Fall 2011 Bulletin by Rippowam Cisqua School

Fall 2011

Rippowam Cisqua School

Bulletin

Voices of our Recent Grads Also In This Issue: Graduation 2011, Class of â&#x20AC;&#x2122;71 Reunion

Mission Statement

The mission of Rippowam Cisqua School is to educate students to become independent thinkers, confident in their abilities and themselves. We are committed to a dynamic program of academics, the arts, and athletics, and support an engaged faculty to challenge students to discover and explore their talents to the fullest. Honesty, consideration, and respect for others are fundamental to Rippowam Cisqua. In an atmosphere that promotes intellectual curiosity and a lifelong love of learning, Rippowam Cisqua strives to instill in students a strong sense of connection to their community and to the larger world. We, as a school, recognize the common humanity of all people and teach understanding and respect for the differences among us.

1 Rippowam Cisqua School

Bulletin Fall 2011

Rippowam Cisqua School Bulletin is published by the Advancement Office: Edlira Curis, Assistant Director of Annual Fund and Alumni Relations Manager Susie Danziger, Director of Annual Fund and Communications Aggy Duveen, Website Manager Barbara Jarvis, Advancement Executive Assistant Debe Stellio, Advancement Operations Manager Bob Whelan, Assistant Head of School for Institutional Advancement

Table of

Contents

Send address changes to alumni@rcsny.org. Credits: Design: Peapod Design, New Canaan, CT Photography: Tim Coffey, Stamford, CT Editor: Susie Danziger

Board of Trustees Amanda Riegel, Chair Maria G. Fields, Vice Chair William D. McLanahan, Treasurer Alexandria S. Altman, Secretary Scott A. Barshay Steve Bean Ralph J. Bernstein Robert S. Boyd ’75 Kirtley Cameron Dr. Neil J. Capolongo John W. Chambers James A. Diamond Gregory J. Fleming James D. Kallman Elizabeth L. Kilgallon, DVM, dACVS Desta Lakew Philip S. Lawrence ’80 Anna Lee James B. Renwick ’63 Erika Aronson-Stern

8 Cover Story: Voices of our Recent Grads (Above: Amber Kinui ’10, Matt Rohrer ’10, Connor Berlin ’08, Nicole Bleuel ’07)

16 Graduation 2011

Ex Officio Matthew Nespole, Head of School Patricia Grunebaum,

Parent Association Chair Deborah A. Hurrell, Chief Financial Officer Robert F. Whelan, Assistant Head for Institutional Advancement

30 Gathering of Alums

Letter from the Head of School Matthew Nespole

Letter from the Upper Campus Division Head

Catching up with Carol Gahagan Lower Campus Division Head

2010-11 Student Awards

RCS in Pictures Spring 2010-11

New Board Members

Alumni Awards

Class of ’71 Reunion

Alumni Profile

Class Notes

Annual Report

Letters from Division Heads

Letter from the

Head of School

At Rippowam Cisqua we often refer to the educational experience that our children engage in as a journey of learning. Our mission, to foster critical and creative thinking skills, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning, is embedded in the day to day experience. Students experience it in our classrooms, in our hallways, and on our playing fields. Our children begin that journey under the guidance of a dedicated faculty that understands that children learn best when given the opportunity to question, experiment, and apply knowledge to new situations. We believe that if we have done our job well, this journey never really ends and we are, in fact, just the beginning. The outcome of the Rippowam Cisqua experience is more than simply a roster of secondary schools that receive our students; it is a grounding in the passionate pursuit of knowledge and the desire to be contributing citizens of the world. When you take a moment to reflect, our outcomes are not necessarily about measuring what a child has achieved, but rather what a child is

capable of achieving; they are not about measuring the past, but about measuring the degree to which we have prepared our children for the future – academically, as well as socially and emotionally. As we approach the middle of the second decade of the 21st Century, we are well aware of the skills, competencies, and abilities that young people will need to master to become global citizens. There is a growing body of research in the fields of education and business that stress the importance of problem solving, persistence, collaboration, and critical and creative thinking in achieving success. Many people in the world of education acknowledge that these skills are the tools children need, but only a small sample of schools actually build their educational program on them. Rippowam Cisqua has prided itself on being a thought leader in the world of education. This past year, our work provided us with an opportunity to join a small consortium of schools in the United States, in partnership with the Educational Testing Service, to create an assessment tool that can measure the degree to which the teaching of these skills is present in education. Our consortium and ETS are using many of the 21st Century Skills to forge this new diagnostic tool. Potentially this

new assessment could drive future conversations about educational programs on a national, if not global, level. As the only school in New York State involved in this work, Rippowam Cisqua is modeling for the students how to acquire information and create something new with it through persistence and collaboration. This is just one of countless examples of how we create a culture of curiosity and continued growth here at Rippowam Cisqua. Dr. Ned Hallowell noted that, “We live in a world where your ability to connect to the world of information and ideas defines, in many ways, how successful you'll be.” In the pages that follow, you will have the opportunity to read the stories of many Rippowam Cisqua graduates, and how they are connecting to the world beyond our School. The imprint that RCS teachers had as guides for these fine young people is visibly apparent. You’ll see evidence of a program that helps cultivate empathetic leaders with the capacity to tackle challenges with persistence and intelligence; you’ll see that we have helped prepare them to be thought leaders; but, perhaps most importantly, you’ll see that we have helped them become confident in their abilities and in themselves, well positioned for a lifelong journey of learning.

Letter from the

Upper Campus Division Head As educators, it’s important to take time to reflect on how our program is aligned with our mission and philosophy, and assess how what we do works in support of our students’ success. It is a task in which all of our faculty, staff, and administration happily engage throughout the year. In my role as Head of the Upper Campus, the summertime provides a unique opportunity for this process. In June and July I had the privilege of reconnecting with alums who volunteered to speak about what their experience at Rippowam Cisqua School meant to them. These young men and women, now in high school and college, shared numerous insights that made me proud and honored to be a part of this institution. They spoke of growing up in a culture that not only respected, but also

celebrated, their unique talents. They remembered fondly how well the faculty, and their peers, knew them and cared for them. Although difficult at the time, they reflected on how our ability to push them out of their comfort zone and take risks serves them well today. They remembered being challenged academically, not always quite sure where they were headed, but happy to have learned how to be organized, flexible, persistent, and to think critically and creatively. They recalled the nervousness that comes with public speaking, performing on stage, or on the athletic fields, and feeling empowered when they leaned in to the angst and emerged with confidence and a better understanding of what they can accomplish when they embrace the unknown and work as part of a team. In addition to the wonderful memories they shared, it was simply a pleasure to spend some time and reconnect. Whether one works on the lower or upper campus, the elementary and middle school years

are a wonderful process. We often don’t get to see the “finished product” with respect to the students we serve. However, our conversations with these young men and women this summer, and other conversations held during the year, were both humbling and validating. Rippowam Cisqua students are indeed well prepared to face the future. We are honored to have the opportunity to work so closely with our students and families. The responsibility we have to prepare, nurture, and support our students as they move forward in life is not lost on us. In fact, it is our pleasure and our passion. To our alums, I’d like to thank you for sharing your lives with us. Please keep the connections strong! To our parents, I’d like to thank you for entrusting us with your children. I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming year.

Catching up with

Carol Gahagan Lower Campus Division Head

In June, 2011, Carol Gahagan was appointed the Head of the Lower Campus. Carol has spent over twenty-five years working in education and has been a member of Rippowam Cisqua’s Learning Resource Team since 2003. As Head of School Matthew Nespole noted, “Carol is a leader with a keen understanding of the School’s culture, curriculum, and parent body. She is held in high regard by her peers for her wisdom, her experience, and her depth of character. Our families know her best for the compassion and commitment she demonstrates on behalf of the countless children she has worked with during her time here. We are fortunate to have such a talented, dedicated educator as the new leader of our Lower Campus.” We had a chance to catch up with Carol during a quiet moment over the summer.

When, and in what capacity, did you join the RCS community and what experiences along the way have helped prepare you to be the leader of the Lower Campus? RCS

CG In the spring of 2003, after many years of educational experience, I accepted a position as a Learning Specialist at Rippowam Cisqua. As a Special Education teacher, I had always known how to multitask as the position necessitates balancing many pieces: teaching students, working with teachers, and conferring with parents and administrators as well as teaching courses and making presentations to faculty and parents on methods of learning and overcoming learning differences.

Initially, my role consisted of teaching, supporting, and sharing strategies with teachers in Kindergarten through second grade in the areas of handwriting, reading, and written expression. In time, my responsibilities grew as I partnered with the third grade teachers, expanding their reading phonetic program; the fourth grade teachers, assisting students with their writing assignments; and meeting with the pre-school classroom teachers to discuss a child’s developmental goals. It was not long before I was touching every aspect of the elementary school and getting to know faculty, students, and parents in every grade - an incredibly fulfilling role, and an opportunity that I hadn’t anticipated when I first joined the School. In the eight years that I have been a Learning Specialist, being enriched by teacher, parent, and student interactions and experiences, I never imagined that it would grow into this opportunity to lead the Rippowam Cisqua Lower Campus, although, now, as I continue along this new path, it seems so natural.

How did you originally become interested in teaching as a profession? RCS

CG My incredible journey in education began in the eighth grade when I joined the Teachers Club. Even back then, I loved children and wanted to help them learn. I attended the School of Education at Boston University and became involved with a faculty that was truly dedicated to teaching students as individuals, and learning to differentiate the instruction according to their needs. By the time I graduated, teaching had truly become my passion. I accepted a position as an elementary school teacher and went on to obtain my Masters Degree, and then a Special Education Certification. My teaching career has consisted of working in independent, public, and parochial schools as well as rehabilitation centers for medically and mentally impaired children, cerebral palsy, and severe learning differences.

It has been an incredible, varied teaching journey for me and I feel, as a result, that I can offer a wealth of knowledge and

“I believe we all want our children to be happy in an academically challenging environment where they are taught and encouraged to question, think, speak publicly, and write skillfully about what they are learning in school. That’s exactly what happens at Rippowam Cisqua.” experiences, which will contribute to my new role. It is with excitement, determination, and compassion that I will lead this exceptional learning community.

How have you enjoyed your first eight years at the Lower Campus? RCS

CG When I accepted my position at Rippowam Cisqua, I was at a point in my career, based on my previous experience, when I knew what was needed in order for children to reach their potential and feel successful. I found this opportunity, to teach at the Lower Campus, perfect for that stage in my development and I have enjoyed my role as a teacher every year!

I remember the first day of school when I asked Marylea Franz, then Head of the Lower Campus, what methods and programs were to be followed. She encouraged me to use my best professional judgment, drawing on my past teaching experiences and to establish my own teaching style in order for students to progress and to enjoy school within the curriculum standards. Accordingly, I have been able to tailor my knowledge and experiences to the needs of the students, differentiating the instruction in order for them to achieve and advance in reading and written expression. I believe we all want our children to be happy in an academically challenging environment where they are taught and encouraged to question, think, speak publicly, and write skillfully about what they are learning in school. That’s exactly what happens at Rippowam Cisqua.

Over the last eight years, my opinions about good teaching have been reinforced by the commitment that I have seen among the Lower Campus faculty, a group of hard working professionals, many of whom came early and left late, and were always willing to collaborate around students and their skills. The exchange of teaching ideas and dedication to the students’ academic achievement is inherent in this school environment. Each year the new and ever-changing challenges I see inspire me to continue to learn. Each student is always very different, therefore you can never stop learning, no matter how many years of experience you have! Importantly, I have found over and over that parents are very willing to support their children’s needs and they are comfortable collaborating with teachers, all of which contributes to their children’s progress and their enjoyment in learning. Knowing that we are all part of a team of teachers and families working together makes for a very positive atmosphere for students to excel in their desire to learn.

Do you have any particular memories from your first years that you would like to share with our readers? RCS

I have many memories from my years of teaching; however, the particular ones I remember most at Rippowam Cisqua are the sincere, innocent comments of young students in my classroom. There were those students who found reading to be difficult at the CG

Catching Up With Carol Gahagan continued…

and students by sharing lessons, classroom observations, and School events. Other areas of focus will be reinstating a mentoring program for our new teachers, planning outside assemblies, and tapping into the talents of our students and faculty within our School. We are looking forward to a very exciting and productive year of growing, enjoying, and learning more about one another.

We are fortunate to have you at the helm. Are there any thoughts you’d like to share with our readers about the upcoming months at RCS? RCS

beginning of the year and were often discouraged, but who, by the end of the year, would proudly announce that they now “love” reading. There were those students who, although assigned to read only five pages a night, decided to read a whole chapter. There were those students who were disappointed when homework was not assigned! My fondest memories are when students suddenly realize that they can blend sounds together to form words. They realize they are reading and the look on their faces is priceless! I also relish the memories of a parent conference going well, and the children saying thank you as they leave my class. The feeling of exhilaration as the students are singing their hearts out in a sing-along session during an assembly; the feeling that I am appreciated through simple notes that parents, teachers, and students have written; these memories are unforgettable and make my job meaningful.

