2016 Bulletin & Annual Report

Saddle River Day School

the

Bulletin and Annual Report FALL 2016

Portrait of a Graduate

Daniella McMahon ’16 Lacrosse All-American Thrives at Stanford University

Page 14 Jay Feinberg ’86 Brings the Gift of Life to Those in Need

Page 6 A Tribute to Founder John C. Alford

Page 24

Girls Basketball Wins Bergen County and State Championships

Page 38

Contents

FALL 2016

Emphasis on Academics

Got Grit? Head of School, Eileen Lambert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2016-2017 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Snapshots of Excellence Snapshots of Academic Excellence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Class of 2016 – College Acceptances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Alumnus Jay Feinberg ’86 Brings the Gift of Life to Those in Need . . . . . . . . 6 Graduation 2016. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Portrait of a Graduate Jeremy Tchack ’11 Explores Regenerative Biology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Nina Buchakjian ’11 Engineers Her Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Danielle Pinnock-Wallace ’06 in Critically Acclaimed Body/Courage . . . . . . . . 12 Carr Sisters ’14 Reflections on Sophomore Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 NCAA Athletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Excellence in Teaching A Fresh Take on Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Carly Christofi ’16 Interns with Vascular Surgeon, Dr. Gregory Simonian . . . . 18 SRDS Hosts New York Times Best-Selling Author, Dr. Michael Thompson . . . 20 Making Global Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

On Campus A Life Well Lived: A Tribute to Founder John C. Alford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Imagine the Possibilities! Design Thinking @ SRDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Students Host Inaugural TEDxYouth Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Teacher Feature Eric Lundblade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Lawrence Raia ’17 Encourages Inner-City Students to Read . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Grandparents & Special Friends Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 The Curtain Rises in the Performing Arts Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 The Visual Arts Flourish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Lady Rebels Take 2016 Basketball Championships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Homecoming & Alumni Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Financial Sustainability Thank you for Supporting SRDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 SRDS Annual Fund Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

OUR MISSION We inspire each child to achieve personal and academic excellence and to become a caring and ethical contributor to society.

OUR CORE VALUES Everyone Counts: All talents and contributions are prized.

Love of Learning: The school engenders a life-long love of learning.

Executive Committee Mr. Ted Tafaro – President Mr. Kurt Kaboth – Vice President/Secretary Mr. Rosario Ruffino – Treasurer Mr. Steven Kluger - ad hoc on Executive Committee Ms. Eileen Lambert – Head of School Trustees Mr. Scott Braen Mr. Frank Coyne Mr. Thomas Mendiburu Mr. Wes Powell Mr. Jeffrey Rosenberg Ms. Lorrie Savas Emeriti Dr. William Cassidy III Ms. Jackie Finestone '80 Dr. Mary Clark Romney '67 Mr. Lawrence Salameno Mr. Stu Steckler Founders Mr. John C. Alford Mrs. Diane Alford SRDS BOARD OF TRUSTEES The Trustees of Saddle River Day School provide commitment and leadership for the advancement of the School’s mission, the advancement of the School’s vision and growth, and the protection of the School’s rich legacy.

In partnership with the Head of School, the Board of Trustees oversee all legal obligations are met and work to build a strong endowment and support the growth of annual fundraising and capital campaigns. The Board plays a vital role in guiding Saddle River Day School forward and ensuring that the institution is run with the upmost professionalism, and is at the forefront of educational and technological development.

The Board is comprised of parents and alumni with a deep affection, affiliation and commitment to the school. They are highly skilled in their outside professions and each member brings unique knowledge, skills and perspectives to the committee and each sub committee.

CREDITS:

Intellectual Risk Taking: Inspired by a nurturing intimate environment that endures physical and emotional security.

We love learning that feels like this.

Editor-In-Chief: Gretchen Lee Design: Farrell Marketing & Design Photographers: Keri Eisenberg, Gretchen Lee, Seth Marx, Dave Dougan, Barrie Fisher, Darren Ornitz, Grant Gibson Seth Marx Director of Institutional Advancement 551-579-6705 smarx@saddleriverday.org

welcome to SRDS

Got Grit?

By Eileen Lambert, Head of School

“More and more employers as well as college admissions directors are suggesting that something is missing, something as necessary for success as a robust IQ and an ability to perform well in school. Maybe we can call it character, but we’re probably better off to get right down to it and call it grit.”

– EILEEN LAMBERT, HEAD OF SCHOOL

“Grit is about not freaking out; it’s about taking a deep breath, and moving on.”

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– VERENA ROBERTS, OFFICER OF CANeLEARN

ducation has centered on intelligence, as measured by various standardized tests, to determine the potential for success for children in school and in the work place. And certainly no one would argue that intelligence and education are not important for that success. But is it enough?

More and more employers as well as college admissions directors are suggesting that something is missing, something as necessary for success as a robust IQ and an ability to perform well in school. Maybe we can call it character, but we’re probably better off to get right down to it and call it grit.

There is no test for ‘resiliency,’ but surely if a person lacks the ability to fail, regroup and come back fighting, they are not likely to succeed in a highly competitive work place. Ditto for ‘hard work’; there is no one so smart or so well educated that they don’t run into the proverbial brick wall and have to really hunker down and work long, frustrating hours to achieve a goal. And what about ‘patience’ and ‘deferred

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emphasis on ACADEMICS

“At Saddle River Day School, we provide opportunities where our students can learn to develop grit through a growth mindset— the belief that they can improve their learning and skills if they work hard and persevere through challenges and failures.

We believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work.”

– EILEEN LAMBERT, HEAD OF SCHOOL

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gratification?’ Some projects in life require years of work; no one starts out in the job market as the CEO. My personal greatest worry for the tech-reliant generation we are raising is their inability to tolerate boredom. “I’m bored,” a youngster will proclaim and the adults scurry around to find something to engage the youthful mind because surely boredom is the sign of a superior intellect that needs to be engaged. Not necessarily. In schools it frequently means that a task is difficult, and the effort needed to keep going is exhausting and frustrating, and we have trained children that saying, “I’m confused” is a sign of weakness, whereas saying “I’m bored” is a sign of superior intellectual functioning. In fact, many interesting ideas come from moments of boredom, when the mind wanders around its own tunnels and rivulets combining thoughts and connecting seemingly unrelated ideas and bits of information. Further, there is no college or job so endlessly fascinating that one is never bored. Tedious tasks and boring meetings are part of life; it’s just a fact, so let’s get used to it.

At Saddle River Day School, we provide opportunities where our students can learn to develop grit through a growth mindset—the belief that they can improve

their learning and skills if they work hard and persevere through challenges and failures. We believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment and is critical to long-term success through college and beyond.

As we raise the generation entrusted to our care we need to expand our goals for them. Yes, grades can still matter; yes, standardized test scores will be part of the college admissions process for as far as the eye can see; yes, a formal, excellent education is still the most likely avenue to success in the work place. But we need to be thinking more than we have been about how to instill our children with the characteristics of perseverance, resiliency, self-sufficiency and patience as well.

I hope you will enjoy reading the pages of this year’s Bulletin and Annual Report and I am certain you will see that grit has played a significant role in the lives and successes of our alumni and current students.

Eileen F. Lambert, Head of School

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snapshots of EXCELLENCE

Class of 2016 Snapshots of

Academic Excellence

Allyson Golden

Daniella McMahon

Ross Rabin

National Merit Finalist National Merit Scholarship About 1.4 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2014 PSAT. Of those students, only 15,000 advanced to become Finalists in the Parker Steele scholarship competition. Finalists were selected on the basis of their PSAT score, skills, accomplishments, and potential success in rigorous college studies.

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation recognized Parker Steele as one of those Finalists.

AP Scholars The AP Scholar Award was granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.

This year’s AP Scholars were: Liam Hefta Ross Rabin Anahita Sethi Thomas Wright AP Scholar with Honor Award The AP Scholar with Honor Award was granted to students who received an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. This year’s AP Scholar with Honors were: Kristina Pavlovic Coby Zur

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Anahita Sethi

Thomas Wright

Coby Zur

Head’s Honor Roll These seniors earned Headmaster’s Honor Roll for their academic achievement this year: Yixuan (Chanel) Cai Michael Marrone Frankie Rubin Cum Laude Yixuan (Chanel Cai) Allyson Golden Liam Hefta Matthew Kim Daniella McMahon Kristina Pavlovic Gabrielle Piacentile Anahita Sethi Thomas Wright Valedictorian/Salutatorian V – Yixuan (Chanel) Cai S – Michael Marrone 2016 Departmental Academic Awards Recognizes the strongest seniors in each of the following departments: English Award of Excellence: Anahita Sethi History/Social Sciences: Ross Rabin Science: Matthew Kim Mathematics: Yixuan (Chanel) Cai World Language: Kristina Pavlovic Performing Art: Gabrielle Piacentile Visual Arts: Anahita Sethi

Congratulations!

College Acceptances for the Class of 2016

American University

Florida State University

Marymount Manhattan College (3)

School of Visual Arts (2)

Arizona State University

Univ. of Florida

Massachusetts College of Art and Design

The University of Scranton

Babson College (2)

Fordham University (6)

Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst

St. John’s University

Bates College

Franklin & Marshall College

Mercy College

Stanford University

Binghamton University

George Washington Univ. (2)

Merrimack College

State University of New York at Albany (3)

Boston College (2)

Georgetown University

Univ. of Miami (3)

Stevens Institute of Technology

Boston University (2)

Gettysburg College (2)

Muhlenberg College (3)

SUNY College at Cortland

Bryant University

Hamilton College - NY

The College of New Jersey (2)

SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Bucknell University

Univ. of Hartford

New York University (4)

Susquehanna University

Univ. of California, Irvine

Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa

Northeastern University (4)

Syracuse University (8)

Univ. of California, SB

High Point University

Oberlin College

The University of Tampa (3)

Carnegie Mellon University (2)

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Pace University (4)

The New School - Eugene Lang College

Catholic University of America

Hofstra University

Pennsylvania State University

University of Central Florida

Univ. of Illinois at Chicago

Univ. of Pittsburgh

Chapman University

Ithaca College (2)

Providence College

Univ. of Colorado Boulder

Johnson & Wales University (2)

Quinnipiac University

Trinity College Dublin

Univ. of Delaware (2)

Kenyon College

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tufts University

Univ. of Denver

Lesley College

Univ. of Rhode Island (2)

Tulane University

DePaul University

Lincoln University

Roger Williams University

Union College

Drexel University

Loyola Marymount University

Rutgers University (2)

Ursinus College

Elon University (2)

Lynn University

Salve Regina University (2)

Utica College

Emory University

Manhattan College

Univ. of San Francisco

Villanova University (3)

Fairfield University

Marist College

School of the Museum of Fine Arts (2)

Washington College

of Liberal Arts The New School - Parsons School of Design

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snapshots of EXCELLENCE

Alumnus

Mr. Jay Feinberg ’86 Brings the Gift of Life to Those in Need “At Gift of Life we believe every person battling blood cancer deserves a second chance at life — and we are determined to make it happen. We are singularly passionate about engaging the public to help us get everyone involved in curing blood cancer, whether as a donor, a volunteer or a financial supporter. It all begins with one remarkable person, one life-changing swab and one huge win — finding a match and a cure.

It is said that saving one life is like saving the entire world. Diagnosed with leukemia in 1991, Jay Feinberg was told he would need a bone marrow transplant to survive. Thanks to the persistence of a loving family, tens of thousands of donors were tested at drives that spanned the globe, finding matches for hundreds of patients. Jay’s donor turned out to be the very last person tested at the very last drive held during his search, and he received a successful transplant at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. Jay had no idea that his personal journey would result in the establishment of a grassroots organization that would transform the way patients find bone marrow donors, but that’s precisely what happened. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary recruiting donors, Gift of Life has helped thousands of patients find their life-saving matches. Little did Jay’s donor know that her single act of kindness would save more than one life on the day she saved Jay’s, demonstrating the incredible power each of us have as individuals to change the world.” (excerpt from the Gift of Life website – www.giftoflife.org)

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Alum Jay Feinberg returned to the SRDS campus to present in AP Biology, Fall 2016.

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20-year transplant survivor, Jay Feinberg ’86 is Gift of Life’s Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

He was diagnosed with leukemia in 1991 and told that his only hope of a cure was a bone marrow transplant.

With the help of his family and friends, he embarked on a groundbreaking international search for a matching donor. It took 250 drives and the testing of 60,000 potential donors to find Jay’s match, who turned out to be the last donor tested at the last drive. And so his passion to help ease the journey of others in similar circumstances began.

