Spring 2023 Bulletin

Tower Hill

CELEBRATING LEADERSHIP

Girls volleyball state champions

Student leadership

A love of math

Celebrating the Speers years

Bulletin | Spring 2023

In This Issue

ON THE COVER: The girls volleyball team won the state championship for the first time in Hiller history and head coach Michael Sachs ’86 was recognized as the DIAA Coach of the Year! ON THE LEFT: Mr. and Mrs. Speers (and their dog Nola dressed as Punxsutawney Phil) celebrate Groundhog Day with Lower Schoolers. Lower School students enjoyed a movie night in THE Hub.

Tower Hill BULLETIN

SPRING 2023

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

Amy Schrei

Director of Communications and Marketing

Kayla Martell

Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing

ADVANCEMENT OFFICE

Kristin Mumford

Director of Advancement and Enrollment Management

Laura DiVincenzo

Director of Advancement Services

Julie Donohue

Director of Annual Giving

Linda Ogden

Administrative Assistant

Melissa Pizarro

Associate Director of Advancement and Interim Director of Alumni Relations

Justin Hicks

Associate Director of Alumni Relations

PHOTOGRAPHY

Kirk Smith, Jim Graham, Amy Schrei, Kayla Martell

LAYOUT

Amy Schrei

Somogy Custom Graphic Design

The Tower Hill Bulletin magazine is published twice annually to share how alumni, faculty, staff and students embody the school’s motto Multa Bene Facta, Many Things Done Well.

Send Class Notes to thsalumni@towerhill.org with a high-resolution photo.

TOWER HILL SCHOOL

2813 W. 17th Street

Wilmington, DE 19806 302-575-0550 | towerhill.org

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Elizabeth C. Speers

2022-2023 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Benjamin duPont ’82, Chair

Jack Flynn, M.D., ’81, Secretary

Marna Whittington, Ph.D., Treasurer

Suzanne Ashley

Kimberly Wright Cassidy, Ph.D. Régis de Ramel

Robert DeSantis

Heather Richards Evans

John Gavenonis, Ph.D.

Laird Hayward ’02

Henry Mellon

Catherine Miller

David Nowland ’85

Lisa A. Olson ’76

Matt Plumb

Kenneth A. Simpler

Genelle Trader ’70

Isabella Speakman Timon ’92

Carmen Wallace ’93

Gina Ward

Earl Ball, Ed.D., Emeritus

Tower Hill School does not discriminate in its educational, admissions and personnel programs and policies or activities on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender identity and/ or expression, disability or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

From the HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Tower Hill Community,

This summer Tower Hill will launch the very first Horizons program in the state of Delaware—Horizons at Tower Hill. Within this Bulletin you can read further about our wonderful founding Executive Director, a Tower Hill alumna herself, and the mission of Horizons, a national academic outreach program. In 1919 Tower Hill’s founders had a bold vision—to create a school that “offered students an opportunity for education of the highest order and also shape the future of education in the state.” While there is plenty of progress still to be made, we can

feel proud that our founders’ vision has been realized, both in our daily mission at Tower Hill and as the school continues to live into its commitment of being a school of Wilmington and of the world.

Eight years ago when I came to Tower Hill, I simply posed this question to our talented faculty and staff: What would it mean to become a school of Wilmington and of the world? With incredible agility, talent and passion, our teachers, students, alumni, trustees and friends of the school realized that vision. They committed to curriculum, classes, service learning initiatives, social

justice commitments, affinity opportunities, international cultural exchanges, experiential and innovative teaching and learning opportunities, environmental initiatives and more—that have truly shaped Tower Hill’s recent renaissance and helped us become more of the school our founders imagined.

Tower Hill has always been a stellar academic institution, however it was the deliberate shift to a posture of both confidence and humility that won the day. While there will always be work to do, today’s Tower Hill includes many more students, teachers and families who perhaps were not as sure that Tower Hill was the place for them; and we have become a school that understands that academic rigor is indeed enhanced by compassion, real world learning pedagogy and a student-centered philosophy.

Tower Hill does not belong to any one student, teacher, family, trustee or head of school. In fact, that is part of the magic of the Tower Hill community. We have the privilege of being part of the school community for a period of time, we hope to use our gifts and dreams for the good of others, and then we graduate, or move on with our lives, knowing that we have been the lucky beneficiaries of Tower Hill’s gift—one that will live on in our souls forever. It is the intertwining of Tower Hill’s stories that offer the history and texture we come to love and appreciate as members of this wonderful community. Tower Hill’s next Head of School Sarah Baker will soon have the opportunity to discover and share in the rich tapestry of Tower Hill stories.

Leadership extends well beyond heads of school and to this end, leadership has always been at the core of a Tower Hill education. Each day, we ask our youngest and oldest students and everyone in between, to be leaders and learners. We teach leadership in all we do, whether in math or history class, on the athletic field or in the art studio. You will read about just a few of the many Tower

Hill students who are talented leaders of their school. Tower Hill alumni are leading all over the world, as you will read within these pages as well. Leaders are in essence story tellers who are willing to examine their own stories with humility and an open heart.

A Tower Hill education offers us each a compass—it provides direction, orientation and an opportunity to share our stories and learn the stories of others, in order to make meaning and progress in the world. A compass functions differently than a map; the work of living is creating that map for ourselves; Tower Hill will always ensure that its students are prepared to create the map for their own lives. And surely part of that map will include a path to and from Tower Hill always.

At Tower Hill’s Centennial celebration in 2019, over 1,600 alums, parents, faculty, trustees and friends gathered under an enormous tent. Ceremonies like Centennial, Tree Trim and Field Day provide us a way to “remember to remember” the power of Tower Hill stories that intertwine through the generations! As Centennial evening concluded after a magical fireworks display, an evergreen sprig was handed to everyone as a momento. I like to imagine all the evergreen saplings that have sprouted around the country and the world, symbolizing Tower Hill’s impact—forever green. It has been a true privilege to have been part of the Tower Hill story and the Speers family will surely be rooting on the green and white from afar forever—forever green!

With appreciation,

Elizabeth C. Speers

Around SCHOOL

Opening Meeting at Longwood

THE Collaboratory

This fall, the opening faculty meeting was held at Longwood Gardens. The day included welcoming new faculty and staff and a review of the year’s institutional goals, along with plenty of time to enjoy the gardens and behind-the-scenes tours of different aspects of the facility’s operations.

In August, Tower Hill faculty members attended the fourth annual Tower Hill Educators’ Collaboratory—a day of professional development organized by teachers for teachers. The day included a keynote lecture about fair grading practices, followed by colleague-led seminars.

International Trips

In the spirit “of Wilmington and of the world,” international trips are an important learning opportunity for our students. This year Upper School students participated in a Danish exchange (fall 2022), an Australia exchange (spring break 2023) and a trip to Italy (spring break 2023). Middle School students went to Puerto Rico (winter 2023) and Quebec (winter 2023).

Black History Month Celebration

The event on Feb. 9 was a tremendous evening and a testament to our community. A total of 110 people joined including students, parents, alumni and trustees from all different cultures and backgrounds. It was special to be able to gather over a wonderful meal for the first time in three years. The panel speakers were informative, honest, funny and thoughtful.

(L-R): Louise Cummings Co-chair PAATH, Anthuan Maybank speaker, Nicole Homer speaker, Abundance Child speaker, Jea Street Jr. Co-chair PAATH. Not shown speaker

“Grouchy” Greg Watkins who joined via Zoom.

YES! - Youth Environmental Summit

In March, THS students and faculty attended the fourth annual Youth Environmental Summit (YES!) at University of Delaware. The conference is organized by students for students that are concerned about environmental stewardship. Anjalie Chakravertti ’25, Cassie Dong ’24, Jon Dong ’25, Aili Inguito ’24, Cathy Li ’25, Max Neal ’23, Haasini Potluri ’25 and Gautam Wadhwa ’23 attended, and several students worked on the planning process and gave presentations as part of the break out sessions. Jon Dong ’25, along with teachers Lauren Helfgott and Cheryl Mitchell, led a breakout session on honeybees at school campuses, “What’s the Buzz with Bees and Beekeeping.” Coale Crouch ’24 and Haasini Potluri ’25 led a breakout session with teacher Penny RodrickWilliams and UD Professor Michael Chajes focusing on the biodigester in the Tower Hill dining hall entitled “School Food Waste: A Biodigester Pilot Project.”

Social Justice Speaker

DeVon Jackson spoke with our students about the impact of language and words. He highlighted how words have meaning, and our relationships with words matter, particularly words that are highly charged and/or offensive.

Special Friendship - Real World Learning

Pre-kindergarteners have forged a friendship with our regular Waste Management visitor, Mr. Johnson. Weekly they look forward to seeing their friend in the big green truck who comes to visit and helps them keep the Earth clean! Their bond has grown throughout the school year, so he paid them an extra special visit to let the students look inside the truck, and he even gave them their own big green trucks for the classroom!

UPPER SCHOOL STUDENT LEADERSHIP

BY EDUARDO SILVIA, DEAN OF STUDENTS AND ASSISTANT HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

What do you think of when asked to reflect upon leadership that has had a positive impact on your life?

For some, we might think about leaders among our social institutions. These could be political figures, religious leaders or even school leaders. Others might naturally think of the people in our lives that even though they don’t carry the moniker of a leader, still hold the same characteristics and virtues that we normally associate with great leaders. No matter the inclination we might have, what is becoming increasingly true is that leadership has evolved and continues to redefine itself as our world continues to change. When we think back at the start of the pandemic, we witnessed in real time new leaders stepping up in moments and places that did not exist before to serve our communities. The Tower Hill community was no exception.

In my capacity as Dean of Students, I have the privilege of working closely with our Student Government Association (SGA) on all the things that make our community special. While these particular students do hold elected positions, I would be remiss if I did not point out that my work does not just stop with our SGA, for there are countless other student leaders in the community who contribute with the same dedication and passion that any true leader would. It is perhaps this notion that serves as our north star when it comes to student leadership. The fundamental belief is that leadership can look very different depending on the student, and it is no longer a specific title, position or role. Our student leaders are leaders not because they hold a title, but because they are authentic in their message and humble in their approach.

This year, the Service Learning Board is leading by example and has rolled out several initiatives that continue to strengthen the ties we value with our local community. In January, for the first time, the entire school had a “day on” of service, and it was through the efforts of our student leaders that the day went off without a hitch.

The Green Keys, in their snazzy green sweaters, are another example of leadership in action. With a diverse composition representing various grade levels and interests, they are, in a sense, a snapshot of the

Upper School community. Senior Green Key, Patrick Sullivan, shares how this group has helped shape his view of leadership. “Being a Green Key means that the school has placed trust in me to represent our community and I don’t take it lightly.” When asked what he felt being a Green Key leader has taught him, Patrick responded with, “Definitely communication. I’ve learned to put myself in the shoes of the family I’m touring to better understand their needs and their perspective as a new member of this community. Listening is really important, as well.”

Though both of these groups work behind the scenes throughout the year, it is always wonderful when we can celebrate their achievements and, more importantly, their dedication to the Tower Hill community.

As we look into the future, we are committed to developing leaders who are ready to face the challenges that are still, to us, unknown. We hope to cultivate leaders who value their gifts, as well as their limitations. Leaders who understand well the power of listening. And leaders who understand the importance of collaboration.

The next time you are at a Tower Hill event, look out for the student leaders who are there representing their community with pride. Sure, you will see elected students at the podium, but if you look closely, they will be everywhere. They are the ones helping in the concession stand, the ones greeting you at the front door, the ones running the tech booth and the ones giving you the personalized tour. They are, above all, Hillers.

PHOTOS: (Top) Green Keys on the front steps of the school. (Middle) New students and Green Keys at the Upper School welcome reception. (Bottom left) Members of SGA. (Bottom right) Members of the Service Learning Board. (Above) Eduardo Silva talks with families at the new student reception.

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT LEADERSHIP

BY WIZ APPLEGATE, MIDDLE SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER

Growing Leaders

Every Tuesday during lunch period, 13 Middle School Student Council representatives settle into the Kullman Commons Conference Room to cultivate a different type of growth.

Our Middle School student leaders plan and strategize initiatives requiring that they not only share their opinions but constructively and kindly disagree while taking into consideration each other’s points of view. Through this process, they learn the challenges and nuances of distilling big ideas into actionable goals and begin sowing the seeds of progress.

Some of our leaders’ most recent discussions revolved around the Dodgeball Tournament’s logistics, hashing out winter spirit week themes, planning a visit to Wilmington’s City Council and spotlighting the Delaware KIDS Fund as our featured charitable organization. From assisting Mr. Mulvena with “Minute to Win It” games to Snack Shack sales/logistics, Middle School Student Council leaders imagine and inspire, facilitate and execute, and learn how to be teamcentered while engaging the talents of others.

Veteran, fourth year Student Council representative Margo Weymouth ’27 feels leaders need “to have ideas on how to improve wherever they are.” Situated in a setting of trust and freedom, our principled problem solvers gain first-hand practical experience of what it means to be a part of something larger than oneself. We refer to it as servant leadership.

Eighth grade student Charlotte Vanni, new to Student Council this year, reflected on running for a seat. “To be a leader, it was kind of difficult for me at first to get up on the stage. I don’t have fear of public speaking, but it’s hard to do in front of your classmates, especially when you might not get elected. When you put yourself out there to help overcome fear it shows a characteristic of being a good leader—to put yourself out there and just be ready to expect anything.”

Blossoming leaders are sprinkled throughout the Middle School. During the spring semester, we offer over 20 different clubs and encourage students to start their very own organizations. Fifth grader Keegan Barillare organized a club, because he knows that “a lot of us love lacrosse.” He took the initiative to speak with coaches Bonnadio and Aitken and then during Club Assembly, he “got up in front of the entire Middle School and talked about how if you’re new to lacrosse or an experienced player, you can come out... it’s for everyone.” Keegan defines a leader as someone who “perseveres, follows the rules and sets a good example so others can follow and do the right thing.”

Head of Middle School Tim Weymouth says, “we know that leadership is not innate. It is a repertoire of skills that are grown and developed through handson work.” Every day our students’ ideas are put into action whether serving as Homeroom Captains, coordinating a secret snowman gift exchange or starting a Movies Club. Flourishing leaders such as eighth graders Kelsey Mathu and Maya Warthen know that “risk-taking, facing rejection and stepping up” are all necessary ingredients for leadership. They are just some of the Middle Schoolers enjoying the many opportunities Tower Hill offers them to blaze trails.

As Tower Hill educators, our charge is to facilitate an optimal environment for learning and growth, both inside and outside of the classroom. Our metaphorical garden serves up the sun, water and a nutritious place to anchor roots. And participation in activities such as school band, strings, athletics, theater and chorus provides a fertile field where Middle School leaders

have room to thrive. Whether it’s working toward an inspired rendition of “Fly Eagles Fly,” putting a ball into a net, running lunch announcements or producing and directing our Good Morning Middle School videos, all activities require enlisting the aid, cooperation and support of one’s peers. The accomplishment of a common task, regardless of how inconsequential it may seem, requires both social influence and practice, as well as an understanding that sometimes things won’t always go as planned. But by providing our Middle Schoolers with a climate that allows them to manage their time, work as teammates, solve problems, set goals and even fail, they are learning essential life skills.

Head of Middle School Tim Weymouth says, “we know that leadership is not innate. It is a repertoire of skills that are grown and developed through hands-on work.”

Every Tower Hill student has the potential to be a good leader. And while physical, cognitive, social and emotional variation permeates “Life in the Middle of It All,” we make sure one variable remains constant— room to grow and expand. With a spring shower here and there, you’d be amazed at what can grow!

LOWER SCHOOL STUDENT LEADERSHIP

BY NICOLE BECKER, FOURTH GRADE TEACHER

Fourth grade is a year filled with exciting new opportunities at Tower Hill School. Nicole Becker, a fourth grade teacher, shared details of the first collaborative and graded group project her students completed this season.

Throughout the year fourth graders are introduced to high level research skills, synthesizing and sorting of important and relevant information as well as identifying text structure in nonfiction readings as part of their reading curriculum. These skills are put into action across multiple subject areas, connecting science to reading, public speaking, writing and beyond.

Extreme weather conditions are the overarching theme in fourth grade. Becker and her fellow fourth grade teachers, Anna Elliott and Melinda Martin, started this unit teaching students to read nonfiction books followed by introducing them to the broad topic of extreme weather. Students were given four generic topics to choose from, and they narrowed their research down from there.

The first step was to divide students into groups of three or four. They were then encouraged to work collaboratively and ultimately break down their topic to subtopics like causes and effects or important historical events, warning systems in place and how to measure these events. Each group member had an important role in making the final project a success, and Becker said it was inspiring to see the work ethic within each of her students.

The library and Google Classroom became an even more familiar place for these fourth graders as they sorted through articles, books, Britannica, PebbleGo, Epic and scientific journals to find the high level sources needed to complete their research. Once their extreme weather research was finalized, each group was tasked with creating a presentation using Google Slides. The expectation was that students would collaborate in the making of their presentation by sharing their findings and sources as well as posing their own questions along the way.

A grading rubric was introduced to guide them through success criteria. On the rubric was a title page, table of contents, glossary and cited sources. For many students, “this was their first time taking notes and trying to paraphrase and identify what is important versus interesting and how to put that into their own words,” according to Becker.

Once the behind-the-scenes research and work was complete, each group presented together in front of the whole class. The groups divide presenting responsibilities to ensure that every student had their time to share. They were expected to be able to describe and comment on every slide and offer insight throughout the presentation. Each fourth grade teacher selected a top presentation from their class, and later those three groups presented in THE Hub in front of all their peers and teachers.

The first of the three project finalists were Kareem Belkadi, Lizzie DiSabatino, Aarav Parmar and Kamran Wogan who presented on the topic of earthquakes. The second group included Ethan Bristowe, Sean Swain and Zoey Yang who also presented on the topic of earthquakes. The third presentation was given by James Elton, Anya Jaffarieh and Wesley Laffey who preseted on volcanoes.

The teachers evaluated the projects and presentations to identify the winning group. It was James Elton, Anya Jaffarieh and Wesley Laffey from Ms. Martin’s class who earned the highest marks and the opportunity to present at a town meeting. The results were a surprise, and the support the students offered

to each of their peers was something their teachers won’t soon forget. Fourth grader, Lizzie Disabatino, said, “I really loved how we all worked together and how we all had the same goal of presenting at a town meeting. But in the end it didn’t really matter if we made it but if we tried our best.”

Reading, writing, science, social studies, public speaking and technology were all at the core of this project; an example of why Tower Hill’s fourth grade curriculum is so exceptional. Students expanded upon their text skills using Google Slides and learned to hyperlink within their table of contents to the corresponding slide. They were challenged to take notes for the first time while paraphrasing their findings. Some of the students were able to teach their peers how to use Google Slides, for example, and show leadership in a supportive way. “It was exciting to see the students collaborate effectively on a project that really sparked their interest and allowed them to develop practical research and presentation skills,” said Nicole Becker.

“I really loved how we all worked together and how we all had the same goal of presenting at a town meeting. But in the end it didn’t really matter if we made it but if we tried our best.”

PURSUING CREATIVITY, LEADERSHIP & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT EMANI LARKIN ’23

BY MAURA C. CICCARELLI, FREELANCE WRITER

Throughout her Upper School years at Tower Hill, Emani Larkin ’23 has pursued many activities that center around three themes: creativity, leadership and community involvement.

