Review Magazine: Spring 2023

DEEPENING OUR ROOTS

Oak Knoll Plants Seeds of Change with Long-Range Strategic Plan: A SCHOOL WITH PURPOSE

FROM ACORN TO MIGHTY OAK:

Exploring How Each Part of a Tree Represents the Strength, Unity, and Resilience of Oak Knoll

Like the acorn, our youngest students are small and full of potential. Just beginning their spiritual journeys, Oak Knoll further develops our Little Acorns’ relationships with God.

The branches are our academic programs and extracurricular activities which allow students to explore and develop their interests and passions beyond the classroom.

The leaves are our students themselves — each one unique and important — who work together to create a vibrant and dynamic learning environment.

Like the trunk, faculty and staff hold everything together, providing guidance, structure, and support for students as they grow and develop.

Our roots run deep, providing a stable foundation that students need to grow and thrive.

Message from the Head of School

“Run with ardour in the way that He has pointed out.”

Dear Oak Knoll School Community,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the latest issue of Review. This edition, Deepening Our Roots, is dedicated to our school’s strategic plan and mission to guide students to discover their God-given purpose. Like the mighty oak tree, our school community is constantly growing and blossoming, and this issue celebrates our growth journey.

As we work to realize the vision of our strategic plan, we are reminded of the importance of having strong roots. Our crucial responsibility as educators is to provide our students with academic knowledge and the tools and resources they need to lead fulfilling lives. Therefore, our school’s strategic plan was intentionally designed to focus on enhancing our Catholic identity and learning environment to promote critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration while also nurturing the personal growth of our students.

In this issue, we delve into the various initiatives and programs we have implemented to achieve our strategic plan goals, centering on the people, program, and place that make up this dynamic school. From signature leadership development programs and an increased emphasis on STREAM offerings to community-building opportunities that strengthen our connections, we provide our students with a wide range of experiences that help them discover their passions and interests and ultimately find their place in the world.

In addition to the articles and features in this issue, we invite you to share your own stories and experiences about the ways an Oak Knoll education has encouraged you to discover your purpose by emailing communications@oakknoll.org. We know that by sharing our own journeys, we can inspire and motivate others to do the same.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our school’s mission. By embracing our school’s strategic plan and mission, we can empower our students to make a meaningful impact in the world and create a brighter future for us all.

Jennifer G. Landis Head of School

- Cornelia Connelly, founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus

ON CAMPUS A 2022-23 school year in review

Oak Knoll Installs

Jennifer G. Landis as Sixth Head of School

Members of the Oak Knoll School community, friends, family, distinguished guests, and a live streaming audience joined Head of School Jennifer G. Landis for a long-awaited Installation Mass on the beautiful, albeit somewhat chilly, Oak Knoll School campus on Friday, September 30, 2022. The celebration had been delayed a year due to COVID.

“It is an honor and great joy to welcome Mrs. Jennifer Landis in the name of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus,” said Sr. Eileen McDevitt, Director of the Holy Child Network of Schools. “More than a name and a history, Oak Knoll School shares with all Holy Child Schools a common mission, a common unique philosophy of education, and an uncommon Holy Child spirit that has been strong enough to reach across oceans, continents, and a hundred and seventy-six years.”

Oak Knoll Establishes Strategic University Partnerships

In addition to the school’s signature leadership programs for middle and high school students, Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child has established strategic partnerships with Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania to ensure the entire senior class enters higher education with enhanced leadership confidence. Students in grades 10-12 also have the option of earning a certificate in Social Entrepreneurship.

All seniors at Oak Knoll participate in the new Emerging Leaders of a Globalized World program, which runs from September to April. The program is facilitated by Dr. Rebecca Stilwell, Ph.D., an Organizational Psychologist and professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. Students in grades 10-12 can participate in our new Social Innovators Program, which is a partnership with the University of Pennsylvania and Schoolyard Ventures, an organization that develops university-level, real-world learning opportunities for ambitious high school students.

Building Futures Together: Fifth Graders Mentor Second Graders for a Brighter Future

Once a month, grades one and five gather for a lunchtime discussion followed by a group activity. Each group consists of at least one grade five mentor and approximately five grade one students. During lunch, the older students lead a discussion based on the Lower School’s current monthly value. For example, students might meet to discuss gratitude. The mentors ask their mentees questions such as, “What is gratitude?” “What are you grateful for?” “Can a person be grateful for things that make them sad or are difficult?” “How do you practice gratitude?”

Oak Knoll Launches Sixth Grade Leadership Institute

With the start of the 2022-23 school year, Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child announced a new Leadership Institute in the sixth grade that instills creative thinking, design thinking, presentation, and leadership skills. The focus in the sixth grade is to provide our oldest Lower School students the confidence-building tools they need to be leaders as they progress further into middle school.

This new Leadership Institute began with small group projects designed to foster team-building, communication, and active listening. Following those introductory projects, students traveled to Oak Knoll’s second campus, the Chatham Fields, for a whole-class retreat. After each game or activity, students met and participated in guided reflection to discuss how they worked together and functioned as a team.

Oak Knoll Hosts On-Campus MLK Day of Service

While no classes were held on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Oak Knoll families along with faculty and staff gathered to assemble lunch bags for Bridges Outreach. In all, families created more than 500 meals for the nonprofit organization based in Summit whose mission is to “end homelessness through volunteer-driven outreach and individual case management focusing on health, housing, and independence.” In addition to the lunch supplies donated by Oak Knoll, families donated their own bread, cold cuts, Ziploc bags, packaged snacks, fruit, and brown bags to assemble the final donations. The day began with light refreshments followed by a prayer service led by Fr. Jim Worth, a pastor from St. Joseph Parish in Maplewood and adjunct professor at Seton Hall University.

Global Learning Program Returns to Oak Knoll

Oak Knoll’s Global Learning Program returned this year with Spanish exchange students visiting Summit in the fall and Oak Knoll students venturing to Spain and Ireland for two weeks over March break. After break, two students from Mayfield Senior School, a fellow Holy Child school in California, visited Oak Knoll and stayed with our students for a week. Oak Knoll’s Global Learning Program promotes cross-cultural understanding and fosters a more inclusive and interconnected world.

ON CAMPUS

The Penguin Project: Connecting Oak Knoll to Antarctica

This year, Oak Knoll grade 3 students in Regina Cherill’s STEM class engaged in a trimester-long investigation of fossils, animals, and environments that change over time. They concluded the unit by counting penguins for a team of Antarctica scientists who planted an Oak Knoll flag in the ice! The Penguin Project is just one example of the Lower School’s truly engaging curriculum and interdisciplinary project-based-learning.

The Write Stuff: Cultivating Student Leadership in Oak Knoll’s Writing Center

Oak Knoll’s Upper School Writing Center — a truly distinctive peer-to-peer service in the Upper School — provides a unique opportunity for middle and high school students to take on leadership roles while supporting their peers. Scan the code at the right to listen to this short episode of The Happy Kids Project Podcast and hear about the ways the Writing Center increases student confidence, leadership skills, and academic excellence in a safe and supportive space.