Feinberg formerly served on the Board of Directors of the World Marrow Donor Association (WMDA) in the capacity of Secretary of North and South America. For years, he volunteered his time as an inspector for the WMDA’s Accreditation Committee and is also on the Editorial Board of Bone Marrow Donors Worldwide.

After graduating from Saddle River Day School in May of 1986, he received his Bachelor of Arts in Political

Middle School students partnered with Gift of Life and mobilized the “Swab Mob.” They swabbed 50 potential donors during the Homecoming activities.

Science from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa.

He has received numerous awards, including the prestigious Charles Bronfman Prize. Other notable honors include the National Marrow Donor Program’s Allison Atlas Award and Hadassah International’s Citizen of the World Award.

Jay is the recipient of an honorary doctorate degree (Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa) from Yeshiva University along with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

In 2010, Jay received the Jewish Community Hero Award from the Jewish Federations of North America, a leadership award honoring those making strides to repair the world, starting in their own communities.

In 2013, he was recognized in the Algemeiner Jewish 100 List—the top one hundred individuals who have positively influenced and lifted the quality of Jewish life over the past year. Also in 2013, Jay was the recipient of the Maurice N. Eisendrath Bearer of Light Award from the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ). This award is the highest honor bestowed by the Reform Movement. Every two years at the URJ’s Biennial, the Award is conferred for service to the world community and Reform Jewry. “It is people like Jay Feinberg who truly make our world a better place,” said URJ President Rabbi Rick Jacobs. “Jay’s tireless work has saved countless lives, and his actions follow in the footsteps of Reform social justice pioneers, such as Rabbi Eisendrath. The Talmud teaches that whoever saves a life, it is as if he has saved the entire world. Jay’s work so truly embodies this teaching, and for that, we are abundantly grateful.” Jay shares this distinction with other notable

As the recipient of the 2010 Community Hero Award from the Jewish Federations of North America, Jay was invited to a Hanukkah celebration at the White House where he met the President and First Lady to share his story and Gift of Life’s mission.

Jay Feinberg delivered the 2016 Graduation keynote commencement address.

“Mr. Kuhlman took a chance on a young child who wasn’t excelling in public school, and that kid graduated cum laude from Saddle River Day School and phi beta kappa from college. That never would have happened without this school, its administration and its faculty.”

– Jay Feinberg ’86 luminaries including Michael J. Fox and Abba Eban.

In 2011, Feinberg was one of three non-profit leaders in South Florida to be awarded a scholarship to the Harvard Business School’s executive education program “Strategic Perspectives in Non-Profit Management”— the flagship of the HBS Social Enterprise Program designed for top executives in the non-profit sector.

So what does one say to a dedicated professional devoting his life to saving the lives of others? A profound thank you seems so inadequate.

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snapshots of EXCELLENCE

Our tribute to the class of Senior Awards Recipients The following awards were given to members of the senior class during the Senior Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, May 19, 2016.

Valedictorian/Salutatorian V – Yixuan (Chanel) Cai S – Michael Marrone

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2016 English Award of Excellence Anahita Sethi History/Social Sciences Ross Rabin Science Matthew Kim Mathematics Yixuan (Chanel) Cai World Language Kristina Pavlovic Performing Arts Gabrielle Piacentile Visual Arts: Anahita Sethi

National Merit Scholarship Program Parker Steele Senior Outstanding Improvement in the Upper School John Kluger Jeremy L. Glick Freedom Award Jinwoo (Steve) Han SRDS Humanitarian Liam Hefta Upper School Citizenship Cup Anahita Sethi Head of School Award Yixuan (Chanel) Cai and Megan Crowley

Speech excerpts International student from Dalian, China, Yixuan (Chanel) Cai surprised her parents and herself as the Valedictorian of the Class of 2016. Here are excerpts from her moving speech: “…Saddle River Day makes us special… Indeed, Noah found a place, I found a place, but there are also so many other places that SRDS has offered us. Whether it’s in the classroom, in the sport fields, in the band room or in the graphic arts lab, there are so many places where we found ourselves special. Just like how Noah shone on the stage, each one of us has found our own spotlight and shelter in this school… let me make myself clear. If you stay after school one day, you will see a beautiful sunset from the lower fields. Around five o’clock in winter or seven o’clock in summer, the glowing sun slowly falls behind the shadowing woods and brings down the curtain of the long day. The sky turns to pink, then red, then purple, then finally dark. This is a part of Saddle River Day School, and it’s only a part: the apple tree that blooms suddenly over one night in April, the guard house where Mr. Faase smiles and waves at you every morning, the Smart Board that is always not smart for some reason, the sofa in the senior commons where you spend your nap time in the warmth of sunshine. These all belong to SRDS; the small campus actually contains so much meaning and so many memories for you. Friends who have known each other for half of their life time, teachers who are willing to listen to you inside and outside of the class, and staff who are always trying to make things better for you. These also belong to SRDS… Summer is going to come all of a sudden. This ceremony is going to end. We are going to leave the tent, our advisors are going to take care of a brand new class who will have the same wonderful experience in this school, and I am probably going to translate this whole speech in Chinese to my parents. But we will come back. I think the greatest success of a graduate is not merely going to a good college, but also having someone in this school who will definitely miss you and you will definitely miss after you leave.”

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portrait of a GRADUATE

FIVE YEAR S L AT E R , T H E Jeremy Tchack ’11: From SRDS to Cutting Edge

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Regenerative Biology Research

eremy Tchack ’11 discovered his passion for biology while he was a student at SRDS. He graduated from Harvard in May of 2015 with a major in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology, more commonly known as stem cell biology. Part of his studies included research in a laboratory that explores using genome editing in stem cells to learn more about diseases like obesity and diabetes during his junior year.

“One of the many opportunities I was afforded while I was a student at SRDS was the chance to pursue my academic interests in a variety of areas, particularly foreign language. I wanted to build on the strong foundation I had established at Saddle River Day, where I studied Spanish and French and was active in tutoring and language exchange programs throughout upper school,” Jeremy says. This led him to continue in his exploration of world languages in college. He received a minor in Spanish and earned a language citation in Chinese from Harvard.

During his time at SRDS, Jeremy—who enrolled in Kindergarten—was an actively engaged student in all facets of campus life including student council,

Jeremy credits SRDS for engendering the “value of serving my community, even in my post-graduate life.”

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“It is important to me that I continue serving the community in my post-graduate life. Looking back, I firmly believe that SRDS engendered this value in me.”

– JEREMY TCHACK ’11

athletics, as an admissions ambassador, and a tutor. In similar fashion, he continued to pursue interests outside the classroom while at Harvard. He served in a youth leadership mentor program, where he was paired as a mentor to a local high school student to help him prepare for college. He became active in a committee that planned Harvard’s annual undergraduate-wide spring concert, and served as the group’s president his junior year. Jeremy spent his college summers in a variety of roles, from camp counselor, to a position doing research for healthcare investors, and, finally, to an internship with Major League Baseball in the commissioner’s office. His biology coursework, lab experience, and time with MLB, specifically work exploring injury prevention and player training, were pivotal in his decision to pursue medicine following college.

Since graduating a year ago, Jeremy has been working at the NYU Langone Medical Center—one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers devoted to patient care, education, and research, where he does clinical research into melanoma. He has the opportunity to work directly with physicians and patients, focusing his research in particular on outcomes of patients with late-stage melanoma. This experience has deepened his desire to continue his education and become a medical doctor. He is currently applying to medical schools to continue his commitment to help others.

During his free time, Jeremy volunteers on evenings and weekends as a baseball coach to 6th graders in East Harlem as part of the Harlem RBI program. He says, “It is important to me that I continue serving the community in my post-graduate life. Looking back, I firmly believe that SRDS engendered this value in me. I will always be grateful for the faculty that inspired me to reach my potential academically and personally.”

CL A S S OF 2 0 11 CH E CK S IN Nina Buchakjian’11 Engineers Her Future

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ina Buchakjian graduated from Cornell in May, 2015 with an undergraduate major degree in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Business. She went on to receive her Masters Degree, also from Cornell University, in Systems Engineering in February of 2016.

Throughout college Nina was part of Cornell Racing, an engineering project team that designs, builds, and races a racecar against other universities from around the world. Her sophomore through junior years, she worked on the Engine and Business sub-teams and as a senior she was first female in the programs history to be a Team Leader, overseeing 60 students.

At graduation Nina was awarded the Walter Werring Excellence Studies Prize. This coveted prize is awarded to a student who has enhanced the Cornell Community, excelling in leadership efforts in a manner befitting the reputation of the engineering school.

Upon graduating from Cornell’s Masters program, she began working for Broadway Technology, a financial

“SRDS gave me not only a strong academic foundation to thrive at Cornell, it also gave me the confidence to believe in my abilities as a student and a leader.”

– NINA BUCHAKJIAN ’11

technology company that builds scalable, highperformance distributed trading systems as a Project Manager. Her focus has been to work on a large project to expand Broadway’s core business. Nina says her most current project at work is highly confidential.

Nina credits her days at Saddle River Day for equipping her with many of the skills she needed to be successful in a highly competitive college and beyond. “SRDS gave me not only a strong academic foundation to thrive at Cornell, it also gave me the confidence to believe in my abilities as a student and a leader.” We are proud to have played a role in the success of this young woman as she embarks on the next stage of her life’s journey.

Nina Buchakjian (first row, center) poses with the Cornell Racing team as the first woman in the program’s history selected as the Team Leader.

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portrait of a GRADUATE

Danielle Pinnock-Wallace ’06 Writes, Produces & Acts in Critically Acclaimed Show Body/Courage

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anielle Pinnock-Wallace graduated from Saddle River Day School in 2006, where she was highly involved in the theater and performing arts. She went on to Temple University and received her MFA in Acting with First Distinction Honors from the Birmingham School of Acting (United Kingdom). She studied with famed solo performer and documentary theater playwright Anna Deavere Smith and was a 2015 Bob Curry Fellow with The Second City. Danielle has appeared in many shows across the country on various stages since her graduation from Temple. She says, “SRDS gave me the confidence and opportunity I needed to excel professionally as an actor in this industry. The school gave me the chance to explore my passion, while making lifelong friends during the

Danielle plays multiple lead roles in her own show, Body/Courage where she plays a woman going through a transformative journey to discover her own beauty through the voices of others.

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Danielle’s senior portrait from SRDS, where she was heavily involved in theater, various vocal groups and was a peer leader.

process. I am forever grateful for the life lessons I learned at SRDS.” Her most recent project entitled Body/Courage, which was written, produced by and stars Danielle as the lead, has been featured on Buzzfeed and other publications. From her website: “Danielle’s work has already gained critical acclaim. Created from over 300 interviews conducted worldwide, Body/Courage is a rich exploration on body acceptance as we share in one woman’s transformative journey to discover her own beauty through the voices of others. Danielle’s powerful new work introduces a constellation of characters (all played by her), grappling with diverse body issues including weight, illness, disability, skin color, aging, and gender transition. Their stories reflect a nuanced and moving response to the high pressures, expectations, and judgments society places on personal appearance.” The show has been hailed as “Phenomenal. Funny. Poignant.”

Since the opening of Body/Courage in February of 2016, Danielle is finishing up a run of “Barbecue” at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, CA, and just landed a role in the new NBC hit series “This Is Us” where she’ll appear this November. The reviews are in and no doubt, she’s a hit! We applaud Danielle for this courageous and outstanding work on the stage and we look forward to seeing where her name will be in lights next. For further information about Danielle, visit her website: www.bodycourage.com

Part 3 of a 4-part series documenting their undergraduate years at Syracuse University and Ithaca College

Sophomore Year Reflections from the Carr Sisters ErinRose and Annalise, ’14

Update from ErinRose at Syracuse University

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ophomore year no longer holds the ignorant bliss that came with freshman year. The reality becomes, “I need to get my GPA up…. I need to get an internship…. I need to figure out what I’m doing with the rest of my life…” or even, “Maybe I should start going to my lectures.” There is a comfort that comes by the end of freshman year, but as you begin your sophomore year, things start to change. Your GPA and your resume matter; you realize they are critical to help you find a job.

You start to discover who your real friends are and the concept of self-sufficiency becomes more real. As Taeson Hahm ‘11 once wrote on Ms. Kim’s white board, “Mommy and Daddy can’t help you in college.” You learn to start budgeting, to cook for yourself… and you sign a lease for a house. I like to think I’m about half way to being selfsufficient, though my parents occasionally disagree.

I continued down my busy path just as I did at Saddle River Day. I was the associate captain of the Ultimate Frisbee team, a member of several clubs and worked numerous jobs on campus, was a keynote speaker at the SRDS inaugural TEDx event last year, and I even joined a sorority, something I thought I’d never do. As I begin my Junior year, I still struggle to maintain the

ErinRose joined a sorority, something she “thought she would never do.”

