Also: New trustees, Scenes from International Day, Lower School Closing Ceremony, and more
CONTINUUM: ALUMNAE NEWS
54
A Modern Look at the Auction World
Alum group goes antiquing
Also: Virtual art tours, Pride and Prejudice, Newsmakers, and more
IN EVERY ISSUE
2 From the Head of School
3 Op/Ed
72 First Person
Building a Lasting Legacy of Connection
i am thrilled to have joined the Winsor community this fall. I am embracing my role of being new, relishing all the familiar “first times” of joining a new community. The first-day butterflies, the first time eating lunch in the dining room, the first time through annual traditions like convocation and Under the Lights…the list goes on. The best part about being new is the opportunity to listen and explore. In conversations with students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumnae, I am learning about Winsor’s remarkable history of leadership in girls’ education, the deep connections that are built on Pilgrim Road, and the world-class educational experience of the students on campus today. In a few short months, I can already see Winsor’s legacy of excellence, and the enormous possibility for the future that lives within these walls.
Learning about our students’ experience, what stands out to me is the depth of the connections forged during a student’s time at Winsor. Connections to lifelong friends. Connections to educators who serve as guides through moments of excellence and struggle. And connections to the passions and aspirations that will inspire a life of meaning and contribution. Students are engaged in transformational learning opportunities in and outside of the classroom. Winsor students jump at the chance to learn from experts in their fields, and to learn by doing—knowing that they will learn the most by trying, failing, iterating, and trying again. They do this important work of learning hand-in-hand with the adults who are dedicated to enacting Winsor’s mission.
The community of adults at Winsor takes seriously their role in the social, emotional, and educational experience of our students. Whether faculty, staff, parents, alumnae, or contractors working around the clock on our science renovation, the adults working with our students create the foundation for Winsor students to soar. It has been easy to see from my very first days on campus that the Winsor School is educating tomorrow’s world leaders on our campus today. Our students are unafraid to ask questions and create opportunities for exploration where they haven’t previously existed. This community uses every opportunity to allow students to exercise those skills and raise their voices.
I am so grateful for the warm welcome I have received to Winsor, and for the opportunity to work together with this community to imagine the future of our great school. I look forward to experiencing many more “firsts” with all of you throughout the rest of this year.
THE WINSOR BULLETIN
FALL 2025
HEAD OF SCHOOL Meredith Legg P’32
DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC
COMMUNICATIONS Janelle Browning
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Nicole Barbuto
DESIGN Patrick Mitchell/MO–D
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Raquel Hit t
DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT AND EVENTS Becky Withiam
PHOTOGRAPHY & ILLUSTRATION
Kelly Davidson, Kristie Dean, Jonathan Kozowyk, Diana Levine, Abbey Lossing, Helena Pallarés
BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2025–26
PRESIDENT
Allison Kaneb Pellegrino ’89, P’21, ’22
VICE PRESIDENT
Larry Cheng P’23, ’25, ’28
TREASURER
Lori Whelan P’23, ’25
ASSISTANT TREASURER
David E. Goel P’23
CLERK
Marion Russell ’91, P ’22, ’25
Susan Alexander P’03, ’05, ’08
Chris Andrews P’26, ex officio
Elizabeth Bennett Carroll ’89
Casey O’Donnell Buckley ’07
Polly Crozier ’92, P’30
Jennifer Dolins P’23, ’26
Linda Dorcena Forry P’28
Claire Pasternack Goldsmith ’01
Ashley Marlenga Herbst ’01
Risteard Hogan P’23
David Humphrey P’28, ’31
Sam Kennedy P’23
Meredith Legg P’32
Jessica Lutzker P’25
Mallika Marshall P’27
Elise McDonald P’26, ’28
Suzanne Ranere Norris ’94
Paresh Patel P’27, ’29, ’30
Sidra Smith ’88
Folashade Solomon P’26
Perry M. Traquina P’09, ’13
Meghan Weeks ’04, ex officio
Emily Lubin Woods ’91, P’26
The Winsor School does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, or sexual orientation in the administration of its educational policies, scholars programs, athletic programs, and other school-administered programs.
COVER ILLUSTRATION Helena Pallarés
FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
First Times Are the Best Times
our First days at Winsor were a whirlwind of new teachers, new friends, and trying to find our way to the next class. And our first days were amazing because neither of us had been to a school where the classes were so engaging and new traditions were so fun and exciting! At Winsor, there are so many traditions, allowing new students to experience “first times” for all of them! One of our favorite “first times” was Red Day. Although our first Red Days were different years, we both stood cheering with other students dressed head to toe in red, fully engulfed in Winsor spirit. Everyone on Red Day is representing Winsor, and for us, knowing that we were in a community of such creative and energetic people made us both so happy! We hope that all new students have our same experience. Being a leader of the Lower School means spreading positivity and supporting the younger grades of the Lower School. Whether we’re on a sports team or in a club with younger classes, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to support them, as well as share our enthusiasm for learning and working hard. This school has so many fantastic events throughout the year, like field day and Spirit Week, and as leaders we are so happy to share our excitement for these things with everyone!
We want to make the most of our final year of Lower School. As Lower School Council heads, we promise to plan extremely fun town meetings and work hard leading the Student Council Club. We have some really exciting ideas! We also can’t wait for Class IV–specific events, like our Shakespeare play. To make this the best school year yet, we hope that all lower schoolers make new friends, work hard in school, and approach every experience with enthusiasm!
OP/ED CARYS MUSTO ’30 & DANI PESKIN ’30
NEWS FROM PILGRIM ROAD
Winsor
Meet Winsor’s New Head of School: Meredith Legg P’32
Winsor’s ninth head of school has quickly become a vibrant presence on campus. In just a few short months, she has connected with students, faculty, and staff; thrown herself into the science wing renovation; and resettled her family— husband Ryan, daughter Matilda ’32, and son Charlie—in Boston. She delighted in touring the school archives, rang in the new year with the community at convocation, and joined in the joy of the annual Family Gathering—bringing warmth, energy, and excitement to the start of her tenure.
KELLY DAVIDSON
Winsor’s Board of Trustees: Welcoming Fresh Perspectives
At the annual meeting of the Winsor Corporation on March 31, 2025, Winsor welcomed new trustees casey o’donnell buckley ’07, folashade solomon p’26, and meghan weeks ’04 and said goodbye to outgoing trustees wendy cromwell p’21 and mary beth gordon p’23, ’26.
Casey O’Donnell Buckley ’07 is the daughter of Joe and Katherine O’Donnell, and she and her older sister Kate ’05 both attended Winsor. Casey studied history at Harvard and held multiple positions at fashion corporations before serving as merchandising coordinator at M.Gemi, a startup luxury brand specializing in custom-made Italian shoes. Casey is an active leader for the Joey Fund, established by her father in honor of her late brother, Joey O’Donnell. The foundation partners with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to fund research for a cure and support families affected by cystic fibrosis. Casey has served as alumnae volunteer for the Winsor Young Alumnae Council and Reunion Committee and is also a member of the Winsor School Corporation. Casey resides in Chestnut Hill with her husband, Mike Buckley, and two children, Blair and J.D.
Folashade Solomon P’26 is the professor of education at Framingham State University and assistant director of the Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching, Scholarship, and Service (CELTSS). She received her Ed.D. in administration, planning and social policy from Harvard Graduate School of Education. At Winsor, Folashade has served as a Winsor Fund parent volunteer and served on the Interview Committee for the Head of Upper School in 2022. She has previously served on the board of the Park School. Folashade lives in Boston with her husband, Jesse Solomon, and their two children, including Yael Solomon, Winsor Class of 2026.
Meghan Weeks ’04 is an artist residing in Boston, specializing in the natural landscape. After graduating from Winsor in 2004, she studied architecture at Yale University before earning her M.A. from the Courtauld Institute of Art, London. Meg has studied at the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art in London; Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland; the International School of Painting, Drawing and Sculpture in Umbria, Italy; and Thomas R. Dunlay Teaching Studios in Norwood, MA. Meg currently serves as the president of the Alumnae Board. She lives in Boston with her husband, Callum Dickson.
International Night: Pack Your Passport
In April, more than 250 faculty and staff, students, siblings, parents, and even grandparents came to campus for International Night. From trying Colombian-style empanadas and Austrian pretzels, to exploring the many colors of India’s Holi Festival and perusing racks of clothing styles, the funfilled event created a dialogue where the Winsor community could showcase myriad cultures and educate curious attendees.
As part of the planning committee comprising the Student Equity Board, the Parents’ Association, and the Advancement Office, “I was super proud to see our hard work pay off,” said Student Equity Board secretary julia oh ’26.
Tables featured games, crafts, food, and fashion from 20 countries around the world. Attendees received a Winsor School passport and could get a stamp—in the shape of a wildcat paw print—for each table they visited.
“The entire school community got to participate in something,” explained Julia. “It was amazing to see everyone proudly representing their own culture and celebrating and learning about each other’s cultures as well.”
A few families hosted tables together, which created inroads for new Winsor community connections. Two families shared the culture of Greece, and their tables—draped in flags and platters of food—educated attendees about art and cuisine. Rainbow scratch art in the shape of Greek vases allowed visitors to try their hand at the ancient art form while jars of hand-mixed spices were pressed into the hands of visitors so they could try recipes at home.
Julia ran a table with gracie zhou ’26 focused on mahjong, a Chinese tile game of luck and strategy for four players. “I grew up playing it with my grandma,” explained Julia. Laminated one-pagers detailed the rules and interest was so high that two games were going all evening long, where seasoned players helped novices decide which tiles to throw and which to keep. Two members of Winsor’s Facilities Team—Kevin Lynch and Chuck Applin—sat down to learn the rules. “Now, when I see Mr. Lynch and Mr. Applin in the cafeteria or directing traffic at pickup, we always share a smile and a wave,” said Julia. In collaboration with Winsor’s South Asian Student Alliance (SASA), a highlight of the event
was a performance and workshop by New England Bhangra Club—an all-female college dance team. Bhangra is an energetic, folk dance and music form that originated in Punjab, India. Nearly 50 people streamed out onto the floor to learn choreography.
“Events like this do so much to build connection across Winsor—not just in the moment, but in the fabric of community life going forward,” said aretha delight davis p’28, ’31, who appreciated the opportunity to meet other Winsor families. Ms. Davis and her husband angelo volandes p’28, ’31 “were especially moved to see different students beam with pride when we approached their respective tables and they shared stories, flavors, and traditions from their cultural backgrounds.” Ms. Davis explained, “That kind of joy and confidence stays with them.”
International Night will return, that much is clear. “I would love to participate again, because it was such a blessing to be able to create lasting connections within the school community,” said Julia.
L to R: Liana Min ’26, Zena Khalifa ’25, Kelly Yin ’26, Julia Oh ’26, Yemisi Adetowubo ‘26
Winsor
A Fairytale Ending
Processing to Pachelbel’s Canon and holding a single white rose, Class IV students made their entrance to the David E. and Stacey L. Goel Theater for the 35th annual Lower School closing ceremony, a particularly meaningful event for eighth-grade families. “This ceremony is about reflection, looking back on a year of accomplishments and considering next steps or new beginnings,” said Head of Lower School Sharon Jones Phinney, who provided the welcoming address. Offering advice to the eighth-graders, she encouraged students to pay attention, stay curious, and ask questions as they move forward in life.
Outgoing Head of School Sarah Pelmas added her remarks to the special occasion. Summarizing The Paper Bag Princess, a children’s book that reverses the princess and dragon stereotype, written by Robert Munsch and illustrated by Michael Martchenko, Ms. Pelmas recounted the story of Princess Elizabeth, who sets off to rescue her fiancé Prince Ronald after he has been captured by a dragon, only to realize Prince Ronald is not the sort of person she wants to marry.
Ms. Pelmas explained, “I know you live in a world where the traditional way of doing things will be inadequate, or just plain wrong, and where you will need to be the one to see that. You will have to figure out how to arrive at a happy ending… And, perhaps more importantly, you will clarify your own values and sense of purpose through this work.”
In the end, fairytales allow “the hero to find magic, purpose, friendship, and perhaps a little subversive upending of norms,” Ms. Pelmas told the Class of 2029. “You deserve no less, and in fact, no one is in a better position to change the status quo, create a brand-new, fairy-tale ending, and make the world a better place.”
