FALL
CONNECTIONS
2019
1
WHAT’S IN THIS ISSUE?
School Snapshots 2
Family Spotlight 3
Focus on Faculty 4
Campus Guests 5
Focus on Faculty 6
Campus Life 8
Oh, the Places They’ll Go! 12
Alumni News 14
2018-2019 Annual Report 16
EDITOR Corinne Hayhurst CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Amy Walters
Message from the Head of School
Building Community by Sharing our Stories To kick off each of my five years at Seven Hills, I have dedicated myself to a theme around “Building Community.” Our theme for this 2019-20 school year is Building Community by Sharing (Y)Our Stories. At our August opening meetings, I asked faculty and staff to share with each other something about a moment when they felt they belonged. I shared about how I grew up in a family of four boys, and while I felt I belonged in my family, I had a different and deeper sense of belonging in my all girls high school. It was a transformative time in my development, where I learned that I truly had a place among females and in schools. As I begin my fifth school year at Seven Hills, some of my most memorable and significant moments have been connecting with our community and hearing people’s
PHOTOGRAPHERS Matt Beardsley,
John King Photography, Adam Lechner ’87, Barb Eaton, Kathleen McNamara, Rhys Miller, and Seven Hills Faculty
WRITERS Riki Gibson, Dan Murphy DESIGN RossTurnerDesign.com PRINTER Norco Printing THE SEVEN HILLS SCHOOL
975 North San Carlos Drive Walnut Creek, CA 94598 (925) 933-0666 www.sevenhillsschool.org
2
Favorite Read Alouds
stories. I feel grateful for the opportunities to serve as a Middle School advisor, visit and read in the elementary classrooms, talk with teachers and parents, and travel and meet with our alumni around the country. I am inspired and humbled by the good they are doing in the world. This theme of building community is woven throughout this issue of Connections, with stories and highlights from the past year—faculty and staff professional development and presentations (p.4), visiting authors and experts sharing their own stories and careers (p.5), and some stories that captivated our entire community, like the goslings that hatched on campus (p.10)! Stories of our passionate graduates (p.12), our engaged alumni (p.14), and our generous donors (p.18) also fill me with appreciation. Our Board of Trustees have been hard at work, updating and articulating Seven Hills’ strategic destinations, resulting in an updated plan—Whole Child, Whole Community— centered around the three pillars of our mission (p.28). While charting a course for the next five years, we are redefining who we want to be as a community. This is seen in our new onsite Community Lunch Program, our work with faculty and staff on program development, our commitment to be an inclusive community, and our vision for the future. It’s an exciting time to be at Seven Hills! Thank you for being part of this community that is made stronger by the diverse perspectives you each bring and by your contributions of time and resources. It is with deep gratitude that I look back on 2018-19, and with great excitement, look forward to more learning, discovery, exploration, and stories in the year ahead. With gratitude,
Kathleen McNamara Head of School
MISSION STATEMENT The Seven Hills School is a learning community with the mission to develop the intellect, engage the spirit, and foster respect for, and responsibility to, our world.
KATHLEEN’S READING LIST From Her Night Stand
1
SCHOOL SNAPSHOTS: 2018-19
of 8th grade graduates are headed to independent, parochial, and boarding high schools
NEW PEOPLE
inquired about Seven Hills as part of the admissions process
23
44 133 2
student school bus riders
for collabo y t ra ul
s
of 8th grade graduates are headed to public high schools
75%
6
ummer p es la tiv
25%
60th year
ed by ceiv fa re c
10,561
eggs laid by Seven Hills chickens
53
roadmap to our
gra nt
pounds of water repurposed to the mint planter
ing
of parents ranked caring and happiness as top family values in the Harvard Caring Schools Survey
Whole Child, Whole Community
nn
Over 90% 937
Seven Hills marchers in the Walnut Festival Twilight Parade
after school enrichment classes offered rockets launched during astrogation week
FAMILY SPOTLIGHT A Place to Call Home: An Interview with the Ebel Family Ten years ago, Eric and Stéphanie Ebel were living and raising their family in Grenoble, France. When their daughter Chloé was three years old and their son Lucas just a baby, Eric received a job transfer to San Francisco. One night Eric’s boss invited them to his home in Walnut Creek, and Eric and Stéphanie fell in love with the warmer temperatures, the vibe of a smaller town, and the good things they heard about the schools. After moving to Walnut Creek, they began looking for a school that could recreate the community they had in France. With no other family nearby, Stéphanie needed a school that she could trust, and a community that she could ask for recommendations for a pediatrician or good books to read. After a couple of years at a Montessori school, Stéphanie and Eric toured Seven Hills for Chloé’s 1st grade year. They noticed the natural environment, the creek, and that every teacher took time to answer questions while giving students responsibility and agency. While waiting for their family interview, a man in the lobby struck up a conversation with them and happened to know their village in France—it turned out to be Bill Miller, the headmaster at the time. Stéphanie told Eric, “We’re not visiting anywhere else.” Since deciding to stay in the United States long term, the Ebels have been grateful for the Seven Hills community. In France, schools were more closed off to parents, so it was new to have such a close partnership with the teachers. They were also impressed with the social-emotional curriculum. “I remember when Lucas’ class started using Kimochis in Kindergarten,” says Stéphanie. “He was able to tell me that he was feeling generous, or angry, or another emotion. At age five and six, he knew himself well thanks to those methods.” It aligned with their belief that if children learn to be kind when they are young, you can help them become good adults. Stéphanie has been involved in several volunteering roles over the years, including PIA president, Evening of the Arts chair, crêpes maker for teacher appreciation, and room parent coordinator this year. “We all have a common bond. We care about creating the best possible educational experience for our children,” she says. “When we volunteered, we connected with other families, and the school community became our family by adoption.”
With Chloé graduating this year, the Ebels are grateful for the solid foundation she has for her future. In addition to the graduation festivities, they are also excited for Lucas’ 5th grade class trip to Yosemite this year. Eric and Stéphanie have watched their children become great public speakers, take risks and make mistakes, have confidence, and wake up wanting to go to school each morning. “The whole child approach has been a way of life. It’s about being happy and kind, and learning techniques for handling life’s ups and downs.”
3
FOCUS ON FACULTY Experts in their Field Faculty and staff professional development is a high priority at Seven Hills, because we believe that students should be taught by the best trained, most motivated, incredibly passionate teachers. Despite years of collective experience in the classroom, it is the norm to see Seven Hills teachers participating in professional development and adding to their toolbox of cutting edge skills, approaches, and knowledge. In fact, this past summer, teachers spent over 1,500 hours fine-tuning their practices and exploring innovative topics like responsive classroom, inclusive schools, and reading and writing workshops.
In addition, many Seven Hills’ faculty present their own data and ideas at education conferences around the country. Through the presentation process—spending time in self-reflection, discussing their research, answering questions, and receiving feedback from other educators—teachers grow even more. “The experience of sharing their best work with other teachers is a deeply satisfying one,” says Director of Teaching and Learning Rhys Miller. “It helps students in classrooms far beyond Seven Hills, gives the opportunity to network with a broader learning community, and brings fresh ideas back to Seven Hills students.”
Highlights from 2018-19
4
The Image Of The Child
Do You Desmos?
For the past four years, Seven Hills’ ECE program has been a part of the Innovative Teacher Project (ITP), a Reggio Emilia inspired professional development community of educators. In May, the ECE team—including current teachers Shauna Maraccini, Gina Hinck, Jenny Marcus, and Kelley Cochran—was selected to host 40 fellow early childhood educators on the Seven Hills campus for a day of ITP presentations. The Rainbow teachers presented on “Stories of Identity” and their journey into cultural competency work with preschoolers; the Red Barn teachers presented on “Children as Storytellers” and shared their experience on the use of loose parts. The team also provided attendees an opportunity to explore Seven Hills’ unique ECE spaces and exchange ideas related to the project’s overarching theme, The Image Of The Child: Children as Active Protagonists of Their Growth and Development Process.
Middle School Math teacher Kathy Henderson was accepted to present at four conferences in 2018-19 on her expertise in Desmos, a company that invites students to create their own mathematical ideas through hundreds of fun, digital activities. At the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) conference in Seattle, she presented to a packed house of 145 participants on how to use Desmos to create engagement and promote discussions in the classroom. She also wrote a four-part blog series for NCTM on Desmos and will be presenting at more conferences during the 2019-20 school year.
CAMPUS GUESTS Author Talks Promote a Love of Reading and Writing After collectively reading The Only Road/El único destino over the summer, Middle School students met the author Alexandra Diaz who shared her parents’ own story of migration from Cuba with only $40 and a change of clothing. The classes discussed the writer’s craft and research process, and Diaz encouraged students that, as with any pursuit, writing mastery takes practice and the more one puts forth, the greater the return.
