BISHOP’S A MAGAZINE FOR THE BISHOP’S SCHOOL FAMILY AND FRIENDS SPRING/SUMMER 2019
Center for Creative Sciences
Connects people and ideas
Interim Head of School Carol Barry Keeps Bishop’s on course
table of contents FEATURES
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Interdisciplinary Initiative Brings Academic Disciplines Together
BISHOP’S
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Credits Editor Suzanne Keri Peckham Weiner
“small, but mighty” A new lecture series brings a Holocaust survivor to campus.
Lector, Si Monumentum Requiris, Circumspice
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Remembering Jim Updegraff and celebrating his 46 years at Bishop’s
Keeping Bishop’s on Course Carol Barry spent her final year at
11 Leading Lights Presenting the 2019 Ellen Browning Scripps Award winners
14 Scholar-in-Residence Students explore creative non-fiction with Eula Biss.
16 A Mother’s Dedication to Education Bishop’s Profile: Trustee Barbara Kyrillos 18 Revolution Comes to the Bishop’s Stage
“Les Misérables” featured something for everyone.
20 Knights P.E. Nurtures the
Spring/Summer 2019 2016 ••Vol. Vol.16, 13,No. No.22
New programs and space build connection.
Bishop’s as interim head of school.
A magazine for The Bishop’s School family and friends
Mind and Body
Middle schoolers learn healthy habits and new sports.
22 Fond Farewells Recognizing retiring faculty and remembering a special alumnus
24 Rock the Knight Auction 2019 rocked and raised! 25 family matters: class notes, alumni vignettes and transitions
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Assistant Editors Managing Editor Keri Heisel Jen Peckham Cathy Morrison Contributing Writers Jeffrey J. Carmel Contributing Writers Kathy Jen Heisel Day Zach Jones ’01 MelissaMorrison Cathy Kenyon Keri Peckham Trisha J. Ratledge Joe Tash Jared Scott Tesler Suzanne Weiner Graphic Design Diane Y. Welch Design Perspective Graphic Design Contributing Photographers Design Perspective Pablo Mason Contributing Cathy Morrison Photographers Melissa Dave Siccardi Kenyon Pablo Mason Michael Spengler Dave Siccardi Michael Samale The Bishop’s School Michael Spengler Katelyn Head Zamudio ’17 Interim of School Carol Barry Assistant Head ofSchool School and The Bishop’s Chief Advancement Officer Head A. of Trifiletti School John Aimeclaire Roche Director of Alumni Relations Assistant Head of School and Sarah Garro Chief Advancement Officer John A. Trifiletti Bishop’s is published two times a year by The Bishop’s Director of AlumniSchool. Relations Sarah Garro We welcome your feedback. Please send story ideas to Bishop’s is published two times a year keri.peckham@bishops.com by The Bishop’s School. or contact us at (858) 875-0790. Letters: We welcome your comments. The Bishop’s School Please send letters for possible publication 7607 La Jolla Boulevard to weiners@bishops.com or contact us at La Jolla, CA 92037-4799 (858) 875-0735. Phone: (858) 459-4021 The Bishop’s School Fax: (858) 459-3914 7607 La Jolla Boulevard www.bishops.com La Jolla, CA 92037-4799 Mission Statement Phone: (858) 459-4021 The School is an academic Fax: Bishop’s (858) 459-3914 community pursuing intellectual, artistic www.bishops.com and athletic excellence in the context of Mission the Episcopal Statementtradition. We are dedicated The Bishop’s to offering School is theanhighest academic quality education communitytopursuing a diverseintellectual, student body artistic, and to athletic fostering excellence integrity,inimagination, the context moral of the responsibility Episcopal tradition. and commitment We are to dedicated serving the to offering larger community. the highest quality education to a diverse student body and to fostering integrity, imagination, Cover Photographer moral Photo responsibility and commitment Pablo Mason to serving the larger community. From the Editor: We apologize for omitting the name Cindy Weiler from the board of trustees list in the fall/winter 2015 issue of Bishop’s. Mrs. Weiler is a current trustee and serves as the board’s secretary. Please note: Craig Higgs ’62 is the board’s legal counsel.
on the quad with CB
Fondly,
arol Barry C Interim Head of School
1 on the quad with CB
Reflecting on this school year and my past nine years at The Bishop’s School, I have come to realize that the special events that have occurred this year are reflective of what occurs at Bishop’s every year. At Bishop’s, the extraordinary is the norm. In my time here, we have had many accomplished authors, inspiring speakers and scholars-in-residence. From presidential historians like Douglas Brinkley and Robert Dallek to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former Ambassador Caroline Kennedy. From authors on social justice like Luis Alberto Urrea and Kenji Yoshino to Rwandan genocide survivor and author Immaculée Ilibagiza. This year proved to be no different. In January, author Eula Biss spent three days working with students in their English classes. She shared her passion for research and her love for the craft of writing. Her three books, “The Balloonists,” “Notes From No Man’s Land” and “On Immunity: An Inoculation,” as well as her numerous essays provided ample discussion opportunities. In March, Edith Eger, a World War II Holocaust survivor, joined us as our inaugural speaker for the Woltman Lecture Series established through a generous gift from Richard Woltman and his family. This lecture series brings speakers who demonstrate the School’s core values of kindness, humility and justice and encourage collegial dialogue. Dr. Eger spoke to seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders just one day before our ninth-graders headed off on a day trip to visit the Los Angeles Museum of the Holocaust. Dr. Eger also spent time in classrooms, and she spoke at a community event in the evening. Our students and community members thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Dr. Eger, and she helped all of us put some of the minor challenges we face in perspective. Her message of resiliency and strength was truly inspiring. According to Dr. Eger, “In life, it’s not what happens to us, it’s what we do with it.” She finished each of her talks with her signature high kick! The incredible speakers are just one facet of a Bishop’s education. These experiences and the opportunity to perform “Les Misérables” on stage, travel to India to work with children, tutor middle schoolers at the City Heights Karen Refugee Center, play in a game with teammates from around the county, and sit around a table and discuss a provocative text round out the Bishop’s experience. There is so much I will miss about The Bishop’s School, but perhaps I will have time to work on my high kick!
Interdisciplinary Initiative Brings Academic Disciplines
together Interdisciplinary Initiative 2
By Joe Tash
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n innovative program designed to break down barriers among academic disciplines and encourage sharing of creative teaching and learning ideas on campus is picking up steam at The Bishop’s School this year. Bishop’s Creative Sciences Visionary Committee, which this year includes 18 faculty members from six different academic departments, was divided into three subcommittees to pursue different aspects of the effort. The three groups include the creativity committee, the interdisciplinary committee and the maker space committee. The committees meet once every seven-day academic cycle to advance their priorities. The idea behind this work, says Lani Keller, holder of the Wu Tsai Endowed Chair in Science, is to encourage teachers from different disciplines such as art, history, math, science and English, to share ideas with each other regarding creative approaches in the classroom. “We’re trying to break down these silos that have traditionally been driving education,” says Lani. Each of the three subcommittees has a specific focus, related to the larger goal
of fostering interdisciplinary approaches at Bishop’s: Creativity committee. This committee held two “Creativity and Croissants” events, like a mini science fair, where faculty members presented creative projects they have been working on with their students. Additional events are in the works. Interdisciplinary committee. This group has launched a peer-to-peer observation program at Bishop’s, in which teachers can sit in on classes to observe their colleagues and garner ideas they can apply in their classrooms. Teachers are given gift cards to a coffee shop, where they can meet to discuss observations and ideas. Maker space committee. This group is focused on the School’s Center for Creative Sciences, also known as the maker space, which was established in the Wheeler Bailey building. The center houses tools, equipment, and arts and crafts supplies for students to use, as well as faculty offices. Students can use the space during free periods or before and after school, and teachers also bring their classes to work on projects. The equipment includes 3D printers, a laser cutter and a CNC machine, a computerized router that can engrave wood and other materials.