What were your first thoughts when you were asked to lead the Lower Campus? RCS

CG It will be a moment that I will never forget. As I stood there speechless for a few seconds, I realized with all my years of educational experiences that this was an opportunity that I knew would fulfill my final personal goal as an educator. It came at a very good time in my career. I began to hear my own words that I repeated to my children growing

up: “You will never know until you try.” I was excited and felt honored to be offered such an important role as a leader. I know the culture of the School, its staff and faculty, the students and parents and, in my new role, I plan to listen and lead, but also laugh along the way.

Will there be a particular area of focus for you and the faculty in your first year? RCS

CG Yes, as a matter of fact, I have already met with a number of groups of teachers this summer to discuss the priorities we formulated during the last week of school. One of the areas that we plan to focus upon this year is our involvement in community service. We plan to integrate it into our Character Counts program and School assemblies. This initiative will involve teachers, parents, and students participating in activities in an effort to teach principles such as sharing, respect, caring for one another, and appreciating what we have, compared to those less fortunate.

Secondly, we intend to expand our “Reading on the Lower Campus” starting with our preschool children and extending through fourth grade. Thirdly, we will continue to forge a stronger relationship between our two campuses, both academically and socially, communicating more with all the teachers

CG I actually feel fortunate to be at the helm of the Lower Campus of Rippowam Cisqua. I want the entire community to know that the faculty, staff, and I have worked hard this summer and have been very productive in an effort to help the children reach their full potential in a challenging, creative thinking environment. We want the children to progress and learn, but we also want them to be happy, make new friends, and be kind to one another. It is important to bring out those hidden talents they do not know they even have. We will encourage them to think positively about themselves and we will instill self-confidence. We, as teachers, spend more time with the students during the week than their parents do. I take this fact seriously. Rippowam Cisqua is their second home and it is important for me as one of the School’s leaders to be sure that every child is feeling successful, challenged, and happy.

I want our families to know that I have an “open door policy” whereby everyone is welcome to stop by my office informally or make an appointment to talk to me about a child, our school environment, or just to share a thought. Communication is a very important priority for me. Making the time to meet encourages people to connect, understand each other, and develop mutual respect. This is one of my principal goals in our professional learning community. I am looking forward to a very exciting and rewarding year for all of us.

Rippowam Cisqua Homecoming with Special Tribute to Richie Meyers Saturday, October 1, 2011 Rippowam Cisqua Varsity Football vs. St. Lukeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 11:00 am kickoff Football field on Clinton Road Join classmates, alumni, and friends from across generations for a reception after the game with Head Coach Richie Meyers. For more information, please go to the Alumni page at www.rcsny.org or contact Edlira Curis in the Advancement Office at edlira_curis@rcsny.org

Voices of our

Recent Grads Join us in sitting down with ten recent graduates from the last five years and learn more about where they are, where theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been, and where they are going!

Spending just one day at Rippowam Cisqua, immersed in the Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hands-on learning program, can convince even the most skeptical of observers of the high value of the RCS educational experience. At RCS, students are given the opportunity for self-exploration. They are encouraged to become independent thinkers, confident in their abilities, and

eager to explore their talents to the fullest extent possible. In addition to a dynamic program of academics, arts, and athletics, RCS students learn that honesty, consideration, and respect for others is fundamental. In an atmosphere that promotes intellectual curiosity and a lifelong love of learning, they also build a strong sense of connection to their community and the larger world. At the completion of a Rippowam Cisqua education, RCS students have identified their personal learning styles and strengths, and determined the most effective course for their academic future. It’s not enough, however, to simply hear from the School’s administrators or teachers about the efficacy of their approach. Sometimes it helps to get a student perspective as well.

With that in mind, we met with ten recent graduates of Rippowam Cisqua and asked them to talk about what they are doing now, how they got there, and the ways in which they can link their choices and successes back to their years at RCS. These students hail from a variety of backgrounds, which featured different parenting styles, values, and religious beliefs. However, they all exhibit the characteristics that we expect the leaders of tomorrow to possess. We hope their experiences will offer a little more insight related to the path to success that students find at Rippowam Cisqua. While these ten kids interviewed separately with us, their comments about Rippowam Cisqua were astoundingly similar. They described their love of learning and their specific schools,

including RCS; the unique and personal relationships they’ve built with their teachers; and their appreciation of how well prepared they were for high school. We’ve woven together their comments in order to give you an idea of what a conversation among them might be like.

“I loved all my teachers at Ripp. If it weren’t for them, I would not be where I am today.” Rebkha ’11

Watch these interviews online! visit www.rcsny.org and click on “alumni,” to find video clips from our interviews.

Alumni Profiles continued…

Addie Ballard ’08 Addie grew up in Bedford, attending Rippowam Cisqua from JPK through grade nine. After completing ninth grade, she attended Masters School in Dobbs Ferry for one year as a day student and for two years as a boarder. Addie will be matriculating at Macalester College in Minneapolis in the fall. She says she thoroughly enjoyed her three years at Masters and felt challenged academically. She credits ninth grade at Rippowam Cisqua, in particular, with preparing her to succeed at Masters.

Connor Berlin ’08 Connor attended Rippowam Cisqua for middle school, joining the RCS community from the Byram Hills public schools in sixth grade and staying through ninth grade. After completing ninth grade, Connor returned to Byram Hills, from which he recently graduated. He will be attending Cornell University in the fall and has aspirations of becoming a neurosurgeon. This goal was sparked by his participation in Chris Perry’s ninth grade biology class at RCS.

What is the magic of RCS? When asked what makes Rippowam Cisqua so special, the answer was consistent among all ten students: the close relationships forged with teachers and friends. They mentioned a number of teachers, ranging from JPK instructors all the way through ninth grade, but the common thread seemed to be that these teachers created a comfortable learning environment where students were encouraged to take intellectual risks. “I developed really strong connections with my teachers, especially in ninth grade,” Addie noted. Amber built on that with her comments about RCS, and her ninth grade experience in particular: “During ninth grade, I bonded with my teachers on both a personal and academic level. I always felt like I could go to my teachers with anything that I needed to talk about, but I really felt that way when I was in ninth grade.”

Nicole added that the teacher-student relationship at RCS was built on the concept of mutual respect. “The teachers always tried to understand the kids’ side. I knew that I could ask them anything, even outside the classroom.” Connor, who has a unique perspective because his education has been split between public and independent schools, could see very clearly what was different about RCS. “The magic is definitely in the teachers and the way they teach through hands-on learning. The teachers were truly inspiring; you can tell they are in this

profession because they love teaching, and their passion rubs off on you.” Like Connor, Rebkha offered the perspective of joining RCS “midstream” in fourth grade. “When I came to Ripp, I was not used to being called on in class, and Mrs. Doniger helped me through that. The concept that the teachers are there for you was new to me. I loved all my teachers at Ripp. If it weren’t for them, I would not be where I am today.” Katherine noted, “At Ripp, your teachers feel like a family. You have very close relationships with them. Ripp is a small school, and it nurtures that feeling easily.” Sarah pointed out how much she loved interacting with her teachers at Rippowam Cisqua, in the classroom and in the halls. Will also reflected upon how special the teachers at RCS were. “We formed special bonds with our teachers. I particularly loved the time in the morning that we had to be with them before school started. The teachers were also very supportive in the classroom; they would stay focused on a concept until we not only got it, but internalized it.”

Did you think you were well prepared for high school? As aligned as these students were on the unique and meaningful relationships they had with their teachers, they were even more so when it came to talking about their preparedness for high school. To a person, each student felt that he or she was ready in a way that went beyond academics. For example, Amber said: “At Rippowam, we were encouraged to learn to think critically and to take academic risks. I always felt comfortable speaking my mind and asking questions in class because it was such an encouraging, comfortable setting where different opinions and different ways of tackling

“One of the things I loved most about Ripp was that there was no stigma about being smart or working hard. In fact, doing well was actually highly encouraged.” Jack ’09

a subject were embraced. These skills have served me well at Miss Porter’s where, just like at Ripp, the teachers encourage students to speak their minds and to cultivate critical thinking skills.” Jack had a very similar perspective when talking about how prepared he was for Deerfield. “The teachers at Ripp encouraged us to speak our minds and take a stand in a discussion, and because we all encouraged one another as learners, it was an environment in which we felt comfortable speaking our minds and not worrying about what others would say.” Addie also felt that Rippowam challenged her in a helpful way: “I felt very prepared for Masters. As a matter of fact, I thought that tenth grade at Masters was easier than ninth grade at Rippowam. Don’t get me wrong, Masters is a challenging school. It’s just that the Rippowam ninth grade program was really rigorous and prepared me well.” Will echoed that sentiment, saying, “I knew my strengths and weaknesses from Rippowam. I also learned how to interact with adults, which isn’t a skill that I think most kids develop in middle school.” Nicole credits Rippowam with empowering her to put her best foot forward at her next school. “I felt confident enough in myself to run for Governing Council (the Horace Mann student government) in ninth grade after I had only been in school for a month. Coming from another school, I don’t think I would have had that confidence, and I don’t think I would have won.” Rebkha spoke about the similarities between the academic experience at Hackley and Rippowam Cisqua. She said

the majority of her classes have been discussion based, and she has developed a real love of writing that has helped her adjust to high school work, which is a result of her time at Rippowam. Matt also felt that the teaching style at Milton was quite similar to the style at Ripp. Connor observed, “I was very prepared for high school in every subject. Rippowam has great English, math, and science departments. I actually felt overly prepared in many areas.” Katherine felt that Rippowam prepared her in another, somewhat unusual, way: “While Rippowam Cisqua is much smaller than Andover, it is similar to Andover in the sense that there are high expectations for each of us; therefore, I went to Andover knowing that learning is a challenge to look forward to, and I brought a good attitude and work ethic with me.”

How did you find the experience of looking for a high school? The students that we interviewed appreciated the opportunity to choose their own high school, and said that they were grateful for the guidance they received throughout the process at RCS. Matt discovered Milton Academy at Rippowam’s annual fall boarding school fair. “It seemed like a more liberal school where the students don’t wear uniforms and the teachers have a lot of freedom academically. I liked that, and thought it would fit me.” For Katherine, the choice of where to go for high school became easy once she had made a list, through

Amber Kinui ’10 Amber grew up in Yorktown Heights and was a “lifer,” attending Rippowam Cisqua from JPK through ninth grade. Amber just completed her first year at Miss Porter’s in Farmington, Connecticut, an all girls boarding school that she chose because it really “fit” her style and goals. She is currently preparing to take the helm as president of her class this fall, which she attributes to the high level of self-confidence she developed at RCS.

Nicole Bleuel ’07

Nicole grew up in Stamford, Connecticut and attended Rippowam Cisqua from second grade through eighth grade. After graduating from RCS, Nicole attended Horace Mann, graduating in 2010, and she just completed her first year at Columbia University. She is already looking to the future and is hoping to combine a career in finance and film so she can collaborate on media projects from beginning to end. the Rippowam process, and visited the campuses. “For all the schools, I kept asking myself these questions: Would I want to walk here every morning? Be here every day? And the answer at Andover was continually yes.” Choosing Andover was easy. “It was my best choice! I feel very happy and lucky to be at Andover now.” Amber really took advantage of the placement process to find the school that fit her best: “I really trusted the placement process at Ripp, which prepared me well and encouraged me to look at a broad spectrum of schools. When I visited Miss Porters, it felt like it was the right place for me– I just liked it.” Rebkha really appreciated choosing her own high school. This year, she realized that changing schools was exciting and it re-ignited her interest in learning. Several of the students said that going through the high school selection process at Rippowam had also helped them enormously with the college admission process. Jack, for example, said: “The placement process at Rippowam was great – Ms. Vincent

Alumni Profiles continued…

Rebkha Michael ’11

Rebkha, from Ossining, is a graduate of our most recent class. She joined RCS in fourth grade and left after eighth grade. Rebkha just finished her first year at Hackley, which she started this year as one of eight incoming ninth graders from Rippowam Cisqua. Hackley seems to fit Rebkha like a glove.

facilitated it really well. It was also great practice for the college search process, particularly in preparing for college interviews.”