Larkin remembers how welcoming everyone was at a Tower Hill open house when she was in eighth grade, the highest grade her charter school went to.

“I saw so many opportunities for leadership and so many places for growth that I honestly would not have gone anywhere else,” says Larkin, who is vice president of the Student Government Association (SGA) and is a Green Key student ambassador, supporting admission events and tours for prospective students.

CREATIVE PURSUITS

So far, she has been an actress, choreographer and vocalist in three theater productions. She also was the lead and dance captain/ choreographer for the fall 2021 production of Puffs or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic, a parody of the Harry Potter series. Other shows included You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Sideways Stories from the Wayside School and Emma A Pop Musical.

She’s also won a number of poetry writing awards. Most recently, she won a silver key for poetry for “Ego Death” and an honorable mention for her poem, “The Fruitful Fortress” from the Delaware Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. In her junior year, her poem, “When the World was New,” won an honorable mention from the same competition.

VOLUNTEERING

Her list of community-related activities is considerable. Here are a few:

She’s co-leader for the Delaware Homeless Initiative, a Tower Hill program that raises funds and conducts drives to support homeless shelters in the Wilmington area.

In 2022, she was a founding member and organizer of the Tower Hill “It’s in Our Blood” team, which raised the Delaware state record of nearly $163,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

From 2021 through this year, she’s been a volunteer with the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Program. Team members focus on discovering creative solutions to world problems and begin initiatives in their local community.

She also was a junior year co-chair and senior year chair of Tower Hill’s Social Justice Board, planning the annual schoolwide symposium and communicating with the administration about social justice concerns at the school. And, she’s co-leader of Tower Hill’s Black Student Union, which gives black students a safe place to engage in discourse, make friends and voice concerns.

TOWARD THE FUTURE

On the academic side, Larkin is in the Global Scholars program and is completing the Laurel Society honors thesis along with her regular school curriculum. The College Board named her an AP Scholar with Distinction and gave her the African American Recognition Award.

She’s also a scholar and a mentee in the Leading Youth Through Empowerment (LYTE) initiative, which provides students from underrepresented backgrounds with a variety of resources to attend college.

She’ll begin studying psychology and political science at Northwestern University in the fall.

“Psychology is pretty similar to why I enjoy creating things so much,” says Larkin. “I like exploring the world and thinking critically about how we as humans interact with our surroundings and each other. With political science, it’s about taking what we learn in psychology and applying it to the real world and helping people seek justice.”

She got a taste of working in government with two summertime internships through FLii—the Future Leaders Internship Initiative.

First, she worked for Delaware Lt. Governor Bethany Hall-Long researching and writing issue briefs and project proposals.

“Lt. Governor Long really placed an emphasis on hearing from the community, so I helped her make calls and took notes with different leaders in the Delaware Black community, the arts community and the religious community,” she says. “It was a monumental experience and it is why I’m interested in politics and justice.”

DREAM AND ACHIEVE

The overarching theme of her time at Tower Hill, she says, is to never limit yourself based on what you think your ability is.

“In freshman year, I never could have imagined that I would have been a part of so many different, wonderful things here at Tower Hill,” she says. “Just dream and imagine that you’re going to be really valuable and then you will be.”

She adds, “Sometimes we can get so overwhelmed with being perfect and getting accepted into college. Have fun and focus on diversifying your experience to where you can have the most fun.”

EXPLORING A WORLD OF INTERESTS JUSTIN SOLACOFF ’24

BY MAURA C. CICCARELLI, FREELANCE WRITER

When junior Justin Solacoff takes prospective families on tours of Tower Hill, he loves to share the many ways students can explore a world of opportunities.

VOLUNTEERING

He knows the value because he’s lived it: he’s a threesport athlete (football, basketball and golf), is in the ski club and spirit club, and was president of his class in his freshman and sophomore years as part of the Student Government Association (SGA). He’s also been involved in the Delaware Homeless Initiative, which does fundraising and drives to support various shelters in the Wilmington area.

“There are many opportunities for leadership and overall ways you can truly be involved. And, there’s a supporting community behind you to help you delve deeper into any activity or subject that you want to.”

He’s also co-chair of the Green Keys, a group of student ambassadors who help the Admission Office with open houses, tours and shadow days for interested students.

Solacoff says there’s a strong family connection to Tower Hill. He started in pre-K as the youngest of three siblings to go to the school. His mom, pediatrician M. Lynne duPont, went to Tower Hill.

As a guide, he enjoys talking with the students and believes interactions with him and other members of the Green Keys can really change how applicants think about the school.

“The main thing that sets Tower Hill apart is the amount of opportunities you can be involved with in and around the community here,” Solacoff notes. “There are many opportunities for leadership and

overall ways you can truly be involved. And, there’s a supporting community behind you to help you delve deeper into any activity or subject that you want to.”

HEADS COUNCIL

This year, Solacoff was part of the Head’s Council, a group of about 15 students who meet once or twice a month for dinner at the home of Head of School Bessie Speers.

“We learn about the finances, marketing, admissions and enrollment of Tower Hill,” he says. “It’s another program offered by the school to develop leadership and proactiveness within the community.”

ON THE ACADEMIC SIDE

On the academic side, Solacoff has really enjoyed all of his classes and his teachers. “They really like to listen to you, and they’ve all had a

positive influence on me across all five core subjects,” he notes.

He particularly enjoys his physics class, taught by Tom Hoch, a dynamic teacher who uses experiment-based lessons to bring the subject alive. For example, one lab uses a projectile launcher to shoot miniature cannonballs off the classroom’s balcony.

“Each small group had to calculate the trajectories and figure out where they would land,” he says. “It was a lot of fun.”

As for what to study in college, Solacoff says he is still undecided but is leaning toward pre-med.

“Medicine runs in my family,” he says, noting that both his parents are doctors. In addition to his mom being a pediatrician, his father, David Solacoff, is an orthopedic surgeon.

If he does pursue a medical route, he says he wants to keep an open mind about what he’ll specialize in. “I don’t want to get tunnelvision on one major and miss out on everything else around me,” he explains.

ABOVE: Upper School students learn about school leadership from Bessie Speers by participating in Head’s Council. BELOW: Solacoff plays on the varisty football team, as well as basketball and golf.

NOURISHING YOUR LEADERSHIP TREE — PLAY WITH LEADERS, BECOME A LEADER

BY MATTHEW JACKSON, DIRECTOR OF CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND UPPER SCHOOL HISTORY TEACHER

I am fascinated by jazz musicians, especially musicians from the Bebop era of jazz. I grew up listening to Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, J.J. Johnson, Ron Carter and a slew of other jazz giants. My jazz education was at my father’s knee as he tuned into WRVR or WBGO in New York back in the 70s or played one of his hundreds of jazz albums.

He would describe who the “lead” was on a track and could name everyone who was playing by their “sound.” I strove to gain that level of music recognition through hours of listening and reading album liner notes. It was through those moments I learned that the person playing “lead” or the person who had their name on the album as the leader was often just the leader for that album and, more often than not, the lead on any particular track or cut. In jazz music, leadership is fluid and can be undertaken by any member of the group, and, most

ABOVE: Matt Jackson speaks with two students in THE Hub. RIGHT: A graphic created by Steve Boudreau showing Miles Davis’ sidemen from 10 albums.

importantly, improvisational jazz requires active listening, discipline and a willingness to trust the talents of your peers. Back then, this struck me as odd and only began to make sense as I learned to play jazz, learned to improvise and learned how to listen and what to listen for.

The jazz group, whether it be a trio, a quartet, a quintet or a big band, this was the place where jazz giants played with other jazz giants. A recent article by Greg Thomas entitled “Play with Miles, A Leader of Leaders” details the people who played with Miles Davis. The list of musicians who collaborated with Miles is its own “Who’s Who in Jazz.” This idea has fascinated me and pushed me to consider what about jazz as an art form and Miles as a leader, in particular, fostered leadership in those who worked with him. Herbie Hancock is quoted in the article, stating that “Miles’ primary goal was to encourage all of us to contribute to the development of the sound of that band.”

I discovered and now believe that it is our primary goal as educators, coaches, students and parents to understand that an individual who thoroughly knows themselves has everything they need to be a leader. Who am I? What are my challenges? What are my strengths? What is my emotional intelligence? Am I comfortable with building leaders around me? Jazz improvisation, academics and athletics demand similar traits—communication, trust, a willingness to try new things and discipline. How we communicate with one another is the cornerstone of our leadership ability. Are we a speak first and listen second individual or are we a co-collaborator working with our peers, listening, harmonizing and embracing the direction that we take together?

Miles recorded 61 studio albums, 39 live albums, 46 compilation albums and a whopping 69 as a sideman. Steve Boudreau, in 2010, created the graphic above of Miles’ sidemen from 10 albums; each of his sidemen has gone on to lead their own group and spawned generations of other leaders. As I delved deeper into Miles as a leader, I learned that he began his career at 16 playing with jazz giants Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie in Billy Eckstine’s Big Band. The leadership tree within jazz is wide and deep; a musical line can be traced from Miles to Parker and Gillespie to Ellington to Scott Joplin all the way back to the work and field songs of the enslaved. The lineage in jazz is a blueprint for all of us to follow.

The idea of a leadership tree appears in every facet of life—politics, education, business and sports—good mentorship also builds good leaders. The collaborative process brings out the best in people. Are you fostering leadership in those around you? Over the last 20 years in education I have reflected on my own leadership tree. I think back to the various people who shaped how I view education. The lessons and knowledge I strive to impart can be traced back to my parents, siblings, teachers, band director, college professors, coaches and all of the people who in turn influenced each of them. As I look at my tree, I see that it also contains former students and both former and current colleagues. I often share with my colleagues that teaching is a delayed gratification profession—we may never know who we influence through our teaching, mentorship or leadership. Miles likely did not know that he was inspiring those who played with him to become leaders themselves. While we may never see the vast number of branches on our leadership tree, that does not mean they are not there. Each of our leadership trees need frequent nourishment, tending and care. How are you nourishing your leadership tree?

Dave Holland

Paul Chambers

Charles Mingus

Terry Kotick

Marcus Miller

Percy Heath

Kenny Clarke

Billy Hart

Jack DeJohnette

Lenny White

Billy Cobham

Harvey Brooks

Sam Jones

Ron Carter

Wayne Shorter

Sonny Rollins

Bennie Maupin

Charlie Parker

Cannonball Adderley

Tony Williams

Art Blakey

Philly Joe Jones

Miles Davis

Kind of Blue Somethin’ Else Bill Evans

Hank Jones

Herbie Hancock

Chick Corea

Larry Young Bill Evans

John Lewis

George Duke

Joe Zawinul

Walter Bishop Jr

Thelonious Monk

Horace Silver

Milt Jackson

John McLaughlin

Wynton Kelly

Max Roach

Jimmy Cobb

John Coltrane Blue Haze Bags Groove

Swedish Schnapps Relaxin’

E.S.P.

Filles De Kilimanjaro Tutu B Brew

STUDENT DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

BY DR. NATASHA MURRAY-EVERETT, DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL JUSTICE

This past November, Tower Hill selected six students to attend the Student Diversity Leadership Conference (SDLC) in San Antonio, TX.

The theme of this year’s conference was, “We The People: Leveraging Our Community to Preserve Our Humanity.” The conference brings upper school student leaders from all over the U.S. together who make up diverse backgrounds to self-reflect on their identities, form allies and build community with one another.

Students engaged in experiential learning activities as well as built communication skills necessary to dialogue effectively across racial, social and cultural differences. Students also took part in both large group sessions as well as smaller dialogue groups known as SDLC family groups and home groups.

Our students shared how impactful their participation at the SDLC conference was on learning more about their identities and the identities of others.

Below are some reflections from our students who attended this year.

Aili Inquito ’24 said, “Attending SDLC was an empowering and life-changing experience that made me feel truly visible, like I had an important voice to share that mattered. For me, one of the best parts of the conference was the affinity groups because of the supportive environment and the connections I made with other students at SDLC.”

“SDLC was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for teens from all over the country to be exposed to people with different backgrounds and experiences, as well

as meet people with shared struggles and affinities,” described Shosi Satran ’24

“What I’m seeing as a student at Tower Hill is the attitudes we have towards talking about social justice, or having tough conversations about race, gender, sexuality etc.—I think that before you can even have those conversations, you need to make it clear that nothing can change unless people are willing to be uncomfortable. If no one wants to be there, nothing is going to change. Getting comfortable being uncomfortable in a trusting and safe community is the only way we can see change happen,” as expressed by Bryce Twyman ’25.

Attending this conference allowed our students to grow as leaders and bring back the knowledge gained from SDLC to the larger Tower Hill community and consider how we can continue to make Tower Hill a more inclusive and equitable community. Students will present their learnings at a social justice assembly this spring.

The NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference is a multiracial, multicultural gathering of upper school student leaders (grades 9-12) from across the U.S. and abroad. SDLC focuses on self-reflecting, forming allies, and building community. Led by a diverse team of trained adult and peer facilitators, participating students develop cross-cultural communication skills, design effective strategies for social justice practice through dialogue and the arts, and learn the foundations of allyship and networking principles. In addition to large group sessions, SDLC “family groups” and “home groups” allow for dialogue and sharing in smaller units.

Tower Hill School is excited to be taking the lead and announce that it will be the first Horizons National affiliate in the state of Delaware.

This summer, Tower Hill will take action to fulfill the promise made in its Strategic Plan to “build and engage a more diverse and inclusive community” by launching a summer program designed to advance educational equity. Capitalizing on its many strengths, Tower Hill will become Delaware’s first Horizons National affiliate.

ABOUT HORIZONS NATIONAL

Since its start more than 25 years ago, Horizons has expanded to 74 sites across the country and has engaged over 10,000 students from pre-K through high school, who return to the program each year for project-based literacy, art and STEM learning, field trips, swimming, healthy living and community building in a joyful, supportive environment.

Horizons sites ensure students experience the joy of summer (and beyond) infused with diverse, new learning experiences. Horizons’ hallmark is an intensive six week summer learning and enrichment program. In small classes led by professional educators, students dive into a rich, culturally inclusive and responsive curriculum, and benefit from the incorporation of social-emotional and whole-child teaching practices. Throughout the school year, Horizons programs maintain connection with students and families by offering Saturday programming, special events and community reunions.

Horizons works with students and families to help transform the way students see themselves and their future. Their reading and math skills improve significantly. They return to school excited to learn. They graduate from high school and go on to attend college or other post-secondary training. With a network of support behind them, Horizons students embrace a more expansive view of what’s possible.

HORIZONS AT TOWER HILL SUMMER LAUNCH

Tower Hill will welcome its first cohort of Horizons students in the summer of 2023, with an initial group

of 15 rising first graders. An additional grade will be added each following summer. An important goal of the program is to retain students, and Horizons at Tower Hill expects to see the same participants return year over year. Students will be recruited from the Wilmington community and will attend at no cost to them. Using Horizons National’s proven model, each incoming class is intentionally balanced with twothirds of students performing below grade level and one-third performing at or above grade level, driving peer support and nurturing long-term growth.

The initial administrative needs for Horizons at Tower Hill are being covered by the school, as the new program builds its board to oversee operations and fundraising. Horizons National will be instrumental in supporting Tower Hill’s start up activities and will remain an active partner in its first-and-only Delaware program.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Violeta Castro Stolpen ’05 will lead Horizons at Tower Hill as its founding Executive Director. Ms. Stolpen is a Mexican American immigrant based in Pennsylvania on Lenapehoking (Lenni-Lenape) Land. Dedicated to community and economic development, she has served in the nonprofit and for-profit spaces helping historically marginalized individuals and entrepreneurs access affordable capital and supportive services. Her career has taken her from supporting garment manufacturers and designers with the Council of Fashion Designers of America in New York City to securing $65 million in grant funding for community services and affordable housing for individuals experiencing homelessness in the American West and Indian Country with Clearinghouse CDFI. She holds a Masters in Business Administration in Finance and Marketing from New York University’s Stern School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Geology from Bucknell University.

WITHGratitude

In June, Bessie Speers completes her tenure as Head of Tower Hill School, graduating with the Class of ’23 to her next challenge at Middlesex School in Massachusetts. She leaves with the deep gratitude of our community and a long list of enduring accomplishments. Bessie made Tower Hill better than it was the day she arrived—no small feat at a school that has been admired for a century.

Early in her time here, Bessie promised that Tower Hill would be “bold in our vision, while also being humble enough to know that we can always grow and stretch ourselves to be even stronger as a school.” By any measure, she delivered on that promise. And lest we forget (as much as we’d like to), much of this progress was made in the face of a global pandemic, with schools at the center of the impassioned national debate about how best to meet the challenge.

Perhaps more important than the achievement of her tenure is the way in which she led—with presence, persistence and principle.

1. Bessie Speers with students during Founders’ Day 2019. 2. Bessie speaks at graduation 2021.

“Stunning” Progress

In June 2020, the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools accreditation committee described the growth in just five years as “stunning.” Mrs. Speers would rightly insist that many others had hands (and brains and heart) in all that was achieved. But it is hard to imagine the breadth and pace of this progress without Bessie’s leadership. The reviewing committee noted:

A strategic plan process that included broad community involvement

Improved safety measures and protocols around campus

Dynamic new program offerings

Great strides in the areas of academic technology, technology planning and technology infrastructure

A more unified school-wide message of who Tower Hill is and what it aims to accomplish

A greater investment in professional development and opportunities for faculty growth

Efforts to create a more open and transparent community

A renewed emphasis on fundraising from multiple sources

These initiatives were not for the sake of “accreditation,” but rather to make Tower Hill a better school for current and future students and teachers, consistent with the vision of the founders, the Board of Trustees and the Head of School. As significant as the initiatives are, there have been many other related achievements:

Since Bessie Speers’ arrival, Tower Hill’s enrollment has increased by 21%. Enrollment is the foundation of an independent school’s strength. Tower Hill has earned a stellar reputation, but increasing enrollment also requires a high-quality, current program, delivered by excellent teachers, in a dynamic environment. Bessie’s work enhanced all those elements—and her talented team made sure word got out to potential new families.

To accommodate the growth and changing needs of students and teachers, Tower Hill significantly expanded and reoriented its facilities. In less than eight years, the school planned and completed the Kullman Dining Commons and servery renovation, the Experiential Outdoor Classroom, the Neela Patel Center for Innovation (aka, THE Hub), an updated Admissions suite, a new turf surface on DeGroat Field, a hardwood flooring upgrade in the Field House, an advanced fire/ safety system and meaningful enhancements to Tower Hill’s technology.

Bessie’s vision for the school and demonstrated progress toward realizing it won the financial support of current families, alumni and friends. As a result, Tower Hill’s Annual Fund increased 36% during her tenure. These gifts to support the school’s current programs were part of a larger capital campaign to celebrate Tower Hill’s Centennial in 2019. That campaign was the most successful fundraising effort in the school’s history, raising nearly $25 million, which was $5 million over the goal.

Financial aid to students rose 74% since 2015, due in large part to Bessie Speers’ goal to improve the accessibility of a Tower Hill education to all well qualified students. From her first day on the job, Bessie understood the imperative, and value, of increasing the school’s financial aid budget and worked with the board to make it a priority.

