The Gryphon: Fall/Winter 2324

FALL/WINTER 2023-24

PROGRESSIVE ED IN THE AGE OF AI

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2023–24

THE GRYPHON, FALL/WINTER 2023-24

Allie Altman P’12 Treasurer; Chair, Finance Committee

Lise Charlier Head of School

Nathan Brewer ’24 Boarding Student Representative

Emma Fedor Director of Marketing and Communications

Lise Charlier Head of School

Jen Raxter Chief Development Officer

John Finnerty P’21

Jeanette Origel Assistant Director of Communications

Michael (Mike) Flanagan P’20, ’22 Michael Fleming ’81 Ann Gorson P’16 Chair of the Board; Chair, Development Committee Cynthia Harmon Vice Chair of the Board Snowden Henry P’16, ’18 Chair, Governance Committee KB Kinkel Faculty Representative Chin Lin P’18 Secretary; Chair, Building and Grounds Committee

Emmanuelle Charlier Assistant Director for Alumni and Parent Engagement

CONTRIBUTORS Alex Budnitz Photography Russ Campbell Photography Krishna Chavda ’04 Isaac Hugenberger ’24 Nathaniel Salzano ’25

Ann Marie Lindquist P’10 ’19 Noah Loren P’22 ’24

DESIGN

Izzie Parker ’25 Day Student Representative

gokorodesign.com

Dmitri Rabin P’22 Ranjit Rajamani P’22 Chair, Investment Committee Adriel Roncal Faculty Representative Will Stansbury P’20 John Thompson P’05, ’07 Daniel (Dan) Wolf ’65

The Cambridge School of Weston is an independent, all-gender day and boarding school for grades 9 – 12 and post-graduate study. Inquiries for admission should be directed to the Admissions Office at 781.642.8650.

The Gryphon welcomes class notes and photographs by alumni, parents, and friends.

Please email submissions to alumni@csw.org, call 781.642.8619, visit www.csw.org, or send to: Alumni Relations The Cambridge School of Weston 45 Georgian Road Weston, MA 02493

CONTACT www.csw.org To contact the editor, please send us an email at gryphon@csw.org.

Cover: Cover illustration by Krishna Chavda ’04, Nanu Studio.

Fall/Winter 2023-24

THE

Gryphon 2

Leading Thoughts

4

On the Quad

11 Faculty/Staff Spotlight: Pamela Torres 12

New Faculty & Staff

14

2023 Parkhill Grantee Reflections

16

Progressive Ed in the Age of AI

20

Then & Now

22

Alum Spotlight

24 Class Notes 29 CSW Remembers Head of School George Cohan 32

My Five

Edgar Buttner ’24, from “3D Character Design.”

2 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

LEADING THOUGHTS

Dear Community, Artificial intelligence (AI) has been present in our lives for some time now. Have you ever used Google Maps to get somewhere? Or utilized the spell check function in a word processing app? Or taken advantage of e-banking? If you have, then you have already interacted with artificial intelligence.

But the release of Open AI’s Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (more commonly known as GPT-4) seems to have changed the game. It is something we have been keeping a close eye on here at CSW, particularly as it affects the student learning experience. As you will read in our cover story “Progressive Ed in the Age of AI,” (p. 16), our approach has been careful yet curious; eager yet measured.

The thing is, progressive ed “in the age of AI,” is just as it has always been. As progressive educators, we are constantly looking at what is coming up next, so that we can adapt, respond, and tailor our educational programming to the times in which we are living. This is a skill that we ourselves practice, and that we cultivate in our students, so that they may grow up to be resilient, flexible, and receptive contributors of society. CSW has thrived through enormous technological advances in the past and we will continue to do so.

Can you remember a disruption, technological or otherwise, during your time at CSW? What was that like? Drop us a line on social media or join us at an upcoming alumni event and let us know. We love to hear your stories.

Here’s to embracing change and learning along the way!

All my best,

Lise Charlier, Head of School

ON THE QUAD • 3

Max Lawton ’25 and Gaius McCubbin ’25 prepare for robotics competition.

4 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

ON THE QUAD

ON THE QUAD • 5

Fall Family Weekend On September 29-30, CSW was delighted to host the first annual Fall Family Weekend, bringing together students, parents/guardians, faculty, and staff for two exciting days of programming. The weekend kicked off with Friday’s “A Day in the Life” event, in which parents and guardians were able to shadow students through their days, sitting in on classes, visiting community groups, and enjoying meals together. Saturday was Blue and Gold Day. Attendees enjoyed a Fun Run, snacks, face painting, arts and crafts, and a community engagement fair, in which visitors could learn about some of CSW’s community partners, organizations with whom students have partnered as part of the Promoting Awareness and Community Engagement (PACE) program. Next year, we will be opening up the weekend to alumni, with Blue and Gold Day on Saturday, September 28, 2024. Please save the date!

6 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

Focus on Sustainability The CSW Board of Trustees is considering adding sustainability as an official school value.

In support of this commitment, the school recently hosted a five-day visit with sustainability consultant Liz Cutler of Whole School Sustainability. During her visit to CSW, Liz engaged with students, faculty, staff, board members, and parents/guardians through a series of conversations and interactive sessions encouraging participants to reflect on their personal habits and offering valuable insights on how small changes can collectively contribute to a more sustainable future.

In addition, students on the Sustainability Committee have been working hard to bring issues of sustainability to the forefront. They recently shared the results of a food waste audit, working closely with the dining hall staff to weigh discarded food after each meal and generate some informative statistics for the community.

The Kakehashi Project In October, CSW welcomed students from two schools in Japan as part of the Kakehashi Okinawa Project. The Kakehashi Project is a government-funded grassroots exchange program that aims to build new bridges of friendship and cooperation between Japan and the United States. Visiting students were able to shadow current CSW students and stay in the homes of CSW families. This spring, a group of CSW students will travel to Okinawa to visit with our new friends and learn more about their school and culture.

Summer Campus Updates It was another busy summer of renovation and construction on campus. The lower level of the Garden Building was transformed into a counselors' suite; with the infirmary just upstairs, CSW now has a true Wellness Center! The Barn Dorm has undergone a series of upgrades and renovations, with improved heating and cooling, redesigned dorm rooms and common spaces, faculty apartment updates, and additional cosmetic enhancements. In addition, EV charging stations have been installed in both the lower and upper parking lots.

ON THE QUAD • 7

Fall Athletics Report It was another exciting Fall Season for CSW Athletics. For the second year in a row, the Girls Varsity Cross Country team claimed the MBIL Championship title on their home course. Boys Varsity Soccer made it all the way to the MBIL Finals, and Varsity Volleyball got as far as the IGC semifinals. Because they had such a strong showing this season, for the first time ever, Volleyball was also invited as the #8 seed in the 2023 NEPSAC Tournament. In December, Girls Varsity Basketball won the Second Annual Gryphon Goblet Tournament here at CSW. Go Gryphons!

Historical Perspectives CSW welcomed historian and former CSW faculty member Steve Cohen to campus on Wednesday, October 25, to lead an assembly presentation and conversation on the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict. In his interactive presentation, Steve offered perspective and context surrounding the most recent outbreak of war in the region following the October 7 attacks. He began with a review of World War I and went on to trace the evolution of the Middle East through today. After, students, faculty, and staff had the chance to ask questions and share their own comments and perspectives as the community continues to process recent events.

8 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

Global Summer Academy This summer, after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CSW relaunched its Global Summer Academy, an immersion program for international students looking to experience progressive education firsthand.

Twenty-one students and two chaperones from Taoyuan Municipal Wu-Ling Senior High School spent two weeks on CSW’s campus, studying “Astronomy” with Rose Rosenthal, “The Art of Science of Motion and 3D Modeling” with Chris Whittaker, and “Conversational English and Introduction to Academic Writing and Reading” with Carmen Leahy. Special thanks to alumni Ashley Ho ’21 and Davis Ceballos ’23 for caring for the students in the dorms and joining them on local area excursions.

