The Lantern Spring/Summer 2022

Lantern THE

S P RING/ S UMMER 2022

THE MAGAZINE OF LANDMARK SCHOOL

TAKING THE LEAD

Meet Josh Clark New Head of Landmark School

HOMECOMING GATHER YOUR FRIENDS!

GAMES

5K DON’T MISS IT!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2022 REGISTER TODAY!

www.landmarkschool.org/homecoming

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The Lantern is published twice yearly by the Marketing and Communications Department at Landmark School, P.O. Box 227, Prides Crossing, MA 01965-0227 The Lantern is available online at www.landmarkschool.org/lantern Contact us at lantern@landmarkschool.org

KE L LY HOWAR D ( 2 )

Lantern Editorial Committee and Contributors Scott Blanchette Bob Broudo P’11 Hazel Crowley Michelle Granese Scott Harlan Rob Kahn Brittany Kenney Chrissy Kenney Susan Tomases Designer Melanie deForest-Malloy Photographers Bill Ferguson Kimberly Hildebrandt Michaela Hillier Kelly Howard Kieran Kesner ‘09 Kristie Rae Images Lifetouch

K I E RA N K E SN E R ’ 09

Contributors Maggie Conly ‘27 Tara Joly-Lowdermilk Lena O’Leary ‘26 Tom O’Riordan Laura Polvinen Beth Rowen P’20 Joe Rose P’25 Jack Varney ‘27

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

FEATURE ARTICLES

Leadership 10 Meet Josh

Join us in welcoming Landmark’s new Head of School

16 Leading Through Nursing

Leading the way on health and safety at Landmark

18 Raising Leaders

Fostering leadership in our EMS students at Landmark

20 Skills and Process

Building the foundation for leadership on the High School campus

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22 2 022 Scholastic Art Award Winners 26 Class of 2022

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26 2

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DEPARTMENTS ◗ HEADLIGHT

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From Josh Clark P’28, ’31

◗ THE BEACON

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Landmark’s News in Brief

◗ PROFILES

34 36 38 40 42 44

Trustee Spotlight: Harvey Alter ’82 Faculty Spotlight: Deb Blanchard Alumni Spotlight: Jake Andrews ’08 Parent Spotlight: Tracy Gianotti and Toseef Khan P’28, ’29 Penlight: In Their Own Words, Lena O’Leary ’26 Donor Spotlight: The Petway Family

◗ FLOODLIGHT

46 50 54

50 Forward: We Did It! Events Alumni Notes

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...staring in awe at the opening credits of the original Star Wars, Episode 4: A New Hope. The booming orchestra introduced the galactic opera of Luke, Leia, and their cosmic rebellion as the oversized, yellow font paraded up the screen. At seven years old and an undiagnosed dyslexic learner, I could not read the words, but their pageantry told me all I needed to know. I was at the start of something momentous.

It is a tremendous honor to begin my small part in the sprawling tale of Landmark School. It is a story filled with innovation and determination. 51 years ago Landmark started as a rebellion of its own kind—a rejection of the misconception that students who think differently were incapable of learning. Its very existence disrupted the status quo, and five decades later, it continues to lead the world in how to identify, support, and celebrate those who learn differently. As you will see in the following pages, leadership at Landmark School is about serving this story.

As I begin my journey as the next leader of Landmark School, I will borrow from one of the greatest beginnings in all of literature: Call me Josh.

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K I E RA N K E SN E R ’ 09 ; I LLUST RATI ON S BY OL I V I A MAL LOY

This is the power of a good beginning—it inspires a belief that what is to come will propel us into something meaningful, possibly epic. There will be challenges, uncertainties, even setbacks, but without them, the arc of the story cannot take us where we want to be: a place of deeper understanding and a new sense of being. We engage with the best stories not as a form of distraction but as an opportunity for transformation.

Beacon Landmark’s News in Brief |

SPORTS

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FACULTY

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THE ARTS

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STUDENTS

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SERVICE

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ALUMNI

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RESOURCES

❱❱ LANDMARK’S OWN

Campus Style Julia Bottarelli’s ’23 distinctive retro design was selected as the winner of this year’s High School T-shirt design contest.

All spring we saw these tees and sweatshirts all over the campus with her popular and trend-setting design.

Congratulations Julia!

Playing Host, Setting Records In May, the Landmark athletic department welcomed 465 athletes from 30 independent schools to Gordon College (where Landmark’s track and field team practices) for the Division 3 New England Prep School Track and Field Association (NEPSTA-D3) annual championship meet, “the New Englands.”

An event of this size is extremely complex, but Tom O’Riordan, assistant athletic director, along with a team of Landmark volunteers, made the effort look easy.

“Thank you to the coaching staff of Tim Burke, Mari Rivera, and Mike Tucker, led by head coach Christina Scanlon, for stepping up to do whatever was needed to help administer the meet, while coaching the kids to three school records and tons of personal records!” said O’Riordan.

EVENTS! SEE YOU THIS FALL SPRING/SUMMER 2022

Stay in the Loop CONNECT WITH US:

 facebook.com/landmarkschool  @landmarkschool landmarkschool

 The Landmark School Alumni www.landmarkschool.org/blog

LANDMARK CARES

HOMECOMING

PARTY PICS

Join in the fun as we celebrate Landmark’s caring community throughout the week.

Recruit your friends and come back to campus for a 5K road race, games, petting zoo, and more!

We kicked up our heels this spring!

Check out photos and updates from our 50th Anniversary and other events.

SEPT. 24 - OCT. 1

OCTOBER 1

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Beacon ❱❱ Landmark’s News in Brief

Thank you Burke Family!

Every summer, the family of former High School faculty member Andrew Burke sponsors a summer stipend for curriculum development. The Andrew Burke Memorial Award is open to social studies, language arts, and tutorial teachers. This year we congratulate the following teachers for having their proposals accepted:

Janet Parady, LETRS training/ curriculum work Liam Maher and Dave Hammond, Justice & Citizenship course (Fall 2022) Hillary Mackay-Smith, Digital Literacy Curriculum Development

Landmark’s High School 2022 Sailing team

As always, we extend our thanks to the Burke family for their continued generosity in supporting our faculty in their efforts to enhance and expand our curriculum.

WAY TO GO HANNAH! Congratulations to Landmark junior Hannah T. ’23 for being named a Salem Evening News 2021–2022 Girls Hockey All Star. Playing for Marblehead, she was among the top five defensive players in the Northeastern League.

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Coffee, Coffee…

Buzz-Buzz-Buzz

The High School campus returned from spring break to find an exciting surprise in the dining room. SAGE Dining Services designed and installed a beautiful chalkboard to introduce our very own “Java House,” complete with an assortment of freshly brewed coffees and flavored-syrup accompaniments. Thank you to our SAGE friends for always going the extra mile and keeping us well fueled throughout the year!

On the Water

Landmark High School’s sailing team was a force on the water, competing against both public and private schools in the area.

The team, coached by Landmark veteran Doug Walker along with faculty members Michaela Hillier and Doug Turnbull, represented Landmark proudly with sportsmanship, tenacity, and skill— and a near perfect record.

What’s the Word?

Theo Masella ’25, participated in the New York Times Learning Network “Invent a Word” vocabulary challenge. Students were invited to make up a word that did not yet exist, along with its definition and an example sentence. Theo received honorable mention for gubble (noun).

Definition: The space in between one’s toes, including webbed skin.

Use in a sentence: The Olympic swimmer’s wide, webbed gubbles propelled him to first place.

Winners were published in the New York Times on April 1.

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Pitching In

As the weather started to warm up, many community service events occurred on and off campus. High School Chaplain Bill Ferguson, along with the Community Action Team at Landmark’s Elementary•Middle School, took advantage of the easing of COVID restrictions and prioritized supporting the local community. Among the many initiatives was an effort by a small group of High School students to clean yards of elderly friends who live nearby. It’s often the little things that matter most. Thank you Bill, Ethan, Jed, Oona, and Rudi.

A Way With Words

This spring, several Landmark students wrote and submitted poems to the 26th Annual Beverly Teen Poetry Contest for middle and high school students. The contest is run by the Beverly Public Library each spring. This

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Olivia Pierce ’22

Olle Lundgren ’25

year they received 444 entries.

Landmark High School students Olivia Pierce ’22 and Olle Lundgren ’25 were selected as finalists and were invited to recite their poems at a public reading at the library. Amy Veling, Landmark High School librarian said, “We are all so proud of them and would also like to extend a special thank you to faculty members Ross Ackerman, Kathy MacMannis, and Helen Monroe who worked with, practiced, and cheered on Olivia and Olle at the final reading.”

Olivia wrote and presented two poems: “Lost in Thought #49” and “Lost in Thought #51,” while Olle was recognized for his poem, “Ice”.

❱❱ ORDER UP!

Dining In

Move over Jamie Oliver, there’s a new group of restaurateurs in town! This spring, several industrious High School students debuted Landmark’s Mock Restaurant in the Murphy Prep Building, serving a delectable, five-course meal to a dozen students and faculty members. The evening required hours of planning, prep, and time management.

Remarkably, none of the students had prior experience working in a restaurant.

The restaurant was anything but mock— a name change might be necessary for the next offering. Thank you Charlie B. ‘23, Derek C. ‘24, Marco B. ‘24, Oona G. ‘23, and Sabine N. ‘22 for your initiative, creativity, and execution!

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Beacon ❱❱ Landmark’s News in Brief

Feeling the Beat

EGG-Streme Games

This spring the Elementary• Middle School science classes participated in the EGG-streme Games. Students combined imagination with physical and mechanical knowledge to build a structure that would prevent a Grade A large egg from breaking when dropped from increasing heights.

This design challenge kicked off the Middle School science STEM unit on Structures and Construction Technology, and the Elementary STEM unit on Materials and Uses. It was a great way to get the community thinking, excited, and buzzing about a science event. Faculty members remarked that they could hear students walking down the hallways comparing each other’s projects, which ones survived, and which ones “cracked.” This year, after two days of “drops,” an amazing 25 student structures survived with eggs intact.

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In April, Landmark’s Elementary•Middle School hosted an Afro-Brazilian Music and Dance Ensemble. Students gathered to hear this lively performance and explore the African roots of Brazilian culture through music, dance, and martial arts.

The performers enthusiastically demonstrated forms of capoeira, maculele, samba, and their origins.

Students had an opportunity to combine rhythm and movement with the performers on stage, as well as learn some Portuguese words and phrases.

