The Kew-Forest School is an independent, coed, college preparatory school from Preschool through Grade 12. With a legacy spanning more than a century, K-F is more than a school, it is a transformative experience with a challenging, inquiry-based curriculum, immersed in a smallby-design, inclusive classroom environment. This unique, safe, daily immersion inspires every student to explore and expand creative interests, apply courageous and innovative thinking to each subject, and become an ethical contributor to the local and global communities.
Letter from the Head of School
Dear Members of The Kew-Forest School Community,
As we conclude another academic year at The Kew-Forest School and begin the next, I’m proud to witness how our institution continues to excel as a beacon of educational excellence in Queens, New York. Every day this year, I have seen the transformative impact of our faculty, staff, alumni, parents, and supporters on the lives of our students, ensuring that our legacy of excellence continues to grow.
With each passing year, we build upon the strong foundation laid by the many dedicated members of our community over the past century and engage in rigorous curricular growth. This past year we laid the foundations for International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes in our Lower and Middle schools, extending the depth and reach of learning at Kew-Forest.
Across the country independent school operating expenses exceed tuition revenue, and our school relies on your contributions to keep evolving, growing, and offering a world-class education to every child who walks through our doors. Thanks to people like you, not only did we exceed the benchmarks in progressing toward IB authorization this past year, we also completely overhauled our internet service,
continued facilities upgrades, and brought in engaging speakers and performers for our students. In supporting Kew-Forest you are not just sustaining the oldest independent school in Queens – you ensure that generations of children will continue to benefit from a high-quality, inclusive, international-minded education in a warm and welcoming community.
We encourage you to be part of our ongoing success by supporting Kew-Forest, whether by donating to the Ad Summum Fund, attending fundraising events, or volunteering your time and talents. Your continued generosity honors our school’s storied past while paving the way for an even brighter future.
Thank you for believing in our mission and investing in our community.
Sincerely,
Tiffany D. Trotter Head of School
Letter from the Board Chair
Dear Families, Friends and Alumni,
I am delighted to present our annual report for the 2023-2024 school year. So much has happened this year, but at the core is student achievement. 100% of our seniors are graduating, and 100% have been accepted into top-tier colleges. We know with confidence that they will go out in the world with the ability and desire to be lifelong learners and leaders in this world.
This year has been both challenging and exciting. The construction of the new building next door will be completed by Spring 2025. I, along with all of the Board, have been involved from the sale of the property to this final stage. It was a big transition for the school, but the sale established a healthy financial foundation with the potential to stabilize Kew-Forest’s future. But we need to do more. Like at all independent schools, tuition does not cover the cost of educating our students and we rely on our alumni and families to bridge that gap.
Why is this urban, educational haven important? Kew-Forest creates leaders and our alumni move the world forward. With a relatively small number of alumni, we are a group of enormously successful individuals.
Every professional industry in this country has a Kew-Forest alumnus who is considered a leader in that field. It is impossible to find the common thread within their skills and talents, but where you do find commonality is in their educational foundation, The Kew-Forest School.
Giving back to your alma mater, Kew-Forest, makes an immediate difference to our students. Every gift here impacts our students through scholarships, classroom equipment, or enhanced programs. I give because it’s important to me that Kew-Forest continues to educate the best and brightest children of Queens. I know it’s important to you, too. Thank you for your continued generosity.
Sincerely,
Christopher D’Amato Chair, Board of Trustees
100%
High School Graduation
2023-2024 Highlights
100% College Acceptance
75%
Matriculation to U.S. Top Tier Colleges
More than 50 Family and Student Events
40 First Time Donors
More than 20% Of Our Donors Have Given 5 Years Consecutively
International Baccalaureate Candidate For Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP)
Letter from the Alumni Council Chair
Dear Friends and Alumni of Kew-Forest,
I am honored to write a letter about what Kew-Forest means to me and how K-F provided the foundation upon which I attribute so many of my successes.
I am incredibly grateful for my time at K-F. The exceptional education and nurturing environment created a space for not only my personal and academic growth, but also my experiences as an athlete.
Kew-Forest School was more to me than just an educational institution; it was my second home and extended family. My ongoing friendships with many of you are proof of that.
The values instilled in me during my time at K-F have shaped my character and significantly contributed to many years as a competitive athlete and coach, as well as my successful career in education.
I am truly grateful for the experiences and lessons I gained from The Kew-Forest School, and I am dedicated to giving back to this wonderful school community as an engaged
alumna. I love reconnecting with alumni, contributing to K-F initiatives, and supporting the next generation of students in every way possible.
