WFS Winter 2022 Magazine

QuakerMatters

Wilmington Friends School Winter 2022

SIMPLICITY PEACE INTEGRITY COMMUNITY EQUALITY STEWARDSHIP This school year we are focusing

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

ALUMNI BOARD

David Tennent, Clerk

Jonathan Layton ‘86, Clerk

Dorothy E. Rademaker, Vice Clerk

Andy McEnroe ’04, Vice Clerk

Robert W. Friz ‘86, Treasurer

Erin Bushnell ‘96

Jennifer Brady, Secretary

Stanita Clarke ‘06 Drew Dalton ‘97

on the Quaker testimony

Christopher F. Buccini ‘90

Emily David Hershman ‘09

PEACE, a goal that perhaps

Karen-Lee Brofee

Raven Harris Diacou ‘06

all of the Quaker testimonies

William Chapman

Alexandra Poorman Ergon ‘77

Lathie Gannon

Matthew Lang ‘08

Scott W. Gates ‘80

Christopher Lee ‘82

us what PEACE means to you by

Richard D. Grier-Reynolds

Adrienne Monley ‘02

emailing us at

Noreen Haubert

Katharine Lester Mowery ‘02

Susan Janes-Johnson

Raymond Osbun ‘71

Susan Kelley

Richie Rockwell ‘02

Christopher Lee ‘82

Thomas Scott ‘70

Jacqueline Greenidge Nix

James Simon ‘60

Debbie Pittenger

Martha Poorman Tschantz ‘85

ultimately nurture. Please tell

alumni@wilmingtonfriends.org.

Dwayne Redd Laura Reilly Christopher Rowland ‘95 Aubree Wellons Home and School Association Board Liaison: Michelle Silberglied Alumni Association Board Liaison : Martha Poorman Tschantz ‘85

ADMINISTRATION Head of School, Kenneth Aldridge Assistant to the Head of School, Megan Walters Associate Head for Finance and Operations, William Baczkowski Assistant Head for Academics, Michael Benner Head of Lower School, Julie Rodowsky Head of Middle School, Jonathan Huxtable Head of Upper School, Rebecca Zug Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, Melissa Brown Director of Communications and Strategic Marketing, Susan Morovati Finizio ’87 Director of Development, Chad O’Kane

Upper School Peace Flags

Each year, students in the upper school Quakerism class create Peace Flags. They use fabric cut from old clothing to create a scene that represents peace. These flags are eventually hung on the walls in the library for everyone to enjoy.

Professional photography by Elisa Komins Morris and Billy Michels ’89. Also thanks to Mary Woodward and the Yearbook Staff for photo contributions.

Cover photo by Laura Kirk Kurz ’97.

In This Issue Quaker Matters • Winter 2022

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| Letter from Head of School Ken Aldridge | Alumni News

6 |

24 | Celebrating the Peace Testimony

Homecoming 2021

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| 50th + Reunion and 1748 Society Luncheon

26 | Curiosity, Patience, and 11 Songs

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| True Blue/All Alumni Reunion and Awards Reception

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| 25th Annual Smith McMillan Run/Walk

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16 |

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| Class Reunions

Education, Introspection, and Action

| School News

28 30 32

| Winter Concerts | Fall Athletics | Home & School News

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34 35 40 41

| | | |

WFS Community Online

Charles J. (C.J.) Booth, Jr. ’67 Class Notes In Memory Scenes from the Upper School Play

MISSION Wilmington Friends, a Quaker school with high standards for academic achievement, challenges students to seek truth, to value justice and peace, and to act as creative, independent thinkers with a conscious responsibility to the good of all.

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Homecoming is always a time of reflection for

me, more so this year as I remembered one year ago when the fields were empty, the halls quiet, reunions on Zoom. This made it even more special when we were able to welcome home so many friends for our Homecoming 2021 festivities. In an email to our community before Winter Break, I reflected on the joy that has been palpable on campus this year. Nowhere was that joy more obvious than at Homecoming.

On the Friday, October 25, we welcomed back our alumni from the class of 1971 celebrating their 50th reunion, joyous that they were able to gather with classmates and friends from as far away as Maine, Tennessee, Missouri, Florida, North Carolina, and Alabama. We spoke about how much has changed at Friends since their graduation, but also realized how much has also stayed the same. In an editorial from the Whittier Miscellany in June 1971, the editorial staff wrote, “It is impossible sufficiently to stress the importance of having a valid opinion, especially now when the voice of youth is rising by leaps and bounds both in protest and in whole-hearted participation in governmental functions. To be left ‘out of it’ because of ignorance is inexcusable. Although the day appears very remote, this generation will eventually hold the reins of government in its hands; it is therefore our responsibility to accustom ourselves to the proper use of power.”

As I told the Class of 1971, I could take that same paragraph and place it in this month’s Whittier Miscellany and it would still be relevant, 50 years later. We continue to encourage our students to face the realities of the world they are about to enter, to be involved, to advocate for change. While each of the Quaker testimonies holds a place of importance in our community, every year as a school we focus on a particular testimony. This year that testimony is peace. We have challenged our students, faculty, parents, and friends to recognize how peace can grow in our school, in our homes, and in our hearts.

Homecoming weekend continued and groups of students, still so genuinely happy to be together, could be seen all throughout campus. All of our athletic contests were won. We ran the 25th annual Smith McMillan, and this feeling of joy, and peace, continued to surround us as we gathered for Meeting for Worship and a conversation with former faculty member Rick Grier-Reynolds. It was beautiful to witness our community being back together. Thank you to everyone who made Homecoming 2021 the success it was. We hold those who could not make the trip to be with us in our thoughts, and hope they can come “home” again soon.

We have much to look forward to for the remainder of the year, including our focus on the peace testimony. We continue to work through the challenges brought our way by a pandemic. These times are far from normal, but I can assure you that Wilmington Friends School has continued to offer the same quality education, with enriching arts, athletics, and extracurricular activities - in person.

This is something not many schools, if any, can say, and I’d like to take a moment to recognize our incredible faculty who made this possible. Who reimagined, pivoted, and made it happen.

In friendship,

OF NOTE...

Ray Carbone; Chip Connolly ’79; Katy Connolly, long-time Clerk of the Smith McMillan 5K Run; and Ken.

Ken was recently accepted into the Headmaster's Association and will be one of ten new inductees this year. Membership is kept at 100 Heads of School/Superintendents from across the country. It offers peer-to-peer exchange and development of professional relationships as well as support from fellow Heads of School grappling with similar challenges unique to leading educational institutions in the twentyfirst century. Congratulations, Ken!

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Dear Friends,

Alumni News

In October, we were able to celebrate a fantastic in-person Homecoming and Reunion Weekend! While this year’s Homecoming was not exactly like our pre-pandemic celebrations, it was exciting to see so many alumni, students, family, and friends back on campus.

The weekend’s events kicked off on Friday with a luncheon honoring the 50th+ reunion classes and 1748 Society members on the Terrace at the DuPont Country Club. The weather did not cooperate, with high winds, cold temperatures, and rain, but we made the best of it and appreciated all who braved the elements to celebrate with us. Raymond Osbun ’71 represented the 50th reunion class and spoke about his experience at WFS. Later that day, we honored the 2020 Alumni Award recipients, as well as the School’s most loyal donors, at the True Blue and All Alumni Reunion/Awards reception. Eden Wales Freedman ’99 received the Young Alumna Award, Tom Scott ’70 received the Outstanding Service Award, and Carol Quillen ’79 received the Distinguished Alumna of the Year award. Eden and Tom spoke eloquently about their inspiration for pursuing their current work, and Carol, who could not join us in person this year, spoke about the impact of her WFS education during last year’s virtual reception.

Jon Layton ’86

With the exception of wearing masks indoors, Saturday’s Homecoming events looked the same as past years.

The day kicked off with the Smith McMillan 5K and was followed by Meeting for Worship, a talk with former faculty member and current WFS Trustee Rick Grier-Reynolds, athletic contests, and lunch in the Homecoming tent. I enjoyed seeing so many alumni, friends, students, and families gathered together on campus. After the past two years, it was a welcome change!

In closing, I would like to thank all the alumni who helped make Homecoming and Reunion Weekend a success. It was great to see the smiling faces of classmates catching up, exploring campus, and uniting to watch some Quaker athletics, just like old times!

Thank you for all you do in support of WFS. Sincerely,

Jon Layton ’86

Don’t Miss These Upcoming Events!

Please check our website for details!

Quaker Quiz Night April 9, 2022

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WFS Golf Outing May 2, 2022

50th + Reunion and 1748 Society Luncheon

Class of 1951 | Art Hill, Biddy Miller Jenkins, and Chick Altmaier.

Class of 1955 | Sara Hodge Geuder, Ellen Winthrop Jennings, and Liney Simon Humphrey.

Class of 1956 | Back row: Art Weber,

Gail Porter Anderson, and Nancy Spargo Goodridge.

Front row: Meryl Nolan.

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About 40 guests attended the luncheon, which was held on the terrace at the DuPont Country Club, honoring alumni celebrating 50+ reunions and thanking members of our 1748 Society, which recognizes donors who have made Friends a part of their final estate plans. This celebration of the Classes of 1971, 1966, 1965, 1961, 1960, 1956, 1955, 1951, and 1950 was attended by alumni from around the country and as far away as California. While the weather did not cooperate, bringing strong winds, rain, and cold temperatures, we were grateful to those who joined us.

Guests were welcomed by Head of School Ken Aldridge and Alumni Board Clerk Jon Layton ’86. In his address, Ken recounted what the past 20 months have been like and expressed his gratitude for all those in attendance. He opened his remarks with, “I’ve never been happier than to say a warm, ‘Welcome home, friends!’ than this year.” While much has changed over the years at WFS, the key values and strong program offered have remained the same.

Ken spoke about some of the things that happened in 1971. From campus events like performing Mrs. Richman’s production of “Wonderful Town,” to world events like the Vietnam war protests and the first email being sent, there was much going on in 1971.

The featured speaker was Raymond Osbun ’71. In the 1971 yearbook, it said, “In his 11-year stint, Raymond has come to be admired by his classmates for his fine leadership qualities, sense of humor, and athletic prowess.” Raymond was awarded the Bush Award for his exhausting work on the prom, and his genuine interest in all class and school functions. Raymond spoke about the class’ experience and mentioned beloved teachers, memorable performances, and athletic contests. While Raymond currently resides in Alabama, he continues to be engaged with WFS and values the impact of his experience at the School.

50th Reunion Class of 1971 | Back row: Marie Haugh Osbun, John Kramer, Don Isken, Raymond Osbun, Tim Hidell.

Front row: Sally Barr Pardue, Barbara Baganz Simpson, Margaret MacKelcan, and Dolly Bochenek Wolf.