Sisters Annalise and ErinRose Carr, ’14

balance between classes, practice, and office hours. This spring semester I will be the only student from Syracuse attending the University of Limerick. For some, this may seem daunting; for me, it’s just another adventure.

Update from Annalise at Ithaca College Annalise Carr has continued being an engaged and active student since her days at Saddle River Day School. This past summer, she was lucky enough to go on a short-term study abroad to Ecuador to work in a variety of settings. While there, she was able to get hands-on experience working in the clinics and had the opportunity to learn from other people from various backgrounds about their work. She also had the opportunity to take a tour of the area and was involved in helping those who were affected by the earthquake. She says, “Helping others who are so much less fortunate than me is an experience I will never forget.”

When Annalise returned to the states, she began a summer job for a company that installs adaptive home modifications. The company is run by a Physical Therapist and an Occupational Therapist, so this was a perfect opportunity to gain on-the-job training since her major is O.T. She is also a member of the Ithaca College Occupational Therapy Association. In addition to her studies, Annalise is involved in the peer mentor program to freshmen in the school of Health Science and Human Performance and plays on the club ultimate Frisbee team.

Annalise also serves on the e-board for Challah for Hunger, which raises awareness about hunger throughout the United States.

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

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portrait of a GRADUATE

Daniella McMahon Named 2016 Girls’ High School Lacrosse All-American

d

aniella McMahon, Saddle River Day School ’16, was selected as a Girls’ High School Lacrosse All-American by the US Lacrosse organization. McMahon is a midfielder who became only the fourth high school Daniella poses with her parents Paul player in the state of New and Karen at graduation last May. Jersey to score 400+ goals.

She began her collegiate career as a Cardinal at Stanford University this fall.

McMahon began her high school career as a member of the first year lacrosse program at SRDS in 2013. She has been an integral part of the meteoric rise over the short four-year history and helped lead the Rebels to state and county semi-finals in 2016. She was a NJ State and Bergen County stand out, garnering accolades including the 2013 Bergen County Freshman Player of the Year, 2016 All Metro Team selection in the tri-state area, 2016 MSG Varsity All-New Jersey First Team selection, First Team selections to the All-Suburban and Bergen County teams in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and a Bergen County Sportsmanship award in 2015. The selection as an AllAmerican was a first in the school’s history. In addition to her considerable athletic accomplishments, Daniella managed a very challenging course load and maintained a high Honor Roll status throughout her four years at SRDS where she claims, “My teachers really inspired me to love learning.”

“Daniella is just a girl that you hope you can slow down the day you play her,” stated Mahwah head coach Brian Girardi, who was recently named NJIC Bergen County Coach of the Year. Her fierce style of play has made her a force to be reckoned with as a triple threat on the lacrosse field, the basketball court and the soccer field.

The recognition for her outstanding play on the basketball court was no less impressive, leading the Rebels along side 2016 Bergen County Player of the Year and NJ leading scorer (794 points in her high school debut season), freshman Michelle Sidor. The Lady Rebels cemented themselves as the team to beat by winning the

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BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

Daniella signs her letter of intent for Stanford on the SRDS campus.

2016 Bergen County Championship and the NJ State Non-Public Sectional Championship in the same year.

The team finished with a 27-2 record and was ranked #1

by NJIC and #9 in the tri-state, according to MSG Varsity’s rankings. Dani’s athletic abilities were recognized with Bergen County First Team selections, 2015 and 2016.

She is the middle of five siblings that so far have all continued at the collegiate level: Gabby McMahon as a USC Trojan and Izzy McMahon ’14 at West Point plays both basketball and lacrosse for the country’s premiere military academy. Parents Paul and Karen McMahon, who both played lacrosse at William and Mary, currently coach at SRDS and have coached all three girls as well as younger siblings Michaela ’18 (2015 Freshman Player of the Year and 2016 All-Suburban and Bergen County Team selections) who is already verbally committed to the University of Pennsylvania for the fall of 2018. The youngest McMahon, Sophia started her high school career as a Rebel this fall.

NCAA Athletes Amanda Jones, ’11 UNC at Charlotte – soccer

Chris Cosgrove, ’14 Stevens Institute of Technology – basketball

Greg King, ’14 Union College – basketball

Gaby Mathelier ’13 Stevens Institute of Technology – soccer

Izzy McMahon, ’14 West Point Military Academy, ARMY – basketball, lacrosse

Dan Wright, ’14 Bucknell University – tennis

Micaela Robinson, ’15 Wentworth Institute of Technology – soccer GK

Chris Estevez, ’15 St. Thomas Aquinas College – soccer

Rob Hayman, ’15 Johnson and Wales University – soccer

Sophia Raia, ’15 Wesleyan University – softball

Carly Christofi, ’16 Bates College – basketball

Alex Stein, ’16 Drew University – basketball

Sofia Taveras, ’16 Gettysburg College – basketball

Tom Wright, ’16 The College of New Jersey – tennis

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

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excellence in TEACHING

A

Fresh Take on Learning

By Michael Lamendola, North Jersey Media Group for 201 Family Magazine

i

ntegrating real-world scenarios into educational lesson plans is nothing new. A math teacher may have students become the accountant to balance the books for a “mock business” created specifically for the class.

They could also be asked to create a business plan for marketing classes in colleges and high schools nationwide.

Last fall, however, eighth grade students at Saddle River Day School hooked up with an actual, internationally known, leading brand name in the personal care products

sector, Fresh, Inc., to produce and market a fragrance for a teen line, AdoleScents.

Fresh was founded in 1991 when Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg opened an apothecary on Tremont Street in Boston. The focus was bringing natural, upscale personal care products from around the world to the city.

Since then, the business hasn’t looked back, launching original products that have landed on Oprah’s “My Favorite Things” holiday show (crashing the Fresh website

“Before starting any work on the presentation or script, we discussed which roles would showcase our best effort and strengths.

Everyone had a fair share of the work to do.

We discussed the duties of each teammate and came to a consensus about each topic before jumping in.”

– AYESHA DAR, STUDENT

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BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

Senior Parker Steele presents his portion of the project at Fresh headquarters in NYC.

Senior Carly Christofi explains how the product display boxes were created.

soon after), and have catapulted the company worldwide with stores from New York to London to Seoul.

According to SRDS graphic arts teacher Keri Eisenberg, how Fresh began its collaboration with SRDS was a simple connection with a parent who works at Fresh and was impressed with a Marie Claire project that had been done the year before. After touring the New York offices, Eisenberg and technology director Laura Hollis collaborated with the company on an idea: market a new fragrance using multi-faceted marketing and advertising initiatives.

Eisenberg says real-world projects have been the cornerstone of the SRDS graphic arts curriculum since the program began in 2011 and this would not only incorporate the eighth grade students, but the upper school Graphic Arts III students, who would help develop the commercials for the younger project teams. “This would allow a lot of legroom for other academic subjects to join in with helping to conduct research, writing, psychology, perfume making, social media, marketing and presentation skills,” Eisenberg said.

Groups were assigned one of three conceptual scents to work on: Fresh Nirvana, Fresh Energy and Fresh Formal.

Each group would come up with a scent in science class based upon notes provided by Fresh and from there, create the budget, marketing materials, packaging and advertising elements for their new product.

“When working in teams, we all tried to contribute to the project somehow,” says student Ayesha Dar, whose team took the reins of the fragrance Fresh Energy.

“Before starting any work on the presentation or script, we discussed which roles would showcase our best effort and strengths. Everyone had a fair share of the work to do.

We discussed the duties of each teammate and came to a

consensus about each topic before jumping in.”

Caroline Sweeny, whose group made a total of 24 scents before settling on the one it wanted to use, says the lessons learned throughout the course of the project have paved the way for a successful future. She, as with most students, knew how important their presentation in Fresh’s New York offices would be. “I had to make sure that I knew what I was saying and wasn’t just reading from my script because I wanted to seem professional. This was an important presentation,” Sweeny said. “I also found this experience to be very fun for the people who worked at the Fresh offices; they made us feel very welcome.”

Eisenberg says that while students benefitted from gaining the experience of working with a client and having a wonderful piece to add to their portfolios, Fresh will be studying the work the students produced to help them develop new concepts for the beauty line. “The project was amazing,” Roytberg said. “To see a brand interpretation by these students was extremely informative for me. I was blown away by the packaging and marketing strategies. I’m so excited to share it with our entire Fresh team.”

For Sweeny, while the professional experience she was exposed to during the project will prove valuable in her future endeavors, it was something she took away from the Fresh employees that has taught her the biggest lesson about what the future should hold. “They taught us not to base our careers on the pay or the hours we have, but to do something we love. Every worker in the Fresh offices walked around with a smile and had a passion for their jobs, and that’s how I want to feel when I get older and have a job one day.”

Brothers Gabe ’18 (left) and Liam ’16 (right) Hefta discuss their creative process behind the ad spot they created for the Adolescents line.

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

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excellence in TEACHING

Carly Christofi ’16 Goes on

Special Assignment with Dr. Gregory Simonian, Vascular Surgeon

By Carly Christofi

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ho knew four years could fly by so quickly, but they did. I entered Saddle River Day School as a freshman fearful of the unknown, but open to learning new things and meeting new people. I was anxious, but at the same time confident I would turn every challenge I encountered into an opportunity to grow. None of this would have been possible Carly Christofi graduated in 2016 without the amazing teachers as an Honors student. She was also a multi-sport athlete, peer and faculty at Saddle River Day leader, and a talented artist.

School. The faculty not only taught academic classes, they genuinely cared about each and every one of their students and wanted to know them on a personal level. They were supportive if we were having a bad day and needed to talk, if we were not sure how to handle a situation, or to just cheer us on at one of the many sporting events. Students were always encouraged to participate in the community on and off campus, whether playing a sport, partaking in the arts, or being a member of a club, the faculty and students would always show their support.

When I started at Saddle River Day, I was hesitant to change my focus on playing sports by branching out.

However, I quickly became more comfortable with not only my peers but with myself. In my four years at Saddle River Day I participated in three varsity sports for a total of ten varsity seasons. I was a member of five clubs including Rebel Leaders — a Peer Leader Mentor Program. I took three years of Graphics Arts, which was a passion I never knew I had, and I graduated as the Vice President of the Student Council. Entering Saddle River Day, I never thought any of this would be possible. What I quickly realized was that Saddle River Day School wasn’t just a High School I attended; it my second home.

This support continued when I was looking to spend my summer doing volunteer work at the Hackensack

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BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

Carly stops for a photo-op with a fellow intern while on assignment at the Hackensack University Medical Center.

University Medical Center. I had simply mentioned it to Mr. Seth Marx, Director of Institutional Advancement, and before I knew it he had put me in touch with Dr. Gregory Simonian, the Chief of Endovascular Surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center. With the help of Mr. Marx and the generosity of Dr. Simonian, I spent part of my summer not only volunteering at the Don Imus WFAN Pediatric Center with young outpatients, but with

Carly Christofi was a three-sport athlete each year while at SRDS. She will continue her basketball career at Bates College.

Dr. Simonian himself.

While volunteering for Dr. Simonian, I was exposed to the unimaginable. I spent many hours with the Research Nurses in the Vascular Department and became CITI Certified in Basic Biomedical Research. I was also given the opportunity to attend office hours and visit patients with Dr. Simonian.

However, getting to witness my first surgery was an experience I will never forget. The surgery was a 6-hour Aortic Bypass and being in the operating room was surreal. I remember Dr. Simonian asking me if I would be

Artwork designed by Carly Christofi, Graphic Arts III.

alright when I first opened the operating room door. In all honesty, I was not sure. I had no idea what I was about to witness, but I did not want to pass up an opportunity that most students pursuing a career in the medical field only dream of. Once the operation started I had this overwhelming feeling of calm. I began to recognize what was before my eyes, thanks to Mr. Treue’s Anatomy class where we dissected a fetal pig. I can only describe the surgery as breath taking; Dr. Simonian did everything flawlessly. Six hours flew by, and before I knew it a patient who began his day with a clogged aorta due to calcium build up would now have better blood flow. In addition, I was able to observe a Leg Amputation, Carotid Stenting, an Axillary Femoral Bypass, and several minimally invasive procedures in the Catheter Lab. In my opinion, the medical field is a selfless profession.

Dedicating your life to healing others is extremely commendable and I hope I can become as talented and successful as Dr. Simonian one day.