Newbery Medal picture book and young adult author, Matt de la Peña visited the Lower School to share about his journey from reluctant reader to author through the transformative nature of literature. He also attended the monthly faculty and staff meeting and shared more of his inspirational story about learning, writing, and loving. Seven Hills is thrilled to have Matt as our artist in residence for the 2019-20 school year.
Parent Lecture Series Brings Engaging Authors to Campus Kicking off the Parent Lecture Series, Dr. Michele Borba, award-winning author of Unselfie: Why
Empathetic Kids Succeed in an All-About-Me World, discussed why empathy is a key predictor to help kids succeed in our plugged-in, trophy-driven world. She shared nine approachable, teachable habits for parents to nurture children’s empathy in bite-sized chunks at home.
Closing out the series, Eric Schlosser shared questions and findings from his most famous book, Fast Food Nation. Schlosser engaged the audience with his exploration of how junk food companies continue to target children, and how it is contributing to an epidemic of obesity and poor health in America. The lecture on food and health dovetailed with the recent launch of the Seven Hills Community Lunch Program.
Local Guests Share Their Crafts Bay Area based storyteller Muriel Johnson captivated ECE students with her interactive and passionate style during a special library performance. An early childhood educator for more than 20 years, Muriel has performed at schools, churches, museums, colleges, festivals, and countless other venues from rural communities to Cape Town, South Africa.
KPIX-5 Chief Meteorologist Paul Deanno visited 3rd grade in the
spring as part of the students’ weather unit in science. He shared about the different types of weather, what it’s like being a career meteorologist, and even why he’s called a meteorologist! He also read his newly published children’s book, “WOW! Weather!” to the class.
5
FOCUS ON STUDENTS The Empathy Advantage At Seven Hills, our commitment to diversity and inclusion builds empathy and helps strengthen cultural competency skills that allow our graduates to thrive in a global society. We want our students and graduates to have a strong sense of self, and the skills to connect with and respect others. Providing opportunities for students to explore their own identity, culture, and life experience in a safe learning environment can foster an appreciation for different perspectives, dispel stereotypes, create stronger relationships, and ultimately build empathy towards peers. We also know from
research that diverse schools have stronger academic outcomes, just as diverse organizations are higher performing, more innovative, and leaders in the market. From ECE to Middle School, Seven Hills teachers are continually looking at ways to shift and evolve aspects of the curriculum to ensure that it is relevant and inclusive of a broad range of cultures and histories. Using the lens of “mirrors and windows,” teachers are introducing classroom literature, media, and materials that reflect students’ own experiences as well as the experiences of others.
The Colors of Us After hearing preschoolers begin to talk about their skin colors, the Rainbow teaching team reflected on how their curriculum could further support children as critical thinkers and explorers of their personal identity. After reading the book The Colors of Us, students had the opportunity to explore their multi-layered identities through painting self-portraits. They used mirrors to closely analyze their facial details and mixed their own paint colors to replicate their skin tone, which they described with words like “peanut butter,” “chocolate,” “peach,” and “pancake.” Through the unit, Rainbow children discovered the many ways in which they are similar and different.
6
Celebrating the “Global Us” The 2nd grade ancestry and family unit has long been a favorite tradition. A couple of years ago, the 2nd grade teaching team asked themselves, “how could we make this an even more authentic experience for students to better understand each other’s families and cultures?” Instead of assigning students scripts to learn, they asked students to choose which aspects of their family story they wanted to share at the Global Us presentation—from special celebrations, to the origins of their names. Through writing, dancing, singing, playing instruments, and public speaking, the unit reflected all of the class’s different cultures, and students made new discoveries about their families and themselves.
em•pa•thy
noun / the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another. — Merriam Webster
Each child seeing themselves as part of a unit, and feeling a sense of belonging at school, is a crucial piece of the social-emotional learning that happens at Seven Hills. We aim to create authentic learning opportunities that allow students to stretch their horizons, exhibit agency in their learning, and develop an empathetic core. “This important work ensures that Seven Hills’ curriculum is ever evolving,” says Director of Teaching and Learning Rhys Miller. “Teachers are constantly aligning their lessons to reflect the various beliefs, backgrounds, perspectives, and cultures that
students bring into the classroom, and students are gaining invaluable competencies they will need to navigate the world beyond Seven Hills.” From exploring identity through self-portraits and learning about family traditions and cultures, to celebrating history through music and dance, and using creative writing and poetry to understand personal belief systems, our students are building empathy skills, emotional intelligence, and connections to become leaders and changemakers.
I Am From...I Believe
California’s Cultural Tapestry A culmination of their exploration of the history of music in California, 4th graders performed “California Tapestry”—their year-end concert celebrating the different groups who make up the cultural fabric of our state. Students narrated a Miwok story, performed a traditional Mexican song, danced a Hawaiian He-eia hula, sang a Japanese song and some Blues, and concluded with will.i.am’s song “What I Am.” With many new perspectives to explore and perform, students were invited to look beyond one point of view, and to consider the thoughts, feelings, motivations, and intentions of the different groups throughout California’s history.
In 6th grade language arts, young writers wrote “I Am From” and “I Believe” biographical poems. Written prompts guided students to explore the traits, tendencies, ancestors, events, homes, and memories that have shaped who they are. Through imagination, descriptive language, and personal preferences, they completed poems sharing their unique identities and value systems. Sixth graders also worked on a project which entailed artistically writing sentences about their identity on an enlargement of their thumbprint. While building creative writing and poetry skills, students also deepened their shared points of connection and understanding of differences.
7
COMMUNITY LIFE
First grade sandcastle builders use Baker Beach as their classroom for the day.
Hoo-hoo! Students showcase their art projects during Evening of Art, Innovation, & Greenstival.
A Community of Buddies “Okay, remember that we have to look out for each other and stay together!� said a 4th grader to a Kindergarten student. A beloved tradition of many years, the buddies program plays a special role in promoting the values of respect, compassion, difference, responsibility, friendship, and inclusion. ECE-8th grade students meet their buddy at the beginning of each school year, and have opportunities to connect each month while sharing lunch, reading books, going on scavenger hunts, attending field trips together, or playing during buddy time. As Seven Hills participates in the Harvard Caring Schools initiative, buddy time teaches social skills that foster a caring and kind school community.
Mr. EB and our Jaguar show their school spirit during the Walnut Festival Twilight Parade.
8
COMMUNITY LIFE
The Jags golf team putts their way to several victories at the East Bay Golf League Championship.
New Investigations in Middle School Mini Camps
Jellyfish parent volunteers swim their way to the Halloween Festival.
Want to create your own documentary? How about building an electric go-kart named Geoff, or enjoying dim sum in San Francisco? Seventh and 8th grade students not traveling on last year’s international trips were engaged in these unique learning investigations during new week-long “mini camps.” Students could choose to explore Science and Electronics, Filmmaking and Documentaries, or Bay Area Excursions. Similar to the Middle School electives launched the year before, the mini camps infused student choice into the lineup of horizon-broadening classes.
9
Music, movement, and makebelieve at the Red Barn end of year celebration.
Looking ahead to new possibilities on the first day of school. Finding the perfect selfie during Grandparents & VIP Day.
Mother Goose Comes to Campus Last spring atop the trellis in the Student Commons, a “mother goose” made a nest and spent four weeks sitting and watching over her six goose eggs. Students and faculty galvanized around this event. The Seven Hills grounds crew built a ramp for the future goslings to safely descend from their high perch, and Middle School science teachers Matt Shargel and Megan Kaye ’09 installed a “nest cam” so that students and teachers could watch the event unfold.
Kindergarten scientists investigate plant life at Berkeley Horticultural Nursery.
10
7th grade community service and stewardship with Save Mount Diablo.
On a Saturday morning after the eggs had hatched, staff members Linden Van Wert and Katherine Stahl were onsite to pad the goslings’ jump off of the structure with gymnastics mats, and witness the family’s inaugural march to the lake at Heather Farm Park. The month of the goose made for an exciting time of student learning as our newest community members hatched their way into the world!
COMMUNITY LIFE
Building a solid shelter during the 6th grade Mount Lassen trip.
Konnichiwa! New friends delight the audience during the Japanese Exchange Welcome Assembly.
4th graders show off their henna as they learn about Diwali.
Sharing the ancient Chinese tradition of Tai Chi during 2nd grade’s Global Us.