Celebrating Our Elementary Students

On a gorgeous afternoon in mid-June, Landmark’s Elementary Program hosted the annual Key Ceremony to recognize each student for one of their most

outstanding qualities. Keys are awarded throughout the year and represent everything from Honesty and Kindness to Self Advocacy and Courage.

Each of the elementary classes gathered in unique outdoor settings dotted around the rambling grounds of the Elementary•Middle School campus where intimate ceremonies were hosted by each class’s teacher. Families were invited to attend the ceremonies and then joined all of the students under the tent in the courtyard for lemonade and cookies.

Making it Real

Toward the end of the 2021–2022 school year, Sophie Wilson’s eighth grade science class researched and developed in-depth projects about infectious diseases, ranging from anthrax to typhoid.

To enhance the experience and provide a primary source for one student researching ebola, Ms. Wilson arranged for Landmark alumnus, Kieran Kesner ’09, to speak to the class. Kesner shared his experiences as a news photographer covering the ebola outbreak for the Wall Street Journal in Liberia in 2014.

Kesner showed students photos from his time there. He candidly relayed stories about the work, safety concerns, and challenges of the assignment. With the COVID pandemic fresh on everyone’s mind, his pictures were striking, raw, and authentic—and gave the students a unique snapshot into the reality of the ravages of the ebola disease.

Ms. Wilson said, “We were so grateful to have Kieran come and speak to the class about his SPRING/SUMMER 2022

experiences in an epidemic hot-zone. He did an incredible job of bringing the situation that he faced to life. The students were clearly moved by Kieran’s honesty and the poignancy of the imagery.”

We’ve Got Spirit, Yes We Do!

To usher in the spring season, students, faculty, and staff at Landmark’s Elementary•Middle School (EMS) enjoyed a festive, Spirit Week hosted by the eighth grade community group. There was a different theme each day, including wearing mismatched clothing, donning decade-specific attire, dressing up in formal clothing, and everyone’s favorite— pajama day.

Students and teachers teamed up to compete in a rollicking Corn Hole tournament, and there was even an art contest where students submitted a piece of work to answer the question, “What does the Landmark community mean to you?”

There’s never a lack of spirit on the EMS campus, and the week of fun and frivolity did not disappoint.

Lookout, Madame Tussauds!

The storied Madame Tussauds Wax Museums have nothing on Amy Conant’s fifth grade class.

Landmark’s Elementary•Middle School (EMS) faculty member has a reputation for being exceptionally creative in meeting her students’ needs as individuals and learners. Recently, she and her six talented students blew the SPRING/SUMMER 2022

Landmark community away with an interdisciplinary initiative that materialized into a live Amelia Earhart Wax Museum.

Students studied a specific time period in Earhart’s life, prepared poster boards with facts, figures, and images, and then wrote, rehearsed, and performed an oral presentation describing that chapter in her life. Museum visitors learned a plethora of interesting facts about the airwoman, activist, and trendsetter’s life, including that she was the 16th woman to receive a pilot’s license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the governing body of sports aviation. She was also the first woman to fly solo over the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors also learned that she participated in the National Women’s Party, advocating for the Equal Rights Amendment.

Asked how she came up with such an innovative, interdisciplinary project, Conant said, “Students are my inspiration. Each year I watch for what interests them, assess class dynamics, and

Amy Conant poses with her students representing six chapters in Amelia Earhart’s life.

value the individual gifts each student brings. This year these elements came together and brought our museum to life.”

Kudos to participating students: Anna H., Frannie H., Kaleigh W., Maya K., Penelope S., and Somers K.

WINGMASTERS Local ornithologist, Jim Parks of Wingmasters, came to Landmark’s Elementary•Middle School campus this spring, bringing along some wild, winged friends. He spoke to the students about North American birds of prey that are now in rehabilitation. It was a memorable and informative presentation, and the birds he brought along were showstoppers—including one of the oldest red tail hawks, at the age of 35!

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MEET

JOSH 10

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Join us in welcoming Landmark’s new Head of School,

JOSH CLARK

BY ROB KAHN

J

K I E RA N K E SN E R ’ 09

FUNACT F

osh Clark’s path to becoming head of Landmark School looks straightforward before you get to know him. With a degree in Education and English from Indiana University, he taught language arts, took his master’s in American Literature at Sewanee: The University of the South, and rose through the ranks to become head of school at Bodine School and Schenck School—both serving the language-based learning disabled (LBLD) population, prior to accepting the head’s role at Landmark.

Along the way, Josh met his wife Melanie, also an educator, and they have two children, Rigby and Dalloway. As a family, they all enjoy running and Disney vacations.

It’s only when you speak with Josh at

having the sense in school that he was

NOT a definite indicator of future success.”

Teaching at a traditional school, Josh found himself drawn to “brilliant kids who were struggling and who were beginning to be identified as LBLD.” Later, he saw those same struggles in his own children. And in a scene so familiar to Landmark’s Admission team, he describes sitting with a psychologist years later and reviewing the evaluation results for his own child, and realizing, in tears, what his own school experience had been about.

Fortunately for Josh, his challenges

length that a unique destiny emerges.

Josh is a man on a mission, sparked by bright students he identified with when he taught middle school, which then crystallized his understanding of his own school history and connected to his role as a parent.

Landmark’s founder, Dr. Chad Drake, realized early on that he functioned differently from his classmates. He diagnosed himself as having dyslexia, researched the disability, and educated others, drawing on his own experience and self-knowledge. Josh talks about

“clever but not smart,” always on the lookout for ways to circumvent written requirements with oral presentations.

He displays a framed copy of a letter he wrote to President Bush as a third grader, with his teacher’s annotations deciphering the text of an artfully comic plea to sell his brother. Below it are Josh’s state test results, displaying comprehension in the 89th percentile, while phonics lagged far behind. “It’s classic,” explained Josh, “and I keep this on my office wall so families understand that test scores and school itself are

with grammar, syntax, and spelling in school were balanced by a love for literature and a talent for discussion and narratives. Despite test scores in the seventh percentile, his teachers approved his plea to take Honors English. His passion for communicating is clear, as is his talent for storytelling, another similarity to Dr. Drake. Even as he explored William Faulkner and James Baldwin in graduate school, Josh was narrowing in on his future journey, informed by his own identity as a YE JoshP, dyslexic learner. dy has

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slex

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ia, t oo!

JOSH “I do draw on my identity as a dyslexic learner,” Josh stated. He notes that at Bodine, at Schenck, and now at Landmark, he has the privilege of following founding leaders and longtime heads of school. “In the case of Chad Drake, you have somebody who had dyslexia and who had the opportunity to do other things but chose to do something remarkable and admirable.

And Bob Broudo expanded that legacy.

I feel as if I’ve been given the resources, knowledge, and opportunity from my personal journey to do this work.”

Josh sees a special sort of community in all LBLD schools. “There’s a humility we all bring to it that tends to keep us focused on the right things.”

He’s excited about students who are confronting “bumps in the road” rather than a smooth trajectory. Much like

Dr. Drake’s original philosophy, Josh’s conviction is that students with dyslexia need a combination of “confidence and belief”: “They need high expectations and a different kind of rigor; the acknowledgment that they are going to have to work harder than most kids.

Aspects of this are unfair; it is unfair that I’m having such a difficult time on what for other people is a fairly simple task. Now let’s go and get over that and figure out how we are going to turn this into an opportunity and potentially an advantage.”

Besides being a learner and educator with dyslexia, Josh brings a parent’s perspective to his work. He affirms that his experience as a parent “has influenced his teaching and leadership style 100%”:

“

As I move forward, I’m focusing less on what needs to change about Landmark right now and more on trying to understand how I can assimilate to the culture, then grow and expand it, and HELP IT EVOLVE, as all things have to do with whatever comes next.”

On a visit in April, Josh joined an EMS science class.

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“I definitely try, to the degree it’s helpful, to share my personal story with parents. It’s easy as an educator sometimes to be detached from the personal; and to have an intellectual viewpoint on how things should work and how parents should support their kids. I will always try to make decisions in the best interests of the child as well as the school.”

Landmark has evolved over the years since it began in 1971. We are not strangers to change nor have we resisted it, all the while holding onto key principles of teaching. Yet somehow, this feels like a defining generational moment for the school as faculty members who have been here since the ‘70s retire and the first incoming head from outside the community arrives. Josh has a unique and historic leadership challenge. When asked to reflect on the moment, Josh understands the responsibility and gives a reassuring response: “I don’t see my role as having some kind of agenda for a specific improvement. I think my role is more to prepare the institution to navigate the inevitable change that is accompanied by the progress of time. As I move forward, I’m focusing less on what needs to change about Landmark right now and more on trying to understand how I can assimilate to the culture, then grow and expand it, and help it evolve, as all things have to do with whatever comes next.”

That same young teacher who was drawn to students with lots to offer but uncertain of their strengths now finds himself decades later at the helm of an incredible opportunity to be a servant leader.

“I am sometimes surprised,” Josh says, “that I don’t think Landmark fully recognizes or appreciates its impact and legacy.

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EMS students pepper new head of school, Josh Clark, with questions during recess.

As an outsider coming in, you know, I’m moving my family over a thousand miles north, largely because of the reputation and history of Landmark School.”

“Landmark is already on the appropriate road,” he said as he prepares for his first year as head.

If he has a vision for Landmark at 55- or 60-year anniversaries, it’s to expand the mission.

“We make an extraordinary commitment, not only to the students we serve every academic year but also through Outreach. Trying to expand upon that, so students who don’t have the privilege of attending still SPRING/SUMMER 2022

can benefit, is incredibly important.

Schools like Landmark have a moral obligation to do that. And when you bring your mission beyond your physical boundaries, that’s also how schools grow in terms of reputation, and folks want to invest in the physical boundaries themselves. So I think it’s a wonderful self-fulfilling prophecy. Using the lighthouse as a metaphor, I see our lighthouse only becoming brighter, and more powerful in the years to come.”

The search for Landmark’s incoming Head was informed by perspectives from the school’s Board, faculty, parents, students, and alumni; the input was

diverse and demanding. Outstanding candidates with experience, communication skills, and leadership credentials emerged. Ultimately, however, what defines the person who will represent and guide Landmark into its next fifty years is a sense of mission.

In Josh Clark, Landmark welcomes an educator uniquely qualified to fill the role, with empathy, deep connections to language-based learning disabilities; and a personal story that encompasses varied perspectives as a student, an educator and administrator, an advocate, a scholar, a parent, and a lifelong learner with dyslexia.