Today, as a freshman at Bates College, I see myself using many of the skills that Saddle River Day School has instilled in me. From time management and determination to creativity and most of all, selfconfidence. My goal is to major in Neuroscience on a Pre-Med track, and my experience with Dr. Simonian has affirmed my dream to enter the medical field. I will forever be grateful for that opportunity and for everything Saddle River Day School has taught me.

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

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excellence in TEACHING

“Through his own wise and helpful insights, Michael Thompson makes us remember, visualize, and understand the emotional, social, and educational complexities of the school universe in which our children live and grow, and often, struggle.”

– PERRI KLASS, M.D., CO-AUTHOR OF QUIRKY KIDS

SRDS Hosts New York Times Best-Selling Author,

Dr. Michael Thompson answers a question from a middle school student with his usual quick wit during assembly.

Michael G. Thompson, Ph.D. t

he push for students to excel at school and get into the best colleges has never been more intense.

Michael Thompson, Ph. D., has been addressing America’s performancedriven obsession with the accomplishments of its kids and has made it his life’s mission to provide a deeply humane response. His most recent work, New York Times best-selling book The Pressured Child: Helping Your Child Find Success in School and in Life, was written to help parents understand the complex journey of children through school.

Dr. Thompson spent time on the SRDS campus last spring with middle and upper school students, as well as faculty and staff, visiting classrooms and as a keynote speaker during a special assembly. He reminded those in attendance that school occupies more waking hours than kids spend at home and that schools are not just full of academic studies but of human emotions such as excitement, fear, envy, love, anger, boredom, competitiveness just to name a few. Dr. Thompson also

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pointed out that though children may not divulge much when asked, “How was school today?” the answers are there for parents if they know how to read the clues and of equal importance, if they can recall their own school days.

During his visit, Dr. Thompson shared experiences that were poignant, shocking, and inspiring in an attempt to help his audience see how students today grapple with the textured reality of their lives in a society that is so resultsoriented, particularly in the Northeast. Students had time to ask questions, which he answered with his signature common sense and quick wit. Upper School Dean, Doug McLane echoed the sentiments of Dr. Thompson, stating that it was so refreshing to hear the message that it’s ok for kids to be kids and that they will find their path, even if some take a bit longer than others.

For nearly thirty-five years, Dr. Thompson has worked as a clinical psychologist, school consultant and international speaker on the subjects of children, schools and parenting. He has authored nine books focusing on the emotional lives of boys, friendships and social cruelty in childhood, child development, parentteacher relationships, and psychological aspects of school leadership. He is currently the supervising psychologist for the Belmont Hill School in Belmont, MA, and has worked with more than 700 schools across the United States, as

“He (Dr. Thompson) is currently the supervising psychologist for the Belmont Hill School in Belmont, MA, and has worked with more than 700 schools across the United States, as well as in international schools in Central America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.”

Faculty, staff and students actively engaged with Dr. Thompson while he spent a full day on campus.

Co-author Dr. Michael Thompson’s most recent New York Times best-seller, The Pressured Child: Helping Your Child Find Success in School and Life

well as in international schools in Central America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Dr. Thompson and his coauthor, Dan Kindlon, also wrote the New York Times best-selling book, Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys. He is the author of Speaking of Boys: Answers to the Most-Asked Questions about Raising Sons, and co-author of Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children and Mom, They’re Teasing Me: Helping Your Child Solve Social Problems. He has appeared on The Today Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC 20/20, CBS 60 Minutes, The Early Show and Good Morning America. He has been quoted in the New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News and World Report. He also wrote, narrated and hosted a two-hour PBS documentary titled “Raising Cain” that was broadcast nationally in 2006.

Dr. Thompson’s message clearly reinforced the SRDS core values of inspiring each child to achieve personal and academic excellence but even more importantly, to become caring and ethical contributors to society.

Dr. Thompson offered many wise and thoughtful insights to the student body.

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

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excellence in TEACHING

Making Global Connections:

Students Travel to

Quebec and Argentina

By Doug McLane, Dean of the Upper School & AP Spanish Teacher

“El que lee mucho y anda mucho, ve mucho y sabe mucho.”

– DON QUIJOTE DE LA MANCHA, CERVANTES

Rough translation: “One who reads a lot and travels around a lot, sees a lot and knows a lot.”

t

his quote is included in my course description for our AP Spanish Language course at SRDS. It has been a constant theme over the course of my own education and professional career. I was first introduced to a global experience, thanks to a generous scholarship and a heap of bravery on the part of Doug McLane my parents, when I was afforded the chance to head to Argentina at age 15 as an exchange student. This experience would be a defining moment of my life and the beginning of a lifelong passion to more fully understand other cultures.

On the day I arrived, I was in the car with my new host family in the middle of the night. My host “mother” was talking excitedly and kept saying, “leche...leche... leche.” While I could not completely understand right at that moment what she was trying to tell me, I came to understand later that she was explaining to me the importance of agriculture and dairy production in Argentina and how the city of Santa Fe had several large milk factories.

My host “mother” would go on to share so many other amazing stories with me about Argentina and about their lives. My understanding of Spanish improved

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Students take an excursion to a Gaucho ranch in Argentina.

dramatically, as I had no other choice but to speak it on a daily basis. During my time there, the connection between my host family and me grew, as did my love and appreciation for the Argentine community. That relationship has continued through the years. When my host “mother” was a visiting professor at Cornell, I went to see her and wound up staying for an entire week! Later, when I had the fortunate opportunity to travel to South America again in my late 20’s, part of my trip included a long stopover with my former host family where we relived some of those wonderful experiences from my previous stay. Through my personal experience, I came to appreciate the value of being out of one’s comfort zone and to understand the importance of making connections with others who were not all that different than me, even though we came from different parts of this world we called “home.” Experiences like this are what enhance learning in a way that could never be replicated in a classroom. It is my passion to help others understand how the experiential piece is such a fundamental part of learning.

Our students will be living and working in a highly globalized world. At SRDS, we place a high value on global connections work in all parts of our program and curriculum. Just as I had the opportunity to experience what this means on a personal level, we afford our students the opportunity to participate in outstanding cultural and language experiences on campus and abroad.

We are proud that our student body is culturally diverse and we strive to find ways for our program and curriculum to continue to enhance global understanding. A new course offering this year, Middle Eastern Studies, gives students a further understanding about that region of

Madame Giannotti and Upper School Dean Doug McLane pose with students at Montmorency Falls.

Five human fingers emerge from the sand at Brava Beach in La Mano de Punta del Este, a popular resort town in Uruguay.

the world. As we discuss course work, in world languages, humanities, and elsewhere, we intentionally make efforts to connect and explore our global community.

Clearly, there is still work to be done. In an effort to continue this meaningful work at the school, local trips, cultural assemblies, and curricular connections will all be realized for our students, thanks in part to the funds raised at last years Global Initiatives Gala. Indeed, as I have been fortunate enough to experience in my own personal life, culturally aware students who are informed and have experience in global opportunities are prepared to be successful in a globalized world as caring and ethical citizens.

on the way home, the students seemed to understand already that the great memories from this trip would live with them for the rest of their lives. But the experience was so much more than just great memories. Traveling abroad can play such a crucial role in helping to acquire lifelong skills such as building confidence and there is no way to develop a stronger cultural sensitivity. It is so important in this globalized world that we are culturally sensitive and that students have some experience with a world language. There is nothing more powerful than educational travel to sharpen self-awareness and broaden perspectives of life.”

SRDS en Québec City: Une Excursion Hiverhale a la Ville de Québec This past winter, twelve SRDS students traveled with Madame Giannotti et moi to Quebec City. Students had the opportunity to see a number of sites while there, including the spectacular Montmorency Falls, Alex Giannotti a 100-foot-high snow cone that is formed by the frozen spray from the falls that accumulates on the frozen lake below the falls every winter. To conclude the day, they took a trip to an authentic French Canadian cabane à sucre where students learned traditional dances and folk songs at a working sugar shack.

Madame Giannotti writes: “We had the opportunity to travel to Quebec in January and it was an amazing experience! Students were able to meet new people from a different culture, use their language skills to communicate, try new food and be exposed to new customs of everyday life. It was rewarding to see students bond with each other and with their chaperones. Even

Norvy Elliot

¡Los Rebeldes viajin a Argentina!

In March, a second trip allowed SRDS students to experience Argentina and Uruguay. Upper school Spanish teacher Sra. Elliot led the trip, taking sixteen SRDS Rebels to South America to visit Buenos Aires, Argentina and Montevideo, Uruguay along with Dean of the Upper School and AP Spanish Teacher, Doug

McLane.

Sra. Elliot writes: “For several of these students it was their first trip outside of the United States. They saw an authentic Argentine tango show, they visited a famous and unique cemetery where Evita Peron is buried, and they spent a day at a Gaucho ranch, eating and dancing. They drove along Uruguay’s coastline and swam in the ocean at Punta del Este. The students used their knowledge of Spanish to communicate with locals to buy gifts, exchange money, or to buy snacks. This cultural experience gave our students an appreciation for interacting with persons in a different culture and helped to broaden their perspectives.”

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

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on CAMPUS

A Life Well Lived: A Tribute to John C. Alford, SRDS Founder “What is a life well lived? What is the story behind a person’s outward accomplishments that make us pay attention? How do you measure those who have lived beautifully? Is it their charitable work? Is it their public acclaim or fame? Is it their travels or perhaps their bank account? If you say you do not know, look back. What has touched you most deeply through the life of someone you’ve known or loved? Whatever it is, those who live well offer us the opportunity to cherish the gift of life, to pay it forward so that others might thrive, instead of settling for what’s comfortable, familiar and popular.”

– DR. CARA BARKER, AUTHOR

j

ohn C. Alford, Founder of Saddle River Day School, lived such a life. On Saturday morning, January 23rd of 2016 at 7:20am, the Founder of Saddle River Day School passed away at the age of 93. He died peacefully surrounded by his family. Mr. Alford is survived by his wife, Diane, and their four children, Dana ’67, Brandon ’70, Valerie ’74, and Darcy ’76, all of whom graduated from the school.

A graduate of Yale University with a degree in mechanical engineering, Mr. Alford served as a First Lieutenant pilot during the Second World War. Although they had both previously lived on the same street in Hackensack, NJ, it wasn’t until after the war that he met his wife, Diane. They wed on June 19, 1948, and remained

1972 yearbook: Retrospect – Board of Trustees – Seated left to right: Mrs. John C. Alford, Mr. John C. Alford, Mrs. George G. Schreiber, Dr. Nolan B. Sommer. Standing left to right: Mr. George G. Schreiber, Mr. Douglas S. Ogilvie, Mr. John E. Button.

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BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

Guests of Honor and SRDS founders, John and Diane Alford were saluted during the 50th Anniversary Gala, March 2008.

happily married for sixty-eight years that they always cherished. “Throughout nearly seven decades, one can count fewer than thirty occasions in which they spent a day apart,” their youngest daughter, Darcy, recalled. “They remained very healthy, happy, and in love throughout their entire marriage.”

In 1957, the couple purchased the Denison estate, which consisted of twenty acres of property in Saddle River, NJ, and together with Douglas S. Ogilvie, established the Saddle River Country Day School (SRCDS). On June 24, 1957, the school was officially founded, thereby completing Mr. Alford’s vision to establish a quality independent school in the area.

“Dad (John) believed in the power of education,” Darcy explained.

“That belief was deeply rooted in his own father as well.” In the spring of 1964, Alford Hall, named after John’s father, William J. Alford, was completed.

It housed two science laboratories, two classrooms, and a small Mr. and Mrs. William J. Alford stand near the gymnasium, which is plaque dedicating Alford Hall in their honor. the current Performing

1

2

3 4

5

1. John C. Alford congratulates a graduating senior with the school’s motto —animo et fide “courage and faith”—in the background.

2. Students pose for a picture during a ski trip to Magic Mountain.

3. John C. Alford is honored by the Board of Trustees at the unveiling of a painted portrait that still hangs in Main Hall today.

4. SRDS celebrates the 25th Anniversary in 1982 with Head of School, Robert J. Kuhlman.

5. Rebel fans watch a SRDS football game on the lower field.

Arts Center. Providing a viable college preparatory school option for the area was of supreme importance, supported by the entire family.

Although Mr. Alford’s primary passion was always education, he was also an avid traveler. When asked what his favorite trip was, Mr. Alford would often declare “the next one” to be the best. An adventure seeker, accomplished outdoorsman and skier, Alford’s voyages to Tasmania, Botswana, Rwanda, Antarctica, and the Galapagos illustrate the remarkable life that he and his family shared.

