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Spring/Summer Bulletin 2020

NashobaBrooks@Home

B OARD O F TRUSTE E S 2020–2021 Vince Lorusso PRESIDENT

Patti Satterthwaite VICE PRESIDENT

Kirsten Kester ’01 TREASURER

Sarah Khetani SECRETARY

Irene Todd GOVERNANCE CHAIR

Danielle Heard HEAD OF SCHOOL

Matt Boger Matthew Burr TG’89 Anne Elton Elizabeth Garonzik ’03 Lynne Goltra Kate Graham ’98 Lindsey Gund Rick Hardy Agnes Lubega Thomas Mazza Kyle Rusconi René Russo Adam Sureau Charlotte Whitmore Alice Flint, TRUSTEE EMERITUS John Moriarty, TRUSTEE EMERITUS

C ORE VALUE S INTEGRIT Y

We act with honesty, sound judgment, and strong character to build a culture of trust.

COLLABORATION

We build partnerships, foster teamwork, and encourage camaraderie.

INCLUSIVIT Y

We celebrate and affirm all aspects of individual identity and global diversity.

EMPATHY

We seek to understand the feelings of others, value multiple perspectives, build meaningful connections, and inspire ethical action.

RESILIENCE

We value persistence and pursue excellence through continuous learning and growth.

200 Strawberry Hill Road Concord, Massachusetts 01742 978.369.4591 nashobabrooks.org

4 Danielle Heard Head of School Rachael Beare Director of Marketing and Communications

SPRING/SUMMER BULLETIN 2020

C O N T EN T S

Colette Porter Executive Director of Marketing and Communications

From the Head of School

Quincey Katz Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications

Together, Apart: NashobaBrooks@Home with Collaborative Problem-solving

Nature as Muse

Class of 2020 Graduates

The Legacy of Leta

Jacqueline Waters Editorial Consultant

28-Day Anti-racism Challenge

Nicolaus Czarnecki Photography Kirsta Davey Photography Carly Gillis Photography Nashoba Brooks School Archives Photography

Building a Barn, Encouraging Discovery

Nashoba Brooks Fund Donors

Fred Flather TG’90 Promotes Confidence and Character in his New Clothing Line for Girls

MIS SION

Alumni Leaders in Education

Nashoba Brooks School educates children for a life of continuous learning, accomplishment, and leadership in a diverse and changing world. The School nurtures students’ growth and character, while fostering the development of each child’s personal excellence in academics, athletics, and the arts.

Class Notes

Summer Reading

Nicole Chan Director of Annual Giving Amy Sagalyn Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement

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“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” –African Proverb

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CREATIVE COLLABORATION Our world changed in an instant this spring, in ways that were both unexpected and unimaginable. But what emerged during this extraordinary time was the power of the Nashoba Brooks School connections. Our community came together under these uniquely challenging circumstances to pivot, navigate, move forward, and make a difference. Community is a central pillar in our history and our future. It is at the core of all we do. The events of this year required all of us to adapt to the unforseen. Starting in September with the threat of EEE, through the arrival of the global pandemic in the early spring, and ending with the tragic deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor that compelled our nation to confront the deep roots of systemic racism and injustice; our community—employees, students, parents, and trustees—was able to draw on our mission, strategic directions, and core values of integrity, empathy, inclusivity, collaboration, and resilience to guide us. It was from this foundation of strength that some of our most meaningful and creative work emerged. In this Spring/Summer issue of the Bulletin, we look at Nashoba Brooks from the angle of “collaborative problem-solving,” something that has always guided our work in our classrooms, board room, shared spaces, and, more recently, in the new Shilling STEAM Lab. In our feature story, we examine our shift to NashobaBrooks@Home, which invited all of us to embrace an innovative growth mindset, to attain new levels of learning, discovery, and achievement. Our summer began with a launch of the 28-Day Anti-racism Challenge in which our Inclusivity Leadership Team (ILT) offered a host of wellcurated resources for adult community members to contemplate. We hope the reflections shared will encourage many more of us to “take the challenge” and join these important conversations.

In this issue, we also honor the legacy of Literacy Specialist Leta Kniffin who retired at the end of this academic year. We thank her for her 17 years of service and her lasting impact on our community, our teaching practices, and her students. We also share highlights from the work and accomplishments of our alumni, such as Fred Flather TG’90, who started a new clothing line for active, independent girls. We are so proud of our graduates and the many ways they are having a positive impact on our world. Please continue to connect with us and share your news for our class notes section. There is much to celebrate at Nashoba Brooks School. We look forward to the opening of the discovery barn this fall as part of The Campaign for Our Future. The stunning new facility is emerging as a campus centerpiece and we cannot wait to fully utilize this new space. While annual giving declined for many schools this year, we are blessed to have a community so willing to invest in inspired education, our students, and our School. I am grateful to each and every member of this community. Together, we have navigated uncertainty, explored new opportunities, achieved beyond what we could have imagined, and grown stronger together. We are eager to put our learning to work as we embark on a new academic year. Warmly,

Danielle Heard Head of School

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TOGETHER, APART: NASHOBABROOKS@HOME WITH COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING by Jacqueline Waters

THIS ACADEMIC YEAR WAS UNLIKE ANY OTHER; it began amidst the threat of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and concluded with the global pandemic caused by COVID-19. In the face of such disruption and uncertainty, the Nashoba Brooks School community came together, unified in our core values and mission, while apart. It has made all the difference. On short notice, all of us—students, teachers, parents, and administrators—were immersed in the world of online learning. We navigated Zoom, Seesaw, and Flipgrid, simultaneously. We relied on one another to innovate, discover, and grow. During this especially challenging time, NashobaBrooks@Home offered stability and connectivity as our community followed the stayat-home order from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Perhaps, most importantly, remote learning inspired new opportunities for creative collaboration. The adjustment to remote learning was significant. Students missed their friends and teachers; teachers missed their students and colleagues; and parents juggled working and supporting their children’s learning at home. With little time to prepare for the uncharted waters ahead, teachers and administrators searched fervently for creative solutions to new problems and alternative ways to remain connected. At Nashoba Brooks School, we drew on our mission, strategic directions, and core values to guide us—and together, we adapted to the unexpected. “In the long history of humankind,” wrote Charles Darwin, “those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed.” As we look back on these last few months, examples of collaboration in our community are everywhere. If there is one thing the pandemic SPR I N G/ SU M M ER 2020 | 5

has taught us, it is that we are stronger together. Collaboration in the Nashoba Brooks School community occurred both internally— amongst employees, students, and parents—as well as externally, with educators from other schools in communities across the country. Many connected virtually through our networks with the Association of Independent Schools in New England, NCGS, and EXPLO Elevate, to share proven practice and new ideas. “No one person could be the expert. Everyone had to work hard for the students—for the common good,” explained Hank Bryant, director of educational technology and innovation. Together with the head of school, assistant heads of school, and the Information Services (IS) team, Mr. Bryant worked quickly to develop “remote teaching tools” along with how-to videos and Zoom training sessions to launch NashobaBrooks@Home. Mr. Bryant and the IS team also collaborated with a tech director group online and provided ongoing support for Nashoba Brooks School teachers who “stepped up—sharing resources and teaching each other.”

Students compete in virtual Field Day events including sneaker balance, limbo, and sack races. 6 | NA SHOB A BROOK S S CH OOL BU LLE T I N

“I felt so supported by colleagues in my department” acknowledged physical education teacher Ryan Wonsor, who shared that he, Megan McGuin, and Lucy Douglass “communicated constantly” as they planned asynchronous lessons, shared ideas, and thought about materials students had on hand at home. First, they focused on getting everyone moving with fitness circuits, obstacle courses, and letters of your name

workouts; next, they prioritized connection through synchronous lessons, which promoted friendly competition and celebrated personal bests. Mr. Wonsor notes, “The tech department was unbelievable.” Despite the physical distance, the School was still able to host key events, like Field Day, virtually. Hundreds of students and their families participated; Lower School students shared photos of themselves doing Field Day activities at home, while Middle School students joined a Field Day Zoom call. Blue and White Team Captains made announcements, and led a cheer so loud it caused Mr. Wonsor’s computer screen to glitch! “I lost video and audio for a moment!” he said with a laugh. In addition, Ms. Douglass created and shared a slideshow, and students submitted scores online with honesty and integrity. Engaging in Field Day in this new way was just one example of how Nashoba Brooks School adapted programming during the pandemic. In Grade 4 math, the Decimal Dinner also became a virtual event. Laura Lande and Jenny Rutherford collaborated with Mr. Bryant to take the event online. Students learned to input data into Google Sheets and how to use functions to calculate the sum and average price per person for dinner at one of three restaurants. A new outcome of going online with this project was that teachers noticed just how capable students were of autonomous problem-solving. “Students did so well. We saw their ability to work independently,” exclaimed Ms. Lande. She shared an example of a student who, in her first attempt, could not

Hank Bryant, director of educational technology and innovation, explaining how to make bottle rockets during an episode of “NBS News.”