Read-a-Thon The CSW Library hosted a Read-a-Thon on Saturday, December 2.

This is the second year the Library has hosted what has come to be a much beloved event on campus. Students could read whatever they wanted — news, fiction, non-fiction, graphic novels — as long as they were reading for pleasure; homework was strictly forbidden.

Over the course of the 12 hours, 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., students read 13,754 book pages and listened to 996 minutes' worth of audiobooks. Twenty-six books were completed from start to finish during the event. Students also consumed 5 pounds of gummies — before 6:00 p.m.!

ON THE QUAD • 9

Sustainable Set Design The CSW Theatre Department put on Shakespeare's As You Like It for their Fall Theatre Production, taking on the extra challenge of making the production as eco-conscious as possible. The goal was to construct the set, scenery, and costumes completely out of recycled cardboard and donated materials. "It was a grand experiment and part of a quest for sustainable theatre making," said Theatre Department Chair Emily Ranii in her Director's Note.

The decision to use cardboard to recreate the world of As You Like It further emphasized the "story of how Duke Frederick's court puts these characters in a box, which contrasts to the freedom and imagination the characters experience in the Forest of Arden," Emily explains.

Early on in the Fall, the Theatre Department put out a call for cardboard donations and the CSW community did not disappoint.

When the Props Team went to assess the feasibility of their goal, and weighed the amount of cardboard they had received, the quantity came in at 585 pounds. All that was purchased for the production were tools (X-Acto knives, scissors, and wrenches), fasteners (glue, tape, staples, Velcro tape, sticky tack, and rope), cardboard-colored base layers (leggings and t-shirts), butcher paper, a metal cart, and a few small props. When CSW purchased a new cyclorama (that beautiful new curtain across the back of the stage), the Design Teams repurposed the old cyclorama into costumes and scenery.

Sustainability efforts aside, the cast and crew of As You Like It blew audiences away with their artful performance. Congratulations to all involved!

10 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

Faculty News Todd Bartel (Visual Arts) was recently invited to live and work in the studio of Italian artist and renowned assemblage pioneer Salvatore Meo. During Mod 3, Todd traveled to Rome for a three-week artist residency with the goal of creating a new body of work based on his experiences working in the studio.

Calin Duke (Theatre Department) has published her first book entitled: How to Upcycle Nearly Everything, a whimsical (and illustrated!) collection of projects for upcycling items you probably already have in your home.

Three monographs of photography by Anne Rearick (Visual Arts) have been published this year. A long form interview and photographs are featured in Anne Rearick/Remi Coignet : Le Cheval de Monsieur Peillon and Heartland, Terre de Coeur from Auvergne. A third book, You Will Look to the Mountains, which features photographs from Eastern Kentucky made in the late eighties, is available in the U.S. through the Deadbeat Club press.

Over the summer, Alison Safford (Visual Arts) was invited to create a multimedia installation in a former synagogue in the town of Šamorín in Slovakia.

Calin Duke’s new book, How to Upcycle Nearly Everything.

Alison Safford’s Avalanche installation at Synagóga Šamorín, Slovakia.

You Will Look to the Mountains, Anne Rearick’s latest book of photographs, is available now from Deadbeat Club Press.

An assemblage from Todd Bartel’s show As Is, on display March 11-18 at Rome’s Sala 1 gallery.

See their work in person at our Visual Art Faculty Show!

This spring, members of the art faculty will be exhibiting their work in the Thompson Gallery. Alumni are invited to reconnect and catch up on all that they have been up to at a special reception during reunion weekend.

Visit www.csw.org/reunion2024 for more information.

FACULTY/STAFF SPOTLIGHT • 11

FA C U LT Y / S TA F F S P O T L I G H T

PAMELA TORRES Q What attracted you to the role here at CSW? Honestly, it wasn’t necessarily the role, but the school itself that originally piqued my interest. CSW is my dream school. I love how inclusive and welcoming and positive it is, and the people here really care about the world well beyond what’s happening in the classroom.

And I love what it did for my own child, who is an alum. All of the classes she took stretched her, and she received so much encouragement and support from her teachers. It was a breath of fresh air after having been in more traditional spaces. A big part of this role, in particular, is making the school and its methodology available to a wider audience, particularly for adults and international learners, and I find that really exciting, because I believe so strongly in what we do here.

Q What are some of your current responsibilities?

The main buckets of responsibility for me are international education (specifically beyond the classroom), adult education, and public purpose. I see it as my job to take a critical look at what we offer our students and determine how we can further our mission and continue to open up our campus, literally and figuratively, in new and rewarding ways. The goal is to do this both internationally and at the local level, connecting with communities overseas and in our own backyard.

Q What are you working on right now?

PAMELA TORRES P’23 JOINED THE CSW FACULTY AND STAFF THIS YEAR, TAKING ON THE NEWLY FORMED ROLE OF DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SUMMER & INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE. WE SAT DOWN WITH HER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE EXCITING PROJECTS SHE CURRENTLY HAS IN THE WORKS.

Right now I am looking to build a continuing education program that will allow for additional access to our teaching and learning methodology. I would argue that CSW is the best progressive institution in the country, and we would like to do a better job of sharing what we do with others, whether that is through classes, workshops, or other educational opportunities. I am also working on two global summer academies, one for middle and high school aged students from around the world, and another for international families looking to get a taste of progressive ed and the Greater Boston Area.

Another idea in progress is to create mini-modules, where students can sign up to take CSW classes over the summer. International trips, like our mod abroad science and language course to Panama, also fall under my purview, so I have been busy working on those. I am hoping we can also develop partnerships with communities within the United States. I’m envisioning a trip exploring Native American history, or an exploration of Black History in the Deep South, for example.

Q How can alumni or past parents get involved?

We’re still piloting programs, but if and when we get our continuing education initiatives up and running, we would love to see some familiar faces participating. Our parents and guardians are always saying they wish they could take classes here, and our alums talk about how much they miss the coursework, so this could be their chance to come back and do it! I also encourage anyone with ties to local or international organizations that might be good partners for CSW to reach out to me. Whether you are looking for a space to host a local event, or you’d like to collaborate on a workshop or training with our faculty and administrators, I would love to connect: ptorres@csw.org.

12 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

NEW FACULTY & STAFF We asked our newest community members to share three fun facts about themselves. Here's what they said:

HANNAH CALLAHAN Language Department I have a distinct voice and personality for each of my pets.

I love to crochet and knit but I'm still quite a novice.

I love to organize, but hate to clean.

ROGER FUSSA Development Office I worked as the McDonald's character Grimace and got good at waving. Despite the mall's A/C, I baked inside the costume.

I am perhaps the only person in the world to have visited Ibiza, Spain, 5+ times, yet never set foot in a disco.

I was once browsing in a store in Cambridge when the employee smiled at me, put up a sign "Back in 5 Minutes," and then locked me inside without saying a word, including what to do if other customers arrived while she was away.

KATIE HOLLIDAY Athletics Department I was a competitive cheerleader for eight years, and hold a 2012 National Champion title.

My family shares a distant Scottish relative with Steven Tyler from Aerosmith.

I have a dog named Marvin.

He is a dachshund/beagle mix.

REEN COURTNEY Science Department I grew up just outside of Philadelphia, which is obvious as soon as you hear me pronounce the word “water.”

I have a dress that thematically matches every topic we cover in the BioChemistry curriculum.

My dogs have all been named after movie characters.

KATE LIEBSON Math Department I came to CSW after working in corporate banking.

I spent many years living in the UK. I have an MBA from Harvard Business School.

AUDREY MOSS Business Office TED HURLEY Athletics Department

KATHY GORDON Business Office I'm a Crime Junkie podcast junky!

I have a deep passion for cooking & baking.

I love going to vintage bazaars.

I have coached youth, high school, collegiate, and adult recreational sports.

I won a dance contest in college dancing to Cape Verdean and hip-hop music.

I love going to concerts so much so I saw Migos twice in one week in 2017.

I have three children.

I met my husband on a beautiful island while on a summer vacation.