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JOSH

MAGGIE CONLY AND JACK VARNEY

K I E RA N K E SN E R ’ 09

INTERVIEW JOSH CLARK

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eventh grade students, Maggie Conly and Jack Varney, represented many of the students at Landmark School when they were invited to interview Josh Clark, the incoming head of Landmark School, this spring. Following are answers to some of their most pressing questions.

M+J: What are some things you’re looking forward to when you start at Landmark?

JC: There are so many things I’m looking forward to. I can’t wait to meet everybody and get to know all the teachers and students. But, I’ll admit, I’m also really excited to be able to see the ocean everyday. And I heard that Landmark serves the best soft pretzels and brownies for milkbreak—that’s an added bonus!

M+J: How do your kids feel about starting at the Elementary•Middle School?

JC: Great question. They’re really excited and can’t wait to make new friends and meet people. They’re definitely a little nervous about moving and starting a new school. My wife, Melanie, and I know they’re going to love it.

M+J: What are your kids’ names?

JC: Well, our son is named Rigby because I love the Beatles, and he’s named after the character in the song “Eleanor Rigby.” Our daughter is Dalloway, and she’s named after Clarissa Dalloway, a character in a Virginia Woolf novel.

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“

I’m also really excited to be able to see the ocean everyday. And I heard that Landmark serves the best soft pretzels and brownies for milkbreak— that’s an added bonus!

M+J: What are some of the first things you’re going to do as head of school?

JC: My number one goal is to just listen and learn from you all. I want to spend time understanding what makes Landmark great. What do you love about Landmark? What’s important about Landmark? And then what I can do to help make those things better.

M+J: What things about Landmark will stay the same?

JC: That’s a great question. I hope everything that is wonderful about Landmark stays the same. I don’t see it as my job to change stuff. I see my job as protecting stuff, so that all the good things stay and continue. Let me ask you a question, what are some of your favorite things about Landmark?

Jack: Well, since COVID, we have to line up for our milkbreak snacks. The line is really long, so I’d like to go back to the way it was. And we have to wait to be dismissed after lunch. Before COVID we used to be able to just go outside and play.

Maggie: I love everything about Landmark. I feel like I’m really lucky to be here. I hope they bring back the school trip to Canobie Lake Park. I also hope they bring back the trip to Washington, D.C. M+J: How long have you been working in education?

JC: Outside of one job that I had in book publishing right after college, I’ve only ever worked in schools.

M+J: What do you like to do in your free time?

JC: I really like to run. I run a lot. I thought about getting a bike to go back and forth between the campuses, except the hills up to EMS and to the High School look really steep. I also like to read and travel.

M+J: Where will you spend most of your time when you’re at Landmark?

JC: I think I’ll try to spend as much time as I can on both campuses. And I’ll be in my office too, which is located on the High School campus in the main administration building. I hope you both know that you can come and visit me in my office at any time.

The students asked Mr. Clark about his favorite fast food restaurant (Subway), if he likes to drink coffee (yes—he’s a Starbucks fan), if he wears a bowtie everyday (yes—he owns 67 of them), and if he has any Landmark swag yet (yes—t-shirt, hoodie, and, of course, a Landmark bowtie).

FUN FACT FROM JOSH:

I grew up behind bars - literally!

My father is a retired federal prison warden, and in early elementary school we lived on the prison grounds and my best friend was the inmate who worked in our yard.

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Leading the Way on

HEALTH AND SAFETY at Landmark

BY SUSAN TOMASES

LEADING THROUGH

NURSING

I

It’s a blustery day in early May. I have arranged to meet virtually with Jessica Fauci, R.N., director of Health Services at Landmark, and Shari Gallant, R.N., Elementary•Middle School head nurse. Spring is a busy time of year at Landmark, and we’ve rescheduled the call several times due to the hectic and unpredictable nature of any given day in our Health Centers.

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A Day in the Life

Jess explained, “When I arrived today, my inbox was flooded with new emails since I checked it at bedtime last night; my voice mailbox was full; the phone was ringing off the hook with calls from families looking for guidance; students were lining up outside the Health Center waiting for daily SPRING/SUMMER 2022

medication to be administered; and all of the isolation spaces in the Health Center were occupied with students recently diagnosed with COVID.” Needless to say, the nature of school-based healthcare in the time of COVID has put increased demands on expectations, workflow, and accountability.

Nurses Shari Gallant and Karen O’Neil review health center documents.

School Nurses are Leading the Way Within the medical field, school nurses can be an overlooked group of dedicated healthcare professionals. That has quickly changed in our “new normal” of COVID and the need to rethink and re-engineer health and safety in schools. With a pandemic underway and schools caught in the crossfire of some of the most hotly contested debates about getting students and teachers back in the classroom, school nurses have forged new territory to reinvent health-and-safety policies and protocols locally and nationally.

Since the start of the COVID pandemic, Landmark has had a Health and Safety Policy Committee that meets weekly to evaluate needs on both campuses.

As representatives of the larger nursing teams at the School, both Jess and Shari serve as key decision makers during these meetings. Andrea Meade, assistant dean of students at the High School, leads these discussions and has been a font of up-tothe-minute details on the status of the pandemic, partnering with the nurses to interpret new regulations and guidelines.

(See “The COVID Queen” article in our Fall 2020/Winter 2021 issue at www.landmarkschool.org/lantern).

Layer in a nursing shortage, intermittent surges of COVID outbreaks, and professional burnout, and the formula for success is tested each and every day.

And yet, at Landmark and so many other SPRING/SUMMER 2022

“

You are the HEROES OF OUR STUDENT HEALTH, performing big and small miracles every day—while adapting to a changing school world.”

schools, nurses are leading effectively, empathetically, and courageously.

Despite it all, Jess and Shari have been able to grow their departments and attract highly skilled nurses to their Health Centers. Their staff members represent a range of skills and experiences, including hospice, intensive care, obstetrics and gynecology, public health, and health law, to name a few.

What’s Next?

When asked about lessons learned and caring for the Landmark community in the coming year, they both agree that they will continue to check in on a daily

— Anne H. Sheetz, R.N. M.P.H. Former Director of School Health Services Massachusetts Department of Public Health

basis with each other, shift to a less reactive and more strategic approach, refocus attention on attending to the whole patient, and prioritize self-care.

Landmark’s High School and Elementary Full- and Part-Time Nursing Team Alexis Alli, B.S.N., R.N. Cassidy Armstrong, B.S.N., R.N Mary Belliveau, R.N. Julie Berman, B.S.N., R.N Paula Deffer, B.S.N., R.N Jessica Fauci, B.S.N., R.N Susan Ferguson, R.N. Sally Gagnon, B.S.N., R.N Shari Gallant, B.S.N., R.N Mark Graham, B.S.N., R.N Deb Hadley, B.S.N., R.N Lisa Kaplan-Distasio, R.N. Kelly Keane, R.N. Karen O’Neil, R.N.

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Fostering Leadership in our

EMS STUDENTS at Landmark

BY LAURA POLVINEN AND TARA JOLY-LOWDERMILK

RAISING LEADERS

M

erriam-Webster cites a leader as a person who has commanding authority or influence. When each of us think of leaders, we envision people in our lives who stand up for others, guide a group, further a cause, and lead with charisma, power, and passion. But how do we raise good leaders? As adults, we can foster leadership skills in our students and children, both at school and in the home-community environment. After all, today’s student leaders are the adult leaders of tomorrow.

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Leadership Through Self Advocacy At Landmark’s Elementary•Middle School (EMS), an overarching goal of our programming is to help students become better self advocates. Self advocacy is at the crux of leadership.

When students are able to speak up for their needs, they can help themselves and then others. We teach self advocacy within each class, in community group meetings, and by helping students reflect on their learning styles, challenges, and successes.

In order to build leadership skills at school, we also draw on students’ interests. Some students are tour guides to prospective students and families, others share their stories during student panels. EMS students read to younger classes, host dress-down days to raise money for charities of interest, and take part in peer interviews during our daily morning meeting. In this way, their voices are amplified and they can lead in small and big ways on our campus. Students may advocate to start a specific after-school group, add hooded sweatshirts to the dress code, or share with others about a trip they took or a new skill they learned. As our students grow in their leadership skills, they become more confident in who they are and their ability to shape the world around them.

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Engaging children in chores fosters independence and leadership.

Fostering Leadership at Home At home, adults can help their students continue to explore leadership opportunities. Encourage students to participate at home in chores, meal planning, organizing weekend events, play dates, and care of pets. Parents and guardians should be sure to reflect back on the successes and give constructive feedback that is embedded in positives that you can highlight.

When possible, they should give students the chance to make choices; it’s not often that children have an opportunity to be “in charge,” so give them some agency in what they wear, what activities they participate in, what to have for dinner, or what activity to share as a family. When students speak, listen; hold back on questions, reflect back to them what you hear, and see what they want to “do next” with the information they are sharing. When we truly listen, we give students the opportunity to feel heard, validated, and solve their own problems.

While supporting leadership at home, we know that students are already leaders in their communities in all sorts of ways. They are voted MVP of their sports teams, win tournaments, hold hot chocolate stands to raise money for Ukraine, take part in Habitat for Humanity projects, read to dogs in a shelter, and earn badges for scouts—to name a few. Our students find ways to nurture their communities by channeling their interests and showing leadership in big and small ways outside of the classroom. To the leaders of tomorrow, we look forward to seeing what you’ll do next!

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Building the

FOUNDATION FOR LEADERSHIP

on the High School Campus

BY JOE ROSE

SKILLS + PROCESS

I

f you are a Landmark teacher, skills and process are the two elements that provide the foundation of everything you teach. We are proud to be at the vanguard of educating students with languagebased learning needs. But on the High School campus, while teaching reading, writing, and study skills are at the forefront of it all, teaching the “life” skills and the processes of leadership and character development play an integral role in the academic, residential, and extracurricular programs.

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Community Service Community Service at the High School empowers students to be leaders.

Whether it’s volunteering in retirement communities, working with the Special Olympics, or taking service trips outside of the country to work with those in need, the Community Service program challenges students to understand that they can be agents of change in their communities, both locally and globally.

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“Kids can see cause and effect,” said Rev. William Ferguson, the school’s chaplain and director of the school’s community service efforts. “When students volunteer, they immediately see the impact of their work and the effect on those they are helping. It provides a sense of purpose and responsibility, as well as a connectedness to others.”