The center is the campus hub for the creative sciences initiative, and it has proven popular with students and teachers. “This is where people can come and build and create and innovate,” Lani says. “It’s well used.” Every department on campus has been represented in the center, whether it’s students working on individual projects or teachers bringing their classes. Teachers can get assistance using the equipment from STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) technicians, a group of five teachers who have trained on the gear in the center. Among the different disciplines to use the maker space are an Advanced Honors Economics class that created 3D models of graphs, a math class that illustrated a problem involving the shadow cast by a sculpture and the athletics department, which used the equipment to make signs. One of the initiative’s goals is to get every sixth- and seventh-grader into the maker space with the hope that as they go into upper school they will be more comfortable with the space and can use it in meaningful ways. Jim Jordan ’83, a science teacher and Bishop’s alumnus, sees the initiative
Opposite page: teachers Nancy Rosas Asare, Jay Zhao and Laura Cummings Clockwise, from left: Kira Tran ’20, Eliana Petreikis ’20, Josh Bloom’s computer science students, Dee Mecham and his Advanced Honors Economics students
Ben Heldt also teaches science and has sat in on both American Studies and math classes. Ben found it helpful to see the different approaches that teachers use for time management, homework and other classroom tasks. For example, Ben was particularly interested in how history teacher John Nagler and English teacher Clara Boyle divided their shared class into small groups, carefully selecting the students for each group to achieve the best results in class. Ben was encouraged that 40 teachers signed up to participate in the peer-to-peer observation program.
3 Interdisciplinary Initiative
as a way to foster “creative approaches to teaching.” He is a member of the interdisciplinary committee and has observed a combined history and English class, American Studies. The effort has been well-received by those who have participated, and the interactions between teachers have been beneficial. “As much as students are here to learn, teachers are here to learn and grow as well. We want to continue to get better at what we do. Bishop’s is a place of teaching and learning and both of those processes require reflection,” Jim says.
“We’re trying to get people to interact more and share knowledge,” he says. Students are definitely taking advantage of having a maker space on campus. Vance Allen ’19 has used the center’s 3D printer and laser cutter on a variety of projects, from creating a prop version of Thor’s hammer from the action movie of the same name, to creating a custom cover for the mouthpiece on his alto sax, which he plays in Bishop’s Jazz Band. He’s also used the laser cutter to make a remote control airplane. Vance, who wants to study mechanical engineering in college, says the skills he’s learning will help him in the future. “Definitely, being exposed to these types of machines and learning how to use them is beneficial to people who want to do something similar in their career,” says Vance. Kira Tran ’20 leads the Technology and Engineering Club, which meets in the center. The club has held workshops on how to use the 3D printers, and this year, Kira is teaching students how to use Arduino, a software and hardware platform that students can use to make their own electrical circuits. The club’s ultimate goal is to build and program a robot. Students have used the equipment for such diverse projects as making Valentine’s Day cards that light up, producing 3D models of set designs for a theater production and creating a 3D model of the periodic table of the elements for chemistry class. Kira, who wants to study electrical or computer engineering in college, says the objective of the club is to make science fun and accessible. “It’s been really great,” Kira says of the center. “There are a lot of people at Bishop’s who want to learn more about computers, and this gives them a place to do so.”
Holocaust survivor sees meaning in life’s hardships. By Joe Tash
“small, but mighty” 4
The Woltman Lecture Series brings speakers to campus who exemplify the School’s core values of kindness, humility and justice.
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s a teenager, Dr. Edith “Edie” Eger once danced for the infamous Nazi doctor, Josef Mengele, the “Angel of Death,” in a barracks at the Auschwitz concentration camp near Krakow, Poland. Now 91, Dr. Eger recalls that she closed her eyes and imagined she was dancing to Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” on the stage of the Budapest Opera House. After her dance, Mengele tossed her a loaf of bread, which she shared with her fellow prisoners. Dr. Eger recounted that experience at The Bishop’s School in March, as part of a visit to campus that included an assembly for sixth- to ninth-graders, lunches with students and faculty, classroom visits and an evening talk which was open to the public. She was the inaugural speaker in a new lecture series made possible by a gift from Richard Woltman and his family. The Woltman Lecture Series brings speakers to campus who exemplify the School’s core values of kindness, humility and justice. Along with sharing stories of surviving the Holocaust with her older sister, Magda, now 98, Dr. Eger talked about her life after the camps, when the siblings
were liberated by American troops in 1945. In 1949, at age 22, she emigrated to the United States, where she eventually earned a doctorate in psychology and embarked on a long career of helping others find meaning from life’s hardships. Or, as she put it, “How to turn tragedy into an opportunity for growth.” Dr. Eger, who often speaks in public about her experiences, recently published a memoir, “The Choice,” which includes stories about her life during the war and her work as a psychologist. She has strong ties to Bishop’s, as two of her grandchildren—Lindsey Engle Richland ’94 and Jordan Engle ’98—graduated from the School. Her message is a blend of resilience and never giving up, along with forgiveness, extending even to Nazi guards. Rather than dwell on the past, she feels it’s important to look at adversity as a way to reveal your inner strength. “You look at yourself and acknowledge the biggest concentration camp is in your own mind, and you know what? The key is in your pocket,” Dr. Eger said during her evening lecture.
Although she’s a diminutive woman, her words carried a big impact, says Sierra: “She’s small, but mighty.” Bishop’s, Isabelle helped set up a lunch meeting between Dr. Eger and her great-grandmother. “They’re very excited,” Isabelle says. “My great-grandmother and Dr. Eger share this endless optimism that’s inspiring.” Sierra Lever ’25 attended Dr. Eger’s assembly and also one of her lunch sessions. “It really inspired me. She’s one of those people I want to be like when I grow up.”
While she didn’t know a lot about the Holocaust before Dr. Eger’s visit, Sierra was moved by Dr. Eger’s story of losing her parents and having to survive with her sister through the brutality of life in the concentration camps. “My friends and I were crying. It was really emotional.” Although she’s a diminutive woman, her words carried a big impact, says Sierra: “She’s small, but mighty.” Ryan Arrowsmith ’23 says he and classmates were impressed by her high kick and her positive outlook. “Her charisma, perseverance and energy were the most impressive to me,” says Ryan. “When I study the Holocaust I will definitely remember this talk.” He was also moved by Dr. Eger’s capacity for forgiveness. “Her ability to forgive and move on, I won’t forget any time soon.” Head of Middle School Harlan Klein heard from eighth-graders who felt Dr. Eger’s message was very powerful. Even if they didn’t understand all of the context of the war, concentration camps and Nazism, they could relate to a teenage girl who was torn from her
5 “small, but mighty”
Dr. Eger exudes vitality and energy that belie her age. At the end of her talk, she performed her trademark high kick, bringing her foot up to shoulder level. The audience, after some initial gasps, gave her a standing ovation. Students and faculty alike responded to her warmth and infectious good cheer. Isabelle Kenagy ’19, a student who had lunch with Dr. Eger, said she spoke a lot about self love and believing in oneself, and she encouraged students to live to their greatest potential. “You just kind of want to hug her. It’s really hard to not be happy in her presence,” says Isabelle. Meeting Dr. Eger had a special significance for Isabelle, because her great-grandmother, Ilsa Angove, is also a Holocaust survivor. Isabelle has written and published a novel, “From Vienna,” that tells the intertwined stories of her great-grandmother and two other young women. Her great-grandmother and her immediate family survived by escaping from Austria to Trinidad, where they were held in a camp for German Jews. Other relatives who declined to go with the family perished. A few weeks after Dr. Eger’s visit to
“small, but mighty” 6
family and the bravery she showed in the face of seemingly overwhelming odds against her. “The students walked away with a message of being courageous, doing what is right, forgiving those who have harmed you and determining your own state of mind,” Harlan says. The talk dovetailed nicely with a kindness initiative launched this year by Interim Head of School Carol Barry, as well as befitting the first installment of the Woltman Lecture Series. “She was the embodiment of kindness. The message of perseverance and overcoming tragedy, and choosing love and kindness—that’s something we want our students to hear and act upon,” says Harlan. Dr. Eger relates well to Bishop’s students in spite of the age difference between them, says history teacher Matthew Valji, in part because, “She has a very young spirit.” During her visit, Dr. Eger met with students in Matthew’s class, Racism, Genocide and the Holocaust, as she has a number of times in the past. “Every year, students are moved by her story and connect with her,” Matthew says. He feels that having a Holocaust survivor talk to students provides them with a better understanding of how historic events affected real people and their everyday lives. “When you bring in people who have lived the lives we’re talking about in class, you can show the reality and attach a face to otherwise abstract concepts.” Dr. Eger’s humor, passion for sharing her story and genuine interest in others contribute to her comforting presence. “At times when you’re with her, it feels like you’re in a therapy session, in the best possible way. She’s one of the most positive people I’ve met,” says Matthew. Dr. Eger stresses the importance of
being a survivor instead of a victim. “It’s important to recognize that victims are rigid, blaming and problemoriented. They are unforgiving and pessimistic. Survivors are flexible, responsible, grounded in accountability, solution-oriented. Living in the present, forgiving and optimistic. “I never allowed the enemy to murder my spirit. They could beat me and torture me, but I was able to pray for them and not allow them to control the way I was looking at the situation, as an opportunity to discover my inner strength,” she says. She says Bishop’s holds a special place in her heart both because her grandchildren graduated from the School, and due to her admiration for the students who now occupy its classrooms. “They are the future ambassadors for peace and goodwill. I have a lot of faith that each and every one of them will do everything in their power to form a human family and empower each other with our differences,” she says. Dr. Eger also expresses gratitude at being invited to Bishop’s as the inaugural speaker for the Woltman Lecture Series. “I’m very grateful to Mr. Woltman for being such a generous, giving, beautiful man. I hope to give him a big hug in person. Without him, this would not have been possible.” Dr. Eger considers herself a guide who helps others discover meaning from their lives, even in suffering and sadness. Prayer and forgiveness also play large roles in her world view. “I’m very optimistic. I feel like God had a plan for me. So I can be the guide today, how never to give up, to lead a purposeful life and see how everything in life has a gift in it. I don’t have time to hate. I’m committed to see to it that no one ever (again) will experience such inhumanity to man.”
