FALL 2020
Stronger Together Oak Knoll community unites during historic COVID-19 pandemic
CONTENTS IN THIS ISSUE
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FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
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STRONGER TOGETHER Oak Knoll community unites during historic COVID-19 pandemic
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COVID-19 BY THE NUMBERS
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AND THE REST, THEY SAY, IS HISTORY Joan Paster, Upper School Dean, retires after 30 years
FEATURES
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STORIES FROM THE FRONTLINE A signature editorial feature that highlights the hardworking alumnae/i of Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child who have been on the frontlines of the historic COVID-19 pandemic
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FROM THE ARCHIVES Unprecedented? Not as much as you may think. COVID-19 isn’t the first pandemic to impact Oak Knoll
REVIEW is published twice per year by the Marketing & Communications Department for alumnae/i, parents and friends of Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child. Head of School Timothy J. Saburn EDITOR Meghan Hodgin Director of Marketing & Communications
ASSOCIATE EDITOR James McEvoy Assistant Director of Marketing & Communications ASSISTANT EDITOR Laura Perillo Marketing Content Strategist EDITORIAL STAFF Cynthia Prewitt Director of Institutional Advancement
Elizabeth O’Mara ’86 Associate Director of Institutional Advancement Barbara Lindner Assistant Director of Institutional Advancement PHOTOGRAPHY Meghan Hodgin Chad Hunt James McEvoy Village Supermarkets Wallburg Studios
DESIGN Abbie Moore Design PRINTING Action Graphics Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child 44 Blackburn Road Summit, NJ 07901 908-522-8109 www.oakknoll.org
Message from the Head of School “Is not our faith a sword of strength?” - Cornelia Connelly, founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus
Dear Oak Knoll School Community, Over the past year, we have lost cherished members of our community, faced hard truths as a country and confronted a global pandemic that ravaged the spring term and took countless lives across the world. We have been tested. Times like these reveal our true colors. I saw our faculty stand up and deliver emergency remote instruction to our beloved students; I saw staff support teachers and families as we navigated conducting business from home; I saw students continue to live out our mission by supporting one another and the community through faith and service, and I saw parents brave difficult working conditions at home while caring for their children who were learning from a distance. We have endured. In the pages that follow, you will read about the closure of our physical campus — the first time in our 95-year history. You will also read about how we navigated emergency learning during the spring term that led to our first-ever drive-thru parades and virtual graduations. You will read about all of the changes we are making to our campus to ensure a safe return in the fall and, lastly, you will read about our incredible alumnae/i heroes working as doctors, nurses, EMTs and the many other selfless members of our community who are jumping in to support their efforts. While there are many unknowns surrounding the reopening of our campus in the fall, I am comforted knowing that no matter the format, we are prepared as a community. We are stronger together. Facta non verba,
Timothy J. Saburn, Head of School
OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD REVIEW
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STRONGER TOGETHER COVID-19 causes historic closure of Oak Knoll School campus, necessitates remote learning for first time in 95 years
MAR 4 Faculty and staff in both divisions meet to prepare and finalize policies and procedures that the school will follow in case of closure.
JAN 29 OKS announces the health office is monitoring the 2019-nCoV infection that originated in the area of Wuhan City, China, in December 2019.
JANUARY
2
FEB 26 OKS cancels global exchange trips to Ireland and Spain due to the spread of the now named COVID-19
MAR 12
MAR 5 With the first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 identified in Bergen County, OKS asks families without access to consistent, reliable internet to let the school know in case a closure becomes necessary.
Oak Knoll cancels all athletic activities and closes the campus, including Chatham Fields, for the balance of spring break.
FEBRUARY
FEB 27
MAR 11
OKS announces sanitation plans for the campus and asks families with children who have a fever or experience flu-like symptoms to consult with their doctor.
While on spring break, Oak Knoll asks families who have traveled to a CDC Warning Level 3 country or come in contact with someone who is a presumed positive case over the break to be tested for COVID-19.
COVID-19 FALL 2020
The year 2020 will certainly go down in history due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The novel coronavirus — a respiratory disease that originated in Wuhan City, China, in December 2019 and quickly spread across the globe — forced businesses, restaurants and schools to close their doors, dramatically changing the way of life in America. For most, the “new normal” included wearing masks out in public, being careful to wash hands for 20 seconds, remaining socially distant (at least 6 feet apart), and going to school and work online. As of press time, the disease has killed more than 735,000 people and infected more than 20 million, according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 12.9 million people have recovered. Following an executive order from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Oak Knoll — along with every other school in the state — closed its doors to in-person instruction on March 23, 2020, switching to a remote learning model for the first time in the school’s 95-year history. All classes for the remainder of the school year, K-12, were taught over the computer, causing cancellations
MAR 23
APR 15
Oak Knoll returns from spring break; officially begins remote learning.
Oak Knoll announces two sets of alternate dates for in-person graduation ceremonies.
APR 16
MAR 13
Governor Murphy announces schools will remain closed through at least May 15, 2020.
Oak Knoll announces a move to a remote learning schedule for March 23 to April 5, 2020, including the halt of all in-person and athletic activities.
MARCH
APRIL
MAR 14 &16 Students and families are allowed to come to campus to retrieve electronic equipment and belongings left on campus prior to spring break.
MAR 27 MAR 17 Oak Knoll extends the remote learning period through April 13, 2020.
Oak Knoll announces it will be in remote learning until the Governor deems it safe for schools to reopen.
OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD REVIEW
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STRONGER TOGETHER of timeless in-person traditions, trips abroad, athletic events, artists’ showcases, and the historic drive-thru graduation ceremonies for kindergarten, grade 6 and 12.
Slides, Google Hangout, Zoom, Screen-o-matic, Flipgrid, Voice Thread, Kahoot, Padlet, EdPuzzle and NearPod.
ACADEMIC IMPACT
The faculty also balanced upholding the school’s academic standards and ensuring the academic, physical and emotional needs of each student were met throughout the distance learning period. Throughout the rest of the spring, students gathered in online clubs, reading groups, held online prayer services, general
While all in-person classes, activities and sports were cancelled, Oak Knoll students and faculty K-12 remained engaged in classes through the end of the school year – both via live Zoom video conferences or through posted assignments. Teachers learned how to use digital tools to develop lessons that worked for their disciplines and units of study. Some of the online tools Oak Knoll’s faculty utilized included: Office 365, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google
MAY 4
JUN 2
Governor Murphy announces that all schools will remain closed to on-campus instruction for the balance of the current academic year.
OKS holds kindergarten drive-thru parade and virtual graduation.
MAY 14 Oak Knoll announces plans for graduation including kindergarten, grade 6 and grade 12 drive-thru graduations; kindergarten and grade 6 virtual evening ceremonies and grade 12 in-person graduation in July.
MAY
4
JUNE
MAY 31
JUN 3
Oak Knoll announces the establishment of the Reopening of School Task Force and outlines four scenarios to return to instruction in September.
OKS holds grade 6 drive-thru parade and virtual graduation.
COVID-19 FALL 2020
homeroom and morning meetings, virtual grade-level lunches, family events, concerts; even award ceremonies took place virtually. As virtual classes came to an end, Oak Knoll honored all its graduates under the new COVID-19 state
FAITH AND SERVICE Aside from Oak Knoll’s commitment to excellence in the classroom, students maintained a commitment to their faith by serving others. Although COVID-19 erased most in-person volunteer opportunities, the Oak Knoll community still found ways to help others.
guidelines. Kindergarten, sixth-grade students and seniors all participated in on-campus drive-thru parades while live Zoom graduation ceremonies were held for the kindergarten and sixth grade classes in the evenings. A virtual moving-up day for the eighth-grade class was also held in May and Oak Knoll’s senior Class of 2020 was graduated in a live on-campus, outdoor ceremony on July 29, 2020 under a tent on the turf field.