In serving as President of the Board of Trustees (19571981), Mr. Alford provided the stability and framework for the school to grow. Darcy recalls one of her father’s most proud declarations to be the continued success of the institution. “Although he had not been directly involved with the school for many years, the fact that the school has continued to advance forward was of great importance to him. He was very fond of the current Head of School, Ms. (Eileen) Lambert, and believed she has been the strongest leader in elevating the school’s standing to what it has become.”

To commemorate Mr. John Alford’s life, we reflect on his passing by revisiting a key excerpt from his Founder’s Address at the 2008 SRDS 50th Anniversary Dinner in which he describes the meaningful act of giving back and creating a culture of caring and ethical citizens:

“I want to tell you why the Saddle River Day School

was started. Diane and I were blessed with four children. Although she and I had both been educated in independent boarding schools, we preferred to have our children home with us during those formative years, and still provide a fine independent school education.

This was an important reason for starting the school, but not the most important reason. As I was growing up and maturing, I began to realize how much I owed my parents and my grandparent, and how much I owed this wonderful country of ours. I had a growing desire to give something back.

As each new generation comes along, we are going to provide them with the finest education that we can give them. We are going to teach not only the arts and the sciences, but also the great moral values upon which this wonderful nation of ours was built. We will teach children the responsibilities of citizenship. If we are able to do that, this nation of ours will always be strong materially, technologically, and morally. And we will be able to withstand any dark force that comes against us. This is what we are doing here at Saddle River Day School... providing that kind of fine education for generations to come.”

– John C. Alford, March 8, 2008

John Alford certainly did “live beautifully” through his outward accomplishments that have enhanced the lives of so many through the years. His vision continues through the ongoing work at Saddle River Day School as we look to the future and strive to continue his legacy.

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

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on CAMPUS

Imagine the Possibilities!

Design Thinking @ SRDS

By Laura Hollis, Director of Technology

IDEAS @ SRDS Lab (Innovation Design Engineering Art Science) — our new space for students to investigate hands-on learning; an extension of the STEAM curriculum.

“The IDEAS lab has allowed students to think differently and expand how they show what they have learned.”

t

– LAURA NIETZER, MIDDLE SCHOOL HUMANITIES TEACHER

he IDEAS Lab curriculum builds on a constructivist ideology, as introduced by Jean Piaget and developed

by Seymour Papert, to form an experiential approach to education. They both recognized that playing, tinkering and experimentation are all essential to a child’s cognitive development.

“The primary goal of constructionism is to have learners create their own knowledge by creating and interacting with physical objects. It has clear connections to media literacy, as well as to self-directed learning. Innovative researchers, and those who wish to see schools develop 21st-century learners— with the skills to work in today’s multidimensional career settings—know constructionism is a necessary tool.” (Trish Roffey, Technology Consultant specializing in makerspace, assistive technology, coding and robotics, and blended learning.) Of course, there was constructivist learning on

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the SRDS campus before the IDEAS lab. Students used manipulatives to make math come alive, they role-played works of literature in English class, they understood art through all kinds of media and explored science with handson labs. With the addition of the IDEAS Lab, we were able to create a physical space to accommodate all ages—Pre-K through 12th grade—and provide new technology tools to encourage innovation and the integration of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) throughout the grade levels. It is a community space, open to all members of the SRDS community from a cross-section of content areas. Its purpose is to promote multidisciplinary thinking and learning, enriching the projects that are built there and extending exploration, creativity, innovation and collaboration with hands-on materials and real-world problems.

Last year, Wendy Rhodes, lower school Science teacher, challenged the first graders to design a doghouse.

Students met their client, “Mr. Dog-Dogs,” a dogsledder who keeps dogs in Alaska. He was looking for designs for doghouses to protect them from the elements. As part of

Students engage in the IDEAS Lab with 3D design and printing and electronic littleBits for a collaborative hands-on experience.

the weather unit, the kids conducted experiments to find the most waterproof materials, colors that absorb heat, and construction materials that could withstand strong winds.

Their results helped inform the materials they used and the designs they created. Ms. Rhodes explained the process.

“We came up with ways to put our designs to the test.

They were rained on with squirt bottles, temperature was measured with thermometers, wind and snowstorms were created using fans and sprinkled sugar. We used our tests to evaluate the success of the design.” Wendy also produced a video in front of the green screen in the Rebel Vision studio to introduce the character and to challenge the kids.

The students saw Mr. Dog-Dogs in his Alaska environment, asking them to help him design prototypes for the dog shelters. This was an important piece in the design thinking process because the students were able to empathize with Mr. Dog-Dogs who needed well-designed shelters for his beloved pups and depended on the expertise of the first grade scientists in the lab. One student even designed a disco ball because she felt Mr. Dog-Dogs loved to dance.

This was an expression of the student’s creativity as well as an illustration of the importance of adding the “arts” (STEAM) component to a STEM program. Through this unit of study, first graders learned about the impact weather can have on manmade structures, how different materials react with weather variables and had a great introduction to the scientific method. They also learned about architecture, scale, model building, prototyping, data analysis and

data collection. Each student presented his or her model on video to “send” to Mr. Dog-Dogs and he sent a video response identifying certain elements of their designs and commending them for meeting the specific criteria. They worked as a team to present a variety of successfully tested ideas that helped to eliminate any sense of competition.

In the IDEAS Lab, we see students using a combination of the scientific method, design thinking process and their own creative process when working through a challenge. They have the opportunity to work out problems individually or in cooperative groups and have lots of practice with problem-solving, critical thinking, sequencing, estimation, logic and ethical reasoning. When they complete a project, they present their work, gather feedback from peers, have time to reflect on the process and think about what they might do differently next time.

This past summer lower and middle schools teachers met to reflect on the IDEAS curriculum from year one and to refine our lessons based on observations. Projects from the first year included basic coding and programming, robotics, 3D design and modeling, circuits, digital book design and videography. This year we have added elements of digital photography, geography, Mystery Skype, new robotics challenges and more opportunities for conversations about ethics in technology.

In the words of a Second Grader, “I’m not sure how it is going to turn out, but I will try it this way and if it doesn’t work, I will try something else!”

HP Sprout, Robotics, and iPad Airs are all available for student use in PreK through 12th.

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TED on CAMPUS

Students Host Inaugural

TEDxYouth Conference @ SRDS

By Seth Marx, Director of Institutional Advancement

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t a time of the year when so many high school students around the United States were spending their spring school days bogged down in high-stakes testing, a group of students at Saddle River Day School were leading and inspiring hundreds to embrace new and important ideas and perspectives through its first TEDxYouth Conference.

“As a speaker, my goal was not only to inform, but to provoke; to start a conversation.” And that’s just what Saddle River Day School junior Matt Rosen and nine of his fellow SRDS classmates did when Saddle River Day School hosted it’s first ever TEDxYouth Conference. The

TED—Technology, Entertainment and Design—is a nonpartisan nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas usually in the form of short, powerful talks. After a year of preparation, SRDS hosted its inaugural TEDx Youth event last spring.

Sophomore Lily Vellekamp ‘19 presents her TED Talk before the student body.

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SRDS campus has since been fermenting with exciting conversations on a variety of topics. And it’s easy to understand why.

Even the title of Matt’s TED Talk, “A New Vision for Foreign Policy” hints at the conversation Matt intended to provoke. Matt’s new vision calls for the United States, and other leading world powers, to return to a foreign policy rooted in non-interventionism. Using recent world events and sensationalized media coverage as the backdrop, Matt presented a remarkably well-researched and mature overview of how and why America’s entanglements in foreign conflicts and wars have caused more problems than solutions.

In the hours and days after the conference, many conversations like the ones Matt intended to “provoke” have, indeed, emerged. “Today in History class we were asked to make an argument for the most important 20th century event in U.S. history,” says Matt. He continues, “The amount of people who mentioned the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (in the context that I introduced in my TED Talk) was overwhelming. I don’t think it would have been mentioned prior to my TED talk.” Matt is thrilled that these conversations are happening across all corners of campus. “As long as we can have a robust conversation—even if we disagree—we’ve achieved something and we will all better understand the topic.”

And then there’s freshman Syeda Islam’s talk on “The Financial Morality Gap” where she inspired members of the audience to reflect on privilege, priorities, and what it really means to live a life of consequence. What was most striking about Syeda’s talk was her ability to transcend her 14 years of life experience to embrace the position and reality of “others” around the world who are not as fortunate as most children growing up in the United States. Citing international poverty and hunger statistics, and her own experience of being born in and seeing typical life in Bangladesh, Syeda suggested that whatever daily tribulations, such as slow internet connection speeds or silly tabloid gossip that occupy our daily thoughts, we would all be well-served to consider how lucky we are

TED Talks ranged in topics including politics, poverty, superheroes and gender issues.

to have such trivial problems instead of truly significant problems such as daily hunger or homelessness. Syeda also wants today’s youth to open their eyes and become more interested in actively rebalancing the drastic gap between the rich and poor of the world.

Junior Lawrence Raia gave the audience a chance to immerse itself in imagination through his talk “Why Do We Idolize Superheroes?” The auditorium was captivated

by Lawrence’s presentation, which on the surface seemed to be fun and games, especially when Lawrence revealed that he actually believed his father was the real Batman until he was eight years old. But his talk was clearly a deeper exploration as to why, in today’s society, we need superheroes for role models (hint; our culture is currently desperate for role models who demonstrate benevolent motivation instead of selfish self-promotion and greed).

The road to hosting a TEDxYouth Conference is filled with challenges and exciting opportunities, and this year’s conference was the result of over two years of work. It was in the autumn of 2014 when SRDS Director of Technology Laura Hollis first introduced the idea of a TED ED club— and the idea immediately took off. Matt Rosen ’17, Olivia Tafaro ’17, Walter Stack ’17, David Stack ’17, Max Sitver ’17, and Lawrence Raia ’17 emerged as the unofficial leaders of the club. Richard Pandich from the Humanities Department and Cynthia Ridings, the school’s Research Librarian, joined Mrs. Hollis as club advisors.

During the 2014-2015 school year, students watched TED talks, batted around ideas and eventually started to come up with themes for talks. Some students who eventually gave talks stuck with their original ideas, while others decided to switch gears and go in other directions.

A highlight for the club was when Ms. Hollis and Mr. Pandich took four students to the Washington, DC TEDx Mid Atlantic Conference in September 2015. There, the teachers and adults served as volunteers doing a variety of tasks. During the two days of the event, the student leaders put in ten to twelve hours of work each day. It was at this event that the students learned first hand what was needed

to put on a TED Talk.

As soon as they returned to SRDS, the club members began in earnest to investigate what it would take to host an event on the SRDS campus. Together, club leaders wrote and recorded TED talks to submit to TED for their TED ED website, and then eventually applied for and secured a TEDxYouth Conference license to host the school’s first event.

“We wanted it to truly be a TEDxYouth event, for students and produced by students,” revealed Mrs. Hollis, SRDS Director of Technology. “Students provided support during rehearsals, helped to run audio and tech for the visual components, helped design the set, ran three cameras to record the event, played musical interludes, worked as the event emcee, served as ushers; they did it all!” Faculty mentors worked with each student to help guide them with the writing of their talks and also to serve as practice audiences prior to the event.

According to Mrs. Hollis, one of the really exciting milestones leading up to the event was to order and then receive the internationally recognized keystone of a TED event; the bright red circle carpet on which presenters stand during their talks. Mrs. Hollis explained “seeing the iconic red TED carpet circle here on campus gave us a visual harbinger of the electrifying event to come; it hammered home the notion that we were on the leading edge of something truly exciting for our school.”

Matt Rosen agrees with Mrs. Hollis that SRDS’s first TEDxYouth Conference has been transformational for his school—and he is pleased to see robust discussions about the various TED inspired topics that continue to take place across campus. To Matt, education and change take place when people step back and consider views and perspectives different than their own. And, according to Matt, disagreements are a key ingredient in the recipe for change and progress. “I’ve been called an idealist, ” says Matt. “I think that sitting with someone who disagrees is much more important than preaching to the choir. That’s how true progress is made.”

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Getting to Know Our New Upper and Middle School History Teacher,

Eric Lundblade m

r. Lundblade, we are thrilled to have you join SRDS in the History Department. Tell us a bit about the journey that brought you to SRDS: I was born in Portland, Oregon, but traveled to Philadelphia to attend Haverford College where I graduated with high honors to earn my bachelor’s degree in history. I went on to earn my master’s in education from the University of Pennsylvania. While I will always have a special place in my heart for Portland (and its expansive food truck offerings), I have been a dedicated “East Coaster” ever since my college days. Most recently I taught at Olney Friends School, a Quaker boarding school in rural Ohio that features a USDA-certified organic farm-totable program. I was very excited to move to the New York area and be near my wife’s family.

Can you share about some of your outside interests?

