FACULTY, STAFF & FRIENDS…
Theana Hancock Snyder and Aaron Snyder with twins Zoey and Luke. Roger Klausler and Linda Michaelis celebrate their marriage. Below, L to R: Aaron Mieszczanski, Liz Witmer, Rich Harris, and Nick Van Sant.
HISTORY AND LATIN TEACHER AARON SNYDER and his wife, mathematics teacher THEANA HANCOCK SNYDER, along with big brother Gavin, welcomed twins to their family on March 27: Zoey Mikela (7 lb. 3 oz. and 19 inches long) and Luke Michael (6 lb. 10 oz. and 20 inches long). Gavin was very excited about the twins’ arrival because they brought him stuffed animals named Beato and Hank, the names he’d chosen for the twins. Retired Spanish teacher ROGER KLAUSLER and girlfriend Linda Michaelis tied the knot at their families’ Thanksgiving feast last November. Associate Director of Admission Rich Harris and his wife Ebele OkobiHarris welcomed Nnamdi Onuora Afamefunna and his sister Udoamaka Amarachi Chenelo Ezinma to their family in November 2012. Last summer, music teacher GREG HAGGARD composed the music for a new documentary, Ground Operations, about veterans returning and finding a new life in farming. The film was screened at the Museum of Ventura County in February, when Greg and guitar teacher Alan Thornhill performed some of the film’s music. CHERYL AND RICHARD WINTERS cheered on daughter Sarah at the Road to the Horse competition in Lexington, Ky., in mid-March. For the first time, two women competed against two men for the top prize of $10,000 for leading a green colt through an obstacle course. CAM SPAULDING CdeP 1992 returned for his 12th year as varsity lacrosse coach and to teach two courses: “Perspectives on Nature” and “Life Skills,” which focuses on practical knowledge that everyone should know, ranging from bicycle and car repair to bread baking and primitive cooking skills. He just finished a wilderness first responder course in Portland, Ore., and will continue to manage Golden Trout Encampment this summer. Other interesting classes offered this spring included Number Theory and Cryptography (KURT MEYER), Telling the Story: Narrative Variability in Selected 20th and 21st Century Fiction (JOY SAWYER MULLIGAN), Evolution (PETER SAWYER), Marine Studies (HEATHER GRANT), Veterinary Medicine (KRISTEN FINCH), Decisive Moments in History (HISTORY DEPARTMENT AND FRED COLEMAN), Pacific Rim History (SARAH DELVECCHIO), African American Literature (DERICK PERRY), Jazz and American Culture (JOEL SOHN), Shakespeare (PETER ROBINSON), and Digital Painting (STEPHEN CARTER).
TRANSITIONS Since 2000, SANDY JENSEN has taught drama and directed the Thacher Masquers through countless plays and musicals that have made us laugh, cry, and cheer. He steps away from our stage to resume his own professional acting career. After five years at Thacher, Senior Associate Director of Admission and Multicultural Outreach Coordinator AARON MIESZCZANSKI has accepted the position of director of admission at University School in San Francisco. After three years as theater technical director and English teacher, LIZ WITMER heads up to the Bay Area to teach at the Contra Costa Jewish Day School. After two years at Thacher, Associate Director of Admission RICH HARRIS and his family will return to the Bay Area this fall, where he assumes the director of communications role at Woodland School in Portola Valley. NICK VAN SANT, who stepped in to teach Spanish and English for two sabbaticals, moves on to the Pacific Ridge School (an independent day school of 500 students, grades 7-12) in Carlsbad, Calif.
MARVIN SHAGAM EXPRESSES GRATITUDE When Mr. Shagam fell ill following surgery late in March, the constituency responded with missives, poems, cards, letters, e-mails, and tales of time spent with Marvin and the impact he’s had on our lives. Literally hundreds of folks—including students, alumni, faculty, and fac brats—sent love and good wishes for a speedy recovery. It worked! He’s getting stronger, moving around his cottage and campus more, and has been very touched with the compassion and sentiments you’ve shared. In that there is no way he can respond to all of the correspondence, Marvin asked that we include in this magazine his thanks and appreciation for all of you who have been in touch.
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