Ninth grade – to stay or not to stay? For most of the students, whether or not to stay for ninth grade was a clear-cut decision. For those who stayed, like Amber, it was often a decision that they had made early in their Rippowam experience. “I always knew that I wanted to stay for ninth grade. I loved watching the ninth graders when I was younger. I knew I would like the feeling of being a ‘big fish in a small pond’.” For some students, their desire to stay for ninth grade became clear at the end of seventh grade, when high school became a more real topic of conversation among parents and students. Some realized they weren’t ready to change schools yet. Others loved what they saw in the ninth grade experience at Rippowam, and they wanted to be a part of it. Regardless of their reasoning, those who chose to stay found ninth grade to be a

transformative year. “Ninth grade was a special little world within Rippowam,” said Addie. “We were a small group, and we developed close connections with each other and our teachers. I am so glad that I stayed for ninth grade. It was a great experience.” Some of Jack’s fondest memories at Rippowam Cisqua occurred during the ninth grade. “My strongest memories from Ripp would be from ninth grade. It was really special. I will always remember the independence we had, which is similar to that in high school, and for the close relationships I had with my teachers.” Amber echoed these sentiments, saying, “I really enjoyed ninth grade and the special bonds I developed with my classmates and teachers. In ninth grade, the classes got smaller, and we enjoyed a lot of attention from our teachers.”

Cisqua experience. “Ninth grade at Rippowam was the best year of school I have had so far. The entire experience was great. The combination of academics and outside experiences — particularly the trip to Europe — was fantastic. I have many memories from that year that will stay with me forever, and high school would have been an entirely different experience had I not stayed. Many of my personal interests and passions were fostered that year.” Matt agreed. “Ninth grade was beyond amazing. It helped me get ready for boarding school. I would not change that experience for the world.” Those who left after eighth grade felt, for the most part, that they were ready to launch their high school careers. As Rebkha put it: “When I got to eighth grade, I felt I was ready to take off.” Katherine echoed Rebkha’s perspective.

Connor also found the ninth grade year to be an incredible capstone to his Rippowam

“I had been at Ripp for eleven years by eighth grade, so it felt like it was the right

“Ninth grade at Rippowam was the best year of school I have had so far. The combination of academics and outside experiences was fantastic. I have many memories from that year that will stay with me forever, and high school would have been an entirely different experience had I not stayed.” Connor ’08

Will Reeve ’07 Will grew up in Bedford and began his Rippowam Cisqua career in Kindergarten (at which time he said he was initially so frightened to get out of the car that his mother literally had to peel his fingers off the door handle!). Will left after eighth grade to attend Brunswick. After graduating from Brunswick in June ’10, he moved on to Middlebury College, where he just completed his freshman year. He feels truly lucky to have had the opportunity to go to three terrific schools, each of which has been just right for him.

time to leave. Many of my friends also decided to leave after eighth grade.” For Sarah, it seemed obvious to leave after eighth grade. “I was ready for a change and to meet new people. I am happy with that decision.” A consistent theme among all of the recent grads was the importance of finding a “good fit.”

“At Ripp, your teachers feel like a family. You have very close relationships with them. Ripp is a small school, and it nurtures that feeling easily.”

loved most about Ripp was that there was no stigma about being smart or working hard. In fact, doing well was actually highly encouraged. I also liked the fact that there was no backlash if you stood up and spoke your mind in a discussion.”

and public speaking. With that as my encouragement, I read a poem I wrote as my candidate speech when I ran for, and ultimately won, my Governing Council position three months later during my first month at Horace Mann!”

“In ninth grade,” Connor said, “I took biology with Mr. Perry and loved it. In high school, I confirmed that I was really interested in neurology, but I decided that I prefer the hands-on experience versus the research part of it. I owe that all to Ripp.” Sarah talked about how much she liked the community and how engaging her classes were, and Nicole fondly remembers having her writing published in seventh and eighth grade at Mrs. Greenwood’s urging. “By the end of eighth grade,” said Nicole, “Mrs. Greenwood called me the ‘Poet Laureate of Rippowam Cisqua,’ which really boosted my confidence in my writing

What about your current school? It’s interesting to see how the Rippowam Cisqua experience has influenced each student’s high school experience. Addie said, “My favorite class in high school was American Studies – a combination of literature and history focused on early America. I really liked the teacher, and I loved the discussions that we had as a class. They were similar to those at Ripp.” Amber told us how much she enjoyed her first year at Miss Porter’s: “This year I was a tenth-grade class representative and next year I will be class president. I look forward to that experience, and I know I

Katherine ’11

What is one of your strongest memories of RCS? Rippowam Cisqua alums have incredibly clear, strong memories of their time at the School. While the stories are varied, the memories are all poignant and meaningful. For Amber, it is about being on the stage. “I remember all the performances I was in at Ripp. I loved being in the musicals, and my family and I still watch the DVD of Seussical—the play in my sixth grade year. Being in those musicals and performances, going all the way back to JPK, helped prepare me to audition in high school.” Will remembers special moments with his teachers: “My advisor used to take us to the Bedford Diner for breakfast. We thought we were pretty special.” Addie recalls the broader development that took place for her at Rippowam. “I grew up at Rippowam,” she said. “People saw me change, grow, and mature. I attended Ripp for twelve years and, over those twelve years, I developed very close friendships with my classmates and teachers.” Jack remembers how much daily life at RCS meant to him, saying, “One of the things I

Matt Rohrer ’10 Matt was raised in Katonah. Like his classmate Amber, he also is a Rippowam Cisqua “lifer” – joining in JPK and staying through ninth grade, when he was Blue Team captain. Matt just finished his sophomore year at Milton Academy, a boarding school outside Boston, which he feels is the perfect place for someone with his learning style and aspirations.

Sarah Strong ’09 Sarah, from Armonk, started her Rippowam Cisqua career in Kindergarten and stayed through eighth grade. Sarah is starting her senior year at Rye Country Day and looking forward to beginning the college admission process this year. She has her eye on quite an impressive list of colleges and universities.

What’s coming up in the fall?

Katherine Tobeason ’11 Another recent grad, Katherine grew up in Bedford. She also left after eighth grade and just completed her freshman year at Phillips Academy Andover. During her first year, Katherine made the honor roll in spite of what she describes as a very intense workload, for which RCS prepared her well.

Jack Vallar ’09 Also from Bedford and another “lifer,” Jack began at RCS in JPK and stayed through ninth grade. He just finished his junior year at Deerfield Academy, where he has been a standout member of the swim team. Jack is looking forward to his senior year and the college admission process.

never could have taken that risk without the experience of being elected class secretary in ninth grade at Ripp.” After two years, Jack is completely engaged at Deerfield. “This year,” he said, “I was on the varsity cross-country team, and I swam on the varsity swim team. I also served on the student council and on the disciplinary committee, which was really interesting. I think it was my experience in ninth grade at Ripp, as Blue Team captain, that gave me the confidence to run for student council.” Connor continues to feel the roots of his education at Rippowam Cisqua. “I just graduated from Byram Hills High School. The learning environment there was more lecture-based, unlike Rippowam, and there were many state guidelines that made the experience different from the hands-on learning at Ripp. I brought my love of learning with me from Ripp,

though, and continued to enjoy learning, despite the different teaching style. I felt lucky that I spent four years at Rippowam.” Rebkha’s first year at Hackley has been a great experience. “I was one of eight Ripp students to go to Hackley this year (and the only girl). I stayed friends with the other RCS students, but I also made many new friends. The kids there were very welcoming. There were 45 new students, so the transition was easy.” Will chose both Brunswick and Middlebury because he was looking for the same community aspect that he felt at Rippowam Cisqua. “I loved Brunswick because of the similarities with Rippowam – it was small and I developed close relationships with my teachers and peers.” Matt has experienced great growth since he joined Milton. He said, “Attending Milton has changed me. I feel like I have become much smarter because of where I have been. I have really high standards for myself now.”

With the beginning of the school year, excitement abounds for the coming year. For Addie and Connor, who are both embarking on their first year of college, there will be much change: Addie said, “I am excited about all the options that lie ahead for me and the choices that I will have to make, which will have an impact on the rest of my life.” Connor is equally enthused: “I am looking forward to attending Cornell this fall, studying neurobiology and behavior. I hope to become a neurosurgeon, so I have a long road ahead of me. I would also like to minor in history, which is another passion of mine.”

“I knew my strengths and weaknesses from Rippowam. I also learned how to interact with adults, which isn’t a skill that I think most kids develop in middle school.” Will ’07 Amber told us she is planning to learn more about herself academically this year. “I have to admit,” she said, “I’m also looking forward to looking at colleges.” Jack said, “I am really looking forward to being a high school senior and to the freedom and responsibilities that will come with it. I am also looking forward to the college search process. Swimming will play a large role in my search, so I am spending this summer as a lifeguard and working on my times.” For Rebkha and Katherine, it will be a year of getting more deeply involved in high school. Rebkha said, “I plan to join more

Our veterans offered the following words of wisdom to the current students at Rippowam Cisqua: “First of all, do not worry about high school – it will be fun. Hold onto what you learn at Ripp, it will help you with high school.

Everything you will learn from your teachers, here, right now, will have an impact on what you do later.”

“Stay for ninth grade, you won’t regret it. After Ripp, I went to a school where I knew very few people, but high school provides many opportunities for everyone to find his/her own niche. You’ll find your own no matter where you go. “

“Enjoy Ripp and hold onto it. You are lucky to be a part of this community. And,

work hard, it will help you achieve success later on.”

“Do what you love; don’t hold back because someone may judge you.

It is important to be true to yourself. Don’t worry about peer

pressure. You will find friends in any school you choose to go to and freshmen and sophomores are welcome at a new school – they add interest and excitement.”

“Enjoy it – the time here really

makes you. After Ripp, you will never spend as much time together with others as you did here with your Ripp friends.”

“You should try to be as active as you can.”

clubs and extracurricular activities during my second year at Hackley.” Matt views his junior year as an opportunity to take new classes and have more independence in deciding what to study. Will and Nicole are both looking to deepen their connections at college this year. Will told us, “I’m anticipating broadening my horizons, deepening my friendships, and figuring out what I want to do in life. I also want to get out and ski. I’m living in Vermont, and I didn’t get much skiing in

last year!” Nicole, on the other hand, is thrilled to be in New York City. “Being at Columbia enables me to be very close to all the large media companies so that I can potentially get an internship in the fall or spring to learn more about my passion, which is film.” After spending an hour with each of these young men and women, it was clear that the students who hail from Rippowam Cisqua are well prepared for success.

They are all different people with different experiences, but there is great commonality among them. They all have the ability to speak comfortably and directly to adults, the ability to think outside the box, a true passion for what’s important to them, and a sense of self-confidence that makes them wise beyond their years. Please visit the RCS website and click on “alumni,” to find video clips from our interviews.

Graduation 2011 There are graduations, and there are graduations. 2011 was one to remember! What started out as a beautiful, albeit oppressively hot, day began to look a little ominous weather-wise as the afternoon wore on. By the 5pm start, with the entire fifth through eighth grade student body, faculty from both campuses, families, and friends assembled, the tent was filled to honor and celebrate the graduating ninth grade class of 2011 and the departing eighth grade students.

Midway through the ceremony there was news of a tornado warning and the beginnings of a storm erupted into full intention just as the graduation ceremony was nearing its peak. Out from under the massive, billowing tent, the entire assemblage was safely and swiftly evacuated into the main buildings, every corridor of the rabbit-warren like structure chockablock with humanity. The tenets of a Rippowam Cisqua education – resilience, creative thinking, and an ability to respond to adversity with aplomb – were the order of the evening. Playful kids and upbeat conversations persisted, anxious family members were soothed, elders tended to with honor, and alternative plans were improvised almost seamlessly. Fluidly, ninth graders were seated upon the stage of the Playhouse and their families ushered into the auditorium, while all other students and their kin streamed their way gradually to each other. Within what seemed merely moments, the podium had been moved indoors, the Playhouse seats filled, and the ceremony commenced, undaunted. Diplomas were distributed, photos snapped, speeches given, songs sung, and the ritual adjourned for reception and dinner in the gym – which had magically transformed into a party venue in the meantime. In record time, technology and catering crews had transported sound equipment and tables (and everything on them right down to the floral arrangements) out of the rain drenched courtyard into the Trustees’ gym. From the polished cutlery to the multimedia presentations that greeted the new graduates and their families, it looked like this had been the original plan all along. Conversation shared over the graduation dinner seemed exceptionally warm and personal. Kids took to the dance floor aglow in neon tubing, cake was consumed, and tearful farewells exchanged with touching mutual gratitude. An extraordinary evening to honor an extraordinary class, and an extraordinary school community.