I wish I had the courage to learn how to scuba dive.

NEW FACULTY & STAFF • 13

EMILY RANII Theatre Department I had a frog collection and pet frogs growing up.

My first theatre-making experience was as one of three lighting designers for the third grade musical.

My hobbies include indoor rock climbing and stopmotion animation.

KAYLEE SAYERS Admissions Department I taught myself how to crochet.

My high school graduating class was four people.

I have never broken a bone.

XIAOLING SHI Language Department I have been moving around since I left China. I consider myself an immigrant, a perpetual exile, or someone who reaches across aisles.

"Xiao" means "small" or "little" no matter what age I am.

I have a daughter who has completely different interests and skill sets than mine.

JEE EUN SONG History Department I was the class president for four years in high school.

I have attended and presented at conferences in twelve different countries around the world.

I love anything chocolate.

MORGAN SWAIN Skills & Math Departments NAZGOL SHIFTEH English Department Some of my best memories are from backpacking trips I took as a teenager in the wilds of British Columbia.

I recently got a puppy, and realized that I am a dog person!

I love going to the movies.

I went to eight different European countries this past summer in an RV with my friends.

I can memorize the lyrics to any song after only a couple listens.

Diet Coke is my favorite beverage of all time.

PAMELA TORRES Auxiliary Programs I ran a half-marathon, and I never need to do that again!

The first school-sponsored international trip I took was to the Soviet Union when it still existed.

I love to be outside, to read and to listen to books, and to bake chocolate chip cookies.

AIDAN WANG History & English Departments I bike toured from Los Angeles to the Canadian border, carrying only the necessities and camping along the way.

I spent a summer internship living in New Hampshire in the converted servants’ quarters of former Secretary of State John Milton Hay’s family estate.

My sweet Spanish tortilla was voted “most original” in my village’s annual competition.

14 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

THE ALORIE PARKHILL LEARNING AND TRAVEL FUND FOR TEACHERS

2023 PARKHILL GRANTEE REFLECTIONS Established by Rebecca Parkhill ’85, P'17, and Robert Willett P'17 (parents of Oliver Willett ’17), the Alorie Parkhill Learning and Travel Fund for Teachers was created to honor Alorie Parkhill P’85, ’87, GP’17. Grants from the fund may be used for travel, study, and any form of learning and exposure that follows the recipients’ scholarly interests, with a goal of allowing recipients to grow in their knowledge and background in disciplines and subject areas that excite and engage them, before bringing their learning back to students and colleagues at CSW. Keep reading to learn more about the experiences from our most recent grantees, Tom Evans and Liz Nee. This year, I plan to return to the Southwest to visit the Hopi reservation and to experience the world-famous Indian Market, a festival attended by 100,000 people which showcases native potters, artists, fashion designers, musicians, dancers, and other artists from all over the United States and Canada.

Over the last year I have been learning as much about Native American Indigenous culture as I can. One of the most powerful exhibits I saw was “Grounded in Clay,” a collection of Pueblo pottery curated by native Puebloans. The show is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is the first show the museum has hosted that was not curated by the museum itself, recognizing native intelligence, insight, and passion in a way never done before.

Handmade pots generously gifted to Tom by fourth-generation Pueblo potter James Ebelacker — “to show your students!”

Tom Evans (Visual Art; 37 Years at CSW): Indigenous Pottery of the American Southwest I was encouraged to dream big for the Parkhill Grant proposal, and I did. Now, three quarters of the way through my project studying Southwest pottery, I’m inspired by how the impact of my grant has been even bigger than I dreamed. It has transformed my thinking about Southwest pottery, Indigenous and American cultures, and my own artwork.

I traveled to the Southwest twice in 2023 and plan to return two more times in 2024. It has taken time to build relationships and understanding there, so I am grateful that I have been able to return multiple times.

Before I got started, CSW’s Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion suggested I do research so that I could enter Indigenous spaces as well informed as I could be. I have since read over 25 books, watched over 20 hours of documentaries and films, and visited six

museums. I visited four pueblos and spent four days traveling with the former head of the University of New Mexico’s Anthropology Department, a woman who has published several books on Southwest Indigenous culture and who was able to introduce me to many renowned scholars and artists.

What I have appreciated most, has been the hours of conversation with Indigenous artists.

One of my most meaningful connections was with a Kiowa woman who is a world-famous jeweler, a national living treasure, and a CSW alumna. She has guided me with great wisdom and generosity, introducing me to a powerful world of female Indigenous artists.

Finally, an old friend, who is of mixed race, connected me to other Indigenous artists, and traveled hundreds of miles with me to visit various pueblos and historical sites.

Although the Indigenous population of what we call the United States experienced attempted genocide during which Native people were brutality attacked, manipulated, disrespected, and worse, all with the explicitly-stated US government goal of extermination, the Native population never gave up. From their first encounter with Europeans to the present day, Indigenous people have fought back, often finding ways to survive and in many cases to thrive. Despite the last 500 years of brutal mistreatment by White people, I was surprised that the Native artists and people I met showed me a generosity of attitude and gesture I had not experienced before.

All of what I have learned and experienced will filter its way into a new CSW sculpture course called “Narrative Sculpture.” I will not present myself as an expert on Pueblo pottery but instead will ask students to explore the storytelling power of clay artwork, both literal and abstract. Storytelling is an essential element of Pueblo pottery.

Reflecting on my year-long education I have become aware that the more I learned, the more I realized how little I know. I had studied Southwest pottery as a grad student in the 80s and considered myself somewhat well informed about Indigenous history and Pueblo pottery. I was naïve to think I would

2023 GRANTEE REFLECTIONS • 15

ever understand Indigenous pottery on a deep level. The connection some Native artists have to their work and the work of their ancestors and to the earth is almost beyond my colonized mind’s ability to understand. I have a new, ineffable appreciation for Pueblo pottery. When I look at Puebloan pottery, I love what I see. It moves me in ways other pottery doesn’t. My appreciation of a

Puebloan pot is like my appreciation of a beautiful wave crashing on the rocks. I might love that wave for many reasons, but loving that wave does not mean I understand the ocean. Indigenous art and culture are a deep expansive ocean. Collectors and museums appreciate the surface of that ocean but the roots of that art go deep, too deep for a non-Indigenous person to see.

I am grateful for all I have learned and the people I have met. This grant has changed me in meaningful ways. My artwork has changed, my understanding of who I am has changed, and I see the effects of colonization in new ways, every day. Alorie was a friend. She hired me and mentored me, and this grant has continued her gifts to me.

It was a life changing experience for me to be able to travel in this way, with the clear intention of learning from people and collecting their stories. It was exciting and energizing. Every person has a unique story with its own twists and turns. I went to villages where families had to travel great distances to pump water and bring it back home; I met a local farmer who was using solar power to drive a bore hole pump so that he could store water and irrigate his crops in the dry season; and I spoke to the director of the Lusaka Water Security Initiative, a consortium of NGOs and local developers working on water access issues. People, in general, were so warm and I learned so much from them.

Science Teacher Liz Nee learns how to pump water at a borehole in the countryside outside of Lusaka, Zambia.

Liz Nee (Science; 25 Years at CSW): The Story of Water My vision for the Alorie Parkhill Travel Grant was to collect stories of how water affects communities across the global landscape.

Although I am currently a member of the science faculty at CSW, I knew I wanted to consider the topic not just as a scientist, but through a highly interdisciplinary lens.

I came up with the idea after visiting Toronto's Aga Khan Museum’s themed installation on water. I loved the way this particular collection examined the importance of water not only in terms of its ecological value, but also its impact on societal development and politics, in addition to its role in art and culture. I became fascinated with the way water intersects across multiple domains of humanity, from the science of water in the environment to climate justice to water rights, to poetry and law.

