Tower Hill School Spring Bulletin 2025

Bulletin | Spring 2025

ADVANCEMENT

Kristin

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

Sarah D. A. Baker

2024-2025 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Benjamin duPont ’82, Chair Jack Flynn, MD, ’81, Vice Chair Marna Whittington, PhD, Treasurer

Bussard ’90

Kimberly Wright Cassidy, PhD

Régis de Ramel Robert DeSantis

John Gavenonis, PhD

Laird Hayward ’02

Rodney Morrison

David Nowland ’85

Lisa A. Olson ’76

Matt Plumb

Logan Read ’10

Sonal Sheppard

Isabella Speakman Timon ’92

Genelle Trader ’70 Carmen Wallace ’93 Earl Ball, EdD, Emeritus

From the HEAD OF SCHOOL

Dear Tower Hill community,

In late February, just before the writing of this letter, I started my day one of the best ways I know how—by attending Morning Meeting in the Upper School. I have long thought that Morning Meeting epitomizes the spirit of our school. The gathering, a brisk 10 minutes in length, features a senior’s speech to the community and then an open microphone. Students or faculty who want to share words, news of accomplishments, or announcements with the collected audience of all Upper School students and teachers are then invited to the microphone to speak. There is a beautiful sense of community trust embodied in this protocol. And there is almost always a line for the microphone.

On the morning I mention, the boys squash team was to present their Division VII National Championship trophy to the Upper School and to me. Before they did so, senior Katie Murphy gave a beautiful address on the power of art in her life, and then the mic was open. Students in the last week of rehearsals for our musical The Addams Family announced that tickets were on sale and going fast—the Friday show was almost sold out already. Two faculty and staff members, Mr. Matt Twyman ’88 and Mr. Doug Poskitt ’89, passed the baton (I mean this literally) to Gaspar Ioos ’26, George Peddrick ’26, Tate Poff ’26, and Colby Twyman ’25, the athletes who broke Mr. Twyman and Mr. Poskitt’s 3:38.61 longstanding school record for the 4x400m Relay on the track with a time of 3:35.07. The captains of the girls varsity basketball team announced their first-round win in the tournament the night prior and invited the audience to their

next game. And the 33 recipients of Scholastic Art and Writing Awards—including one prestigious regional American Voices and Visions Award winner, Vivian Wan ’27—were celebrated. (Details on p. 29-30)

This was a 10 minute meeting! On a Tuesday morning in February! There was no architect and no orchestration, no highly tuned planning process that yielded this wallop of Multa Bene Facta. It was, simply, a beautiful confluence, a moment of school life that testified to the reality that I’ve always said defines us: we are who we say we are, and we do what we say we’ll do

Just about one year ago in the pages of this magazine, Tower Hill shared the school’s new strategic plan True to Tower Hill with the community. In our letter to you, Board Chair Ben duPont and I described the plan and its vision in the following words: “It communicates what our school believes and resolves that Tower Hill will lean into its strong sense of self while also evolving strategically to do better by students and the community than ever before.”

What this issue of the magazine reports, and what I hope you will see, is that in the past year we have made tremendous progress toward that worthy goal. Those of you who know the school well, who knew it long ago, or whose families have known it for generations, should recognize in the Tower Hill of today a trueness to the spirit of the place that has always stood for possibility and leaned into the power of discovery. And you should also see how this spirit is powering us to do more and better by all who share the schoolhouse.

True to Tower Hill,

Sarah D. A. Baker P’36, ’39 Head of School

Around SCHOOL

Winterim 2025

Before entering the second semester, Upper School students participated in a two-day Winterim, which is offered every year and promotes opportunities for experiential learning and community building. Twelfth graders learned life skills such as cooking and personal finance, and had fun celebrating their senior year. Eleventh graders focused on the college process by touring the University of Delaware and Washington College. Tenth graders visited the Hockessin Colored School and participated in a United Way service activity. Ninth graders engaged in mindfulness projects, building grade-level connectivity and belonging and preparing for the new semester.

Lower School Movie Night

This fall, our Lower School gathered for a fun, outdoor movie night on DeGroat Field. The state-of-the-art scoreboard is amazing for athletics competitions and movie nights! The lovely evening was a great opportunity for the community to come together in a fun, unique way.

Heart Safe School

Tower Hill was recently designated a “Heart Safe School” by Project ADAM at Nemours, which helps schools establish life-saving programs to respond to sudden cardiac arrest. The program helps Delaware schools create cardiac emergency response plans, train students and staff in CPR and AED use and educate students and staff to recognize a sudden cardiac arrest event. Tower Hill is the first private school in the state to receieve the designation, marking a significant step in prioritizing the health and safety of our school community. The school has expanded CPR training to all employees. In February, as part of Heart Month, the school offered a parent CPR class.

Northern Lights

Eighth grade had a spectacular time on the annual trip to Cape Henlopen. In addition to exploring, collaborating, researching and bonding as a grade, our students were treated to the amazing Northern Lights!

Horizons Event

Horizons Tower Hill hosted a successful community event in partnership with PAATH and ChristianaCare’s community health initiative in December to support our families through the holidays and winter and prepare for spring registration. PAATH families and other Tower Hill community members contributed to a gift exchange, and all students left with an academic gift. ChristianaCare presented a winter wellness seminar and traveled with their produce so families could leave with free food. Horizons and its community collaborated on donated toiletries for families to take what they needed for themselves or their community.

Kilimanjaro

Aarav Parmar ’31 climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest mountain. He and his mother shared their experiences in a presentation to his sixth grade class, which was a nice complement to their reading assignment, Peak by Roland Smith, a story about a boy who sets off to summit Mt. Everest.

TRUE TO TOWER HILL

p. 10

Human Anatomy

Research Published

p. 12

Faculty and Staff Advisory Committees for Head of School and Lower School Established

AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS A DESTINATION SCHOOL

p. 14 SEL Program Reviewed and Strengthened

p. 18 Health and Wellness Initiatives for Faculty and Staff Created

p. 6 Heart Safe School Status Achieved

p. 21 Mattering and Healthy Achievement Initiatives Undertaken

Faculty and Staff Affinity Groups and Implementation of Employee Health Initiatives Established

Participation in The Hiller Fund by Faculty and Staff Increased

Faculty Retention Improved Consistently

New Website and Hashtag Campaign Used to Tell a Cogent Tower Hill Story and Track Strategic Plan Progress

Parent Book Discussions of Never Enough with Administrators Conducted

p. 22 Convocation Tradition for the Whole School in Late September Established

p. 24 DEI Programming Evolved and Strengthened

PROGRESS TO DATE

p. 16 Director of Data and Strategic Analytics Appointed

p. 41 Summer Institute for Upper School Students Will Launch in Summer 2025

p. 20 Board of Trustees Human Capital Committee Established and Compensation Audit Conducted

p. 42 Professional Growth Evaluation System and Process for Teachers Redesigned

Dean of Faculty Meets with Each Faculty Member Following Any Professional Development

• Academic Affairs Team Established

• Advisory Program Assessed

• Lower School Literacy Program Audited

• AI Policy Finalized

• Upper Grades Librarian and Director of Academic Research Appointed for 2025-2026

p. 46

Enrollment Management Director Appointed

p. 46 New Athletic Director Appointed

• Authentic Connections Survey Will Measure Student Resilience

• Student-Athlete Postseason Feedback Surveys Implemented

• Prospective and Current Families Engaged to Improve Admission Conversion and Retention

• Marketing and Communications Plan Implemented to Increase Application Conversion Rate

p. 26

THS Athletics Kids Days and Middle School Stay Days Held

p. 61 Back-to-School Picnic Enhanced

• Social Receptions Held Before Divisional and Grade-Level Events for Attending Parents

• Webinar Series for Parents Offered

• Book Buddies Program Fully Subscribed

An Engaged Community of Scholars 1

ANATOMICAL RESEARCH STUDY

RESEARCH AND

PUBLICATION

BY LAUREN HELFGOTT, UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE FACULTY

A team of seven Upper School biology and chemistry students conducted a human anatomy study across the 20232024 academic year and are now published authors.

Sophie Crain ’26, Emerson DeBaecke ’26, Nikhil Patel ’26, Alexandra Simon ’25, Bryce Twyman ’25, Benjamin Williams ’25 and Aileen Zhang ’26 researched whether eyebrows are an essential and/or age-dependent facial feature for accurately recognizing the emotions of happiness, sadness, anger, surprise and

confusion. This collaboration across Tower Hill’s student body, faculty and staff was published in The Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI), a Harvard-based scientific journal.

Findings revealed that removing eyebrows results in a significant decrease in participants’ ability to accurately recognize anger from experimental facial images (Figure 1). In addition, Upper School adolescents (15-18 years) were more likely to misidentify emotions from eyebrow-obscured photographs compared to Middle School adolescents (12-14 years) and adults (21+ years). Finally, Upper School adolescents took longer (>5 seconds) to identify the correct emotion from eyebrow-

obscured photographs than when shown the same unaltered control photographs. Therefore, the age group studied that is most at risk of misinterpretation and delayed response to facial cues are Upper School adolescents. The final manuscript produced by the Human Anatomy Research Team is titled, Obscurity of Eyebrows Influences Recognition of Human Emotion and Impacts Older Adolescents, and is freely read by visiting the JEI website.

Whether cooperating with one another during experimental design or deliberating conclusive reasoning from their data, the research team operated under the shared goal of building their eyebrow study from the ground up.

Crain reflected on her experience as a student researcher: “What I find amazing is that we were really able to build this study from scratch. Our finished product is a great representation of all the brainstorming and collaboration that we did, and I feel that I learned about human behavior! Although we may have inherently known that eyebrows should make a difference in recognizing social cues, we were able to scientifically support this with our findings.”

The students learned from one another and continued to grow as a result of the multiple rounds of online scientific feedback provided by JEI. The professionalism that exudes from their final manuscript is a direct result of the team’s ability to think critically and collaboratively. In addition, the willingness to routinely seek and receive support from within the Tower Hill community, as well as through the scientific journal’s peer editing process, are fine examples of how Tower Hill students engage in healthy interdependence, address scientific issues through scholarly work, and become published scientific authors in the process.

The final manuscript they produced is a manifestation of the collaborative efforts of well over 100 individuals within the Tower Hill community!

The first round of support came from the assembly of a Scientific Review Committee (SRC), composed of the Social Emotional Learning Department Chair Dr. Amy Cuddy, Science Department Chair Luisa Sawyer and Upper School science teacher Dr. Steve Harris. The assembly of the SRC was a journal requirement that ensured the ethical treatment of participants throughout the study. Four additional Upper School teachers (Dr. Andrew Brown, Jake Viscusi, Michelle Wrambel and Casey Yuros) bravely offered to have their facial expressions photographed and analyzed by study participants. An additional 40 Upper School students and 40 faculty and staff, including Head of School Sarah Baker, agreed to participate in the primary or the follow-up study. This network of support did not just end in the Upper School—Middle School Head Tim Weymouth and Middle School science teachers Lara Kossiakoff, Kathleen McMillen, Luisa Sawyer and Mary Taylor all encouraged an additional 40 Middle School student participants by emphasizing the importance of collaborative and cross-divisional efforts.

Student researcher DeBaecke expressed her team’s gratitude. “On behalf of our team, thank you to the wonderful Tower Hill students and faculty who participated in our human anatomy study on facial cues! We would not have been able to succeed without each person’s time and eagerness to help with our research.”

Figure 1: Upper School math teacher Jake Viscusi was one of the participants and can be seen with and without eyebrows.

An Engaged Community of Scholars 1 ADVISORY COMMITTEES

BY AMY SCHREI, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

One of the commitments from True to Tower Hill is to build a culture in which faculty see Tower Hill as a place to grow as scholars and practitioners. An outcome of this goal is to offer distributed leadership opportunities to faculty and staff seeking experiences that register as professional development internally.

FACULTY AND STAFF ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO THE HEAD OF SCHOOL

An Advisory Committee to the Head of School was established in the fall of 2023. The Committee comprises faculty and staff who work with Sarah Baker to provide ideas, questions, observations and feedback on school decisions, policies and practices.

There are 11 members of the Committee, and they act as representatives for their peers in the classrooms and the offices, who work every day to deliver the school’s mission. When the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) contemplates decisions, it is very helpful for them to understand the impact for those on the front lines. Discussing these decisions before and after they are made honors the work, knowledge and perspective of faculty and staff. It also permits the administration to understand where more clarity is needed in the adult community, as so often the leadership team’s closeness to the decisions can cause them to overestimate how clearly they may be understood by colleagues who are farther removed.

Preschool teacher, Theresa Shorey, said, “Since joining the Committee, I have gleaned a healthy understanding of how school policies and procedures are shaped and how difficult decision making can be sometimes. Our meetings have required a commitment to listen, discern and discuss—all of which have helped me grow as both an educator and a teammate.”

Committee members were nominated by their peers and chosen in consultation with the SLT. Members serve two years, and a new cadre will be selected in fall 2025. The Committee meets monthly with the Head of School. Topics discussed during the meetings are shared with faculty and staff via email and are later discussed during

faculty and staff meetings, at which time, the faculty and staff offer feedback on those topics and suggest additional ones for consideration. The work of the Committee aims to be a transparent interchange and highly collaborative.

“Serving on the Committee provides a valuable platform for open communication, where faculty and staff can voice concerns, ask questions and feel truly heard. Sarah fosters an environment of trust and collaboration, ensuring that input is thoughtfully considered,” describes Committee member Charles Sharon, Lower School technology teacher.

Many important topics and decisions have been respectively discussed and made with input from the Committee, such as reviewing job descriptions for new positions, including the Dean of Faculty, and taking feedback on prospective organizational changes during the 2024-2025 school year as they were in the design phase. Committee members offered suggestions for the newly established fall Convocation and suggested improvements for graduation, for which insightful institutional knowledge was invaluable. School cadence was discussed in terms of the calendar and communications, and the Committee also weighed in on human resources matters such as how paid time off affects work-life balance and classroom coverage. They are being consulted throughout the compensation and benefits audit and have played an instrumental role there, particularly around benefits improvements. And these are but a few of the items that have been and will be on the agenda.

Lexy Herbein, Director of Physical Health and School Nurse said, “Having a voice—not only as a staff member but specifically as the school nurse, a role that can sometimes be overlooked—was especially meaningful. Being part of this team during Sarah’s first two years was a unique experience. We had the opportunity to grow alongside her and contribute during a pivotal time in the school’s history. Under her leadership, the school came alive in many ways, embracing new changes that fostered progress and innovation. Sarah’s openness in sharing the reasoning behind decisions, and her willingness to adjust course based on our feedback, made this experience truly collaborative. And of course, her sharing of home-baked goodies was always a highlight—a small but genuine reflection of the warmth and care she brings to leadership. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to be part of this

process—not only for the knowledge I gained but for the trust placed in me to help shape a culture rooted in collaboration, inclusivity and professional growth.”