Jodie De Jesus ’21 and Nora Quinn ’21, in a combined effort to recognize the health care workers at Overlook Medical Center in Summit, spearheaded an effort by the Oak Knoll Baking Club and made 300 fresh goods for every floor in the hospital. Oak Knoll students, faculty and parents also organized efforts to make masks for the Summit Police Department and other area hospitals and first responders.
JUL 29 OKS holds in-person commencement ceremony for senior Class of 2020.
JUN 6 OKS holds a virtual community-wide Graduation Mass and blessing of the senior Holy Child medals.
JUN 26 OKS announces the school will be back in September 2020 with on-campus instruction in some capacity following guidance from the state.
JULY
JUN 7 OKS holds senior drive-thru parade.
OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD REVIEW
JUL 10 Oak Knoll unveils several program modifications that will take place when students return to campus in the fall. The school also asks families traveling to states on the New Jersey quarantine list to self-quarantine for 14 days before returning to campus.
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STRONGER TOGETHER Oak Knoll alumnae/i were also instrumental in helping to fight COVID-19 in their communities as seen in the many Stories From the Frontline – (see pages 14-30). From raising money to buying health care workers meals and snacks while on the job to supporting local area restaurants while feeding essential workers, Oak Knoll’s alumnae/i community banded together to support those most affected by COVID-19. Oak Knoll’s commitment to spiritual life remained strong, despite the school’s closure, with weekly community-wide Friday virtual prayer services, weekly virtual Rosary Beads for Unity as well as a virtual graduation Mass held in June. First Communion for the Lower School second graders was also rescheduled to Aug. 1, 2020.
ATHLETICS COVID-19 forced Oak Knoll’s athletic programs to cancel practices, games and ultimately the entire spring sports season. As devastating as this was for the student athletes and Oak Knoll coaches, athletics pulled together to stay connected and support each other.
Dr. Melissa Maskery, Oak Knoll’s Assistant Athletic Director and Athletic Trainer, emailed a variety of at-home workouts each morning to the community and posted journal prompts, recipes, and other self-care tips and ideas on her Instagram @Dr_M_OKS. “I know this is a weird time for our community with a lot of unknowns,” said Dr. Maskery. “I want to remind you all how important it is to be taking care of yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually.” Oak Knoll’s spring track and field team, made up of nearly 40 student-athletes, also competed in virtual races two times per week to stay active and engaged. The spring lacrosse team virtually supported a player with a spinal injury during their time away from the field. Oak Knoll’s Athletics department also organized the first-ever virtual Run As One – a race that more than 400 participants walked or ran a mile, 5K or 10K at a location of their choosing. The proceeds raised supported the Oak Knoll Emergency Fund, which provides tuition assistance to families in the Oak Knoll community who suffered financial losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the Oak Knoll community endured the disappointment of canceled classes, events, graduations and sports, the school’s spirit remained united. Now, sights are set on a safe return to campus. In May, Head of School Timothy J. Saburn appointed a Reopening of School Task Force to research and develop plans for a September return to instruction — whether that be online or on-campus — based upon the ever-changing state health and safety guidelines. While COVID-19 has undoubtedly impacted the returnto-the-classroom this fall, Oak Knoll School remains united and its character and mission unchanged – to academically challenge its students and encourage them to live a life of faith and commitment to serving others.
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COVID-19 FALL 2020
KEEPING CONNECTED Christian Barravecchio ’27 gives an inside look at his experience during Oak Knoll’s move to distance learning The rapid spread of COVID-19 throughout New Jersey demanded that students begin their spring semester via a virtual platform. Following Oak Knoll’s return from spring break in March, the school community banded together to provide the best academic platform for students under the circumstances, while taking into consideration the social-emotional component of each individual student. Though students missed being at school and seeing their friends in person, they continued to learn, grow, and connect with one another, all without missing a day of remote instruction. Here, we caught up with Christian Barravecchio ’27 on his experience with distance learning during the pandemic of 2020:
Q: What was your favorite part about Oak Knoll’s distance learning program, and why? A: My favorite part about remote learning was that I didn’t have to wake up as early as I normally did when I had to drive to school.
Q: What was your least favorite part about learning remotely, and why? A: My least favorite part about learning remotely is that I couldn’t see my friends in person. I missed having lunch and recess with friends and having a good time with them. During remote learning, I only saw them once or twice a day on Zooms during classes.
Q: What/who helped you to navigate distance learning the most? A: My teachers helped me to navigate through remote learning at OKS. They would always have live Meets so we would understand our lessons more. They would answer questions, and most important, they made remote learning feel like normal school.
Q: How did Oak Knoll and your teachers make distance learning fun? A: My teachers made distance learning fun by scheduling Meets to do fun activities together, such as a Kahoot game. Distance learning was the most fun when teachers turned our lessons into fun activities.
Q: What made you feel the most connected to your peers during distance learning? A: I felt most connected to my peers when we had Google Meets. We were able to talk and see each other during a live Meet, which almost felt like it was in person.
KINDERGARTEN PARADE
6TH GRADE PARADE
12TH GRADE PARADE
Oak Knoll held its first-ever kindergarten graduation parade on June 2, 2020. Scan this QR code with your phone to view it on demand!
Oak Knoll held its first-ever grade 6 graduation parade on June 3, 2020. Scan this QR code with your phone to view it on demand!
Oak Knoll held its first-ever senior graduation parade on June 7, 2020. Scan this QR code with your phone to view it on demand!
OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD REVIEW
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COVID-19 BY THE NUMBERS 90
1,100
Touchless Light Switches
Sets of Plexiglass Installed
KN95 Masks
1,000
Masks made by OKS community
735 10 Boxes of
5,842
Non-Latex Gloves
6
ZOOM Meetings
Digital Thermometers HANDHELD
40
Electrostatic Sprayers
2
BACKPACK
Classroom Cameras
Face Shields
500
34,123.1 ZOOM Hours
8
61
44
TOUCHLESS
TOUCHLESS
Sinks
Toilets
Electrostatic Sprayers
2
Run As One MILES Run/Walked:
1,251.4 Stickers for Distancing
500
COVID-19 FALL 2020
The pandemic’s impact on Oak Knoll
171,000 Meals donated by alumnae/i and friends to hospital and other front line workers
28
UV Cart Lights
300
Child Cloth Face Coverings
300
Adult Cloth Face Coverings
150 Gallons of Hand Sanitizer
3-Ply Face Masks
2,000
300
Baked Goods donated to hospital workers
100 Paper Gowns
4 Handheld UV Light Sanitizers
$36,610
Spray Hand Sanitizers
raised for Emergency Fund
22
PORTABLE Hand Washing Stations
200
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OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD REVIEW
OUTDOOR Hand Washing Stations 9
WHY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS CRUCIAL DURING COVID-19 Staying active improves physical, emotional and mental wellbeing
By: Kelly Hartmann, Oak Knoll’s Lower School Physical Education/Dance/Health Teacher Physical movement and exercise are an important component throughout a person’s lifetime. Physical activity can alter our mindset, behaviors, and even the ways our bodies prevent or fight against certain diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, physical exercise also promotes certain economic benefits, a positive workforce, overall mental health, and safety. Other beneficial factors of physical activity include increasing focus at work and school, improving brain development in children, and creating better sleep habits while decreasing the amount of anxiety and depression. Physical movement and exercise are particularly important during the pandemic because of the increased time children have spent online in the past few months, whether their time is spent in virtual classes, searching the web, playing video/ online games, or just on social media. The recommendation by the American Heart Association and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been, even before COVID-19, that children between the ages of 6 and 17 years old should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (mostly aerobic) each day. The importance of physical activity is not only for a person’s physical well-being, but also for their mental and emotional welfare. Exercising can be a release of stress and anxiety for people of all ages, especially children, while also teaching lifelong skills and the benefits of physical activity. Even though the recommended amount of physical activity is 60 minutes per day, Harvard Health Publishing describes that numerous studies have shown that even just 30 minutes 10
of exercise every day stimulates brain cells and helps a person’s cognitive thinking. “There is good evidence that exercise behaves like medicine to improve brain health and thinking skills. There is a growing body of science behind this,” says Dr. Scott McGinnis, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Unfortunately, since being home from school and work, children and adults are less likely to get 30 minutes of exercise throughout the day. While at school, students were able to attend physical education classes and recess to ensure that these recommendations were met. A study published on June 29, 2020 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, collected and reviewed data from January 19 through June 1, 2020. A total of 19,144,639 daily measurements were recorded by 455,404 different users in 187 countries using the free Apple and Android smartphone app Argus, which tracks daily step counts with user location provided by the smartphone IP address. Different countries varied when they saw a 15% decrease in physical activity, however, it only took the United States 15 days after the COVID-19 shutdown to see this decrease in activity. This pandemic proves that physical activity provides more than just a way to get physically healthy. It also improves our overall wellbeing and our mental/emotional wellness. Even though we have increased our time using technology, it is crucial that we pay special attention to the amount of exercise and activity that we and, in particular, our children are getting.
