On the cover: Whitney King ’08, Trae Humphreys ’08, and Kailin Johnson ’08 were three of six students who constructed the Helen Vermeychuk Memorial Garden.
A Message from the Head of School
Among the many things I love about the rhythm of school life is the spirited celebration of special events which epitomize the history and tradition of the school. Convocation, Founder’s Day, Homecoming, and Field Day have been around for a long time, while others, such as the Martin Luther King Day of Service, have arrived on the school calendar more recently. All of these events contribute to a sense of pride and an appreciation for what it means to be part of the Sanford experience. Whether it involves special recognition of alumni on Homecoming weekend or pausing to thank members of the faculty whose dedication and service to the school inspire others, it is important to highlight how much we value the contributions of people who have made Sanford a priority in their lives.
At the annual Founder’s Day celebration in September, longtime trustee and parent, Marc Ham, received the Founder’s Day Award in recognition of his twelve years of service to the Board and for his leadership in the greater community. A successful businessman and entrepreneur, Marc has given unselfishly of his time to Sanford, always committed to securing the financial future of the school and to improving educational opportunities so that Sanford is able to fulfill its mission. While his children (Lily ’07 and Mason ’10) have been an integral part of the process, Marc’s ability to see beyond the present and understand the potential of our school in the future has been enormously important. Never one to expect recognition, Marc has been an unsung hero for our school.
Another person who has worked so effectively and without fanfare is Mitch Hill ’73, a recent recipient of an alumni award. Presented each year at Homecoming to alumni who have made a significant contribution to the school and also brought honor to the school by virtue of their professional accomplishments, the alumni award recipients are invariably people who epitomize “no talent lies latent.” Through his work in broadcasting and marketing, Mitch Hill has earned the respect of his industry peers. In recent years, he has extended his influence to his alma mater where he has helped reestablish a radio station on campus and via the Internet. Because of his regular contact with students, Mitch is able to remain at the pulse of campus life and advise his fellow Board members about how Sanford can continue to carve out a special niche in its curricular offerings. His example for others is clear: love what you do and share your passion with others.
Faculty recognition at Homecoming came in two forms. On the Saturday morning of Homecoming weekend, many members of the Sanford community gathered in Chapel Valley to dedicate the Helen Vermeychuk Memorial Garden which commemorates the life and work of our beloved Mrs. Verm, who passed away suddenly last spring. Made possible with the generosity of the Class of 2008, the garden will provide a permanent reminder of the impact of a great teacher on hundreds of students over almost three decades of teaching.
The closing event of Homecoming 2008 was the gala celebration of Jackie Pitts’ 50th year of teaching at Sanford. More than 200 people turned out for this special occasion, including alumni from classes in the 1940’s to recent graduates and their parents. An impressive contingent of current and former faculty was on hand as well. Of course, Jackie is still going strong, and I fully expect her to outlast other younger members of the faculty. No one ever fit the phrase and the sentiment “forever young” better than Jackie Pitts. Congratulations and thank you, Jackie.
Before closing, I want to congratulate and thank one other person. Our Director of Advancement and my old friend, Peter Buttenheim, retired in August after 44 years as an independent school teacher, coach, administrator and leader. Different from Jackie Pitts who has given her body and soul to one school for five decades, Peter shared his talents and his extraordinary energy with six schools and two colleges, and left an indelible mark on each of these institutions. At Sanford, he guided our development efforts through a $10 million capital campaign, taught senior English, wrote college recommendations, mentored teachers, worked with trustees, connected the school with the community, and always served as the embodiment of the mission of our school. His commitment to serving others, within the Sanford community and in the greater community, inspired others to do more than they ever imagined possible. Whether it involved supporting the initiatives of his colleagues to clean up Mount Zion Cemetery or bringing students to work at the Food Bank of Delaware or finding new ways to get the school behind UNICEF, Peter’s passion was contagious and it moved others to get involved. Over the last nine years, his presence made our school a better place.
To Marc Ham, Mitch Hill, Jackie Pitts and Peter Buttenheim, thank you for giving so much of yourselves to Sanford. My hope is that many others will continue to follow your lead in the years ahead.
Sincerely,
Douglas W. MacKelcan, Head of School
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2008–2009 Annual Fund
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Sanford’s unique environment has successfully prepared generations of children for college and life beyond, preparing them to be responsible citizens and contributors to society. Your generous investment in the Sanford Annual Fund allows the school to continue to develop programs that focus on the individual strengths of each child, bringing alive the school motto No Talent Lies Latent.
The Annual Fund completes the foundation of a Sanford education. With your investment, several goals are accomplished:
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The Sanford Senior experience
an Up-close Look at the traditions and rituals of senior Year
Commencement is perhaps the most widely known highlight of a Sanford student’s senior year. However, the Sanford senior experience includes other noteworthy events such as participation in senior projects, Class Day recognition, and other senior activities. For those students who are Sanford lifers, the senior year is a time to reflect on past experiences while creating new memories.
Editor’s Note: Commencement coverage is included on pages 16 – 17.
Photos clockwise from the top: Suchit Tuli and Jamie Milliski recess to the receiving line; The Class of 2008 gathers for a final group photo; Tyler Shields, Trae Humphreys, and Andrew DeSantis prepare for the processional; Lauren Bond performs Concerto #1 in D Major by Mozart on the French horn; and, Jin Chen joins family and friends following the ceremony.
Senior Projects Give Students a Head Start on Career Exploration
By Theresa Gawlas Medoff
It is probably inevitable that senioritis will strike students in the weeks before graduation, but when handled right, that restlessness presents an educational opportunity, says Upper School Head Mark Wagner. When students’ thoughts are focused on what lies ahead, Sanford’s Senior Project helps them to envision their future by giving them real-life career experience.
For two weeks beginning in mid-May, in lieu of traditional classes, Sanford seniors go into the community to job shadow, work as interns, or complete service projects. They must put in at least six hours a day, though many work longer hours. A few days before commencement, seniors return to campus to give presentations to the faculty and their fellow students about their experiences.
Chris Bobbitt, for example, spent two weeks shadowing cardiovascular surgeon Ray Blackwell, MD, father of his classmate Arielle Blackwell. Chris was able to observe ten surgeries performed by Blackwell or another doctor, and Dr. Blackwell sat down with Chris to explain and illustrate the procedures.
“That first day I was there at the hospital by 8 a.m., in surgery by 8:30, and almost passed out by 9,” Chris joked. Being a surgeon, he learned, means working long, grueling hours. The surgeries themselves take anywhere from three to seven hours and then there are rounds to make. Chris plans to become a doctor, and his senior project has provided an early glimpse of what his future might be like.
Arielle Blackwell also plans a career in medicine, but as a dentist. She shadowed her family dentist as well as an orthodontist, a periodontist, and an oral surgeon. “I found the experience to be really helpful,” Arielle said. “It seems like we are expected to decide upon a major and know our career plans, but I don’t know everything that’s out there and if I will be interested in it.”
The Senior Project program was instituted 15 years ago by then dean of students Alex Murenia. The following year, when Stan Waterman became dean, he took charge of Senior Projects. But the real responsibility
with the students, who are required to line up a project and a sponsor on their own. “It’s much like a job search, so I talk with them about interviewing skills and how to approach potential sponsors and explain the program to them,”
Waterman said. He also keeps a file of potential sponsors, including Sanford alumni and parents of Sanford students who have expressed their willingness to host a student.
Most students select a senior project in the local area, but sometimes they go to New York or Washington, D.C. This year Natasha Frosina, a recent transplant from North Carolina, elected to return to her former home to work at Family Health International, a nonprofit that conducts research and field activities to meet the public health needs in developing countries. Natasha knows that she wants to work in human rights, and perhaps in public health, and she said her internship helped her discover that she would prefer to work in the field.
After two weeks in a classroom with 17 first graders, Burgundi Daniels learned that a career as an elementary school teacher definitely is not for her. “After that first day with 17 antsy sixand seven-year-olds, I just wanted to go in a corner and cry,” she said. Still, she enjoyed returning to her own elementary school and is thankful that the sponsoring teacher gave her a realistic view of the job.
“By the end of their senior year, students begin to feel that they have outgrown high school,” Wagner said. “Senior projects provide them with a new challenge. Students select their own projects, and most of them give it a lot of thought. They see it as a gift to be able to go out and explore this way.”
Loryn Green started planning early in the school year. Her research into different health-care careers pointed her toward speech/language pathology, so she interned in that field, working one week with patients in nursing homes and one week with children with autism. She is now confident that it is the right career for her. This year, health-care careers seemed to interest the greatest number of students, and most years there are a few students who want to
try out teaching. There are always a handful of students who remain on campus to fulfill their responsibilities as editors of the yearbook and literary magazine. Both publications require a significant commitment at the end of the school year for design, layout, proofreading and managing the printing project, and the work gives students valuable experience in the publishing field.
