Sophia Hardy ’25 and Charlie Ver Eecke ’25 take a bow on opening night of NSCD’s spring musical, “Xanadu” — a campy, high-energy tale of a Greek muse and a mortal artist who team up to create the ultimate roller disco.
SUPER STRENGTH, SUPER SPEED AND SUPER SMILES
Our superhero-themed Lower School Field Day was action-packed from start to finish. From Hulk’s Tug of War to Thor’s Hammer Water Balloon Toss, our young heroes gave it their all. A big thanks to the physical education department and all the lower school teachers for orchestrating a super send-off to summer.
Gia Anayas Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications
Christine Wachter Associate Director of Marketing and Strategic Communications; Acorn Editor
Jonathan Gibby Digital Content Manager
Tracie Frederick Director of Development
Kenleigh Howard Archivist, Major Gifts and Development Assistant
Ashleigh Palmer ’04 Development Associate— Major Gifts and Alumni Relations
Photographers
Jonathan Gibby
Jack Larsen ’26 Nathan Simon ’25
Writers
Christine Wachter
Kathy Routliffe
Andrea Shemeley Design, ACreativeMindForHire.com
Graphic Arts Studio Printing, gasink.net
The Acorn is published twice yearly by the marketing and communications department of North Shore Country Day for alumni, families, faculty and friends. Its goal is to connect our school community, celebrate achievements and capture the essence of life and learning at NSCD.
ACORN SUMMER 2025
SUMMER ’25
A WORD FROM TOM
THE MOST POWERFUL LESSONS STILL COME FROM DOING, CREATING AND CONNECTING — THE NORTH SHORE WAY SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 1919.
As I was joyfully flipping through the pages of this visually stunning issue of the Acorn, looking for a hook I could use in this letter, something unexpected grabbed my attention: hands. That might sound funny, but take a look and you’ll see what I mean. In so many of these vibrant photographs, the hands are alive, expressive, active. They draw you in, pique your interest and collectively tell the original North Shore story: learning by doing.
These Raider hands are wielding the more “standard” tools of learning, of course — pencils, markers, keyboards — but also less obvious learning tools. These hands are playing music, making art, holding trophies and building cairns. While they do, the students, teachers and campus visitors they belong to are sharing knowledge, learning lessons and spreading joy. It has always been so at NSCD, because the mere passive reception of knowledge has never been the Raider way.
I think of this contrast often these days, as artificial intelligence tools become commonplace and news articles herald the death of learning. AI is amazing and will certainly play a major role in all of our lives, but I have no doubt that the magic of tactile learning — catching a ball, banging a drum, shaping clay or building a load-bearing balsa wood bridge — will never disappear from this campus. Scientific research has now proven the efficacy of hands-on learning, reaching a conclusion we’ve known since 1919.
The other thing that AI will never replace is the connection and generosity that is so often expressed by simply reaching out a hand to one in need. From alumni across the country participating in community service to upper schoolers teaching younger kids to play the violin, the literal helping hands of our extended community continue to live and serve.
There are so many exciting things happening on campus. I hope you can see for yourself sometime soon, whether for reunion or an impromptu visit. If not, join one of our regional gatherings to hear about things at school and our plans for the years ahead. Whether in Winnetka or on the road, I have no doubt you’ll encounter a warm Raider spirit and the open hand of friendship.
RAIDER ROUNDUP
Seasons of Service
Congratulations to the following faculty and staff members for reaching significant milestones in their service to the school. Their years of dedication reflect the strength and continuity of the NSCD community.
35 YEARS
Cindy Hooper
25 YEARS
Susan Downing
20 YEARS
Terri Webb
15 YEARS
Kristen Kaczynski
Julia Macholl
Caitlin McLennan
Ellen Rasmussen
Lucilla Richards-Seaton
10
YEARS
Kiernan Aiston
David Grossman
Timothy Sheehan
Izzy Steach
Five Things to Know About Albert Cano Smit
NSCD WELCOMED SPANISH/DUTCH PIANIST
ALBERT CANO SMIT AS THE FEATURED ARTIST FOR THIS YEAR’S SUSAN MARSHALL ’76 MEMORIAL CONCERT. WE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM AFTER THE CONCERT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HIM.
1
He was captivated by classical music from the start.
Albert started playing piano at age 6, drawn to his sister’s lessons and his family’s electric keyboard. As a child, he would sneak Mozart scores to sightread for fun.
He’s a devoted fan of Bach.
Albert spent five years at the Escolania de Montserrat, near his hometown of Barcelona, where he immersed himself in Baroque music. He calls Bach’s work “a miracle” — mathematically precise yet emotionally vast — and loves how the music invites personal interpretation.
He almost became an aerospace engineer.
Before fully committing to music, Albert seriously considered studying aerospace engineering at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. He’s still fascinated by flight, especially the structure and purpose of commercial aviation.
2 3 4
His pre-concert routine is surprisingly chill.
No intense practice marathons here — Albert prefers to stay mentally focused, visualize the hall and eat a banana (a favorite among performers, it turns out) before performing.
5
He’d love to jam with Beethoven — or play four-hands with Liszt.
When asked with whom he’d most like to collaborate, Albert named a dream lineup of musical legends, from Beethoven to Hungarian virtuoso Franz Liszt to Bach. “I’d be ready to die after that,” he said.
The
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
More than 250 members of the North Shore community gathered at Michigan Shores in Wilmette for the annual Benefit for Teachers, raising more than $410,000 to support faculty recruitment, retention and professional development. This year’s event celebrated the heartbeat of NSCD — its extraordinary educators who inspire, challenge and nurture the next generation.
DEEP SEA RAIDERS SHOW GRIT AND GROWTH IN LEGO ROBOTICS SEASON
North Shore’s FIRST LEGO League team, the Deep Sea Raiders, earned the Core Values Award at their first competition, advancing to the sectionals in January. Judges recognized the team for their enthusiasm, teamwork and sportsmanship — hallmarks of FLL’s mission to make STEM fun, collaborative and hands-on.
This year’s theme, “Submerged,” challenged students to address threats to ocean health. The Raiders, many of them new to FLL, designed a water drone that identifies unhealthy coral and delivers calcium carbonate to aid recovery. Their design process included consulting a NOAA marine biologist and building 3D prototypes with AI functionality. Coach Julie Tuten praised their perseverance and collaboration: “They rose to the challenge.”
Susan Marshall ’76 Memorial Concert series was established by Susan’s parents, Irl and Barbara Favill Marshall ’46, in 1983 in memory of their daughter and her lifelong love of music.
FIRST-YEAR DECA TEAM MAKES ITS MARK
In its inaugural year, NSCD’s upper school DECA team made a strong debut, demonstrating talent, professionalism and a deep understanding of business concepts. Nine students competed at sectionals, with standout performances by Raina Khanna ’26 and Ruby Waters ’28. Three students — Marina Bullock-Puzon ’26, Raina Khanna and Jack Walker ’27 — advanced to the state competition, the Illinois Career Development Conference, where they continued to excel and Jack earned a second-place medal for his role-play. We’re proud of the team’s impressive start.
MODEL UN TEAM BUILDS ON STRONG FOUNDATION
North Shore’s upper school Model UN team capped a strong season at the highly competitive Northwestern University conference in April, which drew top high school programs from across the United States and Canada. The event marked the culmination of a year of growth following the program’s relaunch, with several students earning recognition for their efforts. In March, North Shore also hosted a successful Model UN conference on campus for middle school students and ninth graders with limited varsity experience, building momentum and sparking interest across divisions. With new Model UN courses launching this fall, the program is wellpositioned for continued growth.
Ethan Kross Named 2025 Harold Hines Visiting Fellow
This year’s Harold Hines Visiting Fellow was Ethan Kross, Ph.D., an awardwinning psychologist, author and expert in emotional regulation. As director of the Emotion and Self-Control Lab at the University of Michigan, Ethan has dedicated his career to understanding how people can harness emotions to lead more fulfilling lives. His visit continues the fellowship’s tradition of honoring those who embody the school’s motto, “Live and Serve,” while challenging students to consider the ethical dimensions of societal issues.
During his engaging address, Ethan shared both personal stories and scientific insights. He recounted how his fascination with emotions began in childhood, sparked by his grandmother, a Holocaust survivor. “She told me not to think about emotions or try to understand them,” he explained, “and I went ahead and spent the rest of my life trying to do precisely that.”
He emphasized that emotions are not obstacles but vital tools. “Emotions are actually our superpowers,” he said. “We can use the tools we already have in us to manage them in positive and powerful ways.”
Ethan introduced students to practical strategies for emotional regulation, including music, mental time travel and “distanced self-talk” — a technique even used by LeBron James. “What distinguishes people who do [succeed] from those who don’t is their ability to manage their emotions,” Ethan said.
Following in the footsteps of luminaries like British ethologist Jane Goodall and Rep. John Lewis, Ethan offered students not only knowledge but empowerment, reinforcing the fellowship’s mission to inspire responsibility and thoughtful action in the world.
The Harold Hines Visiting Fellowship was established in 1986 in memory of longtime trustee and former parent Harold H. Hines Jr.
<<< LISTEN NOW
Hear Ethan Kross talk with lower school counselor Montse Lusarreta and middle school counselor Courtney Wilson about his latest book, "Shift: Managing Your Emotions So They Don’t Manage You."
Science Olympiad Teams Make it to State
For the 28th consecutive year, North Shore’s middle school Science Olympiad team advanced to the state finals, continuing a remarkable legacy of excellence. After a strong third-place finish at regionals, the team competed against 45 other qualifying middle schools from across Illinois and finished 22nd overall. Among the highlights was a fifth-place medal in the “Crime Busters” event.
This year also marked the debut of North Shore’s upper school
Science Olympiad team, which made a strong impression in its first season. Several students advanced as individuals to the state competition in April, setting a strong foundation for the future of the program.
Congratulations to all Science Olympiad participants and coaches for their hard work and dedication, and many thanks to the parent volunteers for all they do.
