Shore Country Day School Bulletin - Fall 2022

OUR FUTURE IN FOCUS

SHORE COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

Established 1936

545 Cabot Street Beverly, Massachusetts 01915 (978) 927-1700 www.ShoreSchool.org

ADMINISTRATION

Head of School

Clair P. Ward

Interim Head of Upper School Oliver Hay

Head of Lower School Sara L. Knox

Director of Institutional Advancement Katie Kozin

Director of Finance and Operations Ann-Marie Flynn

Director of Instruction and Inclusion Andrew Lee

MAGAZINE

Editorial

Brooke Booth William Fisher Katie Kozin Clair P. Ward

Social Emotional Innovation

Joyful Work: Andrew Lee is Shore’s First Director of Instruction and Inclusion

Investing in the Future: Eliza Cowan is Shore’s First Director of Revenue Development

Student Clubs Take Action on Social Issues Community

Shore CORE: An Interview with Co-Chairs Alexa Squitieri and Sara Tollerud

Giving Day 2022

“Night of Celebration” Honors Employees

Shore Families Association Brings the Fun!

Welcome New Trustees

Grade 9 Ceremony Celebrates Light of Knowledge

Shore Graduates 31 During 85th Closing Exercises

Shore Alumni Head to College

FROM

HEAD

Following the challenge of the last two years, many leaders are considering whether or not we will return to normal or find a new normal. There are considerations around how we work, learn, and live using some of the lessons we have had to learn on the fly during the pandemic. A recent article in the Harvard Business Review raised the dynamic tension that exists between simply surviving and truly thriving. The survival instinct is activated by threat and generates fear, while thriving activates a sense of opportunity. Admittedly, the challenges our teachers and families have faced are extreme, and perhaps it might take some work to see the positive in all of this. One of the questions Shore’s leadership team is asking is: “What do we need to do to make sure this current crisis was the best thing that could have happened?”

In this issue of the Bulletin, you will see that Shore is not simply surviving—we are thriving in a very new normal that is more complex and unpredictable than any recent period of education. This new normal will require Shore to increase its ability to be nimble even as it works to protect the connection to its history and culture—two positions that can appear to be in conflict with one another. To do this we needed to respond to the global staffing shifts created by the pandemic, while looking closely at how we operate with both efficiency and strategic alignment. You will find in this issue that not only is Shore attracting incredible talent to existing positions, but we are creating new positions that align with the work that the Board of Trustees did to create Shore’s strategic plan, Our Future in Focus. These moves are not optional in this environment, one marked by

One of the questions Shore’s leadership team is asking is: “What do we need to do to make sure this current crisis was the best thing that could have happened?”

The ultimate goal is to put Shore’s children and families squarely in our focus. We owe our community an approach to education that ensures the most relevant and challenging curriculum, co-curriculum, approach to play, and commitment to building character that our mission compels

us to provide.

dysregulation and dismantling of industry trends that had historically guided decisions. Leaders in schools across the country understand that being able to quickly pivot in mission-aligned ways will be the only way to thrive.

The ultimate goal is to put Shore’s children and families squarely in our focus. We owe our community an approach to education that ensures the most relevant and challenging curriculum, co-curriculum, approach to play, and commitment to building character that our mission compels us to provide. What that means is that by definition, to remain the best at what we do for our families likely will mean that our school will not continue to look the same. As I have said before, this does not mean change for change’s sake. It means moving intentionally into new, less comfortable places in order to pursue what is best for today’s children and families. By definition, this can breed concern about the pace of change and whether or not tomorrow’s Shore will be recognizable. All over the country, schools are facing these growing pains. This means transforming the structures and the means by which we accomplish our goals into ones that, while they serve our community, can be less recognizable to alumni and alum families.

Our Board of Trustees, in partnership with school leaders, monitor each step through the lens of the mission—this is the crucial throughline that we want to maintain. We have many eyes on that and truly welcome the opportunity for any member of our extended Shore family to sit with us and find their place in our new normal. Last June, we welcomed the friends and family of a recently passed alum, Joshua Pressman ’97, to campus. We gathered on the baseball field to dedicate a new outdoor batting c age in memory and honor of Josh. As each person shared memories or words of appreciation, it struck me how strong the connection was. Current athletes were hitting balls, Josh’s son was running the ball machine, Josh’s wife and parents

were mingling with former Shore folks—all on a sunny day on the field. In this moment, a group of passionate alumni saw a chance to connect the Shore of today with Josh’s Shore. It was so magical and such a wonderful model of how the culture of connection can remain even as the faces change. I look forward to finding even more moments like this to ground our future growth in the strength of our past. I look forward to walking that journey with those of you who remain deeply connected and with those of you eager to reconnect. This is Shore’s moment, and I hope this publication provides a window into how we know that, and the opportunities that are emerging before us.

In February of 2019, one hundred and twenty Shore community members came together for a strategic visioning day. Current families and employees, alumni and alumni families, and even former employees all leaned in to generate promising goals that would help Shore achieve the following vision:

The Board of Trustees went on to approve a list of promising strategies in each of the three major areas of focus:

n Breakthrough innovation in teaching

n A diverse and accessible community

n Increased financial stability

While many schools might have paused during the last two years of global events, Shore bravely moved forward to begin executing strategies that were inspired by the vision created in 2019.

This issue of the Bulletin features the progress we have made (and continue to make) as a school as we strive to fulfill our vision for 2025. You will see profiles on two new hires who touch all three strategic areas; our Director of Instruction and Inclusion will help lead initiatives in classroom innovation and inclusion; and our Director of Revenue Development will lead Shore in identifying more diverse revenue streams to help generate surplus assets that allow us to invest in our student programming. You will read about approaches that activate student agency and that address social emotional wellness. It should be easy to see that while Shore continues to stretch itself to new heights, the hallmarks of a Shore education remain steadfast. Progress is as important as honoring the historical foundation on which our beloved school stands.

“By 2025, Shore will be boldly reimagined to inspire a diverse community of global difference-makers.”

PROGRESS REPORT: Our Future in Focus

Social Emotional Innovation

BY CLAIR WARD, HEAD OF SCHOOL

For many years, social emotional learning (SEL) and practice were considered to be co-curricular and not necessarily core to student success. If there were any gifts that the pandemic handed us, one has to be that the conversation around mental health and the need for social skill development has been normalized. There has never been a better time to notice the impact that mental health, selfregulation, and fluid social skills have on both children and adults.

One organization that offers resources to schools is the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL). In addition to creating a framework for schoolwide SEL, CASEL also conducts research that reinforces the idea that schools should stop looking at this work as co-curricular. Some of the research offers the following findings that compel the educational system to consider how crucial SEL is:

n The research finds that SEL leads to both improved academic and lifetime outcomes

n On average, students in schools with SEL curriculum perform 11% better on standardized testing

n The benefits of SEL curriculum are the same regardless of the socioeconomic status, race, or geography for the child

In addition to this research, CASEL offers schools a comprehensive framework of SEL that includes developing skills of self-awareness and self-management, social awareness and relationship skills, and responsible decision making. All of this requires a deep partnership that connects the classroom, the school, the family, and the community to one another.

It is easy to see how Shore fits into the country day school movement that traces its roots back to the late 19th century. At the time, there was a hope of creating progressive school settings that blended the academic preparations with some of the softer social skills and character building. Shore’s Community Code and the more recently approved Equity and Inclusion Commitment have been the umbrellas under which our teachers have committed

to this work. However, Our Future in Focus helped to further define the full scope of our aspirations: identity development and inclusion, a comprehensive approach to SEL, and a wellness/well-being curriculum. As a result, Shore has launched a series of SEL initiatives in order to consider the best ways to introduce, reinforce, and assess this crucial area of learning for our students. SEL has been our first set of initiatives in the portion of the strategic plan that charges us to embrace breakthrough innovation in teaching and learning.

First Steps

In the early grades, we are using Yoga 4 Classrooms and the Zones of Regulation, both of which teach children to be aware of their ener gy and to learn how to shift it as necessary. We have even moved to a stage where some Shore families are using the same language to cue children at home on how to notice their emotional state and take measures to settle themselves. Throughout the school we have implemented Responsive Classroom, which is a classroom management tool that helps to set positive classroom norms, to normalize the need for brain breaks, and to establish important routines to open and close the day.

In the Upper School, we have been partnering with a research-based group called Authentic Connections that has created a student survey that helps us monitor the mental health and wellness of our students, and look for any risky behaviors that could be undermining their resilience. Our team reviews the data with the research professionals each year so that we can both assess the mental health of individual students and the health of our student culture. This illuminates which things are working and which approaches need to be reevaluated. The data from the 2021-2022 school year shows that Shore students as a whole are experiencing good mental health and have an extremely low incidence of risky behavior. They credit their teachers for the close personal relationships that support the challenging academic standards. Many use teacher relationships as the main criteria for selecting a secondary school and it is clear that the secondary schools continue to see Shore students as well-prepared academically and very socially resilient.

This fall, the advisors in sixth through eighth grades have launched a LIFE Seminar (Living Intentionally for Everybody) after spending the spring and summer writing the curriculum. This

SEL has been our first set of initiatives in the portion of the strategic plan that charges us to embrace breakthrough innovation in teaching and learning.

Building a culture of innovation in any organization means that it has to be okay to try something even if it is not a guaranteed success.

course will include health, human sexuality, mental health, anti-bias, sustainability, and digital citizenship lessons designed to help the students of this age integrate these topics into the context of their own identity. Aligned with the student-centered Harkness method already in use, students will hear from outside experts and discuss content and opinions with teachers as they engage in practical approaches to stress management, chemical dependency, and the prevention of self-harm. LIFE seminar is also the logical next step to the student activism clubs that have popped up; it will allow us to expand the conversation beyond the self-selected group of children to the wider audience of all middle school students. The beauty of this is that we are no longer considering health and wellness as something separate from SEL; rather the two are integrated with each other and all other aspects of learning to have a greater impact on student life. School Counselor Katie Hertz says, “The reality of having a year-long dedicated class at each grade level to dive into this material is the culmination of years of thinking and planning. The fact that conversations about these critical topics will be occurring simultaneously across grade levels in the Upper School normalizes the focus on health and well-being and places these life skills front and center.”

Next Steps

Building a culture of innovation in any organization means that it has to be okay to try something even if it is not a guaranteed success. Many of the initiatives described above have come directly from our incredible Shore teachers; our culture encourages the entrepreneurial spirit. This offers our students continuous opportunities to thrive in new ways, and it keeps our educators excited to know that they are growing themselves in order to directly impact the quality of a Shore education. Today we stand on solid ground knowing that our early initiatives have been well-received by students, educators, and families. So it is important to consider what comes next.

Once our new Director of Instruction and Inclusion position is stabilized, our next step in SEL will be to hire a dedicated professional to work closely with classroom teachers and our student support services department to implement a more formal curriculum. It is our hope that this individual will come to the role with a background in counseling or speech and language pathology and begin teaching

SEL classes side-by-side with other educators on campus. The work we have done so far has confirmed that SEL is working for our students, but to take the next step we need dedicated personnel to implement it. This will ensure that the SEL curriculum becomes a permanent part of the system and the culture of Shore.

It gives us all great pleasure to be at a school that continues to explore new ways to deliver on its mission in meaningful ways. Shore has built the right teaching and learning culture for all ages, and this is the fertile ground we need for continuing to coach our children to social emotional health and well-being.

Joy f ul Work

Andrew Lee is Shore’s First Director of Instruction and Inclusion

In 2020, Shore’s strategic plan, Our Future in Focus, prioritized equity and inclusion as one of three pillars of the school’s future success. At nearly the same time, Shore’s Board of Trustees approved an Equity & Inclusion Commitment that pledged, “We are a safe community that empowers the exploration and expression of our true selves. We thrive because we confront bias and honor the diverse identities of all people. We pursue individual and systemic cultural competence in order to model equity leadership in a complex world.” Soon, the search began for Shore’s first Director of Instruction and Inclusion. The role, unique among independent schools for its integration of curriculum and DEI leadership, would ensure that learning in every grade was examined through the lens of justice, and that equity and inclusion were at the core of every classroom.