There are also several students every year who elect to spend the two weeks volunteering for nonprofit organizations. Parker Wright volunteered at the Seamen’s Center, an organization that provides support and services to crew members of the container ships from all over the world that pass through the Port of Wilmington. “I enjoyed helping these people, who are kind of forgotten about,” Parker said. “And I got to see NAFTA in action.”
Evan McLaughlin likewise chose to volunteer his time. He worked at Mision Santa Maria in Avondale, PA, which assists the many Mexican immigrants who live in southern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware, so he was able to use the Spanish he had learned at Sanford. “The really great thing about the experience,” Evan said, “was being a part of helping these people make the transition to living in America.”
The roster of Senior Projects is as varied as the students who create them, but most seniors agree that the experience makes their last few weeks of Upper School meaningful and productive.
A Garden Built with Love
In Sanford’s earlier years, the term “senior project” referred to a building project that members of the senior class undertook together as a gift to the school. The tradition began with the first graduating class in 1937. Seniors decided upon a project as early as the first semester and worked on it together during weekends and other free time. The Class of 1947, for example, constructed the stone steps that lead into Chapel Valley from behind Hebb Hall (the art building) as their senior project. The Class of 1955 built amphitheater seating in the Quad to complement the outdoor stage that had been built by the Class of 1950.
Today’s Sanford seniors continue that tradition of bestowing a gift to the school at graduation. Many times the gift is something purchased using money raised by the class through concession stands and other fundraisers. Other times, however, the senior gift harkens back to the senior projects of years ago.
This year’s senior class voted to create a garden in Chapel Valley in tribute to beloved teacher Helen Vermeychuk, who taught at Sanford for nearly 30 years before she passed away in April. Funds raised by the entire class paid for the supplies, and a group of six students used the two weeks in May traditionally set aside for internships and service projects to build the garden. Members of the grounds crew and faculty joined in the work when they could.
The hillside garden is set in a picturesque curve along the edge of the woods, to the left of the paved road that leads to the upper sports fields. “We wanted a place that would be quiet and serene but that would be visible from the main campus road and be easily accessible to anyone at any time,” explained senior class president Tyler Shields.
The slope of the land required construction of a retaining wall, which the students built using rocks that complement those used in the nearby bridge and wishing well. Building the wall was by far the most challenging part of the project, said senior Trae Humphreys. Before they could begin building the visible portion of the wall, students had to dig a long, two-feet deep trench and fill it with bedrock as a base. Then they fitted the individual rocks together and secured them with cement. “It’s incredible how much we learned building the wall,” Humphreys said. Earlier alumni who contributed to building projects undoubtedly felt the same way about their accomplishments.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of the second generation of senior projects, which began with the Class of 1993 as a way to help students explore careers and undertake important volunteer tasks. Sanford magazine would like to hear from alumni from the past 15 years about their senior projects. What did you do and where? did it help you decide upon a career? Write us a letter or send an email to alumni@sanfordschool.org
Finally, the students designed and planted a varied garden of hearty, deer-resistant flora, including trees, shrubs and flowering plants that will cascade over the wall. Flowers will bloom in Mrs. Vermeychuk’s favorite colors of purples, blues and pinks, notes senior Whitney King. They adorned the garden with wind chimes, birdhouses and hummingbird feeders to attract Mrs. Verm’s favorite bird. As a finishing touch, the students added a stone bench so visitors can sit and enjoy the garden.
Loryn Green’s senior year also included buddy experience with Sanford kindergartner Erin Estes.
Ryan McBride and Tyler Shields were involved in designing, building, and planting the Helen Vermeychuk Memorial Garden.
Chris Bobbitt
ParkerWright
strong connections
Reaping the Rewards of a Lifetime at Sanford
By Theresa Gawlas Medoff
They met back in the days of cartoon-character backpacks and daily recess, when show-and-tell was as weighty a subject as math and the halls of Lower School were a complex maze to master. They have grown up side-by-side for 12 years or more, seen each other through the awkward stages of braces, growth spurts and changing voices, and watched and encouraged each other as they discovered their own voices and passions.
They are Sanford’s “lifers,” those who have attended the school from junior kindergarten, kindergarten or first grade through twelfth grade. This year they numbered a record 20 seniors, more than one-third of the graduating class.
Although members of this distinctive group were not always called “lifers,” it has always been recognized that their experience was something special. “Most of all, it means having such strong connections with other long-time classmates and the school itself,” says Evan McLaughlin ’08,who began at Sanford as a four-year-old junior kindergartner.
The first two lifers were Marion Sawin Langerak ’43 and William Sawin ’45, the youngest children of the school’s founder, Ellen Q. Sawin. There have been many others since then. Not surprisingly, as the size of the school has grown, the number of lifers per class has also increased, with an average of 14 lifers per year in the past decade.
“It’s weird to think that we’ve known each other for so long,” says Whitney King ’08, who attended Sanford since kindergarten. “We grew into being a family, close-knit with strong connections to everyone at Sanford.”
Sanford lifers consider it a gift to have attended the school for so long. They recognize how they have benefited from the small classes, the extracurricular opportunities and the guidance of their teachers. Kelly Reynolds ’08 credits her Middle
School math teachers for pushing her to reach her potential by encouraging her to move to a higher-level math class. “That really affected me. The support that I received from Mr. Pill and Mrs. Daly made me really like math,” she says. By the end of her senior year, Kelly had completed two AP math courses, and she plans to major in math at Ursinus College. (Kelly is the daughter of junior kindergarten instructor Patti Davis Reynolds ’76, also a lifer. Patti’s eldest daughter Katie is a junior at McDaniel College. Patti’s son, Nate, is in seventh grade.)
Like Kelly, other Sanford lifers fondly recall favorite Lower and Middle School teachers, and they recount cherished memories of uniquely Sanford traditions and milestones. Whitney, for example, remembers following the colorful, constructionpaper footprints that guided kindergartners from the front door to their classrooms in the first weeks of school.
Kailin Johnson, third in a line of four Johnson sisters at Sanford (Morgan ’04, Eden ’06 and junior Haydyn, all lifers), says she is happy to have “gotten the whole experience” of attending Sanford from first grade through twelfth. She recalls the Oregon Trail project in third grade, the fifth grade’s Native American Week and the seventh-grade trip to Vermont. “Nicole Dabkowski and Olivia Murphy [two other lifers] have been my friends since first grade,” she adds. “It’s really kind of cool to have the same friends for 12 years.”
Teachers feel the same way about being able to follow their students’ progress through the years, says Lower School Head Nancy Hebard. “It’s exciting for us that when we develop a relationship with these children and their families, it’s a
permanent relationship,” she says. “We are in tears through most of the end-of-year ceremonies. It’s kind of like being able to share your child’s successes with a grandparent. Parents don’t have to hold back with us; we take as much joy in their children’s accomplishments as they do.”
This year’s graduates, although they are all very different, all get along well, parents and teachers point out. The lifers
and those who began at Sanford early in Lower or Middle School always welcomed those who joined later. Even those who transferred to Sanford as juniors or seniors became well integrated into their class, and they all had roles to play.
“This year’s lifers all of them have been tremendous in every respect. They have taken advantage of everything that Sanford has to offer, in academics and extra-curricular activities,” notes Andrew Walpole, director of admission and financial aid. “The only testimony you need to show how well Sanford’s three divisions work as one school is to show how these kids have developed during their years here.”
Allen Johnson, Kailin’s father, remembers years ago when his wife, Karen, was investigating possible schools for their children. “She looked at six or eight schools, both public and private, and made a grid to compare all the important aspects,” he says. Sanford stood out for its openness and parent involvement and for the imaginative ways that teachers engaged students in learning. The Johnsons have remained happy with the teachers and the school environment throughout Middle and Upper School.
“Sanford is small enough that our children had the chance to do whatever they wanted. With sports, if you went out for the team, you made it. The focus wasn’t on winning though they won their share but on teaching character, teamwork and skills,” Allen says.
On Class Day, Head of School Douglas “Chip” MacKelcan recognized not only this year’s lifers but also their parents, for putting their trust in Sanford those many years and for making the significant financial commitment their children’s education required. “It has been a financial challenge,” admits Sandy King, a dedicated volunteer at Sanford and mother of Whitney and Hillary King ’06. Money that could have gone to family vacations and other lifestyle amenities instead went to Sanford, she says. “We’ve asked the girls, if you had to choose between Sanford and all the extras that other kids have, which would you choose? They said without question that Sanford was worth it. My family always believed that education was a gift that you gave your children.”
Upper School Counselor Sue Dagenais has noticed that seniors become more nostalgic as graduation approaches, especially those who have come up through Lower and Middle School. “Spring break seems to be a turning point for them,” she says. “They reminisce a lot and make more trips back to Lower School and Middle School. It’s like they are closing the loop, going full circle to where they began.”
