Flourish Magazine Fall 2023

flourish FALL 2023

On the Cover Sixth Grader Emma’s excitement to begin her Leadership year at Trinity was palpable during the Sixth Grade Carpool Caravan on the first day of school.

To support Trinity School, please contact Margaret Douglas, Director of Advancement 404-240-9446 | mdouglas@trinityatl.org trinityatl.org/give Please send address changes to changeofaddress@trinityatl.org Comments? Contact the editor at nfash@trinityatl.org

Mission Statement Serving children age three through Sixth Grade, Trinity School creates a community of learners in a diverse and distinctly elementary-only environment, in which each child develops the knowledge, skills, and character to achieve his or her unique potential as a responsible, productive, and compassionate member of the School and greater community.

Non-Discriminatory Statement Trinity School does not discriminate based on race, color, gender, religion or creed, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, or family composition in the administration of our admission and educational policies, in the extension of financial assistance, or other schooladministered programs.

Program and Pedagogy Pillars Celebrating the present and preparing our students for the future within a nurturing and caring educational environment, we: •

Cherish Childhood Provide joyful experiences that include play- and passion-based learning Ensure developmentally appropriate experiences Design experiences around what is important in the life of a child

•

Deepen Students’ Educational Experience Develop creative and critical thinking and questioning skills Value both process and product of learning Connect learning vertically, horizontally, cross-curricularly, and globally

•

Empower Students in Their Learning Foster a growth mindset Cultivate voice, choice, and self-reflection Promote leadership

So that our students: •

Build Academic Foundation Establish proficiency in essential knowledge and skills Embrace diverse experiences of a well-rounded education

•

Develop Character Foundation Exhibit ethical skills, habits, and attitudes of empathy, integrity, and respect Demonstrate performance skills, habits, and attitudes of accountability, persistence, and resilience

•

Exhibit Continued Curiosity, Creativity, and Confidence Imagine, discover, and experiment independently and collaboratively Adapt to new situations and a changing world

Leadership Team Joe Marshall, Head of School Ken Bomar, Director of Finance Brad Brown, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management Ira Dawson, Upper Elementary Division Head Margaret Douglas, Director of Advancement Sheree Du Preez, Early Elementary Division Head Nicole Fash, Director of Marketing and Communications Jill Gough, Director of Teaching and Learning Reginald Haley, Director of Operations Marsha Harris, Director of Curriculum Jeff Morrison, Director of Education Technology Ginny Perkinson, Assistant to the Head of School Kayleen Whitmer, Director of Extended Programs

2023–2024 Board of Trustees Jenny Latz, Chair Libby Barge Matt Bartelt McKnight Brown ’92 Catherine Humann Callaway ’97 Kristin Carothers Elena Chang Jackie Coleman Erica Cummings Isha Damani Cindy Couch Ferguson ’78 Zenobia Godschalk Nathan Hartman Molly Jamieson Chris Kirtley Carrie Lanier Melissa Moseley Street Nalley Jack Norton Charlie Ogburn Marcellus Parker Leslie Patterson John Shepard ’68 Boynton Smith Winnie Smith Stephanie Stephens Chris Suh

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Contents 6 8

26 Trinity faculty members take on

50 A journal on impact: witnessing

News

new roles Eight team members move into different or enhanced roles this school year.

12 New Trustees have deep roots

28 Welcome Trinity’s newest

at Trinity Learn more about the five newest members of Trinity’s Board of Trustees.

team members Learn more about the new members of our faculty and staff.

clean water transformation in Kenya Follow the inspiring journey of Science Teacher Becky Maas as she witnesses the life-changing impact of the Fifth Grade’s eight-year efforts to provide clean drinking water to Kenyan families.

16 Thank you for helping us

33 Faculty and Staff Milestones

Greetings from the Head of School Contributors

Inspire Excellence!

With your support, we have completed Trinity’s $14.5 million capital and endowment campaign. Take a peek at all the new and renovated spaces.

22 Trinity honors 17 employees with endowed awards We once again celebrate employees who demonstrate extraordinary dedication and commitment to Trinity through grants and awards from six distinct endowed funds.

24 Added positions demonstrate Trinity’s commitment to growth Learn about our newly introduced Literacy Instructional Specialist and Upper Elementary Counselor positions and the remarkable individuals who have embraced these roles.

Join us as we celebrate the personal milestones of our faculty and staff.

Highlights 34 Trinity Tidbits Read highlights from the spring and summer.

42 Trinity Traditions Enjoy a look at the recent traditions that reinforce Trinity’s identity, curriculum, and values.

56 A look back at Summer Camp Our 565 campers experienced fun and learning at Trinity School Summer Camp 2023. Take a look inside some of the camps and learn more about the upcoming camp season.

Alumni 58 20 years later: catching up with Nat Turner ’84 We last caught up with Nat 20 years ago, when he began his career with the State Department. Discover what he is up to now.

Features

61 Trinity’s Class of 2017: What

48 Spotlight on Art is off to another

62 Class of 2023: “I am leaving

great start Mark your calendars! After another record-breaking Spotlight on Art, this school year’s series of events is off to a running start.

Trinity with...”

college did they choose?

64 Alumni Events Alumni events from the spring and summer are featured in this fun spread.

66 Class Notes

Lead Editor and Writer

Writers

Photographer

Nicole Fash

Margaret Douglas Becky Maas Joe Marshall Anne Torrey McCuean ’08 Katie Rosengren Leisy Stevenson

Stephanie Selman

Art Director and Design Cheryl Beverly, Ridge Creative, Inc.

Associate Editor Margaret Douglas

Flourish magazine is published biannually by the communications department at Trinity School and mailed to parents, alumni, grandparents, and friends of Trinity.

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Joe enjoys playing with Kindergartners Isabel, Jackson, Nell, and Knox on the revamped Early Elementary playground.

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Dear Trinity Community, As we all know, Trinity is a great school. And like any preeminent organization, our school never rests on its past successes, always striving to be even better tomorrow than we are today.

During my 43 years in education, I’ve been fortunate to have worked and taught in some of the best independent schools across the country, from New York to Oklahoma, from Indiana to, most notably, here at Trinity for the past 11 years.

Each institution espoused a commitment to continuous growth, yet some struggled to adapt to the times and new ideas in education.

Why is it that some schools continue to evolve while others languish? I think it’s all about whether a school’s culture looks to the past or toward the future. Schools can become too insular and dependent on their traditional ways of doing things. Their faculty may shun opportunities to attend educational workshops and conferences and indifferently review, modify, and update their curriculum and teaching methods. These schools can inadvertently become complacent, even brashly overconfident that they know exactly how and what to teach.

I’ve written before that Trinity has not only been the culmination of my educational career but also inspired me to continue to grow as an educator. Trinity is a unique school in that it energizes and challenges its teachers to always do their best in the present while looking to be even better in the future.

Beginning with our founding in 1951, Trinity’s forwardlooking approach has been one of our stoutest roots. Our focus as an elementary school has always been on our students’ learning and growth. We embrace a child-centered approach that develops each student’s mind, body, and character and consistently pursue new research on how to optimize learning. We embrace students’ innate curiosity

and desire to learn and employ a variety of teaching methods to engage our students. Our commitment to professional development ensures our faculty have access to new ideas of how best to teach. Trinity is a dynamic school, proud of its past yet always looking to the future.

To me, continuous growth is the thematic thread of this issue of Flourish, specifically how it benefits our students’ learning experiences.

You’ll read about how our recently completed new construction supports our students and the delivery of our program and pedagogy. You’ll discover how two new academic positions are furthering our students’ literacy and social-emotional development. You’ll learn how an endowment grant enabled our Fifth-Grade science teacher to visit Kenya to witness firsthand the impact of her students’ annual walk-a-thons and Freshwater Fairs, the proceeds of which have purchased thousands of water filters over the years for areas without clean drinking water.

And you’ll hear from the members of our Class of 2023, who share how Trinity shaped them as students and prepared them for Seventh Grade.

We all know how special Trinity is, and every issue of Flourish reinforces how exemplary we are. I hope you feel as fulfilled and appreciative as I do to be a proud member of the Trinity family!

Sincerely,

Joseph P. Marshall Head of School

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Contributors Margaret Douglas Director of Advancement

Joe Marshall

At Trinity since 2008

Head of School

Bachelor of Arts in Spanish University of Georgia

At Trinity since 2013

Q: What is your favorite memory from elementary school?

A: Having my aunt as my Kindergarten teacher.

Master of Science in English Education Hofstra University

Becky Maas Fifth Grade Science Teacher At Trinity since 2013 Master of Arts in Teaching, Elementary Education Oglethorpe University

Bachelor of Arts in History Franklin and Marshall College @JosephPMarshall Q: What was your first job?

A: Summer camp counselor for ne-year-old boys. nine-year-old

Master of Science in Environmental Engineering Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering Washington University

Nicole Fash Director of Marketing and Communications At Trinity since 2016 Master of Arts in Media and Cultural Studies University of Sussex, Falmer, England Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and Spanish Shorter College

@science4fifth Q: What is your favorite memory from elementary school?

A: My Fourth-Grade teacher putting a jar of water outside my Illinois school’s class window in winter and bringing it in the next day all broken because the water inside froze and expanded.

Anne Torrey McCuean ’08 Advancement Associate and Alumni Relations At Trinity since 2022 Bachelor of Arts in Education Furman University

@trinityschool @trinityschoolalums /trinityatl

/trinityalums

@trinityatl Q: What is your favorite Trinity School lunch?

A: The salmon is the best.

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Q: What is your favorite memory from elementary school?

A: Field Day with Coach Brian and Ms. Roie.

Katie Rosengren Associate Director of Advancement At Trinity since 2003 Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Washington and Lee University Q: What was your first job?

A: Scooping ice cream at a small general store on an island in Michigan.

Leisy Stevenson Director of Spotlight on Art and Special Events At Trinity since 2018 Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Rhodes College @spotlightonart

Stephanie Selman Associate Communications Manager At Trinity since 2019 Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies Kennesaw State University

/TrinitySpotlightOnArt @spotlightonart Q: What is your favorite Trinity School lunch?

A: The tacos; I especially love the guacamole.

@trinityschool /trinityatl @trinityatl Q: What is your favorite memory from elementary school?

A: Being homeschooled, I was able to pick anywhere to do my schoolwork. I would often lay on the trampoline for most of my school day.

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Start at Trinity,

thrive for life.

Serving children age three through Sixth Grade, Trinity School has cherished childhood while preparing our students for the future since 1951. Our small class sizes, innovative programming, and early childhood and elementary education experts are just some of the reasons your child will thrive at Atlanta’s only elementary-only independent school!

Admission applications for the 2024–25 school year will close on January 19.

Visit us online to learn about ways to connect with Trinity and our admissions team.

trinityatl.org/admissions 404-231-8118

flourish Established 1951

News Chris Suh, Cindy Couch Ferguson ‘78, Libby Barge, Christ Kirtley, and Nathan Hartman are the newest members of Trinity’s Board.

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New Trustees have deep roots at Trinity

By Margaret Douglas, Director of Advancement

Trinity School’s Board of Trustees welcomes five new members this year. We thank each of them for their commitment to Trinity’s mission and vision for the future.

Libby Barge Libby Barge and her husband, Brooks, have three sons at Trinity: Patrick, Hunter, and Whitfield, who are in Fifth, Fourth, and First Grades respectively. Libby and Brooks have been strong Trinity volunteers and advocates for several years, and we are thrilled to welcome Libby to Trinity’s Board of Trustees.

“I am so honored to be part of this amazing school and look forward to serving and learning more about all aspects of Trinity,” she says. “It will be exciting and rewarding to take a front row seat, understand the decisions of our Leadership Team, and support the work they do to help enhance every part of our community. Every time I volunteer for a new role, I gain more appreciation for what our teachers and staff do for our children.”

Libby believes that Trinity’s focus on elementary-age children sets it apart from other independent schools in Atlanta. She remembers when they first applied and talking to Trinity families who used the word “magical” to describe Trinity. From an outside perspective, Libby remembers it almost seemed silly, but she now agrees that once you are a Trinity parent and watch your children jump out of the car to greet friends and teachers in the morning, you know that this place is special and, well, magical. Libby also believes that Trinity’s mission to cherish childhood and create lifelong, curious learners is so evident in every grade, and her own children have loved all of the Trinity traditions. Just last year, her Kindergartner helped raise chicks, her Third Grader became Kobe Bryant for the Living Museum, and her Fourth grader survived the Oregon Trail!

Libby says, “It is truly a gift to see them learn and grow in such a fun and exciting environment.”

In addition to her current role as the Trinity School Parents’ Association (TSPA) Secretary, Libby has served in many volunteer positions during her time here, including Room Parent, Grade Level Representative, School Festival Co-Chair, 2023 Spotlight on Art Artists Market Chair,

and various Area Chairs in the Artists Market. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Education from Vanderbilt University. After college, Libby moved to New York, where she worked in marketing at Lazard Asset Management. She then transitioned into development as the assistant director for annual giving at Horace Mann, an independent school in the Bronx.

Cindy Couch Ferguson ’78 Cindy Couch Ferguson ’78 has had a long relationship with Trinity School, both as an alum and as a parent of alumni.

Cindy and her husband, John, sent their two daughters, Elizabeth ’09 and Emily ’12, to Trinity through the Sixth Grade Leadership year. Previously serving as a Trinity Trustee from 2011 until 2017, Cindy is excited to return to the Board, and we are extremely grateful for her commitment, expertise, and wisdom.

Cindy says, “I thoroughly enjoyed my previous terms on Trinity’s Board of Trustees and am excited for the opportunity to serve again. As an alum and the parent of two Trinity graduates, I have a deep sense of gratitude for the Trinity Experience. I am grateful for the opportunity to give my time and energy to help ensure all Trinity students and families enjoy the best possible experience, too. I look forward to being back on campus, seeing beloved faculty and staff, and feeling that energy and joy the Trinity community embodies.”

“I think Trinity’s commitment as an elementary-only school, where students can relish in their childhood while deepening their academic skills, developing their character, and learning to lead continues to remain the School’s greatest strength,” she continues. “Trinity’s intentional and creative effort to provide unique learning opportunities—outdoors, on the stage, in the art room, or in the iHub to name a few—is something else I love about Trinity. Additionally, excellent leadership, dedicated faculty and staff, and the consistent invitation for parents, grandparents, alumni, and others to engage with the School all build trust and support for Trinity. This commitment of support from families and the broader community is another area that sets Trinity apart.”

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News

In addition to previously serving on Trinity’s Board of Trustees, Cindy and John served as TSPA Co-Presidents, Grade Level Representatives, and Parent Fund Chairs.

Cindy also served on other committees, including the Strategic Planning Steering Committee in 2007–08 and Spotlight on Art. She currently serves as a member of the Skyland Trail board of directors and the Piedmont Healthcare Foundation and as a trustee at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

After Trinity, Cindy attended The Westminster Schools, then earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Vanderbilt. She returned to Atlanta to begin a career in residential and commercial property management, first with The Trammell Crow Company/Gables Residential, then with Holder Properties. Cindy’s younger brother, Danny Couch ’80, also attended Trinity and her father, Reynolds Couch, served several terms on Trinity’s Board over a span of 45 years. Cindy says, “Our family is just one of many that has delighted in being connected to and supporting Trinity School for more than 50 years!”

