Park Bulletin Fall 2013

The Park School Fall Bulletin 2013 Annual Report Issue

Board of Trustees 2013–14

Alumni Committee 2013–14

Officers

Abbott Lawrence ’85 Co-Chair Rebecca Lewin Scott ’89 Co-Chair

Suzie Tapson Chair Martin Mannion Vice Chair Lanny Thorndike Vice Chair Lee Englert Secretary John Connaughton Treasurer David Ball ’85 Margaret Boasberg* Marcus Cherry Vincent Chiang Polly Crozier* Atul Dhir Julia Lloyd Johannsen ’93 Edward Johnson IV Heidi Johnson Patti Kraft Conan Laughlin* Katie McWeeny Anne Mitchell Scott Nathan Stephanie Neal-Johnson Kate Olmsted Peter Philip Peter Riehl Happy Rowe Garrett Solomon ’86 Kerry Noone Swords Suzie Tapson Edward “E.J.” Whelan* Sam Wilderman *nominated for election September 2013 and profiled in this issue Ex Officio

Michael Robinson Head of School Kimberly Boyd Assistant Head for Finance & Operations Cynthia A. Harmon Assistant Head for Program & Professional Development Board Chairs Emeriti

Kennett F. Burnes David D. Croll Charles C. Cunningham, Jr. George P. Denny III David G. Fubini M. Dozier Gardner John L. Hall II Kevin J. Maroni J. Michael Maynard Anne Worthington Prescott Deborah Jackson Weiss Headmaster Emeritus

Robert S. Hurlbut, Jr.

Diego Alvarado ’01 John Barkan ’85 Peter Barkan ’86 Kathrene Tiffany Bell ’96 Bob Bray ’53 Spencer Bush-Brown ’00 Emily Potts Callejas ’89 Gregory Cope ’71 Lilla Curran ’95 Melissa Deland ’95 Tam DeVaughn ’96 Sara Leventhal Fleiss ’95 David Glynn ’91 Abigail Ross Goodman ’91 Anne Collins Goodyear ’84 Jennifer Segal Herman ’82 Julia Lloyd Johannsen ’93 Gregory Kadetsky ’96 Bob Kenerson ’53 Joan Amick Kelly ’83 Amy Lampert ’63 Eve Wadsworth Lehrman ’95 Nia Lutch ’97 Melissa Daniels Madden ’85 Amy Lloyd McCarthy ’86 Allison Morse ’89 Chip Pierce ’81 Meredith Ross ’86 Katharine Burrage Schmitt ’95 Alyssa Burrage Scott ’92 Jordan Scott ’89 Sarah Shoukimas ’97 Garrett J. Solomon ’86 Thacher Tiffany ’93 Diana Walcott ’85 Laura Church Wilmerding ’84 Phoebe Gallagher Winder ’84

Fall Bulletin 2013 Annual Report of Giving 2012–13 Editor

Kate LaPine Design

Irene Chu Photography

Coffee Pond Photography Flo Farrell Kate LaPine Clare Wibiralske Printing

Hannaford & Dumas The Bulletin is published twice yearly for the alumni, parents, and friends of The Park School. We welcome your comments and ideas.

The Park School 171 Goddard Avenue Brookline, Massachusetts 02445 To contact the Bulletin:

Kate LaPine Director of Communications 617-274-6009 lapinek@parkschool.org To report alumni news:

Rena LaRusso ’04 Director of Alumni Relations 617-274-6022 alumni@parkschool.org To support Park:

Beatrix Sanders Director of Development 617-274-6020 sandersb@parkschool.org To report address changes:

Peter Steinmetz Development Office Manager 617-274-6018 development@parkschool.org Park is a coeducational school that admits qualified students without regard to race, religion, national origin, disabilities, sexual orientation, or family composition. Our educational policies, financial aid, and other school-sponsored programs are administered in a nondiscriminatory manner in conformance with applicable law.

FRONT COVER: Happy birthday, Park! In honor of the School’s 125th Anniversary, all 557 students and 150 members of the faculty and staff gathered for a historic panoramic photo on Tuesday, September 10. The whole school then sang “Happy Birthday” to Park, followed by a ceremonial birthday cake cutting. Head of School Michael Robinson, Betsy Ball (who has been at Park in one capacity or another since 1954!), and our youngest Pre–K student, Samora Nogueira Sanca ’24 and our oldest Grade IX student, Rohan Dhir ’14, did the honors. Because the cake was really just ‘for show,’ Park’s Food Service Manager Sean Callahan and his crew prepared 700 homemade cupcakes for everyone to enjoy!

The Park School Fall Bulletin 2013

In this issue:

2

Park’s Constant Core

125 Years of Memories and Traditions 9

Meet Park’s 12th Head of School: Michael Robinson

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Around Park

Cool Globes in Boston Faculty & Staff 2013–14 Updates New Grade-Level Assistants in Grades I–V Welcome, Rena LaRusso ’04!

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New Trustees

Margaret Boasberg Polly Crozier Conan Laughlin EJ Whelan 20

Graduation 2013

Graduation Address: Jacob Aduama ’07 Class of 2013 Graduation Speakers: Mikaela Cox and Chloë LeStage 30

Reunion 2013

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Alumni Notes

Alumni Service Award 2013: Lanny Thorndike ’81 Alumni Achievement Award 2013: Josh David ’78

125 YEARS AGO, in the fall of , Miss Caroline Augusta Pierce opened the doors to a new school. Located in one half of a double house at - Walnut Street, this small proprietary school served  children of various ages from neighboring families in Brookline. Today’s Park School — with  students from over 30 cities and towns — is a direct descendent of that first class.  years later, The Park School is thriving. We invite you to join us as we celebrate the incredible history and successes of this unique institution at special school events and year-long anniversary festivities.

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Please share with us your favorite Park School Memory. In honor of Park’s th Anniversary this year, we are collecting stories from alumni about their favorite Park School traditions, memories, and experiences.

To add your voice to the collection, please send your recollections to:

Park School Memories Attn: Kate LaPine The Park School  Goddard Avenue, Brookline, MA  Communications@parkschool.org

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

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Park students have been competing in interscholastic athletics since the School’s earliest days. Football was a mainstay for the boys until it was discontinued in 1969, in favor of soccer.

Sixth graders have been designing and constructing fantastic model dwellings for decades. Today’s House Project integrates math concepts and environmental science into a three-day hands-on marathon prior to March vacation.

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n many ways, Park is the same school we remember. It’s a school where relationships, community, creativity, ideas, and core values come first. It’s a school where children and adults work hard AND have fun. It’s a school where learning how to think, problem solve, analyze, connect, and create is at the center of what we do. It’s a school where incredible things happen every single day. And yet, just as the world has changed since the ’s and ’s, so has Park. So, what’s stayed the same and what’s changed?

We still begin the day with Morning Meeting. We still have announcements and presentations. But we no longer sing each day. Now, every Friday, ninth graders run Morning Meeting. And just like way back when, every day we still end with a moment of silence.

The sixth graders still do the House Project. But we no longer have kids working at home — with architect parents giving their kiddos a distinct advantage. The kids

now build at school for the three days prior to March vacation, they all use the same materials, and the math classrooms in the new West Building are turned into construction zones — complete with individualized work permits.

We still have May Day. The third graders are still the stars of the show, but now both boys and girls do the maypole dance AND the stick dance. Last year we had four different maypoles. We still sing the May Day carol.

We still wear green and white when we play other schools, but the look is much updated. There is no more gym show, but we do have soccer, field hockey, cross country, wrestling, basketball, and lacrosse tournaments.

Thankfully, there are no more tunics and bloomers.

We still have an Anthology and a Yearbook, and the Student Council, Helping Hand, and One World Club (now called “Pangea”) are alive and well. We don’t have a mountain club any more, but we have do a green club, continued on page 

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Students in Grades V–IX begin their school day in the theater with Morning Meeting.

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always loved Morning Meeting. What a way to kick off the day — surrounded by your best friends, classmates, older kids and younger kids!

Every year you moved a level up the ladder. The younger kids watched the boisterous older kids in awe, and then, one year, you finally get to sit in the top seats of the auditorium in the role you always admired. Morning Meeting was loud, light, and rambunctious. From Mr. Walsh’s Friday sing-along, to that old school projector that was used to show schedules or announcements . . .

Morning Meeting was a tradition that perfectly captured the Park spirit. In my day, there were some legendary skits that were absolutely unforgettable. My favorite one was when Mr. Roach and Mr. Jones would dress up like Hans and Franz from Saturday Night Live and say in their best German accents, “We are going to pump . . .

YOU up!” To this day that sketch still kills me!

Daphne Johnson Berger

Class of 

“My favorite Morning Meeting was when Mr. Roach and Mr. Jones would dress up like Hans and Franz from Saturday Night Live and say in their best German accents, ‘We are going to pump . . . YOU up!’”

Each year, on the Friday nearest to May 1, Park’s youngest students entertain their teachers and families with flowers, songs, and dances to herald the arrival of spring. In the early days girls danced around the May Pole, and boys performed the Morris stick dance; both dances are now thoroughly co-ed.

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lthough I only attended Park for my first year of school, as far as I know I am the only member of Julia Ballantine Park’s family to go there. She was among my grandfather’s four younger sisters who also taught or worked there: Julia Ballantine Park, Caroline Winthrop Park, Alice Park, and Edith Park Turner.

My first year had an amazing effect on my whole school life. I began there in , turned five in

November of that year, and in December — I recall the smell of the library paste as we all were making Christmas gifts of red and green blotters — someone tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Come along, dear.” I was placed in second grade. Thus everything happened too young: I finished high school at , and college at .

But my feelings about that year are all good. I have learned that “Aunt Jul’s” school was a small brown bungalow there in Brookline, where we lived just two years. The very grand school I visited some years later, was not even a dream then.

Natalie’s Kindergarten class in December 1936.

Natalie and her younger sister Helen (who attended the Agassiz School), with their parents David and Lydia Park.

film club, improv club, an a capella ensemble, math teams, a gay straight alliance, a computer club, and a rocket club.

The Library is still the center of the school. But in library class, the kids also learn about information technology, navigating the web and citing online sources.

However, we still have books — lots and lots of books, and we have book groups for adults and students and even a community read for the Upper Division students and faculty to begin the year. There are no more beanbag chairs or foam cubes; instead, we have a beautiful renovated space that really works.

We still have advisory groups with time for walks and games and parties. But kids now see their advisors every day for either advisory or TEACH — a  minute block which ends the day  times a week and gives kids a chance to begin homework, work on enrichment activities, or meet one on one with their teachers.