Key Note Speaker: Bob Whelan

Mr. Nespole, Mr. Barrett, members of the Board, esteemed faculty and staff colleagues, students, families, and friends – it is an honor to share with all of you in celebrating this remarkable group of young men and women – who clean up so well – the inimitable, Rippowam Cisqua Class of 2011. I have had the privilege of being a part of the journey with these young people over the last five years; I have taught many of them in my Ethics class, we learned from each other in a history of rock and roll class; I have coached many of them in basketball; and we all have watched them flourish in countless ways. As so many teachers reminded me when we would talk about this special group of kids, to know this class is to love this class – pure and simple. As I prepared to speak with you, my first thought was to reflect on the graduations I had been a part of – graduate school, college, high school, my own middle school graduation. Not only could I not remember who spoke at those, but I couldn't remember a single thing that was said. So, knowing that in 25 years, you too will most likely forget every single

thing I say to you today, is a huge relief. I know you will remember that your families were here, your friends, your teachers, your coaches, and those will remain with you as the visuals that you’ll carry with you always – pictures you don’t need a camera for, just images that will be part of the photo album you’ll keep in your head of all of the important experiences and memories throughout your journey. Some of my first memories of you are as fifth graders – you were a little smaller then, and you had these backpacks that, quite honestly, sometimes seemed to get the better of you. They seemed gigantic on you then, and I would see you wrestling with the front door. You’ve been bringing stuff in and out of school nearly every day for the last four or five years. After today, in one respect, you’ll be taking that backpack with you, from this place, for the very last time. I liked the idea of the metaphorical backpack for some of the things I hope you’ll bring with you, so I grabbed one as a visual aid, and right about now I’m wishing I’d gotten a different one, because this one happens to belong to my second grade daughter and it’s hot pink and has either leopard or cheetah spots on it, which is kind of distracting, but remember, it’s a metaphor for what you’ll carry with you that you’ll keep up here,

Graduation 2011 continued…

and that passion took on many forms – through your portfolio projects, through the arts, through lively classroom discussion. It also took place in athletic arenas, and what some people here may not know, is that the Rippowam Cisqua girls' varsity basketball team, under your leadership, ran roughshod over the Fairchester league while you were here. You went 41-4 as a team.

and you’re free to pick a far more attractive backpack image, without the “kooky” pens. One of the things that I find so amazing is that, as your parents sit a few feet away, I can promise you that they’re flashing back to a time about fifteen years ago, when you were actually smaller than this goofy backpack. Though, in the interests of accuracy, I brought along this larger duffel bag, because I’m sure Mac’s parents were looking at the leopard backpack and thinking “no way would baby Mac have fit into that thing.” So, with the latitude afforded me as your graduation speaker, I wanted to share a couple of snapshots from your journey that I’ll always carry with me. The first relates to your courage – your collective comfort mastering the fear that all of us wrestle with when we’re faced with a daunting challenge. Time and again, I saw you, as a group, unafraid to put yourselves out there to take a risk, to make a mistake. I saw this when you were fifth graders, singing your hearts out in the spring concert in this very room – I’d never seen anything quite like it. As sixth graders, whether you like it or not, I will remember many of you in the Oompa Loompas costumes in the classic performance of Willy Wonka, so dignified in your rainbow suspenders and your little red shoes and gloves – and what was so impressive about that, was that you were all in – you weren’t too cool for it.

Even if you never get on a stage like that again, we all watched you learning to work as a team, supporting each other, cheering each other on. I won’t forget that. I have a vivid image of your comfort level with self advocacy – an essential life skill. For me, this example was one of many moments that reflected how we adults learn so much from you. In this instance, oddly, it involved Kanye West, and the song “Gold Digger,” which, due to the fact that I had gotten either too old, or too deaf to accurately pick up, I thought he was saying “Grave Digger,” which I admit I found somewhat confusing. The conversation went something like this: “Uh, Mr. Whelan, I’m not totally sure you have that Kanye West song down.” “Really? You mean the one where he says 'I am not saying she is a grave digger.'" “Yeah, you see, Mr. Whelan, the line is “I ain’t sayin’ she a gold digga.” Ah yes, that does makes much more sense, doesn’t it? I thank you for the confidence you had to speak up, to share of yourselves, to never be afraid to ask questions. Now, I’ll leave it up to you to fill your grandparents in on the rest of that song later, about which we had a very worthwhile discussion in Ethics class. I’ve got another snapshot – for me it was your ability to tap into your passion,

You played with passion and tenacity, you won with dignity and class – your teamwork embodied the concept that the strength of the wolf is indeed the pack, and I have to believe there are some girls' basketball coaches in the Fairchester league who may also be celebrating the fact that you’re graduating today, but for a slightly different reason. In a similar vein, I had the privilege of coaching many of you boys on the basketball court – and one tournament this winter stood out for me as a microcosm of what you stand for as people. In a five game tournament, there was a blow out win, where everyone contributed, and the way you cheered each other on still makes me smile. There was a down to the wire win against Greenwich Country Day where, at a key moment, we had the conversation that no ninth grade boys team had brought a trophy back from this tournament in recent memory, and that we would need ninth grade leadership to do just that; and, as you know, somewhere under a pile of sweatshirts and whatever all that stuff is in Mr. Morrissey’s office, if you search hard enough – and by search, I mean if you hire an actual archeological dig team – you will find a well deserved trophy for your having finished in the top three. What I won’t soon forget from that day, however, was when we played the team that walked onto the court with a couple guys literally my size, guys who were dunking in warm up. I didn’t tell you this then, but I’m quite certain those guys were clearly in their mid twenties – if we’d had more time, I would have demanded to see some birth certificates, but such is life.

Make no mistake about it, you came out and didn’t know what hit you (I knew exactly what hit you, it was that 6’5” 25 year old ninth grader with “man muscles”). We called a time out and discussed the fact that there are indeed days when life will ungracefully smack you right in the mouth, and it will be up to you to figure out how you’ll respond. I have never been more proud, when several of you, through your actions, made the statement that “life may be indeed hitting me in the side of the head with a brick right now, but I am not backing down.” You did not back down. We lost, but if you took away from that what I think you did, there will be many more wins in everything you do for decades to come. It has been a profound privilege for all of us to travel with you during this part of your journey and, as with any great adventure, it’s essential to stop periodically to reflect on where you’ve been, where you are now, and where you’re going. You should feel terrific – you have accomplished so much and we’re gathered for the important exercise of honoring what you’ve achieved here today. So, being okay with the fact that you likely won’t remember anything I said

today, there’s a final picture I want you to take with you – one to carry in that leopard print backpack squarely embedded in your mind. I want to ask all of the Cisqua faculty to stand and remain standing – for so much of what your class has accomplished, is a direct reflection of the powerful foundation that these remarkably talented educators built with you. I loved watching their faces light up yesterday when we talked about you. Now the Ripp faculty, please stand and remain standing – take a good look at them. Need I say more? Every single staff member – our colleagues who fed you, processed your book fair charges, admitted you, took pictures of you, put Band-aids on you, drove buses for you, worked the Front Office for you – please stand. Now I’d like your families to stand up. I know how much they love you and how proud they are of what you’ve become, and that same sentiment is shared by all of us. The people assembled before you is the image I hope you remember 25 years from now. Here’s to you, the unforgettable young men and women of the Class of 2011 – you are leaving Rippowam Cisqua today, but it is my heartfelt hope that you will never let it leave you.

The Graduates of the Class of 2011 Nick Asaro Andrew Bianco Dana Biddle Emma Boyd Susannah Davies Patrick Donohoe Arianna Gelwicks Chloe Giroux Sarah Gordon Abe Kipnis Freddy Levenson Domi Moise Mac Nicholas Torell Nugent Clayton Rice Richard Riegel Brandon Rosenbluth Luke Salvatore Clara Seaborn Doug Vallar Gordon Ziegler

Class of 2012 Departing Eighth Graders Zurab Akirtava Lily Breck Tyler Buckley Skylar Burdick Catherine Capolongo Danny Carollo Julia Conway Jessica Cordiano Erik de Stefanis Isabelle Eckel Lucy Feidelson Nick Gault Owen Gerber Gabriella Giammalva Olivia Gibson Serena Hernandez James Jackson Will Maerov Emma Morrison Jordan Nicholls Robert Preston Scott Rowan Josephine Rubin Elizabeth Tobeason

Graduation 2011 continued…

Matthew Nespole’s Graduation Speech I think I can say that, for many of us, we are here today with mixed emotions in our hearts. For the faculty, parents, and guests in the audience there is the great joy that we feel as we celebrate the accomplishments of all of you here on the stage. For the faculty, that joy is coupled with sorrow because we know that in a little a while we’ll be saying goodbye. While we may see you at Revels, or future graduation exercises for younger siblings, we know we have to let you go, but we will miss you. Your parents are looking at you now with joy and pride, but there may be a twinge of sadness in their hearts because they know you are growing up, and that you will continue on your paths to independence. For you, our ninth grade graduates and departing eighth graders, joy may mix with sadness because today truly marks the end of your Rippowam Cisqua Journey, and the beginning of the exciting new adventure on

which you are about to embark. In my experience, because of these competing emotions, I’ve found, as time goes by, that graduation remarks often get lost in the files of our memories. Perhaps what you will remember most about this evening is the sweltering heat and perspiration that was running down your back during the ceremony. Given the weather troubles we had this year, it seems only fitting that the forces of nature have decided to broil all of us. A former graduate school professor of mine once remarked that what was great about being in schools was the fact that every moment of every day was an opportunity for a lesson to be taught. It seems tonight’s lesson will be resiliency. So, in our final moments together, as we stiffen our backs and fight through the heat and humidity, I want to take the opportunity to offer you one piece of advice, and one thought I hope you will think carefully about from time to time as you continue on at your next schools and beyond. First the advice: Exert your independence, but cut your parents some slack. You’ve grown up so much and become the people

they could only dream about when you were infants. Each day, you’ve expanded your repertoire of skills, built upon your talents, and grown both physically and emotionally. Know that you’ve earned the right to move on, but you haven’t reached your full measure yet as men and women. So don’t forget the people who have been there for you all along, who’ve bandaged your bumps and bruises, who’ve been your allies and your rule–setters, and who love you more than you will ever understand— until, of course, one day when many of you will sit out in seats like those in the audience, on an afternoon much like this one, at your own child’s graduation. Keep in mind that your parents really were not stripped of every modicum of their intelligence on the day you reached your adolescence. As advice columnist Ellen Goodman once remarked, “The difference between my son and me is that I have been his age, and he has never been mine.” Now what I’d like you to reflect upon from time to time… If you follow basketball at all you may have heard of a recent debate that has been sparked by comments made by Scottie Pippen. For those of you who don’t follow basketball, Scottie Pippen

was an incredibly talented player who had the opportunity to play with Michael Jordan during the Renaissance of the Chicago Bulls Basketball Team in the 1990’s. Many have argued that Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time. Ms. Perry’s Spanish classroom has a picture of Michael Jordan at the top of one of her walls with his arms fully extended as if he’s embracing the room, oozing his greatness onto students seated beneath him. For those of us who had the chance to watch him play – even if we were diehard Knicks fans – we knew we were witnessing something special. Scottie Pippen made the comment that he believes that Lebron James, perhaps the greatest male basketball player of your generation, is the greatest basketball player of all time, better than his teammate Michael Jordan. Both men obviously have a gift that makes them special and unique. The gift they have has led to a debate about greatness. As basketball officiandos debate in the wee hours of the morning on Wikipages and Twitter, they will compare stats, championships, scoring records, total games won, total games played, and personal MVP awards; but I wonder if they will ask, “Which of these men made everyone around him better?” Each of you on this stage may not be aware of it, but you have a connection to these incredibly talented individuals. Like them, you have a gift that makes you special, unique, and great—it’s the education you’ve received here at Rippowam Cisqua. While you may not see it just yet, in time, I am confident you will come to realize what took place in the classrooms and hallways here is one of the greatest gifts you will ever receive. Approximately 1% of the sixty million school age children in our country have the opportunity to attend a school like ours; a school with a faculty completely dedicated to both your emotional and intellectual development, a school that focuses on

RCS AA President Chris Wirth ’94 Graduation Speech Congratulations to the Rippowam Cisqua Class of 2011. Likewise, congratulations to the departing 8th graders – the class of 2012. As Chairman of the Rippowam Cisqua School Alumni Association, I am proud and honored to officially welcome both accomplished grades into the RCS Alumni Community. For me this is a flashback. I sat where you are sitting today in 1994, although we didn’t have a tornado, tsunami, or hurricane! That day, like today, is a transition ... a passage. What I understand today is that, although we were at Rippowam Cisqua for years, we will all be from Rippowam Cisqua FOREVER. Remember what you have learned. Embrace what you have experienced. Cherish those who taught you and those with whom you grew. Your academic career at Rippowam Cisqua ends with the receipt of today’s diploma and certificate. The next phase is that of an alum, and it begins now. We welcome you and encourage you to stay as involved as you can. The many mediums in the world today create forums for both dialogue and contact. The next part of your journey will be experienced at increased speed. The art of life is to balance the ability to look ahead while always reflecting back. What you became here will serve you well in your future. Give back to this school. Let others learn from where you will go. Share with fellow graduates as you make your mark in the world. Dare to be true to yourself and dare to make all that you are a part of GREAT! Again, congratulations to the graduates and their proud families. Good luck with the future, and I look forward to speaking to each and every one of you.

nurturing your heart and building your mind; a school where every single parent wants his or her child to receive the best possible educational experience; a school where you’ve been given the tools to be a thinker and a leader. Already, all of you have achieved great things. You have created thoughtful analytical essays, beautiful pieces of artwork, solved complex math equations, and mastered foreign languages. You have excelled on our playing fields and stages. You’ve devoted time and energy to helping those in need; but the real test of greatness—of your greatness—will come when you’re given the opportunity to use the gift you’ve received here to make others better, and you choose to do so.