After a lengthy national search, Shore hired Andrew Lee in early 2022 to take on this sprawling, mission-critical task. A history teacher and school leader with experience in both curricular and DEI initiatives, Lee comes to Shore having most recently served in a number of roles with Germantown Friends School: Pre-K-12 Curriculum Mapping Coordinator, Site Director for Global Online Academy, and Associate and Interim Director of Diversity, Equity, and

At Shore, Lee will discover a school eager to place inclusive, equitable education at the center of its program. Teachers, families, and students all regard equity and inclusion as key to the school’s evolution—and even its survival.

Inclusion. In addition to teaching courses in history, Lee oversaw the implementation of a DEI curriculum in the upper school and guided the integration of an antiracist curriculum in the lower school.

At Shore, Lee has discovered a school eager to place inclusive, equitable education at the center of its program. Teachers, families, and students all regard equity and inclusion as key to the school’s evolution—and even its survival. As Amy Marks, the President of the Board of Trustees, wrote in a letter to the Shore community, “Our work is to uplift one another by educating ourselves and our children to be active participants and leaders in building a more equitable world.” Head of School Clair Ward has identified agency and activism as among the most important traits to be nurtured in Shore students: “The ultimate goal is that our students not only advocate for themselves, but also feel compelled to advocate for others.”

According to Lee, “Building connections and striving for inclusion of every person in a community is central to who I am. A school community has a diverse range of students and teachers, and school leaders have the role of lifting up every type of diversity—of thought, feeling, action, and identity—for the purpose of creating a powerful learning community. The leaders set a bold vision for the school to embrace every aspect of diversity as a vehicle for lifelong learning, and also empower students and teachers to grow towards that vision. The strongest learning environments are the ones where educators purposefully design spaces for human flourishing, spanning all social identities, interests, personalities, and idiosyncrasies.”

Born in Canada and educated in Hong Kong and later at Phillips Academy, Lee early on thought of himself as “international,” but has since come to embrace an Asian American identity. “This is a central part of my story,” he explains. “Through the Asian American community—meeting other people and encountering the movements for social justice that many in the community discovered were their path and their calling—I found that was part of my

journey, too. I wanted to do something to work for the empowerment of the Asian American community and communities of all identities in independent schools.”

Central to that work is Lee’s philosophy of education. “Education should integrate the heart, the mind, and the environment. Education is about stewarding hearts and minds in a conscious community.” And building that community, he says, requires breaking down silos between programs that address the heart and those that focus on the mind. “In many schools those two are separated. But at the end of the day, we don’t want to see our students living in separate silos. We need to see them as whole children. Inclusion and a sense of belonging—philosophically rooting students at the center of the school—are therefore critical. Inclusion is not just for making people feel good; it is what produces the best possible learning environments, where every child is embraced in both heart and mind.”

Lee describes what it is like to feel a sense of belonging in a school. “When students and teachers sense that their voices and backgrounds are heard, seen, and valued, they are able to grow as individuals and experience joy. The philosopher John Rawls states, ‘People are different, so justice requires regarding and treating people as individuals.’ School leaders thus need to treat people as individuals, fostering both justice and a sense of belonging. Ultimately, the leaders promote an ethic of care for all and a culture where community members truly value each other. That is not only beneficial to learning, but it is also beneficial to the growth of the school and the overall performance of the organization.”

Actually shaping the systems of a school to be authentically inclusive requires more than just telling the members of the community that they are all valid, worthy individuals of equal human dignity and worth, says Lee. It requires creating a classroom model where students, at every age, have opportunities to share their unique lived experiences, talents, and skills. “Integrating that work into the classroom— finding ways of lifting everybody up, helping people see the value and worth in their own stories as well as those of others—is what leads to inclusive instruction of the highest quality.”

The model looks different depending on the age of the child. In the elementary years, Lee says, the focus is on social-emotional skills that will serve as the foundation for later learning around social justice. “Learning how to be a friend, how to be welcoming, how to ask questions—these are not only skills that help to build an equitable and inclusive culture, but they are also the skills that the leaders of virtually any organization say are most important for success in life. Empathy, critical thinking, and generative thinking are key.” Conversations about justice revolve around doing good for the community. “Students can think about their classroom, their friends, and their family, finding ways to contribute and to uplift the voices and experiences of others.”

Director of Instruction and Inclusion Andrew Lee

School, says Lee, must be a place where students embrace their own agency, the knowledge that there are things they can indeed control, with the support of a loving and caring community of teachers and peers.

As children grow older and are able to look beyond their immediate environment and to the larger community and the world, teachers can provide more opportunities for them to identify their unique strengths and the ways they can make a difference.

This is joyful work, asserts Lee. But it is also challenging. “American society generally is pretty individualistic. So in some ways this work is counter-cultural. We need to recognize that when we go against the grain in this way, we may encounter resistance, including from ourselves.”

Still, Lee says, accepting the challenge is essential. A mentor—a Black man who grew up poor in St. Louis and eventually became Lee’s upper school division head—used to tell him, “No matter what challenges you face in life, don’t see yourself as a victim, but as a survivor.” School—particularly the middle school years—is certainly a place where this advice resonates for Lee. “Children can feel that so many things are out of their control, that so many things feel difficult to do, that friendships are

changing rapidly. It is a microcosm of the challenges we may face at any time in our lives, and it is easy to feel there is nothing we can do. Today, throughout our country, people of all identities feel this way in the face of our intractable political divide.”

School, says Lee, must be a place where students embrace their own agency, the knowledge that there are things they can indeed control, with the support of a loving and caring community of teachers and peers. “We must shape an environment where that critical lesson can be learned. With agency, our students may eventually be able to build solidarity with other people who share similar struggles, turning agency into activism. Activism is about creating systemic change that gives agency to even more people. It is an act not only on behalf of oneself, but also on behalf of others.”

For seven years, Lee has worked in a Quaker school, and the Quaker philosophy has strongly influenced his thinking about education. Quakers believe that every person possesses a unique inner light; Quaker schools are dedicated to bringing out that light in each child. “Structural inequities and systems of oppression can prevent people from fully expressing themselves,” Lee argues. “As a school, we must create spaces for all people to express their inner light.”

Investing in the Future

Eliza Cowan is Shore’s First

Director of Revenue Development

“I

am completely invested in the independent school model,” says Eliza Cowan, Shore’s first Director of Revenue Development. “With that investment comes concern.”

In 2020, Shore’s strategic plan, Our Future in Focus, called for the school to pursue financial sustainability through “more diverse income streams and continuous generation of surplus assets to reinvest in new programming and new business initiatives.” Hiring Cowan in spring 2022 marked a major step towards this key pillar of Shore’s long-term strategy.

The emphasis on a broader, more diversified approach to financial health comes as shifts in the independent school market exert increasing economic pressure on institutions like Shore, which have historically depended almost entirely on revenue from tuition and philanthropic giving to sustain their operations. “We are all dealing with the same challenges,” explains Cowan. “Enrollment is down; fewer families can afford independent school tuition. As a result, the competition for that shrinking pool of paying families is only becoming more intense. Many schools are reshaping and resizing to survive.”

At the root of the problem is the traditional independent school financial model. “A smaller and smaller number of families are being asked for everything,” Cowan says. “Those full-pay families that choose independent schools are also the ones we turn to for philanthropy to fill the gaps that tuition revenue cannot. It is exhausting—for the families and for the schools—and it is unsustainable in the long run.”

Shore, assures Cowan, is at the forefront of an industry-wide movement to change the equation. Change is needed, she argues, not simply because of the dollars at stake. “If we are truly committed to making progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion, then a new model is essential.” Indeed, a second major goal of Our Future in Focus is ensuring that Shore becomes “a diverse and accessible community

where everyone feels a sense of belonging.” The Board of Trustees in 2020 approved an Equity & Inclusion Commitment that pledged, “We pursue individual and systemic cultural competence in order to model equity leadership in a complex world.”

“If we can start relieving some of the pressure on philanthropy and tuition,” Cowan says, “I hope

Director of Revenue Development Eliza Cowan

that will enable us to cast a wider net to families who might have felt that they were just on the cusp of being able to afford the tuition. We will become more approachable as a school, for a much more diverse range of families. But I think it’s more than that. I hope that what we are able to achieve is a more wideopen campus—a campus that brings in more people and has more use, and also one that helps people to see us differently, to engage in new conversations with us, and to be inspired by what we do every day.”

But getting there, according to Cowan, is no simple task: it is not merely a matter of renting out Shore’s facilities more often, or of expanding summer camp offerings. “There is certainly the low-hanging fruit,” she admits, “but my job is not to be shortsighted. What’s exciting to me is thinking about the long game—about genuine engagement with our families and our community, real progress on our DEI goals, and powerful impact on our programs.”

While the types of opportunities Cowan is most interested in pursuing are varied, they do have one characteristic in common: they will benefit Shore students and families. “I imagine us partnering with businesses and nonprofits in a way that will offer our students something unique, that will open their minds to the world beyond Shore. If we are able t o work with a research lab, if we are able to partner with cutting-edge educational opportunities, if we are able to bring nonprofits into our space, all of those partnerships are going to provide an opportunity for our students and our families to see something that they haven’t seen before on the campus.”

With deep experience in both business development and parent relations—she owned her own business for 12 years, and more recently has served as an independent school development officer—Cowan naturally looks to the network effect as the starting point for the initiatives and partnerships that she sees as essential for the school’s long-term success. “Everyone in the school space knows that there are parents who are champing at the bit to share ideas with us. At the same time, we all know that most of us just don’t have the space in our day-to-day roles to hear each and every one of those ideas. For me to be dedicated to this mission is a game-changer. Hearing the ideas, what companies they’re associated with, who they work for, who their families work for, what

nonprofits they’re on the boards of, where they’re volunteering, what they’re hearing from another school they know—these are all incredibly valuable connections for us to make. I want Shore families to be on the front line of opportunity, not only so that they’ll understand the goals and become a part of the solution, but also so that the entire endeavor will remain organic and authentic to who we are.”

Shore’s ongoing master-planning process will help guide this work. “The timing could not be better; the master-planning process and the revenue development project could not be more closely aligned,” says Cowan. “What we’re doing in both cases is auditing the current campus and looking for hidden opportunities—thinking much more broadly than the day-to-day use of campus facilities to imagine what kinds of resources a potential partner might want to see on our campus. This will inform how and where we invest, and shape the kinds of transformations we pursue.”

Cowan is also eager for input from what she describes as a core group of stakeholders: employees. “I can’t wait to hear what people’s wildest dreams are for their students,” she says. “What resources do they think would impact our students? What types of partnerships would dovetail with their curriculum? Just as we need to think of our families as a resource, we need to look to our employees in the same way. Shore teachers are immersed in professional development— they know what’s emerging around the country and around the world as best practice in schools. I want to hear from them: not only because it will guarantee the fit with our program, but also because it will allow me to bring that teacher with me to go talk to the laboratory, nonprofit, or business and say, ‘Here’s what we’re thinking, here’s what we can offer you.’”

As an independent school parent as well as a professional, Cowan admits, “The Director of Revenue Development position called to my heart. It allows me to be part of a solution that I will see firsthand and that my kids will see firsthand. Shore is in a unique place: the school has made the bold decision to invest in this approach, the Board of Trustees sees the importance of it, the Head of School sees the importance of it. It’s really exciting. I believe that Shore will discover solutions that a lot of other schools will be able to use.”

I can’t wait to hear what people’s wildest dreams are for their students. What resources do they think would impact our students? What types of partnerships would dovetail with their curriculum?

Student Clubs Take Action on Social Issues

During the 2021-2022 school year, members of two Upper School clubs demonstrated their passion for important social issues that affect the entire Shore community as well as individuals and families beyond the school’s walls. The STAR (Students Together Against Racism) Club is dedicated to learning about, discussing, and taking action toward antiracism and anti-bias both within the school community and in the broader world. SASS (Students Against Sexism at Shore) aims to provide a space for students to come together to talk about gender equity at Shore and in the larger society. Both groups can be considered outgrowths of the culture of equity and inclusion that is increasingly taking hold at

the school, sparked by the Board of Trustees’ approval in 2020 of Shore’s Equity & Inclusion Commitment. According to eighth grader and STAR member Liddy Warren, “I think our school is becoming more inclusive, but we still have a long way to go. That’s why the club is important—it’s about making progress with how people are expressing themselves, how we’re talking to people, and how we treat people with our actions.”

