Winston Prep 2024 Spring Celebration Journal

THE POSSIBLE

PROGRAM & JOURNAL

THE EDISON BALLROOM

Friday, May 3, 2024 | 6:30-10:30pm

THIS EVENING’S PROGRAM

Cocktails & Hors d’Oeuvres

Silent Auction

Dinner & Presentation

Welcome

Scott Bezsylko Executive Director

Alumnus Remarks

Jair Brooks-Davis

Winston Prep New York Class of 2016

Special Live Appeal

Winston Preparatory School Faculty Development

Student Music Performance

featuring New York’s The Session

Raffle Drawing

Dessert, Live Music, and Dancing

Live Music

Suzanne Lorie Entertainment

Board of Trustees

Joseph M. Rault III Board President

Trustees

Amory Donohue

Suzanne Engel

Andrea Geisser

Chris Petillo

Constance Pond

Tracy Rosen

Robert Smith

Chris Spofford

Mark Unthank

Dan Weissman

Scott Bezsylko Executive Director

Sandy Hagerty Head of School, New York

Stephanie Zabar Head of School, Connecticut

Erica Piche Head of School, New Jersey

Jeremy Antar Head of School, Winston Transitions NY

Keith Oncale Head of School, Long Island

Kristen Atkins Head of School, San Francisco

Jaclyn Siegel Head of School, Winston Online

Jeff Beauregard Head of School, Winston Transitions SF

Elizabeth Mendelsohn Director, Winston Innovation Lab

A Message from Scott Bezsylko, Executive Director

Dear parents, alumni, friends, and faculty,

Our Board of Trustees and the Winston Prep campus leadership join me in welcoming you to the Spring Celebration 2024. It is always a highlight of the school year when we come together as one community to celebrate our students, our families, and our faculty.

Tonight, we also celebrate the incredible developments that Winston Prep has advanced since its founding. Winston Prep, for over 40 years, has been Realizing the Possible, standing at the forefront of the field of education as we continuously strive to deepen our understanding and develop programming that nurtures and supports each child’s unique way of learning.

Cutting-edge research forms the foundation for our school’s development and growth, as does the integration of new approaches and practices in the classroom, based on that research. This evolving, iterative process engages students, faculty, and parents in an ongoing process of feedback, assessment, and curriculum development aimed at customizing each student’s educational experience as they grow and change over time. We see it in the development of the Qualities of a Sustainable and Independent Learner, which cultivates students’ social-emotional qualities and skills that serve as the foundation for success in school and in life. This approach inspired the Focus Program , where highly-skilled teachers work one-to-one with students every day to address their areas of greatest need, to help them develop their own understanding of how they learn, and to nurture their unique strengths and help students fully take advantage of them.

In all of these ways and many others, Winston Prep has been a vanguard in Realizing the Possible while also promoting practices and standards that support the hundreds of thousands of students in our nation who learn differently.

Thank you for celebrating with us. Your generosity has made this evening possible and helped us not only expand and enrich all that we offer at Winston Prep, but also to energize a national movement that makes learning possible for all.

Yours truly,

Spring Celebration Committee

Thank you to the Spring Celebration Committee. Your dedication, energy, and tireless efforts made this evening possible. Thank you for supporting Winston Preparatory School in this special way.

Lea Max-Hertzbach Event Chair, CT

Claudia Ayash, NY

Susan Bell, NY

Josette Crean, LI

Laura Diaz, NY

Carol Dyksen, NJ

Kendra Israel, LI

Daedra Kaehler, WO

Nancy Kelley, CT

Jennifer Lansden, LI

Annie Levine, LI

Lee Manning, CT

Sara Maragos, LI

Kelly McNulty, LI

Janene Meyerowitz, LI

Melanie Neumann, LI

Cheryl Olsen-Tevlin, LI

Nima Patel, NJ

Karina Rizzi, NY

Janet Savage, WT

Keitheena Spraggs, LI

Lauren Stanton-Gladd, LI

e’re thankful for our Sponsors!