understand a function but rewatched a video to work through the problem on her own. The math Sharing of Understanding highlighted the students’ resilience and growth mindset. Ms. Lande was also astounded by each student’s ability to create videos and seamlessly screencast, as demonstrated in another virtual project— the Fraction Finale—where Grade 4 students became teachers and explained how to simplify fractions. The flexibility and perseverance demonstrated by students during this challenging time was admirable. Ms. Lande felt buoyed by it all. She recognized two silver linings: it “strengthened relationships between colleagues,” and encouraged “an understanding that everyone was wearing a number of different hats.” A new mother with a 10-month-old daughter at home, she appreciated the support from fellow faculty members who were also juggling work and family. “The focus on the social and emotional piece—the well-being of students, employees, and families— pulled us through,” asserted Kerry Stevens, Middle School math teacher and director of external programs. She confessed that she missed seeing students in the hallways and throughout the day and that her online meeting time with colleagues was invaluable; it gave her a chance to hear how students were doing in other classes, as well as what was working and what was not. Grateful for the “constant sharing of ideas and honest feedback,” she described how teachers were continuously “fine-tuning, shifting, and changing” in response to student needs. “Everyone was in such a sharing mode,” noted Ms. Stevens, who said the shift to NashobaBrooks@Home

opened up opportunities, not just for new and creative ways of teaching and learning but for professional development, as well. “One of my biggest joys was participating in so many weekly webinars through ISM, NAIS, AISNE, and SPARK...and talking to teachers from across the country,” she said. While a multitude of resources, like webinars, were available to teachers online, Nashoba Brooks School Counselor Liz Joyce recognized the need for resources for families as well. On her Counselor’s Corner website, Ms. Joyce shared numerous links to all kinds of articles—from how to talk with children about coronavirus and coping with quarantine, to virtual museum tours and guided meditations. In the Friday Letters, she sent a reminder to families: “Please know that I am here and available should you wish to checkin (students or parents!).” Parent Jodi Loughlin remarked that her family felt well supported by the School throughout the spring, “Right off the bat, within the first couple of weeks [of remote learning]...Dr. Rachel Kramer, a child psychologist, was available as part of a Zoom forum for parents to talk about the emotional well-being of your child throughout this process.” She said it was just “another example of Nashoba Brooks going above and beyond with the online process...the school was really there to support the parents.” While Jodi Loughlin applauded the teachers, Grade 2 teacher Lizbie Porter believed that parents were integral to the positive outcomes of online learning. “Parent collaboration was super important,” she acknowledged. “The biggest thing I learned was that we need SPR I N G/ SU M M ER 2020 | 7

A Middle School student’s submission for the Massachusetts Foreign Language Association’s poster contest focussing on Cross Cultural Connections.

partnership with families.” She also understood that it was advantageous to give families and students as much information as possible, well in advance, so they could fit online learning into their schedules at home. While there was admittedly a steep learning curve for all, she relied on collaboration with the teaching team to “keep the bus moving forward.” Every Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m., the team met online to figure out the weekly plan. Together, they brought Poetry Night online for families using Flipgrid. Students and parents completed five activities together, returning to the live Zoom call in between to check-in. In one activity, they watched a video of the poem “Sick” by Shel Silverstein, in which each Grade 2 student read a line. Together, parents and children discussed the poem’s meaning. Virtual events like Poetry Night were another way NashobaBrooks@Home helped families stay connected to the School and to each other during the pandemic. Perhaps, some of the most anticipated opportunities for connecting while apart were the all-School assemblies. 8 | N A SHOB A BROOK S S C H OOL BU LLE T I N

“Live assemblies were fun because everyone could see [one another] and interact,” exclaimed Ms. Porter. For Assembly Coordinator and Lower School Music Teacher Paul Benzaquin, the main objective was clear: “bring the community together.” Figuring out the best way to do this virtually required embracing new technology and collaborating with colleagues to make assemblies come to life. Mr. Benzaquin and the assembly committee created short videos for the School community that showcased student work as well as the campus. In past years, there was an Earth Day parade at School with puppets, an outdoor concert, and service learning. This year’s virtual Earth Day included Head of School Danielle Heard and Assistant Heads of School Tim Croft and Regina Nixon discussing what they do at home to care for the environment. Other assembly videos featured a service initiative shared by student Ivy Randall ’20, and graduates Elizabeth Wolfram ’19 and Theo Randall TG’14; student posters created in Spanish classes highlighting intercultural connections; Literacy

Specialist Kirsta Davey’s impressive photographs of wildlife in her “backyard”; and the now famous “NBS News,” spearheaded by Mr. Bryant and Ms. Parker from the IS team. In the final all-School assembly of the year, Mr. Benzaquin collaborated with Christel Michaud, Middle School music teacher, to produce an incredible virtual chorus of the School song. Ms. Michaud was quick to point out that there was so much “collaboration behind the scenes” and thinking outside of the box during NashobaBrooks@Home. In addition to teaming up with Mr. Benzaquin and accompanist Dina DeMayo, she worked with science and art teachers Kelly Western and Lisa Stanley for the Grade 4 unit on tuning, where students used glass bottles to measure sound. Students also created their own percussion instruments out of found objects. “It really did take a village,” said Ms. Michaud, who heeded Danielle Heard’s advice to: “Reach out to people who can help you, and utilize available resources.” Tapping into a network of musicians proved helpful when she connected with Concord Middle School Choir Program Director Dan Rivenburgh; from him, Ms. Michaud learned how to extract sheet music into audio recordings in order to create backing tracks in the ScanScore program. She also collaborated with her husband, an audio engineer, to learn more complex editing techniques. Armed with these new tools, she was able to uphold School tradition and have the choir sing during this year’s virtual Closing Day ceremony. Of the many people with whom Ms. Michaud collaborated, it was the students who impressed her most. They were “super resilient” and even “the students who are quiet by nature stood out and rose to the occasion.” Beginner band students were also able to progress—some faster than they might have at School— during NashobaBrooks@Home. They met with her on a weekly basis, played together virtually in a round-robin style, and had a great time! She said the camaraderie made for a good learning experience—even at a distance. Middle School Art Teacher Ms. Stanley reflected on the transition to remote learning: “Everything from the foundations up had to change.” She introduced the concept of creating a home studio for Grades 4-8 and outlined her objectives, chief among them: planning open-ended projects that students could do at home, at their own pace. Ms. Stanley also wanted to focus on how artists work together. She consulted with two groups: the National Art Educators Association and the

A student’s submission for the Grade 7 collage color wheel challenge.

Art of Education University. “It was like going to grad school while teaching full-time” said Ms. Stanley, but she was awed by the “amazing sharing nationwide and worldwide.” As often as possible, Ms. Stanley encouraged students to go outside and view art at work in nature. Sometimes, projects included ushering parents outside, too. This was just the case in one lesson inspired by sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, where students were asked to create sculptures from natural items found in their yards, and photograph their creations to share with the class (you can find examples of their work on page 10). She connected with students one-on-one at various stages of their artistic process. The experience underscored that: “There are many right answers and lots of ways to solve problems.” Considering the unconventional and unanticipated spring, everyone in the Nashoba Brooks School community discovered a myriad of ways to solve problems collaboratively. Together we explored many good answers to questions that had never been asked before. In a time when we all needed to remain physically distant, our entire community found ways to build, sustain, and strengthen our connections.

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NATURE AS MUSE FOR INSPIRATION, artists in Grades 4-8 looked to the works of British environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy who, inspired by nature, creates art using natural materials. His land art sculptures are intentionally temporary and left in their environment. For this art challenge, students acted as collectors, sculptors, and photographers, gathering materials from the environment to help demonstrate balance, contrast, line, and shape. The result: breathtaking works of art inspired by nature, seamlessly integrated into the natural world.

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GRADE 3 CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATES Ella Amato Elizabeth Averill Theodore Beeson Violet Bitterman Bailey Burke Maya Costa

Hudson Costas Lucas Fortier Charlotte Happ Mulungi Kalisa Mia Lo Evelyn Lorusso

Sylvan Mayer Monica Pindura Anne Porter Mingus Rabb Evan Rosso Jack Sharrow

Ted Sharrow Luke Smith Aliyah Stephens Alexander Sureau Yifei (Katy) Wang Lillian Western

NEXT SCHOOLS Claypit Hill School Fenn School Gates Elementary School Fessenden School Montgomery Elementary School (VT) *All schools located in Massachusetts unless otherwise noted.

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GRADE 8 CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATES Sierra Atkins Allison Baek Madeline Bean Augusta Beveridge Addison Boger Livia Capello Hadley Carey Anna Crowley

Annie Dong Sarah Gallant Ella Gardner Angelina Gleicher Emma Gower Anna Gregory Colby Gund Alexandra Haines

Abigail Happ Lillian Johnson Meredith Kenney Elizabeth Kirk Letitia Parker Ivy Randall Tessa Renyi Erin Sheehan

Charlotte Skelly Madeleine Smith Elise Sohn Gia Weaver Emma Wonsey Lauren Zipoli

NEXT SCHOOLS Chadwick School (CA) Concord-Carlisle High School Deerfield Academy Groton School Hotchkiss School (CT)

Lawrence Academy Lincoln-Sudbury High School Middlesex School Phillips Academy Andover St. Markâ€™s School

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Tabor Academy Waterford School (UT) Weston High School Winchester High School

THE LEGACY OF LETA Committed. Wise. Helpful. Generous. Empathetic. These are just a handful of words that spring to mind when colleagues think of Leta Kniffin, reading specialist at Nashoba Brooks School. Admired for her creativity and patience, Leta is known for being both an eager collaborator and a humble, yet masterful, teacher and mentor. As our School community celebrates Leta’s accomplishments and wishes her the best in retirement, this much is clear to all: Leta’s legacy will be felt for generations to come. “She is a remarkable colleague—always generous of her time and one of the best student advocates!” exclaims Kirsta Davey, literacy specialist. Jane O’Connor, former assistant head of Lower School, agrees: “Leta Kniffin is, simply put, one of the best teachers I have ever had the honor of working with.” “When I started at Nashoba Brooks, I sat down with the previous assistant head of school, Neal Brown, and he ran through the list of faculty, their roles, and their responsibilities,” recalls Head of School Danielle Heard. “When we reached Leta’s name on the list, he said, ‘Leta Kniffin, she’s a miracle worker.’”