Referencing the Winsor Promise Campaign, which ultimately gave the community the Lubin-O’Donnell Center in 2015, Class of 2029 speaker judy liu ’29 often wondered about the engraved silver plaques on the back of the theater benches—what is the Winsor promise? For Judy, “The Winsor Promise is a promise of finding your people. When I first came to this school in Class I, I never could have imagined how close I would become with you all,” she shared.
Dubbed “a “close and supportive group” by Theater Director Jeremy Johnson, who worked closely with students on Twelfth Night during the 94th annual Class IV Shakespeare production, each Lower School class additionally offered tributes to the departing eighth graders. In a particularly sweet moment, three representatives from Class I recalled how meaningful it was for Class IV to decorate their lockers for Halloween and again ahead of the Class I play.
Outgoing Lower School Council heads isha vachhani ’29 and ani andersen ’29 transferred leadership to the newly elected Lower School Council Heads dani peskin ’30 and carys musto ’30, and also offered advice to their Lower School classmates. “Don’t take everything so seriously. Do your best. Be yourself. Take chances. And make time to enjoy being here. You only get to do Lower School once, so be present and make it count,” said Ani. Isha urged, “Seek opportunities and try new things… because you might find yourself doing something you love.”
Incoming Class VIII President liana min ’26 added her own words of wisdom gleaned from her high school years. Like Isha, she encouraged students to try new things. “The class I put at the bottom of my course requests ended up being my favorite class I’ve ever taken,” she confided.
Before Ms. Phinney and Ms. Pelmas conferred the certificates, Class IV Coordinators Annie Huntoon and Mary Butcher offered remarks and advice as well. “It has been a pleasure to witness your class form friendships, bond together, and watch each of you grow as the funny, slightly chaotic individuals that you are and that we adore,” they said. “When things feel hard, make the best choices you can with the information you have…make room for the unexpected—often, the best learning and growth comes from places you don’t expect.”
New Lower School Council Heads Dani and Carys rang Miss Winsor’s bell to officially close the ceremony and the school year. Students left the theater to “I’m Walking on Sunshine” by Kimberly Rew, originally recorded by Katrina and the Waves.
Nadia Patel ’29 and Aarna Sundaram ’29
New Science Club Places Sixth in Massachusetts
Science Olympiad—affectionately called SciOly at Winsor—emerged as a new club for the 2024–25 school year. In a remarkable feat of preparation and determination, the team took sixth place at the 2025 Massachusetts State Science Olympiad Tournament.
Winsor students are encouraged to pursue their interests in STEM fields in a variety of ways. During the 2023–24 school year, a group of interested students decided to pair up for individual Science Olympiad events at the state tournament. jemma kuriyel ’25 and anaya raikar ’25 placed ninth in the Chemistry Lab event, while amber lan’25 and michelle wang ’25 placed third in Anatomy and Physiology. “This was Winsor’s first time at the state tournament, so this is super impressive for a new team,” said former Science Faculty Madeline Holtz in an email to the community.
Following their success at the 2024 state tournament, Michelle and Amber proposed a Science Olympiad Club to Collect, and were approved for the 2024–25 school year. At the annual Club Fair that September, they were blown away by the level of interest. “It was a lot more than we expected,” said Amber of the more than 40 people who signed up.
fun facts about those,” she said. A physical event might be something like Bungee Drop where each team has to design or procure a bungee cord of some sort. “Our bungee was an elastic cord with a draw string,” explained Amber. “To prepare, you need to do a lot of calibration of your cord and do some calculations so that you have everything ready for competition day.” The goal of the event is to drop a mass attached to the bungee cord as close to the ground as possible without it actually touching the ground. The plot twist is that students don’t know the height of the drop or the mass of the object until the day of the competition.
“Even though we had a team last year, this year was actually our first year as an established club, which was definitely different,” said Amber, who credits the change with additional time and resources. Being a club unto themselves also changed their mindset. “Everyone was thinking about how to best function as a team,” said Michelle, “and what it means to work on this project together.”
A Science Olympiad team is made up of 15 people plus 5 alternates who compete in upwards of 20 events. The club ultimately fielded two full teams that they brought to two different invitationals. Students dedicated two hours a week— and sometimes closer to five as competition neared—preparing for both study-based and physical events.
For example, in the event Micro Mission, two partners take a test together for which they have spent months preparing. Amber’s study regimen included research on cellular biology, evolution, ecology, and different types of antibiotics. “There is a list of microbes they give you, and you need to study what diseases they cause, what organisms can transmit them, and
At the 2025 state tournament, Winsor students scored top 15 in 17 of the 22 events, with 5 events earning ribbon distinction. Out of more than 70 schools, Winsor was the only girls’ school at the tournament, and the only independent school to place in the top 10.
“This success is the result of tremendous amounts of time, passion, and effort,” said Science Faculty and Science Olympiad Coach Jojo Kendale, who worked with students while also managing the logistics of the team. She credits their success to the entire Science Olympiad team, including those who competed in previous tournaments, and all the teachers in the Science and STEM Departments who supported students through the training process.
Going forward, the club has a foundation of success and experience on which to build. They not only prepare for competition but also enjoy camaraderie around shared interests, blending academics and community in the best way possible.
Science Olympiad Coach Jojo Kendale
WINSOR’S 2025 SCIENCE OLYMPIAD TOURNAMENT TEAM MEMBERS
Amber Lan ’25*
Michelle Wang ’25*
Ashton Kovtunenko ’25
Youjin Choi ’26
Angie Fang ’26
Selina Huang ’26*
Sophie Kim ’26
Zara Sword ’26
Anna Yang ’26*
Kelly Yin ’26
Gracie Zhou ’26
Susan Zuo ’26
Ayaka Hatabu ’28*
Julica Hatabu ’28*
Eileen Lee ’28
Ellaine Ban ’28
Ella Hahn ’28
Chrissy Mayer ’28
Chloe Wang ’28
Kathy Wang ’28
*Indicates students who earned ribbons for their event(s).
Michelle Wang ’25 and Amber Lan ’25
When Faculty Take the Stage
It started, as it often does, with a history lesson. At a March assembly, Head of School Sarah Pelmas stepped to the podium and began to share a bit about Winsor athletics, highlighting statistics about championships, players, and the school’s proud tradition of competition. She announced that students would be treated to a demonstration of the “rock star moves” of Winsor athletes from the past. And then, the beat of “Seven Nation Army” reverberated through the auditorium. Students quickly realized this was no ordinary assembly. The biennial faculty and staff variety show—always a surprise—had begun. By the end, the audience was on its feet, applauding the talent, humor, and camaraderie of their teachers and mentors. What began as a history talk had transformed into a showcase of creativity, reminding the Winsor community that joy and surprise are as much a part of school life as academics and athletics. The biennial faculty and staff variety show may be a surprise, but one thing is certain: its spirit of fun and connection lingers long after the final bow.
Photographs by Kristie Dean
THE ROCK BAND
The curtain-raiser was a full-on rock performance of The White Stripes’ anthem. Associate Head of School Kate Caspar drove the rhythm on drums, while Science Faculty Jojo Kendale powered the bass line. Pre-Professional Librarian Lauren Parker and English Faculty Lisa Stringfellow added depth on the keys, World Languages Faculty Laura Bravo brought otherworldly flair on the theremin, and Visual Arts Faculty Mia Tinkjian energized the beat on the congas. Guitars were in the hands of History Faculty Amy Lieberman, Ms. Pelmas herself, and History Faculty Michael Mirelman (pictured above), while vocals soared from Visual Arts Faculty Emily Valenza, Assistant Director of the Virginia Wing Library Danielle Smogard, and Mathematics Faculty Kate Allen. The audience cheered and sang along as faculty revealed unexpected rock-star personas.
THE TORTURED POETS DEPT.
English Department Head Courtney Jackson took the stage next, framing a “poetry reading” in the spirit of the annual Brooks Poetry Competition. But this version had a twist: Performing Arts Faculty and Theater Director Jeremy Johnson delivered the Backstreet Boys’ “I Want It that Way” with Shakespearean gravitas, English Faculty Ned Henningson treated Charlie XCX’s “Apple” as if it were Keats, English Faculty and Class VII Dean David Griffin (pictured above) lent Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic” a solemn weight, and History Faculty Michael Mirelman turned Daddy Yankee’s “Gasolina” into high literature. Students roared with laughter, delighting in the parody—half performance art, half poetry slam.
THE DANCE CREW
If the poets had students laughing, the dancers had them on their feet. With secret training from the Upper School dance team, Mathematics Faculty and Class II Coordinator Jodi Kerble, English Faculty Samantha Simpson, World Languages Faculty and Class V Dean Dana Martin, Upper School Head and Science Faculty Kim Ramos, and Science Department Head and Faculty Theresa Evenson delivered a high-energy medley featuring Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and Chappell Roan. Their coordinated moves, full of attitude and confidence, proved that Winsor teachers can bring as much rhythm to the stage as they do wisdom to the classroom.
THE HISTORY SKIT
Next, the History Department staged a skit featuring History Department Head and Alice C. Jenckes Chair in History Ann-Marie Holland, History Faculty Ivana Brown, and History Faculty Amy Lieberman as they searched for a sabbatical replacement for History Faculty Annie Huntoon. On stage, Ms. Huntoon sat calmly with her cats and a backpack full of snacks and activities while “candidates” History Faculty Ezer Vierba (“Easy-E”), History Faculty Erin Cantos (“Dr. Caren Antos”), and History Faculty and Class IV Coordinator Josh Constant (“The Rizzler”) were ushered in one by one by History Faculty and Bezan Chair for Community and Inclusion Julian Braxton. History Faculty Michael Mirelman guided the proceedings, and the crowd was invited to vote by applause. “The Rizzler” won the role. Before leaving the stage, the historians surprised the audience with an impromptu chorus of “Happy Birthday” for Mr. Mirelman, who discovered a cupcake hidden behind the podium just in time for the final note.
THE ODE TO SCIENCE
The finale belonged to the Science Department, who closed the show with a musical parody titled “I Test So,” their own spin on Sabrina Carpenter’s hit “Espresso.” Backed by Science Faculty, STEM Integration Coordinator, and Innovation Lab Manager Chris Player on bass, Science Faculty and Essential Chair in Science Ken Schopf on drums, and Science Faculty Jojo Kendale once more on bass, the group filled the stage with vocals from Science Faculty Mark Brooks Hedstrom, Upper School Head and Science Faculty Kim Ramos, Institutional Researcher and Science Faculty Denise Labieniec, Science Faculty Julie Callanan, Science Faculty Jenny Albright, Science Faculty Anna Ausubel, and Science Department Head and Faculty Theresa Evenson, with Science Faculty Eve Elizondo ’17 punctuating the beat on cowbell and Science Faculty Kathryn Segner on the keys. As they played and sang, the screen lit up with their reimagined lyrics alongside images of women and girls in science—a joyful tribute to both the discipline and the community.
FACULTY FEATURE
BY JULIAN K. BRAXTON
“You’re
Not as Alone in Your Beliefs as You Imagined”
In an age marked by polarization, partisanship, and tribalism, helping students cultivate the skills to engage in meaningful, open dialogue has never been more essential. Students today must navigate a world where differing viewpoints are often met with hostility rather than openness; social media silos, culture wars, and the pressures of conformity often discourage the kind of honest, curious conversations that foster understanding and connection.
As a history teacher and community engagement leader, I see firsthand how urgently young people need the tools to listen with empathy and speak with courage. Inspired by thought leaders and our own students—who often model the power of respectful exchange—Winsor faculty strive to create spaces where civil discourse can thrive. In the past few years, we have been fortunate to host writers and scholars who focus on civil discourse and the ways we connect meaningfully with others.
Mónica Guzmán, last year’s faculty and parent forum speaker and author of I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times, observed: “When you’re surrounded by people who reflect the same basic set of perspectives, you’ll find it harder to grasp any others. Not because you’re incapable of grasping them, but simply because you’re less likely to be given the chance.”
In 2024, Dr. Carol Gilligan, a feminist, ethicist, and psychologist well known for her work on ethical community and ethical relationships, came to Winsor as our commencement speaker. Her powerful charge is at the heart of my work promoting civil discourse: “Notice what happens when you replace judgment with curiosity.”