“When I was in eighth grade, I thought briefly about going somewhere else for high school,” Kelly says. “But I realized that Sanford is more than a school. It is my home, and I’m really glad I stayed. Knowing at least 20 people for most of my life has been special. And then all the people we added in 9th grade we all care about each other. There’s no major competition for grades, just friendly competition. It’s like we’re brothers and sisters. We help each other do well.”
closing the loop
Above: Sanford Lifers include (first row) Katie Potter, Olivia Murphy, Krista Bacchieri; (second row) Kelly Reynolds, Emily Stewart, Whitney King, Nicole Dabkowski; (third row) Kailin Johnson, Brittany Bowman, Ryan John, Trae Humphreys, Parrish Warrington, Brice Struthers, Greg Kramer; (fourth row) Robert Inskip, Jason Stern, Tyler Shields, Evan McLaughlin, and Brian Nachbar. Class of 2008 lifer Sean Ryon was unavailable for the photo.
Lower School teacher and Sanford lifer Patti Reynolds ’76 shares a special moment with daughters Kelly ’08 and Katie ’06.
Class Day 2OO8 Senior Memories
C
lass Day is held annually on the final day of Upper School, immediately after the last exam is completed. For underclassmen, this final assembly marks the official closing of the school year, when the year is recapped, awards are given, and summer good-byes are said. For seniors, Class Day is the last in a procession of official ceremonies leading up to commencement.
Faculty, parents and underclassmen watch as the senior class marches formally to the stage, just as it will two days later for graduation. The senior class president and others deliver speeches reflecting on their years at Sanford, and select senior musicians and vocalists give their final Sanford performance.
While a few awards will be presented on graduation day, the bulk of the awards to both seniors and underclassmen are given at Class Day. They include awards for citizenship and contributions to the school, artistic merit, athletic accomplishments and academic achievement.
class day 2008 honorees
These awards were presented to seniors during Class Day ceremonies on June 4, 2008.
W. Michael Akers Memorial Award for History: Ian Thresher
Damon Brown Memorial Award in Science: Jin Chen
The Chrysalis Award: Jin Chen & Kelly Reynolds
Computer Science Award: Jin Chen
C. Edgar Fry, Jr. Drama Award: Alex Olivieri
May V. Hays Memorial Plaque (Choral Music): Ryan John
Clarence A. Hays Memorial Plaque (Band): Lauren Bond
Bruce O. Jones Art Award: Jin Chen
Men’s Athlete of The Year: Trae Humphreys
Marcelle Orsini Award for Foreign Language: Sarah Greenwood
Sanford W. Sawin, Sr. Award for Mathematics: Brian Nachbar
Sanford W. Sawin, Jr. Memorial Award for Athletics: Jasmine Gibson
The Dale Seymour Award: Sarah Greenwood, Trae Humphreys & Chris Bobbitt
Frank H. Simmons Memorial Literary Award: Sean Ryon
Women’s Athlete of The Year: Sarah Greenwood & Jamie Milliski
Sanford seniors take leadership roles and participate in a variety of events throughout the year. Here are scenes from a few of those special moments.
senior parent dinner
senior thank You
Breakfast for faculty
Buddies with Kindergartners
Above: Quinn Civiletti and Katie Potter were among the 56 seniors who participated in this year’s Class Day celebration.
Left: Ian Thresher and Megan Kuhn process into their final Sanford assembly.
Above Left: Lora White-Green and her daughter Loryn check out the newly released Sanford yearbook. Right: Brice Struthers receives his final yearbook as a Sanford student.
Above: Evan McLaughlin, aka Rudolph, brightened the holidays for the faculty.
Far Left: Kindergartner Seth Ciolkosz was senior Alex Olivieri’s buddy.
Left: Burgundi Daniels joined young friend Aliyah Falcon for Convocation on the second day of school.
Below: Sally Greenwood, Bernadette Gilmore, Cheryl Lolley, Lora White-Green, and Carol Levin provided entertainment for their daughters.
tips and guidance for parents
Reflections on Parenting
For years, the slogan of the Peace Corps has been “The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love.” And even though I have never had the honor of serving in the Peace Corps, I do not doubt the veracity of its motto for one second. I also know that it is true that most of us are lucky enough to participate in, arguably, “the second toughest job that you’ll ever love,” parenting. No one can quite comprehend the complexities of that role, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, until knee deep into it. It is the original “total immersion” occupation. And as so many people have quipped over the years, it is also the only job that does not come with an instruction manual. Thus, crafting that manual can sometimes be confounding work, especially as our children grow into adolescents and young adults.
Here in the greater Wilmington area, however, we have been graced over the past few years with being able to hear the wisdom of numerous experts who lectured on various topics of importance to all parents. Whether a Home and School sponsored speaker, a guest speaker presenting a workshop at school, or a panel of “student experts,” what all of these people have in common is an approach to life, a mission statement, if you will, that can provide firm footing from which to parent.
For example, a parent workshop at Sanford several years ago facilitated by Peter Cobb, the former Executive Director of the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education, was laden with thought-provoking questions and introspection about how we find our moral centers as well as with guidance about how to help our children internalize important values. The evening’s discussion was a practical workshop on how we can incorporate moral teaching into the lives of our children to provide them the ballast that they need to combat the messages of a sometimes seemingly immoral world. Here are some of the tips that are worthy of consideration for helping to smooth the pathway to teaching about the values that are important to you, that you want to instill within your children.
• Use storytelling: Children of all ages love stories. Tell your children stories of people who have been important moral mentors and heroes from your own life experiences. Our society has deconstructed so many things that are reverent that our capacity for reverence has been diminished. But we need it, and we need to replace the cynicism that we too frequently find in its stead with people and actions that are deserving of our admiration and respect. If we do that, it becomes more acceptable to act in honorable ways ourselves.
At school this year, many of our students will hear stories of Dr. Paul Farmer and the incredible public health work that he has done in Haiti and other countries of the world. As a faculty we all read Tracy Kidder’s moving account of Dr. Farmer’s work, Mountains Beyond Mountains, this summer and, in that reading, have found a man to emulate, a man who has put deep meaning into the oft-quoted belief
that we all have in one person’s ability to make a difference in the lives of others. Another book that is finding its way to many people’s nightstands is Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson’s surprise best seller that very simply and powerfully tells his story of promoting peace one schoolhouse at a time in remote areas of the world.
• Build sanctuary: We have all become more and more addicted to work and to expecting so much of ourselves and our children. Where and how have we created sanctuary in our own homes and lives? All of us are frequently tense, tired and somewhat uncentered because of the pace of our daily lives. It becomes easy for us to make bad or inappropriate decisions. We need to create time and physical space in our own environments that give us sanctuary and quiet so that we can continue to act from positions of strength rather than of weakness.
• Engage in service: There is little else that helps people feel connected to people outside themselves like service. We all need a community to which we feel morally accountable, a place where we can put others at the center of the world for even a short while. Community service done as a family builds a sense of purpose and creates a sense of awareness of others’ needs that puts everything into a more reasonable perspective. As you all know, here at school, we have seen our community service outreaches grow at an incredible rate over the past few years as more and more students begin to feel the authentic confidence that is born of grassroots level philanthropic work.
The work of two other nationally-renowned presenters, Dr. Dan Kindlon and Dr. Ken Ginsburg, also provide us with some clarity in helping to address the needs of our children. Dr. Kindlon, a child psychologist and author of such groundbreaking works as Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Lives of Boys; Too Much of a Good Thing: Raising Children of Character in an Indulgent Age; and Alpha Girls: Understanding the New American Girl and How She is Changing the World addressed an audience of independent school parents at Tower Hill School two years ago. The focus of his conversation was how we can all help our children deal successfully with some of the societal changes that have impacted us over the past generation. He elaborates on these central points in his books: children need time, limits, and the feeling of being cared for and safe. Following are a few nuggets to consider:
• We live in a more permissive society than we did a generation ago, sometimes causing us to feel more uncertain about who shares our values. Being able to foster community engagement in a community that shares our moral centers is an important way to help achieve some balance and support.
• We have less time during our daily lives to spend with our children. Try to take advantage of small moments, making
the time to simply chat about the day in a loving, noncompetitive way. Our children have so much in their lives that is competitive, that we must find the ways to help them with balance.
• We have become more overprotective and seek immediate gratification. There is a growing field of anecdotal evidence that shows that delay of gratification has a direct correlation to achievement because it leads to the development of patience, a trait that can hardly be over-emphasized in our fast-paced world.
Dr. Ginsburg, an eminent Philadelphia pediatrician, has written a wonderfully insightful book titled A Parent’s Guide to Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Giving your Child Roots and Wings. I have long believed that finding the ways to create a resilient human being is one of the healthiest, most important gifts that we can give to our children, and Dr. Ginsburg, in a lecture last year at Tatnall School, outlined
a way to do that by building what he refers to as the “ 7 C’s” of resilience. They are: confidence, competence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control. In his book, he more fully discusses ways to help children internalize these attributes and understand the strength that they provide.