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Leta arrived at Nashoba Brooks 17 years ago, and how fortunate we are that she did. Before stepping through our School doors, Leta amassed several years of invaluable experience in a variety of educational settings—from working with low-income populations and mentally ill students in New York City to running a private practice and consulting with public schools in Massachusetts. A psychology major while at Boston University, Leta started her career in education when she moved to New York after graduation. Her first teaching job was in a Head Start program at Addie Mae Collins in Harlem, a childcare center named after one of the four teenage African American victims of the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing in Birmingham, Alabama on September 15, 1963. After five years at Addie Mae Collins, Leta worked at Rockefeller University and then earned her master’s at New York University in special education, with an emphasis on emotional needs. Eventually, Leta made her way back to Boston, where she recognized that there had been something missing in her previous jobs. “Working on emotional needs but not focusing on learning bothered me,” she admitted. This realization prompted Leta to enroll in Orton-Gillingham training at Massachusetts General Hospital—when she was six months pregnant! Leta worked for several years in private practice and at Carroll School in Lincoln, until her daughter went off to college. At that point, Leta took a job at the Institution for Learning and Development in Lexington, where she stayed for three years before coming to interview at Nashoba Brooks School in 2003. A good friend recommended that Leta check out the School. “At the interview, one of the teachers asked my opinion of whole language,” recalls Leta. “I said, ’Well, it doesn’t work with my children.’” This signature candor is just one of many reasons why Leta became so beloved by her colleagues. “She does not sugar coat, but gets right to the heart of a situation and helps you to come up with real time, specific solutions,” says Lizbie Porter, Grade 2 teacher. “She always has a suggestion about what reading program or lesson will be most helpful for a child. She brings clarity to the purpose of a lesson, so that we are able to teach directly to a specific skill.” In fact, during her many years at Nashoba Brooks, Leta reimagined the way we think about reading. “When I first went to Nashoba Brooks, Leta notes, “Teachers weren’t using direct instruction of phonemic awareness.” Leta championed the change from whole language to

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direct instruction and also created a progressive spelling program for Grades 1, 2, and 3. Leta’s commitment to continuous growth and improvement is highlighted in her observation, “Education is kind of like a seesaw. We see a problem, [like learning to read], and we find a solution, which we think is the greatest thing...until we learn new information, and realize this is not actually the greatest thing.” The seesaw goes up and down, best practices shift, and educators need to adapt. One of Leta’s many strengths is her ability to adapt, and to modify lessons to meet each child’s unique needs. “A master at knowing each child in her group, Leta spends countless hours preparing for lessons, and adapting the lesson so it resonates with every student,” praises Ms. O’Connor. “She works with patience, humor, and care, and feels such delight when she sees a child’s self confidence blossom. When Leta describes a child’s effort and progress you can often detect tears of tremendous joy and a sense of pride in her eyes—not for herself—but for the student. Leta believes in every child, and they know that. Every student that walks in her classroom feels a sense of belonging.” Leta also recognizes the importance of multiple, integrated approaches to problem-solving. This superpower became evident during a major shift in the Lower School reading program for Grades 1, 2, and 3 shortly after she arrived at Nashoba Brooks School. Instead of pulling struggling readers aside for extra instruction, the change allowed Leta to run a concurrent reading group, thereby reducing the stigma for students who were struggling. “I was just another reading group!” she recalls, clearly happy to have created a more inclusive experience for her students. Leta is quick to point out, however, that it was not an overnight success. “Any change in a school is challenging. It wasn’t easy and took a year to put everybody on the same page, but it was huge. It made such a big difference!” Over the years, Leta has continued to make a difference at Nashoba Brooks School. Her many significant contributions have enriched the lives of countless students, families, and colleagues. As Mathematics Specialist and Lower School Reading Specialist Jenny Rutherford observes, “Leta is the type of teacher you wish you had, and she’s the person former students [often recall] as the teacher who changed their life. Leta pours her heart into each and every child she works with and continues to refine her practice despite being an expert in her field. Everything she does is

personal and purposeful in a way that creates a feeling of comfort and belonging for her students, from designing unique binders, writing personal stories for them to read, and tweaking lessons that she’s taught a million times.” “Her door is always open and in addition to helping our daughters, Leta has been a source of reassurance to us as parents,” writes parent Sacha Gregory P’20. “Over the ten years of knowing Leta, she has always believed in our girls and they both have thrived and flourished.” Past parent and former trustee Kiki Shilling PTG’07 P’10 ’17 fondly remembers how Leta got through to her son, as well, and taught him how to read: “I had been working with Reid every night before bed reading the Bob books. I was crushed that I could not reach him in the right way...Leta took him under her wing and not only showed him love but also beautifully preserved his self-esteem to help him persevere when he struggled.” There are countless stories like these from families and colleagues alike, which highlight Leta’s extraordinary knack for understanding each student’s individual needs—and her ability to make even the most difficult task enjoyable. “Leta is notorious for creating games and making learning fun for students who may find reading challenging, said Ms. Davey. “She connects with each of her students to understand their unique learning profiles and ways to support them best.” Agrees Ms. Porter, “She always puts the student first and recognizes that each child has different needs and challenges. She meets them where they are, finds something that each child is good at, and builds on that strength.” Former Head of School Kay Cowan commends Leta for her “combination of gentle prodding and an enviable backpack of highly developed skills”—both of which have helped students “break the code.” According to Ms. Cowan, “Leta creates a safe place to risk, to make mistakes, to learn and ultimately to achieve success.” From Ms. Heard’s perspective, “One of the most important things that Leta teaches students is how to believe in themselves. Students leave Leta’s class with clarity about how they learn best, confidence in their ability to be resilient, and a joyful embrace of the grit and growth that comes with hard work.” For Leta, the best part of her job is “seeing the children experiencing success.” There’s such “incredible empowerment” in learning how to read, she says, and she enjoys watching students grow “stronger as each year progresses.” At Nashoba Brooks, she believes: “You really see the power and growth.” According to Leta,“Children learn at a young age that they have to work harder; if they work hard, they can achieve.” She thinks children have

a better chance of thriving in a smaller school and notes that “the early years are so crucial.” Leta loves working with younger children because they are “so eager and have no cynicism.” “They learn empathy early on,” she observes, then adds: “The best leaders have empathy.” Throughout Leta’s tenure at the School, she has been a humble and empathetic leader. Not only does she teach our youngest students how to read, but she also teaches them how to lead by example. Kindness and courage are two themes Leta loves to incorporate into her lessons.

“Leta teaches all of us about development, perspective, empathy and compassion; she clearly loves seeing her students succeed and sees the best in each one of them,” Leta’s colleagues are grateful for the care and compassion she has shown them throughout the years. Hardworking and invested, Leta has spent many hours preparing lessons to help both students and teachers and she is always willing to share what she learned. “Leta is always up for collaborating, and is always willing to create and share amazing curriculum resources,” remarks Ms. Porter enthusiastically. “She would go above and beyond to benefit the team and seemed to approach all curriculums with the idea that anyone could use it as a resource.” Ms. Davey reflects fondly. “She will be missed equally by her colleagues and her students.” In her next chapter, Leta plans to spend time with her husband and two labradoodles, as well her children and grandchildren who reside in Baltimore and St. Louis. She has been running six days a week for 50 years, so she plans to keep up with that, too! “I’ll probably continue to tutor, volunteer more, and do agility with the dogs,” Leta adds, then says with a laugh: “I get along best with animals and children!” Perhaps Ms. O’Connor sums it up best: “As a child, learning to read felt like a Herculean effort for me. What I know is that if I had been lucky enough to have Leta as my reading teacher, she could have made Dick and Jane come alive like nobody’s business. Her impact will be felt for generations to come.”

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BEING THE CHANGE taking the Nashoba Brooks 28-Day Anti-racism Challenge.

THIS SUMMER, the Nashoba Brooks Inclusivity Leadership Team (ILT) launched a 28-Day Anti-racism Challenge to the adult community. Members of the ILT created a website of carefully curated print, audio and video resources to help guide individual participants through four weekly themes including: Historical Foundations of Race, Racism and Systems of Oppression, Racial Identity and Whiteness, and Anti-racism and Action. The intention of the 28-Day Challenge was to raise awareness of racial injustice, to encourage participants to reflect personally upon the material, and to promote actionable steps toward creating a more equitable and just society. In rolling out the first week of the challenge to employees, Tim Croft, assistant head of lower school and ILT member, wrote: The poignancy of this moment in our nation highlights the importance of engaging in anti-racist work that is both challenging and hopeful. We owe it to our students and ourselves to work toward dismantling systemic and institutional racism, and in doing so preparing our students for “leadership in a diverse and changing world.” What follows below are some of the thoughts, reflections, and revelations that participants experienced as a result of taking the challenge.

READ: Reconstruction’s Legacy, how reconstruction still shapes American racism, by Henry Louis Gates (20-30 min).

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Being a part of the 28-Day Challenge that NBS instituted this summer has been one of the most informative and enlightening experiences of my 10 years as a Nashoba Brooks parent. During my own personal reckoning with my life’s education, and better understanding of racism in our country, this challenge has been a phenomenal resource. The questions that the material has compelled me to ask myself, my family members and my children have and continue to provide so much room for discussion and learning. I still have so much to learn, but am incredibly grateful for the support NBS is giving me as a part of that education. Anonymous, parent

WE WANT TO SEE… One of the key aspects of our mission statement is to nurture growth and character and this is exactly what the 28-Day Challenge has done...I have listened, reflected on my character, learned, and most importantly grown from the information provided. As educators we always encourage our students to be lifelong learners, but as educators we must hold ourselves to the same standard. Many times throughout this month, I would be listening to a podcast while I was making dinner or folding laundry and would have to admit outloud, "I didn’t know that." It’s not fun to say those words, but that is how we learn and grow. I am grateful for this opportunity to have open and honest conversations with my co-workers and to see how individually and as a school community we will continue to grow in the direction of change. Mollie Surprenant, librarian

The curated resources are incredible! I’ve shared the site with friends and family who are also yearning to better understand our country’s history, and daily life experience for people of color. The resources both challenge and stick with me. I am thinking more critically about my interactions in the community, past actions and inactions, and the media I consume. I’m grateful to teach at a school that not only supports my growth as an educator but also as a citizen. READ: NMAAHC Overview, explore the history of race, white privilege, and anti-blackness (30-45 min).