While my original hope was to travel all around the world, stopping in places like Japan, Netherlands, and Australia, I

ultimately decided to focus instead on one singular region, in hopes that I might be able to get to know that place more deeply, building relationships and connections to the people and land. I ended up traveling to Zambia, where I was able to visit the booming urban center of Lusaka, where there has been a concerted effort to increase access to safe, sustainable water, and promote better hygiene and sanitation. I was also able to visit Livingstone to see the breathtaking Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River. After, I headed to Botswana to visit Chobe National Park, the Okavango Delta, and the town of Maun, which sits just north of the Kalahari Desert.

This fall, I took the same methodologies I used to investigate water in Zambia and Botswana and guided students in doing the same for my new course, “Water: The Science and Story of Water Across the Global Landscape.” In this course, we investigated how water affects us locally, nationally, and globally. Students investigated where the water they drink comes from and where their sewage flows to, waded into Hobbes Brook to measure streamflow, canoed the Charles River to use the EPA’s Riparian assessment tool to measure the health of the river ecosystem, and looked at water challenges in the Colorado River basin and across the US. As a final project, students completed a deep dive into one particular place, much like I did in Zambia and Botswana.

It has been amazing to be able to share what I learned with students and watch them implement some of the very same techniques I used abroad — using individual stories to understand broader topics — in the CSW classroom and beyond. I am so grateful to CSW and the Parkhill family for this incredible grant, and I look forward to expanding the class even further in the years to come.

“It has been amazing to be able to share what I learned with students and watch them implement some of the very same techniques I used abroad … in the CSW classroom and beyond.”

16 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

Illustrations by Krishna Chavda ’04

Progressive Ed IN THE Age of AI

When OpenAI released ChatGPT-4 in the spring of 2023, there was a firestorm of media attention and reactions ranging from enthusiasm and excitement to trepidation and fear.

18 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

The tool’s potential impact on schooling and education felt particularly ominous for administrators and teaching professionals. Would students use the tool to cheat? And if they did, would teachers even be able to tell? Was it a tool that should be banned, or embraced? And was there any middle ground? These were the types of questions swirling through the minds of teachers and parents everywhere.

At CSW, the faculty and administration have approached the issue just as they would any other challenge: head-on.

The consensus is clear: ChatGPT, and emerging tools like it, probably aren’t going anywhere. It is incredibly important, then, that students and teachers alike are exposed to it, that they know how to use it, and that they understand how it works.

“We are poised as a progressive school to be leaning into and interrogating these tools,” says Assistant Head of School for Academics Diana Baruni.

“We want to teach our students not to be afraid of it. We want them to explore these important tools, and in doing so reinforce the critical thinking and learning skills they’ve already developed here as progressive learners.”

As a progressive school, Diana says, CSW teachers value process over product, and the development of skills that — as of yet — simply cannot be mimicked or duplicated through Artificial Intelligence.

“By focusing on process, we help to foster unique human skills in students,” adds English Department Chair Jeannette Lee-Parikh. “Skills like creative thinking, curiosity, imagination, empathy, kindness, ethical responsibility, personal voice, collaboration, problem-solving, and presentation skills, all of which are skills the World Economic Forum says we urgently need to be developing in our students.”

They contend that this focus on very human skills makes it difficult and unlikely that students use the tool inappropriately, and in fact positions them to be thoughtful consumers, experimenting with the product in

astute and probing ways. “When students are able to identify the limitations of tools like ChatGPT, it’s very exciting,” says Jenna Wolf, Director of Library and Technology

Integration, “because it shows that they are learning these important critical thinking skills that they will be able to utilize in real world situations.”

Experimenting with ChatGPT in the Classroom In his Geometry class, Math Department Chair Rashid Chatani leads an activity with students designed to expose the limits and capacities of text generation, teaching students to counter inaccuracies with logic. He prompts students to think of four consecutive numbers from one through ten, add them together, and divide by four. When the students do this, they inevitably find that no matter what combination of numbers they choose, the sum of those numbers is never evenly divisible by four. Next, he asks students to pose the proof to ChatGPT with the text, Prove the sum of four consecutive numbers is divisible by four. When this prompt is inserted, the tool releases a proof explaining how the sum of four consecutive numbers is always divisible by four. Of course, this makes no sense because the students have already discovered the contrary to be true. So why would ChatGPT show otherwise? He asks the students to investigate the discrepancy.

“What they ultimately come to realize,” he says, “is that prompt engineering has its limits. The way that we articulate this particular prompt leads the tool to believe that the query posed has already been proven. It thinks, if you asked me to prove this, it must be true!” The key takeaway is that the tool is useless if you don’t fully understand how it works. In order to get the most out of the software, the students must have already mastered the material, and have a solid understanding of the topic at hand.

The History Department has also used ChatGPT, specifically to teach important lessons about biases and systemic inequities. In his “Race in the US: Black America” course, teacher Patrick Foley and his students ask ChatGPT how many children US President Thomas Jefferson had. The tool consistently replies that Thomas Jefferson had six children, with only two surviving to adulthood. Of course, this answer refers only to Jefferson’s White children with wife Martha Wayles Skelton. It does not take into account the multiple children Jefferson fathered with Sally Hemings, an enslaved Black woman. So why does ChatGPT only count some of the children? This is what Patrick challenges his students to figure out.

“Here, ChatGPT is using popular, widespread documents to determine its answer to our prompt,” Patrick explains. “It searches quickly and takes only the top hits into account. It’s amplifying narratives, in this case, false narratives, that are already out there, perpetuating the same historic racist and inaccurate concepts over time.”

It is an important lesson about the biases that exist not just with ChatGPT, but in historical documents as a whole. The activity teaches students to consistently question whose voices are being amplified and whose are being silenced, a critical skill for any scholar.

Cultivating the Next Generation of AI Engineers The Math Department’s Proshanto Mukherji is especially well qualified to teach students about the inner workings of AI tools like ChatGPT. Proshanto earned his PhD in computer programming with a focus on artificial intelligence, and spent years as an attorney representing companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Intel in lawsuits over patented inventions.

As evidenced by the classroom examples given, Proshanto maintains that “AI is not a good way to learn about a subject you know nothing about. But they are an excellent way to take the next step on a subject that you know a lot about, because then you know enough to be able to question if and when something is actually accurate.”

He predicts that recent advances in AI technology are going to upend the programming field, in that AI will begin to replace humans in entry level programming work.

“It used to be that you would come in at the bottom and spend years doing the low-level programming, while others managed the high-level stuff — the design, and the structure — you would just implement it. Then, as you got more experience, you would

“AI is not a good way to learn about a subject you know nothing about.

But AI tools are an excellent way to take the next step on a subject that you know a lot about.” rise up the ranks until you became the person doing the coding, and examining other people’s code.

What AI will do is either replace or reduce the need for that lower level programming. It shoves humans up the value chain, which means that students coming in are going to have to know more, and they are going to have to have deeper subject knowledge.”

He equates it to having an intern who can do the basics that an expert can then check and look over, a system that can be applied not just to the world of programming or engineering, but a variety of disciplines.

Regardless of the field, it is important to recognize that students cannot skip over the basics. They must first

understand the fundamentals in order to move to more advanced work. Over the next few years, Proshanto and the Math Department will continue to offer introductory computer science courses like “Computer Science I,” but they also hope to expand the curriculum with classes like “CS3 and Advanced Algorithms” and even a course on programming AI, so that students can ascend to that higher level of understanding.

“Our overall goal,” says Head of School Lise Charlier, “is to acknowledge the need to master certain technical skills, while also nurturing the human skills — like judgment, empathy, and open-mindedness — that we need to be able to harness new technologies and navigate our ever-changing world.”

22 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

ALUM SPOTLIGHT

forget how Rhona assigned her 50-60 math problems per night, and Alorie had her write an essay every night for the first term, because they wanted to see her grow, and they believed in her. Within two years, she was completely transformed, equipped with skills and proficiencies she would continue to draw upon over the course of her storied career.

“There are very few places in the world that would have given me what CSW has,” Rupa says. “CSW showed me where I could go with my education. There has to be a ‘why’ to your education, and they made that ‘why’ really clear. Why? Because you are going to be a change agent.”

