USM Today - Fall/Winter 2021-22

| a magazine for the usm community

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TODAY

FALL/WINTER 2021–22

feature

How Does a School Teach Resiliency?

SOWING SEEDS OF SERVICE

A RETREAT FROM THE ORDINARY

WILDCAT PARK IS A HOME RUN

Gobbling Up Some Fun USM’s Parents’ Association invited Preschool and Lower School students to participate in the inaugural Family Turkey Trot on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021 ahead of Thanksgiving break. Participants raced around the Butch Richardson Track, played field games like tug-of-war, and enjoyed treats. They were joined by USM’s own Willie the Wildcat and his friend, Tom the Turkey (pictured, inset).

On the cover: Asher Bosworth ’22 participated in a high-ropes course during the senior retreat held this past fall, where students faced challenges and participated in activities that pushed them outside their comfort zones. These experiences build resiliency, which is proven to be a key factor in a fulfilling and rewarding life. Read more about the retreats on page 18, and learn how USM works to teach resiliency on page 10.

in this issue The Key to Success Having a resilient mindset is vital to a fulfilling, satisfying life. But how does a school teach resiliency?

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feature story

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18

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9 | 100 Years on Ice USM celebrates a century of hockey.

18 | A Retreat from the Ordinary An annual USM tradition, Upper School retreats provide an opportunity to form bonds and challenge preconceptions.

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In the Spotlight A 12-foot tall, rotating peach takes center stage in the Middle School production of “James and the Giant Peach.”

cover to cover

03 | view from the tower

18 | in focus

24 | spotlight

27 | locker room

30 | beyond usm

USM TODAY STAFF

2021–22 LEADERSHIP

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

HEAD OF SCHOOL

HEAD OF PRESCHOOL AND LOWER SCHOOL

Tim Eilbes, Director of Marketing and Communications

Steve Hancock

Michael Tauscher

EDITOR

ASSISTANT HEAD OF SCHOOL

PRESIDENT, BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Pamela Seiler, Communications and Public Relations Manager

Gregg Bach

Stephen B. Guy

ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN

HEAD OF UPPER SCHOOL

PRESIDENT, ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

McDill

Stuart Cushman

Barbie Brennan Nelson ’91

ONLINE EDITOR

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

PRESIDENT, PARENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Eric Schad, Marketing and Digital Communications Manager

Elaine Griffin

Jennifer Reese

PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY

Kenny Jusino, Visual Media Specialist CONTRIBUTORS

Jessica Michels Martin Staples Margy Stratton ’84 Visual Image Photography Jennifer Wisniewski Alysha Witwicki

USM Today is published by University School of Milwaukee twice per year. USM is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school for students from prekindergarten through grade 12.

Our editorial staff has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy of information reported, and we apologize for any inadvertent errors that may have occurred.

To change your address, your child’s address, or to unsubscribe, please contact the USM Advancement office at 414.540.3339 or advancement@usm.org.

PARENTS OF ALUMNI: If you are still receiving your child’s USM Today even though he/she no longer lives with you, please let us know so we can send the magazine directly to him/her.

from the head of school

Dear USM Family, Our Common Trust continues to be a guiding light for University School of Milwaukee as I watch examples of respect, trust, honesty, fairness, and kindness lived out daily in our community. The grit, determination, and resilience that have been on display for the past 20 months in our school have inspired me and helped me understand how USM is truly a special place. We have bonded together to rise above challenges, and I appreciate the efforts of many to keep the culture and community in focus as we move forward.

I begin each day by welcoming our Lower School students to campus. I open the door, greet the child, and thank the parent. During these brief interactions, I witness the joy each student brings to school. They bound out of the car and race to the classroom, ready for adventure. Learning becomes a byproduct of engagement, and these young Wildcats are prepared for anything our teachers have planned. Both teachers and students are the models of resiliency. To watch the interaction between student and teacher is inspiring. I have the excellent opportunity to see the magic happen first-hand every day.

That magic extends throughout the school. One of my favorite parts of this inspiring profession is watching our students compete in sporting events, perform on the stage, and excel in the classroom. One consistent

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USM TODAY | FALL / WINTER 2021–22

message I hear from students is that they love their school and are thankful for their relationships with teachers. When I talk to students about their experiences at USM, COVID-19 is never a topic. Instead, they want to tell me about their teachers and their lives in and around the classroom.

Currently, we are working on the upcoming strategic plan for USM. As committees work together to understand and design plans for our next chapter, we constantly keep the student experience in mind.

We design as if the student is sitting in the committee meeting. We look at mission and vision with aspirational language to help our students realize tremendous success. We prepare students for a world in which they can be champions of our Common Trust.

I hope this issue of USM Today gives you some insight into all that is happening at our great school.

All the best,

view from the tower

Games for Change Middle School students created hand-crafted arcade games to entertain their 1st grade friends, while learning about the power of microfinancing.

Seventh grade students in Brian Markwald’s economics class participated in a service project while learning about microfinance and the power of loans to change lives. They developed a wide variety of arcade games and invited Lower School students to play the games for 25 cents each. The money raised was used to make a zero-interest microloan through the KIVA organization, which helps entrepreneurs in impoverished places all over the world. Students in USM’s 7th grade have participated in this project for many years, and recently crossed the $45,000 threshold of loans made collectively.

Raina Rieck ’33 tossed a ball at a target.

Aubree Gude ’33 (center) played table hockey while Nalani Patel ’27 (right) watched.

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With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility Junior kindergarten students saw their superhero alter egos come to life with the help of USM parent and artist Christopher Barksdale.

Children love superheroes, so it was especially exciting when junior kindergarten students in Mary Jo Kendall and Kate Dengel’s class had the chance to become superheroes themselves. They were visited by artist Christopher Barksdale, father of Aria Barksdale ’35, who met with each child to trace their body on cardboard and sketch their alter-ego likeness. In connection with their social-emotional learning, students chose their own super powers in keeping with the themes of respect, caring, inclusiveness, integrity, responsibility, and courage. “The children had so much fun with this project and we are so grateful to Mr. Barksdale for the time he spent with us,” said Kendall. “They learned that they all have the power within themselves to change the world for the better.”

Christopher Barksdale, artist and USM parent, outlined Mitchell Moore ’35 for his superhero.

Aria Barksdale ’35 (left) and Dax Strains ’35 posed next to the superhero versions of themselves, which were hand-sketched by Aria’s dad, Christopher.

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The Hungry Caterpillar

National Merit Semifinalists

Kindergarten students spent their first weeks of school observing caterpillars transforming into butterflies. When the butterflies emerged from their chrysalises, the students gathered outside to release them and wish them well on their travels.

Congratulations to the following seniors, who were named 2022 National Merit Semifinalists: Buwei Chen, Christian Ford, Zadan Mason, Ibrahim Motlani, Shaan Sharma, Logan Walls, and Joseph Zimmerman.

USM TODAY | FALL / WINTER 2021–22

view from the tower

Holiday Shops 2021 After a year-long hiatus, in-person shopping was back and better than ever. With 56 different vendors from around the country, guests had a wide range of items to choose from, in addition to fabulous auction items and Week of Winning raffle prizes. A huge thanks to USM’s Parents’ Association, which hosted the event, and the many parent volunteers who worked tirelessly to make it happen. We’ll see you next year!

Holiday Shops 2021 raised more than

via vendor sales, auction $110,000 items, Week of Winning raffle ticket sales and Faces of USM photo sales.

8,900

More than Week of Winning raffle tickets were sold. The raffle featured items donated by USM families.

Over the past 15 years, Shoot the Moon Photography has contributed over

to the Parents’ Association $150,000 via its annual Faces of USM campaign.

The money raised supports a variety of projects and programs at school, including playground equipment, technology upgrades, security enhancements, library support, classroom activities, author visits, and so much more!

Authors Visit USM

Developing Ethical Leaders

USM welcomed several authors this past fall, both in person and virtually, including Atia Abawi (pictured), April Henry, Veera Hiranandani, Stef Wade, and Noé Álvarez.

The authors’ books correlated with the students’ summer readings and various curricular components.

Beth Coyne, assistant head of school at The Country School in Madison, Connecticut, conducted professional development with faculty as part of USM’s Ethical Leadership program.

Coyne helped faculty members think about additional ways to develop leadership capacities in their students.

Visit www.usm.org/news for more news stories.

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Learning to Lead USM is one of five schools in the nation participating in a pilot leadership program designed to empower students to become leaders who effect positive change.

From left Marko Gajic ’23 and Ellie Lin ’23 participated in a Leadership Academy workshop held last August, prior to the start of school.

University School of Milwaukee is one of five independent schools in the nation participating in a pilot cohort program hosted by the Gardner Carney Leadership Institute (gcLi). The program, titled The Leadership Academy, is a revolutionary leadership experience for schools, students, and educators.

Many USM faculty have attended professional development opportunities through gcLi, but this is the first opportunity directly available to students.

The Leadership Academy is led by Samantha Adey, Upper School history teacher and co-director of USM’s Ethical Leadership program, and Dr. Heidi Kasevich, director of the gcLi Leadership Academy, author, and founder of Kase Leadership Method.

Faculty members, meanwhile, observe the students in action and engage with their educator cohort about student engagement and behavior, facilitation techniques, and research-based practices. They may also receive individual coaching for help responding to real-time situations to promote effective student leadership at their school.

“The gcLi Leadership Lab has been providing outstanding professional development for USM faculty on how to effectively teach leadership to students,” said Adey.

“Now for the first time, our students were able to get a similar experience during the fall semester. Hopefully they can use some of the skills they have learned to create positive change in our own USM community.”

In addition to The Leadership Academy, USM’s Ethical Leadership program adds intentionality, shape, and focus to the important work of creating leaders.