Increased availability of financial aid

A stabilized, growing enrollment

Significant investments in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs

More meaningful engagement in the surrounding community

Significant investments in STEM

Creation of a robust Teaching and Learning Center

Bessie’s commitment to Tower Hill’s mission to “prepare students from diverse backgrounds for full and creative engagement with a dynamic world” is evidenced by the 43% increase in student diversity. Her aspiration that “Tower Hill should be a school of Wilmington and of the world” is now well known and within reach, thanks to many of the initiatives she encouraged. These include the Global Initiatives Program and Global Scholars Certificate, a Teaching and Learning Center, the ADVIS/MCRC regional conference hosted at Tower Hill, the school’s Social Justice Program, and Horizons at Tower Hill, to name a few.

Recognizing “teachers are [Tower Hill’s] backbone, carrying out the school’s mission each day with academic rigor, compassion and good humor,” Bessie championed a 100% increase in Tower Hill’s professional development budget for the ongoing growth, recognition and support of its faculty.

While a steward of Tower Hill tradition, Bessie encouraged innovation in the curriculum, leveraging the latest techniques and technology, and oversaw the expansion of the academic programs to meet the demands of 21st century learners. Among the enhancements were the creation of The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC), the expanded Wellness Center; the Global Certificate program; Scottish, Danish and Australian exchanges; environmental stewardship initiatives; student-led service and social justice boards; Tower Term; the Penn Social Innovators Program; and robotics, economics and computer science offerings. The school’s commitment to rigor was reaffirmed, enhanced by a keener understanding of the importance of “heart and balance”—always a focus for our 10th Head of School.

These improvements will serve Tower Hill, its students, families and faculty, for generations to come.

1. Bessie Speers addresses members of PAATH and DISTINCT at the fall social in 2019. 2. Bessie with Caitlin Van Sickle ’08 and coach Robin Adair Harvey. 3. Donor Reception in 2016 hosted by the the Altschulers at their home in Wilmington. (L-R) Jane Castle, Tom Speers, Bessie Speers, Shana Altschuler, Ashley Altschuler ’90, Mike Castle ’57 4. Bessie showing off her fun socks in Dec. 2022. 5. Bessie walks with students at the first Tower Day in 2016. 6. Bessie and Tom Speers on the front steps of Hayward House on Halloween 2022. 7. Bessie greets students on the first day of school in 2021. 8. Bessie with pre-K during the annual Gingerbread Person Hunt in 2017. 9. At the Senior Awards Assembly in 2016.

Presence, Persistence, & Principle

The numerous achievements should not overshadow another, equally important aspect of Bessie’s tenure: the personal impact she made by the way she led Tower Hill. Her presence, principle and persistence as a leader propelled Tower Hill forward in a way that will have a lasting impact on our community.

PRESENCE

As soon as Elizabeth Cromwell Speers arrived as 10th head and first woman to lead Tower Hill, she was “Bessie” to everyone she met (or maybe “Mrs. Speers” to the students). Her name and her manner announced that she would be engaged and visible. And for the next eight years, she lived up to that first impression.

With her husband Tom and son Guthrie (daughter Nellie already off to college), the Speers family enlivened Hayward House and made it a more integral part of Tower Hill, opening it to informal gatherings of students, teachers and staff as well as formal receptions, holiday parties and alumni reunions. Lawn chairs and games dotted the yard, and Nola, the Speers’ yellow lab, became a special guest at outdoor events around campus. Tom’s immersion in apiculture added to the buzz, providing some curricular opportunities for teachers and students, and introducing the community to Hiller Honey.

Bessie and Tom were fixtures at Tower Hill competitions, cheering on Tower Hill athletes of every stripe. In one of her first letters to the community, Bessie (an athlete all her life) held up the “life lessons from sports—including perseverance, teamwork, dedication and hard work” and the importance of “learning to lose with grace and humility.” She often invoked sports when talking about the work being done at Tower Hill, as in this update sent to parents during the pandemic: “Every day, our students came to school ready to learn, even when things were new and different. Just like the French Open competitors, our teachers and students persevered, taught, learned and played with agility, endurance and belief in themselves and in Tower Hill.”

Whether hosting in Hayward House, cheering a team, introducing a play or closing a concert, Bessie exhibited pride and joy in all things Tower Hill, especially its students. To make a point, or a connection, she would go to great measure and was known to hula hoop, beat a bongo drum or dance the floss. She donned many a fancy hat and festive cape, and her collection of green and white apparel seemed limitless. She coaxed, cajoled and compelled students of every age to engage, and they were all the better for it. Bessie Speers’ role as an advisor and her commitment to being truly present for all Tower Hill students were as important to her as any other facet of her job as Head of School.

PERSISTENCE

Bessie had barely settled into Hayward House in 2015 when she began preparing for the school’s Centennial Celebration in 2019. In her first message to the community, she introduced the “Centennial chapter at Tower Hill” and called on us to “aim high and claim our history together as we approach 100 years of Tower Hill in 2019.” Though not a Tower Hill alumna, she recognized the central importance of history and traditions to Tower Hill and saw the centennial as the perfect opportunity to celebrate and reaffirm them. Looking to the future, she also saw the milestone as a once-in-a-century chance to unite all who love the school and to encourage their support of the institution.

She pursued these two aims of the Centennial with her characteristic enthusiasm and persistence and using the talents that helped her achieve so much. She envisioned what could be; communicated the vision broadly and often; inspired a skilled team of volunteers to carry the load; and stayed with it. The years of preparation paid off, with a series of joyful celebrations engaging the entire community and befitting Tower Hill’s first

century. (Revelers will never forget the fireworks or the student-penned theme song!) And in celebrating our history, Bessie tapped the pride and excitement to well position Tower Hill for its second century, realizing the largest fundraising campaign in the school’s history.

The Centennial Celebration was not only a success for its result, but for the way Bessie, in characteristic manner, led the entire community to share in the work and the triumph: by thinking big, setting a goal, telling everybody about it, getting the right people to drive the effort and encouraging the community to join in.

PRINCIPLE

It was clear early on that for Bessie “aim high” meant more than just pursuing lofty goals. She challenged herself, students and colleagues—and the Tower Hill community at large—to be better.

One way she conveyed that message was through the annual “Word of the Year.” The first, Gratitude, was introduced with a call to “celebrate a culture of gratitude for the school’s traditions, history and excellent reputation.” Kindness, Bessie wrote, could be “both gentle and powerful, understated and ubiquitous” and is “woven into the fabric of our Tower Hill community.” For the 2017-2018 school year, staff and faculty chose Courage, highlighting its importance in maintaining our commitment to strong values, well lived. Integrity marked the next year, Bessie explaining to students that to have integrity is “to always be honest, to never take shortcuts, to put in the hard work, to stand for what is right and just, and to have strong values.” The Centennial year focused on Community, which was a source of strength both in the celebration in the fall and the onset of the pandemic in the spring. And as we came together in-person after many months apart, Unity was the clarion call. “Have faith in one another,” she wrote. Inspire was the message in 2021-

“From her very first days, it was clear that Bessie would ensure our students were at the center of everything Tower Hill did. She was unflinching in that—and Tower Hill is a better place for it. Tower Hill has been incredibly fortunate to have had both Bessie and Tom as part of this community—their commitment to the whole of school life is unmatched.”

— Michelle Shepherd, former Board Chair

1. Tom Speers, Bessie Speers, Guthrie Speers ’19 and Michelle Shepherd at graduation 2019.

2022, and Bessie shared the many things at Tower Hill that inspired her, from the arrival of spring when grass greened, robins revealed themselves and “light lingered longer in the afternoon” to “the gallant procession of Field Day… muscle and minds engaged in teamwork,” and in the “true poetry offered by our musicians, actors and actresses.” Gratitude. Kindness. Courage. Integrity. Community. Unity. Inspire. The qualities are simple, easy for all to appreciate, uplifting but not revelations. What is remarkable, though, is a leader who calls not just for students, and the community, to do better, but to be better. Bessie has been remarkable for her willingness to publicly challenge herself, and all of us, to lead with character.

And this year, as Bessie Speers prepares to leave Tower Hill, the word is Curiosity. At the final Opening Assembly of a tenure marked by achievement and expansion, innovation and introspection, challenges and change, Bessie reminded students that “to be truly curious about one another, with a loving mind and heart, is what learning is all about—and it helps us care outward, beyond ourselves.”

And so, we turn to the future, curious about what it will bring, but confident that Bessie Speers’ eight years leading Tower Hill have well prepared us to seize the opportunities and overcome the challenges we will encounter.

Thank you, and Godspeed, Bessie!

2. During the Centennial Gala Bessie presents gifts of appreciation to the Gala co-chairs Linda Boyden, Erica Donoho and Isabella Speakman Timon ’92 3. Bessie and Tom Speers dancing at the Centennial Gala in 2019. 4. Bessie meets with new students in her office in 2017.

1. Bessie with students at Tower Day 2022. 2. Bessie reads to pre-K in 2022. 3. Bessie and Tom in 2016. 4. Forum in 2017 with speaker Chris Coons ’81. (L-R) Bessie Speers, Tara Fletcher, History Department Chair, Chris Coons, Bill Rapolt whose family established the Forum. 5. In July 2019, Stephanie Bredin Speakman ’64 hosted an alumni gathering in Nantucket. (L-R): Phoebe Brokaw Davidson ’97, Charles Davidson, Bessie Speers, Stephanie Bredin Speakman ’64 6. Speers family at Christmas 2022. 7. Bessie with Dr. Eric Johnson Board Chair at the time and Wilmington Mayor Michael Purzycki at the Centennial Convocation.

The Speers Scholarship

Elizabeth C. Speers, Tower Hill’s 10th Head of School and first woman to lead the school, believed that making a Tower Hill education more accessible would have far reaching benefits to Tower Hill and the broader community.

To that end, Bessie led efforts that significantly grew the endowment for financial aid and nearly doubled the aid provided to families. She viewed Tower Hill as a “school of Wilmington and of the world” and strived to increase Tower Hill School’s engagement with both. In her final year as Head

of School, the Board of Trustees approved Horizons at Tower Hill, a summer academic and enrichment program designed to advance educational equity. Bessie introduced Tower Hill to this national program when she arrived at the school in 2015 and, by her unflagging advocacy, brought it to life in 2023.

To honor Bessie’s steadfast commitment to increasing the accessibility of a Tower Hill School education, and to recognize her efforts to foster more community engagement, The Speers Scholarship was established in March of 2023.

“Bessie truly understands what excellence in education means on a national level, and her ability to inspire and stand for a vision that has equity at its core, has raised the stature of Tower Hill.”

— Dr. Eric Johnson, Trustee & former Board Chair

“Bessie brought educational vision and commitment to building strong curricular programs while enhancing the school’s diversity and inclusion efforts and expanding the base of financial support for the school. She and Tower Hill can look back on her accomplishments with great pride.”

— Earl Ball, Emeritus Trustee

1. Matt Twyman ’88, Bessie Speers and Kristin Mumford at the Golf Outing 2022. 2. The Speers at a football game in 2017 with trustee Ken Simpler and his wife Liz. 3. Bessie with Harry Baetjer, Ben duPont ’20 and Mehmet Oz, M.D., ’78 following his presentation in 2017. 4. The Speers family in spring 2022. 5. Bessie and her mother Ruth Cromwell at her installation luncheon in 2015. 6. Bessie and Tom at Tree Trim 2019. 7. The Speers Cup was established by Chris Donoho ’87 in honor of Bessie Speers and her brother-in-law Will Speers who coached squash at St. Andrew’s School for many years. Bessie with Ed Chilton’s help started squash at THS. 8. Bessie with Danish Exchange students and Maurice Rapp Director of Global Initiatives. 9. Bessie with Caelen Gillen ’32 and Isla Gillen ’35 with their grandparents Dr. Kahja Yezdani and Dr. Vijaya Yezdani at Grandparents’ Day 2023.

“Bessie is passionate about education and Tower Hill, and she has made the school a better place. Her vision has lifted the school in so many ways and there has been a notable renaissance in the breadth of academics and in the school’s attention to inclusivity and diversity.”

— Ben duPont, Board Chair

HILLER HEADS

THEN AND NOW

BY LIAM BOULOS ’23, ASSIGNMENT FOR JOURNALISM CLASS

Throughout the years, Tower Hill has been led by many courageous Heads of School, with the most recent being Elizabeth Speers, who is compassionately referred to as “Bessie” by students and faculty members.

Since 2015, Mrs. Speers has brightened the halls of Tower Hill with her whimsical spirit, kind smile and curious anecdotes. However, the 2022-2023 school year will be Tower Hill’s last with Bessie at the head of the ship.

This departure brings sadness to many members of the community as a result of the amazing work she did as Head of School, and especially the lively and festive energy that has flourished under her leadership. Always with a smile, Bessie often makes appearances in morning meeting to celebrate big sports wins and share words of encouragement. Bessie has always employed her positive attitude as a means of bettering life at Tower Hill, and it does not go unnoticed by the students.

“I value [Mrs. Speers’] ability to make the school day fun. When she went over the loudspeaker and played “Pocketful of Sunshine,” it was a really classic moment and it shows her ability to make light out of stressful situations.”

As we prepare to close this exciting era of Tower Hill’s history, we must look to the past for wisdom in preparation for the transition. In July of 1923, Burton Fowler became the Head of School, a progressive thinker who took an unconventional approach to teaching. The era that ensued is now referred to as the “Fowler years” and is remembered fondly by many Hillers as a time when music filled the halls and students danced their way from class to class, as depicted in Forever Green: A Commemorative History of Tower Hill. His methods of education prioritized students’ wellbeing through observation of their physical and mental health, providing an exceptional learning environment and encouraging students to spend time outside during the academic day.

As reflected upon in Forever Green, “Fowler hated grades and examinations, which were emblems of the old regime and in addition taught unhealthy and selfish competition when ‘children climb over other children to reach a coveted goal.’”

Fowler held a passion for innovation that led the school down a path quite divergent from the status quo. Although his work at Tower Hill made education more accessible to students with learning differences like dyslexia, it also had its drawbacks. His dislike for standardized testing in combination with the unique curriculum he developed at the school made it difficult for students to be admitted to colleges and adjust to new environments like a university or boarding school. As a result, beloved “Burpy P.” had to part ways with the school, leaving behind an inarguably beautiful legacy.

In Tower Hill’s commemorative history, former history department chair Dr. Ellis Wasson recalls that “to be a child in the wonderland he created was a marvelous thing.”

“I value [Mrs. Speers’] ability to make the school day fun. When she went over the loudspeaker and played “Pocketful of Sunshine,” it was a really classic moment and it shows her ability to make light out of stressful situations.”

Following Fowler was Mr. James Guernsey, who was hired to steer Tower Hill off of the progressive experimental education track and onto a more traditional college preparatory track. He came from a military boarding school in Minnesota, where he was referred to as “Bull.” Despite being the complete opposite of Fowler, Guernsey’s teaching experience was an asset for Tower Hill. He quickly revised the school’s curriculum and re-implemented standardized tests, which he felt were integral to determining the scholastic merits of students.

Tower Hill alumnus Stephen Hyde claimed that in the transition from Fowler to Guernsey, “out went charisma and in came a man who, in retrospect, seemed firmly focused on the tasks at hand.”

James Guernsey was well equipped to move the school in the direction intended by the board, and while this transition was able to uplift the reputation and image of Tower Hill, the subtle changes in the school’s culture are what need to be learned from. In the place of outdoor recreation, there was now study hall, and the Victrola in the upper hall became a distant memory. The concern for students’ individual needs waned, and the advertisement of students’ achievements became regular.

Obviously, Bessie and Burpy are not one, despite their similar nicknames. In addition, there is little demand for drastic alterations to the school’s structure or curriculum. However, there is certainly something to lose in the journey ahead just as there was nearly a century ago at the close of Burton Fowler’s leadership. The reaction to the Fowler era brought on much change and was responsible for great improvements to the school’s ability to prepare students for their futures. Obviously, the school gained prestige and knowledge with this shift in power, but it lost the music. In the literal sense, it has been almost a century since Hillers danced through the halls, but there is a certain air of joy that comes from Mrs. Speers’ leadership.

“I just love her energy. She can just really lighten the spirit of the student body, and I think that’s something that we need.”

As we pave forward, we must remember when Mrs. Speers got up on stage in a swimsuit to congratulate the girls swim team, when she hit a golf ball into the audience during morning meeting and I mean who could forget workout Wednesdays during Zoom? While all of these moments may seem unremarkable on their own, what they contribute to the greater school community and culture is invaluable.

While Bessie’s warm personality and ability to give joy to others may not seem at risk of being forgotten, reflecting on the story of former Head of School Burton Fowler and the reaction to his leadership illuminates the reality that nothing is set in stone. The past is a useful thing when moving towards the future, and it is a gift we have one so extensive to rediscover. Just as Burton Fowler did nearly 100 years ago, Bessie leads in a manner that brings positivity to all aspects of student life at Tower Hill, and that is the quality we must strive to uphold for every future generation of Hillers to come. All things do come to an end, and as we move forward with an appreciation for all of the amazing memories Bessie has given us throughout her time at Tower Hill, we must never let go of the positivity she brought to our lives.

“I just love her energy. She can just really lighten the spirit of the student body, and I think that’s something that we need.”

OUR NEXT HEAD OF SCHOOL

In January, Tower Hill School announced that Sarah D. A. Baker would become the 11th Head of School beginning July 1, 2023. Sarah has served as Head of Upper School since 2021, and during this time, she has established both relationships and experience at Tower Hill, as well as a love of the school’s community. Sarah is a collaborative academic leader with a deep understanding of independent schools and a strategic vision for Tower Hill’s future. In the fall edition of the Bulletin, there will be a longer feature article on Sarah’s leadership.

be contained by no computer screen. The community members I spoke with embodied Tower Hill’s espoused and lived commitment to justice, integrity and excellence. It was clear to me that the school was not only the place I wanted to serve but also where my husband Scott and I hoped our children might grow up.

When I arrived on campus in the summer of 2021 and met Tower Hill face-to-face and in three dimensions, I felt in the school’s generous welcome and genuine spirit of collaboration the sense of youthful possibility that is so remarkable in a school of this age and storied tradition. I heard from families and alumni a shared conviction that the school could at once make progress and remain true to itself and its mission. And I found in the faculty a group of people whose reason for being was their students’ development.

of this marvelous community at the center of our family’s life. Indeed, our children already seem somehow to be aware of how lucky they are to grow up with Tower Hill students and teachers as their role models and mentors. Recently, my son asked me where a Virginian friend of his went to school, and after I answered, Cover said, “Oh, I should talk to him. He’d like it at Tower Hill better.” While his knowledge of geography is a work in progress, his love of his school is sure.

The future is bright for Tower Hill as it builds on its historical success and enters the next phase of its growth. It is my privilege to lead that growth, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve the school.

True to Tower Hill,

Sarah

Dear Tower Hill Community,

It will be my great honor come July to serve as the eleventh Head of School at Tower Hill, a school unmatched in character and purpose.

I first met Tower Hill through a Zoom window during the remotest and most isolating days of the pandemic. The intellect and warmth of those who would become my colleagues and students helped me to understand immediately that Tower Hill was a school whose personality and vibrancy would

The greatest mentors and sages in my own life—with the notable exception of my devoted parents— were the independent school teachers and coaches who took more delight in my successes than they did in their own. Tower Hill’s richly patterned tradition of excellence repeats the same theme: talented teachers who believe in the limitless capacity of young people and commit their lifework to enabling their growth.