REMEMBERING Jim Updegraff Lector, Si Monumentum Requiris, Circumspice. “Reader, if you seek a monument, look around you.” By Cathy Morrison
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was in my life at a critical and poignant time for my family. He was a rock for us ... and managed it all with his usual strength and grace.” Holding an endowed faculty chair bearing his name at Bishop’s, Jim served on the AP Latin Exam Development Committee and the advisory board for the National Latin Exam. He presented seminars for teachers, taught classical Greek, offered classics courses for adults and accompanied alumni on educational adventures. Bishop’s Spanish teacher Mary Jane Sutherland notes, “Jim was an institution here. He was loved by students and faculty; he dedicated his energies not only to working closely with students in the beginning and intermediate levels, but also provided the most provocative and challenging courses for our most advanced students.” Former head of school and fellow classicist Aimeclaire Roche describes his impact: “Jim was a true classics scholar because he loved two things with equal passion: the mechanics of classical languages and sharing them, their wisdom and their dynamism with others. To know a language well wasn’t enough for Jim; he took enormous pleasure in bringing others into that knowledge and appreciation. This is what made him a model teacher who invited his students’ unique interpretation of a tricky text; a dedicated colleague who for decades was a fixture at Advanced Placement meetings and conferences; and a joyous bard who literally sang poems aloud as ancients did. More importantly, he was a man of great faith and principle; the faculty was graced by his poise, care and gravitas, and we are all better educators and citizens, parents and partners for his inspiring presence in our lives.”
7 Remembering Jim Updegraff
s the School community mourns Jim Updegraff’s passing, there is comfort in his legacy—a 46-year career teaching Latin at Bishop’s. His teaching and the relationships he nurtured are testaments to his passion for ancient traditions and working with students. For generations of Bishopians, this is aere perennius—more lasting than bronze. Upon joining the faculty in 1973, he discovered Latin was on the wane as a course offering. Teaching multiple class sections daily, he made Latin available and accessible to all, bringing the language, literature, culture and history to life for his students, while at the same time inspiring, encouraging, supporting and believing in them. Retired Bishop’s colleague Suzanne Federico remembers, “Jim started every class with a story. It generally arose from the casual banter he had with students as they settled into class. Students adored these stories which seemed to emerge spontaneously. He would start with, ‘Have I ever told you ...’ to which there was a resounding, ‘No! Tell us.’ The stories were engaging but brief. The daily Latin lesson ensued, which was often connected to the story. Years after their days with Mr. Up, these stories and their lessons are what his students treasure most about their time with him.” Jim embodied the kindness, character, integrity and compassion the School has focused on as a community this year. Jim’s wife, Penny, and children, Mandy ’94 and Derek ’97, certainly recognized that, as did other alumni. Nohl Martin ’88, who visited with him during Reunion Weekend 2018, says, “Mr. Up changed the world for so many of us fortunate enough to be in his orbit. I chose him as an advisor even though I did not have him as a teacher; that proved to be a profound choice. I am so very grateful he
KEEPING BISHOP’S ON COURSE In her final year at Bishop’s, Carol Barry brings confidence, calm and compassion to her role as interim head of school. By Trisha J. Ratledge
Keeping Bishop’s on Course 8
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“Having a stable, authentic, compassionate and caring guiding force this past year is the gift that Carol has given Bishop’s. She guaranteed the continuation of Bishop’s mission and traditions, and she stabilized Bishop’s throughout this transition.” —Mimi Holman Test ’61
fter more than 35 years in education—including eight years as head of the middle school at Bishop’s—Carol Barry announced her retirement. She and her husband, Tim— who was also preparing to retire from his position as senior deputy county counsel for the County of San Diego—had raised three children and contributed significantly to their professions. But they were ready to spend less time setting alarms and much more time setting sail. As it turns out, The Bishop’s School had one more assignment for this seasoned educator. Head of School Aimeclaire Roche had accepted a new position as director of Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and the lengthy search and transition process for her successor called for someone uniquely qualified to serve for one year as interim head. That person was Carol Barry. “For so many reasons, Carol was the right choice,” says Annette Bradbury, president of Bishop’s Board of Trustees. “She knows Bishop’s inside and out, she was part of the senior leadership team, and she knows what initiatives we were working on and would be able to continue them.” “Carol’s willingness to step into that position and lead us through this transition was profoundly calming for everyone in the Bishop’s community,” says Dean of Students Michael Beamer, who describes Carol as a master educator. “It put everyone at ease.” Carol’s initial reaction to the proposal was true to form. “I still wanted to retire,” she says, pausing with a smile. “But I thought it would be very difficult for an outside person to come in for one year and continue what we were trying to
Tim and Carol Barry, with their children (and their spouses) and grandchildren
The teams have common prep periods and regular cycles to discuss pedagogy, class content and student needs. “It’s made a huge change in how we support students during middle school,” Carol says. “It’s very difficult for a student to fall through the cracks. We need to understand that middle school kids aren’t just little high schoolers. They are different, their needs are different and the classes should be structured differently.” “She made the middle school a place that has its own identity and that has the needs of the kids and that age group front and center,” says Catherine Michaud, English teacher in the middle school. “She honors the faculty and the work that we do as having possibilities distinct from the upper school.” A survey across campus generates a list of enviable qualities aptly defining Carol’s streamlined leadership style. Faculty, staff and students alike have no difficulty reeling off descriptions such as down-to-earth, sincere, authentic, compassionate and humble. “She can really connect with everybody on campus,” says Anna Langlois ’19—who joined Bishop’s in the sixth grade—describing an administrator who understands and reaches out to students with genuine interest and concern.
The community continues listing qualities—confident, calm, efficient, direct, level-headed and, perhaps most important, joyful—pinpointing precisely why Carol’s appointment as interim head has been such a success. “We thought Carol would be the right person to stay the course,” says Catherine Ivey Lee, trustee and member of Bishop’s Head of School Transition Committee. “What has been incredible about this year is that Carol has taken a firm hand while we all pulled up the sails and guided us further along our course. Because of Carol’s leadership, it has not been a placeholder year.” As interim head of school, Carol has worked closely with the board, faculty and staff to move forward a long list of initiatives, such as mapping out the new strategic plan, including drafting a new mission and vision statement; building on fundraising efforts; establishing the kindness initiative and the mindfulness program; adjusting the AP offerings; redesigning the teacher evaluation process for faculty growth and feedback; and completing an accreditation review. “My goal was to continue with the initiatives we felt were most important, so we weren’t stalled for a year,” Carol says. “I don’t think schools have the luxury to sit still.”