We still have a snack in the Dining Room at midmorning, but gone are the waxed paper cups of juice and the round sugar coated cookies. Thanks to the Green Club, we use re-usable glasses and the snacks are continued on page  6

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

Natalie Park Schutz

Class of 

The library has long been the center of the School. It underwent a major renovation in 2008 so that students of all ages can visit weekly for classes and literally curl up with a good book.

in the 1940s and 1950s, Mrs. Watson directed the entire Upper School in an annual Gilbert and Sullivan operetta on the gym stage. Top: Mikado, 1957; Bottom: Pirates of Penzance, 1954.

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’ve realized, listening to some Gilbert and Sullivan on the radio, that I know almost every word and melody from Pirates of Penzance, HMS Pinafore, Mikado, and Iolanthe. We all sat in on the rehearsals even when only in the chorus, and in my memory they took up our time for days. I remember afternoons up in a sort of attic at school making crepe paper cherry blossoms and gluing them to branches for Mikado. I’m interested in what others remember about the plays we put on every year, under Mrs. Watson’s direction.

Ruth Vose

Class of 

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

“I remember afternoons up in a sort of attic at school making crepe paper cherry blossoms and gluing them to branches for Mikado.”

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“. . . Teachers still have the same passion for teaching and for inspiring their studetns to be their best.”

healthier — pretzels, cheese sticks, and fruit. (By the way, you should see all of the choices in the Dining Room at lunch time!)

Upper Division students still study French and Latin — although there is no more Thibaut family on Place D’Italie. Spanish has been added to the mix, and since the fall of , Mandarin is offered, too. Now all of our ninth graders spend  days on language trips in Italy, Spain, France … and beginning this March …

China.

In many ways, Park is still Park. But it’s bigger. And you might not recognize some of the spaces. However, the concrete stairwells still smell the same, the kids eat around the same round butcher block tables in the Dining Room, and teachers still have the same passion for teaching and for inspiring their students to be the best. For the School, the bottom line is still knowing and supporting each child, and it’s still an amazing place for kids to learn and grow.

Alice Perera Lucey

Class of    

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y favorite memories of Park are Yule Festival and May Day. To this day, during the holiday season, I find myself singing proudly to my older brother, Todd, every word to “Children Go Where I Send Thee,” and “Christmas in the Trenches,” while remembering my  years at Park. I recall having a broken ankle one year and being in a cast and on crutches the year my grade sang, “ for the six who couldn’t get fixed.” Ms. Allen incorporated my injury in the song so I wouldn’t feel left out. She let me hobble onto the gym floor and display my hot pink cast. All my teachers at Park had a way of making me feel special and important.

I still feel their love all these years later.

Elizabeth Prives

Class of 

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Yule Festival’s origins lie with the traditional Christmas pageants Park students performed in the 1940s. Today, the holiday assembly reflects the religiously and culturally diverse community that makes up the modern School. The program features songs from a variety of traditions performed by students across Grades Pre-K through Grade IX, as well as reading that capture the principles and spirit of Chanukah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa.

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

Heads of The Park School

Caroline Augusta Pierce

Mary Elizabeth Ware

Julia Ballantine Park

Alice Lee

Principal –

Co-Principal –

Co-Principal – Principal –

Co-Principal –

Grace Mowry Harris

Grace May Cole

James Arnold Lowell

John Breckenridge Dayton

Co-Principal –

Headmistress –

Headmaster –

Headmaster –

Harry John Groblewski

Robert Satterlee Hurlbut, Jr.

Jerrold I. Katz

Michael E. Robinson

Headmaster –

Headmaster –

Head of School –

Head of School –

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Meet Park’s 12th Head of School: Michael Robinson On October , , the Board of Trustees unanimously voted to invite Michael Robinson to become the th head of The Park School.

Michael began his headship on July , , when Jerry Katz left to begin his new appointment in New York after twenty years of tremendous leadership at Park.

Michael grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, and received his bachelor’s degree in biology 10

from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

He began his career as a science teacher and coach, before receiving his Masters in Divinity at the Virginia Theological Seminary. For the last  years, he has been leading elementary school communities in Washington D.C., Chattanooga, Tennessee, and most recently at the Lake Forest Country Day School outside of Chicago, where he served as Head of School from –.

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

Q

Congratulations on your new job!

Thank you. I’m thrilled to be here.

Q What is the role of Head of School as you see it?

When I was visiting with the Trustees in May, I told a story about a conversation I had with an eighth grade student at Lake Forest Country Day who had just finished “shadowing” me for the day. That afternoon, she was asked, “So what does the Head of School do?” She confidently responded, “Well, the Head of School takes care of a lot of smart, hard-working teachers. He makes sure that the teachers have what they need to teach and that students have what they need to learn.” You know, she was absolutely right. I would expand on that only to say that it’s also about providing the resources and physical space for teachers, who are among the hardest working, dedicated professionals that I have ever come across. The work of educating and fostering a spirit of service and commitment to society in young students is the most important work that any civilization undertakes.

Facilitating that is the high calling of school administration.

Q You’ve been head of school two times before (in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and most recently at the Lake Forest Country Day School outside of Chicago). What intrigued you most about the opportunity to lead Park?

Well, without a doubt, the most appealing piece was Park’s commitment to diversity. My career in teaching was a little like going into the family industry; my mother was an English teacher and my father was a coach. I’ve spent my entire life around campuses and school professionals. The strong social justice mission of schools resonates very deeply for me. Seeing Park and its sincere, long-time commitment to being a diverse community was really compelling. As I’ve gotten to know the community, I believe that certain goals from the mission statement really ring true: “appreciating similarities and dif-

ferences,” “being a metropolitan, coeducational, day school of diverse races, religions, cultures, and backgrounds,” and “being a community where the dignity of each child, teacher, and parent is respected.” That, coupled with knowing that Park is a remarkably successful school in a great city on the East Coast was the big attraction.

Q

Was your family excited to move to Boston? Can you tell us a little about them?

I was born in Western Massachusetts, and my wife, Frances, and I met at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

I grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, and my family had a cabin in Ellsworth, Maine. So, while I didn’t really grow up in Massachusetts, the state has always felt like a part of what I consider to be home as I traveled up and down the Eastern Seaboard.

Frances, who is also a teacher and educator, and comes from a family of educators, will be taking a year off from

teaching. She is very excited to get to know Park and the community as well.

We have three daughters. Emily is a senior at Mt. Holyoke College. Gracie is a sophomore at the University of Richmond, and our youngest, Hannah, is a ninth grader at Dana Hall School.

We also have two dogs: Bear, a three year-old lab-golden mix who is a great buddy, and Maggie, who is a sweet, -year-old girl. Many evenings this summer we’ve been walking around with the dogs visiting families at the Park pool. Both dogs will be regulars at Park athletic games in the afternoons this fall.

Q How have you been spending your summer?

Our family has enjoyed getting to know Brookline and Boston. We’ve seen a couple of Red Sox games by getting “day-of ” tickets and sitting out in the bleachers. Then we’ll walk from Fenway to Copley Square and explore Newbury Street. We’ve spent several evenings in

Traditions are the backbone of our shared experiences and I’m sure that we will develop some new traditions too.

On the first day of school this fall, the faculty and students in the Upper Division (Grades VI – IX) created a welcoming receiving line to shake hands every student and teacher. The line of 300 individuals circled the Main Field and Michael shook hands with every one. This new tradition, began in 2012, and is a joyful way to start the year.

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Coolidge Corner, catching a movie, comparing the great pizza places, and stopping by Brookline Booksmith.

We’ve also had some more mundane tasks like unpacking boxes and getting our cars registered.

We’re getting settled into our beautiful new house at  Goddard Avenue, the former home of Nancy and Kim Faulkner ’. While Park has never had a residence for its head of school before, Frances and I have lived on campus at our previous schools and really enjoy the opportunity it provides to make connections with the community. We enjoy hosting school events and the commute can’t be beat!

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Michael Robinson surrounded by his family. His wife, Frances, at his left; his daughter Emily is standing at his right. Daughters Gracie and Hannah are seated left and right.

What about professionally?

This summer has been about moving from the abstract, where I was getting to know the school from afar, to actually getting to meet and learn about the people that make up Park. The bulk of that introduction has been meeting individually with dozens of faculty and staff members, beginning with four one-to-one meetings on my first day!

Q You’ve mentioned that diversity and inclusion are a real focus for you.

You attended a conference on the topic and asked the faculty and staff to read Whistling Vivaldi. Please elaborate.

In my second full week of being the Head of School at Park, I had a wonderful opportunity to attend a weeklong residential seminar on diversity

and inclusion at Brooks School in Andover. Logistically it was tough to be out my second week, but I wanted to begin my tenure by putting diversity and inclusion at the top of my priorities. Of course, I’ve been getting up to speed on lots of operational pieces too. ut moving diversity and inclusion to the front burner has enabled other topics to organize themselves around that.

That’s also why I’m excited about asking the faculty and staff to read Claude Steele’s Whistling Vivaldi over the summer. Using this shared summer reading book, our first collective professional development conversation will be about how the ways we think about race and identity affect our relationships and the potential to undermine or enhance achievement. This is an important topic not only for our work with students but also with our colleagues and families.

Q

Can you elaborate on the one-toone meetings with faculty and staff?

I’ve asked each person to think about the same questions. Things like “What attracted you to Park and what makes you want to stay here?” “What changes are necessary to provide the best education possible for our students?” “Is Park School headed in the right direction in its efforts to be a diverse school?”

“What kind of leadership are you looking for from me?” I’m enjoying the

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conversations very much. They allow me to get to know each person and establish a personal relationship which will be very important as we build a future together.

Q

Are you finding there are similarities or is there a wide variety to people’s responses?

There are definitely similarities; there is a clear love of Park School. A commitment and willingness to talk deeply, thoughtfully, and sincerely about their experiences here. Within about five minutes, every one of these conversations becomes a valuable and substantive professional exchange. I’m focusing on listening and learning, being very intentional about suspending analysis and interpretation. I take a lot of notes, which is not to be formal, but because it’s hard to keep well over  conversations in my head! Because I’m asking all the same questions, what I want to identify—but not be too hasty about— are the themes and opportunities that rise up.

Q

Once the meetings with faculty and staff have been completed, what do you plan to do with all the information?