Class of 1960 | Jim Simon, Dale Roberts Megill, and

Class of 1961 | Rick Hill, Connie Roberts Amend, John

George Lockhart.

Jackson, and Steve Burnett.

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True Blue/All Alumni Reunion and Awards Reception We had originally planned to host the True Blue and All Alumni Reunion/Awards reception outdoors, in a beautifully lit and heated tent, but the weather had different plans! Gusting winds, heavy rain, and cold temperatures moved the event indoors to the Library Learning Commons. If the past 20 months have taught us anything, it’s how to be flexible. With an efficient and hard-working facilities crew, we were able to change the event’s location in just two hours. Thank you to all those who attended and were patient with us as we navigated this! Once the location change was set, the reception felt similar to past years. About 60 guests attended the event, which featured entertainment by the WFS Jazz Band, led by Chris Verry.

This annual event honors our True Blue donors (who have given to the school for 10 or more consecutive years) and our reunioning alumni. A major highlight of the evening is the presentation of the Alumni Awards. In opening the awards program, Head of School Ken Aldridge acknowledged and thanked the many True Blue donors and alumni in attendance. He expressed gratitude for Friends alumni representing Quaker values in their everyday lives, wherever they may be. Before introducing each alumni award recipient, he mentioned that the award recipients emulate the distinctive qualities of a Friends School graduate–– integrity, a commitment to excellence with responsibility to the common good, and an active valuing of peace and social justice––in everything they do.

Carol Quillen ’79 Distinguished Alumna Award

Although unable to join us at the reception, Carol, the current and first female president of Davidson College, was recognized for her many accomplishments. Under her leadership, Davidson grew more diverse socioeconomically and racially. Applications reached record numbers, and Carol led a $555 million capital campaign that helped push the college’s endowment above $1 billion. Davidson reached top-tier status in undergraduate research and tied for second in the nation for the NCAA’s graduation success rate of athletes. The president of The Aspen Institute describes her as “a transformational leader with a brilliant mind, a devotion to students, and the courage of her convictions. Davidson College has become an even more remarkable institution because of her vision, will and skill.”

Carol continues to appreciate the Quaker values that served as the foundation for a WFS education and says it helped her realize, “learning is liberating.” We were thrilled to honor her with the Distinguished Alumna of the Year award.

Jon Layton ’86.

Tom Scott ’70 Outstanding Service Award

Tom Scott has worked tirelessly to strengthen the Wilmington community. Upon moving back to Delaware, he was introduced to several non-profit organizations through his parents and children. In addition to volunteering and supporting Wilmington Friends School, he has worked with numerous non-profit organizations in the area, including Christ Church, Wilmington Garden Day, Friendship House, St. Michael’s School, Limen House, Lutheran Community Services, Urban Promise, and DE Humane Association, to name a few.

Upon accepting his award, Tom spoke about being saddened by the lack of progress in Wilmington and beyond, despite money and efforts to address challenging situations. While this is disheartening, he has seen the positive impact of individuals willing to learn more and to help their community. Tom shared a few stories of working with youth, and how exposing them 8

Tom Scott ’70 and Betsy Lord Scott.

Matt Meyer ’90 and Aundrea Almond ’90.

Bill Neff, Ken Aldridge, and Bob Tattersall.

to different service opportunities can change their perspective and outlook on how they see both themselves and those they are helping. He told stories of children helping create blankets for children entering the foster care system through Fleece for Keeps; teens doing work at Survivors of Abuse in Recovery (SOAR); and trips to the Dominican Republic with Urban Promise youth to do work in the small village of Jalonga. In observing the young people working on these projects he said, “...you see some inkling of understanding, that is transformational, that is a seed of change.”

Tom encouraged others to invest in non-profit organizations in and around the city. In closing he said, “I try to keep in mind the Japanese aesthetic wabi-sabi. Wabi-sabi is a beauty of things imperfect. It acknowledges three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect.”

Anna Wales, Eden Wales Freedman ’99, and Eden Wales Freedman ’99

Luke Wales.

Young Alumna of the Year

Dr. Eden Wales Freedman is an accomplished scholar and author. She recently became the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Clarke University in Dubuque, Iowa. Before joining Clarke, she served as Vice Provost for Faculties and Academic Affairs at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and as an associate professor of English, Director of Diversity Studies, and Department Chair of Communication, Literature, and Arts, as well as the Dr. Thomas R. Feld Chair for Teaching Excellence and deputy Title IX coordinator at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Eden published her first book in February 2020, Reading Testimony Witnessing Trauma: Confronting Race, Gender, and Violence in American Literature, which explores how readers can engage literary representations of race, gender, and trauma both critically and empathically. Eden’s work focuses on empathy, perspectives, and social justice.

In her remarks, Eden referenced the importance of education and expressed gratitude for attending Friends. She quoted Nelson Mandela saying that, ‘education is the most powerful weapon’ we ‘can use to change the world,’ and asked us to imagine if everyone received a Friends education. Everyone

could be, “armed with such lifelong and life-changing ‘weapons’ as education, access, equity, and love- and a lifetime of nuanced discernment and open collaboration,” privileges that could help change the world. Eden also quoted Toni Morrison, whom she met when Morrison visited WFS in 1999. Morrison said, ‘When you get these jobs that you have so brilliantly trained for, remember your real job: If you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have power, your job is to empower somebody else.’ Eden went on to say that “her advice, like Mandela’s, feels weighted in Quaker tradition: We educate to empower. We learn together to free each other.” In describing her current work as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Clarke, she said, “I lead with the values I learned at Friends: equity, accountability, collaboration, courage, and an unflagging respect for the light that shines in and through us all.” She went on to say, "...I am humbled and grateful – and determined to continue to live Friends’ mission to challenge students to seek truth, to value justice and peace, and to act as creative, independent, discerning thinkers with a conscious responsibility to listen to others and speak for the good of all...I thank you for this honor and for the gift of my education. I will never stop paying it forward. Thank you.”

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25th Annual

Smith McMillan Run/Walk

It was easy to see how happy

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The event began with a kids’ fun run!

everyone was to return to our traditional Smith McMillan 5K Run/Walk on campus. There were over 180 racers, including WFS alumni, students, faculty and staff, families, and friends. This was an extraspecial occasion as we marked 25 years of joining together in Alapocas to raise money for the Smith McMillan Financial Aid Endowment Fund at Friends.

And we are pleased to report that this year’s event raised just under $6,000! Thank you to committee clerks Katy Connolly and Amanda Singleton Hay ‘95 for their commitment and support! We’d also like to thank the SM5K Committee members:

Denise Chapman, Jane Hollingsworth, and Susan Kelley.

Cassandra Aldridge Melissa Bilek Denise Chapman Jonathan Clifton ‘80 (race director) Susie Tattersall Davis ‘84 Julia Morse Forester ‘00 Stacy Gatti Sue Handling Jane Hollingsworth Leslie Knight Susan Kelley Karen Legum Lisa Townsend-Raber ’77 Sarah Singleton Turick ‘95

DIVSION WINNERS Female Overall: Aubrey Ashman ’26 Male Overall: Max Leffler ’22 Top Female Alum: Jane Hoyt Moore ‘89 Top Male Alum: Michael Connolly ’84 Top Female Staff: Leah-Kate Atkinson Top Male Staff: Carlos Charriez

TOP FINISHERS

Clockwise from top left: Caroline Connolly ’12 and Lauren Kelley ’12; Kellen Amobi, Tavin Amobi ‘34, EJ Amobi ‘99, and Taj Amobi ‘32; Kristen Greene ’86 and Bill Hardy ’86.

Female 8 & Under: Elizabeth Meade ’31 9-10: Brianna Knight ’29 11-12: Olivia Agne ’27 13-14: Aubrey Ashman ’26 15-16: Ellie Criscimagna ’23 17-19: Caroline Vanderloo ’22 20-29: Tori Zugehar 30-39: Leah-Kate Atkinson 40-49: Eliza Hirst 50-59: Patricia Connelly Male 8 & Under: Taj Amobi ’32 9-10: Tommy Knight ’31 11-12: Kernan Slease ’29 13-14: Tim Gockenbach 15-16: Gavin Leffler 17-19: Max Leffler ’22 20-29: Greg Jarnutowski 30-39: Douglas Adams 40-49: Carlos Charriez 50-59: Mike Connolly ’84 60-69: Bruce Weber 70-79: Peter Wenigmann 80+: Terry Derk Top Male Walker: Tim Caspar

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Class of 1955 Clockwise from Bottom Left: Jane Ellis James, Sara Hodge Geuder, Ellen Winthrop Jennings, Margaretta Kroeger ’00 (WFS Constituent Resources Coordinator), Liney Simon Humphrey, and Don Reid.

Class of 1960 Jim Simon, Stuart Bricker, Dale Roberts Megill, and George Lockhart.

Class of 1975 Front row: David Crosby, Trina Tjersland, Linda Harris Reynolds. Middle row: Lisa Dempsey Keller, Alisa Lippincott Morkides, Sandy Ranck King, Zach Davis, Tom Dew, Peter Townsend, Beth Clark. Back row: Rich Horwitz, Dave Geoghegan, Bill Wilson, Mark Bendett, Thom Marston, Robbie Smith, and Jim Reynolds.

Class of 1976 Marty Bowers, Tom George, Todd Whitaker, Becky Alderfer, Biddy Hukill, Judith Gelb, Sandra Scholl Donahue (in front), Jill Paul Deardorff, Andy Atkins, Diana Millick Hodgson, Dan Fleming, Kay Hewlett Ambrose, Christina Papastavros Fay, Andy Hollingsworth, Lisa Letang, and Dave Adler.

50th REUNION Class of 1971 Front row: Walter Hrab, John Kramer, David Cress, Bill Gant, Dolly Bochenek Wolf, Tim Hidell, Don Isken, David Stratton. Back row: Margaret Mullin MacKelcan, Raymond Osbun, David Wyeth, Clint Wetmore, Sally Barr Pardue, Barbara Baganz Simpson, Marie Haugh Osbun, and Tom Ellis.

Class of 1981 Ned Bancroft, Carolyn Gates Connors, Michele RedfearnWenzel, Adam Balick, Cindy Bergman, David Veith, Terry Romanoli, and Matt O’Brien.

Class of 1990 Front row: John-Michael Taylor, Katy Bayard, Keith Sokoloff. Second Row: David Gross, Laura Jersild Pardo, Aundrea Almond, Monica Clouser O’Neal, Carey McCormick McCoy, Connie Annos Dorsney, Jennifer Knox Korz, Abigail Bartoshesky, Amy Jersild Hsu, Sara Titus Skelly, Will Melick, Ben Lee. Back row: Mark Fiss, Rich Morgan, Mike Tigani, John Allen, Matt Meyer, Anita Sagar Venier, Reid Rademaker, Hunter Hohlt, Brian Mand, and Steve Wilkinson.