LEE BLOCK RETIRES AFTER 31 YEARS AT NSCD
Middle school science and robotics teacher Lee Block is launching into retirement — no bottle rocket required. Known for his unforgettable classroom projects (think hydro-powered rockets, bridge builds, robot obstacle courses and Rube Goldberg machines), Lee made science come alive through hands-on learning and experimentation.
He’s been the driving force behind the school’s powerhouse middle school Science Olympiad team, a fixture on the eighth grade leadership team and a staunch supporter of the Chicago Cubs — even when they gave fans very little to cheer about. During spirit week you could always count on Lee to sport head-to-toe Cubs apparel that was louder than the Wrigley bleachers. Though he’s stepping out of the classroom, he’ll stay connected next year as a Science Olympiad consultant, ensuring a smooth transition for the program he built. As we say farewell (but never goodbye), we thank Lee for his decades of dedication, passion and deep commitment to helping students grow.
ATHLETICS UPDATE
The boys and girls basketball teams both made it to regional championship games, with the boys clinching the victory with an unforgettable buzzer beater by Luke Ryan ’25.
The boys tennis doubles team of Thomas Scott ’26 and Jack Larsen ’26 set a school record by finishing second at sectionals and advanced to the state tournament.
Girls soccer had its best season since 2019, winning the regional championship and advancing to the sectional championship game.
The baseball team advanced to the regional championship game for the seventh straight year.
Track and field had a record-setting season. Reese Meyers ’26 finished sixth in the state in the 400-meter, and Brian E. Smith II ’25 became the third individual state champion in school history, winning the 400. Kaeden Ackley ’27 also advanced to state in the triple jump.
GUIDED BY WISDOM, FUELED BY HOPE
THE CLASS OF 2025 CROSSED THE STAGE WITH THE CONFIDENCE TO LEAD, THE COMPASSION TO SERVE AND THE RESILIENCE TO TAKE ON WHATEVER CHALLENGES MAY COME THEIR WAY. Photos by Jonathan Gibby and Jack Larsen ’26.
Wisdom is built on knowledge but is more defined by experience and skill — the ability to discern, consider and cut through noise to chart a course of action with creativity and integrity.
—
Tom Flemma, Head of School
Take your marvelous imagination combined with your can-do spirit and believe in audacious hope.
We all are leaders — motivated and prepared. All we need to do is just keep being who we are, and we will make it far in life.
— Josh Sanders ’25
— Kathy McHugh, Upper school English teacher
The Class of 2025 by the Numbers
This year’s grads are attending 41 different colleges and universities in 20 states, the District of Columbia and the United Kingdom are headed to private schools 72% are headed to public schools 28%
Undergrad enrollment
OF THE COLLEGES STUDENTS ARE ATTENDING
30,000 and up 20,000-29,999 10,000-19,999 5000-9,999 2000-4,999
50 : 2
STUDENTS TO COLLEGE COUNSELORS
Both work with every student
135 Colleges offering admission TO THE CLASS OF 2025 in 35 states, the District of Columbia and 3 countries (Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom)
139 college admissions reps visited NSCD in 2024-25
4
What they're studying
*Does not equal 100% because of rounding
3 COLLEGE ATHLETES
Henry Gallun, Denison University - Soccer
Luke Hansen, DePauw University - Soccer
Brian E. Smith II, Carroll University - Track & Field
IRON RAIDERS*
Edgar Romero
Ashby Semple
Ned Sprenger
Brian E. Smith II
*The Jay Bach Iron Raider Society recognizes students who participate in 12 full seasons of upper school athletics at any level.
3,521 service hours completed by the senior class
96% of seniors participated in at least one sport in 2024-25
48% of seniors participated in a musical or theater production in 2024-25
98% of seniors took at least one AP or post-AP class during their upper school career, and altogether the Class of 2025 took a combined total of 181 AP classes over the past four years
50 Graduates
6 Lifers Kate Carter
Colin Casey
Razaan Ghazi
Sophia Medvin
Daisy Stone
Charlie Ver Eecke
BRIAN E. SMITH II
HE CHOSE TRACK — AND RACED HIS WAY TO A STATE TITLE
WHEN BRIAN E. SMITH II ARRIVED AT NORTH SHORE COUNTRY DAY AS A FRESHMAN, TRACK AND FIELD WASN’T EVEN ON HIS RADAR. HE WAS A BASEBALL PLAYER — PASSIONATE, DEDICATED AND FOCUSED. “BASEBALL WAS DEFINITELY MY FIRST LOVE,” HE SAID. “FROM KINDERGARTEN ALL THE WAY THROUGH MY JUNIOR YEAR." BUT NORTH SHORE’S FRESHMAN FALL SPORTS REQUIREMENT NUDGED HIM IN A NEW DIRECTION.”
You keep working hard, keep your goals high.
Cross country led naturally into winter track, which then extended into spring. For three years, Brian juggled two spring sports — baseball and track — splitting time between practices and competing in meets when he didn’t have games. His coaches gave him the flexibility to do both, but as his speed continued to develop, it became clear where his true potential lay.
By the end of his junior year, that potential was undeniable. He had begun running club track with the Aurora Flyers during the summers and, in 2024, won the AAU regional championship in the 400-meter, qualifying for the national meet.
Eventually, Brian made the choice to commit fully to track. “Even though I really love baseball, I felt like my talent could be used differently somewhere else,” he said. “And I believe I proved that now.”
Brian is now a two-time indoor state champion in the 400-meter dash, the 2025 IHSA 1A state champion in the outdoor 400, and currently holds the fastest 400-meter time in Class 1A and third-fastest across all Illinois divisions. His achievements have landed him on the national stage as well, including an eighth-place finish at the Adidas National Indoor meet and a berth at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational in California. And he’s done it all without a track on campus.
Next year, Brian will attend Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin, where he’ll study aviation science and drone technologies while continuing to run at the collegiate level. “In 2021 I saw ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ and after that, my love for planes just went sky high,” he said. “I went to an aviation camp where I was able to fly a plane. We went to O’Hare, Midway, went into the air traffic control tower, went out onto the tarmac — it was incredible.”
His dream is to become an entrepreneur in the drone industry, combining his interests in technology, business and flight.
Despite the long hours, tough workouts and cold Midwest training conditions, Brian stays motivated by his community. NSCD track coaches Patrick McHugh, Harold Gauthier, Mike Moreau and Mullery Doar, as well as his parents and fellow teammates play a big role in helping him push through. “Sometimes I just do not want to get up,” he said. “Running a 400 is very hard. I’d say it’s one of the hardest races in track. I’m in pain. But they always try to get me up and keep moving.”
Even with all his success, Brian is never fully satisfied. “It’s always great to see progression… but when I don’t see progression — even if it’s off by a millisecond — I won’t be as happy,” he said. “I’m always striving to do better. I’m always looking forward.”
Asked what advice he’d give to younger athletes watching him from the sidelines, Brian doesn’t hesitate: “The sky’s the limit. It doesn’t matter how much talent you have. You keep working hard, keep your goals high, and eventually you will reach that goal — and even more.”
Carly Lissner
College / Major: Dartmouth College / Biological Sciences
Activities: Soccer, tennis, theater, Holocaust teen leadership board member, Jewish affinity group leader, scuba diving, founder of Caring Cards for Cancer Club
“I chose NSCD because I wanted a smaller school that would support me as an individual student and person, not just a statistic. Throughout my time here, my teachers have encouraged me to meet with them, and they want to see me succeed and achieve my goals.”
Henry Potthoff
College / Major: Claremont McKenna College / Economics
Activities: Model UN, Diller Street Journal, Car Club, Investment Club, golf team, exchange program, founder/operator of small media business, worked a retail job
“This school has set me up perfectly for my future academic and career goals by providing a strong foundation through rigorous coursework, an emphasis on building community, and a focus on looking to the future and doing what you need to do to succeed in the real world.”
Daisy Stone
College / Major: Lafayette College / Biology
Activities: Field hockey, soccer, basketball, Asian affinity group, Jewish affinity group, paddle tennis, middle school Science Olympiad coach
“Being a middle school Science Olympiad coach has taught me a lot about what it means to be a leader and an educator. I was given an opportunity to take initiative at a smaller scale, which has given me the confidence to do it at a larger scale. And since I had to teach, I gained a lot of appreciation for my teachers because it was no easy task.”
NNEMKA OKEKE
A MUSICIAN WITH A PASSION FOR TEACHING
When Nnemka Okeke transferred to North Shore Country Day as a sophomore, she didn’t expect to spend her first semester in a wheelchair. A joint infection had taken away her ability to walk. “It was very difficult for me at first,” she said. “I was already having to balance the fact that I had extracurriculars and I was going to a new school. And then on top of that, I had this whole illness that was preventing my mobility, my access to certain things in school, the ease of movement, and also just interacting with people.”
Once she recovered, Nnemka, who had been playing violin since seventh grade, began immersing herself in the school’s music program — and discovered something new. “I had never gone to a school where I had the opportunity to play in a band,” she said. “I had always been in orchestras. Playing different genres of music really broadened the horizons for my musical ability. And then getting to do things like solos and collaborating in small groups with other instruments — that totally changed the way I view music.”
As part of her senior independent study, Nnemka launched a free after-school “practice buddy” program for lower school students interested in violin, viola, cello or bass. “I figured the simplest way to share the skills that I gained over the years — composition, songwriting, collaboration — was to teach them,” she said. “I was very scared at first because I was like, do I have expertise? Am I qualified? What if I don’t even like children? But as soon as I saw the excitement in [my first student] Piper’s eyes — the way she was just totally lit up — it really washed away all my fears.”
She now works with three fourth graders, helping them build confidence with their instruments. “Their attitude toward music really changes my attitude toward music,” she said. “When they’re excited to try something new, I realize I have to be excited to learn too.”
Nnemka will attend the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign to major in music. “This gave me the opportunity to see what [teaching] would be like in the future,” she said. “Even if it was sort of experimental … it was very fruitful in the end.”