9 Keeping Bishop’s on Course
accomplish. It wasn’t a hard decision. It’s really been a privilege and an honor to serve for one more year.” Inspired by her oldest sister to become a teacher, Carol spent 27 years in the San Diego Unified School District as a teacher, vice principal, principal and area superintendent overseeing 29 schools. She missed being closer to students, however, so returned to school administration as principal of Bird Rock Elementary, where her three children had attended. Not even a year later, a persuasive meeting with Aimeclaire Roche convinced her to become head of the Bishop’s Middle School, a move she had not initially been interested in. “I really had the sense that it would be an opportunity to come to Bishop’s,” says Carol about her change of mind. She was charged with reshaping the middle school experience with the addition of a sixth grade just a year before her arrival. Carol considered her students’ needs first with every decision, aware that a robust and age-appropriate middle school experience launches students for success in upper school and beyond. Faculty teams were established first for the sixth grade and eventually for the seventh and eighth grades as well.
Keeping Bishop’s on Course 10
Carol Barry and Michelle Chen ’23
Stable leadership, especially during the critical review by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), is key to Bishop’s accreditation being approved for up to seven years, Annette says. “Having Carol here meant that we had full confidence that we were on top of that process, and we were able to accurately reflect who we are,” she adds. Even with her extensive knowledge of the School, in her role as interim head Carol was touched to learn from alumni how deeply Bishop’s has shaped their lives throughout the years. “It amazes me to see firsthand the lifelong impact of a Bishop’s education,” Carol says. “Our alumni are a super interesting group of people and it is evident that this place is so important to them. When a sixth-grade parent comes to me asking about what colleges our kids get into, I tell them to read about our alumni and what they’ve accomplished, what kind of people they are and how much they’ve given back to the community. It is an amazing school.” Likewise, when thinking back on the totality of Carol’s tenure, members across Bishop’s community point to her dedication to the students and the joy reflected in her work. “When I ask Carol how she is doing, her answer every time is, ‘I’m having fun,’” says Mimi Holman Test ’61, a former high school principal and member of Bishop’s Board of Trustees. “That is a great attitude to have in what can be a high-tension position. She is
filling that position with her entire heart and soul.” Sara Sweet, director of food services, got to know Carol not in the classroom, but in the lunchroom with the middle school students. “We started talking because she was always in the cafeteria with her students,” Sara says. “That stood out to me; she was never off doing something else. I’ve always been impressed with how involved she is and how knowledgeable she is about young people. You can see that she loves kids. She’s always had a way of connecting easily with everybody.” As the academic year wraps up, Carol is readying the office for new Head of School Ron Kim, who officially arrives on campus in July, though the two leaders have been in close, regular communication since Ron’s appointment. Much has transpired in the past year and there is no doubt that, through it all, Carol has been a careful steward for The Bishop’s School. “Having a stable, authentic, compassionate and caring guiding force this past year is the gift that Carol has given Bishop’s,” says Mimi. “She guaranteed the continuation of Bishop’s mission and traditions, and she stabilized Bishop’s throughout this transition.” “Carol is not concerned about anything other than doing what’s right for the students, the teachers and the long-term success of the School,” adds Catherine Ivey Lee. “She’s kept the School in a strong position for Ron Kim coming in. This is an exciting time for The Bishop’s School.”
Ron Kim to Become Bishop’s 12th Head of School Following a highly competitive national search process, Ron Kim was named the 12th head of school for The Bishop’s School. He will assume the position in summer 2019, the start of the School’s 111th year. Currently the interim assistant head of school at The Buckley School near Los Angeles, Ron brings a wealth of administrative and teaching experience from his current position and his 23 years at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. As part of the transition process, Ron has worked closely with Interim Head of School Carol Barry, and he has traveled regularly to campus this year, becoming better acquainted with the community as well as the programs and pedagogy at Bishop’s. From shadowing Johnathan Negrin ’23 through a school day to meeting with the School’s administrative team, Ron is deepening his understanding of the breadth and quality of the student experience at Bishop’s. Ron reflects, “Bishop’s students are in a supportive, nurturing environment. It feels safe, like you can make mistakes. Everyone’s in it together. Teachers are going to push you, but they’re going to help you, too.”
LEADING
By Trisha J. Ratledge
Ellen Browning Scripps was a pioneer in a wide range of fields and endeavors, most prominently in journalism, scientific research, education and philanthropy. As a co-founder of The Bishop’s School, Miss Scripps instilled a progressive and generous spirit throughout campus that endures today in the School’s exceptional alumni and faculty. On March 2, the campus community gathered in Ellen Browning Scripps Hall to recognize Miss Scripps’ legacy and this year’s EBS Celebration honorees, each of whom serves as a leading light within her own field: Mary Coleman ’82, head of creative development at Pixar Animation Studios; Gay Johnston Crawford ’61, advocate for cancer patients and their families; and Marcia Harrod, devoted teacher and coach at Bishop’s for more than 30 years.
GAY JOHNSTON CRAWFORD ’61
MARCIA HARROD
Ellen Browning Scripps Distinguished Alumni Award
Rosamond Larmour Loomis Alumni Service Award
Michael W. Teitelman Leadership Award
At the Magic Theater in San Francisco, Mary Coleman ’82 was in her creative element working among writers, actors and directors. She rose from volunteer script reader to resident director and then associate artistic director, where she found deep satisfaction in shaping stories and developing a creative vision for new plays and world premieres. When she was approached with an offer to join the creative team at a local animation studio, Mary said, “I don’t really like cartoons.” Then she watched the studio’s first two films, “Toy Story” and “A Bug’s Life.” “In both cases, the movies really surprised me, but especially ‘Toy Story,’ that an animated film could be so emotional and have such great writing. That’s where I lived
Coming from a family of action, it’s no surprise that Gay Johnston Crawford ’61 reached out to the American Cancer Society (ACS) when she received a resource booklet that needed improvement. In recovery from breast cancer treatment herself, Gay sent recommendations to the ACS and in a short time, she was recruited to rewrite the booklet. Soon after, she became involved in the ACS Reach to Recovery program— the subject of the booklet—which led to her heading up the program, then sitting on a board and serving on the national research council of ACS, which distributes over $1 million in grants. That single brochure in 1974 resulted in 45 years (and counting)
When the San Diego Hall of Champions notified Marcia Harrod that she was being inducted into the 2014 Breitbard Hall of Fame as a coaching legend for field hockey, they asked what her win-loss record was. She had no idea. “I probably didn’t even know what the record was during the season,” Marcia says. “Far more important to me was teaching young women what it means to be strong and resilient females with solid core values. That was my most important goal and achievement.” It turns out, Marcia taught those values and had an enviable record. In 28 years of coaching, the field hockey team won 11 league championships and qualified for CIF playoffs in 27 of the 28 years.
11 Leading Lights
MARY COLEMAN ’82
Leading Lights 12
in my theater career,” Mary says. “I didn’t love directing, but I loved working with writers.” Mary joined Pixar Animation Studios in 1999 as a development associate and is now head of creative development, where her workday is filled with characters that have become household names: Woody, Buzz, Lightning McQueen, Dory, Remy, Sulley and Coco, to name just a few. “I never imagined myself in a different medium, but I’m still in a storytelling field,” says Mary, who has been passionate about theater since she began attending Old Globe productions as a child with her grandmother, former Bishop’s teacher Gertrude Price. “I don’t interact with the technology. I’m focused on the story and the characters’ emotional arc and the dimensional relationships.” Throughout a production, Mary works closely with the director and writers, providing feedback from the initial vision to script development to final edit. A full-length feature can take five years or more to complete, so when does the creative team know when the work is done?