Nathan Hartman Nathan Hartman and his husband, Chris Sipes, are the proud parents of two members of this year’s Sixth Grade Leadership Class, Clara and Johnathan. Both Clara and Johnathan entered Trinity as Early Learners, and the entire family has been Trinity advocates and supporters ever since. We are delighted to have Nathan join Trinity’s Board of Trustees.

Nathan says, “There is no longer or arguably a more valuable time period in our educational lives than elementary school. Serving Trinity on the Board of Trustees is a great honor and work I look forward to with joy.”

Nathan eagerly anticipates partnering with other Trustees and the School’s administration to further Trinity’s mission and supporting the vision of past leadership.

The Hartman family is especially in awe of the incredible community of teachers Trinity has created.

Nathan believes that the people that make up the faculty and staff at Trinity are the School’s greatest strength and a great blessing to all students and families who benefit from their care and expertise. He says, “Trinity Teachers go out of their way to know our children and support their limitless potential.”

In addition to serving in various classroom activities as a parent volunteer, Nathan has served on the Parent Fund committee for several years and also recently served on the Inspire Excellence capital and endowment campaign committee.

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A second-generation estate planning attorney, Nathan has been an Atlanta resident for 25 years and is the managing attorney of Hartman Private Law. He attended Emory University, the Candler School of Theology, and the Emory School of Law. Nathan is an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and active member with his family at Morningside Presbyterian, established Emory Law’s E.A.G.L.E. orientation program, chaired the board of the Child Development Association, and been a board member of Georgia Lawyers for the Arts and the Emory Law Alumni Association.

Chris Kirtley Chris Kirtley and his wife, Katie, are the proud parents of one Trinity alum, Rhett ’23, and two current Trinity students, Fourth Grader Kathryn and Kindergartner Annie.

The Kirtleys began their Trinity journey five years ago when they moved to Atlanta from Chicago and have been strong Trinity proponents ever since. We are honored to welcome Chris as a new member of the Board of Trustees.

He is excited to support and grow his involvement with a strong and well-led organization, where close to 600 students are receiving a deeply impactful educational experience like his own children’s.

Chris believes that Trinity is one of the preeminent independent elementary-only schools in the country.

He says, “Trinity enjoys this position in part because of the wisdom and vision of many passionate former Trustees.

Our students’ educational experiences in 2023 are in large part due to the bold decisions made by school leadership decades ago, and it is not lost on me that each of Trinity’s students continue to benefit from that leadership every school day. It will be an honor to contribute to the School in whatever small ways I can to ensure that Trinity builds on this great legacy for generations to come.”

“Trinity’s greatest strength is its total focus on elementary education,” Chris continues. “I knew this was a relative strength of the School when our kids started here, but it became clearer to me last year when our oldest child began looking for his next school. Atlanta is blessed with several exceptional K-12 school choices, but it seems unlikely that the leadership of these schools can be as focused on optimizing the elementary experience or incorporating the latest elementary-age research as Joe and his leadership team are able to do.”

Chris also believes that a related strength of Trinity’s is the palpable sense of joy among the administration, teachers, staff, students, and families. He says, “Our number one goal for our children is to develop a love of learning during their elementary school years that will hopefully serve them well not just in middle and high school but also for the rest of their lives. I believe this is part of the magic of Trinity School.”

Chris and Katie have both served Trinity in many volunteer roles, including Parent Fund Class Callers and Grade Captains, ad hoc member of the Finance and Investment Board Committees, Spotlight on Art Area Chair and Artists Market Chair, and Grand Day Chair.

Chris is the managing partner and portfolio manager of Equus Global Fund LP, a private investment partnership primarily focused on long-term public equity investments.

Prior to founding Equus Global in 2019, Chris spent 15 years in the institutional investment management industry in Chicago and New York as an analyst and portfolio manager. Recently, Chris concluded his service on the Advisory Council of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander, Wyoming, and has also served in several leadership and fundraising capacities with Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago, including service on its board of trustees. Chris has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

After receiving his undergraduate degree, Chris had the privilege of teaching middle and high school students at Wesleyan School from 1998 to 2001. He has enjoyed crossing paths recently with many of his former students who are now Trinity parents. Now, after spending several years managing three private equity funds and their portfolio investments, Chris serves as the executive vice president of Prometheus Partners, overseeing the investment execution, corporate finance, and real estate acquisition and development functions for the organization’s restaurant and real estate business, including a 188-unit Taco Bell franchise business and a portfolio of more than 50 restaurant, commercial, and residential real estate and development properties. Chris holds a Master of Business Administration with Honors from the University of Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies as an Echols Scholar from the University of Virginia.

Chris Suh Chris and Nancy Suh have had a long relationship with Trinity School, beginning with Nancy’s time as a Pre-K associate teacher from 2002 to 2006, and we are thankful that Chris is joining the Board. Their two boys, Robert ’20 and Thomas ’23, both attended Trinity from Early Learners through the Sixth Grade Leadership Class and now attend The Westminster Schools.

“As the parent of two Trinity alums, I am excited to have the opportunity to continue to actively participate in the community and to contribute to the advancement and future of a school that has contributed so significantly to the development and character of my own children,” says Chris.

Chris believes that Trinity’s greatest strengths are the strong community and familial environment as well as the emphasis placed on nurturing the individual needs of each child.

He says, “The active participation of parents, and even grandparents, is such an integral part of the culture at Trinity School. Trinity families are ever-present and visible in the activities of the School as well as the activities and growth of their children.”

Chris and Nancy have served in many volunteer roles at Trinity, including Parent Fund Chairs, Class Callers, and Grade Captains, and Nancy has served as a Spotlight on Art Artists Market Chair and Area Chair for many years.

Chris serves on the board of the Armed Forces Families Foundation, Inc., and Skyway Bridge Run, Inc., and previously served on the alumni board of The Westminster Schools from 2017 to 2022.

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News

Thank you for helping us

Inspire Excellence!

By Margaret Douglas, Director of Advancement

We are thrilled to celebrate the successful completion of our $14.5 million Inspire Excellence capital and endowment campaign, resulting in incredible new and renovated spaces for teaching, learning, discovery, growth, and play.

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Experience a bird’s-eye view of the newly renovated Early Elementary and Upper Elementary playgrounds, alongside the exciting addition of the Damani Rec Center.

When Trinity’s campus master plan was first envisioned several years ago, our leadership, staff, and faculty dreamt about the School’s greatest needs, those that would carry us through the next decade or two. We knew that funding these exciting plans would require incredible generosity and support from the entire Trinity community. Under the leadership of our outstanding campaign co-chairs, Board chairs, and many volunteers, we are excited and humbled to celebrate this tremendous campus revitalization and endowment expansion made possible with your support!

Over the past two and a half years, more than 300 Trinity families and friends joined us in supporting capital and endowment enhancements, totaling $14.5 million raised for the Inspire Excellence campaign. With early and generous support, campaign components began coming to

life in the summer of 2021, inspiring others to step forward with their commitments, making each subsequent project possible. The final phases of construction were completed this past summer, allowing us to begin the 2023–24 school year with access to all of the new and renovated spaces. To say the least, it has been a very exciting few years at Trinity, and together, we have inspired discovery, community, and growth for hundreds of students today and many more for decades to come.

I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank every member of the Trinity community who partnered with us to support the Inspire Excellence campaign! Your generosity and dedication ensure that Trinity will continue to be a leader in elementary education. Thank you for your commitment to Trinity’s excellence!

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News

Students and teachers alike love the Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Center.

“It’s wonderful having the new Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Center right outside my classroom door. After each morning meeting, my students complete a daily run around the track. I also love watching the transformation and growth that takes place on the monkey bars over the course of the school year,” says Pre-K Lead Teacher Kaitlin Snodgrass.

“I like playing in the sand on the playground. We play pirates and dig for treasures,” says Pre-K student Christopher.

With all Upper Elementary classroom renovations complete, Sixth Graders enjoy having their homerooms close to the Multi-Purpose Room and the Overend Learning Commons.

“Easy access to these areas allows our students to work independently in a non-traditional classroom setting as we prepare them for middle school. I also think it is important that the renovations put our Leadership Class and their learning in full view of the whole school,” says Sixth Grade Lead Teacher Kailynn Boomer.

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The Early Elementary Moseley Dining Hall has been a big hit with teachers and students.

“The new EED Dining Hall has been such a blessing.

The space is bright, open, and well-organized. I love the wall of windows and all the natural light. The dining room’s location also makes for smooth transitions from recess to lunch and lunch to specials,” says Kindergarten Lead Teacher Jessica Lyles.

“I like that the lunchroom is right by our new playground,” says Kindergartner Maya.

“I like it! I like that there is more space for more tables and we don’t have to share with upstairs,” says Kindergartner Tory.

The Early Elementary playground is also receiving rave reviews.

“I love the new climbing stuff, and I get to see my cousin at recess,” says First Grader Anna Locke.

“I really enjoy seeing the different grades all playing together outside with lots of space to use,” says First Grade Lead Teacher Melissa Cooney.

I love the field because it’s got lots of space for us to do everything” says First Grader Alex.

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News

Teachers and students across grade levels are excited about the new Damani Rec Center and enhancements to the Upper Elementary playground.

“Wow, what a fantastic start to the school year we’ve had exploring our new and enhanced Trinity spaces. We’re so fortunate at Trinity to have such amazing and impressive facilities in which to learn, play, and grow. Our newest addition, the Damani Rec Center, has been well worth the wait!

From its grand and soaring ceilings to the enormous windows, it’s a joyful space for students to move in! It’s a privilege to teach our youngest learners movement and physical education skills in a gym filled with natural light and views of Discovery Woods; it’s almost like teaching P.E. in a beautiful tree house,” says Early Elementary P.E. Teacher Laura English.

Fourth Grader Shealy says, “I love the Rec Center and the UED playground.

The rec center is so cool and fun; I love shooting baskets there. Outside, it is really fun playing on the swings and playing gaga ball. I also love the jungle gym. My friends and I love to play tag on the new turf.”

Fourth Grade Lead Teacher Brian says, ‘The new Upper Elementary outdoor space and Damani Rec Center are amazing. There is so much space with plenty of equipment to climb and play on. I love watching the kids run around with their friends. It reminds me of all those carefree, childhood moments.”

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“I love it because the Rec Center has a lot of room and there is fun stuff to play with. The playground is big and has a lot of space to run around. I love that they added the four square and hopscotch next to the field. My favorites are the swings and the gaga pit,” says Third Grader Amelia.

“They are absolutely amazing! I am completely blown away by the recent enhancements made to the Upper Elementary playground and the Damani Rec Center. It’s truly captivating to witness the students brimming with awe as they experience the expansive space that provides them with a plethora of options to explore during their recess. With this additional space, children will undoubtedly have the opportunity to embrace and fully embody one of our core principles: cherishing childhood,” says Third Grade Lead Teacher Andrene Leslie.

Thank you to our Inspire Excellence campaign leadership “I want to thank our campaign leadership, especially the three co-chairs, for their incredible dedication and commitment to making the Inspire Excellence campaign a tremendous success. Their personal generosity and hard work is having a lasting impact on all Trinity students, teachers, and families—both current and future—and I am deeply grateful.”

- Head of School Joe Marshall

Inspire Excellence Co-Chairs TJ and Catherine Humann Callaway ’97 Melissa and Allen Moseley ’81 Sarah and Neal Williams ’73

Parent Co-Chairs Libby and Brooks Barge Erica and David Cummings Aisha and Marcellus Parker

Committee Members

The new Damani Rec Center has already become a go-to site for community gatherings, including the Gates Leadership Reception that was held on September 21.

Julie and Jim Balloun Dana and Will Bickerstaff Kit and David Bowlin Katie and Bryan Bradford Dorsey and Austin Bryan Rebecca and Chris Cummiskey Isha and Anil Damani Lane and Richard Courts Courtenay and Chris Gabriel Annie and Paxton Griffin Morven and Russell Groves Nathan Hartman and Chris Sipes Anne and Peter Hennessy Molly and John Jamieson Lacey and Bill Jordan Stephanie and Street Nalley Stephanie and Austin Stephens Nancy and Chris Suh Beth and Edward Tate Ellen and Buck Wiley

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News

Front Row: Shaun McCarthy, Bella Giorno, Vicki Eyles, Michaela Davida, Katherine Goldberg, Michelle Perry Back Row: Vesna Galtere, Natalie Houk, Deisy Pinto, Jessica Lyles, April Patton, Brian Toth, Laurice Drews, Jennie Rountree, Rosalyn McLean, Sarah Meurisse, Sarah Cascone

Trinity honors 17 employees with endowed awards

By Katie Rosengren, Associate Director of Advancement

At the heart of Trinity School lie our most valuable assets: our dedicated teachers and staff. The School’s endowment supports them by providing funds to increase faculty compensation and provide professional development opportunities that enable us to attract, retain, and develop outstanding employees. Thanks to our community’s generosity, we are proud to continue the annual tradition of recognizing and celebrating employees who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication and commitment

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to Trinity through grants and awards from six distinct endowed funds that are presented during Pre-Planning.

The Rollins Quest for Excellence Grant, made possible by a generous gift from the Gary W. Rollins Foundation, honors employees who embody a commitment to professional excellence, life-long learning, educating the whole child, and service to Trinity. Recipients of this prestigious award are nominated by their peers and selected by the Academic Leadership Team. This year, nine highly

deserving employees, who are listed below, were honored with Rollins Quest for Excellence Grants, which include a stipend for personal or professional growth and renewal.

• Sarah Cascone, Human Resources Associate • Laurice Drews, Kindergarten Senior Associate Teacher • Bella Giorno, First Grade Senior Associate Teacher • Katherine Goldberg, Second Grade Lead Teacher • Natalie Houk, First Grade Lead Teacher • Rosalyn McLean, Second Grade Associate Teacher • Sarah Meurisse, Upper Elementary French Teacher • Michelle Perry, Learning Team Specialist • Brian Toth, Fourth Grade Lead Teacher Established in 2013, The Childress Family Fund for Faculty Excellence supports teachers’ professional growth and development by providing funds to pursue innovative programs that increase awareness, knowledge, and proficiency or insight that will be applied in the classroom and shared with Trinity colleagues. This year’s recipients, the Kindergarten teaching team of Jessica Lyles and April Patton, will use their awards to travel to Ghana, West Africa.

Jessica and April will immerse themselves in the country’s culture to enhance the Around the World Unit in their classroom. With their first-hand insight into the customs, values, and culture of Ghana, they will bring the country to life, making the unit more relatable and meaningful for their students.

Fifth Grade Math Teacher Vicki Eyles and Kindergarten Lead Teacher Shaun McCarthy were recognized with awards from The Hartman Family Fund for Faculty Excellence. Established by Trinity parent Nathan Hartman, this fund provides stipends to teachers who go above and beyond to provide exceptional service to the School.