Michelle Perreault, preschool teacher

Whether listening to the 1619 podcast from the NY Times or NPR’s Will You Be My Black Friend? podcast; reading Lynching in America or The White Space; watching The Massacre of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street, or doing the weekly reflections...the 28-Day Anti-racism Challenge has provided me with yet one more reason to shout to the world that I am proud to be a Nashoba Brooks employee. I am grateful to my colleagues for making the time to collect and share these powerful resources. The 28-Day Challenge is a gift, and one that I hope everyone finds the time to open. Anonymous, non-teaching employee

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The depth and variety of pieces - written, audio, video - are astounding. I read/listen/watch a piece or two every day, not always in order. The site is clear and includes thought-provoking questions to guide you. There is a wide variety of history, pop culture, and academic pieces and each has an estimated time listed beneath so that you can easily work things into your time frame. The ripple effect in my life has been wide. Conversations have opened up among immediate and extended family; college, high school and elementary friends; new friends, and strangers. And, especially, with my children. The conversations, seeded by many of the NBS Challenge’s pieces, have been powerful and eye-opening, sometimes emotional and vexing, and always meaningful. I find myself asking my children a lot of questions. My daughters are ahead of me; I’m playing catch up. Their education is more nuanced, more empathic, more complex, richer, and more layered than mine ever was. Through the NBS Challenge, I have had the opportunity to experience what this kind of education is all about and I have found it deeply rewarding, even while being personally challenging. Through the Challenge, I’ve become convinced that if we do not reckon with the past, there is no true forward momentum. Lydia Rheinfrank, P’19 ’22 ’24

I am grateful to NBS for having compiled the 28-Day Anti-racism Challenge resources and for providing the NBS community with a platform to engage in such difficult and important discussions. I found the resources very helpful and easy to navigate. Aggie Lubega, P’23 ’25 and trustee

As part of the team that pulled together these resources, it’s been heartening to see so many people in our community engage in the Challenge...One of the articles, When Black people are in pain, white people just join book clubs, struck a real chord for me, and I hope it will be motivating for others as well. There is so much work to be done to counter the racism embedded in our culture. Susan Lewis, Middle School science teacher

READ

From Christian Cooper to George Floyd: A Letter To White Parents, why white parents need to talk to children about racism (15 min).

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NMAAHC on Race and Racial Identity, race is not biological yet is used to justify systems of power. (30-40 min).

WATCH

13th, Ava DuVernay looks at how the country’s history of racial inequality drives incarceration today (1hr 40 min).

Origins of Jim Crow - The Black Codes and Reconstruction, reconstruction, the black codes, and the beginning of Jim Crow (6 min).

LISTEN

Understand Systems of Oppression by Interrogating Whiteness, with poet Claudia Rankine featured on Here and Now (10 min).

Do the Work: Rachel Cargle, writer, academic, and activist Cargle talks about what real "allyship" looks like (58 min).

TAKE THE CHALLENGE Find a small group of friends, colleagues, and or family members with whom to take the challenge. Visit https://bit.ly/2EGAuhd Choose to read, listen, or watch the resources you have time for. Discuss what you’ve learned, what you struggled with, and what you don’t understand. By discussing these issues more and more openly, we can work together to reduce their destructive impact. In the words of Rosa Parks: “To bring about change, you must not be afraid to take the first step. We will fail when we fail to try.” SPR I N G/ SU M M ER 2020 | 19

BUILDING A BARN

ENCOURAGING DISCOVERY The Nashoba Brooks School community celebrates the construction of our new discovery barn. Slated to open in the Fall of 2020, this new space will extend the strength and flexibility of our programs for Preschool through Grade 8. Take a look at the evolution of this new space in pictures.

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Thank you to the following campaign donors whose generosity helped make this project possible: Maggie Barbuto Kevin Bitterman and Kristen Tahirak Bettina and Craig Burr Gail Burr and Matthew Burr TG’89 Caroline Kester Calhoun ’96 and Ian Calhoun Janet and Steven Correia E. Kay Cowan and William Potter Erin Daly and Konrad Lee Charles and Katharine Denault Annie and Robert Drapeau Neal Dunn and René Russo Anne and Jeffrey Elton Alice and Jonathan Flint Adeeva and Jay Fritz Timothy Gasperoni and Isabelle Rosso Jay Graham and Kate Moriarty Graham ’98 Lindsey and Zack Gund

Fawn Hardison and David Mayer Rick Hardy André and Danielle Heard Hathaway Jade Fulgence Kalisa and Agnes Lubega Chun Jen and Walter Kelt Jay and Sarah Khetani Holly Kimball and David Sharrow Rachel and Robert Kramer Stephen Lanzendorf and Ann Peterson Kathryn and Vince Lorusso Jacqueline Deysher Marchand ’01 and Luke Marchand Christine and Tom Mazza Carol and John Moriarty Michael and Tiffany Mountz John Muresianu and Patti Satterthwaite Greg and Kim Pappas

Caroline and Michael Partridge Andrea and Dick Patton Sally Pin-Reibe and Paul Tatelman Elizabeth and Thomas Renyi Lydia Rheinfrank and Kyle Rusconi Huamin Shen and ZaoZao Zhang Drew and Kiki Shilling Karla and Sean Slade Hilary and Langley Steinert Carl and Nan Stutz Adam and Melanie Sureau Andrew and Elizabeth Thut Chris and Irene Todd Charlotte and Robert Whitmore

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“When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully everyone is blessed.” –Maya Angelou

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ANNUAL GIVING This year, more than ever, the support from donors like you has made all the difference. We cannot thank you enough for meeting the unexpected challenges of the pandemic head on and supporting our School and students. Because of your generosity, we were able to: • Pivot to our remote learning platform NashobaBrooks@Home. • Meet current financial assistance needs. • Provide every student with technology needed for online access. • Train employees on new systems, including those that can be shared remotely. • Augment student support in response to the pandemic. All of this was made possible by the incredible commitment of our board, alumni, families, and friends through the Nashoba Brooks Fund. Our ability to be flexible and open to new ways of engaging and nurturing our students is bolstered by this annual fundraising effort. While so much is unsettling globally, the great vitality of our Nashoba Brooks community is reassuring and real for us all. Thank you for keeping our community strong and ready to take on the challenges of the days ahead. Gifts listed include cumulative contributions between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2020. Please note, these levels do not reflect support for The Campaign for Our Future. Donors are listed in alphabetical order by last and first name. We hope you will inform us of any errors so that we may correct our records.

PARTNERSHIP LEVELS Each year, Nashoba Brooks honors gifts to the School of $1,000 or more by designating the donors as members of the following Nashoba Brooks named Partnership Levels. Founders Circle ($50,000 or more) Drew and Kiki Shilling* Adam and Melanie Sureau Heads Circle ($25,000 to $49,999) Alice and Jonathan Flint** Lindsey and Zack Gund Carol and John Moriarty** Chris and Irene Todd Charlotte and Robert Whitmore

Visionaries ($10,000 to $24,999) Gail Burr and Matthew Burr TG’89 Janet and Steven Correia* Richard and Susanna Gallant Jay Graham and Kate Moriarty Graham ’98 Fawn Hardison and David Mayer Kathryn and Vince Lorusso Greg and Kim Pappas* Elizabeth and Thomas Renyi Lydia Rheinfrank and Kyle Rusconi Huamin Shen and ZaoZao Zhang Joshua and Nancy Solomon Hilary and Langley Steinert* Scholars ($5,000 to $9,999) Cheryl and Rand Alexander** The Cowan Family Charlie and Francie Crowley

Annie and Robert Drapeau* Neal Dunn and René Russo Adeeva and Jay Fritz* Edward Kane and Martha Wallace** Gwen and Vic Khanna Joseph Lerner David Levy and Persis Barron Levy ’84 Rebecca McNeill Margaret and Paul Parisi Caroline and Michael Partridge Carl and Nan Stutz Adam Winstanley and Susie Winstanley ’81** Innovators ($2,500 to $4,999) Joe Alvarado and Margaret Sullivan Marshall and Nicole Bartlett Kristy and Michael Beauvais * 10 years or more of consecutive giving ** 20 years or more of consecutive giving SPR I N G/ SU M M E R 2020 | 23

Ellen and Jeffrey Campbell* Liz Chang and Joe Wallace Mengning Cui and Liwu Kuang Anne and Jeff Elton Timothy Gasperoni and Isabelle Rosso Althea and David Kaemmer* Judy and Steve Kaye** Jay and Sarah Khetani Holly Kimball and David Sharrow Marisa and Mark Little Judith Neilson Letitia and Thomas Parker David and Emily Singer Karla and Sean Slade* Brian and Meghan Wells Jonathan and Patricia Woodard Si Wu and Ruirui Xie

Rick Hardy André and Danielle Heard* Sarah Garland-Hoch and Roland Hoch Kate and William Isaacs Cheryl Kirkman* Peter and Robyn Kirkman* Anna and Peter Kolchinsky Rachel and Robert Kramer* Jacqueline Deysher Marchand ’01 and Luke Marchand* Jonas and Melissa McCray Jeffrey and Sarah Newton* Penelope and Schuyler Peck Lamson and Sally Rheinfrank Florence and Thomas Rosse** Anne and Willard Umphrey

1980 Partners In honor of the partnership of Nashoba Country Day and The Brooks School ($1,980 to $2,499)

Anonymous Kendra Aber-Ferri Kristin Achtmeyer ’98 Jonas Ahlgren TG’18 Stefan and Vanessa Ahlgren Carole and Nancy Allen-Scannell Anthony and Brooke Amato Charles and Lea Anderson Chris and Sarah Andrysiak Kara Angeloni Williams and Eli Williams Clemens and Patricia Anklin Stephanie Anklin ’04 Sarah Armitage ’04 Alexandra Armstrong ’03 Melanie and Sana Ata Diane Auger Ashley and Christopher Austin Jung and Thomas Baek James and Susan Baldini Maggie Barbuto** Elizabeth Barron and William Barron Jr., TG’72* Natalie Bartlett Gary Bartos and Micky Lee George Bass Christine and William Batalden Madeline Bean Lisa Bennett Justine Parisi Bensussen ’05 Paul Benzaquin and Rebecca Magill Lauren and Todd Beresford