Those at Rippowam Cisqua who have worked with you, and gotten to know you, appreciate the contributions you have made to our School’s long and outstanding tradition. As you go off into the world to enjoy what I trust are lives of great joy, and continued success, please take with you our thanks for leaving Rippowam Cisqua a better place than when you entered it. Go out and be good people, and make the world a great place to be.

Graduation 2011 continued…

Congratulations to the Class of 2011 Secondary Schools RCS students will attend in September 2011:

Beacon School Berkshire School Brooks School Brunswick School Calhoun School Cate School (CA) Choate Rosemary Hall Convent of the Sacred Heart Deerfield Academy Ethel Walker School Fox Lane High School Greenwich Academy Groton Hackley School Hotchkiss School Iona Prep Kent School

Lawrenceville School Masters School Middlesex School Miss Porter’s School Northfield Mt. Hermon Pawling High School Rye Country Day School Sage Hill School (CA) School of the Holy Child St. Andrew’s School St. George’s School St. Luke’s School Stanwich School Stockholm International School Taft School Westminster

Congratulations also to the Rippowam Cisqua Class of 2008 Select colleges RCS Class of 2008 will attend in September 2011:

Bates College Boston University College of Charleston College of William and Mary Colorado College Connecticut College (2) Cornell University (3) Dartmouth College Emory University Gettysburg College Harvard University Lehigh University Macalester College

Middlebury College (2) Oberlin College SUNY Geneseo Trinity College (4) Tulane University (2) Union College (2) University of Chicago (3) University of Colorado at Boulder University of Notre Dame University of St. Andrews Wake Forest College

Joseph Edward Potter

July 18, 1962â&#x20AC;&#x201C;August 26, 2011 Joe is fondly remembered by his many students and fellow teachers at Rippowam Cisqua as an incredibly caring and passionate teacher who used clear, calm and heartfelt instruction to instill the love of education in everyone he met. He will be deeply missed.

2010-11

Student Awards Rippowam Cisqua students are annually recognized at the state and national levels for performance in many areas including foreign language, writing, etc. This past year was no different, and these success stories are a testament to the talents, hard work, and commitment of both the students and their teachers.

French Awards

Poetry Live

Last spring, seven French students in seventh, eighth, and ninth grades placed in the top ten rankings of the Westchester New York Chapter of the 2011 National French Contest or Grand Concours. Four of these students also scored in the top ten National rankings and will be receiving bronze medals. The bronze medalists are Emily Barshay, Sophie Boyd, Annabel Grunebaum, and Emma Boyd. The contest was sponsored by The American Association of Teachers of French. Nearly 100,000 students in all fifty states competed in the Grand Concours. Here in Westchester, 1,243 students sat for the contest. The students who placed among the top ten Westchester and/or National rankings are:

Rippwriters were invited to participate in the tenth annual Poetry Live! event, which took place at the Emelin Theater in Mamaroneck, New York on Sunday, April 3. This event exists so that parents, grandparents, teachers, and lovers of poetry can gather to celebrate the U.S. National Poet Laureate program with young poets. Over 200 attendees enjoyed hearing original poetry read by student poets from Fox Lane High School, Rye Neck High School, Westlake High School, Albert Leonard Middle School, Ardsley Middle School, and Rippowam Cisqua School.

Seventh grade students Emily Barshay – third in Westchester; eighth in the Nation Aaron Casella – sixth in Westchester Natalie Harrington – sixth in Westchester Annabelle Nemeth – seventh in Westchester

Eighth grade students Sophie Boyd – fifth in Westchester; seventh in the Nation Annabel Grunebaum – eighth in Westchester; tenth in the Nation

Ninth grade students Emma Boyd – tenth in Westchester; tenth in the Nation

Nine students from Ripp were chosen to participate and present their original poems, which were also included in an anthology of the student writing distributed at the event. The event was

televised on local cable access television. The nine RCS poets were Skylar Burdick, Emily Barshay, Isabel Donohoe, Georgia Morley, Lulu Agajanian, Alex Needham, Isabel Seaborn, James Jackson, and Tyler Buckley.

Scholastic Writing Awards The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program is the most prestigious and longest running student art and writing contest in the world. Over 165,000 entries in art and writing are received each year from regional programs across the country. Of these, approximately 2,500 writers earn Regional Gold Key pins and certificates. This year, seventh and eighth grade Rippwriters won an impressive eight Regional Gold Key awards. In the words of the organizers for the Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, “This is a wonderful achievement for the young writers … the works that received recognition were reviewed by a panel of literary artists and creative industry leaders …the gifted students recognized by The Scholastic Awards have unique talents, passions, and skills.” In his speech at the last Carnegie Hall Awards Ceremony, Scholastic CEO Dick Robinson said, “You are the best of the best.” The Rippwriters who were awarded Regional Gold keys this year were: Emily Barshay, Julia Conway, Georgia Morley, Emma Morrison, Josephine Rubin, and Lindsay West.

Spanish Awards

Each spring, the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese sponsors the national Spanish Examination. The test has two forty minute sections that incorporate listening, reading, and grammar concepts. Attaining a medal or honorable mention is prestigious because the exams are the largest of their kind in the United States, with well over 140,000 students participating this year. This year’s award recipients from Rippowam Cisqua were:

Level 1: Honorable Mention: James Mattei, Clayton Rice, and Brandon Rosenbluth Medalla de Bronce: Skylar Burdick, Catherine Capolongo, and Jordan Nicholls Medalla de Plata: Madison Blair, Olivia Davis, Erik de Stefanis, Isabel Donohoe, Chloe Giroux, Owen Gerber, Serena Hernandez, Georgia Morley, and Emma Morrison Medalla de Oro: Lucy Feidelson, James Jackson, Josephine Rubin, and Jason Toporoff

Rippowam Campus Athletics and Academic Awards Athletic Awards: John Odden Award – Annabel Grunebaum, Zurab Akirtava Gillian Roth Softball Award – Jessica Cordiano Stephen D. Miller Baseball Award – Doug Vallar Harry Barber Award – Dana Biddle, Clayton Rice

Academic Awards: Hyperbole – Harrison Rice National Geographic Geography Bee – Freddy Levenson Bryna Watkins Writing Awards – Jackson Corrigan, Carrie Kinui, Cecilia Thieberger Frankel Scholarship Prize – Christopher Glynn

Level 2: Honorable Mention: Clara Seaborn and Patrick Donohoe Medalla de Bronce: Nicholas Asaro, Dana Biddle, and McCarter Nicholas Medalla de Oro: Frederick Levenson

Latin Awards In the second week of March, for the past 36 years, Latin students have settled into their desks with number 2 pencils in hand and tested their knowledge against forty questions on the national Latin Exam, an exam set under the sponsorship of The American Classical League and The Junior Classical League. The exam is given at seven levels with Rippowam Cisqua students sitting for three of those levels. This year, more than 150,000 students from around the country, and at schools around the world from Australia to Zimbabwe, sat for the exam. At Rippowam Cisqua, seventh graders participate in the Introductory Level exam, eighth graders participate in the Latin IB exam, and the ninth graders take the Level II exam.

American History Prize – Olivia Davis, Josephine Rubin, Jason Toporoff Richard L. Wade Scholarship Prize – Jason Toporoff Jane Brooks Robbins Science Prize – Andrew Bianco, Abe Kipnis Laura D. Paddock English Prize – Emma Boyd Prudence B. Read History Prize – Doug Vallar Stanley M. Feret Mathematics Prize – Freddy Levenson Melanie J. Kraft French Prize – Emma Boyd Spanish Prize – Arianna Gelwicks, Freddy Levenson Wadleigh W. Woods Latin Prize – Abe Kipnis Sarah F. Fowler Drama Prize – Emma Boyd, Freddy Levenson, Nick Asaro, Clayton Rice

The following seventh grade students received awards: Special Honors and Perfect scores were earned by: Beatrice de Vaulx and Tibbon Steinman Certificates of Outstanding Achievement were received by: Youssef Asaad, Jack Kilgallon, Fesseha Michael, Sophie Potter, Jeffrey Garza, Emma Holinko-Brossman, and Lindsay West Certificates of Achievement were given to: Harrison Rice, Ryan Rothfuss, Teddy Vallar, Marcus McCallum, and Jane Widder

The following eighth grade students received silver medals and maxima cum laude certificates: Jessica Cordiano, Scott Rowan, and Elizabeth Tobeason

Two ninth graders also received awards: Abe Kipnis earned a maxima cum laude certificate and Andrew Bianco earned a magna cum laude certificate

Paul and Audrey Fisher Art Prize – Chloe Giroux, Emma Morrison Susan Fiala Music Prize – Nick Asaro Ann Thacher Faculty Award of Distinction – Dana Biddle, Emma Boyd, Dominique Moise Trustees’ Prize – Tyler Buckley, Julia Conway, Susannah Davies, Mac Nicholas, Robbie Preston Gertrude Pell Bishop Memorial Award – Arianna Gelwicks, Doug Vallar Walter F. Wyeth Prize – Nick Asaro, Luke Salvatore Waldo B. Jones Prize – Chloe Giroux, Freddy Levenson The Rippowam Cisqua Prize – Doug Vallar

RCS in Pictures

4th Grade Farewell

2010-11 Seussical

Lower Campus Field Day

Upper Campus Field Day

Walk to Cisqua Day

Head of the Board

Focusing on

The Board New Members of the Board Kirtley Cameron Kirtley Cameron founded Kirtley Cameron Architecture and Design in 2005, a residential design firm with a focus on historic restoration. Kirtley currently serves as the President of the Bedford Historical Society Board of Directors, is a member of the Middlebury College Arts Council, and serves as a Trustee of Saint Michael’s School in Newport, Rhode Island. She has been involved with Rippowam Cisqua School as an active member of the Athletic Advisory Council and as a member of the Campus Master Plan committee. Kirtley and her husband Seth Cameron ’88 live in Bedford and are the parents of Mary Kirtley ’20 and Hazel ’22. Kirtley received her undergraduate degree from Middlebury College and a Master’s Degree in Architecture from Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.

Greg Fleming Greg Fleming is the President of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney and President of Morgan Stanley Investment Management. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley, Greg was a Senior Research Scholar and Lecturer in Law at the Yale Law School. Previously, Greg was the President and Chief Operating Officer of Merrill Lynch. Greg and his wife Melissa live in Bedford and are the parents of Rory ’15, Charlotte ’14, and Andrea ’11. Greg has served on the Board of Directors of the New York City Ballet, the Asia Society, BlackRock, Inc., and he served on the Rippowam Cisqua Board of Trustees from 2004-2008. Greg is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a director of Colgate University, and a member of the Board of Advisors for the Yale Law School Center for the Study of Corporate Law. Greg received his undergraduate degree in economics from Colgate University and his J.D. from Yale Law School.

Amanda Riegel, Chair Amanda joined the Board of Trustees in 2006 and was elected Chair of the Board in July 2011. Amanda served as a co-chair of the Long Range Strategic Plan steering committee and as a member of the Campus Master Plan task force. Amanda has spent the last 19 years with Friman and Stein, a diamond and jewelry business. Amanda and her husband Dicky live in Bedford Hills and are the parents of Richard ’11 and Amelia ’14. Amanda received her undergraduate degree in Art History at Barnard.

Role of the RCS Board of Trustees: The Rippowam Cisqua Board is a volunteer body that serves as the guardian of the School’s mission, focusing on strategic issues and on the long term well-being of the School. It is the Board’s responsibility to ensure that the mission is appropriate, relevant, and vital to the community it serves. The Board monitors the success of the School in fulfilling its mission and concentrates on the big picture while leaving the School’s daily operation to the Head of School. Members of the Board have a fiduciary responsibility to the School for sound financial management, engaging in strategic financial planning, and assuming primary responsibility for the preservation of capital assets and endowments. The Board and the Head of School work in partnership in fulfilling these main principles to best serve the School.

Alumni Association

Awards

Since its inception in 1992, the RCS Alumni Association (RCSAA) has established three separate awards, which are administered by the Alumni Association Board of Directors with input from the entire alumni body. This year, the Alumni Association honored a veteran RCS teacher with the Master Teaching Award. The Alumni Board is honored to contribute to the RCS community in such a meaningful way and welcomes the alumni community’s suggestions or recommendations for award nominations. Comments and nominations can be submitted to the Rippowam Cisqua School Alumni Office at alumni@rcsny.org. For additional information on the RCS Alumni Association Awards, please visit www.rcsny.org and click on “Alumni.”

