Digital Supplement to the Spring 2019 Bulletin

WINSOR

A Digital Supplement to the spring 2019 Bulletin

a collection of nine milestone tributes to a record "class" of 20-year honorees

Remarkable Tenure

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his is simply the best faculty and staff you can find anywhere, and we are daily blessed by their work,” exclaimed Sarah Pelmas, head of school and O’Donnell Family Chair, at this year’s annual Faculty-Trustee Dinner.

The tradition of these annual dinners began a quarter century ago. Since that first celebration, Winsor’s heads of school have had the pleasure of presenting milestone tributes to more than 75 faculty and staff, giving special recognition to those reaching two decades of service.

On December 4, 2018, in applauding all faculty and staff, Ms. Pelmas gave special recognition to a record-setting group of nine individuals who reached 20 years of service together. This year also marks the 30th anniversary for Lynn McFarlan-Randall P’09, director of parent relations, and the 35th for Sara Macaulay of the Visual

Arts faculty. While 20-year tributes have traditionally been at the heart of the event, Ms. Pelmas made a special point to add a personal and heartfelt message of gratitude to both Lynn and Sara.

and pages of accolades, anecdotes, and sincere appreciation,” she noted.

“Winsor is uniquely privileged in having such an extraordinary faculty and staff with such remarkable tenure,” Ms. Pelmas

“At most schools, a few brave souls make it to the 20-year mark. Here, it is fast becoming only the first milestone.”— SARAH PELMAS “The honorees tonight cover almost every department in the school, and they are as different from one another as humans can be—with the exception that they are all outstanding educators, utterly dedicated to their students and to Winsor, and very much sought after by colleagues for advice, support, and wisdom.”

For each one, alumnae, students, and colleagues past and present shared “pages

remarked.”At most schools, a few brave souls make it to the 20-year mark. Here, it is fast becoming only the first milestone, and a relatively early one at that!”

The pages that follow include her tributes to the nine 20-year honorees. The Spring 2019 Winsor Bulletin also features a conversation with the cohort’s six teaching faculty.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATHLEEN DOOHER, KRISTIE DEAN, ELLEN HARASIMOWICZ, AND MARGARET LAMPERT

On the cover: archival images capture 20-year honorees across two decades; pictured here, Xiaodong Zhao introduces Mandarin Chinese at Winsor in 2005.

Felicia Brady-Lopez

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hen Emi Jacobsen began seventh grade last year, she had never touched a guitar before.

But then she met Felicia. As Emi puts it, “Somehow, Ms. Brady-Lopez managed to teach an entire class of twelve-year-olds not only how to play guitar but also how to love playing. She introduced us to all kinds of music in a ridiculously short time.

She made all of us feel like we could do anything and everything.”

Needless to say, like many students, Emi is back this year for “Rock On”—a Felicia original. I know many people here have had the pleasure of seeing the “Rock On” concert; it is absolutely one of the highlights of the year for me. Felicia helps young girls confidently master something that was unknown to them only four months before. They own the stage, they know the music and its history, they can play all the instruments, and they look so good doing it! Rock bands have always been so male-dominated, and this is just one small indication of the power of young women. They don’t even realize how revolutionary they are being, because they are having so much fun. And it’s all because of Felicia.

Tiffany Rice is teaching “Drum, Strum, and More” with Felicia this year, and she has witnessed how gracious, respectful, and deeply kind Felicia is in every interaction with students. At this fall’s concert, after their seventh graders performed a stunning rendition of “This is Me,” Felicia looked over at Tiffany with tears in her eyes because she was so moved and proud of their students.

Of course, many people in this room have also been moved by Felicia’s own performances, especially those lucky enough to have seen her perform with the “Porch Party Mamas.” (Though I haven’t seen a live concert—the lines! the ticket prices!—I do have the CD. They are on sale just outside as you leave…) For Opening Day this year, Felicia put together a rocking performance of Aretha Franklin’s classic “Respect.” As much as she knows the power of music to get us on our feet, she also

knows its power to unite and heal. I know many of you will never forget the poignant assembly in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting years ago, when Felicia sat at the piano in the old theater and played a soulful and meditative “Let It Be.” Looking back, Lisa Taillacq still remembers how thrilled she was to first meet Felicia the job candidate in 1999. “She was outstanding. She had all we needed and wanted and more.” As department head at the time, Lisa says that “Felicia was bar none the best hire that I ever made.”

She knows how to play multiple instruments, from accordion to xylophone to boomwhacker and plastic bucket. She’s contributed to everything musical, from Lower School Chorus to Class IV Shake-

one that makes you think you just hung the moon. She makes us want to be our best. Lisa Taillacq says, “She’s a wonderful, wonderful friend. She’s one of the most loving, giving people I know….she’s kind of the mother of our department.”

Says Brianna Feliciano in Class VI, “she is really the reason I developed a passion for music and performance.” As Brianna explains, “I came to Winsor with no musical experience, and Ms. Brady-Lopez challenged me to strengthen my skills in reading music, singing, and in playing a variety of instruments. She has helped me develop confidence in my skills and constantly reminds me of how talented I am. When I perform, she is always there to express how proud of me she is.”

“Ms. Brady-Lopez’s encouraging and inclusive teaching methods can make even the shyest and most anxious person feel alive onstage.”

—OLIVIA SARKIS ’23 speare productions. She has also devoted herself to learning the technological capabilities of the new recording studio and the piano lab and created our “Music and Technology” class.

She is a classically trained pianist. She has studied and taught both classical piano and voice. She is a singer/songwriter, a film score composer, and a church organist and choir director.