Vicki’s passion and dedication as she helps students develop a deep foundation as mathematicians and Shaun’s ability to foster a sense of belonging and self-assurance in her Kindergarten classroom highlight why each is welldeserving of this honor.

Early Elementary French Teacher Vesna Galtere and Upper Elementary Spanish Teacher Deisy Pinto will enhance their teaching with immersive travel experiences after receiving awards from the Teacher Opportunity Fund, which provides funding to travel to pursue professional development. Vesna will visit Quebec, Canada, for a twoweek course for educators who teach French as a second language to preschool and elementary students. Deisy will travel to Spain to personally experience the customs, culture, and language that she shares with her students each day.

Established to honor previous Head of School Stephen Kennedy’s 11 years of service to Trinity, the Stephen G. Kennedy Fund for Faculty Excellence honors a faculty member using innovative best practices to foster Information Age skills. This year, First–Third Grade Science Teacher Jennie Rountree was recognized with this award and accompanying stipend for her teamworking skills and passion for teaching.

Fifth Grade Lead Teacher Michaela Davida received an award from The Chambers Medical Foundation Fund for Faculty Excellence. This fund was established in 2018 to recognize and honor exceptional faculty members with awards to pursue professional development that will enable them to bring new and innovative teaching practices back to the classroom and share this knowledge with Trinity colleagues. Loved by her students and esteemed by her colleagues, Michaela was chosen for this award to embark on a journey to different European locations, gathering experiential knowledge that aligns with the Fifth Grade’s World War II curriculum.

Congratulations to this year’s award recipients!

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Jayna Cook leads an interactive read aloud with an Early Learners class.

Thomas Cheese enjoys snacks and Uno with Third Graders Whitaker, Charlotte, and Izzy during one of his “get-to-know-you” gatherings.

Added positions demonstrate Trinity’s commitment to growth

By Nicole Fash, Director of Marketing and Communications

Literacy Instructional Specialist Trinity School is excited to introduce the new position of Literacy Instructional Specialist to enhance the rich language arts instruction already occurring in our classrooms. This new role provides students and teachers with strategic guidance and differentiated support, coaching teachers to develop more effective instruction and assessment practices to deepen understanding and the practices that encompass literacy teaching and learning.

“Trinity Teachers have been honing their literacy skills over the past several years and studying the science of reading to understand how neuroscience informs our reading and writing instruction,” says Director of Curriculum Marsha Harris. “We’ve been implementing researched-based practices, programs, and assessments into our curriculum to ensure our students are successful. The literacy instructional specialist position has been added at the perfect time for our teachers and our students to continue to monitor our 24

instructional methods and maintain an understanding of the trajectory of learning throughout the school.”

Entering seamlessly into this new role is Jayna Cook, who is dedicated to enriching literacy learning and increasing student and teacher success. She has spent nearly two decades in education and her strong background in developing and delivering professional development and innovative programs, assessments based on curriculum standards, and evidence-based instructional practices, including ones based on the Science of Reading, demonstrates her commitment to empowering students as successful readers and writers.

“This position is important because teachers need someone in the building that can help them meet their goals,” says Jayna. “It’s also important to have someone who is nonevaluative with whom you can share ideas, collaborate, address concerns, and work on areas to strengthen together.”

Jayna, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration and spent time as a data analyst and an office manager before shifting to teaching, says, “I was called to the field of education. I never planned on being a teacher, but I love kids and quickly realized that it was something I was called to do.”

Jayna joined Trinity from Amplify Education, where she served as an instructional coach and educational consultant, and the public charter school Dekalb Agriculture Technology & Environment, where she served as a literacy specialist. She has also been a literacy coach at Barack and Michelle Obama Elementary School in Saint Paul, Minnesota, as well as a First-Grade teacher at Detroit Innovation Academy, the Ellen Thompson campus of University Preparatory Academy Elementary in Detroit, and Mt. View Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee.

Prior to that, Jayna taught Second Grade at A.Z. Kelley Elementary School in Nashville. A certified Cognitive Coach, she has a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and a Master of Art in Teaching from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville in addition to her business degree from Tennessee State University.

Jayna is excited to work at Trinity. She says, “I want to be part of a community of lifelong learners that is dedicated to educating children in a meaningful way. Cherishing childhood is one of the pillars that I admire the most because I think it is so important to allow children to be children and to make learning fun and engaging for them. Additionally, I have never worked somewhere that has welcomed me in the way the faculty and staff have at Trinity. I am blessed to work with such a dedicated group of educators!”

Upper Elementary Counselor Trinity School’s mission includes the aspiration that each child “develops the knowledge, skills, and character to achieve his or her unique potential as a responsible, productive, and compassionate member of the School and greater community.” This emphasis on nurturing the whole child spurred Trinity’s leadership to introduce a school counselor position that focuses on the social-emotional growth of our students in the Upper Elementary Division.

“Trinity emphasizes social-emotional learning (SEL) as much as academic development,” says Erica Pendleton (a.k.a., Ms. P), our school counselor who now focuses on the Early Elementary Division. “A counselor focused on the Upper Elementary Division was added so that we can offer more proactive and SEL education and support for all our children. In the post-pandemic era, the nation as a whole has seen a rise in awareness of the importance of addressing the mental and emotional needs of children and adults alike.”

After a rigorous search for the right individual to complement the work of Ms. P and Carli Reis, our consulting

psychologist, we found him within our exceptional faculty.

Thomas Cheese, who joined our faculty full time in 2022 as a Fifth Grade Associate Teacher after serving as a long-term substitute teacher, has a Master of Social Work from the University of Georgia and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from Dartmouth College. His academic journey demonstrates his deep appreciation for different cultures and perspectives, a quality invaluable in promoting understanding and inclusivity among students.

“Thomas is perfect for this job due to his warmth of personality, ability to connect with anyone from the smallest child to our adults, and fun-loving spirit,” says Ms. P. “His strong educational background in social work allows him to see things, children, and situations from a systemic perspective, and he has excellent communication skills.”

Thomas, who says he wanted to work in education to “improve the lives and opportunities for children,” previously taught Third and Fourth Grade at Albany Community Charter School in New York. He then held a DEI internship at Shipt and social work internships at Encompass Health in Lawrenceville, Georgia, and Project Family in Athens, Georgia, where he collaborated with clients, assessed their needs, and developed individualized treatment plans.

“When I was considering leaving the classroom for the first time and pondering which route to take for graduate school, I ultimately decided on social work because it granted me the opportunity to engage with kids and their families beyond the constraints of the classroom and without regard for a specific curriculum,” says Thomas. “Moreover, as a school counselor, I have the charge of helping all students overcome obstacles that prevent them from success in school and in life.”

The emotional well-being of students is a cornerstone of their success, making the addition of this role extremely important. As our new Upper Elementary school counselor, Thomas supports the educational and social-emotional development of Trinity students in grades 2–6 by guiding, encouraging, and training them, as well as parents and faculty members, on behavior-related strategies.

Additionally, he is staying on top of emerging research and best practices to ensure that Trinity students receive the most informed and effective support.

“Trinity is committed to academic excellence and allowing children to be children,” says Thomas. “When I joined the Fifth-Grade team last school year, I was immediately drawn to the concept of cherishing childhood, and my favorite part was being able to interact with two separate classrooms daily. Having the opportunity to converse with, learn from, and assist students across multiple grade levels will help me grow in my expertise and abilities to help all students who come my way.”

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Thomas Cheese, Marcia Twiggs, Kerry Coote, Kimberly Marchant, Emily Pritchard, Kaitlin Snodgrass, Koby Collins (Not Pictured: Holly Brookshire)

Trinity faculty and staff

take on new roles

By Nicole Fash, Director of Marketing and Communications Learn more about members of Trinity’s faculty who have taken on new or enhanced roles this school year.

Holly Brookshire has moved into a Kindergarten Senior Associate Teacher role and works alongside Lead Teachers Jessica Lyles, Shaun McCarthy, April Patton, and Marley West. Holly, who joined the Trinity community in 2018 as an Early Learners Associate Teacher, was most recently a Pre-K Associate Teacher and has also served as an Extended Programs and Summer Camp Teacher.

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With nearly 20 years’ teaching experience, she was previously a lead toddler teacher at the Westminster Nursery; a Pre-K cubby camp counselor and Wildcat camp counselor for Kindergarten through SecondGrade students at The Westminster Schools; a lead toddler teacher at The Suzuki School in Atlanta; a toddler teacher at Saint John’s Child Care Center in Sandy Springs, Georgia; a teacher assistant at Mason Early Childhood Center in Mason, Ohio; a Pre-K co-lead teacher at The Goddard School in Mason, Ohio; and a

teacher assistant at Stepping Stones For Children in Berea, Kentucky. A certified Infant-Toddler Montessori Teacher with the American Montessori Society, Holly has a Bachelor of Arts in Health Science from Eastern Kentucky University.

Thomas Cheese, who joined Team Trinity full time as a Fifth Grade Associate Teacher in 2022, has accepted the new role of Upper Elementary Division Counselor.

Read more about Thomas and this new position on page 25.

Koby Collins, who most recently served as a Third Grade Associate Teacher, transitioned to the Education Technology team as our Helpdesk Technician on June 12. Prior to joining Trinity in November 2020 as a LongTerm Substitute Teacher, he served as a private tutor for nearly 13 years; was a service desk analyst for Intelliteach at Peachtree Center; taught ESL/ TESOL at schools in Beijing, China; and was an associate teacher at The Westminster Schools. Koby has a Bachelor of Elementary Education from Western Governors University.

Trinity’s Upper Elementary Math Specialist since the fall 0f 2019,

Kerry Coote’s role has expanded to include Early Elementary students.

She works directly with students at every grade level to deepen their understanding and use of mathematics while coaching teachers to develop more effective instruction and assessment practices. At Trinity since 2012, Kerry was previously an Associate Teacher in Second and Third Grade and led Pi in the Sky Math Mornings at Trinity. She has a Certificate in Instructional Leadership from Harvard University; a Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts; and two bachelor’s degrees, one in Early Childhood Education from Kennesaw State University and one in Electronics and Physics from the University of the West Indies.

Kimberly Marchant, who joined Team Trinity as an Early Learners Associate Teacher in 2013, has moved into an Early Learners Lead Teacher position and works alongside Associate Teachers Sophia Aarons and June Zellers. Kimberly has also worked in Trinity’s Extended Programs for the last 10 years, initially supervising Early Elementary Division students as a Core teacher, then creating and leading STEAM activities for Early

Learners, Pre-K, and Kindergarten students as a Specials teacher for the last seven years. Before coming to Trinity, she was a substitute teacher at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School and Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School.

Kimberly’s passion for educating young children began at the age of 10, when she was introduced to the Los Niños Primero Summer Educational Program at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church. She served 14 summers in the program, 10 as a volunteer and four as a teacher to a class of five-year-olds. Kimberly has a Master of Education in Early Childhood Education and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from Auburn University.

Emily Pritchard, who joined the Trinity team as a Second Grade Associate Teacher in 2020, has transitioned into a Second Grade Lead Teacher role and works alongside Associate Teacher Taylor Davidson.

Her love for educating and working with children began at a young age.

When she was 10, Emily founded Camp Dragonfly, a neighborhood camp for children ages 3–8, and spent eight years running it. She has also previously served as an assistant preschool teacher at The Early Learning Center in Auburn, Alabama; a pediatric wing intern at Rocky Mountain Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado; a full-time nanny for a family in Atlanta; a volunteer at The Atlanta Children’s Shelter’s nursery and preschool; and a competitive gymnastics coach at the Gym at Peachtree Presbyterian Church. Now each summer, Emily alternates between working as a tutor and a gymnastics coach at The Peach Pit. A Woodward Academy graduate, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Studies with a concentration in Middle Childhood and Adolescence from Auburn University.

Kaitlin Snodgrass, who joined Team Trinity last year as an Early Learners Associate Teacher, has moved into a Pre-K Lead Teacher position and works alongside Associate Teachers Christina Lindsay and Stephanie Mosac. Kaitlin previously worked at St. Martin’s Episcopal School for several years as a Second Grade lead teacher and a First and Second Grade assistant teacher.

She has a Master of Arts in Teaching from Mercer University and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Auburn University.

Marcia Twiggs, who joined Team Trinity as a Fourth Grade Associate Teacher in the fall of 2022, has transitioned into a Fourth Grade Lead Teacher position and will work alongside Associate Teacher Mary Teske. Starting her 25th year as an elementary classroom teacher, Marcia previously worked at Sarah Smith Elementary in Atlanta, where she received a Teacher of the Year award, immediately prior to coming to Trinity. She has also taught at schools in Memphis, Tennessee, and served as a team leader. Marcia earned an Education Specialist in Curriculum and Supervision as well as a Master of Education from Union University and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from The University of Tennessee. She is also a proud parent to Trinity Fourth-Grade student McKinley.

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Front Row: Cathryn Lager, Jayna Cook, Joel Atchison, Courtney Nguyen, Hannah Claire Morris, Kari-Ann Dunkley-Burr Back Row: Alyssa Rooks, Jessi Books, Emily Davis, Catherine Strickland, Devora Gutman, Carlos Taylor, Ashante Gilstrap, Jasmine Mitchell, Jeff Wright, Alyssa Scarboro, Jaclyn Connell, Abbey Hardman, Kayla Betz, Taylor Davidson, Christina Lindsay, Mary Teske

Welcome Trinity’s

newest team members

By Nicole Fash, Director of Marketing and Communications Join us in welcoming our newest faculty and staff members, and learn more about these enthusiastic and committed individuals.

Joel Atchison joins Team Trinity as a Media Specialist. Joel comes to us from Pace Academy, where he managed the Sixth Grade “mini library” and taught Sixth Grade English. Prior to that, he spent four years as an assistant principal at Murdock Elementary School in Marietta, seven years as a Sixth and

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Seventh Grade English teacher and English/Language Arts department lead at Simpson Middle School in Marietta, and two years as a preschool assistant teacher and program specialist at Sprayberry Academy in Marietta. Joel earned his Educational Specialist in Educational Leadership, Master of Education in Instructional Technology, and Bachelor of Science in Middle Grades Education from Kennesaw State University.

We asked Joel, why did you want to work at Trinity School? His response: “It’s a special place that seems to truly want to focus on the whole child and early education.”

Kayla Betz joins Team Trinity as a Second Grade Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Katherine Goldberg. Kayla comes to us from Pace Academy, where she was a First-Grade teacher. She started her career in education as a preschool teacher at International Preschools

in Atlanta, then worked her way from general education paraprofessional to First Grade lead teacher at Chestnut Elementary School in Dunwoody, where she also worked in the afterschool program. Kayla has a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education from Mercer University and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Georgia State University.

was once again a team lead in OrtonGillingham phonics instruction as well as Lucy Calkins Reading and Writing workshops. An Orton-Gillingham Associate, Jaclyn has a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education from Oglethorpe University and a Bachelor of Science in Family and Consumer Science from the University of Arizona.