After the themes and opportunities have emerged, I plan to reflect those back to

the faculty and staff and ask, “Have I heard you correctly?” I will dig a little deeper into a few things, and then at some point, I will set some goals for myself vis-à-vis my work with faculty and staff. I will pay special attention to communication and process and how I can support the faculty. Going back to that wise eighth grader who shadowed me as “Head of School for the Day,” my job is to support teachers and students with the best teaching and learning environment. These conversations help me to really listen to the faculty and staff, and ask, “What do you need to do your job?” I want to model data gathering and responsiveness, and regularly ask, formally and informally, “How am I doing?”

Q

You spent two solid days with the Administrative Team. What was that like? Did you really play mini-golf?

Absolutely! We met off campus at the

Babson Conference Center and spent two days together. The first day gave me a chance to get to know my new colleagues better. With the help of a facilitator, we thought about process, decision-making, information sharing, what’s important to the team, how had they operated as a successful team before, and other individual and team process-style questions. The second day was led by Christine Savini from Diversity Directions and focused on our diversity practices within the Administrative Team itself. Appreciating similarities and differences, acknowledging our own differences in race and culture, how can we assure that in our practices that we respect the dignity of every individual? I do believe that the Administrative Team needs to model this for the rest of the School. That afternoon, we concluded with indoor, glow-in-the-dark miniature golf, because it was such a hot day. We did play on gender-specific teams, and we did keep score, and after 8 holes, the

As a Head of School, I feel incredibly fortunate to join the School at this juncture and am excited about what’s in front of me.

combined team score was  to , but I won’t say who was on the winning team!

Q

What have been your impressions of Park so far?

In just a few words: thoughtful, engaged, creative, talented, happy, and curious. Park is very impressive. The faculty are incredibly intelligent, articulate professionals, who are committed to their craft. They are focused on growth and innovation, but it is also abundantly clear that their relationships with their colleagues and students, and supporting families is right at the front of what they consider to be ‘professional best practice.’ As a Head of School, I feel incredibly fortunate to join the School at this juncture and am excited about what’s in front of me.

A big part of my welcome to the School this summer has been getting to know the two camps: Creative Arts at Park and Summer at Park. I see the enthusiasm, creativity, and joy demonstrated by the CAAP campers.

Absolutely fantastic to be around!

Every single day, the Noon Time Show is a talent show worthy of being the grand finale anywhere else! I also have loved seeing the variety of the programs at Summer at Park—seeing the kids at the pool, getting to know some of the life guards and counselors. What I really like about it, which I think is a nice reflection on Park, is that both camps are truly educational. They are extensions of the School’s mission and they allow students to choose activities that they’re interested in and then engage deeply and meaningfully.

What’s very clear to me is that the camps are clearly not separate from the school year, but are really part of the school year. And I look forward to ensuring that continues.

Q

How do you expect Park to change — and stay the same — now that you’re Head of School?

Park’s long-range plan, Park, has positioned the School to engage deeply with what the National Association of Independent Schools refers to as the

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

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Big Shifts of st Century Education: knowing vs. doing; teacher-centered vs. student-centered curriculum; the individual vs. the team; consumption of information vs. construction of meaning; schools (as discrete locations) vs. learning networks; single sourcing vs. crowd sourcing; and, standardized (or norm referenced) testing vs. high value demonstrations of understanding.

I’m terribly impressed with the Park proposals and reports I’ve read so far. Park teachers are asking about how our students are learning and how our schools can change, and how technology is changing the landscape of education and how can Park be on the leading edge of that. It’s clear that there is deep interest and energy in exploring and experimenting with new models that maximize the impact of everexpanding scientific insights into how children learn. Any Head of School would be proud to have faculty and staff members who are thinking so deeply about practice and how to integrate these insights with familiar, classical forms of education. I believe a key ingredient for innovation is the capacity for risk-taking and learning from the iterative process of trial and error.

Along these lines, I believe that teams have a greater capacity for risk-taking

Michael has embraced the tradition of student birthday parties in the Head of School’s office.

Students in Pre-K – Grade V visit his office for celebratory ice cream during their birthday month and receive a small gift of a special glass bottle with sparkles to remember the occasion.

than individuals. I want to encourage the creation of dynamic teams within disciplines and across disciplines to consider Park’s opportunities for innovation. I know that facilitating conversation amongst teams would be both productive and, given this faculty, incredibly exciting. Park is very, very fortunate to have the resources, financial and otherwise, to continue to grow from its position of strength.

As for things staying the same, both M&Ms and ice cream birthday parties will definitely continue! I love those pieces, and I love discovering other traditions that are really important to Park’s students, teachers, and families.

Traditions are the backbone of our shared experiences and I’m sure that we will develop some new traditions too.

Students in Grades VI – IX partake in a new tradition — shaking hands with every student and teacher on the first day of school.

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Park will continue to be childcentered; a place that is always focused on what is best for children. It will continue to be a place where the faculty and staff are supported with the resources and the time and the encouragement to be engaged learners themselves and to give their best to children.

One of my goals is to ensure that the adults in our community love what they are doing. I think having a professional faculty and staff that is engaged, enthusiastic, and personally growing is inspirational. More important than any content, being with inspiring individuals is what teaching and learning is all about.

ar p k Cool Globes Boston

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he Cool Globes art project began in Chicago in 2006 as a way to inspire action to address climate change. These 5-foot tall globes are installed around the world, from California to Copen-

hagen to Jerusalem. In 2013, Cool Globes founder Wendy Abrams brought the project to Boston, with the help of the City’s Chief of Environment and Energy, Brian Swett, Park School Class of 1994!

This spring, art teacher Andrea Sparks asked students in Grades Pre-K–IX to submit drawings of plants and animals from around the world. Throughout the summer, she labored to prepare the Cool Globe with layer upon layer of paint and varnish so that it would withstand any type of weather. On August 15, Park’s Globe was one of 50 unveiled on the Boston Common.

Andrea explains that the brightly-painted design represents the world’s major climate regions

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

and subtypes, inspired by Koppen’s Climate Classification System. “Biodiversity and climate are inextricably linked and affected by changes in the climate. Maintaining the delicate balance is vital to the heal of the planet and its inhabitants…With this Cool Globe, we ask people of all ages to learn these simple “A, B, C” messages: Appreciate Biodiversity and Climate, and Act to Be the Change!

Later this fall, our “ABC Globe” will find a permanent home on the Park campus. Very COOL!

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Jessica Conaway

India Davis ’03

Carly Ellis

Steven Goldman

Jeannie Hahn

Merrill Hawkins ’96

Taylor Horan

Rena LaRusso ’04

A P P O I N T M E N T S Faculty & Staff Updates 2013–2014 APPOINTMENTS

Jessica Conaway Associate Director of Development BS Binghamton University; MS University of Michigan India Davis ’03 Kindergarten Assistant and After-School Program Instructor BA Hofstra University Carly Ellis Grade II Teacher BA Washington College; MEd Lesley University

Taylor Horan Math Teacher BA Colby College

Steven Goldman Middle Division Math Coordinator BA Haverford College; MA Columbia University’s Teachers College; MFA Emerson College

Rena LaRusso ’04 Director of Alumni Relations BA Guilford College

Jeannie Hahn Grade I Teacher BS Massachusetts Institute of Technology; MEd Harvard Graduate School of Education

Marn Lau Grade IV Teacher BA Boston University; MS Hunter College, City University of New York

Merrill Hawkins ’96 English/Social Studies Teacher BA Colby College; MEd Boston College Lynch School of Education

Mindy Lawrence Librarian BA Brown University; MLS The Catholic University of America

Carlos Morales Grade V Assistant BA University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth

Jessica Waters Grade II Assistant BA Bates College; MEd Lesley University

Amy Saltonstall ’87 Grade IV Assistant BA Williams College; MEd Boston College Lynch School of Education

Jean Wilmerding Grade III Teacher AB Kenyon College; MA Teachers College, Columbia University

Peter Steinmetz Development Assistant BS University of Richmond Sara Tollerud Manager of Development Services BA Boston College

New Grade-Level Assistants for Grades I–V

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id you know that most teachers in Park’s Lower and Middle Divisions (Pre-Kindergarten – Grade V) spend 60 to 80 hours per week on education-related work, including 40 hours in direct time with students, and the rest (often on evenings and weekends) on planning, grading, and creating materials? These teachers also spend quite a bit of time on administrative duties: covering lunch and recess duty, managing carpool, transferring students to physical

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education and other locations, photocopying, and scheduling conferences.

This fall, there’s a plan in place that will allow Lower and Middle Division teachers to offload some of their administrative duties so they could focus more on classroom-related work, incorporating “best practices” into their classroom teaching, and collaborating with colleagues. Thanks to funds from Park’s long-range plan, Park21, Grades I through V each will have

an assistant to share across the four classrooms. The primary role of the assistants is to relieve teachers of some non-instructional duties every day. The School welcomes Cathy Boskey to Grade I,

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

Jessica Waters to Grade II, Paul Newmark to Grade III, Amy Saltonstall ’87 to Grade IV, and Carlos Morales (pictured above) to Grade V.

Marn Lau

Mindy Lawrence

Carlos Morales

Amy Saltonstall ’87

SABBATICALS and LEAVES OF ABSENCE [during 2013–14]

DEPARTURES

Liz Ballard Associate Director of Development Sarah Braga Development Assistant Morgan Darby English/Social Studies Caitlin Dick ’01 Grade V Assistant Linda Knight Director of Interns & Physical Education Teacher* David Lawton Grade IV Teacher*

Peter Steinmetz

Meg Lloyd ’98 Grade I Teacher Sheika Luc Grade II Teacher Juliana McIntyre Grade I Teacher

Dorothea Black Library Department Head Full-year Steve Savage Physical Education Teacher January–June 2014

Eliza Drachman-Jones Quincy ’98 Director of Alumni Relations

Sara Tollerud

Jessica Waters

Jean Wilmerding

CHANGES

Cathy Boskey Grade I Assistant previously Kindergarten Assistant

Paul Newmark Grade III Assistant previously Pre-K Assistant Jessica Niebuhr Grade II Teacher returns from parental leave

Gio Bradley-Campbell Pre-K Associate previously After-School Program Teacher

Mally Smith ’01 Kindergarten Assistant

Kimberly Formisano Acting Director of Interns & Park21 Implementation previously Grade II Teacher

*Please see Spring 2013 edition for profiles of Linda and David.

Bob Little Athletic Director returns from sabbatical

Alli Raabe Grade I Teacher returns from parental leave Carolyn Snook Grade V Teacher returns from parental leave

Welcome, Rena LaRusso ’04!

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Rena LaRusso ’04 and Alice Perera Lucey ’77 at an Alumni event this fall.

ena, a Park “lifer,” who won the John Spicer Award for Unique Service to the School at her graduation in 2004, is poised to serve the School again as our new Director of Alumni Relations. We are happy to welcome her back!