COVID-19 FALL 2020
CORONAVIRUS THROUGH THE EYES OF A HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR Olivia Gaston ’20 reflects on her final semester at Oak Knoll during the COVID-19 pandemic On March 6, 2020, the last day of classes, I vividly remember running to my car as soon as classes were dismissed. I was in a rush to an appointment after school that I could not miss, and I did not wish my friends or teachers a last goodbye. In my head, I figured we would be back in school. Now, 10 weeks later, it is my biggest regret that I did not give my teachers or friends one last hug. My experience with COVID-19 has been a roller coaster of emotions. Every day is new, and my feelings change through each day. Some days I am sad because I think of all the things that I have lost such as prom, senior banquets, award ceremonies, cotillion, and a few last weeks with my closest friends. Other days I am happy because my family is healthy, and we have a house and food when, unfortunately, that is not the case for so many other people around the country. It still feels unreal that this is what my life looks like. I look back at pictures of what I was doing two or three years ago today, and it becomes surreal that this is my life now. It absolutely made the college process much harder than it already was. By not having the chance to visit colleges, go to Accepted Students Weekend, or get a chance to visit the town or city where I will potentially spend the next four years was crippling. It made making a college decision way harder, and
having to pick a school by May 1, 2020, was terrifying. I had to take a leap of faith in choosing schools. While COVID-19 has taken so much, I have also learned so much about how to adapt in new circumstances. COVID-19 has given me a lot of time to reflect, and I have learned so much during this time. As a whole, it has highlighted how much our generation and society is in constant motion, and this pandemic has shown how difficult it is for us to slow down and just be. It has also highlighted how so many households are not perfect and how going to work or school is an escape, as divorce rates and domestic abuse rates have gone up since quarantine. On a personal level, I have learned so much about myself. I have been able to spend much more time with my family, which I do not usually get to do because of our crazy schedules and the fact that I drive myself everywhere. Looking back on senior year, there was never a break in activities between college visits, community service, fencing practices, and homework. There was never a time to just be. I am so grateful for this time now. I have been able to do things that I never did before — such as learning my mom’s cooking recipes. I have taken more time to journal, meditate, and practice forms of self care. While there is so much bad happening with this pandemic, I choose to look at the positive and the big picture. I believe this was a way for the world to slow down and reflect on what is important. We get so busy and caught up with work or school that we do not get to be with ourselves, God, or our families. This was God’s way to get us to be closer to ourselves, each other, and Him — and for that, I am grateful.
Olivia Gaston ’20, of Morristown, was graduated from Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child amid the COVID-19 pandemic. During her senior year, she earned a Certificate of Achievement from the Northern New Jersey Committee of the Princeton Prize in Race Relations for her efforts to advance racial equity. She will be attending Emory University in the fall.
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AND THE REST, THEY SAY,
IS HISTORY
Joan Paster, Upper School Dean, Retires After 30 Years Amid COVID-19 Pandemic Growing up, Joan Paster remembers playing school with her two younger sisters where she naturally gravitated toward playing the role of teacher. It was during those carefree days of make-believe that Paster’s love for the classroom was born and then further cemented in graduate school at Vanderbilt University. While in pursuit of her master’s degree in history, Paster became a teaching assistant — thus changing the trajectory of her career. There, Paster realized she was happiest spending her days interacting with students in the classroom. Now, after a dedicated career as an educator, 30 years of which were spent at Oak Knoll School, Paster retired after the 2019-20 school year. “Oak Knoll allowed me to grow and grow and grow,” said Paster, Oak Knoll Dean of Grades 10-12 and Upper School History Teacher. “I never did the same thing two years in a row. I truly could not have asked for more in terms of my personal growth and in the amazing opportunities that I have been given here.” Paster first arrived at Oak Knoll in 1990 after moving to New Jersey from Manhattan. Her first teaching job, while commuting from Manhattan, was at Greenwich Academy, where she spent eight years and dove head-first into what would become her lifelong career in education. There, she created a course on governments and ideologies and taught U.S. History and AP U.S. History. While still living in Manhattan, Paster then worked for the Nightingale-Bamford School for five years where she taught AP U.S. History and Medieval European History. Paster then took time away from her career to raise her two daughters. When she moved to Maplewood, New Jersey, and her youngest entered kindergarten, Paster landed a part-time position teaching U.S. History at Oak Knoll. And the rest, they say, is history. “I never dreamed of all the opportunities that I would gain when I first stepped onto campus at Oak Knoll in the early ’90s,” she said.
JOAN PASTER VIRTUAL CELEBRATION Due to COVID-19, Oak Knoll held a virtual retirement celebration for Joan Paster on Youtube on June 3, 2020. Scan this QR code with your phone to view it on demand!
At Oak Knoll, Paster first taught AP U.S. History part-time, eventually becoming a full-time history teacher with the school. While still teaching history, she stepped up to fill in as Oak Knoll’s Guidance Counselor for two years.
COVID-19 SPRING 2020
Then, 15 years ago, while still teaching history and acting as a homeroom teacher, Paster became Dean of Students for grades 10-12 — a position she held until she retired. Edith Ticona, Dean for grades 7-9 and friend for nearly 20 years, said she continues to learn life-changing lessons from Paster — her office mate — every day. “Joan embodies what a person can accomplish when they pursue their passion,” Ticona said. “Her passion is without a doubt education. She strongly believes in empowering every person through education, and with her joyful and calm demeanor, she shares her wisdom and inspires us to be better students, colleagues and friends.” According to Paster, she was never thwarted by the different positions she took on at Oak Knoll. In fact, she embraced them. “At Oak Knoll I learned how to be truly flexible,” said Paster, who has also been president of Oak Knoll’s Chapter of the Cum Laude Society since 1992. One of her proudest accomplishments, she recalled, was the time spent in collaboration with fellow history teachers Nicole Johnston and Jim Boisi in creating the Oak Knoll signature Survey of U.S. History course. “Joan was my guide during my full day of interviews at Oak Knoll and in teaching a mock lesson,” said Johnston. “Since that very first day on campus, I found Joan to be one of the warmest, kindest, and most sincere people I had met. “During the last eleven years of working with Joan, I found my initial impression to be completely true, but at the same time lacking the full breadth of who she is as a teacher, colleague, and person. I consider myself blessed to have the opportunity to learn from Joan – a person who always keeps students at the heart of the matter.” Over the course of the last 30 years, Paster alone created several of Oak Knoll’s courses, including Immigration, U.S. Government, U.S. Economy for the tenth grade, (now split between the seventh and eighth grade courses), and Women’s Studies for seniors.