Thank you to our Corporate Sponsors for your generous support of tonight’s event and of the Winston Preparatory School mission.

Corporate Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

A Heartfelt Thank You to our Event Supporters

Leadership Donors

Constance Pond and Glenn Hubbard

Dan Weissman

Benefactor Donors

Chris and Laura Petillo

Patron Donors

Lauren DiTrapani

Annie Levine

Morris and Jules Levine Family Foundation

Innovator Donors

Robert and Jamie Black

Bob Bodall

Nana Chu and Craig Chiappone

David Cohen and Lisa Jellinek

Dan and Dao Degnan

Robert and Jennifer Dowd

Brad and Carol Dyksen

David and Tricia Faloni

Eric and Lisa Frank

Daniel Gomez and Deborah Caraballoso

Matthew Gordon

Marc and Carolyn Haas

Sandy Hagerty and Rita Cumming

Larry and Michelle Herold

Charles Jeffrey and Jaime Barnes

Anna Park Lala and Paresh Lala

Meghan and Karl Ledebuhr

Ignacio Lopez

Adam and Melissa Lowy

James McGuire and Michele Martone

Elizabeth Mendelsohn and Bill DeHaven

David and Felice Nussbaum

Michael and Karen Preston

Michael and Karina Rizzi

Thomas and Kimberly Salshutz

Michael and Annie Schwartz

Renee Shepherd-Tyson

Bruce and Susan Slater

Robert and Jill Smith

Elvin and Adina Sterling

Beth Sugerman

Laurence and Jennifer Tuchman

Rafael Valdes and Shannon McCue

Klaudia Vitale

Paul and Savina Waldron

Tal and Andrea Yonai

Thank You to all of the Table and Special Ticket Donors

Visionary Table

Chris and Laura Spofford

Scholar Table

Sean and Erica Piche

Teacher Tables

Scott and Elizabeth Bezsylko

Aharon and Sarit Grossman

Joe and Celeste Rault

Chris and Laura Spofford

Innovator Tickets

Peter and Sara Maragos

John and Jennifer Serrano

Patron Tickets

Robert and Jennifer Dowd

David Lesser and Lexy Mayers

Jason and Jamie Pastrano

Greg and Tracy Rosen

Teacher Tickets

Robert Campagna and Sarah Clarke

Charlotte Castillo

John and Debbie Chrabolowski

David Cohen and Lisa Jellinek

Stephen and Sharyn Castagno

George Cholakis and Evangeline Casey-Cholakis

Kenneth and Tracey Cook

Brad and Carol Dyksen

David and Laura Fitzgerald

Marcelo Genzini and Vera Rossi

Daniel Gomez and Deborah Caraballoso

Peter Herrigel and Caroline Gentile

Daniel and Janene Meyerowitz

Brendan and Claire Neary

Hitesh and Nima Patel

PJ and Lo Pereira

Douglas and Kristin Peta

Kathy Pindych

James Pratt and Jeanne Madej

Ted and Jeanne Ratcliff

Joanna Scott

John and Jennifer Serrano

Chris and Laura Spofford

Jeffrey and Julie Stein

Vincenzo Turano and Anita Sahlberg Turano

Matthew and Kendra Tyson

e’re thankful for our Community!

Tonight’s event would not have been possible without the commitment of time, energy, and resources from so many people in the Winston Preparatory School community. We thank those who donated and solicited auction items, purchased a journal ad, and volunteered their time, as well as each person who is celebrating with us tonight.