We asked Kayla, why did you want to work in education? Her response:

We asked Jaclyn, what is your teaching philosophy? Her response:

“I wanted to join a career where I could make a difference and leave a positive impact.”

“I believe it is essential to foster a safe, nurturing, and engaging classroom environment for our children to learn, both independently and collaboratively, and grow into productive members of our community.”

Jessi Books joins Team Trinity as a Pre-K Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Jaclyn Connell and Associate Teacher SatyaGrace Kaskade. She most recently served as an English tutor and a content marketing specialist. Prior to that, she held numerous marketing internships.

Jessi has a Bachelor of Arts in International Comparative Studies from Duke University.

We asked Jessi, why did you want to work in education? Her response: “I’ve had a love for teaching and working with children my whole life but pursued marketing in college. After graduating, I volunteered with children in my community and realized that was my greatest passion!”

Jaclyn Connell joins Team Trinity as a Pre-K Lead Teacher and works alongside Associate Teachers Jessi Books and SatyaGrace Kaskade.

Jaclyn comes to us from The Preschool at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, where she was the Pre-K Stem Innovation lead teacher. No stranger to independent schools, she began her career as a First-Grade assistant teacher at Woodward Academy North in Johns Creek, followed by two years as a Kindergarten teacher at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School, where she was the team lead in Orton-Gillingham phonics. Jaclyn then taught First Grade at Heards Ferry Elementary School in Sandy Springs, where she

Jayna Cook joins us as our Literacy Instructional Specialist, a new role at Trinity.

Read more about Jayna and this new position on page 24.

Taylor Davidson joins Team Trinity as a Second Grade Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Emily Pritchard. Taylor most recently served as a Third-Grade long-term substitute teacher at The Schenck School, and she has student teaching experience at Montevideo Middle School and Westwood Elementary School, both in Virginia.

She has also served as the art director and head camp counselor at Camp Live Oak in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Taylor has a Bachelor of Fine Art in Studio Art and an art teaching license from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

We asked Taylor, why did you want to work in education? Her response: “I have always had an interest in working with kids and helping people. When I was a kid, I struggled a lot in school. I was/am dyslexic; my teachers didn’t know how to help me, and people even made fun of me. When I was in the Fourth Grade, I got a teacher who completely changed my perspective on education.

She made school fun, cared about me as a person, and, above all else, empowered me with tools I still use to this day. I hope to be a teacher as awesome as her for my students. It has been extremely rewarding to make school a positive and fun experience for kids and help them learn vital tools they will use for the rest of their lives. I believe teachers are incredibly important, and we have the privilege of helping kids become successful and thoughtful individuals.”

Emily Davis joins Team Trinity as the Upper Elementary Art Teacher.

Emily comes to us from The Paideia School, where she spent seven years teaching Third and Fourth Grade; led a variety of after-school classes, including knitting and origami; and served two summers as a camp counselor and aftercare coordinator.

During the summer of 2022, she was the STEAM and art specialist at In the City Camps in Atlanta, where her work included planning and implementing STEAM programming for Kindergarten–Fifth Graders and a middle school fiber arts curriculum.

In addition, she previously served as a social skills facilitator; a D.I.R. professional who used Dr. Stanley Greenspan’s Floortime model to work one-on-one with children of all ages and levels of development to improve their social interactions, development, and emotional language; and a lead counselor at Blowing Rock Parks and Recreation Summer Camp in Boone, North Carolina, Emily also spent three years abroad, first in Beijing, China, where she served as a Kindergarten English teacher and an English language reading and oral skills teacher as well as a voice actor, singer and magician’s assistant at the National Puppet Theater. She then moved to Cairns, Australia, where she worked in the tourism industry as a cruise attendant and reef naturalist for Reef Magic Cruises, a Chinese translator and wilderness guide at Cairns Tropical Zoo, and an interpreter

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and crocodile handler at Marineland Melanesia. Emily has a Master of Arts in Art and Design with a concentration in Art Education from Kennesaw State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Women’s Studies from Appalachian State University.

We asked Emily, why did you want to work at Trinity? Her response: “As an Atlanta native, I have long been aware of Trinity’s unique childhoodcentered pedagogy. I find the dedication to a playful and nurturing elementary education very refreshing.”

Kari-Ann Dunkley-Burr began serving as Trinity’s Director of Human Resources on May 17.

For the past eight years, Kari-Ann has worked in Human Resources, gaining experience in end-to-end HR functions that include talent cycle management, people development, and culture building. She came to us from Preferred Apartment Communities, where she worked her way from Human Resources Generalist to Interim Director of Human Resources and previously served as Human Resources Coordinator at Global Construction Enterprises in Kissimmee, Florida, and Human Resource Lead/Customer Experience Manager at Banana Republic in Miami.

Kari-Ann spent the first half of her career in the education field, teaching English to middle and high school students in Atlanta as well as in the United Arab Emirates. Certified as a Professional in Human Resources, she has an Undergraduate Certificate in Human Resources Management from Ashworth College in Peachtree Corners, Georgia; a Master of Secondary Education from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona; and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Florida International University.

We asked Kari-Ann, why did you want to work at Trinity? Her response: “You walk into Trinity, and you get a feeling that you are among great people who are here to make

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sure that students thrive. With such tenure among the faculty and staff, you know that there are good things happening here to garner such commitment to the organization and its goals.”

Ashante Gilstrap joins Team Trinity as a Fourth Grade Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Brian Toth. Ashante began her teaching career as an early Pre-K teacher at Brookside Academy in Alpharetta, then spent five years as an educational instructor with the Dekalb County School District.

She then joined The Suzuki School, where she spent three years as a lead Montessori teacher, four years as the associate director of admissions, and three years as the associate director.

Ashante has a Master of Science in Education in Elementary Education from Cambridge College as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Art Therapy and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, both from Converse College.

We asked Ashante, why did you want to work in education? Her response: “The beauty of being a part of fostering a child’s educational foundation in the early years is priceless.”

Devora Gutman joins team Trinity as a Third Grade Lead Teacher and works alongside Associate Teacher Julia Alexander. Devora comes to us from Katz Hillel Day School in Boca Raton, Florida, where she served as a Third-Grade lead teacher for three years and a Third-Grade associate teacher for six. She has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Central Florida.

We asked Devora, what is your teaching philosophy? Her response: “I wholeheartedly believe in classroom community and building relationships with my students so that they feel safe and comfortable to learn. I hope to create a space for them to take responsibility for their learning.”

Abbey Hardman joins the Trinity faculty as a Kindergarten Lead Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Kate Burton and Senior Associate Teacher Laurice Drews.

She comes to us from Sarah Smith Elementary in Atlanta, where she was a First-Grade teacher. Prior to that, Abbey taught Kindergarten and Second Grade in the Henry County School System and was a First-Grade student-teacher and lead teacher assistant at Berry College Elementary and Middle School in Rome, Georgia.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education with an ESOL Endorsement from Berry College and is working toward her Master of Education in Elementary Literacy with Reading Endorsement from Georgia State University.

We asked Abbey, why did you want to work at Trinity? Her response: “When visiting Trinity, I fell in love with the environment. The people I met made me feel at home.

The environment and school reminded me so much of Berry Elementary where I fell in love with teaching, and I knew Trinity would be the place for me.

It simply felt like home.”

Cathryn Lager, a Trinity parent who has served as a Substitute Teacher since 2020, joins Team Trinity as an Early Learners Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Pam Lauer. Prior to working in education, Cathryn spent most of her career in the corporate world.

Over an 11-year period, she worked in many capacities at TrialGraphix, which included educating clients on new technologies, providing sales training to teams across five offices, and collaborating on effective presentation strategies. She then served as a service line enablement and account manager at EY in Atlanta for six years. Cathryn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Florida State University.

We asked Cathryn, why did you want to work at Trinity? Her response: “I have loved our family’s experience at Trinity, both as the parent of a rising Fifth Grader and as a substitute teacher. I believe Trinity’s mission to help kids flourish through the combination of cherishing childhood and building a strong academic foundation is so special.”

Christina Lindsay joins Team Trinity as a Pre-K Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Kaitlin Snodgrass and Associate Teacher Stephanie Mosac. Christina comes to us from The Mount Vernon School, where she was a member of the Extended Play preschool faculty.

She previously worked overseas as a substitute teacher and special education paraprofessional at Ryukyu Middle School on the Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan; as a Kindergarten paraprofessional at Landstuhl Elementary School in Landstuhl, Germany; and as a Kindergarten paraprofessional at Yokota West Elementary School, an education and training specialist at the Yume Child Development Center, and a PSCD (Preschool Children with Disabilities) paraprofessional at Joan K. Mendel Elementary School - all on the Yokota Air Base in Japan. Christina has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Phoenix and is working towards her Master of Education in Elementary Education.

We asked Christina, what is your teaching philosophy? Her response: “Children should have a choice in what they learn within the classroom. It promotes creativity that builds the imagination and increases the mindset of power and control that they will need in their adult lives. I also believe students require structure, repetition, and balance to help foster their learning. I strive to set a good example by showing students that I enjoy being a teacher as well as a lifelong learner.”

Jasmine Mitchell joined Team Trinity in late April as an Extended Programs Lead Teacher. A native of Douglasville, Georgia, Jasmine earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Georgia State University. While in college, she served as a nanny in the Metro Atlanta Area and realized how much she enjoyed working with children and helping with their growth and development. Before coming to Trinity, Jasmine was a lead teacher and team leader at an early learning facility in Kennesaw for children ages six weeks to 12 years. Additionally, she has experience in customer service from her previous roles as a receptionist and hostess.

Courtney Nguyen joins Team Trinity as a Second Grade Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Claire Snyder. For the last four years, Courtney has been a FirstGrade teacher at The Academy of Scholars in Decatur. Prior to that, she worked at Cotton Indian Elementary School in Stockbridge for three years, first as a Third-Grade teacher, then as a Second-Grade teacher. Courtney holds a Gifted Endorsement as well as a Master of Education and a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education from University of West Georgia.

We asked Jasmine, why did you want to work at Trinity? Her

response: “I have wanted to work in education since I was a little girl. I have always loved the thought of working with children, but it wasn’t until I became a teacher that I realized it is way more than ‘just working with children,’ I love seeing my students learn and the moment when they finally understand something. I love building relationships with my students and connecting with them on a deeper level than just in the classroom.”

response: “Trinity’s values, policies, and opportunity for growth are what really attracted me.”

Hannah Claire Morris joins Team Trinity as an Early Learners Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Robin Martin and Associate Teacher Charlotte Maguire. Hannah Claire comes to us from Landmark Christian School in Fairburn, Georgia, where she was a substitute teacher for threeyear-olds through Fifth Grade and where she completed her Pre-K and Kindergarten teacher candidacy internship. She has also served as an assistant teacher at preschools in Mississippi. Hannah Claire has a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Family Science with a concentration in Child Development from Mississippi State University.

We asked Hannah Claire, what is your teaching philosophy?

Her response: “My philosophy is to make every moment engaging and fun. When children find learning to be fun, they are more motivated in the classroom, and keeping students engaged is a key part of their learning and attitude toward school.”

We asked Courtney, why did you want to work in education? Her

Alyssa Rooks joins the Trinity faculty as a Fourth Grade Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Hunter Branch. Alyssa comes to us from The Westminster Schools, where she most recently served as a Third-Grade lead teacher; the Lower School Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion coordinator; and a JV girls basketball coach. In addition, she spent six years there as a Pre-First lead teacher, during which she was the 2019 recipient of the O. Wayne Rollins Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. Prior to that she was a learning support specialist for grades K-5 at Bay Ridge Preparatory School in Brooklyn, New York. OrtonGillingham Certified, Alyssa has a Master of Arts in Education in Early Childhood Education from Lesley University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Spelman College.

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We asked Alyssa, why did you want to work in education? Her

Psychology from Georgia College & State University.

response: “I wanted to work in education to foster a love and respect of learning, in and outside of the academics.”

We asked Catherine, why did you want to work in education? Her

Alyssa Scarboro joins Team Trinity as a Pre-K Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Leah Lenhardt and Associate Teacher Anne Jones. Alyssa comes to us from Proud Moments ABA in Atlanta, where she served as an autism spectrum disorder behavior therapist. Prior to that, she was an associate recruiter at NextWave Resources in Boynton Beach, Florida, and an admissions counselor at Keiser University in West Palm Beach, Florida. Alyssa has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Georgia College & State University.

We asked Alyssa, what are you most looking forward to during your first year here? Her response: “Fostering growth! I love having opportunities to say, ‘What have we learned? How are we going to grow from this?’ even when it feels hard. At four, that often comes with tears and maybe even some frustration, but learning to appreciate those moments for what they offer is my wheelhouse.

Just observing it is amazing but then I find it happening to me, too. At any age, I think a growth mindset is profound.

I have so much love in my heart for these kids and cannot wait for my first year at Trinity!”

Catherine Strickland joins Team Trinity as the Extended Programs Curriculum Associate. She previously served as a unit leader and the assistant director of the counselor in training program at Camp Juliette Low in Cloudland, Georgia. Catherine has additional experience working with children as a registered behavior technician at Pure Heart Behavioral Therapy in Milledgeville, Georgia; a tutor; and a nanny. Catherine recently received her Bachelor of Science in

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response: “My senior year of high school, I had the opportunity to be an intern for the preschool at my school. I had the best experience and decided I wanted to work in the education field. I spent college tutoring, nannying, and working at camp during the summers.

These experiences made me realize I had a passion for learning and working with children.”

Carlos Taylor, who has been subbing at Trinity since October 2022, joins Team Trinity full time as a Fifth Grade Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teachers Bridget Billups and Michaela Davida. He was previously an English educator with Teach for America. Certified as a Professional Scrum Master, Carlos has served as an assistant closing officer at Ganek Real Estate and a project coordinator at My Beloved Home. He has a Bachelor of Science in English Education from Alabama State University.

We asked Carlos, what you are most looking forward to this school year? His response: “I’m most looking forward to learning from colleagues to be the best educator I can while building relationships to establish meaningful connections.

I’m also looking forward to creating traditions in the classroom that students can remember for years to come.”

Mary Teske, who served as a substitute teacher at Trinity from January 2023 until the end of the school year and from 2015 to 2018, joins our faculty full time as a Fourth Grade Associate Teacher and works alongside Lead Teacher Marcia Twiggs. She previously served as the assistant athletic coach at Atlanta Girls’ School; spent 12 years as a certified cycling instructor and group fitness trainer; and worked in Atlanta’s

corporate world, including time as a supervisor/team trainer and patient care coordinator with SCP Health, program manager/team trainer with Premedex, and sales specialist with Peloton Interactive. Mary has a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

We asked Mary, what you are most looking forward to this school year? Her response: “I am most looking forward to creating a positive classroom culture, where students feel valued and supported.

Moreover, I am looking forward to building strong relationships with my students, getting to know their interests, and their hopes and goals for the year.”