During last year’s Community Curriculum Day, anya weerapana ’25 shared this compelling reflection with our community: “Listen to different viewpoints because, after all, you’re not obligated to embrace them. From them, you might find that others’ political views are more nuanced and varied than you once thought. From them, you might discover you’re not as alone in your beliefs as you imagined.”
Our challenge as educators, parents, and community members to “bridge divides” and
build empathy and connections is more urgent and complex than at any time in recent memory. I see it as my calling to help students break down these silos and empower them to engage openly with diverse perspectives. One way I have been able to put these ideas into practice is in my senior elective, Politics of Identity. On the following spread is a reprint of an article I co-authored with Mr. Brad Faulhaber from Sidney High School in Montana, which appeared in The Boston Globe last year.
Right: Julian Braxton and Brad Faulhaber at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. in July 2023. Below: Braxton running the annual scream tunnel on the first day of school
FEATURE
BY JULIAN K. BRAXTON
THE WINSOR COMMUNITY HAS THOUGHTS
Across disciplines, my colleagues cultivate spaces where students learn to engage thoughtfully with differing perspectives. Whether through literature, science, world languages, or visual and performing arts, these teachers model what it means to foster dialogue rooted in respect, curiosity, and intellectual honesty. The quotes below highlight some of the ways they encourage meaningful exchange—even, and especially, when ideas clash.
“In art history, students create their own personal canon of art history, write a persuasive paragraph, and have a class discussion about the works that they include in their canon—often from historically marginalized artists—and why they chose them. In Intellectual Property and the Law, students learn to take a side on an issue (even if they don’t believe it), debate and make a persuasive argument about it. They take on other debates in art history: What is art? Is this art? Was Marcel Duchamp an artist or con artist? Are posthumously cast Rodins authentic works of art? And in art classes, we teach students how to interact with each other in group critiques, how to have dialogue and meaningful exchange even if everyone doesn’t ‘like’ the same thing.”
Sara Macaulay Visual Arts Department Head and Eleanor Thomas Nelson ’49 Chair in Fine Arts
The Upper School Ethics Club discusses contemporary ethical issues during their lunch meeting each cycle and then participates in the Regional Ethics Bowl Competition at Tufts every February. The National High School Ethics Bowl (NHSEB) promotes respectful, supportive, and rigorous discussion of ethics among thousands of high school students nationwide.
Courtney Jackson English Department Head
In Class I History, we had a discussion about British colonists declaring independence from Great Britain, with students presenting arguments of patriots and loyalists in a class debate. They were assigned their roles randomly after they studied and discussed arguments of both sides.
Ivana Brown History Faculty
In AP Macro at the start of the year, we engage in a debate about whether we should raise the minimum wage in Massachusetts. In U.S. History we have a variety of debates—from federalist vs. antifederalist to whether we should pass the Equal Rights Amendment.
Ann-Marie Holland History Faculty
In Class III English, especially when we are reading the novel The Outsiders, students participate in a four-corners agree/ disagree practice about once a week. This entails a statement such as “Nobody is all bad or all good.” Then students go to one of the four corners of the classroom labeled Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree. Once there, students discuss why they are standing where they are, and we hear thoughts from all corners. It is a space for students to voice their opinions, see how others might think differently, and have a civil discourse. In the end, in some sense, everyone agrees with what others say—it’s really a matter of interpretation of the words in the statement. It’s a fun and important activity for this age group.
Laura Beebe English Faculty
In AP Spanish, students engage in a debate over the best and most fair outcome for Puerto Rico’s future. After exploring in depth the history of the extraordinary status of Puerto Rico as an “associated free state” of the U.S., the students are divided in three groups that resemble three different and current political positions among most Puerto Rican residents. Students engage in a two-day-long debate in small groups. By presenting their research, arguing for their specific point of view, listening to the point of view of the other two sides, and imagining the best and most fair long-term solution for Puerto Rican residents, the students not only practice advanced grammatical concepts, extensive multidisciplinary vocabulary, and complex communicative functions, but also engage in a deep dive into Puerto Rican–American relations and history.
Laura Bravo World Languages Faculty
In Class III Science, we have our students engage in an activity called the “Climate Change Mixer.” It is a part of a book called A People’s Curriculum for the Earth, which was developed by teachers to address complex issues related to climate change. Students are assigned a particular role and a climate change story to tell. The characters are people who live in different regions of the world and have all been affected by climate change in some way. The activity is set up as a “meet and greet” where students share their stories and they learn about the impacts of climate change in different communities. In our discussion afterwards, we unpack the following quote: “We are all affected by climate change, but we’re not all affected equally, and we’re not equally responsible for its causes.” It is a powerful lesson on the impacts of climate change and the power of storytelling. Students are always surprised by how some people benefit—or will benefit—from climate change. You can learn a lot from listening to others about how our world has changed and is changing.
Theresa Evenson Science Department Head
PROFILES IN GIVING
KIMBERLY
HEALD
KRAWSHUK ’87, P’20 & CYNTHIA
KORB
WELLINGTON ’87, P’28
Class of ’87 Makes an Investment in Wellness
By any measure, Winsor’s Class of 1987 has been remarkably generous. They have won the school’s yearly Giving Day competition, class members serve on Winsor boards and panels, and in November 2024 they established an endowed fund to support wellness initiatives at Winsor.
Notable as these accomplishments are, they spring from another powerful way class members have given over the last 38 years—to one another. For nearly four decades, the women of ’87 have stayed in close contact, lending their care and friendship and providing a sense of community and history for one another in both good times and bad. What was once a close-knit group of teens has evolved into a vibrant community of friends, peers, and advisors. They rely on one another for professional and personal insights, advice, and support. Classmate abigail crozier nestlehutt ’87 has found herself consistently inspired by the “collective intelligence” of her classmates and their dedication to one another.
In the fall of 2023, they lost classmate diane pfaelzer levinson ’87. Her passing was the first time the class had mourned the loss of a classmate.
“Losing her brought the class together, but the class has come together so many times before and will continue to come together in difficult times. That’s what’s so special about this class,” shares kimberly heald krawshuk ’87, p’20. “And so we [asked], how do we honor our class and do something in memory of Diane? She’s somewhat symbolic because we realize, sadly, we’re all going to pass away.”
“We asked our classmates how best to honor our class and our Winsor education, and how to do something in memory of Diane,” Kim and Cynthia Korb Wellington ’87, P’28 say. “We want to leave something to the school in appreciation for bringing us all together and giving us an extraordinary education.”
They resolved to start the Class of 1987 Endowed Fund to advance wellness initiatives at Winsor. The focus was inspired by Diane’s work as a mental health counselor and in recognition of the need to help students navigate their Winsor years and prepare for life after graduation. “We want to support something that in 50 to 100
years from now the school will still need,” Kim says. The fund will be endowed when it reaches $100,000, which Cindy and Kim aim to reach by the class’s 40th reunion, in two years.
The class is intentionally keeping the fund’s scope broad. “We discussed this and decided to leave it somewhat open to address what the school feels is its greatest need at any given time. Look at the pandemic: no one could have predicted it, nor what needs would emerge…. We want to make sure to give the school flexibility to address the pressing needs,” Cindy says.
Winsor has already made great strides in promoting wellness since Kim and Cindy were students, something they have experienced firsthand from both having daughters at Winsor. Kim, whose daughter ashley krawshuk ’20 recently graduated, says she has watched wellness become “this very elaborate, integrated program” that includes courses for students as well as counseling and nursing services.
Cindy, whose daughter caroline wellington ’28 is a current student, is excited about the Wellness Department growth at Winsor both for students and the wider community. “In addition to helping ensure that the existing programs continue, the Class of 1987 Endowed Fund could also be used to pay for educational opportunities for faculty and parents,” Cindy says.
While the pandemic underscored the importance of support and connection, for the members of the Class of 1987 it reignited something that’s been there all along. Cindy recalls how during those trying times class members would have a big get-together over Zoom every couple of months. “It was a wonderful way of supporting each other,” she says. These days, the group convenes a few times a year.
This habit of staying in touch started right after graduation, and their connection has only strengthened over time. From the paper photo calendar with everyone’s birthdays they took with them to college, to the Facebook group that provided a platform for connection decades later, their commitment to each other has been unwavering. Sometimes these conversations, emails and texts are about a classmate who needs help after
Photograph by Diana Levine
Cynthia Korb Wellington ’87, P’28 and Kimberly Heald Krawshuk ’87, P’20 with their 1987 class photo
Jean Hynes and Mark Condon
Photograph by Kelly Davidson
A Remarkable Gift for Families, and for Winsor
Many families find themselves in a difficult position when considering the cost of an independent school education. For some, full tuition is not financially feasible, yet they may not qualify for the level of financial aid that would make such an educational opportunity possible. As a result, students from these families sometimes decide not to apply, leading to their underrepresentation in the student body and the community as a whole.
Jean Hynes and Mark Condon, who sent their four daughters— sarah ’16 , caroline ’18, grace ’18, and eve ’21—to Winsor, are concerned about what is known as a barbelling effect taking hold at the school, in which students tend to come from either end of the economic spectrum. “You don’t want any gaps to this great education,” Jean says. “People from a diversity of backgrounds is partly what makes Winsor so special.”
With the goal of building up the barbell’s center, and providing life-changing opportunities for middle-income students, the family recently established the Hynes Condon Family Endowed Scholarship.
The gift is one of the largest in the school’s history: a $5 million commitment over the course of five years. Once fully implemented, it will provide support for eight students at any given time.
Recipients will be awarded the scholarship each year they attend Winsor, with the amount adjusted annually based on their family’s financial need. The first award will be made for the fall semester in 2026.
“Winsor Leads is expanding financial aid and wraparound support for our exceptional students. Jean and Mark’s investment is a demonstration of their belief in the school, and of their values as a family,” says Head of School Meredith Legg. “The Hynes-Condon Scholarship is creating opportunities for every qualified girl to see a pathway to Winsor. Our community will be stronger thanks to Jean and Mark’s visionary leadership.”
A STEPPING STONE
Jean knows how a scholarship can change a life. Her parents moved to the United States from Ireland in the 1950s. Here, her father worked as
a bricklayer and her mother raised six children.
The couple worked hard to send their children to Catholic schools. Jean earned a scholarship to attend Wellesley College, but her family continued to stretch to pay the remaining tuition.
“In some ways, my education and life path were sort of enabled by the generosity of the Wellesley College alumnae,” says Jean, who is now the CEO of investment management firm Wellington Management. “It’s so ingrained in me, the opportunities that I received that enabled me then to go on to start at Wellington and succeed. That is something Mark and I want to give back, so education has been our main focus of giving.”
Educational opportunities have also lifted up Mark’s family over a couple of generations. His grandparents had only a middle-school education, but worked hard to be able to send their own children—Mark’s parents—to state universities.
“My mother getting a college degree in the ’60s was a huge thing. A lot of my grandmother’s friends were like, ‘Why are you educating a woman? She’s just going to be a wife and a homemaker,’” Mark says. But his parents used their education to help prepare their own children to reach for the highest level of education, including Tufts University, Rhode Island School of Design, and Mark’s alma mater, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mark says he saw firsthand how middle-class kids who happened to be gifted in math or science were able to leverage their MIT education to imagine any future for themselves and their families.
Sarah Condon ’16 says her parents made sure she and her sisters understood how educational opportunities shaped their family’s history. “The means by which they have gotten to where they are, the support and scholarships that allowed them to get there, and the importance of education more broadly was repeatedly emphasized to us,” she says.
“Going to Winsor was when we first started to have those conversations at home,” Caroline Condon ’18 says. “We had discussions openly from a younger age, which opened our eyes to differences…. Continuing to have conversations
WINSOR LEADS
BY KIM ASHTON
WINSOR LEADS
about that, which we did at home and in the classroom at Winsor too, is just super important for everyone.”
LEADING LADIES
Today, all four Condon sisters express appreciation for their Winsor educations. In particular, they are grateful for the sense of community, which has remained with them, and for the way that Winsor continually encouraged them to voice their ideas.
