reunion status or beyond are automatically Chieftain Society members and are eligible to be nominated for the award.

Dick thought it would help the school to initiate an award to fire up alumni, especially those who have lost touch with the school and their classmates.

“I thought it was important, because we were the first big class. We were 33. There were some classes that were a little smaller. Every subsequent class was going to be bigger, so this award

would breed enthusiasm. ’Who’s going to get it next year? Who’s going to get the Chieftain Award?’”

“With Buck getting this first award, it set the bar for future award winners – somebody who’s made a difference,” said Dick, who’s known Niehoff since 1952. The two went to the same schools for 14 years and were in the municipal bond business together.

“I’m hopeful that the Chieftain Award breeds enthusiasm for those who have been absent from the school for awhile,” Dick said. “I hope this award inspires classes to get excited about reunions and to support the school where it all began.”

Photo: Members of the Class of 1965 who attended the Chieftain Society Brunch during Homecoming Weekend are, front row, from left, Eddie Vogeler, Hank Shick, Perry Smith, Buck Niehoff, Dick Reis, Rob Sherwood and Kim Chatfield.

Back, from left, are Bill Culp, Steve Blair, Mitch Eggers, Tim Clark, Harry Robinson and Bob Buechner. Missing are Buzz Chatfield, Fred Fischer and Don Rehse, who also attended their 50-Year Reunion, but were unable to be at the brunch. During the event, Niehoff was honored with the new Chieftain Award for his exemplary community service.

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The CCDS Community Country Day has a very diverse community, attracting families who want a great education for their children from all over the Tri-State.

In fact, our families come from over 60 different zip codes. We have a significant number of families who travel from Maineville, Mason, West Chester, Lebanon, Hyde Park, Batavia, Loveland, and even Northern Kentucky and Eastern Indiana.

A previous issue of Connections demonstrated where families come from with a map of Cincinnati. We thought it would be interesting to speak with a few of these families and find out how they chose to become a member of the CCDS Community.

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CONNECTIONS

Covering the Tri-State The Gray Family - Liberty Township Dereck and Regina Gray moved to Cincinnati with their sons last year, so they were eager to find a rigorous school similar to the one they attended in Singapore. Country Day had the right stuff.

“We were coming from Asia to Cincinnati, so finding a school that kept up with that same pace of academics was important,” Regina said. “We also liked the fact that Country Day seemed very progressive, as far as the use of technology. The ability to have the kids get some extra hands-on teacher attention, the way we had in Singapore, was also a plus.”

Dereck added, “The first thing for me was the academics and the success rate for college graduates. Many of those are Ivy League graduates, as well, so the academics were the first thing that attracted us.”

Other factors, he said, were the relatively small class sizes and overall campus population. Class sizes are about the same in their previous school, but it is much larger, overall, with 4,000 students in Pre-K-12 – making it one of the largest international schools in the world.

Dereck also was impressed with the diversity of students at CCDS. “There’s a mix of Americans and international students, and then across racial diversity, as well.

That was very different and refreshing when I saw it first-hand.”

Now in their second year at CCDS, their son, Dereck Jr., is in seventh grade, and Donovan is in third grade.

West Chester and pick them up in the afternoon at the school.

Both parents work full-time, but they try to stay active with their children’s teachers and classes – including parties and other activities.

“We make sure we can participate as much as possible, staying close with the advisors,” Regina said.

“I really like the process that the Middle School has of having a primary advisor that we can connect with and make sure that we’re clear on how he’s doing in school, but also what other ways that we can participate. And now that he’s playing a sport, we’ll be out here even more often.”

Dereck Jr. likes lunch, P.E. and recess. His favorite subject is math. He enjoyed a social studies project last year to create a presentation on a country. “I decided to do Singapore, because I knew about it.” He played with the soccer team, but could only practice because he also plays Select.

Donovan likes recess, P.E., swimming and lunch. His favorite subject is math – with one caveat. “I only like easy math.”

Last year, he enjoyed doing a biography of George Washington and animal research on the puma.

“We were coming from Asia to Cincinnati, so finding a school that kept up with that same pace of academics was important”...

REGINA GRAY

The Grays live in Liberty Township. On a good day with no traffic, it takes about 30 minutes to travel to Country Day. Most days, it’s 45 minutes. “So, the bus for us in the mornings is a godsend,” Regina said.

They drop the boys off at the bus in

There are more things to like about Country Day.

Regina likes that the lunches are more well-balanced. “I like the fact that they’re trying to instill more around better choices. If not, my kids won’t naturally choose the right things to eat. So, I like the fact there isn’t a Subway and a McDonald’s and a

bunch of vending machines here on campus. They’re guiding kids the right way, as far as their eating habits, and it will help them, as well, in their ability to study.”

Also, she said CCDS teachers have been very receptive and helpful in providing tutoring or answering their questions, as well as meeting at any time. “We’re very appreciative, knowing that we can call up the teachers at any time, and people like their jobs here, so they’re willing to help.”

“Coming from Singapore, we were a little concerned that there could be some differences in the curriculum, and all the teachers were extremely helpful with assessing and then helping us if there were any gaps.”

...continued next page

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The Liao Family - Mason Dr. Yizhong Liao and June Fang are thrilled to be going back to school at Country Day. Their son, Stephen Liao ’15, is now a Dartmouth freshman.

Their youngest daughter, Mimi, enrolled at CCDS this year as a sixth grader. Both transferred from Mason during their middle school years.

Stephen enrolled in fifth grade at Country Day. He went to Seven Hills for ninth grade and then returned to CCDS. (His older sister, Sharon, graduated from Seven Hills and is a Columbia University senior.) It’s easy for him to cite how CCDS stands out from his other schools.

“We’re very excited that our connection to CCDS will continue,” Fang said. “We’ll still get to go back to school. We always feel great when we have a chance to be on campus.

We love to see the teachers and to reconnect with the community. We know CCDS will be the right choice for Mimi, bcause we had such a wonderful experience with Stephen there.”

“It’s very different from Mason because it’s a private school and smaller, so you get to know these familiar faces every year instead of having a whole new class every year,” Stephen said. “What I really like about CCDS is you see your old teachers at sports games, and you can visit them at school when they’re free. There’s a real sense of community throughout your whole experience at CCDS, not just the year that you come in direct contact with those people.”

Mimi wanted to come to CCDS for several years, but her parents told her to wait as they needed to save for

“ ... you can see that the teachers want what’s best for the children.”

June Fang college tuition. During Middle School parent orientation, Fang was so impressed that she wished they had started Mimi here earlier.

Meanwhile, Mimi said CCDS has exceeded her expectations in every aspect. She said the teachers are very helpful. She likes the small class size, and her classmates and friends.

