SSSAS 2020-2021 Fall Winter Magazine

FALL/WINTER MAGAZINE 2020-2021

SAINTS TOGETHER

SAINTS FOREVER

WHAT'S INSIDE

F E AT U R E S

8

Responding to COVID-19 The Saints Community Takes Action

14

Finding Solutions

Meeting Challenges with Innovation during the

Pandemic

24

Student Perspectives on Social

Responsibility

28

The Saints Action Plan:

A Community Pursuit Towards Racial

Equity

30

Small Steps Making Big Differences

Racial Justice through Legal Action and Reform

46

Art with a Purpose

The Making of a Liturgical Banner

48

The Show Must Go On!

Redefining the One-Act Festival

52

Joining Our Board of Governors in

8

14

24

2020-2021

D E PA RT M E N TS 6 Headliner

30

34

Saints in Action

40

Saints Athletics

44

An Episcopal School

57

Milestones & In Memoriam

THE MAGAZINE

T H E C O V E R S T O RY: F R O M T H E E D I T O R Saints Keeping Saints Connected In January, I was on the Lower School campus taking photos for an article in this issue. As I was walking to the library, I saw Susan DeLaurentis, the Lower School counselor, walking towards me. She had her laptop in her hands and her eyes were brimming with enthusiasm.

“Mrs. Maas,” she exclaimed turning her laptop around to face me, “Say hello to Ms. Buckley's 2DL [second grade distance learning students], we're taking a tour of the Lower School!” All the students cheered and waved to me and then we carried on in our different directions.

That joyful encounter was the highlight of my day and I emailed her to find out a little more about the tour. She told me that she meets with 2DL every Thursday, to check in with them and see how they are doing.

“In October they told me that they missed being on campus with the other students, seeing the Halloween decorations and the other teachers,” Susan told me. “I decided to 'take them on a tour.' They loved seeing the teachers and staff and inside the buildings, as well as their on-campus classmates. I've done a couple of tours for them.”

When she and the students ran into me that day, they were touring because one of their distance learning classmates had returned to campus. They missed him and he missed his 2DL friends, so it was time for another adventure on Ms. D's Lower School circuit.

Take care, 2DL. I hope to see you again soon!

Face-to-Face with Our Faculty

FALL/WINTER 2020-2021 sssas.org/magazine Head of School Kirsten Prettyman Adams Director of Communications Jen Desautels Editor Director of Design & Production Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 Design Jameson Bloom '13 Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 Assistant Director of Communications, Digital Media and Marketing Mandi Sapp Communications & Admissions Associate Marcia Mallett Alumni News Advancement Office Photographers Jameson Bloom '13 Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 Marcia Mallett Our Extraordinary Faculty Freelance Writers Jessica Yarmosky Susie Zimmermann Questions/Comments Melissa Ulsaker Maas '76 mmaas@sssas.org

23

36

39

To Update Your Contact Information or Mailing Preferences Please email atoman@sssas.org or call 703-212-2720.

Published by SSSAS for alumni, current parents, friends, and other regularly supportive members of the school community. © 2020 St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School admits students of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school.

HEADLINER

Senior Sunrise Chapel 6 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Dear Saints Community, Last spring as we were coming to terms with the fact that we would remain in distance learning for the remainder of the school year, I wrote the following in my letter for the magazine: My hope and faith during this time is rooted deeply in who we are as an Episcopal school.

The very notion that we are grieving for the loss of our time together, for the loss of these final weeks of the school year is a testament to the strength and love shared within this community. There are moments we will lose this spring that we will not be able to replicate, and the passing of each of those days on the calendar will be difficult. Yet I have faith that what each of us will learn from this sacrifice will make us stronger than we could have ever imagined.

I couldn't have possibly known then what would transpire between that moment and today. It seemed then that our school closing and our inability to be together was going to be that thing marking 2020 as a year that would never be forgotten. Yet in the months that followed, it became clear that 2020 would be remembered for more than just school closures.

I reflected on the challenges we faced as a community and a nation during our Thanksgiving homily: There has been physical pain and loss from the Coronavirus. There have been financial and emotional pressures created by the virus. There has been pain, despair, and anger about the racial injustice in our country. There has been a divide about our politics and the right path forward for our country. Friendships have been strained with different perspectives around each of these areas. There have been losses of traditions for our seniors, losses of normal worries of school, losses of consistency and a shifting of what has felt like firm ground. So many, including myself, have remarked that we cannot wait for 2020 to be over.

So now, having rounded the corner into 2021, I find myself asking, what is next? How can we prepare ourselves and our community for whatever challenges may lay ahead?

The Rev. Daniel R. Heischman, D.D., Executive Director of the National Association of Episcopal Schools (NAES) shared the following in a recent NAES Weekly Mediation: “[2021] will be a year where purpose is more important than plans. As accustomed as we became to shelving plans in 2020, our sense of purpose has, in so many cases, strengthened. Be it on an individual or community level, we have been forced to rely on purpose as our guide, the force which binds us together.

Secondly, it will be a year where curiosity should prevail over certainty. As the author Margaret Wheatley reminds us, certainty does not give us stability, it actually gives us more chaos. Our current and deep polarization is evidence of what happens when presumed certainty holds dominance over the curiosity we need in order to learn from and about others. It is time for a reversal of these two.

Lastly, the importance of “we” over “me” has surfaced ever more clearly. We cannot risk navigating the upcoming days simply in the “me” mode. Our obligations to serve others— past, present, and future—must direct our thinking and doing. In turn that will shape our own personal well-being.”

What I wrote last spring is still relevant today—“I have faith that what each of us will learn from this sacrifice will make us stronger than we could have ever imagined.” That faith endures as we move into 2021 with hope and purpose, ever-guided by our mission.

Our Saints Community begins 2021 stronger than ever. We are Saints Strong.

Be well,

Kirsten Adams Head of School

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 7

RESPONDING TO COVID-19

The Saints Community Takes Action BY: JESSICA YARMOSKY Like most everyone's, Dr. Melanie Stanton's days look a bit different now than they did a year ago.

email communications with parents and teachers, answering their questions about protocols and contact tracing.

DEVELOPING PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES

On any given weekday morning at this time last year, Melanie would drop off her kids (three at the Lower School, one at the Middle School) and arrive at the Upper School campus by 7:45 a.m. There, she'd settle in and start preparing for a day of teaching.

“My day's always different,” Melanie told me from her office, via video chat. But it's safe to say, it's always busy.

Melanie is an integral part of the Opening of School Task Force and the Facilities Committee spearheaded by Director of Safety and Security Eric Hols, created to help prepare for the massive undertaking of reopening of school in the fall of 2020.

Throughout the spring and summer she worked hand-in-hand with the task force and the leaders of the facilities subcommittees, including facilities modifications, cleaning and disinfecting, and workforce preparedness (see p. ? for a complete list). For guidance in developing protocols and procedures that would keep students, faculty, and staff safe, Melanie turned to Dr. Adrianna Bravo, who specializes in pediatrics and practices nearby. The task force initially hired Dr. Bravo to look over some proposed policies and procedures: daily schedules, rules in the hallways, and lunch procedures. But as the spring—and the pandemic—progressed, Melanie says the group pursued the consultant's work more deeply. They'd come up with proposed policies and procedures and share them with Dr. Bravo, who was deeply familiar with the pandemic and its impact at both the state and national level.

Melanie, who also serves as the head athletic trainer and the physical education department chair, taught three classes, Outdoor Recreation, Sports Medicine, and Anatomy in Clay.

This year, Melanie's mornings look a lot like they did last year. She still drops her kids off at their respective campuses and settles into her office by 7:45 a.m. But when first period begins, Melanie isn't in a classroom full of students. She's still in her office, navigating through an evershifting schedule of responsibilities.

Sometimes, she jumps directly into Zoom meetings with school nurses—Lower School Nurse Kim Brown, Middle School Nurse Katie Hull, and Upper School Nurse Lisa Stuart—and other faculty members. Other mornings, she starts by reviewing invoices and ordering more personal protective equipment, like hand sanitizer. Or, she follows up on 8 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Melanie officially assumed the role of director of health services in August. But she's been acting in that role in some capacity since the early spring, when she first learned of a possible COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. She sprang into action with a group of staff from across departments and campuses.

“We all came together as a task force,” she said. “We talked about logistics, whether or not we should shut down, what those metrics look like, and how we decide whether we close or not.”

When K-12 schools across Virginia were mandated to close for at least two weeks, the group's priorities shifted to what school would look like if they were able to re-open in the spring. And when schools were officially shuttered for the rest of the school year, the group looked ahead to the fall.

“If we're allowed to open in the fall,” Melanie remembers thinking, “we're [going to be] the best prepared school that we possibly can be.”

“We'd say okay, how does this look? Does this sound okay? Are we on the right track?”

MELANIE STANTON

KATIE HULL

KIM BROWN

LISA STUART

Melanie joined SSSAS in August 2005.

She has a bachelor of science in athletic training from Lake Superior State University, a master of arts in athletic administration, and a doctor of education in education administration in higher learning and curriculum. Melanie is also a licensed and certified athletic trainer (LAT and ACT credentials).

Katie joined SSSAS in February 2020. She has a bachelor of science in psychology from George Mason University and an associate degree in nursing from John Tyler Community College. She is currently working on a bachelor of science in nursing at George Mason.

Kim joined SSSAS in June 2020. She earned a bachelors of science in nursuing through an Air Force ROTC scholarship at the University of San Francisco. She served for four years, honorably separating as a Captain.

Kim also received a master's of science in management from Troy University, Davis-Monthan AFB.

Lisa just started at SSSAS in October 2020. She has a bachelor of science in nursing from Grand Canyon University, an associate of nursing degree from Albuquerque Vocational College, and a bachelor's degree in international affairs/Japanese from the University of Colorado.

Director of Health Services

“The most rewarding part of my job is working with students who are going through a tough time with an injury or illness and helping them get back to a sport or some type of normalcy. The pandemic has changed my scope of practice and I'm more focused on finding ways to keep the community safe, giving guidance on quarantine and isolation protocols, providing testing to help keep a pulse on community spread, and working with my medical team members to continue to stay up to date on research, health procedures and policy, and contact tracing.”

Middle School Nurse

“My favorite part about being a school nurse is educating our youth on their health. Whether it be education on a concussion, mental health, an infection, chronic health condition, or an injury, sharing knowledge with the students on how to take care of their health brings me joy. Not only do I enjoy sharing this knowledge with students, but I also enjoy working in partnership with their parents to keep our students healthy in and out of school.”

Lower School Nurse

“I love school nursing because I make a difference in the health and well-being of the students so they are ready to learn. I enjoy the day-to-day interactions with them and collaborating with teachers and staff. I find joy and satisfaction in helping others.”

Upper School Nurse

“Nursing is a great job because I get to work with people on a very 'real' level. It can be challenging, but it's rewarding to think you do things every day that make people's lives better.”

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 9

DAILY WELLNESS SURVEY

HEALTH CHECK Are you experiencing any of the following?

Fever

Cough

Sore Throat

Nausea

Chills

Headache

SUBMIT

and disinfecting protocols compliant with CDC recommendations were put into place, including the types of cleaning products used and the frequency of cleaning.

155

Masks are required at all times, except while eating or exercising vigorously.

65

ENHANCED CLEANING

must be completed by all Saints via an app before entering school.

HAND SANITIZER

STATIONS

AIR PURIFICATION

have been installed in building entrances, near restrooms, in hallways, at screening stations, and in outside locations.

UNITS

which generate oxidizing molecules that eradicate pathogens at a cellular level have been installed.

6 FEET

In order to ensure proper social distancing for our students, all spaces were measured, evaluated, and designed to accommodate them appropriately.

276

Taking Action Against

COVID-19

FILTERS

have been upgraded with the CDC recommended miminum efficiency reporting valve.

40

VOLUNTEERS Are needed every day to help with health screenings.

X

S

X

Schedules and spaces were redesigned to keep students in smaller, consistent groups during the day, reducing the risk of viral transmission.

M

3000+

signs related to the COVID protocols were ordered and installed.

T

X

W

T

X

F

X

S

ANTIMICROBIAL SPRAYINGS that are a highly effective type of disinfectant that kills COVID-19 are being done about every 90 days.

10 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Water fountains were modified to only accommodate filling water bottles.

WEEKLY ANTIGEN TESTING

Finger scanners at the Upper School have been suspended, replaced by a cell phone app that allows touchless building access.

of 15% of students, faculty, and staff is conducted to decrease the chances of asymptomatic spread.

OPENING OF SCHOOL TASK FORCE Kirsten Adams, Head of School Bob Weiman, Associate Head of School Michael Mallett, Upper School Director Quincey Grieve, Middle School Director Jalene Spain-Thomas, Lower School Director Melanie Stanton, Director of Health Services Beth Chase, Chief Financial Officer Eric Hols, Director of Safety and Security Bill Owens, Director of Buldings & Grounds Lizzie Callahan '03, Chief Operating Officer Jen Desautels, Director of Communications Colleen McNeil, Information Technology Director Tanika Caple, Human Resource Director Stephanie Koroma, Girls Athletics Director Lana Shea, Director of Teaching and Learning Christine Mason, Director of Summer Programs Susan DeLaurentis, Director of Counseling Andrew Weller, Dean of Enrollment & Strategic Marketing

FACILITIES SUBCOMMITTEES FACILITIES MODIFICATIONS Bill Owens, Director of Buildings & Grounds

CLEANING AND DISINFECTING Beth Chase, Chief Financial Officer

ACCESS CONTROL Eric Hols, Director of Safety and Security

AUXILIARY SERVICES Donna O'Connell '84, Controller

SIGNAGE Melissa Maas '76, Director of Design and Production

With Dr. Bravo's input and “a lot of flowcharts,” Melanie and the group were able to put together a cohesive, flexible set of policies and procedures for the upcoming school year. They included everything from the basic—putting directional arrows in school hallways to minimize students bumping into each other and setting up hand sanitizing stations throughout the campuses—to the more complex, like developing a daily health check-in app and deciding what to do if there was known COVID exposure on campus.

The biggest challenge in preparing to re-open?

Securing the equipment the school needed to keep everyone safe.

Because of the high demand across the country for things like hand sanitizer, disinfectant, and infrared thermometers, many vendors were low on product or already sold out. Melanie had to navigate that shortage while Bill Owens was making sure the school had ordered enough tents and portable toilets to safely welcome students back to campus.

“That was the biggest hurdle,” she said.

A SAINT'S DAY Student life on all three campuses certainly looks different these days. At morning drop-off, a flurry of phones are out, as parents and older students complete required health questionnaires.

Have students had a temperature recently? A cough? Is there any reason to believe a student would have been exposed? The questionnaire, required to be completed by students, faculty and staff daily, gives Melanie and the health staff a quick glance at who's coming onto campus that day. (If anyone answers “yes” to any of the health screening questions, they are asked to return home and learn virtually for that day.)

After questionnaires, all Saints undergo quick temperature checks before heading into buildings. The school also asks parents to take their students' temperature at home, to ensure that no one with a fever arrives on campus; but just in case, anyone going into the building gets one at school.

A temperature over 100 degrees means a trip back home. While temp checks aren't one of the Center for Disease Control's recommendations for schools because

they're logistically difficult to manage, Melanie and her team wanted them as an additional layer of protection.

“We felt as a community that it was important to keep those checks and balances there,” Melanie said. “We're trying to mitigate as much potential of the virus spreading as we possibly can.

So we think about it as adding layers of protection.”

Health questionnaires and temp checks are just two of those layers. In midNovember, the school added another one—Melanie and other health staff members began rapid-testing a random sample of students and staff on all three campuses. Each week, about 15% of community members get a quick antigen swab test, which shows results in about

“We felt as a community that it was important to keep those checks and balances there. We're trying to mitigate as much potential of the virus spreading as we possibly can. So we think about it as adding layers of protection.”

Dr. Melanie Stanton, Director of Health Services ten minutes. The goal? To reduce the likelihood that an asymptomatic carrier is on campus, potentially spreading the virus without knowing it.

A positive rapid test kicks into gear another series of protocols: a member of the medical team immediately reaches out to family members, and works with the student's family doctor or medical clinic to schedule a PCR test, which is considered to be more accurate. They want to make sure that the rapid results weren't showing a false positive result.

And Melanie and the team begin contact tracing immediately. The idea is to map, with as much accuracy as possible, everyone with whom the student has come into contact.