Lastly, a group of eight wonderful seniors addressed the topic of “Underage Drinking: Stop it before it Starts” at our Home and School sponsored Town Hall Meeting last April. The constant theme that these students echoed and re-echoed was how important communication with parents is, communication that is developed early and tended to often. They all credited their parents with being the most important models that they have. Those words alone should serve as wonderful encouragement for us all: our kids do listen and take note of who we are and what we do.
Sue Dagenais, Director of Counseling and Learning Services
Home & School News
Welcome to the 2008 – 2009 school year!
Many exciting events are planned for 2008 – 2009. This is the year of our spring auction. That is sure to be a great event, so please look for information on that! We would like to thank the parents who completed the volunteer survey forms. Our organization is a success due to the time and talents of our Sanford community. Our heartfelt thanks to our parents, faculty, administration, and staff who help us reach the Home & School objectives of COMMUNICATION, INVOLVEMENT, ENRICHMENT, AND ACTION. We look forward to working with you and serving this year as your Home & School officers.
2008 – 2009 Home & School Events
Fall Event: The fall social event this year will take place on Friday, October 17, 2008, 7 p m at Sanford. All parents/guardians, faculty, staff and administration are invited to this event. It will be a relaxing, fun, and free adult-only evening of music, good food, good drink, and great conversation.
Caroling on the Quad: This is a December tradition that is planned this year for December 12th at 7:30 a m Everyone is welcome! Afterward, stay and enjoy refreshments with your fellow carolers.
Auction: The spring event this school year is our Auction Night at Deerfield Country Club on April 25th. We are very pleased and grateful to have Amy Kuplinski and Kathy Zabel co-chairing this event. It promises to be a lot of fun both to work on and to attend, so please volunteer to help and most certainly come and enjoy the evening. It benefits our children and our school!
After Prom Party: The After Prom is a party following the Upper School Prom. It continues the prom celebration in an informal, safe, and secure atmosphere. You don’t have to be a parent of a junior or senior to help plan and/or chaperone this fun event.
Student Union Dances: These are high school dances or events that, for over 15 years, have been planned by parents and students from Sanford, Tower Hill, Tatnall, Friends, and Archmere. Typically, there are five dances each year with each school hosting one and donating its profits to a charity of the students’ choice. Last year, Sanford students donated $1,000 to Habitat for Humanity. The kids have a fun event AND they give to charity! Please join in helping with these charitable events.
Home & School Meetings
Please mark your calendars and join us. All are welcome. These meetings, which include reports from division heads and the Head of School, are a great source of information. There is no better way to understand Sanford School and to feel a part of our community.
Dates: Oct. 1st, Nov. 5th, Jan. 21st, March 4th and May 20th Time and Location: 7 p.m., Stephen May Hall Commons Meena
Caulfield, Home & School President, 2008 – 2009
& School
– 2009 officers Alice Johnston, Secretary; Meena Caulfield, President; Melissa Rufo, President-Elect; and Belle Natali, Treasurer.
Faculty Focus
new Faculty Members Bring a Wealth of Expertise and Energy to Sanford
E r Sc H ool
Nathalie Cecil joined the Sanford School as teacher of Upper School French. A native of Strasbourg, France, Mrs. Cecil earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Eastern Washington University while her husband served our military as a pilot. Several years ago, she served as a teacher at Ursuline Academy before moving her family to Japan and then Hawaii to be with her husband. Nathalie is the mother of two children. Her son, Eric, joined the seventh grade at Sanford this fall. Her husband is a pilot for Continental Airlines.
Cristina Cochran joined the Sanford faculty as a new member of the Upper School English department. A graduate of Sanford ’04 and the University of Delaware ’08, Cristina is well-prepared to make an immediate impact on her alma mater. A double major in English and History at UD, Cristina also has a strong background in dance and music. She worked her way through college with a variety of jobs and distinguished herself during an internship at Longwood Gardens. Cristina is an instructor of Freshman English.
Staci Stocklos arrived at Sanford with three years of teaching experience in higher education. A graduate of Franklin & Marshall College, Staci earned her M.A. in English at the University of Delaware. Her teaching experience includes time as an instructor at UD, Lehigh, and Villanova. Outside of her academic life, Staci has been a professional dance instructor and a volunteer at a number of cultural institutions. At Sanford, she is teaching Junior and Senior English.
Michelle Stephens is a graduate of Ursuline Academy and the University of Delaware where she excelled in the classroom and as an athlete. She joined the Sanford faculty as a Spanish teacher in the Upper School and as a coach of swimming and lacrosse. She attended Delaware on a swimming scholarship and captained her team as a junior and as a senior. Michelle’s impressive academic record earned her an Arco Petro Academic Scholarship.
James Weeks joined the Sanford faculty as English department chair and teacher. A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Jim taught for fifteen years at the Perkiomen School (Pennsylvania) where he served as department chair, teacher, and Director of Studies. Later, he moved to the Oldfields School (Maryland) where he wore many hats, including teacher, department head, and chair of the faculty evaluation task force. Jim’s wife, Anne, is the Upper School Head at Agnes Irwin School. Anne and Jim have a grown son who lives in Newark. With thirty-five years of teaching and administrative experience, Jim is ideally qualified to continue a tradition of excellence in the Sanford English department.
In M I ddl E Sc H ool
Jennifer Funk was appointed to the faculty as a Middle School Spanish teacher. She brings with her to Sanford a strong background as a teacher in the Brandywine School District and at Pencader Charter School. A graduate of the University of Richmond with a graduate degree from the
University of Delaware, she also has worked in the business world, most recently as a supervisor of Spanish client services for the Vanguard Group in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Jennifer’s daughter, Margo, is a first grader at Sanford this year. Her husband works as an instructional technology leader in the Brandywine District.
Elise Haynie joined the Sanford faculty as a Middle School history teacher and coach. She is a graduate of Germantown Academy and Dickinson College and comes from a family of teachers. Since graduating from college, Elise has been involved in teaching and admission work. Most recently, she held a position in the Drexel University admission office. Elise has a wide range of interests, including helping with student government and clubs, and looks forward to coaching field hockey, basketball and lacrosse.
Wendy Nashed returned to the Sanford faculty as a fifth-grade teacher after a six-year hiatus which was spent raising her twin sons, Zaki and Jordan, who entered kindergarten this fall. Over the course of several years of teaching fourth graders at Sanford and, prior to that, as a fourth-grade teacher in the Cecil County Public Schools, she developed quite a following because of her energy and passion for teaching. Wendy’s two nieces, Leila and Maiya, are Upper School students at Sanford.
In l ow E r Sc H ool
Barbara Kanter is teaching in the third and fourth grades as a reading instructor. Barb is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and she has earned two master’s degrees one from the Ohio State University, the other from the University of Delaware. She has a rich background in public education as a classroom teacher of elementary and middle school children. In addition, her breadth of experience includes working with mainstream and autistic children. Barb is very familiar with Sanford as the mother of Ben Para (grade 6) and Grace Para (grade 3).
Katharine Kruczynski is the new Lower School Librarian and Media Specialist. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Cornell University with an advanced degree from Teachers College Columbia University, Katie is well known to many of our Lower School children and families through her work last year as a very effective long-term substitute for two teachers (Christine DiUbaldo and Jen Bowen) when they were taking maternity leave. Along with her Sanford experience, Katie has been a teacher in Charles City, Virginia and Mobile, Alabama.
Arden Miller joined the Lower School faculty as a kindergarten reading teacher. A graduate of Sanford ’96, Arden was a student-athlete at Guilford College. Currently, she is enrolled part-time in a graduate program at Wilmington University where she is concentrating on elementary education. Arden’s long association with our school includes a stint as a longterm substitute teacher in the physical education and health department as well as fine work as a three-season coach of field hockey, basketball, and tennis.
Brady Nemeth is holding a dual role at Sanford. He is the newly appointed Director of Extended Day and a reading instructor in the second grade. He is a graduate of Wilmington Friends and Guilford College and is well on his way to earning his graduate degree at Wilmington University. Brady has a wonderful background working with children in a variety of settings, including teaching, extended day programs, and coaching. His experience and his creativity should be great assets to his work at Sanford.
In pE r F or MI ng Art S
Chad Smith is teaching Lower School and Middle School instrumental and general music. He is a graduate of Radford University where he earned distinction as a musician and as a leader. For the past two school years, he has been an elementary music teacher in the Bedford County (Virginia) Schools. Chad’s arrival has allowed Sarah Kuwik to move into a role working with the Middle and Upper School band and ensemble program at Sanford.
The Middle School community has been enriched by Elise Haynie, Jennifer Funk, and Wendy Nashed.