SIMON LUGLIO
AT THE INTERSECTION OF DESIGN, MATH AND CONSTRUCTION
Simon Luglio ’25 has always enjoyed building things — whether it’s solving problems in multivariable calculus, creating in the scene shop or managing set design for school productions. This fall, he’ll take that passion to the University of Texas at Austin, where he plans to study architectural engineering — a discipline that sits at the intersection of design, math and construction.
“At first I thought I wanted to go into architecture,” Simon said. “The summer after my sophomore year, I did a summer program at the University of Notre Dame. I realized I didn’t exactly want to do architecture, but there were definitely some overlaps of that field that I wanted to pursue. That’s when I discovered architectural engineering, which is kind of like a branch of civil engineering focused on buildings, building systems and construction.”
I’ve been interested in building things and problemsolving since I was a little kid. It’s very fulfilling to see your creation come to life.
Simon chose UT Austin for its strong, ABET-accredited program — essential for becoming a licensed engineer — as well as opportunities to minor in real estate and join the Jefferson Scholars Program, a diverse community centered on big ideas and meaningful discussion.
At North Shore, Simon got an early taste of life on a construction site during his internship with Valenti, the company that renovated the Mac McCarty Athletic Center. “I was the youngest guy on the site,” he said. “It was a little daunting at first, but I found it really enjoyable. Every day there was something new to do. And after talking with the architect and civil engineer, it really solidified that this was the field for me.”
Simon’s academic path at North Shore was shaped by his interest in STEM. “I’ve been interested in building things and problem-solving since I was a little kid,” he said. During his senior year, he had the opportunity to enroll in a multivariable calculus course, which comes after AP Calculus BC. Simon said he appreciated how the class connected math to real-world applications. “We heard from professors who use this math in everything from meteorology to economics,” he said. “It’s probably the most practical STEM class I’ve taken.”
Outside of academics, Simon has spent four semesters in Advanced Open Studio sculpting wooden animals and has taken a leadership role in the scene shop building sets for the spring musical and other plays. “It’s very fulfilling to see your creation come to life,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot from managing the process and working with others.”
MATH MATTERS
FOSTERING CONFIDENCE, CURIOSITY AND CRITICAL THINKING FROM JK–12
FROM ESTIMATION STATIONS IN JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN TO MULTIVARIABLE SYMPOSIUMS IN UPPER SCHOOL, NORTH SHORE COUNTRY DAY’S MATH PROGRAM IS REIMAGINING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MATHEMATICIAN
They’re not just solving problems — they’re developing grit, learning to think creatively and finding joy in the process.
— Wyatt Ashby, Upper school math teacher
Exciting things are happening in the math department at North Shore Country Day. Across all grade levels, students are engaging with mathematics in ways that build confidence, reward curiosity and emphasize problemsolving as a life skill — not just a classroom requirement.
This winter, nearly 70 upper schoolers participated in the American Mathematics Competition (AMC), with Amanda Ni ’25 placing in the top 5% nationally and Shirley Ni ’27 and Paige Lim ’28 finishing in the top
25%. Amanda and Shirley were invited to take the next round of exams — the prestigious American Invitational Mathematics Exam (AIME). In middle school, more than 50 students sat for the AMC 8, marking the first large-scale return to national contests since before the pandemic.
“It’s a chance for students to take an intellectual risk in a low-stakes environment,” said Assistant Head of Middle School Rachel Sun, who heads the math department. “We want them to enjoy math, think differently and have fun with the process.”
Above: The upper school math team placed first at regionals and fifth in the state. Left: Izzy Henry '25 works through an equation in multivariable calculus. Throughout the year, the students in this post-AP class presented their work to teachers and parents in a series of symposiums — similar to what they will have to do in college.
Students are also excited about the prospect of learning more about math. Upper school math teacher Angie Orr sees it firsthand in the fast-growing math club, which has tripled in size in recent years. And this winter and spring, a newly formed math team competed in both regional and state competitions. At the regional meet in February, they took first place in Region 20 and posted the thirdhighest score statewide in their division. They then advanced to the state competition in
of academic presentations they’ll need to do in college and beyond,” Angie said. “It’s not just about knowing the math — it’s about communicating it clearly and thoughtfully to a diverse audience.”
Other projects throughout the year included building an augmented reality sandbox that mapped topography in real time and a scientific exploration of bubble surface tension. Through it all, students were learning
April, where they placed fifth overall and also brought home several individual medals.
“Students solve problems collaboratively, present their solutions to peers and explore multiple approaches to the same question,” Angie said. “It’s about discovering the power of mathematical discourse and building confidence.”
That sense of ownership is especially visible in the multivariable calculus class, a postAP course made up of just four students this past school year. They were doing college-level work and presenting it publicly through a series of symposiums. In the first one, they worked collaboratively to prove Kepler’s Laws of Planetary Motion and presented their findings to a panel of teachers and parents. “We’re trying to give students opportunities to practice the kinds
students see the relevance and creativity in math. In Wyatt Ashby’s Algebra 3 class, students built model waterparks in the Live+Serve Lab, designing curved slides to match the turning points of polynomial functions. “One group had to scrap their entire idea and start over from scratch at the beginning of the final day,” Wyatt said. “But one student came in for two hours and worked on it during his free time, and he was able to build an amazing water slide — one of
to apply calculus, programming, data modeling and critical reasoning in ways that stretch far beyond textbook problems.
“Of all the classes I’ve taken, multivariable calculus is probably the most in touch with the practical side of STEM,” said Simon Luglio ’25, who plans to study architectural engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. (See story, page 19.) “We’ve spoken to a number of professors at various universities showing us the applications of our work, whether it’s in meteorology or bubble science or economics. Seeing that this math is down the road and I’ve already done a large portion of it, I feel confident about my ability in the world of mathematics and very well prepared for the future.”
Across the department, teachers are using real-world, project-based learning to help
the best I’ve ever seen. It was a great lesson in perseverance and grit.”
In precalculus, students analyzed daylight data from global cities to model sinusoidal functions, then created infographics to share their findings. “It connected math to geography, culture and even history,” Wyatt said. “They were doing meaningful math and expressing their creativity at the same time.”
This kind of hands-on, interdisciplinary learning starts early at North Shore. In the lower school, math specialist Amy Shuldiner works closely with homeroom teachers in every grade and also collaborates with specials teachers to integrate math into subjects like music, art and technology — reinforcing the idea that math is creative, dynamic and everywhere.
Fourth graders Piper Held ’33, Meher Bhattal ’33 and Leo Wachter ’33 team up with seniors in multivariable calculus to learn about the mathematics of bubbles and fluid dynamics.
Shahaan Ghazi ’35 takes a math test.
Students use games, manipulatives — and sometimes even their own bodies — to build spatial reasoning and logic skills. For example, first graders made a human-size hundreds chart out of square floor tiles they measured and numbered, then became lifesized game pieces — adding, subtracting and strategizing different ways to reach 100. “Once they get these concepts firmly into their bodies and into their minds, then they can move onto the abstract,” Amy explained.
said middle school math teacher Kristen Slamar. Her students recently completed a project designing and constructing 3D boxes, calculating surface area and volume, and presenting creative interpretations that included everything from cats to candy. “It’s hard work, but then once they get it, it feels very satisfying,” Kristen said.
While NSCD teachers push students to think deeply, they’re also committed to meeting
She also focuses on helping young learners develop deep number sense and flexibility. Her instruction emphasizes multiple strategies for problem-solving, helping students see that there’s more than one path to a correct answer. “That flexibility gives them confidence,” she added. “It helps them approach math not with fear, but with curiosity.”
These hands-on experiences lay the groundwork for deeper conceptual understanding later. “By the time they get to sixth grade, they’re ready for abstraction — because they’ve built it, talked through it, knocked it down and tried it again,” Amy said
In sixth grade, teachers focus on equipping students with a strong problem-solving toolkit. “We want them to be comfortable sitting with a challenging problem and figuring out what information they need,”
students where they are — whether they need extra support or are ready for more advanced material. As an independent school, North Shore has the flexibility to tailor instruction to individual learners without sacrificing academic rigor. The math curriculum is aligned with Common Core standards, so students progress on pace with their public school peers, but faculty have the freedom to implement it in a more scaffolded, developmentally responsive way. That means slowing down when needed, going deeper when appropriate, and designing creative projects that reinforce core concepts while building critical thinking skills.
In the lower school, that may mean small group instruction during workshop time, enrichment extensions or games that offer multiple entry points for different readiness levels. In the middle and upper schools,
teachers regularly use assessments and inclass observation to adjust pacing, provide targeted support and offer individualized challenge problems.
“Differentiation is baked into our approach,” Rachel said. “If a student is ready for a new level of complexity, we find ways to make that happen. If they need more time or support, we give them the tools and space to get there. The goal is growth — for every student.”
This philosophy extends across divisions and is supported by close collaboration among faculty, who at the same time are keenly aware of the importance of core skills and vertical alignment. “We’re constantly thinking about how students move from one grade to the next, and whether the foundational pieces are in place,” Rachel added. “We also know how important it is for students to enjoy math and feel confident in their abilities. That’s a strong predictor of future success — whether they go on to major in math, engineering or business.”
In an increasingly data-driven world, those future pathways are wide open. But as math instruction evolves, so do parent expectations. “Many of our families learned math differently,” Rachel said. “They may not immediately see the value of a creative problem-solving task or a real-world project, but we’re helping students build habits of mind — like resilience, collaboration and logical reasoning — that will serve them far beyond the classroom.”
And that, math teachers agree, is the heart of the matter. Whether students are calculating bubble curvature or preparing for the AMC, they’re learning how to think — and how to keep going when the answer isn’t obvious.
“I want my students to see themselves as mathematicians,” Wyatt said. “They’re not just solving problems — they’re developing grit, learning to think critically and creatively, and finding joy in the process. Whether they go into math or not, they leave knowing they have the tools to face challenges and keep going.”
Liam Smith ’30 (left) pitches a game to second graders Iris Yao ’35 and Alvin Liang ’35 in a "Shark Tank" inspired class collaboration that teaches the younger students real-world math skills like counting money.