In addition, Paster also taught AP U.S. History, AP U.S. Government, World History and Survey of U.S. History. “Ms. Paster is the epitome of a mentor and model teacher since she always listened to everyone’s thoughts, concerns, and opinions without judgement,” said Lily Matthews ’20, a student in Paster’s honors Survey of U.S. History class. “In class, she created a conversational environment and never discouraged students from speaking. It’s often hard to find words to describe Ms. Paster because she is truly a one-of-akind soul and individual.” Paster’s colleague and Chair of the History Department, Zohra Ismail, said Paster is a role model, mentor and friend. “Joan is a strong woman but also is very caring and a great listener and is empathetic,” said Ismail. “Her calmness and sense of reason can deescalate any situation. The faculty, students and parents are so fortunate and blessed to have had her take care of us and our students.” This summer, Paster’s career at Oak Knoll came to a bittersweet close as she delivered the Upper School commencement address amid one of the biggest challenges that the school – and country — has ever faced: COVID-19. “Even before the situation that we are all in now with COVID-19, I’ve learned that there are times when you can’t fix a situation, you just need to learn to navigate around it and to be flexible,” said Paster, who has been living with her daughters, their spouses and her 17-month-old granddaughter, Lila, since mid-March. Paster will make her way down to North Carolina this summer for her retirement to live near her sister and brother-in-law. There, she will take a step back, decompress and ponder her next steps during the next stage of her life. “Joan has been the most wonderful colleague,” said Jennifer G. Landis, Associate Head of School. “Her intelligence, good humor, sensitivity, sense of purpose, and steady example of leadership and joy has been invaluable to us. Joan hasn’t just shared her example and her wisdom with us. She has shared herself with us. We say goodbye gratefully, with deep admiration and tremendous respect.”
OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD REVIEW
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STORIE
FROM TH
FRONT Stories from the Frontline is a signature editorial feature that highlights the hardworking alumnae/i of Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child who have been on the frontlines of the historic COVID-19 pandemic. These heroes are doctors, nurses, EMTs and other selfless individuals who support those on the frontlines. These are their stories.
ES
HE
TLINE
CALL OF DUTY Neilda Baron ’77 Battles COVID-19 Health Crisis Through Telemedicine Doctor Neilda Baron ‘77 M.D. doesn’t regret the jump she made into pharmacological medicine 24 years ago when her two oldest children were three and four. Long and inconsistent shifts as an Internal Medicine Resident/Hematology-Oncology Fellow filled her days, nights and weekends with work but left her with little or no time to spend with her young children. So, Baron left clinical medicine behind and the personal satisfaction of having an intimate patient-doctor relationship that she loved. Instead, she established a career with more “stable” hours in pharmaceutical medicine. Today, Baron is the Executive Director of the U.S. Oncology Medical Affairs team for Novartis Pharmaceutical Corp. While she misses clinical medicine, the time that she was able to spend with her three daughters (youngest AuroraYasmine Ghorab ’19) has made the career-change absolutely worth it. Trained in Hematology-Oncology, Baron and her nearly 30-person team of health care professionals work with physicians and other health care professionals across the country whose patients are taking a Novartis-approved product and/or participating in a clinical trial. Baron and her team field medical questions pertaining to their oncology products, support the development of scientific publications as well as approve advertising information which is found in scientific publications and heard via radio and television commercials. “Nevertheless, COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact on our department,” Baron said in May. Today, instead of crisscrossing across the country participating in countless face-to-face meetings, COVID-19 forced Baron’s team to interact with doctors, nurses, pharmacists and some patients virtually rather than in-person. Now, via Microsoft Teams, Skype or Google Chat, Baron’s team discusses scientific findings, adverse events (side effects), conducts training on drug administration, troubleshoots access challenges as well as answering other questions, including the impact of COVID-19 on the patient’s current treatment. “Unfortunately, many of the patients currently on our drugs are not only immunosuppressed but have comorbidi-
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STORIES FROM THE FRONTLINE FALL 2020
“I wanted to do something that could make a difference for those who may not be taking a Novartis product, but are negatively affected by this pandemic,” Baron said. ties,” said Baron, who works with patients taking the Novartis drug Piqray (a drug developed to help fight advanced metastatic breast cancer), Adakveo (a drug to reduce the number of sickle cell crisis) and Taf-Mek for patients battling malignant melanoma. “So, it is essential that we are still able to consult with patients taking our drugs – and their physicians – as best we can to better serve their conditions,” said Baron. Before COVID-19, Baron also made regular visits to the hospitals, clinics and doctor’s offices participating in Novartis clinical trials to gain better insights into the safety of drugs in development. However, due to the virus’ rapid spread, many clinical trials have either slowed-down or completely stopped. Instead, Baron said, nearly ever pharmaceutical company has shifted its focus to combating COVID-19 and finding a vaccine to prevent the virus. “What’s exciting and reassuring, is that experts from all over the world are coming together at all levels, including the National Institutes of Health, World Health Organization, Federal Drug Administration, universities and pharmaceutical corporations, to find a solution to this problem,” said Baron. In a more recent twist of fate, the virus that Novartis and other pharmaceutical companies are racing to find a vaccine for, has reignited Baron’s passion for treating patients. Baron, in addition to busy days working at Novartis, signed up through the State of NJ Health Initiative to provide telemedicine services from her home – three shifts per week, four hours each – for patients experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. So, when New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and the state Department of Health issued a request for health care physicians who were in retirement to join the frontline forces, Baron volunteered. Her services were offered via the COVID-19 Telemedicine statewide service, which is accessible via the state Department of Health website. “I got all sorts of calls – ones that really made me revisit my general medical knowledge,” said Baron, who always wanted to become a physician after tagging along with
her father, who was at that time a general practitioner and later an Ophthalmologist, on his house calls when she was a child. The calls Baron received were via any non-public facing platform such as FaceTime, Google Chat, Zoom or Skype. Most patients who called were in their mid ’30s to late ’60s. These patients mainly called in for themselves, but many called on behalf of a loved one. “I think people needed validation that they were really OK because the COVID-19 signs and symptoms list is getting longer every day,” Baron explained. “And some people just call to talk, get things off their chest. This is a stressful time for everyone, so being able to be a sounding block for those who are in need is very uplifting.” Life is settling into a new normal for Baron, who said that while Novartis opened up its campus mid-July, the expectation is that the vast majority of people will likely continue to work from home into early 2021. For telemedicine, “the demand has somewhat fallen off; especially since the opening of most physicians’ offices, the easing of restrictions as well as the increase in testing sites around the state,” she said. “I think that I was providing services three times a week for approximately six weeks.” And with the list of COVID-19 symptomatology everchanging and not fully-understood, her team remains committed. “While initially it was felt to be a respiratory illness, it is now appearing to be more of a respiratory-cardiac one or even one that attacks the immune system,” Baron said. “In addition to the differing theories of transmission — life-span of small respiratory droplets vs. large respiratory droplets vs. existence on hard surfaces vs. in the air — there are more questions than answers at this time, making this whole COVID pandemic situation more confusing and stressful at a time when everyone expects that there should be more answers.”
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PANDEMIC RELIEF lip conditioners, Yetis and other items requested by staff. They were also able to send more than $2,500 in gift cards from local businesses to raffle off.
Katie Curran Darcy ’92 Starts Summit Effort to Support Frontline Hospital Staff
“We continue to look for ways to engage with our local community and businesses to mutually support one another; from basketball clinics, to lemonade stands, exercise classes — every dollar goes directly into supporting local businesses and feeding our Front Line,” said Katie.