Katie Kruczynski, Arden Miller, Barb Kanter, and Brady Nemeth are the newest members of the Lower School faculty family.
OnCampus
Sanford School Open Houses
You’re Invited to these 2008 – 2009 Sanford School events
Admission open Houses
Tell your friends and family members to come see for themselves why no talent lies latent.
This year, the Admission Office will offer several open houses designed to accommodate a variety of schedules. Please join us for our:
All School open House
JK – Grade 12
Sunday, October 19, 2008
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Middle & Upper School open House
JK – Grade 4
Wednesday, November 9, 2008
8:30 – 11 a m
winter wednesday All School open Houses
JK – Grade 12
8:30 – 11 a m
January 14, 21, 28
February 4, 11, 18, 25
March 4, 11
All School open House
JK – Grade 12
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
8:30 – 11:00 a.m.
For more information about admission, please call 302-239-5263. Or, visit our website at www.sanfordschool.org.
A Look Ahead
Here are some of the Sanford School events scheduled for the 2008 – 2009 school year. Alumni and friends of the school are welcome to join us.
october 2008
19 All School (JK – Grade 12) Admission Open House
november 2008
7 – 8 Sanford Repertory Theatre Company (SRTC) presents The House of Leaves – Geipel Gymnasium
19 Middle & Upper School (Grades 5 – 12) Admission Open House
december 2008
2 – 9 AP and Honors Art Exhibit – Stephen May Hall Commons
9 Middle School Holiday Concert – Geipel Gymnasium
10 Lower School Art Loop
11 Upper School Holiday Concert – Geipel Gymnasium
Winter Wednesday Lower School Admission Open Houses, 8:30 – 11 a m
January 2009
30 9th Annual Sanford Invitational (SIT) Middle School Wrestling Tournament – Sports Center
March 2009
6 – 8 SRTC presents Into the Woods – Geipel Gymnasium
April 2009
2 – 8 DAIS Art Show – Stephen May Hall Commons
25 Home & School Spring Auction – Deerfield Country Club
30 Upper School Spring Concert – Geipel Gymnasium May 2009
5 Middle School Spring Concert – Geipel Gymnasium
5 JK – 12 Art Show Reception – Stephen May Hall Commons
13 JK – Grade 1 Spring Concert – Geipel Gymnasium Grades 2 – 4 Spring Concert – Geipel Gymnasium
15 Upper School Blue/Gold Assembly – Geipel Gymnasium
27 All School (JK – Grade 12) Admission Open House
29 Lower School/Middle School Field Day
June 2009
1 Lower School & Middle School Closing Exercises – Quadrangle
3 Upper School Class Day – Quadrangle
5 Commencement – Quadrangle
For more details about any of these events, please call 302.239.5263 or visit our Website at www.sanfordschool.org. Athletic schedules also are posted on the Website.
Sanford Communications win
national Media Awards
SANFORD magazine and the 2007 – 2008 Sanford calendar (The Faces of Sanford School) have been named winners in the 2008 National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) Communications Contest. SANFORD received first place in the category of oneto-three color magazines, and the calendar was awarded a second-place honor in the category of internal communications.
To be considered in the national competition, entries must have received a first-place award in one of the state affiliate contests.
Sanford’s entries were submitted by the Delaware Press Association.
Congressman Mike Castle Visits Sanford
Last spring, United States Representative Mike Castle (DE) came to Sanford to learn about the green roof that sits atop the Nancy C. Sawin Math/Science Center. During his visit, Representative Castle talked with students, teachers, and administrators about green initiatives.
Memorial Day Celebration
One of the most meaningful assemblies at Sanford is the Memorial Day Ceremony. During the 2008 gathering, readings by students included an article by Thomas Paine, The Gettysburg Address, the poem In Flanders Fields, and a prayer by Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Ninth-grader Justin Wynn’s eloquent reading of a letter from a soldier in Vietnam to his son rendered many to tears.
Head of School Chip MacKelcan listens to a point being made by United States Representative Mike Castle.
Sarah Massaferi (right) presented her grandfather and W.W. II Veteran Robert Massaferi with a yellow rose and a big hug.
The audience was spellbound by Justin Wynn’s eloquent presentation.
Keyanna Mozie, Haydyn Johnson, and Scott Humphreys stand at attention waiting to place a flag honoring Sanford alumni who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our nation.
OnCampus
Middle School Closing Exercises
Middle School Closing Exercises were held on June 3, 2008. The event featured former Middle School teacher Andrew Burke as the keynote speaker and Phoebe Hering and Madelyn Wojnisz as student presenters. During the ceremony, Peter Clampitt, Cara Tozzoli, and Megan Stellini all performed musical selections.
“Although the future is overflowing with uncertainty, I know that the numerous experiences that I have had in the middle school will help me with every task that I shall undertake in the future. More comforting to me, though, is the fact that I have so many people within the Sanford community who I can rely on to help me with anything that comes my way. I am sure that almost every person at Sanford feels that there are many people here that they can depend on, both teachers and students, but this feeling is greatly enhanced for me because of the group people of which this grade is comprised. Every single one of my classmates is someone who I can count on, who will be there for me when I need them the most, and this is what makes our grade, the class of 2012, so special.”
lower School Closing Exercises
The Quad set the stage for a delightful June ceremony honoring and showcasing Lower School students. Friends and family members joined the celebration, which included musical presentations by Lower School children, remarks by Head of Lower School Nancy Hebard, and the presentation of gifts and certificates to rising fifth graders.
• From An ExcEptionAl Bond, phoebe hering s student address, 2008 middle school closing exercises
The attentive audience of students, teachers, and families was pleased with the program.
Chaz Knox and Seth Kreidel made beautiful music.
Latrece Hopkins enchanted the audience.
Studio Art Department Chair Betty O’Regan (center) presents awards to Lower School students whose artwork was selected for the annual Gift to the School program.
Joining Betty are Kyle Leach, Abigail Gilbert, art teacher Nina Silverman, Grace Johnston, Alex Voss, art teacher Mary Morrison, Julia LiPuma, and Mei-Ling Crane.
Megan Stellini and Cara Tozzoli sang May Sunshine Light Your Way
These lovely ladies are Phoebe Hering, Kerry Walsh, Warren Davis and Haley Dabkowski.
Chas Frick, Billy Halakos, Clayton Herling, Kevin Shay, Ocean Gibson, Reese Gaylor, and Jeffrey Clampitt celebrate their last day in Middle School.
OnCampus
Commencement 2008
Upper School history teacher Mark Shields delivered the keynote address for this year’s commencement exercises, which were held on Friday, June 6th in the William L. Aydelott Quadrangle. Joining Mr. Shields as presenters were graduates Ian Thresher and Sarah Greenwood. Musical performances by Lauren Bond, the Sanford Vocal Ensemble, Kane Kalas, and Ryan John added to the beauty of a glorious summer morning.
As of right now, I cannot even imagine what some of my peers will accomplish. But whatever they set out to be a musician, a doctor, an engineer, or a teacher all of them will be successful. And they will be successful because they will continue with the same level of dedication, integrity, and passion with which they have met every challenge they have encountered thus far. I have very high expectations for this class because over my years here I have learned that the person we become is the person we set out to be, and I think all of us are well on our way to becoming that person.
• From ian thresher s 2008 commencement address
2008 commencement Awards
A.B. Banghart Individual Award presented to the student who has done an outstanding piece of individual work. Suchit tuli
Alumni Award presented to the student whose participation in extra-curricular activities has been most dedicated. Whitney King
Headmaster’s Award given on an occasional basis, as deemed appropriate by the faculty and the Head of School, to honor a member of the graduating class whose achievement in a particular area of school life has been so exemplary that special recognition is in order. Jin chen
Kenneth D. Jones Memorial Award given to the senior boy who has shown outstanding qualities of leadership, loyalty, and good citizenship, and who in his daily life is always gracious in manner and considerate of others.
Alex Olivieri
Nancy C. Sawin Final Award for Girls given to the senior girl who has shown outstanding qualities of leadership, loyalty, and good citizenship, and who in her daily life is always gracious in manner and considerate of others.
BrittAny BOWmAn
Scholastic Award given in honor of the Class of 1939 to the student in the senior class having the highest cumulative four-year academic average. BrittAny BOWmAn
Thomas McCarthy Award for Citizenship presented in the memory of Thomas McCarthy, Class of 1940, and awarded to the student who has always been a responsible and contributing citizen in every aspect of campus life.
tyler ShieldS And trAe humphreyS
From Sanford to...