Class of 1986 Front row: Bill Hardy, Barbara Pollard Wolfe, Clarissa Bush Annolick, Brian Arrington, Jon Curran, Stuart Abelson, Kristen Greene, Susan Harper Shahidi, and Toby Beck.

Back row: Steve Quimby, Liz Englada Kline, Jeff Henderer, John Peters, Lisa Ogden Borin, Beth Melloy Butler, Tom Donaghy, Oliver Yeh, James Heaton, Jon Layton, Tom Raiber, Rob Friz, and Head of School Ken Aldridge.

Class of 1991 Front row: Rick Harper, Herb Matter, Tom Kuon, Melissa Chambers-Riggs, Ashley Cattermole Gillerlain, Sarah Schenck Maheshwari, Marla Matthews Chandler, Erin M. Young, Sean Healy and Rick Balotti. Back row: Rob Tattersall, Tim Boulos, Sean Snyder, Matt Terrell, Josh Allison, Dave Harper, Geoff Parker, and Jason Mahoney.

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Class Reunions

Class of 1995 Chris Rowland, Catherine Strickler Gaul, Amanda Singleton Hay, Megan Ferrara White, Kelly Seiberlich Mayo, Sarah Singleton Turick, Charlie Donaghy, and Alyson Engle.

Class of 1996 Ashley Rust, Katie Measley Van Druff, Kristen Facciolo, Stephanie Hlywak, Meghan Rice Jodz, Mike Lamb, Jared Love, Catherine Wiedwald Stenta, Jarrett Rademaker, Erin Bushnell, Clay Hill, Meg Ting Ryan, and Shawn Breck.

Class of 2000 Front row: Leslie Rosenberg Chalal, Kaitlyn Ferrara, Jessica Fidance Clough, Meredith Jones, Keith Law (spouse).

Back row: Isaac Chalal (spouse), Tom Smith, Chris Loeffler, Ed Simon, Aaron Poole, and James Scotland.

Class of 2001 Front row: Jaclyn Mraz, Lesley Simon, Jen Grubbs, Victoria Davis, Tina Kaiser, Melissa Donnelly, Mary Van Ogtrop, Cary Mellor, Sophie Erensel, Alex Mellow, Jeff Ferrara, Friedrich Ebede. Back row: Nnamdi Mowete, Cooke Harvey, David Barakat, Ed Proctor, Jason Keenan, Abby Morgan, Jake Stein Greenberg, Taylor MacKelcan, and John Schmidt.

Class of 2011 Front row: Anna Melnick, Rebecca Caspar-Johnson, Leah Rizzo, Cindy Tanzer, Annie Sheslow, Ellen Rodowsky, Javier Horstmann. Back row: Luke Raber, Brett Fallon, Parthena Moisiadis, Chad Wood, and Joe Geoghegan.

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Class of 2015 Left photo: Logan O’Brien, Tommy Rhodes, Myles Wilson, and Conor Ganse.

Middle photo: Ian Furman, Conor Ganse, Molly Harper, and Meryl Gatti.

Right photo: (Left side, front to back) Arielle Mobley, Logan O’Brien, Myles Wilson, Hana Arai, Meryl Gatti. (Right side, front to back) Ian Furman, Conor Ganse, and Nick Granda-Stone.

! Homecoming 2021 E R MO

Education, Introspection, and Action Update on our Internal Climate Assessment

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As mentioned previously in Quaker Matters,

Wilmington Friends

engaged Brown-Gary Associates, who conducted an immersive climate assessment and submitted a comprehensive report to the School with both commendations and recommendations. The assessment identified and prioritized both short-term and long-term needs for the School and the students we serve––education, introspection, and action being at the heart of the recommendations––and here we provide a summary.

To manage the implementation of the recommendations included in the Immersive Climate Assessment report, we have formed a Diversity Steering Committee made up of faculty and staff members, Ken Aldridge (clerk), Melissa Brown, Carlos Charriez, Erica Childs, Tina DiSabatino, Aminah Finney, Beth Hill ‘12, Karen Horikawa, Danielle Litterelle, Kathleen Martin, Amanda McMillan, and Don Morton ‘94. Ex-officio members are Mike Benner, Jon Huxtable, Julie Rodowsky, and Rebecca Zug. In addition, we are hiring a Director of Equity, Justice, Community, and Engagement as a priority recommendation, and their primary role is to assist the School in realizing the aspirations articulated in our Statement on Diversity and Inclusion and guide the committee and the School through the important work outlined both in the report and through other strategic initiatives that they identify. Here is a summary of the commendations and recommendations:

Commendations The findings produced several commendations for WFS. The School’s foundation and mission, along with our Philosophy and Beliefs and Statement on Diversity, articulate a firm and solid commitment to a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community. Student experiences affirm this commitment.

Our consultant found that the WFS Board of Trustees is both committed to being an active part of ongoing discussions regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to their own personal growth. The Administrative Team was commended for their engagement in this process overall, and especially for the work being done in the middle school as well as the focus in Admissions on an enrollment management plan that is committed to a diverse student body. The School was also commended for a commitment to service learning in all divisions.

Specific initiatives within the School were especially noted. This includes the development of and participation in the School’s 10-year commitment to Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (SEED) groups; the newly-created Read and Educate ourselves on Antiracism and Diversity READ Journal groups; and the Black Lives Matter committee work and community discussion groups held in the summer of 2020. There were also some specific commendations regarding curriculum and programming.

WFS was also commended for providing the space and time for various groups–affinity, alliance, and interest– to engage, and there was specific praise for the students of color having the courage and care to talk about their experiences and challenges.

Looking at equity, the School’s goal to grow our endowment to make WFS more affordable was applauded, as well as our fund apart from financial aid that assists families with incidental expenses outside of tuition. The accessibility of learning coordinators in each division was also commended.

WFS Statement on Diversity At Wilmington Friends, diversity is integral to our educational objectives and to our mission as a Quaker school. The defining belief of Quakerism is that there is “that of God” in everyone. That belief gives rise to a profound respect for the dignity of each person and an obliga tion to lead on issues of social justice. Guided by Quaker principles, we seek to build and sustain a community of students, families, faculty, staff, administrators and trustees with a variety of identities—in terms of culture, economic means, ethnicity, gender, nationality, race, religion and sexual orientation.

We define diversity not only by the composition of our school community but also by the character of our interactions and the high level of scholarship in our program. We recognize that diversity of thought, identity and experience is essential to academic excellence and to the pursuit of truth, in the Quaker tradition. In and beyond the classroom, we seek to instill an orientation to learning about various countries, cultures, experiences, points of view, and identities that inform individual and family stories. That intentional engagement allows for honest discussion, including disagreement and the growth that can come from it, promoting mutual respect and a broadened perspective for all.

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Recommendations

Action

In the spirit of the Quaker concept of continuing revelation, the School is pleased to have a more concrete path forward for growth based on the recommendations provided in the report.

Increasing diverse representation on the Board of Trustees and the Administrative Team.

Increasing lessons about various communities, points of view, leaders and changemakers, and cultures in the curriculum.

Education Providing ongoing training and education for administrators, department chairs, faculty & staff, and the Board of Trustees, including workshops on inclusion; professional development in cross-cultural competency; and internal review of and discussions about the specific feedback in the climate assessment led by facilitators.

Providing ongoing implicit bias and anti-racist training for all WFS faculty and staff including learning about strategies that “positively affect student learning and attachment to schooling, in spite of social inequalities” for all adults in the community.

Increasing student programming centered around identifying behaviors of bias and bullying, what the consequences are for

these behaviors, and what options are available to students to report these behaviors and seek out help.

Communicating the process to report incidents of bias as well as a clearly articulated no-tolerance policy.

Educating community members on the past and current experiences of people of color in this country by understanding the work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Learning from national programs supporting LGBTQ+ students, along with research, to support in-school programming.

Maintaining and expanding our diversity and inclusion training for new faculty.

Reviewing the process for differentiated instruction in the classroom, as well as providing more professional training.

Conducting a review of our service learning programs.

Including measures regarding identity-safe classrooms in student evaluations of teachers.

Including the application of multicultural practice in school faculty and staff evaluations, including the intentional pursuit of professional development; specific references to course content, teacher communications and classroom management; and skills consistent with the WFS mission.

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Creating more affinity and identity groups in the middle school, especially for students who identify as LBGTQ+ and their allies.

Creating ambassador groups for parents and alumni of color, as well as an affinity space for Quakers in the community.

Increasing engagement from the School and outreach to new families.

Using targeted recruiting efforts and networks for hiring.

Looking at specific networks, organizations, and associations for admissions, and using targeted advertising Open Houses.

Introspection Implementing a curriculum audit.

Refining the mission and purpose of student clubs and committees, adding more to include affinity spaces, and focusing faculty support to increase inclusion.

Conducting exit interviews with faculty that include components related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Implementing a review of our disciplinary processes.

Updating the process to report incidents of bias annually and looking at processes at other schools.

Review roles and responsibility for all faculty and staff with an eye on equity.

Conducting an annual review of the hiring process to help measure if we are achieving our goals.

Evaluating support for students with learning challenges who don’t have the means to seek outside support.

Including specific language regarding diversity, multicultural practice, and cultivating a just and inclusive community in job responsibilities and aligning job descriptions to include expectations.

Providing ongoing mentoring with feedback to new faculty including WFS customs and expectations, and expose them to local and regional culture and activities.

Creating an Affordability and Access Committee to better understand non-tuition expenses that are considered essential to life at school.

Clearly communicating the process to access the School’s existing access fund for non-tuition expenses.

School News Remembering 20 Years Ago

September 11 is a solemn day to think back on and reflect. Though our students do not remember the day, we feel it’s an important part of our collective history and take time as a community to remember those we lost on that day.

Upper School Diversity Orientation

Students new to the upper school participated in a diversity orientation session in September. They worked on exercises to find their similarities and differences, and were introduced to the concept of microaggressions. Students were briefed on the upstander concept (which was introduced to all upper school students last year), which encourages students to disrupt bullying/microaggressions. Faculty and staff then role-played situations, and students gathered in groups to discuss the scenarios and identify which "D" (distract, delegate, document, delay, or direct) they would use to respond to the situations, which included religious intolerance, racism, homophobia, ableism, and sexism. Our WFS students mentored and led the small groups of new students.

In honor of the 20th anniversary, upper school students, faculty, and staff attended a Lunch and Learn with WFS parent and parent of alum Dr. Amy Grubb, a first responder as a psychologist with the FBI on 9/11 in New York City.