“We don’t finish our movies, we release them,” Mary says. “The perfectionists here never feel like it’s all working. If we didn’t have a release date, we’d probably keep tinkering forever.” As an executive in a high-profile industry, Mary is in a unique position to develop pathways of opportunity for others, such as through Animation Artistas, an organization she founded within Pixar that has launched young women into directing roles so women’s voices can be part of the global story. The future of the industry is about expanding the cultural narrative with stories and voices that reflect a range of perspectives, says Mary, whose own world expanded when she adopted her African-American daughter. “It shifted my perspective on how much it matters for audiences, especially kids, to see a wide range of characters represented on the big screen,” Mary says. “As the head of creative development, I’m prioritizing different voices. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and I’m so glad that it’s radically changing because new challenges keep my job fresh.”
of advocacy in which Gay has personally counseled thousands of cancer patients and served as an advocate for patients in the development of facilities, advances in patient care and passage of legislation. “Not in a million years did I see this coming,” says Gay about the projects that became a lifelong passion. “But sometimes, you think, ‘This can be fixed.’” At an early age, Gay witnessed advocacy in action as she saw her father—a journalist and editor at The San Diego Union—employ the power of the press to address social injustices. Early in her journalism career, Gay was charged with doing the same as she worked with leaders from 21 different categories, including business, government, labor and more, to ensure that her news station complied with the Federal Communications Commission requirement to broadcast in the public interest. “I would bring leaders together to sit with me, the general manager and the news director,” Gay says. “Those leaders would talk about problems in the community, and it was my job to be sure that the station broadcast about those issues. I got to know the leaders really well.” Her community networking skills were invaluable as Gay built programs and facilities to advance patient care, including co-founding California’s
Marcia joined The Bishop’s School in 1970 as chair of the health and physical education department, a role she continued for 31 years. She also served as the ninth-grade advisor for many years. One of her greatest influences was former Head of School Michael Teitelman, says Marcia, adding that he gave the department heads a great deal of freedom in developing their curriculum. He supported Marcia’s decision to establish a required health education class for the ninth grade. “He let us run with a curriculum that was relevant in kids’ lives,” Marcia says. “I’m very appreciative of that.” With the help of assistant coach and English teacher Gary Hendrickson, Marcia built a field hockey program that carried a strong reputation throughout San Diego County. The two worked closely to develop players who represented Bishop’s admirably not only on the field but in the community. Former players have gone on to become top athletes and coaches, as well as leaders in many fields. Many continue to show their commitment to Bishop’s through their involvement with Bishop’s Board of Trustees, the alumni board and more, including Kristin Davidson ’97, who returned to Bishop’s as a teacher and field hockey coach. Though Marcia retired from her fulltime position in 2001, her work at Bishop’s wasn’t done. She returned to coach the junior varsity field hockey
team for several years, and she is still on campus regularly as a substitute teacher, proctor for AP exams and to cheer on Bishop’s Field Hockey Team, which now honors its athletes with the Marcia Harrod Field Hockey Award. Marcia plays tennis several days a week and volunteers with her church, including sewing prayer quilts for an international ministry. Thinking about her long career, Marcia says that even though her win-loss record stands permanently in the Breitbard Hall of Fame, it’s still her work with the girls themselves that she treasures most. “I’m a serious competitor, and I like to win, but I don’t see it as the most important thing,” Marcia says, emphasizing that she is most proud of helping young women develop selfconfidence and the understanding that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. “In that way, I feel I left a legacy and a mark on many whom I taught and coached.”
13 Leading Lights
second nonprofit hospice and founding California’s Cancer Registry, the ACS Courageous Kids program and the South Bay Cancer Center, now managed by Stanford Health Care. She feels her most significant recent accomplishment was helping to found Cancer CAREpoint, a counseling and education resource center in Silicon Valley that has served more than 5,000 patients and their families free of charge since it opened in 2012. In her advocacy work, Gay has been recognized with prestigious awards, including the St. George National Award, the American Cancer Society’s highest national honor, and the Ellen Stovall National Award for Innovation in Patient-Centered Cancer Care, which produced a memento that she treasures: the nomination letter authored by her friend and colleague, Dr. George Fisher, an oncologist and Stanford professor of medicine. “It means so much to me. He has helped the cause and me in so many ways,” says Gay. “You can’t be a patient care advocate without earning the respect of your medical community.” Now retired from her media career, Gay concentrates on establishing new directions in cancer patient care. In health care that requires steady determination and tenacity, and she is grateful for her media and medical connections to help change the course of the disease.
SCHOLAR-IN-RESIDENCE | Eula Biss
Explores the Intricacies of Contemporary Writing By Sophie Mulgrew ’19
Scholar-in-Residence | Eula Biss 14
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ailure is not a particularly common but her success did not come without perseverance: “For the most part, no one word at Bishop’s, so students has asked or expected me to write,” and faculty alike were surprised Ms. Biss says. “It’s something I’ve had when award-winning author Eula Biss to fight to do.” She recalled working explained, “Some essays fail. Not every multiple jobs during her early years trial works out, not every attempt is as an author, writing late at night or successful, not every experiment yields whenever she had a spare moment, and what you think it will yield. You have she encouraged students to do the same: to give yourself permission to say “If you wait for the world to tell you something that might be wrong.” that what you have to say is wanted, The sentiment came at a particularly you might not ever express yourself on meaningful time, with seniors anxiously the page.” awaiting college Ms. Biss spent much decisions and the rest “Something I’ve found of her time at Bishop’s of the School feeling third-quarter fatigue. really gratifying about in the classroom, discussing her own This January, Eula my work as a writer writing journey and Biss visited Bishop’s as is that if I’m going to exploring the works of a part of the School’s others. While meeting Endowed Scholar-indo my work well, with a group of Residence program, I have to continue upperclassmen, she but her journey to to learn.” offered a detailed look the campus began into Joan Didion’s long before this year. —Eula Biss essay “Goodbye to All English teacher That,” of which she Cresence Birder ’07, has written her own adaptation. Using who took part in choosing this year’s passages from the essay as tangible scholar, was one of the author’s students examples, Ms. Biss challenged students at Northwestern University. “We felt that to rethink what they may have previously Ms. Biss could offer quite a bit to the learned as the “correct” way to write. She Bishop’s community,” says Cresence. emphasized thoughtful craftsmanship “As a writer, she crafts intricate and and the important relationship between complex essays, making bold choices in form and function—diving into the form. Her book ‘Notes from No Man’s minutiae of language and its relationship Land’ explores race and identity in to the page. She touched on everything America, and we were eager as a from word choice and syntactical community to integrate her work into rhythm, to the power of purposeful our ongoing conversations on campus.” repetition. Ms. Biss is the author of three books, English student Hana Belmontethe most recent of which, “On Immunity,” Ryu ’19 explains, “I came out of was named one of the New York Times Ms. Biss’ presentation feeling like I Book Review’s 10 Best Books of 2014. had learned something. She wasn’t just Her work has earned her multiple talking at us, she was talking with us; fellowships and a Jaffe Writers’ Award,
Eula Biss signs copies of her book for Nathan Wu ’19 and Daniel Ardjmand ’19.
asking questions and developing a discussion about what it really means to be a writer.” Ms. Biss’ primary genre is creative nonfiction, meaning her work is firmly rooted in reality and often deeply personal. Perhaps this is also what made her such a refreshing speaker— everything she said felt real. In both small group settings and in her address to the whole school, Ms. Biss spoke just as she writes, eloquently shuttling between personal anecdotes and their wider relevance. She addressed challenging topics with ease, answered questions honestly and offered advice applicable not only to writing but also to contemporary American culture. Prior to Ms. Biss’ arrival, many students spent time in English classes reading her second book, “Notes from No Man’s Land,” which centers on the challenging topic of race in America. The book, a compilation of distinct but thematically connected essays, prompted students to engage in meaningful dialogue about how race plays out in their own lives and beyond. “We talk a lot about diversity at
Bishop’s,” says Charlotte Mack ’19, “but Ms. Biss brought a new, refreshing perspective to the table.” As with the rest of her presentations, Ms. Biss addressed race thoughtfully and honestly, expressing her opinions and experiences without discrediting those of others. For Ms. Biss, writing and presenting is not about elevating her own opinion, but rather exploring a personal truth. In her own words, “Looking good is not literature.” The conversations continued with the middle school Knight Writers and FEM Club members, who had been reading and discussing Ms. Biss’ work in anticipation of her visit. Students were asked to reflect on their own thoughts and curiosities surrounding race and develop questions to ask Ms. Biss during a lunchtime seminar. English teacher Catherine Michaud, who facilitated the preparation, explained, “My goal was twofold: First, to open a discussion of race, to let the kids see that not only is it okay to talk about race but also necessary. Second, to help students see that one’s identity (racial and otherwise) is complex and multifaceted.”