Master Teaching Award Recipient Mr. Jim Jaffe was the recipient of the Master Teaching Award on June 10, 2011. Jim retired this past spring after having taught at Rippowam Cisqua School for 22 years. Jim was a third grade teacher on the Rippowam Cisqua Lower Campus and has taught generations of RCS students since joining the community in September 1989. On behalf of the entire Alumni body, Chairman of the Board, Christopher J. Wirth ’94, presented Mr. Jaffe with the award along with grateful appreciation for his long service and dedication to the School.

Gathering of

Alums 2011

On May 19th 2011, over 100 RCS alums, including Head of School, Matthew Nespole, long time RCS coach, Richie Meyers, former RCS teacher, Anne Thacher, and members of the RCS faculty gathered for a wonderful evening of reconnecting with each other. It was a fantastic night of great company, good food, and lots of laughs over old stories and new endeavors. Thank you to everyone for making this an annual success! Photos from the event are posted on the website, www.rcsny.org and Facebook. If you would like to receive copies contact the Alumni Office at alumni@rcsny.org.

Cynthia Mas ’71, Robert Boyd ’75, Anne Niemann ’71

Phoebe Montgomery Moeller ’71, Anne Eckhart Demas ’72, Luke Fowler ’71, W. Macy Johnson ’65, Jennifer Montgomery ’67

Roger Vincent, Sr. ’59, Roger Vincent, Jr. ’88

Richard Cahill ’92, Peter Pell ’92

Tim Schneider ’95, Giff Foley ’95, Vanessa Seide ’93, Tristan Perich ’97

Phil Hauspurg ’01, Chris Wirth ’94, Rich Meyers (RCS Coach)

Andrew Heath ’97, Gus Levy ’98, Kathy Perry (RCS teacher)

Maia Gottesfeld ’02, William (Abe) Chehebar ’02, Kathryn Laird ’02

Todd DeSimone ’93, Chris Finley ’93

Missy Swan (RCS teacher), Harry Grand ’93

Nancy Dwyer Eaves ’92, Ann Thacher (former RCS teacher), Alix Johnston LaMotte ’92

Phoebe Montgomery Moeller ’71, Taylor Baldwin ’72

Elizabeth (Libby) Prezzano Whitman ’85, Tice Burke

Giff Foley ’95, Ben Ginnel ’95, Tim Schneider ’95

Class of ’71

Reunion

Left to right: Suzanne Seaman Winkelman, Peter Kelley, Kyra LeRoy Haydock, Elizabeth Babbin Tucker, Eugenie Harvey, Dick Hollyday

“What a great weekend we all had – so many thanks to everyone for the rekindled memories.” Alex Gordevitch

“We are already planning our 45th!” Class of ’71

On Memorial Day Weekend, 28 members of the class of 1971 returned to Bedford to celebrate their 40th reunion. The event was sparked by Cynthia Branch Mas, a member of the RCS Alumni Board, who started her search for classmates by borrowing yearbooks from the School and looking at pictures from as far back as kindergarten and going all the way through ninth grade. Her research showed her that there were fifty classmates. Emails flew from Tasmania to Texas and eventually all but four of the fifty members of the class of 1971 were located and began to reconnect. What resulted was an informal reunion that started on Friday afternoon with a visit to a local art exhibit, and included a Saturday morning trip down memory lane at the Upper Campus, a spectacular garden tour, a day out on the links, impromptu hikes, tennis, swimming, and two wonderful evening events.

Saturday Night Dinner at the house of Alex Gordevitch in Bedford Back row: Matt Damora, Caroline Ohler Miller, Martha Woodbridge, Peter Wyman, Bill Mayo-Smith, David Marvin, Eugenie Harvey, Jay Denison, Russell Corser Front Row: Greg Shaw, Ben Hall, Avril Hordyk Dannenbaum, Peter Halle, Cynthia Mas, Julie Farrar, Peter Kelley, Alex Gordevitch, Elizabeth Babbin Tucker, Suzanne Seaman Winkelman, Jane Winans McKim, Kate Johnson Phillips, Tad Montross

Friday Night Dinner at the home of Cynthia Mas Left to Right: Matt Damora, Luke Fowler, Dick Hollyday, David Marvin, Peter Halle, Jane Winans McKim, Alex Gordevitch, Julie Farrar, Ben Hall, Martha Woodbridge, Jay Denison, Elizabeth Babbin Tucker, Peter Kelley

Friday evening ended by setting off Wish Lanterns – some Classmates were better at wishing than others!

Martha Woodbridge, Cynthia Mas, Suzanne Seaman Winkelman, Jane Winans McKim

Avril Hordyk Dannenbaum, Julie Farrar

David Marvin, Bill Mayo-Smith

Eugenie Harvey, Caroline Ohler Miller

“I don’t think any of us had any idea how much fun it would be and we all just picked up right where we left off!” Cynthia Mas

Ben Hall – Having just visited Peter Kelley in Rutland, Vermont, Ben biked his way to the reunion in Bedford.

Eugenie Harvey, Bill Mayo-Smith, Kate Johnson Phillips

“It is fascinating that Ripp created such bonds and friendships that are strong forty years later.” Tad Montross

Jane Winans McKim, Tad Montross, Laura Lee Eifert Montross

Jay Denison, Ben Hall, Peter Halle, Peter Kelley

Alumni Profile

Rahul Rajkumar, MD, JD ’93 We caught up with Rahul while he was on a brief break from his position at Brigham and Women’s hospital in Boston this summer. With the background hum of a busy medical center, and a momentary break in the interview to ensure that Rahul’s wife, Kiran Ghia, was not going into labor as they were in the final weeks of their first pregnancy, we managed to carry on what proved to be a fascinating conversation with another Rippowam Cisqua alum who is charting an interesting course.

RCS Rahul, when was the last time you visited Rippowam Cisqua? RR I made a trip back to Bedford three years ago with my wife to show her the School, which I had referred to so frequently. We visited with a number of teachers, including Eileen Lambert, Mike Kober, Chris Perry, and Ridley Sperling, who was actually a classmate of mine. The teachers are what made Rippowam so special and are the reason that I go back.

When you think about Rippowam Cisqua what instantly comes to mind? RCS

Editor's Note: Rahul and his wife gave birth to a boy, Zaki, on August 22, 2011

RR When I describe Rippowam Cisqua to my friends who don’t know it, I always talk about the many extraordinary teachers that I had. The teachers who had the most profound impact on me as a student, and whom I see the most frequently, are the Valentines (Bill and Sonya Valentine) who live in Boston. We make it a point to get together once or twice a year. Mrs. Valentine was my fifth grade teacher and Mr. Valentine was my middle school advisor and English teacher. As one of only a handful of students of color in the late 80s and early 90s at RCS, the Valentines made an extraordinary effort to make me feel welcome and to facilitate my learning about my own heritage and background. Mr. Valentine went so far as to take a class in Indian History at Columbia and integrated some of what he learned into the ninth grade curriculum. I felt very

fortunate to have a teacher who would go to such lengths as well as to have the opportunity to get such a great perspective of my own personal history.

How do you think your experience at Rippowam Cisqua helped shape who you’ve become today? RCS

RR While I was at Rippowam Cisqua, I developed a true love of learning which has had a large impact on who I am today. I would attribute so much of that to my teachers as well, in particular Eileen Lambert, who helped me develop a true enthusiasm for acquiring knowledge and language. As a child, I developed a love of reading and books from my grandfather, who was a book collector; my teachers at Rippowam Cisqua built on and continued that love. I remember Mr. Valentine teaching us the importance of respecting books and treating them well. Whenever we started a new book, he would ask us to flex the binding twenty pages at a time to exercise the binding so it wouldn’t crack. I remember how important it was to him that we treat our books with respect. This was a large part of Indian culture as well so it was comforting for me. The literal and metaphorical lesson that books convey knowledge, and that it is deeply important to respect that knowledge, resonated with me.

Winn Harkless, my fourth grade math teacher, also had an impact on me. Interestingly, he died recently at the hospital where I work and it stirred up some compelling memories for me. We used to call Mr. Harkless the swami because he integrated Indian spirituality into math class by having us do focused breathing and meditation in class. He used some very progressive techniques in his teaching that I still remember and even sometimes employ today. For example, to memorize the multiplication tables he had us create a “memory house” and write the multiplication tables on a blank wall inside the house. Then when we needed to recall the figures we could just go back into the house. This is a missionary technique that is used for learning Chinese language and that can be very useful in medicine – where there are many terms and concepts to learn.

“While I was at Rippowam Cisqua, I developed a true love of learning which has had a large impact on who I am today.” RCS Where did you go after Rippowam Cisqua? Did you feel well prepared for your educational journey?

After I graduated from Rippowam Cisqua in 1993, I attended Hackley for tenth through twelfth grades. I then went on to Yale where I got my undergraduate degree, as well as a joint degree in medicine and law. While at Hackley, I discovered that, even though there may have been some difference in exposure to content in certain areas, RCS had given me something that my peers often did not have, and that was the confidence and RR

tools to be successful in any learning endeavor. That, to me, was the best preparation for all of my future education and work plans. Rippowam really fosters creativity and thinking and those are required skills in the work place. The Rippowam Cisqua approach gave us a level of self-confidence in our abilities, a willingness to take risks in school, the ability to draw connections, recognize patterns, and speak confidently in public – all of which I’ve found to be invaluable life skills, and far more useful than the ability to memorize facts. Most children don’t get those opportunities. I believe there is no substitute for early childhood education – the game is won or lost in the first ten years of a child’s education. I had many experiences that I never could have had if I did not attend Rippowam Cisqua and stay for ninth grade. I was the editor of Rippwriter, which was the School newspaper at the time. The New York City experience, which was the capstone back then, gave us the opportunity to go into NYC every day and absorb every aspect of life in the city. I also had a number of wonderful community service projects that I remember well. Another strong memory for me is in the athletic realm. Rippowam Cisqua graduates are expected to be well-rounded in the arts, athletics, and academics and I was always more academic-focused and didn’t have any interest in athletics. In ninth grade, Coach Meyers – who couldn’t be more different than me – recognized that I was very interested in the math around sports, particularly statistics. He asked me to join the varsity basketball team – not to play, but to keep score – which was viewed by the team and the School as a leadership role. I diligently kept statistics for every game (and you have to remember this was before computers were so prevalent and this type of analysis was less common). I produced a series of excel spreadsheets for the team with graphs on who was scoring, and Coach Meyers posted them in the locker room. He complimented me on my

work and made me feel really good about my contributions to the team. My strongest memory was of a game against Hackley. One of the stats I tracked was the number of fouls each player had. During the game, one of the Hackley players reached five fouls and should have been kicked out and I brought it to the ref’s attention. The Hackley coach was incensed and Coach Meyers got in his face and defended me and said that if I said he had five fouls, then he had five fouls, and the player was asked to leave the game. Ironically, years later, after I graduated from Hackley, I was chatting with a good friend of mine and he told me the story, not realizing it was me who had him kicked out of the game. Ultimately we ended up being really good friends. A few years later when I was visiting Ripp, Coach Meyers walked by and slapped me on the back and commented on my being the student “he had given all that extra math help.” I never imagined that I would be the guy that got a slap on the back from the coach. RCS

What are you doing now?

Most recently, I have been balancing a couple of different careers. My goal is to practice medicine as well as play a role in the development of health care finance, economics, and policy. I want to help create a more efficient and humane health care system in the U.S. After I completed my schooling, I came to Harvard to do my residency in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. During my residency, several of my friends from law school were working on Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. They asked me to run the health care advisory committee during the campaign. I was essentially on the campaign team from day one. At that point, I didn’t think that he would win but was just excited to have the opportunity to work on a campaign and shape potential policy. It was an exceptional experience to be involved at the outset and actually see Obama win. After he was elected, I worked on the President’s transition team under Tom RR

“The Rippowam Cisqua approach gave us a level of self-confidence in our abilities, a willingness to take risks in school, the ability to draw connections, recognize patterns, and speak confidently in public – all of which I’ve found to be invaluable life skills.”

1994 RCS basketball team. Rahul is in the back row, second from the right, next to Coach Meyers.

Daschle, and then I went back to Boston and finished my residency. At that point, I was exploring various roles in government but couldn’t find the right fit. It was important to me to still be able to become a doctor and practice medicine. So, two years ago, I took a position with McKinsey Consulting. For ten months a year, I work for McKinsey in helping with the implementation of the U.S. health care policy by assisting companies in developing strategies to adapt to the policy, and helping other countries develop their own health care strategies. For the other two months, I train residents and medical students, see patients, and teach at Harvard. My long range goal is to get into public service and play a leadership role in national health care policy. In the meantime, I am getting experience and exploring all my opportunities. Being at McKinsey is like doing a residency in business leadership.