But above all, Felicia is a “master teacher.” It’s easy for us to see that as we watch her with students. But they know it, too! Last year, Tiffany was walking behind some Lower School students as Felicia crossed paths with them and greeted them with a big smile. After she was out of earshot, the students looked at each other and one exclaimed spontaneously, “I love Ms. Brady. She is SUCH a good teacher.”

Her colleagues see how she does everything in a “big hearted, generous way.” I know everyone in this room has been on the receiving end of a huge Felicia smile,

Class IV’s Olivia Sarkis is one of this year’s “Rock On” students. While she’s no stranger to performing, she still knows how “difficult it can be to be confident on stage.” As Olivia reflects, “Ms. Brady-Lopez’s encouraging and inclusive teaching methods can make even the shyest and most anxious person feel alive onstage…

Her positive attitude never fails to make me smile.”

When Bri thinks of Ms. Brady-Lopez, “loving” is one of the words that immediately comes to mind. “She has always been like another mother to me,” she says. “She always makes time to catch up with me, even though I am no longer one of her advisees. She is one of those teachers who genuinely cares about her students and their lives outside of Winsor.”

Thank you, Felicia, for your generosity of spirit, your amazing and apparently infinite musical abilities, and your deep love for this community and everyone in it.

Julian K. Braxton

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alk to Julian Braxton’s students past or present, and you’ll hear a common refrain: “I will be forever grateful that I had him as a teacher.”

Talk to him, and he will tell you how lucky he is to have known and worked with so many exceptional young people.

He will also tell you the story of attending this very dinner during his first year, and thinking, “Man, 20 years?! There’s no way I am going to be here that long!”

But thank God he has been! His passion and compassion are the reason that so many graduates head out into the world with optimism and love. As Anshi Moreno Jimenez, Class of 2015, explains, “true passion...comes from a deep place of caring and good.” You can’t fake it, especially in front of a classroom of Winsor students.

To Anshi, Julian embodies the ideals of passion for justice as well as compassion for others. “Mr. Braxton,” she says, “is one of the best people I know.”

She remembers coming to Winsor as a shy 6th grader and being welcomed into the affinity group SISTERS by Julian. As she grew up at Winsor, his support never wavered. “He is an ally in all aspects and someone who I feel I can ask for advice.

He often talked about how he believed in us and how he loved teaching us because he feels this is his way of positively impacting the world, and he sure has.”

He’s taught many of our history courses through the years, and whatever the focus, he inspires his students to think critically, independently, and deeply.

When I think about his life-changing impact on students, his “Politics of Identity” course stands out as a prime example.

It’s a class that many students say “revolutionized their thinking.”

Abigail Simon, Class of 2016, sums up the experience by saying, “In just one semester, Mr. Braxton managed to powerfully shape the world-views of me and my classmates.” The “best part,” she says, was a culminating project in which he required students to “Take a Stand” on issues they care about. Their takeaway: Figure out what’s important to you and fight for it.

You need to know that you have the power and obligation to enact change.

Nicole Cerulli, Class of 2016, echoes her point: “Mr. Braxton conveys the sense that although the challenges our society faces are vast and at times overwhelming, he believes wholeheartedly that we will be ‘agents of change.’”

What they realize, too, is how Julian truly “walks the walk.” His longtime collaborator Lynn Randall puts it perfectly: “Julian epitomizes what it means to be an agent of change, to inspire the best in each of us, and to move people to act. Winsor is a better school because of him.”

A couple of years ago, Julian was giving a speech that reflected on his first days at

Boston, an event which drew over 3,000 educators of color to talk about leadership, empowerment, and 21st century diversity issues. And he is now a fixture at conferences regionally and nationally. In 2016, he became one of the first recipients of Diversity Practitioners Medal of Honor, a national award honoring those “who live and breathe the role.”

Here at Winsor, he’s been honored in many ways. Winsor seniors have chosen him for the Virginia Wing Outstanding Teacher Award. And, of course, he’s proudly claimed his share of awards for Spirit Week costumes!

Among his colleagues, Julian is sometimes referred to as our “faculty dean,”

“True passion...comes from a deep place of caring and good.”—ANSHI MORENO JIMENEZ ’15 Winsor. He talked of how Carolyn Peter had seen the need to bring the school to the forefront in the conversations about diversity and inclusion. “Carolyn,” he said, “knew that Winsor needed to have its values and systems reflect its own students and the beautifully diverse community of which it was a part.” Without that work, he said, “Winsor would have, I believe, ceased to be relevant—and a great school must always be relevant.”

In 2003, he helped to guide a trustee/ faculty committee in writing our Principles of Diversity, still a foundational statement of the school’s values. In 2005, he added the title “interim director of diversity” to that of history teacher. Soon, the “interim” part of the title disappeared.

In 2010, at his own suggestion, his title changed again to director of community and multicultural affairs. As he explained, “Diversity to many is a black/white issue but multicultural implies inclusion. When I think of multicultural I think of everyone’s culture being affirmed.”

In 2007, Julian served as co-chair for the NAIS People of Color Conference in

the person we often turn to for advice, perspective, and inspiration. Valentina Páez, one of his fellow honorees tonight, adds: “Julian has the rare ability to empathize with everyone—and I mean everyone, especially people who think and act differently.”

Though he might be just a bit competitive, too. He and retired teacher Dorian Bowman have a long-standing competition about who has had more letters to the editor published in the Boston Globe. Julian, I think you might be slightly ahead?