Anonymous Andrew and Liza Carey Thomas Cook and Hannah Reeves Frances Devitt** Alexis and Lynne Goltra John Muresianu and Patti Satterthwaite* Jason and Sarah Robart John and Kate Skelly Haidong Wang and Xiaojun Yu Blue, White and Green Partners ($1,000 to $1,979) Janet and Ray Benvenuti Geeta and Sreeni Bhaireddy Karen Birmingham Lindsay and Matt Boger Aura and Jeff Bruce* Caroline Kester Calhoun ’96 and Ian Calhoun Andrew and Colleen Callen Kathleen and Robert Chartener Maylene Chu and Thomas Schnelldorfer Erin Daly and Konrad Lee Charles and Katharine Denault** Patrick Flynn and Barbara Nash

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Gifts Up to $999

Alexander Berlin TG’92* Chris and Holly Bernene* Kevin Bitterman and Kristen Tahirak Alvin and Audrey Block Addison Boger ’20 Andrew Boger and Olivia Boger ’95* Barbara and William Boger Penn Boger TG’18 Gail Awad Bogle ’70 and William Bogle** John Branigan and Laura KleinBranigan Hooper Brooks TG’53 Sara and Stephen Brown Henry Bryant John and Krista Bryant Tandy Bryant ’06 Kristin Bullwinkel and William Schneider Kayla Burke Paige Burr ’28 Margaret Burt* The Cahill Family Nina Callahan ’12 Livia Capello ’20 Hadley Carey ’20 Nancy and Patrick Carey Amanda and Gregg Carman Evan and Kate Carson Anne Cavan ’99 and Ted Cavan Nikki and Norm Chan Sarah and Steve Church Kevin Coakley and Pamela Senese Adam and Beth Cohen Emily Cohen ’98* David and Marcia Cook Amy and Jermaine Cook-Wright Greg Costigan and Megan Denault Costigan ’99 E. Kay Cowan and William Potter** Brett and Mia Crawford Tim Croft Susan Culman Colleen Daly Elizabeth Wang Darling ’89 and Thomas Darling** Barbara Dau** Christopher and Kirsta Davey** Derek Davidson Esther Dechant and Marcus Favero*

Avrie DeMayo ’17 Dina and Donald DeMayo Evan DeMayo TG’16 Ryan DeMayo TG’15 Allison Dempsey ’03 Donna and Ronald Demsher* Elizabeth Denison ’04 Jennifer and Michael Desrochers Olivia Dewey ’10 Andy and Lucy Douglass* Ella and James Dwinell** Jeffrey and Marquerite Eberle Christine Eddis Dan Eder and Hannah Flint ’97 Stephanie Emmet ’06 Anthony and Erin Escobedo John and Mary Fahey Lily Faucett ’16 Devra Feshbach-Meriney Christopher and Molly Finn Marilyn and Phil Finn Alison Flanagan Laura Fletcher Charlotte Flint ’10 Sarah Flint ’94 Lindsay Flynn ’01* Whitney Flynn ’05* Charles and Joanne Forsberg** Elizabeth Forster Rachel Frenkil ’04 Frederick and Martha Fritz David and Patricia Frothingham Peggy Gaffny Marnie Glassman Gale ’94 Kelly and Mike Gallivan* Meredith Gannon Madeline Ganz ’06 Melissa and William Gardner Emily and Mario Gatti Anne Geraghty ’03 Sara Davey Gillis ’06 Sara Glick ’10 Tony Godfrey and Virginia Litle ’77 Elizabeth Goguen Samuel Goguen Zachary Goguen Anna Gregory ’20 Sacha and William Gregory* Katie Grossman ’98 Christine and John Gullette Colby Gund ’20 Alyssa Habbe Amy Happ Barbara and James Harrington

Daniel Hart and Ria Marolda Hart ’90 Courntey Harter Fiona Haslett ’06 Gretchen Herter Isabelle Hoch ’10 Melissa Hoey ’10 Cheryl and Mark Hollinger Molly Horan Catherine Howerton ’04 Faith Howland

“I credit my education at Nashoba Brooks with encouraging my early interest in science, developing my understanding of social justice, and emboldening me to speak my mind with confidence. I choose to support Nashoba Brooks because it is important to me to give back to a place that helped lay the foundation for who I am today.” Sasha Kramer ’08 Sarah Hsu ’15 Andrew Jameson TG’90 and Minna Scholten Jevan Jammal ’02 and Ben Metcalf Jared Jammal TG’98 and Kelley Crowley Jammal ’03 Lee Ellen Jones and Robert Jones TG’74** Martha and Raymond Joumas* Chris and Liz Joyce Angus and Jenny Junkin Fulgence Kalisa and Agnes Lubega Quincey Katz Paige Keady Liz Kelleher Sells Kirsten Kester ’01 and Evan O’Donnell*

W. Carl Kester and Jane Manilych** Alicia Keyes ’05 Jonathan Keyes* Betty Ann and Michael Killian Matthew Killian TG’08 Meghan Killian ’07 Elizabeth Kirk ’20 Leta Kniffin Ann and Henry Knoblock John Knopf and Lisa SultzmanKnopf Lindsay Kolowich ’05 Taryn Kook-Clark Sasha Kramer ’08 Karl and Sarah Kussin Laura Lande Stephen Lanzendorf and Ann Peterson Thomas Lee and Lisa Stanley Kelsey Lees Brennan Lerner Susan Lewis Kara Lightman Anthony ’01 Eleanor Linton Brett and Cory Little Rebecca Pearson Lo and York Lo Alexandra Loumidis ’14 Blair and Tracy Lyne Marisa and Michael MacClary Eden Marland and Duncan White Anthony and Maria Marolda Grace Mastroianni ’16 Guida and Scott Mattison Joan and Paul McCarthy* Anne and John McCormack Megan McGuin and Tjerk van Herwaarden Andrés Méndez-Peñate Christel Michaud Alison Spring Millerick ’93 and Chris Millerick John and Sandy Millerick Maritere Mix Annie Montesano and Dan Scheibe John Moriarty TG’98 and Kathryn Ross Ganz Moriarty ’03 Sarah Morse TG’58 Janet and Steven Moruzzi Nicole Myers Tina Nappi and David Southard Jen and Macdara Nash Elizabeth Neilson Justin Newberg TG’91 SPR I N G/ SU M M E R 2020 | 25

Kim-An Nguyen* Regina Nixon Daniel and Jennifer Noel Kate Noel Annelie Nygren-Mitchell Jane O’Connor Eunna Oh’10 Sherie Ouellet Rebecca Packwood ’05 Caroline Pappas ’13 Courtney Pappas ’17 Margaret Parker Rachel Parker Andrea and Dick Patton* Michelle Perreault Darren and Kendra Perry Chiara Petracek ’19 Lauren Piligian Ruth and Thomas Piper** Edmund and Eleanor Polubinski Chris and Patty Popov* Colette and James Porter Lizbie and Philip Porter* Frank Pinter and Judy Wilson David Powers Elaine and Marcus Rabb Chelsey Remington ’81 Chris and Kate Renyi Tessa Renyi ’20 Timothy Reynolds TG’62 Amy Riddle Alejandro Risso and Roxana Spitaleri Elaine and Michael Ristaino Sophie Robart ’09 Anne Roddy* Gilbert Roddy TG’04* Gilbert and Susan Roddy** Kathryn Roddy ’07* Jennifer Rutherford Amy and David Sagalyn Charles Sawyer Claire and Justin Schaeffer Karl and Wendy Scheibe Jeffrey and Lina Scherck Colby Schofield ’10 Thomas and Tracy Schofield** Christine and Douglas Schuster* Allyn Seymour and Karen Seymour ’72** Kristen and Sean Sheehan* Ellie Shilling ’17 Maggie Shilling ’10* Reid Shilling TG’07*

Amy and Thomas Siebert Christine and Richard Siegrist Anna and James Signorovitch Adam and Amy Simon Natalie Slade ’15 Jennifer and Michael Smith Madeleine Smith ’20 Marin Smith ’93 Sharon and Thomas Smith Angela and Gerald Sohn* Elise Sohn ’20 Kristin Spiak ’04 Anne Standish Lexie Steinert ’17 Max Steinert TG’10 Nicholas Steinert TG’09 David and Kerry Stevens Jeff and Lynn Stone Kate Stone Nancy Stone Laura and Stuart Strong* Natalie Sullivan Alexander Sureau TG’20 Carole and Jean-Claude Sureau Sophie Sureau ’28 Joann Calcagno Tahn and Albert Tahn Sarah Thomsen Caroline Tocci Natalie Todd ’22 Suu Trieu Michael and Nichole Turpin Sonia and William Valentine Adam Van der Sluis and Leah Walpuck Donald and Katy Van Dyne*

Grade 1 artwork. 26 | NA SHOB A BROOK S S CH OOL BU LLE T I N

Maggie-Molloy Van Dyne ’15 Mary Vara Emily von Weise ’11 David Wadleigh TG’57 and Susan Wadleigh Elizabeth and Pat Wallace Emily Watulak ’00 Catherine Wayman ’03 Gia Weaver ’20 Jessica Weigel ’01 Kelly Western David White Tricia White Emily Whitledge Andrew and Heidi Williams* Emma Wonsey ’20 Ryan Wonsor Byron and Kelvey Woodman Bernhardt and Jill Wruble Esther Yoon Marianna Zak ’04

Fred Flather’s business is a family affair. The company’s name comes from Grandma Hilde Makoshey. “She was always herself, and we believe that’s how girls want to be.”

“DO GOOD. HAVE FUN!” FRED FLATHER TG’90 PROMOTES CONFIDENCE AND CHARACTER IN HIS NEW CLOTHING LINE FOR GIRLS Career changer Fred Flather is one year into a new business venture: running Makoshey clothing company with his wife Kristen from their home in Illinois. The new Chicago-based company makes clothes that “keep up” with active, independent girls ages 6-14. Their positive messages inspire girls to confidently “be who you are and who you aspire to be” and “do what you love!” We talked with Fred about how the business began, the hurdles he has encountered along the way, and his formative experiences at Nashoba Brooks School.