Student Government Elected officers in our student government feel a similar sense of connection and accomplishment. These students serve as representative voices of their community, leading with empathy and respect. Whether it’s working on initiatives like the yearly food and blood drives and field day celebration or fundraising for worthy causes in the greater-Beverly community, Student Council members live and breathe leadership each and every day.

On their journey, they build essential life skills, including the importance of preparation, the power of independent thinking, the significance of advocacy, as well as valuable oral and written communication skills.

“Working together, the Advocates learn the key character traits of teamwork, cooperation, understanding, patience, and poise under pressure,” acknowledged Dan Ahearn, one of the triumvirate of teachers of the class. “We drive the students to self-reflect on what some of the most important personal attributes are for both their growth and the growth of others.”

Leading as a Resident As Assistant Dean of Students Jeff Fauci explained: “For residents, leadership and character are developed by earning privileges that reward students with increasing independence. Students plan and organize community nights, after-

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school and virtual clubs, weekend trips, and more. Early involvement from student leaders generates greater participation and growth across the board.”

There are many other impressive and impactful leadership activities and initiatives on the High School campus, including athletics and performing arts, the Leadership and Character class in the Prep Program, and the Internship class in the Study Skills Department, to name just a few.

As Landmark continues to evolve after 51 years of being on the cutting edge of teaching reading, writing, and study skills to students with languagebased learning disabilities, it’s becoming increasingly clear: While our students continue to flourish with their learning, they are also progressively developing into strong leaders and people of character who regularly make their mark on the world in which they live. BOOK-OPEN

For residents, leadership and character are developed

by EARNING PRIVILEGES that reward students with increasing independence. ” —Jeff Fauci, Assistant Dean of Students

Student Advocates The High School’s Student Advocates are also a major pillar of leadership at Landmark. In their daily studies and travels to speak at colleges and schools across New England, the Advocates impart what it means to grow up, live, and learn with learning disabilities.

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Landmark students build leadership skills in the residences, and beyond.

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2022

SCHOLASTIC

ART AWARDS GOLD KEY

Anna Steffen ’23, Woodworking Chevron-Circle-Left

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SILVER KEY Milo Capodieci ’23, Photography Chevron-Circle-Left

Chevron-circle-down

Becca Hearns ’23, Photography

Jenna Rucker ’22, Photography CHEVRON-CIRCLE-RIGHT

Stephen Lukasiewicz ’22, Woodworking Chevron-Circle-Up

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HONORABLE MENTION

Chevron-Circle-Up

Muriel Spell ’22, Printmaking

Isabella Sestini ’24, Drawing Chevron-Circle-Up

Elaina Vorrias ’25, Drawing CHEVRON-CIRCLE-RIGHT

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Chevron-Circle-Up

Julia Bottarelli ’23, Drawing

Chevron-Circle-Up

Angelina Assetta ’24, Drawing

Milo Capodieci ’23, Photography Chevron-Circle-Up

Milo Capodieci ’23, Photography Chevron-Circle-Left

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2022 F O s s cLA

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K E LLY HOWA RD

June 4, 2022 sparkled with sunshine, positivity, and community while Landmark’s Class of 2022 celebrated their graduation after 2.5 years of perpetual adaptation, health and safety uncertainties, and good, old fashioned hard work.

They kept their eyes on the prize powering through with grit, determination, and focus.

Congratulations! We applaud you, graduates, on a job very well done.

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2022

KE L LY HOWAR D

cLAss OF

Joshua A. Bickford Norwich University Northfield, Vermont Matthew Bozzi Lyon-Waugh Auto Internship Peabody, Massachusetts Kristianna Brown Emmanuel College Boston, Massachusetts Ethan P. Cadorette Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts Max T. Calitri American University Washington, District of Columbia Jessica E. Caruba Tulane University New Orleans, Louisiana Zachary Christopher Cavaliere Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, Pennsylvania

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Mario D. Cocuzzo Gap Year Thomas Tyson Covey University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Oshkosh, Wisconsin Benjamin Cregier University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona Jeremy Francis Cross Nichols College Dudley, Massachusetts Caroline Driscoll University of New Hampshire Durham, New Hampshire Cameron Jonathan George Evans Northern Essex Community College Haverhill, Massachusetts Sylvia Faust Colby-Sawyer College New London, New Hampshire

Matthew Shawn Favreau University of Massachusetts Lowell Lowell, Massachusetts Adam L. Fee Roger Williams University Bristol, Rhode Island Katherine A. Grocela Endicott College Beverly, Massachusetts Nikolaus David Meskell Guthrie Northeastern University Boston, Massachusetts Ciara Anne Haggerty University of Vermont Burlington, Vermont Olivia Frances Hearn Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, Massachusetts Sunaina Hoon Marist College Poughkeepsie, New York

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2022 AWARDS Brian W. McDonald

Max E. Clayman

Christopher

Overall Prep

Resilience Award

Compassion Award

Darcy AWARD

academic Award

Sean Kasprzak ’22

Kristianna Brown ’22

Nikolas Guthrie ’22

Isabella Teta-Bright ’22

Jed Stockdale ’22

Landmark Parents Association Peggie E. Cook Award

Milo Faust ’22

Sean Peper ’22

Lindsay Pitkin ’22

alumni council AWARD

North Shore Chamber of Commerce Honor Scholars

Matt Favreau ’22

Nikolaus Guthrie ’22

Leah Patrick ’22

murphy award

Jimmy Sheehan ’22 SPRING/SUMMER 2022

Overall Academic Award

Bella Teta -Bright ’22

Matt Favreau ’22

Anika Jenkins ’22

Ciara Haggerty ’22

Nathan Stowes citizenship Award

Olivia Hearn ’22

Joshua Bickford ’22

Oona Glasz ’23’ The Lantern

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2022 cLAss OF

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Maclane Thomas Hurst Messiah University Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Aidan S. O’Brien Merrimack College North Andover, Massachusetts

Anika Jenkins Colby-Sawyer College New London, New Hampshire

Martin M. O’Flaherty Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Sean M. Kasprzak Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, Georgia

Leah Patrick University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee

Victoria T. Kepler Coastal Carolina University Conway, South Carolina

Sean William Claus Peper Mitchell College New London, Connecticut

Peter Stefan Lalos Johnson & Wales University Providence, Rhode Island

Olivia Pierce Bryant University Smithfield Rhode Island

Michael Lonergan University of Massachusetts Lowell Lowell, Massachusetts

Lindsay Pitkin St.Lawrence University Canton, New York

Stephen Lukasiewicz University of Massachusetts Lowell Lowell, Massachusetts

Tania P. Quiles Gap Year

Gareth S. Lumley Winninghoff Boats Rowley, Massachusetts

Brian Rocca University of Washington Seattle, Washington

Muriel Spell Montserrat College of Art & Employment Beverly, Massachusetts Kyle Douglas Stevenson Lynn University Boca Raton, Florida Jed Robert Joon Stockdale Syracuse University Syracuse, New York MacKenzie Coe Stowell Belmont University Nashville, Tennessee Keaton J. Sullivan Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts Isabella Teta-Bright Mount Holyoke College South Hadley, Massachusetts Emily Rose Varga Lasell University Newton, Massachusetts Thomas Vaziri Hebron Academy Hebron, Maine

Vitalij Francis Markuns Peterson School Woburn, Massachusetts

Jenna Holly Rucker Massachusetts College of Art and Design Boston, Massachusetts

Henri McKeown Michigan State University East Lansing, Michigan

Erik Andrew Schneider St. Lawrence University Canton, New York

Caitlyn Willis Moore Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah, Georgia

James C. Sheehan Elon University Elon, North Carolina

Asa Irish Whitney University of New England Biddeford, Maine

Myles G. Moreira Merrimack College North Andover, Massachusetts

Luke Joseph Shomphe University of Massachusetts Lowell Lowell, Massachusetts

Garland Wintzer University of Massachusetts Lowell Lowell, Massachusetts

Yasmine Mostoufi Colby-Sawyer College New London, New Hampshire

Jack Henry Sielian University of Massachusetts Lowell Lowell, Massachusetts

Jack Wright University of Vermont Burlington, Vermont

Brendan Patrick Murphy Fairfield University Fairfield, Connecticut

Mark Daniel Silva Saint Joseph’s Univeristy Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Rudy J. Wurlitzer Hudson Valley Community College Troy, New York

Sabine Nathan Merrimack College North Andover, Massachusetts

Amelia Carol Silvestro Salve Regina University Newport, Rhode Island

Maximillian G. Yarabek Drexel University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Jariah Jadyn Nolasco High Point University High Point, North Carolina

Veronica U. Smoot Westfield State University Westfield, Massachusetts

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Aidan Fritz Warren Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, New York Logan Cheyenne Wheeler Gap Year

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EMS cLAss OF

2022

lighthouse ceremony Back in the gracious and airy tent nestled in Landmark’s Elementary•Middle School courtyard, 47 students were “introduced” by a faculty member of their choosing as they prepared to leave EMS. The audience was treated to amusing and touching stories of students’ academic and personal accomplishments during their Landmark journey. Retiring longtime faculty members, Debby Blanchard and Karl Pulkkinen, served as Marshals. We wish everyone well in your next step!

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EMS Students Moving on Alessandro Alfieri James Aloi Stella Allen Jacqueline Bianculli Zachary Boesen Aila Bolduc Paige Bottarelli Kirsten Carroll Nolan Clark Jonathan Consentino Connor Cronin Hadley Davis Kenady Dorr Avery Dovich Cole Eidson Louis Farrah Ryan Finkle Alexander Francione Casey Gransbury Megan Grenier William Hart Andrew Hayes Myles Hernandez Harrison Hilaire Riley Hilaire Alexis Kale Nathan Loiacano Alex Lupien Alistair Lyettefi Hollis McBride Bohan Minogue David Model Declan Murphy Eleanor O’Leary Aaron O’Neil Miles Parker Lydia Peabody Asher Pharo Lorenzo Santa Nico Santosuosso Riel Sargent Joshua Soto Julia Stein Patrick Stone Paige Sullivan Brennan Waters Anna West

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Not Goodbye but So Long

S USA N TOM A S ES

HONORING A 22-YEAR VETERAN TRUSTEE OF LANDMARK SCHOOL

By Brittany Kenney

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 SPOTLIGHT trustee

L

ANDMARK TRUSTEE, HARVEY ALTER ‘82, is a people person. Not only is he a gifted storyteller and an ideal person to sit next to at a dinner party, but he’s also someone who deeply cares about the well-being of others. This compassion has guided his 22-year tenure on Landmark’s Board of Trustees and has motivated his focus on studentcentric initiatives over the years.