Scott and I are thrilled to raise our children Cover ’36 and Alice as Hillers and to place the stewardship

UD INTERNS

BY KAYLA MARTELL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Tower Hill continues to make history by expanding our network beyond the campus. Two future educators, and current students from the University of Delaware, are gaining real classroom experience this year at Tower Hill in the Kaleidoscope program.

Never before has a partnership like this existed, where University of Delaware students served in a paid internship within an after school program. This remarkable residency program is “one-of-a-kind” says Cindy Sardo, Director of Auxiliary Programs and Associate Director of Preschool Admissions at Tower Hill. “Usually teachers do not have internships like other majors; they only get to student teach,” she said. This residency program is a new way of introducing future educators to the many facets of the school environment.

In the fall of 2022, the College of Education & Human Development at the University of Delaware announced this paid residency program was open to all students pursuing careers in education. The program was so successful that it was later announced that the University of Delaware planned to continue this partnership with Tower Hill’s Kaleidoscope program offering either paid internships or college credits into the winter semester and beyond.

Candidates interested in this opportunity submitted applications and letters of recommendation before participating in traditional job interviews. After careful consideration, two Elementary Education majors were selected. Sarah Price and Allison Watson were both pleased and excited to accept the offers.

Watson is a junior who started with the Kaleidoscope program in September. She is currently teaching some lessons as part of her coursework before student teaching next year. This is the first internship for Watson and her first experience with afterschool programming.

“I really like that Cindy gave me the opportunity to observe in the classroom before Kaleidoscope started. So I have had the opportunity to see many different ages in their classrooms. In Kaleidoscope I am with the third and fourth graders, which is where I knew I wanted to be in the future. So it is the perfect fit!” says Watson.

“I want to learn how to relate to students in a classroom setting. I wanted to get the feeling that this is the right path for me. This experience has solidified that this is the career for me,” Watson shared.

Sarah Price was excited to gain classroom experience and consider what grade she may ultimately want to teach. “I can tell the students respect the staff here. For the most part, the kids are really respectful and they seem to know what is expected of them,” Price said. The future educator shared that she had been studying classroom management this semester and had wondered how educators are able to transition students from one activity to another, such as from play to homework. Her main objective was to learn how to keep her students focused. The Kaleidoscope staff have been tremendous mentors for her.

Both women look forward to careers in elementary education and mentioned they would love to work for Tower Hill or a similar school. Cindy Sardo says this partnership is only the beginning of many wonderful opportunities to come to Tower Hill that will connect us with the greater educational community.

TOP: Allison Watson with a student. BOTTOM: Sarah Price with students.

ACADEMICS

NATIONAL MERIT RECOGNITION

Congratulations to our 18 seniors who were named National Merit Scholarship Qualifiers and Semifinalists: Liam Boulos (Semifinalist), Brianna Chi, Michael Connolly, Charlie Friz (Semifinalist), Amelia Gregory, Charles Habgood, Cameron Haskins, Gabriel Huang (Semifinalist), Eason Li (Semifinalist), Alice Liu, Ryan Luo (Semifinalist), Leo Malik, Max Neal (Semifinalist), Marissa Nygard, Chloe Sachs, Claire Saunders, Ava Tattasciore, Guada Wadhwa

Qualifiers represent students who scored roughly in the top 1% of test-takers by state in the nation. The semifinalists will have the opportunity to compete for scholarships and recognition by colleges and universities during the admissions process. Finalists will be selected during the school year and announced in the spring of 2022.

COLLEGE BOARD RECOGNITION

Two Tower Hill students were recognized by the College Board National Recognition Program. Emani Larkin ’23 (pictured) and another student received the National African American Recognition Award. This honor is in recognition of exceptional academic achievements and outstanding performance on the PSAT and/or AP. Congratulations!

AIME

Two Tower Hill students, Eason Li ’23 and Veer Pahwa ’24 participated in the AIME. The American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) is a selective and prestigious 15-question, 3-hour test, administered to those who rank in the top 5% on the AMC 12 contest that was held in November. Qualifying for the AIME is an exceptional academic achievement.

ACADEMICS

SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS

Congratulations to the following students for being recognized as Scholastic Art Award recipients! Gold Keys: Olivia Jordan ’24, Alice Liu ’23, Katherine Niu ’24. Silver Keys: Janie duPont ’24, Aleezah Ehtasham ’23, Amelia Gregory ’23, Nina Lee ’23, Katherine Niu ’24, Molly Sugalski ’23. Honorable Mentions: Adi Cherneva ’24, Keelan Donnelly ’24, Aleezah Ehtasham ’23, Amelia Gregory ’23, Olivia Jordan ’24, Alice Liu ’23, Katherine Niu ’24, Veer Pahwa ’24, Molly Sugalski ’23

SCHOLASTIC WRITING AWARDS

Congratulations to this year’s students recognized by the regional Scholastic Writing Awards! Claire Saunders ’23 received two Gold Keys, two Silver Keys and two Honorable Mentions. Joseph Cooke ’24 also received a Gold Key, and Emani Larkin ’23 received a Silver Key and an Honorable Mention. Cassie Dong ’24 and Molly Sugalski ’23 also received Honorable Mentions. Regional Gold Key recipients will go on to be considered for national recognition.

ACADEMICS

STUDENT WRITING CONTEST

Congratulations to Eleanor Loeper-Viti ’24 who received a Runner-Up award in the New York Times

Eighth Annual Student Review Contest for her work

“‘The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue’: Stunning Writing With Little Depth.”

GREEK MYTHOLOGY

Sixth graders studied Greek mythology and performed a series of short plays based on Greek myths that they re-imagined and wrote themselves.

STUDENTS ATTEND STATE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

In January the HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) Club attended their state leadership conference at Wilmington University. The students attended two workshops on Virtual Medicine and Public Health led by healthcare professionals from Christiana Care. The students competed in various science disciplines as part of a National Geographic program. Haasini Potluri ’25 won a silver medal in biology and Sarah Liu ’23 won a bronze medal in physics. In the photo are the Tower Hill attendees (L-R): Karina Munshi ’24, Aleezah Ehtasham ’23, Sarah Liu ’23, Anvitha Koya ’23, Daniel Liu ’25, Haasini Potluri ’25, Alexander Okenczyc ’25, Cathy Li ’34 and teacher Steve Harris.

MOCK TRIAL

Tower Hill won 5th place in the annual Delaware High School Mock Trial Championship. The team was coached by THS parents John Malik and Rob Saunders and alumnus Chip Sheridan ’03. Jon Dong ’25, Max Neal ’23 and Robby Saunders ’24 won best attorney gavel awards and Olivia Jordan ’24, Leo Malik ’23, Claire Saunders ’23 and Katie Saunders ’23 won best witness gavel awards.

ACADEMICS

FORUM SPEAKER SERIES

The theme of this year’s Forum Speaker Series is Food. The fall speaker was Amanda Little, a journalist writing about the environment and innovation. The spring speaker was Omar Tate (pictured on right), who co-founded Honeysuckle Pop Up, a traveling dining concept that explores several nuances of Black life and culture. His talk, moderated by Tyler Akin ’02 (pictured on left), discussed the challenge of opening his Afrocentric grocer and cafe, the importance of food in connecting to community, and Black chefs, farmers and food in American history. The Forum was established in 1998 by the generosity of the Rappolt family.

POETRY JAM

Second graders shared poems with one another that they authored. Each student received a certificate for their excellent work.

AMERICAN MATHEMATICS COMPETITION

Mathematically minded eighth graders competed in the American Mathematics Competition (AMC 8) in January. The AMC 8 is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple choice examination in Middle School mathematics designed to promote the development of problem solving skills. The AMC 8 provides an opportunity for Middle School students to develop positive attitudes toward analytical thinking and mathematics that can assist in future careers.

BUILDING A LOVE OF MATH FROM K TO 12

BY MAURA C. CICCARELLI, FREELANCE WRITER

Games

Career exploration

Digital art created from complex equations

Card and dice games

Online competitions

Virtual investing

Origami

Chess

These are just some of the ways Tower Hill math teachers in every grade bring math alive to convey ever-more-complex mathematical concepts. These can promote a love of problem-solving while they have fun doing it.

“We believe that learning math is a participation sport,” says Math Department Chair Noreen Jordan, who also teaches Upper School math. “Students are engaged and challenged in the classes and instead of sitting at a desk and doing rote work through worksheets, they absorb the information presented by conversing and collaborating about processes and applications.”

Yes, math may be difficult to learn. But, Jordan hopes that by the end of every year “most of the students feel a sense of accomplishment and

understand that learning math is not about earning a grade, but it is more about building skills by process of trying and failing and trying and succeeding.”

LOWER SCHOOL

“In Lower School, students are building their understanding of operations,” says Michelle Coulter, who has been teaching at Tower Hill for 30 years and became a teaching and learning specialist last year to primarily support students in math.

“As a way to build fluency with the concepts of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, we play games,” she says. “Students learn a variety of games using cards and dice, as well as engage in activities involving drawing to visually represent math facts. This helps students build their fluency

ABOVE: A Desmos image recreating Starry Night using advanced coding in calculus class.

and efficiency with math facts in a way that is engaging, collaborative and fun.”

Recently, after teaching a card game to a small group of second graders, one student asked when they were going to do math. “When I told him the game was our math activity for the day, he exclaimed, ‘That was math? It was fun!’”

Another popular program is Math Olympiad, a competition for grades 4-8 in the U.S. and around the world to promote problem solving, mathematical reasoning and flexible thinking, as well as fostering student’s creativity and ingenuity.

“We begin exploring Math Olympiad problems in fourth grade by encouraging students to find their unique ways to derive solutions,” says Coulter. “They often work collaboratively and share their answers to deepen their understanding of multiple methods. When students start Middle School, they enter the contest officially and work independently to solve the

problems.” Coulter says she models a positive example about math by sharing her enthusiasm for the subject with them.

“I feel it’s so important for our youngest Hillers to develop confidence and a positive attitude as a foundation for their future learning,” she explains. Also, students write on whiteboards to explore and record their thinking and take risks.

“It makes math less threatening,” she says. “I constantly reinforce that it’s okay to make mistakes, which are an integral part of learning. I also feel that students become more engaged in math when they are collaborating with their peers to solve problems. Our students are encouraged to share different ways of deriving solutions.”

She adds, “I hope students come away with the understanding that there is not only one way to solve a math problem and that we can learn from the different methods shared by our classmates.”

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Making math fun helps students gain understanding of more complex math concepts, too, says Paul Mulvena, Middle School math teacher and Assistant Head of Middle School.

“Cherie Martinez’s and Kristie Campbell’s fifth and sixth grade math classes participate in the NBA Math Hoops, which is sponsored by the NBA and the Philadelphia 76ers,” she explains. “Students play a board game that incorporates math and sportsmanship along with strategy and sometimes luck.”

Throughout the year, they compete with their partners in a weekly match against other fifth and sixth grade teams, with the top two teams from each grade competing in a regional tournament. Students learn fundamental math skills along the way.

In November, the eighth grade honors algebra and geometry classes used equations to create pixel-based art that looks like block-based images on old-school

ABOVE: A sixth grade project explaining how a coach would use math in their job.

arcade, computer and video game consoles.

“They worked with the algebra concept of systems of equations with two variables,” Mulvena explained. “By applying the algebraic strategies to solve linear systems, students created their own systems with specific parameters set for their solutions; students worked backward with their solutions to create these linear systems. In the creation of this project, students designed a unique pixel art image on Google spreadsheets. Using conditional formatting, each system solution is linked to the pixel art image. When solutions are entered into the appropriate cells, part of the student’s designed image appears. Plus, students also learned to utilize an equation editor application in their project.”

In sixth grade, students create a career poster, called “Math: Who Needs It.” Students research a math career of interest to them and create a poster to explain important aspects of the career in addition to how math is needed in the field.

The idea was inspired by Mulvena’s own experience as a student in school. He had interviewed his cousin who worked in construction and learned that the Pythagorean Theorem was used to calculate

the dimensions of a sloped roof, properly sized beams and how much material would be needed to shingle it.

“At the time, he did not exactly remember that it was called the Pythagorean Theorem, but I felt proud to be able to connect his explanation with the theorem,” he says.

In addition to the Math Olympiad mentioned earlier, seventh and eighth graders participate in the SIGMA Math Competition, which applies their math knowledge in new ways by solving non-routine problems, as well as the online math competition called the Math League, which develops problem solving through competition. Eighth graders also take the American Math Competition (AMC 8) exam, which promotes problem-solving skills.

In addition, all Middle Schoolers can join origami and chess clubs as well as play The Stock Market Game, a virtual program organized by the University of Delaware to teach financial literacy.

Mulvena says he knew he wanted to be a teacher by second grade. Today, he operates by the concept that you need to “reach” students before you can “teach” them. He often quotes the famous Kung Fu television series line, “Patience,

young grasshopper,” when kids want to zoom ahead before developing a firm foundation of math concepts.

“Math is not about just memorizing,” he notes. “Math investigates quality, structure, space and change. Understanding where each student is in their life-long journey of learning and providing the opportunities, resources and time to help them develop is critical to their growth, progress and success.”

“By having students complete the Desmos project it gives them an opportunity to apply what they know into something tangible. They get to see math in action and how it can actually create something meaningful in the moment.”

UPPER SCHOOL

“Math gets such a bad rap and I have tried to make it a point to provide a positive classroom experience for my students,” says Upper School math teacher Jordan. “At its essence, mathematics is the study of patterns, so I like to begin the school year with an activity that exposes students to all kinds of patterns that may not necessarily include numbers.”

This includes incorporating logic puzzles and games with visual patterns such as SET and Uzzle in class to help students develop reasoning skills while having fun.

Jordan notes that Tara Tatasciore’s classes periodically play a game called SKUNK that helps students develop a sense of how probability works.

ABOVE: Two students working on their Desmos projects. RIGHT: Another Desmos project showing the coding involved to create the image.

In addition, Tatasciore and fellow teacher Nicole Keith use an online tool called Desmos, including its graphic calculator, which can do much more than the handheld calculators students usually use. The graphing projects show students how math and art are connected by asking them to create a design using mathematical equations that they have learned.

“The assignment is open ended but does have certain requirements depending upon which course the student is in,” says Tatasciore. “It enables students to blend their mathematical knowledge with their creative skills. Students gain a better understanding of how graphs behave while making beautiful art.”

Keith says she uses Desmos to help students visualize the functions they are learning.

“Desmos itself would often share images that students had created on its website, and I thought it would be interesting to have our own students take on the project,” she says. “I started in 2016 with my precalculus students. In this course, students learn conic sections, which includes the study of circles and ellipses. With this information in their back pocket it makes the Desmos project more interesting since the students can include circular shapes and not just lines and curves.”

She adds, “A lot of the really cool applications come later in mathematics when students have already decided how they feel about math. By having students complete the Desmos project it gives them an opportunity to apply what they know into something tangible. They get to see math in action and how it can actually create something meaningful in the moment. That is also why we can do the project over multiple years—the students learn and grow and can improve the complexity of their designs.”

Additionally, she says, having students apply their current knowledge to something outside of mathematical applications gives them a window into the possibilities of a math-based career.

“A lot of students often equate mathematics with engineering but have no idea what that looks like in reality or what other options there are. Math is often seen as this clinical pursuit while in reality there is a lot of creativity that is connected to the subject. Having space and time to create for the sake of creation brings a lot of our students joy and gives them a chance to see how fun math can really be,” she says.

Keith, who has been teaching algebra II, precalculus and calculus during her eight years at Tower Hill, says she’s always very upfront with her students. While

mathematics can be difficult, that is actually part of the fun of learning it. She tries to balance challenging materials by helping students get through by taking smaller steps, which makes math feel achievable.

“I always try to make the classroom environment one where students feel comfortable asking questions and a place where all ideas are valued,” she says. “If a student has a different way of solving a problem, we often dive into that idea together as a class and discuss the pros and cons of the different methods. I strive to make the classroom feel like a team and where we are all working towards the same goal together.”

MATH FROM START TO FINISH

“Math is like building a tower of blocks,” notes Mulvena, who has been at Tower Hill since 2009. “Our Lower School teachers do a phenomenal job developing the foundation. In Middle School, we make sure that the foundation remains strong as we build upon it in preparation for the students’ later math studies in Upper School and beyond.”

“Our students do so much reading and writing in our humanities classes, I think it is a welcome change for them to come over to the math and science building to use a different part of their brain,” adds Jordan, who has taught math for more than three decades and has been math department chair for the last six years.

“We value careful and deep thinking in our classes—students learn to reason, think and listen to each other,” she says. “They share ideas about problem solving and are encouraged to come up with new ways to tackle problems. Presenting students with an unknown and then having them work together to arrive at a solution is valuable practice for any field or future job.”

FLEXIBLE SEATING

ENHANCING ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING IN FIRST GRADE CLASSROOMS

BY MAURA C. CICCARELLI, FREELANCE WRITER

Walk into Ann Sullivan or Meghan Donlon’s first grade classrooms this year and you may have a bit of a surprise.

Some kids may be sitting on the floor using a laptop stand as a writing desk. Others put the platform on top of a desk to let them stand up and work. A low coffee table lets students sit on the ground and work together. Others sit at a regular desk. But, some use a pedal machine or sit on a “wobbly stool” that lets them move all day long, if they want.

To control messiness, supplies aren’t kept in desk cubbies. Students retrieve the activity-specific bin— labeled with their own “magic number”—from a shelf. Flexible seating options have been around for a long time but recent research, particularly following the challenges students and teachers faced around the country during the pandemic, showed that student engagement increases when students get to choose comfortable learning spaces.

“Whether that be standing, sitting, kneeling or pedaling while participating in group and individual work, all students have discovered their unique way of working,” says Sullivan, who has been teaching for 11 years and is a Tower Hill parent to a high schooler and a recent grad. “It just brings a level of calmness to your classroom, because they are doing what their body needs so their minds can focus on what you are teaching.”

Donlon, who has been teaching for 14 years and is parent to a 2022 graduate, adds: “For example, a student who needs movement throughout the day benefits from sitting on a wobbly stool where they can bounce and move all day. When your body is comfortable and doing what it needs then your mind can focus better.”

In addition, some students who struggled in kindergarten with attentiveness in the 2021–2022 school year showed few issues in the fall of 2022 when they had the flexible seating options in the first grade classrooms.

“It’s been fascinating to see,” says Donlon.

The equipment and supplies were funded by the Home and School Association, along with classroom budgets. The teachers also got creative by looking for low-cost or free furniture and supplies available through online groups or thrift stores.

SPREADING THE WORD

Interest in the flexible seating approach has grown, after the two teachers presented their approach to the Lower School faculty.

“We’ve had one-on-one conversations with our colleagues, teachers have visited our classroom to observe the flexible seating during lessons, and classrooms have reached into their budgets to adopt some form of flexible seating,” says Sullivan. Some Middle School teachers have expressed interest as well.

Both teachers noted that flexible seating approach fits well into Tower Hill’s philosophy, which includes: “...The school encourages each student to develop a sense of personal worth and to recognize, understand and accept the individuality of others.”