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“I’D ALWAYS WANTED TO START a business... it was just a question of finding what exactly we were going to do,” Fred remarks honestly, when asked how he began Makoshey clothing company. After graduating from Nashoba Brooks in 1990, Fred went on to The Fenn School and then to Phillips Academy Andover. Upon graduation from Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law, he began work as an attorney—first as a prosecutor and then for the state government of Illinois in the Department of Human Services. After “a decade or so” of practicing law, he sought a “fresh start” and decided to embark on an expedition into entrepreneurship. Fred’s two criteria for this new venture: “do some good and have fun while doing it.” Generating ideas for a business began with seeking solutions. Fred and his wife Kristen, with whom he runs the company, need look no further than home—to their oldest daughter Sophie—for inspiration. “She is a girl who’s very sporty, and she’s always been closer with boys than with girls,” Fred explains. “Her interests align with stereotypically, historically male interests.” According to Fred, about three years ago, Sophie stopped wanting to wear dresses. Then she “dropped the color pink from her wardrobe” followed closely by purple, then sparkles and rainbows. “We were trying to be as supportive as we could be,” says Fred sincerely, “and it became a real challenge to find clothes that worked for her.” Their first step was shopping in the boys’ department because the themes and colors appealed to

Sophie, but the clothes did not fit right; they were long and baggy and loose. Faced with this dilemma, Fred and Kristen devised a solution—not just for their daughter, but for girls everywhere. “We decided that it would be really cool if we could find a way to make clothes that were in the middle—that had the colors and the styles she liked, had a fit that was made just for girls, and had messages that were inspiring for moms...and for their daughters.” Voila! The idea for their business was born. Makoshey’s motto is “Feel free to be you.” On the company’s website, the Flathers candidly explain that, “As parents of three daughters, we see most brands featuring tight and short clothes for girls. And it all seems the same! With messages and color palettes conforming to gender stereotypes, we constantly struggle to find awesome clothes to match our daughters’ interests. We know there are millions of girls, like our daughters, hungry for something fresh. That’s why we created Makoshey.” Some of the company’s T-shirt graphics depict bold, silhouette images of girls playing various sports while others include inspiring quotes from influential women in history, like Amelia Earhart, Harriet Tubman, and Marie Curie. The brand even has a line of positive, power word shirts, so girls can wear their character—kind, fearless, independent, or gritty—with confidence. “Now, I’ve become so much more aware of, and familiar with, how much clothes do message who you are,” notes Fred. “For someone like my oldest daughter, Sophie, who’s trying to

Fred with his eldest daughter Sophie. At right Sophie models the active girl lifestyle Makoshey represents. 28 | NA SHOB A BROOK S S CH OOL BU LLE T I N

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Fred and his four children show off Makoshey wear.

signal that she likes science, math, and sports...to have clothes that can signal that, and have the colors that signal that, means a lot to her and allows her to feel more comfortable with who she is.” Meanwhile, the Flathers are becoming increasingly more comfortable with navigating the various steps in the process from design to production. Starting a new business offers no shortage of opportunities for learning and growth, especially given the daily surprises that inevitably pop up. Although Fred’s prior experience in law has helped him when it comes to handling problems, he admits that, “running a business is like whack-amole solving problems. Every day, a new issue comes up...and [we] have to all of a sudden become experts in some brand new thing that we’ve never tried before.” The Flathers know that tomorrow, another problem—or several—will arise that they have to solve. The process is “exhilarating and a lot of fun” but also “daunting and overwhelming” at the same time. Makoshey is still in its infancy, so right now Fred and Kristen are building products and developing their marketing. The first line of T-shirts came out last November, and the company has plans to eventually 29 | NA SHOB A BROOK S S CH OOL BU LLE T I N

add shorts, pants, swimwear, blazers, and suits. Most mornings, Fred responds and sends emails to producers in Asia, trying to negotiate with them and get samples back and forth. Meanwhile, Kristen heads up marketing, spreading the word through Facebook and Instagram. They have hired a couple of people to help with messaging and public relations, as well. “Everything takes longer than we want it to take,” says Fred. And that is true now more than ever, as the complex challenges of COVID-19 have undoubtedly affected small businesses, like Makoshey, around the world. Fred explains how the production chain has slowed significantly, given the pandemic. The fabric that comes from Korea could not ship on time to the factory in Virginia that cuts the material for Makoshey’s shorts; and that factory is not currently able to cut the shorts, since it has recently shifted gears to make personal protective equipment, which Fred recognizes is both necessary and admirable. Despite the slow down, company sales are up. Fred believes Makoshey’s uplifting messages “strike a chord” with people, and the company is committed to giving back. Currently, Makoshey is donating 10 percent of its power word T-shirt sales to No Kid Hungry. They have also teamed up with the SPR I N G/ SU M M ER 2020 | 29

Game On! Sports 4 Girls to offer scholarships to girls for summer sports camps. Corporate social responsibility is important to Fred, and the company’s care and concern for others speaks to a core value he learned early on at Nashoba Brooks School: be kind. “Be kind was something that really stuck with me, that’s always stuck with me,” Fred says with a smile. “In fact, one of the very first shirts we designed is a yellow shirt that says “kind’ on it in green, and part of what I was thinking about was Nashoba Brooks...that’s a value that I got from being at Nashoba Brooks.”

“When I look back, the thing that I feel I got out of my experience at Nashoba Brooks was this encouragement to build and to create. Our teachers were very flexible in letting us explore the interests that we had.” Fred also fondly remembers classes with Ms. Webber, Ms. Kindleberger, and Mr. Potsaid and recalls how he was often the first student dropped off and the last student picked up because both of his parents were working in Boston. “I didn’t mind it at all because it was more time with my friends,” Fred reminisces. “When I look back, the thing that I feel I got out of my experience at Nashoba Brooks was this encouragement to build and to create. Our teachers were very flexible in letting us explore the interests that we had.” Fred recounts hours of art time, paper airplane-making, and his “wonderful science teacher” who took the class out into the woods to build structures and walked across campus to model the distance between the planets. “Building and creating was such an important part of the education, and I think that’s probably a big reason why I wanted to build a company...I was really drawn to doing something creative.” When asked about his hopes and dreams for Makoshey, Fred replies earnestly and with a noticeable trace of emotion in his voice: “I think our biggest hope and dream is to give girls who are looking for something different, clothes that they feel really comfortable in...to find those girls who are like our daughter Sophie, that are struggling a little bit...It’s tough being a kid...You don’t 30 | NA SHOB A BROOK S S CH OOL BU LLE T I N

Fred and his wife Kristen run Makoshey from their home.

know who you are, what you’re supposed to be, what you’re supposed to look like...and for some kids, like my daughter...the world is sending her signals that the stuff she wants to wear isn’t right...and that’s sad, that’s hard. We want to find those girls. We want to get these clothes in their hands and have them feel good.” One major benefit of running a business from home is that Fred now spends a lot more time with his four children. In addition to Sophie (11), Fred and Kristen have twins Kate and Finn (9), and Charlotte, who proudly proclaims to be “4 and three-quarters.” Fred’s girls have been models on the Makoshey website, and now that the children are engaged in remote learning at home, they really see what it is like to run a business firsthand. “They’re involved and invested in it, too,” Fred says proudly, “and it’s been great for them to see us working hard and building something...so that’s a lot of fun.” Check out Makoshey at: www.makoshey.com.

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ALUMNI LEADERS IN

In this section, we pay homage to our alumni making their mark in the field of education as teachers and administrative leaders. The early learning experiences of many of our alumni at Nashoba Brooks School helped them discover their passions and talents, which they, in turn, brought back to the classrooms. We applaud them for their accomplishments in educating and inspiring the next generation of student leaders.

ALUMNA RACHEL FRENKIL ’04: A PASSION FOR LEARNING AND LANGUAGES ALUMNA RACHEL FRENKIL, currently in her eighth year of teaching Spanish, loves working at Gann Academy. She credits her early years at Nashoba Brooks School as the spark for her career path in education. Additionally, it was in Grade 4, studying French, when she discovered her natural aptitude for learning languages. Rachel’s mother encouraged her to learn Spanish at a very young age, and she grew up in a bilingual home. “I loved Spanish because of my family but Nashoba Brooks School showed me I could be very successful in languages in general because I was so good at French. It came very easily to me,” said Rachel. After graduating from Concord Academy, Rachel attended Colby College where she traveled to Buenos Aires for six months to study abroad. “After graduating from Colby College, I worked at the Pomfret School where they were willing to send me to Spain for a week, Madrid and Barcelona. Then I got my masters in Spanish (with a concentration in literature) from Middlebury College over the course of 4 summers.” Reflecting back, Rachel states: “Nashoba Brooks showed me what a rigorous and great education is all about. Looking back [my experience] made me want to get involved in education. I am passionate about using authentic materials and applied grammar to create meaningful and engaging lessons for my students. My classes are communicative and student-centered.”

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DREW JAMESON TG’90: JOURNEY FROM STUDENT TO TEACHER AND PARENT AT NASHOBA BROOKS DREW JAMESON HAS BEEN TEACHING at Nashoba Brooks School for the past five years, but he is also a very proud alum. “I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid!” he says, “but part of that was because my science teacher Mr. Webster made me interested in science.” Despite his early love of science, Drew went on to attend Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts, where he studied creative writing, and Reed College, where he majored in English and wrote a creative thesis. After working in publishing for several years, Drew earned his master’s in education through the Teach Next Year program at UMass Boston. At Nashoba Brooks, he puts his extensive writing background to use teaching Grades 4 and 5 reading and writers’ workshop classes. This year, he also served as a Grade 4 co-homeroom teacher. In all of his endeavors, Drew embodies the School’s motto: Work hard. Play fair. Be kind. Reach out. Whether preparing for readers’ theater, inspiring students to learn to love to write, partnering with his co-teachers in homeroom, or taking in the many joys of weekly assemblies, Drew brings his all to everything he does. Drew credits his early years at Nashoba Brooks with helping to discover the importance of finding balance in our daily lives: “Nashoba Brooks taught me that our feelings and emotions, our inner lives, are real and important. That helped me to form positive relationships, and to look for fulfillment in things beyond just comfort or money.”