“I would scream it from the rooftops: CSW changed my life,” she says. “We see ourselves in the eyes of others. At 15, the loving eyes of the CSW community gave me the belief that I have value — a gift that has lasted a lifetime.”

It wasn’t always easy being a person of color from a low-income household at CSW. In her two years at the school, Judge Goswami worked in the kitchen at night, and had a side hustle as a house cleaner on weekends. As a boarder from Florida, she was not able to go home most holidays. Still, even though she was one of only a few people of color, she always felt as though she had allies, and in many ways, the experience helped to demystify whiteness for her. Most importantly, she always felt loved and cared for. “CSW is the first place I went to in my life where people didn’t just tolerate me, but celebrated who I was,” she says. “This has since carried me through many hostile environments.”

Photo by Mia Watson

Judge Rupa Goswami ’85 BA, University of Chicago; MBA, University of Chicago; JD, UCLA In 2013, the Honorable Rupa Goswami ’85 became the first South Asian woman to be appointed a judge in the state of California. Her enrobing ceremony was attended by over 300 people (including her CSW roommate Annie Porter ’85 and her family). Prior to earning this honor, Judge Goswami was a federal prosecutor for 12 years, serving as the Deputy Chief of General Crimes and of Domestic Security and Immigration. During this time, she prosecuted cases related to cyber-crimes, human trafficking, fraud, environmental crimes, and the sexual exploitation of children. Throughout her career, she has consistently championed the voices of the underrepresented through advocacy work and legal representation.

When Judge Goswami transferred to CSW as an 11th grader, she says she immediately felt behind the curve academically. Her core skills in writing and math were not where they needed to be, but her CSW teachers — Rhona Carlton-Foss and Alorie Parkhill, in particular — recognized her great potential and refused to let her fall through the cracks. “CSW has a heart, a living, breathing heart that really values the potential that children have,” Rupa says. She will never

After CSW, Judge Goswami went on to earn her bachelor's degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, and was awarded a full scholarship to attend the school’s Booth School of Business. After a few years working in banking, she found herself yearning for something more personally fulfilling and eventually found herself volunteering at the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office. While there, a Deputy District Attorney took her under her wing and invited her to an ongoing, high-profile case —the OJ Simpson Trial! Fascinated, Judge Goswami set her sights on a career in criminal justice, with the hope of elevating and empowering female voices in the field. She traveled around the world, advocating for victims of gender violence, and earned a full scholarship to UCLA Law School. Upon graduating, she applied to be a law clerk with Nora Manella, a job hundreds of others had applied for, and was hired on the spot.

According to a study out of Vanderbilt University, when Judge Goswami was elevated in 2013, less than 8% of all judges in the United States were women of color, a statistic she is determined to change. “There is a tremendous lack of representation of women and people of color in this field,” she says. “Judges just don’t look like the people that come before us.” This is, in large part, the reason Judge Goswami joined the criminal justice system. She continues to think creatively about the role of women in law enforcement and the judiciary, valuing the different perspectives they bring to issues like domestic violence, child pornography, and cyberstalking.

Judge Goswami’s trajectory as a woman of color in a field dominated by white males, is nothing short of inspiring, and CSW is proud to have been there with her at the beginning.

KATHRYN BEAVER ’84 AND CSW • 23

KATHRYN DUQUE ’84 AND CSW: FINDING WHAT SHE WAS LOOKING FOR What is the opposite of easy? Starting the first day at a new high school in January of the 10th grade. Yet for Kathryn (Beaver) Duque ’84, CSW was different. Now a member of CSW's Patience Lauriat Society, CSW’s legacy giving society, Kathryn’s deep gratitude for CSW began that first nerveracking day. Kathryn had transferred from a more traditional independent school in Connecticut, where she had felt smothered by strict rules, regulations, and uniforms. Kathryn and her siblings “grew up with parents that respected us, treated us like adults,” she recalls, and notes how her previous school’s more lock-step approach had pushed her down a much different path.

As she researched alternative institutions, Kathryn’s mother, an art educator, fell in love with CSW’s progressive education model and found the Mod System appealing. So did Kathryn.

Still, starting school mid-year isn’t a cinch. But Kathryn was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome she received. “The moment I stepped onto the quad, nine gals surrounded me and they asked me all kinds of questions in the dead of winter,” she remembers. “I just felt so welcome.” Taking it all in, Kathryn said to herself, “Wow, this looks great. This is so great.”

Kathryn found her new teachers “so welcoming, so, so friendly,” and beginning at CSW “was the most wonderful transition.” The school gave her freedom and a lot of choice.

She created an independent study (photography), took zoology, devoured geometry, connected to history (via Trumbull Smith), played soccer, visited Segovia and Madrid, and “made so many friends.” In the classroom, Kathryn found that “all the faculty were just so different and so open to any new ideas from the students.” The school radiated respect.

“Even my mother said, ‘if I could have gone to The Cambridge School of Weston when I was a little girl, I would [have].’”

CSW gave Kathryn confidence and, with the Mod System, thoroughly prepared her for college. At Green Mountain College, she majored in psychology and sociology. Now she works in administration at the Clara Martin Center, which provides acute and long-term behavioral health care services in Vermont. She loves her work, as well as cooking, reading, attending lectures, and traveling.

Kathryn has left CSW in her estate plans because she greatly appreciates her time at CSW and because “we really need to concentrate on our future [and] on our children…Going to the Cambridge School every day was transformative.”

The school gave her freedom and a lot of choice. She created an independent study (photography), took zoology, devoured geometry, connected to history (via Trumbull Smith), played soccer, visited Segovia and Madrid, and “made so many friends.”

24 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

CLASS NOTES 1940s Paul Sapir ’46 writes: At 95 I’m managing to hang in there. I retired a number of years ago at what I felt was a suitable time. At least so far I’ve been able to spend some time each summer in New Hampshire. My twin sons are nearby, and I have two grandsons both attending Shady Hill School in Cambridge.

1950s Linda (Howard) Zonana ’54 writes: I recently learned that Joan Shagan ’54 died this last April 2023, at the age of 86.

Joan (known to most of us as Shag) had been living in Florida and suffered a slow decline over the past few years, losing interest in the world, and finally dying quietly in a memory care facility. Joan entered Cambridge School in her sophomore year as a boarding student and remained attached to the school throughout her life. She was deeply interested in the lives of her classmates and unusually appreciative and sympathetic to outlooks different from her own. She attended several school reunions, driving up from Tennessee, where she lived most of her adult life. As a career, Joan had a doctorate in psychology and worked at the Tennessee School for the Blind in Nashville for nearly 40 years.

She had moved down to Tennessee in 1970 to be with

Kenny Baker, a well-known country fiddler. They lived on a farm near Nashville, where Joan pursued her other vocation: breeding and showing Scottish Deerhounds, including the sire of the “winningest line in the country.” She drove a van all over the place to bring her dogs to shows while Kenny drove around performing. Kenny died in 2011, and Joan began wintering in Florida until late in her life when it became too difficult to return for summers on the farm. It was through Joan’s lifelong interest in bluegrass that she met Kenny and lived a life immersed in that music, with countless performers and bluegrass musicians stopping by their home. We remember her as a quirky, interesting and interested, extremely kind person who lived an unusual life on her own terms.

Susanne (Mayr) Harrison ’55 writes: I guess the most important news about me is that, at 86, I am still alive. I am lucky to have a wonderful husband and two terrific adult children. I also have five grandchildren. I have no extraordinary accomplishments to report. After years as a full-time mother, I got my teaching credentials and was a Special Education teacher at Concord Carlisle High School for 20 years. I enjoyed working with teens with their humor, their intensity, and their efforts to accomplish what is expected of them. Long retired, we live in an apartment and enjoy walks

on wooded trails, reading, and family visits. I belong to a short story group and visit with friends. I hope many of my former classmates are also alive and well.