A Special Thanks to:

Event Chair Lea Max-Hertzbach and the entire Spring Celebration 2024 Committee, whose dedication, energy, and hard work made this event possible

Suzanne Engel and Suzanne Lorie Entertainment for providing the live music for tonight’s event

Tonight’s talented student performers – Nathan Chiu , Sam Lung , Antonis Pipis , Roman Bukszpan, and Liam Cohen – and their devoted music teacher, Adam Wemple

Klaudia Vitale for designing the Spring Celebration logo, invitation, e-blasts, and journal

The Central Team for their overall support of the Spring Celebration

Everyone who donated items to the auction and volunteered at tonight’s event

Britny Ellis, Lauren Gallo, and Midda Garcia for your support and contributions behind the scenes

Scott Bezsylko, The Board of Trustees, Sandy Hagerty, Stephanie Zabar, Erica Piche, Jeremy Antar , Keith Oncale , Kristen Atkins , Jaclyn Siegel , Jeff Beauregard , and Elizabeth Mendelsohn for your leadership and guidance

Special Live Appeal for Winston Preparatory School’s Faculty Development

Tonight we celebrate the power of Winston Preparatory School in Realizing the Possible in the education of students who learn differently. An exceptional faculty is the foundation for this work –teachers who assess and understand each student deeply.

Winston Preparatory School prizes faculty development and offers teachers unparalleled, rich, multi-level programs aimed at providing them with the foundational knowledge, tools, and strategies to support our students. This includes all faculty and leadership attending one live professional learning session, dependent upon tenure, as part of our monthly professional learning program, WIL Wednesdays . Each session is designed to illustrate best practices in professional learning, and session formats include study groups, toolbox shares, reflection exercises, and application presentations, all promoting engagement and supporting effective learning. We plan topics and formats in the series based upon observations and feedback from faculty and leadership and focus on developing a deep understanding of our students while connecting that understanding to programming that is based upon current research.

During their first year at Winston Prep, teachers participate in Winston 101, which is much more than a typical faculty orientation or professional development. The program gives new teachers an in-depth look at Winston Prep’s foundational philosophy and how we fulfill our mission, including learning about the Continuous Feedback System, the Qualities of a Sustainable and Independent Learner, and much more. In small-group discussions, guided by school leaders, new teachers explore how to use diagnostic information and abbreviated case studies to customize programming based on specific learning profiles. Overall, Winston 101 emphasizes a teaching culture that embraces science, curiosity, learning, and innovation – always striving to deepen teachers’ understanding of each student.

Building upon Winston 101 , those in their second through fifth year attend Research in Learning and Learning Disorders, which focuses on the cognitive process of learning and related best practices. Veteran faculty with 6+ years of experience have an opportunity to practice and develop a deepened understanding of the link between learning and current evidence-based remediation. For Winston Prep leaders, monthly sessions focus on keeping campus leaders apprised of current research initiatives and findings at Winston Prep while providing participants the space to discuss challenges in relation to the session’s topic.

The Teacher Excellence and Leadership Development initiative is a graduate-school-level course. Twice a month throughout the school year, a select group of more experienced instructors participates in readings, research, case studies, and in-depth discussions. Sessions focus on a variety of subjects, such as: measurement and assessment; learning and cognition; and social implications of learning disabilities. Faculty members who achieve a high level of success are considered for future leadership roles at Winston Prep.

The Faculty Learning Portal is an online platform that promotes ongoing development opportunities and information sharing among teachers, bridging learning across all Winston Prep campuses. The Learning Portal is an ever-developing virtual library, where teachers can access research, tools and strategies, and recorded professional development presentations, including WIL Wednesday sessions. The Faculty Learning Portal continuously grows as we add additional resources, tools, and presentations.

With your help during tonight’s Live Appeal, we will be able to continue to offer these unique opportunities and develop new programming based on the research and talent that the program cultivates.

Your child can learn. Your child just learns differently. It is that simple. And that complex.

At Winston Prep, we understand that everyone acquires knowledge differently, in different ways and at different speeds.

At Winston Prep, we challenge ourselves each day to focus on your child and the way they learn. Your child will discover a place where teachers understand.

A place where teachers make sense.

A place where everyone listens.

