Prairie Magazine: Summer 2020

THE “WE” IN TEAM Soccer Program Enjoys Historic Season (P. 18)

ALUMNI MAGAZINE

LIGHTBULB MOMENTS Beloved Educator Calls it a Career (P. 22)

FROM A DISTANCE PRAIRIE GROWS CLOSER EVEN WHILE APART (P. 6)

SUMMER 2020

Contents —

P. 03 From the Head of School P. 04 Faculty Notes P. 05 Thank a Teacher

Campus Happenings P. 06 The People of Prairie: Students, Teachers, and Parents Make Online Learning

Possible P. 09 Student Advocates Testify at Wisconsin Statehouse P. 10 The Time is Right: Growing Bigger, Better, Together P. 14 Endless Impact: Honoring Kevin Will P. 17 Siyun (Nancy) Wang ’20 Tackles the Big Topics P. 18 The We in Teamwork Alumni P. 22 Lightbulb Moment: Tim Ellis ’77 Retires P. 26 With a Touch of Class: Remembering Harold Swanson P. 30 Alumni Notes

The Last Word P. 35 At the Heart of It All

Contributors Editor:

Brendan J. O’Brien

Designer:

Austin Gundlach

Authors:

Callie Atanasoff Nat Coffman 2 Dr. | prairieschool.com

Corey Oakland

Brendan J. O’Brien

Nich Schafer

Rachel Shuster

Patrick Wagner ’87

Senior Siyun (Nancy) Wang ‘20 and her fellow classmates picked up their caps, gowns, and yearbooks COVID-style in late May. Prairie hopes to celebrate its graduates on campus later this summer.

Read more about Nancy, Prairie’s latest National Merit Scholar, on page 17.

From the Head of School —

Dear Prairie Families, Communities offer many different kinds of support. Neighbors band together to look out for one another, helping in times of need and celebrating with block parties. Congregations join forces in faith and commitment. Clubs and organizations build relationships around shared interest and the greater good. Prairie’s community is among the strongest I have ever encountered and provides a wide range of connections.

“I am very grateful for the strength and tenacity with which our entire community has approached this unprecedented time.”

– Nat Coffman, Ed.D.

Guided by our mission, Prairie students, faculty, alumni, parents, and friends have come together for more than fifty years to create a sense of belonging and fellowship in support of our young people — working with them to develop their character, interests, skills, and leadership, all with the goal of helping make the world a better place.

Together we’ve confronted many challenges — but none have been quite like the one we are currently facing. We have had to quickly find ways to continue the work we do without face-to-face interaction, a hallmark of the Prairie experience, and I have been impressed by our faculty’s collective efforts to build stronger bonds despite the physical distance.

Faculty have collaborated to design and deliver the same high level of instruction in new formats. Students and their parents have partnered with their teachers and each other, sharing common workspaces and learning side-by-side. New social and learning events have been created, from Open Mic Night and baking classes to Zoom lunches and virtual murder mysteries. Everybody has worked incredibly hard to make sure we can accomplish our mutual goals. The experience may not be ideal, but together we are making it work and I am confident that our students are on track and growing.

There is a long road in front of us. Significant challenges and difficult decisions await in the months ahead, but I am very grateful for the strength and tenacity with which our entire community has approached this unprecedented time.

As you’ll read in this issue, a “can-do” spirit isn’t a new thing at Prairie. Our community has always worked together and supported each other. We are now, have always been, and will continue to be #BetterTogether.

Sincerely,

Nathaniel W. Coffman, Ed.D. Head of School & President

Faculty Notes

EDUCATORS PUT IN THE WORK AFTER-HOURS TO CONTINUE THEIR OWN LEARNING

—

After a two-year entrance process, Primary School and Health

Office Administrative Assistant LYNN ZOBEL has begun her studies toward becoming ordained as a Deacon of the Episcopal Church. Zobel has achieved the status of “Postulant,” allowing her to enter Formation School for two years of preparation. In the Episcopal Church, a Deacon exercises a special ministry of servanthood, serving all people and especially those in need.

Zobel reflects, “I never dreamed that, at this point in my life, a priority each week is to make sure my homework is turned in on time!”

Athletic Director JASON ATANASOFF officially received his Certified Athletic Administrator designation through the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NIAAA). He now joins a select group of individuals across the country who have obtained this classification.

Instrumental Music Teacher JAMIE BREIWICK had a busy fall! He wrote the introduction to a book titled “Milwaukee Jazz,” published at summer’s end. In October, he released an album titled “Awake: The music of Don Cherry” on Minneapolis-based record label Shifting Paradigm Records. Breiwick’s next album, “The Jewel” — recorded live in New York City back in 2017 — will be released on international label Ropeadope Records on July 10th, 2020. To top it all off, Breiwick was nominated for recognition as 2020’s Best Jazz Artist by the Wisconsin Area Music Industry.

US Girls’ Varsity Golf Coach CARRIE MASSEY joined the Athletic Hall of Fame at her alma mater, Nathan Hale High School, in West Allis, Wisconsin. Massey was honored for her contributions in Basketball, Volleyball, and Track between 1976-79.

EMILY HENKEL, Early School Educational Assistant, finished her final semester of classes toward earning an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Gateway Technical College. She will soon take a content-based test through Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction to officially add Early Childhood onto her existing teaching license, which she previously earned as part of her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin – Parkside.

In October, Upper School Fine Arts Teacher and Art Department Chair VICKI SCHMITZ presented at the Wisconsin Art Education Association’s annual conference on the topic of integrating art history and art-making at the high school level. Schmitz and former colleague Sarah Titus used a visual journal as a key component in a blended Art History/Art Making course in past years. During her WAEA presentation, participants were invited to create the cover for and bind their own visual journal, and Schmitz covered how to create journal entries that were a mix of visual and text material. “I found it interesting and reflective to present to other art educators,” Schmitz says. “The questions and feedback from the participants in the session helped further my thinking on how the experience feels from the student perspective.”

Over the past semester, JOY ARAGONES , Middle School Science Teacher, has worked on two fellowships through Field Day, a research lab and design studio based at the Wisconsin Center for Educational Research at the University of WisconsinMadison. The lab partners with educators to make games that bring contemporary research to the public; Joy’s fellowships have focused on creating games to reach classrooms. The first allowed her to team up with marine archaeologists, game designers, and content producers to design ideas for a free online game about Great Lakes shipwrecks. Aragones’ current cohort is blending machine learning and assessment research to create a dashboard that monitors student progress.