Upper School Presents ‘James and the Giant Peach’

Oak Knoll’s Upper School Drama Program presented the musical “James and the Giant Peach” in the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts from February 23-25, 2023. This well-loved Roald Dahl adventure of the same name, portrayed a whimsical and magical journey of a child out to change his life and find a real family. The show featured 19 talented students from the Upper School.

A Tangible Connection to Holy Child Heritage

Thanks to our new Director of Holy Child Mission and Philosophy, Suzanne Kimm Lewis ’69, Oak Knoll’s tenth-grade class traveled to Center City Philadelphia on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, for a visit to the new shrine to Venerable Cornelia Connelly — founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus — located in the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul.

Oak Knoll is one of 9 schools across the United States and 13 overseas as part of the Holy Child Network of Schools. Six Holy Child sisters first traveled from England to America in 1862 — just 16 years after the founding of SHCJ (1846) — and set roots in Towanda, Pennsylvania. More than 60 years later — in 1924 — the Society expanded into New Jersey, and Summit’s Larned Estate was transformed into what we now know as Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child.

Though Cornelia Connelly spent most of her adult life in England, she was born in Philadelphia in 1809, and the Cathedral established a memorial for her in honor of the Society’s 175th anniversary in 2021.

Oak Knoll Athletes Impact the World

Four Oak Knoll seniors are exemplifying the school’s vision that all students will impact the world as people with purpose. Lea Good, Emma Ramsey, Julia Ramsey, and Katherine Siedem were selected to join 130 other athletes nationwide for the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) 2022 Impact Senior Team.

The NFHCA High School Impact Senior Team recognizes graduating seniors — honoring the entirety of senior student-athletes’ careers and particularly recognizes an individual’s accomplishments on and off the pitch, distinguished leadership, and team achievement.

To qualify, student athletes had to satisfy at least three out of five character criteria in areas such as community service and leadership, and at least five of ten athletic criteria — thus having a significant impact on their field hockey teams as well as their communities.

DEEPENINGOUR ROOTS

Oak Knoll Plants Seeds of Change with Long-Range Plan:

A SCHOOL WITH PURPOSE

DEEPENING OUR ROOTS

SCHO

Our Process

During the 2021-22 school year, Oak Knoll embarked on a strategic planning process to help guide the school to continue to “meet the wants of the age” in our dynamic world. What follows is a strategic plan for Oak Knoll that prioritizes the people, program, and place that are the cornerstones of the school’s mission. This plan — which was developed over the course of a year and made for Oak Knoll by the very people who love and cherish this special institution — will serve as a roadmap to strengthen the vision, mission, and core values of the traditions and heritage by which we live. Through a series of surveys conducted by Triangle Associates and more than

40 in-depth interviews/coffees/virtual and in-person meetings with Head of School

Jennifer G. Landis, feedback was received from dedicated, loving and proud parents/ guardians, students, faculty and staff, alumnae/i, and the Board of Trustees.

Our Commitment:

We will be an inclusive environment where all members of the Oak Knoll community can celebrate their intended purpose to make a

Attract and retain diverse and dynamic students who want to share in our global perspective and meet the wants of the age Attract, empower, invest in, and retain a diverse faculty and staff and provide them with the tools they need to help students

among community members, including opportunities to strengthen connections

• Strengthen and build an engaged and active network of alumnae/i, past families, and schools within our global network of Holy Child schools

DEEPENING OUR ROOTS

A Program with Purpose

We will build upon Oak Knoll’s distinguished academic and extracurricular offerings to cultivate the optimal development of our students and the discovery of their God-given talents.

Our Commitment:

• Deliver a PK-12 academic curriculum that is innovative, bold, interactive, inclusive, and creative

• Elevate PK-12 STREAM program offerings while prioritizing service learning as a key component of Oak Knoll’s program, PK-12

• Build wellness, cultural competence, and life skills through academics, arts, athletics, and service

• Develop new and compelling opportunities for faculty development to ensure we continuously adopt advanced, studentcentered, and transformative methods of teaching and learning

A Place with Purpose

We will upgrade the campus to meet our current and future enrollment and programmatic needs.

Our Commitment:

• Plan for necessary short- and long-term renovation projects to modernize classrooms and upgrade the physical plant

• Increase accessibility and environmental sustainability across the campus for a safe, beautiful, and secure learning and working environment

• Cultivate a bold and aspirational philosophy of giving that supports the mission-driven strategic initiatives of the school

• Realize strategic objectives in this plan and the Campus Master Plan through philanthropic initiatives

IN BLOOM OAK KNOLL

HOW A FOCUS ON TRANSFORMATIVE CATHOLIC EDUCATION HELPS A FLOURISHING LEARNING COMMUNITY BLOSSOM

In today’s ever-changing educational landscape, schools must have a clear and comprehensive strategic vision that guides their growth and development. In the previous pages, you learned about Oak Knoll’s renewed commitment to its people, program, and place through a new strategic plan and how this vision leads to a more profound sense of community and a strengthened educational experience. As a result of that work, Oak Knoll is introducing innovative programs and initiatives aimed at enhancing students’ learning experiences and promoting their overall intellectual advancement.

DESIGN THINKING

Faculty and staff in the Upper School are using design-thinking techniques to imagine new approaches to various programmatic elements, including community building, service learning, graduation requirements, grading practices, advisory groups, and curricular innovation. Working in small groups across grade levels and subject areas, faculty and staff apply the phases of design thinking — empathize, define, ideate and collaborate, prototype, and test — to brainstorm outsidethe-box improvements in all program areas that drive people, program, and place. Each initiative is also tied to one of the seven Holy Child Goals.

EQUITY IN GRADING

Equity in grading is a focus of the “People” aspect of the strategic plan. Equity in grading refers to ensuring that grading is fair and unbiased, considering factors such as students’ diverse backgrounds, learning styles, and access to resources to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. Upper School teachers are currently

working to identify areas of growth, to brainstorm possible solutions, to iterate on ideas, test their solutions, and then formulate recommendations.

INTROSPECTIVE INSTRUCTION AND EDUCATION

Over the summer, the Lower School and Upper School faculty evaluation process was restructured to be more reflective. Rather than faculty submitting a lesson plan in advance of their evaluation and then being observed and evaluated based on their classroom techniques, faculty are now asked to think more about how they will best cultivate student engagement.

Faculty write a pre-evaluation regarding their upcoming lesson before evaluation and observation. After observation, they follow up with a self-assessment. How did it go? What’s something I might do differently? What are my next steps? For the evaluators themselves, the whole purpose is for reflection and growth. This approach to faculty evaluation fosters deeper and more meaningful relationships between faculty and students.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Oak Knoll’s Lower and Upper school faculty are focused on building relationships schoolwide, including on spirit days, at shared Masses, with peer mentorships, and at community gatherings for faculty and staff.

“We need to be intentionally focused on building relationships and creating moments where students can connect across grade levels, and that they can also connect with their teachers outside of the classroom to start to build those relationships as well because they’re foundational,” said Upper School Division Head Kathryn McGroarty.

