Middle School History teacher Beth Yakoby chose to honor Steve Hancock with a very special Focus speech, entirely in rhyme, at one of the last Focus assemblies of the year. Here are some highlights: Mr. Steven Eric Hancock this focus speech is about you And I title my piece “Poem Number Two” For six years, Mr. Hancock, you have led our Princeton Day Middle School Hashtag boss—we all think you’re real cool!
And as for yourself, you are a tennis player, fisherman, and professional musician 21 A party clown, cross-stitcher, and acclaimed mathematician A mentor, an educator, and also an academic A devoted husband and father—that is you, Steven Eric
You are kind and compassionate in your words and your deeds And your goodness generates community; that’s what it breeds
You are intelligent, clever and, in my opinion, dapper You’re sincere and funny—a real knee-slapper
You brought wholeness and enthusiasm into our middle school halls A love of teaching and of learning within our classroom walls
You have integrity; you are trustworthy; you wear your heart on your sleeve Now my worst nightmare’s come true—you’ve decided to leave
You live the golden rule and expect others to abide by it too Do unto others as you would have them do unto you Mr. Hancock, you’re fond of our students; conversations with them you share Because at the heart of it all, you truly do care With the orchestra you perform as the string sections playing You are the music while the music lasts—a T.S. Elliot saying Mr. Hancock, you’re cutting edge and totally advanced our independent school Launching us into the 21st century with that iPad tool You bring positive energy to focus, especially with “minute to win it” fun And cheer for our Blue and White teams under a searing Jersey sun
Welcome to Our New Faculty and Staff Princeton Day School welcomed the following new faculty for the 2014-2015 academic year: In the Lower School: Erik Hove, 4th grade; Casey Upson, Reading Specialist in the LS and MS; Dawn Bocian, 1st grade assistant; Maureen Gargione, 2nd grade assistant In the Middle School: Nichole Foster-Hinds, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade math; Channing McCullough, 5th grade music and beginning and advanced band; Karen Stolper, 5th & 6th grade art; Tanner Campbell, Homework Club Advisor and MS floating sub In the Upper School: Marc Beja, MS and US music teacher and ensemble director; Chip Cash, AB Calculus and Geometry; Laura Kenny, Accelerated Geometry and Algebra II; Reuben Loewy, US Journalism Seminar and co-advisor, the Spokesman; Chris Rhodes, 9th Grade World Studies and 10th grade American History; and Olivia Rutigliano, English And Lee Rosenberg will serve as the school’s first ever Scientist in Residence, joining PDS after the spending the past 13 years teaching at Princeton University. Before he joined the faculty at Princeton, he served as President of the BristolMyers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, and from July 1984 to September 1991, Dr. Rosenberg was Dean of the Yale University School of Medicine. At PDS, Dr. Rosenberg
Soon you’ll join Presbyterian Day School, the other PDS, and there be immersed You just always remember—this PDS, we had you first Here in Princeton, whenever a bright star twinkles up in the nighttime sky We’ll know that it’s you watching over us and winking an eye Mr. Hancock, your new school in Tennessee is truly blessed to have you lead Know we love you here at Princeton Day School and go in God’s speed
will teach a science elective to our seniors based on his legendary “Genes, Health, and Society” course at Princeton, and will partner with other science teachers, give occasional lectures to the community on topics of scientific interest, and mentor Upper School students interested in pursuing careers in science and medicine. In addition, new staff includes Cynthia Michalak, Associate Director of College Counseling, who comes to PDS from the Princeton University Office of Admissions, where she worked as an Admissions Officer and Assistant Director of Admissions. And finally, Princeton Day School is pleased to welcome Jon Ostendorf, who will serve as the school’s first Chief Information Officer, part of the Leadership Team. Mr. Ostendorf comes to PDS from the Hotchkiss School, where he served as Director of Information Technology Services for the past 8 years. He has his Bachelor’s from Cornell and is a technology leader who has been successful in both the K-12 public school and independent boarding school environments. Jon Ostendorf