1960s John Bowditch ’63 writes: It has been a good year. I celebrated my 60th Cambridge reunion with some classmates. Good to see everyone. I formally retired a year ago in August after moving back to New England after more than 45 years in Michigan and Wisconsin. Wonderful to be home. My partner Betsy and I took an extended trip to California in late February and early March. While there were many highlights, one of the best was having a lovely visit with my dear friend and classmate, Duncan Peterson ’63. I continue to be interested in the history of technology with a continuing specialization in the late 19th and early 20th century period. I am a member of the collections committee at the National Museum of Industrial History in Bethlehem, PA. We continue to enjoy our life in Newburyport, MA. Wink Davis ’64 writes: I am in touch with my friend and classmate, Bob Hower ’64, a visual artist and photographer.

In particular, I call everyone’s attention to the Kentucky Documentary Photographic Project. Bob and two of his friends initiated this project to

document life in Kentucky, continuing a tradition begun during the Depression (19351943) by such photographic luminaries as Dorothea Lang, Gordon Parks, Walker Evans, and Arthur Rothstein. Bob has been instrumental in producing updates covering two periods: 1975-1977 and 2015-2023. It is a prodigious effort and has created a unique and lasting record, artfully expressed. Bob’s work stands up to the standard set by his predecessors: evocative, compassionate, humorous, comprehensive, and dramatic storytelling; exemplary both artistically and technically. Check it out at kydocphoto.com.

Dinah Lane ’64 writes: Still loving living on the Cape with my husband, John Ketchum.

We are both involved in the community in various ways, I am on the Harwich Cultural Council and Cape Media Board, and he is on the Conservation Commission and CPC. I am also the reporter/interviewer for community and arts news on the local cable channel and enjoy being in several informal play-reading groups. This fall, I was greatly honored with the naming of the “Dinah Lane Theater” by the Mosesian Center for the Arts (MCA) in Watertown, MA, for my 40 years of work as Founding Artistic Director of the Watertown Children’s Theatre, which played a seminal role in the creation of the MCA. I still attribute much of my lifelong love and involvement in

CLASS NOTES • 25

home in Westport, MA, just across the bay. I look forward to our 70th reunion. Looking back on my CSW days, I was in charge of signups for offcampus outings. We saw the Rolling Stones in their first US appearance in Worcester, and we sat as a CSW group on the stage behind Bob Dylan in 1965 when there was a snafu with our ticket order. My mother convinced the theater owner that we would be well-behaved.

It was Bob’s first concert using an electric guitar. My seat was only five feet behind his piano.

A new title out from Andrew LeCompte '66. John Warrington ’75, Dave Lowe ’77, and Stephen Ouellette in Rockport, MA.

book of my paintings will be published next year. Grateful to Howie Derbyshire who got us doing creative writing with the weekly opus and Liz Upham in the Art Department who let us go into the art building on weekends and paint. I have a house in Nosara, Costa Rica where I stay in the winters and teach annually in the US and Europe.

Dinah Lane ’64 honored with the naming of the Dinah Lane Theater on November 4, 2023, at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown, MA.

theatre to my great start with the inspirational Whitney Haley at CSW. Looking forward to our 60th CSW Reunion coming up!!

Lisa (Little) Leyre ’64 writes: We’re doing our best to organize ourselves for our upcoming (yikes!) 60th reunion in April. This is, as Will used to say, “like herding cats”, but several classmates have announced their presence.

Do stay tuned!

Joan (Tsultrim) Ewing (Allione) ’65 writes: It’s been a while so…

In 2018 my third book was published: Wisdom Rising: Journey Into the Mandala of the Empowered Feminine (Simon & Schuster). This led to a long book tour in the USA and Europe; it was published in

German, Italian, French, and Polish simultaneously. 30 years ago, I started a retreat center in Colorado called Tara Mandala.

My life focus has been on women and spirituality with a specialization in Tibetan Buddhism. In 2019 I moved from Pagosa Springs, CO, to Encinitas, CA, and my son took over as resident teacher. I have three kids and eight grandkids.

I’m in close touch with Augusta Talbot ’67, an artist living in California with her husband Eli and grown the kids in her orbit, and Louisa Putnam ’66 who is in Santa Fe, NM, and is a psychotherapist, and a little more distant with Rachel Homer ’64 who is in Boulder, CO, and Niki Lang ’69 who lives in Marin County. I’m working on an autobiography and another book on Nondual Awareness. A

Andrew LeCompte ’66 writes: Two of my books were released in January: Creating Harmonious Relationships: A Practical Guide to the Power of True Empathy, and my memoir, Finding Miracles: Escape from a Cult. I missed our 50th reunion because I was trapped in a cult. To learn more, visit my website: andrewlecompte.org.

Jeff French ’66 writes: I continue to work full time as a veterinarian in Gloucester, MA. My son, Douglas, is also a veterinarian, which makes practicing together very enjoyable. My son Tyler moved to Woodland Park, CO. The three grandchildren have already mastered skiing the big mountains. Grayson is six, Thomas and Madelyn are five.

They will be home for Christmas and the summer. I spend weekends on Cape Cod, and last fall had a wonderful lunch with Heather Reed ’66 on her deck. She has a beautiful

1970s John Weiss ’73 writes: Life is good. Enough. Hard to believe I (and all of us) are now getting close to the big 7-0. Now (December 2023), I’m with my folks for ten days – they are sharp and still independent at 97 and 105. It’s lucky and fun to have them still around. I am retired after over four decades in the newspaper industry and now traveling a bit. I just went to the Azores for Thanksgiving with my two thriving lads.

Going to Colombia in January.

Working on a few small projects and teaching a bit, but also a bit bored. All my problems are First World. Last week I met a man named Robin Wood, and it made me both laugh and think very fondly of our old teacher. If anyone is near Colorado Springs, lunch is on me. Ciao for now.

Stephen Ouellette ’75 writes: I’m slowly winding down my law practice and turning more attention to family, traveling, boats, and a small collection of sports cars. (Yes, I have been a gearhead since auto mechanics class with George Lenart at CSW.) I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Dave Lowe ’77 had joined our local yacht club as our new manager and will be moving to Rockport, MA with his wife, Kate. John Warrington ’75 paid a visit to Rockport this summer and reunited with Dave. The three of us also attended Lawrence University after CSW. I have

26 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

reconnected with many other CSW alums through Facebook and hope that any of my CSW alum friends coming through Rockport will stop by.

Paula Whitney Best ’76 writes: Two of the five books on which I am working have been accepted for publication. My first book, The Black Fantasy Markets, is currently in publication with Newman Springs Publishing and will be available in early spring. In it, I teach young black children and their families about the difference between a stock and a bond and the elementary workings of the capital markets.

My second book has also been accepted for publication by Newman Springs. In honor of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, I have also written a rap song on the capital markets that is awaiting copyright.

Doris Ruth Oppenheimer ’76 writes: Life for me is bittersweet as my 102-year-old father is in hospice care. I take care of him once a week while other members of “the dream team” get a break. Miraculously, he is still living in the same house he has lived in for 72 years! But I did find out that Peter Moses ’76 lives three miles from my in-laws’ family camp on Lake Champlain. I got to see him in the summer of 2022.

Benjamin Brodey ’78 writes: I live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with my wife Inger, a literature professor at UNC. I am still working on medical software and using Zoom with gusto to develop research projects with colleagues all over the United States. Inger just regained her Danish citizenship.

Now all four of our children are Danish, too. It’s getting a bit dicey here. My sister Lisa Brodey ’76 moved to Umbria, Italy, full-time this year after almost 30 years as a U.S. diplomat. She and her husband Sam tend 150 olive trees and make amazing olive oil. Lisa is creating a retreat center for heart-centered leadership — still in the exploration stage.

Visitors and retreat ideas are

David Kluchman ’82 writes: My son Caleb ’19 (far left), daughter Alex ’17 (far right) along with my wife Chris and son Collin and I (next to Alex) got photobombed when Sir Lindsay Hoyle (left of me), Speaker of the House of Commons and LGBTQ advocate, crashed our family photo (3rd from right).

welcome! Rounding out the Brodey trio, Ivan ’85 lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife Ylva, a minister, and their daughter Iris who is almost ten.