“The pandemic definitely had an impact on our decision to move forward with flexible seating in our

current classrooms,” adds Donlon. “While Tower Hill was somewhat of an anomaly and stayed open in the fall of 2020, we had very strict protocols in place for our in-person learning. Seeing students sitting in desks six feet apart all day and wearing masks, unable to share manipulatives, work in small groups together for an extended period of time and, more importantly, were missing the social aspect of school are what fueled our desire to begin flexible seating this year.”

Flexible seating doesn’t mean a free for all, however. Although students sign up for where they want to sit each week, they still have to rotate through the different choices so they get comfortable with learning in multiple situations. The teachers developed clear rules for how the students were to behave while in the different seating arrangements.

“I think they like them all, because they never felt stuck in one place,” Sullivan says. “If they didn’t particularly like the floor seating that week, they went to the yoga ball/wobbly stool. I think the variety is definitely what they love the most.”

Donlon adds, “When students have a seating choice, they are most productive. Just as we differentiate the curriculum to meet our students’ needs, we found it was important to differentiate our space as well.”

STANFORD SCHOOL CLIMATE SURVEY

BY ANTHONY PISAPIA, ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

In spring 2022, Tower Hill partnered with Stanford University’s Challenge Success program to issue a survey to Tower Hill students, parents, and faculty.

The survey asked research-based questions focused on health, sleep, academic integrity, support at school, engagement, homework load, extracurriculars, expectations, grades and time management. The survey served as a check-in, as the school emerged from the pandemic, and a diagnostic, helping us focus on areas that might need attention. We wanted to know how our students, parents and faculty were feeling and how they were experiencing Tower Hill.

In addition, participants created word associations. For example, “family or community” was the most common category faculty used to describe Tower Hill, followed by “caring and welcoming” and “challenging or rigorous.” For Middle School students, “fun” and “caring and welcoming” were used most often. Upper School students chose “challenging or rigorous” most often. These word associations helped us understand prevailing sentiment across segments of the school.

Some high-level findings include:

Sleep Time: Our Upper School students report getting 6.6 hours of sleep each weeknight, compared to 7.9 hours in Middle School. We know, through research, that appropriate amounts of sleep are critical for brain development and either impede or help our students’ ability to deal with stress.

Homework: Upper School students report doing an average of 2.8 hours of homework per weeknight and 3.3 hours per weekend. Middle School students report doing an average of 1.8 hours of homework per weeknight and 1.7 hours per weekend. How the school helps students manage time spent on homework is important in understanding the whole picture of a student’s day.

Connections: In Upper School, 80% of students say they have an adult they can go to if they have a personal problem, and, in Middle School, 79%. We know that connection and trust are necessary for students to do their best work.

This survey is part of a broader commitment Tower Hill has made to understand how the design of our program, at all ages and stages, impacts lives. This year, we used the survey’s results to inform planning for everything from class schedules to sports offerings. We also began a discussion about what future changes might have a positive impact.

The advantage of working with Stanford is that they allow us to benchmark our results against those from hundreds of high-performing peer schools that also took the survey. The one metric that all schools in the sample need to improve is “student engagement.” The Challenge Success Program defines a “fully engaged student” as one who “often” or “always” does their work, enjoys it and values it. According to research, engagement correlated with success in the classroom. Survey results suggest that 12% of Tower Hill students are “fully engaged” while 37% of students are “purposefully engaged,” meaning they “often” or “always” do their work, and value it, but “rarely” or “never” enjoy it. Tower Hill is committed to creating conditions where a larger percentage of students can feel “fully engaged,” and Stanford is committed to providing us with ongoing research and guidance to help us achieve that goal.

This survey and what it uncovered are not one-anddone. We will continue to ask questions about how we, as a community, can retain a healthy balance of rigor and wellness. We will continue to be curious about how our students are experiencing Tower Hill’s program and how our faculty and parents feel about how they, and our students, are supported. The experience we create together will be one in which students can be “fully engaged,” do their best work and find success in both learning and life. We have lofty aspirations, but they are well worth achieving for our students, faculty and all of the families Tower Hill serves.

Key Findings

UPPER SCHOOL STUDENTS

School Perception

“Challenging or rigorous” used by 36% of students is the most common category of words students use to describe Tower Hill high school. “Difficult or stressful” and “caring and welcoming” are the next most common, used by 34% and 15% of students, respectively.

80% of students say they have an adult they can go to if they have a personal problem. 91% of students have a peer they can go to.

The most common major source of stress students experience is “grades, tests, quizzes, finals or other assessments” (71% of students). Other sources reported by more than 50% of students are “overall workload and homework” (62%), “procrastination or time management” (56%) and “lack of sleep” (54%).

Workload and Engagement

Students report doing an average of 2.8 hours of homework per weeknight and 3.3 hours per weekend. 49% of students feel that half or less of their homework is useful.

42% of students are “doing school,” meaning they “often” or “always” do their work but “rarely” or “never” value it or enjoy it. An additional 37% of students are “purposefully engaged,” meaning they “often” or “always” do their work, and value it, but “rarely” or “never” enjoy it. 12% of students are “fully engaged,” meaning they “often” or “always” do their work, enjoy it,and value it. 8% of students are “disengaged,” meaning they neither do, enjoy nor find value in their schoolwork.

Sleep

Students report getting an average of 6.6 hours of sleep per weeknight.

Key Findings

MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

School Perception

“Fun” and “caring and welcoming,” used by 37% and 27% of students, respectively, are the most common categories of words students use to describe Tower Hill.

79% of students say they have an adult they can go to if they have a personal problem. 85% of students have a peer they can go to.

The most common major source of stress students experience is “grades, tests, quizzes, finals or other assessments” (70% of students). The next most common sources of stress are “overall workload and homework” (58%) and “a lack of time to play, relax or be with friends and family” (38%).

Workload and Engagement

Students report doing an average of 1.8 hours of homework per weeknight and 1.7 hours per weekend. 53% of students feel that the amount of homework is “just right,” while 47% feel like it is “too much.”

47% of students are “purposefully engaged,” meaning they “often” or “always” do their work, and value it, but “rarely” or “never” enjoy it. An additional 30% are “doing school,” meaning they “often” or “always” do their work, but “rarely” or “never” value it or enjoy it. 20% of students are “fully engaged,” meaning they “often” or “always” do their work, enjoy it and value it. 2% fall into other patterns of engagement.

Sleep

Students report getting an average of 7.9 hours of sleep per weeknight.

55% of students report keeping their phones in their bedrooms at night.

Key Findings

FACULTY AND STAFF School Climate

“Family or community” used by 30% of faculty/staff is the most common category of words used to describe Tower Hill. “Caring and welcoming” and “challenging or rigorous” is the next most common categories, used by 21% and 23% of faculty/staff, respectively.

The two social/emotional learning skills that are a formal part of the curriculum in most teachers’ classrooms are “developing positive learning mindsets” (53% of teachers) and “communicating thoughts and emotions clearly and appropriately” (52%).

78% of faculty/staff report “often” or “always” enjoying their job. 82% report “often” or “always” finding their job meaningful. 83% report “often” or “always” finding their job interesting.

Workload and Stress

The most common major source of stress faculty/staff experience is “overall workload” (41% of faculty/ staff). The next most common sources are “a lack of time to relax or be with friends and family” (37%) and “administrative work related to my job” (36%).

79% of faculty/staff feel that they are “often” or “always” “confident in their ability to cope with job-related stress.”

52% of faculty/staff report “often” or “always” having “too much to do and not enough time to do it.”

Faculty/staff report spending an average of 2.4 hours per weekday working outside of school hours.

Possible Changes

42% of faculty/staff feel that “having teachers coordinate due dates for major projects and assessments” and “reducing the homework load” would be “quite” or “very effective” at reducing students’ stress and improving their wellbeing.

KARE AFRIKA CONNECTION

BY KAYLA MARTELL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Third grade students set out to make a global impact this fall. Lower School teachers Renee ChambersLiciaga and Sara Bush made this opportunity possible through Renee’s connections with the Kare Afrika Orphanage in Kampala, Uganda as a longtime member of their volunteer board.

Students first met children from the orphanage virtually to establish a connection. This was a terrific opportunity for them to ask each other questions and offer a few laughs along the way. From there, they became global PenPals, writing each other letters back and forth to continue growing their bonds. As our young Hillers learned more about their international friends they decided to help in an even bigger way.

With guidance and encouragement from their teachers, the students collected musical instruments by donation that were sent to their friends in Uganda. Sixty children of the Kare Afrika Orphanage received hand written letters, rhythm sticks and other small instruments, pencils, paper, stickers and so on in a package sent from Delaware all the way to Kampala. The children of Kare Afrika were overjoyed by the gifts and the opportunity to make music. They sent a video message thanking the Tower Hill community for such a gift!

Curiosity became the banner of this project, according to Chambers-Liciaga as she noted how eager her students were to learn about their PenPals across the world. They heard stories of what life is like for their new friends in Kampala, Uganda and shared stories of their own. A global exchange for this age is unique and something that will continue to make a lasting impact on our third grade students according to Bush.

Music is a fundamental part of life for the children of the Kare Afrika Orphanage. It is a profound form of self expression for them and a way to connect with their heritage, cultural traditions and celebrations.

PAVING THE ROAD FROM DENMARK TO WILMINGTON

INTERVIEW WITH SØREN KJÆGAARD ’76

BY KAYLA MARTELL, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING AND JENNIFER BELL, FREELANCER

“The road to a friend’s house is never long” even when that road crosses two continents and an ocean.

For Søren Kjægaard, former Tower Hill exchange student, this Danish proverb rings as true today as it did during America’s bicentennial in 1976. It was then that Søren found his wings to fly and became a lifelong Hiller.

The year was 1974 when 16 year old Søren decided it was time to leave Denmark and “test my wings in a distant place.” He was accepted by the American Field Service (A.F.S.) student exchange program, and it was simply by chance that his journey landed him in Wilmington at Tower Hill School. A lot has happened in Søren’s life, and the world, over the past 50 years, but one constant has remained—his continued support of Tower Hill.

“For me, personally, the exchange experience was not only unique, but it also opened my eyes, broadened my perspective and changed me into a different person. At Tower Hill, I had an absolutely amazing year, and it left me with new lenses in my eyes to detect, observe and be aware of so much more than meets the eye. In short, it made me grow and grow up.”

This lasting impression became the springboard for Søren’s desire to keep the road from Denmark to Wilmington paved for future generations of Danes. In 2016, upon traveling with his youngest son, Kristian Emil, to Tower Hill’s Homecoming, he learned that the school was no longer participating in the A.F.S. exchange program. While Tower Hill had numerous other exchange programs in place, Søren “got the idea that it would be great if an exchange could be

established directly between Tower Hill and the high school in my backyard that all my three children attended: Rungsted Gymnasium.”

Søren loved that “others could get to know Tower Hill and get a taste of what I was fortunate enough to try.” With his belief that “there could be great compatibility between the two schools and their students—not because they are alike but, because they are different in a great number of ways,” he approached Bessie during that same 2016 trip and was “delighted” to learn “she was open and positive to the idea.”

After presenting the same concept to the headmaster at Rungsted Gymnasium, Søren’s own son, Kristian Emil, “happily volunteered to serve as ‘the pilot,’ spending a month at Tower Hill in the fall of 2017.”

Despite some “bumps in the road” during the years that followed, including pandemic-induced travel restrictions, the Tower Hill-Rungsted Gymnasium connection is once again in full swing. In August of 2022, the first batch of Hillers arrived in Rungsted to partake in the beginning of the Danish school year and likewise, the Rungsted students arrived at Tower Hill in October around Homecoming.

Since 1975, Søren has made 18 trips to America, visiting 33 states and attending nearly all his Tower Hill class reunions and homecoming weekends. He recently reflected, “I cannot begin to fathom how I could ever pay back what I owe to Tower Hill and its community. But I take great pleasure in having been able to contribute in this small way and hope that the students attending will benefit as I did—have a great time, open up their eyes, increase their understanding and become (unknowingly) cultural ambassadors between the mighty U.S.A. and tiny Denmark.”

FACULTY FOCUS

TOWER HILL FACULTY PRESENT AT WELLNESS SUMMIT

BY AMY SCHREI, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

The challenge for schools, educators and parents is to work together to create an environment where wellness is foundational to the structure of school life, from the design of the schedule, discipline policies and integrating social emotional learning and mindfulness skill development into the fabric of school life.

Educators must support students’ capacity to identify and regulate their emotions, to facilitate and manage their social relationships, and to withstand stress and develop positive coping mechanisms. Research that explores the correlates of later “success” in life— regardless of how it is measured (financially, career attainment, etc.)—consistently finds that emotional intelligence and the soft skills emphasized via wellness are the strongest predictors of life success.

On Dec. 7, 2022, not one, not two, but five of our very own Tower Hill School educators shared their expertise at the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS) and Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS) Wellness Summit, a professional conference that linked

educators with authorities on various topics related to health and wellness.

The Wellness Summit was attended by almost 150 educators from 56 schools. There were 27 presenters including two keynote speakers and five students from Archmere Academy. There were three tracks of sessions: Student Wellness, Educator and Staff Wellness, and Cultivating a Culture of Wellness.

Each of the sessions led by Tower Hill educators were top rated by the attendees. In addition, Andie Sarko, our Director of Mindfulness and of Service Learning, offered a mid-day Mindfulness Meditation session that was a highlight of the day.

Self-Care Plans for Educators was co-led by Andie Sarko, who joined forces with Leslee Frye, a school psychologist from Springside Chestnut Hill Academy to offer a seminar on self-care for educators. To address the many flavors of pandemic fatigue, Andie and her colleague developed a program to shift the paradigm regarding self-care, helping others to reconcile with the fact that self-care is anything but selfish. Like parenting, the energy demands of teaching actually require self-care.

One participant commented, “AMAZING. Loved the concrete ideas and worksheets. Loved the presenters, left inspired with lots of ideas and so many resources.”

It is impossible for educators to separate wellness from learning. In fact, the two are inextricably connected.

Andie Sarko said, “Professional development around student and teacher wellness is essential to fulfilling the mission of our school in a way that allows students to thrive.”

“No.” is a Full Sentence: Teaching Students

Affirmative Consent was led by Tower Hill’s Middle/ Upper School Psychologist Dr. Lauren Lineback and Director of Physical Health Lexy Herbein. The session aimed to help educators understand the developmentally appropriate ways they introduce the concept of affirmative consent to students. Students have the right to define their own personal boundaries and have a moral obligation to respect others’ limits. Making a strong case for avoiding ambiguity, Dr. Lineback and Nurse Lexy highlighted the communication skills that prioritize everyone’s safety.

“Self-care is no longer something that we can think about as optional. Rather, if we don’t take care of ourselves, and teach our students to take care of themselves, it makes learning much more difficult. It was a pleasure to come together and learn from fellow educators.” -Dr.

Lauren Lineback

Reading and Engaging Social Energy within the School Walls was the program delivered by Dr. Amy Cuddy Lower School Psychologist and Jessica Douglass Humanities and Wellness Teacher and Class Dean. The session examined the importance of reading students’ social energy in the classroom. As school environments are generally designed to cater to extroverts, educators have a moral imperative to effectively understand and reach the introverts and ambiverts as well. Dr. Cuddy shared that their program highlighted “a diversity qualifier that is often overlooked but essential to the way in which our students experience school.”

The organizer commented, this session was “great with a lot of conversation and practical application/ ideas for the classroom.” And an attendee said, “Amy and Jessica were a good team and I liked how they included the introvert/extrovert questionnaire. They left plenty of room to ask questions about things that we were experiencing in our schools like selective mutism and Zoom fatigue. I left their workshop feeling reflective.”

“Self-care is no longer something that we can think about as optional. Rather, if we don’t take care of ourselves, and teach our students to take care of themselves, it makes learning much more difficult. It was a pleasure to come together and learn from fellow educators.” -Dr.

Lauren Lineback

Dr. Amy Cuddy said, “I was honored to represent Tower Hill and present at such an essential forum with so many of my valued colleagues, as it speaks to our collective commitment to whole child education. While we are still learning and are forever open to improving our process, our presence in large numbers speaks to our desire to make Tower Hill a thought leader in the area of student wellness.”

In addition, Jessica Douglass shared: “Professional development allows for us as educators to connect with other communities to refresh our own thinking and to build networks for continued collaboration. Presenting at conferences is a practice that deepens my abilities as an educator, because it forces me to pause and take stock of the work I am doing and evaluate it with data and a critical eye.”

The pandemic was a terse reminder to educators that fundamental needs for health, safety and belonging must be prioritized over academic challenges. Wellness indeed has a role in our “many things done well” motto. Deliberately teaching and fostering wellbeing puts us in lockstep with our mission.

(L-R): The faculty that presented at The Wellness Summit: Andie Sarko Director of Service Learning and of Mindfulness Dr. Lauren Lineback Middle/Upper School Psychologist, Lexy Herbein Director of Physical Health, Dr. Amy Cuddy Lower School Psychologist, Jessica Douglass Humanities and Wellness Teacher and Class Dean.

FACULTY FOCUS

UPPER SCHOOL SPANISH TEACHER MIRIAM PALLANT

BY MIRIAM PALLANT

Somewhere in the midst of my own high school experience, I remember expressing to a friend my intentions to pursue a career in teaching. This friend asked if I thought it would be boring to teach the same thing year after year. Aside from a general suspicion that my most dynamic teachers were likely not recycling lesson plans from one year to the next, I could not quite craft a satisfying response to that inquiry from my vantage point as a student.

Now, nearly a decade into my own teaching career, I have my answer. I know now that teaching the same course more than once does not imply a repetitive monotony. In fact, doing so allows for the experimentation, fine-tuning and constant pursuit of pedagogical equilibrium that I have come to appreciate as one of the most satisfying elements of my work. More importantly, each September gifts a new group of students who enter the classroom in a distinct cultural context. The exciting challenge of approaching every year in a way that acknowledges and responds to the complex realities of students’ lives makes each cycle wonderfully unique.

September 2022 was the fourth time I had the opportunity to begin afresh with a group of Spanish II students at Tower Hill, and I had one goal in mind: to center interpersonal connection in my classroom. Responding to the reality of the distance necessitated by the past several years, I wanted to embrace every opportunity for communication and collaboration. Furthermore, the lead-up to this academic year had presented two energizing travel opportunities, one a trip to Spain with Tower Hill students and colleagues in March 2022, and the other a linguistics course for teachers in Montevideo, Uruguay the following July as

“I benefit from the advantages of being able to take my time and pause the educational videos in order to make sure my notes are correct and that I understand the material.”

Miriam Pallant teaches her advanced Spanish class.

part of Tower Hill’s Learning for Life Program. In planning the trajectory of the course, I committed to finding and sharing the feelings of renewed discovery I had watched students experience in Spain and that I had felt myself when traveling. After all, the joy of learning language is finding new connections and opening new channels of communication.

As I began to search for a classroom model that would be responsive to this goal, I landed upon the Flipped Classroom. Students would take notes with guided videos at home, and they would collaborate on application activities in class. The time that I used to spend explaining the intricacies of grammar (which is fundamental to language learning but not by nature a collaborative endeavor) would happen at home, thus freeing up time in class for collaboration on application activities and cultural exploration in community.