Sarah has seen this trend in her maledominated field of private equity. “I found that there are a lot of other women who are pretty quiet. They might be extremely smart, but I think the ability to just be forward and confident in what I’m saying has really helped me and made me stand out,” she says, crediting Winsor for developing her ability to express herself in a clear, logical, and straightforward manner.
Eve Condon ’21 says she noticed in college that she spoke up more than other women did.
“They didn’t have that high school environment that teaches girls to have your voice be heard, even if you’re not 100 percent sure that you’re right,” she says, adding that she’s had professors ask her if she went to an all-girls school.
Though voicing an opinion in a large college class can be intimidating to many people, Grace Condon ’18 says she “never felt that sense of nervousness, or worried that the answer was going to be wrong or that my thought process was going to be wrong.” Winsor, she says, gave her plenty of opportunities from a young age to be wrong without feeling shame. “You look back and think, ‘Wow! That was such a unique environment.’”
Jean and Mark appreciate the way their girls were taught to advocate for their ideas as part of a holistic education that cultivated their academic, creative, and social minds. “I think all of our girls came out of Winsor with a confidence to speak their minds and know that they have the problem-solving and learning skills to be an equal voice,” Jean says. “And an institution like Winsor, which trains young women to have these skills, is still 100 percent necessary in a world where women are still in the minority of leadership positions,” she adds.
CLASS CONNECTORS
Jean and Mark say a principal reason they established the scholarship is that they’d like to see tomorrow’s leaders come from across the economic spectrum. “The school is so special and unique in terms of educating young women to be future leaders,” Jean says, adding that the family’s hope is that access is open to all girls who are academically qualified to attend Winsor, that “it’s not limited to people of a certain means. We feel so strongly about that.”
The Hynes-Condons feel strongly that Winsor classrooms should reflect the full range of socioeconomic diversity in Boston. Scholarships not only provide direct support to recipients, but also strengthen the entire learning community by ensuring that students bring a wide variety of experiences into the classroom.
“People have such different perspectives on things based on their life experiences. Being able to hear and understand those is important,” Grace says.
“ You don’t want any gaps to this great education. People from a diversity of backgrounds is partly what makes Winsor so special.”
JEAN HYNES
Moreover, students from a wide range of economic backgrounds often help connect different perspectives and strengthen the community. “Every student brings something unique, and together they create an environment where belonging is possible for all,” Mark says, adding that socioeconomic diversity is not a single experience but a spectrum. “That range gives everyone the chance to broaden their understanding of the world and the people around them.”
Audra McFarland, Winsor’s director of Admission and Financial Aid, says she’s noticed that it’s often kids from the center of the socio-economic spectrum who are sensitive to the extremes of the barbell and who drive school discussions about socioeconomic differences. “To be able to widen the funnel and potentially then be able to increase the number of those students, we think it will help to just bring this conversation more prominently into the culture of Winsor to make sure that we’re creating that sense of belonging for all students.” Winsor’s
commitment to maintaining its community of students from diverse backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints is central to the mission of the school’s need-based financial aid program, which supports access to Winsor’s program regardless of a family’s financial circumstance.
LEANING IN
The endowed scholarship is the largest gift the Hynes-Condon family has given to Winsor, but not the first. Jean and Mark have donated other funds over the years and have also given their time. Current members of the Winsor Corporation, they have both served on the board of trustees, and Jean co-chaired the last capital campaign, the Winsor Promise, which concluded in 2016 after raising more than $82 million for the school. Mark’s contributions as a leader in the Parents’ Association reflect the breadth of his Winsor journey, from leadership as a class parent and Class VIII Gift Committee co-chair to his time as a Parents’ Association co-chair.
Sarah, too, has started to give back. Now living in New York City, she co-hosted a young alumnae gathering there earlier this year, and is serving on the Winsor Leads Campaign Alumnae Committee to support the school’s current comprehensive campaign. She’s inspired to give her time because of the strong sense of community and friendship she felt at Winsor, and still feels today.
“The world of Winsor, and the relationships that are built, still continues to move forward. So I get excited to be able to help continue that along,” she says.
Her hope for scholarship recipients is that they experience the same sense of community and the same avenues for intellectual and personal enrichment that she did. Her advice for them would be to lean into these opportunities.
“You get more out of Winsor the more you participate in the community, the more that you challenge yourself, even when classes are hard and you’re doing a lot of things,” she says. Eve agrees: “Some advice I would give [all students] is to take advantage of all Winsor has to offer, whether it’s the sports teams, the art, all of those things. It’s not just about going to class. It’s about immersing yourself in the community.”
GENEROUS MINDED
JAYA & KAIYA GOUD
Stories of “Brilliance and Resilience”
jaya goud ’27 was in the sixth grade when the pandemic started, and she quickly grew to miss campus life once her class switched to virtual learning.
“I just felt so isolated.... We had all been together for the entirety of my fifth-grade year, and suddenly we were all just tiny little boxes on screens,” she says. “I really wanted to find a way to connect with the community, to have meaningful conversations with my teachers again, and create something that could inspire and support other students.”
Jaya’s sister, kaiya goud ’30, was also at home, attending the fourth grade as she went through the process of applying to Winsor. Kaiya was interested in learning more about life at the school.
Together, the sisters had an idea: to reach out to teachers and alumnae and gather their insight for a book that students could turn to when they needed direction, comfort, or encouragement. They spent the next couple of years creating what would become Winsor Words of Wisdom
“We were really inspired by the brilliance and resilience we saw in the Winsor community every single day,” Kaiya says. “We wanted to really capture those stories, and the sparks within them—like, the moments of mentorship and guidance—so we could create something for students that they could turn to when they need a boost.”
The girls developed four questions to ask each interviewee: Who were your role models and how did they influence you? What is the most important piece of advice you’ve received? What are the traits and habits of successful students? And, if you could be a student again, what would you focus on?
They decided to start their interviews with Jaya’s advisor, Ms. Laura Beebe P’16, who gave them the first piece of advice featured in the book: Be authentic. “People will appreciate you more and find your presence more valuable,”
Ms. Beebe told them.
She also led them to their next interviewee, her daughter eliza beebe ’16, who is one of two alumnae in the volume. The girls continued to widen their net in this manner, ask-
ing subjects for recommendations on who to talk to next, just as a journalist might. In the end, they selected a group of 21 people they felt covered the diversity of Winsor in terms of the classes they taught or their role in the community.
“Even though the questions were the same, everyone’s answers reflected their own experiences and unique wisdom,” Jaya says. One of those answers has stayed with Kaiya. It came from History Faculty Elisabeth Parsley: Champions learn to move past their mistakes. “You have to accept that you’re going to make mistakes,” Kaiya says, “because that’s how you grow.”
For Jaya, one of the most meaningful takeaways from the project was gaining a deeper perspective on the role of teachers. “Speaking with them outside the classroom reminded me that their commitment extends far beyond academics—they’re truly invested in seeing us grow as people, and I feel so grateful to have such dedicated mentors who believe in us,” she reflects.
The process of making the book taught the girls other invaluable lessons. Jaya says one skill she sharpened is the ability to guide meaningful conversations. And Kaiya learned to see writing not just as a task she does in school but as a tool for sharing ideas. “The way in which you write can change the way someone views something, and that is very powerful,” she says.
The sisters hope their project will build confidence in others as well. “I hope that what we have done with Winsor Words of Wisdom will inspire other people to realize that their ideas are always worth pursuing,” says Jaya.
A few printed issues are on Winsor’s library shelves, and others went to interviewees. Interested readers can purchase a copy (wwowbook.com), and book profits will benefit the Jimmy Fund. “With Dana-Farber located just down the street from Winsor, this cause feels especially meaningful to us,” they say.
Now published authors, the girls are busy at work on a second volume, focusing more on alumnae voices. “We need to do another one, because there’s so much more that can be said, and we had so much fun,” Jaya says.
Photograph by Jonathan Kozowyk
Jaya and Kaiya Goud
Chelsea McNeil in the Winsor Archives
Out of the Basement and into the Spotlight
This summer, Chelsea McNeil joined Winsor as the school’s first archivist/library assistant, a new role that reflects the school’s ongoing commitment to both honoring our history and enriching our learning community. With a strong foundation in archival practice, library services, and inclusive metadata, Chelsea brings deep experience from institutions like the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America and Snell Library at Northeastern. In her new role, she’ll help bring Winsor’s archives out of the basement—literally and figuratively—by curating exhibits across campus and working closely with students and faculty through her work in the library.
We sat down to ask Chelsea some questions about her work in the archives. However, she first posed a question of her own: “I’m wondering about how the Winsor community connects to our own history. That is, do we feel empowered to access Winsor stories, challenge them, and celebrate them?” This guiding question, she says, will inform her archival work and pave new roads to information sharing.
What is stored in the Winsor Archives?
Did you know the Winsor Archives has three antique wooden lacrosse sticks? How about Winsor’s original architectural blueprints from 1910? The Winsor Archives stores materials which have “archival value.” That is, resources which contain administrative, legal, fiscal, evidential, or historical information about the Winsor School, justifying their continued preservation.1 Items are stored in archival-safe, acid-free housing in the climate-controlled room which is the archives. Many fragile items such as artwork, Winsor t-shirts, 35mm film, glassware, and the class banners present a unique challenge, requiring much care and attention.
What does an archivist do?
An archivist facilitates the collection and preservation of informational resources. Archival professionals are active, involved members of an institution’s goal to manage records, data, and yes, sometimes those dusty old books. We keep up with emergent standards in capturing and describing resources, especially in the dig-
ital age. This advocacy and outreach model is well reflected in my dual role as archivist and library assistant in the Virginia Wing Library. While interacting with Winsor students, faculty, staff, and alumnae on a daily basis, I have the wonderful opportunity to promote learning about Winsor’s rich history. Whether giving tours of the archives, assisting researchers, or curating digital exhibits, I will continually seek new methods to encourage access and participation in our shared story.
How can I view and access archival resources?
Please feel free to ask me questions, ask for research help, make an appointment to view resources, or ask for digital copies. We will be implementing online systems which catalog, exhibit, and allow users to search. These systems will contain both archival finding aids, which explain what we have, and digital versions of archival resources. With these online systems, the Winsor community will be empowered to learn, discover, and share our history in a whole new way. Winsor currently maintains several display cases that highlight bits and pieces of the past. Keep an eye out for when these displays change over. jane hoeffel otte ’57, p’84, ’86, gp’25, the archivist emerita, and her daughter margaret warren ’84, our past archivist, have worked fastidiously to make the Winsor Archives organized and available. I’m so excited to build on their legacy to expand access to archival resources.
How can I donate materials to the archive?
Part of my role is to formalize and publish a collecting policy to guide future acquisitions to the archive, building on current collecting area strengths and seeking to fill where there might be gaps. I would love to hear from you (cmcneil@ winsor.edu) if you think you have materials that tell the story of Winsor. These can take the form of papers, photographs, objects, books, memorabilia, almost anything you can think of. We will sit down for a conversation where I can survey and appraise your items, and discuss your wishes for the stewardship of the collection.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
CHELSEA MCNEIL
Photograph by Kelly Davidson
STORY BY JOAN YENAWINE / ILLUSTRATION BY HELENA PALLARÉS / PHOTOGRAPHS BY KELLY DAVIDSON
With an all-women team of project management, architecture, and construction experts at the helm, the renovation of Winsor’s science wing began this spring while classes were still in session. Playing a life-sized game of Jenga where collaboration was the order of the day, school leaders, faculty, and students pulled together to ensure that this “summer slammer” project enhanced rather than disrupted stem learning at 103 Pilgrim Road.
Last year, as Chief Operating Officer Karen Geromini reviewed Winsor’s campus master plan, she soon saw that putting off the renovation of the third floor science wing simply wasn’t an option. Built as an addition to the original building decades ago, the classrooms had outlived their intended purpose.
“In the world of science and labs, 35 years is pushing the envelope,” says Director of Facilities and Construction John Crompton. “Those labs didn’t owe us anything.”
Making the case for the most significant campus renovation since the Lubin O’Donnell Center was built in 2015 wasn’t even especially difficult. After an initial review of possible updates to the science wing and dining hall below in fall 2023, it became clear that a one-time renovation of the entire science wing was the priority and would be more cost effective than trying to address classroom issues individually. The opportunity to catch up with and even anticipate evolutions in science, technology, building codes, and accessibility standards provided all the more reason for the science wing project to take flight this spring.