Ivan is an architectural photographer finishing off a book on 20th-century catalog houses in Norway and starting on a project documenting the lived spaces of modernist Scandinavian churches.

Allison Lenk ’78 writes: Hey ’78 classmates — I was sorry to miss our 45th reunion as I was occupied cruising down the Nile, visiting Egyptian antiquities at the time! Definitely the trip of a lifetime! I’m loving retirement (after 40+ years of teaching) – spending more time on local town issues, serving as a Belmont Town Meeting Member and on boards, traveling, and playing tennis! Looking forward to seeing y’all at our 50th!!!

David Stern ’78 writes: I stepped down as Executive Director of Equal Justice Works in October 2022 after 30 years. I committed to at least one year of adventure before considering another gig. I have taken three bike trips, four ski trips, and visited Rwanda, Tanzania, Vietnam, Cambodia, Morocco, Turkey, Mexico, Honduras, Argentina (an unsuccessful trip to Antarctica), and Costa Rica, in addition to our annual

five-week family vacation in Acadia, Maine. I still have tons of energy and passion for travel and social justice and will think about what’s next in 2024.

1980s Aprille Ericsson ’81 was recently nominated by President Joe Biden to serve as assistant secretary of defense within the Department of Defense research office, a new position created by the Pentagon. Aprille has served as an aerospace engineer at NASA for many years.

Ramin Tamaddon ’81 writes: For the past three years, I have had the privilege of serving as a professor of Global Legal Skills at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, in Sacramento, CA, while still practicing law in southern California. Although I understand that I may be geographically surrounded by a number of CSW alumni from around my year, I speak only occasionally with Pirooz Alasti ’82 and Siri Striar ’82. My brother, Houman Tamaddon ’85, is a retired anesthesiologist in Seattle. I would love to connect with all the usual suspects: raytamaddon@ yahoo.com.

David Kluchman ’82 writes: Three CSW gryphons in London! Last May, my family had great fun hunting gryphons in London. My son Caleb ’19, daughter Alex ’17, along with my wife Chris and son Collin and I met Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons and LGBTQ advocate, and had a wonderful private tour of Westminster thanks to an introduction made by Michael Fleming ’81.

Martha Lewis ’83 writes: I am writing to the CSW community with very sad news. Catherine Eve Patterson ’83, died suddenly on August 29, 2023, from a cardiac arrest in her New York apartment. Catherine was, for many years now, my very best friend. At CSW, we were somewhat unlikely friends. After, we saw each other periodically in New York and then lost track of each other, catching up many years later only to become inseparable. She was my partner in crime, brought me into her fold and family, and I know that she inspired similar fierce loyalty from so many she touched in her life. A true leader, she worked with creative teams who loved her and her vision.

Her death was so unexpected partially because she was so full of life. I really only have one picture of us together to share here (we were busy doing and

CLASS NOTES • 27

David Kluchman ’82 came back to campus along with former teachers Kurt Jacobsen and Jay Yesselman (pictured here with Visual Art Faculty Tom Evans) to see Steve Cohen lead an assembly presentation on the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict this fall.

being, not documenting), but it’s a doozy. New Year’s Eve circa 2014 or 2015. She was loving, deeply funny, creative, driven, intelligent, and kind. Her brilliant short stories and essays are being gathered and edited for publication, and she was the inspiration and impetus behind all sorts of creative acts, visual and literary. Her full-moon parties were legendary. I am sorry to be the bearer of sad tidings but also want all her friends to know, to be able to mourn her loss and celebrate her bright glow. Her full obituary with information about remembrance tree plantings and a place to leave notes to the family can be found online.

Peter D’Elia ’85 writes: Still in Berlin, Germany playing music (since 2005)! https://peterdelia. bandcamp.com/ Sean Cole ’89 writes: February 2024 will mark my 10-year workiversary at the public radio show and podcast This American Life. I manage to fill in as guest host once a year or so — would love to do that more often. I’m still in touch with my old CSW chums Alex Weiss ’89 and Rick Danielson, and some others more distantly via the socials. Glad the old place is still in existence.

1990s Tara Flippo ’90 writes: Lots of change in the last year. I moved from Maine back to Western Massachusetts where I attended college. In February, I started working as a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Coordinator at a local Health Care company.

I am also a freelance consultant in DEI and am always looking for referrals for workplace engagements. If there are CSW alumni in the Amherst/ Northampton/Greenfield area it would be great to connect about DEI or just to be social.

Martha Lewis ’83 and Catherine Eve Patterson ’83, New Year’s Eve.

In December, Megan Lynes ’95 celebrated the 15th anniversary of her ordination into the Unitarian Universalist ministry,

and is now serving as the minister of the First Parish in Waltham, MA. She is a “single mom by choice” and is waiting for the day she can send her four-year-old son Jesse to CSW! Becky Carberg ’98 lives in Santiago, Chile, where she teaches middle school humanities at the international school, Nido De Aguilas. After spending a year working in India, Becky moved to Chile and has lived there for 14 years.

She has two children, Seba who is 12, and Lucy who is 6.

Becky just finished her second novel and still sees her dear dadda, Warren Carberg, twice a year. At 89, he is still going strong! Becky still sees classmates Tamara Stiefel ’98, Sasha McGarvey ’98, Jessie May ’98, and their kids!

Georgi Vogel Rosen ’98 writes: I recently left private practice and took on the role of Chief Staff Attorney at the Rhode Island Supreme Court. I enjoy my new position very much, particularly because it gives me the opportunity to work with and mentor many young new lawyers. In news that would make my 1998 self proud, my five-year-old daughter has an imaginary friend named Ani DiFranco, after taking a liking to the real DiFranco’s music.

We recently celebrated imaginary friend Ani’s birthday with a tea party and wooden pastries, along with several handmade birthday decorations.

Conrad Williams ’98 writes: Against our better judgment, my wife and I took our family circus on the road and traveled across the United States on a 105-day road trip through 23 states. We visited national parks at sunrise, paraded in costumes through Salem on Halloween, and swam with manatees. One of the greatest highlights was a chance to take a hike in the rain with my dear old friend Brian Koenig ’99 while passing through Montana.

I have so much gratitude for my time spent at CSW and the amazing people who shared

28 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Everyone is invited to submit news to the Alumni Office. Visit alumni.csw.org to sign up for our new alumni hub and share your news with classmates.

that time with me.

2000s

Faculty attending the NAIS People of Color Conference in St. Louis this fall met up with college-aged alums in the area. Photo (from left to right: Jee Eun Song (History), Jack Vanourny ’22, Paul Duan ’23, Yadira Valdez (DEIB), Shad Sommers-Dehaney (Student Life), Coco Wu ’23, Lizzie Knight (Science), Jeanette Origel (Communications).

Benjamin Fenton ’00 writes: I’ve been living in Chicago since 2010 after leaving Boston to pursue a master's degree in urban planning and policy. For the last decade or so, I’ve worked for both non-profit and state government helping to shape affordable housing policy in the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois. Last January, I started a new position at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, where I am supporting a nationwide program that works to expand, preserve, and improve the quality of public housing throughout the US. More importantly, last November, my wife and I celebrated the birth of our son, Ellis Chester Fenton.

We are now living in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood, a mere five-minute walk from the surprisingly accessible beaches of Lake Michigan.

Kara Zabatta ’01 writes: Thrilled to share that I have become a Certified Financial PlannerTM professional. The CFP® certification will allow me to continue to support and advise my clients as a Wealth Planning Associate at Fortis Management Group, where I began as the Office Manager 12 years ago! Loving life and the Florida sunshine!

Xin Xin (Ariel) Lin ’05 has joined the New School in NYC as an Assistant Professor of Media and Interaction Design.

Director of Admissions Tara Keppler P’15,’18, 20, met up with alums Keisuke Kuwabara ’09, Noa Narisawa ’22, and Minami Otake ’09, while traveling through Japan this fall. Tara also had a great time catching up with Bo Ram Lee ’10 and Amber Han ’09 in Seoul.