ZOOMING FROM SPACE
ASTRONAUT SUNITA WILLIAMS INSPIRES NSCD STUDENTS FROM 260 MILES OVERHEAD
Photo by NASA
As the sun rose over the west coast, North Shore Country Day’s lower and middle school students watched in awe as astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams shared a live view from 260 miles above Earth. While students saw her onscreen, she was looking down at them from aboard the International Space Station (ISS) — an unforgettable moment that capped off a once-in-a-lifetime conversation.
For lower school science teacher Annie Collins, the moment was especially meaningful. Growing up in rural New Hampshire, she vividly remembers watching the Challenger launch as a kindergartener — a moment that left a lasting impact on her, much like it did for her aunt, a fellow science teacher who once aspired to NASA’s Teacher in Space program. Years later, visiting the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium sparked Annie’s lifelong passion for space. Now, she hopes to inspire that same sense of awe and wonder in her students. “The fact that my kindergarten students today get to witness this is just a really cool thing,” she told the audience in the Mac McCarty Athletic Center as she introduced Suni.
This extraordinary opportunity came about thanks to an alumni connection. Jennifer Stone ’82, mother of Daisy ’25 and a longtime NSCD board member, helped facilitate the conversation through a family friend who grew up with Suni in Needham, Massachusetts. After months of planning and coordinating with NASA, students joined a live video call with Suni on February 10. Speaking from microgravity, Suni, who had been aboard the ISS since June 2024 as the commander of Expedition 72, offered a firsthand look at life on the station, answering students’ questions and giving a virtual tour of her home in orbit.
She started in the airlock, where astronauts prepare for spacewalks, and demonstrated how she moves through the station, floating effortlessly from one module to the next. Then she showed students the docking center, where spacecraft arrive and depart, before moving on to the research labs — Japanese, European and U.S. — where astronauts conduct experiments. Much of their research focuses on the effects of space on the human body, including vision and circulation.
She also gave students a glimpse of her personal space, including her sleeping quarters — just a small area with a sleeping bag strapped to the wall — and the kitchen, where tape on the table helps keep food from floating away. Some of her favorites? Nutella, peanut butter and breakfast tacos, though she admitted to missing pizza.
One of the most fascinating parts of the tour was the treadmill, which is mounted to the side of a wall. Suni explained how astronauts use it to maintain their bone density and muscle mass in microgravity.
Following the tour, students had the chance to ask Suni their burning questions about life in space. They learned that she and her crew will return to Earth aboard a Dragon spacecraft, landing in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast. When asked what she’s most looking forward to upon returning, she said taking a real shower and feeling the sensation of walking barefoot — something she hadn’t done in eight months.
Students also discovered some fascinating facts about Suni’s time in space:
• Suni once ran the Boston Marathon from space, on the treadmill in about 4.5 hours.
• Her favorite space dessert is cherry berry cobbler.
• Every Saturday, the astronauts clean the space station.
• One of her craziest space experiences was being suspended in space by a robotic arm during a spacewalk.
This unique experience sparked curiosity and excitement among North Shore students, who have been keeping up with the ISS through a livestream displayed in the science center atrium. The live feed allows them to track the station’s orbit and occasionally catch real-time views from its external cameras.
For Annie, this opportunity was more than just a lesson in science — it was a chance to show students that astronauts are not just figures in textbooks, but real people with pets, favorite foods and childhood dreams much like their own. She also sees it as a way to challenge outdated stereotypes about who gets to be a scientist. “When Suni and I were kids, women — especially women of color — were not the first people who came to mind when thinking of a typical scientist — we pictured older, white males with crazy hair,” she explained. “Thankfully, that’s changed, but we still talk a lot about stereotype threat in lower school science and how representation in STEM matters.”
Since the call, the energy in her classroom has been electric. “For most of my lower school classes, we spent a period just living in that space between awe and wonder,” she said. “The kinds of questions they asked were incredible.”
Suni and her crewmate Butch Wilmore returned to Earth on March 18, after an extended 286-day stay in space. Before she came back, North Shore students wrote letters, drew pictures and sent jokes to her — a small token of appreciation for the time she spent talking to them and for the work she and her colleagues are doing beyond our planet’s atmosphere.
“When we stand back and consider that humans train for years to live on a satellite orbiting our planet for months at a time — just to better understand space, our bodies and even our own planet — it’s incredible,” Annie said. “And it’s brave. It’s what makes humankind so awe-inspiring.”
Photo by NASA
W STRIKING A NEW RHYTHM
LOWER SCHOOL MUSIC TEACHER MOLLY PHELAN IS BLENDING TRADITION AND INNOVATION, CREATING A DYNAMIC, COLLABORATIVE SPACE WHERE STUDENTS EXPLORE MUSIC AS A POWERFUL FORM OF CONNECTION AND EXPRESSION.
hen Molly Phelan joined the North Shore community, they were stepping into big shoes. Their predecessor, Linda Kiracibasi, had led the lower school music program for 45 years. But rather than attempting to fill those shoes, Molly brought their own — dancing, leaping and joyfully collaborating alongside students and colleagues as they reimagined what music education could look like.
“I think working in opera actually prepared me really well for this,” said Molly, a classically trained singer who earned degrees from Lawrence University, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Northwestern University.
“Opera is always balancing tradition and innovation — you’re constantly asking, ‘How do we make 400-yearold music relevant today?’”
Molly’s own path into music was deeply personal — and, in hindsight, a little prophetic. They grew up homeschooled in Virginia, obsessed with a set of cassette tapes called “Classical Kids,” which told stories through classical music. “I decided in first grade I would be an opera singer,” Molly said, laughing. “And once I said it out loud, I just wasn’t going to change it.”
That singular focus took them all the way through graduate school and into the world of professional performance. But it was during a contract touring Virginia schools with an opera outreach program that Molly began to feel a shift.
I realized I was just waiting for the performances to be over so I could talk to the kids,” they said. “That was the part I loved.”
Molly returned to Chicago, eventually earning a master’s in music education at Northwestern and teaching high school choir before making their way to North Shore. During graduate school, they spent a month-long practicum working with Linda and even taught the Class of 2031 when those students were in senior kindergarten.
“I knew the program, I knew the culture,” Molly said. “But what excited me most was the chance to work in a JK–12 school. I’ve always had a hard time choosing what ages and subjects I loved, and here more and more we’re creating an ecosystem of performing arts collaboration across divisions and disciplines.”
Molly’s classroom is a vibrant, welcoming space where music is a vehicle for joy, curiosity and connection. There’s a felt campfire perched on the piano, a map where students mark songs from around the world, and — if you time it right — a bracket challenge in full swing, with fifth graders passionately debating the merits of Rihanna vs. Michael Jackson.
“I want students to leave my class feeling like music is theirs,” Molly said. “It’s not about perfection. It’s about expression, about building community — knowing if you drop one chord, you have 15 friends here to help you. I always tell the chorus, ‘if you don’t know the next note, somebody else does, and that’s a great time to just take a big breath and come in on the next one.’”
That philosophy shows up in everything from the fourth grade’s redesigned ukulele unit — now centered on campfire-style collaboration rather than competition — to the fifth grade’s deep-dive into composition, critique and personal music taste. (“It’s magical to watch a student say, ‘I don’t like this song, but I understand why you do.’”)
Molly as Pamina from Mozart’s “The Magic Flute,” Halloween 1994.
I want students to leave my class feeling like music is theirs.
There’s also a growing emphasis on technology and crosscurricular connections. In second grade, Molly teams up with the homeroom teachers, as well as the lower school art and science teachers, for a multidisciplinary showcase centered around their study of water. Fourth graders explore rhythms using math. Fifth graders use looping software to layer their voices into full-fledged compositions.
Molly still sings professionally with several elite ensembles, including the William Ferris Chorale, Grant Park Symphony Chorus, Stare at the Sun and the Montana-based Roots in the Sky. And they say they make more music now as a teacher than they ever did as a full-time performer.
“I try to spread that message to all the young musicians I know,” they said. “Just because your job says full-time performer doesn’t actually mean you’re going to be singing all the time. It means you’re going to spend a lot of time making your website and begging people to hire you. It turns out, if you’re a music teacher, you’re going to sing all day — but you may not have much time for sleep.”
Looking ahead, Molly is excited to deepen connections with middle and upper school students and bring more world music and community voices into the program. Next year, the lower school holiday concert will be rainbow-themed — seven grades, seven colors — and will incorporate the auditorium’s new lighting thanks to a generous anonymous donor.
“Before every performance I always tell the students, we’re not trying to show the parents the best job we’ve ever done — because almost always, the best performance we give is going to be in this room just for us,” Molly said. “What we’re doing when we get onstage is just opening our doors and letting people in just a little bit to see what we do, and then we close the doors again and keep making weird, wonderful music together.”
Beyond Dogman
READING CHALLENGE PUSHES FOURTH GRADERS TO BUILD IMPORTANT LITERACY SKILLS
In North Shore Country Day’s lower school, a love of reading is not just encouraged — it’s celebrated. Walk into a fourth grade classroom, and you’ll find students eagerly discussing books, sharing recommendations and setting ambitious reading goals. At the heart of this enthusiasm is the Fourth Grade Reading Challenge, a program designed to help students transition from learning to read to reading to learn.
“Our fourth grade teachers are here to help students start to make this transition into reading across genres,” explained Assistant Head of Lower School Caitlin McLennan. “And it’s at this age that the students are really developing into these wellrounded readers who can think critically and communicate effectively — they’re becoming lifelong readers.”
A Personalized Reading Journey
At the beginning of each school year, fourth grade teachers Jackie Haug and Pippa Nyamweya invite students to
participate in what they now call the Fourth Grade Reading Challenge. It started as the 40 Book Challenge, but rather than emphasizing a strict numerical goal, the teachers focus on meeting students where they are. Students choose their overall goal and then teachers provide a list of genres with suggestions of how many books to read from each category. Selections range from quick reads like graphic novels and poetry to longer, more complex chapter books.