Births •

KAYLA (Athletic Trainer) and Jason Zeno announce the birth of Wyatt James on September 27th. [A]

•

TIM (Instrumental Music Teacher) and Elissa Ipsen

announce the birth of Emory William on February 4th. [B]

COURTNEY (School Nurse) and Travis Brady announce the birth of daughter Nolah Rae on March 25th. [C]

•

A

C

B

Thank a Teacher

Both in celebration of National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4th-8th), and in recognition of their leadership during a topsy-turvy time, members of Prairie’s administration drove around Southeastern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois, stopping at the homes of every TPS educator to show just how much their creativity and ingenuity was appreciated during a spring of distance learning.

The People of Prairie: Students, Teachers, and Parents Make Online Learning Possible

THERE MIGHT NOT BE AN “I” IN TEAM. BUT THERE’S A BUNCH IN DIGITAL LEARNING. — By Brendan J. O’Brien, Director of Communication

“The People make Prairie, Prairie.”

It’s one of Dr. Coffman’s favorite sayings. At a time when a pandemic and Stay-at-Home orders necessitate lessons and projects from living rooms and kitchen tables, never has this been more apparent.

Even during time apart, Prairie has found ways to grow closer together.

This has always been a school focused on building relationships: from mentors guiding mentees, to colleagues learning from one another, to big and little buddies bonding across divisions, ours is a school committed to knowing, valuing, supporting, and challenging each other.

This spring, we introduced a new online feature: the People of Prairie. To read more about the stories and relationships that help define our community, visit www.prairieschool.com.

Mission statements are created to guide institutions as they progress through the years. However, no one could have predicted just how prescient the second line of Prairie’s mission statement would prove in the spring of 2020: Our community of students, faculty, and families works together to create a collaborative and supportive culture grounded in human values – celebrating both our differences and commonalities.

Never has the need for a collaborative and supportive culture proven more necessary than in the past several months. While other

schools in Southeastern Wisconsin and across the country struggle to stay connected to students, Prairie has once again proven what we know to be true: that this is a special place filled with special people.

It’s Dr. Jean Weaver, Director of Math, Science, and Engineering, hosting a Kahoot Trivia party for members of her Science Olympiad team on a Friday night.

It’s Kelsey Cassidy ending every one of her Early School lessons with a yoga pose so Prairie’s youngest learners remember the importance of staying happy and healthy.

It’s the Prairie Art Department kicking off their Show us Your heART campaign as a way for students to remain engaged and creative during an uncertain time.

Small gestures with residual impact: now, more than ever, these are important for students and families, and perfect examples of the care and compassion Prairie’s teachers routinely exhibit outside of the classroom… even when they’re not in a classroom.

This isn’t to say it’s been easy. It’s taken intention and collaboration. Students miss their friends, teachers miss being in the classroom, and parents miss the days when they didn’t have to explain math. Yet despite these circumstances, the community has come together to ensure continued learning and growth from home.

“I’ve been really impressed with our community and how everyone has dealt with it in their own unique way,” said Dr. Coffman in his latest video to parents. “I’m proud of 8 | prairieschool.com

our students for working hard, I’m proud of our teachers for building the program, and I continue to be impressed by parents’ ability to juggle everything – work, kids, pets, weather, just everything!”

Prairie Senior Sarah Gesner addresses lawmakers

in Madison while speaking in support of Assembly Bill 816, the Holocaust Education Bill.

Campus Happenings

studies curricula around the state of Wisconsin. The measure has received widespread attention not only on the state level, but nationally as well.

Supported by their teachers, three Prairie

“If we were to teach, and learn from our past, then we might be able to have a stronger future,” noted 8th grader Caroline Berkey in a written testimony, which was shared with members of the committee prior to their hearing. “Whether we reach the whole state, or we change one life with one class. That one person could start to read and research about the Holocaust. And that is one more person who remembers.”

STUDENT ADVOCATES TESTIFY AT WISCONSIN STATEHOUSE

students traveled to Madison to stand up for an issue they believe in

— By Rachel Shuster, Communication Manager It was a snowy Friday afternoon on Prairie’s campus when English teacher Jenny Cobb got the phone call.

Members of the Wisconsin State Assembly were inviting her students to Madison. But this wasn’t just your standard-issue Statehouse tour; lawmakers wanted members of the Prairie community to join them at a committee hearing, to hear what they had to say on an issue close to their hearts.

“I was so excited for the girls!” Cobb says. “This was something they knew a lot about, and it showed.”

The issue: Holocaust education. It’s a topic Middle School students at Prairie have learned about for years, through lessons coordinated between Social Studies (where they study World War II history) and English (where they read stories from the perspective of Holocaust survivors). Upper School students also address this period of time in their history courses. But not all Wisconsin students are afforded the same opportunity — and Mrs. Cobb, along with Prairie seniors Sarah Gesner ’20, Diya Mehra ’20, and Caroline Berkey ’24, wanted to help change that.

So, one weekday during class, the group drove to Madison to speak in support of Assembly Bill 816, the Holocaust Education Bill. This bipartisan legislation would mandate instruction about the Holocaust and other instances of genocide in all middle and high school social

Sarah Gesner was selected from a handful of students who submitted written comments to be the featured student speaker at the hearing.

“Witnessing firsthand the United States’ democratic process, especially as it related to an issue so important to me, was such a neat experience,” reflected Gesner, upon the group’s return to campus.

For her part, Jenny Cobb hopes that — if nothing else — students involved in this process and those who hear about their experience start a conversation about what this kind of education brings to light outside of just English and Social Studies classrooms.

“We live in a world where hate has become all too common,” Cobb wrote in her own written testimony. “We are able to relate the horrors of the Holocaust to the difficult issues my students face…Doing anything less would deny our children the education they need to create a hope-filled future and have the knowledge to stand up to all forms of bigotry and hate.”

As of this article’s publication, Assembly Bill 816 has passed through the Assembly and is being presented to the Senate.

Should both chambers pass the measure, it will go to Governor Tony Evers for signature and implementation into law.

the time is right digital rendering of main entrance

digital rendering of playground side

digital rendering of foyer and hallway

SCHOOL UNVEILS MAJOR ADDITION AT ANNUAL STATE OF THE SCHOOL ADDRESS — By Brendan J. O’Brien In the weeks leading up to Dr. Coffman’s 2020 State of the School Address, Prairie began inviting to parents to the annual presentation. This was nothing new. However, in addition to the usual updates – insight on the school’s accomplishments and financial standing – parents were also encouraged to attend in order to hear a “Very special announcement.”