In closing her all-school assembly, Ms. Biss explained, “Something I’ve found really gratifying about my work as a writer is that if I’m going to do my work well, I have to continue to learn.” For her, writing is not just putting words down on a page but being an inquisitive and engaged member of a community, always curious and never satisfied. In her evening presentation, Ms. Biss pointed out that she always reads with a pen in hand. “Every time I read I notice something I would like to change,” she explained. “The pieces are never static for me.” Ms. Biss acknowledges that essays, like people, are constantly evolving, and encourages students to embrace this uncertainty and “write out of a deep curiosity for the world.” She left students with this sentiment: “Continue the learning that you’re doing here, which all the evidence suggests is the most excellent learning available to a high school student. Carry that with you and continue to engage in learning after you leave school and when you’re a fully-fledged citizen thinker.”
15 Scholar-in-Residence | Eula Biss
Eula Biss and Cresence Birder ’07
A Mother’s Dedication to Education Parents’ Association President and Trustee Barbara Kyrillos By Jared Scott Tesler
Bishop’s Profile | Barbara Kyrillos 16
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“It’s the collective variety of our backgrounds, talents and skills that make Bishop’s such a dynamic learning environment.”
arbara Kyrillos has always had a very full plate. A retired financial analyst and mother of four (Alexandra ’11, Christina ’12, Carl ’15 and Ben ’21), Barbara has been donating her time and talent to the education sector for many years. It all started at an Admissions Open House at The Bishop’s School, where her friends’ children were enrolled at the time. Barbara and her husband, Jean-Claude, a medical device and health information technology executive, watched in awe as members of the School community performed improvisational theater and a science demonstration for prospective families. “We were particularly impressed with the faculty members, who were extremely well qualified and very passionate about teaching. We admired how well the faculty interacted with the students. The students were poised, confident and comfortable taking risks in front of a large audience,” Barbara recalls. “At that point, we realized that Bishop’s is a very special place.” Despite a demanding work schedule and limited spare time, once her children began attending Bishop’s, Barbara wanted to become involved in their education. So, while Alexandra and Christina participated in the School’s Performing Arts Program, she assisted with the many evening and weekend performances and concerts staged throughout the school year. “One of the great things about volunteering at Bishop’s,” Barbara notes, “is that there are opportunities for any schedule.” What followed was a multitude of roles—president of the Performing Arts Circle, Bish Bowl volunteer, and co-chair of the Admissions Open House, the
Admissions Welcome Barbecue and the Ambassador Program—all leading up to her current post as president of the Parents’ Association (PA). The PA president is also a member of the board of trustees, and in her term, Barbara is serving on the board’s advancement committee and the finance and investment committee. The PA’s 400 volunteers are deeply committed to engaging and supporting the School community, and the PA plans and organizes more than 50 annual events, including the auction, the Christmas Tree Lighting, faculty/staff appreciation, Grandparents’ Day and Parents’ Night of Classes, each underpinned by this year’s theme, “We Are Bishop’s.” Among other tasks, Barbara leads monthly executive board and general meetings, appoints committee chairpersons and contributes to Bishop’s parent newsletter, News You Can Use. During the 2019-2020 academic year, as past president and parliamentarian, she will onboard her successor and nominate members of the executive board for the following year. “Bishop’s parents are diverse, intelligent, interesting, and passionate about the importance and value of education,” Barbara says. “‘We Are Bishop’s’ is a poignant reminder that the strength of our community comes from all of us. It’s the collective variety of our backgrounds, talents and skills that make Bishop’s such a dynamic learning environment.” Barbara’s involvement in the parent community informs her participation on the board of trustees. “My years of volunteering at Bishop’s, as well as my background in finance, assist in my role as a trustee,” she says.
Prior to her volunteer work at Bishop’s, Barbara served as a senior equity analyst at Brandes Investment Partners in San Diego, a convertible bond analyst at Bankers Trust and director of corporate development at Nabisco. She holds a bachelor’s degree in international economics from Georgetown University and an MBA with a concentration in finance from Columbia Business School. Alexandra and Carl followed in their mother’s footsteps, both graduating from Georgetown, while Christina graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University. “The leadership skills and confidence they gained at Bishop’s,” Barbara says, “helped them tremendously in college and in their careers.” Alexandra earned her bachelor’s degree in the biology of global health and spent a year conducting research
in surgical oncology outcomes at NorthShore University HealthSystem. She is currently completing her third year of medical school at Georgetown. Carl serves as director of personnel in the information technology department at Students of Georgetown, Inc., a student-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. He will receive his bachelor’s degree in physics with a minor in computer science in May and has accepted a job offer as a software developer at San Diego-based General Atomics. Christina majored in English with a concentration in theater—a lifelong pursuit and passion dating back to her days at Bishop’s. Today, Christina is assistant manager, entertainment brand solutions at The Walt Disney Company in Los Angeles. Ben, the youngest member of the Kyrillos clan, is currently a sophomore
at Bishop’s where he competes on the basketball, swimming and water polo teams. Barbara’s community service extends far beyond the Bishop’s campus. She mentors future first-generation college students at Nativity Prep Academy, where she was recently elected to the board of trustees, and has volunteered at Barrio Logan College Institute, which offers after-school programs for underserved students. As co-chair of the Georgetown Scholarship Program Southern California Regional Network, she engages Georgetown’s alumni network to help provide internship, job, mentoring and networking opportunities for firstgeneration college students. “I’m consistently inspired by the students I work with,” Barbara says. “My interaction with them over the years has convinced me that the future is bright for our country.”
17 Bishop’s Profile | Barbara Kyrillos
Christina ’12, Alexandra ’11, Ben ’21, Barbara, Carl ’15 and Jean-Claude Kyrillos
Revolution Comes to the Bishops Stage By Cathy Morrison
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n epic musical set during the French Revolution, “Les Misérables” is an ambitious undertaking; however, the student-designed stage centerpiece set the Bishop’s production apart. In production for the better part of the last year, the turntable stage was a STEMinfluenced interdisciplinary project that the three students in Director of Theater Production AJ Paulin’s Advanced Theater Production (ATP) class have nurtured from a spring 2018 idea to a 2019 reality. Seniors Priscilla Hsieh, Keona Lee and Melanie Schwimmer started last fall in the School’s Center for Creative Sciences, creating a scale model using 3D printers. They also designed some of the more intricate stage props on the 3D printer. Scaling up to full-size set pieces was another part of the process. In addition to the problemsolving skills they learned, Melanie said, “There’s a lot of math involved.” The musical sold out the entire seven-show run in the Taylor Performing Arts Center and featured something for everyone: big, grand sets, the spectacle of a battle sequence with stage-blanks, beautiful music, great story and strong character development that allowed the audience to root for and against characters. Melanie added, “It’s fun to have a lot of support, given all the time and work everyone put in. It makes it more fun to perform—the actors love performing, so the bigger the audience, the better.” Priscilla concluded, “Although it’s kind of a dark story, it’s cool.” Cast and crew agreed that it was unparalleled in their Bishop’s experience.
Les MisĂŠrables by the Numbers 30 cast members 15 crew members 1,000 hours involved in technical production and costume management 400 separate cues 1 year to design and produce the stage 17 boxes contained 300 different costume pieces 15 wireless microphones 24,000 painted bricks on set pieces
Middle school P.E. teachers Meghan Carr, Danny Mitchell, Cayla Liptak and Nick Levine
KNIGHTS P.E.