Katie Curran Darcy ’92 learned to put others before herself while she was a student at Oak Knoll, in Summit, where service is a key component of the school’s mission. So, as the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic shut down schools for her three teenagers, 10-year-old and most of the local Summit, NJ community, Katie sprang into action, searching for ways to help those around her. After texting friends, many of whom are fellow Oak Knoll alums, she learned about a Facebook group called FLAG (Front-line Appreciation Group) out of Madison and Chatham, NJ. The group collects funds to purchase food from local area restaurants and then delivers it to their local area hospitals and health care workers. Katie called the founder of FLAG Madison and Chatham, Liz Field Bernich, and left the conversation feeling inspired to start up her own group in Summit last spring. In the span of 24 hours, FLAG of Summit was off and running and raised more than $20,000. “I just knew I’d have no trouble at all raising money or finding volunteers to help,” Katie said in March. “We were all hurting and wanted to do something.” And help they did. To date, FLAG of Summit has raised close to $150,000, with more than 1,000 members, all looking to serve others on the front line of this pandemic. They have served more than 14,000 meals to Overlook Medical Center and surrounding hospitals and patronized over 50 local businesses with the $150,000 raised to purchase meals and deliver those meals to the hospital and their workers. “Sometimes these nurses or doctors are assigned to the ICUs on 12-hour shifts and are unable to leave to go to the cafeteria until their long shifts end. We wanted to be able to deliver fresh, healthy meals to them,” she explained. While FLAG of Summit served 300 meals a day during the surge, they are still sending weekly meals to the Front Line. Additionally, through partnerships with businesses such as CeraVe and Dollar Shave Club, they have sent thoughtful care packages to hospital staff. An Amazon Wish List campaign for Nurses Day yielded 500 handmade care packages full of beauty masks, foot creams, 18
Katie Curran Darcy ’92 delivers meals to frontline workers in Summit with her family.
Looking ahead, FLAG of Summit is considering working with Overlook Medical Center to supply items for staff in “Comfort Rooms” while still providing meals to essential staff, which costs more than $2,000 a day and does not feed everyone. “The best way that people can support us is to donate financially so we can extend feeding the hospital workers for longer,” said Katie, whose own teenagers even help organize and pick up meals. In addition, Katie, who would like to see similar FLAG groups started all over the country, even created a document detailing how others can replicate her FLAG of Summit Facebook group.
“This Summit community is a larger version of Oak Knoll for me,” Katie said. “Focusing on helping others truly helped me cope with all of this uncertainty. You always feel good when you help others.” For those looking to help, visit FLAG of Summit online or donate through the Summit Foundation at summitforever.org.
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LEARNING HOW TO COPE Alicia Romeo ’90, M.D. helps cancer patients battle anxiety and depression during COVID-19 Oak Knoll alumna Alicia Romeo ’90, M.D., a psychiatrist with the Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina, isn’t a novice when it comes to helping patients cope with stress and anxiety. As a former Yale School of Medicine faculty member who worked with patients in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook shooting in 2012, Romeo is experienced in helping people exposed to trauma. However, Romeo said the COVID-19 pandemic stirs up 9/11-related feelings for people and has added yet more stress for most of her patients. Romeo treats cancer patients who are battling anxiety and depression because of their disease. “Coronavirus has added another intense layer of counseling for most of them,” Romeo said in March. “Our immunocompromised patients have already had to get used to living with cancer and now we’re helping them learn how to cope with yet another unprecedented hurdle,” Romeo explained.
Romeo said Oak Knoll taught her to help others and to be a compassionate person early on in life, sees on average about 10 new psychiatry oncology patients each week. After assessing their needs, she provides an individualized treatment plan consisting of therapy and medications for each patient. Since COVID-19 began spreading throughout the United States, Romeo continues to help an influx of patients at her Institute, which she and colleagues prioritize based on acute need. Romeo is seeing a shift, however, in the severity of symptoms. “Our patients are more anxious than ever because of the news; some may not be sleeping well and most patients, like many of us, are fearful of uncertainty,” she said. “We advise patients to limit exposure to 24-hour news and try to maintain a normal routine and schedule.”
Romeo said that while her caseload hasn’t increased because of COVID-19, she is seeing people more frequently due to increased psychiatric symptoms. “Some patients I would normally see on a monthly basis I am seeing every two weeks. The entire cancer hospital has maintained the virtual visit model longer than was originally anticipated. Before I started working in oncology, I practiced emergency psychiatry for a number of years. About half of that work was telemedicine, so I was able to avoid the steep learning curve many of my colleagues had to deal with in transitioning quickly to virtual visits during the pandemic. As the cases of COVID-19 continued to rise in North Carolina in July, Romeo said her immunocompromised patients were at increased risk for getting sick. “I am busier than ever, but the majority of my patients continue to be seen by virtual telemedicine visits. I think it will be a while, if ever, that we return to practicing medicine the way we did a few months ago.”
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ALL HANDS ON DECK Pediatric ICU nurse Olivia Gasser ’14 treats adult patients during COVID-19
Olivia Gasser ’14 is thankful for her college internship while at Georgetown University where for one summer, she worked with adult patients in the ICU unit at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City. Gasser, a pediatric ICU nurse now at New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell in NYC, was told in April that her unit, which treats pediatric ICU patients, was converting into a full adult ICU unit to treat those with COVID-19. Gasser is now one of the nurses on the frontlines treating adult COVID-19 patients three days a week. “Many of us have had little or no experience treating adults in the ICU,” said Gasser, whose pediatric patients have since all been transferred safely to New York Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital. “We are learning as we go and practicing group nursing in order to share all of our knowledge to help these patients as best as we can.” On any given day, Gasser’s ICU unit sees 20 patients — all of whom are COVID-19 positive. In March, the unit was a normal pediatric floor treating pediatric RSV or flu cases in children. In April, Gasser and her coworkers did their best to help their adult patients fight the virus that infiltrated New York City. “We’re seeing doctors begin to weigh decisions about life and death with family members of those who are positive,” said Gasser, who had anxiety about this new normal. “The medical side of COVID is straightforward,” she explained. “The emotional part, however, is extremely overwhelming. The virus is so widespread that it really can hit anyone, and I’ve never experienced anything like this.” Gasser is most anxious that she will bring the virus home, unintentionally, on her off days, which she spends in selfisolation at her family’s New Jersey home. For the three days she works in New York City, she stays alone in her apartment. “There is absolutely no one in my building nowadays. It’s silent except for the sirens,” she said. Yet despite the critical situation, Gasser wouldn’t change her profession. She decided to become a nurse, in fact, after experiencing first-hand the stellar care her nurses provided after her own ACL surgery. Today, Gasser continues to find comfort in the support of her staff and friends at work. She’s not afraid to ask questions – a quality of comradery she learned while at Oak Knoll. By Memorial Day, the hospital discharged its last adult COVID patient and admitted its first pediatric patient on June 10. She
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said it took about three weeks to disinfect and prepare her unit for the return of children. “Having the kids back has been so amazing and refreshing,” she said. “All pediatric patients are able to have one parent with them, and it is so nice to have family members at the
bedside again. We aren’t at full capacity yet and, fortunately, haven’t really seen any kids with acute respiratory syndrome related to COVID. At this point we’re just super excited to have our kids and some normalcy back and praying there aren’t any surges or second waves anytime soon.”
“Going to school with all girls, I was never afraid to speak up. We all leaned on each other as my coworkers and I are now,” she said. “Without my faith and knowing that this is all a part of a bigger plan, I believe everything would be more difficult for me. I have profound faith that everything happens for a reason and my faith really developed during my time at Oak Knoll.”
