Newman News | Spring 2022

NewmanNews SPRING 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Features 4

Back N Business

A renaissance in events, celebrations, and trips

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Rebuilding STEMtown, USA Building model homes to withstand hurricane winds

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Wetland Wonderland Making an ecosystem at school

Contents 2

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Letter from the Head of School

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A Year in the Arts

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Andrew Elkins Day

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Cum Laude Inductees

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Homecoming

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Endowed Lectures

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NPA & Dads Club Spring Party

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Signing Days

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New Buildings

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Founder's Day

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Special Alumni Dedication

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Alumni Weekend

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Class Notes

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Marriages, Births, & Memorials

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Director of Advancement Mary Hoffman Director of Communications Emily Bomersback Director of Alumni Relations Patricia “P.J.” Kolman Communications Manager Roger Hibbert

Director of Advancement Services and Constituent Relations Lauren Haro Director of Annual Giving Zach Frosch Stewardship & Events Manager Jenny Williamson Advancement Assistant Pauline Hartwell

Share alumni news and updates with alumni@newmanschool.org.

Send general questions or comments to communications@newmanschool.org.

Letter from the Head of School DEAR NEWMAN COMMUNITY, Watching our faculty and staff wave goodbye to students of all ages on the last day of the 202122 school year; standing before the Class of 2022, their families, and our full faculty and staff for commencement exercises on Michael Lupin Field; sitting in the Henson Auditorium in May watching numerous band, choir, and theatrical productions finally performed in front of a live audience — amidst these signature year-end moments and events, I am grateful to take a deep breath and to reflect on the meaningful achievements and accomplishments of our students and teachers over the course of Newman’s 118th school year.

The 2021-22 school year was the third year to be affected by the global pandemic. Even with the significant challenges of COVID-19, we were able to make incremental progress each school year in supporting students and in delivering the Newman educational experience. When we made the transition this year to an optional facial covering policy on March 7, just after Mardi Gras break, the energy on campus shifted substantially. Seeing the smiles of students for the first time since March 2020 and gathering collectively indoors for community events profoundly elevated the energy, outlook, and mood on campus. Watching students eating in the Dining Hall, encouraging each other both on and off our athletic fields and stages, and enjoying Newman traditions like the Freshman Washington, D.C. trip and the eighth grade Kanuga trip has been both restorative and inspirational.

With or without masks, Newman’s commitment to academic excellence remained constant.

From creating model homes that were tested against simulated hurricane-force winds to learning more about the importance of strategic architecture and design, to replicating Louisiana’s coastal wetlands and the native species that call those areas home, this past school year provided countless opportunities for our students to learn and grow socially, emotionally, and intellectually.

Within this year’s Newman News, you will find stories of rejuvenation, revival, and ingenuity.

Through the unwavering commitment from our talented and dedicated faculty and staff, the relentless perseverance from our students, and the substantial trust from our parents and the broader school community, the energy and enthusiasm of the 2021-22 school year shines brightly within these pages.

Dale M. Smith Head of School

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Back N Business

After two years of protocols, cohorts, and distancing, Newman students are enjoying a renaissance in events, celebrations, and trips.

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t has been a challenging two years, but Newman teachers and students have been flexible, diligent, and cooperative. While the Newman community’s commitment to health guidelines allowed us to safely support in-person learning, everyone missed the myriad of get-togethers, assemblies, workshops, projects, and outings that strengthen our relationships.

This spring, as COVID protocols evolved into practices, the School experienced a renewal – and a return to the events that form lifelong memories for our students and families. Parents returned to campus, classes congregated for assemblies, and groups resumed time-honored class trips and field trips. We have collected a sample of all the great student events this year.

Junior Achievement's BizTown

Freshman Trip to Washington, D.C.

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BACK N BUSINESS | GREEN TREES

BACK N BUSINESS | LOWER SCHOOL

Green Trees Community is especially important for our youngest Greenies in Green Trees Early Childhood Village. After parents were not allowed on campus for nearly two years, it was gratifying when they were able to be welcomed back. The excitement was palpable when parents returned for the first time to see the Green Trees Mardi Gras Parade this spring. Young parents – some on campus for the first time ever – watched from the stands as their children marched to music while dressed in their best Carnival finery. Surely the high point of the spring semester was Green Trees Special Friends Day in April. The children were delighted to welcome grandparents, family friends, and loved ones to campus to visit their classrooms and enjoy a “picnic brunch" and a concert by members of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

PRE-K REX DEN VISIT

MARDI GRAS PARADE

Lower School

2ND GRADE STRAWBERRY PICKING

SPECIAL FRIENDS DAY

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Concerts and parties and field trips, oh my! Some of the most special memories of Lower School are made at community events. In 2019, a grand Pre-K and Kindergarten concert was planned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, but it was ultimately put on hold. This year, it came to fruition with a bold, colorful, joyous pageant of music and laughter for students and parents alike. Field trips are also a favorite activity, and the School wasted no time loading up the buses for trips such as the a fifth grade journey back in time to the Renaissance Fair and the Pre-K students’ first bus ride to learn about the floats, costumes, and history of the King of Carnival at the Rex Den. Another tradition dating back more than 40 years is the second grade Strawberry Picking field trip. Parent chaperones traveled with the children to Landry-Poché Strawberry Farm, where everyone picked (and ate) bushels of perfectly ripe berries. In April and May the Lower Schoolers visited a Farmers’ Market, Sugar Roots Farm, the Orleans Parish Courthouse, and Junior Achievement’s BizTown – a model city complete with a mayor’s office, television station, restaurant, and an animal shelter.