Jeff Wright began serving as Trinity’s Campus Security Manager on June 5. Jeff, who has four decades of law enforcement and security experience, comes to us from Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School, where he was the assistant director of security for five years. He previously served as the director of security for Waffle House and the senior forensic examiner and director of mobile forensics at The Norcross Group. Prior to that, Jeff was assigned to the FBI in Atlanta, where he was a cyber unit task force agent with top security clearance. He also spent 20 years with the Fulton County Police Department, working his way from patrolman to major case detective. Jeff is certified in the Reid Technique of Interviewing and Interrogation and has undergone specialized FBI training classes in computer crimes, hostage negotiations, and homicide. He has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University.

We asked Jeff, what are you most looking forward to during your first year here? His response: “I’m looking forward to contributing to the safety plan and meeting all the families and staff.”

Faculty and Staff Milestones Join us as we celebrate the personal milestones of Trinity School’s faculty and staff in this recurring feature.

Second Grade Associate Teacher Courtney Clack, who began working at Trinity this year, married Peter Nguyen on July 1. Their wedding was held at The Wheeler House in Ball Ground, Georgia.

At Trinity since 2018, Director of Spotlight on Art and Special Events Leisy Stevenson and her husband, Dan Stevenson, welcomed their first child, Henry David Stevenson, on March 1.

At Trinity since 2015, Upper Elementary Division French Teacher Sarah Meurisse and her husband, Laurent, welcomed André Meurisse on April 6. André joins proud older siblings Mila, Willow, and Liam.

At Trinity since 2019, Kindergarten Lead Teacher Marley West and her husband, Spenser West, welcomed their second son, Henry Turner West, on March 6. Henry joins proud big brother SJ.

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Highlights Trinity Tidbits

By Nicole Fash, Director of Marketing and Communications

Kerry Coote earns certification from Harvard Math Specialist Kerry Coote, who has been at Trinity since 2012, received her Instructional Leadership Certificate (ILC) from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education in May after participating in four six-week online courses. According to Harvard’s website, the ILC is “designed to build capacity in those who serve or aspire to serve in instructional leadership roles, such as mentors, coaches, department chairs, grade-level leaders, and facilitators of professional development. All courses address three certificate throughlines: Advanced Instructional Excellence, Leading and Motivating Educators, and Aligning Purpose and Practice.”

“Learning how to be an effective teacher leader was one of my major goals, and I want to continue to grow outside of my math specialization,” says Kerry. “Completing the Instructional Leadership Certificate gave me a deeper understanding of how to balance Trinity’s focus on learning and growing the confidence and competence of all learners, including teachers and students.”

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Deisy Pinto obtains master’s degree and certification In August, Upper Elementary Spanish Teacher Deisy Pinto, who has been at Trinity since 2018, earned her Master of Education in Instructional Design and Technology as well as a Certificate in eLearning Design from the University of Georgia.

Deisy says, “Throughout the years in the classroom, I have found that the appropriate use of technology is an essential educational tool when learning a language, as long as it is guided and purposeful.

The challenges of sudden remote education during the first year of COVID bolstered my desire to embark on a journey to enhance my abilities in the use of technology to create instructional materials. The knowledge I have acquired as an instructional designer relates to the principles I have been using in the classroom and enhances my skills as instructional design opens windows to other disciplines,” she continues. “As a language instructor with a vast experience in the classroom, instructional design led me to develop a deeper awareness and understanding of how the learner/ target audience is approached and how the material is presented and evaluated.”

Joanna Rios Vargas receives associate’s degree Trinity Receptionist Joanna Rios Vargas, who began working at Trinity in 2019 as a part-time Extended Programs Teacher and Substitute Teacher, completed her Associate of Science in Business Administration from Georgia Highlands College this summer after earning a spot on the Dean’s List for three consecutive semesters. She is now pursuing a Bachelor of Business Administration in Computer Information Systems at Georgia State University.

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Highlights

Madame Meurisse earns TEFL certification

Division Heads present at SAIS Conference

Lucretia Cahill becomes published author…again

At Trinity since 2015, Upper Elementary French Teacher Sarah Meurisse recently completed the Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification, which is an online program that takes 120 hours to complete.

Early Elementary Division Head Sheree Du Preez and Upper Elementary Division Head Ira Dawson, who joined Team Trinity in 2021, presented “Moving Forward as Leaders” during the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) summer conference held June 26–28 in Sarasota, Florida.

Their session centered around how two experienced administrators who were new to a school community established meaningful connections with faculty and staff and implemented new programs on the heels of the stresses and changes resulting from the pandemic.

Early Elementary Spanish Teacher Lucretia Cahill, who joined Team Trinity in 2020, recently published four more children’s books, bringing her total to nine. Most of these books are available in Spanish adaptations and have been published by Hameray Publishing Group. Her newest additions are It Is Your Turn (also available as Te toca a ti), The Line-Up Train (La fila del tren), Nature Walk, and Paco Is Too Little. Her other titles are Happy For Others, In Class (En la clase), Playing Sports (Practicar deportes), Socks (Los calcetines), and Tall and Small. Lucretia continues to write, and her musings can be found on her parenting blog, runonmom.com.

“I wanted to earn this certification to help understand how English is taught around the world through this globally recognized program,” says Sarah. “While the intention of the program is to teach English as a second language, I learned fun techniques for teaching French.”

LongHorn Steakhouse founder shares wisdom with Sixth Graders On May 16, Sixth Graders from the Class of 2023 enjoyed an extraordinary visit from a true visionary, George McKerrow Jr., the co-founder and CEO of Ted’s Montana Grill and founder of LongHorn Steakhouse. With enthusiasm and wisdom, Mr. McKerrow shared invaluable insights about the path to success, emphasizing the importance of hard work, unwavering commitment, learning from failures, taking bold steps, and remaining humble throughout the journey.

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Fifth Graders enjoy overnight trip to Camp Twin Lakes On April 27 and 28, last year’s Fifth Graders embarked on their much-anticipated annual outdoor education trip to Camp Twin Lakes. It was a resounding success, with our students creating lifelong memories that they will cherish for years to come. They had an absolute blast participating in a wide range of activities that included canoeing, rock climbing, team-building exercises, archery, and much more! We are thrilled to see our students learn and grow through these hands-on experiences.

Sixth Graders select BlazeSports as nonprofit beneficiary and host adaptive sports day Last year’s Sixth Graders selected BlazeSports America as the nonprofit beneficiary to receive a monetary gift from Spotlight on Art 2023. The legacy organization of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games, BlazeSports strives to “change the lives of children and veterans with physical disabilities through adaptive sports and recreation.” On April 28, BlazeSports joined Trinity for the day, leading our Upper Elementary P.E. classes. Their activities included wheelchair basketball, wheelchair relay races, and sitting volleyball. This was an amazing opportunity for students of all abilities to come together, learn the power of possibility, have fun, and experience the joy of adaptive sports.

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Highlights

Kyle and Brent Pease’s inspirational story motivates Trinity Fifth Graders On April 28, last year’s Fifth Graders were inspired by Kyle and Brent Pease’s story as they prepared for the Fifth-Grade Olympics.

Born with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, Kyle has never let his disability stop him from striving for his best, and together with his brother Brent, has become one of the most recognizable endurance athletes in the world. The Pease brothers have completed more than 75 races together, including four IRONMAN triathlons, and founded The Kyle Pease Foundation to “improve the lives of people with disabilities through sports” and “create opportunities of inclusion for every person with a disability.”

The brothers’ interminable bond and message of meeting challenges resonated with our students, encouraging them to work together and strive for their finish as they pursue their own goals and dreams.

For as Kyle says, “Where there is a wheel, there is a way.”

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Writer encourages students to engage with the natural world

Trinity School community supports Kate’s Club at Day of Service

Writer and educator Susie Spikol, who has been a naturalist for more than 30 years, presented “Writing from my Wild Side” to our Kindergarten–Second-Grade students on April 28. The author of the award-winning book, The Animal Adventurer’s Guide: How to Prowl for an Owl, Make Snail Slime, and Catch a Frog Bare-Handed, which received the 2022 National Parenting Product Award, shared her passion for animals, insights on observing wildlife in their natural habitat, and her experience writing a book. During the event, she also showcased various nature artifacts, including nests, snake skins, and an eagle feather. To ignite curiosity and exploration in Discovery Woods, the Media Center provided a copy of Ms. Spikol’s book to every Early Elementary classroom.

Members of the Trinity School community once again demonstrated their commitment to giving back during Trinity’s Day of Service with Kate’s Club on March 25. Kate’s Club is a nonprofit organization that provides critical social and therapeutic programming to grieving children and their families at no cost, making every contribution invaluable. The support and donations from the Trinity community were greatly appreciated. Approximately 100 Kate’s Club participants – grieving children and their families who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver – enjoyed an indoor festival hosted

by Trinity. The event featured a bouncy slide, video game truck, photo booth, carnival and group games, music, crafts, and lunch, providing a day of fun and healing for the children. Additionally, the event also allowed parents and caregivers of Kate’s Club kids to connect and participate in “Caregiver Connection” time, a rare opportunity for them to support each other while the children were engaged in the festivities.

Sixth Graders enjoy overnight adventure on outdoor ed trip Camp Twin Lakes was abuzz with laughter and excitement on March 30 and 31, when members of last year’s Sixth Grade Leadership Class enjoyed their second outdoor education trip of the school year.

The students created cherished memories while engaging in a variety of traditional outdoor activities. From paddle boating to team-building games, archery to rock climbing, the trip provided the perfect blend of adventure and camaraderie for these young adventurers.

Retired Air Force commander gives leadership presentation On February 14, Lieutenant Colonel (ret) Brian Gyovai, who is the parent of a Trinity alum, met with last year’s Sixth Grade Leadership Class to share the lessons he learned flying fighter jets in the Air Force and to give insights into what it takes to be a part of a high-functioning team.

Jeff Morrison joins Blackbaud Advisory Board At Trinity since 2011, Director of Education Technology Jeff Morrison, PhD, was asked to join cloud computing provider Blackbaud’s K-12 Advisory Board in February.

Also a founding member of ATLIS (Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools), Jeff utilizes these positions to maintain a network of like-minded professionals to help ensure that Trinity School stays on top of the latest technology and best practices.

Val Boone presents at Georgia Conference on Children’s Literature Instructional and Media Technologist Val Boone, who has been at Trinity since 2021, partnered with her sister, a fellow educator, to present “Lego in the Library: Maximizing Creativity to Build Literacy” at the Georgia Conference on Children’s Literature that was held March 17 and 18 in Athens, Georgia.

This annual conference attracts hundreds of educators, school media specialists, public librarians, authors, illustrators, and scholars specializing in children’s literature from the Southeastern region and other areas.

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Highlights

Renowned composer and musician Malcolm Dalglish wows Trinity students Last school year, we were thrilled to welcome the talented musician and composer Malcolm Dalglish as Trinity’s artist-in-residence the week of March 20. With his exceptional skill on the hammer dulcimer, along with his choral music, mime, rhyme, rhythm, song, stories, body percussion, and percussion spoons, he captivated all our students at a March 21 all-school assembly and during music classes. In addition, he collaborated extensively with Trinity’s Instrumental Ensemble and singing group, Harmony.

Additionally, Harmony performed “Wild Spring,” an original composition that Mr. Dalglish created especially for Trinity, at the Celebration of Cultures Assembly on March 24. His residency was made possible by Trinity’s Miriam Griffin Artist-in-Residence Program.

Since 1999, Trinity School has connected students with artists from around the country through its Artist-in-Residence program.

Established to honor Miriam Griffin, who served as Trinity’s first head of school, the program has allowed students to work directly with artists in various fields and engage with them in their crafts. Meeting the artists and working firsthand with them develops an appreciation and enthusiasm in our students that is unparalleled. Over the years, we have welcomed painters, printmakers, puppeteers, sculptors, storytellers, authors, singers and songwriters, papermakers, and more.

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Ovorus and Pileggi focus on microscopes during speed sharing session Fourth and Sixth Grade Science Teacher Brooke Ovorus, who has been at Trinity since 2014, and Makerspace Specialist Paul Pileggi, who has been at Trinity since 2012, led a speed sharing session during the March 22–25 National Science Teaching Association’s conference in Atlanta. Their presentation centered on making magnification accessible across all elementary ages. They drew inspiration from the recent incorporation of different microscopes at Trinity, each tailored to cater to students of varying ages and levels of expertise, and their positive impact on learning and outcomes.

Burton and Holden present at NSTA conference On March 24, Kindergarten Lead Teacher Kate Burton, at Trinity since 2007, and then Early Elementary Math Specialist Becky Holden, who worked at Trinity 2015 until her retirement at the end of the 2022-23 school year, presented “Early Engineering and Subtraction with Tub People” at the National Science Teaching Association’s conference in Atlanta. Their presentation focused on how the classic picture book The Tub People can be used to deepen young learners’ understanding of subtraction under 10 and how rapid prototypes help solve compelling engineering challenges. Participants explored how this text and other literature can be an anchor for hands-on early mathematics and engineering.

Lunch Bunch goes on safari On February 3, last year’s Early Learners who stay for Lunch Bunch went in search of wildlife on Trinity’s campus during the annual Extended Programs safari. They spotted all types of animals during the expedition and even discovered Stripes and enjoyed a dance party with him.

Early Learner scientists experiment with ice and snow

Second Graders explore space at the Tellus Museum

On January 31, last year’s Early Learners participated in the grade-level’s annual Science Fair. During this special grade-wide teaming project, students from the three Early Learners classrooms were placed in nine different lab groups, each overseen by an Early Learners teacher.

In addition to learning scientific principles through some fun winter-themed experiments—such as snowstorm in a jar, magnetic ice, and exploding snowmen—the students made connections across classrooms, building relationships within the larger Early Learners community.

On January 25, last year’s Second Graders had a blast when they “traveled” through space at the Tellus Museum, learning all about our solar system. Students started their journey by watching a show in the planetarium, then they discussed how gravity works at the pendulum exhibit, then moved on to activities that demonstrate different heat levels of stars and what happens as the solar system rotates.

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Highlights

Trinity Traditions Trinity School’s rich history began in 1951, and we maintain and occasionally update numerous grade-level, divisionwide, and school-wide traditions that reinforce the School’s identity, curriculum, and values. This section is dedicated to highlighting some of the many special events that our students look forward to every year.

101 Days of First Grade In February, First Graders celebrated the 101st day of school. Dressing up as the 101 Dalmatians, students developed numeracy through special games and activities designed around the number 101.

Second Grade Valentine Necklaces A beloved tradition since 2001, handmade Valentine’s Day necklaces were given to moms and other loved ones during February’s Second Grade Morning with Mom. The necklaces are handmade with love by Second Graders every step of the way, from molding the clay and stamping the design to selecting the color and glazing the hearts.

Third Grade Living Museum In February, history came alive as each Third Grader researched and took on a historic figure’s persona. Third Graders walked the red carpet and confidently told their character’s story before assembled students and visitors during the Living Museum.