On a national level, contact tracing is one of the hardest parts of mitigating the effects of the virus — folks may not Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 11

From our early saints to our seniors, social distancing has become the norm. Middle School Nurse Katie Hull stands outside every day to distribute hand sanitizer to students returning to the building from a class or recess; this serves as a constant reminder to for them to be vigilant about our COVID protocols.

be able to specifically recall who they came into contact with or where exactly they went, and for how long, in the days prior to a positive test result. But Melanie says the Saints have “been really good at giving a list of who they think they were in contact with.” If there is uncertainty, the Security Team helps them access the footage from security cameras in the hallways to determine who students may have interacted with.

But because of other protocols already in place, the chances of spread within the building are incredibly low.

After completing their questionnaires, having their temperature checks, and, if randomly selected, getting the quick swab test, students are free to move about the rest of their day—although, as Melanie is the first to admit, “it's a different feeling than what traditional school is like.”

All Saints are required to wear masks at all times. In classrooms, desks are placed six feet apart—and for Middle and Upper School students, classrooms are only half full. The other half of each class is learning virtually at the same time as the in-person students. (Lower School classes, which max out around 14 students, have distanced desks, and students stay with their classes throughout the day.) Everyone on campus maintains six feet of distance from each other—at lunch, where students sit in designated areas and are free to remove their masks to eat—that distance grows to

12 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

ten feet. Lower School students eat lunch and snack outdoors as much as possible, with pool noodles signifying the proper ten-foot distance between seats.

After lunch, masks go back on for the rest of the day. The hand sanitizer keeps flowing at dozens of stations set up throughout each campus, and portable toilets help keep bathrooms from becoming overcrowded. When students leave for the day, buildings are disinfected from top to bottom.

The next morning, everything—health questionnaires, temp checks, rapid testing, masks, distancing, some halffull classrooms, outdoor lunches, hand sanitizer, disinfectant—starts all over again.

These new procedures mean school looks and feels different than normal, but the students and teachers are so happy to be at school. “Although the hallways aren't as full at any given time as they usually are, there is still joy, learning, and chatter,” Melanie said. “Everyone has adjusted well to the protocols and routines, to the new normal.”

What may be lost in close social interaction is made up for in virtually nonexistent COVID-19 spread throughout the school community.

“Because we put so many layers in place, our internal community is strong,” Melanie said. Even with case numbers

rising across the state and country, “we're not seeing [outbreaks] within our internal community.”

Lower School Nurse Kim Brown confirms that their safety measures are working.

While the youngest Saints do have to stick to the rules, they're happy to be at school.

“Despite the masks, and the distancing, and all the hand hygiene,” Kim told me, “I do feel like they're enjoying their time on campus.”

Middle School Nurse Katie Hull says students on that campus understand why the rules are in place, and follow them.

“At times, they forget to keep their distance, as it's our natural instinct to move closer together when speaking,” she explained. “But they listen to our gentle reminders to keep a safe and healthy distance.”

The Saints, like many communities, have traditions that students and faculty look forward to every year.

This year, of course, many of those traditions have had to be modified. Still, “we're trying as much as we possibly can to keep those connections, and remember that we are a Saints community,” Melanie said. “We work together, and we bond together, and we try to keep our traditions the same as what we would do and if everybody was together.”

Many faculty, staff, and administrators have volunteered for the 40 spots to fill every day needed just for screenings and carpool. More have volunteered when there has been community testing. From the beginning, the entire Transportation Office has helped with the daily health screenings.

This year, the traditional Thanksgiving service was moved online. And like every year, seniors gave angel pins to the kindergarteners— but this year, they kept a safe distance.

daily and make informed decisions about their own procedures moving forward.

“We kept the traditions,” Melanie said, “but we just made them safer.”

Melanie credits the school's response with bringing together medical staff from all three campuses. “Before, we were kind of siloed [among the three schools,]” she told me. “Now, we're just one big unit, which has been super helpful. And I think we're just doing a better job of taking care of the students in that manner. The teamwork has really been a positive,” she said. At a time that can be chaotic and stressful, “we're just keeping each other motivated.”

IT TAKES A VILLAGE It's hard to say what the future holds when it comes to COVID-19, but the Saints are prepared for whatever happens. Melanie says she and her team study the metrics of the virus's spread

But at the end of the day, despite the challenges, some positives have emerged.

The teamwork extends way beyond the medical staff and the level of success combating COVID-19 has been a true community effort. Teachers, administrators, counselors, admissions staff, athletic directors, and bus drivers have all stepped up to help with health screenings and testing.

“When we put out the call for help with testing, people came from every department you can think of,” Melanie said.

“When we put out the call for help with testing, people came from every department you can think of.”

Dr. Melanie Stanton, Director of Health Services As soon as the transportation drivers complete their morning routes, they're out on the circle screening students for the day. Athletics staff has volunteered to help with weekly testing. And teachers, who are teaching full course loads and also planning distance-learning lessons, have stepped in to help.

“I think the community sees how important it is, and wants to help out,” Melanie said. “It's been amazing.”

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 13

FINDING SOLUTIONS Meeting Challenges with

INNOVATION

During the Pandemic

BY MELISSA ULSAKER MAAS '76

The coronavirus has posed incredible challenges for teachers on so many levels, and fueled an amazing amount of creativity and collaboration to find the solutions. They have become even greater tech experts, learning more about available programs and equipment than they ever thought possible. For each class they are creating two lesson plans, one for their virtual and the other for their in-person students, and often teaching both at the same time. They are changing the way they instruct their students, finding new methodology to overcome problems.

The reimagination process has taught them valuable lessons and has often brought a new perspective to the way they have been teaching and how they will teach in the future. The following stories are but two examples of many across the school.

14 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

THAT'S MUSIC TO MY EARS K-12 and collegiate music programs have been struggling to imagine how they might survive the tremendous challenges represented by COVID-19. How many students can be taught at one time according to the space available and social distancing requirements? What type of masks are needed? What can be done virtually and can students in the classroom and students at home be taught at the same time? What technology will be required and accessible? While orchestra students can be protected with masks and social distancing measures, singing and playing brass and wind instruments are much more problematic. The largest issue is that both require deep breathing and a forceful exhalation, which can result in greater numbers of particles being released that spread further. Facing this dilemma head on, the Performing Arts Department was determined to find solutions that would allow the students to continue to play, learn, and grow as musicians.

pod and it worked, but he knew they needed something that would totally control all aerosol for indoor use.

Vaughn designed a new, four-sided version and searched for the clearest shower curtain he could find, so the students could see through it.

Once the design was approved, the students helped cut and glue the PVC frames. Vaughn put them all together

THAT'S GENIUS: THE MUSIC POD One of the first considerations for the music teachers was looking at the available spaces, including the seating and stage in the Chapel/ Performing Arts Center (CPAC), the downstairs music room, and in warmer weather the great outdoors, and figuring out how to set them up and make them safe. When the school year began, all the music classes were held outdoors under tents in the area between the Upper School building and CPAC. There were numerous issues, including noise from the parking lot and other classes, rain making the ground too soft, and problems running electricity from the building. Being able to move indoors became a priority and that was particularly challenging for jazz and band, as it was going to require some sort of individualized, physical containment for the brass and wind instruments.

Back in August, Upper School Jazz Teacher Vaughn Ambrose began looking for a solution that would allow them to play indoors. “My first thought was to use plexiglass,” Vaughn said. “But although it would stop particles moving in the air, it also stops the sound.” A call was made to the director of fine arts at Episcopal High School to see what they were doing. They had also considered plexiglass, but had abandoned it for the same reason. They were thinking about using shower curtains and PVC pipes instead.

“I thought that was genius and immediately began putting together some design ideas,” Vaughn said. He and his wife, Robyn, founded the Yellow Door Concert Series in 2018, to bring communities together to experience live art music in a way that is a look back in time, to the parlor concerts of the early 20th century. He decided to test his pod ideas during their next outdoor concert. His initial idea was a three-sided

and added the shower curtains. “I had to think that piece through as we had to layer the plastic in a way that would contain everything,” Vaughn explained. “We wrapped all the corners so the plastic overlaps, and pulled the bottom of the curtain under the pvc frame to seal it. We enter from the back. That way there's only one touching point to go into the pod. Once inside, the students are totally isolated. At the end of each class, we use an alcohol solution to spray everything down.”

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 15

Students wearing the specially designed masks for playing wind instruments or singing in chorus class or a choir.

In order to have enough time to sanitize each pod, they don't have any back-to-back classes in the same room. Students playing other instruments, like the guitar, piano, and drums, don't require pods and are spaced out around the students in pods. In addition to the design, the type and size of instruments a was a consideration. “We have different sized pods for instruments,” Vaughn said. “We made four-by-six pods for our trombone players, a five-by-five pod for our tuba player, and the rest are four-by-four. For the flute we have pods top cover, because the aerosol comes across the tone hole as they're not actually blowing into the instrument, creating a different kind of spread.”

COVER UP: FINDING THE RIGHT MASK The next challenge was to find appropriate masks. While a special mask isn't needed for orchestra students, it is for chorus, jazz, and band.

“We worked with various local companies to design musicians' masks for us,” Vaughn said. “I went through five or six prototypes for jazz and band, until the company I was working with came up with the right one. Even when the students are inside the pods, they wear these special masks for extra protection.”

company that created masks with an interior structure that looks a bit like a funnel. “It provides an extra layer of protection that also allows them to take large breaths freely and move their mouths without sucking in the mask,” Dallis said. “Of course, there are some creative things going on with them in Middle School. Some students used them as a snack basket, putting their animal crackers and orange slices in it!”

LEARNING TO BE INDEPENDENT Other major considerations for protecting the students involved how to limit the number of students in each music class and how to schedule them so they weren't back-to-back. Ultimately, it was decided to split the classes in half and then split them again, so half the students are in person and half are virtual and asynchronous. Asynchronous learning happens according to the schedule, but the teacher provides learning materials and assignments to complete by the end of class or by another designated time. Teaching in-person and virtual students at the same time is a challenge for all the teachers. Many keep their virtual students engaged by asking them questions, which can lead to greater class discussion. For the music teachers there are additional issues.

Vaughn explained that teaching music is probably 85-90% visual. “I'm seeing them all on Zoom, but you can't see the entire instrument,” Vaughn said. “In class you can see the mistakes happening whether you can hear them or not.” Not only is it hard to check their fingers on Zoom, but the program is also not designed to handle the sound of multiple instruments playing, so the students at home are muted unless they are demonstrating.

The masks include a metal piece over the nose and a specially designed slit over the mouth for the instrument, as well as an additional flap that goes over the musician's mouth and closes with Velcro. When they need to play, they open the flap. “The great thing is that even when the flap is open, the mask is still closed because of how the slit for the instrument is designed,” Vaughn said. The same company has also designed bell covers for the instruments.

Having smaller groups at one time has shifted the emphasis to playing independently, a change that leaves the musicians feeling exposed and nervous. “Under normal circumstances there would always be someone playing beside you, so you're independent with the group,” Vaughn said. “Now we're really learning how to be independent because of splitting the classes and the schedule. You may be the only trumpet player in your section and that can be scary, really scary when you make a mistake.”

Upper and Middle School Chorus Teacher Dallis Byrne needed a different kind of mask for singing. Her neighbor owns a

But mistakes are all part of playing a new piece of music, and Vaughn assures them that it's not really making mistakes, it's

16 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

part of the learning process and helps them to grow. Vaughn thinks the music teachers were too worried about singling an individual out in the past and intends to continue the trend.

“I'm definitely going to do more independent or individual playing in class,” he said. “It's actually good for their confidence.

In class we learn how to roll with the punches and know that, hey, making a mistake is just natural. There's a benefit to having students play in front of one another individually.”

For Dallis being independent has a different meaning.

Whether singing outside, in CPAC auditorium, or at home, the most difficult thing for the Upper School chorus students is emotionally based. Being socially distanced not only makes it difficult to impossible to hear the other singers, it makes them feel disconnected from each other. “Chorus is about being together in close proximity and blending together—a mini community, and they miss the camaraderie,” Dallis explained.

“The only time they really hear everyone singing together is when we combine all the separate recordings they make into one file.” Making and sending recordings to her is not natural to the students. They are not used to hearing their voices singled out. “Most of these students are not in class to sing solos, they're there for the singing, the experience of being with someone else to sing,” Dallis said. Many of the more confident chorus students have no problem recording their voices independently, but others feel really exposed. “Since we have every level of singer it's always a challenge, but usually the older students are able to show them and teach them,” Dallis said. “Maybe it's just a

matter of time. When they hear all their individual voices put together, they feel more normal and just a bit lighter.”

The Middle School singers are not feeling the loss as keenly as the older students. Singing outside at the Middle School was easier and better than at the Upper School. The location by the greenhouse is covered and the singers can hear each other better because the sound bounces off the wall. Middle School Director Quincey Grieve loves to hear their voices outside her office.

Although the situation is far from ideal, as an independent school St. Stephen's and St. Agnes is in a better place than most of the public schools, who are either 100% virtual or are not allowed to play indoors. Middle School Band and Orchestra Teacher Chris Gillespie even managed to record his orchestra actually playing together for the virtual Thanksgiving Service, because the numbers are small. “Normally the orchestra is seventh and eighth grade combined,” Chris said. “But we are keeping grades separated so each group averages around nine to 10 students.”

The Middle School orchestra students can play anywhere but the band students are only playing outside, because there is no space for pods. “If we're not playing outside, usually due to adverse weather, we're inside doing other music related activities, like music theory and composition,” Chris said. “But the goal is to hopefully play a spring concert outside, so we need to be playing and rehearsing.”

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 17

at a rhythm and interpret it,” Jim said. “I can literally set it up so that musician will have example A, which is a little bit easier than what I would set it to for a more experienced student. That way I keep them moving ahead incrementally at their ability levels, which we really haven't been able to do in the past.”

The students are receiving more constant feedback from Jim, whether it's written or spoken. For now, there's more oneto-one perhaps at the sacrifice of the full ensemble, but Jim believes that the balance will return soon enough. Other ways the teachers are using the Music First platform includes composing to tap into the student's creativity, and music theory.

Jim Criswell holding orchestra class on the CPAC stage, with half the students zooming in virtually.

MUSIC FIRST: A SILVER LINING There has been a pandemic silver lining for Chris. The music teachers use a comprehensive learning management system specifically for K-12 music education called Music First, to varying degrees. Before the pandemic, Chris did in class assessments of his students and asked his students to practice at home on the honor system. He is now using the Practice First app to assess and motivate his students.

“Practice First has a lot of the method books and exercises that we normally do in class already imprinted in the program,” Chris said. “The students use it to record themselves playing and then it gives them a score and shows them where they've made a mistake missing notes, rhythm, or tempo. They can record the piece until they're happy with the score. It's not only proof that they are practicing, it motivates them to do better. It's given me a new avenue into self-assessments that I would definitely continue using in the future.”

Upper School Band and Orchestra Teacher Jim Criswell also uses Music First for practice assessments and recording his students. They may not be able to play as a full ensemble, but he has found a way to put them all together through technology.

“Music First has a digital, cloud-based audio workstation we can use for a variety of reasons, but I use it as a recorder,” Jim said. “I load a backing track of the piece we're working on that's been fully played out using other software, so students can hear exactly how the piece should sound and then play along. Then I take all their individual tracks and compile them into a single file so they can hear how they sound as a full group.”

Jim had never used the recording capability as a teaching and learning tool, always video recording his students in the past.

“I'm definitely going to continue using this process because I think it's been very eyeopening for everybody,” Jim continued. “It's funny, because when we're in school and they're playing along with me as the conductor, there are students who will hide by not playing very loudly. Using this method, they can't hide!”

The Music First system also allows the teachers to tailor activities and assignments to ability levels. “Let's say I have a student who's not as advanced in their ability to look

18 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Certainly, the biggest missing element for the students is actually performing.

The teachers are desperate to find a way they can perform that is as close to live as possible. That may mean videotaping a couple of instrumentalists on stage or a small ensemble playing a piece together, working collaboratively and posting it on the website. “I think the Thanksgiving service showed the community what the performing arts students are capable of doing, and it's not just doing scales or music theory,” Jim said. “We're actually trying to do performance level things and share it with the community.”

The pandemic has hit education hard, but the Saints community is even stronger and has pulled together even more.

“I'm not surprised at how we transitioned, because it just seems our community always steps up to whatever the challenge is,” Vaughn said. “I mean, they really, really do.

It's phenomenal.”

But the faculty wouldn't have it any other way, because they are in it for the students. “You do what you have to do, because tomorrow may not be like today,” Vaughn concluded. No doubt every teacher would agree that the biggest pandemic lesson of all is to take nothing for granted.

e g a Ch n s MAKING

TRANSITIONS IN FIFTH GRADE Fifth grade is a year of transition. Fifth graders are still kids, but on the verge of being pre-teens. They are the leaders of Lower School, but looking ahead to being the little fish in the new social and academic reality of the Middle School pond, which can make them feel a bit nervous. The faculty and administration have concentrated on this transition and worked hard to ensure that the students and their families feel knowledgeable and prepared about the next step in their educational journey. The fifth grade teachers had it down, meeting regularly; reviewing and updating curriculum; coming up with innovative new projects and programs…and then the onset of COVID-19 transformed the landscape of teaching. As the team took measure of the new challenges COVID had brought to their doors and how it was affecting

their ability to deliver the best education for their students, they agreed it might be the right time to make a change—to the departmentalization approach. But is change in the middle of a pandemic a good thing?