Seventh grade STAR member Ruby Poulo said, “I also think that different gender identities and people who don’t fit in a certain box should feel safe and comfortable at school.” Fellow seventh grade STAR member Anna Pervier agreed, “We want to make people more aware of other people’s identities and how they want to be treated.”

The STAR Club was founded in fall 2021, when Upper School English teachers and employee SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) co-coordinators Amanda Berg and Louis Frank invited students to join a group focused on antiracism and anti-bias work. “Our goal was to make the club as student-centered as possible, so at our first meeting we asked members where in school they felt they could make an impact in the areas of equity and inclusion.” The students chose to focus on Shore’s dress code, a set of standards that has been in place, nearly unchanged, for many years.

“We want to change our dress code so that people can express themselves better,” explained Liddy Warren. “People are also feeling that the dress code might discriminate against certain body types. It’s not as inclusive as we’d like it to be.”

Anna Pervier said, “The dress code is a really important issue to me because a lot of kids don’t feel comfortable with what it currently allows, and we want to make sure everyone is able to do their best at school.”

STAR Club members surveyed the student body about the dress code, and the results encouraged them to share their views with Head of School Clair Ward and former Head of Upper School Gustavo Carrera, as well as to organize a one-day protest in the Upper School when many students came to school out of dress code. Their intent was to relay the message that the dress code inhibits students’ ability for “authentic expression”—one of the stated goals of the Equity & Inclusion Commitment.

The students found widespread support for their actions not only among their peers, but also among faculty and administrators. According to Gustavo Carrera, “As an educator, there is no prouder moment than when our students take ownership of the school’s mission and commitments and embrace a leadership role. We should celebrate the fact that a cross-section of students has asked these questions about alignment of goals and practices at Shore. We should celebrate our school, as well. Every adult in the Shore community, including families, has helped create a culture in which our students feel that their voices are valued and their ideas honored; we should also be proud because we have created a safe space for them to step forward and, without fear, voice their ideas in a respectful manner.”

Clair Ward, too, expressed support for the students’ aims. “I frankly agreed with their argument opposing the current dress code,” says Ward, “and I agreed to meet with students to talk about next steps. Since the commitment statement is a Board-approved position, I thought the time was right for us to help the students prepare to present their position to the Board.”

With the assistance of Carrera and Ward, as well as the support of SASS, STAR Club members crafted a letter to the Board of Trustees that cites the Equity & Inclusion Commitment and details their position: “The dress code does not offer personal freedom of self-expression; rather, it limits it. Students are limited to certain articles of clothing that do not make them feel comfortable, safe, or validated in their identity. Research shows that children learn best when they feel safe, valued, and comfortable, which the dress code does not allow for an overwhelming majority of us.”

STAR Club members formally presented their position to the Board at a February meeting, where Shore trustees were receptive to the students’ views. Trustee and parent Weze Harrigan ’92 told the group, “You

were brave and bold, and I think you brought up some compelling points.” Board President Amy Marks said, “I am deeply impressed by the work you have done.”

While STAR members had been focused on the dress code, students in SASS also spent much of the year learning about and discussing issues such as how team sports and locker rooms could accommodate LGBTQIA+ students, how the school could offer more support for students’ mental health, and how Shore could celebrate Pride Month in June.

“SASS is a group of really excited community members who all share an interest in powerful movements for change,” says seventh grader Kaelyn Bagenstose.

SASS meets weekly during lunch period, and brings together students from across the Upper School to talk, collaborate, and create. “This group has had some great energy, and it has grown tenfold since the first lunch meeting launch,” says Amanda Berg, one of the faculty facilitators for SASS. “As a whole group, we talked about what it means to be an ally and how to create a safe space. Now, we’re working in smaller groups on specific action items, including researching inclusive sports teams, putting together a ‘vision board’ for SASS with a ‘We believe’ statement and resources, and brainstorming Pride Month celebrations.”

According to School Counselor Katie Hertz, another of the group’s facilitators, “It has been an energizing experience to be part of SASS. The students are really taking the lead on doing this work together! From laying ground rules to recruiting friends to join, generating the topics, and now leading the way on small-group projects, this is a dedicated group of motivated students.”

Seventh grader Isabel Marks said, “It’s really nice that we have the support of a lot of teachers. It’s actually really helpful that we can all come together to work on a shared goal of building a better and more inclusive community at Shore.”

“Gathering together lets us all share our experiences and connect about things that we are passionate about,” explained eighth grader Charlie Seliger. “After sharing our experiences and opinions and beliefs we can put it all together to do some really cool stuff.”

Said sixth grader Bea Sollins, “I appreciate the way SASS lifts up the voices of students who want to make change and share their opinions.”

Seventh grader Olivia Gates, a member of both STAR and SASS, had this to say: “It’s amazing to be part of two groups that are working toward such a great goal: to make a more inclusive community where everyone is respected for their identities no matter what those identities include.”

An interview with Co-Chairs Alexa Squitieri and Sara Tollerud

The Committee on Representation and Equity (CORE) began organically with many dedicated parents and full support from Shore. Conversations surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at Shore, often with Head of School Clair Ward as facilitator, were becoming more frequent in 2019 and 2020. Many of the same parents would participate in these tough conversations and it became clear that

we had a bit of a committee forming before us. The pandemic took things off course but we were able to refocus and get organized in the fall of 2021. Once our committee was officially named and equipped with a fabulous logo, we were off and running!

The committee looked back and studied much of what had happened around DEI at Shore in the past. From there we identified ways in which CORE could add value to the school and family experience. We set a mission, goals, and created a plan of action for 2021-22 which we presented to the community at our virtual launch event in January 2022. We were grateful for the support of the Shore Board of Trustees and Admin Team.

What are CORE’s goals and vision?

In simple terms, our vision is to enhance visibility to DEI work already happening at Shore and also to provide new and additional opportunities for collective community experiences.

The goals of CORE are to:

n Educate by providing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice (DEIJ) resources and information

n Provide a safe space for community connections and conversations

n Support DEIJ work at Shore Country Day School

n Promote a school culture that celebrates our multiculturalism and diversity

Why did you launch CORE, and what steps did you take?

The Farhan family at the North Shore Pride Parade

In our first year, CORE set an ambitious calendar of events and opportunities. Our first initiative was a three-part virtual speaker series, which was open to Shore and the greater community. In February, Dr. Onnie Rogers presented “Why Should We Talk to our Kids about Race?” In April, Theresa Wiggins presented “The Gift of Neurodiversity.” Finally, in May, Alex Myers presented “The Basics of Gender and Why it Matters in Education.”

Our second major initiative was launching Parent SEED (Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) under the leadership of committee member Michelle Crafton. Parent SEED is a monthly discussion group which helps parents explore DEI issues through personal reflection, highly structured group discussion, and experiential activities.

Our final initiative for the 2021-2022 school year was a community survey in preparation for the launching of Affinity Groups. The survey data was analyzed in the spring and, from there, we identified an amazing team of parents who volunteered to lead groups. Some Affinity Groups have already hosted initial meetings and the rest are in the process of doing so.

In 2022-2023, we look forward to growing interest and improving upon our initial model. CORE will be hosting quarterly committee meetings, open to all, similar to other Shore Families Association groups. We will continue with our three main initiatives while also exploring opportunities for larger-scale, culturally-focused community events. We are also hoping for more opportunities to partner with Shore employees.

How has the community been responding?

As a committee, we were overwhelmed by the positive responses we have received from many members of the Board, the administration, the employees, and the family community. Our efforts feel validated and we are incredibly hopeful for the future of CORE. We were very pleased with our speaker series attendance (between 20-30 participants per event), and hope to grow that further year over year. Our SEED meeting attendance has been small but mighty, which is exactly the model SEED was created for. The discussions have been thought provoking and meaningful, with our parent community truly opening up to the experience.

What did you choose to focus on in CORE’s first year? What’s coming up next?

Shore students walking in the North Shore Pride Parade

The committee gifted T-shirts to all Shore students and employees to celebrate the launch in January 2022. The T-shirts included the colorful logo and stated, “Find the CORE of your SHORE.” Committee members explained, “We each carry unique and special traits that make us who we are, and as we explore and express our true selves, we strengthen and grow our school community. What is it about you that is special and makes our community stronger? What is at the core of who our students are? We hope this will inspire some great family conversations!”

What outcomes and results are you hoping for?

We hope CORE continues to bring experiences that foster a sense of belonging to members of our community who may not have always felt like they have a place at Shore. Our hope is to make difficult DEI conversations less scary and to encourage others to feel empowered to lead initiatives/groups/events that fall under this category.

What do you want to tell the Shore community about CORE?

CORE encourages all Shore community members to check out one or more of our offerings. If you are feeling intimidated by the unknown or by the often uncomfortable nature of some DEI topics, please be assured that this is a safe space to explore. We are all in various stages of learning; attendees are never required to verbally participate and are always welcome to simply listen.

Special thanks to CORE’s committee volunteers:

Alexa Squitieri P’27, Co-chair

Sara Tollerud P’29, Co-chair

Amanda Berg P’27, ’30

Michelle Crafton P’27, ’29

Carolyn Liggio P’29, ’29

Veera Farhan P’28, ’31

Elissa McGee P’29

Teghpal Singh P’32

Michele Vaccaro P’24, ’27

Clockwise from top left: Shore 8th graders show off their new CORE shirts; volunteers hand out CORE shirts; Shore employees Ruth Bauer, Rondi Kilham, Loretta Stokes, and Amanda Berg at the North Shore Pride Parade; The McBride family at the North Shore Pride Parade; CORE Co-chair Sara Tollerud with her family at the North Shore Pride Parade, Alum and current parent Amanda Schreyer ’93 with daughter Arden at the North Shore Pride Parade

Giving Day is Shore’s annual community-wide celebration of giving and gratitude directly supporting The Shore Fund. On this special day, students, families, alumni, grandparents, employees, and friends come together to share their love for Shore through gifts to The Shore Fund and messages of gratitude. Thank you for your inspiring support on May 18, 2022!

“Night of Celebration” Honors Employees

May 31, 2022

Shore’s “Night of Celebration” on May 31 honored employees reaching milestones in their careers and celebrated those departing at the end of the school year. More than 100 guests, including families, employees, and friends, attended the event, which was held in the Trustey Family Theatre. The special occasion was a chance for the Shore community to acknowledge the commitment, professionalism, and loyalty of the entire faculty, staff, and administration. “These are who deliver such an exceptional experience for our children,” said Head of School Clair Ward.

Ward began the evening by recognizing those employees who had received a degree or certification this year. “Our school puts great emphasis on the connection between ongoing professional growth and the student experience,” she said. Kathleen Saunders earned a master’s degree in Nursing Leadership from Framingham State University. Maintenance team member David Ashley completed a program to become an ordained deacon in his faith tradition.

Next, Ward acknowledged employees with five years of service: “Each of you in your own way has begun to leave your mark on Shore Country Day School. We appreciate your special dedication and your commitment to our students day in and day out. You are now a part of our foundation—the foundation of learning.” Five-year employees included Claudia Ovalle, Mike Pannozzi, Katie Sullivan, and John Clark. This year also marks Clair Ward’s fifth year at Shore.

Ward went on to individually recognize employees who had reached milestones of 10 years or more. Of 10-year employee Teacher Librarian Debora Collison, Ward said, “Debora partners with our student readers and works closely with her colleagues to ensure that Shore’s Library remains current and relevant. She has a magical and soothing voice. And she is a gifted children’s book curator who always makes sure that the Shore collection includes the newest, the best, and the most inclusive literature.”

In celebrating 10-year employee Jennifer Boyum, Upper School music teacher, Ward said, “The combination of Jenn’s musicianship and her The special occasion was a chance for the Shore community to acknowledge the commitment, professionalism, and loyalty of the entire faculty, staff, and administration.

intellect means that she is always striving for high level performances that are rich with concept. Jenn’s professionalism helps to create a music program like no other. The queen of organization and someone devoted to furthering music at Shore, Jenn is a gift to both her students and colleagues.”