NURTURES THE MIND AND BODY Knights P.E. Nurtures the Mind and Body 20
By Zach Jones ’01
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cores of banners hanging in the gym at Bishop’s testify to years of excellence at the varsity level. But before they became all-section performers or perhaps even college scholarship athletes, many of those CIF champions learned a sport for the first time in P.E. class. Just as the academic curriculum is designed to introduce students to a wide range of subjects, the P.E. curriculum sets the tone for a school career filled with physical activity and openness to new experiences. “When I got here there was already a wonderful P.E. and health philosophy at the School,” says Meghan Carr, who serves as the P.E. and health department chair, as well as the varsity girls’ lacrosse coach and assistant field hockey coach. “I credit Marcia Harrod, Joan Heylman and Michael Teitelman for valuing the importance of community, the drive for athletics and for keeping a health class requirement, especially in the upper school.” At the heart of the P.E. program is a desire to teach both the body and mind,
introducing students to new sports while also fostering an environment that develops skills for use beyond the playing field. This is far more than a way to burn calories in the middle of the school day—it’s about shaping habits, even with something as simple as a 10-minute period of free play to begin the P.E. session. “They’re forced to become comfortable in uncomfortable situations—how to create games on their own, how to resolve conflict,” Meghan says. “How to use space and understand it without someone telling you what to do. It’s okay to have a little bit of unstructured time, so students will create structure for themselves.” Then, of course, there’s the part of P.E. that is structured—the yearlong rotation through an assortment of sports, many of which are offered as upper school varsity programs (field hockey, soccer and lacrosse for instance) and others that aren’t (yoga, gymnastics and a very popular badminton tournament). Before arriving at Bishop’s from Memphis, Tennessee, Caroline Hunt ’24
found himself exposed to more sports and equipment than he ever had before. “I never thought I’d enjoy volleyball— then when I played it, I decided to play for the Bishop’s team,” he says. “I knew the first time we played in P.E. It was my first time actually spiking on a volleyball net and that felt amazing, and I thought ’I have to do this.’” Danny Mitchell, who teaches sixthand eighth-grade P.E., in addition to his role as offensive coordinator for the Knights Football Team, says it’s not just was a full-time dancer who had never played a competitive team sport. After trying field hockey and water polo in P.E. (“I’d never even heard of water polo before I came here!”), she now plays on both teams and has added club field hockey outside of school as well. The school’s “X period,” which allows students to go to sports practices during the school day, gave Caroline the schedule flexibility to finally play a sport. The exposure during P.E. allowed her to find a new passion.
“When I’m not as good at something, I love it, because it pushes me to do something that’s outside my comfort zone,” she says. “I like not knowing what’s going to happen next. Playing water polo is really far outside my comfort zone, but I know that it’s a safe space to make mistakes, so it’s a nice experience.” Coming to Bishop’s in eighth grade from the nearby San Diego FrenchAmerican School, Paul Madany ’22
21 Knights P.E. Nurtures the Mind and Body
about getting students to take on sports for the first time, but about making single-sport athletes into dual- or trisport athletes. “It’s so refreshing seeing these kids try new things,” he says. “I think playing multiple sports is absolutely necessary, no matter what your level. The different skillsets do translate, but what’s more valuable is playing something you’re not so comfortable with and relying on teammates who are more comfortable.”
That was the path for Lila Browne ’20, a softball and club soccer player when she began at Bishop’s in sixth grade. Five years later, she’s still playing soccer and has added field hockey and lacrosse— sports she learned in middle school. “Since field hockey and lacrosse have a lot of similarities to soccer,” she says, “a lot of girls who grew up playing soccer end up enjoying those sports, too.” Practically speaking, success at the varsity level requires maximum participation, and the P.E. program is a key cog in generating interest from an early age. “These are not your typical P.E. teachers,” says Director of Athletics Joel Allen. “They are all varsity coaches— with college or professional coaching experience—in basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer and softball. Middle school students have the opportunity to learn from the very best, which generates interest, provides great foundational skills and ultimately has a significant impact on upper school athletics.” At its best, the P.E. program is doing something far greater than introducing new sports and laying the groundwork for future CIF titles. It’s drawing students into a shared experience that they take with them beyond graduation. “The reason you enjoy this is you get to be a part of a community, the teamwork part of relying on someone else,” Danny says. “If you played sports in high school, you probably don’t remember the scores so much, but you remember your teammates—you remember the people you were around.”
FOND
FAREWELLS
By Keri Peckham
LENORE FRAGA Lenore Fraga has served as a CFO for educational institutions for 30 years and for the past 15 has been Bishop’s chief operating and financial officer. She will retire in July. What was your first impression of Bishop’s? Besides “WOW,” I thought it
IN MEMORIAM: CRAIG
HIGGS ’62
Craig Higgs ’62, father to Kiska ’97, Alexander ’02 and Ben ’14 Higgs, longtime legal counsel for the School, passed away
Fond Farewells 22
on Feb. 6, 2019. On Friday nights in the fall, Bishop’s football fans recognized Craig’s smiling face on the sidelines, leading the crowd in Knights cheers. An alumnus of the San Miguel School, Craig’s commitment to the School was unwavering, serving as legal counsel from the time that Kiska was a Bishop’s middle schooler until 2018. A constant, stalwart and wise advisor for more than two decades, Craig advised the board and School on important matters through every turn, through thick and thin. His spirited presence and commitment to the School are already missed.
BEST WISHES,
GARY HENDRICKSON After many years in education, English teacher and department chair Gary Hendrickson will retire from Bishop’s at the end of the school year. Those who know Gary will understand that he declined to participate in this article, but everyone at Bishop’s wishes a talented educator the very best in his retirement.
was beautiful, sophisticated, more than just a high school and historic. I was most impressed that the chapel had the names of all graduates from 1909 to present and not the donor names! I still share that with visitors to show what’s always been of primary importance.
What was your first day like? Busy! I had been working on the bond issue with some School trustees and attorneys, so I hit the ground running. I remember meeting Sara Sweet and Alison Fleming ’80. My focus was on the bond issue and finishing the construction of the science building, parking structure and pool.
What has changed the most in your time here? The people (and the size of the School) but also the way we do business, best practices and finances. Our endowment has also increased from $2-3 million to its current $57 million.
What are your greatest accomplishments here? With the help of many, the budgeting and accountability, accounting and communication of financial information, compliance and risk management functions have either been upgraded or implemented. Forecasting the resources needed for academic and other visions, implementing controls to protect resources, planning for additions to plant and technology, stewarding investment managers who run our endowment funds, building the library
and having the resources to renovate Ellen Browning Scripps (EBS) Hall.
What will you miss the most? My colleagues. I’ve met and have forged great relationships with wonderful, smart people who are dedicated to what they do, and I have the utmost respect for them. And I’ll miss going on the eighth grade Disneyland trip.
What are your plans for retirement? Travel with my husband, spend more time with my granddaughter, get healthy. Not be on someone else’s schedule. Although there’s a pool going as to how long it will be before I start looking for work to do. I may go for my enrolled agent’s license or maybe Mr. Johnston or Mr. Mecham will let me sub for them.
What is your favorite lunch in the dining hall? Salmon What is your favorite building/ renovation project you’ve worked on and why? EBS Hall. First, it was the most challenging. The design involved the most constituents for a multi-use facility, the temporary facilities were challenging, the combination of new construction and renovation of old and having the funding from 10+ years of reserve planning and not taking on more debt. I am particularly proud of the way it turned out—and that it was done on budget!
ANDY KOCZON
JOHN RANKIN After 47 years in the classroom and eight years at Bishop’s, science teacher John Rankin will retire at the end of the school year. What was your first impression of Bishop’s? The beautiful campus, how friendly and welcoming everyone was, small student body
What was your first day like? General
What has changed the most in your time here? The library, Ellen Browning Scripps Hall, the schedule and calendar
What are your greatest accomplishments here? Contributing to the department and growing as a teacher
What will you miss the most? My colleagues in science and other friendships. And the ocean view from my chemistry lab!
What are your plans for retirement? My wife and I have a new home in Signal Mountain, Tennessee. We will spend part of the year in Washington state developing 20 acres we own, near where I grew up, that overlooks a lake with views of the Cascades. Together we have five children. Visiting them, our extended families and friends and travel should keep us busy.
What is your favorite lunch in the dining hall? Salmon and turkey burgers What do you enjoy teaching the most? Photosynthesis, cell respiration, stoichiometry, and the heart, skeletal and muscular systems
What was your first impression of Bishop’s? Hallowed ground comes to mind. The tower, chapel, Quad. I grew up near several well-known East Coast prep schools and always held them in awe. Bishop’s reminded me of that reverence. All were (and are) places that nourish the mind, body and spirit. That’s something I wanted for my own children, which is why I sent my daughter, Mallie ’13, to be a Knight.