“We do not stress a number,” Pippa said. “Breaking the challenge into smaller parts and personalizing it makes it less overwhelming. If a student loves graphic novels, we encourage them to continue reading those — that’s awesome. But let’s add something to it. Let’s explore some other interests they may have.”
The challenge, inspired by strategies from Donalyn Miller’s “The Book Whisperer,” emerged in response to post-pandemic reading habits. Jackie noticed that after the instant gratification of extended screen time, students struggled to focus on books.
“It takes dedication to read a whole book,” she said. “But kids get a lot of satisfaction from closing a book and being able to say, ‘I did that.’ So once they start realizing that satisfaction, the momentum builds.”
While many students naturally set a 40-book goal, Jackie and Pippa work closely with those who may find that intimidating. “We partner with families to come up with a number that’s realistic — if it’s going to intimidate them to the point where they can’t do it, it’s not a productive struggle, it’s just a struggle,” Jackie said. Some students start by reading just one book from each genre before gradually expanding their goals. “We adjust it with them as we go, but we never say what they’re going to actually accomplish — they do that themselves.”
Building Excitement for Reading
A key element of the challenge is peer collaboration. Students participate in “book buzzes,” where they share book recommendations with classmates. “Hearing from peers inspires students to try new genres they might not have picked up otherwise,” Pippa said. “We also use read-alouds to introduce students to new authors and genres, which often sparks curiosity. Students will often want to read more books from that author or another book from that series.”
Students keep “want to read” lists and actively track their progress using genre sheets. “It’s incredible to watch them take ownership of their reading,” Jackie said. “This year we had one girl who had checked off everything on her list but historical fiction so she just called out to her classmates asking for recommendations.”
The teachers have worked hard to create a supportive reading environment, which looks different for each child. For some, it means partner reading, so there are times set aside for classmates to pair up and talk about books. Others prefer listening to audiobooks. Some students like to find a comfortable spot to read, so you might find them lounging in the window seat or curled up in a corner. “The excitement builds when students look forward to reading,” Pippa explained.
Developing Essential Skills
Parents often worry that their children will never move beyond graphic novels, but Jackie and Pippa promise they will. “Graphic novels like ‘Dogman’ are like US Weekly or People Magazine — there’s a time and place for them,” Jackie explained. “I love to read them when I’m getting a pedicure, but it’s not the only thing I read. They can be comforting for kids.”
Pippa added that graphic novels can be a gateway to building important literacy skills including vocabulary, comprehension and a love of storytelling. “They’re just part of the journey, not the end,” she said.
It’s at this age that the students are really developing into these wellrounded readers who can think critically and communicate effectively — they’re becoming lifelong readers.
— Caitlin McLennan, Assistant Head of Lower School
Jackie and Pippa made an intentional decision to prioritize both read-aloud and independent reading time during the school day — something often pushed aside in modern classrooms. Because of students’ busy schedules, they sometimes don’t have the time or energy to read after school, so the bulk of the challenge is designed to be completed during class time. Beyond fostering a love of reading, the challenge builds critical academic and life skills:
• Students practice meaningful collaboration by discussing books and persuading their peers to read new selections.
• They hone communication skills by articulating thoughts and actively listening during book buzzes.
• The challenge nurtures reading stamina, a crucial skill for upper grades.
“Our fifth grade teachers have noticed students entering their classrooms with impressive reading endurance,” Caitlin said. “They’re ready work independently and in student-led groups to read and analyze texts and think critically about themes and character development.”
Both Pippa and Jackie emphasized that every student experiences growth through the challenge, whether they start as reluctant readers or book lovers. “There’s always a kid every single year where you think, ‘Oh, you became a reader this year,’” Jackie said. “And that’s always because of this — because we give them time, space and the expectation. But it’s the reluctant readers that really get me every year where I’m just like, oh wow, you’re going to do this, and it is amazing.”
Brave, Curious and Grateful
MIDDLE SCHOOLERS CONNECT THROUGH SERVICE AND EXPLORATION DURING ANNUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WEEK
For the fourth year in a row, North Shore Country Day middle schoolers stepped out of their regular routines and into communities across Chicagoland for Community Engagement Week — a hands-on, experiential program that blends service, storytelling and deep learning across lines of difference.
Sixth and seventh graders joined one of six themed groups — Community Storytelling, Environment, Intentional Game Design, Mental Health and Sports, Music and Arts Access, and Our Food, Our Community — while eighth graders explored Chicago’s rich history and cultural complexity. The week featured daily excursions, guest speakers, hands-on service and a culminating showcase where students shared what they learned with families and peers. Throughout the week, students focused on three shared goals: to be brave, curious and grateful.
“Being brave might look different for each group, but we expect everyone to step outside their comfort zone and interact with people they don’t normally interact with and try things they haven’t done before,” explained Assistant Head of Middle School Rachel Sun. “We hope everyone will be curious, engaging fully in the learning experiences, listening actively, asking questions, wondering and considering how their new learnings can connect to their lives. And we hope everyone experiences some gratitude for the group leaders who worked for months to coordinate these opportunities and for the people and organizations who offered their time and resources to support our collective learning experiences.”
Students reflected on what stuck with them — from hands-on work with habitat restoration to conversations about food access. Here’s what a few of them had to say:
“I used to think service was boring, but now I think it’s fun!” — Sophie Sargon ’31, Our Food, Our Community
“Our game raises awareness about climate change and its effects on the planet. This experience changed the way I think about service by helping me understand some of the ways I can contribute to helping the earth.” — Joaquin Vanden Heuvel ’30, Intentional Game Design
“Don’t be afraid to try something new — it might take you to amazing places. And don’t be afraid to get dirty. Seeing the piping plovers was a wonderful experience. They were so small and adorable!”
— Maris Lind ’31, Environment
“Our trip to Lamb’s Farm really stood out because it showed me how adults with disabilities still can do everything we can do.” — Ivy Duffy ’30, Our Food, Our Community
“I liked getting to meet the people at Saint Benedict’s and hearing their stories. It made me realize that older people are interesting and they can be really funny.”
— Vivian Beaudoin ’30, Community Storytelling
“Bubbly Creek has been cleaned up and turned into a nice river space after being a dirty, polluted place. It made me think that when a lot of people help with service, it can turn into something nice, and it makes me want to pick up trash in my community.”
— Hudson Drescher ’29, Eighth Grade Group #3
“It was really magical to be outdoors and enjoying the beach and wildlife while also spotting the endangered piping plovers. Thanks to Mr. Kubacki and Ms. Walsh for putting in hours of planning and effort to make this week possible for us.”
— Elizabeth Shinn ’30, Environment
Middle School Community Engagement Week (clockwise from top left): Madelyn Howard ’30 with the Environment group on a trip to Greene Nature Preserve in Lake Forest; Ethan Rodehorst and Quentin Kalotis ’30 on a Sports and Mental Health group trip to the Chicago Sports Museum; Mak Shelley ’29, Zo Schuster ’29 and Ike Okeke ’29 visiting Pilsen; and eighth graders downtown by the Chicago River.
FASHIONING JOY
HOW JOSIE SANTI
’14
FOUND HER PATH TO PURPOSE AND WELLNESS
AS A NORTH SHORE STUDENT, JOSIE SANTI READ VOGUE RELIGIOUSLY AND LAUNCHED A CLUB DEVOTED TO HAPPINESS. NOW A CERTIFIED HOLISTIC HEALTH COACH AND SENIOR WELLNESS EDITOR AT THE EVERYGIRL, SHE BLENDS STYLE, SELF-CARE AND SPIRITUALITY TO HELP WOMEN FEEL GOOD IN THEIR BODIES — AND THEIR LIVES.
When Josie Santi ’14 was 8, she would pore over the latest issue of Vogue, reading it cover-to-cover. A few years later, as an upper school student at North Shore Country Day, she and some classmates created the Happiness Club, whose only mission was to find and do things that made them, fellow students, teachers and others happy.
Those two inclinations, love of fashion and a desire to help others with a dose of happiness, helped Josie discover her life’s
calling. She credits her NSCD experience — especially a comparative religions course she took as a senior — for focusing that calling even more sharply.
“It started at North Shore, because if I had not taken that class, then I would have no idea how passionate I could be about helping people live their best lives,” she said.
That NSCD class prompted her to continue studying world religions. She eventually
graduated with a double major in English and religious studies from Florida’s Rollins College and laughs now, saying she’s made more use of the latter than of her English degree.
Today Josie lives in Los Angeles; she’s a certified holistic health coach and senior wellness editor at The Everygirl, an online site created in 2012 with a mission to be, in the words of its founders, “a communitydriven platform that speaks to women from
It started at North Shore, because if I had not taken that class, then I would have no idea how passionate I could be about helping people live their best lives.
all backgrounds and experiences.” She’s also the host of The Everygirl Podcast, tackling educational, entertainment and inspirational issues with guests.
For her, The Everygirl Media Group, which she joined as an intern in 2017 before coming aboard fulltime in 2018, lets her further her goal of helping people, especially women, understand their bodies (and life in general), in a positive rather than proscriptive way.
Josie was born in Cincinnati. Her family moved to Winnetka when she was 7, and she attended local public schools through middle school. Her older sister, Casey, graduated from the local public high school, but parents Nancy and Scott Santi worried both that Josie wouldn’t thrive in that very large school and that they wouldn’t be able to form strong connections with their daughter’s teachers.
That’s when they turned to North Shore, Josie said.
She initially fought the move. She wanted to stay with her school friends, she told her parents: “As a squirrelly 14-year-old I didn’t want that. But of course, as parents do, they got me to go.”
Once she started to find her footing, “I was like, ‘OK, this is actually amazing, how close and connected I can feel to others in my grade, because of how small the grade
is and how you’re in the same classes with everybody.’
“And then I absolutely fell in love with the school.”
Josie also learned to treasure her teachers. She remembers the support she received from French teacher Lynsey Wollin-Casey, English teachers Drea Gallaga (currently also director of NSCD’s Live+Serve Lab) and Kathy McHugh, former history teacher Frank Dachille, and the late Vanessa Molzahn, who was her mathematics teacher.