Similarly, Miriam Pallant offered, “Being a part of this group has deepened my appreciation for the work and thought that goes into every element of the Tower Hill experience. I have learned more about the careful practices and procedures of colleagues in other divisions, the staff, the Board and the Senior Leadership Team. The culture fostered in this group values innovation and institutional knowledge in equal measure, and I am grateful to have the chance to learn from and represent my colleagues.”

FACULTY AND STAFF LEADERSHIP ADVISORY TEAM TO THE HEAD OF LOWER SCHOOL

Following the success of the Faculty and Staff Advisory Committee to the Head of School, a similar committee was formed this school year to provide support and recommendations to the Head of Lower School Amy Bickhart and Dean of Faculty Doug Poskitt.

With relatively few opportunities for instructional leadership available to Lower School faculty, the Leadership Advisory Team (LAT) allows ambitious teachers to pursue experience-based professional development to grow at Tower Hill. Bickhart sought a collaborative team that could work together to advance divisional initiatives. The LAT’s purpose is to enhance curriculum, student experience and the culture of the Lower School.

The LAT is comprised of six faculty members, ranging from preschool to fourth grade, and includes a special area teacher. Each member applied for the role and was interviewed by Bickhart and Poskitt. Their contribution to the group includes: representing their own views, as well as thinking altruistically for the division; sharing

ideas and thoughts through a growth mindset; embracing a distributed leadership philosophy and thinking like leaders; and maintaining confidentiality. They meet approximately once per month.

Nicole Becker, fourth grade teacher said, “By fostering an environment where faculty can thrive as both scholars and practitioners, and creating meaningful leadership roles for classroom teachers, we strengthen not only our teaching community but also create richer, more dynamic learning experiences for our students. The LAT exemplifies how classroom expertise can directly inform school-wide initiatives, providing teachers with authentic opportunities to shape institutional growth while developing their own leadership capacities. I look forward to collaborating with colleagues to build pathways for continuous learning, leadership development and professional growth.”

In addition, Francesca Pabon, third grade teacher said, “At Tower Hill, we are surrounded by incredibly talented and passionate colleagues. With the creation of the LAT, there is now a space for a group of us to gather together with intentionality and purpose to enhance the Lower School. Being in the classroom and teaching students is my passion. The LAT allows me to continue my passion, grow as a professional and have a direct role in the continued development of our community.”

The LAT has undertaken a project to audit the Lower School literacy program. The steps include: establishing a process; conducting a teacher survey; reporting the survey results to the faculty; defining a timeline; gathering data; and, researching alternative curricula.

Bickhart describes, “The LAT has exceeded my expectations with their collaboration and partnership. They are considering the whole Lower School and have garnered the trust of their faculty peers to help lead the division in the right direction.”

An Engaged Community of Scholars 1 SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING

BY DR. AMY CUDDY, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING DEPARTMENT CHAIR, PSYCHOLOGIST

A walk through the halls of Tower Hill offers familiar scenes: students with noses in books envisioning classic storylines or calculating mathematical equations; artists at work brandishing brushes, clay, sandpaper or cameras; goggle-clad scientists analyzing unknown substances or calculating pendulum arc; and, musicians and thespians experimenting with verse, song, set design or monologue. What might be less familiar are images of Tower Tots and prekindergarteners practicing their breathing skills with stuffed animals on their bellies or Hoberman spheres in their hands, second graders crafting recipes for “Friendship Soup” to delineate the desirable qualities of a friend, fifth graders playing Jenga to evaluate decisionmaking skills, or tenth graders playing a blackjack-like game to assess the inherent risks of addiction. This is Social Emotional Learning, or SEL.

Once viewed as fringe or ancillary to traditional academic work, a focus on SEL has now become common practice at Tower Hill. Responding to post-COVID realities and the ongoing mental health crises impacting our nation’s youth, SEL has been centered as an academic department on equivalent footing with its more traditional peers, affirming the school’s commitment to both the explicit instruction and implicit interweaving of core SEL competencies into the fabric of our school community.

SEL has taken center stage in both didactic and practical efforts to ensure student engagement and promote a positive school climate.

SEL is defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning as “the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships and make responsible and caring decisions.”

Tower Hill adheres to a skills-based model of SEL instruction that is focused on five core competencies: self awareness, self management, social awareness, relationships skills and responsible decision making. In each division, students participate in both standalone and integrated SEL offerings, such as Health and Wellness classes, mindfulness work that includes breathwork or noticing thoughts and reorienting focus, advisory conversations and peer leadership activities. The SEL curricula, programs and initiatives ensure that students acquire the essential social and emotional skills necessary for academic success and personal growth, and the department works collaboratively with various constituencies to make certain all practices and policies are viewed through a SEL lens.

Translating the components of SEL into a dedicated curriculum was the initial task of the nascent SEL department, as team members worked to define a scope and sequence to outline age-appropriate skills and objectives. As the SEL Department is composed of team members with varied backgrounds and specific expertise, this enterprise was infused with rich perspectives from the school’s two psychologists, the school nurse, the Upper School Dean of Students and Tower Hill’s own mindfulness instructor. Working together, this team provides guidance

to inform a variety of programming. There are lessons on empathy, emotion regulation and making friends for Lower School. Middle School coursework builds on these skills and expands a variety of topics, such as conflict resolution, values-based decision making, perspective taking and consent. Upper School offerings hone students’ understanding of identity development, risk taking and self care—just to name a few.

Alongside the direct programming that occurs in standalone classes, there have also been initial efforts to integrate SEL into the daily aspects of student work. In Upper School, the Wellness Board collaborated with the Teaching and Learning Center to provide students with coordinated academic and emotional support during midterms. Morning mindfulness sessions, evening study hours and post-exam decompression sessions highlighted the importance of balance during periods of potential stress. In Lower School, the fourth grade team encouraged students to create Shop Day products that addressed real-world needs and everyday problems, therefore engaging students’ capacity to consider multiple perspectives and the needs of others. Final results included a User’s Guide to Fourth Grade, the Happy Hillers Project (a combination stress reliever and

mindfulness tool) and a flag football belt that reminds players to focus on good sportsmanship. Another project—the Buddy Bench—is even being scaled into application on the playgrounds around school to provide a resource for peers who might need an extra dose of friendship during less structured recess times.

The objective of these collective efforts is to make overt and explicit those competencies that have historically been indirectly addressed by independent schools. We recognize the exponential value of direct instruction in the soft skills that have consistently been identified as correlating to lifelong learning, happiness and success. Research also shows that SEL improves academic achievement, increases prosocial behaviors and bolsters students’ emotional wellbeing. The combination of positive student outcomes, improved interpersonal relationships and connected school communities highlights the value of SEL work and solidifies its inclusion in the core curriculum. By adding SEL to our ABCs and 123s, we will continue to provide a foundation for a healthy, safe and welcoming learning environment that enhances students’ ability to find success in school and in life.

Left: SEL team members: Dr. Amy Cuddy, Dr. Lauren Lineback, Lexy Herbein, Fontayne Fox Jessica Douglass. Above: Dr. Cuddy teaching students about empahy.

An Engaged Community of Scholars 1 DATA-INFORMED DECISION MAKING

Q&A WITH BRET KROEGER, DIRECTOR OF DATA AND STRATEGIC ANALYTICS

BY AMY SCHREI, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

To help ensure that Tower Hill is making data-informed strategic decisions across all of its divisions and programs, the school has created a new role Director of Data and Strategic Analytics. We recently caught up with Bret Kroeger to learn more about this role.

Bret joined Tower Hill in 2018 as a math teacher in the Upper School and has also served as the school’s Director of Scheduling and Registrar. He is a member of the Senior Leadership and External Affairs Teams, sits on the Strategic Marketing Committee and is a cross country coach and advisor. He recently assisted

the school in auditing its enrollment management practices and is currently leading a review of the school’s financial aid processes.

Can you tell us a little bit about your role as the Director of Data and Strategic Analytics and why such a role is useful for Tower Hill?

Like many independent schools, Tower Hill has been collecting basic descriptive data about our students and stakeholders for many years. One need look no further than the increasingly ubiquitous “By the Numbers” section on any given independent school’s website or admission materials for examples of what I am referring to here.

For example, towerhill.org lists that $4.2 million was provided in financial aid to Tower Hill students last year, and the average score among Tower Hill students taking the AP Calculus AB and BC exams last year was 4.94 out of 5.

These numbers are meant to provide hard evidence that Tower Hill is an institution that provides an exceptional education and is committed to making that education affordable to as many families as possible. But what if it were the case that Tower Hill only asked its top junior math student and its top senior math student to sit for the AP Calculus exams? Would we still be impressed by Tower Hill’s nearly perfect scoring average? The phrase “lies, damned lies, and statistics” is familiar to us for a reason—context matters. It is only when we learn that every Tower Hill student who was enrolled in advanced calculus last year took the AP exam that we can fully appreciate the significance of this AP scoring average and reasonably begin to make inferences about the quality of the math education provided at the school.

In today’s fluid and highly competitive educational landscape, it is important for school leaders to move beyond viewing and using data at the surface level, which can sometimes be tempting when it casts their institutions in a positive light or might help to meet

short-term enrollment goals. But to ensure an institution’s true health and longevity, now more than ever, schools need practitioners charged with collecting and analyzing fully contextualized data to better inform strategic decisions. This will provide honest, unvarnished insight into the progress (or lack of progress) they are making toward their objectives and will ultimately help the school reach those goals as efficiently and effectively as possible.

In what ways do you see your current work in this new role moving Tower Hill forward?

We are in the early stages of implementing our strategic plan, True to Tower Hill, and one of my responsibilities is helping Head of School Sarah Baker and the Senior Leadership Team track progress on plan implementation. Tower Hill commits to being “an engaged community of scholars” in one of the pillars of the strategic plan, for instance. What does such a community look like? In what tangible, measurable ways does Tower Hill need to grow in order to embody this vision? To whom or what should we compare our progress, and what are reasonable targets given our implementation timeline and peer schools? Collaborating to answer these questions and using those answers to create key performance indicators and target outcomes has been a focus this year and will continue to be in the years ahead.

In what ways do you see your work having an impact on the Tower Hill student experience?

There are a number of collaborative projects underway that will result in the creation of processes that will help us better track academic progress and skills development as students move from year to year and from division to division, as well as to more quickly identify students who may benefit from additional learning support, for example. These types of refinements benefit all students and will help us deliver our programs at the highest level.

Ultimately it is my goal that Tower Hill’s data culture will continue to grow and flourish far beyond my role, to a point where every member of the community has a level of data literacy that allows them to gain insight into the needs in their corner of the school—whether in a classroom or on a sports field—and has the tools at their disposal to respond where appropriate to the story we learn through collecting, storing, analyzing and interpreting data.

A Destination School 2

HILLER HEALTH AND WELLNESS

BY LEXY HERBEIN, DIRECTOR OF PHYSICAL HEALTH AND SCHOOL NURSE

On Aug. 28, Tower Hill’s faculty and staff gathered for an event unlike any other—The Hiller Health and Wellness Fair. This day-long recognition of wellbeing was the result of months of planning by a dedicated team of 10 faculty and staff who aimed to support the strategic plan by putting employee wellness at the forefront. A combined initiative focused on education, exposure and activity, this first-of-its-kind event endeavored to energize faculty and staff for the year ahead.

Kullman Commons buzzed with energy as more than 20 vendors filled the space, offering expertise and resources to help attendees explore all facets of health. Local organizations shared insights, tools and services that encouraged everyone to embrace a more balanced and informed approach to their personal wellness journeys. Colleagues enjoyed physical fitness offerings via on-site stretching provided by the StretchZone, mental wellness resources provided by Healing Works, Inc. and advice on financial security from Voya Financial. Several vendors outdid themselves—Nordstrom offered suit fittings and beauty samples, while Wilmington Dental Associates had the most festive display packed with coveted giveaways like soft pretzels, pens, toothbrushes, pens, hand lotion, floss, candy, goodie bags and more.

In addition to the vendor tables, nine educational talks took place throughout the day, allowing attendees the opportunity to dive deeper into topics of interest. Faculty and staff explored strategies for “Securing Your Financial Future,” discovered ways to “Thrive as a Working Parent” or learned secrets to finding the perfect workout sneakers in the much-talked-about “Function Over Fashion” session led by the Delaware Running Company.

Midday brought an incredible lunch provided by CulinArt. The team outdid themselves with vibrant, health-conscious offerings that reminded us eating well doesn’t mean sacrificing flavor and wellness can start with something as simple as a meal.

The afternoon shifted gears into movement and mindfulness. High-energy participants joined workout sessions led by 202 Cycology and Crystal Clear Fitness, with options ranging from heart-pumping HIIT to two distinct styles of yoga. As the day concluded, attendees were invited to partake in a soothing sound bath offered by Bath House. The meditative experience left participants feeling calm, centered and ready to take on the busy school year ahead.

Green duffle bags emblazoned with the school logo and brimming with goodies from local vendors ensured every participant could carry a piece of the day home with them. Additionally, those who engaged in each part of the day were entered into a special raffle. This added an element of excitement with prizes waiting to be claimed at the day’s end.

Reactions of those who participated were resounding, as faculty and staff appreciated the diversion from the usual spate of back-to-school meetings. Colleagues were humbled to have a day devoted solely to their wellbeing in the midst of the busyness that typically characterizes the first week of school. Having a chance to gather in a different way, focus on all aspects of personal wellness and prioritize the foundational aspects of personal health demonstrated both the administrative and longer-term strategic commitment to ensure all Hillers are healthy. The day was a celebration of the school’s commitment to its faculty and staff and a reminder that self-care takes many forms and prioritizing individual wellbeing advances the overall health of the entire institution.

The Hiller Health and Wellness Fair was more than just a day of events, as it also served as the kick off to a year-long focus on campus-wide wellbeing. Employees were invited to participate in a fitness step challenge that culminated in a 5K walk/run held right on campus. The challenge, while initially designed to get folks moving, also bolstered social connection as employees were combined into random teams, bonded over shared walks and generally enjoyed a little healthy competition and fun.

Throughout the year, mini health fair offerings have been integrated into professional development days, providing ongoing opportunities for learning and growth. The weekly workout classes for employees, which began last school year, have continued to support our community in staying active and connected.

As we reflect on an extraordinary day at the Hiller Health and Wellness Fair, the day was filled with connection, inspiration and empowerment, from the energy in Kullman Commons to the tranquil notes of the sound bath. We can’t help but look forward to where our journey will take us next.

1. Hiller Health 5K run/walk in Rockford Park. 2. Vendors offered their services at the Health and Wellness Fair. 3. One of the fitness class offered to faculty and staff at the fair. 4. The Health and Wellness Fair planning committee: Lindsay Acevedo, Amy Cuddy, Natalie Hobbs, Kerry King-Brown, Lexy Herbein, Jess Hart, Josephine Harrington, Meghan Donlon, Molly Elton, Julie Donohue.