WELLNESS AND CULTURAL COMPETENCY

Oak Knoll has been prioritizing wellness and cultural competency within our entire school community. With the development of a Student Diversity Leadership Board and in partnership with area independent schools on conferences, presentences, celebrations, and service activities, Oak Knoll is promoting mental and physical health, while also emphasizing the importance of diversity and inclusion through cultural education and awareness to ensure a positive and inclusive learning environment.

about those concepts, and also allowing them to be very hands-on in their learning,” said Christine Spies, Lower School Division Head.

Working collaboratively in this fashion, both within and across the grade levels, builds strong relationships between students.

The Lower School’s project-based approach to experiential learning begins with an essential question. In second grade, for example, students explored which environment, urban, suburban, or rural, is the best place to live. Then, students researched each of these environments. They were then given voice and choice in their learning by choosing the environment they thought was best and created a five-point poster pitching their chosen environment as the best. Lastly, they presented their environment pitches to their classmates.

EMBRACING STREAM AND SERVICE LEARNING

Oak Knoll deepened its roots in the arts by expanding departments and offerings in the Lower and Upper schools. There are two new full-time art teachers in the Upper School — drama and music — and their first musical production was “James and the Giant Peach” this spring! In the Lower School, the new drama and music teachers are also taking our productions to new heights. This year for the first time, grades 3-6 will perform in a Broadway Jr. production of “Into the Woods.”

PROJECT-BASED EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

In the Lower School, it’s all about experiential learning. This educational approach involves learning through direct experience and reflection on those experiences. Experiential Learning is a hands-on, active learning process that engages learners in exploring, doing, and reflecting on real-world challenges or problems. The idea is to expand the teacher’s value beyond the demonstration of knowledge, allowing students to exhibit their understanding of the content.

“We want to make sure that we’re using best practice in teaching students new concepts, getting them excited

In the classrooms, students have experienced new programming, media literacy, and robotics offerings, along with signature programs at all grade levels — including our new Social Innovators Program, Grade 6 Leadership Institute, Community Building, and Emerging Leaders of a Globalized World.

As a core value of Oak Knoll and Holy Child Schools, the service-learning program has also expanded to include an overnight grade 10 service retreat, a complement to Holy Child founder Cornelia Connelly’s vision and commitment to the arts and teaching of the whole child. We are also proud of our service partnership with Mayfield Senior, Delbarton, and Oratory Prep, and the service that our parents and faculty and staff commit to each year.

TRANSFORMING OUR LEARNING AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Improvements and enhancements have already taken place across campus, including a new Upper School MakerHERspace, refurbished classrooms on the second floor of Connelly Hall and the lower level of Bonaventura Hall, new flexible furniture, and the fresh green room space connected to the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts. A new backstop was also installed at our Chatham Fields complex for added safety during softball games. These improvements to physical spaces translate into opportunities for students to cultivate more meaningful relationships and interactions throughout the day.

Although the ink has only recently dried on the new five-year plan, Upper and Lower school faculty, staff, and administration have the pillars of the plan top of mind as they thoughtfully, intentionally, and strategically conceive and roll out new approaches to further the school’s mission and to cultivate People with Purpose. Follow along with a more detailed view of our progress at www.oakknoll.org/strategic-plan .

UNITED IN PURPOSE

A Network of Schools Empowering Students to Make a Meaningful Impact

Did you know?

Since its founding nearly 99 years ago, the mission of Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child has been derived from the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

But Oak Knoll is not alone in its pursuit of academic excellence rooted in spiritual tradition. It is one of nine Network schools across the United States that share in this calling, forming a powerful educational network dedicated to preparing the next generation of leaders. The following visual explores the unique legacy of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus and the ways its mission continues to inspire and guide each of the Network schools, including Oak Knoll, in our work to develop well-rounded students who are fully equipped to make a positive impact in the world.

The Mission of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus

Wherever we are and whatever our ministry, we help people develop their gifts and talents so that they can lead meaningful lives and make a difference in the world. Our shared lives and our personal relationships with God inspire individual and corporate actions toward a more just, compassionate, and harmonious world.

CORNELIA CONNELLY CENTER

New York, NY

Cornelia Connelly Center champions under-resourced girls, empowering them to realize their full potential from middle school through college and beyond. Girls enter our joyful and holistic middle school in the 4th or 5th grade and then continue on through high school and college in our Graduate Support Program (GSP) and GSP 2.0, receiving academic, financial, and social-emotional support throughout their journey.

CONNELLY SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD

Potomac, MD

Connelly School of the Holy Child is a Catholic, college preparatory school, committed to the intellectual, spiritual, artistic, physical and social development of young women in grades 6 through 12. The School emphasizes academic challenge, joy of learning and education of well-rounded women of faith and action. The Holy Child community welcomes students and families of different faiths and diverse backgrounds. In keeping with the philosophy of our founder Cornelia Connelly, Holy Child values the uniqueness of each individual and fosters a life of service to others.

HOLY CHILD ACADEMY

Old Westbury, NY

At Holy Child Academy, we seek to know and honor God and each other while striving to foster excellence in academics, arts and athletics in a climate of wholeness and joy.

HOLY CHILD ACADEMY

Drexel Hill, PA

Holy Child Academy (HCA) is an independent, Catholic school for boys and girls of all faiths. In an environment of trust and respect, HCA lays the foundation for a lifetime of excellence, achievement, and service. Part of an international network of schools inspired by the vision and ideals of educator Cornelia Connelly, HCA is a joyful community that prepares students to thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

UNITED IN PURPOSE

HOLY CHILD SCHOOL AT ROSEMONT Rosemont, PA

Holy Child School at Rosemont provides an intellectually challenging and creative program of study that fosters academic excellence in an independent, co-educational environment. Students are treated with reverence and respect, and are actively engaged in their education. The School does this in a Christian community, which follows the Catholic tradition, fostering a joyous, personal faith commitment.

MAYFIELD JUNIOR SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD JESUS

Pasadena, CA

Mayfield Junior School, a Catholic independent school founded and sponsored by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, implements the philosophy of the Holy Child Schools which is based on trust and reverence for the dignity of every person. We are committed to the religious and educational development of each child and to maintaining a sense of community and family spirit that welcomes people of diverse backgrounds. At Mayfield, each child is challenged to reach his or her potential. We encourage our students to respond to the needs of our time with compassion, integrity, and confidence in God and in their own gifts.

MAYFIELD SENIOR SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD JESUS

Pasadena, CA

Celebrating God’s presence in one another and our world, and inspired by our founder Cornelia Connelly, Mayfield’s mission is to provide young women an intellectually empowering learning community of joy and belonging, where students enact their faith and love by transforming the world with their God-given gifts.

OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD Summit, NJ

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child, Judeo-Christian in heritage, Roman Catholic in teaching and worship, is an independent school for boys and girls in pre-K through grade 6 and young women in grades 7 through 12. The Oak Knoll community commits to the education and growth of the whole child, as envisioned by Cornelia Connelly, the founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. Engaged in the challenges of the world, the school cultivates a faith commitment that promotes and inspires a joyous personal relationship with God. In a learning climate that is based on trust and reverence for the dignity and uniqueness of each person, Oak Knoll provides an intellectually challenging and creative program of study that fosters excellence in every aspect of school life and prepares our graduates to “meet the wants of the age.” Welcoming a diverse student body, our learning community develops inquisitive students who think critically, embrace knowledge, respond with moral and ethical integrity, and make responsible choices that enrich their own lives and contribute to the lives of others.

SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD, RYE Rye,

NY

The mission of School of the Holy Child is to develop “women of conscience and action.” An all-girls, Catholic, independent, collegepreparatory school for grades 5-12, the School is guided by the educational philosophy of Cornelia Connelly, the founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, and her dedication to “joy in teaching and joy in learning.” Accomplished and dedicated faculty members foster the spiritual development, individual talents and interests of each student. This is realized through rigorous and comprehensive academic, arts, athletics, service and global programs. Holy Child graduates are prepared for the innovative and critical thought necessary in a diverse, interconnected society.

BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE

Jose Goncalves, Director of Facilities, Retires from Oak Knoll School After 37 Years

As a young child, Jose Goncalves always had a keen eye and knack for building things. One of his first memories of growing up in a small village in Portugal is taking apart a radio he found and then putting all its pieces back together again.

Goncalves's curiosity about how to build things is a passion nurtured while working at Oak Knoll School for the past 37 years. He arrived at Oak Knoll in 1985 and began working each day – through the summertime, snowstorms, and even a global pandemic – to help beautify, build, and update the campus buildings and classrooms – while transforming the blueprint of the school with clear intention and purpose.

Goncalves retired as the Director of Facilities at Oak Knoll after the 2021-22 school year.

During his time at Oak Knoll, he worked with four different Heads of School and has had a hand – literally – in renovating or building nearly every structure on the school's Summit campus.

Some of the significant projects Goncalves helped direct with his four staff included renovating the ground level of Bonaventura Hall in the Lower School and designing and building the drama room. He also had a hand in the Aileen Maury Dining Hall and renovated Grace Hall, including the Chapel, the Tisdall Hall gymnasium, and the new Lower School science labs and makerspace.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Goncalves and the school's facilities team were instrumental in keeping the

campus safe. During the summer of 2020, Goncalves oversaw the construction of portable classroom space, installed more than 700 plexiglass sets and 200 spray hand sanitizers in classrooms, 90 touchless light switches, more than 61 touchless sinks, 44 touchless toilets, 22 portable hand washing stations, four outdoor hand washing stations, and two electrostatic sprayers.

“It is impossible to capture the full scope of Jose Goncalves’ impact on Oak Knoll,” said Head of School Jennifer G. Landis. “As a craftsman and artist, Jose has helped create functional and beautiful spaces in which we work and learn. His vision for the creative use of areas like the terrace and prayer garden, coupled with his reverence for our sacred spaces on campus, has helped maintain the integrity of our Catholic mission. Jose has worked tirelessly to provide us with a beautiful and safe place to be in community with one another. His willingness to step up whenever needed made him an integral member of the Oak Knoll family. It is hard to imagine Oak Knoll without Jose. We are so fortunate that the work he leaves behind will be enjoyed for decades to come. We will miss Jose terribly and wish him a restful retirement. It is well-earned!”

A few of Goncalves’s favorite projects at Oak Knoll included renovations to Oak Knoll's Hope Memorial Library in the Upper School and working together on an idea that a former student had to create an outdoor prayer space on campus for quiet reflection. Goncalves said that it is the project that he is working on at any point in time, however, which is his favorite.

“From the time I was young, I always wanted to be an engineer or an architect and have always been interested in building and engineering,” said Goncalves, who immigrated to the

United States in 1976 at 25 years old after fighting as a Lieutenant in the Angolan War of Independence. Like many immigrants, Goncalves arrived in the United States resilient and ready to work. His brother-in-law secured him a job in an aluminum factory in Newark, where he stayed for a few months.

“I thought to myself, ‘Is this the America that everyone talks about?’” said Goncalves, who persevered through a language barrier to teach himself English on his lunch breaks by visualizing and reading the stories in newspapers. Before landing at Oak Knoll School, Goncalves worked at a pharmaceutical refining company near Newark airport and a precious metal refinery company where he was an operator. Both jobs landed him in the hospital for exposure to toxic chemicals. He also worked the evening shift as a print operator at a newspaper company in Hillside.

Thirty-seven years ago, a friend mentioned an opening for a night-shift position at Oak Knoll School. Goncalves applied and began working evenings cleaning Connelly Hall from top to bottom. After a year, he switched to working the day shift, where one of the first things he did was revamp the janitorial services at the school, helping to hire the schoolwide professional janitorial service still in place today.

The first renovation project Goncalves worked on at Oak Knoll was a complete renovation of open attic space on the top floor of Bonaventura Hall in the Lower School. There, he helped to create newly separated classrooms still used by students in grades 5-6 today. Next, he renovated Bonaventura’s basement and former school kitchen into classrooms. He designed his first plans for Oak Knoll School, where he built the Lower School’s drama room, including its theater stage.

Goncalves’s career at Oak Knoll required him to collaborate with many different contractors and employees throughout the years, ensuring that all projects were completed in a timely manner.

Goncalves has worked with Chief Financial Officer Raye Jean Leastman for more than two decades.

“Jose has been a dedicated and loyal employee of Oak Knoll School, with a wide range of knowledge in his area,” said Leastman. “He has an incredible eye for design and detail and has created many unique and custom spaces that define our campus today. He has been a fair and compassionate leader of the facilities department, and his personality made it easy for everyone to connect and bond with him. I have certainly valued his opinions over the years. I have enjoyed shopping with him for furniture, school vehicles, building materials, and many more items we see daily around the campus. We all wish him the best as he adventures into this new phase of life after Oak Knoll.”

During his retirement, Goncalves plans to continue doing what he loves best – spending time with his family and four grandchildren while working on renovating his home and his daughters’ homes.

“When my daughters were in high school, I told them they needed to go out into the world and do something they love. I told them to get up in the morning and do something that made them happy, and that served them. This is what I have done here at Oak Knoll School,” he said.

“I know I'll never fully be able to disassociate myself with Oak Knoll because I have been part of this place and its people for 37 years,” Goncalves said. “Thirty-seven years ago, I immediately became part of the mission of this school. This became my life, and it is my family. I immediately felt part of something here at Oak Knoll, and it made me satisfied with what people said and at the end of the day when I went home. This job was and always will be with me.”

A GIFT OF

Dr. Michele Dahl, Lower School Religion Coordinator, Retires After 30 years

Three moves to Midwestern towns during high school – one to Minot, North Dakota, sometimes known as the coldest spot in the country –never lessened Dr. Michele Dahl’s optimism.

Dr. Dahl is a native of Chicago and spent most of her childhood in the northern suburb of Libertyville, a beautiful and charming village near Lake Michigan. However, during her high school years, her family relocated, causing her to attend high schools in three different states.

“It was initially upsetting to leave my classmates, and yet I was fortunate to be welcomed into new school communities,” she said. “It’s a special joy to maintain friendships near and far! A song learned in Girl Scouts says it all, Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other gold.”