She credits Ms. Molzahn with knowing her well enough to guide Josie into courses that would complement her strengths. Josie had huge difficulties with math and, as she approached her senior year, her teacher encouraged her to take an elective course in personal finance instead of the more typical next step of precalculus.
“She said, ‘I think this is going to be a really hard class for you, and personal finance would serve you so much more,’” Josie said.
Mrs. McHugh understood her love of writing, Josie said. When Josie thought about taking AP English, Mrs. McHugh instead suggested doing a creative writing independent study project; while AP English might look good on a college application, she told her student, it would
require her to read rather than hone her own writing. She and Josie worked together on the independent study project, with Mrs. McHugh editing and helping Josie improve her abilities.
Josie said her personal relationship with Ms. Gallaga was another bright spot throughout her school years.
“I think that’s one of the most special things about North Shore — how you can get really close to a teacher in freshman year, and that relationship only grows every single year. It’s not like other schools where you’re like, ‘I love my teacher so much but I’m never going to see them again.’”
As her NSCD experience continued, including becoming student body president, so did Josie’s intention to become a fashion writer. Her love of and dedication to fashion dates a long way back.
“I was 8 years old and was reading Vogue. My mom kept trying to take it away from me, and I was, ‘No, this is my bible!’” she laughed.
Josie said creativity is one of the things she has always loved about fashion. And despite her mom’s worry that Josie’s wearing of high heels in high school might hurt her feet, one of the many things she loves about her mother and father is their unstinting support of her goals.
She thanks mom Nancy for supporting her mission. For instance, she ensured that Josie could go to New York after she won a weekend internship with Teen Vogue. (“I was planning on doing the whole Anna Wintour thing working for Vogue; that was my path,” Josie said.)
She praises Nancy, a former teacher, for her creative influence on all her children, including Josie’s sister, Casey, and younger brother, Richard ‘17. She also applauds here dad, Scott, the former CEO of Illinois Tool Works, for his lessons on the importance of positive teamwork.
“I’ve always said my parents are really amazing at not telling their kids who they should be; they let their kids tell them who they are. They were always phenomenal at that,” she said.
Her parents also encouraged her passion and determination. She showed both in connecting with The Everygirl. The site, which eventually became The Everygirl Media Group, started in Chicago, and Josie knew and loved what she saw of its message to girls and women.
She had won a six-month internship in Paris with Elle Magazine, but at the end of that 2016 experience, she wanted to come home to Chicago before going back to complete her Rollins College degrees. Between 2014 and 2018, she had been an intern, a columnist and a contributor at various outlets. Now she decided she wanted to become an intern at The Everygirl.
“I reached out to them every single day for months. I was that annoying girl," she said. "Eventually, they responded to me. I submitted some samples, and I got the internship.”
Although she still enjoyed writing about style issues, her interest in comparative religions was reshaping her worldview and her spiritual odyssey.
“When I got to college, my thought was ‘Yes I want to be a fashion writer and editor, but I loved this world religion class so much in high school that I want to keep taking religion classes for fun.’ I was so fascinated by Buddhism and Hinduism. I just loved it,” she says.
She discovered the ancient concepts of Ayurvedic health practices and she says its focus on the totality of body and mind truly changed the way she thought about health. Her earlier understanding of healthy living — a focus on weight loss and obsessions with calories, fats, proteins and the like — transformed.
“This was this aha moment for me: ‘Oh, caring about health and your body is actually a tool to live your best life.’”
In 2019, Josie moved with her fiance to Los Angeles, where she long had wanted to go. The Everygirl wanted her to stay on staff as its fashion features manager. She loved the work, but her views on fashion and health combined more and more.
“The fashion world is so body focused, and there’s a lot of insecurity. My experience with many of the women in my life was that they hated how their bodies looked," she said. "They were at war with their bodies.
I realized ‘Oh my God, I have to help other people feel different about their bodies, especially women!’”
As she worked to recenter her own life and health, Josie took a course through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and became an integrative nutrition health coach in 2019. She didn’t intend to actually coach; she simply wanted to study and learn more. But she soon realized she could help women as a life coach as well as through her work
"a classic middle child who loves attention," says she loves getting feedback from her listeners.
with The Everygirl.
She still works with clients with her Wellness by Josie project, but The Everygirl Podcast allows her to interact with women in a different way.
Josie had felt something was missing in her work, so when she found out her bosses at The Everygirl were thinking about starting a podcast, she approached them about doing it, and they agreed. Josie, who calls herself
Josie admits her work ethic often finds her working weekdays and weekends, but says, “burnout is not about the hours you work; it’s about how you recharge your energy.” She and her fiance love walking and cooking together, and they dote on Louie, their French bulldog.
“I prioritize joy more than anything,” Josie said. “And I’m living my happiest, best self.”
North Shore students who watched cute baby animal videos or noshed on cupcakes, courtesy of the Happiness Club, might not be surprised that Josie still dedicates herself to being happy and helping others feel the same.
Flashback to Homecoming 2013: Cam Chung ’14, Josie Santi ’14, Carl Anderson ’14 and Jack Valenti ’14 lead students in a pep rally.
A HERITAGE STORY Building on a Lasting Foundation
By Marion R. “Robin” Foote ’63
When I think about who I am today and the people and the organizations that have most influenced my development, I think of North Shore Country Day first, along with family and church. The education I received at NSCD shaped the way I thought, processed and engaged with the world. It wasn’t just about absorbing facts — it was about learning how to learn, how to question and how to express myself. That kind of intellectual and personal grounding stays with you, and it’s something I want others to have an opportunity to experience, too, regardless of family circumstances or other considerations.
North Shore taught me the value of learning by doing — of showing up and trying, whether you were good at something or not. For example, I sang in the chorus for the annual Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, even though I couldn’t carry a tune, and I played on sports teams, even though I was a mediocre athlete in most sports. What mattered was being part of a community that encouraged such growth, exploration and self-discovery. You do your best, learn what you particularly enjoy and what offers lifelong opportunities to develop, and you can focus increasingly on those as you mature. Many of us learned lifelong hobbies through such exploration.
I was also incredibly lucky to attend during a time of remarkable faculty and administrative leadership when each of them took on the responsibility of leading at least one extracurricular activity. I remember running the short or long block during P.E., biking to build speed and
endurance and doing homework whenever opportunities permitted. We also, unfortunately, faced hardships together, including the losses of several teachers and classmates. Witnessing the impact of these losses on the families and loved ones of those who passed left an enduring impression of how easily life can be cut short, prompting a reevaluation of one’s assumptions about the future.
Later in life, I had a fulfilling career in consulting and banking, working with wonderful teams in each area for many years. Importantly, the habits that helped me succeed — critical thinking, discipline, collaboration and leadership skills — were nurtured early on at North Shore.
Including the school in my estate plans felt like a natural way to give back. My goal is to support all dimensions of what North Shore provides: academic rigor, physical education and the arts. I’ve given annually since high school, but I also wanted to make a lasting impact. My estate gift will help ensure that future students — regardless of background or circumstances — can experience the same transformative education that I did.
In addition to my planned gift, I’m particularly pleased to have been able to
The education I received at NSCD shaped the way I thought, processed and engaged with the world.
support the new Mac McCarty Athletic Center through the Healthy Futures campaign. Mac was a beloved coach when I was a student, and honoring his legacy feels deeply meaningful. I remember when the original Mac Gym was being built. The school recognized the need, drew up the plans and followed through with vision and determination. To see that same gym — now renovated and expanded into the Mac McCarty Athletic Center — still serving students 65 years later is wonderful. It provided an opportunity to honor a legacy I witnessed in the making.
Through my estate plans, I hope to extend that impact even further, helping to sustain the school’s mission well into the future. My hope is that my estate gift helps students engage with both the content they’re learning and the deeper educational disciplines behind it. It’s one thing to study math or history — it’s another to develop the habits of mind that allow one to think critically, stay curious and keep learning throughout one’s life.
North Shore is a place that instills such focus. I’m grateful to have learned these lessons young, and for their contribution to whatever success I had later in life.
CLASS NOTES
1950s
Alice Hardesty ’55 shares that she’s been very un-retired here in Portland, Oregon, writing about music for an online arts magazine, organizing classical music concerts for the community where she lives, and gardening.
Thomas Taylor ’55 wrote a letter to the class of 1955. Here is an excerpt:
It’s hard to believe it’s been 70 years since 1955! Seeing the class list brought back memories of reciting our ninth grade boys’ roll call — Allen, Bacon, Gillen, Groves and so on. I left North Shore after 10th grade to attend Westtown School in Pennsylvania, continuing a family tradition.
After graduate work at Northwestern, I taught Musicology at the University of Michigan for 20
ALUMNI BOARD DINNER
The Alumni Board gathered at Happ Inn for the annual end-ofyear celebration dinner where they said farewell to outgoing members Grace Flickinger ’12 , Manny Hodzic ’15, Sarah Geist Rosen ’86, Firouz Niazi ’17 and Anne Hines Young ’77. They also welcomed a new member for 2025-26, Ross Blumenfeld ’03.
years before moving to London to serve as general secretary for a Quaker nonprofit, visiting Quaker groups in about 40 countries. NSCD’s language classes and my love of music helped forge connections across cultures. A special memory: attending a choral workshop led by Alice Parker, who once stepped in to conduct our Gilbert and Sullivan production after Ramsey Duff had a heart attack — what a full-circle moment!
I won’t be at reunion this year (Verdi’s “Requiem” calls), but I’ll be thinking of you all. Life in Ann Arbor is rich with music, tai chi, travel, reading and time with Nancy and our daughter, Jen. Still grateful for friendship, good health and the joy of a long life.
Hang in there folks. Take care.
1960s
David Misch ’68 has been doing multimedia talks about comedy around the world since 2012, and it occurred to him that since transitioning to Zoom, some of his NSCD buddies (or, in fact, anyone reading this) could see them. For a list of topics, upcoming appearances or for contact information, go to davidmisch.com.