11
OH, THE PLACES THEY’LL GO! A New Journey: Graduation Celebrates the Class of 2019 At the 56th annual graduation ceremony in June, Seven Hills honored and recognized the achievements, effort, and growth of our 8th graders in front of their families and friends. Reflection and gratitude filled Hunt Hall as the 44 graduates from the Class of 2019 thought about the lessons they will take with them as they launch into their new high school adventures. The event is marked by special traditions—memory boards under the tent, 8th grade speeches and individual quotes, the entire K-7th grade in attendance, and the faculty and staff receiving line. “We are so proud of all the Class of 2019 has accomplished here, and we cannot wait to hear about the ways they will make a difference in their high schools,” said Scott Espinosa-Brown, Head of Grades 4-8. Most importantly, we know that they will continue to embrace our creed— to be respectful, responsible, honest, caring, positive, mindful, and grateful.
“While I have a home that I share with my family whom I love dearly and with whom I laugh and create memories, my heart also rests in this school and with the class I have grown up with who helped make me who I am now. We have laughed, we have created memories, we have grown, and we have accepted each other for who we are.” – Grant Gutzwiller ’19
Class of 2019: High School Destinations Zubin Acuña – Acalanes Ashley Ashiku – Thacher Anton Borovikov – College Preparatory Olivia Breach – Athenian Iris Buttles – San Ramon Valley Lia Chinn – Carondelet Jack Clancy – San Francisco University HS Nathaniel Copeland – Athenian Charlotte Dawson – Bentley Mark Dickey – Athenian Shipley Duff – Campolindo Alexandra El-Sherif – Head-Royce Zachary Elian – De La Salle Kaveh Farahbakhsh – De La Salle Alex Filonov – Miramonte
12
Aubrey Fitzsimmons – Head-Royce Hans Gingrich – De La Salle Hannah Glasky – Campolindo Michael Goldberg – Wichita Collegiate HS Grant Gutzwiller – Athenian Olivia Harris – College Preparatory Leila Helton – College Preparatory Maile Hoch – San Ramon Valley Mackenzie Hoey – Carondelet Peter Hughes – De La Salle Chloe Kang – Athenian Lily Kangas – Head-Royce Zane Khoury – Bentley Darius Koster – Bentley Sonam Manghani – College Preparatory
Owen Menzies – Athenian Gavin Nunez – Bentley Mira Patel – College Preparatory Katherine Pflieger – Campolindo William Pirone – College Preparatory Audrey Reiser – San Ramon Valley Katelyn Rodde – Carondelet William Rueb – De La Salle Ava Satterfield – Bentley Pierson Scheinberg – College Preparatory Nicholas Schwab – Bentley Charlie Walters – Northgate Addison Young – Northgate Constanza Zamani – Miramonte
OH, THE PLACES THEY’LL GO! Class of 2015: College Destinations Seven Hills students from the Class of 2015 have big plans and are now in colleges and universities across the U.S. MIDWEST
Kenyon College University of Missouri University of Michigan
NORTHEAST
Olin College of Engineering Saint Joseph’s University Swarthmore College University of Pennsylvania University of Vermont Yale University
WEST
Arizona State University Boise State University Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo California State University, Chico Colorado State University Chapman University Diablo Valley College Gonzaga University Loyola Marymount University Montana State University Occidental College Saint Mary’s College of California Santa Clara University University of California, Berkeley University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Riverside University of California, San Diego University of Washington
SOUTH
American University Duke University Emory University Rice University Texas Christian University
13
ALUMNI EVENTS Last year's alumni events brought together graduates spanning several decades, near and far. Many thanks to our faculty-led Alumni Council for helping to build and connect our alumni network.
CARE PACKAGE PARTY Class of 2014 alumni parents
gathered on campus to assemble and stuff care packages for young alumni in their first year of college, filled with homemade goodies, special Valentines treats, and notes from their former Seven Hills teachers.
MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER PATHWAYS The third annual Career Pathways was an amazing day for 6th and 8th graders to be exposed to different paths to career success through alumni and parent speakers. Keynote speaker Bryce Pinkos ’99 discussed the technology of filmmaking and his journey to Lucasfilm, and encouraged students to learn all aspects of a business by being open to doing anything.
ALUMNI HAPPY HOUR Alumni gathered at
Calicraft Brewing Company on a
warm fall afternoon to catch up with their friends and former teachers.
14
SENIOR SEND O
Seven Hills welcomed to celebrate their gra More than 50 alumni reconnected over bru
NEW YORK MEET-UP Head of Grades 4-8 Scott Espinosa-Brown and faculty members Nancy Lane and Carolyn Nelson hosted an alumni meet-up at House of Brews in New York City while traveling for professional development.
Alumni Events:
Save the Date November 19 Career Pathways: Networking Event (SF) with special keynote by Jim Lanzone, CEO, CBS Interactive and Chief Digital Officer, CBS Corporation
HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS SHARE WISDOM WITH THE CLASS OF 2019
OFF
d back the Class of 2015 aduation from high school. i, alumni parents, and faculty unch and stories.
ALL-ALUMNI REUNION The June All-Alumni Reunion was attended by alumni and faculty spanning three decades! Alumni toured campus, reminisced with classmates, and caught up with faculty and staff.
The Class of 2019 was officially welcomed into the alumni ranks at the longstanding Alumni Welcome Lunch. Three members of the Class of 2015, Jack Engstrom ’15,
Sarah Forman ’15, and Ellen Jurgens ’15 returned to offer
advice about high school and life beyond Seven Hills. Each speaker represented a different high school perspective— public, parochial, and independent—and touched on everything from academics and extracurriculars to social life and peer pressure.
January 31 Class of 2015 Alumni Parent Care Package Party March 4 Alumni Happy Hour April 24 Career Pathways: Career Day May 16 Class of 2016 Senior Send Off May 29 Alumni Welcome Luncheon June 6 All-Alumni Reunion
15
2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT A Message from the Board Chair As we celebrate the 57th opening of The Seven Hills School for the 2019-20 year, I’m reminded of both the legacy and evolution of our amazing academic institution that today is home to over 400 students, 270 families, and 90 faculty and administration team members. Over the last four years, the Board has welcomed Kathleen McNamara as our Head of School and collaborated with her vision for our future. We have commemorated the accomplishments and retirements of long-tenured faculty, administrators, and trustees, and have attracted a new cohort of educators who, in joining with our seasoned faculty, embody our school’s whole child curriculum and benefit from our strong commitment to professional development. These milestones have taken place in a world filled with social, economic, political, and technological change, making strong learning communities like Seven Hills increasingly important places for our children to learn, grow, and become independent thinkers. As the incoming Board Chair this school year and a trustee for the past six years, I am honored to work alongside 20 talented trustees to embrace the responsibility for and stewardship of the important legacy that is The Seven Hills School, in a way consistent with the mission, values, and beliefs secured under the previous board leadership of Sameer Hilal. Our first step was the launch of the strategic plan Whole Child, Whole Community (p.28-29), which will serve as the school’s roadmap for the next several years. This plan includes deeper insight into the oftenasked question of what a whole child education really means from a curricular and community standpoint. In parallel, the Seven Beliefs For Seven Hills will continue the development of the school’s values-based approach to educating our students beyond academics. Our Whole Child, Whole Community approach also aims to better connect all constituencies within our school. Examples of this approach include our ongoing cultural competency initiatives, as well as the rollout of our all-school lunch program, which we sincerely believe over time will become cornerstones of our vibrant community. All of the above investments and plans are only possible due to the countless hours provided by our school’s passionate volunteers, talented teachers, and dedicated administration, together with the ongoing financial contribution from our donors and generous families. Through your generosity, we celebrate yet another important milestone as we reach the goal of $5 million for the Seven Hills endowment, which now funds over $220,000 annually towards the school’s operating budget. Thank you to all members of our extended Seven Hills community for your continued support as we look ahead to the possibilities to come for our exceptional school. Gratefully,
Matt Janopaul Chair, Board of Trustees
16
FINANCIALS 2018-19 Board of Trustees
OPERATING REVENUES
BOARD MEMBERS Sameer Advani Jamil Akoni Heather Alumbaugh Pat Blake Annette O’Donnell-Butner Paul Deeringer Candace Fleming Matt Janopaul Raj Krishnan Alexandra Lee Mackenzie Lesher
Patrick Lin Rob Little Matt Macomber Julie Meissner Ronke Olatunji Bryce Pinkos ’99 Dave Satterfield Seiyonne Suriyakumar ’02 Lisa Barnett Sween Kirsten Young
WE THANK THE FOLLOWING TRUSTEES FOR THEIR SERVICE THROUGH JUNE 2019 Laura Furstenthal John Gingrich Khira Griscavage Julie Gutzwiller Sameer Hilal Gina Morris
Net Tuition1 $9,459,204 85.4% Annual Fund and Auction2 717,170 6.5% Other 682,881 6.2% Endowment Draw 220,171 1.6% Total $11,079,426 1. Net Tuition does not include Tuition Assistance 2. Does not include Raise the Paddle
$992,151 $119,000
OPERATING EXPENSES3 Salaries and Benefits $8,256,354 76.0% Instructional 1,147,924 10.6% General and Administrative 218,951 2.0% Fundraising 158,610 1.5% Plant 471,754 4.3% Debt Service 610,321 5.6% Total
$10,863,914
3. Excludes non-cash depreciation/amortization
$881,152
Capital Projects and Maintenance $328,451
Seven Hills is committed to enhancing the student experience while keeping tuition as low as possible. The Board of Trustees helps manage the school’s finances with the goal of supporting mission-driven growth and fiscal strength.