Julian, there’s so much more that we would all like to say. But I will end with Denise Labieniec offering what she calls her “assessment of why so many of us go to Julian for support. It was actually taken from a card that I gave to him that now hangs in his office: ‘The reason you see the good in so many people,’ it says, ‘is because there is so much good in you.’”

Thank you, Julian, for your powerful voice, your open door, your listening ear, and your huge heart.

Joe Broughton

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here is a huge irony in this particular tribute since, as many of you know, Joe helps create these tributes! He is gracious enough to let me add my own spin to them, of course, but really he is the one doing all the research and crafting the prose so carefully. We thought it odd to ask him to write his own, but at this moment, I am rethinking that choice!

Joe has the singular talent of making people look good, and also making them feel good about how good they look. He is an extraordinarily talented writer, who has carefully guarded the Winsor “brand” for 20 years now, and I can honestly say that no school in Boston has a reputation as consistent and focused as we do. Everyone knows that we are for smart, ambitious young women who want to make a difference in the world. Everyone knows there are moments of goofiness and lots of laughter. Everyone knows our color is red.

And it’s a testament to his consummate professionalism that no one knows this is all because of Joe and his team.

If you talk to the Advancement team, you will hear gushing praise for Joe. His colleague Camille DeMarco sums it up by saying, “There is no better person to tell the Winsor story.” Naomi Walker says, “He is a meticulous writer and produces incredibly polished work,” while last year’s 20-year-tribute recipient Judy Brasher says, “Joe works tirelessly behind the scenes, and the well-crafted messages reflect his knowledge of Winsor past and present.” And relative newcomer Lily Cole-Chu adds, “He’s also just a joy to work with!”

Joe came to Winsor with considerable experience under his belt already, having directed communications in the nonprofit world for more than a dozen years. An avid runner in his earlier days, he subsequently turned to coaching and he spends much of his free time on baseball and soccer fields, maintaining his famous positive attitude and optimism, even when coaching the teams his own sons are on!

Once he arrived at Winsor, Joe settled right in and seemed to understand the

school and the community immediately.

Former Director Carolyn Peter, who hired Joe, says, “he is...always striving to show each person and the School in the most respectful way. I remember particularly working with Joe on the announcement of my retirement and on the book of my speeches, We Are All Teachers. He listened with care to my ideas, and then he gently improved them. And he let me veto pictures that did not flatter!”

Former Chief Advancement Officer Nancy Skinner describes Joe’s tenure here: “Joe’s manifold gifts are reflected in Winsor’s award-winning communications program and the many ways in which it has enriched the school over the years. We’ve seen and heard Joe’s genius as a story-

But I will tell you a story about working with him. The morning after Virginia Wing died, I met Joe in my office first thing. Months before, he had done what all great communications directors do and written a full and beautiful piece about her life, hoping that it would be a long time before we would need it. He sat with me, and talked through the message we would send to the community, the longer piece he would send to the Globe, and what we would create to honor Miss Wing. As Carolyn Peter noted, “The beautiful collection of lessons and photos, [called] “Godspeed, my friends,” reveals Joe’s uncanny ability to sift through vast archives and select material that represents some of Miss Wing’s greatest insights, her sense of humor, her

“In our world of instant feedback and ‘fake news,’ Joe’s work—and work ethic—reflect an understanding that community, humility, and the truth still really matter.”—JUDY BRASHER P’18 teller in print, photography, video and spoken word (rarely his own, of course) over multiple campaigns, two decades of Bulletins, and countless other complex and highly visible projects. How lucky Winsor is to have someone of Joe’s creativity, deep institutional knowledge, integrity, and intelligence working on its behalf.”

And indeed if you have seen the Bulletin lately, you will see Joe’s beautiful work.

A few years ago, he worked to redesign it and create what we have now—one that is smaller and brighter, with pages that jump out at you, and an aesthetic that is incredibly appealing!

Patient, kind, supportive, polite, gifted, professional, talented, generous and respectful: these are just the nine adjectives that people use the most when talking about Joe, but I could add so many other words of praise. Honestly, I really need Joe’s “human thesaurus” brain to do him justice.

strong moral leadership, her love of cats.”

Indeed, what Joe created respected not only how Ginny saw herself but also how we all saw her. It was an impossible task and Joe did it with grace and care.

Our newest member of the 30-year club, Lynn Randall, sums it up this way: “Joe is Winsor’s Wizard of Oz: the man behind the curtain who makes the magic happen.

I’ve worked with Joe for 20 years, and have watched him...create award-winning publications and write letters and articles that hit the mark each time. He never draws attention to himself or takes credit for his work; he is always making others shine and look their best.” And as Judy says, “In our world of instant feedback and ‘fake news’, Joe’s work—and work ethic—reflect an understanding that community, humility, and the truth still really matter.”

Thank you, Joe, for making us all look amazing (me, especially) and for being such a tireless and talented storyteller.

Felix Guadalupe

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ne of the invaluable things about our Facilities team is the vast experience that they have with this campus in all its quirkiness. They know this place inside and out. Ken Wonoski and Kevin Lynch have both been here over 30 years now, and we had the fun of celebrating Bob Anderson’s 20th with him two years ago. Tonight, as we honor Felix Guadalupe, I realize that fully half of the Facilities team has reached that milestone.

If you know Felix, you’ll know he’s quiet by nature, a “close-to-the-vest kind of guy.” He’s never been someone to seek out the spotlight. John Crompton jokes that tonight, whatever I have to say, “Felix is going to be thoroughly embarrassed.”

But I think he is prepared for that. One of the things he most often says to me is, “I know, Sarah, I know.” Whenever I am leaving at night and he is standing out at the parking lot helping people park for an evening event, I’ll say, “Thank you for being out here tonight. It’s pretty cold!”