She spoke about her experience at the site where only 1,000 people were initially allowed access to collect evidence.

Though there were many terrible things in that environment, she was also struck by the immense generosity of so many people who wanted to help; the human connections that were necessary to keep one another both focused on the work and focused on taking necessary breaks; and the power of sitting with someone in silence to allow them to grieve. She tied these moments to the broader theme of seeking peace. We are grateful to Dr. Grubb for sharing her experiences with us.

Middle School Bonding Day

After a year hiatus, the middle school’s annual Bonding Day was back in September! To kick off our year-long work at fostering our sense of community and belonging, middle school teams, led by their respective grade deans (Carlos Charriez, 6th; John Hanson, 7th; Logan Goodwin, 8th), dedicated the day (both on and off campus) to games and activities designed to challenge, sometimes frustrate, and always enrich our middle schooler’s understanding of their unique and invaluable role in the life of their class and their school.

First Grade Self Portraits

In September, Mrs. Willie's first graders painted self portraits and shared their hopes and dreams for the school year!

College Visits

GO BLUE!

College visits have returned to campus!

Upper school students met with a representative from the University of Pittsburgh this fall to discuss the college admissions process and learn more about life at Pitt.

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5th Grade Reporters

Each week, fifth grade students write, direct, and produce the "Lower School Good News" (LSGN) for the lower school community. Content ranges from musical performances to informative news segments. This fall, students interviewed Nate Nazdrowicz, a herpetologist for the state of Delaware (which means he studies reptiles and amphibians), about the local snake population.

9th Grade Author Visit

This fall, ninth graders met with Abdi Nor Iftin, author of their summer reading book, Call Me American, which depicts Abdi's life in Somalia and his curiosity about Western culture, which ultimately became dangerous and led to him fleeing the country.

Climate Action Rally

Grow Tower

If you have visited the middle/upper school campus lately, you might have noticed the grow tower in the gallery.

The tower is part of our 6th grade science curriculum where students use the scientific method to design an experiment that will increase the yield of sugar snap peas. The tower is a scaled up version of Levi Sawdon '28 and Charlie Powalski's '28 hydroponics design and contains cilantro, thyme, spearmint, Italian parsley, chives, bok choy, blue kale, and Swiss chard! A grant from the Whole Kids Foundation helped make this project possible.

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WFS students Oliver ’35, Pier-Paolo Ergueta ’22, Bella Adjei-Owusu ’22, and Austin Sarker-Young ’22, along with WFS teachers Caitlin Norton and Javier Ergueta, participated in a local Climate Action Rally that called for bold and transformational governmental action to decarbonize our economy and prevent the worst impacts of climate crisis in Delaware.

Welcome Matilde!

When You Wonder, You’re Learning Book Event

Thank you to Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski, authors of the book When you Wonder, You're Learning: Mister Rogers' Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids, for their wonderful presentation last fall to our school community! Thank you as well to WFS alumnus and current parent Matt Terrell '91 for helping make this possible.

Please join us in welcoming Matilde Murteira '22 to the WFS community! Matilde is our AFS Intercultural Programs student for the 2021-2022 school year, joining the Class of 2022 from Evora, Portugal! She enjoys staying active, the fashion world, and is working toward a career in the healthcare industry. We are so glad to have her with us this year!

Faculty Art

Paulo Machado, chair of the visual arts department, recently had a painting on display in the WFS gallery, which was part of a larger body of paintings that use wide uninterrupted brushstrokes on top of darker areas of color as metaphors for conscious attempts to heal.

"The uneven edges of the forms reflect an acceptance and celebration of imperfection. This painting is an invitation to center," Paulo said.

Upper School Service Day

September marked the return of our annual Upper School Service Day! Advisories volunteered at the Delaware Humane Association; E.D. Robinson Urban Farm; Nemours Mansion and Gardens; the New Castle County Hope Center; and other locations throughout Wilmington. Ninth graders worked on cleaning up Alapocas and Brandywine Parks. "Your students were kind, engaged, and helpful. Our state parks and the community are surely grateful, as am I," said Nicholas Minnix, Delaware State Parks manager of volunteers.

Rangoli Art

National Stress Awareness Day

To recognize National Stress Awareness Day today, the QuakerCares Committee asked students to fill out a helpful stress tip or positive thought, which will then be displayed for the community.

Preschool and prekindergarten friends found a great way to reuse the mums that beautified the Homecoming and Admissions Open House tent this fall and celebrate Diwali. They decorated the preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten playgrounds with rangoli art made with chalk and flower drawings!

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Delaware Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award!

Congratulations to WFS faculty member Carlos Charriez and the WFS garden, which was recently named a recipient of the Delaware Governor's Outstanding Volunteer Award! Carlos, the WFS garden manager, has grown the program over the last decade, and last summer the school donated nearly 500 pounds of produce.

Cooking Demonstration

As an exciting culmination to the sixth grade experimental garden project in science, students were treated to a surprise "C is for Cooking with Mr. C." demonstration. Students watched as science teacher Carlos Charriez sautéed sugar snap peas, assisted with grating the lemon zest, and then dined on the delicious and healthy snack.

We were excited to welcome back to campus WFS alum and Delaware First Lady Tracey Quillen Carney ’80 who presented the award. The Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards, administered by the State Office of Volunteerism, honors the contributions of individuals and groups in Delaware that have made a positive impact in their communities or across the state through service and volunteering.

“I salute these worthy recipients and all those who volunteered their time and energy this year to help improve the health and wellbeing of their neighbors in need,” said Governor John Carney. “The coronavirus pandemic has brought special challenges for many of our residents in 2021, which is why I am doubly grateful for the generosity and selfless commitment of these volunteers.”

Lower School Art

Earlier this year, lower school students explored their emotions through art.

Pre-K artists recently used shapes and colors to represent a word of their choice while fourth grade artists explored their emotions as they learned about Fauvism (a style of painting typified by the work of Matisse and characterized by vivid colors and free movement of form popular in the early 1900s).

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A Family Affair!

We realized this fall that our youngest student on campus — Adele '37 — has something in common with our oldest faculty member…Adele is the granddaughter of none other than Cynthia Stan Mellow, upper school art teacher for more than 44 years!

Meeting With the Mayor

Eighth graders visited with Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki as a follow-up to their social studies unit on the City of Wilmington.

As part of this unit, students studied the history and growth of the city; the major businesses in the past and today that provide jobs and support the economy; and the other benefits the city can boast, like proximity to major cities, beaches, beautiful parks, and a low cost of living.

Students also studied the challenges that the city faces, including poverty; crime; the wealth gap; and the effects of climate change. As a culmination of the unit, students wrote letters to the Mayor, addressing the benefits and challenges of living in Wilmington. Mayor Purzycki addressed these letters with the students and answered questions about his role in the city.

New York, New York!

International Baccalaureate visual arts and music students recently traveled to New York City for the annual Group 6 Research Trip.

Students toured the Met Museum, walked through Central Park, and attended a performance of the musical Chicago, making valuable connections to help with their IB coursework. The Governor of New York spoke briefly at Chicago's intermission, and after the show, one of the cast members came out to greet the students, signed autographs, and posed for a group photo! It was a perfect ending for a glorious day in the Big Apple!

A Visit with County Executive Matt Meyer ’90

Eighth grade students met with County Executive and WFS alum Matt Meyer '90 this fall to wrap up their recent unit on U.S. regions and the City of Wilmington.

Matt spoke to students about the role he plays and the function of county government in our state. He also presented the students with a case study about a local environmental issue, the expansion of the Minquadale Landfill, that demonstrated the tension between business and public health and safety issues.

Robotics Presentation

The Upper School Robotics Club presented at a parent coffee and brought along the robot they are working with to prepare for their upcoming and State competition. The club meets every Sunday and on some school days to prepare for these competitions, where programming, creativity, and problemsolving skills are tested in a performance environment.

Sixth Grade Pie Making

It’s a WFS tradition that the day before Thanksgiving break, sixth grade students make pies for Wilmington’s Sunday Breakfast Mission. The Class of 2028 worked hard to make more than 30 pies – peeling, mixing, assembling, and decorating pie boxes with kind messages.

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Celebrating the Peace Testimony The week before was the first time that Moslems had been back in their hometown in seven years. They found some 80 skeletons in and around properties. They were going to have a funeral the next week, and they wanted us to be there. We went over to see the UN people, and the guy who's running the UN in that area, says, "All right. We're going to move up to DEFCON One." The next level is "We're outta here."

I'm thinking this is probably not a good idea. Rachel said, "You gonna go?"

I said, "No. I had a machine gun stuck in my throat the first night I arrived in Nicosia [Cyprus]...I dodged that one. I had a death squad chasing me in El Salvador when I was down there. ...They came looking for me and others in the hotel. OK, I did that. I'm done putting myself in [danger]." But Rachel went with a couple of other members of our team, and nothing happened. Imagine these people haven't been in their town, and the Chetniks, hoodlums with guns, are driving around, saying [expletives.]

THE WORK OF RICK GRIER-REYNOLDS

by WFS Archivist Terry Maguire At Homecoming, Rick Grier-Reynolds––former WFS teacher, current Board member, and creator of the Peace, Justice, and Social Change course––had a conversation with Head of School Ken Aldridge. He reflected on the long journey he has undertaken from arriving at Friends in 1969 to his current engagement with distance learning with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and his 20 plus years of teaching AVP (Alternatives to Violence Project) classes in local prisons. The hour spent that Homecoming Saturday was fascinating, but simply whetted the appetite of many in the Friends School community for more information about Rick’s odyssey over many lands in the last 50 years; the evolution of his course Peace, Justice, and Social Change; and more of his stories.

In mid-November Rick sat with two former colleagues, Marilyn and Terry Maguire, for oral history recordings, amounting to two hours. They were rambling sessions, backtracking among different decades and foreign lands, but filled with great stories.

Those are available to read in their entirety, edited and reorganized to flow more clearly and chronologically. Below are Rick’s recollections and stories about the challenging and uplifting work that he has done since his “retirement” in 2011.

What led you in the direction of doing AVP work in prisons?

When I was on sabbatical in Bosnia, when I went over with Rachel [Rick's wife] for that summer six-week program, I came back with a little dose of PTSD….So that was 1998. When we went to the NW corner [of Bosnia] to this work camp...Kozarets, there was another of the Bosniaks...he was the translator for us, and we're now in this town where he was from, and we met his father at his house, which was just a total wreck.

When I came back, I said, "You know, it's great to tell stories, to put stories on the abstracts, because people will understand the stories; but I need to do more. I can't just be this observer of terrible things that have happened to people."...So one of the first things we did with AVP was accompany Steve Angel, one of the creators of AVP. We ended up in Croatia, and we did an AVP training for these 15 people––some were Serbs, some were Croats, some were Hungarians. And it was reconciliation work.