Departmentalization has a number of major benefits for upper elementary students. It gives kids a change of atmosphere throughout the day. It allows the teachers to master teaching one or two core subjects, instead of splitting their time between four. It opens the door to making closer connections with half the fifth graders, instead of spending the majority of time with one quarter of them. And most importantly, at a time when COVID has piled a significantly larger amount of work on every teacher, it reduces some of the load.

The idea of departmentalizing the fifth grade was not a new one. It had been discussed a number of times over the past few years. During the full-scale redesign of the Lower, Middle, and Upper School schedules, which were launched in the fall of 2018, departmentalization in the fifth grade emerged as an important point of consideration in the process. The departmentalization model shifts the teaching of the four core subjects—math, social studies, reading, and writing— from being taught by one homeroom teacher to being split and taught by different teachers. But at that point, not everyone was ready. “Our Lower School homeroom teachers are joyful generalists who bring their developmental expertise, training, and passionate approach across curricular areas in their classrooms,” said Lower School Director Jalene Spain

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 19

Sean Finan checks on a student who is collaborating with a virtual classmate, while Mollie Tolman helps a student with math questions in another class.

Thomas. “During previous discussions teachers expressed some hesitancy in not teaching a major area of the curriculum for which they have a deep passion and in which they have spent time refining their craft.”

With COVID everything changed. The fifth grade teachers— Caitlin Engelberg, Jon Lamkay, Mollie Toman, and Sean Finan— started to seriously consider whether or not the time had come to try it. Caitlin was familiar with the benefits of departmentalization, from when her children were in fifth grade at another school.

“I've always felt like fifth grade is sort of in that middle world, not quite Lower Schoolers anymore, but they're not quite Middle Schoolers,” Caitlin said. “We felt departmentalization would really help them be better prepared for Middle School, but when we started to discuss it there was hesitation and lots of questions.”

Would it work with the current schedule? What would it look like for parent/teacher conferences? What would it look like for report cards? Would it change the relationships with our students?

“When we were in the thick of things in March, April, and May, we were struggling to balance every subject area and teach it to the level it deserved,” Caitlin explained. “That is when the discussions of departmentalization arose, yet again.

This was a discussion that continued throughout the entire spring.” Jon was one of the most conflicted during earlier discussions about departmentalization, but in the face of greater and different challenges brought about by COVID he was glad to have the discussion put back on the table. “From a teacher's point of view it decreases the amount of work we each have to do, only having to prepare for two subjects instead of four, and allows us to dive deeper into our subject areas,” Jon said. They worked in partnership with Jalene, Associate Lower School Director Jeremy Hark, and Lower School Counselor 20 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Susan DeLaurentis to give careful consideration to every aspect of departmentalization before the change in instruction was approved.

MAKING MORE CONNECTIONS Departmentalization is an outstanding way to help kids feel more comfortable with having more than one classroom teacher each day and for the teachers to connect with more students on a deeper level. Although they could have split the four core subjects between them, the fifth grade team felt it wasn't developmentally appropriate and they chose to split them in two. Recognizing that there was a special opportunity for their students to have both a male and a female teacher, the team decided that Jon would partner with Caitlin and Sean would partner with Mollie. Additionally, they agreed that Jon and Sean would teach reading and writing and that Caitlin and Mollie would teach math and social studies. “We felt it was important to show there are no stereotypes when it comes to gender and teaching,” Jon said. For some of the students, this may be their first time learning from a male homeroom teacher.

“As we work to increase the gender diversity of teachers in the Lower School, the departmentalized model ensures that our students experience all of the joys of the homeroom experience with both a male and female teacher,” Jalene said.

Although the teachers all share the same philosophy and core principles in their instruction, they have different teaching styles and personalities which may work better for some students than others. Having more than one teacher gives them more opportunities to connect and a sense of what Middle School will be like. “The way we present material is a little bit different, so not only are students getting to know different teachers in a really meaningful way, but they're also being exposed to different teaching styles and approaches,” Jon said.

Caitlin agrees, “This gives all of our students an opportunity to experience two teachers with different perspectives. If one of my homeroom students doesn't find a connection with me, but finds a strong connection with Jon, that's great. They have created a bond with one of their fifth grade teachers that they spend a lot of time with, and making connections with teachers is incredibly important for our fifth graders.”

One of the biggest changes for the teachers is having twice as many students. Jon wondered if they would lose the special

Students in Jon Lamkay's class working on a writing assignment focus on persausive letter writing. relationships that are built during the course of the year, feeling they would have to change a little bit. But that hasn't been the case. “Not only are we still creating lasting, meaningful relationships with our homeroom group as we have in the past, but also the students are creating meaningful relationships with two core teachers,” Jon said. Caitlin believes the students are also bonding more with each other. “Rather than being in one class of 14 students, they are part of a cohort of 28 that eats lunch and goes to recess together, with two teachers that really know them and care about them,” Caitlin said.

MASTERING THEIR SUBJECTS In the classroom, splitting the core subjects gives the teachers additional time to plan, prepare, and teach to their strengths and become experts in their field. “We now have more designated time to teach individual subjects with clear blocks every day and we're able to really delve deep into the curriculum,” Jon said. “Because we can focus on our two subjects and become masters of that curriculum, our students get the best instruction possible.”

Sean says it's exciting for him to gain a greater level of expertise and a deeper understanding in the areas he is most passionate about, and that excitement filters through to his students.

“I can really dive head first into the content and make my space all about reading and writing while Mollie's space is all about math and social studies, which gives the students a richer experience in terms of that content area.” Sean said. “I'm going to go 150% into a book and she's going to go 150% into a math concept.”

Mollie confirms she has more time to plan lessons in her content areas and provide feedback to her students. In addition, working in the departmentalization model has given her a better understanding of all content areas. “Not only have I had the chance to better understand the curriculum I directly teach, but I have also had the privilege of hearing about their Language

Arts assignments peripherally, which has given me a new lens of how the curriculum is taught, and how students absorb it at this level,” Mollie said.

Having more time to plan and master their subjects also allows for more crafting interdisciplinary learning experiences in which the students can make strong connections across and between subject areas. “Our teachers have always skillfully combined subject areas when teaching,” Jalene said. “In the departmentalized model, teachers are still able to use writing as a springboard to forward social studies concepts and they design engaging reading passages to forward math concepts.”

Having regular, daily blocks of time not only allows them to go deeper into the content, it also allows them to teach more efficiently. Jon and Sean spent a unit focusing on the reading and writing skills of non-fiction specifically so the students could apply those skills to the study of the American Revolution in social studies class. “We're teaching them reading and writing skills that they can immediately apply in different ways across the subjects,” Jon said. “This way a unit that used to last three months may only last a few weeks, avoiding the burn out they used to experience.”

INCREASED SENSE OF CONFIDENCE AND INDEPENDENCE The simple act of switching classes, experiencing multiple teaching styles, and having more time with each subject positively affects the students' sense of independence.

“Departmentalization breaks up the monotony of the day,” Caitlin said. “Fifth graders are social beings and moving and socializing more frequently has increased their ability to focus during instruction time.” The fifth grade teachers used a creative and innovative approach to confirm the timing, space, and location of classes. “We had to figure out if it was best for teachers or students to switch classes, as we are not transitioning through our physical spaces in the same way this year,” Jalene said. “The teachers tackled questions like, 'how can teachers and students safely rotate between classroom spaces?'

We relied on safety and health protocols being successfully implemented in our Middle and Upper School to make our final decisions about use of space.”

Contrary to how they used to line up and be chaperoned to their specials classes, like art and music, part of switching academic classes is to do it on their own. “Their sense of responsibility Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 21

The fifth grade teachers meet weekly as a team, and more often as teaching pairs. Even though they are all on campus, they meet virtually to reduce contact in person. and independence has doubled, because we're doing a lot less handholding,” Caitlin said. “At the end of my math class, I say, 'Okay, gather up your things and wipe down your desks. You're heading back up to Mr. Lamkay's room for language arts,' and they're going on their own. Which again, is great preparation for Middle School when independent transitions are important.”

Mollie feels as though the students have responded well to having multiple teachers changing classes. “In addition to being wonderful preparation for middle school, it improves their organization and flexibility as they move between classes.”

Going from teaching four subjects in a day to teaching the same subject twice has its advantages pedagogically, which enhances the student experience. “If I do a lesson with one class and realize that one part didn't go as well as I planned, I can amend it for the next class,” Sean said. “In terms of our own practice as teachers and our appreciation for the content, being able to do that is exciting and good for the student developmentally.”

As the students gain a greater sense of independence, the teachers feed on it and feel inspired to ask more of them. The fifth graders are proving they are ready to grow, stretch, and be successful. “We provide them with challenges we know they can beat, because we structure them in accordance with the tools we know they have,” Sean continued. “We help them realize they can overcome the challenge, which sometimes means letting them make mistakes and fail in order to learn. As they overcome the challenges, their confidence increases and they feel more prepared for the next problem they have to solve.”

NEW AND DIFFERENT COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP All four teachers enthusiastically say departmentalization has increased and positively changed the way they collaborate.

“Our team was already collaborative, but it's doubled,” Caitlin said. “The more we collaborate, the better we are able to support our students.”

In addition to collaborating more on subject content and making cross curriculum connections, for the first time they have a teaching partner who also knows their students.

If a student is struggling, the teachers can talk to their partners to gain confirmation, new insight, or a different perspective on

22 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

the student and the issue. This collaboration has transformed their parent/teacher conferences. “Sharing students has created a stronger relationship between Jon and me,” Caitlin said. “We just completed 28 parent/teacher conferences together. It was beneficial for everyone, as Jon and I were both able to share strengths and challenges of each student that we saw in our individual classrooms. So rather than hearing the perspective of only one teacher, parents heard from two.” If there are problems, they can differentiate between issues related to a specific subject as opposed to learning issues that are consistent in both classrooms. It helps parents to hear feedback from two different teachers in two different subject areas.

SO, CHANGE IS GOOD The fifth grade team is definitely happy with the way the year has been going, and the feedback from students and parents has been positive.

“Each teacher brings the best of their approach to meeting student's individual needs and reaching them as learners and stretching them as readers, writers, and mathematicians,” Jalene said. “The result is two pairs of our talented teachers being fully invested in the academic progress of each fifth grader.

Our students speak fondly of both of their fifth grade teachers. Parents have expressed their gratitude for the creative and innovative approach both of their child's teachers are using.”

Adversity brings challenges, and overcoming them often requires risk-taking and a commitment to change. The past year has been extraordinary and memorable, not as the year of COVID, but as the year the fifth graders and their teachers transitioned together.

FACE-TO-FACE WITH OUR FACULTY

Junior Kindergarten/Early Years Coordinator Skylé Pearson loves chocolate, the Yankees and Giants, and teaching young students. “I believe it's so important for children to build a strong foundation for their educational journeys,” Skylé said. “They need to develop a love of learning, acquire strong organizational skills, and gradually embrace their varied learning styles.” A hardworking, lifelong learner, she has a bachelor's in education, a master's in reading, and an education specialist degree in educational leadership. An avid, native New Yorker born and raised in Harlem and the Bronx, Skylé began her teaching career in New York City public schools. Her independent school experience began at Georgetown Day School, where her daughter, Morgan, is in the ninth grade. Skylé is passionate about diversity work and serves on the Lower School Equity and Inclusion/Social Responsibility Committee. “I've learned so much about who I am as a woman of color, how important it is as a Black woman to share bits of who I am for others to learn that we all have things in common, can learn and grow from our differences, and together can work toward a better future,” Skylé said. “I did not have this lens when I was growing up in New York. I simply believed that the diversity I grew up with and was accustomed to there was the norm.” Outside of the classroom, Skylé loves to read and listen to podcasts. She has a broad taste in music, mostly listening to R&B and Hip Hop but also to pop, dancehall, smooth jazz, neo soul, 80's hits, soft rock, and country. When she switches on the TV, she escapes into fantasy—“Game of Thrones,” “Lord of the Rings,” “Avengers,” and “Star Wars” —and football and beach volleyball. Skylé is also into dance and has taken West African and belly dancing classes. She enjoys traveling, despite the fact that she doesn't care for flying and gets motion sickness on boats and school buses! But that didn't stop her from trying aerial yoga. In the classroom, she says her students teach her something new every day.

“They have a different perspective from adults, funny at times, but mostly refreshing,” Skylé said. “They've taught me that anything is possible and to be open-minded, patient, and resilient.”

What is the one thing in the world you would fix if you could wave a magic wand? Homelessness. It shouldn't be an

issue in this country.

What are you obsessed with? Fashion! I would love a few couture pieces from ELLE, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar.

What are you most proud of? Being a mom.

Where in the world are you the happiest? On a beach in the

Caribbean: Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Aruba...

What makes you feel like a kid again? Pushing my students on the swings.

For what in your life do you feel most grateful? To have a career I enjoy in which I can continue to thrive!

Skylé Pearson

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 23

Student Perspectives on

Social Responsibility in the Times of COVID-19

BY VALENTINA RAMAN Director of Service Learning & Social Entrepreneurship

When schools shut down across the country, our students were thrusted into a “new normal” of shifting schedules and blurred boundaries. In the midst of this virtual reality, many Saints became increasingly connected with their sense of social responsibility.

Caring for the young and the older; making masks for entire communities; teaming up with peers and recruiting volunteers; marching for justice and creating inclusive solutions… These are some of the changemaking actions taken by the following five Upper School Saints.

Before summer 2020 even began, these students saw possibility where others saw problems, and created independent initiatives to address new or intensified social issues. They made it their mission to learn and serve with their communities in creative and compassionate ways.

In their words, here are their changemaker stories, reflections, and hopes for the future.

Photo of TJ Moss by Trimain Gough

24 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

I wish my peers would understand that you don't have to be an activist or leader to make a change ... I think the best way to create change and make safer environments for everyone is to collaborate together and talk about what is going on as a whole.

E TJ MOSS

TJ MOSS '21

Petitioning for Progress, Unifying Communities Q. How has the pandemic affected your understanding of the challenges being faced by individuals and families in our DMV community?

A. Due to the pandemic, I have seen many people impacted by this virus.

However, the group of individuals I think that has been the most impacted are the people who are homeless. Those who are homeless are suffering an enormous amount of stress and pressure already, now add the pandemic on-top of it, it creates more pain, hurt, and sickness.

Specifically in the DMV, I have seen an increase in people who are homeless.

Q. How have you taken action to address one or more of these challenges?

A. The actions I have taken since the pandemic started were participating in multiple marches, creating petitions for activism around BLM, as well as joining a social entrepreneurship program, LearnServe, where we tackle societal problems and find solutions to these problems in the DMV. Q. What have you learned about yourself through the actions you've taken? What skills, attitudes, and/or mindset have you learned you have and/or need to be an effective changemaker?

A. I have learned through these actions that I need to be more aware of my anger and direct it into change and progress. I have noticed that I tend to get angry and shut out other people's opinions and not validate them if I don't necessarily agree with them. This is very selfish and inconsiderate of me and I have to acknowledge everyone's thoughts and feelings. I have taken the initiative of being more responsible and acknowledging the thoughts and feelings of others.

Q. What do you wish your peers knew? What hopes do you have for Saints getting involved in the issue(s) you are serving?

A. I wish my peers can understand that you don't have to be an activist or leader to make a change. I think a lot of people see me as an activist and because of that, I'm the only one that can make a change or say what we can or cannot do. I think the best way to create change and make safer environments for everyone is to collaborate together and talk about what is going on as a whole.

Q. What's your next step as a changemaker?

A. My next steps are to make sure everyone's voice is heard and uniting everyone as a community regardless of their opinions. There is power in union, and being united as a community is the best way to create change.

OLLIE NICHOLS '24 & ELLIE MINOR '24

Teaming Up to Serve Homelessness, Touching Lives with the “Small Things�

Q. How has the pandemic affected your understanding of the challenges being faced by individuals and families in our DMV community?

A. The pandemic has put the challenges facing our community front and center.

And because we were home for so long during quarantine, with nothing to distract us, we were constantly inundated with the urgent needs that so many people living in our community, and in the country, faced. It was very difficult just sitting in our homes, watching the news and seeing the losses suffered by so many, but also knowing that we couldn't leave our house to go do anything.