I love to run! I started running seriously a few years ago, and it has been a major hobby of mine ever since. One of my fellow teachers at my previous school had been a dedicatedly joyous runner, and I learned a lot from him.

Over time, I enjoy the feeling of slowly building strength through what one runner calls the “unprofound process

Students traveled to the TEDxMidAtlantic convention in the Fall of 2016 with chaperone Eric Lundblade.

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of removing, molecule by molecule, the rubber from one’s training shoes.” Most recently, I ran in the Boston Marathon and the Laugavegur 55k in Iceland. My next race is the “Madhattan” in November, which circumnavigates the island of Manhattan. I’m excited to see as much of the city on foot as I can. I am also coaching the cross-country team at SRDS and really enjoying it.

Besides running, I spend a lot of time reading and listening to audiobooks. I am on track to meet my goal of over 50 books this year. 2016’s highlights (so far) include Hamilton by Ron Chernow, The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace by Jeff Hobbs, and The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan.

Was there anything in particular that attracted you to becoming an educator?

I discovered through the course of my education and teaching that I had a passion for helping students develop their skills in critical thinking, presentation, and writing.

Helping students understand how to connect classroom content with ongoing events in the present day is such a critical skill and a key component of globally connected learning.

What courses are you teaching at SRDS? This year, I am thrilled to be teaching 8th grade US History, 10th grade Modern World History, and a new elective in Middle Eastern Studies. Each of these topics holds a special interest for me, and I am very pleased to be able to share my passion for each of them with my students.

When I first visited Saddle River Day School, I was extremely impressed by the general positivity of the students, the professionalism and dedication of the staff, and widespread, expert use of technology for learning. I am very happy to be reaping the benefits of these assets in my teaching and thrilled to be a part of the Saddle River Day School community.

Lawrence Raia ’17 Encourages Inner-city Students to Read

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awrence Raia, ’17, was selected as an honoree for the 2016 New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards in June, 2016. Recipients were selected based upon their extraordinary volunteer and public service work.

Lawrence was recognized for his innovative program entitled Raiareads under the Youth in Service category.

The program promotes reading amongst underprivileged middle school students. The Jefferson Awards are considered to be one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious awards for public service. Recipients were honored at a gala awards dinner and ceremony on June 6th at the Newark Museum.

Lawrence, who enrolled at SRDS in 2004 as a kindergartner, has always had a love for reading. His experiences at SRDS have fostered that love, and in a school where the mission is to inspire students to become ‘caring and ethical contributors to society,’ he has nothing Lawrence Raia ’17 was recognized but support for his for his innovative program entitled philanthropic program.

Raiareads under the Youth in Service In his own words, he category at the New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards. The says, “I had always loved program promotes reading amongst to read —would read underprivileged middle school students. anything I could get my hands on—but I noticed that a lot of my classmates were less enthusiastic. Maybe it was the long list of required reading. Maybe they had been limited in what they were allowed to read at home. Whatever the reason, I began to wish that middle schools kids could be exposed to amazing books early on so that their love of reading would be more developed by the time they hit high school. I like video games and sports and much as the next guy, but I’d honestly rather sit down with a great book than anything else and I wondered if that could also be instilled in younger kids.”

Lawrence poses with principal, Mark Schultz (on left) and Executive Director Miguel Britto (on right) with Raiareads middle school students from The Philip’s Academy in Newark.

He reached out to two schools initially—Mt. Carmel Holy-Rosary School in East Harlem, NY and Philip’s Academy in Newark, NJ—to present the idea of a monthly after school book group aimed at developing enthusiastic 7th and 8th grade readers. Both schools approved the idea during his sophomore year and the program began in January, 2015. They focused on two types of books: books students would most likely be required to read as freshman, and books that they really should read during that year simply because they were ‘awesome.’ With the assistance of teachers in both schools, over 25 students signed up. Lawrence has personally reached out to many famous authors including Harlan Coben, Reggie Love, Adam Grant, John Flanagan, and Heather Terrell, to ask them questions about their work. He has secured book donations for the program and even arranged meet and greets with some of the authors.

“Raiareads and Lawrence Raia are both extraordinary!” says Miguel Brito, Executive Director of Philips Academy.

“The simple idea of developing the joy of reading and thinking about literature for inner city children is a powerful idea, but not one most people would think of or dare to execute. Lawrence has done both and his ability to organize, galvanize an entire school, and create bonds of trust and affection are truly amazing. He richly deserves the Jefferson Award, but awards have never motivated Lawrence. He does it because he believes in serving others not as fortunate as he and leveling the playing field for children that are sometimes invisible but deserving of our attention. If the world had half the commitment of Lawrence we would all be happier and more united.”

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SRDS Celebrates

Grandparents and Special Friends Day

2016

“Young people need something stable to hang on to... a culture connection, a sense of their own past, a hope for their own future. Most of all, they need what grandparents can give them.”

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– JAY KESLER, AUTHOR

he SRDS campus was filled with grandparents & special friends on Friday, October 7th on a perfect fall morning. Over 200 guests had the opportunity to see first-hand what makes SRDS such a special place for their grandchildren and friends. Guests were greeted by SRDS Rebel Ambassadors at check in and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast prepared by our own Chef Mark. After brief welcoming remarks from Head of School Eileen Lambert, students escorted their loved ones into classrooms where they engaged in a scheduled class together.

To conclude the morning session, guests enjoyed a sneak preview of various performing arts groups in rehearsals in the Alford Hall Performing Arts Center. It was a delightful morning, enjoyed by all!

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The Curtain Rises in the

K.J. Herwig ’18 was nominated and won for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy at the Montclair State University Theater Awards.

Playwright and Co-Author Billy Van Zandt Drops in on Fall Drama Drop Dead!

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he American playwright and co-author of the play Drop Dead! surprised the cast and crew when he dropped in for SRDS’ Friday night opening performance last fall.

Van Zandt is a well-known American playwright, born and raised in New Jersey, who has written, co-authored and starred in some 20+ theatrical productions, including the Off-Broadway plays You’ve Got Hate Mail, Silent Laughter,

Playwright Billy Van Zandt joins the cast and crew of Drop Dead back stage in the SRDS Performing Arts Center on opening night.

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and Drop Dead! Van Zandt was nominated for an Emmy Award for his television special I Love Lucy: The Very First Show, and won People’s Choice and NAACP Image Awards for his work on the comedy show Martin and a Prism Multi-Cultural Award for his work on TV’s The Hughleys.

He has also created and/or produced a number of popular shows for television. Most recently, he toured in the Off-Broadway hit You’ve Got Hate Mail, which ran at the Triad Theater from 2010-2015.

The enveloping story of Drop Dead! finds director Victor Le Pewe trying to mount an English-style mystery that’s been adapted from a work by Alabama Miller, an American. It’s the final rehearsal and everything is going wrong, much to the distress of producer Sol Weisenheimer, who has cast his, um, “protégée,” showgirl Candy Apples, as the ingénue.

Actors overplay their parts, reading their lines off of notes concealed in their costumes and in accents ranging from mediocre to just plain bad. When they aren’t trying to upstage the other players, they’re walking into walls or stumbling over the furniture. Cues are missed, and sound effects come in late, if at all. Nepotism, politics and egos run rampant. This is completely the intent in the satirical play Drop Dead!

The show was co-directed by Eric Sciotto and David Eggers, both long time experienced Broadway actors.

The SRDS actors pulled off this hilarious slapstick show flawlessly, providing many laugh-out-loud moments for their audience. Saddle River Day School was nominated at the Montclair State University Theater Awards in the category of Outstanding Comedy, along with director Eric Sciotto. SRDS student K.J. Herwig won for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Comedy. Other student nominations included Katherine Katriel for Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy.

The mission of the Saddle River Day School Fine Arts Department is to provide each student with the opportunity to experience the enrichment, fulfillment, and joy that producing and experiencing art brings to human life. Perhaps the most fundamental element in the study of the arts is that it provides a manner for students to perceive and make sense of the world in which they live. Over the course of an SRDS education, beginning in Pre-K and into the upper school, each student will explore many types of artistic expression and will be given the opportunity to excel in a chosen artistic discipline.

Performing Arts Center Broadway Performers

Direct Saddle River Day School’s

The Drowsy Chaperone

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roadway performers Eric Sciotto and David Eggers teamed up to co-direct and co-choreograph The Drowsy Chaperone at Saddle River Day School last March.

“The two of us bring a lot of experience and are really happy to work with the students and pass that on,” Sciotto said. “We’re a team.” Sixteen SRDS students appeared in the ensemble piece for three shows that ran last March 4th-6th. Sciotto continued, “The roles are distributed evenly and everyone has some bright moments.”

The Drowsy Chaperone is a parody of the American musical comedy of the 1920’s. “The story concerns a middle-aged, asocial musical theater fan as he plays the record of his favorite musical, the (fictional) 1928 hit ‘The Drowsy Chaperone.’ The show opens with “The Man in Chair”—as identified in the script—who leads us through the evening as the narrator,” Sciotto said. The story comes to life in this character’s apartment, in madcap mayhem 1920’s style. “It’s a pretty riotous musical comedy. The audience will be delighted to find brightness, joy and laughter, and just plain old fun. That is the whole point of the show, after all,” Sciotto said. “It’s a great show for audiences of all ages,” he added.

Gabrielle Piacentile ‘16 was nominated for Best Dance Performance in the SRDS’ musical The Drowsy Chaperone.

Director Eric Sciotto currently stars in the Broadway production Something Rotten!

Eric Sciotto is a current cast member in SOMETHING ROTTEN! on 44th Street in Manhattan, where he is currently playing the role of Shakespeare. He has performed on Broadway for many years, including roles in box office hits like The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Rock of Ages, Cry-Baby, 42nd Street, and Aida. His co-director David Eggers, has also had extensive experience on Broadway and has been a cast member in productions like Living on Love, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Anything Goes, Billy Elliot: The Musical, and The Pajama Game just to name a few.

SRDS students were nominated at the Montclair State University Theater Awards for Best Acting Performance (Man in Chair, Noah SRDS actors received four Blank), Best Dance Performance (Gabrielle Piacentile), Best Production nominations from the Montclair State University Theater Awards.

Number (Toledo Surprise), and Best Graphic Design (Sherry Chen).

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The Visual Arts Flourish

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s local schools have continued to downsize their arts programs, the arts at SRDS continue to flourish.

The culmination for the visual arts is the Annual Art Show where students in grades PreK-12 have the opportunity to showcase their entire year’s work in a stunning array of primary color to advanced techniques that utilize digital enhancement. The tradition of celebrating student achievement is on display each year for the entire community to enjoy.

“The visual arts program provides the means to move each student from one development state to another as they become more artistically expressive, inventive, and perceptive,” explains visual arts teacher Alice Steinke.

“The artistic focus of a particular class year establishes a foundation for the student to experiment further, always progressing in both technique and expression.

The creative process is in constant motion for all ages.”

Ms. Steinke concludes that Studio Art (8th-12th grades) provides a venue for advanced students to gain the ability to formulate problems and create multiple solutions. “The more advanced classes strive for more original, personal artwork as they build a portfolio for college admittance.”

The Graphic Arts program has also continued to expand since its inception in 2011, gaining national recognition for its innovation and cutting edge technology. Teacher Keri Eisenberg continues to challenge her students to not only develop their abilities

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“The visual arts program provides the means to move each student from one developmental state to another as they become more artistically expressive, inventive, and perceptive.”

– ALICE STEINKE, VISUAL ARTS TEACHER

but to learn ‘real world’ skills as they learn how to navigate in a highly technological and visual world. Students are exposed to graphic design beginning as early as grade 4 and may continue all the way into the upper school by taking advanced graphic design and animation courses.

The school makes a deliberate effort to allow students to utilize these ‘real world’ skills through meaningful integrated project-based learning like last year’s Fresh project (see story on page 16). Students are also given ample opportunity to engage in design thinking, in and out of the classroom.

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“Have you been able to catch your breath yet, Saddle River Day basketball fans?”

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uch were the headlines during the most successful campaign in SRDS history. The 2016 season was quite a ride for players and fans alike. The basketball program, under the direction of Athletic Director and Coach Danny Brown, has been steadily gaining momentum each year since he took the reigns five years ago. The Class of ’16 pioneered the way, beginning their freshman year under the leadership of Daniella McMahon, Kelly Hannigan, Kayla Oge, Talea Garabo, Carly Christofi, and Sophia Taveras. Alongside 2016 Bergen County Player of the Year and NJ leading scorer (794 points in her high school debut season), freshman Michelle Sidor, the Lady Rebels cemented themselves as the team to beat by winning the 2016 Bergen County Championship and the North Jersey Non-Public B Sectional Championship in the same year.