BIG STORY
“In the world of science and labs, 35 years is pushing the envelope.”
JOHN CROMPTON,
DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES AND CONSTRUCTION, THE
WINSOR SCHOOL
PUTTING INDEPENDENT LEARNING INTO PRACTICE
If there’s an upside to wrangling a major construction project while school is still in session, the Winsor staff is sure to find it.
Ms. Geromini had a “lightbulb moment” where she realized having all these highly skilled women with STEM backgrounds on campus could be part of a great Independent Learning Experience (ILE).
Four seniors jumped at the opportunity to visit the construction site, learn about the renovation firsthand and create something of their own from the experience. And while the experts from each of the disciplines were available as mentors throughout the process, the girls were in charge of their learning, their time, and the outcome.
STARTING WITH THE END IN MIND
With approval from the board of trustees and then-Head of School Sarah Pelmas, the planning and input phase of the project kicked off. While oftentimes architects and designers lead the charge, Mr. Crompton says he prefers to start with the end user: students and faculty.
“A lot of input from the students and science faculty was really key to building a great project that will last another 35 years,” says Mr. Crompton. Science Department Head Theresa Evenson recalls the excitement that these early visioning and brainstorming sessions generated.
“The big question was, ‘what do you envision teaching science would be like in this space in 20 or 30 years?’” says Ms. Evenson. “Science changes, equipment changes, and technology changes. What does that mean in terms of lab spaces? What do we need to continue to grow as teachers? To [be able to] collaborate, design curriculum and have flexible teaching spaces to try new things was really important to us.”
WOMEN-LED TEAMS WIN THE BIDS
As their ideas began to percolate, Winsor put the project out to bid for an expert project management company that would act as Winsor’s representative, as well as an architecture firm to handle the design and a construction company to handle the build and manage all the subcontractors. As the vendors made their proposals, an interesting trend emerged: the teams with deepest benches of talent and strongest overall bids were all led by women.
“That absolutely was not a requirement,” Ms. Geromini emphasizes. “But everybody presented strong female leads because I think that more women are coming into the trade business.”
In these industries where women are still under-represented, the fact that a construction company or architecture firm can “stand up” an all-female team is still unusual. Perhaps what was most striking is not that the winning teams are led by women, but rather, how uniquely qualified they are.
“We looked at this from a standpoint of ‘how good of a project manager are you? Not necessarily that they are female, but, ‘how good of a construction superintendent are you?’” says Mr. Crompton, who was the only man in the room at the weekly team project meetings. “I think this is one of the best teams I’ve worked with and I’ve been doing this for 40 years.”
FINDING THE LINCHPIN
The first order of business was to get a project management team in place. Leggat McCall Properties was chosen in part for their exper-
L to R: Julia Nephew ’25, Isabella Fiutak ’25, Sophie Fleishman ’25, and Jemma Kuriyel ’25
An Exploration of the Construction Process: A Timeline
Isabella Fiutak ’25 and Julia Nephew ’25
Isabella and Julia created a visual timeline of the entire science wing renovation project. Their clean, streamlined presentation belies a deep understanding of the complexities of the multiple people, organizations, and industries involved.
“One of the most important skills I practiced throughout my ILE is flexibility.
Although Winsor had drilled me in time management, goal-setting, and the importance of understanding the material, it was surprisingly difficult applying these abilities to something new. I began to ask more questions. Even the simplest ‘what does this mean?’ proved to be extremely helpful and opened the door to more complex, informative questions.
Julia and I also literally made our mark — we were able to sign a wall!”
—I.F.
tise in working within the Longwood Medical Area, whose towering, state-of-the-art buildings overlook the Winsor campus.
Vice President of Leggat McCall Properties Kate Martucci describes her role as acting as the owner’s representative, helping to facilitate the evolution of the project from conceptual planning and design, all the way through to the actual execution of the construction, partnering with each of the other contractors along the way.
With 15 years of experience in the industry, she says that standing up an all-female team even five to 10 years ago would have been “unheard of. I’m still floored when I get to our owner/ architect/contractor meetings and look around and it’s entirely women, with the exception of John Crompton. It’s incredible how far the industry has come in terms of women getting into construction, engineering, and stem.”
Her own career is a case in point. She earned her undergraduate degree in interior design, but she soon realized that it wasn’t what set her heart on fire. “Design is so subjective. I didn’t want to sign up for a lifetime of being criticized every day at work,” she laughs.
She was, however, drawn to roles where her day was constantly changing, where challenges emerged and gave her the ability to call the shots. “If problems didn’t exist, I wouldn’t have a job. If it’s broken, let’s fix it!”
Eventually, she earned her masters in facilities management. Now she deftly weaves the combination of skills and abilities picked up from across disciplines. Because she is used to reading design drawings, she can more easily help an owner visualize what a space might look like. At the same time, she also understands the mechanics of how building systems work. All of this knowledge helps her to make the best decisions on behalf of owners as she works with architects and construction crews through fastpaced, complex projects.
FLEXIBLE, ADAPTABLE, WORLD-CLASS
At Winsor, one of her first goals was to work with the steering committee to create a project charter, a set of guiding principles that serve as a North Star for all stakeholders. “We needed to have a source of truth. It helps me as the owner’s representative to understand exactly what they want from the project,” says Ms. Martucci.
In essence, she says, the project charter boiled down to these main themes:
“We want to provide a world-class science space to advance teaching and learning. We want the space to be safe, accessible, and ada-compliant. We want the latest and greatest technology incorporated, but we also want the spaces to be flexible and adaptable, because programs ebb and flow.”
L to R: Kelley Townley, Elise King, An Hoang, Karen Geromini, John Crompton, Meredith Legg, Kate Martucci, Megan Collins, and Kelsey Holt
The Winsor Bulletin
“In addition to learning the lingo, like what MEP stands for (mechanical, electrical, plumbing), a big part of what I learned was about working collaboratively to solve problems. I did not realize the contractor, architect, and owner were in such constant communication throughout the building phase…. Observing processes like these has taught me a lot about what it looks like to find efficient and effective solutions that everyone involved can agree on.”
—J.N.
With that mandate in place, Goody Clancy, an architecture firm that specializes in education design, began their work.
Principal/Student Life Practice leader Lisa Ferreira agrees that Winsor’s science wing was beginning to show its age aesthetically, but from her perspective, the bigger issue had to do with how the space limited their teaching options. Even though the footprint of the building couldn’t be expanded, she was determined to give faculty and students more flexibility within their classrooms. “They had fixed benches and tablet arms, so they had students going from one side of the classroom to the other, and it was just very tight,” remembers Ms. Ferreira. “The main driver was to allow instructors to teach differently and better. We swapped the positions of the chemistry and physics classrooms, and added an open-grid ceiling that can be used to suspend things, to demonstrate pendulums and forces.”
Goody Clancy works primarily in higher education, and much of what is being implemented at Winsor—movable benches, services that drop down from the ceiling, and maximized flexibility—is on par with what college campuses are constructing as well. “In some ways, I think it is the independent schools that are experimenting with pedagogy and that informs higher ed, as opposed to the other way around,” says Ms. Ferreira.
Not only will Winsor’s classrooms be more physically adaptable, they will also have a brighter, more airy ambiance. “What we’re hoping for is that you just feel like you can breathe more easily, that there’s daylight. It’s brighter, but still with some of the fun messiness that makes it a teaching and learning environment,” says Ms. Ferreira.
As she worked on the project, it was the Winsor community, rather than the experience of working with an all-female-led project, that particularly stood out to her. She points out that Goody Clancy, one of the first female-led architecture firms in Boston, is already a place where women very naturally assume leadership positions.
“We celebrated at an all-school meeting and showed the students that this was an all-female-led project,” she remembers. “I think that made us feel more of a team than maybe anything else, that Winsor made us part of their family in a way.”
After the assembly, she was approached by a Winsor student looking for advice on pursuing architecture.
“I think she might have been in fifth grade. So brave! I’m not sure I would have done that when I was her age,” she says. “But what I said to her was to just observe buildings, judge them for how they make people feel. I think for future architects, it’s important to keep your eyes open to how space affects you and other people.”
The Winsor
“We want to provide a worldclass science space to advance teaching and learning.”
KATE MARTUCCI, VICE PRESIDENT, LEGGAT MCCALL PROPERTIES
Winsor Science Wing Construction Video
Sophie Fleishman ’25 and Jemma Kuriyel ’25
Sophie and Jemma captured the major players and highlights of the renovation project, boiling down years of planning and months of concentrated on-site demolition and building by multiple teams into just 10 minutes of video.
“Through shadowing the team, we had to have a lot of independence. It was up to us to take the initiative and come into the science wing. Over time, we learned to be more brave and ask questions even if they felt stupid, to clarify our understanding. It was beneficial to be in an environment where going into it, we
WHEN A “SUMMER SLAMMER” STARTS DURING SPRING SEMESTER
Most schools try to schedule their renovations as “summer slammers” so that all the messy, loud, complicated work takes place while students are at camp, on the beach—anywhere except on campus. Consigli earned the construction contract in part because of their vast experience with this type of project, but from the very beginning everyone knew work would need to start while school was still in session.
“Initially, the contractor was thinking it would take 20 weeks,” says Mr. Crompton. “We have eight and a half [in the summer]. The solution was to start [during the school year] on second shift, and to do some Saturdays.”
For the last four weeks of the spring semester, teachers packed up their classrooms and fanned out across campus, with one class even temporarily relocating next door to Temple Israel. As students left for the day at 3:00 p.m., the construction crew would come in right behind them and work until 1:00 a.m.
While the intricate planning and expertise required by all of the facilities team and the contractors was extraordinary, Ms. Geromini insists that none of that could have happened without the collaboration and cooperation of the entire Winsor community.
“To take an academic program offline for four weeks of a school year is a tremendous feat in an urban, small campus,” she marvels. “The fact that the science faculty were able to sustain their teaching and student satisfaction and get these students out the door to graduation — that was really remarkable. The real accomplishment is what the students and members of the community did to make this project a success.”
LEADING THE CONSTRUCTION ORCHESTRA
Consigli Superintendent Kelley Townley describes her role on the job site as akin to the conductor in an orchestra. “We take the drawings, the time frame, the money, and I play that puzzle game out in the field. I coordinate with the different subcontractors for each trade: the electrician, the drywaller, the hvac guy, the flooring guy. It’s my job to make sure that they can all move in this space efficiently, effectively, and safely. Safety is my top priority at any time for us and the school.”
School is a place where Ms. Townley feels right at home, as she has spent the majority of her life either studying in one or building one. At Worcester Polytechnic Institute, she earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering and Bachelor of Arts in environmental and sustainable studies, and then continued on to get her master’s in science innovation and technologies for global development. All along the way, she was working, building, and
“I think for future architects, it’s important to keep your eyes open to how space affects you and other people.”
LISA FERREIRA, PRINCIPAL/STUDENT LIFE PRACTICE LEADER, GOODY CLANCY
knew so little. That taught us an important life skill of self-advocacy and being okay with the discomfort of being confused at times…. Additionally, we had to get all of our footage approved by the safety managers from Consigli, which was incredibly eye-opening to the strict safety standards that are mandated throughout a renovation like this one. It was a really cool experience to do something new that was completely outside of our Winsor education.”
—S.F. & J.K.
earning the credibility that empowered her to form an all-female team for the Winsor project.
“Credibility doesn’t come with the laundry list of degrees I have,” she says. “It comes with the guys trusting me and showing them that I’m prepared. Whether that’s in an email or it’s out in the field or it’s the way you look, people have faith that you can take care of them because you’re taking care of yourself and what you’re doing.”
In fact, taking care of people is exactly how she starts her days. Every morning, she gathers her team and they take time to physically stretch together, preparing their bodies to work safely. Then she does a walk-through of the site, looking for safety hazards and ensuring that her team has what they need, where they need it.
Structure, clarity, the ability to make decisions on the fly—these are the qualities that a good superintendent brings to the job, Ms. Townley insists, regardless of gender. Her hope is that more girls will discover, like her, that construction is “a ton of fun” and find their way into the field.