Reflecting on their school choice, Liao said, “CCDS has a very welcoming, friendly and also caring learning environment. CCDS has a very rigorous curriculum with top-notch faculty and staff, and a very small class size with strong teacher and student interactions.”

He also gave high marks to the college counseling program. The family was especially impressed with the “tremendous help” Stephen received from college counselor Pat Dunn while applying and preparing for college. He’s also extremely grateful for Upper School history teacher Merle Black’s constant encouragement of Stephen. “Mr. Black really inspired Stephen to work hard and aim high.”

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CONNECTIONS

for two summers at CCDS. The first summer, he taught seventh-grade math and French. “It was the most transformative experience of my lifetime. I learned a lot more from my seventh graders than I taught them in basic algebra, so I wrote my other college essay about my experience at Breakthrough.” This summer, he taught sixth-grade math and history.

Sending a child to Country Day meant a time commitment for the Mason couple. At 7 a.m., they’d drive Stephen to catch the morning bus in Mason and pick him up there around 4 p.m. Carpooling helped. They have the same arrangement for Mimi.

Country Day teachers top Fang’s list of reasons why she likes the school.

“I really love the teachers. They are really caring. They not only give kids a lot of encouragement, but you can see that the teachers want what’s best for the children. They nurture them.”

When Stephen was in eighth grade, Fang recalled that English teacher Mark Luebbers took time during his winter break to write Stephen a letter.

He was impressed with Stephen’s ability and encouraged him to fully explore and develop his potential.

“The teachers really go out of their way doing things like that. They not only care about their students, but love them. Stephen has kept that card to this day.”

Country Day provided a plethora of extra-curricular choices for Stephen.

He loved MATHCOUNTS in middle school. In high school, he and a classmate started the Math Club, which connected members with state and local contests, as well as online live competitions against high schools across the country. “Math Club was a huge part of my Country Day club experience.”

He also competed on the tennis and swim teams. “Tennis is one of the best experiences I had for three years, too, getting to know the guys and playing on the team for three years.”

Stephen followed his sister Sharon’s footsteps by teaching at Breakthrough

They both work full time, and for a four-year period, they had three kids in three different schools: daycare/ Mason, CCDS and Seven Hills. They managed three different school calendars and vacations. But, the couple said it was worth all of the hard work. Sharon and Stephen both were accepted into their first choice dream colleges. Stephen said, “I could not imagine being anywhere else; Dartmouth is definitely becoming the best four years of my life, and it’s all because of how much CCDS prepared and supported me.”

Fang reiterated that CCDS has an outstanding academic program and a world class faculty. “We’re very passionate about spreading the word about CCDS, so we’ve actually referred a lot of our friends’ children to the school. I’m very proud to be a champion for CCDS.”

The Page Family - Sycamore Township Brian Page is a public high school teacher who knows his way around education. So, when he and his wife, Hope, thought about sending their son to another school, they looked to Cincinnati Country Day School.

“Another thing Country Day does really well is the work-life balance for the parents,” she said. “The homework that they bring home is appropriate.

They make it easy for the parents.”

Their oldest child, Christian, was about to start second grade when his public school district experienced levy failures. He was in the gifted program, which was scheduled to be cut. “I immediately turned to Country Day,” Brian said.

The Pages are active at the school.

Hope helps at FallFest. Brian helps Theresa Hirschauer with the girls soccer team, and has done a parent talk and some seminar work at school.

“It’s like our home away from home,” Brian said.

He knew a CCD board member and knew it was an independent, private school so it was divorced from levy failures and other funding cuts that wreak havoc with public schools.

“When I visited Country Day, I fell in love with the school,” he said. “I enjoy researching education policy and have served in roles that require me to have a global education policy perspective. In exploring how other high performing countries educate students, I found that Country Day seems to do all of the things that high performing countries do, that a lot of other schools in America can’t.”

“We’ve made some great friends through the school,” Hope added.

Chloe’s favorite activities are singing in music class and visiting the library.

She also enjoyed her first grade City Project, building the Krohn Conservatory butterfly exhibit. “It was fun,” Chloe said. ”I liked building it more than just seeing it. I still have it.”

“Country Day is the only place I’ve ever experienced where the school had the freedom, power, and passion to put the individual needs of the kids first. Every person we’ve encountered at CCD – teachers, administrators, everyone – recognizes that children are much more than a test score. They nurture who they are, and strive to foster our children’s hearts and their minds.”

The Pages now have three children at Country Day: Christian in seventh grade, Bryce in third grade and Chloe in second grade.

Hope was initially sold on Country Day because of the faculty and the way they interacted with Christian.

“Now, I really like it that it’s a small community, and all of my kids are on the same campus. They get to see each other every day, at lunch, and they run into each other.”

“Christian did a project (Hour of Code) with the second grade when he was in sixth grade. It was his brother’s sixth grade class. The same thing happened where Bryce had gone to

“Country Day is the only place I’ve ever experienced where the school had the freedom, power, and passion to put the individual needs of the kids first...”

Brian Page Chloe’s class.”

The Pages live in Sycamore Township and are only nine minutes away from school. The Indian Hill bus picks their kids up from the driveway and brings them home. “It’s a life-saver,” said Hope, who also works.

When Christian started school, though, they still lived in their old school district, Brian dropped him off at a friend’s who took him to school – about an hour-long ride.

“He’s not a morning person, but he never complained about getting up to go,” Hope said. “It was worth it to him to get up and go to a school that he loved. He was only in second grade.

That really showed us how different it was.”

Bryce likes math and playing basketball at CCD. He also likes his teachers. “They’re nice to me, and they care about me.”

Christian said, “I like the freedom to express yourself and speak to teachers about things you might want to improve.” He’s been involved in MATHCOUNTS and helped start an investment club with the Stock Market Game in the sixth grade with math teacher Susie Lewis. He also played soccer this year at CCD, while training and competing with Country Day’s high school rowing coach at Queen City Rowing Club.

“Life throws twists and turns at every family and for us the school has always been the rock that we can count on, where it’s always going well,” Brian said. “It’s always a breath of fresh air to walk in and see what they’re doing, observing teachers, who genuinely care about children, delivering thoughtful and engaging lessons.”

“And Christian is really growing into a worldly person. He has a global perspective and an appreciation for thinking deeply about things. I have to attribute his ongoing curiosity to learn to the school. They do a great job of instilling a passion to learn and grow.” ...continued next page

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The Strauss Family - New Richmond When it came time to look for a school for his daughter, Matt Strauss ’88 acted on his education. “You learn to do smart things when you graduate from Country Day, so we comparison shopped.

We looked at a couple of other schools.”

Head of School Rob Macrae, and other CCDS faculty and staff who stopped by with armloads of Country Day gear and persuasive reasons why Anna should attend.