A Destination School 2

HUMAN CAPITAL COMMITTEE

TOWER HILL BOARD OF TRUSTEES NEW COMMITTEE TARGETS STRATEGIC AMBITION

BY SUZANNE ASHLEY, TRUSTEE

Tower Hill School’s Board of Trustees has established a Human Capital Committee to provide strategic guidance and support to the Head of School concerning one of our greatest assets: our faculty and staff. In alignment with Tower Hill’s strategic plan, we share Sarah Baker’s goal to attract and retain talented educators committed to true excellence and innovation in student learning and development at Tower Hill.

As learners, our children engage with their education through their everyday experiences with Tower Hill faculty and staff. As a Board, we believe there is no greater mission than to work to support and enhance policies aimed at ensuring Tower Hill students have the opportunity to learn deeply and be known as individuals while also being challenged and inspired by their educators. To honor this strategic ambition, we’re partnering with Tower Hill to seek fresh perspective and a rigorous data-driven approach.

To that end, the Human Capital Committee retained ThreePoint Consulting to study Tower Hill’s faculty and staff compensation practices, working closely with Ms. Baker and school leadership. By benchmarking against peer schools—and aspirational peer schools—evaluating salary structures, benefits and professional growth opportunities, and seeking authentic feedback from faculty and staff, ThreePoint is gathering valuable information to inform the future strategy—advancing recruitment and retention of exceptional faculty and staff.

Through this work, the Human Capital Committee brings the Board’s partnership to the Head of School in a governance model that supports Tower Hill’s aim to cultivate an outstanding workplace culture, enhance the educational experience for students and strengthen the entire school community.

Members of the Human Capital Committee: (L-R) Suzanne Ashley (Chair), Kim Cassidy, John Gavenonis, Rodney Morrison, Lisa Olson, Logan Read, Carmen Wallace, Marna Whittington

HEALTHY ACHIEVEMENT

BY AMY SCHREI, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

This year, the Tower Hill community read the book, Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic And What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Wallace.

Tower Hill embraces an achievement culture, but a healthy one, and Never Enough helps us to do this in a research-informed way. For students to achieve their highest potential, we must create school and family systems that convince them they matter deeply—not just for what they accomplish, but for who they are. Engaging this sense of mattering, rather than stressing only a harddriving competitive ethos, bolsters achievement.

Each summer, Tower Hill faculty and staff collectively read a book that informs their work and professional development. Before the school year, small groups discussed ways to incorporate the concept of mattering into classroom practices. Faculty reflected on how, as adults, they could and would communicate to students that they have deep meaning—defined and specific meaning—to the community of their classroom, team or advisory. Faculty and staff were encouraged to help students identify—through conversations or activities— how their community depends on them and for what specifically. Faculty incorporated mattering feedback at parent/teacher conferences, and Head of School Sarah Baker began including Never Enough encouragements and reminders to faculty and staff in her monthly messages.

The book was so influential that the Board of Trustees read it and discussed college choice, weighing prestige versus fit. They also reflected on the school’s motto and the book’s argument that setting limits, doing less and

cooperating more can lead to better health and higher achievement.

Upper School students also engaged by reading Never Enough and led discussions with Head of School Sarah Baker and Head of Upper School Dr. Jack Phillips. Dr. Phillips noted their unanimous reaction: students felt the book accurately described the pressure they experience from parents, school, peers and themselves, despite receiving messages to the contrary. At the final meeting, students anonymously shared one thing they wanted adults to know. The sentiment was clear—they care deeply and are trying hard, even when to adults it may for any number of reasons seem otherwise.

Book discussions extended to parents, who were enthusiastic about the opportunity to meet with Sarah Baker and other administrators for a collaborative exchange of ideas. The event attracted a larger than expected number of parents, and attendees gathered in groups according to their division. While the specific concerns were age-appropriate, the general theme was universal—families and the school want to understand how best to support students to find happiness and reduce stress. Assistant Head of School Lindsay Acevedo reflected, “The atmosphere and interactions were genuine and collaborative, with an openness to sharing, not only worries, but also wisdom and advice. Parents and administrators were actively listening to and learning from one another. We all want what is best for the kids.”

Never Enough emphasizes the importance of building supportive relationships. When schools and families form strong partnerships, they provide powerful support that students need for their achievement, wellbeing and true sense of self worth.

A Shared Schoolhouse

TRADITIONS: BELOVED AND BLOSSOMING

BY EDUARDO SILVA, DEAN OF STUDENT LIFE

So, what makes something a tradition? Unsurprisingly, each community is going to have a different answer to this question, and you’ll get different answers depending on who you ask.

The adults in the community might say that traditions are moments in which we gather as one to celebrate our values. Students, on the other hand, might say in jest that a tradition is an event that gets them out of class! However, I would confidently say that no matter who you ask, somewhere baked into the answer is going to be the idea that traditions remind us of who we are and why we’re proud to be a community.

When I arrived at Tower Hill 12 years ago, I was enchanted by the schoolhouse, the kids and the remarkable colleagues I was gearing up to work with. But, if I’m honest, I was most excited to be a part of the many traditions I had heard and read about prior to joining this community. Tower Hill certainly does many things well and boy can we put on a show! More specifically, our community is lucky to have a handful of traditions and experiences that not only bring us together, but create legacies and memories that aren’t found at every school.

At Tower Hill, when thinking about traditions you might quickly think about Tree Trim, Homecoming and Field Day. Each a time-honored tradition, they are cemented in our legacy and have provided, in some cases, over 100 years of treasured memories. And of course, there are some cyclical traditions that, although they don’t happen every year, are certainly part of the story we tell at Tower Hill. The Installation of our Head of School comes to mind. You might have attended our most recent one in which Sarah Baker was installed as the 11th Head of School. This event was an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the roots of a new beginning and to recommit to what we cherish as Hillers.

There’s an old saying in independent schools—if you do something once, it becomes a tradition. While we have a slightly higher bar in deciding what becomes an official tradition, what I hear in this is that communities like ours are always yearning for new experiences that represent the wonderful changes that

naturally occur in the life of a school. What’s more, they are not always necessarily events.

If you have attended our major all-school events in the last couple of years, you might have noticed that the individual grades have paraded into the venues led by a new class banner. These banners, on which you will see the graduation year of each class, have become a new tradition in their own right. They are meant to represent the spirit of each class and, most importantly, the pride that comes from belonging to a class. Another example of a new tradition is Convocation. As a shift from our first day of school assembly, Convocation will henceforth occur later in the fall and serve as the official opening to a school year. This year’s ceremony included student speakers from every division, the seniors marching in with their Lower School buddies, and, yes, our class banners.

As we look ahead to the future, what will never change is the fact that these traditions belong to us and are therefore always open to feedback and input so as to keep them living traditions that will continue to represent the community of today. As a result, many of these events have committees that are filled with passionate members of our community who are always dreaming about what can be next. Students, of course, are also actively involved in the shaping of our traditions. It is a testament to the fact that what we do as a community can only be as strong as the members it represents. Lucky for us, we are stacked in that department. Teachers, students, staff, parents and alumni—we are all committed to ensuring these storied traditions continue on for generations to come. People come and go in life who can take us in many different directions, but just know that if you are ever in town and need to see the sparkle in a child’s eye upon seeing a gigantic tree light up, or want to experience the joy in seeing a senior have a full circle moment as they usher in the youngest generation, remember that the Tower Hill community will always save a seat for you at the next event.

A Shared Schoolhouse 3

DEI EFFORTS THRIVE UNDER NEW LEADER

BY AMY GOLDEN-SHEPHERD, DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

The Tower Hill Social Justice Department, now known as the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), has experienced growth in the 2024-2025 school year, building upon the tremendous efforts of the previous Directors of Social Justice, the division coordinators and the entire faculty and staff.

The new Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is staffed by unwaveringly passionate educators in all divisions— Jeannie Snyder in the preschool, Melinda Martin and Anna Elliott in the Lower School, Caroline Feldman in the Middle School, Andrew Brown in the Upper School, Anna Miller whose focus is religious and cultural holidays, and Molly Elton who co-facilitates the Seeking Educational Equity in Diversity (SEED) training program with AllSchool DEI Coordinator, Louise Cummings.

As the Director of DEI, I lead the team. My background is in early childhood and elementary education as well as state government administration, with a focus on equity and inclusion.

Framed by the three pillars of the strategic plan, and fueled by the faculty’s summer read, Never Enough, the Office of DEI is spending the year really getting to know the students, families, faculty and staff. We are listening to the needs, hopes and dreams the community has to keep our school a warm and equitable learning institution, as well as a leader in truly inclusive Tots through 12 education.

Focusing on identity, kindness, empathy and inclusive history, each division has had memorable and engaging learning experiences, creating an environment where people feel comfortable listening-to-learn from others, as well as sharing their beliefs and what makes them who they are. We know that each of us creates diversity in our community.

In the preschool, students gathered to listen to stories and participate in activities about community, family, kindness and manners, and learn about holiday celebrations. Parents visited classrooms and shared important aspects of their identity and culture, creating a rich and immersive learning experience for all.

Lower School students learned about many aspects of identity including names, interests, abilities, culture and family. They also discussed the impact of words, and students agreed that they want to be positive influencers at Tower Hill.

The thread of identity awareness and the importance of names continued into Middle School as it successfully hosted another Leaning into Equity Awareness and Diversity (LEAD) conference for regional seventh and eighth grade students with a focus on the importance of names. The conversation was led by Dr. Javier Ávila. Students from Lancaster Country Day, Nativity Prep, Sanford, St. Anne’s, Tatnall and Tower Hill came together to share personal stories and learn from listening to the experiences of peers from neighboring schools.

Another achievement in Middle School has been the launch of our affinity group program. Affinity groups are voluntary safe spaces held once or twice a month for people with an identifier in common, usually a group that is underrepresented in the community. Students have enjoyed coming together for food, fun and fellowship. In our Community Conversations course at the beginning of the year, students were asked to write down the topics they wanted to learn about this school year. The top three responses were LGBTQ+ topics, race and gender equity in sports. Guest speakers this year included Delaware State representative DeShanna Neal, who shared about her experience raising her daughter, Trinity, Mr. Sonny Knott, who shared about his experience attending the segregated Hockessin Colored School #107C and speakers from STRIVE, who shared their knowledge regarding gender equity in sports.

The Upper School has been equally as active. The assembly docket has included topics such as microaggressions and overcoming their impact with micro affirmations, learning about the Lenape experience in Delaware from guest speaker Kesha Braunskill and inclusive history topics such as the Black History Month assembly recognizing the 2025 theme, African Americans and Labor, with a presentation delivered by Black Student Association students and faculty honoring the legacy of Black laborers. In December, four 10th and 11th graders had the opportunity to attend the NAIS Student Diversity Leadership Conference. The conference was a moving experience for our attendees, opening their minds and hearts to the experiences of students from across the country and beyond.

DEI has also been woven into the experiences of adults in our community. With support from the administration, affinity groups have been launched for faculty and staff. This unique opportunity allows employees to encourage each other and share ideas across departments. Concurrently, new faculty and staff from all divisions are engaged in required SEED training each month throughout the school year. Topics have included: gender stories, oppression, systemic racism and class. In the fall, the College Counseling Office, in partnership with the Office of DEI and PAATH (Parents of African Americans at Tower Hill), held its annual HBCU Programming with a new twist—dinner and networking. This year’s panel was comprised of student facilitators, Bryce Twyman ’25 and Reagan Squire ’25 and panelists: Burgundi Allison ’97, Morgan State University ’01; Lorin Dale-Pierce, HBCU Week Chief of Staff; Jillian “JJ” James, JPMorganChase recruiter focused on HBCUs; Joyce Kasiama, Miss Junior and student life representative for Delaware State University; and Morgan Thornton, Admissions Counselor at Delaware State University. Stories shared by the panelists were well-received by attendees and the students were grateful for the connection.

In collaboration with our parent groups, PAATH and the Office of DEI celebrated Black History Month with a dinner recognizing Delaware’s important role in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case and honoring the legacies of those who were directly involved.

The focus was on the Hockessin Colored School #107C, created in 1920 by Pierre S. du Pont. The legacy of the nearly 90 schools created by Mr. du Pont is enduring and his efforts had a tremendous impact on the educational experiences of students and entire communities in Delaware. In addition, we recognized the foresight, discernment and bravery of Chancellor Seitz, who had the courage to declare that segregated schools were in fact not equal, making Delaware a leader in the fight to end school segregation.

That evening, there was a screening of the documentary, Return to Hockessin Colored School No. 107C and a panel discussion with Mr. Sonny Knott, a former student of the very first class at #107C in 1937, Tower Hill Board Chair Benjamin duPont ’82, and current board members of the Historic Hockessin Colored School, William Allen, MBA, Dr. Ray Blackwell, Dr. David Wilk and Chief Justice Collins J. Seitz, Jr. ’76.

DISTINCT has held two community meetings. The first gave parents the opportunity to share their experiences raising children who are neurodivergent, and the second gave parents the opportunity to share about the experiences of children in the LGBTQ+ community. Both sessions were well attended and greatly appreciated by participants.

The Office of DEI is just gearing up and greatly looking forward to the community connections and learning opportunities to come in the remainder of the school year.

Left: Amy Golden-Shepherd reads to Lower Schoolers. Above: Panelists speaking at the HBCU event.

A Shared Schoolhouse 3 KIDS DAYS

BY NATALIE HOBBS ’18, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Kids Days represent one of the many initiatives aimed at harnessing the power of our multigenerational community to enable “a shared schoolhouse.”

The inaugural Kids Day was organized by the baseball team in the spring of 2024. The Upper School baseball team invited Lower and Middle School students to attend their game against Wilmington Friends. Before the game, the younger students were paired with the players and walked onto the baseball diamond as the team was announced.

The younger students then cheered on the varsity baseball team with green and white pom poms and ice cream sandwiches in hand. After the team’s post-game talk with their coaches, the Upper School players stayed and welcomed the younger students back onto the field for a catch. The older players gave the younger students tips on their throws and discussed what position they play, fostering authentic connection across divisions.

After the success of this parent-led initiative, the athletics department formalized the collaboration with the Division Heads and Dean of Student Life Eduardo Silva. Director of Athletic Operations Josephine Harrington ’99 spearheaded and actualized the initiative. The goal of Kids Day is to increase school spirit and engagement and foster community.

For the majority of Kids Days, Lower and Middle School students are partnered with Upper School studentathletes, walk out onto the field or court for team announcements and enjoy a special giveaway or treat while they watch the game.

For the boys soccer Kids Day, Lower and Middle School students played on DeGroat Field under the lights during halftime. For the cross country Kids Day, the younger students stretched alongside the Upper School runners before their Homecoming race. For the swim meet in January, students gathered in Kullman Commons to make posters to cheer on the swimmers as they boarded the bus to compete in their off-campus meet.

Each Kids Day is unique while maintaining the mission of building lasting relationships and creating a true and enduring sense of belonging.