That announcement proved to be the unveiling of plans for a brandnew, 12,500 square foot Early

School building on the east side of campus.

digital rendering of a classroom

And so, on a Tuesday morning in early February, a standing roomonly crowd filled the Hilpert Room, many erupting in applause when Dr. Coffman shared the news.

“This new space will allow students the larger environment needed to ignite their curiosity... more room to move throughout our centers exploring, questioning, investigating, collaborating, creating, and reflecting. These are essential skills when building a young child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development.”

— terie carpenter, lead early school teacher

AN EXCEPTIONAL FOUNDATION Prairie’s Early School program has enjoyed remarkable growth in recent years. From 2013-15 the average number of students in the Early School was twenty-two. This year, that number has jumped to fifty-three. Fueled by the creation of a first-ever third ES section in 2017, the Early School has grown by more than 100% in just five years.

“The demand has exploded recently,” said Molly Lofquist Johnson, Senior Director of Admission. “We’ve routinely had a waiting list since 2017. People can see what an exceptional experience our Early School teachers are providing, and families want that kind of foundation for their children.”

With bigger classrooms – the rooms in the new building will measure roughly 1,220 sq. ft. – teachers will have more choices when facilitating creative play and learning opportunities. Further, more space per child means a calmer atmosphere more conducive to cooperative social play, small group or one-on-one academic support, and space for individual work or rest with a congruence that the current rooms cannot provide.

“This new space will allow students the larger environment needed to ignite their curiosity,” said Terie Carpenter, Lead Early School Teacher. “More room to move throughout our centers exploring, questioning, investigating, collaborating, creating, and reflecting. These are essential skills when building a young child’s social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development.”

The building’s opening in the fall of 2021 will coincide with the creation of Prairie’s fourth Early School section. This will not only bring A CAMPUS-WIDE IMPACT new students and families into the school community, but will also allow for increasingly While the new building will be home to balanced classrooms and optimal studenteverything Early School, the impact of the teacher ratios. addition will reverberate across campus.

Current Early School classrooms will be converted into a new Early School and Kindergarten Dining Room, a Primary School Art Room, and a brand-new Primary School Music Room. A new 2,000 square foot multi-purpose room in the new building will be home to Prairie’s popular before and after school care programs, freeing up the SRC, where Stay & Play is currently housed.

In 1965, Imogene Powers Johnson founded a school that stressed the importance of exploration and discovery, of adventure and curiosity. Today, her dream lives on in Prairie’s continued growth.

“We remain committed to furthering Mrs. Johnson’s dream and helping students become their best selves,” said Dr. Coffman. “Here at Prairie, that commitment begins at age three with an unforgettable early childhood experience at the top private school in Wisconsin.”

GROUNDBREAKING GIFT

“Craig and I are thrilled to support the expansion of Prairie’s Early School program.

Increasing the opportunity for Prairie to offer the highest quality learning experience to more of our community’s youngest has always been an important part of my Mom’s vision for the school and continues to be an important part of our mission today,” said Helen Johnson-Leipold, Chair of Prairie’s Board of Trustees.

While the Leipold family’s contribution will allow for a summer groundbreaking, school leaders are committed to responsibly opening and operating the Early School building – which means not only fundraising to renovate already-existing classrooms, but also to fund the maintenance and operation of the entire facility. Over the next two years, Prairie will solicit additional gifts to both the building and to the school’s endowment, which will support the ongoing costs of operating its bigger, better footprint.

Thanks to the thoughtful philanthropic leadership of Craig Leipold and Helen Johnson Leipold ’74, Prairie will break ground on the new building in June 2020.

The Leipold family’s lead gift provides the necessary funding for construction, and Prairie will name the Leipold Johnson Early Childhood Center in their honor.

To support the Bigger, Better, Together or to learn more about named giving opportunities, contact Aliya Pitts, Chief Advancement Officer, at 262-752-2520 or apitts@prairieschool.com.

Endless IMPAC Kevin Will and Elliot Reske ‘21 share a laugh during class.

ENDOWED FUND HONORING KEVIN WILL TO HELP PRAIRIE TEACHERS LEARN AND GROW DURING EARLY STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS

Will, middle, with the epic beard and hair combo, poses with his Middle School students in the late 80s.

—

– By Patrick Wagner ’87 Kevin Will has been part of Prairie’s fabric longer than he has not.

A teacher, advisor, coach, mentor and friend to

students from thirty-six graduating classes, I was fortunate to be a sophomore the year he joined

the faculty. “Wilbur” has inspired many students

to explore their dreams and passions - for me, he Will and the author, Pat Wagner ’87, playing doubles.

did that and more. He has been a longtime friend, and I’ve been fortunate to add “colleague” and “groomsman” to our relationship.

Will at the retirement celebration for

friend and colleague Bonnie Benes.

CT

When Wilbur called me to let me know this would be his last year of full-time teaching at Prairie, it

really hit me how fortunate TPS students were to

have dedicated teachers like Pat Badger, Tim Ellis ’77, Bonnie Benes, Everett McKinney, and Kevin Will: teachers who helped guide them through the challenging and important years of Middle

and Upper School. These five, like so many Prairie educators, always showed exceptional dedication both inside and beyond the classroom.

I would not be where I am without the commitment of my Prairie teachers, and Wilbur tops that list.

During my time at Prairie, he was my advisor,

instructor, coach, and mentor. He had an amazing way of providing perspective when life, as it often does for a teenager, felt chaotic.

This support continued after graduation.

Will and several students leave from the Newfound Harbor Maine Institute during an Interim trip to the Florida Keys in the spring of 1988. (Photo credit: Pete Icke ‘88)

At the end of my freshman year at Marquette

Prairie and will always be part of what

move my stuff back home.

Advancement Office, I’m proud to announce

University when he let me borrow his truck to makes the school special. Working with the When I started my first job and he and his wife came down to visit in central Illinois.

A call at 5:30AM on a February morning letting me know his son Ethan was born.

As the years moved on we’ve always picked

up where we left off. I was fortunate enough to get to the point where I could return a

fraction of the support he provided me for many years.