Endowment $4,905,677
The operating budget in 2018-19 was $11 million. Salaries and benefits continued to account for more than 75% of the overall operating expenses, while tuition provided 85% of the overall operating revenue. Second to tuition, the Annual Fund and auction combined were the largest source of operating revenue.
Note: capital expense is funded via operations, gifts, and reserves
Total Liabilities and Net Assets $31,756,081
These numbers reflect pre-audited financials from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Audit will be available upon request as of December 2019.
17
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS 2018-19 Supporting a Whole Child Education At Seven Hills, our mission calls us to build a foundation that fosters a lifelong love of learning, educating not just the mind, but the heart. We do this in partnership with our community, and all those committed to creating the best future for our children. We gratefully acknowledge the trustees, parents, grandparents, alumni parents, alumni, foundations, faculty, and staff who supported The Seven Hills School during the fiscal year July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information and listings in this report. If we have made any errors or omissions, we sincerely apologize, and please bring it to the attention of the Development Office at (925) 933-0666.
Annual Fund Donors Visionaries
$20,000 - $29,999 The Benevity Community Impact Fund David and Emily Breach Ravikanth Ganapavarapu Robert and Renee Little National Philanthropic Trust
Leadership Circle $10,000 - $19,999
Patrick and Alison Blake Christopher and Annette Butner Benjamin and Sara Clinger Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund John and Laura Furstenthal Frederick Hughes, Jr.
18
A special thanks to the more than 400 parents, faculty, grandparents, alumni, alumni parents, and friends of the school, who supported the Seven Hills Annual Fund between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019. Gifts to the Annual Fund support every aspect of school life including our dynamic faculty, beautiful campus, and whole child program to benefit our inspiring and wonderful students. Thank you for your thoughtful and enthusiastic participation.
Fred and Noel Hughes Matthew and Marissa Janopaul Kenneth and Jennie Klein Stephen and Mackenzie Lesher Schwab Charitable Fund Delbert and Kimberly Stafford Corby and Heather Stead Patrick and Diane Suciu
Giving Champs $5,000 - $9,999
Anonymous Bank of America Matching Gifts Program BlackRock Matching Gift Program George and Stephanie Buhalis
Jonathan and Kristin Butler Frank and Elizabeth Cassal Chevron Matching Employee Funds Warren and Erin Colbert Brian and Kristen D’Arcy Daniel and Lindsay Delaney Amber DeSilva David DeSilva Charles Gibson and Terezia Nemeth John Gingrich and Christine Currie Robert and Wendy Greer Joel and Holly Grossman Louis and Patricia Grossman Peter and Julie Gutzwiller Sameer and Melissa Hilal
Wendy Jordan Scott and Lori Keith Raj and Rupy Krishnan Cornel and Alexandra Lee Patrick and Darlet Lin Jonathan and Gillian Marek Kathleen McNamara and Jihad Mirza Jay and Julie Meissner Gregory Pilarowski and Anna Gai David and Anabelle Satterfield Yi Shi and Shangjie Zuo John Sween and Lisa Barnett Sween Thomas and Stephanie Taira Wally and Kirsten Young
Headmaster’s Circle $2,500 - $4,999
Katherine Alberts and Lori Siegel Jonathan and Amanda Ambrose Simon Ashiku and Annette Chen Maximilian and Lori Auffhammer Brian and Lisa Baskin Gordon and Diana Baty Guillermo Bossero Ryan and Nicole Brown Ewan and Alyson Chesser Edward and Vanessa Childs Paul Chua and Grace Chan Alexander Copeland and Lolli Beall Paul and Christa Deeringer Alexander and Samantha Duff William Dutra Eric and Stéphanie Ebel David Fitzgerald and Haywon Lieh Lee and Candace Fleming Google Inc. Employee Giving John and Khira Griscavage
Jay and Genevieve Gudebski Scot and Liann Hagey Brett and Kymberly Johnson Charles and Lainie Johnson Thomas and Danielle Kahl Jeffrey and Nicole Kangas Pamela Keith and Elizabeth Mahler Peter and Tara Khoury Mitchell Kumagai and Deborah Podberesky Kurt and Leighanne Levensaler Eric and Karen Littell Zhonghui Luo and Li Huang Matthew and Kamin Macomber Richard and Patricia Marcogliese MasterCard Matching Gifts Program Drew and Kaeti McMillan Rahul Parikh and Rina Shah Parnassus Investments Shami and Lori Patel Robert and Margie Pearce David and Sylvia Pearlstein Jeffrey and Jessica Pozzi
Jeremy and Jennifer Rich Phillip and Teri Rogers Armin and Lisa Seifart Steven and Susie Sovik Tanner Wickes and Julie Anne Springman Wickes ’98 Edward and Devra Struzenberg Edward and Leslie Sullivan Edward Surak and Claudia Furtado Carlo Tamburrino and Paulette DeFalco Michael Tatara and Helen Kurtz Ian and Alexis Tawes The San Francisco Foundation Vanguard Charitable David and Joelle Weckerle Wells Fargo Foundation Educational Matching Gifts Program
Benefactors
$1,000 - $2,499 Walter and Natasha Acuña Sameer and Stella Advani Jamil and Cheryl Akoni
Jason and Nicole Ambrose Anonymous (2) Amir Axelrod and Sherry Wang-Axelrod Douglas Baloun and Traci Huahn Alberto and Ana Bianchi Ilya Borovikov and Victoria Holcomb Dennis and Veronica Brinkmann Bret and Sarah Cameto Steven and Vanessa Capelli Alison Carrillo Ronald and Fannie Chan Peter and Precilla Clancy Casey Conroy and Diana Herrera-Conroy Kevin Considine and Christine Paige Considine Santosh and Eva Marie Dhanalal Imran and Regula Dhedhi Luis Domínguez and Vanessa Torre Thomas and Julie Ducharme Mario and Graciela Dueñas Mario and Tamara Dueñas
Family Office Foundation, Inc. Anne Gartner Genentech, Inc. Thomas and Valerie Greeley Karan and Ella Gupta Blake Haley and Christine Deakin Jonathan and Alyssa Harris Terence Heywood and Pamela Lesoganich- Heywood Hitachi Vantara Paul Ho and Katherine Jue IBM Matching Grants Program Andy and Barb Jaspar Paul Ho and Katherine Jue Byongkook Kang and Helen Yoon Tanveer and Sarah Khan Charles Killian and Michelle Watts Killian Brent and Rebecca Larson Jae Lee and Shireen Advani Lee Robert and Christine Lee Alexandr and Julia Lints
Norman and Mo Livermore Randall and Elizabeth Luskey Thomas and Denise Lyle Kathleen Manning Aimee Medeiros Neil Menzies MGD Painting & Decorating, Inc. Jason and Ginelle Mills Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust, Inc. Henri and Lorena Moudi Nand and Sarbani Mulchandani Kenneth and Dorothy Paige Justin and Tracy Pajer Pfizer William Radtke and Tabitha Kix-Radtke Rafi Rafiei Rozbahani and Banafshe Nabizadeh John and Julie Rhee William and Allison Roberts Jonathan and Jennifer Rodde George and Cheri Russell Ibrahim and Aylin Sahin Salesforce.com Foundation Jay Saoud and Kristina Kramer Brian Scheinberg and Laura Pierson- Scheinberg Shervine Shirazi and Ameneh Khosrovani Silicon Valley Bank Matching Gifts - SVB In the Community Jonathan and Ali Singh Simerjit Singh and Harmol Raikhy John and Deborah Steinbuch Cynthia Stephenson- Catterton Morgan and Lisa Swiggett Todd Thorner and Leyla Khosrovani Larry and Deveney Totten UBS Financial Robert and Amy Walters Daniel and Barbara Wark
2018-19 Faculty and Staff Donors In addition to their countless daily contributions to Seven Hills and our students, 100 percent of our faculty and staff supported the Annual Fund in 2018-19. Thank you! Tanveer Alibhai Annie Allen Virginia Arias Lori Auffhammer Michelle Barahona Karen Begg Brittany Berg Clare Bisho Kellen Bothwell Christiane Brinkerhoff Samantha Buono Kelly Cardella Michael Chamberlain Lucy Chappell Stephanie Chiang Kelley Cochran Cynthia Cogswell Carolyn Cruz Rebecca Cushing Cora Davidson Jason Davis Barbara Eaton Scott Espinosa-Brown Laurel Evans Tyler Flynn Rambo Deborah Frerk Riki Gibson Susanne Goldman Patty Gonser Ashley Gordon Christi Gotvald Corinne Hayhurst Katherine Henderson Michelle Hercoson Jesus Hernandez Gina Hinck Stephanie Hough Kim Hughes Megan Kaye ’09 Katie Kreuser Nancy Lane Rebecca Larson Adam Lechner ’87 Elgin Leslie
19
Kate Levine Sarah Lewis Lisa Lindgren Veena Lohia Shauna Maraccini Jenny Marcus Alisha Marsh Kelly McCargar Phil McFann Kathleen McNamara Rhys Miller Jihad Mirza Dan Murphy Carolyn Nelson Nick Obando Charlene O’Brien Tina Ory Heidi Plumb Megan Prieto Renee Ramig Cyrell Roberson Generra Rocchi Dan Rogoff Mark Roquet Lauren Sanders Julie Scarpelli Karen Schulz Matt Shargel Deborah Shipherd Paul Smith Stephanie Sproul Katherine Stahl Cassidy Thompson Patti Turetzky Linden Van Wert Mart Villatuya Beth Wadsworth Amy Walters Alison Wash Mari Weiss Joanie Wills Kirsten Woods Ponce Yambao
19
2018-19 Annual Fund Class Captains
Joshua and Tara Wellen Wellen Properties Farhad Zamani and Georgina Jensen Arlo and Christine Zoerner
A special thanks to our Class Captains who shepherded our Annual Fund efforts in 2018-19 and helped us achieve an impressive 92 percent parent participation. Your enthusiasm is inspiring!