Q. How have you taken action to address one or more of these challenges?

A. We decided to start volunteering for New Hope Housing, which is a homeless shelter that has several different locations throughout Northern Virginia. They needed volunteers to make lunches for their residents, and due to quarantine, this was something they were actually asking us to do at home. We set a goal of making 1500 sandwiches by the end of the summer. We wanted to go a step further, though, and decided to enlist our friends and family to help decorate

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 25

I hope my fellow Saints will not underestimate their power to make a difference, especially during times of great community need, when everyone can contribute in some way.

E JACKSON DE VALLANCE the bags with original artwork and inspirational messages. We thought that might provide a little bit of hope and beauty in these dark times. In addition to our friends and family, we ended up enlisting the help of some Lower School Saints, and the response was great. By the end of summer we doubled our goal, and delivered 3000+ sandwiches.

Q. What have you learned about yourself through the actions you've taken? What skills, attitudes, and/or mindset have you learned you need to be an effective changemaker?

A. The biggest thing we learned was that doing small things can still help.

When there is something as large as this pandemic, you can feel small and powerless. You can feel like there is nothing you can do to put a dent in this huge worldwide issue. However, looking for local organizations in need and then helping them really does make a difference.

Q. What do you wish your peers knew? What hopes do you have for Saints getting involved in the issue(s) you are serving?

A. We think it's important for other kids to know that you don't have to do anything big or flashy in order to help other people.

Something as small as making sandwiches and decorating paper bags can have a really large impact on other people's lives.

Q. What's your next step as a changemaker?

A. We are continuing to work with New Hope Housing to help feed their residents.

We've been doing weekly deliveries all fall, and we have many additional food deliveries scheduled for over Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. We are looking forward to getting more kids involved with decorating bags for all of our Christmas deliveries. If you are an artist, or just like

26 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

to color, and you are interested in helping, send us an email.

JACKSON DE VALLANCE '21 Mobilizing Mask-Making at Scale, Recruiting Peers as Volunteers

and vice mayor joined nearly 400 neighbors who came out to collect their free masks. I donated the remaining masks to Alexandria's ALIVE!, a local food pantry that gives away more than 1,000 face masks to families in need every week.

Q. How has the pandemic affected your understanding of the challenges being faced by individuals and families in our DMV community?

Q. What have you learned about yourself through the actions you've taken? What skills, attitudes, and/or mindset have you learned you have and/or need to be an effective changemaker?

A. Last spring, as COVID-19 infections were skyrocketing and the availability of personal protective equipment was plummeting, I learned that many families in our community were not able to properly quarantine after an exposure because they could not get access to face masks. In the face of a pandemic, I found the inspiration for my Eagle Scout project.

A. Driving change is a team effort.

Through this experience, I learned that organizing a motivated and committed group of people, even if in a virtual environment, is essential to the ultimate success of a large project and for making an impact at the community level.

Q. How have you taken action to address one or more of these challenges?

A. I did a bit of research and found evidence featured in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control on effective mask designs that were also easy to make. I settled on a re-usable, no-sew design and got to work recruiting volunteers, with an ambitious goal of making and distributing 1,500 masks. I found than many people were eager to volunteer their time, so I hosted a virtual mask-making session, and less than two weeks later, I had 1,469 masks in hand. I arranged an in-person distribution event in the Rosemont neighborhood. The mayor

Q. What do you wish your peers knew?

What hopes do you have for Saints getting involved in the issue(s) you are serving?

A. I hope my fellow Saints will not underestimate their power to make a difference, especially during times of great community need, when everyone can contribute in some way.

Q. What's your next step as a changemaker?

A. Schools with a strong community engagement program has been an important factor in my college search process. I look forward to working with people who are committed to making a difference in their local community.

Dear Are ndine i miss se eing you. lo ve, Angus

ADRIENNE LAI '21

Caring for the Young and the Older, Finding her Stride with Service Q. How has the pandemic affected your understanding of the challenges being faced by individuals and families in our DMV community?

A. It brought more attention to issues affecting families, especially around access to education. I was aware of issues like access to food and healthcare before the pandemic highlighted them, but I had never thought about the challenges involved in access to education within one's own home before. I knew that I go to a private school and that others go to public schools, but didn't realize how someone's home situation can drastically alter someone's learning opportunity.

Q. How have you taken action to address one or more of these challenges?

At home it can be hard to stay on task and learn without being surrounded by classmates and teachers, which is why I wanted to tutor virtually. When I heard that a family friend, Angus, who is on the ADHD spectrum needed extra help learning math, and that his family was working and couldn't support how they wanted to, I offered to help. Now, Angus and I are good friends, math buddies, and pen pals! I look forward to our sessions every week and was honored to attend his virtual 5th grade graduation! I got him a squishy egg yolk for his graduation to match the one I have that he loves.

Similar to tutoring Angus, I also taught coding with CoderDojo. My local chapter ran virtual programming during these times, which still worked even though not everyone had a computer, were sharing with their siblings, or had to use their parents computer. It was exciting to see the projects they made each week!

I am also one of the co-directors for Student Tutors this year at SSSAS. We wanted create weekly sessions by subject for students to attend whether we were in person or not to get any extra help they needed. Each subject has their own zoom meeting! Our goal was to especially provide support for general freshmen classes like Physics to help them transition to high school.

I also participated in the Companion Program, and was paired with Ms. Thompson at Goodwin House. She's really cool and more busy than me!

We talked about her daughter and granddaughter - I feel like I know her granddaughter by now! She also enjoys art, and I love seeing the portraits and paintings she sends me. We are still in touch!

Q. What have you learned about yourself through the actions you've taken? What skills, attitudes, and/or mindset have you learned you have and/or need to be an effective changemaker?

A. With Angus, I was kind of nervous at first because we had never met each other before, but he was very friendly and had a lot of energy and so am I I, so we

Everyone is interested in something or has an issue they care about.

E ADRIENNE LAI

became friends! I learned how to make an effective worksheet that can test a skill, which I had never done before. Also, I learned how to craft my lessons so they were not too easy or too hard and were easy to work on in a virtual setting. I tried to do a worksheet with too many parts and he got so confused and I was like, “Ok, we will never do that again.” I also learned how to stop him from using the calculator on his iPad! I really appreciated that Angus is super inquisitive. One of the worksheets we did was about traveling. This and my other tutoring experiences reminded me of how excited young people are to learn. It was really refreshing to hear a middle schooler be curious about the world and excited to learn more.

Q. What do you wish your peers knew? What hopes do you have for Saints getting involved in the issue(s) you are serving?

A. Everyone is interested in something or has an issue they care about, so my hope is that people continue to work to fix the problem or try to find something they are passionate about that helps others.

I think in the pandemic, I hit my stride in finding service opportunities that I'm interested in, so I hope my peers will see the pandemic as an opportunity to get involved. When the pandemic ends, service doesn't stop—keep going! And if you started to do service during the pandemic—keep doing it!

Q. What's your next step as a changemaker?

A. My goal is to continue to meet with Angus and connecting with Ms. Thompson. I also don't want to forget about this when I get into college.

Another issue that is important to me is women in STEM. So I hope to get involved in groups related to that in college. I also really enjoy tutoring and hope to participate in peer tutoring or something like that in the future.

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A C O N V E R S AT I O N The Saints Action Plan: A Community Pursuit Towards Racial Equity

BY CHUMANI CHAMBERLAIN '21 The Summer of 2020 sparked national conversations surrounding racial equity and belonging. Within the St. Stephen's and St. Agnes Community, many discussions led to the implementation of the Saints Action Steps for Racial Justice to ensure a positive and equitable experience for all members of the community. I had the opportunity to

talk with the SSSAS Director of Institutional Equity and Diversity, KiKi Davis. In her 11th year at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes, Ms. Davis has been a strong piece in the assimilation of the SSSAS Action Plan as well as coleading the creation of DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) Advisory meetings, in which Upper School advisories have the opportunity to discuss social issues that have polarized our nation in the recent months. Further, Ms. Davis is also a co-faculty advisor on SCORE, the Student Committee On Racial Equality, where students study, support, implement, and promote actions so St. Stephen's and St. Agnes can become a more inclusive and equitable community.

What was the impetus for creating the SSSAS Action Steps for Racial Justice?

“I think definitely the feedback that we got through the Black at SSSAS thread revealed that we have had serious gaps in

our focus around

race specifically. This is my 11th year, but certainly, prior to me, the school had a certain level of commitment around diversity, equity, and a multicultural education.

We were one of the first, if not only, schools to have a mandatory seminar for all new faculty and administrators, around understanding principles, concepts, theories, and pedagogy around diversity, equity, and teaching in inclusive communities. We are focusing on how the work we do around race supports our work around DEIB. How does it inform the ways in which we create an equitable, inclusive, and belonging community for a subset of our students who are historically underrepresented in our community, oftentimes from marginalized social communities. In our broader communities, what work do we need to do specifically to truly see them, understand their lived experience, and integrate a more complete and inclusive curriculum that tells 28 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

the stories of those underrepresented in our community.”

What was the process in the creation of the DEIB acronym, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging? How did you and the administration narrow your focus to that?

“We've always been focused on diversity and equity, it was very important to understand the different areas of creating successfully inclusive communities. So, diversity, equity, inclusivity, and belonging are all very different. I think you can be a diverse school that doesn't do the other three. You could be a diverse school that really focuses on equity without creating a sense of inclusion and belonging. I think that for DEIB, the B came more recently. We added it in the last year, as a result of my own professional development. It's come from understanding why certain people in our community still don't feel like a part of our community. Focusing on a sense of belonging was really important because we saw a gap, almost a chasm, that happened between who was continuing to be a part of our community, who felt like they belonged to St. Stephen's, St. Agnes after they left, and who didn't feel that way. We want our community members to feel they belong while they are here, but also after they have left. That sense of belonging should have no end.

In regards to the action steps, what things have been put in place this year or been new this year in order to fulfill those action steps?

“So, first, I think it's really important to understand that the SSSAS Action Steps for Social Justice is not a one-year plan. It is an ongoing commitment to look at how we navigate and negotiate this idea of race and racial justice through various areas of our school life, so faculty and staff culture, student culture, and curriculum are the three areas that we are focused on for now. It is not a static plan.

Hopefully, it is a plan that will grow and to which we can add to as things as we progress and accomplish our goals. As with any plan, we are trying to lay out a framework to accomplish the things that we want in it, and we have started that process. One important part of the plan that came out of the summer and the feedback we got from alums, current students, past faculty, and

current faculty, was this idea of DEIB faculty professional development and helping faculty to understand the experiences of our community members of color.

Also, in addition to the established seminar for all new faculty and administrators, for the first time we've created DEIB family groups. Every adult member in our community is assigned to or put in a family group that they will stay with for the year and possibly beyond, in which we're having really deliberate, thoughtful, and facilitated conversations about race. We've always offered opportunities for people to learn about race and growth. Several years ago we created the volunteer SEED program, Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity, but now it is really about making sure everyone understands how to thrive in a diverse community and looking at diversity through an educational lens.

SCORE is another recent addition. When we talked about changing student culture, we agreed that it is best to have the students lead the path to change. But that is about creating true leadership, not just developing leadership skills.

The students need to see that through their leadership and actions, they are accountable for the changes that they want to see in their community. We're super proud of SCORE, and we are excited about what SCORE is going to do this year in the years ahead.”

What are the positive things that you've seen come out of all the work that has taken place?

“The conversations. We are having deeper, thoughtful conversations that are pushing us in ways that we haven't pushed ourselves before. We are taking responsibility and holding ourselves accountable, making verbal and public statements on who we are and how we can live our mission to an even greater level. I think we've always tried to live our mission, but I think this is giving us concrete ways to demonstrate our Episcopal identity, not just ideological ways.

So, what I think is positive? We've had so many more open conversations through which we've acquired valuable information that has helped us craft a plan that gives us benchmarks and timelines and goals. In addition to the active participation of everyone in our community in this, through our family groups the Upper School DEIB advisory meetings, the Board of Governors has provided immense support and we now have a BOG committee on DEIB which is making a big difference.”

Is there a framework for future plans for the action steps and the DEIB work moving forward?

“So, we're going to do the work. We're going to be thoughtful as we consider which steps will make the greatest and most immediate impact. What we've heard from all different constituencies is that to do this work, we have to prepare our teachers and the adults in the community first. So, before we change curriculum, we have to make sure that our teachers are able to teach it in a way that is productive and beneficial. We will continue to reevaluate our action steps and our implementation steps. We'll continue to provide opportunities for as many people to be involved as we can. We know that there are lots of people with great ideas and great skills and knowledge who can add to this, whether they're students or adults, whether they're faculty or parents or board members.

This plan is a process. It's a process of ongoing practices that we will continue to do and we will continue to hone to improve. Things we thought would work well in the beginning will no doubt need to be redefined and reinvented as weprogress and see them through different lenses. We are continuing to question our implementation steps, how we do them, and who they impact.

Schools are not static communities, so we will constantly need to renegotiate and reevaluate who the members of our community are and who we're really serving. What may seem like a great plan for our current community, may well have to be reevaluated at any given point.” ************* Moving forward, my hope is that St. Stephen's and St. Agnes will continue to grow. Grow in such a way that these Action Steps will be the foundation for greater strides taken in our community's pursuit for racial equity. As we continue to learn, study, converse, and strategize, my prayer is that the work we will continue to do will unify our community and reassure every student, faculty member, and administrator that they are a child of God who is valued, known, seen, and loved.

To learn more about DEIB at SSSAS, please visit our DEIB web page.

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 29

small steps making

BIG DIFFERENCES Racial Justice Through Legal Action and Reform

BY SUSIE ZIMMERMANN

On May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, George Floyd was killed while being arrested for allegedly using a counterfeit bill. The actions of the arresting officers—one of whom pinned Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes—were captured on video, creating a wake-up call about racial injustice for much of the entire country. For others, it was just another symbol of the systemic racism they have faced for decades.

“My first reaction was utter horror, but that was not a new feeling,” said Erin McConnell '99. “It's the same feeling I've had whenever an incident of police violence has occurred. However, this time the horror was on video for all to see.” Erin talked to her children—Alex '30 (8), Charlie '32 (7), and Stella (3)—about the protests that followed for weeks. “We talked about speaking up for the values that are important to us, and how crucial it is for them to understand that their privilege imparts on them the responsibility to speak out with and on behalf of those who are not treated equally.”

Erin contemplated how she could make a difference in her community when most of the country was at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. She had joined the Alumni Association board recently, and thought reviving the Legal Affinity Group through virtual discussion around the topic would be one avenue, while also supporting the SSSAS Action Plan for Racial Justice.

“I wanted the school that I attended and the school where my children attend to be a place where racial justice conversations are happening at all levels,” Erin said.

The idea came together through the Alumni Office's Expert Voices Series—a series of virtual conversations led by SSSAS alumni and community members, and subject matter experts.

The first of these webinars was the three part “Legal Profession and Racial Justice” series in the fall examining the legal profession's approach to addressing systemic racism (See sidebar for more.) “We wanted to show that the legal profession is working for lasting change, both high-up in organizations and in the small details of how organizations are run,” said Erin.

30 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

In October, she hosted the first of the events, and recruited the two alumni who took charge of the others. Erin, Matt Shiroma '01, and Lauren Mizzell '11 shared their experiences, along with a passion and desire to bring lasting and essential change for the betterment of others.

Matching Corporate Law with Community Improvement Erin's seminar focused on how corporate lawyers are committing to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. As pro bono coordinator and senior litigation paralegal at American Express, she coordinates opportunities for the corporation's lawyers, often in partnership with non-profits or law firms.

To support low-income, minority-owned small businesses, American Express has partnered with Start Small, Think Big, a national non-profit, to provide legal assistance that may otherwise be out of reach for many entrepreneurs: negotiating leases, attaining corporate licensing, drafting vendor contracts, obtaining COVID rapid-response, and more. “Creating wealth in communities starts with small businesses,” said Erin. “The ripple effect of helping just one small business to pull people out of poverty is powerful.”

Erin applauds American Express for its commitment to pro bono work. Employees are encouraged to participate, with no limits or requirements for participation, all of which happens during business hours. In addition to supporting the legal department's complex litigation work, Erin facilitates a variety of pro bono opportunities for her colleagues, which have included asylum petition support for LGBTQ+ individuals and supporting tenants in housing court cases that have arisen during the pandemic.

Erin loves her job, and it's easy to see why. “I make it possible for my colleagues to do work that changes people's lives and makes change in the world.”

keeping with the school's mission and focus rooted in Episcopal values.”