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BACK N BUSINESS | LOWER SCHOOL

BACK N BUSINESS | MIDDLE SCHOOL SUGAR ROOTS FARM TOUR

WOODSTOCK PAGEANT

Middle School Junior Achievement's BizTown

5TH GRADE RENAISSANCE FAIR

Middle Schoolers were excited to be able to hold their assemblies in Henson Auditorium – the live audience really added to the sense of community. The eighth graders traveled to North Carolina for their annual, week-long trip to Kanuga, where they hiked, rafted, and camped with the Mountain Trail Outdoor School. The seventh grade embarked on a series of day trips that started with a day of team building through cooperative tasks at LOOP NOLA, an outdoor workshop. Next was a visit to the National World War II Museum, where they learned about the war’s impact on the modern world. They also enjoyed a special talk with Mr. Paul Hilliard, a firstperson witness to history, who lived through the Great Depression and fought in World War II. The sixth grade strengthened friendships and had lots of fun on the annual Sixth Grade Picnic at Fontainebleau State Park.

6TH GRADE PICNIC

WWII Talk by Paul Hilliard

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BACK N BUSINESS | MIDDLE SCHOOL

BACK N BUSINESS | UPPER SCHOOL

7TH GRADE LOOP NOLA 9TH GRADE WASHINGTON, D.C. TRIP

Upper School One of the milestones of Newman Upper School is the annual ninth grade trip to Washington, D.C. This year the freshmen upgraded to air travel, with a short flight replacing the 18-hour bus ride. The students took in monuments, museums, and a trip to the Capitol to meet with our state's representatives and other leaders. Our Speech and Debate Team was also exhilarated to be able to go on the road again for their competitions, traveling as far as Austin, Texas and Louisville, Kentucky. The sophomores, who missed their trip to Washington last year, went on a retreat to Camp Abbey where they engaged in team-building games and other bonding activities. The Upper School Robotics team was proud to host a state-wide competition here at Newman. Teams from around the state pitted their robots against each other in rounds of autonomous and controlled contests – Newman was the state runner up! Over 100 members of the Band and Choir also took a road trip to Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, where they competed in the Music in the Parks Festival. The Middle School Choir, and both Upper School Band and Choir won first place in their divisions – as well as having fun in the theme park.

8TH GRADE KANUGA

SPEECH & DEBATE

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BACK N BUSINESS | UPPER SCHOOL

BACK N BUSINESS | UPPER SCHOOL

10TH GRADE CAMP ABBEY

BAND & CHOIR

COMPETITION

ROBOTICS COMPETITION

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It has been a long two years, but the students, teachers, and parents in every division have really made up for lost time this spring. We have a new appreciation of just how special “getting back to normal” can be.

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alking into the classroom of Lower School Science Chair Jennifer Williams, one can’t help but get inspired. With second graders asking questions about the strength of circles versus triangles, third graders inquiring about building materials for roofs, and fourth graders controlling fans that represent hurricane winds to test the architectural soundness of model homes they’ve constructed, these young structural engineers are already employing the tenets of Design Thinking.

“I was planning on doing a unit on architecture this school year, and students were already learning about some of the basic architectural designs when Hurricane Ida approached the greater New Orleans area in August of 2021,” Williams said. “Once Ida hit, I decided it was important to take a place-based educational approach to this topic. We have Greenies who were displaced because of the hurricane, whose homes were severely damaged from the storm, and some whose homes were completely gone. Children need to understand where they live and the issues their individual communities face. This is especially relevant when they’ve gone through a shared experience like Hurricane Ida.” “My shingles blew off my roof and water got under the plywood and into the third floor, second floor, and first floor of my house,” third grader Emily Kullman reflected. “My room got water damage and there was a musty smell, which was really sad for me. We had to move out to get the house fixed. It changed my schedule, and I was no longer in my neighborhood. It was all so unfamiliar to me and weird,” Kullman said.

Rebuilding

STEMtown, USA

Lower School students build model homes to withstand hurricane winds

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And with that, the multi-month unit began. “First, we debriefed on each child’s hurricane experience. Did they evacuate either before or after the storm, did they stay in place, and what was that experience like?” Williams asked of the classes. “We then started looking at the different types of damage that occurred not only here in the New Orleans metro area but in areas further out. They did damage assessments and started to reflect on what caused this damage: Why did this house collapse? How many people may have been affected? Things like that.”

Each team was given a client who represented a real person or family here in South Louisiana, and the house they built had to reflect the needs of their specific living scenario. One team’s client was an elderly couple of which one member of the couple was in a wheelchair, another was a single parent whose home doubled as an office, while other teams were assigned clients with children who needed outdoor spaces to play.

Taking what they’d learned about hurricanes, and after learning more about their clients’ needs, students began blueprinting homes they hoped could withstand a Category 4 hurricane. As students created the floor plan, an elevation and cross-section view of their house were created. After their blueprints were determined fit to suit the needs of their clients, they developed and priced out materials lists and discussed topics such as contract-pricing discounts and avoiding price surges due to supply chain issues.

After ensuring groups were working within governmental parameters and Louisiana building codes, construction began.

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REBUILDING STEMTOWN, USA

REBUILDING STEMTOWN, USA

“Every student first looked at their house through the eyes of a structural engineer,” said Williams. “We learned about construction technologies and the framing of houses, how roofs are shaped, with rafters and ridge boards, along with the many changes in construction technology that have occurred over the years due to past hurricanes such as Andrew and Katrina. It was when I got a call from a parent saying their child came home asking to get up into the attic to ensure their home had hurricane straps that I knew this was, literally, hitting home with these kids.”

fared quite well. “Most of the damage we’re seeing is happening around the roof lines,” Williams said. “Students are learning that things like doorways and windows have to be reinforced because they are structural weaknesses.