Ward acknowledged third grade teacher Anne Babcock, who reached 10 years at Shore. “One of the greatest traits a teacher can have is to scan for the most vulnerable in their care. This is what Anne Babcock has been doing at Shore for all of her 10 years. It is no wonder that at the end of each year, families have trouble leaving Anne in third grade, with students wondering why she can’t just go with them to the next year.”

Admissions Assistant and Registrar Ali Jahn also received recognition for her 10 years at Shore. “Ali works closely with all of us to create a caring and welcoming experience for our prospective families,” said Ward. “There is so much warmth and polish in her approach that often our families consider Ali their person long after they enroll. Ali is a committed colleague with a flexible mindset, making her the ultimate partner.”

Ward moved on to those employees who had served 15 years at Shore. She began by congratulating Upper School history teacher Pat Coyle. “We believe that Pat has a paranormal ability to read the needs of those around him. As his colleagues, we have all

benefited from the well-timed e-mail checking in on us. However, the students are the real winners, as Pat magically and quietly makes himself available. Kind, empathetic, professional, and pastoral, Pat Coyle is the very definition of the Shore Community Code.”

Honoring Latin and English teacher Doug Lucey, Ward said, “When Doug sees a need in our community he is willing to personally wrestle with it and work toward solutions. And nothing could require more persistence than shifting an organization’s culture around sustainability.”

Ward next acknowledged Upper School science teacher Oliver Hay. “Always steady and encouraging, Oliver treats students with the assumption that they can be successful. He models curiosity, he wonders beside them and not for them, and he maintains high standards that inspire students to achieve. A gifted department chair, Oliver also does this with colleagues.”

Three 20-year employees next received recognition. Director of Facilities John Borden, said Ward, “is Shore’s very own superman. When COVID came, John was instrumental in gathering much-needed supplies so we could have a safe and successful school year. John is respected by the employees and students, and is a role model because of his hard work and dedication. He knows our campus like the back of his hand and has partnered closely with us to strengthen our approach to keeping everyone safe.”

Upper School math teacher Anneke Chang “has the perfect disposition for working with middle schoolers,” said Ward. “She is calm under pressure, and middle school antics cause Anneke to lean in and not lean out. You are a compassionate leader of both children and adults; you have many ways in which you bring curiosity with you into every aspect of your teaching. And you do all of this with incredible intellect.”

Ward also recognized Sander van Otterloo ’91, Shore’s Director of Secondary School Counseling. “His students know him as a dedicated teacher; his colleagues know him as an accomplished writer; we all know him as a kind and principled person. But you should know that his kindness sometimes can run in contradiction to what I will call his professional fierceness. You haven’t lived until you have seen Sander persist with an admissions office until our very last student is placed; there is nowhere to hide when he is on the hunt for a well-earned place for one of our students.”

Next to be celebrated was Upper School art teacher Ruth Bauer, who has served Shore for 25 years. “Ruth Bauer is the kind of person and teacher to whom everyone is drawn,” said Ward. “Sure, the artists love her. But even those who don’t count art as a strong suit lean in to Ruth’s kind and compassionate demeanor. Always an advocate for the underdog, Ruth is tireless in her commitment to her advisees and her students alike; Ruth has earned a Ph.D. in sixth grade social drama, yet she approaches each new moment with a freshness that feels like it is her first. Teacher, colleague, friend, department chair, advisor—Ruth has done it all.”

In congratulating fifth grade teacher David Lund on his 30 years at Shore, Ward quoted two poets: “Yeats said, ‘Education is not the filling of a pot but the lighting of a fire.’ Robert Frost put it another way: ‘I am not a teacher, but an awakener.’ We celebrate three decades of one of Shore’s great awakeners—David Lund. Quiet by temperament, but intensely thoughtful, David is an inspiration to not only his students, but also his colleagues. It is not unusual for us to be in a meeting processing a new idea and see folks turn to look at David’s stoic expression for a clue as to how to proceed. While David is not one to think in terms of a hierarchy, we all feel a sense of gratitude for his immense wisdom on everything from children to curriculum.”

Near the close of the event, Ward paid tribute to departing employees, saying, “This June’s departures have forever left their mark on Shore.” Employees leaving Shore this year included: Kristin Larson, Sara Tollerud, Gustavo Carrera, Mike Pannozzi, Pam Haley, Bill Fisher, Mary Kinahan, Gretchen Bowder, and Sander van Otterloo ’91.

Before closing out the evening, Ward took a moment to acknowledge outgoing Shore Families Association Chair Michele Vaccaro. “Michele believes very strongly in finding ways for the Shore Families Association to support the work our teachers do with the children. This could not have been more apparent than the work that Michele and her leadership team did during the COVID-19 pandemic to sustain us with encouragement and treats.”

Ward then invited the audience to gather outside for “toasts and treats.” “I hope you are leaving with your Shore bucket full,” she said.

Grace and Pam Haley

Mary Kinahan with Bill Fisher

Shore Families Association Brings the Fun!

In September 2021, parents and caregivers were thrilled to finally spend time together at Shore once again at Shore Social 2021: Gather and Connect! Guests mingled outdoors on the athletic fields, enjoying a selection of snacks and local beverages. As it was time to depart, light rain arrived on cue, forming rainbows over the school.

Last spring, the Shore Families Association (SFA) organized two great events that brought families to campus. The second annual Fun Run, on April 22, had families cheering for their children as they raced, cartwheeled, tumbled, hopped, and walked around a track on the athletic fields. The fundraiser earned over $24,000 to support SFA programs for the 2022-2023 school year. Then, on May 14, the fields were again decorated for Family Fun Day, which featured face-painting, lawn games, a bouncy slide, arts and crafts, yoga classes, and much more.

Welcome New Trustees

Alexa Squitieri

Family: Jennifer, spouse; Jonathan, Grade 5 Residence: Marblehead Education: M.B.A. Suffolk University; B.S. Boston College Professional Background: Volunteer and board work including Fairwind Learning Center Board of Directors; Boston College Athletics Fan Council; Converse, Inc. (2004-2012)

Community and Interests: Family, travel, tennis, coaching, equity & inclusion, and volunteering. Shore volunteer roles include CORE co-chair, Host Family Committee co-chair, and SFA Treasurer.

Kelly Kettenbach

Family: Mike, spouse; children: Wyatt, Grade 4, Catherine, Grade 3, and Teddie, Kindergarten Residence: North Andover Education: B.S. in Finance, Bentley University Professional Background: Institutional equity sales, Citigroup Community and Interests: Traveling, hiking, skiing, and reading. Former board member of the Village School preschool. Shore volunteer roles include SFA Class Rep, Admissions Ambassador, and Advancement volunteer.

Meg Wallace

Family: Wyatt, spouse; children: Peter, Grade 7, Oliver ’23 Residence: Essex Education: B.A. Hobart and William Smith Colleges; Middlesex School Professional Background: VP, Marketing Northeast Division, Comcast; Public Relations, Investor Relations, Advertising, Marketing Community and Interests: GBH Council, sailing, performing arts, and music.

John Cataldo

Family: Danielle, spouse; children: Matthew, Grade 6, William, John ’22 Residence: Boxford

Education: J.D. New England Law; B.A. in Political Science, Boston University; St. John’s Prep

Professional Background: Attorney with D’Ambrosio LLP and President of Advisory Services/Chief Legal Officer of Integrated Partners; Entire career in financial services, first as a prosecutor of financial crimes, then in private practice, engaging with clients in mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, federal and state securities regulation, and corporate litigation matters

Community and Interests: Golfing, time with my family, and tinkering/fixing/building.

Teghpal Singh

Family: Erin, spouse; children: Benjamin Singh, Kindergarten, and Emma Residence: Wenham

Education: Ph.D. in Neuroscience, University of Maryland School of Medicine; M.A. in Psychology, Boston University; B.A. in Psychology, Washington University in St. Louis

Professional Background: Senior Director, Early Commercial Strategy at SpringWorks Therapeutics (biotech); Bio pharma early commercial strategy

Community and Interests: DEI group at workplace, golf, reading, and spending time with family. Shore volunteer roles include Family Fun Day and Giving Tree committee member.

Shore Graduates Stand Out Amid

Record Secondary School Competition

Despite facing record competition across the secondary school admissions landscape, this year’s graduating Shore students nonetheless stood out, consistently gaining acceptance to the region’s most selective independent high schools.

According to former Director of Secondary School Counseling Sander van Otterloo ’91, to say that students and families faced a challenging admissions environment this year would be a gross understatement. “Placement professionals at many peer schools used terms such as ‘unprecedented’ and ‘historically bad’ to describe this secondary admissions season,” he explains. “Virtually all secondary schools reported a significant increase in application numbers for the second year in a row, and the most selective schools in the country reported the highest increases in application numbers.”

Factors contributing to these trends were similar to the ones that pushed application numbers skyward in the previous cycle. Disenchanted by public schools’ handling of the pandemic, families turned to the independent school market in greater numbers. Families already in the independent system grew even more appreciative of and reliant on the independent school model. Most schools continued the test-optional policy for standardized tests, making

selective independent schools seem more attainable. And virtual events enabled families to learn more about a wider swath of schools, encouraging them to apply to more schools.

As a result, says van Otterloo, for most applicants, acceptances—especially at the most selective schools— were more difficult to secure than ever before.

Yet Shore’s results remained as strong as always, and, in fact, notched a 10% year-over-year increase in acceptance rate—a remarkable feat given the pressures on the independent school market. Of 45 eighth and ninth grade graduates, five will attend Phillips Exeter Academy; four will attend St. Paul’s, Brooks, and Pingree; three will attend Pomfret; and two will attend Governor’s, Holderness, Phillips Academy Andover, and St. Mark’s. Other schools that will welcome Shore graduates this fall include the Cambridge School of Weston, Deerfield, Middlesex, Noble and Greenough, Proctor Academy, St. George’s, Suffield Academy, Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and Williston Northampton School.

These robust numbers speak for themselves, van Otterloo says. “In this unpredictable market, secondary schools place even more value on a Shore education and the relationships we have formed. They understand that Shore students will arrive prepared and that they will be a value-add to their respective communities.”

Grade 9 Ceremony Celebrates Light of Knowledge

“There is no doubt that learning illuminates the mind and enhances perspective—it has been our pleasure to watch tonight’s graduates growing and illuminating their view of the world.”

Carrera, former Head of Upper School

On June 7, during an intimate evening ceremony in the Trustey Family Theatre, the 14 members of Shore’s ninth grade Class of 2022 were graduated in front of their families. “Celebrating the Light of Knowledge,” as the event is known, featured the students as star speakers alongside their faculty advisors, former Head of Upper School Gustavo Carrera, and Head of School Clair Ward.

The evening began in Shore’s ninth grade dining room, where the students received white roses before posing for a group photo on the steps of the historic Winslow Building. They then walked to the Center for Creativity, where their families had gathered.

The ceremony commenced with a recording of the traditional graduation processional, “Pomp and Circumstance,” after which Gustavo Carrera welcomed attendees. “Tonight’s ceremony is

inspired by the words of Margaret Fuller,” said Carrera. “‘If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it.’ Margaret Fuller, a native of Cambridge, Massachusetts, believed in the transformative impact of education. But Fuller also knew that the knowledge that we gain from

our education is more than just expertise. It is about the character we build, a process that starts at school but continues for the rest of our lives.” Carrera spoke of Fuller’s career, first as an educator and writer who advocated for women, and later in Europe as part of the struggle against autocracy. Fuller used the light of her knowledge to stand for what is good and right.

He continued, “There is no doubt that learning illuminates the mind and enhances perspective—it has been our pleasure to watch tonight’s graduates growing and illuminating their view of the world. We know that this will serve them well as they take the next steps in their journey.”

Clair Ward then invited the graduates each to walk to the podium, lighting their own taper from the glowing blue Shore candle in the center of a table on stage before standing beside their ninth grade advisor. “Because we place such a high value on the relationship between the student and their

—Gustavo

Henry Sumner and family

Luka Clark being celebrated during the ceremony

advisor, the advisors will come to the podium to share their thoughts and their wishes for each of our graduates,” Ward said.

After advisors finished their remarks about each student— which often reflected years of getting to know their advisees throughout their career in the Upper School—the graduates received their ninth grade honor cord and diploma.