“It's heartwarming to see a consistent focus and honoring of each student as an individual and child of God, however defined,” Erin noted. She also heralds the expansion of curriculum from a traditional western perspective to a more worldwide approach, along with teachings that connect place to identity. “Each person's brain is like a record and the way we think about things is carved into the grooves,” said Erin.

“You have to unwind and unpack it to learn how those ideas get carved into the grooves in order to change your viewpoint.”

Dismantling Injustice One Case at a Time To discuss the pro bono work of law firms, Erin connected with Matt Shiroma '01 via the Saints alumni network, SaintsLink.org.

A partner with Day Pitney LLP in Hartford, Conn., and New York City, Matt was happy to participate and give back to the Saints community.

“I make it possible for my colleagues to do work that changes people's lives and makes change in the world.”

ERIN MCCONNELL '99 An SSSAS lifer, Erin was always interested in equity and social justice. She led the student gender equality club (“That was my feminist awakening!”) and participated in workshops sponsored by the National Coalition Building Institute, which provided diversity and inclusion training for students. “It was powerful to be involved with a group committed to diversity and equity and educating fellow students about unconscious bias and systemic racism.”

Today, back in the SSSAS community as a parent and faculty spouse (husband Dr. Avi Gurland-Blaker teaches English in the Upper School), she has welcomed a “far more intentional approach at the school to diversity and inclusion that is in

His firm has a long-standing tradition in community work and Matt has been involved in pro bono from his first days with the firm in 2008 after graduating from the University of Connecticut Law School. He began by handling restraining orders to protect victims of domestic violence. The work was jarring and unsettling, “from the safety and security required at the shelter to protect the women, to the stories of what they had endured, and then the immense challenges of the judicial process that were supposed to protect them,” remembers Matt.

The real surprise, however, were many of the judges themselves, who Matt recalls were unfairly skeptical, unsympathetic, and dismissive of the victims. “It was outrageous to put the blame on the victims,” a position he felt the judges came to from their own racial differences and gender biases.

In subsequent years, Matt's pro bono work led him to civil rights cases brought by prison inmates to protest their treatment in custody during, for example, disciplinary situations or medical care. While he knew of the uneven treatment that minorities experience in the legal system, including higher conviction and pleading rates when public defenders are involved instead of paid counsel, Matt was surprised, however, to learn that those problems did not go away when private lawyers were involved.

“It's not just a matter of resources,” he said. “Part of the systemic racism in play is the perception of the judge hearing your case and the prosecutors' willingness to negotiate. Those things are deeply intertwined with race, ethnicity, and where you grew up. And that's the toughest thing to fix. The only way to fully eradicate systemic racism is to put more diverse people into positions in which they can even out opportunities and the experiences minorities face.”

That's why Matt serves on the hiring committee at his firm. He appreciates the importance of making his firm more diverse.

Half Asian and half Irish, Matt also knows what it's like to “never really feel part of any group.” That was his experience even during his days at SSSAS, and it informed his experience going forward. “I understand wanting to fit in, and wondering what it will cost me to fit in while still being true to myself.”

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 31

Matt remembers in high school feeling there was room to fit in while still being who he wanted to be. Multicultural nights reinforced that message for him, and he was grateful for an administration who prioritized such events. He also recalls more challenging moments, as well as the school's leadership addressing missteps whenever possible. And he's proud of the school for making diversity an even greater priority today. “The student body looks so different,” he praises. “I'm happy to see everything SSSAS is doing to lead in this area, and that's why I'll always give back.”

He's also hopeful that change is coming, and the heightened conversation about inherent bias is drawing attention to racism that he's witnessed for years. “Each victory along the way sends a message,” he says. “The gains are slow, but they're coming.

That's what I love about the work and why I'm more optimistic now than ever.”

Diversifying Law Firms to Ensure Opportunity for All The third event in the webinar series examined opportunities and systems within law firms and a discussion of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance, a new group of 100+ law firms dedicated to promoting racial equality and shifting the tide on systemic racism. Lauren Mizzell '11, east coast diversity coordinator at Sidley Austin LLP, eagerly jumped in to lead the conversation.

The webinar explored how firms are changing internal practices, from choosing clients to recruitment and professional development, to ensure that minority lawyers have equal opportunities. “Historically, Law is one of the slower-moving industries with regard to change,” explained Lauren, “but now things are moving more swiftly and firms are adjusting their thinking and approach to people from different backgrounds.”

Lauren focuses her work on recruiting diverse lawyers to the firm and then helping them with business and professional development to establish their careers. She's an active member of the firm's committees on diversity and inclusion and the retention and promotion of women and collaborates with legal groups locally and nationally to extend her resources and impact.

Upon graduating from Loyola University in Baltimore in 2015, Lauren enjoyed a stint with the BMW Drive for Team USA promotional tour before she considered attending law school.

But, she first heeded advice to work in a law firm before making the decision to take on law school loans.

Soon, she was working in the Legal Recruitment and Practice Management department at Sidley Austin. Within a few years, Lauren got increasingly involved in diversity issues and opportunities and unofficially took on the role in D.C. that she now officially holds for the D.C., Boston, and New York offices.

Law school may be permanently on hold, as she is passionate about the contribution she is making to the field.

That passion may have first been kindled during high school. She remembers when KiKi Davis—SSSAS Director of Institutional Equity and Diversity—started at the school and offered a safe space to students to talk about issues that arose. “I always admired what she did, and as I've gotten more involved 32 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

“Each victory along the way sends a message. The gains are slow, but they're coming. That's what I love about the work and why I'm more optimistic now than ever.”

M AT T S H I R O M A ' 0 1 in my role here I have thought back to KiKi's influence, and how much work is still needed.”

Still, Lauren is optimistic. George Floyd's murder and the ongoing conversation it generated has brought a level of attention to the issue that was not there before. “Many people have taken it upon themselves to reexamine our country's past and how they help others—or don't—to get to where they want to be,” she observed. “White male leaders are now taking it upon themselves to start these conversations—something I've never seen before. I think this time is different. I've never seen such unity and diversity in protests like we had this summer. We are all agreed, with few outliers, in wanting a better society for ourselves and our future.”

Expert Voices: The Legal Profession and Racial Justice This fall's Expert Voices webinar series presented a three-part exploration of how the legal profession has responded to the call for action to combat racial injustice. The topics covered were: “The Refocused Commitment of Corporate Law Departments” The commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the wake of the reinvigorated national conversation about racial justice.

Featuring Erin McConnell '99 Pro Bono Coordinator and Senior Litigation Paralegal, American Express with Sarah Dodds-Brown, EVP and Managing Counsel, American Express

“The Dedication of Pro Bono Attorneys”

“I've never seen such unity and diversity in protests like we had this summer. We are all agreed, with few outliers, in wanting a better society for ourselves and our future.”

LAUREN MIZZELL '11 Lauren is grateful to be in her position, combining work with an important moment in history. She is also grateful to her SSSAS friends, a group of seven that has remained close since ninth grade. Engaged to be married in June 2021, Lauren has asked all of them to have a role in her wedding.

With these seminars concluded, Erin hopes to continue the conversations she has started. “I'm a firm believer that the most impactful change has to be made from the inside,” she says.

“Change this way might be slow and incremental, but it's more likely to be lasting and formative.”

How pro bono attorneys are dismantling systemic racism while providing resources and justice to ensure institutions work for those who need them most.

Featuring Matt Shiroma '01, Partner, Day Pitney LLP with Eve Runyon, President and CEO Pro Bono Institute

“Law Firms and the Mission of the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance: How law firms are combating systemic racism within their practices and within the industry overall.”

Featuring Lauren Mizzell '11, East Coast Diversity Coordinator, Sidley Austin LLP with Brenna DeVaney, Director of Pro Bono Programs and Pro Bono Counsel, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP The Alumni Office produced these events in partnership with the Alumni of Color Affinity Group and the Legal Affinity Group, and are continuing the Expert Voices Series in 2021.

“Pairing alumi with a subject matter expert is the model,” explained Meredith Robinson, senior director of alumni and parent engagement. “The series addresses a range of topics—culture, news, hobbies, and more—to appeal to different generations with different interests. We want to offer something for everyone from the seven decades our alumni represent.”

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SAINTS IN ACTION

Stay Connected!

You can find all our school news and social media in one place:

sssas.org/mediamashup

All Aboard!

Raising Awareness

When Head of School Kirsten Adams is giving rides around campus, you hop on! Mrs. Adams was visiting the Lower School campus to welcome our early Saints, junior kindergarten, and kindergarten students as they returned to campus in September.

She's 18. She has lived with type 1 diabetes since age 7. Now she's leading fundraising efforts on behalf of local teens. SSSAS senior Olivia Wood chairs the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Champions campaign—a program that brings together teens to raise funds for diabetes. She's tasked with recruiting more Champions, advocating for awareness, and inspiring younger generations.

Read her interview in Northern Virginia Magazine.

Join Us On Facebook @SSSAS Twitter @SSSASsaints YouTube @SSSASsaints Instagram @TheSaintsLife

Digging Deep

Winning Art

A favorite third-grade event! Students participated in an archaeology dig in October. Each student brought a personal artifact that speaks to their identity for a classmate to “excavate” and hypothesize what story it tells about someone and who it could belong to based on what they have learned so far about their classmates.

Check out some of our amazing student artwork featured in the annual Children's Gazette issue of the Alexandria Gazette Packet on page 10!

Blessing Our Pets Another Saints tradition re-imagined. In remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi, SSSAS held a Blessing of the Animals drive-through at the Lower School for our entire school community. Lots of dogs, a turtle, a hedgehog, and more were in attendance. Even a stuffed rabbit was blessed!

34 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Not Just Any Jar of Pickles When classes shifted to distance learning, First Grade Teacher Katy Chase '10 began to invite members of the Saints community to be virtual mystery readers on a weekly basis. The volunteers have included parents, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. On November 17, Piper Fraley's '32 grandmother, Susan Scott, took the mystery aspect very seriously. When the time arrived for her to join the class on Zoom from her home in Florida, she appeared in a blond wig and sunglasses and introduced herself as Mrs. Pickle Jar. She showed them a video and read them a book on dinosaurs. When she finished reading, she told Katy there was a present for her. When they looked in Piper's backpack, there was a pickle jar!

The students thought the gift was hysterical and decided the pickle jar should become the class pet. The following day they voted on a name, and the pickle jar officially became Mr. Pigles.

They gave him blond hair like Mrs. Scott's wig and a face with a big smile. They greet Mr. Pigles every morning and were very concerned where Mr. Pigles would spend Christmas break. Katy's class sends their sincere thanks to the mysterious Mrs. Pickle Jar for her wonderful gift, for Mr. Pigles has become an important member of the class that brings them a little joy every day.

A Spooktacular Time Saints had a blast at the Spectacular Spooky Halloween event at the Upper School! Students and teachers wore costumes and decorated their cars with creative Halloween themes for families to drive through and enjoy. Displays included a huge dragon designed and created by the Stage One set and tech crew. Each student received a special treat bag, so there were no tricks.

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FACE-TO-FACE WITH OUR FACULTY

Upper School Technology Education Teacher Tom Johnson describes himself as a quiet shameless geek, but he is a really cool geek. “I can't remember a time when I wasn't interested in machines and technology,” Tom said. “I love the challenge of solving really hard problems that require creativity.” He grew up in an Escondido, Calif., suburb with four older sisters, raising animals, doing 4-H, and fixing old cars. After 18 months in college, he decided to join the Army for a two-year enlistment and served in Desert Storm. Back in the U.S., a high school friendship developed into a marriage and a wild idea. Tom and wife Sharon decided they needed a change, and on a whim they left the sunny West Coast behind and headed to the frigid, snow laden, land of the midnight sun, Fairbanks, Alaska. Tom received a bachelor's in mechanical engineering from the University of Alaska Fairbanks and then spent 17 years working there as a mechanical engineer and part-time adjunct professor. He worked on a huge variety of sustainable/alternative energy projects throughout Alaska, including hydrogen production, fuel cells, in-river hydrokinetics, geothermal heat pumps, wind-solar-diesel hybrid systems, and battery storage, but teaching won his heart. So maybe it's not surprising that he has a slide rule collection, but imagine him riding a unicycle to work through the snow.

Tom can pinpoint the genesis of his robotics involvement. He was at an instrumentation conference that offered a LEGO robotics competition as an after-hours entertainment. He competed—and won. In 2017 he brought his magic teaching touch to SSSAS and guided the Upper School robotics team to the FIRST World Championships competition in 2019 and 2020 (canceled due to the pandemic). He and Sharon have two daughters, Colleen (21) and Katie (19), robotics whiz-kids who were featured in The Washington Post while competing in the 2017 FIRST Global robotics competition. Tom loves it when his students come up with an idea he privately thinks won't work, and then prove him wrong. He cites the “Slapper” on last year's robot, which turned a very good robot into a worldclass robot. In his spare time Tom likes to listen to bad science fiction audiobooks while doing mindless tasks…tasks which no doubt would be challenging for the rest of us.

Brag about something. I've run the second hardest marathon in the

United States.

What are you most proud of? This one is easy: My kiddos.

What is the biggest adventure you've had in your life? In

1993 I was newly married, and my wife and I decided to move to Alaska, sight unseen. We drove two ancient VWs, a Bug and a Bus, up the Alcan.

In December. With two cats. It was cold. That Alaska adventure lasted 23 years, and we are now on our next one.

When did you first really feel like an adult? I still don't. My bills and my hair say otherwise, but my brain thinks I'm a kid.

What is the one place in the world you would like to escape to? I would very much like to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.

What is an incredible experience you've had that few others experienced? I've seen Russia from Alaska. Really. I was in Wales, Alaska, when the atmospheric conditions were perfect for looming, and I could easily see Big and Little Diomede as well as eastern Siberia.

Tom Johnson

36 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

SAINTS IN ACTION

Giving Thanks

Honoring Veterans

In November, our community gathered together (virtually) for the beloved annual Thanksgiving service. At the end of the service, seniors joined their kindergarten buddies on the Upper School campus to partake in a cherished Saints tradition— gifting the young students with an angel pin. We are so thankful for our wonderful community.

Although we are unable to gather as a community in November in honor of Veterans Day, each campus recognized and gave thanks to our Veterans in November. The Upper School welcomed the Deputy Commandant of Leadership and Character Development at the United States Naval Academy, Captain Ryan Bernacchi, as their keynote speaker in a virtual assembly coordinated by the Saints for Soldiers club president Grace Mykityshyn '22.

Watch the Thanksgiving service.

Chris Tyler '21 wearing his senior pin and his kindergarten angel!

Captain Bernacchi's operational assignments include tours with Strike Fighter Squadron 113 (VFA-113), VFA-87, VFA-81, and VFA-192. He has completed four deployments on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), USS Nimitz (CVN 68), and USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) in support of Operations Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.

Saintsgiving Saintsgiving 2020 ~ Our annual community service the day before Thanksgiving looked a little different to meet the needs and safety guidelines of our community partners. The school served Mother of Light Center by providing our school's mini-buses and volunteer faculty and staff drivers to help with their Thanksgiving meal distribution to 300 Alexandria families. The meal included a fun activity for the children of these families, coloring pages designed by SSSAS Middle School students. Upper School students supported the Middle School design challenge by translating the students' ideas into printable coloring pages. They also sorted and packed donated items from all three campuses.

Lower School Service In partnership with the nonprofit ALIVE, our Lower School participated in a Saintsgiving Service Learning Activity on November 20, making 697 bags of food to be distributed in our community. A big shoutout to all of the volunteers and our transportation department who helped pick up the food, move bags, and deliver the bags back to the ALIVE warehouse.

We could not have done it without them!

Captain Bernacchi commanded Strike Fighter Squadron 192 (VFA-192) and served as the Commanding Officer and Flight Leader of the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (The Blue Angels). He has logged over 4,000 flight hours in the F/A-18A/B/C/D Hornet, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-16(N) Fighting Falcon, and has accumulated over 600 carrier-arrested landings.

His shore assignments include the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) staff as an instructor pilot, Chief of Naval Operations Strategic Studies Group as a Director Fellow, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Federal Executive Fellow, and served the Chief of Naval Air Training as the Director of the Blue Angels Super Hornet Transition Team.

The Middle School recognized Veterans Day during their weekly chapel service on November 11. The chapel talk was delivered by Middle School parent Glenn Hickok, who served in the U.S. Navy for 10 years as a helicopter pilot. Mr. Hickok was deployed to the Persian Gulf and the South China Sea. The Lower School recognized Veterans Day during their weekly chapel on November 12. During the service, students and faculty prayed for, honored, remembered, and gave thanks to people who have dedicated their life to serving others.

Having the opportunity to serve our community right now is so important when our neighbors need it the most. We appreciated everyone's part in making it a special day and for our students to take action to help others.