Distance was a major factor. They live near New Richmond, about a 50-minute drive from CCDS. It worried Matt and his wife, Carla, about the travel time to Country Day. Ironically, Matt had an epiphany while touring a rival school.

He recalled that Upper School history teacher Merle Black chimed in, “We have to have you. You’re a Strauss.

You have to be here.

You guys are like Country Day royalty.”

“...Her teachers have all been wonderful. They’re very compassionate and caring people. They spend a lot of their time helping these kids, and they’re really great people...”

Carla Strauss

“We were looking at Seven Hills, and the admissions director was walking me around the school and she said to me, ’So what do you want for your daughter?’”

Matt recalled. “I hadn’t thought of it in such stark terms, but I thought and said, ’I want her to have exactly what I have.’ I thought, ’Oh!’ and wound up at Country Day a few days later.”

Matt was scheduled to meet with

Indeed, Matt and his brothers were Lifers, along with their father, Peter; uncle Tony, who taught history at CCD; and their cousins. And so, the 12th Strauss was enrolled and is on track to be a Lifer, too.

Carla’s experience with CCD was a big part of the decision, too. “I love his

Country Day friends. They’re all very good-hearted people.”

“Initially, I was concerned about distance. I was concerned about cost.

Even once we got there, I was still sort of on the fence. Do we want to do this? It wasn’t really until she started school there that I really felt we made the right decision. I was just so impressed with the teachers, and have been ever since then. Her teachers have all been wonderful. They’re very compassionate and caring people.

They spend a lot of their time helping these kids, and they’re really great people,” Carla said.

Their daily routine has Matt dropping Anna off en route to his job in Madisonville, while Carla picks her up after work in Blue Ash. Carla is impressed with the after-care program at CCD, because Anna gets most of her homework done there, leaving the evening hours to dinner and family time.

Anna enjoys the after school program, playing on the school soccer team, gymnastics, P.E., art, music and swimming. She enjoyed last year’s immigration project when third graders pretended to sit in steerage, confined to a small space on the floor with only a few possessions. They also acted as children of the eighth-grade immigrants going through Ellis Island.

“It was really fun,” Anna said. “I was sad when it was over.”

Future Connections We are currently working on “CCDS Alumni in Fashion” for a future issue of Connections.

We would also like to speak with alumni in medical, IT/Social Media, entertainment, food/ hospitality and environmental professions to see if we have enough alumni who would like to particiapte in these professions for future articles.

Contact Paula Brock at brockp@countryday.net 46

CONNECTIONS

The Class of 2015

Front row – left to right Apurva Bhattacharjee, Ryan Davis, Mackenzie Patterson, Gusty Pohlman, Ali Lusk, Lynn Im, Allison Brinkman, Kira Hughes, Mia Fatuzzo, Kacie Bradfish, Elizabeth Grace, Danielle Mangat, Celia Macrae and Pratiti Ghosh-Dastidar, Connor Wiley.

Second row – left to right Prashanth Donepudi, Elizabeth Miller, Kirsten Simpson, Moriah Boyd, Jennifer Gonzales, Marissa Cornist, Grace Krammer, Brianna Maggard, Lindsey Jarrell, Charlotte Jackson, Alexandra Sukin, Kaitlin Harden, Claire Beyette, Alexander Warner, Ryan Dougherty.

Third row – left to right Jack Hupper, Brandon Holthaus, Royal Thurman, Torayye Waite, Isabelle Hudson, Lake Drew, Brandin Ward, Hannah Taylor, Alexandra Wooden, Hayley Shepard, Will Cohen, Dima Warner, Gunnar Lykins.

Fourth row – left to right Austin Richey, Cameron Alldred, Nicholas Langenbahn, Kailas Menon, Asher Hirsch, Matt McFarland, Pranav Madabhushi, Akshay Sonti.

Fifth row – left to right Will Koustmer, Wyatt Fletcher, Taylor Maier, Alexander Maier, Luke Deimer, Kevin Geohegan, Spencer Janning, Mantero Moreno-Cheek, Stephen Liao.

Sixth row – left to right Nathan Gibson, Max Guttman, Leonard Behrens, Adam Baker, Mitchell Mack, Ben Stegman, Austin Frohn, Chase Tholke, Grady Voss, Thor McMullen.

Not shown: Sissi Fei, Riva Jia, Danielle Wolf.

47

THIS IS OUR DAY

100% CLASS OF WILL ATTEND CONGRATULATIONS

2015 COLLEGES NATIONAL &

312

$7.8 MILLION IN GRANTS & SCHOLARSHIPS

INTERNATIONAL ACCEPTANCES

AWARDED

Cameron Alldred University of Cincinnati

Allison Brinkman University of Cincinnati

Lake Drew University of Vermont

Nathan Gibson Washington and Lee University

Isabelle Hannan Hudson Amherst College

Adam Baker University of Alabama

William Cohen Amherst College

Mia Fatuzzo University of Pennsylvania

Jennifer Gonzales Boston University

Kira Hughes DePauw University

Leonard Behrens Stevens Institute of Technology

Marissa Cornist Belmont University

Shifan Fei Washington University in St. Louis

Elizabeth Grace University of South Carolina

Robert Hupper Wake Forest University

Marissa Beyette Wellesley College

Ryan Davis Valparaiso University

Wyatt Fletcher Northern Kentucky University

Austin Frohn Apurva Bhattacharjee Luke Deimer Miami University, Oxford Sewanee: The University Texas Christian University of the South

Moriah Boyd Duquesne University

Kevin Geohegan Prashanth Donepudi American University of The Ohio State University Antigua College of Medicine

Kacie Bradfish Purdue University

48

CONNECTIONS

Ryan Dougherty University of Utah

Yerin Im Maxwell Guttman University of Colorado at University of Cincinnati Boulder

Kaitlin Harden University of Virginia

Charlotte Jackson Lake Forest College

Asher Hirsch University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Spencer Janning University of Dayton

Pratiti Ghosh-Dastidar Brandon Holthaus Miami University, Oxford Miami University, Oxford