Co-directed by Adey and Emily Tymus Ihrke, Upper School English teacher, the Ethical Leadership program seeks to develop essential capacities—including self-awareness, self-regulation, perseverance, communication skills, and more—needed by ethical leaders.

Twelve Upper School students and four Upper School faculty are participating in the program, which includes eight hour-long group sessions where students engage in self-awareness activities, team challenges, and skill-building sessions designed to help expand their leadership capacity and problem-solving abilities. Students complete the program by developing a leadership action plan that addresses a challenge in their local and/or global communities.

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Dr. Heidi Kasevich co-led the workshop, which was the inaugural Leadership Academy event.

Fall Cum Laude

A New Addition

The following 12 seniors were named fall Cum Laude Society inductees: Asher Bosworth, Aidan Brooks, Buwei Chen, Will Densmore, Zadan Mason, Donn Rhys Mondano, Ibrahim Motlani, Dara Omoloja, Divya Pandey, Rachael Schneck, Shaan Sharma, and Joe Zimmerman.

Thanks to a generous gift, students have a new tool at their disposal: a plasma cutter. It makes precise cuts in metal and expands the type of materials available for students to use in projects and competitions, including USM’s FIRST Robotics Team 6823.

USM TODAY | FALL / WINTER 2021–22

view from the tower

A Fond Farewell

Jill Oemichen retired in June 2021 after teaching 1st grade at USM for an incredible 33 years.

During her remarkable career at University School of Milwaukee, Jill Oemichen helped to guide and support more than 500 1st grade students through triumphs, achievements, frustrations, and—especially—wiggly teeth. “I will definitely miss the entire USM community and my daily interactions with the kids,” she said. “Working with 6- and 7-year olds was always so special.” Colleagues and parents will miss her steady hand and incredible wealth of knowledge of early childhood education.

Oemichen announced her retirement at the very end of the 2020-21 school year.

“Families often comment on Jill’s calm and caring demeanor and her being the perfect fit for their child as they progress further into Lower School,” said Michael Tauscher, head of Preschool and Lower School. “Each lesson she develops incorporates many opportunities for movement as she is keenly aware of the developmental needs of 1st grade children. She is a soft-spoken advocate for children and their families, and we will miss her.”

When Opera and Graphic Novels Collide A new unit in English I encourages students to explore genres they might otherwise overlook.

Upper School English teachers Kate Gay, Danielle Goldstein, and Emily Ihrke have introduced a new unit in English I called Voice and Choice: Reading Words and Images. This past fall, students read the graphic novel “Operatic”

by Kyo Maclear and Byron Eggenschwiler, which features music as a central theme. They were also visited by Cris Siqueira, owner of Lion’s Tooth Books in Bay View, Wisconsin, who spoke about the artistry behind graphic novels and gave a book talk about new titles for students to consider.

In addition, 9th grade students were invited to a presentation by Head of School Steve Hancock, who spoke about musical bias and his own preconceptions about different musical genres. He encouraged students to try something new by listening to opera.

“I really liked Mr. Hancock’s lesson because we were able to experience a new teacher and learn in a new environment,” said Wyatt Cox ’25. “We could actually relate to opera music, and we learned how to read faces and understand opera.”

REDgen Speaker Series

Students Host Clothing Drives

USM hosted its first REDgen speaker series event of the year with author Ana Homayoun, who spoke about social media wellness. The series is a partnership between USM and REDgen, a Milwaukee-based organization that fosters conversations around living a healthy, balanced life.

Upper School and Middle School students held clothing drives to collect items for Afghan refugees housed at Wisconsin’s Fort McCoy. Students collected coats, winter boots, blankets, and more. The drive was held in partnership with the Islamic Society of Milwaukee.

Visit www.usm.org/news for more news stories.

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Introducing USM’s JEDI Team In response to the school’s changing needs, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion work at USM has gotten extra help in the formation of a new JEDI team.

Faculty and staff at University School of Milwaukee have long been engaged in conversations related to making the school an equitable place for all students.

Today, those efforts are led by Dr. Gina Haughton, the school’s director of equity and student success. Prior to Haughton’s arrival at USM, faculty- and staff-led groups like S.E.E.K (Speak, Engage, Empower, Know) and PI (Pluralism and Inclusion) were integral to spearheading those important conversations.

As the school grows and evolves, so do its needs.

Building off of the progress made by the S.E.E.K. and PI groups, school leaders were excited to announce the formation of a new team to continue these efforts. Led

by Haughton, the JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) team consists of USM faculty members Erica Melick, Joshua Miller, and Brita Willis. The team will assist Haughton in a variety of initiatives at the school, including hosting professional development workshops for faculty and staff, partnering with USM’s Parents’ Association on parent education opportunities, supporting student clubs and affinity groups, and providing classroom and departmental support.

“USM is a community that has a strong desire to create a true culture of belonging and acceptance, in which we teach students how to demonstrate understanding through empathy and perspective,” said Haughton. “I am so thankful to work alongside colleagues who welcome JEDI and are willing to examine their own beliefs and practices so that we can create authentic learning experiences for all of our students.”

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From left Brita Willis, Dr. Gina Haughton, Erica Melick, and Joshua Miller.

“I applied to be on the JEDI team because I want to learn more through doing. I also want to be a good role model and source of inclusivity, tolerance, and awareness for my young learners.”

– Erica Melick, 1st grade teacher “This is an opportunity to engage in work that allows students to feel safe, heard, respected, and valued.

This team, with Gina at the helm, is positioned to create lasting change in the way we as a community come together.”

– Joshua Miller, theatre technical director “As a member of the JEDI team, I want to bring the focus back to the heart of JEDI work—that each child has equitable access to intentional lessons and community-building experiences.”

– Brita Willis, 3rd grade teacher

A “Bear” of a Good Time

Strategic Design Underway

Students in 1st grade held a party to finish their two-week unit about bears.

As part of the curriculum, students read books about bears, practiced bear math problems, and even chose their own teddy bear as a special gift from their teachers.

USM leaders began the strategic design process, which will lead to the school’s next strategic plan.

Team members will work to understand students’ needs, identify areas for improvement, and find solutions that will strengthen our school.

USM TODAY | FALL / WINTER 2021–22

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A Century on the Ice USM alumni and friends gathered to celebrate the school’s long-standing hockey tradition. They honored the many players, coaches, and families who dedicated themselves to the program’s success.

The hockey program at University School of Milwaukee and its predecessor schools has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1920, when students played on a flooded field with nothing more than skates, gloves, and sticks. To honor the program’s long history, USM hosted a 100 Years of Hockey celebration on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021 featuring an outdoor tent with food and refreshments, junior varsity and varsity games, and an open skate for attendees. In addition, select alumni participated in a puck drop ahead of the boys’ varsity game against Wausau West, which USM won by a final of 2–0.

Members of USM’s hockey community gathered on the ice for the puck drop ahead of the boys’ varsity game vs. Wausau West, with team captains Michael Kennedy ’22 (left) and Cade Gruber.

Rob Balge ’77 (left) and Burt Bartlett ’74 enjoyed the hockey memorabilia on display in the heated outdoor tent and relived their hockey-playing days.

The girls’ hockey co-op team was recognized at the event and introduced by Tim Williams, USM’s director of athletics.

Roebber Earns Award

National Signing Day

Kathleen Roebber, USM’s head school nurse, earned the 2021 Karen Smith Award for her work to help establish and maintain USM’s designation as a Project ADAM Heart Safe School, and safeguard against sudden cardiac death.

Six seniors signed letters of intent to play on D1 or D2 athletic teams next year. They are (from left) Greta Hinke, Hannah Hoch, Brooke Robinson, Natalie Epperson and (not pictured) Molly Janssen and James Reese.

Visit www.usm.org/news for more news stories.

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Having a resilient mindset and fortitude amidst challenges is vital to a fulfilling, satisfying life—more so than any degree. But how does USM, as a top preparatory school, teach resiliency?

It’s 8:10 a.m. on a cool, cloudy Thursday in October. Students in Robert Juranitch’s AP Physics C class are patiently waiting for the day’s lab, which explores energy and the dynamics of circular motion, to start. University School of Milwaukee students have been doing this particular lab for decades, but Juranitch has put his own spin on it. He wants students to build their confidence while experiencing science the way it really is—messy, uncertain, and sometimes frustrating. But they don’t know that yet.

As he hands out the assignment, Juranitch explains that—in the real world—scientists show their work on paper before they can use limited and expensive laboratory equipment. “First, your job is to prove your math on paper, without any help,” he says. “Then you can test your math using the equipment in the back of the room.”

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The Key to Success

The room is quiet as students read the problem. Some have their head in their hands while others have their arms crossed. A few make half-hearted scribbles, followed by furious erasing, while others simply stare at the page. After about four minutes, Juranitch amps up the pressure. “I was thinking,” he says, “that I might make this lab count towards part of next week’s test. What do you think?”

Some laugh nervously, but most are silent.

AP Physics C is a college-level, calculusheavy class. Academically speaking, the high school students who take this class are amongst the top 1% nationwide. They are not used to being unsure of an answer.

They, like most people, don’t like feeling incompetent and unsure, and they really don’t like feeling as if their grade may be at stake.

Finally, after the students have confronted their perceived inferiority for a full 11 minutes, Juranitch determines they’ve had enough.

“Okay, pencils down. I’m going to tell you a story.”

Having a resilient mindset is vital to a fulfilling, satisfying life. Psychologists know this, as do researchers, journalists,

and educators. Parents, for the most part, know it too. But when their child is facing a looming college application deadline and sweating their GPA and ACT score, the pressure is high.