One of five children growing up in Chicago in the late 1960s and 1970s, Harvey struggled in school and was diagnosed with dyslexia in second grade. He went to a series of schools, never quite finding the right place to meet his learning needs. When Harvey was a junior in high school, his older brother was attending Harvard and heard about Landmark, a school designed to help students with dyslexia and other languagebased learning disabilities. Soon after Harvey graduated from high school, he found himself at Landmark enrolled in a short-lived program designed to support students between high school and college.

Harvey’s first year at Landmark was a social one, but he returned the following year ready to buckle down and prepare for college. After leaving Landmark in 1982, Harvey earned a degree from Southern Illinois University and went on to help run his family’s real estate business back in Chicago. As a businessperson, Harvey says “I would never ask an employee to do something I wouldn’t do myself.”

He learned all aspects of the family business and made lasting and impactful bonds with his employees.

Harvey met a Landmark classmate several years later in New Hampshire and the two made a visit to campus where they ran into Bob

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Broudo. They fostered a friendship, and Harvey joined Landmark’s Board of Trustees in 2000.

Harvey’s focus as a trustee was on improving living and learning spaces for students and offering programs to help alumni connect. He was instrumental as a member of the Facilities Committee to build Alumni Field and the Ansara Athletic Center—spaces now well-loved and used by the Landmark community.

“Landmark wasn’t the place I wanted to be, but it was the place I needed to be. I had a complicated relationship with the school when I was younger, and I think a lot of alums from my generation feel the same. I wanted alumni to feel a sense of pride and belonging.” Harvey spearheaded a series of popular events such as Casino Night, the Alumni Las Vegas reunion trip, and alumni sports games—which helped reconnect former students to Landmark and to each other.

Harvey says his most joyous moments as a board member have been when he gets to connect with the heart of the school—the students. He’s been a guest lecturer on topics from philanthropy to business and is a regular at campus get-togethers and alumni events.

Whether time, money, expertise, or advice, Harvey is always contributing something to the Landmark community. “Whatever I’m doing at Landmark I’m always trying to drive home my personal motto. ‘Always be helping. Always be looking out for the person behind you.’”

In June, Harvey stepped down from his role as trustee to join a select group with the honorable distinction of Trustee Emeritus. Though he’s unsure what the next Landmark chapter holds for him, he knows he’ll always be looking out for students and alumni. BOOK-OPEN The Lantern

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C RE D I T T K

Sparking JOY for 45 Years

by Hazel Crowley 36

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 SPOTLIGHT faculty

K I E RA N K E SN E R ’ 09

“I’m having this odd sense of deja vu,” quipped Debby sarcastically, as we sit down in her office for a brief interview. It’s springtime, so she’s squeezed me in between marathon sessions of MCAS, informational interviews with new teacher candidates, the last round of quarterly student reports, and the coordination of our end-of-theyear awards ceremonies—among countless other tasks. Five years ago, in this exact spot, we met to reflect on her impressive career for a different Lantern profile. So yes, the feeling is mutual. Yet, this time around, we gather to discuss her impending retirement, after 45 invaluable years at the school.

The familiarity of our sit-down is both highly apt and also thoroughly incongruous. Ask anybody who knows her, and they’ll wholeheartedly agree, shooting the breeze with Debby is a ton of fun. Nevertheless, since 2017, a whole lot has happened. At Landmark, there have been noteworthy transitions: beloved colleagues have retired or moved on while fresh faces have assumed administrative positions, certain analog traditions have dwindled and, in their stead, efficient new systems have evolved. At home, Debby and her husband, Bobby, have welcomed two new grandchildren. To say nothing of a global pandemic, that many-tentacled beast, which wreaked temporary havoc on Landmark’s unique curriculum, individualized scheduling, and comprehensive teacher training: three ginormous responsibilities that all happen to fall under the academic dean’s purview. “Time really flies. So many things have changed, but I’m most excited about what has stayed the same,” she said, reflecting equally on recent restructuring as well as the entirety of her time here.

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Debby’s Elementary•Middle School (EMS) office is neat and comfortable, with a view of the front patio out the window and a photo collage of past campus Halloween costumes displayed on the far wall. The neatness belies any sense that she’s packing up, though she is, and it’s hard. “I just can’t seem to throw some of it away,” she said of the countless documents and ephemera she has collected over time. Her dilemma called to mind Marie Kondo, the Japanese decluttering expert, who advises “tidying up” the excess in our lives by keeping whatever “sparks joy” and tossing the rest. As a prolific hobbyist and self-identified “spaceplanning nerd,” Debby surely knows of Kondo’s work, but doesn’t she feel beholden to the guru’s mantra?

As we spoke, I observed joy in abundance. While sharing about her intimate involvement with the construction of the EMS Rutter Middle School building, Debby swiftly pulled blueprints from beneath her desk and gleefully indulged in rereading some of her most meticulous notes. Speaking

enthusiastically about the one-to-one tutorial, she rattled off the names of students she taught in the 1970s.

When I asked how long she had held the position of academic dean, she reached into a filing cabinet and quickly extracted her résumé, chuckling as she admitted that it hadn’t changed much in a few years. As we discussed her passion for developing (and honing) systems that help Landmark teachers be successful, she plucked out pages of handwritten notes from an in-service decades ago, just to emphasize how truly influential all the concepts and experiences she has been exposed to over time have been.

For Debby, every Landmark memory, even difficult ones like the blizzard of ’78, seem to elicit a sense of true joy.

And that joy, it’s exponential. “I love that no two years at Landmark are ever the same. The kids and families change so much, it’s amazing. And the teachers too, are always adapting and developing new skills, so the job is never stagnant.

You can never get stuck,” she said.

What’s more, it’s contagious. Even when presenting a tedious task or navigating a fraught challenge, Debby exudes joy, softening any mood with her easy laughter and comforting the community with her self-deprecating humor.

In the years to come, Debby plans to spend time with family, will prioritize her crafting and claims—though some of us have doubts—that she will “be more lazy.” She will discover (and rediscover) joy of myriad kinds, but that Landmark spark will surely never fade. BOOK-OPEN The Lantern

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 STARLIGHT alumni

Self Awareness and a Hands-On Approach

by Susan Tomases

I’m on a phone call with Jake Andrews who is driving through Boston on his way to a site meeting for his family-run floor contracting company, Saulnier Epoxy Floors. We’re talking through hands-free Bluetooth technology, but Jake is anything but hands-free in life and work.

For Jake Andrews ’08 school was always hard. “I couldn’t sit still, struggled to maintain focus, and was ashamed of my dyslexia. And then I came to Landmark,” he shared.

“At Landmark, my teachers understood how I learned best and made me aware of my learning style. I also developed deeper compassion for people—especially those with disabilities. Being at Landmark made me realize that I am different in a way, but not ‘bad’ different.”

After Landmark, Jake went to Curry College.

Upon graduation, he wound up in California doing technology sales. “When I returned to Boston, my uncle offered me a job at his flooring company back home in Massachusetts,” he recalled. Jake credits his uncle’s brutally honest but loving supervision and guidance as one of the many building blocks of his success. “My uncle would call me out when I made a mistake. It made me aware of what was challenging for me. I was always open to his feedback, and still am to this 38

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day. By learning on the job and always wanting to improve, I could hone in on the things that were hard for me and discover what I was good at.”

When I asked him what he’s learned about himself in the past decade he says, “When you work on your own, you need to be self-sufficient and get the job done. At the beginning, I was so hard on myself. But then I learned that when I hit a roadblock I stop, take 10 minutes, compose myself, and try to find a way to work through the problem.

There’s always a solution, but you just have to be in the right state of mind to figure it out.”

Today, Jake is president of Saulnier Epoxy Floors, a commercial and residential epoxy floor company, the largest of its kind in Massachusetts. He also owns Cape Epoxy which services Cape Cod and the islands. He and his wife are the proud parents of a new daughter and he is approaching this new role with the same hands-on approach he has with the other accomplishments in his life. BOOK-OPEN SPRING/SUMMER 2022

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 SPOTLIGHT parents

Coming So Far

by Chrissy Kenney

Dyslexia is difficult to detect in any young child; add in moving to a foreign country while attempting to master two languages, and it becomes even harder to identify.

For parents Tracy Gianotti and Toseef Khan P’28, P’29, this scenario was their reality when living in Paris, France, with their two young daughters. After making the move in 2016 in hopes of exposing their kids to French and English, Tracy and Toseef first attributed their older daughter’s struggles in first grade to spending half her time being taught in French. She continued to struggle with comprehension, and Tracy and Toseef saw that she was falling further behind her classmates. They pursued testing, and their oldest daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia.

“We spent four years in France, but the gap in her learning was only getting bigger, not smaller,” Toseef recalled.

“The school she was in was not the best fit for her.”

Though her learning disability presented quite differently than her sister’s, their younger daughter was diagnosed shortly after.

Tracy and Toseef, who spent summers in the U.S., opted to send the girls to the Summer Program at 40

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Landmark. After two years of this arrangement and with educational material growing more complex, they came to a decision: it was time to move back to the states and enroll both children into Landmark full time.

Tracy and the girls arrived in the U.S. on March 11, 2020, just days before the nationwide COVID stay-athome advisories were implemented and with international lockdown restrictions tightening by the day.

Their planned visits to Landmark were canceled, and Tracy developed COVID. Luckily, Toseef was able to leave France before more serious travel restrictions were put in place to be here with his family.

The girls officially started at Landmark the following September of 2020 in fifth and fourth grades. Almost immediately, their parents noticed a difference.

“It was unbelievable, to be honest.

Being able to have a diagnosis, our youngest really liked the fact that there was an issue she was facing that had

a solution. Our oldest thrived when teachers were instructing her in a way that she could easily understand,” Toseef said.

For both students, the teaching model at Landmark made a significant impact on their day-to-day lives.

Overseas, the girls were often tutored well into the evening after they had spent all day at school. At Landmark, both children were receiving the oneto-one support they needed to thrive during their school day, leaving them free time to focus on their other hobbies and interests.

“Before, it felt like the teachers at their French school were focused only on the negative,” Tracy said. “At Landmark, the faculty are teaching the girls at their level.