“I know, Sarah, I know.” Or after a snow, “you did a great job on the walkway, thank you.” “I know, Sarah, I know.” Or, my favorite from last year, as I was leaving an event and he came up to me to give me the glasses I had left behind, “Thank God you found these, Felix! I don’t know what I would do without you!” “I know, Sarah, I know.”

Ask the guys who know Felix best, and they’ll tell you that, despite his quiet demeanor, he sure has a way of surprising them. For years, Felix and Bob Anderson worked the late shift together. Bob remembers one night that was typical Felix.

After a long day with a surprising number of problems, that night, an issue arose with the air conditioning: a rooftop unit had gone out, and it couldn’t wait until the next day. When John got word, he called Bob. John’s first thought was how were they going to get someone to fix it at that time of night. But Bob told him the Felix was already up on the roof, working to get it going himself. “Really?” John said. “I had no idea that Felix knew anything about A/C.” Bob shot back, “I didn’t either.”

As Bob tells the story, he adds with a laugh, “That the kind of guy Felix is: you never really know what he knows.” (But I can tell you, he knows a lot!)

It turns out that back in his younger days in Puerto Rico, Felix and his dad ran a refrigeration business, and Felix still knows his way around refrigerators. “If one goes on the blink, he can likely diagnose and fix whatever the issue is,” says Richie Waite, who often teams up with Felix on their day-to-day maintenance work these days.

Now matter how unpredictable the work is, Karen Geromini says, “One thing you can guarantee about Felix is that he’ll greet you with a smile and a ‘how are you doing?’ Those are the first words out of his

his car?” he adds. “It’s spotless inside and out.”

With Richie’s guidance, Felix has now learned basic electrical repairs, replacing outlets or the ballasts for lights, work that’s made more complex by the LOC’s energy-efficient systems. He’s also worked with Richie to learn some of the maintenance demands that come with the new HVAC system, such as changing belts on the air handlers. To Richie, Felix is a guy who can do whatever you ask of him.

What the guys will also tell you is that he’s a giving person. On one special occasion, the Facilities team was treated to tickets to a Red Sox game and met at Fenway. As John was sitting there, he couldn’t help smiling to hear a young guy in the seat

"Felix is one of those people who is constantly working and is willing to go the extra mile to be sure something gets done.”—KAREN GEROMINI mouth.” And, she adds, “he has one of the best laughs on campus!”

Through his early years, of the many jobs that the team tackled on a daily basis, Felix’s forte was clear, says John. “Whatever sparkled in the old building was all Felix,” he says. “If there was something shining, it was because of him.” After the ribbon cutting for Peter Hall in 2005, the new teak floor of this dining room was Felix’s territory. He took pride in keeping it beautiful.

In more recent years, as the LOC has doubled our square footage, responsibilities have shifted and the nightly work of polishing the dining room floor ended up in the hands of our outside cleaning contractor. While some people might have been thankful to pass along a tough, daily job to someone else, John still remembers Felix being disappointed. And we all knew it would never look quite as perfect!

Felix is also the one on the team who keeps the Winsor vans and buses clean.

“He’s a neat freak,” jokes Bob. “Ever seen

next to him talking baseball with his son.

The guy obviously knew the game inside out, and loved passing on his knowledge.

When John struck up a conversation with him, he learned that he’d played semi-pro ball. What John discovered, too, was they were Felix’s son-in-law and grandson, taking in the game. Felix had given up his tickets to let the two of them enjoy the experience.

Karen describes Felix as “one of those people who is constantly working and is willing to go the extra mile to be sure something gets done.” As John always says to me, “you’ll never know exactly what he does, and you’ll certainly never hear about it, but he’s a superstar.”

Thank you, Felix, for your tireless, smiling, energetic work, for all the work you do for Winsor and its community, and for always always “knowing”!

Jodi Kerble P’26

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rom my very first day at Winsor, I knew Ms. Kerble would become one of my favorite teachers,” says Class IV’s Natalie Pan. “I remember feeling anxious and shy, because I was worried all of my classmates would have already made friends. However, on orientation day, most of my doubts disappeared when I was greeted by an extremely kind and welcoming teacher in Room 3.”

From Jodi’s own very first days at Winsor, she has stood out for her willingness to do pretty much anything. Besides being a teacher and advisor extraordinaire, she has worn countless hats: department head, class coordinator, retreat coordinator, iPad pilot team member, master scheduler, educational technology facilitator, selfstudy committee chair, presenter at parent workshops on 21st-century learning, and even a cast member in the faculty production of “Wizard of Oz.” Leslie Bernstein, friend and former head of Lower School, adds, “To everything she does, Jodi brings a sense of humor and humanity.”

As all Winsor admirers will tell you, Jodi is funny, kind, warm-hearted, thoughtful, eager, encouraging, versatile, upbeat, and adventurous.

Chris Kauth notes: “Jodi is relentlessly good-natured and good humored. Her positive outlook permeates all of her interactions with colleagues and kids.”

In his words, “she wants each and every girl to find some of the beauty, utility, and pleasure that she sees in math.”

“Everyone in my class loved her—and still loves her,” attests Class IV’s Ava Bub. She had Jodi in Class II as both teacher and advisor. It was Ava’s very first year at Winsor, and Jodi was “a huge help for [her] in transitioning.” Adds Ava: “I loved how engaging her classes always were and how she made sure everyone was involved!”

For Class IV’s Milena Harned, “it’s amazing to have an adult at school who I can make math jokes with. I love math!”