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SAINTS IN ACTION

That's 6 ft.?

Honored to Play Taps

Winning Writer

What does six feet look like? Middle School artists created sidewalk chalk illustrations of what six feet apart looks like to them around campus. Their art project was featured in a VAIS (Virginia Association of Independent Schools) special video shown at their virtual conference this year!

Matt Byrne, father to Macadger '25 and Madelyn '26 and husband to Music Teacher Dallis Byrne, participated in Inauguration Day events on January 20.

He played “Taps” at Arlington Cemetery during the wreath-laying ceremony. President Biden traveled to Arlington to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. [3:19 in this CPAN video on NPR]

Lower School Saint Miriam McElroy '31 won 1st place in the WETA PBS kids writers' contest for the first-grade level! (The judging process was delayed due to COVID.) Miriam submitted an original story, “The Sun,” that she had written and illustrated during her “choice time” in Tyler Leachman's class last year. They were only allotted one piece of paper a day, so she had to be slow and thoughtful in her drafting! View Miriam's full entry.

What's AP Seminar?

$5,500+ for Parkinson's Juniors Annie Patrick and Lexie Jordan started a chapter of the Michael J. Fox Foundation at the Upper School. Last year they organized a successful “Pancakes for Parkinson's” fundraiser, but this year COVID-19 forced them to think outside the box. During an online brainstorming session, they decided to hold a raffle. Annie and Lexie went door-to-door to local businesses to ask for donations, and they put together a “Taste of Alexandria” basket worth over $700.

The club spent several weeks selling raffle tickets, ultimately raising $2,030 to donate to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Putting that together with the money they raised in the spring, the club raised $3,530 in 2020! (Below photo was taking in 2019.)

38 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

AP Seminar is a skills-based, cross-curricular course with a focus on investigating real-world topics from multiple perspectives. This allows students to explore their own interests and passions while developing tools for research and communication.

Using an inquiry framework, students practice reading and analyzing articles, studies, and foundational literary and philosophical texts; listening to and viewing speeches, broadcasts, and personal accounts; and experiencing artistic works and performances.

Student Tutors Program In our Upper School's Student Tutors Program, students can sign-up for individual sessions with one of our excellent tutors. Students can also attend weekly sessions for classes like Physics, Chinese, Spanish, Algebra I, and Geometry, as well as for skills like writing. Pictured here is one of our wonderful student tutors, Carter Harris '23, working with her tutee over Zoom on physics concepts.

Students learn to synthesize information from multiple sources, develop their own perspectives in research-based written essays, and design and deliver oral and visual presentations, both individually and as part of a team.

To help with their AP group projects, the AP Seminar students were brainstorming topics on Jamboard.

Google Jamboard is a whiteboard-like 4K touch display that can be drawn on or contain slides to flip through. “Jamming” with your teammates can include sketching, adding images, writing notes, pulling from the web, etc. The students used it to actually see their thought process in motion!

Whose Eyes are These?

Students in our Early Saints program played a game where they matched each friend's name to their eyes. It's part of a bigger lesson of learning all about their classmates and the differences between them. Students began by looking at their own faces and identified their different facial features. They used materials from nature to recreate their facial features and make self-portraits.

FACE-TO-FACE WITH OUR FACULTY

Middle School Math Teacher Pauline Bauman's story is filled with love. She can't pinpoint when she fell in love with math, but does fondly recall her dad posing math puzzles to his family during dinner. “I remember his doodles on napkins explaining the details of the puzzle,” Pauline said. “Those lighthearted moments nurtured my curiosity for mathematical ideas and had a tremendous, positive impact on me.” Pauline's parents immigrated to the U.S. from South Korea, and she was born in Columbus, Ohio, where they lived until she was seven. The most memorable part of her childhood was living in Hagenberg, Austria, eating fresh tomatoes from their garden, camping in the Alps, riding her bike fearlessly through town, baking Austrian holiday cookies, going ice-skating on a frozen lake, and building an igloo each winter. Her favorite things are influenced by her time there and include hiking in the mountains, Wienerschnitzel, and, of course, the “Sound of Music.” She also loves sunflowers, Korean cuisine, corn, hamsters, bonfires, Tchaikovsky's “Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35,” and historical fiction. At 14 she moved to Raleigh, N.C., and attended a science and mathematics school.

There she shared her love of those subjects with her peers and was mentored by remarkable teachers. After graduating from Duke University with a bachelor of science in mathematics and a minor in German in 2005, she interviewed with then Middle School Director Bob Weiman for her first job. “There was something special about the love and joy in this school, and I wanted to be a part of it,” Pauline said. During the next 16 years, Pauline met and married fellow Saints Spanish Teacher Josh Bauman (now the Middle School Associate Director) and they have two daughters, Mirabelle (4) and Josephine (1). Her greatest passions are her family and teaching.

“My students keep me thinking, exploring, oohing and aahing, and questioning,” Pauline said. “They keep my curiosity and sense of wonder alive!”

What makes you feel like a kid again? Twirling in the rain with my

daughters! In those moments, I feel there is not a care in the world … and I am a big-time worrier.

Where in the world are you the happiest? Spending time and grilling outdoors with family and friends in our backyard. The menu? Korean galbi, Brussels sprouts, and corn on the cob.

What is something one of your parents said that you will never forget? Be faithful in the little things. My mom and dad reminded us often of this wise charge, and it remains in my heart to this day; they forever instilled in us a sense of commitment, humility, and gratitude.

What is the one place in the world you would like to escape to? The Salzkammergut region in Austria. The mountains, the lakes, and

the bread are just too good for the soul. Some of my dearest childhood adventures with my family were spent camping there, and I dream of returning with my husband and daughters, pitching our tent, and going on new adventures.

If you could wake up tomorrow having gained any one quality or ability, what would it be and why? On a bit of a shallow level, I would love to wake up to discover I have become unlovable by mosquitoes. I get destroyed by them, and my pathetically-low tolerance for itchiness does not help the situation. I love the outdoors, but those tiny insects have the power to keep me indoors.

What is something interesting about you that almost no one knows? I really, really love duets. I cannot sing on key, but in the privacy of

our own home, I will sing along to any duet and recruit (force) my husband to sing the other part.

Pauline Bauman

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 39

SAINTS ATHLETICS

S

CLASS OF 2021 THREE-SPORT ATHLETES

SOCCER

CROSS COUNTRY

WRESTLING

WINTER TRACK

TENNIS

TRACK & FIELD

JACK

BURNETT

NATHAN

BEZUNEH

SOCCER

CROSS COUNTRY

BASKETBALL

WINTER TRACK

LACROSSE

TRACK & FIELD

CAITLIN

BUCCERI

CHARLOTTE

CARR

CROSS COUNTRY

FOOTBALL

WINTER TRACK

WRESTLING

TRACK & FIELD

TRACK & FIELD

CALLIE

HEIMBACH

40 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

IRVINE

MADENGA

FOOTBALL

CROSS COUNTRY

BASKETBALL

WINTER TRACK

TRACK & FIELD

TRACK & FIELD

JULIAN

MOSLEY

CATHERINE

SEALE

SOCCER

TENNIS

SWIM & DIVE

WINTER TRACK

TRACK & FIELD

TRACK & FIELD

EMILY

SMITH

LOUISA

TREADWAY

CROSS COUNTRY

CROSS COUNTRY

WINTER TRACK

WINTER TRACK

TRACK & FIELD

TRACK & FIELD

KATIE

WHALEN Follow Saints

ATHLETICS

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CHRISTOPHER

YU

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Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 41

SAINTS ATHLETICS

S

SAINTS ATHLETES IN THE NEWS

ISAIAH DAVIS-ALLEN '13 During the summer of 2020, Isaiah Davis-Allen '13 was featured in US Lacrosse Magazine, the Capital Gazette, and The Washington Post and in October he was named the 2020 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Man of the Year. Isaiah and Ben Martin '16 were named to the MLL rosters for this year's 20th Anniversary season, playing midfield for the Chesapeake Bayhawks and attack for the Connecticut Hammerheads. At the games, Isaiah and three other Black players decided to take a stand. Among the 150 MLL players, Isaiah is one of only four Black men—sometimes known as the “MLL Four”—and six Native Americans, and Isaiah has emerged as a leader in the conversation about racism. In the MLL only 2.7% of the players are Black, making it one of the least diverse leagues when compared to major league basketball, football, baseball, and hockey. In support of the Black Lives Matter movement and to bring attention to social injustice and systemic racism, each day of the weeklong MLL Tournament, Isaiah and the other Black players stood in center field during the playing of the National Anthem. The MLL Four entered into a conversation with the league looking for support and hoped to sit down with MLL ownership to discuss the players' expectations and what outreach programs the league can participate in, fund, and promote. Isaiah plays professional lacrosse nearly full time now, between playing for the Chesapeake Bayhawks and as a defender for the NLL's Philadelphia Wings, but he's dedicating his off-season time to growing the game and making it more

Isaiah Davis-Allen '13 is player #26 in the center.

inclusive for everyone. Isaiah is a project engineer and also coaches for Blackwolf, an invitation only program for high school students, and is doing free clinics with Living Classrooms, a long-term strategic initiative that provides holistic programs and services to residents of all ages living in East Baltimore.

GUSSIE JOHNS '14 AND MOLLY DOUGHERTY '16 US Lacrosse named Gussie Johns '14 and Molly Dougherty '16 to the tryout pool for the 2021 U.S. World Cup Roster. Tryouts were held December 4-6, 2020. A player identification committee evaluated the nominations and selected approximately 50 players to participate in the tryouts. Unfortunately, the 2021 World Championships have been rescheduled to 2022. Gussie played for the University of Southern California from 2014-2018 and became a member of the U.S. team in 2016 and played at the 2017 World Cup and World games as the goalie, winning two gold medals. Molly is in her senior year at James Madison University, where she is the 9th ranked goalie for career saves (337). Molly is a two-time Inside Lacrosse Media Honorable Mention All-American (2019 and 2020) and was named the 2019 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-CAA goalkeeper in 2018 and 2019.

42 | St. Stephen's Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

SIMONE HOLLAND '20 Simone Holland '20 received the US Lacrosse 2020 Jackie Pitts Award, which recognizes one player from each geographic area who goes above and beyond in service to her team, school, and community. Simone was selected as a captain for the 2020 SSSAS varsity lacrosse team that was ranked No. 2 nationally in the preseason by US Lacrosse, although no games were played. She also earned US Lacrosse Academic All-American recognition, first-team All-State honors from the Virginia Independent School Athletic Association and a first-team Independent School League AA selection, while she was an honorable mention All-Metro pick of the Washington Post as a junior in 2019. She helped lead the Saints to 2019 VISAA state and ISL AA titles. Simone is currently a sophomore at University of Southern California - Berkeley.

Andrew Trainer '16 is player #79 on the right.

LEAH JOSEPH '13

ANDREW TRAINER '16

VASHON WINTON

Leah Joseph '13, director of operations for the Virginia Tech volleyball team, won the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Diversity Award in its fifth year of recognition. The accomplishment emphasizes influence and efforts to change and improve one's community along with society as a whole. The honor is centered around work focusing on a multitude of issues including the fight for equality, social injustice issues, discrimination, and worldwide health according to the AVCA.

This fall the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame announced that Andrew Trainer '16 was selected as a semifinalist for the 2020 Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the best football scholar-athlete in the nation. Andrew was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection at the University of Illinois before transferring to play left tackle at William & Mary, where he started all 12 games. In addition to excelling on the field and in the classroom, Andrew volunteers as a mentor for the Freshman Student Athlete Mentorship Program, serves as a member of his football teams Leadership Council, and co-chairs the Community Service Committee at the Mason School of Business.

Vashon Winton, SSSAS assistant athletic director and assistant football coach, made the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Football All-Time Team in November. To be chosen as one of 50 outstanding studentathletes throughout the history of the conference, players must have been named to one of the following: First Team All-MEAC, MEAC Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Offensive Lineman of the Year or be a MEAC, Black College Football or College Football Hall of Fame inductee. Vashon was Rookie of the Year as a quarterback for Delaware State in 2005.

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 43

AN EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

Chapel Talk:

Nicole Moran '21 Each week during Upper School chapel, a member of the community, usually a senior, gives the homily. These are often powerful and personal reflections on their life experiences.

So today I ask you to look around at your peers or others in your community and make one assumption.

Many have a tendency to paint a picture of a person based only on what we observe, much like “judging a book by its cover.” We need to start to evolve this norm and begin to look deeper.

As a society we are hesitant to share our own struggles and seek guidance. Although we can connect with others through our own bumps in the road, we pave our individual paths in life. Some may have a smooth road, where others may have mountains to ascend, no one person has the exact same struggles. However, if we all took the route of joining together to guide each other rather than against each other—we can find unity. We all will face our individualized mountains, whether they are rolling or jagged.

We all have a personal mountain we want to ascend in our lifetime. The first mountain I took on was Mt. Fuji. I can recall waking up in the morning and looking at myself in the mirror, telling myself, “I will reach the top of this mountain.” Granted I did not know if this was achievable, but like most, we set goals for ourselves.

As we walked around the little outdoor mall and met our tour guide. The first part of the climb was a walk in the park. Circular rocks made up the flat path until we reached the seventh station.

As we began the more challenging part of the climb the flat ground formed into large slippery boulders stacked on top of each other. The rain pelted us as we scaled the ginormous rocks that made up the sides of the mountains.

The once dry gloves that covered my hands were now soaked in rainwater. While complaining, wearing hiking boots and warm clothes, I saw barefoot monks pass us. The monks were chanting Japanese folk songs and blowing into a conch shell as they went up the mountain.

I wondered to myself, “how are they doing this?” Walking barefoot, grinning, and bearing the jagged rocks beneath their feet without hesitation. I thought to myself if they could do it with nothing on their feet, I could persevere and continue climbing.

W

hat do the words wisdom and authority mean to you?

As a senior I find myself thinking more about these specific words and what they may mean to others. While we as students grow, we find ourselves only partially qualified to talk to each other about these many topics. As a senior, I find that communication is the key in life. Any conversation that becomes meaningful has a starting point with the potential to shape one's perspective.

When conversing, many manipulate their thinking to appease others. Only when people speak truthfully will they then have the opportunity to have an impact on those around them.

44 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

We scaled the volcanic rock one careful step at a time, following a yellow string attached to stakes directing us to the peak—one misstep could have led to a fatal drop. As we came upon the station before the summit, I stood there frozen as the world continued around me. Shook from what seemed to be an unconscious state, I heard my mom scream, “suck it up Nicole, we need to find your brothers.” I kept telling myself to count to ten to calm my heavy breathing from the perilous climb. We arrived at an old shack where we knocked on the door and were welcomed in and reunited with my brothers.

The next morning we planned to ascend to the summit and then start our descent down the mountain. When the time came, we had no clue how to get down the mountain because our guide with the map was nowhere to be found. The sky was serene and peaceful without a cloud in sight. We began to descend the slope and we reached a dead-end. Realizing we went the wrong way we retraced our steps and chose a different path to go down.

Miles leading down the mountain became like a seamless stroll. Although blood and tears were shed, I had conquered the first of many “mountains” to come in my life.

Life will always have uncertainties and you need to be ready for whatever curveball it throws your way. As you face various mountains to scale and descend, you just need to make sure to keep climbing. Everyone will fall, but leaning upon others and faith will lead you forward.

Surrounding yourself with those that encourage you will only strengthen your journey. While I climbed one of the physical mountains in my life, having my mom's encouraging words throughout made for a more memorable experience.

my learning difference. I was afraid that if people knew I had dyslexia they would see me differently.

I finally learned to embrace my dyslexia when I came to St. Stephen's and St. Agnes as a freshman, where I was required to attend sessions at the Academic Learning Center. Initially, I was resentful toward being placed on a shortlist of ninth graders that were labeled as academic risk solely because of their learning differences. I was offended by the assumption that I would need extra help. Since my public school had given me so few resources, I was unable to accept that I needed extra support.

However, despite my initial hesitation, I was blessed with two amazing instructors in the Learning Center, Mrs. Roessler and Mrs. Sellon, who taught me cognitive skills and strategies to scaffold my approach to learning. As I approached learning differently, my mindset of hiding my dyslexia changed. I soon realized that all I needed was to learn in a way that suited my strengths. Now I have the capacity to tutor and help younger students with the same learning differences.

Life does not only contain physical mountains, but also figurative ones. We will all continue to climb mountains, I have one in particular I am and will continue to climb my whole life.

As I came to terms with my own style of learning, I realized that I can thank dyslexia for my confidence in my communication skills. Because I felt unable to communicate through reading or writing, I discovered that I excelled with auditory learning. The process of verbalizing my thoughts helped my brain correctly organize the letters and words. In class discussions, I would be succinct and persuasive, knowing it was the academic avenue that I felt most confident in.