Lindsey Jarrell Davidson College

RongQing Jia University of California, San Diego

Celia Macrae Duke University

Kailas Menon Connecticut College

Akshay Sonti Brandeis University

Brandin Ward University of Kentucky

William Koustmer DePauw University

Pranav Madabhushi Duke University

Elizabeth Miller Haverford College

Benjamin Stegman Purdue University

Alexander Warner Purdue University

Grace Krammer The Ohio State University

Brianna Maggard Kenyon College

Mantero Moreno-Cheek Amherst College

Alexandra Sukin Harvard University

Dmitriy Warner St. Lawrence University

Nicholas Langenbahn The Ohio State University

Alexander Maier Trinity College

Mackenzie Patterson Saint Louis University

Hannah Taylor University of St. Andrews

Max Wiley Butler University

Stephen K. Liao Dartmouth College

Taylor Maier Trinity College

Augusta Pohlman University of Alabama

Brent Tholke Miami University, Oxford

Danielle Wolf Indiana University at Bloomington

Alison Lusk University of Cincinnati

Danielle Mangat Sewanee: The University of the South

Austin Richey Mount St. Joseph University

Royal Thurman Capital University

Alexandra Wooden University of Southern California

Gunnar Lykins University of Dayton

Matthew McFarland Miami University, Oxford

Hayley Shepard Ohio University

William Voss University of Mississippi

Mitchell Mack Ohio University

Thor McMullen University of Cincinnati

Kirsten Simpson University of Dayton

Torayye Waite University of Cincinnati, DAAP

49

2015 Country Day Lifers

Cincinnati Country Day School’s Class of 2015, comprised of 73 seniors, included 16 “Lifers” who attended CCDS from first grade through grade 12. They are: Ryan Davis in front. First row, from left, are Elizabeth Miller, Jennifer Gonzales, Kirsten Simpson, Marissa Cornist, Isabelle Hudson, Kira Hughes, Danielle Wolf and Apurva Bhattacharjee. Second row, from left, are Spencer Janning, Brandon Holthaus, Will Cohen, Chase Tholke, Ben Stegman, Ryan Dougherty and Nicholas Langenbahn.

CCDSenior Class Stats

73

Number of students in the Class of 2015.

71

Number of seniors who exceeded the 22.5 credit hours required for graduation.

16 62 Number of senior “lifers” who have attended Country Day since Kindergarten or prior.

CONNECTIONS

65 Number of arts courses taken during the senior year.

Number of seniors who received National Merit recognition.

115 17,484 Number of AP classes taken by seniors in the past three years.

50

Number who participated in athletics during the senior year.

17

Number of service hours completed by seniors over the past four years.

2015 Country Day Awards UPPER SCHOOL EXTRACURRICULAR Joseph F. Hofmeister Scroll Award Elizabeth Miller, Alexandra Sukin Archive Award Taylor Boggs, Torayye Waite

J. David McDaniel Outstanding Male Athlete Cameron Alldred

Gordon R. Wright Science Award Mia Fatuzzo/Elizabeth Miller

SERVICE AND COMMUNITY AWARDS

SCHOLASTIC

Tony Strauss Service Learning Award Pratiti Ghosh-Dastidar

Clement L. Buenger FISC Award Royal Thurman

Fred Carey Memorial Award Carmelita Mays

InWords Award Lindsey Jarrell

FINE ARTS

Patterson Award for Poetry Elizabeth Grace

Drama Award Elizabeth Miller

Patterson Award for Prose Jennifer Gonzales

Music Award - Vocal Leonard Behrens

Thomas D. Gettler ’76 Creative Writing Award Grace Krammer

Music Award – Band Elizabeth Grace/Connor Wiley

ATHLETIC

Visual Arts Studio Arts Award Isabelle Hudson

Outstanding Female Underclassman Olivia Robinson

Visual Arts Award in Photo Lindsey Jarrell

Outstanding Male Underclassman Myles Jackson

Messer Award Margaret Hodson

James A. Wright Sportsmanship Awards Asher Hirsch, Mitchell Mack, Allie Wooden Letterman Leadership Awards Grace Krammer and Taylor Maier Shirley Heinichen Outstanding Female Athlete Kaitlin Harden

William H. Chatfield Award Claire Beyette DEPARTMENTAL

David E. Laird Computer Science Award Alex Warner Robinson-Bye Award in English Elizabeth Grace Indian Hill Historical Society Outstanding Achievement In American History Award Margaret Hodson Lee S. Pattison History Award Stephen Liao, Alexandra Sukin Ash Mathematics Award Mia Fatuzzo Martha W. Burton Award for French Elizabeth Miller

Athletic Director Chris Milmoe presents Allie Wooden with the James A. Wright Sportsmanship Award. The award was also given to Asher Hirsch and Mitchell Mack.

Torayye Waite receives the Archive Award from Archive advisor and Upper School Spanish teacher Angela Suarez. Taylor Boggs also received the award.

Spanish Award Elizabeth Grace Bausch & Lomb Science Award Nathan Albrinck

Cum Laude Society Class of 2015 inducted in their junior year: Mia Fatuzzo, Elizabeth Miller, Alexandra Sukin, Elizabeth Grace, Augusta Pohlman, Hannah Taylor Kaitlin Harden

Class of 2015 inducted this year: Claire Beyette, Shifan Fei, Pranav Madabhushi, Kacie Bradfish, Isabelle Hudson, Connor Wiley, Will Cohen, Grace Krammer, Allie Wooden Class of 2016 inducted this year: Nathan Albrinck, Nathan Grant, Caroline Retzios, Trisha Atluri, Ian Hayes, Taylor Boggs, Margaret Hodson

National Merit National Achievement Scholarship Semifinalist Lindsey Jarrell National Merit Commended Students Claire Beyette, Kevin Geohegan, Pranav Madabhushi, Apurva Bhattacharjee, Kaitlin Harden, Akshay Sonti, Will Cohen, Celia Macrae Continued next page...

51

Awards National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists Will Abbottsmith, Hannah Taylor National Merit Scholarship Finalists Mia Fatuzzo, Stephen Liao Isabelle Hudson, Alexandra Sukin National Merit Scholarship Recipients Elizabeth Grace, Elizabeth Miller U.S. Presidential Scholarship Finalist Elizabeth Miller CLASS SCHOLAR AWARDS Templeton Briggs Memorial Award

Ben Chow, Kaitlyn Hardesty, Moya Ly, John Pettengill Alumni Award Grace Pettengill

Herbert M. Davison Award Margaret Hodson, Joe Lou Julius Fleischmann Memorial Award Mia Fatuzzo

COUNTRY DAY MISSION AWARDS Peter Levinson Memorial Award Sean O’Brien

highest award. It recognizes the boy and girl in each grade who exemplify the following qualities: positive attitude, dedication to school work and school activities, leadership, respect for others and kindness to everyone.