Last June, Dahl made another move – stepping away from a 30-year career as an Oak Knoll Lower School teacher, Religion Coordinator, and Campus Ministry Facilitator. Dahl holds on to that same faith and optimism as she did during her journeys as a teen — ever-believing something extraordinary is about to happen!

Over the years, Dahl enjoyed cultivating friendships and connections with many campus members, including students, faculty, and staff, while serving the school purposefully.

“Michele Dahl's commitment to nurturing the faith of the children at Oak Knoll has been deeply impactful,” said Head of School Jennifer G. Landis. “From leading service trips to organizing prayer services, and guiding students through sacramental preparation for First Holy Communion, Michele's impact on the students is unmistakable.”

“The spiritual development of the child is one of the cornerstones of Holy Child education, and Michele has been instrumental in cultivating that in each of her students. She also shared her gifts and talents with adults, often leading us in prayer or offering a reflection during in-service gatherings. Her work has helped us all remember that, as a community of faith, we are called to this work as an act of stewardship. We are grateful for Michele's example and friendship and wish her a happy and healthy retirement!” said Landis.

Dahl, who worked under four Heads during her tenure, arrived at Oak Knoll in 1992 as a fifth-grade homeroom teacher and fifth- and sixth-grade language arts teacher.

Throughout those years, Dahl initiated many programs, including meaningful field trips, and she mentored all of her students, entering them into writing programs sponsored by The Star-Ledger and The New York Times. Some student work was published in these newspapers, and the students were honored at awards ceremonies held at both newspapers’ locations.

Although Dahl enjoyed guiding students in writing, she felt called to make a change. This time the move was closer to home, from Language Arts to Religion, both in the Lower School.

As Lower School Religion Coordinator, Dr. Dahl taught several sections of religion, planned prayer services, and Masses, and invited priests to preside over the school’s gatherings and religious celebrations each year. She helped support the Gospel readings for Friday assemblies and organized the Liturgical Ministries program, which had many components culminating in the Liturgical Ministries workshop day and the Commissioning Mass. Planning for Lent included an Ash Wednesday Mass, Stations of the Cross Prayer Services, and Sacrament of Reconciliation opportunities for grades 2-6.

In recent years, Dahl organized and led the school’s First Holy Communion program in partnership with the St. Teresa of Avila Parish in Summit.

She often conducted a peace and prayer service in honor of September 11 and a Founders’ Day celebration near October 15 to honor Cornelia Connelly. Additionally, Dahl helped with several significant programs in preparation for

FAITH

Christmas, such as Advent wreath blessings and candle lighting during the PK-6 assemblies; pre-Christmas celebrations, including the primary grades’ Nativi-Tea; and the Christmas Crèche prayer service led by the sixth graders.

Spring religious celebrations she organized included the Feast of the Ascension Liturgy and May Crowning services to honor Our Blessed Mother.

A very special signature highlight she holds dear is the Sixth Grade Graduation Liturgy.

In addition, favorite activities she began are the school’s Prayer Family program and off-campus religious retreats for intermediate students.

Another beloved project was bringing to Oak Knoll LEGObuilding community activities representing several religious and historical sites. For example, the intermediate students and their parents built landscapes of Vatican City using LEGO blocks in the Tisdall gym. They also built the Old City of Jerusalem, contemplating where Jesus walked.

“The Holy Child community encourages everyone to uncover their passion and purpose,” said Dahl. Her most cherished project during her 30-year tenure occurred when she coordinated panel discussions and activities, joining local Holocaust survivors with her sixth-grade students. The project, Peace and Appreciation, was an anti-bias unit that she assembled.

In 2008, Dahl earned her Doctorate in Education from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis. She dedicated her dissertation to her mother, husband and children.

Dahl was also instrumental in helping coordinate countless Lower School service projects, including Service Day, the Soldier Project, Oak Knoll Cares — the school’s long-running student-assistance program at the Interfaith Food Pantry in Morris Plains — as well as student-made monthly dinners at Homeless Solutions in Morristown.

During her first months of retirement, Dahl spent precious moments with her children and grandchildren and traveled to visit friends and family in the Midwest. In the fall, she joined a highly anticipated pilgrimage to Oberammergau, Germany, to attend the “Passion Play.” She also enjoyed a high school reunion in Las Vegas with her North Dakota friends.

Dr. Dahl embraces every opportunity with her treasured family members and friends and hopes to continue with travel domestically and abroad.

A lofty goal, she says, is to write a historical fiction piece based on her research and friendship with Holocaust survivors and her father’s experience as an American POW during World War II.

“As a member of our Holy Child community, I found my work spiritually nourishing and rewarding. Each year held new and wonderful surprises and myriad ways to foster creativity and purpose, believing we are all Children of God.”

Music Director Ruby Robertson-Knox Retires After 36 Years

accompanist/singer and not as a conductor. Eventually, my piano skills served me well as a choral director.”

After high school, Ruby attended Baylor University where she received her Bachelor of Music in Voice and Piano. Throughout the years and with the support of Oak Knoll, she has also attended American Choral Directors Association conferences, workshops, and clinics throughout the United States. Colleagues and their amazing choirs have continued to inspire Ruby and challenged her to do more for her own music students.

Over the last 36 years, Ruby established and directed a liturgical choir, a concert choir, two select choirs, a chamber orchestra, and drama and musical theater companies. Over the years, Ruby has taught courses in sight-singing and piano lab, opera history, musical theater history, and advanced vocal performance.

With the strike of the final chord of Dan Schutte’s “City of God,” on the Steinway grand piano in the Mother Mary Campion Center for the Performing Arts, Ruby Robertson-Knox bid farewell to the Oak Knoll community after 36 years. Leading the faculty and staff in song at the concluding prayer service on Wednesday, June 15, 2022, Ruby took a final bow as friends and colleagues stood proudly for a standing ovation.

Sitting down with Review staff just two days earlier, Ruby reflected, “I always grew up with choral music, and the church has been a huge influence on my love of singing and the choral arts. My parents were a major influence in my development as a young musician and encouraged my love of singing. I was also fortunate to attend a middle and high school whose programs were considered among the best in the state. I began accompanying choirs in junior high and continued my development as a member of the National Piano Guild Association for nine years earning critiques circle and a high school degree in piano performance. Much of my early career was as an

Service is one of the most essential aspects of the Music and Theatre Department, with Ruby coordinating Ensemble performances for many charitable organizations throughout the New Jersey and the New York area. She has toured annually with the Ensemble and instrumentalists, serving the community in hospitals, convention centers, schools, churches, family homes, hotels, and civic halls. Performances for the American Cancer Society, the Coalition for Community and Justice, the Valerie Fund, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Teen Arts Festival, Knights of Malta, Carnegie Hall, St. Patrick’s Cathedral for Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen’s Anniversary Mass, The Lion’s Club, The Morris Museum, Sage, St. Mary’s Abbey at Delbarton, The First Friday Auxiliary of New Providence, to mention a few, have been a part of the select singers’ touring roster. Collaborations with Cornelia Connelly Center in Manhattan, St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, Continuo Arts Foundation, and Music Contact International have led to greater exposure for our school’s music program in the States and abroad. With the belief that “God is central in our lives,” the music ministry (Bel Canto choir and individual cantors) has faithfully led our community in prayer at liturgical services. Over the decades, the annual musical has become a highly popular and cherished Oak Knoll event for the enjoyment of the entire community, whether as patrons or active participants. The many all-school concerts, show

teasers, middle-school festivals, and special performances have provided ample opportunity for our young budding performing artists to develop and showcase their talents. The musical is also how she met her husband Frank Knox, who has been Oak Knoll’s scenic designer for the past 28 years. Additionally, “PJ” days (during the Christmas season), Musical showcases, classes and assemblies featuring special guest artists, and a cappella renditions of the national anthem during Homecoming, have kept school-wide morale high and have sustained an infectious enthusiasm for the arts.