All these people had lived in that area.

So we did a workshop, and that workshop was another moment....A Serb general was in it, and after doing some exercises, this woman realizes he was living in her apartment, and she had been displaced; and also that his guys had killed her husband….Because these people were open and wanted change, they forgave each other…

You said at Homecoming that the most important, most gratifying work that you've done is in the prisons. Is that really true?

Yes, at a couple of levels. The workshops in the prisons were all experiential. And the group has wisdom. These are adults and they have lots of life wisdom. So the idea is to put them in situations where they talk on whatever the topic is, from their own frame of reference. And then the facilitator's job is to organize it, manage it, and let them talk to each other, which they do; and you debrief it with them. So I took those strategies back into my Friends classroom.

How long have you been doing the prisons?

Since '98. I'd been doing that kind of project work, multiple opportunities, multiple perspectives, multiple intelligences. But the people in the jails really appreciate the fact that you come in on Friday at 5:00 pm and you leave at 9:00; you're in all day Saturday, usually coming in at 8:00 am and leaving at 4:00 pm, and you do that on Sunday. AND you're a volunteer.

And they are so marginalized, that they appreciate that I––and anyone else––is coming in and spending time with them. And they show it; they really let you know it, and you can feel it.

Plus, you are giving them tools. These are people who have made some really bad decisions. In Chester, some of our facilitators are lifers; they've murdered people. They belonged to gangs and such. The guy I'm bringing in to Friends School tomorrow, Brian Winward, and he's going to tell his story…I've heard him talk before. He ran with gangs...He didn't kill anybody, but he did a lot of bad things...He's out now. He's what's called a "returned citizen." He's now the AVP Outreach Coordinator, so he actually works with the re-entry program at Widener. It's called Project New Start, so he does the same training for these guys that are coming out.

PEACE AT SCHOOL

Tell us about the courses you've been teaching at Osher.

There's one thing I really want to stress: we all evolve. I'm still teaching; I've still got the bug. As you know I'm doing some work on domestic extremism and non-violence; and whatever I'm doing, I'm moving more and more to the virtual world, which really excites me. As early as the late 1990's to early 2000s, when the internet was starting to become available as a potential teaching tool, I really saw the value of connecting people all over the world. I worked with somebody out of Philadelphia,...Global Education Motivators; and we connected Friends School kids with kids from all over the planet. And I pushed hard to get that kind of opportunity in front of Friends School kids, and now with Zoom and everything, it's happening. In fact, I feel very comfortable teaching virtually with Osher, but even for Friends School I might do something. ...I walked into a class [in Lewes] on climate change, handing out all these pieces of paper; and one of my students, a friend of mine, said, "Rick, what are you doing here? Killing a bunch of trees? This is a course on climate change. You need to be virtual." I said, "yes, I do."

So I built this blog. One of the reasons I wanted to do this is that I wanted a repository for stuff I've done, so I started writing down some of the stories, and I'm going to put four-five more over Christmas; a lot of this is intended for my grandchildren.

Here are all the classes that I'm teaching, and the one that I'm doing right now for Osher, Domestic Terrorism. You would open this up, and it's the same old Rick; there's always music, there's Essential Questions (thank you, John Hanson, who put understanding by design in front of me). This is sort of like an AVP format, exercises, all the readings and resources. You can click on any one of these...I think this is for me the wave of the future.

One of the things that I took away from my facilitation––and that's what the prison work trained me in––is to be able to take any small group and facilitate it in the sense that they do all the work. Most of the time in class they are participants in conversation.

Note from Rick: Recent years would cover AVP, monthly; Lewes Ethics and Board of Adjustment member; President, Cape Henlopen Educational Foundation; active substitute teacher in Cape Autism program; Osher teacher, every semester; Friends Trustee; consultant with IB with over 40 completed assignments since retirement...flunking retirement in good form.

WFS reaffirmed its commitment to Quaker values this fall while focusing on the testament of Peace. Students were challenged to think about peace on both a community and a personal level. During one upper school Meeting for Worship, students contemplated several queries, including, “Do I look into the nature and meaning of peace? What keeps the world from realizing peace? What keeps me from realizing peace?”

Middle school students celebrated International Day of Peace in September, serving as an opportunity for them to look beyond themselves and recognize their ability to make a positive change in the world.

After meeting as a large group in the Theater, students then gathered as advisories and identified a current social issue of concern in the world, ranging from broader topics like homelessness and climate change to WFS-specific issues like the use of plastics in our cafeteria and supporting our LGBTQIA+ community members.

Students brainstormed what they could do now, and in the future, to address this issue and lead to more equitable and sustainable conditions. At the end of the day, they gathered as a community and presented the issues they discussed.

Jon Huxtable, head of the middle school, announced that the faculty would work toward developing activities and service learning opportunities for the 2021-2022 school year centered around the items that the students had identified as causes of concern. "These are your ideas to make things equitable and sustainable. Now it's up to us to act on them," Huxtable said.

We look forward to continuing our focus on peace this year, including the Kindergarten MLK Peace March; the Nathan M. Clark Speaker on Peace, international peacekeeper Rebecca Davis in late January; and Rick Grier-Reynolds’s virtual course for the WFS community “Responding to Domestic Extremism/Terrorism” for over 40 participants this spring!

Curiosity, Patience, and 11 Songs For the first time in twenty-five years of teaching, twenty at Wilmington Friends, the first day of school meant something quite different in the Fall of 2020. I was in Randolph, New Hampshire, staying in a cabin in the Presidential Mountains, writing and playing music.

One of my major goals was to complete and record an album of ten original songs. I ended up with eleven on an album entitled “Call It Home.” I still have plenty of CD’s. At this point, I think it’s a million seller, meaning that I have a million of them and they are all in my cellar. People can listen on any digital platform, including Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, etc.

Jake Rashkind, WFS Upper School English Teacher and musician, reflects on his Fall 2020 sabbatical.

Jake and his wife, Skye, have two children, Nate ’21 and Lily ’23.

I am really proud of that work. While Covid made it difficult to record some of the music live with bandmates, I was able to work with some excellent studio musicians who really helped bring these songs alive from their original composition on acoustic guitar. Ritchie Rubini at Studio 825 proved to be a master of production, and I couldn’t have asked for a better collaborative partner in the process.

While I pursued my passion for music, it was a revelation that I never veered too far from teaching. Even that first week in September, I attended a virtual online class with Alfie Kohn called “From Grading to De-Grading” about alternatives to traditional grading. It was a gift to have the time and perspective to really ask myself as a teacher: “What’s it all about? What’s important about what I do? What can be enhanced? What can be discarded as a relic?” I also attended an online conference at Bard College’s Institute for Writing and Thinking. This particular conference focused on engaging students in the relevant issues of Shakespeare’s Othello. I’ve been to these IWT workshops before, and I always find them inspiring, with focus on how writing helps to crystalize thinking, reminding me that students need to do it as much as possible in the classroom–not for me, but for them.

Because Covid was running rampant, a lot of my travel plans were limited. I did my fair share of Zooming conferences and workshops, originally scheduled to be in person. Though Covid limited me from going far, it enabled me to go more deeply into my work. I began most mornings writing at a desk I set up in my basement. Being a huge fan of the poet Seamus Heaney, I was reminded of his metaphor for writing, which he refers to as “going down and down for the good turf. Digging.” So I began my days as far down in my house as possible, looking to bring up experiences, stories, ideas. It can be challenging to maintain that discipline, knowing that some days will yield very little, while others will be fruitful and inspiring. One thing this sabbatical confirmed for me: I could never be a full-time writer. It’s too lonely, and I need to be around people.

Through the generosity of this grant, I was all set to attend Bill Monroe’s Mandolin Camp in Monteagle, TN, but Covid turned the conference into a Zoom event. Oddly enough, I used my previous experience with Zoom to become the host for these sessions.

Hard to believe I could find a group less technologically adept than myself, but these people are out there. I have been playing mandolin for over twenty years, but more as a guitar player looking to find a new texture and color. The sessions at the Bill Monroe camp taught me a ton about the mandolin’s place in a band, about the discipline required to play this very fast, aggressive bluegrass style. It’s not at all the only style I play, but dedicating myself to this practice was quite challenging, and I was surprised by how physically tough it could be. When you’re trying to play a song at 130 beats per minute, you have to stretch, have good posture, and perhaps most frustrating, you have to begin by learning it very, very slowly, when all you want to do is play it as fast as they 26

do on the album. It was a great reminder to me as a teacher that patience is required to learn anything well.

I was also able to build off my experience at the camp by connecting with one of my favorite mandolin players, Christopher Henry. He has played for years with bluegrass icon Peter Rowan. One result of Covid was that so many artists, musicians, and performers were sitting at home looking for work.

I literally called Christopher on his cellphone number that I acquired on his website, and I was taking my first lesson with him thirty minutes later. He recorded each lesson we had, and that was really eye-opening for me as both a student and a teacher. I recall one moment where I wasn’t getting a concept he was teaching, just unable to repeat back to him what he had just played. When I later saw myself struggling (literally) on the video, I saw a pained expression on my face. My shoulders were scrunched up, and it was clear that my own frustration was part of the problem. What I later found out as I learned the part was that it was easier, not harder than I thought. I was adding notes that I thought were there because what he was doing looked and sounded so complex. It really reminded me as a teacher that we have students in our classrooms every day who struggle to get a concept because they don’t think they can get it. Often, we think a problem is more difficult than it is, when really to solve it means to slow down, to relax, to get over ourselves, only to find that it’s actually easier, not harder than we thought.

So even while I was learning for myself as a musician, my thoughts always wandered back to how my learning might help me as a teacher. It was in that vein that I made some contacts with several college professors. I wanted to find out from them what they were seeing as trends in their current students and ways that we, as high school teachers, could help to prepare them to be successful at the next level and beyond. Unfortunately, the process didn’t include in-person visits, but I was able to sit in on classes and interview several professors. A few consistent strands I heard repeatedly: skills matter most. In fact, I couldn’t get a single college professor to tell me of a text that students should have or must have read before entering their institution. More important is students ability to read and think critically about what they read, no matter what it is. A few professors did lament that students don’t have the attention spans they used to, that a lot of the longer texts have gone out the window. Another common thread I heard was the idea that professors are seeing students who are risk averse, who want to know the answer, and want to be able to give that to a professor in order to be successful. This insight reconfirmed my commitment to challenging students to think for themselves, to offer them creative approaches to engaging with a text so that they can develop confidence in their instincts and find their own voice. I am reminded how challenging that can be at a time when anxiety about college begins to creep in. Still, if we are truly meant to educate our students for life, then we want them to learn the value of taking risks, even when they don’t yield the desired result, at least not immediately. But it’s important for all of us to fail until we succeed because that’s how we develop resilience.