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‘WHAT I NEED TO DO’ ER Doctor Matt Steenberg ’93 (LS) answers call during COVID-19 emergencies Matt Steenberg ’93 (LS) taught his son how to tie his tie over FaceTime. Steenberg, an emergency medical doctor, lived separately from his family as an extra precaution while on the frontlines caring for COVID-19 patients. Throughout the pandemic, Steenberg worked seven days a week as an emergency medical services (EMS) physician with MD1 – a first-of-its-kind charity that brings doctors to the sites of emergency situations for patients who cannot get to the hospital. MD1 does not bill patients or health care systems; rather, the organization relies on donations and grants to operate.
incidents where patients couldn’t get to a hospital immediately,” said Steenberg, whose patients appreciate having a physician by their side during an emergency. “Now all of the MD1 physicians are responding to EMS calls and supporting EMTs and paramedics in the field, helping to triage, assess and treat sick patients.” Yet Steenberg, who said he would continue to isolate from his family for as long as it takes to keep them safe, marches on with a sense of satisfaction each day knowing he is making a difference. He said that he has always felt a sense of pride in helping others, qualities that were fostered while he and his siblings were students at Oak Knoll.
“When I’m in patients’ houses, I’m constantly seeing that patients and loved ones are coming together to care for one another, even if they are isolating,” said Steenberg. “It’s fulfilling to see everyone banding together to help each other. Each day I’m blown away by the support and thanks health care workers and first responders are receiving. It’s heartwarming.”
Before Steenberg found his calling with emergency medicine, he experienced other careers – one working with sound systems for various Broadway shows, then as an EMT and firefighter. Through his work as an EMT he found medicine. After medical school he became an emergency physician working in the ERs of Morris, Essex and Union counties. His passion for care before the hospital led him to subspecialty training to become an EMS physician. Today, he continues to work in the ER, but most days can be found in an MD1 vehicle. “On one hand, what I still see is horrific,” Steenberg said in April. “On the other hand, this is what I was trained and called to do.” At MD1, Steenberg responds to incoming 911 calls, treating patients in their homes. Nearly all the patients he sees these days are exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms. Steenberg and his colleagues are trained to start patients on ventilators, or even administer blood in the field, before transferring their patients to a hospital. “Before the pandemic, we responded to things like motor vehicle accidents, building collapses and natural disasters —
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NO SMALL FEAT Dr. Susan Schmidt Gomes ’01, Pediatric Intensive Care Physician, Treats Inflammatory Syndromes In Children At 34 weeks pregnant with her third child, Dr. Susan Schmidt Gomes ’01 felt guilty when she wasn’t able to help treat COVID-19 patients in New York City. Before becoming a pediatric intensive care physician at St. Christopher’s Hospital in Philadelphia, Gomes spent years in medical school learning how to treat ARDS — Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome – one of the main complications associated with COVID-19. “I’m trained to care for this pathology that we’re seeing in all of these adult COVID-19 patients,” Gomes said in May. “This is the bread and butter of what I do on a daily basis,” she said. “Since I received my specialty training in intensive care, at the beginning of the pandemic I felt tremendous guilt for not being able to help these patients.” But St. Christopher’s Hospital needed her. Here, Gomes and her colleagues in the pediatric intensive care unit typically treat children with respiratory failure, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and flu. Gomes said because St. Christopher’s treats a high percentage of North Philadelphia’s underprivileged and poor population, they also treat children who have experienced trauma including gang-related gunshot wounds as well as child abuse cases. Since the pandemic spread, Gomes has treated about a dozen children with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome with the COVID-19 infection. Her hospital has a plan if needed to also accept patients up to age 30 if they need to accommodate another surge of the virus. “We certainly haven’t seen the last of COVID-19-related cases among children,” said Gomes. In fact, Gomes’s unit saw a slow rise of children exhibiting post-COVID inflammatory syndromes – like those in New York City. Gomes said these are pediatric patients who have had a known exposure to COVID-19, tested positive for the virus or have had antibodies to it. “Clinically, these children may look OK, but their conditions can change on a dime and worsen very quickly,” she said. While Gomes and her unit remain vigilant that there are children who can deteriorate quickly with this, the patients
UPDATE:
Dr. Susan Schmidt Gomes ’01, along with her husband, Nicolas, welcomed their third son, Charles August Gomes (aka Charlie), on June 1, 2020, at 12:19 a.m. He was 8lb 9oz, 20 inches long.
they have seen with this have indeed recovered. “I think we will be seeing more of these cases, and right now we don’t know what the mortality will be in the end.” Despite the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, Gomes remains strong and empowered. “My own working mother, who was a trailblazer, showed me it’s possible to be a doctor, wife and a good mother,” said Gomes, whose parents and two sisters – Kathyrn Schmidt Hudson ’99 and Rita Schmidt Butler ’04 – are all physicians.
Oak Knoll also empowered Gomes to achieve success through founder Cornelia Connelly’s maxim, “Actions, not words.” “I have felt this message at my core in my job whether I was the shoulder parents cried on when their child died or whether we cried happy tears together as their child recovered. It’s been a huge honor and has all been worth it in the end,” Gomes said.
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FEEDING HEROES Village Supermarkets provides meals to employees, health care heroes on the frontlines When Ali Sumas Good ’95, Oak Knoll’s varsity field hockey coach, and her family heard rumblings about a widespread virus beginning to wreak havoc in New Jersey, they immediately sprang into action. “We tried to be as prepared as possible,” Good said in April. “So, our family quickly mobilized knowing that our grocery stores would be a major resource for the community.” Good’s family owns and operates 30 Village ShopRite Supermarkets across four states as well as Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market in New York City. Her family has owned the stores for three generations and Good, together with her sister Laura Sumas-Barry ’03 and her cousins, continues to uphold the company’s mission to help their local families live better.
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The Sumas family first organized a massive effort to keep their employees in all their stores safe. They installed plexiglass barriers at each register, implemented full-scale, deep cleanings of their stores multiple times throughout the day and announced special shopping hours for seniors and the immunocompromised. At the same time, they began providing meals for their own employees — roughly 6,000 workers — in the stores two times per day. “We are in the stores every day and see firsthand what our associates are doing for us and our communities,” said Good. “They have been tirelessly working on the front line of our supermarkets and we wanted to appreciate them.” Through this program, they were able to provide approximately 140,000 meals to their Village ShopRite supermarket heroes. Yearning to help serve their communities even more, in a way that went beyond the point of sale, the Sumas family
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founded Heroes Feeding Heroes, a widespread Village Supermarket fundraising effort to feed local health care workers on the frontlines.
“We knew we could use our ability to reach thousands of customers, so we started to collect money at our registers and also set up a Go Fund Me page,” said Good. “Using these donations, we provided 17,000 meals to healthcare heroes at nine different hospitals while supporting more than 30 local restaurants.” Still, they wanted to impact even more people in need so Good reconnected with her Oak Knoll classmate, Katie Curran Darcy ’92, about her FLAG of Summit organization.
When the Heroes Feeding Heroes program wrapped up May, the Sumas family refocused their efforts on another pressing community issue – hunger. Round-Up For Hunger began in May and wrapped up in June. To date, their stores have raised an additional $44, 216 thorough Round-Up for Hunger for local food banks in the area. The Sumas family begins their next annual campaign for Hunger in August through Partners in Caring, a program the family has run for almost two decades. At the height of the pandemic, one of the hospitals was looking to boost morale and asked Good if their stores would supply goods for an ice cream party for the health care workers. “We were more than happy to serve them,” said Good. “It was such a serious state in our hospitals, that we wanted to bring just a little bit of joy to them, and we’re going to continue helping our community however long we need.”
Together, the two quickly divided and conquered to maximize fundraising efforts. FLAG of Summit supported Summit-area restaurants during the pandemic by purchasing meals from them and then delivering those hot meals to Overlook Medical Center. Heroes Feeding Heroes provided anything else that the hospitals in their 30 communities needed, including fresh fruit snacks, granola bars, water, gum, mints and even personal protection gear as their warehouses received it.
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HANDS-ON TRAINING Kate Treanor ’14 begins new nursing career during COVID-19 Kate Treanor ’14 was halfway through her first undergraduate degree as an English Literature major at Holy Cross College when her father became sick and hospitalized from a rare form of pneumonia. After witnessing the life-saving care the medical team and nurses from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston performed, Treanor changed career paths to become a nurse.