Rena majored in English at Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina, where she also worked in the Careers Office. As a junior, she had the opportunity to study abroad in London, which “was an amazing experience that allowed

me to connect my English literary studies to a geographical place, as well as fall in love with the UK and other parts of Europe.” Most recently Rena worked in recruiting at The Bulfinch Group, a wealth management firm in Needham.

She loves traveling, spending time with friends and family, and rooting for the Boston Bruins.

Rena is thrilled to return to Park and begin meeting Park alumni. “It is wonderful to return to Park and see so many familiar faces! It is an

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

honor to work alongside many of my former teachers, and to return to this amazing community. I am excited to meet my fellow alumni, and to connect them with each other, and Park.”

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New Trustees

MA RG A RE T B O A SBE RG

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hile many families enter when their children are in Pre-K or Kindergarten, Margaret Boasberg’s girls, Tess (Grade IV) and twins Kira and Alyse (Grade VII), joined Park in the Middle and Upper Divisions. Margaret and her husband, Chris Bierly, admit that the decision to enroll their three daughters was a difficult one. “Our girls had had a wonderful experience in the Newton public schools, and we struggled with the decision to pull them out in favor of Park. What ultimately convinced us to make the move were the quality of Park’s incredible teachers, the supportive and nurturing — yet challenging — school atmosphere, and some wonderful friends who had raved about Park for years.”

Margaret grew up in Washington, D.C. and attended Yale University. She went on to earn her MBA from Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. She spent almost a decade as a management consultant at Bain and Company (where her husband is a partner), leaving Bain in 2000 to join the newly formed Bridgespan Group.

Bridgespan is a nonprofit that collaborates with leaders to accelerate social impact and help break cycles of intergenerational poverty. Margaret works with nonprofit organizations, foundations, and philanthropists mainly in the K-12 education, public health, and youth development spheres.

She has had the privilege of advising many of the country’s largest foundations on their philanthropy, as well as consulting with a wide range of nonprofits working to create change in some of our most highneed communities.

She is excited to join the Board of Trustees and hopes to contribute through

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her experience working in K–12 education.

She also looks forward to becoming more closely involved in a place of such importance to her girls. “Park is a very special school,” says Margaret. “I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to its continued success.”

PO LLY CROZ IE R

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ith a same-sex, interfaith family, Polly Crozier and her spouse, Jessica Keimowitz, searched for a school with a strong and sincere commitment to diversity and community, and they found Park to be just the right fit. When looking at schools for their daughter, Hannah, Polly recalls being welcomed by the Park community.

“Attending the LGBT dinner was transformative. There were parents, teachers, staff, former parents . . . so many people pres-

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

ent, with their arms wide open to a new family.” That sense of community was reinforced when Hannah’s brother, David, died suddenly at the end of her Pre-K year. “The outpouring of support and care from all corners of the school was something we will never forget.” Polly is looking forward to giving back to the Park community as a member of the Board.

Polly grew up in Wellesley and attended the Winsor School, where she currently serves on the Alumnae Board.

After Winsor, Polly graduated from Yale University and Boston College Law School.

During law school, Polly worked at and collaborated with LGBTQ civil rights organizations in Massachusetts, New York, and San Francisco. After law school, knowing that her passion — LGBTQ equality — would play out on a state-court level, she clerked for the Maryland Court of Appeals and the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court. In 2005, Polly entered private practice, and she is now a principal at Kauffman Crozier LLP, a small family law firm in Cambridge known for its expertise on LGBTQ issues, adoption, assisted reproduction, and nontraditional families. In addition to her practice, Polly regularly volunteers with a number of community legal organizations to promote LGBTQ equality and access to affordable legal services. Polly and Jessica live on the campus of the Dana Hall School in Wellesley, where Jessica is the Director of the Upper School and where Hannah (Grade I) and Miriam (age 1) enjoy being campus kids.

C ONA N L AUG HLIN

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onan grew up in Southern California and attended public schools until the 11th grade, when he journeyed north to Santa Barbara and became a boarding student at the Cate School. It was at Cate that Conan experienced what a great independent school can offer. “There was a complete sense of community shared equally by the students, the teachers and the staff, not just because we all lived together, but because of the school’s long history and strong values, where diversity and community service were just as important as academics and athletics. The moment we set foot on the Park School campus in early 2009 when our son Will was applying to Pre-K, Brooke and I both felt that incredible sense of community. We couldn’t be more impressed with the experience we’ve had at Park over the last four years, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join the Board.”

After graduating from Cate in 1991, Conan traveled east to the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where he majored in finance and played on the men’s golf team. During a summer break in college, Conan met his future wife, Brooke, and began a long-distance romance. Upon graduating, Conan moved to New York to pursue a career in the investment business. In 1997, Conan moved to Boston and he and Brooke were married in 1999. The family now includes two children who both attend Park: Will (Grade III) and Hadley (Grade I), dog Baxter and cat Grady who all live in Chestnut Hill.

Conan is the founder and chief investment officer of North Tide Capital, an investment firm in Boston that focuses on the healthcare industry. Prior to founding North Tide in 2011, Conan was a portfolio manager at Millennium Partners, a New York-based hedge fund. Before that, he was an equity research analyst covering the healthcare industry.

For the last two years Conan has coached a Brookline U–9 boys’ soccer team, and this past season he also coached U–9 boys’ lacrosse. With his teams made up almost entirely of Park School first and second graders, the highlight for Conan has been getting to know so many of Will’s

classmates. “Now, whenever I walk down the halls at Park, it’s a series of fist bumps with these great kids from the soccer and lacrosse teams, many of whom I never would have gotten to know had I not coached. And the character of the kids is incredible. Will joined the U–9 lacrosse team in Kindergarten, and was taken under the wings of a couple of Park second graders who at the time seemed like gods.

This year Will and a handful of other Park second graders returned the favor and mentored the younger kids. It is a really special bond that the Park School kids share. I can’t wait to coach Hadley and get to know her classmates over the next few years!”

field, where he has spent the past nine years at Berkshire Partners.

When Lori and EJ were considering schools for their two daughters Lindsay (Grade III) and Abby (Grade I), they were taken with Park’s sense of community. “We were sold on the School the moment we saw the warmth and energy in the classrooms and the diverse student body.” The girls’ experience in the Lower Division over the past few years has only reinforced EJ and Lori’s first impressions and has established a real passion for Park. The couple was impressed with how the School encourages parent involvement and have become active volunteers: EJ sits on the Major Gifts Committee and Lori has served as a Class Rep and a Springfest volunteer.

A die-hard Boston sports fan, EJ is attempting to pass his zeal onto his daughters. (Fortunately, Lindsay is predisposed to love the Red Sox since she was born the night Boston won the World Series in 2004!) As a family, the Whelans love spending time together, traveling, and hosting pizza parties and barbecues at their home in Newton.

EJ WHE L AN

E

J spent his childhood and high school years in Brockton, Massachusetts, before heading north to Hanover, New Hampshire, for four years at Dartmouth College. After completing his degree in economics, he moved back to Boston to work as a management consultant at Bain & Company, where his most notable achievement was meeting his future wife, Lori. Following a few years at a local startup consolidating the auto body repair industry, EJ attended Harvard Business School and then joined the private equity

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

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2013 — Class of 2013 —

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The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

Each year, a Park School alum with six years of post-Park experience is the featured speaker at Graduation. At the School’s 125th graduation exercises in June, Jacob Aduama delivered the address. At his own graduation in 2007, Jacob received the John Spicer Award “for unique service to the School.”

After Park, Jacob went on to play soccer, basketball, and track at Northfield Mount Hermon School.

Although he served as captain of the soccer team, Jacob does not list his athletic achievements as his favorite memories from high school. Instead, it is his “work job,” a required community service contribution on the NMH farm that tops the list. Now a senior at Northeastern University, Jacob plays goalie for the Huskies soccer team while majoring in chemical engineering with a minor in business. In addition to his academics and athletics, Jacob is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChe) and the Black Engineering Student Society (BESS).

2013 GRADUATION ADDRESS

by Jacob Aduama, Class of 2007

G

ood morning. It is truly in an honor to be speaking today, and I would like to thank Mr. Katz, Ms. Harmon, and the faculty and staff for picking me to be the graduation speaker. As I stand here in front of you, the BOLD class of 2013, it is amazing to see how far you have come since I graduated in 2007, in fact, how far we all have come since I was sitting in those very same seats. At that time, you were in third grade.... yes, third grade! You were still going to the small fridges for some milk and cookies at snack, and you were still lucky enough to be playing at the small playground with the sandbox, (believe me, I was jealous).

If I also remember correctly, I was a “big brother” to some of you who were in Miss Kopp and Mr. Bown’s class, and we shared her famous Witches’ Brew together! Most of you were working on how to add apples, and subtract oranges, and now you have traveled across the world, had job experiences, and even led your own TOTAL Day team! You and your families can be very proud of all that you have accomplished. Graduating from Park School is something very special, something that should be cherished, and an accomplishment that should instill a great sense of pride. You

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CLA SS QUO T ES 2013

Nothing could have prepared me for the confidence shattering, brain bursting, and most importantly, GPA-sinking class known as Organic Chemistry.

have great memories, great experiences, and have formed friendships that will last a lot longer than you may think!

There will be countless moments when you will think back to the people you have met here, the diversity that you have been blessed with and educated by, and the lessons that you have learned. As I walked across this campus and through the halls of the buildings a few weeks ago, I was amazed by how vivid the images of interacting with my peers and teachers still were! I could

Tori Alvarez I am taking with me the pens and pencils I have “borrowed” this year.

I am leaving behind my mom.

remember the conversations by the lockers in sixth grade, the humorous interactions with Mr. Amershadian, and the energetic and charismatic English classes with Mrs. Baker. You will each have your own memories to take away, as you expressed in Morning Meeting. For some of you, it may be the time spent at the colonial schoolhouse in second grade, for others it could be the time used drawing letters and cleaning tables with shaving cream. (And for one of you specifically, what you will take will be kept in your very own Kangaroo pouch.) It may be surprising as to the extent to which The Park School’s values and experiences will be helpful guides as you leave this campus. You will take a lot more from Park than a diploma and information about the Han Dynasty; there will also be the lessons in between the classes: the lessons about right and wrong, how to treat those around you, how to be aware of your surroundings, and how to be the best person possible. These lessons and memories are the most important parts of one’s personal foundation,

Mikaela Cox As the youngest in my family, I am taking with me the Cox family legacy.