Sincerely,
Gaby R-H Class of ’78 Chair, Alumni Council
July 1, 2023 –June 30, 2024
2023-2024 Financial Review
The Kew-Forest School does not receive funding from federal, state, or local governments. We rely on revenue generated through tuition, auxiliary sources, and the generosity of our donors.
July 1, 2023 –June 30, 2024
$25,000 AND UP
Louis Moskowitz ’53 l l
$10,000-$24,999
Michael Siegel ’80 l l Yury Yakubchyk ’09
$5,000-$9,999
Amy & Christopher D’Amato, P ’18, ’19, ’21 l l
Ellen Zeldin Honig ’86 & Daniel Honig ’87; P ’15, ’22 l l
Gregory L. Matalon ’91 l l
Noelle Shearman ’87 & Ethan Brown, P ’23, ’26 l l
Linda and K.C. Toh, P ’21, ’24, ’29 l l
$1,000-$4,999
Shereen Beydoun ’81, P ’09
Butter Beans, Inc.
Colgate-Palmolive Company
Lee Reginald Cross ’81 l l
Gerhard Fedde ’54 l
William Follows ’59
Steven ’61 and Jan Golann l
Sanam Hafeez, P ’33
The Kew-Forest School Board of Trustees
Lynn & Dante Leven, P ’27, ’29, ’36
2023-2024
Donor List
Daniel Paulson ’59
Andrea Renault, P ’06 & Remy Renault ’06 l l
Barbara and Jeffrey Schuckman ’59
Roberta and Jeffrey Sommers ’59
Jane Rabin Stern ’61
Lauren Stransky ’79, P ’07, ’11 l l
Tiffany D. Trotter l
Liliya Khaymovich & Yuriy Zubatyy, P ’24 l l
$500-$999
Hanna A. Abebe and Cyrus E. Dugger, P ’37
Arbitman Orthodontics
Shanaz & Zaman Baksh, P ’26, ’29
Andrew Bass
Jennifer Baum, P ’24
Patricia and Ignatius Evans ’59 l l
Paula Lipton Gerber ’59
Wei Ju and Yin Tan, P ’30
Evelyn Seeler McKay ’79
Monahan Family, P ’28
Liza & Joseph Pollini, P ’29 l
Felice & Lewis Rovegno, P ’99
Salinas-Melzer Family, P ’34
Barbara and Theodore Sergi l
Judith Tankard ’59
$250-$499
Douglas Alfred Decker ’58
Candice Ferrette ’96 l
Peter Goodstein ’68 l l
Leslie Gussin ’61
Lynne Harrison ’64
Ibanez Family, P ’25
Marjorie Gibson Kulesa ’64
Wayne Kurzner ’74
Lexis ’14 and Kenneth Mickens
Harry Rauch ’59
Gail Gifford Rudin ’52 l l
Ellen Horowitz Schnipper ’59
Ellen Siegel ’71
Soraya Díaz Tamayo
Jacqueline Velez-Zeid and Tarek Zeid, P ’05, ’14
Saloni and Manish Wadia, P ’32
Jennifer Woerner-McLear ’01 and John McLear l l
UP TO $249
Rashaad Ahmad ’14
Anonymous
Michelle S. Aragón l
Kelley Archer and Scott
Gordon-Somers, P ’15, ’20, ’23 l l
Gerardo Bartholomäi l
Karin Bernstein l l = 5+ consecutive years of giving back to K-F l l = 10+ consecutive years of giving back to K-F
2023-2024
Donor List
UP TO $249 (cont.)