“I think something happens when students cross the threshold into high school,” said Jon Shoop, Upper School math teacher, “because they become super concerned about grades. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a student say, ‘Mr. Shoop, what if I don’t get an A on this test?’ They think not getting an A means they won’t be able to apply to a top-tier school. But they’re going to make mistakes—they should make mistakes, for the sole fact that they don’t know everything yet.”

USM is a rigorous academic institution.

Preparing students for success in higher education is written into the school’s mission statement, and developing learners who thrive on challenges and celebrate successes is part of the school’s Portrait of a Graduate. But that doesn’t mean that USM students and alumni are immune to setbacks, or that they get everything right on the first try; nor does it mean that they are expected to. USM teachers from prekindergarten to 12th grade are acutely sensitive to the role

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resiliency plays in school and in life, and they intentionally weave age-appropriate lessons into their curricula to expose students to challenges and provide a supportive environment in which to experience failure and recover from it.

Celebrating Our Mistakes “We’re very intentional with resiliency education in Lower School, although we refer to it as growth mindset,” said Katie Lee, 1st grade teacher. Teachers are often the first in their classes to mention out loud when they make mistakes, and openly celebrate them. “Whenever I make a mistake I point it out to my class and say, ‘Oh my gosh, my brain just grew,’” said Lee. “And if a student makes a mistake, I say ‘I’m so proud of you, your brain just grew!’”

With younger students, growth mindset is woven throughout the school day in various capacities. It could be a book that they read and discuss as a class, an ice-skating unit in physical education, or an argument during recess that all serve as teachable moments. “As a class, we often talk about how we’re all on the same path, but we’re on different stages of the path,” said Katie Jablonski, 2nd grade teacher. “It doesn’t matter where you are on the path; as long as you’re moving then you’re growing.”

Last year, 4th grade teachers started supplementing their math curriculum

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with youcubed® lessons created by Dr. Jo Boaler. Boaler’s math curriculum is framed within a growth mindset, meaning ability increases with hard work and exposure to opportunities. “We really like this curriculum because it’s specifically designed for kids to have some struggle with it,” said Laura Blanchet, 4th grade teacher. “There’s not necessarily one right answer, so they’re learning how to push through and stick with it.” Many of last year’s 4th graders mentioned the growth mindset work as being their favorite Lower School memory.

As students progress through Preschool and Lower School, they become more aware of the differences between themselves and their peers. Some may thrive while reading, some might love dance, while others might prefer Spanish or French. Teachers highlight these differences, noting that not all classmates are on the same point of the path. “We’re constantly talking about the power of ‘yet’,” said Jablonski. “Rather than saying ‘I can’t do this,’ we encourage them to say, ‘I can’t do this—yet.’ It’s about recognizing where you are and being willing to grow with it.” To further support the growth mindset concept, Preschool and Lower School students are not given grades.

Rather, they are described as “beginning,” “developing,” or “secure” on their report cards in different categories, depending on their abilities in a particular area (personal development, language arts, mathematics, etc.).

The Key to Success

“ Rather than saying ‘I can’t do this,’ we encourage them to say, ‘I can’t do this—yet.’ It’s about recognizing where you are and being willing to grow with it.”

What Does it Take to Get an A on the Mile?

In USM’s Middle School, a good illustration of growth mindset occurs when students run the mile in physical education class.

“Kids are constantly asking me, ‘What do I need to do to get an A on the mile?’” said Middle School physical education teacher Erin Cermak. But to grade students based on time alone doesn’t tell the full story.

What if they love to run and practice running in their free time? What if they hate it? What if they have asthma? Should they all be graded on the same arbitrary metric? Middle School administrators don’t think so, and as a result, students are graded against their own progress.

“Kids, and even parents, have a lot of anxiety over whether or not PE will affect their grade point average,” said Cermak.

“But if a student ran a 10-minute mile last year, and an 8-minute mile this year, that is a huge progression. That’s showing effort, growth, and improvement—that’s what everyone should be focused on.”

Sixth grade teachers have taken note, and implemented a pilot program this year in which they are not assigning scores on assignments or tests. Instead, they’re

giving each student customized feedback based on their performance. “In 6th grade we call it moving the needle,” said Amy Norman, 6th grade English teacher. “There’s no end game with a letter grade; we want them to grow from wherever they are and when they do grow, we celebrate it.”

Similar to how students are assessed in Preschool and Lower School, in many Middle School classes, students are evaluated against their own work rather than just receiving a grade. “They’re still being held accountable for their work,” said Norman, “but it’s transferring accountability back on to the student.”

Rather than receive a grade on an assignment or a test, students write about their performance and meet with the teacher to go over the feedback. This way, at any given point, students have a clear understanding of how they are performing in class and what is expected of them.

Since implementing the 6th grade pilot program, Norman has noticed a positive change. “I find myself in a much healthier place as a teacher because no one is disappointing me,” she said. “I’m meeting each student where they are individually and helping them to grow at their own

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pace. I’m their partner, rather than someone who will give them a bad grade.”

Students, in turn, focus more on the content they are learning about rather than the outcome. In addition, the feedback allows them to take ownership of their performance and build resiliency.

“We want our students to believe in themselves and believe that they’re capable,” said Norman.

When Points Don’t Make the Grade Although the idea of a world with no points or grades might sound nice on paper, it’s not the reality we live in.

And while some colleges might be ditching standardized testing when analyzing applicants, they still closely evaluate a student’s grade point average. In fact, studies have shown that the best predictor of a student’s success in his or her first year of college is cumulative grade point average. That leaves Upper School teachers in a tough spot. They know that grades don’t always serve as a good indicator of learning, and they can negatively impact mental health, but they can’t be eliminated.

So what can teachers do?

Wade Bosworth, Upper School physics teachers, may have found an answer. Bosworth and Upper School administrators had noticed a high amount of stress in their students as they prepared for the AP Physics 1 exam, and overall poor performance on the test with students nationwide. “I thought we could produce

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better physics students if we weren’t tied to the AP exam,” said Bosworth. So for the 2019-20 school year, they dropped AP Physics 1 from the division’s course offerings.

They replaced it with a new Physics-Honors course that covers the same content, at the same rigor, without the stress of the exam. In addition, Bosworth implemented a complete shift in grading philosophy, eliminating points and grades, and establishing a new grading system in which students are evaluated against a standard, instead of earning points on an assignment or test.

Bosworth sets learning targets at the beginning of each semester; for example, “I can solve problems using the conservation of momentum principle.” Each target has associated criteria for mastery, and students have unlimited chances to master the targets. In order to earn an A by the end of the semester, a student must show mastery of each learning target via an assessment that is reviewed by Bosworth.

“Each assessment becomes super individualized because I can tailor it directly towards a student’s weakness. So when they are getting reassessed they really know, ‘Okay, this is what I need to work on.’

Once they reach mastery of a target they have such a sense of accomplishment.”

Bosworth also established a system of “free quizzes” that do not count for any points. After completing a quiz, students are given the answer key and invited to score themselves, and Bosworth also reviews their work. He asks students to evaluate what went well and what

The Key to Success

Writing the Book on Resilience E. Kelly Fitzsimmons ’89 knows a thing or two about resilience. When the dot-com bubble burst in 2001, the serial tech entrepreneur was on the hook for $5 million. But that was nothing compared to a medical scare in 2016 that forced her to rethink almost everything in her life.

Thankfully, she regained her health, both financially and physically, and decided to share the lessons she has learned in a book, “Lost in Startuplandia: Wayfinding for the Weary Entrepreneur.”

Fitzsimmons credits much of her success to resiliency. For her, resilience is being able to separate our self-identity from our failures. “It all comes down to the stories we tell ourselves,” she said. “It's important to teach kids how to handle failure early on. Learning to say, ‘I tried my best’ and giving ourselves grace can keep us from giving up too soon. In the end, we tend to win by staying in the game longer—until we eventually succeed.”

didn’t, and how and why they made mistakes. He also asks them to reflect on how much work they did to prepare—did they put in enough time and effort? This way, students get timely feedback on their performance in a low-stakes setting. “I absolutely love the free quizzes,” said Anika Krishnamurti ’22, “because they just take all the pressure off. It’s a relief knowing that, if I am having an off-day or not feeling well, there will be other chances for me to show my knowledge. It doesn’t all boil down to my performance on one test on one day.”

At the end of the first year of his new grading system, Bosworth noticed significantly lower anxiety amongst his students, as well as higher retention in the class. Through individual assessments, students are able to identify their weak points and practice—over and over again—until they improve their understanding. This is

a cornerstone of resiliency. Not only has it helped students, it’s improved his life, too.

“The mastery learning approach is the best thing that I ever did as a teacher,” he said.

“It’s changed my relationship with the kids because I’m not the hard part anymore, the physics is. And they see me as their partner, someone who is there to help them. When the kids get frustrated, they don’t hate me for removing points from them, because there are no points.”

The course has been well received by students, and Bosworth has now implemented his mastery learning approach in AP Physics 2. Other teachers in a variety of departments in the Upper School have taken note, and have implemented similar learning approaches into their own classes. As USM embarks on its strategic design planning work, and adds a new assistant head of teaching and learning position, which will work with

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division heads, teachers, and others to evaluate and refine USM’s academic programs across all grades, the school’s leadership team will likely be considering whether a traditional, points-based evaluation system is the best way to produce learners, leaders, and citizens.

Beyond the Classroom There’s no doubt that USM provides a rigorous, challenging curriculum that can test resolve. But it also provides many avenues outside of the classroom through which children can build resiliency.

Examples include extracurricular activities like athletic programming (USM maintains a no-cut athletics policy), visual and performing arts, student clubs, affinity groups, FIRST Robotics teams, and more. Each are designed to provide a safe space in which students can take risks, try something new, and make mistakes in low-pressure settings. USM also employs three full-time counselors (one in each division) who provide support and resources for both students and teachers.