Milena says she’ll never forget the fun of comparing favorite math T-shirts with Ms. Kerble. Like everyone else, Milena has found Jodi incredibly easy to talk to.

One of Jodi’s first students, Debbie Grossman, Class of 2004, has gone on to follow in Jodi’s footsteps. Now in her own 10th year as a math teacher, Debbie writes, “Over the past 20 years, Ms. Kadish (as I first knew her) began as my math teacher, then my youth group advisor, a familiar face at our extended family Passover seder, and now she’s a mentor whom I admire.”

She’s never forgotten how Jodi “made students feel included and empowered and made math fun.” More personally, Debbie adds, “Jodi’s social justice activism, love of learning, and commitment to empowering women are all things I admire greatly about her. It’s a privilege to be able to reach out to her as a peer.”

Once technology became her passion, she was “unstoppable,” Laura says with a smile. And in 2014, Jodi earned national recognition as a PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovator. To Caitlin Miles, these days “Jodi is always ahead of the curve with technology.” She will constantly try everything as soon as it comes out.

My own first meeting with Jodi was actually when she was showing everyone what she had learned at Google camp the summer I arrived. She went flying through Google pages, tips, and tools and, every now and then, would look up and smile and half-shout, “Do you love this stuff? I love it! It’s so great!” And then she would sheepishly add, “Not that you have to use

“Jodi wants each and every girl to find some of the beauty, utility, and pleasure that she sees in math.”—CHRIS KAUTH Along the way, Jodi has taught many different math courses at Winsor, including piloting the accelerated seventh-grade program and developing all the materials to go with it. One of the throughlines has been her deep commitment to learning.

Former colleague Cynthia LaMothe vividly recalls how Jodi had been “open to new ideas right from the start.” Math department head Laura Cohen describes her as “a very thoughtful practitioner because she’s always looking for something new to try.” As Laura reflects, “Jodi knows more about the math resources available than anyone I’ve ever known.” At a conference, Jodi could spend the entire day going from booth to booth, constantly searching for new ideas to apply.

Before she became Winsor’s tech goddess, Jodi was an avid collector and connoisseur of math books of all types.

She has always searched for more activities, problems, and methods to add to her teaching tool kit with the goal of encouraging and supporting all of her students no matter their interest or skill level in math.

it, of course. It’s just one way to approach things.” Needless to say, I slunk back to my office to get as Google-y as I could quickly.

As much as she is admired for her all-encompassing support of students, Jodi is a teacher and advisor to her colleagues as well. “I am always asking her questions and asking her advice about work and life,” says Christina Baudis. “She is an outstanding listener. She truly is like family. I am not sure what I would do without her at Winsor, and she deserves a big thanks and a standing ovation.”

Thank you, Jodi, for your incredibly diverse talents, your contagious laugh and sense of humor, your support for your colleagues and the school, and above all your dedication to your students!

Gail Lima

“A

s spirited as she is smart, as hilarious as she is humble, as dedicated as any educator could be.” That’s how Maya Jay, Class of 2014, describes Gail Lima. Now beginning her Ph.D. in neuroscience at Harvard, Maya credits her teacher and mentor with instilling in her “a love of life on both the molecular and macroscopic scales.” Besides teaching science, she says, “Ms. Lima taught me the virtues of patience and rigor, values that have taken me far.”

Talk to Gail’s closest colleagues, and you’ll hear so many other descriptors: innovative, gifted, down to earth, loyal, patient, spectacular. Through the years, they’ve marveled at how she pushes herself as a teacher and scientist; they look at her as mentor and a model.

In her time at Winsor, Gail has helped to develop and teach biology, AP biology, marine biology, and AP environmental science. In every course, she teaches students not only the intricacies and complexities of biological systems but also how to approach research questions. She gladly helps mentor students in independent research and guide them to find opportunities.

When I arrived here 2½ years ago and was asking everyone what should never change and what should change tomorrow, most people said that what should change tomorrow is where the faculty room was.

Some people asked for dessert every day, and some asked for dogs on campus. Gail told me I need to get rid of the invasive species in the courtyard. “It’s not good for the ecosystem,” she told me, “and it’s not good modeling for the students, either. We need to do better!”

In March of 2016, as a sort of preview for tonight, Winsor paid tribute to Gail in another way, bestowing on her the Essential Winsor Chair in Science. Denise Labieniec had held the chair for a number of years, and she was thrilled to see Gail surprised at Assembly with the announcement. As Denise reflected, Gail “embodies the essence of what this honor is about.”

Leslie Bernstein agrees, saying that “Her

depth of knowledge, passion for all things science, and brilliant mind for synthesis make for an incredibly skilled teacher.” As Leslie puts it, “Gail reads everything and understands scientific concepts on a very high level. Yet she is able to communicate all of that to students in a creative, thoughtful manner. She simply has an innate ability to help any of us understand complicated and very important ideas.”

While what she does every day in the classroom may seem “absolutely effortless,” her colleagues know well how much work and care goes into everything Gail does. In my short time here, I have watched her help steer her department through multiple babies and maternity leaves, taking on the department head role

Gail continued to be a mentor throughout Amalia’s Ph.D. program at Woods Hole and even came to her final defense of her dissertation for support. Even now, “she has been a sounding board as I navigated my next steps,” says Amalia. To put it simply, “she’s been a much loved and crucial person in my life.”