Teachers whose dedication goes beyond the classroom have been a hallmark of

!

we have developed the Kevin Will Fund for Excellence in Teaching.

This fund will allow Prairie to further invest in the development of its faculty, which will

ensure the legacy of exceptional teachers will continue.

If you are interested in contributing a gift

in honor of Kevin Will – or another teacher who affected your life – please contact Joan Bolewski in the Advancement Office at 262-752-2530 or visit us online at

www.prairieschool.com/thank-mr-will.

As if upending most of the second semester wasn’t enough, the COVID-19 pandemic is

changing summer plans as well. In the interest of everyone’s health and safety – and after discussing options with Kevin Will – he has chosen to postpone his celebration until 2021.

We will let everyone know once the new date has been announced.

Campus Happenings

SIYUN (NANCY) WANG ’20 TACKLES THE BIG TOPICS

Malone Schools Online Network Offers Prairie Students Unusual – and Exceptional – Opportunities

— By Brendan O’Brien

Aspiring artist. Talented essayist. Math Club President. Choir songstress. Fearless wielder of backstage drills.

There aren’t many things Nancy Wang ’20 has failed to try during her time on campus.

Go ahead and add Online Taker of Extremely Tricky Classes to the ever-growing list. This semester, Wang, who will be studying Fiber Science at Cornell University in the fall, took her fourth class through the Malone Schools Online Network (MSON).

In spring of 2011, Prairie was selected as one of the nation’s top fifty independent schools by the Malone Family Foundation to receive a $2 million endowment award to establish The Malone Scholars Program. This initiative, started by the Malone Family Foundation, aims to provide “An outstanding education to every top-level student who displays the keen desire and motivation to learn, yet lacks the resources to finance such an education.”

While Prairie’s Malone endowment affords it the opportunity to offer significant scholarship awards, it also grants TPS entry into MSON.

MSON courses are designed to push any student who wants that extra leap by offering the opportunity to take unusual, high-level courses intended to bolster a participating school’s curriculum. Students across the country participate in synchronous instruction on topics ranging from Bob Dylan’s America to Environmental Bioethics to Multivariable Calculus.

“I have really enjoyed the MSON courses I’ve taken,” she says. “They are definitely challenging and focus on things one wouldn’t normally learn in a regular high school setting; they’re more like college courses. Class discussions are fun, the teachers are chill, and what we learn is just overall pretty cool.”

Author’s Note: We can add National Merit Scholar to the list of Nancy’s accomplishments. In May, she was named one of 2,500 National Merit Scholarship winners by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation from a pool of 7,600 finalists.

Congratulations, Nancy!

The “We” In “Teamwork” I always stress “we,” and the process and achievements we experience together. This year, the girls and boys as a group of soccer

the State Final in the same year. Watching both our young men and women represent our school at that level meant everything.

I say that humbly, but also with a great deal of pride in what we accomplished. It’s a small number of schools that can say they have had two teams from the same sport compete in

We already set the bar high with eleven State Final appearances and six State Championships in the last decade alone.

That’s a tough standard to live up to, but I am proud of our players for embracing the

players have quite a lot to celebrate.

18 | prairieschool.com

PRAIRIE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A FORCE ON WISCONSIN’S SOCCER SCENE, BUT THIS PAST YEAR WAS ONE FOR THE BOOKS. – By Corey Oakland, Head Coach, Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer challenge while managing the pressure. Our goals for the season begin and end with being at the top of the mountain on the final day,

to our mindset: “Pursue perfection and catch excellence along the way.” If you define perfection as winning the State

There’s a quote often attributed to Vince Lombardi which I think applies

That’s where we are now. Where are we headed next?

but no one can forget how special it is to simply qualify for, and compete in, the State Tournament — much less the State Final.

Championship, the boys came close this year and the girls won it all — it doesn’t get much better than that.

A YEAR TO REMEMBER The combined season achievements in 2019 for Prairie’s Boys’ and Girls’ Soccer teams make for an impressive list: • 0 conference losses • 5 total losses • 35 total wins • 2 Metro Classic Conference Championships • 4 Conference Player of the Year awards: Cate Patterson ‘19 (Offensive Player of the Year), Laney Peterson ‘19 (Defensive Player of the Year), Luis Garduño ‘20 (Player of the Year), Francesco Quattrone ‘20 (Defensive Player of the Year) • 2 County Player of the Year awards: Cate Patterson ‘19, Luis Garduño ‘20 • 1 WSA Hall of Fame inductee: John Salazar • 2 WSCA Coach of the Year Awards • 2 WIAA Regional Championships • 2 WIAA Sectional Championships • Two #1 seedings in the 16+ team sectional brackets • Two #1 overall seedings in the state tournament • 2 state semifinal wins • 12 WIAA State Tournament team and individual records • WIAA Record (all divisions) for goals in a State Tournament game (8) • 2 WIAA State Tournament Finalists • 1 WIAA State Championship

It’s always hard to lose Seniors that have meant so much to the school — especially a talented group of Senior girls who did not get a chance to play their final high school season.

Those girls will go out on top — after all, they are still the reigning state champs.

We are fortunate to have outstanding groups of underclassmen that greatly impacted both teams, and those students will be the flagbearers for the next generation of players. The returning boys have tasted some success as state runners-up, but they’re still hungry for that final win — and that provides great motivation.

No matter what we achieve next, we’ll continue to work for it as a team. We’ve used the word “fun” a lot over the last few years and it’s not just a casual or throwaway term: it’s a commitment to enjoying the process and learning from the pursuit of your goals. We will continue to set the bar high, but we’ll also enjoy the challenge together. State runner-up can provide great motivation — but there’s also that challenge to get over the hump.

The girls returning as state champions certainly puts a target on their back — but both programs have dealt with that target and pressure for years, and will continue to be a target in the future.

We’ve used the word “fun” a lot over the last few years and it’s not just a casual or throwaway term. It’s a definite commitment to enjoying the process and the pursuit of your goals.

Of course there are serious and demanding

moments as well, but I truly believe it’s impossible to be at your best, whether it be as an individual or team, if you’re not enjoying the process along the way.

We will continue to set the bar high, but we’ll also continue to enjoy the challenge, together.

Tim Ellis addresses the Prairie girls’ basketball team during a game in the 1980s.