1970s
p Don Whiteman ’70 and Nancy Green Whiteman ’71 share, "We had a fun lunch with John Roberts ’49 and his daughter Juli Blunt in Vero Beach, Florida."
1980s
t Class of 1980: Molly Ingram McDowell, Mary Duke Smith and Miriam Feinstein Lupien met for lunch in Baltimore in April. They look forward to meeting again at their 45th reunion at North Shore in September with fellow classmates.
CLASS NOTES
2025 Francis R. Stanton ’27
Recognition:
Patricia
Ostrom Kohnen ’60
WE ARE PROUD TO HONOR PATRICIA OSTROM KOHNEN ’60 WITH THIS YEAR’S FRANCIS R. STANTON ’27 ALUMNI RECOGNITION FOR HER ENDURING COMMITMENT TO ENGINEERING, EDUCATION, COMMUNITY AND SERVICE.
A trailblazer in STEM at a time when few women pursued such paths, Pat spent 25 years with Chevron and remained deeply engaged in civic life, serving for eight years on the Dublin School Board and helping shape local education. A child of a former North Shore teacher, she continues to carry forward a legacy of learning and service — values instilled in her from an early age. Pat truly exemplifies what it means to “Live and Serve,” and we look forward to celebrating her at Homecoming Reunion Weekend in September.
Howard Goldblatt ’80 shares that his sons will be at Colorado University Boulder next year.
Arthur Handelman ’80 is proud to share that both of his children attended Northwestern. His daughter works in consulting and his son is currently a junior at Northwestern. Arthur’s parents live in the same home he grew up in in Evanston.
Rashid Ghazi ’85 was named one of the 100 Most Impactful People in Men’s College Basketball by Silver Waves Media in 2025. As President of Paragon Marketing Group, Rashid has played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of high school and college basketball, from pioneering nationally televised high school matchups to launching the Chipotle Nationals tournament and leading the EYBL Scholastic league. His efforts have given national exposure to future NCAA, NBA, WNBA and NFL stars, helping elevate the next generation of athletes.
1990s
David Plazas ’94 a joined the staff of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in May as deputy managing editor, opinion, serving as an editorial board member. He is leading the esteemed publication’s opinion and engagement efforts, including editorial writing, editing opinion submissions and conducting community conversations on topical issues.
David previously worked at Gannett Co. for 25 years, most recently as opinion and engagement director for The Tennessean and the USA TODAY Network Tennessee. He led the publication’s Civility Tennessee campaign, coordinated the Black and Latino Tennessee Voices initiatives, wrote nationally award-winning editorials, and moderated multiple federal, state and local candidate political forums. He started his career as a reporter at The News-Press in Fort Myers, Florida. He rose through the ranks, including serving as Spanishlanguage community editor, community conversations editor and digital engagement editor.
p Jeff Rothbart ’95 hosted an impromptu gathering at his home with classmates Gaby Levi ’95, Ale Levi ’92, Dana Brown Davenport ’96, Luisa Godoy Rodriguez ’95, Maria Mancia ’95, Yemisi Dinkins ’95, Jack Delaney ’95, Melissa Schmidt ’95, Drew Masur ’95, Tim Berger ’95, Mike Downs ’96 and Scott Weitzman ’96.
Andre Lodree ’96 decided to step away from college basketball and accepted the freshmen boys basketball coach position at Nazareth Academy. Scholarship. Service. Spirit. Unity. Those say it all! He is also blessed and honored to coach his son and continue to guide him in learning and loving basketball.
p Bill Crane Newman ’98 and the newest addition to his family, Louis, visited with their aunt Polly Ross ’70.
Jeff Rothbart ’95 (far right) and friends
Ben Patinkin ’98 is living in Gig Harbor, Washington with his two teenagers, Flynn and Anna, and wife, Sara. He is working as a pollster at Patinkin Research Strategies helping to elect Democrats across the country and pass progressive ballot measures.
Calvin Robinson ’99, who owns and operates his own food truck and restaurant business, Cal’s SmashBurgers and BBQ, and is owner of GVF Studios/ Slim Body Fitness, was recognized by the Real Thunder Family and Museum of The San Fernando Valley for his outstanding contributions and impact. He received a certificate of Recognition from California State Senator Caroline Manjivar’s office and from Los Angeles City Councilmember John Lee’s office.
2000s
Conor Madigan ’00 is the winner of the 2023 Rick Demarinis Short Story Contest judged by Manuel Muñoz. You can read his story in the publications section of his Conor Robin Madigan Google site. He is represented by the Sandra Dijkstra Agency.
Anand Patel ’02 is at the forefront of a transformative approach to healthcare. As co-founder of LV8 Health, Anand is pioneering “Medicine 3.0” — a proactive, personalized strategy aimed at preventing health issues before they arise. Recently featured on ABC7 Chicago alongside patient and Cooper’s Hawk Winery CEO Tim McEnery, Anand discussed how LV8 Health leverages advanced diagnostics, wearable technology and individualized care plans to optimize health and longevity.
2010s
q Ilhana Redzovic ’13, Claire McCarthy ’15 and Annie Kroll ’15, on the 12th anniversary of their girls basketball regional championship, attended the first round girls basketball regional playoff game, hosted at NSCD. They met with the current team and athletic trainer Kristen Allen (pictured below), and toured the renovated Mac McCarty Athletic Center.
Hannah Lumberg ’15 recently graduated from Idaho State University with a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies. She will return to Chicago with her fiance to start her career as a physician’s assistant.
Kayla Robinson ’15 spent several years in Okinawa, participating in a language program focusing on English and French, and undergoing regional training for the Marines. Kayla recently completed her master’s in international relations with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa at the U.S. Navy Graduate School in Monterey, California. In April, she was deployed to the U.S. Embassy in Morocco as a Marines foreign area officer.
p Emma Flannery ’17 spent some time with fellow classmate Tess Considine ’17, who goes by the stage name “Tess Clare.” Emma attended one of Tess’ performances, and Tess accompanied Emma to a collaboration between the Huron Station Playhouse, where Emma works, and the Geffen Theater in Los Angeles.
Sarah Lumberg ’17 is excited to share that she will be attending Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism for a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications.
Regional Gatherings: Chicago and North Carolina
ALUMNI AND FRIENDS CAME TOGETHER FOR TWO REGIONAL EVENTS THIS SPRING.
In April, alumni and friends joined faculty, staff and Head of School Tom Flemma for happy hour at the South Branch Tavern and a performance of “La Bohème” at the Lyric Opera. Alumni attendees included Sherry Fitzmorris ’64, Gwen Stern ’64, Elisabeth Olson Geraghty ’65, Molly Ingram McDowell ’80, Elizabeth Ingram ’82, Peter Banos ’84, Tania Grivas Shawn ’85, Liam Davis ’86, Grace Flickinger ’12, Rachel Mabie ’12, Jonah Levi-Paesky ’13, Shemar James ’14, Syd Shafer ’14 and Evan Kaspi ’15.
In May, we hosted alumni and former faculty at the The Town Hall Grill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Guests included Eleanor Wagner Cornog ’62, Emily Smith Fleek ’00, Ashleigh Palmer ’04, and former faculty Shirley Johnston and Jenna Loise.
q Thandi Steele ’18 spent nine days in Ghana with Biff Steel ’60 and his wife, Adwoa, in March. Besides being Raiders with similar last names, Thandi and Biff both have family ties to Ghana and attended Williams College. (Read Biff’s reflection on page 46.)
Morgan Small ’19 After graduating from NSCD, Morgan received a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance with a minor in theater from Northwestern University
in 2023. Among other roles at Northwestern, she appeared as Eurydice in Offenbach’s “Orpheus in the Underworld,” Cunegonde in Bernstein’s “Candide,” and Papagena in Mozart’s “The Magic Flute.” In 2023, the Chicago Musicians’ Club of Women awarded Morgan its Nerenberg Award. As a second year masters’ student in opera — vocal performance at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati (CCM), Morgan appeared as Sandrina in Mozart’s “La finta giardiniera.” Recently, Morgan was an Indiana District winner for the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition and won the prestigious Corbett Award at CCM’s Corbett Opera Scholarship Competition. She also appeared as Anna in a workshop of “The Post Office” with Cincinnati Opera. Morgan plans to pursue her Artist Diploma in opera — vocal performance at CCM.
2020s
Ally McKeown ’20 joined the NSCD girls varsity basketball team on their annual outing at a Northwestern women’s game. Ally joined the coaching/ administrative staff at Northwestern after she graduated last June.
u Eloise Richardson ’20 is an anthrozoology major with minors in art and women’s, gender and sexuality studies. In their free time, they take
REGIONALS
Denver - November 2025
Los Angeles - December 7, 2025
Seattle - January 2026
Naples - March 2026
New York City - details to come
shifts at the barn, taking care of the horses in exchange for riding privileges on the beautiful campus of Earlham College. They started riding at just 10 years old and continue to ride year-round at Earlham. Eloise’s favorite horse on campus is Pancho (pictured above)! After graduating this spring, they plan to work in a lab and then pursue a Ph.D. in animal cognition — likely with birds or dogs!
Charlize Guillen ’22, Caroline Segal ’20 and Bethany Bulwa ’23 visited campus to attend a girls varsity basketball game and toured the renovated Mac McCarty Athletic Center.
u Jada Adamson-Tate ’21 performed a senior piano recital at the Lawrence University Conservatory of Music in April with former lower school music teacher Linda Kiracibasi, upper school Chinese teacher Di Li and middle and upper school music teacher Timothy Mah in attendance.
Tommy Kalotis ’24: “I am excited to share that I was recently initiated into the Elon University chapter of Alpha Kappa Psi, the oldest largest professional co-ed business fraternity. This experience has been both rewarding and instrumental in my professional development.”
Graduating Students of Color Luncheon
Alumni, students, families and friends gathered in the Hall Library on May 15 for the fifth annual Graduating Students of Color Luncheon. Keynote speaker Mickeeya Murray Harrison ’02 shared reflections on how her time at North Shore Country Day shaped her journey, offering heartfelt advice to the graduates. Drawing inspiration from the Maya Angelou quote, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you,” she encouraged students to embrace and share the stories that make them unique. Lisa Doi ’09, Meera Sinha ’02, Ashleigh Palmer ’04, Anand Patel ’02 and Nikki Rousseau ’91 also joined in offering guidance and support to the graduating students.