“I won’t say it’s all great. You always have a bad apple. But it’s such a fun industry to be in…. It’s so rewarding to see things get built. This industry has so much room for growth. Girls can do the fun things, girls can drive the big trucks,” she laughs. And she should know: she drives the biggest truck in Winsor’s lot these days.
She too, was inspired by the atmosphere she experienced at Winsor and by the students and staff that she met. From the all-school assembly, to stand-up meetings with the facilities staff and other leadership, she reflects that, “Winsor has cultivated something here where even visitors know they aren’t just looking for the man in the room. There’s a certain level of comfort and confidence that comes from that, and that’s instilled in the girls.”
NEW YEAR, NEW SPACE
Throughout the spring and summer, Winsor staff and their external teams worked with the discipline and camaraderie of professionals who know that no matter what, the job has to be done to perfection before the fall semester begins.
The project wrapped up much in the same way it began, with visions of how students and faculty are going to make the most of every new possibility the revitalized space offers. In mid-August, faculty once again accessed the science wing, with just enough time to make their classrooms their own again and dream up new possibilities for their curriculum.
With the rest of the Winsor community now in the science wing this fall, “They’re saying, ‘Wow,’” says Ms. Geromini. “It’s the new shiny penny on campus. It’s bright, it’s beautiful, it’s innovative. Now that they actually sit at their desks, they are seeing the different types of instructions, labs and experiments. It’s a game changer.”
The Winsor Bulletin
ALUMN Æ BOARD
2025–26
President Meghan Weeks ’04
Vice-President
Armine Afeyan ’08
Secretary Ambika Patni ’98
Members at Large Fatima Aziz ’06
Holly Breuer ’14
CO-CHAIR, YOUNG ALUMNAE COMMITTEE
Alison Geyer ’75
Ashley Marlenga Herbst ’01
Elizabeth Flint Hooker ’95
Danielle Johns ’05
Katherine McCord ’02
CO-CHAIR, ALUMNAE GIVING
Johanna Mendillo ’96
Alexandra Mitropoulos ’08
Nell O’Donnell ’81
Elizabeth-Anne Finn Payne ’05
Sarah Marlenga Powers ’05
Lacey Janet Rose ’06
Jennifer Slingerland Skeele ’71, P’98, ’02
Robin Smith ’74
Elizabeth Tillman ’83
Alexis Hasiotis Wintersteen ’91
Claire (Vicky) Wiseman ’83
Ex-Officio
Past President
Erica Mayer ’91, P’25
Co-Chair, Alumnae Giving Caitlin Crowe ’89
Co-Chair, Alumnae Giving
Julia Livingston ’66, P’85, ’07
Co-Chair, Young Alumnae Committee
Anushree Gupta ’13
Director of Engagement and Events
Becky Withiam
Assistant Director of Alumnae Engagement
Myriam Poznar
A Modern Look at the Auction World
While Winsor hosts alumnae events coast to coast, some are close to home. A demure green awning and golden plaque point visitors to Grogan & Company’s Beacon Hill gallery space. Tucked into the first block of Charles Street, the fine art and jewelry auction house is just steps from the Boston Public Garden and the Boston Common.
georgina winthrop ’09, owner and president of Grogan & Company, has been at the firm since 2014. Today, she is the company’s principal auctioneer, oversees company operations, and manages the appraisal, research, and cataloguing of both fine art and fine jewelry for auction. On a quiet evening in April, more than 30 Winsor alumnae and their guests came to meet Georgina and her extraordinary all-female team for an inside look at the auction world and for a chance to have their own items appraised.
There are four reasons someone might sell at auction, Georgina told attendees during a brief presentation, “In the industry, we are taught about the four Ds: death, debt, divorce, and downsizing.” She’s witnessed all sorts of scenarios in her career—a painting can’t be divided among four children, moving from 10,000 square feet to a studio apartment—where clients need liquidity.
But why buy at auction? “It’s an open marketplace,” explains Georgina. “If you go into a jewelry store or a gallery, there’s an asking price that you have to pay. Whereas at auction, the bidding starts at a certain very low amount and proceeds upwards until there is only one person left who wants to pay that price. It’s what’s called ‘the fair market value’ of an item.”
And since it’s not a museum, part of the fun of an auction is also being able to touch the paintings and try on the jewelry—something Winsor alumnae and guests were able to experience ahead of the auction for “A Celebration of Color: The Saundra B. Lane Jewelry Collection.” The collection was sold to benefit the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The proceeds, which buyers from across the globe ultimately drove to a total of $3 million, will establish the Saundra B. Lane Fund for Jewelry and shape the museum’s jewelry collection for generations to come. “We’re very proud of the fact that the MFA picked us to sell the collection,” said Georgina, who is also vice chair of the Steering Committee for the Museum Council at MFA. All 97 lots in the auction found buyers, with more than half the lots selling above their pre-sale estimates.
There’s been a tangible shift in the auction market, and also in Grogan & Company’s business model, since the auction house opened in 1987. It used to be typical for a regional auction house to sell the whole house top to bottom—rugs, silver, clocks, furniture, tables and chairs, all antiques. With the advent of the internet in the 2000s, people realized their possessions were not rare. As baby boomers inherited the table and 12 chairs that belonged to grandma, for example, they experienced low demand. Simply put, buyers today do not want, nor do they have need for, traditional items like a large dining set, because they are living in smaller spaces, not settling down or moving every few years.
“The market was flooded in the early 2000s with these traditional collecting categories,” explains Georgina. As a result, prices plummeted. “We look at appraisals that we did in the ’90s and we literally have to move the decimal point. These items are worth 10% of what they used to be.” While that can be a challenging reality for people to face, especially with cherished items on the line, “there are other ways to think about value,” says Georgina, “sentimental value, family value…these things are still special and old and handmade.”
Georgina Winthrop ’09
With auction values changing, as a business, Grogan & Company had to adapt, too. The auction house moved their headquarters from Dedham to their current location on Beacon Hill. Out went the grandfather clocks and sideboards, things that were a little hard to fit in a 2,500-square-foot gallery. “We made the decision to really specialize when we moved to this smaller location in 2014,” says Georgina, “We decided to focus specifically on estate jewelry, American paintings, and Oriental rugs.”
Not only did their inventory change, the way they conducted auctions did, too. Instead of 75 people jockeying in a room, “on sale day, we are seeing maybe 15 bidders in person, and the rest is just our auctioneers, a webcam, and the world watching,” explains Georgina. Auctions at Grogan & Company are livestreamed by thousands of people watching from the comfort of their homes or from the sidelines of their kids’ soccer games. “Livestreaming is a phenomenon that really revolutionized our industry at the beginning of the pandemic,” she says. “The businesses that were set up to have this technology were able to jump ahead in reaching thousands more people than we used to be able to.”
It’s also leveled the playing field for buyers. “I think previously someone in California or in England would feel like, ‘What am I not getting? Or what do I not know because I’m not there in person to look at the item or to talk to the specialist or bid in the room and make eye contact with the auctioneer?’” Now Georgina and her staff are FaceTiming buyers ahead of sales, sending photos and videos, and answering questions.
Indeed, buyers have more ways than ever to gather information and make a bid. Yes, they can bid in person, but also over the phone and online. If the sale is happening at an inconvenient time or if the buyer is afraid they’ll get carried away, an absentee bid allows a buyer to advance a maximum bid that keeps them in the
running up until that threshold.
Georgina cautions buyers to remember that their invoice will include more than their bid amount. Auction houses make money by charging a buyer’s premium, which is industry standard. A practice that Christie’s and Sotheby’s started in the late ’70s and early ’80s, the buyer’s premium is an additional 25% on top of the hammer price. “And if you live in Massachusetts,” quips Georgina, “you’ve got to pay sales tax, too.”
Throughout the industry, there can be other fees, as well. Some auction houses charge to bid online, notes Georgina. “They’re passing on
Above, L to R: Katie Quinn ’07, Susie Dillon ’07, Perry Blank ’07, Kerry Noonan ’07, Casey Brock-Wilson ’07, Nora Kennedy ’07.
Below: Jane Hoffman ’80.
those expenses of having that functionality on their website.” Shipping is another fee that buyers sometimes neglect, and Georgina herself is not immune. She once bought a mirror for the mantelpiece of her apartment from an auction house in New Jersey. “I felt like I got this great deal. And then the shipping cost more than what the item cost,” she recalls. “So pay attention to where the item is coming from, also how much it weighs. We’ve had instances where someone buys a bronze, but then no one has the special equipment to get it out of here.”
Georgina also has advice for what buyers should consider in advance of bidding on an item. Aside from the facts and figures—for paintings: artist, size, medium; for jewelry: carat weight, known maker, diameter of the bracelet, etc.—she encourages people to go deeper and think critically, and really do their homework. Making sure the painting is authentic, for example, can be a time-intensive process. “Often for significant artists, there’s an individual or a committee who has to give their blessing to a painting before it can be sold,” explains Georgina. In some cases, authentication by committee is only offered once a year. “There’s more lead time than you might think from taking something out of a home to getting it ready for prime-time to be seen by the world,” she says. It’s important that all parties—auction house, seller, and buyer—are aware of what needs to happen for a specific piece and ensure that it has happened prior to it being sold. Aside from authenticity, condition and quality are important factors too. “These paintings are, in some cases, 200 years old, so you expect them to have some condition issues, but you want to ask, has there been restoration, is there damage, what does the condition report disclose?” reminds Georgina. With paintings, quality is both about good, better, best—and also understanding where this painting falls in the artist’s body of work. “Is it a still life and the art-
ist really is better known for landscapes? Maybe that means you don’t want to spend as much,” says Georgina, who credits a Winsor education with developing her skills to succeed in this role.
“It’s research skills,” says Georgina of her work in the art world. “It’s part knowing where to look and whom to contact.” While she has a Rolodex of experts, she also credits the advent of technology with “flattening of the art world,” saying, “I can email a person in Germany who is the person for this German artist and, while I’ve never talked to her before, we can have a very productive correspondence about a painting,” she explains.
For jewelry, the focus is more on certification. The quality of gemstones comes from a third-party scientific opinion, quite different from the research component for paintings. Long before they’re assigned a lot number in an auction, colored stones (sapphires, rubies, emeralds, etc.) are sent to a gem lab in New York called the American Gemological Laboratory, the AGL. Following a chemical analysis that identifies where in the world the stone was mined, the AGL provides a certificate of origin and information about whether the stone has been heat treated to enhance the beauty or the richness of the color. For diamonds, buyers should be expecting to see a certificate from the Gemological Institute of America detailing cut, color, clarity, and carat weight.
Georgina encourages buyers to ask themselves, am I going to find something just like this a week from now, a year from now? Or is this my only chance to have this thing? These sorts of questions that can only be answered if a buyer has done their homework. And while buyers can consider the tangible, it’s perhaps the intangibles that make auctions exciting. “If it reminds you of your childhood home, or this necklace is just like one that your grandmother wore every day, there are a thousand different emotional reasons why something is worth more to one person than to the next,” says Georgina. She notes, “That’s where the fun of an auction really begins, when there are two people who have done all their homework, they know what an item is worth, and they’re just going to keep bidding.”
Annie Lewis ’03 and Jane Hoeffel Otte ’57, P’84, ’86, GP’25
Photographs by John Gillooly
“That’s where the fun of an auction really begins, when there are two people who have done all their homework, they know what an item is worth, and they’re just going to keep bidding.”
GEORGINA WINTHROP ’09, OWNER AND PRESIDENT OF GROGAN & COMPANY
Alumnae were invited to bring their own small items to the event and have them appraised through an expert’s eye. Using loupes and handling people’s treasures with care, Georgina, who has completed coursework at the GIA and is USPAP (Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice) compliant through 2027, as well as Gallery Director and Senior Specialist Claudia Deeley, who holds a degree from the GIA in jewelry, diamonds, and colored stones and is USPAP compliant through 2026, examined everything from coins to cameos. “What collectors look for in coins is irregularity, a mistake at the foundry,” Claudia told Lindsey miller santiago ’03, before promising to share a coin expert’s contact information for further exploration. Cameos are “hard to sell in today’s mar-
ket,” she told another alumna, “but keep it for sentimental reasons.”