Sofia Theodore-Pierce ’08 and Peter Christian ’07 relocated to Ithaca, NY, from Milwaukee, WI, this summer.

Sofia is now an Assistant Professor in Experimental

Cinema Production at SUNY Binghamton. Peter recently completed an experimental video game which was showcased at the New Museum via Rhizome.

Alex Kotlikoff ’09 married Delaney Ross in September 2022 at his lakeside cottage in Elmore, VT. Fellow CSW alum Joseph Stubbs ’09 served as a groomsman. Alex lives in Oakland, CA, where he works in the software industry. He still pursues his love of music and acting. He’s having fun as lead guitarist in a Mexican rock and roll band and also performs in commercials and voiceovers.

2010s After graduating from Oberlin College in 2020 with a degree in Biology, David Kotlikoff ’16 worked for several biotech companies before beginning a Ph.D. program at Brandeis University in Molecular and Cellular Biology.

IN MEMORIAM Robert Scheuer ’41 Lindsay Ellms ’44 Susan Lichten ’45 Margaret Muller Baillie ’46 Margaret Straus ’46 Janet Parker ’52 Philip Sternstien ’52 Robert Metcalf ’53 Joan Shagan ’54 Alex Newton ’58 David Linney ’59 Susanna Elliot ’65 Jonathan Goldstein ’65 Catherine Patterson ’83 Cynthia Livingston Trumbull Smith

CLASS NOTES • 29

CSW REMEMBERS HEAD OF SCHOOL GEORGE COHAN It is with a heavy heart that CSW shares the news of the passing of former CSW Head of School George Cohan this past fall.

George served as head of school at CSW for 10 years, beginning in 1989 and ending in 1999. In 2001, he generously returned to take on a one-year post as interim head, while the school searched for its next leader. The George Cohan building, affectionately known as “The George,” is named in his honor.

Prior to his time at CSW, George taught in a variety of educational settings: public, private, national, and international, with roles at Wesleyan University, the American School of Paris, and the New Lincoln School. When the headship opened up at CSW, he was excited to utilize his more than 30 years of experience and implement a progressive educational philosophy.

The closeness of the CSW community was evident to George from the very beginning. He once commented how the students exhibited an uncommon sense of personal responsibility, navigating the world with purpose, passion, and an innovative spirit. He loved to be in the classroom, and always made time to teach at least one course per year, and sometimes two or three. Though his fields were history and mathematics, he was highly supportive of the concept of integrated studies, understanding the importance of finding connections across disciplines. CSW’s very first integrated studies course, “Dimensions of Time,” was launched under his watch. Others will fondly remember his participation in school plays, most famously as Louis the Gangster in the school’s production of Guys and Dolls. He has also been credited with establishing the role of student assembly coordinator.

Over the course of his tenure, George made enrollment and financial sustainability top priorities, ensuring that the school would continue to exist for future generations. In addition to bringing the enrollment from 175 in 1989 to 300 in 1999, he consistently balanced the budget each year, built the school’s endowment up from nothing, and eliminated several millions of dollars worth of debt. He was also behind a number of improvements to the school’s buildings and grounds, many of which had fallen into disrepair. Determined to make the campus a place where students and faculty alike could

“His passion for education and his love for The Cambridge School of Weston will be with us always.” Head of School Lise Charlier flourish, he oversaw the renovation of key learning spaces, in addition to the construction of the Mugar Center for the Performing Arts, with its state-of the art stage and sound system, recital hall, and multiple musical instrument practice rooms.

George was known for balancing structure with freedom. He understood the importance of strong leadership and organization, but no task — making copies, helping out on dish duty, etc. — was ever beneath him. He was a highly intelligent debater who demanded clarity and purpose from all those who brought ideas to him. But he also possessed a warmth and a playfulness, and he loved a good party.

In words attributed to the late Alorie Parkhill P’85 ’87, GP’17 who, between 1963 and 2007, served as teacher, assistant head,

academic dean, dean of faculty, and head of college counseling at CSW: “Most of the faculty trusted [George] instinctively; he was honest with them. One long-term teacher wrote in her evaluation of George that she was glad we finally had a “grown up” running the school. Remarkably, it was never about his ego, but about doing the right and necessary things.”

“His passion for education and his love for The Cambridge School of Weston will be with us always,” says Head of School Lise Charlier.

“I am so glad that I had the chance to meet him when he visited campus in my first days as a new head of school in July 2019.”

One thing is for certain: The CSW of today simply would not exist were it not for George.

We are so deeply grateful for his vision, perseverance, and endlessly generous spirit.

30 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

CS W DA NC E CONFERE NCE

PASSING THE TORCH FRIDAY, 06.14.2024

The CSW Dance Department invites you to our inaugural Dance Conference! This day-long event of workshops and performances is organized and conducted by CSW dance alums. In “Passing the Torch,” we celebrate the flame and legacy of CSW's dance program over the last 10 years.

Visit www.csw.org/dance-conference for more information.

REUNION 2024 APRIL 26-28 WELCOME BACK! Reconnect with former teachers and classmates, experience campus, and enjoy all of the activities the weekend has to offer.

All alumni of all classes are welcome to join us — with special recognition for those celebrating milestone reunions from class years ending in 4 and 9.

Learn more at www.csw.org/reunion2024

CLASS NOTES • 31

Team Captain Mabel Crain ’24 and the Girls Varsity Volleyball team get excited for their game. Photo by Isaac Hugenberger ’24.

32 • THE GRYPHON Fall/Winter 2023-24

My Five CAMILA REGALADO ’24 Student

FAVOUR ASHIEDU ’27 Student

ADRIEL RONCAL Spanish/French Faculty

HANNAH CALLAHAN Spanish Faculty

1

SHARE A FAVORITE CSW MEMORY.

The Boat Dance last year. I had so much fun and danced with my friends all night!

When I met my roommate. I was scared my roommate would kill me in my sleep, but he's a really nice guy.

Chaperoning the Mod Abroad Trip to France. I loved introducing the kids to Francophone culture and watching them thrive and be independent in a new environment.

Seeing the “theater” department's production of As You Like It. It was amazing to see my students and dorm kids all working together with their peers to pull off such an amazing show.

2

DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL WEEKEND.

Going into Boston and eating good food with my friends on Saturday, and then having a movie marathon with my friends on Sunday.

In my room playing Spider-Man 2 on a PS5.

Reading a book at a coffee shop, seeing a movie, and going to dinner.

Sometime in the winter. I would like to do a family hike each morning, spend the afternoons exploring the downtown of some mountain village, and then finish the day playing board games with my family beside a fire as snow falls outside!

3

IF YOU WERE A DOG, WHAT KIND OF DOG WOULD YOU BE?

I’d be a Sheepadoodle!

A golden retriever because I feel like I embody the traits of a golden retriever.

I would be Miniature Schnauzer with bell bottom legs.

A Greyhound-Husky mix. Very stubborn, very silly, a little cranky.

4

DREAM CAR OR DREAM VACATION?

I’d rather receive my dream car which is a classic Porsche 911.

I would choose my dream car because a vacation is temporary.

Dream vacation — somewhere with a beach, like the Maldives.

If my dream vacation could last for like 30 years then I would say dream vacation.

Otherwise, I'll take the car and sell it.

5

WHAT FOOD REMINDS YOU MOST OF HOME?

Colombian empanadas and arepas!

Spicy red ramen because it got me through quarantine.

Chicken à la King. My mom makes it and I love it. It’s so yummy.

Biscuits and gravy.

Share photos and notes from meetups with faculty and fellow CSW alumni.

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Broadcast news of your latest creative projects — publications, exhibits, performances, and more!

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JOIN THE CSW ALUMNI HUB! All within the privacy of our secure portal.

Visit alumni.csw.org today to get started.

Connect with fellow alums and access helpful information and resources.

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Stage manager Riley Simpson ’24 works behind the scenes of the fall theatre production of As You Like It. Photo by Nathaniel Salzano ’25