With this newfound time, students work in groups listening to podcasts that range in theme from women breaking into a male-dominated barbeque culture in Argentina to a mayor in a small town in Spain grappling with the role of the siesta in an ever-modernizing society. We have had the chance to increase speaking opportunities that put into practice the grammar we are learning and have found time to work on projects such as a video blog of our daily routines and an exploration of where our food comes from. As part of our health unit, students will create a brochure in Spanish about the different wellness resources available at Tower Hill, and they’ll put together instructional presentations about how to use our favorite Apps when we learn about technology.

Macy Shi ’26 said, “I am able to have a better foundation for the grammar that is crucial to master the language. As a student that takes longer to absorb information, I benefit from the advantages of being able to take my time and pause the educational videos in order to make sure my notes are correct and that I understand the material. Another advantage of this method of teaching is to have better clarification when practicing what we learned. After taking notes at home, we always practice the skills learned in the next class at school. When practicing, I don’t feel rushed and can always ask questions to make sure I truly understand information. Overall, I prefer the “flipped classroom,” especially for learning difficult subjects like Spanish.”

Changing the orientation of instruction has aligned my teaching with the priorities that I have seen students express time and again for their own language learning: increased speaking proficiency, stronger listening comprehension and intercultural exploration. I have relished seeing students work in different groups, guiding each other through a variety of activities. Students seem to appreciate the model, as well.

Matthew Laird ’25 said, “I enjoy Mrs. Pallant’s unique teaching style, as it allows me to not only learn how to understand Spanish but also implement it in my own conversations. Mrs. Pallant has our class strengthen these skills through activities like watching movies in Spanish with subtitles, trying and describing different foods, and speaking with our other classmates with the help of conversation starters.”

In addition, Emma Supernavage ’25 described her experience: “This dynamic has given me the opportunity to speak Spanish in a more casual manner rather than it feeling like an academic requirement. I feel very connected to my classmates because in class we navigate challenges together rather than independently. I have definitely benefited from the supportive yet productive environment in the classroom.”

This year has energized me and nourished my teacher’s soul more than any other in my career. I have been anything but bored. I am forever grateful for the cyclical nature of my work and even more so for the students who come each year and give me the opportunity to keep learning.

With Gratitude

ERIC JOHNSON, M.D.

FORMER

BOARD

CHAIR COMPLETES SERVICE AS TRUSTEE

put many Tower Hill students, parents, staff and community members back together as a surgeon! He has served as the school’s doctor rooting on the green and white through countless athletic competitions, and we are fortunate that his orthopedic practice will continue to support Tower Hill in this way.

Eric Johnson, M.D. joined Tower Hill’s Board in 2013 and has held a number of leadership roles over the last 10 years. He served as the Board Chair from 2019 to 2022.

Integrity, grace, humor and a deep loyalty to education at the highest level are but a few of the gifts Dr. Johnson has shared with Tower Hill. Bessie Speers said, “Personally and professionally, he has been an incredible partner to me as Head of School; he was always but a phone call or text away, offering a patient and pragmatic ear and insight as we continued leading Tower Hill safely through a pandemic.”

“Personally and professionally, he has been an incredible partner to me as Head of School; he was always but a phone call or text away, offering a patient and pragmatic ear and insight as we continued leading Tower Hill safely through a pandemic.”

Dr. Johnson cares deeply about the mission of Tower Hill and understands the value of education as a parent of two amazing Tower Hill graduates and as the son of an educator. Eric understands and supports our continued effort to be an inclusive community and has remained stalwart in his belief that Tower Hill is a stronger and more united community because of our commitment to social justice. He has also quite literally,

Dr. Johnson currently practices with First State Orthopaedics. He attended Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, where he also completed his internship and residency. Johnson completed an orthopaedic trauma surgery fellowship at Cooper/University of Pennsylvania and currently serves as the associate chief of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Johnson is also an adjunct associate professor in the physical therapy program at the University of Delaware. He has two children who are proud graduates of the Tower Hill School— Spencer ’16 and Malcolm ’18

Johnson Teaching Award

Established in 2022 in honor of Dr. Eric Johnson’s service as a Tower Hill Trustee from 2013 to 2023 and as Board Chair from 2019 to 2022, this award celebrates the art and craft of a Tower Hill teacher in any division of the school. The award specifically focuses on the teacher’s ability to embed and infuse the school’s core values around inclusivity, DEI and social justice through their curriculum. The recipient will be nominated by the Director of Social Justice in collaboration with the Division Heads and approved by the Head of School. This award honors Dr. Johnson’s love for Tower Hill and the teaching profession, as his own mother, Barbara Johnson, was a 5th and 6th grade teacher. She was beloved by her students and had an affinity for the “troublemakers,” taking them right under her wing! Dr. Johnson too has been in the caring profession and this award will ensure that teachers continue to be honored in their important work at Tower Hill.

With Gratitude

ANDREA GLOWATZ DEAN OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

Andrea models for us all what it is to be a lifelong learner, and her dedication as a member of the school’s senior leadership team has enabled the school to build a stronger culture squarely focused on what is best for our students. In essence, we are a stronger school because of Andrea’s care and contributions.”

Board Chair Ben duPont ’82 said, “Andrea Glowatz has the ability to connect with ambitious students and help them achieve remarkable goals.”

“Mrs.Glowatz is one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever come across. When I ask her a question, she always goes above and beyond to find my answer and provides me with more information than I previously intended. Though Mrs.Glowatz and I are graduating together this year, I’m truly going to miss her wherever I go.” -

Dylan Shepherd ’23

Tower Hill is grateful to Andrea Glowatz, Tower Hill’s Dean of Teaching and Learning, for her dedication and service to the school. She has accepted the position of Director of The College School at University of Delaware, effective July 1, 2023.

Over the past seven years at Tower Hill School, Andrea has served students and teachers, promoting sound pedagogy throughout the school. Andrea has helped our school live more fully into its mission to serve all Tower Hill students well—leading, supporting and teaching us how to be a more student-centered educational institution. Andrea’s leadership at Tower Hill has been nothing short of remarkable and the school will surely miss her positive, caring and professional manner.

As Head of School Bessie Speers said, “In addition to organizing and focusing our faculty professional development school-wide, which included the creation of Tower Hill’s Collaboratory, Andrea has built and led the school’s first Teaching and Learning Center, and to say that it has evolved into a robust nucleus of the school would be an understatement. Simply put, students feel better about themselves after working with Andrea and her team. What Andrea understands clearly and has championed for and with teachers and students—is that academic excellence is enhanced by a compassionate, scholarly approach to teaching and learning. Andrea delights in sharing new ideas and methods to help our students learn and our teachers teach more effectively.

“Mrs. Glowatz is the embodiment of what it means to truly care about students and how they learn. Her commitment to ensuring that students are supported in ways that will best foster their success, including mine, amazes me everyday. Throughout my time at Tower Hill, Mrs. Glowatz has taught me the importance of asking for help and the good that comes from collaboration. I would not be the student and learner I am today if not for Mrs. Glowatz. Although I will miss her very dearly, the opportunity I’ve had to learn from her has prepared me for the rest of my time at Tower Hill, and beyond. It is exciting to imagine all of the minds she has yet to inspire, Tower Hill will surely not be the same without her.”

-Megan Angeny ’24

Andrea said, “What a great honor and privilege it has been to be in a position to help normalize learning support and learning differences. The humanity we all share is more important than the learning profiles we may not share, and Tower Hill School gave me the opportunity to live into that truth. I will always feel deep love and appreciation for this wonderful community.”

Andrea shared that in her next role she will have the opportunity “to promote specialized programs, exceptional teaching and an engaged community of students and families” as well as develop an “educational experience unique to a university setting.” As Director of The College School, Andrea will continue some work as an instructional leader, and she will also have the opportunity to bring her expertise, vision and leadership in shaping the next chapter for The College School. How fortunate the students, families and teachers of The College School are to have Mrs. Glowatz (as she says, “like a light bulb glows and has watts!”) in their midst.

Well Wishes

STACY PALMER EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT RETIRES AFTER 31 YEARS

caring way. Stacy’s calm and pleasant voice can be heard on many a snow day or alert messages and her technical savvy ensured the school always had its phone system in good order!

Stacy has always cared about Tower Hill traditions. She delights in the Gingerbread People Hunt, Halloween parades, Grandparents’ and Friends’ Day, Homecoming and more. You can always find Stacy sporting green and white and cheering the school on with great heart. Stacy has greeted hundreds of visitors to the school over the years, whether she was sitting in the Head’s Office helping to manage calendars, events, trustee meetings, organizing graduation or at the front desk making sure everyone was taken care of with kindness.

Stacy Palmer will retire from Tower Hill at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Stacy’s service to Tower Hill spans 31 years and it is fair to say that Stacy’s dedication to Tower Hill has touched hundreds of people.

Stacy was hired by Tim Golding in May of 1992 to work in the Head of School’s Office where she supported the school from all angles. Tim Golding offered the following words about Stacy: “Stacy was one of my signature hires. She embraced the school’s culture, treated everyone with respect, anticipated the needs of the administration, faculty and staff and sought to problem solve whenever possible. Her loyalty and devotion to Tower Hill has been exemplary.”

Stacy ensured things were always working smoothly such as overseeing operations in the faculty workroom, keeping machines running, taking care of mail and shipping, etc. When Stacy was hired, President Bill Wood explained that her job was much like the oil that keeps the gears moving. Most recently, Stacy has supported the recruitment efforts and welcomed candidates with warmth and ensured their visits were smooth and efficient.

Over the years, trustees, alumni, parents, students, faculty and staff all benefited from Stacy’s warm and

Bessie Speers said: “Stacy has a huge heart and cares deeply about Tower Hill. She has established friendships and relationships with teachers, alumni, parents and community members across the years. We are especially grateful to Stacy for her dedication to Tower Hill and for all the ways her kindness, warmth and dedication have impacted our school community.” We are thrilled that Stacy will soon have more time to spend with her devoted husband Donnie, their children and grandchildren.

“Stacy has a huge heart and cares deeply about Tower Hill. She has established friendships and relationships with teachers, alumni, parents and community members across the years.”

ABOVE: Former Head of School Tim Golding and Stacy Palmer share a laugh.

WEAVER GYM

RENOVATIONS WILL PROVIDE IMPROVEMENTS AND UPGRADES

Weaver Gym is in need of several updates to make it more functional for athletic teams, PE classes and public spectators. The Board of Trustees approved the project at the February board meeting. The project will include: renovating and reimagining the locker rooms; adding a public, accessible bathroom on the main floor; and replacing the existing boiler with a new heating and cooling system for the entire building. To accommodate the new HVAC system, the floor plan of the basement will be optimized for usability.

The project will begin in June 2023 and continue to May 2024. The project team made up of the contractor Whiting Turner, architect HCM and internal management team, are the same that oversaw the work on Kullman Commons and The Neela Patel Center for Innovation - THE Hub. The designs and plans were created in partnership with athletics and physical education departments.

ATHLETICS

FALL AND WINTER SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

FOOTBALL

The varsity football team finished the regular season with a record of 5-4 and earned the 9th seed in the 2022 DIAA Football Class 2A Championship, losing to Newark in the first round.

FIELD HOCKEY

The varsity field hockey team finished the season 8-7 and earned the 12th seed in the 2022 DIAA Field Hockey Championship, losing a close game in overtime to Wilmington Friends in the first round.

CROSS COUNTRY

The boys and girls cross country teams competed in the DIAA Cross Country State Championships where the varsity girls earned 9th place in Division II, with Tsion Mideksa ’26, Alex Rice ’25 and Charlotte Rasmussen ’25 as their top three finishers. The varsity boys team earned 13th place in Division II with Thomas Flickinger ’25, Gaspar Ioos ’26 and Brandon Liu ’25 as their top three finishers.

BOYS SOCCER

The boys soccer season was a huge success, finishing the season with a 13-3-2 record and winning the DISC championship! The team advanced to the 2022 DIAA Boys Soccer Championship semifinal game, losing a hardfought battle to Caravel 2-0. Additionally, Head Coach Chris Aitken recorded the 100th win of his career coaching the boys soccer team at Tower Hill.

BOYS BASKETBALL

The boys basketball team finished the season 17-5 and earned the 4th seed in the 2023 DIAA State Championship and defeated 13th seeded Wilmington Friends 61-50 in Round 2 before falling to 5th seeded Salesianum 45-43 in the Quarterfinals. Dean Shepherd ’23 surppased 1,000 career points during his career at THS.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

The girls basketball team finished the season 12-9 and earned the 24th seed in the 2023 DIAA State Championship but lost in Round 1 to 9th seeded Smyrna 45-40. Caitlin Smith ’23 surppased 1,000 career points during her career at THS.

SQUASH

The squash team earned the 1st seed in Division V of the 2023 U.S. High School Squash Championships and went 3-1 overall to finish in 3rd place!

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

The girls indoor track team earned 14th place and the boys indoor track team earned 15th place at the 2023 DIAA State Championship Meet. Vincent Grillo ’23 reached the podium in Boys Shot Put, finishing in 2nd place!

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING

The girls swimming and diving team earned 3rd place at the 2023 DIAA State Championship Meet! Lainey Mullins ’23 won her fifth consecutive state championship

in the 200 Free and won her third consecutive state championship in the 500 Free. Brooke Griffin ’23 reached the podium in the 50 Free, finishing in 3rd place! Mullins, Griffin, Grace Gilbert ’24 and Emerson DeBaecke ’26 won the state championship in both the 200 Free Relay and 400 Free Relay! This was the fifth consecutive year Tower Hill has won both the 200 Free Relay and 400 Free Relay at the state championship meet.

BOYS SWIMMING

Our boys swimming team earned 6th place at the 2023 DIAA State Championship Meet. Tom Conaty ’23 finished in 2nd place in both the 50 Free and 100 Free. Conaty, Reece Petrunich ’24, Jamie Brinsfield ’26 and Blake Erkenbrecher ’26 also finished in 2nd place in the 200 Free Relay!

STATE CHAMPS

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL WINS DIAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Congratulations to the girls volleyball team for winning the DIAA championship for the first time in Hiller history! The team delivered a decisive win in the championship match beating St. Mark’s in straight sets 3-0. With the victory, the team finished the regular season and postseason with an 18-2 overall record. Congratulations to head coach Michael Sachs ’86, recognized as the DIAA Coach of the Year, assistant coach Emma Lucey and the entire team on an amazing, history-making season! The team included, Cameron Haskins ’23, Chloe Sachs ’23 (all-state), Anna Schiltz ’24, Meghan Mumford ’24 (all-state), Molly Pietlock ’24 (all-state), Maggie Newswanger ’24, Holly Urbanek ’23, Katie Saunders ’23, Lydia Spencer ’25, Riley Brinsfield ’23, Reagan Squire ’25, Lily Leung ’26, Bridget Heinle ’25, Danielle Soleye ’26

TWO WRESTLERS WIN DIAA INDIVIDUAL STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

The wrestling team lead by head coach Greg Spear earned the 3rd seed in Division II of the 2023 DIAA Dual Team State Championships and defeated 6th seeded Lake Forest 37-36 in the Quarterfinals. Anthony Lucian ’23, Thatcher Flynn ’26, Dominic Lucian ’27, Aiden Pratt ’25 and Jack Duffy ’24 won their bouts by fall while Eddie Nace ’23 and Drew Pratt ’23 won their bouts by decision. The match ended in a 36-36 tie before Tower Hill was awarded the victory on tie-breaking criteria. The win marked the program’s first victory in the dual team tournament in school history!

At the 2023 DIAA Individual State Championships, our wrestling team finished 8th overall with four state placewinners! For the first time since 1972, Tower Hill had wrestlers earn individual state championships with Jack Duffy ’24 winning at 144 lbs, and Dominic Lucian ’27 winning at 106 lbs! Duffy and Lucian become just the 10th and 11th wrestling state champions in school history. Anthony Lucian ’23 was a state finalist at 165 lbs, finishing in 2nd place and Drew Pratt ’23 finished in 4th place at 126 lbs. As three-time state placewinners, Drew and Anthony become only the fourth and fifth wrestlers to accomplish this feat in program history! In addition Drew achieved 100 career wins this season.

OPENING DAYS

1. Pre-K teacher James Erhardt helps a student into the school. 2. Zoya Hanofi ’34 settles into the first day of first grade. 3. Middle School teacher and sixth grade advisor Pat Kaiser ’02 helps Middle Schoolers prepare their lockers. 4. Head of School Bessie Speers spends time with pre-K to make sure they feel comfortable on the first day of school. 5. Bessie Speers addresses students during the opening assembly. 6. Upper Schoolers reunite in the hallways. 7. Middle Schoolers settle into the first day. 8. Tower Tots enjoy the beautiful weather with their class. 9. Students stream into school and are excited to start a new year. 10. Faculty decked out in green and white at the opening assembly.

HALLOWEEN

1. Lower Schoolers show off their costumes on the du Pont Theatre stage. 2. A Lower Schooler sports her burrito costume. 3. A preschool pirate scopes out the path for the parade. 4. Middle School students show their love of Philly sports. 5. Upper School faculty and staff coordinate their costumes as M&Ms.

1. Head of School Bessie Speers recognizes those that keep our school safe such as the police and fire departments. Shown here is Master Corporal Steve Cancila representing the Wilmington Police Dept. 2. Devyn Witcher ’28 shares a message of gratitude. 3. Theater teacher Renee Liciaga leads the school in the Turkey Tango. 4. Students follow along with the Turkey Tango. 5. A quartet of trumpets provide music for the assembly.

TREE TRIM

1. Anthony Lucian ’23 lifts Maverick Coughlin ’37 to place his ornament on the tree during Tower Hill’s 94th Annual Tree Trim. 2. Angel Pedraza ’23 lifts Karter Ginyard ’34 to place his ornament on the tree. 3. The Upper School band plays holiday songs. 4. Faculty member Kitchel Chilton ’14 and two Lower Schoolers turn on the tree lights. 5. Solomon Miller ’25 describes how his family celebrates Kwanza. 6. Choir Director Lindsay Owen leads the Upper School choir in song. Ben Jordan ’23 designed a special light show that can be seen highlighting Hillers.

1. A Lower School student places his sugar skull on the ofrenda in THE Hub for Día de los Muertos. 2. Aileen Zhang ’26 performs a dance during the Lunar New Year celebration. 3. Two Tower Hill parents visited campus to celebrate Hindu New Year, also called Diwali. 4. With international and local trips back in full swing, Middle School students had the opportunity to travel to Quebec. 5. Lower School students sang in Spanish as they celebrated Las Posadas, a tradition recognized in Mexico and parts of Latin America.

SERVICE

1. Lower Schoolers donate items to 13th annual Hiller Harvest that supported Lutheran Community Services. 2. Upper Schoolers cleaned Rockford Park during Winterim. 3. Giancarlo San Miguel French ’25 and Lorenzo Santos ’25 pack food items during Winterim at the St. Stephen’s Pantry.

4. Lower Schoolers collected healthy snacks as part of the second annual Snack Love. Snacks were donated to Emmanuel Dining Room. 5. Upper School students prepare 50 casseroles for Emmanuel Dining Room and Sunday Breakfast Mission as part of the MLK Day of Service. 6. Andrea Sarko, Director of Service Learning and of Mindfulness, delivers care packages and donated items to West End Neighborhood house. 7. Lower Schoolers help create 100 no sew fleece blankets for children in foster care. 8. Students make 200 brown bagged lunches for Emmanuel Dining Room. 9. Laurie Edinger works with Matthew Majewski ’29 to make one of the 100 dog toys for animal shelters. 10. Lydia Spencer ’25 reads to Noah Rushdan ’37 during the Day of Service.