RCS What are you most proud of that you’ve accomplished?

I am most proud of the small, but significant, role I played in the campaign to get President Obama elected. I was highly complimented during my tenure on the transition team when the New Republic did a write up on the members of the team and mentioned me as having “established himself as one of Obama’s more eloquent spokespersons during the campaign.” That’s the Rippowam Cisqua experience in action again. RR

RCS Do you have any advice for the current Rippowam Cisqua students? RR Pursue your dreams, take risks, and learn as much as you can in your early life. Remember, you are in an incredibly privileged environment and you have been given a lot in life; you have a duty to serve and give back to society in whatever ways you can.

62 Reunion 19

Alumni

Class Notes

The graduating Class of 1961 (boys) and 1962 (girls) is planning a reunion May 18-19, 2012 in Bedford and NYC. We have started a Facebook page “Ripp 61 & 62” for anyone from our class who wants to join, to help get us in the spirit to recapture our youth and our friendships. Save the date! Then

John Webster says: This summer, as well as for many summers past, I have been playing tennis with Day Lee, my seventh grade homeroom teacher whose is about 90 now!

51 Reunion 19

The Graduating Class of 1951 is planning their 60th reunion this fall.

Class of 1951 – Girls

Class of 1950 Boys

Class of 1951 – Boys

Penny Merrill Brouder tells us that she is now retired from teaching, but still enjoys doing some volunteer tutoring. She continues to love the great outdoors. She says “I love sailing and treasure my hiking friends (snow shoeing or cross country skiing friends in winter) among whom I count my faithful corgi Arlo.” She adds that the wonderful Bedford Library, is a fabulous resource for all ages and she counts on the many different activities there to keep her mind alert, and to share reading experiences with interesting people. This summer has been full of family activities, including a trip to France with her son Daniel, his wife Victoria, and two grandsons, Ethan (11) and James (9). Her son’s wife, Victoria, is a jeweler (Victoria Varga) and she and Daniel run their business from Cumberland Foreside, Maine. In September, Penny’s daughter Sylvie is marrying Jeff Volenec, a long time colleague in the Agronomy Department at Purdue University where they are both professors. Penny writes: “Sylvie’s interest in science started at Rippowam Cisqua in David Weld’s classroom.” She also says “I am very much looking forward to our 60th reunion this fall. Thanks particularly to Edlira Curis in the Alumni Office and classmates Robert Laidlaw ’51, Nancy Huber Frost ’51, and Carla Darlington ’51 for locating and encouraging people to come and also all of you who are making the effort to get there.”

Class of 1962 – the girls

Class of 1961 – the boys

Now

Alex Sanger ’61 (NYC), Susie Branch ’62 (NYC), Anita de Braganca Stockbridge ’62 (Mt. Kisco NY), Janie Bishop Putnam ’62 and Sandy Putnam ’61 (Bedminster, NJ) meeting for lunch in NYC to plan their 50th Rippowam reunion.

A Rippowam vacation in Basset’s Island MA

Kathy Burgeson tells us that the (Pryor) Burgeson family recently relocated from Chappaqua, NY to Richmond, Virginia where Kathy is a corporate lawyer with MeadWestvaco Corporation, a publicly traded packaging company. Her son, Peter, is a sophomore at Denison College (OH), and daughter Sarah will be attending Randolph College (VA). Her husband, Mark, is a consultant for the NYS Senate.

Front Row: Francis (Randy) Goodhue ’64, Sam Goodhue ’97,Georgia Goodhue Reath ’93, Pip Reath, Forrest Mas ’04, Cynthia Mas ’71 Back Row: Willy Goodhue ’04, Alexander (Roo) Reath ’93

Janet Gunn writes that for the last ten years she has been working for CSC on the GETS (Government Emergency Telecommunications Service), now called PTS (Priority Telecommunications Service), which allows authorized emergency personnel to get priority when the phone network is overloaded (when you get the message “all circuits are busy, please try again later”). She has lived in Virginia since 1979 (after graduate school in NC), and has been married to Tim Horn since 1996. Her property is adjacent to her sister Gillian’s property. Janet says: “I am still horse crazy, and have four of them. I compete in Eventing as well as Dressage and Jumping. I recently became a USEF “R” licensed Eventing Technical Delegate, which is a kind of referee for competitions. I am also starting to get re-involved in motorcycle road racing.” Her father (J.B. Gunn) died in late 2008, and the family sold the house on Guard Hill in March of this year.

Seth Cunningham tells us that his son just finished his freshman year at Oberlin and his daughter is nearing the end of her college career at Mt. Holyoke. He also saw his classmate Tim Schieffelin ’69 earlier this year.

Left to right: Andy Hall ’54 (Atherton, CA), Emlen Hall Ehrlich ’57 (San Francisco, CA), Anne Hall ’60 (Philadelphia, PA), Lindsey Hall Cohn ’64 (Carlsbad, CA), Ben Hall ’71 (Seattle, WA)

Kathy Pryor Burgeson (Cisqua 1970) at the Taft School 2010 graduation of son Peter Burgeson, along with daughter Sarah Burgeson.

Margaret Green Wheeler says: “I was sorry to miss our class reunion in Bedford in May but loved reading the newsy Bulletin. My husband, Mark, and I live in Westford, MA and we have two sons, Greg, who is a Junior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Jeff, who will be attending Lafayette College. Last August we celebrated our 25th anniversary with a trip to Vermont where we honeymooned, though this time we stayed in a B&B instead of camping out in a tent. I work for Hewlett Packard, managing internal IT projects. Hopefully we will have a Class of ’71 reunion in the Boston area sooner than later. Avril Hordyk Dannenbaum says “My novel, Chasing the Tricksters, will be published by Eternal Press this November, under my pen name of April Grey.” Ben Hall shares with us a photo taken at Anne Halls’s daughter’s wedding in Berkeley.

Diana (Dido) Thayer is married and lives and works as an artist in Boston at Historic Fenway Studios (www.didothayer.com). Nick Thayer ’67, an artist who taught at Milton Academy for twenty-one years, now lives with his wife Nina Congdon Thayer ’69 on Martha’s Vineyard. They have three children and several grandchildren. James Thayer (former RCS student), married with three kids, lives and works as a carpenter in Gloucester, MA. Our mother, known as Immie Thayer, resides in Ipswich MA. She made many wedding dresses for Ripp graduates as well as designing one of the Ripp uniforms back in the late 60’s. Do you remember her wonderful store in Bedford Hills?

Mike Carucci says: “I am especially grateful to Ripp for starting my lacrosse career. I had never been exposed to the “fastest game on two feet” before. I am glad to see boys and girls lacrosse are still offered. Although my lacrosse career was nothing exceptional, I played at Choate and Navy and always enjoyed the competition, excitement, and physicality. Fast forward thirty years: I now coach girls’ lacrosse in Northern Virginia and love it. Our Fort Hunt Youth Lacrosse League 3rd/4th grade B team recently took second place in the Northern Virginia championships out of 28 teams. I found coaching from the sidelines every bit as exciting as running a man-down defense in front of the crease. After the season, I recruited an NCAA Div 1 womens lacrosse star to coach a summer league in our neighborhood park. We got 29 girls signed up and are having a ball.”

Robert Boyd and wife, Katie, live in Bedford and two of their daughters, Sophie ’12 and Margot ’21 attend Rippowam Cisqua. Their eldest daughter, Emma ’11, recently graduated from RCS in June. Robert is a member of the RCS Board of Trustees and a former Chair of the RCS Alumni Association. He is currently working at Guggenheim Securities running Interest Rates sales & trading business, and recently completed his CFA qualifications.

Thom Haskell tells us he just got married to Jill Ort on May 21, 2001 on the Jersey shore. He has also recently relocated from Boston to California.

Gordon MacDonald ’98 also lives in LA. Pete and Burrill Haskell, Thom Haskell ’86, Jill Ort Haskell, Katy and Livy Haskell and Thom’s nephews Tee and Henry

Dorothy Meeks with kids from Kids4peace USA.

Dorothy Meek Porter tells us that she and her husband, Nicholas, hosted eleven kids from Israel, Palestine, and the US on the launch year of a leadership program for Kids4peace USA this July. At their farm in Vermont, the kids hiked, swam, and immersed themselves in mediation and leadership strategies with counselors from Jerusalem and the US. Combatants for peace sponsored a billboard on I 95 which the kids painted themselves and visited on the last leg of their trip to NYC. She recently saw Brooke Baldwin Degrazia ’79, Boku Prince ’80, Paul Schreiner ’80, and Tim Ehrlich ’79. She says it’s nice to be back on the east coast.

82 Class representatives 19

Katie Prezzano Durfee: durfeehome@optonline.net If you have any questions about your classmates, news you’d like to share with your classmates, or any questions about your class reunion, please feel free to contact your class representatives or the RCS Alumni Office at alumni@rcsny.org

sister, Jessica Goldstein ’02, is getting married in September to her college sweetheart and I’m the maid of honor! Parker, my younger brother, will be going into eighth grade at Ripp and, between the time I started in JPK and my brother graduates in two years, we must be the longest consistent family to attend Ripp without any breaks!” Editors note: The Goldsteins have been at Rippowam Cisqua for 22 consecutive years, let us know if you think your family has been here longer!

Alix (Johnston) LaMotte tells us she lives in Bedford with her husband, Gardner, her four and a half year old daughter, Avery, two year old son, Walker, and their dog, Callie. Peter Pell shares with us a photo from his engagement party in New York on June 10th 2011.

Mary Tilt is currently living in New York City and works for Hearst Corporation as the International Marketing Director at Harper’s Bazaar magazine. Her latest news is that she is engaged to be married in October and will definitely have fellow RCS Alumni in attendance!

Harry Grand says: “Harry, Emily, and Lily Grand spent a vacation on Roque Island, Maine with Roo, Georgia, and Pip Reath. We enjoyed a great week of hiking, beach frisbee, golf, riding, and eating good food. Dan Ryan and his wife, Charlene, welcomed their son, Reed Daniel Sy Ryan on July 3rd. Lily Grand is already planning to boss Reed around.

From left to right: Alix (Johnston) LaMotte ’92, Jeremy Randol ’92, Peter Pell ’92, Tice Burke (Peter’s fiancé), Peter Hallock ’92, Nancy (Dwyer) Eaves ’92, and Katama (Guernsey) Eastman ’92

Vanessa Goldstein writes “I haven’t really seen any Ripp people recently but I’ve been living in LA now since I graduated from Barnard College, Columbia University in May 2008. Since then I’ve been working in Hollywood and currently work for Hasbro Films (TRANSFORMERS, GI JOE, BATTLESHIP) in Film Development. My

Becky Gerard Kellner shares with us a family photo from 4th of July in Pound Ridge NY. She says they are enjoying living in NH and all the benefits of country living. She keeps in touch with Alexandra Seherr-Thoss ’94.

Becky, Matthew 3.5yrs, Ellie 16 months, Drew

40 40

Class Notes continued…

Alexandra Seherr-Thoss is married to Adam Doorly. They had a son named Chase, and are currently living in Boston.

Zoe Haydock shares with us a picture from her recent wedding (right). Zoe and her husband, Dan Millen, are in the middle of the group and the other Ripp alums in the wedding party are: Alexandra (Ali) Ginnel ’97, Alexandra White ’97, Alison Weisser ’97, Alexandra (Alix) Manoff ’97, Katharine (Kitty) Haydock ’05, Elizabeth Robinson ’97, Oliver Haydock ’98, William (Willy) Haydock ’98. Other Ripp alums who attended the wedding were: Peter Kunhardt ’98, Abigail Kunhardt ’99, George Kunhardt ’02, Teddy Kunhardt ’01, John Carr ’98, Roland Lamb ’99, Alex Jaffe ’98, Randy Goodhue ’65, Sam Goodhue ’97, Willy Goodhue ’04, Roo Reath ’94 and Georgia (Goodhue) Reath ’94.

David Wirth has been working at Live Nation in Cambridge, MA after graduating from Northeastern University in 2009. He is also continuing to work on his own musical career as a singer/songwriter and is currently in the studio recording some of his work. He can be reached at dwirth@aol.com.

04 Class representatives 20

Louisa Farr: louisa.farr@gmail.com Willy Goodhue: william.goodhue@gmail.com If you have any questions about your classmates, news you’d like to share with your classmates, or any questions about your class reunion, please feel free to contact your class representatives or the RCS Alumni Office at alumni@rcsny.org

George (Mac) Beitzel is currently living in New York City, working at Young & Rubicam. He recently graduated from St. Lawrence University where he studied Economics and Sociology.