Pre-K Olympics In February, Pre-K students trained hard to participate in specially adapted sporting events during their very own Olympics. Students had fun while learning about different countries and teamwork as they earned medals during events such as “bobsledding,” tricycle and “horse” racing, hurdles, basketball, and soccer. Teachers and

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family members were there to cheer them on.

Kindergarten Trip Around the World Through the month of February, Kindergartners embarked on different journeys across the globe. This beloved unit of study took them to Australia, England, Ghana, and Mexico, where they gained a deep understanding of the history, geography, and culture of those countries. Through this immersive experience, students not only had a blast but also developed a better appreciation for the diversity and richness of the world around them.

During the week of February 27, our Kindergartners eagerly shared all their newfound knowledge and fun experiences with their peers and parents.

First Grade Zoo Exhibit On March 3, First Graders wrapped up their month-long animal research project with the annual Zoo Exhibit!

Students dressed up as their favorite animals, walked the Trinity blue carpet, and confidently shared their findings with classmates and parents. In addition, the First Graders publish their research in their very own nonfiction animal books.

Celebration of Cultures This year marked Trinity School’s 10th annual Celebration of Cultures, one of Trinity’s beloved traditions.

March 24 was a day set aside to share and celebrate cultures inside our classrooms as well as through special performances throughout the day, including Trinity’s allschool assembly. Students, faculty, staff, and parent volunteers were encouraged to dress up in a way that highlighted aspects of their ethnicity, race, heritage, nationality, hobbies,

or interests. This year’s Celebration included an HBC-inspired drumline; an Indian Kathak performer; master storyteller Mama Koku; Trinity’s Artist-in-Residence Malcolm Dalglish; a Mariachi band; and Caribbean dancers and a stilt walker.

Fourth Grade Westward Expansion In March, Trinity Fourth Graders took a step back in time to the 1800s as they concluded their exploration of pioneer life on the Oregon Trail. After weeks of learning about the challenges and adventures of settlers expanding into the American West, the students experienced a culminating event with their moms and special friends.

Fourth Graders donned western attire, gathered around the campfire to enjoy a hearty breakfast, participated in games and challenges, showcased their newfound knowledge and skills, and showed off their model homesteads, the result of their group project.

Fifth Grade Olympics May 5 was a thrilling day for Fifth Graders as they took part in the annual Fifth Grade Olympics. The students put their athletic skills to the test and displayed remarkable teamwork and sportsmanship as they cheered on their classmates. The day was filled with a variety of challenging competitions, including relay races, hurdles, and high jumps. Every single student who participated in this incredible event displayed hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship and made the day a huge success.

Sixth Grade Performance For the 45th year, the Sixth Grade Leadership Class performed their annual musical production with Second through Fifth Grade students participating as members of the

chorus. During the spring show, The Big Bad Musical, a courtroom has never been livelier or more fun!

The notorious Big Bad Wolf was slapped with a class-action lawsuit by storybook characters who wanted to get even: Little Red Riding Hood, her Grandmother, the Three Little Pigs, and the Shepherd in charge of the Boy Who Cried Wolf. While newscasters reported live from the courthouse, the two greatest legal minds in the Enchanted Forest - the Evil Stepmother and the Fairy Godmother - clashed in a trial that will be remembered forever after.

As our wronged fairy tale characters testified, the wolf seemed deserving of all that he had coming to him, yet he ended up making a good case for himself. What was the verdict, innocent or guilty? The jury (the audience) decided innocent for one show and guilty for the other during the biggest trials ever in the fairy-tale world.

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Kindergarten Chick Masters Since 2008, Kindergartners have explored chicken life cycles, learning responsibility and compassion through egg care, hatching, and chick nurturing. This exploration is part of a broader study on the classification and life cycles of animals, including fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. Over a two-week period in May, Kindergartners traveled with their chicks and visited students in other grades to share all they had learned during their time as Chick Masters.

Field Day A Trinity tradition since 1986, Field Day is an end-of-the-year celebration for Kindergarten through Sixth Grade students. Held over three days in May, the event included athletic competitions and Sportsmanship Awards for each grade. From tug-ofwar to potato sack races, students enjoyed these fun-filled days.

2 1. 101 Days of First Grade 2. Pre-K Olympics 3. Third Grade Living Museum

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All traditions occurred during the second half of the 2022-23 school year.

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Highlights

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4. Fourth Grade Westward Expansion 5. Kindergarten Chick Masters 6. Sixth Grade Performance 7. First Grade Zoo Exhibit 8. Field Day 9. Second Grade Valentine Necklaces

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10. Celebration of Cultures 11. Field Day 12. Kindergarten Trip Around the World 13. Sixth Grade Performance 14. Kindergarten Trip Around the World 15. 101 Days of First Grade 16. Fifth Grade Olympics

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Features Mark your calendars!

Artists Market January 29–February 3, 2024 Trinity School 4301 Northside Parkway NW, Atlanta Featuring the work of more than 300 selected artists, spanning all price points and styles, the Artists Market includes an ever-changing inventory in 6,000 square feet of gallery space.

An average of 1,000 pieces of artwork are sold daily, and curated sections are contemporary, home, jewelry realism/impressionism, representational Americana, and whimsical.

Opening Night Celebration Monday, January 29 | 6–9 PM

Cocktails and Canvases Friday, February 2 | 6–8 PM The Market is open to the public and includes free parking and admission. Visit SpotlightOnArt.com to see daily market hours and learn about this year’s artists.

Gala and Auction Celebration February 24, 2024 Atlanta History Center 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta Current parents, faculty, and staff as well as current and past members of the Board of Trustees and Alumni Association Board are invited to this special evening that is the culminating Spotlight on Art event. Tickets must be purchased in advance and last year’s event sold out quickly. Other members of the Trinity community can participate by bidding online for items.

Visit SpotlightOnArt.com for more information.

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Neiman Marcus Gallery Chair Melissa (center) poses for a photo with Spotlight on Art volunteer leaders and Trinity parents Dorsey, Alice, Emily, and Kara during An Evening at Neiman Marcus.

Spotlight on Art is off to another great start

By Leisy Stevenson, Director of Spotlight on Art and Special Events

This past spring, we wrapped up another exciting Spotlight on Art season.

More than 100 parent volunteers came together around a common goal to make each Spotlight event a success. Their hard work and dedication resulted in a record-breaking $795,000 being raised for Trinity School. We are extremely proud of last year’s team and were very eager to kick off the 42nd annual Spotlight on Art earlier this fall.

This year’s Spotlight on Art season began with our annual Pop-Up Gallery at Neiman Marcus at Lenox Square, which ran from September 23–October 22. This month-long gallery featured the artwork of five preeminent artists: Nikki Commander, Olivia Fields, Elaine Jackson, Kate Roebuck, and Maggie Thomason. We also held An Evening with Neiman Marcus, our Spotlight fashion show event earlier than usual. By hosting it on September 27, our Trinity families had more time to return to Neiman Marcus and shop.

The Spotlight on Art season continued with the Pop-Up Shop during parent-teacher conferences in early November. Open to current Trinity families, the Pop-Up Shop featured jewelry, home décor, and other small gift items. For the second year in a row, we hosted a Sip and Shop event on Monday, November 6, from 6–8 PM. This event was open to the public and allowed guests to have a more relaxed shopping experience while enjoying a specialty cocktail and light bites.

Kate Roebuck’s watercolor and ink creations pair elegantly with a piece from Olivia Fields’s Cowgirl Dreams collection.

Parents enjoy mingling before the fashion show during the recent An Evening at Neiman Marcus event.

We are looking forward to the highly anticipated Artists Market that will take place Monday, January 29–Saturday, February 3, 2024. Welcoming thousands of attendees each year, the Artists Market introduces original work by the best emerging talent as well as new pieces by established artists.

Inventory changes daily, so everyone is encouraged to stop by often. Also, mark your calendars for our signature evening events during the Market: Opening Night will be held on Monday, January 29, from 6–9 PM, and Cocktails and Canvases has updated hours this year and will be held on Friday, February 2, from 6–8 PM. Finally, we will cap off the Spotlight on Art season with our annual Gala and Auction, which will be held at the Atlanta History Center on Saturday, February 24. Open to current Trinity parents, faculty, staff, Trustees, and Alumni Association Board members, the fun-filled evening will feature silent and live auctions, a seated dinner catered by Bold Catering and Design, and live music. This final celebration is a great way to bring the community together and raise a toast to another successful year. More details, including ticket information, will be sent to the Trinity community soon.

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Features

Becky Maas enjoyed a safari on May 5 at Lake Nakuru National Park, where she saw giraffes and zebras among other exotic animals.

A journal on impact: witnessing clean water transformation in Kenya

By Becky Maas, Fifth Grade Science Teacher Since 2015, Trinity’s Fifth-Grade scientists have been raising money to provide clean drinking water to Kenyan families. They host the Freshwater Fair, where Trinity students pay five coins to play games and learn about freshwater animals. Fifth Graders also participate in a walk-a-thon to raise additional funds while simulating what it might be like to have to walk to get your water. The money from these two events goes to Start with One, a nonprofit organization that supplies water filters to different communities near Nakuru, Kenya.

Start with One works with local health departments and neighborhood leaders to reach every household in a region.

Each household is invited to receive a filter and be trained in how to use it. The filter system consists of two square plastic buckets: a gray bucket for the unfiltered water and a white bucket with a spigot for holding the filtered water. The filter screws onto the bottom of the gray bucket and removes the water-borne disease-carrying bacteria

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that sicken and kill so many and can last up to 10 years.

Simultaneously, it works under the simple weight of the dirty water itself, and it flows reasonably fast, which is important when families are counting on having water for cooking, cleaning, and drinking.

Each filter system costs about $40 to manufacture and ship. Start with One asks each recipient to contribute about $3 towards the ownership of the filter, although they will arrange a loan or grant if the person cannot afford that. The rest of the cost is carried through donations such as the ones from our Fifth Graders.

In the spring of 2019, I applied for a grant to visit Nakuru, Kenya, and see Start with One’s water distribution in action.

That fall, I was awarded The Chambers Medical Foundation Fund for Faculty Excellence grant; however, COVID sidelined all travel. It wasn’t until late spring of 2023 that I was finally able to make it to Kenya.

April 29: Traveling to Nakuru, Kenya We arrived late last night in Nairobi, Kenya. This morning, our bleary but excited group of seven intrepid volunteers meet with Bill and Chat Coble, the founders of Start with One, and several of their employees over breakfast.

Then, we begin our trip at the Giraffe Center, a wildlife refuge connected to the Nairobi National Park, where endangered giraffes, or “Twiga” as they are called in Swahili, are bred and protected.

From there, we begin our 100-mile drive to Nakuru, where Start with One is based. In America, this trip takes about an hour and a half. In Kenya, it takes three and a half hours. The road to Nakuru has recently been repaved, but it is far too narrow for the immense number of commuters and trucks carrying goods and materials between the port in Mombasa and other countries. As a result, we spend a large part of the journey on the shoulder, middle, or wrong side of the road, wherever space can be found. James, a Start with One driver and coordinator, fills me in on Kenyan politics and infrastructure. Roadways, waste handling, sewage and water systems, and electrical grids have all been woefully neglected during Kenya’s growth. As a result, the Kenyan government is trying to figure out how best to modernize its infrastructures around the existing cities, towns, and villages.

I learn immediately upon arriving in Nakuru that Start with One’s work extends beyond water filters. Before heading to our hotel, we stop by the Loving Hands Safe House, an orphanage where HIV-positive and abused children are loved and raised. Start with One has brought some much-needed food supplies. We receive a tour of the simple but tidy facility and a kind offer of Chai or Kenyan tea from the proprietor. Start with One filters are evident around the offices and kitchens!

Finally, we head to our home base, the Tumaini Conference Center. Thanks to Start with One, our hotel rooms and the hotel kitchen are equipped with water filters so that we can drink from our tap and fill up our water bottles for the day.

April 30: Church in Gituamba Today, our group travels an hour from Nakuru to the church in Gituamba, which is a refugee settlement. The people who live here are very impoverished and Start with One supplied water filters to this area about eight years ago. The people in Gituamba depend mostly on what they can grow, and slim harvest and inflation have hit this community very hard. The homes are typically one room with dirt floors. Many of them are made of mud and wood, and termites are abundant and effective at destroying what little these people have. The houses typically do not include plumbing or electricity. If the residents can afford it, they have some kind of cistern to catch rainwater for drinking during the rainy season. This water runs off the roof of the house, so it needs to be filtered before they can drink it safely. During the dry season, the people of Gituamba need to collect their water, usually walking to a creek or river.

Church in Gituamba is a multi-hour energizing affair, with singing, drumming, and inspiring preaching in English and Swahili. Babies and children wander in and out of the building. The community members look after each other, with children as young as six or seven watching over the babies and toddlers. After church, we distribute much-needed supplies, including cooking oil, wheat and corn flour, beans, salt, and soap. Afterward, the church hosts a lunch for everyone, and the children excitedly pile in the back of Bill’s pickup truck for a ride. A friend and I hitch a ride as he gives about 20 kids a bouncy, exciting half-mile adventure to the local school. The happy children, ranging in age from toddlers h to teenagers, then walk back to the church while we continue on to Bill’s storage unit for w his h water filters. Bill keeps his filters in two large shipping containers at the Start with One la satellite office. We load and secure about 200 s filter systems into the back of his pickup truck fi based on the number of people expected at the b filter distribution the next day. fi

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Features

May 1: First Day of Water Filter Distribution This is the day I’ve been waiting for. Start with One and our volunteer team head out to distribute water filters in Njoro, where they have identified 50,000 households who need them. They try to distribute 5,000 to 10,000 filters per year, but COVID has slowed their progress.

Start with One uses local churches as distribution centers.

We arrive to see a line snaking around the front yard. To ensure that each household gets a filter, Start with One has a list of attendees for this distribution event. I join the Start with One team at the check-in table. Each Njoro resident must provide their photo identification; be checked off the list; and pay their portion of the filter, which is 300 Kenyan shillings or about $3. They then enter the church and sit and wait while everyone is checked in.

Once the check-in process is complete, I join the team at the front of the church. The Start with One team begins the presentation, which is more personal than you might expect. Every person introduces themselves and gives some background to who they are. The life-changing importance of the filter is discussed. Then, we get down to business. We educate the recipients on how to avoid exposure to dangerous bacteria, most of which focus on hand washing. Although this seems obvious to us, if you don’t have clean water to wash your hands with, then there is no point.

Because this is my first filter distribution, I am assigned to explain when to wash your hands, e.g., after you go to the bathroom, after changing a diaper, and before preparing or eating food. Finally, we get to the featured attraction - THE FILTER. For the demonstration, Bill uses clear buckets to show the difference between clean and dirty water.

Bill explains how the filter works, how to use it, and how to take care of it. Finally, he pours around six goat poop pellets into the dirty water and mixes them around. There’s a murmur of discussion from this. Then he fills up his water bottle from the clean water bucket and takes a swig.

There’s an audible gasp from the crowd. He reassures them that the water is fine. I can’t help but hold back tears; these people’s lives are about to change. My students’ work, the fair, the walk-a-thon, these filters, these people, and me, all collide together at this moment.