Speaking of failures, one of my other goals was to begin a mentoring program where I could pair interested students with an elder (kind of an extension of the Elder Buddies program

in the Lower School). The goal was to help our young people make this connection, but perhaps more importantly, to create meaningful relationships with people who have lived through so much history and hopefully have great wisdom, insights, and experiences to share. The idea was to have students help to ghost write vignettes, stories, etc. While I still intend to pursue this passion project, Covid made the idea of getting students into a retirement facility rather daunting. So, I didn’t cross everything off of my sabbatical to-do list, but I look forward to making that vision a reality for our students and the larger community in the years to come.

The time out did give me a lot of opportunities to read more than I ever normally can during the school year. I read for curricular ideas, for personal interest, and those novels that I’ve been meaning to get to for years, like Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man. Try reading that one with any concentration when you have a stack of sophomore essays staring you down! I made a ritual of long walks, which also opened my ears to the world of podcasts. I found the New York Times Daily gave me thirty minutes a day of being very connected to the current world, something I did my best to forget about for the rest of the day.

One day, I was walking in Bellevue Park, only to come upon a bulldozer crushing the outbuilding of an old historic stone structure. The goal was obviously to reduce it back to the original. Suddenly, I was transported back to my four-year-old self, and I stood there watching for almost two hours, though I had no sense of time then. It was a gift I had been given by Friends School, for which I will forever be grateful.

Perhaps the highlight of my sabbatical was being able to stay for three days at Big Pink, in West Saugerties, NY. For those who don’t know, Big Pink is the house Bob Dylan put The Band up in while he was recovering from a motorcycle accident (though local folklore suggests the accident was more a desire to leave the craziness of touring). In this house, The Band worked each day in the basement on music, while Bob Dylan sat at a typewriter cranking out lyrics. The resulting Basement Tapes, then The Band’s Music From Big Pink had a tremendous impact on the musical landscape at the time, with a movement away from psychedelic rock into more Americana, roots-based music. So there I was, waking each morning to sit and work at the very desk where a Nobel Laureate honed his craft. It was awe inspiring. People often ask if I wrote great stuff there. I don’t think I did, but that’s not to say the experience was any less valuable. In fact, the inside picture of my CD is me sitting at that desk, typing. So if nothing else, I got a picture out of it.

I certainly missed my students and the connection I have with them and my colleagues. Returning to WFS mid-year to a fully-masked group was a challenge. It felt like starting over in a way. While I clearly have a need for my own time to be creative, I realized what a people person I am, that I need to be part of a larger community to truly know my purpose. This sabbatical helped me to find both balance and purpose. In twenty years at Friends, the school has afforded me the first two weeks of my childrens’ lives to be there with them; they have granted me the ability to travel to Ireland and Scotland; and they funded my semester-long mid-life crisis. I can’t thank them enough.

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Winter Concerts!

Fall Athletics 2021 It was an incredible fall for Quaker athletics as three programs captured Conference Championships and all of our teams competed in their respective DIAA State Tournaments.

We are proud of our students’ continued dedication to their sports and thank our fans for their support!

Cross Country The cross country team had another terrific season, competing against some of the top competition across the State of Delaware each and every week. During the New Castle County Championships, held at the challenging Winterthur Estate course, 12 members of the team set personal records! At the Division II State Championship Meet, the boys came out fast and placed 8th out of 28 teams.

Max Leffler ’22 led the way, capping off his career with a 4th place finish and earning 2nd Team All-State Honors.

Ellie Criscimagna ’23 paced the girls all season long as she was the first WFS female runner to cross the finish line in each race. Criscimagna, in the Delaware Independent Schools Conference meet, placed 8th overall and earned All-Conference honors. To the Class of 2022, thank you for your dedication to the running program and inspiring the classes beneath you. We will certainly miss watching you compete each and every week!

Field Hockey The varsity field hockey team advanced to the Division II Quarterfinals for the third consecutive season and finished 12-3-2 this season. The Quakers, going 8-1-1 in conference play, finished second in the Delaware Independent Schools Conference and defeated DISC Champion Tatnall School 2-1 in an exciting regular-season contest. During the 2021 campaign, they outscored their opponents 55-22 and posted ten shutouts. Their 12 wins are the most since 2017.

The Class of 2022 certainly left their mark on the field hockey program, appearing in four straight Division II State Tournaments and winning three contests in Tournament play. In their four seasons, the girls compiled an overall record of 40-20-3. Thank you, Class of 2022, for a wonderful four years!

1st Team All-State: Margo Gramiak ’22 2nd Team All-State: Madeline Rowland ’23 1st Team All-Conference: Gramiak, M. Rowland, Alexa Donahue ’22, Sawyer Rowland ’25 2nd Team All-Conference: Aniyah Barnett ’22, Lucy Wood ’22, Sophie Brennan ’23, Peri Mulveny ’23 Honorable Mention All-Conference: Eden Cottone ’22 DISC Coach of the Year: Scott Clothier

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Football The varsity football team won the Delaware Independent Schools Conference Championship, advanced all the way to the Class 2A Semifinals, and finished the 2021 season with a record of 10-2. In their three conference victories over Tower Hill, St. Andrew’s, and Tatnall, the Quakers defeated their opponents by a combined score of 111-15. Their offensive attack, led by a tenacious offensive line, running back Osi Chukwuocha ‘22, and quarterback Robby Tattersall ‘23, averaged just under 32 points per game. Their stingy defense, who frequently forced the opposition into turnovers, held opponents to 9.5 points per contest.

The Class of 2022 finished their careers with an impressive record of 29-10 over four seasons. They won three conference championships, earned three playoff berths, and made one appearance in the Division II State Championship game. Thank you, Class of 2022, for continuing the strong tradition of Quaker football and leading the underclassmen each and every day out on Tattersall Field.

2nd Team All-Class 2A: Osi Chukwuocha ’22 (RB/DB), Robby Tattersall ’23 (DE) 1st Team All-District: Chukwuocha (RB/DB), Tattersall (DE) 2nd Team All-District: R. Tattersall (QB), Hudson Zawadzkas ’23 (WR), Ish Dobson ’23 (TE), Jack Hebert ’23 (OT), Colin Harron ’23 (DT), Paul Beardell ’23 (LB), Jaden Willie ’23 (DB), Alessio Cristanetti-Walker ’23 (K) Honorable Mention All-District: Phil Crock ’23 (C), Zawadzkas (DE), Dobson (DT), Donnie Morton ’22 (DB), R. Tattersall (P)

Soccer The varsity soccer team won their fourth straight Delaware Independent Schools Conference Championship, finishing the 2021 campaign with an overall record of 12-2-2 and advancing to the Division II Quarterfinals. The Quakers went 9-0-1 in conference play, outscored their opponents 53-8, and posted a remarkable ten shutouts.

The Class of 2022 finished their careers with an impressive record of 50-9-5 over four seasons, outscoring their opponents 200-60. Moreover, they advanced to two Division II State Championship finals and won four post-season matches during their time donning the blue and white.

Thank you, Class of 2022, for an incredible four years and elevating Quaker soccer!

1st Team All-State: Alessio Cristanetti-Walker ’23 2nd Team All-State: Bruno Yeh ’22 3rd Team All-State: Chaz Manolakos ’23 1st Team All-Conference: Cristanetti-Walker, Yeh, Manolakos, Shiloh Connor ’22, Carter Ross ’23 2nd Team All-Conference: Aiden Borst ’22, A.P. Rossi ’22, and Kato Connor ’25 Honorable Mention All-Conference: Cole Morris ’22, Kevin Dolan ’24 DISC Coach of the Year: Rick Sheppard

Volleyball The varsity volleyball team continued to prove itself as one of the top teams in the State of Delaware, advancing all the way to the State semifinals and finishing the 2021 campaign with an overall record of 15-4. The team went a perfect 10-0 in conference play and did not drop a set in any of these matchups en route to their third straight Delaware Independent Schools Championship. In addition to all of their success in DISC play, the girls also defeated #2 ranked Padua Academy 3-2 in a thrilling five set, regularseason match.

The Class of 2022 finished their careers with an overall record of 51-23, advancing to the State semifinals in each of their last three seasons. In all three of these seasons, they finished the year ranked #4 in the State of Delaware.

Thank you, Class of 2022, for always leading by example and continuing to uplift Quaker volleyball!

1st Team All-State: Abby Carian ’22, Jocelyn Nathan ’23 2nd Team All-State: Reena Robinson ’22 3rd Team All-State: Nat Bush ’22 1st Team All-Conference: Carian, Nathan, Robinson, Bush 2nd Team All-Conference: Violet Perloff ’24

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NEWS The Home & School Association ("H&S") was thrilled to return to many of its normal rhythms this fall and be able to host in-person events after so many months apart. Led by co-clerks Amy Blake and Fola Adebi, and junior clerk Jodi Bettler, H&S and all of its committees are run by parent/caregiver volunteers. They have been hard at work this semester fulfilling their mission of fostering a sense of community among parents, faculty, and staff at WFS, and raising funds to support H&S activities as well as capital improvements to the school and classroom resources for teachers.

We kicked off the year with the Back-to-School Picnic, held on a beautiful September afternoon

by Tattersall Field. It was absolutely wonderful to see so many new and familiar faces at the picnic, as families from all three divisions enjoyed pizza, ice cream, arts and crafts, a kids' DJ, and lawn games. Everyone especially enjoyed meeting families new to WFS this year, who got a special welcome from the admissions team and the H&S parent ambassadors, led by Kyle McKean '98 and Kelly Snyder O'Donnell '93.

In October, H&S partnered with Swigg Real Wine Craft Beer & Spirits to host an outdoor sidewalk wine tasting. Over 50 parents enjoyed catching up and meeting new friends as they sampled delicious wines and hors d'oeuvres; donations for the tasting went to support H&S. The end of the month saw the return of the much-loved H&S parent social before the lower school fall parade, held outside with coffee and breakfast treats.

H&S fundraising activities also got off to a strong start, thanks to our dedicated parent volunteers and new fundraising coordinator, Adrienne Lenz. The Quaker Closet consignment store–– clerked by Kendra Okolo and Lisa Pisano, and assisted by Keri Morrison––welcomed back shoppers from WFS and the wider community. This year they are open for shopping every Tuesday from 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. when school is in session. H&S also held successful fundraisers including the Fall Mum Sale, clerked by Sarah Singleton Turick '95 and Karen Legum; the Lower School Scholastic Book Fair, clerked by Kameron McConnell and assisted by Olivia Montejo and Kristine Tuttleman; and the Gifts & Greens Sale, clerked by Min Derry. H&S would like to thank all of the families and WFS community members who generously supported these events.