They accept them for who they are and teach them how to be independent.”

“The teachers at Landmark are so amazing and really love our kids. It has been truly enjoyable to watch our daughters grow, and I think it says a lot about Landmark that they have come so far,” Toseef said. BOOK-OPEN SPRING/SUMMER 2022

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 PENLIGHT

in their own words

Push and Pull.

How I Chose to Come to Landmark

by Lena O’Leary ’26 42

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K I E RA N K E SN E R ’ 09

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HERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS that led me from my old school to Landmark. These reasons can be separated into three categories: how teachers teach, classroom environment, and the section I call miscellaneous. My family and I examined, compared, and contrasted all of these when we considered Landmark. The contrast between the two schools shows the push-and-pull factors: reasons I wanted to leave my old school—push—and reasons I wanted to attend Landmark—pull.

First, the teachers: How they taught and their understanding of students contrasted greatly between my former middle school and Landmark’s Elementary•Middle School. A push from my old school was inadequate reading instruction.

A pull toward Landmark was that they not only specialize in reading instruction, but they also understand the brains of students with dyslexia.

Teachers don’t just follow a textbook, but instead they know multiple ways to teach information in hopes that one of the many ways will work.

Another push from my old school was how they handled online schooling. When looking at how Landmark reacted to the pandemic, there was a clear and obvious difference.

Second, the classroom structure and the classroom environment were very different. At my old school, it was typical to have 20 to 25 students per class. Landmark has classes of six to eight. This makes a big difference in helping students understand the content. Due to the smaller class sizes at Landmark and the way the teachers teach, the program can be more personalized for each student. At my old school there were so many students, the teachers didn’t seem to know who was in their class. Students were

left behind if they didn’t understand something.

At Landmark, teachers make sure every student participates and fully understands a topic before moving on.

Third, there are miscellaneous pushes and pulls that don’t fit any one category. One reason is that my parents started to understand it was not just about me performing well in school. My challenges would be with me for the rest of my life.

Another large push from my old school was that they were supposed to be giving me extra reading instruction, but they did not. All through elementary school, I was given extra help with reading.

But when I went to sixth grade and was diagnosed with dyslexia, that stopped. My school felt I did not need the extra help when actually I did.

All these reasons put me on the fence about whether I wanted to leave my old school and go to Landmark. The thing that really made me okay with the idea of leaving was talking to a friend who had gone to Landmark for sixth grade and really enjoyed it. He told me how nice the students and teachers were and how much it helped him develop his reading skills and further his education.

These are some of the push- and pull-factors that led me to Landmark. While here, I have seen how all the pull factors I considered are carried out and how they help the students learn.

Although all these reasons prove that Landmark was the right decision, when I first came it was a major transition. Throughout last year and this year, I feel as though I have gained so much. From all the friends I have made to all I have learned, coming to Landmark was the best decision I could have made. And now as I prepare for high school, I am using all that I now know to consider a whole new set of push- and pull-factors. BOOK-OPEN The Lantern

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 SPOTLIGHT donors

In It for the Long Haul The Petways make supporting Landmark a family affair

By Brittany Kenney

Although they are firmly entrenched in Jacksonville, Florida, the Petway family has a long, multi-generational history with Landmark School. Unlike today’s environment where learning disabilities are getting much-needed attention, the not-so-distant past saw a time when these disabilities were misdiagnosed, left untreated, or simply ignored.

It was during that time, in the 1970s, when Tom and Betty Petway realized that their children needed additional help with learning. It was obvious to them that the mainstream schools were not adequately preparing Brette and Ty for college or life beyond. Ty, the youngest, was encouraged to enroll at Landmark School and gain access to the exceptional teachers there. Even though it was far from his home in Jacksonville, Ty accepted the decision and completed his middle and high school education at Landmark. Once Brette saw the positive impact the school had on her brother, she made the decision to go there as well. She finished high school at home, then attended Landmark’s now defunct post-graduate program, and eventually went on to have a successful college career.

Fast forward a few decades, and Brette noticed her children struggling with learning as she and Ty had.

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Although Brette was living in Boulder, Colorado, she knew her sons would benefit from Landmark’s teaching methods. In 2014, her family moved temporarily to Massachusetts so the boys could attend Landmark’s Summer Program. In just five weeks, their skills and confidence increased greatly.

When her younger son, Ashton, began struggling again, she decided it was time to enroll him in Landmark’s academic year High School program.

The following year, Brette and Ashton rented a house near campus and split their time between Massachusetts and Colorado. As difficult as it was to be away from family and friends, it was worth the sacrifice. While Ashton attended Landmark’s High School, Brette had the opportunity to see Landmark through a new lens—as a parent. She gained an enhanced appreciation for what Landmark’s teachers do every day,

inside and outside of the classroom.

They understood her son in a way no one else had, and they worked tirelessly to help him succeed. She wanted to do something to express the gratitude that she, and all Landmark parents, have for these gifted and dedicated educators.

Ty is now chairman of the board and CEO of US Assure, an insurance services company in his hometown of Jacksonville. He has successfully led it for more than 25 years. Brette serves on the US Assure board and has created her own inspirational art company, Popscapes, a community of people who help others heal and thrive through artistic expression.

Brette, Ty, and their parents, Betty and Tom, have an incredible history of philanthropy in their home community of Jacksonville. The Petway Family Foundation supports a variety of local organizations and charities that they are passionate about, including Florida SPRING/SUMMER 2022

State University, Community PedsCare, the Jacksonville Zoo, and many more.

The Petway name is synonymous with generosity in Jacksonville. That generosity now extends to the Landmark community as well.

When Brette decided to express her gratitude for Landmark teachers back in 2017, her family supported her 100%.

That year, they established the Petway Family Faculty Development Award, providing grants for teachers to develop curriculum over the summer. Many teachers eagerly apply for this grant each SPRING/SUMMER 2022

spring, and it has fostered innovative, new teaching strategies for the school.

Upon hearing about the 50 Forward Campaign and its focus on supporting Landmark teachers, the Petway family stepped up again. Understanding the financial sacrifices that can accompany a career in education, the family was inspired when they learned about the Bob Broudo Excellence in Service Awards that provide monetary bonuses for Landmark teachers.

Because of their family history with the school and the impact Landmark

teachers have had on the lives of their children and grandchildren, Tom and Betty donated a cornerstone gift of $1,000,000 toward the Broudo Awards—a transformational gift that will positively affect the lives of our faculty members well into the future.

Landmark School is grateful to be a part of the expansive generosity of the Petway family and honored to have been a part of their children’s and grandchildren’s lives. Please join us in thanking them for their commitment to our mission, students, and teachers. BOOK-OPEN The Lantern

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K I E RA N K E S NE R ’0 9

We Did It!

Landmark Completes Historic

50 FORWARD

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$20M

$15M

$10M

$5M

Fundraising Campaign

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Launching a capital campaign is a significant strategic commitment. It requires focus, vision, collaboration—and above all else, generosity. Layer in a global health pandemic and the whole plan gets thrown for a potentially devastating loop. But Landmark prevails, no matter the odds, and completing this historic $20M campaign was no exception.

We did, with your help. Thank you.

The 50 Forward Campaign ran from July 2018–June 2022 and raised $21M in support of Landmark’s 50 Forward Strategic Plan: for Financial Aid, Faculty Support, and the Landmark Fund. This was the largest capital campaign in the school’s history. It was a momentous four years of fundraising through COVID-19 and a fluctuating economic landscape—but persistence paid off and, with your help, we shattered any prior fundraising records! Thank you to our amazing community who rallied to honor Landmark’s distinguished past and support Landmark’s incredible students and teachers into the future.

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50 FORWARD CAMPAIGN WRAP-UP

Cornerstone Gift The Kick Start We Needed FALL 2018

In the fall of 2018, a then current family made a $5 million gift for Landmark’s financial aid endowment, which formally kicked off the 50 Forward Campaign and set the course for others to follow. We are forever grateful for this foundational support and for enabling increased access for Landmark students for generations to come.

Public Launch Against the Odds APRIL 2021

Amid the depths of the global pandemic, and in keeping with the original timeline for the campaign, Landmark publicly announced the 50 Forward Campaign to the broader Landmark community of alumni, parents, and friends during a virtual Making Waves program. Certainly not the big launch event we originally imagined, but a spectacular example of the ways we all pivoted during unprecedented times and made the most of what was possible.

By the numbers: $1.6M raised for other priorities which funded special projects and spaces that support Landmark’s mission and programs.

$1.6M

$5.5M

Landmark Fund $5.5M raised for the Landmark Fund which balanced the budget and kept the school running smoothly for the last four years.

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$7.9M raised for Financial Aid which increased the financial aid budget by 20% and will allow more students in need to access a Landmark education.

Other

$6M

$7.9M

Financial Aid

Faculty Support

$6M raised for Faculty Support which fully funded the Bob Broudo Excellence in Service Awards and will grant financial bonuses to Landmark teaching faculty.

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Alumni Challenge Team Effort, Literally!

MARCH 2022

Board Matching Challenge Your Generosity Knows No Bounds FEBRUARY 2022

The Landmark Board of Trustees announced a matching gift challenge of $1M to finish the campaign by June 2022. The community stepped-up and we met this match on June 15, just in time for the big bash to celebrate Landmarks 50th Anniversary and Bob Broudo’s retirement. Thank you to Landmark’s Board of Trustees for all that they made possible during this campaign, and especially for this significant boost to get us across the finish line.

USER-ALT GIFT

1,749 Donors

Endowment Growth $14,587,465 Endowment as of June 30, 2018

$24,453,752 Endowment as of June 30, 2022 SPRING/SUMMER 2022

With the end in sight, we challenged all Landmark alumni to help support the 50 Forward Campaign. Alumni were asked to create teams and raise money together.

The team that raised the most was rewarded with special edition Landmark alumni T-shirts. The competition was fierce with many faculty “coaches” galvanizing excitement and participation from their former students. In the end, 15 teams and 80 alumni raised $28,000!

We’d like to extend a very special thanks to our winning team, Meado 2.0, for your generosity and spirit. And a special shout out to all of our teams: Alumni Council, Alumni Board, Donation Warriors, Rose’s Garden, We Own the Skys, The Kweedorks, Team Meado, Team Meado 3.0, Tom’s Track, Mama O, Team Meta, Team Roberts, and Team Roberts 2.0.