The team finished with a 27-2 record and was ranked #1

by NJIC and #9 in the tri-state, according to MSG Varsity’s rankings.

The Rebels defeated basketball powerhouse Lodi Immaculate Conception with a final score of 53-36 to clinch the Bergen County title. SRDS freshman Michelle Sidor, who had been sensational all season, showcased her skills in front of a packed crowd at Ramapo College on Sunday, February 21st. The first-year talent scored a game-high 34 points, knocking down six threes on the

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The lady Rebels captured the North Jersey Non-Public B Sectional Championship, defeating Queen of Peace, 66-63.

day. She was named the Most Valuable Player. In addition to her outside game, Sidor also scored several baskets in transition. On multiple occasions, she’d grab a loose ball, turn on her motor and fly down the court for a contested lay up. As for Dani McMahon, the fellow guard made sure her high school career would end with a BCT championship. The senior also had a nice performance, scoring 15 points. As soon as the final buzzer went off, the Rebels exploded in celebration and hoisted the trophy high into the air moments later.

The Sky’s the Limit for Saddle River Day’s Freshman Guard,

Michelle Sidor “I am so proud of each and every one of these young women! Not only are they exceptional athletes, they are role models in the SRDS community and they represent the school with dignity and pride every time they step on the court.

Every one of these players has also made the Honor Roll and they truly understand the meaning of the term ‘student-athlete.’

I can’t think of a more rewarding job than to coach a team like this.”

– Danny Brown, Athletic Director

Days later, the Rebels edged out Queen of Peace 66-63 at Paterson Kennedy High School to capture the North Jersey, Non-Public B Sectional Championship. With 12 seconds left in regulation of the title game, McMahon stole a pass attempt by Queen of Peace, passed the ball off then sprinted down the court to haul in a monster offensive rebound and was fouled on her put-back try.

After missing the first free-throw attempt, with seven seconds on the clock, McMahon drilled her second shot, putting the Rebels up 64-63. Queen of Peace had a shot to win this one with three seconds left on the clock, but freshman Jackie Wolak came up big with a steal of her own and scored a lay-up as the buzzer went off. “That’s your senior captain and senior leadership for four years,” Saddle River Day head coach Danny Brown said. “Unbelievable performance to help us win our first state championship. The composure, execution, and our defensive pressure that has won us so many games put this one away for us.”

The 5-foot-7 Sidor burst on the North Jersey basketball scene with as remarkable a first month as any player in recent memory. Through nine games, she averaged 30.4 points (including 32 three-pointers), 4.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 6.7 steals. “I’m not at all surprised by what she’s done,” said SRDS Coach Danny Brown, who has been working with Sidor since she was a fourth grader. “She’s a special player.” Those numbers, which include some clutch performances against top-shelf teams such as Kennedy, Group 1 state champion New Providence and New York State power Baldwin, are staggering.

Sidor is quick, and Brown raves about her composure, court vision and overall basketball IQ. She has a remarkable long-range jumper, and she’s not afraid to speak her mind on the court even though she was the relatively new kid on an unbeaten team featuring some quality upperclassmen. But what really sets Sidor apart is her work ethic. She’s at the gym every day, working on drills by herself after practice, shooting, trying hard to hone her already considerable skills to an even sharper edge.

Division I college programs have already found her on their radar. Sidor is humble enough not to tick off a list of schools, but Brown said all the big-name women’s programs, including Louisville and Maryland, have touched base. That’s a lot for any high school player to digest, let alone a freshman, but Sidor works hard to stay grounded. She already understands that there’s a fine line between confident and cocky, and she refuses to cross.

“I see being cocky as going around telling everyone what I did or what I’m going to do,” Sidor said. “I’m a modest player. I play with confidence. I’m not afraid to step up and take a shot. A cocky player is flashy and shows off. I just play the game. I just want to be the best I can be,” Sidor said with a shy smile. “I don’t want to be out there on the lacrosse field when I can be in the gym, working out, trying to get better [at basketball].”

Her performances, especially in the biggest games, support that attitude.

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n 2016, the Rebel Varsity Girls Basketball team took both the Bergen County Championship and the State Non-Public North Sectional Title. In the spring of 2016, the Girls Lacrosse team advanced to the Bergen County semi-final round in only the third year since its inception.

The prior spring, the Rebel Varsity Boys Tennis team won the Bergen County Championship. After years of being the ‘underdog,’ this newfound success has created a regional buzz about the sixty-year-old independent school that has captivated North Jersey. However, amid Saddle River Day’s recent rise in athletics as a formidable Bergen County power, it can be most proud that the ethical compass of the student body is often lead by those athletes who participate on the courts and fields.

Compassionate, Thoughtful Students

Lead Athletic Resurgence

For six members of the senior class, (Carly Christofi, Talea Garabo, Kelly Hannigan, Daniella McMahon, Kayla Oge, Sofia Taveras), 2016 would be the final time in their high school careers that they would participate in the charity event, 3’s for Sandy Hook. The annual game between Saddle River Day and the Newtown High School Varsity Girls teams was established after the tragic incident in Newtown, CT in 2012 to raise money for charitable donations to the town of Newtown. In addition, a lifelong bond between the two coaches Jeremy O’Connell (a.k.a.

“OC”) and SRDS Athletic Director Danny Brown has cemented a commitment to sustaining the support to a community where the residual effects of those horrific events will forever be a part of their lives.

The 2016 Lady Rebels Varsity Soccer Team baked over 900 cupcakes to raise donations for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation during Pediatric Cancer awareness month (September). Their own campaign entitled Project Piece sold cupcakes and wristbands and raised over $2,000 in donations to help fight pediatric cancer.

Carly Christofi ’16 was both a peer leader and an admissions ambassador on campus. Carly, who was an Honors student and a multi-sport athlete, communicated with prospective parents as effectively as she did with her own teammates. A key contributor to the community

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BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

service club, her favorite activity from the past year was participating in the NEDA (National Eating Disorders Walk) in Brooklyn, NY. She is currently attending Bates College in Lewiston, ME where she is interested in pursuing a career in medicine.

Trevor Hansen ’17 is an Honors student, captain on the varsity soccer team and a multi-sport athlete. He possesses natural leadership skills and is the co-president for the admissions ambassadors as well as a peer leader.

He is a student-athlete that exemplifies the core tenets of our mission as a “caring and ethical citizen” in the SRDS community.

“Our school community shines with the participation and leadership of our student-athletes in all facets of campus life,” Upper School Dean, Doug McLane commented. “Our environment encourages students to pursue their passions. Kids are more inclined to become proactive and immerse themselves in a wide array of opportunities, inside and outside of the classroom.

Consequently, there’s more teamwork, sharing, and nurturing.”

Director of College Counseling, Karen Ferretti explained that many of our student-athletes are now being admitted to competitive colleges and universities for their academic achievements and the athletic credentials

Rebel Athletics Highlights – Jared Deibe ’17 Takes 2nd Place in Bergen County Tournament SRDS singles’ star Jared Deibe ’17 was victorious, 6-2, 6-1. The Rebel varsity duo of Darius Chuback ‘16 and Stephen Morsch ‘17 defeated their Glen Rock opponents, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Dwight-Englewood won the 16-team tournament with 18 points, while Saddle River Day (13) took second and Glen Rock (12) placed third overall.

SRDS’ Lacrosse Makes Deep Run in State Playoffs Since its inception in 2014, the meteoric rise of the SRDS girl’s lacrosse team resulted in a Group One #3 ranking and a trip to the state semi-finals last spring. The team was led by current Stanford freshman Daniella McMahon ’16, younger sister Michaela McMahon ’18 (verbal commit to University of Pennsylvania), Alexa Tsahalis ’18 (verbal commit to Villanova University), and rising star Jackie Wolak ’19.

Ross Rabin ’16 Wins His Third NJIC Division Title in Golf Ross Rabin set a record at the NJIC Golf Championship that isn’t likely to be eclipsed. The senior from Saddle River Day won his recordsetting third NJIC division title. His even-par 70 on Monday at Valley Brook Golf Course gave him a third Division 2 crown. “Just going into this course I felt pretty confident,” said Rabin, who also won the title as a freshman and junior, “and it worked out in my favor.” Each time Rabin has won Division 2, he has shot 70 at Valley Brook. The only NJIC record likely tougher to beat than his three titles is the 5-under 65 shot in 2012 by then-Saddle River Day senior Luke Edelman.

Saddle River Day junior Alice Kim won the Girls nine-hole title with 37.

Thomas Wright ’16 – This Brit Sure Can Hit! Seven years after moving from his hometown of Nottingham, England, Saddle River Day’s Thomas Wright ’16 became one of the top players in North Jersey. Wright qualified for the final in the Bergen County Small-Schools First-Singles tournament. He also won second-singles twice over the three year period.

are often secondary. Student-athlete lacrosse star and three-sport athlete Daniella McMahon ’16 chose Stanford University to continue to challenge herself academically as well as athletically. Similarly, Dan Wright ’14 chose Bucknell University to continue his impressive tennis career after SRDS in a highly academic setting.

English professor and Varsity Tennis coach, Ken Alrutz believes the quality of the students is a direct result of the SRDS environment. “This school provides an opportunity to receive an exceptional education in a small, caring environment. Consequently, we develop kids who are very thoughtful individuals,” he stated. “Moreover, we highly encourage all of our students to volunteer through community service and other opportunities at SRDS. Volunteering provides an avenue for giving back to the community.” Other charities our student-athletes have supported are the Salvation Army, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, and local Community Food Banks. “SRDS students participate in these efforts because we want them to understand their responsibility to each other, to their school, and to the world outside their campus,” Alrutz concluded.

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

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on CAMPUS

Homecomingand Alumni Reunion Events

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BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

Boys Soccer Defeats Dwight-Englewood at Homecoming to Continue Successful Fall Season Rebel boys varsity soccer defeated Dwight-Englewood with a score of 4-1 at Homecoming.

The boys played the best game of the season so far before a record crowd. Experienced Coach Mark Brinkley, who played in England where he grew up, has coached in Northern Bergen County for many years. He said that the team has “really come together” and “each player finally understands his role and how to work together as a team.”

The boys program has continued to gain momentum over the past few years and each year has seen improvement. The growth of the program has been no less impressive with a JV squad now playing a full season as well. The varsity team, who held a winning record by the end of the season, advanced to the second round of states where they ended their season with a loss.

Key personnel for the squad are lethal striker Kevin Reilly, midfielders Andrew Brinkley, Dan Flores, and Ryan Toronto. Holding down the defensive line are Garrett Kuhlman and Henry Gordon. Finally in goal is Trevor Hansen who never met a ball he couldn’t stop! Newcomers of note this year include freshmen strikers Dylan Besserer and Erik Vozeh.

Brick House Reunion

Young Alumni Event

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

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financial SUSTAINABILITY

Thank You for Supporting SRDS Dear Friends,

o

“You make a significant difference in shaping the progress and culture of our wonderful school, and I hope the pages of this magazine inspire you to continue your support.”

n behalf of the SRDS Board of Trustees, I am pleased to share this year’s Bulletin and Annual Report. As you know, SRDS is a community where teachers, staff and administrative leaders unite with the shared goal of inspiring and supporting our children in their pursuit of academic and personal achievement. However, these goals are greatly enhanced when parents actively participate. You make a significant difference in shaping the progress and culture of our wonderful school, and I hope the pages of this magazine inspire you to continue your support.

My wife Cyndi and I have witnessed the exceptional results of SRDS for over eight years. Our daughter Olivia ’17 is now applying to college and our son James ’19 is an actively engaged sophomore. As many of you know, Cyndi has volunteered for many years as a member of our Parents Guild and she is currently serving as its Co-President (together with Mandy Brinkley). We are grateful for the opportunities the school has afforded our children, and all of the students at SRDS. Most importantly, though, we know that parent involvement is critically important to the success of our school.

With your help, SRDS will continue to focus on implementing a range of strategies that raise the academic achievements of all our students. There is no question that an SRDS education provides our children with an invaluable foundation that prepares them for a rigorous college experience and beyond. While it is our mission to provide a dynamic and challenging curriculum, the lasting core values of leadership, ethical responsibility, and the life-long pursuit of knowledge will remain the anchors to this foundation.

Once again, thank you for your support and loyalty. I look forward to seeing you on campus.

Ted Tafaro President, Board of Trustees

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BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

When we join together to support our students, they can achieve anything.

This year’s report reflects gifts made between 7/1/2015 and 6/30/2016.

The Office of Development has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this report. If we have made an error or omission, please notify us at 201-327-4050 x1124 so that we can amend our records.