They’re learning that the materials used on roofs can make a difference in terms of structural soundness. It’s been eye-opening for students to be able to explore parts of their own city, particularly after Hurricane Ida, and see that the work they’re doing in the classroom directly translates to the world they’re living in.

To test the stability of each group’s home, each house spends one minute in front of prototype hurricane winds created by fans to see how they fare. As for the results, the students are thrilled that their homes have

“My model house survived a Category 5 hurricane. I think my group’s house survived because we used really good materials and made sure that the roof and walls were securely attached,” fourth grader Charley Harris shared.

“I was surprised that our roof didn’t fly off because it was shaking during the testing and I knew there were some weaknesses in the design. I will miss getting to use the tools and materials and designing the house. This project was a big responsibility and I really loved it,” Harris said.

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It’s been eye-opening for students to be able to explore parts of their own city, particularly after Hurricane Ida, and see that the work they’re doing in the classroom directly translates to the world they’re living in.

When asking Williams about the lasting effects of the project, a smile creeps across her face. “This project is multi-layered and touches upon multiple disciplines, including the areas of science, Design Thinking, governmental structures, civics, math, along with the human aspect of caring for others and being empathetic.

These students are gaining a better understanding of where we live and the natural processes that make it challenging to be here. That said, they’re also learning about the human-engineered world and the things we can do to better protect the citizens of Southeast Louisiana.

I want to make them aware – I don’t want them to feel powerless,” Williams said. “Students are ultimately learning that some of the things that affect their daily lives here in Louisiana also affect kids just like them all around the world – and that’s really powerful.”

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My model house survived a Category 5 hurricane.

I think my group’s house survived because we used really good materials and made sure that the roof and walls were securely attached.

“I really liked this project,” fourth grader Sunny Walsh reflected. “I will miss feeling like I am a grown up and having big responsibilities. It taught me to care about others that experienced damage from the hurricane and how I can help them. It made me realize how lucky I am and that we need to help other people that aren’t lucky during hurricanes,” Walsh said with a smile.

CHARLEY HARRIS Fourth Grade Student 16

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A Year in the Arts

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ENDOWED PERFORMANCE

Andrew Elkins Day Annual Creative Arts Performance Featuring Kelly Murtagh

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ach year, the Andrew Clayton Elkins Memorial Fund for the Creative Arts enables Newman to invite a performing artist to the School to share their creative work with our students through performance or creative workshops. This year, the School invited Kelly Murtagh, a Louisiana native, award-winning actor of the silver and small screen, writer, producer, singer, and children’s book author.

Murtagh began the day by reading her book, Zoo Krewe, to Green Trees students and inviting them to join her in a second line, marching to the tune of “They All Ask for You.” Later she also read and sang to Newman’s Pre-K students. In a separate performance, Murtagh spoke to the Upper School about her life in entertainment and her semi-autobiographical film, Shapeless, which tells the story of her lifelong struggle with an eating disorder. She also shared insights into the world of acting and producing movies and the thrill (and terror) of auditioning for acting roles. She finished the event by singing a duet with local musician and Newman alumnus Will Dickerson ’06.

CUM LAUDE SOCIETY INDUCTEES

Class of 2022 Cum Laude Society Inductees

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ach year, Newman honors its most academically accomplished students by inducting them into the Cum Laude Society. In April, twenty seniors took the stage to receive this prestigious honor and to carry forward a renowned Greenie tradition.

Following the certificate ceremony, Head of School Dale Smith introduced this year’s Dianne Lynn Levy Memorial Speaker, Hari M. Osofsky. This Newman Class of 1989 alumna and fellow Cum Laude Society member shared a glimpse into her experience as a Greenie and remarked on the profound impact that a Newman education has had on both her

educational and personal life. Osofsky spoke to students about the importance of paying it forward to others, provided tips on how to rise above “imposter syndrome,” and urged students to have the confidence to take advantage of opportunities when they arise. “If you see an open door, go through it,” she remarked. Osofsky also spoke to the great value and powerful impact of lifelong friendships in her life, many of which blossomed right here on Newman's campus.

Congratulations to this year’s Cum Laude Society inductees and their families.

The day’s events were funded by the Andrew Clayton Elkins Memorial Fund for the Creative Arts, which was established

by Andrew Elkins’ family, friends, and classmates to honor his memory. A member of Newman’s Class of 2005, Andrew was a young boy of great promise, creativity, and joy. As a meaningful and lasting tribute to Andrew’s spirit, friends of the family established the Fund, which provides the resources for Newman to invite visiting artists to the School to perform, teach master classes, and enrich the arts program.

CLASS OF 2022 INDUCTEES Left to right, top to bottom: Giovanna Piedimonte, Emmett Paton, Alton Wise, Luke Estrada, Ben Patron, Anita Gorman, Cecile Oliver, Pierce Bewley, Ryker Dolese, Joe Carey, Lizzie Robert, Lillian Powers, Carolina Prieto, Kate Drury, Ellie Carey, Allie Nowak, Nina LeBourgeois, Mallory Magee, Gigi Browne, and Chloe Incaprera.

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HOMECOMING

HOMCOMING COURT Left to right, top to bottom: Gabe Parnes, Leah Sterbcow, Queen Cecile Oliver, King Krish Sadhwani, Chris Hunter, Eliza Favrot, Makayla Powell, Ari Friend, Leo Singer, Aubrey Whitaker, Cameron Andrews, Shawn Sutherland, Olivia Francis, Pierce Bewley, Lillian Powers, Miles Merlin, Danny Friedman, Kate Drury, Joe Carey, Grace Lynch, Hale Martin, and Chloe Incaprera

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ENDOWED LECTURES

ENDOWED LECTURES

Warren G. Moses History Lecture

Bernard Hirsch Herman Memorial Lecture

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Annual Lecture on World War II Featuring Maurice Blik

n 1997, in honor of their father’s 80th birthday, Mr. Moses’ sons made a gift to Newman to establish an annual lecture on World War II. Each year, a speaker with significant insight into World War II addresses the Newman community.