I am leaving behind the unintentional extra hour of job time I completed this year.

a foundation that will ground you as you encounter life’s changes. Because as the Greek Philosopher Heraclitus said, “Change is the only constant in life.”

I would like to offer three things that I hope will help to deal with change on life’s journey: First: Life does not always change in ways that you can control; it will take you around blind corners and to places that you never could have envisioned. The more willing you are to accept the changes, and push through the challenges, the easier it will be to move in a positive direction.

Let me explain: Upon leaving Park, I had an enriching high school experience at Northfield Mount Hermon. And after a great freshman year at Northeastern University, I felt well prepared and equipped for my major in chemical engineering.

However, nothing could have prepared me for the confidence shattering, brain bursting, and most importantly, GPA-sinking class known as Organic Chemistry. In class, I spent hours and hours drawing structures that looked like honeycombs connected by dashes, did a lot of counting, wrote tons of

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The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

Mica Curtin-Bowen I am taking with me the creativity that my teachers and friends encouraged me to develop and express. I am leaving behind the pair of pointe shoes I lost in the West Building.

Sam Feibel I am taking with me the love for running I found in Cross Country.

I am leaving behind three years of learning and friendship.

Justine Hatton I am taking with me the knowledge and wisdom that I learned on the playing fields and in the classrooms.

I am leaving behind the coaches and teachers who always believed in me.

Latin, and did lots of flipping, turning, and rotating 2-D pictures. Just try envisioning 1,2-Dimethylcyclopropane upside down and in reverse? I could not either! After all of the work, the late nights, and the studying, the first exam came around. I felt fairly confident going into the exam, but came out with a sense of confusion. When I received my grade, I had a C! After all that work, a C!! My reality had changed . . . changed from believing that my sense of working hard automatically equaled a good grade and from thinking that this grade was a terrible failure that would end my college career, to knowing that I had to figure out what went wrong, and find a solution! This grade was the beginning of a new understanding, an understanding that things were different, that things had changed; and with that understanding I was able to earn a B by the end of semester. I urge you to try to think of failure as just one way to know what does not work, as well as putting you one step closer to what does.

My Second Piece of Advice: Enjoy What You Are Doing

For my first Co-op job as a Northeastern student, I worked for a nanotechnology lab in Marlborough, Massachusetts. It was a new experience, and I did not think I had anything in common with the people there. I had no passion for the product, the company, or the different experiments. After a month working with this mindset, I consciously decided to change my negative attitude.

After all, I had a great job, and I was working with nice people for a company with many new and exciting products and innovations. Instead of complaining about what “the job wasn’t”, I decided to embrace “what the job was”! I decided to Enjoy What I Was Doing! I discovered that my supervisor was from Brazil, and we shared a passion for soccer. He taught me a lot about safety as it

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

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pertains to working in a lab with other people, maintenance of equipment, and certain tools and skills. By the end of my Co-op experience, not only was I amazed by all of the things I had learned about chemical engineering and working in a lab, but I also enjoyed what I was doing; I had enhanced my whole experience. I learned

that our experiences in life are what we make them, and we have the power to make them magnificent!

And Finally: Do What You Enjoy (or as I like to call it, the icing on the cake!)

Regardless of what plans life has for you and what plans you have for yourself, make sure that you always take some time to do something you enjoy. “Don’t Count the Days, Make the Days Count.” Muhammad Ali’s saying embodies a sense of daily enjoyment and purpose. For me? I love soccer, so I make sure that everyday I play soccer before my commitments. If I have class, work, and yes, even if I have soccer practice, playing soccer alone gives my mind some relaxation.

Similar to what the moment of silence at Morning Meeting provides, playing soccer alone allows me to center myself before the day’s activities. Maybe you go for a swim like a favorite turtle, or hangout and relax like a cat; it does not matter how long, or when, but when you get one thing done in the day that you enjoy, it feels like every day was productive and the unpredicted changes that happen are more easily managed. Everyday can hold happiness, but we are not always given it, sometimes we have to create it for ourselves.

Each one of you has exciting, unique, and tremendous opportunities ahead: ones that you cannot even imagine at the moment.

Your goals will change, morph, and grow into big dreams and aspirations. I urge you to remember these things as you journey from Park:

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The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

Maddie Hurley I am taking with me my love for English and science that my Park teachers instilled in me for the past four years. I am leaving behind many orange juice cartons, all the props and set pieces I used, costumes I wore, and the memories I made with my cast mates backstage.

How you see the world is going to change and that is O-K-A-Y; Find joy in every moment; Take things as they come; And finally, choose to enjoy what you’re doing And to do what you enjoy.

Be grateful for the chance to grow up here at Park, for the great interactions with a diverse group of teachers and students, and for having experiences that will stay with you for the rest of your life. I know that I am very grateful for the relationships with my teachers and peers that I developed here, for the friends who became family, and for my own family and all the support they have given and continue to give me.

Chloë LeStage I am taking with me the nine other people going to Milton Academy.

I am leaving behind my two fabulous sisters.

2 0 1 3 G R A D U AT I O N A W A R D S TH E ELLEN F OWLER AWA RD F OR CITIZENSH IP

Denny Taylor Yu Katherine Powers Mitchell TH E ISABEL LA T. G ROBLEWSK I ARTS AWA RD

Madeline Louise Segall Hurley TH E HEAD OF SCH OOL’S AWA RD F OR ACAD EM IC EX CEL LENCE

Rachel Shoshana Spitzer TH E JOH N T. SPICER AWA RD F OR U NIQU E SERV ICE

Victoria Dunn Alvarez

Appreciate the lessons in between the classrooms, the love of your family and

friends, and the new path you are on, because after all, you are each a unique and BOLD individual, and that is AWESOME! There are Clever Cuttlefish, Free Spirited Honey Badgers, and even Sly Hornets that make your class the chill, funny, and social group you are! All of you have accomplished great things, whether going on an ecofriendly service trip in Costa Rica, working in daycare for your Work Study, or even being the all-time leading class in amount of M&M’s eaten! I wish the best of luck to all of you on your journey. Keep your heart open, embrace life’s changes, love its challenges, and most importantly enjoy yourself. Thank you, and congratulations to the class of 2013!

Kat Mitchell I am taking with me strong relationships with students and teachers who have helped me through my eleven years at Park. I am leaving behind the many mouth guards I have lost on the fields.

TH E CU RTIS E. SMITH ATH LETIC AWARD

Pavel Dmitrevich Sonkin Sabrina Stern Rabins

The Joan Crocker Award for Community Service

LYNN BRADBURY EACH YEAR, the Parents’ Association presents this award in honor of former Park parent Joan Crocker, who exemplified the kind of devotion and steadfast zeal this award recognizes in its recipients.

Parents’ Association President Katie McWeeny presented the 2013 Crocker Award to Lynn Bradbury.

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

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Miguel Principe I am taking with me, with Mica’s help, a new sense of fashion. I am leaving behind many days of wearing sweat pants and baggy jeans, which I cannot wear at Nobles.

Sabrina Rabins I am taking with me the lessons I have learned about how to be a good classmate, and everlasting friendships.

I am leaving behind the many divots I have made in the Upper North Field with my field hockey stick.

George Reeders I am taking with me my love of music, starting with my solo in “Christmas in the Trenches.” I am leaving behind my painting of the Minotaur, now in Mr. Wells’ fourth-grade classroom.

Class Graduation Speaker: Mikaela Cox ’13

H

ello students, faculty, alumni, parents, and most importantly the Class of 2013. My name is Mikaela Cox, or Micky C as some may know me, and I am here because I was chosen as one of the two graduation speakers. I don’t think I’m ever going to forget the moment Ms. Lucey told me that I had been picked. I, of course, wasn’t doing something normal like walking in the hallway when she found me. No, I was working in the art room with my hands arms covered in Vaseline rubbing it on one of my sculptures. After I attempted to remove the Vaseline, Ms. Lucey took me into the art office where she popped the question in full view and earshot of Ms. Cunningham-Terry who joined me in my lit-

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tle moment of terrified excitement.

I had been at Park for more than a decade and it had never even entered my mind that I would ever be chosen as a Graduation speaker, and up until this year I probably wouldn’t have been able to do it even if I’d wanted to. This last at Park has been a year of growth, not only for myself but for my 15 classmates as well This year our class adjective was the word BOLD; and bold we have been. At times we might not have been the most elegant or refined, but we were always courageous and never shied away from a difficult task. I can say with 100 percent honesty, that each and every member of the Class of 2013 has come further out of his or her cocoon and

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

sprung into a unique individual. I believe that our class word will carry on with us even after we have left Park, and I trust that each of you will, Class of 2013, “Boldly go where no man/woman has gone before.”

I know that for many of my classmates, today is a bittersweet day that we almost never expected to actually see. I still remember being in Ms. Rubenstein’s third grade class, when she mentioned that we all still had six years of Park left. I distinctly remember thinking to myself, “In six years, I’ll be like 15 and getting OLD!” Well here I am now, 15 and ancient, and here you are as well, Class of 2013; and I can safely say that we have come a long way in that time. Over

Pasha Sonkin I am taking with me my leadership skills and my strong voice that were on display on TOTAL Day. I am leaving behind a wrestling program that my leadership helped to maintain this year.

the course of the years our grade has gone from being somewhat awkward to being BOLDly proud of how different we are. Today is the proud celebration of how BOLD have become.

To me and to many of you, Park has been like a family. What I mean by this is that every single teacher treats each student like his or her own child. Each teacher knows how to encourage, humor, and yes, occasionally chide, each student onto the right path.

I still remember how calm and reassuring Mrs. Platt was when one of us Nursery kids broke a plate by accident, knocked over some paint, or started sobbing because of some acidic fruit juice in our eyes. She would always start with a hug and before you knew it, you’d feel better than ever. I don’t think I am ever going to forget the encouraging words I received from Mrs. Broley in fourth grade, when I was too nervous to show up to class in a toga, and give a speech as a Greek

Ben Thompson Hall I am taking a sense of pride in who I have become in eleven years at Park.

I am leaving behind all of the eighth graders whose lives I have touched.

Rachel Spitzer I am taking with me the new-found confidence that I have gained with the outstanding support of my teachers. I am leaving behind those teachers so they can give to other students what they have given to me.

god. Mrs. Broley came out into the hallway, and promised me that no one would laugh at me, and no one did. This taught me it’s OK to trust people sometimes.

I know I’m never, ever, going to forget the stories Mrs. CunninghamTerry and Ms. Allen imparted on their students during each and every class. Their stories always brought a smile to each of our faces, and the nonchalant manner in which they told them, encouraged each student to speak up and tell their own. This taught us to raise our voices so that our own stories might be distinguished from a crowd; which is an important skill to have when you wish to take a stand.