Then it was time for each of the ninth graders to return individually to the podium to share words they had prepared for the ceremony.

“This year has been instrumental to my development as a person, and I am eternally grateful for that,” began Shane Cardarelli. “I’ve blossomed like a flower in spring, and now I look out on an exceedingly bright future.”

The themes of gratitude and celebration flowed throughout the students’ remarks to their families and teachers.

“Ten years ago,” said Jude Eskandar, “I met most of the people sitting here on stage with me tonight. Ten years ago, Barack Obama was still president. Ten years ago, only the iPhone 4 had been released. Ten years ago, I had no idea what I was getting into. But from ten years ago to today, I don’t regret a single moment.”

Logan Fairbrother said, “Thank you, Shore, for the past ten years. I am very excited to start my new journey.”

“How far we’ve all come—a decade in the making,” noted Andrew Gould, “all leading to this moment, where we spread our wings and move onwards into life. For most of us, this has been our home for the majority of our lives. Many of our friends originated in these buildings—this school. So it is with mixed emotions that I say goodbye. Goodbye to all my teachers, who have shaped the

person I am today. Goodbye to my friends, who I loved so dearly. And goodbye to myself, for as I prepare to leave Shore, I can’t help feeling that I am leaving a part of me behind. Thank you all for the told and untold impact you have had.”

When Clair Ward returned to the stage, she continued a Shore tradition by inviting the graduates to distribute red roses to their families. “The roses signify our appreciation and respect for your devotion to Shore and its philosophy. It has been our partnership that has brought our graduates to this point. We offer our deepest gratitude for all you have done to support and encourage these amazing kids through this challenging yet joyous year.”

The students were surprised by a video collection of congratulations from Shore employees, who offered their well wishes, and then it was time for Ward to deliver her closing remarks.

“In many cultural and religious traditions, light is the symbol of peace, enlightenment, prosperity, and the ability of good to prevail over evil. In the Hindu tradition light burns not

Andrew Gould and family

Jude Eskandar and family

1. Grade 9 students walk from the Winslow Building to the Trustey Family Theatre.

2. Mai Do stands with her family.

3. Henry Sumner receives a boutonniere.

4. Luka Clark, Logan Fairbrother, Lila Mallon, and Angus Clark stand together after the ceremony.

5. Grade 9 families and Shore faculty visit with each other in the Learning Garden.

6. Andrew Gould, faculty member and advisor Gwen Sneeden, and Shane Cardarelli stand together.

7. Faculty member and advisor Katie Hinkle celebrates with advisee Lila Mallon.

8. Jude Eskandar looks on as his boutonniere is pinned.

9. Grade 9 families and Shore faculty visit with each other in the Learning Garden.

for itself, but to remind all of us of the most important values it represents. In Buddhism, light is the ultimate reality, and leads one toward nirvana, the ultimate state. Many aspects of Chinese culture celebrate light as a symbol of joy and good fortune. And now Shore is using light to celebrate your personal growth and knowledge. I’m sure I don’t have to illuminate how symbolic it is that tonight’s ceremony begins and ends with a focus on light.”

Ward continued, “Much like we look to the light of the stars for guidance and inspiration, we hope you will look to Shore, the foundation of your educational development. Know that the Shore you see now reflects the fact that you were here. It is our hope that you will always see yourselves in Shore as you remember your moments of growth, your moments of challenge, and your moments of joy. On behalf of your teachers, I want to thank

you for the privilege of being your guides and your coaches. Thank you for the lessons you have taught us along the way, and know that this will always be your home.”

Ward concluded, “When you leave this ceremony you will take your lit candle of knowledge with you. While the flame itself might extinguish, the knowledge, the perspective, and the care that

you have received at Shore never will. The Shore candle will burn brightly for you until you return. In the meantime, we ask that you foster your minds and your hearts. Your ability to grow from here is no longer our responsibility; it is yours. Use what you have been given here to make the world a better place. Use what you have learned here to bring the Shore Community Code to the larger world community.”

It was then time for the recessional music, Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten,” during which the graduates took their lit candles and carried them outside to the Learning Garden to meet their families. There the students, family members, and employees mingled, hugged, and snapped photos until the evening light began to fade.

The Class of 2022 is: Shane Cardarelli, Angus Clark, Luka Clark, Mai Do, Jude Eskandar, Logan Fairbrother, Hugh Foster, William Goedkoop, Andrew Gould, William Iler, Hal Johnson, Lila Mallon, Drew Mullaney, and Henry Sumner.

Grade 9 students celebrate after posing for a class photo in front of the historic Winslow Building.

Clair Ward

Shore Graduates 31 During

85th Closing Exercises

On June 8, Head of School Clair Ward presided as 31 eighth grade students were graduated during Shore’s 85th Closing Exercises. Ninth graders were graduated during their own celebration, held the day before.

Under a sprawling tent erected on Shore’s athletic fields, Ward thanked the audience members for their support as the school navigated a year still impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, and she reminded graduates that despite any challenges they may face, they should welcome whatever the future may bring. “You are not finished growing. You are about to step beyond Shore. You will look back on these years and realize that some of your most strongly held beliefs when you were here will be

challenged, and your perspective in some cases will shift. Lean into this. Don’t remain stuck or naive. There is so much living to do, and we want every bit of it for you.”

Before the Closing Exercises began, graduates gathered in the Dining Hall, where they received white roses to carry or wear during the ceremony. Parents looked on, cameras and phones in hand to

capture the scene, as the graduates posed for class photos on the steps of the historic Winslow Building and then processioned as a group for the start of the Closing Exercises.

At the podium, Clair Ward welcomed the audience by calling on the graduates to be their best. “For however many years they have been at Shore, we stood beside them, coaching them in small moments that shaped them into who they are today. Today’s celebration acknowledges their hard work and their very full journey on their way to this moment. But all of these graduates will be taking a step that will require them to be all that they can possibly be.”

Key in the continuation of this journey, said Ward, are Shore’s core values. “Graduates, we are committed to you taking Shore’s

Eighth graders pose for a class photo on the steps of the Winslow Building.

Clockwise from top left: Elliot Weir, Tyler Smith, and Matthew Minor; Sophie Kelly receives her diploma from President of the Board of Trustees, Amy Marks; families look on; Zhee Johnson Hyre embraces her daughter, Mel; Henry Vareschi-Woelfel poses with his family after the ceremony; Riley Lucey embraces her daughter, Hayden

Community Code and Equity & Inclusion Commitment with you as your true north in knowing what is right and just. If you are kind, true, respectful, open, and dependable, you will in fact be not only your best, but the best of Shore. If you are committed to being your authentic self, to making space for others to be their authentic selves, and to confronting bias when any of that is not possible, you will continue to make us very proud. As we move through our ceremony of celebration today, be thinking about how your ability to take your Shore best to the next level is in fact the greatest knowledge you will have gained here.”

Following Ward’s inspiring introduction, the President of the Board of Trustees, Amy Marks, shared a message with the graduates. “You endured middle school during a pandemic. I think about how you all have done the incredible tasks of achieving, growing, developing, being friends, being siblings, helping your parents be

just a little bit less weird—all during a pandemic—you did all that in a fast-changing world that just seems to keep throwing curveballs your way. You all inspire me. If resiliency is built through challenge, and gauging our true potential comes from rising through that challenge, then you are arguably the most resilient class of Upper Schoolers that Shore has seen.”

Clair Ward then called each eighth grade graduate individually to the podium, where she congratulated them before the students received their graduation certificate from Amy Marks and shook hands with former Head of Upper School Gustavo Carrera. Later, graduates were invited to present roses to their parents, and one family whose children had spent a combined 26 years at Shore was acknowledged with a bouquet.

As the ceremony wound to a close, Clair Ward returned to the podium to offer her final words, in which she urged the graduates to persist, no matter what challenges or disappointments they may face in their lives. “Sometimes

in life hard work is not enough. Sometimes you will work hard and still not succeed. More than anything else, your teachers and I want you to know that this is absolutely okay. Life happens, and every disappointment is an opportunity to broaden your perspective. Take your moment to be angry or frustrated, but move into your next challenge knowing that you are still capable of success even when you have made a mistake.”

Ward also advised students to remain open, a central tenet of the Community Code. “Do everything in your power to get additional perspectives when you can. At Shore, we call this being open to new ideas. If you use only your own view of the world, you will miss the chance to have experiences of which you yourself could never have dreamed. The real magic in life is serendipity—surprise, and maybe even occasionally the opportunity to feel lucky.”

She concluded, “Students, on behalf of your teachers, I want to thank you for the privilege of being your guides and your coaches. Thank you for letting us walk beside you throughout your Shore journey. Know that this will always be your home, and that you will always be a class that finished the year in complete and utter fulfillment of our mission.”

Graduates and their families then listened as Shore’s A Cappella singers, joined by alumni and employees, performed the traditional benediction. Eighth graders recessed to the song “Live Your Life,” by T.I., whose lyrics urge, “What you need to do is be thankful for the life you got—stop lookin’ at what you ain’t got, and start being thankful for what you do got.”

In the Howard Gymnasium, faculty formed a receiving line to cheer the newly graduated students as they high-fived one of the hands painted around the doors of the

Grade 8 students head to the Winslow Building steps for their class photo.

Namya Bandi embraces a friend.

gym, “taking one last touch of Shore,” as Clair Ward explained, “and leaving one last touch of yourself at Shore.”

Outside on the Greentop, families then gathered to greet their graduates and share well wishes for the summer and fall. Several eighth graders will return to Shore in the fall to be part of the school’s unique ninth grade program, while other graduating students will move on to

top high schools and college preparatory schools including Brooks, Governor’s, Holderness, Pingree, Pomfret, Phillips Academy Andover, Phillips Exeter Academy, St. Mark’s, and St. Paul’s, among others.

The eighth grade graduates of the Class of 2023 are: Namya Bandi, Tessa Borgatti, Lyla Cass, Isla Finn, MelienaMarie Johnson Hyre, Sophie Kelly, Philip Kim,

Ashley Laubinger, Hayden Lucey, Kelly McVeigh, Matthew Minor, Abigail Nam, Gracyn Needham, William O’Connor, Sydney Pappas, Eliza Rosenbaum, Charlotte Seliger, Tyler Smith, Annalisa Smith-Pallotta, Sage Smith-Pallotta, Gavin Spencer, Lalwani Surpitski, Mia Townshend, Erickson van Otterloo, Henry VareschiWoelfel, Oliver Wallace, Anne Wang, Lydia Warren, Elliot Weir, Ash Wolfgang, and Justin Young.

Clockwise from top right: Assistant Director of Enrollment Management

Olivia Budd Pearson hands Ashley Laubinger a rose before the ceremony as Director of Institutional Advancement Katie Kozin looks on; Mel Johnson Hyre and Sydney Pappas celebrate before the ceremony; Lalwani Surpitski, Ash Wolfgang, Liddy Warren, Charlie Seliger, and Kelly McVeigh pose for a picture before graduation; Bill O’Conner receives a boutonniere before the ceremony.

Shore Alumni Head to College

Congratulations to these Shore alumni on their college acceptances!

Melina Abatjoglou ’19 Clark University

Ricky Bansal ’19 Northeastern University

Ivan Betancourt ’19 Amherst College

Rebecca Birnbach ’19 Wellesley College

Sam Borggaard ’19 Tulane University

Alex Boyko ’19 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Sophia Carbone ’19 George Washington University

Will Charman ’19 Lafayette College

Aidan Davie ’19 Bucknell University

Teddy Doggett ’19 Colorado College

Bella Eaton ’19 Denison University

Jay Edokpa ’19 Lehigh University

Charlie Faldi ’19 Colorado College

Carolyn Fortin ’19 Williams College

Jacqui Furey ’19 The Pennsylvania State University

Camryn Georges ’19 Northeastern University

Madeline Hammond ’19 University of St. Andrews

Ceci Herriman ’19 Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Spencer Johnson ’19 University of Massachusetts Amherst

Miranda Lloyd ’19 University of Michigan

Bryan Marinelli ’19 Colby College

Anja Meaney ’19 Carnegie Mellon University

Charlie Minney ’19 Northeastern University

Joseph Mulligan ’19 Wentworth Institute of Technology

Hughie Park ’19 Brandeis University

Addie Politi ’19 University of Chicago

Sarah Pollock ’19 University of Vermont

Brooke Schatz ’19 Loyola Marymount University

Emily Storer ’19 Tufts University

Nicholas Talleri ’18 Northeastern University

Lily Webber ’19 Northeastern University

Sarah Webber ’19 University of California, Santa Barbara

Cam White ’19 University of Massachusetts Amherst

Tenley Williamson ’19 Bucknell University

Matilda Matilda

THE MUSICAL JR.