The opportunity to build relationships across divisions goes beyond the moments on the field or court with the Kids Day initiative. Representatives from each team

attend a Middle School morning meeting prior to their competitions to invite the students to their team’s Kids Day. Representatives also greet Lower School students in their uniforms during morning drop-off on the day of their team’s Kids Day.

Although these exchanges between students across divisions are short in duration, they create memorable moments for everyone involved.

Kellen Brown ’31, a football fanatic, remembers “The best part of football Kids Day was meeting the players and getting the chance to walk out on the field with them.”

Alex Rice ’25 shared, “As a cross country athlete, we rarely get fans at our competitions. And that’s understandable since we basically run away from them in a matter of seconds. Kids Day truly was a game changer for our team at our Homecoming race. As each of us came through the finish line, we could hear all the kids and their parents cheering for us and saw them smiling and waving their green and white pom poms. In all my five years of cross country, I had never seen so many Tower Hill fans before. It was so special to share my last ever Homecoming race with our younger students, because not only did I feel so much support, but I realized that these kids are quickly becoming excited to be the future of this team. I’m ready to pass them the baton, and I can’t wait to return and watch them race!”

The Kids Days’ athletic competitions were among the most highly attended for the year, not just by students, but by their families, alumni and faculty and staff as well.

When Dean of Students, Upper School teacher and parent of Lower School students Jessica Douglass was asked to reflect on Kids Day, she shared, “I have truly loved the Kids Days! For my own children, I love to see their joy when they get to meet their heroes and preview the sports they are looking forward to playing. Seeing the Upper School athletes share their love of each sport and demonstrate such kindness towards our youngest students is a gift. Watching my students with my own kids, I find myself both grateful and proud.”

Kids Days are just one example of community members’ school spirit and deep investment in Tower Hill.

ACADEMICS

NATIONAL MERIT RECOGNITION

Congratulations to our 22 seniors who were named National Merit Scholarship Qualifiers, Semifinalists and Finalists: (L-R) Jacob Bradley, Anjalie Chakravertti, Gabrielle Daltry, Jon Dong (finalist), Izzy Fink, Nidhi Gowda, Hayden Gregory, Ben Heister, Roshan Iyengar, Saahil Kattepogu, Matt Laird, Cathy Li, Daniel Liu (finalist), Zaden Lockwood (finalist), Terry Luo, Nicole Neal, Emily O’Hara (finalist), Alex Okenczyc, Haasini Potluri (finalist), Lorenzo Santos (finalist), Ashley Vanderslice, Joey Zhu.

COLLEGE BOARD RECOGNITION

Congratulations to our seniors who received National Recognition! Jacob Bradley (National Indigenous Award); Izzy Fink (National Hispanic Award); Reagan Squire (National African American Recognition Award); Daniel Fink (National Hispanic Award); Jon Dong (National First Generation Award); Colby Twyman (National African American Recognition Awards, not pictured). The National Recognition Awards were created as a tangible way to recognize the academic achievements of African American/Black, Hispanic/ Latino, Indigenous/Native American and (new in 2024) first-generation students.

SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS

Congratulations to the following students for being recognized as Scholastic Art Award recipients! Grace Huang ’26 received a Gold Key, a Silver Key and an Honorable Mention. Eva Cai ’28 and Athena Dong ’29 both received a Gold Key and a Silver Key. Cathy Li ’25 received a Gold Key and an Honorable Mention. Kevin Miao ’25 received a Gold Key. Keerthi Nelluri ’27 received a Silver Key and an Honorable Mention. Izzy Fink ’25, Lisa Lu ’26 and Emma Yu ’26 each received a Silver Key and an Honorable Mention. Paxton Buonocore ’28, Olivia Elton ’28, and Kevin Miao ’25 received Honorable Mentions.

FORUM

The 2024-2025 Forum series theme is Leaning and Learning Across the Aisle. Our fall Forum featured a conversation between Todd Buchholz and Tiffany D. Cross. The Forum was established in 1998 by the Rappolt family in honor of their children Gabrielle ’93, Sarah ’96 and Bill ’99, and in recognition of the dedication, scholarship and professionalism of the Tower Hill faculty.

ACADEMICS

SCHOLASTIC WRITING AWARDS

Congratulations to the students recognized by the Scholastic Writing Awards. Vivian Wan ’27 is an American Voices Nominee and received a Gold Key, two Silver Keys and two Honorable Mentions. Molly Hurst ’26 received a Gold Key and two Honorable Mentions. Sydne Scott ’27 received a Gold Key. Maya Doraiswamy ’27 received five Silver Keys. Hannah Xue ’25 received two Silver Keys and three Honorable Mentions. Nikhil Patel ’26 and Valerie Thompson ’26 received two Silver Keys and an Honorable Mention. Macy Shi ’26 received two Silver Keys. Emaan Ehtasham ’25, Lisa Lu ’26 and Cindy Wan ’29 received a Silver Key and an Honorable Mention. Gemma Bristowe ’27, David Chen ’27, Chelsea Huang ’28, Margaret Weymouth ’27 and Subhi Yadav ’26 received a Silver Key. Izzy Daniel ’27, Emerson DeBaecke ’26, Olivia Elton ’28, Shasmeen Fatima ’27 and Sarah McCuskey ’26 received an Honorable Mention.

STARLAB

Lower Schoolers enjoyed the return of the Starlab this fall. They enjoyed the magical display of constellations in the planetarium that was set up in the Lower School Library.

SCIENCE RESEARCH

As reported in the fall 2024 Bulletin, Upper School science students and teacher Dr. Steven Harris have been collaborating with Agilent Technologies on ongoing research. Students have extracted DNA from spotted lanternflies to test for the presence of their DNA in honey samples.

ACADEMICS

ROBOTICS

The Middle School robotics teams, Hillers Robotics and Green Machine, qualified to complete in the FIRST LEGO League Delaware State Championship. Both teams finished in the top 10 and Green Machine won the Champion’s Award which celebrates a team that embraces FIRST LEGO League Core Values while achieving excellence and innovation in Robot Performance, Robot Design and the Innovation Project. Mary Taylor and Tim Weymouth also won the Coach/Mentor Award which celebrates the coach or mentor whose leadership and guidance is clearly evident and best exemplifies the FIRST Core Values. The Upper School robotics teams, Hiller Instinct and Tower Patch Kids, hosted 18 teams for a scrimmage event leading up to the Delaware FTC finals in the newly renovated Gerald M. Lemole, MD Science Center - The Hive. Both teams finished in the top 10 and were selected for playoff matches. Hiller Instinct won three of five qualifying matches at the Delaware FTC State Championship.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Sixth graders went on a trip to Delaware’s Solid Waste Authority leveraging their reading of the novel Trash and working on surveys of THS trash/recycling outputs.

MODEL UN

Model UN students traveled to Washington, D.C. to take part in NAIMUN LXII, the largest student-run Model United Nations conference in the world. Haasini Potluri ’25 and Lisa Lu ’26 both received verbal commendations for representing the Marshall Islands in the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States committees. Valeria Liu ’28, as a member of the Press Corps, received the most likes on her article on the conference’s social media site. Nineteen students attended the conference, and they also received a tour of the U.S. Capitol Building through Representative McBride’s office.

GLOBAL INITIATIVES

BY MAURICE RAPP AND MIRIAM PALLANT, LANGUAGE FACULTY

Exploration. Leadership.

Transformation. These are the pillars that global initiatives are built upon at Tower Hill School.

In the global initatives program at Tower Hill, we work diligently to preserve our existing programmatic efforts and expand our opportunities to meet the needs and interests of our student body, bolstering academic initiatives and reflecting our core values of exploration, leadership and transformation.

Beginning in the Lower School, our focus is on global exploration. Grade levels are attached to different continents for the entire year, where they learn about the history and culture of that specific continent. Students are also introduced to the Spanish language in the Lower School and participate in a number of signature activities, most notably, the passport program and, at the end of the year, a World’s Fair, which highlights what they have learned about their continent throughout the year. All of these programs generate a great deal of teacher engagement and student enthusiasm.

In Middle School, students have the opportunity to become leaders in their division. They can apply for the Global Leaders program, where they lead discussions with their peers on global issues, perform age-appropriate community service and culminate their experiences with a capstone project.

In the seventh and eighth grades, in particular, students have the option for short-term study travel to either Québec or Puerto Rico. This January, almost 100 Middle Schoolers traveled to one of those destinations. Whether they were swimming in a Puerto Rican bioluminescent bay or exploring the 400-year-old city of Old Québec, by all accounts, it was an incredibly successful and enriching experience.

The Upper School builds upon the pillars of exploration and leadership but with a greater focus on providing transformational experiences. To achieve that goal, we offer a number of opportunities. Students and their families can host an international student for a year. This academic year, our school is lucky to be joined by Libertad Vasquez Fernandez, from Spain, who was hosted in the fall by Michael and Kara Vanni, parents of Thomas ’23, Ella ’26 and Charlotte ’27. The Vannis said, “It was a joy sharing our holiday traditions with her and learning about her family and culture. We have made memories that will last a lifetime.”

Host families can come from any division—Lower, Middle or Upper School—or Tower Hill faculty.

Tower Hill has also long offered international travel for our Upper School students. Students can participate in month-long, two-way exchange programs through partnerships with Rungsted Gymnasium in Denmark and St. Catherine’s School in Australia. In recent years, faculty have organized short-term trips to destinations such as Costa Rica, Peru, France, Italy and Spain. We plan to add Taiwan to that list for Mandarin students in 2026. This March, for the first time ever, French language students will be traveling to Martinique, an overseas department of France located in the Caribbean.

In recent years, the global initiatives department has begun offering and encouraging courageous language students to participate in language immersion programs. In June 2024, a select group of Spanish students traveled to Montevideo, Uruguay to participate in a two-week language immersion program at Academia Uruguay, a language school in downtown Montevideo. They also had the opportunity to spend a day at Liceo Pallotti, an independent school much like Tower Hill. We plan to offer the Uruguay program again and complement it with an additional language immersion for French students to the Centre International d’Antibes in southern France, both to be held in June of 2026. These types of immersive experiences are truly transformative for our students and separate a Tower Hill education from many of our peers.

A final cornerstone of the Upper School global education curriculum is the Global Scholars Certificate program. Students apply to the program at the end of their ninth grade year. For the remainder of their Upper School career, accepted students commit to exploring global inquiry from several different vantage points— coursework, service learning, extracurricular activities and a travel experience with Tower Hill. Senior Global Scholars complete a research project as the capstone of the program, choosing a global issue of personal interest and looking at current and future solutions through the lens of the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

It’s incredible to be part of a school and wider community that values global education as much as we do at Tower Hill. The global initiatives program is always looking to refine our curriculum and broaden our offerings, and we are hoping to add programs like faculty exchanges, language-specific exchanges and more non-language-based trips in the future.

Top: Students in Québec. Bottom: Students in Puerto Rico.

ADVANCED U.S. GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

BY DR. ANDREW BROWN, HISTORY FACULTY

What is our political system and what is our place in it? This question is at the heart of what we discuss and investigate in the Advanced U.S. Government and Politics course at Tower Hill.

Students are exposed to new information related to the operations of political parties, the role of media in our political system and even the characteristics of the Constitution itself. To help reinforce the material, we discuss each class period, Maurice Rapp and I

organized a trip to the Museum of the American Revolution and the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. This day of experiential learning helped students explore the course curriculum in a different way and make connections between our country’s past and present.

We visited the city only three days after the presidential election. When the arrangements were made, we had no idea what the results would be, nor the state of the national mood. Our students, however, knew that a deep understanding of our constitutional and national history was essential, no matter what party held power.

Our classes started the day at the Museum of the American Revolution. Though the content of the era is covered in greater detail in the U.S. History courses, rather than Advanced Government, students found the historical context to be useful to their own understanding of the Constitution. A tour guide from the museum led students through detailed and immersive exhibits that followed the chronology of the era from the Seven Years’ War to the aftermath of the conflict. Students interacted with exhibits that noted periods of growing tension including the introduction of the Stamp Act, the Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, and the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

Our Government students learned a very inclusive history of the American Revolution. The exhibits focused on the contributions of women, enslaved peoples and the Oneida, to the revolutionary cause. Beyond just learning about the operational military history of the conflict, students were exposed to the ideas that formed the foundation of the rebellion against the British. Their exposure to this content was essential as the Enlightenment ideals that formed the backbone of the cause for independence, profoundly shaped the formation of the Articles of Confederation, and later, the Constitution. The tour guide provided a very interactive tour of the galleries, asking students to recall their education on the American Revolution from previous units and classes. These students made Tower Hill proud as the tour guides noted afterward that these students were the best and most informed group they ever had.

After a quick lunch at the Bourse Food Hall near Old City, our students made their way to the National Constitution Center. Our students first got to

experience a wonderful show performed by a live actor titled Freedom Rising. This immersive experience reintroduced our students to the historical context of, and the long road to, the Constitution. Additionally, they outlined some of the most consequential amendments added to—and various interpretations of—the Constitution from the last 200 years. Students noted afterward how engaging this theater production was as it provided them some context for what they would learn in the self-guided exhibits.

Our students toured exhibits that focused on the Reconstruction Amendments, women’s suffrage and the Founding Fathers. These exhibits posed important questions for the students to consider such as the true nature and meaning of freedom, how rights are attained and why civil discourse is not only important but essential to a functioning democracy. Many of our students noted some of the horrific events from our nation’s past such as the rise of the KKK and Black disenfranchisement. I overheard conversations of the students discussing how important it is to know these events in order to better appreciate and understand our present. Students voiced their appreciation about learning the efforts people undertook to attain the right to vote, as they learned about suffragists such as Susan B. Anthony who were jailed for advocating for a woman’s right to vote. Many noted the personal connection they had with the exhibits as they stated that they would not have the right to participate in the political process if it was not for the activists who came before them.

Trips like these are essential for our Government curriculum. It helps students connect to the course material in deep and profound ways, while reinforcing the idea that learning can happen outside the classroom. Students unanimously agreed that a trip like this should happen next year as it helped them consider the important questions from our course. So what is our political system and our place in it? Well, according to our students, it’s a system that is made for the people but can only continue if the people will it to.

SAWYER BROCKSTEDT

BY NATALIE HOBBS ’18, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

With 18 holes right down the street and a father with a deep-seated passion for the green, Sawyer Brockstedt was naturally drawn to the sport of golf. However, it is her motivation and investment in this talent that propelled her to excel not only athletically, but artistically and academically as well.

Brockstedt became serious about golf when she was just 10 years old. Specifically, she recalls watching the Drive, Chip and Putt competition at the Augusta National Golf Club on TV and thinking, “I need to go there.”

Brockstedt became obsessed with golf, often playing with her dad after school and on weekends. She approached the sport with hard work and a determination to hone and sharpen her skills.

In 2018, she qualified for the Drive, Chip and Putt competition at Augusta National Golf Club, achieving the very first goal she set for herself. Brockstedt remembers this as a “full-circle moment.”