We were honored to be able to invite Holocaust survivor and world-renowned sculptor, Maurice Blik, to campus for the 23rd annual Warren G. Moses History Lecture. Blik has lived in England since being liberated from Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp, where he was taken as a small child from his birthplace of Amsterdam. He found the ability to come to terms with his experience and to confront the face of humanity he had witnessed some forty years later, finding a voice through sculpture. In his lecture to Upper School students, along with more intimate classroom meetings across each division, Blik shared personal stories from his childhood and emphasized the importance of using your voice and talents to share your experiences with others.

An integral part of the series is the Moses Scholars Competition. This year, students could either create a piece of art that is inspired by Maurice Blik’s work or write an essay exploring the connection between the Holocaust and the historical memory of World War II and how the Holocaust has impacted the way that we remember the war and the U.S.’s role in it. The winners, as chosen by members of the Newman History Department, were Samantha Knister ’23 and Catalina Graindorge-Alday ’23.

The School would like to thank Newman parent Eric LaFleur for organizing Mr. Blik’s visit.

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Annual Lecture from Inspiring Writers and Innovative Thinkers Featuring Maurice Carlos Ruffin ow in its 14th year, The Bernard Hirsch Herman Memorial Lecture honors a thirteen-year Greenie and distinguished member of the Class of 2004 who had a love of writing and profound regard for the human experience. This event is a meaningful Newman tradition, with students benefitting from the insights of inspiring writers and innovative thinkers, and it allows students to connect with a diverse range of speakers and themes during their years in the Upper School.

A Holocaust survivor and world-renowned sculptor, Blik emphasized the importance of using your voice and talents to share your experiences with others.

We were thrilled to welcome this year’s Bernard Hirsch Herman Lecture Honoree, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, to the Henson Auditorium stage. The Ones Who Don’t Say They Love You, Ruffin’s 2021 story collection, along with his 2019 novel, We Cast A Shadow, are just a few of the works the author spoke to in this year’s student-led panel conversation.

While speaking with students, Ruffin also emphasized the significance of words and the importance of actions to back them up.

Don't hear my words, watch my actions.

Words are important but your actions are what matter most.

“Don’t hear my words, watch my actions. Words are important but your actions are what matter most,” Ruffin said. He went on to stress the significance of ciphering through information to find truth. “Your generation is especially adept at knowing what’s real and what’s not. Your brains are faster, you’ve seen more deception, and you know what’s actually going on. Use these wonderful brains that you have, and you’ll be fine. Actions before words.”

We are grateful to The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University and the Herman Family, all of whom worked to bring Maurice Carlos Ruffin to Newman’s campus.

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WETLAND WONDERLAND

When students could not go on a tree-planting project in the wetlands, they decided to make their own ecosystem at school.

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oastal Roots is an educational outreach program that establishes wetland seedling nurseries within coastal Louisiana, and Newman’s Lower School students have been involved with the program for many years. Through the project, students work throughout the year germinating seeds, fostering seedlings, and eventually planting saplings in in affected areas to combat land loss in Louisiana’s coastal wetlands.

When fifth grade students in Elaine Sevin’s science class realized they wouldn’t be able to participate in Coastal Roots again this year due to COVID-19, they were determined to act. If they could not go to the swamp, they’d bring the wetlands to Newman! Stemming from the student’s desires to share the Coastal Roots experience, fifth graders began researching wetland species, choosing a unique species (either native or invasive) to become experts on, and got to work.

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WETLAND WONDERLAND

WETLAND WONDERLAND

The fifth grade students were upset that the current third and fourth graders have not had the opportunity to visit, plant, explore the wetlands as they have, and they were determined to figure out a way for them to be a part of it.

ELAINE SEVIN Fifth Grade Science Teacher

WANTED A HEALTHY ECOSYSTEM

The fifth grade students created posters featuring native species that help preserve Louisiana’s wetlands, along with invasive species that endanger the health of the ecosystem.

"It's been amazing to see this multidisciplinary project come to life,” Sevin said. “They are working in art to create a prototype replica of their species to get as close to actual size and structure as possible. In science class, they are crafting the world for these species to live by creating the Mississippi River basin, Lake Pontchartrain basin, Barataria Preserve, and a barrier island in the hallways outside the lab. We are using as many recycled materials as possible to engineer the world as we can, including the use of cardboard boxes and plastic.”

And the finished project is impressive! This seed of an idea has germinated and blossomed into a full-blown, model ecosystem on the second floor of the Oreck Building. While on a walk through the preserve it’s easy to quickly spot both oak and cypress trees, along with some black mangrove, marsh grass, sunflowers, wisteria, and many other plants that are present in the wetlands. The project’s message is simple: The wetlands are important, necessary, and must be protected. Protecting means rebuilding/replanting these places and minimizing and controlling the spread of invasive harmful species.

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Through the project, students have begun to understand how important marshes are as a nursery for many unique species that make the wetlands their home. They are also realizing how important the wetlands are to the state of Louisiana as a defense from hurricanes. “To watch them take this knowledge and make such an initiative has been a special experience,” Sevin said. “They were upset that the current third and fourth graders have not had the opportunity to visit, plant, and explore the wetlands as they have, and they were determined to figure out a way for them to be a part of it. This project was completely driven by the students.”