The appraisals yielded a few unexpected boons—a peridot and diamond brooch that belonged to an alumna’s aunt was appraised at $3,000–$5,000. A bombé-style cocktail ring jane hoffman ’80’s father commissioned for her mother features an old European cut single diamond surrounded by an outer rim of baguette diamonds. While examining the ring from every angle, Claudia casually shared style history including the fact that the dome and spray form was originally popular in the 1890–1930s but had a resurgence in the 1970–1980s when Jane’s father had the ring made. Claudia appraised the piece at $2,000–$3,000 at auction.
“This was really fun,” Jane said, laughing.
Above: Georgina Winthrop ’09 and Jennie Skeele ’71, P’98, ’02. Opposite: Anne Ruggles ’85 and Orla Pujado ’85.
Hundreds of Alumnæ Join Virtual Art Tours
As an historian, educator, and longtime museum docent, Julie Roy Jeffrey ’58 sometimes thinks she knows a painting or sculpture quite well. But since developing and sharing themed tours of the Walters Art Museum, first in person and then over Zoom during the COVID-19 pandemic, she has found herself engaging with familiar pieces in new ways.
Julie began offering these virtual tours to her Winsor classmates during lockdown, and this year, she partnered with the school to offer them to the entire alumnae community. The response has been enthusiastic—especially among alumnae who remember the art history sequence that provided an interdisciplinary perspective during their time at Winsor. But alumnae from various eras, Julie says, have been intrigued and delighted by the tours.
“It gives people a chance to do something they can’t always do, whether in the Boston area or elsewhere,” Julie says of the tours’ appeal. “The Walters is a more important museum than many people realize, and it’s located in Baltimore, which is not part of everyone’s travel plans. But I think having someone develop a meaningful way to look at the art from any museum is very attractive.”
Julie’s series of three Zoom lectures, each with a different focus, examines a handful of pieces and “touches on both educational and artistic themes that Winsor grads enjoy,” she says. “Placing a painting in its cultural and artistic context is very stimulating. It offers an opportunity for me to dig deeply, and I enjoy that research as I’m developing a tour. And for attendees, a coherent, or perhaps unexpected, way of thinking about the art is very interesting.”
Julie is working on her next series, one she says may include highlights from the Walters’
jewelry collection, which dates back to ancient Mesopotamia.
She’s also considering a lecture on images of beauty, and how artistic standards of beauty have both influenced and been influenced by female viewers of artistic works.
Now a docent at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Julie is also enjoy-
ing the chance to explore a different museum’s collection.
“The policy of giving docents the freedom to develop their own tours has been very important to me,” she says. “Both the Walters and the Smithsonian have broadened the way I think about art.” Through her virtual tours, Julie is doing the same for the Winsor community.
Daydreams by French artist Thomas Couture, c. 1859. Acquired by William T. Walters, 1887, The Walters Art Museum.
Always Learning, Always Growing
“Winsor graduates do love their opportunities to be in a learning environment, and to talk about literature,” notes jennie skeele ’71, p’98, ’02, retired English faculty. As part of her work with the Winsor Alumnae Board’s Education Committee, Jennie tapped two fellow former faculty, Judy Robbins and Tyler Knowles, to lead a virtual discussion about a series of selected poems. The event, which took place on Zoom in February, drew more than 60 alums from around the world who were eager to listen, ask questions, and offer their own reflections on poetry and its impact on their lives.
“I run into a lot of alumnae at Winsor events, and they’re always asking for more events that focus on learning,” noted Jennie, who led a popular virtual discussion of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice last year. “We have this stable of extraordinary teachers at Winsor, both current and retired, and I knew Tyler and Judy would be a perfect fit. They are a dynamic pair—they both read and think magnificently, but they don’t always agree. I knew it would be wonderful if we could tap into that dynamic.”
Because of the high level of interest for the discussion, Jennie says, the format shifted from a roundtable conversation with participants to more of a fireside chat between Judy and Tyler, with participants offering comments and feedback via the Zoom chat. “People were just delighted,” Jennie says. “They were so excited to listen to these two wonderful
teachers—and readers—talk about wonderful poetry together.”
Jennie herself recalls being a student at Winsor under Judy, who “inspired me to love literature and be just like her when I grew up.” She notes that her experience is common: “Many alumnae truly value the discussions we had about literature at Winsor, because of our wonderful teachers, our roundtable style of teaching, and the environment where everyone’s ideas are welcome. Some alumnae have said that even their college classes couldn’t measure up! It was wonderful to offer a bit of this experience again to alumnae.”
on the Winsor Alumnae Board, Jennie and the board’s education committee have plans to expand the virtual education series, tapping faculty members in other departments at Winsor to offer future sessions focused on science, history, or other disciplines. She’s also collaborating with an alumna on a Charles Dickens reading project, and is excited to see what other doors may open.
“It says so much about the alumnae population from Winsor,” Jennie says of the enthusiasm for these online discussions. “They are hungry to continue learning and make time for it, even when they have their own incredibly busy lives.”
Many alumnae truly value the discussions we had about literature at Winsor, because of our wonderful teachers, our roundtable style of teaching, and the environment where everyone’s ideas are welcome.”
JENNIE SKEELE ’71, P’98, ’02
A Legacy That Lives On: Amelia Peabody 1908
This spring, the Dover Historical Society mounted an exhibition highlighting the work of philanthropist and sculptor Amelia Peabody 1908. Titled “Amelia Peabody: Artist, Philanthropist, and Visionary,” the exhibition presented several sculptures by Amelia, including bronze, plaster, and ceramic pieces, some with a political slant. After leaving Winsor, Amelia studied art in Paris and New York, and spent time studying at Boston’s School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Northeastern University. She exhibited pieces at prestigious locations around the country, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Whitney Museum of Art, and the Boston Athenaeum; several of those pieces were included in the Dover exhibition. The exhibition kicked off with a lecture by Judy Schulz at the society’s annual general meeting, focusing on Amelia’s dedication to multiple endeavors: artistic work, animal husbandry (she bred Hereford cattle, Thoroughbred horses, and
Yorkshire pigs), and various forms of charitable work. Drawing on her experiences as a patient at a sanatorium in Marblehead, where making art helped her heal from a severe depressive episode, Amelia pioneered art therapy programs for wounded soldiers in her capacity as chairman of the Arts and Skills Service of the American Red Cross. She later taught occupational arts to returning soldiers, served on the boards of several Boston-area medical institutions, and established a trust that continues her work to this day. Presently, two foundations bearing Amelia’s name continue to support the causes she loved. The Amelia Peabody Foundation continues to support and innovate services for disadvantaged youth across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund gives grants to qualified non-profit organizations in Massachusetts in medicine (human and animal), social welfare, visual arts, historic preservation, and land conservation.
Amina Edwards Bulman ’11 Joins the Front Office
The brand-new Boston Legacy FC women’s soccer team hired Amina Edwards Bulman ’11 as its first chief revenue officer. Before joining Boston Legacy FC, Amina—a graduate of Yale University and Harvard Business School—had most recently worked as chief brand and strategy officer of the Washington Commanders, where she oversaw strategy, marketing, and community engagement for the club, as well as managing a high-profile rebrand when the team changed its name from the Redskins.
Amina’s role with Boston Legacy FC will draw on her experience handling multiple facets of a sports team’s operations, as well as her longtime commitment to women’s sports. A former rower for Yale and a three-time Boston Marathon runner, Amina told the Boston Globe that women’s soccer “deserves investment.” Speaking about the city’s overhaul of White Stadium, Amina added, “It’s time for female athletes to get the resources they need,” and noted her excitement that the club’s investment in Franklin Park will also create new opportunities for Boston Public School athletes and local community members.
As Boston Legacy prepares for its debut season (at Gillette Stadium, since the White Stadium renovation is ongoing), Amina will oversee the club’s revenue streams, commercial partnerships, branding and marketing, and all elements of the ticketing and guest experience process. She calls the chance to work with Boston Legacy “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” citing Boston’s “strong sports culture” and its rate of participation in youth soccer—the highest in the country. She’s also looking ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will take place in Boston, and hoping to build on the excitement of fans in Boston and beyond.
The recently unveiled logo for Boston Legacy is an eight-feathered swan, a design that evokes the angled lines of the Zakim Bridge and the swan boats in the Boston Public Garden. For Amina, the choice of emblem means something more: a “wonderful mix of grace and grit” that captures the ethos of women’s sports.
“Swans are loyal, they’re fierce, and they’re determined,” Amina told the Globe. The same could be said of the fledgling Boston Legacy team, and of Amina herself.
Amina Edwards Bulman ’11
Amelia Peabody 1908
Emeline Daley ’24 Wins Award for ILE Project
Now a student in chemistry and public policy at the University of Virginia, Emeline Daley ’24 spent a month at the Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA) during her senior year at Winsor. Her Independent Learning Project (ILE) focused on fieldwork and testing as part of CRWA’s work to protect and improve the Charles River and its watershed. The work was so meaningful that Emeline received the CRWA 2024 Young Leaders Award. The daughter of a climate scientist, Emeline is passionate about preserving and protecting the earth for future generations.
Far right: Emeline Daley ’24
Alumnæ Weekend
Alumnæ Return to Reconnect and Celebrate
This year’s Alumnae Weekend featured a jam-packed schedule of events designed to welcome alums back to campus, celebrate their accomplishments (individually and collectively), and encourage them to continue contributing to Winsor and the world. Shared meals and award receptions highlighted Winsor alums, faculty, and other members of the school community, while a series of master classes gave attendees the chance to learn something new.
The Alumnae Weekend luncheon included remarks from several members of the Alumnae Board, plus a report on events and fundraising for the year. ashley marlenga herbst ’01, outgoing president of the Winsor Alumnae Board, kicked off the event with remarks and the announcement of the slate of officers for 2025–26. This year’s slate includes new board member at large alexandra mitropoulos ’08 ; secretary ambika patni ’98 ; vice president armine afeyan ’08; and incoming president meghan weeks ’04
The luncheon continued with the presentation of two
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50th REUNION Class of 1975
(L-R): Rachael Schneider Barabell, Cindy MacLean, Susan Rice, Alison Butler Geyer, Sara Oliver Swaim, Maria Pope Rowley, Elizabeth Tillinghast, Lorraine Nelson, Martha Dineen Wales, Marla Altschuler Robinson, Sarah Leggat, Kristin Harris, Irene LeMessurier, Jeannette Herrmann, Elizabeth desCognets Champagne. Seated (L-R): Kay Rosenberg Bourgine, Josefina Bondoc DeBaere, Diana Newton Wood.
25th REUNION Class of 2000
Standing (L to R): Melissa Bond, Liane Young, Andreea Stefanescu Knudson, Sarah McGarrell, Brigitte Libby, Joya Banerjee, Kate Glynn, Alana McLaughlin, Rachel Safran. Seated (L to R): Elizabeth Quinn, Gwendolyn Warren, Sophia Guglietti Culpepper, Kamaya Prince Thompson, Ana Rosansky Appignani.
(L-R): Chuckie Raye Blaney, Hester Moore Brooks, Clara Mack Wainwright, Sally Murray Crissman, Martha Frigoletto, Anne Wallace Grace.
❺
60th REUNION
Class of 1965
Seated (L to R): Sandy Steele, Gail Peabody Smith, Wendy Burns Conquest, Deborah Gannett Brooks, Kate Merritt. Standing (L to R): Susan Deland Livesay, Penny Edwards Cohen, Sandra Winsor Moore, Tammy Gardner, Eleanor Motley Richardson, Alice Wellington, Elizabeth Wright Parrot, Nancy Kahn, Henrietta Barnes, Martha Stanbury, Grace Winsor Bates, Susan Jackson Stillman, Tamson Gardner, Elizabeth Wright Parrot.