In recent years, Ruby directed the Ensemble in notable European cities such as Rome, Kilkenny, Dublin, Salzburg, Vienna, Leipzig and Prague, where the school won high honors as a part of an International Festival. In the past 20 years, Ruby has also served as a vocal coach, musical theater director, accompanist, and arranger for the education department of the Paper Mill Playhouse, a prestigious Tony-Award winning theater in Millburn, New Jersey. She has conducted and musically directed over 100 productions in community and regional theater throughout the state, as well.

Ruby will continue her involvement in the music community where she already has projects planned with colleagues and will continue her membership with the ACDA and the New Jersey Music Educators Association.

“Ruby is truly a gifted musician; perhaps, more importantly, she is one of the most dedicated and inspirational teachers I know,” said Will Cardell, Chair of Oak Knoll’s Creative Arts Department. “She leaves a lasting legacy at Oak Knoll.”

As this all comes to an end, Ruby expressed, “The memories will go on, I know. I will take with me those fond memories and continue to enjoy the lasting relationships with which I have been blessed.”

Head of School Jennifer G. Landis noted that the founder of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, Cornelia Connelly, was clear in her insistence that the arts be a significant part of Holy Child education.

“Cornelia Connelly recognized the tremendous value in artistic appreciation and expression as essential elements of a robust education,” said Landis. “Ruby brought that same reverence for the arts to her work at Oak Knoll. Her high regard for music and theater education is unparalleled. She has been an inspiration to scores of Oak Knoll students throughout the years, helping them see themselves as artists and guiding them to share their gifts and talents with the community. Ruby’s legacy of excellence in music and theater has made an indelible mark on Oak Knoll and she has lived up to Cornelia’s vision. We are grateful for Ruby’s deep commitment to Oak Knoll and for the many ways in which she brought the arts to life in our community.”

Preserving the rich tradition of inspiring choral music is Ruby’s mantra, and fostering the development of beautiful young voices is at the central core of her educational beliefs. As she enters a new chapter of her life, Ruby wishes to express her sincere gratitude for the special opportunity to contribute to so many wonderful Holy Child experiences. Finally, she states, “I will continue to pray for this place I have called my home and for its blessed family I have gotten to serve. After all, ‘there is no place like home!’”

Helen Hopkins

Helen Hopkins, retired Lower School Reading Teacher, died on August 4, 2022. She was 91.

Helen was known for her high standards, her devotion to teaching, and her ability to teach reading to our Lower School boys and girls through the years. A member of the Oak Knoll School faculty for over 30 years, she made an impact on the lives of many students.

As one-time colleague and retired faculty member Carolyn Coyle stated, “Helen was totally devoted to teaching. The children were her life. Teaching a child to read was ‘opening the door to the world’ for that child.”

Ms. Hopkins was an animal lover and advocate. She rescued and adopted many cats and dogs during her lifetime. For those who wish, please donate in her memory to: St. Hubert’s, P.O. Box 159, 575 Woodland Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940 or The Seeing Eye, 1 Seeing Eye Way, Morristown, NJ 07960.

REUNION 2022

Relive. Remember. Reconnect.

Reunion Weekend returned to Oak Knoll’s campus in the spring of 2022 for the first time since 2019 to celebrate the classes ending in 0, 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7. Because of COVID, Oak Knoll’s Reunion festivities were either canceled or moved to a virtual platform in 2020 and 2021. On April 22 and 23, 2022, we were finally able to gather together to more appropriately celebrate these honored classes!

The weekend started off on Friday, April 22, with a special luncheon with the members of the Cachet Club, who were

celebrating their 50th reunion and above. On Saturday, April 23, the school community gathered to support the lacrosse and softball teams during Homecoming at the Athletic Fields in Chatham. Later Saturday evening, alumnae reunited on campus for tours; a special Mass led by Monsignor John J. Carroll; presentation of the Distinguished Alumnae/i Award to Patricia Sagurton Machir ’70; photos on Grace Hall porch, and cocktails and dinner. Join us in reliving the memories of Reunion 2022!

Congratulations to the Classes of 1970, 1971, and 1972 on your 50th reunion!

First row, from left: Clare Bruder-Mullarney, Kathy Keyes Hart, Rie Kenkel, Candy Brown, and Maureen Close Kelly.

Middle

row, from left: Mary Grant Crawford, Martha Patty Moore Battles, Donna Hagemann Donovan, Patty Sagurton Machir, Marianne Muench Busby, Michele Moore Frechette, Karen O’Connor Newman, and Sharon McDonough Metcalf.

Top row, from left: Pamela Adams Dougherty, Anne Donohoe Goldsmith, and Ellen Cain.

First row, from left: Patsy Kentz-Ondo and Cathy Nickerson Nacke. Second row, from left: Margaret O’Neil, Casey Connors Johnson, and Mary Ellen Green Hettinger. Third row, from left: Barbara Audet and Mary Kay Finnerty Samko. Top row, from left: Mary Kate Hauck Pach, Mary Anne Riva Martin, Mary Gibbons Whipple, and Joanne Horn Korba.

Megan Finnerty Pindyck

REUNION 2022

CLASS OF 1987

CLASS OF 1982

CLASS OF 1990

CLASS OF 1992

CLASS OF 1991

Top row, from left: Tanya Bryson and Maria Denk VanKirk. Front row, from left: Margaret Skarbek Stefandl, Sofia Fernandez, and Nicole Visceglia Rodgers.

At left, CLASS OF 1982: Front row, from left: Tricia McAndrew and Susan Connant Kloss. Middle row, from left: Karen Genkinger Sumner and Elizabeth Parkhurst Perkins. Top row, from left: Maite Luzarraga Albanese and Jean Grant.

Front row, from left: Loretta O’Driscoll Marchesi and Nicole Mendola Rafanello. Middle row, from left: Kathryn Murray Dickinson, Sheila Brodbeck, Jeanne Hurley Horsey, and Christine Senft Callahan. Top row, from left: Eileen Schmidt, Siobhan Lally Perdue, and Margie DeFazio.

Juliet Moyna Eck, left, and Janet Senft Pearce.