H&S was also proud to continue its community service efforts this fall, including the Emmanuel Dining Room project clerked by David and Kristine Tuttleman, where WFS parent volunteers cook and deliver food once a month to feed between 150 and 200 people in need in downtown Wilmington. In December H&S held our annual Kind to Kids toy drive for children in foster care, organized by Michelle Silberglied.

At the end of the semester, H&S hosted holiday luncheons to show appreciation for our fantastic faculty and staff, thanks to the generous donations of WFS families. Upper and middle school staff were treated to a catered lunch and dessert bar in the library, organized by middle school parent representatives Anna Clothier, Kim Massih Dolan '89, Joanne Govatos, Margaretta Hershey, and Laura Kirk Kurz '97. The lower school staff enjoyed a food truck lunch, dessert, and goodies organized by the lower school special events team Sue Handling and Kristin Jenney, and coordinators Heather Jackman and Kellen Amobi.

We are grateful to the many new and returning parent volunteers who were critical to making each of these events a success!

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WFS Community Online wilmingtonfriends.org/community The new “Community” section of our website helps you stay connected with what is going on at Friends and provides information you can use!

Here you will find school news, a link to the school store, Quaker Matters digital magazine issues, our new blog and podcast, school updates & events, and more!

Nathan M. Clark Speaker Series We are pleased to announce the kickoff to the Nathan M. Clark Speaker Series at Wilmington Friends, featuring international peacekeeper Rebecca Davis.The Nathan M. Clark Foundation is committed to adding to the quality of life in and around Wilmington, Delaware and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by supporting arts, culture, and redevelopment initiatives.

Parenting and Education Blog

Podcast

A core principle in Quaker education is “continuing revelation,” the idea that the process of learning is continuous through seeking, experience, and reflection. Throughout our lives, we encounter new things to learn and new challenges to meet, especially as parents and guardians.

We hope Continuing Revelations, our new parenting and education blog, provides interesting and useful information for those on the journey of raising school-aged children.

• The importance of athletics, wellness, and the lessons we learn from both with WFS Head Athletic Trainer Devon Adams

Our articles provide guidance and advice that is grounded in Quaker education––from “8 Steps for a More Peaceful Home: Teaching Your Kids How to Resolve Conflict” to “3 Important Questions to Ask When Choosing a Middle School” to “Your Valuable Role in Your Child’s College Application Process.”

Hosted by WFS Advancement Specialist Jake Myers, the Quaker Matters podcast features conversations with members of the WFS community. Episodes include:

• The financial aid process, building relationships with families during this process, and how it yields families access with WFS Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Melissa Brown • The importance of college fit, dealing with stress, and preparing for college with WFS Director of College Guidance Kathleen Martin • Empowering students, allowing them to overcome obstacles, and the importance of extracurricular activities with WFS Head of Middle School Jon Huxtable 33

As an author of seven books, what is your latest project?

The Seventh Reel (fiction re: the Kennedy assassination) and The Over Under (dealing with friend’s death) will finish my second mystery series, The Diamond and Stone mystery series.

Following that will be a young-adult, three-book series, Linda McGonogle and the Wombat-O-Matic. Written to encourage young girls to venture into science.

After that will be a new mystery-romance series, as yet unnamed.

What is the secret to self-publishing a novel?

Stamina and Persistence.

Regardless of the genre one is writing in, fiction or non-fiction, self-publishing is a business. You are not just an author. You are a marketer in every way. You must know how to write effective ads, be on a first-name basis with ALL social media platforms because those are the vehicles on which you will be advertising and raising your author profile. First though, you have to craft not just a good story, but a great one. Competition is fierce and relentless.

Alumni Spotlight: Charles J. (C.J.) Booth, Jr. ’67 Following his career in broadcasting & film and video production, Charles J. (C.J.) Booth, Jr. ’67 published the mystery-thriller series The Park Trilogy, which included Olive Park. Olive Park was awarded the Bronze Award in Popular Fiction (2012 E-Lit awards) and was also named one of the Top 5 Mysteries of 2012 (Reader’s Favorite) and was awarded Best Mystery of 2012 (Global E-Book awards). Rounding out The Park Trilogy were Crimson Park and Angel Park.

C.J. authored the short story collection, The Silver Moon and the Evening Tide, which includes Pushcart-nominated “Relentless.”

C.J.’s second mystery-thriller series, The Diamond & Stone Mysteries includes Girl Number Four, Honey Suckle Rose, The Widow Black, and the newest Rumor of Clowns.

Next up are The Seventh Reel and The Over Under. C. J. has studied Creative Writing with Judith Guest (Ordinary People), Rebecca Hill (A Killing Time in St. Cloud), Gary Braver (Tunnel Vision, Skin Deep), and screenwriting in L.A. with David S. Freeman (Beyond Structure).

We reached out to C.J. to see what he is currently working on and ask him to reflect a bit about WFS.

What was your impression of the School from your 50th Reunion?

My 50th reunion was the first reunion I attended and the first time I had returned to campus since graduation in 1967. So, it was mixture of the old and new. Mostly memories. The smell of the wood and hallways and the gym were the same and by habit I expected to see Mr. Savery in his office, I expected to see Mr. Nash, Mrs. Richman, Coach Lafferty, Mr. S., Miss Woodall and especially, Shorty, haunting the hallways. I could also see that the feelings I had back then about attending Friends, and my love for it, were still alive in the current students I met and spoke to.

Yes, the new auditorium, the library, physical expansions were impressive, but I was heartened to see the soul of the school was still the same.

What are your favorite WFS memories?

I was fortunate to be a ‘lifer.’ As I recall there were 13 of us in our class that went all 13 years. When you see, interact with, and basically live with these same ‘inmates’ for that long, they become your partners in not just crime, but life and learning. I will pick one memory that shocked me at the time and, in looking back, has affected and directed the rest of my life ever since. It was the day I learned to read. It was a Dick and Jane book. That was the day I understood that letters made words that meant something. I remember the classroom, even the desk I was sitting in. When I think back to Friends and the friends and all we went through, I still associate Friends with that day when I turned the page and understood that I ‘Saw Spot Run.’ How has WFS impacted you since graduation?

When you look at the success of Friends School graduates, you see in them the common elements of Faith and Belief. You don’t see specific classes on those subjects but, like absorbing the rays of the sun day after day, those elements are absorbed as life values as you walk the hallways, sit in class, and see the dedication of the teachers, fellow students and parents who are so supportive. Faith and Belief form your rock when you are tested in life, when things don’t go your way, when things do go your way.

They become your personal levelers that at once give you confidence to soar and still ground you in reality. That’s as it has been for me. I am forever grateful for the advantage of Friends School, and I know by the time the graduate is handed the diploma, he and she also have all the Faith and Belief they need.

Class Notes John Jackson ’61, Connie Roberts Amend ’61, Nancy Spargo Goodridge ‘56, Bill Amend ’59, and Don Goodridge.

CLASS OF 1957 Tom Baker hosted several members of the Class of ’57 for lunch on the Saturday of Homecoming Weekend. He shared: “It was good to see, and catch up with, Jacquie (Bostick) Coyle, Alice (McGovern) Doering, Ann (Harper) Heaton, Nancy James, Pete Shields, his wife Chris, and Caroline (Schwartz) Sutton. As Caroline later said, we missed all of you who could not make it and remembered those we have lost.”

CLASS OF 1961 Connie Roberts Amend shared that she and her husband Bill Amend ’59 enjoyed seeing John Jackson and Don and Nancy Spargo Goodridge ’56 after the Christmas concert at Westminster Presbyerian Church in West Chester, PA on December 12.

CLASS OF 1982 Stephanie Hoopes shared some of her latest work as National Director of United For ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), a project of the United Way. ALICE released a new national report, “The Pandemic Divide: An ALICE Analysis of National COVID Surveys,” which reveals the vastly different pandemic experiences of those below and above the ALICE threshold, available at https://www.unitedforalice. org/covid2019. They also released an ALICE Wage Tool with interactive maps comparing wages, household types, and costs of living across the U.S. At the end of November, they issued an ALICE Report for Delaware, which includes data by race/ethnicity, age, and household type, and is available at https://www.unitedforalice.org/ Delaware. Dr. Hoopes also recently had the opportunity to testify before the U.S. House Rules Committee on food insecurity.

Design Thinking Forum at Homecoming CLASS OF 1974 Pev Hukill had a vision to add a program to Homecoming: a new opportunity for meaningful conversation.

The alumni/development team then worked with Pev to produce the first discussion group known as The Forums during Homecoming ‘21.

Julie Rodowsky and Chris Loeffler '00 from the lower school facilitated a presentation of how Design Thinking is applied at WFS and led an exercise for the parents, alumni, and a student to practice designing for themselves. The class discussed how best to distribute information before and during Homecoming and learned that empathy is at the heart of meaningful problem-solving.

Participants suggested ways to create a Homecoming experience that appeals to multiple generations. For example, the School could consider using digital applications such as Google Maps Street View to make it easier for the community to find parking spaces.

Design Thinking has been practiced widely at WFS. The lower school redesigned Back to School Night to share key information and develop a stronger teacher-family connection.

The middle school has created annual sixth- and seventh-grade Design Thinking projects titled, "That's not fair!" and "The Waste Not Project."

CLASS OF 1989 Erin Brownlee Dell was named chief of staff and secretary of Swarthmore 35

Class of 1985 Remembering Lauren Harvell Powers After a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer, in December of 2020, Friends sadly lost beloved graduate Lauren Harvell Powers ’85. A competitive horseback rider, Lauren was known for her sense of humor. Her brilliant one-liners served as a constant reminder to those around her to never take life too seriously. “My sister always spoke so fondly about her time at WFS. She had so many friends and teachers that she truly loved,” writes Keith Harvell ’88.

Lauren’s family arranged with Friends for the dedication of a bench in front of The Arches to preserve Lauren’s memory––a fitting tribute to someone who cared deeply about the School and who made total strangers feel like friends of hers.

College on September 2, 2021. She previously worked at Guilford College, a Quaker-founded liberal arts college in Greensboro, N.C., where she most recently served as chief of staff and assistant secretary to the board of trustees.

Peter L. Henderer was named Chair of the Board of Trustees of Richmond Montessori School in Richmond, Virginia, in July of 2021. Richmond Montessori School serves over 300 children from 18 months to 8th grade in an environment that promotes their thoughtful engagement with each other and the world around them. Peter previously chaired the Board’s Committee on Trustees and Risk Management Committee. When he is not helping navigate a school through a pandemic, Peter is otherwise practicing law in Virginia, focusing on affordable hous36

Meghan Baczkowski Pixley ’03, with her son Cole Pixley ’35, father Bill Baczkowski, and children Madelyn Pixley (6 months), Caroline Pixley ’31, and Luke Pixley ’33; Madelyn Ann Pixley.

ing, historic preservation, and public utilities.