Lightbulb moments

TIM ELLIS RETIRES AFTER THIRTY-TWO YEARS — By Brendan J. O’Brien Back behind the Performing Arts Circle, in front of the small, rock-lined stream that meanders through much of Wind Point, sits the school’s junior varsity soccer field. On this particular day, over two hundred high school students have gathered atop the pitch to celebrate the completion of the first week of classes. They play Twister and eat Bomb Pops and get Henna tattoos. As far as school picnics go, this one is pretty epic. A perfect August afternoon. The kind of day made for memories.

After thirty-two years of teaching, coaching, and advising at Prairie, he was – as they say in athletic parlance – hanging ’em up.

In true Ellis fashion, he didn’t want it to be a big deal. He didn’t want to bother colleagues busy tidying up grades before hitting the road for summer vacation. Most of all, he didn’t want to infringe on the celebration soon taking place for his longtime friend and colleague, Everett McKinney, Prairie’s outgoing Head of School.

Okay, so, later then. Perhaps he would enjoy being recognized at halftime of a Prairie Not three months earlier ¬– the morning after basketball game, a pursuit to which he the 2018-19 school year ended – Ellis paid dedicated so many hours of his life. a visit to Lisa Koleske, Director of Human Nope. Ellis only wanted one thing: to see Resources, to inform her his time had come. what lie ahead.

The kind of day Tim Ellis ’77 always loved.

A MOTHER’S INTUITION Fast forward a few months: past last summer, past the picnic where Ellis’s undercover entrance was rock star both in style and result.

(Despite entering away from the mania, on the opposite end of the soccer field, he was soon mobbed by students excited to him.)

This fast forwarding brings us to November, to the scene of the one concession Ellis granted: an interview. Despite the suggestion of lunch or coffee, he wanted to meet in the Johnson Athletic Center as he spends many a morning walking the track in the JAC. “I’m not doing this for me,” he says after we sit. “I’m not interested in a celebration. Or coming back for a Homecoming. I agreed to do this so my former advisees, students, classmates, and parents could hear from me.”

Like many conversations with Ellis, the discussion begins with Chicago sports. We discuss the Bears’ struggling offense – the bumbling quarterback, the missing threat at tight end, the team’s maddening insistence on getting the ball to Tarik Cohen, a five-footsix scat back, several yards behind the line of scrimmage.

“Now you got me fired up,” he says, smiling.

“We should have waited to do this until the end.”

Sports are an apt entry point as athletics and physical education – and the life lessons that unfold when players and coaches bond – have greatly defined the man’s time at TPS. His initial arrival in Wind Point resulted from a casual conversation on a court. He attended

Gifford for elementary and middle and grew up a block from Park High School. “I was starting to setup my high school schedule and I was going to attend Park. And one day I asked one of my coaches what he thought about all the kids going to St. Catherine’s.

One of my best friends, Harvey Knuckles, he was going there. And I was intrigued. And this coach actually knew someone coaching at Prairie. So, me and another guy ended up visiting. We took an entrance exam and a tour, and I thought – boy, this is like a business!”

Almost immediately, Ellis got a crash course on connection, determination, and trust.

“Come to find out after my first year – holy smokes – I don’t fit here. Kids were smarter than me. I wasn’t getting good enough grades.

Ellis talking with students during a return visit to campus for the Upper School Picnic in August 2020.

was my English teacher. Mr. Corsica taught me math. My basketball coach was Gary Ludvickson. Harold Swanson started me in tennis. There were people who were really unbelievable, who took an interest.”

A LIFETIME OF LIGHTBULB MOMENTS That mutual curiosity – both the interest people showed in him and the ability to pursue different things – would always stand out to Ellis.

Ellis with one of his mentors, Sandy Freres.

I was a solid B student and first semester at Prairie I got some C’s. Got my first D. I said to my mom, ‘I don’t think I belong here.’”

Ezell Ellis, however, had a hunch. Yes, her son missed his friends. Yes, he was experiencing culture shock. However, she also understood this was a pivotal moment in her young son’s life.

“She encouraged me educationally. Dad just wanted to make sure you represented the family properly, that we weren’t getting into trouble. That kind of stuff. Mom said, ‘Give it another year.’ Dick Zimmerman was my advisor and wanted me to stay. I’m sure Z and my mom had a conversation. I was a momma’s boy, so I did what she said.”

As Ellis became more comfortable on campus – as he found his passion and the people willing to invest in him – things got easier.

“I have these snapshots in my head of people who impacted my time here. Hugh Rayburn was my Spanish teacher. Dick Zimmerman

“At Prairie, you can find something you might not have had any idea you had an interest for, and you can do it. Or, you can find the thing you are totally immersed in and become that much better at it. Whether in the classroom or on the athletic field you have that opportunity. That’s not always the case at certain places. The other thing is, is what kids tell me when they return. You get what you put in. Whatever you put in at Prairie, that’s what you’ll get back.”

One of the most impactful moments as a student happened sophomore year when he was asked to help Dick Christensen, a Science teacher, coach the Middle School boys’ basketball team. Ellis, a standout player in his own right, was a quick study. Junior year he was asked to take over the team alone. “You could say that sort of spurred an interest in coaching.”

After attending graduate school at Miami University where Ellis served as an assistant for mens’ basketball and mens’ tennis, he taught at the University of Chicago Laboratory School before returning to Wind

Point. At Prairie, his passion for basketball and tennis remained as he coached both boys and girls at all levels, middle school to varsity, throughout his career.

“I always enjoyed the practices,” he says. “I liked the games, the competition. Sometimes you’re successful and sometimes you’re not.

And you have to measure that however you’re going to measure it. But I enjoyed the practices. I liked the lightbulb moments – where you see something click for a kid.

When they figure it out, whether it’s a team concept or individual skill or a strategy. Those lightbulb moments, you like to have a lot of them, but that doesn’t always happen.”

STAYING STRAIGHT

Ellis eagerly helps out a student during a Middle School scavenger hunt in 2018.

another year. Then another year. I wanted to go out on my own terms. My health is good. Three years coming to high school here, thirty-two more making that left turn in to Prairie – that’s a lot of left turns – I wanted to see what would happen if I stayed straight.”

Teaching is an endeavor rooted in reciprocity.

While students fortunate enough to have Ellis WHAT’S NEXT as a teacher, coach, or advisor were impacted by the insights of their humble mentor, it was Quitting anything cold turkey is tough. the teacher who often left enlightened.