Connelly, founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus: “Actions, not words.” So, she continues to work. “I’m used to working with patients with severe anxiety and depression as well as those with severe past traumatic experiences, but it has truly been an added struggle for them with the fear of COVID-19,” Treanor said in April. “My coworkers and I do our best to put our own anxieties aside, which is hard, in order to brighten someone’s day and help our patients become stable enough to safely return home.” In the spring, Treanor started a new job – one that was planned well before COVID-19 hit – as a hematology/ oncology nurse at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts. Here, while most of her state was quarantined, Treanor received hands-on experience on a medical surgical oncology floor with high risk, immunocompromised patients. “Every hospital is on the lookout for patients or staff who may be exhibiting signs and symptoms or who may have been exposed to this horrible virus,” said Treanor, who knows many people, personally and professionally, whose lives have been significantly altered by COVID-19. However, through all the sadness and uncertainty that this pandemic has brought, Treanor looks on the bright side.
“I have definitely felt a sense of community between all health care workers pushing through this horrible time and trying to get to the other side of the curve,” she said. After just three weeks at her new job at Lahey, Treanor tested positive for COVID-19 and was out of work for six weeks.
“That experience was very inspiring for me, especially having observed the work the nursing staff provided for my father, which made all the difference,” said Treanor. “I am so glad I made the decision to pursue nursing.” In December, Treanor graduated from Northeastern University’s accelerated 16-month nursing program and, while in school, started working as a registered nurse at McLean, a psychiatric hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. Then COVID-19 started to spread. Now, Treanor and her friends in nursing are worried about their patients and themselves because in their job they can’t self-quarantine. Treanor, however, is guided by the words of Cornelia
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“I had a bit of a cough and had been informed that I had been exposed to COVID-19 patients numerous times (even though my floor was never converted to a COVID-19 floor), so I went in for testing thinking it was negative but I’m so glad I got swabbed. My symptoms were mild but it definitely put everything in perspective for me. I can’t remember going into the room without my PPE or forgetting to sanitize, so it was jarring to find out that I had somehow gotten it regardless.” Treanor said her hospital converted most of its COVID-19 floors back to normal in July, and the numbers continue to dip. “I am worried about reopening, but we have not seen a huge rise in cases in Boston yet,” she said.
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NEW LIFE UNDER DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES Ghislaine Smith ’08 delivers babies amid a global pandemic Ghislaine Smith ’08, a third year OB/GYN resident at Saint Barnabas Hospital, said in April that as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the country, New Jersey is running out of essential supplies and ventilators. “We are so low on supplies that our hospital has cancelled all of our elective surgeries, including ovarian and cervical cancer surgeries,” said Smith, who works in oncology services during the week with a now-reduced skeleton team and is on call on weekends. A resident of Bloomfield, Smith comes from a long line of physicians in her family – eight to be exact – and none of them have seen anything close to this pandemic before. Her sister and her fiancé tested positive for the virus, and Smith is doing her best to protect herself from it, despite limited resources. “The biggest problem, aside from the scarce essential supplies, is the fear and uncertainty of things now,” said Smith, who could be pulled from delivering babies at any moment to help service the ER or ICU should they need her. Some of her pregnant patients have COVID-19, but most are doing well. Smith and her team tell their pregnant patients to avoid the hospital as much as they can until it’s time to deliver and have Ghislaine Smith ’08 with her uncle, Thad Denehy, father of OKS grad Elizabeth Denehy ‘18. Thad is a gynecologic oncologist who also works at St. Barnabas
been isolating newborns if their mothers are positive. New protocols are in place, too, for c-sections as it can aerosolize the virus. A current text chain between Smith and friends from Florida International University medical school, exemplifies the dire situation.
Ghislaine Smith ’08 in full gear on her way to see a pregnant COVID-19 patient.
“All of us are scattered working now in the health care field around the U.S. and hearing all sorts of scenarios,” she said. One of Smith’s friends from the text group is an internal medicine physician in New York City. In a recent text he said his hospital is running out of ventilators. Another physician friend on the text string was baffled by how his patient seemed to be healthy one minute, but then needed to be intubated immediately the next minute.
Yet, even with all the uncertainty and fear that the virus has caused, Smith remains calm in large part because of her strong faith background, which was fostered as a student at Oak Knoll. “I tell my nurses to be calm while mostly everyone around us is on edge. I will always give my patients my best medical knowledge but also, I want to give them hope. My time spent at Oak Knoll is now helping me endure this fight,” she said.
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NYC EPIDEMIOLOGIST BATTLES COVID-19 Dr. Krystina Padkowsky Woods ’98 looks to train the next generation of infectious disease physicians
“As the hospital’s Epidemiologist, this was personally so difficult for me because we alone couldn’t stop the infection’s spread in the city, and so many people were getting sick,” said Woods. Woods also lost colleagues to the virus, including a nurse.
Dr. Krystina Padkowsky Woods ’98 — an infectious disease physician, hospital epidemiologist, and medical director for Infection Prevention at Mount Sinai West — spent years learning how to treat infections like sepsis, malaria, hepatitis and HIV. But when the newest infectious disease and respiratory pathogen – COVID-19 – slammed her hospital in New York City this spring, it caught most in the medical field by surprise.
Despite the losses, she was able to find a few silver linings.
“This was so widespread and quick,” Woods said in July. “Once Italy experienced their outbreak, it became clear that we were likely next or that it had already been circulating among us, but we just weren’t aware of it yet.” So, Woods and her Mount Sinai West colleagues sprang into action. In order to accommodate as many patients as possible within the hospital, they converted their surgical recovery unit into another COVID ICU, and many anesthesiologists stepped up and became ICU doctors nearly overnight. Woods said her hospital has treated several hundred COVID-19 positive patients, while sadly losing many to the virus.
Woods describes one of her best days on the job as the day her hospital discharged one of their first patients with COVID-19 after a month and a half stay. “This patient was visiting from Chile and had no family with him,” Woods said. “I comforted him and talked to him when he was admitted. On the day of his discharge, he said he remembered me when he first came in. It was amazing that simply relating to him on a human level stayed with him after all he’d been through.” Seeing these success stories is why Woods has never regretted her career in medicine despite the challenging number of COVID-19 cases, deaths and a virus that is always looking to propagate. Growing up, Woods was a strong learner in the sciences and spent many weekends before going to ballet lessons at Bayonne Hospital’s nurses’ station, where her father, a physician, performed his patient rounds.
Sidewalk messages that New Yorkers left for Woods and her coworkers outside the doors of the hospital. “It was a small but significant gesture, that many of us appreciated,” said Woods.
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“My teachers always taught me by example that I had a voice,” said Woods. “I never felt that I couldn’t share my opinion. I learned to use my voice so that I could be an advocate for my patients who needed access to various services,” said Woods. “Early on, I remember asking my father why there weren’t many female doctors,” said Woods, who admits this memory remained with her as she decided to become a physician. As a student at Oak Knoll, Woods had strong female role models as teachers in the sciences, including Dr. Barbara Gadegbeku, who Woods said was an inspirational chemistry and astronomy teacher. In fact, she advocated for patients living with social and economic hardships during her fellowship at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in Manhattan. After finishing medical school, Woods’ interest in infectious diseases was ignited when she traveled to India, Southeast Asia and South America. There, she saw firsthand the need for treatments of diseases like malaria, dengue, various parasites, HIV, and the importance of vaccines. To curb COVID-19, Woods said there is much to be learned from other countries, including Vietnam. Despite rampant poverty and poor sanitation in Vietnam, she said its citizens are adhering to the guidelines to keep the virus’s spread low. To do her part in the U.S., Woods is passing along her medical knowledge to the next group of infectious disease physicians as assistant professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “Teaching the fellows and residents incentivizes us all to keep up-to-date with the current information in the infectious disease field,” said Woods, who lives in Summit with her husband and two young sons. “I really enjoy being able to teach and to pass on knowledge and know that I’m contributing to the future of medical care.”