Students in Grades 6–9 presented Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical JR. in front of a live audience in the Trustey Family Theatre on February 26, 2022. The show marked the first time the Shore community had been able to gather together in person for a performance such as this one since early 2020, when the Upper School staged Once Upon a Mattress just days before the coronavirus pandemic closed schools across the country.

“I am sure I can speak for many in our school when I say that I have missed live performances,” said former Head of Upper School Gustavo Carrera. “Live performances bring us together; live performances are an experience we share with each other and with those on the stage. I am so glad that the live performance of Matilda JR. bookended the pandemic at Shore. Matilda brought us all together over the course of Saturday, and we were able to celebrate the exceptional rendering of the play put together by student and adult performers alike.”

According to director and theater arts teacher Sarah Carlin, “The cast and crew worked so hard to bring the magic of Matilda alive, despite living with a pandemic. Managing absences due to quarantine, wearing masks, dealing with rehearsals canceled due to snowstorms— you name it, this group has been through it. I dare say, though, that it made them stronger and tighter as a community, and I am immensely proud of them.”

In this musical retelling of the Roald Dahl classic, Matilda has astonishing wit, intelligence, and special powers. She’s unloved by her cruel parents but impresses

Opposite page, clockwise: Ollie Wallace and Maia Schor; Nixie Gerdes performed a song; Aaron Swiniuch, a guest performer, as Miss Trunchbull; Charlie Seliger as Matilda Wormwood.

This page, from top left: Casey McBride, Nixie Gerdes, James Ball, and Bryson Preacher; Claire Contarino and Shane Cardarelli as Harry Wormwood; the Wormwood Family; members of the cast perform an ensemble number.

Opposite

This page: James Ball as Bruce Bogtrotter; Olivia Di Palma swings on stage in “When I Grow Up” as James Ball watches; Liddy Warren as Miss Honey.

her schoolteacher, the loveable Miss Honey. Matilda’s school life isn’t completely smooth sailing, however—the school’s mean headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, hates children and just loves thinking up new punishments for those who don’t abide by her rules. But Matilda has courage and cleverness in equal amounts and could be the students’ saving grace.

“The production team was excited to produce this Tony Award-winning hit ever since it made its debut on Broadway several years ago,” said Sarah Carlin, who worked with Upper School music teacher and music director Jennifer Boyum, retired third grade teacher and set designer Sam Hamlin, theater manager and technical director Vinny Laino, Upper School history teacher and assistant director/ choreographer Sarah Sklarsky, and reading specialist and costume assistant Rondi Kilham to bring the show to life.

Explained Carlin, “It’s a challenging show, with many technical elements, music that is fast-tempo, and lyrics that you really have to spit out and enunciate. It is also dark and somewhat Dickensian, depicting a cruel and unjust environment for children. Yet Dahl believed in the power of a child’s imagination and the compassion at the heart of it. That is what is so inspiring about this show: the way a young child can overcome adversity, believe in their voice, and fight for a better life for all.”

page, from top: Charlie Seliger, Kelly McVeigh, James Ball, Ruby Poulo, and guest cast member Aaron Swiniuch; Ollie Wallace and Maia Schor on stage; Charlie Seliger as Matilda Wormwood and Ash Wolfgang as Mrs. Wormwood; members of the cast perform an ensemble number.

Grade 9 Explores Global Issues in San Diego

In the final days of their Shore career, Grade 9 students traveled to San Diego for a weeklong culminating experience. The trip was coordinated with the help of Cambridge-based Atlas Workshops, an education travel company that builds domestic and international programs designed to connect classroom experiences to the real world through an extensive network of place-based partners, educators, and organizations. For Shore’s trip, Atlas helped curate an itinerary that linked the ninth graders’ justice-focused curriculum to pressing global issues.

“Of course, the trip was meant to be a celebration of the students’ nine or ten years at the school,” says former Head of Upper School Gustavo Carrera. “The students went to the beach and spent time with each other shopping and dining out—it was an opportunity to have fun. But at the same time, it allowed them to engage in learning around the central theme in their curriculum.”

Throughout the year, ninth graders studied the concept of justice, from the Greek philosophers to the present. In their English and history classrooms, they explored ideas of ethical justice, racial justice, environmental justice, and more. San Diego brought these ideas to life by inviting the students to consider one of the most salient issues of our time—mass migration.

“The global phenomenon of mass migration, which is felt most acutely in the U.S. in the Southwest, is a major political issue around the

Throughout the year, ninth graders studied the concept of justice, from the Greek philosophers to the present. In their English and history classrooms, they explored ideas of ethical justice, racial justice, environmental justice, and more. San Diego brought these ideas to life by inviting the students to consider one of the most salient issues of our time— mass migration.

Grade 9 students visit Chicano Park (opposite) and Mission San Diego de Alcala, the oldest mission in San Diego.

world,” explains Carrera. “In San Diego, Grade 9 students were able to explore this issue from a variety of perspectives. They talked to local pro-immigrant activists, they met people who are working with traumatized immigrants, they worked with artists, and they also had the opportunity to engage with the United States Border Patrol. There was no single answer provided to the students about this issue; instead they witnessed the true complexity of American life in the Southwest.”

According to ninth grader Mai Do, “The local experts and activists we met offered a different perspective on the border. Something new I learned was that the whole border, from Texas to California, is not the same. Most of it is the Trump border, some is the first built border, and the whole stretch of the border is not a wall; parts of it have no wall.”

Drew Mullaney said, “I was surprised when I learned what the border did to the communities on either side—splitting up families, kids and parents, tribes, schools, and students.”

In addition to learning about the implications of the border infrastructure, the desert, and the wall itself, the students spent time learning about the culture and history of the region by visiting Mission Alcala—the site of the first Franciscan mission in the region when it was a province of Spain—and Chicano Park—home to the largest concentration of Chicano murals in the world and situated within a predominantly Mexican-migrant community.

They also traveled to Calexico, a small town directly connected to a larger city across the border,

Mexicali, and visited the Imperial Valley Museum in nearby El Centro. They learned about the importance of the region’s agriculture and discovered what life is like in this key border crossing point.

“We tend to think that global learning is about going to far-flung places,” says Gustavo Carrera, “but oftentimes going to far-flung places doesn’t change anything—you may see a different environment around you, but you are not truly transported. Going just a few miles can create more challenge, culturally and intellectually, than traveling halfway around the world. San Diego did that for our students. It allowed them to challenge themselves to see the different realities of our country in a safe and curated manner. It provided that valuable discomfort that comes from finding oneself in a truly new cultural context.”

Shane Cardarelli confirmed this view. “I didn’t know it prior to the trip, but my perspective on the border wall was filled with blind spots, blind spots I would have never known I had, had I not ventured to California. We learned so much about the border through experience and talking to people entrenched in the situation surrounding it. I learned just how pointless the wall was, just how insensible and destructive its creation was. One has to wonder, why build it in the first place?”

Students visit the border wall at Jacumba where they learned about the impact the wall has had on the indigenous people of the Kumeyaay tribe.

“There was no single answer provided to the students about this issue; instead they witnessed the true complexity of American life in the Southwest.”

—Gustavo Carrera

TEACHERS

Inspire Lower Schoolers

Toward Creativity and ACTION

Homeroom teachers found many innovative ways to use the themes in Reynolds’ work to inspire their students.

In the Kindergarten classrooms of Emily Deachin and Alex Rosati, the book’s hopeful messages prompted children to imagine what they’d say to the Shore community. In a creative activity that combined painting, drawing, and writing, the students completed self portraits with speech bubbles containing the words they’d share. “I love Shore—

I want to help make Shore a better place,” one Kindergartner wrote.

Emily Glore’s first graders chose their own form of expression—from writing song lyrics to painting to speaking in sign language—to share their voices with the world. In Carol Porter and Laura Thomson’s second grade homerooms, too, children imagined what they’d use their voices to express. Sentiments like “Be brave,” and “Peace to the oceans,” adorned colorful paper assemblages.

The book suggests ways that young people might use their voices to fight injustice, express themselves, or simply care for a friend.

During “Shore Reads” week last spring, students across the Lower School were inspired by the book Say Something, written by Peter H. Reynolds. This empowering picture book explores the many ways that a single voice can make a difference. Each person, Reynolds assures readers, each and every day, has the chance to say something with their actions, words, and voice. The book suggests ways that young people might use their voices to fight injustice, express themselves, or simply care for a friend.

James Hubbard’s fourth graders used their words to speak to global issues, including international conflicts. The students designed colorful mini-posters filled with calls to action such as “Support Ukraine,” and “Stop global warming.”

In fifth grade, children clearly took the book’s empowering advice to heart. The members of Kristin Larson’s homeroom worked in small groups to create a schoolwide campaign to show support for the people of Ukraine. Several students produced a video urging viewers to support relief agencies such as UNICEF and the Red Cross. Another group of fifth graders distributed materials and instructions around the Lower School to encourage other students to write cards of support for families in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, in the fifth grade homeroom of Whitney Morris, students brainstormed “passion projects” in which they could use

a talent or interest of their own to accomplish something that would help others. Ukraine was, again, a topic on many children’s minds. Shore’s most recent strategic plan, Our Future in Focus, imagines a school that will “inspire a diverse community of global

difference-makers.” From kindness at school to concern over issues such as war and global warming, Say Something helped to demonstrate that even with the youngest of students, Shore teachers are already well on their way to achieving that goal.

Fifth grade teacher Whitney Morris and her students brainstormed “passion projects” in the classroom.

Fifth grade students collaborated in the classroom.

The Year in Sports

The highlight of the 2021-2022 school year was surely the return of Shore athletics to interscholastic competition! On September 22, there was a buzz in the air as opponents were arriving, teams were warming up, referees were trying to find their game field, and spectators were walking onto the field for the first time in nearly two years. On that day, Boys Varsity Soccer (4-4-1) eked out a 1-0 win over Pike and carried a spirited “we got this” approach for the remainder of the fall. Varsity Field Hockey had a strong season (7-2) and finished on a high note with a hard-fought, emotional 1-0 win versus Fay. Girls Varsity Soccer (5-4) had several convincing wins as they were carried by speed and solid goalkeeping. Boys JV1 Soccer lived on the edge with several close games versus nearby rivals GUS, Brookwood, and Pike, while Boys JV2 Soccer had an even split of wins and losses. Girls JV Soccer played a competitive schedule while exuding passion and camaraderie during each game and practice. JV Field Hockey had a roster full of players new to the sport, who saw great improvement and never-ending team spirit. Lastly, Cross Country won three of four meets while finishing second in a tri meet at Fenn.

The winter season saw Shore athletes and coaches stepping up to be the best they could be. The

continued impact of COVID-19 resulted in player absences, required mask wearing, canceled games, and brought the addition of live-streamed games, allowing Shore fans to see the teams in action. Through it all, Shore teams played with pride and sportsmanship. Boys Varsity Basketball had one of their strongest seasons (10-1) in recent history.

With a deep bench, the team battled through some close games, including a memorable overtime win at St. John’s Prep. Girls Varsity Basketball (4-6) had a talented core of players who peaked in solid victories over Tower, Pingree, and the Academy at Penguin

Hall. Girls JV Basketball had much to be proud of as Coaches Berg and Morris were blown away by the progress in their play as a team, as well as the growth in confidence from each player as the season came to a close. Boys JV 1 Basketball earned several wins, and it was easy to see that this team had a lot of fun playing together. Often competing against older, larger players, Boys JV 2 Basketball finished on a high note with a well deserved win in their final game of the season.