Richard O. Schwab Middle School Award 5th Grade-Kirstin Hayes, Christopher Langenbahn -- 6th Grade-Celie Hudson, Wynton Jackson -- 7th Grade-David Morales, Anushka Nair -- 8th Grade-Annabel Forman, Manav Midha

FINE ARTS Eighth Grade Fine Arts Awards Performing Art-Ava Kellar Visual Art-Katherine Valen

Dr. Charles F. Clark Character Award 5th Grade- Priya Thompson 6th Grade- Oren Conner 7th Grade- Will Beyreis 8th Grade-Radha Mangu Charles F. Yeiser Scholar Award 5th Grade-Jade Abu Bakr 6th Grade-Sofi Medina 7th Grade- Dylan Hacker 8th Grade-Chloe Webb Ramsey Runyon Wright Award Spencer McMaster (8th grade) Gilmore Award Miller Lyle (8th grade)

Country Day Award Will Cohen

CLASS SCHOLAR AWARDS

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Herbert Snyder Award (8th) Samantha Brant; Tori Keller, Nathan Riemann, Nellie Shih, Chloe Webb

Eight students received the Richard O. Schwab Middle School Award, the

William H. Hopple, Jr. Award (6th) Nora Brant, Skandda Chandrasekar, Sabrina DelBello, Celie Hudson, Carson Smith, Jack Wright

Bobby Pogue Prize (7th) Will Beyreis, Jaiyenan English, Anushka Nair

William H. Hopple, Jr. Award for 6th grade class scholar went to (from left) Skandda Chandrasekar, Carson Smith, Nora Brant, Jack Wright, Celie Hudson, and Sabrina DelBello.

Middle School Head Theresa Hirschauer and Casey Hopple ’09 presented the award named after Casey’s grandfather.

Eighth grader Eric Fleischmann receives the Middle School Alumni Writing Contest Award from Mark Luebbers, Middle School English teacher and Theresa Hirschauer, Head of the Middle School Middle School Alumni Writing Contest Eric Fleischmann (8th grade) DEPARTMENTAL Eighth Grade Mathematics Award Samantha Brant Eighth Grade Science Award Nathan Riemann Eighth Grade History Award Mary Harten National French Contest Sean Stewart, 1st Level 01 Nellie Shih, 3rd Level 1 Moseley Hatcher, 5th Level 1 Radha Mangu, 5th Level 1 National Spanish Exam Level 01 category regular Jaiyenan English - First in nation David Morales - Second in nation James Johnston - Third in nation Level 01 category outside experience Baptistine Bonniol - First in nation Level 1 category bilingual Nathan Riemann - First in nation Level 1 category regular Samantha Brant - Third in nation

52

CONNECTIONS

Homecoming 1

3 2

4 5 BUCK NIEHOFF ’65 RECEIVES CHIEFTAIN AWARD CCDS hosted an Alumni Brunch to celebrate the 50th reunion class of 1965 and welcome the members of the Chieftain Society.

The newlyestablished society is comprised of alumni who have reached their 50th reunion year and beyond.

During the event in the Lower School Betsy ’05 and Peter ’05 Niehoff Commons, H.C. “Buck” Niehoff ’65 received the first CCDS Chieftain Award, which recognizes a member of the Chieftain Society for volunteer service to the community. The

alumnus exemplifies our motto, “Virtue in Action.”

For 40 years, Niehoff practiced law at Peck, Shaffer & Williams as a municipal bond approving attorney.

He retired in 2012 to spend more time writing and to continue his volunteer work.

Among Niehoff’s numerous volunteer duties: He was chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Cincinnati and co-chair of the Proudly Cincinnati Capital Campaign that raised $1.1 billion for the university. In 2011, the university honored him with a Doctorate of Humane Letters.

Niehoff is chair of the City of Cincinnati Urban Design Review

Board that critiques new construction projects in the city, and a board member of Ohio Cancer Research Associates and the Great Parks of Hamilton County.

Formerly, he was chairman of the board of Cincinnati Museum Center, founding president of the Corporation for Findlay Market, president of Mercantile Library, chairman of the Hamilton County Republican Party and member of the Ohio Bicentennial Commission.

Niehoff was also a board member of Denison University, The Art Academy, Cincinnati Country Day School and The Springer School. Denison honored him with an Alumni Citation at his 25th Class Reunion.

53

Homecoming

6

7

12 11 8 9 10 54

CONNECTIONS

13 14

19 16

18

17

15

Homecoming Pictures: Page 53: 1- Stephan Blair ’65, Buck Niehofff ’65 and Dick Reis ’65 2- CountryDate Raffle Grand Prize donated by Matt and Marianne Castrucci.

3- Darryn Jordan ’16 carries the ball during the Summit game.

4- Jamie Griffith ’75, Tom Nadler ’75, Henry Thoman ’75 and Bob Ziegler ’78 5- Students at the Homecoming Pep Rally’ Page 54: 16- Tony Jaccaci, Chalky ’80 and Beth Thomas, Peter Fossett ’80 and Peter Niehoff ’05 7- Rick Vogel ’64, and Phil Hinkle ’60 8- Fifth graders Rhiannon Sherman, Lizzy Stacy, and Alison Kohler.

9- Matt Strauss ’88 and Bree Murdock ’90 10- Lower School students at FallFest 11- Tony Jaccaci congratulates Tim Dunn on keeping the Country Day Cup with the win over Summit.

12- Buck Niehoff ’65 and Dick Reis ’65 Page 55: 13- Julia Joyce ’99, Rob ’98 and Rania Zimmerman, Coleman Jones, Cacki Scallon Jones ’00 and Jen Bahl.

14- Students celebrate the Homecoming football win.

15- Phil Hinkle ’60, Tony Jaccaci, and Ted Jones ’53 at the Chieftain Society Brunch.

16- Tony Jaccaci made a big splash with students at the FallFest dunk tank.

17- Pre-K I students Gus Joyce and Luca DiSanto 18- Tony Jaccaci and Buck Niehoff ’65 at the Chieftain Society Brunch.

19 - Ava Kellar ’19, Kayla Boaz ‘19, and Mary Harten ‘19 at the Pep Rally.

55

Alumni

This is our world.

ANCHORAGE

MINNEAPOLIS SEATTLE PORTLAND CHICAGO BOSTON SAN FRANCISCO DENVER NEW YORK INDIANAPOLIS LAS VEGAS PHILADELPHIA LOS ANGELES ST. LOUIS CHARLOTTE WASHINGTON, D.C. SAN DIEGO ATLANTA CHARLESTON PHOENIX DALLAS HOUSTON MIAMI

CORD

MEXICO CITY HONOLULU

DAKAR

Anywhere in the world you might be traveling, living, working, interviewing, or just dreaming of Country Day alums are likely nearby. The CCDS community will always be there to help fellow alumni. For help connecting with any of our Alumni Network Leaders or to become active as an Alumni Network Leader, please contact Paula Brock at brockp@countryday.net or (513) 979-0282.

The cities named on the map above are just some of the places that you will find CCDS grads living.

56

CONNECTIONS

This is our Country Day.