Friends
Rainbow Grace Chan
Red Barn Katie Alberts
K Stephanie Taira
1st Diana Baty
2nd Katie Alberts
3rd Julie and Jay Meissner
4th Casey Conroy Marissa Janopaul
5th Jason Husk 6th Kat Sellis
7th Michael Gandy
8th Vicky Holcomb
Annual Fund Parent Chair Chip Johnson
Up to $999 5AM Venture Management, LLC Jeffrey and Heidi Abramson Nick Adamson and Carisa Harris Adamson Annie Allen Robert Allen Anonymous (15) Rodolfo and Virginia Arias Pedro Babiak and Laura Lippow Gene and Alicia Bakkum Gretchen Bartzen Cas and Carol Beals Christopher and Karen Begg Carlos and Domenica Benitez Brittany Berg Nicholas and Clare Bisho Altaf and Salimah Boghani Andrew and Kellen Bothwell Bright Funds Foundation Brent and Christiane Brinkerhoff Bill Butner and Bil Sullivan Jones Butner Mark and Kelly Cardella Adrian Carrillo and Michelle Barahona Kimberly Carpenter Lucien and Lauren Cazenave Michael Chamberlain and Kathleen Jiménez
Lucy Chappell Charles Schwab Foundation Rick and May Chuarta Cisco Community Connection Matching Gifts Program The Clorox Company Foundation Daniel and Kelley Cochran William and Cynthia Cogswell Dawn Craig and Teresa Brink Kendall Craig ’18 Ryan and Nicole Crowley Carolyn Cruz John and L. Adrienne Cupples Dan and Rebecca Cushing William and Linda Daniel Brad and Cora Davidson Davidson Educational Therapy & Consulting Jason and Lisa Davis Pamela Dayton Amish and Shilpa Doshi Alice Duff John Thomas Earle ’17 Mark and Kristine Earle Sofia Earle ’14 Samuel East and Kristy McVey East Richard and Barbara Eaton Danilo Ebias Lauren Elkind Peter and Sue Elkind Kenneth and Diana El-Sherif Scott and Katherine Espinosa-Brown Kurt and Sheryl Ettinger Paul and Laurel Evans Bejan and Torrey Farahbakhsh
Joseph and Lucy Felcher Marlon Fernandez and Wren Amos James and Marcie Fitzsimmons Tyler and Jessica Flynn Rambo Deborah Frerk Joe and Beth Furstenthal Mary Gaines Michael and Katherine Gandy Juan Gaviria and Marcela Robledo Gregory Gholson and Katherine Henderson Sadegh and Narguess Ghorban John and Jacki Gingrich Laury Glasgow Mark and Naomi Glasky David Godsoe and Renee Ramig Edward Goldberg and Larisa Genin Susanne Goldman Bob and Patty Gonser Brandon and Ashley Gordon Mark and Christi Gotvald Doug and Susan Greenberg Jack and Marcia Greenberg Marc and Wendy Greenberg Benjamin and Joanna Grossman Warren and Peggy Gutzwiller Russell and Jane Hall Ralph and Karen Hanahan James and Hali Hausmann Travis and Corinne Hayhurst William and Kimberly Hecht
Stan and Sarah Helton Michelle Hercoson Hernandez Janitorial Services Jesus and Lucy Hernandez Spencer and Gina Hinck James and Cara Hollis Dewey Horton and Ann Hatanaka Gabriel and Stephanie Hough Patrick and Kimberly Hughes Jason and Anna Husk Richard and Jennifer James Matthew and Nicole Jeffers Thomas and Pauline Jeffers Matthew and Natalie Johns William Katakis and Milena Martinez Megan Kaye ’09 Bryan and Jenifer Kester Myra Kiger Barbara Klein Andrew and Alana Kleinberger Emily Koster Kathryn Kreuser Chalis Kuba Carlton and Carrie La Cour Troy and Nancy Lane Ross and Olga Larner Kirk LaSala Magie LaSala Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Adam ’87 and Shannon Lechner Elgin and Michele Leslie David Levin and Julie Scarpelli Kate Levine
In gratitude… We celebrate our donors who support Seven Hills with vitally important annual leadership gifts of $2,500 and above with special recognition. Your loyal and generous support provides a strong foundation for a thriving Annual Fund.
20
Steve and Sarah Lewis LexisNexis Cares Lippow Development Co. Kevin and Ramona Little Carla Lo Coco ’92 Carlos Lobo and Riki Gibson Paresh and Veena Lohia Mohamed and Chelsea Lounnas Harsha Madannavar and Deepa Bangalore Rajesh and Rujuta Manghani Matthew and Shauna Maraccini Jennifer Marcus Robert and Caroline Maruska
Michael and Eileen McAndrews Dave and Kelly McCargar John and Lindsay McCormick James McDonnell and Linda Margulies Philip McFann Miklos and Kathryn Melczer Neil Meyer and Stephanie Chiang Dan Michael and Lillian Leong Neil and Rhys Miller Bill and Kristy Miller Monsanto Jason and Gina Morris
Daniel Murphy Carolyn Nelson Marygail Nelson Frank and Natasha Nicholson- Bjerre Calin and Anca Niculescu Stacy Norman David and Sally Nosal Nicholas and Erica Obando Kerry and Charlene O’Brien Eniola and Aderonke Olatunji Jon and Tina Ory Pacific Gas & Electric Oliver and Amy Parker Camile Pennix John and Hannah Pirone Heidi Plumb Joseph Pollock and Rebecca Demorest Gregory and Liana Pope Nickolas and Megan Prieto Psychiatric Care Shandon Quinn and Diane Maroongroge Gustavo Rafaela and Samantha Buono Nathan and Kimberly Rapp Ralph Raulli Ingrid Ray Thomas and Linda Reiser Cyrell Roberson Generra and Nicole Rocchi Daniel Rogoff and Laura Cox Mark and Katherine Roquet ROSS Gives Back Timothy and Jennifer Ruane Michael Rubiano Philipp Sack and Nikki Singh John Safipour ’13 Colin Safreed and Xochitl Gonzalez Safreed Matthew Sager and Amanda Ashton-Sager Michael and Lauren Sanders
Edward Scherr and Shelly Pozzi Susan Schnieders Karen Schulz Steven Schwab Matthew and Kristine Shargel Keith and Deborah Shipherd Richard and Ginger Silva Paul Smith Douglas Spear and Isabelle Ord ’86 Stephanie Sproul Stephen and Katherine Stahl Jeff Steinberg and Kirsten Woods Diana Superfin Seiyonne Suriyakumar ’02 and Anika Shah Kristel Svansjo Daniel and Lindsay Sweetnam The Walt Disney Company Foundation Cassidy Thompson Gerald and Patricia Turetzky Harpreet and Anudeep Ubhi United Way of the Bay Area Linden Van Wert William and Kimberly Vaughn Mart Villatuya Geoffrey and Beth Wadsworth Brian and Sophia Walsh Wareham Property Group, Inc. Bob and Alison Wash Murray and Mari Weiss Roger and Lani Werne Eric ’96 and Emily Wight Robinson and Joanie Wills John and Lisa Woll Arthur Woo and Emmelie Sabatte Larry Wynn Ponce and Lourdes Yambao
2018-19 Annual Giving Participation
Board of Trustees
100%
Faculty & Staff
100%
Parents
92%
21
Endowment Surpasses 2020 Goal of $5 Million! Seven Hills reached a significant milestone this August when our endowment surpassed $5 million—a goal set in 2014 as part of the school’s previous strategic plan, Approach 2020. Through an endowment initiative to honor retiring Head of School Bill Miller, continued generosity through the auction, and careful stewardship and investments, we have doubled our endowment in less than five years. A strong endowment enhances all aspects of the student experience by giving Seven Hills the financial flexibility to dream big and seize new and emerging opportunities. Practically, the power of our endowment provides annual revenue which otherwise would come from tuition increases. In fact, the endowment draw from earnings provided more than $220,000 in additional revenue last year. A heartfelt thank you to those listed below for helping us surpass our endowment goal by making an endowment gift in 2018-19. Together with supporters from years past, you have created an enduring legacy for the students of Seven Hills.