Front row, from left: Deirdre Lopez Shaw, Rebecca J. Elias, Megan Ainsworth Marine, and Beth Hartnett Burton. Back row, from left: Holly McDermott Moriarty, Margaret Thomas Nevistich, Susan Butler Farkas, Katie Curran-Darcy, and Jennifer Conroy-Bray.

CLASS OF 2012

CLASS OF 1996 CLASS OF 2002

Top row, from left: Kaitlin Leyden Murphy, Lauren Dolecki Kober, Kathryn Werner, Samantha Baker, and Christine Almada. Middle row, from left: Brielle Hunt Maffett, Margaret Rosati, Kate Wroblewski Verfurth, and Mary Cummings Griffin. Front row, from left: Lauren Masini, Allison Hubschmann, Jacqueline Gabela, and Christie Nigara Rocha.

CLASS OF 2007

Front row, from

Teresa Drew, Amanda Russoniello, Kelly Coleman, and Abigail Lofredo. Middle row, from left: Rachael Edelson, Maria Isabella Pontoriero, Alessandra Moore, and Meredith Bergan. Back

from left: Holly McLean, Allie Donini, Kelly McManus, and Amanda Fritz.

left:

row,

Maggie Murphy Stockson, left, Ann Bonner O’Brien, Kathleen (Katy) Fitzpatrick.

From left: Clare Fieseler, Andrea Gibbons Hubschmann, Ann Curran Higgins, and Katherine DeCotiis.

CLASS OF THE YEAR

Queens for a Day: Class of 1970 Crowned Alumnae Class of the Year

CLASS OF1970

Each year, we encourage the spirit of good-natured competition among our alumnae by staging a contest for the highest participation in the Fund for Oak Knoll. This year, we crowned the Class of 1970! Way to go, Royals!

CLASS OF 2015

CLASS

OF 2016

CLASS OF 2017

Back row, from left: Kathryn McHugh, Hannah MacCormack, Danielle Williams, and Margaret Magovern. Front row, from left: Sarah Stiesi, Kaitlin Schroeder, and Natasha Pontoriero.

Grace Jagoe, left, Valerie Ricciardi, Megan Treanor, Maggie Burd, and Maggie Mumma.

Nathalie Beauchamps, left, and Charlotte Smith.

REUNION 2022

REUNION 2022

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNAE/I AWARD

Patricia Sagurton Machir ’70

The Distinguished Alumnae/i Award, which was presented for the first time in 1986, recognizes alumnae/i who have shown a continuing love of Oak Knoll and who, through their personal and/or professional lives, have made outstanding contributions that exemplify the Holy Child spirit of excellence and devotion to others.

Patricia Sagurton Machir ’70 exemplifies the teachings of Cornelia Connelly with her commitment to her profession, her devotion to helping others, her work with the Holy Child order, and her pursuit of excellence in all she undertakes. Patty truly lives the life of “actions, not words.”

Patty was executive director of Futures and Options for almost fifteen years. During her tenure there, the organization grew from a small non-profit serving more than 100 New York City underserved teens to a nonprofit that reached close to 2,000 young people each year through high touch career and college readiness programs.

Before her work with Futures and Options, Patty was Director of Volunteer Services at the Children’s Aid Society, one of New York City’s oldest children’s welfare agencies, with oversight of more than 300 volunteers, as well as the corporate partnership program and annual fundraising gala. She also was Executive Director of Variety International — the Children’s Charity, a multinational organization aligned with the movie industry.

In Dallas, Texas, Patty was president of the board of directors for Dallas for Children, a startup, volunteer-run fundraising organization that supported selected early childhood intervention and prevention programs for children in need.

Among her many volunteer commitments, Patty was a member of the New York City Youth Board. She previously served on the Dallas Commission for Children and Youth, the adolescent Pregnancy Board in Fort Worth, and as director of the Rockville Community Nursery School in Maryland. In addition, Patty has given her time and expertise to the Holy Child Order serving on the Society of the Holy Child Jesus Mission Advancement Advisory Board.

CLASS NOTES

Stay in Touch

If you would like to keep your fellow classmates and the rest of the Oak Knoll community updated on your personal and professional milestones, feel free to email Cynthia Prewitt, Director of Institutional Advancement, at cynthia.prewitt@oakknoll.org or by visiting www.oakknoll.org/alumnaei.

Lower School ’19

Sal Garcia ’19, currently a student at Delbarton School, committed to continue his baseball career at Duke University.

Upper School ’69

Poet Mary Gilliland ’69 was recently awarded the Codhill Press Pauline Uchmanowicz Poetry Award for her collection of themed poems entitled “The Devil’s Fools” which was released on November 1, 2022. A month after the release, Gilliland ’69 spoke to members of the Upper School Writer’s Roundtable and read from her collection.

’92

Patricia Mechael ’92, Ph.D., MHS co-wrote “The Antidotes: Pollution Solution” with her 10-year-old son Gabriel. The book, written during the COVID-19 pandemic, is about a group of kids – ironically – who stop a future pandemic. Mechael is also a public health specialist whose career has spanned more than 25 years.

’96

Dr. Leontine Galante ’96 was recently promoted to associate professor of biology at Colorado Christian University, where she had previously taught as an assistant professor. Dr. Galante holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Fairfield University, as well as a master’s degree and doctorate –both in molecular biology – from Princeton University.

’98

Samantha (Werres) Melworm ’98 was recognized as a 2022 Exemplary Educator by the New Jersey Department of Education. The Exemplary Education program recognizes teachers who are an inspiring presence and have a

positive impact on their students, fellow educators, and their school communities, according to the department website. Melworm currently teaches the elementary level in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools District. ’03

Alex (Lofredo) Meyer ’03 recently relocated to Rochester, New York, where she has begun teaching students with dyslexia.

Ashley Simpson Esq. ’03 has been appointed to serve on the new Board of Trustees of the Holy Child Network of Schools. “Oak Knoll has had such a strong impact on my life,” said Simpson, a “lifer” who attended Oak Knoll from kindergarten to grade 12. “Serving on the Board is definitely not something that I would say no to. It’s a very special institution, and I’m glad to serve.”

Lauren Russo ’04 married Alex Kieu at the Lyman Estate in Waltham, Massachusetts, on September 3, 2022. The bridal

party included Emily Russo MacIntosh ’04, Kimberly McMenamy ’04, Ashley Simpson ’03 and Nashira Washington ’04. ’11

Caroline Smith ’11 was named to Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30 leaders for 2022. Recipients were selected by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation based on nominations from employers, coworkers, and peers of the young professionals. Smith is currently employed by the Nashville-based Southern Orthodontic Partners where she serves as director of integration.

Pictured from L - R: Kimberly McMenamy ’04, Katie Dadarria, Lauren Russo ’04, Emily Russo MacIntosh ’04, Nashira Washington ’04 and Ashley Simpson ’03.

Samantha (Werres) Melworm ’98 is pictured with her principal Dr. Scott Bortnick after the award was announced at her school.

Ashley Simpson Esq. ’03

Mary Claire Armstrong ’11 married Mike Meszaros on October, 28, 2022 at St. Patrick’s Church in Chatham, New Jersey. Oak Knoll was well represented on the special day as several of Armstrong’s Royal sisters were on hand to celebrate.