GLASGOW AMSTERDAM

LONDON

MUNSTER BRUSSELS

PARIS ZURICH

MUNICH

FLORENCE RIJEKA BEIJING

DOBA

TOKYO

KARACHI HONG KONG BANGKOK HO CHI MINH CITY

SINGAPORE

Alumni Network Leaders ATLANTA

BOSTON

CHICAGO

Cyn Mixon ’85 John Mount ’87

Adam Koncius ’96

Sally Dwyer-Hernandez ’05

SOUTH FLORIDA

NEW YORK CITY

PORTLAND, OR

Claire Bechhold ’06 Kevin Dunn ’06

Bill Stulbarg ’71

ORANGE COUNTY, CA

VERMONT

WASHINGTON, D.C.

Al Bunis ’75 Mike Hill ’89 Jacob Woloshin ’99 Chrissy Eynon ’98 Emily Bahl ’03

Chris Lin ’93

John Pepper ’87

Kendle Bryan ’95 Brigid Dunn ’08 Elizabeth Oblinger ’06 John Magnus ’82 Precious Smith ’87

57

Alumni Alumni Council 2015-2016

Holly Mott (President) ’95 Thomas W. Langlois ’77 Charles L. Thomas, III ’80 Stephen S. Lazarus ’81 David B. Briggs, Jr. ’83 Art Richard ’83 Rob Roy ’84 Joel S. Brant ’87

Matthew A. Strauss ’88 Carla Zack ’89 Bree Ann Murdock ’90 William B. Hardigg, III ’96 Robert M. Zimmerman ’98 David Hornberger ’98 J.R. Foster ’98 Prithvi Bhaskar ’00

Cadence M. Moore ’01 Pam Long ’01 Brittany Woods Patterson ’04 Anne L. Oblinger ’04 Lee Strasser ’07 Paula Brock Liz Murphy Dohrmann ‘01

We have plans to visit alumni in LA, San Francisco, NYC, Boston, Chicago, and DC in 2016. Stay tuned for more fun details!

58

CONNECTIONS

Alumni Calendar 2015-16 Local Alumni Service Project January 10, 2016 Noon

Tender Mercies in OTR Join fellow alums as we serve lunch to the residents of Tender Mercies.

CCDS Athletic Hall of Fame Induction (New Time This Year) Friday, January 22, 2016 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Dining Terrace We will induct new Alumni Honorees before the basketball game against CHCA.

Homecoming and Reunion Weekend October 7-8, 2016

Reunion planning is underway for class years ending in one or six.

If you would like to be involved, please contact Paula Brock.

The classes of 2006 and 2011 will have their reunions over Thanksgiving Weekend 2016.

Legacy Family Breakfast Tuesday, April 26, 2016 7:30 a.m.

CCDS Dining Terrace To RSVP to any of these events or for any questions: Paula Brock, brockp@countryday.net or (513) 979-0282

59

Alumni Reunions 1965

1980

The Class of 1965 celebrated their momentous 50th class reunion over Homecoming Weekend in September with several fun events. They attended the Friday night Alumni Reception at the CCDS Tennis Complex and enjoyed seeing alumni from all years and meeting the new Head of School Tony Jaccaci. They also enjoyed the bourbon tasting and great food. On Saturday, the group gathered at the first ever Alumni Brunch event in honor of the Chieftain Society, and paid tribute to their classmate Buck Niehoff who received the first Chieftain Award for his volunteer service to the community. Saturday evening was the reunion dinner held at Cincinnati Country Club and included friends from Seven Hills. Sunday morning was brunch at Dick and Pamela Reis’s home where a beautiful view of the river was a perfect setting to relive memories and say goodbye until next time. Those attending included Dick Reis, Buck Niehoff, Bill Culp, Bob Buechner, Tim Clark, Rob Sherwood, Mitchell Eggers, Robby Robinson, Perry Smith, Harry Shick, Buzz Chatfield, Fred Fischer, Steve Blair, Don Rehse, Ed Vogeler, Rick Vogel, Kim Chatfield, Benjy Diesbach, Dave Parlin, John Miller, Polly Adair Culp, Carol Smith Hesser, and Ann Bartlett Blemker.

The private room at the Capital Grille was the site of the 1980 35th year reunion. The group was happy to talk about old times and hear all the latest news from their old friends. Those that attended included Lisa Collins, Steve Schwartz, Amy Meyer, Peter Fossett, Chalky Thomas, Doug Magenheim, Pam Cohen, John Sullivan, Sherry Epting, Carol Philpott, Kathy Brady, Tim Selnick, Beth Thomas, Lisa Steelman, Murray Wilson, Flip Cohen and Jeff March.

1985

Alumni from the class of 1985 got together at Gibby and Susan Wright’s home for dinner and to catch up with each other. Some of the group came into town for the events from Texas, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. They were also back on campus Friday night to enjoy the Alumni Reception and to see all the changes on campus and meet the new Head of School. Among the attendees were Susan Miller, Gustav Larsson, T.R. Lazo, Melissa Murphy, Gibby Wright, Steve Morrison, Troy Saidleman and Karen Lerner Javello.

60

CONNECTIONS

1990

2000

Alums from the Class of ’90 held their reunion in the private room at Igby’s. Many attended the Friday night Alumni Reception where they were able to see the improvements on campus as well as see Cincinnati and all the new activity downtown. Craig and Lucy Joffe, Rob Heimann, Susan Schoeny, Sam Huttenbauer, Bree Murdock, Bahar Moussavian, Eric Barker, Will Callard, Kirk Andreae, Greg Harris, Treigg Turner, Martha Grassmuck-Morris and Jen Warwick Mixson attended.

Country Day Class of 2000 had a large group of alumni return to Country Day to celebrate their 15-year reunion.

Their reunion was held on Saturday evening, September 26, at 50 West Brewery and the alums attending included Elizabeth Tuke, Prithvi Bhaskar, Jenifer Reiber Walsh, Ryan Chahrour, Greg Vollmer, Christina Lawrence Vollmer, Jolene Frank West, Branden Yee, Allister Sears, Cacki Scallan Jones and Charlie Anness.

1995

Over Homecoming weekend, alums from the class of ’95 had ample opportunity to reminisce and reconnect with classmates and teachers. On Friday, everyone socialized over “straw hats” at the Wright Tennis Complex and enjoyed a beautiful fall night on campus. On Saturday, the reunion took place at the historic Rookwood Building in scenic Mt. Adams. Cregan Ortner, Martha McMahon, Emily Roy, Kendle Bryan, Holly Mott, Greg Kranias, Josh Small, Andrea Yee, Casey Gilmore, Margot Dickinson, Corey Saunders, Catherine Lee, Susan Abouhassan, Alison Moss, Matthew Webb, Laura Heinichen, Brad Kirzner, Jerren Farria, Joe Stanfill, Susan Pepper and Janie Rollinson were in attendance. Thanks to all who attended an unforgettable reunion weekend!

Athletic Hall of Fame Honorees Please join us Friday, January 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m. for dinner and induction before the varsity basketball game against CHCA. To attend please contact Paula Brock, brockp@countryday.net.