7

1. The spring musical Emma A Pop Musical 2. Upper Schoolers perform in the fall play, Sideways Stories of Wayside High 3. Lower School art teacher Aaron MoDavis hangs up student paintings. 4. Upper Schoolers create works in ceramics class. 5. Upper School Band Director Drew Keim conducts during the winter concert. 6. Second graders perform their dance during the annual hoedown. 7. Band Director Scott Zeplin leads the Middle School band.

8. Tower Tots sing and perform at their winter assembly. 9. Annie Belger ’32 and Zoe Byrnes ’32 created a poem for trustees. 10. Peyton Campbell ’31 shows her felted wool creature. 11. This year a large number of students were chosen for all-state music ensembles: 11 for allstate chorus (7 of which are pictured), four for all-state band, two for all-state orchestra and one for all-state jazz. 12. Upper School students perform at the winter orchestra concert. 13. Middle Schoolers work on an art project about sea turtles.

FOUNDERS’ DAY

1. Head of Middle School Tim Weymouth, dressed as Tower Hill’s first Head of School, John Davis Skilton, drove a tractor onto the field to celebrate the day.

2. Students wearing their green and white cheer for the festivities.

3. Middle Schoolers show their school spirit. 4. Seniors Caitlin Smith and Chloe Sachs lead the school in a cheer. 5. Tower Hill students got a surprise visit from a miniature horse.

1. Students and spectators cheer on girls volleyball. 2. Second grade boys (L-R) Zach Craig, Bo Winchell and Spencer Vanderslice showing their school spirit. 3. Upper School chorus sings the National Anthem before the football game. 4. Great catch during the football game. 5. The soccer game went into double overtime resulting in a 1-1 tie. 6. Avery Carter ’37 shows off her balloon animal. 7. Field hockey fought hard against Tatnall but came up short.

ALUMNI AWARDS

The 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Charles J. Durante ’69 during Homecoming Weekend. The Alumni Awards recognize alumni who exemplify the qualities of a Tower Hill graduate, have distinguished themselves among their peers and have been involved with the school through volunteer work, contributions or other ways.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

As a lawyer, journalist and civic leader, Chuck Durante has advanced Tower Hill’s ideals for a half-century. A partner in the Wilmington law firm of Connolly Gallagher LLP, Chuck is the president of the Delaware State Bar Association. He is also chair of the Board of Editors of Delaware Lawyer, a quarterly magazine published by the Delaware Bar Foundation, a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and a Fellow of the American Bar Endowment. He is past chairman of the Estates and Trusts Section of the Delaware State Bar Association and past president of the Wilmington Tax Group. His work has included litigation of significant public impact.

Chuck has been a fixture in Delaware sports since he was a Tower Hill student, when he wrote about Hiller sports for The News Journal, for whom he continues to cover high school track and cross country. He is president of the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame and president of the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association. A sportswriter and columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer while he was

in law school, he continues to write on topics touching on the law, American history and public affairs. He is also a member of the Delaware Track and Field Hall of Fame.

Active in many civic groups, he is a trustee of the Delaware Historical Society. As vice chair of Common Cause of Delaware, Chuck was the prime author of Delaware’s campaign finance reform law of 1990.

At Tower Hill, Chuck was editor of the Dial, president of the Student Council and a varsity distance runner. An honors graduate of Haverford College, which awarded him the Alumni Award for sustained service to the College in 1998, Chuck is a longtime member of Tower Hill’s Alumni Council. During their 50th reunion year, he led his classmates to establish the Class of 1969 Endowed Scholarship, which annually “recognizes a student who demonstrates “talent and moxie’,” a phrase of Ed Hughes. Chuck’s brother, Larry ’71, and daughters Julia ’07 and Maddy ’12, also graduated from Tower Hill.

ALUMNI AWARDS

The 2022 Young Alumni Award was presented to Kathryn Fortunato ’02 and Lizzie Fortunato ’02, respectively, during Homecoming Weekend. The Alumni Awards recognize alumni who exemplify the qualities of a Tower Hill graduate, have distinguished themselves among their peers and have been involved with the school through volunteer work, contributions or other ways.

YOUNG ALUMNI AWARD

Lizzie Fortunato ’02 and Kathryn Fortunato ’02, twin sisters and entrepreneurs, co-founded Lizzie Fortunato in 2008 with the intent of creating unique accessories that use unexpected materials and champion handicrafts from a breadth of places and cultures. Lizzie designs the line, while Kathryn, who got her start on Wall Street, oversees sales and operations. Lizzie studied Art History and English at Duke University—where Kathryn majored in Economics—and her interest in “dressing to tell a story” is reflected in the pieces she creates.

Lizzie constructs a distinct narrative with each collection, naming each style and often drawing on historical, artistic and architectural references as she goes. Fortunato’s designs marry found, reclaimed and precious materials in fashion forward silhouettes, and the sisters’ brand has become synonymous with unique, ahead of the curve accessories that are influenced by fine art, travel and artisanal craftwork.

Lizzie Fortunato collections include hand-crafted statement jewelry, 14-karat fine jewelry, handbags, belts, scarves and “Fortune Finds”—home decor items that they source from their travels and fellow creatives. Despite their brand and company growth, they still design and assemble the majority of their

collection right in New York City and have remained self-funded and independent. Lizzie Fortunato has twice been recognized by Harper’s Bazaar Magazine as one of the ‘World’s most promising accessory lines,’ and has been tapped by numerous designers for runway collaborations. The label has been featured on the covers of Women’s Wear Daily, W Korea and Vogue China and on the pages of Vogue, British Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar and The New York Times

Both members of the Class of 2002, Lizzie and Kathryn also have a younger brother, Alex Fortunato, who graduated from Tower Hill in 2005. Lizzie and Kathryn are THS Career Day favorites, having shared their entrepreneurial success story with eager Upper School students for the past two years.

Upon receiving the award, Lizzie recalled, “I remember thinking, with a very full plate getting home late at night, I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing, and this is exactly how things should be. And it was that sense of keeping lots of balls in the air and multitasking that really laid the foundation for my life at Duke, for my career, for my life as an entrepreneur that I am grateful for. So, thank you for teaching us to do many things, and to do them well.”

CHUCK DURANTE’S REMARKS

Fifty seven years ago, three Wilmington industrialists decided, after a half-hour interview in Malcolm Coates’ office, that I was worth their investment for education at Tower Hill.

I was so excited. Peerless academics. Athletics for everybody. An honor code. Girls on the honor roll. The state’s only all-weather track.

I never took this provisional vote of confidence for granted. Over four years, with the guidance of mentors like Ed Hughes, Bob Behr, Ernie Savage, Midge Kelly, Herb Oviatt and our headmaster.

Excitement, grind, encouragement, challenges, reprovals. Experiences that all of us in this room share. Joy followed by foolishness. Two or three steps forward, one step back. Discovering potential. Coming of age.

Above all, teachers who made me think that my growth was the most important priority of their day. By 11th grade, the skeletal version of whom you see this morning had developed. A person different from he who would have emerged anywhere else.

I never anticipated spending Tuesday nights on 4th Street, tutoring a third grader whom I might someday select as the Inquirer’s Athlete of the Week.

I never imagined singing in a chorus at the Academy of Music behind the Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by William Smith.

I never foresaw having a stage role as the town drunk in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, long before I would have any first-hand experience.

Or playing a supporting role on the State’s best track team, editorially endorsing, in the Dial, a split ticket for mayor, governor and President in the turmoil of 1968. Or jousting with John Ciardi, James Farmer and other distinguished speakers.

Or seeing my brother Larry, also welcomed here, grow in vision and potential, and showing me how to be appreciated by classmates. We ended in colleges that we would never have predicted four years earlier, but for which we were well-suited and well-prepared.

A place that can be perceived as part of the establishment taught him and me—and my daughters Julia and Maddy—to raise questions, how to disagree, with foundation, facts and focus.

Like the physical plant, an institution either erodes or grows. The principles of progressive education that motivated the founders and Burton Fowler a century ago must constantly adapt.

Like the U.S. Constitution, they express standards and aspirations. They provide critical structure over the generations and deter fads. Yet, the standards can never be allowed to ossify into received wisdom.

A quarter of the 21st century has almost passed. And this annual gathering is a suitable time to appraise the school again, whether you have been away for five or 45 years.

Tower Hill is at its best when it recognizes that a school is more than books.

I’m glad to report that this school has recognized that the teenage years can be pretty horrible. Everyone— honor student, star athlete, class president, party boy—can be consumed by self-doubt. At one time or another, everyone feels like a dummy or a dork.

Celebrating academic excellence, we now realize, means recognizing effort and accomplishment in each part of the class, even those who would in an earlier day seen “4th quarter” on the report card.

Chuck shared his remarks for publication that he delivered when he received the Distinguished Alumni Award.

Ethical standards, community service and above all mental health are part of this school’s mission. Learning that seeking the right answer involves civil communication with those who have found a different answer.

A larger school is good. More voices, more personalities. You can actually meet new people in the second semester.

We are exploiting the advantage of being at the end of the number 10 bus. This city has looked up to us for a century. Its youth belong here in as great of numbers as possible.

Those of you in the Class of 1972 launched my adult support for this school. After your graduation party at Doug Allen’s, I sent an unsolicited check to Mr. Coates, observing with pleasure the maturity to which you had grown in the three years since my graduation.

In his thank-you note, the headmaster shared his aspirations for greater racial and economic diversity in the student body. What this school is now pursuing carries out a decades-long vision.

This school. A boisterous, ever-changing cast of students, now 800 of them. Teachers who cultivate their intellectual awakenings. Teachers who help them believe in themselves. Teachers who punish unwarranted sentence fragments. An Honor Code that treats them like adults. An athletic program to which the gawky of limb can contribute. Friendships for life.

Above all, life is more than work. Almost every alum in this room has devoted significant portion of what we learned here to the public good. I like to think this school nurtured that gene.

And this award. It’s humbling, since there are so many with towering accomplishments or national renown, including several in my class. This is an honor for which many are qualified. I am overwhelmed that interview on a chilly April of 1965, has led here.

REUNION 2022

CLASS OF 1972

50th REUNION

REUNION

ALUMNI COUNCIL CAREER DAY

On Jan. 30, 29 Tower Hill alumni and parents shared their educational and professional journeys with Upper Schoolers in grades 10-12 during Tower Hill’s newly revamped Winterim: Alumni Connections event (formerly known as Career Day). In preparation for the day, students were encouraged to create their own profiles on Alumnifire and began connecting with the presenters on the platform and conducting research about their professional experience. Students attended both in-person and virtual panels exploring a variety of career paths in government/law, medicine, science, nonprofit work, self-employment, education, finance, real estate and technology. If you are not already connected with the Tower Hill community on Alumnifire, join today at towerhill.alumnifire.com!

The Tower Hill Alumni Council held their second meeting of the 2022-2023 year on Jan. 30 in Kullman Commons, prior to which they connected with fellow alumni and parents at a reception thanking those who participated in the inaugural Winterim: Alumni Connections event. Pictured, bottom row (L-R): Tarra Boulden Winchell ’01, Ellen Cannon ’72, Tori Maxmin Gravuer ’86, Mona Yezdani Gillen ’01, Trina Salva ’90, Deb Colbourn ’92. Middle row: Justin Hicks ’09, Maggie Kullman ’08, Amanda Walker Friz ’92, Susan Wood Waesco ’90. Top row: Curtis Smith ’99, Tyler Akin ’02, Peter Larned ’02, Jay Pierson ’87. Members not pictured: Ashley Altschuler ’90, Alisha Wayman Bryson ’91, Chris Donoho ’87, Chuck Durante ’69, Baily Faller ’20, Cole Flickinger ’94, Missy Flynn ’91, T.J. Hanna ’91, Jeff Liu ’84, Wes Schwandt ’86.

HOOPS FOR HEROES

On Feb. 24, Tower Hill held the Hoops for Heroes faculty/student vs. alumni basketball game. The event was the capstone of our 10 day long Hiller Heroes Founders’ Challenge where we honor our heroes—our past and present faculty, staff and members of the community—and celebrate the founding of Tower Hill. The alumni were the victors beating the faculty/student team 55-24.

Student/Faculty Team Roster, Coached by Patrick J. Kaiser ’02: Brian Adderley ’25, Keith Bloom, Andrew Brown, Marty Coyne ’23, Charles Habgood ’23, Joshua Hall ’23, Sam Hargrove, Jordan Harmon ’23, Steven Harris, Gavin Heck ’23, Leo Malik ’23, Dominick Pietlock ’23, Robby Saunders ’24, Marc Scarpato, Jack Vella ’23, Michael Waesco ’26

Alumni Team Roster, Coached by Elizabeth M. Applegate ’79: Byron Alston ’07, Elena Attix ’18, Wilson Braun ’01, Warren Harmon ’17, Brendan Harris ’15, Justin Hicks ’09, Natalie Hobbs ’18, John A. Hughes ’78, Julian Jackson ’20, Chris Jewett ’01, Adam Kalamchi ’01, Patrick Kelly ’14, Michael Malik ’18, Nathan McDonald ’09, Andrue Smith ’09, Zach Swain ’19, Zion Thomas ’13

C.J. SEITZ JR. ’76

A LEGAL LEADER WHO THINKS OUTSIDE THE BOX

BY MAURA CICCARELLI, FREELANCE WRITER

In high school, C.J. Seitz Jr. ’76 says he was “an inch away” from going to the U.S. Maritime Academy and pursuing a career as a Merchant Marine.

“Sailing was one of my passions early in life and later I had a fascination with meteorology because of sailing, particularly offshore ocean sailing,” he says. “And my grandmother was a meteorologist at the Hudson, New York, airport during World War II.”

But, the way things suddenly happen in sailing or in life, he decided to change course. He decided to attend the University of Delaware and double majored in political science and geology with a focus on meteorology.

He went on to become a career lawyer and corporate litigator and then a judge. In 2019, he became Chief Justice Seitz of the Delaware Supreme Court.

Along the way, he learned an important lesson. “What makes for an interesting life is being willing to go outside your everyday box and explore new thoughts and ideas and uncommon and uncomfortable things,” he says. “As you get older, it is even more important to seek out new experiences and be receptive to ideas that are not your own. In other words, don’t be afraid to take a chance.”

Family legal legacy, future career

The legal field has strong roots in the Seitz family tree. His father, Collins J. Seitz, was a judge for over 50 years, first on the Delaware Court of Chancery and then the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Three of his four children went into law. C.J.’s sister, Virginia Seitz ’74, was the first woman to serve as Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel in the Department of Justice from 2011 to 2013.

Two University of Delaware professors urged C.J. to pursue a legal career.

“I had a terrific professor named Jim Soles who is legendary in Delaware teaching circles and politics. Professor Soles was the guiding force behind many of the great careers of Delaware judges and lawyers. He and another UD professor, Jim Magee, inspired me to pursue a path in law. They took me under their wings. They knew who my father was and wanted to see me do things other than become a sailor.”

After getting a degree from Villanova University School of Law, he became a member of the Delaware Bar in 1983 and joined Connolly Bove Lodge & Hutz LLP in Wilmington.

Because there weren’t many firms specializing in intellectual property and patent litigation, Connolly Bove was in high demand around the country, expanding to more than 100 lawyers in Wilmington, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles during Seitz’s time there. He litigated corporate, commercial and intellectual property cases and advised clients on issues of Delaware corporate law.

“I learned so much from so many great mentors,” he says. Then, he got what he calls his “second career” growing the firm’s corporate litigation services for large firms located elsewhere in the country that had to litigate in Delaware, where many companies incorporate.

In 2011, he and several other attorneys started their own boutique law firm in Wilmington, Seitz Ross Aronstam & Moritz LLP, to specialize in corporate litigation in Delaware.

“Law is a wonderful profession. There’s nothing like it,” Seitz says. “You get to learn all about a client’s business or about someone’s life and you advocate on their behalf. Then you put that case down and pick up the next one and learn a whole new interesting set of facts and law. It’s really quite rewarding and exciting to pursue a career as a trial lawyer.”

Then, in 2015, Seitz was nominated by then Delaware Governor Jack Markell to be a Delaware Supreme Court justice, a position he held for more than five years. Then, he was appointed chief justice in 2019.

Chief Justice Seitz hears appeals from the Court of Chancery, Superior Court and the Family Court. He also oversees the arms of the court that handle lawyer discipline, the bar exam and judicial conduct. As part of his administrative duties, he manages the administrative office of the courts, which handle the day-to-day operation of the court system’s 1,300 employees.

Seitz also travels frequently to speak about the benefits of Delaware court system. “The Delaware courts are ranked consistently as one of the finest state court systems in the Country,” he says. “The Supreme Court and the Court of Chancery are world-renowned for resolving some of the country’s largest business disputes.”

At Tower Hill

Seitz started at Tower Hill in the sixth grade after public school, which he says wasn’t an easy transition in the 1970s.

However, he has vivid memories of many of his high school teachers “who were all motivated to make sure everyone did their best,” he says.

“The English and history teachers were really good teachers and we respected them,” he notes. He particularly remembers his French teacher, Colette Cotter, and Head of School Malcolm Coates. He also played soccer and baseball, noting that coach and history teacher George Stetson “was a terrific coach and teacher who inspired many students.”

On the personal side

Seitz says his wife of 28 years, Gail, “is one of the most interesting people in the world.” In addition to raising their three children, Danielle, Brandon and Meredith, and supporting him in his career, she has been a professor at the University of Delaware, worked for the DuPont Company in Information Systems, worked on political campaigns and even rode her bicycle across the U.S.

For fun, a favorite Seitz family destination is Vermont. Two Seitz children attended college and law school in Vermont. Seitz, who has been a pilot for more than a dozen years, keeps a plane at Wilmington Airport so he and his family can fly back and forth to Vermont, where they like to vacation and ski in the winter.

MONA YEZDANI GILLEN ’01

PARENT, ALUMNA, PHYSICIAN, CO-CHAIR OF THE PARENT-LED DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVE

BY MAURA CICCARELLI, FREELANCE WRITER

Sharing what makes us each unique as well as our commonalities with others is at the heart of the Tower Hill parent diversity and inclusion initiative called DISTINCT.

Second-year co-chair Mona G. Yezdani MD ’01 became involved two years ago when she was looking for a way to engage fellow parents in community service projects and outreach opportunities.

“I was also drawn by a desire to learn more from our diverse community to assist in reducing anyone from feeling like an outsider due to their cultural or religious differences,” says Yezdani, who is a urologic surgeon practicing with Brandywine Urology Consultants and was the first female board-certified urologist in New Castle County.

“If we as parents can care about diversity in our community, then hopefully our kids will as well,” she adds. “Today, kids want to share what makes them unique and what makes them ‘different.’ That’s so different from 20 years ago when you were trying to hide what made you different and highlight what made you the same. I really appreciate how important people from different cultures are.”

DISTINCT organizes social events throughout the throughout the year to bring together its members and celebrate various cultural holidays, such as National Hispanic Heritage Month, Lunar New Year and Diwali.

“In addition, we have parent coffees where different topics in diversity and inclusion are discussed so everyone can share and learn from various perspectives,” she says, adding that monthly newsletters promote the various events and highlight information about the holidays as well.