Thank you Team Meado 2.0 for leading the way!

Guido Meade, Captain ‘81, P’24 Jorge Arellano ‘85 Mark Davidson ‘04 Ryan Davidson ‘01 Ryan Graf ‘19 Ryan Kenney ‘18 Ethan Kerr ‘21 Seth Larner ‘02 Abby McClung ‘16 Andrea Meade P’24 Evan Moss ‘15

4,579 Gifts

To everyone who contributed to the 50 Forward Campaign—THANK YOU for lighting the way for future generations of Landmark students and teachers!

With sincere thanks to the 50 Forward Campaign Committee: Thilo Henkes P’24, Chair of the Board of Trustees; Mike Pehl P’21, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees; and Karen Ansara P’11 ‘15 ‘15.

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OF LANDM

OL HO

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IN G B O B B RO AT R E S T.1 9 7 1 B

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EVENT WRAP-UP

AR

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e t a br e l e C id!

And

We D

Celebrating Bob Broudo and 50 Years of Landmark School

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On Saturday, June 18, 2022, nearly 700 members of the Landmark School community gathered to celebrate a belated 50th anniversary and the retirement of our longstanding head of school, Bob Broudo.

The event planning had been underway for several months when the COVID-19 pandemic hit leaving the details frozen in time until the fall of 2021 when a small committee convened in the hope of hosting an in-person gala later in the spring. And in true Landmark fashion, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, trustees, and friends gathered together at the DoubleTree hotel in Danvers to reminisce, dance, laugh, and honor the school’s legacy and the countless individuals that have contributed to Landmark’s success.

Bob was recognized during the formal program by professional peers, colleagues, state and city dignitaries, and friends. A video was shared encapsulating the school’s history, and Bob regaled the crowd with sentiments of deep gratitude.

See More!

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K R I ST I E R A E I M AG E S

Go to www.LandmarkSchool.org/50 to check out more photos, a historic video, and a recording of We All Talk About Broudo, a parody performed

by Landmark faculty to the tune of We Don’t Talk About Bruno from the Disney hit movie, Encanto. Adapted lyrics are courtesy of Rob Kahn.

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EVENT WRAP-UP

Parents’ Association (LPA) ARROW-CIRCLE-RIGHT Landmark Looks Back The Landmark Parents’ Association (LPA) was busy last year! Parent volunteers served up lots of love at the Valentine’s Day ice cream socials for students, faculty, and staff on each campus. We held our first-ever High School Parents’ Night Out event at The Double Bull restaurant in Peabody, Mass., where parents gathered and reconnected after a challenging few years of limited social connectedness. We then saw a huge turnout at the Elementary•Middle School (EMS) Family BBQ, offered in partnership between the EMS campus and the LPA. You may have seen some of our amazing High School students at that event, volunteering their time to offer temporary tattoos and fun face painting for the kids!

The LPA also led the efforts for two Staff Appreciation events at each campus before the Memorial Day weekend this spring. Thank you to the many parent volunteers who contributed their time, baked goodies, and provided snacks, supplies, decorations, and incredible raffle basket prizes to ensure the faculty and staff felt appreciated for all that they do to support our students throughout the year.

Parent education is also a hallmark of the LPA’s mission. This spring, parents were invited to a virtual Landmark Learns session, Navigating the Post-Secondary Process For Students with LBLD, led by Suzanne Crossman, director of Transition and Guidance.

As we look ahead to this school year, the LPA is deeply committed to creating opportunities for our parent community to come together to connect, learn more about dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities, demonstrate appreciation for Landmark’s incredible faculty and staff, and leave a lasting mark on our beloved school.

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Landmark Parents’ Association Mission To cultivate a strong sense of community and to support Landmark School in its mission to foster an understanding of language-based learning disabilities. All parents and guardians are automatic members.

2021–2022 Executive Board President: Mark Moreschi P’23 High School Co-Vice Presidents: Jacquie Gardner P’23, Kathy Linhares P’23 EMS Co-Vice Presidents: Maureen Ferreira P’29, Jamie Sullivan P’26 Secretary: Suzanne Below P’23 Treasurer: Carolyn Beatty P’27 Annual Fund Liaisons: Heidi Dubreuil P’25 Parent Education Liaison: David De Celis P’25 SPRING/SUMMER 2022

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Making Waves Spring Concert & Auction

Hundreds of guests joined us at the Shalin Liu Performance Center, in Rockport, Mass., on April 13 for our first in-person Making Waves event in two years! The evening raised more than $160,000 for the Landmark Fund, and our successful Paddle Raise brought in more than $140,000 to be used toward the Bob Broudo Excellence in Service Awards recognizing Landmark’s faculty at milestone years of service.

Before leading into our successful auction emceed by local television and radio celebrity Billy Costa, we were delighted to showcase impressive solo performances by Landmark students Lilly Coble ’23, Savannah Harvey ’23, and Summer O’Sullivan ’23, accompanied by Jack Bram ’23 on guitar, faculty members Nate Efinger on piano and backup vocals by Nate Haywood. We also welcomed a special performance by alum-turned-American Idol contestant, Danny Czerkawski ’12.

Grammy-Award winner Lisa Loeb was the evening’s marquee act, and her beautiful performance and jubilant energy made for a fun time for all! She closed out the night with something unplanned and truly unforgettable. Head of School Bob Broudo joined Lisa on stage to sing “The Meatball Song,” creating memories our attendees won’t easily forget!

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Golf Benefit Great Day on the Links!

We couldn’t have ordered up better weather for our 30th Annual Golf Benefit on June 7. More than 100 participants joined us at Ipswich Country Club for a beautiful day out on the course. The event raised more than $200,000 to support the Landmark Fund and will make a lasting impact on the day-to-day operations of our institution. Thanks to everyone for your support.

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Alumni Notes Stay in touch!

Please let us know what you’ve been up to.

Send updates and pictures to alumni relations coordinator, Jen Whyte, at alumni@landmarkschool.org, or on our online form:

Find us on Social:

facebook-square Instagram Twitter linkedin YOUTUBE Mia Silverman ’21

Andrew Leshaw ’21

Mia Silverman ’21 I am a film student at Emerson College in Boston, Mass. I am also a social media influencer and advocate, educating the world on the topic of food allergies. I was recently featured on FARE’s (Food Allergy Research and Education) Instagram and Facebook pages. They are the largest food allergy organization in the world, working toward finding a cure. I also was featured in the Berkeley Beacon newspaper. And, I am working on many future projects for food allergy advocacy too!

Violet Tetel ’21 Violet just finished her first year at High Point University, in North Carolina, where she is studying sociology and anthropology. She reports that, “I am enjoying 54

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every moment at High Point, and I have met friends that I will have for a lifetime.

College gives you such an amazing and unforgettable experience!”

Andrew Leshaw ’21 Here’s some advice for any athlete or competitor: keep pursuing your sport in college. From my experience, it will open up many doors and opportunities. I’m on the Massachusetts Maritime Academy blue water sailing team and we qualified for the Los Angeles Harbor Cup. I was the bowman onboard our boat. What I’m trying to say is KEEP AT IT! Stay on top of your work and enjoy the little things that you do. Last thing, Mr. Walker, I port tacked the fleet at Tufts…succeeding and winning the first leg.

Sam Stein ’20

Sam Stein ’20 Former faculty member Adam Craig reports that alumnus, Sam Stein ’20, who attends Massachusetts Maritime Academy, recently received the Star of Excellence (which is a very rare honor) for his diligence, hard work, and positive attitude (sounds like they’re getting to know Sam well!). He will wear this star on his uniform for the remainder of his time at school!

Greta Wright ’20 I am going into my senior year at the University of Vermont (UVM) studying Health Science with a minor in Behavior Change Studies. On campus, I am part of a research project to develop a digital phenotype to screen for anxiety and depression in young kids. Outside of the SPRING/SUMMER 2022

Greta Wright ’20

Merryl Green ’19

classroom, I am a trip leader for UVM’s Outing Club, coordinating the Leader Development Program, where I get to teach students how to lead backpacking and hiking trips. I am also a leader for Chicks on Sticks, a female-identifying ski and snowboard club, leading backcountry ski/ ride trips. Over the winter, I was an intern for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports, teaching people with cognitive and physical disabilities how to ski and snowboard.

This summer I am working for a second season with Overland Summers in Washington State. The program offers introductory hiking and biking trips in the U.S. and abroad for students in fourth through twelfth grade.

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Joey MacDonald ’19

Merryl Green ’19 In early spring, alumna Merryl Green’s track team at Loras College won the D3-NCAA Indoor National Track and Field Championship. Merryl was named All-American for her second-place finish in the distance medley relay!

Merryl appears in the top right of the accompanying photo.

Joey MacDonald ’19 Joey MacDonald ‘19 is studying at Boston Baptist College and plans to work in the ministry. John Schwechheimer, a High School faculty member, reported that he recently attended a service at the Open Door Baptist church in Belmont, Mass., where Joey delivered a riveting 20-minute sermon on reconciliation. John said, “Joey

Ryan Dumont ’17

was incredible, well-spoken, knowledgeable, and organized.”

Brendan Jackson ’18 Brendan recently graduated from Roger Williams University cum laude and is working at Fidelity Investments.

Ryan Dumont ‘17 Ryan recently graduated from Bryant University in a five-year master’s program where he earned his MBA. Ryan focused his graduate studies on global supply chain management and was quoted in a university publication saying, “Supply chain management is all about focusing on the details to see the big picture and making something more efficient—but you can also use it to make things more sustainable.”

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Brian Kreidberg ’17

Brian Kreidberg ’17 Brian recently earned his master’s in Computer Science at Hofstra University, where he also completed his undergraduate degree in Computer Engineering. His thesis focused on artificial intelligence, and he is looking to go into robotics with a focus on deep learning.

Anna Gupta ’15 Anna received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN) and most recently became a registered nurse (RN).

Congratulations Anna!

Aidan O’Sullivan ’15 Derrick Neal ’04, faculty member and Landmark Golf coach reports that Aidan O’Sullivan is the assistant superintendent of The Country Club in Brookline where the U.S. Open was held in June. He and his team prepared the course to the highest imaginable standards in professional golf.

Anna Gupta ’15

recently moved to Maine and are enjoying life with our lab.”