Tom Brosens tells us he just graduated from Columbia University where he studied Economics and Philosophy. He is currently living in New York City and works at Morgan Stanley. Meghan Clark will graduate in December from Wake Forest with a double major in Chinese and Economics. Marica Dacey says she is currently living at home in Easton, CT and working as a web manager for the Lilly Pulitzer Signature Store in Westport, CT. She graduated from Union College this year. Jaclyn Lerea just graduated from Rochester University and is now moving to NYC to start a Ph. D. in Nutritional and Metabolic Biology at Columbia. Nora Menken just graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre. She is currently living in NYC and working as a freelance makeup artist while auditioning for theatre/film/TV. Mike Sandwick is currently living in San Francisco, CA where he is working at a business development start up firm called Heyzap. He manages social network for mobile games. Most recently, he graduated from Wesleyan University where he studied Philosophy.

Ian Virga ’04, Forrest Mas ’04, Willy Goodhue ’04, Nick Chen ’04 at Dave Matthews concert Atlantic City, Summer 2011

Class Representatives Eliza Ghriskey: erghrisk@g.cofc.edu Julie Bancroft: echols.bancroft@yahoo.com If you have any questions about your classmates, news you’d like to share with your classmates, or any questions about your class reunion, please feel free to contact your class representatives or the RCS Alumni Office at alumni@rcsny.org

Class Representatives Sydney Mas: sydneyb.mas@gmail.com Alison Bianco: asb027@bucknell.edu If you have any questions about your classmates, news you’d like to share with your classmates, or any questions about your class reunion, please feel free to contact your class representatives or the RCS Alumni Office at alumni.rcsny.org

RCS Reunions RCS is getting ready for the 2012 Reunion Season! If you are a member of the class of 2002, 1992, 1982, 1972, 1962, 1952, or any other class interested in reconnecting, we look forward to welcoming you back on campus for your 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th 50th, or 60th reunion. Olivia Tow ’07, Alexandria van Starrenburg ’07, Stella de Stefanis ’07, Sydney Mas ’07, Alison Bianco ’07 and Katherine (Katie) Wolosoff ’07.

If you are interested in organizing a reunion, please contact the Alumni Office at alumi@rcsny.org.

Class Representatives Emma Boyd: blooto123@aol.com Susannah Davies: susannahstar11@aim.com Arianna Gelwicks: ajgelwicks@aol.com If you have any questions about your classmates, news you’d like to share with your classmates, or any questions about your class reunion, please feel free to contact your class representatives or the RCS Alumni Office at alumni.rcsny.org

Faculty Notes Ann Thacher recently joined RCS alumni for the Gathering of Alums in New York City. She continues to enjoy the slower pace of retired life and travels to New York City frequently. Thank you, Ann, for joining us last spring!

Internship Opportunities for RCS Alumni Are you looking for talented interns? Does your company offer an internship program that you might like RCS alumni to be aware of? You may contact the RCS Alumni Office at alumni@rcsny.org for information on how to support RCS alumni.

Two Ways to Reconnect with RCS Alumni Rippowam Cisqua School – Alumni Page and the online Alumni electronic directory (www.rcsny.org). Reconnect with old friends, read the latest alumni news, browse through recent alumni pictures, and stay informed about upcoming alumni events. For more information, email alumni@rcsny.org.

Rippowam Cisqua School Alumni on

Class Representatives Do you keep in touch with your RCS friends? Help us strengthen our alumni connections by becoming a class representative. We are actively seeking class representatives for every graduating year to help us stay in touch with our alumni family, keep our database up to date, and better communicate school news to our alumni community.

Did you know that you can find Rippowam Cisqua Alumni on Facebook? Simply log on to Facebook and search for “The Official Rippowam Cisqua Alumni Group” and begin reconnecting with Rippowam Cisqua alumni today.

Alumni Association Executive Committee Christopher Wirth ’94, Chair, Board of Trustees Ex-Officio Stephen Ohler ’66, Vice Chair Susannah Sard ’58, Secretary Richard Cahill ’92, Treasurer Meg Atkin ’76 Todd DeSimone ’93 Katie Prezzano Durfee ’82 Nancy Eaves ’92 Ben Ginnel ’95 Harry Grand ’93 Cynthia Mas ’71 Bill Meyer ’84 Philip Ohler ’75 Elly Dwyer Rice ’94 Vanessa Seide ’93 Lisa Pagliaro Selz ’66 Randy Wilson ’94 Ex-Officio Matthew Nespole, Head of School Bob Whelan, Assistant Head of School for Institutional Advancement If you are interested in becoming involved with the Alumni Board, please email alumni@rcsny.org.

Planning for Rippowam Cisqua’s

Remembering Rippowam Cisqua in your estate planning helps assure a brighter tomorrow for the School. The 1917 Society was established in memory of Rippowam Cisqua’s earliest leaders and the year of the School’s founding; it honors those alumni, faculty, parents, and friends who have chosen to ensure the future of RCS by providing for the School in their estates and/or by establishing planned gift arrangements that benefit RCS and themselves. All donors, whether through a bequest provision or a life income arrangement, are automatically granted membership in the 1917 Society. You can remember Rippowam Cisqua through a simple provision in your estate. Whether giving through your will, living trust, life insurance policy, or qualified retirement plan, you should make your designation for “Trustees of Rippowam Cisqua School, a charitable and educational institution in Bedford, New York.”

1917 Society

For more information, please contact Bob Whelan, Assistant Head of School for Institutional Advancement, at bob_whelan@rcsny.org or 914-244-1291.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The faculty and staff at Rippowam Cisqua is simply superb in every way that I can imagine. From the front office to maintenance to teachers and administration, everyone works as a unified team and it is a pleasure to watch.â&#x20AC;? Current RCS Parent

â&#x20AC;&#x153;All the faculty and staff are wonderful at RCS. They

inspire, engage, nurture, delight, and encourage our children.â&#x20AC;?

Current RCS Parent

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I can honestly say that my son has transformed into a self confident student and has been able to shine at RCS. I am deeply grateful

that my children are in the hands of this faculty.â&#x20AC;?

Current RCS Parent

â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are too many teachers to name who have enlightened my children through their genuine enthusiasm for teaching. Thank you to all of you.â&#x20AC;? Current RCS Parent

“My daughter’s teacher is wonderful in the way she mentors her and inspires her to reach, to dream, to imagine, and to define herself in new ways.” Current RCS Parent

“We will forever be grateful to our son’s first RCS teacher who changed his life by showing him that he could be successful and admired for his intellect, not just his sometimes amusing mischief.” Current RCS Parent

74 Parentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Assocation

Dear Parents, As I reflect on my first year as the Parent Association Chair I am reminded of two things: how remarkable our School is, and how incredibly generous our School community is in donating their time, as well as their resources. It has truly been an honor and a pleasure to work with so many wonderful parents and talented teachers and administrators who have helped and supported our fundraising and community building efforts, all with the same goal in mind, to strengthen our community, to enhance our children's educational experience, and to continue to improve and preserve this unique and wonderful School. Thanks to your overwhelming generosity, with the proceeds from the A.P.P.L.E. Sale, Gift Wrap Sale, Holiday Sale, Raffle, and Book Fairs, we were able to purchase new and much needed audio equipment for the Playhouse, create the incredible RCS Garden, help with the Science Fair, purchase gift certificates for our faculty to be distributed through A.P.P.L.E., and to underwrite the All School Picnic, Cisqua Field Day T-Shirts, the Faculty & Staff Appreciation Lunch, and the screening of the critically acclaimed documentary, Race to Nowhere. I wish to thank everyone who helped to make this past year such a tremendous success. We are proof that, together, we can do great things. I look forward to welcoming you back in September. Best wishes,

Patty Grunebaum Parent Association Chair

Parent Association Events (clockwise): New sound system for the Playhouse, RCS Garden, Race to Nowhere screening, All School Picnic, Field Day T-Shirts.

2010-11 Parent Association Volunteers ! Parent Association Executive Committee Patty Grunebaum, Chair Katie Boyd, Vice Chair, Grades 7 - 9 Tracy Fauver, Vice Chair, Grades 5 - 6

Gift Wrap Sale

Michelle D’Avolio Grandparents Days

Rippowam: Tracy Fauver Cisqua: Suzanne O’Callaghan Green Team

Storrs Cote ’79, Vice Chair, Grades 3 - 4

Nick Gutfreund

Whitney Brown, Vice Chair, Grades 1 - 2

Host Families

Suzanne O’Callaghan, Vice Chair, Grades JPK - K

Parent Connection

Donna Brown, Treasurer Ellen Levenson, Communications Ashley Diamond, Parent Connection

Committee Heads A.P.P.L.E.

Ginny Tobeason Holiday Bake Sale

Polly Goldman Book Fairs

Cisqua: Terry Gottlieb, Pam Lawson Rippowam: Ellen Levenson, Melissa Fleming, Kim Speegle

Grade 1 Debbie Heine Nellie Gilligan

Loren Teolis

Ashley Diamond Photographs

Rippowam: Louise Nicholls Cisqua: Ginny Tobeason Ripped Apparel

Gina Lodolini, Louise Nicholls

Grade 2 Pam Lawson Kathleen Castiglione Rachel Szycher Grade 3 Kim Speegle Cecilia Stanley Kim Manocherian Grade 4 Marie Crispi Cindy Offermann Cassie Robbins Grade 5 Kathleen Castiglione Elizabeth Kilgallon Marsha Chambers

School Uniforms

Gina Lodolini, Louise Nicholls Walk to Cisqua Day

Melissa Fleming

Class Representatives JPK Cyndi Azima Jennifer Madrid

Grade 6 Melissa Fleming Linda Corso Angela Lowman Grade 7 Carolyn Gilbert Beth Stern Diana Rice

Candy Houses

Beth Schreiber, Cindy Offermann Community Service

Rippowam: Carolyn Tenney Cisqua: Alison Kallman Faculty Lunch

Anna Lee

SPK Beth Schreiber Polly Goldman Kindergarten Lisa Shrewsberry Marian Fife Lynnie Ohler

Grade 8 Tracey Gerber Jeannie Conway Andi Davis Grade 9 Christine Gelwicks Katie Boyd

A few of the many reasons to support

The RCS Annual Fund…

The Annual Fund is the School’s most important ongoing fundraising activity. Like most independent schools, tuition revenues at RCS do not cover the entire cost of running the School. Tuition provides approximately 83% of the annual operating budget with the Annual Fund supplying 7%. The School relies on this source of income in order to meet the essential needs of students and faculty. This year, the difference between tuition revenues and total operating expenses amounts to approximately $5,600 per child. Our Annual Fund goal this year is $1,200,000 and 100% community participation. Last year, we reached $1,220,000 and 90% participation — remarkable results in a remarkable year — thanks to an incredibly engaged parent volunteer organization. If you would like to make a gift, please take a moment to fill out the enclosed pledge envelope and send it back to us with your contribution. If you have questions about the Annual Fund, please contact Susie Danziger at 914-244-1292 or susie_danziger@rcsny.org

Critical Thinking Individual Development Personal Excellence

Rippowam Cisqua School invites you to the

2011-12 Foundations of Education Series Informative lectures on how to raise successful, lifelong learners October 12, 10:00 a.m. – “Bullying Prevention and Solutions” Joel Haber, Ph.D., author of Bully-proof Your Child for Life, will address the skills and tools children need to prevent and address bullying situations.

November 9, 10:00 a.m. – “Getting the Most Out of Sports” Richard D. Ginsburg, Ph.D., Co-Director of the Massachusetts General Hospital PACES Institute of Sport Psychology, faculty member of the Harvard Medical School, and co-author of Whose Game Is It Anyway?, will share insights on how to ensure a positive sports experience for your child.

December 14, 10:00 a.m. – “Early Childhood Development” Kyle Pruett, Ph.D., Clinical Professor of Child Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine, award winning author, and specialist on children, family relationships, and fathers, will be sharing insights on the fundamental needs of childhood.

February 6, 10:00 a.m. – “The Self-Esteem Trap” Polly Young-Eisendrath Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology at the University of Vermont, clinical psychologist, and author, will share insights from her book, The Self-Esteem Trap, on how to provide your children with solid values that will help lead to successful children.

April 11, 10:00 a.m. – “Building Strong Parent-Child Connections” Tara Brown, school teacher, coach, and author of Different Cultures, Common Ground, will discuss strategies for building stronger connections with your children and helping nurture their passions.

Lectures are free, open to the public, and held on the Rippowam Cisqua School Lower Campus, 325 West Patent Road, Mount Kisco, NY. For more information contact Susie Danziger at susie_danziger@rcsny.org or 914-244-1292.

Non Profit Org US Postage PAID Permit No 6030 White Plains NY

Rippowam Cisqua School P.O. Box 488, Bedford, New York 10506 Lower Campus: 914-244-1200 Upper Campus: 914-244-1250 www.rcsny.org

Our donors are extremely important to us. We make every effort to insure accuracy in reporting, but if we have made an error of any kind, please accept our sincere apology and bring it to our attention so that we may correct our records. Contact Susie Danziger (914) 244-1292 with any corrections.