Community service events have included a cold weather clothing drive, making sandwiches for the Emmanuel Dining Room, a ministry that feeds the food insecure in Wilmington, pajama drives, Martin Luther King Jr. Day activities and more.

On the inclusion side, she notes that the group encourages anyone to join, including people who don’t consider themselves diverse.

“DISTINCT is a way for the whole community to come together and say we really want to support all

the cultures and support everybody’s differences,” she adds.

Yezdani comes from a diverse background herself— her parents are from India and her mother is Hindu and her father is Muslim. She and husband Peter Gillen have two children at Tower Hill: third grader Caelen and kindergartener Isla.

She says it’s refreshing to hear how her children, who also have German-Irish-Polish heritage from their father, talk about cultural events they learn about in school.

“In my daughter’s class, one of the mothers spoke about Lunar New Year and that it was the Year of the Rabbit. Isla was very excited about it, telling me all about what Lunar New Year was,” she says.

“It’s just one of those opportunities for kids and parents to share those things. I think it helps when you learn about anything that’s different from yourself. It helps you empathize with others and learn a little bit more about the world,” Yezdani adds.

Tower Hill time

As an alum from the Class of 2001, Yezdani also sits on the Alumni Council, which most recently provided feedback on the candidates for Tower Hill’s new Head of School.

“The Alumni Council also is involved in bringing together the alumni community by having alumni sponsored reunions in various cities. We also invite alumni back to school with events like Hoops for Heroes where alumni get to play faculty and students in basketball or Homecoming Weekend. Plus, we link students with alumni in various career fields including a career day event,” she says.

As a surgeon and physician, she spends much of her time with both male and female patients tackling both simple and complex conditions. Her fascination with problem solving goes back to a Brain Teasers camp during her fourth grade summer at Tower Hill.

“If we as parents can care about diversity in our community, then hopefully our kids will as well.”

“I got really into problem solving,” says Yezdani, who later applied that passion to figuring out how the human body worked. As a surgeon, she has the opportunity to make a real difference in someone’s health and daily life with a procedure that takes only a few hours, which she finds very gratifying.

One of her most important lessons in life came from her fourth grade teacher, Laurie Edinger, who now teaches Middle School at Tower Hill.

“I see her often and we always talk about this,” says Yezdani, who was at Tower Hill from kindergarten through 12th grade. “I got my first bad grade—I think it was a D and she says it was a B—and I just lost it and was crying. She took me down to the cafeteria and gave me a cookie and said, ‘You’re going to learn more from the moments when things don’t go your way. You are not always going to be perfect, and that’s fine. You will be stronger from these moments than from those that come easily.’”

Later, when she found AP Biology difficult in her senior year, she totally revamped her studying style, realizing that she needed to see something three or four times before she could remember it properly.

“I learned so much from just that one moment of doing poorly,” she says.

When it came time to decide where to send her two children for school, she says Tower Hill was the natural choice.

“The wonderful teachers who educate and guide our students make Tower Hill stand out,” says Yezdani. “The core strengths and opportunities at Tower Hill have not changed, and through groups like DISTINCT and Alumni Council we can keep improving upon those opportunities for our children and help support the common goal to raise kind, thoughtful, well-rounded and motivated children.”

ABOVE: (L-R) Peter Gillen (Mona’s husband), Dr. Mona Yezdani Gillen ’01, Isla Gillen ’35, Caelen Gillen ’32 (Mona’s children), Dr. Kahja Yezdani, Dr. Vijaya Yezdani (Mona’s parents), and Dr. Samir Yezdani’ 09 (Mona’s brother).

REMEMBRANCE

IRÉNÉE “BRIP” DU PONT, JR. ’38

Upon receiving a degree in mechanical engineering from MIT, he worked for Ranger Aircraft Engines and then for DuPont from 1953 to 1978. At DuPont, he served as Senior Vice President and member of the Executive Committee from 1967 to 1978. He retired from DuPont’s Board of Directors in 1990.

Brip had a passion for cars. When he was 16, his father gave him an Oldsmobile, which Brip drove around the track of DeGroat Field during Founders’ Day in 2017. Brip also loved the woodshop at school and always made a visit to it when he came to campus. Woodshop teacher Rich Pierce presented him with a wooden steering wheel at the Founders’ Day celebration.

Tower Hill mourns the loss Brip du Pont ’38, whose history is deeply intertwined with Tower Hill. He was a devoted trustee, alumnus, parent, grandparent and supporter. He loved Tower Hill so much that he celebrated his 99th birthday on campus, and Tower Hill students created a special poster to celebrate his 100th birthday.

Brip’s father Irénée du Pont was one of the founding fathers of Tower Hill School. Brip served on the board from 1957 to 1977, and he was the Chair of the Nominating Committee from 1969 to 1977 and Chair of the Scholarship Committee from 1966 to 1973.

At Tower Hill’s Centennial Convocation, Brip delivered remarks recounting his time at school saying, “Thirteen years of growing up at Tower Hill made me feel mighty good.” One of Tower Hill’s youngest students in the Class of 2033 presented the Centennial rose and 100 year pin to Brip.

According to Board Chair Ben duPont, “Cousin Brip” was born at home, which at the time, was on the grounds of Tower Hill. He was the youngest and only boy of nine children. He joined Tower Hill in second grade in 1927, after having been homeschooled for first grade. He spent the next 13 years at Tower Hill, graduating in 1938 and was president of the general student organization.

Brip led a life of service and contributed his time to numerous boards. Over the years, Brip and his wife Barbara, of 77 years, gave generously to Tower Hill, and he was an advocate for education and lifelong learning. Brip founded the Wilmingtonbased foundation, Crystal Trust, which has played a critical role in the development and modernization of the Tower Hill campus for more than two decades, including most recently providing a leadership gift to complete work on the Neela Patel Center for Innovation - THE Hub, which opened to students in fall 2021. He also played a key role in developing Wilmington University and was one of the university’s long time trustees and former board chairman.

The Tower Hill legacy continued with Brip and Barbie’s five children having attended the school: Irene du Pont Light ’63, Irénée “Mac” du Pont III ’66, Cynthia du Pont Tobias ’68, Sally du Pont Quinn ’71, Grace du Pont Engbring ’76, along with two grandchildren: Margaretta Tobias Sacco ’98 and Irene Sophie Tobias ’03

Brip welcomed Tower Hill students to Granogue several times to hear the organ play. Brip always had a sparkle in his eyes, a story to share and a zest for life. The Tower Hill community has benefited from his legacy and spirit, and he will always hold a special place in our hearts. We will miss him greatly.

CONDOLENCES

May B. Fagan ’43 passed away on Aug. 11.

Andrew W. Edmond, Sr. ’52 has passed away on Jan. 14.

Elaine “Lani“ Logan Mein ’52 passed away on June 18.

Susan Corkran ’55 passed away on Feb. 6.

Sarah Schutt Harrison ’55 passed away on Oct. 30.

Cynthia Fulenwider Denham ’56 passed away on Oct. 20.

Caleb H. Smith, Jr. ’56 passed away on Nov. 2.

Mary Jane “Molly” Culbertson ’63 passed away on June 30.

The Rev. Margaret ‘Margie’ Kay Pumphrey ’63 passed away on Oct. 15.

James Thomas Skelly III ’63 passed away Nov. 19.

Sharon Church McNabb ’66 passed away on Dec. 25.

Neil Keen ’69 passed away on Aug. 27.

Natalie duPont Lyon ’71 passed away on Nov. 5.

Michael Francis Duggan ’77 passed away on March 29.

Martin Markiewitz ’78 passed away on Dec. 6.

Janet Hayes, former third grade teacher, passed away on Nov. 11.

Ellen McQuaid Harris, a former faculty member, passed away on Jan. 21.

George A. Stetson, II, beloved teacher who taught at Tower Hill for 35 years passed away on Jan. 28. Stetson taught MS history from 1965 until 2000 when he retired. In 1994, he was the recipient of the William L. Kitchell II Endowed Faculty Chair. This permanently

endowed Chair provides for the faculty member’s salary plus an annual stipend. The award is given by the Head of School and Trustees for a period of two years. The selection is based on educational leadership, commitment to excellence and love of students. His wife of 59 years, Marilyn Stetson, passed away in 2018. Their three children attended THS: Richard Stetson ’81, Matthew F. Stetson ’83 and Caroline Stetson Goulding ’87

Dale H. Jester, a beloved kitchen helper and friend to many faculty, staff and students at Tower Hill School, passed away Jan. 28.

Tower Hill honored Jester at the Thanksgiving assembly in 2018 where he was given a bench for his 34 years of service.

Marie Denney Stringfellow was secretary to the Headmaster at Tower Hill Middle School for 15 years and passed away on Feb. 11.

Middle School science teacher Constance “Connie” Logothetis passed away on Feb. 24.

SEND US YOUR CLASS NOTES!

What’s new? Have you changed careers? Won an award? Gotten married or welcomed a child into your family? Been published or promoted?

Hillers, we would love to hear what you or members of your class have been up to! Submit a class note online or email thsalumni@towerhill.org and it will be featured in The Lookout and in our Bulletin magazine. Photos are welcome! Please send high-resolution .jpg images that are at least 1 megabyte in size.

WEDDINGS AND BIRTHS

1. Patrick Kaiser ’02 and Nicole Symonds Kaiser were married on July 9. Both are current faculty members at THS. 2. Congratulations to Tyler and Logan Reed ’10 on the birth of their son Landon Lewis on Sept. 1. 3. Congratulations to Mary Elizabeth ’07 and Jim Morris on the birth of their son Jack Edward on Aug. 24. 4. Lindsey Edinger Crane ’09 and her husband Chris welcomed baby Alice Cynthia Crane, who was born on Feb. 6, her mom’s birthday. 5. Meg Lyons Mahoney ’09 married Stuart Mahoney in Charlottesville, VA. They celebrated with family, friends and fellow Tower Hill alumni. (L-R) Jesse Taylor, Mary Hobbs Taylor ’09, Meg Lyons Mahoney ’09, Stuart Mahoney, Lindsey Edinger Crane ’09 and Chris Crane. 6. Brooke Kelly Bowers ’11 married Danny Bowers. Dan Villalon ’99 was the officiant, his wife Katherine Long ’98 was a reader and Jordan Hollender O’Regan ’98 was matron of honor. Many of the others pictured are Hillers from the Class of 2011.

CLASS NOTES

student in her first year at Tower Hill. What an auspicious start to an extraordinary creative career that spanned over five decades and reached far beyond the confines of a Middle School art studio.

’60s

As submitted by classmates: To her fellow Hillers, Shari Church ’66 was a varsity cheerleader, a chorister and a class leader. To the art world, Sharon Church, who died on Christmas day 2022, was an internationally-celebrated metalsmith, studio jeweler and educator who compiled a long list of distinguished awards.

During her time at Tower Hill, Sharon was remembered as the tall, graceful girl, with snapping blue eyes and a vivid personality, often found at the center of a social gathering. “She had the most amazing laugh,” says a schoolmate. “It was like magic.” Still, she had a shy side too, notes classmate, George Ward.

To her peers, Sharon exemplified Tower Hill’s range of academic rigor and its recreational development. She was a high honor student who sang Gregorian chants as part of the school’s Vocal Ensemble under Cal Bourgeault. At the same time, she supported school teams as a member of the school’s cheerleading squad. But it would be her love for jewelry making that would allow her infectious spirit to transverse the globe.

It’s hard to believe that when Sharon hammered out her first aluminum necklace she was merely a fifth grade

Over her lifetime, Sharon’s designs arced from early, somewhat conventional creations of rare stones to works more invested in bones and other natural substances she once reflected “physically embody the cycle of birth, life, death and renewal and speak to the riddle of our existence.” Bruce Roberts, a former classmate, recalls Sharon using the word “chthonic” (relating to the underworld) to describe her mature designs: glistening surfaces barely concealing something earthy, emergent and darkly alive beneath. Today, Sharon’s jewelry pieces can be found in the permanent collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Yale, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg and the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, just to name a few. Fellow artist and former classmate Anne Oldach reflected that “Sharon strived to express through her art and jewelry both a uniquely personal and a profoundly universal vision.”

Emerita of Craft and Material Studies at the University of the Arts. In the words of Sharon’s daughter, Eliza McNabb, her mother “was fierce… and had a deep conviction and a strong internal compass.” Much like a compass uses a precious stone as its bearing, Sharon’s jewelry, which she once described as “art for the body,” will continue to inspire direction for the next generation of metalsmiths and studio jewelers.

# # #

Both the Tower Hill community and the art world mourn her passing but find solace in the art she left for the world to cherish, as well as the many lives she influenced as Professor

Barbara Streuli ’60 and Bessie Speers met up in New Hampshire. Congratulations to Chuck Durante ’69 on his election as President of the Delaware State Bar Association.

’70s

Writing as Heather Ashby, Heather McClean Nickodem ’71 published her fifth book this year. The Caring Code explains levels of caring to help readers focus on their priorities. When you are juggling to keep all the balls in the air, the Code helps you decide which balls are rubber and which are glass—which people and issues will bounce if you drop them, and which must remain aloft at all costs.

To commemorate the centennial of Jack Kerouac’s birth in 1922, Spencer Rumsey ’71 gave a talk about the celebrated On the Road author’s

CLASS NOTES

unique connection to Northport, Long Island, at the Northport Historical Society. Kerouac and his mom lived there, off and on, from 1958 to 1964. Rumsey, a long-time Northport resident, has written about Kerouac, and interviewed Allen Ginsberg, his “Beat Generation” poet compatriot, as well as Sterling Lord, Kerouac’s agent. David P. Kozinski ’74 was one of six regional poets reading original work in response to the video presentation Whitman on Walls featuring words from Walt Whitman’s Song of Myself, created by Compagnia de Colombari. The event in August was a great success at Venice Island Performing Arts Center.

’80s

Monty Hayman ’87, Justin Hicks ’09, Matthew Twyman ’88 attended the Delaware Elite Track Club Black Tie Gala on Feb. 11.

’90s

Jeffrey Carney ’94, is a registered architect and a certified city planner in Florida. He also serves as an associate professor at the University of Florida and director

at the Florida Institute and Florida Resilient Cities program. His current projects include a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development effort and FRC project to assist the city of Port St. Joe recover from Hurricane Michael, which was supported by the Jessie Ball DuPont fund. Jeff was the previous director of the LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio (CSS), where he helped lead the Louisiana Resiliency Assistance Program (LRAP) that continues to help communities throughout Louisiana. In addition to codirecting his team’s award winning submission for Changing Course competition, his other projects have been recognized through awards like the 2018 AIABR Rose Award winner for the Shifting Foundations exhibit; the 2016 New York Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects Merit Award, for “The Giving Delta;” the 2014 APA Planning Excellence Award for Education, for the Louisiana Resilience Assistance Program; the 2012 ACSA Collaborative Practice Award, for the Coastal Sustainability Studio; and the 2011 EDRA Great Places Awards in Design Research for “Measured Change: Tracking Transformations on Bayou Lafourche.”

Matt Auerbach ’97 was named 2022 Philadelphia Eagles Fan of the Year. Matt currently serves as the Principal of Mt. Pleasant Elementary in Wilmington, DE.

Jeff Hobbs ’98 visited THS grade 10 English classes this winter. Jeff is a New York Times Bestseller who has published several nonfiction books, and he shared some of his experiences with writing and publishing from his successes to his struggles. One of Jeff’s novels, The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, which won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, is being adapted for film.

’00s

Noreen Jordan and Sarah Baker traveled to New York City to visit The Hewitt School, and while there, they ran into the alumna Ashley Geronemus ’03. Her daughter is joining Hewitt’s kindergarten class.

Max Timmons ’09, Justin Hicks ’09 and Anthony Carter ’09 attended the Baltimore Ravens vs. Miami Dolphins game together. The tickets were a gift from Joe DeSantis (P’28, ’35) as part of Teacher Appreciation Week last spring.

Max Simmons ’09 crossed the finish line at the Chicago Marathon

Above left: Doug Lagarde ’80 and Justin Hicks ’09 pictured at the 2023 Carney, Sandoe and Associates Forum/DEIB Conference. Doug is currently the Head of School at the Severn School in Severna Park, MD. Right: A few Tower Hill alumni enjoyed a fall meal together. (L-R): Jame Holden ’97 (parent of Phoenix ’27), Chris Holden ’97, Matt Twyman ’88 (parent of Bryce and Colby ’25), Robb Gardner ’84 and Mo Holden ’85

1. Matt Auerbach ’97 2. Ashley Geronemus ’03 with Tower Hill faculty. 3. Caroline Campbell Galluch ’07 shared a photo of her running into a notable Tower Hill alum Mehmet Oz, M.D., ’78 4. Safiya Miller ’18 (pictured top row left) 5. Jeff Hobbs ’98 at Tower Hill. 6. Jaanvi Mehta ’18, Kam Inguito ’18 and Ben Crain ’16 7. Jennifer Cleary ’20 played at the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur. (photo c/o virginiasports.com)

on Oct. 8, to benefit the Leukemia Society. He raised nearly $15,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in the last year as he ran a half marathon in December and the recent Chicago Marathon.

’10s

Monica Wilson Imbrenda ’10 welcomed a baby boy, Gabriel Michael Imbrenda, in July.

Jaanvi Mehta ’18, Kam Inguito ’18 and Ben Crain ’16 are attending medical school at Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University.

Safiya Miller ’18 a senior and gymnast at Brown University was

one of the 18 gymnasts who earned the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) All-America Scholar-Athlete Award with a GPA of 4.0 in her last semester! The team also received recognition for ranking in the top 20 in Team GPA. (Photo 4 on p. 93)

Matthew Sharrar ’18 met up with Tower Hill exchange student, Bence Tanko’-Bartalis ’18 in Budapest, where Bence currently lives. (Photo 1 above)

Keeley Osborn ’18 graduated from Amherst College with a BA in American Studies, cum laude. She was co-captain of the Amherst women’s varsity squash team, which finished 13th nationally in 2022,

and she won the Friends of Amherst Athletics Award and the Alfred M. Sadler Award for Most Improved Player. (Photo 2 above)

’20s

Blaine Boyden ’20 showed his Hiller pride while skiing in the Austrian Alps this season. (Photo 3 above)

THS alums Hannah Zhou ’22 and Alicia Cai ’21 with Molly Elton, Associate Director of College Counseling, in Evanston, Illinois. Elton was there to serve on the National Merit Scholarship committee. Both alums are students at Northwestern University. (Photo 4 above)

ALUMNI VISITS

1. At Antonio, TX regional alumni event (L-R): Guest Cmdr. Pete W. Nickodem, Mrs. Heather McClean Nickodem ’71, Heather Johnson Pitamber ’01 and Justin Hicks ’09 2. Caroline Deyrup ’21 visited Molly Elton at Tower Hill following Homecoming and Reunion Weekend. She currently attends Oberlin College. 3. Emily Wei ’22 and Peyton Brown ’22 visited campus in the new year. 4. Casey Yuros and Eduardo Silva with alums, Isabella Kimbiris ’22, Lauren Kulda ’22 and Aislynn Kator ’22. 5. Bo Gravuer ’22 and Jack Ogden ’22 visited college counseling while home on break. 6. Campbell Zehner ’22 stopped by to visit with Molly Elton. 7. Noah Wang ’20 visited Tower Hill for Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, pictured with Casey Yuros and Molly Elton.