Squiggling snakes slither across the white terrain. The blurry animals are consumed into the white snow. The animals are apparent but still unseen. I am unable to make out what kind of creature they are. Just like the animals, the black lines dance across the pages. I'm unable to comprehend the words they form.

Modeling my performance in class discussions, I can imagine myself as a successful lawyer. I see myself approaching the well as I command the courtroom with my voice, acknowledging the jury and judge as I tell my client's story. I will use my voice and the skills I've developed as a result of my dyslexia to ensure that justice is served to those who cannot speak for themselves.

Living with dyslexia always caused clouds of doubt to surround me whenever I was asked to read out loud. I asked myself if my mind was playing tricks on me, as words jumbled and letters switched. Any assignment that required writing or reading felt like it would take millennia to complete. I would dread any spelling or grammar tests because I never wanted my classmates to see me struggling.

Yet, I still had a compulsion to perform perfectly, studying lesson plans and previewing texts before class to ensure I could read without stumbling. My goal was to prove I was just as smart, if not smarter, than my classmates. I didn't allow dyslexia to be my excuse; instead, I used it as a reason to work harder.

To quote Nick from the TV show “New Girl,” “ I still don't know if I can actually read. I've just memorized a lot of words.”

I will always seem to be a slow reader, but I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason. I like to believe that we have all endured heartache and trauma which makes joy mean something so much more. I believe that God has a plan for all of us and these mountains you face now will contribute to your creation as an individual. Dyslexia has not only given me challenges, but also has shaped me into who I am today.

Although I would push myself to perform as well as my classmates, I continued to doubt my academic ability. Then I was given external validation of my intelligence when I was accepted into my school's gifted program. It gave me the opportunity to learn an above grade-level curriculum and encouraged me to set high expectations for myself. This set me on the path to overcoming my academic insecurities.

Entering the gifted program taught me that dyslexia couldn't stop me from being academically successful, but because I wanted to reach the high academic standards of the program, I was secretive and would never talk about

I will leave you with this thought. Regardless of what paths or mountains you will climb in your journey of life, God and his love for you will always be with you. You will reach the peak and look down at all that you have accomplished. You may experience sadness and trauma, but that will make your bright days that much brighter. As a community, we are going through a momentous time in history, amidst the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic, a charged political atmosphere, and environmental catastrophes. I want to remind you that as a community and a country we will get past this. To my fellow seniors, I know this is not the year we had planned, but I urge you to focus on the fond memories we have shared and not dwell on the canceled events. I want us to think of the ingenuity and creativity that our administration and student leadership have demonstrated in finding ways for us to come together.

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 45

AN EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

Art with a Purpose

The Making of a Liturgical Banner

BY REBECCA COOPER Middle School Religion Teacher

I

magine the Middle School gym filled with energetic sixth graders playing an intense game of basketball. Now imagine that same gym 20 minutes later having been transformed from a place devoted to physical fitness to a place for spiritual wellness. How is it possible to create a sense of the Holy in such a multi-purpose space? For years I have created felt banners to hang above our altar to provide a colorful focal point for worship. When our school adopted the new cross logo three years ago, I thought it would be wonderful to showcase it in a unique way. I knew that Susan Tilt, a

46 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

contemporary fiber artist, would be the perfect person for the job.

I first met Susan over 10 years ago upon the recommendation of my SSSAS colleague, The Rev. Michael Hinson. She designed a personalized Creation-themed stole for my father, who is an Episcopal priest. I was so impressed by Susan's design choices, her use of color, pattern, and texture, and most importantly her ability to listen. I knew that if she accepted the challenge of creating a new liturgical banner for us, we would be blessed with a lovely and lasting piece

of art. What follows are portions of an interview I had with Susan to learn more about her work as an artist, her ties with the Episcopal church, and her inspiration for our new Saints banner.

Rebecca: Susan, I would love to know

more about your background. Can you tell me about where you grew up and the places you have lived and traveled?

Susan: I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and attended the University of Kentucky where I met my husband. He became a Naval Officer upon graduation, and I left with him before completing my degree.

We moved about 17 or 18 times. Some of the places we've lived are New Orleans, Charleston, and Virginia Beach. We had one tour in Somerset, England, that was extremely special. And, we've lived the last seven years in Colonial Beach, Virginia, on the Northern neck along the Potomac.

Rebecca: How have these places

impacted your art and influenced your journey as an artist?

Susan: I really meant to be an artist

from about age nine. That's what I thought I was going to do. I took some art classes in England, but nothing too serious. New Orleans was a turning point for me. Our two daughters were grown by then, and we lived right next to a community college. So, I took classes there in painting, pottery, and photography.

Rebecca: So, how did you find your way to fiber arts?

Susan: Well, that's been an interesting

experience. After New Orleans we were back in the Washington, D.C. area, and I had done primarily photography up to that point. I was also determined to finish my degree. I started course work at Mary Washington. They have a small art department, but it was just the perfect, perfect place for me. Excellent instruction, lots of freedom. And so I did painting, printmaking, but no fiber art yet. Although I had done some sewing for my children.

After I finished my degree, I started taking care of my baby granddaughter, Maggie, so that my daughter could go back to work. Maggie and I were together lots. I couldn't use the dark room for my photography, and painting was challenging with the baby. I had heard about art quilting which appealed to me because I knew I couldn't be a traditional artist. I don't have the capacity for doing too many things twice. I like to venture out. So I thought, well, I'll explore that just a little bit. And I did, I found a guild that was leaning toward contemporary art, and that was very helpful.

At this time I was also attending St. Christopher's Episcopal Church in Springfield where Susan Goff (now Bishop of Virginia) was serving as Rector.

She's such a fine artist. One Sunday I showed her a piece I had been working on

and she commented that it would make a wonderful Christmas stole. So, I made one for her. It was very sparkly. She still has it I think. Making liturgical pieces has such meaning to me. It has given a purpose and direction to my art.

Rebecca: Can you describe some of your other works of art or favorite projects?

Susan: The first large piece I did was

an installation for Stafford hospital. It is a very contemporary triptych. One of my favorite pieces was for St. Christopher's.

It is a collection of altarpieces and vestments for the season of Easter. The largest piece I've done is a resurrection piece for a chapel and columbarium at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church.

It's a beautiful space with Tiffany windows on each side, and my piece is between them. I also have pieces at Goodwin House and have been commissioned to do another piece for them as a memorial for Bishop Eastman, who was the Bishop of Maryland.

Rebecca: Susan, can you now talk about the design process for the piece you made for us and any unique considerations you had for this project?

Susan: Well, to start, I feel that art is

such an important part of worship. I fully believe that all of us are creative in some way. One of the first considerations was that the piece needed to be seen up close and from a distance. I attended a service at your school and noted the vast number of students and the vast space.

I played with the size of the cross and realized it needed to be made of many pieces, almost patchwork, because many things needed to be incorporated.

I wanted to include symbols of faith, symbols of academics, and interests of middle-school children as well as adults.

So once I finally figured out the concept, that helped. The cross looks very, very simple, but it's not really.

Next came the collection of fabrics. I wanted a little green to go into the red and a little red to go into the green. I wanted the fabrics to talk to each other.

The background needed to be light in order for the cross to be prominent. I interviewed more than one fabric for the background to see if it was going to work.

The fabric I chose is very light, not solid white, and has interlocking circles on

it which has symbolic value. I decided that the quilting needed to be simple to compliment the elaborate cross. And then I finished it with the golden white fabrics.

I also needed to keep in mind durability.

This piece, like vestments, needs to be industrial strength.

Rebecca: To wrap up, Susan, I would

love to return to your artistic inspiration and how you see the function of art in the church or in a school such as ours?

Susan: Well, the spiritual side gave

purpose to my art. So the happiest thing for me is for pieces to go home. I love making it, but when it's ready to go home, that's just a delight. Sometimes when I work I think I'm just not working alone.

I can be in the studio working quietly, sometimes I don't know where the ideas come from because I'm not a big planner.

I believe the Church needs art, and that art takes many, many forms. That can mean the vestments, banners, altarpieces, really everything that we like to use in a church. When it's a special piece, it enhances the worship. But I think art speaks to people even if they don't quite realize it. Art is such an integral part of worship. I think it always was.

Rebecca: I can't thank you enough,

Susan, for this beautiful banner. I look forward to sharing it with the Saints community so they can appreciate all the wonderful touches you incorporated into the design from soccer balls to elements from the periodic table. I pray that this art will not only provide a focal point for worship, but will remind us of God's love and the many gifts and talents that are daily nurtured in our Middle School. ****** This past October, Susan delivered the banner which felt like a ray of sunshine in the midst of the pandemic. Susan works at her home studio, a place she describes as “my little bit of heaven on earth.� While we cannot use the banner for communal worship right now, I look forward to the time when we can hang it in the gym and invite Susan to join us for a dedication. I am grateful to The Saints Fund for supporting this project and for our outstanding maintenance team that works so diligently to transform our gym for worship every week.

Fall/Winter 2020-2021 | 47

The Show Must Go On! Redefining the One-Act Festival

Each year, the One-Act Festival brings the Upper School community together in a special way. Teachers of all subjects join the excitement in the small and intimate Black

Emma Hughes '21 Production Manager Emma has been involved in six Stage One productions and three One-Act Festivals in a variety of roles.

Starting on the run crew of “Tartuffe” in her freshman year, she has since served behind the scenes as a stage manager, production assistant, and production manager, as well as working on set design. She has also been on the stage, as Pepe the frog, and the top half of a lava monster!

48 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

Box Theater, the students cram themselves in and even sit on the floor, while the student actors check out the audience nervously from the wings. A completely student driven production, the OneAct Festival is something extraordinary…and, unfortunately, something that cannot happen during a global pandemic—at least in the traditional way.

The One-Act Festival started in 1992, when St. Stephen's and St. Agnes merged, and quickly became a springtime tradition. Throughout the history of the Festival, some acts were written by students, but starting in 2018, 100 percent of the one-act plays were student written—setting a new bar. The One-Act Festival consists of short 10-minute plays that give students the opportunity to create a project that they fully own, taking responsibility

BY EMMA HUGHES '21

for all the writing, casting, and directing. In a normal year, the Festival takes place in the Upper School's Black Box Theatre, which has a magical, up-close and personal environment that pulls everyone together into each story, but this is not a normal year.

In order for the One-Act Festival to survive, the students needed to adapt and break with tradition. The 2019-2020 Festival was scheduled for last May, but the pandemic shut the school down in March. For the first time, the Performing Arts Department was facing the need to cancel the festival, but the department chair, Jim Marvin, and the students stepped up to the plate and worked hard to adjust and produce them.

They were written, rehearsed, directed, recorded, and presented via Zoom and went surprisingly well, for Zoom!

This summer, with the pandemic in full swing, it was unclear what would be in store for the Stage One Players.

“The safety of the Saints community is obviously our first priority, so this year is definitely different from previous years,” said Jackson de Vallance '21, actor and co-president of the Stage One Players. “Although we weren't able to produce our fall play, we were happy to be able to put on a Halloween drive-through trickor-treat event for our Lower School and neighbors, with an impressive dragon sculpture designed and created by the Stage One set and tech crews.”

In a brainstorming session with Middle School Drama Teacher Lindsay Jagodowski and Upper School Technology Support Specialist Austin Fodrie, Mr. Marvin realized it could be perfect to move the OneActs to the fall. He knew the Festival usually consists of small casts that could work quite independently from one another and safely on campus.

They all agreed that being outside and having students in small casts would be a great way to begin the 2020-2021 school year. Once again, the students took up the challenge and put their creative energy to reimagining the Festival. Instead of producing them live on Zoom, the goal was to showcase them as an outdoor film festival using the scoreboard on Moss Field.

The COVID-19 protocols and restrictions required the students to wear masks indoors and not to engage in physical contact, and of course, that the shows could not be performed live for an audience. The students immersed themselves in finding ways to work around these obstacles. The majority of the One Acts were filmed outside where restrictions were lighter, writers edited their scripts to reduce physical contact, and the plays were filmed and edited so that they could be viewed in a safe environment. These were the issues that the directors prepared for, but there were many more challenges and innovative solutions to come.

The complexities of beginning the school year with phases that allowed for a safe, gradual, staggered return at each division, meant a number of Upper School students interested in theater hesitated to add more to their plate and there was a shortage of actors for the plays. “We've really worked hard this year to engage new Saints students— something that's been challenging given that we're not all on campus and we've had to come up with alternatives to live stage performances,” Jackson said. “I'm hopeful that we'll be able to produce a musical this year, but even if we can't, I'm excited to see the imaginative ways that my fellow Stage One Players show their talent and creativity and share it with the Saints community.”

So instead of doing all the OneAct plays at one time, rehearsals and filming was broken up into two phases, with half being produced in the fall and half in the winter. The directors, none of whom had done a film before, overcame numerous challenges. Seniors Adrienne Lai and Emma Hughes had to film outside in the dark, with no lighting experience. They ended up lighting their scene with multiple flashlights and ring lights.” “As a writer, I prefer being in the Black Box because of the intimate environment connecting the audience and the actors on stage,” said Director and Writer Adrienne Lai '21.

“However, with film, special effects can be added to enhance the scenes, which provides an element that would be missing from the Black Box.” Everyone learned the true meaning of the wellknown phrase, “the show must go on!”

While many things were different this year, one thing still remained the same. Mr. Marvin always chooses the theme for the Festival and this year's theme truly defined 2020, “Chaos and Serenity.” The writers took that in different directions, including a personification of mental health, a Manic Pixie drama, some mysteries, and many other plots that showcased the creativity and talents of the students. Those three words started the journey that developed into seven very different One Act plays.

To tell more of the story from a variety of perspectives, I asked several of my fellow seniors who took part in the One-Act Festival and have been very involved with our theater productions about their experiences, inspirations, challenges, and solutions.

Lena Weiman '21 Writer/Director “Manic Pixie Nightmare” Lena has acted in seven Stage One productions, including “Oliver!,” “As You Like It,” “Shrek,” and “The Addams Family.”

She has also had roles in previous One-Act Festivals, but this was her first foray into writing and directing.

My play focused on dismantling a common archetype called the Manic Pixie Dream Girl, a female character who is the love interest of the male protagonist in a book or movie. I have been interested in the Manic Pixie Dream Girl

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trope for a long time. Women are often depicted in unrealistic ways in the media that give both men and young girls unrealistic expectations. This exaggeration is brought to a whole new level with a Manic Pixie Dream Girl, who is only there to change the male protagonist or contribute to his character development.

The Manic Pixie Dream Girl is very much a one-dimensional character with no backstory, no character development, and no nuance. This trope angered me and I wanted to express that anger by using the idea of a Manic Pixie Dream Girl to point out what is wrong with it, and with that, introduce the larger problem of the media's portrayal of women in general.

I wanted to turn the audience's expectations against them and question why girls in modern media are often only there to move along the plot for the male protagonist. I centered the theme of chaos and serenity around the female protagonist of my show.

Throughout the film, I tried to depict her evolution from serenity to chaos while pulling the audience deeper into the story.

I really underestimated how hard it would be to direct a short film. In the Black Box, there is one angle from which the audience views the whole show, and they are immersed because they are right there, witnessing it firsthand.

In a film, it is the director's job to make the audience feel like they are in the film, and that comes from camera angles, good sound, and lots of editing. With no prior experience with any of those, there were a lot of aspects to think through.

One of the biggest challenges was making sure

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that we met the COVID guidelines and that everyone was safe at all times. I had a small cast, only three actors, so it was relatively easy to maintain proper distance, but it was a challenge for me to film everything with that distance. So, I usually shot each scene from three different angles and then edited it so that the audience understood the characters were talking to each other without actually being physically close together.

My other challenge was the audio.

When watching a film, I had never thought about the music in the background, specific sound effects, or the clarity of the dialogue, but as I was editing my own film, I realized the ambient noise was overwhelming the dialogue. I asked my actors to record their lines as voice memos and spent hours dubbing the film.

The amazing actors in my film really brought the show to life and made the whole process of moving from a script to a fully flushed out film so much easier!

Tripp Pratt '21 Lighting, Actor The 2020 One-Act Festival is the tenth show Tripp has been involved with, beginning with the role of a sheep in “39 Steps” in seventh grade! In eighth grade he interned with set and lighting design for Stage One production of “The Little Mermaid.” Since then, he has helped with lighting design for “Tartuffe,” “The Addams Family,” and the 2018 OneAct Festival. In his sophomore year he served as a co-director of lighting and last year as the director of lighting for “As You LIke It.” Last spring, Tripp stepped out of his usual role working with lighting and sets and into the spotlight acting and singing in “Oliver!.”