Leaving a community you’ve called home for over thirty years, well, that can be next to “I’ve learned so much from my students,” he impossible. Last fall, Ellis spent several days says. “I’ve become a better listener as a result subbing at Prairie and also helped out “just of them. I have a better understanding of a little bit” with girls’ tennis. So, for now, the learning styles and what’s important to each left turns still continue, even if they aren’t as student. Take them where they’re at and see frequent as they once were. if you can go forward from there. That’s what I tried to do. Good teachers coach and good coaches teach.”

It worked, his impact evident in the way students questioned his decision to retire.

“Some kids asked, ‘Mr. Ellis, why’d you retire?

You could have stayed another year.’ Yeah, I could have. And then it might have been

And on the days he does return, whether for a picnic or a practice, Tim Ellis does so the same way he left, the same way he impacted Prairie for over three decades: quietly, confidently, content to hover on the edges of the action, his impact rippling across campus.

With a Tou FEW INDIVIDUALS HAVE IMPACTED PRAIRIE AS PROFOUNDLY AS HAROLD SWANSON — By Nich Schafer, Physical Education Teacher, Girls’ and Boys’ Varsity Tennis Coach

Remembering Swanny’s legacy is not hard to do: his love of reading, learning, teaching, and coaching is a part of anyone who had the privilege of knowing him. As a colleague, he taught me how to teach and coach tennis for the love of the game and of the athlete, athletic or not. In the 4,200+ hours of working summer tennis with Swanny, and the countless hours of coaching during the girls’ and boys’ seasons, I had the advantage of witnessing his

multitude of stories, wisdoms (both tennis and life), sayings, and above all, his ability to give.

After retirement, when he no longer had a need for his collection of old rackets, he brought them to school as he knew I could put them to use. With the help of Bill Reid ’73, the SwanSun was created and now hangs in the tennis entrance of the JAC. This wall hanging consists of Swanny’s old wood rackets and his forever-famous hat.

uch of Class Through the years, Swanny always had great handouts – Swanisms – for his players. They hold true to this day and I have a folder full of them. A favorite was Advice Worth Thinking About, by Coach. #15 on this list of 15 reads: “If you continue to improve you’re a winner and the winning will eventually take care of itself.”

Thank you coach Swa. And remember everyone, waist high, swing out, and do everything with a touch of class.

SwanSun Created by Bill Reid ’73 with Swanny’s old wood rackets and his forever-famous hat, the one-ofa-kind tribute now hangs in the tennis entrance of the JAC.

TO KNOW HIM WAS TO LOVE-LOVE HIM Arriving on campus in 1970, Harold Swanson – iconic coach, committed educator, and cherished mentor – spent nearly fifty years as the heart and soul of Prairie tennis. He was 84 when he died. Shortly after the school shared the news of his passing, memories of his impact and kindness poured in.

Our hearts remain with his wife, Kathryn, and the entire Swanson family.

He had this amazing way of making you believe in yourself on and off the court. He was such an incredible individual and I feel so blessed to have had him in my life. ~ Kelly Gandhi Gahr ’89 I had a profound respect for him. I respected what he brought to his program/players; his commitment both in time and in energy towards seeing them get better was admirable! He was a great and fun person and that is something that I will always remember about Swanny! ~ Joe Stekel, former Prairie teacher and coach I practiced under Coach Swanson from my Primary School years all the way through the end of my Senior year on Prairie’s Varsity team.

He has been through thick and thin with me all throughout my career and even coached me in USTA matches, unrelated to Prairie tennis. My heart goes out to this man and his family. I will forever be grateful to him for making tennis an incredible experience during my childhood. ~ Paolo Enrique ’09 28 | prairieschool.com

I’ll never forget how we were singing the 12 Days of Christmas, and it was “Seven Swanny’s Swinging.” As a current teacher, I can say that we might not always remember the academic lessons, but we remember our interactions. He was definitely dedicated to the kids and school. ~ Anne Marie Frankovis ’01 Great teacher, mentor, and the one who always encouraged you to play tennis “With a touch of class.” You will be missed. ~ David Hall III ’03 Swa led our team to the State Championship and showed us what it meant to be good sports, win or lose. (I suspect he also was giving lessons in philosophy and probs and stats as part of teaching us the game.) He will long be remembered for his commitment to Prairie and its tennis program.

Much gratitude to him and many thanks. ~ Cheryl (Knapp) Crabb ’86

SWANNY WAS A PRAIRIE SCHOOL FIXTURE FOR FIVE DECADES. EVERYONE – FROM THE PLAYERS HE COACHED, TO THE COLLEAGUES HE TAUGHT ALONGSIDE – WILL REMEMBER THE INDELIBLE IMPACT HE HAD ON THIS SCHOOL.

Alumni Notes —

1980s

Roger Hill ’81, Chairman and CEO of The Gettys Group, will be leading a $29 million plan to convert the old Zahn’s Department Store in Racine into an independent, eighty-eight-room boutique hotel. Hill co-founded The Gettys Group in 1988. An award-winning design, procurement, branding, development, and consulting firm based in Chicago, Gettys has completed more than 1,500 projects in thirty-two countries.

Stewart Simonson ’82 was named Assistant Director-General of the World Health Organization at the United Nations in New York. Simonson will be integral in leading the drive towards the WHO’s strategic plan of “triple billion.” As stated on the WHO website, “One billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage (UHC); one billion more people better protected from health emergencies; and one billion more people enjoying better health and well-being.”

Cheryl (Knape) Crabb ’86 has released her first novel, “The Other Side of Sanctuary,” from Adelaide Books. A psychological thriller set in northern Wisconsin, the book tells the story of a young family in crisis. Crabb earned her MFA from Vermont College, where she drafted the novel over a two-year period. For more information, visit www.cherylcrabb.com.

1990s

Writer Becky Benishek ’93 received a Bronze Medal in the Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest in the category of Children – Social Issues for her children’s book, “The Squeezor is Coming.” Visit www.beckybenishek for more information. [B] Andrew Isaacson ’95 recently spoke in New York as a panelist for Augmenting Your Reality: How AR and Visual Analysis Tools Have Come of Age. The forum brought together professionals from CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, Univision, Turner MLB, the BBC, and more. Isaacson is the Executive Vice President for Business Development at The Famous Group.

Omai Garner, PhD ’96 directs clinical microbiology testing for UCLA Health.