SAnFord ScHool grAdUAtES
ArE AttEndIng tHE FollowIng collEgES And UnIvErSItIES:
Boston College
Boston University
Bucknell University
Clemson University
Columbia University
Connecticut College
Curry College
Dartmouth College
Delaware State University
Dickinson College
Elizabethtown College
Elon University
Franklin and Marshall College
Gettysburg College
Greensboro College
Guilford College
Hamilton College
Hofstra University
Howard University
Ithaca College
James Madison University
Lafayette College
Loyola College in Maryland
Lynchburg College
Muhlenberg College
Northeastern University
Susquehanna University
The George Washington University
University of Delaware
University of Georgia
University of Mary Washington
University of Miami
Ursinus College
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Wake Forest University
Westminster Choir College of Rider University
Wittenberg University
Yale University
Above: Alex Olivieri sang a solo during the Vocal Ensemble’s performance of Time to Say Goodbye
Left: Brian Nachbar, joined by parents Ken and Kathy, takes a look at his diploma.
Above: Sarah Greenwood, now a freshman at Gettysburg College, delivers one of the student addresses.
Courtney Jones and her mother Marge celebrate.
Rachel Vargyai, Nicole Dabkowski, and Jessica Johnson are now Sanford alumnae.
OnCampus
Springtime blossomed with emotion and excitement on the Sanford campus. Here are just a few of the events that captured the spirit of the our community.
Music Awards Night, A Tribute to Lisa Nowicki
cUM lAUdE cErEMony
Natasha Frosina ’08 (fourth from left) joined members of her family including mom and Sanford Lower School teacher Michelle Frosina, sister Allie, dad Tom, and grandparents Pat and Sal Frosina following the Cum Laude induction ceremony.
Middle School Spanish p lays
Home & School Staff
Rosemary Brooks recognizes employees for their dedication to Sanford students.
Wayne Rapine, Trish Moyer, Kate Sabini, Tiffany Chalk, Alice Johnston, and Pam Rapine were some of the parents who contributed their time and talent to the event.
Middle School teacher Todd Helmecki takes a moment to look at a book that Home & School donated in his honor to Sanford.
This group of attendees includes (clockwise from left) Performing Arts Chair Clint Williams, former Performing Arts Chair Lisa Nowicki, Athletic Director
Joan Samonisky, Middle School librarian Susan DeSantis, and Upper School teacher Michelle Gerken.
Red Riding Hood, Shannon Babcock, converses with the Rabbit, Tom LaStrange.
Bryan McLellan, who performed as both Sneezy and the Mirror in the sixth-grade Spanish production of Snow White (Blancanieves), gives his autograph to Lower School student Emily Wingfield.
Fifth-grade students delivered an all-Spanish performance of Red Riding Hood (Caperucita Roja). In this photo, the Lion (Johnny Spadaro) is listening to the Lamb (David Goudy).
The end of the last school year was marked by several off-campus events for members of the Sanford community. Here are scenes from a just a few of those activities.
Dottie Andrews’ Retirement Celebration
A few friends and colleagues wished former Middle School Administrative Assistant Dottie Andrews well during a luncheon at Dome restaurant in Hockessin, Delaware. Dottie (seated, center) is joined by (clockwise, from left to right): Middle School librarian Susan DeSantis, Head of School Administrative Assistant Loren Yates, Middle School math teacher Pam Chipman, Accounting Administrative Assistant Pam Burgos, Debbie MacKelcan, Middle School Spanish teacher Sandra Cahill, Advancement Administrative Assistant Merrilee Mose, Middle School teacher Carol Moore (behind Merrilee), Accounting Administrative Assistant Chrissy Bonner, Middle School teacher Michelle Dresser, Receptionist Laura Gaylor, Upper School Administrative Assistant Nancy Holland, and Admission Administrative Assistant Ceil Baum.
Third Grade Goes to Hershey Park
Science Soars in Upper School
Last May, third-grade students, teachers, and families traveled to Hershey Park for a day of fun and festivity. This annual outing is a celebration of the students’ earlier completion of Chocolate Economics, a unit of study designed to teach children about basic economics principles. Shown in the photo below are third-grade teachers (front to back) Candyce Pizzala, Christine DiUbaldo, and Erick Gedge. a day of fun and festivity
At Sanford, science goes beyond the classroom and laboratory. In the photo below, Sarah Brennan, Gabby Petrelli, and David Libert are looking at their graph of acceleration versus time for their latest ride on Medusa as part of Physics Day at Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey.
Yearbook staff members Marques Hayman, Jin Chen, and Kelly Reynolds were on hand for the big release. The new Chrysalis captured the attention of Seung Tae Lee, Rob Nutini, Alex Beattie, and Chris Copeland.
Showstoppers Lindsay Moyer, Connor Rufo, Diana Whitcomb, Patrick O’Connor, and Serena Rubin were a hit.
Owen Andreasen, Haley Wise, and Julia Sardo stepped back in time for the performance.
Alex Kuczykowski, William Landis, Alexandra Somerville, Julia Napoli and Carter Ayars perform Mack The Knife
Taking center stage were Maria Khazana, Agata Favilla, Chloe DiCamillo, and Ava Pierson.
Timmy Bloom engineered a masterful performance.
preparing for the future
Advanced Placement Program Offers challenges and opportunities
By Theresa Gawlas Medoff
A generation ago, Advanced Placement (AP) courses were still a rarity. In 1976, twenty years after the AP program was introduced, only 76,000 students in 4000 high schools were enrolled in the rigorous, college-level courses. Those numbers have since mushroomed, and nearly 1.5 million students were enrolled in at least one AP course last year. As the prevalence of the challenging courses has grown, so too has the controversy about their value.
More and more public schools are trying to boost academic quality by funneling a greater percentage of students into AP courses, hoping that students will rise to the challenge. At the same time, critics of the AP program lament that the courses try to pack in too much material, sacrificing depth for breadth, and that they rob teachers of autonomy.
Two years ago, for the first time ever, the College Board, administrator of the AP exams, required that schools submit syllabi of AP courses for review and analysis. Only those courses that were determined to meet or exceed standards for college-level curricula would receive AP endorsement.
The AP courses offered at Sanford easily met the standards, said Upper School Head Mark Wagner, and though preparing for the audit was time-consuming, the exercise proved to be an ideal time to reflect on the way AP courses are taught and how they fit into the curriculum.
“AP courses are basically freshman-level, college survey courses. The curriculum is very demanding, and the teachers and the students need to be highly motivated,” Wagner said. Sanford students are recommended for AP courses based on their prior performance and interest in a subject. “We want students to do well, but we are willing to let them take an AP course to stretch academically. It’s okay for a student to get a C in the course and a 2 or 3 on the exam if he or she is benefiting from the class,” Wagner added.
“I’m sort of passionate about students taking calculus in high school,” said Catherine Kleier, chair of the math department. “No matter how they do in the course, they are better off for having taken calculus at a place like Sanford where the teacher is user-friendly and the classes are small.” Introductory courses at colleges can have 100 or more students in them with widely varying abilities. The teacher can’t possibly meet all the students’ needs. “With the small, select group of students in our classes, every one can get his or her questions answered every day. That’s something very special,” Kleier said.
Sanford usually offers 13 AP courses per year in English, foreign languages, math, science and social science. AP Studio Art and AP Environmental Science are the two newest AP courses at Sanford. AP World History is the only one offered before junior year.
“I’m sort of passionate about students taking calculus in high school,” said Catherine Kleier, chair of the math department. “No matter how they do in the course, they are better off for having taken calculus at a place like Sanford where the teacher is user-friendly and the classes are small.”
Sanford students typically perform well on the year-end comprehensive exams. The exams are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 indicating that the student is “extremely well qualified.” The College Board reports that 34 percent of tests earned a score of 4 or 5 in the years 2005 – 2007. Sanford students earned 4s or 5s on 57 percent of their tests during the same period. The scores from the May 2008 tests were particularly impressive: the 69 Sanford students earned scores of 4 or 5 on 78 percent of the 150 tests they took.
While 10 percent of Sanford students will take six or more AP courses during their Upper School years, a third will take none at all. “AP courses are meant to give a college-level experience to students who are ready for it, but our non-AP courses prepare our kids beautifully for college,” said College Counselor John Ramsey. “Grades in every course at Sanford are hard-earned we don’t have grade inflation and that comes out in the college admission process,” he added.
But for those who are up to the challenge, taking AP courses can be a rewarding academic experience that inspires them to pursue further study. “Our ultimate goal is that students learn the language and not just to take the test,” said German teacher Paul Donavan, former chair of the world languages department. “Many of our students could use the AP credit to place out of a college language requirement, but they choose instead to continue their study, and some have gone on to major or minor in German.”
AP courses are difficult, Sanford students say, but ultimately the extra work is worth it. “AP U.S. History was significantly more difficult than the regular course; the same with the AP
“In Spanish we practiced speaking and listening, which are helpful for the test, but are also necessary for learning the language,” says Brittany Bowman. “The skills we learned in English, to read and analyze literature, are useful in any situation,” she adds, “and Mrs. verm never spent much time just preparing for the test.”