A place where everyone learns.

inston Prep by the Numbers

3 5 hours 3 0

Average Time Spent in one-to-one Focus Program Each Week

Overall Faculty to Student Ratio

Average Number of Students in Each Class After-School Programs Offered

Emma, Congratulations! We are so proud of how hard you have worked and all that you have accomplished. Stay sweet and kind.

With much love, Dad, Anita & Sasha

To Our Dear Jay, HUGE Congratulations on your graduation this year from Winston Prep (CT)!! We couldn’t be prouder of the man you’ve become and know that this is only the beginning of your incredible adventure. We love you so much!! Mom, Dad, Alex and Daphne

Mom and Dad are very proud of you, Jack Caplan! Thank you, Winston Prep!

Joe & Celeste Rault

Chrissy Briggs

Thank you to The Winston Prep School

for providing such a wonderful environment for so many of our shared students and families. We feel proud to be a part of the Winston Prep community.

Dr. Laura Tagliareni, Dr. David Salsberg, and the teams at PALS and PALS support services

Keri Higgins Office Manager

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• Guardianship

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Attorney Piper Paul takes a hands-on approach and relies on families to be part of the team to reach a just resolution for pending matters.

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Pediatric Assessment Learning & Support

GPS College Consulting helps navigate the path for students who learn differently. Providing one-on-one guidance tailored to each student’s individual needs, GPS College Consulting supports you each step of the way from the initial consultation to the transition to college.

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Your dedication and hard work are truly

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Y O U N EE D A SP E C I AL NEEDS TRUSTS AND ESTATE PLANNING.

1. With a special needs trust your child can enjoy the use of property Intended to be held for his or her benefit.

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3. Estate planning offers fiscal advantages.

4. Estate planning helps beneficiaries retain access to essential government benefits, including medicaid, social security, and odd services.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Asperger's Syndrome

ADHD

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5. Estate plans are designed to pay for products or services otherwise excluded from public funding.

6. Estate planning allows you to control where your assets go after you are no longer here.

7. A special needs trust is needed to shield your loved one’s assets from being exhausted by the government .

Visual Impairment WHEN

OUR AREAS OF PRACTICE

Auditory Processing Disorder Behavioral Disorders

Cognitive Impairment

Developmental Delays Diabetes

Emotional Regulation Impairment

General & Special Education Hib Matters

Hearing Impairment Orthopedic Impairment

Sensory Integration

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Instead, by addressing deeply-rooted neurobiological templates that contribute to false beliefs, narratives, and stories about the self and enact unwanted subsequent behavioral patterns and responses, the affect associated with past experiences can be reprocessed and replaced with new or edited templates and stories. Therapeutic approaches at purepsych include EMDR, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), and Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), among others. Beyond therapy, purepsych also conducts neuropsychological, psychological, and forensic evaluations. The purepsych team of Dr. Bryan Niederman, Juliana Tozzi, Dr. Carl Papandrea, Marta Mild, and L.J. Horowitz emphasize client-therapist collaboration while supporting the human requirement for evolution.

CONGRATULATIONS

Shoshana Mafdali Goldman, Ph.D.

Licensed Psychologist

Licensed Speech & Language Pathologist Learning Disabilities Specialist

Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai

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DR. BARRY KLEIN

I have been a psychologist for over 30 years, with a specialization in autistic spectrum disorder. I work with children, teens and young adults, in consultation with the school. I have worked with Winston Prep students for many years, providing the care, attention, empathy and the respect they deserve.

For over eighteen years, The Law Office of Erika L. Hartley has been at the forefront of special education litigation in New York. Drawing on a prior extensive career in complex litigation of more than a decade, this firm was founded in 2006 to provide advocacy and litigation of the rights of children with special needs. I am committed to providing exemplary service to my clients.

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When representing parents of children with disabilities, Sandra L. Lascari relies on her more than 30 years of legal experience to devise an appropriate plan for each child—and fights for their rights in the courtroom when necessary. “We believe all children need to be successful and happy in school, which translates into being successful and happy in life,” she says.

special education issues as well as guardianship and estate planning. She has been a long supporter of the Winston Prep Program and sends her congratulations.