Jamil and Cheryl Akoni Russell and Crystal Alpert Jonathan and Amanda Ambrose Amir Axelrod and Sherry Wang-Axelrod Sebastian and Renee Bea Nicholas and Clare Bisho Patrick and Alison Blake Ilya Borovikov and Victoria Holcomb David and Emily Breach George and Stephanie Buhalis Jonathan and Kristin Butler Christopher and Annette Butner Bret and Sarah Cameto Chevron Matching Employee Funds Neil Meyer and Stephanie Chiang Paul Chua and Grace Chan Stephen Cohn and Rose Anne Critchfield Critchfield Cohn Family Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation Ryan and Nicole Crowley Brian and Kristen D’Arcy Paul and Christa Deeringer Charles and Mevis Demarest Samuel East and Kristy McVey East Eric and Stéphanie Ebel Scott and Katherine Espinosa-Brown Kurt and Sheryl Ettinger Paul and Laurel Evans Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund James and Marcie Fitzsimmons John and Laura Furstenthal Anne Gartner Juan Gaviria and Marcela Robledo Sadegh and Narguess Ghorban Joel and Holly Grossman Peter and Julie Gutzwiller
22
Jonathan and Alyssa Harris Kevin and Elaine Hennessy Sameer and Melissa Hilal Fred and Noel Hughes Patrick and Kimberly Hughes Paul and Deborah Jansen Thomas and Danielle Kahl Jeffrey and Nicole Kangas Bryan and Jenifer Kester Charles Killian and Michelle Watts Killian Andrew and Alana Kleinberger Conrad and Selena Lai
Cornel and Alexandra Lee Mackenzie and Stephen Lesher David Levin and Julie Scarpelli Eric and Karen Littell Whitney Livermore ’00 Carlos Lobo and Riki Gibson Thomas and Denise Lyle Matthew and Kamin Macomber Matthew and Shauna Maraccini Kathleen McNamara and Jihad Mirza Jerry and Deborah Mellin Neil Menzies
Goal of $5 Million Reached $5M
$5.0M
$4M
Our t wmen endo now can ute ib contr 000 , 0 5 $2 r! a yea
$3.68M
$3M $2.4M
$2M $1M $0
$0
1992
2014
2015
2019
Bill Miller’s First Year
Start of Endowment Initiative
End of Endowment Initiative
Goal of $5 Million
Merrill Lynch Dan Michael and Lillian Leong Bill and Kristy Miller Cassian and Jeanette Naughton Justin and Tracy Pajer Michael and Ellen Peterson Gregory Pilarowski and Anna Gai John and Hannah Pirone David and Emily Pottruck Jeffrey and Jessica Pozzi Gustavo Rafaela and Samantha Buono Timothy and Jennifer Ruane George and Cheri Russell John Safipour ’13 Michael and Lauren Sanders Schwab Charitable Fund Larry and Cybille Scott Yi Shi and Shangjie Zuo Mari Shurtz Stephanie Sproul Delbert and Kimberly Stafford Brooks and Michelle Stratmore John Sween and Lisa Barnett Sween Daniel and Lindsay Sweetnam Morgan and Lisa Swiggett Thomas and Stephanie Taira Ian and Alexis Tawes Todd Thorner and Leyla Khosrovani Harpreet and Anudeep Ubhi Robert and Amy Walters Wells Fargo Foundation Educational Matching Gifts Program Robinson and Joanie Wills John and Lisa Woll Wen Yen Yuan
Julian Rettger Fund for Emotional Well-Being
Named Endowment Funds Create Enduring Legacies
Julian Rettger graduated from Seven Hills in 2003. His parents established The Julian Rettger Fund for Emotional Well-Being in 2010, to honor Julian, who passed away in June of that year. Julian’s family has raised more than $500,000 through the fund to support the social and emotional well-being of students. Seven Hills has named the library in his honor because of his early and continuing passion for books.
Over the years, individuals and families have established named endowment funds that continue to provide for the school. Like contributions to the general endowment, these gifts are invested in perpetuity with a percentage of the interest earnings used each year for strategic priorities like professional development, program innovation, and tuition assistance.
Mary Ann Adamski Anonymous Carl Corrigan and Sharon Kidd Douglas Cuesta ’04 Celenia Delsol Alison Espinosa-Setchko ’05 Salina M. Espinosa-Setchko ’95 Paul and Laurel Evans Mark and Kathy Foletta David Godsoe and Renee Ramig Bob and Patty Gonser Russell and Jane Hall Travis and Corinne Hayhurst Liviu and Ana Ionescu Ellen Jurgens ’15 Kelly Kingdon ’10 Greer Kleber ’08 Andre Lay ’96 Carlos Lobo and Riki Gibson Kathleen Manning
Bill and Kristy Miller Kevin Moylan and Rania Berkeley Daniel Murphy David and Sally Nosal Bryce Pinkos ’99 Lucia Pirone ’17 William Pirone ’19 Philip B. Rettger and Diane Bell-Rettger Bennet Riley ’09 Taylor Sproul ’12 Seiyonne Suriyakumar ’02 and Anika Shah Telos Academy Wil and Victoria Tyra Linden Van Wert Robert and Amy Walters Eric ’96 and Emily Wight Kris and Jan Worswick
On May 30, 2019, Seven Hills alumni came together for the inaugural Alumni Giving Day in support of Julian’s Fund. Through a generous donation from Julian’s parents, every gift was matched dollar for dollar. Thank you!
The Barlow Family Endowed Fund The Brown Family Endowed Fund The Butner Family Endowed Fund Deborah Jansen General Endowment Fund The Hennessy Family Endowed Scholarship Fund The Hilal Family Endowed Fund Jim Clark Former Trustees Endowment Fund Joseph Family Minority Scholarship Fund Julian Rettger Fund for Emotional Well-Being Karen Malin Endowment for Professional Development Matthews Music Scholarship The Scott Espinosa-Brown Endowed Fund for Student Life, Leadership, and Service The William H. Miller Endowment Fund
Named funds are a meaningful way to create a permanent legacy for your family at Seven Hills and can be established with a minimum gift of $50,000. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Director of Development Amy Walters at awalters@sevenhillsschool.org or (925) 933-0666.
23
2018-19 Hills Angels in Perpetuity
In recognition of their enduring commitment to Seven Hills, we celebrate the Hills Angels donors who, over time, have cumulatively contributed $25,000 or more to the Annual Fund. Your loyal and generous support has fueled our innovative, mission-driven approach to educating students for nearly 60 years.