KAITLYN GILES MCHUGH ’02, NEW ASSISTANT HEAD OF THE MIDDLE SCHOOL HAD YOU ASKED Kaitlyn Giles McHugh as a Grade 5 student at Nashoba Brooks School what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would have given three distinct answers—an architect, a lawyer, or a marine biologist. Kaitlyn thinks back fondly on her early years at Nashoba Brooks. As a student, she recalls learning about each country in the world, cataloging lima bean growth as part of her plant project, and running the one-mile race with classmate Jevan Jammal ’02, now director of admission at Nashoba Brooks. After college, Kaitlyn shifted her plans from law school to becoming a Teach For America corps member. “I found the work of educators to be so deeply grounded in community and character development,” Kaitlyn reflects, “which has always felt to me like critical and important work.” After Teach For America, Kaitlyn became a part of the founding group at Excel Academy Orient Heights, part of a public charter school network. She taught math and led the fifth grade team before becoming the dean of curriculum and instruction. She has spent the last five years in that administrative role working on revising the curriculum, leading professional development, and creating an equitable, adaptable, and rigorous academic program for students. Now, Kaitlyn has stepped into the role of assistant head of the Middle School. She is looking forward to partnering with other teachers to get girls excited about STEAM fields. Kaitlyn points out that women are needed in more leadership roles and in key areas of study, and she looks forward to helping the young women at Nashoba Brooks “step out into our diverse and evolving world with the confidence to pursue any opportunity or career they set their minds to.” To read more about our alumni, visit nashobabrooks.org/newandnoteworthy. Have a story you would like to share? Contact Amy Sagalyn, director of alumni and parent engagement, at asagalyn@nashobabrooks.org. 32 | NA SHOB A BROOK S S CH OOL BU LLE T I N

Class

NOTES

JULIET BOELHOEWER ’18 completed her second year at Middlesex School. She loves it there! The transition to online schooling was different but smooth, and she is using her free time to work on her drawing. EMMY MCCORMACK ’18 attends Concord Academy, a community she loves so much. Since Nashoba Brooks, she has continued to take on leadership roles and is now the class representative for her junior year along with being a co-head of Womxn Org which is the feminist group on campus. As of now, when Emmy grows up she plans to pursue a career being a civil rights lawyer. Nashoba Brooks will always have a special place in her heart and she has amazing memories that she still treasures to this day! CHARLOTTE LISA ’17 was elected to become senior class president at Phillips Exeter Academy starting this fall. AMAYA BENZAQUIN-MAGILL ’17 was elected to become senior class president at Lawrence Academy starting this fall. She is also busy practicing drums in her free time, which she has found to be very inspiring.

year. For the 2019-2020 season, Kait received two honorable mention awards from the All-New England Preparatory Athletic Council (NEPSAC) and the Independent School League (ISL). She also received the most improved player award from the Nobles’ coaches. Kait’s team finished first in the ISL for the tenth consecutive year and placed first at the U.S. Squash High School Nationals in division 2. KIMBERLY (KIMMY) SCHUSTER ’13 completed her junior year at Rice University where she is a neuroscience major and a math minor. She was on the president’s honor roll for both semesters this year. She recently founded a non-profit foundation focused on collecting and distributing clean socks, shoes, and other articles of clothing for patients in need, in collaboration with Ben Taub Hospital in Houston, Texas. Visit her website coldfeetwarmhearts.org and be sure to follow her foundation on Facebook at ColdFeetWarmHearts. LAURA KAYE ’13 studied in Jerusalem for four months in fall 2019. In Jerusalem, she met and meditated with fellow Nashoba Brooks School alum ARIEL DOMINIQUE HENDELMAN ’96. COLBY SCHOFIELD ’10 is currently living in New York City with ISABELLE HOCH ’10 and enjoys connecting with Nashoba Brooks School classmates in the city. After graduating from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 2018, Colby joined the Financial Sponsors Group as an investment banking analyst at J.P. Morgan. As of May 2020, Colby is working on the investment team at Brighton Park Capital, a growth equity fund based in Greenwich, CT. KATIE BENVENUTI ’08 is moving back to the east coast to begin law school at Columbia University after spending four years in Los Angeles. She looks forward to an east coast fall, and hopefully reconnecting with some of her fellow Nashoba Brooks alumni in NYC! LINDSEY KELT ’08 is starting her MBA at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania this fall after spending four years working for BlackRock in New York.

Kaitlin (Kait) Schuster ’17 during a squash match.

KAITLIN (KAIT) SCHUSTER ’17 was elected co-captain of the Noble and Greenough School girls’ varsity squash team for the 2020-2021 season. Kait has played on the varsity team since her freshman 33 | NA SHOB A BROOK S S C H OOL BU LLE T I N

KATHERINE BURD ’06 spent years teaching at St. George’s School and Deerfield Academy (where she served as dorm parent to CAROLINE PAPPAS ’13), before she moved to Georgetown University to pursue her MA in English. Upon completing the degree last spring, she moved to New York City, where she SPR I N G/ SU M M ER 2020 | 33

taught upper school English at The Chapin School, an all-girls’ school on the Upper East Side. Recently, she teamed up with LIZA COWAN GARONZIK ’03 to build the editorial, blog component of R.E.A.L. Discussion, Liza’s project. Together, Katherine and Liza are working to establish spaces that promote thoughtful instruction of student-centered discussion skills for Gen Z students everywhere. MADELINE GANZ ’06 graduated from Tufts Medical School in May 2020. She will be starting her residency in OBGYN at Tufts Medical in June. LINDSAY KOLOWICH ’05 and her fiancé Zack Cox are getting married on the north shore of Massachusetts this July. Her maid of honor is another Nashoba Brooks alumna, REBECCA PACKWOOD ’05—they’ve been best friends since Grade 5. Lindsay has also been accepted to the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth’s full-time MBA program and will start in the fall.

Saying “yes to the dress” with Lindsay Kolowich ’05, and Lindsay’s maid of honor Rebecca Packwood ’05. From left to right: Zack Cox’s mom, Lindsay’s mom Kathy Shapleigh P’05, Lindsay, and Rebecca

ELIZABETH HOFFMAN ’05 is beginning her second year of residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia. She loves her job and spending her days taking care of women and girls.

Charlie Doe Stone, Elizabeth (Doe) Stone’s ’04 son.

her Ph.D. in art history from the University of Virginia in April 2020 and currently lives with her family in Montreal, a city she visited for the first time with her Nashoba Brooks class on their Grade 7 field trip! LEE CROSS ’02 was promoted to director of e-commerce for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics in April. Based in New York City for the foreseeable future, she is eager to connect with other alumni in the area. E.B. BARTELS ’02 has been adjusting to the ups and downs of 2020. Her wedding, which was supposed to be June 13, 2020, has been postponed to 2021; and her book’s publication date, which was supposed to be in early 2021, is now winter 2022. But the one good thing is that she has had her best friends from Nashoba Brooks School, MEREDITH BROOKS DAVIS-YELINEK ’02 and H. TUCKER ROSEBROCK ’02, by her side throughout it all, and she doesn’t know what she would do without them! ANNA GREENWOOD ’02 is a program manager on the speech team at Google. She works on producing text-to-speech voices for the Google Assistant in different languages. She lives in California with her husband, Mitchell.

ALYSSA KILZER SINCLAIR ’04 graduated with a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of St. Andrews in 2013. She has been living in Texas for five years and has two daughters, Violet (3) and Charlotte (1) with her husband Will. She is currently a stay-at-home mom in Dallas, embracing homeschooling and lots of time in the garden! ELIZABETH (DOE) STONE ’04 and her husband, Zach, on November 26, 2019, welcomed their first baby, Charles (Charlie) Doe Stone. Elizabeth earned 3 4 | NA SHOB A BROOK S S C H OOL BU LLE T I N

Theodore, the son of Victoria Bennett ’00, wearing her Nashoba Brooks jacket.

VICTORIA BENNETT ’00 earned her second Masters of Science in 2013 from Northeastern University. She soon after moved to Maryland to pursue a career in security engineering, using her math, physics, and engineering degrees. She and her husband Joseph Mucia got married at Gibbet Hill in Groton, Massachusetts, in November 2017. Victoria and her husband had a baby boy, Theodore Everett Bennett-Mucia, on January 2, 2020. EMILY COHEN ’98 recently accepted a job as a research scientist at the Cambridge-based biotech start-up, Kronos Bio, that focuses on oncology. Emily says it’s bittersweet to leave the academic bubble, but it is what she has been working towards for so long. She is excited for this next chapter! JENNA PARKER SHOEMAKER ’98 is following her passion for acting after a ten-year career as a professional triathlete that ended in 2013. She landed the role of Tracy in the 2016 SYFY film Ice Sharks. She currently is residing in New York City, and continues to act while also working as both the COO of a venture fund and as a founding partner of a Gen Z lifestyle platform focused on work—all while making time for her passion project, a docuseries, Identity, aimed at shining a light on the brain health epidemic in the world of sports. KATHARINE HERRUP BOYLAN ’96 is excited to be back in Concord after living in New York City for 16 years, along with her husband Schuyler and daughter Annabelle (4). They are in the process of moving back and are looking forward to seeing new and old friends when the time is right. They are delighted to be closer to their families and Bostonarea friends. She recently was happy to discover that her best friend’s niece attends Nashoba Brooks! KELSEY (KESTER) CALHOUN ’96, P’29, has recently joined Homesite Insurance, a FinTech company, leading a department in product analytics. She and her husband, IAN P’29, are enjoying living in Concord, close to their restaurant 80 Thoreau and sending their kids Graham (3) and Fiona ’29 (5), to Nashoba Brooks! They are expecting their third child to join their family in October. ELISSA (MCCORMACK) CUTTER ’95 is currently living in Toms River, NJ, with her husband Duke, and son Joseph (6). They moved to New Jersey from Los Angeles in August 2019 for Elissa to begin a job as a tenure-track assistant professor of religious studies and theology at Georgian Court University.