He has received national acclaim this spring for his clinic’s role in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. He was featured in the Los Angeles Times story, “Here’s What Coronavirus Testing Vor a Very Sick Patient Looks Like, From Swab to Result” (4/1/20). He was also featured on The Today Show on 4/9/20 in the segment, “Coronavirus Testing: How Much Progress Has Been Made, How Much Left to Do? [C]

2000s

In 2019, after a successful twelve-year career in banking, Andrea Bukacek ’03 purchased Bukacek Construction, the company her grandfather started in 1963.

Bukacek, now Owner and CEO, is the first woman to lead the company. She purchased it from the employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) that had bought it from the late Nick Bukacek, Andrea’s father, in 2001. Last August, the seventeen members in that ESOP voted unanimously to sell their shares to Bukacek. This past fall, she was also recognized by the Milwaukee Business Journal in the publication’s annual 40 Under 40 issue.

John Tate ’03, a social worker who represents Racine’s 3rd District on the City Council and who also serves as President of the City’s Common Council, has been chairing Wisconsin’s State Parole Commission since last June. In January, he was highlighted by Governor Tony Evers in the State of the State Address; Governor Evers complimented Tate on the work he is doing to “Find ways to get people back to their communities.”

Ella (Rooney) Hall ’09, Founder and CEO of Stitchroom, a popular NYC upholstery company, recently started “Face Masks for our Front Lines.” Her project – a remarkable community effort during which she assembled over 250 volunteers and donated her own materials – provided healthcare workers with protective masks during the city’s coronavirus outbreak.

Hall and her Front Lines project were profiled in the 3/27 edition of The New

York Post. At press time, she’d helped deliver over 9,000 reusable surgical masks to hospitals across the Midwest, as well as to Oregon, Seattle and New York.

“I wanted to make an impact, but I didn’t think it would go so far,” Hall told the Post. “There’s so much power in numbers.

It takes tons of small makers to fill the need of masks companies.”

Michael Earnest ’09 is teaching mathematics at the Geffen Academy at UCLA, a university-affiliated school for students in grades 6-12. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Harvey Mudd College.

2010s

Matthew Adamczyk ’10 and Abby (Gaertig) Adamczyk ’10 rrecently relocated to the Green Bay area from Redmond, WA. Matthew is the Microsoft Technologist in Residence at Titletown Tech, a joint partnership between Microsoft and the Green Bay Packers, which seeks to invest in early-stage tech startups and then help design, architect, and scale their technology and business. Prior to Titletown Tech, Matt was a Program Manager at Microsoft in Washington. He earned a B.S. in Computer Science and a B.S. in Mathematics from Iowa University.

Terah Hennick ’10 will graduate in May with a Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. She graduated with from UWMadison’s College of Engineering (BioMedical, Graduation with Distinction) in 2014. A Brittingham Viking Scholar at UW-Madison, her residency placement will be announced later this spring.

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

BECKY KANN ’14 A Pat Badger, Advisor to the Head of School for Arts and Equity, was “gobsmacked” to run into Steve George ’90 at last summer’s Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) training at Milton Academy in Milton, VA. George teaches math and coaches crew at the Belmont Hill School in Belmont, MA. [A]

It felt like a big leap for me to go from my undergraduate degree in civil engineering to pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Health, but I was excited. I could not be more grateful that I decided to take that leap because I now get to learn from some of the world experts in environmental epidemiology and do it across the street from the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia.

My specific focus within environmental health is understanding the human health impacts of water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and I am planning to do my thesis on the effectiveness and reliability of different microbiological water sampling methods for use in low-resource settings.

Being in public health school during a global pandemic is incredibly humbling because, every day, it shows me the value of my field.

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I am learning – in real-time – how infectious

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disease epidemiology is carried out in the

Eden Kaiser ’99, left, poses with her daughter, Frances, and wife, Amy, in front of Racine’s Blue Bear Restaurant prior to embarking on a camping vacation in the summer of 2019. Living in Minneapolis, the family is preparing to welcome another Baby Kaiser during the COVID-19 pandemic! [D]

field from my professors, some of whom are working full time on the COVID-19 response. I have also been able to apply my knowledge by conducting research that examines changes in peoples’ perceptions of food safety and food hygiene practices since the start of the pandemic.

As I continue pursuing my graduate degree, I am more inspired than ever to have an impactful role in understanding the intersection of the environment and human health, especially as it relates to infectious

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diseases.

Becky, a Prairie lifer, is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Environmental Health and Epidemiology at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.

2010s

Mia Pinero ’12 made her Broadway debut in late 2019 as the understudy and swing for Maria in in Ivo Van Hove’s reimagining of “West Side Story.” In December, Showtickets.com named her one of 7 Broadway Newcomers to Watch in 2020.

Madeline Henderson ’12 was awarded the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Fellowship, a full-tuition merit-based award granted to those with a proven commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in global business. She will be pursuing her MBA at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth this August. In addition to being named a Consortium Fellow, Madeline was also named a Forte Fellow for her exemplary community leadership. [E] Zachary Kant ’14, a Lean Leader with GE Healthcare in Madison, WI, was featured on the April 21st edition of “PBS NewsHour.” In the episode, Zach was shown explaining the company’s plans to ramp-up ventilator production to Vice President Mike Pence during the VP’s tour of the Madison facility. [F] Sammie Woodward ’16 was named First Team All-College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW ) following a Senior season in which she led the CCIW

in minutes per game (38.6) and finished second in points per game for the Lady Reds at 16.2. She caps her college career as Carthage’s all-time leader in free throw shooting percentage (86.9%). Following the season’s conclusion, Woodward was named an Academic All-American by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Maintaining a perfect 4.00 GPA, the Exercise Science major earned a spot on the third team. [G] Grace Siler ’16 was the final Valedictorian at the Memphis College of Art. In 2017, the school announced the 2020 graduating class would be the last in the school’s storied history. A complicated situation was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as the college had to host a digital ceremony on 5/9. Grace self-recorded her Commencement address with an iPhone strategically balanced atop a candle holder.