Inductees:

Brandon Guttman ’96 Reed Werner ’97 Adrienne Beech Eynon ’98 Melanie Vierling Vollmer ’98 61

Alumni Newsnotes 1958

Paul Weston writes: Alumni from the class of 1958 gathered at Add Woodward’s vacation home in Holland, Michigan this summer and enjoyed “modeling” the newest CCDS Alumni Swag!

Pictured left to right, Paul Weston, Millard Peck, John Acomb, Tom Deupree, Andy Conroy, David Wentworth, Add Woodward and Fred MacLean.

1987

John Mount writes:

Danielle (Levy) Fischer ’98 just joined Coca-Cola.

Kind of cool to have two Alums now working for Coke North America.

teachers, psychotherapists, lawyers, musicians and more made me wonder of the possibility for even greater opportunities for alumni / student interactions to happen in social settings at the school.

1992

1988

Erica Riddick writes: Wow, CCDS Homecoming was fun!

1962

Tim Wollaeger writes: Ross Barrett ’62 and his wife Kathryn Barrett traveled from Virginia Beach, Virginia to visit Tim Wollaeger ’62 and Cindy at their summer home on Granite Lake in New Hampshire.

Tim & Ross were good friends at Country Day and were both active as photographers for the yearbook.

In addition, Tim, swimming against two nationally known age group swimmers, was third out of the water at the Oceanside 1-Mile Pier Swim, when he was passed on the sand by an unapologetic 70year-old to finish 4th!

1969

Alfred K. Nippert, Jr. has been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Ohio Association for Justice for southwestern Ohio. He continues to serve on the Endowment Committee of the American Association for Justice.

62

CONNECTIONS

I thought the school would be empty when I arrived at 5:30 p.m. for my tour of Country Day, but as I approached the building, I could see students sitting together at tables in a commons I envied! VERY different from the room off a cramped hallway that served as free period student space when I attended.

As I made my way to the tennis pavilion for the alumni reception, I continued to pass a myriad collection of people, coming and going. I don’t remember homecoming having such a diverse mix of folks when I was a student. As I chatted with alumni next to where the football game was in full swing, I could see the reunion class of 1955 identify in their matching t-shirts, people waiting in line at concession trucks, children of ALL ages playing EVERYWHERE and parents catching up with each other.

I heard one adult man walk up to someone I was talking with and inquire about both his parents AND his children whom he was looking for, which I found both lovely and amusing at the same time.

I don’t remember mixing with alumni when I attended Country Day. The entire evening was amazingly well choreographed to create a contained alumni event, while allowing alumni to wander more into the action of the game as well as providing students the option to mix with alumni.

Having wonderful conversations with lovely people who happened to be

James Zimmerman was promoted as the youngest ever partner –incharge at his law firm Taft, Stettinius & Hollister effective January 1, 2016.

James, a graduate of Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt Law School, joined the firm in 1999. He and his wife, Mary LaMacchia ’92 are the parents of 4 children and reside in Indian Hill. Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Enquirer.

1996

Ben Hardigg ’96 was married to Libby Brown on September 26, 2015 at The Homestead Resort in Glen Arbor, Michigan. Ben, a graduate of Skidmore College, is a Financial Advisor for ARGI Financial Group, Libby, a graduate of Miami University, is a PCN Coordinator for UC Physicians.

Alumni in the bridal party included best man Jamie Jamieson ’96, maid of honor Liz Murphy ’01, and bridesmaid Kirsten Hardigg de Vallenas ’93. There were many CCDS alums at the wedding who enjoyed a weekend full of fun and love!

1997

Emily Miller writes: Emily G. Miller moved back to Cincinnati in 2012 upon graduating from veterinary school. In the same year she married David Lemen, assistant farm manager at Turner Farm in Indian Hill, and began her career as a small animal veterinarian at Lewis Animal Hospital. Recently she has joined a company called Lap of Love and will be providing in-home hospice and euthanasia services for beloved pets in the greater Cincinnati area. She and her husband share their home with a motley crew of rescued cats and dogs and her free time is spent in the barn with her horse.

Greater Efficiency

2000

Alyson Zalta and her husband Stephen are the proud parents of triplets. Griffin, Rylee, and Ella were born in August and continue to do well.

2001

Monica Singh ’01 and her husband Rayan Nathan had a baby on May 19, 2015. Calvin Dax Kavi weighed 7 lbs.

5oz. and was 20.5 inches long.

Erin Hascup writes: My husband, Kevin Hascup, and I welcomed our second daughter, Finley, on July 16, 2015. Here is a photo of Finley with her big sister Evie.

Pam and Creigh Long welcomed their second baby boy, Nathan, on April 28, 2015. Nate was 7 lbs. 14 oz., and 20.5 inches. Pam, Creigh, and big brother Alex are having so much fun with the new baby!

One of the main priorities of the Development Office is to reduce costs so that more resources can be dedicated toward supporting the students of Cincinnati Country Day School. Stay tuned for more details about future cost saving measures such as electronic receipts, acknowledgments and online appeals. We appreciate your support of our students’ education and look forward to serving you more efficiently in the future.

2003

Emily Geier writes: Alex Vollmer ’01 and I were married on May 16, 2015 surrounded by our close friends and family. We had the most amazing day, which was even more special with the Country Day crew by our side.

The bridal party included Natalie Cohen ’01 and Vallie Tapke ’05 as matrons of honor, Annie Barrett ’03, Meridy McLane ’01, Paige King ’95, and Hilary Vollmer ’91 as bridesmaids, Daniel Vollmer ’97 and Griff Vollmer ’94 as best men, and Greg Vollmer ’00, David Tapke ’05, and Matt Cohen ’01 as groomsmen.

My dad, Rodney Geier ’71, and my uncles, Peter Geier ’69, Marc Comisar ’71, and Dick Geier ’71, had a great time with their high school comrades, Tom Lee ’71, Henri Bouscaren ’71, Ed Sawyer ’71, Bill Stulbarg ’71, Eileen Barrett ’69, and Charley Williams ’71.

(Picture below)

1998

Tricia Knowles married Marc Brown on July 13 on Martha’s Vineyard. She and Marc have recently moved back to Cincinnati to be closer to family and friends. Many CCDS alumni were present including Jeff Bahl ’98, who officiated the ceremony; bridal party members Melanie Vierling Vollmer ’98, Jackie Jurgensen Alf ’98, Amanda Rhein Adams ’98 and Danielle Levy Fisher ’98. Cooper Herrlinger ’98 and Patrick Mathys ’98 were ushers. (Picture - next column)

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Alumni Newsnotes 2005

Katelin French Hansen received a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from The Ohio State University this spring.