Alums Share Journeys of
ADVENTURE
& EXPLORATION
AS PART OF THIS YEAR’S FRANKE FUND THEME OF “ADVENTURE AND EXPLORATION,” NSCD WELCOMED JOHN BARKHAUSEN ’05 AND AMELIA KEGAN ’01 BACK TO CAMPUS FOR MORNING EX PRESENTATIONS AND CLASSROOM VISITS.
John’s presentation focused on avalanche science, mountain safety and outdoor careers. A professional mountain guide and avalanche safety educator, he shared how his love of skiing and the outdoors shaped his career. “I really wanted to find a fulfilling job in the wintertime that would allow me to ski, be in the snow and teach people about being in the snow,” he said.
He traced his path from outdoor educator to expedition guide, recalling experiences on Denali in Alaska, Iceland’s largest glacier and Washington’s Mount Shuksan. “I’ve fallen in love with the science of snow,” he told students while demonstrating avalanche safety equipment, including transceivers, probes and inflatable airbags. “Snow can function both like a liquid and a solid kind of at the same time, so it does really cool stuff.”
John also shared a personal full-circle moment. Years ago, when he was a student, he attended a Morning Ex by fellow NSCD alum Annie Aggens ’88, a polar expedition guide. “I said, ‘That’s really cool! I want to do that,’” he recalled. “And then 10 years later I was guiding an expedition with the person I saw giving that Morning Ex. So maybe 10 years from now, one of you might be out here with me.”
Amelia shared powerful stories and lessons from ultramarathons — races that stretch more than 100 miles through rugged, mountainous terrain.
Amelia didn’t grow up loving longdistance running. “Running a marathon just didn’t appeal to me. It seemed really boring,” she said. But she recalled an early spark: “A seed was planted in this auditorium” when NSCD teachers spoke about the emotional side of marathon training.
“I realized that maybe running long distances is about something deeper than just running for a long time.”
Now a veteran of races spanning up to 250 miles, Amelia broke down what it takes to push beyond physical and mental limits — through thunderstorms, blisters, hallucinations and steep elevation climbs. She shared how even brief moments of rest, like a “dirt nap” on the trail, can revive exhausted runners. And when conditions get especially tough, what matters most is connection. “We never accomplish anything worthwhile on our own,” she said.
Amelia emphasized that ultra running, like many challenges in life, is “very hard, but it’s not about suffering. It is about transformation.” She left students with a call to courage: “Even if running’s not your thing, there’s got to be that big audacious goal … that seems like maybe I can’t accomplish this thing. And yet — you probably can.”
John’s and Amelia’s visits were among several events and other programming planned around this year’s Franke Fund theme, designed to foster a culture of exploration and discovery across all grade levels.
The Franke Family Fund was established in 2008 by Barbara, Richard, Katherine ’77 and Jane Franke ’80 to support programs that enhance students’ experiences during the academic year. It encourages faculty to develop creative and unique ideas that are schoolwide in scope, broad in interpretation and application, and significantly and positively impact the school community
<<< WATCH NOW
Amelia Kegan ’01 talks with Carly Lissner ’25 about the power of community, their shared love of science and how NSCD values have shaped their paths.
ENGAGEMENTS
marriages
December
December
Hayes Cross Johnson
February 21, 2025
Leigh Cross ’01 and Brian Johnson
Josie Santi ’14 to Joseph Vecchione
Grace Flickinger ’12 to Will Stupar
28, 2024
Hannah Lumberg ’15 to Michael Rosario
Charlotte Elisabeth Manly
25, 2024
Ches Manly ’89 and Christine Manly
IN MEMORIAM
Alisha Betancourt Mullen
May 6, 2024
Former Faculty
Peter Thompson ’68
May 7, 2024
Leslie Griswold Berry ’65
May 20, 2024
Daughter of the late Talcott Griswold ’25
Sister of Nathalie Griswold Bradley ’54 and the late Tim Griswold Jr. ’58
William Pirie ’55
October 11, 2024
Brother of the late Alice Pirie Wirtz ’49
John Rodgers III ’56
November 18, 2024
Husband of Marnie Rodgers ’60
Phyllis Goldblatt
December 9, 2024
Mother of Howard Goldblatt ’80
Milton “Mickey” Jaffe
December 13, 2024
Father of Sami Jaffe ’19 and Sophie Jaffe ’26
Gerissa French
February 15, 2025
Former Faculty
Edward John “Jack” Burnell III
February 16, 2025
Father of Dana Burnell ’82 and David Burnell ’86
Brother of Jennet Burnell Lingle ’58 , Gregory Burnell ’66 and Ruth Burnell ’70
Caroline Howard (Ingram) McCarty
March 5, 2025
Mother of Charlie Ingram ’75, Molly Ingram McDowell ’80 and Elizabeth Ingram ’82
Grandmother of Thomas McDowell ’18
Cynthia Brennan Annibali ’87
March 14, 2025
Russ Hoyle
April 10, 2025
Husband of Ellen Howe ’65
Brother of Harriette Hoyle Tuttle ’68 and Rob Hoyle '71
Laurabelle Eby Roderick
May 10, 2025
Mother of former faculty
Tura Roderick Cottingham
Grandmother of Clayton Cottingham ’14
LIVE AND SERVE DAY MAY 10, 2025
On May 10, alumni families and friends gathered for Live and Serve Day, beginning with lunch and a tour of the newly renovated Mac McCarty Athletic Center. Afterward, volunteers traveled to Cradles to Crayons in Chicago to put North Shore’s “Live and Serve” motto into action.
Thanks to Luke Bakalar ’97, Cathy Kleiman Bartholomay ’79, Phyllis Beattie ’72 and Anne Hines Young ’77 for organizing and to alumni who participated: Nancy Green Whiteman ’71, Andy Scheman ’72, Dan Deuble ’77, David Sahlin ’77, Molly Ingram McDowell ’80, Melinda Roenisch ’80, Elizabeth Ingram ’82 and Ashleigh Palmer ’04.
SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE
We want to hear from you! Share your recent accomplishments and milestones — weddings, births, new jobs, retirements, alumni meetups, and more. Submit a class note online at nscds.org/alumniconnect, or reach out to Ashleigh Palmer ’04 at alumni@nscds.org or 847.881.8848.
ALUMNI REFLECTION
Biff Steel ’60
ON A BACKBONE OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE, NORTH SHORE FLESHED OUT LIFELONG VALUES REGARDING COMMUNITY, PHYSICAL HEALTH AND SELFEXPRESSION – WHICH I ABSORBED OVER NINE YEARS OF LOWER AND HIGH SCHOOL.
I would have been a lifer had not my father, longtime NSCD middle school teacher Bill Steel, wisely decided to let me experience Skokie Junior High rather than have to deal with each other in middle school — inevitable, since he taught everything from math (via brain teasers) to English to social studies.
The word and value I remember from fifth grade is “empathy.” Being able to understand and support others by
putting yourself in their place is key to implementing North Shore’s “Live and Serve” motto. Work Day, Toy Shop and pairing of upper and lower school students were among the ways we learned the importance of caring for others in our community. Visiting a museum in Mexico City recently, I appreciated how our teacher, Ned Morningstar, helped us understand Aztec culture — not only through study but through the art and theater required for a Morning Ex spectacular. Perhaps non-judgmental empathy is what enabled me to accept people as individuals and adapt to other cultures as an adult.
Mac McCarty instilled the belief that anyone could and should play sports. Not until college did I realize that nerds are not supposed to be football tackles! Plus I wouldn’t have learned the soccer skills that I enjoyed for many years to come if I hadn’t had the nerve — though not the experience to join my college soccer team as a freshman. My lifelong habit of running to stay in shape originated in preparing for Mac’s fall training workouts. His Gym is well deserved.
And our music teacher, Vin Allison, did not consider being able to sing or act as a necessary prerequisite for performing onstage — or for appreciating opera. Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, preparing Vaudeville skits, making Morning Ex announcements and performing in plays helped build my confidence in public speaking and engendered a lifelong appreciation of the arts. When people wonder how my Ghanaian wife and I manage coming from such different cultures, I can respond: “Her high school in Ghana also had a tradition of annual Gilbert and Sullivan operettas; how different can the cultures be?!”
Notice that I keep mentioning teachers! They are the lifeblood of NSCD excellence. Anyone reading this will readily recall several who made a difference at important points in their lives. When my father came to my 50th reunion dinner, I had the chance to hear from classmates about the
impact he had on them as eighth graders. Like most NSCD teachers, he encouraged curiosity and independent thinking. Some parents, however, were uneasy with his approach — particularly his inclusion of communism, socialism and other “isms” along with democracy in social studies discussions. But his goal was to help students think critically, not to promote any ideology. Thankfully, Perry Dunlap Smith and Nat French supported him. The study habits as well as knowledge I gained from my own teachers in high school enabled me to survive the difficult first year of college with flying colors.
Also at my 50th reunion, I experienced the NSCD family in a more literal sense. I discovered that the more diverse NSCD included a Ghanaian-American family, who happened to be named Steele — no relation! We stayed in touch, and since my wife, Adwoa, and I divide our time between the United States and Ghana, where much of her family resides and where I still teach a microfinance course annually at the university, we recently hosted Thandi Steele ’18 on her first visit to her father’s homeland.
I am looking forward to sharing more NSCD stories at our 65th reunion in September!
Biff Steel ’60 was the 2010 Francis R. Stanton ’27 Recognition recipient.
“Dream” by Paige Lim ’28
LAST LOOK
This photo is sparking more questions than answers. Who are these students? Why are they dressed in costume? Where are they — and what’s the story behind the scooter? If you can fill in some of the blanks, please reach out to Archivist Kenleigh Howard at khoward@nscds.org or call 847.881.8844.