Her golf career did not stop there. She won the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship at Pinehurst Resort and then went on to win her first American Junior Golf Association competition on the same course.

Brockstedt is a three-time American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) winner, has 15 top 10 AJGA finishes and qualified for both the 2023 United States Golf Association (USGA) Women’s Amateur and the 2023 USGA Junior Girls’ Championship.

With multiple impressive golf achievements, Brockstedt was looking to continue challenging herself—this time academically. Brockstedt came to Tower Hill in her sophomore year, seeking a more academically rigorous learning environment. It was a big change—both academically and logistically—as she began attending school two hours away from her home in Rehoboth. Brockstedt recalls, “It was a very big transition. But I have loved it here and everyone was super welcoming.”

At Tower Hill, Brockstedt runs track in the winter and, of course, competes on the school’s golf team. She played a crucial role in the golf team’s 2023 state championship win and noted this as one of her favorite Tower Hill memories. Brockstedt also earned 2nd place as an individual in the 2024 DIAA State Championship. Brockstedt also skis and goes to pilates with friends three days a week in the mornings before school.

Brockstedt’s talents are not limited to athletics—she is also the senior editor for the yearbook. At her previous school, she was involved in the school’s newspaper publications and has enjoyed continuing this passion at

Tower Hill. Even though “it takes up a lot of my time, I really like doing it,” Brockstedt shared.

Academically, Brockstedt develops her interests in and out of the classroom. Her favorite class is currently microeconomics. The class evaluates businesses that people encounter daily, which she finds relatable and sees how the class applies to real life.

Brockstedt doubled-down on her interest in microeconomics by joining the Business Club, which will support her at the University of Notre Dame, where she will be majoring in business and continuing her golf career next year.

At times, golf took Brockstedt out of the classroom, especially while being recruited. This was challenging, but she feels her teachers supported her passions and understood her path.

“Tower Hill gives you so much time for opportunities like office hours. Teachers are always willing to meet with you.”

One teacher who has been with Brockstedt in the classroom and on the golf course is Dr. Steven Harris. Dr. Harris is Brockstedt’s advisor and one of her Tower Hill golf coaches. They connect during advisory about the sport and walk the course together during practice; Brockstedt notes how special it was that he was there with the team when they won the team State Championship in 2023.

Brockstedt shared a few lessons that she will take from Tower Hill to college and beyond.

Become a planner. Brockstedt recognizes that Tower Hill helped her learn crucial time management skills. Being able to balance multiple things clicked when she came to Tower Hill.

Take situations “one swing at a time” and with an open mind; you can’t know what the next hole on the course will bring.

Embody Multa Bene Facta. She finds herself surrounded by Tower Hill students who are a part of numerous clubs, hold positions in student government, play sports and more. Feeling inspired by her classmates, she shared that she will go to college with a willingness and eagerness to try new things outside of her comfort zone.

Brockstedt has had a “many things done well” career at Tower Hill and looks to continue to be a representation of this motto in college.

SENIOR SPEECHES

BY CHASE BORDLEY, HAASINI POTLURI AND JOSIE BULLER

Tower Hill believes that developing communication skills is of the utmost importance for our graduates. Each member of the senior class prepares a Senior Speech on a meaningful topic of their choice, which they present to the entire Upper School during the daily Morning Meeting. Seniors work closely with their advisor, not only on their preparation, but also their presentation. Read a selection of Senior Speeches from three students who presented them at the December Board Meeting.

CHASE BORDLEY

Something most of you probably don’t know about me is that I grew up in a very unique setting. After my parents divorced, my mom, brother and I moved in with my grandpop and my aunt. The transition to the new house and new people was not difficult; my brother and I did not take long to settle in and it quickly began to feel normal since we were young. Although it was a far-from-traditional household, my six-year-old mind thought it was completely normal and not out of the ordinary. Every morning before school, my brother and I would wake up at 6 a.m. and watch “Spongebob” or another cartoon while my aunt or my mom made eggs, then at 7 a.m. we would start

getting dressed for school. Someone was always home, my aunt always made dinner and everyone would eat together. My experiences seemed scarcely different from those I had while I lived with my mom and dad, the only difference being the new family members.

As time went on and I went to school, it was in second and third grade when I began to see my school friends’ households, with a mom and a dad and maybe siblings, and I began to recognize the uniqueness of my own home. I wondered if I was different from everyone else because I did not live in a conventional nuclear family. I started to become fixated on how I differed from other students in my class. I tried to figure out what “normal” was by noticing small things. For example, one day in second grade, I tried to take note of shoes that boys in my class wore, convinced that maybe the kids from “regular” households wore the same kind of sneakers. I was sure that if I noticed anything and cracked the code, I would find the answer to whether or not I was different because I lived in a unique household.

Over several years of recognizing other classmates’ different manners, hobbies and households, I realized that there was no code to crack. This was an extremely important step in my youth as it marked the beginning of my understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all definition of what a family should look like, and no one should be ashamed of the household they live in or the family they live with. As I entered adolescence, I got used to being different, it became something I was not very concerned about, and I even began to appreciate the ways I was raised compared to other students.

Looking back on living with my grandpop, aunt, mom and brother, I now know why I noticed that I was different from other students. Living with people of vastly different ages and family roles, I was able to learn things from each of them subconsciously. I looked up to my grandpop, and I learned from him how to be a man. His stoic but caring, authoritative but kind demeanor made a lasting impression on me. His manner taught me that, to be a man, you should not only be resilient and strong, but also reliable and compassionate. From my aunt, who would often teach me to cook and clean and take care of myself, I learned how to manage myself and my property. She was the strict one in the house. She taught me self-discipline and that my actions have consequences. From my aunt, I learned how to recognize people who truly care for me and people who do not. My mom balanced

everything, and her resilience became something I admired more as I aged. Even while living with two new family members, my mom kept her personality as a mother and took care of me when I was sick, drove me to school, showed me constant affection and loved me, no matter what. Her ability to juggle her own responsibilities and emotions while ensuring that my brother and I felt comfortable impressed me, to say the least, and I will always be grateful for having a mom that showed such resilience.

As I reflect on the six years living in that house, I realize how much it has contributed to my personality. I believe that after living in this situation, I will be able to handle change without feeling lost, and I will be able to stay strong throughout any adversity I face in the future because of all the traits I picked up from living with different people. To anyone who has a unique living situation, appreciate the adaptability and resilience that you will surely obtain from it. In the long run, it will make you stronger than you may realize while living through it. I know many of you may not relate to this, and to those who don’t, I advise you to embrace the unique aspects of your life. Every family, conventional or not, can teach you how to be the best version of yourself if you let it. Thank you.

HAASINI POTLURI

I am a dreamer in the night.

One of the earliest dreams that I can remember started with my dad eating a cupcake while standing in front of a mirror, as one does obviously. And then suddenly, out of nowhere, a giant, villainous octopus emerged out of the mirror and encircled him with its long, slimy tentacles, bringing him closer and closer to its mouth. I don’t know what happened to my dad, though, because I can’t remember anything after this.

This dream, like many others, faded into the night. So many of my other dreams have become distant remnants, consumed by the darkness of the previous night. No matter how hard I try to remember, I can’t help but forget every detail.

Fortunately, for me, I’m also a dreamer in the daytime. As I dream, I envision my future: from prom, to graduation, to where I’ll be going to college all in less than a year’s time. I dream about my future career or a mansion by the beach. But, for me, these dreams don’t always resonate. They seem more like far off fantasies.

So, what do we hold onto if nighttime dreams are often forgotten, and daytime fantasies feel so distant from reality? I say we’re left with memories.

If I want a story that scared me at the time but now brings a smile to my face, I don’t need an octopus to eat my dad. I can, instead, think back to freshman year when we were coming back from the Model UN trip and got stuck on the train because we couldn’t figure out how to open the train doors at the Wilmington station.

If I want to have a good laugh, I can remember how my sister ran the wrong way at the end of a cross country race, and I had to scream her name and chase her to get her back on the actual course.

If I want to reminisce, I can look at how memories have changed. I can look at how I went from the ninth grader who came to Tower Hill, not knowing a single person, to a senior who now can’t stop talking to and laughing with her friends. I can look back at the memories I have made with my friends, with the people I met just four short years ago, but now cannot imagine my lifetime without. To my friend who told me a few days ago that she’ll always be happy for me, know that I’ll be happy for you too, always. Thank you for being a constant source of kindness and positivity in my life. To my friend who didn’t allow me to compromise and take the turkey off of the turkey sandwich and eat just the bread and cheese on a school field trip, thank you for instead getting us a fancy black bean burger and for always encouraging me to stand my ground, no matter what. To my friend who texted me, “I looked out at nature and I was like wow there is so much out there so much life to live,” thank you for always encouraging me to do things I’ve never done, have fun and laugh.

My friends, though, are still relatively new additions to my life. I can also look back on all the things that have never changed: the unwavering support of my parents and family, people who have always been there for me, regardless of the circumstances. Thank you for more than I can ever put into words.

I don’t know about you, but I’d say these memories with friends and family, with laughs and smiles, are better than any dream I can imagine.

Keep dreaming through the night and day, envision a future for yourself and look ahead to what brings you joy, but don’t forget to look back on and enjoy all the life you have lived with the people you love. Remember that each day will soon become a memory. Do your best to make it a good one.

In the end, I am a dreamer. We are all dreamers, but let’s not forget we can make our reality just as beautiful as a dream.

JOSIE BULLER

My sister told me that everyone is sick of hearing me talk about politics. So in typical older sibling fashion, I will be talking about politics.

My sister often displays a common reaction whenever politics comes up, she usually rolls her eyes, gives an exasperated sigh or is just generally irritated. Either way, she and many others have a lot of disdain for politics, Clara’s might be more justified though, as I really do never shut up about it.

Talking politics always seems to make people fidgety, as if it’s taboo, as if it’s bad as if it’s a corrupt practice. We aren’t supposed to talk about politics, it’s impolite, it creates unwanted conflict. Certainly never bring it up at the diner table, during small talk, or, God forbid, Thanksgiving. These norms we’ve created for ourselves have ensured that conversations that are critical and should be commonplace in our community are often avoided.

I encountered this avoidance frequently over the summer. When I canvassed I was often met with a door shut in my face. When I phonebanked people barely answered or hung up. On the rare occasion I was able to talk with someone they often weren’t interested in hearing anything they didn’t agree with.

Here at Tower Hill this sentiment even penetrates our community. People will ask, “Oh how did the dialogues go? I bet it was a mess.” Or say things like, “I just don’t want to be involved or care that much. All politics are bad anyways.”

Yes, maybe I caught some people on a bad day but hundreds of these interactions demonstrate a trend: people think politics are inherently dirty and combative.

I love being American, and I am proud to be American. I love the people of this nation, I love our culture, I love our land and I even love the ceaseless strife that comes with being a part of the American Experiment.

Loving America is hard. Loving America means celebrating our victories and mourning our failures. It means getting knocked down again and again by systems we never subscribed to and still standing tall. Love is hard, it requires work and dedication, and loving America means that despite everything, we hold out a resilient hope and desire for progress. And quite frankly that pursuit of progress is our civic duty.

That progress can only come through politics.

Politics aren’t inherently dirty. We are so lucky to be a part of this democracy, to have a voice, to have an active role in our government. Politics are an opportunity for us to challenge others and to be challenged ourselves. It’s an opportunity for us to reflect on our own beliefs and the beliefs of others. It’s an opportunity for us to be united in the common desire for progress. It’s an opportunity for all of us to continue the conversation of American democracy.

Politics have always been a part of my life, and I am grateful to both my parents for it. My dad is a Republican and my mom is a Democrat and their conversations and arguments have guided me through a particularly cringey activist phase, some very heated arguments and eventually to a deep value of our nation’s diverse political landscape.

I am proud to be involved in politics, I am proud to be a moderate Democrat, I am proud to be American and I am proud of the differing views that surround me and that I grew up with. I hope you too can find pride in your ideologies and pride in those of your neighbors.

It is pride and resilience that will guide us as we take our first steps as fully fledged citizens of these United States. It is pride and resilience that will see us lead our democracy through these trying times.

So as both new voters and old, take to the polls and make your voice heard as we continue this American experiment.

SUMMER INSTITUTE

FOUNDATIONS IN LEADERSHIP

June 9-13, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to lead effectively is more important than ever. Whether you’re navigating high school, getting involved in your community or eyeing future career opportunities, leadership skills are essential and will position you for success. This dynamic course is your first step in developing those skills and learning how to make a real impact.

Led by a team of faculty, renowned executives and top career leaders, you’ll explore what effective leadership looks like in action through interactive discussions, real-world case studies and engaging workshops. You will receive mentorship as you develop a hands-on project that challenges you to apply leadership principles to a problem in your real-world context. As you learn more about yourself, you’ll dive into different leadership styles, learn to communicate with confidence, set powerful goals and inspire others to follow your lead.

Requirements: No prior experience needed—this course is designed for both existing and aspiring leaders in rising grades 9-12. Upon completion, you’ll be empowered to make ethically-driven decisions, appreciate diverse perspectives and motivate others to succeed.

MISSION STATMENT

The Tower Hill Summer Institute aims to provide students with enriching academic opportunities that foster curiosity, creativity, as well as personal and intellectual growth. The Institute offers a diverse range of courses and experiences designed to inspire exploration across various disciplines and interests. By engaging students in meaningful learning outside the traditional academic school year, we strive to cultivate self reflection, critical thinking, strengthen problem-solving skills and encourage a lifelong passion for learning. The Summer Institute will challenge students to build confidence and prepare them for future academic and professional endeavors.

KEYNOTE FACULTY

With keynote faculty from the following fields:

MEDICINE

FINANCE

PROFESSIONAL ATHLETICS

ARTS

EDUCATION

NONPROFITS

2025 SUMMER COURSE

FACULTY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

MELINDA MARTIN

BY AMY SCHREI, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

Fourth grade teacher and incoming Interim Head of Middle School Melinda Martin joined Tower Hill following a happily circuitous, exploratory and fruitful career path. Her enthusiasm and curiosity for connection and structure have fueled her growth in the classroom and in her professional life.

CONNECTION AND COLLABORATION

Martin describes her thought process as one that never stops, with new ideas always popping into her mind— even at 4 a.m. Many of her ideas are about connection and collaboration.

“I really get a genuine buzz out of collaboration. I get excited and interested in thinking about how to structure curriculum so that collaboration can be more efficient and effective.”

She admits to having a reputation as someone who loves Google Docs and Google Sheets, not for their tools, but because they enable groups to work together simultaneously and see how ideas develop, change and improve through the process of collaboration.

Of particular interest to Martin is how collaboration is established and any barriers to it. At Tower Hill, and most other schools, time is the most significant obstacle, but successful teamwork takes time to establish relationships.

“How do we find the balance of meshing asynchronous and synchronous collaboration, and at the same time, relationship-building expectations? As a Lower School teacher, it is important for me to develop rapport and relationships across divisions, especially with Middle School. It’s a little daunting at times, but I think it’s a worthwhile goal, and it’s exciting.”