Founder’s Club ($25,000.00 + )

Our students and their opportunities rely on the success of our Annual Fund. In each of the previous four years, we have successfully raised our participation by 10%.

We ask every parent to participate and inspire success.

Please help us continue to make SRDS great with our goal of reaching 70% participation for the 2016-2017 school year.

Trustees’ Club ($10,000.00 + )

Mr. and Mrs. Roberto E. Fata ’87

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Acello

Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Hotz

Mr. and Mrs. John M.

Ms. Amanda Jahn

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Kaplan

Ms. Eileen Lambert

Mr. and Mrs. Keith W. Miller

Mr. and Mrs. Michael

Mr. and Mrs. Edward Satkowski

Azarian Jr. ’78 Mr. and Mrs. Scott Braen Mr. and Mrs. Steven Kluger

Radziemski

Mr. Veera Indaana and Mrs. Sujatha Dasari

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen R. Savas

Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Piacentile

Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Regular

Mr. and Mrs. Robert V. Sivori

Mr. Wes Powell and

Dr. Mary C. Romney ’67

Dr. and Mrs. Amit Trivedi

Ms. Sarah Felitti Powell

(Mary C. Clark, ’67)

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Rosenberg

Mrs. Louella Silberberg

Leaders’ Club ($1,000.00 + )

(Penelope Makris, ’84)

Mr. and Mrs. Rosario Ruffino

Mr. and Mrs. David Waxenberg

Mr. Howard Abner

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Coyne

Mr. and Mrs. Todd G. Schram ‘69

Ms. Penelope Bullen ’84

Anonymous

F & P DeRosa Memorial Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Steckler

Headmaster’s Club ($2,500.00 + )

Mr. and Mrs. Ilija Pavlovic

Mr. and Mrs. Eric Stolte

Mr. and Mrs. Brad Cerepak

Mrs. Lyzbeth C. Best

Drs. John and Diane Chuback

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Brinkley

President’s Club ($5,000.00 + )

Mr. Bruce D. Forrest and

Mr. and Mrs. Elias Dontas

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Callan

Mrs. Eva B. Schadeck

Mr. and Mr. Lawrence C. Raia Mr. and Mrs. Edward Tafaro

Mr. James J. Best and

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Cook

Mr. Jay A. Feinberg ’86

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Grossman

Drs. Roger & Fayne Frey

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Herman

Dr. and Mrs. David Gamburg

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

45

financial SUSTAINABILITY

Can we count on your support?

Saddle River Day School prepares students for a lifetime of success. From the innovative teaching and integrated technology, to our inspiring arts and athletic programs, the exceptional education at SRDS helps students become motivated, confident scholars who challenge themselves to achieve at the highest levels in all they do.

And your support of the Annual Fund makes it all possible.

Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Goldberg

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Finkel

Mr. Baolin Jia and

Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth D.

Ms. Man Yang

Fischer

Mr. Andrew Siegel and Mrs. Michaela Cooke

Mr. Donald A. Bruckman ’70 and Ms. Gayle Cabot

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Smigel

Mrs. Rae Buzzerio

Ms. Carla Kelly

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Gordon

Mrs. Joan Spiegel

Ms. Dana Carnevale Stern

Mrs. Judith Kuhlman

Mr. and Mrs. John House

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Tafaro

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Carter

Bian Lin

Mr. Christopher Jones

Mr. and Mrs. Nick Tsahalis

Mr. and Mrs. Val Cassotta

Mr. and Mrs. John Mele

and Ms. Lesley Jones

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Voskian

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Caulfield

Mr. and Mrs. Gadi Piran

Mr. and Mrs. Brett Kelly

Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Waxenberg

Mr. and Mrs. Steven N. Chillrud

Mr. and Mrs. Tyler Schmetterer

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Kelly

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Zage

Ms. Elsbeth Christern

Dr. Michael and

Ms. Mary K. Kenzie ’82

Mrs. Christine Sciarra

(Mary K. Kenzie)

Mr. David Kahn Friends ( < $500)

and Ms. Elizabeth Cole

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Sherman

Mr. and Mrs. Alex S. Kim

Ms. Irene Adams

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Corson

Dr. and Mrs. Greg Simonian

Ms. Helen Kim

Ms. Annika Ahlstrom

Ms. Heather Cosgriff

Mr. and Mrs. Dale T. Smith

Mrs. Sigrid Koether

Mr. Kenneth Alrutz

Ms. Joan Cotellessa ’82

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Toronto

Mr. Seth Marx

Ms. Deirdre Angrick

Ms. Christine Coyne

Mr. Pan Xiang

Mr. and Mrs. Mark McGivney

Mr. and Mrs. James Aniello

Ms. Dana Danziger

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Musial

Ms. Meaghan Arias

Mr. Darin DeLong

Dr. Farber A. Post

Mr. and Mrs. Samir Bajaj

Ms. Jeanine DeLong

Mr. and Mrs. Christopher

Ms. Jean DeSimone

Patrons’ Club ($500.00 + ) Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Carroll Ms. Dorothy E. Fayerweather ’68 (Dorothy E. Pallesen, ’68)

46

and Dr. Lauren M. Post Mr. and Mrs. David H. Rubin Mr. Bum Suk Shim and Ms. Eun Jung Kang

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

Barber Mrs. Emma Best Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Bost

Mr. Alan Detrick and Linda Detrick Mr. Leo Donnelly

Ms. Keri Eisenberg Miss Jacquelyn A. Eliiot ’16

Dr. Kenneth J. Herwig and Mrs. Aida Anderson

Mr. and Mrs. Dean Kordalis

Mr. Doug McLane

Mr. Jonathan R. Kuhlman ’84

Dr. and Mrs. Frank Milliken

Mr. and Mrs. Bert Elliot

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Hibbert

and Mrs. Gretchen Lee

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Moore

Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Epstein

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Hindin

Kuhlman

Mrs. Jacki Moro

Ms. Rebecca Fantry

Mrs. Kathryn Hoffman

Ms. Christine Lebovits

Mr. and Mrs. Justin Nadler

Ms. Margaret Feerick

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Hollis

Mr. David P. Leffler ’04

Ms. Sukyeong Nam

Mr. Eli Fendelman

Ms. Lisa Horst

Dr. and Mrs. Marc R. Leffler

Ms. Jacqueline M. Finestone ’80

Mrs. Nancy Hostler ’91

Dr. and Mrs. Louis H. Lefkowitz

Mr. Ryan S. Neumann

Mr. and Mrs. Ciro Flores

(Nancy Muldoon)

and Mr. Bo Sang Lee

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Letta

Ms. Laura Nietzer

Mr. and Mrs. Bryan M. Garabo

Mr. Eric Hubler

Mr. Daniel Lipper

Ms. Jennifer O’Connor

Mr. Alex G. S. Gardner ’14

Mr. Robert M. Iommazzo ’93

Ms. Margaret Lloyd

Mr. and Mrs. Todd Orlich

Mr. and Mrs. Ed Garza Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Hassan Jeffries-El

Ms. Erica Londono

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Pall

Mr. Paul Giandinoto, ’16

Mr. Kurt Kaboth and

Ms. Kathleen F. Mahon

Mr. Richard Pandich

Mrs. Alexandra Giannotti

Ms. Katherine Cunningham

Mr. and Mrs. Dugald Gillies

Mr. Krisha Kumar Kalpathy

Mrs. Anastasia Giordano

Subramaniam and

Allyson Golden, ’16

Ms. Ramya Ramamoorthy

Mr. and Mrs. Michael G. Malanga

and Mrs. Susan Pandich Mr. Paul Parsekian and

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas M. Mallaney

Ms. Katherine A. Philipp Dr. Lee J. Phillips ’77

Mr. Jason Gu ’08

Mr. Athan Kastsantonis, ’16

Mrs. Lucille P. Mazarin

Ms. Rebekah Hancox

Mr. Matthew J. Kim ’16

Ms. Yvonne McCort

Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Hanna

Mr. and Mrs. Charles E. Klasman

Ms. Mary Beth McDonough

Miss Kelly K. Hannigan ’16

John L. Kluger ’16

Mr. and Mrs. David Richman

Mr. and Mrs. James Hansen

Mr. and Mrs. Karl Koether

Ms. Cynthia Ridings

Mrs. Suzanne Pierce ’85 (Suzanne Bean) Ms. Wendy Rhoads

INSPIRE SUCCESS

BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

47

financial SUSTAINABILITY

Ms. Chantal Rivers Mr. and Mrs. Ed Robertiello

Mrs. Christina M. Signore ’85

Mr. Erick Storckman

Ms. Donna Vellekamp

Ms. Eileen Sweeny

Mr. John Walters

Mrs. Elisa Romeo

Mrs. Steffanie Silverman

Mr. and Mrs. Denis Sweeny

Mrs. Claire Wright

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Rozzi

Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Simmons

Mr. and Mrs. Jorge Taveras

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Wright

Mr. William S. Sands Jr. ’74

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Singer

Mrs. Gayle A. Tuccio

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur L. Young

Mr. and Mrs. Albert Scotti

Ms. Suad Smolinsky

Mr. Pieter van der Heide

Mr. and Mrs. Shahin

Mrs. Regina Scotti

Dr. and Ms. Rand Stack

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Selman

Mr. Parker D. Steele ’16

Mr. Enrico Van Sickell

Ms. Victoria L. Zupa Cindrario ’84

Mr. Arthur Sherman

Mr. and Mrs. Leon Steinberg

Mr. and Mrs. Constantine G.

Mr. Coby Zur, ’16

(Christina M. Kowalski)

Ms. Alice Steinke

Inspire Success.

Make your gift to the Annual fund today!

and Mrs. Katharine Armstrong

Zamanian Rad

Vasiliadis

Our Annual Fund Campaign is the primary fundraising effort at SRDS. It enables us to attract and retain the best faculty, keeps us at the forefront of technology, offers state-of-the-art dramatic arts programming and provides a gateway to exceptional learning experiences. Tuition alone does not cover the cost of an SRDS education and we need everyone’s help to cover the nearly $2,000 gap per student.

Your gift to the Annual Fund has a direct impact on the quality of education afforded to your child(ren) by empowering SRDS to fund innovative investments in their education.

To make your donation, please visit www.saddleriverday.org/giving or call the Development Office at (201) 327- 4050, ext.1124.

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BULLETIN & ANNUAL REPORT / FALL 2016

SAVE THE DATE for Gala 2017!

The Annual Gala sponsored by the SRDS Parents Guild is an event you won’t want to miss! Mark your calendar today and plan to join us for this evening of festivities.

Ridgewood Country Club April 29, 2017 6:30pm

SRDS Receives NJAIS Accreditation Through Rigorous Self-Study SRDS was officially accredited through the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS) and reaccredited through Middle States during the 2015-16 school year. Chaired by Upper School Dean, Doug McLane and Director of College Counseling, Karen Ferretti, this great news for the school came as a result of so many members of the SRDS community putting in the time and effort to produce a comprehensive selfstudy, using the NJAIS Self–Study Guide for Accreditation that included review in these specific areas: Mission/ Philosophy; Governance; School and Community; Program Technology; Counseling/Health; School Finance; Personnel; Technology; School Facilities/ Safety/Equipment/Services.

Once the self-study was submitted, a NJAIS Visiting Team was assembled and spent three days on the SRDS campus last fall. The Visiting Team was chaired by long-time independent school professional and former Head at The Willow School, Kate BurkeWalsh. The team spent time gathering input from all constituencies of the SRDS community including the administration, faculty and staff, current parents and students, and alumni. Their job is to ensure that the school is, in fact, doing what it says it is doing in its self-study, to evaluate the programs of the school in reference to its mission/philosophy statement, and to

assess the school according to the NJAIS Standards for Accreditation. There are several important reasons for this process, as stated in the NJAIS Accreditation overview: • The process of writing the self-study, evaluation by peer review, and follow-up is one way that schools strengthen themselves as they realize their mission.

• An effective process of evaluation and accreditation brings credibility to NJAIS and all of its members.

• The alternative to an effective and professional peer review could be over-involvement by state and/ or federal governmental agencies, a step that would likely be more cumbersome and less responsive to the unique character of independent schools.

The NJAIS Visiting Team produced a final report after their time on campus that wholeheartedly approved Saddle River Day School as a NJAIS Accredited institution with both commendations and recommendations. The school was recognized for having a clear mission and ensuring that the tenets are the driving force behind every facet of its program. As a final step, the school formulated its Action Plan to which laid out strategies in the near and long term to address these recommendations.

SADDLE RIVER DAY SCHOOL 147 Chestnut Ridge Road Saddle River, NJ 07458 201-327-4050 www.saddleriverday.org