SEE MORE OF OUR WETLAND WONDERLAND IN THIS VIDEO Scan the QR code on your phone to view or visit www.Vimeo.com/721169453

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NPA & Dads Club Spring Party On April 23, Newman parents, faculty, and staff joyfully gathered under bistro lights and on the dance floor at this year’s Spring Party held on Kolb Field. This annual community-building event and fundraiser felt even more special this year, after its two-year hiatus away from campus due to COVID-19 restrictions on gathering. This year’s theme, “Come One N All,” focused on community building and celebrating being able to come together for fellowship, delicious food and beverages, and lawn games. We extend special appreciation to the chairs of the event: Neal Bodenheimer ’95, Jason Goodenough, Melissa Montgomery, Susan Moody Prieto, Carol Starr, and others who contributed to the overall success of the event: Greg Bensel, Hallie Boh ’93, Megan ’91 and Jay ’90 Forman, the Goldring Family, Brandy and John Lalla, and the Newman Facilities Team.

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MEGAN VOGT University of Notre Dame | Rowing

BO BORDELEON Louisiana State University | Football

AUSTIN MONTGOMERY Louisiana State University | Basketball

MICAH PIERCE University of Memphis | Tennis

JOHN GUILLOT Rhodes College | Football

CHRIS HUNTER University of Arizona | Football

TEE WILLIAMS Louisiana Christian University | Football

LIZA LAPEYRE Furman University | Golf

Signing Days

In a series of special ceremonies, eight of Newman’s seniors formalized their commitment to play for colleges and universities around the nation. Friends, family, and faculty joined these rising student-athletes as they signed papers of intent to play at the college level in diverse sports including football, basketball, golf, tennis, and rowing. Please join us in congratulating this group of students on their achievements.

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NEW BUILDINGS

New Improved

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ew buildings and cross-campus renovations will provide more space and improved facilities for the Newman community to enjoy.

Construction is nearing completion on both the Joy and Boysie Bollinger Performing Arts Building and the Fieldhouse (to be formally named this fall), as well as a comprehensive renovation of Physical Education and Athletic Locker Rooms and Community Spaces. When students return to Newman’s campus this fall, they’ll find some exciting new additions and improvements!

Many thanks to all who have supported these efforts, which will provide facilities for Greenies to enjoy for years to come.

If you are interested in learning more, please contact Mary Hoffman at 504.896.6425.

ISIDORE NEWMAN SCHOOL | LOCKER ROOM RENOVATIONS | 11.04.2021 - GIRLS VARSITY LOCKER ROOM

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FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS

Founder's Day

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ach year on Founder’s Day, the entire Newman student body from Green Trees to 12th grade, faculty, and staff gathers together to celebrate our School and our founder, Isidore Newman. This year’s Founder’s Day celebration was particularly meaningful as it was the first time since the start of the pandemic that our entire community was able to gather in one location together to celebrate Isidore Newman School.

As we do every year on this special day, Newman honored faculty and staff for their dedication to our School by presenting certificates for years of service in increments of five. As is tradition, we also awarded Stephen B. Lemann Awards for outstanding faculty in each division. Each honoree was surprised and delighted when their names were called to be recognized and asked to come to the stage to receive their framed certificate and award stipend. Award winners were also greeted by family members who surprised them in attendance for this special occasion.

This year’s award winners were Green Trees teacher Elyse McDaniel, Lower School math teacher Kellie Pitts, Middle School Media Arts teacher Meghann Niehus, and Upper School history teacher Masse Ndiaye.

We extend heartfelt thanks to all of our outstanding teachers for their many years of service and sincere congratulations to our Stephen B. Lemann Award winners.

Milestones

The Founder’s Day celebration also serves as a time to recognize Newman’s longest-serving faculty, many of whom have spent decades of their lives in the classrooms, playing fields, auditoriums, and offices of the School. This listing showcases the major milestones in the careers of our faculty and staff. We are deeply grateful for your service to Newman.

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5 YEARS Martin Benson Erin Elizabeth Brennan Aaron Michael Burns Rodney Michel Davis, Jr. Sarah Clark Glazer Brittany Jane Graves Katie Gray Christine Adams Henderson Aimee Marie Irving

Joanna Marie Izaguirre Catherine Trammell Johnson David William Kern ’01 Juan Gerard Lumas, Jr. Carrie Massey Dustin Howard Nothnagel Stephen Victory David Alonzo Williams Anna L. Yarborough

10 YEARS

15 YEARS

20 YEARS

25 YEARS

35 YEARS

Robert Lee Carey III ’86 Kevin Kennedy Ciolino Alejandro Pablo Gershanik ’86 Kayleigh Maier Gillies Caroline Elizabeth Goyette Sonia Mariela Sapollnik Thomas Uskali

Kelly Bray Block Ivette Rodriguez Casey Jeffrey Mallon Jodi Anne Meekhof

Colleen Henican Loerzel Kathleen Holladay Loescher Dione Plummer Monita Antoinette Thomas

Sheila Connolly Susan White Toso Jeffrey Wilson

Shawn S. McGuire

40 YEARS Cynthia Hecht Denson

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ALUMNI CONNECTION

ALUMNI CONNECTION

Special Alumni Dedication Plaque dedication ceremony for Captain James William McCarter, Jr. ’58

Members of the Class of 1958 gathered during Alumni Weekend to celebrate an esteemed classmate and to honor Marine Captain James “Jimmy” W. McCarter, Jr. for his service in Vietnam. McCarter died a hero and was awarded the prestigious Silver Star for his service as a Marine Captain in 1967. A commemorative plaque was installed at Newman during a special ceremony with a reception that followed, giving McCarter’s classmates a time to gather together and share memories. We extend special appreciation to Jane Godchaux Emke ’58 for her assistance with organizing the event and helping make it a success.