Martin believes Tower Hill has the capacity to improve and deepen collaboration, and the process of getting there truly intrigues her.

“It’s not about lack of intellectual capacity, because we have brilliant people. Our people have incredible competence and capacity, and we have the warmth and caring to use human interaction and understanding of one another to go further.”

Martin loves to get feedback from others on her ideas—learning to read them, knowing when to make suggestions and understanding when they should take the lead.

“I realized that I was so much stronger, so much better, as a result of leveraging the people I was working with. My ideas were good, but they made them better. I am working on raising my hand and saying, ‘This is not my strength. Can you help me in modeling this constantly?’”

Not only has Martin used this strategy with peers, but she has also used it with her students. For example, she shared with her class that she was feeling apprehensive about an upcoming faculty meeting that involved art because art is not her strength. She expressed not wanting to do something she wasn’t good at. Martin describes how her class reacted, “One of my students, who is a brilliant artist, approached me and said, ‘I could help you learn how to draw if you’d like.’ And then she proceeded in the kindest, calmest way to go step-by-step through directions on how to draw an anime figure. It was probably the best drawing I’ve ever done. This was the perfect example of constantly learning things, constantly changing. It’s our students who are such a critical part of our own growth.”

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

With her desire to continue to learn and her instinct toward servant leadership, Martin has improved her teaching, her faculty commitments and her leadership skills by serving on a variety of committees, including: Strategic Planning Committee; schoolwide Academic Affairs Committee (one of the working groups actualizing the strategic plan); co-chairing the Program Section Committee for the school’s accreditation self-study team; and Leadership Advisory Team in the Lower School. (Read more on p. 12) She also serves as a DEI Coordinator.

Martin eagerly immerses herself in professional development, most recently having served as a member of a Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools Accreditation Visiting Team at another local school and having participated with Tower Hill’s support in the Head’s Network Leadership Seminar, one of the industry’s premier leadership training opportunities for emerging leaders.

“One thing that intrigues me about serving on an array of committees is the opportunity to work with different constituencies. I find it riveting to witness a range of leadership styles. I can learn a lot by

observing dynamics in meetings and seeing diverse ways of working,” says Martin.

Before joining Tower Hill in 2021, Martin worked at International Academy – Amman in Jordan, where she was a program coordinator. In this role, she managed the curriculum for grades 1-5, which required her to navigate a team of grade-level leaders and teachers by enhancing collaborative practices across teaching teams with varied cultural backgrounds and pedagogical approaches. Earlier in her career, she served as a fifth grade classroom teacher and team leader in Jordan and Taiwan, in addition to working with students and adults in a range of educational settings in South Korea and New Zealand.

“Uniting a diverse set of teachers, from all over the world, was challenging and beautiful. Working with teachers trained in Britain, Wales, North America, Australia and South Africa required spending time genuinely trying to understand each other’s background before we could evaluate success for students. You need to have a common language. The experience planted a kernel of what really drives me now—being excited about classroom projects and learning to work with people to find commonality. It’s exciting, fascinating, amazing and, at times, exhausting.”

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY

Martin’s leadership path reached a new level in February when she was named the Interim Head of Middle School for the 2025-2026 school year. This appointment was made in recognition of her pedagogical expertise, her work with Middle and Lower School administrations to smooth the fourth to fifth grade transition for students and her administrative experience across the school.

Head of School Sarah Baker comments, “I could not be more pleased that Ms. Martin has agreed to serve the Middle School students, families and faculty during this year of transition. She has all of what we look for in a leader: candor and deep empathy, an insistence on the use of data as well as partnership and collaboration, and an unbroken practice of centering the child in the making of every decision. Most importantly, Ms. Martin simply understands children of this age, and she wants to meet them where they are in the ways that they can feel. Tower Hill has made a strategic commitment to being a place where talented faculty grow as scholars and practitioners and can take on new challenges, and Ms. Martin’s trajectory and this administrative appointment are manifestations of the school’s commitment in this regard.”

READING THE APOCALYPSE

ENGLISH 501

BY DR. TOBY HUTTNER, ENGLISH FACULTY

What do we talk about when we talk about “the end of the world”? What world are we imagining ending? For whom? And what meaning might we find there?

These are questions that have guided (or bedeviled, depending on who you ask) the 20-odd Tower Hill juniors enrolled in the English Department’s inaugural Advanced English course, Reading the Apocalypse.

Studying everything from zombie novels to abolitionist prophecies to promises of an impending “artificial general intelligence,” students have begun to interrogate the apocalyptic drift of our cultural imagination using the tools of close reading and critical thinking.

The opportunity to explore such a broad field of thinking across a year-long course allows students to get a glimpse of the true breadth and depth of advanced literary study. So far, for instance, students have found that the mythic archetype of apocalypse— of catastrophe, revelation and renewal—has shaped conceptions of history, self and society in different ways since biblical times. They have examined how writers like William Shakespeare, Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, Cormac McCarthy and others have rewritten apocalyptic tropes to orient their readers to an uncertain and open-ended universe of meaning.

Pursuing these ideas through an active and inquisitive writing practice, students have found more of their own voice, and they have found each other. Every class session begins with students writing privately for five minutes in their journals, anchoring their work for the day within the fabric of their own lives.

From there, we shift into more focused free writing, spurred by “odd-angled” prompts like “imagine the end of the world (as hope),” or “describe a moment or experience in which you felt like you were flourishing.” These exercises draw students into and out from whatever text they are considering. There, on a good day, students discover the wild reflexes of their own imaginations on the move, where literature comes into contact with stress about physics exams, finding the right homecoming outfit or the effects of a warming planet.

“The apocalyptic view in literature can be seemingly transformed indefinitely to address both the needs of the individual and the community.”

As this informal exploratory work takes more formal shape in discrete writing projects, students are pushed to put their thinking in conversation with others through peer-led discussion and guided engagement with scholarly sources. It has been especially exciting to see students, after years of writing classroom analyses of themes and characters and symbols, now learning to encounter and engage constructively with real-world writing in the discipline. This has led to the discovery of just how much can be done with literary texts. As one student put it in an annotated bibliography on scholarship around Baldwin’s novel, Go Tell It On the Mountain,: “[t]he contrast in main ideas [among scholars], instead of the faint similarities, was crucial to deepening my understanding of the novel.”

“When I initially read it,” she continues, “I was frustrated by the ambiguity of certain parts, specifically the ending.”

Through reading and evaluating different approaches to the book, however, this student came to appreciate “that there are so many possible meanings [the novel] can take on. All in all, this openness to ambiguity and multiple interpretations not only helped my understanding of Go Tell It on the Mountain, but also showed the novel’s power to resonate with multiple readers due to its complex nature.”

Having spent the fall semester working up an understanding of the nuances of the apocalyptic mode through the careful study of a few select texts, students started the spring semester in small literature circles organized around readings of their own choice. Oriented to the range of meanings “the apocalypse”

can reveal, students can then test that understanding against objects that interest them. This has led to really exciting new directions for the course—students read works spanning contemporary literary fiction, sci-fi, world literature and beyond, all while taking charge of their own in-class discussions. From here, students will embark on their very own research projects—formulating questions and finding, collating and evaluating sources in order to produce a piece of original scholarship.

“The apocalyptic view in literature,” one student summarizes, “can be seemingly transformed indefinitely to address both the needs of the individual and the community.”

It’s not too much to call this kind of insight— with its invitation to appreciate the fluctuating correspondence between self, text and reality—worldmaking. As we move into the final months of the year, I can’t wait to discover what endings (what new beginnings) this remarkable group of students will write to a year of study well spent.

NEW ADMINISTRATORS Welcome

LARITA GORDON

Ms. Gordon has been named Director of Enrollment Management following a national search. She will bring to her new role her extensive experience in independent schools and in particular in admission and enrollment management. She currently serves as Director of Enrollment Management at the Stone Ridge School in Bethesda, Maryland. Over the past seven years at Stone Ridge, she has developed and implemented a comprehensive enrollment management strategy and vision, resulting in increased demand for the school in a highly competitive market. Prior to her current role, she served as the Associate Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Spence School in New York, New York, where she developed and implemented effective student recruitment strategies across the tristate area and worked directly with the Director of Admissions to design new admission metrics that have stood the test of time.

Highlights of Ms. Gordon’s success include collaboratively partnering with parents, students, staff and administration, as well as forming relationships with local schools, nurseries and businesses.

Throughout her admission roles, she has utilized data and implemented systems and procedures to ensure process equity and feelings of belonging for incoming students. In addition, Ms. Gordon has supported her schools by being a member of various task forces, as well as serving on Stone Ridge’s Strategic Planning Committee. Prior to working in admission, Ms. Gordon was Human Resources Manager at Trinity School in Atlanta, Georgia, before which she taught briefly at The Springside School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In addition to her considerable qualifications detailed above, Ms. Gordon will bring to the role a highly relational style and a track record of success in coaching teams and developing strong relationships throughout the schools she has served.

MELINDA MARTIN

Ms. Martin will become Interim Head of Middle School for the 2025-2026 school year. Ms. Martin, who has taught fourth grade at Tower Hill since 2021, has distinguished herself as an extraordinary educator of the whole child and collaborative partner across the school. Prior to her career at Tower Hill, Ms. Martin served as the Primary Program Coordinator at the International Academy – Amman in Jordan. In that role, Ms. Martin managed the curriculum for grades one through five, leading a team of grade-level deans and teachers by enhancing collaborative practices across teaching teams with considerably varied cultural backgrounds and pedagogical approaches. Earlier in her career, she served as a fifth grade classroom teacher and team leader in Jordan and Taiwan, in addition to working with students and adults in a range of educational settings in South Korea and New Zealand.

Ms. Martin’s tenure at Tower Hill has been distinguished by an instinct toward servant leadership, as she has taken every opportunity available to extend her commitment to the school’s and students’ progress outside of her classroom impact. She has all of what we look for in a leader: frank candor and deep empathy, an insistence on the use of data and of partnership and collaboration, and an unbroken practice of centering the child in the making of every decision. Most importantly, Ms. Martin simply understands children of this age, and she wants to meet them where they are in the ways that they can feel.

DANIEL RYAN

Mr. Ryan has been appointed the school’s next Athletic Director after a national search. He hails from St. Albans School in Washington, D.C., where he has served the school in many roles since 2005, most recently as Athletic Director since 2021 and as Associate Athletic Director from 2013 to 2021. Mr. Ryan also served as Director of Capital Projects and Facilities and Head Hockey Coach at St. Albans after working for 10 years in professional sports management. All of this work prepares him well for his new role at Tower Hill.

During Mr. Ryan’s long career at St. Albans, he has stewarded an environment of values-driven but highly competitive athletic experiences for coaches, athletes and families, resulting in a positive culture and success for student-athletes on and off the field. Growing up as an athlete himself has instilled in him a commitment to teamwork, character and motivation, lessons he passes on to his students. Mr. Ryan’s deep experience throughout his career trajectory and success at his current school demonstrate his dedication, leadership, loyalty and capacity for bold strategic planning.

MARVIN SWANSON With Sorrow

Tower Hill lost a beloved member of the community, Marvin Swanson, who passed away on Nov. 13, 2024. Mr. Swanson (or “Mr. Marv” to his many admirers) joined Tower Hill on Dec. 5, 1995, as a member of the facilities team, having worked previously at Chrysler. He then became a security officer on Feb. 3, 2003, and served in that role for more than 20 years.

Mr. Marv loved the Tower Hill community, and the community loved him. He could be found on the front steps every morning with a huge smile on his face while fist-bumping and highfiving each and every student who came through the door. He knew everyone’s name and was sure always to greet them with a hearty hello.

In the winter of 2024, Mr. Marv took sick leave, and his desk was continuously piled with notes, letters and gifts from students and families who offered their well wishes and expressed how much he was missed.

This year’s Hiller Heroes Founders’ Challenge, paid special tribute to Mr. Marv, who reminds us that moments of kindness can leave a lasting impact. Donations made in his honor also included messages on a special “Fist Pump Board.”

Mr. Marv’s presence at Tower Hill and in our hearts will surely live on, and his commitment to his family, friends and community will always be remembered.

& WINTER SEASONS

STATE CHAMPS

Girls Volleyball

To clinch the state championship, Tower Hill defeated Saint Mark’s 3-0 (25-20, 25-15, 25-23). During the championship game, Sydney Fischer ’27 led the team in kills (21) and served three aces. Lily Leung ’26 led the team in digs (25), and Parker Lewicki ’27 led the team in assists (39). The team finished the regular season with a record of 14-1 and an overall record of 18-1. Coach Michael Sachs ’86 was named Coach of the Year by the Delaware Sportswriters and Broadcasters Association.

U.S. High School Team Boys Division VII Champions

Swimming State Champions

ATHLETICS

FALL & WINTER SPORTS HIGHLIGHTS

FOOTBALL

The football team finished with a record of 5-5. A highlight of the season was the team’s conference win over St. Andrew’s. Chase Bordley ’25 was awarded the Mini Maxwell Club Award, which is presented to the most distinguished high school football players based on their performance, academics and community service.

CROSS COUNTRY

On Homecoming Weekend, the boys and girls teams both won the tri-meet in Rockford Park. The girls also won the Varsity Girls Championship at the Salesianum Invitational at Brandywine Creek State Park. William Wermus ’30 won the Middle School boys race at the New Castle County Championship. At the DIAA Championship, the girls team took home 4th in DII. Allison Chi ’26 and Izzy Daniel ’27 both finished in the top 10. For boys, the team took home 8th place, and Colby Twyman ’25 finished in 2nd place, setting a new Tower Hill record of 15:48.40.

FIELD HOCKEY

The field hockey team finished the regular season with a record of 7-8. Tower Hill alum Lindsay Griffith Goeller ’08 returned to Tower Hill as the head varsity coach. A highlight of the season was beating Sanford twice, including on the team’s Kids Day. The team earned a spot in the DIAA Field Hockey Championship and fell to Caravel Academy in the first round.

BOYS SOCCER

The boys soccer team ended the regular season with a record of 11-4. A highlight of the season was defeating Wilmington Friends 1-0 on Homecoming. The team fell to Newark Charter School in the first round of the DIAA Boys Soccer Championship.

BOYS BASKETBALL

The boys basketball team finished the regular season with a record of 4-16. A highlight of the season was varsity and JV both winning their final games of the season against Charter School of Wilmington, 60-52 and 37-32, respectively.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

The girls basketball team finished the regular season with a record of 10-10. The team won the Diamond State Classic tournament over winter break, and Tessa Mullins ’25 scored 50 points across the two games. They earned the 14 seed for the DIAA Championship and defeated AI duPont High School in the first round 55-54, and lost to Smyrna High School in the second round.