Blackman Family, P ’29
Heather Cahill
Robert Caplan ’64
Castillo Family, P ’29, ’33
Arthur Charap ’64
Shirley Chen and Liu Zhen Qun, P ’19, ’27
Celeste Concepcion ’14
Aditi Daga ’97
Celia D’Amato ’18
Hedia Delit Cantor ’64
Maria Dolgovina & Yuri
Mirgorodskiy, P ’24, ’26
Michael Donovan l
Lyla Eaton
Stacy Frigerio ’04
Aida Gabuzda ’74
Catalina Gambra-Sposato
Jaclyn & Samuel Garfinkel
Kenneth George ’74
Katie Gibson
Gary Gordon l l
Fred Grant
Lynn Zuckerman Gray ’67 l
Preston Gumberich ’80
Consuelo Reese Hackett ’68
Joan Halligan
Xavier Jackson
Kana Kamitsubo and Sasha
Markovic, P ’32
Lloyd and Susan Lippman
Kannenberg ’57
Philip Kart ’67
Nicholas Kass ’61
Ravin Kaur and Kunal Arora, P ’36
Shaista Khan l
Gabriel Koatz ’14
Joseph Kovacs ’71 l l
Ivana Lazar-Colic and Peter Colic, P ’31 l
Regine Leconte, P ’33
Jennifer Levitt
Jay Lipman ’79
Feng Liu and Mo Chen, P ’31
Yue Liu and Jing Liu, P ’37
Lalita Lokenauth
Kathleen Lowery
Sharon Margulies ’74
Karina Mayall
Matthew Maycock ’14
Christina Schnyder McCarthy ’87
Safeera and Andrew Mongru, P ’35, ’38
Nick Monogenis ’86
Rebecca Montoya
Sandra Scarano Moskowitz ’64
Peggy Nash ’74
Adam Nelson ’80 l
Uzoamaka Nzegwu, P ’31
Oaktree Capital Management
Margherita and Ion Oltean, P ’19, ’24
Paul Onish
Amy Perez
Jolanta Piekarska and Marek
Dabrowski, P ’38
Alexander Polk
Jasmine & Anish Pradhan, P ’26, ’30
Joyce Qiu ’19
Caroline Rampello ’74
Meredith Reich Cohen ’74
Rachel Rekhter & Miguel Pincay, P ’34
Gabrielle Richard-Harrington ’78 l
Hemwattie and Dave Roopnarine, P ’26
Diandra Ross ’14
Felicia Rovegno ’99
Samantha Sachakov ’14
Simplex of Middle Village
Helen Catherine Wild Skinner ’48
Gina and Tristan Sipley
Ann and Christopher Spelman, P ’07, ’11
Gus Spelman ’07
Katia Sperduto, P ’24
Vikki Stark ’67
Grace Tom ’14
Diann and Joel Tramel, P ’31
Fannie and Nam Trinh, P ’34
Robert J. Ulrich ’59
Sharon Mazzarella Van Ness ’64
Norma Varsos, P ’16
Michelle Vessio ’08 l l
Sean Vigneau-Britt
Jessica Volkers
Shayla Whitaker ’21
Joan and James Whitehead l
Jade Wiederholt l
Chris Wright ’74
Cornell Wrisby & Melvin Jefferson, P ’28
Ernest Wunsch ’82
Mengduo Yang ’14
Volunteer Leaders
2023-2024 Financial Review
The Kew-Forest School volunteers are the ones we turn to for their skills and efforts to strengthen our school every day. Our volunteers enhance our school community for our students and alumni, and we are forever grateful.
ALUMNI COUNCIL MEMBERS
Gaby Richard-Harrington ’78 - Chair
Bruce Morgan Casner ’67
Adam Nelson ’80
Michael Siegel ’80
Nicole Shearman ’83
Lauren Stransky ’79
Elena Oltean ’24 - Student Rep
KFPA CO-PRESIDENTS
Kerry-Ann Holman P ’28, ’31
Fiona Monahan P ’28
Special thanks to the Class Ambassadors who volunteered to make the 2024 Reunion a great success!
Class Ambassador Reunion Volunteers
Lexis Mickens ’14
Jeff Schuckman ’59
Paul Onish ’64
Wayne Kurzner ’74
Sharon Margulies ’74
Lauren Stransky ’79
The 2024 Kew-Forest Reunion
On the weekend of June 21-22, 2024 the milestone classes of 1959, 1964, 1974, 2014, and 2019 came together to celebrate their lifelong friendships and Kew-Forest.
Fun was had by all - starting on Friday with our Senior basketball team playing against Kew Forest alumni. The MVP goes to Arthur Charap, Class of 1964!
On Saturday night, alumni, faculty, staff, and students reminisced, reconnected, and had loads of fun!
The Kew-Forest School cherishes our alumni and it gives us the greatest pleasure when you return to the K-F's halls. We hope to see you all at the 2025 Reunion on April 26th and 27th!
1960
Gail Hazelwood
2023-2024
Financial Review
Class/Alumni Notes
I sit on the board of a wonderful Ministry, Kenya Children’s Fund, which supports a school in a slum of Nairobi. Sponsoring 4 children there, I like to stay connected and travel to the school often. I will be going again in January with a new board member from Scottsdale, her husband, and 14-year-old twin boys. The trip will be so exciting to see the trip through the eyes of her children, which will include a safari to Masi Mara.