Alumni Weekend

After a two-year hiatus, we were thrilled to invite alumni back to campus for Alumni Weekend 2022 on March 18 and 19. This Newman tradition provided Greenies with the opportunity to reconnect with old friends, meet other generations of Newman graduates, and revisit their favorite spots on campus. Highlights of the weekend included the Alumni Weekend Kick-Off Party at The Tchoup Yard and the Alumni Family Day Crawfish Boil on Newman’s campus (see p. 40).

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Alumni Family Day

Crawfish Boil

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Class Notes Mary Craig Fishman ’48 says, “Hello from Belvedere, California. I have no news except to agree with Jan Morris that old age is a great mistake. I am well situated for this stage of life, living in a beautiful place where I can walk to everything I need.

Hope everyone else from the Class of '48 is as lucky. I do take yoga classes and enjoy my grandchildren, Brittany and Adam. Sorry not to make any more reunions, but traveling is a thing of the past.”

Sarah Ogden Sweet ’51 says, “Hello to all who remember the Ogden Twins, class of 1951.

My husband Don and I have five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren whom we luckily see often. We still travel on occasion. I recall my days at Newman and graduation with delight!”

Susan Miller Hill ’57 finally retired after 59 years of practicing physical therapy.

She shares, “P.T. has been a most rewarding profession and I loved it. I joined my husband, Rodney, who retired in May 2021 after teaching in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Texas A&M University. Whoop!”

Mary Cunningham Willingham ’59 writes, “Becoming a widow has been a journey, but planning a big trip for this summer to England and Scotland and helping with six grandsons has made that journey bearable. I continue to miss Brenda, Nina, Linda, Susan, Tommy and all my ’59 classmates and Richard (’60)."

John Hevron ’63 celebrated his 52nd medical school reunion this year. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award 42

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Asprodites ’70 and a coworker to create the Alliance of Independent Representatives, a trade organization that galvanizes those who work with content creators for advertising. AIR's members span the country and into Europe and enjoy round tables, panels, industry discounts, and peer support.

for his class. He has been a practicing OB/GYN for 50 years and has delivered over 5,000 babies. For the past 30 years, he has led several medical missions to Latin America.

In May, he is headed to the Dominican Republic for his first medical/dental mission in three years.

Scott Kellermann ’63 is serving as a senior consultant with the Epicenter for Emerging Infectious Disease Intelligence, which is searching for novel viruses among mosquitoes, bats, primates, and humans in an attempt to prevent a future pandemic.

He is a professor at Tulane’s School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Courtney Wilson ’63 still enjoys monthly lunches with members of the Class of 1963 at Martin’s Wine Cellar.

Patty Friedmann ’64 has a novel coming out this spring titled, One Knife, One Fork, One Spoon. She writes that it is “probably my fiction that pushes the limits most of any, and I’ve had some protagonists who were real doozies.”

the rest in Baltimore near their grandchildren. They both remain in good health and hope everyone in the Class of 1965 is doing well!

Philip “Flip” Frank ’67 writes, “Three and a half years ago, I left the corporate world and started my own consulting business, Flip2.0 LLC. It’s been great and now I am enjoying a very rewarding work-life balance. My website is flipfrankconsulting.com.

Part-time work on my own schedule, enjoying my two granddaughters, flyfishing for redfish, and now traveling again."

Bob Lane ’64 is in an acting class and recently performed in a scene from a play he wrote about an Archbishop of Canterbury, Edmund Grindal.

Jon Weinstein ’64 has been a financial advisor for 50 years and is a member of the Professional Advisory Board of the Communities Foundation of Texas.

Martin Koretzky ’65 “mostly retired” in December 2019. He and his wife, Margie, spend a little over half the year in Delray Beach, FL and

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Bob McMurry ’72 is starting his fifth fire season flying the Kodiak 100 air attack platform for the U.S. Forest Service. In 2015, he retired from FedEx IT after 36 years.

Allain Bush ’74 and her husband, Gordon Magonet, recently moved to Ashville, NC. After 27 years in Virginia, Nancy Smith Nero ’74 has moved back to New Orleans! She is enjoying retirement and getting ready to become a grandmother.

After 35 years in commercial real estate, Larry Rabin ’67 is retired! He is proud to have brought Costco, Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Ulta, and PetSmart to the New Orleans market through his work.

Bruce Campbell ’76 was named an Outstanding Employee of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the American Intellectual Property Law Association and also received the USPTO Distinguished Career Award.

He is eagerly anticipating his retirement at the end of the year.

The pandemic’s business isolation inspired Ann Cohn

Meg Farris ’76 has been reporting with WWL-TV for 41

years and just won an Emmy for a story on the struggles of a family after a seven year-old child was hit by a bullet in a shooting.

After working at Ochsner for 28 years, Avery Bassich Corenswet ’77 retired in July 2019. She returned to work at Ochsner in February 2021 to give COVID vaccines to employees and members of the New Orleans community and will continue working there until no longer needed. For the first year of the pandemic, she sewed masks to give away to the community and stopped counting after she made 1,000 masks!

Peter Conway ’78 recently moved to Chapel Hill, NC. Coby King ’78 is pleased to share that his youngest child recently graduated from Whitman College. He will also celebrate his 28th wedding anniversary in July and the ninth anniversary of his public affairs company, High Point Strategies, in October. He’s lived in Los Angeles since 1991 and encourages classmates to let him know when they’re in town!

The production is directed by Stephen Brackett and was commissioned by New Orleans and Newman’s own Donna and Ben Rosen '52.

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Corie Sutton Adjmi ’82 has a new book coming out on August 2, 2022 titled, The Marriage Box. Although it is fiction, the novel draws on aspects of Corie’s real life, including cheerleading at Newman!