SQUASH

The squash team competed against teams across Delaware and Pennsylvania. The 2024-2025 girls team is Tower Hill’s inaugural varsity girls squash team and won their first match against Friends Central School 5-2 and placed third in the U.S. High School Team Girls Division VI Championship. The varsity boys squash team won the U.S. High School Team Boys Division VII Championship by defeating Radnor High School (7-0), Masterman High School (7-0), BCSMCitySquash (5-2) and Chicago Boys (6-1).

SWIMMING AND DIVING

The girls swimming team finished the regular season with a record of 6-4, and the boys team finished 4-6. The girls team won the DISC Championship and the boys placed 2nd. Jamie Brinsfield ’26 set a DISC and St. Andrew’s Pool record in the 100 free (46.20) and new school records in the 100 free (45.64), 200 free (1:39.35) 100 backstroke (52.47) and 200 IM (1:59.06). Blake Erkenbrecher ’26 set new school records in the 50 free (20.97) and 100 breaststroke (58.23). The girls 200 medley relay featuring Jenny Mersic ’29, Charlotte Rasmussen ’25, Gabrielle Daltry ’25 and Annika Jorgensen

’27 set a new school record of 1:51.23. The boys 400 free relay featuring James Erhardt ’27, Jamie Brinsfield ’26, Gavin Darlty ’28 and Blake Erkenbrecher ’26 set a new school record of 3:21.46. Alyssa Swift ’25 placed 2nd in the one meter diving at the DIAA Diving Championship.

INDOOR TRACK

The girls team won the DISC Championship and the boys team finished 3rd overall. New school records include: Tate Poff ’26, Xavier Twyman ’28, Colby Twyman ’25 and George Peddrick ’26 in the 4x200m (1:34.79); Tate Poff ’26, Gaspar Ioos ’26, Colby Twyman ’25 and George Peddrick ’26 in the 4x400m (3:35.07); Bella Mena-Lima ’28, Kennedy Haskins ’26, Bryce Twyman ’25 and Cayley Malone ’27 in the 4x200m (1:50.09); Allison Chi ’26 in the 1000m (3:07.07) and 3000m (10:40.10); Colby Twyman ’25 in the 3200m (9:44.67) and 800m (1:56.99); Tate Poff ’26 in the 200m (23.67); and Xavier Twyman ’28 in the 400m (52.32). At the DIAA Indoor Track Championship, Colby Twyman ’25 placed 3rd and qualified for the New Balance Nationals Indoor in the 800m.

WRESTLING

Wrestling finished the regular season with a record of 4-12. Shane Pierce ’25 was the Milford Invitation Champion at 165 lbs. Emma Supernavage ’25 and Cynthia Shen ’28 competed in the first all-girls, Delaware-only high school wrestling tournament. Supernavage took 4th place in her bracket. At the DISC Championship, the team finished 2nd overall. Shane Pierce ’25, Aiden Pratt ’25 and Keenan Duffy ’26 qualified for the DIAA Individual Wrestling Championship, and Pierce finished 7th at 165.

OPENING DAYS

1. The White Tiger greets Ellie Tekpor ’36 on the first day of school. 2. Upper School students created fun games to welcome students back. 3. Tower Tots start their first day at Tower Hill: Brendon Wu, Olivia Veres, Noah Castine and Emma Lamsback 4. 9th graders Addison Rice, Skylar Donohue, Jillian Truesdell and Aashni Patel meet at the front of school. 5. 2nd graders Shareef Tolbert, Jack Buckingham, Hudson Socha and Jea Porter Street bond over a box of legos. 6. Head of School Sarah Baker hugs Livia Fletcher ’36 7. Upper Schoolers meet in advisory, here with Dr. Anna Miller.

1. Preschool students pair up with their Upper School buddies to walk into Convocation. 2. Lucas Qiu and Layla Jackson carry in their Class of 2035 flag. 3. Dallas Freeman ’33 spoke as a representative of Lower School. 4. Laird Erkenbrecher ’31 carries his class flag and greets Ethan Laskas ’36 5. Head of Lower School Amy Bickhart offically welcomes the newest Tower Hill students, the Class of 2039 represented by Isabella Acuna and Bobby Larned, by giving them their flag. 6. Sarah Baker addresses the whole school at Convocation, which was held on Hayward House lawn.

HALLOWEEN

1. 3rd graders show off their costumes at the Lower School assembly. 2. 6th graders win the best group costume award for dressing up as The Wizard of Oz 3. 1st grade teachers Ann Sullivan, Meghan Donlon and Greta Savage dress as jellyfish

4. Head of Middle School Tim Weymouth entertains students with spooky science experiments. 5. 1st graders have their turn at the assembly. 6. PreK students Noble Denning, Emilia Fasano and Sara Riaz parade through the Lower School.

7. Bear Denning ’33 dresses as lobster mac and cheese. 8. Zoe Gould ’26 dresses as a creepy clown.

1. Lower Schoolers learn about gratitude in their Thanksgiving assembly. 2. Preschool celebrates the holiday by decorating placemats and sharing a snack. 3. Dr. Brown speaks to Middle Schoolers about the history of the holiday at their assembly 4. Head of School Sarah Baker and the White Tiger deliver treats to kindergarten. 5. Thomas Ciccone ’28 sports a turkey hat at the Upper School Turkey Trot. 6. Thais Greca P’32, ’36 reads to her son Vanni Greca II ’36 at the surprise family visit for the reading of The Relatives Came

TREE TRIM

1. Bryce Twyman ’25 lifts her buddy Carter Thomas ’38 to decorate the tree. 2. The White Tiger pulls the switch to light the tree. 3. Matéo Winfree ’39 carries his class flag with help from his buddy Noah Azamar ’25. 4. Oliver Phaup ’31 and Kellen Brown ’31 sit together. 5. Hayden Knott ’39 sits with her buddy Kyleigh Peters ’25 6. Sean Pedraza ’25 lifts his buddy Zion Booker ’39 7. 8th graders join the Upper School band to provide music. 8. Marcus Lu ’34 hangs his ornament. 8

1. Upper School Mandarin students perform at the Lunar New Year assembly. 2. Simón Gardner’s ’33 mom Rossana Artenga-Lopenza speaks to his class about Hispanic Heritage Month. 3. Director of DEI Amy Golden-Shepherd reads a book about Kwanza to 3rd graders. 4. Elissa Cohen ’31 talks to Middle Schoolers about Rosh Hashanah. 5. Head of School Sarah Baker shares her Italian-American heritage with 1st graders. 6. Jayden Patel’s ’36 mom Janki Patel teaches students about Dwali.

ARTS

products of a collaborative art project—1st graders drew a monster and 8th graders

them with ceramic versions. 5. Members of the Middle School Crochet Club decorate the sign post . 6. Morgan Remming and Charlie Ding do-si-do at the annual 2nd grade hoedown.

1. Kayla Wang ’38 and Noble Denning ’38 paint together. 2. Macy Shi ’26 and cast in the fall production of The Laramie Project 3. The Chamber Ensemble performs at Winterthur. 4. Quinn Kator ’29 and Anhad Kalsi ’36 show the

surprised

1. The spring musical The Addams Family was a success thanks to the involvement of 79 students. 2. This year, a table at the front of school displays artwork of the month. 3. The Jazz Band plays during the winter concert series. 4. Middle School All-State Chorus. 5. Upper School All-State Chorus. This year, Tower Hill had an outstanding representation in All-State music ensembles. Senior Mixed Choir: Sadie Sheppard ’28-ranked 2nd in the state for alto 2, Ben Heister ’25-tenor 2, Ritvik Iyengar ’25-bass 1, Benjamin Williams ’25-5th in the state for bass 2. Senior Treble Choir: Leanna Geerts ’27-3rd in the state for soprano 1, Sophia Karron ’26-7th in the state for soprano 1, Ann Lane Flickinger ’27-soprano 1, Paige Abessinio ’26-4th in the state for soprano 2, Nidhi Gowda ’25-soprano 2, Junior Chorus: Stephanie Lucas ’29-4th in the state for soprano, Piper Dean ’29-soprano, Ivy Denning ’29-soprano, Ava Desai ’29-soprano, Addison Gisanrin ’29-soprano, Sloane Johnson ’29-alto, Abigail Lewis ’30-alto, Theo Liappis ’30-tenor, Fritz Conaty ’29-bass. All-State Junior Band: Tommy Ciccone ’28-clarinet, Becket Flynn ’28-bassoon (section leader). All-State Senior Band: Alli Dechant ’26-bass clarinet, Brandon Liu ’25-alto saxophone (section leader), Lorenzo Santos ’25-alto saxophone, Alex Neal ’26-mallet percussion. All-State Jazz Band: Brandon Liu ’25-alto sax, Alex Neal ’26-vibraphone. All-State Orchestra: Hannah Xue ’25-violin 1, Macy Shi ’26-violin 1, Valeria Liu ’28-cello, Andrew Park ’26-cello, Alex Neal ’26-piano. New this year: “Modern Band.” Only 14 students were accepted including Danny Fink ’25, Tatiana Hynansky ’27 and Alex Neal ’26.

1. Preschool students learn about Hiller Harvest and helping those in need. 2. Emerson DeBaecke ’26 and Zachary Craig ’33 pack “sunshine baskets” for children at Nemours Children’s Hospital during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. 3. Miles for Smiles is a fundraiser for the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, a non-profit fighting childhood cancer. The event includes lawn games, crafts, music, laps around the track and fun! 4. Lisa Lu ’26 and Anjalie Chakravertti ’25 make blankets for the 1in7b Foundation on MLK Day. 5. Students pack Hiller Harvest donations—3,376 items in total—supporting the Lutheran Community Services food pantry.

HOMECOMING

off white tiger

Upper School students play games as part of their pep rally. 4. Lily Leung ’26 helps the volleyball team score a victory over Wilmington Friends. 5. Bea Nace ’25 goes for the ball in front of Friends’ goal. 6. Dailey Welshmer ’26 drives the soccer ball to beat Friends. 7. Students celebrated spirit week with fun hats. 8. Shaved ice is enjoyed at the Back-to-School Picnic on the Friday of Homecoming Weekend. 9.

pep rally. 10.

up during the Homecoming picnic lunch.

1. Boys cross country takes off. 2. Isla Gillen ’34 and Lyah Zheng ’35 show

facepaint. 3.

Preschool

Alumni catch

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

The 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Carmen Wallace ’93 during Homecoming Weekend. The Alumni Award recognizes an alum who exemplifies the qualities of a Tower Hill graduate, has distinguished themselves among their peers and has been involved with the school through volunteer work, contributions or other ways.

Carmen Wallace ’93 received the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award during Homecoming Weekend. The award was presented at Convocation, held on Hayward House lawn on Friday, Sept. 27.

Wallace is a Tower Hill School “Lifer.” Entering in preschool, he lettered in basketball, earning the honors of wo-time Independent School Player of Year and, in 1993, Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year. He also lettered in baseball, football and track.

An Academic All-American, he was recruited by Duke University for basketball, where he was eventually named a captain, and earned a degree in history and sociology in 1997. Wallace currently represents NFL stars, NFL coaches, NFL executives, college basketball and football coaches, and sports broadcasters as one of the founders of the agency Athletes First in Laguna Hills, California. His role includes recruiting, training and negotiating on behalf of these professionals with their respective teams, universities, networks or digital entities.

Wallace was inducted into the Delaware Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. His dedication to Tower Hill School has been stellar and steadfast, serving as a Trustee for the past nine years.

Upon receiving the award, Wallace offered advice to the students saying, “Enjoy your time here. It’s amazing all the things the people around you are providing to you. Know how much you’ll miss this place when you leave. Utilize what you learn here to open any door you want. You have the ability to go and do anything because you learn so many different aspects of life here that can take you anywhere you want to go.”

REUNION 2024

CLASS OF 1974

50th

REUNION

Class of 2014

DR. CATHERINE HUANG-BEGOVIC ’94

BY AMY SCHREI, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING

A Tower Hill prekindergarten art project was a pivotal memory for Dr. Cat and an experience that has impacted her whole life.

Students in Mrs. Linton’s class were instructed to create a sewing craft and were given the choice of four simple patterns—heart, triangle, circle or star—but Dr. Cat wanted to make a blossoming willow tree. When she presented her concept drawing to the assistant teacher, the assistant said, “You can’t do this, it’s too complicated.”

Upon overhearing this conversation, Mrs. Linton interrupted her and said, “If anyone can do it, Catherine can do it. Let her create what she wants to create.”

Dr. Cat recalled, “And just like that, when she told me I could do it, I knew if I wanted to try something that was different or more challenging, that I had an innate ability to do it. That confidence echoed through my whole life. Instead of saying no, which could have crushed my spirit, she lifted me up and encouraged me. I am eternally grateful to Mrs. Linton for that. Teachers and their influence are so important.”

This self confidence is one of the qualities that led Dr. Cat to become what she is today—one of the top plastic surgeons in the world, with a highly successful practice and surgery center located in a penthouse suite on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, servicing patients from all over the world. She is also a champion and source of inspiration for young women, who she inspires to be courageous and dream big through her social media presence and media appearances. Her intrepid spirit, exceptional drive and insatiable curiosity also guided her initiative and desire to achieve.

MULTA BENE FACTA

Tower Hill’s motto is, “Many Things Done Well,” and Dr. Cat has lived out this philosophy and then elevated it to the next level. She describes her time at Tower Hill as “unconventional” because she pushed boundaries and pursued challenges that hadn’t been done before. She sought out as many extracurricular competitions, programs, projects and classes as possible, and remembers bringing one of her teachers along to her many science, computer, French, music and math competitions as chaperones. In fact, she even graduated from Tower Hill with 24 college credits earned at the University of Delaware.

In addition, Dr. Cat participated in sports all three seasons at Tower Hill, playing volleyball, running track

and doing the long jump in track and field. She was also a competitive figure skater, practicing before and after school. She was involved in music, playing clarinet, saxophone and piano, and was a member of All-State Band and All-State Orchestra. Outside of school, Dr. Cat was a published model, appeared in commercials and was Miss Delaware Teen USA.

Academically, Dr. Cat excelled and was recognized as one of the national Westinghouse Science Scholarship Finalists for her independent research. She was a Presidential Scholar and was named one of USA Today’s top 20 high school seniors. She is well known among alumni for scoring a perfect 1600 on the SATs on her first try. After Tower Hill, she attended Harvard University, followed by UCLA for medical school and then completed two surgical residencies at UCLA.

As she reflects on being a “Lifer” at Tower Hill, she appreciates the safety and tight-knit community that allowed her to grow during her formative years. “It was almost like a second family because I spent more time at school than anywhere else. I have so many fond memories of teachers that really made a huge impact on me and really believed in me and also friends that cheered with me along the way. As a mom with a daughter in middle school, I appreciate the Tower Hill community even more, and also my classmates, most of whom were also Lifers. The Class of 1994 was really special—we were a really supportive class for each other and everyone had unique gifts and qualities that we appreciated and recognized. I worked really hard but had so much fun with my class along the way. I want my teachers and fellow classmates to know how truly grateful I am for all of them.”