’13

Caroline McMinn ’13 married Kevin Fischer on October 2, 2021. Among the guests on this special day were Caroline’s sisters Anna McMinn ’17 and Julia McMinn ’15

Maddi Niebanck ’13 returned to campus in November 2022 to share her inspiring story of turning a life-changing stroke into new opportunities such as writing two books, inspiring people on social media, and accepting a job with fashion giant Hermes.

’15

A trio of alumnae from the Class of 2015 returned to campus to speak about their differing journeys in the medical field during the Upper School’s annual Career Day. The speakers were Kathleen Conway ’15, a registered neonatal nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Tufts Medical Center, Boston; Margaret Magovern ’15, a third-year medical student at New York Medical College, and Danielle Williams ’15, a first-year physician assistant student at Rutgers University.

’17

In the spring of 2022, Ali Baiocco ’17 set a new career goal record at Stanford with 229 career goals. She also set new Stanford records for goals in a season with 62, career points with 316, and career shots with 460!

’19

Emma McTague was recently inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa national honor society at Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts. The honor is reserved for those in the top five percent of their class.

Caroline Ramsey ’19 was named to the 2022-23 U.S. Women’s National Field Hockey team in the summer of 2022!

Emma McTague '19 (left).

Maddi Niebanck ’13

MAKING MEMORIES: A

Look at the Exciting Events Taking Place at Oak Knoll School

Cheers to Good Times:

Alumnae/i gather for a night of networking and nostalgia at the Amity Hall cocktail party in New York.

February 9, 2023.

Beef, Beer, and Fellowship:

Fathers and friends gather for the annual mouthwatering beefsteak dinner. January 26, 2023.

Shining Bright:

Oak Knoll School celebrates community at the Spring Soiree: An Evening Under the Stars. May 6, 2022.

Chilling with the Past:

Alumnae/i reconnect and celebrate at the Summer Cooler event in Spring Lake. August 4, 2022.

Crafting Memories:

A night of laughter, libations, and lifelong bonds for Oak Knoll fathers and friends at Bull ‘N’ Bear Brewery in Summit. November 16, 2022.

Raising a Stein to Community:

Back to their Roots:

A Winning Match:

Alumnae/i serve up some fun and reunite for a fun-filled paddle party full of friendly competition at Canoe Brook Country Club. January 13, 2023.

OAK KNOLL SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD REVIEW

Young alumnae/i return to Oak Knoll to reminisce with former classmates and teachers. January 13, 2023.

Oak Knoll families celebrate the season at Oaktoberfest. October 1, 2022.

A RCHIVES

BONAVENTURA HALL’S ‘DEVINE’ INTERVENTION

CELEBRATING 70 YEARS OF THE ‘JUNIOR SCHOOL’ THANKS TO THE INCREDIBLE IMPACT OF ONE FAMILY’S GENEROUS DONATION

In Oak Knoll’s nearly 100 years, the school has been blessed with several benefactors through its storied history – including the Devine family led by patriarch and matriarch Christopher and Bonaventura Devine.

The most evident manifestation of this generosity and dedication to Holy Child learning — Bonaventura Hall, Oak Knoll’s Lower School building — began its formal journey to fruition 70 years ago.

After years of planning and preparation, Auxiliary Bishop James McNulty, with Mrs. Devine by his side, broke ground on what was then known as the Junior School on November 8, 1952.

According to school archives, Devine had long been interested in constructing a new school. On May 2, 1950, the General Council of the Society granted permission to the Provincial Council to accept the Devines’ offer to fund the construction. Construction was completed in 1953 at the cost of $500,000. Adjusted for inflation, that would be approximately $5.5 million today.

The building, which housed the school’s elementary and junior departments, was blessed by Archbishop Thomas A. Boland on January 5, 1955.

In a commemorative book published about the building, the author clearly stated Devine’s aspirations for the building and its lasting impact.

“It is the hope of Tura Devine, and of the nuns who comprise the faculty and who are carrying out her devoted ideal, that the children studying there will learn to love and follow the Holy Child’s example.”

Reading these pages reveals how the building and the school life within its halls remain much the same today – references to Halloween parties and Nativity tableaux – while also reminding readers of how much the school and Oak Knoll education have evolved from outdated technologies and birds

in a “conservatory” (though the bird cages remain in the library’s solarium to this day.)

Mrs. Devine passed away on March 13, 1984, leaving a lasting legacy beyond Bonaventura Hall that included nine children, all of whom graduated from Oak Knoll between 1966 and 1975. Additionally, many of the Devines’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren would later attend the school.

After her passing, the Oak Knoll community recognized how the building, which continues to fulfill Bonaventura’s passion for educating the whole child, represents her enduring legacy.

“Mrs. Devine’s selfless contributions to Oak Knoll will never be forgotten. Bonaventura Hall will forever stand as a landmark to her love and faith in Oak Knoll School,” reads a quote describing a memorial service for her on campus.

While the Devines’s impact is evident in Oak Knoll’s Lower School building, their generosity to the school began as early as May 1940, when the family donated funds to redecorate the school chapel.

The Devines would go on to donate $5,000 toward the purchase of what was then known as the Watermeyer Street House, now known as Mulcahy Hall.

In Memoriam

Tura E. Devine

Oak Knoll School lost a devoted friend and benefactor on March 13, 1984, when Tura E. Devine died. Mrs. Devine was responsible for designing, building and partially furnishing the Lower School building, which bears her name, Bonaventura Hall.

Mrs. Devine was noted for her charitable works and as an astute businesswoman. She was the first woman partner on Wall Street. She and her husband Christopher owned and operated the brokerage firm C.J. Devine and Co. on Wall Street for ten years. In recognition of Mrs. Devine’s distinguished career, she was honored with a listing in the Dictionary of International Biographies.

In 1955, Mrs. Devine began a life-long commitment to Oak Knoll when she donated funds for the Lower School building. Her charity extended far from her own familiar surroundings. In 1959, she and her husband built the St. Bonaventura

R.C. Church in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. They also donated the funds for the construction of the St. Christopher’s Church in Hobe Sound (Florida) and the St. Christopher’s Chapel in New York City. Mrs. Devine was concerned with creating a facility for children with special needs. Her dream became reality when the Tura Devine Pavilion in Newark was built. Her philanthropic acts were rewarded with the Mount Carmel Guild Award in 1969, 1975 and 1976.

A native of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, she lived in West Orange before moving to New York City. Her life was an inspiration to all who knew her. Friends and family attended a memorial mass and reception in her honor on May 13 at Oak Knoll School. Mrs. Devine’s selfless contributions to Oak Knoll will not be forgotten. Bonaventura Hall will forever stand as a landmark to her love and faith in Oak Knoll School.

Source: Oak Knoll’s 60th Anniversary Publication.

At the reception following the Memorial Mass for Mrs. Devine are her granddaughter Linda Kenny ’71 and her great granddaughters Elizabeth and Cara Kenny, seen here with Mother Campion, former Principal of the Lower School.