Lydia Flier and Rachel Greenberg, both from the Class of 2007, remember their “twin paths at Winsor,” and Ms. Lima’s enduring influence. Rachel and Lydia were best friends at Winsor, both had scientist parents, and both were Intel semifinalists as seniors in 2007. As they say, “we took our science class very seriously.” Gail made that easy with “an infectious enthusiasm and dry humor.” As they write, “We were

“Her depth of knowledge, passion for all things science, and brilliant mind for synthesis make for an incredibly skilled teacher.”

—LESLIE COHN BERNSTEIN ’81, P’09,’11 when needed, mentoring new colleagues both temporary and permanent, and diving in headfirst to rethink the curriculum with each new teaching partner at Winsor.

She simply loves learning, loves ensuring that classes are fresh and authentic, and loves seeing students take on new challenges and thrive.

As Taylor Lynn-Jones, Class of 2014, attests, “Ms. Lima will go to any lengths to encourage her students’ interests in science.” Whether it’s driving students to Harvard for a biology talk after school or to Connecticut for the Science Bowl at 6 a.m. on a Saturday morning, Gail is there for them.

Amalia Aruda Almada, Class of ’05, is a perfect case in point. She approached Gail freshman year to talk about a budding dream of doing marine biology research.

“She set me up with my first research experience on the mudflats of an oyster farm in Wellfleet.” A year later, she took Marine Biology, where Gail challenged her to do her first scientific literature review.

always impressed—though at times horrified—by Ms. Lima’s unwillingness to teach to the AP exam.” Instead, “she insisted that we learn for our maximal understanding and out of interest in the subject.” Today, Lydia laughs to report, “we clearly had no lasting negative effects.” Rachel is finishing her Ph.D. in developmental biology at Stanford and will be doing her postdoc at Harvard Medical School, while Lydia is wrapping up her medical residency across the street at Beth Israel Deaconness.

Maya echoes the point: “The one thing that I’m most thankful for is her relentless encouragement of women in STEM.” Gail helped so many students to see how “women have unbelievable potential for scientific inquiry.”

Thank you, Gail, for your commitment to real scientific inquiry, to the promotion of women in science, and to the constant drive for improvement—in the department, in the curriculum, and in the school overall!

Valentina Páez

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upur Chaudhury of the Class of 2001 still relishes the memory of being one of Valentina Páez’s very first Winsor students. “She was young, she was cool, and teaching Spanish was just one piece of the tapestry of her life…It sounds silly to say that now,” Nupur admits, “but as a high school student, ...the idea of [a teacher having a] life outside of the classroom was foreign to me. Ms. Páez brought her activism and her energy from all aspects of her life into the classroom. I remember so distinctly when I found out that she was a musician. How could a person be two things? A musician and a teacher?!”

One thing that Valentina models for students is how to bring their whole selves to Winsor as well. In the words of colleague Laura Houlette, “Valentina sees the full picture of her students and knows and cares for them as the full and complex people that they are. She is very perceptive and fundamentally supportive.”

Since her first days at Winsor, Jim Jer-Don has worked side by side with Valentina in the classroom. As he explains, “Valentina strives to foster independence and self-reliance in every student... [She] is always interested in understanding the nature of each child as a learner. In the classroom, she is flexible and responsive, seamlessly changing course based on student needs in the moment, and making it all look effortless.”

Tran Vu, Class of 2006, counts herself “truly lucky” to have had Ms. Páez. In her words, Valentina is “one amazing teacher” and “one awesome person. Whenever I was in her Spanish class, I knew the room would have so much joy. Her love of teaching combined with her passion for the Spanish language and culture cultivated such a genuine learning experience. I adore and admire Ms. Páez’s high spirits and positive energy.”

Tran’s 2006 classmate Robyn Gibson expands on the point. “Valentina Páez is an incredible teacher and friend whose dedication to Spanish language and Latino culture, music, and arts has shaped my love

for people and gaining new perspectives.

She challenged us to speak only in Spanish and developed not just our vocabulary but our understanding of Spanish as more than a translation of English.”

Erika D’Andrea, Class of 2011, says she still regularly reflects upon “how influential and foundational my Spanish classes with Ms. Páez have been to me.” Looking forward to a teaching career of her own, she dreams of being even “half as brilliant as Ms. Páez.”

What has stuck with Erika is how “Ms. Páez challenges her students to look back into history and notice how power operates to privilege certain people and to marginalize others. But Ms. Páez does

to grow so much on many fronts and to be bolder both as an educator and as a contributor to the Winsor community at large.”

Indeed, her breadth of life experience informs everything she does. Whenever I talk to her, I learn about famous poets she knows, ancient instruments she has played, political nightmares she has lived through, and more, all of which makes her brave, wise, and exactly the kind of broad-minded teacher our students love.

Retired faculty colleague Helen Schultz remains “grateful for the way she has helped me broaden my thinking.” She applauds Valentina’s leadership and compassion, not to mention her “understand-

“I felt that Ms. Páez was deeply rooting for me. She taught me not to fear the margins, because she showed me how some of the most beautiful things in our world are produced there.”—ERIKA D’ANDREA ’11 not fall into the ... tendency of victimizing those who are ‘oppressed.’... As a young, queer student, I felt that Ms. Páez was deeply rooting for me. She taught me not to fear the margins, because she showed me how some of the most beautiful things in our world are produced there.”

To her colleagues, Valentina “is someone who digs deeply into ideas and is always pushing for innovation and improvement in her classroom.” Whether it is the small questions of how best to encourage spontaneous use of the language, or the big questions of meaningful assessments and culturally responsive curriculum, Valentina is always on top of the latest research. She is deeply reflective and a voracious student of pedagogy.