Lastly I know, that I’m never going to forgot the patience Mr. Beaver and Mr. Grote both constantly exuded, even when we insisted on calling them ridiculous nicknames like Professor Science, The Yeastman, Professor Zeus and G-money. They truly are the living

embodiment of patience, and their attitudes helped teach us that good things really do come to those who wait.

I don’t know what will happen in “the sooner than you might”

think future. However I do know that Park has given us the foundations to face whatever might come. So to the Park faculty, I salute you. And, to the Class of 2013, stay BOLD, my friends.

NEXT SCHOOLS FOR THE CLASS OF 2013 Victoria Alvarez Dana Hall School

Miguel Principe Noble and Greenough School

Mikaela Cox Buckingham Browne & Nichols School

Sabrina Rabins Noble and Greenough School

Mica Curtin-Bowen Walnut Hill School

George Reeders Commonwealth School

Samuel Feibel Concord Academy

Pavel Sonkin Concord Academy

Justine Hatton Beaver Country Day School

Rachel Spitzer Commonwealth School

Madeline Hurley Concord Academy

Benjamin Thompson Hall Moses Brown School

Chloë LeStage Milton Academy

Jameson Woods Beaver Country Day School

Katherine Mitchell Tabor Academy

Denny Yu Concord Academy

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Jamo Woods I am taking with me the memories I made having tons of fun every recess with my friends. I am leaving behind my position as ice hockey goalie.

Class Graduation Speaker: Chloë LeStage ’13

M

y name is Chloë Fulbright LeStage, and I am a lifer. That means, that I have been at The Park School for 11 years. Eleven years, or 132 months, or 4,017 days, or 96,408 hours. With one to go.

And, since I am 15 years old, that is approximately 73 percent of my entire life. That is a lot of time. That is a lot of learning.

That is a lot of teaching.

Teaching that came from all of the faculty, staff and administrators sitting in front of us today. And clearly, you taught us well, because we are ready, ready to leave.

We are heading off to nine great schools. But, just because we are prepared for the next

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Denny Yu I am taking with me the work ethic and positive attitude my teachers and coaches instilled in me. I am leaving behind the fun I had on the outdoor basketball court.

chapter, does not mean we will remember everything you taught us or what you meant to teach us... If I’m honest, much before seventh grade, in fact, is a bit of a haze...

To Ms. Fabre, my nursery teacher and the person who welcomed me into The Park School...

I am so sorry, but I can’t seem to remember any of the specifics about what we actually did everyday in nursery, but, I do remember that your classroom was filled with constant love, patience and warmth.

Ms. Miller, in Kindergarten, I do remember that you were always looking for your glasses, which were usually on your head. But, no matter where your glasses were, I do remember you and Mr. Cassie guiding us to always be curious and enthusiastic about a perfectly round rock, a sample of sand, a brand new monarch butterfly or a bird with a broken wing. We must have learned something about the alphabet, too...

Mrs. Formisano and Mr. Bown, my second and third grade teachers, I have only vague memories of colonial school houses and Native American studies, but I have clear visions of learning how to think deeply and with exacting detail.

In fourth and fifth grades, we left America and tackled subjects that were bigger than ourselves, whole countries, like Greece and Japan. Ms. Cause, I honestly cannot remember exactly what we did when we studied Japan, but I know that I became good at presenting to a class with more confidence, clarity, and PowerPoint.

Mr. Wells, I know that fourth grade was about ancient Greece, and I may or may not have worn a bright orange and yellow toga with tassels that year. But my biggest take-away from fourth grade was that I was the first class, 4W, to be in the Catalogue Cancelling Challenge. I took away how important it is to be a part of a movement. We made a difference, even though we were 10, and that feeling is powerful.

Thank you. To all our Middle Division and Lower Division teachers who taught us those things that we will not remember but which will always be part of us.

Now, even though I have more of a recollection of the Upper Division, that does not mean, Ms. Manning, that I will remember the three types of rock (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic), but I will remember that your passion and energy were fuel for my learning.

Mr. Rivera, I will not remember which way all accents go in French, but I will never forget my first croissant with you in the South of France on the ninth grade Language Trip.

No offense to Mr. Perry, but I am probably going to forget all of the details of the Chinese Dynasties and forget some of the aspects of the ’isms’ like totalitarianism and Daoism, but I will never forget how to learn history; how to understand it, how to challenge it, or how to enjoy it, no matter what history I am studying.

Ms. Fries and Ms. Bogue Myslik, my two fabulous English teachers, I will, sadly, forget the

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

specifics of Act II, Scene i of Romeo and Juliet or of Chapter 19 of The Hound of the Baskervilles, but I am going to remember how to mark up a text so I can no longer read the actual words, how to make connections between five different books, and how to write an analytical paper and another and another.

To all of my teachers at Park in front of me—in front of us— today, I will never forget how to think creatively, how to think, notice and feel everything, how to have fun, even while studying for finals, how to hike up a mountain, how to be a good teammate on and off the field, and how to act out Shakespeare with only an old wig and a scarf. I will never forget how to draw a sphere, how to be a good Edwina Spoonapple, how to solve a problem, math or otherwise, and how to ask intriguing questions.

Each and every one of you taught us something different.

You each taught different subjects, but there was something that strongly connected all of you. You all loved to teach us how to learn. This, we remember.

Someone wise once said, “The future isn’t for the knowers, it’s for the learners.” And thanks to you, we are learners, and the future is for us.

Class of 2013, it has taken a good 11 Yule Fests, 33 sport and drama seasons, 200 (okay 212) visits to Mr. Katz’s M+M jar, 960 Morning Meetings, 1,440 Park lunches, and 3,960 walks up and down the front lobby steps to get to this moment, and we made it!

Congratulations!

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

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1998 Classmates Abbie Johnson, Nick Wilsonand Aron Grossman reminisce while looking at Park School memorabilia.

REUNION2013

O

n a beautiful sunny Saturday in May, close to 100 alumni from the classes ending in ’8s’ and ’3s’ returned to Park to celebrate Reunion. The festivities were held outside on the Pre-K playground— cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and old friends meshed perfectly with swing-sets, slides, and fond memories.

Alumni enjoyed reconnecting with former faculty members, and received an update on the state of the School from former Head of School Jerry Katz. Following the party at Park, classes continued to celebrate at their individual class dinners throughout the Boston area. Many thanks to the dozens of reunion volunteers who helped to make Reunion 2013 a memorable event for everyone who attended. We look forward to seeing the ’9s’ and ’4s’ next spring!

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The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

Top to bottom: Making cheese and crackers; Alumni from a variety of classes catch up on the Pre-K playground; Bob Kenerson ’53, Andrew Dean ’54 and Ruth Dean

At left, top to bottom: Dina Bray, Anne Sage Sexton ’40 and her daughter Tali Sexton De Perez ’63 enjoy a laugh; Eliza Drachman-Jones Quincy, Lydia Potter Snyder, Sarah Swettberg, her wife Colby Swettberg, Aron Grossman, and Nick Wilson— all Class of 1998; Anthony Janowski, Diana Rutherford ’03, and Jerry Katz

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

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1950s : Bob Kenerson ’53, Elson Blunt ’53, Bob Bray ’54, and Jeanie Snedecker Hughes ’53 Class of 1973 — 40th Reunion (L-R): Lesli Rothwell, Jerry Katz, Ty Burr, and Maggie Frank O’Connor

1950s?

1973 Class of 1983 — 30th Reunion (L-R) Sarah Caner Gaylord, Diana Gardner Vogel, Rob Ball, and Carl Prindle Class of 1988 — 25th Reunion (L-R) Melissa Rubin, Deidre O’Keefe, and Abby Witkin

1983

1988

1998

Class of 2003 — 10th Reunion (L-R): Jerry Katz, Diana Rutherford, Alexandra Khoury, Hilary Segar, Christine Elliot, Charlotte Dennis, and Willy Goldsmith

1993 Class of 1993 — 20th Reunion (L-R): Cassandra Johnson, Jessica Naddaff Merle, Chrissy Daniels Goldstein, Jaime Quiros, Ruth Rowbotham, Clark Friefeld, Thacher Tiffany, and Julia Lloyd Johannsen

Class of 1998 — 15th Reunion (L-R): Matt Krouner, Aron Grossman, Nick Wilson, Meg Lloyd, Caitlin Connolly, Alex Whisnant, Lydia Potter Snyder, Eliza Drachman-Jones Quincy, Daphne Johnson Berger, Abbie Johnson, Sarah Swettberg, Astrid Levis-Thorne Burns, Karen Blumenthal

2003

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The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

N O M I N AT I O N S S O U G H T F O R

1938

THE PARK ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Class Representative Putty McDowell

1945

THE ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD is given each year to the alumnus/alumna who exemplifies The Park School’s values and educational mission through distinctive achievement in his/her community or field of endeavor. This person’s leadership and contributions have made a meaningful impact and will inspire our current students and alumni.

Class Representative Natalie Park Schutz Renny Little writes, “Our granddaughter, Elaina Little, will enter Providence College this fall, and our son, Bob (Park’s Athletic Director) and his family enjoyed a three month trip to Europe as part of Bob’s happy and productive sabbatical year. He returns to Park this fall.”

To nominate a Park Alumnus/a for this award, please include your nominee’s name, class year, profession, and reason for nomination. All submissions must be received by December 1, 2013 to be considered for the 2014 award.

Send nominations to alumni@parkschool.org or The Park School Alumni Office, 171 Goddard Avenue, Brookline, MA 02445

1950 Class Representative Galen Clough

BECOME A

1953

Class Representative

Class Representative Bob Bray

Stay in touch with friends!

Gather class news for the Bulletin!

Help plan your reunion!

Want to learn more?

1963 Class Representative Amy Lampert

1964

50th Reunion

Please contact Rena LaRusso ’04, Director of Alumni Relations 617-274-6022 or alumni@parkschool.org

Class Representative Needed!

1966 Class Representative Wigs Frank

1974

40th Reunion

Class Representatives Rodger Cohen Margaret Smith Bell

1967 Class Representative Davis Rowley

1975

1968 Class Representative Vicky Hall Kehlenbeck

Class Representatives Colin McNay Bill Sullivan

1969

1976

45th Reunion

Class Representative Needed!