David and Connie Lowe
Michelle Place
James and Shari Lucas
Joseph and Rosalia Polizzi
John Lyngaas and Linda Noel Matthew and Kamin Macomber
James and Kathy Clark
Kimberly Gilmore
Ronald and Susan Codd
Ian Agol ‘82 and Michelle McGuinness
Stephen Cohn and Rose Anne Critchfield
John Gingrich and Christine Currie
Annie Allen
Michael and Shirley Coke
Robert Allen
Alexander Copeland and Eileen Beall
Charles and Alexis Glavin
The Copeland Family
Bruce and Barbara Goodman
Susan Alonso Brian Atwood and Lynn Edminster
Kent and Diana Godfrey
Matthew and Melissa Jose
Geoffrey and Lesleen Riley
Mark and Mindee Mastrov
Susan Rogers
Pat Matthews and Patti Paulson
Andrew and Jinny Rudd
Scott and Tomi Matthews
Edward Scherr and Shelly Pozzi
Brian and Michelle Sharpes
Bill and Kristy Miller
Joseph and Odette Kardek
James and Dorothy Mills
Murray and Christine Sheldon
Ross and Amy Kari Kevin and Michaela Katari
Steve and Celeste Danglade
John and Khira Griscavage
Jerry and Carolina Katz
Brad and Shiva Berman
Charles and Nancy Deschane
Stephen and Katy Gronowski
Patrick and Alison Blake
Amber DeSilva
Parke and Victoria Boneysteele Kevin Booth David and Emily Breach David and Kim Bridges Robert† and Alice Bridges Foundation
Corby and Heather Stead
Pamela Keith and Elizabeth Mahler
Paul and Diane Morton
Patrick and Teresa Sullivan
Clarence and Irene Mou
George and Bonnie Kennedy
William and Frances Myers
Suri and Rushika Suriyakumar
David DeSilva
Thor and Christine Grossen
Scott and Deborah DeVries
Kenneth and Jeanifer Grullon
Larry and Julie Kirsch
Brian and Patricia Napper
Robert Dolinko and Laurie Bronson
Peter and Julie Gutzwiller
Steven and Rochelle Klein
Subhendu Narayan and Kavitha Rao-Narayan
John and Wendy Hammergren
Bob Kliger
John and Ruth Nelson
Stuart and Anne Knowles
Michael Han and Annie Hahn
Benjamin and Judy Kronick
Brent and Elizabeth Nomura
Terence Heywood and Pamela Lesoganich- Heywood
Jim and Shannon Lanzone
Stephen and Maggie Oetgen
Michael and Maria Walton
David and Traci Lardner Ari and Sheryl Lauer
Peter and Isabelle Op de Beeck
Tom and Marla Williams
Henry and Jennifer Leingang
Ralph Pais and Gayl Huston
Douglas and Joyce Wing
Frederick Hughes, Jr.
Stephen and Mackenzie Lesher
Charles and Adelaide Park
Fred and Noel Hughes
Robert and Renee Little
Shami and Lori Patel
James and Laura Hulburd
Michael and Sherrie Littlejohn
Jerome and Jane Perez
Norman and Mo Livermore
Joseph and Toni Petite
Todd and Christine Dow Joseph and Holly Eiden Ira and Pamela Finch
James and Françoise Cervantes
Philip Simon and Terry Neben
Langdon and Elizabeth Morris
George and Stephanie Buhalis
Mark Fosbury and Kristin Castagno
Tom and Julia Miner
Brad and Amy Skepner
Irwin and Vivian Eskanos
Philae Carver
Sam Mills Abraham Mintz and Catherine Cutler
Ryan and Nicole Brown
Christopher and Annette Butner
Carl Shapiro
Daniel and Marina Miller
Janet Katari
Sebastian and Renee Bea
Larry and Cybille Scott
James McDonnell and Linda Margulies
Sheldon Kahn and Sarah Liron
Richard and Lori Green
Gretchen Bartzen
Steven Schwab
Wendy McDermott
Mark Shapiro and Roberta Goldberg
Dan and Linda Gordon
Kelly and Carrie Barlow
Fred and Susan Safipour
Kevin McGuirk
Mary Dalsin-Mills
Mathew and Sarah Bakulich
24
John and Debby Cunningham
Anthony Giordano and Theresa Klinger
Thomas and Mary Anne Jorde
Christine Riley
Steve and Beth Marini
Stephen and Nancy McCarthy Jeffrey and Heidi Abramson
Ingrid Ray
Charles Fiske and Karen Leo David and Jessie Flatt Roger and Madeline Fleischmann John and Laura Furstenthal Bob Gallo
John† and Susan Chapman
Sandra Gallo
Adam and Carol Chase
Shrikant and Ira Garde
Chung-Cheng and Jen-Kuei Chen
W. Philip and June Gardner
Ravikanth Ganapavarapu
Sameer and Melissa Hilal Diane Horton Abraham and Deanna Hsieh
Robert Ishii and Nancy Wallace Matthew and Marissa Janopaul Paul and Deborah Jansen
Mitchell and Karen Kay
Jeffrey and Jennifer Loomis
David and Sally Nosal
Eric and Amy Peterson Scott Pipo and Gloria Pickhover
Elizabeth Solomon Ronald and Caryn Suber
Bahman and Mardjan Taheripour Ronald and Robyn Taylor Larry and Deveney Totten Christopher Trinkus Richard and Karen Walker Dennis and Bonnie Wells Keith and Susan Wilson Bruce Woods and Nancy Frary-Woods Glen and Elisa Yeung Roy and Cathy Yih Mark and Shawn Young Wally and Kirsten Young † deceased New Hills Angels Member
Ways to Make a Difference Our mission calls us to build a foundation that creates a lifelong love of learning. We accomplish this goal in partnership with our extended community through three primary fundraising efforts. Join us!
Heritage Society We recognize members of The Heritage Society who have included Seven Hills in their estate plans. Through their thoughtful planning, members of the Heritage Society are providing for the future of the school. Thank you for your vision and commitment. Pete Babiak and Laura Lippow Parents of Steven Babiak ’07 and Sydney Babiak ’11 Gretchen Bartzen Director of Development (1995–2012) Brad and Shiva Berman Parents of Daniela Berman ’05 Jon and Lisa Blake Parents of Adam Blake ’11 and Andrew Blake ’12 John† and Susan Chapman Parents of Chris Chapman ’03 and Emma Chapman ’05 Jim and Laura Hulburd Parents of Alanna Hulburd ’06 and Kyle Hulburd ’09 Paul and Deborah Jansen Parents of Ben Jansen ’03 and Nicholas Jansen ’05 Thomas and Mary Ann Jorde Parents of Kevin Jorde ’01 and Christopher Jorde ’03 Joel King Director of Finance and Operations (2000–2011)
Jim and Karen Malin Head of Lower School (1992–2013) Kathleen McNamara Head of School (2015–present) Dan and Marina Miller Parents of Marshall Miller ’01 Bill and Kristy Miller Headmaster (1992–2015) Parents of Hennessy Miller ’04 and Keenan Miller ’08 Abraham Mintz and Catherine Cutler Parents of Elizabeth Mintz ’13 and Zachary Mintz ’12 Philip Rettger Parent of Julian Rettger ’03† Linden Van Wert Faculty member since 1975, Librarian (1976–2015), Green Ombudsman (2015–present) John and Alice Villanueva Parents of Amber Villanueva ’96 and Erica Villanueva ’99 † deceased
If you have included Seven Hills in your will or trust or are interested in learning more about how to do so, please contact Director of Development Amy Walters at awalters@sevenhillsschool.org or (925) 933-0666.
ANNUAL FUND
The Annual Fund is the school’s cornerstone fundraising effort each and every year. The Annual Fund is part of the school’s operating budget and thus provides yearly and essential resources above and beyond tuition. Gifts directly support the many things you love most about the school, from hands-on-learning opportunities to our talented faculty.
AUCTION
The school’s annual auction is a fun community-building event that also raises vital funds for student programs and the endowment. Mark your calendars for this year’s auction, Saturday, March 21, 2020. This treasured tradition is a fantastic way to connect with other families while supporting the school.
ENDOWMENT AND CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS
Gifts to the endowment and special fundraising initiatives provide long-term financial health and major capital improvements. The endowment is invested in perpetuity with interest earnings used each year to support strategic initiatives, while capital campaigns allow the school to best align our learning spaces with our mission.
How to Make a Gift If you have included Seven Hills in your will or trust or are interested in learning more about how to do so, please contact Director of Development Amy Walters at awalters@sevenhillsschool.org or (925) 933-0666.
GIVE ONLINE sevenhillsschool.org/giving
GIVE BY CHECK
Checks should be made payable to The Seven Hills School and mailed to: The Seven Hills School, Development Office, 975 North San Carlos Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598
GIFTS OF APPRECIATED SECURITIES, BEQUESTS, REAL ESTATE, OR OTHER PLANNED GIFTS If you are interested in transferring stock or other securities to the School, please be sure to notify the Development Office.
25
A BOOT STOMPIN’ GOOD TIME On March 23, parents, faculty, staff, and friends saddled on up and hit the trail for the biggest jamboree of the school year, Country Nights, the annual Seven Hills auction. Guests arrived adorning their cowboy hats, rhinestones, and belt buckles for an evening of dinner, dancing, and spirited bidding! It was a night of big hats and big hearts as the community came together to raise more than $335,000 in support of our students, programs, and endowment. Hats off to our dedicated co-chairs Kristen D’Arcy and Nick Bisho, who with their team of volunteers led the way and made the auction possible. Thank you to everyone who put in countless volunteer hours, sponsored the event, entered the raffle, donated items, and raised their paddle. This night wouldn’t be possible without the support of our community.