What was your first day like? My first day was a sixth grade P.E. class. I’d taken a tumble in Yosemite and tore both quadricep muscles. Double knee surgery (by Dr. Daniel Keefe ’90) resulted in leg braces that made me walk like Frankenstein. I remember hobbling in front of those sixth-graders asking, “Is there anyone who doesn’t think they can beat me in the 50-yard dash?” They were so overwhelmed by their first day they didn’t know what to do and most of them raised their hands! It was my first Bishop’s chuckle.
What has changed the most in your time here? The time, the place and me. The time being the rotating schedule and start time. More significant was the arrival of X period, a shot in the arm to middle school sports, allowing teams to compete better in the South Coast Middle School League. The place has undergone a makeover, giving the campus a fresh look. And me. I got older, smarter and learned a lot about coaching, the business of athletics and independent schools. For all of it I am grateful and fortunate.
What are your greatest accomplishments here? Creating and writing The Locker Room, hiring and certifying over 100 coaches, serving as middle school athletic director, ushering in a new athletics logo, establishing College Bound Athlete Night and coaching the talented middle school maroon football teams since 2014. Those teams delivered a 54-11-2 record, five straight South Coast Middle School League South Division (SCMSL) championships and one SCMSL crown.
What will you miss the most? Being with students who I feel are like my own kids, attending games to support them and great discussions with my colleagues.
What are your plans for retirement? I will still coach flag football and substitute teach here. I’ll hit the gym and run the beach. I am hoping to be a docent at the Timken Museum and the Midway, take piano lessons, work as a course-marshal at the Sea ’N Air Golf Course on North Island, fly-fish the great trout rivers in the west, travel and spend time with my grandkids.
What is your favorite lunch in the dining hall? Cream of tomato soup and salads If you could play a professional sport, what sport would it be? Baseball or football. I love both. I have always been a pretty fast and elusive runner, so stealing bases, stretching line drives into triples and breaking loose for a long run on the gridiron appeals to me. My nickname in high school was “The Flash.” On second thought maybe golf, so I could play Augusta National.
23 Fond Farewells
confusion over the number of passwords. The rotating schedule proved a challenge. I enjoyed the small class sizes!
After eight years at Bishop’s and an earlier career in human resources and as a captain in the U.S. Navy, Associate Athletic Director Andy Koczon will retire at the end of the school year.
Auction 2019 Rocked and Raised! By Jen Heisel
Rock the Knight 24
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n April 27, guests “rocked the knight” at the auction to support the School’s Financial Aid and Faculty Professional Growth programs. Rock the Knight had a casual date-night vibe. Upon arrival, guests were greeted with the signature beverage, “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” a whiskey concoction from Waters Fine Catering, followed by beer tastings and appetizers at the silent and wine auctions. The crowd then boogied their way to dinner and a live auction of exceptional items. The energy remained high, as guests danced the night away to entertainment by NRG. Co-chaired by Calli Behr (Meghan ’20, Michael ’22), Jennifer Kelly (Timothy ’20), Clarissa Keyes (Elspeth ’20), and Pamela Spain (Sheridan ’20), the annual event garners approximately $1 million in direct support of these crucial programs, allowing the School to foster a community focused on diversity, enrichment and growth. “Our goal was to make this auction casual and relaxed—a fun night to let your hair down, dance and socialize Auction 2019 Co-Chairs l-r: Jennifer Kelly, Clarissa Keyes, Pamela Spain and Calli Behr
with new and old friends” Jennifer says. “We think this encouraged our guests to bid on auction items and raise their paddles.” Clarissa adds, “Guests danced the night away!” Current Bishop’s seniors testified to the importance of tuition assistance. “I want to extend my gratitude for your support which has given me the opportunity to attend Bishop’s that I would not have had otherwise,” says Sofia Rubio ’19. “The aid I receive drastically reduces the financial strain for my family.” The spirited bidding that followed the video was a testament to the confidence the guests have in the School and its tuition assistance program. Auction guests also had the opportunity to make direct gifts to the faculty professional growth program. “The purpose is to raise funds for professional development and student financial aid,” Jennifer notes. “One hundred percent of funds raised go to meet the needs of our talented teachers and deserving students.”
Bishop’s and the 2019 auction chairs are grateful to the following underwriters who made generous commitments to Rock the Knight!
UNDERWRITING DONORS “IMAGINE” ~ The Beatles Michelle and Ryan Sit Terri Lundberg and Arnold Whitman
“OLD TIME ROCK AND ROLL”~ Bob Seger Elspeth and Jim Myer Ann and Philip White
“IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY” ~ U2 Linda and Daniel Kao Kelly and Mark Kjos
“THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR” ~ Dionne Warwick First Republic Bank
“ALL SHOOK UP”~ Elvis Presley Destiny Innovations & Supply, Inc. Duane and Susan Brown Lawson ’71 Moradi M.D.
IN-KIND SPONSORS Wine Party Reception Cecilia and Santiago Aguerre, Hosts Karl Strauss Brewing Koehler-Ruprecht Wines | Julie and Alan Sauvage Landa Vineyard Wines Jennifer McIlvaine Landa and Matt Landa Mark’s Guitar Exchange DJ Felix Mayorga San Diego Wine & Beer Waters Fine Catering
Wine Enthusiast Reception Laurie and Gregory Howard Volunteer Dinner Sara Sweet’s Kitchen
EVENT PARTNERS A Bright Event Rentals Eventavision Lighting & Audio | Toby Russell Waters Fine Catering North Shores Printery Pacific Events Production Jim Lennox / Steffani Badgett Preferred Valet Service Row Four Productions Bob LaPorta / Robert LaPorta / Richard LaPorta
Auctioneer & Emcee Martha Sottosanti ’88
Theresa Kim, incoming head of school Ron Kim and Clara Wu
Monica Fimbres wins the Paul McCartney concert package in the live auction.
April Brown and Mike Brown
Giving the Gift of Bishop’s By Zach Jones ’01
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icole Benedict ’82 was introduced to The Bishop’s School over the phone. “My father said, ‘You’re going to Bishop’s, and you’ve got five hours to pack your bags.’ It wasn’t a discussion. I wasn’t very happy about it. Having said that, it was the best thing that ever happened to me.” A native of Brentwood, California, Nicole actually had Bishop’s in her blood long before she set foot on campus—her grandmother Nancy Langhorne Gibbs was a boarder as a member of the Class of 1921. More than a half-century later, Bishop’s was a very different place—the chapel had added a tower, and the School was co-ed after merging with the San Miguel School for Boys. But much like her grandmother had been before her, Nicole was a teenager living away from home, trying to find herself among strangers from around the country and the world. And she loved it. After a difficult first semester, Nicole found herself blossoming into a self-described “big fish in a small pond.” She competed in a variety of sports and made friends with whom she still remains close today: “My best friends to this day are all from Bishop’s.” Even as she held positions in student government throughout her school career—class vice president or president all four years—she mixed in plenty of mischief as well. She recalls putting the remains of a dissected shark in her science teacher’s desk drawer over a weekend and being named “most likely to destroy the system.” “I was in detention every Saturday of my senior year,” she says. Nicole was confined to campus for three weeks after violating curfew rules to attend a Rolling Stones concert during her senior year, a trade-off she says was “totally worth it,” considering the concert also featured George Thorogood and the Destroyers and a little-known opening act named Prince. It was those formative experiences that made Bishop’s—and by extension La Jolla—feel like home, even 30 years after graduation, when her career had taken her to Paris, New York City and Silicon Valley. It was Headmistress Dorothy Williams—who attended Nicole’s debutante ball—and a staff of teachers who regularly welcomed students into their homes for dinner or the holidays. “How many people can be in an environment where they can be themselves and be appreciated for who they are?” After returning to the San Diego area three years ago, Nicole is now a member of the Alumni Association Board and recently made a significant planned gift to the school—as part of her estate plan— as a way to ensure that a future student might have her experience. “Everything good that has happened to me is because of Bishop’s,” she says. “My lifelong friendships, the people who have had the biggest impact in my life, are all from Bishop’s. I want to give others the same opportunity.”
The Bishop’s School
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7607 La Jolla Boulevard La Jolla, California 92037-4799
parting shots
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