USM’s Upper School advising program, in which each incoming freshman is assigned to an advising group and an adult advisor, is another way the school promotes resiliency. Students are carefully and intentionally placed into their advising groups, which remain the same for all four years and consist of six or seven students. By the time they reach senior year, students’ advising groups will have become almost like an extension of their families—safe places in which they can be vulnerable and feel supported. “One

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of the key features of resiliency is having strong relationships with caring adults who aren’t necessarily your parents,” said Dean of Students Charlie Housiaux ’02. “And our advising groups program is critical for forming those relationships. I think most students feel like their advising groups are a real highlight of their experience in the Upper School.”

As students progress through Upper School, they find themselves under increasing pressure, whether real or perceived. “They get very caught up in the pressure of their peers, their parents, and whatever they think that highly-selective college wants to see on their transcript,” said Susan Zarwell ’87, director of College Guidance. “But their experience is very limited, and what they value is also very limited.” Not to mention, as Zarwell noted, the industry of college admissions grows more difficult and selective with each passing year.

The College Guidance office’s approach to resiliency is very intentional. Each student is assigned a College Guidance counselor, who remains the same for all four years, to provide guidance and support. Beginning in 9th grade, all students complete self-reflection surveys every fall and spring, which help them identify and articulate how they measure success in their lives. Students reflect on classes they have (or have not) enjoyed, connections they are making, activities they value, and things that excite them. Their answers to these questions will ultimately help them to find a college—and hopefully a vocation— that will result in their success, however

The Key to Success

“ I always remind my students, ‘This is a hard class. It’s not you; it’s the stuff. It’s hard stuff.’ But they have to get used to the hard stuff. They need to understand that they won’t always get 100%, things won’t always be easy, but they can get through it.” they define it. Identifying for themselves what success looks like strengthens students’ ability to withstand disappointment.

Back in the AP Physics C lab, when Robert Juranitch told his students to put their pencils down, there was palpable relief in the air. Just about anything was preferable to staring at a difficult math problem. He told them about how, as a young engineer early in his career, he was summoned to a meeting with his new boss, who told him his next project was to design a multi-constraint rate, multi-error rate Viterbi decoder. “You know what a Viterbi decoder is, right Bob?” his boss had asked. He did, at least in theory, although he had never designed one, not even close. But he didn’t tell his boss that.

“I walked out of his office with a desperate, sickly feeling, certain that I was going to lose my job,” he told his class. “I was in stage one of Juranitch Project Management model, which I like to call the ‘Oh crap’ stage.” But after sitting with the assignment for a few days, Juranitch eventually passed into stage two—the gathering of resources.

He worked with the company’s on-site librarians to research the problem,

solicited the help of a senior engineer at the company, and ultimately was able to complete the project on time. It didn’t happen overnight and it wasn’t easy, but he didn’t give up.

“That's what I want for you and this lab,” he told his class. “I want you to experience what it is to struggle with whatever demons you have. Because you all can do this. You have the skills and you know the theory.

The question becomes, what got in your way?” Juranitch invited the students to pair up and tackle the proof together, and the room became filled with laughter and high-fives as students worked to solve the problem.

“They were so excited when they got the right answer,” Juranitch later recalled.

“I always remind my students, ‘This is a hard class. It’s not you; it’s the stuff. It’s hard stuff.’ But they have to get used to the hard stuff. They need to understand that they won’t always get 100%, things won’t always be easy, but they can get through it. Otherwise they’re going to take themselves out of the game early. And they’ll never know how far they can go.”

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in focus

A RETREAT FROM THE ORDINARY The Upper School’s annual grade-level retreats are a cherished tradition at USM. They are a chance for students to bond with each other and grow as individuals—off campus and away from the pressures of school life.

There was palpable excitement in the air as USM seniors boarded buses on the morning of Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. They were headed to Camp Hometown Heroes in Grafton, Wisconsin, for the annual senior class retreat. Even though it was a scaled-back event compared to previous (pre-COVID) senior retreats, the students were thrilled for the chance to bond as a class, and excited to spend some time together off campus.

All Upper School students spend two days at the beginning of every school year participating in a class retreat. Each retreat is centered around a theme, which is built upon throughout the school year.

Freshmen focus on community building; sophomores on service; juniors on leadership; and seniors on moving up. The retreats themselves vary. Sophomores, for example, choose from one of several service projects to participate in during their retreat, while juniors work to identify and hone their leadership styles through small-group activities. But each retreat is designed to give students a common experience—something on which they can connect and build over the course of the school year.

The retreats require weeks of planning, including managing logistics, coordinating locations and activities, and communicating with students and parents. In a pandemic year, the process is even more complicated. “The retreats are a lot of work for a lot of people,” said Jean Plum, Upper School Spanish teacher and freshman class dean. “We’re always asking ourselves whether they are valuable for students and teachers. And the short answer is, yes, they are.”

Being off-campus makes the retreats more complicated to plan and execute, but it adds to the students’ experience. “It’s valuable for our faculty to see these kids outside of the classroom,” said Sue Baker, Upper School physical education/health teacher and sophomore class dean, “and for the kids to see their teachers in a non-school setting. Whether we’re doing service activities or team-building activities, it’s just great to be part of group working towards a common goal that has nothing to do with academics.”

Many thanks to the Upper School faculty members and class deans Jean Plum (9th grade), Sue Baker (10th grade), Jenny Mielke (11th grade), and Sarah Titus ’00 (12th grade), as well as the advisors and Charlie Housiaux ’02, dean of students, who created and managed the retreats.

Visit www.usm.org/retreats for video recaps of all four Upper School retreats.

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Learn about the retreats from the students who experienced them first-hand.

FRESHMAN RETREAT

Students in 9th grade, like River Kilsdonk ’25, participated in a river clean-up during their retreat.

During the retreat, I learned to rely on others to—quite literally—act as my eyes when I was blindfolded and tasked with finding objects by listening to my teammates’ voices. This was one of my favorite activities, as I learned a lot about the students in my advising group and was able to see the world from a new perspective. After the retreat, I found that I felt a much stronger sense of community with them; I knew more about each individual, and we were able to solve problems as a group much more efficiently.

, –– Anastasia Finley 25

SOPHOMORE RETREAT

To highlight their focus on service, sophomores like Justin Altman ’24 packed non-perishable food for Milwaukee’s Hunger Task Force during part of their retreat.

For the sophomore retreat, the focus was on service and included time for us to do some volunteer work.

We could choose from three organizations, and I picked the Urban Ecology Center. It was fun being outside and helping to clear invasive plant species. Overall I think the retreat was a great way to get to know my classmates better, especially because we didn’t have a freshman retreat last year due to COVID-19.

, –– Isabel Werner 24

JUNIOR RETREAT

During the junior class retreat, students honed their leadership skills during a scavenger hunt in Milwaukee’s Third Ward.

No one really knew what to expect during our junior retreat, but everyone was excited and relieved to have a fun break from academics and an opportunity to bond with our peers. We participated in various challenges and activities having to do with the theme of leadership, but perhaps the most important aspect was the level of bonding we experienced as a grade and within our advising groups. It was truly a fun opportunity to get to know our fellow advisees in a different environment.

, , –– Lucy Flack 23 and Zindzi Frederick 23

SENIOR RETREAT

Activities during the senior retreat included a high-ropes course to challenge students and build confidence. Pictured are Donn Rhys Mondano ’22 (left) and Ali Mortada ’22.

The senior retreat is something we have been looking forward to since we first heard about it as 9th graders.

We learned to step outside of our comfort zone while supporting one another, and we created an environment where everyone felt comfortable and safe to share, which I find very admirable. Overall, we all had a very gratifying time on our retreat. We pushed through fear and discomfort and bonded over our past while creating memories that we will fondly look back on.

, –– Anna Staples 22

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A $100M Milestone The value of USM’s Endowment recently reached an incredible $100 million. Learn how we achieved this milestone and what it means for our school, our students, and our future.

This past fall, USM achieved an important milestone, one to which generations of leaders, volunteers, and donors have contributed—the value of the school’s endowment reached an incredible $100 million.

The achievement was marked quietly and without fanfare, but its importance to the future of our school cannot be overstated—nor can our gratitude to those who have supported this effort.

Like all independent schools, USM’s tuition and fees cover only a portion of the total cost of educating our students. USM is fortunate to be able to provide an abundance of opportunities and resources for students, faculty, and staff that help to make the USM experience unique and valued, which are supported by USM’s Endowment. The endowment insulates the school—and school families—from expenses both planned and unplanned and exists thanks to the generous support of our donors.

Visit www.usm.org/endowment for more information and a comprehensive video, or contact Patrick Tevlin at 414.540.3330 or ptevlin@usm.org.

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Defined simply, USM’s Endowment functions like a high-interest savings account, serving as one of the school’s revenue sources (in addition to tuition, the USM Fund, and auxiliary programming).

Of those revenue sources, however, the endowment has the most potential for growth, thanks to the generosity of our school community, responsible management, and the power of compounding interest.

USM’s Endowment policy stipulates an annual distribution of approximately 5% of the endowment’s value, using the average from the trailing eight quarters.

During the 2021–22 school year, the endowment is providing just under $4 million, or 13.4% of the operating budget, for annual priorities like curricular enhancement, financial aid, programmatic opportunities, faculty and staff compensation, professional development, and more. Currently, one-third of the endowment is general in nature, supporting ongoing priorities, with two-thirds designated to named, endowed funds based on the donors’ wishes.

The USM Endowment follows a long-term investment strategy and is overseen by the Endowment board, which consists of former USM Board of Trustees members.

Since 1987, USM’s Endowment has been invested with Commonfund, a nonprofit investment management firm that serves more than 2,000 nonprofit organizations.