My heart is full. We helped 174 families receive water filters today. y

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may y 2: A Gituamba Field Day If you give a town clean water, they will need a school for all the healthy children! That’s what Start with One discovered once the Gituamba settlement stopped suffering from water-borne diseases. Start with One built the JKC Gituamba Primary School for Grades 1 through 8.

The school provides clean water for washing and drinking as well as lunch for the students, which may be the only meal they have that day. The facilities are simple but durable: the classrooms have long metal tables, the walls are brick, the floor is concrete.

The school is on break during our visit and Start with One is doing some repairs and constructing a new science lab building. They recruit our group to help with the construction of the lab and assist with running a field day for the local children. As much as I would have loved to help build the science lab, it makes sense for me to help with the field day.

Before beginning work on the science lab, Bill discovers that the water taps outside the cafeteria have broken.

Since these taps are the children’s sources of clean water for drinking and washing, fixing them becomes the priority.

Field day begins while the repairs occur. There are about 500 children ranging in age from five to 16. Start with One has hired a youth director to run the field day events and the children are organized into four teams and lined up around the courtyard in a large square. I am in charge of one team, which I promptly name “Team Tigers.” The events consist of a team name competition, a sing-off, a chant-off, and numerous relay races around the quad.

The only equipment is a few plastic rings and a package of latex balloons. The field day ends with a rousing round of tug-o-war, using a rope we brought from Atlanta. There is certainly no water used At for fo playful relays. After the field day, the children are hot and sweaty. We announce ch that th the taps have been repaired, and they break out in excited cheering, then head b over for a drink. The taps are labeled “magi o ssafi” (safe water), and they drink from whatever they have, whether it is a plastic w cup, small plate, or their hands. c

may 3: Water Filter Distribution, Day 2 I awake excited for a second day of water filter distributions. Today, there will be two distribution sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. We get into the vans and head to a different church in Njoro. Once again, we are greeted by a long line of eager residents. Once again, I help at the check-in station. This gives me a chance to practice my limited Swahili, mostly “asante” (thank you), and “karibu” (you’re welcome).

During the presentations, I am allowed to explain how the filter works, its care, and how to assemble it. After having explained this to Fifth-Grade students for the last eight years, it is powerfully humbling to have the opportunity to do so for the people who are actually going to use the filter. As I look out into the audience, I find a mother with a new baby. “This beautiful baby will be almost as tall as me when the filter needs to be replaced if you care for it correctly,” I tell them.

Finally, it comes time to drink the water that has filtered out the animal poop. I fill my water bottle and lock eyes with an older gentleman in the crowd. His eyes widen, and he gives a small shake of his head. With a small smile, I say, “I tell my students, believe what I tell you, but see for yourself.” And with that, I drink half the bottle.

Don’t let anyone tell you that classroom dramatics aren’t useful on the larger world stage.

We distribute 260 filters that day, for a total of 434 filters during my trip. The cost of every single one of those filters was covered by my amazing Fifth Graders.

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may 4: Goodbye to Gituamba and a Water-Related Detour We return for one last visit to the JKC Gituamba Primary School. Half our group continues working on the science lab, while the rest of us spend a second day with the children. This is an opportunity for me to appreciate the talents of my groupmates as well as the children themselves. They welcome us with a collection of school songs, led by a self-confident Sixth Grader named Naomi.

I can’t help but compare her to our own capable SixthGrade leaders and think of how well she would fit in at Trinity. After the sing-along, we disperse throughout the schoolyard, visiting and playing with the students for the day. I help with some arts and crafts while others play with bubbles, do tricks on a skateboard, or even paint nails.

Before we know it, it is time to pack up and leave.

On the way home, Bill detours past a rushing creek and parks the van. The teenage Start with One volunteers pile out and immediately start a pickup game of soccer, and Bill motions me to the ravine’s edge. As we look down at the creek below, we see two young children bent over the brown water, filling two jerry cans. Upstream from them, their clothes are laid on rocks where they have put them to dry after washing. On the other side of the ravine, another child sits next to his goat. It isn’t hard to imagine what else the children are collecting along with the water in those jerry cans. Do they have a water filter at home?

Probably not. Maybe I should say, not yet.

May y 5: A Safari and Education in Kenya This is the day I’ve been waiting for. Start with One and our Bill and Chat Coble don’t want me to leave Kenya without seeing what it’s probably best known for: its amazing wildlife. James has a second job as a safari driver, so this morning he drives several of us to the Lake Nakuru National Park. I had seen the lake from a distance on previous days and had asked him if people owned lake homes. He told me then that the lake is part of a national park surrounded by a large barbed wire fence. I naively ask him why it is fenced, thinking of our own national parks. In a shocked voice, he says, “Because we don’t want the animals to get out!” Touring the park, I can see why. During our short visit, we see lions, rhinos, hippos, buffalo, and baboons, which he tells us can sometimes attack the car but that we shouldn’t worry, because he brought a stick. I don’t find that particularly reassuring.

It is astounding to see so many exotic creatures in their natural habitat.

In the afternoon, our safari contingent joins the rest of the group at the Ngala School for the Deaf, where our team is paving the kitchen and painting the benches in the cafeteria. Children with disabilities are not well supported in Kenya, and it is disheartening to see the limited resources for these children.

I also get a chance to talk with Chat about Start with One’s other mission – education. When they built the JKC Gituamba Primary School, they discovered that many children don’t go to school because education in Kenya is only free through eighth grade. It’s hard to motivate them to learn if they can’t pay for the subsequent education.

Start with One has set up an educational sponsorship program for students who score highly on the eighthgrade standardized tests. They currently coordinate the sponsorship of more than 100 students. This includes more than just school payments; they get their school supplies, make sure they get to school as most high schools are boarding schools, and they often provide a place for the children to stay when school is on break.

Most of their volunteers are teenage students who are sponsored and either can’t go home during break because it’s too far or don’t have a stable home to return to. Start with One hopes that by combining clean water and education, these families can start to pull themselves out of poverty.

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may 6: Last Day Goodbyes The team packs our suitcases into the Start with One vehicles and piles over to the Start with One headquarters, a.k.a. Bill and Chat’s house, a.k.a. a rotating dormitory for countless charming teenage boys who are part of their school sponsorship program. Some of their sponsored boys and girls have been helping us all week, but now that school is about to start again, it is time for us to sort bags of school supplies for each student before they head back to their school dorms. We all form an assembly line, filling bags with everything from notebooks to deodorant. Then it is time for hugs and goodbyes and we head off to the airport in Nairobi.

The long drive and subsequent flight give me plenty of time to think about the lives I just encountered over the past week. How easy it is to take clean water for granted, and how hard it is to obtain. How many people live with so little and how dramatically different that is from my own life and situation. The trip has brought a new depth to my understanding of both how Kenyans live and the challenges they face.

I can’t wait to share my experience with my students.

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Features

Discover the Woods

A’Glamping We Will Go

Space Camp

565 campers participated in

65 camps during the 2023 Trinity School Summer Camp.

Animal Music Camp

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Girls with Grit

Your child will enjoy an unforgettable experience at Trinity School

Summer Camp 2024!

Trinity School Summer Camp offers a variety of academic, specialty, and sports camps for children ages 4 to 13. From art to Legos, science to sports, choose your child’s summer adventure from our camps that will run Monday–Friday from June 3–28*, 2024. Join us in Before-Camp Care, Activities in the Afternoon, and After-Camp Care to extend your summer fun to a full day, from 7:30 AM–4 PM! There are also limited offerings available during a fifth session of summer camp that will occur July 29–August 2.

Trinity School Summer Camp is open to the public, and registration will open at 10 AM on January 25, 2024.

Many camps fill up on the first day of registration, so register early for the best selection.

www.trinityatl.org/summercamp

Contact Kayleen Whitmer, Director of Extended Programs, at kwhitmer@trinityatl.org for more information.

*Trinity School will be closed on June 19 in honor of Juneteenth; no camps will be offered on that day.

Alumni 20 years later: catching up with Nat Turner ’84

By Anne Torrey McCuean ’08, Advancement Associate and Alumni Relations Over the summer, I had the privilege to spend some time with Trinity alum Nathaniel “Nat” S. Turner ’84. We last caught up with Nat 20 years ago when he was featured in the summer 2003 edition of Inside Trinity, the predecessor to Flourish magazine. At that time, he had just started his first assignment for the State Department, serving as a consular officer for the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong. Nat and his family currently live in Cairo, Egypt, where he serves as a deputy political counselor for the United States Embassy and works on issues such as human rights and security cooperation.

As we walked through the hallways and around Trinity’s new campus enhancements, Nat shared with me his journey to becoming a United States diplomat.

After Trinity, Nat graduated from The Westminster Schools, then matriculated to Duke University, where he received a degree in economics with a certificate in markets and management. Nat began his career working in marketing, product development, and sales for the technology, banking, and consumer product industries. He worked at such institutions as Hallmark Cards and CommunityAmerica Credit Union. In the early 2000s, he received an email from a college friend regarding a career opportunity from the State Department. Nat disregarded the message as he never saw himself working for the United States government; he never thought of diplomacy as a potential career. Six months later, that same friend reached out again to share 58

that the State Department was hiring and that he should seriously consider applying. Nat took the entry exams and began his career in diplomacy.

Over a 20-year period, Nat’s work has taken him to a wide array of places across the globe, including Brazil, Malaysia, Washington D.C., and now his second tour in Egypt. Even from Washington, he traveled on delegations and has now been to every continent except Antarctica. He is proficient in Arabic, Cantonese, Portuguese, and Spanish. In addition, his career has provided his family with the opportunity to experience different cultures and meet people they might never have crossed paths with otherwise.

When asked what he is most proud of, Nat said, “The work that we do for Americans that isn’t always known.

It sometimes never makes the breaking news headlines because quiet diplomacy is required in delicate situations.

Some of my assignments have involved work on nonproliferation to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). We cannot do press releases on everything we do, but diplomats play a big role in keeping America safe.”

I asked Nat about the most memorable experiences he has had in his time as a diplomat. He gave me examples of his work in several countries promoting American companies and supporting American jobs by helping them secure several billion dollars’ worth of contracts.

Nat and his family visit the Abu Simbel temple in Aswan, Egypt, in December 2021.

“During the global recession, I designed an advocacy campaign for the U.S. government to promote an American manufacturer, and they received a billion-dollar contract helping preserve a lot of factory jobs,” he said.

Outside of work, Nat enjoys traveling to new places and learning about different cultures and traditions. He and his wife, Jewel, have friends all across the globe, which has been a blessing for them to continue learning about different parts of the world. They also have extended family members in Atlanta, Maryland, and Delaware, whom they visit when possible.

They are parents to a high school senior whose formative years have been immersed in global travel. The Turners realized not long ago that their son had been to more countries than states in the U.S. He and Jewel were surprised to hear that their son is interested in attending college in the United States as he has been an international student for all but First and Eighth Grade.

At the close of our visit, we discussed Nat’s time at Trinity, and what had the biggest impact on his life today. His response will resonate with those who are familiar with Trinity and its dedication to an exemplary elementary-only education. Nat shared that Trinity’s efforts to nurture all

aspects of a whole-child education was incredibly impactful to him.

“The exposure to the arts, theater, even beginning in music class at a very young age was moving,” he said. “Trinity’s signature well-rounded education was exemplified through different areas of curriculum woven together in meaningful ways. Teachers always made learning fun, which made all the difference as a young child.”

Nat remembers teachers who encouraged him to not only pursue academic excellence but also to be the best version of himself and demonstrate good character in all circumstances. He is grateful for a values-based education, where principles such as integrity, honesty, determination, kindness, and hard work were instilled at a young age and reinforced throughout his Trinity years.

“At the time, you think you’re there to learn history and math, but later on you realize how much Trinity taught you to be a good person,” he said.

We are very proud of Nat and all the incredible work he has done for our country. We wish him the best of luck in all his endeavors and look forward to continuing to follow his journey.

In 2018, Nat is pictured at the Kuala Lumpur Independence Day event hosted by the U.S. Embassy.

In October 2021, Nat shared remarks with new students from across the Middle East who received U.S. scholarships to attend The American University in Cairo.

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You fund

100%

100%

Trustee participation

faculty and staff participation for 29 years

594

98%

students are impacted by The Trinity Fund

parent participation last year

possibilities

100% of your gift is tax deductible

The Trinity Fund is the foundation of philanthropic support for our students and everything they experience at our school. Gifts to this annual giving

assistance. With your support, The Trinity Fund gives us the necessary resources to elevate the Trinity Experience from a great one to an exceptional one.

initiative are used to address immediate needs, such as curricular enhancements, classroom improvements, faculty salaries, technology, and need-based financial

Make your gift online at trinityatl.org/give

Trinity’s Class of 2017:

What college did they choose?

Kate Abercrombie, University of Colorado at Boulder

Ayden Light, University of North Georgia

Brooks Balocki, Auburn University

Haden Marshall, University of Georgia

Jack Barranco, Auburn University

Trick Marshall, University of North Georgia

Baker Battin, University of Georgia

Audrey Mitchem, Florida Atlantic University

Marshall Benton, Ohio State University

Liza Mobley, Auburn University

Sarah Berry, Samford University

Libbie Nance, University of Oklahoma

Claire Bonds, University of Colorado at Boulder

Cole Nevins, Christoper Newport University

Josh Brockman, Wake Forest University

Claire Nichols, University of Georgia

Brooke Brumfield, Texas Christian University

Reese Norman, Lafayette College

Chase Buffington, University of Notre Dame

Millie Normark, University of Georgia

Andrew Buschmann, Wake Forest University

Katherine O’Brien, University of Southern California

Ethan Bye, University of Wyoming

Will Overstreet, University of Georgia

Camilla Carr, University of Richmond

Ava Palma, Miami University

Margot Carr, Washington and Lee University

Josh Pearlstein, Berklee College of Music

Ryan Carr, Emory University

Ava Petro, University of Virginia

Kent Carson, Tufts University

Anna Douglas Piper, University of Virginia

Ayana Challagalla, University of Texas at Austin

Cristiano Profumo, Auburn University

Charly Clark, University of Mississippi

Sam Reese, Auburn University

Grayson Collier, Auburn University

Ridley Richert, Southern Methodist University

Josephine Conley, Dartmouth College

Katrina Romero, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Hayden Craig, Muhlenberg College

Henry Rood, Georgia Southern University

Reilly Cullen, Wake Forest University

Bella Sapone, Texas Christian University

Kiki Dekel, Pratt Institute

Joe Sapone, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Gregory Egan, University of Georgia

Marisa Sapre, Vanderbilt University

Griffin Eubanks, Emory University

Hugh Sheehan, Stanford University

Carter Frieden, Vanderbilt University

Lowell Shoaf, Texas A&M University

Heather Frisch, Tufts University

Carter Spainhour, Savannah College of Art and Design

Ellie Gabriel, Wake Forest University

Drew Stephens, University of Georgia

Rose Gavin, Georgia Institute of Technology

Katie Stollmack, Bryn Mawr College

John Graner, Tulane University

Finn Szwast, University of Cincinnati

Ginnie Hernandez, University of Michigan

Allie Tonneson, University of Alabama

Davis Hollis, University College Dublin

Lilly Tucker, Texas Christian University

Davis Hurt, Clemson University

Ava Vinci, University of Georgia

Lindsey Johnson, Louisiana State University

Anastasia Waid, Washington University

Isabel Kase, Boston College

Mary Amelia Weiss, Northwestern University

Thomas Kaufman, Clemson University

Caroline Williams, Auburn University

Aashna Lal, University of Georgia

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Alumni

Class of 2023

I am leaving Trinity with...