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ONE STEP AT A TIME Laura Steenberg ’05, Occupational therapist, helps patients regain independence Laura Steenberg ’05 was always the Oak Knoll classmate others could count on. She tended to scraped knees, helped when classmates needed to go to the nurse’s office and lent a listening ear, always with a smile on her face. It was no surprise, then, when Steenberg — who comes from an extended family where many work in health sciences fields — decided to also dedicate her career to help others. “I’ve always known that I would be in a career that was other-person directed,” said Steenberg, an Occupational Therapist at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, since 2017. Steenberg, who spoke with Oak Knoll in April, works in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Here, she serves patients who have had a range of different surgeries – some planned, some traumatic or emergent – and helps them engage in instrumental activities of daily living. Some of these include meal planning, money management, household management, leisure and reintegration into the community. “As an occupational therapist, I take a holistic approach to working with my patients,” said Steenberg, whose empathic nature, desire to care for others and servant leadership was fostered while at Oak Knoll.
“Many rehabilitation centers are no longer accepting patients or are only accepting on a limited basis,” explained Steenberg. “We’re now rehabilitating individuals in our acute-care setting, in the hopes of a discharge to home, not to a rehab center.” In addition to working directly with COVID-19 patients, Steenberg and her department are now the health care workers on the frontlines fulfilling many roles, including training therapists from their outpatient clinics and specialties, including psychiatric occupational therapy, certified hand therapists and women’s health therapists. “This brings a whole new set of knowledge, resources and training into the acute-care setting and has created wonderful learning opportunities for all,” she said. While the COVID-19 situation has expanded Steenberg’s professional experiences, it has simultaneously taken away personal ones. Steenberg and her fiancé, Cameron – a police officer also working on the frontlines – had to postpone their May 2, 2020 wedding. “This has made it even more important for us to follow the guidelines to keep us both safe and healthy,” said Steenberg, who recently lost her great aunt, Sister Martin Colbert, SSND, to COVID-19 last week in New York City. Aside from the hustle of rescheduling her wedding to this September, Steenberg is focused and working hard to rehabilitate her patients, many of whom are immunocompromised. “There is much concern for our patients, concern for our co-workers who have become family and concern for our loved ones at home,” said Steenberg. “But personally, I feel supported in this fight – by my team, my immediate leadership, by my organization and by my loved ones.” “I was called to be an Occupational Therapist and feel blessed to serve others every day,” Steenberg said.
“Together with the patient, we review all of their roles and habits, the surgery they have had, any additional health care concerns, and what is most important for them to return to daily activities,” said Steenberg. Now, however, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Steenberg and her colleagues in the therapies – occupational and physical therapies, and speech and language pathology – find themselves in a unique situation.
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STORIES FROM THE FRONTLINE FALL 2020
F R O M
T H E
ARCHIVE S UNPRECEDENTED? Not as much as you may think.
C OV I D - 1 9 I S N ’ T T H E FI R ST PANDE M IC T O IM PAC T O AK K NOL L Since March 2020 we have become all too familiar with certain words and phrases.
leading to a second shutdown of the school, according to the newspaper account.
Unprecedented. New normal. Uncharted territory.
School ultimately resumed on October 21, 1957, with only nine absences, the paper reported.
Despite what we have all seen and experienced the last several months – shutdowns of schools and workplaces, an economic crash and, of course, more than a half-million lives lost – it is far from unprecedented. While the oft-mentioned 1918 influenza pandemic – which infected a third of the world’s population, or 500 million people – occurred a scant six years before Oak Knoll’s founding, the school has dealt with public health crises and scares impacting school operations and activities as far back as the 1950s and as recently as 2009.
NOT THE FIRST SHUTDOWN
Just a few short weeks later, the Herald happily detailed how students were planning for the forthcoming Christmas Bazaar to benefit a building fund with no mention of the pandemic.
A PERSONAL RECOLLECTION Trustee emeritus Randi Burke Opladen ’61 was in the ninth grade during the 1957 pandemic. “I recall the many absences of both students and teachers,” Opladen remembered. “Classes were indeed called off.”
Probably the most Oak Knoll has been impacted by a pandemic prior to COVID-19 was in the fall of 1957 amid an avian flu outbreak that would ultimately claim the lives of more than a million people worldwide, including 116,000 in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Leading the front page of the October 24, 1957 edition of the Summit Herald was an article detailing how Oak Knoll “was undoubtedly hit the severest” among local private schools with Mother John Francis reporting that Oak Knoll had been closed for several days as a third of the school’s 120 students were home ill. The school initially closed on Monday, October 14, 1957, with Holy Child sisters attempting to reopen days later on Wednesday, October 16, only to find that 48 students were still absent,
Front page of the SUMMIT HERALD during 1957 Avian Flu pandemic
OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD REVIEW
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“Time off sounds good to kids in theory, but I can assure you as one who caught the flu that fall that it was no fun,” she added. Opladen vividly recalled a nearly empty assembly being held in a room in what is now known as Mulcahy Hall, but was then a building where classes were held, as the only part of Connelly Hall that was open at the time was the gym – now the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts. “We never had a lockdown or anything remotely like that, nor can one equate a few days off from school with schools shuttered for months and having to do schoolwork at home,” she added. “We had no computers.” Just over a decade later in 1968, a second avian flu pandemic struck. The impacts were slightly less severe than its 1957 counterpart, but nevertheless an appalling million lives were lost globally including 100,000 in the United States, according to the CDC. Locally, papers reported much less on impacts with the Christmas Eve issue of the Herald indicating public schools experienced absences, but none substantial enough to cause schools to close and start winter vacation early. While no figures were documented in local media accounts, the paper relayed that Overlook Hospital was “filled to capacity and a high percentage of respiratory illnesses and pneumonia” were reported by the Summit Board of Health. Ironically enough, Opladen had a bout with the flu in 1968 as well. Though the impacts were markedly less severe, H1N1, better known as the Swine flu, triggered contingency plans for staff and communications with parents regarding CDC advisories in 2009. According to some of these communications, Oak Knoll tasked custodial crews with additional cleanings, including during weekends, as a precaution.
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS One of the first impacts of COVID-19 at Oak Knoll was the cancellation of spring break trips to Spain and Ireland. Even this is not without precedent, as approximately four years earlier in 2016, a trip to the Dominican Republic and Haiti was cancelled amid fears regarding the spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus. Concerns related to mosquito-related illness returned as recently as the fall of 2019, as Eastern Equine Encephalitis caused the temporary postponement of our freshmen’s annual trek to Camp Bernie in Warren County.
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AVIAN FLU
1957
AVIAN FLU
1968
SWINE FLU H1N1
2009
ZIKA VIRUS
2016
EASTERN EQUINE ENCEPHALITIS
2019
CORONAVIRUS COVID-19
2020
FROM THE ARCHIVES FALL 2020
Flags honoring each member of the Class of 2020 lined the driveway during the school’s first-ever senior graduation parade.
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
44 Blackburn Road Summit, NJ 07901
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Change service requested
RELIVE — REMEMBER — RECONNECT CLASSES ENDING IN 0 & 5 AND 1 & 6 ARE CELEBRATING THEIR REUNIONS All alumnae/i and their guests are welcome to join in the celebration!
REUNIONAPRIL 2021 23 and 24
Friday, April 23: for our 50th Reunion Classes, 1970 and 1971, and alums who have previously celebrated their 50th Saturday, April 24: for all classes
Visit www.oakknoll.org or contact the Alumnae/i Office: alum@oakknoll.org or 908-522-8106
@OakKnollSHC