Thrilled to be outdoors, coaches and athletes kicked off the spring season in late March with dry fields and sunny afternoons. From start to finish, Varsity Baseball (5-4) showed the most amazing improvement over the course of one season. After a tough start, the team finished with a five-game win streak! Boys Varsity Lacrosse (6-2) enjoyed an outstanding season and proved to be one of the most talented teams in the past decade. Girls Varsity Lacrosse (4-4-1) kept their spirits up while playing in 90-degree heat at Nashoba Brooks. Varsity Softball (2-4-1) had some of the best cheers on the North Shore, while also seeing individual players

The Shore Athletic Program is indebted to the amazing faculty, parents, and staff who came out to coach each afternoon throughout the year. Coaches were united in their appreciation for so many motivated student-athletes and supportive families. Go Shore!

experience amazing growth. Girls JV Lacrosse experienced a season full of wins while providing a glimpse of a bright future for Shore lacrosse. Boys JV Lacrosse proved to be a formidable opponent for any team it came across with a blend of skill and teamwork. Shore hosted its first ever meet for Track & Field, and it was great for spectators to have a close-up view of the effort and commitment of these athletes. The Shore Athletic Program is indebted to the amazing faculty, parents, and staff who came out to coach each afternoon throughout the year. Coaches were united in their appreciation for so many motivated student-athletes and supportive families. Go Shore!

Alumni Association Connects Shore Alumni

In April, Shore launched an official Alumni Association to provide the alumni body with a lifelong connection to the school and to foster ongoing relationships within the Shore community.

Thank you to the Shore Alumni Association for hosting “Business Leaders Navigating Towards A New Normal,” featuring Arthur Piantedosi ’08, Molly Friedman ’08, and Connor Cash ’08, and moderated by Taylor Chin ’11.

“This initiative stands on a strong tradition and foundation of passionate and engaged Shore alumni,” said George Noble ’85, trustee and Alumni Association Chair. “For decades, Shore alumni have been demonstrating their continued commitment to and engagement with the school and greater community. Now, we are thrilled to be able to help even more alumni connect with the school and with each other in order to perpetuate the warm and caring relationships that have existed at Shore among students, faculty, and staff for generations.”

The stated goals of the Alumni Association include forging greater connection among Shore alumni and across class years, interests, and geography; promoting alumni engagement and voice; assisting in supporting the initiatives, values, and reputation of the school; fostering increased communication between school, alumni, and alumni families; providing opportunities for alumni to give back to Shore (in ways other than financially); and serving as a resource for the Shore community.

“A sense of community is in many ways a hallmark of Shore,” said Director of Institutional Advancement Katie Kozin, “and, ultimately, the Alumni Association aims to cultivate that feeling for alumni around the country and the world.”

In May, the Alumni Association hosted its first event, a virtual panel discussion entitled “Business Leaders Navigating Towards A New Normal.” This terrific conversation featured three members of the Class of 2008—Arthur Piantedosi, Molly Friedman, and Connor Cash—and was moderated by Taylor Chin ’11. Over the course of an hour, Arthur, Molly, and Connor each shared how they’ve led their businesses through the ups and downs and twists and turns of the past two years. At the close of the program, attendees shared their appreciation for the panelists with comments in the chat including, “You alums give me hope for the future” and “Thank you to all of my classmates, teachers, and community peers. It’s really nice to see you all and hear about your successes and growth.”

The Alumni Association is led by an Executive Committee composed of a representative group of graduates with a demonstrated passion for supporting Shore. The Committee meets periodically to discuss matters of interest to alumni, including alumni events, programs, regional activities, communications, and networking. The members of the Executive Committee are:

n George Noble ’85, Chair n Taylor Chin ’11 n Louis Demetroulakos ’12 n Edith Iler-Wiedemann ’80 n Nate Morgan ’08 n Brandon Stroman ’94 n Alex Yen ’08

Shore is seeking to expand the Executive Committee. Interested alumni should e-mail alumni@shoreschool.org to learn more and get involved.

According to Katie Kozin, “We are eager to see more alumni involved in the Association in whatever way they can. Alumni are encouraged to share updates with the school, look for future alumni events and programming, and visit the Alumni Association website. And you can always send us an e-mail or pick up the phone to say hello!”

George Noble ’85 Taylor Chin ’11 Edith Iler-Wiedemann ’80

Nate Morgan ’08 Brandon Stroman ’94 Alex Yen ’08

Louis Demetroulakos ’12

Alumni Association Executive Committee

Joshua Pressman ’97 Batting Cage is Dedicated

Family members, friends, alumni, current students, and current and former Shore employees gathered on Shore’s baseball field on June 11 for the dedication of the Joshua Pressman ’97 Batting Cage, the result of a fundraising campaign led by Pressman’s Shore classmates after he passed away from cancer on August 19, 2020, at age 38.

“Josh was such a special person, with such genuine enthusiasm, I think we all probably can’t believe he isn’t here—and it would be so much more fun if he were,” said Grant Cooper, one of Pressman’s classmates who was among the group that created the campaign in honor of him and one of his great loves, baseball.

Cooper was joined by Ethan Liebermann, Kate Sullivan, Anna Felton Faulk, and Loren Malfitano Borges—all members of the Shore Class of 1997—in making the campaign a success. Their efforts raised $16,000 in donations from class members, families, former faculty, and other friends to fund the outdoor batting cage, which was completed in time to see action during the baseball team’s successful spring 2022 season.

At the morning dedication ceremony, Pressman’s family—wife Flori and sons Marcus and Isaac—as well as current members of the Shore baseball and softball teams all took their turn in the batting cage.

Cooper read remarks prepared by Ethan Liebermann, who was unable to attend the event. “While I have no doubt the batting cage will bring more swings and more wins to Shore’s teams, I also know that it means so much more than that to this community. It will inspire future Shore students to bring the passion for life and its many wonders that Josh modeled every day.”

“This batting cage is both a wonderful tribute to Josh’s love of baseball,” said Director of Institutional Advancement Katie Kozin, “and an answer to a real need for Shore. This is the first time Shore has had an outdoor batting cage to support its baseball and softball programs. We want to say a tremendous thank you to the five members of the Class of 1997 for their leadership, and to the nearly 50 individuals who made contributions that made this space a reality.”

Kozin displayed a mockup of the bronze plaque that will be permanently installed at the batting cage. Pressman, the plaque reads, was “a beloved father, husband, son, brother, friend, colleague, scholar, class president, and athlete who left us too soon.” The inscription ends with a quotation from the Beastie Boys, one of Pressman’s favorites: “Be true to yourself and you will never fall.”

In attendance at the dedication ceremony were Pressman’s family and parents, numerous other family members, and current and former Shore employees including Athletic Director Nancy McNall, Head of School Clair Ward, and her predecessor, Larry Griffin, who served as head of school for 30 years and was Pressman’s coach when he played on Shore’s baseball team. Many shared their thoughts with the assembled guests.

Griffin recalled Pressman’s focus on the baseball field—and in every area of his life. As a student, he was both class president and co-captain of the baseball team. “He gave every practice, every game his heart and soul. He loved healthy competition, and had an indomitable spirit. Josh’s talents spread from athletics to music to academics to leadership. What I want everyone to know is what a wonderful young man Josh was in his time at Shore. He brought smiles to our faces every single day. I hope that every player who ever sets foot in that batting cage strives to emulate Josh’s ambition and character.”

“Knowing that the cage is here as a result of Josh’s love of baseball and his time at the school, as well as being a way to memorialize a dear friend, makes this moment all the more special,” said Nancy McNall. “Thank you for giving back to Shore and creating our very own ‘field of dreams’ right here on campus.”

“Josh would have loved to be here today—and in a way, I think he is. This event will help his sons understand what kind of a man their father was.”

Clair Ward said, “It is such a privilege for us to feel like a part of the extended Pressman family today. It is so important to us for our students to know and understand that every day they are on this campus they stand on the shoulders of those who came before them. This generosity that you all have demonstrated reminds us that the campus has been shaped by the very people who love this school so dearly.”

When Flori Pressman spoke to the attendees, she pointed out the connection between the batting cage and Josh’s belief in doing everything the right way. “He ran with the correct form; he bowled with the correct form. He believed in behaving and treating people the right way, too. So I think that seeing students work on their form—whether on or off the field—would have been particularly gratifying to him.”

Pressman’s mother, Shari, spoke last. “Josh would have loved to be here today—and in a way, I think he is. This event will help his sons understand what kind of a man their father was.”

Clockwise from top left: Classmate Grant Cooper and Parent of Alumni Kathleen Neal; Pressman’s son helps with batting practice as Director of Athletics Nancy McNall looks on; Former Head of School Larry Griffin shares remarks at the dedication ceremony; Former faculty member Joanne Harder speaks with Flori Pressman; 1997 Boys Varsity Baseball team photo

Update Your Contact Information Today!

Your connection to Shore is so important, and with every new information update, the strength of our alumni network grows!

To network and receive event invitations, updates, and the annual Bulletin magazine, visit www.shoreschool.org/alumni/ update-your-information

The majority of Shore’s communications are only sent electronically, so your current e-mail address is especially important.

ALUMNI NOTES

Carol Austin ’54, widowed for three years, recently found the time and energy to take on a new and fun job as Vocal Coach for the musical Pride & Prejudice (her favorite author’s book!). She reports it was a challenge working with 24 new people while being masked, but wonderful to work with many trained and active singers and actors who were dying to get back on stage. They were receptive to Carol’s advice, and in the end, they put on six amazing performances!

Brooke Cook ’64 sends her best to her Shore classmates and hopes they are all through the worst of the pandemic with few consequences. Since August 2020, she and husband Jeff have been the primary care providers for their grandson, John Ransom Silipo Cook (aka “JoJo”), which has been “a gift in many ways and a fulfilling experience.” Their son Ransom and his wife Mari live just 5 minutes away, so caring for JoJo during the workday was the obvious solution to their childcare dilemma when their maternity leave ended. Their other

son, Will, and his wife Erin were married in September 2020 and live in Cohasset, Mass. Brooke’s grandchildren are doing well: Karina is a nurse in the Emergency Department at Boston’s Children’s Hospital; Sarina is soon to finish college at UMass Dartmouth as a psychology major; Antonio Jr. works alongside his father at the Massachusetts Convention Center; and Christina finished her freshman year at Brookline High School. Since losing their mother (Brooke’s daughter, Sarah Pope Da Rosa) in March 2016 to a sudden and severe asthma attack, they have remained close as a family, and live within walking distance of Brooke and Jeff’s home. Brooke has been able to audit courses at Boston University and Wellesley College and sees friends, exercises, and stays involved in her community. Brooke is grateful for every healthy day and for the opportunities she has been given, including her arrival to Shore Country Day School in Grade 7 so many years ago.

Brooke Cook’s grandchildren L-R Karina, Sarina, Antonio, Sr., Christina, and Antonio, Jr. (“AJ”). Taken in the summer of 2021 at the top of Mount Greylock in Williamstown, Mass.

Brooke Cook’s grandson, John Ransom Silipo Cook (nickname “JoJo”), born April 2020.

“Chris was a wonderful friend, exceptional husband and father and accomplished lawyer and arbitrator who died July 31, 2021, of lymphoma in Boston. Chris left us much too early and will be missed by a legion of family and friends.” Shore published a feature on Chris in the December 2021 Shore Stories newsletter,

Edith Iler-Wiedemann ’80 stays connected with Shore by serving as an inaugural member of the Shore Alumni Association Executive Committee. She lives with her family in Sun Valley, Idaho, and works as an executive functioning coach for students with learning differences.

Alexandra “Wickie” Rowland ’82 is a landscape designer, illustrator, and writer, whose “pandemic project” came off the presses and is now out in the world. Her children’s picture book, Finding Forget-Me-Nots: The Story of a Mindful Elephant is about a little elephant who is made fun of because he forgets everything, but eventually saves the day. Additionally, Wickie’s son, Ben, recently published the first chapter of his doctoral dissertation. He is studying the effect of climate change on honey bee viruses. The link to Wickie’s website is: wickierowland.com/finding-forget-me-nots.html#/

Chris Abbott ’72 writes that Shore classmates gathered at the Eastern Yacht Club following the memorial service for Christopher P. Kauders ’71, at the Old North Church in Marblehead, Mass. on August 27, 2021.

which can also be found on Shore’s website.