When representing parents of children with disabilities, Sandra L. Lascari relies on her more than 30 years of legal experience to devise an appropriate plan for each child—and fights for their rights in the courtroom when necessary.

“Our mission has become increasingly urgent during the post-pandemic—families need our support more than ever.” A former Morris County assistant prosecutor, her practice helps families with all

“We act as an advisor for parents and an advocate for children to help them navigate the system and create successful outcomes,” she says.

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“We believe all children need to be successful and happy in school, which translates into being successful and happy in life,” she says. She has been a long supporter of the Winston Prep Program and sends her congratulations.

“Your child matters to us.”

— Sandra L. Lascari

Sandra L. Lascari, Esq. 80 Greenwood Ave., Madison 350 Mt. Kemble Ave., 3rd fl., Morristown 973.377.6725 • lascarilaw.com

Congratulations to Winston Prep on Another Successful Year!

SPECIAL EDUCATION LEGAL FUND

IS PLEASED TO SUPPORT THE WINSTON PREPARATORY SCHOOL FAMILY AND ITS EXTRAORDINARY TEAM OF EDUCATORS.

REALIZING THE POSSIBLE

hat does your gift mean?

exceptional teachers

one-to-one daily instruction an individualized learning program for each student

deep understanding of each student’s unique learning style

dynamic and responsive programming

1:3 teacher-to-student ratio a program based on cutting-edge science an unparalleled education

e’re proud & grateful!

Tributes

We’re so proud of all of your hard work, Jesse, and your many accomplishments this year. Thank you, Winston Prep. We love you, Mom and Dad

We’re so proud of everything you have accomplished in your first year at Winston, Sevana! You’re a rising star! Thank you, Winston Prep Teachers and Staff, for all you do! — The Kalaydjians

Big Thank You to everyone supporting Maxi this year, especially to Nancy Widdows. — Christina Simon and Eric Lauerwald

We are so proud of you, Micca, for your hard work and all that you have achieved at Winston Prep. Thank you to the dedicated teachers and staff! Love, Mindy and Cristian

The Winston Prep teachers’ dedication and passion inspire greatness in every classroom. Thank you for making a difference in our children’s lives! — Claudia Ayash and Sherif Sadek

Winston Prep is a life-changing experience! I couldn’t have done it without you! I’m still using the tools you gave me back in middle school. — Jeff Rosen, BS, Ithaca College, MS, University of Washington

Dear Lucas, congratulations on your graduation from Winston Prep and your acceptance to college. We are so proud of you! — Mom, Dad, Mikey and Toby

When I got to Winston Prep I immediately felt like I was in my comfort zone, and my teachers helped me get much better at my skills. Thank you! — Love, Maggie Kruse

Bryn, while we are proud of all your accomplishments at Winston, we are so excited to watch you soar in 8th grade! — Xoxo Dad, Mom, Abbie and Emma

Congratulations, Aidan, and the Class of 2024 on this incredible achievement!! We are so proud of your drive, determination and accomplishments at Winston Prep and beyond! — Love, Mom, Dad & Kirsten

Congratulations, Charleigh! A sincere thank you to all the teachers and staff at Winston Prep, who have made this first year amazing for our family! — The Pratt Family

Thank you ALL gorgeous staff at Winston Prep. From custodians, admin and leadership to teachers, security & support, YOU’RE BRILLIANT. — Love Jo & James

We are so GRATEFUL to all the Winston Prep teachers for their unending support for our daughter! — The Cook Family

To the one and only Emily Haas: We love you and your exquisite inner spark. You light up our lives. It’s a joy to see you happily learning, growing, and thriving in 5th grade at WPSLI. We are incredibly proud of you! — Love, Mom, Dad, and Harrison

Winston Prep is like no other.

Nowhere else – public schools, private schools, or other specialized schools – can you find the combination of offerings that propel success for students with learning differences.

REALIZING THE POSSIBLE