Rebecca Litwin Newman ’83 is still happily working as a pediatrician at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Her youngest son is about to graduate from high school and will head off to Wichita State to play baseball. Her eldest son is an elite baseball pitcher at the University of Illinois – Springfield. Rebecca says, “Thank goodness for my wonderful husband’s athletic ability!”

Mitch Gibbs ’84 is in his eleventh year hosting In the RedZone Live after every Saints game on WGSO Radio, 990AM, at the Downtown Riverside Hilton at the Spirits Bar.

Bryan Batt ’81 is currently in rehearsal for a new offBroadway play, To My Girls, at the prestigious Second Stage.

Jonathan Hirsch ’84 and his wife, Juliet, moved to Leesville, VA in February 2020. Jonathan is an Attorney-Advisor for

Kevin Richardson ’89 ran the Boston Marathon in April with lots of hugs from family at the finish! He is the Chief Medical Officer for Southwest Health and a practicing OBGYN in McComb, MS.

the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, Joint Readiness Training Center an Fort Polk.

In his spare time, Jonathan is the Chairman of the Vernon Parish Democratic Party Executive Committee and is an appointed delegate to the Louisiana State Bar Association House of Delegates. In 2021, he completed his fourteenth marathon and has since had to stop long distance running due to a recent hip replacement surgery. He recently served as a judge in the Louisiana Speech and Debate Association State Championship Tournament and was happy to meet Newman faculty member Greg Malis and Director of Speech and Debate Chris Vincent in person.

Rachel Brown Parry ’86 writes, “My son, Edmund Parry, is coming back to his birthplace on a music scholarship to Loyola University New Orleans!

I’m hoping to reconnect!”

Robby Moss ’90 writes, “The Moss family is doing our best to navigate the world's current events with pandemics, hurricanes, and more. Leigh has retired after a long career as an alumni director and in admissions.

Our eldest son Hartson is a freshman at Washington & Lee in Lexington, VA and is loving every minute of his college experience. Maddox is a sophomore in high school and enjoying having the run of the house now and playing varsity football, basketball, and baseball.

Hartwig Moss Insurance Agency commemorated it's 150th anniversary in November of 2021, celebrating five generations of the Moss family business.”

Micaela Tucker ’90 lives in Vermont and has been practicing law for the past 15 years. She has three children and writes that they are, “fantastically different and keep me wondering how they got to be so brilliant, athletic, and musical.” Mica also shares, “I owe all of my progress on this journey so far to my friends and family who have had the patience and continued > S P R I N G 2 0 2 2 N E W M A N N E WS

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Class Notes faith to let me do my thing, fight my fights, and choose my victories. At many steps along the way, I've reflected on the ethics I developed at Newman, the excellent writing instruction, and the absolutely transformative theater and musical education I received from Ginger Guma and Marilyn Bernard. I miss NOLA and my classmates, but travel weekends are not in the cards these days. I'd love to hear from folks and certainly if you make it to the Green Mountains (or the Whites!), text or e-mail me for coffee or a beer.”

Lori Kushner Bush ’94 recently moved to Litchfield, CT. She works as the Dean of Learning and Innovation at the Forman School and will graduate this spring with an EdD in Entrepreneurial Leadership in Education from Johns Hopkins University.

Alyssa Wilson Leggoe ’95 was recently promoted to the Senior Foreign Service at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). She and her family are moving to Senegal in August, where she will serve as USAID’s Deputy Mission Director.

ALUMNI CONNECTION

In May 2021, Duncan Pace ’05 graduated from LSU HealthNew Orleans with a Doctor of Nurse Practice in Nurse Anesthesia. He works as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist at Children’s Hospital, Touro, and West Jefferson Medical Center.

founded by Taylor, Angel, and their son, Walker, to support kids fighting pediatric cancer.

Taylor shares that “Peter is a perfect example of everything Walker had hoped for with his foundation and his mom and I were honored to accept Peter’s amazing donation on Walker’s behalf.”

Alex Allain ’02 is the cofounder and Chief Technology Officer of U.S. Digital Response, a non-profit that supports governments in crisis.

They recently established a program to support local election administrators as part of the U.S. Alliance for Elections Excellence.

Sarah Winston ’95 and Chris Finney welcomed Truman Elliot Finney in the Summer of 2021.

Sarah is excited to return to Newman as a parent when Truman attends Green Trees in the fall!

Taylor Beery ’97 stopped by campus recently with his wife, Angel, to meet with Peter Casbarian ’31, son of Archie Casbarian ’93. Peter led the Newman Lower School’s fundraising efforts for Kids Join the Fight, a nonprofit 44

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Kicker Kalozdi ’04 started a new career as Events Manager for Frontline Gaming, one of the largest organizers in the tabletop wargaming industry.

Tim Prechter ’04 moved to Alexandria, VA in January.

After two years as an investigative reporter at BuzzFeed News, Emmanuel Felton ’06 joined the Washington Post as their first race and ethnicity reporter. He was approached by The Post for the position after his 2021 BuzzFeed article, "Black Police Officers Describe the Racist Attacks They Faced As They Protected The Capitol," went viral and was cited repeatedly during President Trump’s second impeachment hearing.

While this new position involves a great deal of travel, he will continue to live in New York.