Having zero debt and an endowment valued at $100 million, which is approximately three times the school’s annual operating budget, puts USM in very healthy financial standing according to national benchmarks.

Ongoing investment allows USM to maintain its leading edge as a nationally ranked independent school. It

ensures that the school’s values and priorities, rather than external forces, influence decision-making processes.

Gifts to USM’s Endowment enhance the school’s financial position and create a legacy that impacts lives year after year. These gifts are contributions from individuals or groups in the form of outright or deferred commitments. In the recent Our Common Bond campaign, new gift commitments to the endowment exceeded $8 million, resulting in significant growth and impact. “When I think about all the things our endowment will do for our future students and faculty, that’s when I get really excited,” said Head of School Steve Hancock. “We have the opportunity to continue to grow something that will have a lasting legacy beyond our lifetime.”

“Our endowment gives us so much flexibility in hard times, and it secures the institution,” said Linda Mellowes, former USM Board of Trustees president and current USM Endowment Board member. “The best gift you can provide a child is an exceptional education. This endowment ensures the school will be able to deliver on its mission indefinitely.”

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Sowing Seeds of Service At USM, service learning is more than a graduation requirement. Students are able to pursue their passions through service, which results in a wide range of initiatives that benefit the greater Milwaukee community.

A A

lthough he grew up in the city of Mequon, Wisconsin, Caleb Webb ’22 has farming in his blood. his blood.

As aAschild, a child, he spent he spent his his summers summers helping out on his helping outgrandfather’s on his grandfather’s farm infarm southern in southern Illinois, the same one Illinois, the hissame dad one grewhis updad on,grew which uphas on,been which in the has family been since in the the family late 1800s. sinceSothe it’slate no surprise 1800s. Sothat, it’s as a 5th no surprise grader that, in 2014-15, as a 5thWebb grader helped in 2014-15, to establish Webba composting helped to establish systemaatcomposting Universitysystem SchoolatofUniversity Milwaukee, and hasof School been Milwaukee, leading and andexpanding has beenthe leading effortsand ever since. expanding the efforts ever since.

Back Back when when he he was was in in 5th5th grade, grade, Webb, Webb, along along with with hishis friends friends Donn Donn Rhys Rhys Mondano Mondano ’22 ’22 andand Ian Ian Hernandez, Hernandez, approached approached 7th7th Grade Grade Science Science Teacher Teacher KipKip Jacobs Jacobs ’74’74 to to askask if they if they could could help help compost compost thethe food food waste waste from from thethe school’s school’s lunch lunch program. program.

AtAt first, first, thethe boys boys weren’t weren’t even even strong strong enough enough to to liftlift thethe barrels barrels byby themselves. themselves.

ButBut eventually, eventually, they they gotgot thethe hang hang of of it. it.

“It“It gotgot to to thethe point point where where I could I could completely completely trust trust them them to to unload unload thethe food food waste waste andand spray spray outout the the barrels barrels on their on their own, without own, without my help,”my saidhelp, Jacobs. ” said“ItJacobs. became“Itlike became clockwork like with clockwork them.” with them.”

ByBy thethe time time Webb Webb waswas a freshman a freshman in Upper in Upper School, School, he he became became active active in Karen’s in Karen’s Garden, Garden, USM’s USM’s community community garden garden located located on on thethe northeast northeast sideside of campus, of campus, where where students students learn learn to plant to plant andand grow grow crops. crops.

AfterAfter spending spending thethe spring spring months months growing growing seedlings seedlings in the in Hamilton the Hamilton Greenhouse Greenhouse onon campus, campus, Webb Webb andand others others work work to to transplant transplantthe thecrops cropstotoKaren’s Karen’s Garden.

Garden.

They They then spend then thespend summer the months summerweeding, months weeding, watering,watering, and harvesting and theharvesting crops, which thethey crops, distribute which they to organizations distribute and to people organizations in need.and people in need.

Caleb Webb ’22 (left) and Anika Krishnamurti ’22 collected cucumbers from one of the gardens on campus, part of a weekly harvest taken to a homeless shelter in downtown Milwaukee.

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in focus

Over the years, Webb was careful to note which crops thrived, and which vegetables were the most popular with recipients. “In 2021, we doubled the amount of tomatoes that we grew in 2020 because of how popular they were,” said Webb. “We also switched to quick-growing lettuce and beet varieties so we can harvest more, which is something we haven’t done before. We’re constantly trying to make the garden better.”

Webb, who also serves as president of the Environmental Action Team at USM, actively recruits younger students to ensure the work will continue after he’s graduated. “It’s been exciting to see how the garden has improved from year to year,” said Webb. “It’s a lot of work but it’s also really rewarding.”

Members of USM’s Interact Club gathered at the Mequon Nature Preserve to spread mulch on trails throughout the property.

Many Hands Make Light Work One of USM’s newest student clubs is the Interact Club, which was established by Michael Kennedy ’22 and Zadan Mason ’22, and is dedicated to service projects.

The club is a branch of the North Shore Rotary Club, which provided Kennedy and Mason with seed money of $1,000 to get started.

Through the club, USM students have participated in a variety of service projects throughout Milwaukee and beyond, including fall cleanup at the Neighborhood House, a Milwaukee river cleanup in Brown Deer, and outdoor work at the Mequon Nature Preserve.

Students are invited to submit ideas for upcoming projects based on their interests, and adult members of the North Shore Rotary Club often participate alongside the students. Having the students work with the adult Rotary Club members enables them to share information, resources, and a common desire to help others.

From left Caleb Webb ’22, Lyle Mondano ’24, Kip Jacobs ’74, Ian Hernandez, and Donn Rhys Mondano ’22 pictured at the MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary, where they helped to distribute fresh produce — some of which they grew themselves —to individuals in need.

“It’s nice to be associated with the Rotary Club because it gives us some structure and formality,” said Mason.

“The Interact Club’s leadership changes every year, so our hope is that it will continue long after we’ve graduated.”

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spotlight

Presenting “Cacaphony” “Cacaphony,” an original play co-written by Upper School drama teacher Mark Edwards and Lexi Lee ’22, explored contemporary societal woes resulting from an oversaturation of noise—including news and social media. The play examined what our present-day society might look like when isolated inside a diner on Manhattan’s lower east side.

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THE BAR

THE DÉCOR

THE CHALLENGES

THE SCRIPT

The bar was designed

by Joshua Miller, theatre technical director, and built by Upper School tech crew students.

It featured a hinged counter, which the actors could lift up and walk through. “I wanted the audience to see the inner workings of a restaurant, and having an open-air bar was critical for that,” said Edwards.

Set designers hid political symbols, like hammers, sickles, donkeys, and elephants all over the set. “Because the play was making commentary on the political system, we decided to insert those little pieces of subliminal messaging,” said Miller.

Other set décor items came from AP Art students and even Edwards’ own home.

One of the biggest challenges for Miller was the limited availability of raw materials due to supply chain issues caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. “I’d say that about 85% of the set was built out of wood we had left over from last year.

But the kids got really creative and built a spectacular set.”

Edwards and Lee ’22 began collaborating on the script in May 2021, and by early October they had a finished manuscript at nearly 70 pages long. Although Edwards had written original plays before, Lee had not. “I’ve been writing plays for 25 years, but I think I learned as much from her as she did from me during this process,” said Edwards.

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TITLE

Cacaphony LOCATION

Manhattan, New York

JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH

How to Build a 12-foot Rotating Peach

spotlight Creating the set for the Middle School production of Roald Dahl’s classic “James and the Giant Peach” proved to be a logistical challenge for Joshua Miller, USM’s theatre technical director, and his crew of Middle School set designers. “Designing and constructing the peach was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in the entirety of my career,” he said. Thankfully, Miller and his crew, along with director Katie Gonring and her marvelous actors, created a magical world for the audiences.

THE WALLS Initially, Miller thought he could use spray-foam insulation to form the walls of the peach, but the foam wasn’t thick enough. Miller and his students then used brown butcher paper to cover the structure and fill it out. Finally, they covered the exterior in a layer of foam insulation.

“We ended up with a nice round structure, and the foam really brought the texture to life.”

A RIDDLE WRAPPED IN AN ENIGMA Once the rotating platform was complete, Miller’s next step was to build a frame. “I knew I wanted the frame to be an octagon inside of a circle, but I was having trouble getting my measurements to work,” he said. After getting help from Tom Lewandowski, Upper School math teacher, Miller proceeded with construction and the frame fit like a glove.

360º ROTATION The peach was constructed on top of plywood circles, which rested on a complicated series of casters, allowing the entire structure to rotate 360 degrees.

“This is the first time we’ve built a revolve in Middle School, so it was cool that the students got to experience making it,” said Miller.

PRETTY AS A PEACH Miller and his students worked with a professional painter to create the distinct yellow, orange, and red hues of a peach.

The artist also helped them utilize light and shadow to mimic, for example, the divot where the peach pit would be.

“For the longest time it did not resemble a peach—until we painted it. Then it was like, ‘Oh, we have a peach!’”

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spotlight

’Tis the Season The holiday spirit was alive and well at University School of Milwaukee during the all-school holiday concert on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021. Guests enjoyed carols sung by Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School choirs, as well as musical performances from the Upper School orchestra and jazz band.

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locker room

USM Competes at State GIRLS TENNIS Pictured, from left: Rebecca Daskal ’22 and Isabel Werner ’24 won the WIAA Division 2 Girls Tennis Individual State Tournament doubles competition, and did not drop a single set in tournament play. Aubrey Jayne ’25 finished third in the singles tournament— as a freshman—losing in the semifinals to the eventual champion.

Rachael Schneck ’22 and Mia Darr ’25 went 1-1, losing to the eventual second-place team.