❻
55th REUNION
Class of 1970
Around the table (L to R): Leslie Blake Jordan, Leslie Powell Knowles, Lisa Johnson Lawsing, Susanna Kenney Russo, Millie Thayer, Carrie Hollingsworth, Sarah Putnam, Nancy Grossman, Carolyn Cain Ware, Linda Nardi Gilman, Martha Rappaport Meyers, Lise Merrill Pratt, Linsey Lee, Whitney Ray Dawson, Sukey
awards: first, the Alumnae Service Award, presented by thenHead of School Sarah Pelmas to jane hoe f fel otte ’57, p’84, ’86, gp’25. Jane, a longtime literary agent and Winsor’s former—and first—director of publications, also served as the school’s first archivist. She also led a master class on the archives alongside her daughter and fellow archivist, margaret otte warren ’84, during Alumnae Weekend. “Winsor is thriving, thanks to Jane,” Ms. Pelmas declared, noting that “Jane knows everything—and if she doesn’t, she knows just how to find it.”
Myriam Poznar, assistant director of alumnae engagement, announced this year’s Young Alumnae Award recipient: anushree gupta ’13 , co-chair of the Young Alumnae Committee and Alumnae Co-Chair on the Annual Giving Committee. During her time on the committee, Anu has helped revitalize alum engagement after the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among younger alums. Myriam praised Anu’s “steady presence, thoughtful contributions, and quiet leadership,” and her commitment to supporting alum engagement and giving.
After lunch, panels and roundtables invited both reflection and discovery. The Class of 2000’s Alum Panel Discussion: Winsor Recollections gathered kaitlin (yaremchuk) gastrock ’00, sonya quinlan-khan ’00, sarah mcgarrell ’00 , and kamaya prince thompson ’00, with aandreea stefanescu knudson ’00 as moderator.
Stone Farmer. Photo taken by Lea Donovan Watson. Arrived later: Alison Richardson and Marianna Cooper Howland, Harriet Nelson Stenzel.
45th REUNION Class of 1980
Back row (L to R): Beth Peterson, Allie Morse, Louise Tilney Moore, Macie Finkelstein Himmel. Middle Row (L to R): Kate Baker-Carr, Martha Potts Fishman, Meral Dabcovich, Emily Coughlin. Front Row (L to R): Jan Shifren, Carla Cataldo, Elissa Gordet Franco, Alicia Downey.
40th REUNION
Class of 1985
Back row (L-R):
Maisie Fritze Pollard, Karen
Dusseault Monroe, Martha Lees, Julia Osborne Porrazzo, Jennifer Pierce Barr, Lindsay Brace Martinez, Cindy Peterson Hamblett, Anne Swinton
Ruggles, Connaught
O’Donnell Colbert, and Kathy Harding.
Front row: Kate McIntosh, Orla O’Riordan Pujado, Stacey Watson, Jina Randazzo Klapisch.
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35th REUNION
Class of 1990
Mitzi Peterson ’90, P’17, ’20 and Carolyn Peter.
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20th REUNION
Class of 2005
Back row (L-R:)
Danielle Johns (red blazer), Katie Creel, Emma Rose Kiefer Rainville, Tanya Khan, Anna Moriarty, Elissa Berwick, Kathryn Quirk, Victoria Bell Aisenberg, Kate O’Donnell, Stephanie Brenman-Reed. Middle row (L-R): Sarah Pollack, Melissa Kaufman Nixon, Sarah Marlenga Powers, Dana Miller, Olivia Tandon, Sara Teichholtz, Blair Hurley, Emily Shire.
Front row (L-R): Claudia Lux, Elisabeth Kramer, Gillian Marino, Emma Gillespie Cox, Emily Swaim Ranaghan, Abigail Ingalls, Mary Noonan Quirk, Rhea Ghosh, Rebecca Alper.
Together, they painted a vivid picture of their Winsor years— celebrating friendships, challenges, and lessons learned—and spoke candidly about how those experiences continue to shape their lives and careers. Later, the spotlight turned to today’s students in a spirited roundtable with the Debate Team and longtime Debate Coach jean berg p’77, ’81, ’85, who has mentored students at Winsor for more than four decades. The discussion highlighted the team’s recent achievements and the invaluable lessons Ms. Berg has instilled in generations of debaters, while also giving current students the chance to exchange questions and insights with alums. That intergenerational dialogue proved to be a highlight—complemented by campus tours led by current students, who wove together stories of what has changed at Winsor and what remains timeless.
The weekend’s master classes included Jane and Margaret’s deep dive into the Winsor archives, which shared highlights from the school’s collection of ephemera, records, photos, and other treasures. Attendees were then invited to help solve mysteries: labeling photos, adding to the archives’ store of knowledge.
Alumna maia monteagudo ’06, lmhc , led an expressive art therapy session entitled “Empower Your Family Through Wellness and Art,” demonstrating several tools the Winsor Wellness Department uses to support students and help them heal and express themselves through art. Attendees were encouraged to
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try the techniques for themselves.
Finally, Ms. Pelmas, who holds a Ph.D. in rhetoric, taught a class focusing on Jesus as a literary figure. Inspired by her Winsor English course, The Bible as Literature, she combined history, literary criticism, and critical thinking to guide alumnae through the particular portraits of Jesus drawn by each of the Gospel writers.
Following a lively twohour cocktail party complete with signature drinks, this year’s Alumnae Dinner included remarks from outgoing Winsor Alumnae Board president ashley marlenga herbst ’01, plus a report on the historic Winsor Leads campaign, which has already raised more than $76 million to support the school’s work. Ms. Pelmas presented the Julia Lyman Simonds Award to Sarah Leggat ’75, praising her as “the essence of loyalty and team spirit,” and remained at the podium to receive her own honors from the Winsor Alum-
nae Association. Ashley praised Sarah’s vision, dedication, and sense of humor, declaring her an honorary alumna.
The evening continued with remarks from Kate Glynn ’00 and Martha Dineen Wales ’75, celebrating their 25th and 50th reunions, respectively. Kate spoke of the “deep joy” she shared and witnessed as her classmates reunited, and urged the audience to carry forward their most vital Winsor lessons: critical thinking, self-expression, public speaking, and—crucially—empathy and care. Martha urged the crowd to “think critically with compassion, act effectively with diplomacy, and act courageously with humility.” Winsor alumnae, Martha noted, have a responsibility to “keep [those gifts] coming and share [them] with the world.”
The weekend was a multilayered celebration of those gifts, and an encouragement to all attendees to continue Winsor’s important work beyond Pilgrim Road.
The Class of 2020 gathered with their families for a 5th-reunion dinner on campus. Many advisors attended, relishing opportunities to reconnect with former students. To read the full story, go to winsor.edu/news. 8
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15th REUNION
Class of 2010
Back row (L to R): Susannah Shipton, Catherine Mankiw, Willa Howe, Taleen Afeyan, Marisa Bulkeley, Kylie Lucas Ho, Sommers Kline. Front row, seated (L to R): Alison Conway Fitzgerald, Erin Driscoll, Hayley Dwight, Annie Fox.
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5th REUNION
Class of 2020
Back row (L to R): Sophie Yates, Maggie Furlong, Emily Kish, Lara Simshauser, Caroline Nolan, Eva Shin. Seated (L to R): Rachel Place, Nicole Masuoka.
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surgery. Sometimes they are about career pivots and making new business connections. Sometimes they are about the merits of the Oxford comma.
Kim and Cindy say the class’s extraordinary connection has been the key to its fundraising success. In addition to the endowed fund, Winsor Giving Day is a big moment for the class each year. “That is a day when we just come together and start chatting over email and Facebook and get caught up on each other’s lives,” explains Kim. Launched in 2019, Winsor Giving Day is a 24-hour online event that galvanizes the Winsor community to make gifts of any size. The goal is to get the whole community involved. For the Class of 1987, the positive feelings classmates have about each other and the school translate into giving. Indeed the class is often at the top of the leaderboard on Giving Day, with participation numbers well over 60% and some years over 70%.
Now in their 50s, the women’s Winsor friendships mean more than ever. “No matter what situation anyone is in...we see our classmates as 17-year-olds and hopeful and full of life and potential. It’s just so invigorating that that’s how we see each other. We’re able to support each other, understand each other, and really believe in each other,” Cindy says. And that’s a tremendous gift indeed. Class of ’87 Makes an
Winsor Makes Its Case at National Mock Trial Competition
Along with faculty advisor eve elizondo ’17, nearly a dozen Winsor students traveled to Phoenix, Arizona, to compete on the national stage: nika bigelow ’25, tenney bluman ’26, elizabeth fitzpatrick ’25, elyse hychong ’26, bella holt ’27, amber lan ’25, julia nephew ’25, kendal pauyo ’26, bonnie shao ’27, charlotte wheler ’27, and emily zhang ’25
Longtime supporters and attorney coaches david weingarten p’08, p’12 and ken leonetti p’20 guided students through practices, scrimmages, prosecution, defense, cross examinations, and rebuttals. In total, 47 teams from across the nation competed. Ultimately, Winsor’s mock trial team finished in 21st place.
What is something people are surprised to learn about mock trial?
It is a team sport through and through—and a fantastic spectator sport at that.
Was it a close competition?
Very. With a record of two wins and two extremely close losses, we were a mere ballot away from placing within the top 10! On the first day, our prosecution team locked into the longest and hardest trial of the competition against Georgia’s Decatur High School, a mock trial powerhouse. We lost by a hair, but were neck and neck with a team that placed fourth.
What sort of roles do people play?
Winsor will be assigned prosecution or defense. Typically there are three lawyers and three wit-
nesses for each side. The lawyers will deliver an opening statement and closing argument, as well as direct and cross examinations. Lawyers usually do a combination of roles at nationals. For example, Emily did a direct examination, a cross examination, and the closing argument for the defense. On prosecution, she did a direct examination and a cross examination. Each task or role requires a different skill set. Some favorite witnesses from this case:
3 Elizabeth’s portrayal of juvenile-delinquent-turned-journalist, and on the other side, a 72-year-old true-crime podcaster accused of attempted murder
3 Tenney’s investigative journalist and attempted-murder victim
3 Charlotte’s quirky, quick-witted portrayal of a disgraced cop and long-lost cousin of the accused
Are there awards?
There are awards at the closing ceremony for top teams and standout attorneys. Additionally, at the end of each trial, teams exchange sportsmanship awards to celebrate each other’s strengths. After facing off against the College Preparatory School of America, the Chicago competitors awarded Bonnie the Star Attorney Award, and celebrated Bella with the Star Witness Award for an iconic portrayal of beck (“that’s a lowercase b. No middle name, no last name. Just beck.”). This sophomore dynamic duo stole the show with a highly entertaining direct examination, making all three judges laugh multiple times.
Illustration by Abbey Lossing
“Winsor remains the most formative educational experience that I’ve had.”
For President of the Alumnae Board Meghan Weeks ’04, Winsor is the place that opened doors, nurtured community, and instilled values she still carries today.
“My experience in the sciences was profound in opening up an academic world that had interested me since childhood,” she recalls. Physics classes in particular lit the way that eventually led her to architecture and historic preservation. She credits inspiring teachers like Institutional Researcher and Science Faculty Denise Labieniec and Visual Arts Department Head Sara Macaulay for mentorship that stretched far beyond the classroom. “[Sara’s] constant advocacy for opportunities outside of Winsor set us on a clearer path for our ultimate careers,” she says.
Faculty weren’t alone in their impact; Meghan’s connection to the larger community was also deep.
“You really felt like everybody was keeping an eye on each other,” she reflects. “From classmates to faculty to staff in every corner of the school, that sense of community was foundational for me. It solidified the importance of inclusion and listening—values that continue to guide me personally and professionally.”
That enduring influence is why she chose to include Winsor in her estate plans at a relatively young age. “When I was making decisions for the future, I thought about the organizations that had been most impactful in my life. Winsor was a no-brainer,” she says.
“Even having gone through stages of higher education, Winsor remains the most formative educational experience that I’ve had. And I see the potential for so many students in opening their world in the same way that it opened my own.”
Meghan’s philosophy on giving is humble and inclusive. “Philanthropy can happen at all levels,” she says. “I have no illusions of grandeur, but I think no matter what you’re doing, it gives you a sense of purpose if you can support causes you care about. For me, Winsor has always been at the top of that list.”
Have you remembered Winsor in your will or retirement plan? Let us know and we’ll welcome you to the Lamp of Learning Society.
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
If you have received this for your alumna daughter who is living elsewhere, please let us know by contacting Alumnae Relations at (617) 912-1321 or alumnae@winsor.edu.
“A
lot of input from the students and science faculty was really key to building a great project that will last another 35 years.”