CLASS OF 1991 Sarah Schenck Maheshwari gave a TED talk this fall at a TEDxWilmington Salon “Health and Wellness” event. In her talk, titled “Virtual Care: The Way Care Was Always Meant To Be,” she discusses how virtual care can actually strengthen the doctor/patient relationship and enhance that longitudinal, trusted, continuous relationship leading to better care. Sarah is the medical director of Virtualist Medicine for ChristianaCare’s Center for Virtual Health.

CLASS OF 2003 Meghan Baczkowski Pixley writes: “My husband Brian and I welcomed our fourth child, Madelyn Ann Pixley on Tuesday, April 20th, 2021 at 11:18 a.m. She weighed in at 9 pounds, 2

Stephanie Bonnes ’04 and her daughter Sylvia with Abby Hughes-Strange ’04 and her daughter Lila in June 2021; Stephanie Bonnes ’04 with daughters Sylvia Stinson and Eloise Bonnes, and Andrew Stinson when Sylvia was three days old.

ounces and 22 1/2 inches long. Big sister Caroline ’31 and big brothers Luke ’33 and Cole ’35 are thrilled to welcome their baby sister and future Quaker to the family. Madelyn is grandchild #5 for the most amazing Pop, William Baczkowski, Assistant Head for Finance and Operations, who cherishes his grandkids and loves spending time with them. Uncles are also WFS alumni, Andrew Baczkowski ’07 and James Baczkowski ’09. I also started a new position in October 2021 with PRO Unlimited as Client Services Consultant for the Cigna account.”

CLASS OF 2004 Stephanie Bonnes gave birth to Sylvia Bonnes Stinson on June 3, 2021. Sylvia was visited by several Quaker alums in the summer of 2021 including Abby Hughes-Strange, Colleen Farrell, Jeff Palmer, Meredith Seitz ’05, and Erin Clevenger ’05. Stephanie, her partner Andrew Stinson, and her older daughter Eloise Stinson Bonnes are happy and proud to welcome Sylvia to their family. They live in Guilford, CT where Stephanie is an assistant professor of criminal justice and teaches classes related to violence against women, victimization, and race, gender, class and crime. She is also writing a book about military sexual violence which is under contract with Oxford University Press.

Francis Iacobucci and Katie Rupp were married on October 9, 2021 at the childhood home of the groom (and still where his parents reside) in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Officiated by the bride’s cousins, Francis and Katie exchanged vows in front of family and friends clad in “conservation casual” attire, a humorous nod to their former place of work and where the two met, the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The evening was filled with dancing, good food, laughs, and a whole lot of love. After a few days of rest postnuptials, the newlyweds flew back to Seattle, Washington where they reside.

Wedding guests included WFS alumni

Hunter McMillan, Jeff Monhait ’05, Nick Derke ’05, Alyssa Serra ’05, Molly Ketchum ’05, Steve Galinat ’05, Daniel Rhoades ’05, and the groom’s sisters Kristin ’01 and Madeline ’07.

Friends and former colleagues from the couple’s days in Washington, DC were also present, including former Secretary Sally Jewell, Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau, Chief of Staff to the National Security Council Yohannes Abraham, and others.

CLASS OF 2007 Anne Kelsey Foster married Dane Foster in a small ceremony at her parents’ house in Wilmington on her originally planned wedding date of October 10, 2020, and held their postponed wedding and reception with family and friends on October 9, 2021, at the The Inn at Grace Winery in Glen Mills, PA. Anne’s sister Elizabeth Kelsey ’09 was a bridesmaid, and WFS ’07 classmates Mandy Copeland, Joey Gutierrez, Shira Tiffany, and Mallory Wilson attended, along with Jake Samuels and Kelly Fay who also went to Friends at different points. Anne noted that Kelly is from New Orleans and came to Friends for their junior year after Hurricane Katrina; they have stayed friends and she was one of Anne’s bridesmaids.

Anne and Dane reside in Woodbridge, VA.

Anne Kelsey Foster ’07 and husband Dane Foster with their dogs; Jake Samuels, Kelly Fay ’07, Mandy Copeland ’07, Anne Kelsey Foster ’07, Mallory Wilson ’07, Shira Tiffany ’07, and Joey Gutierrez ’07.

CLASS OF 2009 Hannah Brilliant married Masha Stine on September 23, 2021.

Patrick Monari is currently pursuing a PhD in psychology and neuroscience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying the neurobiology of teamwork and collaboration. He also moonlights as a roleplaying game designer, and successfully ran a Kickstarter campaign in the spring of 2021 to fund the production of a roleplaying game called The Academy Chrysalis which explores themes of magic, academia, and colonialism.

Hannah Brilliant ’09 and Masha Stine.

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Anna Crosby Woolford married Alex Woolford on August 22, 2021, in Rangeley, Maine. They live in Denver, Colorado.

CLASS OF 2011 Daniel Carbone married Karen Sanzone on September 25, 2021 in Middletown, Delaware. In addition to the groom’s father, WFS Director of Facilities Ray Carbone, other guests from the WFS community included alums Rick Serra and Kieran Smith, along with WFS staff members Bill Baczkowski, Susan Morovati Finizio ’87, Lauren Groundland, Bill Miller, and Rickey Morrison.

Anna Crosby Woolford ’09 and Alex Woolford.

CLASS OF 2017 Tess Beardell graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Connecticut College on May 20, 2021. She was a GoodwinNiering Center for the Environment (GNC) scholar and received the Barbara Shattuck Kohn ’72 Environmental Studies Award and the Helen F. Mathieson ’52 Award for Excellence in the Certificate Program for her work in environmental sustainability at the GNC. She began working at Farm Collaborative in Aspen CO in June.

Andrew Jaworski (see note under Class of 2020).

CLASS OF 2018 Cecilia Ergueta was able to reconnect with Leah Johnson this summer in Estonia, where Leah was conducting research on local history and storytelling, inspired in part by an Estonian book that they discovered at the WFS Used Book Sale when they were in high school. (This year’s sale is February 25 and 26!)

CLASS OF 2012 Sarah Newbold Culver and Nick Culver were married in October 2021 in a Quaker ceremony at the Greenville Country Club. Sarah and Nick started dating after reconnecting at a Friends Daniel Carbone ’11 and Karen Sanzone. alumni holiday gathering the year after they graduated from college. Since then, they have been working together running Culver Family Farms, Nick’s family farm in Salem, New Jersey that he restarted after graduating from Cornell with a degree in Agricultural Sciences.

CLASS OF 2019 Michael McKenzie is currently a junior at the University of Notre Dame majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He was recently profiled by The Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, which provides resources to families caring for children with cancer and funds childhood cancer research. Michael was involved with the B+ Foundation in high school and helped to found a chapter at Notre Dame in the fall of 2020.

CLASS OF 2014 Will Beardell completed his Master of Science degree in electrical engineering at the University of Delaware. He presented his thesis, ‘Coherent Optical Processors’ in 2020. He is also a coauthor of “RF-Photonics Spatial-Spectral

CLASS OF 2020 Jacob Jaworski, Manny Adebi, and Andrew Jaworski ’17 enjoyed catching up in October after playing against each other in a Cornell vs. Colgate football game. Manny plays for Cornell and Jacob and Andrew play for Colgate.

Chad Wood ’11, Brandon Hickey (attended WFS from 1999-2002), Glenn Felder ’11, and Ben Horstmann ’12 were in Javier Horstmann’s ’11 wedding party.

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Javier Horstmann writes: “Christina, my wife, and I got married on July 24, 2021 and really enjoyed celebrating the beautiful day with so many friends and family. The wedding party included Chad Wood, Glenn Felder, Ben Horstmann ’12, and Brandon Hickey (attended WFS from 1999-2002). We live in the City in Wilmington. Christina is a high school social studies teacher at William Penn High School and I currently am a policy advisor for Governor Carney.”

Channelizing Receiver with Jamming Resilience.” Will is a doctoral candidate in Dr. Dennis Prather’s lab.

Sarah Newbold Culver ’12 and Nick Culver ’12.

Show your school spirit!

Shop at the WFS school store in person or online for apparel, accessories, and more!

Jacob Jaworski ’20, Manny Adebi ’20, and Andrew Jaworski ’17.

= www.wilmingtonfriends.org/community/wfs-school-store

Home & School Used Book Sale February 25 from 12-5pm: Open to the WFS community February 26 from 8am-12pm: Open to the public Leah Johnson ’18 and Cecilia Ergueta ’18 in Estonia this summer.

Come browse our big selection of books, puzzles, music, and movies for sale! Located in the MS/US Meeting Room.

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In Memory Any time a member of the Wilmington Friends School community passes away, we feel great sadness by the loss. But reflecting on their lives and contributions to the greater good helps us cope and remember the many good things about them.

Please visit our website at www.wilmingtonfriends.org/alumni/in-memory or use the QR code below to read about these wonderful members of the WFS community.

We are now sharing full obituaries online instead of the printed magazine so we can be sure to include all of the information.

If you would like to let us know a friend or family member in our community has passed away, please email Lynne Nathan at lnathan@wilmingtonfriends.org.

Past Faculty & Coach: James R. “Jim” Curtis Past Faculty & Trustee: Charlotte Pinckney Taylor Class of 1938: Mary “Molly” [Callahan] Sargent Class of 1944: Ernest “Ernie” Nugent May, Jr. Class of 1944: Margaret “Maggie” [Milliken] Tyson Class of 1947: Llewellyn “Lew” Kay Perkins Class of 1952: Ira Thomas Ellis, Jr. Class of 1952: Suzanne Maria [Govatos] Diamond Class of 1953: Carolyn Ruth Weber Class of 1958: William “Bill” Murray Metten, Jr. Class of 1960: Seth “Butch” Huntington Jackson III Class of 1965: Margaret “Peggy” [Landefeld] Mitchell Class of 1968: Cesare A. Protto III Class of 1971: Edward Braswell Orth Class of 1983: Janet Dickey [Curtis] Clark Class of 1984: Ann M. Putney

Scenes from the Upper School Play

Peter & The Starcatcher

Non-Profit Org.

101 School Road Wilmington, DE 19803 www.wilmingtonfriends.org

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A Lab in Our Backyard!

Eighth grade students recently completed outdoor science labs in Alapocas Woods. They discussed stream ecology, investigating the overall health of Alapocas Run, and then moved to invasive species, receiving a hands-on lesson about the top 10 invasive species in Alapocas Woods. These outdoor labs allow students to make real-world connections to what they learn in the classroom.

Visit our YouTube channel to view a video about this and many other things happening at WFS!

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