CROSS COUNTRY Pictured, from left: Thomas Stephens ’22, Mya Hartjes ’23, Annie Norman ’25, Bella Grenier ’25, and Drew Stephens ’22 competed as individuals at the WIAA Division 2 Cross Country State Championships in October. Drew finished in 3rd place with a time of 16:23.2; and Thomas finished in 4th with a time of 16:24.6.

Grenier finished in 15th place with a time of 19:42.6 and Norman finished in 39th place with a time of 20:36.7. Hartjes raced amongst the top 10 until the final 300 meters. After collapsing, she was able to finish up the long hill to cross the finish line with a time of 21:58.0.

GIRLS SWIMMING AND DIVING

Art ’23

Staples ’22

Lucy Art ’23 and Anna Staples ’22 competed as individuals for the Brown Deer/University School of Milwaukee girls’ swimming and diving team in the WIAA Division 2 State Swimming and Diving Championship. Art placed 9th in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 24:39, and Staples placed 9th in the 1-meter diving competition, with a score of 360.20. “I am so proud of all the girls this season,” said head coach Amanda Hoppe, “and I couldn't be more excited for what’s to come in the future.”

Roadhouse Inducted to Hall of Fame Former USM boys’ varsity hockey coach Cal Roadhouse was inducted to the Wisconsin Hockey Hall of Fame last September. He coached at USM for 15 seasons, and his teams were sectional champions eight times and WIAA state champions in 2006 and 2010. He also served as a member of the board of directors for Milwaukee Winter Club, the oldest youth hockey club in Southeastern Wisconsin. During 27 years of coaching, Roadhouse freely shared his knowledge of the game and helped Wisconsin hockey become what it is today.

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locker room

Field Hockey Wins State The University School of Milwaukee girls’ field hockey team won the state championship on Oct. 16, 2021 with a 4–1 win against Arrowhead High School. The win was the frosting on the cake of an undefeated season for the team, and is the 11th time USM field hockey has won the state title, with the most recent title coming in 2014.

“The 2021 state championship was the culmination of a season of hard work, determination, and

LIZ KRIEG FIELD GETS NEW TURF This past fall, USM families, friends, and field hockey players gathered during the Tessa Nowakowski ’10 memorial field hockey game for the rededication of Liz Krieg Field. The field, named after retired USM field hockey coach and college counselor Liz Krieg ’79, was upgraded with new artificial turf over the summer thanks to the support of a number of generous donors. The original turf field was nearing the end of its functional life. In addition, the new turf is better suited to accommodate field hockey and lacrosse athletes, who share the field.

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perseverance,” said Andrea Burlew ’93, field hockey head coach and USM kindergarten teacher. “We have a group of skilled and determined field hockey athletes.

Our undefeated record and state championship win are amazing rewards for all our hard work. I am incredibly proud of our student athletes for always challenging one another to be their very best, displaying the highest level of sportsmanship, and playing as a field hockey family.”

locker room

USM’s New Wildcat Park is a Home Run .

“People never realize the most significant moments in their lives while they are happening,” said Craig Kasten, referencing a line from his favorite movie, 1989’s “A Field of Dreams.” He was speaking to a crowd gathered on campus to dedicate Wildcat Park, USM’s newest athletic facility, which features a flexible, all-turf baseball field. Kasten is a USM parent and one of several major supporters of the project.

The unique facility enhances USM’s athletics program with a repositioned synthetic turf baseball field, a large outfield that will serve as an additional multi-purpose field, two new dugouts, new stadiumstyle seats, a new raised press box, and an updated Joe Lubar ’08 Training Facility. Construction on Wildcat Park began last June, and was largely completed in just four months.

“This great project, and the memories that will be created on this field by people we’ve never met before will be significant in their lives, can only be a good thing,” said Kasten. “Let’s toast to our success and enjoy this memory for the rest of our lives.”

Craig Kasten, USM parent and one of several major supporters of the Wildcat Park project, spoke at the ribbon cutting.

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beyond usm

Class Notes

’50s SUSAN PURTELL MUS’56

shared the following update: “My late husband, Win, and I joined the dog world in our early 50s and ended up with seven field champions. We bought a house in Thomasville, Georgia so we could train our dogs with our pro every day in the winter season and compete in field trails all over the south. We came back to Wisconsin and continued to train with the pro and competed all over the Midwest. It is a wonderful sport!

We moved to the country near West Bend, where we have 72 acres of beautiful glacier land that I’ve loved for 31 years. Win died in 2015 and our last field champion, Landovers Joy, died in April of 2021. I’ve had two grandsons who graduated from USM and I would like to know what’s going on with Jane Stroebel MUS’56, Tim Kelly MUS’56, and Carol Reeves MDS’55.”

’70s JERRY YASHIRO ’71

ran into a familiar face while on a recent campus tour—himself! Yashiro’s photo from a track and field meet in 1971 was on display in the hallway of USM’s administrative wing, and his eagle-eyed classmates identified him while on a campus tour during their 50th reunion weekend in August.

HOLLY HARNISCHFEGER ’73

held an event at Grove Gallery in Milwaukee featuring her artwork.

The show was titled “About A Vase” and was a series of mixed media paintings that portray images of a vase in different environments.

ANN RAWLINSON ’73

displayed her watercolor paintings in a show this past summer at Timnath Beerwerks in Timnath, Colorado.

“The Beerwerks is in an old grain elevator, so the space was very cool,” she said. “They also happen to have the best beer in northern Colorado!” She shared the opening with a friend who wrote a vegetarian cookbook called “Food Elevated.” Rawlinson, a certified Sommelier, was asked to write the wine pairings for the cookbook.

She currently lives in Fort Collins, Colorado.

’80s DAE MELLENCAMP ’87

was named chief operating officer of soona, the world’s first virtual content creation platform for ecommerce.

Mellencamp most recently served as chief operating officer of Gaia Inc., and also served as CEO and president of Vimeo. She spoke at USM’s Commencement in 2019.

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beyond usm

’90s

MARGARET SOKOL ’93

WENDY JEPSON, PH.D. ’90

was named associate director of research (social science) at the Texas Water Resources Institute (TWRI). Since 2020, she has served TWRI as interim associate director at the Texas A&M AgriLife Center at Dallas. A large part of her new role as associate director will be facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration both within researchers and departments at Texas A&M.

LORI THARPS ’90

was featured on the cover of the Fall 2021 Alumnae Quarterly magazine for Smith College. Tharps wrote a piece for the magazine, in which she described upending her life to pursue her dream of living abroad in Spain.

LAFAYETTE CRUMP ’91

participated in a panel discussion hosted by the Milwaukee Business Journal to discuss the surge of development along West Wisconsin Avenue in downtown Milwaukee, its impact on the central business district, and what the area’s next major projects will be. Crump currently serves as the commissioner of city development for the city of Milwaukee. He spoke at USM’s Commencement in 2020.

recently reconnected with fellow USM alumni for a fun evening in Boston, and shared this photo.

Pictured from left are Geoff Caan ’87, who lives in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts; K.K. (McGregor) Neimann ’93, who lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Margaret (Sokol) Caswell ’93, who lives in Rye, New Hampshire.

ANWAR FLOYD-PRUITT ’95

participated in WMSE 91.7FM’s 5th annual Art & Music event, which combined live music with live art. Guests were invited to bid on hundreds of locally made pieces of art.

Floyd-Pruitt is an interdisciplinary artist focused on community art, puppetry, and mixed media portraiture.

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beyond usm

USM Alumni Coffee

USM alumni returned to campus ahead of Thanksgiving for the annual alumni coffee event on Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021. They enjoyed coffee, donuts, and a hot chocolate bar while reconnecting with former teachers and catching up with friends.

Ritika Pandey ’20

Tesse Okunseri ’21

Eibar Robledo ’20

ELIZABETH PETERS ’95

hosted a get-together of USM alumni in the “Triangle” (North and South Carolina and Southern Virginia).

Pictured from left are: Gianna Affi ’18, Dr. Kristin Schroeder ’97, Elizabeth Peters ’95, Jack Glusman ’19, and Lauren Glusman ’21. Peters is the regional council chair for the USM Alumni Association, and serves as a connection point for alumni in that area. If you’re interested in serving as a regional council chair in your area, contact Leah Wabiszewski at lwabiszewski@usm.org.

TALLEAH (BRIDGES) MCMAHON ’95

directed a 30-minute documentary called “Uprooted,” which is part of a four-episode docuseries from Sesame Workshop. The series, called “Through Our Eyes,” is a journey into the lives of American families from the perspective of children themselves, and is now streaming on HBO Max.

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USM TODAY | FALL / WINTER 2021–22

beyond usm

has been named the new Milwaukee program manager of The Nature Conservancy. The new position will help kick off and guide TNC’s conservation work with communities and partners in Wisconsin’s biggest city.

GRETCHEN (KRIEG) MATHEWS ’06

’00s FATIMA LASTER ’02

is working to develop a mixed-use building in Milwaukee’s Five Points neighborhood. The new, $1.8 million project will include a restaurant, recording studio, event space, and apartments. Previously, Laster converted the former Johnson-Goolsby Funeral Home into a gallery space and artist studios.

DR. WILL COLLIER ’03

is teaching 6th grade math at USM. “University School helped develop my love of learning, and I am excited to share that passion with my students,” she said.

EMILY MILLS/TNC

LAMONT SMITH ’97

and his wife, Lisa Melick ’03, welcomed a baby girl, Alexandra, on July 10, 2021. Will is an internal medicine physician at Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin. He is in his second year of residency and works daily with COVID-19 patients.

JESSICA ROBERTS ’06

is the newest kindergarten teacher at USM. This is her 10th year of teaching, having worked in schools in Littleton, Colorado, and Cedarburg, Wisconsin.