Her research focused on microRNA regulation of learning and was funded by a pre-doctoral F31 NRSA fellowship from the National Institute of Mental Health, resulting in multiple peerreviewed publications.

She now serves as the Director of Experiential Learning for the faith-based nonprofit Community Development for All People, and as the Minister of Music for the United Methodist Church for All People, a multiracial and multiclass church in an underprivileged neighborhood of Columbus, where she lives with her husband Ryan Hansen.

2006

John Bahl was married to Kelsey Blum on July 25th, 2015 at Saint Francis de Sales Church in Cincinnati. Other alumni in the bridal party included cobest men Jeff Bahl ’98 and Andrew Bahl ’00, Emily Bahl ’03, Rodger Davis ’06 and Reed Seward ’06.

John graduated from DePauw University and is a Vice President at Fifth Third Bank in Cincinnati.

Kelsey, a Vanderbilt University graduate, is a Financial Analyst at Fort Washington Investment Advisors.

John and Kelsey reside in Mount Adams and plan to honeymoon in South Africa.

Tyler Felous married Sasha Taskier on May 24, 2015 in Virginia.

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2007

IN MEMORIAM

2008

Snowden Rowe ’46 passed away Aug. 2, 2015 surrounded by family after a tough fight with Leukemia.

He is survived by his wife Marianne and sons Robert ’75, Stoddard ’77 and Gregory ’82, daughter-in-law Emily ’82, and granddaughter Elyse ’06 and grandson Hubbell.

Lauren Legette, formerly with The Food Network, is now marketing manager for Uber.

Carly Cantor, graduate of Northwestern with a degree in Musical Theater, performed the role of Morticia in the ShowBiz Players, “The Addams Family,” at the Carnegie Theater in Covington, KY. May 29June 7.

After earning her undergrad at NW, Carly pursued her Masters in Speech and Language Pathology and is a Voice Pathologist at the Professional Voice Center of Cincinnati, and The Blaine Block Institute for Voice Analysis and Rehabilitation.

2010

Tonya Grieb has received a USTA Fulbright Scholarship and will be studying in Austria this fall.

Jordi Alonso writes: I was invited to read a few poems from "Honeyvoiced" at Stony Brook University on February 25 alongside two other poets. The University liked mine so much that they then set up an hour-long reading and Q&A just for me on March 25; they mentioned that I was the youngest person and first current student ever to be given a solo event.

Then I managed to snag a radio interview on a public radio station in Provincetown, MA, which they archived as a podcast here. http:// womr.org/podcast/poet-jordi-alonso/ The host of "Poets’ Corner" again mentioned that I was the youngest person and first current student to be interviewed on his program, and he’s had Pulitzer Prize winners and people of that caliber on the program before.

Richard (Rick) E. Wagner, Jr. ’59 passed away on Feb. 16, 2015 at the age of 75. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, and his children Anne and Christine and grandchildren Joseph, Lucy, Anna and Jane.

Robert Schaengold MD. ’70 passed away Apr. 21, 2015, after a battle with brain cancer. He is survived by his wife Charlotte ‘70, and children Morgan, Bevin, Zach and David.

William (Bill) Riethmiller ’75 lived and worked as a lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, and Bradenton Florida. Bill’s twoyear long battle with leukemia ended June 22, 2015. He leaves behind sons Christopher and Todd; daughter Tabitha Favorite; future daughter-in-law Alecia Salus; sonin-law Chris Favorite; granddaughter Eliana Favorite and former spouse and life-long friend, Linda Riethmiller ’75.

William (Will) Graf Thayer ’05 passed away Sept. 28, 2015. He is survived by parents Josephine and Abbot ’71, sister Abigail Thayer Esselen ’00, brother Richard ’03, nephew William, niece Lucy and many adoring classmates.

Past parent Linda C. Appleby of Evergreen, Colorado passed away Aug. 3, 2015 after a glorious day climbing mountains with her husband of 36 years, Donald Appleby, and their daughter, Jessica. Linda is also survived by her son Michael ‘03 and his wife Alison, her mother Phyllis (Pinkie) Christensen and her brothers Alan and George Christensen.

Rabbi Vicki Seren Tuckman, wife of former faculty member Rob Tuckman, passed away in Apr. 2015 after a battle with cancer.

Students Support the Annual Fund Cincinnati Country Day School’s youngest philanthropists are doing their part to support the Annual Fund, which helps provide students with enhanced educational experiences not covered by tuition.

Henry Kohnen, a second grader, (leftpresenting his Annual Fund gift to Head of School Tony Jaccaci on the stage in the Lower School) donated some of his birthday money to the Annual Fund this fall, while first-grader Nathan Utter (right - presenting his check to Tony on the Lower School stage) also dipped into his own pocket for the cause. Last year, three Lower School students donated during Match Day: Abigail Molloy, Briana Molloy and Mia Sulfsted. In addition, more than 200 MS and US students contributed $5 toward the annual fund on Match Day (and received a free bandana!)

With their heartfelt donations, these young students send a clear message: They love their school!

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At Press Time As Connections was going to press, many noteworthy things were occurring. Here are just a few:

Alumni Newsnotes

Student News

Mike Hill ’89, Miami Marlins President of Baseball Operations introduces new manager.

Annual eighth-grade play involves the entire class in many roles.

Mike Hill ’89, (L) Miami Marlins President of Baseball Operations poses for a photo with new manager Don Mattingly and Marlins Team President David Samson after putting a jersey on Mattingly. Photo provided by the Marlins, Denis Bancroft and Robert Vigon.

All 68 eighth graders participated in the play, either on stage as actors, singers and dancers, or as technical support. Students ran the lights and sound. They also built and painted the set.

Faculty News

Student News

Former faculty members return to campus to meet with Tony Jaccaci. Represent 304 years of teaching at CCDS.

The Turkey Train and Canned Food Drive is an annual event that helps many during the holidays.

Head of School Tony Jaccaci hosted a get-together for former faculty to update them on CCDS, ask for their ideas, and to let them know they were always welcome. Photo: First row - Louise Hausman, Linda Craig, Joe Hofmeister, and Jane Terrill. Second row - Susie Phillips, Peg Hagar, Shanna Morarity, Kathy Winter and Tony Jaccaci. Back row - Rick Van Nuys, Ken Randall, Howard Brownstein and Meg Konerman. Missing from the photo is Bobbie Menter.

Middle School families donate turkeys and the students pass the turkeys along a line (train) from the donated pile to an awaiting refrigerated truck provided by UDF. This year 156 turkeys were donated weighing 2,127 pounds.

Lower and Upper School students also collect can goods to go along with the turkeys. The food goes to The House of Refuge Missions - the 29th year CCDS has provided holiday food.

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Mike Busch, CCDS Director of Facilities, leads a lawnmower parade past Lower School students to the new Taft Semple Maintenance Facility.