On a personal level, Valentina is also simply “inspiring to work with.” Says Laura Houlette, “She has encouraged me

ing of the human need for coffee.” What she vividly remembers, too, is Valentina’s courage. “If an opinion needs to be heard, she’s fearless about voicing it.”

Adds Jim, “Everyone who knows her, knows that Valentina is a deeply ethical person, and I have always relied on her capacity to hold tight to principles, and cut through the BS to get to the heart of the matter at hand, while also exhibiting kindness and sensitivity.” As Jim notes, she’s not beyond “sometimes sweetening the deal with a glass of exceptional Venezuelan rum, when that is what is called for.”

Thank you, Valentina, for being so many things to your students and colleagues alike: a mentor, an ally, an inspiration, a learner, a force to be reckoned with, and a loyal friend.

Lisa Stone P’03

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ew things are more wonderful to me than being out on the water when rowing is happening. But it’s a true pleasure and an unparalleled education to be out on the water with Lisa Stone. For the past couple of years I have tried to get out to watch practice rather than a race, because I can see so much more, and also because I get to spend time with Lisa. She is wise, funny, kind, gentle, and fierce. And I have a promise from her that, next year, when she has fully realized the power of her bionic knees, we will go out together and row.

I bet everyone in this room tonight knows of the Head of the Charles. But how many of you know about Winsor’s own “Double Ewe” Regatta? As Lisa’s daughter, Gevvie Stone ’03, tells the story, the tradition started her senior year, fall 2002. Winsor had just voted for our new mascot, with the Wildcat besting three other finalists. Says Gevvie, “My mom thought it was a tragedy that the ‘Double Ewes’ lost out—after all, Winsor is full of nerds, and what better nerdy and unique mascot?!” So Lisa named the fall scrimmage after the mascot “not-to-be.”

In costumes and mixed boats, everyone races hard, vying to get their names on the “double ewes” plaque in the boathouse, fittingly affixed with two plastic sheep. To Gevvie, the regatta exemplifies the culture her mom has created: it’s all about “team building, competition, and fun.”

When Lisa arrived on the scene 20 years ago, “she brought a new era to Winsor Crew,” reflects one of her very first Winsor rowers, Marie Walcott ’00. That year, “she brought discipline, grit, and a competitive spirit and worked to impart these qualities to her rowers.” Within a year, Lisa coached Marie’s boat to a medal at Nationals. 2000 was a harbinger of much more to come.

Let me take a moment to give you a snapshot of Lisa’s success: • 8 NEIRA team trophies • 16 individual NEIRA boat gold medals • 10 trips to Youth Invitational Nationals, which included three gold medals and one national school championship

• 19 top 15 finishes at the Head of the Charles, including 3 gold medals • 1 trip to Women’s Henley, which they won in the youth 4+ One of this year’s senior tri-captains, Lettie Cabot, says everyone in the rowing world knows about Lisa. “There have been many people who, after I told them my coach’s name, have said, ‘The Lisa Stone?

Wow, you’re very lucky to have her as your coach.’ I am extremely lucky,” says Lettie.

Isabelle Bastian ’17 cherished Lisa’s “focus on the team as a whole.” That focus was symbolized by the annual goal to win

practice, Bibi heard Lisa’s voice booming through the red megaphone, “All right ladies, we’ve got something really serious to get done here. Feet out.”

“All of us groaned quietly,” Bibi recalls.

“We wanted this day to finally end and knew that feet-out drills were tricky. Then Lisa explained the drill: take a stroke, put the oar handle all the way down, swing a leg over it, flap your arms and call out like an eagle in the middle of the river!” They laughed all the way back to the dock, and could hear Lisa’s unforgettable laugh.

When they got off the water, Bibi felt grateful for simply being able to be silly

“Without Lisa, I would not be…the person I am today, and she continues to be one of the most important people in my life.”—ERIN DRISCOLL ’10 the team trophy at NEIRAs. Isabelle remembers the same focus “even in the first week of fall when half the rowers are freshmen who have never picked up an oar before.”

Naomi Walker has coached alongside Lisa for several years. One of the things that she appreciates most about her mentor is how Lisa “remains curious about the sport and never stops learning, despite her vast and multifaceted experience as a coach, competitor, and leader in the local and international rowing communities.”

As Gevvie puts it, when it comes to the nuts and bolts of rowing, whether it’s technique or training plans, “my mom knows what she’s doing.”

As an example of that, Bibi Lichauco, Class of 2015, still remembers one tough spring afternoon on the water, wrapping up a set of high-intensity pieces. Everyone in her boat was getting irritated because they still hadn’t solidified their balance and swing together, which can make rowing miserable. Lisa sensed their frustration but knew their potential speed, strength, and chemistry. In the last minutes of

together. The rest of the season, they went undefeated—and they asked to do the “eagle drill” as often as possible.

Abba Parker ’13 jokes that, “in many ways, Lisa is still the voice in the back of my head.” She can hear her coach reminding her not to drink soda, how hard to work in a rowing warm-up, and to stay out of the sun to avoid dehydration because “your body is a sponge.”

Abba adds: “Winsor rowers became responsible, generous-minded Winsor women because Lisa would not accept anything less. Rowing for Lisa taught me these qualities in a more tangible way than anything else I experienced at Winsor, or anywhere since.”

Knowing all the lives she touched, the Class of 2010’s Erin Driscoll adds, “I cannot say enough about how lucky Winsor has been to have Lisa...Without Lisa, I would not be…the person I am today, and she continues to be one of the most important people in my life.”

Lisa, you know how grateful your rowers are for you. Thank you, from the rest of us, for everything you do for Winsor.