“I’m thrilled to be back at USM,” she said. “I love meeting new families and reconnecting with alumni parents!”

MICHAEL SARNOSKI ’06

(pictured, far left) wrote and directed a film called “Pig” starring Alex Wolff, Nicolas Cage, and Adam Arkin. It follows a truffle forager whose beloved truffle-finding pig is stolen. The film premiered in July 2021 and was nominated for two 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards.

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beyond usm

GARETH HATTERSLEY ’08

married Keeley Browning on July 10, 2021. Pictured are Ethan Padway ’08, Patrick Downey ’08, Jack Ulricson ’08, Matt Bures ’08, Blake Pindyck ’08, Peter Kaufman ’08, Jack Wigdale ’08, Allison Twedell, Gareth Hattersley ’08, Kathan Chintamaneni ’08, Ryan Khanna ’08, Eric Follett ’08, Jake Nellen ’08, David Havens ’08, and Andrew Seter ’08.

HARRIETTE HAUSKE ’14

began teaching junior kindergarten at USM in August. This is her third year of teaching, having previously taught at Latin School in Chicago. “USM helped shape me into the person I am today,” she said. “I went to USM for 15 years, and I couldn’t be happier to be back as a teacher. It has been really special being a part of the community in this new role.” She is joined in her classroom by Lisl Gapinski ’92, who is an assistant teacher in junior kindergarten.

KATE REED ’15

’10s RAWLINGS LONG JOERRES ’10

and her husband, Tommy Joerres ’10, had a baby boy, Jonathan “Jack” Arthur Joerres, on May 28, 2021.

HANNAH LUBAR ’10

married Michael Borge on Aug. 28, 2021 at Riverbend Club in Kohler, Wisconsin.

They recently relocated to Milwaukee from San Francisco.

“We’re so excited to be back in the Midwest,” she said. “And we’re not wasting any time getting involved—Mike already signed up to be an assistant coach for USM’s boys’ varsity hockey team!”

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USM TODAY | FALL / WINTER 2021–22

recently joined the Milwaukee Bucks as the communications coordinator. She graduated from the University of Colorado-Boulder with a bachelor’s in strategic communications. “I am so grateful to everyone who has helped me every step of the way,” she said. “I can't wait to see what this opportunity holds. Bucks in 6!”

MICHAEL BALISTRERI ’17

was honored during a UW-Madison football game for senior day. He is a defensive end for the Badgers, majoring in agricultural business management. He is pictured with his parents, Patrick and Lisa.

beyond usm

Rediscovering the Thompson Trophy Many of our Milwaukee University School alumni are likely familiar with the Thompson Trophy, a coveted award established in 1938 by Frank Spigener, then-director of MUS. Inscribed on the trophy are six lines: “Not what you get, but what you give/Not what you say, but how you live/Give the world the love it needs/Living a life of noble deeds/Strong for the right – the good – the true/These are the things worthwhile to you.”

When MUS merged with Milwaukee Country Day School and Milwaukee Downer Seminary in 1964, the award was no longer bestowed and, after campus relocations, the trophy went missing. (Thankfully, the school was gifted a replacement by Mary Dengel and Wendy (Shea) Randall MDS’50, whose late husbands were both award recipients.) After years of searching, the trophy was closer than we thought—sitting in an Upper School art classroom, used as a subject in countless still-lifes.

Thanks to a generous alumnus, the spirit of the trophy lives on. In 2016, Robert Burch MUS’52 established the Frank S. Spigener Service and Leadership Award.

It is given annually to a senior who demonstrates the spirit of caring, humanitarianism, and volunteerism exemplified by Spigener. “I thought it was important that the award, and those words, be brought back,” he said.

ANNE HAVLIK ’17

’20s SHREYA GUNDELLY ’20

finished amongst the Top 16 of the Miss Teen USA 2021 pageant, held on Nov. 27 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She was crowned Miss Wisconsin Teen USA 2021 in May 2021, the first Indian American to earn the title.

STEPHANIE GUY ’20

was accepted to the Horstmann Scholar Program, where she will be pursuing a master’s in public health in chronic disease epidemiology at the Yale School of Public Health on a Horstmann Scholarship. The program is named for Dr. Dorothy M. Horstmann, a principal researcher of the pathogenesis and control of viral infection, the first female professor of medicine at Yale, and the first woman in the university to hold an endowed chair. She became an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1975.

received the 2021 Philanthropic Youth of Today Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Southeastern Wisconsin chapter. Guy founded the Make a Motion program, an initiative to connect youth members to nonprofit boards in the greater Milwaukee area.

She was nominated by Fund Development Corp., which was founded by Elizabeth Meyer ’70. Guy is a sophomore at Georgetown University in the McDonough School of Business.

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beyond usm

Celebrating Out-of-This-World Jobs

REID PEZEWSKI ’20 AND QUINN THOMPSON ’20

along with a third teammate, Nelson Cowan, earned 1st place in the FIS InnovateIN48 challenge held in August. Hosted by financial technology leader FIS, the competition consisted of 22 teams of students from universities around the country and was judged by top business leaders from FIS, Google, Microsoft, and national nonprofits. Placing first in the competition provides the team with entry into 1819’s Venture Lab Program (a pre-accelerator for startups), priority interviews in the FIS University Program for full-time opportunities and internships, and the opportunity to choose innovation-enabling prizes.

IRENE GAY ’21

Alumni who work in the aerospace field held a virtual panel discussion with current USM students.

Ben Tyson ’03, executive council at Boeing; David Routier ’14, associate RF microwave design engineer at Northrup Grumman; and Emme Wiederhold ’16, user interface developer for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, spoke with Susan Zarwell ’87, USM’s director of College Guidance, about their work.

View a recording of the discussion, as well as recordings of previous panel discussions, at www.usm.org/careerpanels.

earned a National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) scholarship to study Chinese (Mandarin). NSLI-Y is a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). She competed with thousands of applicants across the United States to win a NSLI-Y scholarship, and was one of 616 chosen.

NSLI-Y participants receive formal language instruction, live with a host family, and experience the local culture.

Save the Date!

USM Reunion Weekend | June 24-25, 2022 Event details will be posted to www.usm.org/reunion, or email alumni@usm.org with questions.

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USM TODAY | FALL / WINTER 2021–22

beyond usm

The Impact of an Internship Most people are familiar with internships. They’re what college students usually do during their junior or senior years to get real-world work experience. But what if you could test out the internship waters in high school?

What if, by the time you applied to colleges and registered for classes, you already had an idea of what you wanted to do for your career?

At USM, this dream is a reality. And for alumni like Claire Sharpe ’15, it’s made all the difference in their careers. Sharpe came to USM her junior year when her family relocated to Milwaukee from Columbus, Ohio. During her junior year, she applied for an internship through USM’s Internship and Shadowing Program. That summer, she joined Johnson Controls in Glendale, Wisconsin for an internship in their IT department for mergers and acquisitions.

The week-long stint turned into a three-year internship at Johnson Controls. Sharpe stayed on for the rest of that summer, worked after school during her senior year at USM, and then again the summer after her freshman year of college at Colgate University, where she studied mathematical economics.

“I was able to go into college with a professional internship on my resume.”

What started as a way to fill up time during the summer turned into so much more. “When I got to college, I had a leg up on my peers,” she said.

“Although I wasn’t thinking about that at the time, now when I look back, I’m so glad I did it. I was able to go into college with a professional internship on my resume, which made applying for more internships so much easier.”

Although Sharpe didn’t take business classes at USM, she did take AP Computer Science, which helped prepare her for work in IT. “I always knew I wanted to do something in business, and through my internship, I ended up liking it a lot more than I ever thought I would. At Johnson Controls, we worked with a lot of consultants from the “Big Four” professional services firms. I loved that projects were constantly changing, and you weren’t stuck in one role. It was very dynamic,” Sharpe said.

One of those firms, Ernst & Young, ended up being her first employer out of college, where she worked as a financial services consultant—a departure from IT. Currently, she works in global markets business management at UBS in Manhattan. “A lot of the day-to-day project management that I learned in my internship I’m still doing every day. It’s a lot more interconnected than I first thought,” she said.

Her advice for USM students considering the internship program? “It’s definitely valuable whatever you do. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone.”

Visit www.usm.org/internship to learn more about our Internship and Shadowing program.

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beyond usm

In Memoriam We celebrate the lives of the following alumni and friends, whose deaths were recently shared with us.

We are thankful for their friendship.

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1940s

1950s

1960s

Nancy Linn Grieb MDS’40 Aug. 11, 2021 Houston

Bette Mayer Drought MDS’50 Nov. 3, 2021 Milwaukee

Robert L. Auxer MCDS’60 March 18, 2021 Mequon, Wis.

Louise Schwarz Allis MDS’41 July 19, 2021 Mequon, Wis.

Joy Day Hale MUS’50 Aug. 10, 2021 Parowan, Utah

Richard A. Seefeld MUS’60 Sept. 20, 2021 Estero, Fla.

Kenneth Treis MCDS’43 Feb. 16, 2021 Milwaukee

Kenneth W. Kuehn MUS’50 Aug. 10, 2021 Mequon, Wis.

John T. Muench Jr. MUS’61 Feb. 7, 2020 League City, Texas

Lucille Voigt Heard MDS’44 July 6, 2021 Wauwatosa, Wis.

W. D. Tallmadge MCDS’50 Oct. 20, 2017 Oconomowoc, Wis.

Michael B. Ackerman MCDS’63 Nov. 19, 2021 Westwood, Mass.

June Goes Seaman MDS’44 Sept. 15, 2021 Milwaukee

Carolyn A. Evans MDS’52 Feb. 15, 2021 Atlantic Beach, Fla.