Nolan Wolf ’18, a Sophomore forward for Washington University in St. Louis, earned Second Team All-University Athletic Association honors following a season in which he recorded fourteen points and three game-winning goals. [I] Quinn Shannon ’18 was named First Team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) following a Sophomore season in which she recorded 0.77 goals against average. Finishing 10-6-3 overall, she recorded nine shutouts (twenty starts) and seventy-six saves. [J] Sophia Karegeannes ’19, a Freshman nursing student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was crowned Miss Racine 2020. For winning, she earns the right to represent Racine at the Miss Wisconsin competition in June. Her goal is to become a labor and delivery nurse after graduation. [K]

Laura Panthofer ’17’s recent project “Escape to Your Cabin,” a brand boost exercise for Caribou Coffee, was the recipient of three Student Addy Awards (two gold, one silver) from the American Advertising Federation. The challenge was to enhance Caribou’s brand awareness among consumers ages 25-35 in cities with new Caribou locations. Laura is earning her BFA in Advertising & Branding at the Savannah College of Art and Design. [H]

Grace Gould ’17 (second from left) and Annie Zlevor ’15 (right) pose with Nich Schafer, varsity tennis coach, and Sarah Gesner ’20 at the 2019 WIAA State Tennis Tournament. Gesner finished as the Division 2 Singles Runner-Up for the second consecutive season.

Both Gould and Zlevor competed in Singles at State during their Prairie careers.

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STAY IN TOUCH AND SHARE YOUR NEWS You, our Prairie School alumni, are an inspiration to all of us. We would love to hear from you!

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Send-us your special news, whether it is a new

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Please take a minute to fill us in on what is happening in your life so we can print it in the Class Notes section of our alumni publication.

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Class notes are published as space permits. The editors of this magazine reserve the right to revise and rewrite items for content and length.

Update your address, phone number, email address, profession, family information and anything else you would like to share.

To do so, email Brendan O’Brien, Director of Communication, at

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bobrien@prairieschool.com or use the Update Your Information form in the Alumni section

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of our website.

Alumni Notes —

In the spring of 2019, Joanne Ramos ’90’s debut novel, “The Farm,” was released by Random House. The novel garnered critical acclaim from NPR, USA Today, The Guardian, and New York Magazine. The Economist called the book “Unnervingly plausible,” and said, “Ramos inhabits [her characters] with affection, sensitivity and a keen ear for voice. Together, these women tell a story of an America in which ‘you must be strong or young if you are not rich.’”

held in California at the Pasadena Civic Center Auditorium.

In February, Ramos was an NAACP Image Award nominee in the category of Outstanding Literary Work by a Debut Author. While “The Farm” did not win, Ramos was thrilled to be included. She attended the 51st Annual Image Awards 34 | prairieschool.com

Leading up to the book’s release, Joanne contacted her former teacher to share news of her novel. “To reconnect with [Mrs. Breach] decades after she taught me – and when I had my first book coming out – was pretty amazing. One of life’s revolutions.”

34 | prairieschool.com

Last spring, shortly after launching her book tour, Ramos visited campus and talked with 12th Grade students enrolled in Prairie’s Topics in Diversity class. The visit was arranged by Pat Badger, Advisor to the Head of School for Arts & Equity, one of Joanne’s teachers during her time at Prairie.

“It was at Prairie that I began to take my writing seriously,” said Joanne. “I wrote for the school’s literary magazine, Mindscape, at the prodding of Diane Breach, my English teacher.”

The Last Word AT THE HEART OF IT ALL

During this time of incredible missing, never has the spirit of Prairie – its people – been more obvious.

— By Callie Atanasoff, Director of Admission Every job I’ve held has fed me.

As an event planner, I would long for the moment when caterers slid over a piece of uneaten wedding cake, or when a bartender filled a glass full of sweet tea as the Georgia heat sweltered.

To fuel my creativity as a public relations associate, my boss kept the fridge well-stocked; our office was in her home and she poured incredible love into the food she prepared.

Prairie feeds me, too. Lunch is a highly anticipated part of the day, and I am always eager to take a seat in the Dining Room.

Penne Rosa is my favorite dish – spinach wilted from the subtly spicy cream sauce, tomatoes and mushrooms peeking out in every forkful, and pasta that is always perfectly cooked.

But it’s more than putting hunger pangs at bay. Prairie feeds my desire to connect, to be fueled by joy, to find inspiration in ordinary moments.

Last October, Prairie was named the Best Place to Work (Large Employer) in Southeastern Wisconsin. Award recipients were determined by answers to an anonymous staff survey conducted by the Milwaukee Business Journal.

Following the announcement, our faculty learned that the majority of survey comments expressed gratitude for our coworkers. We recognize and appreciate the high standard we’ve set for each other, that working at Prairie demands our best every day – but it’s more than that.

The Prairie student section cheers on the boys’ varsity soccer team in the 2019 WIAA Division 4 State Championship at Uihlein Field in Milwaukee.

It’s our Varsity Boys’ Soccer team making it to the state tournament and the entire Middle and Upper School traveling by bus to attend – despite a daytime high of 28º. Parkas and blankets are no match for the pride and excitement demonstrated by our fans.

It’s every member of the Upper School gathering in the theatre to clap and sing along while a band performs – a band whose music video was produced by our students. Just try to keep from swaying when you see the Division Head dancing in her seat.

It’s trading preconceived notions of who people ought to be for great expectations of what they can do.

It’s 2nd Grade students offering a joke of the day as you pass by in the halls – a tool their teacher encourages as a way to communicate with adults and facilitate conversation.

It’s being the last person to pick your kids up from Stay and Play, only to find they don’t want to leave because they need to finish their game of “Guess Who.”

And it’s missing Penne Rosa Day, only to have the food service team check on you because they know it’s the one meal you’d never skip.

It’s the book a coworker leaves on your desk when you mention in passing the desire to read more this year.

Dr. Coffman has a saying: “It’s the people who make Prairie, Prairie,” and he’s right. The building is art and the classrooms are beautiful, but they mean nothing without the community inside. A collective of colleagues, of students, of families who consistently demonstrate that people are what truly nourish the spirit.

It’s office chairs reupholstered by our Primary School assistant, because she is an incredible seamstress and freely shares her talent, which is true of so many of our faculty.

4050 Lighthouse Drive Wind Point, WI 53402

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ANNUAL

GOLF CLASSIC &Dinner

We’re Getting Ready Fore You! While Virtual Premiere 2020 was a huge success, virtual golfing together doesn’t sound quite as fun.

We’re hoping to host this year’s Golf Classic on Friday, September 11th at Racine Country Club.

Mark your calendars!

Stay connected at www.prairieschool.com/golf

DISCLAIMER: As always, we appreciate hearing from you and welcome your input, contributions, comments and suggestions.

Information in this publication is presented in good faith.

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