Michael Harris ’08 writes, “I got married to Sarah Fuhrman in New Orleans on November 20, 2021! We had an incredible weekend celebrating with our friends and family in the French Quarter at historic restaurants and bars including Antoine's, Old Absinthe House, Brennan's, and Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar. Sarah's interior design career has taken off and she recently joined the Chiara de Rege team in their New Yorkbased office. I'm continuing to enjoy success at Attentive, a mobile marketing software company, and now sit on the Development Board Committee at Edible Schoolyard NYC. We have lots of exciting trips planned for 2022. We're making up for lost time and traveling to Los Angeles, Paris,

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Seattle, Upstate New York, and the Basque Country!”

of Fairhope, AL on October 30, 2021. They recently bought their first home together in Charleston, SC and have an open door for all Greenies!

also working on applications for PhD programs in Clinical Psychology.

Sean Laughlin ’12 married Madeline Gould on November 13, 2021. He graduated from Georgetown University with a Master’s of Real Estate, moved to Austin, TX, and bought his first house.

Mark Allain ’10 graduated from Tulane University School of Law in May 2021 and earned an Environmental Law Certificate. In September 2021, he joined Deutsch Kerrigan, LLP as an associate attorney in the civil litigation department.

Austin Carriere ’16 is working as a Digital Video Producer for the Denver Nuggets!

After years of studying and working, Justin Serebro ’10 became a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in December 2021.

Justin works for Pacific Life where hs specializes in Risk Management and Financial Reporting.

Ben Hyman ’11 moved to Berlin, Germany in 2019 and recently started working for a music company called the International Copyright Enterprise.

In 2021, Jackson Gasperecz ’17 graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, TX with a BA in Psychology and a minor in Biology. Since then, he has been working as a Research Coordinator at the Center for Violence Prevention at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, TX. He is

Aliyah Dixon ’18 recently graduated from the University of Southern California! She majored in Psychology and plans to attend medical school after a gap year. She will be applying to medical schools throughout the next year and hopes to become a pediatrician with her own practice one day.

After graduating from Emory University with a BS in Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, Di’Jonai Press ’18 is moving to Atlanta! In June, she will begin her role as an Associate Consultant with Veeva, a software company.

Will Reynoir ’18 graduated from Tulane University this Spring!

MiKayla Rulh ’18 graduated from the University of San Diego this Spring and it is joining the Banker Development Program at California Bank and Trust in Irvine, CA.

Manon Scialfa ’19 is studying contemporary dance at the Ecole De Danse Contemporaine De Montreal.

She just completed a short dance film as part of the school's Incubator Projects, which are choreographic works

by EDCM students.

Submit Your Class Note!

Newman is always seeking good news to share in the Class Notes section of our bi-annual publications. Please scan the QR code above or visit www.NewmanSchool.org/ ClassNotes to let us know what's new in your life!

Some examples of news we typically share include: new jobs, graduations, new titles or degrees, big moves, marriages, new family additions, exciting trips, general life updates. You may also send us a photo to include alongside your class note. We look forward to hearing from you!

Join Newman's new alumni engagement platform, where your connection to the School intersects with opportunity.

CONNECT facilitates networking, events, communication, and memory-sharing with classmates near and far.

Sign up today at alumni.newmanschool.org

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Marriages

Zack Lemann ’86 and Hillary Guttman ’96 Kian Nishane Marigny ’92 and Bernard Benedict Neckles Shaunna Jones ’95 and Denver Edwards Michael Thompson ’07 and Sara Wice

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Michael Harris ’08 and Sarah Fuhrman Nick Krueger ’12 and Hannah Pate Sean Laughlin ’12 and Madeline Gould Ashley Adams-Johnson ’13 and Destyn Johnson

Births Truman Finney

Haddon Bell

Nora Insler

William Mann

Sarah Winston ’95 and Chris Finney, a son, Truman Cecily Fogarty Bell ’97 and Brian Bell ’94, a son, Haddon Charles Insler ’99 and Caitlin, a daughter, Nora Lawton Fabacher Mann ’98 and Mike Mann ’97, a son, William Crystelle Zweidler Rowley ’02 and Scott, a daughter, Sophie Meg Henican Simon ’02 and Cameron, a daughter, Elle Bobbie Ragsdale III ’03 and Meghan, a daughter, Arabelle Beau Babst ’04 and Jessica, a son, Bear Kingsley Beer Clements ’07 and Jack Clements ’04, a daughter, Caroline Elizabeth Urquhart Kleinschmidt ’09 and Charles, a daughter, Kit Odell Beckham, Jr. ’11 and Lauren Wood, a son, Zydn

Memorials Michael Harris ’08 and Sarah Fuhrman

Nick Krueger ’12 and Hannah Pate

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Sophie Rowley

Elle Simon

Arabelle Ragsdale

Bear Babst

Caroline Clements

Kit Kleinschmidt

Ashley Adams-Johnson ’13 and Destyn Johnson

Jacqueline Provosty Avegno ’41 Sydney J. Besthoff III ’45 Catherine Dicks Schmidt ’45 Marie Levy Steuer ’45 Jane Burkenroad Bories ’47 Virginia McConnell Walker ’47 Lionel E. Flotte, Jr. ’47 Ferdinand H. Dietze, Jr. ’48 Nancy Herbst Jones ’49 Robert Paul Jones ’49 John Besthoff Strauss ’50 Valerie Fleming Turgeon ’51 Carole Hyman Cambon ’51

Lyle Degelos ’51 Jimi Mackenroth Andersen ’52 Jerry Nusloch ’52 Charles King Mallory III ’54 Stuart I. Phillips ’54 Alan N. Jacobs ’58 Robert Conery Hassinger ’59 Peggy Rabinowitz Jacobs ’59 Richard B. Stone ’60 Sidney B. Steiner ’61 A. Gordon Grant, Jr. ’63 Kenneth B. Thompson III ’74

Sean Laughlin ’12 and Madeline Gould

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Newman Alumni Weekend March 17 & 18, 2023 With special Reunion celebrations for classes ending in 3 and 8.

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