William P. Peters ’65 Sept. 16, 2021 Las Vegas

Frances Anderson Rathmann MUS’46 May 6, 2019 Arnold, Md.

Margaret E. Clemons MDS’53 April 26, 2020 Grafton, Wis.

Jennifer Quale ’66 June 9, 2021 Wakefield, R.I.

Martha Heseman Bollenbacher MDS’47 May 11, 2021 Littleton, Colo.

Eleanor Dieterle Lee MUS’53 May 21, 2021 Mequon, Wis.

1970s

Carolyn Slawson DeCoster MUS’48 Oct. 27, 2021 F. Myers, Fla.

Robert C. Wetenhall MUS’53 Sept. 3, 2021 New York, NY

Bruce A. Hanson MCDS’48 Aug. 25, 2018 Phoenix

Binnie Darling Rust MDS’54 Nov. 11, 2021 West Bend, Wis.

Joyce Jung Heinrich MDS’48 Nov. 16, 2021 Milwaukee

Timothy Cowdin MUS’55 Nov. 6, 2021 Menomonee Falls, Wis.

Robert N. Williams Jr. MCDS’48 Sept. 2, 2021 Williamsburg, Va.

Elizabeth Teipel Wigdale MDS’55 June 13, 2021 Milwaukee

John H. Gesser MCDS’49 Aug. 9, 2021 Milwaukee

Randolph J. Brill MUS’57 May 17, 2021 Woodland Hills, Calif.

In the Spring/Summer 2020–21 issue, we mistakenly listed Robert Wittig MCDS’58 as deceased. We are happy to report he is alive and well.

Our sincerest apologies for the error.

Jean Gerlach Bacon MUS’58 June 19, 2021 Falls Church, Va.

USM TODAY | FALL / WINTER 2021–22

Kenneth R. Williams MCDS’58 Sept. 3, 2021 Madison, Wis.

Anastasia M. Chehak ’71 July 13, 2017 Edmond, Okla.

Linda Kleinfeld Dainas ’71 March 24, 2013 Hollywood, Fla. Robert C. Davis ’71 June 23, 2015 Brown Deer, Wis. William Kuhner ’71 Nov. 23, 2020 Sugar Land, Texas William F. Pabst III ’71 Oct. 14, 2020 Paradise Valley, Ariz.

Robert G. Segel ’71 April 30, 2021 Mequon, Wis.

beyond usm

1980s Richard G. Jacobus Jr. ’80 Sept. 7, 2021 Newton Hlds, Mass.

Howard F. Boese died peacefully on Aug. 18, 2021, at age 99, with his daughter, Mary, by his side. Boese was a well-known athletic director, coach, and teacher at Milwaukee University School (MUS) and University School of Milwaukee.

1990s

Born Dec. 25, 1921 in Milwaukee, Boese’s athletic prowess was unmatched and he earned numerous accolades in football, basketball, and baseball. In 1939, he turned down offers to play professional baseball, instead choosing to attended UW-Madison and play football and star on the university’s baseball team.

Adam V. Cibik ’97 Sept. 2, 2021 Austin, Texas

World War II interrupted his collegiate career, and in 1943 he entered the Army Air Corps, achieving the rank of first lieutenant. He returned to UW-Madison in 1946, where he led the Badgers to their first Big Ten baseball championship in 16 years as team captain.

Patricia Fieweger Best ’84 July 8, 2021 West Bend, Wis.

Friends Mary Bechmann Nov. 2, 2021 Milwaukee Mother of Mary C. Bechmann ’75 William R. Nimtz April 28, 2021 Mequon, Wis. Father of Kaben Nimtz ’95 Randle E. Pollard Oct. 13, 2021 Milwaukee Father of Randy Pollard ’81 and JoAnne Williamson ’79.

Grandfather of Olivia Williamson ’14 and Bennett Williamson ’11 Roberta Tacke Aug. 7, 2021 Glendale, Wis. Mother of David Tacke ’72 and Margret Tacke Collins ’81

Updated as of Nov. 19, 2021.

After college graduation he took a job at MUS, one of USM’s predecessor schools, as a math teacher and coach. He earned a master’s degree in education from Marquette University in 1955. Following the predecessor schools’ merger in 1964, Boese was named USM’s first athletic director, and he also coached baseball for USM until his retirement in 1980. To honor Boese, an award was created bearing his name that is given each year to the senior baseball player who best exhibits exemplary sportsmanship.

He was inducted into USM’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016, part of the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class, recognized for his outstanding coaching achievement.

With all of these accomplishments, his proudest achievement was his family. His son, Mark, played baseball for him at USM and continued on to play at Valparaiso University. Mark died unexpectedly at age 33 from complications of diabetes. Howard’s daughter, Mary, pursued a career in nursing and gave Howard two grandsons: Ben and Nick. He was very supportive in all their sports. Watch Howard Boese’s USM Athletic Hall of Fame induction video at www.usm.org/boese.

Memorial gifts made in honor of Coach Boese will support Boese Homerun Alley in USM’s new Wildcat Park (see page 29 for details). If you would like to make a gift, please contact Vanessa Nerbun at 414.540.3337.

John Smith Borges, affectionately known as Cap or Pop, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021 at the age of 85. Cap was born Jan. 12, 1936, in Milwaukee.

Upon graduation from Culver Military Academy and Lawrence University, where he was elected president of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, Cap proudly served his country as a Lieutenant in the United States Air Force.

Cap was completely dedicated to his profession, having led a successful career in the insurance industry, as well as his family and community.

Over the years, Cap served as a board member for many local organizations including as a USM trustee. He was the father of Barbara Aik ’81, John (Mack) Borges ’85, and Margaret Vail ’86, and grandfather of Libby Aik ’12, Sarah Aik ’15, Jack Borges ’14, and Charlie Borges ’15.

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a look back Who Was Your Favorite Teacher?

MUS 1958

All of them in 1954-58: Mr. Wedge, Mrs. Hill, Mr. Jackson, Mr. Boese, and especially Mr. Haley, to name a few. Thanks to all!

- Susan Baillie

MUS 1962

Mary Hill was the most inspirational

teacher I ever had. She taught English and helped mold us into responsible learners. She went the extra mile if you went in for help. She was tough, but fair!

- Claire Burghardt Hodge

1969

Tom Bergen and Fengchi Chen for sure!

- Diane K. O’Connor

1980

There were so many. Mary Basson for teaching us how to write and John A. Stephens for teaching us an appreciation of American intellectual history. The same for J. Gregory Morgan and European history, Madame Ragen and French literature, Denny Bauman and Petronius, Beth Sieckman and paleontology, Steve Bruemmer and Africa, and Ernie Brusubardis for Handel and Stan Kenton!

- Jim Swearingen

1981

So many wonderful teachers but I would have to say Mr. Bruemmer.

His classes were so interesting and he was the faculty advisor on some great extracurriculars.

Who knew Model UN could be so fun? He inspired me to reach farther in my pursuits. Mr. Bergen is a close second because we got along so well. But so many great teachers who loved what they did and it showed!

- Kerry Ninneman Goese

1986

1996

1994

2012

Cathy Hayden, Ms. Markland, Mrs. Basson, Kate Elsner, Peggy Seegers, and Steve Bruemmer all had a dramatic impact on me. But it’s so hard to pick when Gardner Friedlander, Mrs. Fox, Ms. Dayne, Mrs. Stolee, and Mr. Margenau were in the mix, too. When I think back almost every teacher, coach, and administrator left an imprint.

I’m so grateful to have had unique experiences with all of them.

- Karen Hartwig

All of my English teachers were encouraging and engaging. I also appreciate Herr Klijnsmit, Frau Stuckslager, and Señora Morse for helping to cultivate my love of learning languages.

- Amita Gupta

1995

Ms. Hostetler.

Brilliant at leading analytical discussions of literary texts.

Amazing teacher.

- Lauren Brozovich

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USM TODAY | FALL / WINTER 2021–22

I was blessed to have the wonderful Gregg Bach as my 6th grade teacher, as well as my advisor senior year. He remains an amazing mentor, fellow die-hard Brewers fan, and just a world class human being. I also loved having Margaret Lang as my 3rd grade teacher. She helped me fall in love with learning and always fostered a classroom filled with curiosity and inquiry!

- William Piper

Mr. Bertucci met me with such kindness and patience when I struggled with math. He always found ways to relate it to things that interested me and was always interested in hearing about me and my life.

- Kelly Marie Venable-Turner

Responses were shared via the USM Alumni Facebook page and have been edited for length and clarity.

a look ahead

It’s never too early to start dreaming about warm weather and sunshine, and these pictures of USM’s Summer I.D.E.A.S. youth sailing class are giving us major summer vibes. Held in partnership with the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center, the program introduces children to rigging, sail theory, basic maneuvers, and more under the watchful supervision of MCSC instructors. “I’ve never gone sailing before so I didn’t know what to expect,” said George Zhang ’24 who participated last summer. “There’s more teamwork involved than I thought there would be in sailing. It’s been really fun.”

Sailing is just one of many classes offered through the Summer I.D.E.A.S. program, which provides enrichment, academic, and athletic opportunities to children in PK (age 3) through grade 12. Programming is open to the public, and runs from June 21 to August 19. Visit www.usm.org/summer for more information.

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2100 W. Fairy Chasm Road Milwaukee, WI 53217 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

This year’s Homecoming all-school pep rally was red hot—literally! Chef Bill Ramos, a member of Flik Independent School Dining’s USM food service team, entertained the crowd with a daring fire-breathing performance.

In addition to the pep rally, students, faculty, and staff enjoyed a week of special events and celebrating school spirit. Photo by Jessica Michels, Upper School art teacher.

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Milwaukee, WI Permit No. 1025