DOCTOR DESTINY

“As long as I can remember, I knew I wanted to go into medicine. I’ve always known that it was my destiny to be a doctor and make a positive impact in the world,” said Dr. Cat.

In Upper School, because of her love of medicine, she spent time volunteering and interning at Christiana Hospital. By the time she left Tower Hill, she knew she wanted to be a surgeon. “I completely fell in love with the operating room.”

At UCLA, Dr. Cat pursued the most academic and technically difficult medical field—head and neck cancer and reconstructive surgery, performing advanced microvascular surgery. She then completed a second residency in plastic surgery.

“Plastic surgery, for me, is not just a career, it is my passion and my calling in life,” she said.

She has also developed many signature techniques and is known for creating natural-looking results that have nearly invisible scarring and little to no pain. “I have many celebrity patients who ask that I make them look refreshed but the work must be imperceptible. The technical expertise to do this, where they are in the public eye and look amazing but natural, is something I take great pride in.”

Dr. Cat primarily specializes in postpartum makeovers and vaginal cosmetic surgery. “It is so rewarding to be able

to help fellow moms recapture their physical strength and aesthetic goals after childbirth. Women do so much for everyone else around them, it gives me so much joy to help them do something transformative for themselves.”

“I love what I do—being able to improve my patients’ quality of life, their confidence, their happiness and how they feel. I aim to provide them with a holistic experience where I create unparalleled patient experiences focused on their wellness inside and out so they’re able to live their lives more fully. I truly cherish the relationships I have with my amazing patients and the ability to create life changing transformations.”

In addition to plastic surgery, Dr. Cat also has a successful and internationally renowned skincare line MDGLAM, which she owns with her husband, Binais Begovic. While at UCLA, Dr. Cat spent years researching and publishing antiaging skin care ingredients and developed them into highly effective formulations for her skin care products.

“I created my skincare line because patients and friends asked me for recommendations, and there was nothing on the market that had all the ingredients I felt were important and effective. I formulated MDGLAM based on years of scientific research and sourced the highest quality raw materials. It is unlike anything else out there, and I am so proud to have created luxury skincare products that have made such an impact on women all over the world. Every woman deserves to pamper themselves daily with high quality skincare.”

BEING AN ADVOCATE AND FINDING BALANCE

Dr. Cat has used her career as a positive platform for women’s transformation and empowering young women to believe in themselves and have tenacity to achieve their goals. Her Instagram @beautybydrcat has over 1.1 million followers, her @surgeon page is an impactful resource for medical information. She also starred in the plastic surgery show Dr. 90210 on E! Dr. Cat uses media as an educational tool to help the public understand how surgeries work, provide transparency around the benefits, risks and safety, and, ultimately, to empower and inspire women. Dr. Cat also encourages women to find self compassion and balance between career and family life. “My family is everything to me, and for all the things I have accomplished in my life, being a wife and a mother is what I am most proud of. In our performance-based society, it is easy to look at measurable achievements, but we can’t ever forget what is most important.”

As mother to a daughter, she aims to break the binary stereotypes of being either attractive or smart and the stigma around women entering traditionally male fields.

“I don’t believe artificial boundaries like that should exist. Every single person should be seen for who they are— their value, their gifts, their talents—regardless of the presentation.” She wants women and girls to know that, “Whatever you can dream, you can achieve.”

Dr. Cat has certainly dreamed and achieved.

LOUPT

COMRIE “BARR” FLINN ’20 AND TIM LUNGER ’20

BY NATALIE HOBBS ’18, COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST

Established by Comrie “Barr” Flinn ’20 and Tim Lunger ’20, Loupt is a bridge between private investment opportunities and everyday investors.

In December 2022, Comrie “Barr” Flinn ’20 was at Benjamin duPont’s ’20 house, a former classmate and fellow Tower Hill alum. Flinn recalls telling duPont that he thought it was strange that someone without a lot of money, someone that is not an accredited investor, could not invest in private companies. Following the conversation, while duPont worked on his college assignments, Flinn began researching the idea that everyone should be able to invest in private companies. Beginning to doubt whether his idea was realistic, he paused his research, but the idea that it sparked never left him.

In May 2023, while walking to his summer internship, Flinn recalled a conversation he had with his sister, who noted that if a friend ever started a company, she would be interested in investing. Flinn pointed out that she would not be able to because she is not an accredited investor. Thinking back to his conversation with duPont five months prior, Flinn decided to pick up his research again, adamant that there was a need for a platform that allows all people to invest in private companies.

Flinn dug into the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Friends and Family exception, which allows startups to include up to 35 non-accredited investors in its friends and family round, before moving to Regulation Crowdfunding, which allows eligible companies to offer and sell securities through crowdfunding.

Flinn brought the idea of creating a platform for investing in startups to former classmate and fellow Tower Hill alum Tim Lunger ’20. Together they began researching crowdfunding, brought on a friend of Lunger’s and began taking the legal steps needed to start their company, Loupt: a bridge between private investment opportunities and everyday investors.

Launching Loupt required a great deal of legal compliance. Initially not knowing the details of what it would take to get started, Flinn and Lunger embraced the challenge rather than letting it deter them. Lunger recalls, “We had no idea how the crowdfunding industry worked when we started this. But we just took it step by step and then figured it out.”

It took eight months of persistence and problem solving to be granted their Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) license for the funding portal. They also were able to solidify their SEC license.

They then completed their website, began onboarding clients and continued improving their software and fixing bugs.

Flinn’s and Lunger’s Tower Hill classmates Blaine Boyden ’20 and Will Togo ’20, co-founders of Kovo, a gamified fitness app that makes exercise fun, “were very instrumental in helping us fix some bugs,” Flinn states. Kovo launched on Loupt, and “they did us a favor at the beginning by helping us iron out a lot of the kinks in the process of onboarding clients.”

Kovo’s involvement helped Flinn and Lunger recognize the need to utilize different onboarding tiers to cover startup expenses. Once a startup is approved, Loupt will cover onboarding expenses and provide financial and marketing support as different milestones of funds are raised.

Flinn and Lunger have also leaned on Tower Hill connections to hire fellow Tower Hill alumnus Thomas Vanni ’23 to join their team as an intern. Lunger shared, “We are always going back to our roots and looking at other students that have graduated from Tower Hill. We trust them and know them a bit more. It’s always good to include them in our growth.”

“It sounds cheesy, but I know the Tower Hill motto is Multa Bene Facta, and it does apply in this a lot because we’re doing everything. We’re doing marketing, sales, tax and legal. It’s a combination of everything; we never thought that we would have to be wearing all these different hats. Tower Hill definitely has prepared us well to basically handle anything and adjust and iterate quickly.”

Loupt is making private investing easier for the everyday person. They are looking to continue to improve their platform, hire new talent and recruit high-quality startups with the hopes of becoming the go-to platform for private investing.

As they look back on their journey, Lunger reflects, “Don’t be afraid to start something. The hardest part is just getting started.”

Comrie “Barr” Flinn

Tim Lunger James Gasek

CLASS NOTES

’60s

Jim Travers ’66 hosted a book signing with the New Castle Historical Society at the New Castle Visitor’s Center, Arsenal Building, in December.

’70s

David P. Kozinski ’74, was honored Oct. 16, 2024 with a Wilmington Award for Excellence in the Arts for his lifelong contributions to the city as a poet and a visual artist. David, who was the 2018 Delaware Division of the Arts Established Professional Poetry Fellow and whose artwork hangs in private collections across the country, is poet-in-residence at New Castle County’s Rockwood Museum and Park. David credits former Tower Hill English teacher, Hilary Russell, and former Tower Hill art teachers, David Welch and Jonathan Santlofer, with helping to foster his enthusiasm for the arts.

David P. Kozinski (right), Class of ’74, with Wilmington Mayor Michael S. Purzycki who, on Oct. 16, 2024, presented David with a Wilmington Award for Excellence in the Arts.

In November, five art shows in Historic New Castle featured Tower Hill graduate artists Vicki Vinton ’77, Anne Rochette ’74 and Schuyler Borton ’75. Vinton, Rochette and Borton were all inspired and trained by David Welch, during his years teaching at Tower Hill in the 1970s. Rochette has taught sculpture at the Beaux Arts in Paris for 30 years, which was preceded by a decade in New York exhibiting, writing for Art in America and teaching. She and Borton were students together at the Beaux Arts in 1975-1976. Borton continued study in the U.S., exhibiting primarily around Washington, D.C., until recently moving to New Castle, Delaware. Vinton paints at her studio in Oxford, Pennsylvania, and has just completed a show at the Somerville-Manning Gallery in Wilmington, Delaware.

John Morris ’78, has just published a book available on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble titled, Meet Me on Roatan with insights and stories, informative and sometimes humorous, of the challenges of being an expat in a foreign country on a Caribbean island.

’80s

Ashley Hoopes Wilks ’86 was with Director of Advancement and Enrollment Management Kristin Mumford and U.S. Open 2011 Women’s Doubles Champion Liezel Huber at the 2024 U.S. Open.

’90s

Dr. Jean Hoffman-Censits ’91, Associate Professor of Medical Oncology and Urology at The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, is a lead investigator on an international clinical trial that tested the novel drug combination Enfortumab and Pembrolizumab compared to standard platinum chemotherapy. This led to a nearly doubling of overall survival for patients with locally advanced and metastatic urothelial cancers of the bladder and upper tract and has revolutionized the standard of care for these patients. She also was a lead investigator on a trial testing immunotherapy in the postoperative setting for those with high risk bladder and upper tract cancers which led to a significant improvement in disease free survival compared to standard observation. She is an author on both studies which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2024. She lives with her husband and son in Baltimore.

Congratulations to Devin Johnson Carroll ’97 on the opening of her business, The Cottage by Monarch. Johnson Carroll and her business were featured in a Daily State News article.

CLASS NOTES

’00s

Class of 2000 graduate Sabrina du Pont-Langenegger ’00 has founded a new nonprofit helping women in need. Good Friends of The First State aims to provide hope and stability by offering one-time, limited financial assistance to females and their families in the state of Delaware. The charity finds those they serve through licensed healthcare professionals and social workers. During their first year they worked with 11 different agencies throughout the state to assist 44 women in crisis, granting $50,000 in aid towards essential needs like housing, transportation, medical expenses, utilities and childcare. To get involved or to make a donation please visit their website www.goodfriendsofthefirststate.org. Tickets to the annual ladies luncheon fundraiser held at Wilmington Country Club on April 24 are available.

’20s

Olivia Jordan ’24 visited campus and caught up with Upper School English teacher Michelle Wrambel. Olivia is in her first year at The College of William & Mary.

Janie duPont ’24 and Tessa Gattuso ’24 visited Tower Hill. DuPont is a student at the University of Pennsylvania and Gattuso is a student at Trinity College. They are pictured with Director of Data and Strategic Analytics and Upper School math teacher Bret Kroeger.

While Director of College Counseling Molly Elton was in Evanston for the National Merit Selection Committee, she connected with Hannah Zhou ’22 and Emani Larkin ’23. They are currently attending Northwestern University.

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.

ALUMNI EVENTS

LEGACY FAMILIES

Tower Hill celebrated alumni at three regional events this fall. (L) Alumni gathered in Charleston, SC, in November and in San Francisco (R) in October. (Bottom) In December, young alumni gathered after Tree Trim and enjoyed catching up over cookies and hot chocolate.

From Graduation 2024: (R) Paul Peddrick ’84, Tate Pedrick ’24, Emma Peddrick ’20, whose photo was not included in the fall 2024 Bulletin. (L) Kelly Farnan ’96, Caroline Farnan ’28, James Farnan ’24, Catherine Farnan ’25, Michael Farnan ’00, whose photo was misidentified in the fall 2024 Bulletin

ALUMNI COUNCIL

Tower Hill extends special thanks to the Alumni Council. Pictured, top row: (L-R) Jay Pierson ’87, Chuck Durante ’69, Ashley Altschuler ’90 (president), Cole Flickinger ’94, Wes Schwandt ’86. Middle row: Susan Wood Waesco ’90, Pete Larned ’02, Trina Salva ’90. Bottom row: Ellen Cannon ’72, Mona Yezdani Gillen ’01, Tori Maxmin Gravuer ’86. Not pictured: Alisha Wayman Bryson, ’91 Deb Colbourn ’92, Chris Donoho III ’87, Baily Faller ’20, Missy Flynn ’91, Amanda Friz ’92, T.J. Hanna ’91, Maggie Kullman ’08, Jeff Liu ’84, Taylor Patterson ’02 and Curtis Smith, Jr. ’99

CONDOLENCES

Julia Ann McKay ’39 passed away on Dec. 10.

George C. Hering III ’49 passed away on Dec. 14.

Preston Lea Spruance Jr. ’51 passed away on July 23.

Edward Joseph Mosbrook ’52 passed away.

Louis Ann Guernsey Woolsey ’53 passed away.

Joan McDowell Connolly ’55 passed away on Sept. 15.

Eugenie L. Mackey ’55 passed away on Oct. 16.

Henry Rust ’55 passed away on Jan. 4.

Mary Emma Mertz Wagner ’55 passed away on Aug. 16.

Annette Bush Doolittle ’56 passed away on Sept. 15.

Susan Krewatch ’60 passed away on Oct. 9.

David A. Anderson ’63 passed away on Feb. 6.

Elizabeth “Liz” Saunders ’71 passed away on Feb. 9.

Sarah R. Flynn ’74 passed away on Oct. 11, 2023.

Elizabeth Anne Way ’79 passed away on Sept. 18.

Jason M. Soulier ’88 passed away on Dec. 28.

Nicholas P. Skiadas ’94 passed away on Sept. 13.

Ofelia Pitalua Rodriguez a longtime member of our custodial staff passed away.

WEDDINGS AND BIRTHS

1. Adam Kalamchi ’01 and Bianca Ladipo were married on Oct. 14, 2023, and the couple recently moved back to Delaware. Many Hillers attended their wedding (including a few who missed the photo). (L-R) Sarah Kalamchi ’02, Nicole Kaiser (Lower School faculty), Patrick Kaiser ’02, Laith Kalamchi ’99, Pam Jennings Norton ’01, Alexis Jolly ’01, Mona Yezdani Gillen ’01, David Stat ’01, Adam Kalamchi ’01, George Mueller ’01, Laura Carpenter ’11, Christopher Kalamchi ’08 and Wilson Braun III ’01 2. Hugh Bender ’03 and his wife Hanako Yashiro welcomed their baby Miya on Jan. 7. 3. Tara Lieberman ’07 and Scott French were married on Saturday, May 18 at The Mansion on Turner Hill in Ipswich, MA. 4. Lexi Saunders Ashley ’10 and Patrick “Trip” Ashley ’10 recently welcomed their son, Patrick William Ashley, who they will call William.

Chabalko Lang ’02 and her

5. Katherine

husband Jeff Lang welcomed their first child, a girl named Lucy Carter Lang, in October. 6. Andrew Brown ’15 and Emma Lynch ’15 were married on Sept. 6. Many Tower Hill friends joined them on their special day.