Wendy Richardson ’75 continues to keep in touch with her classmates from Shore, and recently had a few of these friends over for tea!

Lifelong Shore friends of Chris Kauders ’71: Lower row, left to right: Susan Walker, Lisa Crockett ’71, Susan Poor ’72, Polly Hewson ’71. Standing left to right; Chris Abbott ’72, Ben Sprague ’71, Becky Putnam ’71.

Chris Abbott ’72, Ben Sprague ’71, and Chris Kauders ’71 at a Red Sox game in 2019.

Class of 1975 alumni catching up over tea. L-R Amy Frothingham Ford ’75, Wendy Morgan Richardson ’75, Marion Hewson Knowles ’75, and Julia Blagden Emby ’75.

Wickie Rowland’s children’s book, Finding Forget-Me-Nots: The Story of a Mindful Elephant

Eliot Hoyt ’83 recently recounted fond Shore memories by looking through the ’82 and ’83 yearbooks. He is now the Managing Principal of Brightview Design Group’s Denver Office.

George Noble ’85 serves on Shore’s Board of Trustees and is chair of the inaugural Shore Alumni Association Executive Committee. He lives in Winchester, Mass. and works as Director of Advancement at Middlesex School.

Nelson Ryland ’85 recently won a News and Documentary Emmy for Outstanding Newscast for his work on Vice News Tonight, a nightly news show. He also got together with George Noble ’85 for dinner in New York City, and is glad to be back in touch with the Shore community.

Barbara Wilcox DiLorenzo ’90 shared that her third picture book One Thursday Afternoon (Flyaway Books) was published on September 6, 2022. The story focuses on a girl processing her emotions surrounding a school lockdown drill. She shares her anxiety with her grandfather and he listens. Together they spend an afternoon in the park, painting and listening to the birds. With creativity and companionship, she feels better. Barbara shares that this book was inspired by her own brushes with real lockdowns in 2018.

She has founded five companies, including one that produced science teacher training videos and another, Doga Towels, that worked to create the world’s most eco-friendly towel, which she sold in 2019. Her newest company, Culture Theory, aims to bring emotional intelligence and technology together for powerful change. Culture Theory is currently building the first ‘listening academy’ with a partner loneliness hotline. Outside of work, she and her husband and dogs live by the beach and can be found either gardening or working on their Lifetime podcast. Rebecca greatly credits Shore for teaching her how to learn quickly and critically with a heart for service.

Brandon Stroman ’94 is an attorney who provides transactional guidance to small businesses and nonprofits in the Los Angeles area. He also volunteers for urban food justice and educational initiatives. Brandon is an inaugural member of the Shore Alumni Association Executive Committee.

Devin Stroman ’96 has had a busy few decades since graduating from Shore! After completing his undergraduate studies in New York, he went on to medical school and ultimately completed his residency and fellowship training at the University of Southern California. Having specialized in Adult Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine, he departed Los Angeles and headed north for the Bay Area where he now lives and works as a senior administrator for the State of California’s Telepsychiatry Program. Currently, he supervises a wonderful team of doctors based out of San Quentin State Prison and attends to the diverse mental health needs of an incarcerated patient population. In his down time, he can be found outside running, hiking, chasing the snow in Tahoe, or enjoying all that the Bay Area has to offer with his wonderful wife and six-year-old son.

Rebecca Devaney ’94 graduated with an MFA and sold a movie to MTV before realizing that her passion was in EdTech and entrepreneurship.

Nelson Ryland ’85 and Geroge Noble ’85 in New York City

Rebecca Devaney ’94

After Josh Pressman ’97 passed away from cancer in August 2020, friends and classmates raised funds for a batting cage at Shore in his memory. On June 11, members of the Shore community gathered on campus for the dedication of the Joshua Pressman ’97 Batting Cage (See pages 60-61). Josh’s family was in attendance along with Shore alumni, families of alumni, current and former employees, and students. Speakers at the event included Head of School Clair Ward, Athletic Director Nancy McNall, former Head of School Larry Griffin, and classmate and friend Grant Cooper ’97 Other attendees included Josh’s wife, Flori Pressman, and their two sons; his parents, Shari and Ron Pressman; extended family; classmate Chris Monaco ’97 and his wife and children; Louise Huntoon P’94, ’97, ’02; John Monaco P’97, GP’33; Geoff and Kathleen Neal P’97, ’05; Varsity Baseball coach and P.E. teacher Mike Pannozzi; Varsity Softball coach and Director of Finance and Operations Ann-Marie Flynn; former faculty Cathy Griffin P’00, ’02; Joanne Harder P’92, ’94; Peter Wilder P’12, ’12; David Riester ’79 P’25, ’27, ’28, and current students Mai Do ’22, Tien Do ’24, Lam Pham ’24, and Ben Riester ’25.

Jasmine Hillard Young ’97 shares that she is currently on assignment as a travel nurse at a critical access hospital in rural Vermont, and coincidentally discovered fellow Shore alum Alexandra Roman Vaughn ’96 working at the same hospital on a travel assignment as well!

Associate Director of Upper School Admissions at Marin Country Day School in Corte Madera, Calif, where former Shore Lower School Head Brad Weaver is a new member of the Board of Trustees! Kelly is a Growth Equity Investor in the Private Equity Group at Goldman Sachs in San Francisco.

Connor Cash ’08 reconnected with Shore in May by serving as a panelist for the Alumni Association panel entitled “Business Leaders Navigating Towards A New Normal.” He is the founder and CEO of Caesar Sustainability, a startup focused on sustainability data collection, and is based in Washington, D.C.

Molly Friedman ’08 is the co-owner of Sandpiper Bakery in Ipswich, Mass., and recently reconnected with Shore by catering an on-campus event with baked goods from Sandpiper! Molly also served as a panelist for the Alumni Association’s virtual panel, “Business Leaders Navigating Towards a New Normal” in May.

Nate Morgan ’08 graduated from the full-time MBA program at University of Virginia-Darden School of Business in May and moved to Boston, Mass. In August, he joined the investment team at HubSpot Ventures in Cambridge, Mass., HubSpot’s corporate venture capital fund.

Arthur Piantedosi ’08 reconnected with Shore by serving as a panelist for the Alumni Association Virtual panel, “Business Leaders Navigating Towards a New Normal.” Both Arthur and his brother, Carmine Piantedosi ’10, work for their family business, Piantedosi Baking Company, in Malden, Mass. Arthur is pursuing his MBA at Northeastern University.

Alexandra

Thomas Roberts ’06 recently graduated from Tufts Medical School and will be pursuing surgical training at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Lowell Abbott ’07 and wife Kelly Wallace Abbott visited Shore in August 2021 with Lowell’s father, Chris Abbott ’72. It was Lowell’s first visit in a long time, as she and Kelly live outside of San Francisco in Mill Valley, Calif. Lowell shared stories of her favorite memories at Shore during her 10 years there, and recalled the many friends she made and still keeps in touch with! Lowell is now the

Lowell Abbott ’07, and wife Kelly Wallace Abbott visiting campus

Vazquez ’01 and her husband, Andres, are thrilled to report the birth of their daughter, Pilar, on September 9, 2021. They live and work in London, and look forward to their visits back to the North Shore.

Alexandra Roman Vaughn ’96 and Jasmine Hillard Young ’97

Alex Yen ’08 has continued to remain connected with Shore, becoming an inaugural member of the Alumni Association Executive Committee. She also hosted a “mini Shore reunion” at her ’80s-themed wedding in September 2021.

After completing a year in the Rotating Internship Program at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston, Mass., Jake Stokes ’09 was offered and accepted a position on their General Medicine staff.

Victoria “Tori” Burke ’11 began her career as an Investment Analyst at John Hancock in Boston, Mass., and recently moved to Charlotte, N. C., where she transitioned into a new position within NASCAR’s Strategy & Innovation team. When she’s not at the race-track, Tori can be found soaking up North Carolina’s warm weather, doing some form of outdoor activity with her dog, Weller.

Taylor Chin ’11 has remained connected with Shore and is an inaugural member of the Alumni Association’s Executive Committee. He also served as the moderator for the May virtual Alumni Association panel, “Business Leaders Navigating Towards a New Normal.” After working for an economic consulting firm, Taylor is preparing to pursue an MBA at Columbia Business School.

Pictured left to right: Becca MacDonald ’08, Trevor Gotfredson ’08, Kate Enright ’08, Larry Griffin, Alex Yen ’08, Haillie Crockett ’08, Arthur Piantedosi ’08, Andrew Smeallie ’06, Alastair Smith ’10, and Thor Vutcharangkul ’10.

Tori Burke ’11 and boyfriend Matt Hoeman

After Shore, Eliza Dorsey ’11 attended The Governor’s Academy and graduated in 2014. She then took her lacrosse talents to The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where she won three ACC Championships and one National Championship while studying Communications. Returning to New England after graduation, Eliza started her career in private aviation at Wheels Up Partners, LLC, where she works today while residing in Boston, Mass. Eliza continues to be passionate about downhill skiing, hiking, and enjoying time with her family and friends. To this day she is best friends and close with the friends she made at Shore in Kindergarten.

Luke Samperi ’14 was a Division 1 athlete for Bryant University, and graduated in spring of 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration concentrated in Team and Project Management. He is currently working towards an MBA in Global Supply Chain Management.

Katherine “Tookie” Wilson ’15 made the NESCAC Women’s Soccer’s All Conference First Team, which in addition to being a nice recognition, brought back a lot of fond memories of her time playing for Shore. Last season, Tookie started all 15 games for the Jumbos and was a standout defensive force for the team.

Abi Borggaard ’17 is heading into her junior year at Tulane University and sailing on the NCAA Division 1 Co-Ed and Women’s Sailing Team. The team is a top 10 ranked national team and she sailed on the team that placed 8th nationally at ICSA match racing nationals in November.

Harrison Wilson ’17 ran in the New York Marathon last November, and as a first-time marathoner, posted a respectable 4:24. He hit the wall at 20 miles but kept on pushing. Harrison raised $4,000 for Acumen, a nonprofit that provides funding to social entrepreneurs around the globe bringing innovative ideas and technologies to help address unmet needs.

Luke Samperi ’14

Charles Minney ’19 has accepted a place at Northeastern for Mechanical Engineering in the fall, and his family is delighted to now be a total Husky family!

Abi Borggaard ’17

Ashley DuKatz ’20 recent single, “Waiting For”

Katherine “Tookie” Wilson ’15

Harrison Wilson ’17

Ashley DuKatz ’20 started her journey with music at Shore, and her first single, “Waiting For” (co-written and performed) was released everywhere that music is sold on October 22, 2021.

Save the Date

Join the Shore community in 2022-2023 for these beloved traditions and memorable special occasions.

September 2 Flag Raising

September 16-18 Shore Safari

September 22 Back-to-School Night

October 1 Shore Families Association Gather & Connect

October 15 Admissions Open House

October 31 Halloween Parade

November 12 Admissions Open House

November 22 Young Alumni Event (currently in grades 9 - 12)

November 23 Grandfriends Day

December 15 Winter Concert

March 3-5

Upper School Winter Musical

April 21 Shore Families Association Fun Run

April 28

PreK – Grade 4 World Music Concert & Lower School Art Show

May 4 Night of Celebration

May 17

Giving Day: A Day of Giving and Gratitude

May 18

Grade 5 – 9 Spring Pop Rock Concert & Upper School Art Show

June 7

Grade 9: Celebrating the Light of Knowledge

June 8 86th Closing Exercises

The Shore Fund provides necessary flexible and unrestricted funding that propels the school’s mission forward and inspires a love of learning for every Shore student.

Thank you for considering a gift to the 2022-2023 Shore Fund. Your support strengthens the Shore community!

For more information, contact the Advancement Office or visit www.shoreschool.org/give

Katie Kozin Director of Institutional Advancement kkozin@shoreschool.org (978) 402-3816

Brooke Booth P’24, ’26, ’29 Director of Advancement Services bbooth@shoreschool.org (978) 402-3818

Elisabeth Munro Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations emunro@shoreschool.org (978) 402-3819

Emma Wilkins

SHORE

545 Cabot Street Beverly, Massachusetts 01915

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