1973 Class Representative Rick Berenson

Class Representative Tenney Mead Cover

1977 Class Representative Sam Solomon

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

1979

35th Reunion

Class Representatives Sally Solomon Lalla Carouthers What started as a plea for news last March turned into an email string that included over 20 Park ’79ers interested in a mini-reunion. A small but enthusiastic group gathered at Kevin McCarthy’s house on June 15th. We reminisced, caught up, ate delicious food (thanks, Kevin!) and laughed. Hilary Hart was visiting the East Coast from her home in Taos for a book signing in Rockport, where she’d caught up with Eli Boling the night before. We were all delighted to buy a copy of Hilary’s latest book, Body of Wisdom: Women’s Spiritual Power and How it Serves,

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Congratulations to Joshua David ’78, the 2013 recipient of the Park Alumni Achievement Award. Through his vision for preservation and continued dedication to maintaining the High Line park in New York City, Josh personifies this award.

2 0 13

A L U M N I

A C H I E V E M E N T

A W A R D:

Joshua David ’78

J

OSH DAVID is the Co-Founder of Friends of the High Line, a public park built on an historic freight rail line elevated above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It is owned by the City of New York, and maintained and operated by Friends of the High Line.

Co-Founded in 1999 by Josh and David Hammond, Friends of the High Line fought for the High Line’s preservation and transformation

34

at a time when the historic structure was under the threat of demolition. Now, the nonprofit conservancy works with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation to make sure the High Line is maintained as an extraordinary public space for all visitors to enjoy. In addition to overseeing maintenance, operations, and public programming for the park, Friends of the High Line works to raise the essential private funds to support more than 90 percent of the park’s annual operating budget, and to advocate for the preservation and transformation of the High Line at the Rail Yards, the third and final section of the historic structure, which runs between West 30th and West 34th Streets. The High Line runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street, between 10th & 11th Avenues.

Before he turned his attention to the High Line, Josh was a freelance magazine writer and freelance editor for Gourmet, Fortune, Travel + Leisure, Wallpaper, and others. He is a member of the Advisory Council of Transportation Alternatives. From 2000 to 2006, Josh was a member of Manhattan Community Board No. 4, where he served on the Transportation and Planning Committee and played a leadership role in successfully advocating for the 8th Avenue bike lane. In July of 2010, Josh and fellow Friends of the High Line co-

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

founder, Robert Hammond, were awarded the Rockefeller Foundation’s Jane Jacobs Medal. This medal (along with a cash prize of $60,000 — a portion of which Josh and Robert donated to the Friends of the High Line) is awarded each year to people whose work “creates new ways of seeing and understanding New York City.” In 2011, Josh and Robert co-authored High Line: The Inside Story of New York City’s Park in the Sky, a book that tells the story of the project, and documents its history and the completed park in photos.

Josh attended Park for five years and received the Headmaster’s Award for Academic Excellence at his graduation in 1978.

After Park, Josh went on to Noble & Greenough School, the University of Pennsylvania, and then Sarah Lawrence where he earned an MFA. In 2010, Josh hosted a special event for Park alumni, which included a private tour of the High Line and a reception in Chelsea Market.

We are thrilled that Josh will return to Park this November to accept the award in a special Morning Meeting. Congratulations, Josh, on this very special honor!

1979 Mini Reunion Hilary Hart ’79 and Lucy Perera ’84 celebrating Lucy’s recent visit to Taos. In January, Lucy moved from Taos to Baton Rouge.

1987 Classmates Kristen Bushnell, Hope Potter Chavez, and Jenna Glasser at Hope’s house in Albuquerque.

signed by the author (who still makes us laugh). Olivia Fischer is a professional portrait artist, married with two teenagers, and living around the corner from Margaret Talcott, who’s moved from Exeter back to Brookline with her husband and sons. She still works for The Music Hall in Portsmouth, running their “Writers on a New England Stage Program” and commuting to New Hampshire two days a week. David Wilson trains horseback riders, having acquired the business somewhat by accident, after being an engineer for much of his career. Nina Frusztajer stopped by at the end of the meal after celebrating her dad’s 80th birthday (extra credit for making the effort, Nina). She lives in Lexington with her three kids and continues her life coaching. When he’s not cooking amazing meals (including many foods from his own raised beds), Kevin has a job with a long title at a firm in Boston. He’s been a gracious host for his Park classmates year after year.

I’m still living in Maine with my husband and two kids, doing lots of volunteering and—now that the kids are in school — thinking about looking for a paying job. I love coaching 6th and 7th grade field hockey players, who remind me of fun days on Park’s fields. Remember “Thunder, thunderation, we’re the Park School delega-

tion…”? My players love it. Even though we went to Park at different times and didn’t all overlap with each other, it was so easy to be together.

We agreed it speaks volumes about Park’s gift for building community.

Sorry you missed this one? Come back for our 35th next June. Kevin, you in? Hilary Hart reports that she and Lucy Perera ’84 “always have a blast together, even though we have virtually no memory of each other from our Park days. Well, she remembers me in long braids, which I don’t remember ever having. I think she is thinking of Norie Williams.

And I remember visiting her and the Pereras in Nantucket, where they have never had a house. Go figure!”

1980 Class Representative Susan Schorr

1981 Class Representatives Matt Carothers Alex Mehlman

1982 Class Representative Allison Nash Mael

REUNION 2014 Saturday, May 17 Join us for a special celebration of the School’s 125th Anniversary 10th 15th 20th 25th 30th

2004 1999 1994 1989 1984

35th 40th 45th 50th

1979 1974 1969 1964

If you are interested in helping to plan your reunion, please contact Rena LaRusso ’04, Director of Alumni Relations 617-274-6022 or alumni@parkschool.org

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

35

The Alumni Award for Distinguished Service to The Park School

Established in 1999, the Alumni Award for Distinguished Service is presented annually at Graduation to an alumna or alumnus of The Park School for dedicated service to the Park community. Board Chair Suzie Tapson presented the award in absentia to Lanny on behalf of the Alumni Committee.

Alexander “Lanny” Thorndike CL ASS OF 1981

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A

lexander “Lanny” Thorndike ’81 attended Park for eight years, starting in Pre-Kindergarten and staying through Grade VI. Now a current parent at Park, Lanny has been a member of the Board of Trustees for the past five years, where he has served as both Chair and a member of the Investment Committee, and as a member of the Committee on Trustees. In 2012, Lanny was asked to serve as the Chair of the Search Committee for the process to select Michael Robinson, Park’s 12th Head of School.

As Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of Century Funds and Managing Partner of Century Capital Management, Lanny stepped into the role of Investment Committee Chair in the fall of 2007 and served in that position for four years.

Lanny embarked on this position during a turbulent time for the financial markets; his strategy to stay the course and wait out the downturn, while always being open to collaboration, was extremely effective and Park’s endowment greatly benefited as a result.

Most recently, as Head of the Search Committee, Lanny directed the head of school search process from start to finish.

He helped choose the School’s search consultant, coordinated input from Park’s varied constituencies, organized and conducted over one hundred interviews and kept the Park community informed and engaged throughout the process. This was a volunteer role that Lanny took on with a strong work ethic, humor, and grace.

Even during the busiest and most complicated parts of the process, Lanny always had a smile on his face. His calm and

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

balanced leadership was critical as the Park community embarked on this leadership transition.

Lanny was deeply dedicated to supporting alumni involvement throughout the search process. Lanny connected with varying groups of alumni, communicating important details about the search and advocating for continued alumni involvement as the search progressed. Under Lanny’s leadership, a selection of alumni volunteers had the opportunity to meet with both the search consultants at the |initial stage of the process, as well as the final three candidates at the later stage of the process. Lanny’s leadership enabled hundreds of alumni to be involved, be it through focus groups, an online survey or town hall-style meetings. The depth of alumni involvement in the search was a wonderful opportunity for the alumni community to play an important role in the future of Park School.

Park has always been a big part of Lanny’s life. His children, Jamie ’11 and Anna ’13, are Park graduates, and his son Russell is a current student in the Class of 2017. His brother Will Thorndike is a member of the Class of 1979, and Lanny’s nieces and nephews are also Park graduates.

The alumni community thanks Lanny for his inclusion and dedication and is deeply grateful for his leadership, time, passion, and commitment to Park.

1983 Class Representatives Lisa Livens Freeman Elise Mott

1984

30th Reunion

Class Representative Anne Collins Goodyear For news of Lucy Perera, please see the Class of 1979.

Clockwise from top: Eliza Drachman-Jones Quincy, Alex Whisnant, and Daphne Johnson Berger — all class of 1998 — together at their 15th Park Reunion in May; Ali Epker Ruch ’89 and family: Baird, George and Henry Ruch On September 2, 2012, Jessica Whitman ’00 married Scott Seney in Waitsfield, Vermont.

Cotton Codinha ’00 was also in attendance.

1985 Class Representative Rachel Levine Foley

1986 Class Representatives Mark Epker Jay Livens

1987 Class Representative Mary Sarah Baker Geoffrey Glick Spike Anderson writes from Los Angeles, “Marita and I welcomed our daughter, Hallelujah (Lulu) into the world last year, joining up with her big brothers Maccabee (Mac) and Moses (Momo). Working at Stephen S. Wise Temple is wonderful.

Anyone rolling through town should look us up!” Here’s someone who may take you up on that, Spike!

After eight years at Citibank in Dallas, Jenna Glasser quit her job

wander the globe. “I’m starting out with a two-month US road trip and then heading out of the country for about six months. Updates and photos can be found at www.worthpackingin.com, and fellow travelers

Stay connected with Park online by following us at “Park School Alums” Facebook www.facebook.com/ParkSchoolAlums Instagram Follow us @ParkSchoolAlums LinkedIn Request to join our group “Park School Alums” Twitter www.twitter.com/ParkSchoolAlums

Follow us and stay connected with Park!

are always welcome to meet up with me! The beginning of my trip turned into an impromptu Park Reunion tour, southwest edition. After a week with friends in Taos and Santa Fe, I dropped my dog off for a puppy play date at Hope Potter Chavez’s house and we went to meet Kristen Bushnell for dinner in Albuquerque. So much fun to hear what they are both up to. Got to see some of Hope’s amazing artwork before spending the night at Kristen’s and driving her husband crazy by recalling our entire Park experience for him at 11 p.m.

Two days later, I caught up with Kate Milliken over pizza in Scottsdale, and discussed her work on Kate’s Counterpane (www.katescounterpane.com). I got the skinny on what everyone is up to — man, that woman stays in touch! I would love to hear from people with their favorite places around the globe, or from anyone who feels like escaping out on the road for a bit!”