26
Kelley Cochran
Adrian and Shada Kuba
Patrick Evan Salon
Corby and Heather Stead
Coffee Shop
Chalis Kuba
Piatti Restaurant
Patrick and Diane Suciu
William and Cynthia Cogswell
Skip and Carrie La Cour
Bryce Pinkos ‘99
Lagunitas Brewing Co.
Heidi Plumb
Sunrise Bistro & Catering
CorePower Yoga
Nancy Lane
Jeffrey and Jessica Pozzi
Susie Cakes
Paul Deanno
Jim and Shannon Lanzone
Gina Puljiz
Ian and Alexis Tawes
Drybar
Lareen Fender’s The Ballet Gray and Brenda Reavis School Performing Arts Red Ox Clay Studio Ross and Olga Larner Dan Rogoff
The Dutra Family Edible Excursions Elevate Basketball & Performance Training
Rebecca Larson
Round Hill Country Club
Adam Lechner ’87
Elizabeth Nicole Salon
Lauren Sanders
Cornel and Alex Lee
Encore Gym
Julie Scarpelli
Christopher and Danette Leighton
Karen Schulz
Enhanced by Amelia
Larry and Cybille Scott
Scott and Katherine Espinosa-Brown
Stephen and Mackenzie Lesher
Auction Coordinator
Laurel Evans
Sarah Lewis
Extended Day Team
Riki Gibson
Fairyland
Limitless Escape Games Livermore
Committee
Item Donations
Fantasy Forum Actors Ensemble
Wren Amos
1515 Restaurant and Lounge
Five Little Monkeys
Lindsay Wildlife Experience Rob and Renee Little
Steven and Susie Sovik
Nick Adamson and Carisa Harris Adamson
Tyler Flynn Rambo Forma Gym
Veena Lohia
Sparta Taekwondo
Frank Family Vineyards
Shauna Maraccini
Splash Swim School
Ginger’s Gelato
Jenny Marcus
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars
Ashley Gordon
Alisha Marsh
Gott’s Roadside
Kelly McCargar
Christi Gotvald
Peggy McCormick
Jay and Jenn Gudebski
Phil McFann
Peter and Julie Gutzwiller
McGuire Denim
Havana Restaurant Kathy Henderson
Kathleen McNamara and Jihad Mirza
Sameer and Melissa Hilal
Jay and Julie Meissner
Gina Hinck
Methodology
Stephanie Hough
Harriett Michael
Blackhawk Country Club
Jason and Anna Husk
Patrick and Alison Blake
Inman Family Wines
Dan Michael and Lillian Leong
Blow Dry Bar
James Brian Studios
David and Emily Breach
Matt and Marissa Janopaul
Norma Bristol/ Instrumental Music Program
JBJ Curated Goods for Life JetSuiteX
My Gym
JP Cosmetics
Carolyn Nelson
Alex Lee
Christopher and Annette Butner Kelly Cardella
Kallie Jo Photography
Nordstrom Walnut Creek
Patrick Lin
Oakland Zoo
Matt Macomber
Lauren Cazenave
Megan Kaye ‘09 Kelly Slater Surf Ranch
Tina Ory
Kendra Scott
Parksmart Regional Parking Inc
Auction Co-Chairs Kristen D’Arcy and Nick Bisho
Carisa Harris Adamson Diana Baty Rania Berkeley Nick Bisho Ryan Crowley Kristen D’Arcy Kristy East Marissa Janopaul Rupy Krishnan Steve Lesher Patrick Lin Denise Lyle Terezia Nemeth Renee Little Aimee Medeiros Lori Siegel Susie Sovik Lisa Swiggett Lexi Tawes Christy Zoerner
Board Liasons
Adventure Day Camp Katherine Alberts and Lori Siegel Tanveer Alibhai Annie Allen Lori Auffhammer Gene and Alicia Bakkum Beach Blanket Babylon Bel and Bunna’s Books Nick and Clare Bisho Black Stallion Estate Winery
Center REPertory Company
Patrice Konigsberg
Elgin Leslie
Patrick and Darlet Lin
Mike Hess Brewing Monti Kids Mountain Meadow Ranch Dan Murphy
Seven Hills Girl Scout Junior Troop 33835 Shadowbrook Winery Matt Shargel Sienna Ranch SkinSpirit Sky High Sports Soccer Shots East Bay
The Bar Method The Seven Hills School The Seven Hills School Board of Trustees The Walt Disney Family Museum The Woodhouse Day Spa Cassidy Thompson Torsap Thai Kitchen Treasure Island Sailing Center Linden Van Wert Bill and Kimberly Vaughn VICI Beth Wadsworth Alison Wash Mari Weiss Wheel Kids Bicycle Club Joanie Wills Zachary’s Chicago Pizza
SAVE THE DATE!
Seven Hills Auction March 21, 2020 5:00pm Hunt Hall Silent • Live • Dinner • Dancing
Join us for a fun night out! More details to follow
27
STRATEGIC PLAN WHOLE CHILD, WHOLE COMMUNITY: Strategic Destinations for The Seven Hills School
A
s our 60th anniversary as a school draws near, the Board of Trustees launched an updated strategic plan, an ambitious roadmap for The Seven Hills School. With the three pillars of the
Seven Hills mission as its cornerstone, Whole Child, Whole Community will drive our efforts to enhance our program and remain at the forefront of educating the whole child, while holding fast to the values that have kept us strong for nearly 60 years. To read the plan in its entirety, please visit the Seven Hills website at www.sevenhillsschool.org.
Destination: Develop the Intellect Promoting Exemplary Learning and Teaching Commit to a dynamic curriculum review cycle, which assesses academic, socialemotional, and co-curricular learning Expand our commitment to STEAM curriculum, incorporating life and natural science as well as technical science, utilizing our own natural campus as an outdoor laboratory Design a comprehensive digital and information literacy program, including coding classes, digital citizenship, research skills, and parent education Create an increasingly diverse, equitable, and inclusive community of students, teachers, and families providing all students the necessary educational advantage to succeed in a global world Adopt the exemplary teaching model—a growth-oriented faculty evaluation model that highlights innovation, collaborative teams across grades and subjects, and opportunities to learn and lead
28
STRATEGIC PLAN Destination: Engage the Spirit Developing the Whole Child Participate in Harvard University’s Caring Schools Initiative promoting kindness and empathy to build ever stronger learning communities Launch a community lunch program that includes a communal dining experience to enhance nutrition, learning, and connection Support each student through personal learning profiles tracked over time, through newly created care teams supported by a permanent counselor position Deepen cultural competency through teacher professional development, parent education, and student programming Expand opportunities for student voice and choice, in which students’ inquiries and interests drive their learning, service, and leadership
Destination: Foster Respect for, and Responsibility to, Our World Ensuring Financial and Environmental Sustainability Invest in student learning, gathering and performance spaces—both new and re-imagined—through strategic campus master planning and a bold fundraising initiative Design an updated tuition assistance model reflective of the school’s mission and values Create opportunities for enhanced diversity and optimized student-teacher ratios by expanding Middle School enrollment and engaging in community partnerships Grow our endowment to support strategic priorities and reduce our reliance on tuition increases, while exploring partnerships and alternative revenue opportunities Explore possibilities for our Early Childhood Education (ECE) program to reach into the local community for teacher training and professional development partnerships with local colleges and schools of education Build stronger connections with parents, alumni, alumni parents, and the broader East Bay community as we approach the school’s 60th anniversary
29
2019-20 EVENTS October 10 All Community Parent Dinner ovember 19 Career Pathways N Networking Event (SF) January 15 Applications Deadline
March 21 Auction
April 9 Evening of Art & Innovation
April 29 Spring Performance
May 8 Grandparent & VIP Day
June 4 Graduation
June 6 All-Alumni Reunion
Parents of Alumni:
Please Forward This Publication
If your son or daughter no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify Seven Hills of his/her new mailing and email address at dmurphy@sevenhillsschool.org.
Pardon our Dust! Tenvold Kitchen Construction Lunch is served! At the start of the school year, Seven Hills launched an integrated Community Lunch Program to allow students, faculty, and staff to connect over high-quality, delicious meals and snacks prepared daily by chefs from Epicurean Group. Construction on the new commercialgrade Tenvold kitchen is underway, and once the upgrades are complete, our chef team will be able to cook student lunches from scratch in an onsite kitchen with commercial ovens, grills, serving stations, and dish room to allow for reusables. Since healthy minds and healthy bodies work in tandem, we are thrilled to be aligning lunchtime with our mission.
30
The Seven Hills School 975 North San Carlos Drive Walnut Creek, CA 94598
Non Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Handled with Care