English courses,” said Ian Thresher ’08, now a freshman at Hamilton College. “But I didn’t get the impression that any of my teachers rushed through the material. You just had to be very disciplined or the work would really catch up with you.”
Neither Thresher nor Brittany Bowman ’08 felt that their AP courses sacrificed breadth for depth. “In Spanish we practiced speaking and listening, which are helpful for the test, but are also necessary for learning the language,” she said. “The skills we learned in English, to read and analyze literature, are useful in any situation,” she adds, “and Mrs. Verm never spent much time just preparing for the test.”
Helen Vermeychuk was famous for declaring to students and parents that the College Board would not dictate what she could teach her students and that the test was NOT what mattered most. Her AP English language students spent as much time reading and discussing literature as they did writing essays.
In fact, Sanford faculty work hard to incorporate into their courses additional material and experiences, such as oral presentations and group projects, that they feel are important for students.
Brittany is considering majoring in Spanish or another foreign language at Yale while fulfilling the pre-med requirements. She won’t be receiving any course credit for her AP work, although she earned 5s on all eight of her AP tests. Still, the courses will allow her to bypass some introductory classes, and she is confident that her Sanford coursework has prepared her for Yale. “Even if I don’t get credit for the AP bio, having taken it will make biology easier at Yale, and I’ll have all those notes to refresh my memory.”
Brittany Bowman receiving an award from Head of Upper School Mark Wagner.
spotlight on ATHLETICS
There is nothing better than the start of fall pre-season practices! The energy level of the student-athletes and coaches is high. Old friendships are renewed after the long summer break and new friendships are started. Students in fall sports, who are new to our school, make a smooth transition to Sanford, with the bond of friendships established and the sense of belonging created by being a member of a school team.
The Sanford School physical education and athletics program is part of the school curriculum. Lower School students learn to have fun through participation in physical activities. Students are challenged with a variety of developmentally appropriate skills and activities designed to develop their bodies and minds. Middle School physical education also focuses on the fun of participating in physical activities with more of an emphasis on the development of sport skills and team concepts. Participation on interscholastic teams, which begins in seventh grade, is a continuum of the solid base of skills and techniques learned in the lower grades. Throughout the program, good sportsmanship is emphasized as students are encouraged to work hard, try their best, and accept the outcome, win or lose, of a game well played.
Within our program today, I know there are students who will take their own love of a sport to a higher level and, hopefully, someday return to coach at Sanford, just as eleven of our current coaches have done!
GO WARRIORS!!!
BOYS’ TENNIS
Joan S. Samonisky, Director of Athletics
GOLF
BASEBALL GIRLS’ SOCCER
spotlight on ATHLETICS
GIRLS’ TENNIS
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
spotlight on ATHLETICS
Field day Features Fun While Emphasizing Valuable Life Lessons
I
n late May or early June, Sanford Lower and Middle School students participate in Field Day. The objectives of this event are to:
• Highlight the skills students learned in the physical education program
• Reinforce the importance of good sportsmanship during competition
• Reflect the Lower School project theme.
Students are divided into two teams the Blue Team and the Gold Team and the team that receives the greater number of points is declared the winner. Families are invited to attend to show their support of students during this annual event.
Sanford Alumni Notes Sanford Alumni Notes
Alook back...
Congratulations to the winner of our second quiz, Kay (Parramore) White ’69. Kay was the first person to contact Jackie Pitts with the most correct answers. Kay will receive a Sanford T-shirt for her efforts.
Here are the responses:
1. 1965 – 1966
2. The photo was taken in Geipel Gymnasium.
The team members were:
Front Row (left to right): Jackie Crowell, Mary Schempp, Co-captain Lauren Marta, Co-captain Rosie Motsinger, Debbie Crowell, Rosaria DeSeta
Back Row (left to right): Lauri Ginsberg, Kay Parramore, Ann Sperl, Coach Scotty Reiter, Mary Craig Parramore, Gladys Rodriquez, and Pat Compton.
Three entries named all players correctly. Eight days after Kay’s winning entry came in, Jackie (Crowell) Sham submitted an entry with all first names correct.
Our special congratulations go to the No Talent Lies Latent teamwork of Marg (Schempp) Berg, Marilyn (Talbert) Rhodes, Rosaria (DeSata) Donohue, and Susie (Hartz) Neuwirth whose emails from New Zealand to Chicaago to California to Tennessee yielded…a bit late… all the correct answers. What a clever group…using “the old Sanford teamwork.”
How much do you recall about Sanford’s early years?
Take a look at the photo above, identify as many of the coaches as you can, and you could win a prize. The first person to email Jackie Pitts (pittsj@sanfordschool.org) with the most correct answers will win a Sanford T-shirt. All email submissions must be received by November 30, 2008.
Look for the answers, and the name of the quiz winner, in the next issue of SANFORD magazine.
Sanford Alumni Notes Sanford Alumni Notes
Nancy Brown Noble ’52 is working part time and staying close to home to take care of husband Ray. She said, “I notice that graduation is on June 6th this year. That was the day our class of 1952 graduated 56 years ago!”
Bob Crawford ’54 says he’s been rejuvenating his old bones by going out for 30-mile jaunts on his road bike with the local bike club!
Rosemary McMullen Wilson ’60 is still doing substitute teaching in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. She told us she has two children and three lovely grandchildren.
Sara Stremlau Pryde ’61 is enjoying retirement immensely! She says, “It’s fun to have more time for family. Son John, and his wife Kiersten, live close by with their two children, Natalie (5) and Ben (3). Son David, and his wife Kate, and their son Patrick (2), live in Cabot, Arkansas, so I can’t see them so often. I stay busy with needlework, reading and doing water aerobics. I’m also active in church and sing in the choir, as well as being busy with American Baptist Women, plus Kings Daughters and Sons.” Sara can’t wait until summer when she spends 4 months in Maine at her cottage. Sara says, “Life is good!”
Nancy Buell Tamms ’66 recently bought a children’s consignment shop in Cary, North Carolina, which opened for business April 22nd. Nancy told us, “It is quite a challenge at age 60, but I thought it might be a fun way to spend my last years before retirement.”
Sanford magazine’s issue on environmental education prompted Jack McVaugh ’67 to write about his career experience in the field. Jack earned a bachelor’s in chemical engineering and a master’s in civil (environmental) engineering in the days when environmental engineering was a nascent field. His early jobs introduced him to the technical and regulatory sides of environmental engineering, both of which were essential to his work as head of environmental affairs for a large chemical manufacturer. When Jack wanted to learn more about the broader world of business, he circulated through a variety of management positions in the same company. He brought all those years of experiences together in 1994, when he started his own company, Environmental Technology & Management, which helps companies to reduce pollution and improve their environmental, health, and safety performance. “We show organizations that they can save money, reduce pollution and work more safely at the same time. It is very gratifying work,” Jack writes. “I am extremely satisfied with my career choice, feel fortunate to have been able to draw from every part of my experience, and make a small contribution to a better world,” he adds. Jack lives in Texas. Howard (Pep) Pepper ’69 retired from the Ocean City, Maryland, police department in 2002. He still works there 32 hours a week part time. Pep’s daughter lives next door and has just made Pep and his wife grandparents for the 5th time! Pep’s son lives across the street and was married last August.
April Mazurkewicz Barnard ’72 has recently taken on the challenge of raising her 2-yearold granddaughter. She tells us, “Everyday is a new adventure. I would love to hear from my classmates. I wish I could attend homecoming, but I will be working that weekend.”
Barbara Massa-Biroc ’77 sends her best to everyone. She says, “It sure was great fun at Sanford.” Barbara is currently a senior sales representative for the New Jersey State Lottery. She’s a wife, stepmother, and step-grandmother. Barbara also enjoys rescuing ex-racing greyhounds and currently has two and is fostering two. Barbara asks, “Please tell me what my old classmates have been up to.”
Laura Thompson Howden ’84 wrote to say, “I wanted to share some exciting news! I found out I was pregnant a few days after my 40th birthday in December 2006.
Sarah Watson and Meeghan Carter hosted a magnificent baby shower for me in May (attending the party were Sanford alums Meeghan McLachlan Carter ’84, Sarah Small Watson ’85, and Sarah
Fielding Jones ’84). On August 8, 2007, I gave birth to a 9-1/2 lb. baby boy. His name is Bryce Dewey Howden and he is our greatest joy. He is just like his parents with blonde hair and blue eyes, and he loves to laugh. Dave and I are so proud of him and are enjoying every minute. I’m still teaching seventh-grade English at Springer Middle School; Dave works for Community Professional Sound, designing sound systems for large arenas, and he does freelance work for the Sixers and Phillies. He helped design the system for the new Phillies stadium and Bryce has even been featured on the big screen at a Phillies game. I’ve missed the last few homecomings but I’d love to hear from classmates email me at laura.howden@comcast.net.”