Marie Ratermann ’10 I recently got married to my Landmark High School sweetheart, Jake Williams ’09. We met during a summer program in 2007 and then both attended Landmark full time in 2008 and 2009. Coming from California, never did I ever think I’d be marrying a man from a small town in New Hampshire. The friendships you make at Landmark are so strong and we had alumni and even a former teacher attend our wedding. My dad was one of the first students at the school, which is how I

Joseph Sevelitte ’14

ended up there from across the country.

Thank you Landmark for bringing Jake and me together.

Ashley Howard ‘05 I recently opened a private practice as a child, marriage, and family therapist in the greater Boston area. Throughout my journey with graduate school and my first six years as a therapist I would often reflect on my supportive Landmark education. I have a unique experience from my years of working with many children who have dyslexia. It is wonderful to be able to pay that support forward by helping other young people who have dyslexia as well.

Joseph Sevelitte ’14 Joseph is doing well and is the proud father of Annabelle. The photo shows father and daughter taking photos of the salt marsh.

Clayton and Katie Deadrick ’13 Last fall, Clayton and Katie were married near Landmark by their former teacher Tristan Whitehouse. They met as students in his class. Katie and Clayton report, “we 56

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Marie Ratermann ’10

Ashley Howard ’05

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A Life of Service and Generosity This June, friend and generous supporter of Landmark School, Stanford Alexander, passed away at the age of 93. Stanford and his wife, Joan, recently provided a cornerstone gift to the Bob Broudo Excellence in Service Awards to support Landmark teachers in memory of their son, Eric, who attended the School from 1979 - 1984. Stanford was a leader in business, his community, and philanthropy and Landmark held a very special place in his heart.

Eric Alexander Academic Center

Including Landmark School in your estate planning will support and sustain our future ensuring that we are here for generations to come. Planned giving can also provide significant tax benefits for you and your family.

To learn more about these philanthropic opportunities, please contact our Director of Institutional Advancement, Michelle Granese, mgranese@landmarkschool.org 978-236-3201.

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Amy Auerbach ’86

Stefanie Sacks ’85

Joshua Ingham ’03 Family and work are keeping me busy. I’m just enjoying life.

doubt of that. Landmark taught me skills to be successful in life. For this I am very grateful. I fondly remember my math teacher, Archie Campbell, and how he took the time to help me with basic math. As I look back at my time at Landmark, the faculty and my roommates, like Ivan Cohen, Mark Goldberg, and Woody Curran, helped shape me into the person I am today. I graduated from Iona College, with a B.S. in Human Development and a minor in Substance Intervention. I have traveled the world and met a lot of amazing people, but none greater then Dr. Charles Drake.

Amy Auerbach ’86 For the past 27 years, I have lived in beautiful Northern Nevada raising my son who is on the autism spectrum. Since July 2010, I have been managing a community project helping individuals with disabilities, seniors, and veterans connect to services in Northern Nevada that provide an opportunity to recognize a plethora of people in the community. My son recently moved to a residential, independent living skill program. I am learning how to be a single person working part-time and enjoying my community.

Stefanie Sacks ’85 I’m an artist and I sell my work at “parcels” in the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers, Mass. I also go to a day program a few days a week.

Juay Portela ’83 I’m a sales consultant for Batesville Caskets, based in Indiana, and live in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, with my wife, Annie. We have two grown sons, ages 27 and 25.

John Benvenuto ’77 I started going to Landmark the first summer it opened on the main campus in Prides Crossing. I was homesick and scared, no 58

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Cyndy Hall Fish ’77 I have been teaching special education at the K-3 level for 35 years, 32 of which have been in the same school. It is my hope to retire from education within the next three years. Since losing my husband about two years ago, I haven’t given much thought to what retirement might look like without him, but I recently moved and downsized to a 55+ community.

Jonathan Rock ’77 I live in Watertown, Mass., with my significant other and a very large Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy. I work for a Boston-based technology company, Everbridge, as a senior technical support manager for strategic products. I supervise a global team that works 24/7 and this keeps me very busy with work. In my free time, I enjoy traveling,

Juay Portela ’83

hiking in the woods with our puppy, relaxing with family, and watching Netflix.

FORMER FACULTY Sally Grimes I recently retired from providing Professional Development in reading to school administrators and teachers, teaching graduate courses, and promoting the science of reading to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, as well as other entities. Our pre-service courses for teachers and administrators are generally woefully out of date with what we know about the brain and proper reading development. It is very sad to see how little most teachers and administrators know about dyslexia and other learning disabilities.

As the first Admissions Director at Landmark in 1972, I heard the same stories from parents that I hear now.

Nancy Goodman Retired and havin’ a ball!

Charley Haynes I continue to work as a professor, researcher, and clinical supervisor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the MGH Institute of Health Professions.

What I learned at Landmark remains central in my teaching. I continue to be very close with many friends that I met while I was at Landmark. Best wishes to everyone there.

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Retirements

Dan Ahearn

Ellie Bertolino

Deb Blanchard

1976 - 1979, 1998 - 2022, 27 years

1984, 38 years

1976, 46 years

Teacher (Language Arts, Social Studies) Student Advocates Teacher Live-In Faculty Girls and Boys Varsity Soccer Coach Girls and Boys Varsity Tennis Coach Director Landmark School Outreach Program Legal Counsel Assistant Head of School

Prep Program Librarian and Senior Class Advisor Residential Team Confirmation Teacher EMS Subroom Coordinator

Tutor Teacher (Auditory/Oral Expression, Language Arts, Visual Training, Woodworking) Academic Advisor Auditory/Oral Expression Department Head Head Supervisor Public School Liaison Summer Program Director Summer Outreach Director Academic Dean

Bob Broudo*

Jean Crane

Helene Dionne

Since 1971, 51 years

Since 1981, 41 years

Since 2003, 18 years

Tutor Teacher (Psychology, Social Studies) Social Studies Department Head Academic Advisor Residential Team Leader Houseparent Founding Director, Outreach Founding Director, Prep Program Head of High School Head of School Trustee

Assistant Comptroller Student Bank Administrator Assistant to the Dean of Students

Director of Counseling Services

*We have published a series of articles about outgoing head of school, Bob Broudo, in the past three Lantern magazines to honor his 51-year legacy at Landmark School.

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Jon Ells

Linda Klemis

Karl Pulkkinen

Since 1978, 44 years

Since 1998 , 24 years

Since 1970, 52 years

Tutor Teacher (Computer Science, Math) Campus Coordinator Math and Computer Department Head Prep Program Director High School/Admin Technology Coordinator Director of Technology

Business Office Administrative Assistant Accounts Payable Administrator Accounts Receivable Administrator Student Accounts Coordinator

Bates College Summer Program (1969) Tutor Teacher (Social Studies, Physical Education) Physical Education Department Head High School Public School Liaison Program Director at EMS Expressive Language Program Head (EMS) Public School Liaison (EMS)

Althea Sergeant

Steve Walkowicz

Patty Walsh

Since 2014, 8 years

1978 - 1987, 2017 - 2022, 14 years

Since 1997, 25 years

Parents’ Days Administrator Attendance and Record Monitor/ Administrative Assistant

Elementary•Middle School Math Teacher and Supervisor Prep Program Teacher High School Faculty Boys Baseball Coach Girls Soccer Coach

Payroll/Benefits Coordinator Human Resources Manager

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Landmark School 2022 Board of Trustees Thilo Henkes P’24

CHAIR

Georgetown, MA Managing Director and Partner L.E.K. Consulting Michael Pehl P’21

VICE-CHAIR

Wayland, MA Founder and Managing Partner Guidepost Growth Equity Joseph H. Morgart P’12 ’22

TREASURER

Waltham, MA Alternative Investment Amundi Pioneer Investments John Leslie P’21 SECRETARY

Newton Centre, MA IHS Markit, Office of the CTO

Josh J. Clark P’28, 31 HEAD OF SCHOOL

Beverly, MA Landmark School, Inc. Dina Kleros

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO HEAD OF SCHOOL ASSISTANT TO THE BOARD

Beverly, MA Landmark School, Inc.

As of July 2022

Jeffrey Alpaugh P’21 Wellesley, MA Growth and Industry Practices Leader Marsh & McClennan Jennifer Buddenhagen P’23, ’27 Franconia, NH Volunteer Jennifer Paul Casey P’02, ’06 Annapolis, MD Community Volunteer and Artist Nancy Crate P’17, ’21 Ipswich, MA Volunteer Alan Dachs San Francisco, CA President and CEO Fremont Group Lori H. Freedman P’23 Winchester, MA Vice President & General Counsel Organogenesis Bill Gersh ’06 Los Angeles, CA Agent The Gersh Agency Gretchen Hover Moreschi P’23 Middleton, MA Founder and Managing Partner Imbue Partners

Shelley Moses-Reed P’23 Greenwood Village, CO Customer Experience Executive Medallia Spencer Smitherman ’08 Sacramento, CA Founder/CEO Switchboard Technologies, Inc. Brian Stein P’26 Hamilton, MA Owner/Principal BDS Design, Inc. Alex Tatum P’28 Topsfield, MA Partner Constitution Capital Partners Sam Vigersky ’98 Brooklyn, NY Senior Humanitarian Advisor United States Mission to the United Nations

LIFETIME TRUSTEE *Nicholas A. Lopardo P’92, GP’20 ’22 ’23, ’24 Danvers, MA Retired, Vice Chairman State Street Corporation TRUSTEES EMERITUS Harvey L. Alter ’82 Robert J. Campbell P’04 Moira McNamara James P’10 David G. Peterson P’08 Suzanne H. Sears P’02 Catherine Slark P’01 Martin P. Slark P’01 BOARD REPRESENTATIVES Mark Moreschi P’23 Parent Representative Gabriella Pecoraro Leone ’07 Alumni Representative Wendy Ellis Elementary•Middle School Representative TBD High School Representative

NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID CITY, STATE PERMIT NO. XXX

POST OFFICE BOX 227 PRIDES CROSSING, MASSACHUSETTS 01965-0227 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

A Whole Week of Fun SEPTEMBER 24-OCTOBER 1, 2022

comments shovel cheeseburger COFFEE tshirt popcorn

Landmark Cares Kick-off Parent Mixer Essex, MA Cares Beach Clean Up Beverly, MA BBQ Lunch Bash HS & EMS Campuses Celebratory Faculty Milkbreak HS & EMS Campuses All School Spirit Day! HS & EMS Campuses Community Movie Night EMS Campus Homecoming: 5K Road Race and Fall Festival HS Campus For more information visit: www.landmarkschool.org/ landmarkcares