1989

25th Reunion

Class Representatives Dahlia Aronson Ian Glick Rebecca Lewin Scott

1990 Class Representatives Zachary Cherry Alexander Rabinsky

1993 Class Representatives Jaime Quiros Alison Ross Jessica Ko Beck

1994

20th Reunion

Class Representatives Alan Bern Aba Taylor

1988

1995

Class Representative Liza Cohen Gates

Class Representatives Lilla Curran

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

37

1996 Class Representatives Kathrene Tiffany Bell Nick Brescia Merrill Hawkins Katayoun Shahrokhi Merrill Hawkins returned to Park this fall to teach English and social studies, and she is also coaching the Grade VI Girls’ soccer team.

1997 Class Representatives Sarah Conway Suzy McManmon Sarah Robbat

1998 Class Representative Lydia Hawkins Meg Lloyd Sarah Swettberg Daphne Johnson Berger works in commercial real estate in New Orleans and plans to attend Alex Aronson’s wedding in California in September. “I love coming up to

Boston as much as possible, and always love catching up with my fellow Parkies!”

1999

15th Reunion

Class Representative Colin Arnold Elizabeth Weyman Susanna Whitaker Waters After seven incredible years working for Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Alex Goldstein accepted a position as vice president of Northwind Strategies, a strategic communications firm in Boston comprised mostly of Patrick alumni. “I’ve also picked up a real love for teaching (thanks Park!), and now teach undergraduate and doctoral courses in communications and public affairs at Emerson College and Northeastern University.”

2000 Class Representative Jessica Whitman From San Francisco, Raja Bansil

writes that he is engaged to Claire Woodburn. “I have recently graduated from pharmacy school and am now completing a residency at the University of California San Francisco.” Congratulations, Raja! After teaching at a small boarding school in Poughkeepsie, New York, for the past five years, David Kehlenbeck moved to Switzerland! He will teach math at Leysin American School, an international boarding school for at least the next two years. “If anyone finds themselves in Europe over the next few years, definitely let me know!” And a belated congratulations to Jessica Whitman for her marriage to Scott Seney in September 2012!

2001 Class Representative Ben Bullitt This past summer Rebecca Spiro led a group of 16-year-old boys through the Wind River Wilderness in Wyoming with the National Outdoor Leadership School. “Having spent the spring teaching Spanish at an all-girls school, this immersion into an allmale environment was quite a switch,

but fortunately, the trip was not as challenging as I anticipated.” She’s now back in Memphis, gearing up for the first day of classes on August 14th. “School starts a little earlier down here in the south! I am excited to be teaching Spanish 1, 2, and 3 again, in addition to directing the Community Service council at The Hutchison School.”

2002 Class Representatives Alejandro Alvarado Alex Lebow Congratulations to Nathan Kellogg on his June wedding to Meg Coffin.

Many Park School friends traveled to Kennebunkport for the festivities, including Sam Hawkins, Alex Lebow, Alex King, Matt Weinberg, Alejandro Alvarado, Jeremy Kellogg ’99, and Chloe Kamarck Fox ’00.

2003 Class Representative Diana Rutherford

Below: Nathan Kellogg ’02 and Meg Coffin’s beach wedding this June.

Top: Rebecca Spiro ’01 (bottom row, second from right) and her group of 16-year-old boys that she led through the Wind River Wilderness in Wyoming with the National Outdoor Leadership School.

Bottom: A whole Park School contingent helped celebrate Nathan Kellogg’s marriage to Meg Coffin this June. L-R: Steve Kellogg, Emily Kellogg, Jeremy Kellogg ’99, Chloe Kamarck Fox ’00, Sam Hawkins ’02, Alex Lebow ’02, Alex King ’02, Meg, Nathan, Matt Weinberg ’02, and Alejandro Alvarado ’02

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The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

Welcome Lunch with Michael Robinson One of Michael Robinson’s first official meetings as the new Head of School took place on July 23rd, when he gathered with a large contingent of the Alumni Committee. Over an informal lunch, Michael introduced himself and took questions from the alumni leaders. Later this year, Michael will attend an Alumni Committee meeting to share an update on his transition, as well as his observations on Park so far.

2004

2006

2008

Class Representative Steven Fox

Class Representative McCall Cruz

Class Representatives Marielle Rabins Manizeh Afridi

2005

2007

Class Representative Lily Bullitt

Class Representatives Thomas Cope Benjamin Schwartz

10th Reunion

2009 Class Representatives Mercedes Garcia-Orozco Cary Williams

This summer, Allegra Borak performed in a production of Les Misérables at the Reagle Music Theater in Waltham.

2010 Class Representatives Annie Goodridge Gilad Seckler Michela Thomsen

2011 Class Representatives Grace Donnell-Kilmer Eliza Thomas

2012 Class Representatives Enya Meade Jaleel Williams

2013 Class Representatives Maddie Hurley Kat Mitchell

L-R: Rich Lee, Alice, Louise Baker Lee ’92, Adelaide, Luke Cahill, Lisle Baker, Sam Fairweather, Mary Sarah Baker Fairweather ’87, Belén Cahill, Sally Baker, Jason Cahill, Rowan Cahill, Nancy Baker Cahill ’85

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

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Grade IX Lunch THE PARK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION welcomed the Class of 2013 as the newest members of the alumni community with a special lunch under the awning at Faulkner House. This spring tradition gives ninth graders their first look at life as Park School alumni. Julia Lloyd Johannsen ’93 spoke to our youngest alumni about why she stays connected with Park and how the School has been a big part of her life. Congratulations to Maddie Hurley ’13 and Kat Mitchell ’13 who were elected to serve as the representatives for the Class of 2013!

Julia Lloyd Johannsen ’93 welcomes the Class of 2013 to the Alumni Association at a lunch under the awning at Faulkner House.

Weddings 1987 Mary Sarah Baker to Sam Fairweather August 5, 2013 2000 Jessica Whitman to Scott Seney September 2, 2012 2001 Elizabeth Berylson to Robert Katz August 17, 2013 2002 Nathan Kellogg to Meg Coffin June 22, 2013

Arrivals 1994 Jen Berylson Block and Jonathan Block Zachary Leonard Block April 2, 2013

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In Memoriam Joanne Chope Corsiglia July 27, 2013 Grandmother to Sallie Chope ’17, Ford Chope ’15, and Clasby Chope ’13 Virginia Blake Gooch August 2, 2013 Mother of Jennifer Gooch Hummer ’80, and W. Blake Gooch ’79 Eric H. Johnson, M.D. April 8, 2013 Father of Cassandra Johnson ’93, Abigail Johnson ’98, and Lyman Johnson ’00 Melvin Alan Prives April 10, 2013 Father of Todd Prives ’92 and Elizabeth Prives ’96 Nellie Purdham Sparrow July 12, 2013 Grandmother to Lexie Sparrow ’09, Sami Sparrow ’12, and Moni Sparrow ’15

COLLEGE CHOICES Henry Bell

Providence College

Noah Benjamin

Lewis and Clark College

Tyler Billman

University of Chicago

Oliver Bok

Oberlin College

Noah Boskey

School of Visual Arts

Annalin Carroll

University of California, San Diego

Amani Carson-Rose

Duke University

Katie Cohen

Harvard University

Daniella Colombo

Amherst College

Chimene Cooper

Cornell University

Austin Drucker

Lafayette College

Charles Feinberg

Hamilton College

Daniel Fine

Cornell University

Vicki Garcia-Orozco

University of New Hampshire

Daniel Getz

Southern Methodist University

Annie Goodridge

The Winsor School, Class of 2014

Emily Hoyt

Williams College

Miles Hunter

St. Sebastian’s School, Class of 2014

William Jundanian

Colgate University

Tyler Kavoogian

Boston University

Eadie Kremer

George Washington University

Erica Mathews

Northwestern University

Laura McCallion

University of Chicago

Lilybet MacRae

Yale University

Lukas Mathison

Gap Year — City Year in New York City

Julia McKown

Dartmouth College

Mackenzie Mills

University of Colorado, Boulder

Tyler Myrick

Tulane University

Hannah Oettgen

Wellesley College

Olivia Pincince

Brown University

Charlotte Ross

Queen’s University

Daniel Rubenstein

University of Chicago

Adam Rudolph

Kent’s Hill School, Class of 2014

Jonathan Sands

Harvard University

Gilad Seckler

Brown University

Griffin Seeley

Pitzer College

Ryan Simshauser

Brown University

Padraig Sullivan

Knox College

Michela Thomsen

George Washington University

Charlotte Thorndike

Colgate University

Cyrus Veyssi

Tufts University

Jennifer Walsh

Harvard University

Alexandra Waye

George Washington University

Carina Young

Brown University

Brendan Yucel

Bates College

Simon Yucel

Tulane University

Please note that the above list, compiled by the Alumni Office, does not include all members of the Class of 2010. Alumni not appearing on this list have not submitted their information to our office. Please call the Alumni Office at 617.274.6022 or email at alumni@parkschool.org with any changes or additional information. Thank you.

The Park Bulletin | Fall 2013

NEXT SCHOOLS FOR THE C L A S S O F 2 0 14

Guillermo Alvarez Mollie Ames Reg Anderson Sam Barton J.J. Batt Miranda Brown Eli Burnes Henry Burnes Sarah Buta Henry Claudy Sophie Cohen Dan Colombo Fiona Duckworth Lilly Gifford Sophia Gillies Myles Haigney Ashley Herman Erica Jarrell Jabari Johnson

Buckingham Browne & Nichols School Milton Academy Noble and Greenough School Concord Academy Milton Academy Concord Academy Milton Academy Milton Academy Cambridge School of Weston Milton Academy Newton North High School Milton Academy The Winsor School Buckingham Browne & Nichols School Choate Rosemary Hall Phillips Exeter Academy The Rivers School Buckingham Browne & Nichols School Beaver Country Day School

! e t a D e h Save T

Max Keating Cole Kern Sadie Kraft Rachel Leighton Christopher Marcus Charlie Mathews Chris Mathews Lilian McCarthy Jack Mueller Andrew Muggia Sam Murray Oladunni Oladipo Nelson Olawoyin Johnny Parry Sarah Power Pauline Santry Maya Seckler Bob Zintl

Noble and Greenough School Brookline High School The Rivers School Commonwealth School Concord Academy Milton Academy Milton Academy Concord Academy Brookline High School Beaver Country Day School Milton Academy Milton Academy Dexter School Noble and Greenough School Thayer Academy Middlesex School Newton North High School Phillips Exeter Academy

Classes of 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009

Bagel Breakfast and Yule Festival Friday, December 20 Breakfast 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m., The Park School Dining Room Yule Festival 9:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., The West Gymnasium

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