Xiaodong Zhao P’04

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astly tonight, I have the privilege of paying tribute to Xiaodong Zhao.

In a sense, in doing so, I also get to tell a brief history of our Mandarin Chinese and exchange program at Winsor, since she has been at the center of it from the start!

One of my favorite stories comes from Dana Martin, about her experience traveling in China with Xiaodong: “Picture this, “she says, “a 4-foot-11-inch lady wearing sunglasses and a sun visor. Okay sure, that could be anybody, but now picture this same 4-foot-11-inch lady riding on a camel over 6-feet tall through the Singing Sands Dune in the hot desert south of Dunhuang, China. Naturally, I’m talking about Xiaodong. This was quite a sight, no doubt, and I tell you, Xiaodong handled that camel like a pro!” says Dana.

So, if you ever have the opportunity to go to China, Dana has some advice: “first of all, go, and secondly, go with Xiaodong!”

Traveling to China together, Dana witnessed her in her element, “doing what she does so well, and caring for, guiding, and supporting all the girls throughout our adventures.”

However, in Xiaodong's first few years here, “she was a too-well-kept secret at Winsor,” writes retired teacher Helen Schultz. Xiaodong actually began here in the library, and most people knew her only as a helpful, cheerful presence at the circulation desk and the mother of a Winsor student, daughter Yijing Yang, Class of 2004.

In the summer of 2005, Helen had the opportunity to travel to China with a group of Winsor teachers and sit in on info sessions that Xiaodong organized with Sloan Sable. It was then, Helen says, she “began to appreciate the depth of Xiaodong’s knowledge of Chinese history and culture, and to learn of her experience living in China during the turbulent years under Mao Zedong.”

When Winsor decided to add Mandarin Chinese to the curriculum, we launched a nationwide search; in hindsight, it should have been obvious, as it became to the

search committee, including Helen and Sloan, that the ideal person to launch the program was already here.

What we learned, too, was that teaching had long been Xiaodong’s calling. Before going to university, she had already begun teaching in the Chinese countryside, following in the footsteps of a long line of educators in her family. She went on to teach English for nine years before immigrating to the United States. After earning her master’s degree in early childhood education next door at Wheelock College, she taught children ranging in age from

Listen to the students, and you’ll hear how her commitment to her job shines through every day. To Winsor junior Emi Fong-Gallagher, “Ms. Zhao is a kind, passionate teacher who takes each individual’s needs into consideration.” She’ll gladly take time out of her day to help someone with a difficult concept.” In Emi’s words, “the positive impact that she has had on countless students will last forever.”

Junior Caitlin Bracken has happily learned from Ms. Zhao as a teacher every year at Winsor. Ms. Zhao, she says, “has been incredibly supportive and under-

“Her passion and encouragement have made Chinese such a fun and positive experience.”

—CAITLIN BRACKEN ’20 toddlers to middle schoolers.

In the years since Xiaodong assumed her faculty role, she has built our entire program from scratch and created the exchange program with Greentown School in Hangzhou. Colleagues are in awe of the effort she’s put into organizing trips, coordinating homestays, and collaborating with counterparts across time zones.

Retired art teacher Joanna Kao says that, in every role, “Xiaodong is the perfect cultural ambassador to introduce Chinese language and culture at Winsor.”

One of the things that makes Xiaodong so successful, according to Joanna, is how “she straddles two cultures and has understood how to find a balance between them, how to honor the best of both.”

The China exchanges are carefully coordinated, and complex to manage, given the significant differences in how each school receives visitors and what it means to offer gifts and thanks to a host. But Xiaodong handles it all with grace. She routinely has to tell me what to say, where to stand, and what gift to hand to whom; and while I am doing this, she is narrating my actions to our visitors, so that I look gracious and thoughtful on behalf of Winsor!

standing, and has gone out of her way to make me feel comfortable and valued in the Winsor community... Throughout my years here, her passion and encouragement have made Chinese such a fun and positive experience.”

Colleagues are quick to tell of her determination, her unfailingly positive attitude, and the kindness and helpfulness that are unchanged from her days in the library. Every time I talk with her, I learn something new about her life, her work at Winsor and before, her education, or her family.

She tells wonderful stories! And there’s so much more to Xiaodong. Some of you will know her as a singer in WISE or as an aficionado of Chinese brush painting and qi gong. As a few lucky friends will attest, she is marvelous cook, whether it’s delicious moon cakes or steamed bread and dumplings. She juggles all these talents, with grace and ease, while being a committed and supportive daughter to her amazing mother in China, ensuring that the family stays connected even across the globe.

Thank you, Xiaodong, for bringing a full Chinese program to Winsor, and for gracing us with your talents and dedication for so many years.

At the December 2018 dinner, the Trustees gratefully acknowledged all faculty and staff who have devotedly served Winsor for 20 years or more, including this year's nine honorees, pictured above: Bob Anderson Jean Berg P’77, ’81, ’85* Felicia Brady-Lopez Judy Brasher P’18 Julian K. Braxton Joe Broughton Laura Gregory* Felix Guadalupe Linda Hansen Sally Hatcher Courtney Jackson Jim Jer-Don Jodi Kerble P’26 Denise Labieniec Gail Lima Kevin Lynch* Sara Macaulay* Valentina Páez Beth Peterson ’80, P’11 Lynn McFarlan-Randall P’09* Jennie Slingerland Skeele ’71, P’98, ’02** Lisa Stone P’03 Lisa Taillacq** Ken Wonoski* Xiaodong Zhao P’04 *30 or more years of service **40 or more years of service