1964
Arthur Charap
Dr. Charap has dedicated his life to teaching, research, and humanitarian work on over 5 continents sharing his surgical experience and knowledge in Ophthalmology. He also dedicates his time as Chair of a guild that introduces at-risk adolescents to the Performing Arts. He enjoys a fit, healthy life in California and recently attended the recent K-F Alumni Reunion and played in the Alumni/Student Basketball Game.
Paul Onish
Retired after 50 years in the IT industry with a few patents to my name - most recently an innovative desktop envelope-addressing printer. Had a blast catching up with my classmates at the last K-F Alumni Reunion.
1968
Peter Goodstein
My wife, Ruth, and I have remained in NYC and currently live on the Upper West Side with our two poodles. Our daughter lives in Beverly Hills and our son lives nearby in Greenwich Village.
Stephen L. Hill
Just retired after 40 years of performing vascular and trauma surgery in Roanoke, Virginia. I have two children, one a professor at the Citadel and one a lawyer in Washington, DC.
1971
Bud Horowitz
I recently moved from Los Angeles, CA to Camas, WA. Left the city for the trees. Still working because I love what I do.
1973
Peter Strupp
When I signed up for a community college course in “Literature and Film” in 2019, had no idea that it would lead me and my wife of 38 years, Phyllis, to third careers as mini-moguls in the world of indie filmmaking. Five years later, we have three award-winning films under our belt. Our latest movie, “Better from Within,” premiered in May and has already garnered over 4600 views on YouTube (https://tinyurl. com/betterfromwithin) and 6 film festival
selections. We’ve always subscribed to the adage ‘Don’t retire . . . rewire.’ Filmmaking is a fun way to do just that. We share a message, create jobs, and keep our brains sharp by working with talented younger people from Phoenix’s filmmaking community.
1975
Robert A. Brinson
After Graduating from Ithaca College in 1979, I moved back to Queens and married my longtime girlfriend from college the following year. After living in Queens for 5 years we moved to North Yonkers where we had our two children, headed upstate to East of Buffalo, NY for 15 years, living next door to my in-laws. It was basically farm country and a huge change for me. We then escaped
N.Y. State for a place in Butler, PA; and then headed south to Conway (Myrtle Beach), SC. I retired from the Commercial and Architectural Window, Door, Glass, and Glazing business in 2018. I continue to work for myself as an independent insurance agent while my wife recently retired after 40 years with the same company. We currently have 4 grandchildren, ages 12, 10, 7, and 6 with one on the way in January 2025. I have been lucky enough to still be in contact with some of my K-F classmates and look forward to seeing them next year at our Reunion.
1977
Harry F. George
Just celebrated the wedding of my second child, have two grandchildren, been married
2023-2024 Financial Review
Class/Alumni Notes
35 years, and relocated my office to Westbury, NY after almost 35 years of private practice in Bellmore, NY. We are spending a lot of time in Delray Beach, Florida where we have a 2nd home, and California where our sons and grandsons reside when not in NY.
1982
David E Garcia
Living in Queens and working as an optometrist in NYC for the past 30 yrs.
1993
Ilana D. Arazie
I graduated with my MSW and have become a therapist based in New York, specializing in mindfulness. I find it rewarding to support people on their journey towards a healthy and happy self.
1997
Suzanne Diaz
After 15 years in the Banking and Finance industry, my family and I relocated to South Florida, where I founded Minds in Motion ABA Therapy Center. We specialize in working with children ages 2-7 with Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Our center recently received accreditation from the BHCOE, achieving the highest industry standards.
2008
Olivia Orlando-Donovan
Promoted to Of Counsel at the law firm of Wilson Elser LLP handling employment defense and counseling matters. On 10/15/24 I’ll be celebrating 1 year of marriage to Thomas Donovan!
2018
Sofia Rubin
I just finished directing my newest film “CUB” about an anxious 12-year-old mixedmartial artist. We filmed in the Kew-Forest gym, with generous support from K-F families, and on-screen participation from K-F students and alumni! We are currently in post-production and plan on submitting the film to various national and international film festivals this fall.
2024
Vinay Palta
I recently graduated from Kew-Forest and am attending NYU. I do research in exposomics at the Columbia University Medical Center. Exposomics is a newer field in environmental science that studies all exposures to humans that are not genetic but contribute to a person’s health or contribute to a person being diagnosed with a disease: diet, air pollution, alcohol, smoking, chemicals, etc.