They love living on the Jersey Shore so far! AZITA (RAFIQUE) JOHN ’94 lives in Santa Barbara, California with her husband Demis, and their 10-year-old son, Jacob. She homeschools her son through the Classical model and runs a ministry serving the homeless in the college town of Isla Vista called “Mac ’n’ Jesus”. EMILY KUMLER KAPLAN ’92, PTG’21 P’28 launched the Empowered Health (empoweredhealthshow.com) podcast in 2019 to help women have access to evidence-based information on their bodies and the sex differences in medicine and medical research, it is now one of the top science/ health/medical podcasts on iTunes. Her Boston Magazine column, by the same name, was nominated for a national award and the project as a whole has helped thousands of women navigate their health in a new way. In August 2020, her two business advice books How Not to Hire and How Not to Get Promoted will be published by HarperCollins. And, she says, her most important (and fun) role is being Max TG’21 and Camilla’s ’28 mother, which makes Emily an alumna and proud Nashoba Brooks parent!

Pictured above is John McEachin TG’92.

JOHN MCEACHIN TG’92 spent 10 wonderful years in Brooklyn but is now enjoying his more bucolic surroundings in quaint Tuxedo Park, New York. He continues to find great satisfaction reporting on news stories from around the world on the newsroom section of jw.org, distinguished as the world’s most multilingual website, with material in more than 1,000 languages. MEGHAN (STREFF) SPRING ’90, hosted an impromptu “Take your daughter to work day” on the first day of school closings in March. Lizzie Spring sat with Meg as she presided over a criminal session in the Worcester District Court. SPR I N G/ SU M M ER 2020 | 35

after living in Switzerland for eight years. It was great to catch up with SUSIE PIPER WINSTANLEY ’81 last summer in Kennebunkport, ME, and with SARAH GRIFFIN ASHWORTH ’81 at the Portsmouth Music Hall in New Hampshire. She would love to hear from other classmates as well, especially anyone living or working nearby in the greater Boston area.

Meghan (Streff) Spring ’90 sitting with her daughter Lizzie at “Take your daughter to work day” in the Worcester District Court.

DREW JAMESON TG’90, P’29 completed his fifth year teaching reading at Nashoba Brooks this spring. This year he also had the opportunities to teach Writers’ Workshop and co-teach fourth grade Homeroom for the first time. He lives in an old farm house in Lunenburg, along with his wife Minna and their daughter Alice ’29, who will be a Kindergartener in the autumn at Nashoba Brooks. Mr. J is thrilled to be a teacher, parent, and alum!

Alexandra (Allie) Winstanley ’15 playing soccer.

Tucker Winstanley TG’13 playing soccer.

Drew Jameson TG’90, P’29, with wife, Minna, and their daughter, Alice ’29 in Ashby Massachusetts.

MATT BURR TG’89, P’28 moved back to the Boston area in 2012 with his wife Gail and they now reside in Concord. He works in private equity, while Gail is an artist who has focused on painting fly fishing flies. Paige ’28, their oldest child, just finished Kindergarten at Nashoba Brooks, and Holden will join his big sister at Nashoba Brooks, as he starts Preschool. Matt was honored to be asked to join the Board of Trustees last year and has very much enjoyed forming new friendships and learning more about Nashoba Brooks’ vision and leadership. CHELSEY REMINGTON ’81 has recently relocated back to Concord with her husband and son 36 | NA SHOB A BROOK S S CH OOL BU LLE T I N

SUSIE PIPER WINSTANLEY ’81, PTG’13 P’15 reports that all is well with the Piper/Winstanley family and they are happily residing in Concord. Much of their free time is spent watching their two children, TUCKER WINSTANLEY TG’13 who is at the Noble and Greenough School and ALEXANDRA (ALLIE) WINSTANLEY ’15 who is at Dartmouth College, play soccer. Both play club soccer and for their respective schools. Allie was recently honored by receiving All-American recognition in her senior year at Nobles, as well as 2nd Team All-Ivy and Women’s Soccer Rookie of the Year at Dartmouth. Both have great memories of soccer and physical education at Nashoba Brooks. PAMELA SENESE ’78 is now in her 34th year of teaching in independent schools. For the past 18 years, she has been teaching first grade at

ELIZABETH (BEEZIE) BICKFORD ’74 lives in Middletown, RI, across the street from St. George’s School, where she just completed her 30th year as teacher and administrator. Her commitment to education has deep roots in her Brooks School of Concord and Nashoba Brooks School experiences and she relishes the connections she still enjoys with some of her schoolmates almost half a century later.

Pamela Senese ’78

Dedham Country Day school in Dedham, MA. She loves working with this age group and finds it to be rewarding and inspirational. She and her husband, Kevin Coakley, reside in Wellesley, MA, and enjoy spending their free time skiing and hiking in the mountains of western Maine. VIRGINIA (GINNY) LITLE ’77 and husband Tony Godfrey are parents of Jack (20), George (18), and Caroline (15). They are enjoying being back in the Boston area since 2013. Ginny is the Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Boston Medical Center. Mentoring young women to pursue careers in surgery is a passion, and she credits her early education at Nashoba Brooks contributed to achieving her career goal.

EVE BENNETT FORBES ’71 lives with her husband in Longmeadow, MA. She is in her second year as director of gift planning at Quinnipiac University, having enjoyed a 30-year career in fundraising for independent schools, colleges, and universities. Eve has two daughters. PHIL ROSSONI TG’71 is teaching rudderless sailing and windsurfing at Community Boating in Boston and gives STEM presentations with walkalong gliders. Phil is the author of Build and Pilot Your Own Walkalong Gliders. Phil will be celebrating 30 years of marriage to his wife, Christine. HOOPER BROOKS TG’53 is retired and doing well, living 9 months a year in Manhattan and 3 months in Vinalhaven, Maine. He says, “It is interesting to reflect on Nashoba Brooks as a shining evolution of what my Grandmother Brooks started almost 100 years ago.”

Share your news!

The Nashoba Country Day School Class of 1976.

KATHERINE (KAFFI) FERGUSON ’76 lives in Salt Lake City, UT, where she skis, bikes, and hikes with her dogs. She works part-time as a librarian at an independent school nearby, Rowland Hall, and is a board member for a land trust. She is married and has “three awesome children”: Sam (29), Luke (27), and Lily (15). She gets back east each summer—but maybe not this one—where she spends time visiting friends and family in Concord and on Cape Cod.

Hey, alumni! Please share your news for the Class Notes section of the Winter 2021 issue of the Bulletin. Have you graduated or started a new job? Recently gotten engaged or married? Have you added to your family? Traveled to exotic places? Made an impact in your local community? Have you gotten together with Nashoba Brooks friends? We want to know. Drop us a line and be sure to share a photo! Send your news or update your contact information by emailing alum@nashobabrooks.org.

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OUR SUMMER READING LIST:

AN EXPLORATION OF COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING EVERY SUMMER, Nashoba Brooks School introduces our summer reading list and takes an initial dive into our annual theme, which serves as the platform for conversations and professional development throughout the year. This summer, we read with a focus on the concept of Collaborative Problem-solving. Preschoolers will read The Little Red Fort, by Sonia Sanchez. This new and exciting adaptation of the old favorite story, The Little Red Hen, tells about Ruby, a young girl with a big dream: to build her own fort. A fun, funky, and feminist tale, this book will inspire young readers everywhere. Kindergarteners will read What Should Danny Do?, by Adir and Ganit Levy. This book includes nine interactive stories that will keep readers on their toes as they choose their own adventure. Students will 3 8 | NA SHOB A BROOK S S CH OOL BU LLE T I N

help Danny, superhero-in-training, make hard choices about the challenges he encounters! Grade 1 students will read Sofia Valdez, Future Prez, by Andrea Beaty. When her abuelo hurts his ankle at the local trash landfill, Sofia Valdez decides to tackle the problems she sees in her neighborhood. In this exciting and powerful book, Sofia attempts to turn Mount Trashmore into a park, and proves that even one kid can make a big difference. Grade 2 students will read Going Places, by Peter and Paul Reynolds. In this riveting tale of a go-cart contest, accompanied by stellar illustrations, each contestant must build a go-cart from the same materials. Maya decides to think outside the boxâ€”can she still win the race?

Grade 3 students will read The Sneetches, by Dr. Seuss. This collection of four humorous and energetic stories told in Dr. Seuss’s well-known rhyming style is a delight to read. In clever parallels to our own world, Dr. Seuss’s characters discover common ground despite their differences and have fun along the way. Grade 4 students will read The Friendship War, by Andrew Clements. This book follows the story of best friends Grace and Ellie, whose relationship is tested when Grace starts a new button-collecting fad at school and is suddenly the center of attention. Will Grace be able to put an end to the new fad, and will Grace and Ellie’s friendship ever be the same? Grade 5 students will read The Wild Robot, by Peter Brown. This thrilling and heartwarming story tells the story of robot Roz, who is suddenly and inexplicably lost on a wild, remote island all alone. Roz must learn to adapt to her new environment and embrace the nature of the island she now calls home. Grade 6 students will read The Bridge Home, by Padma Venkatraman. This beautifully written novel details the intertwined lives of four homeless children surviving and depending on each other in Chennai, India. Finding family in each other and a home on an abandoned bridge, the group enjoys laughter and independence…until illness strikes. The friends must decide if their freedom is more important than seeking help.

Grade 7 students will read I Can Make This Promise, by Christine Day. In this striking debut novel, the protagonist, Edie, discovers new secrets about her Native American heritage, which prompts a flurry of new questions. Will her adoptive parents be able to help her understand her past? Who will have answers about the family she never knew about? Grade 8 students will read The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano, by Sonia Manzano. Based on real events in 1969 New York, this novel details Evelyn Serrano’s battle with her identity. She has been hiding her true feelings about her Spanish Harlem neighborhood as well as her sassy abuela from her parents. Until, Evelyn’s life is drastically changed when the streets of her neighborhood erupt in activist groups and protests, and Evelyn is forced to examine her own history to more fully understand her present identity.

Share your reading! Summer reading pairs well with the relaxing days of summer. Share your favorite summer reads with Nashoba Brooks. Send photos and favorite favorite book titles to communications@nashobabrooks.org.

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