I've enjoyed mastering how to light up a stage. The lighting system we

have in CPAC is great, but there are restrictions on certain looks you can get during live performances because you have to worry about the visibility of the actors to the audience. The visibility requires certain amounts of light that restrict the amount of color you can use at certain times.

With outdoor you can get a really saturated color on the subject that you can't get on stage all the time.

After four years of doing lighting, I wanted to throw myself into something new. I debated whether or not to act because I was unsure of my singing abilities—which had only consisted of singing in the car and the shower—and my acting abilities which hadn't been worked on since eighth grade. After a few weeks of deliberation, I decided to go for it because I had many friends who were doing the show and it would give me time to spend with them and make new friends in the process.

I wouldn't say that I have stage fright because I was used to being on stage in front of people during middle school, but I was certainly afraid of singing in front of people whether I knew them or not. Thanks to my fellow actor friends in chorus and the Upper School Chorus Director, Mrs. Byrne, I learned how to sing a little bit better and that definitely increased my confidence. I am still not the best singer you'll hear, but I tried my best during rehearsals and the shows.

Gatsby Olsen '21

Assisted by Lexi Olsen '21

Writer/Director “Vignette with My Uncompromising Trinity”

I actually wrote the majority of my play during freshman year. I was struggling with depression and other mental health issues. I found it difficult to describe what I was feeling, especially the numbness and noise that permeated everything. In one of my many attempts to share what I was going through, “Vignette with My Uncompromising Trinity” was born. It was a very stream of consciousness. I just wrote it out one night in a notebook and then stashed it on my bookshelf and almost forgot about it for a year or so. Later, when I was rereading some of my old work, I stumbled upon it. I was trying to isolate the numbness and noise in my brain to a select number of characters, while also giving a realistic glimpse into the pain. I typed it up and let it simmer until this year.

After some edits and extras, I decided to submit it.

I wrote my play for the live stage, to be in a space with other humans, so there is definitely something lost. On the other hand, the digital format allowed me to think outside

of the box and toy around with things like voiceovers and camera angles. During rehearsal I would squat with my fingers in the shape of a rectangle while my actors were rehearsing.

I looked like a weird duck waddling around, but it helped!

Gatsby has been involved with seven different Stage One productions, working with the set and run crews.

Lexi

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SERVING ON THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Joining Our Board of Governors in 2020-2021

“Covid-19 has shown us how inextricably linked our lives and fortunes are together. It has also given us a chance to show how resilient and resourceful we are as a community. We know more about ourselves and our capacity than ever before. I'm confident we'll figure out new ways to channel that knowledge in the furtherance of goodness and excellence.”

Reginald (Reg) J. Brown Reg is no stranger to the St. Stephen's and St. Agnes Board of Governors, having served two terms from 2013-2019. He feels strongly about the school and serving organizations that make an impact. “SSSAS plays a critical role in our community and in the lives of young people, and it is an honor to try and help the school continue to fulfill its mission,” Reg said. “I support our Strategic Plan and I am excited about the possibility of new facilities with innovation and collaboration spaces.” Reg also serves on the George W. Bush Presidential Library Foundation Board and the Service Year Alliance Board.

Service Year Alliance is working to make a year of paid, full-time service—a service year—a common expectation and opportunity for all young Americans.

As a partner in the office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Reg leads one of the most vibrant, high stakes and crisis management practices in Washington, D.C., focusing on companies and

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high-profile executives in the financial institution, technology, energy, pharmaceuticals, and defense and national security sectors. Reg also currently serves as a director on the board of Blackstone, the country's largest publicly traded private equity company. Before joining Kirkland, Reg was a partner at WilmerHale and prior to that served as a special assistant to the president in the White House Counsel's office. In that role, he provided counsel on a wide variety of issues and served as a counselor for the White House Office of Political Affairs, Presidential Personnel Office, and the National Economic Council.

Reg is an honors graduate of both Yale University and the Harvard Law School, from which he received a bachelor of arts in political science and his law degree. His daughter, Reagan Brown, graduated from SSSAS in 2018 and is a junior at the University of Chicago. For Reg, being a Saint goes beyond the strong academic preparation for college, athletics, arts, and extracurricular offerings. “A Saint's education should reinforce a commitment to goodness and excellence,” Reg said.

When Reg is not leading teams of lawyers, he is an avid wine collector and a committed “foodie.”

Taylor Kiland '85 Service is ingrained in Taylor, an integral and essential part of who she is and how she lives her life. “I have always been proud of the school's commitment to community service,” Taylor said. “It is embedded in the school's DNA and is a hallmark of our community. My hope is that all graduates are lifelong givers to our neighbors and our nation, serving others and a cause greater than our own.”

She is thrilled to see an emphasis on continuing to strengthen the school's commitment to serving others in the Strategic Plan.

Although she is new to the Board of Governors, Taylor served on the Alumni Association Board from 2003-2008, was the 2014 Commencement speaker, and has also served as a St. Agnes class correspondent, a reunion giving chair, a kindergarten room parent, and is currently the “captain” for daughter Kiland Hatcher's '31 second grade class. “My experience at St. Agnes was one of the most seminal of my life,” Taylor said. “I believe the education was top-notch and the friendships I made there have lasted a lifetime. Serving on the

“I've learned coping skills from an unusual source: our Vietnam-era POWs. Some endured more than eight years in captivity; many spent years in solitary confinement. There is a military term that describes how they endured such extreme hardships and emerged stronger, healthier, and wiser, 'Embrace the Suck.' We cannot always control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to it. I've seen examples of how our Saints community is embracing the suck every day: in our creative reinvention of traditions, our enthusiasm for what we can do during this time, our greater appreciation for our democracy and freedoms, and increased patience with and kindness to each other. As a result, we will emerge from this pandemic stronger and healthier as a community.”

Board of Governors offers me just one more opportunity to give back to the school I love.”

After graduating from St. Agnes School, Taylor received a bachelor's in journalism from the University of Southern California and a master's in integrated marketing communications from Northwestern University. Today, she is a writer and a ghostwriter of military non-fiction books. Most of her clients are military veterans or business executives who started their careers in the military and want to write a memoir or a leadership legacy book. She also has written more than a dozen of her own military history books, for adults and for children. She specializes in stories about the Vietnam War and our Vietnam War veterans, especially our former Vietnam POWs. When she is not writing, Taylor loves spending time with her husband, Mike Hatcher, and painting and doing crafts with Kiland. She is also a devotee of Bikram yoga, long-distance walking, traveling, and reading military non-fiction books— about the wars, the people who fought them, and the citizens who kept the home fires burning.

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SERVING ON THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS

“A Horace quote comes to mind: “Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it.” Challenges and difficulties in life always bring about change. Whether it's a greater awareness of infectious diseases and associated advancements in science that will guide us on how to manage them in the future or a greater awareness and understanding of the impact we may have on our fellow human due to the implicit biases we possess, our 2020 experiences will allow us to see things from a different perspective and compel us to modify our behavior, for the better.”

Berkeley M. Shervin '78 Berk first served on the Board of Governors from 2011 to 2016. He is returning to serve again because he believes in the mission of the school. “I have experienced first-hand, as both a graduate and as the parent of two graduates (Teddy '14 and Wade '16), the merits and enduring benefits of an SSSAS education,” Berk said. “Indeed, an investment in an SSSAS education pays lifelong dividends and there is no greater gift one can give to another than an education.”

After graduating from St. Stephen's School, Berk received a bachelor's in finance from American University.

A regular volunteer at the Sleepy Thompson Basketball Tournament, Berk has also engaged in fundraising activities and helping with phonathons. He currently serves on the board of several organizations, including two business improvement districts in Washington, D.C., one as chair and one as vice-chair. Additionally, he has served on the boards of real estate-related organizations, including the District of Columbia Building Industry Association and the Real Estate Advisory Council of the Kogod School of Business at American University.

For the last 38 years, Berk has been engaged in site acquisition, investment strategy, capital structure formation, financing, development and asset management of commercial real estate in the greater Washington market. He is president and co-owner of Wilkes Company, a commercial real estate development company in Washington, D.C., that specializes in urban mixed-use development, and he owns a private equity company that provides early stage capital to promising operating companies. Berk is particularly excited by the prospect of executing a building improvement plan that will significantly upgrade the facilities at SSSAS in support of the school's desire to add value to the student experience.

For Berk, preparing our Saints for the future means instilling a love of learning and a quiet confidence with which they can calmly face all of life's challenges with intellectual rigor and persistence. “Saints should treat all with kindness and fairness, be resilient, adaptive, innovative, and humble—humor is a plus,” Berk said.

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In his downtime Berk loves to travel, sail, and read. He and his wife, Cheri, reside in Washington, D.C., and attend Christ Church Georgetown Parish Hall.

Ken Wainstein

“At some fundamental level, this pandemic will give all of us some important perspective. As an example, I always felt that my parents' Great Depression generation took a certain satisfaction from having the basics of life that they couldn't count on having during the 1930s. In their later lives, they found happiness in having the basics of a decent quality of life, while subsequent generations like mine took them for granted. Although this crisis is different in degree from the Depression, I'd like to think that this generation will come out of the pandemic with a greater appreciation for the joys of human interaction and an open society. We should harness that perspective and reinforce it in our education.”

Ken and his wife, Elizabeth, chose St. Stephen's and St. Agnes for their four daughters, Elizabeth '15, Mackie '19, Cecily '23, and Natalie '28.

“I've always been impressed with the school's emphasis on inclusion and the importance of treating each other with respect, compassion, and understanding,” Ken said. “In my experience, that is not the strong suit for many schools, especially in this era of overly intense focus on burnishing individual grades and credentials to get into the right college.”

Ken jumped at the opportunity to serve on the board, to give back in a more personal and tangible way. “Over the years, I've grown to appreciate the uniqueness of SSSAS as one of those rare institutions that instills good character and compassion at the same time that it provides a very high-quality education,” Ken said. He is very excited about the school's plans for dealing with the growing awareness of social and racial justice issues, the creativity that the administration is bringing to the issue, and its wisdom in seeing this as a time, not only of challenge, but also of opportunity.

A partner at the law firm, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Ken focuses on white-collar, compliance-related legal work for companies, organizations, and individuals.

He serves on a number of boards relating to criminal justice and national security, which were his areas of government service for many years, including the DC Affordable Law Firm, the CIA General Counsel's Advisory Board, the Public Interest Declassification Board, the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, George Mason University's National Security Institute, and the Bipartisan Advisory Board of the Voter Protection Program. He holds two degrees, a bachelor's in international relations from the University of Virginia and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of California Berkeley School of Law. In his free time, Ken loves to take road trips with his family and to spend his weekends on the sidelines of his daughter's sporting events.

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ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND April 23-26, 2021 Classes ending in 5s and 0s

Your Classmates. Your Friends. Your School.

sssas.org/reunion 56 | St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School

MILESTONES

NEW ADDITIONS Alumni

Katherine Denkler White '07 and Michael White '07, a son, William “Liam” Miles, October 3, 2020

Carey Sauls Baker '05 and Charles, a daughter, Audrey Kira, April 16, 2020

John P. Quinn '05 and Mandy, a daughter, Clare Mae, October 26, 2020

Cailyn Reilly Knapp '03 and Terry, a son, Ryan Patrick, June 10, 2020

Jed Dyson '01 and Caroline, a daughter, Reeve, November 2, 2020

Tyler Gray '00 and Sarah, a son, Townes Ryder, August 18, 2020

Faculty and Staff Katie Gregorian (First Grade Assistant Teacher) and Andre, a son, Roman Andrew, May 29, 2020 Carl Johnson (Upper School Strength and Conditioning Coach) and Katie, a daughter, Dorothy Catherine, June 9, 2020 Lucia Simpson (Middle School Science Teacher), and Brian Hickey, a son, Tommy, September 17, 2020

Audrey Kira Baker

Ryan Patrick Knapp

Townes Ryder Gray

William “Liam” Miles White

Clare Mae Quinn

Reeve Dyson

Dorothy Catherine Johnson

Tommy Hickey with sister Emma

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MILESTONES & IN MEMORIAM

WEDDINGS Paul Stevens '04 and Caroline Davis, October 19, 2019 Jay Williamson '03 and Elizabeth Pope March 7, 2020 Margaret “Maggie” Taylor '07 and Derek Danner, March 14, 2020

Elizabeth Pope and Jay Williamson '03

Chido Obidegwu '05 and Emily Roesing, August 15, 2020

Peter Milley '11 and Meredith Ryan, October 17, 2020

Camey Pelliconi '08 and Matt Sieger, September 19, 2020

Chazzo Habliston '09 and Caroline Keigher, October 24, 2020

Ryan Garikes '10 and Georgia Howard, October 10, 2020

Emily Rhoads '10 and Ryan Moening, October 31, 2020

Britt Henke '00 and Jeremy Notch, October 10, 2020

Derek Danner and Maggie Taylor '07

Ryan Garikes '10 and Georgia Howard

Chazzo Habliston '09 and Caroline Keigher

Jeremy Notch and Britt Henke '00 and son Reid Anderson Notch

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Chido Obidegwu '05 and Emily Roesling

Camey Pelliconi '08 and Matt Sieger

Emily Rhoads '10 and Ryan Moening

Peter Milley '11 and Meredith Ryan

IN MEMORIAM Alumni Lucian “Luke” C. Wells '50 April 22, 2016 Richard “Rick” Merrow '72 brother of David Merrow '73 and Jake Mazulewicz '85, and uncle of Joe Cotellessa '96 April 28, 2020 Marion “Mimi” Smith Ewens '57 sister of Holland Smith '61 July 2, 2020 Jane McKee Ingram '45 July 10, 2020 Ann “Dee Dee” Switzer Reilly '50 July 18, 2020 Mary Carter O'Connor '63 July 20, 2020 Carter Holland '14 August 15, 2020

G. Jeffrey “Jeff ” Herndon '82 October 10, 2020 Jennifer M. Chapman '01 sister of John T. Chapman '99 November 9, 2020

Faculty and Friends Margaret Moring mother of Martha Moring '81, Beth Moring Mangum '84, and Lee Moring '90 January 23, 2020 Marianne Duncan Watkins grandmother of Ian McLeod '09 March 5, 2020 Diana Millichamp Williams wife of Alex Gambal '75 June 18, 2020 Marilyn Whitehurst mother of Garrett Whitehurst '09 July 20, 2020

Capt. Francis “Frank” L. Wadsworth (former Board of Governors) father of Rob Wadsworth '78, Steve Wadsworth '80, and Jay Wadsworth '82 August 13, 2020 Gloria Nemir wife of Lew Nemir '59 September 9, 2020 Susan McKnelly mother of Capt. Stewart McKnelly '86 and Capt. Hank McKnelly '88 October 24, 2020 Stanley “Stan” L. Krejci father of Stacey Krejci Dietsch '91 and Drew Krejci '95 October 28, 2020 Susan Neithamer mother of Jason Neithamer '08 and Greg Neithamer '09 November 12, 2020

Marianne Margrave wife of The Rev. Thomas E. C. Margrave '63 July 28, 2020

HILDA BURCHER Librarian

On October 14, 2020, the St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School community lost former librarian and friend, Hilda Burcher. Hilda was a member of the Saints community from 1975 to 1995, serving first as the librarian for St. Agnes and then later as the Middle School Librarian for St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School.

Hilda's friend and former colleague, Upper School English Teacher Roberta Klein, said, “Although Hilda might have appeared stern, students who loved to read soon discovered that she had a soft spot for readers. She made deep connections with the school's bookworms, often recommending new releases or personal favorites. When she retired at the end of a long career, she received heartfelt thank you notes from remarkable women—professors, lawyers, doctors, and writers—who had once been readers in the St. Agnes library.”

At her SSSAS retirement reception in 1995, Hilda was credited with creating a new Middle School library at the time of the school's merger in 1991. Head of School Joan Holden spoke at the reception and said, “Hilda's love of books, dry sense of humor, and conscientious

approach to her job made her a valuable asset to faculty and students alike.”

Hilda was born in Caroline County, Va., on June 5, 1938, and was the fourth of six children. She grew up on a farm in Aylett, Va., attending King William High School. She graduated from Mary Washington College and received a master's degree from the University of Maryland. A lover of books and literature, she taught English at Edison High School in Fairfax before joining SSSAS, and subsequently taught in Alexandria Public Schools until her passing at age 82. She is predeceased by her husband, Lt. Col. Eugene S. Burcher, and survived by her two sons, Rear Adm. E. Andrew Burcher '84, and Lt. Cmdr. Mark Burcher '86, U.S. Navy (Ret.) and six wonderful grandchildren.

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From abacus to Zoom: #SaintsConnected

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