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Ava Ballard

Sammy Greenberg

Harrison McBrayer

The Lovett School amazing friendships, great experiences, and a mind full of knowledge. I will always remember the campfires, all my great friends, and the fun events.

Atlanta Girls’ School Trinity has given so many amazing things.

I have made amazing friends who I will always remember and love. The teachers have always encouraged my love of learning and helped me grow into the person I am today. Trinity will always be in my heart, and I will always remember all of the activities and things I’ve learned.

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School good friendships - over the years I have built connections with them, laughed with them, had a lot of fun with them, and I will never forget them.

Dylan Harrison

Sanders Mitchener

The Westminster Schools a great friendship with my whole class. I’ve known most of my friends for at least three years and a couple for a whole nine years, and I am leaving with amazing memories with all of them.

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School the memory of meeting all of my friends and getting to know them well.

Camille Bartelt Marist School the ability to feel confident in myself. It was hard at the start to be confident and up front with people, but Trinity taught me how to believe in myself and be my very best self.

Jacob Burt Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School all of the great friendships I have made over the years and all of the great memories I have made such as outdoor ed trips, The Nutcracker, and Chick Masters from Kindergarten.

Julian Cascone Marist School a good spirit, a lot of good memories, and a lot of new friends throughout my years at Trinity. I wish I could stay longer at Trinity for more opportunities.

Zach Diamond Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School a lot of friendships, fun memories such as the Fifth Grade Olympics, outdoor ed trips, and Wagon Train.

Josiah Dixon Atlanta International School friendships I’ve made, wisdom and knowledge I’ve gained, memories of all the outdoor ed trips, and a love of learning.

Houston Heckman

Asher Easton The Westminster Schools great friendships and good memories of those friends, outdoor ed trips, and field trips.

Oma Egbe The Westminster Schools great friendships, a lot of memories, and people that I will miss. I am sad to leave Trinity but also excited about the adventures awaiting me in my next school.

Anna Ford The Westminster Schools so many meaningful friendships and lifelasting memories. Trinity has given me so much that I will never forget, including all the kind and patient teachers, the welcoming community, and a school that I will forever remember.

Davis Monroe Pace Academy all the great memories like the outdoor ed trips, Fifth Grade Olympics, The Nutcracker.

I can go on and on about how much fun I had at Trinity, and I am sad to leave.

Whitefield Academy great friendships, the ability to lead, and many fun memories such as performing in The Nutcracker and showing my academic and athletic skills during Fifth Grade Olympics. I have learned to show respect to my elders and to be kind and make new friends.

Heritage Preparatory School a great learning experience and good friends to help me.

Annie Katz

Ben Royko

Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School a confident and positive attitude.

The Lovett School great friendships, good memories, leadership skills, and more knowledge.

Brynn Kim The Westminster Schools the best friendship of my life, a mind full of information, and a thirst for knowledge. I have had multiple leadership opportunities, such as the Opera, student council, and outdoor ed trips. I treasure the teachers who challenged me at every step and fueled my thirst for knowledge and love of learning.

Max Drucker The Westminster Schools great friendships, fun memories like TTV and the Fifth Grade and Pre-K Olympics, and, of course, all the things I’ve learned since I came to Trinity.

Axley McBrien The Lovett School some of the greatest friends I have ever had.

Rhett Kirtley The Westminster Schools a ton of great friendships over the years, all the fun memories at Trinity like Wagon Train and Living Museum, and all of my great teachers over the years - they have been very nice and considerate to me.

Sylvie Lanier The Westminster Schools a new knowledge of what it’s like to be treated right by my peers, teachers, and classmates. Trinity has taught me what you do when you are a responsible young adult who knows what they can be in this world.

Trinity also taught me what it is to stand up for yourself and not let everyone walk all over you.

Mary Brady Law

William Patton

Caroline Schiller Woodward Academy a love of learning because the teachers made a loving impact on me, and I am always eager to learn more. They always have a positive spirit and kind smiles.

Thomas Suh The Westminster Schools great friendships because Trinity has been great about making new friends. I have also been friends with all of my classmates throughout all the years that I have been at Trinity. I am also leaving Trinity with great memories with my friends, The Nutcracker, outdoor ed trips especially, and the Fifth Grade Olympics.

Ella Suttle The Galloway School great friendships and fun and meaningful memories. I will always remember my experience at Trinity and am so sad to leave but still excited for a new school.

Arjun Vyas The Westminster Schools amazing leadership skills and a love for learning.

Marist School great experiences such as outdoor ed trips, The Nutcracker, Fifth Grade Olympics, and so many more.

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Alumni

Alumni Events Alumni Association Welcome Luncheon We welcomed the newest members of the Trinity School Alumni Association on May 12. Our Sixth Graders were presented with copies of Oh The Places You’ll Go by Dr. Seuss that had been signed by their former teachers, wishing them good luck on their next chapter. Following a celebratory pizza lunch with ice cream sundaes, the Sixth Grade Leadership Class of 2023 put together care packages for Trinity’s 2017 alums who recently completed their senior year of high school and are going on to college, taking a gap year, or pursuing a business venture in the fall.

Josiah, Arjun, and Julian share a laugh over fond memories of their years as Trinity students.

Ava and Ella thoughtfully put together care packages for members of Trinity Class of 2017.

Annie, Camille, and Mary Brady read warm wishes for their next adventures from Trinity Teachers.

Alumni and Family Cocktail Hour On February 3, parents of alumni and alums 21 years and older gathered to celebrate the end of a successful Spotlight on Art Artists Market week.

This annual event that precedes Cocktails & Canvases is always a wonderful time for our alumni community to visit Trinity’s campus and spend time catching up with former classmates and friends.

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Alumni parents Ashley Frieden, Dana Carpenter, and Deanna Pham enjoy catching up.

Alums and their families reunite and reminisce about their time at Trinity.

Class of 2017 Reunion On April 23, members of Trinity’s Class of 2017 and their families were invited back to campus for a night of reunion and celebration of their upcoming high school graduation. It was a wonderful night to wish our alums good luck on their next ventures. Additionally, it is a Trinity tradition for our alums to be presented with a letter they wrote to their future selves during their Sixth-Grade year at Trinity.

Reese Norman ’17, Claire Bonds ’17, Fifth Grade Associate Teacher Thomas Benefield, and Kate Abercrombie ’17 smile for a photo.

Members of the Class of 2017 pose for a group photo on the Early Childhood Outdoor Learning Center.

Alumni Kickball Game Our first-ever alumni kickball game was a huge success! On March 26, Trinity alums from the Classes of 2017–2022 were invited to return to campus for a fun afternoon of games and activities led by our P.E. Team.

Alums from Trinity’s Classes of 2017–2022 smile for a group photo in the AWAC.

Sofia Alibhoy ‘22 and Mary Kate Monk ‘22 enjoy a game of dodgeball.

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Alumni

Class Notes

By Anne Torrey McCuean ’08, Advancement Associate and Alumni Relations

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Cinda Koets Boomershine ’84 along with her husband, Mark; their daughter, Belle, who is a Trinity Fifth Grader; their son, Rex ’26; and two cats recently completed the Great American Loop and a bit beyond.

They took a 15-month, 7,000-mile nautical journey that encompassed part of the Atlantic Ocean, Intracoastal Waterways, the Great Lakes, Canadian Heritage Canals, the inland rivers of America’s heartland, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Approximately 150 boats complete this intense journey every year.

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Whitney Brown Novak ’90 and her husband, Joe, owners of Kazoo Toys, celebrated their store’s 10th Anniversary in April. The Buckhead Business Association’s Business of the Year in 2018 and a member of the UCLA Alumni Association’s 2023 Bruin Business 100, Kazoo Toys has provided the Atlanta community with a curated selection of premium toys that allow for educational opportunities, as well as fun. Though challenged during the pandemic, Kazoo Toys was able to remain open as an essential business (“for parents’ sanity,” says Whitney) and branched out into weekly surprise deliveries to help keep those stuck at home with something to look forward to each week. Joe sits on several ASTRA (American Specialty Toy Retailing Association) committees, and the store is a member of The Good Toy Group. Whitney, who left her position as COO at Mathnasium to keep the business growing, is now basically the C-Suite.

Whitney and Joe, along with daughter, Sierra ’24, live in North Buckhead with their two guinea pigs, Dill and Mr. Pickles. They love to travel to the west coast as often as possible to see friends and family.

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Catherine Overend Stewart ’95 and her husband, Peter Stewart, welcomed Rex Newell Stewart on February 7. Rex joins proud siblings and current Trinity students Christopher and Grace.

Julia Bailey Carter ’97 recently secured more than $2 million in seed funding in less than 30 days for her travel startup, Flaire, which is gaining recognition as a trusted alternative to the biggest names in travel today.

The Flaire platform (flaire.me) is initially targeted towards the exploding population of Gen Z travelers, empowering them to save and share the places they’ve been and places they want to go, while connecting with like-minded travelers.

Flaire, which Julia says feels like “Pinterest for travel but

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supercharged with AI,” does so by harnessing real-time data from users’ social networks and generative AI, making it a powerful travel hub of the future. With more than 15 years’ experience working in technology companies, Julia first worked at Google, then reported directly to the CEO of Atlanta-based innovation group Kenzie Lane, where they built and sold two companies, each for a staggering $200 million. Prior to her career in technology, Julia graduated from the University of Virginia and spent time working with the International Justice Mission in Kampala, Uganda. She currently resides with her husband and three daughters in Atlanta, where Flaire is headquartered.

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Patrick Shields ’99 married Elif Alyanak of Gainesville, Georgia, on April 29 in Atlanta.

Warren Coleman ’02 married Emily Collins on May 6 in Atlanta. The groomsmen included Trinity alums Thomas Coleman ’00, Kyle Carey ’02, and Stuart Coleman ’03.

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Visit www.trinityatl.org/alumni to submit Class Notes and update your contact information.

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Emily Evans Schifter ’02 and her husband, Adam Schifter, welcomed Henry McGregor “Mac” Schifter on February 1.

Casey Siegel Ende ’03 and her husband, Marc Ende, welcomed Crosby Elton Ende on February 7.

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Stuart Hunt ’03 and his wife, Eleanor Hunt, welcomed Virginia Rhett Hunt on April 25.

Virginia joins proud big sister Bowen.

Grace Granade Riley ’03 and her husband, Tim Riley, welcomed Timbes “Henry” Riley on March 1. Henry joins proud big sister Frances.

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Tindall Sewell Hein ’04 and her husband, Eric Hein, welcomed Marshall William Hein on May 18.

Eliza Granade McGee ’06 and her husband, William McGee, welcomed fraternal twin boys Charlie and James on June 20.

Kelly Williams ’06 married Richard Twardzik on October 1, 2022, in Atlanta. The wedding party included Trinity alums Cole Bryant ’06, Margot Williams ’07, and Wells Williams ’09.

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Corey Richards ’08 graduated with her Master of Business Administration from the University of Georgia Terry College of Business on May 10 after completing her bachelor’s degree in marking from UGA in 2018. Corey currently lives in Atlanta where she works for Rooms To Go as a digital content manager.

Avery Bond ’10 is currently working as a salesperson at Windmill Sewing Center, where she is pursuing a career in costume design. Avery has won several costuming awards, including Best in Show at a local costuming convention. She recently adopted a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Finley.

Mary Brooks Perkey ’11 earned a Master of Social Work with a concentration in Advanced Clinical Studies from Columbia University in May. She is now a psychotherapist with a New York-based practice.

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Alumni

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Carly Story ’10 married Ethan Brown on June 3 at Naylor Hall in Roswell, Georgia. Carly’s mom, Kristi Story, is a Sixth Grade Lead Teacher at Trinity.

Alex McGruder ’18, who is currently a senior at The Westminster Schools, is a member of the Young Men’s Ensemble of the Georgia Boy Choir. He recently participated in the Georgia Boy Choir International Festival, during which choirs from Germany, Norway, Florida, and New Jersey performed together at Atlanta Symphony Hall. Alex is pictured in the second row from the top, third from the left.

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Sixth Grade Lead Teacher Kristi Story, who began working at Trinity in 2005, was excited to pose for a group photo with all five of the Law children after the 2023 Trinity graduation ceremony. During her tenure, Kristi has had the pleasure of teaching each of them. The graduates, who began at Trinity at either age three or four, are pictured from left to right: Peter Law ’12, Mary Brady Law ’23, Brennan Law ’16, Agnes Law ’18, and Thomas Law ’14.

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Samar Kibe ’18, a senior at The Lovett School, recently received a Columbia Book Award for his intellectual curiosity and achievement, community activism, and leadership. Pictured with Samar is Wright Williams ’18, a senior at Lovett, who was honored as the top Humanities (English/History/American Studies) student in the junior class last school year.

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Hailey McGruder ’19, who is currently a junior at Westminster, traveled to Nyeri, Kenya, in March with a group of eight students and three teachers through The Westminster Schools/Mount Kenya Academy Exchange. The exchange program focused on global learning, building relationships, and practicing hospitality. In August, Hailey hosted a Mount Kenya Academy student in Atlanta for two weeks, exposing the students to the Westminster curriculum, athletics program, and her community. Hailey is pictured with her Westminster classmates and is second from the right.

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John Overend ’19 recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout with Boys Scouts of America. John began his Scouting journey as a Trinity School First Grader in Pack 212 and is now a member of Troop 197 at The Westminster Schools. For his Eagle project, John designed and built a new flagpole and deck for Camp Kiwanis, a facility which provides positive and challenging outdoor experiences for the youth served

by Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta.

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Trinity Class of 2021 alums are soaring as Woodward Academy Eagles. They took top honors at Woodward’s Eighth Grade Honors Ceremony in the spring. Pictured left to right: Sibley Winter ’21, August Spainhour ’21, and Carson Lacy ’21. Not pictured: Gavin Harrison ’21 and Riley Lacy ’21.

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Olivia Daniel ’21 continues to thrive as a current freshman at The Westminster Schools. She had a very successful middle school experience, which culminated with her receiving Westminster’s Highest Academic Distinction, which is given to students with a 95 average or higher. Also, during her Eighth-Grade year, she participated in Westminster’s annual Oscars Night, during which her team’s production of Romeo and Juliet received several nominations from her peers.

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19 Visit www.trinityatl.org/alumni to submit Class Notes and update your contact information.

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