Keith Hollingshead ’87AA is serving his second year as president of the South Jersey Lacrosse League and his fifth year as president of Kingsway Lacrosse. He is also president of Fall Lacrosse Inc., and serves on the board of Woodstown Lacrosse. The Woodstown Town Counsel recently passed a resolution naming Keith an honorary citizen of their township for his dedication to the wellbeing of the citizens of Woodstown. Keith’s efforts have helped bring lacrosse to roughly 5,000 kids who would have otherwise not had the opportunity to play the sport. His three boys play for Wilmington Friends, and he always looks forward to the games against Sanford.
Marcia Merena-Conkey ’87 told us her husband is a Wilmington police officer. She is a coach at Tower Hill. They have three
Sanford Alumni Notes Sanford Alumni Notes
children, Jackson (6 years), Amelia (3 ½ years) and Noah (2 years).
Ted Gersen ’90 is one of 430 yacht brokers in the USA to hold a Professional Certified Yacht Brokers License (CPYB). After 10 years at Freedom and Legacy Yachts of Middletown, Rhode Island, Ted has opened a companyowned office selling Vicem Yachts (www.vicemusa.com). These hand-crafted motor yachts are built in Istanbul, Turkey, and range from 50 to 125 feet in length. Ted lives in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, with his wife Kelly and their two children Jack (age 4) and Molly (age 2) and a third child on the way, due in August!
Megan Wilkinson Papay ’94 recently wrote to say, “Michael and I had a little girl, Piper Collins Papay, on November 21, 2007. She is a little character already! We are still living in Sausalito, California, and loving it. Michael continues to lead the West coast office of the Wilmington-based Fort Hill Company, and I am still as active as I can be in the fashion industry. I launched a line of luxury boxer shorts called Birds Boxers (www.birdsboxers.com) almost two years ago, and they
are doing great. We are gaining recognition as being the best in the world, so we laugh…Piper will someday be the heiress to undies! I miss my Sanford family and hope I can bring Piper in to meet you all soon.”
Mike Kwiatkowski ’95AA attended Sanford from JK through eighth grade. He graduated from Salesianum in 1995 and the University of Delaware in 2000. Mike married Jessica Sechrist in 2003. He is employed at Blackrock and just took his final CFA exam.
Peter Fleischut ’96 has graduated from medical school and is now a resident anesthesiologist at Cornell Weill Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital.
Dana McCauley Mort ’99 recently told us, “After a long and tiring pregnancy, on August 7, 2007, my husband and I welcomed into this world a healthy baby boy, Bryce, via emergency c-section, who weighed 4lbs 14oz and was 17inches long! It has been amazing to watch him change and grow so fast!”
Sara Rothfuss ’99 and Jamie Carty were engaged March 3, 2008. An April 25, 2009 wedding is being planned. Sara received her master’s in social work in 2005 and is currently employed at Family Services, in Elkton, Maryland, coordinating the Case Management and Wraparound program for children. Jamie is employed at Barclay’s, working as an MIS analyst. They will reside in North Wilmington after their wedding.
Katie Perkins ’03 graduated with a BA in French and a minor in biology from Ursinus College in 2007. She currently works in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, for BIOMOL International Inc. in a biochemistry lab.
Kristen Andrews ’04 recently graduated from James Madison University with degrees in Interactive Media and Writing & Rhetoric. After a trip to Santorini, Greece, she started a job outside of Washington, D.C. as a government contractor for the Department of Defense. Kristen is employed as a web designer for the United States Army (www.Army.mil) and loves
everything about it! She is now living in Fairfax, Virginia.
Sarah Herzog ’04 graduated with a degree in history & historic preservation from the University of Mary Washington on May 10, 2008.
Kaz Murata ’06AA, a student at University of Mary Washington, has achieved All-American honors in division III tennis as a freshman. Kaz was on the 2003 undefeated Sanford boys’ tennis team, winning the state championship at the second singles position.
Michael E. Pietruczenia ’06 is a junior at Wesley College. He is an environmental science major with a triple minor in chemistry, biology, and math.
Mike works at Wesley as a math tutor for student support services. His specialty is statistics and applied statistics. He also made the dean’s list his sophomore year. Mike recently received his national emergency medical technician certification in June 2008. He volunteers at Hockessin Fire Company as an EMT and is looking to work in the city of Dover doing EMS. He is currently applying to be a New Castle County Paramedic, and hopes to be accepted into the next class starting in the spring of 2009.
Pat Killeen ’07 has finished his freshman year at the University of North Carolina Greensboro. He will be transferring to University of North Carolina Wilmington in the fall.
Bryce Dewey Howden
Piper Collins Papay
Dana McCauley Mort and Bryce
In Memoriam
We extend our deepest sympathy to families and friends of these members of the Sanford community.
With sadness, we report the passing of Wendy Wilson Greer ’54 in May, 2008. She earned two masters degrees, one in music and the other in music education, at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. As part of her master’s program she taught music at a public elementary school in Bedford Hills, New York during the academic year 1962 – 63. She moved to Washington, D.C. in 1963 and taught music to lower-school children at the Potomac School in McLean, Virginia until she moved with her husband, Jay, to New York City in 1966. (Wendy and Jay met in Washington in 1963 and married, in Colorado, on September 1, 1964.) For a number of years she taught music at the Town School in New York City. Her children are Katherine (Kate) Ginsberg, Heather, and Jonathan.
Wendy’s husband, Jay, said, “I would add that Wendy was a woman of many considerable talents, but I always thought that her enormous compassion for others was probably her greatest gift.”
Note: If you want to learn more about Wendy and get a sense of her and her remarkable life, please go to the website that Kate and her husband created to help the family celebrate their life with her. You can find it at www.wendygreer.com. (Incidentally, you can’t find this using Google or the other search engines. You will need to paste it in the address bar on your browser.)
Mary Ann (Walls) Mykyta, ’55, passed away on Thursday, July 3, 2008, in Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis, MD. Upon her graduation from Sanford, Mary Ann earned her R.N. through Memorial Hospital Nursing School, Wilmington, DE. Shortly thereafter, she met her future husband, Lubomyr Mykyta. After marrying in 1959, they moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1966, where they raised their children. A devoted wife and loving mother, Mary Ann also cared for her husband’s parents and his uncle, throughout their advanced years until their passing.
...with deepest sympathy
Mary Ann’s diverse professional life was a testament to the Sanford philosophy, No talent lies latent as her career spanned several fields from nursing to real estate to marketing to nursing home administration and allowed her varied talents to shine. She began working as a nurse at Wilmington Memorial Hospital, and following a period of years raising her children, she re-entered the workforce, earning her real estate license and working as a realtor with Weinberg Real Estate in Harrisburg. Later, she worked alongside her husband as marketing director for Astrotech, Inc., a division of Certified Testing Labs. Eventually, her successes resulted in her appointment as director of the Allentown office. After a short break, caring for her oldest granddaughters, Mary Ann returned to the field of nursing, finding employment at Dauphin Manor, working first as a nursing supervisor, then as assistant director of nursing and director of nursing, before pursuing her licensure as a nursing home administrator and working in that capacity up until she retired in 1994. Upon retirement, she and her husband returned to Delaware, settling in Dagsboro, where they lived for several years until moving to Crofton, Maryland. She will always be remembered as a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, and a supportive friend and co-worker who always saw the best in those around her, recognizing their gifts and encouraging them to shine.
Surviving are four children Maria L. Tershak and husband, Robert, of Palmyra, Pennsylvania; Natalie V. Dekle and husband, Thomas, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; John L. Mykyta and wife, Missy, of Crofton, Maryland; and Laryssa A. Mykyta and husband, Daniel Chomsky, of Philadelphia and seven grandchildren, Meagen Tershak, Marie Dekle, Catherine Tershak, Roman Mykyta, Anna Dekle, Rosa Chomsky, and Immanuel (Manny) Chomsky.
In recognition of Mary Ann’s love for Sanford, donations may be made in her memory to Sanford School, P.O. Box 888, Hockessin, DE 19707-0888.
William R. (Bob) Sexton ’55AA passed away on Wednesday, June 11, 2008, in McLean, Virginia, at Fairfax Hospital after a long illness. Beloved husband of Donna Sexton; loving father of Cathy Aylestock of Annandale, Virginia, Claire Dwoskin of McLean, Virginia, Marjorie Sexton of Washington, D.C., Robert Sexton of Linden, Virginia, and Susanna Sexton of McLean, Virginia. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Capital Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Association, P.O. Box 8211, McLean, VA 22106-8211. Published in The Washington Post on 6/13/2008.
We are saddened to report the sudden passing of Douglas Wilson ’47 on September 4, 2008, at his home in Boulder, CO. He leaves his wife, C. Diana de Armas Wilson ’52 and four daughters. A memorial service is being planned for sometime in November 2008. A more detailed note will follow in the next magazine.
